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NEW RELEASES:
NICK CURRAN
& THE LOWLIFES
"REFORM SCHOOL GIRL"
Retail: $17.99 New Discounted Price: $12.99
“Comin' on like a sci-fi hybrid of T-Bone Walker, Little Richard, and Guitar Slim, guitarist/singer Nick Curran is a powerhouse performer who owes a strong debt to blues and rockabilly artists of the '50s.” – All Music Guide
“Nick and his group mix jump blues, boogie, and greasy rock and roll into a perfect stew." – Vintage Guitar
"...just a total ass-kicker." – Jimmie Vaughan
"Curran delivers a powerful punch on his latest album. The retro-styled record sounds astonishingly fresh. This is the real deal, baby." - Guitar Edge
"One of the most authentic and exciting roots musicians of his generation" (All Music Guide) Is Back, Following Awards, Critical Huzzahs & Turn On HBO's "True Blood" On 'Reform School Girl' Nick Curran's first new album in five years, the shouter, songwriter and monster guitarist is an unstoppable, high-energy one-man 50's R&B revival. Curran wrote or cowrote 12 of the album's 14 foot-stomping tracks. Called "just a total ass-kicker" by no less an authority than Jimmie Vaughan of The Fabulous Thunderbirds (with whom he played for three years), the Austin-based Curran and his new rock 'n' roll roots band, The Lowlifes, pull out all the stops on the new album. Curran recorded 'Reform School Girl' on vintage instruments and analog equipment, all the better to recreate the raw, explosive sound of early R&B and rock 'n' roll 45's that he loves. Tracks such as "Tough Love" and "Lusty Li'l Lucy" show the influence of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, while the title track - with its refrain, "She stole my heart and then she blew this town" - pays homage to girl groups like the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes. "Baby You Crazy" recalls the Sonics at their loudest.
“Reform School Girl” is a culmination of Curran’s multitude of talents: a throwback to his roots, only amped up to the limit. “I’ve written more songs on ‘Reform School Girl’ than on any other records. I wanted it to have no filler – only good stuff. All my influences are there, from old blues like Lazy Lester and T-Bone Walker to girl groups like The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las, to Guns N Roses.” The album also features a couple of appearances by some of Nick’s close personal friends including a duet on the song “Flyin’ Blind,” co-written with Blasters’ frontman Phil Alvin, as well as harmonica ace Jason Ricci on “Reel Rock Party.” Catch Nick Curran as he shakes, rattles and rolls a head-spinning combination of genres and tunes into a cool, irresistible cocktail that is rough and ready for action.
“His bluesy Americana vibe finds an impressively restrained balance between melody and musicianship.”– Blues Revue
“Singer-songwriter-guitarist Mike Zito boasts a road-hardened voice that spews the fiery tales of life’s ups and downs with a serious conviction that’s impossible to ignore.” – Metronome
“Zito’s voice is so incredibly soulful that it can be placed into that diminutive group of elite male blue-eyed soul/blues singers like Steve Winwood, Michael McDonald and Rod Stewart… A fine guitarist and composer as well, it’s a winning combination of a genuine and complete performer.” - Modern Guitars Magazine
01. Black John (4:13)
02. Betty Jean (4:02)
03. I Knew A Lady (3:53)
04. Bottom Chick (4:33)
05. Holiday Inn (4:44)
06. Thinking About You (2:27)
John Black: vocals & guitar
The Soul of John Black is John “JB” Bigham, an adventurous artist who isn’t afraid to take risks while pursuing his musical vision. His stage moniker is a name shrouded with an element of darkness and mystery, inspired by the 1976 cult film “J.D.’s Revenge.” JB declares, “I tend to like artists who lean toward the shadows and walk the edge and wanted my music to reflect that.” He draws his inspiration from blues and soul pioneers of the past and stands as a true testament to the dynamic beauty and freedom of musical expression, which he strips down to the core – guitar, voice and exposed human emotion conveyed in sparse, soulfully captivating performances wrought with raw, spontaneous power.
On “Black John - Acoustic EP” JB masterfully reinterprets his favorite songs from his full length album "Black John" by creating acoustic versions which expose their deep emotional roots and his soulful song writing.
“From straight-ahead blues-rock to sultry jazz and reggae, Popovic continues the blues tradition with a unique voice and a distinctive guitar sound.”
– Vintage Guitar
“Ana Popovic is a fine example of a blues artist who takes new directions while remaining true to the essence of the genre… Though capable of thunderous, Stevie Ray Vaughan-inspired guitar solos, Popovic is equally adept at a quieter, more contemplative style.” – Blues Revue
"Ana Popovic is not only a superb singer and songwriter, but also a very capable guitarist who can flatpick fluid jazz lines, craft deep-pocket slide grooves, and bend strings with SRV-style emotion.” - Guitar Player
“Make no mistake about it; Jason Ricci is the Best Thing to happen to Blues Harmonica in decades.” – Andy Grigg / Real Blues Magazine
“Shawn Starski is the perfect foil for Ricci, an inventive guitarist who achieves great tone, has a long reach, and can express a number of styles, from psychedelic and funk to rocking or blue.” - Cashville
"a fiery, thrilling and boundary-smashing rock band...Ricci takes the harp into terrain with squonks and squalls that sometimes sound more like horns or guitars than harmonica.” - Dave Richards / Erie Times-News
“It’s almost like Blues Traveler, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and O.A.R. slammed some tequila and had a 15-pound love child, decided they couldn’t keep it, and then placed it in a steel barrel and sent it down to the river to be raised by aging black blues kings and their families.” – Graffit
Jason Ricci & New Blood are always pushing the limits and breaking musical boundaries. Take a glimpse into a Jason Ricci & New Blood live show and see for yourself what all the buzz is about.
“Retro soul tinged in country, funk and blues.”
– Rolling Stone Magazine
"To say that Bigham is heir to multiple traditions is a major understatement...He seamlessly merges influences and eras, and the results can be heard on his fine new album Black John...The groove is, indeed, the thing. It's relentless...and Bigham brings it on every track." – Paste Magazine
“(The Soul of John Black’s)...anguished wail will grab your gut and turn it inside out.” – Esquire Magazine
THE SOUL OF JOHN BLACK
"BETTY JEAN" MUSIC VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
The Soul of John Black continues to make a huge impact world wide. The music video for his hit song "Betty Jean" is currently being featured on the home page of the "Celebrity" section on MySpace. The video which was directed, written, and produced by Clifton Collins Jr. has been selected as the MySpace Celebrity Video pick and will be featured all week long. Click to watch the video in its entirety!
In addition to the video being spotlighted on MySpace, the "Betty Jean" music video is also being featured on the home page of http "SHOCKYA.com" which is a website that gets roughly 274,000+ hits per month! There is also an interview with director Clifton Collins Jr. on the site which is worth checking out. Click here to read the interview!
MIKE ZITO "PEARL RIVER"
#3 BEST OF 2009 - THE DAILY VAULT
FROM THE DAILY VAULT:
Blues guitarist Zito is making a habit of appearing on these lists, and why wouldn’t he? Over the past 20 years a lot of talented folks have attempted to travel down the hard blues trail forged by Stevie Ray Vaughan, but nobody’s done it more successfully than Zito, who wrings emotion from every note he plays and effortlessly slides between writing songs that tear at your heart and ones that simply demand you move your feet.
MIKE ZITO "ONE STEP AT A TIME"
MUSIC VIDEO - NOW FILMING
MIke Zito is in New Orleans filming the music video for his hit song "One Step At A Time" which features Anders Osboren. Check out behind the scenes footage shot by Mike Zito.
Nick Curran joins us by way of Austin, Texas, and lays down a strikingly savage blend of ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm & blues, rockabilly and of course, slashing Texas blues. After four stunning solo releases Nick disbanded the Nitelifes and took flight with The Fabulous Thunderbirds appearing on the band’s 2005 release “Painted On,” alongside a stellar lineup that also included Kirk Fletcher on guitar, Gene Taylor on piano, Ronnie James Weber on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and Nick soon turned his attention in a surprisingly new direction. His band, Deguello, soon found Nick pursuing his passion and affinity for punk rock music while also allowing a whole new audience to discover his boundless energy and ferocious raw talent. But for fans of his earlier blues influenced recordings, it would seem that all was now lost. Fast forward to 2009 and where is Nick now? Well…he’s back!! And sounding better than ever!!! His new band, The Lowlifes, recall his earlier rhythm & blues inspired work for the Texas Jamboree label and Nick is promising fans that the best is yet to come. Look out for Nick Curran & the Lowlifes brand new release in early 2010 on Eclecto Groove Records.
"BETTY JEAN" - VIDEO NOW ON iTunes!
Eclecto Groove Records proudly presents the first commercially available video single for purchase by The Soul of John Black. The song “Betty Jean” is taken from The Soul of John Black’s latest album “Black John,” which the Los Angles Times hails as “simmering, groove-heavy modern blues that belongs on a bass-heavy dance floor as much as a rickety porch in the Delta.” The video single is directed by actor Clifton Collins Jr. who recently won a Country Music Award for “Breakthrough Video of the Year” for the song “Chicken Fried” by the Zac Brown Band. In addition to his directing/producing talents Clifton has also appeared in over 70 film and television shows including most recently the landmark blockbuster movie franchise Star Trek. “Betty Jean" (the video single) is now being sold as a digital release only on iTunes.
ANA POPOVIC'S BLIND FOR LOVE
LIGHTS UP TRIPLE A CHARTS
Ana Popovic’s album, “Blind For Love”, continues to light up the Triple A airwaves with an incredible 112 add-ons this month. Over half of those stations have the album in heavy or medium rotation. The album hit #3 on the Roots Blues Music Report, #3 on the Media Guide Blues Album Chart and #4 on The Relix charts. Look for continued chart activity on this fast moving release…
A TASTE OF TRIPLE A
ANA POPOVIC "NOTHING PERSONAL"
Ana Popovic is pictured on the cover of the July edition of “A Taste of Triple A” which is set to begin going for adds on radio on July 31st. Ana’s first single “Nothing Personal” is featured from her brand new CD “Blind For Love,” and is the lead off track on disc #1 of the 2-disc set which also features the Dave Matthews Band, Joe Bonamassa, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson. The monthly sampler is sent out to over 300 programmers and specialty shows at 230+ Triple A radio (commercial and non-commercial), cable, satellite and internet stations, as well as 60 independent music stores, plus key TV & film music supervisors.
BETWEEN OUR WORLDS/SEXIEST MAN ALIVE
REMIX SINGLE AVAILABLE NOW:
ANA POPOVIC
"REMIX - EP" - "BETWEEN OUR WORLDS"
& "SEXIEST MAN ALIVE" $1.98 (DOWNLOAD ONLY)
Ana Popovic teams up with multi-platinum producer/composer Rudy "Mayru" Maya for a remix treatment of two songs from her "Still Making History" album with surprising results. The dual single consisting of “Between Our Worlds” and “Sexiest Man Alive” launched on July 20th coinciding with the release of her brand new studio album “Blind For Love.” The single is currently available as a digital release only and can be purchased on such popular digital music services as iTunes, eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody and Amazon.com.
Rudy “Mayru” Maya most notably produced tracks for Def Jam recording artist, Rihanna on her multi-platinum debut album, “Music of the Sun.” Following the release of her debut album, Rihanna’s career has skyrocketed to include numerous hit singles and chart topping releases! Maya has also been involved in production work for Capital recording artist, Javier, Sony recording artist, Nikki Flores, as well as Sean “Puffy” Combs’ (aka Diddy, P. Diddy, Puff Daddy) MTV/Bad Boy Records project, “Making the Band.” Additionally, “Mayru” has scored numerous film, television and commercial projects, most recently for CBS’ hit show, “Cane.”
Coinciding with the release of “Pearl River” this coming fall will also be the unveiling of the official Mike Zito Signature Series Guitar Amplifier. The signature amp will be produced by Category 5 Amps, a company and product line that Zito currently endorses, and is set for release this September 2009.
“We are proud to have Mike playing our amps,” remarked Don Ritter, Artist Relations for Category 5 Amps. “Mike is not only a great guitar player, he is a phenomenal singer/songwriter. He brings so much to his show, it is breathtaking. We worked through a few different amps to finally get a combination that let his voice and songs lead, with the guitar filling in the rest of the sonic space. And when it is time for the guitar to shine – it comes at you with hurricane force!”
Category 5 Amplification specializes in creating quality hand wired tube amps with vintage tones and modern features. The company was formed in part to be a vehicle for giving back to the blues community and to assist in hurricane relief, (hence Category 5). For more information about Category 5 Amps check out their website - http://www.category5amps.com/
SHAWN STARSKI - VINTAGE GUITAR
Check out the August issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine for the article "Of Churches And Harps" where VG writer John Heidt talks shop with Jason Ricci & New Blood's guitarist and rising star Shawn Starski. The secret is out and the industry is certainly taking notice of Starski's talents as he recently signed on as an endorser for Category 5 Amps and last year was named one of the Top Ten Hottest Guitarists by a reader's poll in the June 2008 of Guitar Player Magazine.
ECLECTO GROOVE NEWS
MUSIC VIDEOS
Check out the new Music Videos from your favorite Eclecto Groove artists.
Eclecto Groove Recording artist Nick Curran has been diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. He is staying in his hometown of Austin, TX for the next two months to undergo treatment and to prepare for his upcoming tour. A full recovery is expected and he anticipates resuming his full touring schedule afterwards. The Feb. 16th, 2010 release date of his new album 'Reform School Girl' is unchanged.
Curran says, "I'm really looking at this as just a small bump in the road. I think it's one of those life things that happens which reminds you not to take life for granted and help you become the best person you can. I've already changed a lot in a good way and I really think this is gonna turn out to be a positive thing. This ain't what's gonna do me in. I am gonna kick this thing in the ass and then go out and kick some serious ass with my new record! It's just a little set back, thats all. I'm excited about everything to come! I'm ready to conquer the world." - Nick Curran
ANA POPOVIC & JOHN BLACK - VIDEO CLIP
Ana Popovic: guitar & vocals, The Soul of John Black: guitar & vocals, Bobby Jones: vocals, Finis Tasby: vocals, Kirk Fletcher: guitar, Kid Ramos: guitar, Ronnie James Weber: bass, Richard Innes: drums, Randy Chortkoff: MC
Slated as the best night of music in Park City during Sundance, the after party thrown by Big Sky Motion Pictures was a tremendous success! Festivities began during the afternoon of Monday, January 19th with the sneak preview teaser of Big Sky Motion Pictures' upcoming film, "Spring Break '83". The showing was a total hit, leaving viewers raving about the comedic genius of writer/director, Mars Callahan and yearning to see the final product!
That evening the party started off just right with Eclecto Groove artist, Mike Zito kicking off the lineup with cuts from his newest album, "Today". Up next was The Soul of John Black. With only a short amount of time on stage, JB and his band put out a solid 20 minutes of dynamic music featuring cuts from his Eclecto Groove release, "Black John", due out in February! Zito and JB set the tone for what would be a rockin' night of who's who in the music business.
Headlining the show was rock-star supergroup, Camp Freddy. The band featured a plethora of rock legends, including guitarists Steve Stevens of Billy Idol's band, and Billy Duffy of The Cult, bassists Billy Morrison of The Cult and Circus Diablo, and Chris Chaney of Jane's Addiction, drummer Matt Sorum of Guns n' Roses, The Cult and Velvet Revolver, vocalists Donovan Lietch Jr. of Nancy Boy, Corey Taylor of Slipknot, and Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray. The show featured special appearances by pro snowboarder/skateboarder, Shaun White on guitar and none other than guitarist and founding member of ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons. Label exec Randy Chortkoff had the pleasure of sitting down and talking music with Gibbons before the show!
Camp Freddy indulged the audience in a number of classic covers, including Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", apparently a Robert Redford request, Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell"and "White Wedding", the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog",Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", ZZ Top's classic, "La Grange" and covers of songs by the Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Van Halen, Motorhead and others. The band even dedicated their version of the Cars' "Just What I Needed" to Barack Obama, in honor of his inauguration the next morning! All in all, it was a spectacular night of music that will remain in the memory of those lucky enough to experience it for quite some time! And what a thrill to be a part of it all.
We are happy to report that the high expectations we projected at the beginning of 2009 have come to fruition. Eclecto Groove, and all of its artists, are performing beyond our greatest hopes, with some very pleasant surprises coming from some unexpected sources.
Normally, labels have artists experiencing ups and downs and sales and response leveling off. This is to be expected and a phenomenon not isolated to any particular genre or type of artist. In Eclecto Groove’s short life, we have experienced bursts of sales activity, as well as lulls. But this year has proven that it’s never a certainty and we have been pleasantly surprised. In America, sales have taken off on all our artists, and our efforts in Europe to set up an independent distribution network through Inakustik in Germany is beginning to blossom. Our office in Germany, once viewed by many as a gamble, has highlighted the fact that we always foresaw the future of the music business throughout Europe. No longer do we manufacture and produce our product in America and ship to Europe. Quite the contrary, we actually manufacture product locally in Germany, and that expedites both our shipping and manufacturing efforts on behalf of each our artists.
The very first artist on our Eclecto Groove label was, of course, Ana Popovic. Her first release, “Still Making History”, spent a total of 19 weeks on the Billboard Blues Charts, hitting its peak position of #3. Now recognized as one of the hottest guitarists in the world, Serbian born Ana is not only making history, but well on her way to lasting international stardom. The album’s total sales, including our parent company Delta Groove’s releases, topped the list of all our offerings that first year.
Now Ana’s second album on our label, “Blind for Love” is displaying exceptional activity and crossing over to Triple A, yet appealing still to the blues market. Produced this time out by Mark Dearnly (AC/DC, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney) and Ana herself, the album serves up an appealing dish of eclectic music that is changing perceptions about her ability to cross over to several different genres.
As Mars Callahan and his creative force behind Spring Break ‘83 continue to edit and trudge forth with the post-production aspects of the film, we’ve noticed that the movie seems to be taking on a life of it’s own! As more and more people view footage of the film the general feedback is that it seems like a 100 million dollar movie. In reality, the film is being made for a fraction of that cost. Between the aerial shots, water stunts and sinking of an entire set, it could be easily alluded that the movie was made by a major film production company for a major motion film budget. As we continue to edit the film, we’re getting a clear picture of which shots remain to be picked up. As soon as we are confident that we’ve got all shots covered, we’ll jump back into production of the film, shooting the remaining portions in Los Angeles. In the meantime, Randy Chortkoff has been busy in the post-production room with writer, co-director, producer and actor, Mars Callahan, editing and getting a concise idea of where we will utilize the music of Ana Popovic and Mike Zito, in addition to their role as the house band in the film. Stay tuned for updates as you definitely don’t want to miss this coming of age spoof comedy complete with the artists and music of Eclecto Groove Records.
ansson. The monthly sampler is sent out to over 300 programmers and specialty shows at 230+ Triple A radio (commercial and non-commercial), cable, satellite and internet stations, as well as 60 independent music stores, plus key TV & film music supervisors. 
