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MARCIA BALL RECEIVES GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATION FOR 2008 RELEASE, PEACE, LOVE & BBQ

CATEGORY 67 -- Best Contemporary Blues Album
Marcia Ball – PEACE, LOVE & BBQ (Alligator Records)

Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist/ vocalist/ songwriter Marcia Ball has received a 2008 Grammy Award nomination for her critically acclaimed CD, PEACE, LOVE & BBQ. This is Ball’s fourth release for Alligator Records and the third to receive a Grammy Award nomination.

The winners of the 51st Grammy Awards will be announced on February 8. The other nominees in the Contemporary Blues category are Solomon Burke, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, and Irma Thomas.

Over the course of her career, Ball’s infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional songs have won her a large and loyal fan base all over the world. Ball won two 2004 Blues Music Awards for “Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year” for her previous studio album, the Grammy-nominated, SO MANY RIVERS, as well as the award for “Contemporary Female Blues Artist Of The Year.” And in 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Blues Music Awards honored Ball as the “Piano Player Of The Year.” She was also voted “Most Outstanding Musician” in the 2007 Living Blues Readers’ Poll.

Produced by Stephen Bruton, PEACE, LOVE & BBQ finds Marcia Ball at a creative peak. She wrote or co-wrote eight of the thirteen songs on the CD, ranging from intense soul ballads to can’t-sit-still party songs to straight-from-the-heart lyrical storytelling. With guests Dr. John, Wayne Toups, Tracy Nelson and Terrance Simien lending a hand, the music moves effortlessly through a range of emotions, so the listener may be dancing one minute and be deeply moved the next.

THE PRESS SPEAKS ABOUT MARCIA BALL:

More fun than a barrel of funky monkeys. Ball’s awesome mélange of keyboard styles sets the tone: Call it the zydeco boogie-woogie blues. Horns chug faster and faster, guitars drop by for a rock ‘n’ roll interlude.

--National Public Radio

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.

--New York Times

Ball, a rocking singer/pianist, plays honky-tonk struts, party funk and soulful ballads. Her boogie-woogie piano style sets crowds in motion. She is a sensational, saucy singer and superb pianist... where Texas stomp-rock and Louisiana blues-swamp meet.

--USA Today

Peace, Love & BBQ is a welcome ray of sunshine. This is a potent batch of tunes, highlighted by Ball’s keyboard mastery. Smooth blues, sweet zydeco, soulful, fast and furious Texas boogie…she kills every time. Heartfelt.

--Billboard

Swamp pop, blues, zydeco, Cajun, boogie-woogie, funk all delivered with exceptional verve. …Angelic harmonies…bright, smoke-tinged voice… made-for-dancing… funky, horn-fueled, rollicking swamp pop…melds swing and jump blues with New Orleans boogaloo. Ball plays the keys like a piano professor. Recommended.

--Austin American Statesman

Lots of upbeat party tunes, a few peppy Cajun and zydeco inflected zingers, some ballads, and a couple of love songs all delivered with Ball’s husky, soulful voice and driven by her nimble bogie-woogie piano. Ball is a classy, demanding, and talented musician…energetic, terrific, gripping, riveting. Peace, Love & BBQ is a sermon well-worth hearing.

--allmusic.com

Swaggering New Orleans romp…Ball’s fingers are magic on the 88s and range through styles with ease.

--Austin Chronicle

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ALLIGATOR RECORDS PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - OCTOBER 15, 2008
CONTACT: MARC LIPKIN / 773-973-7736 x235 (email: publicity@allig.com)

Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor and singer/pianist Marcia Ball each received prestigious Living Blues Awards, Living Blues magazine announced.

In the Critics’ Poll, Taylor took the award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female). In the Readers’ Poll, Taylor took that same honor, as well as the award for Best Blues Album Of The Year for her critically acclaimed CD, OLD SCHOOL. Ball won for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) in the Readers’ Poll.

15th ANNUAL LIVING BLUES AWARDS READERS’ POLL
KOKO TAYLOR
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)

MARCIA BALL
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

15th ANNUAL LIVING BLUES AWARDS CRITICS’ POLL
KOKO TAYLOR
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)

ALLIGATOR RECORDS PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 26, 2008
CONTACT: MARC LIPKIN / ALLIGATOR RECORDS / 773-973-7736 x235
EMAIL: publicity@allig.com

THE BLUES MACHINE, KOKO TAYLOR’S BAND, INVOLVED IN VAN ACCIDENT

The Blues Machine, Koko Taylor’s band, was involved in a serious van accident near Black River Falls, Wisconsin early morning on Saturday, August 23. Koko was not in the van at the time. The van was the only vehicle involved in the accident. They were on their way to Thief River Falls, Minnesota for a concert and planned to meet Koko there.

Traveling were guitarist Calvin Louden, guitarist Shunsuke Kikuta, bassist Ricky Nelson, drummer Brian Parker, keyboardist Stanley Banks, driver Jesse Hutson and road manager Lee Threatt (husband to Joyce “Cookie” Threat, Koko’s daughter).

Louden, Kikuta, Nelson, Parker, and Banks all suffered broken bones and required surgery.  Hutson and Threatt were treated and released from the hospital

There were no life-threatening injuries and all are expected to make full recoveries. 

Cards can be sent to individual band members care of Alligator Records, PO Box 60234, Chicago IL 60660.

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Beginning October 26, 2008, guitarist/vocalist Michael “Iron Man” Burks and powerhouse blues singer Shemekia Copeland will perform for U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait as part of the second Bluzapalooza tour this year. During the 12-day tour, they will join blues artists Deanna Bogart, Zac Harmon, Moreland & Arbuckle and Tony Braunagel and The Bluzapalooza All-Star Band.

The tour was created by blues producers Steve Simon and John Hahn and is presented by Armed Forces Entertainment. The first tour, featuring blues/soul vocalist Janiva Magness, legendary R&B singer Bobby Rush and harmonicist Billy Gibson, began on April 1, 2008.

Burks feels privileged to be making the trip. “I’m happy for the chance to show my appreciation for what the troops are doing. For me to play for them is a small gesture compared to the sacrifices they make every day.”

Copeland agrees. “I am deeply honored to be going over there to entertain our troops -- and Lord knows I love to hang out with men in uniforms.”

Bluzapalooza founder and producer Simon states, “We are thrilled to be going back to Iraq and to have so many great blues artists volunteering to go to a war zone. This is certainly an historic event for the blues and for our men and women who so proudly serve our country.”

Co-producer Hahn adds, “Our October tour’s lineup would sell out any blues festival in the country. It's an honor to be able to bring it to our troops.”

Renowned New York photographer, Joseph A. Rosen, a recipient of the “Keeping The Blues Alive” Award from The Blues Foundation, will document this historic tour.

A free limited edition 14-track blues sampler CD will be distributed to the troops, featuring songs from artists on the upcoming tour, the previous tour, as well as other blues stars. All the recorded performances and all the costs involved with the CD, from manufacturing and printing to song publishing and artwork, were donated free of charge.

Artists on the CD, simply titled BLUZAPALOOZA, are, from the first tour: Janiva Magness, Bobby Rush, and Billy Gibson; from the upcoming tour: Michael “Iron Man” Burks, Shemekia Copeland, Moreland & Arbuckle, Zac Harmon and Deanna Bogart; and also The Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, Tinsley Ellis, Watermelon Slim & The Workers, Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, and The JW-Jones Blues Band.

The Bluzapalooza tour is made possible with the help of Armed Forces Entertainment, The Blues Foundation, Blues Revue, Alligator Records, NorthernBlues Music, Blind Raccoon, Delta Groove Records, Blind Pig Records, Hohner Harmonicas, Telarc Records, Sony Corporation, Ruf Records and Entertainment Support Systems, LLC.

Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel serving overseas. Founded in 1951, AFE brings entertainment to more than 500,000 troops each year.