Trombone Shorty #1 Contemporary Jazz For 5th Straight Week (7th Straight Week as of 6/9/2010) And Many More Highlights
Trombone Shorty's new CD, Backatown, is #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Album Chart for the 5th straight week since it's release.
Rolling Stone's glowing review of Trombone Shorty's Backatown, proclaimed that Trombone Shorty is "already a New Orleans MVP."
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews recently recorded "Ain't My Fault" with Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def, Tim Robbins and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a benefit track for Gulf Aid.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue make their late night network TV debut on Late Show with David Letterman Performance on June 22.
Worldwide Touring in 2010 includes recent knockout performances in Europe plus upcoming touring in Japan (Fuji Rock Festival) plus the band's first shows in Brazil and extensive touring across North America. Please see tour dates >>
Trombone Shorty was recently interviewed on Tavis Smiley on PBS. An encore of the show is scheduled to air June 4 and you can listen to the full audio interview and watch full interview at: Tavis Smiley / Trombone Shorty >>
Duke Robillard's New CD Passport to the Blues Out August 17, 2010
2010 Blues Music Award Winner Duke Robillard will release his new CD, Passport to the Blues, on August 17, 2010. Duke says of the disc: "this all-blues album was a chance for me to reach back deep into the soul of what I do and let out a lot of steam and emotion - especially on the guitar tracks. I played a lot of my solos live with the band in the studio, just like we would on the road. The energy was fantastic. Making the album felt magical."
Duke's recent CD, Stomp! The Blues Tonight, was nominated for both a GRAMMY Award and a Blues Music Award. He is a four-time winner of the Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist - Guitar before his win this year for Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year. Catch Duke live tour, please see Tour Dates >>
JJ Cale's "Travelin' Light" Played In Space
JJ Cale's version of his own "Travelin' Light" was played to awaken the crews of the Atlantis Space Shuttle and International Space Station preceding their spacewalk early on Friday May 21, 2010 (NASA spaceflight.com 5/21/2010 "STS-132: Final EVA completes battery task"). The song was originally featured on JJ Cale's 1976 album Troubador and was also covered by Eric Clapton and Widespread Panic - true satellite radio indeed.
Ruthie Foster's Pollstar Cover Story
Ruthie Foster is honored as Pollstar Magazine's cover artist this week (May 17, 2010) with a picture taken during her triumphant set on the closing day of this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The story outlines Ruthie's steady rise from her Mother's initial encouragement to joining a Navy band to her current rise to international acclaim as a rising star in roots music. In the last few months alone, Ruthie scored her first Grammy nomination and just won the Blues Music Award for Best Contemporary Blues Artist - Female. The Pollstar cover follows recent cover stories for Ruthie in Blues Revue and Keyboard Magazine. Catch Ruthie live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
Bettye LaVette's May 24 Tonight Show Appearance Kicks Off Busy Summer
Bettye LaVette will return to the stage of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on May 24, 2010. The next day her new album, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook (Anti Records), will be released. The ambitious project features Bettye's renditions of compositions by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd among others. Paste magazine declared: "She wholly re-imagines the songs. LaVette's raw singing chops revitalize transcendent lyrics that many of today's top female singers wouldn't be able to handle.' An interview with Bettye will air on NPR's Weekend Edition May 22 and she will be featured on an upcoming NPR Tiny Desk Concerts - video will be posted online when it becomes available.
Bettye will be co-headling The Highline Ballroom in New York City with Peter Wolf on May 26th then heading off for a tour of Europe prior to dates across the US this Summer mixing her own headline shows with dates supporting Robert Plant. please see Tour Dates >>
Marcia Ball, BeauSoleil, Jon Cleary and Allen Toussaint To Perform At Gulf Aid Benefit May 16, 2010
Marcia Ball (performing with The Voice of the Wetlands Allstars), BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Jon Cleary (performing with Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys) and Allen Toussaint will be among the performers at the Gulf Aid benefit concert at Mardi Gras World River City in New Orleans. Also performing will be Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, Mos Def, Kermit Ruffins, Ani DiFranco, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and many more.
The show will raise funds to focus on two key elements of recovery from the oil continuing to pour into the Gulf of Mexico from the collapsed BP oil rig: wetlands/coastal environmental issues and the well-being of fishermen and the regional seafood industry. All funds will be managed and distributed by the Gulf Relief Foundation in partnership with WWOZ-FM community radio in New Orleans. Donations may also be sent to the Gulf Relief Foundation, a 501 C3 non-profit corporation located at 3001 17th Street, Metairie, LA 70009.
Catch Marcia Ball, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Jon Cleary and Allen Toussaint playing live on stage individually as they tour throughout the Summer, please see Tour Dates >>
Charlie Musselwhite and Allen Toussaint Guest On New Cyndi Lauper Album,
Charlie To Join Cyndi On Tour
Charlie Musselwhite and Allen Toussaint are both featured guests on the new Cyndi Lauper album, Memphis Blues, to be released June 22, 2010. Charlie is featured on two songs and Allen is featured on three songs, one of which also features B.B. King. Recorded in Memphis, this collection of blues cover songs also features appearances by Kenny Brown, Jonny Lang and Ann Peebles.
Charlie will also be performing in concert with Cyndi and her band on 17 select dates this Summer around the country. Charlie was just inducted into The Blues Hall of Fame on May 5. He will also be joining the Blind Boys of Alabama Family Revival at New York's Lincoln Center for one night in July and all this is in addition to his own extensive touring. Allen will also be performing throughout the summer in North America and Europe. Catch both Charlie and Allen live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>
Blues Music Awards Winners: Tommy Castro, Ruthie Foster and Duke Robillard PLUS Charlie Musselwhite Blues Hall of Fame Inductee and more
Tommy Castro was the big winner at this year's Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN on May 6, 2010. Tommy won four Awards, in every category he was nominated in: B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Band of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year forHard BelieverandContemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year. Ruthie Foster was honored with the Award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year and Duke Robillard was honored with Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year.
Other Rosebud related wins were: Album of the Year Winner Between a Rock and the Blues by Joe Louis Walker, on which Duke produced 10 of the 12 tracks and guests on one song. Winner of Best Historical Album: Chess' Authorized Bootleg - Muddy Waters Live. Muddy was a Rosebud artist until his passing in 1983.Best Horn Winner Deanna Bogart plays in the Rosebud booked Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue with Tommy Castro.
The Blues Hall of Fame inducted Charlie Musselwhite in a ceremony the night before the Awards on May 5. Also inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame this year were Howling Wolf's version of "Spoonful", written by former Rosebud artist, the late Willie Dixon, who also played bass on the session. Another former Rosebud artist, Robert Cray, had his 1986 Double Platinum Strong Persuader inducted as well. This was the first recording from Robert Cray after signing for management with Rosebud founder/owner, Mike Kappus. The album went on to win the GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Recording in 1987.
Bettye LaVette Special Guests On Robert Plant Summer Tour
Bettye LaVette will be Robert Plant's Special Guest on his upcoming Summer tour, beginning in Phoenix, AZ on July 20 through July 31 in Miami, FL. Bettye LaVette will release her new CD, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook (Anti Records) on May 25, 2010. Produced by Bettye, Rob Mathes and Michael Stevens, the album is a 13-song journey through compositions by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd among others. Plant will be performing with Band of Joy, featuring Marco Giovino, Patty Griffin, Byron House, Buddy Miller and Darrell Scott.
Keith Richards recently said of Bettye: "When you hear a voice like Bettye LaVette's there's a sense of transportation (NOT to a penal colony!), but a certain freedom of movement and emotion, which is rare. Especially to me and I suspect other Englishmen who were so fascinated by the music that is so natural to Bettye while we were still getting our feet wet. The 'hands across the pond' aspect gives me a warm feeling. A connection! A great record. Put me in the fan club! How did Bettye LaVette slip thru the net for so long?"
Bettye is touring on her own both before and after the Robert Plant dates, including a six-show run in Europe in mid-June, please see Tour Dates >> and check here for more on her exciting new CD.
The Blind Boys of Alabama Curate 3 Nights At Lincoln Center In July - Featured On House of Blues Radio Hour May 22-23, 2010
Five-time GRAMMY Winners and White House guests of the last three Presidents, The Blind Boys of Alabama are curating, hosting and performing three nights at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on July 12, 14, 16, 2010. The first evening features collaborations with rock artists Yo La Tengo,
Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, Lambchop and Exene Cervenka as well as with the avant-jazz of Marshall Allen and the Sun Ra Horns. The second show focuses on the intersection of soul, gospel, and country music, featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley, Randy Travis, The Yonder Mountain String Band, Ray Benson and Jason Roberts of Asleep at the Wheel, and Allison Moorer. The final evening is a Family Revival, featuring Aaron Neville, Joan Osborne, Dan Zanes, Hot 8 Brass Band and fellow Rosebud artists Charlie MusselwhiteandJohn Hammond. This show will feature songs from all of The Blind Boys' GRAMMY Award-winning albums.
The Blind Boys will be featured on The House of Blues Radio Hour over May 22-23, 2010. Elwood Blues (aka Dan Aykroyd) will interview Jimmy Carter from the group and feature their music. Catch The Blind Boys live, please see Tour Dates >>
Jim Lauderdale Performing With Willie Nelson on Letterman May 5 and on The View May 6
Jim Lauderdale will be performing with Willie Nelson on the Late Show with David LettermanMay 5 and on The ViewMay 6, 2010. Please check your local listings for air times. Jim is a member of Willie Nelson's band on his recently released CD, Country Music (Rounder Records), which was produced by T Bone Burnett.
Jim's own new CD, Patchwork River, will be released on May 11, 2010. The CD is his second collaboration with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter ("Dark Star," "Friend of the Devil," "Terrapin Station," "Truckin"). For this album, Jim brought together an all-star cast. Helping with production were long-time production partner Tim Coates and Doug Lancio, who also played guitar. Additionally, James Burton, Al Perkins, Ron Tutt, Garry Tallent, Kenny Vaughan and Patty Griffin contributed their musical talents to the album.
Jim just finished a tour with Elvis Costello's Sugarcanes band (with whom he played on the GRAMMY nominated Secret, Profane & Sugarcane CD) and he will be touring on his own throughout the Spring, including hosting the Tennessee Shines stage at Bonnaroo, please see Tour Dates >>
Trombone Shorty was recently interviewed on 
Ruthie Foster's Pollstar Cover Story 
The show will raise funds to focus on two key elements of recovery from the oil continuing to pour into the Gulf of Mexico from the collapsed BP oil rig: wetlands/coastal environmental issues and the well-being of fishermen and the regional seafood industry. All funds will be managed and distributed by the 
Blues Music Awards Winners: Tommy Castro, Ruthie Foster and Duke Robillard PLUS Charlie Musselwhite Blues Hall of Fame Inductee and more 
Bettye LaVette Special Guests On Robert Plant Summer Tour
Jim Lauderdale Performing With Willie Nelson on Letterman May 5 and on The View May 6