JUNE 2013: Mavis Staples To Appear On Conan, June 25, On TBS Network
Mavis Staples was featured on Conan O'Brien's show, Conan, on the TBS network Tuesday, June 25, the same day her new CD, One True Vine, was released. Mavis joined actress Heather Locklear and comedian Nick Swardson as guests on the show. This appearance on Conan marks her second appearance on the show as well as her second TV appearance this month following her interview and performance on The Daily Show on June 12.
One True Vine follows Mavis' 2011 Grammy winning album, You Are Not Alone, and sees her reunited once more with producer Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco). Paste Magazine's cover story feature (June 18, 2013) proclaimed about the album, "Staples' throaty bellow is tightly restrained throughout, filled with heartfelt nuance; she inhabits every last note as if she'd sculpted it herself, and her talent seems to have only grown stronger, more majestic and deep, over the years." The Guardian (UK) stated, "One True Vine sees Staples stripping back her sound to the basics... letting that wondrous voice stand out. … We think it's great." The full CD premiered on NPR, and both NPR and The Guardian are currently streaming the full CD as of this writing. The CD's first official music video for the single "I Like The Things About Me" premiered exclusively on Entertainment Weekly.
Bill Frisell To Perform At Joni Mitchell Tribute Concert On June 18 and 19, Named Guitarist Of The Year By The Jazz Journalists Association, Plus New CD, Big Sur, Released Today
Bill Frisell will appear at the historic Massey Hall in Toronto on June 18 and 19 as part of "Joni: A Portrait in Song - A Birthday Happening", a two-night all-star lineup event honoring the life and work of Joni Mitchell. Toronto's Luminato Festival will present the concerts which celebrate Mitchell's influence as an artist as well as her upcoming 70th birthday in November. Over the course of the two nights, the event will feature performances by renowned artists including Kathleen Edwards, Herbie Hancock, Glen Hansard, Esperanza Spalding, Cold Specks, Liam Titcomb, Rufus Wainwright and Lizz Wright, as well as a recital of a new poem by Mitchell based on the work of Canadian modernist and post-impressionist artist, Emily Carr. Frisell will perform both nights as a member of the house band that will consist of other respected musicians including Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Melvin Butler (saxophone), Jeff Haynes (percussion), Marvin Sewell (guitar), and Christopher Thomas (bass), under the direction of band leaders Brian Blade (Drums) and Jon Cowherd (piano and keyboards).
In other news, Bill was recently named Guitarist of the Year at the 17th annual Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) Jazz Awards. This is Bill's fourth win and sixth nomination in this category since 2008. The JJA Jazz Awards nominees are selected by professional members of the JJA "honoring excellence in jazz music, recordings, presentation and journalism... ." The Association's professional members then vote in a second round to determine the winners in each category.
Bill's latest CD, Big Sur, was released on June 18 via Okeh Records. The record, which was commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival, was inspired by the 90 mile coastal region near Monterey, CA. The CD was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley with longtime collaborators Lee Townsend and Adam Muñoz and features musicians Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind Kang (viola), Hank Roberts (cello) and Rudy Royston (drums) from Bill's 858 Quartet and Beautiful Dreamers projects.
Elvin Bishop And Charlie Musselwhite Featured In Born In Chicago, Directed By Emmy-winner and Grammy-nominee, John Anderson
Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite are featured in Born In Chicago, a feature-length blues documentary by Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated director, John Anderson. Born In Chicago addresses the role of the young white musicians in the Chicago blues scene who changed the course of music history after learning to play from African-American blues legends such as Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon (both Rosebud artists until their passing), Howlin' Wolf, and Buddy Guy. The documentary includes archival and contemporary performance footage as well as interviews with music greats including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Steve Miller, Jack White, Sam Lay, Eric Burdon, Hubert Sumlin and Marshall Chess in addition to Elvin and Charlie. The film, which first premiered back in March 2013 as an Official Selection at SXSW, had its Chicago premier during this year's Chicago Blues Festival on June 6, 2013. The Chicago event also featured performances from Chicago Blues Reunion (Barry Goldberg, Nick Gravenites, Harvey Mandel, and Corky Siegel) joined by special guests including Eric Burdon, Sam Lay, Charlie and Elvin. Michael Simmons of the Huffington Post and MOJO proclaimed about the film, "Finally! Born In Chicago sets the record straight about the mighty and tough urban blues scene that exploded from the Windy City in the 20th Century. The film also proves that many of the same musicians are still blowing harps and minds in the 21st. This is soulful stuff -- exactly what America needs to remind itself of what it used to be."
Johnny A. is featured on Thank You Les: A Tribute To Les Paul, an album and documentary which won the Tribute Album category as well as the Long Form Video Category. Co-produced by long-time Les Paul Trio sideman, Lou Pallo, Thank You Les also features Keith Richards, Steve Miller, Slash, Jose Feliciano, Billy Gibbons and Bucky Pizzarelli in addition to Johnny.
Loudon Wainwright III also joined the nominated Rosebud artists this year for his track, "The Panic Is On", on Occupy This Album which was nominated in the Compilation Album Category. Occupy This Album, a 4-disc set with music from over 50 artists, features greats such as Yoko Ono, Warren Haynes, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Willie Nelson in addition to Loudon.
The Independent Music Awards are determined by influential industry judges as well as music fans. Click here Please visit independentmusicawards.com for a complete list of all of this year's winners and nominees.
To Catch Johnny A., Loudon Wainwright III, and Trombone Shorty Live, See Tour Dates >>
Mavis Staples Featured On The Daily Show June 12, And Entertainment Weekly Debuts Her New Music Video With Producer, Jeff Tweedy Of Wilco
Mavis Staples was featured on The Daily Show on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. On the episode, Mavis performed in support of her upcoming CD, One True Vine, produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and set for release June 25, 2013. This marks Mavis' fourth appearance on Comedy Central, having been featured twice as a guest on the Colbert Report as well as at Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in 2010. The episode also marks a unique occasion as Mavis was one of the first guests of lead Daily Show correspondent, John Oliver, who is taking over hosting duties for Jon Stewart during his hiatus to direct his first movie. For further program information, please visit thedailyshow.com.
In other news, Mavis' new music video "I Like the Things About Me" from One True Vine premiered exclusively on Entertainment Weekly on June 5, 2013. The video, shot during the upcoming album's recording sessions in Chicago, includes rare behind-the-scenes footage and photos focusing on the relationship between Mavis and Tweedy. It also introduces Tweedy's seventeen-year-old son, Spencer, playing on drums. Entertainment Weekly declared that "the song itself is a great jam... Staples and the Tweedys affirm themselves in the 'I Like the Things About Me' video." The track, which was originally recorded by The Staples Singers, is the second taster from the forthcoming CD. Its first single "Can You Get To That" premiered back in April and can be purchased as a digital download at amazon.com and iTunes store.
Marcia Ball and Charlie Musselwhite were each nominated for awards for Blues Artist of the Year and Most Outstanding Musician (for their respective instruments). Marcia has won both of these categories three times since 2009 with additional wins for Most Outstanding Musician in 2007 and 2008, and Charlie has won the Most Outstanding Musician category a total of nine times.
Also nominated for Most Outstanding Musician this year were Jon Cleary, Duke Robillard, and James Cotton for keyboard, guitar, and harmonica, respectively, while Mavis Staples was nominated for Most Outstanding Blues Singer.
Ruthie Foster scored two nominations for Blues Artist of the Year (her third year in a row) and for Best Blues Album of 2012 for her 2013 Grammy-nominated album, Let It Burn. Bettye LaVette garnered a nomination in the Best Blues Book of 2012 category for her tell-all, unapologetic biography with David Ritz, A Woman Like Me.
Elvin Bishop was nominated for Best Blues DVD of 2012 for That's My Thing, and Muddy Waters, a Rosebud artist until his passing, was nominated in the same category for his collaboration with The Rolling Stones, Live at the Checkerboard Lounge 1981. Live at the Checkerboard Lounge 1981 also features Stones drummer Charlie Watts who Rosebud represents for his rare jazz performances.
Voting is now open to the public until July 15, 2013. Please vote at livingblues.com.
