Rosebud Artists Mavis Staples, Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite Honored at 2011 Living Blues Awards

Top honors were awarded to Rosebud artists Mavis Staples, Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite at the 18th Annual Living Blues Awards. Mavis won the Critics' Poll Blues Artist of the Year Award (Female) and Most Outstanding Blues Singer. In the Readers' Poll, Marcia was awarded Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard). For the fifth year in a row Charlie won Readers' Poll Most Outstanding Musician award (Harmonica). Congratulations Mavis, Marcia and Charlie!

Catch each of these artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

more info at savoyjazz.com >>

Bill Frisell explores the songs of John Lennon on his new album, All We Are Saying, set for release on September 27, 2011. Frisell has assembled a trusted ensemble consisting of Jenny Scheinman (violin), Tony Scherr (bass), Greg Leisz (guitars) and Kenny Wollesen (drums) to record his definitive take on the classic songs of John Lennon.

All We Are Saying has long been in the works - one could say as far back as the first time Bill heard the Beatles at the age of 13. Says Frisell, "John Lennon's music has been with me, the band, everybody, the world...seems like forever. The songs are part of us. In our blood. There was nothing we really needed to do to prepare for this. We've been preparing our whole lives."

Songs featured on the CD include: "Across the Universe," "Revolution," "Nowhere Man," "Imagine," "Please Please Me," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "Hold On," "In My Life," "Come Together," "Julia, Woman," "# 9 Dream," "Love," "Beautiful Boy," "Mother," and "Give Peace a Chance."

A Grammy winner and three-time nominee including a 2009 nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Bill is also a 10-time Best Guitarist winner in the DOWNBEAT Critics Poll (including 2011) and three-time DOWNBEAT Readers Poll winner for Best Guitarist. He was voted as Jazz Awards Guitarist of the Year 2008 & 2009 and Guitarist of the Year Nominee 2010 & 2011.

You can see Bill performing live throughout the U.S. now through March 2012, please see Tour Dates >>

Duke Robillard's new album, Low Down And Tore Up, will be released September 20, 2011. The disc is a return to and affirmation of Duke's grittier blues roots and early influences. According to Duke, "The reason for this CD is basically, I just wanted to go in the studio and record live and capture the real feeling of the lowdown blues in an off the cuff sort of way, the way singles used to be made in the blues world for small labels. Just a whatever happens vibe with lots of ensemble playing. I made a list of tunes I loved from the old days and we just went through it in two days. This is what I think of as a real blues record, not a lot of fuss, no worry about perfection and mostly 'let's have a good time!'"

The program draws two songs each from Guitar Slim, Tampa Red, Sugarboy Crawford, Pee Wee Crayton and Elmore James, and one each from Eddie Taylor, John Lee Hooker (also with an Eddie Taylor stamp), Jimmy McCracklin and Bobby "Blues" Merrill. Duke adds, "I picked these tunes based on two points. First, they were all songs that were part of my experience in learning or playing the blues... Second, I usually picked blues covers by how good they were to me, not because they were popular blues tunes." Joining Duke on the album are Bruce Bears, Brad Hallen, Mark Teixeira, Matt McCabe and Sax Gordon.

Duke's last album, Passport to the Blues, was nominated for the 2011 Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Album of the Year. Duke is also a four-time Best Blues Guitarist Winner at the Blues Music Awards and a two-time GRAMMY Award Nominee. His past collaborations include playing with and/or producing: Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Maria Muldaur, Dr. John, John Hammond; sorely-missed legends such as Jay McShann, Ruth Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon, Rosco Gordon and Long John Baldry, as well as producing Joe Louis Walker's "Between a Rock and The Blues" which won Album of the Year at the 2010 Blues Music Awards.

Catch Duke performing live on stage, including a series of Canadian Festival dates and a tour of the Western U.S. in August, please see Tour Dates >>

A Big Thanks To HBO's Treme For Again Featuring Rosebud Artists In Their 2ND Season: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. John, Jon Cleary, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Music by Allen Toussaint

A big thanks to HBO's Treme series for once again featuring Rosebud artists throughout their season. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. John, Jon Cleary, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and music by Allen Toussaint all played a role in the second season. In the first episode of the season, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band are featured performing with Galactic and Juvenile at Tipitina's (available on iTunes video here.) The closing credits' music in that episode is Dr. John's rendition of "Accentuate The Positive." (Rosebud represents Dr. John for International booking representation outside the U.S. and Canada)

The second episode is titled "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky," named after Allen Toussaint's composition. The Dirty Dozen's version of this song plays during a Thanksgiving Day montage. In addition, The Dozen's "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" plays on the jukebox at Gigi's (the bar owned by a main character, LaDonna).

The third episode is once again named after an Allen Toussaint song, "On Your Way Down," and it can be heard playing on the jukebox as LaDonna closes Gigi's. Yet another of Allen's songs, "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley," is played in rehearsal by main character Antoine Batiste's band Soul Apostles. Also, Allen's "Tipitina and Me" is the featured music in the closing credits of the ninth episode.

In another one of the bands in the show, Brassy Knoll (the Davis McAlary character's project), Kirk Joseph of The Dirty Dozen is featured as the tuba player. Later in the season, Dr. John becomes a central character to a recording project by the Delmond Lambreaux character with his father Chief Lambreaux.

Jon Cleary is prominently featured performing in episode ten. He plays his unreleased song "Frenchmen Street Blues" at the venue Chickie Wah Wah for characters Annie and Davis in memory their slain friend Harley (Steve Earle). Later, Dr. John's "I Thought I Heard New Orleans Say" plays as Annie and Davis clear out Harley's belongings from his house.

In the final episode of the season, the Antoine character chats with Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews at Jazz Fest. The two shared a number of scenes in Season One.

Thanks again to Treme and congratulations on another great season! We look forward to watching Season Three. Check out all these artists perform individually live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Bill Frisell Honored With 10TH DownBeat Critics Poll Win For Guitarist of the Year - Allen Toussaint, Trombone Shorty, Bettye LaVette, Dr. John, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples Also Recognized

Bill Frisell has been honored for the tenth time in fourteen years as Guitarist of the Year in the DownBeat Critics Poll (August 2011 issue). This is Bill's third win in a row as Best Guitarist. Bill was also recognized in the Beyond Album category with Vinicius Cantuária for their duo album, Lagrimas Mexicanas. In addition, Allen Toussaint, Trombone Shorty, Bettye LaVette, Dr. John, Charlie Musselwhite and Mavis Staples were all also recognized in the Critics Poll.

Allen Toussaint was named in the Arranger category; Trombone Shorty was recognized in both the Trombone and Rising Star: Trombone categories. Bettye LaVette, Dr. John and Charlie Musselwhite were all named in the Blues Artist category. Charlie received an additional nod in the Blues Album category, while Dr. John was also named in the Beyond Artist category. Mavis Staples and Bettye LaVette were both recognized in the Beyond Album category. The late Muddy Waters (a Rosebud artist until his passing) was also named as one of the finalists for induction into the Hall of Fame.

As usual, many of Bill Frisell's frequent and recent collaborators were also honored: Jason Moran was awarded Jazz Artist Of The Year, Jazz Album Of The Year, and Piano of the Year, as well as being named in the Rising Star: Jazz Artist, Composer and Rising Star: Composer categories; Joe Lovano Us Five was awarded Jazz Group of the Year and Joe was also named in the Jazz Artist, Jazz Album, Soprano and Tenor Saxophone categories; Paul Motian was awarded Drummer of the Year and he was also named in the Hall of Fame and Jazz Artist categories; Dave Holland was awarded Acoustic Bass of the Year and was named in the Jazz Album, Composer, Arranger and Jazz Group categories; Jenny Scheinman was named in the Violin category; and Bill's Manager and Producer, Lee Townsend, was named in both the Producer and Rising Star: Producer categories.

Congratulations to all the artists! Catch all the Rosebud artists performing live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

The Stone Foxes Release 2 New Songs, Invite Fans To Be Part Of Their New Video, Plus Concert For Relix Magazine Online

The Stone Foxes recently released two new songs, "Psycho" and "Serious People," now available for free download here, with a 7" vinyl release to follow in August/September. The band is also asking fans to be part of the video for "Psycho." Record video of yourself singing, dancing, or doing whatever you want to do to the song and submit it to The Stone Foxes. For more details, please click here.

While The Stone Foxes were in New York City, they stopped by the Relix Magazine offices and performed "Stomp," which was captured on video. Check it out here. They were in town while on the road playing shows with Los Lonely Boys.

Catch The Stone Foxes perform live on stage, including a series of August dates with George Thorogood & the Destroyers and a home town show at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Please see Tour Dates >>

Trombone Shorty's New Album - For True - Featuring Guest Appearances By Jeff Beck, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Ledisi, Warren Haynes, Ivan And Cyril Neville, The Rebirth Brass Band And More Is Out September 13

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue return on September 13 with For True (Verve Forecast) featuring guest appearances by Jeff Beck, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Ledisi, Warren Haynes, Ivan And Cyril Neville, The Rebirth Brass Band and more. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews wrote or co-wrote all 14 tracks on the new album, including co-writes with Ledisi, Kid Rock, the legendary Lamont Dozier and more. The CD was produced and engineered by Ben Ellman (except "The Craziest Thing" produced by George Drakoulias). Read the Press Release here with the full track listing >>

Catch Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performing live on stage in Europe until the end of July. They return to touring the U.S. in August, including two days at the legendary Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island as well as the Dave Matthews Band Caravan on Governor's Island in NYC. For details, please see Tour Dates >>

The Blind Boys of Alabama Featured On NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Series

The Blind Boys of Alabama were recently featured on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series. They performed "Take The High Road;" "I Know A Place;" "Jesus Built A Bridge To Heaven;" and "Amazing Grace." The series hosts and records performances in NPR's offices - hence the "tiny desk" title. The sets are available on NPR's website, click here to watch the Blind Boys' performance.

The Blind Boys new traditional country-gospel album, Take the High Road has been getting critical raves. The New York Times wrote of the album: "Take the High Road is this venerable gospel group's first organized foray into country music, and it couldn't have gone much better. Recorded in Nashville with a serious crew, it finds a respectable balance between earthy and polished, sounding true to all parties involved." The "serious crew" mentioned includes co-producer and acclaimed country music artist Jamey Johnson, who also performs on the album along with Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., Lee Ann Womack and The Oak Ridge Boys.

Check out the Blind Boys performing live on stage. They're currently touring Europe this July, followed by dates across the U.S. For details, please see Tour Dates >>

Charlie Musselwhite Nominated For 2 Blues Blast Music Awards: Traditional Blues CD of the Year & Song of the Year - PLEASE VOTE

Charlie Musselwhite has been honored with two nominations in the 2011 Blues Blast Music Awards. He's nominated for both Traditional Blues Recording of the Year for his latest album, The Well, and for Song Of The Year for the title track of the album. You can vote for the winners here until August 31, 2011. The Awards are presented by Blues Blast Magazine in a ceremony taking place October 27th, 2011 in Chicago.

Charlie was also recently nominated for two Living Blues Awards. He's up for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica) and for Best Blues Album of 2010 (New Recordings) for The Well. Last year Charlie received his eighth Living Blues Award for Outstanding Musician (and his fourth in a row). You can vote for the Living Blues Awards here until July 15, 2011.

Catch Charlie playing live on stage. Upcoming shows include a July European Tour as well as separate dates as a featured member of Cyndi Lauper's band. For more details, please see Tour Dates >>

Mavis Staples and The Blind Boys of Alabama are both featured in the new gospel documentary, Rejoice and Shout (released June 3, 2011). Tracing the history of gospel, the film includes archival footage of an onstage duel between The Blind Boys of Alabama and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. Mavis Staples is featured both in present day interviews as well as archival footage of her early performances with The Staples Singers, her family's legendary band (who, in addition to Mavis and Pops Staples, Rosebud is honored to have represented). Rejoice and Shout official website >> Rejoice and Shout at IMDB (more clips available) >>

Film critic Roger Ebert notes in his review, "Mavis Staples, whose father [Pops Staples] links back to the earliest days of gospel, is a warm presence throughout the film, calling on personal memories of many of the artists... this is an engaging film filled with love for the music." Check out some clips from the film in this two-thumbs-up review from Ebert Presents At The Movies (PBS). The critics point out the strength of the film lies in it's maintaining incredible full-song performances in it's presentation of archival material.

Check out Mavis and The Blind Boys perform individually live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>