Joanne Shaw Taylor announces New Album and UK Tour

NOVEMBER 2014 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
BERNIE MARSDEN

PLANET ROCK 48-HOUR TICKET PRE-SALE
WEDNESDAY 4th JUNE

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
AT 9am ON FRIDAY 6th JUNE

NEW STUDIO ALBUM
"THE DIRTY TRUTH"
RELEASED 22nd SEPTEMBER

British blues rock guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor returns to UK shores with a Nationwide UK Tour in November 2014, which follows hot on the heels of her fourth new studio album, "The Dirty Truth", which is currently being recorded in Memphis.
Tickets for Joanne’s UK tour goes on sale as an exclusive 48-hour ticket pre-sale on Planet Rock radio from Wednesday 4th June.  Fans will be able to pre-order tickets 48 hours before they go on sale to the general public at 9am on Friday 6th June. Go to www.planetrock.com for further ticket pre-sale information.

All tickets are priced £17.50, except London o2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (£20). 
VIP tickets are £50 and will include entry to sound-check, concert ticket, Meet & Greet with signing and photo opportunity, signed A3 tour poster, exclusive VIP lanyard and laminate.
The 14-date UK tour will feature former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden as special guest.
Fans will also be able to order the following versions of the new album from www.joanneshawtaylor.com :

• Signed copy of Limited Edition Digipak CD (£12.99) (including p&p)
• Ticket + signed copy of the Ltd Edition Digipak CD (£28.50), (London: £31) (including postage and packing for CD)
• VIP Ticket + Signed copy of the Limited Edition Digipak CD (£61) (including postage and packing for CD)
• The CD will be dispatched separately and will arrive on release date

Photo Credit: © Stephen Fourie

The tour kicks off at the Norwich Epic on 1st November and other UK including Sheffield, Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, Cornwall, and many more.
The new album, "The Dirty Truth", is released in the UK on Monday 22nd September on Joanne’s boutique label Axehouse Records. Joanne will be reunited with Jim Gaines who produced her 2008 debut album White Sugar.
 "I wanted to go back into the studio in Memphis with Jim to retain the same vibe that we captured on the first album," says Joanne. "The new album is a combination of rock and blues, and I think it’s going to be an exciting collaboration, and hopefully, my fans will love the rockier edge."

Photo Credit: © Stephen Fourie

The forthcoming album and UK tour follows 2013’s critically acclaimed Songs FromThe Road; a live album energized with soul power, blues savvy and rock roots.
In May 2013, when Joanne originally performed an intimate concert at London’s Borderline, The Blues magazine wrote, "Joanne slips from bursts of muscular rhythm to searing riffs rooted in the blues but not dominated by it… JST bristles with self-confidence, energy and excitement."
In 2013 during an in-depth interview, The Blues magazine asked Joanne if she was having fun playing live. "How can you not enjoy that job?" she responded. "I get on stage, turn my guitar up really loud and I shout in the microphone for two hours. It’s like the best therapy in the world."

Photo Credit: © Al Stuart

In November 2013, TV presenter Malcolm Gerrie said the following about Joanne in the Sunday Times – "Who said white gals can’t play the blues? Killer licks, soaring solos and heart-wrenching vocals."
"A Brummie blues singer? Yes, really," wrote the Sunday Telegraph about Joanne last November. "Joanne Shaw Taylor has enough soul to compete with the best the Mississippi Delta has to offer."

NOVEMBER 2014 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
BERNIE MARSDEN

BOOK ONLINE: www.thegigcartel.com
24 HR BOX OFFICE: 0844 478 0898

Regional Show Tickets: £17.50
London Tickets: £20.00 / VIP Tickets: £50.00

NORWICH EPIC
Saturday 1st November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01603 727 727
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
112-114 Magdalen Street, Norwich, NR3 1JD
www.epicstudiosnorwich.com

SHEFFIELD CITY HALL BALLROOM
Sunday 2nd November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01442 789 789
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Sheffield City Hall, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA
www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk

LEEDS WARDROBE
Monday 3rd November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01133 838 800
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Leeds Wardrobe, St Peter's Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH
www.thewardrobe.co.uk

MANCHESTER ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE
OF MUSIC CONCERT HALL
Tuesday 4th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 0161 907 5555
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Manchester RNCM, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9RD
www.rncm.ac.uk

ABERDEEN THE LEMON TREE
Thursday 6th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01224 337 688
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Aberdeen The Lemon Tree, 5 West North Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5AT
www.aberdeenperformingarts.com

GLASGOW ARCHES
Friday 7th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01415 651 000
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Glasgow The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8DL
www.thearches.co.uk

STOCKTON ARC
Saturday 8th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01642 525 199
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Stockton Arc, Dovecot Street, Stockton On Tees, TS18 1LL
www.arconline.co.uk

EXETER CORN EXCHANGE
Wednesday 12th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01392 665 938
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter, EX1 1BW
www.exeter.gov.uk/cornexchange

FALMOUTH PRINCESS PAVILION
Thursday 13th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01326 211 222
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Princess Pavilion, 41 Melvill Road, Falmouth, TR11 4AR
www.tempusleisure.org.uk

SALISBURY CITY HALL
Friday 14th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01722 434 434
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Salisbury City Hall, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, SP2 7TU
www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL
Saturday 15th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 0121 345 0600
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Birmingham Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ
www.thsh.co.uk

CARDIFF THE GLOBE
Tuesday 18th November
Tickets £17.50 / Box Office: 08444 780 898
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Cardiff The Globe, 125 Albany Road, Cardiff, CF24 3NS
www.globecardiffmusic.com

LONDON 02 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
Wednesday 19th November
Tickets: £20.00 / Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
London Shepherds Bush Empire, Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

BURY ST EDMUNDS THE APEX
Thursday 20th November
Tickets: £17.50 / Box Office: 01824 758 000
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Bury St Edmunds The Apex, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3FD
www.theapex.co.uk

Photo Credit: © Joe Armitage c/o BoneShaker Pictures

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Biography

Sold out concerts. Screaming fans. Her name in lights. Joanne Shaw Taylor never anticipated any of that at the start. Back then, she was just an ordinary Black Country schoolgirl, bored with the disposable pop she heard on late 90s radio, rifling her father’s record collection for sunken treasure, and falling for albums by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Jimi Hendrix.

At 13 she played her first electric guitar. "Guitars were always lying around the house," says Joanne.  At 14, she defied her teachers to play The Marquee and Ronnie Scott’s, and began to overcome insecurity about her voice.
"I never set out to be a singer," she modestly told Classic Rock. "I’ve always had a deep voice. I think it came from my influences as a kid.
When I was singing to records, I was listening to Albert Collins and Freddie King. When I was a teenager, I became a big rock fan: Glenn Hughes, Skin, Doug Pinnick. I wouldn’t get far on The X Factor."
Joanne left school at 16 and ran straight into her big break, as a twist of fate directed her demo into the hands of Eurythmics icon Dave Stewart after a charity gig.
Reflecting on his first impressions, Stewart recalls that "she made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end." His call the following day proved the start of a lasting friendship, with Joanne seeking his advice on the industry and accompanying his DUP supergroup across Europe in 2002.
Stewart gave Joanne her first deal, but when the label ran into financial trouble, it gave her a chance to regroup and work on her songwriting. Until then, original material had perhaps been a neglected side of her talent.
"I never really wrote songs until I was 21." Suddenly the dam broke. In 2008, Ruf won the rush for Joanne’s signature, and soon she was working with veteran producer Jim Gaines (Carlos Santana, Johnny Lang, Stevie Ray Vaughan), bassist Dave Smith and drummer Steve Potts on the songs that became debut album White Sugar. "We recorded it in this little backwater town in Tennessee," she recalls, "and if we needed a break, we’d walk to the shop and buy root beer."
When White Sugar dropped the following year, taking in gems like Bones and Kiss The Ground Goodbye, it turned out the press had a sweet tooth, with Classic Rock crowning it Blues Album Of The Month and Guitarist noting "she plays with more attitude and flair than most – massive potential here".
Soon enough, the buzz was building, with Joanne both raising her profile supporting Black Country Communion, and honing her craft on 2010’s Diamonds In The Dirt. This second album was another step up, from the explosive lead breaks on Can’t Keep LivingLike This to the heavier influence of her adopted Detroit hometown on the crunching country-blues of Dead And Gone. Not bad, considering she had written the material in just two days and recorded it in less than a fortnight: "It’s the dreaded second album curse. You have ten years to do the first one, and ten days to do the second!"
By then, she was unstoppable, with Diamonds In The Dirt proving not only a classic record, but also a skeleton key to every door in the industry. Having received a nomination for Best New Artist Debut at the auspicious British Blues Awards for White Sugar, Joanne scooped consecutive wins in the Best British Female Vocalist bracket at both the 2010/2011 events: a haul that cements her position, as Blues Matters put it, as "the new face of the blues."
Since then, it’s gone stratospheric, with Joanne breaking into the notoriously hard-to-crack US market, beating the stereotypes of her age and gender, and being watched by 17 million viewers as she played an angel-winged solo during Annie Lennox’s set at the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Concert.
That same summer gave us Almost Always Never; a bar-raising third album that found Joanne dodging expectations, writing the songs her muse dictated, and diving in at the deep end with just her talent to keep her afloat.
Recorded in Austin, Texas, these twelve cuts moved from the savage Les Paul solos of Soul Station and the strutting hooks of Standing To Fall, to the failed relationship achingly depicted on You Should Stay, I Should Go and the title track’s refrain of "You crash, you burn/you live, you learn". She’d never sounded more open and honest. "I’ve loved every album I’ve made for many different reasons," reflects Joanne. "But I’m so proud of these songs. It’s the perfect and truest example of who I am as an artist to date."
Maybe so, but if you only know Joanne Shaw Taylor as the songwriter and studio magician, then it’s time you heard Songs From The Road. Released November 2013 on Ruf Records, it’s a candid snapshot from the road that makes your front room feel like the front row. "That night was just really good fun," she reflects. "And I think that translates on the album."
In May 2014, Joanne reunited with her White Sugar album producer Jim Gaines, and recorded her new studio album in Memphis.  The new studio album entitled The Dirty Truth is a return to Joanne’s original sound that mixes rock riffs with blues influences.  The album will be released in the UK on September 22nd on Joanne’s own independent boutique label Axehouse Records.

Photo Credit: © MHP Studios

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Official Website
www.joanneshawtaylor.com

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Official Facebook
www.facebook.com/joanneshawtaylo

No Label Records artist: Steve Hill - Solo Recordings Volume 2 - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Solo Recordings Volume 2, from Steve Hill and it's quite interesting. Opening with Still Got It Bad, Hill established a gritty blues sound that is lacking in most contemporary bands. Accompanying himself on guitar and drums, this raw sound is right on! Slim Chance has a rockier/pop sound and a more clever hook but it's the raw slide sound that does it for me on this track. Tough Luck is an acoustic, finger picked picked, folk style track with smooth vocals and harp. The Collector returns back to blues roots with raw electric slide and a jagged feel that compliments the melody quite well. Never Is Such A Long Time is one of my favorite tracks on the release with R&B kind of style yet maintaining the rawness of this "primitive" overall sound. The melody is really strong and Hill compliments his solid vocals with stinging guitar work on this track. Excellent! Little Walter's Hate To See You Go is really well done with a driving beat and call and response vocal/guitar work. Another really sweet track! Better is a straight up ballad sung over arpegiated chords and 3/4 time. A simple radio style track, maintaining the raw feel, the track has a very memorable melody and a cool slide guitar solo. Simple Things, another quiet ballad with a strong melody shows Hill's talent as a songwriter and the ease at which he blends his own vocals with interesting slide work. On Muddy Water's I Want You To Love Me, Hill cranks up the distortion a little and gets a rolling blues feel going. Keeping the "dirty" overall sound, this is a cool way to showcase a classic Morganfield track without being repetitive. Very nice. Go On is back to the simplest of the stripped down blues rock sounds, one that I find very attractive. With only guitar, drum and vocal this is a cool track that deserves notice. Wrapping the release is Long Road, an easy going acoustic ballad with clean vocals and nicely articulated finger picked guitar and simple rhythm. This release is a mixed bag with a common thread of good music and solid execution. I especially like the raw guitar blues found here... and sound that most closely resembles the original blues.

  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”

 

Shoeless Records artist: Jeffrey Halford & The Healers - Rainmaker - New release review

I just received the newest release, Rainmaker, from Jeffrey Halford & The Healers and it rocks. Opening with title track, Rainmaker, singer, song writer, guitar player, Halford is joined by Paul Olguin on bass, Adam Rossi on keys and vocals and Michael Messer on drums. A straightforward British feeling rock track, it has a very memorable melody. Lost Highway is a solid rocker with a driving beat and grinding slide guitar. Mexico has a classic 60's western/mexican feel. I really like it. Simple Link Wray like guitar work with cool riffs and effects really punch this track up and highlight Halford's vocals. Possibly the best track on the release. Vinyl has a bit of an alt rock feel like the Talking Heads or the B52's but with a 60's feel. Actually pretty cool track with some over the top organ work from Rossi and stylized guitar work from Halford. Thunderbird Motel has solid ballad characteristics in more of a folk vein. Very nice track. 2nd Chance has a folksy blues sound, with Halford on vocal and resophonic guitar and Pam Delgado and Jeri Jones adding really nice backing vocals. Nature's Choir again has a bit of a British sound almost like early Kinks or Who. Bruce Kaphan adds a flavor of steel guitar giving the track just that taste of country. Nice job. North Beach is a stripped down rocker with a really nice rhythm. Halford plays an understated slide guitar solo and Rossi on keys maintains a balance with the release overall. Cry Of Hope is a really nice ballad with beautiful crying steel guitar by Tom Heyman echoing in the background. Another of my favorite tracks on the release. Harry We Need You has a lot of strength as a basic pop rocker ... could easily be the theme song for a television show. Wrapping the release is Joaquin, a nicely constructed acoustic ballad.

  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”

 

Master Storyteller David Olney Stacks the Deck on New Studio Album, "When the Deal Goes Down," Coming July 8 on Deadbeet Records

Master Storyteller David Olney Stacks the Deck on New Studio Album, When the Deal Goes Down, Coming July 8 on Deadbeet Records

Singer/Songwriter Will Celebrate New Disc with Grimey’s Too/Howlin’ Books In-Store on July 8 and Special CD Release Show on July 9 at The End in Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN – Master storyteller David Olney announces a July 8 release date for his latest studio album, When the Deal Goes Down, on Deadbeet Records. Produced by David Olney and Mark Robinson and recorded/mixed at Guido’s Studios South in Nashville, When the Deal Goes Down presents a dozen tales of roots music mayhem and delight, with the acclaimed singer/ songwriter backed by a cadre of some of Music City’s most creative players, including long-time Olney compadre Sergio Webb on guitar. The new album is the first time Olney and Robinson have worked together.

Olney will offer his hometown Nashville fans a special treat with a double-dose of performances to celebrate the new album: on July 8, a free in-store show and CD signing at Grimey’s Too/ Howlin’ Books (1702 8th Ave. South); and on July 9 a full-blown CD release show (with special guest RB Morris) at The End (2219 Elliston Place). Later this summer, David Olney will make his debut as a Shakespearean actor in the annual Nashville Shakespeare in the Park Festival. During the extended run engagement (August 14 – September 14) at Nashville’s Centennial Park, Olney will play the part of Lord Amiens in a modern version of As You Like It, and also contributes new original music to the play.      

Bolstered by Olney’s wicked sense of humor, counterbalanced with his knack for writing both dramatic and insightful lyrics, When the Deal Goes Down takes listeners on a wild ride of emotions from love and hope to fear and despair, all the while being entertaining as-hell. From the comedy of “Mister Stay at Home” and “Servant Job” to the tragedy of “No Trace” and “Scarecrow Man,” the new CD convincingly covers both the bitingly funny and chillingly stark sides of the street – and doing a fair bit of jaywalking in between them, too.

“I thought it might be helpful to God if I told him (or her) what I wanted from him (or her),” he says about the origin of the album’s title track. “God answered with a lightning bolt that just missed my head. What a kidder!”

On When the Deal Goes Down, he once again has several co-writes with long-time collaborator John Hadley, including the song “No Trace” “I pictured it in Africa, but it could also apply to West Virginia. Or anywhere in North or South America. Or the land of Canaan. Or the planet Earth. You get the idea,” Olney confides.” They pair up once more on “Mister Stay at Home,” a tune Olney says “has a jug band feel with some Mills Brothers thrown in. Grumpy old guy decides to go to town and have some fun. Hey, wait a minute, I resemble that remark.”

One of the most visual and visceral tracks on the new album is the mesmerizing “Scarecrow Man.” “There are any number of things in life that can do us in but what really terrorizes us are the demons we create in our own minds,” he says about the song. “They don’t disappear until we breathe our last breath.” And then he adds, “This was originally a Cha Cha.”

David Olney’s music has been compared to Tom Waits and Johnny Cash, and he has had songs recorded by Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Del McCoury, Lonnie Brooks, Tim O’Brien and Steve Young, among many others. Over a career that span four decades, he’s recorded more than 20 albums and toured around the world. In 2013, his song, “Postcard from Mexico,” was prominently featured in the hit ABC-TV series, Nashville. His YouTube channel has become must-see destination for web fans every Tuesday with his “You Never Know” video shorts featuring the story behind a song and its performance, along with other personal observations, as well as music videos and classic poetry recitations, such as “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

“Olney brings to mind other acclaimed storytellers like Ray Wylie Hubbard and Randy Newman and his work holds its own with this esteemed company,” wrote Michael Berick in his Blurt review of an earlier album, adding, “Olney has created such a memorable set of distinctive characters and dramatic scenarios that this work seems like a soundtrack to a novella or stage production.”

Fans can pre-order When the Deal Goes Down in both digital download form as well as CD,  including immediate download of 2 tracks in the high-quality format of their choice (MP3, FLAC, and more), plus unlimited mobile access using the free Bandcamp listening app. They’ll also get the complete album the moment it’s released. To find out all the information on this offer, visit http://davidolney.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-deal-goes-down

For more information on the artist, go to www.davidolney.com

DAVID OLNEY ITINERARY

7/8                         Grimey’s Too/Howlin’ Books In-Store Show & CD Signing              Nashville, TN

7/9                         The End (CD Release Show)                                                                        Nashville, TN
7/12                       Private Concert                                                                                                 Whitefish, MT
7/17                       Machinery Row (solo show)                                                                        Great Falls, MT
7/18                       KGLT-FM Presents Live from the Divide (w/Sergio Webb)             Bozeman, MT      
7/19                       Waterworks Art Museum (w/Sergio Webb)                                        Miles City, MT
7/20                       The Murray Bar (w/Sergio Webb)                                                             Livingston, MT
8/2                         Musical Heritage Center @ Fiddle & Pick                                               Pegram, TN

8/6                         Music City Roots                                                                                               Franklin, TN 
8/14-9/14            Shakespeare in the Park – Centennial Park                                          Nashville, TN
8/20                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
8/27                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/3                         The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/9                         Public Library Concerts (w/ Marshall Chapman, RB Morris)            Nashville, TN
9/10                       The 5 Spot (Band) - Residency                                                                    Nashville, TN
9/17                       Idaho Songwriters Ass/Sapphire Room (w/Sergio Webb)              Boise, ID
9/20                       Challis Arts Council Presents:  (w/Sergio Webb)                                 Challis, ID
10/25                     Huntington Hill Concert Series (w/Sergio Webb)                                Rochester, NY
10/26                     East Village House Concert Series (w/Sergio Webb)                         New York, NY
11/1                       Balsam Mountain Inn (w/ RB Morris, Brennen Leigh)                       Balsam, NC
11/12-11/25        The Netherlands & Germany
12/12                     Pinetop Mystics Presents: (w/Sergio Webb)                                       Nacogdoches, TX
12/13                     Red Dragon Concert Series                                                                          Baton Rouge, LA

Additional dates forthcoming ….

Matt Schofield Announces Summer Plans - Dates Begin 7/18 in Sacramento

                                                                                                                                                                 

MATT SCHOFIELD ANNOUNCES WEST COAST TOUR

ALONGSIDE ADDITIONAL SUMMER APPEARANCES

Provogue / Mascot Label Group Debut Far As I Can See

Further Establishes Schofield As One Of The Blues Brightest Stars

New York, NY --- Matt Schofield has revealed summer touring plans that include an extensive west coast itinerary.  The guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer will launch the run on July 18 in Sacramento, CA at Harlow's Night Club.  Additional appearances will take him through California, Oregon, and Washington before wrapping the western swing at the Kaslo Jazz Festival in British Columbia on August 2.  Schofield will then spend August in the Northeastern U.S., and September in the Midwest.  Prior, he is touring in Europe where he has become a significant attraction.  In North America, the legend inches closer, supported by fans, the Blues community and publications such as the L.A. Times who stated, "In Schofield the UK has produced the best blues guitarist from any country in decades.  Head and shoulders above the herd."

Provogue / Mascot Label Group released their Schofield debut FAR AS I CAN SEE on February 18th to raves.  Schofield has been frequently lauded as the British blues guitarist of current times, and on release Glide Magazine wrote, "One of his strongest works to date," while Blues Rock Review introduced a Q&A with the artist publishing, "A member of the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame, Matt Schofield is widely respected as one of the UK's top contemporary blues guitarists."  Overseas, Guitarist Magazine published simply, “There isn’t a better British blues guitarist playing currently.” With his debut album for Provogue, Schofield finds himself as representative for the long tradition of British Blues on the ultimate blues guitar label, and gaining a home amongst his peers - the world's greatest contemporary Blues players. 

Schofield's career has been gaining momentum for the last several years on both sides of the Atlantic.  Successful runs in the UK, Europe and North America have been met with critical acclaim and exponentially increasing audiences.  FAR AS I CAN SEE is Schofield's fifth album, offering two choice covers from his musical heroes alongside nine original tracks.  Long-time fans will anticipate the epic slow blues of "The Day You Left," as the guitarist re-harmonizes a traditional 12-bar form.  The album's second cut "Clean Break," is a classic trio shuffle, while "Getaway" exhibits Schofield is eager to continue finding new ways to play the Blues, integrating odd time signatures into the genre.  The instrumental cut "Oakville Shuffle," features a cameo by Denny Ilett, one of Schofield's favorite U.K. jazz/blues guitarists. With "Hindsight," the horn section is in full flight in a setting Schofield describes as "What if Albert Collins and Maceo Parker sat in with Tower of Power." Additional tracks include an upbeat and simple organ trio track "Everything," the Texas-blues nod to Jimmie Vaughan "Tell Me Some Lies," and "Red Dragon," which is a tribute to Hendrix's approach to the Blues -- one take, all live, late at night, with the band following his every move.  As a life-long fan of Albert King, Schofield pays his respect when taking on "Breaking Up Somebody's Home," and covers the classic "Yellow Moon." 

Schofield is an inspired character.  His lyrical approach is driven by inspiration from all facets of life's experiences, and the impact what he reads, watches and absorbs has on his deepest thoughts.  This is best displayed with the album opener, "From Far Away."  The singer finds  inspiration from Carl Sagan, and offers, "I'm a big lover of science, humanism and their related philosophies.  Lyrically I have known for a long time that I wanted to do something inspired by Sagan’s incredible and inspiring monologue 'Pale Blue Dot' - this song is my tribute to his beautiful, stirring words."

He is no stranger to accolades, and has been honored as the recipient of major awards that include British Blues Awards Guitarist of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, making him the first guitarist in the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame.  He also was complimented by Mojo Magazine with Blues Album of the Year in 2011, and received the nod for British Blues Awards Album of the Year 2010.  He was rated in the top ten British Blues guitarists of all time by Guitar & Bass Magazine alongside such icons as Eric Clapton and Peter Green.  In the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings, Schofield is cited as one of only two living British artists to gain a maximum four-star rating.

Confirmed Appearances Include:

7/18     Sacramento, CA                                              Harlow's Night Club

7/19     Santa Cruz, CA                                               Moe's Alley

7/20     San Francisco, CA                                          Yoshi's SF

7/22     Napa, CA                                                        City Winery Napa

7/24     Walla Walla, WA                                            Main Street Studios

7/25     Portland, OR                                                   Star Theater

7/26     Seattle, WA                                                    Highway 99 Blues Club

8/02     Kaslo, BC                                                       Kaslo Jazz Festival

8/08     Gravenhurst, ON                                            Peter's Place Live

8/09     Kitchener, ON                                                Kitchener Blues Festival

8/12     East Harwich, MA                                          Cape Cod Jazz Festival

8/14     Bearsville, NY                                                Bearsville Theater

8/15     Woonsocket, RI                                              Chan's

8/16     Morristown, NJ                                               Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival

8/17     Bay Shore, NY                                               YMCA Boulton Center For The Performing Arts

9/11     Chicago, IL                                                     City Winery

9/12     Danville, IL                                                     Phases of the Moon Music & Arts Festival

9/13     Auburn Hills, MI                                            Callahan's Music Hall

10/11   Helena, AR                                                     King Biscuit Blues Festival

                                                               

www.mattschofield.com & www.facebook.com/mattschofieldofficial

www.mascotlabelgroup.com / ART: www.mascot-provogue.com/download/matt_schofield/

Chris Antonik Announces US and European Tours

Chris Antonik Announces US and European Tours         In 2013, Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter Chris Antonik released one of the most critically acclaimed contemporary blues albums of the year, Better For You.  Music critics in Canada, the US and Europe hailed the record as “a masterpiece,” “unrelentingly excellent,” and “truly spectacular.”  Praised for its mix of fresh, innovative blues song-writing, and masterful guitar playing, Better For You was honoured as the Best Canadian Blues-Rock album of 2013 by the Blues Underground Network, and 2013 Album of the Year by RUST, an American music magazine. To reach new global audiences and match this critical acclaim, this fall, Chris will be bringing his live act to the US and Europe for the first time. In September, Antonik will be on tour in the eastern US, including stops in Ohio, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, and in October and November, he’ll be on tour in Germany and Austria to build on the success of Better For You in the region (the record was nominated for the prestigious German Record Critics’ Association Award for Best Blues Album in 2013). “I am thrilled to be bringing my music to a wider global audience this year," says Chris. “I am equally excited to meet existing fans and friends from all over who have been incredibly supportive of my music.” Full tour dates are listed below. US Dates September 17 - The Canal House, Tuscarawas, Ohio September 18 - The Saint, Asbury Park, New Jersey September 19 - Treme Blues and Jazz Club, Islip, New York September 20 - The Chicken Bone, Boston, Massachusetts September 21 - The Beale, Rochester, New York September 27 - Griffin Hines Farm, Swanton, Ohio European Dates *several more to be added in the coming weeks October 30 - The Belami, Bergdorf, Germany November 1 - Savoy Theatre, Bordesholm, Germany November 6 - Rainers Rockhaus, Algermissen, Germany November 10 - Music Club Live, Hamburg, Germany November 11 - The Green Island, Zeitz, Germany November 12 - Kofferfabrik, Fürth, Germany November 13 - Hotel Weissenwolf, Steyregg, Austria November 15 - Kamphuis, Quickborn, Germany Quotes “One of the finest releases from the Great White North in many a year… a living and breathing masterpiece.  Antonik is a blues star rising.” - Cascade Blues Association, Oregon    “An unrelentingly excellent sophomore album.  When he coaxes his axe he can make it sting like a bumblebee, sing like a lark, or weep like a motherless child.”  - New Canadian Music “Better For You is the sound of someone taking the blues to a new place.   ‘Nothing I Can Do’ features a truly spectacular guitar solo that has shades of Buddy Guy and Hendrix.”  - American Blues Scene   www.chrisantonik.com    @ChrisAntonik   /chris.antonik Listen to "Shake Me Down" on Soundcloud

Mannish Boys - Wrapped Up & Ready

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The Mannish Boys - Wrapped Up & Ready From the beginnings of the band six CDs ago, Randy Chortkoff has worked like the ringmaster of a three-ring circus, keeping one of the tighest all-around blues bands in the world today busy in the center ring, while performing amazing feats of coordination around them by spotlighting countless guest stars on each and every release. As a result the Mannish Boys have featured some of the best and brightest names in blues today, from the most seasoned veterans to the most exciting young talent, all carefully mixed and matched to field teams of artists perfectly in synch with one another on each song they take on. It wasn't at all unusual for past releases to feature three or four different guitarists, and a full cast of all-star guest soloists. But this time out, the plan was different: scale things down, simplify, strip everything down to just the fundamentals. However... as you now know, they've never been known to do anything halfway, so that plan went out the window on day one. The result is the latest Mannish Boys extravaganza, complete with an all-star guest lineup worthy of most full-blown blues festivals. And much like a perfect wedding, there's something old, something new, something borrowed, and plenty of blues(s). The core band is led by a powerhouse vocalist and front man Sugaray Rayford, and features the double-barreled guitar firepower of Kirk "Eli" Fletcher and Franck Goldwasser, anchored by the skin-tight rhythm section of bassist Willie J. Campbell and drummer Jimi Bott. Chortkoff himself contributes harp and vocals as needed, and right there you've already got one of the best lineups in the business. But of course, that's only half the story. Among those making guest appearances are the sultry singer Candye Kane (helped out by her amazing guitarist Laura Chavez), Bay Area great - by way of New York and Chicago - Steve Freund, blazing young guitarist Monster Mike Welch, and piano master Fred Kaplan. Blues harmonica fans will also find plenty to enjoy as three guests are also on hand to help hold down harp duties: Delta Groove recording artist Bob Corritore, teenage phenomenon Jacob "Walters" Huffman, and the great Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Also notable on this release is the return of guitarist Kid Ramos, one of the leading blues guitarists of his generation, who has been off the scene for the last couple of years dealing with serious health issues. And that's not all, folks... also on hand are bass player Bill Stuve and drummer Dave Kida, both veterans of Rod Piazza's Mighty Flyers, French import Nico Duportal on guitar, a full array of background singers including promising newcomer Trenda Fox, and much more. So - no halfway measures here. But just what you'd expect from the Mannish Boys: an exciting tour through the very best that blues has to offer in the 21st century. The Mannish Boys - Wrapped Up & Ready Click Here Pre-Order From The Delta Groove Store Click Here Pre-Order From Amazon Available On Itunes - June 17th 2014 Delta Groove Music, all rights reserved 2014 ©

Howard & The White Boys Performing at Jackson Blues Festival

Chicago's Hardest-Working Blues Band " for over two decades is Howard and the White Boys. They perform at the Jackson Blues Festival in Jackson, MI on Saturday, June 7.

JACKSON BLUES FESTIVAL PRESENTS "CHICAGO'S HARDEST-WORKING BLUES BAND," HOWARD AND THE WHITE BOYS - SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH     (JACKSON, MI) - Howard and the White Boys, known near and far for over two decades as "Chicago's Hardest-Working Blues Band," will rock the blues at the Jackson Blues Festival, Reynolds Field (at Jackson County Airport), 3606 Wildwood Ave., Saturday, June 7. 9 p.m. show. $5. admission. Info: (517) 962-5939 or log onto http://jacksonbluesfest.com/.   The longtime blues/rock ensemble recently recorded their long-awaited new album (and follow-up to the critically-acclaimed "Made In Chicago") at Rosas' Lounge in  Chicago, scheduled for a Summer 2014 release. Read more about it in this Examiner.com article: http://exm.nr/1nLgftH.      Howard and the White Boys continue to perform through out the U.S., bringing audiences to their feet and out onto the dance floor - much as they have done for over twenty years. Longtime band member Rocco Calipari has also branched out with his successful side project Head Honchos' who have released a well-received debut CD and play regularly throughout the Midwest as well as the rest of the U.S. and Canada.   The members of Howard And the White Boys first met at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb in 1988 and began jamming together just for fun, but their fast-growing popularity soon convinced them they could make a career of it. After only a few months, they got their first big break by opening for Blues legend, B.B. King. The band soon made the move to Chicago and began performing with the biggest names in Blues: Koko Taylor, Albert King, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry (the latter whom they were the backing band for in a headlining capacity at the 2002 Long Beach Blues Festival in Long Beach, Calif.).     Here's Howard and the White Boys killing it live on their song "Black Cat Bone," recorded at Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.                                       www.howardandthewhiteboys.net https://www.facebook.com/pages/Howard-And-The-White-Boys/ Kane County Chronicle - Interview Chicago Examiner - Feature The Alternate Root - Artist of the Week

Tree Leaf Music artist: Lefty Williams Band - All In - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (August 21, 2014), All In, from Lefty Williams and it's quite good. Lefty, who gets his nickname from the amount of work he can get done on the guitar using primarily his left hand, has put together a short list of slick tracks which blend, pop, jazz, blues and R&B. Opening with Crescent, a funky jazzy track with a flavor of New Orleans, Williams shows he has a great sense of style and a strong voice. He is joined by Richie Mays (slide guitar), Steve Mays (bass), Kofi Burbridge (keys), Yonrico Scott (drums), Ethan Levitt (sax), Hardian Mendoza (trumpet) and Joseph Jenkins (bari sax). This is a tight unit with a great sound. Let It Roll On has a bit more of a laid back style with more of a southern rock flair and slide guitar/piano riffs bridging the vocal lead. You Know I Love You is a really special track. A blend between John Fogerty and Steve Winwood, this track has a beautiful and memorable melody and warm guitar work, backed by nice horn work. Definitely the best track with absolute universal airplay appeal. Coming Apart is a simple ballad, again well constructed, showing Williams' fine vocals and guitar work. Wrapping the release is You Don't Tell Me, is a rocker with a definite southern flavor but sounding fresh and not stereotypical. This is a fine outing by a strong musician and singer.

  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”