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| The Jayhawks were definitely swimming against the tide when they emerged from a crowded Minneapolis music scene halfway through the 1980s - a memorable decade that saw the likes of the Replacements, Soul Asylum, Husker Du and Prince put Minnesota on the musical map in a big way. Forging a rootsy sound that wasn't quite rock or country - "Hank Williams on speed" somebody once memorably called it - The Jayhawks quickly turned into one of the most important bands of the post-punk era. Over the course of two decades, several albums, countless memorable live shows and enough personal drama to fill a couple of Behind the Music episodes, this beloved band soared to heights few ever achieve while wining the hearts and minds of numerous critics, fans and peers in the process. Named after "The Hawks" - as in "Levon and the Hawks," the name of Dylan's backing band in the 60s before they became known as "The Band" - The Jayhawks and their fellow travelers even helped make the world safe again for artists who weren't afraid to fuse traditional rock, country and folk influences into something that was both timeless and modern, just like the best American bands always have. Formed by Mark Olson, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman and Norm Rogers in early 1985, The Jayhawks original members all came from a variety of Minneapolis bands toiling away in the hyperactive local club scene at the time. Prolific and highly motivated, the band amassed a staggering number of original songs in a very short time, culminating with a self-released eponymous debut album in 1986. After a tumultuous period that found the band actively seeking a recording contract, The Jayhawks finally landed with Twin/Tone Records, the seminal Minneapolis indie label that released early records by the Replacements and Soul Asylum. Blue Earth, released in 1989, was a quantum leap forward from the first album and garnered widespread positive reviews. It also caught the ear of Def American producer/A&R rep George Drakoulias, who legendarily heard Blue Earth playing in the background during a call to the Twin/Tone offices. Drakoulias' interest eventually led to a contract with Def American and the release of the band's two best known albums, Hollywood Town Hall (1992) and Tomorrow the Green Grass (1995). Supplemented by new members Karen Grotberg on keyboards and drummer/vocalist Tim O'Reagan, the Jayhawks toured steadily during this time and developed a solid reputation as an ace live band and a force to be reckoned with in the burgeoning "Americana" scene, an association the band has always viewed with mixed feelings. During this "golden age," it seemed that The Jayhawks were always a break or two away from major stardom; their potential was as limitless as the pile of classic songs they were cranking out apparently at will. Frustrated by the major label rat race, founding member Mark Olson suddenly quit the band in late 1995, shocking fans and fellow band members alike. Olson packed up and headed to the Mojave Desert with his new wife, singer Victoria Williams, to embark on a solo career unencumbered by the restrictions inherent to the corporate music business. Louris and the rest of the band laid low for a while and then surprised nearly everyone by continuing on without Olson while keeping the band name. Augmented by Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run) and Jessy Greene (Geraldine Fibbers), and paying little heed to their previous playbook, The Jayhawks released Sound of Lies in 1997, a dark, moody modern pop masterpiece that evoked fond memories of everything from Big Star to The Beatles. To prove that they really had wiped the old slate clean, the band enlisted flamboyant uber-producer Bob Ezrin for their next album, Smile (2000). Teeming with an adventurous spirit and some of the best songs Louris had written to date, Smile boldly charted new territory for the band (even incorporating drum machines into a Technicolor soundscape that included everything from hard rock to psychedelia), effectively providing a clean break with their supposed traditional roots. Many long time fans were befuddled but the New York Times called Smile "a classic." The band's live shows during this period (with Jen Gunderman replacing Grotberg, who left to raise a family) found the band at the top of their game, with shows routinely running over 2 hours and featuring a healthy dose of Olson-era material, pleasing new and old fans alike. After a revelatory acoustic tour in 2003 with the core trio of Louris, Perlman and O'Reagan, the next chapter in The Jayhawks Saga found them retrenching somewhat to the "classic" sound of their earlier albums. Sparingly produced by Ethan Johns, Rainy Day Music was chock full of catchy songs that tied together sounds and influences from every chapter of the band's career. The band - now reduced to a trio with the addition of touring member Stephen McCarthy, a veteran roots rocker and guitar slinger - mounted the heaviest touring schedule and promotional blitz of their career, resulting in their highest charting album ever. Sadly, the momentum couldn't be sustained and one of the most exciting American bands in recent history quietly went on hiatus in 2004. The ensuing years found Louris, Perlman and O'Reagan embarking on a variety of projects; all three have released solo albums in recent years. Louris also kept busy with numerous songwriting collaborations, production work, soundtracks and even the revival of longtime side-project, Golden Smog, a proverbial "supergroup" featuring members of Soul Asylum and Big Star, as well as Jayhawkers Perlman and Johnson. Significantly, after years of estrangement, Olson and Louris finally reunited for a couple of well-received tours, followed by Ready For the Flood in 2009, their first full length studio project together in 15 years. Even though the door to the future was never officially closed, long time fans were still surprised - and overjoyed - with the news in 2008 that the Tomorrow the Green Grass-era lineup of the band with Mark Olson would be reuniting for some summer festival shows in Europe. The good news kept on coming in 2009 with more reunion shows and the release of the band's first retrospective, The Jayhawks Anthology, a multi-disc collection personally supervised by Louris that featured key tracks from all phases of the bands career, a disc of rarities and a DVD. 2010 saw the long awaited re-release of the bands long out-of-print, highly collectable first album, as well as the launch of a massive reissue project of all the band's major label albums. During June 2010, the "classic" lineup of the band performed a three night stand at Minneapolis' legendary First Ave. club, the scene of so many great Jayhawks memories over the last quarter century. Anyone who was lucky enough to witness any of those recent shows knows all too well that the spirit of this essential American band is alive and well. ABIGAIL WASHBURN "A daring, definite talent, whose feel for the folk idiom results in moving material. Soulful is the word"-- Wall Street Journal "Washburn stomped and skipped through fiery Appalachian takes on the local songs of Sichuan. Her bilingualism's no gimmick; she nails the dips and peaks of pitch while leading her band in scorching variations on simple, repetitive traditional melodies…” – L.A. Times “{Abigail Washburn is} an artist who best embodies the notion of Americana as a worldwide musical language" – The Tennessean Beijing. A smoke-filled club bustling with people, clanging of bottles, chatter. There is a woman on stage with her banjo. She begins to sing old-time Appalachian music in Chinese. The effect produced is entirely original, a cultural mash-up between two distant yet not so different worlds. The crowd quiets down to listen. Abigail Washburn never set out to be a songwriter, recording artist or a producer. Her performance at that smoke- filled Beijing club would prove to be an important step toward international acclaim and attention from discerning critics. Abigail has created a new sound – a sound that challenges traditional notions of culture and countries. Abigail planned to move to China after a road trip up the east coast, but instead she stumbled upon a professional music career. This east coast trip included a stop at the International Bluegrass Music Association conference in Louisville, KY where she intended to learn a few banjo tunes but walked away with a demo session for a record deal in Nashville, TN. She canceled her one-way ticket to China and moved to Nashville. Shortly thereafter in 2004 she joined Uncle Earl. The "all G'earl" group released two records on the Rounder label, She Waits for Night (2005) and Waterloo, TN, (2007) the latter of which was produced by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. In the midst of touring with Uncle Earl, Washburn released her first solo debut, and bilingual album, Song of the Traveling Daughter, (Nettwerk). At that point, Abigail joined cellist, Ben Sollee, in performing her music around the globe. In 2005 Abigail, Ben and a few talented friends (Béla Fleck on banjo and Casey Driessen on fiddle) formed the Sparrow Quartet and toured China. In 2006, the US State Department and the American Center for Educational Exchange requested that the group come back to lead the first official tour of a US band in Tibet. In May 2008, the Sparrow Quartet released Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet (Nettwerk) which was praised by critics and appeared on several “best of” lists from prominent publications. Produced by Béla Fleck and composed/arranged by the unconventional foursome, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet became an "intimate exploration of crossing global and cultural lines," says Abigail, who feels a reverence for both American and Chinese cultures. The unprecedented combination of two banjos (clawhammer and three-finger- style), cello and five-string fiddle unfolds -live and on record- in a dreamlike chamber suite. From the flawless ‘Overture" and harrowing revival, "Strange Things," to the interplanetary, Puccini-inspired old-time fairy tale, "Great Big Wall in China," this record highlights the brilliant musicianship of each individual, but is at the same time much larger than the sum of its parts. In 2008 and 2009, Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet toured extensively throughout the US and Canada with appearances at festivals including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, Merlefest, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival and many more. They were invited by the US State Department to play in China including several performances in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic games. In addition, the were filmed on National Geographic Live in Washington, DC and were invited to be a part of the Clearwater Concert, a benefit concert in celebration of Pete Seeger's 90th birthday along with a line-up of some of the most prominent, established musicians in the world. For Abigail and the Sparrow Quartet, 2008 was a year full of accomplishments and successes. But Abigail does not stop. She is a force of nature that continually attracts others to become a part of her art. Enter The Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP) producer Dave Liang. Abigail and Dave first collaborated to produce two electronic remixes of Sparrow Quartet songs released in April 2009. In December 2008, Abigail served as a resident teacher at the Sichuan University Art School teaching traditional US music. In the hours after school was finished, she volunteered for Sichuan Quake Relief performing at earthquake relocation schools. The experience with the students and teachers after the performances left her wanting to do something to help. In early March, 2009, Abigail had the idea to create Afterquake, a benefit EP in memory of the May 12, 2008 Sichuan Earthquake which left more than 5 million people homeless and hundreds of thousands dead. Abigail and The Shanghai Restoration Project united again to go to Sichuan Province, to the relocation schools and into the disaster zone to capture the voices of those affected by the earthquake and sample sounds from the schools and the disaster zone. They sampled, recorded and produced Afterquake in two and a half weeks in Sichuan province. The final result is a beautiful, timeless, intelligent and accessible musical document that blends folk and electronic sounds with post-earthquake samples. A portion of all proceeds will go to the Sichuan Quake Relief organization. Whether playing her banjo, or producing an electronic album, there is an undeniable element of Abigail Washburn in every project she embraces. Abigail's spirit and philosophy translate from language to language and bind countries, cultures and genres. "As more and more people engage in this struggle for a new direction for the human spirit, we'll recognize that we're morphing into a global species." ---Abigail Washburn |
| Alternative Country and Rock from the Twin Cities The Jayhawks with opening guest Abigail Washburn Saturday, February 11, 2012 Club 9ONE9, 919 Douglas St., Victoria BC (Below Strathcona Hotel) Doors 6:00pm - Show 7:00pm - EARLIER SHOW Tickets: $35.00 advance / $40 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St. and Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. The Jayhawks website: www.jayhawksofficial.com Abigail Washburn website: www.abigailwashburn.com |
| For being all instrumental, Pavlo's Mediterranean music speaks for itself. In his 9th album,"Six String Blvd" Pavlo incorporates the world's most exotic instruments into his classic Mediterranean sound. Influenced by his travels, you will be captured by the Chinese Ehru; the Portuguese Guitarra; the Arabic Flute; the Indian Sitar and of course the Greek Bouzouki. Pavlo has come full circle since he introduced his Mediterranean brand in 1998, once again recording an All-Instrumental album. Complete with all brand new compositions, this album highlights Pavlo's unmatched ability to melodically unite world instruments into his sound seamlessly, all the while staying true to his distinct Mediterranean guitar signature. It has never been more convincing, Pavlo is a TRUE WORLD artist, and has become famous for bringing every audience to their feet. Pavlo continues to tour worldwide performing over 150 shows per year and is still driven by his father's famous words: "Have the courage to do what you love, and the drive to do it well." Discography Pavlo has nine albums one DVD and one collaboration. In order of release: * Pavlo (1998) * Fantasia (2000) * I Feel Love Again (2002) * Frostbite - Music for the Holidays (2003) * Mediterranean Lounge (2004) * Irresistible (2005) * Live at Massey Hall (2007) * Live: Mediterranean Nights (CD and DVD 2008) * Trifecta - Pavlo, Rik Emmett Oscar Lopez collaboration (2009) * Six String Blvd (2011) Awards, Nominations and Highlights: * PBS Special "Pavlo: Mediterranean Nights" - aired nationally by networks: Bravo and CBC Bold in Canada and PBS in the U.S.A. * Best Instrumental Album of the Year for "Trifecta" (2010 - Juno Nomination - Canada's Equivalent to the Grammy's) * Best Instrumental Album of the Year for "Fantasia" (2000 - Juno Nomination) * Performs average of 150 concerts per year * Half Million Records Sold worldwide * Two Gold Albums (Fantasia and Pavlo) * Selected and Performed for His Royal Highness Prince Charles (April, 2001) * In 2002, Pavlo won a lawsuit against R&B Mega Stars: R-Kelly and Jay-Z. The R&B stars sampled Pavlo's music and made a Top 10 hit song "Fiesta" based on Pavlo's original melody "Fantasia". Pavlo's actual guitar work was lifted and placed repeatedly into the song 27 times. Pavlo now shares in the publishing of the song as a co-writer. * World Artist of the Year (2005) * Billboard Top 10 (May, 2005) * Touring Artist of the Year (2006) * Montreal Jazz Festival - Headlined Main Stage for 20,000 + people (2006) * Top Choice Awards 2006 "Greek Man of the Year" * Top Choice Awards 2007 "Greek Man of the Year" * Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year (2007 Nomination) * Music Featured in "So You Think You Can Dance"; Marine Life (starring Cybil Shepherd); CTV's Eleventh Hour;Just Cause; Showcase/Showtime L Word; The Chris Isaak Show (2 episodes) * Pavlo owns his own line of nylon string acoustic guitars retailing online and across Canada, called "Pavlo, Signature Series". * Pavlo is known for giving away his guitar to someone in the audience at EVERY concert! * Pavlo has developed his own wine: a signature reserve "Pavlo" Meritage produced by multi-award winning winery, Mastronardi Estate Winery, located near Lake Erie's North Shore in Kingsville, Ontario For more info: www.mastronardiwines.com * Pavlo is the North American Spokesperson for Batten Disease Awareness. Batten Disease is a rare and always fatal degenerative brain disease that affects children. For more info: www.bdsra.org * Pavlo organized a Canadian Guitar Trio made of himself and 2 Time Juno Award Winner, Oscar Lopez and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Rik Emmett (Rock Group, Triumph). Together they composed all songs on their album "Trifecta" which was later nominated for 2010 Juno, and they completed a national sold out tour. |
| David Gogo is one of Canada's hardest working blues-rock guitarists, and he has a string of remarkable accomplishments to show for it. Gogo has garnered three Juno Nominations, the Saturday Night Blues' Great Canadian Blues Award for a lifetime contribution to the blues in Canada, WCMA Musician of the Year, and has twice been named Maple Blues Guitarist of the Year. Over the years, he has performed with blues and rock legends B.B. King, Bo Diddley, George Thorogood, ZZ Top, and numerous others - most recently touring with Johnny Winter on Canada's west coast. His eleventh release, Soul Bender, is adding even more acclaim to an already impressive list Soul Bender features outstanding new tracks; some Gogo originals and a few covers that run the gamut of sources and styles (Procol Harum, Elmore James, The Doors, Michael Jackson) but infused with a Gogo twist. The album was recorded by Rick Salt at Lois Lane Studios, where five of Gogo's previous albums have been recorded. Every effort was made to capture the feel of Gogo's incredible live shows, and the result showcases Gogo's best guitar and vocal performances ever! Soul Bender is a sizzling, hard-rocking blues album that is filled with heavy grooves, grit and emotion. Gogo continues to tour relentlessly, bringing his cutthroat wit and virtuosic blues guitar playing to festivals and headline performances across Canada and the US this summer in support of the new album. He will tour Holland this fall in support of the European release, and the rest of Europe in 2012. |
| Canadian Blues Icon David Gogo Trio Saturday, April 14, 2012 Hermanns Jazz Club, 753 View St., Victoria BC Doors 6:00pm - Show 8:00pm Tickets: $23.50 advance / $25 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St. and Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. David Gogo website: www.davidgogo.com |
| After 35 years of providing the world with reggae music, Third World continues to be one of the most recognized reggae groups out of Jamaica. Popularly know as “The Reggae Ambassadors”, Third World continues to travel the world to satisfy the many fans that enjoy their brand of music. Third World is more than just one of the top Reggae bands of all time, it is an institution. An institution that stands for producing and performing music that continues to push the cutting edge of music worldwide, while holding firm to the cultural and ancestral roots of its members. It is an institution whose themes are positive, progressive and internationally relevant. Formed in 1973, Third World is committed to the excellence of reggae music by combining Jamaican Reggae and Folk music with all strains of African Rhythms, American Pop, Rhythm & Blues, Rap and Classical music. Third World is one of the longest running and most diverse bands Jamaica has ever produced. Born out of a drive to write and perform original material incorporating reggae, rock and funk, and a desire to tour and take music to a wider audience, this group, Third World, was conceived. Having had some band member changes over the years, Third World continues to perform with 6 members, with three of the original core members at the forefront. Third World continues to perform in all corners of the world, to make music with new albums always being released, and to give back to the community by adapting and supporting life saving charities like: “The Jamaican Children’ s Heart Fund Inc.” PAULA FUGA www.paulafugamusic.com & www.myspace.com/paulafuga Mike Love and Paula Fuga’s band (Dubkonscious) : www.dubkonscious.com Paula Fuga is a musician on a mission. Though many play music for the platitudes or acclaim, Paula plays music for a culture, spreading the thoughtful and evocative voice of the Hawaiian people across the world. Not content to be merely a widely respected artist, Paula has taken on the mantle of cultural ambassador---using her talent as an instrument to help bring about positive social change within her islands and beyond: performing at benefit concerts for charter schools, instilling the Hawaiian culture in the generations to come and, generally, being a beacon of the meditative and healing powers of her people. Paula's debut album "Lilikoi" was met with true astonishment by many in the music business. Who is this Paula Fuga, they wondered? Producing and releasing her own album, a collection of songs that run deep with intensity and emotion---yet widely appealing and accessible---Paula set a new benchmark in independent music production, an album with masterful production and genuine cultural connection that have caused people to sit up and take notice. An amazingly singular voice, both soaring yet nurturing, carefully wrapped with the instruments and sounds of her homeland, standing tall on the the pride of her people...it is time to find out---this is Paula Fuga. MIKE LOVE www.myspace.com/mikelovehawaiie Mike Love and Paula Fuga’s band (Dubkonscious) : www.dubkonscious.com Mike Love is a world class artist. He makes his music for the love of it and to spread consciousness and positive vibes about life. He is true to what he says. The nicest guy you'll ever meet. Mike is a true Hawaiian Rainbow warrior. He is truly one of my favorite artists in the world. Mike Love is a born musician, and will be a musician long after this world is dead and gone. He makes music with as many positive dedicated musicians as he can, including his band Dubkonscious w/ Paula Fuga. He also works alot with Father Psalms Studio (Ooklah The Moc) and more. |
| Reggae Ambassadors from Jamaica Third World with opening guests Paula Fuga and Mike Love Thursday, February 16, 2012 Palace Theater, 38 Haili St., Hilo, HI (Big Island) Doors 7:00pm - Show 8:00pm - All Ages Tickets: $43.00 advance / $45 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, CD Wizard 23C Pohaku Street ( Hilo ), Palace Theater 38 Haili St. or by phone (808) 934-7010 & Groove Tickets at www.groovetickets.com or by phone 1-855-2-FLAVOR Friday, February 17, 2012 Kuhio Lounge @ Aston Aloha Beach Hotel, 5920 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa (Kauai) Doors 8:00pm - Show 9:00pm - 21 + Only ID Required Tickets: $40.00 advance / $45 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Aston Aloha Beach Hotel (Kapaa) 808-823-6000 Papaya's Natural Foods (Kapaa) 808-823-0191, Hawaiian Surf Company (Hanalei) 808-826-9000 Progressive Expressions (Koloa) 808-742-6041 Groove Tickets at www.groovetickets.com or by phone 1-855-2-FLAVOR Third World website: www.thirdworldreggaeband.com Paula Fuga website: www.paulafugamusic.com Mike Love website: www.dubkonscious.com |
| The “Temple Of Rock World Tour” features: Michael Schenker - Lead Guitar Robin McAuley - Vocals Elliott “Dean” Rubinson - Bass Wayne Findlay - Keyboards & Guitar Pete Holmes - Drums MICHAEL SCHENKER Michael Schenker was born on January 10, 1955, in Sarstedt near Hanover. At the tender age of fifteen he joined his brother Rudolf’s band, Scorpions, with whom he produced his 1972 debut album Lonesome Crow. Once the British rock act UFO had discovered Schenker’s amazing talent during a joint tour with the Scorpions, they invited the exceptional guitar whiz-kid to team up with them after the tour had finished. His first recording with UFO became an international masterpiece: Phenomenon (1974), featuring the classics ‘Doctor Doctor’ and ‘Rock Bottom’, is still considered one of the most important releases in the history of rock music. Schenker stayed with UFO for eight years, releasing further impressive rock albums like Force It (1975) and No Heavy Petting (1976) – recordings that made UFO international stars and set new standards in rock music. The two subsequent studio albums Lights Out (1977) and Obsession (1978) are still among the most significant releases of the genre. A year after the arrival of Obsession, the band decided to record a live album, Strangers In The Night, which is justly considered one of the most successful live cuts ever. At the same time, the record marked the end of the legendary line-up that had caused a stir for well over a decade. Michael Schenker left UFO and temporarily teamed up with his former band Scorpions again to record the fabulous Lovedrive with them. His manager Peter Mensch also arranged an audition with Aerosmith, which came to nothing in the end due to vocalist Steven Tyler‘s bad state of health. Instead he returned to the public eye with the debut album by his own Michael Schenker Group, featuring musicians like Simon Phillips, Gary Barden and keyboarder Don Airey. “Peter finally found me Simon Phillips and Mo Foster who were currently recording with Jeff Beck and seemed to be the perfect choice for MSG‘s first recording,” Schenker recalls. “Roger Glover heard about it and offered himself as the producer. It all turned out well and we called it the Michael Schenker Group.” On subsequent albums like MSG II (1981), One Night At Budokan (1982), Assault Attack (1983) and Built To Destroy, he continued to present talented band members, like the two former Rainbow musicians Graham Bonnett and Cozy Powell (R.I.P.), as well as Ted McKenna and Chris Glenn, two former members of the Alex Harvey Band. In the mid-Eighties, Schenker formed the McAuley Schenker Group together with former Grand Prix vocalist Robin McAuley, its abbreviated name remaining MSG. “I wanted a singer as a partner and found Robin McAuley in 1986,“ he tells. “Realizing that Robins Sir Name McAuley starts with an M while looking for a new band name I offered him the M for MSG in order to keep MSG.” The musical direction leaned increasingly towards the American mainstream, which didn’t seem to affect the band’s great success. Albums like Perfect Timing (1987), Save Yourself (1989) and MSG (1992) met with unanimously positive reviews world-wide. MSG continued to tour all over the world, playing with renowned acts like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and Scorpions. During a creative hiatus, Schenker got involved with Contraband (featuring Bobby Blotzer of Ratt and Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns) and contributed numerous licks to their album. 1992 marked the end of the McAuley Schenker Group with Unplugged Live, and Schenker returned to the UFO fold. Their commercially extremely successful US comeback tour convinced the experts, as did the first joint release in fifteen years, called Walk On Water. The album arrived at the Japanese stores in 1995, while Europe had to wait another two years, in fact until a few weeks after the release of Thank You, Schenker’s first acoustic solo recording. Following the US tour with UFO, he reactivated MSG and produced Written In The Sand with a new line-up. Autumn 1997 saw the start of an extensive European tour with UFO and a celebrated G3 tour alongside Uli Jon Roth and Joe Satriani, presenting his album The Michael Schenker Story – Live at the same time. In summer 1998, Schenker ensconced himself in a recording studio near San Francisco with producer legend Mike Varney to work on his next offering The Unforgiven, an album that was the basis for the subsequent tour, during which The Unforgiven World Tour – Live was also recorded. With Adventures Of The Imagination, he allowed his band a break to realize his long-standing ambition to record an instrumental rock album, and the subsequent success encouraged him to follow with another, similar offering called Dreams And Expressions. Be Aware Of Scorpions was recorded by a new MSG line-up, which could also be seen live during the following European tour. The solo album, Thank You 3, and the MSG release, Aracnophobiac (2003), followed. “I carried on with my new album which I started two years ago as a concept album for UFO,” Schenker explains. “When I got Jari`s demo tape I knew what to do. He was the perfect singer for this concept album and it happened to be 25 years since MSG recorded their first album. So I decided to make it a 25 Years Celebration album. I contacted all the original MSG singers one by one to sing a new song. It worked out and I am very happy with the result.” In 2008 Michael returns to his very own musical roots because the “legend” Gary Barden joins him as the first MSG singer in “In The Midst Of Beauty”. Incidentally, Michael wrote all 12 songs together with him. None other than Don Airey from Deep Purple is on keyboards. Neil Murray from Whitesnake strums the bass strings and Simon Phillips works the drums. Almost one year later the first album from Michael Schenker-Gary Barden Acoustic Project appears: Gipsy Lady. All the experts say that you can tell a really great musician when he performs his music without the need of any technical props. Just at the point when playing by rote comes to an end and is surpassed by the emotion in each song. Michael has achieved all this with his congenial partners on Gipsy Lady. Meanwhile MSG keept touring the world in 2008 - 2010. Michael Schenker and Gary Barden were accompanied by such greats as Simon Phillips, Carmine Appice, Chris Slade, Pete Holmes, Wayne Findlay, Neil Murray, Chris Glen, Rev Jones and Elliott "Dean" Rubinson. ROBIN MCAULEY Following his departure from GRAND PRIX Robin McAuley issued the 'Eloise' single which, unfortunately for him, coincided with the DAMNED's release of their hit version of the same song. McAuley enjoyed more success as a member of FAR CORPORATION though and the singer later united with ex-UFO guitarist Michael Schenker to form the McAULEY SCHENKER GROUP. He would front three albums for the German guitarist, 'Perfect Timing', 'Save Yourself' and 'MSG'. The slicker approach adopted by Schenker for these records garnered moderate success but he would then opt out, rejoining UFO. McAuley, working in the studio with SURVIVOR guitarist Frankie Sullivan and drummer Curt Cuomo, issued a solo album 'Business As Usual' through Zain Records in Japan during 1999. The singer guested on ex-THE BABYS and BAD ENGLISH bassist RICKY PHILLIPS 2000 solo album 'Elements Of Friction'. He was also to supply backing vocals to the 2001 HAVEN debut 'The Road', as lead guest vocalist on Italian guitarist MAX MAGAGNI's 'Twister' album and as well as guesting on the JASON BECKER tribute album 'Warmth In The Wilderness'. In 2004 the singer donated his distinctive tones to the KISS tribute album 'Spin The Bottle', vocalising on a version of 'I Stole Your Love' and would partner with guitarist BRUCE KULICK for a rendition of AC/DC's 'Girls Got Rhythm' included on the Rufftown 'We Salute You' tribute album. McAuley also notably reunited with MICHAEL SCHENKER to front up a cover of IRON MAIDEN's 'Run To The Hills' for a 2005 tribute album. On the live front, a MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP concert at the The Vault in Long Beach, California on 20th January saw McAuley guesting, marking the first ocassion he and Schenker had shared a stage in over 13 years. The singer announced an all new band formation in June entitled BLEED, a union with seasoned musicians guitarist Dave Bates of KILL VAN KULL, second guitarist guitarist Bob Pace, bassist Bjorn Englen of TAKARA, SOUL SIGN, TAMPLIN, WHITE DIAMOND and HEAVEN AND EARTH and drummer Brett Chassen of the BRET MICHAELS band, VELVET CHAIN and BLACK ON BLOND. McAuley issued news in May 2006 unveiling the construction of a project to re-record classic UFO tracks working with UFO and WAYSTED guitarist PAUL CHAPMAN plus WAYSTED, DORO and BRITNY FOX drummer Johnny Dee. The singer vocalised on versions of 'No Place To Run', 'Wild, Willing & Innocent' and 'The Writer' cut at Garudio Studios in Palm Beach. In mid July it was announced that McAuley had joined SURVIVOR as the veteran AOR band's new singer. In October 2006 McAuley vocalised on a cover version of the JOURNEY classic 'Faithfully' featured on the Cleopatra Records homage collection '80s Metal Tribute To Journey'. McAuley put in a one off performance fronting THE BIG BALL STARS, alongside vocalist / guitarist John Corabi, of MȪTLEY CRÜE, UNION and RATT, drummer Chris Slade, of URIAH HEEP and AC/DC, keyboard player Teddy Zig-Zag, of GUNS 'N ROSES, plus the RATT credited Robbie Crane on bass and Brent Woods from the VINCE NEIL band, in a live set on January 27th 2007 at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood, California. |
| Guitar Legend and co-founder of Scorpions and MSG Michael Schenker Reunion tour with Robin McAuley with opening guests Sonic Doom Monday, February 20, 2012 Club 9ONE9, 919 Douglas St., Victoria BC (Below Strathcona Hotel) Doors 8:00pm - Show 9:00pm - EARLIER SHOW Tickets: $25.00 advance / $28 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St., Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. & McPherson Box Office 250-386-6121 Michael Schenker website: www.michaelschenkerhimself.com Sonic Doom website: www.sonicdoom.ca |
| For the past ten years The Bad Plus—- Reid Anderson, Ethan Iverson and David King —-have broken down the walls of jazz convention and created an uncompromising body of work. Few jazz groups in recent memory have amassed such acclaim, and few have inspired such controversy. Their belief in the band ethos and their personal brand of avant-garde populism have put them at the forefront of a new instrumental music movement, drawing audiences both traditional and mainstream. While the bulk of their output has been original music, they have deconstructed songs in the pop, rock as well as the country and classical music idioms. The upcoming release NEVER STOP is the first album by The Bad Plus to consist entirely of originals. Recorded in Minnesota with a live, stripped-down sound, NEVER STOP showcases the band’s range as well as its three distinct personalities. From gentle and melodic to fierce and abstract, from swing to 80’s techno, NEVER STOP is tied together by a group sound that embraces diversity as strength. Ten years in, The Bad Plus is here to stay. E1 Music is excited to announce the release of The Bad Plus‘s new album, NEVER STOP, on September 14, 2010. It is the band’s first album of all originals, and it’s eighth release overall. Recorded in Minnesota, NEVER STOP does just what the title says. It’s a rapid-fire succession of engaging performances by three musical explorers operating as highly skilled individuals — bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King — and as a seamless unit at the same time. NEVER STOP is a strictly instrumental affair and, as a result, is a 180º departure from the group’s previous release, For All I Care, which featured alt-rock vocalist Wendy Lewis on covers of rock classics, along with re-imaginings of 20th Century classical compositions by Stravinsky, Ligeti and Babbitt. “We approached the recording of this album more like a jazz record from the ’50s or ’60s,” says King. “To eliminate studio separation as much as possible, I set up in the same room as Ethan, with Reid in plain sight. It created a really free atmosphere, as if we were playing a show.” The Bad Plus are renowned for shattering musical convention. Rolling Stone called their amalgam of jazz, pop, rock and avant garde “about as badass as highbrow gets,” while The New York Times said the band is “better than anyone at mixing the sensibilities of post-‘60s jazz and indie rock.” While the bulk of their output has been originals, they have famously deconstructed covers in the pop, rock, electronic and classical idioms. Their belief in a band ethos and “avant-garde populism” has placed them at the forefront of a new instrumental music movement, resulting in ever-larger audiences. The threesome has been exchanging musical ideas since their teenage years. In the late ’80s, Anderson and King were two Minnesota high schoolers playing in fledgling rock bands and digging records by Coltrane and The Police. Anderson met Iverson in 1989. All three played together on one occasion a year later before going their separate ways for ten years. They reconvened for a gig in Minneapolis in 2000. Sparks flew, studio sessions for an indie release ensued, and suddenly The New York Times called their maiden voyage one of the best releases of 2001. The band signed with Columbia, where they released These Are the Vistas in 2003, followed quickly by Give and then Suspicious Activity? In 2007 they released Prog, an album which balanced originals with spellbinding covers of Bowie, Bacharach, Tears for Fears and Rush. For All I Care, with its intriguing juxtaposition of rock and classical sensibilities, followed in 2009. Ten years ago, not one of these musicians could have predicted where The Bad Plus was going, how long it would last, or what it might become along the way. What they were sure of, though, was a fierce sense of commitment that has blossomed into artistic success. “We’ve always believed in our ideas,” says Anderson. “ We’ve always believed in making music that sounds like us, and we always thought there would be an audience for it.” NEVER STOP showcases the band’s range as well as its three distinct personalities. From gentle and melodic to fierce and abstract, from swing to ’80s techno, NEVER STOP is the result of a group sound that embraces diversity as strength. MICROBONGO SOUND SYSTEM From Victoria BC, Canada Microbongo Sound System is a fresh new live 3 piece, combining relentless driving brazilian rhythm with deep pulsating electronic sounds, catering specifically to making people groove. Some have described the sound as live Brazilian Tech House combined with Dancehall, Afrobeat and Dubstep. Others have no idea what to call it. However you try to label them, MicroBongo is hitting the scene hard with a brand new totally live sound, carefully moving the audience through a story inspired by modern technology and ancient jungle wisdom. Collectively the trio have over 65 years of experience performing music live with various influences including: Jazz, Classical Indian, Flamenco, Heavy Metal/Rock, and Electronic The instrumentation: Andreas Kreischer:: Micro drumset, bongos, cowbells Dan Beer:: Brazilian Surdu drum/snare, Conga, Bells, Electronic Sub Kick Drum, Roland SPDS Sample Pad, Electrix MO-Fx Manjinder Benning:: M-Audio trigger finger, Novation midi controller, Vocal mic. NI Massive, Ableton Live (Vocoders/Pitch Trackers/Fx/Samples/Synths). |
| Jazz Fusion Masters The Bad Plus with opening guests Microbongo Sound System Thursday, March 8, 2012 Upstairs Cabaret, 1127 Wharf St., Victoria BC Doors 7:30pm - Show 8:30pm - 19+ Only ID Required Tickets: $29.50 advance / $35 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St., Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. & McPherson Box Office 250-386-6121 Friday, March 9, 2012 with opening guests TBA Rio Theatre, 1660 E. Broadway St., Vancouver BC Doors 7:00pm - Show 8:00pm - 19+ Only ID Required (Licensed venue) Tickets: $35.50 Advance / $40 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Red Cat Records 4332 Main St. (604) 708-9422, Zulu Records 1972 W. 4th Ave. (604) 738-3232 & Highlife World Music 1317 Commercial Dr. (604) 251-6964 The Bad Plus website: www.thebadplus.com Microbongo Sound System website: www.microbongo.com |
| World-Class Latin Guitar Fusion Pavlo Sunday, April 29, 2012 Alix Goolden Performance Hall, 907 Pandora St., Victoria BC Doors 7:15pm - Show 7:45pm - EARLIER SHOW Tickets: $29.50 advance / $35 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St. and Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. Pavlo's website: www.pavlo.net |
| DON ROSS There was always a lot of music around the house. Don’s dad is an operatically-trained singer. So, the Ross kids heard plenty of voice exercises around their Montreal home as well as classical music on the record player growing up (not to mention the occasional blast of the bagpipes when Don’s dad felt like waking up the neighbours with another musical skill he acquired growing up in Scotland!). Don was a very musical child, teaching himself some basic piano skills in his early years. But at the age of eight, when Don’s sister came home from boarding school with an old Stella acoustic guitar, he knew he had met his new best friend. Immediately recognizing the portability and “cool factor” of the guitar, Don and his older brother began teaching themselves tunes by the Beatles, Cream, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. By the age of ten, Don was playing less with a pick and more with his fingers. He was fascinated by the possibility of playing several lines at once: melody, middle voices, bass line. To achieve some of the musical ideas he had in mind, he started retuning the guitar to suit them, inventing new tunings that made things easier at first. But he also realized that he could expand the range of the instrument to make the low strings lower and the high strings higher. The possibilities seemed almost endless. He began playing publicly (and for money) in his hometown of Montreal at the age of 15. Fortunately he looked old enough to drink by then and even played occasionally at some of the downtown pubs that featured live acoustic music! Around the same time he discovered the music of legendary Canadian singer/guitarist Bruce Cockburn. Don was amazed that such an insightful lyricist could also be a tremendous guitarist. The musical future seemed very bright indeed. He was inspired to write his first strong instrumental tunes for solo guitar around this time. Don eventually studied Music at Toronto’s York University. Strangely enough, he didn’t focus on guitar but rather on composition, electronic music, and sound recording. Upon graduating, he had visions of being a composer of orchestral and electronic music or film scores..certainly not any delusions of playing solo guitar for a living. What changed his mind was seeing the success of musicians like Michael Hedges, Steve Reich and Keith Jarrett, player/composers who followed their musical intuitions wherever they led and who fell more into the category of “artist” rather than “guitarist” or “pianist.” After graduation, Don decided that the best forum for what he did as a composer would be to perform his guitar music himself. In 1988, he won the U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition. This earned him a fair amount of media attention back home in Canada, and within days he was scouted to record for Toronto-based independent record label Duke Street Records. He recorded his debut for the label, Bearing Straight, which was released in 1989. Two more recordings for the label followed, 1990’s Don Ross and 1993’s Three Hands. Don then signed with Columbia/Sony and recorded three more CDs for that label: This Dragon Won’t Sleep in 1995, Wintertide in 1996 and Loaded. Leather. Moonroof. in 1997. In the meantime, Don won the Fingerstyle competition in the USA for a second time in 1996. To this day, he is still the only player to have won the competition twice! Signing with Narada Records in 1999, Don released his first completely solo-guitar CD, Passion Session. Recorded in a series of overnight sessions in Berlin’s Passionskirche (The Church of the Passion), the CD has gone on to top many of the “all time best acoustic guitar recordings” lists in publications like Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Some of the compositions on Passion Session, such as “Michael, Michael, Michael,” “Klimbim,” and “Tight Trite Night” have become standards in world guitar repertoire. Huron Street (2001) and Robot Monster (2003) followed, showcasing the depth of Don’s compositional history as well as his ongoing interest in electronic music, through collaborations with Berlin composer Christoph Bendel. With the collapse of the conventional recording industry in the early 21st century, Don entered into a new venture with Milwaukee-based CandyRat Records and its founder, Rob Poland. The move to a completely internet-based model of releasing recordings resulted in the first ever CandyRat CD, 2005’s Music for Vacuuming. CandyRat has gone on to release recordings by dozens of international artists, primarily guitarists and songwriters. YouTube exposure has helped all of the CandyRat artists, and made an international star of Don’s good friend Andy McKee. Other recent projects Don has released in collaboration with CandyRat are Live in Your Head (2006), the thing that came from somewhere (2008, with Andy McKee), his all-vocal CD Any Colour (2009), the solo guitar album Breakfast for Dogs! (2010), as well as two performance DVDs: Don Ross Live and Live in Toronto (with Michael Manring and Andy McKee). Don has toured regularly since 1989, across Canada, the USA, a dozen European countries, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia, Russia and India. He has played with symphony orchestras in Canada and Germany, and collaborated live and on recording with Andy McKee, Canadian singer/guitarist Brooke Miller, & Toronto bassist Jordan O’Connor. He also composes scores for television, radio and film, and does production and recording engineering for a variety of other musicians. In addition to acoustic guitar, Don also plays electric guitar, slide dobro and lapsteel guitar, voice, piano, keyboards, bass guitar and drums. Don grew up in Montreal, lived for many years in the Toronto area, and now lives with his wife in Halifax on Canada’s Atlantic coast. BROOKE MILLER Brooke’s career began on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in a loud punk band as the lead guitarist & vocalist at the ripe old age of 12. She later connected with music by the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Rickie Lee Jones, The Police and Joni Mitchell. She has flourished into a road warrior, touring throughout Canada, the US, Europe and Japan. Brooke has just released her fourth CD, BROOKE MILLER, her first to be distributed nationally in Canada through DEP/Universal. It features Brooke on acoustic and electric guitars and vocals with an array of guest musicians from Toronto and Halifax. Brooke’s tunes have been heard in recent feature films (THE YEAR OF GETTING TO KNOW US, starring Sharon Stone, Lucy Liu and Jimmy Fallon), and on hit television shows (The L Word and Women’s Murder Club). She won the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals’ 2007 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award. The new album (released on CD and 12″ red vinyl, and distributed worldwide on iTunes) includes reworked versions of some of Brooke’s best songs as well as new material, produced in a format ready for commercial radio. New tracks and new versions include the first single, “Cannonball,” a cover version of the great song by The Blue Nile “Tinseltown in the Rain,” an R&B-tinged vocal version of her tune “Shake It Off” (replete with horn section), loud versions of “Big Deal,” “You’ve Got My Attention” and “Big Deal,” and reworkings of “What You Know,” “You Can See Everything,” and “What Kind of Move.” Getting back to her rockier roots, Brooke has re- immersed herself into a more electric sound, while still keeping her acoustic and electric guitar playing front and centre. Brooke will also record her fifth album this November 2011 for the German label Stockfisch Records. This will be a more acoustic feeling album and be released followed by a May/June 2012 European tour. Miller’s new business relationships with Dacapo Publishing & DEP/Universal, both based in Montreal QC, will help bring her to a truly international audience, using Montreal as a launching pad. Brooke and her family live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
| Legendary Solo Guitarist and one of Canada's finest new Songwriters Don Ross & Brooke Miller Friday, March 9, 2012 Hermanns Jazz Club, 753 View St., Victoria BC Doors 6:00pm - Show 8:00pm Tickets: $20.00 advance / $25 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St. and Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. & McPherson Box Office 250-386-6121 Don Ross on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKupfayqB00 www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i802COGTyI Brooke Miller on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJaywN0gxrM www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDCaPg6jBA Double bill site: www.donrossandbrookemiller.com Don's website: www.donrossonline.com Brooke's website: www.brookemiller.ca Don Ross www.donrossonline.com www.youtube.com/user/DonRossMusic http://twitter.com/#!/donrossmusic www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Ross/40012748727 |
| Loudon Wainwright III was born in Chapel Hill, NC in 1946. His father was Loudon Wainwright Jr., a columnist and senior editor for LIFE Magazine and his mothe was a housewife/yoga teacher, Martha Taylor. He studied acting at Carnegie-Mellon University but dropped out to partake in the Summer of Love in San Francisco. Loudon wrote his first song in 1968, "Edgar", about a Watch Hill, RI lobsterman, and was soon signed to Atlantic Records by Nesuhi Ertegun. Several years later, Clive Davis lured him to Columbia Records, where 1972's "Album III" yielded the top 20 hit "Dead Skunk". His recording career spans a total of 23 albums, including 2009's Grammy-winning "High Wide & Handsome", a musical tribute to Charlie Poole (1893-1931), the legendary, yet obscure NC singer and banjo player. (Awarded 'Album of the Year' status by Entertainment Weekly editor and NPR contributor Ken Tucker.) Wainwright has collaborated with songwriter /producer Joe Henry on the music for Judd Apatow's hit movie "Knocked Up", written music for the British theatrical adaptation of the Carl Hiaasen novel "Lucky You", and composed topical songs for NPR's "Morning Edition ", "All Things Considered" and ABC's "Nightline". Loudon Wainwright songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Rufus Wainwright,and Mose Allison, among others. Loudon's acting career includes an early recurring role as Capt. Calvin Spalding, the singing surgeon, in TV's M.A.S.H. and a stint in "Pump Boys & Dinettes" on Broadway, and more recent work in films directed by Hal Ashby, Tim Burton, Cameron Crowe, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Guest, and Judd Apatow. He also appeared as a regular in Apatow's critically acclaimed TV series "Undeclared". Loudon's newest CD release is 2010's "Songs For the New Depression", a collection of topical songs on his own label, Cummerbund Records. |
| 2010 Grammy Award Winner (Best Traditional Folk Album) Loudon Wainwright III Monday, May 21, 2012 Hermanns Jazz Club, 753 View St., Victoria BC Doors 6:00pm - Show 8:00pm Tickets: $47.50 advance / $50 Door Available at: www.hightideconcerts.net, Lyle's Place 770 Yates St. and Ditch Records 784 Fort St.. Loudon Wainwright III website: www.lw3.com |
| Worldwide, musicians and critics have dubbed Paul Rodgers “THE VOICE”. Never before has any artist led three bands to international success in addition to creating a successful solo career, until Paul Rodgers. He is undeniably one of music’s most distinctive vocalists. He has written and recorded some of rock’s greatest hits, release 27 C.D.’s and sold 125 million C.D.’s This years Oscar Award winning movie “American Beauty” as well as “Wayne’s World” and “Top Gun”, all included Rodgers’ songs. His latest C.D. “Electric” on CMC International was releases June 6. The single “Drifters”, in its debut week, was #1 Most Added FMQB Hot Trax, #2 Most Added R&R Rock and #3 Most Added Album Net Power Cuts. “The Voice” is one of the finest singers on the planet. “Electric” is a bluesy, soulful rock treat” – The Times, London. The first date of the TOUR 2000 June 8, at the Beatles shrine “The Cavern” in Liverpool, sold out in less than one hour. The tour runs until October 2000 spanning England and the U.S. As a Grammy nominated solo artists, he has worked with Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Charlie Watts and blues great Buddy Guy to name a few. This Spring he joined Roger Daltry and Alice Cooper as the “Ultimate Rock Symphony”, playing eight sold out concerts in Australia. “Rodgers’ voice is unparalleled. The Sydney Superdome will never be the same” – The Herald Sun, Australia. In 1999 Paul Rodgers won the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Los Angeles Music Awards Association. Friend Joe Walsh from The Eagles presented Paul with the awards. This year, Paul will present the same award to the 2000 recipient, Carlos Santana. The summer of ’99, Rodgers hit the charts with the #1 single “Hey, Hey”, one of four new tracks off Bad Company’s “Anthology”. The second single release Rodgers’ “Hammer of Love” reached #2 on the rock charts. For the first time in 20 years, all of the original members of Bad Company toured the U.S. The overwhelming fan response, spurred on by a potent episode of VH1’s “Behind The Music”, a television Pay-Per-View Special and a Global Cybercast, have the members open to possibly working together again. For his 1997 “NOW” C.D., Rodgers assembled a band consisting of guitarist Geoff Whitehorn (Paul McCartney, Roger Daltry), on bass Jaz Lochrie (Go West) and Jim Copley (Jeff Beck, Seal) on drums. Rodgers worked the band live for eighteen months before recording “NOW”. The line-up toured the U.S., Canada, Japan, Russia, South America, Europe including the unusual destinations of Romania, Bulgaria, Israel and Greece. Now that’s a world tour! “Soul of Love” was the single release and it remained in rotation on more than 86 U.S. radio stations for six months. Internationally, the album charted in the top 30. Rodgers also took time to acknowledge the influence of Jimi Hendrix, by collaborating with Gun’s n’ Roses guitarist Slash, Henderix’s own Band of Gypsies (Buddy Miles and Billy Cox). It led to “I Don’t Live Today”, one of the highlights of “Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix”. Then Rodgers teamed up with Journey guitarist Neil Schon and issued “The Hendrix Set”, a live C.D. with Paul’s unique interpretations of Hendrix songs. The Low, Rodgers’ venture with former Small Faces and Who drummer Kenny Jones, produced the hit single “Laying Down The Law”. Written by Rodgers, it ranked #1 on Billboard’s AOR charts. His Grammy nominated solo C.D., “Muddy Water Blues” was released in 1993. He wrote the title track and was backed by guitarist Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Bon Jovi’s Ritchie Sambora, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Brian Setzer and Queen’s Brian May. “Muddy Water Blues” celebrated Paul’s blues roots and respect for Muddy Waters, one of his primary influences. It was his joint billing with Led Zepplin guitarist Jimmy Page on the historic U.S. ARMS tour, including Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, that led to forming the Firm with Page. Both Firm world tours were top grossing tours. “The Firm” and Mean Business”, the group’s two albums, also enjoyed international success producing the hits “Radioactive”, “Satisfaction Guaranteed” and “All The King’s Horses”. Most fans know that Paul wrote “Radioactive”, not many know that he played the guitar solo. “Cut Loose”, Paul’s first solo C.D. showcased his quintessential talents as a singer, songwriter and multi-faceted musician. He wrote all of the songs, sang and played all of the instruments. Prior to his solo career, Rodgers formed supergroup Bad Company, writing and singing smash hits like Grammy nominated “Fell Like Making Love” and “Can’t Get Enough”, “Shooting Star”, “Bad Company”, “Run With The Pack”, the last two featuring Paul on piano as well as vocals, plus “Rock n’ Roll Fantasy” with Paul on guitar and vocals. “Bad Company took off”, recalls Rodgers. “When we started our first U.S. tour, the album was #99 on the charts. Two months later it hit #1”. Bad Company earned six multiplatinum albums. “10 from 6” the group’s greatest hits compilation remains a top seller. Paul Rodgers first shot up the international radio charts and unto the music scene with his rock anthem “All Right Now” with Free. “All Right Now” hit #1 in over 20 territories and was recognized by ASCAO for garnering one million plus radio plays in the U.S. alone. At the time, Free and Led Zeppelin were the biggest grossing British acts. Free release four top five albums and were the leaders of the British blues rock invasion. Their unusual combination of blues, ballads and rock won them worldwide praise and an international following that continues today. |
| Founding member, singer and songwriter of Bad Company, Free and The Firm (with Jimmy Page) & lead singer for Queen Paul Rodgers with opening guests The Flu Thursday, March 15, 2012 Kelowna Community Theatre, 1375 Water St., Kelowna, BC Doors 6:30pm - Show 7:30pm Tickets: $67.50-$115.50 (VIP) + service charge Available at: Select Your Tickets 1223 Water St. by phone (250) 762-5050 or online at www.selectyourtickets.com Sunday, March 18, 2012 Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St., Victoria BC Doors 6:30pm - Show 7:30pm Tickets: $60.50-$105.50 (VIP) + service charge Available at: McPherson Box Office #3 Centennial Square, by phone (250) 386-6121 or online at www.rmts.bc.ca Paul Rodgers website: www.paulrodgers.com The Flu's website: www.supernova.com/thefluofficial |