I formerly played with Candye Kane, Earl Thomas, Freddie Brooks, &
Thomas Yearsley of the Paladins and I have been running my own band
since 1999. My usual outfit is a 4-piece (guitar, bass, & drums with
either piano or harmonica), but I also put together intimate acoustic
duos and large 6- or 8-piece bands. It has always been by goal to
provide a traditional, but high-energy electric blues show.Check out this insane show that Aki Kumar is putting on! I'm so
grateful to be a part of the opening act backing up Alabama Mike with
Kid Andersen! Then we get to watch & hear Kim Wilson with Chicago
heavyweights Billy Flynn and Barrelhouse Chuck, backed by Larry Taylor
(Canned Heat, Tom Waits, John Mayall) on bass and Richard Innes
(Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bacon Fat) on drums.This music was recorded, engineered, and mastered by Kid Andersen at
Greaseland in San Jose, California in September & October of 2014.
KYLE JESTER
Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas (home to blues legends Big Bill Broonzy
and Cedell Davis), Dave Sadler began playing guitar at the age of
twelve. Coming from a musical household, that includes a distant
relationship to Johnny Cash, a grandfather who was an amateur minstrel
singer, and a mother who was a piano teacher - it is no small surprise
that Dave continued the musical journey.
Growing up on the edge of the Delta, blues inspired music surrounded
Sadler. Where a typical kid might have been found listening to the
latest top 40 rock hit, Dave, a self-taught musician who plays by ear,
would often be found locked away in his room listening to the likes of
B.B. King and Elmore James, trying to emulate their playing styles.
Also heavily influenced by modern players such as Eric Clapton, Robert
Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughn and others, Dave's playing style is a blend of
blues, rock, jazz and funk, utilizing both electric and acoustic
guitars.
"I have always had a passion for blues, blues/rock and jazz. These
genres seem to influence most everything I play, compose and record",
Dave says.
Dave Sadler is affiliated with BMI as a songwriter/composer publishing
and recording for the independent label, BluezArt Records. DAVE SADLER
Going your own way means living with without the certainty of safe
choices, until you get where you’ve been going. It’s been a long and
crooked road, but with her transformative new release, I’m Changing,
Lisa Mills has gotten there.Mills’ 2010 album, Tempered in Fire, won her an enviable degree of
success: Growing fan bases on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and
critical acclaim from observers in the United States and the United
Kingdom. Graham Rhodes, writing for U.K. music site Blues in the
Northwest, described her as “a full-throated female Otis Redding, with
some Muscle Shoals soul and Nashville country touches for good measure.”
A Nashville Blues Society review praised her “unique vocal ability to
make one feel the good times and bad times in every song,” comparing her
to Lucinda Williams.The next step was obvious: Give ‘em more of the same. Take a safe
half-step forward. Put out some fresh songs, and stick to the proven
recipe. But Mills decided that the way to advance was to take a step
back and reconsider the past. Specifically, to melt down her 2005 album,
I’m Changing, and recast it as a more pure expression of her artistic
desires and capabilities.
Was this a crazy thing to do? Two facts suggest that it was not.
Firstly, her fans backed an ambitious Kickstarter drive for the project,
pledging more than $30,000. Secondly, Mills put the project in the
hands of groundbreaking producer Trina Shoemaker. Shoemaker is the first
woman to win the Grammy Award for album engineering; in fact, she’s
shared in three for her work on albums by Sheryl Crow and Steven Curtis
Chapman. She’s worked on albums or singles by Beth Nielsen Chapman, the
Dixie Chicks, Andrew Duhon, Dylan LeBlanc, the Indigo Girls and other
artists of note.The results, on the re-recorded, re-engineered, reconsidered I’m Changing, are explosive.Mills is a Mississippi native who resides in Mobile, Alabama. The
Gulf Coast is a region where Southern musical influences that easily can
be taken for granted come together in ways that can’t. Yes, Mills often
sings the blues – but to call her a blues singer would be to miss the
point entirely. Her blues influences aren’t always the ones would
expect, including a healthy measure of country blues, a sadly neglected
genre. She can sing straight-up gospel, as she does in daringly a
cappella fashion on “Tell Me.” She has toured with Big Brother & The
Holding Company, singing the songs of one of rock’s most revered female
vocalists, and her understanding of Janis Joplin’s gifts is far more
insightful than the superficial norm. Just listen to the fragile balance
of vulnerability and indomitability she brings to “Better Than This.”The project was a major undertaking that brought back together almost
all the musicians involved in the original 2005 recording sessions and
added John Milham on drums. The returning players included U.K. bassist
Ian Jennings; the plane ticket was worth it just for the blend of his
upright bass and Corky Hughes’ resonator slide work on “Wish I Was in
Heaven.”You can call Lisa Mills a blues singer, or a gospel singer, or a
torch singer or an R&B singer and not be wrong. But with Mills, none
of those labels are true in the way you expect. Listen to “I Don’t Want
To Be Happy,” when she sings: “Act a fool/ it’s all I ever do/ take
each like you make and believe it to be true/ and I kneel at the altar
in the church of the painful truth/ I don’t want to be happy/ I just
want to be with you.” Listen to the way the deceptively simple
arrangement surrounds the raw vocal like the setting of a jewel; hear
the way Shoemaker lets it breathe. Listen to the way Mills’ vocal on the
title track conveys tenderness and power at the same time. Listen to
the rhythm of “Shake It” the soft beats like stalking footfalls. Listen
to her deep-blues take on “Little Wing.” You’ve heard the song before,
but you’ve never felt it send shivers up and down your spine like this. LISA MILLS
After his mother gave him his first 4-string as a youngster, California
based veteran bass player Mitchell “Mitch” Coleman (a native of Cuba,
AL) spent most of his time practicing and evolving his technique,
eventually developing a unique style all his own. Even as a teen,
Coleman had been enthused and motivated by the artistry and skillfulness
of trumpeter Miles Davis and renowned bassists Marcus Miller, Stanley
Clarke, Mark Adams (founder of funk band Slave), Louis “Thunder Thumbs”
Johnson, and former Sly and the Family Stone alum and “Father of the
Thump” Larry Graham. But it was jazz-fusion virtuoso Jaco Pastorius who
influenced him the most. Jaco’s take-no-prisoners style inspired him to
remove all self-imposed limitations, while exploring the endless
possibilities his instrument presented. With such stellar role models to pull from, it’s no surprise that
Coleman’s love of funk, jazz and contemporary music continued to grow,
and he began to seriously hone his skills by performing live with local
groups while attending high school. He joined the United States Air
Force in 1985, and, after winning his first talent showcase for solo
performance, toured with the ‘Tops in Blue’ band. (He continues to work
closely with the ‘Air Force Showcase’ and the ‘Best of Talent’ show to
this day.) While stationed in Rome, NY, Coleman studied with local jazz
greats like Rick Montelbano (musical director for the late Lou Rawls),
and George Sessum (the Cabo Frio band). Ultimately settling in Los
Angeles in 1990, Coleman immersed himself in the city’s thriving music
scene, doing session work with other local musicians, while primarily
collaborating with producers Cario Johnson and Herman “Hollywood”
Dawkins. With the release of his first solo effort, “Soul Searching,” an
instrumental jazz/funk fusion collection that interweaves music inspired
by his much admired influences, Coleman has fulfilled a lifelong dream
of creating the music he hears in his heart and feels in his soul - and
sharing it with the world. The disc, independently released on Soul
Revelations Records, features some of L.A.’s funkiest players: his
long-time collaborator and “Soul Searching” co-producer, Hollywood
(pulling triple-duty on piano and vocals), Deron Johnson (formerly with
Miles Davis) is also on keyboards, Kayta Matsuno and Sean Fabian are on
guitar, Tim Anderson and Sal Avila are on saxophones, while industry
veterans and sisters, Pam and Joyce Vincent (formerly of Tony Orlando
and Dawn) and Jim Gilstrap (the “Good Times” TV show theme song singer)
perform background vocals along with newcomers Sean Thomas and Nodesha.
MITCHELL COLEMAN JR.
For years, our children have loved the poetry and stories of Shel
Silverstein, and my wife and I have been deeply moved by the "grownup"
messages that are delivered in ways that are equally meaningful to our
children. It occurred to me that the meter, spirit, and imagery (both
implied and brilliantly drawn) of these works were perfect foils for
musical inspiration. The first compositions were completed in the winter
of 2012-13, and I finished the last few in May of 2014. A few words
about each of the tunes (leadsheets of which will download for you in
PDF format):
Lester (The Wish-Waster) – Lester is a character who receives wishes
from a genie, and proceeds to use them to wish for more wishes, becoming
greedier and greedier but yet never actually accumulating anything. The
melodic fragments repeat and pile up on top of one another as the tune
rolls along, eventually ending with Lester’s dissonant demise, with
nothing to show for it. One of Lester Young’s favorite vehicles, “Oh,
Lady Be Good," provides a loose framework.
The Long-Haired Boy – This anti-bullying parable touches me deeply. The
song represents the boy’s long hair lifting him into the sky, and
helping him soar up and down amongst the clouds, finally bidding a
not-so-fond farewell to the townspeople who tormented him, and then
wanted him to be their friend once they discovered he can fly.
Ourchestra – Just a go-get-em, burnout-type tune. The poem is about
people playing a bunch of wild-sounding, body-part instruments, and the
crazy band they make up.
CHAD EBY QUARTET
In October 2012, vocalist Chelsea Reed brought five of her friends
together to play some tunes in a South Philly dining room. Secretly, her
plan was to form a band that played for swing dancers, so she could
finally have the chance to sing her favorite songs for an audience that
loved early jazz as much as she did. Since that fateful afternoon, those
unsuspecting handsome men have comprised the Fair Weather Five: Noah
Hocker on trumpet, Chris Oatts on saxophone, Jake Kelberman on guitar,
Joe Plowman on bass, and Austin Wagner behind the drums.Now, over a year later, Chelsea Reed and the Fair Weather Five are at
home at swing dances, jazz clubs and concert halls alike. They have
played renowned Philadelphia venues like the Kimmel Center and World
Cafe Live in addition to touring around the country in a trusty blue
van. They love exploring the roots of jazz and finding creative ways to
interpret forgotten songs. Drawing upon the influence of artists such as
Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, Chelsea
Reed and the Fair Weather Five bring the intensity and passion of early
jazz to every stage they play to put on one heck of a show. CHELSEA REED AND THE FAIR WEATHER FIVE
Heavy
Water, performed by Fo’Reel includes an all-star performance by C.P.
Love, legendary New Orleans soul singer; Johnny Neel, Grammy Award
winning keyboardist; Jon Smith, renowned tenor saxophonist; Rick Lawson,
singer songwriter; Daryl Burgess, drums; Allyn Robinson, drums; David
Hyde, Bass; Ward Smith, baritone sax; Barney Floyd, trumpet; Mark
Domizio, guitarist and creator of the project.Heavy
Water is a high energy blend of Contemporary Blues that includes a lot
of funky grooves that will make you want to move. Every song on the CD
is a joy to hear, the vocals are passionate, the guitar playing is deep
and full of emotion and the keyboard and horns are a driving force to
the overall distinctive style and sound. Anyone who enjoys strong
driven, energy filled music will love this CD. It not only embraces
traditional Blues, but it hits the listener with a variety of
interesting styles like Swing, Funk, R&B and a Latin tinged Rumba. FO' REEL BAND
The Gravel Project is a Boston based band with a sound that spans
multiple genres, including modern blues, funk, and rock. Having played
to packed rooms at various clubs throughout Greater Boston, including
The Middle East, Church, Tommy Doyles (former House of Blues), in
addition to a residency at The Savant Project, The Gravel Project
electrifies crowds with both inventive original songs and creative
interpretations of well known classics. With the release of More Ways
Than One, the band’s first full-length album, The Gravel Project has
taken great strides to further define and solidify their musical style.
The breadth of material on the album is both impressive and expansive,
spanning everything from the smoldering Muscle Shoals soul groove of
Dollar Bill, to the eccentric back-beat driven Lost, and the infectious
funk-based arrangement of The Beatles I’ll Cry Instead.The Gravel Project is the brainchild of guitarist/singer/songwriter,
Andrew Gravel. Though a Boston native, Gravel lived in both England and
Australia for three years. While abroad, Gravel was a first-call
guitarist for a number of well known acts on the London blues circuit,
which led to tours throughout Europe and Australia. After relocating
back to the US, Gravel was the guitarist for the legendary Martha’s
Vineyard based Entrain before forming The Gravel Project. Marking a milestone event for the band, and demonstrating an inspired
growth in their songwriting and stylistic definition, the release of
More Ways Than One speaks to music lovers of many stripes and colors,
garnering new, enthusiastic fans with each listen. Drawing on influences
from the danceable grooves of bands like The Meters, the raw soul of
B.B. King, the psychedelic ambition of The Allman Brothers, and the jazz
complexities of John Scofield, The Gravel Project pushes funk and blues
into fresh new territory, while maintaining a strong connection with
the roots.
THE GRAVEL PROJECT
Joshua Howell started
playing harmonica when he was 14, and by 17, he was sitting with many
of the San Francisco Bay Area's blues bands. He quickly became the
desired house harmonica player in clubs such as Eli's Mile High and Your
Place Too, though his under-age status limited his exposure to only
those clubs that could circumvent the age restrictions. During this
period, he took up guitar, intently focused on learning the techniques
of the Mississippi greats such as Fred McDowell, Bukka White, Robert
Johnson and RL Burnside. While living in Santa Cruz, Joshua pursued a
successful career in guitar making, developing the Howell & Forsyth
Guitar Company. Though he continued to focus on playing music and
gigging locally, music as a profession took a back seat to lutherie. It
wasn't until he moved to Thailand that he dedicated himself entirely to
musicianship, taking on over 15 gigs a week as a solo artist. After
three years playing professionally in Thailand's mountainous north,
Joshua returned to the U.S. and continued to perform in the San
Francisco Bay Area. When he crossed paths with drummer and percussionist
Pete Devine, they recognized their similar influences and musical
sensibilities. Their common approach effortlessly generated a powerhouse
combo of inspired and unaffected blues. HOWELLDEVINE
