Annika Chambers up for BMA

Aside from her newest release, Making My Mark, Annika Chambers has been busy! She recently completed her degree at the University of Houston, Downtown in  December of  2013 in Corporate Communication. She has also been Nominated for Best Blues In Houston by Free Press Houston.  Her musical career has continued to flourish as she opened for Shemekia Copeland, Carolyn Wonderland and performed Mess Around at the blues music awards Memphis in May 2014 with Jeff Jensen and gang,  Pearland Crawfish Fest, Springboard South Houston, Big Music Festival,  Tall City Blues Fest (midland),  Navasota Blues Fest and  played with Brandon Santini during the IBCs 2014!

Here my review of Annika's most recent release:

If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

"review"

Montrose Records artist: Annika Chambers & The Houston All-Stars - Making My Mark - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Making My Mark, by Annika Chambers & The Houston All-Stars and it's got a lot of strengths. Opening with Move, Chambers does just that. A funky soul track. finds Chambers with a smooth but edgy voice leading the way with Nicoya Polar, Sheree Howard and Dominique Fulcher. I particularly like the understated but super guitar work from Corey Stoot on this track. A catchy number this could easily get a lot of airplay in multiple venues. Barnyard Blues is a uptown shuffle with cool bass lines from Larry Fulcher and great horn work from Anthony Terry on sax. David carter and Brad Absher handle the guitar work on this track. Jealous Kind is a straight up ballad with a honkin sweet sax solo by Terry. Lick 'er is a strong funk catchy track with super key work by Barry Seelen and saucy vocals by Chambers and Polar overall. Very hot! Tony Braunagel lays down some nice drum work and Terry again hot on sax. Trust Me has Houston swagger with a bit of country flavor. Down South is a direct airplay ballad and is strong;y written, arranged and executed. That Feel Good has that neo soul sound with Fulcher, Kerry Cartwright (drums) and Stoot contributing significantly to the overall sound. Put It Where You Want It is a cool pop track with nice clavinet work from David Delagarza, King Curtis like sax work from Kyle Turner and nice guitar riffs from Absher enveloping nice vocal harmonies from Chambers, Delagarza, Stoot, Fulcher and Polar. Nice! Guitar Boy is a light swaying soul track with jazzy blues riffs delivering a sweet melody sung by Chambers. It Hurts Me To My Heart has a cool New Orleans/Fats Domino roll. Randy Wall lays the groundwork on piano while Chambers delivers the goods. Anthony lays a nice bed of sax and David Carter takes a clean guitar solo right down the middle. Wrapping the release is Let's Get Down To Business, a funky blues rocker has a few pace changed and cool horn work by Darrell Leonard. Carter again steps up with a clever guitar solo and Chambers leads the charge with solid vocals. This is a cool release with a lot of cool sounds and Chambers has a particularly strong voice.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Montrose Records Signs Blues/Soul Singer Annika Chambers & Will Release Her Debut Album, "Making My Mark," on January 14, 2014

Montrose Records Signs Blues/Soul Singer Annika Chambers & Will Release Her Debut Album,

Making My Mark, on January 14, 2014

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HOUSTON, TX – Montrose Records announces the signing of Houston-based blues/soul singer Annika Chambers and will release her debut album, Making My Mark, on January 14, 2014.

Making My Mark will be available through CDBaby at iTunes and Amazon, as well as at the label’s website. On the new CD, Annika (pronounced “Ann-NEE-Ka”), is backed by an aggregation dubbed “The Houston All-Stars,” well-named because it boasts the talents of many Grammy winners and nominees.

Heading that list is bassist Larry Fulcher, who co-produced Making My Mark along with Montrose Records owner/engineer Richard Cagle. Fulcher is a two-time Grammy winner for his work with Taj Mahal on the albums “Shoutin’ in Key” and “Senor Blues,” and has appeared on 10 of Taj’s albums. He’s also a regular member of the acclaimed Phantom Blues Band and has  recorded and/or toured with such other renowned performers as Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Willie Nelson, Ruthie Foster, Curtis Salgado, The Crusaders, Smokey Robinson and The Wailers.

Additional Grammy winners or nominees on the recording sessions were keyboardists David Delagarza III and Skip Nalia; drummers Tony Braunagel and Samantha Banks; and trumpeter/arranger Darrell Leonard. A host of other stellar Houston musicians added their talents, including guitarists Brad Absher, Corey Stoot and David Carter; organist Barry Seelen; pianist Randy Walls; saxophonist/arranger Anthony Terry; and backing singers Nicoya Polar and Sheree Howard. Making My Mark was mixed by six-time Grammy-winning engineer Joe McGrath.

The even-dozen tracks on Annika’s new CD feature several originals by Chambers and additional songs penned by Larry Fulcher’s talented daughter Dominque, who also contributes vocals on the album. A diverse set of covers enhanced by Annika’s unique takes on them include songs from Bobby Charles (“Jealous Kind”), Spirit bassist Al Staehely (“Trust Me”),

Joe Sample/Alan Gorrie (“Put It Where You Want It”), Steve Cropper/Eddie Floyd (“Love’s Sweat Sensation”) and B.B. King (“Let’s Get Down to Business”).

At the core of this great supporting cast are the bluesy, funky and powerful vocals of Annika Chambers, an extremely gifted singer with the drive and talent that stamps her as a rising star in the blues and soul world.

After an eight-year stint in the U.S. Army, which saw her rise to the rank of Sergeant and serve two deployments in Iraq and Kosovo, Chambers left the military to pursue her dream of being a singer. “This record is from my heart and soul,” said Annika about the new album, “and I will cherish it for years to come. Larry and Rich took my vision and enhanced it into something that I would have never imagined. I’ve always told people it’s one thing to believe in yourself but it’s an even greater feeling when you have others believing in you. Thank you for believing in me.”

With the release of Making My Mark, Annika Chambers stands as a shining example to others to follow their dreams and not settle for anything less.

For more information, visit www.annikachambers.com and www.montroserecords.com.