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Monthly Archives: April 2011

24 PESOS WIN THE CONTEST TO APPEAR AT HARVEST JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL

24 PESOS WIN THE CONTEST TO APPEAR AT HARVEST JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL The battle the bands contest to appear at Canada’s prestige Harvest festival took place at the 100 Club. A closely run final resulted in 24 Pesos winning over Cherry Lee Mewis, The Dan Sowerby Band, The River Devils, 24 Pesos, Chris James and Albany Down. 24 Pesos came out on top of 98 unsigned British bands from across the United Kingdom who had entered the three-month long competition to win a coveted spot on the Festival’s stage. Considering the UK’s wealth of unsigned talent, it is a significant win for the band. Brent Staeben, Music Director of the Festival said, ‘It was a great night of UK blues in a historic club. What a fitting end to a fantastic contest and promotion. Harvest is thrilled to be part of these efforts to promote the province and I’m sure that 24 Pesos are going to captivate our audiences this September. They put on a truly stylish professional show.’ The UK New Brunswick Battle of the Blues is an innovative partnership created by the New Brunswick Tourism and Parks Department with the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival and Fredericton Tourism. ‘Innovative ideas like the Battle of the Blues competition and partnerships of this type are wonderful ways to promote tourism to the City of Fredericton and New Brunswick as a whole,’ said Minister of Tourism and Parks Trevor Holder. ‘By working with the Harvest Jazz and Blues festival and Fredericton Tourism, we bring new talent to a fantastic annual event and promote New Brunswick as an excellent fall tourism destination in the UK market,” he added. The finals competition was a sold out event in London attracting media, music industry members throughout Great Britain. The event and the competing bands received national media attention, shining a spotlight on the Festival, Fredericton and the Province of New Brunswick. The spectacular evening ended with a performance by New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen, the first Canadian ever to win the International Blues Competition in Memphis. Matt ndersen and Harvest Music Director Brent Staeben were among a panel of judges that selected the winner. More info

WILCO JOHNSON THE MAN IS BACK

WILCO JOHNSON THE MAN IS BACK Wilko Johnson, guitarist and founding member of Dr. Feelgood, who has influenced everyone from Joe Strummer, Mick Jones to Steve Albini, will tour the UK tour throughout September and October. His special guest on all UK dates will be the award-winning blues singer Ian Siegal and his band. The tour kicks off at the Edinburgh Caves on Thursday 15th September. Tickets go on sale Friday 15th April at 9am GMT. Tickets can be ordered by calling the 24 Hour Box Office: 0871 230 1101 or can be booked online from www.seetickets.com. Johnson will be accompanied on the upcoming UK tour by Norman Watt-Roy (bass guitar) and Dylan Howe (drums). You can read an archive Blues Matters Interview and see vintage video of Wilco here http://bluesmatters.com/magazine/interviews/wilko-johnson/ In a variation on his usual activities Wilco will soon be seen on Sky Atlantic television starring opposite Sean Bean as Royal Executioner Ser Illyn Payne in HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones More info

BOOTSY COLLINS – NEW ALBUM & FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD

BOOTSY COLLINS – NEW ALBUM & FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD To celebrate the April 25th release of his new studio album “Tha Funk Capital of the World”, funk legend Bootsy Collins is making the track “JB – Still The Man” available as a free MP3 download. Fans can download the song now by visiting http://mascotlabelgroup.com/mlg/exclusives/download-bootsy-collins/. While supplies last, CD copies of “Tha Funk Capital of the World” will be available with eye-popping holographic 3D album artwork – “The cover artwork breathes like it is a living being… it’s alive,” says Bootsy. Click here for the 3D artwork – www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/mascot/bootsy3d.htm “Tha Funk Capital of the World”, which will also be released as a transparent blue double-vinyl ltd edition, features fellow P-Funkers George Clinton and Bernie Worrell, along with an all-star line-up of musicians and cultural luminaries, including rappers Snoop Dogg, Chuck D, and Ice Cube; actor Samuel L. Jackson; banjo phenomenon Bela Fleck; the Rev. Al Sharpton; scholar Dr. Cornel West; guitarist Buckethead, and more. Tour dates supporting “Tha Funk Capital of the World” will be announced soon. More info

MATT SCHOFIELD NEW ALBUM & SHORT TOUR

MATT SCHOFIELD NEW ALBUM & SHORT TOUR The new Matt Schofield album Anything But Time is out on June 6 (June 14 in USA). The band will preview songs from the CD during their tour of the UK which opens at London’s Borderline on May 3. If you can make it to one of these shows, you will be able to get a pre-release copy of the CD from Matt’s personal pre-release stock. They will also play tracks from the album in a live session on the Paul Jones Shoe, BBC Radio 2 on Monday, May 2, 7pm. Tour dates are May London Borderline, May 4 Robin 2 Bilston, May 5 Manchester – Band on the Wall, May 6 York – Fibbers, May 8 Cardiff – Glee Club, May 9 Oxford – Bullingdon. Following the UK dates the guys are off to the USA for an extensive tour that includes a CD release show in New York, Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago, a visit to Linden TX to headline the T-Bone Walker Festival, and a show at Stubbs in Austin TX. More info

MICHEAL SHENKER GROUP TO SUPPORT BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION ON JULY TOUR

MICHEAL SHENKER GROUP TO SUPPORT BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION ON JULY TOUR The renowned Michael Schenker Group will support Anglo-American rockers Black Country Communion on their forthcoming UK concerts in July 2011. The pairing  unites one of the most well-respected heavy rock guitarists with the one the hottest current rock acts, BCC / MSG tour dates include – Llandudno Cymru Arena (July 23rd), Leeds o2 Academy (July 26th), Newcastle o2 Academy (July 27th), Glasgow o2 Academy (July 29th) and Manchester Academy (July 30th). National ticket hotline: 0871 230 1101 / Book online: www.seetickets.com. Black Country Communion’s July UK tour will follow the release of their much anticipated second album “BCC 2” on June 13th. BCC features the talents of Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian, and they will also be appearing at London’s High Voltage Festival on Sunday July 24th. Read the official July UK tour press release – http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/blackcountrycommunion/tour.htm More info

THORNHILL BLUES FESTIVAL – 29TH – 30TH APRIL 2011 Featuring Oli Brown, Ainsley Lister, Blues N Trouble, Chantel McGregor and more…

THORNHILL BLUES FESTIVAL – 29TH – 30TH APRIL 2011 Featuring Oli Brown, Ainsley Lister, Blues N Trouble, Chantel McGregor and more… The first Thornhill Blues Festival takes place on from 29 – 30th April in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire,  SW Scotland.  The main event on 30th features British Blues Award winner Oli Brown, blues rocker Aynsley Lister, Edinburgh veterans Blues N Trouble and Chantel McGregor. Chantel will have her new album ‘Like No Other’ available. This event takes place in the state of the art Bailey Hall at the town’s Wallace Hall Academy. Tickets for the main event are available for £25. Over the 29th and 30th the town’s pubs will feature a wide variety of blues acts including ex Hoax guitarist Jon Amor; song writer/ slide-guitarist Dave Arcari; 50s Chicago blues band Baby Isaac; Sandy Tweeddale from Edinburgh and Mike Whellans the one man blues band. There will be numerous local acts including Rock n’ Roll outfit The Cats, fresh from an appearance at the Blues Autour du Zinc in France, and Earl Grey & The Loose Leaves, whose debut album is reviewed in the current issue of BM. Balmoral Road, winners of the Maryport Festival’s Battle of the Bands, will also appear. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.thornhillblues.co.uk Also locally at BARNSTORM RECORDS, DUMFRIES THOMAS TOSH, VIRGINHALL, THORNHILL NITH VALLEY EMBROIDERY, SANQUHAR Full details of the line-up plus details of accommodation and local camping are also available on the web-site. More info

CANCELLATION OF YORKSHIRE BLUES FESTIVAL Saturday 30th April

CANCELLATION OF YORKSHIRE BLUES FESTIVAL Blues Matters news room has been advised of the cancellation of the Yorkshire Blues Festival; we received this statement from Joanna Dunn Marketing Director of the proposed venue; I am contacting you with regret to inform you of the cancellation of the Yorkshire Blues Festival.  A decision was made this morning by the organizer / promoter to cancel the event due to a lack of advance ticket sales. Having spoken to the Promoter and Event Organizers Brave New Arts Ltd who this morning said that the decision was not taken lightly; they have released this statement. “We had to make the decision as the financial implications of running the event without the support of advance ticket sales were too great.  The festival’s core aim was to raise money for really deserving local and national charities so this decision was a very difficult one to make.” If you have any comments or suggestions with regards to the event please contact the event organizers directly – Brave New Arts Ltd – Phone – 0114 257 7755 Email – info@yorkshireblues.com Joanna Dunn offered sincerest apologies for having to inform you of the cancellation of this event, as the venue they are disappointed that this is not going ahead. http://www.yorkshireblues.com/ More info

inaugural London Blues Festival this year from 15-22 May 2011i

Shades of Soul are delighted to announce the inaugural London Blues Festival this year from 15-22 May 2011.The festival will be held at a number of venues throughout the capital and will endeavour to highlight the extraordinary talent both here in the UK and internationally. We intend to make it a major annual music event, expanding its scope every year. It is the only genuine Blues Festival in London and we are extremely pleased with the support we are receieving including from John Mayall, Blues in Britain, Blues Matters, and a host of London venues as well as the Blues musicians fraternity. The LBF is intended to support the renaissance of the Blues and develop further its profile and popularity.As curators the Festival will seek to feature the full range of the Blues genre and in particular some of the best up and coming bands in the country. Apart from live shows the Festival will also host a number of seminars with the Institute of Contemporary Music. Headline artists performing at the Festival include: PP Arnold, Ian Siegal, Liane Carroll, Charles Shaar Murray & Buffalo Bill Smith with Crosstown Lightnin’ Marcus Malone, 24 Pesos, Marcus Bonfanti, Earl Green, BluesMix and a host of UK and international blues talent! Further acts will shortly be announced. Tickets are available directly from the venues participating in the festival“The London Blues Festival is not only an idea whose time has come … but something which should have been launched years, if not decades, ago, and I’m delighted that it’s happening. Here’s to it becoming an ongoing annual event, not only as a showcase for UK blues talent but a magnet for international acts … and a long cool drink of the blues each and every summer.” Charles Shaar Murray More info

British Blues Notables the Barcodes new album launch at Brooks Blues Bar April 9th

British Blues Notables the Barcodes new album launch at Brooks Blues Bar The Barcodes a band consisting of some of the most noted names on the British scene release a long awaited new album ‘Best of the Barcodes’ – featuring Guitarist harmonic a player Alan Glen , Bob Hadrell on keyboards and Dino Coccia on drums it’s a super collection of jazz flavoured swinging R&B and features several guests including Papa George, Paul Cox and Val Cowell. Our reporter caught up with Alan Glen for a brief interview while he was preparing for the launch gig at Brooks Blues Bar (www.brooksbluesbar.com) I see the album is called ‘BE COOL – the very best of THE BARCODES -tell us about the content (songs / originals / covers/ obscure covers, etc) There are 10 original songs and instrumentals & 7 covers which we’ve arranged in our own style. And have you got a tour or launch gigs lined up? We have an album launch gig with some special guests on Saturday 9th April at Tony Bell’s venue ‘Brooks Blues Bar’ You can find other dates on our website – www.thebarcodes.co.uk I had a look at your bio on Wikipedia and its pretty impressive, but its all about you as a harmonica player; surely you’re just as much a guitar player? I guess because I’ve been in some ‘name’ bands such as ‘The Yardbirds’ and ‘Nine Below Zero’ where I was purely a harmonica player – that’s what most people associate me with – however I have always played guitar – in fact I started with guitar first. Bob Hadrell Keys & Vocals When I first saw you play as a guitarist and I was very taken with the style, what I noted particularly was your skill as an accompanist; solos were also very good; what’s your philosophy on playing guitar? I find that very few guitarists these days, in the UK, know how to accompany a harp player properly. Most seem to go for Stevie Ray Vaughan / Hendrix / Clapton rock blues lead guitar. I have made more of a study of the guys that helped Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson sound great – namely Robert Junior Lockwood, the Myers brothers and others in the Chess house band. Do you think there is too much emphasis on guitar ‘solos’ as against the all-round use of the guitar as an accompanying instrument? Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy playing a Peter Green or BB King style solo as much as the next man but I am just as happy playing rhythm guitar parts behind someone else to enhance what they are doing. Your major influences on guitar Kenny Burrell is my all-time favourite Jazz guitarist and he influences my playing in ‘The Barcodes’ – particularly on our instrumentals. I guess I tend to prefer the less-is-more style of playing on the whole. Let’s turn to harmonica – who are your major influences? Little Walter – he was, and still is, my favourite; also Sonny Terry / Junior Wells / Magic Dick / Kim Wilson & m More info

Rory Gallagher Tribute May 23, 2011at the Iridium 1650 Broadway New York

Panel Discussion, Slide Show & Music Tribute Featuring: Davy Knowles (Back Door Slam), Innes Sibun (Robert Plant), Jimmy Suhler (George Thorogood), Scott Holt (Buddy Guy), Roger Earl, (Foghat), Jeff Simon (George Thorogood), Andrew “Duck” MacDonald (Blue Cheer), Kerry Kearney, Neil Evens(Soulive), JP, Bertha & Surprise Guests!

Rory-Tribute1

Your VIP Panel: Master of Ceremonies: UK Bob Donal Gallagher (Rory’s Brother) Panel Guests: Ed Christman (Billboard), Mike Carden (Eagle Rock President), Lindsay Brown (Eagle Rock  UK MD), Mark Klein (Host Blues Warehouse), Larry Yelen (Producer, “Eric Clapton Visual Anthology” DVD) Please contact Arnie Goodman at 718-474-1546 with any questions. Our mailing address is Blue Storm Music PO Box 940179 Rockaway Park, NY, NY 11694-0179 More info

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