KENNY NEAL "BLOOD LINE"

Kenny Neal, born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge, began playing music at a young age. Learning the basics from his father, singer and Blues harmonica master, Raful Neal. Kenny is known as a modern swamp-blues master and multi-instrumentalist, that draws musically from the sizzling sounds of his native Louisiana. The new album casts that potent Neal spell of deep grooves and deep feelings that put him where he is today. With tunes like swampy Louisiana look-back “Down In The Swamp,” the funky shuffle of Memphis in his take on “Blind Crippled Or Crazy,” or the soul searching blues of “Bitter With The Sweet,” Hooked On Your Love extends the spirit of his acclaimed Let Life Flow. Take a listen and prepare to be hooked. KENNY NEAL
 

MINGS AND CRAIG "DAY BY DAY"

Mings and Craig is a jazz guitar duo consisting of Jim Mings and Monty Craig. They are based in South Carolina and have self-released their first CD Day By Day. The album includes classics such as “Day By Day,” “Till There Was You,” “Nature Boy,” “Emily,” “I Thought About You,” “’Round Midnight,” and others. This project is the culmination of 28 years of musical and personal friendship. The album unfolds as a thoughtful musical conversation between two people who deeply listen to each other and share mutual respect.Jim and Monty’s unique gift is to create beautiful melodic music that speaks directly to the heart. Their style is peaceful, uncluttered, straight-ahead, and swinging! In Day by Day, they chose songs that tell stories. These songs appeal to all people, no matter what type of music they like. Because Monty and Jim are grounded in their shared goal of taking the listeners to happy destinations, there is plenty of room for joyful exploration and improvisation during the journey. MINGS AND CRAIG 
 

IN BUSINESS "COP SHOW"

The Business is an original funk band from New Orleans, Louisiana. Formed in 2012, the band forged its sound playing in clubs along Frenchmen Street, home turf to some of the finest young funk and jazz musicians in the nation. With such high level of talent on the scene, the Business had to work hard to set themselves apart.The resulting sound is rooted in a rhythm section that slides from slinky New Orleans grooves to ultra-tight west coast funk to "rocking your face off," and the transitions are seamless. On top of that, they add their "sax attack," an all saxophone horn section hailing from a town where brass is king. Last but not least, soulful and searing vocals complete the sound. IN BUSINESS
 

CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO "JOURNEYS"

Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for Time Magazine, wrote: "Whatmakes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space.Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being typecast in any one niche, though his gospel sound is apparent on a number of his recordings.Cyrus Chestnut was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1963, son of McDonald (a retired post-office employee and church organist) and Flossie (a city social services worker and church choir director). Chestnut started his musical career at the age of six, playing piano at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in his hometown. By the age of nine, he was studying classical music at the Peabody Institute. In 1985, Chestnut earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging from Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music.While at Berklee, Chestnut was awarded the Eubie Blake Fellowship (1982), the Quincy Jones Scholarship (1983), and the Oscar Peterson Scholarship (1984). CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO
 

TODD HUNTER TRIO "EAT , DRINK , PLAY"

Greenwich Village became Todd's new school, the Village Vanguard his classroom, with Ahmad Jamal, Joe Henderson, Mel Lewis and Tommy Flannigan among his many great professors. After that solid tutorial, Todd chose Los Angeles as the stage from which to launch his career. Los Angeles, with its rich and diverse music scene, provided Todd with the opportunity to try different sounds and styles - Salsa, Samba, South African and R & B. His fifteen years as resident keyboardist for O.C. Smith's City Of Angels church has also added gospel to his musical influences.Hunter considers himself an experienced "road warrior," having traveled virtually all over the world. His tour with the Brian Setzer Orchestra opened the House of Blues in Hollywood and made an appearance on the David Letterman show. More recently he has performed with Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole and Dionne Warwick on their Soul Divas tour. Todd is currently working with Ms. Warwick on her worldwide tour, which has included several shows in Brazil performing with the popular Brazilian artists Ivan Lins, Emilio Santiago, Gal Costa, Jorge Ben and Teo Lima.Todd has also shared the stage with such music greats as Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, Gladys Knight, Kashif, Olivia Newton John, The Spinners and Thom Bell, Gloria Estafan, Smokey Robinson and Billy Preston. In the jazz idiom, he has played with some of the best in the biz, including: Nancy Wilson, Billy Higgins, Kenny Burrell, Buddy Collette, Les McCann, Diane Shuur, Diane Reeves, Gerald Albright, Ndugu Chancler and Ronny Laws.TODD HUNTER TRIO
 

MARKEY BLUE "THE BLUES ARE KNOCKIN'"

The Nashville based duo of Markey and Ric Latina have a combined performing/touring history that reads like a “who’s who” in the entertainment industry.  In late 2012 while both performing with other artists as “side men”, they found themselves booked on the same show at a small theater in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  After the show Latina reached out to Markey and suggested they join forces and possibly write a few songs for an EP to sell at venues.  The Ric Latina Trio consisted of several different “top of the list” touring musicians and Markey jumped at the chance to work with such accomplished performers.Soon it was apparent this was fast becoming more than a weekend project and the Markey Blue band was formed. The duo soon landed a small booking agent and started to gather a local following.  It was when Latina and Markey started to write their first song, they knew they were on to something.  Markey says, “It’s a rare thing to find, but the writing process comes so easily for us.  The ideas just flow.” And they kept flowing until Markey and Latina completed the raw material for their first album Hey Hey.  Randy Chortkoff, CEO of Delta Groove Records, signed Markey Blue as its first project to their new artist promotion department.Hey Hey was released at #1 on the Debut Blues Chart, reached #1 on both the Tennessee Roots Music Chart and Blues 411, held Top 10 on National Roots Music Chart and Top 25 on the Living Blues Chart.  The band was named one of the Top 10 Emerging Blues Artists to Watch in 2015; Markey was named One of the Top 10 Blues Women to Soar in 2014.  The album was nominated for the Blues Blast Awards Best Blues Debut Artist, the NIMA Awards Best Blues Artist and Best Live Performance, and was featured in blues/roots magazines world-wide.  The Duo was signed to both a national booking agency, Blues Pros Talent, and signed a TV/Multimedia Publishing deal for song placement in movies and television. MARKEY BLUE

ZACH LARMER ELECTRIC BAND "INNER CIRCLE"

"In listening to Inner Circle, one is struck immediately by the originality of guitarist Zach Larmer’s tone and style. Leading his Electric Band on this CD, Larmer performs music that ranges from fusion to post bop jazz without ever sounding like any of his predecessors. The Miami-based guitarist heads a group that includes keyboardist Tal Cohen, Juan Pablo Diaz and Jermaine Walden on bass, and Rodolfo Zuniga as well as David Chiverton on drums. Along the way trumpeter Brian Lynch, saxophonist Aldo Salvent and John Daversa (on EVI and trumpet) make important appearances, but the focus is primarily on the guitarist and his core quartet. The set begins with “On The Dock” which has a funky bass line, tricky rhythmic accents, some EVI, and plenty of fresh ideas from the guitarist. Larmer plays quite lyrically on “Garden Of Eden.” The piece evolves gradually while retaining its opening mood, becoming high-quality fusion with the sound of rock and the improvising of jazz blending together naturally. “Same As It Ever Was” is a wistful piece that is a bit mournful, featuring excellent playing by Larmer and Salvent on tenor. The bluish “Inner Circle” is both catchy and complex, highlighted by some rollicking moments. Zach Larmer is heard at his most passionate on “I Left It Bayou” which finds him pushed and inspired by the bass patterns. Larmer’s explorative solo, one of his best of the set, is particularly individual and creative. “Friedrichshain” has Larmer sharing the spotlight with Brian Lynch. The solos and tradeoffs between guitar and trumpet are quite colorful and heated. Inner Circle concludes with a lengthy version of the set’s lone standard, “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise.” At a tempo that is much slower for this song than usual, Larmer really gets to stretch out, sounding both relaxed and spontaneous. ZACH LARMER ELECTRIC BAND
 

HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND "SHARPENER"

A tour de force of trumpets, trombones, saxes, sousaphone, marching percussion and electronics, the band are as inspired by contemporary rock and electronica as they are New Orleans marching bands and the traditional British brass bands to which their name pays homage. Formed in 2008 out of a desire to play music that appealed to the feet as much as to the ears, the band has rapidly gained an army of loyal supporters, including radio support from Lauren Laverne, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, Huey Morgan, Jamie Cullum, Rob Da Bank and John Kennedy. Since the release of their eponymous debut in 2011, the 9-piece have blown their way into the public consciousness with their energetic and passionate live shows, amassing fans worldwide and reinventing the brass band sound for the modern age. New LP Sharpener shows the band on fine form and more confident than ever, with powerful new electronic elements and a dance floor sensibility adding to the jazz, rock and soul for which they are known. Building on the strength of their critically-acclaimed original writing, Sharpener has a powerful set of originals at its core, alongside a trio of leftfield covers in the shape of Nirvana’s Heart-Shaped Box, Kwabs’ Wrong or Right and Three Trapped Tigers’ Cramm. It’s a record that resounds with humour, charm and the hum of the glorious variety of musical genres that emanate from their hometown. Album opener Jump Then Run echoes the sound of the legendary Moondog, while Gather Your Wits is a roof-raising rumble of brass and rebellious behaviour. Wrong or Right, a soulful version of London soul star Kwabs’ great tune, comes to life with juicy menace before The Morning, an uplifting anthemic arrangement, builds into joyous hedonism. When You Know gives space to the band’s superb jazz chops, while album title track Sharpener is a big, bold, brassy and utterly mesmerising affair. It’s perhaps the band’s outstanding arrangements which sets them apart. From the intricacies of Timelapse to the introspection of Reawake, from the punky rock groove of It’s Normally Bigger (based on a true story) to the rave jazz of Bread and Circuses, the arrangements throughout showcase writers Olly Blackman, Luke Christie and Steve Pretty’s contrasting styles, able to switch from screaming energy to moody introspection, from cutting-edge jazz to dancefloor rave, and proving that Hackney Colliery Band is not just another party brass band blowing through the usual pop covers. Alongside their critically-acclaimed releases, Hackney Colliery Band have really stormed the live circuit, selling out two-night runs at Wilton’s Music Hall and the Jazz Café in London, playing main stages of festivals including Field Day, Love Supreme, Wilderness, Cheltenham Jazz Festival and many more, and even performing a 45-minute set in the Olympic stadium as part of the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. On the international circuit they’ve performed in clubs and festivals from Sziget in Hungary to G! Festival in the Faroe Islands, and in countries including Slovenia, Montenegro, Italy, Kosovo, France, Austria, Holland, Germany and Ireland. But the band are never content to rest on their laurels or to keep things simple, and are keen collaborators. Over the years they’ve run a series of experimental music nights at Ronnie Scott’s, a weekly new material night in venues across London, and worked with collaborators including Amy Winehouse, Fyfe Dangerfield, Eliza Doolittle, Jamie Cullum, Andreya Triana, Williams Fairey Band, Rhodes and DJ Yoda. More leftfield collaborations have even included working with a sausage maker on the ‘Hackney Colliery Banger’ and with legendary London brewery Truman’s on their own hugely popular ale ‘Bold as Brass’! They have performed live sessions on Radio 2 and Jazz FM and their performances have been featured on BBC Two (The Culture Show), Sky Arts (Brass Band Wonderland) and live at the BRIT, Mercury and MOBO awards. With Sharpener their most exciting work to date, a tour taking in more venues than ever before and a collaborative EP out in the autumn, 2016 looks set to be a huge year for Hackney Colliery Band. HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND
 

60 GRIT BAND "SELF-TITLED"

A small town group with big city talent, the 60 Grit Band has been transcending generes and expectations throughout Southern California since 2011. Breaking the boundaries of traditional blues, the band draws a heavy infulence from classic and modern rock, rhythm and blues, old time soul, and reggae.Singer and rhythm guitarist David Ferguson has a dynamic range and entertaining presence on the stage. Frank Orecchio, on lead guitar, plays with spirit and a swagger matched by no other. On bass, Brian Haringa plays from his soul and is the backbone of the band. A true showman on harmonica, Jeremiah Kiser plays imaginative leads and subtle rhythms. And Nick Coffey plays the drums with relentless energy and unwavering timing. Together, they play with passion and an element of "grit" that truly sets them apart from other blues/rock acts, and because they leave their hearts on the stage every show, you will never regret attending one.The 60 Grit Band's debut, self-titled album is an eclectic and energetic blend of genres and styles. Though it's rooted in the blues, the album has a fresh and soulful sound that is appreciated by audiences of all ages, and one that you can just let play from front to back. The album is available on iTunes and all the major online music retailers, and also on our website. 60 GRIT BAND
 

CHRIS HOLM "OH THESE HARD TIMES"

Chris Holm is a solo acoustic folk blues artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chris plays guitar, banjo and harmonica and writes many of his own songs in addition to performing old blues, country, folk, and gospel songs. Chris is also the bass player of The 4onthefloor and vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of The Fattenin' Frogs.This collection of songs goes out to all the stops along the way I've encountered in my travels over the past year; the people, the places, the experiences that only come with being out on the road. These songs were composed such places as state parks, rest areas, beaches, parking lots, and mountaintops all across the United States. For me, without the road, there are no songs.All songs written by Chris Holm. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Jeremy Johnson, Barking Jack Studio, North Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cover photo by Carrie Haugan Photography. CHRIS HOLM
 

EARL T AND THE TATTERED HEARTS "DEUCE"

Earl T and the Tattered Hearts started out as solo project to write, record and distribute original blues based material. It quickly ended up being a lot more...Before the first album was released, the band was put together and was playing the Houston club scene. Comprised of Earl T on guitar and vocals, Don Whitt (Artimus Pyle) guitar and vocals, Quentin Calva (Milton Hopkins) on bass and Mike Lawson (Billy Joe Shaver) on drums, these guys haven't looked back.Their first release "Daddy's Home" in 2015 began receiving airplay as soon as released and the title cut quickly became a crowd and radio favorite. Full of great songs, "Daddy's Home" established the Tattered Heart sound: killer grooves, great guitar hooks and intelligent (and often humorous) lyrics.Almost immediately, they began working on a second album while performing through the first part of 2016. The second album "Deuce" was completed in May of 2016 and builds on the concept of excellent original blues based songs but expands into Mussel Shoals styled R&B flavors, acoustic country blues and upbeat rockers.EARL T AND THE TATTERED HEARTS
 

SCOTT BRADLEE'S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX "PMJ AND CHILL"

Postmodern Jukebox, also widely known by the acronym PMJ, is a rotating music collective founded by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011. PMJ is known for reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz. In its first few years of existence, Postmodern Jukebox has amassed over 500 million YouTube views and 2 million subscribers.Each week, Postmodern Jukebox puts out a new video on YouTube, most of which are filmed casually in Bradlee's living room. The band has covered songs by artists ranging from Lady Gaga and The Strokes to Katy Perry and the White Stripes. Since their beginnings as a small group of friends making music in a basement in Queens, New York, Postmodern Jukebox has gone on to feature 70 different performers and tour four continents.The origins of Postmodern Jukebox came when Bradlee began shooting videos with his close friends from college in his small basement apartment in Astoria, Queens.Bradlee struggled post-college as a jazz musician in the New York City area for years before hitting it big with his first viral video in 2009 – “a medley of ‘80s songs done ragtime style.” A tweet from famed author Neil Gaiman was the beginning of his eventual online viral popularity. SCOTT BRADLEE'S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX

In early February 2016, Postmodern Jukebox covered the late David Bowie’s classic song "Heroes" in honor of World Cancer Day – featuring vocals by Nicole Atkins. The track was sold on iTunes to earn money for the Cancer Research Institute.[39] At the same time, PMJ launched a program called "Reboxed," consisting of new versions of songs that had already been covered by PMJ. The first Reboxed song was Niemietz (and the Sole Sisters) singing "Bad Romance" which had previously been sung by Ariana Savalas (feat. Sarah Reich tap dancing). PostmodernJukebox