Preeminent soul-funk trio Soulive, fresh off hosting their first ever festival The Royal Family Affair earlier this summer, have announced a full-on Royal Family Ball tour for Fall 2011. The run will see the return of Soulive to eight cities, including New York City, Chicago, Boston, Portland, Pittsburgh, Falls Church, Philadelphia and a two-night Halloween blowout in Burlington. Joining Soulive on all of the Royal Family Ball shows will be their co-conspirators in Royal Family Records, the seven piece funk tour de force Lettuce.Additional Autumn dates have Soulive appearing in select cities including Coral Gables at the University of Miami, Sedona, Albany, the Bear Creek Music Festival in Live Oak, FL and more.In conjunction with the Fall tour dates, Royal Family Records has dropped a fresh mixtape from Soulive drummer Al Evans entitled Dusty Diamond Vol. 1 available for free download here.--Upcoming Soulive and Lettuce tour dates are:9/25 - New Orleans, LA Tipitina's Uptown (Lettuce)9/30 - Ripley, OH The Big Pig Music & Arts Festival (Soulive + Lettuce)10/1 - Chicago, IL The Vic Theatre *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)10/6 - Coral Gables, FL University of Miami (Soulive)10/8 - Sedona, AZ Jazz on the Rocks (Soulive)10/15 - New York, NY Terminal 5 *Royal Family Ball (Soulive, Lettuce, Roy Hargrove, Raul Midón, Pharoahe Monch, Rahzel & the Shady Horns.)10/21 - Boston, MA House of Blues *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)10/22 - Portland, ME State Theatre *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)10/28 - Burlington, VT Higher Ground *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)10/29 - Burlington, VT Higher Ground *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)10/30 - Albany, NY Massry Center for the Arts College of Saint Rose (Soulive)11/3 - Pittsburgh, PA Rex Theater *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)11/4 - Falls Church, VA State Theatre *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)11/5 - Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts *Royal Family Ball (Soulive + Lettuce)11/11 - Live Oak, FL Bear Creek Music Festival (Soulive + Lettuce)1/1/12 - Lake County, FL Bond-Fire Arts & Music Festival (Soulive)1/9/12 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jam Cruise 10 (Soulive)

42 years and a day after the most legendary band of all time released a classic album that would be their swan song, another band presents their re-imagining of that same recording. It was September 26, 1969 when The Beatles gave the world the legendary Abbey Road. On September 27, 2011, Yellow Dubmarine offer up their stunning reggae re-make, Abbey Dub.

For these dub-reggae rockers who formed in the fertile music communities of Washington D.C. and Baltimore, the choice to take on The Beatles' classic for their debut album was a simple one: "There was a natural vision for it," Yellow Dubmarine explain. "It is a timeless piece of music that we knew we could do something cool with. Not just because of the songs, but because of how it works together. We have a concept and we felt this would be the perfect place to start."

Yellow Dubmarine's Abbey Dub is an aural journey through the history of reggae with The Beatles as your guide. The band keeps the heart of the original 17 songs present, but simultaneously breathes new life into each track.  Producer Kenny Liner, of The Bridge, crafts a sonic landscape that in one instant recalls traditional Nyagbinghi drumming before morphing into a simple Rock-steady cadence. Ska grooves full of Caribbean and Calypso coloring gives way to bass heavy Dub riddims. Horns emerge where there was once the voices of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison and a mellow skank where there was once Ringo Starr's four to the floor beat. Song by song, Abbey Dub seems to discover the long lost island-roots of Abbey Road. It is quite simply a chance to hear the much loved classic album again for the first time.

Yellow Dubmarine will tour extensively this fall and winter. Upcoming dates are:

September 30 | 9:30 | Washington, DC
October 1 | Stirfry Music Revival | Wind Gap, PA
October 6 | Daniel St | Milford CT
October 7 | Putnam Den | Saratoga Springs, NY
October 8 | Rocks Off Concert Cruise | New York, NY
October 14 | Capital Ale House | Richmond, VA
October 15 | Martin's Downtown | Roanoke, VA
October 28 | North Star Bar | Philadelphia, PA
October 31 | Rams Head Live | Annapolis, MD
November 4 | Thunderbird Cafe | Pittsburg, PA
Novermber 5 | The 8x10 | Baltimore, MD
Novermber 9 | Westcott Theater | Syracuse, NY
November 10 | Beachland Ballroom & Tavern | Cleveland, OH
Novermber 11 | Birdys | Indianapolis, IN
Novermber 26 | World Cafe at The Queen Live | Wilmington, DE
December 3 | Middle East Upstairs | Cambridge, MA
December 12 | State Theater  | Falls Church, VA

Spectrum Road is a groundbreaking collaboration between four giants of modern music: Jack Bruce, Vernon Reid, John Medeski and Cindy Blackman Santana.  Born from a shared passion for the music of legendary drummer Tony Williams, the band will release their self-titled debut album on June 5 through Palmetto Records. Later that week, Spectrum Road celebrates its arrival with a highly anticipated performance at Bonnaroo on June 9, which also serves as the first show of a U.S. summer tour. Complete dates will be announced shortly.“To be able to play and record in this band alongside three of the most creative and stellar musicians in the world is a longtime dream come true,” states Vernon Reid. “The idea for Spectrum Road first came about in 2001 and it was the ongoing belief in the kind of record we knew we could make together that made it come to fruition.”Spectrum Road opens the ten-track effort with a blistering take on the jazz-rock barn burner "Vuelta Abajo." It's apparent from the get-go that more than just another supergroup, this is a deeply attuned band speaking a rarefied improvisational language. As the recording unfolds, there's a primal urgency to the performances that ranges from the meditative beauty of "Where" to the searing intensity of "Allah B Praised." Each of these four iconoclasts play to the peak of their musical powers, yet ultimately achieve a whole greater than the sum of their individual parts. Jack Bruce's bass work anchors Spectrum Road, while he also adds vocals to three songs, including the album's centerpiece, a spellbinding version of the classic "There Comes A Time." Vernon Reid delivers one of the most inspired performances of his career. Particularly worth noting is his patient and slow-burning guitar work on "Blues For Tillman" and a spitfire six-string barrage on "Vashkar." John Medeski shifts tonal colors throughout the ten tracks with flourishes of organ and mellotron. He brings a hefty dose of retro funk to the soaring album closer "Wild Life." As Spectrum Road's cornerstone, drummer Blackman dictates the flow, working in free time, juxtaposing delicate cymbal work against monstrous beats and fearlessly steering the quartet through a deluge of razor sharp turns."The band takes the electrifying music of Tony Williams as its starting point and turns it into something totally its own," says Reid. "There's a vibe from end to end, a certain type of force and ambience that I’ve never experienced before as an artist."Spectrum Road is named for one of the incendiary tracks on the original Tony Williams Lifetime album, but as these four musicians demonstrate on their debut recording, this isn’t a tribute band. After making rock history with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in Cream, legendary British bassist Jack Bruce joined the Lifetime for two records thus serving as Spectrum Road's direct connection to their muse. The group is artfully rounded out with famed guitarist Vernon Reid, of Living Colour, and multi-keyboardist John Medeski, one-third of the juggernaut Medeski, Martin & Wood. Made famous by her ten plus years backing Lenny Kravitz on drums, Cindy Blackman Santana has distinguished herself as an impressively versatile player who's as comfortable on post-bop sessions with Joe Henderson and Wallace Roney as she is touring with pop stars like Kravitz and husband Carlos Santana. The formidable lineup of Spectrum Road assures the legacy of Tony Williams lives on, and clearly qualifies as a major 2012 music event.

The Dead Kenny Gs have made their punk rock masterpiece—a 17-minute EP entitled Gorelick available May 8 from The Royal Potato Family. Not one more second is needed as the DKGs slash and burn their way through six tracks, including originals "Beer," "Daddy Issues" and "Punk Rock Girlfriend," plus a bruising rendition of their namesake The Dead Kennedys' "Kill The Poor.""This EP is the manifestation of jazz nerds who worship heavy music," says Mike Dillon. "There's not a drop of vibraphone on this record!"Gorelick will be released as limited pressing 12-inch vinyl with only 500 copies being issued, after which the recording will be available solely as a digital download. The combustible punk jazz trio featuring saxophonist Skerik, bassist Brad Houser and vocalist/vibraphonist/drummer Mike Dillon have garnered a fanatical cult fan-base over years of incessant touring and critical praise, as well as through related projects like Garage A Trois, Critters Buggin and Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle.The Dead Kenny Gs will tour in support of Gorelick, including headline shows and a string of dates supporting Primus.Tour Dates:May 2 | Howlin Wolf | New Orleans, LA #May 5 | Sugar Mill | New Orleans, LA +May 22 | Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA ^May 23 | LC Pavillon | Columbus, OH ^May 24 | Martyr's | Chicago, ILMay 25 | Summer Camp Fest | Chillicothe, ILMay 26 | 2720 Cherokee | St. Louis, MOMay 27 | Cosmic Charlie | Lexington, KYMay 29 | Woodlands | Columbus, OHMay 30 | Rex Theater | Pittsburgh PAMay 31 | North Star | Philadelphia, PAJune 1 | Brooklyn Bowl | Brooklyn, NY *June 2 | The Press Room | Portsmouth, NHJuly 27 | Floyd Fest | Floyd, VA# with Garage A Trois & Marco Benevento+ with Primus & Tony Clifton^ with Primus & GoGo Bordello* with Galactic

Celebrating their 20th anniversary as modern day purveyors of old school funk, the seven-piece Brooklyn-based juggernaut Lettuce drops their third studio album Fly on June 5 via Velour Music Group. Having blown up stages from coast to coast last year, ranging from The Fillmore in SF to Terminal 5 in NYC, Bear Creek Music Festival to Camp Bisco and all points in-between, Lettuce entered the studio this winter with a fresh batch of road-tested material and a revitalized sound honed razor sharp by a year spent on the road. The results are a decidedly raging slab of relentless groove, hyper-charged syncopation and psychedelicized soul anthems. As a rhythm section, Erick "Jesus" Coomes and Adam Deitch set the pace with a deep and wide pocket. Guitarists Eric Krasno and Adam "Shmeeans" Smirnoff weave electrified six-string rhythms that summon the magic of The JBs' Catfish Collins/Hearlon "Cheese" Martin dual guitar frontline, while Keyboardist Neal "The Hawk" Evans doubles up the low end as he simultaneously floats and stings with jabs of Hammond B3 organ. Riding along in lockstep is saxophonist Ryan "Zwad" Zoidis and trumpeter Rashawn Ross, punctuating the funk with blasts of bold and infectious horn lines, while guest appearances by Brian "BT" Thomas and Cochemea "Cheme" Gastelum further solidify what is already one of the fiercest horn sections of this era.On Fly, the pocket is deeper than ever, drawing on a range of styles that can be traced from the early '60s through the early '80s, but set apart by plenty of modern hip-hop sensibilities, including heavy bass, kick and snare pumping in the tracks. Look no further than the album's title cut, though, for how Lettuce has re-imagined the genre. The laid-back vamp, recorded all-analog to two-inch tape, gets full Jamaican studio treatment, dubbed out with vintage reverb and delay. Meanwhile, tracks like "Madison Square" and "Ziggowatt" (Deitch’s ode to legendary Meters' drummer Zigaboo Modeliste) sound like futuristic cuts from the Stax back catalog. Evans' "Bowler" may be the best evidence of where this supercharged group is headed, with a tasty, stick-in-your-ear melody that continues through the track and begs to be ripped open onstage. The album's one cover song, an all-instrumental version of War's "Slippin’ into Darkness," is a reminder of the genre's vintage origins. Soul vocalist Nigel Hall comes in on the Krasno-penned track, "Do It Like You Do" and Charles "Dawg" Haynes provides added percussion on "Let It GOGO."Having evolved and refocused since 2008's full length release Rage! without ever dropping the beat, Lettuce is getting ready to take audiences to the cosmos with Fly in the trunk and a tour on the horizon.Fly track listing is:1. Fly2. Lettsanity3. Ziggowatt4. Madison Square5. Bowler6. Jack Flask7. Do It Like You Do8. Play9. Let it GOGO10. Slippin into Darkness11. The Crusher12. Ghost of JupiterUpcoming Lettuce tour dates:May 2 | Tipitina's | New Orleans, LAMay 3 | The Howlin Wolf | New Orleans, LAMay 18 & 19 | The Fillmore | San Francisco, CAJune 6 | Brooklyn Bowl | Brooklyn, NYJune 7 | The Westcott Theater | Syracuse, NYJune 8 & 9 | SPAC | Saratoga Springs, NY (w/ Dave Matthews Band)July 5 | High Sierra Music Festival | Quincy, CAJuly 19 | Gathering of the Vibes | Bridgeport, CTJuly 21 | All Good Music Festival | Buckeye, OHSeptember 8 | Catskill Chill Music Festival | Hancock, NYSeptember 15 | Jomeokee Music Festival | Pinnacle, NC

Twenty years after Billy Martin asked Steven Bernstein to help him hatch a freaky avant brass band, Wicked Knee delivers their triumphant full-length debut, Heels Over Head. The 11-track recording, available today from Martin's own Amulet Records, brings together four of the New York City downtown jazz scene's most legendary improvisers, which along with Martin on drums and Bernstein on trumpet, features Curtis Fowlkes on trombone and Marcus Rojas on tuba. The resulting effort is a collection of tunes guaranteed to drop jaws and move feet from the New York juke joint to the New Orleans street corner."I've always had this seed planted," says Martin, whose musical friendship with trumpeter Bernstein stretches back to their early days in John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards. "It always made sense to have a small, pocket brass group."Plans were put on hold for a couple decades, though, when Martin got sidetracked reinventing the jazz combo with a little trio called Medeski Martin & Wood, and Bernstein rebuilt the notion of the big band with Sexmob and the Millennial Territory Orchestra. The idea finally had its day when Martin needed a brass group to complete a segment for his anti-instructional DVD Life on Drums. Trombonist Curtis Fowlkes (Lounge Lizards, Jazz Passengers, Bill Frisell) and tubist Marcus Rojas (Spanish Fly, John Zorn, Michael Jackson) assembled in Martin's backyard and "Muffaletta" was born. The funky ode to the traditional New Orleans sandwich gets strutted out for its full value on the new disc, simultaneously framing the genre from which the group draws its formula while letting plenty of its juicy innards spill out over the edges.Tunes like Bernstein's "Sugarfoot Stomp" and Frank London's "Ghumba Zumba," which Rojas brought to the group, double-down on the quartet’s second-line sensibilities, but traditional counterpoint melodies and ragtime syncopations are only the jumping-off point for a group of musicians baptised in the fires of the New York avant garde. Any sonic limitations you might expect from three horns and a drummer are cast aside for "Chaman’s Interlude" and "Noctiluca," ethereal improvisations that find Rojas droning two notes simultaneously, Bernstein casting his horn through echo and delay and Martin having his way with a trunk full of percussion, including the eerie bowed waterphone."Each instrument is just a linear instrument," Martin says of his choice to work exclusively with brass, but Bernstein's expertise in the field of arrangement makes the group feel larger than the sum of its parts. With "Rendezvous," a pensive sketch for the horns, he illustrates how wide the color palette can be for a triad of brass and then washes the whole thing over a driving hard-bop groove on the cinematic "Theme One."Like all blues-based music, there’s pathos at the heart of Heels Over Head, and "99%" points to the socio-economic reality from which we can all find solidarity and a will to persevere. After Bernstein wrote the changes and the band tracked the tune at an undisclosed church in upstate New York, Martin had Shelley Hirsch come in to adlib lyrics."Shelley is one of my favorite improvisers and personalities from the downtown scene,” Martin says. “I directed her to just tell me some stories. It’s sort of like the bad times everyone is going through has an effect on this blues thing. She did a few takes and this is what it turned into. I love her, really love her.”The White Stripes didn’t even have a bassist, never mind a tubist, but Wicked Knee's take on "The Hardest Button to Button" is a blindside rocker that epitomizes the group's love of double meanings and subverted expectations.The band name itself was taken from a record compilation of piano rags and blues called Shake Your Wicked Knees. The record's cover art follows suit. Martin's son was leafing through a book of outsider artists and copied a figure from Bill Traylor, the self-taught artist who grew up under slavery. Strutting with tophat and umbrella, the character seems like he could be cakewalking to an early New Orleans brass rag.“There are several images you can come up with [for Heels Over Head],” Martin jokes of the album title. “I like that it is born out of an Afro-American expression but has a slight surreal meaning. I like titles that can have multiple interpretations and keep that mysterious thing going."The drummer once described his new group as playing "ragtime funk joints with inappropriate avant-garde interludes to keep everything out of focus." But after 20 years of dreaming, and with a full-length record in the quiver and a European tour on the horizon, Martin says, "In some ways it’s coming into focus. But there's still this ebb and flow. It’s about being open to the surprises and letting it come out, capturing the best moments."

Raleigh, NC-based singer/songwriter Kenny Roby has announced the release of Memories & Birds due April 2 on Little Criminal Records. The eight song effort is the first new album in over six years and fourth overall from the founding member of the acclaimed '90s alt-country/indie rock band, Six String Drag. Co-produced by Jason Merritt (Chatham County Line, Tift Merritt), Memories & Birds was recorded over six months and incorporates 12 musicians to create the album's often lush and evocative orchestrations.

"On many of the songs I pictured the characters living during classic periods and places in American modern music. I tried to touch on the feeling of the popular music from that time, whether it be the '40s, '50s or '60s, without coming off as retro. We spared no expense building out the arrangements and searching for the sonic colors that best reflected the narrative of each piece," says Roby. "With all of that said, stylistically much of this record seems timeless to me and lyrically many of these characters could be from any period. There is rarely a lyric that dates them."

Much like the characters who inhabit his songs, Kenny Roby’s life as an artist has been an intellectual and spiritual quest. Over the course of a 20 year career, he has explored the history of music with a musicologist's zeal, absorbing its various forms and sounds into his work. Simultaneously, he has taken a long hard look in the mirror through the writing process, discovering and reflecting back a piece of himself through his songs. Charting the continuum of that journey leads to Memories & Birds, an ambitious vision of a Southern past littered with provocative characters and the dark, foreboding places they inhabit. It's a recording filled with surprising twists and turns, shadowy corners and broken dreams, the narrative thread running throughout this complex eight-song cycle evokes the stark imagery and themes of William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy and Comac McCarthy, while emerging from the musical lineage of Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, Randy Newman, Tom Waits and the like. These are song-stories of loss, isolation, desire, rejection, resignation, despair, aging and anxiety.

"Most of the characters seemed to be loners. Even when they are surrounded by life they are alone," explains Roby. "None of their tales are written from my perspective, but from the narrator's perspective. Of course I inhabit a little bit of each of them."

Roby's empathy for these characters is undoubtedly informed by his own travels. He briefly lived the dream with his former band Six String Drag. In the late '90s, they were heralded alongside fellow next-big-thing North Carolinians' Whiskeytown and The Backsliders, wined and dined by the major label machine and ultimately signed and produced by Steve Earle. Just as quickly, it all disappeared when hard living, the arrival of children and the strain of the music business hustle caused the band to dissolve. Roby persevered, however, releasing three exquisite, but vastly different solo records: Mercury’s Blues (1999), Rather Not Know (2003) and The Mercy Filter (2006). Circa 2007, he went on hiatus to further hone his craft, raise his family and bide his time. So while Memories & Birds could be called a comeback, existentially speaking, it's a debut. Wiser for his experiences and no longer chasing the cliche of success, Kenny Roby returns, purely, the poet, the songwriter, the musician and the artist that he's always been and will always be.

Kenny Roby will tour regionally upon release of Memories & Birds with national tour dates to follow.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Memories & Birds
2. The Monster
3. The Craziest Kid In Town
4. Colorado
5. Tired Of Being In Love
6. A Short Mile
7. Me & The Monkey
8. Our Fading Fighter


TOUR DATES:
Feruary 1 | Moe Joe | Clemson, SC (w/ Amy Ray)
February 2 | Moe Joe | Clemson, SC
February 9 | The Flat Iron | Greensboro, NC
February 19 | Pete's Candy Store | Brooklyn, NY
February 21 | Rockwood Music Hall | New York, NY
April 1 | Tennessee Shines Radio | Knoxville, TN
April 2 | The Grey Eagle | Asheville, NC
April 4 | Moe Joe | Greenville, SC
April 5 | Snug Harbor | Charlotte, NC
April 6 | King's Barcade | Raleigh, NC
July 10 | Duke Performances Series at Duke Gardens | Durham, NC

On Sunday, March 10, the Hudson Valley music community will come together at The Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY to present, We Shall Not Be Moved: An Evening of Spirituals to Benefit Frack Action. Presented by Radio Woodstock 100.1, the intention for the event is to build awareness about potentially harmful fracking activities facing local residents, while simultaneously raising funds for non-profit organization Frack Action who are spearheading an effort to ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State. The concert will feature over 20 local artists and musicians for a series of performances focused on the longstanding musical tradition of spirituals. Musical guests confirmed to perform include Amy Helm, Ben Perowsky, Bethany Yarrow, Dave Dreiwitz, Don Byron, Elizabeth Mitchell & Dan Littleton, Gail Ann Dorsey, Jack DeJohnette, Jeremy Bernstein, Jerry Marotta, John Medeski, Larry Grenadier, Marco Benevento, Natalie Merchant, Rachael Yamagata, Rufus Cappadocia, Simi Stone and Tracy Bonham. Woodstock resident and veteran artist manager Liz Penta along with Radio Woodstock 100.1 is producing We Shall Not Be Moved: An Evening of Spirituals to Benefit Frack Action. In addition to musical performances, there will be a silent auction of local goods and services to help raise extra funds and further unite the community. Businesses set to participate include Woodstock Yoga, River Rock Spa, Eric Tischler Acupuncture, Sorella Clothing, Cucina, Sunflower Natural Foods Market and Tivoli Sailing Company."I don't know a single person who wants New York opened up to hydraulic-fracturing. A benefit concert and silent auction seemed like the perfect opportunity to work with people on the local level. We have a wealth of talent here, and it didn't take much persuading to get folks on board," says Penta. "The goal of the event is to educate, enlighten, galvanize the community, and fund the folks and on the front line.  And, of course, we'll have a good time doing it."Julia Walsh, campaign director for Frack Action, adds: "Fracking is a devastating practice that has the potential to destroy the public's health, environment and economy. Our team has been working tirelessly over the past 2 1/2 years to grow the movement for a statewide ban. Through these efforts, fracking has still not been approved in New York. This is in large part due to the overwhelming action and participation from the unprecedented movement we have collectively built. We are at a critical point in the campaign where the Governor could make a decision any day. We're calling on our Hudson Valley friends and neighbors to come together during this critical time to tip the scales towards justice and a sustainable future. Frack Action is so honored to have allies in the artist community come out and support us in this way. Together we will ban fracking and embrace a renewable energy economy in New York."FRACK ACTION is non-profit organization working to protect our water, air, and public health from the dangerous practice of Hydraulic Fracturing, or "Fracking." Frack Action is engaged in a grassroots, public awareness campaign aimed at exposing the truth about Fracking and building the critical mass necessary to stop it. Frack Action was founded in 2010 with the vision of creating a full-time statewide organizing team dedicated to mobilizing New York citizens for a statewide ban on Fracking.TICKETS:Tickets on-sale now via RadioWoodstock.com/concertsGA Standing Room: $25Reserved Balcony Seating: $35Golden Circle Balcony: $45Front Row: $65WHERE:The Bearsville Theater291 Tinker StreetWoodstock, NY 12498(845) 679-4406WHEN:Sunday, March 10Doors: 6pmShow: 7:30pm

Seth Walker has announced a U.S. tour this spring in support of The Mavericks. The 24-date run comes in support of Seth's latest album, Time Can Change. With dates spanning from coast-to-coast, the tour begins March 15 in San Antonio, TX and continues through April 20 when it concludes in Verona, NY. The shows are the latest in a series of collaborations between Seth and The Mavericks' frontman Raul Malo. This past December, Seth opened a string of dates on Raul's solo tour. The pair also co-wrote two songs on The Mavericks' forthcoming new album, In Time."My buddy Seth Walker had this song ("Back In Your Arms Again") and when he played it for me, it stopped me in my tracks because it sounded like something that would fit The Mavericks perfectly," says Malo. "So I ended up helping him finish it, which in songwriters' terms means I weaseled my way onto his song. And I'm so glad I did because it really was what started this whole process."Originally from North Carolina, Seth spent close to fifteen years in Austin, soaking up music from classic Texas blues men like T-Bone Walker and Lightnin’ Hopkins and honing his own signature blend of soulful croon and down home guitar playing. Time Can Change—Seth’s seventh album—was recorded after a three-year stint in Nashville and released in 2012. The album traded the studio sophistication of its more polished predecessor (2009's Leap of Faith) for a grittier sound and more intimate approach to songwriting. Self-produced and unequivocally personal, Time Can Change received warm reviews and includes another Walker-Malo collaboration entitled "What Now," a ballad that would sit comfortably with other standards from The Great American Songbook. Seth recently relocated to New Orleans, completeing the trifecta as a resident of the South's three most influential music cities.With a blues man's respect for roots and tradition, coupled with an appreciation for—and successful melding of—contemporary songwriting, Seth is an engaging performer whose tasteful guitar playing and nuanced vocals will provide the perfect opener to an evening of exciting, genre-defying music. On this tour, everyone’s invited.Upcoming Seth Walker Tour Dates with The Mavericks are:March 15th: Sam’s Burger Joint (San Antonio, TX)March 16th: Luckenbach Dance Hall (Fredericksburg, TX)March 20th: The Lensic Theatre (Santa Fe, NM)March 21st: Fox Tucson Theatre (Tucson, AZ)March 22nd: Avi Resort & Casino (Laughlin, NV)March 23rd: Coach House (San Juan Capistrano, CA)March 25th: Belly Up Tavern (Solana Beach, CA)March 26th: El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)March 27th: McCallum Theatre (Palm Desert, CA)March 28th: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace (Bakersfield, CA)March 30th: Crest Theatre (Sacramento, CA)April 1st: Gothic Theatre (Denver, CO)April 3rd: The Pantages Theatre (Minneapolis, MN)April 4th: Park West (Chicago, IL)April 5th: Royal Oak Music Theatre (Royal Oak, MI)April 9th: Birchmere (Alexandria, VA)April 10th: Keswick Theatre (Glenside, PA)April 11th: Calvin Theatre (Northampton, MA)April 12th: Royale (Boston, MA)April 13th: Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)April 17th: Carnegie Library Music Hall (Pittsburgh, PA)April 18th: Musikfest Cafe (Bethlehem, PA)April 19th: House of Blues (Atlantic City, NJ)April 20th: Turning Stone Resort & Casino (Verona, NY)

Medeski Martin & Wood have announced a West Coast acoustic tour in April. The nine-date run begins at The Roseland Theater in Portland on April 17 and extends through southern California, wrapping at the Belly Up in Solana Beach on April 27. Highlights along the way include two nights at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on April 22-23, the tour's only all electric performance featuring the Joshua Light Show at UC Davis on April 20 and an evening to feature both electric and acoustic sets at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles, CA on April 26. MMW are touring in support of a recently released live archival album entitled Free Magic that documents their first ever acoustic tour from 2007.Heading into their 22nd year together, MMW's individual members are also busy with their own projects. John Medeski will release his first solo piano recording, A Different Time, on April 9 through Sony Classical's newly-revived OKeh Records imprint. Billy Martin has just released Heels Over Head, the first full-length studio album with his brass band Wicked Knee on the drummer's own impeccably curated label, Amulet Records. Chris Wood and his brother Oliver, otherwise known as The Wood Brothers, are maintaining a steady tour schedule, while this month they begin recording a new studio album with producer Buddy Miller for Zac Brown's record label, Southern Ground Artists.MMW are also confirmed to appear this summer at Wilco's Solid Sound Festival on June 23 in North Adams, MA.Upcoming Medeski Martin & Wood tour dates are:April 17 | Kirkland Performance Center | Kirkland, WAApril 18 | Roseland Theater | Portland, ORApril 19 | Napa Valley Opera House | Napa, CAApril 20 | Mondavi Center-UC Davis | Davis, CAApril 21 | Knitting Factory | Reno, NVApril 22 | Great American Music Hall | San Francisco, CAApril 23 | Great American Music Hall | San Francisco, CAApril 25 | Sunset Center | Carmel, CAApril 26 | Royce Hall-UCLA | Los Angeles, CAApril 27 | Belly Up | Solana Beach, CAJune 23 | Solid Sound Festival | North Adams, MA

Melbourne's finest genre-busting, multi-platinum collective The Cat Empire have announced their biggest world tour to date, which will see them play almost 70 shows across three continents, including nine U.S. dates, in celebration of the release of their fifth studio album Steal The Light.

Over the course of a decade, the band has gained an incredible international reputation, and has established themselves as one of Australia's most unique musical exports.

When they jumped on a plane to the USA for their first overseas engagement in 2002 it was the first time some band members had cause for a passport.  They have subsequently toured all over the world, performing almost 950 shows including headlining some of the worlds most prestigious festivals, and playing on entertainment shows such as Letterman and Leno. With an outstanding new record and a live show to match, 2013 is set be another great year for The Cat Empire.  

"When we started out," says The Cat Empire vocalist and trumpeter Harry Angus, "we were jazz musicians, but we wanted to play music that spoke to the whole world. I think with this record we've really come full circle, and we’re really embracing that concept again."

The Steal The Light World Tour will get underway in North America in July, with the band headlining Canadian festivals and hitting the hot spots of the USA.   The band will be supported by Blackalicious, as well as Australia’s own Tinpan Orange on some North American dates.

South America is in the bands sights this year for the first time following a huge online drive from fans in Rio, Sao Paulo and Buenes Aires who took it upon themselves to lobby the band for shows via pledge site Queremos.  With over 500 fans pledging their attendance in less then one week, The Cat Empire re-routed their tour to respond to the demand, adding more cities each week as South Americans catch on and join the lobby group.

The band will be back in Australia in September to do a run through their favourite theatres, with special guests Hiatus Kaiyote sharing the stage, as well as The Empire Horns and new addition to the entertainment troupe - Lenny and The Ela Dancers – 4 amazing dancers to get the rooms moving.

The Cat Empire will be stepping up in venue sizes across Europe in October 2013, with London’s Brixton Academy set to sell out, and the band moving on from multiple nights in Amsterdam’s Paradiso to the famed Heineken Music Hall.  With Melbourne band FLAP! opening all European shows, the boys are excited to get back to Barcelona for the first time since 2004. No doubt this announcement to follow next week will please the legion of Spaniards who have taken to bussing across the border into France en-masse in recent years in order to get to see the band.

The band's first single from the new album, "Brighter Than Gold," is already a crowd favourite, with high rotation on Triple J in Australia, "Mega Hit" status on 3FM in the Netherlands, heat building on it at radio in Germany and Belgium, and dipping into the Dutch iTunes chart in the top #20, peaking at #17 just two weeks after release.

"Brighter Than Gold" hints at great things to come on the new album, Steal The Light, the band's first worldwide independent release. It arrives ten years after they crashed onto the recording scene with a self-titled debut album that was gold in Australia within weeks, platinum two months later, and double platinum a year on from that.  Followed by a No. 1 chart entry for the sophomore album Two Shoes in 2005, and 2 more award winning albums after that, there is every indication that The Cat Empire have no intention of slowing down.

"In many ways this record is a return to our original aesthetic, a very simple thing; that the music is for dancing and feeling good.  The record and the shows should make people smile, make people dance. That's all we want," muses Angus.

The Steal the Light World Tour goes on sale April 26.  Dancing shoes essential.

The Cat Empire U.S. tour dates are:

June 27: Washington, DC - Fillmore
June 28: Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live
June 29: New York, NY - Best Buy Theatre
June 30: Boston, MA - House of Blues
July 9: Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
July 10: Chicago, IL - House of Blues
July 11: Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Culture Center
July 23: Seattle, WA – Neumos
July 24: Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge

For nearly three decades, legendary saxophonist Karl Denson has been getting crowds around the world up on the good foot. Approaching iconic status, Denson has moved bodies and minds dating back to his earliest years with Lenny Kravitz's band through his ongoing tenure as a founding member of seminal boogaloo revivalists The Greyboy Allstars and his current roll as a member of San Diego dub rockers Slightly Stoopid. Nowhere, however, is this more apparent than with his own band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Touring relentlessly for the past 15 years and leaving a massive audience in his wake, fans know that when KDTU is in town a dance party will ensue.

In Fall 2013, Karl and his Tiny Universe get back to it, heading out for 39 shows across the United States that will debut material from a forthcoming new album due in early 2014 on Stoopid Records. Additionally, KDTU will hook up with looping master Zach Deputy & The Cosmic Horns on the West Coast and Southeast portion of the run to present: Soul Spectacular: A Ray Charles Boogaloo Dance Party. A handful of festival dates will also be mixed into the tour, including stops at Telluride Blues and Brews, Joshua Tree Music Festival, Mustang Music Festival, as well as two sets at Bear Creek Music Festival. On New Year's Eve, KDTU will ring in 2014 with the city of Chicago at Park West.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe shows are:

September 15 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
September 15 - Telluride, CO - Blues & Brews
September 17 - Syracuse, NY - The Westcott Theater *
September 18 - Fairfield, CT - Stage One *
September 19 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair ^
September 20 - Philadelphia, PA - The Blockley ^
September 21 - Williamsburg Park | Brooklyn, NY *^ *FREE
September 22 - Providence, RI - Fete *
September 24 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club *
September 25 - Washington, DC - The Hamilton *
September 26 - Baltimore, MD - 8X10 *
September 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls *
October 11 - Corolla, NC - Mustang Music Festival
October 12 - Joshua Tree, CA - Joshua Tree Music Festival
October 14 - Bellingham, WA - The Wild Buffalo ^^
October 15 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile ^^
October 16 - Portland, OR - Alladin Theater ^^
October 17 - Eugene, OR - WOW Hall ^^
October 18 - Arcata, CA - Arcata Theater ^^
October 19 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore ^^
October 20 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow's ^^
October 22 - Santa Cruz, CA - Moe's Alley ^^
October 23 - Santa Barbara, CA - SOHO ^^
October 24 - Los Angeles, CA - The El Rey Theatre ^^
October 25 & 26 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up Tavern ^^
October 31 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium ^^
November 5 - Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay ^^
November 6 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West ^^
November 7 - Charlotte, NC - Fillmore Auditorium **
November 8 & 9 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel ^^
November 10 - Chattanooga, TN - Track 29 ^^
November 12 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In ^^
November 13 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theater ^^
November 14 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House ^^
November 15 & 16 - Live Oak, FL - Bear Creek Music Festival
December 31 - Chicago, IL - Park West

* w/ The Mike Dillon Band
^ w/ Soul Rebels
** w/ Galactic
^^ Soul Spectacular: Ray Charles Boogaloo Dance Party w/ Zach Deputy & The Cosmic Horns

Seth Walker has announced a new string of tour dates in October. The acclaimed modern roots artist will continue to support his latest release, Time Can Change, but will also be debuting songs from a forthcoming album currently in the works with producer Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers.Walker begins the tour with two solo shows opening for The Mavericks in New Orleans before joining his band in Pittsburgh. They'll work their way South, including stops in Raleigh and Atlanta. The run concludes with two sets at Magnolia Festival in Live Oak, FL.Upon recently relocating to New Orleans and having previously resided in Austin and Nashville, Walker—who was born and raised in North Carolina—completed a trifecta for time spent living in hallowed Southern music cities. Plans will be announced shortly for the 2014 release of the Oliver Wood-produced collection.Upcoming Seth Walker tour dates are:October 4 - Austin, TX - The Saxon PubOctober 8 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's ^October 9 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's ^October 10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird CafeOctober 11 - Thomas, WV - The Purple FiddleOctober 12 - Glen Echo, MD - Bambloozled FestivalOctober 13 - New Hope, PA - New Hope WineryOctober 15 - Norfolk, VA - The Burger BarOctober 16 - Raleigh, NC - Southland BallroomOctober 17 - Decatur, GA - Eddie's AtticOctober 18 - Live Oak, FL - Magnolia Festival #October 19 - Live Oak, FL - Magnolia Festival #October 23 - New Orleans, LA - D.B.A.November 15 - Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater *November 16 - Austin, TX - The Saxon PubNovember 19 - The Woodlands, TX - Dosey DoeJanuary 17 - Santa Rosa Beach, FL - 30A Songwriter FestivalJanuary 18 - Santa Rosa Beach, FL - 30A Songwriter FestivalJanuary 19-25 - Miami, FL - Delbert McClinton's Sandy Beaches Cruise* w/ The Mavericks# w/ John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Grayson Capps, Drive-By Truckers & more^ w/ Hal Ketchum

For nearly three decades, Karl Denson has been rocking stages around the globe. Now, aided by his longstanding band of brothers, the Tiny Universe, he unleashes his most potent arsenal to date with the band's fourth album New Ammo set for release February 4, 2014 on Stoopid Records. Always a formidable unit, the band is bolstered by the doubling of its already raucous horn frontline, and an invigorated orchestral approach inspired by the gritty, funk-fueled soundtracks of 1970s' cinema.

On New Ammo, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is comprised of Chris Stilwell (bass), David Veith (organ, Rhodes), Chris Littlefield (trumpet), DJ Williams (guitar) and John Staten (drums), supplemented by Andy Geib (trombone) and Daniel De La Cruz (baritone saxophone). In addition, the album features a number of special guests, including frequent Denson collaborators Robert Walter on keyboards and Mike Dillon on vibes and percussion, Anthony Smith on vibes, and singer Nicki Bluhm on the album's first single, "My Baby," premiered by Paste Magazine: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2013/12/song-premiere-karl-denson-feat-nicki-bluhm---my-ba.html

This latest effort is a marked departure from the more roots-oriented feel of its predecessor, 2009's Brother's Keeper, both revisiting the classic swagger of earlier Tiny Universe albums while moving forward into a more expansive, full-throttle rock sound. The album spotlights the irresistible melodies, infectious choruses, and relentless grooves that have established Denson’s reputation as a modern music icon.

"My approach has always been that we're a dance band that dips into the jazz realm," Denson says. "It's pretty much still the same, but things change as you listen to more music which changes your artistic outlook on things. So along with our regular funk fare, we’re trying to orchestrate up a bit, with music, art and thought being our new ammunition."

New Ammo arrives on the heels of a handful of tributes that Denson has spearheaded over the last few years, including a tour that re-imagined The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers as well as this past year's U.S. jaunt dubbed, "A Ray Charles Boogaloo Dance Party." Another recent tribute, that celebrating the music of the Beastie Boys, was realized in part by Denson's current roll as saxophonist for the San Diego reggae-rock band Slightly Stoopid. In 2012, the Tiny Universe and Slightly Stoopid joined forces for a number of shows that dug deep into the Beasties' repertoire. The connection between the two was so deep and resounding that Slightly Stoopid insisted upon releasing Denson's latest album on their record label, Stoopid Records.

"It's a fun job and I get to hang out with cool people," Denson says of his stints with Slightly Stoopid. "We're making strides from both sides - I’m helping them grow musically and they’re helping me grow artistically. And obviously, the benefit of having a label where people believe in you is always a good thing."

Carried over from the Beasties' tribute tour and into the recording sessions for New Ammo was the classic "Sure Shot." Taken from the 1994 album Ill Communication, it becomes a flute showcase for Denson. As in the Tiny Universe's tribute shows, all of the samples and loops are recreated using live instruments. It's one of three pop covers on New Ammo, which also includes a searing take on Cold War Kids' "Hang Me Up to Dry" and a groove-heavy rendition of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army."

In Winter 2014, Denson and his Tiny Universe take New Ammo on the road for a 20-date plus tour that hits both coasts, including a three-night stand at Brooklyn Bowl, the Jungle Jam festival in Costa Rica and a co-bill with moe. in York, PA.

From his early days as a member of Lenny Kravitz's band to his critically acclaimed work as a founder of boogaloo revivalists The Greyboy Allstars, as the saxophonist for Slightly Stoopid straight through to his primary creative vehicle, the Tiny Universe, Denson has slowly and steadily built a reputation that now verges on legendary status. With the latest addition to his oeuvre—the relentless 13-track dance floor grenade, New Ammo—2014 will find him adding yet another compelling chapter to this legacy.  

"We've finally figured out how to capture in the studio what the Tiny Universe does live," Denson concludes. "We move around a lot musically, but this record reflects who we are as a band and where we’re headed with our music."

KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE TOUR DATES:

December 31 - Chicago, IL - Park West ^
January 4-9 – Miami, FL – Jam Cruise
January 16-18 - Costa Rica - Jungle Jam
January 23-25 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
January 26 - York, PA - Strand Capital ^^
January 28 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall ^^^
January 29 - Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair ^^^
January 30 - Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts ^^^
January 31 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club ^^^
February 1 - Westbury, NY – The Space at Westbury ^^^
February 13 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
February 14 – Ashland, OR – Ashland Armory
February 15 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom *
February 16 - Seattle, WA - The Neptune *
February 18 - Missoula, MT - Top Hat
February 21 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
February 22 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater **
February 23 – Aspen CO – Belly Up Tavern ***
March 7 – San Diego, CA – Belly Up

^ w/ Robert Walter’s 20th Congress
^^ w/ moe.
^^^ w/ Tauk
* w/ Dirty Dozen Brass Band
** A Ray Charles Boogaloo Dance Party with Zach Deputy
*** A Ray Charles Boogaloo Dance Party with Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers and Zach Deputy

Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline have announced the release of The Woodstock Sessions (Vol. 2) on April 22. The four musicians came together to record on August 27, 2013 at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY in front of an intimate gathering of 75 lucky ticket holders. The session was part of a newly launched series that brings established and emerging recording artists together with their fans in the recording studio. The experience is a performance/session hybrid that supports the artist to fan bond by sharing the process of record making. The end results are inimitable recordings that capture inspired, one-off performances."Michael Birnbaum from Applehead Studios and I had been talking about this for over two years. We're all trying to figure out what to do in this crazy music business, how to keep things going and above water, how to keep the music real and keep the connection with the audience real," explains John Medeski. "Applehead Studios is a great space. Beyond just being a recording facility it sounds so good live that we thought we could find a way to play for people here and get something special out of it."Birnbaum adds: "We feel that the presence of the audience in the room with the musicians creates an energetic accelerant to the experience and to the end product that we capture and reproduce. The idea is to honor the craftsmanship that happens on both sides of the glass and lets folks have a rare look into the sanctified space that is the recording studio."The initial collaboration between MMW and Nels Cline was a year earlier when they performed at The Blue Note for two sold out shows in New York City. They would later reconnect at Wilco's Solid Sound Festival in western Massachusetts. The chemistry was immediate and ever since they'd been considering ways to record."When we talked to Nels about recording something, we felt live was the best way. And we started thinking again about this idea of an intimate concert/studio situation that would be a cool experience and fun for everyone. It seemed like the perfect thing to do," says Medeski. "We wanted play together, record it, and not have to fix everything in the computer. Sometimes you go into the studio and start thinking too much. It changes everything. It might end up great, but it doesn't have the same feeling as getting together to improvise and create in the moment for the moment. This is our moment with Nels!"Together at Applehead Studios, the quartet jumped head first into nearly two hours of improvised music spread across two sets. They'd ricochet between ideas that run the gamut from avant noise to space funk, experimental jazz to electronic minimalism with nearly a million other musical impulses and currents spiraling from their dense web of sound. The recordings were later edited and mixed into nine separate tracks by the Applehead production/engineering team of Michael Birnbaum, Chris Bittner and Kevin Salem."There are a lot of different ways to make records. Too often, the process gets elongated, and I've made many records on recent years where no two musicians played in the same room at the same time. Michael and I sat down as producers and decided that we wanted to create a situation that would foster productivity and a modern organic approach to recording," says Salem. "These are recording sessions, pure, simple and real. For the attendees, they get to see musicians in their creative habitat. The artists get the benefit of simplicity and urgency that comes with live recording. And as producers, we get to craft something really one-of-a-kind. Putting people in a room changes the dynamic, and that yields a tangible result that makes the sessions different from even standard live studio recording and certainly different from concert recordings."Heard in its entirety, The Woodstock Sessions (Vol. 2) presents some of the most imaginative playing ever documented in the vast discographies of either Medeski Martin & Wood or Nels Cline."MMW has no leader.  When we play, there is an unspoken rule that requires each of us to sometimes lead and sometimes follow.  As an outsider, it's hard to join this kind of democracy without altering it," concludes Chris Wood. "With Nels Cline it's different. He instantly became a citizen of our twisted democracy and elevated it to a higher realm."

The ever-evolving, genre-defying collaboration between influential trio Medeski Martin & Wood and maverick guitarist John Scofield continues to flourish. Since first convening nearly 17 years ago, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood's kinship both onstage and off has fostered an escalating degree of musical interplay, exquisitely captured on Juice—their third studio effort and fourth album overall, available September 16, 2014, via MMW's Indirecto Records imprint.

With four multi-faceted musicians participating as equals, anything and everything is possible. The band's first collaboration, the now classic 1997 release, A Go Go, featured Scofield compositions exclusively, while 2006's Out Louder was an experiment in spontaneous, collective co-composition. To give shape to what eventually became Juice, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood sought common ground and inspiration in the intersection of improvisation and rhythms from the Afro-Latin diaspora. More specifically, the blueprint was found in a compilation of these sounds put together by drummer Billy Martin and shared among the ensemble.

"We all love music from Brazil, the Caribbean, and Latin America, as well as what became boogaloo here in the States, and it has always been intertwined with jazz," explains keyboardist John Medeski. "We got together and started exploring that connection in our own way."

"This is our version of different African-based forms," Scofield echoes. "Or, at least, that's what we started with, but eventually we said, 'This is the outline, but we can do whatever the hell we want.'"

The resulting album combines the group's signature grooves with a newfound lyrical melodicism over a program of original compositions and four covers, including a powerfully hymn-like take on Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and a dizzying dub deconstruction of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love." Throughout, Juice showcases the quartet's dynamic interplay and razor-sharp improvisational acumen.

"Reacting to each other is really what it's about," concludes Scofield. "That's what makes this music work. We've gotten to the point where we can come together and make something that is identifiable and organic, yet it's growing and changing all the time."

Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood will announce North American tour dates in support of Juice shortly. They play five shows on the West Coast and Canada next week. 

JUICE Track List
Sham Time
North London
Louis The Shoplifter
Juicy Luicy
I Know You
Helium
Light My Fire
Sunshine Of Your Love
Stovetop
The Times They Are A-Changin

Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood have announced a North American tour this December to support their forthcoming studio album, Juice, out September 16 from Indirecto Records. The ten-night run will be preceded by a 14-date tour of Europe in November. Beginning at 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on December 4, MSMW will play select shows in both the Northern and Southeastern United States, highlighted by a hometown performance at Terminal 5 in NYC on December 11. They'll conclude the stretch in the Midwest, which includes one night only in Canada at Toronto's historic Massey Hall."We love the unexplainable magic that comes from our collaboration with John Scofield on every level, from the hang to the playing," says John Medeski. "This is a band with a personality and dynamics all its own that we feel we've captured like never before on this latest album. And it will only continue to evolve over these shows this winter."Juice—a ten-track effort and the fourth recording between the four musicians in seventeen years of performing together—showcases what Paste Magazine recently described as "the group's penchant for tight grooves and purposeful rambling." In addition to six original compositions, MSMW offer a boogaloo romp through legendary jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris' "Sham Time," a dubbed-out deconstruction of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love," a playful post-bop reading of The Doors' "Light My Fire" and the gorgeous hymn-like album closer, Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'.""Reacting to each other is really what it's about," adds John Scofield. "That's what makes this music work. We've gotten to the point where we can come together and make something that is identifiable and organic, yet it's growing and changing all the time."MEDESKI SCOFIELD MARTIN & WOODNorth American Winter Tour Dates:December 4 - Washington, DC - 9:30 ClubDecember 5 - Philadelphia, PA - Union TransferDecember 6 - Westhampton Beach, NY - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts CenterDecember 7 - Boston, MA - House of BluesDecember 8 - Durham, NC - Carolina TheatreDecember 9 - Atlanta, GA - Symphony HallDecember 11 - New York, NY - Terminal 5December 12 - Toronto, ON - Massey HallDecember 13 - Chicago, IL - Vic TheatreDecember 14 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

The Wood Brothers are back on the road come September and October. The recently announced three week run will focus heavily on shows in the Southeast and Midwest in a number of cities yet to be visited since the release of their critically acclaimed, Buddy Miller-produced album, The Muse.

A three-piece unit comprised of brothers Oliver and Chris Wood along with multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix, The Wood Brothers sound is an amalgam of vintage roots music, drawing equal inspiration from blues, folk, gospel and jazz. Their earthy Americana-based sound is adorned by the brothers’ high and lonesome harmonies, stinging slide guitar lines and floor-stomping rhythms, but at the foundation is exquisite songwriting. Oliver and Chris mine a deep well of lyrical and melodic ideas on songs like "Wastin' My Mind," "Neon Tombstone" and "Sing About It," which led Paste Magazine to declare their latest work "more dynamic than ever."

Tour Dates:
August 14 - Simsbury, CT - Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows
August 15 - Hudson, NY - Club Helsinki
August 16 - Scranton, PA - The Peach Music Festival
August 28 & 29 - Fayetteville, AR - Fayetteville Roots Festival
August 30 - Shoe Fest - Manteno, IL
September 10 - Fredericton, NB - Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
September 13 - Mankato, MN - Vetter Stone Amphitheater
September 18 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay Theatre
September 19 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
September 20 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
September 21 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
September 23 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
September 24 - Columbia, SC - Haw River Ballroom
September 25 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom
September 26 - Roanoke, VA - Jefferson Center
September 27 - Charlotte, NC - McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square
September 29 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre
September 30 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
October 2 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House
October 3 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
October 4 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
October 5 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House
October 23 & 24 - Nashville, TN - City Winery

Celebrating two decades of defying genres and creating ceaselessly groundbreaking music, Tulsa-based Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is set to release Worker, their 26th album, on October 14 via Royal Potato Family. The 11-track effort marks the first studio recording from the current trio line-up featuring Brian Haas (keyboards, Moog bass), Chris Combs (guitar, lap steel), and Josh Raymer (drums). Worker is JFJO's second album of 2014 as they began the year by releasing Millions: Live In Denver, a Record Store Day exclusive LP, recorded at the esteemed jazz venue Dazzle in the mile-high city. The collection captured the band re-envisioning seven vintage songs from their repertoire that hadn't been performed in years. The limited edition vinyl pressing sold out in one day.

"Chris Combs and Josh Raymer started listening to Jacob Fred when they were in middle school," Haas explains. "To them, it's a language they grew up with and they want to push forward. When they joined, I was able to share ownership of that language. It's as much theirs as mine."

Musically, Worker is comprised of shorter, song-like compositions that incorporate cut-and-paste techniques and rhythmic deconstructionism, inspired by the band's fascination with experimental hip-hop and electronic music forms. Intertwined with their ongoing commitment to jazz, it effortlessly walks the line dividing composition and improvisation. Largely recorded live in the studio over two days, with minimal overdubs, the increased sonic responsibilities pushed each member to their limits. Haas generates bass tones on a Moog synthesizer with one hand while producing melodies, loops, and textures with the other. Combs presides over a guitar, lap steel, and two synthesizers. At the center of the storm, Raymer generates throbbing, stuttering rhythmic patterns as danceable as they are unexpected.

"We're listening to all this amazing stuff from other genres," Haas says. "And we had to ask: They're doing it with computers – are we good enough to do it with our instruments?"

The answer to that question is Worker: eleven new songs true to the ideal that's led them to where they stand today; that is to surge forward, fearlessly and freely, guided by their creative impulses. Visceral live music, played by sentient beings, Worker probes the nexus of modern and primitive, merging analog and digital with composition and improvisation. As it's been for 20 years, JFJO's musical instincts light the way on a perpetually-inspired jazz odyssey.

"I love changing; pushing my concept of what good music should be and pushing our fans' concept of what good music should be," Haas concludes. "I don’t want to make jazz or anything else — I just want to make great music."

JFJO Tour Dates
Oct. 8 - Norman, OK - The Deli
Oct. 9 - Austin, TX - The Parish
Oct. 11 - New Orleans, LA - Snug Harbor
Oct. 16 & 17 - Denver, CO - DazzleJazz
Oct. 18 - Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe University of Art and Design
Oct. 21 - San Diego, CA - Winston's
Oct. 22 - Los Angeles, CA - The Mint
Oct. 23 & 24 - Oakland, CA - Duende
Oct. 25 - Nevada City, CA - Crazy Horse
Oct. 26 - Petaluma, CA - Zodiacs
Oct. 28 - Cottage Grove, OR - The Ax and Fiddle
Oct. 29 - Zig Zag, OR - Skyway Bar and Grill
Oct. 30 - Portland, OR - The Goodfoot
Oct. 31 - Olympia, WA - Rhythm and Rye
Nov. 1 - Seattle, WA - Earshot Jazz Festival
Nov. 10 - Columbus, OH - Dick's Den
Nov. 11 - Cleveland, OH - The Grog Shop
Nov. 13 - Cambridge, MA - The Lily Pad
Nov. 14 - New York, NY - Zinc Bar
Nov. 15 - Burlington, VT - Radio Bean

Karl Denson has announced that he will join The Rolling Stones on saxophone for nine shows in Australia and New Zealand on their 14 On Fire tour.  The shows start at the end of the month in Adelaide and run into late November.  The acclaimed reedman, songwriter and bandleader is best known for fronting the prolific touring juggernaut, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, who regularly perform over 150 shows a year. Their most recent album, New Ammo, was released in February 2014.  DownBeat Magazine called it "music for both the party and for fans of instrumental prowess." In addition, Denson is one of the founding members of seminal boogaloo revivalists, The Greyboy Allstars. He first came to national attention as a member of Lenny Kravitz's Let Love Rule-era band.

“It's the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to see the world through a giant pair of lips,” says Denson about his upcoming shows with The Rolling Stones. "It's going to be amazing to get even closer to this music that I have listened to all my life."

Denson has had to postpone his upcoming tour dates with The Tiny Universe in order to tour with The Rolling Stones. An announcement is forthcoming as to when those shows will be rescheduled.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood announce today that Tony Leone has joined the band on drums. His first performance with The CRB will be this coming weekend at the Sunshine Music & Blues Festival in Florida followed by a 14-date tour across the Midwest and East Coast in February. Leone's arrival follows the departure of the band's original drummer George Sluppick.

New York City-based Tony Leone began his career working with jazz luminaries like Illinois Jacquet, Lou Donaldson and Jon Hendricks. In 2002, he co-founded the acclaimed roots ensemble Ollabelle with Amy Helm. Through the association, he became a fixture at Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble sessions in Woodstock, NY. He'd fill the drum seat when Helm stepped away to play mandolin and sing. A highly regarded studio and touring musician, Leone's resume includes work with Shooter Jennings, Rickie Lee Jones and Donald Fagen among many others.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood thanks George Sluppick for his contribution to the band over the last three years and wishes him continued success in future musical endeavors.

Upcoming Chris Robinson Brotherhood tour dates are:

Jan. 17 - St. Petersburg, FL - Sunshine Music & Blues Festival
Jan. 18 - Boca Raton, FL - Sunshine Music & Blues Festival
Feb. 3 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe
Feb. 5 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
Feb. 6 - Chicago, IL - Park West
Feb. 7 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
Feb. 8 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
Feb. 10 - Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theatre
Feb. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Feb. 13 - Boston, MA - Paradise
Feb. 14 - Boston, MA - Paradise
Feb. 15 - Stowe, VT - Rusty Nail
Feb. 19 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
Feb. 20 - Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
Feb. 21 - Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY
Feb. 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
Mar. 28 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Apr. 2 - Byron Bay, Australia - Bluesfest
Apr. 3 - Byron Bay, Australia - Bluesfest
Apr. 4 - Melbourne, Australia - The Corner Hotel
Apr. 6 - Sydney, Australia - Metro Theatre
May 22 - N. Lawrence, OH - The Ville
May 31 - Napa, CA - Bottlerock Festival
Jul. 25 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest

April 2 - Byron Bay, Australia - Bluesfest
April 3 - Byron Bay, Australia - Bluesfest
April 4 - Melbourne, Australia - The Corner Hotel
April 6 - Sydney, Australia - Metro Theatre
April 30 - Big Sur, CA - Loma Vista
May 1 - Big Sur, CA - Loma Vista
May 2 - Calpine, CA - Sierra Valley Lodge
May 5 - Nevada City, CA - Miners Foundry Cultural Center
May 6 - Arcata, CA - Humboldt Brews
May 8 - Bend, OR - The Domino Room
May 9 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
May 10 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
May 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
May 13 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
May 15 - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
May 16 - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
May 17 - Bellevue, CO - Mishawaka Amphitheater
May 22 - N. Lawrence, OH - The Ville
May 29 - San Diego, CA - North Park Observatory
May 31 - Napa, CA - BottleRock Festival
June 19 - Steamboat Springs, CO - Steamboat Free Summer Concert Series
July 10 - Summit Point, WV - All Good Music Festival

July 11 - Marshfield, MA - Levitate Music Festival
July 17 - Lowell, MA - Lowell Summer Concert Series
Jul 25 - Floyd, VA - FloydFest

Charlie Hunter, Curtis Fowlkes and Bobby Previte share a long history, but they've never recorded an album together as a trio until now. Their debut, Let The Bells Ring On—due June 9 via the seven-string guitarist’s own label, Charlie Hunter Music—is gritty, greasy, and downright celebratory. The album features 10 Hunter original tunes designed for the trio's singular, deep-pocket sound.

Previte and Fowlkes were both essential participants of the New York City "Downtown" scene in the 1970s. They've worked together in countless settings over the years. Fowlkes is a charter member of the Lounge Lizards and the Jazz Passengers, while Previte has over two-hundred plus original compositions and 25 albums to his name. Hunter and Previte have toured and recorded together in various all-star cooperative ensembles, such as Coalition of the Willing (with fellow renegades Steven Bernstein, Skerik and Marco Benevento) and more recently Omaha Diner, the de-constructivist quartet with Bernstein and Skerik. Their most extensive undertaking is the free improv project Groundtruther, a protean project that assumes a new form with each special guest (a list that encompasses more than three dozen players, including Greg Osby, John Medeski, DJ Olive, Peter Apfelbaum, Uri Caine and Jane Ira Bloom).

After several years of focusing on his stripped-down duo with drummer Scott Amendola, Hunter wanted to expand his textural possibilities both in the studio and on the road. Thus he made the call to Fowlkes and Previte to present the idea for this trio and its subsequent recording debut, Let The Bells Ring On.

With Previte in the fold, Hunter was looking to showcase a different side of the drummer's playing. "He's probably known as a composer more than anything else," Hunter says. "But he's always been one of my favorite drummers. He came up in the 1960s, and he has the beat. You have to have lived it to have that feel. Because of his composer's mind, we can play the simplest groove and it becomes something really exciting and compositional."

As for Fowlkes, he had previously called the trombonist for his 2003 quintet album Right Now Move (Ropeadope) and once again wanted his huge, soul-drenched sound and vivid palette for this new batch of compositions he'd been writing. "Conceptually, I've been doing a duo thing with Scott that I love, but I wanted to have that third voice," Hunter says. "I wanted somebody with a vibe who understands free improv and Al Green and Frank Sinatra and Sam Cooke. I wanted someone who can sing on their horn. I needed Curtis."

Exploring a variety of sonic spaces, the tunes range from the foreboding tension and release of "Anthem: USA" and the tautly cinematic "Fellini Farm Team" to the antic hoedown "Hillbilly Heroine Chic" and churchy waltz "Spence."

"This trio can go anywhere," concludes Hunter. "I envision it growing as we continue to get out on the road together. I think we’ll find it leads us to incredible places, musically speaking."

Charlie Hunter Let The Bells Ring On is out June 2 on LP, CD and digital formats via Charlie Hunter Music.

Randall Bramblett has announced the release of a new studio album, Devil Music, due September 18 from New West Records. An acclaimed Southern artist—whose songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Bettye LaVette and Hot Tuna and who's served as a collaborator with Greg Allman, Steve Winwood and Levon Helm among others—Bramblett built the 11-song effort upon a foundation of R&B and Soul, but he also imparts the collection with rock and roll fervor and a willingness to improvise. Bramblett recruited a handful of A-list special guests to join him on the recording, including Derek Trucks, Mark Knopfler and Chuck Leavell. Lyrically, Devil Music was inspired by the biography, Moanin’ At Midnight: The Life and Times Of Howlin’ Wolf. In the book, Hubert Sumlin tells a story of Howlin’ Wolf crying all the way from Mississippi to Chicago. Wolf and his band had been on tour when they decided to make a stop at his boyhood home in White Station, Mississippi. Wolf wanted to give his mother money and show her who he'd become. She opened the door, saw who it was and slammed the door in his face. She told him she didn’t want his money and didn’t want anything to do with him because he played "Devil Music."

"When I wrote Devil Music about Howlin' Wolf's meeting with his estranged mother, I knew I had the feel and the heart of the record. Songs like 'Dead in the Water,' 'Whiskey Headed Woman' and 'Bottom of the Ocean' all sprang from the tug-of-war between blues and religion, salvation and damnation," says Bramblett. "The overdriven vocal sound we used helped bring home the pain and defiance we wanted on these songs. The way I'm singing is more intense. The songs have this fundamental power that I just needed to express."

In many songs, he says, "lost characters" abound. Some appear in the album opener and title track, while "Dead in the Water" was inspired by William S. Burroughs and his speed-freak wife ("scrubbin' the floor with a toothbrush/but she just can't get it clean"). The protagonist in "Angel Child" comically tries to lure a lover into the seedy web of his broken down life while the character in "Bottom of the Ocean" dreams of escape. These songs gain further impact from their construction and many are built around a single chord.

"Several of them are basically field songs where you're coming down on the one like you're chopping stuff, and you just stay there," continues Bramblett. "The rest of the interest comes out of the ambient sounds, the lyrics and the inspiration of the players. The effect is trancelike; it pulls you in."

"I’m pullin’ from a deep well on this album," Bramblett concludes. "It's my experience of black and white culture in the south, and how it feels to grow up here with all the religion and pain and conflict and joy—and then there's all that dancing…"

Devil Music is Randall Bramblett’s sixth recording for New West Records and the tenth of his career. He’ll support the release with tour dates throughout Fall and Winter, including Widespread Panic's annual festival, Panic En La Playa in Mexico.

Randall Bramblett Tour Dates
September 12 & 13 - Black Swamp Festival - Bowling Green, OH
September 17 – Hendershot’s Coffee - Athens, GA *
September 18 - Cox Capitol Theatre - Macon, GA
September 19 - Walker County Fair, Mountain Cove Farms - Chickamauga, GA
September 22- September Sounds - Anderson, SC (Solo)
September 25 - Sails Concert Series - Hickory, NC
September 26 - Southland Ballroom - Raleigh, NC
October 1 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC ^
October 2 - Isis Music Hall - Asheville, NC
October 3 - Double Door Inn - Charlotte, NC
October 10 - The Foundry - Athens, GA
October 17 - Wire & Wood Songwriter Festival - Alpharetta, GA
October 18 - The Rooster’s Wife - Aberdeen, NC
October 23 - Headliner’s - Louisville, KY
October 24 – The Old Feed Store - Cobden, IL
October 30 - The Loft - Columbus, GA
October 31 - Arnett’s Gulf Side Stables - Grayton Beach, FL
November 4 - Sweet P’s Songwriters in the Soul House - Knoxville, TN (solo)
November 27 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA
December 11 - Steve’s Live Music - Sandy Springs, GA
December 26 - The Foundry - Athens, GA
January 30 - Red Clay Theater - Duluth, GA
February 2 - 6 - Panic en la Playa - Riviera Maya, Mexico

* Devil Music Listening Party
^ w/ Paul Thorn

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood has just announced an additional 18 shows on their Fall 2015 tour, including three nights at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn and two shows at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh. The CRB's now annual end of the year run through San Francisco occurs this year at The Fillmore for two nights.

Having completed their most successful summer tour yet with sold out shows around the U.S., including San Francisco, San Diego, Napa, Virginia Beach, Asbury Park and Salt Lake City, Robinson and company have slowly been unveiling new material. The band has now confirmed they will return to the studio in early 2016 to begin recording this latest set of songs for their next album.

Just announced Chris Robinson Brotherhood shows are:

November 3 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
November 5 - Atlanta, GA - The Variety Playhouse
November 6 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
November 7 & 8 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
November 17 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 19, 20 & 21 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
November 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
December 3 - Napa, CA - City Winery
December 4 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
December 5 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Crown Room
December 6 - Santa Cruz, CA - Coconut Grove
December 9 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
December 10 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
December 11 & 12 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

Complete Fall & Winter Chris Robinson Brotherhood tour schedule is:

August 29 - Nederland, CO - NedFest
September 11 - Arrington, VA - LOCKN’ Festival *
September 12 - Charlotte, NC - The Chop Shop
September 13 - Nag's Head - Kelly's
September 16 - New York, NY - Central Park SummerStage *
September 18 - Buffalo, NY - The Town Ballroom
September 19 & 20 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
September 22 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom
September 24 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theater
September 25 - Geneva, NY - Smith Opera House
September 26 - Wappingers Falls, NY - Speed of Sound Festival
September 27 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
September 29 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
October 1 - St. Louis, MO - Old Rock House
October 2 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
October 3 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
October 4 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
October 6 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley
October 8 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
October 9 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
October 10 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s
October 13 - Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theatre
October 15 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live **
October 16 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn **
October 17 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar ’N’ Grill
November 3 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
November 5 - Atlanta, GA - The Variety Playhouse
November 6 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
November 7 & 8 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
November 17 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 19, 20 & 21 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
November 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
December 3 - Napa, CA - City Winery
December 4 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
December 5 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Crown Room
December 6 - Santa Cruz, CA - Coconut Grove
December 9 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
December 10 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
December 11 & 12 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

* w/ Phil Lesh & Friends
** w/ Leftover Salmon

ChessBoxer have announced the release of their debut, Apollo EP, due September 25 from 333 Entertainment. The collection's opening track "Calon Lan" is premiered today by The Bluegrass Situation. Produced by Charlie Peacock (Civil Wars, Switchfoot), Apollo EP serves as a preview to the Nashville-based, string trio's forthcoming full-length album due in early 2016. ChessBoxer completed the EP in anticipation of an upcoming tour with Warren Haynes. They'll join Haynes for 19 shows on his Ashes & Dust tour this Fall, both performing as his backing band and opening each evening with a set of their own music.

"The Apollo EP is a collection of four pieces from our upcoming debut album we've recorded with Charlie Peacock,” says ChessBoxer's Ross Holmes. "We're excited to share a few of these new songs. Each one is its own journey and hopefully means something special and different with each listen."

ChessBoxer is comprised of Matt Menefee on banjo, Ross Holmes on violin and the recent addition of Royal Masat on upright bass. Menefee and Holmes were founding members of the progressive acoustic band Cadillac Sky, while collectively the three musicians have performed with Mumford & Sons, Dan Auerbach, Bruce Hornsby, Alison Krauss and Old Crow Medicine Show among many others. It was through their work with Bela Fleck that they first came to the attention of Warren Haynes. The legendary guitarist asked Fleck if he had any musicians to suggest when assembling a touring ensemble to perform the songs on his new acoustic-based album, Ashes & Dust. Fleck told him to look no further than ChessBoxer.

“Warren Haynes is the Supreme Godfather of jam/exploration bands around the world and to have the opportunity to join him on tour is truly an honor,” continues Holmes. “We can hardly wait to start performing his new material, this is new territory for all of us to create and converse in!”

Although rooted in a time-honored string band sound, ChessBoxer subtly push musical boundaries. Their interest in symphonic music can be heard on tracks like "Calon Lan" and "I Can’t Tell My Secret Weapon" where they’ve condensed orchestrated musical ideas down to three instruments. On more traditional leaning material like "The Devil and Sally Jones" and "Bacon," they achieve elegance, but retain a spirited bluegrass earthiness. Their technical form and knowledge of melodic structure results in beautiful instrumental compositions. The band describes them as "stories that evolve with each performance." From inspired original pieces, to traditional tunes of the American vernacular, ChessBoxer is poised to have a major impact on one of the most important renaissance periods of American music.

Upcoming tour dates with Warren Haynes are:

Sep. 22 - Uptown Theatre - Kansas City, MO
Sep. 23 - Murat Theatre - Indianapolis, IN
Sep. 25 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
Sep. 24 - LC Pavilion - Columbus, OH
Sep. 26 - Riviera Theatre - Chicago, IL
Sep. 29 - Fillmore - Detroit, MI ++
Sep. 30 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA ++
Oct. 1 - Capitol Theatre - Port Chester, NY ++
Oct. 2 - Tower Theatre - Philadelphia, PA ++
Oct. 3 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
Oct. 6 - Orpheum Theatre - Boston, MA
Oct. 7 - The Space - Westbury, NY
Oct. 8 - Warner Theatre - Washington, DC
Oct. 10 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
Oct. 13 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
Oct. 20 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC
Oct. 22 - Fillmore - Miami, FL
Oct. 23 - Jannus Live - St. Petersburg, FL
Oct. 24 - Plaza Live - Orlando, FL

++ w/ Chris Stapleton direct support

Those lucky enough to score a "miracle" ticket to the Fare Thee Well concerts this summer were treated to some potent psychedelic jams during the shows’ intermissions. The mysterious group behind those freewheeling tunes was Circles Around the Sun, a band convened by guitarist Neal Casal specifically for the project.

The songs were composed and recorded during a two-day jam session. The results were so captivating, and the audience response so overwhelmingly positive, Rhino decided to give the music a proper release. INTERLUDES FOR THE DEAD will be available on November 27 for a suggested list price of $24.98 (2-CDs) and $9.99 (digital).

In addition, a 180-gram vinyl version on two LPs will be available on the same day as a limited edition of 5,000 copies as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday event. And finally, three CDs featuring all the music heard in Chicago will be included in the complete versions of Fare Thee Well, which will be available as 12-CD/7-Blu-ray and 12-CD/7-DVD sets exclusively from dead.net on November 20.

The project began when Casal was asked by video director Justin Kreutzmann to compose and record more than five hours of original music to be played along with the visuals Kreutzmann was preparing for the Fare Thee Well intermissions. "The idea was to not only show reverence for the past but to ultimately, move it forward. If there's anything to be learned from the Grateful Dead, it is to dissolve your boundaries, push your limits, and discover your own voice in this world," explains Casal, the lead guitarist and co-songwriter for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and part-time member of Phil Lesh & Friends.

Casal was joined in the studio by keyboardist Adam MacDougall, a fellow member of Robinson's Brotherhood and Lesh's Friends. The balance of Circles Around The Sun consists of bassist Dan Horne (Beachwood Sparks, Jonathan Wilson) and drummer Mark Levy (The Congress). All of the music on INTERLUDES FOR THE DEAD was written collectively — with nothing prepared beforehand or added afterward — and recorded live by engineer J.P. Hesser.

Before attending the first Fare Thee Well concert in Santa Clara, no one in the group knew quite what to expect. "We figured it would be low-volume background music that people would ignore in their eagerness to hear the headliners," Casal recalls. "Fine by us, we were just there to dance and dig the music anyway. It was the surprise of our lives to find out just how wrong we were."

INTERLUDES FOR THE DEAD
Track Listing

Disc One
"Hallucinate A Solution"
"Gilbert’s Groove"
"Kasey’s Bones"
"Space Wheel"

Disc Two
"Ginger Says"
"Farewell Franklins"
"Saturday’s Children"
"Scarlotta’s Magnolias"
"Hat And Cane"
"Mountains Of The Moon"

It's been nearly two years since Gramatik dropped his seminal album, The Age of Reason, in partnership with BitTorrent, quickly becoming the platform's third most downloaded artist in 2014. Since then Gramatik has embarked on several world tours, leaving only the occasional weekend off to record. He used the downtime wisely, painstakingly crafting his most sonically sprawling and ambitious record yet. Fans will finally be treated to the Slovenia-born producer's long-awaited new album, Epigram, when it's released on March 25 via his own label, Lowtemp Music. Staying true to Gramatik's belief in "freeing music, by making music free" the collection will be available for free download, as well as at traditional paid download outlets, including iTunes and Beatport and streaming sites such as Spotify and Apple Music.

With each new release, Gramatik further refines his approach to writing, recording and beat-making, constantly evolving, yet never losing focus of his roots. With Epigram, he's pushed this concept even further, delivering his most diverse collection yet with tracks ranging from soul to electro, pure hip-hop bangers to trap/dubstep hybrids. Much of Epigram was created by recording live musicians and then sampling and reimagining their parts into finished tracks.

"On my first few releases, I would sample music from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s that could be flipped in a cool way. I specifically like combining samples from like 5 or 6 different songs from different genres and different eras of music, taking bits and pieces of each song and warping and tuning them all together to form a new song. We call that collage sampling," explains Denis Jašarević aka Gramatik. "I still do that sometimes, but for Epigram I sampled my musician friends. It's a bigger challenge to make a good song that way, which helps me progress as an artist. You're also able to achieve a higher level of originality, if you're successful."

Epigram features collaborations with many notable artists, including NYC-based singer Orlando Napier, and Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon who both dig deep on the album's socially-charged first single "Native Son." Napier is also featured on "Native Son Prequel." ProbCause lays down several verses over Gramatik's driving beat on "Back To The Future," and later joins forces with Adrian Lau for "Satoshi Nakamoto." Other collaborators include the famous Slovenian underground group Laibach, Luxas on the cinematic electro funk protest anthem "Corporate Demons" and Russ Liquid on downtempo "Anima Mundi."

The album title also holds special significance and influence on the recording. "It's called Epigram because making a funny, bold and lucid point in just a sentence or two is an art form," says Gramatik. "They're like a punch in the brain and often a key inspiration when thinking about a new song."

Gramatik is coming off his biggest year yet in 2015. He performed at festivals around the world, including Coachella, Bonnaroo, BUKU, Hangout, Electric Forest, Electric ZOO, Decadence, Sonar, Rock En Seine, Sziget Festival and more, while selling out theatres from New York City to Paris, and even the legendary Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorado. It was at Coachella where Raekwon joined Gramatik on stage to premiere "Native Son." Another stand-out moment was Gramatik's track "Torture," with Eric Krasno on guitar, being used in the trailer of the critically acclaimed Netflix series, Narcos. Gramatik was again honored when award-winning journalist Lisa Ling featured him on her CNN show, "This is Life with Lisa Ling." which profiled the current EDM scene.

Gramatik Tour Dates
Mar. 13 - Sao Paulo, BR - Lollapalooza
Mar. 18 - San Isidro, AR - Lollapalooza
Mar. 20 - Santiago, CH - Lollapalooza
Mar. 26 - Paris, FR - Zenith
Apr. 23 - Lille, FR - Zenith

May 27-29 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Festival
Jun. 3 - Clemont Ferrand, FR - Europa Vox Festival
Jun. 4 - Amsterdam, NL - Amsterdam Open Air
Jun. 5 - Bulligny, FR - Jardin Du Michel
Jun. 10-13 - Bethel, NY - Mysteryland
Jun. 17 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre ***
Jun. 30 - St. Gallen, CH - Open Air St. Gallen
Jul. 1-2 - Saint Denis De Gastines, FR - Au Foin De LA Rue Festival
Jul. 8 - Pont Du Gard, FR - Lives Au Pont Festival
Jul. 8-10 - Vallee De Ville, FR - Decibulles Festival
Jul. 14-17 - Bern, CH - Gurten Festival
Jul. 20 - Florence, IT - Decibel Open Air
Jul. 22 - Milan, IT - Market Sound (Chemical Brothers After Party)
Jul. 23 - Collegno, IT - Flowers Festival
Jul. 29-31 - Montreal, CA - Osheaga Festival
Aug. 11-14 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown

***w/ Hippie Sabotage, Sweater Beats, The Geek X VRV

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced the departure of original bassist, Mark “Muddy” Dutton. His final show with the band will be March 19 at the Rendezvous Festival in Jackson Hole, WY.

"It has been a great adventure. I wish my brothers a long and beautiful journey, as I leave with pride and fond memories," says Dutton. "I’m looking forward to the rise of The CRB as they continue to bring the old world to the new."

Robinson adds: "It's been a great 5 years. We wish Muddy all the best in his future."

Austin, TX-based bassist George Reiff—who previously recorded and toured with Robinson in New Earth Mud from 2004 through 2006—will fill in throughout the month of April.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood are currently putting finishing touches on a new studio recording tentatively scheduled for release in summer 2016. They recently completed their first tour of Europe where they performed to packed venues across the continent. The CRB will be back on the road in the U.S. throughout Spring and Summer with festival appearances, including Mountain Jam, High Sierra Music Festival and Lockn'.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Tour Dates:

March 19 - Teton Village, WY - Jackson Hole Rendevous Festival
April 2 - Saint Augustine, FL - Fool’s Paradise *
April 15 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom **
April 16 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox **
April 17 - Eugene, CA - Hi-Fi Music Hall
April 19 - Eureka, CA - Eureka Theatre
April 21 - Petaluma, CA - McNear’s Mystic Theatre
April 22 - Petaluma, CA - McNear’s Mystic Theatre
April 23 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
April 25 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
April 8 - Vail, CO - Spring Back To Vail
May 13 - Cherokee, TX - Cherokee Creek Music Festival
June 2 - Hunter, NY - Mountain Jam
June 5 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
June 6 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
June 9 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s
June 10 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
June 11 - Austin TX - Scoot Inn
June 14 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Hall
June 15 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
June 16 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre
June 30-July 4 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
August 25-28 - Arrington, VA - LOCKN’

*Chris Robinson Soul Revue
** w/ moe.

It's been nearly two years since Gramatik dropped his seminal album, The Age of Reason, in partnership with BitTorrent, quickly becoming the platform's third most downloaded artist in 2014. Since then Gramatik has embarked on several world tours, leaving only the occasional weekend off to record. He used the downtime wisely, crafting his most sonically sprawling and ambitious record yet. Today, fans are treated to the Slovenia-born producer's long-awaited new album, Epigram, released via his own label, Lowtemp Music.

Staying true to Gramatik's belief in "freeing music by making music free," the collection is available for free download, as well as at traditional paid download outlets, including iTunes and Beatport and streaming sites such as Spotify and Apple Music. He even treated his fans to an advance Epigram stream via THUMP a day early and discussed his reasoning for giving his music away for free in an exclusive interview with .Mic

With each new release, Gramatik further refines his approach to writing, recording and beat-making, constantly evolving, yet never losing focus of his roots. With Epigram, he's pushed this concept even further, delivering his most diverse collection yet with tracks ranging from soul to electro, pure hip-hop bangers to trap/dubstep hybrids. Much of Epigram was created by recording live musicians and then sampling and reimagining their parts into finished tracks.

"On my first few releases, I would sample music from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s that could be flipped in a cool way. I specifically like combining samples from like 5 or 6 different songs from different genres and different eras of music, taking bits and pieces of each song and warping and tuning them all together to form a new song. We call that collage sampling," explains Denis Jašarević aka Gramatik. "I still do that sometimes, but for Epigram I sampled my musician friends. It's a bigger challenge to make a good song that way, which helps me progress as an artist. You're also able to achieve a higher level of originality, if you're successful."

Epigram features collaborations with many notable artists, including NYC-based singer Leo Napier, and Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon who both dig deep on the album's socially-charged first single "Native Son." Napier is also featured on "Native Son Prequel." ProbCause lays down several verses over Gramatik's driving beat on "Back To The Future," and later joins forces with Adrian Lau for "Satoshi Nakamoto." Other collaborators include the famous Slovenian underground group Laibach, Luxas on the cinematic electro funk protest anthem "Corporate Demons" and Russ Liquid on downtempo "Anima Mundi."

The album title also holds special significance and influence on the recording. "It's called Epigram because making a funny, bold and lucid point in just a sentence or two is an art form," says Gramatik. "They're like a punch in the brain and often a key inspiration when thinking about a new song." 

Gramatik is coming off his biggest year yet in 2015. He performed at festivals around the world, including Coachella, Bonnaroo, BUKU, Hangout, Electric Forest, Electric ZOO, Decadence, Sonar, Rock En Seine, Sziget Festival and more, while selling out theatres from New York City to Paris, and even the legendary Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorado. It was at Coachella where Raekwon joined Gramatik on stage to premiere "Native Son." Another stand-out moment was Gramatik's track "Torture," with Eric Krasno on guitar, being used in the trailer of the critically acclaimed Netflix series, Narcos. Gramatik was again honored when award-winning journalist Lisa Ling featured him on her CNN show, "This is Life with Lisa Ling," which profiled the current EDM scene. In 2016, he's already confirmed to appear at festivals including Exit, Roskilde, Open Air St. Gallen, Dour, Amsterdam Open Air, Montreux Jazz 50th Celebration, Mysteryland USA and Osheaga.

Gramatik Tour Dates
Mar. 26 - Paris, FR - Zenith
Apr. 23 - Lille, FR - Zenith

May 27-29 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Festival
Jun. 3 - Clemont Ferrand, FR - Europa Vox Festival
Jun. 4 - Amsterdam, NL - Amsterdam Open Air
Jun. 5 - Bulligny, FR - Jardin Du Michel
Jun. 10-13 - Bethel, NY - Mysteryland
Jun. 17 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre ***
Jun. 30 - St. Gallen, CH - Open Air St. Gallen
Jul. 1-2 - Saint Denis De Gastines, FR - Au Foin De LA Rue Festival
Jul. 8 - Pont Du Gard, FR - Lives Au Pont Festival
Jul. 8-10 - Vallee De Ville, FR - Decibulles Festival
Jul. 14-17 - Bern, CH - Gurten Festival
Jul. 20 - Florence, IT - Decibel Open Air
Jul. 22 - Milan, IT - Market Sound (Chemical Brothers After Party)
Jul. 23 - Collegno, IT - Flowers Festival
Jul. 29-31 - Montreal, CA - Osheaga Festival
Aug. 11-14 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown

***w/ Hippie Sabotage, Sweater Beats, The Geek X VRV

One of Asheville's most exciting and dynamic acts, The Broadcast has announced the release of its sophomore album, From The Horizon. This paramount 11-track-collection is due Friday, June 17th.

Produced and engineered by multi-Grammy award winner Jim Scott (Johnny Cash, Sting, Tedeschi Trucks Band, etc) From The Horizon stays true to The Broadcast's roots, while also showcasing an evolving maturity. "This record is very brave in the fact that it doesn't follow a pattern or trend. It's classically good music based on the music that we’ve all listened to since the ‘50s 'til today," says Scott. "It's got soul, and vibrancy, and life. [Caitlin] is such a great singer."

The Broadcast's reputation for high energy live performances has led them to exciting and diverse opportunities including shared stages with such acts as The Wood Brothers, St Paul and The Broken Bones, George Porter Jr, Keller Williams, Charles Bradley and Sonny Landreth among others. The band has also received recent nods from both Lucinda Williams and John Popper (Blues Traveler).

"Some of our favorite artists like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Chis Robinson, Sturgill Simpson - they've created an authentic music community, one that embraces soul, rock, Americana, country and blues," says Krisko. "Because of these musicians, bands like The Broadcast can aspire to a scene bigger than ourselves. It feels incredible knowing there's a renewed desire from people for this style of music. As a front woman I am honored to be a part of the younger generation of bands who are able to thrive within this foundation that's been laid."

Upcoming Tour Dates:

April 2 - Northern Lights Lounge - Detroit, MI
April 4 - Rockwood Music Hall (Stage 2) - New York, NY
April 6 - World Cafe Live at The Queen - Wimington, DE
April 7 - The Hamilton (w/ Mavis Staples) -Washington, DC
April 9 - James Madison University's Madipalooza - Harrisonburg, VA
April 15 - 622 North - Blacksburg, VA
April 16 - 35th Star -  Fayetteville, WV
June 4 - The Grey Eagle (OFFICIAL ALBUM RELEASE SHOW) - Asheville, NC
July 7 - Downtown Alive - Greenville, SC
July 21 - Hendersonville Rhythm and Brews Festvial - Hendersonville, NC
July 23 -  Magnolia Music and Medicine Show - Eastman, GA
August 19 & 20 - Camp Barefoot - Elkins, WV
September 16 & 17 - Wormtown Music Hall - Greenfield, MA
October 7 - RiverMUSIC (w/ Blitzen Trapper) - Asheville, NC

Explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch—Mike Wilbur (horns), Wenzl McGowen (horns), and James Muschler (drums)—will release their third album, 'Red Sky,' on June 10. Mixing elements of indie rock, virtuosic jazz and pulse-pounding electronic dance music with a DIY spirit, the album captures the spontaneous, entrancing energy of the band's live shows, while at the same time demonstrating the marked evolution from their early days busking in the New York City subway system with just two saxophones and a drum kit. "Psychotubes," the first track to be released from 'Red Sky,' is available now as a free download at Moon Hooch's website: http://www.moonhooch.com/psychotubes/

"What we discovered playing in the subway is that the more focus and the more energy you put into the music, and the more you listen to everything around you and integrate everything around you into your expression, the more the music becomes this captivating force for people," McGowen explains.

Recorded at The Bunker studio in Brooklyn, 'Red Sky' is nothing if not captivating. The album opens with the tribal urgency of the title track and proceeds, over the next 45 minutes, to utterly demolish any and every possible barrier that could stand between the music and the dance floor. On "Shot," Wilbur sings a stream of consciousness vocal line over an airtight groove, while "Psychotubes" channels apocalyptic fire. The staccato intro of "That's What They Say" gives way to a gritty, late-night come-on of a saxophone line that's far more suggestive than any whispered words ever could be. Wilbur’s expanding role as a vocalist is once again felt on the haunting "Sunken Ship," which points to an evolving depth and maturity in Moon Hooch's sound.

Though the band is heavily inspired by electronic music, they made a conscious effort to use as little in the way of "studio tricks" as possible on 'Red Sky,' aiming instead to capture the sound of their live show, which has developed significantly over the past few years. Onstage, the band now plays through a "Reverse DJ" setup, in which the live sound from their horns runs through laptops to process recorded effects. In addition, they utilize Moog synthesizers, as well as an EWI (an electronic wind instrument that responds to breath in and to touch) and other more traditional instruments like clarinets. Wilbur added vocals to his repertoire, and Muschler, meanwhile, immersed himself in tabla studies in India, which has subtly been making its sonic presence felt.

'Red Sky' follows 'This Is Cave Music,' the band's 2014 sophomore release, which earned rave reviews from critics and fans alike. NPR hailed it as "unhinged" and "irresistible," praising each musician's "remarkable abilities" and naming their Tiny Desk Concert one of the best in the prestigious series' history. The band has also taken to activism on issues like environmental sustainability, while becoming outspoken proponents of the benefits of meditation and a vegetarian lifestyle, which helped secure an invitation to speak and perform at TED Talks last year. The trio initially turned heads in the music industry with their self-titled 2013 debut, which introduced their charismatic, unconventional sound to the world, but by then they were already well-known to straphangers in New York, who would react with such joy and fervor to their impromptu subway platform sets that the NYPD had to ban them from locations that couldn't handle the crowds.

Moon Hooch is currently on the road and will continue to tour throughout 2016, including upcoming shows in Europe this May.

Moon Hooch
Tour Dates

April 20 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair (Sold Out)
April 21 - Fairfield, CT - Warehouse
April 22 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
April 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
April 24 - Morgantown, WV - Mainstage
April 26 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
April 27 - Greensboro, NC - The Blind Tiger
April 28 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
April 29 - New Orleans, LA - The Howlin Wolf
April 30 - New Orleans, LA - The Orpheum
May 5 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
May 6 - Columbus, OH - Park Street Saloon
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
May 15 - Moers, Germany - Moers Festival
May 16 - London, UK - Rich Mix
May 21 - Berea, KY - Moonshiner’s Ball
May 27 - Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Festival
May 30 - Bristol, UK - The Lantern
May 31 - Liverpool, UK - Arts Club
June 1 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 ABC
June 2 - Bergen, Norway - Nattjazz Festival
June 12 - Newport, UK - Isle of Wight Festival
June 16 - Hammonton, NJ - Bearfest
June 18 - Wurtsboro, NY - Destination Moon
June 24 - Londonderry, VT - Frendly Gathering
June 28 - Vancouver, Canada - Coastal Vancouver Jazz Festival
June 29 - Victoria, Canada - TD Victoria International JazzFest
July 2 - Lewes, UK - Love Supreme Festival
August 11 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown Festival
August 13 - Tamarack, ID - Huckleberry Jam

Eric Krasno, the GRAMMY-winning guitarist/songwriter/producer best known as a co-founder of Soulive and Lettuce, will release his second solo album, 'Blood From A Stone,' on July 8 via his own label, Feel Music/Round Hill. The record, which features appearances by Derek Trucks, as well as members of Soulive, Lettuce and The London Souls, reveals a previously unknown and utterly compelling side of Krasno's artistry, as he both literally and metaphorically finds his voice. Hear Krasno's warm, inviting vocals for the very first time with the Wall Street Journal's premiere of "Waiting On Your Love" here. Find it tomorrow (Fri. Apr. 22) at all digital music outlets, including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.

"I've been writing songs with vocals for other people for a while," explains Krasno. "With these songs, we initially wrote them thinking others would sing them, so when I was in the studio with different artists, sometimes I'd introduce one of the tracks and they'd record it, but it wouldn't necessarily work out. Eventually, I realized it was because I'd written these songs for myself."

It might sound strange hearing Krasno discuss the idea of "finding his voice" so deep into a career already chock full of remarkable songwriting (he's written and produced for everyone from Norah Jones, Tedeschi Trucks and 50 Cent to Talib Kweli, Aaron Neville and Allen Stone), but as he sees it, there's something new, something intimately personal about this album that urged him to step up to the microphone for the first time.

Krasno relocated from his home in New York City to Maine to join Dave Gutter from Rustic Overtones for the album's initial writing session, which turned out to be so productive that the two had penned most of the album in just a few days. In a shift from the looser, jam/funk spirit that has marked Krasno's previous work, the songs for 'Blood From A Stone' took shape as tight, infectious, highly structured rock, blues and R&B-based tracks, specifically drawing inspiration from the likes of Bobby "Blue" Bland's 'Dreamer' and Muddy Waters' 'Electric Mud.' Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, the duo headed into Gutter's barn along with Ryan Zoidis (Lettuce) to lay down what they envisioned to be demos, but in fact turned out to be the backbone of the album.

It's apparent from the first moments of "Waiting On Your Love" that Krasno's voice has been an ace up his sleeve this whole time. Rich and full-bodied, his tone blends sincerity with casual swagger and, much like his guitar playing, taps into a deep vein of emotion. On "Torture" and "Jezebel," he sings as a bruised survivor of love-gone-bad, while the slow-jam of "Please Ya" channels Otis Redding soul, and "On The Rise" builds off a bass-and-percussion groove with psychedelic samples and gorgeous harmonies. Later still, Krasno is joined by his old friend Derek Trucks on "Curse Lifter"—a hypnotic instrumental that lands somewhere between Santana and the Allman Brothers. It's an eclectic collection, to be sure, but it's all tied beautifully together through Krasno's understated vocals and skillful song-craft.

Krasno will celebrate the release of 'Blood From A Stone' on July 7 at Brooklyn Bowl, a fitting kick-off seeing as it's also the venue’s 7th anniversary party and nobody in its history has graced the stage more. Complete tour dates in support of ‘Blood From A Stone’ will be announced shortly.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced the release of their fourth studio album, Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, out July 29, 2016 via Robinson's own Silver Arrow Records. The band relocated to northern California for the sessions, recording on the side of a mountain overlooking the foggy Pacific Ocean and channeling the natural majesty of their surroundings into the album's eight sprawling tracks. Having spent the prior two years touring relentlessly, the CRB were road-tested and in peak form to capture their kinetic chemistry and immersive sound, which Uncut Magazine called, "...a celebration of how American musical traditions can be at once honored and psychedelically expanded."

"It was an opportunity to see where our expression could take us. For us, when it comes to making records, the looser it gets the better," says Robinson. "It's all about taking our intuition and following it to where our ideas can really manifest themselves. This turned out to be the most spontaneous record I've ever been a part of."

Indeed, when the Chris Robinson Brotherhood entered the studio to begin recording the album, no one knew just what to expect. These would be the band's first recordings with new drummer Tony Leone (Ollabelle, Levon Helm) and their first time producing themselves. Robinson purposely left as much open-ended as possible. Rather than coming into the studio with a collection of finished songs as he had in the past, he would present the group with sketches—a verse and melody here, a chorus and chord progression there—and let the band follow its collective muse to bring the music to life. They’d lean into the improvisational nature that makes their live shows such enthralling spectacles and thrive on the unexpected.

"All it takes is one good, small idea, and then if everyone's focused and in the moment, a few hours later, you can have something that you realize you'll be playing for as long as you're making music," Robinson continues. "I think when everyone's aware that that's the sort of magic that we're looking for. More than any other session that I've ever been a part of, that's how all of these songs were done."

The album kicks off with "Narcissus Soaking Wet," a psychedelic toe-tapper that marks Robinson's first co-write with keyboardist Adam MacDougall. It touches on everything from Dylan and Parliament Funkadelic to psych rock and Chicago rhythm and blues. "Ain't It Hard But Fair" calls to mind the soulful Americana of The Band, while "Oak Apple Day" is a mediation on life in the CRB, and "Forever As The Moon" came together in a stream of consciousness between The CRB's lead guitarist Neal Casal and Robinson. "Leave My Guitar Alone" was a song Robinson had been sitting on for nearly 15 years, but only once he presented it to the rest of the band did it roar to life in a way that had eluded him for more than a decade. Some of Robinson's finest writing to date arrives in the album's final minutes, with the country-soul, gospel-tinged closer "California Hymn," which finds him singing "Glory glory hallelujah / It's time to spread the news / Though my good words may sound profane to some."

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood emerged in 2011 by playing close to 50 shows over nine weeks in California before ever leaving the Golden State or officially releasing music. Their introduction on the national stage came in 2012 when they'd release not one, but two acclaimed full-length albums within a few months of each other. Critics hailed their sprawling debut, Big Moon Ritual, as a revelation, with The Independent raving that Robinson had "finally found the ideal vehicle to indulge his taste for 'Cosmic California Music.'" The reviews were similarly ecstatic for its immediate follow-up, The Magic Door, which was praised by Relix as "classic rock in the finest sense." The band's epic tour schedule brought their shimmering acid-Americana around the world for a staggering 118-date tour, firmly establishing the CRB as the new standard-bearers of the psychedelic roots torch. In 2014, they returned to the studio for Phosphorescent Harvest, a masterful collection that showcased the blossoming songwriting partnership between Robinson and Neal Casal. Rolling Stone raved that the album was "electrifying…boast[ing] a vintage rock vibe that’s at once quirky, trippy, soulful and downright magnetic," and Guitar World called it "a treasure trove of soul that advances the band's bluesy, kaleidoscopic sound."

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood will tour throughout 2016 in support of Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, including Summer festival appearances at Mountain Jam, High Sierra Music Festival and LOCKN. They've also recently announced the addition of bassist Jeff Hill (Larry Campbell, Shooter Jennings) to the line-up. Individually, Robinson has launched his own radio show, Gurus Galore via SiriusXM Jam On, to share favorite psychedelic gems from his expansive record collection. With a new record in hand, their first tour of Europe this past Winter and a growing number of sold out shows across the U.S., Robinson is as energized as he's ever been in what's already been a long and historic career as one of rock music's most prolific and successful songwriters and frontmen.

"This band is about being a part of a community, it's our little CRB culture," explains Robinson. "These are our services when we play our music. And when it's at its best, we feel like the music makes a connection with people that's on a level that has nothing to do with commerce or nostalgia. There's some other gravity that keeps us all together in those moments, and it's representative of that kind of magic spell we're chasing."

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Tour Dates


May 13 - Cherokee, TX - Cherokee Creek Music Festival
June 2 - Hunter, NY - Mountain Jam
June 4 - Atlanta, GA - Chandler Park Music & Food Festival
June 5 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
June 6 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
June 9 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s
June 10 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
June 11 - Austin TX - Scoot Inn
June 12 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
June 14 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Hall
June 15 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
June 16 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre
June 18 - Bend, OR - 4 Peaks Music Festival
July 1 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
July 15 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
July 16 - Orlando, FL - The Beacham
July 17 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
July 19 - St. Petersburg, FL - The State Theatre
July 21 - Macon, GA - Cox Capital Theatre
July 22 - Augusta, GA - Sky City
July 23 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
July 24 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
July 26 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony
July 27 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Onstage
July 29 - Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
July 30 - Beverly, MA - The Cabot
July 31 - Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey
August 5 - Stowe, VT - The Rusty Nail
August 6 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall
August 7 - Newton, NJ - The Newton Theatre
August 25 - Arrington, VA - LOCKN’
September 16 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater

Explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch—Mike Wilbur (horns), Wenzl McGowen (horns), and James Muschler (drums)—will release their third album, 'Red Sky,' on June 10. In advance of street date, NPR Music's First Listen is sharing the album in its entirety here. Earlier this week, Moon Hooch—who are currently touring the UK—made their first appearance on BBC Two's Later...With Jools Holland. Watch the performance here.

Mixing elements of indie rock, virtuosic jazz and pulse-pounding electronic dance music with a DIY spirit, 'Red Sky' captures the spontaneous, entrancing energy of Moon Hooch's live shows, while at the same time demonstrating the marked evolution from their early days busking in the New York City subway system with just two saxophones and a drum kit.

'Red Sky' was recorded at The Bunker studio in Brooklyn. In a previous song premiere, Diffuser described the album as "...a return to their more organic sound, but with no less ambition." The collection opens with the tribal urgency of the title track and proceeds, over the next 45 minutes, to utterly demolish any and every possible barrier that could stand between the music and the dance floor. Yet never content to stay in one sonic place too long, "Psychotubes" finds the trio at their heaviest, channeling apocalyptic fire. The staccato intro of "That's What They Say" gives way to a gritty, late-night come-on of a saxophone line that's far more suggestive than any whispered words ever could be. Wilbur's expanding role as a vocalist is once again felt on the haunting "Sunken Ship," which points to an evolving depth and maturity in Moon Hooch's sound, while "Shot" finds Wilbur delivering a stream of consciousness vocal line over an airtight groove. NPR Music wrote: "We also hear this mostly instrumental band tackle a handful of songs with Wilbur singing; in the past, those tracks felt like a nice break from all the relentless energy, but on 'Red Sky' his vocals feel integral and expansive."

Though the band is heavily inspired by electronic music, they made a conscious effort to use as little in the way of "studio tricks" as possible on 'Red Sky,' aiming instead to capture the sound of their live show, which has developed significantly over the past few years. Onstage, the band now plays through a "Reverse DJ" setup, in which the live sound from their horns runs through laptops to process recorded effects. In addition, they utilize Moog synthesizers, as well as an EWI (an electronic wind instrument that responds to breath in and to touch) and other more traditional instruments like clarinets. Wilbur added vocals to his repertoire, and Muschler, meanwhile, immersed himself in tabla studies in India, which has subtly been making its sonic presence felt.

Moon Hooch has also taken to activism on issues like environmental sustainability, while becoming outspoken proponents of the benefits of meditation and a vegetarian lifestyle, which helped secure an invitation to speak and perform at TED Talks last year. Drummer James Muschler also runs the vegan cooking blog, 'Cooking In The Cave.' The trio initially turned heads in the music industry with their self-titled 2013 debut and its follow up 'This Is Cave Music,' which introduced their charismatic, unconventional sound to the world, but by then they were already well-known to straphangers in New York, who would react with such joy and fervor to their impromptu subway platform sets that the NYPD had to ban them from locations that couldn't handle the crowds.

Moon Hooch is currently on tour with shows stretching throughout 2016 in both the United States and Europe.

Moon Hooch
Tour Dates

June 2 - Bergen, Norway - Nattjazz Festival.
June 4 - Oslo, Norway - Kulturhuset oslo
June 12 - Newport, UK - Isle of Wight Festival
June 16 - Hammonton, NJ - Bearfest
June 18 - Wurtsboro, NY - Destination Moon
June 24 - Londonderry, VT - Frendly Gathering
June 25 - Stratford, CT - Two Roads Brewing Company
June 27 - Edmonton, Canada - TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival
June 28 - Vancouver, Canada - TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival
June 29 - Victoria, Canada - TD Victoria International Jazz Festival
June 30 - Montreal, Canada - Montreal Jazz Festival
July 2 - Lewes, UK - Love Supreme Festival
July 5 - Cardiff, UK - Clwb Ifor Bach
July 9 - Oxford, UK - Virgin People Festival
July 11 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
July 12 - Manchester, UK - Band on the Wall
July 19 - Paris, FR - Cabaret Sauvage (supporting Too Many Zooz)
August 11 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown Festival
August 13 - Tamarack, ID - Huckleberry Jam
August 26 - Panama, NY - Night Lights Music Festival
August 26-28 - Atlanta, GA - Imagine Festival
September 15 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy
September 16 - Brighton, UK - Patterns
September 17 - Liverpool, UK - Arts Club Loft
September 25 - London, UK - O2 Academy Islington

Eric Krasno has announced tour dates in support of his forthcoming solo album, 'Blood From A Stone,' due July 8 on his own record label, Feel Music/Round Hill. The Grammy Award-winning guitarist/songwriter/producer, best known as a co-founder of Soulive and Lettuce, has assembled a band that features bassist Alex Chakour, drummer Eric Kalb, keyboardist DeShawn Alexander, rhythm guitarist Danny Mayer and backing vocalist Mary Corso. Initial shows include the band's debut performances spread out over two nights in Colorado with Dumpstaphunk, headline shows stretching from Brooklyn through New England and an additional run of co-bills in the Southeast this fall with Marco Benevento.

"I'm excited to get out on the road and play the new songs I've been working on," says Krasno. "I've assembled a killer band of players and singers that will take the music on 'Blood From A Stone' to whole other level. We also plan to pull out some covers and a put a fresh spin on a few tunes from my back catalog."

In a recent video premiere for the album's first single, Billboard Magazine wrote, "'Blood From a Stone' and lead single 'Waiting On Your Love' mark a change from Krasno's earlier funk-imbued style to a more structured blues and R&B-influenced sound." Indeed, the record, which features appearances by Derek Trucks, as well as members of Soulive, Lettuce and The London Souls, reveals a previously unknown and utterly compelling side of Krasno's artistry, as he both literally and metaphorically finds his voice. Hear Krasno's dark, seductive vocals rounded out by gorgeous harmonies and a deep, psychedelic groove with All Music's premiere of "On The Rise" here. Find the song on Friday, June 10 at all digital music outlets, including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.

"My writing partner David Gutter and I have been writing songs with vocals for other people for long time," explains Krasno. "With these songs, we initially wrote them thinking others would sing them, so when I was in the studio with different artists, sometimes I'd introduce one of the tracks and they'd record it, but it wouldn't necessarily work out. Eventually, I realized it was because these songs had been written for myself."

It might sound strange hearing Krasno discuss the idea of "finding his voice" so deep into a career already chock full of remarkable songwriting (he's written and produced for everyone from Norah Jones, Tedeschi Trucks and 50 Cent to Talib Kweli, Aaron Neville and Allen Stone), but as he sees it, there's something new, something intimately personal about this album that urged him to step up to the microphone for the first time.

Krasno relocated from his home in New York City to Maine to join Dave Gutter from Rustic Overtones for the album's initial writing session, which turned out to be so productive that the two had penned most of the album in just a few days. In a shift from the looser, jam/funk spirit that has marked Krasno's previous work, the songs for 'Blood From A Stone' took shape as tight, infectious, highly structured rock, blues and R&B-based tracks, specifically drawing inspiration from the likes of Bobby "Blue" Bland's 'Dreamer' and Muddy Waters' 'Electric Mud.' Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, the duo headed into Gutter's barn along with Ryan Zoidis (Lettuce) to lay down what they envisioned to be demos, but in fact turned out to be the backbone of the album.

It's apparent from the first moments of 'Blood From A Stone' that Krasno's voice has been an ace up his sleeve this whole time. Rich and full-bodied, his tone blends sincerity with casual swagger and, much like his guitar playing, taps into a deep vein of emotion. On "Torture" and "Jezebel," he sings as a bruised survivor of love-gone-bad, while the slow-jam of "Please Ya" channels Otis Redding soul, and "Waiting On Your Love" builds off a raw, psychedelic blues riff that's lifted by a modern, hip-hop influenced groove. Later still, Krasno is joined by his old friend Derek Trucks on "Curse Lifter"—a hypnotic instrumental that lands somewhere between Santana and the Allman Brothers. It's an eclectic collection, to be sure, but it's all tied beautifully together through Krasno's understated vocals and skillful song-craft.

Along with currently announced tour dates this summer and autumn, Krasno will be adding additional shows in the coming weeks leading leading up to the release of 'Blood From A Stone.' The album is currently available for pre-order on LP, CD and digital formats at PledgeMusic and will be available for pre-order at iTunes and Amazon on June 10.

Eric Krasno Band Tour Dates

July 1 - Bellvue, CO - Mishawaka Amphitheatre *
July 2 - Boulder CO - Fox Theatre *
July 7 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl ^
July 8 - Bridgeport, CT - The Acoustic
July 14 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
July 15 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern ^^
July 17 - Rowayton, CT - Rowayton Summer Music Festival
August 6 - Springfield, MA - Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
August 19 - Portland, ME - Portland House of Music ^^
August 20 - Bolton Valley, VT - Hop Jam
August 27 - Sherman, NY - Night Light Festival
October 18 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry **
October 19 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre **
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West **
October 21 - Asheville, NC - New Mountain **
October 22 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House **

* w/ Dumpstaphunk
** w/ Marco Benevento
^ w/ Marcus King Band
^^ w/ Armies

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced an additional 20 tour dates in support of their fourth studio album, Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, out July 29, 2016 via Robinson's own Silver Arrow Records. Expanding an ongoing headline summer tour that already stretches over 32 shows, the added run begins in Buffalo at Town Ballroom on September 21 and includes performances in Chicago, Nashville and Minneapolis, along with two-night stands at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland on September 25 and 26 and Paradise in Boston on September 30 and October 1.

"This band is about being a part of a community, it's our little CRB culture," says Robinson. "These are our services when we play our music. And when it's at its best, we feel like the music makes a connection with people that's on a level that has nothing to do with commerce or nostalgia. There's some other gravity that keeps us all together in those moments, and it's representative of that kind of magic spell we're chasing."

To create their lastest album, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood relocated to northern California for the sessions, recording on the side of a mountain overlooking the foggy Pacific Ocean and channeling the natural majesty of their surroundings into the album's eight sprawling tracks. Having spent the prior two years touring relentlessly, the CRB were road-tested and in peak form to capture their kinetic chemistry and immersive sound, which Uncut Magazine called, "...a celebration of how American musical traditions can be at once honored and psychedelically expanded."

"It was an opportunity to see where our expression could take us. For us, when it comes to making records, the looser it gets the better," says Robinson. "It's all about taking our intuition and following it to where our ideas can really manifest themselves. This turned out to be the most spontaneous record I've ever been a part of."

Indeed, when the Chris Robinson Brotherhood entered the studio to begin recording the album, no one knew just what to expect. These would be the band's first recordings with new drummer Tony Leone (Ollabelle, Levon Helm) and their first time producing themselves. Robinson purposely left as much open-ended as possible. Rather than coming into the studio with a collection of finished songs as he had in the past, he would present the group with sketches—a verse and melody here, a chorus and chord progression there—and let the band follow its collective muse to bring the music to life. They’d lean into the improvisational nature that makes their live shows such enthralling spectacles and thrive on the unexpected.

"All it takes is one good, small idea, and then if everyone's focused and in the moment, a few hours later, you can have something that you realize you'll be playing for as long as you're making music," Robinson continues. "I think when everyone's aware that that's the sort of magic that we're looking for. More than any other session that I've ever been a part of, that's how all of these songs were done."

The album kicks off with "Narcissus Soaking Wet," a psychedelic toe-tapper that marks Robinson's first co-write with keyboardist Adam MacDougall. It touches on everything from Dylan and Parliament Funkadelic to psych rock and Chicago rhythm and blues. "Ain't It Hard But Fair" calls to mind the soulful Americana of The Band, while "Oak Apple Day" is a mediation on life in the CRB, and "Forever As The Moon" came together in a stream of consciousness between The CRB's lead guitarist Neal Casal and Robinson. "Leave My Guitar Alone" was a song Robinson had been sitting on for nearly 15 years, but only once he presented it to the rest of the band did it roar to life in a way that had eluded him for more than a decade. Some of Robinson's finest writing to date arrives in the album's final minutes, with the country-soul, gospel-tinged closer "California Hymn," which was premiered today by Garden & Gun (listen here). It finds him singing "Glory glory hallelujah / It's time to spread the news / Though my good words may sound profane to some."

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood emerged in 2011 by playing close to 50 shows over nine weeks in California before ever leaving the Golden State or officially releasing music. Their introduction on the national stage came in 2012 when they'd release not one, but two acclaimed full-length albums within a few months of each other. Critics hailed their sprawling debut, Big Moon Ritual, as a revelation, with The Independent raving that Robinson had "finally found the ideal vehicle to indulge his taste for 'Cosmic California Music.'" The reviews were similarly ecstatic for its immediate follow-up, The Magic Door, which was praised by Relix as "classic rock in the finest sense." The band's epic tour schedule brought their shimmering acid-Americana around the world for a staggering 118-date tour, firmly establishing the CRB as the new standard-bearers of the psychedelic roots torch. In 2014, they returned to the studio for Phosphorescent Harvest, a masterful collection that showcased the blossoming songwriting partnership between Robinson and Neal Casal. Rolling Stone raved that the album was "electrifying…boast[ing] a vintage rock vibe that’s at once quirky, trippy, soulful and downright magnetic," and Guitar World called it "a treasure trove of soul that advances the band's bluesy, kaleidoscopic sound."

Individually, Robinson has launched his own radio show, Gurus Galore via SiriusXM, to share favorite psychedelic gems from his expansive record collection. With a new record in hand, their first tour of Europe this past Winter and a growing number of sold out shows across the U.S., Robinson is as energized as he's ever been in what's already been a long and historic career as one of rock music's most prolific and successful songwriters and frontmen.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Tour Dates

July 1 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
July 15 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
July 16 - Orlando, FL - The Beacham
July 17 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
July 19 - St. Petersburg, FL - The State Theatre
July 21 - Macon, GA - Cox Capital Theatre
July 22 - Augusta, GA - Sky City
July 23 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
July 24 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
July 26 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony
July 27 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Onstage
July 29 - Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
July 30 - Beverly, MA - The Cabot
July 31 - Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey
August 5 - Stowe, VT - The Rusty Nail
August 6 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall
August 7 - Newton, NJ - The Newton Theatre
August 25 - Arrington, VA - LOCKN’
September 16 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater
September 21 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
September 23 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom
September 25 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
September 26 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
September 29 - Stroudsburg, PA - Sherman Theater
September 30 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
October 1 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
October 2 - Syracuse, NY - Westcott Theatre
October 4 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
October 6 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theater
October 7 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
October 8 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
October 9 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
October 11 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
October 13 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe @ Old National Center
October 14 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
October 15 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
October 16 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
October 20 - Louisville, KY - Headliner’s Music Hall
October 21 - Charlotte, NC - The Neighborhood Theatre

Celebrating 25 years together in 2016, Medeski Martin & Wood recently announced two very special shows at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on Wednesday, October 19 and Thursday, October 20. Both performances immediately sold out. Thus a third and final night has been added on Tuesday, October 18. Tickets are on sale now.

The legendary trio, featuring keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin, will announce special guests for each evening shortly. 

When:
Tuesday, October 18 (Just Added/On Sale Now)
Wednesday, October 19 (SOLD OUT)
Thursday, October 20 (SOLD OUT)
Doors: 7pm
Show: 8pm

Where:
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10012
(212) 505-3474

Tickets:
October 18 - On Sale Now
October 19 - Sold Out
October 20 - Sold Out
18 & Over

Electronic outfit, Jaw Gems, is a Portland, Maine-based collective of young, experimental producers bringing beat-music—traditionally programmed and played on samplers—to a live band setting. On August 26, Jaw Gems will release their second album, HEATWEAVER via STS9’s 1320 Records.

This week Glide Magazine brought us an advance stream of the next single, "DaVinci," saying "Jaw Gems create music that is simultaneously polished like electronic music and also loose and flowing like jazz."

Speaking on “DaVinci,” the members of Jaw Gems say, “A lot of times songs will take root from a practice regiment or exercise, and the idea will develop as it is recorded and listened to again and again. ‘DaVinci’ was conceived in this way while studying a particular set of gospel changes, and repeatedly laying them over a simple scratch drum groove to iron out the harmony. We wanted to utilize the biting sound of the Farfisa compact organ combined with the twelve string guitar to achieve a kind of pleasantly alarming sound, while the P-bass [percussion bass] and synth leads gave the song a grimy hug.”

HEATWEAVER is 14-track collection creates a thickly-layered transcendental auditory world—a meticulously crafted album grounded in a modern electronic aesthetic. The abum melds neck-breaking hip-hop, bright synthesizers, and nostalgic atmospheres, while simultaneously touching on elements of psychedelic funk, neo-soul, and punk-rock. T3 of Dilla-founded Slum Village is even a fan himself, calling the album "mad fresh."

When Jaw Gems got their start in 2009 they began to explore sonic and rhythmic ideas that emphasize interlaced melodies and heavy grooves. First outfitted solely with dueling vintage synthesizers, a drummer, and an electric bassist, Jaw Gems has now incorporated a Roland sp404 and the Juno 106 Analog Synth, going on to employ the beat-repeating, sample-warping technologies of the present to help create their wall of sound. 

Since the release of their debut album, Blades Plural, Jaw Gems has shared stages with icons such as STS9, Lettuce, and Daedelus. This Fall they'll take the stage with Lettuce again, joining them as direct support for an East Coast tour.

The Wood Brothers have announced Fall 2016 tour dates. The 16-show headline run includes a trek through the Southeast beginning in Birmingham and making stops in Atlanta, Charleston and Charlotte, before wrapping at Suwannee Roots Revival in Live Oak, Florida. The November leg takes the Nashville-based three piece—featuring Oliver Wood, Chris Wood and Jano Rix—to the Midwest, including a return to the Vic Theatre in Chicago following last year's sold out performance there, as well as shows in Minneapolis, Milwaukee and a tour closer at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.

Dubbed "masters of soulful folk" by Paste Magazine, The Wood Brothers released their debut studio album, Ways Not To Lose, on Blue Note in 2006. It has since been followed by a string of critically acclaimed studio and live recordings, leading the New York Times to praise their "gripping vocals" and the Los Angeles Times to salute their "taught musicianship." Meanwhile, their dedication to the road has seen them solidify a reputation among the most prolific touring acts of their time with sold out shows around the U.S. and Europe and a steady flow of festival appearances, including an electrifying set earlier this summer at Bonnaroo and a performance this coming weekend at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park.

The Wood Brothers latest studio album, Paradise (Honey Jar Records/Thirty Tigers), debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums Chart upon its release. The collection explores themes of longing and desire and the ways in which the pursuit of fulfillment can keep it perpetually out of our reach. It's a sophisticated piece of work, but also their most rocking effort to date, with Chris Wood playing electric bass on tracks for the first time and Oliver offering an abundance of stinging electric and slide guitar leads. Recorded at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye studio in Nashville, Paradise presents the latest chapter in the ongoing evolution of a band—and a family—navigating the joy and challenges of a life in music.

Just Announced Fall 2016 Tour Dates:

Oct. 6 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Birmingham
Oct. 7 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
Oct. 8 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre
Oct. 11 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
Oct. 13 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Oct. 14 - Live Oak, FL - Suwannee Roots Revival
Nov. 2 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theater
Nov. 3 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Nov. 4 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
Nov. 5 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House
Nov. 6 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
Nov. 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
Nov. 10 - York, PA - Strand Capitol Theatre
Nov. 11 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Nov. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern

Complete 2016 Tour Dates:

July 14 - Oak Hill, NY - Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
July 15 - Lafayette, NY - Beak and Skiff Orchards
July 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park Bandshell [FREE]
July 23 - Ozark, AR - Homegrown Music Festival
July 28 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
July 29 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest
July 30 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest
Aug. 5 - Los Angeles, CA - FIG At 7th Downtown Festival
Aug. 7 - Ninilchik, AK - Salmonfest
Aug. 17 - Portsmouth, NH - Prescott Park
Aug. 18 - Brownfield, ME - Stone Mountain Arts Center
Aug. 19 - Woodstock, NY - Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble
Aug. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Philadelphia Folk Festival
Aug. 27 - Black Mountain, NC - Jam in the Trees @ Pisgah Brewing Company
Sept. 18 - Burlington, VT - Grand Point North Festival
Sept. 25 - Cincinnati, OH - Midpoint Music Festival
Oct. 6 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Birmingham
Oct. 7 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
Oct. 8 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre
Oct. 11 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
Oct. 13 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Oct. 14 - Live Oak, FL - Suwannee Roots Revival
Nov. 2 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theater
Nov. 3 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Nov. 4 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
Nov. 5 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House
Nov. 6 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
Nov. 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
Nov. 10 - York, PA - Strand Capitol Theatre
Nov. 11 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Nov. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern

As announced yesterday by Consequence of Sound, Moon Hooch will tour the U.S. this fall. It will be their first extensive run of shows in the States since their new studio album, 'Red Sky' was released in June. The explosive, Brooklyn-based horn-and-percussion trio featuring Mike Wilbur (horns), Wenzl McGowen (horns) and James Muschler (drums) will begin the 35-show, cross-country tour in the Northeast before heading to the Midwest, including stops in Chicago, Minneapolis and Cleveland. The tour then hits the Rocky Mountain states before concluding with a thirteen night stretch up the West Coast. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, July 22.

With the exception of a handful of U.S. festivals, Moon Hooch have spent the majority of this summer touring Canada and Europe, which led to an invitation to appear on BBC Two's Later…With Jools Holland. Watch the short film about that experience here and the performance here.

Mixing elements of indie rock, virtuosic jazz and pulse-pounding electronic dance music with a DIY spirit,  Moon Hooch's latest album 'Red Sky' captures the spontaneous, entrancing energy of their live shows, while at the same time demonstrating the marked evolution from their early days busking in the New York City subway system with just two saxophones and a drum kit. The collection was recorded at The Bunker studio in Brooklyn. In a previous song premiere, Diffuser described the album as "...a return to their more organic sound, but with no less ambition." The collection opens with the tribal urgency of the title track and proceeds, over the next 45 minutes, to utterly demolish any and every possible barrier that could stand between the music and the dance floor. Never content to stay in one sonic place too long, "Psychotubes" finds the trio at their heaviest, channeling apocalyptic fire. The staccato intro of "That's What They Say" gives way to a gritty, late-night come-on of a saxophone line that's far more suggestive than any whispered words ever could be. Wilbur's expanding role as a vocalist is once again felt on the haunting "Sunken Ship," which points to an evolving depth and maturity in Moon Hooch's sound, while "Shot" finds Wilbur delivering a stream of consciousness vocal line over an airtight groove. NPR Music wrote: "We also hear this mostly instrumental band tackle a handful of songs with Wilbur singing; in the past, those tracks felt like a nice break from all the relentless energy, but on 'Red Sky' his vocals feel integral and expansive."

Moon Hooch
Just Announced U.S. Fall Tour Dates

October 4 - Bridgeport, CT - The Acoustic
October 5 - North Adams, MA - Elks Lodge
October 6 - Allston, MA - Great Scott
October 7 - Albany, NY - The Hollow
October 8 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
October 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe
October 11 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern
October 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
October 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
October 14 - Chicago, IL - Martyrs'
October 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Miramar Theatre
October 16 - Minneapolis, MN - The Triple Rock
October 19 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe's
October 20 - St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
October 21 - Urbana, IL - The Canopy Club Red Room
October 22 - Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall
October 23 - Springfield, MO - Outland Ballroom
October 25 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
October 26 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
October 28 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
October 29 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
October 31 - Jackson Hole, WY - Pink Garter Theatre
November  3 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo
November  4 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge
November  5 - Portland, OR - Dante's
November  6 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
November  7 - Bend, OR - The Capitol
November  9 - Arcata, CA - Humbrew's
November  11 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
November  12 - Chico, CA - Lost on Main
November  13 - Reno, NV - The Saint
November  14 - Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst Nightclub (Atrium)
November  16 - Santa Barbara, CA - Velvet Jones
November  18 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
November  19 - San Diego, CA - The Music Box Theater

Moon Hooch
Complete Upcoming Tour Dates

August 11 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown Festival
August 12 - Spokane, WA - The Bartlett
August 13 - Tamarack, ID - Huckleberry Jam
August 25 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
August 26 - Panama, NY - Night Lights Music Festival
August 27-28 - Atlanta, GA - Imagine Festival
September 3 - Oslo, Norway - Parkteatret
September 5 - Hamburg, Germany - Nochtspeicher
September 6 - Dortmund, Germany - Domicil
September 7 - Bielefeld, Germany - Bunker Ulmenwall
September 15 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy
September 16 - Brighton, UK - Patterns
September 17 - Liverpool, UK - Arts Club Loft
September 18 - Ramsbottom, UK - Ramsbottom Festival
September 20 - Wolverhampton, UK - Newhampton Arts Center
September 21 - Plymouth, UK - The Junction
September 22 - Exeter, UK - Phoenix
September 23 - Cardiff, UK - Clwb for Bach
September 25 - London, UK - O2 Academy Islington
October 4 - Bridgeport, CT - The Acoustic
October 5 - North Adams, MA - Elks Lodge
October 6 - Allston, MA - Great Scott
October 7 - Albany, NY - The Hollow
October 8 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
October 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe
October 11 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern
October 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
October 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
October 14 - Chicago, IL - Martyrs'
October 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Miramar Theatre
October 16 - Minneapolis, MN - The Triple Rock
October 19 - Iowa City, IA - Gabe's
October 20 - St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
October 21 - Urbana, IL - The Canopy Club Red Room
October 22 - Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall
October 23 - Springfield, MO - Outland Ballroom
October 25 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
October 26 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
October 28 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
October 29 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
October 31 - Jackson Hole, WY - Pink Garter Theatre
November 3 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo
November 4 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge
November 5 - Portland, OR - Dante's
November 6 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
November 7 - Bend, OR - The Capitol
November 9 - Arcata, CA - Humbrew's
November 11 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
November 12 - Chico, CA - Lost on Main
November 13 - Reno, NV - The Saint
November 14 - Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst Nightclub (Atrium)
November 16 - Santa Barbara, CA - Velvet Jones
November 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
November 19 - San Diego, CA - The Music Box Theater

Brooklyn trio WOLF! featuring guitarist Scott Metzger announce their upcoming 2nd LP, 1-800-WOLF!, due out October 14 on Royal Potato Family. The first single from the new record was premiered via Guitar World Magazine. Check out "Pork n' Slaw" here.

1-800-WOLF! represents everything that eludes chest-thumping power trios and even many small jazz ensembles. Nobody shows off, there are no fireworks, no screaming solos. In it's place, the music of WOLF! overflows with atmosphere—a wisp of Parisian swing in “Oaxaca Ox,” a dreamy seaside mist in “Bohemian Grove,” a Tarantino moonlight spell on “Furry Freedom,” a creamy, gorgeous texture on “Denim Love Affair,” where Metzger’s solo, as always unadorned by effects, is so spare it’s almost not there. And on every track, silences speak as eloquently as the notes they surround.

WOLF! formed on a fateful night in Brooklyn when Metzger, bassist Jon Shaw and drummer Taylor Floreth showed up to play a gig backing a singer. After the singer no-showed, the club asked the three to play anyway. They did, and they won the crowd over, which prompted the venue owner to invite the trio now known as WOLF! to play a weekly residency.

All three members of the band broke into music as sidemen—professional musicians rather than "wannabe stars." Metzger has performed countless sessions and shows with artists as diverse as Trixie Whitley, Phil Lesh & Friends, Moby and Nicole Atkins, while also holding down lead guitar duties for summer festival favorites, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Shaw has anchored the bottom end for Cass McCombs, Shakey Graves and Sharon Van Etten among many others. Floreth emerged from New York’s Collective School of Music and has since played shows with blues innovator Bill Sims Jr., guitarists Jim Campilongo and Avi Bortnick and singer/songwriter Kelli Scarr.

1-800-WOLF! Is Out October 14
On LP, CD & Digital
Via Royal Potato Family

Legendary rock band Living Colour will release 'Mixtape' on September 9—a new EP based upon their powerful reinvention of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya" and a subsequent series of remixes. The cornerstone of the set is producer Andre Betts' remix, which includes guest verses by Chuck D., Prodigal Sunn, Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch and Kyle Mansa. Living Colour, who've been politically outspoken in the past, were inspired to release the song by the ongoing crisis of gun violence and police brutality towards people of color in the U.S.

"Our version of 'Who Shot Ya' was initially an organic outgrowth of pure fandom for the work of the brilliant Christopher Wallace. Corey would frequently sing the song during soundcheck, so we worked it up," says Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid. "But tragically Biggie's question has taken on new and urgent significance over the last year. The amount of people who die on a daily basis because of gun violence is unacceptable in a civilized society. The disproportionate use of deadly force in communities of color is equally unacceptable in a civilized society. It inspired the idea to reach out to some of the most provocative voices in hip-hop to invite them to add their words to the track. We all feel paralyzed as to how we can meaningfully effect change, but at the least we can keep our voices raised in solidarity and not let this plight fade into the background until it happens again."

Living Colour continue to tour prolifically around the world, including shows this summer with Jane's Addiction and Dinosaur Jr. The band will be among the headliners at AfroPunk Fest next week in Brooklyn. They're currently putting the finishing touches on their first new full-length studio album in seven years, entitled 'Shade,' which is planned for an early 2017 release.

"Jaw Gems conjure the aesthetic of Flying Lotus... creating rich, neo-soul tapestries..." says Earmilk. "...Keyboard lines roll butter-thick harmonies up and down the keys, [and] wrapped snugly around them are shimmering synthesizers, classic Moog timbres, and trebly, swishing rhythms and high hats." That's one way to describe electronic outfit, Jaw Gems, a Portland, Maine-based collective of young, experimental producers bringing beat-music—traditionally programmed and played on samplers—to a live band setting.

On August 26, Jaw Gems dropped their third album, HEATWEAVER, on STS9's 1320 Records and it's already turning heads. Bandcamp Daily named it 'Album of the Day' giving a nod to Jaw Gems' "remarkably visual...nomadic, [and] radiant energy," while Glide Magazine raved about their "nuanced, impressionable beats." HEATWEAVER is available for purchase from iTunes and 1320 Records, and can also be streamed on Spotify and Bandcamp.

The 14-track collection creates a thickly-layered transcendental auditory world—a meticulously crafted album grounded in a modern electronic aesthetic. The album melds neck-breaking hip-hop, bright synthesizers, and nostalgic atmospheres, while simultaneously touching on elements of psychedelic funk, neo-soul, and punk-rock.

T3 of Dilla-founded Slum Village is even a fan himself, calling HEATWEAVER "mad fresh," while Lettuce, Break Science, and former Pretty Lights drummer Adam Deitch noted how “the swing that J Dilla made famous on an MPC beat machine in the late ‘90s is embedded in Jaw Gems’ musical DNA, just as much as soul and funk...."

When Jaw Gems got their start in 2009 they began to explore sonic and rhythmic ideas that emphasize interlaced melodies and heavy grooves. First outfitted solely with dueling vintage synthesizers, a drummer, and an electric bassist, Jaw Gems has now incorporated a Roland sp404 and the Juno 106 Analog Synth, going on to employ the beat-repeating, sample-warping technologies of the present to help create their wall of sound.

Since the release of their debut album, Blades Plural, Jaw Gems has shared stages with icons such as STS9, Lettuce, and Daedelus. This Fall they'll take the stage with Lettuce again, joining them as direct support for an East Coast tour.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Sep. 1 - Trans-Pecos - Queens, NY
Sept. 20 - Toad's Place - New Haven, CT *
Sept. 21 - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel - Providence, RI *
Sept. 22 - Tralf Music Hall - Buffalo, NY *
Oct. 8 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA
Nov. 4 - Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY ** 

*w. Lettuce
**w. Motet

Eric Krasno will tour this Fall in support of his new solo album, 'Blood From A Stone,' out now on his record label, Feel Music Group. The guitarist/songwriter/producer, assembled the Eric Krasno Band earlier this summer to tour behind the collection. The line-up features bassist Alex Chakour, drummer Eric Kalb, keyboardist DeShawn Alexander, rhythm guitarist Danny Mayer and backing vocalist Mary Corso. #EKB, as they've quickly become known, will appear tonight at New York City's Central Park SummerStage, while upcoming dates include three shows in the Bay Area, two of them at Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh's Marin County-based venue, Terrapin Crossroads. Krasno will then co-bill with Marco Benevento for a treck through the Southeast in October. Later that month, he'll head to the Midwest for dates, including the debut of his band in Chicago with support from The London Souls—a band he both produced and signed to his label. In November, he'll be joined by Doyle Bramhall II in the Northeast and Dumpstaphunk for three shows in Texas.

Of Krasno's new album, Billboard Magazine wrote, "'Blood From a Stone' and lead single 'Waiting On Your Love' mark a change from Krasno's earlier funk-imbued style to a more structured blues and R&B-influenced sound." Indeed, the record, which features appearances by Derek Trucks, as well as members of Soulive, Lettuce and The London Souls, reveals a previously unknown and utterly compelling side of Krasno's artistry, as he both literally and metaphorically finds his voice.

Eric Krasno Band 
Tour Dates

September 7 - New York, NY - SummerStage #
October 7 - San Francisco, CA - Brick & Mortar
October 8 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads ##
October 9 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads ##
October 18 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry *
October 19 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre *
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West *
October 21 - Asheville, NC - New Mountain *
October 22 - Charleston, SC - Pour House *
October 27 - Cincinnati, OH - Live from the Ludlow
October 28 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern
October 29 - Chicago, IL - Martyrs **
November 1 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head ^
November 2 - Washington, DC - Hamilton ^
November 3 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony
November 4 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall ^
November 5 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern
November 18 - Austin, TX - Antone's +
November 19 - Austin, TX - Antone's +
November 20 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live +

# w/ Vulfpeck, Lawrence
## w/ Phil Lesh
*with Marco Benevento
**with The London Souls
^with Doyle Bramhall II
+with Dumpstaphunk

Medeski Martin & Wood have announced two shows in Cleveland at On Air Studio on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19. They'll be joined each night by special guests and lifelong collaborators: guitarist Marc Ribot, trumpeter Steven Bernstein and percussionist Cyro Baptista. Also on the bill are turntablists DJ Logic and DJ Olive.

The legendary trio—featuring keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin—are celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2016, yet they've maintained a relatively low profile this year, playing only a handful of shows. Their only other scheduled appearances this Fall are three sold out performances in October at Le Poison Rouge in New York City and a festival set at Hangtown Festival in California.

"I couldn't be more excited to celebrate our 25th anniversary in Cleveland," says Billy Martin. "We have so many friends who'll be able to join us in the Midwest."

Tickets for Medeski Martin & Wood's two night stand in Cleveland go on sale at 10am ET on Friday, September 16. Complete show info below:

Who:
MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD
+ Special Guests Marc Ribot, Steven Bernstein & Cyro Baptista
w/ DJ Sets by DJ Logic & DJ Olive
When:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
Doors: 7PM
Show: 8PM

Where:
ON AIR STUDIO
1075 Old River Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-902-7112

Living Colour have released a video for their new single "Who Shot Ya?" via Rolling Stone. Watch it here. The song—a reinvention of The Notorious B.IG.'s classic track—was recorded and released to protest the ongoing wave of gun violence and racial profiling in the U.S. Over the course of the chilling 4-minute clip, statistics pertaining to gun-related tragedies flash across the screen, photos of people whose lives were ended through gun violence are shown and the names of gun death victims scroll, including Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Jr., Kurt Cobain, Malcolm X, Dimebag Darrell, Martin Luther King, Marvin Gaye and Lee Harvey Oswald.

"Who Shot Ya?" and its subsequent series of remixes, including producer Andre Betts' with guest verses by Chuck D., Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Prodigal Sunn and Kyle Mansa, are part of Living Colour's Who Shot Ya? mixtape released this past Friday, September 9. Additionally, the collection includes the Living Colour original "Regrets" and a cover of Michael Jackson's "This Place Hotel," also known as "Heartbreak Hotel."

Living Colour continue to tour prolifically around the world, including shows this summer with Jane's Addiction and Dinosaur Jr. They will be among those performing at Freedom Sounds Festival on September 24 celebrating the grand opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The band is currently putting the finishing touches on their first new full-length studio album in seven years, entitled Shade, which is planned for an early 2017 release.

For seven years running, decker. has been recording and performing some of the most vital music to be released from America's Southwest. The music is clearly drawn from the land itself—all that is at once comforting, eerie, haunting, healing, harsh and beautiful. San Francisco Bay Guardian described his sound as "dusty, moody, lonely, and super atmospheric," while LA Music Blog dubbed it "masterful and filled with energy," clearly carving something incomparable out of the essence he grasps in his red rock home of Sedona, Arizona—a land of red clay mountains and vortexes.

The music takes on a spiritual mantle, a deeper, ancient calling rooted to the land itself, tapping into the mysticism of old, weird America, divining its power, resurrecting what he sees fit and crafting it into musical odysseys of treachery, redemption, enlightenment and tenacity. Perhaps it's this incomparable edgy sound that caught the ears of HBO, prompting them to include several of his songs in their Vice series.

With barely a pause to reflect after the 2014 release of Patsy, decker. recently completed his 6th studio album, Snake River Blues, out everywhere today, September 23. Like most every month for DIY songwriter decker., this one has been filled with non-stop hustle—including a month-long residency at NYC's Rockwood Music Hall, a SoFar Sounds show, and one tough-cookie keyboard player, Amber Johnson, who sprained her ankle upon arriving in the city yet powered through it. The band will even celebrate release day with a series of pop up subway sets today throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Inspired by legendary psychedelic blues classics like Muddy Waters’ Electric Mud and Chuck Berry's San Francisco Dues, Snake River Blues is comprised by tales of treachery and conquest, in blues archetypes viewed through decker.’s unique lens. The album signifies growth, while also a departure from his more acoustic and methodic efforts. It harnesses an American desperation, while being simultaneously rife with audacious confidence, grit and focus.  "decker.’s rock draws from blues, garage-rock revival, and psychedelic—all genres stemming from a dusty, down-home electricity," says PopMatters; decker. self-describes his work as “psychedelic desert folk.” However, you classify it, one thing is clear—Snake River Blues is altogether decker.’s tightest and most succinct effort to date.

It wasn't until his later years that decker. discovered his musical talents. The first part of his life was spent as a runaway, developing and then overcoming drug addiction. He found himself working as a bank teller for some time until being robbed at gunpoint twice in one week, prompting him to quickly throw in the towel on that gig. At age 25, decker. began traveling with an acoustic guitar, which is when he honed in on his songwriting skills. Other triumphs include surviving a 2012 van rollover on tour, and raising a five-year-old son while maintaining a packed show schedule.

Now he's performing 150 shows a year and has self-released six studio records in the last seven years, all with relentless vigor. As if that isn't enough on his plate, decker. has extended his endeavors into helping to design his very own line of artisanal beer, dark chocolate, soaps with well-respected local Arizona purveyors.

2016 shows no sign of slowing down for decker., who will continue on his North American tour throughout December. Stay up to date on his whereabouts and other upcoming releases at deckermusic.org. 

:: Upcoming Tour Dates ::

Wed Sep 28 — Rockwood Music Hall Residency   New York, NY
Fri Oct 21 — Apache Lake Music Festival — Tortilla Flats, AZ
Fri Oct 28 — Monte Vista Lounge — Flagstaff, AZ
Thurs Nov 3 — Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership — El Prado, NM
Fri Nov 4 — Syntax Physic Opera — Denver, CO
Sat Nov 6 — Marble Brewing — Albuquerque, NM
Sat Nov 12 — The Flycatcher — Tuscon, AZ
Thurs Nov 17 — Pour House — Oceanside, CA
Fri Nov 18 — Amnesia — San Francisco, CA
Sat Nov 19 — Resident — Los Angeles, CA
Sat Nov 26 — The Spirit Room — Jerome, AZ
Sat Dec 10 — Last Exit Live — Phoenix, AZ

Austin, Texas-based, nine-piece Latin funk and breakbeat purveyors Brownout have announced the release of Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, Vol. II on October 28 via Ubiquity Records. The recording—the band's second collection of material by godfathers of metal Black Sabbath—includes reimagined versions of "Fairies Wear Boots," "Snowblind" and "Supernaught." The closing track, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," features vocals by Ghostland Observatory's Aaron Behrens.

Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath's debut in 2014 was met with critical praise. Pitchfork wrote, "the rearrangements are so exhilarating that, even without amplifier overdose, they make you remember why you got into metal in the first place," while NPR Music declared, "the album is a reflection of the kind of cross-cultural life many Latinos in the U.S. live in, one where a 1970s English heavy metal prototype shares record shelf space with Latin music." Providing further validation, Classic Rock Magazine stated that "the horn arrangements felt like they had always been there." A national tour led to appearances at Bonnaroo, Austin Psych Fest and Pickathon. The music would ultimately make its way to Ozzy Osbourne himself who raved, "it's fucking awesome, this fucking Mexican guy sounds just like me," ultimately garnering the band an invitation to perform at the Ozzfiesta in Mexico.

"When we recorded Volume I, we had only played a couple of live shows, and it was a very new thing," explains guitarist Adrian Quesada.  "We've grown as a live band and gained a new level of confidence and ownership over what we do with Black Sabbath. It was important to capture another moment in time showing the band’s development and stamp on the music."

There is more attention to the guitar elements on Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath Vol. II.  Album opener "Supernaut" is bolstered with muscled-up horn arrangements and a tasty bongo break, but the aggressive guitar riff lets you know what’s driving this train. On "Snowblind," vocalist Alex Marerro channels Ozzy to chilling effect, matching the dread of Greg Gonzalez's bass and a menacing lead guitar solo.  And while horns kick off "Children Of The Grave," the star of the show is the band's rhythm section that makes a song about love and revolution move the needle from rock to metal. Album closer, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," with vocals by Ghostland Observatory's Aaron Behrens is brooding number, but switches tempo when the percussion underlying the lead guitars leads to a Latin-infused breakdown.

Through a varied career across multiple band incarnations, the nine members of Austin, Texas-based Brownout have carved out a distinctly individual and fearless career in modern music. Starting out as Grupo Fantasma, with a focus on cumbia music, they became known as a party band that jammed in establishments ranging from friends’ houses to coffee shops. Laying down a solid foundation through multiple album releases and countless shows, their star began to rise, ultimately resulting in multiple Grammy Award-nominations, including a 2011 victory in Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album category for their album, El Existential. In the mid-2000s, the group decided to create Brownout—"a return to our roots" as Adrian Quesada notes—to focus on the funk and Latin rock influences. Their sound would evolve across three full-length LPs and a half dozen vinyl singles. It was through this process that they conjured the idea to pay tribute to Black Sabbath, one of their favorite bands growing up as kids in south Texas.

The Wood Brothers have announced February and March 2017 tour dates. The three-piece, Nashville-based roots and Americana unit, comprised of Oliver and Chris Wood and Jano Rix, begin a U.S. tour this week that stretches over 30 shows into December, however, they'll get right back on the road next year with a 18-night run that covers both the Northeast and West Coast, including stops at Webster Hall in New York City, two nights at the Somerville Theatre just outside of Boston, The Fillmore in San Francisco and Crystal Ballroom in Portland. Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday, October 7 at 10am.

The Wood Brothers are having their most successful year yet in 2016, highlighted by appearances at Bonnaroo, Carnegie Hall, Celebrate Brooklyn, Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Meanwhile writing sessions are underway for the follow-up recording to their most recent studio album, Paradise.

THE WOOD BROTHERS

***Just Announced February & March 2017 Tour Dates***

Feb. 2 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Feb. 3 - Albany, NY - Massry Center for the Arts
Feb. 4 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 6 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
Feb. 8 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 9 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 10 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Feb. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Mar. 2 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
Mar. 3 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
Mar. 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Mar. 7 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Mar. 8 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Mar. 9 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
Mar. 10 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 11 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
Mar. 12 - Vancouver, BC - The Imperial

THE WOOD BROTHERS

Complete Tour Schedule

Oct. 5 - Chatanooga, TN - The Revelry 
Oct. 6 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Birmingham
Oct. 7 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
Oct. 8 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre
Oct. 9 - Wilmington, NC - Brooklyn Art Center
Oct. 11 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
Oct. 13 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Oct. 14 - Live Oak, FL - Suwannee Roots Revival
Nov. 2 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theater
Nov. 3 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Nov. 4 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
Nov. 5 - Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House
Nov. 6 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
Nov. 9 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
Nov. 10 - York, PA - Strand Capitol Theatre
Nov. 11 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Nov. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
Dec. 1 - Austin, TX - Emo's
Dec. 2 - New Braunfels, TX - Gruene Hall
Dec. 3 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
Dec. 4 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
Dec. 5 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
Dec. 6 - Kansas City, MO - Knucklehead's
Dec. 9 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Dec. 10 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
Dec. 11 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
Dec. 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
Dec. 13 - Jackson Hole, WY - Center for the Arts
Feb. 2 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Feb. 3 - Albany, NY - Massry Center for the Arts
Feb. 4 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 6 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
Feb. 8 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 9 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 10 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Feb. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Mar. 2 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
Mar. 3 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
Mar. 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Mar. 7 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Mar. 8 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Mar. 9 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
Mar. 10 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 11 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
Mar. 12 - Vancouver, BC - The Imperial

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood has announced the November 4 release of 'If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now,' a companion EP arriving just three months after their critically acclaimed studio album, 'Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel.' The five track collection, includes "New Cannonball Rag," "Shadow Cosmos" and "Roan County Banjo," all of which were recorded during the same Stinson Beach sessions that resulted in the prior full-length. With these songs already staples of The CRB's live sets, it marks the first time the official studio recordings will be available.

"'If You Lived Here' is the sonic bookend to our 'Anyway You Love' recording and song cycle," says Robinson. "When we were sequencing the original album, these five songs seemed to want to hang together in their own way and tell their own little story, so they were set aside to present separately."

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is in the middle of a four month, cross-country U.S. tour. Upcoming dates include a sweep of the Southeast with two nights at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, Variety Playhouse in Atlanta and Orange Peel in Asheville. They'll then head back to the Northeast with stops at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, TLA in Philadelphia and 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. The treck concludes with a run down the West Coast in December, including three nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco and the tour closer at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. 

If You Lived Here By Now, You Would Be Home By Now
Track Listing

1. New Cannonball Rag
2. Shadow Cosmos
3. Roan County Banjo
4. From The North Garden
5. Sweet Sweet Lullaby

Chris Robinson Brotherhood 
Tour Dates

October 19 - Bloomington, IL - Castle Theatre
October 20 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
October 21 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
October 22 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 23 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
November 9 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
November 10 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
November 11 - Columbia, SC - Music Farm
November 12 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
November 15 - Richmond, VA - The National
November 17 - Philadelphia, PA - TLA
November 18 - Westbury, NY - The Space at Westbury
November 19 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre
November 20 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 29 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma Theater
December 1 - Sandpoint, ID - The Hive
December 2 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
December 3 - Portland, OR - Revolution Bar & Music Hall
December 4 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
December 6 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
December 8 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 9 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 10 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 11 - Santa Cruz, CA - Cocoanut Grove
December 13 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
December 15 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre
December 16 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
December 17 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theatre
January 25-28 - Riviera Maya, Mexico - Los Muertos con Queso

In a career chock full of highlights, The Wood Brothers hold a special place in their hearts for their performances at Levon Helm's legendary Midnight Ramble. As repeat special guests at Helm's famed Woodstock barn, the trio—guitarist Oliver Wood, bassist Chris Wood, and drummer Jano Rix—developed a cherished friendship with the late icon that transcended simple musical collaboration and left an indelible mark on their songs and their lives. That shared history made it all the more emotional when The Wood Brothers returned to the barn on August 19, 2016, for their first Ramble since Helm's passing. Captured pristinely on their new album, Live At The Barn (out Jan. 13 via Honey Jar Records/Thirty Tigers), the band's sold-out performance that night spanned their career and showcased the kind of singularly eclectic and electrifying performance style that's earned them devoted legions of fans around the world.

"We're huge fans of Levon's and count him as a big influence," says Oliver, who named his son for Helm. "Since we actually got to know him, his influence was more than musical—it was personal. He was one of those unique and powerful personalities, and I’ll always remember how gracious he was. We also got to know Levon's daughter Amy quite well and have had great tours and collaborations with her. She's a beautiful soul just like her dad, and we have fond memories of playing with both of them in that barn."

Live At The Barn follows 2015's critically acclaimed Paradise, which the band recorded at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye studio in their adopted hometown of Nashville, TN. Hailed by Rolling Stone for songwriting "that hits both the heart and head" and praised by American Songwriter for its "spry, soulful folk-rock," the album debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and launched The Wood Brothers into the most successful year of their career, with performances everywhere from Bonnaroo to Red Rocks to Carnegie Hall.

NPR's World Cafe raved that "there is so much warmth, soul and musicianship at a Wood Brothers show, it's no surprise that the band's audience keeps growing," and Live At The Barn is no exception. Over the course of the album's nine tracks, the band careens from soul to folk to funk to blues to rock, mixing acoustic and electric instruments and effortlessly blending eras and regions of American music. While the album documents their remarkably adventurous musicianship and tight interplay, it also manages to capture their extraordinary relationship with their fans, an essential ingredient in the magic of any Wood Brothers concert. On "I Got Loaded," the exuberant audience joins in a rousing call and response, while the bluesy groove of "Tried And Tempted" elicits whoops and hollers from listeners overcome by the energy in the room. The Wood Brothers can effectively transform any venue into a revival tent with their exhilarating performances, but there's something singular about playing in that barn.

"It's so intimate and casual that it feels less like a concert and more like a living room jam," says Oliver. "The spirit in there is strong, from the history and the intent that Levon had when he built the place to all the great music and musicians that have played there."

With Live At The Barn, The Wood Brothers weave their own little moment into the rich and ever expanding history of Levon's barn, while at the same time tipping their cap to the influences that came before them. It's only fitting, then, that the record ends with The Band's "Ophelia," (streaming here via Rolling Stone) a mainstay of The Wood Brothers' live show from a time well before any of them ever imagined performing, let alone recording an album, in such an historic space. 

"We're just proud and honored and humbled that this album was made in the barn," says Oliver. "I'd like to think we're part of the same lineage as The Band. We certainly draw from a lot of the same roots, and they've always been an inspiration. Their music reminds us to be ourselves."

LIVE AT THE BARN
Track Listing

1. Mary Anna
2. I Got Loaded
3. Tried & Tempted
4. Trouble In Mind
5. Who The Devil
6. Wastin' My Mind
7. Postcards From Hell
8. Honey Jar
9. Ophelia

THE WOOD BROTHERS

Tour Schedule

Feb. 2 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Feb. 3 - Albany, NY - Massry Center for the Arts
Feb. 4 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 6 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
Feb. 8 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 9 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 10 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Feb. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Feb. 12 - Rocky Mount, VA - Harvester Performance Center
Feb. 13 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
Feb. 14 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Mar. 2 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
Mar. 3 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
Mar. 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Mar. 7 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Mar. 8 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Mar. 9 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
Mar. 10 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 11 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
Mar. 12 - Vancouver, BC - The Imperial
Apr. 7 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Apr. 8 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Music Festival

In a career chock full of highlights, The Wood Brothers hold a special place in their hearts for their performances at Levon Helm's legendary Midnight Ramble. As repeat special guests at Helm's famed Woodstock barn, the trio—guitarist Oliver Wood, bassist Chris Wood, and drummer Jano Rix—developed a cherished friendship with the late icon that transcended simple musical collaboration and left an indelible mark on their songs and their lives. That shared history made it all the more emotional when The Wood Brothers returned to the barn on August 19, 2016, for their first Ramble since Helm's passing. Captured pristinely on their new album, Live At The Barn (out Jan. 13 via Honey Jar Records/Thirty Tigers), the band's sold-out performance that night spanned their career and showcased the kind of singularly eclectic and electrifying performance style that's earned them devoted legions of fans around the world. Hear and share The Wood Brothers' rendition of The Band's "Ophelia," premiered by Rolling Stone, which closes out the album here.

"We're huge fans of Levon's and count him as a big influence," says Oliver, who named his son for Helm. "Since we actually got to know him, his influence was more than musical—it was personal. He was one of those unique and powerful personalities, and I’ll always remember how gracious he was. We also got to know Levon's daughter Amy quite well and have had great tours and collaborations with her. She's a beautiful soul just like her dad, and we have fond memories of playing with both of them in that barn."

Live At The Barn follows 2015's critically acclaimed Paradise, which the band recorded at Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye studio in their adopted hometown of Nashville, TN. Hailed by Rolling Stone for songwriting "that hits both the heart and head" and praised by American Songwriter for its "spry, soulful folk-rock," the album debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and launched The Wood Brothers into the most successful year of their career, with performances everywhere from Bonnaroo to Red Rocks to Carnegie Hall.

A few weeks after Live At The Barn's release, The Wood Brothers kick-off a U.S. tour at Union Transfer in Philadelphia that spans both coasts. Among the eleven East Coast shows is a two night stand at Sommerville Theatre just outside of Boston, the band's first ever headline performance at Webster Hall in New York City and a return to the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.  A nine date West Coast swing includes performances at The Fillmore in San Francisco, The Troubadour in Los Angeles and Crystal Ballroom in Portland. 

LIVE AT THE BARN
Track Listing

1. Mary Anna
2. I Got Loaded
3. Tried & Tempted
4. Trouble In Mind
5. Who The Devil
6. Wastin' My Mind
7. Postcards From Hell
8. Honey Jar
9. Ophelia

THE WOOD BROTHERS

Tour Schedule

Feb. 2 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Feb. 3 - Albany, NY - Massry Center for the Arts (Sold Out)
Feb. 4 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 6 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
Feb. 8 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 9 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
Feb. 10 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Feb. 11 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Feb. 12 - Rocky Mount, VA - Harvester Performance Center
Feb. 13 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
Feb. 14 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Mar. 2 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
Mar. 3 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
Mar. 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Mar. 7 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Mar. 8 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Mar. 9 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
Mar. 10 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 11 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
Mar. 12 - Vancouver, BC - The Imperial
Apr. 7 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Apr. 8 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Music Festival

“Sometimes you have to remind yourself why you started something in the first place,” muses Seth Walker. On his stellar new album, ‘Gotta Get Back’ due out September 2nd, he does precisely that, excavating the roots of his love affair with music and reuniting with the family that helped spark the fire all those years ago. The record is as remarkable as the story behind it, which stretches from Walker’s childhood living on a commune in North Carolina to stints in Austin, Nashville, New York and New Orleans.

Produced by The Wood Brothers’ drummer and keyboardist Jano Rix, ‘Gotta Get Back’ is the ninth release in Walker’s extensive catalog, which has garnered critical acclaim around the world for nearly two decades. NPR hailed his “hard-driving” songs and “sweet tenor,” while the Washington Post praised his “soulful croon,” and the Wall Street Journal fell for his “tasty mix of blues and R&B.” He cracked the Top 20 on the Americana Chart and toured the world countless times over, from festival stages to dates with The Mavericks, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster, among others.

When it came time to record ‘Gotta Get Back,’ though, Walker was caught up in the  elusive dance with the muse, fatigue of the road, and the slippery slope & inevitable collision of art and business. In search of inspiration and rejuvenation, he turned to the people that taught him the joys of making music in the first place: his family.

“My whole family was very musically and artistically inclined, and it goes back generations” explains Walker. “My grandfather was in the Navy band and served in WWII aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. He later became a band and choir director, and got my father into music, who now teaches cello and Irish fiddle. My mother also came from an amazingly broad minded, forward-thinking family that encouraged the arts and and she became a violinist and talented artist. A sense of expression was coming from all sides”

From an early age, Walker and his sister trained on cello and violin, but they were exposed to a wide variety of musical influences living communally with another family.

“There were nine of us living in this log house together,” says Walker, “and the father of the other family that we lived with loved Texas country music such as Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Guy Clark. The honesty of that music unknowingly left a real mark on me.”

One of Walker’s uncles is an accomplished jazz bassist who hosted a blues radio show in Jacksonville, Florida. Each week he would faithfully send the young budding musician cassette tapes of the broadcasts, exposing him to legends T-Bone Walker, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Son House, and Lightnin’ Hopkins, to mention a few. Another uncle is an incredible luthier with Moriah Guitarworks, and Walker recruited him to build a custom acoustic guitar for the ‘Gotta Get Back’ sessions.

Keeping it all in the family was a priority, so while much of the album was recorded at Zac Brown’s Southern Ground studio in Nashville, Walker gathered his sister along with his parents, who had been divorced for 20 years, back in North Carolina to record the album’s beautiful, sweeping string parts, all of which were arranged by his father.

“I wanted to see if we could throw our worlds together,” says Walker, “so I sent my dad the new music along with some Al Green, Louis Armstrong, old Ray Charles and Nelson Riddle string arrangements to check out. He sent me back parts for these new songs that were so beautiful, and then we were off to the races. The family and I got together along with some friends in Chapel Hill for these sessions and it was an amazing experience that really brought us a lot closer. It was very special to me for them to be able to put everything else aside so we could play music together for the first time in many years. A dream come true. We had the strings set up in a semi-circle and I was right there with them singing and playing guitar. It about brought a tear to this old boy’s eye.”

‘Gotta Get Back’ opens up with the funky “High Time,” a song co-written with longtime collaborator Gary Nicholson and referencing Walker’s newly adopted home of New Orleans. The city proved to be a fount of inspiration for Walker, who penned a number of songs on the album there, including the swampy “Fire In The Belly” and Caribbean-influenced “Dreamer.”

“I lived in Austin for 15 years, and as I got more into songwriting, I was led me to music hub of Nashville. But ultimately, the raw, inspired, blues and jazz of the southland called me to New Orleans,” explains Walker. “The city is just so perfectly crooked. It’s kind of unhinged down there, there’s not much calculation, and that can be a really good thing as an artist to help you get that looseness back. I think I unlearned some things in a good way there.”

Stylistically, the album is as eclectic as anything Walker’s recorded. On “Back Around,” a collaboration with Oliver Wood, he channels his love of classic gospel, while “Movin’ On” blends elements of country, soul, and Paul Simon-esque folk. “Way Past Midnight” utilizes dual drummers to capture the buzz of and excitement of his first trips to New York City. As varied as the music gets, though, it never feels scattered, and Walker is quick to credit those around him in the studio for helping to connect all the dots between the album’s moments of delicate intimacy and fierce funkiness.

“Jano, as producer, has a gift of allowing music to ‘unfold,’ and it’s a beautiful thing,” says Walker. “It’s a mysterious, elusive endeavor. It’s kind of like holding a bird in your hand: not too loose and not too tight. We covered some ground stylistically with this album, and his sense of sound, vibe, and composition was paramount in making it cohesive, as was our engineer, Mike Poole. He’s all about capturing a performance and understanding the balance of musicality, sonic fidelity and unpolished, undeniable grease.”

While travel and movement are recurring themes throughout the record, the heart and soul of the album lay in the idea of home and family, of looking to the past in order to find your way into the future. Facing doubt and uncertain of his next steps, Walker was able to dig deep and find his way by reconnecting with the place in which he grew up with the loved ones who ultimately set him on his life’s path.

“My family always encouraged me, from my childhood, to the early dive bars, to the open mic days (when I’m sure they had their doubts), to where the journey has taken me now,” reflects Walker. “They have been the engine and inspiration that drives me to continue this zany beautiful life of music. I think that the communal feeling of making this record with these people takes me back to my early roots in North Carolina. We all gotta take our turn tending to the garden.”

Or as Walker sings on the title track, “I’ve gotta get back / Before I can move ahead,” and he does both here with startling beauty and striking sophistication.

Holly Bowling has added dates to her winter tour in support of new release, Better Left Unsung, out now on Royal Potato Family. The tour will extend into March, with Raleigh, Pittsburgh, Burlington, Cambridge and Philadelphia joining the mix, among others. See below for a full list of upcoming dates.

Holly was recently named among "10 Artists You Need To Know" by Rolling Stone, and a featured guest on an episode of WNYC's "The Takeaway." You can listen to a special version of “Cassidy” recorded live in the WNYC studio HERE.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

1/17 - Chico, CA - Chico Women's Club
1/19 - Seattle, WA - The Royal Room
1/20 - Portland, OR - The Old Church
1/21 - Eugene, OR - Hi-Fi Music Hall
1/22 - Arcata, CA - Humbrews
1/25 - San Francisco, CA - Center for New Music
1/26 - Los Angeles, CA - MiMoDa
1/27 - San Diego, CA - Dizzy's
1/29 - Santa Barbara, CA - SOhO
2/2 - Grand Rapids, MI - Founders Brewing Co.
2/3 - Traverse City, MI - House Concert
2/4 - Detroit, MI - Park Bar
2/7 - Edgewood, KY - Living Room
2/8 - Cleveland, OH - Bop Stop
2/9 - Chicago, IL - City Winery
2/10 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern
2/12 - Buffalo, NY -  Pausa Art House (two shows)
3/12 - Lincoln Theatre - Raleigh, NC
3/14 - James Street Speakeasy - Pittsburgh, PA
3/15 - River Street Jazz - Wilkes-Barre, PA
3/16 - Funk n' Waffles - Syracuse, NY
3/19 - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge - Burlington, VT
3/21 & 3/22 - Lily Pad - Cambridge, MA (two shows)
3/26 - The Acoustic - Bridgeport, CT
3/28 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA
3/29 - The Saint - Asbury Park, NJ

The Wood Brothers announce that they'll join the third installment of Tedeschi Trucks Band' wildly popular "Wheels of Soul" Summer Tour. They'll support the 12-piece ensemble, led by husband and wife Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, along with longtime friends Hot Tuna.  The tour is scheduled to hit some of the country's premier outdoor venues on the most ambitious Wheels of Soul tour to date.  After four consecutive sold-out shows at Red Rocks for TTB, this year’s tour adds a second night at the illustrious Colorado amphitheatre, with special plans in the works to make both nights unique events.  
 
With an incomparable live show that embodies the vision of a large touring family bound by music, the Wheels of Soul summer dates are favorites among fans and critics alike.  The Oakland Press has deemed Wheels of Soul "the best musical hang of the season...a celebration of kindred creative spirits," while Denver Westword calls TTB's summer package "a wall of talent on stage."

Through it all, the annual summer run has become more than just a fan favorite, it has become a highlight for the headliners as well. "It's been great to develop this tour into an annual event where we get a chance to hit the road and share the stage with fellow musicians we love and respect.  Each year we try to find bands that share our musical vision while bringing their own unique talents to this traveling circus," says Susan Tedeschi about the summer runs. "We go way back with Derek and Susan.  They are some of our favorite friends and collaborators," says Oliver Wood of this year's Wheels of Soul tour.  Oliver co-wrote a song on TTB’s Grammy-winning debut album, 'Revelator,' and Derek and Susan guested on the Wood Brothers 2015 release 'Paradise.'

Derek adds that this tour offers a unique opportunity for both the musicians and fans, "Every year as the tour rolls along the collaborations between all the musicians grow and grow. It inspires and challenges us in new ways and I think that really translates to the audience when they see how much fun we’re having with our friends." Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna) crossed paths with Derek and Susan early in their careers and their mutual admiration and kinship has grown as Jorma supported TTB on select shows in 2016.  When asked about joining Wheels of Soul this year Jorma offered excitement and praise, "Tedeschi Trucks is arguably one of the greatest band in the world today. It is an honor for me and my Hot Tuna brothers to be part of this great tour."

Dubbed "masters of soulful folk" by Paste Magazine, The Wood Brothers are coming off their most successful year yet, including performances at Bonnaroo, Red Rocks and Carnegie Hall. Upon the release of their debut studio album in 2006, Chris Wood already had legions of devoted fans for his incomparable work as one-third of Medeski Martin & Wood, while his brother Oliver toured with Tinsley Ellis before releasing a half-dozen albums with his band King Johnson. The Wood Brothers’ latest album, 'Live At The Barn’—recorded in front of a sold out audience at Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, NY—was released earlier this month.

Formed in 2010 after Tedeschi and Trucks recorded and toured for years as solo artists, Tedeschi Trucks Band is a live music juggernaut, touring over 200 days of the year. Their previous three studio records have all charted in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200, with their most recent effort 2016’s ‘Let Met Get By’ (Fantasy Records) produced by Trucks entirely and praised by Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and Associated Press, who called it “one of the great records of the year.”
 
TTB is currently on a series on North American tour dates, having just played multiple nights at the Chicago Theatre. The band plays three already sold-out nights at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC at the end of February, and ends their tour with a three-night stint at Nashville’s storied Ryman Auditorium before a European tour in the spring. A live TTB record is in the works and will be announced later this year.

For more than four decades, Hot Tuna has played, toured, and recorded some of the best and most memorable acoustic and electric music ever. Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are former members of Jefferson Airplane, the influential San Francisco psychedelic rock band.

Fan pre-sale begins on Tuesday, January 24, and tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, January 27. Current Wheels of Soul 2017 dates listed below (Additional dates and on-sale information to be announced shortly).

Itinerary – Wheels of Soul Summer Tour 2017
July 1 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 
July 2 – Essex, VT (Burlington) – Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Exposition
July 3 – Saratoga, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 5 – Vienna, VA (DC) –Wolf Trap *
July 8 – Rochester, NY – Highland Bowl
July 9 – Simsbury, CT – Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center
July 12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater **
July 14 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater **
July 15 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre ***
July 16 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre **
July 19 – Indianapolis, IN – Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn

July 21 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
July 22 – Huber Heights, OH (Dayton) – Rose Music Center
July 23 – Rochester, MI (Detroit) – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
July 25 – Rogers, AR – Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion
July 27 – Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Casino
July 29-30 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

*On sale March 18th
**On sale February 10th
***On sale February 3rd 

For the latest ticket on-sale information, please visit: www.tedeschitrucksband.com

Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s acclaimed live album series, 'Betty’s Blends,' returns with 'Volume 3: Self-Rising, Southern Blends.' Recorded and mixed live from the soundboard by legendary Grateful Dead archivist and recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson, this latest edition captures the CRB on a Southern swing through Atlanta, Raleigh and Charleston in November 2015.

The 3-LP/2-CD set includes original CRB staples like "Clear Blue Sky & The Good Doctor," "Roan County Banjo" and "Oak Apple Day," but focuses on the band's sprawling selection of cover material ranging from Allen Toussaint's "Get Out Of My Life Woman" to the Leiber/Stoller classic "I'm A Hog For You," Bob Dylan’s "She Belongs To Me" to the Slim Harpo rarity "The Music's Hot." It also marks the first release in the series with current CRB drummer, Tony Leone.

In Robinson's words: "With Betty, we trust her sonic sensibilities and give her the space and freedom to do what the woman does, and what she does is beautiful and unique. It's the stuff rock n' roll dreams and recordings are made of. Viva la Betty!"

Side A
I Ain’t Hiding
Got Love

Side B
Clear Blue Sky & The Good Doctor
The Music’s Hot

Side C
Roan County Banjo
I’m A Hog For You

Side D
Oak Apple Day
Get Out Of My Life Woman

Side E
Honeysuckle Interlude
Ride

Side F
Tales of Thunder Teeth
Girl I Love You
She Belongs To Me

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD Tour Dates

3/11 - Longmont, CO - Hops & Handrails
3/24 - McMinnville, TN - Bluegrass Underground (Sold Out)
3/25 -  Lexington, KY - Manchester Music Hall
3/26 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage (Sold Out)
3/28 - Tuscaloosa, AL - Druid City Music Hall
3/30 - Mobile, AL - Soul Kitchen
3/31 - New Orleans, LA - Hogs For The Cause
4/1 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre
4/2 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
4/5 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room
4/6 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
4/7 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
4/8 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
4/10 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge
4/12 - Springfield, MO - Gillioz Theater
4/14 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
4/15 - Dallas, TX - South Side Music Hall
4/18 - Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum Theater
4/20 - Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theater
4/21 - Big Sur, CA - Freaks For The Festival
4/22 - Big Sur, CA - Freaks For The Festival
5/17 - New York, NY - Central Park Summer Stage *
5/20 - Wilmington, DE - Big Noise Music Festival

* w/ Govt. Mule

Brooklyn-based band Escaper are set to release their debut album, Skeleton Key, on May 12, 2017 via Ropeadope Records. The definition of the word “Escaper” is “one who escapes confinement,” an iconic testament for the group’s players who thrive in an open-ended musical environment, described by Live For Live Music as “…danceable spacey jams.”

“The term ‘jam’ can be a loaded one, but the idea of having some concrete ideas yet still allowing the music to be open and flowing to take advantage of the moment is really important to us,” says Will Hanza, guitarist and bandleader of Escaper. Innovators of the scene, Escaper use improvisation as a tool for exploring new musical ground, a technique only experienced players can confidently navigate. Skeleton Key was tracked live, harnessing the raw energy experienced during the band's performances, with all the audio technical advantages brought about by a studio. The record was co-produced and engineered by John Davis whose previous credits include Lettuce, Brad Mehldau and The Black Keys.

Escaper is comprised of guitarist Hanza, drummer Andrew Nesbitt, bassist Jay Giacomazzo, keyboardist Adam Ahuja and saxophonist Johnny Butler. The members are all experienced musicians, previously playing with groups like Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, The Breakneck Boys, and even Beyonce. Band members have played everywhere from Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam and Catskill Chill to Brooklyn Bowl and The Blue Note Jazz Club. As Escaper, they have shared stages with notable acts such as Aqueous, Jimkata, G-Nome Project and label mates, The Flowdown.

Praised by Music Fest News as an, “up-and-coming juggernaut,” Escaper’s Skeleton Key is the start of an exciting journey and music fans won’t want to miss what’s next.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
4/4 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
4/14 - New Paltz, NY - Bacchus
4/21 - Nyack, NY - Olive's
5/6 - Bridgeport, CT - Bryac
5/12 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 *
5/19 - Philadelphia, PA - Ortlieb's
7/28 - New Paltz, NY - Snugs
7/29 - Walden, NY - Flavor Fest IV

* Skeleton Key Album Release Show

The legacy of legendary soul jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks will be celebrated on April 28, 2017 with the release of Live At Nectars on One Note Records. The recording, to be issued on digital formats, as well as limited edition vinyl, documents Melvin's final band on December 30, 2010 just a few months before his passing in March 2011. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years and, despite the difference in age—they were in their early 30s, while Melvin was an elder-statesmen of the genre—the unit was razor sharp. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this evening featured two variables. Per the recommendation of the venue, they used The Grippo Horns featuring Dave Grippo on alto saxophone and Brian McCarthy on tenor saxophone. This was the only time Sparks utilized a horn section in the last several years of his life. Additionally, they captured the performance on a multi-track recording. Both would prove to be wise decisions.

Lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks' fanatic Eddie Roberts and curated for release by drummer Simon Allen, both members of the acclaimed modern funk band, The New Mastersounds, the album demonstrates that the 64-year old guitarist played as well in the final months of his life as at any other time. From the opening number, "Miss Riverside" through rousing set closer "Whip! Whop!," Sparks peppers his performance with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He offers delectable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his lengthy lead on "Breezin'," while delivering a slice of red hot boogaloo on "Fire Eater." Sparks is audibly uplifted by The Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I Got)" for the first time in decades.

Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist at the outset of his career, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. He gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus when a chance introduction to George Benson inspired him to relocate to New York City; a decision that would ultimately pave the way for his ascension into the soul jazz pantheon. Sparks would go onto play and record with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington, Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. He’d also record nearly a dozen stand-out sessions as a leader. Even when soul jazz experienced a downturn in commercial popularity in the '80s, Melvin stayed relevant with hip-hop artists sampling his work, which now totals more than 150 samples of his "funky chicken scratch." Sparks legacy is also heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he guested with several times before his far too early departure.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Tour Dates

May 17 - New York, NY - Central Park Summer Stage *
May 18 - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest Café
May 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater *
May 20 - Wilmington, DE - Big Noise Music Festival
July 1 - Dillon, CO - Dillon Amphitheatre
July 7 - Veneta, OR - Oregon Country Fair
August 5 - Petaluma, CA - Petaluma Music Festival
August 9 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre
August 10 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
August 11 - Virginia Beach, VA - Shaka's Live
August 12 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
August 13 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage
August 15 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall
August 17 - Manunuck, RI - Ocean Mist
August 18 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony Summerstage **
August 19 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
August 20 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
August 22 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
August 23 - State College, PA - The State Theatre
August 24 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
August 25 - Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theater
August 26 - Washington, DC - The 9:30 Club
September 23 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond Festival

* w/ Govt. Mule
** w/ Donavon Frankenreiter

Chris Robinson Brotherhood announce the second leg of their 'Barefoot In The Head' U.S. tour. The 35-date run, stretching from September though November, supports their new studio album of the same name due July 21 on Robinson's own Silver Arrow Records. The tour covers much of the U.S. with stops across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, Northeast and Midwest. Along the way they'll return to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, make their first ever performance at the historic Columbus Theatre in Providence, RI and play three two-night stands at Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA, Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, NC and Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, PA. The CRB kick off the run off with three shows in Florida supporting Blackberry Smoke, while the remainder of the dates will be "An Evening With..." headline performances featuring two sets each night.

Accompanying the Chris Robinson Brotherhood's rigorous tour schedule is their most prolific songwriting and recording period to date. 'Barefoot In The Head'  is the band's third collection of new material in just two years, in addition to a just released live set, 'Betty’s Blends, Vol. 3,' produced by legendary recording engineer and Grateful Dead archivist, Betty Cantor-Jackson. The CRB's second single "High Is Not The Top" is available now to share. It will be released via streaming services this Friday, June 2.

"After six years of solid touring with this band, we can still roll into Fayetteville, Arkansas on a Tuesday night and have the most fun of any musical thing I've ever been a part of. We don't have the weight of responsibility or nostalgia, which means we're in the very psychedelic situation of getting to be totally honest and create everything in the moment," says Chris Robinson. "The music that we make, the concerts that we play, it's this world we've created for ourselves and our people. We want everybody to understand that no matter where you are in your life that you can always be barefoot in your head. There's always this other place you can go."

Moon Hooch have announced Fall 2017 tour dates. The 18-show headline run will make stops throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountains, including their biggest performances yet in Chicago, Minneapolis and Denver. The Brooklyn-based double sax and drums trio, who Brooklyn Vegan declared "bring the party to wherever they play," conclude the trek in the Southeast with two nights in Atlanta and Jacksonville. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, June 2 at 1PM ET.

Currently on tour in Europe where they'll remain for the majority of the summer playing club and festival dates, Moon Hooch have also announced the release of a 3-CD/DVD concert package entitled 'Live At The Cathedral' from their historic performance in 2015 at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Set for release June 30 via Hornblow Recordings and currently available for preorder, the concert was part of The Value of Food multimedia exhibition and series of public programming. The cathedral, which is the world's largest Anglican church, has a long history of engaging with issues of social justice, the environment, support for the arts and community involvement—all subjects of equally great importance to Moon Hooch.

Moon Hooch first came together busking on New York City subway platforms where they were discovered by Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing. Since then they've released four studio recordings, including last year's efforts, 'Red Sky,' which reached the top ten of both Billboard's Heatseeker and Jazz Charts, and The Joshua Tree EP, that was offered as a free download.

Moon Hooch count Iggy Pop among their biggest fans who raved on his BBC radio show: "I'm telling you these guys are cool. You know they're cool!" Additionally, the trio's NPR Tiny Desk session has recently surpassed two million views, while performing sold out shows around the world. Committed to consciousness and environmentalism, veganism and philosophy, as equally as they are to their music, which mixes elements of DIY indie rock, EDM, jazz and hip-hop, Moon Hooch featuring saxophonists' Wenzl McGowen and Mike Wilbur and drummer James Muschler, are only at the cusp of a career that has already proven them to be among their generation's most groundbreaking and thought-provoking young bands.  

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have released an official video for "Behold The Seer." It's the opening track from the band's new studio album, 'Barefoot In The Head,' out this Friday, July 21 on Silver Arrow Records. The video, which was premiered by Rolling Stone alongside an in-depth interview with Robinson about the latest recording, was directed by longtime CRB collaborator Matthew Mendenhall. The footage was shot at The CRB's own two day festival, dubbed Freaks For The Festival, held this past April in Big Sur, CA.

A ten-track, self-produced effort, 'Barefoot In The Head' marks the third collection of new material in only two years time from The CRB. For the fourth year in a row, they'll play over 120 shows with a 60-plus show, cross-country U.S. tour running from August through December to support the new release. Robinson and The CRB's Neal Casal will also appear for five acoustic duo sets at independent record stores.  

"They say the only people who know true freedom are musicians and gangsters," Chris Robinson says with a laugh. "And Bob Dylan said to live outside the law you must be honest. We're living in these anxiety-filled times, in an era of 'no truth,' but what our music represents is this truly honest way of communicating with people, and that's a really freeing thing."

If 'Barefoot In The Head' is any indication, freedom suits the Chris Robinson Brotherhood well. The band is in the midst of one of their most prolific periods to date, with a slew of studio and live records coming out amidst a rigorous tour schedule that only seems to fuel their fire even further. 'Barefoot In The Head' finds the band pushing boundaries and breaking new ground with more joy and wonder than ever before. The album showcases the continued growth of Robinson's songwriting partnership with his bandmates (guitarist Neal Casal, drummer Tony Leone, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, and bassist Jeff Hill), while reveling in the kind of playful adventurousness that can only come from five artists tuned in to the same sonic wavelength.

The album opens with the Americana funk of "Behold The Seer," which sounds like something of a mission statement for the CRB as Robinson sings, "If you want to keep your engine humming / Keep your eyes wide ahead and don't look back." On the dreamy "She Shares My Blanket," Robinson crafts cinematic scenes from a winter love affair in the mountains, while elegant pedal steel added by special guest Barry Sless on "Blonde Light Of Day" casts a warm, romantic haze and "Blue Star Woman" sounds like T-Rex dressed in overalls living on a West Coast commune. Throughout the album, Robinson and the band deftly intertwine country, blues and psychedelia, even channeling freewheeling 60s' folk on "Hark The Herald Hermit Speaks," a breakneck stream of consciousness that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. On the English psych inspired "Glow," which Robinson calls "one of the most special things I've ever done in the studio," The CRB are joined by the celebrated sarodist Alam Khan (son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan).

"The music that we make, the concerts that we play, it's this world we've created for ourselves and our people," explains Robinson. "We want everybody to understand that no matter where you are in your life that you can always be barefoot in your head. There's always this other place you can go. Is that place it real? That’s your decision to make, what you're going to let be real to you."

That may ultimately be the true definition of freedom: not what's bestowed upon you by others, but rather what you bestow upon yourself. For the CRB, that means the ability to follow their muse unfettered by expectation or preconceptions, the ability to measure their success purely in terms of artistic fulfillment and the bonds of brotherhood.

"After six years of solid touring with this band, we can still roll into Fayetteville, AR on a Tuesday night and have the most fun of any musical thing I've ever been a part of," says Robinson. "We don't have the weight of responsibility or nostalgia, which means we're in the very psychedelic situation of getting to be totally honest and create everything in the moment. That's freedom."

Chris Robinson Brotherhood Tour Dates

August 5 - Petaluma, CA - Petaluma Music Festival
August 9 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre
August 10 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
August 11 - Virginia Beach, VA - Shaka's
August 12 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
August 13 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage
August 15 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall
August 17 - Manunuck, RI - Ocean Mist (sold out)
August 18 - Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony Summerstage **
August 19 - Boston, MA - House of Blues **
August 20 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
August 22 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre
August 23 - State College, PA - The State Theatre
August 24 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
August 25 - Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theater
August 26 - Washington, DC - The 9:30 Club
September 7 - Pompano Beach, FL - Pompano Beach Amphitheater *
September 8 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheater *
September 9 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Landing *
September 10 - Orlando, FL - The Social
September 12 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
September 14 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
September 15 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
September 16 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre
September 17 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
September 19 - Chattanooga, TN - Revelry Room
September 21 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric Oxford
September 22 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
September 23 - Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond Festival
September 24 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
September 26 - Greensboro, NC - The Blind Tiger
September 28 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
September 29 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
September 30 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 1 - Nashville, TN - Third & Lindsley
October 3 - Augusta, GA - Sky City
October 5 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Hall
October 6 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
October 7 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
October 27 - Placerville, CA - Hangtown Music Festival
October 29 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
October 31 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
November 2 - Westbury, NY - The Space at Westbury
November 3 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
November 4 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall
November 5 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
November 7 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
November 9 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre
November 10 - Niagara, NY - Seneca Niagara Casino & Resort
November 11 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
November 12 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
November 14 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
November 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe
November 17 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
November 18 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
November 19 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre
December 2 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
December 3 - Seattle, WA - The Neptune Theatre
December 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Historic Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
December 7 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas
December 8 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues San Diego
December 9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
December 10 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre
December 12 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades

* w/ Blackberry Smoke
** w/ Donavon Frankenreiter

Chris Robinson & Neal Casal
Acoustic In-Store Performances

July 31 - Hollywood, CA - Amoeba Records
August 1 - Seattle, WA - Silver Platters
August 2 - Portland, OR - Music Millennium
August 4 - Berkeley, CA - Amoeba Records
August 14 - New York, NY - Turntable Lab

August 4 - Cave Junction, OR - Turning Moon Festival
August 13 - Darrington, WA - Summer Meltdown Festival
August 19 - Prineville, OR - Summer Meltdown Festival
August 21 - Silverton, OR - Total Eclipse of the Garden
September 9 - Anacortes, WA - Bastion Brewing Company
September 20 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live
September 21 - Washington, DC - Gypsy Sally's
September 22 - Brooklyn, NY - The Knitting Factory
September 23 - Boston, MA - The Red Room
September 26 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
September 28 - Teaneck, NJ - Debonair Music Hall
September 29 - New Hope, PA - Triumph Brewing Company
September 30 - Schuylkill Haven, PA - Meeting of the Minds

Caldera is out 9/22 on LP, CD & Digital Formats

July 29 - Denver, CO - The Underground Music Showcase
Aug. 12 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall
Aug. 13 - Fort Collins, CO - NewWestFest
Aug. 14 - Omaha, NE - The Down Under Lounge
Aug. 15 - Brookings, SD - The Pheasant
Aug. 17 - Madison, WI - The Frequency
Aug. 18 - Milwaukee, WI - Company Brewing
Aug. 19 - Chicago, IL - Quenchers
Aug 22. Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews

Great Lakes is out everywhere on 9/29

Seattle's own, Polyrhythmics, have announced a West Coast tour this Fall to accompany their September run in the Northeast, including headline performances at Slim's in San Francisco, Star Theatre in Portland and a two-night hometown stand at Tractor Tavern in Seattle.

The 19-date trek comes in support of their latest album, 'Caldera,' which is set for release on September 22. Rich with bold brass and hypnotic percussion, the collection showcases the instrumental nine-piece band's impossibly tight grooves and virtuosic musicianship as they tear through a singular blend of Afrobeat, funk, soul, psychedelic rock and progressive jazz. Calling to mind everything from Antibalas and the The Budos Band to The Meters and Fela Kuti, it's without a doubt their strongest work to date, merging the infectious power of their live show with a sleek and nuanced studio sophistication. A video for the first single "Spider Wolf" is out now, while the track is also available on all digital music outlets.

The record follows the Seattle band's third album, 'Octagon,' which earned them tour dates around the country along with plenty of critical acclaim. The Stranger dubbed Polyrhythmics a group to watch, hailing their "sophisticated slinkiness and expressive brassiness," while WNCW praised their "modern afro-psycho-beat blend," and The Seattle Times dubbed them "funk maestros." The band was invited to perform live on influential Seattle NPR station KEXP, shared bills with everyone from Snarky Puppy to Booker T, and played massive festival stages including Bumbershoot, High Sierra and Vancouver International Jazz Fest.

Polyrhythmics Just Announced Tour Dates

September 29 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern
October 27 - Winters CA - Berryessa Brewing Company
October 29  - Placerville, CA - Hangtown Halloween Ball
October 31 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live
November 3  - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom *
November 4  - Steamboat Springs, CO - Schmiggity's
November 9 - Garden City, ID - Visual Arts Collective
November 10 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theater and Pub
November 11 - Ashland, OR - Armory**
November 17 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
November 18  - Portland, OR - Star Theater
November 24 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern ^
November 25 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
December 1 - Springdale, UT - Bit & Spur
December 2 - San Diego, CA - Winston's
December 5 - San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brews
December 6  - Santa Cruz , CA - Moes Alley
December 7 - Grass Valley, CA - Grass Valley Center for the Arts
December 8 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Casino
December 9 - San Francisco, CA - Slim’s

* w/ Dumpstaphunk
** w/ Dirty Revival
^ w/ Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Complete U.S. Tour Dates

September 9 - Anacortes, WA - Bastion Brewing Company
September 20 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live
September 21 - Washington, DC - Gypsy Sally's
September 22 - Brooklyn, NY - The Knitting Factory
September 23 - Boston, MA - The Red Room
September 26 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
September 28 - Teaneck, NJ - Debonair Music Hall
September 29 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern
September 30 - Schuylkill Haven, PA - Meeting of the Minds
October 27 - Winters CA - Berryessa Brewing Company
October 29  - Placerville, CA - Hangtown Halloween Ball
October 31 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live
November 3  - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom *
November 4  - Steamboat Springs, CO - Schmiggity's
November 9 - Garden City, ID - Visual Arts Collective
November 10 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theater and Pub
November 11 - Ashland, OR - Armory**
November 17 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
November 18  - Portland, OR - Star Theater
November 24 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern ^
November 25 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
December 1 - Springdale, UT - Bit & Spur
December 2 - San Diego, CA - Winston's
December 5 - San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brews
December 6  - Santa Cruz , CA - Moes Alley
December 7 - Grass Valley, CA - Grass Valley Center for the Arts
December 8 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Casino
December 9 - San Francisco, CA - Slim’s

* w/ Dumpstaphunk
** w/ Dirty Revival
^ w/ Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

In their earliest days, Moon Hooch were known for epic dance party raves they would spontaneously throw on New York City subway platforms.  So raucous were these events that the group was eventually banned from the Bedford Ave L train stop in Brooklyn by the NYPD.  The band's new video for "Rough Sex" is a visual metaphor depicting how Moon Hooch has risen out the subways to the rooftops above and not even the mighty NYPD can shut them down anymore.

As saxophonist Mike Wilbur explains: "Our performances really take on a life of their own and we feed off of a shared energy with our audience every night.  This video shows that energy and the unstoppable force that it is."

Watch the brand new video for "Rough Sex," directed by Lucas McGowen (cousin of saxophonist Wenzl McGowen) here:

Moon Hooch kick off the second leg of their North American fall tour this week with a two-night stand at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City. They'll then head to Europe for nine shows, return to the U.S. for four shows, head back to Europe to play three dates, including the Trans Musicales Festival in France and finish the year with a five night New Year's Eve run in the Northeast.  

Tour Dates
October 18 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
October 19 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
October 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts *
October 21 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
October 22 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry *
October 24 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater *
October 25 - Asheville, NC - Asheville Music Hall *
October 26 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West +
October 27 - Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music Hall +
October 28 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House *
November 9 - Chatenay-Malabry, FR - Le Pediluve
November 10 - Beauvais, FR - La Maladrerie Saint Lazare
November 11 - Les Deux-Fays, FR - Salles Des Fetes
November 12 - Angers, FR - Le Jokers
November 14 - Manchester, UK - Band on the Wall
November 15 - Hull, UK - FRüIT
November 16 - London, UK - Under the Bridge
November 17 - Auxerre, FR - Le Silex
November 18 - St-Germain-En Laye, FR - LaClef Stgermain
November 29 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt ^
November 30 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom ^
December 1 - Dayton, OH - Oddbody's ^
December 2 - Covington, KY - Octave ^
December 6 - Utrecht, NL - De Helling
December 8-9 - Rennes, FR - Trans Musicales Festival
December 27 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair ^
December 28 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall ^
December 29 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground ^
December 30 - Northampton, MA - Pearl Street Nightclub &
December 31 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Iron Works &

* Co-headline with Marco Benevento
+ w/ Jackson Whalan
^ w/ Gnomedad
& w/ Gnomedad and Honeycomb

Karl Denson is fresh off The Rolling Stones No Filter tour of Europe where he performed across the continent in his ongoing role as tenor saxophonist with the legendary rock icons. He wastes no time, however, getting back on the road with his own band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, for a string of tour dates around the U.S., including three shows paying tribute to The Allman Brothers Band at Park West in Chicago on November 17, The Fillmore in San Francisco on November 25 and Wanee Festival in Live Oak, FL on April 19-21 that are being dubbed, "Karl Denson's Tiny Universe presents Eat A Bunch of Peaches." Denson will add three special guests to the core Tiny Univers line-up for these performances, including Jay Lane (Primus, Ratdog) on double drums, Kenneth Crouth (Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton) on second keys and Mark "Speedy" Gonzales (Brownout) on trombone.

KDTU will round out 2017 with a Colorado run that features two nights at The Public Room in Crested Butte and a New Year's Eve performance supporting My Morning Jacket at 1st Bank Center in Denver.

At the outset of 2018, KDTU will head out for a string of West Coast shows that includes a stop at Belly Up in Denson's hometown of San Diego, two nights at Nectar's in Seattle and a return to Revolution Hall in Portland. 

Highly regarded as one of the best live bands on the planet, KDTU will be showcasing material from their long-awaited forthcoming studio album, as well as previous acclaimed KDTU recordings like 'New Ammo' and 'The Bridge.' The current KDTU touring lineup is comprised of Richmond guitarist DJ Williams, original drummer of The Greyboy Allstars Zak Najor, The Greyboy Allstars’ bassist Chris Stillwell, Crush Effects' keyboardist David Veith, Seattle trumpeter Chris Littlefield and ace slide and lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

Tour Dates

11/17 - Chicago, IL - Park West +
11/18 - Punta Gorda, FL - The Big Orange Music Festival
11/24 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz
11/25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore +   
12/02 - Park City, UT - Park City Mountain Resort
12/28 - Crested Butte, CO - Public House
12/29 - Crested Butte, CO - Public House
12/31 - Denver, CO - 1st Bank Center *
1/12 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up
1/13 - Santa Barbara, CA - SoHo
1/17 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Jam Cruise 16
1/24 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
1/25 - Seattle, WA - Nectar's
1/26 - Seattle, WA - Nectar's
1/27 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
1/28 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theatre Pub
2/3 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Crown Room
4/19-21 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Festival +

+ Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Presents Eat A Bunch of Peaches
* New Years Eve with My Morning Jacket

The Wood Brothers have announced the release of their new album, 'One Drop of Truth,' due February 2 via Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers. The 10-track collection, their sixth studio recording to date, was self-produced by the longstanding trio featuring brothers Oliver and Chris Wood along with Jano Rix. The album’s opening track, "River Takes the Town," is especially poignant. Written prior to natural disasters that decimated parts of the world this summer, it was recorded just one day after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston. The song premiered today at Paste Magazine (http://bit.ly/paste-woodbrothers) and can be streamed  and shared now (https://youtu.be/a-B3N-bsf3A). It's available at all music streaming and download services along with the full album pre-order tomorrow.

The Wood Brothers will tour extensively behind 'One Drop of Truth.' The band is on the road now with 13 shows still to go in 2017 and will get right back to work in January with a 26-date U.S. trek already on the books for the first half of 2018, including two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco and the Vic Theatre in Chicago.

Whereas previous outings by The Wood Brothers have often followed a conceptual and sonic through-line, 'One Drop of Truth' dives headfirst into a deep wellspring of sounds, styles and recording approaches, treating each song as if it were its own short film. The plaintive, country-folk of "River Takes the Town" gives way to the The Band-esque Americana soul of "Happiness Jones." The stream of consciousness ballad "Strange As It Seems" floats on a cloud of ethereal beauty, standing in stark contrast to "Sky High"—a Saturday night barnburner built upon stinging slide guitar funk. "Seasick Emotions" is rife with emotional turmoil, yet "Sparkling Wine" is jaunty and carefree. The end result is undeniably The Wood Brothers' most dynamic recording to date. 

"Often, when you're making an album in the traditional way, there will be a unifying concept, whether that be in the approach to the music stylistically or in terms of the overall narrative lyrically. And even though there are some themes that revealed themselves later, this one is all over the place," explains Oliver Wood. "What I really love about this record is that each one of these songs has its own little world. There are diverse sounds and vibes from one track to the next."

Building off the success of their previous studio album, 2015's 'Paradise,' and 2017's live release, 'Live At the Barn,' recorded at Levon Helm's Barn, The Wood Brothers found themselves at a fortuitous crossroads. Following a tour with Tedeschi Trucks Band, high profile festival dates and sold out headline shows, the band felt free from the cyclical album release, tour, write, record and do-it-all-over-again pressures. With all three members living in Nashville affording easy access to each other and a wealth of local independent studios at their disposal, they started work in January of 2017 with a new approach.

"Instead of going into one studio and recording it all at the same time, we picked a couple studios, and started to experiment," says Chris Wood. "Sometimes we’d just make demos of songs to see if we got anything we liked. There was no pressure, and that really freed us up. We just did one or two songs a day, put it aside, let the songs simmer, and then we’d have a fresh perspective on what was working or not working. You need time to go by to gain objectivity." 

The band extended this approach to the mixing process, sending tracks to four different mixing engineers, each selected based on what the song demanded. Scotty Hard (who's worked extensively with Medeski Martin & Wood, among others) was recruited for the "edgier, funkier tunes," "Sky High" and "Happiness Jones." Mike Poole (who worked on The Wood Brothers album 'The Muse') mixed "Sparkling Wine" and "Strange As It Seems." Their old friend Brandon Belle from Zac Brown's Southern Ground studio took on "Laughin' Or Crying." The remainder of the album was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Trina Shoemaker, especially sought after by The Wood Brothers for her work with Brandi Carlile.

"It's the freest album we've done, the most independent album we've done, and was the most fun we've ever had making a record," says Oliver Wood. "And most importantly, this is the most purely Wood Brothers' album we've ever made."

Fittingly titled, 'One Drop of Truth,' the latest entry in The Wood Brothers evolution finds three musicians being true to themselves. At a point in their career where most artists would be looking to strategically position themselves for even greater commercial success, they instead turned to artistic expression in service of the muse. In chaotic times when honesty is in short supply and ulterior motives seem to always be at play, The Wood Brothers put faith in themselves and ultimately their audience by writing and recording a collection of songs that are honest and pure. As they sing on the album's title track: "Rather die hungry / than feasting on lies / Give me one drop of truth / I cannot deny."

THE WOOD BROTHERS
 Tour Schedule

Nov. 17 - Hickory, NC - Music In The Mill (sold out)
Nov. 28 - Jackson, WY - Center for the Arts 
Nov. 29 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room (sold out)
Dec. 1 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Dec. 2 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
Dec. 4 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
Dec. 5 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
Dec. 6 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
Dec. 7 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre
Dec. 9 - San Antonio, TX - Empire Theatre
Dec. 10 - Houston, TX- White Oak Music Hall
Dec. 11 - Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theatre
Dec. 12 - Lafayette, LA - Acadiana Center for the Arts (sold out)
Jan. 25 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
Jan. 26 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Jan. 28 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Jan. 30 - Albany, NY - The Egg
Jan. 31 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Feb. 2 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Feb. 9 - Miami Beach, FL - Groundup Music Festival
Feb. 21 - Phoenix, AZ - MIM Music Theater
Feb. 22 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Feb. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theatre
Feb. 24 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 27 - Arcata, CA - Kate Buchanan Room
Feb. 28 - Ashland, OR - Southern Oregon University
Mar. 1 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 2 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
Apr. 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Apr. 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
Apr. 13 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 14 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 15 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Apr. 17 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Ballroom
Apr. 18 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
Apr. 19 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
Apr. 20 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater

Circles Around The Sun, the band assembled by guitarist Neal Casal to create the set break music at The Grateful Dead's Fare Thee Well concerts in 2015, have announced six shows in January 2018, including three performances on the West Coast and three performances on the East Coast. The West Coast shows—January 5 at The Troubadour in Los Angeles and January 11-12 at The Chapel in San Francisco—bookend five days in the studio where the band records a long-awaited follow up to their critically acclaimed debut album, Interludes For The Dead. Meanwhile, the East Coast dates feature a return to Brooklyn Bowl for the 18th annual Freak's Ball on January 19, as well as their first ever performances at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC on January 18 and The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on January 20.

The genesis for Circles Around The Sun came when guitarist Neal Casal was asked by video director Justin Kreutzmann to compose and record more than five hours of original music to be played along with the visuals he was preparing for the Fare Thee Well intermissions. With nothing prepared beforehand or added afterward, the songs were composed through spontaneous studio improvisations and recorded during a two-day jam session. Fans lucky enough to score a "miracle" ticket to the Fare Thee Well concerts that summer were treated to those potent psychedelic jams during the shows' intermissions.

Each night as the personal, behind-the-scenes footage of The Grateful Dead rolled on the big screens around the stadium, excitement would break out amongst concertgoers soon followed by chatter across social media about the accompanying music. The mysterious group behind the freewheeling tunes was soon determined to be Circles Around the Sun, a band convened by Casal specifically for the project featuring keyboardist Adam MacDougall (Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Phil Lesh & Friends), bassist Dan Horne (Beachwood Sparks, Jonathan Wilson) and drummer Mark Levy. The results were so captivating and the audience response so overwhelmingly positive, Rhino Records decided to give the music a proper release on what would become the critically acclaimed album, Interludes for the Dead.

Circles Around The Sun's forthcoming January 2018 shows are rare appearances for the band who've only reconvened to perform live a handful of times since their inception in 2015.

Upcoming Tour Dates
January 5 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
January 11 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel
January 12 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel
January 18 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
January 19 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl (NYC Freaks Ball)
January 20 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theater

Just a few short weeks after the Chris Robinson Brotherhood's annual December three-night stand at The Fillmore in San Francisco, they'll set up shop once again in the Bay Area to ring in the New Year with three-nights, December 29, 30 and 31, at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael. Tickets go on-sale Monday, December 18, 10am PT at https://store.terrapincrossroads.net/tickets.

In the middle of one of their most prolific periods to date, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood are riding a creative wave with a slew of studio and live records coming out amidst a rigorous tour schedule that only seems to fuel their fire even further. Their stellar new album, 'Barefoot In The Head,' marks the CRB's third studio release in just two years, and it finds them pushing boundaries and breaking new ground with more joy and wonder than ever before. Overspilling with stunning musicianship and infectious energy, the album showcases the continued growth of Robinson's songwriting partnership with his bandmates: guitarist Neal Casal, drummer Tony Leone, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, and bassist Jeff Hill. It revels in the kind of adventurousness that can only come from five artists tuned into the same sonic wavelength.

'Barefoot In The Head' follows last year's critically acclaimed LP, 'Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel,' and its companion EP, 'If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now.' It opens with the Americana funk of "Behold The Seer," which sounds like something of a mission statement for the CRB as Robinson sings, "If you want to keep your engine humming / Keep your eyes wide ahead and don't look back." On the dreamy "She Shares My Blanket," Robinson crafts cinematic scenes from a winter love affair in the mountains, while elegant pedal steel added by special guest Barry Sless on "Blonde Light Of Morning" casts a warm, romantic haze and "Blue Star Woman" sounds like T-Rex dressed in overalls living on a West Coast commune. Throughout the album, Robinson and the band deftly intertwine country, blues and psychedelia, even channeling freewheeling 60s' folk on "Hark The Herald Hermit Speaks," a breakneck stream of consciousness that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. On the English psych inspired "Glow," which Robinson calls "one of the most special things I've ever done in the studio," The CRB are joined by the celebrated sarodist Alam Khan (son of the legendary Ali Akbar Khan).

"The music that we make, the concerts that we play, it's this world we've created for ourselves and our people," explains Robinson. "We want everybody to understand that no matter where you are in your life that you can always be barefoot in your head. There's always this other place you can go. Is that place it real? That’s your decision to make, what you're going to let be real to you."

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood emerged in 2011 by playing close to 50 shows over nine weeks in California before ever leaving the Golden State or officially releasing music. Their introduction on the national stage came in 2012 when they'd release not one, but two acclaimed full-length albums within a few months of each other. Critics hailed their sprawling debut, 'Big Moon Ritual,' as a revelation, with The Independent raving that Robinson had "finally found the ideal vehicle to indulge his taste for 'Cosmic California Music.'" The reviews were similarly ecstatic for its immediate follow-up, 'The Magic Door,' which was praised by Relix as "classic rock in the finest sense." The band's epic tour schedule brought their shimmering acid-Americana around the world for a staggering 118-date tour, firmly establishing the CRB as the new standard-bearers of the psychedelic roots torch. In 2014, they returned to the studio for 'Phosphorescent Harvest,' a masterful collection that showcased the blossoming songwriting partnership between Robinson and Neal Casal. Rolling Stone raved that the album was "electrifying…boast[ing] a vintage rock vibe that’s at once quirky, trippy, soulful and downright magnetic," and Guitar World called it "a treasure trove of soul that advances the band's bluesy, kaleidoscopic sound."

With a steady flow of new studio albums and live recordings plus a near non-stop touring schedule, including a growing number of sold out shows, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood are proving themselves among the most prolific rock and roll bands of their time. The quintet have honed their kinetic chemistry and immersive sound into a singular vision, which Uncut Magazine calls, "...a celebration of how American musical traditions can be at once honored and psychedelically expanded."

Chris Robinson Brotherhood 
Tour Dates

December 29 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
December 30 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
December 31 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
January 26 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
January 27 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
January 29 - Billings, MT - Pub Station
January 30 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma Theatre
January 31 - Jackson, WY - Pink Garter Theatre
February 2 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
February 3 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room
February 6 - Durango, CO - Animas City Theatre
February 7 - Avon, CO - Agave
February 9 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater & Club
February 10 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 11 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 13 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
February 15 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 16 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 17 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
February 18 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre
March 2 - Hamburg, DE - Uebel & Gefährlich
March 3 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
March 5 - Madrid, ES - Sala But
March 6 - Barcelona, ES - Bikini
March 7 - Bilbao, ES - Kafe Antzoki
March 9 - Berlin, DE - Bi Nuu
March 10 - Gothenburg, SE - Pustervik
March 11 - Stockholm, SE - Nalen
March 12 - Oslo, NO - Rockefeller
March 13 - Aalborg, DK - Skraaen
March 14 - Bonn DE - Rockpalast Crossroads Festival
March 16 - London, UK - Ulu
March 18 - Chandler, AZ - Pot of Gold Music Festival
April 19 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Festival

Chris Robinson has songs he wants to sing. As frontman for The Black Crowes—one of the most prolific and celebrated rock 'n' roll bands of its generation—he co-wrote classics like "Jealous Again," "Remedy," "She Talks To Angels," "Twice As Hard" and "Sometimes Salvation." With a desire to breathe new life into this storied repertoire, Robinson has gathered five musicians whose musical journeys intertwine with his own, including guitarists Marcus King and Audley Freed, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, bassist Andy Hess and drummer Tony Leone. Appropriately calling the band, As The Crow Flies, they'll perform shows consisting of music from throughout Robinson's history at a handful of select U.S. dates in Spring 2018, while in-between tours with his primary outfit, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. 

"Spring will be sprung and the songs will be sung. This crow will fly high with old friends and new. Bring on, bring on! I can't wait to hit the stage with some rock 'n' roll for the ages," says Robinson. "It's been five years since I've had the privilege of singing these songs and with Audley Freed, Marcus King, Andy Hess, Adam McDougall and Tony Leone all onboard, a soulful rockin' funky good time is guaranteed!"

As The Crow Flies' 17-date tour kicks-off at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY on April 17 before quickly cutting south, including performances at Wanee Music Festival in Live Oak, FL, The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and The Joy Theater in New Orleans for a performance during the city's celebrated Jazz & Heritage Festival. The band then heads West, including stops at The Ogden Theatre in Denver, The Wiltern in Los Angeles and The Fox in Oakland before concluding on May 13 at Crystal Ballroom in Portland. Tickets go on-sale Friday, January 12 at 10am local time.

AS THE CROW FLIES
 Tour Schedule

April 17 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
April 18 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
April 21 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Music Festival
April 22 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City Birmingham
April 24 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
April 25 - Lexington, KY - Machester Music Hall
April 26 - Chattanooga, TN - The Signal
April 28 - New Orleans, LA - The Joy Theater
April 29 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 1 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
May 2 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
May 6 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
May 8 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
May 9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
May 11 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
May 12 - Lake Tahoe, NV - Montbleu Resort & Casino
May 13 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom

The Wood Brothers have released a new video for "Happiness Jones." Premiered today via Rolling Stone Country (watch here), the song is the second single off their forthcoming studio album, 'One Drop of Truth,' due February 2 via Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers. The 10-track collection is their sixth studio recording to date and was self-produced by the longstanding trio featuring brothers Oliver and Chris Wood along with Jano Rix. "Happiness Jones," available tomorrow (Fri. January 12) on Spotify and all other DSPs, follows the album's striking first single, "River Takes The Town," about which Paste Magazine wrote, "the suspense in the lyrics echoes the tension that's been gripping the U.S. every day for a couple of years now."

Whereas previous outings by The Wood Brothers have often followed a conceptual and sonic through-line, 'One Drop of Truth' dives headfirst into a deep wellspring of sounds, styles and recording approaches, treating each song as if it were its own short film. The plaintive, country-folk of "River Takes the Town" gives way to the The Band-esque Americana soul of "Happiness Jones." The stream of consciousness ballad "Strange As It Seems" floats on a cloud of ethereal beauty, standing in stark contrast to "Sky High"—a Saturday night barnburner built upon stinging slide guitar funk. "Seasick Emotions" is rife with emotional turmoil, yet "Sparkling Wine" is jaunty and carefree. The end result is undeniably The Wood Brothers' most dynamic recording to date.

"Often, when you're making an album in the traditional way, there will be a unifying concept, whether that be in the approach to the music stylistically or in terms of the overall narrative lyrically. And even though there are some themes that revealed themselves later, this one is all over the place," explains Oliver Wood. "What I really love about this record is that each one of these songs has its own little world. There are diverse sounds and vibes from one track to the next."

The Wood Brothers will tour extensively behind 'One Drop of Truth,' including a string of  headline two night stands at Irving Plaza in New York City, Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC,  The Fillmore in San Francisco and Vic Theatre in Chicago. They'll also make stops at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville with Valerie June, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado with Devil Makes Three and DelFest 2018 in Cumberland, MD.

THE WOOD BROTHERS 
Tour Schedule

Jan. 25 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
Jan. 26 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Jan. 27 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Jan. 28 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Jan. 30 - Albany, NY - The Egg (Sold Out)
Jan. 31 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Feb. 1 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Feb. 2 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Feb. 3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Feb. 10 - Miami Beach, FL - Groundup Music Festival
Feb. 21 - Phoenix, AZ - MIM Music Theater (Sold Out)
Feb. 22 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Feb. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theatre
Feb. 24 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Feb. 27 - Arcata, CA - Kate Buchanan Room
Feb. 28 - Ashland, OR - Southern Oregon University
Mar. 1 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Mar. 2 - Seattle, WA - Neptune
Mar. 17 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
Apr. 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Apr. 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
Apr. 13 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 14 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Apr. 15 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Apr. 17 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Ballroom
Apr. 18 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
Apr. 19 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
Apr. 20 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
Apr. 22 - Charlotte, NC - Tuck Fest 2018
May 25 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre 
May 27 - Cumberland, MD - DelFest 2018

Soulive has announced the release of 'Cinematics, Vol. 1.' The long-awaited EP—due February 23 on digital and vinyl formats via the trio's own imprint Soulive Music—is the first new music in six years from the genre-smashing groove masters. The collection's debut single, "Kings March," is out today on all DSPs and is accompanied by a video from the recording sessions.

These five dynamic new tunes from Soulive are guaranteed to turn the backs of your eyelids into a vibrant, action-packed movie screen as the band transforms their infectious blend of soul-jazz, hip-hop, funk and rock into a series of soundtracks for the movies of your mind. Better yet, this initial volume is the first of a planned series of 'Cinematics' EPs. With six long years having passed since the last time the three members of Soulive entered a studio together, fans will no doubt be excited to learn that there's plenty of new music expected from guitarist Eric Krasno, drummer Alan Evans and keyboardist Neal Evans for the foreseeable future.

Despite the long hiatus, when the band reconvened at Al Evans' studio Iron Wax in late 2017, they quickly gelled, calling upon the thousands of hours they've spent playing music together since their inception in 1999.  Arriving without any overarching concept in mind, they each brought a few loosely-sketched ideas and fleshed them out together.

"We trust each other to bring our voices to each other's ideas," says Alan, while Krasno adds, "I think Soulive creates our best material using that method."

The "cinematic" quality of the music, then, arose naturally from the trio's collective instincts rather than from some grand plan. But it's unmistakably present throughout the session, conjuring imaginary sequences that take the trademark Soulive sound in thrilling new directions.

"We didn't have to talk about anything," Alan says. "It all unfolded as we were working on it; one song influences the direction of the next, and soon you find yourself going down this path. We want this music to take people on a little journey."

Now that they've ventured down that path, of course, it remains for listeners to follow in their footsteps. That journey begins with the entrancing psychedelic soul of "Kings March," which brims with the suspense and seduction of a vintage spy thriller. The laid-back "Bluebird" perfectly conveys the happiness traditionally associated with the titular bird, suggesting the freedom and possibility of a classic road movie. The band's knack for vivacious funk comes to the fore on "Sidekick," perhaps the theme for a supporting character out on their own spectacular adventures.

"Millers Last Stand," with its exotic, Ennio Morricone-esque flavor, finds Soulive venturing into spaghetti western territory, imagining a gunfight in the quaint New England town of Millers Falls, Massachusetts, where Alan's studio is based. The EP closes with the surf guitar cool of "Waves," so befitting a beach movie that you can virtually feel the wind rustling your hair.

"A cinematic piece of music creates a mood. Film composers like Jerry Goldsmith, David Axelrod, Ennio Morricone and Melvin Van Peebles were all influential in the concept for 'Cinematics,'" Krasno says. "The idea is to use soundscape and melodic interplay to enhance the feeling and sentiment of a visual and to amplify the emotion that it's relating."

"It's a really fun concept to mess around with," Alan says. "But the exciting thing about it is that we have no idea what the next ones will sound like. In a few months our headspaces are going to be somewhere different, the sound of the room is going to be different just because of the ambient temperature - all of these factors are going to change the sound of the next recording and the one after that. I'm psyched to come back with some totally different influences and see what that will sound like."

"The rapidly shifting landscape of the modern-day music business has given Soulive the opportunity to take such an unconventional approach to releasing music, offering fans a few tracks at a time as inspiration strikes.

"One of the advantages of putting out music in 2018 is that we can do it quickly and on our own schedule," Krasno says. "We made this record top to bottom in two days and put it out about a month later, while it’s still fresh from being created."

Alan adds, "You can work at the speed of your own creativity these days. That gives us a lot of freedom. The music can happen when it wants to happen, and whenever it does it’s going to be a lot of fun."

SOULIVE
 Tour Schedule

Mar. 2 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
Mar. 3 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
Mar. 6 - London, UK - The Jazz Cafe

Seminal groove band The Greyboy Allstars are comprised by some of the most revered players on the modern music scene—saxophonist Karl Denson, guitarist Elgin Park, keyboardist Robert Walter, bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Aaron Redfield. Fast approaching their 25th year together, 2018 will be the busiest year in quite some time for the quintet. They have a new studio album in the works and a handful of high profile tour dates on the books, including a just announced late night headline performance at Tipitina's during New Orleans' Jazzfest on Saturday, May 5. Prior to that, they'll set up shop for two-night stands at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY on Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 and Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16. On Saturday, March 17, they'll join Galactic at The Fillmore in Denver.

Initially formed as the backing band for rare groove luminary DJ Greyboy at the release party for his groundbreaking 1994 album, Freestylin, it quickly became a longterm project with a string of critically acclaimed albums and world tours. Their unique sound, reminiscent of '60s boogaloo and '70s funky jazz, was captured on recordings like West Coast Boogaloo, A Town Called Earth, What Happened To Television and Inland Emperor. Beloved at the time, they also proved fabled, influencing bands like Soulive, Galactic and The New Mastersounds to follow in their footsteps.

The Greyboy Allstars success also served as a platform for the group's individual members to launch highly successful and substantially diverse solo careers. Organ and synth master Robert Walter leads his own band, the 20th Congress, while also a member of Phish bassist Mike Gordon's band. Guitarist/composer Elgin Park (aka Michael Andrews) is among the most in-demand Hollywood composers, scoring films and television shows like 'Donnie Darko,' 'The Big Sick' and 'Bridesmaids.' Saxophonist Karl Denson fronts his own touring juggernaut Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, but also serves as the tenor saxophonist in The Rolling Stones having replaced Bobby Keys after his passing. Bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Aaron Redfield are one of the most sought after rhythm sections in any genre with a steady flow of high profile session and touring work.

The Greyboy Allstars Tour Dates

March 2 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
March 3 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
March 15 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
March 16 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
March 17 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore *
May 5 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's

*w/ Galactic

Polyrhythmics and Ghost Note have announced a 10-date co-headline tour that kicks off on April 7 in Denver and takes both ensembles through familiar west coast markets culminating with the Soul'd Out Music Festival in Portland and a finale in Polyrhythmics' hometown of Seattle at Nectar Lounge.

Rich with bold brass and hypnotic percussion, Polyrhythmics' latest album, Caldera, showcases the instrumental eight-piece's impossibly tight grooves and virtuosic musicianship as they tear through a singular blend of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, R&B, progressive jazz, and Afrobeat. Calling to mind everything from Antibalas and the Dap-Kings to The Meters and Fela Kuti, it's without a doubt their strongest work to date, merging the infectious power of their live show with a sleek and nuanced studio sophistication.

Multi Grammy Award-winning artists Robert 'Sput' Searight and Nate Werth take percussion out of the shadows and into the spotlight with their new project, Ghost-Note. World renown for their ongoing catalog with international sensation Snarky Puppy, this dynamic duo expands their rhythmical voice into a celebration of music in all its forms. This is music that takes listeners on a mind-blowing journey, inspired by the influences of James Brown, J Dilla and Beastie Boys, all the way to folkloric West African, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian samba grooves.

"Spirit of Rhythm" Tour Dates

April 7 - Denver, CO - Ophelia's
April 8 - Taos, NM - KTAOS Solar Center
April 11 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live
April 12 - San Diego, CA - Winston's OB
April 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon
April 17 - Arcata, CA - Humboldt Brews
April 18 - Applegate, OR - Applegate River Lodge
April 19 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theater and Pub
April 20 - Portland, OR - Star Theater
April 21 - Seattle WA - Nectar Lounge

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe have added eight additional dates in Spring 2018. The hard-touring funk juggernaut will play four more “Eat A Bunch Of Peaches” shows—their highly regarded celebration of The Allman Brothers Band—throughout the Southeast in mid-April. Additionally, it’s been confirmed that all seven upcoming “Eat A Bunch of Peaches” shows will feature Galactic drummer Stanton Moore joining KDTU drummer Zak Najor behind the kit on double drums, as well as, acclaimed keyboardist Kenneth Crouch who has worked with such artists as Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton and Lauryn Hill on keys. An interesting aside, Moore and Galactic’s first California show was opening for Denson and Najor’s Greyboy Allstars at The Green Circle in San Diego circa 1996.

KDTU has also added three Texas shows and an additional evening performance during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in late April.

KDTU tour dates announced today:
4/11 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre ^^  
4/12 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre ^^
4/13 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station ^^
4/14 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre ^^
4/26  - Houston, TX - Last Concert Cafe 
4/27 - Austin, TX - Parish
4/28 - New Orleans, LA - House Of Blues +
4/29 - Dallas, TX  - Big Beat Dallas 

^^ Eat A Bunch of Peaches
+ w/ Robert Walter’s 20th Congress

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe complete tour schedule:
3/23 - New Orleans, LA - Hogs for the Cause
3/24 - Longmont, CO - Hops & Handrails
3/25 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
4/11 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre ^^
4/12 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre ^^
4/13 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station ^^
4/14 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre ^^
4/20 - Denver, CO - 420 On The Block ^^
4/21 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee ^^
4/26  - Houston, TX - Last Concert Cafe 
4/27 - Austin, TX - Parish
4/28 - New Orleans, LA - House Of Blues +
4/29 - Dallas, TX  - Big Beat Dallas 
5/5 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater ^^
5/26-27 - Palmer, AK - Great Alaska Music Festival
6/21 & 6/28 - Rothbury, MI - Electric Forest
7/14 - Alta, WY - Targhee Festival
7/19-22 - Scranton, PA - Peach Festival
8/3 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Town Park
8/4 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Jazz Festival
8/18 - Cockeysville, MD - Hot August Music Festival

^^ Eat A Bunch of Peaches
+ w/ Robert Walter’s 20th Congress

Moon Hooch have announced the release of a new EP, 'Light It Up,' due April 6. Recorded at the bucolic and tranquil Gnomehaus just outside of Burlington, VT during a rare extended break from their perpetual touring schedule, it presents three songs that the band has been perfecting in their live show over an extended period of time. Known for their raucous dance party-inducing performances, it's only fitting that Moon Hooch capture that same raw primal energy in the studio. Co-produced by Tonio Sagan (Carl Sagan's grandson), 'Light It Up' delivers an intense 10-minutes of music. The EP's first single "Acid Mountain" was premiered by Pancakes & Whiskey and is available now for posting. The track hits streaming services, including Spotify and AppleMusic, this Friday, March 23. Moon Hooch begin a nine date headline West Coast tour tonight (March 21) in Phoenix that extends through the remainder of the month. It includes stops at Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Wonder Ballroom in Portland and a two night tour closer at Nectar Lounge in Seattle. They'll then head to Europe in April for an extensive run that includes performances in France, Norway and the UK before heading back to North America for the summer festival season, highlighted by an appearance at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in July.

In just a few short years, the explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch—Mike Wilbur (horns), Wenzl McGowen (horns), and James Muschler (drums)—have taken their exhilarating collision of virtuosic jazz, experimental funk, and pulse-pounding electronic dance music from busking on the New York City subway platforms to stages around the world, touring with the likes of Beats Antique, Marco Benevento and Galactic among others, as well as earning status as festival favorites and selling out headline shows in major venues. The trio initially turned heads in the music industry with their self-titled 2013 debut, which introduced their charismatic, unconventional sound to the world, but by then they were already well-known to straphangers in New York, who would react with such joy and fervor to their impromptu subway platform sets that the NYPD had to ban them from locations that couldn't handle the crowds. Soon thereafter they recorded an NPR Tiny Desk Concert that's since been viewed over 2.5 million times. Subsequently, they've released a series of acclaimed studio recordings that have all reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Heatseekers and Jazz Charts, as well as a 2017 concert recording, Live At The Cathedral, documenting their historic performance at NYC's Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Onstage, the band now plays through a "Reverse DJ" setup, in which the live sound from  their  horns  runs through laptops to process recorded effects. In addition, they utilize Moog synthesizers, as well as an EWI (an electronic wind instrument that responds to breath in  addition to touch) and other more traditional instruments like clarinets. Wilbur added vocals to his repertoire, and Muschler, meanwhile, immersed himself in tabla studies in India in order to expand his percussion skills.

The band members all speak reverently of meditation and consciousness and the role it plays in their music, but equally close to their hearts are the environmental causes they  champion.  Moon  Hooch  tries to  live up to  their  green  ideals  while  traveling,  playing  benefit  shows, supporting  local  farmers and co-ops, participating in  river  cleanups,  and filming  informative videos  for  their  fans. The  band runs a food blog, Cooking In The  Cave, in which they highlight the healthy, sustainable, organic recipes they  utilize with their mobile kitchen setup on tour and have teamed up with We Are Neutral to officially go carbon neutral on tour. For the members of Moon Hooch, commitments to consciousness, environmentalism, veganism, philosophy and peace aren't separate from their commitment to music, but actually integral parts of it. It's all tied into that same core approach that led to their discovery on the subway platform: try, even if it's just a little bit every day, to make the world less like it is and more like you wish it could be.

MOON HOOCH Tour Dates

March 21 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live ^
March 22 - San Diego, CA - Music Box ^
March 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom ^
March 24 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall ^
March 25 - Reno, NV - The Saint ^
March 27 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall ^^
March 29 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom ^
March 30 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge ^
March 31 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge ^
April 3 - Lille, FR - L'Aeronef
April 4 - Nantes, FR - Stereolux
April 5 - Rouen, FR - Le 106
April 6 - Cenon, FR - Le Rocher de Palmer
April 7 - Puteaux - Paris, FR - Festival Chorus des Hauts de Seine
April 8 - Rambouillet, FR - L'Usine a Chapeaux
April 12 - Saint-Jean-De-Vedas, FR - Victoire 2
April 13 - Marseille, FR - Le Molotov
April 14 - Cully, CH - Cully Jazz Festival
April 15 - Annecy, FR - La Brise Glace
April 19 - Oslo, NO - National Jazz Venue
April 20 - Trondheim, NO - Dokkhuset 
April 21 - Bodo, NO - Sinus
April 24 - Skien, NO - Folque
April 26 - Bergen, NO - Garage
April 27 - Kristiansand, NO - Vaktbua
April 28 - Gjoevik, NO - Kulturhus
May 4 - Stavanger, NO - Mai Jazz
May 5 - London, UK - Roundhouse
May 6 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
May 18 - Asheville, NC - Highland Brewery *
June 7 - Stephentown, NY - Disc Jam Festival
June 14 - Hammonton, NJ - Beardfest
June 15 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
June 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club
June 18 - Fargo, ND - The Aquarium
June 24 - Rochester, NY - Rochester Jazz Festival
June 25 - Rochester, NY - Rochester Jazz Festival
July 1 - Montreal, QC - Montreal International Jazz Festival 
July 6 - Saint-Denis-de-Gastines, FR - Au Foin de la Rue Festival
July 10 - Rotterdam, NL - North Sea Round Town
July 21 - Stuttgart, DE - Jazz Open Festival
August 10 - Croydon, NH - Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival

^ w/ The Accidentals
^^ w/ Turkuaz
* w/ Moon Taxi

Close your eyes and imagine The Everly Brothers wearing tie-dyed nudie suits. Okay, now open them. There's Mapache. Young ones Clay Finch and Sam Blasucci—the Mapache boys—are barely in their twenties, but are already rising to the top of the new wave of West Coast Cosmic Americana. 

Born and raised in Glendale, California, their breathtaking harmonies and heartfelt yet intoxicating sound, was honed by surfing the beaches and exploring the deserts and canyons of their native California. Clay spent time at Chico State, while Sam missioned in Saltillo, Mexico, living out what would become the songs that populate their self-titled debut album released in late 2017 on the Spiritual Pajamas label. Its charm lies within the simplicity of their voices and the songwriting that recalls a young Gene Clark, The Louvin Brothers, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and even Townes Van Zandt.

Mapache is on tour this spring, including a West Coast run with The Lil' Smokies, a set at Roots Roadhouse 2018 in Los Angeles alongside artists like Wanda Jackson, The Cactus Blossoms and Jesse Dayton and summer festivals including Mountain Jam, Pickathon, Huichica and Huichica East.

MAPACHE Tour Dates

Mar 29 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah *
Mar 30 - Los Angeles, CA - The Bootleg *
Mar 31 - Morro Bay, CA - The Siren *
Apr 3 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada Brewing *
Apr 4 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows*
Apr 5 - San Fransisco, CA - The Independent *
Apr 8 - Los Angeles, CA - Roots Roadhouse at The Echo
Apr 10 - Bend, OR - Domino Room *
Apr 12 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern *
Apr 13 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre *
May 18-20 - Big Sur, CA - Hipnic
Jun 8-9 - Sonoma, CA - Huichica
Jun 15 - Hunter Mountain, NY - Mountain Jam
Jul 28-29 - Floyd, VA - FloydFest
Aug 2-5 - Portland, OR - Pickathon
Aug 24-26 - Pine Plains, NY - Huichica East

*w/ The Lil' Smokies

Howlin Rain has announced the release of their fifth studio album, 'The Alligator Bride,' due June 8 via founding member Ethan Miller's artist run label, Silver Current Records. A set of swampy, ragged, and unapologetic rock 'n' roll, Miller's merry band of pranksters tracked the record over three days with engineer Eric "King Riff" Bauer at the Mansion in San Francisco, playing live to tape and cutting the material in first and second takes. The album's debut single and title track was premiered by NPR Music's Songs We Love and will be available Friday, April 6 on all digital music providers.

"The guiding principle for 'The Alligator Bride' was to create 'Neal Cassady Rock,'" says Miller. "Which is to say, high energy, good-times adventure music, driving the hippie bus, shirtless and stoned, up for four days straight, and extremely fuzzy around the edges." 

Since their debut in 2006, Oakland, California's Howlin Rain has seen as many highs, lows, and wild adventures as any great American rock band. They've performed to worldwide audiences, enlisted a megastar producer and label, moved on from said megastar producer and label, and ultimately embraced a DIY spirit. The ensemble is led by singer/guitarist/lead howler Ethan Miller who at any given moment pivots between several projects, each a different facet of his sun-scorched California vision. From the pastoral psych jams of his celebrated Sub Pop band Heron Oblivion, to the scuzz punk freakouts of Feral Ohms, to the sprawling, analog ambience of The Odyssey Cult, to his various books of poetry, Miller cuts a renaissance figure in madman's garb, howling at the moon and cranking out handmade masterpieces. With his imprint, Silver Current Records, he carefully oversees all curation, recording, graphic design and distribution.

For 'The Alligator Bride,' Miller and company drew inspiration from classic rock formations such as The Grateful Dead's 'Europe '72,' Mountain Bus' 1974 burner 'Sundance,' and Free's masterpiece of atmospheric, minimalist blues, 1969's 'Fire and Water.' However, Miller attributes the magic to the vibe of the Mansion studio, the same space that gave birth to modern garage-psych classics by Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and Mikal Cronin. 

From the first notes of opening track "Rainbow Trout," Miller's guitar choogles out an inescapable riff, a sly reference to the sky spirits of Norman Greenbaum and ZZ Top. The riff unabashedly grounds 'The Alligator Bride' in the classics, but reaches for the stars. Daniel Cervantes' bottleneck slide guitar eases into place along with Miller's tuneful-yet-ravaged lead vocals, followed by Jeff McElroy's bass and Justin Smith's charging drums. Title track "Alligator Bride" soon crashes the gates like Crazy Horse in all their ragged glory, telling a carnivalesque tale of American splendor, a parade of creatures across time and space. And final track "Coming Down" slow-burns its way through eight minutes of indestructible twin guitars, blazing to a heroic, acid-damaged finish. 

"We're in a vortex of futuristic events," ruminates Miller. "At this present moment, we can still remember the way the train whistle sounded in the middle of the night, rolling through the dark on the ​outskirts of town. An old America before we walked on the moon, before TV, cell phones, and the internet. The song, and perhaps the entire album, 'The Alligator Bride' is about standing in the eye of that tornado of time—between the past and the present—in America." 

It's a fitting vision for the band: torn between eras, an epic perspective on what's come before and what lies ahead, woven into a cosmic tapestry of riffs, rhymes, and resonant frequencies.

Howlin Rain 'The Alligator Bride'
Track Listing

1. Rainbow Trout
2. Missouri
3. Speed
4. The Wild Boys
5. Alligator Bride
6. In The Evening
7. Coming Down

Out June 8 via Silver Current Records 
on color and black vinyl editions, CD, cassette and digital

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced summer tour plans. Along with previously scheduled festival appearances at High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA and Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA, the band has added 20 shows that stretch across the U.S. in July and August, including The Fremont Theatre in San Luis Obispo, House of Blues in Cleveland and their now annual, summertime stop at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Tickets go on-sale Friday, April 20 at 10am local. Exclusive Chris Robinson Brotherhood meet & greet and VIP packages are available.

The CRB's July/August run will be surrounded by a number of additional festival billings throughout the Spring and Summer, including Wanee Festival in Live Oak, FL, Go-Pro Mountain Games in Vail, CO and the band's own Freaks for the Festival, a two-day music and camping gathering, in Big Sur. The band returns to Europe in June—following a string of sold out shows across the continent this past March—for a performance at Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

In other CRB news, the band drops 'Raven's Reels, Vol. 1, a  Record Store Day exclusive limited edition, 4-LP box set this Saturday, April 21. The collection is a complete concert recording from their September 24, 2017 show at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, TN. It marks the first vinyl edition from the band's celebrated 'Raven's Reels' digital concert release series recorded by band archivist Chris "The Raven" Albers. Only 1200 copies are being released. Hear and share The CRB's cover of Gram Parsons' "Lazy Days," which opens the set.

Finally, Chris Robinson's As The Crow Flies, a band he assembled to celebrate the music of The Black Crowes, kicks off a 17-date U.S. tour tomorrow, April 17 with a sold out performance at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Spring / Summer Tour Dates

April 20 - Live Oak, FL - Wanee Festival
May 26-27 - Palmer, AK - Great Alaska Music Festival
June 7 - Vail, CO - GoPro Mountain Games
June 22 - Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES - Azkena Rock Festival
July 8 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
July 9 - Tustin, CA - Marty’s On Newport
July 10 - Tustin, CA - Marty’s On Newport
July 12 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre
July 14 - Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum Theatre
July 15 - Telluride, CO - Ride Festival
July 17 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
July 18 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
July 20 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
July 21 - Scranton, PA - Peach Music Festival
July 22 - Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
July 24 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
July 26 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony
July 27 - Patchogue, NY - Stereo Garden
July 28 - Beverly, MA - Cabot Theatre
July 29 - Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey
July 31 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
August 2 - Richmond, VA - The National
August 3 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
August 4 - Maryville, TN - The Shed
August 5 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre
August 7 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe at Old National Center
August 9 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
August 10 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Beer Garden
September 21-22 - Ferndale, CA - Freaks For The Festival
October 6 - Burlingham, NY - Catskills Wine & Food Festival

Howlin Rain have announced a 28-date U.S. summer tour in support of their fifth album, 'The Alligator Bride,' due June 8 via Silver Current Records. The first leg—beginning in Joshua Tree, CA—blankets the West Coast throughout the month of June. Highlights include a performance at Huichica Music Festival in Sonoma Valley, six shows across California and tour closers at Mississippi Studios in Portland and Sunset Tavern in Seattle. In July, Howlin Rain kick off the tour's second leg on the East Coast, including shows at DC9 in Washington, DC, Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia and two nights at Brooklyn Bowl where they'll be joined by Grateful Shred and Mapache. From there the band sweep through the Midwest with stops along the way at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, Beachland Tavern in Cleveland and Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, among several others.

Howlin Rain have also unveiled "The Wild Boys" via an exclusive premiere at Relix Magazine. The sprawling, eight-minute, tour-de-force is the second single from 'The Alligator Bride.' It's now available at Spotify, AppleMusic, Amazon and all other music streaming services. 

"'The Wild Boys' is my homage to the novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs," says Ethan Miller, Howlin Rain founding member and principle songwriter. "I took the setting from Mexico and touched it down in Riverside and San Bernardino County in the USA where plenty of sordid and fringe American scenarios could still play out unhindered by mall cops and border patrol—at least for the length of the song."

Indeed, Miller paints a vivid picture as he howls the refrain: "So long, old Corona, headed for the rat-house, headed for the hills, Ojos dulces and wild boys, falling out and falling off the edge of the world, rats crawling off the edge of the world, the cats follow off the edge of the world."

For 'The Alligator Bride,' Miller and company drew inspiration from classic rock formations such as The Grateful Dead's 'Europe '72,' Mountain Bus' 1974 burner 'Sundance,' and Free's masterpiece of atmospheric, minimalist blues, 1969's 'Fire and Water.' However, Ethan particularly attributes the magic captured across the album's seven tracks to the vibe of the Mansion studio in San Francisco; the same space that gave birth to modern garage-psych classics by Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and Mikal Cronin. Howlin Rain tracked the record there over three days, playing live to tape and cutting the material in first and second takes with engineer Eric "King Riff" Bauer. The result is a set of wide-eyed, ragged and unapologetic rock 'n' roll.

From the first notes of opening track "Rainbow Trout," Miller's guitar choogles out an inescapable riff, a sly reference to the sky spirits of Norman Greenbaum and ZZ Top. The riff unabashedly grounds 'The Alligator Bride' in the classics, but reaches for the stars. Daniel Cervantes' bottleneck slide guitar eases into place along with Miller's tuneful-yet-ravaged lead vocals, followed by Jeff McElroy's bass and Justin Smith's charging drums. Title track "Alligator Bride" soon crashes the gates like Crazy Horse in all their ragged glory, telling a carnivalesque tale of American splendor, a parade of creatures across time and space. Writing about the song, NPR Music raved: "Howlin Rain's music has never felt so anthemic." While final track "Coming Down" slow-burns its way through eight minutes of indestructible twin guitars, blazing to a heroic, acid-damaged finish.

Since their debut in 2006, Oakland, California's Howlin Rain have seen as many highs, lows, and wild adventures as any great American rock band. They've performed to worldwide audiences, enlisted a megastar producer and label, moved on from said megastar producer and label, and ultimately embraced a DIY spirit. The ensemble is led by singer/guitarist/lead howler Ethan Miller who at any given moment pivots between several projects, each a different facet of his sun-scorched California vision. From the pastoral psych jams of his celebrated Sub Pop band Heron Oblivion, to the scuzz punk freakouts of Feral Ohms, to the sprawling, analog ambience of The Odyssey Cult, to his various books of poetry, Miller cuts a renaissance figure in madman's garb, howling at the moon and cranking out handmade masterpieces. With his imprint, Silver Current Records, he carefully oversees all curation, recording, graphic design and distribution.

"We're in a vortex of futuristic events," ruminates Miller. "At this present moment, we can still remember the way the train whistle sounded in the middle of the night, rolling through the dark on the outskirts of town. An old America before we walked on the moon, before TV, cell phones, and the internet. 'The Alligator Bride' is about standing in the eye of that tornado of time—between the past and the present—in America." It's a fitting vision for the band: torn between eras, an epic perspective on what's come before and what lies ahead, woven into a cosmic tapestry of riffs, rhymes, and resonant frequencies.

HOWLIN RAIN
Tour Dates:

June 2 - Joshua Tree, CA - Desert + Denim
June 5 - Long Beach, CA - Fingerprints Music ++
June 6 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
June 7 - Costa Mesa, CA - The Wayfarer ++
June 8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Moroccon //
June 9 - Sonoma Valley, CA - Huichica Music Festival
June 10 - Tahoe, NV - Red Room / Crystal Bay Casino + Resort
June 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge 
June 13 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
June 15 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
June 16 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern
July 11 - Washington, DC - DC9 **
July 12 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brendas **
July 13 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl ^^
July 14 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl ^^
July 15 - Columbus, OH - Ace Of Cups
July 17 - St. Louis, MO - Ready Room **
July 18 - Davenport, IA - Raccoon Motel **
July 19 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry, **
July 20 - Milwaukee, WI- The Cooperage **
July 21 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern **
July 22 - Cincinnati, OH - MOTR Pub **
July 23 - Detroit, MI - El Club **
July 24 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe **
July 25 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern **
July 26 - Northampton, MA - The Root Cellar **
July 27 - Jersey Hall, NJ - Monty Hall **
August 1 - Chico, CA - Naked Lounge

++ with Mapache
// with BRONCHO
** with Mountain Movers
^^ with Grateful Shred, Mapache

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced ten shows in September 2018. They're added to a summer tour that already includes 32 performances across the U.S. The ten additional September dates occur primarily in the South, including The Joy Theater in New Orleans, White Oak Music Hall in Houston, and Scoot Inn in Austin, as well as, two West Coast dates at The Marquee Theatre in Tempe and House of Blues in Anaheim. Tickets go on-sale Friday, June 15 at 10am local. Exclusive Chris Robinson Brotherhood meet & greet, and VIP packages are available.

The CRB September '18 Shows Announced Today

Sept. 6 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
Sept. 7 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
Sept. 8 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company
Sept. 9 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric
Sept. 13 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
Sept. 14 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
Sept. 15 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn
Sept. 16 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
Sept. 18 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee Theatre
Sept. 20 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

The CRB's summer tour kicks off July 8 at High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA and includes headline performances at venues including Fremont Theatre in San Luis Obispo, House of Blues in Cleveland and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, as well as a festival stops at Ride Festival in Telluride and Peach Music Festival in Scranton. Prior to their U.S. summer tour, the band heads to Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain for an appearance at Azkena Rock Festival.

In other news, The CRB commence work on their next studio album at Brotherhood Arts Laboratory in Unicorn, CA this week. "Venus In Chrome" and "The Chaffeur's Daughter"—recent staples of CRB live sets—are among songs expected to be recorded. A release date for the recording has yet to be determined.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD Complete Tour Dates

June 22 - Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES - Azkena Rock Festival
July 8 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
July 9 - Tustin, CA - Marty’s On Newport (Sold Out)
July 10 - Tustin, CA - Marty’s On Newport (Sold Out)
July 11 - Landers, CA - Landers Brewing Company
July 12 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre
July 14 - Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum Theatre
July 15 - Telluride, CO - Ride Festival
July 17 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room
July 18 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
July 20 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
July 21 - Scranton, PA - Peach Music Festival
July 22 - Fairfield, CT - The Warehouse
July 24 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
July 26 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony
July 27 - Patchogue, NY - Stereo Garden
July 28 - Beverly, MA - Cabot Theatre
July 29 - Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey
July 31 - Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
August 2 - Richmond, VA - The National
August 3 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
August 4 - Maryville, TN - The Shed
August 5 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre
August 7 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe at Old National Center
August 9 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
August 10 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Beer Garden
August 11 - Kitchener, Canada - Kitchener Blues Festival
August 18 - Big Sky, MT - Moonlight Music Festival
September 6 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
September 7 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
September 8 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company
September 9 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric
September 13 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
September 14 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
September 15 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn
September 16 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
September 18 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
September 20 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
September 21-22 - Ferndale, CA - Freaks For The Festival
October 6 - Burlingham, NY - Catskills Wine & Food Festival

Circles Around The Sun explore new horizons on the band's upcoming double album, Let It Wander. Available August 17 via Rhino on limited edition vinyl, CD and digital formats, it's the first new music from the quartet since their acclaimed 2015 debut, Interludes For The Dead. Hear the new track "Immovable Object" available today at all DSPs.

Guitarist Neal Casal and keyboardist Adam MacDougall (bandmates in the Chris Robinson Brotherhood) along with bassist Dan Horne and drummer Mark Levy recorded seven instrumentals for Let It Wander earlier this year at Castaway 7 Studios in California.

Originally, Circles Around the Sun (CATS) was only supposed to record a handful of Grateful Dead-influenced instrumentals to be played during the set breaks at the Dead's "Fare Thee Well" concerts in 2015. But the response was so positive, and the band was having so much fun making music together, that they all agreed to keep it going.

Let It Wander signals a new beginning for the band as they move beyond their original musical mandate of evoking the spirit of the Dead and fully embrace their own personality. "More than anything, what you hear on this album is a band growing into its own sound," Casal says.

The songs on Let It Wander are focused and filled with imaginative musical turns. Horne and Levy form a veritable groove machine that knows intuitively when to tighten up and when to stretch out. They expand and collapse the rhythmic pocket around Casal and MacDougall, who pass melodies back and forth in an elaborate game of musical tag as they take turns adding color and shade from a seemingly endless kaleidoscope of cosmic sounds.

Among the album's highlights is "One For Chuck” featuring a surprise cameo by Chuck D. The charismatic leader of legendary hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy happened to stop by the studio while the band was listening to a song they'd just recorded. He raved to the band how much he loved the music, so they asked him to record an intro. He obliged, and they dedicated the song to him.

LET IT WANDER
Track Listing

1. "On My Mind"
2. "One For Chuck"
3. "Immovable Object"
4. "Halicarnassus"
5. "Tacoma Narrows"
6. "Electric Chair (Don’t Sit There)"
7. "Ticket To Helix NGC 7293"

The Skiffle Players comprised by Cass McCombs, Neal Casal, Farmer Dave Scher, Dan Horne and Aaron Sperske have announced the release of the 'Piffle Sayers EP,' due July 20 on West Coast independent record label, Spiritual Pajamas. The seven-track collection is drawn from the same sessions that produced the band's 2016 debut album, 'Skifflin',' an instant classic upon its release that quickly became a record store rare find. The first single "Jonny Todd," a jaunty rendition of the classic English folk song, is released today to stream and share, while pre-order on limited edition vinyl and digital formats is available now. The 'Piffle Sayers EP' also foreshadows a new full-length studio album that the band is putting finishing touches on for Fall 2018 release.

Supergroup, side project, high-school-garage-band-of-brothers-from-other-mothers (whatever it's called), The Skiffle Players formed to play a one off show in Big Sur and had so much fun, they're still at it.  On guitar, Neal Casal (Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Circles around the Sun) sticks mostly to the acoustic allowing his elegant affinity towards melodic craft to shine. Cass McCombs' guitar wizardry and raw, mostly first take vocals bring the core of each song to the forefront. Farmer Dave, the official leader and founder of the band, is the glue that holds the flotsam together on keyboard, lap steel and harmonium. Dan Horne (Circles Around the Sun, Jonathan Wilson) on bass and Aaron Sperske (Beachwood Sparks) on percussion are so intertwined it sounds like each of them are playing drums and bass at the same time.

The initial idea for The Skiffle Players was to make "street music"—essentially busking, singing for one's supper, entertaining the passers-by and making them dance all the way home. The band quickly realized, however, they were weaving some kind of new folk fabric from various threads of tradition. Indeed, care-free readings of varied material like "Stagolee," "Slippin' and Slidin'" and "John O'Dreams" from the 'Piffle Sayers EP' attest to this notion.  

The term "skiffle" itself has origins in Memphis jug band music of the 1920s. It seems to have emigrated to England with the US soldiers during World War 2, and was taken up by a new generation beginning with Lonnie Donegan and ending with The Quarrymen aka The Beatles. The term then somewhat disappeared. The Skiffle Players, however unintentionally, revive it, but via their own West Coast ethos. No rules. No song off-limits. Everybody sings. No idea is silly enough, for sometimes the adsurd is the very device for a cataclysmic rift in the fabric of sound. Of course, it can also end in hilarious catastrophe, and often does—a necessary cosmic, comedic consequence to this fearless approach. Like Kurt Vonnegut and Bo Diddley sharing a surfboard, something interesting is going to happen.

PIFFLE SAYERS EP
Track Listing

Side 1
1. Glow In The Dark Scratch And Sniff
2. Jonny Todd​
3. Stagolee
4. Dearest

Side 2
1. A Blessing in Disguise
2. Slippin' and Slidin'
3. John O'Dreams

Out July 20 via Spiritual Pajamas
on Limited Edition Vinyl and Digital Formats

Currently in the middle of an extensive summer tour, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood continue to prove themselves one of the hardest working bands in the country announcing another 33 headline U.S. shows in October and November. Criss-crossing "Freak America" performing two sets and three hours of music a night, The CRB begin at Higher Ground in Burlington followed by handful of dates in the Northeast. They then blanket the Midwest, making stops along the way at Majestic Theatre in Madison, First Avenue in Minneapolis and Delmar Music Hall in St. Louis. From there the tour heads to the Southeast—among the highlights are shows at Variety Playhouse in Robinson's former Atlanta hometown, The Orange Peel in Asheville and two nights at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh. They conclude the run back in the Northeast, including appearances at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC two nights at Ardmore Music Hall just outside of Philadelphia and their first ever performance at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn.

"It's our world that we've created and the music is committed to being harmonic and beautiful," explains Chris Robinson in a recent conversation with Providence Journal. "These are songs that have some sort of emotional component and they're in a place where people can feel comfortable to be themselves. At the end of the day, they can dance for a couple of hours.”

Fall tour dates announced today are:

October 3 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
October 5 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
October 7 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
October 9 - Fort Wayne, IN - The Clyde Theatre
October 11 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
October 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
October 13 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
October 14 - Peoria, IL - Monarch Music Hall
October 16 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
October 18 - Chattanooga, TN - Walker Theatre
October 19 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
October 21 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
October 23 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
October 25 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 26 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 27 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
October 28 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
October 30 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
October 31 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
November 2 - Ardmore, PA - The Ardmore Music Hall
November 3 - Ardmore, PA - The Ardmore Music Hall
November 4 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
November 6 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
November 8 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
November 9 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 10 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
November 11 - Clifton Park, NY - Upstate Concert Hall
November 13 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
November 15 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall Hartford
November 16 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Hall
November 17 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
November 18 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall

Prior to summer tour, The CRB set up shop for two weeks at Brotherhood Arts Laboratory in Unicorn, CA where they recorded their sixth full-length studio album, which is currently being planned for a 2019 release. Plans are also being finalized for the 4th edition of The CRB live recording series 'Betty’s Blends' captured and produced by legendary recording engineer and Grateful Dead-archivist Betty Cantor-Jackson.

"We just finished making a new record a few weeks ago. We’re already booking shows in Europe for next summer," continues Robinson. "This band is the little engine that could, it keeps pumping along. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

Complete Chris Robinson Brotherhood tour dates are:

July 24 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
July 26 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony
July 27 - Patchogue, NY - Stereo Garden LI
July 28 - Beverly, MA - The Cabot
July 29 - Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center
July 31 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
August 2 - Richmond, VA - The National
August 3 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
August 4 - Maryville, TN - The Shed Smokehouse & Juke Joint
August 5 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre
August 7 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe at Old National Centre
August 9 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
August 10 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Beer Garden
August 11 - Kitchener, ON - Kitchener Blues Festival
August 18 - Big Sky, MT - Moonlight MusicFest

September 6 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
September 7 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
September 8 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company
September 9 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric
September 13 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
September 14 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
September 15 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn
September 16 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
September 18 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee Theatre
September 20 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
September 21-22 - Big Sur, CA - Freaks For The Festival
October 3 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
October 5 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
October 6 - Burlingham, NY - Catskills Wine & Food Festival
October 7 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts of Homer
October 9 - Fort Wayne, IN - The Clyde Theatre
October 11 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
October 12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
October 13 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
October 14 - Peoria, IL - Monarch Music Hall
October 16 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
October 18 - Chattanooga, TN - Walker Theatre
October 19 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
October 21 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
October 23 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
October 25 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 26 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 27 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
October 28 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
October 30 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
October 31 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Small’s Theatre
November 2 - Ardmore, PA - The Ardmore Music Hall
November 3 - Ardmore, PA - The Ardmore Music Hall
November 4 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
November 6 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
November 8 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theatre
November 9 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 10 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
November 11 - Clifton Park, NY - Upstate Concert Hall
November 13 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
November 15 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall Hartford
November 16 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Hall
November 17 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
November 18 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall

Moon Hooch's new EP 'Light It Up,’ released earlier this year, features three tracks ("Acid Mountain," "Light It Up" and "Growing Up") that quickly became staples of the Brooklyn-based trio’s live shows. The band has now announced plans to release all three songs each on a different color limited edition 7-inch vinyl. Due August 24 via Hornblow Recordings, the A-side will present the studio version, while the B-side will be a corresponding live recording of the song. All three singles are now available for pre-order here. Plans are also being finalized to release a different remix and live video for each song from the EP. The first live video for "Growing Up" is available today

Simultaneously, Moon Hooch have also announced Fall tour plans. The headline run starts September 26 at Chop Shop in Chicago with several stops throughout the Midwest including Majestic Theatre in Madison and Old Rock House in St. Louis. From there, the band heads to the Southeast—highlighted by shows at Terminal West in Atlanta and The Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte. They’ll then join Moon Taxi for four nights including Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, Electric Factory in Philadelphia and a two night stand at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. Tickets go on-sale today (Fri. July 27) at 10am local.

Upcoming Moon Hooch tour dates are:

6/31 - Zurndorf, AT - Factory Club
8/01 - Ozora, HU - Ozora Festival
8/02 - Lustenau, AT - Szene Openair Festival
8/03 - Champagne-Ardennes, FR - Chien a Plumes Festival
8/05 - Crozon, FR - Festival du Bout du Monde
8/10 - Croydon, NH - Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival
8/12 - Long Island City, NY - Secret Summer @ The Foundry
8/15 - New York, NY - Rocks Off Concert Cruise
8/18 - Elora, ON - Riverfest Elora
8/24 - Cincinnati, OH - beWILDerfest
9/08 - Utica, NY - Saranac Brewery ^
9/20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small's
9/23 - Perris, CA - Same Same But Different Festival
9/26 - Chicago, IL - Chop Shop ^^
9/27 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
9/28 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
9/29 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
9/30 - St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
10/3 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
10/4 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
10/5 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
10/6 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House
10/12 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station *
10/13 - Mt. Vernon, KY - Moonshiner's Ball
10/24 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel **
10/25 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Sound Stage
10/26 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory **
10/27 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club **
10/28 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club **

^ w/ moe.
^^ w/ Exmag
* w/ The Motet
** w/ Moon Taxi

Medeski Martin & Wood with Alarm Will Sound have announced the release of a new album, 'Omnisphere,' due September 14 via MMW's own imprint, Indirecto Records. The collection poses a compelling question: What would happen if one of the most adventurous groups to emerge in jazz and improvised music in the last three decades were to join up with an orchestra that counts among the boldest forces in contemporary classical? The results are both expected, in the peerless level of the musicianship, and stunning, in the sweeping stylistic range of the program. But more than anything, 'Omnisphere' speaks to the respect and creative kinship shared between these two trailblazing ensembles.

"The more we worked together, the more I realized how perfect this is. How they are, for their universe, very much like us," says keyboardist John Medeski. "We have a certain connection that's like family and they're like a family, so it's like these two families coming together."

Recorded live at The Newman Center in Denver, Colorado in February 2015, 'Omnisphere' fulfills a long-held aspiration for Medeski, drummer-percussionist Billy Martin and bassist Chris Wood. In the earliest days of the band, they would often listen to classical and chamber music as a source of musical inspiration, conceptualizing the idea of how to merge their freewheeling improvisational jazz explorations with the more composed approach of orchestral music.

"We had a collection of over 500 CDs, and that's what got us through," Martin said onstage in Denver, recalling MMW's early road-warrior years. "And there was a lot of chamber music, contemporary classical music: Ligeti, Feldman, Sun Ra even. So sharing that and now we're here, it's a dream come true, and we love it." For Alarm Will Sound, the feelings were mutual. "We knew we had a winner of an idea," says Alan Pierson, the ensemble's artistic director and conductor. "A number of [our musicians] have really idolized Medeski Martin & Wood for years, and so there was a lot of excitement in the group."

The seven-track program on 'Omnisphere' strikes an ideal balance, with original music by members of both groups, plus new AWS arrangements of two cuts off MMW's 2004 release, 'End of the World Party (Just in Case).' The title track from that collection is the first single from 'Omnisphere' premiered today at DownBeat (listen and share here). It will be available this Friday, August 17 at all DSPs. The original release featured the trio's trademark avant-grooves underneath an array of keyboards—including plenty of Mellotron—with pop-savvy production by the Dust Brothers' John King. On these reinventions of "End of the World Party," arranged by cellist Stefan Freund, and "Anonymous Skulls," arranged by violinist Courtney Orlando, the album's atmospheric replicas of strings and choir are made real through Alarm Will Sound's rich orchestral tapestry. Think of classic soul-jazz-with-strings LPs, though on another plateau of insight and imagination.

Martin's "Coral Sea," given an impressionistic arrangement by founding AWS trumpeter Jason Price, explores "colors and hues and nuance—all these things that are barely there," the composer says. Medeski's offering, "Eye of Ra," is a 20-minute tour-de-force that reflects the panoramic scope of his influences and experience—from shades of Stravinsky and Shostakovich that underscore his training at New England Conservatory, to rollicking, hard-grooving sections that summon up the NYC downtown scene.

The lead-off composition, "Kid Tao Mammal (Unworldliness Weirdo)," was commissioned for the project and written by founding AWS percussionist Payton MacDonald, and it sets the pace for the beyond-genre music to follow: speedy, cresting waves of strings and woodwinds, with startling punches of brass; funky rhythms bolstering Medeski's psychedelic electric piano; an ambient, near-dissonant section split open by Martin's drum solo; a thrilling finale. Other works composed by AWS personnel include multi-instrumentalist Caleb Burhans' "Oh Ye of Little Faith...(Do You Know Where Your Children Are?)," which evokes the gorgeously emotive, slow-burning side of the Minimalists; and Miles Brown's cyclical, noirish "Northern Lights," named in part after the Detroit lounge where the bassist had a regular jazz-trio gig. Onstage, Brown called his contribution "an opportunity for me to write for my band, and for a band that I've been listening to for a long time that I know could handle some improvisation. Just a little bit,” he added, chuckling.

Medeski Martin & Wood w/ Alarm Will Sound's 'Omnisphere' is out September 14, 2018 on limited edition 2-LP vinyl and digital formats. Pre-Order is available here. 

About Medeski Martin & Wood

Formed in New York City in 1991, Medeski Martin & Wood became one of improvised music's greatest crossover successes throughout the next decade. Marrying elements of funk, hip-hop and rock with a foundation in jazz and the avant-garde, MMW's nonstop touring and inspired studio and live recordings, on labels like Gramavision, Blue Note and their own Indirecto imprint, gained them a loyal, wide-ranging following. Prior to the Indirecto release of 'Omnisphere,' their most recent effort was 'Juice,' the latest document in a landmark partnership with guitarist John Scofield. "This is a band that has earned the right to do whatever it wants and hasn't remotely run out of options," writes The New York Times.

About Alarm Will Sound

As The New Yorker puts it, "The new-music ensemble Alarm Will Sound has developed a casually dynamic style that is like Kronos gone orchestral." Established in 2001 by a cohort from the Eastman School of Music, AWS has deftly and steadily worked to change the perception of what a small contemporary-music orchestra can be. Programming might include multimedia, daring onstage choreography or a live podcast taping. Repertoire could signify anything from Ligeti and Nancarrow to Aphex Twin, The Shaggs and a breathtakingly precise rendition of The Beatles’ "Revolution 9." The ensemble's collaborators have included the likes of Steve Reich, John Adams, Dirty Projectors, Björk and now Medeski Martin & Wood—a surprising alliance but also, somehow, an utterly natural one.

OMNISPHERE
Track Listing

1. "Kid Tao Mammal (Unworldliness Weirdo)"
2. "Anoymous Skulls"
3. "Coral Sea" 
4. "Oh Ye Of Little Faith... (Do You Know Where Your Children Are?)"
5. "Eye Of Ra"
6. "Northern Lights"
7. "End Of The World Party"

Circles Around The Sun will release their new double album, Let It Wander, this Friday, August 17 via Rhino Records on limited edition vinyl, CD and digital formats. It's the first new music from the quartet since their acclaimed 2015 debut, Interludes For The Dead. In advance of this week's release, Ultimate Classic Rock has premiered the video for the album's second single, "One For Chuck," featuring a cameo by hip-hop legend Chuck D. The charismatic leader of hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy happened to stop by the studio they were recording and overheard the session. He raved to the band how much he loved the music, so they asked him to record an intro. He obliged, and they dedicated the song to him. Watch "One For Chuck" here.

Circles Around the Sun (CATS) was born when guitarist Neal Casal was asked to record a handful of Grateful Dead-influenced instrumentals to be played during the set breaks at the Dead's "Fare Thee Well" concerts in 2015. He configured a band featuring keyboardist Adam MacDougall (his bandmate in the Chris Robinson Brotherhood) along with bassist Dan Horne and drummer Mark Levy. Initially, it was only meant to be a one off recording session. But the response was so positive, and the band was having so much fun making music together, that they all agreed to keep it going.

Let It Wander (available here for pre-order) signals a new beginning for the band as they move beyond their original musical mandate of evoking the spirit of the Dead and fully embrace their own personality. Recorded earlier this year at Castaway 7 Studios in California, CATS cut seven instrumentals for the album that explore new musical horizons. "More than anything, what you hear on this album is a band growing into its own sound," Casal says.

The songs on Let It Wander are focused and filled with imaginative musical turns. Horne and Levy form a veritable groove machine that knows intuitively when to tighten up and when to stretch out. They expand and collapse the rhythmic pocket around Casal and MacDougall, who pass melodies back and forth in an elaborate game of musical tag as they take turns adding color and shade from a seemingly endless kaleidoscope of cosmic sounds. David Fricke at Rolling Stone writes in a review of the recording: "'Let It Wander' is a two-CD set of even deeper spells that thread suggestions of Little Feat–style grooves and Bernie Worrell's percolating synthesizers in Parliament-Funkadelic through the German mid-Seventies space travel of Tangerine Dream and the offbeat churn of the Dead’s 'Estimated Prophet.'" 

Circles Around The Sun's individual members are busier than ever due to participation in other projects, but the band plans to tour behind the album as their schedules permit. Seven shows have already been announced, including five East Coast and two West Coast dates with more expected to be added shortly.

CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN
Tour Dates

August 22 - Asbury Park, NJ - Wonder Bar
August 23 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
August 24 - Ardmore, PA - The Ardmore Music Hall
August 25 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
August 26 - Pine Plains, NY - Huichica East
September 27 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
September 28 - Half Moon Bay, CA - Old Princeton Landing

LET IT WANDER
Track Listing

1. "On My Mind"
2. "One For Chuck"
3. "Immovable Object"
4. "Halicarnassus"
5. "Tacoma Narrows"
6. "Electric Chair (Don’t Sit There)"

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe have announced "Game of Stones," a three-night run of shows focused on exploring the repertoire of The Rolling Stones. The tour begins Halloween night at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY and then heads to Colorado for performances on November 2 at 10 Mile Music Hall in Frisco, CO and November 3 at The Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO.

"Game of Stones will unite the seven kingdoms under the banner of Richards & Jagger,” says Denson who has served as the touring saxophonist in The Rolling Stones, having replaced the band's legendary, longtime reedman Bobby Keys upon his passing in 2014.

Denson and the Tiny Universe are well-versed in re-imagining and celebrating classic rock and soul music, with previous outings including an ode to The Allman Brothers Band dubbed "Eat A Bunch of Peaches" and a take on Prince's 'Dirty Mind.' album. Prior to Denson's affiliation with The Rolling Stones, KDTU toured a presentation of the band's 1971 cornerstone recording, 'Sticky Fingers.'

KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE Complete Tour Dates

Oct. 6 - Memphis, TN - Mempho Music Festival *
Oct. 20 - Fort Mitchell, KY - Cripple Creek Music Festival
Oct. 21 - Clearwater, FL - Clearwater Jazz Holiday *
Oct. 26-27 - Placerville, CA - Hangtown Music Festival *
Oct. 31 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl **
Nov. 1 - Frisco, CO - 10 Mile Music Hall **
Nov. 3 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater **
Dec. 6 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore ^
Jan. 15 - Miami, FL - Jam Cruise 17

* Eat a Bunch of Peaches
** Game of Stones
 ^ w/ Blackberry Smoke

Moon Hooch have released a remix of "Acid Mountain" by visionary British drum and bass DJ Roni Size. The original track is from the Brooklyn-based trio's three-song EP, 'Light It Up,' which was released earlier this summer both digitally and as a set of three color vinyl 7-inches, each featuring one of the EP's studio recordings on the A-side with the B-side featuring a live recording of the track. Size is a fitting choice to tackle a Moon Hooch remix being that the band is renowned for their equally ground-breaking electronic dance music sound created by two saxophonists and a drummer on acoustic instruments.

"We're psyched to collaborate with drum and bass legend Roni Size on our track 'Acid Mountain,'" says Moon Hooch's Mike Wilbur. "He did a great job at merging the sound of old school drum and bass with Moon Hooch."

After spending the summer playing festivals throughout Europe and the U.S., Moon Hooch are back stateside to kick off a 33-show U.S. tour at Mr. Small's in Pittsburgh tomorrow. The run includes several stops throughout the Midwest, including headline performances at Chop Shop in Chicago, Majestic Theatre in Madison and Old Rock House in St. Louis. From there, the band heads to the Southeast—highlighted by shows at Terminal West in Atlanta and The Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte. They'll then join Moon Taxi for four nights including Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, Electric Factory in Philadelphia and two nights at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. At the beginning of November, Moon Hooch are back in the South for headline shows in Florida, Tennessee and West Virginia. They'll wrap 2018 with four shows through December 30 in New England, including The Sinclair in Cambridge and Higher Ground in Burlington. Tickets are on-sale now.

MOON HOOCH Tour Dates

9/20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small’s
9/21 - Thornville, OH - Resonance Music & Arts Festival
9/22 - Thornville, OH - Resonance Music & Arts Festival
9/23 - Perris, CA - Same Same But Different Festival
9/26 - Chicago, IL - Chop Shop ^
9/27 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
9/28 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
9/29 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
9/30 - St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
10/3 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
10/4 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
10/5 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
10/6 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House
10/9 - Raleigh, NC - The Pour House
10/11 - Harrisonburg, VA - Clementine
10/10 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
10/12 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station *
10/13 - Mt. Vernon, KY - Moonshiner's Ball
10/24 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel **
10/25 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Sound Stage
10/26 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory **
10/27 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club **
10/28 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club **
11/1 - Orlando, FL - The Abbey
11/2 - Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music Hall
11/3 - Gainesville, FL - High Dive
11/4 - Tampa, FL - Crowbar Live
11/8 - Memphis, TN - The Hi Tone
11/11 - Morgantown, WV - Morgantown Mainstage
12/27 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
12/28 - Providence, RI - Fete Music Hall
12/29 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
12/30 - Northampton, MA - Pearl Street

^ w/ Exmag
* w/ The Motet
** w/ Moon Taxi

John Medeski's Mad Skillet has announced the November 9 release of its self-titled debut album via Medeski Martin & Wood's record label, Indirecto Records. Led by the hugely influential keyboardist and featuring guitarist Will Bernard and the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band rhythm section of sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and drummer Terence Higgins, Mad Skillet is first and foremost a product of New Orleans. The band's inception can be traced back to the late-night sets that go down every year during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For years during that annual festival-after-the-festival, Medeski would seek out gigs with Bernard, a New York-based guitarist rooted in jazz, but adept across genres. After traversing various players and configurations, the tandem hooked up with Joseph and Higgins, both of whom Medeski had met when he produced the Dirty Dozen’s 1999 record, Buck Jump. Fiery after-hours shows at spots like the Little Gem Saloon firmed up the band’s profoundly intuitive rapport.

"Something happens there. There's something in the air, the water, the food," says Medeski. "Every time we play, it really is magical. We get together and this thing lifts. It has a life of its own, beyond any of us. There's a lot of ESP in New Orleans music. There’s a certain feel that New Orleans guys have that you can’t get anywhere else."

Indeed, Mad Skillet has an X factor that sets it apart from the rest of Medeski's remarkable discography. Throughout the 9-track effort, Higgins finds that elusive space shared among second-line, swing, funk, Afro-Cuban rhythms and hip-hop. Joseph, the scion of the late New Orleans lion Waldren "Frog" Joseph, holds down the low end with a power Medeski calls the “reality factor that comes through with the sousaphone: heart, mind, ears, breath.” As for Bernard, there's "just something that happens to Will in New Orleans that is unexplainable," Medeski says. Recorded at the Living Room, a studio housed in a Depression-era church straight across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans, Mad Skillet finds the guitarist showcasing the scope of his abilities and tones like never before. Medeski's longtime friend and collaborator Scotty Hard provides invaluable sonic guidance at the mixing board.

While Medeski's name is out front, the album reflects a spirit of interplay and equality among members. Bernard contributes the sauntering soul of "Man About Town" and the rocking, Meters-esque workout "Little Miss Piggy." Joseph offers "Adele," whose gorgeous melodica melody evokes desert vistas and Ennio Morricone scores. Two spontaneous group compositions, "Tuna in a Can" and "Psychedelic Rhino," present an engaging variation on the avant-garde. Sun Ra's "The Golden Lady" is marked by atmospheric use of Medeski's Mellotron bass-clarinet timbre and killer spy-movie guitar. The keyboardist's tunes include "Invincible Bubble," (hear/share) a cathartic, open-hearted tribute to his step-daughter; "Piri Piri," with its hip, rapid-fire unison lines; and "The Heart of Soul," for MMW's late booking agent Chip Hooper, featuring masterful slide guitar and hard-grooving R&B piano.

But more than a collection of tunes, Mad Skillet is about an energy and a city. "The hang before you play is just as important as the session," Medeski concludes. "You have to really be open to get to that place, to get to that vibration where it's all coming together."

John Medeski's Mad Skillet embark on a 13-date U.S. tour surrounding the release, beginning with a festival appearance at Utopiafest in Burnet, TX and including shows throughout the Midwest and Northeast.

John Medeski's Mad Skillet
Track Listing

1. Man About Town
2. Invincible Bubble
3. Tuna In A Can
4. Golden Lady
5. Piri Piri
6. Psychedelic Rhino
7. Little Miss Piggy
8. Adele
9. The Heart of Soul 

John Medeski's Mad Skillet
Tour Dates

Nov. 2 - Burnet, TX - Utopiafest
Nov. 5 - Grand Rapids, MI - Elevation at The Intersection
Nov. 6 — Goshen, IN - Ignition Garage
Nov. 7 - Evanston, IL - Space
Nov. 9 - Cincinnati, OH - Ludlow Garage
Nov. 10 - Kent, OH - The Kent Stage
Nov. 11 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Iron Works
Nov. 13 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Nov. 14 - Cohoes, NY - Cohoes Music Hall
Nov. 15 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl
Nov. 16 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
Nov. 17 - Washington, DC - The Hamilton
Nov. 18 - Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Lanes

Circles Around The Sun will join Greensky Bluegrass as support on seven shows in January 2019, including appearances at The Beacon Theater in New York City and The Ryman in Nashville. The band—comprised by guitarist Neal Casal, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, bassist Dan Horne and drummer Mark Levy—are touring in support of their new double album, Let It Wander, out now on Rhino Records.

Let It Wander follows Circles Around The Sun's debut album, 'Interludes For The Dead,' which was released in 2015 following an overwhelmingly ecstatic reception when debuted as set break music during The Grateful Dead's historic 'Fare Thee Well' concerts in Santa Clara, CA and Chicago, IL.  The new collection is filled with imaginative musical turns. Rolling Stone wrote in a review of the recording: "'Let It Wander' is a set of even deeper spells that thread suggestions of Little Feat–style grooves and Bernie Worrell's percolating synthesizers in Parliament-Funkadelic through the German mid-Seventies space travel of Tangerine Dream and the offbeat churn of the Dead's 'Estimated Prophet.'"

While Circles Around The Sun's individual members are busier than ever due to key roles in other projects, including the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Jonathan Wilson, the band plans to tour whenever their schedules permit. In addition to the seven shows with Greensky Bluegrass, they'll headline three performances on the West Coast in November, including Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles.

CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN
Just Announced w/ Greensky Bluegrass

Jan. 10 - Albany, NY - Palace Theater 
Jan. 11 - Philadelphia, PA - The Met 
Jan. 12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater 
Jan. 16 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre 
Jan. 17 - Nashville, TN - The Ryman 
Jan. 18 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant 
Jan. 19 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle 

CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN
Complete Tour Dates

Nov. 21 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre
Nov. 23 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom
Nov. 24 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
Jan 10 - Albany, NY - Palace Theater *
Jan 11 - Philadelphia, PA - The Met *
Jan 12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theater *  
Jan 16 - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre *
Jan 17 - Nashville, TN - The Ryman *
Jan 18 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant *
Jan 19 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle *

* w/ Greensky Bluegrass

Fresh off a riveting performance this past weekend at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, Howlin Rain has announced a seven-date West Coast tour in January 2019. The headline run begins in the Northwest with shows at Sunset Tavern in Seattle and Doug Fir in Portland before jutting to Southern California with stops at The Casbah in San Diego and The Echo in Los Angeles. The band then heads back to their Bay Area stomping grounds for a tour closer at The Independent.  

Riding a wave of acclaim, Howlin Rain's latest album, 'The Alligator Bride,' was one of this summer's most essential underground rock records. Its release was followed by a cross-country U.S. tour that presented founding member Ethan Miller's long-standing outfit as energized and epic as they've been in years.   

In Ethan's words: "We're back on the road with Howlin Rain; deeper exploration of our catalog with the peak-form 'Alligator Bride' band—city after city of murder motels, an ocean of Pabst captured in tallboys in bottomless colored tubs, SM57 on the bass not DI puuuleeeeeze, espresso after espresso after espresso, capturing the world on the road via trusty Holga toy camera, the snowy mountain pass of the northern I5, the joy, exhaustion and heady spiritual cocktail of grinding work and wanderlust as one. Tally HO!"

HOWLIN RAIN
On The Road...

Nov. 7 - Chico, CA - Argus Bar *
Nov. 8 - Reno, NV - Offbeat Festival
Dec. 29 - Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theatre 
Jan. 11 - Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern ^
Jan. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir ^
Jan. 15 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow's ^
Jan. 16 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah ^
Jan. 17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo ^
Jan. 18 - Santa Cruz, CA - Catalyst Atrium ^
Jan. 19 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent **

* w/ Mapache + Pat Hull
^ w/ Garcia Peoples
** w/ Garcia Peoples + Scott Law & Rick James' Cosmic Twang

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is indisputably one of the hardest working bands in rock 'n' roll. 2018 marks the fourth year in a row that they'll play over 200 shows across the U.S. and Europe. Through that prolific touring schedule, the band has emerged a razor sharp, riveting live unit. Each evening The CRB plays two sets of music with a dynamic, ever-changing setlist. Presenting original material stretching across six studio albums, plus a repertoire of covers that runs from Slim Harpo to Bob Dylan and beyond, it's only fitting that the band would document this output. They've done exactly that through a series of live recordings dubbed, 'Betty’s Blends'—taking its moniker from legendary Grateful Dead archivist and recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson who is called upon to capture The CRB's performances in multi-dimensional, audio-verite.

'Betty's Midwestern Magick Blends,' set for release on November 16 on Silver Arrow Records, is the fourth volume from the acclaimed series, gathering highlights from three shows in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago in October 2016. Available as a vinyl exclusive, 3-LP set with only 3500 copies released and on digital formats, the collection finds The CRB in peak form delivering highlights like "New Cannonball Rag," (listen/share here) "Forever As The Moon" and "Shadow Cosmos," as well as adapting two from The Rolling Stones: "Down Home Girl" and "Let It Bleed" and the seldom played fan favorite, Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride." The set is now available for pre-order at independent record stores.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is currently in the middle of a massive cross-country U.S. tour. Highlights along the way include two night stands at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, NC, Ardmore Music Hall in Philadelphia and Revolution Hall in Portland, OR, Variety Playhouse where Robinson grew up in Atlanta, GA and their first ever appearance at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY. The CRB closes the year in customary fashion at their now annual three-night run at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Tour Dates

October 16 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
October 18 - Chattanooga, TN - Walker Theatre
October 19 - Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
October 21 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
October 23 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
October 25 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 26 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 27 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
October 28 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
October 30 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
October 31 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
November 2-3 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
November 4 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
November 6 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
November 8 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
November 9 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 10 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
November 11 - Albany, NY - Upstate Concert Hall
November 13 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
November 15 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Music Hall
November 16 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Music Hall
November 17 - Rochester, NY - Anthology
November 18 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
November 29 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
November 30 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
December 1 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
December 2 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
December 4 - Chico, CA - El Rey Theater
December 5 - Sonoma, CA - Gundlach Bundschu Winery
December 7 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
December 8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
December 9 - Felton, CA - Bret Harte Hall
December 11 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
December 12 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
December 14 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 15 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 16 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood has announced its first tour of 2019. The 19-date run begins in late January with three shows in the Midwest, including two nights at Thalia Hall in Chicago and a one-off at Wooly's in Des Moines. The CRB then heads to the Mountain States for performances across Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. Stops along the way include Ogden Theatre in Denver, Belly Up in Aspen, Top Hat in Missoula, as well as, two-night stands at Center For The Arts in Crested Butte and Sheridan Opera House in Telluride. The tour wraps in The CRB's home-state California at Ace of Spades in Sacramento. Tickets on-sale Friday, October 26 at 10am local. Artist VIP Ticket Pre-Sale only starts Wednesday, October 24 at 10am PT and ends Thursday, October 25 at  10pm local time.

As previously announced, 'Betty's Blends, Vol. 4'—the latest edition from The CRB's live album series recorded and mixed by legendary Grateful Dead archivist Betty Cantor-Jackson—will be released on November 16. Entitled 'Betty's Midwestern Magick Blends,' the collection gathers highlights from three October 2016 shows in Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago. Available as a vinyl exclusive, 3-LP set with only 3500 copies released and on digital formats, it finds The CRB in peak form delivering highlights like "New Cannonball Rag," (listen/share here) "Forever As The Moon" and "Shadow Cosmos," while adapting two from The Rolling Stones, including their take on "Down Home Girl," which is available today (stream/share here).  'Betty's Midwestern Magick Blends' can be pre-ordered at independent record stores now.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood is currently in the middle of a massive cross-country U.S. tour. Highlights along the way include two night stands at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, NC, Ardmore Music Hall in Philadelphia and Revolution Hall in Portland, OR and their first ever appearance at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY. The CRB closes the year in customary fashion at their now annual three-night December run at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Winter 2019 Tour Dates Announced Today

January 25 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
January 26 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
January 27 - Des Moines, IA - Wooly's
January 29 - Frisco, CO - 10 Mile Music Hall
January 31 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 1 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 2 - Grand Junction, CO - Avalon Theatre
February 3 - Durango, CO - Animas City Theatre
February 5 - Fort Collins, CO - Washington's
February 8 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
February 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
February 10 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 11 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 14 - Billings, MT - The Pub Station
February 15 - Bozeman, MT - The Rialto Bozeman
February 16 - Missoula, MT - Top Hat
February 17 - Jackson, WY - Pink Garter Theatre
February 19 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Commonwealth Room
February 22 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Complete U.S. Tour Dates

October 23 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
October 25 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 26 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
October 27 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
October 28 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
October 30 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
October 31 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
November 2-3 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
November 4 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel
November 6 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
November 8 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
November 9 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
November 10 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
November 11 - Albany, NY - Upstate Concert Hall
November 13 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
November 15 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Music Hall
November 16 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Music Hall
November 17 - Rochester, NY - Anthology
November 18 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
November 27 - Spokane, WA - Bing Crosby Theatre
November 29 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
November 30 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
December 1 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
December 2 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
December 4 - Chico, CA - El Rey Theater
December 5 - Sonoma, CA - Gundlach Bundschu Winery
December 7 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
December 8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
December 9 - Felton, CA - Bret Harte Hall
December 11 - Santa Barbara, CA - Lobero Theatre
December 12 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
December 14 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 15 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
December 16 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
January 25 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
January 26 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
January 27 - Des Moines, IA - Wooly's
January 29 - Frisco, CO - 10 Mile Music Hall
January 31 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 1 - Crested Butte, CO - Center For The Arts
February 2 - Grand Junction, CO - Avalon Theatre
February 3 - Durango, CO - Animas City Theatre
February 5 - Fort Collins, CO - Washington's
February 8 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
February 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
February 10 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 11 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House
February 14 - Billings, MT - The Pub Station
February 15 - Bozeman, MT - The Rialto Bozeman
February 16 - Missoula, MT - Top Hat
February 17 - Jackson, WY - Pink Garter Theatre
February 19 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Commonwealth Room
February 22 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is gearing up for its biggest year yet. In February, the band plans to release its first new studio album in over 5 years entitled 'Gnomes & Badgers.' Details on this latest recording are forthcoming. In the meantime, however, KDTU has announced a number of tour dates to both close out 2018 and kick-off 2019, including the annual, star-studded Karl Denson birthday bash shows for one night only at the Belly Up in Denson's hometown San Diego and two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco, a two-night New Year's Eve celebration at Revolution Hall in Portland, OR and a nine show run through the Southeast in January that leads in and out of their appearance on Jam Cruise 17.

Masterfully incorporating elements of vintage rock, old school soul and classic funk, KDTU features the inimitable saxophonist/flutist/vocalist Karl Denson and his long-standing six piece unit that includes guitarist DJ Williams, drummer Zak Najor, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboardist David Veith, trumpeter Chris Littlefield and slide/lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman. Along with KDTU, Denson—who the Austin Chronicle declared "embodies modern honk"—currently serves as the touring saxophonist with The Rolling Stones, while continuing to hold down his role as a founding member of the seminal funk band, Greyboy Allstars.

KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE
Winter Tour Dates

12/4 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Onstage (Evening with)
12/5 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore ^
12/15 - Snowmass, CO - Bud Light HiFi Concert Series
12/27 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up *
12/28 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore *
12/29 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore *
12/30 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^^
12/31 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^^
1/10 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
1/11 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
1/12 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
1/14 - Miami, FL - Blackbird Ordinary (Official Jam Cruise pre-party)
1/15-21 - Miami, FL - Jam Cruise
1/22 - Athens, GA - Georgia Theater **
1/23 - Wilmington, NC - Brooklyn Arts Center ^^^
1/24 - Charleston, SC - Pour House ^^^
1/25 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West ^^^
1/26 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station ***
7/27 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest

^ w/ Blackberry Smoke
* KD’s Annual Birthday Bash
^^ Swatkins and the Positive Agenda
** w/ Southern Avenue
^^^ w/ Andy Frasco & The UN
*** w/ Luthi

The Wood Brothers have received their first ever GRAMMY Award-nomination for 'One Drop of Truth,' in the "Best Americana Album" field. Released February 2, 2018 via Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers, the 10-track collection—their sixth studio recording to date—was self-produced by the longstanding trio featuring Oliver Wood, Chris Wood and Jano Rix. In a serendipitous twist of fate, the band receives the news on the same day they're set to play a sold out show at The Boulder Theater in Boulder, CO—the very town that brothers Oliver and Chris grew up.

Whereas previous outings by The Wood Brothers have often followed a conceptual and sonic through-line, 'One Drop of Truth' dives deep into a wellspring of sounds, styles and recording approaches, treating each song as if it were its own short film. The plaintive, country-folk of "River Takes the Town" gives way to the The Band-esque Americana soul of "Happiness Jones." The stream of consciousness ballad "Strange As It Seems" floats on a cloud of ethereal beauty, standing in stark contrast to "Sky High"—a Saturday night barnburner built upon stinging slide guitar funk. "Seasick Emotions" is rife with emotional turmoil, yet "Sparkling Wine" is jaunty and carefree. The end result is undeniably The Wood Brothers' most dynamic recording to date.

Building off the success of their previous studio album, 2015's 'Paradise,' and 2017's live release, 'Live At the Barn,' recorded at Levon Helm's Barn, The Wood Brothers found themselves at a fortuitous crossroads. Thanks to a loyal and growing fanbase leading to sold out headline shows and high profile festival appearances, the band felt free from the cyclical album release, tour, write, record and do-it-all-over-again pressures. With all three members living in Nashville affording easy access to each other and a wealth of local independent studios at their disposal, they started work on 'One Drop Of Truth' in January 2017 with a new approach. Instead of selecting one studio and recording the album in a pre-determined set of sessions, the band worked at a handful of different studios, stretching out the process over several months. They'd work on one song at a time, setting it aside and later revisiting the recording with fresh ears. This gave the band time to spend time with the songs they were writing, experiment with different recording ideas and develop the material over an extended period of time. 

The band extended this concept to the mixing process, sending tracks to four different mixing engineers, each selected based on what the song demanded. Scotty Hard (who's worked extensively with Medeski Martin & Wood, among others) was recruited for the "edgier, funkier tunes," "Sky High" and "Happiness Jones." Mike Poole (who worked on The Wood Brothers album 'The Muse') mixed "Sparkling Wine" and "Strange As It Seems." Their old friend Brandon Belle from Zac Brown's Southern Ground studio took on "Laughin' Or Crying." The remainder of the album was mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Trina Shoemaker, especially sought after by The Wood Brothers for her work with Brandi Carlile.

"It's the freest album we've done, the most independent album we've done, and was the most fun we've ever had making a record," said Oliver Wood. "And most importantly, this is the most purely Wood Brothers' album we've ever made."

Along with tonight's show at The Boulder Theater, The Wood Brothers close out 2018 with sold out performances in Salt Lake City, UT and Aspen, CO. They get back on the road in January 2019 with an East Coast tour that includes The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, House of Blues in Boston, MA and a two-night stand at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. In February, the band heads to the West Coast for a run that includes The Rialto Theatre in Tucson, AZ, The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA and two nights at each The Belly Up in San Diego, CA and The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA.

THE WOOD BROTHERS
 Tour Schedule

Dec. 7 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
Dec. 8 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Commonwealth
Dec. 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
Jan. 15 - Winston-Salem, NC - The Ramkat
Jan. 16 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
Jan. 17 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Jan. 18 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
Jan. 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
Jan. 21 - York, PA - Strand Capitol Theatre
Jan. 22 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
Jan. 24 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
Jan. 25 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
Jan. 26 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Feb. 10 - Tampa, FL - Cayamo Cruise
Feb. 25 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
Feb. 26 - Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
Feb. 28 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Mar. 1 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Mar. 3 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre
Mar. 5 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
Mar. 6 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
Mar. 7 - Santa Rosa, CA - Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
Mar. 8 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
   Mar. 9 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Apr. 12 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
Apr. 13 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel

Green Leaf Rustlers have announced ten shows in California this March. They'll also make their Alaska debut with a performance at Alyeska Resort in April. The band, which features vocalist and guitarist Chris Robinson joined by multi-instrumentalist Barry Sless (David Nelson Band), guitarist Greg Loiacono (The Mother Hips), bassist Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, David Nelson Band) and drummer John Molo (Phil Lesh Quintet, Bruce Hornsby & The Range), has become a reoccurring vehicle for the five musicians to explore their deep love of classic country and roots music with a repertoire that extends across artists like Waylon Jennings, Jimmy Reed and The Byrds.

"From the sage smoke and mists of Marin come your local purveyors of Cosmic Cali country music," says Robinson. "Green Leaf Rustlers play the dusty country classics of your dreams."

GREEN LEAF RUSTLERS Tour Dates

March 15 - Big Sur, CA - Fernwood Resort
March 16 - Big Sur, CA - Fernwood Resort
March 17 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
March 19 - Morro Bay, CA - The Siren
March 20 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up Tavern
March 22 - Santa Barbara, CA - Soho
March 23 - Los Angeles, CA - The Lodge
March 24 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s
March 26 - Tustin, CA - Marty’s On Main
March 28 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
April 4-6 - Girdwood, AK - Alyeska Resort

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe has announced its new studio album 'Gnomes & Badgers' will be released March 8 on Seven Spheres Records. The 11-track effort is KDTU's first new recording in five years. Denson and his hard touring, road-honed band— featuring guitarist DJ Williams, lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman, trumpeter Chris Littlefield, organist David Veith, bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Zak Najor—were joined in the studio by a few legendary friends, including The Rolling Stones keyboardist and Allman Brothers Band alum Chuck Leavell, guitar-slinging singer-songwriter Lukas Nelson, New Orleans guitar hero Anders Osborne, Austin producer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Quesada and NOLA R&B royal Ivan Neville. The album's first single, "I'm Your Biggest Fan," is out now on streaming services. Listen and share here.

Throughout 'Gnomes & Badgers,' singer and saxophonist Karl Denson fronts the Tiny Universe as if he's preaching the gospel. Merging funk, soul, rock, jazz, blues and more, his energy and spirit are contagious, while his songwriting speaks to a larger message of fellowship—across generations, genders, religions and cultures. Not surprisingly then, Denson is none too pleased with the current state of political discourse. The result of this discontent is 'Gnomes & Badgers'—his hard-grooving answer to these tragically divisive times.

"As a writer and a human being, I'm affected by what goes on around me," Denson says. "I've always been interested in politics, and what I'm seeing now just disturbs me. I saw this idea of 'Gnomes & Badgers'—which are the different people in the world, the different parties on the left and the right—as a great way to frame the political debate and the debate about listening to each other. Somebody needs to say something, and hopefully I can say it in a way that will make people reconsider how they think about things."

That theme of compassionate exchange is showcased especially well on choice cuts like "Time to Pray" and "Change My Way," the latter co-crafted by Denson and his "writing mentor" Osborne. But through the music's blues essence, an idea of empathy traverses the album in full.

"There's some heartache in there that is hopefully concealed well enough to make people happy while still feeling it," Denson explains. "To me this is really a blues record. It's a blues about love; it's a blues about life. It's about people's relationships."

In designing the signature meld of grit and groove that defines 'Gnomes & Badgers,' Denson had plenty of role models to check out. With his own demos scattered into the mix, he listened to a playlist of essential rock-tinged funk and psychedelic soul throughout the album's writing sessions. It's hard not to hear Funkadelic in the opening roar of "Can We Trade," or Rufus featuring Chaka Khan in the late-night soul of "Just Remember," or Tower of Power in the power-funk of "Time to Pray," or Betty Davis in the rough-and-tough funk-rock of "Change My Way." Elsewhere, Denson's song-craft summons Sly and the Family Stone, Labelle, Cymande, James Brown and Stevie Wonder. The project's lone cover, a killer take on Cyril Neville's late-'60s single "Gossip," underscores Denson’s savvy taste in programming. KDTU's previous release 'New Ammo' featured select covers by Beastie Boys, Cold War Kids and The White Stripes.

In the end, these hip, historically savvy tunes are just a delivery system for Denson's philosophy of understanding: "I was very outspoken early on, but I've also really tried to express my views in a loving way and tried to be a good listener. I'm still trying to connect with my audience and people around me, in terms of attempting to keep all of us responsible for what we say and do."

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe will support 'Gnomes & Badgers' with shows through May. Denson then picks up his reoccurring role as touring saxophonist with The The Rolling Stones on their U.S. summer tour. Highlights among KDTU's upcoming appearances include an official set at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 26, as well as a tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, at The Orpheum Theater on May 3. KDTU also makes summer festival appearances at High Sierra Music Festival and Floydfest. Additional shows will be announced shortly.

'Gnomes & Badgers'
Track Listing

1. What If You Knew
2. Gossip
3. Change My Way
4. I'm Your Biggest Fan
5. Can We Trade
6. Millvale, PA
7. Something Sweet
8. Falling Down
9. Time To Pray
10. Smart Boy
11. Just Remembered

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Tour Dates

1/23 - Wilmington, NC - Brooklyn Arts Center ^
1/24 - Charleston, SC - Pour House ^
1/25 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West ^
1/26 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station **
2/15 - New Orleans, LA - NOLA Brewing Company
2/22 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
2/23 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
3/15 - San Diego, CA - Music Box
3/16 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
4/26 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
4/26 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's
5/3 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theatre ^^
7/4 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
7/5 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
7/6 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
7/7 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival
7/27 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest

The Wood Brothers have announced tour dates this summer with Lake Street Dive. The Nashville-based band—who received a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Americana Album" field for their 2018 release, 'One Drop of Truth'—will team up with Lake Street Dive for six shows beginning at The Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC on June 7.

General public tickets go on-sale for all dates this Friday, February 15 except Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, OH for which tickets will be available on Saturday, February 16 at 10am ET and Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA, which goes on-sale Saturday, February 23 at 10am ET.

Tour Dates

6/7 - Raleigh, NC - The Red Hat Amphitheater
6/8 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
6/11 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
6/15 - Kettering, OH - Fraze Pavilion 
7/25 - Burlington, VT - Maritime Festival
7/26 - Lafayette, NY - Beak & Skiff

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe has released a video for "Change My Way," the second single from its forthcoming studio album, 'Gnomes & Badgers,' due March 8. Premiered today by Paste Magazine, both the song and video make a poignant statement about the current crisis at the U.S. border. The clip was directed by TG Herrington—an award-winning director, writer and producer—whose work includes 'The Free State of Jones,' a series of music videos for Paul McCartney and the new feature-length documentary 'A Tuba To Cuba.' Denson co-wrote the song with New Orleans singer-songwriter Anders Osborne and co-produced the track with Adrian Quesada (Brownout, Spanish Gold).

Denson tells Paste Magazine, "'Change My Way' is a discussion about borders, boundaries, love and law." Herrington adds, "Both the song and the video is a body of work seeking answers to some fundamental questions: Where would America be without the benefit of colordiversity of different races, faces, beliefs and creeds? What happened to 'Love Thy Neighbor’? What happened to 'Give me your tired, huddled masses yearning to be free’? Remember we were them not too long ago."

The through-line of the video's narrative—a quilt-like U.S. flag being stitched together by people from varied cultures—is a metaphor that diversity is America's greatest strength. Plans are currently being made to auction the flag for charity and will be announced shortly.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is highly regarded as one of the fiercest bands working today. On 'Gnomes & Badgers,' their first new album in five years, KDTU distill the sweeping stylistic range of the band's concert performances into their own authentic sound. The inimitable Denson and his long-standing seven piece unit, which includes guitarist DJ Williams, drummer Zak Najor, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboardist David Veith, trumpeter Chris Littlefield and slide/lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman, offer a message of fellowship across generations, genders, religions and cultures. The recording is Denson's plea to address the current state of political discourse in these tragically divisive times.

KDTU have a number of shows coming up to celebrate 'Gnomes & Badgers,' while Denson will tour the U.S. this summer as saxophonist with The Rolling Stones.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Tour Dates

2/22  - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall +
2/23 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall ++
3/14 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
3/15 - San Diego, CA - The Music Box
3/16 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent 
3/20 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge
3/21 - Seattle, WA - Nectar Lounge
3/22 - Homer, AK - Alice’s Champagne Palace
3/23- Homer, AK - Alice’s Champagne Palace
4/26 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
4/26 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s
5/3 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater ^
6/14 - Bethel, NY - Mountain Jam
7/4 - Portland, OR - Waterfront Blues Festival
7/5 - Portland, OR - Waterfront Blues Festival
7/6 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival ^^
7/7 - Quincy, CA - High Sierra Music Festival ^^
7/27 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest

 + w/ special guests Kung Fu
++ w/ special guests Urban Gorilla Orchestra
^ R.E.S.P.E.K.T. A Tribute to the Queen of Soul
^^ Eat a Bunch of Peaches

The Wood Brothers have extended their U.S. summer tour with the addition of nine shows in July and August, including three co-headline dates with Colter Wall in Northern California and the Northwest. Also among new performances announced today is a two night stand at Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA.

As previously announced, The Wood Brothers' summer tour already includes their first ever headline performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO and seven shows with Lake Street Dive. The Nashville-based band—who recently received a Grammy Award nomination for their 2018 release, 'One Drop of Truth'—will also play a number of summer festivals, including Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Trondossa Music & Arts Festival, Levitate Music & Arts Festival and Green River Festival.

General public tickets go on-sale for the ten announced shows this Friday, March 22 at 10am Local.

THE WOOD BROTHERS
Announced Today

7/11 - Charlotte, NC - Knight Theater
7/21 - Westhampton Beach, NY - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
7/22 - Brownfield, ME - Stone Mountain Arts Center
8/15 - Lander, WY - Chamber Park Stage
8/20 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
8/21 - San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads
8/22 - San Jose, CA - City National Civic *
8/25 - Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre *
8/27 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House *

w/ Colter Wall

Chris Robinson Brotherhood have announced their latest studio album 'Servants Of The Sun' will be released June 14 on Silver Arrow Records. The CRB's sixth full-length recording since forming in 2011 finds the band setting aside the studio explorations of more recent work, instead coming full circle to deliver their most direct, bare bones, rock and roll offering since debut companion albums 'Big Moon Ritual' and 'The Magic Door.' Hear the first single "Comin' Round The Mountain" out today on all streaming services.

"I let my head go to a Saturday night at The Fillmore, and said, 'what's the best set we could play?'" says Robinson. "The record was conceived from that starting point. With our last couple of albums we made songs we knew we probably weren't going to play live. This time around every one of these songs will fall into the live repertoire."

Bottling the CRB's pure essence into 10 new songs, 'Servants Of The Sun' bursts into the clear blue air with the funky upper atmosphere bubbling of vintage keyboards, sky-climbing guitar lines, driving rhythm and the voice of one of rock music's great singers. A gateway swings wide open to a universe that the Chris Robinson Brotherhood has been tirelessly constructing for eight years through extraordinary musicianship, epic touring and a roving, seemingly bottomless wizard's chest of sonic delights.

"The best thing about the CRB after all this time is that no matter what we're going through, when there's a new piece of music that everyone is interested in, the entire band gets in there and goes for it," continues Robinson.

The major themes of 'Servants Of The Sun' are experienced in a constant swirl within the CRB sound. There's the uptempo ramble and strut of "Comin' Round the Mountain" juxtaposed against the surreal on "Venus In Chrome." There's redemption through love on "The Chauffeur's Daughter" set alongside the ominous poetry of "A Smiling Epitaph." "Dice Game" is an exquisite slice of blue country, while "Let it Fall" sashays with fond homage to the slinky rhythms and stoned, but sizzling energy of Little Feat and New Orleans soul-funk. The album captures Robinson and company hurtling between the fire and mania of Saturday night and the bruises and rain-on-the-bus-window reflection of the cold Sunday morning dawn. Beyond the bullet holes, red-eyed angry angels, alchemy, praying mantises, hangovers, and all other manner of cosmic debris gone lyrically airborne—love is lost, new love is found, relationships are bent and broken by distance and time or by unrelenting proximity and timelessness. All the while, the line between autobiography and psychedelic fantasy is completely blurred.

"I like to write 'scenes.' I want you to be able to storyboard these lyrics into a visual, even the abstract part of them," says Robinson. "We're creating a world and we want people to come in. We're doing it through language and this texture of music and melody. Sometimes it's a celebration, sometimes its mourning. It can be anything once you get inside."

The CRB's evolution that led to 'Servants Of The Sun' stretches from clubs, to theaters, to the farms of Oregon and the fields of Marin, to sold out tours across Europe, to the annual summer festival circuit including LOCKN', High Sierra Music Festival, Mountain Jam, Peach Music Festival and their own Freaks for the Festival in Big Sur—all coalescing at the band's beloved multi-night stands at The Fillmore in San Francisco each December. The CRB were, in fact, a band born on the road from their very first days touring up and down the California coast in residencies in 2011 as they began to build a now mightily expanded international fanbase that might better be described as a tribe bound by music, fun, lifestyle and not just a little dose of obsession.

"Ultimately, our 'freak family' are the Godhead of this thing, they're the ones that breathed life into a lump of clay and made the scene," says Robinson. "It's their involvement and their participation that gives this whole thing dimension and life.”

It is to the credit of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood's musical naturalism that such a ferris wheel of themes, tones and characters can exist in the same fast moving air. With 'Servants Of The Sun' they've conjured yet another authentic statement free-flowing from their essential expression. In the effortless stream of storylines, hornet-stung emotions, and Kodachrome snapshot images rushing by, the listener hasn't just landed in the CRB's world and the joys and sorrows of their lives, they've also awakened in their dream. And as Chris Robinson sings, "sometimes a dream is to be believed."

'Servants Of The Sun' is available now for pre-order.

SERVANTS OF THE SUN

Track Listing

1. Some Earthly Delights
2. Let It Fall
3. Rare Birds
4. Venus In Chrome
5. Stars Fell On California
6. Comin' Round The Mountain
7. The Chauffeur's Daughter
8. Dice Game
9. Madder Rose Interlude
10. A Smiling Epitaph

The Disco Biscuits' Aron Magner unplugs his formidable stack of keyboard gadgetry to introduce his new band SPAGA, and in doing so, takes his 20-plus year musical journey back to where it all began—the piano. The keyboardist, who is best known for trailblazing a fusion of jam-rock and electronica with his Disco Biscuits' bandmates, has come full circle by returning to his jazz upbringing. A "mostly acoustic" trio, SPAGA is a showcase for Magner's grand piano stylings, supported by the immediacy and interplay of upright bass and drums.  The trio features Jason Fraticelli on bass and Matt Scarano on drums, two prominent Philadelphia-based jazz musicians in their own right. SPAGA's first full-length, self-titled album will be released July 19 on Magner's own, AM Records, while the trio's first single "Creed" was premiered today via Relix (listen/share) and will be available tomorrow, April 23, at all streaming services. 

SPAGA's six original compositions are often impressionistic and dreamlike. A lively and engaging conversation between three distinct, eclectic musicians, these fresh tracks leave the door wide open for improvisation, spontaneous interpretation and musical/spiritual interrelation. "When we first began recording, I was having fun exploring songs with no preconceptions of what the music actually was yet or, for that matter, who we were as a trio, and that provided for unexpected and welcoming results," says Magner. 

A concept record of sorts that explores themes of origins, it was important for Magner to keep the project, and all involved with it, a reflection of the idea of "roots." He chose local Philadelphia musicians, a local studio, and brought in people from his friends and family circle. The evolution was organic. "I'd been meditating on the idea of origins and kept coming back to a creed we should all subscribe to: 'Think Globally, Act Locally,'" continues Magner. "The concept reigns true for SPAGA and really helped to inform the genesis of the band."

SPAGA allows Magner looks to a new frontier of live music presentation: unique venues and curated spaces in which the surroundings become a reflection of the experience, highlighting the organic nature and intimate vibe of this music. More than just improvisations on a collection of instrumental songs, it's an unsung story told through music and experience. With a number of shows already scheduled and more performances being planned for later this year, SPAGA will continue to intrigue and draw audiences to Magner's ever unfolding musical adventure.

SPAGA Upcoming Shows

4/28 - New Orleans, LA - Three Keys at Ace Hotel
4/29 - New Orleans, LA - Three Keys at Ace Hotel 
6/12 - Washington, DC - City Winery
6/28 - Rochester, NY - Rochester International Jazz Festival
6/29 - Rothbury, MI - Electric Forest Festival
8/10 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Jazz Festival
8/10 - Telluride, CO - Sheridan Opera House

Chris Robinson Brotherhood have unveiled a video for "Chauffeur's Daughter," the second single to be released from 'Servants of the Sun.' Directed by celebrated photographer Jay Blakesberg, the video captures The CRB performing live at Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA, along with footage from where Robinson resides in Marin County. The video was premiered today at Rolling Stone. 

To celebrate the release of 'Servants of the Sun,' The CRB have also added a performance at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn, NY on June 27. Tickets go on-sale Friday, April 26 at 10am local.

'Servants of the Sun' is the CRB's sixth full-length recording since forming in 2011. It finds the band setting aside the studio explorations of more recent work, instead coming full circle to deliver their most direct, bare bones, rock n’ roll offering since debut companion albums 'Big Moon Ritual' and 'The Magic Door.'

"I let my head go to a Saturday night at the Fillmore, and said, 'what's the best set we could play?'" says Robinson. "The record was conceived from that starting point. With our last couple of albums we made songs we knew we probably weren’t going to play live. This time around every one of these songs will fall into the live repertoire.k"

Bottling the CRB's pure essence into 10 new songs, 'Servants of the Sun' bursts into the clear blue air with the funky upper atmosphere bubbling of vintage keyboards, sky-climbing guitar lines, driving rhythm and the voice of one of rock music's great singers. A gateway swings wide open to a universe that the Chris Robinson Brotherhood has been tirelessly constructing for eight years through extraordinary musicianship, epic touring and a roving, seemingly bottomless wizard’s chest of sonic delights.

'Servants Of The Sun' is available to pre-order on 2-LP Vinyl, CD & Digital formats.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Tour Dates

5/16 - Kill Devil Hills, NC - Outer Banks Brewing Station
5/17 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
5/18 - Richmond, VA - Riverrock Festival
5/19 - Greenville, NC - The State Theatre
5/21 - Huntington, WV - V Club
5/23 - Lexington, KY - Manchester Music Hall
5/24 - Maryville, TN - The Shed
5/25 - Thornville, OH - Dark Star Jubilee
5/26 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Music Festival
6/27 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All Right
6/29 - Wappingers Falls, NY - Tail Winds Music Festival
6/30 - Riverhead, NY - Suffolk Theater
7/1 - Port Washington, NY - Landmark on Main Street
7/11 - Lleida, ES - Doctor Music Festival
7/12 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
7/14 - Weert, NL - Bospop
7/18 - Isernhagen, DE - Blues Garage
7/19 - Torgau, DE - Kulturbastion Open Air
7/21 - Maidstone, UK - Ramblin’ Man Festival
7/23 - Ab, DE - Colos-Saal
7/24 - Dusseldorf, DE - Zack Zentrum fur Aktion
7/25 - Berlin, DE - Columbia Theater
7/26 - Hamburg, DE - Fabrik
7/27 - Breitenbach, DE - Herzberg Festival
7/28 - Munchen, DE - Muffahalle

Chris Robinson Brotherhood has announced keyboardists for its forthcoming 'Servants of the Sun' tour. The legendary Pete Sears will join The CRB for all of the band's May shows, including dates in the Southeast, as well as, Dark Star Jubilee and Summer Camp festivals. Joel Robinow comes aboard for late June performances and a July tour across Europe. Sears' history stretches across six decades, having been a member of bands with Rod Stewart, Hot Tuna and Jefferson Starship among others. The multi-instrumentalist also plays bass in Robinson's cosmic-country revival band, Green Leaf Rustlers. Joel Robinow is the founding member of acclaimed indie prog ensemble Once & Future Band who Robinson has frequently championed among his favorite modern artists. The CRB's 'Servants Of The Sun' tour marks the band's final scheduled shows of 2019. 

'Servants of the Sun' is The CRB's sixth full-length recording since forming in 2011. It finds them setting aside the studio explorations of more recent work, instead coming full circle to deliver their most direct, bare bones, rock n’ roll offering since debut companion albums 'Big Moon Ritual' and 'The Magic Door.'

Bottling the CRB's pure essence into 10 new songs, 'Servants of the Sun' encapsulates a musical vision tirelessly constructed over eight years through extraordinary musicianship, epic touring and a roving, seemingly bottomless wizard’s chest of sonic delights.

'Servants Of The Sun' is available to pre-order on 2-LP Vinyl, CD & Digital formats.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD
Tour Dates

5/16 - Kill Devil Hills, NC - Outer Banks Brewing Station
5/17 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
5/18 - Richmond, VA - Riverrock Festival
5/19 - Greenville, NC - The State Theatre
5/21 - Huntington, WV - V Club
5/23 - Lexington, KY - Manchester Music Hall
5/24 - Maryville, TN - The Shed
5/25 - Thornville, OH - Dark Star Jubilee
5/26 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Music Festival
6/27 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All Right
6/29 - Wappingers Falls, NY - Tail Winds Music Festival
6/30 - Riverhead, NY - Suffolk Theater
7/1 - Port Washington, NY - Landmark on Main Street
7/11 - Lleida, ES - Doctor Music Festival
7/12 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
7/14 - Weert, NL - Bospop
7/18 - Isernhagen, DE - Blues Garage
7/19 - Torgau, DE - Kulturbastion Open Air
7/21 - Maidstone, UK - Ramblin’ Man Festival
7/23 - Ab, DE - Colos-Saal
7/24 - Dusseldorf, DE - Zack Zentrum fur Aktion
7/25 - Berlin, DE - Columbia Theater
7/26 - Hamburg, DE - Fabrik
7/27 - Breitenbach, DE - Herzberg Festival
7/28 - Munchen, DE - Muffahalle