May 2022

Bonded by the ties of blood and bone, Brother Elsey unearths its heartfelt sound from the depths of the human spirit.

With brutal honesty, the trio delves into the nuances of the human experience by way of dusty southern rock and endearing Americana, exploring the tension that tears us apart while gripping tightly to the ropes that tie us together.

With humble roots in Detroit, Brother Elsey has just as well found its home on the endless American interstate, packing their weathered songs in equally as weathered suitcases and sharing them with anyone willing to listen.

The band's debut EP, "Matador," drifts from delicately haunting and heart-wrenching to anthemic and inspired. Slowly, carefully, and unapologetically, the album prods open wounds, pulling every ounce of feeling from a phrase before stitching it back up.

Their songs take hold slowly, like a sunrise reaching over the tips of autumn-bound trees or smoke twisting from a smoldering fire into the night sky. Brother Elsey has a way of encapsulating everyday moments within melodies like snapshots from an old polaroid.

From an impressionable age, brothers Jack, Brady, and Beau Stablein found themselves enchanted by music and its ability to share a message or convey meaning. Taking cues from their rambling grandfather and his affinity for classic country songs, the siblings began writing music together in 2010, weaving tales that mirrored their musical inspirations.

Brother Elsey has supported notable acts like Lord Huron, Green River Ordinance, The Paper Kites, The Glorious Sons and J Roddy Walston and the Business. They've performed at such venues as Saint Andrews Hall, The Magic Stick, The Shelter, Gruene Hall and the Kee to Bala. The band has been written about in The Detroit Free Press and its songs "Wildfire" "Matador" and "Sarah" were featured on MTV's Teen Mom. The song Fast Train gained notoriety with Hockey Night Canada and with Chevrolet ads. With the release of their latest string of singles, Brother Elsey plans to tour extensively and release a long awaited collection of songs in early 2022.

Bay Boy releases a new album of original material--"No Regrets" this month.

Eagerly awaited by fans, the tunes build on their reputations as songsmiths and performers of the highest order. Steve Grimm and Xeno on guitars and vocals, Craig Evans on bass guitar and vocals and Scott E. Berendt on drums and percussion draw from and expand on their melodic hard rock roots.

Bad Boy "The Band that Milwaukee Made Famous" remains a vital part of Wisconsin's music scene. Perennial performers at Summerfest and opening national acts like Styx, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Doobie Brothers, Journey and Eddie Money, the band is scheduling 2022 dates throughout the Midwest to support the new release. Performances include fan favorites from their United Artists releases; "Think of You" and "Machines", to classics like "Cheat on e" and "Thunder and Lightening".

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Kharma Shotgun performs a gritty modern take on 60s psychedelia and 70s classic rock. Along with contemplative lyrics, the trio's original music embraces the edgy and melodic nature of those roots.

Animation has been headlining as "A Tribute to RUSH" since their first show in March, 1987 at "Chances R" in Palatine, IL. Animation is a Chicago based 3 Piece RUSH Tribute Band. They are 3 RUSH fanatics who's attention to the details and nuances of RUSH music allow them to re-create an extremely accurate rendition of the original trio's music. The band covers ALL eras of Rush, from the first album, to their latest CD.

They have played many shows, and concerts including opening for The Scorpions, The Doobie Bros., Heart, Asia, Peter Frampton, and STYX.

They even played an adjacent stage from RUSH for 10,000 RUSH fans, TWICE!

WHAT A RUSH!

Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound bring forth a funky, lyrically charged racket that is explosive, yet intimate.

Taking cues from the dance bands of western Louisiana (and his native Midwest,), the streets (and 45's) of New Orleans, touring African and Caribbean combos and the soul, funk & blues of his youth, Paul Cebar is a masterful synthesist of rhythmic culture. His time spent in his second home of New Orleans, as a musicologist in Florida, and as a journeyman wanderer in Cuba, is reflected in his musical worldview.

At the core is gifted songwriting, and the company Paul keeps bears it out: Bonnie Raitt, Nick Lowe, Chris Smither, John Hiatt and Cesar Rosas are among his friends and admirers.

Tomorrow Sound are an elite crew. Drummer Reggie Bordeaux, New Orleans native percussionist Mac Perkins, and bassist Mike Fredrickson, throw down some of the best dance grooves in the business. Multi-instrumentalist Bob Jennings adds the luxury of implying a much larger ensemble with his multi-hued contributions on keys and reeds.

Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound's latest album is "Fine Rude Thing" . The songs "Baby Shake" and "You Owe it to Me" feature Cebar's unique mixture of R&B, Caribbean and New Orleans style.

Featuring Terry Rogers, Jubu Smith, Shonn Hinton & Shotgun

In March 2021, The Rumjacks released their fifth studio album 'Hestia', rejuvenating the bands collaborative spirit, and marking an explosive new era of energy and creative release.

Hestia introduced new singer and songwriter Mike Rivkees on lead vocals, heralding a refreshing evolution for the band that connected fans old and new. The album was an unmitigated success, both critically and artistically, and signified a fresh page in the story of The Rumjacks.

Invigorated by the release of Hestia, The Rumjacks quickly went back into the studio to record 'Brass for Gold' EP, capitalising off their new sense of artistry.

"After the amazing response we had from Hestia's release, we knew we had to back it up, do it justice and show we aren't messing around with any of this," Bassist Johnny McKelvey said.

"I guess while COVID 'slowed everyone down' it just made us want to work harder, record more music, plan and think ahead to when all this mess ended that would be ahead in every way"

The resulting EP a clear representation of a band finding a new voice and making sure that voice is heard as loud as possible. Grounded by the eclectic Celtic punk sound that The Rumjacks have become synonymous with, 'Brass for Gold' sees the band dig deeper into their ska and hard rock influences, all the while holding onto the defiant energy that ignites their sound.

While 'Hestia' had the band conquering a global pandemic in order to record, 'Brass for Gold' saw the boys united in person for the first time. Producing a sound that is seamless and cohesive.

"Brass for Gold is as much as an EP can possibly offer and still be called an EP. In true Rumjacker fashion, these songs represent a variety of different stories. The topics range from lovesick nostalgia, to misfortunate war heroes, and a few lighthearted drinking songs for good measure," Rivkees said.

"While some EP's tend to be quite experimental, Brass for Gold represents a solid continuation of the newly reformed Rumjacks. Once again stating (almost literally in some of the lyrics) we are passionate and dedicated songwriters."

From the raucous comradery of first single 'One For The Road' to the crashing crescendo of 'Blinding Flashes' to the confident sentimentality of 'Falling Back', the cumulative energy of 'Brass For Gold' sees the band communicate one thing loud and clear.

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Playing a positive-natured brand of hardcore-tinged Celtic punk, Flatfoot 56 has been unleashing itself upon America and the rest of the world for over 16 years now. Forming in 2000, the Chicago natives achieved nationwide attention with their first two label-backed records, 2006's Knuckles Up and 2007's Jungle of the Midwest Sea. These releases built on a heavy dose of previously established regional notoriety, helping the band gain steam early on.

While each record received its fair share of acclaim, the quintet exploded onto a new level with 2010's Black Thorn. Landing the band on a total of 9 Billboard Charts, Flatfoot 56 proved it could consistently reach an expanding audience while treading in a genre not often associated with widespread success. This success was advanced even further with song placements in the hit TV series "Sons of Anarchy" and the video game "Watchdogs".

After the success of "Blackthorn" Flatfoot hit the studio yet again in 2012 to record their Paper and plastic records backed "Toil" album. This album would further solidify the band as a consistent force to be reckoned with.

Frontman Tobin Bawinkel (vocals/guitar) is now set to lead Flatfoot 56 on in their furious march forward. Armed with his brother Kyle (bass), along with Eric McMahon (bagpipes/guitar), Brandon Good (mandolin/guitar/vocals) and Conrad Allsworth (Drums) , Flatfoot 56 is in the process of getting ready to release their 7th full length studio album.

Flatfoot 56's new album called "Odd Boat" was produced by Matt Allison at Atlas studios in Chicago. "We decided that since the last experience at Atlas Studios was so beneficial, we wanted to repeat it," Bawinkel said. "We have been friends with Matt for a few years now and we love the work that he and his studio engineers do."

The band entered the Studios in August to record its first self release album in ten years. "We have been working with labels so long that we decided that we wanted to have more of a say in how our music gets distributed and promoted. We are excited about this next season," Bawinkel said. "As a band we have all grown a lot over the years and we wanted to stretch ourselves even further. Self release is a good way to do this."

To classify Chris Duarte simply as a Blues Man is an understatement. In his own words, "rockin' blues" or "punk blues" describes him best. "Ferocious blues" also fits. Legend has it that Chris will play so hard that his fingers bleed in a set. The legend is true. Photos attest.

Chris Duarte is a road warrior playing more than 150 dates a year. As well, Chris has headlined major festivals and clubs throughout the US, Canada and Europe.

Chris is a savant, a sorcerer of tone, a master at channeling the spirits and sounds of great musicians of our past, while remaining completely recognizable in his own sound. He has shared his stage with many of the greatest musicians of our time as well as the multitude of "young lions" and local musicians he meets on the road. From his many years as a side man in Austin, he easily changes roles from front to side, graciously allowing all to share the conversation of the jam.

Chris Duarte's music is ever changing. In many interviews, he has said "Music must evolve." His own early offerings often become magical journeys into changing tempo and jazzy interludes before returning to their core. With such a vast catalog of recordings, there are no two shows alike. Every set list is different, and each song may be offered distinctly, based on the feel of a show and the audience. For those reasons, loyal fans often return to a Chris Duarte show again and again, and always walk away awed and satisfied to have witnessed such a legendary, but humble guitarist.

The Chris Duarte Group emerged on the scene out of Austin, Texas in the early 90's and gained notoriety after wowing a packed room of industry insiders at the South X Southwest convention. In the wake of Stevie Ray Vaughan's passing, Duarte quickly gained a National reputation as young man imbued with a playing style comparable at times to the late guitarist. After fielding interest from a number of labels, Duarte signed to Silvertone Records and his debut album "Texas Sugar/Strat Magik" reportedly sold in excess of 100,000 units in the United States, no small feat for a blues/rock guitarist. This coupled with Duarte's strong commitment to touring, was the impetus for Chris' winning the "Best New Talent" in Guitar Player's 1995 Reader's Poll. He also finished fourth in the magazine's "Best Blues Guitarist" category that year behind legends Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King.

"Music chose me. I vividly recall trying to sing like Louis Armstrong's 'Hello Dolly' in our Brooklyn apartment. It came on the radio often. I knew I was small, but when I researched what year this version was on the charts, I was floored with the realization that I was two years old!"

And so, Joanna Connor's musical odyssey began. The soundtrack of her childhood in her adopted hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts was diverse and bounteous. The Blues was part of the lexicon. Joanna's favorite record as a child was Taj Mahal's "Take A Giant Step/ The Old Folks At Home".

Seeing Buddy Guy perform at a local university at the age of 10 left a paramount impression. Playing saxophone, guitar and singing through her school years were her passions, and eventually led to her performing professionally at age 17.

But her hunger to become a guitarist first and foremost and her desire to immerse herself in the Blues, propelled her to move to Chicago in 1984.

"It was my university. I went out every night of the week. Within a month I had my first gig with the legendary Johnny Littlejohn. A few weeks later I became a part of Dion Payton and the 43rd St Bluesband. We were the house band at the Checkerboard Lounge, on the south side of Chicago, then owned by Buddy Guy. That's when my schooling kicked into overdrive. I played with Buddy, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Sammy Lawhorn, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Magic Slim, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor, just to name a few. I was blessed."

Joanna went on to form her own band in 1988 with weekly appearances at the Kingston Mines in Chicago. Her formidable guitar playing, and distinctive soul-churning vocal ability caught the attention of Blind Pig Records, who released her debut album "Believe It" in 1990.

National and International accolades in the press and radio media resulted into a decade of world tours, a dozen recordings on Ruf Records, MC Records and others, a documentary on Germany's WDR Television, and a multitude of TV appearances and radio features.

Joanna and band shared stages with Blues, Rock and Jazz greats, including Luther Allison, BB King, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Robben Ford, Danny Gatton, Robert Cray, Jimmy Page, ZZ Top, Joe Cocker, Etta James, and others.

Joanna signed endorsement deals with Gibson Guitars, Victoria Amps and Orange Amps.

In 2005, she took a hiatus from touring to spend time at home raising her young daughter. Two 15 plus year residencies at the House of Blues and The Kingston Mines, honed Joanna's considerable guitar and vocal chops even further.

While working continuously in Chicago, a handful of videos of her incendiary slide guitar solos went viral creating quite a sensation and garnering attention from media and established musicians alike. Joe Bonamassa sought her out and offered to produce the kind of record he felt Joanna had always had in her and should deliver to the world. 4801 South Indiana is this record, a blues record that delivers all the raw emotion, passion, and fire that made the Blues so compelling from its inception. Joe Bonamassa did not merely produce, arrange, and play on the record, he enabled and inspired Joanna to pull from deep within her all of what her life in music had given her. While steeped in tradition, the recording is no museum piece, it is alive and it is kicking, once-in-a-lifetime Blues.

When Matt Andersen steps on stage, he brings a lifetime of music to every note he plays. His presence is informed by decades of cutting his teeth in dusty clubs, dim-lit bars, and grand theatres all over the world, delivering soulful performances that run the gamut from intimate to wall-shaking. In the studio, he's always brought the same attention to detail and commitment to craft as he has to his live show, and the result - a multi-faceted and poignant body of work - has led him to amass over 18 million streams on Spotify and 18 million views on YouTube.

In addition to headlining major festivals, clubs and theatres throughout North America, Europe and Australia, he has shared the stage and toured with Marcus King, Beth Hart, Marty Stuart, Greg Allman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Randy Bachman, Jonny Lang, Serena Ryder, and more.

Andersen nabbed the 2013 and 2016 European Blues Awards for Best Solo/Acoustic Act, was the first ever Canadian to take home top honours in the solo category at the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, won the CIMA Road Gold award in 2015, and has won multiple Maple Blues Awards.

Maybe the only remarkable thing about me is that my musical quest has been absolutely continuous. I honestly have never stopped. From the time I was a little rug rat in St. Louis Park, I've been poking around and exploring, in my mind, on a guitar, looking for a connection, a pathway from emotion to sound and back again. I tinker and fumble for methods to crack into the strongbox of your heart -- and my heart -- to release what's in there. I'll try any little trick, any combination of words and sound that can bring us to that moment of revelation. And the best way for me is to make that happen is when when we're all together.

Beyond connecting with you through music, I truly want to understand the universe and where we stand within it. I want to believe that love and kindness are somehow at the base of everything. But mostly, I want to know the truth, what is real. For now, all I can do is to keep looking around corners, seeking for light. And whatever I find, I'll try to bring it to you.

"There's a young lady [Vanessa Collier] came onstage with me, I forget where I was, but she's playing an alto saxophone, and man, she was amazing."

Those are the words of Buddy Guy in a recent issue of American Blues Scene, describing an impromptu performance with Vanessa Collier on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. If you haven't been fortunate enough to meet Vanessa and witness one of her head-turning, fiery, and passionate performances, you should definitely make sure you do. As a master musician and multi-instrumentalist, Vanessa Collier, weaves funk, soul, rock, and blues into every powerful performance and she is downright impressive. With soulful vocals, searing saxophone, and witty songwriting, Vanessa is blazing a trail, racking up an impressive arsenal of honours, and has already singled herself out as an artist of distinction and one we would all do well to watch.

It's not simply the accolades she has accumulated so far, although they've been many -- two Blues Music Awards for "Horn Player of the Year", seven Blues Music Award Nominations (BMAs), a Blues Blast Award nomination, the Jammingest Pro Award bestowed by the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, First Place for lyrics in the International Songwriting Competition, Best of 2014 Blues Breaker on Dan Aykroyd's BluesMobile -- it's the fact that she has accumulated all these honours even while her career is still in its infancy. A 2013 graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, she's toured nationally and internationally, released three critically acclaimed albums (2014's Heart, Soul & Saxophone, 2017's Meeting My Shadow, and 2018's Honey Up), and released her highly anticipated fourth album, Heart on the Line, to crowdfunders in May 2020. Honey Up spent 9 weeks atop the Billboard Blues Album Charts Top 15, 3 months on the Living Blues Charts at #10 and #23, and continues to be spun on Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville radio station!

It's not surprising that the press has been quick to commend her efforts as well. Blues Blast Magazine affirms, "Vanessa Collier is a fresh face on the American blues scene, and in addition to her soulful vocals, she brings a mighty sax to the table..." Blues Music Magazine proclaims, "Collier is a fresh face who comes to the blues stage carrying her reed instruments, a dual degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, a major label debut, almost two years of touring with Joe Louis Walker, and a mature musical vision...Collier commands center stage with her vocals, soloing, and stage presence." Midwest Record exclaims, "This bluesy singing sax player knows how to bring the slinking funk to her captivating, award winning sound that has echoes in young Bonnie Raitt/Maria Muldaur vocal sounds...Killer stuff on every level, this sounds like one of the reasons you first became a music fan. Killer stuff." and AXS.Com declares that she "might as well go ahead and add another shelf to her trophy case because clearly, she's going to need it. With a voice that often recalls that of blues-rock stalwart Bonnie Raitt, Collier turns up the heat..."

Having first picked up the saxophone at the age of nine, Collier embarked on her road to recognition at Berklee, earning dual degrees in Performance and Music Production & Engineering. While still completing her degree, Collier landed a position touring with Joe Louis Walker for a year and a half before Joe encouraged her to strike out on her own. And strike out she did.

These days, Collier spends much of her time on the road, performing at some of the most prestigious music festivals in the world. Her talents have taken her to the Blues Music Awards Show where, in the words of the Blues Foundation, Vanessa "blew the doors off the Blues Music Awards!"; Ottawa Blues Festival, where she earned two front page newspaper photos and rave reviews after her foot stomping debut there; twice on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, where she earned the Jammingest Pro Award and was a featured artist with Tommy Castro's Blues Review; Briggs Farm Festival, where she was the "most popular Briggs Farm act in 2017" (Elmore Magazine), and the list continues. In 2017, Vanessa was also a featured artist in three major tours across Europe as part of Ruf's 2017 Blues Caravan.

In early 2018, Vanessa was nominated for TWO 2018 Blues Music Awards, the first one for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, which puts her in elite company with artists such as Beth Hart, Samantha Fish, and Shemekia Copeland, and a second nomination for Instrumental -- Horn Player of the Year, in company with veteran artists like Trombone Shorty, Al Basile, and Jimmy Carpenter.

As for Collier, she says she's happy performing on stages across the world, hoping that she can make a difference with fans and followers along the way. "I am driven to do this because I find it a total form of expression and connection," she explains. "I love connecting with an audience and feeling their energy and I hope to inspire people to follow their dreams and passions, to find what brings them joy, and then to pursue it doggedly." Vanessa also takes that message to young people as she runs clinics across the country and is active with Blues in the Schools programs. At a recent Blues in the School program, Vanessa invited a stage full of elementary and middle school aged kids up to dance around her while she performed a blues shuffle. Watching the joy on the faces of Vanessa, the kids, and everyone in the auditorium, it is no wonder why Vanessa has become awe-inspiring to all who meet her. On top of talent and hard work, Vanessa shares an incredible heart and a strong purpose. To borrow from the words of an article in Blues Blast Magazine, "Vanessa is an important part of the future of the blues, and it would be cool to support her journey.

The World's First and Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band

It's no surprise that Metalachi are beloved by Billy Idol and Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows.

Hailing from Los Angeles, the five band members started out as classically trained mariachi musicians. They're now the world's first and only heavy metal mariachi band.

They combine the humor of Steel Panther, the flamboyancy of GWAR, and the eclectic rawness of Rob Zombie. There's also a little dose of Spinal Tap and a hit of Cheech & Chong. The music is classic metal covers from artists like Metallica fused with classic mariachi by Vicente Fernandez and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. Their setlist is punctuated by comedic interludes and skits.