Monday, October 16, 2017

GOLDEN-VOICED LIZ BRASHER SIGNS WITH FAT POSSUM & APA AGENCY

Liz Brasher – whose voice will stop you in your tracks – has signed to Fat Possum Records and the APA Agency. She grew up singing in the Baptist Church, but singing in Spanish with her family, who are of Dominican descent. New single “Cold Baby” is out now digitally and will be released November 3 via a 7”. She will perform at NYC’s Joe’s Pub on November 16.
Billboard continued, "Brasher's strain of soul [is] flush with lyrical nods to Biblical images, Rubber Soul harmonies and a gruff reverence to its southern roots." Of the single, Billboard said, "An elegant, emotive torch song, Brasher's hollering twang beaming through a cloud-like arrangement of strings and tear-stained guitar strums." She will tape a November session with Billboard as well.
APA is booking home to Brian Wilson, Blondie, Cake, Elvis Depressedly, Frontier Ruckus, Ingrid Michaelson, River Whyless, Pinegrove, and Tristen.
Though originally from Charlotte, NC, she has recently moved to Memphis, TN.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Love Light Orchestra artwork

click for high res, album cover above

“NEXT BIG-VOICED SOUL SENSATION OUT OF BROOKLYN” (MOJO) BETTE SMITH TO TAPE NPR SESSION AS ACCLAIM COMES IN

Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn soul singer and Big Legal Mess recording artist Bette Smith’s swaggering new album ‘Jetlagger’ is out as of last week and has earned her an upcoming NPR taping with World Café. Jimbo Mathus produced ‘Jetlagger.’ Smith plays Kung Fu Necktie (Upstairs) in Philadelphia on October 25.
 
Here’s what we’re reading:
 
"A rugged, chugging southern soul record... Like Betty Davis or Betty Wright before her, she's imbues tracks with shingly, sawtoothed texture, capable of breaking off a high note with a throaty cry or scraping so low and wide that she threatens to put her bass player out of work."
- Elias Leight, Billboard, July 26, 2017
 
“An incredible debut from the next big-voiced soul sensation out of Brooklyn.”
- Lois Wilson, MOJO Magazine, October, 2017
 
"a batch of tunes as powerful and taut as her wonderfully craggy voice... with a debut full-length as sturdy and uncompromising as Jetlagger, she’s the swaggering proof that there is nothing dated about soulful rock and roll sung with attitude, defiance, and a take-no-prisoners aesthetic."
- Hal Horowitz, American Songwriter, September 29, 2017
 
“A major new voice in soul music… Brooklyn’s Bette Smith possesses a one of a kind voice, deeply drenched in hot soul of the nearly incendiary Southern type. That voice could rock the biggest of stages and move mountains if it had to… Count me as a massive fan. Smith is the sort of artist that you’ll find yourself following her whole career.”
- Sarah Zupko, Pop Matters, September 19, 2017
 
“88 [out of 100]… At last, her vibrant recording debut is here to bring healing and happiness to fans of singers like Sharon Jones, Betty Wright and Naomi Shelton.”
- Annie Dinerman, Elmore Magazine, September 27, 2017

Saturday, October 7, 2017

WFMU Presents Special Concert Today at Ace Hotel

Unfortunately, night 2 of the Ponderosa Stomp is cancelled due to
Tropical Storm Nate and the mayor's mandatory curfew. However, WFMU is
presenting a special show at the Three Keys venue starting at 1pm in
the Ace Hotel New Orleans featuring Guitar Lightnin' Lee, Los
Straitjackets, Johnny Knight, Evie Sands, and the Mummies in a
pass-the-hat event 

Friday, October 6, 2017

Statement from the Ponderosa Stomp in regards to Tropical Storm Nate

The Ponderosa Stomp’s Friday concert will continue as scheduled (lineup and timing below). In accordance with Mayor Landrieu’s mandatory 6pm curfew, Saturday’s concert has been cancelled.

Any Saturday tickets will be redeemable for Friday night entrance as well. Those who hold a ticket for both nights may use their passes on Friday night to bring two people to the show instead of one person for two nights (and will not receive refunds, if they do so); put simply, a two-night ticket for one person can now be used as a Friday ticket for two people.

We will provide Saturday ticket refunds and will have specifics on that as soon as possible. Two-night ticket holders will be provided a half refund. Friday night tickets will also be available at the door. Ticketmaster refunds will be handled by Ticketmaster.

The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation appreciates its fans, panelists, and artists, especially those who traveled long distances to get here.

Friday night schedule

7:20 - 7:50 Billy Boy Arnold
7:55 - 8:30 Swamp Pop Revue featuring T.K Hulin & G.G. Shinn
8:40 - 9:00 Warren Storm
9:00 - 9:30 Willie West
9:30 - 10:00 Winfield Parker
10:10 - 10:40 Barbara Lynn
10:40 - 11:10 Archie Bell
11:10 - 11:40 Roy Head
11:50 - 12:30 am Doug Kershaw
12:40 - 1:40 Roky Erickson plays the 13th Floor Elevators
1:50 - 2:30 The Gories

Fans with other questions can contact info@ponderosasastomp.com and we will respond following Friday night’s concert.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Liz Brasher "Cold Baby" video

CREAM OF MEMPHIS CROP HARKENS BACK TO BEALE STREET’S HEYDAY WITH ‘THE LOVE LIGHT ORCHESTRA’ ALBUM, PRODUCED BY MATT ROSS-SPANG (JASON ISBELL, MARGO PRICE, DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS), OUT NOVEMBER 17 ON BLUE BARREL RECORDS

2X BLUES MUSIC AWARD WINNER & “MAGNIFICENT VOICE” (NO DEPRESSION) JOHN NEMETH FRONTS 10-PIECE BAND ALONGSIDE MEMBERS OF THE BO-KEYS

1ST SINGLE “LOVE & HAPPINESS” RECASTS AL GREEN HIT AS EARLY RHYTHM & BLUES

MEMPHIS PRE-RELEASE SHOW OCT 12 AT LEVITT SHELL

Fans of Pokey LaFarge, the California Honeydrops, the Dustbowl Revival, and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will delight in the debut album by The Love Light Orchestra, a group of the best Memphis has to offer. The self-titled debut album was recorded live in concert to a full house at Bar DKDC in their hometown by Matt Ross-Spang, who produced Margo Price’s breakout album ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’ and whose other credits include Jason Isbell, Brent Cobb, The Drive-By Truckers, and Corb Lund. It comes out November 17 on Blue Barrel Records.

Two-time Blues Music Award winner John Nemeth fronts The Love Light Orchestra. Esquire said, “There aren't many true soul men left in the world, but John Nemeth is one of 'em.” No Depression raved about his “magnificent voice.”

Meanwhile, band arranger, co-founder, and trumpet man Marc Franklin has previously lent his talents to recordings by Robert Cray, Melissa Etheridge, Jim Lauderdale, and Solomon Burke and toured with Bobby “Blue” Bland, a chief inspiration to the Orchestra. Franklin and guitarist Joe Restivo are also members of the “funky” (Wall Street Journal) and “fiery” (LA Times) “masters of the Memphis sound” (NPR) The Bo-Keys.

Bland and his longtime arranger Joe Scott are a chief inspiration behind the formation of the band, which seeks to distill the sounds of the ‘40s and ‘50s rhythm & blues and blues and was named for Bland’s 1961 hit “Turn On Your Love Light.” Saxophonist Art Edmaiston and drummer Earl Lowe also did stints touring with Bland. Additionaly, The Love Light Orchestra draws from the horn-driven Memphis blues sound of B.B. King, Little Milton, and “Junior” Parker. The band brilliantly recasts Al Green’s iconic hit “Love and Happiness” as a shuffle, with parts inspired by Charles Mingus’ “Fables of Faubus.”

Nemeth says, “The Memphis sound of the ‘50s put in the sophistication with the horns, but it never lost that gritty aspect of the blues. And the spirituality in the vocals was tremendous—the melodies have such great movements, and the lyrical rhythms are perfect.”

The band will perform at the Levitt Shell in Memphis, TN on October 12.

The Love Light Orchestra clips

Beale Street Caravan performance (June 28, 2017)

Pop Matters premiere (Oct 17, 2017)

Elmore review (Nov 29, 2017)

Mix Magazine feature (Dec 12, 2017)

Memphis Commercial Appeal best of 2017 (December 7, 2017)


Liz Brasher clips

Billboard video premiere (October 4, 2017)

NPR Weekend Edition SXSW preview (March 10, 2018)

Brooklyn Vegan premiere (October 31, 2017)

NPR All Songs Considered (Jan 9, 2018)

Rolling Stone Country SXSW roundup (March 19, 2018)