The Jacksons maken affiche compleet

Met The Jacksons zet Night of the Proms opnieuw een legendarische naam uit de muziekgeschiedenis op het programma. De Jackson-broers, die in de jaren zeventig en tachtig met Michael aan hun zijde een wereldwijde sensatie waren, staan vanaf 8 november samen met Anastacia, Naturally 7, Ozark Henry, harpist Remy van Kesteren en John Miles op het podium van het Sportpaleis.

THE JACKSONS
Aanbeden door miljoenen fans over de hele wereld hebben The Jacksons voor altijd het landschap van de populaire muziek veranderd. De broers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon en Tito Jackson waren samen met hun betreurde broer Michael als The Jackson 5, later The Jacksons, in de jaren zeventig en tachtig één van de meest geliefde muzikale acts. Meer nog, met hun unieke soulvolle pop-funk, hun vele hits en hun onberispelijke live-optredens herdefinieerden ze de popmuziek.
Wereldhits als ‘ABC’, ‘Blame It On The Boogie’, ‘I Want You Back’ en ‘I’ll Be There’ maakten van de broers supersterren. Met 9 nummer 1-hits en 14 top 10-hits drukte de band zijn stempel op de hitlijsten. Vandaag zijn hun tijdloze hits nog even aanstekelijk en iconisch als op de dag dat ze werden uitgebracht. ‘I’ll Be There’ is nog altijd de best verkochte single in de geschiedenis van Motown.
The Jackson 5 schreven geschiedenis door met hun eerste vier singles op de eerste plaats van de Amerikaanse hitparade terecht te komen. In 1971 werd een tekenfilm van hen gemaakt. Vanaf 1972 combineerden ze hun activiteiten als band met solocarrières, waarvan die van Michael het succesvolst werd. The Jackson 5 werden The Jacksons toen ze hun platenlabel Motown voor CBS inruilden. In 1997 werden The Jacksons toegevoegd in de Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Ze waren en blijven de jongste groep die deze eer te beurt viel.
De laatste tournee van The Jacksons vond plaats naar aanleiding van het album ‘Victory’ in 1984. De Jacksons’ Victory Tour bracht in Amerika meer dan 2,5 miljoen mensen op de been. Het was wachten tot 2012 om de broers weer samen op het podium te zien. Deze zomer speelden The Jacksons in de Verenigde Staten een flink aantal concerten met al hun grote hits en een eerbetoon aan hun overleden broer. Voor hun eerste optredens buiten de VS kiest de bestverkopende familie uit de muziekgeschiedenis ‘onze’ Night of the Proms.

The Jacksons staan in het najaar als headliner op de affiche van Night of The Proms. De vier broers van Michael Jackson - Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito - brengen de grootste hits uit hun discografie.
The Jacksons staan in het najaar op de affiche van Night of The Proms. De legendarische band, oorspronkelijk onder de naam The Jackson 5, maakte in de jaren '70 en '80 furore met dancefloor-killers als 'ABC', 'Blame it on the boogie' en 'I want you back' bij het Motown Label. Toen maakte wijlen Michael Jackson nog deel uit van de groep. Hun handelsmerk: een combinatie van soulvolle funk, aanstekelijke pop en flarden disco. Tussendoor begonnen diverse leden solocarrières, waarvan die van Michael de meest succesvolle werd.
De laatste tournee van de beroemdste Jackson-familie van de planeet dateert al van 1984, naar aanleiding van het album 'Victory'. Dat jaar verliet Michael de groep. In 1997 kreeg de band een plek in de Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.
Na de dood van Michael Jackson kondigden zijn broers een reünietour aan ter ere van de King of Pop. Die kwam er uiteindelijk pas in 2012. Voor hun eerste optredens op Europese bodem werd geopteerd voor de Scheldestad. In Het Sportpaleis zullen de originele leden Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, op het podium staan. Randy blijft thuis. Het beloven soulvolle en funky avondjes te worden, want het viertal brengt de grootste hits uit hun discografie.
Naast The Jacksons zakken ook Anastacia, Naturally 7, Ozark Henry, John Miles, harpist Remy van Kesteren en het symfonisch orkest Il Novecento, onder leiding van Robert Groslot, af naar Antwerpen. De concertreeks start op 8 november en eindigt op 17 november.

Concertdata gewijzigd

2 november > verplaatst naar 16 november
3 november > verplaatst naar 17 november

Na de bijzonder gesmaakte editie van vorig jaar is de voorbereiding van de 28ste editie van Night of the Proms volop aan de gang.

Extra namen gekend!

Ook Ozark Henry en harpist Remy van Kesteren zeggen toe.

Anastacia en Naturally 7 krijgen het gezelschap van Ozark Henry en de Nederlandse harpist Remy van Kesteren op het podium van Night of the Proms. Het populaire evenement brengt van 8 tot en met 17 november in het Sportpaleis weer klassiekers over alle tijds- en muziekgrenzen heen.
De tand des tijds heeft geen vat op Night of the Proms, dat voor het 28ste jaar op rij stoeit met klassiek en pop. Ook dit najaar zal het symfonisch orkest Il Novecento o.l.v. Robert Groslot weer op meesterlijke wijze klassieke melodieën verenigen met de grootste popklassiekers, terwijl artiesten van wereldklasse iedereen uitnodigen om mee te dansen, mee te zingen, even weg te dromen en dan weer stevig uit de bol gaan.
“Toppers walsen Sportpaleis plat”, “Eén van de allerbeste edities in meer dan een kwarteeuw Night of the Proms”, “De affiche is één van de sterkste in jaren”, “Deze editie wordt de vernieuwing, of spreken we beter van de verjonging, consequent doorgetrokken”… Dit is slechts een greep uit de reacties op Night of the Proms 2011. “Deze positieve commentaren zijn een extra stimulans voor ons om de vernieuwing verder door te trekken. Ook voor de komende editie leggen we de lat weer heel hoog”, aldus organisator Jan Vereecke.
Night of the Proms wordt opnieuw een verrassende, swingende en afwisselende reis door eeuwen muziekgeschiedenis. Daarvoor wordt dit jaar een beroep gedaan op onderstaande artiesten. Nog één grote naam wordt toegevoegd.

OZARK HENRY
Met nummers als ‘Sweet Instigator’, ‘Indian Summer’, ‘Rescue’ en ‘Word-Up’ schreef de West-Vlaming Piet Goddaer, die in 1995 uitpakte met zijn alter ego Ozark Henry, tijdloze hits van wereldniveau. Zeer avant-gardistisch waren nog zijn albums ‘I’m Seeking Something That Has Already Found Me’ (1996) en ‘This Last Warm Solitude’ (1998). Zijn grote doorbraak kwam er in 2001 met het meer toegankelijke ‘Birthmarks’. Intelligente popmuziek met klassieke invloeden zou je op het visitekaartje van Ozark Henry kunnen schrijven, zoals hij ook demonstreerde op ‘The Sailor Not The Sea’ (2004) en ‘The Soft Machine’ (2006).
In het najaar van 2010 verscheen zijn zesde studioalbum ‘Hvelreki’, met opnieuw adembenemende muziek die Piet zelf omschrijft als “bijna zichtbare, bewegende landschappen”. Door de beeldende kracht van zijn composities wordt hij ook vaak gevraagd om soundtracks te schrijven voor films, documentaires en tv-series. Van zijn hand is o.m. de muziek van de tv-reeks ‘Sedes & Belli’, van de film ‘Crusade In Jeans’ (naar het boek ‘Kruistocht in spijkerbroek’ van Thea Beckman) en van de documentaire ‘To Walk Again’ van Stijn Coninx.
Donderdag 12 juli treedt Ozark Henry in het Paleis voor Schone Kunsten op met het Nationaal Orkest van België o.l.v. Stefan Blunier. Zijn muziek wordt afgewisseld met werk van Berlioz, Tsjaikovski en Berlioz.

REMY VAN KESTEREN
De 23-jarige Nederlander Remy van Kesteren wordt algemeen beschouwd als één van de grootste harptalenten van dit moment. Op tienjarige leeftijd werd hij toegelaten tot het Utrechts Conservatorium, waar hij in 2010 met de hoogste onderscheiding afstudeerde. Hij vervolgde zijn studie aan het Conservatorium van Amsterdam en het Conservatoire National Supérieure de Musique de Paris, waar hij momenteel studeert bij de wereldberoemde harpiste Isabelle Moretti. Al in 2009 werd hij uitgeroepen tot ‘Jong Muziektalent van het Jaar’ en won hij de derde prijs tijdens de 17de editie van het prestigieuze ‘Internationale Harp Concours’ in Israël. Nationale en internationale prijzen werden zijn deel en resulteerden in optredens over de hele wereld. Van Kesteren soleerde met o.a. het Jerusalem Symfonie Orkest en het Nederlands Kamerorkest, dat hem op zestienjarige leeftijd begeleidde tijdens zijn debuut in het Concertgebouw te Amsterdam. Een jaar daarvoor speelde hij tijdens de doop van Prinses Amalia en trad hij op in de Carnegie Recital Hall te New York. Met twee andere jonge musici richtte hij onlangs trio42 op, een in de kamermuziek unieke combinatie van harp, viool en saxofoon.
Wat hem inspireert en drijft in de muziek, is “de kracht van een solist die eerlijk en puur speelt zonder concessies of compromissen en met een grote mate van risico en lef”, legde Remy van Kesteren vorig jaar uit aan ‘Trouw’. Remy heeft alvast het lef, de looks en het meesterschap om de aandacht te vestigen op een uniek instrument dat nooit eerder op Night of the Proms in de schijnwerper stond.

Anastacia
"You can tear me apart, you can rip me to pieces/ Try breaking me down, but I'll never be beaten / You can say what you want, but I'll never believe it/ Because I can't be defeated." Anastacia, 'Defeated', from the new album Heavy Rotation.
Anastacia is back. And since she's never been a woman to do things by halves, when she talks about a fresh start, you can be sure she's going all the way. New look, new sound, new label, new management, newly wed - but the same powerhouse of a voice that has already sold more than 17 million albums in Europe and Australia alone.
"If it doesn't have a bit of fear in it, it's probably too safe for me," smiles the little lady with the big voice. "If it gives me butterflies, then it's my kind of thing." And right now, those butterflies are fluttering overtime. "I'm excited. It's nice to know that you still have a chance to do anything you want to do. If you want to live your life, just do it!"
The Anastacia you see today is radically different from the one who last toured in 2005. The hair is softer, short, more natural. The trademark tinted glasses are no longer necessary, since she's had laser treatment and can see well without them. "I love the fact that people don't really recognise me right now. Until I start to sing, they're not going to know who I am when I come out on stage, half the time!  It's been fun putting it all together, and starting to rediscover who I am. It's exciting to feel like I'm starting again."
Anastacia Lyn Newkirk was born in Chicago in September1968 but moved to New York in her early teens with her mum, sister and brother after her parents' marriage ended. Being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease didn't stop her realising an ambition to be a dancer, and soon she was a regular on Club MTV and appearing in videos with rappers Salt-n-Pepa. After showcasing that throaty, soulful voice on the MTV talent show The Cut in 1999, she signed to Epic and released her debut album 'Not That Kind' a year later. The first single 'I'm Outta Love' established her as a major star across Europe, Asia and Australia, and her follow-up album 'Freak Of Nature delivered the same hi-octane mix of thumping dance beats, massive pop hooks and passionate vocal performances while showing her growing maturity as a writer.
But then in 2003, everything changed.  The lump on her breast showed up while preparing for a reduction operation. In January she was given a definite cancer diagnosis, and the story leaked to the media before she'd even had time to tell her friends, giving her no choice but to go public on her illness. At the time it was traumatic, she says, but it all turned out for the best.
She responded well to radiation treatment and was given the all-clear in June 2003. Continuing to be free of cancer, she has offered a very public example of the advantages of early detection, and since her illness, she has raised serious sums of money to encourage this through her Anastacia Fund. "I feel great now," she confirms. "I'm really lucky that I was given the opportunity to walk through the eye of something so terrifying. Although at points I was crawling!"
In retrospect her illness explains why she went for a rockier sound on her third album 'Anastacia' in 2004. "I felt like I needed to fight. So I chose guitars and instruments with attitude because it was me laughing back in the face of it, spiritually."
There was a time when she thought the power and range of her voice might be compromised by the treatment, but as the songs on 'Heavy Rotation' show, she now has her energy back in full, and that awesome voice on full power.   "My voice feels fine now," she confirms. "But the music feels different to the Anastacia album. This album is more soulful. I feel more in touch with my inner self, my inner soul. I feel like I've come out of the other side of it all now, and found real peace. I've realised that life doesn't have to be controlled by me, in every way. And it's been fun, letting go, realising I don't have to be such a perfectionist."
Ironically, she's also more in control of her career than she's ever been, with a new management team, a new label, and opportunities to hand-pick the people she wants to work closely with. Things are changing fast in the music industry, she points out, and she had to watch while her record company merged with another, while people she liked and trusted lost their jobs. When David Massey, the man who'd signed her to Sony, moved over to join Universal as head of Mercury Records in New York, she felt it was time to move on too, and negotiated a move to the Universal-owned label where she could remain under his wing.  "I'm really lucky to have a consistent A&R person throughout my career," she says, but luck doesn't really come into it: when Anastacia wants something, she goes for it.
It wasn't until April 2008, when she officially signed her new deal that she began to write the new album. "It's been such a fast album I had no idea of what it was going to sound like, what I was going to say. I figured there would be a couple of love songs, but I didn't realise that most of the album was going to be as happy as it is. Even the songs I didn't write myself, that I chose, are all positive. Not 'Left Outside Alone' and 'I'm Out Of Love', but songs like 'I Can Feel You' and 'Heavy Rotation'."
As ever, Anastacia has worked with an A list team for the fields of R&B and pop. The album's title track was was penned by Grammy award-winning songwriter Rodney Jerkins, and Robbie Williams' old writing partner Guy Chambers worked with Anastacia on several tracks. Def Jam artist and talented writer-producer Ne-Yo contributed two tracks ('I Can Feel You' which he co-wrote with Chuck Harmony, and 'Never Gonna Love Again' which he produced himself). She also worked with producers Lester Mendez (Shakira, Nelly Furtado, Dido); JR Rotem (Rihanna, Lil Kim, Leona Lewis); and The Heavyweights (Missy Elliot, PussyCat Dolls).
"I called the album 'Heavy Rotation' because it's a phrase that DJs like to use a lot," Anstacia explains. "And also for me the meaning is, life can be heavy, but it all turns around and goes into something else. It seemed to be the perfect title for where I'm at in my life."
One of the biggest shifts in her life has been her marriage last year. When Wayne Newton first walked into her life, it was in a British Airways lounge at Heathrow. He was her new bodyguard, there to escort her to Germany where she was meeting her boyfriend. When they shook hands and said hello, she smiles, "I didn't know I was looking into my future husband's eyes. Are you kidding me? I had no idea!"
"We are really good mates," she smiles. "We're very much alike and we have a lot of similarities that bring us closer as best friends as well as husband and wife.
"I'd say this album is a softer piece of me, a gentler side, even a more feminine side. I've come into embracing my sensuality as a woman, finally. I'm like wine. It's taken a while, but my reserve is quite popular right now! I'm just really happy inside, and I think that's reflected in the music. Sometimes that comes with age, and sometimes just with what you've experienced in your life. So both of them together are why this is going to be an exciting record for me to promote. It's very thrilling, to have so many new chances, new opportunities. And I'm ready! I'm ready to do whatever it takes."
www.anastacia.com

Naturally 7
Naturally 7 are Roger Thomas (musical director, arranger, 1st Baritone, Rap), Warren Thomas (percussion, guitar, clarinet, 3rd tenor), Rod Eldridge (1st tenor, scratching, trumpet), Napoleon “Polo” Cummings (4th Tenor, guitar), Dwight Stewart (2nd baritone, vocals, trumpet), Garfield Buckley (2nd Tenor, Harmonica) and Armand “Hops” Hutton (Bass).
The origins of the group date back to New York City in 1999 when Roger Thomas started the group with his brother, Warren, and five other talented singers they had come to know over the years from singing around the city. Having been in and out of several traditional male groups over the years, Roger developed an affinity for a cappella sounds and a unique ability to create distinct harmony arrangements. When invited to sing at a major a cappella competition in New York, they won the competition, moved onto the nationals and took away two more wins.
Riding the wave of this newfound success and still unable to decide if Naturally 7 were going to be an a cappella group or a traditional band, Roger had a novel idea: they could be both.
He remembered as a child, his brother Warren always wanted a drum set but their mother always told him no because it was just too noisy. So Warren learned to make true drum sounds, with different ways of making the kick, toms, snare, cymbals, and other drum sounds, to compensate for not having real drums to play. Roger approached Warren with the idea from their childhood, and asked if he could become the band’s drummer, so to speak, to accompany Naturally 7 on up-tempo songs.
The idea evolved, and the other band members found unique aspects of their own voices to determine which members would BE which instrument. After all, Roger thought, if the human voice truly was an instrument, it should not matter which instrument it needed to be. And for Naturally 7, it really didn’t matter; “VOCAL PLAY” was born. What is the difference between Vocal Play and a cappella? A cappella is defined as singing without instruments. Vocal Play is singing AS instruments, and BECOMING an instrument with the voice.
What makes Naturally 7 special, is that every instrument sound that they sing is created from the human voice. There are no actual drums, guitars, horns, flutes, or any other instrument that is heard when listening to them perform; it’s the band members playing each of their vocal instruments.
The group has recorded a number of CD’s over the years – “Non Fiction” (2000) the aptly titled “What Is It” (2003), “Christmas… It’s A Love Story” (2004) and “Ready II Fly” (2006). The latter contains the YouTube-hit “Feel It (In the Air Tonight”). Naturally 7’s now famous Paris subway performance of the song, has received over four and a half million hits on YouTube alone and the number of people discovering the group, adds to that figure daily. The song turned into a Top 3-chart- success in France, Belgium and South Africa and made the single charts in other European countries, such as Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Portugal.
In January 2009, the group released a special album, ‘Wall Of Sound’ exclusively for the UK and Ireland, to commemorate their participation at the ‘Royal Variety Performance’. The album contained known material from previous albums, as well as 5 brand-new tracks and entered the British Album-Charts in the first week after release at #29.
They have appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, performing “Stardust” with Michael Bublé. In November 09, the group travelled to Bermuda, taking part in Quincy Jones’ 2009 Bermuda Music Festival performing before an enthusiastic crowd!
February of 2010 saw Naturally 7 spend three weeks in Vancouver as performance guests during the Olympic Winter Games and in March they returned as Special Guests on Bublé’s ‘Crazy Love’-Tour around the World!
Naturally 7’s latest CD/DVD ‘VocalPlay, contains self-penned originals such as “SOS (Anybody Out There),” power ballad “If You Love Me”, the Motown-influenced “Ready or Not”, the Latin 768 and a duet with Michael Bublé on the Dinah Washington classic, “Relax Max”. The bonus DVD includes HD Live material from their Madison Square Garden performance, extensive interviews with each group member as well as their video clips.
In the fall of 2010 Naturally 7 along with Ludacris were featured on the title track of Quincy Jones’ new CD – Soul Bossa Nostra that led to a performance on The View in November.
They continue to tour the world with Michael Buble, receiving standing ovations nightly and rave reviews:
“Openers Naturally 7, a seven–piece vocal group from New York, who at one point joined Buble during his set, delivered a jaw-dropping vocal symposium. To call them an a cappella group would be a gross understatement, for they performed songs with trumpets, electric guitars, bass cello, harmonica, a full drum kit, and more – using only their voices. It was like a striking optical illusion, only aural.” (Boston Globe, Nov 2010)
“Rarely does an opener melt the crowd like Naturally 7 did. By the time their half hour set ended, all too soon, many jumped to their feet to give the stellar musicians a standing ovation.”
As 2011 unfolds, Naturally 7 will have toured Europe, Australia, Canada and the U.S. In February they performed at the BET Honours, receiving a standing ovation for “Rockit” their Herbie Hancock tribute song and the group will make a return appearance at the Playboy Jazz Festival taking place the Hollywood Bowl this June.
Their phenomenal talent, coupled with a live show that many consider to be one of the best in the world, has Naturally 7 poised for a brilliant future.
http://www.naturallyseven.com/

Er lopen al een aantal beloftevolle contacten met artiesten en er zijn nieuwe plannen om met Night of the Proms naar het buitenland te trekken. De organisatoren merken evenwel vaker dat de lengte van de tour soms onaantrekkelijk lang begint te lijken voor de artiesten. Zij worden afgeschrikt door de vele weken die ze vrij moeten houden om in een voor hen minder vertrouwde omgeving te werken.

Daarom werd besloten om de najaarstournee met één week in te korten en te starten op donderdag 8 november 2012. Dit heeft voor gevolg dat wie tickets geboekt heeft voor de oorspronkelijk aangekondigde data vrijdag 2 en zaterdag 3 november uitgenodigd wordt om twee weken later pas naar het Sportpaleis te komen.

Alle tot nu toe gereserveerde plaatsen voor de shows van vrijdag 2 en zaterdag 3 november blijven behouden, maar de data worden aangepast naar respectievelijk vrijdag 16 en zaterdag 17 november.

Voor wie de verschuiving van vrijdag 2 naar vrijdag 16 of van zaterdag 3 naar zaterdag 17 november niet past, wordt uiteraard een oplossing gezocht. Verkiest u een andere datum, neem dan telefonisch contact op met Tele Ticket Service 070/345.345 (vanuit België) of 0900-45.000.45 (vanuit Nederland). Het spreekt vanzelf dat omboekingen geen extra kosten met zich mee zullen brengen.

Ook in 2012 is het weer genieten van de grootste hits uit het klassieke en het hedendaagse muziekrepertoire. Het duurt nog even vooraleer namen van popartiesten bekend worden gemaakt, maar reserveren voor dit uitbundige feest van klassiek en pop kan nu al.

Kaarten kosten 22, 25, 37 en 46 euro (3 euro korting op donderdag 8 november).

DONDERDAG 8/11/2012
VRIJDAG 9/11/2012
ZATERDAG 10/11/2012
VRIJDAG 16/11/2012
ZATERDAG 17/11/2012

Reed bevestigde namen:

• Ana Popovic
• Shemekia Copeland
• Ash Grunwald
• Varenstore All Star Band ft. Raphael Wressnig & Enrico Crivellaro & Sax Gordon & Finis Tasby
• Dusty Dollar
• Big Pete & Band
• Chilly Willy
• Johnny Mastro & Mamas Boys
• Ronnie Baker Brooks

Ana Popovic
In the blues, years or even decades of "payin' dues" is the norm. Most blues musicians toil in relative obscurity, and those that have been at it a while wear their struggles like a badge of honor. By those standards, Ana Popovic's rise has been meteoric. Within five years of leaving her native Yugoslavia, the 29-year-old singer/guitarist has played all major European music festivals like Peer, Bishopstock and Notodden. She has shared stages with Bernard Allison, Kenny Neal and Solomon Burke and recorded with hitmaker Jim Gaines. Perhaps most impressive of all is her W.C. Handy Blues Award nomination for Best New Artist of 2003 - a rare honor for a European blues artist.
Ana Popovic was born in Belgrade in 1976. Her father first introduced her to the blues, through an extensive record collection and sessions hosted at the family home. Ana took to the guitar and founded her first serious band at age nineteen. Within a year, she was playing outside of Yugoslavia and opening shows for American blues icons like Junior Wells. By 1998, her band was doing 100 shows annually and appearing regularly on Yugoslavian television. Her debut CD, "Hometown", provided a first glimpse of her talents as a singer and guitarist.
In 1999, Ana relocated to the Netherlands to study jazz guitar. She quickly became a fixture on the Dutch blues scene and soon ventured into neighboring Germany. Ruf Records took notice and a few months later, she was on a plane to Memphis to record her successful debut album on Ruf Records, "Hush" (released in 2001). Since then, Ana's star has been rising like mercury on a Mississippi summer's day. With "Comfort to the Soul" (2003), Popovic took her burgeoning career to the next level, she delivered another diverse package of blues, rock, soul and jazz. The album makes one thing clear. Ana Popovic is not about recycling worn-out clichés. Her blues are fresh, positive and genre-expanding.
Now she's back with a brandnew live album - "ANA! Live in Amsterdam" (2005). It was recorded at the Melkweg in Amsterdam/ Netherlands. The refrain of her first song "Don't Bear Down On Me" can be taken straight away as the motto of the whole evening: "I'm Here To Steal The Show". And indeed, that's what she does! 29-year-old Ana Popovic proves with her own songs and fresh interpretations that she is an excellent and expressive guitarist with a powerful voice. The most impressive aspect of her music is its diversity of techniques and styles - smoking electric funk slide guitar, jazzy instrumentals and tight blues grooves.
Clearly, Ana Popovic takes her music seriously. It is her road home, to herself. Or - to paraphrase John Lee Hooker - her Healer. "We're living in a time when everything is rushed," she observed recently. "But where are we in all of this? And where's the music?"
www.anapopovic.org

Shemekia Copeland
At a young age, Shemekia Copeland is already a force to be reckoned with in the blues. She’s opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival and numerous festivals around the world, scored critics choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic (The New York Times and The Times of London) and shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and John Mayer. Heir to the rich tradition of soul-drenched divas like Ruth Brown, Etta James and Koko Taylor, Copeland’s shot at the eventual title of Queen of the Blues is pretty clear. By some standards, she may already be there.
Copeland’s passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast-furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power and a heart-pounding urgency. Her music comes from deep within her soul and from the streets where she grew up, surrounded by the everyday sounds of the city – street performers, gospel singers, blasting radios, bands in local parks and so much more.
Born in Harlem, New York, in 1979, Copeland actually came to her singing career slowly. Her father, the late Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland, recognized his daughter’s talent early on. He always encouraged her to sing at home, and even brought her on stage to sing at Harlem’s famed Cotton Club when she was just eight. At the time, Shemekia’s embarrassment outweighed her desire to sing. But when she was fifteen and her father’s health began to fail, her outlook changed. “It was like a switch went off in my head, and I wanted to sing,” she says. “It became a want and a need. I had to do it.”
At only 19, Shemekia stepped out of her father’s shadow with the Alligator release of 1998 debut recording, Turn the Heat Up!, and the critics raved. The Village Voice called her “nothing short of uncanny,” while the Boston Globe proclaimed that “she roars with a sizzling hot intensity.” A year later, she appeared in the Motion Picture Three To Tango, while her song, “I Always Get My Man” was featured in the film Broken Hearts Club.
Her second album, Wicked, released in 2000, scored three Handy Awards (Song of the Year, Blues Album of the Year, Contemporary Female Artist of the Year) and a GRAMMY nomination. Two years later, New Orleans R&B legend Dr. John stepped in to produce her third recording, Talking To Strangers (2002), which Vibe called “a masterful blend of ballsy rockers and cheeky ballads.”
Copeland released The Soul Truth in 2005. The album was produced by legendary Stax guitarist Steve Cropper (who also played on the CD), and featured generous doses of blues, funk and Memphis-flavored soul.
She joined Telarc International for the February 2009 release of Never Going Back. This new chapter in the Shemekia Copeland story represents a crossroads on her ongoing artistic journey – a place where numerous new avenues are open to her. While she will always remain loyal to her blues roots, Never Going Back takes a more forward view of the blues, and in so doing points her music and her career in a new direction.
“I’ve had success in my career, and I’m happy with that,” she says. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to continue to grow. In order for an artist to grow – and for a genre to grow – you have to do new things. I’m extremely proud to say I’m a blues singer, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing I’m capable of singing, or that’s the only style of music I’m capable of making.”
She adds: “I want to keep growing. My main goal when I started this was that I was going to do something different with this music, so that this music could evolve and grow. I got that idea from my father. He didn’t do the typical one-four-five blues. He went to Africa and worked with musicians there. He was one of the first blues artists to do that. I want to be the same way. I want to be innovative with the blues.”
http://www.shemekiacopeland.com

Ash Grunwald
The release of his brand new album Trouble’s Door is the solidification of two years of change for Ash Grunwald personally and a reflection as well of the shifts in the world around us. Since 2010’s award-winning album, Hot Mama Vibes, Ash Grunwald life has been sizzling. After years of surfing the arctic waters of Victoria, Ash bundled up his two main ladies – his beautiful wife and cheeky daughter – and headed north to the warmer shores of NSW. His track ‘Walking’ played a starring role in the Hollywood movie Limitless, new friendships were formed with Kram from Spiderbait and Vika and Linda Bull and a new home with a new home studio were built, from which was birthed his brand new album Trouble’s Door.
In the new songs, Ash – along with his good pal and dubstep sideproject partner, Fingers – has created his most internal album to date, one that found life through the fiery breath of injustice; the frustration of severe political and environmental mismanagement ‘It’s some of my most personal songwriting,’ Ash says of Trouble’s Door. ‘I had just done a benefit gig to stop coal seam gas mining. There were other issues going on at the time, you can take your pick really, and it occurred to me that our system just doesn’t work. We are experiencing the result of rampant unchecked capitalism.’
Ash doesn’t pretend to present answers, Trouble’s Door merely mirrors the modern twists and turns on the same old lesson never learned: a Governments willingness to trade the future for a dollar. But as is the case with the music he loves so dearly, it’s technology that has breathed new optimism into the age-old tale. ‘One positive thread is the democratization of digital communications. I had the experience of being on a surf trip in west Timor on a sail boat that was made the traditional way, with wooden nails and having to haul the anchor up as a group! While I was there I received an email from a friend about the lock the gate campaign. It explained the exponential potential of each person passing it on and it made me realize that we really do have the power to reach each other en masse, regardless of geography or traditional media coverage. The implications of this are cause for optimism, as long as our apathy doesn’t stand in the way.’
Ash Grunwald has acted. Bringing together a record that serves up a cross-section of what it means to be living on a planet in constant balance between hope and despair, all the while striving to fulfil the greatest mission of all – the presence of great times and the possession of a happy heart.
Trouble’s Door touches on the strength that now lies in community to keep each other informed no matter who we are or where we live. And just like the light and dark of the words, the music itself traverses many tales; the blues propelled by driving dancefloor rhythms, buoyed by hip hop beats and slammed by the dubstep crunch. Naturally.
Trouble’s Door is a novel, full of many colours and much food for thought, what pieces you take from it will be reflective of you. All that’s being asked is that when this time you shake your booty, you shake your booty for change.
http://ashgrunwaldindex.wordpress.com/

Varenstore All Star Band ft. Raphael Wressnig & Enrico Crivellaro & Sax Gordon & Finis Tasby
Throughout the years Raphael Wressnig has created a unique organ style that is both elegant and explosive. He has established himself as one of the top organists on the international jazz and blues scene.
Raphael was born on the 14th of October 1979 in Graz (Austria). Self-taught on both piano and organ starting at age 16, he was immediately drawn into blues , jazz and funk and has never looked back. Raphael’s main influences have come from the great traditional jazz organists Jimmy Smith , Jack Mc Duff , Jimmy McGriff, "Groove" Holmes and Hank Marr. Other influences include modern interpreters John Medeski, Larry Goldings as well as rock, soul and gospel organist Billy Preston. Developing a highly personal style, Raphael soon founded "Raphael Wressnig’s Organic Trio" which resulted in their debut album "Manic Organic" in 2002. He started a 4 year, 6 record association with the Austrian guitarist and songwriter "Sir" Oliver Mally. Blues great Larry Garner from Baton Rouge, Louisiana asked Raphael to join his band – a collaboration that has lasted many years. Over the years Raphael has toured and played with some of the best known and respected blues players in the world including: Phil Guy, Louisiana Red, Sugar Blue (Grammy winner, ex-Rolling Stones, "Miss You"), James Armstrong, John Mooney, Steve James, Sharrie Williams and Doug McLeod. He has also played with some of the finest jazz players on the scene: Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (Grammy winner, ex-Carlos Santanta, McCoy Tyner), Craig Handy (Mingus Dynasty, Roy Haynes Band, "Bill Cosby Show Theme"), Jim Mullen (ex-Average White Band), Pete York (Spencer Davis Group, "Super-Drumming", Helge Schneider Jon Lord Blues Band). He has also shared the stage with many top-notch artists: Tony Monaco (jazz organ master from Ohio), Billy Paul (Grammy awardwinning soul singer, "Me and Mrs. Jones"), Sonny Rhodes, Ronnie "Baker" Brookes among others.
During the last couple of years Raphael Wressnig has focused primarily on playing in the organ trio or organ combo formats. His group "Raphael Wressnig’s Organic Trio" with Georg Jantscher on guitar and Lukas Knöfler on drums is recognized as one of the most creative organ trios on the European scene today and are also touted as one of the hardest grooving bands in Austria. Concerto magazine picked their album "In Between" as "Best jazz album of the year" in 2004. They continued reshaping the classic organ trio sound taking it in new directions with the album "Boom Bello!" that was released in 2006 featuring Alex Schultz, Sax Gordon, Christian Bachner and Luis Ribeiro. Raphael’s collaboration with celebrated guitarist Alex Schultz, has resulted in counteless tours both as smooth trio or as hard driving blues group. The group also includes legendary blues singer Finis Tasby from Dallas, Texas. Raphael equally leads the hard-rocking R&B combo "R&B Explosion" with four-time W.C. Handy award nominee saxophonist Sax "Gordon" Beadle. In 2006 Raphael released the album: "Mosquito Bite". This CD was the result of a long time and on-going collaboration with the young, multi-awarded guitar player Enrico Crivellaro which combines vintage and modern, jazz and blues.
In 2007 Raphael Wressnig became member of one of today’s the most exceptional blues projects: "Women Of Chicago Blues" – the three powerhouse Chicago blues divas Deitra Farr, Zora Young and Grana Louise plus the all-star Chicago group the "Ladies Men" with Chicago guitar ace Billy Flynn, Kenny "Beedy Eye" Smith (today’s top traditional blues drummer, son of the legendary Muddy Waters drummer Willie "Big Eye" Smith), Felton Crews on Bass (ex-Miles Davis, "Man With A Horn" album, Ramsey Lewis, Otis Clay, Otis Rush, Charlie Musselwhite) and Raphael Wressnig on the B3 and keys. Raphael Wressnig won the Concerto Poll "Best jazz artist of the year" in 2007. In 2008 he released two albums: "Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk" and "(Don’t Be) Afraid To Groove." In 2010 he released the powerful recording  "Party Factor" that features saxophonists Craig Handy, Harry Sokal, Sax Gordon and Christian Bachner, Trumpeter Horst-Michael Schaffer and trombone player Robert Bachner and percussionist Luis Ribeiro. In 2011 "True Blue" was released. This recording is a melange of jazz, blues and gospel and brings it all home to the smoky Hammond heyday of the sixties and pays tribute to Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy Griff and Groove Holmes. The recording features the fabulous Scottish guitarist Jim Mullen.
In 2011 Wressnig started to record another great album with guitar ace Alex Schultz. This album features the legendary singers Deitra Farr and Tad Robinson, guitar player Kirk Fletcher (Ex-Fabulous Thunderbirds) and Sax Gordon and Eric Bloom from the neo-soul-funk groups Soulive and Lettuce. "Soul Gift" offers jewels from the soul-jazz bag, takes on soul classics, funky bombs & greasy blues!
Raphael Wressnig tours extensively throughout the world with his various projects and is in demand by many top of the blues and soul-jazz artists throughout : Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, Asia, Middle East, USA, Mexico and the Caribbean. Either as leader of his own group or sideman, Raphael has played the most renowned clubs such as New Morning/Paris, Lionel Hampton Club/Paris, Blue Note/Bienne, Quasimodo/Berlin, Stadtgarten/Köln, Moods/Zürich, Babylon/Istanbul, A-Trane/Berlin, Birdland/Vienna, Porgy & Bess/Vienna, Drop Inn/Cogenhagen, Le Jam/Montepellier, Crossroads/Antwerpen and many others. He has played the top festival stages including Bagneux Blues Festival (FR), Veneto Jazz Festival (IT), Bluesfestival Cordoba (ES), Jazzfest Wiesen (AT), Handzame Dilirium Festival (BE), Jazzfestival Abu Dhabi (AE), Jazz A Juan Les Pins (FR), Piazza Blues Festival (CH), Passions Festival Cognac (FR), Jazz in Catharge (TN), Efes Pilsen Blues Festival (TR), Abruzzo nel Blues (IT), Eddie Lang Jazz Festival (IT), Burnley International Blues Festival (GB), Great British R&B Festival Colne (GB), Terre de Blues Festival Guadelupe (GP), Sang a Klang (LUX), Jazzfest Wien (AT), Jazzfest Saalfelden (AT), Jazz sur les Pommiers (FR), Efes Blues Festival Moscow (RU), Efes Blues Festival St. Petersburg (RU), Jazz & others Bozen (IT), Jazz & Blues Festival Rapperswil (CH), Liburnia Jazz (HR), Puerto Music Festival (MX) and many, many more. He has opened for some of biggest names in the music business such as Chucho Valdes (five-time Grammy winner and Cuba’s premier pianist), Joe Cocker, Mavis Staples, Al Jarreau, Al Foster, Manu Katche, Dianne Reeves, Van Morrison, Randy Brecker, Lucky Peterson, Robben Ford, Roy Hargrove, Dr. John, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, James Blunt, Marcus Miller, Keith Jarrett and countless others.
Raphael Wressnig has been the recipient of several prizes and awards: including Concerto poll winner: "Best Album Blues" 2001 and "Best Artist Blues National" 2001 with the Blues Distillery and "Best Album Jazz" 2004 with his CD "In Between" and "Best Jazz Artist" 2007 & 2010 and "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" in 2007. He was one of the nominees of the prestigious "Hans Koller Preis" 2003 and the "French blues trophees" in the category "Claviers/Europe" 2005.
http://raphaelwressnig.com

Dusty Dollar
It started with a dream, a desire to explore the heavier side of the blues. A need to stray from the more traditional style of blues they had been playing up to then. In the fall of 2010, vocalist Nico De Cock and guitarist Andy Aerts (former members of TheBluesConspiracy) decided to branch out without sacrificing the integrity of their current band. A rhythm section was soon found in drummer Guido De Bock (Undercover) and bassist David Amendolara (ex-The Dapper Dans).  
A jam session at the Gompelhof blues bar served as sufficient proof to all who were there, that the magic was indeed happening, and rehearsals started shortly thereafter. Initially it was suggested by founding members Nico and Andy to add a keyboard player to the line-up. Early song choices were therefore more keys-oriented. However, no suitable candidates were found, so upon Andy’s suggestion guitarist Didier Claesen (a jam session veteran) was invited to come over and jam with the band. Needless to say, he was hired on the spot.
Adding a second guitarist proved instrumental in shaping the sound of Dusty Dollar. Gone were the keyboard-driven song choices. Having two guitarists equally adept at playing rhythm and solo guitar has opened up the sound of the band and allowed for a heavier approach to the blues, while at the same time exploring the fringes of the genres.
This is our goal: to represent the United States of the Blues.
http://www.dustydollar.be

Big Pete & Band
De opnames die Pieter van der Pluijm aka Big Pete in de States heeft gemaakt zullen op 18 oktober bij ons het levenslicht zien. De titel van het album is: “Big Pete Choice Cuts”.
Op het album spelen o.a. mee: Kim Wilson; Paul Oscher; Frank Goldwasser aka ‘Paris Slim’; Alex Schultz; Rusty Zinn; Kid Ramos en nog vele anderen mee. Wil je een voorproefje van enkele van zijn nieuwe songs beluisteren surf dan naar Big Pete’s  Myspace-pagina en geniet van het mooie en supervette nieuwe werk. Big Pete’s  naam is inmiddels gevestigd als een van de meest vooraanstaande blues artiesten in de Benelux en daarbuiten. Sindsdien heeft Pete enkele succesvolle projecten gedaan zoals: de band The Strikes waarmee hij de goed ontvangen cd “Bathroom Acoustics” heeft uitgebracht. Daarna volgde de periode met The Backbones. Hiermee maakte hij succesvolle optredens als begeleidingsband van onder meer: Alex Schultz; Mitch Kashmar; Hook Herrera; Monster Mike Welch; Matt Schofield en Ian Siegal. Met deze laatste deed hij op het Moulin Blues festival van 2011 een zeer sterk, akoestisch optreden.
Zijn meest recente album “Look At The Time”, met zijn band MOCT (Men Of Considerable Taste) mag gezien worden als een van de beste blues albums in Nederland (en daarbuiten) van 2010.
Misschien heeft de 33-jarige zanger en blues harpspeler Pieter 'Big Pete' van der Pluijm nog niet zo'n grote naam in de States, maar in Nederland en de Benelux staat hij aan de top. Op zijn 23e werd Pete gevraagd om samen met enkele oud-bandleden van Lester Butler's band deel te nemen aan de tour met de Lester Butler Tribute Band. Het project werd met veel succes en goede kritieken overgoten en een cd van deze tribute volgde dan ook snel. Big Pete's naam is inmiddels gevestigd als een van de meest vooraanstaande blues artiesten in de Benelux en daarbuiten.
Sindsdien heeft Pete een aantal succesvolle projecten gedaan, zoals The Strikes. Met The Strikes bracht hij in 2005 het super succesvolle album “Bathroom Acoustics (CLBZ 17)” uit, wat leidde tot optredens op o.a. North Sea Jazz, Moulin Blues, BRBF Peer, Curaçao Jazz en het Elastiek muziekfestival. Daarna volgde een periode met de „Chicago bluesband? The Backbones. Hiermee ondernam Pete succesvolle tours als begeleidingsband van oa Alex Schultz, Mitch Kashmar, Hook Herrera, Monster Mike Welch, Matt Schofield en Ian Siegal. Met deze laatste deed hij op het Moulin Blues festival van 2011 een zeer sterk, akoestisch optreden. Zijn meest recente album “Look At The Time (CLBZ 28)”, met zijn toenmalige project M.O.C.T. (Men Of Considerable Taste) mag gezien worden als een van de beste blues/roots albums in Nederland (en daarbuiten) van 2010.
De talenten van Big Pete zijn directeur/eigenaar Randy Chortkoff van Delta Groove Records in de USA ook opgevallen. Deze bood hem de kans om in maart 2010 mee te spelen op het album “Shake For Me” van The Mannish Boys. Hij neemt hierop de honneurs waar op Lesters Butler?s compositie “Way Down South” waar hij stevig de harp hanteert maar ook de zang voor zijn rekening neemt. Dit alles heeft ertoe geleid dat Pete zijn eerste album voor Delta Groove Records mocht komen opnemen in Los Angeles, in mei 2011.
http://www.myspace.com/bigpete1977

Chilly Willy
Opgericht in de zomer van 1992 om een plaatselijk organisator te plezieren, is de bluesband met de onwaarschijnlijk lange naam ondertussen uitgegroeid tot een gevestigde waarde in het Belgische bluescircuit. Ook in het buitenland (Nederland, Frankrijk en Duitsland) zijn het graag geziene gasten in de clubs en op de festivals.
Door de jaren heen bouwde de band een stevige live-reputatie op en speelden ze een rijk gevuld palmares bij mekaar met als absoluut hoogtepunt hun deelname aan het First Blues, Roots & Reggae Festival in Negril, Jamaica in 2000. De bezetting van de band wijzigde meermaals doch het speelenthousiasme en de geestdrift bleven intakt.
In 2002 werd een live-cd ingeblikt met als titel “Thursday Night Live” en deze geeft de luisteraar een goed idee hoe het er bij een Chilly Willy optreden aan toe gaat. Hun repertoire bestaat uit aanstekelijke, dansbare maar vooral eerlijke blues- en rootscovers van grootheden zoals oa. Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin’ Wolf en Slim Harpo allen op een rauwe, vette en schunnige manier aan de man gebracht naar voorbeeld van wijlen Lester Butler en z’n band The Red Devils. Bruine kroegenmuziek die recht uit de onderbuik komt en raakt daar waar hij hoort te raken! Chilly Willy is vooral een liveband en een optreden is dan ook steeds een belevenis waarbij de muzikanten telkens het beste van zichzelf geven.
Liefhebbers van ongecompliceerde, no-nonsense ‘real time music’ komen bij Chilly Willy zeker aan hun trekken dus…..
Don’t be silly, go and see CHILLY WILLY; LOONY GOONY AND THE FREE AMERICAN INDIAN HIPPY BLUES STREET FRUITS!!
http://users.belgacom.net/chillywilly/

Johnny Mastro & Mamas Boys
For years Los Angeles Blues matriarch Mama Laura Gross (1920-2009) mentored Johnny as he led her namesake band, Mama's Boys. She infused many musical lessons but the top three: finding your own sound, keen listening and the importance of soul in music; probably burnt in the deepest.
On their new CD “Beautiful Chaos” the past winners of LA Music Awards ‘Best Blues Band” blend their blues roots with large doses of heavy riffs and an indie sound. Traveling to downtown Detroit, the record was completed entirely in a week with producer Jim Diamond at his Ghetto Recorders. The results are 11 unique, hard-edged, uncompromising songs that borrow from the past but add a sizeable dose of 21st century steroids.
Johnny and the Boys were selected to close out Europe’s prestigious Moulin Blues 25th Anniversary Festival in 2010. They have toured all through Germany, France, Holland, Denmark and Belgium many times where they gained ‘stars of the show’ rating at festivals. They made their first visit to the UK in April ‘07 for 2 weeks including the National BBC, Burnley National Blues Festival and 100 Club. In their home state of California the band consistently plays over 200 dates a year, ranging from the small club in LA where the band was born, to major festivals.
www.johnnymastro.com/

Ronnie Baker Brooks
In the Olympic tradition, when the torch gets passed on, the flame transfers from one sure hand to the next -- keeping it burning, while at the same time moving forward.  It's a fitting image for young Chicago guitar hero RONNIE BAKER BROOKS on his aptly titled third release, THE TORCH.  Not only does he sing with soulful fire and play with a white-hot intensity; he's also carrying the torch from the previous generation of soul and blues greats and moving the music into the future.
As the 17 original songs on THE TORCH make clear, RBB is the right man for the job. Brooks grew up steeped in American music tradition yet his focus remains resolutely on the future. As well as anyone of his generation, he knows the transcendent release at the heart of soul, blues and rock. He knows because, as the son of blues great Lonnie Brooks, he came of age watching the fieriest guitar players and most soulful singers of  a previous era express their deepest feelings through their music.
"I grew up among the best of the best," Brooks says. "Every time I play, I feel like I've got to do it with the authenticity and passion that I saw in guys like Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and my father.  But I also have to put my twist on it. None of those guys repeated what came before them."
Brooks' twist involves enlivening blues-rock with deep soul and modern hip-hop vocals and funk rhythms. Working with Minneapolis producer Jellybean Johnson, a veteran collaborator of Prince and Janet Jackson, Brooks takes roots sounds and transforms them into something that spans the ages.
"I like to think of how Muddy Waters took the Mississippi blues he heard in his youth and modernized it for his times by making it electric and harder," Brooks explains. "That's what I'm trying to do for my generation. I want to take what's authentic and powerful about the music I grew up loving and bring in other influences without losing the heart and conviction of it."
Brooks' personal touch also shines through in the concise, colorful songs for THE TORCH, all of which he wrote.  He draws on the choppy, hip-shaking rhythms of funk, the emotional truth of soul and the forcefulness of rock to bring a distinctive dimension to his groundbreaking sound. Who else would, or could, record a song featuring classic Chicago artists Lonnie Brooks, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Johnson and the late Willie Kent with another highlighting rapper Al Kapone.
"I wanted to do something that would bring young people to the blues, and then give them the real hardcore thing at the same time," Brooks says. "When I grew up, all my friends listened to rap and funk, and I listened to the blues. So I heard their music and they heard mine. I think we both saw some connection between them. I like that line in the movie "Hustle & Flow" when they say this new rap song ain't nothing but "Backdoor Man" written for modern streets. It's a hip-hop world right now, but I want to bring a little blues to the party."  
Indeed, Brooks' collaboration with Kapone on "If It Don't Make Dollars, Then It Don't Make Sense" shows a streetwise philosophy that could've fit in next to the Three Six Mafia on the "Hustle & Flow" soundtrack.  On the other hand, Brooks sings like a Memphis soul king on the open-hearted "Be a Good Man" a pledge that he'll always try to live honorably and treat his woman with respect.   
Elsewhere, Brooks shows off his funk chops on "It's On" suggesting he's learned a thing or two hanging out with the Prince crew in Minneapolis, while "You Wrong For That Now" features the kind of all-out guitar workout that draws on Texas toasters like Freddie King, Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Brooks flexes his musical muscle at a time when he sees a new vitality  being brought to the music through himself, Shemekia Copeland and Bernard Allison.  He's convinced this music would be considered as relevant and as powerful as the latest hits by Kanye West or Beyonce Knowles if exposed to young listeners.
"You can see it in the success blues-influenced players like John Mayer and Jonny Lang have enjoyed," Brooks says. "All they needed was to have their music heard, and people loved it. That's all it will take."
But for all of the varied influences on THE TORCH, the song Brooks is most proud of is "The Torch of the Blues", the tune that gave the album its title. The song features Brooks with his father and heroes Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Johnson and the late Willie Kent, who worked on the session shortly before his death in March 2006.
"Being there with my dad, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Johnson and Willie Kent, all of whom I admire so much, that was a dream come true. We all played our butts off that day and had a blast."
Brooks has earned his spot on the front lines. He spent a dozen years backing his father, watching how the master entertainer drew enthusiastic responses night after night. For years, the younger Brooks put his lessons on stage every night, opening his father's show to great response. With his father's blessing, he left the band to strike out on his own shortly after releasing his own debut album, Golddigger in 1998.
Like his father before him, Brooks became a Chicago blues mainstay, playing regularly in Chicago area clubs.  After the release of his second album, 2001's Take Me Witcha, he hit the road for what turned out to be a seemingly non-stop three-year tour, picking up devoted new fans all along the way. And while he hadn't planned to take five years between recordings, he did want to do it right. He made up for lost time by packing as many tunes as possible on THE TORCH.
"The good thing is I had time to test almost all of these songs on an audience and to work them out with the band",  Brooks says. "We knew what songs people loved, and we got them just the way we want them. It gave us a lot of confidence in the studio knowing that people already loved these songs."
Indeed, the album celebrates all that Ronnie Baker Brooks is -- a man with both a legacy and a vision, a man uniquely suited to carry THE TORCH.        
http://www.ronniebakerbrooks.com/

Marcus Malone
Marcus from Detroit, Michigan USA was first signed by Al Teller of United Artist Records - now EMI Capitol.
Marcus has performed at the Royal Albert Hall, Burnley and Colne Festivals in the UK; Harlebeke Blues Festival in Belgium; the Bospop Festival in Holland; Valdagno (Vicenza) Blues Festival in Italy; and various UK Art Centres and Blues Clubs.
Marcus is presently working the European blues circuit, festivals and concert halls including tours of Belgium and Holland. During 2004 Marcus appeared at most of the major festivals in the UK – Colne, Maryport, Stanley, Warrington, Warners, and Darlington Festivals.
Marcus has written, produced and recorded his album "One More Time" which was released in January 2000 on the Redline Music label distributed by RMG/Universal.
The title song "One More Time" is featured on 'Blueprint 1999 -The Best of The British Blues' album.
Marcus' second album -'Walkin' Shoes'- was released in August 2002 on the Redline Music label, and features some of the UK's finest blues musicians. The track 'Take It To Heart' is featured on 'Blues In Britain' 2002 - 'The Best of British Blues' album.
Marcus performed two self-penned acoustic numbers ‘Take It To Heart’ & ‘What About Me’live on the The Paul Jones Show BBC Radio 2. The session was was aired in December 2002. A live session with his band was recorded at BBC Pebble Mills studio in Birmingham for airplay on the Paul Jones Show.
The latest album 'Blue Radio' was released in January 2004 and is now available on the Redline Music Label from this site.
www.marcusmalone.com

24 Pesos
24Pesos have a unique and energetic take on the Blues that has put them at the forefront of the new Blues scene in the UK and have been toted as "The UK's most exciting and original Blues band." by Maverick Magazine. 24Pesos play original music, with deep understanding of the Blues history, virtuoso instrumentation a joyous groove, real songs and enough energy to bring the house down every night
The band burst on to the blues scene in 2008 with their raw and rootsy live shows and debut album The Boogie Worm. In 2010 they released their second album Busted Broken and Blue to great critical acclaim earning the band four nominations at the British blues awards including best band and best album.
 Drawing from influences diverse as Sly Stone, Sean Costello, The Meters, James Brown, Freddie King, Howlin Wolf, Captain Beefheart, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and the Roots, the band’s upbeat, down-home sound brings an infectious energy to their electrifying live shows that has earned them a great reputation as a live act at festivals and venues throughout Europe and the UK.
The band gigged extensively throughout 2009/10/11 in support of their debut album The Boogieworm and 2010 release Busted Broken and Blue (Cadiz Music) including festivals, Bluesin@out festival in France, Ribs&Blues festival Holland, Rhythm & Blues Night Groningen Holland, Bliuzonaktys Festival Lithuania, Askim Festival Norway, Cullemborg Festival Holland, The Colne Blues Festival and club dates at Ronnie Scotts, The Jazz Cafe London, Paradiso Amsterdam and the Harvest Jazz and Blues festival Canada. They represented the UK at the European Blues Conference in Berlin in March, won the New Brunswick battle of the Blues and were nominated four times at the 2011 British blues awards. They appeared on national radio throughout the UK, Europe and beyond featuring on a 1hr live in session special on CBC Canada’s national radio station and the Paul Jones 25th anniversary show on BBC radio 2
When The Ship Goes Down is the bands latest release on Ourgate records/Cadiz music. Produced by bassist Silas Maitland the album expands on the themes of their earlier release Busted Broken and Blue and is very much a crossover Blues album. The band recorded eighteen tracks over two days in London’s Perry Vale studios. All tracks were recorded live to capture the real band sound, spontaneity, excitement and vibe. The tracks were then developed in the band’s own studio. “We really worked on the arrangements for this record. Looking for a gnarly groove and grind, real songs and a sound that is unique, original unmistakably 24Pesos.” Eighteen tracks were pared down to eleven. “Having tracks to spare meant that we were able to produce and album that we are really proud of from start to finish.”
Groovin, powerful, raw and rockin’. ‘When The Ship Goes Down’ is the bands most complete release to date...
http://www.24pesos.com/

Morblues Feat. Diane Blues
Boston's DIANE BLUE has the “whole package” – she is a strong vocalist, skillful harmonica player and a crowd pleasing entertainer. Voted Outstanding Female Singer in The Blues Audience 2011 Readers’ Poll, Ms. Blue is a soulful and sassy performer with a strong, confident attack and energetic delivery, serving up her own spin on soul, blues and R&B.
Ms. Blue won the 2010 Massachusetts Blues Challenge, earning the honor of competing at the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. She was nominated for "Best Female Singer" in the 2010 Blues Audience Readers Poll, "Best Blues/R&B Act" and "Best Female Vocalist in 2007 by the Providence Phoenix and also nominated "Best Local Blues Act" by Motif Magazine in 2007.
Ms. Diane Blue has played harmonica and/or sung with guitarist extraordinaire, Ronnie Earl, as well as international performers Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson (former sideman for Muddy Waters), Big Jack Johnson (of Clarksdale, Mississippi) and Irma Thomas (the Soul Queen of New Orleans). Juke joint legend Big Jack Johnson dubbed Ms. Blue “A Monster” on the harp after she performed as his guest star at Red's Lounge in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Ms. Blue continues to tour internationally as well as performing in the USA.
http://dianebluemusic.com/

MORBLUS stands for American Blues made in Italy and captures the audience with its exceptional sound of Funk, Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Soul.
The band founded in 1991 has a wide repertoire of blues classics, modern soul pieces and original compositions. With an unbridled amount of adrenaline, the quartet, around front-man Roberto Morbioli, evokes an unforgettable music experience.
The MORBLUS sound is unique. Its power and groove, infused with its many musical influences, carries its audiences away more than any other act in the European music scene. In Spain, the Netherlands and even in the Home of Blues, the USA, MORBLUS has made its mark as the most fiery Funky Blues Export from Italy.
In performing with various international Blues artists, the MORBLUS sound has matured to an individual and distinctive Blues that grabs the fans right from the start. When lead singer and guitarist Morbioli leaves the stage and with his Telecaster dives into the audience, everybody shakes a leg.
Well known for their energetic sound, by fans and musicians alike, in Europe and beyond MORBLUS has toured Italy with John Mayall, and Robben Ford and played the legendary B.B. King’s Blues Club in Memphis! With its strong stage presence at home in Italy and across Europe, MORBLUS, now in its 20th year, has celebrated great musical success. 
Roberto is the founder and frontman of MORBLUS. Born in the beautiful city of Verona, he at the age of 15 first got in touch with what should later become his greatest passion: the Blues!
After several years of activity in the Italian music scene, he was asked to play in the ‘Tao Ravao Blues Band’ in 1987, with whom he recorded his first album: “From Madagascar To Chicago”.
In December 1989 he joined the ‘Rudy’s Blues Band’ and with them recorded his second album:“Reason To Live”. While in this band, he also played at the biggest European festivals such as: Amsterdam Blues Festival, New Orleans Music Festival in Ascona, Sanremo Blues Festival, etc.
Roberto has performed at the historical places of the Blues in the U.S.A., such as “Antone’s” in Austin, Texas where he shared the stage with artists like “Anson Funderburgh” and “Sue Folley”.
In 1991 he finally set up his own band MORBLUS which has brought him much recognition and many awards, playing in all the biggest national and international blues festivals and events. In 1998 he toured with MORBLUS around the U.S.A. where he played at the B.B. King’s Bluesclub in memphis and in most popular American Blues clubs.
Roberto writes and arranges the music and lyrics of all the original songs recorded by Morblus:
„Let The Good Times Roll“, „101% Pure Morblus“, „7 Days Of R&B“, “Push!” (Live), “Mrs. Miller” (co-produced with the song writer Massimo Bubola), “I Can’t Go Wrong” (14 original songs reflecting back on 25 years of music and important collaborations) and the latest “On the Way Back “(Live) .
Roberto’s personality and unique playing style are evident in all his interpretations while at the same time recalling the styles of blues greats such as Freddy King, Albert King, B.B. King, Albert Collins, T. Bone Walker, Steve Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton.
Roberto is a passionate and commanding guitarist, laying down great groove in every song he plays. Each note comes straight from his heart. As a singer, Roberto’s powerful voice recalls the styles and tones of Sam Cook, O.V. Wright, Little Milton, Otis Redding, Robert Cray, and Donny Hathaway.
Daniele has been a vital part of MORBLUS since its very beginning contributing signigicantly to the piano and hammond arrangements. Thanks to his great talent in improvising and arranging, he has ever since shaped the typical MORBLUS sound.
Previous cooperations with: Vallery Wellington, Lovie Lee (Pianistin von Muddy Water), Louisiana Red, Angela Brown, Jeanna Carol, Karen Carol, Maisha Grant, Bill Thomas, Sharon Clark, Paul Orta, Tolo Marton, Rudy Rotta, Bleu “Benoit” Boy, Paris Slim, Sandra Hall, Chicago “Bob” Nelson, Beverly Hammond, Preston Shannon, Ush Brown, Big Jesse, Michael Coleman, Steve Smith, Robin Brown, Herbie Goins, Louisiana Mojo Queen, Shakura S’Aida…
Stefano started to play the bass at the age of 14. After his musical studies in London, Mailand and Ferrara he joined MORBLUS in 2008.
Previous cooperations with: Diane Blue, Waldo Weathers, Sax Gordon, M.O.F. 5tet, Carbon 13 (U.K.), Abertico Project, Ricky Portera, Maurizio Solieri, , Sergio Pescara, Daniele Di Gregorio, Teo Ciavarella…
Diego is the youngest member of MORBLUS. He discovered his passion for the drums at the age of 14 and took lessons from famous musicians such as Alfredo Antonio Golino or Ellade Bandini.
From 2006 on, he took part in a large number of seminars and workshops (Siena Jazz etc) before in 2008 he founded the electronic jazz formation MOF 5tet, together with Stefano Dallaporta (Morblus bass player).  Their first CD “Embarassing Days” came out in 2009.
Diego’s efforts paid off when in 2009 he won the competition for the best drummer of the MMI Verona, awarded by Steve Smith. One year later, he finished his graduation in Jazz at the Conservatory G. Frescobaldi in Ferrara.
Since then, his musical journey led him on tours through France und Luxembourg (with different Gospel and Jazz ensembles), and on the stages of well-known national Jazz festivals in Bologna or Ferrara.
As part of MORBLUS that he joined in 2009, Diego has played in many European countries such as France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Austria and Germany
He has worked with different national and international artists such as
Diane Blue, Waldo Weathers (James Brown), Martha High (James Brown, Maceo Parker), Leo Carboni, Roberto Manuzzi, Teo Ciavarella, Sax Gordon, Domenico Loparco, Giuseppe Bassi, Marco Marzola, Stefano Dallaporta, Frank Martino, Manuel Trabucco, Filippo Vignato, Roberto Morbioli, Daniele Scala, Oscar Marchioni, Kicca Andriolo, Alfonso Santimone, Gianluca e Gianmatteo Carollo, Chiara Luppi, Elena Tavella.

Line-up:
Roberto Morbioli
Daniele Scala
Stefano Dallaporta
Diego Pozzan

http://www.morblus.com

Op 11 mei voeren Katerina Tsiridou & Kompania je mee naar de onderwereld van de melancholische rembetiko of Griekse blues. Tijdens onze Griekse blend (13/05) blijven we in de sfeer met een lezing over rembetiko door Antoine Légat.

Welkom in de Griekse onderwereld van de rembetika en smyrneïka (liederen uit Smyrna). Rembetiko wordt geassocieerd met melancholie, gebroken liefde, eenzaamheid, onrecht, drank en drugs. Als maatschappelijk verschijnsel past het genre in het rijtje van de Amerikaanse blues, flamenco, fado en tango. Katerina Tsiridou (zang, baglama, cymbalen) wordt begeleid door Dimitris Kranidas (bouzouki, ud, zang), Nikos Protopapas (gitaar), Ioannis Kalafatelis (accordeon) en Sotiris Papatragiannis (zang, baglama).

Griekse Blend
- Ontmoetingsdag rond Griekenland

In de namiddag trekken we volop de kaart van de actualiteit met een boeiend panelgesprek tussen Peter Mertens, auteur van de bestseller 'Hoe durven ze?', Yiorgos Vassalos, vertegenwoordiger van het Grieks-Brusselse 'Initiative de Solidarité à la Grèce qui résiste' en Karel Van Isacker, een Vlaming die al jaren tussen Griekenland en België pendelt en in Athene woont en werkt. De moderator van dienst is VRT-journalist Michaël Van Droogenbroeck, die de Griekse situatie nauw opvolgt en net voor de blend ook naar Griekenland gaat om verslag uit te brengen over de verkiezingen. Het debat zal worden gevoerd aan de hand van fragmenten uit de spraakmakende documentaire 'Debtocracy'.

Na het debat is er ruimte voor een babbeltje met (andere) Griekenlandliefhebbers... Neem gerust uw bouzouki of baglama mee, misschien is het wel de gelegenheid voor een Griekse jamsessie. Of bent u al jarenlang op zoek naar een tegenspeler voor een tavli-spelletje? Wie weet loopt u er die dag wel eentje tegen het lijf...

Om 18u30 kan u genieten van een heerlijke Griekse maaltijd voor het kleine bedrag van 12 euro pp. Hiervoor dient u op voorhand te reserveren via reservatie@zuiderpershuis.be (t.e.m. 03/05).

's Avonds wordt u ondergedompeld in de wereld van de rebetiko met o.a. een lezing over rebetiko door Antoine Légat. Het precieze programma volgt zo snel mogelijk.

Programma:

• 14u00 - panelgesprek ahv fragmenten uit 'Debtocracy'
• 18u30- eten (reserveren t.e.m. 03/05)
• 20u30 - avondactiviteit rond rebetiko

ritish experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label. The debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released in 1998. In 2001, Hegarty released a short follow-up EP, I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy, which, in addition to the title track, included a cover of "Mysteries of Love", a David Lynch/Angelo Badalamenti song and "Soft Black Stars", a Current 93 cover.

Producer Hal Willner heard the EP and played it to Lou Reed, who immediately recruited him for his project The Raven. Now gaining more attention, Hegarty signed to US-based record label Secretly Canadian, and released another EP, The Lake, with Lou Reed guest-performing on one of the tracks. Secretly Canadian also re-released Hegarty's debut album in the United States to wider distribution in 2004.

Antony's second full-length album, 2005's I Am a Bird Now, was greeted with positive reviews and significantly more mainstream attention. The album featured guest appearances by Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, Boy George and Devendra Banhart, and circled themes of duality and transformation. I Am a Bird Now featured arrangements by Maxim Moston and Julia Kent and was mixed by Doug Henderson. In September 2005 Antony and the Johnsons were awarded the Mercury Prize for the best UK album of 2005. Rival Mercury nominees, and favorites for the prize, the Kaiser Chiefs suggested that Antony got in on a technicality; despite the fact he was born in the United Kingdom he spent much of his time in the US — although they later apologized for the suggestion that he wasn't a deserving winner.

Antony and the Johnsons collaborated with experimental film-maker Charles Atlas and presented TURNING in November 2006 in Rome, London, Paris, Madrid, and Braga. Thirteen women from New York City were presented in intimate live video portraits during the course of the concert. The Guardian called the piece "fragile, life affirming, and truly wonderful (five stars)". Le Monde in Paris hailed TURNING as "Concert-manifeste transsexuel".

In 2006, the song Bird Gerhl was used in V for Vendetta. It was also included in the soundtrack released by Astralwerks Records, which featured artists such as Julie London and Cat Power along with instrumental work by composer Dario Marianelli.

Antony and the Johnsons' 5-song Another World EP was released on October 7, 2008. Antony and the Johnsons' third album, The Crying Light, was released on January 19, 2009 and went to #1 on the European Billboard charts. Antony has described the theme of the album as being "about landscape and the future". Nature, death, love and the role of the artist were explored across ten tracks, which included the single "Epilepsy Is Dancing." The album was mixed by Bryce Goggin and included arrangements by Nico Muhly.

Ann Powers wrote of The Crying Light for the LA Times online, “it's the most personal environmentalist statement possible, making an unforeseen connection between queer culture's identity politics and the green movement. As music, it's simply exquisite -- more controlled and considered than anything Antony and the Johnsons have done and sure to linger in the minds of listeners."

After touring throughout North America and Europe in support of their new album, Antony and the Johnsons presented a unique staging of The Crying Light with the Manchester Camerata at the Manchester Opera House for the 2009 Manchester International Festival. The concert hall was transformed into a crystal cave filled with laser effects created by installation artist Chris Levine. Antony and the Johnsons went on to present concerts with symphonies across Europe in Summer 2009, including the Opera Orchestra of Lyon, the Metropole Orchestra, Roma Sinfonietta and the Montreux Jazz Festival Orchestra. At Salle Playel in Paris, Antony appeared in a costume designed for him by Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy.

After two sold out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, Antony and the Johnsons ended their recent touring in February 2010 in Tokyo. Antony, Johanna Constantine and William Basinski performed at the Sogetsu Hall with butoh master Yoshito Ohno, the son of the 103 year-old dancer Kazuo Ohno, whose image graces the cover of The Crying Light. Kazuo Ohno passed away in June of that year, and Antony wrote an obituary for the dancer in The Guardian.

September 2010 saw the release of the Thank You For Your Love EP which includes covers of Dylan's "Pressing On" and Lennon's "Imagine". The Sun listed Thank You For Your Love as single of the week on August 27, 2010.

Antony and the Johnsons released a 4th album Swanlights on October 12, 2010 through Secretly Canadian and Rough Trade Records. Simultaneously, Abrams Books published a book edition of Swanlights featuring Antony's drawings and collages with photography by Don Felix Cervantes. Antony and the Johnsons performed "Thank You For Your Love" on both The Late Show with David Letterman and Later With Jools Holland in support of the album’s release. In October 2010 Antony was invited to "takeover" The Guardian's music and arts page that ran for weeks leading up to the release of Swanlights. Stereogum placed Swanlights in its Top 50 Albums of the year at #8.

In tribute to Kazuo Ohno, Antony and the Johnsons performed on October 30, 2010 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and featured the film "Mr. O's Book Of The Dead" directed by Chiaki Nagano and starring Kazuo Ohno.

In January 2011, Antony was a guest on "Winterguest", a program on Dutch Television's VPRO channel and was interviewed by Leon Verdonschot.

In 2010-2011, the song "Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground" from the album The Crying Light was chosen as one of the five stimuli that the International Baccalaureate Organization chose for the IB Theatre Arts PPP.

On January 26, 2012, the Museum of Modern Art in New York produced a sold-out performance by Antony and the Johnsons, entitled "Swanlights" after their fourth studio album, at Radio City Music Hall, a collaboration with laser artist Chris Levine and set designer Carl Robertshaw. Hailed a triumph by the New York Times, the spectacle was prefaced by a speech from Dr. Julia Yasuda, who said: “I am concerned about nature changing and dying. Won’t you please help her? Otherwise the world will be too lonely”. The New York Times entitled their article about the concert as "Cries From the Heart, Crashing Like Waves".

On March 14, 2012, the Southbank Centre in London announced that Antony would direct Meltdown 2012. Since 1993, some of the world's most distinguished musicians including Nick Cave, John Peel, Laurie Anderson, Patti Smith, David Bowie and, most recently, Ray Davies, have directed Meltdown, hand-picking their ideal festival by inviting their favourite artists to play, perform and exhibit their work at Southbank Centre. Meltdown 2012 will see Antony create a line-up of twelve days of music, debate and performance that reflects his interests, influences and passions.

Die Gründung von Nightwish findet, ihrer Musik angemessen, am Lagerfeuer in einer Nacht im Juli 1996 statt. Nachdem Tuomas Holopainen (Keyboard), Tarja Turunen (Gesang) und Emppu Vuorinen (Gitarre) zunächst nur akustische Songs komponieren und diese auch aufnehmen, wagen sie schon bald den Versuch, ihre Songs mit Schlagzeug (Jukka Nevalainen) und elektrischer Gitarre zu versehen. weiterlesen
Die Musik von Nightwish zeichnet sich von Anfang an durch die Verbindung von Metal-Gitarren und klassischen Arrangements aus, die nicht zuletzt auf Tarjas Stimme zurückzuführen sind. Sie plant eine Ausbildung als klassische Opernsängerin.
1997 kommt "Angels Fall First" mit acht Songs als Limited Edition auf den Markt. Im Mai des Jahres unterzeichnen Nightwish einen Vertrag mit Spinefarm Records und nehmen vier weitere Songs für die offizielle Debüt-Scheibe auf. Im Dezember des gleichen Jahres geht schließlich der erste Live Auftritt über die Bühne. Anschließend ist aber erst einmal Sendepause, da Jukka und Emppu ihren Wehrdienst leisten müssen und Tarja mit ihrem Gesangsstudium beschäftigt ist.
Im Sommer 1998 komplettieren Nightwish das Line-Up durch Sami Vänskä, der den Bass übernimmt. In dieser Konstellation spielen sie den Nachfolger "Oceanborn" ein, der Ende des Jahres erscheint und ab Frühjahr 1999 auch im Ausland erhältlich ist. Zur Sonnenfinsternis nehmen die Nordlichter die Single "Sleeping Sun" auf, die sich allein in Deutschland über 15.000 Mal in einem Monat verkauft.
Das 2000er Album "Wishmaster" erhält in Finnland Platin, bleibt drei Wochen auf Platz eins der finnischen Charts und erreicht hierzulande immerhin Platz 21. Den außergewöhnlichen Erfolg der Band erkennt man auch daran, dass Nightwish bis in die Vorausscheidung zum Grand Prix d'Eurovision kommen, in der Endauswahl leider scheitern. Zwar wählen die Zuschauer das Quintett mit Abstand auf den Spitzenplatz, die Jury jedoch auf die vorletzte Position, was einen dritten Platz ergibt.
Nach einer sehr erfolgreichen Tour durch Südamerika kehren Nightwish wieder nach Finnland zurück und arbeiten an einer Live-CD "From Wishes To Eternity" mit vier neuen Tracks. Erhältlich ist die Scheibe auch als VHS-Kassette oder DVD mit Konzertausschnitten, Musik-Videos und Interviews. Kurz zuvor erscheint die EP "Over The Hills And Far Away" mit dem Coversong von Gary Moore, sechs Live-Tracks und zwei neuen Liedern, die so ziemlich alles an Edelmetall einsackt.
Für das 2002 erscheinende Album "Century Child" ersetzt Marco Hietala (Tarot, Sinergy) Sami Vänskä am Bass. Schon zwei Stunden nach der Veröffentlichung durchbricht das neue Album, bei dem neben einem Orchester auch der inzwischen fest zur Band gehörende Marco als zweiter Sänger zum Einsatz kommt, in Finnland die Goldgrenze, nach zwei Wochen erreicht es Platinstatus.
Ein Ende der Erfolgs-Story Nightwish ist nicht abzusehen. Das sehen Drakkar Records genauso und bringen schnell noch eine Nightwish-Box mit den drei alten Alben und der EP, einem Buch sowie einigen Infos und Fotos auf den Markt.
Die folgenden Touren, zunächst wieder Südamerika, dann Europa, sind ebenfalls überaus erfolgreich, in Deutschland müssen sie wegen der enormen Nachfrage sogar Zusatzkonzerte geben. Im Herbst des Jahres ist die Tour vorbei, Nightwish gehen in eine schon länger angekündigte Pause, die die einzelnen Bandmitglieder ganz unterschiedlich nutzen.
Tarja setzt ihr Studium fort, Tuomas arbeitet mit drei Eternal Tears Of Sorrow-Mitgliedern und ein paar anderen Leuten am Projekt For My Pain und tourt mit Timo Rautiainen ja Trio Niskalaukaus durch Finnland. Jukka zockt derweil bei Sethian, und Marco widmet sich wieder seiner alten Band Tarot.

Die DVD "End Of Innocence" erscheint Ende 2003 und etabliert sich prompt auf Platz 62 in den deutschen Albumcharts. Der Vertrag mit Drakkar läuft damit aber aus. Nach einiger Zeit geben Nightwish ihre Einigung mit Nuclear Blast bekannt.
Dort machen sie dann richtig einen auf dicke Hose und verpflichten Antti Jokinen, der schon Videos für Celine Dion, Eminem oder Shania Twain gedreht hat, als Regisseur für ihr Video zur Single "Nemo". Auch das London Session Orchestra (hat die Musik zur "Der Herr der Ringe"-Trilogie eingespielt) muss natürlich her, somit belaufen sich die Produktionskosten für "Once" auf über 400.000 Euro.
Die Investitionen scheinen sich aber zu lohnen, denn man sieht Nightwish nicht nur bei Top Of The Pops. In Finnland bekommt die Band sogar eigene Briefmarken und ein eigenes Bier und sackt dort auch nach einem halben Tag schon Gold ein. Die Tour für Amerika ist ab Ende Sommer geplant.
Wie nicht anders zu erwarten, kommen Drakkar bald auf die Idee, dass dem ehemaligen Goldesel bestimmt noch ein paar Dukaten aus dem Arsch zu pressen sind. Folglich erscheint Mitte Oktober 2004 die Best Of "Tales From The Elvenpath", die nicht nur wegen kitschigem Cover und lieblosem Booklet missfällt.
Ist das schon mehr oder minder ärgerlich, schockt die Band Fans und Presse schließlich am 22. Oktober 2005 mit der Nachricht, dass Tarja bei Nightwish gefeuert wurde. Der Zusammenhalt zwischen ihr und dem Rest der Band muss schon lange nicht mehr der beste gewesen sein, Bandleader Tuomas gibt in einem offenen Brief auf der Homepage ganz deutlich Tarjas Mann Marcelo einen Großteil der Schuld. Die News steht einen Tag nach den Aufnahmen zur bezeichnend betitelten Live-DVD "End Of An Era" in der Hartwall Arena in Helsinki auf der Homepage.
Schon einen Tag später meldet sich auch Tarja zu Wort und beschwert sich über die Art und Weise, wie sie aus der Band geflogen ist und wie es in die Öffentlichkeit getragen wird. Auch, dass ihr Mann da mit hineingezogen wurde, schmeckt der Sängerin gar nicht, die sich nun wohl ganz auf ihre Solokarriere konzentrieren will.
Nightwish wollen auf jeden Fall weiter machen. Im Mai 2007 hat das Rätselraten um den Platz am Mikrofon ein Ende: Die Neue heißt Anette Olzon, stammt aus Schweden und ist 35 Jahre alt. Mit 17 ist sie zum ersten Mal mit einer Coverband aufgetreten, zuletzt war sie als Sängerin bei Alyson Avenue aktiv. Mit "Dark Passion Play" zeigt sie zum ersten Mal, dass sich die Band richtig entschieden hat. Anette legt einen erstklassigen Einstand hin.
Klar, dass es nach dem fulminanten Erfolg der Scheibe und der weitgehenden Akzeptanz der neuen Frontlady erst einmal ausgiebig auf Tour gehen muss. Sie räumen in Deutschland den Echo und in Finnland drei Emma Gaala-Awards ab und haben zu der Zeit schon vier Mal Platin für die aktuelle Scheibe in der Tasche. Anette singt im Sommer 2008 für Peter Tägtgrens Pain-Scheibe zwei Songs ein, bevor es in ganz Amerika auf Tour geht.
Anfang März 2009 veröffentlichen sie die Live-Scheibe "Made In Hong Kong", die trotz Bonus-DVD eher sparsam ausfällt.
Knapp ein Jahr später lassen sich die Skandinavier für den deutschsprachigen Raum ein besonderes Schmankerl einfallen und veröffentlichen in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Metal Hammer, die zuvor nur in Finnland erhältliche EP "Erämaan Viimeinen", inklusive zweier Bonus-Tracks.
Was folgt sind die produktionstechnisch wohl aufreibendsten und intensivsten zwei Jahre der Band. Das Quintett beginnt fortan mit den Arbeiten zum Mammut-Projekt "Imaginaerum".
Dieses besteht aus dem gleichnamigen neuen Studio-Album, das Ende 2011 den Weg in die Läden findet, sowie der visuellen Umsetzung des Audio-Materials in Form eines kompletten Fantasy-Spielfilms, den die Band für das Frühjahr 2012 ankündigt.

In 2010 maakten Clare and The Reasons kennis met de Handelsbeurs aan de zijde van éminence grise Van Dyke Parks. Een concert met volgens Focus Knack geen enkel dieptepunt. Hoogtepunten waren Clares nummers ‘Pluto’ en ‘That’s All’. Sindsdien liet Gent haar niet meer los en wilde ze dolgraag terugkomen.

We kennen Clare vooral als dochter van muzikant Geoff Muldaur, die geregeld opdook aan de zijde van Bob Dylan, producer Joe Boyd en Van Dyke Parks. Talent zit duidelijk in de genen, want Clare schrijft niet enkel prachtige songs, ze heeft ook een betoverende stem. In 2008 schreef Humo over het album The Movie: “het is nooit te laat om wonderbaarlijke muziek te ontdekken, en de verrassing stijgt uit elke porie van dit sprookjesachtige, tussen klassiek, jazz en crooners planerende plaatje.” Wie Clare and The Reasons eerder aan het werk zag, heeft nu ongetwijfeld al een ticket op zak. Voor wie hen nog niet kent: het is nooit te laat om wonderbaarlijke muziek te ontdekken!

Brooklyn-based Clare and the Reasons, fronted by collaborators Clare Manchon and Olivier Manchon, are pleased to announce the release of their sophomore album, Arrow, just out October 20th on Frog Stand Records. Arrow features a special guest appearance from Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, and is the followup to their acclaimed debut LP, The Movie, which included contributions from Van Dyke Parks and Sufjan Stevens.

Clare and the gang have spent the past two years touring around the world in support of The Movie. Live, they have a steady list of contributors, with a lot of instruments– cellos, violas, things to hit, kazoos, baby kotos, saws, recorders, and a bass drum that says “Kaboom” on it. It took a bit of wood, nails and many blankets to make Arrow in a recording tent built in the Ditmas Park apartment of Clare and the Reasons’ neighbor, friend and engineer, Alex Venguer. Clare and the Reasons deliver an assortment of meticulously constructed and arranged songs, most written by Clare in her very own kitchen, arranged by Olivier in the living room with two cats by his side, and recorded with surgical precision with the help of “Reason” Bob Hart. Walking the line between musical maturity and sophistication and primal, childlike musical instincts, Arrow floats in both worlds, comfortably.

In the midst of nothing but glowing reviews of both “Arrow” and live shows Clare and the Reasons toured US/Canada 3 times for “Arrow” thus far with Van Dyke Parks, Vic Chesnutt and Nouvelle Vague. They did an extensive euro tour in March 2010. The Reasons have euro festivals this summer (including Primavera Sound and Meltdown Festival in London) and another USA tour with Van Dyke Parks in fall 2010. You can hear Clare’s voice throughout the first season singing on the beloved show ”Arrested Development”. Clare has 2 songs in new French films, “Jusqua Toi”, and “Les Nuits de Sister Welsh”.  Van Dyke Parks says, “Clare is the Reasons’ raison d’être. Melodious et mysterieux–(the group) defines esprit de corps. (wrapped in) elegant arrangements for your dream escape— Chamber music with edge. Get this Visa to real musical adventure. Totally transportive!”

Zijn wieg stond in Farnborough, Hampshire zuid Engeland. Zijn eerste muzikale herinneringen zijn van Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis en Chuck Berry. Toen hij eenmaal Little Richard ging beluisteren werd hij zelf bezeten van dit soort muziek. Hij voelde zich sterk aangetrokken tot blues muziek en alle soorten muziek die daar aan verwant zijn. Muddy Waters is voor hem de "Blues God", Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran en Hank Williams noemt hij zijn Godfathers. Op 16 jarige leeftijd trok hij veel op met een neef die in Engeland een getalenteerde pianist/zanger was zo begon hij steeds meer voor muziek te voelen.
Pas twee jaar later pakte hij de gitaar op en leerde zichzelf spelen. Het gitaarspelen ging hem gemakkelijk af hij luisterde veel naar Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin'Wolf, Robert Cray, Albert Collins en B.B.King en kopieerde hun licks. Zo werd hij steeds beter, de basis Blues begrippen had hij vrij snel onder de knie, jamde veel met vrienden en leerde steeds meer door te luisteren naar de muziek.
Toen hij 20 was stopte hij op de kunstacademie en reisde af naar Berlijn. Hier moest hij veel spelen om te overleven, had weinig tot geen centen een voelbare blues ervaring die zijn gitaarspel en zang naar een nog hoger niveau bracht. Hij wist ondertussen dat hij echt alleen maar verder wilde gaan in de muziek.

Andy Graham - bass gitaar, Andy is al dik tien jaar bij de vaste band. Nieuwe songs worden bijna niet geoefend ze voelen elkaar perfekt aan en behalen zo de mooiste resultaten.

Nikolaj Bjerre – drums, Nik is al wat jaartjes bij de band en is een prima drummer. Met zijn eigen moderne inbreng geeft hij precies dat wat de Ian Siegal band zo speciaal maakt en dus opvalt tussen de traditionele bluesbands.

In the late 1980s, Siegal dropped out of art college and went busking in Germany.[1] He has been active on the UK blues scene for many years, and after two European tours supporting Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings in 2003 and 2004,[1] began to receive significant attention in Europe and further afield,[2] particularly since the release of his album, Swagger, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Meat & Potatoes. These recordings also feature guitarist Matt Schofield, and received praise in the music press, including an entry in the Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings, and was Mojo magazine's second best blues album of 2007.[2] In 2008 the album The Dust was released. Unlike the previous albums it contained mainly solo performances. In 2009, Siegal released another album together with his band members, Andy Graham (bass) and Nikolaj Bjerre (drums). This album, Broadside, was voted "Blues Album of the Year 2009" by Mojo.
His 2011 release, The Skinny, was recorded in North Mississippi with Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars as record producer and he also played on the album. Backing Siegal were the sons of some notable Mississippi blues men, including on guitar Robert Kimbrough, on guitar and bass Garry Burnside, and on drums Rod Bland. Also guesting were Alvin Youngblood Hart and Duwayne Burnside.

De Britse band Porcupine Tree is vooral het geesteskind van diens frontman en tevens creatieve spil Steven Wilson. Met een tweede solo album getiteld ‘Grace For Drowning’ bewijst de man nog steeds op scherp te staan. Het is een ambitieuze dubbelaar geworden die aantoont dat hij momenteel één van de vaandeldragers van de progressive rock is; waar hij een hedendaags geluid (met een gezonde aandacht voor electronica) combineert met uitgesponnen jaren ’70 elementen.
Dat het talent van duizendpoot Wilson niet onopgemerkt bleef bewijzen zijn hand– en spandiensten voor artiesten divers als Opeth, Anja Garbarek, Yoko Ono en Anathema, en bovendien werkte hij onder het synoniem Bass Communion samen met de Belg Dirk Serries van Vidna Obmana in het ambient & drone project Continuum.

One of the most eclectic and prolific artists in rock music, Steven Wilson has been writing, recording, and producing music continuously since the age of 10. A native of Hemel Hempstead in England, Wilson was first exposed to music at the age of eight, when he started hearing his father listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and his mother to Donna Summer’s Love to Love You Baby, two albums that were pivotal in the development of his musical direction. His father, an electrical engineer, built him a multi-track tape machine, and he began to experiment with overdubbing and developing a repertoire of production techniques.

Early demo tapes started to emerge in the mid 80’s while Steven was still at school, and at the end of the decade he created the two projects which gained him entry to the professional music world: Porcupine Tree and No Man. Porcupine Tree, which explored psychedelia, progressive music, and his love of ambitious seventies music, was initially an imaginary 'band' which, in reality, Steven overdubbed all the instruments himself. This even extended to early demo tapes coming with a fictional written history of the band, and biographical info about the fictitious performers.

Around the same time, Steven formed No-Man, his long-term collaboration with singer Tim Bowness. Influenced by everything from ambient music to hip-hop, their early singles and albums were a mixture of dance beats and lush orchestrations. Signing to One Little Indian in the UK, and Epic in the US in 1990, they received tremendous accolades from the music press, with Singles Of The Week in Melody Maker, Sounds and Hot Press

Meanwhile, things progressed with Porcupine Tree, whose increasing popularity was fast outpacing the imaginary pretext of an actual group. The second full-length album, Up the Downstair was released in 1993 and was praised by Melody Maker as "a psychedelic masterpiece... one of the albums of the year". This was the first album to include keyboardist Richard Barbieri and bassist Colin Edwin. Towards the end of the year, Porcupine Tree became a real band for the first time with the inclusion of Chris Maitland on drums, and began to tour. Further albums throughout the late nineties, and extensive touring resulted in a string of indie chart placings and critical acclaim, many fans hailing them as the Pink Floyd of the nineties.

In 2001 Porcupine Tree was signed to US label Lava Records, under the auspices of Atlantic Records. Now with the support of a major label, and featuring new drummer Gavin Harrison, In Absentia saw the light of day in 2002, featuring a heavier sound than all the group's previous works. It charted in many European countries and remains one of the top-selling Porcupine Tree albums. It was also their first album to be released in 5.1 Surround Sound, and won the 'Best Made-For-Surround Title' award for the Surround Music Awards 2004. Its 2005 follow-up, Deadwing was inspired by a film script written by Steven and film-maker Mike Bennion, and became the first Porcupine Tree album to chart the Billboard 200, entering at #132. The album won 'Album of the Year' at the Classic Rock magazine awards, and its surround version received the 'Best Made-For-Surround Title' once again. In 2006, Porcupine Tree released their first live DVD, titled Arriving Somewhere. The following year the band released Fear of a Blank Planet, its most successful selling album to date, receiving the most favorable reviews of the band's career. It entered the Billboard 200 at #59, and charted in almost all European countries, peaking at #31 in the UK. It was nominated for a US Grammy, and won several polls as the best album of the year. 2007 ended with the band playing their first arena shows, and their status as arguably the biggest “underground” band in the world was cemented.

Steven has become known for the high standard of his production and is a sought-after mixer and producer. Artists he has worked with in this capacity include the Norwegian artist Anja Garbarek, Yoko Ono, and Swedish progressive-metal band Opeth for whom he produced three albums. More recently Wilson has become known for his 5.1 Surround Sound mixes - the 2007 Porcupine Tree album Fear of a Blank Planet was nominated for a Grammy in the 'Best Mix For Surround Sound' category. The album was also voted #3 album of the year by Sound And Vision, which recently named Fear of a Blank Planet the second best 5.1 recording of all time. Steven is now working on several other surround sound projects, including remixing the King Crimson back catalogue. Other projects include Blackfield, a collaboration with Israeli megastar Aviv Geffen which has now produced two acclaimed albums, and Steven’s drone / ambient / experimental outlet Bass Communion.

In 2003 Wilson quietly started to release music under his own name for the first time, in the form of a series of two track CD singles on his own label Headphone Dust, each one featuring a cover version and an original SW song. The choice and treatment of the cover versions was unpredictable, with the first five featuring songs by Alanis Morissette, Abba, The Cure, Momus, and Prince. Stylistically these cover versions allowed Wilson to expand his musical pallete into everything from electronica, noise music, and stripped down acoustic balladry. This led to his decision to record his first solo album of original music.

Between January and August of 2008, Steven began recording material that would comprise Insurgentes. Comprising 10 new tracks that range from ballads and anthems to all-out industrial noise assaults, the dark, cinematic, and richly textured disc represents two years’ worth of creative output and numerous recording sessions worldwide in studios from Mexico City to Japan to Israel. The whole process was visually documented by film-maker Lasse Hoile, and the work in progress Insurgentes film features footage of the recording sessions, surreal sequences, and interviews with Wilson and many other musicians about what it means to be a musician in the age of iPods and download culture.

The initial version of the album was released as a mail order only 11 x 11 inch hardbound 120-page book, in a limited edition of 4000 copies, with 2 CDs of music and a DVD with a 5.1 mix and an 18 minute extract from the film. These sold out within the first week of release.

Van 19 tot 21 juli staan er in totaal alweer 18 groepen aangekondigd. Waar op vrijdag traditioneel Belgisch geopend wordt,wijken we daar dit jaar stevig van af: zo komt de afsluiter deze keer uit Spanje. The Excitements zijn een jonge band, die de soul van de jaren ’60 zeer genegen zijn en die in meer dan één opzicht aan Tina Turner en James Brown doet denken. Slick Nick & The Casino Special en hun swingmuziek zijn bekend van de Radio Modern-avonden, Virgil and the Accelerators zijn de jongste Engelse bluesrocksensatie en over Hideaway kunnen we kort zijn: deze Belgische veteranen bestaan dit jaar 25 jaar en openen dus met recht en reden de feestelijkheden.
Uit het lijstje van zaterdag 20 juli halen we, naast The Fabulous Thunderbirds en Robert Cray, die beiden een nieuwe plaat uit hebben, ook de relatieve nieuwkomers Heritage Blues Orchestra en The Delta Saints naar voren die onlangs indrukwekkend debuteerden. Daarnaast zijn er de Noorse Rita Engedalen en vooral Hugh Laurie die de aandacht trekken. Engedalen was vorig jaar de overtuigende winnares van de European Blues Challenge in Berlijn en Laurie speelt niet alleen Dr. House op tv, maar is ook een geweldige bluesmuzikant. Openers Sugarboy & The Sinners wonnen in 2012 dan weer de Dutch Blues Challenge.
De slotdag wordt ingepalmd door de donkere stemmen van Eric Bibb en Bettye LaVette, voor die laatste betekent dit een terugkeer naar het podium waar ze in 2006 al zoveel succes oogstte. Met Gov’t Mule en The Royal Southern Brotherhood (een kersverse supergroep uit het zuiden van de States met o.a. Cyril Neville en Devon Allman) worden de liefhebbers van southern rock op hun wenken bediend. Mike Zito, lid van de Brotherhood speelt in de vroege namiddag een soloset en afgesloten wordt met Status Quo, waarvan je je kunt afvragen waarom ze nooit eerder in Peer stonden. Ook hier wordt op grensoverschrijdende wijze geopend met Doghouse Sam & his Magnatones, een Belgisch/Nederlands trio, met wortels bij The Seatsniffers, The Rhythm Bombs en The Big Four Quintet.
Samengevat: een “Back To the Roots”-programma, dat deze 29ste editie helemaal waardig is. Dit alles op de nieuwe en ruimere locatie aan de Deusterstraat te Peer. Van de nieuwe opportuniteit werd gebruik gemaakt om het bezoekerscomfort stevig te verhogen.

HUGH LAURIE

James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE (Oxford, Engeland, 11 juni 1959), is een Engels acteur, komiek, musicus en schrijver. Hij is in Engeland bekend geworden door zijn werk voor televisie, en dan in het bijzonder door de samenwerking met Stephen Fry en Rowan Atkinson
Laurie is geboren en getogen in Oxford en studeerde aan Eton en Selwyn College in Cambridge. Zijn vader Ran Laurie won op de Olympische Spelen van 1948 (Londen) een gouden medaille voor roeien (mannen, twee zonder stuurman, met John Wilson) en Hugh was een fervent roeier in zijn studententijd, totdat hij moest ophouden omdat hij klierkoorts (de ziekte van Pfeiffer) kreeg. Hij besloot zich daarna te richten op acteren.
Tijdens zijn eerste jaar aan de universiteit werd hij lid van de Footlights Club in Cambridge, een vereniging die voor veel bekende Britse komieken het startpunt van hun carrière is geweest. In het laatste jaar was hij de voorzitter van de club, Emma Thompson was de vicepresident. In dat jaar (1980) ontmoette hij Stephen Fry tijdens het Edinburgh Festival.
Vervolgens deden zij als duo veel televisiewerk, zoals de komedieserie Jeeves and Wooster en A Bit of Fry and Laurie. Hugh Laurie heeft nu ook een solocarrière opgebouwd als acteur in zowel komische rollen (zoals in Blackadder met Rowan Atkinson, de rol van (adoptie)vader in Stuart Little, een stem in Stuart Little: the animated series en in 101 Dalmatiërs) als meer serieuze rollen, zoals in de film Sense and Sensibility. In het midden van de jaren negentig bracht hij een boek uit, The Gun Seller.
Hugh Laurie is sinds 1989 getrouwd met Jo Green. Van 2004 tot 2012 speelde hij de hoofdrol in House, een Amerikaanse ziekenhuisserie. Hierin vertolkt hij de rol van Dr. Gregory House. Deze serie is op dit moment elke week te zien op 2BE, SBS 6 en 13th Street. Op 9 februari 2012 werd bekend dat dat voorjaar de laatste aflevering op de Amerikaanse televisie te zien zou zijn. De laatste aflevering werd in Amerika op 21 mei 2012 uitgezonden en in Vlaanderen op 3 juni 2012.
Op 23 mei 2007 werd hij benoemd tot officier in de Orde van het Britse Rijk door koningin Elizabeth II wegens zijn verdiensten voor het drama.
Op 5 mei 2011 kwam in Nederland zijn debuutalbum Let Them Talk op cd en lp uit. Het album telt vijftien nummers. Op 7 juli 2012 trad hij op tijdens het North Sea Jazz Festival.
www.hughlaurieblues.com/home.htm

GOV’T MULE

The leaders of Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes and Allen Woody, should be well known to Allman Brothers fans for their stint in Southern rock's most famous native sons. In 1989, Haynes became the second replacement for Duane Allman, providing a good foil for Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts on guitar and vocals; Woody filled out the Allman sound on bass. Five years after their debut, the duo joined drummer Matt Abts in the side project Gov't Mule, a band in which the Allman Brothers' influence is apparent but complicated with the psychedelic, bluesy power trio feel of Cream.
Gov't Mule debuted in 1995 with a self-titled album on Capricorn Records, followed by the stellar concert date Live at Roseland Ballroom. The studio follow-up, Dose, appeared in early 1998; another concert set, Live...With a Little Help from Our Friends, followed a year later, with the complete show later appearing as a four-disc limited-edition set. A new studio effort, Life Before Insanity, appeared in early 2000. A vital member of the band was lost, however, on August 26, 2000, when Woody was found dead in a hotel room in New York City. The band had been preparing to record their next album, and after a time, Gov't Mule finally decided to carry on with the project, this time with guest bassists ranging from Flea to Bootsy Collins. The two-volume Deep End series for ATO Records resulted. Phish bassist Mike Gordon also got involved in the project, filming the recording of the albums for a planned documentary. In mid-September 2001, the group hit the road for a six-week tour in support of Deep End, Vol. 1; Oteil Burbridge filled in as bassist for most of the dates.
The second volume of Live...With a Little Help from Our Friends appeared in 2002 and the Deepest End: Live in Concert CD and DVD in 2003. One year later saw the release of Déjà Voodoo, Gov't Mule's first studio effort since Woody's death. It featured his official replacement, bassist Andy Hess, as well as new keyboardist Danny Louis. The same lineup released High & Mighty in 2006. The two-volume Benefit Concert series followed in 2007. In 2009, Gov't Mule issued By a Thread, its first studio album in three years. Hess was replaced by bassist Jorgen Carlsson, and the album featured a guest appearance by ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons. In 2010, the Evil Teen imprint issued Mulennium, a three-disc package that commemorated Gov't Mule's complete 1999 New Year's Eve concert at Atlanta's historic Roxy Theatre with the band's original lineup. The concert also included guest appearances by the Black Crowes, Little Milton, and Audley Freed. John Bush, Rovi.
www.mule.net/

FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS

For over 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group’s distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up”. Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation.
“We started as a straight blues band”, vocalist and harmonica player Wilson says. “We now incorporate a mixture of a lot of different styles. We’re an American music band and we’re much higher energy than we were before.”
In addition to Wilson, the current Thunderbirds line-up features Jay Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitar, and Randy Bermudes on bass.
“To be in the T-Birds, you need to understand the different styles of music and different ways of playing,” Wilson comments. “You have to be willing to adopt a more contemporary style. The guys we have now are able to do that.”
The band continues to tour extensively, in both the U.S. and Europe. Wilson is currently writing songs on his own, with band members and other writers.
“I’ve primarily been a solo songwriter, but I’m looking forward to experimenting with the guys in the band,” Wilson says.
The thread throughout the T-Birds career has been the respect the group commanded for its peerless musicianship and devotion to the sounds of blues, R & B and rock ‘n roll. In fact, Muddy Waters called Wilson his favorite harmonica player and vocalist. “Muddy Waters was very good to me,” Wilson says. “He almost adopted me. I’ll never forget him.”
For Kim Wilson, the musical journey started in Goleta, California. At 17 he began playing the harmonica. His influences included Little Walter, George “Harmonica” Smith, Lazy Lester and James Cotton. At the same time, Wilson began singing and was deeply impacted by Bobby “Blue” Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rodgers and Muddy Waters. In search of other musicians who shared his love of the blues, Wilson headed to Minneapolis. He stayed there for a year and a half, playing locally, before moving to the burgeoning music scene of Austin, Texas. It was there that he met Jimmie Vaughan and they founded the T-Birds in 1974. The band developed a reputation as a compelling live act and subsequently signed a record deal with CBS/Epic Records.

In 1979, The Fabulous Thunderbirds released their first self-titled album. Primarily blues influenced, it became a cult classic. “Things were wide open back then,” Wilson recalls. “There were hundreds of stages where bands could show what they had.”
In subsequent releases, the band started to incorporate more Cajun, rock ‘n roll and soul influences. The album “T-Bird Rhythm” marked a creative turning point for the group as it collaborated with noted producer Nick Lowe. In 1986, The Fabulous Thunderbirds reached a commercial peak with the album, “Tuff Enuff”. The single of the same title as well as the singles “Wrap It Up” and “Look At That”, all went top 40. The song, “Tuff Enuff” was featured in the film “Gung Ho” starring Michael Keaton.
For the remainder of the ’80s, the band continued to record and tour, and released the album, “Powerful Stuff”. Jimmie Vaughn left in 1989 but Wilson kept the group going, incorporating keyboards into the guitar-driven sound. Kim moved back to California in 1996, continuing to cultivate the T-Birds music.
“The thing about the T-Birds is that we can play both blues festival and rock venues,” Wilson comments. “We’re a diversified band now and everybody’s on the same page.”
As a side project Wilson formed Kim Wilson’s Blues Revue, a traditional blues band. He also owns a blues label, Blue Collar Music, that has released three albums – one by Kim, one by “Big Al” Blake and one by Fred Kaplan. Wilson has also recorded and written with noted session guitarist Danny Kortchmar and drummer Steve Jordan and may tour with them at some point. However his current focus remains The Fabulous Thunderbirds. “This is a great time for this band,” he says. “We’re looking forward to the future.”
http://fabulousthunderbirds.com/

THE ROBERT CRAY BAND

The five-time Grammy Award winner summarized 35 years of mastery on the debut Nozzle release Live From Across the Pond (2006), an electrifying two-CD concert set drawn from a series of shows (opening for Eric Clapton) at London’s Royal Albert Hall. When the time came to follow up that widely praised collection with a studio recording, Cray viewed it as an opportunity to move his sound in other directions.
He found exactly what he was looking for by turning to one of his oldest friends and colleagues: bassist Richard Cousins, whose tenure with the Robert Cray Band began with its barnstorming regional origins in Eugene, Oregon, in 1974 and extended through 1991, encompassing such early high-water marks as Strong Persuader (1986) and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1988), both winners of the best contemporary blues performance Grammy.
I’ve known Richard for 40 years,” Cray says. “We go back to 1969, and we grew up in the same area together. We’ve always had a really good rapport together stage-wise. Richard and I have remained the best of friends ever since he departed way back in ’91. I’d still see Richard, whether it was in the States or in Europe – where he still lives. He’d always come to see us at the gigs. We always remained close. We talked on the telephone all the time.
“It just so happened that last year, I wanted to make personnel changes in the band. So I asked Richard to come back.”
Cousins’ return to the Cray fold bonds him once again with keyboardist Jim Pugh, a cornerstone of the guitarist’s group since 1989.
In the hunt for a new drummer, Cray – with encouragement from Cousins—struck on a musician whose style and experience perfectly complemented his own: the road-tested Tony Braunagel, whose résumé includes work with Bonnie Raitt (including her Grammy-winning Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw), Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, and B.B. King.
Cray recalls, “I’d seen Tony work in a lot of different situations before. My first real opportunity to play with him was three years ago, when we did a benefit up in Portland, Oregon, for our friend Curtis Salgado. Tony was playing drums there, and Richard was there, too – they were the rhythm section. Richard was working really well with Tony, and they were kind of fronting the whole jam. It was great. I was talking to Richard after he’d rejoined the group, and I said, ‘We need to find a drummer.’ He just went, ‘Tony!’”
The refreshed lineup of Cray, Cousins, Pugh, and Braunagel came together at Santa Barbara Sound Design in Santa Barbara, California, to record what became This Time. Cray produced (though he notes, “Every time I produce, it’s like a communal effort”), with Don Smith engineering.

Cray says of the sessions, “I really looked forward to it—to how Richard and I were going to gel together after having not played together for a long time, and to bringing Richard back to work with Jim, because we did all get a chance to work together for two years, before Richard left—and then having Tony come in.
“Richard and Jim and myself have all known each other for a while, but when we added Tony to the mix, it was like, ‘Hey, where you been?’ We all get along really, really well. It was fun, and everybody brought something to the table. Tony’s interpretation of what we were doing was just spot-on, and of course, with his background, all the music that he’d listened to and played coincided with the music we’ve listened to and played over the years. It was like the perfect hand in the glove.”
All of the band members contributed fresh material to This Time. Cray brought in the title track, “Chicken in the Kitchen,” “I Can’t Fail,” and “Trouble and Pain,” and co-wrote “Forever Goodbye” with his wife Sue Turner-Cray. Pugh authored “Love 2009” and “To Be True.” Cousins and the Swiss soul/blues musician Hendrix Ackle collaborated on “Truce.” And Braunagel and guitarist Johnnie Lee Schell co-authored “That’s What Keeps Me Rockin’.”
As ever with Robert Cray’s undefinable sound, the music on This Time remains stubbornly beyond category. He has been internationally admired as a stylist whose innovations have brought new life to the blues, and such punchy outings as “Chicken in the Kitchen” and “That’s What Keeps Me Rockin’” should satisfy the most demanding blues fans. But the new album’s barrier-busting material – whether it’s the soulful “Love 2009” or the profound balladry of “This Time” and “Forever Goodbye” – demonstrate once again that attempting to slot Cray in a single genre is an exercise in futility.
Blues is one of the foundations of our music, but it’s not all that we play,” Cray says. “When I first started playing guitar, I wanted to be George Harrison – that is, until I heard Jimi Hendrix. After that, I wanted to be Albert Collins and Buddy Guy and B.B. King. And then there are singers like O.V. Wright and Bobby Blue Bland. It’s all mixed up in there.”
He continues, “Every time somebody asks me about where my music comes from, I give them five or six different directions – a little rock, soul, jazz, blues, a little gospel feel. Then there are some other things that maybe fall in there every once in a while, like a little Caribbean flavor or something. You just never know. I always attribute it to the music we grew up listening to, and the radio back in the ‘60s. It’s pretty wide open. It’s hard to put a tag on it.”
Cray, who began 2009 with concert appearances in Brazil and Japan, will support This Time with shows around the country with his reconfigured band.
http://robertcray.com/

ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD

Mike Zito, Devon Allman, Cyril Neville ~ The soul of the south. Amplified soul for the new generation.
Before they even hit a chord, The Royal Southern Brotherhood have your attention. In the US South, where music is religion, two rock ‘n’ roll bloodlines tower above all others. In the saloon bars from Mississippi to Maryland, mere mention of the Allman and Neville Brothers casts a magic spell. Conversation falls silent. Pool balls stop rolling. Ten-gallon hats are tipped in respect and beer-bottles raised in salute. These aren’t just bands, they’re gods, and with a lineup comprising both the iconic Cyril Neville and Devon Allman, The Royal Southern Brotherhood come pre-loaded with expectations. Don’t worry: they can match them. The family tree might be auspicious, but this new band trades on talent, not genealogy. It’s not about rock history: it’s about the here-and-now.
This lineup has talent to burn. You’ll already know Cyril Neville: poet, philosopher, percussion master and perhaps the South’ last great soul singer. Devon Allman. As the son of Gregg Allman, the 39-year-old has rock ‘n’ roll in his DNA, but he’s always walked his own path. Mike Zito: the blues ace whose ear for melody provides the counterpoint to his wingman’s rocking tendencies. Nominated in 2011 for the Blues Music Foundation’s ‘Best Blues Rock’ award, and winner of 2010?s Blues Music Award. Bassist Charlie Wooten and drummer Yonrico Scott: both heavyweight names in their own right, with Charlie’s bass chops celebrated on the Southern jam scene for his sets with the Woods Brothers, and Yonrico hitting the skins for luminaries including the Derek Trucks Band, Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers themselves.
They said that rock ‘n’ roll was dead, but they were wrong. Right now, in 2012, there’s something in the air, as The Royal Southern Brotherhood drag their thrilling new brand of blues-rock and white-hot musicianship from the Southern States onto the world stage. The South is rising again. Come along for the ride.
www.royalsouthernbrotherhood.com

HERITAGE BLUES ORCHESTRA

JUNIOR MACK
A self-taught musician, Junior Mack is a gifted vocalist and guitarist. He has been playing since the age of nine and is equally at ease playing acoustic and electric styles. Junior started out on the guitar playing gospel - his road map being the early music of the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama with George Scott, Linwood Hargrove with the Swan Silvertones, Pops Staples of the Staple Singers, and the great Howard Carroll of the Dixie Humming-birds.  His other influences are the country blues of Lightnin' Hopkins and the big city blues of Freddie King and B.B. King. Junior Mack has worked and collaborated with many major American recording artists including: Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, The Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks, Robert Randolph, Dickey Betts, Chaka Khan, Magic Slim, Joe Louis Walker, Honeyboy Edwards, Phillip Walker, Lucky Peterson, Eddie Kirkland, Jeff Healy and others.
BILL SIMS. JR.
Born into and raised by a sharecropping family in rural Georgia, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bill Sims Jr. is an internationally respected master of the blues. He began playing piano at age four and by fourteen he was playing professionally in a rhythm and blues group. A Warner Bros. recording artist, Mr. Sims is also an accomplished musical director and has lent his talents to many theater and film productions  in New York and the United States. His film credits include Lackawanna Blues, Miss Ruby's House, American Gangster, and the recent Cadillac Records. He was also the subject of a critically acclaimed PBS documentary, An American Love Story, in 1999. Mr Sims currently lives in NYC where he mentors a new generation of blues and roots musicians.
CHANEY SIMS
A native New Yorker and the descendant of music makers from Georgia, Florida and Ohio, Chaney’s voice is steeped in field hollers, work songs, spirituals, blues, soul and R&B. She is dedicated to sharing the significance of these unique art forms; exploring their influence on her voice as a queer woman of color; and revealing a broad spectrum of the blues, roots music and the American songbook. Chaney has performed at venues around the world including: Rhino Jazz Festival, Aulnay All Blues, The Blue Note, Joe's Pub and Terra Blues. She has also had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of her mentors and muses including: her father Bill Sims Jr., the late Odetta, Phylicia Rashad, recording legend Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Guy Davis, Staceyann Chin, Climbing Poetree and Ganessa James.

BRUNO WILHELM
Placing the human factor at the heart of it all, and using music as a bridge between language and culture are the priorities of this highly-respected saxophonist, arranger and composer. At home in the jazz idiom, Bruno Wilhelm is a seasoned bandleader composer and arranger. He has led numerous original projects in straight-ahead and avant-garde Jazz. He composes and arranges for instrumentalists and vocalists across the musical spectrum including World, Hip-Hop and Rap as well as for theater and dance performance artists. He has also composed and played with various african artists in Western and Central Africa, and has worked as an arranger in classical music. He has collaborated with artists such as David Liebman, Chico Freeman, National Jazz Orchestra of France, Jean-Marc Padovani, Louis Sclavis and many others.
VINCENT BUCHER
At the age of sixteen, Vincent Bucher learned to play the harmonica. He was discovered playing in the Paris Metro by American master harmonica player Sugar Blue, who encourages him to play professionally. Vincent is quickly recognized as a harp player of extraordinary talent and begins accompanying blues greats including: Louisiana Red, Jimmy Johnson, Sonny Rhodes and many others. He records with French blues stars Bill Deraime and Patrick Verbeke, as well as pop and rock music star CharlElie Couture. For two decades, he led his own groups, and played extensively with Blues, Roots and World artists throughout Europe, Africa and the United States. More recently, Vincent toured with his own group as well as with the Franco-Malgache artist Tao Ravao, the Legendary Malian singer-guitarist Boubacar Traoré and other notable African musicians. Considered one of the most accomplished harmonica players anywhere, he is a singer, composer, songwriter and arranger who uses his unique versatility and experience to explore the kinship between African music and the Blues.
KENNY "BEEDY EYES" SMITH
Widely considered the top traditional Chicago-blues drummer on the scene today and son of legendary ex-Muddy Waters drum man Willie “Big Eyes’’ Smith, Kenny is currently the most sought-after blues session drummer in Chicago. Some of his recording credits—over 50 albums—and touring engagements include Pinetop Perkins, Homesick James, Buddy Guy, Chicago Blues: A Living History, Honeyboy Edwards, Henry Townsend, Jody Williams, Big Jack Johnson, Aaron Burton, Lurrie Bell, Dave Myers, Kim Wilson, Paul deLay, Junior Wells, the Legendary Blues Band and many others. Kenny's talents as a drummer are not restricted to any one style of music—he is equally as comfortable in other musical genres including R&B, Soul, Jazz.
www.heritagebluesorchestra.com/

STATUS QUO

Francis Rossi
Born: 29th May 1949
From: Forest Hill, South London.
Now Lives: South London.
Personal: Married to Eileen, eight children from two marriages.
Plays: Lead Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting.
Francis is the front man. His instantly recognizable voice and the twin guitars of Rossi and Parfitt are the main ingredients of Status Quo.
Known to everyone in the band as 'Frame' or 'The Gomorr' (the grand old man of rock and roll), he is married to Eileen, has eight children from two marriages, and lives in Surrey, England.
A typical Gemini, Francis on stage is an outgoing and charismatic showman but has been labelled a recluse because he rarely goes to parties or big social occasions, preferring to stay at home (If you saw his house you'd understand why!). Musically he still loves playing, performing and writing as much as ever and is always involved in the production of Quo records.
When not touring, Francis keeps fit by swimming and exercising. He is a collector of Koi Carp, likes Clay pigeon shooting and is probably the English pasta-eating record holder.
Equipment
The Green Fender Telecaster...
is an original 1957 model, which Francis bought for £70 in 1968 and has been his main guitar ever since.
Over the years he has had some of the original Telecaster fittings replaced, using G&L parts which help the sustain and the intonation. It now has three pickups, which work in a Stratocaster configuration.
The gauge of the strings Francis uses are: .09 .11 .16 .26w 34w 46w.
He is currently using two 4x12" 8 ohm Marshall cabinets, a JCM 800 Lead Series amp and sometimes a JCM 900. For effects, Francis uses a Roland GP8 which boosts the signal to the amplifier, has five different overdrive patches and one patch which is a very tight straight double effect with some echo.
Between the output of the amp and the speakers are Palmer speaker simulators. The output of these goes out-front and is mixed with the miked signal from the Marshall cabinets and a miked signal from a Vox AC30 which is one of the new ones made by Marshall using exactly the same components as were originally used when they were first made in the sixties. You won't see the AC30's on the stage because they are kept behind the Marshalls.
Francis and Rick love the sound of the original AC 30's. In the old days these were loud enough to be the main stage amps but now the miked signal is sent out front to give the sound that extra fatness.
Francis uses Samson Radio systems on the guitar and for Radio headphones.

Rick Parfitt
Born: 12th October, 1948.
From: Woking, Surrey.
Now Lives: Spain and South West London.
Personal: Four children from three marriages.
Remarried - August 2006.
Plays: Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting.
Rick is one of Englands' greatest rhythm guitarists, his rock solid style has always been the core of the Quo sound.
Also known as 'The Womorr' (The Wild Old Man Of Rock and Roll) , he has written some of Quo's most memorable songs including '"Whatever You Want", "Backwater" "Living on an Island"' and "Rain". If you've seen Quo live you'll know the rush you get when Rick steps up to the front of the stage and hammers out the intro to 'Caroline' or 'Paper Plane'.
The enduring partnership of Rossi and Parfitt is the thing that keeps Quo rocking and even though they are very different characters, after more than 40 years together they are still the best of mates. Once known as the 'Wild Man' of rock, Rick insists that he has now learned to relax and now is a 'Mild Man' of rock.
Equipment
The white Fender Telecaster that is Rick's main guitar is a 1965 model with all the original Fender pickups and parts except for the bridge which has been changed to a Badass bridge, because he attacks the guitar and plays so hard he would tear his wrist on a normal Telecaster bridge.
The gauge of the strings Rick uses are: .14 .17 .26w .36w 46w 56w. (these are heavy gauge strings!)
He also uses an original Gibson SG which is tuned to an E chord. Both Rick and Francis use a number of open tunings and capos in the Quo set, between them they have 18 Guitars on the road.
Apart from the famous two Telecasters, They also use a 1981 Zemaitus for 'Forty Five Hundred Times' tuned to a B tuning with a .60 gauge bottom E string, a Schecter, a Fender Esquire that Rick uses on the medley tuned to G,G,D,G, B, D with a capo on the second fret, a Giffin and a Chet Atkins Acoustic used for 'Gerdundula'.
For 'Whatever you Want' Rick and Francis use a normal tuning but with the bottom E string tuned down to a D.
As Francis, Rick uses two 4x12" 8 ohm Marshall cabinets, a 100 watt JCM 800 Lead Series amp and sometimes a JCM 900. For effects, Rick also uses a Roland GP8 signal processor, which has three different chorus/flange settings and three overdrive settings.
Like Francis, Rick also uses a Vox AC30 which is fed out to the front system and mixed with the Marshalls.

Andrew Bown
Born: March 27th, 1946.
From: Beckenham, South London.
Personal: Andrew remarried on May 8th 2004 in London. He and his wife Ronnie (Veronica) live with three of their four children in Barnes, South West London.
Plays: Keyboards, Guitar, Harmonica, Bass, Vocals, Songwriting.
Andrew, otherwise known as 'Acid Man' because of his acerbic wit, is the multi-instrumentalist of the band and whilst he wouldn't admit it, is a fantastic musician.
Besides the keyboards, harmonica and guitar that you see him playing on stage with Quo, he is a great bass player, in fact not many people are aware that bass is his main instrument. He is also by his own admission the worst drummer in the world!
Andrew is also a connoisseur of fine wines and noted consumer of the same.
A full member of the band since 1976, he has contributed some great songs to the Quo hit list including "Whatever You Want" and "Burning Bridges".
Equipment
The main keyboards Andrew uses on stage with Quo are a Roland piano, a Hammond C3 Organ and a Roland D70 which is also used for a mother keyboard and is connected to a Roland U220, a Vintage Keys module and an Akai Sampler. He has a Leslie speaker for the Hammond Organ, which is kept at the back of the stage and various pedals and effects which have all been modified to make the setup more comfortable to play.
When playing the guitar, Andrew uses custom guitars by Jamie Davey, a vintage Fender Telecaster, a Gibson Les Paul, a Washburn semi-acoustic and Gibson and Takamini acoustics.
He also plays several Harmonicas and as with the other members of Quo, Andrew uses in-ear radio monitoring.

John 'Rhino' Edwards
Born: 9th May 1953
From: Whitton, Middlesex.
Now Lives: South west London.
Personal: Married to Kathy, three children.
Plays: Bass, Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting.
John has played with many other artistes but for him there is only one band and he is where he wants to be, in the engine room of Status Quo.
He is known to all as 'Rhino' and also as 'The Bludgeon' because he is the clumsiest man in the world and somehow he manages to break things wherever he goes.
An enthusiastic supporter of Brentford Football Club and a 'Do it Yourself' (demolition) expert, he is married to Kathy and has three children, Mae, Freddie and Max.
Rhino loves touring and when Quo are on the road, he and Andrew can often be found wandering the streets, taking in Art Galleries, seeing the sights and tasting the local brews.
With possibly the biggest stereo system in West London and the best neighbours (not), he is a musicoholic, always listening to new and old records of all kinds and recording tracks in his home studio... loudly.
Equipment
Rhino mainly uses Status basses, (aptly named, but no relation) He has a collection of others which he sometimes uses when recording, including an Alembic, a Fender Jazz, a Fender Precision and various others, but on the road with Quo he only uses the Status basses because they sound great and stand up to the rigors of touring. He has two headless Status four strings and a Status five string.
For amplification he uses two Marshall Dynamic Bass System heads and two Marshall cabinets, a 2x15" and a 4x10", and for effects he uses a Roland B5 multi-effect system mainly for chorus and flange. Rhino plays guitar in the song 'Gerundula" and uses a Tanglewood guitar and a Marshall JCM800 amp with a 4x12" cabinet.
Rhino released a solo album in 2000 on Eagle Records. The album 'Rhino's Revenge' is now available on Spotify from the link below.
www.statusquo.co.uk/

BETTYE LAVETTE

Betty Jo Haskins was born January 29,1946, in Muskegon, Michigan. The family moved to Detroit when she was six years old. Her parents sold corn liquor and her living room was oft-times visited by The Soul Stirrers, The Blind Boys of Mississippi, and many other traveling gospel groups of the day. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Bettye did not get her start in the church, but in that very same living room, where there was a jukebox, filled with the blues, country & western, and R&B records of the time. The "5" Royales, Dinah Washington, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Red Foley, ...these were her roots.
By 16, Betty Jo had become enamored with showbiz. She decided to change her name to something more dramatic. She knew a local groupie by the name of Sherma Lavett, liked the sound of the name, and thus, Betty LaVette was born. Singer Timmy Shaw brought her to Johnnie Mae Matthews, notorious Motor City record producer. Bettye's first single was "My Man - He’s a Loving Man.", in the fall of 1962. The record was quickly picked up by Atlantic for national distribution. The record charted #7 R&B and put her on her first national tour, with Ben E. King, Clyde McPhatter, and another newcomer, Otis Redding.
After a brief spell at Detroit's Lupine label, Bettye went back to New York and became the featured singer in the Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford Review, where their Small's Paradise shows became the talk of the town. Her association with Don and Dee Dee spawned her next big record, for the Calla label. "Let Me Down Easy", written by Dee Dee Ford, was an atmospheric masterpiece. Bettye's pleading voice, set against the moody string arrangement by Dale Warren produced a record that is on many "greatest soul songs of all time" lists. It went # 20 R&B in 1965 and led to an appearance on the television show, Shindig. It also put her on a tour with The James Brown Review.
Then back to Detroit for a one off single on Big Wheel and a series of singles for Ollie McLaughlin's Karen label. One of these songs, "Hey Love", was written expressly for her by Stevie Wonder. In 1969, Kenny Rogers heard her cover of his group's "What My Condition My Condition Was In", and suggested to his brother, producer Lelan Rogers, that he record her. This led to her signing with Silver Fox, and a trip to Memphis, where she made a string of records with a then unknown studio group, who went on to become known as The Dixie Flyers. The recordings were augmented by The Memphis Horns. The first release,"He Made a Woman Out of Me", went #25 R&B, even though it was banned by some stations due to it's risqué content. It later went on to be a hit for Bobbie Gentry. In 1970, the follow-up "Do Your Duty" went # 38 R&B. She recorded a number of other songs for the label, some of which were issued on 45. The LP that was to come never did, due to a falling out between label head Shelby Singleton and Lelan Rogers.
In 1971, at the suggestion of her manager, Jim Lewis, she entered a talent competition, and won a Clio Award for a Schaffer Beer Commercial.
"Bettye has always had big ears and a wide open mind, preferring to fulfill the role of a song interpreter, rather than attempt to write her own material. Bettye’s near mystical ability to get inside a song’s lyric, melodic line and harmonic implications, in the process invariably making anything she covers her own, stems from the tutelage and guidance of her late manager Jim Lewis. A veteran of the big band era having played with the screaming and stomping Buffalo-based Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, Lewis managed LaVette for ten years beginning in 1968 and constantly harped on her to listen to master song interpreters such as Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra, pointing out the intricacies of phrasing and timbre manipulation that are part and parcel of the sonic art of any truly great vocalist."

In 1972, above left, she was once again signed to Atlantic, through it's Atco subsidiary. After a few recordings in LA, they sent her down to Muscle Shoals Sound, where, under the guidance of producer Brad Shapiro and accompanied by the famed MSS studio band, cut what was going to be her first released full length LP. The Memphis Horns were dubbed on, as well as strings at Criteria Studios in Miami. The recordings were mastered and readied for release under the title Child of the Seventies. A publicity tour was booked, but at the last minute Bettye was called and told, “We have decided not to go forward with the project. Please return the plane tickets”. She was never given an explanation and the devastation stayed with her for years to come. However, a 45 from the sessions, "Your Turn To Cry", was released and ranks high on the lists of most deep soul collectors.
1975 brought a brief stint with Epic, where "Thank You For Loving Me" went #94 R&B.
The follow up, a cover of Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors", as good as it was, failed to chart.
In 1978 she cut a disco record, "Doin' The Best That I Can" with a 19 year old producer, Cory Robbins, for the West End label. (Cory went on to fame as the creator/producer of Run DMC.) Bettye wanted a release from her contract, and they agreed to it if she signed away all of her rights to the song. She did, and weeks later the record became a huge dance floor hit, selling over 100,000 copies.
In 1979-1982 she was asked to appear in the touring company of the Toni Award winning Broadway musical, "Bubbling Brown Sugar" in the role of Sweet Georgia Brown. She learned to tap dance, and was hired. She worked with Charles "Honi" Coles, and Cab Callaway while with the show. It was here where she learned more about staging than she had ever known.
In 1982, Bettye got a call from Motown. Lee Young, Sr. was president of the label at the time, and he liked Betty. She was signed and sent to Nashville and recorded the Tell Me A Lie album. Produced by Steve Buckingham, the studio players were augmented by The Memphis Horns. Two 45s were released, the first of which, the Sam Dees penned, "Right in the Middle (Of Falling in Love)," went to #35 on the R&B charts. It also allowed for another television appearance, this time on Soul Train. However, a corporate shake-up removed Lee Young, Sr., and the LP itself was never promoted properly.
In 1989, Bettye recorded a CDs' worth of songs for English DJ, Ian Levine's Motor City label. Although most of the instrumentation is synthesized, her vocals were, as always, impeccable
1997 saw a wonderful, but unauthorized, release of Bettye's version of Etta James' "Damn Your Eyes", on cassette only, by the Bar/None label.
All the while, Bettye was a cult favorite in soul circles, especially overseas.
In 2000, French collector/label owner Gilles Petard, while searching the Atlantic tape vaults, came up with the long-thought-lost tapes to the 1972 Child of the Seventies Atco LP . He licensed the tracks and released them in France on his own Art & Soul label as Souvenirs.
At the same time, Dutch fan Ben Mattijssen recorded Bettye at a live show in Utrecht, Holland and released Let Me Down Easy--In Concert, on the Munich label. These two CDs, released almost simultaneously, created a renewed interest in Bettye, and showed that she was still in excellent voice.
In 2002, thanks to Shanachie Records' president Randall Grass, Bettye was introduced to Grammy Award winning producer, Dennis Walker. Dennis got her signed to fledgling label, Blues Express, and they made her comeback CD, A Woman Like Me.
In late 2002, John Goddard, owner of world famous Mill Valley Records decided to give himself a birthday party. Being a fan of Bettye's recordings, he contacted Bettye and asked if she would come and perform at his party. He told her that he would make sure that everybody who was anybody in the area would be there. Amongst the many famous musical guests was Mike Kappus, president of The Rosebud Agency. Although she hadn't had a record out in years, his belief in the power of her live show prompted him to sign her for bookings.
After signing with Rosebud, A Woman Like Me was finally released in 2003. Bettye won the coveted W.C. Handy Award in 2004 for "Comeback Blues Album of the Year" as well as the Living Blues critic pick as "Best Female Blues Artist of 2004."
After her contract with Blues Express expired, Mike Kappus helped her look for a new label home. He invited ANTI- Records president Andy Kaulkin to see one of her shows. On the strength of her live show, Kaulkin asked Bettye to sign a three record contract.

For the first project, Kaulkin paired her with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Henry, and suggested an album of songs written entirely by women. The resulting CD, I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise, was on many critics’ “Best of 2005” lists. Due to an unfortunate error, the CD was never submitted to the Recording Academy for Grammy consideration.
In 2006, she received a well-deserved “Pioneer Award” from The Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
Her second ANTI- album, The Scene of the Crime, was recorded in Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studios with alt-rockers Drive-By Truckers. On it, she transforms country and rock songs written by Willie Nelson, Elton John, and Don Henley, among others, into devastating mini-dramas. The title of the disc references the now infamous Child of the Seventies LP, which was also recorded in Muscle Shoals. The Scene of the Crime was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” and landed on numerous “Best of 2007” lists.
In 2008, she received a BMA (Blues Music Award) for “Best Contemporary Female Blues Singer”. In December she performed a critically acclaimed version of "Love Reign O'er Me" at The Kennedy Center Honors in a tribute to The Who.
In January 2009 she had the honor of performing "A Change Is Gonna Come" with Jon Bon Jovi for President elect Barack Obama on HBO's telecast of the kick-off Inaugural Celebratory concert, We Are One. In April she shared the stage with Sir Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr at Radio City Music Hall for David Lynch's Change Begins Within benefit concert. A theatrical film release is planned.
In June 2009 a 6 song EP, Change Is Gonna Come Sessions, was released as a download only available on Itunes, Amazon, E Music, Rhapsody, etc. It consisted of songs that were composed by black writers.
In May 2010 her 3rd ANTI- CD, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook was released to rave reviews. The concept was conceived by her husband, music maven Kevin Kiley, who was inspired by the critical acclaim that she received after her performance of "Love Reign O'er Me" at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008. As the title implies, she re-invents songs from the British bands who were initially influenced by American r&b music. Bettye co-produced the record along with Rob Mathes and Michael Stevens, a relationship born at the Kennedy Center Honors and the We Are One events. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”
She has appeared on National Public Radio's World Cafe, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, and performed a Tiny Desk Concert. She has appeared in a Mississippi Public Broadcasting series, Blues Divas, and is in a film of the same name, both produced by award winning film maker, Robert Mugge. She has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, The Conan O'Brien Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Lopez Tonight, Austin City Limits, The Prairie Home Companion, The Artist's Den, Good Morning America, The Today Show and The Tavis Smiley Show.
Late 2012 saw the release of her album, "Thankful N' Thoughtful", and her autobiography, variously described as 'engrosing', 'riviting', 'hair-raising' and only suitable for the over 18s, "A Woman Like Me", co-written with David Ritz, author of books on R&B legends Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye.
http://bettyelavette.com/

MIKE ZITO

Mike Zito is het levende bewijs van Friedrich Nietzsche's stelling dat "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Hij groeide op in St. Louis, Missouri en werd op jonge leeftijd al ondergedompeld in de woeste klanken van het rauwe Zuiden van America, zich toen nog niet bewust van het feit dat deze de basis zouden vormen van zijn toekomst in de muziek. Tegenwoordig heeft hij zijn demonen getemd, en hij komt naar de Handelsbeurs!
Mike ontdekte op zeer jonge leeftijd het muzikale gebeuren om zich heen en oefende heel wat toonaarden met zijn kinderstemmetje. Het duurde dan ook niet lang voor Mike zich ging verdiepen in het gitaarspel. Voor zijn verjaardag kreeg Mike een album van Van Halen en net deze band zou Zito’s geest voorgoed verruimen. Na zijn middelbare school liep Mike vaak naar de plaatselijke gitaarwinkel, alwaar hij legendes als Chuck Berry en Bessie Smith zou bespeuren. Bezetten door deze geluiden bouwde Mike geleidelijk aan een geheel eigen stijl. Zijn debuutalbum ‘Blue Room’ in ‘98 en de al even knappe opvolger ‘America’s Most Wanted’ in 2000 zouden de plaatselijk muziekscène meteen overdonderen. Doorspekt met popgevoelige en intensief gitaarwerk werd dit dan ook een nationale doorbraak. In 2004 realiseerde  Zito dan ‘Slow It Down’ en in ‘06 het goed ontvangen schijfje ‘Superman’. Twee jaar later ging het akoestische ‘Real Strong Feeling’ aardig over de toonbank. Met zijn “Bluesy Americana” vibe vind Mike’s muziek een ingetogen evenwicht tussen melodie, muzikant en band.
Mike Zito kroont zich dan ook tot een perfect singer-songwriter met een heel soulvol stemgeluid en kroont zichzelf tot uitmuntend gitarist en performer.
Na jaren van onvermoeibaar toeren en het knappe album ‘Today’ op Electro Groove Records oogst hij nu heel wat lof met zijn laatste studiorelease ‘Today’. Dit album wordt aanschouwd als zijn meest bevredigend en volbracht werk tot nu toe.
Mike Zito is op tour met dit werk van zijn laatste studio cd 'Pearl River'.
Een prachtige plaat waarin je een goed uitgebalanceerde mix van zijn invloeden Prince, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Walter Trout, BB King, Buddy Guy, Danny Gatton, Stevie Ray Vaughn en waarom ook niet, John Mayer, kan terugvinden.

Het resultaat is een vrolijk stukje Americana, geserveerd met stapels vette plakken New Orleans funk, zanderige blues en ouderwetse rock-‘n- roll!
Zijn laatste wapenfeit is de live registratie ’Live From The Top’. Opgenomen op 25 & 26 juni 2010 in de Smoking’ Moe’s, gedurende het Blues From The Top Festival in Winter Park, Colorado. Samen met gastmuzikanten als Teresa James,
Nick Moss, Jimmy Carpenter, Ana Popovic en Curtis Salgado serveert Mike Zito opnieuw rauwe blues die boordevol positieve energie steekt.
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Zito was immersed in the gritty sounds of the south side that would unknowingly become the groundwork of his future in music. Like the legends before him, music has coursed through his veins from the early age of five, when he began singing and performing. It didn’t take long for him to discover his instrument of choice – electric guitar – after receiving a Van Halen record for his birthday. His education and journey were just starting – little did he know he would find himself among such legends at a local guitar shop just out of high school. “Everyone from Chuck Berry to Bennie Smith came in that store,” Zito shares of his experience. “I soaked up the sounds of that store and began building my own style.”
Zito’s journey took off at the age of 19, when he busted into the local St. Louis music scene, developing his sound even further from the stage. His first independent release arrived in 1996, titled “Blue Room” which included raw and funky songs “Hollywood” and “Pull the Trigger”. His songwriting experience would break through on his sophomore release titled “America’s Most Wanted” in 1999. This album shares his pop sensibilities and intense guitar work. "Crazy People", "Deal Me In" and his own rendition of Elton John’s "Rocket Man" all set the pace to bring him into a national audience.
www.mikezito.com

ERIC BIBB

Eric Bibb’s debut CD for Dixie Frog/Stony Plain — Deeper in the Well —  may well have been one of the most important roots music albums of recent years. Not only does it cross genres — folk, gospel-infused acoustic blues, and down-home country — but it offers a sound steeped in the rural Louisiana where it was recorded.
It also offers the spirit of hope and optimism in difficult times, in a friendly, warm-hearted and generous manner.  To find your way though these darker days, he seems to say, you have to dig — as the album title says — “Deeper in the Well.”
Eric Bibb’s father, Leon Bibb, certainly helped his son dig a little deeper. An acclaimed singer in stage musicals and a senior figure on the New York folk scene of the 1960s, Leon gave his son his first guitar when he was seven, and introduced him to a who’s-who of musical icons. Eric’s godfather was actor singer and activist Paul Robeson; his uncle was jazz pianist and composer John Lewis. Family friends included Odetta, Pete Seeger and Josh White.
A professional player at 16, playing in the house band for his father’s television talent show, Something New, Eric went on to study (psychology and Russian) at Columbia University, but "after a while it just didn't make much sense; I didn't understand why I was at this Ivy League school with all these kids who didn't know anything about what I knew about," he says now. Aged 19, he left for Paris, where a meeting with American studio guitarist Mickey Baker focused his interest in blues guitar.
A few years later he moved to Sweden and settled in Stockholm, where he found a creative environment that, oddly, reminded him of his teenage days in Greenwich Village. He made a handful of albums, starting in 1972, and began meeting and playing with local musicians as well as newcomers from all over the world. He laughs: “There was a budding world music scene going on, long before it became a marketing concept."
His breakthrough album, Good Stuff, was released in 1997 and led to Eric signing to a British label, which in turn released Me to You, featuring appearances from some of his personal heroes, among them Pops and Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal.
The album furthered Bibb's international reputation and was followed by tours of the UK, the United States, Canada, France, Sweden and Germany. And so it went through the 90s and the first decade of the new century — he made consistently good records, and built audiences from Stockholm to Sydney, Vancouver to Vienna, Paris to Peoria, New Orleans to Newcastle, and from B.B. King’s club in New York to the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
Been greeted like a tramp, greeted like a star
From Albert Hall to rundown bars
I’ve seen it all — in my time
www.ericbibb.com

RITA ENGEDALEN

Her CDs, Three Still Standing (2008) and Chapels And Bars (2011), were both nominated to the Norwegian Grammy Award!
Rita Engedalen is often referred to as Norway's Queen of the Blues.
Her album Chapels and Bars (2011) is Rita Engedalen's 4th album. Of her previous albums Engedalen has won the Norwegian Grammy once and been nominated three times.
Rita Engedalen has buillt a large audience through an impressive series of festival apperances and touring at home and abroad. So it is with good reason that she is often referred to as Norway's Queen of the Blues. The brand new album "Chapels and Bars" consists mainly of newly written original material and was released in connection with the Notodden Blues Festival in August 2011.
Rita’s influences are mostly American folk music from districts and areas not very familiar to mainstream audiences. Dusty roads, back and forth from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi Delta are areas she travels musically. Her intense nerve, her strong and rich voice mixed with deeply rooted soul form her personal musical expression. Many songs rooted in Rita’s musical landscape are often formed upon a simple, repetitive chord progression with intensely felt emotions and the raw power of trance. Making songs in these musical terms is for Rita very natural; she’s actually a natural born master.
Rita is a full range artist, both on CD and as a live performer.The combination of natural talent, a beautiful voice, solid song writing skills, original music and her outstanding musicians makes Rita’s live shows to amazing experiences!
http://www.ritaengedalen.com

THE DELTA SAINTS

The Delta Saints are not what they say they are. Delta? Absolutely. But saints? One might call them “cautionary tales” long before the term “saints” ever came to mind; however, there is something devout about their bayou rock, a dirty, distinct sound they’ve zealously refined on their debut full-length, Death Letter Jubilee. Alternating between raucous melodies and slow-burning odes to the devil in his many forms, Ben Ringel (vocals/dobro), Dylan Fitch (guitar), David Supica (bass), and Ben Azzi (drums) explore themes of difficult love, the wanderer’s high road, and the moral low road using their unconscious fascination with the classical elements – earth, air, fire, and water – as a natural vehicle for their briny narratives.
With Death Letter Jubilee, The Delta Saints are blooming into life not as a pretty flower might, but perhaps a mushroom explosion from an atomic bomb or a feral thunderhead. After two self-released and well received EPs, Pray On and A Bird Called Angola, fans demanded a full length and happily burst through the band’s Kickstarter goal to get it. “That is a feeling like no other,” Ben Ringel claims. “It’s awesome and also humbling. And it’s good pressure on us to succeed. It’s the kind of pressure we were able to harness and strive off of.”
The members of The Delta Saints each moved to Nashville for college in 2007. They first found common ground as old-world-loving, good-bourbon-swilling musicians and began playing together around town before they had any plans to record. As the searing harmonica and howling vocals of their live show began garnering notoriety in a city known well for its indifference to anything less than worthwhile, The Saints rode their roots rock wave right into the studio.
On the heels of 2010’s A Bird Called Angola, the band toured tirelessly, playing more than 150 shows a year, including a slot at Arkansas’ Wakarusa Festival and two summers headlining in Europe during which they performed on the long-running, renowned German TV show Rockpalast. Road tested and weather worn, The Delta Saints have seen wholly organic growth, working diligently in the name of a roots revival alongside fellow up and comers Alabama Shakes and Gary Clark Jr., becoming The Black Keys of a bygone era, all the while harnessing the brackish delta current into something gripping and bold.
“Liar” opens Death Letter Jubilee with a swaggering bass line and a blazing guitar riff, the “Come on!” refrain in the chorus echoing like a command, beckoning listeners to settle in for the long haul. “’Chicago’ is just written about the first time I was ever in Chicago,” Ringel explains. “We were there for 18 hours, and there was a blizzard, so it was snow and wind and bitter cold. Right before bed, I looked out this big third story window, and all I could see was amber light from the streetlights and snow, and for some reason that image just stuck.” The song itself generates a heat fit to ward off that blizzard weather, featuring a rare but incendiary brass section and an immovable beat that marks the tune as an early highlight.

“Death Letter Jubilee” is by far the most magnetic track on the album. There’s something eerie about its cacophonous Orleans-inspired chorus, the warm buzz of harmonica, the tinny trumpet whine, and the way one can’t help but be swept away by the utterly irreverent revelry. “I love songs where sonically you get one emotion from it, and then you look at the lyrics and it’s not at all what you expected,” Ringel says of the song’s musical inspiration. “And everybody has certain emotions that they’re not proud of. The idea that you can be glad about somebody’s ultimate demise… it’s such a negative thing, but everybody feels something a little like that.”
“Jezebel” melts down into a sweltering lo-fi blues number, its minimal instrumentation muddled and viscous as though the song was written on an old front porch when it was just too damn hot to do anything but sing. And like water thrown over flames, the crackling and steaming “Out to Sea” cools the album with its haunting refrain: “Oh, oh, river run, straight out from the hurt that seems to pour from me, and oh, oh, river speak, just haulin’ ass down the Calabash, just headed out to sea.”
“It was a new direction for us on a lot of different fronts,” Ringel admits of the tune. “It’s quiet and it’s sweet and it’s sad. It explores the idea of that cheesy, sappy movie line, ‘I can’t live without you,’ but this is more like, if you’re going to say it, what does that really mean?”
“Sing to Me” starts out sluggishly, forlornly, a rusted locomotive gathering speed with lyrics like, “I come to you now with blood on my hands, the law on my tail, and my conscience be damned, my sweet little babe, my sweet honeybee,” before running off the rails completely, harmonica flashing, drums galloping. And “River,” a second listen gem, is a brief interlude deep into the album in which an ethereal female gospel choir seems to sway and billow in the breeze on balmy Sunday afternoon.
“The main thing we wanted for Death Letter Jubilee was for it to have movement,” Ringel states. “We wanted people to listen and have an emotional journey similar to the one we had while making it.” That journey has left them energized and confident about the future, while still enjoying each stop along the road: “We want to grow, and maybe even grow faster, but we understand that it’s all in due time. We want to fully realize the weight of our experiences, and be able to savor them too.”
www.thedeltasaints.com

DOGHOUSE SAM AND HIS MAGNATONES

Now these guys are something else… Gettin’ back to the bare essentials, they play their blues pure and raw… simply the right way!! Out of the depths of their souls comes nothing less than prophetic mojo. And an upright bass, drums and hollowbody guitar is all it takes to deliver a high-energy show every single time they climb on stage. Witness yourself how these magnificent craftsmen create grooves’n’vibes on the spot, hit you in the stomach with it and then leave you breathless… Make sure to fasten them seatbelts cause you’re ‘bout to go full throttle on the blue highway!!!
Doghouse Sam & his Magnatones have earned their tracks with highly acclaimed and well-known bands such as Rhythm Bombs, Seatsniffers, Al Copley, Jake La Botz... Doghouse Sam performs both solo and with the Magnatones as a trio!
www.doghousesam.com

THE EXCITEMENTS

In the beginning of 2010, and in such an uncommon place for their soulful passion as Barcelona (Spain), The Excitements have come crashing out the gate delivering a Rhythm and Blues breed of music with a Soul and Rock edge, completely unseen in stages nowadays.
Influenced by the finest black music of the preceeding century, its rhythm section delivers tight backbone, and is complemented by a horn section in the late 50's and early 60's tradition, all of it fronted by the powerful howl of Koko Jean Davis. And so, the Mozambique-born Soul Sister adds her ferocious whirlwind of power and energy, pushing the band towards a territory in which having a good time, dancing and shouting is all that matters.
Etta James, Ike and Tina, early James Brown or Sugar Pie de Santo are only a few names you should expect as the basis to the Excitements' stay-true-to-the-roots sound, which, at this time, you can find on a string of scorching 45s preceeding their inminent LP debut, all of it released on Barcelona's Penniman Records, one of the most important R&B and old school Soul labels around the globe.
So put on your dancin' shoes and join to the groove and energy show of The Excitements, very soon hittin' YOUR town!
http://www.myspace.com/theexcitements

SLICK NICK AND THE CASINO SPECIAL

Swing Bands live on a stage are very cool and far too few these days. The absolute power and rhythm that's created when starting up a raging swing rhythm with the pulsating push of the double bass and a honking sax is something that you'll never forget.
Slick Nick is mr. entertainment himself who can build up the bopping mood in no time. While Jan Schaeken en Bart Geysels honk their saxes to the riffs we all know and love. Michel plays his six strings as a passionate rocker and Christophe hits the keys like a madman. Both musicians are swept away in the groove of Johan's Double Bass stomp and Jerry's boppin' beat. Come and bring some fun loving friends to see our shows. Good clean wholesome fun when dancing and jiving.
http://www.slicknick.be