Smokin Joe Kubek And Bnois King - Have Blues Will Travel

Of all the blues legends the great state of Texas has produced, none sounds quite like Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King. The two Lone Star guitarists—one a hard-edged, hard rocking blues player and the other a jazzy, elegant rhythm player who delivers raw, spontaneous solos-—have taken their dual guitar attack from the heart of Texas to fans around the globe. Kubek and King’s twin-frontman lineup is unparalleled on the blues scene. Backed by their rock-solid rhythm section, Kubek’s fiery fretwork is perfectly matched by King’s sophisticated rhythm playing and rough-edged, down-home soloing and his soulfully conversational vocals. For more than 20 years and thousands of live shows, the duo’s scorching blues and telepathic interplay has been thrilling fans all around the world. Their new CD (their second for Alligator and the 14th of their careers), Have Blues, Will Travel, is a collection of fresh original songs played with passion, taste and a white-hot intensity. Billboard said the band plays “hard-hitting, original blues. Kubek is one of the fiercest Texas blues guitarists…his fiery leads are complemented by King’s adroit rhythm guitar and classic vocals.”
The band’s Alligator Records debut, 2008’s Blood Brothers, brought the long-time musicians to their largest audience yet and earned the band accolades all across the country. The Chicago Sun-Times declared, “Genuine houserockin’ blues…they boogie till the break of day.” Allmusic described the album as “tough, robust, soul-blues that is as hot as they’ve ever gotten in the studio. Impressive.”


With Have Blues, Will Travel, they take another giant step forward. Kubek and King wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs, and, along with their road-tested rhythm section, they ignite a blues fire with enough heat to fuel an all-night party. The chemistry between Kubek’s blistering fretwork and King’s savvy vocals and unpredictable, multifaceted guitar work creates a roadhouse blend of muscular blues-rock, hip-shaking shuffles and slow-burning blues that is simply impossible to resist. Each song is infused with deep, from-the-heart musicianship, carefully crafted, true-to-life lyrics and delivered with the occasional wry smile. King calls Have Blues, Will Travel the best record the band has ever made. “I’ve been listening to this album over and over again,” he says, “and I don’t get tired of it. In fact, I’ve become a big fan of it, and I start thinking, ‘man, I wish we had made this record.’ And then I remember we did.” Kubek agrees. “We challenged ourselves, went into new territory both musically and lyrically, and came out the other end with something we’re extremely proud of.”

On the surface, it would seem hard to imagine two of the most stylistically disparate guitarists joining forces and creating such a signature sound. Joe Kubek was born in Pennsylvania in 1956 but grew up just outside of Dallas. He was leading his own bands and gigging in clubs all around Dallas when he was only 14. Bowled over by the blues a short time after first hearing Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, Kubek soon discovered the music of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and other early blues masters including Freddie King, Johnny Copeland and Lightnin’ Hopkins. By the time he was 19, he was backing many famous blues players in the area, including legend Freddie King. In 1976, Kubek was about to head out on tour with King when King died suddenly of a heart attack. “I was in awe any time I was around him,” Kubek recalls. “I learned a lot about feeling and execution. He always came onto the stage hot. You have to entertain people from the second you start.”


Kubek next worked with R&B singer Al “TNT” Braggs and made a host of new friends, including Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan (with whom Kubek became close), B.B. King and many other blues icons. He often found himself jamming with these larger-than-life blues stars, while playing constantly around the Dallas area. He not only learned tips and techniques, but also soaked up stories and the lessons of being a professional touring musician. One night, he even had the chance to play B.B.’s guitar, Lucille. “B.B. admired my enthusiasm and he encouraged me, which really meant a lot. When times got hard, I always remembered how B.B. King had given me some encouragement.”


In 1989, Kubek met guitarist/vocalist Bnois King at a Monday night Dallas jam session. The two became fast friends, and melded their seemingly divergent styles—Kubek a rocking and fierce picker and slider, King a subtle, fat-chord rhythm player whose solos are spontaneous and unpredictable—into one of the most potent guitar combinations the Southwest had ever produced. Kubek explains the relationship succinctly: “Bnois fires me up. We are constantly pushing each other higher, complimenting each other’s solos. But it’s not planned. We never know what we’re going to do until it’s done. I pull the blues out of him, and he pulls the jazz out of me. Bnois knows so much about jazz it’s amazing.”


Bnois (pronounced Buh-noice) King was born in Delhi, LA in 1943. He was inspired to play guitar by his high school music teacher. Before long, Bnois was playing blues cover songs with a local band. On his own, he traveled through Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, finding local bands to gig with and also performing with carnival tent show groups. King made his way to Dallas in 1979, gigging with jazz combos until he hooked up with Kubek ten years later. A master storyteller, King didn’t start writing and singing until he joined forces with Joe, when both duties fell on him. “We needed a singer so I sang,” King recalls, “and every time I did the crowds went wild. We needed songs so I wrote about things that happened to me, to people I knew. That’s what I still do today.” As for his guitar work, King is similarly modest. “Joe inspires me a lot,” King says. “When I solo, it’s a spur of the moment thing. I don’t have a plan. I react to what I hear on the bandstand.”


On the strength of their huge local following, Kubek and King signed to Bullseye Blues and released their debut CD, Stepping Out Texas Style, in 1991. After conquering the Dallas scene, the band began touring clubs, concert halls and festivals nationally and internationally. Following a successful series of eight Bullseye releases, they signed to Blind Pig Records in 2003. As their popularity continued to build on the strength of their recordings and the energy of their live shows, the band’s touring schedule grew to over 150 dates per year all across the United States, Canada and Europe (where they have toured more than a dozen times), solidifying their place in the blues world with one jaw-dropping show after another.


Kubek and King signed with Alligator in 2008 and released Blood Brothers. The fresh approach, the smoking hot playing and the original, lover’s slice-of-life lyrics all added up to a blues delight. The Dallas Observer said, “An electric blast of twelve-bar heaven…they blow the roof off.”
More than anything else, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King love to perform live. With Have Blues, Will Travel and another massive tour planned, the band will hit the ground running as they gig from coast to coast, bringing their no-holds-barred brand of soul-charged, rockin’ Texas blues to old fans and newcomers night after night. Have Blues, Will Travel is not just the name of the new album. For Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King, it’s a way of life.

Livingston Talylor - Last Alaska Moon

“When you go to see Livingston Taylor perform on stage, he transforms love, joy and spirituality into something so tangible, that you can carry it home with you when the concert is over.”

- Jean Mudge, fan

Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of thirteen. Who knew that this would signal the beginning of a career that has spanned over forty years and that has encompassed performance, songwritingcand teaching. Born in Boston in 1950, Livingston grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina—the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate and Hugh. At sixteen, Livingston moved back to Boston where he finished high school and began performing in the Boston coffeehouse circuit. At eighteen, he met legendary producer Jon Landau, who later produced Livingston’s first recording for Atlantic Records when he was nineteen. That first record initiated a creative output that has filled multiple recordings since. Livingston has written most of his music repertoire, including Top Forty hits “I Will be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running” —and, recorded by his brother James, “I Can Dream of You,” “Going Round One More Time” and “Boatman” (all on the double Grammy-winning album Hourglass).

Since those early coffeehouse days, Livingston has never stopped performing, touring with major artists such as Linda Ronstadt; Jimmy Buffett; Fleetwood Mac; Emerson, Lake and Palmer; and Jethro Tull. He also maintains a busy concert schedule on his own, performing an average of 80 shows a year that mostly include his own music, with an occasional cover of folk, rock, a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway. The depth of Livingston’s musical knowledge is belied by his relaxed and comedic onstage presence. Livingston describes himself as a pop singer and tours solo, playing his guitar and the piano. Livingston is a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He teaches young artists invaluable lessons learned over the course of an extensive career on the road. The course is one of the most popular at the College, spawning a sequel, Stage Performance II, this year.

Now Livingston is out with his latest album, Last Alaska Moon, which was recorded in Nashville. It features key members of the Alison Krauss band Union Station, as well as pop/country players Steve Gadd, Vince Gill, and Leland Sklar. For Taylor, the album takes a partial departure from the more contemplative ballads in the Taylor tradition. It bears the bluesy, devil-may-care attitude of Nashville and shows just how versatile Taylor can be. Last Alaska Moon is being released by Coconut Bay, a division of Chesky Records.

Tracklist :

Last Alaska Moon
Everybody's Just Like Me
Henry
I'm Letting the Whiskey Do My Talking
The Girl Is Mine
Kitty HawkNever Lose Hope
Christmas Is Almost Here
Answer My Prayer
I'm In a Pickle
Walk Until It's Heaven
Call Me Carolina

Kevin Welch e Jim Lauderdale ( testi scritti con Robert Hunter - Grateful Deald )

KEVIN WELCH - A PATCH OF BLUE SKY

A Patch of Blue Sky, Kevin's newest CD is his first solo record since 2001's Millionaire. The album features 10 new songs, all written or co-written by Kevin. It is an ultimately hopeful journey from darkness to dawn.

Kevin Welch's poetic songs paint pictures of real people--people you know, people you've seen--so clearly that you realize quickly he's a keen observer of the human experience. His songs have an almost film-like quality in their vision and beauty.

After growing up in Oklahoma, where he played in a popular regional band, Blue Rose Cafe, Kevin moved to Nashville in the late 1970s, upon the suggestion of his friend John Hadley, a professor at the University of Oklahoma. Once in Nashville, he became a songwriter for Tree International. His songs were recorded by such artists as Moe Bandy, Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, The Highwaymen, The Judds, The Kendalls, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Charlie Pride, Ricky Skaggs, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Conway Twitty, Don Williams, and Trisha Yearwood.

When Steve Earle broke through with his Guitar Town album, he and others suggested Kevin get a recording contract, and Kevin was soon signed with Warners, where he put out two albums, Kevin Welch and Western Beat, in the early '90s. Warners let Kevin out of the deal, and along with his friends Kieran Kane, Mike Henderson, Tammy Rogers, and Harry Stinson, he formed Dead Reckoning Records. By putting out records on their own label, none of these brilliant, unique artists had to face the compromises that major labels sometimes insisted on.

Kevin's first release for DR, Life Down Here on Earth, was greeted with rave reviews, as was his follow-up, Beneath My Wheels. His more recent DR recordings, Millionaire and Live Down Here on Earth, a live recording of a gig on Kevin's recent tour down under with the Australian band The Flood, continue the artistic tradition.

Kevin's recordings are popular around the world, with solid followings in Europe and particularly Canada and Australia, which each of his tours is greeted with sold-out houses. One of those tours, with Kieran Kane, was captured in the live recording 11/12/13: Live in Melbourne.

In 2003, Kevin got back together in a concert with his 1970s band, Blue Rose Cafe, to pay tribute to the band's late founder, Pat Long. The concert was so successful the band released a CD and a two-DVD set recorded live at the gig, Blue Rose Cafe: A Reunion and Tribute to Pat Long.

In 2004, Kevin began recording as a band with fellow Dead Reckoners Kieran Kane and Fats Kaplin. After taking their first two albums, You Can't Save Everybody (2004) and Lost John Dean (2006) to number one on the Americana charts, their latest release, Kane Welch Kaplin adds drummer Lucas Kane and continues the groove and intimacy found in the earlier releases. Kevin's tales of lost friends, broken dreams and even serial killers are brought into sharp relief against the pared-down beauty of the music.

And now the new album. Thanks again Kevin.

The Band

Rick Richards, drums
Glenn Fukunaga, bass
Bukka Allen, piano, Wurlitzer, B3, harmonium
Brian Standefer, cello
Dustin Welch, banjo, electric resonator guitar, background vocals
Kevin Welch, acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
Fats Kaplin, pedal steel

The Singers

Andaman Sea, Eliza Gilkyson
Midnight and Noon, Sally Allen
The Great Emancipation, Jeremy Nail
Marysville, Dustin Welch
Patch Of Blue Sky, Jackie Johnson, Preston Shannon, The Trishas (Savannah Welch, Kelley Mickwee, Jamie Wilson, Liz Foster)
Come A Rain, Savannah Welch, Kelley Mickwee, The Burns Sisters (Annie, Jeannie, Marie)

JIM LAUDERDALE - PATCHWORK RIVER

Patchwork can refer to a collection of incongruous pieces, parts not necessarily united into a whole. But sometimes, in the hands of great craftsmen and women, those parts merge into a thing of beauty and warmth. Patchwork River weaves together the lyrical mastery of Robert Hunter and the songcraft of Grammy Award-winning artist Jim Lauderdale into something greater than the sum of its considerable parts.

Jim Lauderdale is a multi-talented performer and songwriter, with successes in both country and bluegrass music. His roots stem from the Carolinas, yet his career has taken him all over the United States and abroad, making him an international recording artist with an ever-growing fan base. Jim won "Artist of the Year" and "Song of the Year" at the first "Honors and Awards Show" held by the Americana Music Association in 2002. Subsequently, he has hosted this same show for the last seven years.

He is among Nashville's "A" list of songwriters, with songs recorded by artists such as: Patty Loveless, George Jones, The Dixie Chicks, Solomon Burke, Mark Chesnutt, Dave Edmunds, John Mayall, Kathy Mattea, Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Blake Shelton. Vince Gill, and George Strait. He also contributed several songs to the successful soundtrack of the George Strait film, "Pure Country." Not content to just write hits for the stars, he's toured with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rhonda Vincent and Elvis Costello, among others.

Jim's musical influences include the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and George Jones. These influences and his unique sense of melody and lyric help forge a sound that is truly his own. He is a 2 time Grammy winner, winning his first in 2002 with Dr. Ralph Stanley for "Lost in the Lonesome Pines" (Dualtone). His next one came for his second "solo" bluegrass album, "The Bluegrass Diaries" (Yep Roc 2007) at the 50th Grammy Awards! His first CD with Dr. Stanley, "I Feel Like Singing Today" ( Dualtone/Rebel 1999) received a Grammy nomination as did his first solo bluegrass CD titled "Bluegrass"(Yep Roc) from 2006. His current release, "Patchwork River" May 11th, 2010 (his second collaboration with Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter) is currently climbing the Americana radio charts!

As a performer his credits include production, writing and collaborating on albums such as, "Wait 'Til Spring" (SkyCrunch/Dualtone 2003) with Donna the Buffalo, and "Headed for the Hills" (Dualtone 2004) his first total project with Robert Hunter. The remainder of Jim's 18 albums include: "Planet of Love" (Reprise 1991), "Pretty Close to the Truth" (Atlantic 1994), "Every Second Counts" (Atlantic 1995), "Persimmons" (Upstart 1998), "Whisper" (BNA 1998), "Onward Through It All" (RCA 1999), "The Other Sessions" (Dualtone 2001), "The Hummingbirds" (Dualtone 2002), "Bluegrass" (Yep Roc 2006), "Country Super Hits, Volume 1" (Yep Roc 2006), "Honey Songs" (Yep Roc 2008), and "Could We Get Any Closer?" (SkyCrunch 2009).

"It's been a particularly great period for me," says Lauderdale. "Thanks to the records - I'm performing more and more, which I love. And I love that I can play the Opry one weekend, a jam-band festival the next and then a bluegrass festival the following week. That's really inspiring to me and I think there's a real thread there. The roots are the same for all of them and that's the music I'm interested in."

John Prine - In Person & On Stage

The album is a culmination of his last few years touring and contains 14 songs, perfectly balanced between classic hits and new treasures from the Grammy Award-winning “Fair & Square.” Complete with duets from some of John’s favorite touring partners; Iris DeMent, Sara Watkins, Emmylou Harris, Josh Ritter, Kane Welch & Kaplan, this album shows Prine’s passion and relevance still hold true after all these years. These recordings were hand-picked from hundreds of recent concerts, and the result is Prine’s most memorable live album to date. If his biggest fans had a collective voice, it is no doubt these would be the recordings they'd choose. ( No Depression )

Tracks


1. Spanish Pipedream
2. She Is My Everything
3. In Spite Of Ourselves (with Iris DeMent)
4. Long Monday
5. The Late John Garfield Blues (with Sara Watkins)
6. The Bottomless Lake
7. Bear Creek Blues
8. Saddle In The Rain
9. Angel From Montgomery (with Emmylou Harris)
10. Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
11. Mexican Home (with Josh Ritter)
12. Unwed Fathers (with Iris DeMent)
13. Glory Of True Love
14. Paradise (with Kane Welch Kaplin)

Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Age Of Miracles

I began writing the songs for The Age of Miracles in the summer of 2007. A few months prior, I had suffered a pulmonary embolism which had forced the cancellation of all touring and performing for that year. When I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands after recovering from this life threatening illness, the inclination to look inward and try to answer the question “what now?” was fairly unavoidable.

So I started writing a lot, and as often happens at that point in the creative process, I threw out far more than I kept. But little by little, over the next few years, ideas and threads and themes and feelings and melodies started to stitch themselves together, and the soul of what would become this record began to reveal itself.

I have always made albums with the idea that each one is a snapshot of where you are in your life. That is no different with The Age of Miracles, and the title song was the first one that I finished with a sense that it was pointing the way towards the rest of the songs. It is a personal exploration of regret and resilience but also a larger, more universal expression of wonder at the times that we are living in. The references to the Apollo moon landing, Hurricane Katrina, the anguish of Jena, Louisiana, and the courageous protest of the Buddhist monks in Burma are backdrops to the message of the song, which is: we live in an age of miracles when we can still believe that they are possible. The title song ties together my own personal need to invest in optimism and hope with what I see as the world’s weary yet unwavering ability to teach us lessons of humility and grace.

There are other songs on this record that I would describe as reports from that strange and mysterious territory known as Love and Marriage; there are songs of wishing to be a bird flying above the turmoil, of seeking solace and self knowledge in quietude; of longing to match the outwardly vulnerable person to the inward believer in strength and resilience. There is a song about the very first wife of Ernest Hemingway, using her voice to look back at the lost years of the Lost Generation, just before her husband falls in love with her best friend and changes her life forever.

And there is a song about the artist and activist Chen Guang, who was profiled in the New York Times in the days just before the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. His dedication to his art and his need to bear witness to the events of that time now put him in daily peril; his unwillingness to be silent is now his life’s purpose.

A few words about my co-producer Matt Rollings, my engineer Chuck Ainlay and the musicians that were gathered to record these songs: the sessions were charmed, in the way that intensely creative recording sessions can be. The energy of the core band [Russ Kunkel on drums, Glenn Worf on bass, Duke Levine on guitars and Matt Rollings on keyboards] never flagged and the generosity of ideas that flowed each day were utter gifts.

So, this is a collection of songs that blends personal tales of discovery and experience with more distant and imagined stories of one’s purpose and relationship to the universe…

In “Mrs. Hemingway,” the line goes, “there’s Sancerre and oysters/and Notre Dame’s cloisters/and time, with its unerring aim…”

All the more reason not to waste a day.

Anders Osborne - American Patchwork

I’m in the promised land,” says proud American immigrant and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist Anders Osborne. The Swedish-born, longtime New Orleans resident is among the most original and visionary musicians performing today. In a city overflowing with stellar artists, bands and performers, Osborne is one of the Big Easy’s favorite musical heroes. His Alligator Records debut, American Patchwork, is a moving collection of soul-baring rock, blues and ballads. Many of the songs on American Patchwork deal with healing and redemption, spirituality and acceptance. It is about rebuilding what has been destroyed, not only a ravaged city, but also a hollow man. Often compared to Townes Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison, Osborne is an exceptional and singular talent. Paste Magazine says, “Osborne has an impossibly great, soulful voice and the songs to match.” Living Blues adds, “Osborne is a songwriter of enormous depth and an incredibly passionate musician.”

Osborne and friend Stanton Moore (Galactic) produced American Patchwork, with co-production by Pepper Keenan (of Down and Corrosion Of Conformity). Osborne wrote all ten songs, all imbued with serious lyrical depth, unforgettable melodies and performed with soul muscle. The guitar work is simply spectacular. His vocals soar with natural, emotional power. With musical assistance from Moore on drums, Keenan on percussion and guitar, and Robert Walter on keyboards, American Patchwork is nothing short of a career-defining release for Osborne, and a bright new chapter in his remarkable journey. As far as Osborne is concerned, American Patchwork is a triumphant achievement. “Every note has a purpose, a serious focus. As I was writing it and recording it, everything fell right into place.”


Live, Osborne is a force to behold. His wildly energetic, physical live performances find him ripping notes out of his guitar, forcing out riveting steel-on-steel slide solos, pouring his entire soul into his vocals. His ability to ignite an audience is legendary. Past gigs include repeated appearances at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, stops at Bonnaroo, The High Sierra Festival, The Telluride Blues Festival, The Hollowbaloo Music & Arts Festival in Honolulu, The Voice Of The Wetlands and even an appearance at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He has toured North America and Europe extensively, and has performed with The Meters, Randy Newman, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and Little Feat among many others.

As a songwriter and singer, Osborne stands tall. Since his recording debut in 1989, he has written virtually all of his own material and contributed memorable songs to a wide variety of artists. Two tunes co-written by Osborne appear on blues great Keb Mo’s Grammy-winning 1999 release, Slow Down. Country superstar Tim McGraw scored a #1 hit with Anders’ song Watch The Wind Blow By. Osborne’s compositions have been covered by artists as diverse as Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang and Kim Carnes. His song What’s Going On Here appeared in the 1996 feature film Fled, and Osborne, along with Ivan Neville, wrote and recorded the title track for the 2010 Kate Hudson film Earthbound.

But it is not just his live performances and songwriting that make Osborne such a success. He is also revered for his jaw-dropping guitar playing. His piercing slide-work and fluid finger picking (oftentimes happening simultaneously) are simply unmatched. His use of Open D tuning (a rare choice for a guitar virtuoso) gives his fretwork a signature sound and feel. “I first heard Open D on Joni Mitchell’s Blue,” he says, “and my fingers just fit the tuning.” His influences range from Ry Cooder and Robert Johnson to the great horn players like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Always an in-demand guitarist, Osborne has appeared on a host of recordings by Keb Mo, Tab Benoit, Mike Zito and others. Most recently, Anders lent his guitar talents to Dark Water, Galactic’s first single from their new Ya-Ka-May CD.

Osborne was born in Uddevalla, Sweden in 1966. His father was a professional touring jazz drummer who played all over Europe and was exposed to a lot of popular American styles of music. He brought home reel-to-reel recordings of jazz, R&B and early rock ‘n’ roll from artists as diverse as Little Richard, Fats Domino, Bill Haley, Art Pepper and Miles Davis. As a teen, Anders started playing guitar and listening to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell records. He fell in love with the vocal styles of Ray Charles, Van Morrison and Lowell George. Then he heard the blues of Robert Johnson and recordings of African drumming, and suddenly, everything clicked. “Blues connected everything together for me,” Osborne recalls. “The early rock, the R&B, the jazz, the singer-songwriters. Blues was like a thread running through everything.”

With a serious case of wanderlust, Anders began traveling on his own at 16. For the next four years he hitchhiked across Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, earning money by doing odd jobs and performing on the street or in bars at every opportunity. He worked assembly lines in Israel and dug ditches in Greece. He picked fruits and vegetables in many locales, following the harvest seasons across Europe. He wrote constantly, soaking up the life experience and honing his craft.

In 1985 he landed in New Orleans, a place his grandfather, a sailor, had often told him vivid stories about. When he arrived, he instantly felt right at home. “My grandfather had a lot to do with me settling here,” recalls Osborne. “He would send me postcards and photographs of him in New Orleans. I just felt connected to his memories. Once I got here, everything I heard in my head—the music, the way people treated each other—was happening. I knew I was home.” He effortlessly incorporated the sounds of the Crescent City into his own music, and the city quickly became a large part of his soul.

Anders spent his first few years in New Orleans writing and developing his sound and style, all the while continuing to soak up the music of the city. He cut his first two albums for the independent New Orleans-based Rabadash Records in 1989 and 1993. The excitement surrounding those releases led to a major label deal with Sony’s Okeh imprint in 1995. Since then, Osborne has released a series of successful albums for Shanachie and MC Records, all to wide critical and popular acclaim.

With the release of American Patchwork, Osborne will hit the road hard. In April 2010, he will play three times at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (and make many more area appearances during the festival period). He will then start a six-week tour of the U.S. on a double bill with The Stanton Moore Trio, followed by further touring with his own band.

Blues Revue describes Osborne’s music as “an articulate and spellbinding tapestry of sorrow and joy.” New Orleans’ Times-Picayune says Osborne’s music is “genuine, focused and uplifting...guitar fireworks and a well-traveled voice.” The Newark Star-Ledger simply says, “This guy is in his own universe. Comparisons are meaningless.” Now, with a new label, a new recording, and a new appreciation of life itself, Anders Osborne is ready to fulfill his huge potential. As a youth he traveled the globe before settling in New Orleans. Now, he’ll travel from New Orleans, bringing his powerful original songs and soulful, blues-inspired, rock-fueled music to destinations all over the world.

anders osborne vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, piano, percussion
robert walter hammond b3, piano, moog, clavinet, keyboard bass
pepper keenan guitars, background vocals, percussion
stanton moore drums



DISCOGRAPHY

2010 American Patchwork (Alligator Records)
2007 Coming Down (MC Records)
2006 Tipitina’s Live 2006 (Shanachie)
2002 Bury the Hatchet with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (Shanachie)
2001 Ash Wednesday Blues (Shanachie)
1999 Living Room (Shanachie)
1998 Live at Tipitina’s (Shanachie)
1995 Which Way to Here (Okeh)
1993 Break The Chain (Rabadash)
1989 Doin’ Fine (Rabadash)

Ian Hunter - Man Overboard

Legendary Mott the Hoople front man and renowned solo artist, Ian Hunter, is out with his new work Man Overboard

With Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter quickly established himself as an incredibly inventive songwriter with his gritty and thought provoking songs which paved the way for the original wave of punk rock. The 1972 David Bowie produced breakthrough album All The Young Dudes catapulted the band into the British Top 10 and the American Top 40. Additionally, the band was the first act to ever sell out a week of Broadway concerts in New York City. Ian Hunter’s autobiography, Diary Of A Rock and Roll Star, written during the band’s 1972 US Tour and published in 1974, was also acclaimed by Q Magazine as “the greatest music book ever written.”

As a solo artist, Mr. Hunter has been responsible for instantly recognizable classics as “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” “Cleveland Rocks” (which went on to be the theme song for ABC’s hit series The Drew Carey Show), and many, many more. Both Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople have been cited as major inspirations for numerous artists including The Clash, Kiss, R.E.M., Oasis, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Motley Crue, Blur and Primal Scream among others. Hunter’s influence on modern rock and roll music has been immeasurable, with over 150 different cover versions of his songs.

Man Overboard is Ian Hunter’s 13th solo album since his eponymous debut in 1975. Recorded in late 2008 in Pawling, NY, the 11-song set is a stunning follow up to the overwhelmingly critically acclaimed Shrunken Heads album. Man Overboard was produced by Andy York (veteran guitarist for John Mellencamp) and Ian Hunter and features a backing band of superstar talent comprised of Steve Holley on drums and percussion (Wings, Joe Cocker), Paul Page on bass (Dion), Jack Petruzzelli on electric guitar (Rufus Wainwright, Joan Osbourne), James Mastro on electric guitar (Patti Smith, John Cale), Andy Burton on piano and organ (The Db’s) and Producer Andy York on guitar and backing vocals. Many of the band members are returning from the Shrunken Heads sessions. Regarding Man Overboard, Ian Hunter stated, “When we did Shrunken Heads, I felt like we had a good thing going so I wanted to revisit the experience before anything changed, and that’s what we did.”

Ian Hunter has worked with many musical legends such as the members of Queen, David Bowie, Mick Jones of The Clash, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Mick Ronson and Ringo Starr’s All Star Band.