New York, NY– In a career that spans over 50 years, 2011 promises to be the biggest one yet for Dr. John. He will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Mar 14 in a gala ceremony at New York’s Waldorf Astoria. His latest album, ‘Tribal’ (429 Records), is nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album at this weekend’s, and continues to earn unanimous critical acclaim. In addition, his rendition of Randy Newman’s “Down in New Orleans” is nominated for Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media and the ‘Treme’ soundtrack, to which Dr. John contributes the track “Indian Red,” is also nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

Leading up to his RRHOF induction, Dr. John will perform a string of East Coast dates in early March, including two nights of Mardi Gras celebrations in NYC at Sullivan Hall and Le Poisson Rouge

March 4 5. He’ll return to New Orleans May 1 for a Jazz Fest performance before heading to for a summer tour, which will include a stop at Bluesfest in London. See below for initial dates, with more to come.

Dr. John will also stay busy this year working on new material and some exciting, yet-to-be-announced musical collaborations.

Dr. John Tour Dates:
3/3/11 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater 1894
3/4/11 – New York, NY @ Sullivan Hall
3/5/11 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
3/6/11 – Shirley, MA @ Bull Run Restaurant
3/8/11 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
5/1/11 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz Heritage Festival
7/1/11 – London, UK @ Under The Bridge (Bluesfest London)

More on Dr. John here:

http://www.nitetripper.com/

http://shorefire.com/clients/drjohn/

October 7, 8 & 9, 2011

Jackie Robinson Ballpark

105 E Orange Avenue

Daytona Beach, FL 32114-4405 annualdaytonabluesfestival.com

(386)846-7302

For more information

http://annualdaytonabluesfestival.com/

M80s for Red Rocks DVD & Vintage Tubes for New Album at Ardent Studios

Big Head Todd and the Monsters were the first group to embrace the M80 dynamic microphone from TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik, now a favorite stage mic for bands such as Green Day and ZZ Top. For the recording of their new album, “100 Years of Robert Johnson,” the band chose a selection of TELEFUNKEN large diaphragm condenser tube mics, including the U47, AK-47 MkII, ELA M 260, and the stereo AR-70.

The band recorded the new album with producer Chris Goldsmith and engineer Jimmy Hoyson. “For my voice, the new TELEFUNKEN U47 is the best,” said Todd Park Mohr. “I have a low, kind of powerful voice and there’s something about the way that microphone handles the thick end of my voice that’s really wonderful. It’s definitely a vintage sound but it has a beautiful high end as well. It’s a very balanced microphone — very flat, but hi-fi.”

Formed in Colorado, 1986, Big Head Todd and the Monsters consists of Todd Park Mohr (guitars/vocals), Rob Squires (bass/vocals), Brian Nevin (drums/vocals) and Jeremy Lawton (keys/steel guitar/vocals). While recording in Memphis, the band invited special guests B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster to join a grand collaboration for blues and rock fans around the world.

“I was very impressed with the sound of all the new TELEFUNKEN mics,” commented engineer Jimmy Hoyson. “The U47 has great clarity and body, a worthy successor to it’s vintage namesake. The AK-47 MkII was our go-to mic for acoustic guitar – good clarity and low end, and not mid-range heavy in the 500-700 Hz frequencies I like.”

The band recorded in Ardent’s large Studio A, which has ample isolation areas conducive to recording all instruments at once. “I was really happy with the clarity and low end of the ELA M 260 on acoustic piano,” added Hoyson, “and the stereo AR-70 is a terrific room mic — clarity in the high end and warmth in the low end without sounding ‘honky’.”

“I was also impressed with the solid construction of all the TELEFUNKEN mics, including the power supplies, the cabling, the cases — great job all the way around technically. And I’d like to add that the rooms at Ardent have a World Class sound, and there’s a great, professional staff that that takes care of you technically as well as personally.”

BHTM drew from their recent concept tour with David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Hubert Sumlin, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm, playing the music of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. The band has completed a DVD of their recent sold-out show at Red Rocks in Boulder, CO, where their original Beta version TELEFUNKEN M80s handled stage vocals.

“We started using the M80s three years ago as Beta models,” said Jeremy Lawton, keyboardist for the band and producer of the previous “Rocksteady” album. “The M80s have a better low end focus than the common vocal stage mics, making them more predictable and easier to control.”

“We’ve heard it described as an extremely smooth vocal sound from engineers and those who listen to the front of house,” added Big Head Todd himself. “The M80 also has great rejection with a nice proximity effect. I sing really close on mic, and as a guitar player I like having a mic than enable me to hear my voice over everything else.”

To see Big Head Todd and TELEFUNKEN in action at Red Rocks, visit:

To learn more about TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik, visit: http://www.t-funk.com

A celebration of Marvin Sease’s life will be held on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 1:00 p.m., at Word and Worship Church located at 6286 Hanging Moss Rd. in Jackson, Mississippi 39206. The event is open to the public. Bishop Jeffery A. Stallworth is the designated pastor for the church.

About Marvin Sease
Marvin Sease (born February 16, 1946 in Blackville, South Carolina),[1] is blues/soul singer known for his racy lyrics.

Sease started as a gospel artist, joining a gospel group called the Five Gospel Crowns located in Charleston, South Carolina. After singing with them, Marvin then left at age 20 for New York City. At this young age settling into New York, he then joined another gospel group called the Gospel Crowns. Having the deep preference for the musical style of R&B, Marvin left the gospel circuit to form his own R&B group. In this group Marvin Sease was accompanied by his own three brothers and named the backing band Sease. This band did not find popularity and eventually broke up. He did not quit performing musically, but began to cover songs that started a career with a recurring gig at the Brooklyn club Casablanca. Marvin, however, desired his own success singing his own music and greater artistic freedom.

In 1986 he recorded a self titled L.P. featuring one of his more popular songs, “Ghetto Man”. This started his current professional career with his fans in the South’s circuit of bars, blues festivals, and juke joints.

While promoting his self produced and publicized L.P. he entered a record contract with Polygram Records. With this contract, he was able to launch his music nationally with the re-release of his self titled L.P. on Mercury Records in 1987. This updated release of his previous material also included the new ten minute track “Candy Licker,” which became an instant success for Sease through the South.

Success had finally came to Sease even without the help of radio airplay which deemed his sound too explicit for the audience. Over the next decade Sease would release several more records for Mercury and Jive Records, which ranked on the Billboard R&B chart and pop charts. Sease’s success, however, has most notably been linked with his chart topping song “Candy Licker” and has ensured a strong female based following.

He is said to have had a comparable sound to the likes of Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis

Visit The Boogie Report at: http://boogiesmusicreporters.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

More:

http://www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/living_it/article_d11fa238-3478-11e0-b0fc-001cc4c03286.html

Jagger and Saadiq join previously announced performers and nominees Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Muse, and Katy Perry; nominees Justin “What’s a Bieber” Bieber and Usher, with Jaden Smith; nominees B.o.B, Bruno Mars, and Janelle Monae; nominees Drake and Rihanna; and nominee Cee Lo Green, with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets.

Current three-time GRAMMY nominee Dierks Bentley, nine-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee Norah Jones, singer/actor Selena Gomez, two-time GRAMMY winner and actorLL COOL J, current nominee Nicki Minaj, and current nominee Blake Shelton will appear as presenters.

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards (www.grammy.com) will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

The show also will be supported on radio worldwide via Westwood One, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thegrammys. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy’s social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys, www.facebook.com/thegrammys.

In his first-ever live appearance on the GRAMMY stage, Jagger – accompanied by soul singer Saadiq and his band – will honor one of his longtime idols, recently deceased GRAMMY winner Solomon Burke. Jagger has appeared only once before on the GRAMMY telecast (with the Rolling Stones), via satellite from London during the 28th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1986, when Eric Clapton presented the Stones with The Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Arcade Fire, Bieber, B.o.B, Lambert, Mars, Monae, Muse, Paltrow, and Smith will also be performing on the GRAMMY telecast for the first time, and all five Album Of The Year nominees are set to perform on Music’s Biggest Night: Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, and Perry.

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

Fifteen grand prize winners will get unparalleled access to Eric Clapton’s private rehearsal, an exclusive meet and greet and a ticket to see Clapton live at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The London show is the climax of Clapton’s UK tour in support of his 19th studio album, Clapton.

Each and every pack of Ernie Ball electric and acoustic guitar strings purchased at Guitar Center between February 1st and April 30th will give a guitarist the chance to win one of the 15 grand prizes to Experience Clapton in London, simply by visiting www.ernieball.com/ericclapton and entering the unique code provided inside the package. Select packs will also include one of 5 color-coded, instant-winning Eric Clapton guitar picks. Each pick is redeemable for one of thousands of exclusive prizes including free Music Man guitars, VIP trips to the 2012 winter NAMM show and Guitar Center gift cards, depending on the pick’s color.

“Eric Clapton has been playing Ernie Ball strings for nearly 50 years,” said Brian Ball of Ernie Ball. “He is a true guitar legend and a close friend of the Ernie Ball family. We’re thrilled that Ernie Ball and Eric are able to provide our loyal customers with an unparalleled opportunity to experience one of the world’s great guitarists, Eric Clapton, like never before.”

15 Experience Clapton Grand Prize Packages Include:

* Round-Trip Flight & Hotel Accommodations To London, England.
* Once in A Lifetime Access to Attend Eric’s Private Rehearsal.
* Meet & Greet with Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall.
* A Ticket to Clapton’s Royal Albert Hall Concert.

Eric Clapton Picks and Prizes Include:
* Golden Pick – Round-Trip Airfare to Anaheim, CA for the 2012 Winter NAMM Show (10 winners).
* Silver Pick – Custom Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar of your choice (10 winners).
* Red Pick – $100 Guitar Center Gift Cards (150 winners).
* Black Pick – Limited Edition Eric Clapton Lithograph (150 winners).
* White Pick – Free Pack of Ernie Ball Guitar Strings (1,500 winners).

This offer is available exclusively at one of 215 Guitar Center locations in the United States. Experience Clapton codes can be submitted online at www.ernieball.com/ericclapton. Fifteen winners will be selected at random following the promotional period of February 1st to April 30th, 2011

Shake ‘Em On Down is Rory’s second album for Stony Plain and follows her critically acclaimed 2008 label debut, Blues Walkin’ Like A Man, her tribute to the legendary Son House. Along with her 2006 Robert Johnson tribute CD, The Lady And Mr. Johnson, and her last album, Ms. Block has now recorded a trilogy of albums saluting three of her mentors on acoustic blues guitar. Shake ‘Em On Down includes Rory’s scintillating takes on several of McDowell’s classic sides, such as “Kokomo Blues,” “Worried Mind,” “Write Me a Few of Your Lines,” “Woke Up this Morning” and the title track; covers of a few lesser-known McDowell songs plus Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little School Girl;” and four originals written by Rory that focus on her musical relationship with the blues icon. The CD is also being released in conjunction with her long-awaited autobiography, “When A Woman Gets The Blues.”

“I met Fred McDowell at a time in my life when I was most impressionable, and when the effect would deeply inspire and educate,” recalled Block in the new CD’s extensive liner notes. “That experience – along with meeting other surviving country blues masters such as Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Bukka White and Reverend Gary Davis – would become a life-long influence. These experiences are the foundation of my on-going new project, ‘The Mentor Series,’ a growing collection of tribute albums to the masters who I had the distinct privilege of meeting face to face. It was the edge of an era, the fleeting moment when one generation passes the mantle to another. Everything is different now, but the been-there-done-that remains indelibly imprinted on my soul. In the process I am experiencing a kind of rejoicing, a sense of completion and fulfillment of purpose.

“With Fred McDowell I chose to apply an inspired overlay that moved between the old and the new, blues with a tinge of jazz, and my own technique added to the mix… and thus I have a tribute which seemed to derive energy from the man I knew in person in 1965, but which ultimately lives comfortably in 2011. McDowell’s iconic style was a direct bridge between the early acoustic techniques of House, Patton, Waters and Brown-and the electric blues of Bonnie Raitt and other contemporary players.

“Fred was famous for saying ‘I don’t play no rock ‘n’ roll’ – but in fact he did… or if he did not, he practically invented it. He (much like Muddy Waters) taught electric players how to take the rock solid groove of the soul of country blues and bring it into modern music. McDowell was a player who laid down a beat and didn’t let up. His music was formed in a day when the need for the diversion of endless changes didn’t seem to exist. People valued the drive-they wanted to dance and tap their feet. They didn’t require the bridges, choruses, or clever formats our entirely glitzy music business demands today.”

Since her teenage years, Rory Block has been on a blues path that has brought her international recognition as (Guitar Extra proclaimed) “one of the world’s most important preservers of the roots of American music…a national treasure in the form of an uncompromising mature blues artist.” The New York Times summed up a Rory Block performance by stating: “Her playing is perfect, her singing otherworldly, as she wrestles with ghosts, shadows and legends.” And The Blues Foundation said, “Today she is widely regarded as the top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues worldwide.”

In addition to the critical plaudits she’s received over her extensive career, Rory has won five W.C. Handy Awards (now known simply as Blues Music Awards) from The Blues Foundation: two for “Best Traditional Blues Female Artist” and three for “Acoustic Blues Album of the Year.” She also tours constantly all over North America and throughout Europe.

For more information, visit www.roryblock.com or www.stonyplainrecords.com.

His death occurred during his sleep on a visit to the Kempinski Hotel in Estepona, but cause of death is yet to be made public. It was confirmed by his manager, Adam Parsons.

Moore’s greatest influence in the early days came from guitarist Peter Green, of Fleetwood Mac fame, who was a mentor to Moore when performing in Dublin. Green’s continued influence on Moore was later repaid as a tribute to Green on his 1995 album Blues for Greeny, an album consisting entirely of Green compositions. On this tribute album Moore played Green’s 1959 Les Paul Standard guitar which Green had lent to Moore after leaving Fleetwood Mac. Moore ultimately purchased the guitar, at Green’s request, so that “it would have a good home”.

While somewhat less popular in the US, Moore’s work has “brought substantial acclaim and commercial success in most other parts of the world – especially in Europe”. Moore throughout his career has been recognized as an influence by many notable guitarists including Vivian Campbell, Patrick Rondat, Jake E. Lee, John Norum, Joe Bonamassa, Adrian Smith, Randy Rhoads, John Sykes, Kirk Hammett, Gus G.

Moore collaborated with a broad range of artists including George Harrison, Trilok Gurtu, Dr. Strangely Strange, Colosseum II, Albert Collins, Jimmy Nail, Mo Foster, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Jim Capaldi, Vicki Brown, Cozy Powell, the Beach Boys, Ozzy Osbourne and Andrew Lloyd Webber. He experimented with many musical genres, including rock, jazz, blues, country, electric blues, hard rock and heavy metal.

In 1969, aged 16, Moore moved to Dublin to join the group Skid Row with Noel Bridgeman and Brendan “Brush” Shiels. It was with this group that Moore earned a reputation in the music industry, and his association with Phil Lynott began.

Moore released his first solo album in 1973, Grinding Stone (billed as “the Gary Moore Band”). In 1978 his solo career continued with help from Phil Lynott.

The combination of Moore’s blues-based guitar and Lynott’s voice produced “Parisienne Walkways”, which reached the Top Ten in the UK Singles Chart in April 1979 and the Thin Lizzy album Black Rose: A Rock Legend which reached number two in the UK album chart. Moore appears in the videos for Waiting for an Alibi and Do Anything You Want To.

In 1987, Moore collaborated on the UK charity record “Let It Be”, a cover of The Beatles track. Moore performed a guitar solo for inclusion on the recording, which was released under the group-name of ‘Ferry Aid’. The record raised substantial funds for the survivors of the MS Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.

In 1993, Moore was included on a cassette called Rock Classics Vol. 1 with “Run to Your Mama”, and “Dark Side of the Moog”.

Moore was (originally from Belfast) drafted into Thin Lizzy by its singer Phil Lynott. He later gained acclaim for his solo work and was a former member of the Irish group Skid Row.

With Thin Lizzy, and then later in a very successful solo career, Moore had released more than 30 albums. Hit top solo hits were ‘Still got the blues’ and ‘Parisienne Walkways’.

About Gary Moore
Moore grew up on a road opposite Stormont, off the Upper Newtownards Road in east Belfast and started performing at a young age, having picked up a battered acoustic guitar at the age of eight. Moore got his first good-quality guitar at the age of 14, learning to play the right-handed instrument in the standard way despite being left-handed. Moore’s early musical influences were artists such as Albert King, Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Later, having seen Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in his home town of Belfast, his own style was developing into a blues-rock sound that would come to dominate his career.

After a series of rock records, Moore returned to blues music with Still Got the Blues, with contributions from Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison. The album was well received by fans. Moore stayed with the blues format until 1997, when he decided to experiment with modern dance beats on Dark Days in Paradise; this left many fans, as well as the music press, confused. Back to the Blues saw Moore return to his tried and tested blues format in 2001: he continued with this style on Power of the Blues (2004), Old New Ballads Blues (2006), Close As You Get (2007) and Bad For You Baby (2008). Moore also contributed guitar sections to Richard Blackwood’s 2000 album, You’ll Love to Hate This.

Moore also took part in a comedy skit titled “The Easy Guitar Book Sketch” with comedian Rowland Rivron and fellow British musicians Mark Knopfler, Lemmy from Motorhead, Mark King from Level 42, and David Gilmour.

New York, NY City– Dr. John will bring a taste of New Orleans to New York City this spring, when he headlines a weekend of Mardi Gras performances with his band, The Lower 911. On Mar 4, they’ll share the stage at Sullivan Hall with the Marco Benevento Trio and the High & Mighty Brass Band, and on Mar 5, they’ll preside over the Fifth Annual Nolafunk Mardi Gras Ball at Le Poison Rouge with Soul Rebels Brass Band, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, and DJ Cochon de Lait.

The shows come on the eve of Dr. John’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which will be held Mar 14 in a gala ceremony at The Waldorf Astoria in New York and broadcast on Fuse.

Dr. John is also currently nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for ‘Tribal’ (429 Records), which has landed on numerous critics’ Top Ten lists. Most recently, The Patriot Ledger called the album “unforgettable” and “a masterful collection of funk and soul,” while Louisiana Weekly called it one of the “year’s best releases.”

WHO: Dr. John & The Lower 911 w/ Marco Benevento Trio, High & Mighty Brass Band
WHEN: Friday March 4, 2011
WHERE: Sullivan Hall http://www.sullivanhallnyc.com/
TICKETS: $40adv, $45dos (On Sale 1/11) Available at venue box offices, Ticketweb.com, and (866) 468-7619.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://www.nolafunk.com

WHO: Dr. John & The Lower 911 w/ Soul Rebels Brass Band, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, DJ Cochon de Lait
WHEN: Saturday March 5, 2011
WHERE: Le Poisson Rouge http://www.lepoissonrouge.com/
TICKETS: $40adv, $45dos (On Sale 1/11) Available at venue box offices, Ticketweb.com, and (866) 468-7619.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://www.nolafunk.com
Dr. John on the Web:

http://www.nitetripper.com/

http://shorefire.com/clients/drjohn/

Seen nationwide as a PBS special, CD/DVD combo reaps critical praise

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — If blues legends Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan were still alive, they’d be blown away by the reaction to their 28-year-old live collaboration. The 1983 performance, shot in Hamilton, Ontario for the TV series In Session, has sold an astounding 360,000 units as both an audio CD and combined CD/DVD, according to Nielson Soundscan. The deluxe CD/DVD twofer, released on November 9, 2010 on Stax Records has reached #3 on the Billboard Blues Catalog Chart, in which seven albums out of the Top 15 feature Vaughan.

Throughout the month of December 2010, the PBS special program Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan — In Session aired nationally.

The In Session CD/DVD package was the recipient of many great press reviews. “This was a rare, never-to-be-repeated summit, and the groove was deep, dynamic — and masterful,” said USA Today. “The performance was awe-inspiring, and in retrospect, bittersweet: It was the first and last time the two would ever play together on stage,” noted the Christian Science Monitor. News 8 in Austin, Texas declared, “For guitar players and blues fanatics, this is church.” Guitar International opined, “This is what the blues is all about: music solidarity, longevity, and resilience.” And Blues Revue called the package “Essential for fans of either of these blues guitar icons.”

According to Robert Smith, Concord Music Group VP of A&R, Artist & Content Development, “There are things that come along, once in a great while, that just beg to be discovered. In Session with Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of those gems. The purity and simplicity of the performance, the capturing of the moment, is just so powerful. In this age of multi-camera, high-definition shoots, it really proves that it is what is in the show that counts. PBS’s success with it is growing proof of how special the show is. Their success has led to the growing awareness, and sales, of an absolutely great piece of musical history.”

# # #

For more information on the DVD/CD In Session, please contact:
Cary Baker • conqueroo • (323) 656-1600 • cary@conqueroo.com
Joel Amsterdam • Concord Music Group • 310-385-4206 • joel.amsterdam@concordmusicgroup.com