Article Contributed by Press Here Publicity
Published on 2026-10-09
Veteran guitarist and singer-songwriter J.P. Reali has released his new original single, “Obvious Reflections.” Set against a reggae-infused groove, the politically charged song was first written by Reali four decades ago. “‘Obvious Reflections’ is a song I wrote while in college in Washington, D.C., in 1986 during the Reagan administration,” Reali says. “It’s about the inequities of that era: racial, social, economic. All those things I wrote 40 years ago are relevant today, so it made sense to dust it off and give the song a fresh coat of paint just in time for the 2026 midterm elections.” PRESS HERE to listen and PRESS HERE to watch the official music video.
“Obvious Reflections” follows the recent release of Reali’s EP, Grateful Blues, his six-song blues tribute to the Grateful Dead.
Released at the end of July, Grateful Blues reimagines a half-dozen Dead songs in Reali’s own musical vernacular, ranging from early blues-laden material to deeper album cuts and fan favorites. The collection includes “Tennessee Jed,” “Loose Lucy,” and “I Need a Miracle.”
Mixed and mastered by GRAMMY-nominated engineer Andy Kravitz and produced by Reali’s longtime friend and drummer Jim Larson, Grateful Blues filters the Dead’s catalog through Reali’s longtime devotion to blues guitar.
Grateful Web previously wrote that Grateful Blues “finds Reali honoring the spirit of the Grateful Dead while staying firmly in his own wheelhouse.”
Raised on Long Island, New York, on a steady stream of Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, and the blues, Reali gravitated toward musicians who carried those influences into rock and roll. Jimi Hendrix, Yes, The Allman Brothers Band, and the Grateful Dead all became important parts of his musical foundation.
Reali studied guitar, formed bands, played blues, and attended dozens of Grateful Dead shows during the 1980s while studying audio engineering at American University in Washington, D.C.
His musical and technical interests eventually led to a career as an audio engineer, including work in recording studios and a longtime position at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Now based in Delaware, Reali has also continued making his own music, releasing numerous independent, self-produced blues albums over nearly two decades. His recent original releases include the 2024 album Blues Since Birth.
“Obvious Reflections” finds Reali returning to a song written at the beginning of that journey and revisiting it four decades later from a very different point in his life and career.
Critical Praise for J.P. Reali
“J.P. delivers stories with a message.” – Blues Blast Magazine
“J.P. Reali’s snazzy blues guitar is what’s special — his ability to conjure another era without sounding retro.” – Americana Highways
“This isn’t a novelty tribute, it’s someone who knows the source material well enough to bend it into something new without losing what made it good in the first place.” – BroBible
“Grateful Blues finds Reali honoring the spirit of the Grateful Dead while staying firmly in his own wheelhouse.” – Grateful Web
“Reali’s rocking in the pocket reimaginings [are] so refreshing.” – Talk From The Rock Room
“J.P. Reali channels Pigpen’s spirit on thoughtful Grateful Blues.” – Glide Magazine
