Premiering today, Rusty Young’s newest video, “My Friend” from his debut solo album, Waitin’ For The Sun, which was released last September on Blue Élan Records.  The warm and joyful “My Friend” features Richie Furay and Timothy B Schmit.

Rusty explains, “My Friend” is about Poco over the years and the friendships we share to this day.  That’s why I called Richie and Timothy; the song is about them. It’s about all of the guys, who have been part of this band, over the years, we are all still friends on this magical trip, it’s about where we were and where we are now, it’s my favorite song on the album.” When sharing his thoughts on the creative process for songs like “My Friend”, Rusty said, “Sometimes as a songwriter, you just get lucky.   A song comes to you and you just have to write it down and not get in the way … this song was a gift.”

Featuring photos though-out the video, both band members and fans alike, grew out of the idea of that magical trip through time. “When we started playing the song live and I looked out at the audience at all of the ‘Poco-nuts’ who, for 50 years, have been there with us all of that time, too.  It suddenly dawned on me that it is about them as much as it’s about the guys in the band and I realized, this is a bigger song than I first thought.”  Rusty went on, “That’s where the idea for the video came in.  Let’s show the different incarnations of this band, through our history, and let’s include those fans who have been right there with us.”

Waitin’ For The Sun, Young’s debut solo album released in September 2017, debuted at #14 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #16 on the Billboard Folk Album Sales Chart, and #42 on the Billboard Independent Labels Chart.  The album comes after a five-decade career that began in 1967 when Young was invited to play steel guitar on what would become the final album by Buffalo Springfield. Soon after, Rusty, Richie Furay, George Grantham, Randy Meisner, and Jim Messina formed beloved Americana band Poco. Over the next half century – and alongside bandmates that would also include Paul Cotton, Rick Lonow, Timothy B. Schmidt, Jack Sundrud, and Michael Webb – he became not only the musical core of the band, but also the writer and vocalist behind hits including “Rose of Cimarron” and the #1 smash “Crazy Love.”

Watch “My Friend,” here:

Rusty Young is currently on tour solo and with Poco:

APR 27              Admiral Theatre                                 Bremerton, WA

MAY 3             The Soda Fountain                              Streetsville, MO. *

MAY 4             The Leach Theatre                              Rolla, MO *

MAY 11            Thrasher Opera House                       Green Lake, WI

MAY 12            Thrasher Opera House                       Green Lake, WI

JUN 8               Golden Nugget                                   Las Vegas, NV

JUN 9               KSHE Pig Roast                                 St. Louis, MO

JUN 19             The Mint                                             Los Angeles, CA *

JUN 24              Rock, Ribs and Ridges Festival        Augusta, NJ 

JUL 14              Silo Napa                                            Napa, CA

JUL 15              OC Fair – The Hanger                        Costa Mesa, CA

JUL 27              Florida Theatre                                   Jacksonville, FL

*Rusty Young Solo

As was previously announced, legendary songwriter JACK TEMPCHIN has been nominated to The Songwriters Hall of Fame with the official induction ceremony set to take place in June 2019. Over the last 50 years, Jack has written for the Eagles, George Jones and Emmylou Harris along with so many more.  Some of the hit songs Jack has penned include; “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Slow Dancing,” “The One You Love,” “Already Gone,” “Someone That You Used to Know,” “White Shoes” and who can forget, “You Belong To The City” and“Smuggler’s Blues”from the Miami Vice TVsoundtrack.

In other Jack Tempchin news, late last year Jack and fellow label mates - Jesse Daytonand Rusty Young (Poco)- went into Clearlake Studios in the San Fernando Valley to record Jack’s song, “Jesus & Mohammed.”  The song is set for digital released yesterday, November 30th, and will be part of the Blue Élan Records Christmas releases where a portion of each download, stream or purchase of this song will benefit The Alliance for Children’s Rights.

Jack says of the song and session, "It was really great having Jesse Dayton and especially having Rusty Young, one of my musical heroes, sing lead verses with me on this song.  So great of my label, Blue Élan, to make this happen and for such an important cause.  This is one of my newer songs that I would most like people to hear; so, it is a thrill to have it released this holiday season.”

In 2017 JACK TEMPCHIN released his greatest hits on one album, Peaceful Easy Feeling– The Songs of Jack Tempchin through Blue Élan Records.  These tracks, most known to many, come from a spectrum of emotional influences and drives. From the contemplative lyrics of the duet “Soul Searchin” to the one-man declaration of life in “Party Town”, TEMPCHIN’s mind and heart are always in concert. Together, he brings the music to his fans and new-comers alike that can conjure up the memories of loves long past or the excitement of new directions in life’s pathway. Over the decades, JACK TEMPCHIN’s writing, music and voice have proven themselves to be a timeless treasure.

Jack Tempchin on the road:

12/4/18 – Nashville, TN – City Winery 

12/11/18 – Encinitas, CA – La Paloma Theatre

12/13/18 – Los Angeles, CA – The Hotel Cafe

The Alliance for Children’s Rights is an organization that protects the rights of impoverished, abused and neglected young people.  By providing free legal services, advocacy, and programs that create pathways to jobs and education, the Alliance levels the playing field and ensures that children who experience foster care are able to fulfill their potential.  For more information about The Alliance for Children’s Rights, or to make a direct donation, please visit their website.

Legendary Yes singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jon Anderson is readying the release of his highly-anticipated new solo album 1000 Hands, an album nearly 30 years in the making.
 
1000 Hands is Anderson’s first via his new partnership with Blue Élan Records. The album is available digitally as well as on CD and a deluxe 180-gram double vinyl package tomorrow and can be previewed HERE.

In addition, Anderson will be hosting an exclusive live event for fans this Sunday, August 2nd beginning at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET.  Fans should go HERE to find out where to tune in and watch the event.

Anderson began working on 1000 Hands (originally called Uzlot – “it means a lot of us”) nearly 30 years ago, working with a group of musicians that included Yes drummer Alan White and bassist Chris Squire. However, due to his heavy touring commitments with Yes, Anderson had to put the record on the back burner. “Before you knew it, I started getting involved in other projects and tours, and years went by,” he explains. “I would listen to the tapes from time to time and think, ‘This could have been a great album! One day I’ll finish it.’”

Setting up shop in Franklin’s Solar Studios in Orlando, Florida, Anderson laid down backing vocals to his original lead tracks, and Franklin called in an astonishing array of rock and jazz luminaries to fill out the songs: fellow Yes alum Steve Howe, Ian Anderson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Steve Morse, Rick Derringer, Jonathan Cain, and the Tower of Power Horns are just a few of the guests on 1000 Hands.

“With all the love in the world, I am so grateful for the worldwide release of 1000 Hands, which took a lifetime to create. Well, it seems like that!” laughs Anderson. “Many thanks to all the truly wonderful people who worked on this unique album. I hope fans are able to watch the livestream event this Sunday which will feature an interview and live performances of songs off the new album with my truly fantastic band of musicians.”

Anderson’s celestial voice – one of the most recognizable sounds in rock – is in stunning form throughout 1000 Hands, an album that features some of his most breathtaking compositions. Bookended by the starkly beautiful acoustic ballads “Now” and “Now and Again,” the record features electrifying new prog masterpieces (“Activate,” “Come Up”), glorious poly-rhythmic wonders (“WDMCF”) and delightful reggae pop (“First Born Leaders”). Listeners will be mesmerized by the cavalcade of sumptuous vocal harmonies on the frisky “Ramalama,” and they’ll be singing along merrily to the horn-driven funk of the aptly named “Makes Me Happy.”

Two-time Grammy Award winning, Los Angeles-based band, OZOMATLI, are making their mark on 2022 by releasing new music! Marching On is their first studio album since the critically acclaimed, 2017 reggae twisted Non-Stop: Mexico to Jamaica in 2017 and marks their debut with new label, Blue Élan Records. Out today, the maraca shaking single “Sacude” is now available on all digital services – give a listen, HERE.
 
Influential Los Angeles based radio station, KCRW, premiered the track on “Morning Becomes Eclectic” yesterday and hailed it saying, "You’ll find grooves for miles in this slow burner, complete with all the hallmarks of a classic Ozomatli joint: lively rhythm, playful yet poignant lyrics, and searing solos that extend beyond mere guitars."

Vocalist Asdru Sierra explains the meaning behind the new single, “’Sacude’ is a song about shaking off toxicity. Poetically it describes how the guy in the band that plays maracas has something strange in his instrument that rattles funny and throws off his groove.  The maracas are like an extension of our souls in this case. At first a guy in the band that's his friend tells him there’s something off with him. He points out that he is sick with toxicity and he's worried. But he needs to deal with it.  Then during the chorus, the pregones are the maraca player expelling his toxicity,” He continues, “We all have toxicity in our lives, whether it's from other people or our own addictions or insecurities, everyone has experienced toxicity. So, we all aim to clean out our maracas to get rid of whatever makes it sound bad to continue grooving.”
 
Last year, the band debuted two new singles from the album – the soulful grooves of “Mi Destino,” featuring guests B-Real (Cypress Hill/Prophets of Rage) and vocalist, Gaby Moreno, was featured on KCRW while the freestyle dance party tune, “Fellas” which features Lisa Lisa of Cult Jam fame and the ladies of J.J. Fad, became a sought out duet on tik tok.
 
Produced by David Garza (Fiona Apple), the album features the six core members: Asdru Sierra (lead vocals, trumpet, keyboards), Raul Pacheco (lead vocals, guitar), Willy (Wil-Dog) Abers (bass, vocals), Justin Poree (rap, vocals, percussion), Ulises Bella (saxophone, melodica, clarinet, guitar, requinto, keyboards, vocals) and Jiro Yamaguchi (drums, percussion) as well as the previously mentioned special guests.
 
While the basic tracks were all completed at Sonic Ranch, due to the pandemic, other parts of the record were completed remotely. Despite the often-terrifying uncertainty of the world in 2020, ultimately Ozo were able to complete Marching On, which turned out to be an almost prescient song and album title.  As the lyrics to the track clarify: “Yeah we keep marching till the justice reigns / And the world sings the freedom’s song / Yeah we keep marching while the battle rages / As the new generations born / Till we right the wrongs.”
 
No matter the circumstances, Ozomatil are driven: Driven to make themselves, their music and the world a better place. And that begins at home—which, for Ozo, is music and lyrics. “The song is kind of like a sacred responsibility,” concludes Raul. “It takes hard core passion to push whatever the song is to the best it could be. I take it very personally.”