Netherfriends' finding Middle America

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One of my dreams is to travel to all fifty states and drink a wine and beer produced in that state while watching a live music show. Sadly, I'm not even close. I should of followed Shawn Rosenblatt who played a show in every state between April 2010 and 2011. What's even more remarkable is that Rosenblatt self-booked every show then self-record and produced an LP released under his stage name Netherfriends, Middle America. The EP is a reflection of that en-devour and features songs about several cities along the way and basically, this was a real surprise. I totally enjoyed this CD. Check out  Bloomington, IN for yourself. Thinking of planning a similar trip? Then listen to Lawrence, KS as an incentive and here's my beer\wine suggestions for each city:

St. Louis, MO: Schlafly Bottleworks \ Stone Hill Winery
Bloomington, IN: Upland Brewing Company \ Butler Winery & Vineyard
Columbus, OH: Elevator Brewery \ Wyandotte Winery
Kalamazoo, MI: Bell's Brewery \ Lawton Ridge Winery
Des Moines, IA: Court Avenue Brewing Company \ Jasper Winery
Madison, WI: Ale Asylum \ New Glarus Primrose Winery \ Yahara Bay Distillers
Chicago, IL: Half Acre Beer Company \ Wild Blossom Meadery and Winery
Rapid City, SD: Firehouse Brewing Company \ Prairie Berry Winery
Omaha, NE: Nebraska Brewing Company \ Soaring Wings Vineyard
Minneapolis, MN:August Schell Brewing Company \ Falconer Vineyards and Winery
Fargo, ND: he Great Northern Brewery \ Maple River Winery
Lawrence, KS: Tallgrass Brewing Company \ Davenport Winery

Jim Hanft Releases 'Weddings or Funerals'

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Makes you wonder how difficult the music industry has become when it takes an American folk artist to be discovered by a Swedish record producer. That's what happened to Jim Hanft when Veranda Records owner, Petra Marten, attended a show in NYC. a short while later she offered Hanft a record deal and it was off to Stockholm with musical partner Samantha Yonack to record some music. Twelve of the twenty songs recorded made it into his new CD, Weddings or Funerals which was officially released today.

I received a Soundcloud link to the release a few weeks back and have been listening to it quite regularly when online. And actually had it piped through speakers playing in our condo last week during vacation. Got to like unlimited broadband. These are real songs, honest songwriting recorded with minimalist production. Just Hanft, his acoustic guitar, harmonica, and supporting vocals from Yonack. Their duo in "Lazy Love" showcase her vocal abilities. "Run My Love" and "Alternate Route" are my favorite tracks; each with Yonack's soft backing and Americana at its heart. The later really reminds me of James Hyland from the old South Austin Jug Band. Check this CD out.

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Everybody's Talkin' about the new CD

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We received this interesting press release regrading Tedeschi Trucks Band that we want to pass along. Makes us rethink our decision to skip MerleFest this year.

New York, NY (April 16, 2012) – On May 22, Tedeschi Trucks Band will release Everybody's Talkin', their sophomore album in their second full year as a band. The uplifting, energy-packed double-disc set by the 11-piece ensemble led by husband-wife team Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi that recently marked their first anniversary with a Grammy win for their debut album Revelator. TTB (as their fans know them) shows off a stunning rate of musical progress on Everybody’s Talkin’, eleven tracks selected from a year’s worth of concerts from around the globe plus one new track (“Nobody’s Free”). The performances—a hearty blend of originals and spirited covers of rock, R&B and even gospel classics—capture the group’s roots-rich musical mix, laced with Truck’s signature slide-guitar sound and fronted by Tedeschi’s pliant, honey-to-husky voice (as well as her own gritty guitar-work). The collection also includes all of the joyful, spontaneous energy that has helped TTB build a growing circle of fans and earned them an unprecedented string of triumphs in just the past few months.

TTB have lined up some special treats for fans who pre-order their copy of Everybody's Talkin'. All pre-order customers will receive a bonus downloadable live track of one of TTB's explosive encores, a medley of two Sly & The Family Stone songs, "Simple Song>Take You Higher." It's a perfect complement to Everybody's Talkin', and it's only available for pre-order customers. The band is also giving away a prize package to one lucky pre-order customer that includes a pair of tickets to any TTB concert after June 15th during their 2012 tour, a special meet-and-greet with Derek and Susan, and a Gibson SG Special guitar autographed by Derek and Susan. Five second-prize winners will receive a signed vinyl copy of Everybody's Talkin'. For sweepstakes details and complete official rules, click here.


Pre-order Everybody's Talkin' from the TTB Store



Besides the Grammy for Best Blues Album of the Year in February, Trucks himself, along with TTB bandmate Oteil Burbridge, were honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for their membership in The Allman Brothers Band. In March, Tedeschi and Trucks were invited to perform at the White House with B.B, King, Buddy Guy, and yes, President Barack Obama himself (who sang a verse of “Sweet Home Chicago”). A week later, they appeared at the Apollo Theater, joining Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and a host of guitar heavyweights in an all-star tribute to bluesman Hubert Sumlin. On April 30th Tedeschi and Trucks will perform at the United Nations General Assembly in New York at a concert to celebrate International Jazz Day. Other featured performers include: Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Wynton Marsalis and others.

“I really never imagined it would have turned out quite like this, especially the last few months. The momentum picked up and it just really started rolling—everything kind of happened at once,” says Trucks, who maintains that his focus, and that of TTB have remained steadfast on the music itself. “As over the top as a lot of that stuff is, the one thing I notice is, it doesn’t really feel any different than being on the road and having successful shows. The way the band took shape musically around the time that we decided to record a live record was pretty exciting.”

True to its intent, the tracks on Everybody’s Talkin’ flow one into the next with the collective spirit and lift of a typical TTB concert—raising the roof with a Saturday night sense of abandon, and gently concluding with a Sunday morning spiritual. Featured are versions of tunes from Revelator that are already crowd favorites—“Bound For Glory”, “Love Has Something Else To Say”—some with added details, like the fresh horn part that pushes “Learn How To Love” a notch higher than the studio original, or the tasteful, quotes of “Swamp Raga” and “Little Martha” on slide-guitar that set the stage for “Midnight in Harlem”. Other songs portray the group’s abiding affection for a truly wide range of soulful and gritty forebears, including Stevie Wonder (“Uptight”), Elmore James (“Rollin’ And Tumblin’”), Bill Withers (“Kissing My Love”), Joe Cocker (“Darling Be Home Soon”), Bobby Bland (“That Did It”), Harry Nilsson (“Everybody’s Talkin’”) and the traditional gospel (“Wade In The Water”).

Beyond the song list, the most attention-grabbing aspect of Everybody’s Talkin’ is the marked progress of the group itself, as this past year has seen TTB develop at a jaw-dropping rate into a fully mature ensemble. What was at the outset a powerful lineup of players that drew its power from a rich brew of roots music—blues, gospel, soul, and rock— has matured like a fine wine. Tedeschi’s vocals and Truck’s guitar-work are front-and-center as in the beginning, yet have become more intuitively intertwined. Tedeschi’s own guitar-playing is more strident and assured. TTB’s ace rhythm section works together with a deeper sense of funk, and a more liberated jazz feel. As an ensemble, they build a song from a tender whisper to a soul-rending scream, and often extend the close of a well-chosen R&B number into a thrilling, open-ended jam. Onstage, they exhibit interplay on the level of a group with years of experience together, improvising with almost telepathic link between all the musicians.

As Everbody’s Talkin’ is assuredly a group album, so TTB stands as a true musical collective, as opposed to the standard lineup of bandleader-with-backup. It helps that the eleven-member ensemble is one overflowing with talent and musical familiarity: besides Tedeschi and Trucks who are married and have two children, Mike Mattison (former lead singer with the DTB) and Mark Rivers handle harmony vocals, while brothers Oteil Burbridge (longtime member of The Allman Brothers Band) and Kofi Burbridge (another DTB member) play bass, and keyboards and flute, respectively. The lineup also includes a pair of drummers—J. J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell—and a horn-section with trumpeter Maurice Brown, tenor saxophonist Kebbi Williams, and trombonist Saunders Sermons (Sermons will also step forward for a vocal feature now and again, as he does on “Kissing My Love”).

The Tedeschi Trucks band is heading on the road hitting summer festivals and theaters as well as a special run of performances with the legendary B.B. King. More info and a full list of tour dates can be found here.

EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’ Tracklisting:

Disc One:
1. Everybody’s Talkin’ (Live)
2. Midnight In Harlem (Swamp Raga intro with Little Martha) (Live)
3. Learn How to Love (Live)
4. Bound For Glory (Live)
5. Rollin' and Tumblin' (Live)
6. Nobody's Free (Live) *
7. Darling Be Home Soon (Live)
Disc Two:
1. That Did It (Live)
2. Uptight (Live)
3. Love Has Something Else To Say (with Kissing My Love) (Live)
4. Wade in the Water (Live)
* New Track


TTB TOUR DATES
April 20 – Live Oak, FL – Wanee Music Festival
April 25 – Charlottesville, VA – nTelos Pavilion w/ Sam Bush
April 26 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
April 28 – Wilkesboro, NC – MerleFest
April 29 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium – SOLD OUT (limited tix at box office)
May 19 – Annapolis, MD – Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
May 27 – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival
May 30 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre
June 1 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
June 2 – Elmer, NJ – Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival
June 3 – Hunter, NY – Mountain Jam
June 15 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
June 16 – Jacksonville, OR – Brittfest
June 17 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
June 24 – Apple Valley, MN – Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater
June 25 – Apple Valley, MN – Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater
June 27 – Madison, WI – Overture Center for the Arts
June 29 – Toronto Jazz Festival
July 6 – Winnipeg, MB – Winnepeg Folk Festival
July 7 – Thunder Bay, ON – Thunder Bay Blues Festival
July 18 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival
Aug 5 – Newport, RI – Newport Jazz Festival
Aug 11 – Scranton, PA – The Peach Music Festival
Aug 28 – Brand Prairie, TX – Verizon Theatre w/ B.B. King
Aug 30 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ B.B. King
Sept 1 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre w/ B.B. King
Sept 2 – Las Vegas, NV – The Joint w/ B.B. King
Sept 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl w/ B.B. King
Sept 9 – Valley Center, CA – Harrah’s Casino w/ B.B. King
Sept 20 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Sept 21 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Oct 27 – San Juan, PR – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise

www.TedeschiTrucksBand.com

# # #

Jeff Kilgour - Passionate Digital
jeff@passionatedigital.com
Mobile: 917-678-4420

twitter.com/passionatehq
http://www.passionatedigital.com

Classic Soul from The Right Now

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There are time when I receive a music sample, give a listen, and so yea, okay; and then there are times when I receive a music sample, give a listen, and immediately have that Eureka moment. That's what happened when we first listened to Gets Over You from The Right Now.  Classic 70's soul - I'm talking Aretha style - and coming from Chicago - I'm expecting the Blues Brothers to be backing. Then, with the horns, I think I'm in Memphis. Regardless, The Right Now get it done; right now; starting with front women Stefanie Berecz; then guitarists Chris Corsale and Brendan O’Connell (plus keyboard); and finally the rhythm section of Greg Nergaard (bass), John Smillie (drums), Jonathon Edwards (baritone sax), and Jim Schram (tenor sax).

Take a listen to "I Can't Speak For You". Then 'Good Man". Then "Tell Everyone The Truth". Then "'Til It Went Wrong". If you are not hooked, then something's up.  I read that their live shows are unforgettable. Need to take a road trip to the Windy City - following this band this band is on the list. 

The 17th Year of Gathering of the Vibes - 2012

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Looking for a reason to visit New England this summer? Then check out the Gathering of the Vibes, the famed music festival running July 19-22nd in Bridgeport, CT. Tickets range from $40-$65 for single day or $205 for an advanced weekend pass.

"Gathering of the Vibes is an annual music, arts and camping festival now in its 17th year. Vibes has grown into a four-day festival that has featured such world-class talent as Crosby, Stills and Nash, all living members of the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, the Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cliff, Primus, George Clinton and P-Funk, Bruce Hornsby, Les Claypool and many, many more big names, while continuing to showcase extraordinarily talented, young, up-and-coming bands to the 15-25 thousand people who attend each year. "

PRIMUS • PHIL LESH & FRIENDS • BOB WEIR & BRUCE HORNSBY
WITH SPECIAL GUEST BRANFORD MARSALIS
STS9 • 7 WALKERS FEATURING BILL KREUTZMANN • MICKEY HART BAND • STRANGEFOLK REUNION
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND • STEEL PULSE • ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA • THE AVETT BROTHERS
THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS • GEORGE PORTER JR. & RUNNIN’ PARDNERS • KELLER WILLIAMS • DARK STAR ORCHESTRA
MATES OF STATE • DEEP BANANA BLACKOUT • ALO • RYAN MONTBLEAU BAND • MAX CREEK • ASSEMBLY OF DUST
ZACH DEPUTY • KUNG FU • JOE PUG • TOUBAB KREWE • OUTERNATIONAL • DAVID GANS • THE MCLOVINS • PAPADOSIO
DANGERMUFFIN & YARN • DOPAPOD • COSMIC JIBAROS • TWIDDLE • BAND TOGETHER • ANDY THE MUSIC MAN • LUCID

Jerrod Niemann Bus Fire Has Singer Thanking God for His Life

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Rick Diamond, Getty ImagesJerrod Niemann is safe, albeit a little distraught, after his tour bus caught fire in Chattanooga, Tenn., last night (March 6). The 'Shinin' on Me' singer had just finished a performance at a St. Jude Benefit and was relaxing on his bus with Lee Brice, songwriter Jon Stone, Jerrod's father and uncle, when a member of the entourage noticed something was wrong.

"We're in [the bus] and Jon comes over and says 'Your bus is on fire,'" Jerrod told TV station WRCB/Chattanooga. "And I'm like, 'Dude, your gun's shot. Our bus is not on fire.' I thought it was the heater. So I went to the thermostat and it says 'Auto Cool.' So Lee gets off the bus and is like, 'Dude, that's black smoke. Your bus is on fire.'"Continue reading Jerrod Niemann Bus Fire Has Singer Thanking God for His Life

2012 ACM Awards Performers Announced

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Getty ImagesThe 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards are just weeks away, and we now know a few of the artists who will take the stage to perform during the star-studded ceremony. Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert,Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and Toby Keith are the first round of performers announced for the televised broadcast.

Jason, Kenny, Eric, Toby and Miranda also each share the role of nominee for the night, with Jason and Kenny both vying for the title of ACM Entertainer of the Year, as well as Top Male Vocalist. (See the full list of 2012 ACM Awards nominees here.) For Jason, who considered the 'Reality' singer a role model when he began planning his My Kinda Party tour, it's an honor to be recognized in the same categories.Continue reading 2012 ACM Awards Performers Announced