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Blues Rock trio from Sweden. Traci's love for the blues began at an early age when he heard one of the Led Zeppelin albums on the radio, he persuaded his uncle to give him his old guitar and give him some lessons, since then he and his guitar have been inseparable. He was a participant in some projects, and after meeting Anna Skoglund and creating a group, the debut album was not long in coming.
Lazy Lester To Be Inducted Into The Blues Hall of Fame
Have a look here at the 2012 inductees, as announced by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, the governing body of the Blues Hall of Fame. Other inductees include Billy Boy Arnold - another legend who's played our annual Blues Masters at the Crossroads at Blue Heaven Studios - Mike Bloomfield, Buddy and Ella Johnson, Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, Matt "Guitar" Murphy and Allen Toussaint. The induction ceremony will be May 9 in Memphis.
Back when blues was king and South Louisiana was the breeding ground for a blast of some of the most memorable American music ever recorded, at the heart of it was Lazy Lester. Those days are gone, and so too are most of its luminaries. And yet Lester carries the tradition almost single-handedly around the world several times over each year. As a true living legend, his talents are as much in demand as ever. After all, there aren’t many living bluesmen who’ve had major hits, as Lester did on Excello Records in the 1950s and ‘60s, and are still performing with the gusto and precision of their youth.
Leslie Johnson was born June 20, 1933 in the small town of Torras, Louisiana, near the Mississippi state border to Robert Johnson and Maggie Hartford. He was raised mostly in Scotlandville, a suburb of Baton Rouge. As a boy, he worked as a gas station attendant, woodcutter and at a grocery story, where he purchased a harmonica and Little Walter’s famous “Juke” record. Lester began to blow harp, and in a relatively short time became somewhat proficient. One of his brothers had a guitar, which Lester also had learned to strum. He credits Jimmy Reed and Little Walter as his main blues influences, and you can easily hear Reed’s vocal style in Lester’s singing. But Lester isn’t shy about telling anyone that his first love was and still is country – the real, traditional kind. He got hooked early on Jimmie Rogers.
In his late teens, Lester joined his first ever band, a group called the Rhythm Rockers that included Big John Jackson on guitar, Sonny Martin on piano and Eddie Hudson as singer. Lester blew harp. The group played primarily high school dances, and Lester also began to sit in with Guitar Gable’s band on club gigs.
It was in the mid-1950s, on a bus, that fate turned Lester’s way, and the roots to what would become classic music began to grow. As Lester tells it, he was living in Rayne, Louisiana, at the time and was on the bus riding home. Lightnin’ Slim, who was already an established recording artist, was also on the bus and was headed to Crowley to cut a record at Jay Miller’s Studio, where so much of the material for the Nashville-based Excello Records was being recorded. Since Crowley was just seven miles further than Rayne and because Lester had a serious itch to be around big-time music making, Lester decided to stay on the bus and accompany Slim to the studio. When they got there, the scheduled harp player, Wild Bill Phillips, didn’t show for the session. Lester told Slim that he had actually played with Slim’s band and thought he could handle the harp parts for the session. Remarkably, Slim and Miller gave Lester that chance, and he did not disappoint. A classic pairing was born, and Lester became a mainstay on Slim’s Excello recordings and his gigs. He’d follow Slim’s guitar licks with short, stabbing solos after Slim’s trademark prodding of, “Blow your harmonica, son.”
Producer Jay Miller was impressed by Lester’s work with Lightnin’ Slim, and in 1957 Lester debuted as a lead artist on Excello, recording “I’m Gonna Leave You Baby” backed with the instrumental “Lester’s Stomp” with accompaniment from Guitar Gable’s band, which included Gable’s brother Yank on bass and Clarence “Jockey” Etienne on drums. Before the record’s release, Miller had decided that “Lazy Lester” had more of a ring to it than “Lester Johnson.” Miller is said to have come up the nickname based on Lester’s slow, lazy style of talking. And as Lester’s said, “I was never in a hurry to do nothing.” In any case, the name’s stuck for almost 50 years now.
Lester’s first legitimate hits came in 1958 with the release of “I’m A Lover Not A Fighter” backed with “Sugar Coated Love.” Those two songs established Lester as a star. Record buyers went gaga when they heard that nasal-pitched voice and the harp work that imitated the voice note for note. The arrangements were tight yet still sounded homemade or organic. There was a rhythmic edge to the sound – something that we now know as the “Excello Sound.” These songs went as far as any others in establishing that association.
Jay Miller, who wrote the songs along with much of the Excello output, realized quickly that Lazy Lester was a perfect vehicle for his budding vision, and the two collaborated on many great songs and arrangements to come.
Lester hit again with the follow-up record, “I Hear You Knockin’”/“Through The Goodness of My Heart,” which featured a young Warren Storm on drums. Storm would go on to become a major Excello artist himself.
For almost a decade, Lester remained as a regular Excello artist. Other notable songs from his 15 records for the company include “You Got Me Where You Want Me,” “Patrol Blues,” “Whoa Now,” “If You Think I’ve Lost You,” “The Same Thing Could Happen To You” and “Pondarosa Stomp.”
Lester was a constant in Miller’s studio, serving in the role of accompanying musician and arranger when he wasn’t the lead artist himself. Lester did everything. He sang. He played the harp. He played the guitar. And he provided every conceivable kind of percussion from actual drums to whacking on cardboard boxes, wood blocks or saddles, tapping newspapers in his lap, or even banging on walls. All told, he played on sessions for Lightnin’ Slim, Slim Harpo, Katie Webster, Lonesome Sundown, Whispering Smith, Silas Hogan, Henry Gray, Tabby Thomas, Nathan Abshire, Johnny Jano and many, many others.
Excello was more than just a blues label, and Lester’s innate talents served every type of session Miller produced, including Cajun, country, swamp pop, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and blues. As Lester tells it, he knew the country music better than the guys who showed up to play it. But initially Miller wouldn’t allow Lester to perform on those sessions, believing that country was “white” music and having a black man on the record would hurt its sales. “That’s when I was ‘Colored,’” Lester likes to joke, poking fun at the changing labels for minorities through the years. Lester would teach the white country artists how to play the songs before they rolled tape. Finally, it got to the point where some of the country artists said to Miller, “Why don’t you just let Lester play on the song? He knows it better than any of us.” Lester still loves country and includes in all of his performances beautiful renditions of standards by Jimmie Rogers and Hank Williams.
Through all of his influences and associations, Lester’s crafted a style as unique as his nickname. He calls it “swamp blues,” and it’s a mixture of blues, swamp pop and classic country. Lester says it’s a “down home” music without the additions and subtractions that other more urban-styled blues has included.
Lester called it quits with Excello and Miller around 1966 and worked various day jobs including road construction, trucking and lumberjacking. Around 1969, he moved to Chicago for a very brief stint.
In 1971, he reunited with his old buddy Lightnin’ Slim for a concert in Slim’s new hometown of Pontiac, Michigan. On the trip, Lester met Slim Harpo’s sister who also lived in Pontiac, and in 1975, he moved to Pontiac to be with her. After he moved, he retired from music. Like so many musicians, he’d tired of the garbage that can go with making your living as a performer. After a few years, he resumed some occasional playing with a few of the Detroit blues artists. Finally, in the late ‘80s, he began performing regularly and realized he was in significant demand. In 1987, he recorded Lazy Lester Rides Again for the Blue Horizon label in England. The record was released on Kingsnake in the U.S. and won a W.C. Handy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. In 1988, Alligator Records released Harp & Soul, further alerting the world that Lazy Lester was done resting. Since, he’s recorded two records for Antone’s, one direct-to-disc for APO Records and a 2011 release for Bluestown. All of his Excello material has been reissued by various labels, primarily in the United States and England.
Through the popularity of these recordings and as the Excello story has become the stuff of legend, Lazy Lester has enjoyed tremendous popularity worldwide. In 1998, he was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame. In 2004, he played at Radio City Music Hall in New York as part of Martin Scorsese’s Year of the Blues super concert that resulted in his Lightning In A Bottle documentary. The concert included what was perhaps the most impressive lineup of blues stars ever assembled.
Lester several years ago moved to Paradise, California, to be with his girlfriend, Pike. He regularly performs both as a solo artist (with acoustic guitar, rack harmonica and foot percussion) and as the front man with a band, playing either harmonica or guitar. He knows more jokes than many comedians, and he’ll almost always include a few in his performances. Talk to him off stage, and he’ll tell you quite a few more. He’s just one of the guys and goes about his business without any pretense or ego, always accessible to his fans. You’d be well advised to see him when he hits your town.
01 - Lazy Lester - I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter.flac
02 - Lazy Lester - Lester's Stomp.flac
03 - Lazy Lester - Go Ahead.flac
04 - Lazy Lester - I'm Gonna Leave You Baby.flac
05 - Lazy Lester - They Call Me Lazy.flac
06 - Lazy Lester - I Told My Little Woman.flac
07 - Lazy Lester - Tell Me Pretty Baby.flac
08 - Lazy Lester - Sugar Coated Love.flac
09 - Lazy Lester - I Hear You Knockin'.flac
10 - Lazy Lester - Through The Goodness Of My Heart.flac
11 - Lazy Lester - I Love You, I Need You.flac
12 - Lazy Lester - Late In The Evening.flac
13 - Lazy Lester - A Real Combination For Love.flac
14 - Lazy Lester - By Bye Baby, Gonna Call It Gone.flac
15 - Lazy Lester - You Got Me Where You Want Me.flac
16 - Lazy Lester - Patrol Blues.flac
17 - Lazy Lester - I'm So Glad.flac
18 - Lazy Lester - Whoa Now.flac
19 - Lazy Lester - If You Think I've Lost You.flac
Ethan Askey is an emerging singer-songwriter in the roots, blues and soul music landscape. Having served a long apprenticeship as sideman and studio session player, he’s performed from coast to coast to coast in Canada and is best known (as Shorty) in the RocknRoll Mountains. His harmonica-driven, original modern blues has roots, rockabilly, psychedelic, soul and Latin grooves.
This is an exciting project for me because I was finally able to assemble my dream team. Besides the recognizable and prolific talents of saxists Ernie Watts and Cory Weeds, I was able to gather my longtime friends and world-class musicians Miles Black (piano), Laurence Mollerup (bass), and Joel Fountain (drums). Adding to the proceedings are Mike Taylor (vocal) and Olaf deShield (guitar) on a couple of tunes.
Jazz is in my blood, and I am sure I will die clutching my horn to my chest. I've been on this path for most of my life, which really started in 3rd-grade summer band. That year we recorded a vinyl record as a fundraiser, and there the die was cast.
My music teachers were all working jazz musicians and somehow I absorbed the Jazz Spirit, and fueled the fire in my belly that stuck with me all these years. I didn’t choose jazz, it chose me.
As a preteen and teen I'd listen under the bedsheets to late night jazz broadcasts from New York, Chicago, and St Louis. By age 14 I was emulating what I had been hearing, playing semi-professionally in restaurants, lounges, and Battle of the Band competitions. After high school, I hit the road, performing throughout the Midwest playing mostly R&B, and getting my schooling from older musicians who were kind enough to take me under their collective wing. I started playing the flute around that time, searching for another sound to add to my creative toolbag, and I put in some serious time on both horns.
I had a good five year run as a seminal member of the award-winning Powder Blues, received gold and platinum album awards, and toured Europe, the US, and every nook and cranny of Canada.
Trumpeters are often one of the last to get hired, so I took matters into my own hands and began to develop bandleader and promotional skills to create what is now called a 'brand'.
My interest in audio, graphics and video developed alongside my musical skills, so recording projects became sort of a one-stop cottage industry for me to express myself without having to rely on major record labels and music managers. In the end, I developed a large catalog and I own all my master recordings, unlike many major label artists, whose product is unavailable or can't be promoted for contractual reasons. My discography includes two mainstream JazzWeek charting albums, but most have been contemporary jazz projects that have garnered quite a few Billboard hits. I always strive for strong, lyrical and succinct jazz content in whatever styles I pursue, and I choose sidemen that feel that way, too.
That brings me to the present. Although I spend most of my time in Vancouver, I also work out of Phoenix and New Orleans where I have residences. Arizona has a few pockets of jazz activity (and some great internet jazz station gurus), but the influence of the French Quarter in NOLA unleashed a previously untapped creative flow in my jazz vision, which is evident here.
Anyone who knows Duke's music, will immediately smile at the first few seconds of the opening track "Here I'm Is" from the new album 'They Called It Rhythm & Blues', available from Stony Plain Records.
It's that joyous jump-blues shuffle sound that Duke has been perfecting since the late 60s. Indeed, every song on this generous 18-song album is about the groove, master musicianship, great understated taste and a perfect band mix that always complements the pulse and the singer. Duke's guitar is at the centre and brings it all together.
For a lifetime Duke Robillard has been playing the jazzy corners of the blues. He was a founder of Roomful of Blues in the early 1970s, and replaced Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds in the 1990s and was a core member of the New Guitar Summit through the 2000s, in addition to releasing an astounding 37 albums on his own. He has won the W.C. Handy Award as Best Blues Guitarist an astounding four times, and been nominated for two Best Blues Album Grammy Awards. He is credited with taking the blues to a new level for multiple generations of blues guitarists.
Described by critics as a "Lord of the strings"- The Age (Michael Dwyer), "The Future of Jazz Composition"- Paul Williams (ASCAP), Quentin Angus is excited to release his next album "The State of Things". Angus describes this release as a reflection on the next stage of his career and life as a professor and father. Joined by a cast of incredible musicians including Michael Mayo (Voice and Lyrics), Can Olgun (Piano), Desmon White (Bass), and Nate Smith (Drums) they do their versions of popular songs such as "Pure Imagination" and "What a Wonderful World" along with originals such as Angus' "Broken Bones" and "Enigma".
"Vocally Lumsden is the quintessential blues man with a well lived whiskey soaked voice that oozes years of paying his dues and knowing just what he's all about in a world of want to be's. David's playing as a guitarist is virtuoso with a deft touch that borders on being out of this world"
'Let's Get Away' has Norman Brown's hit-making talents on full display. Featuring inspired original compositions such as the vibey '"LA Chill," the funk/blues tinged "Talk It Out," and the romantic tribute to Wes Montgomery, "Heading Wes". Norman tops it all off with a brilliant rendition of the classic "Down Here On The Ground!".
"Norman Brown is one of contemporary jazz' brightest lights - whole stirring fluidity makes magic... a monster player and improviser." - Allmusic
"... a culmination of Jimi Hendrix and George Benson with some Wes Montgomery thrown in."- Jazz Times
The title already says it all: This compilation is an album of instrumentals only, something that bandleader Tosho Todorovic has had on his to-do list for quite a long time. The album brings together 15 'songs without words' from the last 30 years of the band, which was founded in the German town of Osnabrück in the mid-1970s. And that also means that these songs, which were recorded either live or in the studio, reflect the history of the Blues Company and is various line-ups, with Tosho Todorovic and second guitarist and singer Mike Titré being the only two constant band members over all these years.
With three exceptions all of the songs were penned by Tosho Todorovic, but of course there is also a version of the Freddie King classic Hideaway, a long-time staple of the bands live repertoire.
Dee Snider, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Randy and Tal Bachman, Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Charlie Starr, Elliot Easton, Robby Krieger, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Eddie Ojeda, Marc Labelle, Mike Portnoy, Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones contribute performances celebrating Leslie West
When Leslie West passed away in December of 2020, he left behind a towering legacy of epic recordings that few rock guitarists can match. But there was more to West than great songs (although, to be sure, he created a ton of them); there was his brilliant, idiosyncratic sound, a gargantuan earth-mover that razed arenas and stadiums across the globe. More than just paralyzing tone, though, he also had a touch nobody could beat. It helped to make West one of the most significant, influential and irreplaceable guitarists of the rock era.
An astonishing array of West’s admirers – who also happened to be friends and peers – came together to celebrate the trailblazing musician. Check out the list below!
Diunna has one of those distinctive, powerfully emotive voices that just stops you in your tracks the first time you hear her. This dynamic and gifted singer from Houston has an absolutely amazing voice, full of soul, emotion, feeling, finesse, and strength! Even though Diunna is always winning or nominated for best traditional blues female singer of the year, this is remarkably her first album in over 10 years (since 2011’s highly acclaimed ‘Trying to Hold On’) and her first that was not self-released on her own Blue Mercy label.
Executive producer Noel Hayes excels in thoughtfully picking out killer songs from the past to fit the style of his favorite current singers, like Diunna.
This winning team of Noel with co-producer Jim Pugh and his Little Village record label and co-producer Kid Andersen and his Greaseland studio have helped to create magic again in the studio and unearthed a batch of buried treasure blues, soul, R&B, and gospel songs that perfectly match Diunna’s distinctive and expressive vocals.
In addition to the four outstanding originals from Diunna, many of these fascinating songs are from singers from her own home state of Texas, which she has transformed to make them all her own. Lone star state standouts are the funky “I Don’t Care” from Long John Hunter, the deep blues of “Let Me Cry” from Johnny Copeland, and “Damned If I Do” from the vastly underrated singer/songwriter Joe Medwick.
Diunna, with the help of Alabama Mike (one of our other favorite real deal blues singers of today) created a new version of a classic gospel song done by The Staples Singers, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” and they also killed it on a soulful country gospel duet, “When I Call Your Name” from Vince Gill. The head turning opening Koko Taylor track, “Never Trust A Man” is also available on YouTube where you can see how it was masterfully done at Greaseland with this all-star band of Kid, keyboardist Jim Pugh, drummer D’Mar and the legendary bassist, Jerry Jemmott, who “lays down the groove that could anchor the solar system!” “If It Wasn’t For the Blues” was one of Mighty Sam McClain’s favorite songs and it really says how Diunna feels, too, and “Answer To The Hard Working Woman” is a twist on Otis Clay’s hard funk soul song, where she flips the script. Be sure to check out one of the most meaningful, powerful songs that still resonates today, “Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” where she eerily channels Nina Simone; I don’t know anyone else but Diunna who can pull this off so well.
Underrated and overlooked blues guitar veteran Larry McCray finally gets his due with the help of rockstar producer team Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith. After growing up with his incredible talent Joe and Josh felt it was time for the world to discover this Bay City, Michigan gem. With 11 original tracks (plus 1 cover) this new album showcases Larry's powerhouse, soulful vocals,blazing guitar playing, and amazing songwriting. Blues-Rock stars Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes and Joanna Connor all lend their fiery guitar solos as featured guests.
'I Got Love' was produced by Gulf Coast Records guitarist and co-owner Mike Zito and features a stellar cast of musicians backing Albert Castiglia (guitar and vocals): Justine Tompkins (bass and vocals); Ephraim Lowell (drums and vocals) and Lewis Stephens (Hammond B3 organ and piano).
The new album, which showcases 11 blistering, blues-drenched tracks, is a personal and powerful statement from Castiglia. "'I Got Love' is a musical essay documenting the last two years of my life: two years of many highs and lows," Castiglia offers. "It's about falling, failing, adapting, reinventing, surviving and becoming triumphant. It contains musings of an unemployed man, a covid-stricken idiot and getting through it like Andy Dufresne in 'The Shawshank Redemption.' The blues and blues-infused music is rooted in truth. "This album is my truth. To ignore the events of the past two years (the covid era) and write about anything else would not be my truth. I went through it all - loss, depression, illness, fear of the unknown. I know I couldn't have been the only one that went through it. This collection of songs is for those who felt like I did. It's for those who went down fighting and those who keep on fighting. For many of us in my profession and in the gig economy, this was our great depression. Some of us are doing well and some of us are still trying to find solid ground."
05. Darren Rahn - Weekend Flow (feat. Brian Bromberg)
06. Darren Rahn - Midnight Sun (Extended Version)
07. Darren Rahn - The Perfect Storm (feat. Dave Koz, Najee & Everette Harp)
08. Darren Rahn - Caught Up In You (feat. Brian Culbertson)
09. Darren Rahn - Moxified (Extended Version)
10. Darren Rahn - Funky D
11. Darren Rahn - Infinite Love (Extended Version)
12. Darren Rahn - Everlasting
With multiple GRAMMY nominations over the past 14 years as an artist, producer and mixing engineer, Darren Rahn has become urban jazz’s premiere sonic architect – the “go-to” guy for established genre greats and up and comers looking for their next sure-fire hit.
After launching his career producing, engineering and mixing for local Denver area artists starting in the late 90s, Darren became the ultimate urban jazz hyphenate as an artist/producer in the 2000s, following his success with Wayman Tisdale (which included the #1 hit remake of “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now”) with behind the scenes roles as producer, composer, arranger and/or mix engineer for music on five Dave Koz projects (Greatest Hits, Hello Tomorrow, Summer Horns, Gifts Of The Season, and A New Day ).
Over the years, as his detail-oriented sonic excellence led to more and more hit recordings, his resume has grown to include everyone from Toby Keith, Jonathan Butler and Najee to Bob James, Rick Braun, Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Jeff Lorber, Kirk Franklin, Jonathan Fritzen, Julian Vaughn, Blake Aaron, Lebron, Riley Richard and the late Nick Colionne.
Reaching yet another creative milestone in a dual career as an artist/producer that has earned him 26 #1 Billboard singles and multiple Grammy nominations, Darren Rahn’s highly anticipated new full length album Rock The World offers a message of love, faith, and hope through music in these challenging times.
Sugaray Rayford returns with In Too Deep - following up to his 2020 Grammy® nominated Somebody Save Me, an album which also earned Rayford two major Blues Music Awards for B.B. King Entertainer and Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year (2 straight years).
Combining classic soul melodies with funky R & B grooves, raw blues power and mashed up with modern sensibilities, the album takes on social issues, such as, PTSD, civil rights and social justice. With vibrantly detailed arrangements tailored to showcase Rayford's deft portrayals and interpretations, In Too Deep is a poignant album that seeks to inspire and uplift.
Albumism described Rayford as having "a sound that's undeniably fresh and inspired," while PopMatters declared it "will appeal to fans of Gary Clark Jr. and Chicano Batman."
At his core, Sugaray Rayford is a galvanising uniter. His live shows are a party. Some conversations may be had, and some self-reflection may occur, but at the end of the day, people leave feeling a sense of joy and togetherness
Kris Barras Band return armed with towering anthems on the heaviest album to date; 'Death Valley Paradise', available on CD, transparent red vinyl and digitally. Produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow, SiKth) and recorded at VADA Studios in Alcester, they return heavier, darker, more introspective but enormous at the same time. Barras decided to remove all shackles and began collaborating with songwriters, such as the heavyweights; Jonny Andrews (Three Days Grace, Fozzy), Bob Marlette (Alice Cooper, Airbourne, Rob Zombie), Blair Daly (Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry) and Zac Maloy (Shinedown, Tyler Bryant).
Death Valley Paradise started life as a song before it was dissected and spread across the album. Death Valley is a place of extremes, where living things are said to not be able to survive.
For 18 months the world stood still and the realisation set in that there was no control of ourselves anymore. For the ex-MMA/cage fighter, there was only one way out, to re-focus, and started with no preconceived plan for the album.
But now, Death Valley Paradise is ready to be unleashed upon the masses, who are yearning to rock out, fist pumping in the air.
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