 GRAMMY-nominated pianist Sean Mason presents State of the Art out October 16, 2026 GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer and producer Sean Mason is back with State of the Art, a new album that asks a deceptively simple question: what happens when you stop trying to make everything perfect? What happens when we celebrate spontaneity, human connection, and when dancers become part of the band? “Exceptionally groovy” For his third album as a bandleader, Mason reunites with bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Domo Branch, the rhythm section from his previous releases, and adds two rather important new band members: dancers Reyna Nuñez and LeAndre Douglas. Yes, dancers. And not dancers who were brought in to simply move to the music. Mason wanted to play with them. Their footsteps, voices, gestures and rhythms became part of the recording itself, with the musicians responding to the dancers and the dancers responding right back. It’s a very old relationship: jazz and dance have always talked to each other. Mason wanted to see what that conversation could sound like now. The album was recorded in a single session, with no more than two takes of each studio composition. Which means there was very little room to polish away the human stuff. The reactions, the unexpected turns, the moments when someone hears something and decides to follow it. And that is exactly what makes State of the Art so much fun. It’s jazz, but it’s also a record about being in a room with other people and actually listening to them. Tracklist 1. "Secure The Bag" 2. "A Good Day" 3. "Honey Pie" 4. "Carolina Waltz" 5. "This Or That" 6. "Nightcap" 7. "One United" (live) Website: seanmason.net  And Then Came Fall lanceert nieuwe single “Felt So Fine” als voorbode van EP Intuition Op 15 januari 2027 verschijnt 'Intuition', de langverwachte nieuwe EP van And Then Came Fall. Zangeres en songwriter Annelies Tanghe en producer Sam Pieter Janssens omarmen op deze plaat de ultieme artistieke vrijheid: geen deadlines, geen druk, maar vijf ijzersterke songs die simpelweg mogen zijn wat ze zijn. Gevoed door de recente hommagetour 'The Carole King Songbook' trekt het duo voluit de kaart van ambachtelijke songwriting, gedreven door piano. 'Intuition' ademt als één organisch geheel, mede dankzij het vakmanschap van de band - Eva Hautekiet op toetsen en zang, Mathias Moors op bas, Steven Van Gelder op drums - en de vertrouwde productie van Sam Pieter Janssens. Als eerste gulle voorbode verschijnt op donderdag 15 oktober 2026 – te midden van de herfst – de single 'Felt So Fine'. De track zet de toon voor de EP en toont een verrassende muzikale evolutie richting hedendaagse Britse soul à la Raye, Olivia Dean, … Gedragen door een groovy walking bass, rijke koortjes en een lijmende piano, neemt het nummer je mee naar de herinnering van een intense, passionele liefde. Zo eentje die je wil vastleggen op de film van je geheugen om het telkens opnieuw te kunnen herbeleven. Een snijdende gitaarsolo breekt de song halverwege open en laat zien wat de luisteraar op de volledige EP mag verwachten: muziek met échte ademruimte. Met de etherische zang van Annelies Tanghe en het instrumentale vakmanschap van multi-instrumentalist en producer Sam Pieter Janssens, bewijst het Belgische indie-folkduo And Then Came Fall zich als een van de mooiste muzikale acts die het land de afgelopen jaren heeft voortgebracht. Gedreven door warme, verfijnde songwriting maken zij tijdloze muziek die rechtstreeks binnenkomt in het hart van de ware muziekliefhebber. Vanaf het prille begin omringt het duo zich consistent met muzikale uitmuntendheid. Hun debuutalbum (2018) werd opgenomen met de veelgeprezen producer Koen Gisen, met vocale bijdragen van An Pierlé en een opvallend duet met Pieter Van Dessel (Marble Sounds). Dit succes kreeg een vervolg met enkele ijzersterke radiosingles ('Chasing The Sun', 'Please don't Disappear') en in 2023 hun tweede album, T'he Art Of Love', geproducet door David Poltrock. Hun onmiskenbare internationale potentieel bereikte een hoogtepunt met de single 'Out Of This', in New York geproduceerd door Mark Plati (David Bowie) en verrijkt met de stem van Golden Globe-winnaar Michael C. Hall. Na een jaar van intense focus, puur varend op hun eigen creatieve kompas, keert het duo nu terug met hun meest persoonlijke werk tot nu toe: de komende EP 'Intuition' (2027). Door de volledige controle over zowel de songwriting als de productie in eigen hand te nemen, en gesteund door hun vertrouwde kring van muzikanten, brengt 'Intuition' een intiem, organisch geluid waarin hun pure, ongefilterde artisticiteit centraal staat. Ook live is And Then Came Fall een ijzersterke act. Ze deelden het podium al met internationale grootheden als Joan As Police Woman, Sarah Blasko en Thomas Dybdahl. Recent nog betoverden ze de theaterzalen met hun alom geprezen en succesvolle tournee 'The Carole King Songbook'.  Lee Ritenour, Grammy‑winning guitarist from LA, releases Live at Ronnie Scott’s Release date October 23, 2026 When Lee Ritenour takes the stage, all bets are off. For almost 60 years, the Grammy-winning LA guitarist has chased his muse through a kaleidoscope of genres, conjured alchemy alongside the scene’s greatest players, shed his creative skin whenever it got too comfortable, and walked the high-wire each night as the crowd holds its breath. So when it came to catching the sparks on his latest live album, the 74-year-old naturally turned to the fabled London club that shares his rebel ethos. “I've had the chance to play every kind of music with every kind of artist,” reflects Ritenour, “and that's the way Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is set up too. Obviously, since 1959, it’s seen the history of jazz, from Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Nina Simone, to Jeff Beck and Jamie Cullum. But also rock, soul, blues, you name it – it’s all been through there.” Performing a total of eight shows at the iconic Soho club in March 2026 – with a fresh setlist each time – was the only way this prolific artist could hope to represent every side of his career. Across his 50-strong back catalogue, Ritenour has shapeshifted from ’70s fusion hotshot to ’80s chart-crossover star, from the honorary ambassador for Brazilian jazz to one quarter of ’90s supergroup Fourplay – and beyond. Released October 23 on Artone Label Group/The Players Club, Live At Ronnie Scott’s hits all the marks this sell-out crowd demands, including such millions-streamed hits as Is It You and A Little Bumpin’. Yet Ritenour refused to go through the motions. Every song feels fresh and alive, thanks to the bandleader’s bold arrangements and the rip-it-up energy of a young band featuring Giorgi Mikadze (keys), Munir Hossn (vocals/bass), Grégoire Maret (harmonica), Tatiana Parra (vocals) and Ritenour’s son, Wes, driving the shows from his drum stool. “We weren’t trying to capture the way I used to do any of these songs,” explains the veteran guitarist. “The material came out respectful and we included all the right elements, but this record is my younger crew of musicians just playing their asses off.” It doesn’t feel so long ago that Ritenour himself was the young gun. Born in Los Angeles on 11 January 1952, he was playing guitar by eight, “serious” by 12, and soaking up everything that Sixties flashpoint had to offer. “My dad used to take me to hear Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass and Jim Hall,” he reflects. “But there were also the rock guys coming through LA back then, like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. “I got turned on to Segovia, B.B. King, Chet Atkins, the psychedelic stuff coming out of San Francisco, the great flamenco guitarists like Pepe Romero. I was just in love with the guitar. If it was being played well, it didn’t matter who was playing it.” After his father called up jazz giant Barney Kessel to ask for a guitar lesson – “Everybody’s number was in the phonebook back then” – Ritenour Jr was recommended to the great Duke Miller for formal training. Meanwhile, the kid was learning his craft at the sharp end, taking the car to the fabled Lighthouse club after school most afternoons to watch the bands soundcheck. But Ritenour grew up fast and from the late-’60s he was a first-call sessioner for giants like Frank Sinatra, Pink Floyd, B.B. King and Tony Bennett. “I’d get called for Steely Dan or Quincy Jones would ask me to come by the studio at midnight,” he says of those gun-for-hire years. “Somebody once added up that I did 3,000 recordings for artists, movies and TV shows. It was incredible reaching the top tier as a studio musician. But I always had a desire to write my own songs and records – to be an artist.” Tracklist: 1. Cravo e Canela 2. L.A. By Bike 3. For the Palms 4. Captain Fingers 5. A Little Bumpin' 6. Meu Samba Torto 7. Lay It Down 8. Is It You? 9. Waltz for Carmen 10. Stone Flower 11. Pearl 12. The Village  James Houlahan Reimagines Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee” For A New Era Of Immigrant Struggle Release date: November 6, 2026 78 Years After Guthrie Wrote The Song In Response To The Dehumanization Of Mexican Migrant Workers, Houlahan’s Atmospheric New Recording Brings New Urgency All proceeds from the recording will be donated to the Immigrant Defense Fund of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) In 1948, Woody Guthrie wrote “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)” after a plane carrying Mexican migrant workers crashed in California, killing 28 people being deported from the United States. Guthrie was outraged that the victims were identified in news reports only as anonymous “deportees,” rather than as human beings with names, families and lives.
Nearly eight decades later, James Houlahan has returned to Guthrie’s enduring protest song with a new recording that is both a response to the present and an exploration of how the folk tradition continues to evolve. The track was produced by Fernando Perdomo, John Kruth and James Houlahan at Forward Motion Studios in Los Angeles. Houlahan performs vocals and guitar, Kruth plays mandocello, recorder and harmonica, and Willie Aron contributes backing vocals. Recorded in Los Angeles on June 12, 2026, Houlahan’s version responds to the dehumanization of immigrants and the cruelty and violence surrounding America’s broken immigration system. But rather than simply recreate Guthrie’s original, Houlahan and multi-instrumentalist John Kruth have created a spacious, atmospheric arrangement that invites contemporary listeners into the song’s story. “I don’t write good protest songs myself,” says Houlahan. “And since Woody seems to follow me places and he’s got great, sadly relevant, songs, he’s the writer to turn to in these unfortunate times.” Houlahan listened to numerous recordings of “Deportee” before approaching his own version, becoming interested in how a contemporary arrangement could communicate Guthrie’s words differently. Many earlier folk recordings embrace a deliberately plain, direct and almost impersonal style—an aesthetic that can suggest resignation to forces beyond the singer’s control. Houlahan and Kruth instead chose to add space and ambience, allowing the listener more room to enter the emotional world of the song.“We added a lot of space to the music,” Houlahan explains. “The idea was to let the contemporary listener into the story being told.” For Houlahan, this is part of the ongoing folk process: songs aren't simply preserved; they are continually reshaped by the people who sing them, reflecting the times in which they are being sung.“Deportee” may have been written in 1948, but its themes of immigration, displacement, borders and human dignity remain painfully contemporary. In Houlahan’s hands, changing the music becomes a way of giving the song new agency without changing its essential message. One of the recording’s most distinctive elements is Kruth’s recorder, which producer Fernando Perdomo immediately associated with Indigenous Mexico. “When Fernando heard the recorder in the mix, he said it sounded like Mexico to him—indigenous Mexico,” Houlahan recalls. “The instrument seems to recall native instrumentation and hearkens back to a time before the current borders were imposed by white men.” Houlahan and Kruth also reordered Guthrie’s verses so that the song ultimately arrives at one of its most powerful lines: “Both sides of the river we die just the same.” The arrangement becomes a meditation on borders; political, cultural and musical. “Music knows no borders,” Houlahan says. Houlahan’s return to Guthrie is also deeply personal.When Houlahan moved from Boston to Los Angeles in 2012, Guthrie’s music unexpectedly became part of his own cross-country journey. Guthrie’s previously unpublished lyrics had just been set to music by Jim James, Jay Farrar and others for New Multitudes, an album inspired by Guthrie’s years in Los Angeles. Houlahan picked up a copy while passing through Memphis and listened to it as he made his way west. Years later, after settling in Topanga Canyon, Houlahan discovered another unexpected connection: Guthrie himself had once lived in a shack at Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga.“When I visited there, I noticed the New Multitudes artwork right there on the wall,” Houlahan recalls. “It brought me back to my own traveling experiences.” The connection made Guthrie an increasingly persistent presence in Houlahan’s life, and eventually the natural songwriter to turn to when he wanted to respond to the current moment. During the recording session, Houlahan, Kruth and Perdomo kept returning to the question: What Would Woody Do? “I don’t think Woody would have cared if some famous people had gone before him in recording a song,” Houlahan says. “He’d have to throw his own hat in the ring. Folk music—by the people, for the people, right? It belongs to all of us.” ABOUT JAMES HOULAHAN A folk/Americana singer-songwriter based in Topanga, California, James Houlahan has released seven albums, most recently On a Wing, released earlier this year on OOB Records. Produced with Fernando Perdomo at Forward Motion Studios, the album features contributions from Danny Frankel, Greg Cohen and John Kruth, among others. Influenced by artists including Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, Houlahan’s music explores the possibilities of the American folk and songwriting traditions. His music has appeared in commercials, television and film, including the 2017 film Little Pink House, starring Catherine Keener. He tours regularly throughout the United States and Europe. AmericanaUK called On a Wing “uniformly excellent,” while Glide Magazine has described Houlahan as “near the top of must-see and hear indie singer-songwriters.”  Todd Snider’s My Second Rodeo: A Final Burst of Vision and Wild Creativity In August 2025, Todd Snider was promoting High, Lonesome and Then Some and musing about the endless search for inspiration. Weeks later, he found exactly what he’d been chasing when he recorded “Solid Country Gold,” a horn‑laced, bluesy shuffle he called “the sound of country music 10 years from now.” It was his creative lightning strike — and the spark for a new album he didn’t live to finish. Snider died on November 14, 2025, at 59. But before his passing, he had already tracked vocals and guitar for a batch of new songs. Producer Joe Bisirri and co‑producer Robbie Crowell spent the following year completing the record according to Todd’s voice memos, emails and detailed notes. The result is My Second Rodeo — ten fully realized, all‑new Todd Snider songs, not outtakes or leftovers, but the true follow‑up to High, Lonesome and Then Some. Recorded at Snider’s beloved Purple Building in East Nashville, the album opens with “Freewheelin’ (Every Day at a Time),” a reflective, trumpet‑lifted farewell that feels like Todd looking back from another plane. From there, the record snaps into classic Snider territory: wry talking‑blues (“(I Got That) Déjà Vu”), weed‑soaked humor (“Stoner Yodel Number 3”), and sharp commentary on American chaos (“The Manifesto” and “One Nation Under Fire”). His Purple Building band — Bisirri, Crowell and Aaron Lee Tasjan — tracked their parts after Todd’s, following his unpredictable phrasing and rhythmic swerves. Backing vocalists Brooke Gronemeyer, Nikki Barber, Alicia Gail, and horn players Emmanuel Echem and Roy Agee round out the sound. The album’s centerpiece, “Solid Country Gold,” captures Todd’s late‑career breakthrough: a playful, percussive, genre‑bending groove that speeds up, slows down and pokes fun at country clichés while searching for unity in a divided world. My Second Rodeo closes with “The Moon Tonight,” just Todd, handclaps and wonder — still looking, still reaching. A final chapter, written in Todd’s unmistakable voice. Tracklist: Freewheelin’ (Every Day at a Time) Solid Country Gold (I Got That) Déjà vu Can Your Monkey Do the Splits? Stoner Yodel #3 (Give Me a D for Gym Class) The Manifesto One Nation Under Fire My Second Rodeo Sunday Go to Meeting Looking The Moon Tonight Website: toddsnider.net  Derrick Procell Returns with Soul‑Blues Album My Incredible Heart Release date: October 16, 2026 American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and pianist Derrick Procell will release his new album My Incredible Heart on October 16, 2026 via Catfood Records. Featuring eleven original compositions, the record weaves together soul blues, rhythm and blues and gospel influences, centering on themes of resilience, love and perseverance. Originally from Milwaukee, Procell has spent more than four decades building a multifaceted career as a performer, songwriter and producer. His songs have been recorded by artists including Shemekia Copeland, The Cashbox Kings and Melissa Manchester, underscoring his reputation as a versatile and deeply expressive writer. My Incredible Heart follows Procell’s acclaimed solo releases Why I Choose To Sing The Blues (2016) and Hello Mojo! (2022), the latter reaching No. 1 on the Roots Music Report Soul Blues chart. For the new album, he’s joined by his All‑Star Mojo Band and a roster of guest musicians who help shape its rich, roots‑driven sound. The record opens with “Alabama Bambulance,” a track steeped in Southern soul traditions, while the title song anchors the album’s emotional core. “I Was in the Room” features guest appearances from Anne Harris on fiddle and mandolin, adding a distinct acoustic texture. The sessions bring together bassist Todd Lazar, drummers Rick Vitek and Rob Davis, saxophonist Tom Trinka, trumpeter Mitch “The Lip” Goldman, and guitarists Zach Avery, Dave Steffen, Darren Jay Fallas and Zoey Witz. Three tracks--“Gettin’ Old,” “Use What U Got (To Do What U Can)” and “Too Much”—were recorded live at the Raue Center for the Arts, while the remaining material was tracked at Hear & Now Music and ReelSounds Chicago. Procell produced and arranged the album, with Freddie Breitberg handling co‑production, mixing and mastering. Bob Trenchard served as executive producer. My Incredible Heart marks Procell’s second release for Catfood Records, further cementing his place in the contemporary soul‑blues landscape. Tracks: 01. Alabama Bambulance 02. My Incredible Heart 03. Play My Soul 04. I’ll Take You Back 05. Gettin’ Old 06. I Was in the Room 07. Heal Me 08. Use What U Got (To Do What U Can) 09. You Could Be Doin’ Better 10. All Cried Out 11. Too Much Website: derrickprocellmusic.com  Riviere’s New Blue Mexico Brings Blues and Americana Into Sharp Focus Release date: October 23, 2026 American singer‑songwriter Randy Lee Riviere will release his new album New Blue Mexico on October 23, 2026, via Wilderness Records. Recorded in Nashville, the fifteen‑track collection blends blues, Americana, country and roots rock, drawing on Riviere’s deep connection to the landscapes and musical traditions of the American West. The album marks Riviere’s third collaboration with Grammy‑winning producer, songwriter and drummer Tom Hambridge, who once again leads a seasoned Nashville lineup. The sessions feature contributions from Bob Britt, Mike Rojas, Robert Kearns, Michael Saint‑Leon and Tommy Macdonald, musicians whose experience and versatility help shape the album’s rugged, wide‑open sound. Riviere’s songwriting continues to reflect the life he’s lived. His background as a wildlife biologist, military veteran and long‑distance truck driver informs stories rooted in personal experience, the natural world and the everyday lives of working people. That perspective gives New Blue Mexico its emotional weight, balancing grit with reflection and a strong sense of place. Highlighted tracks include “Traveling Pastor,” “Jersey Girl,” “Buffalo Blues” and “My Old Man,” songs that showcase Riviere’s ability to move between character‑driven storytelling and intimate autobiography. The album follows earlier releases such as Wyoming, Blues Sky, Concrete Blues and Farmhand Blues, further expanding his catalog of modern American roots music. Recorded at SoulTrain Studio and The Switchyard in Nashville, New Blue Mexico continues Riviere’s creative partnership with Hambridge while bringing his blues and roots influences together in a fresh set of original material. Tracks: 01. Traveling Pastor 02. Jersey Girl 03. Needles 04. You Didn’t Get My Gun 05. Buffalo Blues 06. May Day 07. My Old Man 08. Carolina Sally 09. New Mexico 10. Ghosts 11. Cimarron 12. Lighten My Load 13. Shiloh 14. Bad Apples 15. Comanche Plain Website: randyleeriviere.com David Ronaldo & The Dice verrassen met walsende Southern rock in nieuwe single “Baby It’s Alright”12/10/2026
 David Ronaldo & The Dice verrassen met walsende Southern rock in nieuwe single “Baby It’s Alright” Na de release van de single Suzy’s Home en in aanloop naar hun zesde album, laten David Ronaldo en zijn band op 23 oktober een tweede single los op het publiek: Baby It’s Alright. Over de single Baby It's Alright gaat over het vinden van rust in een snelle, luide wereld. De tekst ontstond vanuit het herkenbare gevoel dat we soms geen antwoorden of oplossingen nodig hebben, maar juist de zachte geruststelling dat niet alles hier en nu opgelost hoeft te worden. Muzikaal vertaalt het nummer dit gevoel naar een optimistische, onthaastende pauze. De compositie is even atypisch als geslaagd: een rasechte Southern rock band die op geheel eigen wijze een wals brengt, en daar briljant mee wegkomt. De compositie is van David Ronaldo, Charly Verbinnen en Dirk Lekenne. De lyrics zijn geschreven door Els Marivoet. Over de band David Ronaldo & The Dice is een gevestigde Southern rock band uit de Lage Landen met een sterke live reputatie. De sfeer van hun gitaargeoriënteerde muziek varieert van donker, onheilspellend bluesy tot funky en speels. In maart 2026 won hun vijfde album, Six String Preacher, de Best Album Award van de Belgian Blues Federation. Hun live-optredens worden omschreven als “een ononderbroken, fascinerende reis door meer dan een halve eeuw roots- en bluesrock” — gedreven door vakmanschap, energie en pure passie. Beschikbaarheid Baby It’s Alright is vanaf 23 oktober 2026 te beluisteren op alle grote streamingplatforms en beschikbaar als digitale download. De fanbase van de band kan zich verheugen op het nieuwe album dat op 22 januari 2027 verschijnt. Website:
davidronaldo.be  Blues‑Rock Force Eric Johanson Releases “Mercy & Madness” Ahead of New Album Blues‑rock guitarist Eric Johanson has unveiled his latest single, “Mercy & Madness,” taken from his forthcoming album The Open Bayou, set for release on October 16 via his independent label Levee Ward Records. Released on October 9, “Mercy & Madness” marks the album’s third single, following “Shake the Fever” and “Alligator Smile.” The track pushes Johanson’s blues‑rock vision further with gritty rhythms, adventurous guitar textures, and influences that stretch well beyond the traditional blues framework. Johanson explains the song’s underlying sentiment: “People are craving some freedom from the constant noise of being connected all the time. There’s this desire to step away from the screens and reconnect with something real. That’s what music does for me, especially playing live it’s a chance to forget everything else and just be in the moment.” The Open Bayou was recorded live with Johanson’s touring band, featuring Will Repholz on bass and Jake Gartenstein on drums. The album was mixed and mastered by Bill Skibbe, known for his work with Jack White, The Raconteurs, and The Kills. The new record follows Johanson’s 2023 album The Deep and the Dirty, which topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart at No. 1. The Open Bayou arrives October 16 on vinyl, CD, and all digital platforms. Johanson will support the release with a fall tour.  Belgian Blues Challenge 2026 – Live‑finale op zaterdag 17 oktober in Menen Op zaterdag 17 oktober vindt de live-finale van de Belgian Blues Challenge 2026 plaats. Dit is een productie van de Belgian Blues Federation. Voor de praktische organisatie is ditkeer Cultuurcentrum De Steiger in Menen onze partner. De deuren zwaaien er om 19.30 u. open. Vanaf 20.00 u. spelen acht finalisten elk een set van twintig minuten. Er is een professionele jury, bestaande uit artiesten, organisatoren en mediamensen. Hieronder vindt u de finalisten in de volgorde waarin ze zullen optreden. Deze volgorde werd door loting bepaald. De winnaars mogen België vertegenwoordigen op de European Blues Challenge 2027 en de International Blues Challenge 2028.
Le samedi 17 octobre se déroulera la finale en direct du Belgian Blues Challenge 2026. C'est une production de la Belgian Blues Federation. Pour l'organisation pratique, on a cette fois-ci le Centre culturel De Steiger à Menen comme partenaire. Les portes ouvriront à 19h30. À partir de 20h00, huit finalistes se succéderont sur scène, chacun présentant une performance de vingt minutes. Une jury professionnel, composé d'artistes, d'organisateurs et de professionnels des médias, évaluera les prestations. Vous trouverez ci-dessous la liste des finalistes, présentée dans l'ordre de leur passage, déterminé par tirage au sort. Les lauréats auront l'honneur de représenter la Belgique à l'European Blues Challenge 2027 et à l'International Blues Challenge 2028.
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