Mixing equal parts blues, soul, and talent, with a dash of retro style,
The MacKenzie Blues Band has quickly proved to be a force to be reckoned
with on major festival stages and in clubs throughout Canada and the
US.Recognition for their hard working attitude has been paying off as they
are recent Winners of the 2014 Maple Blues Awards for Best new Artist/
Group, and 2x semi Finalists at the International Blues Competition in
Memphis Tenn.Their debut CD release Back Road Revelation was voted best Canadian
Blues Release of 2012, by the Blind Lemon Blues Radio poll and garnered
considerable airplay and positive reviews across North America, Europe
and Africa. It has been featured CBC radio 1′s Bandwidth program,
Crossroads Blues Program, BBC Blues, RTÉ to name a few.
In the time they’ve been performing together, The MacKenzie Blues
Band has rapidly – and deservedly – gained the attention of Canada’s
blues scene, performed at numerous club gigs and notable festivals,
including Mariposa Folk Festival, Summerfolk Festival, Orangeville Blues
Festival, Lighthouse Blues Festival and many more.A classically trained vocalist, Tara MacKenzie has been compared to Ann
Wilson, Katie Webster and Janiva Magness. Her powerful 3.5 octave vocal
range is paired perfectly with her unapologetic, ballsy, yet sultry
stage presence. Guitarist Trevor MacKenzie has been called “One of the
most dangerous guitar players in Canada” (Timmins Press). His versatile
playing easily shifts gears from style to style, while maintaining his
fretting hand firmly rooted in the blues genre. The rhythm section is
the glue that binds The MacKenzie Blues Band together, with snappy,
funky, pulsing grooves from bassist Joel Dawson and drummer Mike Weir.With a fresh take on modern blues and adding rock ‘n’ roots elements,
The MacKenzie Blues Band’s live performances put out the energy of a
small supernova- encouraging the audience to let loose, have fun and
enjoy wild electric rockin’ blues,taking the audience to a place where
positivity and joy are on the menu.
Their Sophmore Album “Slam! Bam!” is to be released in the Spring of 2014, parts recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis. THE MACKENZIE BLUES BAND
Every blues fan knows you have listen to the “old” to find something
“new”. It is a precious rarity when the opposite is true and such is the
case with Toots Lorraine and The Traffic. The band delivers a focused
blend of classic vibe that will drench your soul with the vintage sounds
of West Coast Jump Blues and Swing as you board the train for
destination “way back” where everything is “Easy”. Toots and her sultry
voice will take your ticket, let you on board and, as you roll down the
tracks, the band will keep your glass filled with just the right
measures of hollow body guitars, reverb tanks, upright basses,
harmonicas, pianos and organs. And, you will swear to yourself, “I ain’t
getting off this train”.This husband and wife team share the purest of love for the preservation of the blues. In their brand new album, Make It Easy,
a phenomenal follow-up to their first, Toots Lorraine expertly layers
her powerful yet velvety voice amongst the band’s vintage
instrumentation and gut bucket grooves. Along with classic blues covers
of Big Mama Thornton, Howlin’ Wolf and Big Joe Turner, you’ll also find
gripping new originals with a huge story to tell. Always rooted in the
blues, Toots Lorraine and the Traffic deliver a solid, energetic and
scintillating performance.Toots brings with her a background of dance, theater and jazz
to the rich yet simplistic purity of the blues, creating a vocal
presence of powerful elegance. Her singing style is influenced by
artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Eva Cassidy, Big Mama Thornton and many
more. Whether singing original material or drawing from a large
repertoire of classic blues and jazz standards, the charming and
vivacious Toots tells her story with every note, satisfying listeners,
dancers and good times.TOOTS LORRAINE
Manchester based, DJ, bandleader and trumpeter Matthew Halsall is one of
the UK’s brightest talents. A gifted trumpeter with a beautiful,
expressive tone, his music draws on his love of the transcendental,
spiritual and modal jazz of Alice and John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders,
as well as the glories of ‘60s British jazz. His albums ‘Sending My
Love’, ‘Colour Yes’, 'On The Go', 'Fletcher Moss Park' and 'When The
World Was One' released on his own Gondwana label have won him a legion
of fans across the world and acclaim from the likes of Gilles Peterson,
Jamie Cullum and Radio 3’s Late Junction, MOJO, BBC Music Magazine and
even BBC 6 Music.Your album personnel: Matthew Halsall (trumpet), Nat Birchall (tenor sax), Lisa Mallett (flute), Keiko Kitamura (koto), Rachael Gladwin (harp), Taz Modi (piano), Gavin Barras (bass), and Luke Flowers (drums). Mr Halsall never fails to impress. This is a tour de force of
understated but expressive brass work. Gondwana has all the hallmarks of
the spiritual jazz label for the now generation.
MATTHEW HALSALL THE GONDWANA ORCHESTRA
Grady Champion is an electrifying blues singer and harmonica virtuoso.
He has been compared to Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, Lionel
Ritchei, and Smokie Robinson. In 5 years folks will be comparing other
artists to Grady. His unique style and amazing voice leave audiences
stunned! Right now you can hear him everywhere. His new album “Dreamin’”
is making a lot of noise on Blues, R&B, Soul, and Roots charts
across America, in Europe, China, and Japan. In fact in August it was
the #1 album on Sirius XM's Bluesville. Grady has been nominated for two 2012 Blues Music Awards - Best Soul
Blues Album for "Dreamin'" and Song of the Year for "Thank You For
Giving Me The Blues". Grady has won the 2011 Best Down Home Blues Song for "Make That Monkey
Jump" by Blues Critic and was runnerup to Bobby Rush for Best Soul Blues
Album for "Dreamin'"The 2010 International Blues Challenge winner is accompanied by one of
the best young blues bands in America. Grady and the band have had the
pleasure of playing on the Legendary Blues Cruise, the Portland
Waterfront Blues Festival, and in the Chicago Blues Festival 3 times.
His powerful, soulful and raspy voice is simply soul stirring. He is a
master of mood and emotions and connects with his audience like no one
else. In the world of great musicians, Grady singles himself out as an
ENTERTAINER who is already a legendary musician. Walking out amongst the
fans during solo sections with a wireless yet nostalgic microphone and a
dozen harmonicas belted to him, Grady delivers a shock to folks that
makes them jump on their feet, stand on their seats, and shake their
money makers! Grady is the youngest of 28 children. He was raised on a little country
farm outside of Canton Mississippi. His life is a picture of hard work;
first as a fighter, then as a rapper, then a producer, and now knocking
out around 180 shows a year, Grady is no stranger to living the BLUES.
Being fueled by faith, a loving family, integrity, clean living, talent,
and an undying love for Blues music – Grady Champion and his band are
poised to be the torchbearers for the Blues for decades to come. GRADY CHAMPION
The composer, singer and flutist Tamara Obrovac is one of the most
impressive artists on the Croatian music scene.
Her unique musical expression which blends contemporary jazz with
particular musical and dialectal tradition from her homeland
Istria, North Adriatic peninsula, brought here international
recognition.
She published 7 author CD-s and through her albums, Tamara
profiles her own auctorial approach and creates a unique artistic form;
her music, completely original and autochthonous, goes beyond
time and geographical boundaries, thus becoming a universal artistic
message, establishing Tamara Obrovac as an exceptional artist who
managed to create her own unique musical expression. In addition to her international concert activities she composes music
for theater and film, and she has received many awards for her work;
among the others 9 Porin awards (Croatian's Grammy), and she was
nominated for BBC Radio 3 World Music awards (European music and
Audience Award).
With her distinctive musical expression, excellent bands and passionate
live performances suffused with spontaneity, inventive improvisation,
freedom, humor and the ability to communicate with the audience, she has
become increasingly more present and recognized on the International
musical stage.
She writes here own lyrics and sings on endangered Slavic and
Romanic Istrian dialects, and her passionate voice is equally impressive
both when she sings lyrics and performs a vocalize, thus turning it
into an additional instrument.
With the release of her second CD „ULIKA" in 1998, named afterTamara’s
grandmother, quartet presented for the first time Tamara's fresh way of
thinking and composing which combines inspiration by the local Istrian
music and dialect with the universal jazz expression.
The reunion of the quartet at summer 2011 gave life to new/old
project (ULIKA revival”), establishing new creativity with
re-interpretations of old composition from a more mature artistic
prospective. The re-found joy of making music together, expressed through virtuoso
playing, unlimited freedom of expression, humor and improvisation,
characteristic of all members of the quartet, and their latest
performances proved again that music of Tamara Obrovac quartet reaches
further then the constricted borders of musical classification,
spreading the spirit and passion of the Mediterranean region over
geographic and musical boundaries.
The project started with successful Croatian/Slovenian concert tour in
February 2012. folowed by further concert promotion in Luneburg (DE)
Novi Sad (SRB) and Labin (CRO), Jazzahead Bremen, (DE) Jazz au Chellah
(MAR) and CD „ULIKA revival" will be released in June 2013. for Swiss
label “Unit records”.
International recognition came also through the nomination for the BBC Radio 3 World
musicAwards 2004 (European Music and Audience Award).TAMARA OBROVAC
With accomplished musicianship and a great sense of deep groove,
virtuoso drummer Patrick Charles music is both visual and cerebral. His
debut CD , Cite Soleil, present an artist of far-reaching vision and
versatility. Release on his soleil label, Cite soleil brings Patrick
Charles center stage as a composer, producer and band leader. Featuring a
stellar cast of LA studio players and world class jazz artist, such as
Everette Harp of George Duke and Anita Baker, Wayne Linsey of Miles
Davis. Kevin Toney a two time Grammy nominated pianist and composer and a
renown solo recording artist he has also performed with blackbyrds
Aretha Franklin and more , and MoJazz recording artist and Trumpeter
Johnny Britt .Cite Soleil showcases Patrick’s own original compositions
and retells hits from legendary artist like sting and seal through the
language of jazz . But it was upon hearing the news of his sister’s
passing that Patrick began to focus on the core material for the album.
”My siter was always an encouraging and supporting force in my life;’
Charlene,’ the last composition on the CD, is dedicated to her. Born in
Port-au-Prince Haiti and raised in East Orange New Jersey, Patrick
Charles owes his musical awakening during middle school to the trumpet.
But the drums quickly chose him, fueled by the love and respect for
all genres and styles of music and the emerging culture of Hip-Hop,
Music became Patrick’s calling card, Strangely enough, his first
encounter with jazz happened by chance.”I found a pile of jazz records
in an abandoned building in the neighborhood; in that pile was Miles
Davis Tutu,’ I was so taken by the album cover, I picked up the record,
I’ve been hooked ever since.” Patrick Charles started to gig
professionally during high school, during which time he became the
regular drummer at the famous Perpermint lounged in his hometown of East
Orange NJ, nightly guess artist appearances includes the legendary Lou
Rawls, Chaka kahn, Berry White, and now famed Hip Hop artist Naughty by
Nature and Queen Latifah. After high school, Patrick set his eyes on the
famed Berklee College of music in Boston, while attending Berklee,
Patrick Charles performed with esteem professor Carolyn Wilkins and her
group the spirit jazz Quartet regularly in the Boston and New York area,
in Los Angeles his work as a freelance drummer has brought him acclaim
from studio and live performances with such artist as blues legend Linda
Hopkins, funk and soul songstress Maxayn Lewis and Teena Marie, and
performance with his Group PCMG, in National and international venues
such as Kannai Hall for the Prestigious Yokohama Jazz festival,Tokyo
Sumida Jazz festival, the House of blues LA, Salt lake city jazz
festival, Currently a Los Angeles Arts commission Artist, Patrick has
performed for Nakaoka Jazz festival and the1st annual universal citywalk
jazz festival.The Namm Show, Viper Room LA, Blue note Kyoto Japan,
Cotton club Shanghai China, Commerce casino jazz&blues summer nights
festival series, Pachanga casino, The Roxy LA, Catalina Jazz club,and
MGM hotel Las Vegas to name a few, Patrick Charles television and movie
appearances have include hit television shows Boston legal, Melrose
Place, comedy central band, BET Jazz and Screen Media films "Crazy" the
life of famed Jazz guitarist Hank Garland,Patrick Charles is endorsed
by Exodus Cymbals. PATRICK CHARLES
On You Asked For It—Live!, harmonica giant, songwriter, vocalist and
Blues Music Award winner Rick Estrin, along with The Nightcats—
jaw-dropping guitarist Chris “Kid” Andersen, singing drummer J. Hansen
and dynamic multi-instrumentalist Lorenzo Farrell (electric and acoustic
bass, organ and Moog synthesizer)—serve up innovative, rollicking
contemporary blues. The original songs are all injected with a solid
dose of gritty roadhouse rock ‘n’ roll and Estrin’s trademark
philosophical wiseguy humor. Since the release of their celebrated
Alligator Records albums Twisted in 2009 and One Wrong Turn in 2012, the
band has toured non-stop, sharpening their musical skills to a razor’s
edge. The band is known as one of the most dynamic and exciting live
acts in the blues today. Their sound, while steeped in the blues
tradition, continues to push the genre into new territory.You Asked For It...Live! was recorded on October 5, 2013, (Estrin's
birthday) at San Francisco’s Biscuits & Blues. According to Estrin,
“Cutting loose and stretching out in an intimate, nightclub-type setting
is the natural environment for the Nightcats to kick maximum ass. The
fact that it was my birthday, in the town where I was born and raised,
only added more fuel to the fire.”You Asked For It...Live! has the immediacy, feel and fun of a true Rick
Estrin & The Nightcats performance. “No matter how much fun we have
and how relaxed we can be in the studio, there’s still nothing like
being in front of, and interacting with, our live audience,” Estrin
says. The album features some of Rick Estrin’s best-loved and
most-requested songs, dating back to his days as lead singer, songwriter
and harmonica player of Little Charlie & The Nightcats (featuring
Little Charlie Baty on guitar). The album is an up-to-the-minute and
totally accessible slice of original, wry and witty blues with a
simmering, funky rock edge fueled by Andersen’s blazing genre-hopping
guitar and Farrell’s and Hansen’s dazzling keyboard and rhythm work. One
listen makes it clear that this is a group comprised of four
world-class musicians, who together form one of the tightest and most
original bands in any genre. RICK ESTRIN AND THE NIGHTCATS
Dylan Howe is an acclaimed drummer and bandleader, whose versatility and
swing has led him to work in many genres and formats for the past 25
years.Best known for leading his quintet and other jazz groups since 2002 and
his tenures with Ian Dury and the Blockheads (1997-2010), Steve
Howe and Wilko
Johnson (2010-2013), coupled with extensive session work
since 1990, playing with Nick Cave, Damon Albarn, Ray Davies, Paul
McCartney, David Gilmour, Beth Gibbons, Gabrielle and Hugh Cornwell
amongst many others.In February Dylan was asked to perform at Rest Is Noise Festival at the
Southbank Centre with a special quartet lineup of his Stravinsky
adaptations with co-leader Will Butterworth.In February and March he toured extensively with Wilko Johnson for his
sold out farewell tour (also filmed for an imminent live DVD release).May-July comprised of gigs with Andy Sheppard and Denny Illet with their
new group, as well sold out Summer festival sets with Wilko Johnson
(including two upcoming shows at Japan’s Fuji Rock). DYLAN HOWE
Lynn Drury has been performing, in one arena or another, her entire life. At the ripe old age of five she won a 4-H state competition in Mississippi in pole bending. If you don’t know what pole bending is, it’s a little like barrel racing, Lynn says. That’s horse talk. In a word, rodeos. Once you know that much about Lynn, you understand her approach.She picked up the guitar at 26, went at it like a pro, and she’s never stopped working. Her inspiration is her environment and since the mid nineties, that environment has been New Orleans. The transition for the Yazoo City – born Drury was smooth. She says jasmine smells like honeysuckle, and you believe her. Sultry, sweet songs turn funky, and it’s all in the same neighborhood.These days, Lynn herself is part of the scenery. She’s been a regular at French Quarter Fest and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for years, and has played just about everywhere in town.Drury released her first CD, “Crossing Frequencies,” in 2001 and over the next two years released two more — “Blackberry Winter” and “Spun,” as well as winning Best Emerging Singer/Songwriter for Offbeat Magazine. In 2006 her record “All You Need” produced by Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers) was nominated for Best Roots-Rock Album at the Big Easy Awards, and it’s still selling. In 2008 Lynn moved to Italy and toured Europe with Italian guitarist Roberto Luti, releasing “Dal Vivo,” a live CD in 2009.In 2010 a grant from Threadhead Records Foundation assisted Lynn in making “Sugar On the Floor.” The stellar lineup on the record includes Alex McMurray (Tin Men, Royal Fingerbowl), Tommy Malone (Subdudes), Ivan Neville, Helen Gillet, Bill Malchow, and Eric Traub. Produced by Carlo Nuccio (who also plays drums on the album), much of the disc was recorded and engineered by Jacques DeLatour at Fudge Recording Studios in New Orleans. “Sugar On the Floor” was released in the spring of 2011.A new recording project is underway. In December 2012, Lynn received another grant from the Threadhead Foundation, and was able to defray studio costs for the initial sessions.“I am so excited about my new recording,” Lynn says. I am working with producer John Porter. When I heard he had produced the early Smith’s records, I knew I had to work with him. I’ve been gritty and I’ve been twangy, but I wanted a new direction for this project. Intuitively, it just felt right.”Drummer Chris Pylant and bass player Cassandra Faulconer are with her in the studio, and they go back a long way. “The three of us together are a tight trio that only comes with time.” The first session in April also included Trevor Brooks on keys and Chris Adkins and Alex McMurray on guitars, with a follow-up session just finished with Shane Theriot on guitar. Scheduled release is February 2014 with a European Tour slated for Nov 2013. Catch her if you can. LYNN DRURY
