RIGHT ARM RESOURCE UPDATE JESSE BARNETT [email protected] (508) 238-5654 www.rightarmresource.com www.facebook.com/rightarmresource 11/7/2018 Adrian Quesada w/Various Artists - Look At My Soul: The Latin Shade Of Texas Soul The new Nacional Records release featuring the single “One Woman Man” with Aaron Frazer and David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos) First week: KUTX, WTMD, KJAC, WFIV, WBJB, WCBE The project features Texas legend Ruben Ramos, Los Lobos members David Hidalgo and Steve Berlin, guitarist Charlie Sexton, Kam Franklin of the Suffers, Johnny Hernandez, and many more Jungle “Smile” The new single from For Ever Massive visibility via a national Uber TV spot (5 million views for the COMMERCIAL on YouTube) New: KLRR, WYCE, KRCL, KUWR ON: WXCT, WFIV, KMMS Nearing 2 million streams “’Smile’ kicks things off with a tribalistic beat that drives the song into a volcanic eruption of vocals. It’s an instant highlight -- one of the best soul album openers...” - Hot Press More US dates in March Chris Cornell “When Bad Does Good” One of two unreleased recording from the upcoming album Chris Cornell, celebrating his life’s work, in stores November 16 New: KVNA, WVOD, WYCE ON: WXRT, WFPK, WXCT, KYMK, WCOO, WCNR, KRML, KMMS, WBJB, WZLO, WUKY, WFIV... Lyric video online There will also be a four-cd box set, Chris Cornell: An Artist’s Legacy, coming out as well with 17 previously unreleased tracks Sister Sparrow “Gold” The title track from Gold, out now New: KMMS, KSUT, WKZE, KRCL, WUMB ON: WRLT, Music Choice, WDST, WEXT, WYCE, WMVY, KROK, WEVL, WFIV, KNBA, WUTC, KDNK, WERU, KHUM, WZLO, WFHB, KUWR, KVNF, MSPR, KSLU... On tour now “Arlene Kincheloe has one of the biggest voices in the business. Prepare to be blown away.” - Baltimore Sun morgxn “home” (w/Walk The Moon) From his album Vital, out now Mediabase Alternative 40*! ON: KRVB, KYMK, WAPS, WXCT, KPND, WZEW, WCNR, WOCM, WFIV, KCLC, WVOD... This stemmed from their appearance together at Lollapalooza Nearing 10 million streams Recently wrapped up dates with Dreamers Multiple promo usage on ESPN, Fox Sports, HBO, USA Network, Showtime... Festivals: Lollapalooza, Life Is Beautiful, Laurelive, Firefly... Bernhoft “Lookalike” From the new album Humanoid, out now New: KMMS, WERU ON: KJAC, WDST, WFIV, WOCM, WCBE, KSMF, MSPR, KVNF Bernhoft’s last full-length release, 2014’s Islander, received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album US dates in December: 12/5 Houston, 12/7 Dallas, 12/8 Austin, 12/9 El Paso, 12/11 Phoenix, 12/12 San Diego, 12/13 LA... Eric Bibb “We Don’t Care” (w/Habib Koite) From Global Griot (pronounced GREE-yo), out now New: KVNF, WERU ON: KPND, KOZT, KMMS, WNCW, KSMF, WEXT, WFIV, KSUT, WUKY, WYCE, WUMB... “‘Global Griot’ - two words that describe many of my friends and myself, as well. Connecting to the West African tradition of story- telling and oral history through music, this album features brothers and sisters from around the globe - serving the listener a tasty gumbo.” - Bibb Mark Knopfler “Good On You Son” The first single from Down The Road Wherever, out 11/16 BDS Monitored #2 New & Active, Indicator 20*, FMQB Tracks 26*, Public 21*! ON: WXRT, Music Choice, WXPN, KCSN, KTHX, WFPK, KTBG, KPND, WDST, WCOO, XM Loft, WAPS, KJAC, KVNA, WNRN, WUIN, KYSL, WBZS, KDRP... Produced by Knopfler and Guy Fletcher (Dire Straits, Roxy Music) US dates next August & September William Fitzsimmons “Second Hand Smoke” The first single from Mission Bell, out now Full cd at non-comm radio now, download the single from my Dropbox New: KAXE ON: Acoustic Cafe, WCBE, WFIV, KRCC, WFHB, WUSM, MSPR... “A remarkably intimate and challenging experience, ‘Mission Bell’ might well be his finest album yet, a lucid, heady, hugely emotional experience from first note to last.” - Clash Magazine Paste session on my site now John Butler Trio “Tell Me Why” The first single from HOME, out now Mediabase #38, BDS Monitored #34, Indicator 22*, FMQB Public 33*! New: WJCU ON: SiriusXM Spectrum, WRLT, Music Choice, WCLZ, WXPK, WTMD, KJAC, KTBG, KVNA, WPYA, KPND, KVNV, KTHX... Fall US tour “A “genuine creative leap,” with flourishes of electronic and hip-hop production and another dive into his deep well of folk and blues.” - Billboard KT Tunstall “The River” From WAX, out now Mediabase 31*, BDS Monitored 28*, Indicator 23*, FMQB Tracks 18*, Public 23*! New: WMMM, KYMK, KVNV ON: WXRT, WRLT, KINK, WXRV, WRNR, KRVB, WXPN, KCSN, KTBG, WCOO, WNCS, WXPK, WPYA, WFPK, Music Choice, WTMD, WYEP, WYMS, KRML... WAX is her 6th album and is entirely self/co-written and produced by Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand On tour now Doyle Bramhall II “Everything You Need” (feat. Eric Clapton) The first single from Shades, out now FMQB Public 41*! New: KXCI ON: WRLT, WTMD, KJAC, KPND, KRSH, KVWF, WERS, WDST, WAPS, WZEW, KOZT, WFIV, WMWV, KNBA, WBJB, WEXT, WMVY, WYCE, WCBE, WNCW... Catch him on tour now Confirmed press and appearances: PBS Front & Center, World Cafe, Rolling Stone, Relix, American Songwiter... Jeremy Loops “Gold” The first single from Critical As Water, out now Jeremy is from South Africa and just toured the US with Milky Chance New: KUWR, KAXE ON: KWVF, WCBE, WYCE, WOCM, WFIV, WBSD, MSPR, WERU “It’s really a song of hope that if you continue to work at that which your heart desires with an honest and open attitude, one day eventually those desires will be realised.” - Jeremy Ron Gallo “Do You Love Your Company?” From Stardust Birthday Party, out now Already on WRLT, WXPN, KJAC, WYMS, KUTX, WFHB, KRCC, WYCE, WNRN, Open Air, KXCI, KDNK, KAXE, WERU “That’s what this album is about, it’s me dancing while destroying the person I thought I was, and hope- fully forever.” - Ron Gallo US tour going on now: 11/8 Burlington, 11/10 Philadelphia, 11/11 Boston, 11/12 Brooklyn... Ural Thomas & The Pain “Slow Down” The first single from The Right Time, out now New: WNRN, KROK, WFHB ON: KJAC, WTMD, WCBE, KBAC, WBJB, KRML, Open Air, WMVY, KYSL, KHUM, KSMF, WYCE, WFIV, WDST, KRCL, WUTC... “Ural Thomas seems to be ready for the spotlight. Or at least, the spotlight he’s deserved since the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when he was playing with artists like James Brown and Stevie Wonder.” - OPB On tour Kurt Vile “Loading Zones” From Bottle It In, out now Mediabase 12*, BDS Monitored 7*, Indicator 7*, FMQB Public 2*! New: WXRT, KSUT, KSMF ON: SiriusXM Spectrum, KCMP, WRLT, KINK, KRVB, WXPN, WQKL, WFPK, WFUV, KCSN, KXT, WCLZ, WRSI, WNCS, WXPK, WPYA, WEHM, WYMS, KTBG, KUTX, Music Choice, WTMD... US tour dates this fall Fantastic video online now This is his 7th solo album, the first since 2015 Barns Courtney “99” The first single from his upcoming album Mediabase 24*, BDS Monitored 23*, Indicator 21*, FMQB Public 45*! Mediabase Alt 18* ON: Sirius Spectrum, KGSR, WRLT, CIDR, WRNR, KINK, WPYA, KTHX, KVNV, Music Choice, WXPK, KPND, WAPS, KXT, KVNA, KTBG, WXCT... Just wrapped up tour dates with The Wombats Barns has already surpassed a quarter of a billion cumulative streams globally Fruition “Baby Let’s Go” The first single from their new EP Fire, out now New: KRSH, KMMS, KCLC ON: KINK, KXT, KTBG, KVNV, KVNA, WPYA, WAPS, WTMD, KJAC, KROK, WUIN... Multiple Spotify playlists On tour now More dates announced for January: 1/3 Kansas City, 1/4 St. Louis, 1/5 Nashville, 1/8 Charlotte, 1/9 Raleigh, 1/10 Charleston, 1/11 Asheville, 1/12 Atlanta... Caroline Rose “Jeannie Becomes A Mom” The second single from Loner, out now ON: Music Choice, WXPN, WRLT, WFUV, WPYA, WYMS, WNCS, WAPS, WTMD, KTBG, WDST, KVNA, KRML, KCLC... Toured last month with Rainbow Kitten Surprise, headlining tour going on now: 11/7 Ferndale MI, 11/8 Chicago, 11/9 Iowa City, 11/10 St. Paul MN, 11/13 Louisville, 11/14 Columbus OH, 11/16 Philadelpha, 11/17 DC Aaron Lee Tasjan “Heart Slows Down” From Karma For Cheap, out now ON: WRLT, WFUV, KJAC, WDST, WAPS, KPND, KRSH, WNRN, XM Loft, WFIV, WCBE, WNCW, KNBA, KRML, WVOD... On tour now “Tasjan displays a new vigor you could call a sense of mission” - Ann Powers/NPR “A song like ‘Heart Slows Down’ has the kind of earworm chorus that sets up shop in your brain and never vacates” - No Depression The Devil Makes Three “Bad Idea” The first single from Chains Are Broken, their 7th studio album, out now ON: WRLT, WEHM, WAPS, KEXP, KRSH, KVNA, KPND, WDST, WYCE, WVOD, KYSL... On tour now “The more sophisticated Chains are Broken reflects a willingness to push beyond the somewhat cult audience The Devil Makes Three has accumulated, into a wider framework without abandoning their reputable roots” - American Songwriter Rolling Stone looks deep into Adrian Quesada’s Look At My Soul project “Even as streaming has collapsed the distance between regions — making it easy for listeners in Boise to hear what’s popular in Boston or Barcelona or Bogotá — Texas remains stubbornly idiosyncratic. “For a long time Texas artists were confined to Texas,” explained George Cook, director of operations and program director for the Dallas hip-hop and R&B stations KKDA and KRNB. “What’s crazy about Texas is it’s so big, you can create a career here and do pretty well for yourself.” Cook was speaking about rappers in the state, but a similar principle applies in country music — unlike any other state, Texas has its own regional radio charts in the genre — and Tejano music, a format that melds Mexican styles like Norteño with rock, country, blues and more. Within Texas, and maybe bordering states, this music is huge; 1,000 miles away, though, it’s sometimes given short shrift. A new album aims to explore a different but under-examined corner of Texas’ musical history. A collection of fresh songs with a vintage twist, Look at My Soul: The Latin Shade of Texas Soul demonstrates the rich history of interplay between Latin artists in Texas and classic strains of rhythm and blues. Featuring a multi-generational cast of local soul singers, it’s the brainchild of writer-producer-multi-instrumentalist Adrian Quesada — a former member of the bands Grupo Fantasma and The Echocentrics, plus a contributor to records by Los Ángeles Azules and Deer Tick — who has been hoping to make an album like this for nearly 15 years. The initial jolt of interest came from a conversation with Ruben Ramos, a veteran who has won a Grammy for his work in Tejano music. Though Tejano artists are walled-off into their own state, Ramos told Quesada he grew up with a steady diet of R&B. “Early on, a lot of those singers were doing what they called brown-eyed soul or chicano soul,” the producer says. “Even when they were starting to develop the sound known as Tejano music, they were still tempering it with a soul song here and there, a funk song here and there.” This album seems natural in the context of the remarkable increase in soul music scholarship that has taken place over the last 15 years. In pop music, history is largely told by hit-makers with access to national distribution networks. But many small labels thrived making great R&B cuts that were only heard locally. Recently, various institutions have emerged dedicated to elevating regional music that may have been over- looked. “A lot of the stuff the Numero Group has done has really helped tell those stories,” Quesada says. Since starting in 2004, Numero has re- leased albums focusing on, for example, the Deep City label in Florida, the Big Mack label in Detroit, and the Tragar and Note labels in Atlanta. As the spotlight widened to encompass more narratives in R&B, it began to reach some of the Latino musicians who dove into soul music and sparked regionally. Quesada points to the reissue of music by Sunny and the Sunliners, a San Antonio-based group that enjoyed hits in the first half of the Sixties. Chicano Soul: Recordings & History of an American Culture, the first historical exploration of the ways R&B influenced Latin musicians and vice versa, came out in 2007. Developments like those made Quesada’s vision — for a new album that also connected historical dots — start to seem more attainable. Coincidentally, Tomas Cookman, founder and CEO of Nacional Records, a lauded indie label that supports a wide range of Latin acts, had also started working towards a similar concept for a project: “The Tejano world has been misunderstood for such a long time,” he says. “I always re- member there being so many classic songs [from Latin artists in Texas] — you go into Freddy Fender’s catalog or the songs that Flaco Jiménez played on. There were tons of artists who were basically 45-only type of artists on small labels. It was a different version of so many of these soul labels from the Northeast, but this was a Texas story, and to me, a Latino story.” Cookman earned Amazon’s support, impressed that the company’s “Originals” program, which creates exclusive tunes for Amazon Music listeners, had helped acts like the gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama. (Blind Boys of Alabama were nominated for a Grammy this year with an album they made for Amazon.) And Cookman put in a call to Quesada — the two had worked together on albums by the Echocentrics and Elastic Bond — whom he calls “an amazing musician, and amazing producer and [for this project, just as important] one based in Texas.” Initially Quesada and Cookman weren’t entirely sure what The Latin Shade of Texas Soul would look like. “The idea of the album went through so many different phases,” Cookman says. “First we said, ‘let’s reach out to more Tejano older guys!’ Then we said, ‘let’s get some mainstream folks who are based in Texas!’ So we reached out to Demi Lovato and others.” “A lot of the old-school guys, I wasn’t on their radar, and they maybe weren’t into what I was trying to do,” Quesada adds. “Mainstream folks” also did not end up participating. But importantly, Quesada got a commitment from Ramos, “the person who made the wheels spin for me about 15 years go.” “I was like, as long as I got Ruben, whatever happens from here is good,” Quesada continues. “Also in the search process, I started to find younger singers who are carrying the torch, and then led me to people like Jonny Benavidez, who was originally from California but had just moved to Texas. Those were my two anchors.” The California-Texas connection made sense: “A lot of the music [older Chicano soul] found some of its biggest audience in California,” Que- sada says. The producer also tracked down Johnny Hernandez, who sang in the Sixties group Little Joe & the Latinaires, fronted by his brother, and had relocated from Texas to California. There were a few other out-of-staters involved, like Aaron Frazer, the drummer for Durand Jones and the Indications, and Cookman himself. But almost everyone else who worked on The Latin Shade of Texas Soul was based in-state; the vinyl was even pressed locally. “We’re honorary Texans for this period,” Cookman quips. The Latin Shade of Texas Soul is an extension of the musical conversation that Ramos remembered from his youth. The album tours classic rhythm and blues: Here you’ll find cutting funk, full of driving, dive-bombing horns; bright, guitar-first mid-tempo tracks like those made in the famous Muscle Shoals studio in the late Sixties; and the aching, post-doo-wop sound often labelled lowrider soul. Frazer shows off his remarkable falsetto in “One Woman Man,” a rueful ballad where the singer slips closer and closer to infidelity. Ramos sings with husky power in Spanish during “Boogaloo en Monterrey,” where the brass evokes James Brown in 1964. And Hernandez interjects pretty fillips into his lead on “Ain’t No Big Thing,” which insists on shrugging in the face of life’s troubles: “I’ve got a feeling that I am losing you/ But what’s the use, why worry, when there’s nothing I can do?” During the earlier wave of Texas soul music by artists of Latin descent — Quesada collects a lot of it on vinyl — distribution was a constraining factor. “A lot of the stuff released out of San Antonio was all this one guy, a real estate magnate named Abe Epstein who had a bunch of small labels,” Quesada says. “There were limitations of where they were regionally and in terms of the resources to get the music out.” But in the streaming era, with a boost from Amazon, The Latin Shade of Texas Soul does not face that problem. And so for listeners from outside of the Texas Latin soul scene, Quesada hopes his new album will serve as a gateway of sorts. “Hopefully from here you get turned on to somebody you didn’t know about, whether it’s the Latinaires records or Aaron Frazier on Durand Jones,” Quesada says. “Hopefully this opens doors for other people the way it’s opened doors for me.” - Rolling Stone, 11/1/18 Coming Up... 11/26: Greta Van Fleet “You’re The One” RIGHT ARM RESOURCE WEEKLY UPDATE - 11/7/2018