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Powerful, rollicking and magical…virtuoso harp, wildly eccentric guitar, sly, streetwise vocals and great songs  --Blues & Rhythm

These are serious musicians having a hotter than hot good time. It’s tough to stay in your seat when Estrin and his musical cohorts get cooking.  –Chicago Sun-Times

Wildly fun, musically fearless blues masters Rick Estrin & The Nightcats will release their new Alligator Records CD, Groovin' In Greaseland, on Friday, August 18. Overflowing with talent and bursting with bravado, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have created one of the blues’ most instantly recognizable sounds and no-holds-barred styles. With the world-class talents of harmonica master, songwriter and vocalist Rick Estrin, guitar wunderkind Chris “Kid” Andersen, keyboard wizard Lorenzo Farrell and dynamic drummer Alex Pettersen, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats serve up sharp and incisive original blues and gritty roadhouse rock ‘n’ roll.

With his wily and unforgettable original songs and his hipster, street-smart vocals, no one on the blues scene writes or sings like Rick Estrin. No one looks like him either, as Estrin is always dressed to the nines, sporting his trademark pencil-line mustache and pompadour haircut. DownBeat says, “Rick Estrin sings and writes songs like the brightest wiseguy in all of bluesland and blows harmonica as if he learned at the knee of Little Walter.” Live, the band is simply unbeatable. They deliver a high-energy show capable of bringing any audience to its feet. According to Living Blues magazine, they play “captivating, powerful blues and roots rock with a wickedly cool and otherworldly twist on tradition....Intelligently conceived and executed…hugely entertaining."

Groovin’ In Greaseland features 13 original songs, 11 by Estrin (including one co-write with Andersen) and one each by Andersen and Farrell. The band's dazzling performances bring the songs to life as richly detailed characters spill their secrets and share their stories. One listen makes it clear that this is one of the tightest and most original groups in any genre, constantly inspiring each other to new heights. Groovin’ In Greaselandwas produced by Andersen and Estrin and recorded at Andersen’s soon-to-be legendary Greaseland Studio in San Jose, California.

Besides Estrin’s celebrated songwriting and musical skills, he and the band are among the most entertaining and colorful showmen around. Estrin’s flashing harmonica solos, quick wit and signature look and Andersen’s off-the-cuff guitar acrobatics add even more spontaneous fun to their live performances. “People don’t go out to see people who look like themselves,” says Estrin. “They want to see something special. I was schooled in this business to be a showman, and that’s what you get when you come to see us perform. We know how to put on a show.”

For more than 30 years and nine albums, Rick fronted Little Charlie & The Nightcats, flawlessly combining his songs, vocals and harmonica with Little Charlie Baty’s one-of-a-kind guitar excursions. The band won international acclaim and toured the world repeatedly. They were nominated four times for the prestigious Blues Music Award for Band Of The Year. With Charlie’s retirement from touring in 2008, Rick took over leadership of the band. He knew the only way to replace Baty’s mind-melting mashup of blues, jazz and roots rock was to find someone with an equally insane and daredevil guitar approach. Rick knew that would be a tall order to fill. As luck would have it, Kid Andersen, who had been working with another harp legend, Charlie Musselwhite, became available. “Kid’s a fearless nut on the guitar,” says Estrin. “He’s really the only guy who could fit in with us.” The new band charged out of the gate with Twisted in 2009, One Wrong Turn in 2012 and You Asked For It...Live! in 2014.

Estrin's blues roots run deep. He was born in San Francisco, California in 1949. When he was 12, his older sister gave him a copy of Ray Charles’ The Genius Sings The Blues, and he became infatuated with the music. He got his first harmonica at age 15, and by age 18 was proficient enough to open shows for R&B giant Z.Z. Hill. He moved to Chicago when he was 19 where he jammed with Muddy Waters, who told Rick, “You outta sight, boy! You got that sound, boy! You play like a man, boy!” In fact, Muddy wanted Estrin to go on the road with him, but due to nothing more than a missed phone call, it never happened. Rick eventually moved back to the Bay Area, and, to the joy of blues fans everywhere, met guitarist Charlie Baty and formed Little Charlie & The Nightcats.

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have not only picked up where Little Charlie & The Nightcats left off, they’ve taken everything to the next level. Now, with Groovin’ In Greaseland, they prove yet again why DownBeat calls them “marvelous and crowd-pleasing.” Rick Estrin & The Nightcats continue to set the bar high, proving it night after night on stage somewhere around the country or around the world. Billboard called them “fabulous, remarkable and original.” According to Blues Revue, “It just doesn’t get any better.”

Celebrated Chicago bluesman (and CTA bus driver) Toronzo Cannon will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, September 13. He will don a Cubs jersey and take the mound prior to the match-up between the World Champion Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets.

According to Cannon, "As a native Chicagoan, I'm excited and honored to be throwing out the first pitch and supporting the Cubs on their way to winning another World Series. That's the Chicago way."

Cannon has become one of Chicago's most recognized and most popular bluesmen through the sheer force of his music, his songs, and his live charisma. MOJO magazine declared his Alligator Records debut, THE CHICAGO WAY, the #1 Best Blues Album Of 2016. The album features all self-penned songs, inspired by Cannon's deep, homegrown Chicago roots and powered by his blistering guitar playing and soul-baring vocals.

CNN.com recently filmed Cannon leading a tour of Chicago blues clubs. Influential website The Daily Beast included Cannon among their 30 Most Intriguing Musicians Of 2017. Writer Ted Gioia says, "Toronzo Cannon is a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority by day. But by night, he is one of the hottest blues performers on the Chicago scene." And powerhouse local television station WGN won a local Emmy Award for their profile of the rising blues star.

Cannon’s battled his way to the top of the ultra-competitive Windy City blues scene, has played multiple tours of Europe and continues to deliver roof-raising performances around the U.S.A. Cannon, along with Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, won the 2016 Living Blues Award for Producer Of The Year—New Recording for THE CHICAGO WAY. Cannon was recently nominated for four Blues Music Awards, including Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year. He was also nominated for Song Of The Year (for Walk It Off) and Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year.

Living Blues magazine has announced the winners for the 2017 Living Blues Critics' and Readers' Awards. Three Alligator Records artists received a total of four awards.

Toronzo Cannon won the Critics' Award for New Recording/Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year and the Readers' Award for Best Blues Album Of 2016 for The Chicago Way.

Shemekia Copeland was named Blues Artist Of The Year (Female).

Marcia Ball won for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboards).

ALLIGATOR ARTISTS NOMINATED FOR TOP BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARDS
LABEL'S 45TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION ALSO NOMINATED

Three Alligator artists received 2017 Blues Blast Award nominations from Blues Blast Magazine.

Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials were once again nominated for Blues Band Of The Year. They won the award in 2016.

Coco Montoya was nominated for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year for his recent CD, Hard Truth.

And Toronzo Cannon received a nod for Male Blues Artist Of The Year.

In addition, the 2CD set, The Alligator Records 45th Anniversary Collection, was nominated in the Historical Or Vintage Blues Album Of The Year category.

Voting will be open to the public at BluesBlastMagazine.com beginning July 1. Voting will end at midnight CST on August 15, 2017. Winners will be announced shorty thereafter.

“A remarkable contemporary bluesman...a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist. A major player...highly recommended.” –Rolling Stone

Guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Selwyn Birchwood has released the first video from his new CD, Pick Your Poison, for the song Guilty Pleasures. The video, depicting Birchwood happily sinking into the depths of decadence (but with a surprise ending!), can be seen here. The album currently sits in the Top 10 on the Billboard blues chart.

On June 6, 2017, The Wall Street Journal reviewed Pick Your Poison, saying Birchwood is "a skilled, energetic and original artist...His songwriting is observant, clever and pointed. His voice is smooth; his singing on target. His guitar fluency generates new licks and rhythmic surprises. Expectations have been high for Mr. Birchwood—and he lives up to them here."

On Pick Your Poison, Birchwood, along with his band—saxophonist Regi Oliver, bassist Huff Wright and drummer Courtney “Big Love” Girlie—takes a major step forward, crafting visionary blues for a new generation of forward-looking fans.

Birchwood, who attacks his guitar and lap steel with searing intensity, wrote and produced all 13 songs on Pick Your Poison. The cutting-edge songs are made all the more impactful by Birchwood’s gruff vocals, his untamed musicianship and his band’s seemingly telepathic accompaniment. “I write and sing what I know,” says Birchwood, whose innovations are as expansive as his influences. “This album has a broad reach. It’s for young, old and everyone in between.”

Birchwood's blistering instrumental skills, his trailblazing, instantly memorable songs and his gritty, unvarnished vocals place among the brightest young stars in the blues. His deep familiarity with blues tradition allows him to bust the genre wide open, adding new sounds, colors and textures, all delivered with a revival tent preacher’s fervor and a natural storyteller’s charisma.The Washington Post calls Birchwood a “tough, indelibly modern next generation bluesman.”

Birchwood and his band will spend the summer performing across the US and Canada. His current tour schedule may be found here.

Living Blues magazine has announced the nominees for the 2017 Living Blues Readers' Awards. Five Alligator Records artists received a total of 11 nominations. Toronzo Cannon received four, Shemekia Copeland, Curtis Salgado and Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials each received two nominations. Marcia Ball received one.

The public -- subscribers and non-subscribers alike -- can vote at www.livingblues.com or by mailing in the ballot in the current issue of the magazine (#249), by July 15, 2017.

Winners will be announced in August.

TORONZO CANNON:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Best Live Performer
Best Blues Album Of 2016 (New Recordings) - The Chicago Way
 
 
SHEMEKIA COPELAND:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Blues Singer
 

CURTIS SALGADO:
Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)
Best Blues Album Of 2016 (New Recordings) - The Beautiful Lowdown
 

LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS:
Best Live Performer
Best Blues Album Of 2016 (New Recordings) -
    The Big Sound Of Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials


MARCIA BALL:
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 legendary pianist, songwriter and vocalist Marcia Ball will be named an official 2018 Texas State Musician by the Texas State Legislature. The appointment will be formally announced through Texas House and Senate Resolutions at the State Capitol on that day. According to Texas State Representative John M. Frullo, "The great talents of the State Artists help contribute to a distinctive cultural identity that makes Texas a great place to live, work and visit."

Ball is thrilled to be receiving this recognition, saying, "I am honored and excited to be able to represent Texas musicians. I hope in some way I can raise awareness of the creative community that we are all a part of."

Marcia Ball has earned worldwide fame for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she strolls onto a stage. The New York Times says, “Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.” Ball's signature groove-laden New Orleans R&B, heart wrenching ballads and rollicking Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music fans all over the world. Her songs paint vibrant pictures with richly detailed characters, flavors and scenes straight out of Louisiana and Texas.

Ball holds ten Blues Music Awards, eight Living Blues Awards and five Grammy Award nominations. Born in Texas and raised in Louisiana (before settling in Austin in 1970), she has been inducted into both the Gulf Coast Music Hall Of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame. Her love of the road has led to years of countless performances at festivals, concert halls and clubs all over the world. Living Blues declares, “Her originals sound like timeless classics and southern soul masterpieces that no one else can imitate.”

On Thursday, May 11, 2017, The Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 38th Annual Blues Music Awards, the blues world's highest honors, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Soul and R&B singer Curtis Salgado, whose latest CD, The Beautiful Lowdown, was called "an essential gem" by Blues Music Magazine, received three awards: Soul Blues Album Of The Year (for The Beautiful Lowdown), Song Of The Year (for Walk A Mile In My Blues) and Soul Blues Male Artist of The Year.

Salgado won the 2010, 2012 and 2013 Blues Music Awards for Soul Blues Artist Of The Year. In 2013 he also won the coveted BMA for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year, and took the statue for Soul Blues Album Of The Year for his Alligator debut, Soul Shot.

Salgado is currently recuperating from his March 2017 quadruple bypass surgery. Expecting a full recovery, he is working hard to begin singing again as soon as possible."All I want to do is get on stage," he says. That's where I belong."

“One of the best blues bands in the land” –Living Blues

“Virtuoso musicianship…rocking and irresistible” –No Depression

“Gloriously retro with an inspiring eloquence and grace” –Vintage Guitar

Houserocking blues masters The Cash Box Kings have signed with Alligator Records and will release their label debut, ROYAL MINT, on Friday, June 30. With deep feeling and top-shelf talent, The Cash Box Kings play tough, real deal classic Chicago blues with boundless energy. They also deliver raw, passionate Delta blues, jumping proto-rock ‘n’ roll, and steamrolling “bluesabilly,” their original mix of Chicago blues and Memphis rockabilly.

The Cash Box Kings are fueled by the powerhouse harmonica work of Madison, Wisconsin-based songwriter Joe Nosek and the huge, gritty vocals of Chicago bluesman Oscar Wilson. Every song they perform – be it a striking original or a scorching Chess, Sun or Vee-Jay cover – explodes with contemporary authority and radiates old-school authenticity. According to Grammy Award-winning blues legend Charlie Musselwhite, “The Cash Box Kings play with real taste and feel. Not only is it good blues but it’s a jumping good time, too! I ain’t lyin’!”

ROYAL MINT features 13 hard-hitting songs, including six impressive originals. From the wry, politically-charged Build That Wall to the chilling Blues For Chi-Raq to the funny and too true If You Got A Jealous Woman Facebook Ain’t Your Friend to the timeless versions of songs by Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Clifton Chenier, Amos Milburn and Jimmy Reed, ROYAL MINT shuffles, jumps and gets down and dirty, fueled by the band’s unmatched musicianship.

According to Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, The Cash Box Kings are a natural addition to the label. “I love this band because they combine the classic Chicago blues style with contemporary lyrics, true blues vocals and terrific musicianship. Oscar Wilson’s voice is a soulful roar like Muddy Waters’ and Joe Nosek plays powerhouse harmonica in the James Cotton tradition. Billy Flynn and Joel Paterson are world-class blues guitarists. The whole band can deliver jumping party shuffles or down-in-the-alley gritty blues.”

Joe Nosek founded The Cash Box Kings in Madison, Wisconsin in 2001 and, since 2007, has co-led the band with the charismatic, larger-than-life vocalist Oscar Wilson. Over 20 years apart in age and coming from vastly different backgrounds, the two form an unlikely pair, combining Wilson’s indisputably authentic inner city Chicago blues vocals with Nosek’s harmonica, songwriting and singing talents.

Nosek refers to the group of top-notch traditional players who comprise The Cash Box Kings as “a blues collective.” Live and on record, members of the “collective” appear in different combinations for different performances, creating an anything-can-happen experience. In addition to co-leaders Nosek and Wilson, the full ensemble includes world-renowned guitarists Joel Paterson and Billy Flynn, drummers Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith and Mark Haines, bassist Brad Ber and newest member Lee Kanehira rounding out the band.

The Cash Box Kings have earned devoted fans in both Chicago and Madison, the two cities where band members live. They regularly headline Chicago venues like Buddy Guy's Legends and Rosa's Lounge and have played major festivals across the U.S. and Europe. They’ve blown away audiences at the Chicago Blues Festival, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, the Doheny Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Cincinnati Blues Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), the Moulin Blues Festival (Netherlands), the Lucerne Blues Festival (Switzerland), the Baltic Blues Festival (Germany) and the Edmonton Blues Festival (Canada). They have also performed in Belgium, France, Spain and Uruguay.

With eight previous releases to their credit and hundreds of live performances under their belts, The Cash Box Kings have won widespread acclaim throughout the blues world. Their 2013 CD Black Toppin’ won the 2013 Blues Blast Music Award for Traditional Blues Album of the Year. It was also nominated for a 2014 Blues Music Award in the same category. Their last album, Holding Court, was nominated for two 2016 Blues Music Awards and the band was also nominated for the Band of the Year Award. They’ve been featured on NPR Music as well as in the pages of No Depression, The Chicago Tribune, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Living Blues, Vintage Guitar, Blues Blast and many other publications. Living Blues says The Cash Box Kings are “Straight from the golden era of the blues,” boasting “an impressive line-up of A-list players. Joe Nosek feels Little Walter and Slim Harpo in the essence of his soul. Singer Oscar Wilson could be right out of [Chicago’s famed] Checkerboard Lounge in its glory days. The Cash Box Kings are a dancing and listening pleasure.”

The band will tour heavily (including performances in Europe) in support of ROYAL MINT. Confirmed dates follow:

Saturday, April 29, 2017
TYRANENA BREWING COMPANY, Lake Mills, WI

Thursday, May 4, 2017

HET HUIS VERLOREN, Hoorn, Netherlands

Friday, May 5, 2017
MOULIN BLUES FESTIVAL, Ospel, Netherlands

Saturday, May 6, 2017
ROCK AROUND THE ATOMIUM, Brussels, Belgium

Sunday, May 7, 2017
SHAW'S CRAB HOUSE, Chicago, IL

Thursday, May 11, 2017
LISA LINK PARK, Madison, WI

Friday, May 12, 2017
BEALE ON BROADWAY, St. Louis, MO

Saturday, May 13, 2017
THIRD BASE SPORTS BAR, Springfield, IL

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
BUDDY GUY'S LEGENDS, Chicago, IL

Saturday, May 27, 2017
STEVIE RAY'S, Louisville, KY

Saturday, June 3, 2017
HARMONY BAR, Madison, WI

Sunday, June 4, 2017
SHAW'S CRAB HOUSE, Chicago, IL

Thursday, June 15, 2017
HILLTOP PAVILION, KORTH PARK, Lake Mills, WI

Friday, June 16, 2017
THE CALIFORNIA CLIPPER, Chicago, IL

Saturday, June 17, 2017
FRANKIE'S BLUE ROOM, Naperville, IL

Wednesday, June 21, 2017
BUDDY GUY'S LEGENDS, Chicago, IL

Friday, June 30, 2017
ALLERTON GARDENS, Monticello, IL

Saturday, July 1, 2017
KNUCKLE DOWN SALOON, Red, White, and Blues Festival, Madison, WI

Friday, July 7, 2017
MINERAL POINT OPERA HOUSE, Mineral Point, WI

Saturday, July 8, 2017
CENTRAL PARK, Bicycle, Blues & Barbeque Festival, Clear Lake, IA

Saturday, July 15, 2017
BUDDY GUY'S LEGENDS, Chicago, IL

Wednesday, July 19, 2017
LAKE PARK, Milwaukee, WI

Friday, July 28, 2017
GRANT PARK: SPIRIT OF MUSIC GARDEN, Chicago Summer Dance, Chicago, IL

Saturday, July 29, 2017
CALIFORNIA CLIPPER, Chicago, IL

Monday, July 31, 2017
EVANSTON, SPACE, Evanston, IL

Friday, August 4, 2017
TYRANENA BREWING COMPANY, Lake Mills, WI

Saturday, August 19, 2017

JACKSON RHYTHM AND BLUES FESTIVAL, Jackson, MS

Alligator Records recording artists Moreland & Arbuckle, whose latest album Promised Land Or Bustrecently received a 2016 Blues Music Award nomination for Rock Blues Album Of The Year, have decided to amicably dissolve the band. They will play the remaining booked dates on their tour calendar. Guitarist Aaron Moreland plans to spend more time at home with his family. Vocalist, harmonicist and songwriter Dustin Arbuckle plans to continue making music and touring. Drummer Kendall Newby, who joined the band in 2012, also intends to keep playing professionally.

Over the course of their 15-year career, Moreland and Arbuckle have played hundreds of shows, performing in the United States, Canada, across Europe and in Australia, Iraq and Kuwait.They've shared stages with ZZ Top, George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Los Lonely Boys. No Depression said, “These guys have kegs full of talent. Their songs will keep you driving fast and long.”

According to Moreland, “I’ve had extraordinary opportunities playing music my entire life. The best shows have been the highest of highs. After 15 years on the road, it’s time for me to focus on what’s most important—my family.”

Arbuckle says,"The last 15 years have been an incredible ride. I especially want to thank Aaron for being my partner in this endeavor. Creating and playing music with him has been one of the greatest parts of my life. I wish him nothing but happiness in the future. Playing and touring afforded us the opportunity to have so many great experiences and meet even more wonderful people. I want to express my tremendous gratitude to all the friends and fans who have supported us over the years. I plan to continue my career as a touring musician, so hopefully I will see all of them again in the future. In addition, I have to give my most heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been a part of this band and to all those who have helped build it. It's been great and I will always cherish the memories of the good times we've had."

Moreland & Arbuckle brought fierce electric fury and unrelenting punk rock energy to their original songs, inspired by raw Delta and Mississippi Hill Country blues. With each of their six releases, the band grew musically and lyrically, creating a signature sound while earning a large and loyal worldwide fan base. Their legendary raw and raucous live shows were played with wild abandon. The New York Post said, "Moreland & Arbuckle have a raw juke joint exuberance with a dirt-under-the fingernails garage band attack.”

From their 2005 self-released Caney Valley Blues to 2016's Promised Land Or Bust, Moreland & Arbuckle grew from a fiery, crowd-pleasing duo to a genre-smashing three-piece band. Together, Moreland’s simultaneous bass, rhythm and lead guitar work and Arbuckle’s emotionally-charged harmonica and edgy vocals—driven by Newby’s propulsive drumming—created a sound forceful enough to grab a listener’s attention and nuanced enough to hold it. American Songwriter said the group’s music was “swampy, sweaty and muggy...mixing a bluesy foundation with bits of country, folk and squawking American rock and roll.” WNYC’s Soundcheck said the band played “gritty blues with a thoroughly contemporary bite.”

The family of Grammy-nominated Chicago blues icon Lonnie Brooks, who died on Saturday, April 1, has announced the visitation and funeral information for the late blues legend.

Visitation: Sunday, April 9:
Blake-Lamb Funeral Home
4727 W. 103^rd St.
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Wake/Viewing 3:00pm - -9:00pm

Funeral: Monday, April 10:
Liberty Temple Full Gospel Church
2233 W. 79^th Street
Chicago, IL 60620
Visitation 10:00am - 11:00am
Services 11:00am

Interment following the service:
Lincoln Cemetery
12300 S. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago IL 60655

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
The Lonnie Brooks Memorial Fund
PO Box 672
Dolton, IL 60419

On Sunday, April 2, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel released the following statement:

"Lonnie Brooks was a Chicago blues legend with a towering talent and soulful style that won him legions of fans across the country and around the world. His celebrated career inspired generations of music lovers, garnered numerous awards and brought him from the clubs of Chicago's west side to the concert halls of Europe and beyond. Amy and my thoughts and prayers are with Lonnie Brooks' family, friends and fans who are mourning his loss and celebrating his remarkable life."

Lonnie Brooks' larger-than-life personality and abundance of pure talent made him beloved worldwide, leading The Chicago Tribune to declare his music "a joyful paean to the power of the blues."