Tommy Z is a contemporary blues guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer from Buffalo, NY who has been described as a “blues treasure” by legendary 97 Rock/WBFO disc jockey Jim Santella, and “one of WNY’s best kept secrets” by Sarah French, Blues Matters Magazine. He is a guitar-driven electric blues-based stylist onstage, but in the studio Tommy composes a variety of music. So while well experienced and studied in traditional blues, jazz and rock styles, Tommy is an artist who puts that soulful blues feeling into all the different styles he plays. He’s been been recognized with numerous awards over the years, including being voted Top Blues Vocalist in Western New York 2003/2004/2006, Top Blues Guitarist 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006 and his band has won the Top Blues/Crossover Blues Band categories 1994, 2005, 2006, and was honored with the Muddy Waters Award for “Artist of the Year” by the Blues Society of WNY in 2004. In 2007 Tommy was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, recognizing him alongside some of the best talent to ever come out of WNY (and also making him ineligible for any more music awards!). He has had the opportunity to perform with/or co-bill with some of the worlds’ top artists in the blues/rock genre including: B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jeff Healey, Colin James, Roomful of Blues, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Peter Frampton, Carey Bell and many more including a tour backing up Grammy-winning blues legend Pinetop Perkins (Muddy Waters Band). Check for more info and audio his band-page!
mei 20
NEW in roster: Tommy Z
mei 10
NEW: HARPER AND MIDWEST KIND
Award-winning Australian singer/songwriter Peter D. Harper — known in the music world simply as “Harper” — creates a heady mix of roots music through his creative use of the harmonica and the haunting drone of the didgeridoo. Harper possesses a strong, resonant voice and a deep, almost mystical approach to music that some might say has evolved into its own genre. By combining traditional and modern influences, borrowing from Western and World music, Harper has created a highly original take on the roots genre which many have labeled “World Blues”. A rich musical stew of ‘50s rhythm and blues, a ‘60s message of love and unity, and ‘70s funky soul, stirred up with masterful harmonica and the deep, woody, percussive tones of the didgeridoo, served up in a feast of timeless mystery. His innovative use of electronic enhancement and feedback, breaks the traditional boundaries of the harmonica, giving his music its distinctive harmonics and effects. The powerful guitar sounds and the unique drone of the didgeridoo create raw yet eerie sonic textures, some how sounding primal and contemporary at the same time. The new album “Show Your Love” is #6 in Billboard Blues Chart. Track ‘Hell Yeah’ is charted in Hit-Tracks Top 100. More info on BAND-PAGE.
mei 01
BLUES DOG IN FINAL DBC2016
We are very proud to announce that Blues Dog. & Friends is qualified for final DUTCH BLUES CHALLENGE 2016. Well done guys!
#DBC2016. Our congratulations also to Ramblin’ Dog. It’s gonna be a lot of barking on the final in October.
apr 25
New in roster: Jartse Tuominen !!
Finnish guitar wizard Jartse Tuominen is not only an exceptionally talented musician but also an ingenious composer and a devoted producer with style and sophistication. His band Jartse Tuominen Group, is formed of the best Finnish musicians. Jartse´s music is instrumental rock with a jazzy flavor.
“How to describe his music? Let´s assume that Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, Al Di Meola, Steve Vai, Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan and Jaco Pastorius were in the audience at a Jartse Tuominen gig. They would certainly recognize aspects of their own music, but they would not be able to keep their butts on the bench.” (Guitar Nine News)
Jartse Tuominen released his fifth solo album “Untold Stories” in Finland on February 19th 2016 and in other European countries & Japan on March 18th 2016. The US & Canadian street date is April 8th. The tour starts from Finland in February and continues to Germany and USA in the spring. Music video “Time to Go” from Untold Stories was released in January 2016 and will be distributed worldwide.
apr 04
NEW in roster: Kareña K
With a voice and classic writing style reminiscent of torch singers past, Kareña can belt out those blues or sizzle with smoky jazz vocals. Hailing from the north of England originally, Kareña came up through the big band scene there before embarking on what became an international music career that has taken her far and wide. She is currently working on her solo album and warming up the new line up. Kareña is also involved in multiple recording projects with Wily Bo Walker, including ‘Moon Over Indigo’, WBW’s solo album, which involves some of the finest musicians from across the globe released September 2015. Track ‘Long Way To Heaven’ was runner up in the final nominations for the 2015 British Blues Awards for Best Blues Song.
Midnight Walk and Temptation Eyes, début tracks from her forthcoming solo album, produced by Wily Bo Walker, are currently on release. More to come in 2016 including live shows with her own band. Check band-page!
mrt 31
NEW in roster: Egg Bites Chicken
mrt 25
NEW in roster: CLEPSYDRA
Italian psychedelic rock band Clepsydra was formed in 2002 by two old friends, Fabio Di Gialluca and Danilo Ricci. They were making noise by hitting the local live scene performing hits from famous bands in the 60’s such as Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, and more and more original songs. Clepsydra released its fourth album “Tropicarium” in May 2015.
Fabio Di Gianluca: vocals & guitar
Marco Biondi: bass & vocals,
Danilo Ricci: drum & percussion,
Sandro Abbondanza: organ, piano rhodes
Check their band-page!
mrt 14
NEW in roster: Jonny Smokes
Seattle-based singer/songwriter Jonny Smokes is redefining the idea of what a one-man-band can really be. Masterfully using a loop sampler with a wide array of effects pedals and different instruments, he will quickly compose full songs right before the audience’s eyes and ears. From his proficiency at multiple instruments to his enthusiastic showmanship, he displays a tremendous talent that leaves crowds amazed, and has a warm and humorous stage personality that has earned him thousands of loyal fans and friends world wide. Performing a wide variety of music styles ranging from laid back folk ballads, upbeat party pop, alternative rock, hip hop and heavy metal, his sonic diversity aims at brings everyone in the room together as one big party that all can enjoy.
The 2013 release of “Embers & Ashes” was adored and praised by fans and critics. The positive messages of the upbeat hard rock “All Green Lights” inspired several radio interviews to turn into long talks about gratitude, while the heart breaking sorrow of the blues single “Gone Too Soon” has brought people to tears night after night, and has been shared at several funerals. After almost 3 years of constant touring, Jonny Smokes finally slowed down just long enough to record and release his latest album “Reflections” (2016) an acoustic styled collection of ballads and introspection. The first single “Dreamer” has live audiences cheering wildly as a nightly encore, and the heart aching new release “Over” is quickly shaping up to become another hit, being popularized by the Dutch television show Giels Talentenjacht and shared by fans across the globe. Check his band-page.
mrt 11
NEW IN ROSTER: Stefano Fucili
Stefano Fucili is an italian singer, songwriter & producer. He makes a sort of pop with folk, acoustic, rock & some electronic influences. His music sounds like: Sting, Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, Lucio Dalla. He makes melodic and romantic ballads and he can sing, play guitar, bass & keyboards. He worked with famous Italian artists like Lucio Dalla, Stefano Melone, Keope, and Francesco Gazzè, and opened the concerts of Laura Pausini, Lucio Dalla, Paola Turci, Nomadi, Ron. Stefano is the 1998 Winner of the famous San Marino Festival.
His latest album “Vita Libera” was released in 2014. On the album are many Italian and international collaborations (Iskra Menarini, Elisa Ridolfi, Tommy Graziani, Anna Hawkins, Valerie Visconti). A compilation album with 18 hits from the past ten years is scheduled for April. Lead single will be ‘Ti Sento’. This a track that recently is used in a tv commercial of Ti Sento Milano. Check his band-page.
mrt 08
NEW IN ROSTER: Tiz McNamara
Tiz McNamara is a singer/songwriter born in Cork – Ireland and living in Liverpool – England. His star is rapidly rising!
Tiz appeared on the 2012 Christmas UK NO.1 single with, Sir.Paul McCartney, Shane McGowan and Robbie Williams, as well as having also co-written an Irish Top 20 hit and reached No.2 on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter chart.
Tiz has also gigged throughout Ireland, UK, Europe and the US and supported the BRITS ‘Critics Choice Winner 2014’ James Bay for some of his UK shows
A new EP and European fall tour is scheduled for August/September. It will be an intimate acoustic duo set with Lisa Falsey. Just piano and vocals.
Check his bandpage !!
feb 26
NEW ALBUM RAIN
NEW ALBUM: Rain > Spacepirates
The Italian hard rock band RAIN is founded in 1980. In their early years they played mainly heavy metal and performed live mostly in Bologna, the hometown of all the first members of the group.
Inspired by a trip to Mexico RAIN recorded in 2013 a semi acoustic album “Mexican Way” with 12 tracks of acoustic rock with a strong Mexican vibe, lyrics in Spanish and English and with the atmosphere from cult movies like “El Mariachi” and “From Dusk ’til Dawn”. The album received excellent reviews from all over the world. With three top 10 hits in a row in the Hit-Tracks Top 100, two of them peaked at #1, the album ended as number 3 (!) in our album year end list of 2014. Just behind Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa’s “Live In Amsterdam” (1) and “High Hopes’ of Bruce Springsteen (2).
“Spacepirates”, the new upcoming studio album, will end the “trip/journey” trilogy started with XXX (2011 – a trip in the past), followed by “Mexican Way”. “Spacepirates” will project RAIN to the future, with a much harder and violent journey that could give rise to a timeless anarchic revolution, an excursion needed to balance a badly crumbling, drifting World.
“Spacepirates” features 9 excellent tracks of pumped-up heavy rock with a killer mix of crushing guitars, catchy hooks and heavy beats. A musically varied album, “Spacepirates” is unabridged and mature, for some it is modern and fresh, for others it is classic RAIN old-school style. The album is produced by Gabriele Ravaglia (Blaze Bayley, Extrema). The cover artwork is made by Umberto Stagni.
Aural Music will release “Spacepirates” on April 15th. Pre-orders will start on April 1st at: www.auralwebstore.com.