News

TWO ALLIGATOR ARTISTS NOMINATED FOR BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE AWARDS

Harmonica giant Charlie Musselwhtie and soul/R&B singer Janiva Magness have been nominated for Blues Blast Magazine Awards. Musselwhite received two nominations, Magness received one.

Winners will be announced at the Blues Blast Awards Show on October 27, 2011 at Buddy Guy's Legends, 700 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL.

NOMINEES:

Charlie Musselwhite

The Well, Traditional Album Of The Year

The Well, Song Of The Year

Janiva Magness

Female Blues Artist Of The Year

ALLIGATOR RECORDS CONTINUES 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

WITH LAUNCH OF NEWLY REVAMPED WEBSITE

Alligator Records, currently in the midst of its year-long 40th anniversary celebration, relaunched its website on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. Visitors to www.alligator.com will find song previews for all tracks, a new jukebox, a fully redesigned store and other features. The site will also be smartphone friendly. To celebrate, the label will host a month-long 20%-off sale.

JJ GREY TO PREMIERE BRIGHTER DAYS DOCUMENTARY AT NEW YORK'S CITY WINERY ON SEPTEMBER 13

North Florida funk, blues, swamp rocker JJ Grey will celebrate the release of his first ever live DVD/CD 2-disc set, Brighter Days, with a screening of the film at New York's City Winery on release date, September 13, 2011. Grey will then give a solo performance and, along with filmmaker Spookie Daly, take questions from the audience.

Shot in stunning HD and boasting 5.1 surround sound, the Brighter Days DVD finds JJ (vocals, guitar and harmonica) and his band Mofro - Andrew Trube on lap steel and electric guitar, Anthony Farrell on organ and piano, Art Edmaiston on saxophone, Dennis Marion on trumpet, Todd Smallie on bass and Anthony Cole on drums -- swimming in and out of thick grooves and hot, funky riffs. JJ prowls the stage, ripping notes from his guitar, singing with preacher-like conviction, telling stories overflowing with organic truths, breaking down the wall between audience and performer. "I've always felt that music opens the door," says Grey, "but we've got to walk though it together." The 2-hour DVD and 78-minute CD were recorded at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse in January 2011.

The New York Times praised JJ's "balance of wildness and cool" describing his music as "Southern swamp rock with undercurrents of Memphis soul. His songs chronicle ambiguous truths and unambiguous urges," delivered by Grey's "winningly uncontrived vocals." Likewise, Billboard touted Grey's "world-beating blend of Southern rock, blues and Florida swamp soul." Singing with a passion and fervor directly influenced by his classic soul heroes, Grey's deeply personal original songs are steeped in the rhythm & blues, rock, and country soul of his native home outside Jacksonville, Florida.

JJ GREY'S BRIGHTER DAYS TO BE FEATURED ON A&E'S THE GLADES ON AUGUST 7, 2011

 In other JJ Grey news,  A&E television's The Glades will feature Grey's original song Brighter Days on Sunday, August 7, 2011. The song will play over the closing montage of the episode.

HOUND DOG TAYLOR'S SONG SITTING AT HOME ALONE TO BE FEATURED IN NEW DRIVER: SAN FRANCISCO VIDEO GAME

Blues legend Hound Dog Taylor, Alligator Records' first artist, will have his song Sitting At Home Alone featured in the new video game, Driver: San Francisco.  The gameplay involves two main characters as they race through the streets of San Francisco. It will be released on August 30, 2011.

Taylor, whose wild, raw slide guitar helped put Alligator on the map, died in 1975. According to Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, Hound Dog would have loved this. "He would really get a kick out of being part of a video game. Hound Dog's blues were full of raucous energy. He had more fun playing music than anyone else I ever saw."

FOUR ALLIGATOR ARTISTS RECEIVE SEVEN LIVING BLUES AWARDS!

Living Blues Magazine has announced the winners of the 2011 Living Blues Awards. This year, four Alligator Records artists received a total of seven awards. James Cotton won three awards, Marcia Ball won two, and Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials and Charlie Musselwhite each won one. Alligator artists and awards are as follows:

JAMES COTTON

Living Blues Critics' Poll Winner:

Blues Artist Of The Year (Male)

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

Best Blues Album, Giant

MARCIA BALL

Living Blues Readers' Poll Winner:

Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE

Living Blues Readers' Poll Winner:
Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

LIL ED AND THE BLUES IMPERIALS

Living Blues Critics' Poll Winner:
Best Live Performer

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JJ GREY SET TO RELEASE FIRST EVER LIVE DVD/CD, BRIGHTER DAYS, ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Alligator Records continues its 40th anniversary celebration with the September 13 release of Brighter Days, the first-ever live DVD/CD from the master of "front porch soul," JJ Grey and his band Mofro. Over the course of five studio albums and thousands of live shows in the U.S. and abroad, JJ Grey has emerged from the backwoods of Florida to perform on concert stages across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. Now, with Brighter Days, the galvanizing power of a JJ Grey & Mofro concert has finally been captured on film and CD. The 78-minute CD and 2-hour DVD were recorded at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse in January 2011. The film, directed by musician/filmmaker Spookie Daly, intersperses captivating live footage with band interviews and insightful commentary from Grey and others, recalling classic "rockumentaries" like The Last Waltz.

The New York Times praised JJ's "balance of wildness and cool" describing his music as "Southern swamp rock with undercurrents of Memphis soul. His songs chronicle ambiguous truths and unambiguous urges," delivered by Grey's "winningly uncontrived vocals." Likewise, Billboard touted Grey's "world-beating blend of Southern rock, blues and Florida swamp soul." Singing with a passion and fervor directly influenced by his classic soul heroes, Grey's deeply personal original songs are steeped in the rhythm of his native home outside Jacksonville, Florida.

Shot in stunning HD and boasting 5.1 surround sound, Brighter Days finds JJ (vocals, guitar and harmonica) and his band - Andrew Trube on lap steel and electric guitar, Anthony Farrell on organ and piano, Art Edmaiston on saxophone, Dennis Marion on trumpet, Todd Smallie on bass and Anthony Cole on drums -- swimming in and out of thick grooves and hot, funky riffs. JJ prowls the stage, ripping notes from his guitar, singing with preacher-like conviction, telling stories overflowing with organic truths, breaking down the wall between audience and performer. "I've always felt that music opens the door," says Grey, "but we've got to walk through it together."

Born into a family with generations-old roots in rural Florida, JJ Grey was raised with a combination of backwoods wisdom and old-school blue collar values. He heard music on neighbors' front porches and in local juke joints, all the while developing a deep love and respect for the land and its people. Inspired by Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd, soul greats like Otis Redding and Toots Hibbert, country stars like George Jones and Jerry Reed, as well as by the street preachers and tent show revivalists who crossed his path, Grey's music touches on classic soul, gritty funk, sweaty rock ‘n' roll and front porch blues. His songs blend home-spun realism with undeniable swamp beats and R&B rhythms. Whether it is a narrative passed down to him from his grandmother or the tribulations of a childhood friend, Grey's ear for detail rings through in true storyteller fashion.

Debuting in 2001 with Blackwater, following up in 2004 with Lochloosa (both albums reissued by Alligator), Grey steadily built an intensely loyal following. In 2007 Grey released his Alligator debut, Country Ghetto followed by 2008's Orange Blossoms, further growing his already large audience. With the release of 2010's Georgia Warhorse, Grey stepped further into the mainstream, making an album Paste described as "understated elegance...soulful and funky." The Philadelphia Inquirer said, "Georgia Warhorse is warm and organic with blasts of hard-edged rock, Memphis soul and gutbucket blues."

Both as a film and a live concert CD, Brighter Days perfectly captures Grey's power as a writer, his passion as a vocalist and his mesmerizing stage presence. As old fans know well and new ones keep finding out, a JJ Grey & Mofro show is a joyous musical celebration shared between Grey and his audience, with each driving the other to greater heights. With Brighter Days and an overflowing tour schedule, the bond between Grey and his fans grows deeper as JJ Grey's future looks brighter and brighter with each passing day.

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TASTE OF CHICAGO CELEBRATES ALLIGATOR RECORDS' 40TH ANNIVERSARY

The City of Chicago celebrates Alligator Records' 40th Anniversary with an all-star show on Sunday, July 3, 2011, as part of this year's Taste of Chicago. Alligator blues masters Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials and Texas blues guitar heroes Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King, will be joined throughout the afternoon by some very special guests who have appeared on Alligator over the years. Lil' Ed And The Blues Imperials will jam with guitarist/vocalist Lurrie Bell and sax player/vocalist Eddie Shaw during their set, and Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King will hook up with Shaw as well as guitarist/sax player/vocalist Maurice John Vaughn for a full throttle, good-time blues party commemorating 40 years of Alligator Records.

On February 22 the label released The Alligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection to widespread critical and popular acclaim. The two-CDs-for-the-price-of-one set received a glowing four-star review from Rolling Stone. Label founder and president Bruce Iglauer was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, in addition to national and regional media attention from other outlets, including a two-part, four-hour interview and feature on XM/Sirius B.B. King's Bluesville Channel 74, hosted by Bill Wax.

SOUTHERN CROSSROADS RADIO AND THE HOUSE OF BLUES RADIO HOUR CELEBRATE ALLIGATOR RECORDS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Southern Crossroads Radio, the syndicated blues program, will feature a special broadcast to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Alligator Records. The program, which airs during the July 4th weekend, features an extended interview with Alligator's founder and president Bruce Iglauer.

The House Of Blues Radio Hour will also celebrate Alligator's 40th anniversary with a special episode airing the weekend of July 9-10 featuring Dan Aykroyd's (AKA Elwood Blues) interview with Iglauer. Local air times can be found here.

CITY OF CHICAGO HONORS ALLIGATOR RECORDS AND LEGENDARY BLUESMAN LONNIE BROOKS AT THE CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel honored the 40th Anniversary of Alligator Records with a congratulatory letter presented to Alligator president and founder Bruce Iglauer on Sunday, June 12, at the Chicago Blues Festival. Emanuel and the City Council also honored legendary Alligator recording artist, Lonnie Brooks, with a proclamation, declaring June 12, 2011 "Lonnie Brooks Day" throughout Chicago. The presentation took place in between songs during Brooks' blistering set, and caught both Igaluer and Brooks by complete surprise.

In his letter to Iglauer, Mayor Emanuel stated, "Chicago is proud to be the home of Alligator Records. Guided by your vision and determination, Alligator Records has produced some of the finest blues talent."

The Lonnie Brooks proclamation declares Brooks "a worldwide icon of Chicago blues" and "encourages all Chicagoans to recognize his many achievements and contributions."

The Blues Festival's Sunday evening main stage was turned into a virtual rollicking roadhouse as Brooks, along with Alligator stars Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Michael "Iron Man" Burks, and Rick Estrin all celebrated Alligator's anniversary. The overflow crowd was treated to an evening of raucous, hard-edged, houserocking music.

Powerhouse singer Shemekia Copeland, who began her career on Alligator opened the show, and joined everybody on stage for the triumphant finale. In an emotional ceremony near the end of Copeland's set, Cookie Taylor Threatt, daughter of the late Koko Taylor, presented Copeland with Taylor's crown and declared Copeland the reigning Queen Of The Blues.

FIVE ALLIGATOR ARTISTS NOMINATED FOR NINE LIVING BLUES AWARDS

Living Blues magazine has announced its nominees for the 2011 Living Blues Awards. This year, five Alligator Records recording artists have been nominated for a total of nine awards. Marcia Ball, Janiva Magness, Guitar Shorty and Charlie Musselwhite each garnered two nominations. James Cotton received one. Winners will be announced later this year. Artists and nominations are as follows:

Marcia Ball:

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

Janiva Magness:

Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
Best Blues Album of 2010 (for The Devil Is An Angel Too)

Guitar Shorty:

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)
Best Live Performer

Charlie Musselwhite:

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)
Best Blues Album of 2010 (for The Well)

James Cotton:

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

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