Blues Vinyl 206 Items

Back in 2015, P-vine pressed a special edition of the Fire/Enjoy singles by Elmore James as a series of 7” discs that was quickly buried by the quick turnover of new releases and were not presented to our overseas clients. As part of a recent drive to clean up the stock-room, our dusters managed to work their magic and uncover a number of copies of this release previously unknown to the overseas marketing division. Towards the end of a career cut tragically short, Elmore James recorded a string of singles between 1959 and 1963 with renowned producer Bobby Robinson under his Fire and Enjoy record labels that would eventually lend their name to this collection. Together they would capture James’s iconic take on the blues with his effortless intersections of slide guitar complementing the marching calls from his pained Blues vocals. This feast for the eyes box-set includes nine 7” discs and a Fire Records tote bag sized perfectly for carrying your favourite 7” record and not much else. A great addition for collectors of rare blues and DJs.

The 45rpm Analogue Productions reissue of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Couldn't Stand The Weather" is so good, as are its 45rpm companions — "Texas Flood" and "Soul To Soul" — that they truly represent what Gregg Geller, producer and A&R representative described as »the best replication of the master tapes to date«"
We've already brought you the 33 1/3rpm box set "Texas Hurricane" featuring the greatest Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute ever reissued — six of Vaughan's most classic album titles remastered for ultimate blues and guitar fanatics. We've now taken the extra step and done 45rpm versions of these three standout LPs.
We've used the original 30 inches-per-second, half-inch analog master tapes for all of these albums. Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound cut the lacquers for the LPs using the ultimate VMS 80 cutting lathe. Gary Salstrom handled the plating and the vinyl was pressed of course at our Quality Record Pressings, maker of the world's finest-sounding LPs.
"Couldn’t Stand The Weather" is the remarkable sophomore album by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It follows their critically acclaimed debut, "Texas Flood". Incorporating the same winning formula of musicianship and songwriting, "Couldn’t Stand The Weather" cemented Vaughan’s place as one of music’s greatest. It is their first to earn gold certification and their first platinum-seller. It includes breathtaking renditions of Clark’s “Cold Shot” and Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child”. A staple on the Billboard charts, this definitive masterpiece received praise from Entertainment Weekly, Q, Down Beat and many others.
There's not a link in this production chain that wasn't absolute first-rate. The absolute best that money can buy.
But beyond that we've poured our passion into this project. Acoustic Sounds is a big fan of the blues and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It's a big dream come true to work on this project and to make these records sound and look the best they ever have.

The 45rpm Analogue Productions reissue of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Texas Flood" is so good, as are its 45rpm companions — "Couldn't Stand The Weather" and "Soul To Soul" — that they truly represent what Gregg Geller, producer and A&R representative described as »the best replication of the master tapes to date«.
We've already brought you the 33 1/3rpm box set "Texas Hurricane" featuring the greatest Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute ever reissued — six of Vaughan's most classic album titles remastered for ultimate blues and guitar fanatics. We've now taken the extra step and done 45rpm versions of these three standout LPs.
We've used the original 30 inches-per-second, half-inch analog master tapes for all of these albums. Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound cut the lacquers for the LPs using the ultimate VMS 80 cutting lathe. Gary Salstrom handled the plating and the vinyl was pressed of course at our Quality Record Pressings, maker of the world's finest-sounding LPs.
Stevie Ray Vaughan's 1983 debut album, "Texas Flood", was a phenomenal success, climbing into the Top 40 and spending over half a year on the charts, which was practically unheard of for a blues recording. The record plays like a dynamite club show, filled with crowd-pleasing originals and covers, all performed with unbridled enthusiasm. "Texas Flood" was certified gold on August 13, 1990, and certified platinum on January 22, 1992.
There's not a link in this production chain that wasn't absolute first-rate. The absolute best that money can buy.
But beyond that we've poured our passion into this project. Acoustic Sounds is a big fan of the blues and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It's a big dream come true to work on this project and to make these records sound and look the best they ever have.

This release of Lightnin' Hopkins "Soul Blues" completes the series of 25 Prestige label stereo reissues from Analogue Productions. Of the 50 titles (25 stereo, 25 mono) in this reissue series, 49 of them were mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog tape. For "Soul Blues" Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound created a 24/192K hi-res file from a needle drop on a clean original LP.
This was done because the tape supplied for mastering proved to be from a needle drop itself, not the original, which has been lost since the early 1970s. Smith took the original LP, did a new needle drop and meticulously worked to eliminate the minimal tics and pops that remained. Then he mastered the album for LP and SACD from the hi-res file.

Mississippi's Son House was already legendary for a small collection of live field recordings made by folklorist Alan Lomax in 1941 and 1942, and for having taught some important licks to both Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters before he was rediscovered by a new generation of college-age fans in 1964.
The 'Father of the Delta Blues' recorded this namesake LP for Columbia Records a year later in 1965. It's become, in the words of Living Blues magazine — »Essential recordings by one of the greatest bluesmen ever.« And now, Analogue Productions presents a reissue unmatched in sonic quality and luxury presentation. For our version we turned to Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound to remaster the recording from the original master tapes. The freshly cut lacquers were then plated and pressed on 200-gram vinyl by our own Quality Record Pressings.
Son was born Eddie James House, Jr., on March 21, 1902, in Riverton, Miss. By the age of 15, he was preaching the gospel in various Baptist churches as the family seemingly wandered from one plantation to the next. He didn't even bother picking up a guitar until he turned 25; to quote House, »I didn't like no guitar when I first heard it; oh gee, I couldn't stand a guy playin' a guitar. I didn't like none of it.« But if his ambivalence to the instrument was obvious, even more obvious was the simple fact that Son hated plantation labor even more and had developed a taste for corn whiskey. After drunkenly launching into a blues at a house frolic in Lyon, Miss., one night and picking up some coin for doing it, the die seemed to be cast; Son House may have been a preacher, but he was part of the blues world now.

Ealz! Records & brand new label A.D.S team up to pay tribute to the mysterious bluesman and producer : Cleo Page. Born in Louisiana, this L.A.-based musician worked with the great Johnny Otis, hang out on Central Avenue’s clubs and possibly jammed with top West Coast bluesmen like Jessie Allen, Pete “guitar” Lewis, Jimmy Nolen, Lafayette Thomas. Curley Page for some, Sly Williams for others, difficult to follow his career and in definitive, little is known about him despite his “big deal” recently approved by blues specialists : Cleo Page IS the man who wrote and recorded the original Boot Hill, a blues classic covered many times up until now. Cleo Page who lived in California since 14 years-old has been crossing Blues, Rhythm & Blues and protoRock'n'Roll in a personal way. He will run his own labels in the heart of Watts just after the 1965 riots. Those tragic events deeply influenced his laid-back groovy sounds, powerful guitar playing, organ-driven garage Blues with strong political and social messages. Somewhere between the first electric recordings of Howlin' Wolf and… Black Diamond Heavies! You're about to discover 12 rare tracks probably recorded between late ‘60s and early ‘70s. This brand new release includes the ultra-rare track "Black Man part. 1 & 2". Material reissued here for the first time in an arty/artisanal trifold Vinyl LP and a bonus Vinyl 7inch

Unissued gritty & grindin\' blues! Formed in the summer of 1965 by brothers Michael and Dan Erlewine, The Prime Movers Blues Band's dedication was the stuff of legend. Refusing to adopt a faux British Invasion look and turning down an offer from Motown, they played their style of Chicago-inspired blues relentlessly around the Detroit area. Featuring the 'raw power' of a young James Osterberg on drums (who also lends vocals on their sizzling styling of 'I'm A Man'), this first-ever collection of The Prime Movers Blues Band's recordings is fittingly pressed at Third Man in Detroit and includes liner notes from bandleader Michael Erlewine!

Cornell Dupree was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He iswell known as a founding member of the band Stuff, and worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman. The album called "Doin' Alright" was originally released in 2011. Although it was the first album as leader since 1998, Dupree's groovy guitar play was more polished and it could have been another milestoneof his outstanding career. But unfortunately, Dupree had passed away in May 2011without seeing the album placed on the shelfof record shops.This analog reissue is newly rearrangedwith tough and fatty horn sections played by The Texas Horns including tenor saxophone player Kaz Kazanoff who participated in original recording sessions. 180g heavyweight vinyl with a Japanese OBI strip!

This is Eric Clapton's 23rd Studio album for which he teamed up with star-producer Glyn Johns once more.

The music of instrumental-folk quartet NRQ seems to defy categorization. Drawing their influences from styles as disparate as free jazz, Chinese folk songs, Calypso music, and the music of the Appalachians, every song presents a new twist or turn, and every album succeeds in defying expectations. Their third album, ‘was here’ saw the band welcome trumpeter and steel pan player MC. sirafu (The Natsuyasumi Band, Kataomoi, etc.), keyboard player Emerson Murakami (mmm, Kisel, etc.), and percussionist Okyon to create a sound quite unlike anything else they’ve ever done. The album was recorded exclusively with vintage tape machines, and the result is a warm, analog sound, with just the barest amount of hiss gently enveloping each track. Combined with the oddly mesmerizing artwork, this album has been practically begging for an analog release. P-vine is proud to be giving ‘was here’ the analog treatment it has long deserved!

“My name is Stan. I’m a soul man, but I’m gonna sing the blues”, growls Stan Mosely on “Blues Man”, the second track off of No Soul, No Blues. You thought you knew the blues? You haven’t heard anything until you’ve heard No Soul, No Blues!

Hailing from the modern day Chitlin Circuit, the down and dirty soul blues of Stan Mosely is as real as real gets. Armed with a brawny baritone and a closet full of rhinestone encrusted jackets, Stan Mosely has been one of the hottest attractions on the modern day Chitlin’ Circuit for over half a century. With nearly a dozen albums under his belt, Stan is a true veteran, and with the kind of charisma and energy he has, it’s a shock he doesn’t have more! Even just listening to No Soul, No Blues, it’s immediately obvious that Stan is of the highest echelon of singers, successfully translating his invigorating live performances to studio sessions.

But don’t take my word for it! Set to be featured on the cover of Living Blues Magazine’s December issue, the magazine has long praised Stan, with a longform interview in the issue further highlighting Stan and his dazzling music. The founders of P-vine (and two of the men most knowledgeable about blues in Japan) themselves have called the music of Stan Mosely the best that blues has to offer right now!

Pressed on limited edition vinyl with an obi-strip, No Soul, No Blues is sure to be one of the hottest blues records of the year - nay, the century! If I was you, I’d get my copy while I can, because these are going to be flying off the shelves!

180 gram audiophile vinyl
Gatefold sleeve
High quality PVC Protective Sleeve
Includes liner notes

Selected songs from the American rock singer, songwriter, guitarist featuring next to his solo hits “Rainy Night In Georgia”, “Polk Salad Annie” duets with Shelby Lynne, Eric Clapton and many more

Songwriter. Guitarist. Singer. Bandleader. At only 20 years of age, Marcus King’s dazzling musical ability is evident throughout The Marcus King Band, the young phenom’s 2nd full-length LP. Raised in Greenville, South Carolina, King was brought up on the blues, playing shows as a pre-teen sideman with his father—bluesman Marvin King, who himself was the son of a regionally-known guitarist—before striking out on his own. Operating within the fiery brand of American roots music that King calls "soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock," the album highlights King’s gorgeous, rough-hewn vocals, soaring guitar work and heartfelt songwriting all amidst a group of masterful musicians who, together, are quickly becoming one of the country’s most sought after live acts.

Over 50 years since his discovery by ethnomusicologists Dr. Harry Oster and Richard Allen in the prison farm of Angola, Louisiana, what is it that makes the blues as sung and picked by Robert Pete Williams such a singular listening experience, unequaled elsewhere in that musical form? As Peter Guralnick, in his Feel Like Going Home book writes: “It’s difficult to approve the banalities of most blues singers after listening to Robert Pete Williams. More than anyone else he shatters the conventions of the form and refuses to rely upon any of the clichés, either of music or of lyric, which bluesman after bluesman will invoke. Instead he sings blues which reflect a unique and personal vision; he makes each song unmistakably his own.” Unfamiliar keys, cliché-free lyricism, spontaneity, an individualistic style in invoking his particular blues, all make Robert Pete Williams an idiosyncratic entry into the canon. It’s impossible to listen to blues artists before him and hear strains of his particular style. None have matched it since. Louisiana Blues contains 10 songs recorded in the month of July 1966 out in Berkeley, California for John Fahey’s Takoma imprint. Comes with a 8 page booklet. Limited edition of 600 on bottleneck brown vinyl.

The album was mostly recorded at Dan Auerbach's (The Black Keys) Easy Eye studio in Nashville, as well as L.A. and Budapest, and was produced by both Dan Auerbach and Kevin Augunas (Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Florence & The Machine).

The best of the Alive sessions. Featuring members of GravelRoad, Moreland & Arbuckle, Soledad Brothers and Outrageous Cherry.

Not known for his acoustic work, Buddy Guy unplugs for a rare album-length excursion into folk blues. The guitarist gets down and dirty with 12 tracks that sound like they were recorded after hours in his living room or on his back porch.

Soul-Innovator und Popmusik-Titan: Evergreens des berühmten Sängers und Pianisten.Ray Charles ist Mitglied der Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame, Jazz Hall of Fame, Georgia Music Hall of Fame und Florida Artists Hall of Fame. 1998 erhielt er den begehrten Polar Music Prize. Nach seinem Tod wurde ihm 2005 die Grammy Award Show gewidmet. Seine Version von "Georgia On My Mind" wurde 1979 zur offiziellen Hymne des US-Staates Georgia. Ray Charles starb am 10. Juni 2004 im Alter von 73 Jahren an Leberkrebs. Das Label Wagram ehrt den Musiker mit dieser 3-LP-Box inkl Poster.

Everything is mysterious! This is the second full-length from Japanese talented artist "Kensuke Ide and his mother ship" which was acclaimed by listeners as the one of the best albums in 2020. P-vine is presenting it as the long-awaited LP version! Is the innovative sound that will surprise all listeners the madness of Devil or Taoyuan Township? No, that's exactly the "mystery of 2020" !

One of the earliest blues performers of the pre-war era, and an offspring of a family of freed slaves, Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas was one of the most influential, but also one of the most enigmatic practitioners of the blues genre. Much of Thomas' life was un-chronicled by historians (The exact date of his death is still a point of contention) except to say that much of his life he lived as a drifter, making his living by performing on street corners and for railway employees. Though his personal life is still shrouded in mystery, his music remains significant, so many decades later. Thomas stood out from his peers primarily by the way he strummed his guitar; as one would strum a banjo. His songs emphasized dance rhythm over complex picking, and often utilized instruments unorthodox to blues music, such as the Deep South folk instrument the quills. This sound proved to be instrumental in the development of the Texas blues sound, and would be his trademark across the 24 sides that he recorded for Vocalion Records, of which only 23 would be released commercially.

New West Records is proud to announce the revival of Antone's Records and the renaissance begins with Angela Strehli, one of the most legendary and iconic members of the Antone’s blues family. Mrs. Strehli is back with Ace Of Blues, her first solo release in 17 years and her first record with Antone’s since 1987’s Soul Shake. On Ace Of Blues, Strehli offers 12 rolling & funky tracks that celebrate and honor the classic influences that inspired her 50+ year career. Presented with extensive liner notes and never-before-seen historical photos, Ace Of Blues cements Angela’s legacy as one of America’s premiere blues singers.

Ga-20 clearly is on to something big. It's a movement, a new traditional blues revival. The dynamic, throwback blues trio are disciples of the placewhere traditional blues, country and rock `n' roll intersect. "We make records that we would want to listen to," says guitarist Matt Stubbs. "It's our take on the song-based traditional electric blues we love." Stubbs, guitarist/vocalist Pat Faherty, and drummer Tim Carman have been at the forefront of this traditional blues revival since they first formed in 2018. It's no wonder they skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Blues Chart. According to Stubbs, "Since we started the band we've focused on the story, the melody, and on creating a mood. Playing live as much as we do,we're finding more and more that people are discovering how cool it all is.Traditional country, soul and funk music have all had these massive recent revivals, but traditional blues so far has not." With their new Colemine album, Crackdown, and an intensive tour schedule, that's all about to change. On Crackdown, Ga-20's third full-length release, the band creates an unvarnished, ramshackle blues that is at once traditional and refreshingly modern. Expanding on their previous releases (2019's Lonely Soul and 2021's Try It_You Might Like It! Ga-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor) Ga-20 finds inspiration on the edges of the genre, where early electric blues first converged with country and rock `n' roll. The album's nine original songs include the loping, Louisiana-flavored Dry Run, the dirty, and bare-bones Easy On The Eyes and the melodic, garage-tinged Fairweather Friend. With tight, propulsive performances and a brevity and punk energy reminiscent of The Ramones, Crackdown is rowdy and fun, filled with instantly memorable, and well-crafted songs.

Ga-20 clearly is on to something big. It's a movement, a new traditional blues revival. The dynamic, throwback blues trio are disciples of the placewhere traditional blues, country and rock `n' roll intersect. "We make records that we would want to listen to," says guitarist Matt Stubbs. "It's our take on the song-based traditional electric blues we love." Stubbs, guitarist/vocalist Pat Faherty, and drummer Tim Carman have been at the forefront of this traditional blues revival since they first formed in 2018. It's no wonder they skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard Blues Chart. According to Stubbs, "Since we started the band we've focused on the story, the melody, and on creating a mood. Playing live as much as we do,we're finding more and more that people are discovering how cool it all is.Traditional country, soul and funk music have all had these massive recent revivals, but traditional blues so far has not." With their new Colemine album, Crackdown, and an intensive tour schedule, that's all about to change. On Crackdown, Ga-20's third full-length release, the band creates an unvarnished, ramshackle blues that is at once traditional and refreshingly modern. Expanding on their previous releases (2019's Lonely Soul and 2021's Try It_You Might Like It! Ga-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor) Ga-20 finds inspiration on the edges of the genre, where early electric blues first converged with country and rock `n' roll. The album's nine original songs include the loping, Louisiana-flavored Dry Run, the dirty, and bare-bones Easy On The Eyes and the melodic, garage-tinged Fairweather Friend. With tight, propulsive performances and a brevity and punk energy reminiscent of The Ramones, Crackdown is rowdy and fun, filled with instantly memorable, and well-crafted songs.

After years mentoring under Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf & Sonny Boy Williamson,
James Cotton developed a reputation as one of the greatest blues players to pick
up a harmonica. By 1967 Cotton was primed to make it on his own. Featuring
fleet-fingered guitarist Luther Tucker and hard-hitting drummer Sam Lay,
Late Night Blues – Live at The New Penelope Cafe showcases a now legendary blues
band at the beginning of their artistic prime.

Iconic singer Mavis Staples is an alchemist of American music, and during her 70+ year career one of her most beloved musical mo?ments was her riveting performance in Martin Scorsese's film' The Last Waltz,' performing "The Weight" with The Band, a moment that forged a life-long friendship between her and Levon Helm. Staples came to Woodstock, NY to perform as part of Helm's re?nowned Midnight Ramble series, and the ensuing concert-available now for the first time on the rousing new Anti- Records release Carry Me Home-would mark a personal high watermark for both artists. Captured live in the summer of 2011, Carry Me Home showcases two of the past century's most iconic voices coming together in love and joy, tracing their shared roots and celebrating the enduring power of faith and music. The setlist was righteous that night, mixing vintage gospel and soul with timeless folk and blues, and the performances were loose and playful, fueled by an ecstatic atmosphere that was equal parts family reunion and tent revival. Read between the lines, though, and there's an even more poignant story at play here. Nei?ther Staples nor Helm knew that this would be their last performance together-the collection marks one of Helm's final recordings before his death-and listening back now, a little more than a decade later, tunes like "This May Be The Last Time" and "Farther Along" take on new, bittersweet meaning. The result is an album that's at once a time capsule and a memorial, a blissful homecoming and a fond farewell, a once-in-a-lifetime concert-and friendship-preserved for the ages. Staples and the night's soulful crew of backup singers handle the vast majority of the vocal work here, but it's perhaps album closer "The Weight," which features Helm chiming in with lead vocals for the first time, that stands as the concert's most emotional moment. "It never crossed my mind that it might be the last time we'd see each other," says Staples. "He was so full of life and so happy that week. He was the same old Levon I'd always known, just a beautiful spirit inside and out." "My dad built The Midnight Rambles to restore his spirit, his voice, and his livelihood," says Helm's daughter, Amy, who sang backup vocals with her father and Staples at their performance. "He'd risen back up from all that had laid him down, and to have Mavis come sing and sanctify that stage was the ultimate triumph for him."

As part of their 20th Anniversary celebrations, Strut present the first new volume in their pioneering ‘Nigeria 70’ series for over 8 years, bringing together rare highlife, Afro-funk and juju from the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Compiled by collector and DJ Duncan Brooker, this new selection of tracks is receiving its first international release outside of Nigeria.

The compilation returns to a fertile heyday in Nigerian music when established styles like highlife and juju became infused with elements of Western jazz, soul and funk and musicians brought a proud new message post-independence. Brooker places the spotlight particularly on some of the incredible Ukwuani musicians from the Delta State region as guitarist Rogana Ottah and Steady Arobby’s International Brothers Band forged their own fluid brand of highlife and soulman Don Bruce drew on the US R&B greats for a series of great albums and explosive stage shows at his residency at Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Elsewhere, the album explores the close connection between Nigeria and Benin’s music, most famously through Sir Victor Uwaifo, appearing here with a killer mid‘80s ekassa jam, as well as highlife hitmaker Osayamore Joseph on ‘Obonogbozu’ (Joseph made headlines in Nigeria for very different reasons in 2017, surviving a one month kidnapping ordeal).

Other tracks include ‘Sickness’ a 1979 lament on how all countries share troubles by Prince Nico Mbarga, the Nigerian / Camerounian star behind the smash hit ‘Sweet Mother’; reggae singer Felixson Ngasia switches to funk and disco for a heavy workout with potent lyrics around black identity; another major highlife great Etubom Rex Williams unleashes a punchy psych funk gem with ‘Psychedelic Shoes’ and Africa 70 member Pax Nicholas vocals a simmering Afrobeat groove from Jacob Lee’s Saxon Lee & The Shadows International Band.

“Super Super Blues Band” started out merely as “Super Blues”, a conglomerate of blues pillars Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters and Little Walter. When Little Walter bowed out and was replaced by Howlin’ Wolf, they rightfully threw another Super on the name, and went on to release this burning, irreverent and even sometimes hilarious set of drunken, wild-eyed electric blues. Long form jams roll on in a trance as the trio of blues legends flex egos, talking shit to each other, trading off leads and ducking blasts of unexpected wah-wah guitar lines. Songs are peppered with an incredible level of banter between the trio of bandleaders that predicts the call and response sing- talking of early hip hop, laced with random screams in the background that teeter between celebration and danger. That these three ever got into the same room together is a miracle, and that they produced something so intense, energetic and weird is another almost unbelievable feat. The record is special enough as a stand-alone document of this meeting/melting of the minds before you find out the backing band consists of Hubert Sumlin, Otis Spann and freaking Buddy Guy. Lordy. Might have needed one more “super” in there. The record is pressed on limited colored vinyl.

The Meters is the debut studio album by the band of the same name. It's an essential album in the funk scene and one that contains a lot of energy and soul.

180g vinyl.

Two Blues legends Keb' Mo' & Taj Mahal get together and combine forces on the album "TajMo"!!

United States at the beginning of the 1960s, the vibrant speeches of the great defenders of the black cause were soonrelayed by the artists of the time.... The groove revolution is underway!Dive into the heart of this era with the proud voices of the Artists who made the Protest Song!A fine selection with : GIL SCOTT-HERON - Angela Davis- Doris Duke- Seven Seas- Shirley Caesar- Skull Snaps- T-Connection- The Whatnauts...

Iconic singer Mavis Staples is an alchemist of American music, and during her 70+ year career one of her most beloved musical mo?ments was her riveting performance in Martin Scorsese's film' The Last Waltz,' performing "The Weight" with The Band, a moment that forged a life-long friendship between her and Levon Helm. Staples came to Woodstock, NY to perform as part of Helm's re?nowned Midnight Ramble series, and the ensuing concert-available now for the first time on the rousing new Anti- Records release Carry Me Home-would mark a personal high watermark for both artists. Captured live in the summer of 2011, Carry Me Home showcases two of the past century's most iconic voices coming together in love and joy, tracing their shared roots and celebrating the enduring power of faith and music. The setlist was righteous that night, mixing vintage gospel and soul with timeless folk and blues, and the performances were loose and playful, fueled by an ecstatic atmosphere that was equal parts family reunion and tent revival. Read between the lines, though, and there's an even more poignant story at play here. Nei?ther Staples nor Helm knew that this would be their last performance together-the collection marks one of Helm's final recordings before his death-and listening back now, a little more than a decade later, tunes like "This May Be The Last Time" and "Farther Along" take on new, bittersweet meaning. The result is an album that's at once a time capsule and a memorial, a blissful homecoming and a fond farewell, a once-in-a-lifetime concert-and friendship-preserved for the ages. Staples and the night's soulful crew of backup singers handle the vast majority of the vocal work here, but it's perhaps album closer "The Weight," which features Helm chiming in with lead vocals for the first time, that stands as the concert's most emotional moment. "It never crossed my mind that it might be the last time we'd see each other," says Staples. "He was so full of life and so happy that week. He was the same old Levon I'd always known, just a beautiful spirit inside and out." "My dad built The Midnight Rambles to restore his spirit, his voice, and his livelihood," says Helm's daughter, Amy, who sang backup vocals with her father and Staples at their performance. "He'd risen back up from all that had laid him down, and to have Mavis come sing and sanctify that stage was the ultimate triumph for him."

I Be Trying might be the title of the new record from two-time Grammy nominee Cedric Burnside, but it's also a mission statement in an era when plenty of us have discovered what "the blues" really means. Recorded over three days at Royal Studios in Memphis (the home studio of Al Green and Hi Records in the 60s and 70s), this album is the ultimate statement of purpose for a critically acclaimed artist who has proudly carried the mantle of Mississippi Hill Country blues around the world. Over thirteen tracks, Burnside delivers his bruised but unfettered truth over blistering guitar and deep pocket drums-a sound birthed in his soul but developed and perfected on the road. But no matter how far he travels, the righteous sound he makes could only come from one place. I Be Trying is the sound of modern Mississippi. Produced by second-generation Memphis soul trailblazer Boo Mitchell ("Uptown Funk") and featuring guest appearances from Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars) and Zac Cockrell (Brittany Howard), I Be Trying takes the sound that Burnside learned from his grandfather, blues legend R.L. Burnside, and reinterprets it into a modern, bold Black American sound that expands the sonic landscape while respecting and honoring its roots.

Daptone Records is honored to announce the release of Innov Gnawa's forthcoming full length, Lila. Hailing from Morocco, but based in NYC, Innov Gnawa have been making waves locally and abroad with their hypnotic live shows - which is why producer, Bosco Mann invited the group to come record at the Legendary Daptone House of Soul. Gnawa is a music and spiritual tradition rooted in Morocco and dates back many centuries. Over the years, the liberated slaves of Northern and Western Africa integrated their musical rhythms and religious beliefs into the culture of Morocco creating a unique style of music and dance called Gnawa. It's not religious music, but rather music and rhythms that promote healing through trance and spirituality. The infectious rhythms of Gnawa songs are invocations for saints and spirits of freedom and liberation.

Gnawa groups consist of a Ma'Alem, or master, who plays the Guembri(or Sintir) - an ancient three stringed bass that later evolved into the modern day banjo, accompanied by a brotherhood of musicians playing the karkabas, which are metal castanets, representing the shackles and chains of slaves. The title of this album, Lila, literally means Night, and is a traditional Gnawa ceremony in which the Ma'Alem and his karkaba ensemble dedicate an evening of healing through music. A traditional Lila has many parts with a very extensive repertoire, and can last anywhere from a few hours to few days, and even weeks in some cases. The hypnotic poly-rhythms, along with incense and ceremonial ambiance induces states of trance in the musicians and guests. This all night rhythm fest is a spiritual ritual that cleanses the body, mind and spirit. It would be impossible to capture an entire Lila on on LP, but what Innov Gnawa delivers is a concise glimpse into this ancient Moroccan tradition. We invite you to immerse yourself into Lila. Experience freedom, liberation and the power of healing through music. You are not alive if this music doesn't move you.

GA-20 was formed by friends Pat Faherty and Matthew Stubbs in Boston, MA in 2018. The project was born out of their mutual love of heavy traditional Blues, R&B, and Rock & Roll of the late 50s and early 60s. Faherty and Stubbs bonded over legendary artists like Lazy Lester, J.B. Lenoir, Earl Hooker, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Junior Wells. Feeling a void in current music, the duo have set out to write, record and perform a modern version of this beloved art form. Live, GA-20 is a trio of 2 guitars, vocals and drums. Raw, passionate and honest performance, both on stage and in the studio, is the only goal. "Lonely Soul", the title track to their debut album embodies their sound: raw, cutting, and authentic.

Her voice was all Saturday night, delivered on a Sunday morning. Patsy on Jesus. Elvis without the pelvis. Fern Jones' only album, released by Dot Records in 1959, captured 36-year-old Sister Fern as she anointed church music with the same untamed energy that younger white Southerners were bringing to their rock 'n' roll. Produced by Mac Wiseman and showcasing crack Nashville session players Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland, Floyd Cramer, Joe Zinkan, and Buddy Harman fresh off their June 1958 session with The Pelvis, Singing A Happy Song should've taken Jones from dusty canvas big tops to the Opry's storied stage. But with no 45 to flog, Jones instead sold nary a record and never did hear herself on the radio. Her fiery rockabilly gospel was a few shades too radical for the conservative, traditional, near puritanical public she played to anyway. Fern Jones: The Glory Road collects her Singing A Happy Song LP and cuts including "Didn't It Rain," from her The Joneses Sing album, into one rousing package, rich with the details and imagery of a brief career spent tethered to the hard ground and gazing skyward. The Glory Road's sound gnaws at the bit and stands in reverence, a runaway rockabilly tent show without a single drop of rain on the horizon.