NEWS
✪ 𝐌𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈-𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃-𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐉𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✪
Las Vegas-based Jimmy Carpenter is on a roll. The saxophonist/ singer/ songwriter is a perennial favorite at the annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis, having been voted in the “Best Instrumentalist/Horn” category with seven nominations and two wins. Now, he proves he’s Just Got Started, with the upcoming release of his new album on September 13. Just Got Started was recorded in March at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California, and was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Christoffer "Kid" Andersen.
"Jimmy Carpenter continues to be a stand-out artist in the contemporary Blues genre. His songwriting is on point and his voice is front and center,” says Gulf Coast president Mike Zito. “Arguably one of the best sax players around, his artistry on this new record has come together to make the circle complete."
“When my dear friend Mike Zito asked if I'd be interested in working with producer Kid Andersen at Greaseland Studios for my third Gulf Coast Records release, my answer was an immediate and empathic ‘YES!,” recalls Carpenter. “Kid has done some very fine work with several friends of mine, and I love those records.
“I love Soul music, and my idea for this one was to lean in that direction. Still Blues-based, but also song oriented and funky cool with a kind of vintage soul vibe. I told Kid that, and he immediately said ‘Yes, we can do that!’
“The week before the session I was a little nervous, and called my friend Albert Castiglia, who had just recorded there. He gave me some very good advice: ‘Jimmy, just trust Kid, he has a plan;’ and he was so right. And the plan was to take my songs and put them in the capable hands of some of the finest musicians on the planet, which worked out very well.”
“The title track, ‘(Feels Like) I Just Got Started,’ is my attempt to use the last set of a night as a metaphor for my life in music,” explains Carpenter.” I've been at this a very long time and honestly, my career is at its high point; it's not ebbing, it's flowing! I really do feel in many ways like I'm just getting started. There's a line in the bridge, ‘Don't blink or you'll miss it!’ and that is a fact!
“Living in Vegas, people often ask if I'm a gambler. My stock answer is always - I only gamble with my heart. That's been banging around my head for years, and I finally wrote the song. It has the advantage of being true, and that gamble has paid off nicely here in Sin City.
“There are nods to some of the Blues icons: a very different version of Little Walter's ‘My Babe;’ a nice cover of Otis Rush's ‘Working Man;’ a nod to Delbert McClinton, one of my favorite people, and his song ‘Leap of Faith’ (Lisa ‘Li'l Baby’ Andersen absolutely crushes that one); as well as a super funky version of Allen Toussaint's ‘Night People.’
“And for the first time I was able to record not one, but two tunes from my saxophone hero, King Curtis: ‘Soul Theme’ and ‘Midnight Blue.’ In kind of a full circle thing, bass player Jerry Jemmott was King Curtis' bassist, so I felt kind of a cosmic connection to him as we recorded those, and of course, Jerry's bass lines were perfect.
“This album is very different than the previous five; more groovy and soulful, but not overdone. The musicianship really brings it home, and I could feel the love as we recorded it. I'm playing these songs live, and from the reaction we're getting, I think the people dig it! I am so grateful for Kid's steady hand and unparalleled guitar work, Jerry Jemmott, Derrick D'Mar Martin, Jim Pugh, Bobby Vega, and Lisa Andersen for taking really good care of me and my songs... And of course, Mike Zito and everyone at Gulf Coast for this opportunity. I Just Got Started, and I still got a long way to go!”
JUST GOT STARTED -- TRACK LISTING
1. (Feels Like) I Just Got Started - Jimmy Carpenter & Kid Andersen
2. My Babe - Willie Dixon
3. I Only Gamble With My Heart - Jimmy Carpenter
4. Jimmy Shimmy - Jimmy Carpenter
5. Shining Star - Leo Graham & Paul Richmond
6. Night People - Allen Toussaint
7. Live Again - Jimmy Carpenter
8. Soul Theme - Curtis Ousley
9. Keep On Stepping - Jimmy Carpenter
10. Working Man - Mike Bloomfield & Nick Gravenites
11. Leap of Faith - Glen Clark & Gary Nicholson
12. Midnight Blue - Curtis Ousley
MUSICIANS
ALL TRACKS
Jimmy Carpenter - Sax and Vocals
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen - Guitar
Jim Pugh - Keys
Derrick D'mar Martin - Drums and Percussion
-
Jerry Jemmott - Bass: tracks 1-4, 7-10, 12
-
Bobby Vega - Bass: tracks 5, 6, 11; Guitar: tracks 4, 9
-
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen - Organ: tracks 3, 5-8,11;
Fender Rhodes: track 6; Background Vocals: track 7
-
Endre Tarczy - Piano: track 2
-
Mike Galisatus - Trumpet; tracks 2, 6, 9, 10
-
Jack Sanford - Bari Sax: tracks 2, 6, 9, 10
-
Lisa “Little Baby” Andersen - Background Vocals: tracks 6, 11
-
Dwayne Morgan - Background Vocals: tracks 1, 2, 5
-
Walter Morgan - Background Vocals: tracks 1, 2, 5
-
James Morgan - Background Vocals: tracks 1, 2, 5
Photo by: Paul Citone
.jpg)
🗳 𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 for the Blues Blast Magazine Music Awards! Please consider voting for our Gulf Coast Records artist nominees. Thank you! ➨ bluesblastmagazine.com
🌟 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 - Mike Zito / Life is Hard & The Wicked Lo-Down / Out of Line
🌟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 - Monster Mike Welch / Nothing But Time
🌟 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 - Kevin Burt & Big Medicine / Thank You Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers
🌟 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 - Blood Brothers ft. Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia
🌟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 - Kevin Burt
🌟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫 - Mike Zito
🌟 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 - Monster Mike Welch & Joanna Connor
🌟 𝐀𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 - Kevin Burt
🌟 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 - Joanna Connor
🌟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 - Jason Ricci
🌟 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 - Jimmy Carpenter & Eric Demmer
Fan voting begins July 15, 2024 and continues until August 31, 2024 at BluesBlastMagazine.com. Voting is free and open to anyone.
NEW SINGLE FROM ALBERT CASTIGLIA
MAMA, I LOVE YOU FEAT. KEVIN BURT
“ ’Mama, I Love You’ was written a few years back after witnessing a black man getting killed on camera at the hands of a white man for no reason other than fear and hate. It wasn’t the first time I had witnessed such an act but after the last time, I couldn’t hold back the overwhelming feelings of sadness and rage. I pitched the song to my friend Kevin Burt, who is African American, for him to sing on his next album but he felt that the message would be more powerful if I, a white man were to sing it. He telling me that took me a while to process because I just didn’t feel that way at the time. Later on as the song evolved and developed musically and lyrically, I warmed up to the idea of singing it but I suggested that we do it as a duet. I wrote the song, but Kevin and bass legend Jerry Jemmott added so much to the tune in the studio that I gave them songwriting credit as well. It was an honor and a privilege to create this with them.”
Albert adds, “When I write songs, they’re usually fueled by intense joy, sadness and anger. That’s just how it is with me. The concept of racism is something I will never understand. For someone to hate another based on the color of their skin befuddles me and makes me furious to no end. There’s never been a place for it and I feel it’s hindered this country’s ability to reach its full potential, and I say this as a loyal American. I love this country very much, but there is still much left to be done here in terms of race relations and understanding one another.” -- Albert Castiglia
WE'RE STILL FRIENDS ft. MIKE ZITO
from LARA PRICE'S new release HALF & HALF.
“In the spirit of the upcoming Trump/Biden debate, "We're Still Friends" is a fun rockin' sing-along to remind folks that it's ok to agree to disagree." -- Lara Price
✪ MULTI-BLUES MUSIC AWARD-WINNER ALBERT CASTIGLIA ASSEMBLES ALL-STAR CAST OF RIGHTEOUS SOULS ON HIS NEW GULF COAST RECORD ALBUM, SET FOR JULY 19th RELEASE DATE ✪
✪ 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀, 𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐇 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇, 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐄, 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 '𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐇' 𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌, 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐁𝐁𝐘, 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄, 𝐊𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐓, 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐇, 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐘, 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍, 𝐉𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 ✪
RIGHTEOUS SOULS - TRACK LISTING AND CREDITS
1. Centerline ft. Popa Chubby (written by Albert Castiglia)
2. Get Down to the Nitty Gritty ft. Alabama Mike (written by Luther ‘Snake Boy’ Johnson)
3. Mama, I Love You ft. Kevin Burt (written by Albert Castiglia, Kevin Burt, and Jerry Jemmott)
4. You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover ft. Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram & Rayne Castiglia (written by Willie Dixon)
5. All Our Past Times ft. Danielle Nicole & Joe Bonamassa (written by Richard Danko and Eric Clapton)
6. Till They Take It Away ft. Ally Venable ( written by Albert Castiglia)
7. Come On In This House ft. Rick Estrin (written by Amos Blakemore)
8. You Were Wrong ft. Jimmy Carpenter (written by Arzell Hill)
9. The Dollar Done Fell ft. Josh Smith (written by Buddy Guy)
10. No Tears Left to Cry ft. Gary Hoey (written by Albert Castiglia)
11. What My Mama Told Me ft. Rick Estrin & Monster Mike Welch (written by Amos Blakemore)
Recorded at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, CA
Executive Producer - Mike Zito
Producer & Engineer - Kid Andersen
Fresh from winning another Blues Music Award at the recent festivities in
Memphis for “Best Blues Rock Album” as a member of the “Blood Brothers,” along with labelmate MikeZito, Albert Castiglia comes out guitar-slinging on his new solo Gulf Coast Records album, RighteousSouls, set for release on July 19th. Gulf Coast will release the new album’s first single, “Centerline,” featuring Popa Chubby (along with single and album digital pre-orders at all digital outlets), on June 14; to be followed by “Mama I Love You,” featuring Kevin Burt, on June 28; and “You Can’t Judge a Book By the Cover,” featuring Christone ”Kingfish” Ingram and Rayne Castiglia, on July 12th.
"During last year’s ‘Blood Brothers’ tour, Mike Zito informed me that it was time for me to do another solo album,” explains Albert Castiglia about the new album’s genesis. “At that moment, I felt I was ill-prepared for the task. I had been constantly touring with Mike for the last two years, doing very little writing, so I didn’t have a lot of original material. My last two studio albums were quite thematic. With Masterpiece, the album centered around the discovery of my daughter. I Got Love was fueled by my life during the pandemic of 2020. What would be the thing that fuels the next one? It concerned me because if I’m not living the songs, it’ll never work. It had to mean something to me. Mike suggested we make it an album with guests, my friends so to speak. I was concerned my friends wouldn’t have time to devote to the project. I was wrong, so wrong. Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, Kevin Burt, Gary Hoey, Ally Venable, Popa Chubby, Rick Estrin, Kid and Lisa Andersen, Alabama Mike, Jimmy Carpenter, Kingfish Ingram, Danielle Nicole, Monster Mike Welch, Jerry Jemmott, D-Mar Martin, Jon Otis, Jim Pugh and others stepped up for me. My daughter Rayne even participated, which was the cherry on top. Suddenly,the theme became clear. It’s about friends and family. It’s about Righteous Souls.”
“I think Righteous Souls is a big step forward artistically for my friend Albert Castiglia,” says Gulf Coast president Mike Zito. “His singing, the songs, and his guitar playing are highly elevated on this new album. It’s fantastic to watch Albert grow as an artist; he is one of a kind.”
The new album is chock-full of Albert Castiglia’s signature sounds: blistering guitar licks flavored with righteously-soulful vocals that send a powerful blues message. Along with a number of original songs, Righteous Souls includes Castiglia’s takes on a batch of cover songs from Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton/Rick Danko and two written by his former boss and mentor, the late, great Junior Wells (“Come On In This House” and “What My Mama Told Me ).”
THE RIGHTEOUS BAND
Albert Castiglia - Vocals and Guitar
Jerry Jemmott - Bass
Jim Pugh - Keyboards
Derrick D’Mar Martin - Drums
Kid Andersen - Guitar, Keys, and Bass
Lisa ‘Little Baby’ Andersen - Backing Vocals
Jon Otis - Percussion
Jack Sanford - Bari Sax
Eddie Tarczy - Harpsichord
GUEST MUSICIANS - THE RIGHTEOUS SOULS
Rayne Castiglia - Vocals
Joe Bonamassa - Guitar
Josh Smith - Guitar
Danielle Nicole - Vocals
Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram - Guitar
Popa Chubby - Guitar
Ally Venable - Guitar
Kevin Burt - Vocals
Monster Mike Welch - Guitar
Gary Hoey - Guitar
Rick Estrin - Harmonica
Jimmy Carpenter - Saxophone
Alabama Mike - Vocals
✪ Gulf Coast Records Artists Win Three Blues Music Awards
at the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN ✪
CONGRATULATIONS to our Gulf Coast Records Blues Music Award Winners!
★ MIKE ZITO - Blues Rock Artist and Blues Rock Album of the Year
★ ALBERT CASTIGLIA - "Blood Brothers" - Blues Rock Album
★ JASON RICCI - Instrumentalist Harmonica
✪ Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of Powerhouse Blues/Soul Singer Lara Price and the Release of Her Label Debut, Half & Half on June 21st ✪
Mike Zito, president of Gulf Coast Records, announces the signing of powerhouse blues and soul singer Lara Price and the upcoming June 21st release of her label debut album, Half & Half, on both CD and vinyl formats, with digital pre-orders starting on May 3rd and CD pre-orders now available at laraprice.com
The album’s first single, “We’re Still Friends” (featuring Mike Zito) will be released on May 17, to be followed by “Rain” on June 7th. Now based in Austin, Texas, Lara Price recorded the album partly in Texas and partly in the San Francisco Bay Area, hence its title.
“Half & Half was a way for me to honor the San Francisco Bay Area music family, because without them I wouldn’t be able to keep up in this Austin music scene,” said Lara Price. “The other ‘half’ is a representation of what I have learned so far, as I have soaked up eight years- worth of Austin music. I feel like I am JUST scratching the service as to what the Austin music scene is about and I look forward to putting that experience on my next album. Technically, the album was recorded 60% in Texas 40% in California with 22 musicians and three studios in two states,” she added about the recording sessions.
“Lara Price has been a fantastic artist for years,” said Mike Zito in announcing her signing. “She’s so deserving of a national audience. Her voice is soulful and righteous and I expect our fans to fall in love with her.”
“I don’t think words can express how excited I am to be joining the GCR family,” stated Lara Price. “The caliber of musicianship on this label is humbling, and I look forward to rising to the level. Thank you, GRC for the much needed wind in my sails. See you at the gig!”
About Lara Price:
Abandoned at birth, Lara Price became a part of the controversial Operation Baby Lift, the mass evacuation of orphans from South Vietnam to the United States. Her journey out of Vietnam to her new home was nothing short of a miracle, as 90 percent of the orphaned babies did not survive. Lara Price is a survivor.
Lara arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1997 to pursue her dream of singing in a band. The journey of Lara’s career includes tours across the United States, China, multiple bands, one DVD, seven CDs that Lara Price has produced, co-written, and on which she has played multiple instruments. Her sixth CD,
I Mean Business, was exactly that, earning her a Best Soul/Blues Female Artist nomination for 2017 by the Blues Foundation. Lara’s journey continued in Austin, where she released on her seventh album, Makin’ Lemonade Lara Price LIVE from ATX.
What the critics have said about Lara Price:
“The proof is in the performance. Price's vocal instrument is as strong as it is sensual, confident in covering the breadth of material in her songbook.”- San Francisco Chronicle, 2003
“Lara Price…combines Gladys Knight’s sophistication with Mavis Staple Grit” - Boston Globe , November, 2015
“Strong performances mark Lara Price as a force in the soul blues arena!” - Blues Blast Magazine, March 2016
“If you enjoy the soul blues stylings of women like Trudy Lynn, Etta James, and Etta Jones, you’ll find plenty to latch onto with Price’s I Mean Business.” - Blues Revue, March, 2016
Female Soul Blues Artist Nomination alongside Mavis Staples and Bettye LaVette -- Blues Foundation, 2017
Half & Half Track Listing and Credits:
Recorded and/or Mixed: 601 Studio / Austin, Texas - Mike Ingber, Eric Harrison; King Electric Studios / Austin, Texas - Rocky Moon (recorded); Greaseland Music Creation House - Kid Andersen (recorded, mixed) DM2 Audio - Dave Bauer - Mix
Producer: Kid Andersen & Lara Price
Producers - "The Way Love Goes": Mike Ingber, Eric Harrison, Lara Price
Song Titles:
-
We’re Still Friends ft. Mike Zito - Mike Schermer, Felice Garcia
-
Evidence - George Jackson, Raymond Moore
-
Fools Like Me - Jack Clement, Peewee Maddux
-
Things Ain’t Everything - Mike Schermer, Marcia Ball
-
Rain - Lara Price, David Jimenez
-
Days Ago - Lara Price, David Jimenez
-
Solitude - Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills
-
The Way Love Goes - Lara Price, Eric Harrison, Mike Ingber
-
Trouble, Heartache, Sadness - Ann Peebles, Don Bryant
-
Heart On A String - George Jackson, Mickey Buckins
Musician Credits:
Drums & Percussion: Clint Simmons (2,4,5,6); Randy Hayes (1,3,9,10); Mike Ingber (8); Kid Andersen (1,6)
Bass: Nick Jay (2,4,5,6); Endre Tarczy (1,3,9,10); Eric Harrison (8); Kid Andersen (6)
Keys: Trevor Nealon (2,4,5,6); Baxter Robertson (1,3,9,10); Kid Andersen (5); Mike Inber (8)
Guitar: Mike Zito (1) Featured Artist; David Jimenez (2,4,5,6); Chris Tondre (2,4,5,8); Mighty Mike Schermer (1,3,9,10); Matt Burger (7); Mike Ingber (8)
Sax: Dr. Matthew Maldonado (2,4)
Back-Up Vocals: Sweet Nectar: Sue McCracklin, Maureen Smith (1,2,4,9,10); Lara Price (8); Lisa Leuschner (1,2,4,9,10)
Kitty Purrr: Jaime Lee Curtis Salgado (5)
✪ Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of Chris BadNews Barnes
and Will Release His Label Debut, BadNews Travels Fast, Produced by Multi-Grammy Winner Tom Hambridge, on April 26th. ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of Nashville-based blues/rock singer Chris BadNews Barnes and the April 26th release date for his label debut album, BadNews Travels Fast.
BadNews Travels Fast was produced by multi-Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, who also played drums on the sessions and co-wrote all of the songs on the new disc with Barnes. Joining in the recording fun was an “A-List” of Nashville musicians, along with such special guests as singers Jimmy Hall and Sugaray Rayford and guitarist Walter Trout.
“I have been a fan of Chris Barnes for years,” said Gulf Coast label head Mike Zito in announcing the signing. “He is obviously very well known for his comedic acting and writing from ‘SNL’ to ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ appearances. I took real notice of Chris a few years back when we played together at The Big Blues Bender. Chris is a sincere singer/songwriter with a style all his own. His stage presence is nothing short of exuberant. Gulf Coast Records is proud to have Chris Barnes join our family in 2024!”
“I’m honored to have found a home for my original songs with fellow artists who are also true friends,” stated Chris BadNews Barnes. “Gulf Coast has built a Castle for today’s cutting-edge Blues Artist and I’m grateful to be inside The Gates. Mike and Gulf Coast...I Offer You My Sword, Now let’s Go Slay Some Dragons!
“This is my fifth album and the second produced by Grammy Award-Winning Tom Hambridge,” added Barnes. “Walter Trout, Jimmy Hall, and Sugaray Rayford have all lent their talents for this impassioned and personal Contemporary Blues Album. “
BadNews Travels Fast - Track Listing and Credits
Chris BadNews Barnes - Lead Vocals
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals
Kenny Greenberg – Guitars
Tommy MacDonald – Bass
Mike Rojas – Keyboards
Max Abrams – Saxophone
Steve Patrick – Trumpet
Tabitha Fair - Background Vocals
Featured Artists
Jimmy Hall - Harmonica (tracks 1 & 4)
Sugaray Rayford - Vocals (track 3)
Walter Trout - Guitar (track 2)
Produced by Tom Hambridge
Recorded at Soundstage Studios, Nashville TN
Amber Sound, Nashville TN
Engineered by Zach Allen
Additional recording at The Switchyard Studio, Nashville TN by Michael Saint-Leon
Mixed and mastered by Tom Hambridge & Michael Saint-Leon at The Switchyard Studio Nashville TN
-
BadNews Travels Fast - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
True Blues - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
You Right Baby - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming
-
A Bluesman Can’t Cry - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
The Juice Ain’t Worth The Squeeze - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
BluesBaller Baby - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
His Majesty The Baby - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming
-
Skin To Skin - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming
-
Ambushed By The Blues - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming
-
Do The Houdini - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
-
Mushrooms Make Me a Fun Guy - Chris Barnes, Tom Hambridge
Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of New England-Based Blues/Roots Band, The Wicked Lo-Down, and Will Release Their Label Debut, Out of Line, on March 8th
Band Will Celebrate Album Release with Gulf Coast Records Revue at
14th Annual Winter Blues Festival in February
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of New England-based blues/roots band, The Wicked Lo-Down, and will release their label debut CD, Out of Line, on March 8th, 2024. The Wicked Lo-Down is comprised of Nick David - Vocals/Harmonica; Paul Size – Guitar; Jeffrey Berg – Guitar/ Background Vocals; Brad Hallen – Bass; and Nick Toscano – Drums. Out of Line was produced by The Wicked Lo-Down and recorded, mixed and mastered by Jeffrey Berg at Walking Stick Studios, Auburn Mass. Pre-order The Wicked Lo-Down album here: https://www.wickedld.com/.
“Nick David has a blues and rock ‘n’ roll sound that’s deep and soulful,” said Gulf Coast label head Mike Zito in making the announcement. “His singing, writing, and harp playing are old school, yet fresh all at once. The Wicked Lo-Down is a fantastic group behind Nick. Paul Size on guitar is legendary in Texas Blues. Together they bring an exciting new album to the genre and Gulf Coast Records.”
“The Wicked Lo-Down couldn’t be more excited to sign with Gulf Coast Records,” said lead singer Nick David. “We are honored knowing that Mike Zito sees something in us and our music that is worth putting some muscle behind. Gulf Coast is the perfect label for the music that we are creating and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with them.”
Formed in 2020 just before the Covid lockdown by guitar giant Paul Size (The Red Devils, Mick Jagger, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones) and powerhouse blues belter Nick David (Mr. Nick & the Dirty Tricks, Queen City Kings), The Wicked Lo-Down blends raw Texas blues and hard hitting Northeast R&B into their own completely original house rockin' sound. Their debut album, We Hot, received critical acclaim from some of the biggest names in the blues world and beyond. Consisting of ten well crafted, barn burners, We Hot established The Wicked Lo-Down as a true force to be reckoned- with and left no doubt that from Austin to Boston is how they roll.
Out of Line, the second record from The Wicked Lo-Down, includes 11 sure-fire originals and two rock solid, unexpected covers: Hound Dog Taylor’s “Just Can’t Make It;” and a bluesified take on “Toxic,” which was originally done by pop princess Britney Spears and the band proceeds to turn completely inside-out. “With ‘Toxic,’ The Wicked Lo-Down have re-crafted this interesting piece of bubble gum pop into a sinister, fierce, rockin’ Texas shuffle with help from the great Monster Mike Welch on guitar,” declares Nick David.
As with their previous release, the focal point of Out of Line is on the songs. Highlighting the songwriting of Berg, David and Size, the band once again solidifies its place by continuing to carve out a lane all its own, making the new disc a must-listen for hard core fans of bands like The Red Devils and the original Fabulous Thunderbirds.
About “The Wildest One” track, Nick David says: “The Wildest One (Lester’s Boogie)” was written as a tribute to the great Lester Butler. The head riff was something that popped into the mind of long time bandmate Paul Size as something that reminded him intensely of Lester and the rest of the song was built around that. The lyrics, written by Nick David reference the life & music of Lester, including song titles from the Red Devils and 13 records.
MEET THE BAND
Nick David: For the last 25 years, dynamo Blues shouter, unorthodox harmonica ace and extraordinary stage presence Nick David has been entertaining audiences in New England and around the world. Nick spent 12 years fronting the widely regarded Mr. Nick & the Dirty Tricks, which included the Billboard charted album, Oh Wow, produced by the legendary Curtis Salgado. Nick has performed and recorded with many notable musicians, including; Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, The Holmes Brothers, John Popper, Otis Grand, Jerry Portnoy, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Curtis Salgado, Big Bill Morganfield, Jason Ricci, James Harman, The Nighthawks, Rick Estrin and Junior Watson, to name a few.
Paul Size: For the last 40 years, Paul Size has been the pure embodiment of blistering Texas Blues guitar. Having grown up and made his bones in Texas amongst modern day Blues royalty like Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and SRV, it is no surprise that he turned out to be the juggernaut that he is today. At just 19 years old, Paul moved to LA to join the famed Red Devils, where he spent three years traveling around the world, playing and recording with a wide variety of musicians including Mick Jagger, Los Lobos, The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Doyle Bramhall, Doyle Bramhall II, Kim Wilson, and Ronnie Earl. He recorded one full-length record and did several recording projects with legendary producer Rick Rubin. After moving to New England, Paul spent several years in the stalwart Johnny Hoy & the Bluefish and recorded and toured as a member of New England Blues royalty, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones.
Brad Hallen: Having been a full time musician since 1975, Brad has played on over 200 records to date and has recorded and toured the world many times over with Blues and R&B artists such as Duke Robillard, Jimmie Vaughn, Susan Tedeschi, James Cotton, Billy Boy Arnold, Curtis Salgado, Hubert Sumlin, Roomful of Blues, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, The Founders, Monster Mike Welch as, well as many Rock artists including Iggy Pop, Ministry, Ric Ocasek, Elliot Easton and Ben Orr (The Cars), Jane Wiedlin (The Go Go’s), The Nervous Eaters, The Joneses, Willie Alexander, Aimee Mann and many others.
Jeff Berg: Jeff Berg has been an integral part of the New England Blues scene for the last 30 years, whether fronting and playing guitar in his own band, Night Train, playing bass for ubiquitous New England Blues stompers Ryan Hartt and The Blue Hearts, or original rock outfit The Howl. In addition, Jeff is chief recording engineer at Walking Stick Studio, as well as record producer and label owner of Feffrey Records.
Nick Toscano: Nick Toscano has been playing drums in all forms of musical settings in New England and beyond for over 30 years. In addition to The Wicked Lo-Down, he’s recorded albums as a member of Ryan Hartt and the Blue Hearts, The Eric Ducoff Band, Chris Capaldi, The Raymond McMorrin Quintet, and others. Nick has also been on the road with some dynamite touring artists including Junior Watson, Mark Hummel, Rusty Zinn, and Anson Funderburgh.
Band photo ID left to right:
Brad Hallen, Nick David, Nick Toscano, Paul Size and Jeffrey Berg
"OUT OF LINE" TRACK LISTING AND SONGWRITING CREDITS
1) Kill Me or Keep Me (J. Berg)
2) Marchin’ On (N. David, P. Size)
3) Bogeyman (N. David)
4) Out of Line (N. David, P. Size)
5) The Wildest One (Lester’s Boogie) (N. David, P. Size)
6) Toxic (C. Dennis, H. Jonback, C. Karlsson, P. Winnberg)
7) Action Woman (N. David, P. Size)
8) If I (J. Berg)
9) Dime Store Darling (J. Berg)
10) You Don’t Know Me (J. Berg, N. David)
11) Vanna Be (P. Size)
12) Put Up With You (N. David)
13) Just Can’t Make It (T.R. Taylor)
Special Guests
Mike Zito - Guitar on "Out of Line"
Monster Mike Welch - Guitar on "Toxic"
Gulf Coast Records’ Multi-Blues Music Award-Winner
Mike Zito Set to Release New Album,
Life Is Hard, On February 23, 2024
New Disc Produced Once Again by Joe Bonamassa and
Josh Smith
Gulf Coast Records announces a February 23, 2024, release date for the new disc from multi-Blues Music Award-winner Mike Zito, Life Is Hard. Zito recorded the new album in September at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, California, with Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith producing. Both Bonamassa and Smith were involved in the production of Blood Brothers, the critically-acclaimed album Zito recorded with fellow label guitarist Albert Castiglia, which topped both the Billboard and iTunes blues charts after its release in March, 2023. Mike’s first single, “Life is Hard,” the album’s title track, will drop on January 12th.
“Life Is Hard is a complete work of art for me,” says Mike Zito about the new disc. “I believe this is the best album I’ve ever made in my life. My wife Laura and I planned this idea of pouring my heart out in music after her death from cancer. Joe, Josh and the incredible musicians were fully aware of the task at hand. They brought a lot of emotion to the music. I am so proud of this album and I know Laura would be proud as well.”
The even-dozen tracks on Life Is Hard include not only several Mike Zito originals, but also his takes on a wide variety of blues songs written by such contemporaries as Tinsley Ellis, Walter Trout, Tab Benoit and Fred James. Sprinkled in are covers from a diverse assortment of blues/roots music icons, including Little Milton (“Lonely Man”), Stevie Wonder (“Have a Talk with God”) and Reverend Gary Davis (“Death Don’t Have No Mercy”), plus the outside-the-box blues-worthy rendering of the Guess Who classic, “These Eyes.”
Mike Zito - Life Is Hard
Track Listing and Credits
Produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith
Mixed by Alan Hertz; Engineered by Austin Atwood; Asst. Engineer Nate Haessly
Mastered by Eric Boulanger at the Bakery Mastering
Recorded at Sunset Sound Studio Los Angeles, Additional recording at Ocean Way Studios Nashville
Mike Zito - Guitar and Vocals
Joe Bonamassa – Additional Guitar
Josh Smith – Additional Guitar
Reese Wynans - Keyboards
Calvin Turner - Bass
Lemar Carter - Drums
Paulie Cerra - Saxophone on "Lonely Man"
Jennifer Kumma and Anna Spina - French Horn on "Forever My Love" and "These Eyes"
Jade Macrae - Background Vocals
Dannielle Deandrea - Background Vocals
Steve Ray Ladson - Background Vocals on "Death Don't Have No Mercy"
French Horn Arrangements by Calvin Turner
TRACKS
Lonely Man - Milton Campbell, Bob Lyons
Life Is Hard - Fred James
Have a Talk with God - Calvin Hardaway, Stevie Wonder
Forever My Love - Mike Zito
No One to Talk to (But the Blues) - George Sherry, Wayne P Walker
Dying to Do Wrong - Tinsley Ellis
These Eyes - Randall Charles Bachman, Burton Cummings
Darkness - Tab Benoit
Without Loving You - Mike Zito
Nobody Moves Me Like You Do - Walter Trout
Death Don’t Have No Mercy - Gary Davis
Forever My Love (radio edit) - Mike Zito
Photo by Norma Touchette
✪ SOULFUL SINGER/GUITARIST KEVIN BURT SET FOR NEW ALBUM,
THANK YOU, BROTHER BILL: A TRIBUTE TO BILL WITHERS,
COMING JANUARY 5, 2024, ON GULF COAST RECORDS ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces a January 5, 2024, release date for Thank You, Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers from soulful singer/guitarist/songwriter Kevin Burt and his band, Big Medicine, with CD pre-order availability today. This is Burt’s second album for Gulf Coast Records, which released his Stone Crazy CD in October, 2020.
Thank You, Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers was recorded at The Sound Box Recording Studio, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by engineers Richard Shultz and Jon Limmer, with assistant engineers Daren Barker, Antonio Chalmers and Isaiah Holtz. The mixing and mastering was done by David Ferrell at Dockside Studios in New Orleans.
"Kevin Burt has been a force for years and is finally getting the International recognition he so deeply deserves,” says Gulf Coast Records founder Mike Zito. “His voice is commanding and soulful and his songs are honest and from the heart. On his new album, Kevin resonates his soul with the music of Bill Withers. They have a connection deeper than their voices. This album is a must for all Bill Withers fans and will bring Kevin Burt to the masses."
“Listening to Bill Withers tell a story or sing a song for me is one and the same,” adds Kevin Burt. “It instantly attaches itself to my soul. Mr. Withers told me in a roughly two-hour conversation we had many things that (pardon the pun) lean on today. One of those nuggets of insight was to ‘tell the stories that make me feel most vulnerable, that’s what people connect with.’ His story relates to my story. His songs relate to different points in time in my life like no other as an artist. I hope to someday have an impact on someone else’s world the way Mr. Withers has had an impact on mine. I hope that you enjoy the stories/songs as much as I have over the years. These are some of my favorites, not just because of the words or the story, but because of their attachment to my own personal story, I hope that I did the songs justice. Big love, Brother Bill Withers, and big love to you all.”
For nearly 30 years, Kevin Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest, dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique, which consistently gets him compared to a range of artists like Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared to B.B. King.
Kevin is a self-taught musician (vocals, harmonica, and guitar) whose smooth, warm vocal presentation sets a mood of relaxed exhilaration, with a welcome mixture of serious music and infectious humor that audiences of all ages seem to enjoy. His voice and presence are powerful. His unique delivery ranges from the sweetest, fullest, juiciest come-on to the most playful growl. Most people have been introduced to him as a one-of-a-kind solo performer; however, he is a remarkable entertainer and frontman with his band, Kevin Burt & Big Medicine, with featured guitarist Ken Valdez, who is, himself, a masterful and revered musician in the Minneapolis music scene. The rhythm section of Eric Douglas (drums) and the incomparable Scot Sutherland (bass) provide a solid foundation for a soulful, funky, blues experience. When you have the Blues, Kevin Burt and Big Medicine might not cure you, but they will make you feel better!
Over the years, Kevin Burt has won numerous awards and played many festivals, both solo and with his band. Competing with 235 bands & solo/duo acts from around the world, he absolutely crushed it at the Blues Foundation’s 34th International Blues Challenge (IBC) in 2018, taking home top honors in three categories: first place in the Solo/Duo category; the Cigar Box Guitar Award recognizing him as the best guitar player in the Solo/Duo category; and the Lee Oskar Award for Best Harmonica Player. In 2019, Kevin was nominated for a Blues Music Award for his debut album, Heartland and Soul (Best Emerging Artist Album) and was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame. In 2020, his Gulf Coast Records debut recording, Stone Crazy, was nominated in four categories for The Independent Blues Awards: Best Soul/Blues Album, Song (“Stone Crazy”) and Vocalist, as well as a nomination for Gateway Artist of the Year. He was also nominated for Best Soul/Blues album for the Blues Blast Awards, as well as the Artist on the Rise Award. Additionally, he was awarded in 2021 the Bobby Rush Lifetime Achievement in Entertainment by the Blues Foundation. That year he was also nominated for Acoustic Artist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards.
ALBUM CREDITS AND TRACK-LISTING
Kevin Burt - Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Vocals
Scot Sutherland - Bass
Ken Valdez - Lead/Rhythm Guitar, Background Vocals
Eric Douglas - Drums/Percussion
Tracks:
-
Who is He (and What is He to You)?
-
Kissing My Love
-
World Keeps Going Round and Round
-
Just the Two of Us
-
I’m Her Daddy
-
Ain’t No Sunshine
-
Lean On Me
-
Let Us Love
-
Another Day To Run
-
Grandma’s Hands
-
The Same Love That Made Me Laugh
-
Hope She’ll Be Happier
-
Thank You Brother Bill - written by Kevin Burt
Photo by: Delaney Burt
✪ 𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 ANNOUNCES NOVEMBER 17 RELEASE DATE FOR
BLOOD BROTHERS: LIVE IN CANADA FROM BLUES MUSIC
AWARD-WINNERS MIKE ZITO AND ALBERT CASTIGLIA ✪
Gulf Coast Records is proud to announce the November 17 release of Blood Brothers Live in Canada, an album which perfectly captures all the excitement and blues/rock energy created by the dynamic duo of guitarists Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia on their recent Blood Brothers Tour, featured in an intimate setting that transports listeners to front row seats for all the action. Blood Brothers Live in Canada was recorded at Blue Frog Studios, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, on May 19 and 20, 2023. The new album was produced by Mike Zito and mastered by Kid Andersen.
“Our shows in White Rock were full of energy and fire,” Mike Zito says about the recording. “Blue Frog Studios set an exceptional vibe for the task at hand. Albert and the band were seriously on that night; I felt really good about it.” Adds Albert Castiglia: “The stars were aligned that night in White Rock: the perfect room, perfect acoustics, an amazing audience and incendiary playing by everyone in the band. We’ve had a lot of shows like that, but very few have been captured on tape. It had to be shared with the world. It was a night to remember!”
The band for those nights consisted of Mike Zito - vocals/guitars; Albert Castiglia - vocals/guitars; Doug Byrkit - bass guitar; Matt Johnson - drums/percussion; Ephraim Lowell - drums/percussion; andLewis Stephens - piano/organ.
The track listing for Blood Brothers Live in Canada album includes 10 live versions of songs that were originally included on the duo’s Blood Brothers studio album released to great international critical acclaim on Gulf Coast Records. That disc was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith and proceeded to top both the Billboard and iTunes blues charts after its release in March, 2023. Augmenting those tracks are searing live covers of Zito’s “Gone to Texas,” the title track of his 2013 CD released on Ruf Records; and a blistering take on the Neil Young Classic, “Rockin’ in the Free World,” which closes the new album out in grand style.
BLOOD BROTHERS: LIVE IN CANADA
Track Listing and Songwriting Credits
1. Hey Sweet Mama (Mike Zito)
2. Tooth and Nail (Tinsley Ellis)
3. In My Soul (Mike Zito)
4. Fool Never Learns (Fred James)
5. A Thousand Heartaches ( Albert Castiglia)
6. No Good Woman (Mike Zito)
7. My Business (John Hiatt)
8. Hill Country Jam (Mike Zito, Josh Smith)
9. You’re Gonna Burn (Fred James, Berry Hill)
10. Bag Me, Tag Me, Take Me Away (Graham Wood Drout)
11. Gone To Texas (Mike Zito)
12. Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young, Franks Sampedro)
Photo by: Danya Artimisi
✪ 𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒' 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃-𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐙𝐈𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐔𝐏𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 '𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃' 𝐂𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐅𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 ✪
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐉𝐎𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐇 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇
Gulf Coast Records announces a February 2024, release for the upcoming disc from multi-Blues Music Award-winner Mike Zito, to be titled 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃. Zito will record the new album September 18-22 during sessions at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, California, with Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith producing. Both Bonamassa and Smith were involved in the production of Blood Brothers, the critically-acclaimed album Zito recorded with fellow label guitarist Albert Castiglia, which topped both the Billboard and iTunes blues charts after its release in March, 2023.
"This will be a straight up blues album - something I haven't really done before,” says Mike Zito about the forthcoming CD. “My wife Laura (who passed away in July after a long battle with cancer) and I planned this recording back in January of this year. We both agreed I needed to continue to make new music and try and put some of these hard earned emotions to music. Both Joe and Josh understand my goal and I expect it to be a rocking tear jerker.”
Photo by: Norma Touchette
Mike Zito’s last Gulf Coast solo album, the double live set, Blues for the Southside (released Feb. 2022), debuted at number one on the Billboard Blues Chart. Recorded in November, 2021, at the Old Rock House in St. Louis, Missouri, and produced by Zito, Blues for the Southside captured Mike (guitar and vocals) and his stellar band in full fury: Matthew Johnson - vocals/drums; Lewis Stephens - piano/organ; Doug Byrkit – vocals/ bass, with special guests including label mate guitarists Tony Campanella and Dave Kalz, plus guitar wizard Eric Gales.
Zito’s last studio album, Resurrection (released July, 2021), contained 11 tracks that not only showcased his strengths as a composer, but also as an interpreter of other compositions, with scintillating and powerful takes on tunes from JJ Cale (“I’ll Make Love To You”), Eric Clapton (“Presence of the Lord”) and Willie Dixon (“Evil”). Mike won the 2022 Blues Music Award for “Blues Rock Album” for Resurrection.
The Blood Brothers disc was one of the most-anticipated albums of 2023, with its sales and critical response taking both Zito and Castiglia to new heights in the blues/roots music world, and its ongoing lengthy tour became one of the hottest tickets on the club and festival circuit. The album generated extensive radio airplay around the world, accompanied by universal rave reviews: “…a terrific collaboration.” – American Songwriter; “The universe wants what it wants and, right now, it wants this. Miss it and miss out.” – Rock & Blues Muse; “There was big anticipation that this album would be one of those where one plus one equals better than two. And it does.” – Blues Music Magazine
✪ HARMONICA MASTER JASON RICCI AND THE BAD KIND GET
BEHIND THE VEIL ON DEBUT GULF COAST RECORDS ALBUM
COMING SEPTEMBER 29th ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces a September 29th release date for Behind the Veil, the solo label debut from New Orleans-based harmonica master Jason Ricci and his band, The Bad Kind. Gulf Coast will release the album’s first single, “5-10-15,” (which features keyboardist Joe Krown) on August 11; followed by “St James Infirmary” on August 25; and “Why Don't We Sleep on It,” (which also features Joe Krown), on September 15.
Behind the Veil was produced by Jason Ricci and Tony Daigle and recorded at Dockside Studio, Maurice, Louisiana. The band is Jason Ricci - diatonic and chord harmonica, vocals, and backup vocals; Ricci’s wife Kaitlin Dibble - vocals and backup vocals; Brent Johnson - guitar and backup vocals; Jack Joshua - double bass, electric bass, vocals, and backup vocals; and John Perkins - drums and backup vocals. Special guests include Joe Krown - piano and Hammond B3 organ (tracks 2, 8, 12); Gulf Coast labelmate Joanna Connor - guitar (track 10) and Lauren Mitchell - backup vocals.
Behind the Veil Track Listing
1. Casco Bay - Jason Ricci
2. 5 -10 -15 - Rudy Toombs
3. Baked Potato - Jason Ricci / Stachurski Shawn Dustin
4. Cirque du Soleil - Jack Joshua
5. Wrong Kind of Easy / Nobody But You - Kaitlin Dibble (Wrong Kind Of Easy) - Walter Spriggs (Nobody But You)
6. Ain’t She Fine - Bobby Rush
7. St. James Infirmary - Irving Mills / Don Redman
8. Why Don’t We Sleep On It - Jason Ricci (Lyrics & Music) / Brent Johnson (Music)
9. Terrors Of Nightlife - Dax Riggs
10. No Way - Kaitlin Dibble
11. Shipwreck - Jeff Turmes
12. Hip Hug-Her - Booker T. & The M.G.'s. (Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones)
Jason Ricci talks about each of the singles:
“5-10-15” - “This was actually the song that made me want to record this CD. Singer Kaitlin Dibble has been singing this number for a few years and the wheels in my mind started turning on how to capture it the way I heard so many tunes on Bob Murret's WWOZ show. I love the New Orleans R&B feel and I really think we captured it here thanks to Tony Daigle, Kid Andersen and the band, of course. The whole reason we recorded this CD live in one room was centered around this number.”
“St James Infirmary” - “This old standard is almost the ‘Mustang Sally’ of New Orleans music so if I didn't think we had something really special here I would have never let it on stage - much more this record.”
“Why Don’t We Sleep On It” - “Kate and I were having a rare argument and the band was in need of some more music. So I sat down to write a tune about how much better I would be doing without her and then kept hearing her voice or my own telling me the truth or her side... So I wrote both our parts; she loved it; we made up and had this fun duet. “
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄/𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: MOTORCYCLE MAMA from Popa Chubby's upcoming album "Popa Chubby and the Beast Band Live from G. Bluey's Juke Joint NYC" is 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄!
✪ 𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟖 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑
𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐁𝐁𝐘'𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐓,
𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝐆. 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐘'𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐍𝐘𝐂 ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces a September 8 release date for Live at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint NYC, the label debut live double-CD set from New York City-based blues guitar slinger Popa Chubby (aka “The Beast from the East”). The album’s first single, “Motorcycle Mama,” and its accompanying video will both be available on July 21, as will the album’s digital pre-order.
The new album was recorded at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint in Long Island City, New York, on October 24 and 25, 2022, and features Popa Chubby (guitar and vocals), backed by his all-star “Beast Band,” which consists of Mike Merritt - bass (Conan O’Brien, Billy Gibbons); Mike DiMeo - keyboards (Johnny Winter, Tommy James); and Stefano Giudici - drums.
“This record is a reunion in a lot of ways,” stated Popa Chubby. “Rejoining with my long-time ally and bassist extraordinaire Mike Merritt and recording in my old Manny’s Car Wash engineer Glen Forrest’s studio. The icing on the cake was Mike Dimeo on keys. Add the Centurion Stefano Giudici on drums and you’ve got some heavy blues rock! It’s a live best of for the ages!”
“In the early ‘90s, Popa Chubby was the house band at New York City’s Manny’s Car Wash,” says the man, himself. “I hosted the jam every Sunday that saw everyone from the Allman Brothers, Stephen Stills, Joe Sample, Odetta and many more pass through. The apprentice Soundman was Glen Forrest. I had a small recording studio in the West Village and I hired Glen to work for me. He proved himself beyond my expectations and with great vision and perseverance set out to create the ultimate recording environment. He landed in Long Island City, New York, where he holds court over three floors of a building which house the studio, lounges, art galleries and warehouse. We recorded the record there because it gave us a great vibe, sound and an intimate live in the studio setting.”
Born Ted Horowitz, Popa Chubby is a long-time, New York City veteran blues rocker, who also produced and mixed his upcoming new album. He’s been hard-rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 35 years. Over the course of his career, he has been a force to be reckoned with on the guitar, and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. An imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee and a performance style he describes as “the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motörhead meets Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson,” Popa Chubby is an endearing character who has become one of the genre’s most popular figures.
His career has always been about moving forward and carving a place for himself in the imposing terrain of the music business, overcoming odds to continue growing and maturing as a creative force. He has built a constantly increasing base of fans across the world, where in many territories he is a star. A native New Yorker, his first gigs were in the NYC punk scene as a guitarist for what he reflects was a "crazy Japanese special effects performance artist in a kimono called ‘Screaming Mad George,’ who had a horror-movie inspired show.” Right from the start, he was immersed in rock ‘n’ roll as theater, and learned from George and others playing CBGB’s at the time that included the Ramones, the Cramps, Richard Hell, whose band -the Voidoids - he joined, that rock ‘n’ roll should be dangerous. He reflects, "Musicians like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols weren’t just bands. They were a threat to society."
The blues, however, was the foundation of his playing style. He recalls, "Since I’d grown up on Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin, when I started playing blues in New York clubs I understood that the blues should be dangerous, too. It wasn’t just from playing in punk bands. Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters were dangerous men. They’d cut or shoot you if they thought it was necessary, and Little Walter packed a gun and wouldn’t hesitate to use it. That danger is a real part of the blues and I keep it alive in my music.”
POPA CHUBBY AND THE BEAST BAND LIVE AT G. BLUEY’S JUKE JOINT NYC
CD1
1. MOTORCYCLE MAMA (6:51) - Neil Young
2. ANOTHER TEN YEARS GONE (6:56) - T.Horowitz
3. HEY JOE (9:14) - Billy Roberts
4. DIRTY LIE (8:02) - T. Horowitz
5. 69 DOLLARS (7:16) - T. Horowitz
6. GODFATHER THEME (Speak Softly Love) (2:50) - Nino Rota
7. DIRTY DIESEL (3:50) - T. Horowitz
8. GROWN MAN CRYING BLUES (13:58) - T. Horowitz
9. OVER THE RAINBOW (8:48) - Harold Arlen
CD2
1. IT’S A MIGHTY HARD ROAD (5:10) - T. Horowitz
2. I DON’T WANT NOBODY (7:04) - T. Horowitz
3. I CAN’T SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY (7:56) - T. Horowitz
4. EMBEE’S SONG (5:50) - T. Horowitz
5. STEEL HORSE SERENADE (6:57) - T. Horowitz
6. HALLELUJAH (10:39) - Leonard Cohen
7. HEART ATTACK AND VINE (4:05) - Tom Waits
8. SWEAT (4:19) - T. Horowitz
9. NOBODY WANTS YOU WHEN YOU’RE DOWN AND OUT (5:35) - Jimmy Cox
10. SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL/CHUBBY’S STORY (10:25) - Jagger/ Richards / T. Horowitz
(L to R) Stefano Giudici , Popa Chubby, Mike Merritt, Mike DiMeo
Photo by Nelson G. Onofre
Hi, this is Mike and Laura Zito.
Most of you know, my wife Laura was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Metastatic Cancer in July of 2022. She was given 9-12 months to live at that time. Laura decided she would fight with everything she had to beat the odds, and she did. But now treatment has stopped working and she will begin hospice at home. She's been given months to live, but she will fight for as much time as possible. We have been offered support the past year but with me working full time we felt it wasn't necessary. Now I will stop working and playing music and come home to spend this time with my life partner and our family. We will need help with our monthly bills, extra medical expenses, and giving Laura the BEST summer of her life! Anything you can give will be of so much help to our family. Our priorities with assistance will be monthly bills, medical costs, flying in all of our children to spend time with us, bringing Laura to the beach and wherever she wants to go, and finally passing on any monies to our daughters in Laura's name after she is gone for their college fund. We've put this off for the past year, but now is the time we can use any support. Thank you so much for always loving our family. Laura is a one-of-a-kind person with a heart of gold, she deserves all the love in the world.
"BLOOD BROTHERS"
FEATURING MIKE ZITO & ALBERT CASTIGLIA
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL
✪ 𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐒-𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃
𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌,
𝐓𝐄𝐉𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐋, 𝐎𝐍 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟏𝟒 ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of five-piece south Texas-based blues/rock band, Ole Lonesome, and will release the group’s label debut album, Tejas Motel, on July 14.
Born in the oil swamps of Beaumont, Texas, and raised on the blues, Ole Lonesome is a blue collar swamp rock band with its ear tuned to the past and boots to the future. With their love of tone and electric live performances, Zachary Feemster (vocals and guitar), J. Wesley Hardin (bass), Gregory Mosley (keys), Jimmy Devers (drums), and Greg Achord (guitar) look to recreate the colors of decades gone and take their music through the stratosphere. Ole Lonesome joined label head/co-producer Mike Zito at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana, to record the new album.
“After a gig in Deep Ellum, something caught my eye just outside the city off of the highway, an old sign that read ‘Tejas Motel,” explains Zachary Feemster about the album’s title origin. “Instantly, I knew this was my inspiration for the album and I had to describe this place with the titles and lyrics. As we started writing, the songs were coming effortlessly and each one was becoming a player in the story of Tejas Motel. The riffs were tuff, the vibe was gritty, and they were sitting comfortably in that grungy motel chair. When you listen to the title track, I think you’ll really grasp the vision we were trying to convey. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a concept album, but I can definitely say that if each song was a character, they would be well acquainted with each other. The energy between the songs strengthens the vision and brings to life the story of Tejas Motel.”
"I have known Zach Feemster for 20 years,” said Mike Zito in announcing the signing. “He toured with me and my band in 2011 for my Greyhound album. This group he has put together is a serious rock ‘n’ roll blues machine. They have the fire of Southeast Texas in their hearts and the gritty sound to prove it. This album will be a big sound on the Roots/Blues scene - it's modern yet old school at the same time. A true band that plays with energy and purpose, and I am super proud to have Ole Lonesome on GCR."
“We are beyond ecstatic to announce the upcoming release of our debut album on Gulf Coast Records,” said Zachary Feemster, “and honored to have collaborated with some big names like Mike Zito and Kid Andersen. Recording at Dockside Studio was such an awesome experience for us all, and we are excited to share Tejas Motel with our fans and the world.”
.jpeg)
TRACK LISTING AND CREDITS
All songs written by Zachary Feemster, J. Wesley Hardin, Greg Achord, Gregory Mosley, Jimmy Devers
Yvette
Gold Chevy
Steady Mistreater
Momma’s Worry
Easy Street
Lo Key (featuring Mike Zito)
Ain’t No Good
The Fool
Natural Fact
Tejas Motel
MUSICIANS
Zachary Feemster (Vocals & Guitar)
J. Wesley Hardin (Bass)
Gregory Mosley (Keys)
Jimmy Devers (Drums & Percussion)
Greg Achord (Guitar)
Featured Artist: Mike Zito (Guitar) on Lo Key
Photo by Emily Martindale
✪ Albert Castiglia Wins Two Blues Music Awards in Memphis ✪
Congratulations to Gulf Coast Records recording artist Albert Castiglia who won two Blues Music Awards at the 44th Annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN. Albert received the BMAs for Blues Rock Artist and Blues Rock Album of the Year with "I Got Love".
✪ Gulf Coast Records Signs Blues Guitar Ace Monster Mike Welch
and Will Release His Label Debut Album,
Nothing But Time, on June 30th ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of Boston-based blues guitar ace Monster Mike Welch, and will release his label debut album, Nothing But Time, on June 30th, with the first single, ”I’ve Got Nothing But Time,” due May 26th.
The new album was produced and engineered by Kid Andersen (who also plays on the album) at Greaseland Studios, San Jose, California, during March, 2023. It features an all-star band including legendary bassist and two-time Grammy winner Jerry Jemmott (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Gregg Allman).
“I have been a fan of Monster Mike Welch for 25 plus years,” said Gulf Coast head Mike Zito in making the announcement. “He is one of the absolute finest blues artists/guitarists of our time and I am thrilled to be working with him. I am hopeful for some free guitar lessons.”
Welch, who battled the COVID-19 demon for over a year-and-a-half, had this to say about his signing and the recording of Nothing But Time: “At its worst, Long Covid was completely debilitating, and I spent most of 2022 genuinely unsure whether I’d be able to play music full time ever again. Kid Andersen and Mike Zito inspired me to take a leap of faith and make a new start; they both had my back and gave me the support and freedom to make the most personal record of my career.”
With almost three decades of touring and recording under his belt, guitarist Monster Mike Welch is a seasoned veteran of the international blues scene. Given the nickname “Monster Mike” by actor/”Blues Brother” Dan Aykroyd at the tender age of 13, Welch has since carved out a niche as a highly accomplished and in-demand guitarist. To date, Welch has released several albums under his own name and in 2001, he joined the ranks of one of New England’s most beloved blues institutions, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, where he stayed until 2017, recording five albums and racking up multiple Blues Music Award nominations with the band in that time. In addition, Welch has recorded with Shemekia Copeland, Ronnie Earl, Danielle Nicole, Duke Robillard, Johnny Winter, Victor Wainwright, Nick Moss, the Mannish Boys and Sugaray Rayford, among others. Welch left the Bluetones in 2017 to focus on his partnership with Mike Ledbetter, which led to seven Blues Music Award nominations and the formation of the Welch Ledbetter Connection within the first year. They won Best Traditional album in 2018, and Mike won the BMA for Guitar (and Band ) in 2019. Welch received three consecutive Blues Music Award nominations by the Blues Foundation for Instrumentalist-Guitar beginning in 2016, a Boston Music Award for Best Blues Act, and is an inductee of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. In 2023, Monster Mike Welch has embarked on the next phase of his career with his signing to Gulf Coast Records to make new music.
Vocal/Guitar: Monster Mike Welch
Bass: Jerry Jemmott (1, 3, 4, 7, 13); Kid Andersen (2, 5, 6, 8-12)
Piano: Bob Welsh
Organ/Misc. Keys: Kid Andersen
Drums: Fabrice Bessouat
Tenor Saxophone: Eric Spaulding (1, 5, 6, 8-12); Mike Peloquin (3, 4, 7, 13)
Baritone Saxophone: Jack Sanford (1, 5, 8, 9); Dr. Aaron Lington (3, 4, 7)
Trumpet: John Halblieb (1, 3, 4, 7, 12, 13)
Trombone/horn arrangements: Mike Rinta (3, 4, 7, 13)
Percussion: Vicki Randle (2, 3, 7, 13)
Background Vocals: JQ Welch (4), Jeannette Ocampo Welch (3),
Lisa Leuschner Andersen (3)
Harmonica: Rick Estrin (2)
1. Walking to You Baby - Mike Welch
2. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day - Robert Johnson
3. I’ve Got Nothing But Time - Mike Welch
4. I Me Mine - George Harrison
5. Offswitch Blues - Mike Welch
6. I Ain’t Sayin’ - Mike Welch
7. In Case You Care - Mike Welch
8. Time to Move - Mike Welch
9. Losing Every Battle - Mike Welch
10. Hard to Get Along With - Mike Welch
11. Jump for Joy - Mike Welch
12. Ten Years Ago - Buddy Guy
13. Afraid of My Own Tears Parts 1 & 2 - Mike Welch/George Lewis
14. Kind Hearted Woman Blues - Robert Johnson
✪ Gulf Coast Records Signs Blues Guitar Slinger
Popa Chubby With Label Debut Coming This Fall ✪
Photo by Nelson G. Onofre
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of New York City-based blues guitar slinger Popa Chubby (aka “The Beast from the East”) and will release his label debut live double-CD in the Fall of 2023.
“I remember the first time I heard Popa Chubby on the radio in the 1990s in St. Louis on KSHE-95; it blew me away,!” said Gulf Coast main man Mike Zito in making the announcement. “I am so excited to be working with my hero, Popa Chubby. This record will knock your frigging socks off!!”
“I’ve been a fan of Mike Zito for a decade or more,” said Popa Chubby.” I watched him grow Gulf Coast from scratch and it impressed me a lot. When I recorded this double-live record I contacted Mike about aligning our energies. The result can only be spectacular.”
The new album was recorded at G Bluey’s Juke Joint in Long Island City, New York, on October 24 and 25, 2022, and features Popa Chubby (guitar and vocals), backed by his all-star “Beast Band,” which consists of Mike Merritt - bass (Conan O’Brien, Billy Gibbons); Mike Dimeo - keyboards (Johnny Winter, Tommy James); and Stefano Giudici - drums.
“This record is a reunion in a lot of ways,” stated Popa Chubby. “Rejoining with my long-time ally and bassist extraordinaire Mike Merritt and recording in my old Manny’s Car Wash engineer Glen Forrest’s studio. The icing on the cake was Mike Dimeo on keys. Add the Centurion Stefano Giudici on drums and you’ve got some heavy blues rock! A live best of for the ages!”
Born Ted Horowitz, Popa Chubby is a long-time, New York City veteran blues rocker, who also produced and mixed his upcoming new album. He’s been hard-rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 35 years. Over the course of his career, he has been a force to be reckoned with on the guitar, and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. An imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee and a performance style he describes as “the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motörhead meets Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson,” Popa Chubby is an endearing character who has become one of the genre’s most popular figures.
His career has always been about moving forward and carving a place for himself in the imposing terrain of the music business, overcoming odds to continue growing and maturing as a creative force. He has built a constantly increasing base of fans across the world, where in many territories he is a star. A native New Yorker, his first gigs were in the NYC punk scene as a guitarist for what he reflects was a "crazy Japanese special effects performance artist in a kimono called ‘Screaming Mad George,’ who had a horror-movie inspired show.” Right from the start, he was immersed in rock ‘n’ roll as theater, and learned from George and others playing CBGB’s at the time that included the Ramones, the Cramps, Richard Hell, whose band -the Voidoids - he joined, that rock ‘n’ roll should be dangerous. He reflects, "Musicians like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols weren’t just bands. They were a threat to society."
The blues, however, was the foundation of his playing style. He recalls, "Since I’d grown up on Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin, when I started playing blues in New York clubs I understood that the blues should be dangerous, too. It wasn’t just from playing in punk bands. Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters were dangerous men. They’d cut or shoot you if they thought it was necessary, and Little Walter packed a gun and wouldn’t hesitate to use it. That danger is a real part of the blues and I keep it alive in my music.”
Popa Chubby is his own man. "I’m living in a wild time, and that is where the inspiration is drawn from. There are my issues, but the picture is much bigger than me and my situation. Everything is breaking down in the world. The lines are being redefined. We all need something.”
✪ Blues Guitar Great Joanna Connor Brings Best of Me to Gulf Coast Records Debut Album, Releasing June 9th ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces a June 9th release date for Best of Me, the label debut from acclaimed Chicago blues guitar great Joanna Connor. Joining Joanna (guitar and vocals) on the recording is her regular “Wrecking Crew” touring band: Shaun Gotti Calloway – bass; Dan Souvigny – guitar and keys; Curtis Moore Jr. – keys; and Jason J Roc Edwards - drums and vocals. Special guests include labelmates Eric Demmer – saxophone and Jason Ricci: - harmonica; and guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, Gary Hoey and Gulf Coast president Mike Zito: guitar; David Abbruzzese on drums and the Grooveline Horns. Best of Me was produced by Shaun Gotti Calloway, Jason J Roc Edwards, and Joanna Connor, and recorded at Studio2424 in Chicago.
“There are musicians that play together and may do it extremely well,” Joanna said about the Best of Me recording sessions. “Then, there are musicians that move as one, that share moments of creating music that is mystically telepathic. The group of musicians we assembled here created a free-flowing and fiery blend of soul, rock, funk and country, all rooted in the blues. Making this record with the go ahead from Mike Zito and Gulf Coast Records to have free reign was uplifting and inspiring. This recording definitely brought out the’ best of me,’ and solidified my band as a force to be reckoned with. Guitar power and nuance is evident on this record but so are convincing vocals, soul-stirring keyboard work, tighter than tight horns and a rhythm section that propels and compliments each song. The album touches on my maturing as a woman, facing mortality with grace and thanks, celebrating love won, love lost, lust and passion, the pain and pleasure of having this human experience. I hope the listener enjoys this record as much as we had making it.”
Joanna Connor – "Best of Me" Tracks
1. House Rules - Shaun Calloway
2. Pain and Pleasure - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
3. Best of Me - Shaun Calloway
4. Highway Child - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
5. I Lost You - Joanna Connor
6. Two of a Kind - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
7. All I Want Is You - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
8. Mercury Blues - Robert Geddins and KC Douglas
9. Shadow Lover - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
10. Greatest of These - Joanna Connor
11. Shine On - Shaun Calloway and Joanna Connor
Musicians
Joanna Connor - Guitar & Vocals
Shaun Gotti Calloway - Bass
Jason J Roc Edwards - Drums & Background Vocals
Dan Souvigny - Rhythm Guitar & Keys on Mercury Blues, The Greatest of These, I Lost You
Curtis Moore Jr - Organ, Wurlitzer, Synthesizer
Grooveline Horns: Fernando Castillo - Trumpet & Flugelhorn; Carlos Sosa – Saxophones Flute; Raul Vallejo - Trombone on House Rules, Best of Me, Two of A Kind
Eric Demmer - Saxophone Solos - House Rules
Frank Pellegrino - Emcee
Featured Artists
Joe Bonamassa: Guitar - Highway Child
Josh Smith: Guitar - Pain and Pleasure, House Rules
Gary Hoey: Guitar & Background Vocals - Shine On
Jason Ricci: Harmonica - Shine On
Mike Zito: Guitar - Shadow Lover
David Abbruzzese: Drums - Mercury Blues
"BLOOD BROTHERS"
MIKE ZITO & ALBERT CASTIGLIA
NOW AVAILABLE!
Blood Brothers merchandise also available!
"A DAY BY THE BAY"
BACKTRACK BLUES BAND
NOW AVAILABLE
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 to Gulf Coast Records artists Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia! Their new release 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 debuted on the Billboard Top US Blues Albums chart at #𝟏. Thank you to all the fans who helped make it happen!!
Blood Brothers was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith
A THOUSAND HEARTACHES
HEY SWEET MAMA
IN MY SOUL
✪ Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of Acclaimed
St. Petersburg-Based Backtrack Blues Band, and Will Release Their Label Debut CD, A Day by the Bay – Live, on April 14th ✪
Recorded live at the Tampa Bay Blues Festival on April 10, 2022, the new live album showcases the band that consists of Sonny Charles on harmonica and vocals, Kid Royal on lead guitar and vocals, Little Johnny Walter on rhythm guitar, Joe Bencomo on drums and Stick Davis on bass. On larger shows, the band is joined by Wayne Sharp on B3 organ and the Backtrack Angels on backing vocals. These seasoned musicians combined have garnered a Grammy Award, two Blues Music Awards, a Keeping the Blues Alive Award, and three Tampa Bay Music Awards for “Best Blues Band. “
“I have been a friend and fan of Sonny Charles for years,” says Gulf Coast Records founder Mike Zito in announcing the signing. “His band has been a staple in the Florida Blues scene for 40 years. This live album is a wonderful culmination of his great band and love for the music.”
“A Day by The Bay captures the energy and excitement of the band performing live at a major festival,” adds Sonny Charles. “Lots of guitar, harp and B3 organ on these original tunes to please Blues music fans. We think blues music is best when it’s experienced live. This album represents our decades of performing together, and the band’s longevity is reflected in the strong guitar, harp and B3 organ that really shine here. “
The Backtrack Blues Band was formed in St Petersburg, Florida in 1980, and is one of the longest-running blues bands in America. This high-energy quintet features Chicago- style blues, with Texas influences. Exceptional guitar, harp, and vocals have made this band a favorite on the American and international festival circuit.
Backtrack Blues Band has performed in concert with the world’s greatest blues artists, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman, Robert Cray, Johnny Winter, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Koko Taylor, John Lee Hooker, and many more. The group has released eight albums of original music, including this latest album on Gulf Coast Records.
The group’s members are serious students of blues music, and their influences include Little Walter, Albert King, Ronnie Earl, Paul Butterfield, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Sonny Charles is an accomplished harp player in the mold of the great Chicago blues harmonica legends. Kid Royal is influenced by the Texas blues sounds of Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, and Jimmie Vaughan.
Together, they comprise one of Florida’s longest-running and most accomplished blues bands, displaying original, electric blues music with honesty and panache!
Photo by Art Becker
L to R: Joe Bencomo, Kid Royal, Sonny Charles, Little Johnny Walter and Stick Davis
✪ Gulf Coast Records’ Blues Music Award - Winners Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia
Are Blood Brothers on New CD Coming March 17 ✪
New Disc Produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith
Gulf Coast Records announces a March 17 release date for one of the most-anticipated albums of the year, the upcoming Blood Brothers disc featuring multi-Blues Music Award-winners Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia. The duo concluded a highly-successful string of “Blood Brothers” shows in the spring/summer of 2022 with new tour dates already announced beginning in February and running through the summer, culminating with a special appearance at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas in September. Blood Brothers was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith and recorded at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana. “Sweet Mama,” the album’s first single/video, drops February 10th.
"This album was a blast to make and I am even more excited to take this music out on the road and perform for the people,” says Mike Zito. “It's just a bit more complex with an overall band dynamic that I think sets apart from what Albert and I normally do."
“The making of this album was a ‘brotherhood’ in every sense of the word,” adds Albert Castiglia. “The production team of Josh Smith and Joe Bonamassa, along with Mike and I created something incredibly special. I hope our fans enjoy this collaboration as much as we did.”
Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia are true “Blood Brothers” in life and in the music they create both individually and collectively, joining forces in a collaborative effort of songwriting and performances to create a total listening experience greater than the sum of its parts. Added to that process are the talents of producers Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, who brought fresh ideas to the recording sessions, pushing Mike and Albert creatively and musically to present their best work to date.
“Mike and Albert have a special chemistry together when they plug in and play that few have. They finish each other's sentences musically,” award-winning guitarist Joe Bonamassa said about the sessions. “Great tunes, great people, great hang! What's not to like? It was an honor to be involved in this project."
For the Blood Brothers album, Mike Zito: vocals/guitars; Albert Castiglia: vocals/guitars – brought together their two powerhouse bands, featuring Matt Johnson: drums; Ephraim Lowell: drums; Doug Byrkit: bass; Lewis Stephens: piano/organ. Josh Smith provided his additional talents on guitar to the sound, and Joe Bonamassa stepped up to be featured on the new song, “A Thousand Heartaches.”
"Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia have done something special,” added co-producer Josh Smith. “They have both found their musical confidante. Most solo artists never even look - let alone find - theirs. They have brought together a real ‘band’ using members of each's solo acts. The sum of all these parts added with a tremendous effort to both write and perform the strongest record of their respective careers has paid off in a special album. Blood Brothers indeed! Joe and I are proud that these brothers trusted our partnership to produce this special album!"
Of the many insights into the songs on Blood Brothers, Mike Zito offered these two about “‘In My Soul’ and “One Step Ahead of the Blues”: “In the summer of 2022, my wife Laura was diagnosed with cancer. It was a surreal shock. Albert suggested I write songs about how I felt, but I said no. I just couldn't bring myself to that place yet. ‘In My Soul’ is the only song that came out of what I was feeling at that time. I didn't think about it or analyze it, I just started singing.
“For ‘One Step Ahead of the Blues’: I am a JJ Cale fanatic. I love his voice and his style. Although JJ did not write this song, his recording has always been on my playlist. It just fits this band and album with Albert. It turned into a great duet that makes for a strong bond.”
Photo by: Norma Touchette
Albert Castiglia ventured inspirations for “A Thousand Heartaches” and “Tooth and Nail”: “In March of 2022, while on tour in Delaware with The Blood Brothers, Mike asked me to write a ballad for the new album, because we were well-stocked with up tempo numbers and needed to change the pace a little. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to write an unrequited love song like ‘Bell Bottom Blues’ by Derek & The Dominos or ‘We’ve Got Tonight’ by Bob Seger. I’ve been through unreciprocated and forbidden love in my life, but never had the songwriting chops to express how I felt in the midst of it. Most of my songs of love gone bad or love never meant to be usually had me coming off as bitter. I wanted to change that, dig into my past and write something that had me taking the high road and coming off a little more dignified. I think my songwriting has come a long way and ‘A Thousand Heartaches’ is a result of that progression.
“And when Tinsley Ellis writes a song for you, you listen! Tinsley came to our Blood Brothers show in Atlanta last summer and told us he had a few songs that he had written for us. ‘Tooth and Nail’ grabbed my attention right away. It has all the elements that appeal to a blues-rock guy who grew up in Florida. To me, it’s the ultimate southern rock, Florida/Georgia blues tune. It’s signature Tinsley. It was an honor to sing and play on this one.”
Mike and Albert will be hitting the road again in support of the new Blood Brothers album, with dates booked by Intrepid Artists. With over 45 years combined in the music business, Zito and Castiglia have toured the world spreading joy and bringing the music to the people. For the upcoming “Blood Brothers” tour, both Mike and Albert will be onstage performing together for the entire show, so fans can enjoy the amazing chemistry and creativity that these two musicians share with each other – and the audience. In addition to their own rock, blues and roots individual tunes, the set will feature a number of songs from the Blood Brothers album.
✪ Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of Rock and Roll Band Ole Lonesome ✪
Gulf Coast Records is excited to announce the signing of rock and roll band Ole Lonesome and will release their label debut album later this year. Born in the oil swamps of Beaumont, TX, and raised on the blues, Ole Lonesome is a swamp rock band with its ear tuned to the past and boots to the future. With their love of tone and electric live performances, Zachary Feemster (Vocals & Guitar), J. Wesley Hardin (Bass), Gregory Mosley (Keys), Jimmy Devers (Drums), and Greg Achord (Guitar) look to recreate the colors of decades gone and take their music through the stratosphere. Ole Lonesome is joining producer Mike Zito at Dockside Studio this week to record their upcoming album.
✪ Gulf Coast Records Announces the Signing of Blues Guitar Wizard Joanna Connor and Will Release Her Label Debut CD in Spring, 2023 ✪
NEDERLAND, TX – Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of acclaimed Chicago blues guitar great Joanna Connor, and will release her label debut CD in the Spring of 2023. Connor will be going into the studio in December to record the new album. She’ll be recording with her “Wrecking Crew 22” band that includes: Joanna Connor - guitar and vocals; Shaun Gotti Calloway – bass; Dan Souvigny – guitar and keys; Curtis Moore Jr. – keys; and Jason J Roc Edwards - drums and vocals. Several special guests on the sessions will be announced at a later date.
“I’ve been a fan of Joanna Connor for a long time and it’s just incredible that she’s working with our label,” Gulf Coast label head Mike Zito said in making the announcement. “Joanna Connor is one of the greats in contemporary blues and has been for over thirty years. She has a sound and a feel that is immediately recognizable and magical.”
“I’ve had some wonderful labels in the past, but signing with Gulf Coast feels like I’m joining a family,” said Joanna Connor. “I’m also extremely excited for my new band to bring our music to the world. Now we have found the home base to launch it from.”
Looking more in-person like a woman who could be your next door neighbor rather than the scorching blues rock guitar goddess that she is, Joanna Connor is an atypical and unassuming guitar heroine who absolutely shreds or tenderly caresses notes out of a Gibson Les Paul. Those who are in the know rave about a musician who has played behind Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Otis Rush and Luther Allison; and shared stages with the likes of Jimmy Page, Robben Ford, Robert Cray, the Doobie Brothers, Etta James and numerous other legends. Having her performances passed along on social media by heavy hitters Slash, Bootsy Collins, Vernon Reed and others only gives credence to her immense and intriguing talents.
Photo by: Maryam Wilcher
Joanna Connor was born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, and after beginning her career there at the age of 17, packed a suitcase, a Fender Twin Amp, a guitar and bought a bus ticket to the Blues Mecca of Chicago, where her goal was to be in a cracking blues band learning from the best . A mere month after moving to the Windy City, Delta blues heavyweight Johnny Littlejohn hired her. A few months after that, Dion Payton enlisted her to be a part of his 43rd Street Blues Band, where they held residencies at the hallowed Checkerboard Lounge and the Kingston Mines blues clubs, and were the backing band behind every major talent in the city. Joanna went on to tour with sax great AC Reed before starting her own band at the urging of the Kingston Mines owner. Blind Pig Records signed Joanna in 1989 and released several records on her before she went on to become the second artist to sign with Ruf Records; subsequently releasing many records for the German-based label, which led to a decade of touring throughout Europe.
In 2002, The House of Blues in Chicago offered Joanna and her band a weekly residency, and with her additional residency at the Kingston Mines, Connor made the decision to come off the road touring grind for a while and work locally four nights per week, while raising her two children as a single mom. Joanna also recorded several albums for the highly-respected MC Records during that decade.
In 2019, one of the videos of her fierce guitar work caught the eyes and ears of one of the most prominent guitarists of the modern era -Joe Bonamassa - as well as director Adrian Lynne (Flash Dance, Fatal Attraction). Lynne offered her a scene performing in the movie, Deep Water, starring Ben Affleck. At the same time, Joe Bonamassa and his KTBA Records label gave her the opportunity to make a studio album. Both projects happened right before the COVID 19 epidemic and subsequent lockdown. The KTBA album, 4801 South Indiana, was released in February of 2021 to immense critical acclaim and a number one spot on the Billboard blues chart. The Deep Water film was released on Hulu in March, 2022.
Joanna and her band went right back to work in April of 2021. With a band of young virtuoso musicians she dubbed the “Wrecking Crew 22,” fires were started worldwide on stages everywhere. Joanna reached out to one of her most beloved musicians, Mike Zito and Gulf Coast Records in hopes that this tsunami of musical energy and passion could be unleashed on record, and soon everyone will hear what all the excitement is about.
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 Eric Demmer! Eric's new release 𝐒𝐎 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄 debuted on the Billboard Top US Blues Albums chart at #5. Thank you to all the fans who helped make it happen!!
✪ Gulf Coast Records’ Blues Music Award - Winners Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia Bond as Blood Brothers on New CD Coming Early 2023 ✪
New Disc Produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith
%20BB-AC%20MZ%20-%20Norma%20Touchette.jpg)
“Mike and Albert have a special chemistry together when they plug in and play that few have. They finish each other's sentences musically,” award-winning guitarist Joe Bonamassa said about the sessions. “Great tunes, great people, great hang! What's not to like? It was an honor to be involved in this project."
For the Blood Brothers album, Mike Zito: vocals/guitars; Albert Castiglia: vocals/guitars – brought together their two powerhouse bands, featuring Matt Johnson: drums; Ephraim Lowell: drums; Doug Byrkit: bass; Lewis Stephens: piano/organ. Josh Smith provided his additional talents on guitar to the sound, and Joe Bonamassa stepped up to be featured on the new song, “A Thousand Heartaches.”
NEDERLAND, TX – Gulf Coast Records announces a first quarter, 2023, release for one of the most-anticipated albums of the New Year, with the upcoming Blood Brothers disc featuring multi-Blues Music Award-winners Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia. The duo recently concluded a highly-successful string of “Blood Brothers” shows in the spring/summer, with new tour dates to be announced shortly.
Blood Brothers was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith and recorded at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana.
Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia are true “Blood Brothers” in life and in the music they create both individually and collectively, joining forces in a collaborative effort of songwriting and performances to create a total listening experience greater than the sum of its parts. Added to that process are the talents of producers Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, who brought fresh ideas to the recording sessions, pushing Mike and Albert creatively and musically to present their best work to date.
"Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia have done something special,” added co-producer Josh Smith. “They have both found their musical confidante. Most solo artists never even look - let alone find - theirs. They have brought together a real ‘band’ using members of each's solo acts. The sum of all these parts added with a tremendous effort to both write and perform the strongest record of their respective careers has paid off in a special album. Blood Brothers indeed! Joe and I are proud that these brothers trusted our partnership to produce this special album!"
Mike and Albert will be hitting the road again in support of the new Blood Brothers album, with dates booked by Intrepid Artists. With over 45 years combined in the music business, Zito and Castiglia have toured the world spreading joy and bringing the music to the people. For the upcoming “Blood Brothers” tour, both Mike and Albert will be onstage performing together for the entire show, so fans can enjoy the amazing chemistry and creativity that these two musicians share with each other – and the audience. In addition to their own rock, blues and roots individual tunes, the set will feature a number of songs from the Blood Brothers album.
✪ Everything Is So Fine on Saxman Eric Demmer’s Debut CD from Gulf Coast Records, Coming on November 18 ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of Texas-based sax great Eric Demmer, and will release his label debut CD, So Fine, on November 18. Backing the sax work and vocals of the blues/soul/rock veteran are a cadre of solid all-star players, along with such special guest as Gulf Coast Records main man Mike Zito, plus guitarists Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Mark May, and The Funky Rick Marcel; the Grooveline Horns; with added vocals by Melanie Covington, Darrell Lacy and Eric’s daughter, Danielle, whose funky vocals show this apple did not fall far away from the Demmer tree. So Fine was produced by Mike Zito and Eric Demmer, with mixing and mastering done by Ernie Wells of Eighth Note Productions.
Eric’s soulful, soaring saxophone and well-worn vocals punctuate the delivery on all dozen tracks of So Fine. “I try to insert humor into some of the songs I write like ‘Don’t Talk to Me’ and ‘What Was I Thinking,” he says. “After all the years of playing sax with famous guitar players, I realize that, ‘I’m a Guitar Player’…I just don’t play guitar. On a more serious note, the song ‘Will It Ever Be the Same’ was inspired from one of our darkest times in history. All the loss of life and destruction happening at the same time really hurt my soul and it made me wonder if it ever will be the same. “
Eric Demmer began his professional career in the early 1980s as a roadie for a Texas dancehall band. “During that time, I became a sound engineer working for sound companies; and in 1989, I was the sound engineer on Clint Black’s ‘Killing Time’ tour,” he recalls. After I left the tour, I decided to devote my time to playing sax full-time. In 1993, I got the call to play with the legendary guitarist, Clarence ‘Gatemouth Brown,’ and was a member of ‘Gate’s’ band until his death in 2005. One of my career highlights while playing with ‘Gate’ was performing on Eric Clapton’s, ‘From the Cradle’ Tour. Also, I was invited by Dickey Betts to perform with The Allman Brothers Band, and I had the privilege of performing with many world-class artists such as Johnny Clyde Copeland, B.B. King, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Johnnie Johnson, Les Paul, Billy Gibbons, and many more. In 2016, I played shows with Mike Zito; and in 2018, I started performing with guitarist Mike Zito’s Big Blues Band. After playing with Mike and so many other great artists, I had the yearning to put out my own album and share my heartfelt experiences. The album, So Fine, tells the story of my relationships throughout my personal and musical experiences. “
In recent years, in addition to playing with award-winning blues guitarist, Mike Zito, Eric’s horn work graced albums by The BB King Blues Band, featuring Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5. In addition to playing saxophone, Eric produced a CD for The BB King Blues Band that was released in 2019; also performed on Mike Zito’s Resurrection album and Tito Jackson’s recent CD, Under Your Spell, which were both released in 2021 on Gulf Coast Records. When he’s not touring with other artists, Eric also tours with his own band. He describes his sound as “high-energy blues with a mix of funk and rock-n-roll.” Eric combines a variety of musical styles and influences while reminding everyone that “…the real thing comes from the heart and soul.”
Track Listing
1. Don’t Talk to Me
2. She’s So Fine
3. Will It Ever Be the Same
4. What Was I Thinking
5. I’m A Guitar Player
6. I’m Alright
7. Start It All Again
8. Get Out of Town
9. Let Me Go
10. Just Can’t Wait
11. Any Day Get Away
12. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
Blues Blast Magazine has announced the winners for the 2022 Blues Blast Awards!
Congratulations to Jason Ricci for winning the award for Harmonica and Mike Zito for Producer! Thanks to all the fans that voted and helped make it happen.
✪ 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 Blues Music Award - Winning Sax Player Jimmy Carpenter Explores His Crescent City Roots On "The Louisiana Record", Due September 16
From Gulf Coast Records ✪
Two-time Blues Music Award-winning sax player Jimmy Carpenter (2021/2022), who’s also been nominated recently for a Blues Blast Magazine award for best horn player, has something special in-store for his fans with the release of his new CD, The Louisiana Record, due September 16 from Gulf Coast Records.
“When Mike Zito, my old friend and co-owner of Gulf Coast Records, called to say it was time for me to make another record, I was super excited,” Carpenter recalls. “When he told me about his idea for a Louisiana-themed cover album, I admit I was skeptical; but the longer I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. As Mike pointed out, there is no doubt that my time in New Orleans redefined me as a musician, and changed me forever on many levels. When he suggested we go down to Dockside Studio, situated on the lazy Vermilion River south of Lafayette, Louisiana, record with iconic New Orleans engineer, Mr. David Farrell, AND work with some of my dearest friends and finest musicians in the Crescent City, I was absolutely sold. From a very long and amazing list, we chose songs by some of the most important songwriters in American music, artists like Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, and Dr. John. The Louisiana Record is my tribute to the mash-up of Blues, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, and Rock-n-roll that is New Orleans Music.”
Joining Jimmy Carpenter (sax and vocals) for the red beans and rice run of 11 songs on The Louisiana Record are: Mike Zito – guitars; Casandra Faulconer - bass guitar; John Gros - piano/organ; and Wayne Maureau – drums.
Now based in Las Vegas, Jimmy Carpenter lived and performed in New Orleans from early 2004 until 2016, and his time there clearly influenced his music.“Without question, New Orleans and the music that flows out of that great city have had a huge impact on me, musically and personally,” Carpenter says. “These are songs by iconic American songwriters, just a few of my favorites that helped shape me and my approach to writing, playing, and living. It is impossible to overstate the influence New Orleans, its music and its musicians have had on me, as player, songwriter, and performer.
"The musical bar in New Orleans is set very high, and it's both terrifying and inspiring. I got used to being in over my head, and hanging on for dear life. But as daunting as the music can be, I was welcomed and encouraged by the musicians and the community. My friends that recorded this album with me were all huge parts of my ‘upbringing” in that scene, and I'm so happy we came together again to record these songs. "There are so many songs that I've come across in my life that originated in Nola. I did ‘I Hear You Knocking’ and ‘Travelin' Mood’ years ago, but hearing Fats Domino and Dr. John do them - right in front of me - really gave them new meaning.
"As I searched for songs for this record, the one that I was sure I wanted to do was the beautiful ballad, ‘All These Things. Written by one of the world's greatest songwriters, Mr. Allen Toussaint, and recorded originally by Art ‘Poppa Funk’ Neville, it is the epitome of New Orleans soul: simple, melodic, grooving and a great song for some pretty sax.
"‘Something You Got,’ by Chris Kenner, is a standard in New Orleans, but I did not realize how many artists, from all over the world, have recorded it. I think we put a very cool, funky, greasy spin on it, and it's definitely gonna’ be in my regular set henceforth.
"This record is very different for me, recorded almost completely live, with simple instrumentation, and no frills. Strong melodies, laid back, grooving, iconic songs that were a real pleasure to play and sing, especially with this group of musicians, and literally on the bayou at Dockside Studios."
The Louisiana Record Track Listing
• I Hear You Knocking
• I Got Loaded
• Something You Got
• Barefootin’
• All These Things
• Travelin’ Mood
• Cry to Me
• Those Lonely Lonely Nights
• Pouring Water on a Drowning Man
• Bringing It On Home to Me
• Rockin’ at Cosimo’s
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 to our Gulf Coast Records artists for their nominations in the Blues Blast Music Awards!
Sean Costello Rising Star Award - Kat Riggins
Producer - Mike Zito
Electric Guitar - Albert Castiglia
Harmonica - Jason Ricci
Horn - Jimmy Carpenter
Fan voting to determine the winners begins begins July 12, 2022 and continues until August 19, 2022 We would greatly appreciate it if you would consider voting for our Gulf Coast nominees. -Thank you -
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 Kat Riggins!! Kat's new release 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐘 debuted on the Billboard Top US Blues Albums chart at #13. Thank you to all the fans who helped make it happen!!
𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄!
Gulf Coast Records is excited to announce new album PROGENY by Kat Riggins is NOW AVAILABLE!!
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄: WALK ON from the upcoming album PROGENY by Kat Riggins is 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄!
Pre-order the album and get the track WALK ON instantly with your digital pre-order!
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 to our Gulf Coast artists that received a Blues Music Award from the The Blues Foundation!
⭒Mike Zito - Blues Rock Album - "Resurrection"
⭒Albert Castiglia - Blues Rock Artist
⭒Jimmy Carpenter - Instrumentalist - Horn
⭒Jason Ricci - Instrumentalist - Harmonica
✪ Contemporary Blues/Soul Singer Kat Riggins Brings Her Progeny to Life on New CD Coming June 24 from Gulf Coast Records✪
.jpg)
“When it came to this record, the key words were ‘ACKNOWLEDGE’ and ‘HONOR,’” contemporary blues/soul singer Kat Riggins proclaims about her new CD, Progeny, releasing June 24th on Gulf Coast Records. “I have always tried to share music in a very transparent and vulnerable way and I’ve learned that I do this most successfully when I connect that little girl that I used to be to the woman that I’m becoming. I mean, when I remember things like how my Mama spoke her heart or how my Daddy’s voice made me feel when he sang Sam Cooke, it empowers me to be wide open and still feel safe. THAT sentiment is what I needed to acknowledge and honor with this project!”
To bring Kat Riggins’ musical vision to life on the new album, Gulf Coast Records founder/guitarist Mike Zito assembled a sparkling list of talented musicians to back Kat’s powerful, sassy vocals, including Zito, himself, on guitars, Matthew Johnson on drums, Doug Byrkit on bass guitar, and Lewis Stephens on keyboards, augmented with special guests Melody Angel on guitar (“Woahman”), Albert Castiglia on guitar (“My City”) and Busta Free on rap break (“My City”).
Dr. Maya Angelou said, “You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been.” With this album, Kat Riggins chose to honor that belief by paying tribute to her upbringing. In 12 original songs and a single a cappella gospel interlude, Kat kept with that theme and allowed her Spirit and spirit guides to have complete control when writing these songs. Progeny is compiled of songs about love, pain, passion and anger. It's Kat’s personal testimony of strength, peace, joy, God and so much more!
These songs run the gamut between sweet soul-blues ballads to high-energy blues- rockers, with Kat's M.O. the same throughout. Whether it's a blues-funk party scene that moves your booty or a heart- breaking soul stirrer that moves your spirit, Kat wrote these songs to move the listener from a place of truth!
Kat says the fact that by definition, “Progeny” means, “a descendent or descendants of” made it the perfect one word synopsis of the album. Songs like, “In My Blood” and “Warriors” are prime examples of this homage. In “Warriors,” the statement is that no matter what we might face in this life, we won’t face it alone. There are songs about hindsight, about greed and about faith. There’s something for the sweet, sultry, ballad lover who craves a soft, slow groove. Then, there are the high energy movin’ and groovin’ numbers like, “My City” and “Espresso,” a hip-shakin’ song about how the singer’s Love keeps her heart skipping beats.
Mrs. Riggins explains, “Overall, Progeny is an acknowledgement of my human existence so far, and with it I hope to honor ancestors like my mother and elders like my father. Now that I’m in my 40s it seems that those two words come up a lot in my conversations with myself. Each time they do, I see a little more growth.”
✪ The Bennett Matteo Band Are Ready to Shake the Roots on Debut CD Coming May 20 from Gulf Coast Records ✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of the Bennett Matteo Band to the label and the upcoming release of their debut CD, Shake the Roots, on May 20. The album is available for pre-order on April 8th.
“Shake the Roots is basically a mixtape of our influences with sounds that make us happy and stories about our life together,” says explosive guitarist Gino Matteo, one-half of the duo along with powerhouse singer Jade Bennett. “We wanted to make a record grounded in blues, soul and funk with zero restrictions and this is what came out when we ‘shook the roots.’ We call it ‘dirtfunk and desert soul.’ I feel blessed to be writing and playing music in this band with Jade. She can sing anything and her tone is my favorite sound."
Shake the Roots was produced by multi-Blues Music Award nominee Kid Andersen and Gino Matteo, with all songs written by Gino Matteo & Jade Bennett. The disc was recorded, mixed and mastered at Greaseland Studio in San Jose, California.
The musicians lineup for the recording sessions included Jade Bennett (lead vocals); Gino Matteo and Kid Andersen (guitars); Michael Burnham (bass); Carson Ford (drums); Jim Pugh and Kid Andersen (keyboards); Nic Clark (harmonica); and Dmar (percussion); with background vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen, The Sons of the Soul Revivers and Kid Andersen.
The Bennett Matteo Band (BMB) is extremely improvisational, and while having their feet planted in roots music, BMB is a breath of fresh air to the music world. BMB’s experimentation has made every show an experience.
Gino Matteo is carving the spot he deserves as a “force of nature” in the roots world. A sensational guitarist, songwriter and powerfully emotional live performer, he empowered the Sugaray Rayford hit machine for nearly a decade. Gino has destroyed countless audiences in the US and abroad with his powerful wit, gut ripping playing, and incredibly gifted musicianship.
His explosive, spontaneous, and original live show stands with the most legendary of blues players. Gino, along with the gutsy soul-power vocals of his lovely and talented wife Jade Bennett, have been heating up the blues circuit across the western US and internationally. This hard charging dream team brings a raw and soulful interpretation to roots music, moving it forward progressively and creatively.
Bennett and Matteo met in 2010 in Southern California at a gig. Gino ended up sitting in with Jade and once she started singing, he knew they had to play together. They almost immediately moved in together and started writing music while Gino toured with Sugaray Rayford, all the while keeping a catalog of music going with Jade. BMB wouldn't be formed for nearly a decade, as Gino's tour schedule became more hectic.
They played shows together anytime Gino was in town and Jade joined the Sugaray Rayford Band on tour as a backup singer a number of times. Over time, through touring and home life, Jade and Gino decided to go nomad and live full time off-grid. They decided the only thing they wanted to do was play music and live on their own terms. That dream became a reality as COVID swept the world.
In 2020, just before the pandemic hit, they had an album done, but it went on the shelf as the initial label they were signed to deemed it not bluesy enough and that they didn't know where to put it. That's when the record's co-producer and BMB confidant Kid Andersen decided to pitch BMB to Mike Zito's Gulf Coast Records, who loved the album and are releasing it. It not being standard blues became a selling point and not a hindrance. The album is a collective of their experiences.
BMB's core principle is authenticity and lack of pretentiousness whenever possible.
Check out the latest issue of Blues Blast Magazine! Thank you for the featured cover story on Mike Zito! In the interview with Mike, he talks about stretching out in his Blues playing, his label Gulf Coast Records, and more!
Read interview:
https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/issue-16-11-march-17-2022/
Congratulations Mike Zito! Zito's new release BLUES FOR THE SOUTHSIDE debuted on the Billboard Blues Albums chart at #1! We are very grateful to all the fans who helped make it happen! Special thanks to his incredible band and guest artists Tony Campanella, Dave Kalz, and Eric Gales!
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 to our Gulf Coast Records Artists who have been nominated for the 43rd Blues Music Awards!
To VOTE for your favorite artist, you must be a current member of the Blues Foundation. The ballot will be open for voting until 11:59 pm CST on Friday, March 18th.
Visit www.BLUES.org to join or renew today.
𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐙𝐈𝐓𝐎 - 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - Blues Rock Album
𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐀 - Blues Rock Artist
𝐊𝐀𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐒 - Soul Blues Female Artist
𝐊𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐓 - Acoustic Blues Artist
𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐈 - Instrumentalist / Harmonica
𝐉𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 - Instrumentalist / Horn
𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑 "𝐊𝐈𝐃" 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐍 - Instrumentalist / Guitar
𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐉. 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 - Instrumentalist / Bass
✪Acclaimed Blues-Rock Guitarist Albert Castiglia Declares I Got Love on New CD Coming March 25 from Gulf Coast Records✪
Gulf Coast Records announces the new CD from acclaimed blues-rock guitarist Albert Castiglia, I Got Love, coming March 25. I Got Love was produced by Gulf Coast Records guitarist and co-owner Mike Zito and features a stellar cast of musicians backing Albert Castiglia (guitar and vocals): Justine Tompkins (bass and vocals); Ephraim Lowell (drums and vocals) and Lewis Stephens (Hammond B3 organ and piano).
The new album, which showcases 11 blistering, blues-drenched tracks, is a personal and powerful statement from Castiglia. “I Got Love is a musical essay documenting the last two years of my life: two years of many highs and lows,” Castiglia offers. “It’s about falling, failing, adapting, reinventing, surviving and becoming triumphant. It contains musings of an unemployed man, a covid-stricken idiot and getting through it like Andy Dufresne in ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ The blues and blues-infused music is rooted in truth. This album is my truth. To ignore the events of the past two years (the covid era) and write about anything else would not be my truth. I went through it all - loss, depression, illness, fear of the unknown. I know I couldn’t have been the only one that went through it. This collection of songs is for those who felt like I did. It’s for those who went down fighting and those who keep on fighting. For many of us in my profession and in the gig economy, this was our great depression. Some of us are doing well and some of us are still trying to find solid ground.
“This album is for everyone. It’s also a thank you to those who helped keep us alive; the folks that contributed to my virtual shows and took guitar lessons from me. This album’s also for Rick Lusher, who retired from the radio promotions business and handed the keys over to my wife at a time when we really needed it. It’s about love, gratitude and becoming a better person from the shittiest of circumstances. It’s my blues in its truest form.
“I Got Love is the most thematic album I’ve done since Masterpiece,” Castiglia declares. “My daughter and grandchildren were my muse for Masterpiece. With I Got Love, it was the deepest darkness and the brightest light, two extremes that tested every fiber in my being. I’m glad I lived to tell the tale!”
✪ 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐙𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐃 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭. 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬, 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟖𝐭𝐡 ✪
With numerous Blues Music Award honors under his belt, Mike Zito, co-owner of Texas-based Gulf Coast Records (which has birthed a number of critically-acclaimed blues/rock albums since its 2018 inception), announces a February 18th release date for his new double live album set, Blues for the Southside.
Recorded on November 26, 2021 at the Old Rock House in St. Louis, Missouri, and produced by Mike Zito, Blues for the Southside showcases Zito (guitar and vocals) and his stellar band in full fury: Matthew Johnson - vocals/drums; Lewis Stephens - piano/organ; Doug Byrkit – vocals/ bass, with special guests including label mate guitarists Tony Campanella and Dave Kalz, plus guitar wizard Eric Gales.
The song list for that special night included tunes from Mike’s earlier albums such as First Class Life, Gone to Texas, Make Blues Not War and his Tribute to Chuck Berry, plus his takes on songs popularized by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tampa Red, as well as a new song, the album’s title track.
Now based in Nederland, Texas, Mike Zito states that "Blues for the Southside is a special album for me. I have wanted to do a live blues album playing songs from my catalog with my current band for a while now. I wanted to go back to my old neighborhood in South St. Louis to make the recording. That's where it all began for me, where I fell in love with music. I knew friends and family would fill the Old Rock House and bring the energy I was looking for in this recording. I wanted Tony Campanella and Dave Kalz to join me as guests. I grew up with both of these guys playing in the scene in St. Louis in the 1990s. They are also both Gulf Coast Records artists. I was surprised by my dear friend Eric Gales who happened to be in town for a rehearsal. He showed up and I got him onstage to do an impromptu version of the original ‘Voodoo Chile,’ which turned out to be 12 minutes of pure guitar bliss. I am proud of this album and my band. I’m most proud of my hometown and my neighborhood, South St. Louis."
Intrepid Artists International and Gulf Coast Records Proudly Present: "𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒" 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐙𝐈𝐓𝐎 & 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐀
This high-energy 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑 will showcase each band (Mike Zito Band and Albert Castiglia Band) for a set and then will culminate with both bands together on stage creating a sound of classic Southern Rock, Blues, and American Roots Music! Albert and Mike come together in 2022 to bring you the most awaited tour in years, 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒.
🎥 Mike Zito goes "Married With Children" in a sitcom-style music video for "You Don't Have Me." The track is featured on Zito’s latest Gulf Coast Records release, Resurrection.
“We had so much fun making this video! The song is about how dumb guys are (me included) when it comes to women,” says Zito. “I’m super proud both my sons worked on this project: Sam Zito and my son, Zach Zito directed and edited the video. Big shout out to my partner in crime, Carrie Wenos for rocking the ‘Married with Children’ vibe with me!”
💥 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 Jason Ricci & Joe Krown! Ricci/Krown's new release 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 debuted on the Billboard Top US Blues Albums chart at #9. Thank you to all the fans who helped make it happen. 💙 🎹🎤🎶
✪ Gulf Coast Records Signs Jason Ricci and Joe Krown, and Will Release Their
Debut Duo CD, City Country City, On October 22 ✪
Pre-Order City Country City Now Available!
NEDERLAND, TX – Gulf Coast Records announces the signing of New Orleans-based artists Jason Ricci and Joe Krown, and will release their debut duo album, City Country City, on October 22. Harmonica player/singer Jason Ricci is a multiple Blues Music Award-winner, while organ/piano player Joe Krown has legendary Crescent City credentials and is currently the keyboardist in Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s band. Together, they team up as Ricci/Krown on their new CD, City Country City, a retro soul-infused outing that features Jason’s gutsy vocals and stellar harmonica, overlaid with Joe’s melodic and earthy organ playing. City Country City brings back the sound and feel of early 1960s jazz/blues with an original sound all its own.
“I first met Joe Krown as the organist of the Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown band,” recalls Gulf Coast co-owner/artist Mike Zito in announcing the signing. “Joe went on to become a staple first-call musician in New Orleans and a member of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band. His style is very soulful and organic. Jason Ricci and I were signed to Eclecto Groove Records in the late 2000s in Los Angeles. Jason was touring full time with his band, winning awards and lighting the world on fire with his incendiary harmonica playing and deeply honest song writing. I had never seen anyone play the harmonica the way Jason plays. He is celebrated with BMA awards and nominations for best harmonica. I got a call from Jason last year and after catching up on things, Jason told me about a new project he was really excited about. He had been playing some shows with Joe Krown on organ and famed New Orleans drummer, Doug Belote. They were doing an ‘Organ Trio’ style group, but with harmonica, organ and drums. Jason was singing as well. He told me this is what he’s wanted to do for a long time and they were considering making an album. I got very excited, as I have been a fan of these gentlemen for some years now and the thought of them playing together sounded intriguing.
“The duo with Doug Belote on drums got into the studio in spring of 2021 in New Orleans and got to work recording fresh new original music and covering some classics as well. The sound is pure joy. The music has air and electricity all at once. It breathes and is urgent. Hearing the tracks for the first time was an experience all its own. It was like hearing music you have never heard before and something you have known all your life. The chemistry between Joe and Jason is obvious and they complement each other’s styles perfectly. I am so excited for everyone to hear this album, City Country City, wonderful music that is a listening pleasure to experience over and over. I am proud this album is released on Gulf Coast Records and I look forward to more music from Jason Ricci and Joe Krown.”
“Working with Joe Krown makes me feel like I’m finally beginning to be a musical grown-up,” says Jason Ricci about the new album. “But we still have as much fun as little kids! Being linked up with a New Orleanian with Joe’s heavyweight history is truly a dream come true.”
“Jason and I quickly connected musically,” adds Joe Krown. “We're both blues musicians that have also extended into jazz and funk. Within a short period of time we started booking shows under both of our names regularly around New Orleans and beyond. Our biggest hurdle is finding time that we can play together given both our busy schedules, but Jason and I have always made time and will continue to make time to perform together.”
Jason Ricci is one of the best and most imitated blues harmonica players of the 21st century. He picked up the instrument as a teenager when he started playing in a punk rock band. His journey started in earnest when he watched and later was mentored by legendary harmonica player Pat Ramsey in Memphis. As Ricci gigged and grew as a player he found work and support from the southern blues community. He lived and played with Junior and David Kimbrough in Mississippi and then worked as a sideman with Big Al and The Heavyweights for more than a year. In the late ‘90s, he formed Jason Ricci and New Blood, a band that toured around the world for more than a decade and released critically praised albums like Done with the Devil and Rocket Number 9. Ricci’s latest chapter is the New Orleans band Jason Ricci and The Bad Kind, which is influenced by the sounds of New Orleans and artists like The Meters and Doctor John. What defines Jason Ricci as an artist is the fearlessness with which he approaches his instrument and music and translates the hardships we all face into unforgettable music.
Joe Krown is a New Orleans-styled piano and Hammond-endorsed B-3 player. He held the keyboard chair with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown & Gate’s Express from 1992 until Gatemouth's passing in the fall of 2005. Joe is featured on the chart topping Gatemouth albums The Man, Gate Swings, American Music Texas Style and Gate's final studio recording, Back to Bogalusa. Joe's played the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year since 2001 and the French Quarter Festival every year since 1998. Along with touring all over the U.S. and the world as a solo artist or with one of his bands, he is currently performing as the organ/piano player for the multi-award-winning Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, and played on Shepherd’s The Traveler and Straight to You Live albums. Krown has also toured with Mavis Staples and Allen Toussaint, among many others, as well as recorded a dozen of his own albums. In addition, Krown has won multiple local New Orleans “Big Easy” and “Offbeat” awards.
✪ New Singles from Tito and Zito! ✪
Tito Jackson's brand new single “Love One Another” is the perfect antidote for today’s times of doubt and trepidation and features his brother Marlon, his friends Kenny Neal and Bobby Rush and the sweet sound of his cousin Stevie Wonder’s signature harmonic style! Pre-Save/Order: https://smarturl.it/TitoUnderYourSpell
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎!!
Mike Zito says, “The song ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ is my anthem to social media and all of its yuck. It used to be fun, but now it’s all about politics, religion, political correctness, arguing, ads – Facebook is like the old mall now, nothing good anymore but I still go thinking I might see something I missed.
“My son, Zach Zito, is a killer video editor and creator and his girlfriend, Cassie Ferrick, is a wonderful young actress. Zach created the video and concept with the song in mind and Cassie is our lead actor suffering through “Fakebook” and all of its energy draining bullshit. It’s a fun, lighthearted look at what our life is like today in 2021 in the USA….and the world. Sitting around trying to find something hopeful on the social media, only to fail miserably…..hour in, hour out,” he adds.
Mike Zito's new single " Don't Bring Me Down" from his upcoming release Resurrection is now available on all digital media outlets. Resurrection drops July 16th via Gulf Coast Records / Hillside Global