HEMEKIA COPELAND Uncivil War by Marc Lipkin 1 2 - SIX CD REVIEWS by Various Writers 29 - BLUES MUSIC SAMPLER DOWNLOAD CD Sampler 26 - July 2020
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Six New CD Reviews S HEMEKIA C OPELAND - Uncivil War Order Today Click Here! Four Print Issues Per Year Every January, April, July, and October get the Best In Blues delivered right t0 you door! Artist Features, CD, DVD Reviews & Columns. Award-winning Journalism and Photography! Order Today ALASTAIR GREENE Click THE NEW WORLD BLUES Here! H NEW ALBUM H Produced by Tab Benoit for WHISKEY BAYOU RECORDS Available October 23, 2020 “Fronting a power blues-rock trio, guitarist Alastair Greene breathes in sulfuric fumes and exhales blazing fire.” - Frank John Hadley, Downbeat Magazine “Greene is a no frills rock vocalist. His fiery solos prove him a premier shredder who will appeal to fans of Walter Trout, Joe Bonamassa, and Albert Castiglia.” - Thomas J Cullen III, Blues Music Magazine “On THE NEW WORLD BLUES, Alastair makes it clear why he is a ‘guitar player’s guitar player,’ and this recording will surely leave the Alastair Greene stamp on the Blues Rock World.” - Rueben Williams, Thunderbird Management, Whiskey Bayou Records alastairgreene.com whiskeybayourecords.com Available October 23rd at alligator.com and other fine retailers GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN’ MUSIC SINCE 1971 BLUES MUSIC ONLINE October 23, 2020 - Issue 21 Table Of Contents 06 - SHEMEKIA COPELAND Uncivil War By Marc Lipkin 1 2 - SIX CD REVIEWS By Various Writers 29 - BLUES MUSIC SAMPLER DOWNLOAD CD Sampler 26 - July 2020 PHOTOGRAPHY © COURTESY ALLIGATOR RECORDS COVER PHOTOGRAPHY © MARILYN STRINGER Read The News Click Here! All Blues, All The Time, AND It's FREE! Get Your Paper Here! Read the REAL NEWS you care about: Blues Music News! FEATURING: - Music News - Breaking News - CD Reviews - Music Store Specials - Video Releases - Festivals - Artists Interviews - Blues History - New Music Coming - Artist Profiles - Merchandise - Music Business Updates SHEMEKIA COPELAND Uncivil War By Marc Lipkin PHOTOGRAPHY © AL PEREIRA ith a recording career that superstar Jason Isbell, legendary guitarist began in 1998 at age 18, award- Steve Cropper, rising guitar star Christone Wwinning vocalist Shemekia “Kingfish” Ingram, rocker Webb Wilder, Copeland has grown to become one of rock icon Duane Eddy, mandolin wizard the most talented and passionately candid Sam Bush, dobro master Jerry Douglas, artists on today’s roots music scene. Her and The Orphan Brigade providing riveting new album, Uncivil War, builds background vocals. on the musically and lyrically adventurous Among the most striking songs on territory she’s been exploring for over Uncivil War is the true, torn-from-history a decade, blending blues, R&B and story, “Clotilda’s On Fire.” It tells of the Americana into a sound that is now hers very last slave ship to arrive in America (in alone. The soulful and uncompromising Mobile Bay, Alabama) in 1859, 50 years Uncivil War tackles the problems of after the slave trade was banned. The ship, contemporary American life head on, with burned and sunk by the captain to destroy nuance, understanding, and a demand the evidence, was finally discovered in for change. It also brings Copeland’s 2019. The song, featuring Alabama native fiercely independent, sultry R&B fire to Jason Isbell playing the most ferocious songs more personal than political. NPR blues guitar of his career, is a hair-raising Music calls Shemekia “authoritative” and look at living American history delivered “confrontational” with “punchy defiance with power, tenderness, and jaw-dropping and potent conviction. It’s hard to imagine intensity. anyone staking a more convincing claim Another stand-out song is the to the territory she’s staked out – a true topical title track, a courageous plea hybrid of simmering, real-talking spirit for unity in a time of disunion. The and emphatic, folkie- and soul-style song is simultaneously challenging and statement-making.” comforting, as Shemekia delivers “Uncivil Uncivil War, recorded in Nashville War” with passion and insight about the with award-winning producer and chaos and uncertainty in the world while musician Will Kimbrough at the helm, still finding light in the darkness and hope is a career-defining album for three-time for the future. Rolling Stone praised it as, Grammy nominee Copeland. With songs “Blues queen Shemekia Copeland’s rootsy addressing gun violence (“Apple Pie And message song about the divided states A .45”), Civil Rights (the Staple Singers- of America. Her gospel-tinged vocal is esque message song, “Walk Until I Ride”), there to soothe and defuse, reminding us lost friends (the Dr. John tribute “Dirty that it’s time to listen to one another and, Saint”), bad love (Junior Parker’s “In The ultimately, come together.” Dark”) as well as good (“Love Song,” by With Uncivil War, Copeland is her father, legendary bluesman Johnny determined to stand her ground, help heal “Clyde” Copeland), Uncivil War is far- America’s wounds and continue to mend reaching, soul-searching and timeless. broken hearts. She brings people together Guests on Uncivil War include Americana with her music, a spirited amalgamation singing substantial new material and of blues, roots and Americana. She’s reinventing songs previously recorded by anxious to bring her new songs to her fans artists including ZZ Top and Creedence around the world as soon as possible. Of Clearwater Revival. NPR’s All Things the new album Copeland says, “I’m trying Considered said, “Copeland embodies to put the ‘united’ back in the United the blues with her powerful vocal chops States. Like many people, I miss the days and fearless look at social issues.” No when we treated each other better. For Depression declared, “Copeland pierces me, this country’s all about people with your soul. This is how you do it, and differences coming together to be part of nobody does it better than Shemekia something we all love. That’s what really Copeland.” makes America beautiful.” With 2018’s America’s Child, When Copeland first broke on the Copeland continued singing about scene with her groundbreaking Alligator the world around her, shining light in Records debut CD Turn The Heat Up, dark places with confidence and well- she instantly became a blues and R&B timed humor. Singer/songwriter Mary force to be reckoned with. News outlets Gauthier, who contributed two songs from The New York Times to CNN to the album, said, “Shemekia is one of praised Copeland’s talent, larger-than-life the great singers of our time. Her voice personality, dynamic, authoritative voice is nothing short of magic.” Potent new and true star power. With each subsequent songs, a duet with John Prine, and a release, Copeland’s music had evolved. reinvention of a Kinks classic led MOJO From her debut through 2005’s The Soul magazine to name America’s Child the Truth, Copeland earned eight Blues Music #1 blues release of 2018. It won both the Awards, a host of Living Blues Awards Blues Music Award and the Living Blues (including the prestigious 2010 Blues Award for Album Of The Year. American Artist Of The Year) and more accolades Songwriter said, “Copeland delivers the from fans, critics and fellow musicians. meticulously chosen material with fierce 2000’s Wicked received a Grammy intent, balancing her emotionally moving, nomination. Two successful releases searing, husky, four-alarm vocals with a on Telarc (including 2012’s Grammy- more subtle tough yet tender approach. nominated 33 1/3) sealed her reputation The riveting America’s Child pushes as a fearless and soulful singer. boundaries, creating music reflecting a In 2015, Copeland returned to larger, wider-ranging tract of Americana.” Alligator Records with the Grammy- Shemekia Copeland has performed nominated, Blues Music Award-winning thousands of gigs at clubs, festivals and Outskirts Of Love, she continued to concert halls all over the world, and has broaden her musical vision, melding blues appeared in films, on national television, with more rootsy, Americana sounds. NPR, and in magazine and newspapers. With her soaked-in-blues vocals at the She’s sung with Eric Clapton, Bonnie forefront, she extended her lyrical reach, Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Dennis Jones’ 7th Original Album Soft Hard & Loud Coming October 2020 New Single Like Sheep September 2020 Release ”Though certainly aware of how Hendrix burned the midnight lamp, Jones is his own man.” — Frank-John-Hadley, Downbeat Magazine IBC 2004 Winner in Memphis as part of Zac Harmon Band 3 years as lead guitarist with Brian O’Neal and The Busboys (Boys are Back in Town) Booking/tour info and more at dennisjonescentral.com Available October 23rd at alligator.com and other fine retailers GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN’ MUSIC SINCE 1971 Dr. John, James Cotton, and many others. She opened for The Rolling Stones and entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Jeff Beck calls her “amazing.” Santana says, “She’s incandescent...a diamond.” In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary Clark, Jr., and others at the White House TM for President and Mrs. Obama. She has performed on PBS’s Austin City Limits and was recently the subject of a six-minute feature on the PBS News Hour. Currently, Copeland can be heard hosting her own popular daily blues radio show on SiriusXM’s Bluesville. The Chicago Tribune’s famed jazz critic Howard Reich says, “Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. She pushes the genre forward, confronting racism, hate, xenophobia and other perils of our time. Regardless of subject matter, though, there’s no mistaking the majesty of Copeland’s instrument, nor the ferocity