Paul Carrack blaast 50 kaarsjes uit met zijn 'How Long' 50th Anniversary Tour in De Roma op 2 april 2025. De maestro achter de tijdloze klassieker 'How Long’ neemt het publiek mee op een reis doorheen zijn rijkgevulde carièrre, die een halve eeuw aan uitzonderlijk straffe muziek omvat. 

Tickets voor Paul Carrack zijn te koop vanaf vrijdag 13 september om 11u via greenhousetalent.com.

The Man With The Golden Voice is terug! Paul Carrack, Britse muzikale duizendpoot, draait al tientallen jaren mee in de muziekwereld, eerst met groepen als Ace ("How Long”), Squeeze ("Tempted”), Mike and the Mechanics ("Over My Shoulder”) en als sessiemuzikant of op tour bij Roxy Music, Roger Waters, Elton John, Sting, Ringo Starr, BB King, The Smiths en nog een hoop andere legendes. Ondanks zijn drukke agenda timmert Carrack al sinds begin jaren ’80 aan een solocarrière die hem tal van soloalbums opleverde. Eigen hits als "Don’t Shed a Tear” en "Eyes of Blue" zijn absolute classics. In 2023 bracht hij met de SWR Big Band nog het album 'Don’t Wait Too Long’ uit, met covers van zijn favoriete jazz-, soul-, gospel- en bluesnummers.

Vandaag kondigt TOTO, aka The Dogz of Oz, de geplande speellijst aan voor hun tournee in februari 2025:
TOTO zal vier keer in het Verenigd Koninkrijk optreden, gevolgd door optredens in nog eens tien andere Europese landen.
En goed nieuws voor al hun fans in België, want op vrijdag 7 februari 2025 keert de band -voor het eerst in meer dan vijf jaar- terug naar Vorst Nationaal in Brussel!
​
Tickets gaan in verkoop op maandag 16 september om 11u via www.gracialive.be
​

Monsterhit ‘Africa’ behaalt diamant-status met meer dan 10 miljoen verkochte exemplaren
Toto kan niet trotser zijn op de mijlpaal die ‘Africa’ recent bereikte: deze werd namelijk als DIAMANT gecertificeerd door de RIAA voor de verkoop van TIEN MILJOEN exemplaren in de Verenigde Staten. De huidige cumulatieve verkoop van het lied overschrijdt nu 10,5 miljoen. Daarnaast is ‘Hold The Line’ gecertificeerd als driedubbel platina voor de verkoop van drie miljoen exemplaren. De huidige verkoopcijfers zijn hoger dan 3,5 miljoen. Tot slot werd ‘Rosanna’ dubbel platina verklaard voor een verkoop van twee miljoen exemplaren. De cumulatieve albumverkoop bedraagt nu meer dan 50 MILJOEN.
 
Streaming succes: steeds jonger wordend publiek ontdekt de tijdloze muziek van TOTO
Ook in de wereld van streaming blijft de band ontzettend populair: alleen al op Spotify wordt hun repertoire dagelijks meer dan DRIE MILJOEN keer afgespeeld door een publiek dat van maand tot maand jonger wordt. Zo was in juli 52% van alle streams afkomstig van mensen van 34 jaar of jonger. Het fenomeen van het ontdekken van hun muziek blijft wereldwijd aanzienlijk toenemen: de cumulatieve streaming op Spotify overschrijdt nu de 4 MILJARD PLAYS, terwijl het totale aantal plays op alle platforms bijna 6 MILJARD bereikt.
 
Grammy Award-winnaar Christopher Cross aangekondigd als special guest
Christopher Cross brak door in de muziekscene met zijn titelloze debuutalbum uit 1980, waarmee hij vijf Grammy Awards won, waaronder - voor het eerst in de Grammy-geschiedenis - de ‘Big Four’ meest prestigieuze prijzen: Record of the Year (voor de single ‘Sailing’), Album of the Year, Song of the Year (‘Sailing’) en Best New Artist. In een carrière van meer dan vier decennia heeft Cross meer dan 12 miljoen albums verkocht. Zijn muziek heeft vijf Grammy's, een Oscar, een Golden Globe, een Emmy nominatie en vijf Top 10 singles opgeleverd.
 
Christopher Cross en de leden van Toto zijn al meer dan vier decennia vrienden en samenwerkingspartners. Op 1 september traden ze met elkaar op voor een afgeladen volle Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, en op vrijdag 7 februari 2025 zal hij The Dogz of Oz vervoegen als special guest tijdens het concert in Vorst Nationaal.

​Canadian soul/blues powerhouse singer Ollee Owens announces the release of her new album, Nowhere to Hide, on October 25th through her Ollee Owens Music label imprint. The first single from Nowhere to Hide, “Some Days,” was released on August 30. The song and upcoming album will be released by DistroKid Distribution. 
 
Produced by Bobby Blazier, the music on Nowhere to Hide is also graced by the presence of Muscle Shoals all-star guitarist Will McFarlane on eight of the album’s eleven tracks.  
 
“The writing of ‘Some Days’ came out of a desire to acknowledge the ups and downs of our day-to-day experiences and at the same time call out the resilience of the human spirit no matter what we come up against,” Owens says. “Sonically, we imagined it as a blues-infused song that leaves the listener feeling happy. It was recorded in Nashville with some of the best session musicians in Music City: Chris Rodriguez, Craig Young, Bobby Blazier, and DeMarco Johnson. The energy in the room that day was palpable as the song began to take shape, capturing exactly what I heard in my head when we wrote the song, resulting in a soulful and hope-filled anthem.”
 
After returning to music a decade ago and releasing 2022's Cannot Be Unheard, the Calgary-based blues/rock singer is better than ever with her latest dazzling, down-to-earth studio album Nowhere to Hide. It's one teeming with stylish, sophisticated jewels mined from blues, rock, and soul.
 
Nowhere to Hide features eight co-writing credits by Owens and a few covers, including Bob Dylan's "Lord Protect My Child." Whether it's Owens' confident delivery fueling the driving title track, the infectious "Some Days," or the deliciously well-crafted "Shivers and Butterflies," Owens is as dynamic as the eleven-track album is flawless.
 
"I learned so much," Owens says of the creative process, "especially, vocally, as there was real opportunity to dig deeper and embody the lyrics."
 
Nowhere to Hide, recorded at Nashville's Sweetbriar Studio and Gnome Studios, shines with help from a who's who of acclaimed Nashville session musicians Blazier brought to the album. "Bobby has an incredible ability to bring people together," Owens says of Blazier. "We all got in the studio together, gave it everything we got, and made some great music."
 
That great music derives from Owens' backstory in the farming community of New Bothwell, Manitoba. As a teen, she gravitated toward Dylan, Delta Blues, The Staple Singers, and Etta James. "When I came back to creating music, I really realized the depth and influence that particular style of music had on me," Owens says of her early listening habits.
 
Owens and her husband started their family early and had three daughters, one of whom has a cognitive disability. After some soul-searching, and realizing her daughter had exceptional needs, she took a hiatus from music. "I focused on being present and engaged for my daughters," she says.
 
As a result, "Lord Protect My Child" strikes an emotional chord as Owens pours her soul into it. "That song has really become close to my heart," she says. "My daughter is twenty-three now, but there's still a lot of vulnerability there. The desire for protecting and taking care of her will never go away."
 
Owens will be playing a Canadian concert in October celebrating the release of Nowhere to Hide and has plans for further touring in the spring. She's also performed at the Roots Blues and BBQ Festival in Drumheller, Alberta, and Calgary's National Music Centre, among several other venues.
 
Now with Nowhere to Hide, Owens will have a larger fan base thanks to an amazing album you would be wise to experience wherever you get your music.
​

​Nowhere to Hide Track 

1. Nowhere To Hide
2. Solid Ground
3. Some Days
4. Roots
5. Love You Better
6. Still in Pieces
7. Shivers and Butterflies
8. My Man
9. Love Hung Around
10. The Neighborhood 
11. Lord Protect My Child 

IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE, by harmonica virtuoso, classical guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and composer ENRICO GRANAFEI, is a collection of Latin-inflected jazz tunes featuring Granafei’s soulful harmonica playing. The album is Italy native Granafei’s fourth U.S. release, including Nothing but the Truth, In Search of the 3rd Dimension, and Alone Together, which reached #1 on the JazzWeek radio chart.
 
Granafei has been living in New York City for many years where he is a regular on the city’s jazz scene. He brought on board for this project musicians known for their proficiency with a wide range of musical styles, particularly Brazilian rhythms. The late CLAUDIO RODITI (flugelhorn) and MIKE LONGO (piano) make special guest appearances. IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE was recorded over a period of time and features three different rhythm sections, including NEIL ALEXANDER (keyboards) and AMINA FIGAROVA (piano/ keyboards/Fender Rhodes). The bassists are TAKASHI OTSUKA, CHRISTIAN FABIAN, and GREG JONES. GORDON LANE, SYLVIA CUENCA, and RICHIE MORALES are on drums, with additional rhythm provided by DIEGO LOPEZ (tambourine) and ANNETTE AGUILAR (percussion).
 
Granafei studied classical guitar in Italy at the Conservatory of l’Aquila, and after graduating, moved to Germany, where he lived for a couple of years playing music and teaching guitar. After returning to Italy, he moved to Rome and discovered Toots Thieleman’s album Infinity. He was so smitten by the beauty of the music that he began teaching himself jazz harmonica, eventually becoming good enough to perform in top jazz clubs throughout Italy. He also landed a year-long gig playing in the orchestra of a very popular Italian television show. He says, “No one else in Italy played jazz harmonica back then, and every week I had 45 seconds of glory on national television as I got to play a short solo on every show.”
 
His love of jazz led him to New York City, where he soon began performing at The Blue Note, Birdland, and the Bottom Line, playing with marquee names in jazz. In the early 1990s, he enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music to further his studies of jazz harmonica; however, he ran into one problem: there had never been any harmonica students at the school and, naturally, no jazz harmonica teachers. He didn’t think his application would be approved, but because several members of the admittance panel were fellow musicians with whom he had performed, he was accepted to the program. Still in need of a teacher, Granafei called Toots Thielemans, who was living in New York at the time. Although Thielemans and Granafei had met briefly in Italy, he was reluctant to take on a student because of his busy touring schedule. But Granafei persuaded him, and working around Thielemans’ schedule, he received a master’s degree in jazz performance in 1992. 
 
Since then, Granafei has performed extensively on the chromatic harmonica around the U.S. and continues to be a featured musician in major festivals and jazz clubs in Finland, Estonia, France, Italy, and Hungary. He has recorded with Eddie Gomez, Eliot Zigmund, Marc Johnson, Adam Nussbaum, Amina Figarova, Billy Hart, Wallace Roney, Vic Juris, Dave Stryker, Ted Curson, Irio de Paula, and Nnenna Freelon, among many others. 
 
Granafei is also widely known as the co-owner of Trumpets, a major regional jazz venue located in Montclair, NJ. He performed there throughout the 1980s before ultimately purchasing the club in 1999. He operated Trumpets for 20 years, finally closing it in 2019.
 
Granafei titled the album IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE in memory of three people who were very important to him: Mike Longo, Claudio Roditi, and Toots Thielemans. The sound of his harmonica is warm and affective, befitting the poignant motif of the album. Granafei plays harmonica and guitar and composed six of the eleven tunes, singing on several of them. He opens the album with his original, “Claudinho,” a spritely, upbeat tune featuring Roditi. Other Granafei originals include the reggae tune “PIA,” an acronym for parasailing in Aruba, the bossa “L’utima cialda,” which means the last wafer, “Calabrossa,” which Granafei sings in his native Italian dialect, “What Goes Around, Comes Around,” a funky samba featuring Neil Alexander on Rhodes with Lopez and Aguilar on percussion, and “Amico,” an autobiographical song that Granafei sings in standard Italian.
 
The other numbers on the album include “Night Train,” by Amina Figarova, “Medo De Amor,” by Vinicius de Moraes, which Granafei sings in Portuguese, and three tunes by Thielemans -- his famous “Bluesette,” “To My Lady,” and the lachrymose title track, “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye.”
 
Since Toots Thielemans introduced audiences to the beautiful sound of jazz harmonica, several practitioners have followed in his footsteps, but few have done so with Enrico Granafei’s heart and soul. Backed by a talented group of diverse musicians, IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE is an excellent introduction for anyone not familiar with Granafei’s passionate harmonica playing, wistful vocals, and stirring compositions. ​

Tracklist:

01 Claudinho
02 Night Train
 03 Pia
 04 Medo De Amor
 05 L'ultima Cialda
 06 Calabrossa
07 What Goes Around Comes Around
08 Amico
 09 Bluesette
 10 To My Lady
 11 It's Hard To Say Goodbye

​Online:
Enricogranafei.com
Facebook.com/enrico.granafei

The New Earth Farmers duo Nicole Storto and Paul Knowles offered up some pensive narratives of the 2020s dreamscape on the 2021 EP Into The Great Unknown.  Then they got help from James Deprato(Chuck Prophet), Kevin T White (Chuck Prophet), and Nigel Twist (The Alarm) to round out the sound. The band released The Good Ones Got Away in March of 2023 to enthusiastic review in the U.S. and Europe. They are now releasing a new album entitled The Sky From The Underground (October 4, 2024), once again recorded in Berkeley, CA and Napa, CA. While there are Americana elements on the record, they've also embraced British influences like The Clash, The Who, and The Beatles. ​

New Earth Farmers previous album, The Good Ones Got Away (2022) was written during the pandemic and lockdown and shortly after band leader, Paul Knowles’ father passed away from Covid. “The cover of that album portrays an astronaut in a living room/rocket ship watching TV and listening to a stereo,” said Knowles. “It was about escaping.” The new record, The Sky From The Underground depicts a cover with the astronaut observing the earth and its sky from the perspective of a nearby world, relaxing on a chair of mushrooms. “I guess it’s part two of the saga and he’s come outside of his getaway ship, has a fresh take on life and has grown a bit spiritually—More optimistic and ready for the next adventure.”
The band has the same members; Paul Knowles, Nicole Storto, Nigel Twist (The Alarm), James DePrato (Chuck Prophet), and Kevin T. White (Shelby Lynn). The album was co-produced by Knowles and Peter Craft, and mixed and recorded by Craft at his studio, Boxer Lodge in Napa, CA. (The exception: Knowles recorded and mixed “Behind That Locked Door”). There was additional recording at 1332 Recording by David Luke in Berkeley, CA. Mastering was done by Tone Def in Nashville, TN.
Knowles and Storto started as a duo in the early aughts called, Mars Arizona and released 4 albums under this name. Nigel Twist and Kevin T. White both have been playing with the band for about 10 years now. White started playing with the band in 2014 when they were known as New American Farmers (releasing 2 albums). The drummer at the time, Tony Sales (The Flamin’ Groovies) was responsible for getting White on the record, The Farmacology Sessions. White happened to meet Twist one day when Twist saw his bass case and asked if he was in a band. They became quick friends and White brought him into the band for a jam session. Twist has been recording and playing
live with New Earth Farmers ever since. DePrato joined the mix in 2021 for the first recording as New Earth Farmers, an EP titled, Into The Great Unknown.
The band aims to avoid confining their music to a single genre. "The song drives the treatment and genre of each track," Knowles explained. "In an era where lyrics often take a back seat to style, fashion, materialism, and hipness, we prioritize lyrics. Our songs ask questions, praise empathy and love, acknowledge inequity, inequality, and tribalism, and seek peace of mind in confusing times. We've expanded our influences. While there are Americana elements on the record, we also embraced British influences like The Clash, The Who, and The Beatles."
The Sky From The Underground has 8 original tunes and two covers; “Behind That Locked Door” by George Harrison, and “Have Love Will Travel” by Tom Petty.
"Big Questions" takes a light-hearted approach to exploring profound topics, incorporating some Beatle-influenced chord changes. “We’d had a lot of family, friends, and respected people that passed away in the last few years. Sometime’s life is a cruel joke, and we wanted to speak to whoever’s in charge with this particular song lyric. That was the first verse, then we went on to make some subtle observations about Artificial Intelligence and Authoritarianism in a light hearted and jovial tone.”
“In the Sunlight” was in part inspired by an event that Knowles shared with his father. “We don’t get out in the sunlight and dance enough these days, literally and figuratively” he states. “Most of our connections are artificial or filtered through our devices.” His father joined him in Golden Gate Park for The. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival one year. “He had come into my world to listen to music and we connected through that experience in the sunlight. He was a Southern Baptist preacher from Virginia and he was laying on the grass listening, just like a professional hippie.”
Inspired by The Clash, "War Inside Our Hearts" addresses the rampant tribalism plaguing the country and the world, and pleads for people to come together.
The title track, “The Sky From The Underground” is probably the most optimistic on the record. “It’s a song of escape, about getting away from all of the darkness, division, greed and negativity in the world right now towards a more peaceful, higher place.
While addressing some pretty heavy subjects including gun violence (“Frequency”) and the exploitation of our environment (“Windfall”), the spirit of optimism is in the songs. “There is optimism,” Knowles declares. “Consider a seed. You can bury it underground, under a bit of earth, water it and it grows toward the sky. Likewise, there is optimism buried within the spirit of this batch of songs. We are trying to plant good seeds. Optimistic seeds.”
The band has several Bay-Area gigs booked, including a record release party and are hoping to get to the UK for some shows with the other guys in the original Alarm (Dave Sharp and Eddie McDonald) and their current bands. “I’ve been at this music thing for a long time,” said Knowles. “Since I was a teenager. We really have enjoyed this ride and we’re fortunate to be able to continue, for however much longer it lasts. There’s an endless sky out there, it’s tempting to just keep going, to see what might be next.”
The Sky From The Underground releases on October 4th, 2024. 
​

JAUNE TOUJOURS
Album VERTIGO 20/09
Live at AB Club 02/10
​

Jaune Toujours is terug van nooit weggeweest: al van midden jaren ‘90 serveert het Belgo-Brusselse collectief een zinderende mix van groove, blazers en accordeon. Met de energie van een rockgroep (zonder gitaren!) het improvisatieplezier van een jazzcombo, de open geest van muzikale avonturiers en het charisma van straatmuzikanten delen ze hun poëtische en pertinente samenlevingsbeschouwingen. Voeg daar een snuif typisch Brusselse zelfrelativering aan toe en je weet op welk feestje je bent.
 
Op 20 september 2024 brengt Jaune Toujours hun langverwachte nieuwe album *Vertigo* uit. Het album bouwt verder op het élan waarvoor de band al internationaal wordt gewaardeerd: geen taal- of andere grenzen (met lyrics in het Engels, Frans en Nederlands), catchy songs, punky attitude, drum&brass, accordeondub en Belgische ska.

​Op *Vertigo* gaat Jaune Toujours nog een heel eind verder op klankavontuur, en de songteksten maken een stand van zaken op van een wereld die zo groot is dat je er van duizelt (vandaar: Vertigo). Er gaat veel mis maar als er iets is dat hoop kan geven, laat het dan muziek zijn. De songs op *Vertigo* proberen de moed niet te verliezen, door te zetten, juiste keuzes te maken. Het lijkt bijna onmogelijk, maar als we eenmaal beginnen zijn we niet meer te stoppen!

​GRAMMY® Award-winning and Country Music Hall of Fame members The Oak Ridge Boys are excited to announce their new album, Mama’s Boys from Lightning Rod/Thirty Tigers, set for release on Friday, October 25. This project marks their fifth collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb and was recorded at Historic RCA Studio A and Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. To build anticipation for the album, the first single, “I Thought About You, Lord,” featuring Willie Nelson, is available now.
 
“When David Cobb played, “I Thought About You, Lord”, written by Willie Nelson, I felt I was listening to a masterpiece,” shares Duane Allen. “I thought Willie has recorded with just about everyone but us. So, I called Buddy Cannon, who had recently been producing Willie, to see if Willie would sing his song with us. He replied that he would be honored to sing with the Oaks. When Willie’s vocals were finished, the masterpiece was completed!”
 
The Oak Ridge Boys have always had a special way of connecting with listeners through their heartfelt lyrics and pure, harmonious vocals. In their new album, Mama’s Boys, their first with Ben James singing tenor, they’ve chosen songs that pay tribute not just to their own mothers, but to mothers everywhere who give us life, hope, and unwavering love. This album is a celebration of the profound impact that mothers have, offering a musical homage to the love and strength that shape our lives. Through Mama’s Boys, Cobb and The Oak Ridge Boys continue to touch our hearts, reminding us of the timeless bond we share with the women who raised us.
​

‘Mama’s Boys’ Track Listing:
01. That’s The Way Mama Made It
02. Mama’s Boys
03. Mama’s Teaching Angels How To Sing
04. Ever With Me
05. Her Voice
06. Mama Sang For Me
07. Come On Home
08. I Thought About You, Lord (Feat. Willie Nelson)
09. Sweetest Gift
10. Divine Witness

​Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube

GRAMMY-NOMINATED MEMPHIS BLUES, ROOTS AND SOUL BAND
SOUTHERN AVENUE UNVEILS NEW SONG, FOUND A FRIEND IN YOU, CELEBRATING THEIR BOND AS A BAND AND FAMILY

Track Taken From Band's Highly Anticipated Alligator Records Debut Album, Coming Early 2025

​

​GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues, and soul band Southern Avenue unveil their new song, Found A Friend In You.  The track is a heartfelt tribute to the bond that has transformed this group of talented individuals into a family, both on and off the stage. The song, with guest bassist Luther Dickinson of The North Mississippi Allstars, is taken from Southern Avenue's forthcoming Alligator Records debut album, slated for release in early 2025. Found A Friend In You is now available at all major streaming and download services.

Southern Avenue is a dynamic ensemble that has been captivating audiences around the world with their exhilarating performances and emotionally charged original music since their 2017 Stax Records debut. Now, Found A Friend In You captures Southern Avenue's story of unity and shared purpose, a journey that began when the band's members first came together in Memphis. What started as a collaboration quickly turned into something deeper, as they forged a connection rooted in music, trust, and love. The song reflects the highs, the struggles, and the unbreakable bond that has made Southern Avenue more than just a band.

According to guitarist and co-writer Ori Naftaly, "It's a song that celebrates the power of friendship, the joy of making music together, and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something greater. It's a reflection of the highs and lows, the challenges we've faced, and the unbreakable bond we've formed. The song is not just about friendship. It's an anthem of the connection that makes Southern Avenue more than just a band—it makes us a true family."

As frontwoman Tierinii Jackson, who co-wrote the song, explains, "This song is an anthem of our friendship and our shared experiences. It’s about the joy and the strength we’ve found in each other, and how that bond has made us who we are today. The gospel harmonies and the energy of the track reflect our roots and our journey together."

Found A Friend In You, along with the full album, was recorded in Memphis at the famous Royal Studios (Al Green, Ann Peebles, Bruno Mars). It was produced by GRAMMY winner John Burk (Ray Charles, George Benson, Melissa Etheridge) and recorded and mixed by GRAMMY-winning producer and engineer Boo Mitchell.

​​Southern Avenue’s music is a vibrant blend of Memphis blues, warm sister harmonies, and uplifting messages that build connections reminiscent of The Staple Singers. Guitarist Ori Naftaly, whose passion for blues and soul music led him from Israel to Memphis, alongside the undeniable talents of the Memphis-born Jackson sisters—lead vocalist Tierinii Jackson, drummer/vocalist Tikyra "TK" Jackson, and percussionist/violinist/vocalist Ava Jackson—has crafted a sound that blends Memphis' historic spirit with a modern twist. With keyboardist and honorary family member Jeremy Powell, Southern Avenue's original songs are not just a nod to the past but also a bold step toward defining the future of Memphis music.

Southern Avenue have been turning heads since their 2017 self-titled debut album, for which they received the coveted Blues Music Award for “Best Emerging Artist.” Their 2019 release, Keep On, received a GRAMMY nomination. They've been nominated for the Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Constant touring has brought Southern Avenue to destinations all across the U.S, Europe and Australia and earned them non-stop adulation from fans, press and fellow musicians. This summer, the band toured across the country including headlining one night of the Chicago Blues Festival, before returning overseas to reunite with their many international fans.

The Cold Stares brengen vandaag het langverwachte album "The Southern" uit,
samen met de video voor 'Looking For A Fight'.
 
Nu uit op Mascot Records

​Het moderne blues-rocktrio The Cold Stares hebben hun langverwachte zevende album "The Southern" uitgebracht via Mascot Records. Voor het eerst duikt de band diep in hun zuidelijke wortels, wat het album een ware weerspiegeling van hun erfgoed maakt. “Being Southern, for me, is more than an accent,” deelt zanger-gitarist Chris Tapp. “It’s about family and tradition." Tegelijk met de albumrelease heeft de band een lyric video uitgebracht voor hun nieuwe single, “Looking For A Fight,” een krachtig nummer dat de frustraties van de arbeidersklasse weerspiegelt en inspeelt op de huidige maatschappelijke onrust, waar elk gesproken woord een punt van discussie lijkt te zijn.
 
“This one sonically speaks to the lyrics of the song, so we knew we wanted something that really rocked, and to have a back section of the song that shifted and spoke to the lyrics,” vertelt Tapp. “In an age where it seems everyone is offended by everything, this song is about speaking your mind and not being suppressed by the world around you. If you can’t win, you might as well be yourself. The back section of the song is directed at the politicians and greedy in our society that prey upon the working class.”

In “Looking For A Fight” zingt Tapp over de worstelingen van de gewone man, met teksten die herkenbaar zijn voor iedereen die vandaag de dag de druk van de verdeelde wereld voelt. “Living ain’t easy when you’re trying to tow the line, this old world wants to leave you behind,” verklaart Tapp. De lyric video, met opnames van The Cold Stares in de studio, laat de intensiteit en passie zien die de band in dit nummer heeft gestoken.

​Bekend om hun energieke live-optredens en zuidelijke authenticiteit, blijven The Cold Stares met “The Southern” de grenzen van bluesrock verkennen. Het album draait om veerkracht, verlossing en erfgoed, en behoudt de kenmerkende mix van vervormde gitaren, stevige riffs en invloeden van de Delta blues. Het trio, opgericht in 2012 door Chris Tapp (gitaar/zang) en Brian Mullins (drums), breidde hun geluid uit met bassist Bryce Klueh in 2022. Ze hebben lof ontvangen van onder andere Classic Rock Magazine, No Depression en American Songwriter en een trouwe fanbase opgebouwd dankzij hun unieke sound en verhalen.
 
"Our version of the South is different," vertelt Tapp over het geluid van The Cold Stares. "When Brian and I were young, we would sit in with these old guys at the local lodge, at the time they were still playing the old hits by Bad Company, Robin Trower, and AC/DC mixed in with country and southern rock - artists like the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. When I heard Free’s ‘All Right Now’ I thought they were from Georgia!”
 
“The Southern” wordt al geprezen als een van de meest persoonlijke albums van de band tot nu toe, met nummers als “Coming Home” en “Mortality Blues” die putten uit Tapp's eigen levenservaringen. Het album eert ook de wortels van de band in Western Kentucky en omarmt het culturele en muzikale erfgoed dat hen beïnvloedt.

Track list:
1. Horse To Water
2. Coming Home
3. Looking for a Fight
4. Blow Wind Blow
5. Confession
6. Level Floor Blues
7. Seven Ways to Sundown
8. No Love in the City Anymore
9. Giving It Up
10. Woman
11. Mortality Blues


​The Cold Stares Online: 
www.thecoldstares.com/ 
instagram.com/thecoldstares/ 
youtube.com/@thecoldstares 
facebook.com/thecoldstares 
https://www.tiktok.com/@thecoldstares  

On the Hunt for Lost Youth and Love:
Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado’s New Single “Long Time Ago”

​

Danish roots-rock sensation Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado are back with their brand new single, “Long Time Ago,” out now via Provogue/Mascot Label Group. This track is the second release from their yet to be announced and much-anticipated new album and it offers a fresh, modern take on the blues, channeling the vibes of contemporary giants like The Black Keys and My Baby or a modern JJ Cale take while staying true to the band’s deep blues roots.

​“Long Time Ago” is a masterclass in blending classic blues traditions with modern soundscapes. The single is driven by a pulsating groove and Risager’s soulful vocals, reminiscent of the swampy, raw energy that has become synonymous with The Black Tornado’s sound. Accompanying the release is a stunning lyric video, shot on the road, capturing the melancholic yet captivating spirit of the blues noir—a perfect visual complement to the track’s mood.
 
“Long Time Ago is a song about searching,” says Thorbjørn. “Everybody’s searching for something. Maybe you’re searching for true love, maybe you’re searching for your lost youth, maybe you’re searching for something and you don’t even know what it is.”
 
The release of “Long Time Ago” follows a string of accolades and successes for Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado, including winning four Danish Music Awards (often referred to as the Danish Grammys) and eight nominations, as well as receiving the prestigious Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik in 2014. The band has also been honored with the European Blues Award for Best Band in 2017 and was voted “Best Album” by Classic Rock’s Blues Magazine for their 2014 album ‘Too Many Roads.’ 
 
It’s been twenty years since they released their debut album, ‘Live 2004,’ and since then, they’ve picked up numerous awards and blazed a trail across the world, captivating crowds with their dynamic stage presence and a sound that fuses soul Chicago blues, boogie, and rock ‘n’ roll with a voice where Ray Charles, Van Morrison, and Billy Gibbons meet in the middle. They’ve opened for Bonnie Raitt, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Risager himself, sharing the stage with legends such as Buddy Guy and Robben Ford. They’ve even picked up a fan in Elwood Blues himself - Dan Aykroyd! - who hailed their “Hot rhythm and blues.”
 
“Long Time Ago” is a powerful reminder of why Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have become one of the most respected names in modern blues. With over 60,000 physical albums sold / 20 million streams over the past decade, and a dedicated following that continues to grow rapidly, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado are showing no signs of slowing down. The band is set to continue their non-stop touring schedule throughout 2024 and beyond, bringing their electrifying live performances to fans across Europe and North America.


The Black Tornado Band
Thorbjørn Risager Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Emil Balsgaard Piano, Organ, Wurlitzer, Clavinet, Farfisa
Joachim Svensmark Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer, Piano, Viola, Drums, Percussion, Glockenspiel, Mandolin
Kasper Wagner Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Flutes, Clarinet
Hans Nybo Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet
Peter W Kehl Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Sousaphone
Søren Bøjgaard Bass, Moog Bass, Baritone Guitar, Synthesizer, Piano, Percussion, Mix, Producer
Martin Seidelin Drums, Percussion