News

Guitarist/songwriter/singer Anders Osborne will release Three Free Amigos, his new six-song EP, on Tuesday, February 12. The entire EP will stream exclusively at Relix.com beginning February 1. Three Free Amigos is a semi-acoustic collection of original songs cut in Anders' hometown of New Orleans in a relaxed, easygoing atmosphere, with friends joining him in various combinations, creating true musical magic. According to Osborne, the way this EP was recorded "is not what I usually do. I may never do it again. I wanted to keep it loose and give fans something different."

Three Free Amigos, produced by Osborne and Warren Riker, ranges from the road-diary reminiscence of the title track to the Bo Diddley-flavored Jealous Love to the reggae-rocking Marmalade to the warmly philosophical We Move On. Osborne examines love's healing power and strength on It's Gonna Be OK (previously recorded by Theresa Andersson) and offers profoundly simple advice in Never Is A Real Long Time. He is backed on some tracks by his road band -- bassist Carl Dufrene and drummer Eric Bolivar -- and on others he's joined by friends Michael Burkhart on Hammond B3 organ, Johnny Sansone on harmonica and accordion, Billy Iuso on acoustic guitar and Maggie Koerne on background vocals. A few songs from the improvisational recording sessions even feature Osborne playing bass and drums.

Osborne released his first full album in 1989, but since the release of his 2010 Alligator Records debut, American Patchwork and his 2012 follow-up, Black Eye Galaxy, he has earned hordes of new fans. He tours virtually non-stop, either with his road-tested trio, as a solo artist, or as a guest with his countless musical admirers, including Toots And The Maytals, Stanton Moore, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Keb Mo, and The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh. He's appeared on Galactic's song Dark Water from their Ya-Ka-May album, and in 2011 produced and played on critically acclaimed albums by Tab Benoit, Johnny Sansone and Mike Zito.

With American Patchwork, Osborne's fame suddenly reached a whole new level. Critics went wild, with OffBeat saying, "The record is a focused and tuneful triumph. Osborne's gifts as a guitar player are significant. His voice is so emotionally intense it feels like an explosion. He writes with remarkable eloquence...this is the living definition of great art." 2012's Black Eye Galaxy raised the bar even higher. USA Today says, "Black Eye Galaxy contains fiery anthems and dark confessional songs punctuated with incessant, penetrating guitar runs. It sounds like a cry of thanks from a rescued man."

OffBeat magazine named Osborne the Crescent City's Best Roots Rock Artist and declared him the city's Best Guitarist for 2010 and 2011. The magazine recently nominated him for seven 2012 awards, including Best Guitarist, Best Songwriter, Song Of The Year (for Louisiana Gold) and Album Of The Year (for Black Eye Galaxy). Guitar Player calls him "the poet laureate of Louisiana's fertile roots music scene."

EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY

Grammy Award-winning singer and accordionist Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr., leader of Buckwheat Zydeco, is being treated for early stage cancer on his left lung and a vocal cord. Dural will begin treatment immediately and doctors expect a full recovery. Buckwheat Zydeco will postpone current concert dates, but expects to return to touring this summer. "I feel fine," says Dural. "I'll beat this and be back on the road soon. And you can take that to your best bank!"

Dural -- along with his band Buckwheat Zydeco -- is the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana zydeco music.He and his band have played presidential inaugurals and have performed on national television -- including multiple appearances on The Late Show With David Letterman and other major TV shows. They have played with the Boston Pops, were featured in the closing ceremonies of the Atlanta Olympics, and opened one of Eric Clapton's entire North American tours. The New York Times says, "Stanley 'Buckwheat' Dural leads one of the best bands in America." His 2009 Alligator Records CD Lay Your Burden Down, produced by Los Lobos' Steve Berlin, received the Grammy Award for Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album.

Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural, Jr. was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1947. His father was an accomplished, non-professional traditional Creole accordion player, but young Buckwheat preferred listening to and playing R&B. He became proficient at the organ, and by the late 1950s was backing Joe Tex, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and many others. In 1971 he formed a 16-piece funk band, Buckwheat and The Hitchhikers. Never a traditional zydeco fan when growing up, Buckwheat nonetheless accepted an invitation in 1976 to join Clifton Chenier's Red Hot Louisiana Band as organist. He quickly discovered the joy and power of zydeco music, and marveled at the effect the music had on the audience.

Buckwheat's relationship with the legendary Chenier led him to take up the accordion in 1978. After woodshedding for a year, he felt ready to start his own band under the name Buckwheat Zydeco, and began his recording career. Albums for Blues Unlimited, Black Top and Rounder followed. Buckwheat befriended New York-based journalist Ted Fox (who would later become his manager). Fox championed Buckwheat to Chris Blackwell at Island Records, and Buckwheat soon received a multi-record deal. He has toured the world and played with numerous music legends, including Paul Simon, Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples and many others.

Fans can leave messages and greetings for Dural on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BuckwheatZydeco?ref=ts&fref=ts.

NEW CD, ON MY MIND / IN MY HEART, TO BE RELEASED FEBRUARY 26, 2013 

Tough-but-tender soul and rollicking, rootsy R&B...infectious, revival-meeting furor.                                                            --Boston Globe

Alligator Records is pleased to announce the signing of Boston-based soul singer/songwriter/guitarist Jesse Dee. With his warm and honest sound, his instantly memorable melodies and positive, slice-of-life lyrics (evoking the heyday of the Brill Building songwriters), Jesse expertly updates soul music for contemporary audiences. Dee's label debut, On My Mind / In My Heart (AL 4952), will be released on February 26, 2013. He will kick off a national tour with a hometown CD release party on Saturday, March 9 at Boston's Brighton Music Hall.

The new album, eleven original songs produced by Dee and Jack Younger, is a sweet soul masterpiece full of good vibes and funky, joyful music. Like Sam Cooke, Dee writes about real life with true emotional poetry. His lyrics are set to toe-tapping melodies with horn charts channeling The Memphis Horns and 1970s-era Van Morrison. "I'm a music fan first," Dee says, "so it's important to me to seek out and create with original ideas. That's why songwriting is so important, and why I mean every word I write and sing."

Dee won the 2010 Boston Phoenix Music Poll Award For Best R&B Act, both for the strength of his live show and the aftershocks of his 2008 debut CD, Bittersweet Batch (7Not Records/Munich Records). Dee regularly plays to packed clubs in New England and has toured Europe multiple times, earning new fans at every gig. Dee has opened for soul greats Al Green, Solomon Burke, Etta James, Bettye LaVette, and blues rockers Los Lobos and the J. Geils Band, and has shared stages many times with fellow soul singer James Hunter. The Boston Herald declares, "Dee has an explosive voice. He possesses a powerful, raspy tenor and an uncanny phrasing ability that can't be taught."

Born in 1980 in Boston, MA, Dee grew up in nearby Arlington. He got his first taste of soul music from local oldies radio station WODS when he was eight years old. As a child, he was drawn to the sounds of The Drifters, The Shirelles, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke and other doo wop, Motown and R&B greats. He was playing guitar by age 18, and by 19 was fronting a band. During this time, Jesse immersed himself in the music of Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, Solomon Burke, Etta James, James Brown and all the deep soul masters, listening, learning, writing and continuing to hone his craft by playing live every chance he could get.

Dee attended Massachusetts College Of Art And Design, studying illustration, performance, production, mixed-media and composition. He played in bands and did some touring while in college before fronting his own band and releasing his first album, Bittersweet Batch, in 2008. The New York Daily News awarded the CD a rare four-star review, saying, "I am blown away by what's coming out of my speakers...remarkable... there isn't a bad song to be found...upbeat and soulful."

With his new relationship with Alligator Records, Dee will tour widely, bringing his modern, fun and timeless music to clubs, concert halls and festivals all over the world. Dee is proud of the songs on On My Mind / In My Heart, saying the music is a perfect representation of where he is as an artist. "Soul music is capable of touching the greatest and most diverse group of people," Dee says. "All the best soul music is based on shared experience. Songs have the ability to affect people, shine a light, lift them up, and push them forward. There's hope in these songs," he continues, "and people need that now more than ever."

Award-winning artist and vocalist Janiva Magness underwent successful surgery on Thursday, December 13 to repair damage to discs in her neck. Magness will be off the road for four to six weeks while she recovers, but will be back with a full touring schedule in early 2013. According to Magness, "I am feeling much better now (post surgery) and looking forward to sharing performances with friends and fans. It seems 2013 is going to be a very successful and exciting year!"

Just last week, Magness was honored with five Blues Music Award nominations, including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award, a distinction Magness has won once before. She is the only female blues artist to receive this award other than blues legend Koko Taylor. Magness was also nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year for her 2012 Alligator CD, Stronger For It. In addition, Magness, for the first time in her career, was recognized for songwriting, with her composition (co-written with Dave Darling) I Won't Cry, getting the nomination for Song Of The Year. The 34th Annual Blues Music Awards will be presented by The Blues Foundation in Memphis on May 9, 2013 at the Cook Convention Center.

On Wednesday, December 12, 2012 The Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 2013 Blues Music Awards live on Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville. Six Alligator recording artists received a total of 23 nominations. Vocalist/songwriter Janiva Magness received five (tied for the most artist nominations), including one for the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award. Soul man Curtis Salgado, blues legend Joe Louis Walker, and guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Michael "Iron Man" Burks all received four nominations. Harmonica master/songwriter/vocalist Rick Estrin and his band The Nightcats received three nods. Chicago slide guitar hero Lil' Ed Williams received two nominations, one for Traditional Male Blues Artist, and his whole group, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials for Band Of The Year. Guitarist Kid Andersen of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats also received one nomination for the Gibson Guitar Award. In all, Alligator artists earned four of the five nominations for the B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award.

The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest honor given to blues artists. The 34rd Annual Blues Music Awards will be presented in Memphis on May 9, 2013 at the Cook Convention Center, and will be broadcast live in their entirety in Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville.

Alligator artists and nominations are as follows:

JANIVA MAGNESS:

B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

Album Of The Year - Stronger For It

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Stronger For It

Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year

Song Of The Year - I Won't Cry (by Janiva Magness & Dave Darling) from Stronger For It

JOE LOUIS WALKER:

B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Hellfire

Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Gibson Guitar Guitarist Of The Year

 

MICHAEL "IRON MAN" BURKS:

Album Of The Year - Show Of Strength

Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year - Show Of Strength

Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Gibson Guitar Guitarist Of The Year

CUTRIS SALGADO:    

B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

Soul Blues Album Of The Year - Soul Shot

Soul Blues Male Artist Of The Year

Song Of The Year - She Didn't Cut Me Loose (by Curtis Salgado, Marlon McClain & Dave Duncan) from Soul Shot

 

RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS:

B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year

Band Of The Year

Instrumentalist Of The Year - Harmonica

KID ANDERSEN (of RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS):

Gibson Guitar Guitarist Of The Year

LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS:

Band Of The Year

Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year

 

Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter and Alligator Records recording artist Tommy Castro has released a video for Greedy. The song is the A side of the new Tommy Castro & The Painkillers' vinyl 45 Greedy / That's All I Got, a limited edition, Castro-produced two-song record pressed on money-green vinyl. The 45 is available at Castro's live performances and at www.alligator.com. Both songs are also available as downloads, and the record will be in stores beginning January 15.

Since forming in February, 2012, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers have been tearing up the road. Along with original Tommy Castro Band bassist Randy McDonald, new members Byron Cage on drums and James Pace on keyboards, Castro pares his music down to its tough, raw core. "The Painkillers are very soulful and talented musicians with tireless energy that make me feel like I did when I first came on the scene," says Castro. "A lot of folks are having hard times these days, and they need something to lift them up and make them smile. Our music kills the pain."

Greedy is a sure-fire anthem for the times. The insightful, biting lyrics expose the hypocrisy of corporate and political greed while the emotional guitar playing and pulsing rhythms drive the message home. That's All I Got, the infectious, riff-heavy flipside, offers a simple solution to the ills laid out in Greedy: the power of love over money. Castro's melodic, potent guitar playing and pleading vocals tell the story of the song's narrator, who may not be rich, but who can offer plenty of love. With The Painkillers blazing behind him, Castro delivers an instant classic.

 

Alligator Records recording artists Joe Louis Walker, Curtis Salgado and the late Michael "Iron Man" Burks received Maple Blues Award nominations in the B.B. King International Artist Of The Year category. The 16th annual Awards presentation will be held in Toronto at Koerner Hall on January 21, 2013. The Maple Blues Awards, presented by the Toronto Blues Society, are Canada's national blues awards. Their goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.

Blues harmonica icon James Cotton, who is currently at work on the follow-up to his Grammy-nominated CD Giant, appears in the independent feature film Queen City starring Peter McGennis, who also wrote and directed. The film, shot in McGennis' hometown of Buffalo, NY, features an all-star musical cast, including Sharon Jones, Toni Lynn Washington, Allen Toussaint, Magic Slim, The Average White Band and Maria Muldaur. Singer/songwriter Susan Tedeschi stars as the wife of McGennis's character, Brinker. Queen City debuts in Buffalo at the Market Arcade Film And Arts Centre on Wednesday, November 14. Following the screening, many of the film's musical stars, including James Cotton, Sharon Jones, and Toni Lynn Washington, will perform at Buffalo's famed venue, The Tralf.

 

ANDERS OSBORNE ON THE ROAD SOLO WITH TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Anders Osborne will soon hit the road solo and acoustic, opening shows for reggae giants Toots & The Maytals. The dates will begin in late October with performances scheduled into late November. Osborne, whose latest CD, Black Eye Galaxy, is being hailed as a career best, has just finished recording a partially acoustic, "stripped down" EP, set for release early next year. It will be available at stores, on-line and in-person at all of Anders' performances. Osborne recently taped an episode of NPR's eTown along with bluesman Robert Cray. The show is set to air the week of November 28.

Tour dates with Toots & The Maytals follow:

Oct 30  The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
Oct 31  Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME
Nov 01  Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA
Nov 07  SPACE, Evanston, IL
Nov 09  Belly Up Aspen, Aspen, CO
Nov 10  Swallow Hill Music, Denver, CO
Nov 11  Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, CO
Nov 13  Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
Nov 14  The State Room, Salt Lake City, UT
Nov 15  George & Jane Dennison Theatre, Missoula, MT
Nov 16  The Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima, WA
Nov 17  Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds, WA
Nov 18  Uptown Theatre, Napa, CA
Nov 19 142 Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley, CA
Nov 20  Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA
Nov 21  The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA

LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS RELEASE NEW DOWNLOAD-ONLY SINGLE, GREAT LOVE

Chicago's slide guitar master Lil' Ed Williams and his Blues Imperials have released a new song, Great Love, available as a single song download from iTunes and Amazon.com.

The song, recorded during the sessions for the band's latest CD, Jump Start, is a raucous slide guitar-drenched dose of sage advice from the prolific bluesman. Guitar Player calls the band "a snarling boogie blues machine." Williams recently recorded an episode of Elwood's Bluesmobile, which will be aired to a national audience later this year.

 

ALLIGATOR RECORDS PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER BRUCE IGLAUER TO BE HONORED FOR "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE ARTS" BY LAWYERS FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS

Alligator Records founder and president Bruce Iglauer will be recognized for his "Distinguished Service To The Arts" by Chicago's Lawyers For The Creative Arts at an event in Chicago on Tuesday, October 30. The organization provides free legal service to financially eligible clients in all areas of the arts.

Alligator artists Corky Siegel and Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater will be on hand to perform in Iglauer's honor.

 

 

TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS TO RELEASE VINYL 45,

GREEDY / THAT'S ALL I GOT

 

"Timely, topical blues for the 21^st century."

--Blurt

 

"Phenomenal and funky...inspired, soulful vocals and blues-rock guitar."

--The Washington Post

 

"Tommy Castro & The Painkillers are a crackling band with plenty of grit and a rocking soul. Castro is a top notch musician...what sets him apart from the pack is the ability to lift any number of styles from his kit bag and let fly."

--Jambands.com

 

Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter and Alligator Records recording artist Tommy Castro has been playing his signature brand of rocking rhythm and blues professionally for over 25 years, thrilling fans around the world with his incendiary live performances. With his new, stripped-down, turbo-charged band The Painkillers, Castro has embarked on the next phase of his storied career.

Along with original Tommy Castro Band bassist Randy McDonald, new members Byron Cage on drums and James Pace on keyboards, Castro pares his music down to its tough, raw core. Formed in February 2012, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers have been tearing up the road ever since. "The Painkillers are very soulful and talented musicians with tireless energy that make me feel like I did when I first came on the scene," says Castro. "A lot of folks are having hard times these days, and they need something to lift them up and make them smile. Our music kills the pain."

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers' Alligator recording debut is Greedy / That's All I Got, a limited edition, Castro-produced two-song 45rpm record pressed on money-green vinyl. The 45 will initially be available beginning November 4 only at Castro's live performances, but both songs will be available as downloads.

Greedy is a sure-fire anthem for the times. The insightful, biting lyrics expose the hypocrisy of corporate and political greed while the emotional guitar playing and pulsing rhythms drive the message home. That's All I Got, the infectious, riff-heavy flipside, offers a simple solution to the ills laid out in Greedy: the power of love over money. Castro's melodic, potent guitar playing and pleading vocals tell the story of the song's narrator, who may not be rich, but who can offer plenty of love. With The Painkillers blazing behind him, Castro delivers an instant classic.

Born in San Jose, California in 1955, Tommy Castro first picked up a guitar at age 10. He came under the spell of Eric Clapton, Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield and other blues rock players early on. As he got older, Castro moved forward by investigating the past, falling in love with the blues guitar work of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Elmore James and singers like Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and James Brown. By his late 20s he was playing in a variety of San Francisco-area blues and soul bands.

Castro joined Warner Brothers artists The Dynatones in the late 1980s. The much-loved rocking soul band had a huge fan base and toured the U.S. constantly. He honed his chops with the band on the road for two years, performing live all across the country and sharing stages with major artists like Carla Thomas and Albert King. He formed The Tommy Castro Band in 1991 and won the Bay Area Music Award for Best Club Band in both 1993 and 1994. With his local fan base quickly expanding, he released his debut album in 1996 on Blind Pig. He began touring nationally with his band, picking up new fans everywhere he went. The album won the 1997 Bay Area Music Award for Outstanding Blues Album, and Castro also took the award for Outstanding Blues Musician that same year.

In the mid-1990s The Tommy Castro Band served as the house band for three seasons on NBC Television's Comedy Showcase (airing right after Saturday Night Live), bringing him in front of millions of viewers every week. During the 1990s and into the 2000s, Castro released a series of critically acclaimed CDs for Blind Pig, Telarc and 33rd Street Records as well as one on his own Heart And Soul label. In 2001 and 2002 the legendary B.B. King asked Castro to open his summer concert tours. Castro received an open invitation to join the King Of The Blues on stage for the nightly finale.

Castro's 2009 Alligator debut, HARD BELIEVER, was anchored by his deeply emotional vocal delivery, powerful guitar work and driving rhythms. On the strength of the album and subsequent touring, Castro won four 2010 Blues Music Awards including, for the second time in his career, the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award (the very highest award a blues performer can receive). He took first place in the blues category of The 2012 International Songwriting Competition for his song, (co-written with Bonnie Hayes), Hard Believer.

In 2011, Castro, the honorary Captain of The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises (a bi-annual week-long cruise where nationally recognized blues stars come together to perform and mingle with fans on the open seas of the Pacific and the Caribbean), released TOMMY CASTRO PRESENTS THE LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES REVUE-LIVE! on Alligator. The album is a fiery collection of the highest highlights from a series of live performances both aboard the ship and on land. In addition to Castro's stellar fretwork and blue-eyed soul vocals, the album features Alligator Records label-mates Joe Louis Walker, Rick Estrin, Janiva Magness and Michael "Iron Man" Burks, along with Debbie Davies, Theodis Ealey, Sista Monica and Trampled Under Foot.

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers will release their full-length debut CD in 2013. Until then, these roadhouse road warriors will continue to bring their crowd-pleasing, dynamic music to fans all around the world. And if Greedy / That's All I Got is any indication of what the future holds, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers will certainly be easing pain, lifting spirits and filling dance floors for a long time to come.

THE PAINKILLERS ARE:

RANDY McDONALD

Randy McDonald was born in Harrisburg, PA in 1959 and grew up in San Diego. He learned bass at an early age, becoming a first call, in-demand musician by his late teens. McDonald's influences range from straight-ahead jazz to hard rock, blues, and soul music. When he joined The Dynatones - the nationally touring, six-piece blue-eyed soul band - it was a perfect fit. During his tenure with the group, McDonald befriended Dynatones guitarist Tommy Castro. Not long after leaving the band in 1991, McDonald got a call from Castro, who was putting together the first incarnation of The Tommy Castro Band. McDonald appears on seven Castro albums and toured the world, helping the band to become one of the most celebrated groups performing anywhere. McDonald left the band in 2007 before returning to join The Painkillers in 2012. "Randy has been with me from the beginning as a major contributor to the music we were playing," recalls Castro. "Randy was a big part of the Tommy Castro sound. It's great to have him back."

BYRON CAGE

Anthony Byron Cage was born in Syracuse, NY in 1984. He grew up heavily influenced by gospel and jazz music, and was especially inspired by watching his family members play instruments in church. Playing drums professionally since 2004, Cage has toured internationally with Jason Ricci & New Blood and Nick Moss, and has drummed for a number of local Syracuse and national acts since 2009. Since joining The Painkillers, Cage has taken his talent to his largest audience yet. "Tommy Castro is a great mentor and friend," says Cage. "I've grown so much as a player and a person from working with him." 

JAMES PACE

James Pace was born in Roanoke, VA in 1978. He began playing piano by ear at age three. A proficient pianist, he fell in love with the Hammond B3 organ at age 22, touring with the jam band Rebus before playing with Blind Pig recording artist Harper. In 2008, Pace joined blues guitarist Ana Popovic's band, and spent three years performing with her around the world. He has played on over 30 albums and has shared stages with blues legends including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Los Lobos, and Janiva Magness. Pace is thrilled to be playing with Tommy. "I am blessed to play the music I love with incredible friends," he says, "for the greatest fans on earth."