The Carolina Chocolate Drops in The Great Debaters and featured on Soundtrack

The Carolina Chocolate Drops filmed a small part in the new Oprah Winfrey-produced movie The Great Debaters. The film, which stars Denzel Washington (who also directed the movie), Forest Whitaker and more, hits theaters on December 25th.

The Chocolate Drops also have three tracks, recorded with Alvin Youngblood included on The Great Debaters Sountrack (Atlantic Records). To listen to the songs, click here.


John Doe to tour with Wilco!

John Doe will be appearing with Wilco on their upcoming tour from February 22 - March 9.

Click here to find a venue near you. Congratulations to Konono N°1 who received a Grammy nod this year!


Konono N° 1 - Best Traditional World Music Album
Live at Couleur Cafe (Crammed Discs/Rykodisc)






Josh Ritter to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, January 22.





Roomful of Blues set to release Raisin' A Ruckus (Alligator)
Even though Roomful of Blues’ lineup has changed over the years, the band has always been one of the tightest, most joyful blues ensembles in the world. Currently an eight-piece unit led by guitarist Chris Vachon, the band has never sounded fresher or stronger. In 2007, singer Dave Howard took over the vocal duties, bringing his gritty and soulful vocals and adding another bright new dimension to the jazzy, jump-blues musical roots. Their winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor.

Along with new members, bassist Dima Gorodetsky and drummer Ephraim Lowell, and longer standing members keyboardist Travis Colby, baritone and tenor saxophonist Mark Earley, tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille and trumpeter Bob Enos, I (named after Rich’s jazz romp instrumental) swings with ferocity and rocks with urgency and purpose. Moving effortlessly from originals to carefully chosen covers, the expertly executed songs sizzle from start to finish.

Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators join CE with new album

From the cold far North dance underground, this scintillating vocalist and celebrated Finland funk collective have created a uniquely hot record of romantic grooves and retro soul. The critically acclaimed release Keep Reachin' Up was released July 24 in the US on the Seattle-based Light In the Attic Records.

Brooklyn-born Nicole Willis has worked with Curtis Mayfield, the Brand New Heavies, and done crucial work for Mo' Wax, while the Finnish-bred Soul Investigators have crafted two previous full-lengths and a handful of 45s.

"The sound of young Finnish funk...Willis and band breathe new life into an often curatorial musical tradition."
MOJO (Urban Album of the Month)

"Easily the finest album yet from the global nu-funk movement. Flawless"
Flux Magazine

"Got THAT sound down perfectly. Supporting this everyway I can."
Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 1)

Louisiana Gov. Blanco honors Benjy Davis Project

The Benjy Davis Project performed at the Louisiana Governor’s mansion on July 12, 2007, celebrating their selection as JIMMIE DAVIS HONOREES. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco initiated the Mansion Cultural Series to honor rising stars that bring new economic opportunity to the state. Former Governor Jimmie Davis was a country music superstar before becoming Governor of Louisiana. He will always be remembered for his classic song, “You Are My Sunshine.” In his second term as Governor in the 1960’s, he oversaw the building of the present Governor’s Mansion where the concert series is held.

The event, supported by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Louisiana Music Commission, honors the state’s talented emerging artists while recognizing the growing opportunities for Louisiana and its music industry. The Benjy Davis Project releases their fourth CD titled Dust in September.

Marie Knight to release Let Us Get Together in June

"This Marie Knight record has gotten into my soul, my spirit, since I first heard it, and I cannot stop. It is the sort of music that infects one with joy, from an artist that is incredibly rare and sacred..."
- Madeleine Peyroux

Marie Knight will release Let Us Get Together: A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis, her first full length recording in over 25 years on M.C. Records this June (Dixie Frog in Europe). The record is produced by Larry Campbell, who also played all the stringed instruments on the album. Larry's previous work includes recording and touring with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Lyle Lovett and Little Feat to name a few

James Blackshaw New Album and Tour

James Blackshaw to open for Jose Gonzalez on select dates during his upcoming fall tour. The tour will be on the heels of James Blackshaw's new album, The Cloud of Unknowing, which was released on New York's Tompkins Square label on June 5, 2007, and will be followed by reissues of earlier, out-of-print, limited edition albums this summer.

Keep posted, more dates to be added.


Buckwheat Zydeco and The Dixie Hummingbirds honor Paul Simon at the Gershwin Awards, to air June 27 on PBS TV

The Library of Congress awarded, for the first time, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on May 23 to Paul Simon. The ceremony will be aired on PBS on June 27 at 9pm. The high-definition special features tributes from a star-studded line-up of performers and presenters, including Buckwheat Zydeco, the Dixie Hummingbirds, Art Garfunkel, Alison Krauss, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lyle Lovett, Stephen Marley, and James Taylor, among others.

"Before Simon's appearance, the most raucous reception was earned by Lovett and Buckwheat Zydeco in their rousing performance of the Cajun-flavored That Was Your Mother. For a finale.....Simon did Loves Me Like a Rock, backed by the gospel group the Dixie Hummingbirds, who performed on the 1973 recording."
-Mike Snider, USA Today

Who Shot Hollywood - Release Self-Titled Debut CD

Formerly known as Bullseye, this young band from Western Massachusetts (the members are ages 11-13), have already played shows with The Fray, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, and Concerted Efforts roster-mates Throwing Muses. The cd, on Grist Mill Records, was produced and engineered by Gary Smith (famed Pixies producer), Bob Kendall and Brian Brown. Who Shot Hollywood will celebrate the release with a show on Friday, June 8 at The Middle East Nightclub in Cambridge, MA on a bill that includes The Downbeat 5 and garage heroes The Fleshtones.

In the Spring 2007 issue of Magnet magazine, Ted Leo says of the band: "We started a tour last year in Northampton, Mass.,...This amazing band opened. They're kind of like if Guided By Voices wrote longer songs - or maybe if the Pixies wrote shorter ones..."


John Doe to release A Year in The Wilderness on June 12

On June 12 Yep Roc Records will release John Doe's much anticipated A Year in the Wilderness, the follow-up to 2005's acclaimed Forever Hasn't Happened Yet. The album features singers Aimee Mann and Jill Sobule, guitarist Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) and acclaimed pedal steel player Greg Leisz among other guest musicians. (7.31.2007)


Konono N°1 and Toumani Diabaté to appear on Björk's new album

Konono N° 1 and Toumani Diabaté both collaborate with Björk on her new album, Volta, to be released May 7th. Konono N° 1 provides percussion on the album's lead single, "Earth Intruders," while Toumani Diabaté plays kora on "Hope." Both tracks are produced by Timbaland.


Congratulations Booker T & the MG's, Irma Thomas, and The Klezmatics!

Congratuations to Concerted Efforts artists! This year's 49th Grammy Award Ceremony gave its Lifetime Achievement Award to Booker T & the MG's, while Irma Thomas and The Klezmatics both won Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album and Best Contemporary World Music Album, respectively.
(2.12.2006)


The Holmes Brothers release State of Grace January 16th!

On January 16, 2007, The Holmes Brothers and Alligator Records released their follow up to 2004's acclaimed Simple Truths, entitled State of Grace. The band expertly reinvents songs by writers as diverse as John Fogerty, Cheap Trick, Hank Williams, Sr., Nick Lowe, George Jones, and Lyle Lovett, delivering versions that need to be heard to be believed.

The Holmes Brothers will tour in support of State of Grace following its release in North America and Europe. (1.9.2007)

Rosanne Cash's Black Cadillac is Best of 2006

Black Cadillac has been named one of the Best albums of 2006 by Billboard, Performing Songwriter, People Magazine, NPR's John Schaefer, and The New York Times Top Ten of 2006:

"While the world mourned Johnny Cash, his daughter mourned her father. The songs on Black Cadillac aren't country. They're stately, Celtic-rooted ballads swimming in rich guitar tones, and they hold back tears as they ponder family and memory, continuity and sorrow." -Jon Pareles (1.9.2007)

Offbeat Magazine Best of the Beat Awards Winners!

Congratulations to Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas and Irma Thomas for winning Offbeat Magazine's Best of the Beat 2007 awards. Music fans from around the world vote for the Louisiana artists who they think had the best year.

Best Zydeco Band or Performer: Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas

Best Zydeco Album: Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Hang it High, Hang it Low (Rounder)

Best Female Vocalist: Irma Thomas
(2.16.2007)

Best of 2006 accolades for Catherine Russell - Cat, on World Village

Montreal Gazette "The debut cd of the year, Russell is a wonderful classic blues singer who also delves into jazz, r&b, and even country."
- Mike Regenstreif

San Francisco Bay Guardian - Making Their Lists
"...a wonderfully eclectic set of tunes including "Back O Town Blues," which her dad Luis Russell, wrote with Louis Armstrong." - Lee Hildebrand

New York Sun
"The debut album of the year is by a veteran rather than a newcomer, who artfully blends jazz, blues and country standards."
- Will Friedwald

In addition to the above...Cat appeared on these Best of 2006 lists (partial list):
Jonny Meister/ WXPN dj

Bob Porter /WBGO dj, www.jazzhouse.org

Real Blues Magazine

Village Voice

(1.9.2007)

Welcome to James Blackshaw, Tartit, and Lisa Knapp!

Other Music named James Blackshaw's O True Believers in their Best of 2006, and Pitchforkmedia.com writes, "24-year-old UK guitarist James Blackshaw has burst fully-formed onto the folk underground, his remarkable talents already seeming at peak maturity." Watch for Blackshaw's upcoming US tour in May.

Saharan trance artists Tartit release their new album Abacabok, produced by Vincent Kenis of Congotronics, to critical acclaim: "Best African album of the year," writes Robert Christgau, Rolling Stone Magazine. Tartit tours the US in September and October of 2007.

Lisa Knapp will release her debut album Wild and Undaunted this April. Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1 simply states, "I have fallen in love with her beautiful new album."
(1.9.2007)

Congratulations to the following Concerted Efforts artists who received Grammy nods this year!

Dixie Hummingbirds - Best Traditional Gospel Album
Still Keeping It Real (MCG)

Irma Thomas - Best Contemporary Blues Album
After The Rain (Rounder)

Odetta - Best Traditional Folk Album
Gonna Let It Shine (M.C. Records)

Rosanne Cash - Best Contemporary Folk / Americana Album
Black Cadillac (Capitol)

Klezmatics - Best Contemporary World Music Album
Wonder Wheel (Jewish Music Group)

Ali Farka Toure - Best Contemporary World Music Album
Savane (World Circuit/Nonesuch)

The Klezmatics celebrate Woody Guthrie

On July 25th, world music superstars the Klezmatics released Wonderwheel, their first all-English record. The album sets American folk icon Woody Guthrie's lyrics to the band's Eastern European, Klezmer, Latin, Celtic, Afro-Carribean, and folk-flavored music. Wonderwheel brings Mr. Guthrie's Coney Island music back to life, and brings a 20th century American figurehead to a 21st-century audience. (5.11.2006)

Concerted Efforts welcomes Mieka Pauley

Concerted Efforts is very excited to add singer-songwriter Mieka Pauley the roster. Billboard Magazine compares her to "a young Sarah McLachlan"; The Boston Globe thinks she's more "Aretha". But anyone who's seen Mieka agrees on one thing: the cafes and clubs of Cambridge, MA have produced the voice of a new generation. Her roots are the blues, classic soul, R&B, gospel and folk, and the result is a personal brand of pop all her own. (10.25.2006)

Toumani Diabaté to tour United States, records with Björk

Toumani Diabaté and his Symmetric Orchestra, after this summer's critically acclaimed release Boulevard de l'Indépendance, recently recorded with Björk for her upcoming album, in addition to performing at the Louvre with Toni Morrison. This upcoming spring the band will make their debut tour of the United States, giving new audiences the first opportunity to catch this phenomenal group live. (December 4, 2006)

Rosanne Cash returns with Black Cadillac
Black Cadillac, released by Capitol Records on January 24, 2006, is perhaps the most compelling release of Rosanne Cash's distinguished career. The 12 song album is a riveting musical memoir and a personally-charged tribute to the life and artistry of her father, the late Johnny Cash. Rosanne Cash describes her album as, "A personal history, family tree and an archaeological dig into my own life. It is also an alchemy of songs, musicians, and producers that was a dream and a dream fulfilled at the same time." With Johnny Cash the subject of the Oscar-buzzed feature film Walk the Line, and the concurrent release of a definitive career-spanning box set (Sony Legacy), Black Cadillac has a particularly timely resonance, seamlessly connecting past and present while carrying the Cash musical legacy into the present day. (12.29.2005)

Buckwheat Zydeco, CJ Chenier and Nathan Williams among artists featured in Living Blues

The July / August issue of Living Blues Magazine is devoted to the the world of Zydeco. With stories on CE artists CJ Chenier, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, and Irma Thomas, #185 of Living Blues also features Buckwheat Zydeco in its main article and on its cover. To find out more about this issue, go to www.livingblues.com.

An Evening with Liam Clancy and Odetta
Concerted Efforts announces a new Special Attraction featuring the folk music icons Liam Clancy and Odetta. Fifty years on from their meeting in Greenwich Village, these two legendary troubadours are back together, trading stories and songs from their extensive repertoires in an evening of magical promise. (9.25.2006)

Catherine Russell appears on the Tavis Smiley Show
Catherine Russell made an appearance on PBS' The Tavis Smiley Show, which aired on September 13th. During the show Catherine discussed her new album, her musical legacy, and her talented heritage, and performed "Back O' Town Blues" live with her band. To find out more about this episode and listen to the interview, click here. (9.25.2006)

Tuvan Throat-Singing Rockers Yat-Kha Release New Album Re-Covers August 8th
Why would a Tuvan throat singer decide to cover Iron Butterfly’s "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" or Kraftwerk’s "Man Machine"? Without hearing the recordings, a person might be forgiven for assuming that the main reason would be that there’s no law forbidding it. But these treatments are musically arresting, extraordinarily creative and far more than mere parlor oddities. Many reinterpretations of existing works seem to simply drench the original in somebody else’s ego. But the whole point of a cover version should be to reveal additional depths and facets of a tune, to move it into another context but still join forces with the composer on a voyage of discovery. And despite some irrepressibly hilarious moments, this is precisely what Yat-Kha has accomplished. Produced by British multi-instrumentalist-agent provocateur Ben Mandelson, the band growls, singes and soars through a series of iconic rock, pop and country hits with a few Celtic, Russian, French and Tuvan numbers tossed in for good measure, reinventing the material and themselves in the process. Re-Covers hits stores August 8. (08.01.2006)

Cibelle's The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves

This spring, Crammed Discs and Six Degrees Records release Cibelle's second album, The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves, combining rootsy acoustic instrumentation and electronic processing, noise guitars and childrens toys, captivating textural soundscapes and pure melodies carried by her unmistakable, moving voice. Recorded between Cibelle's worlds of São Paolo and London, The Shine... features collaborations with Mike Lindsay of Tunng, Apollo Nove, Seu Jorge, Spleen, and Devandra Banhardt. Cibelle will return to tour North America later this year. Watch the new video for "London, London," here. (6.9.2006)

Catherine Russell releases Cat
Catherine Russell was literally born into jazz. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a bandleader, pianist, and Louis Armstrong’s longtime musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, is an outstanding bassist and vocalist who has performed with Mary Lou Williams and Wynton Marsalis. Ms. Russell, herself, is that rarest of entities – an authentic, genuine jazz and blues singer – who can sing virtually anything.

Cat, her debut album, released in the U.S. on April 11th, 2006 on Harmonia Mundi’s World Village imprint, showcasing a mature, one of a kind vocalist who defies easy categorization. (4.24.2006)

C.J. CHENIER

In the wake of the hurricanes that decimated so much of the southern United States last year - C.J. Chenier is releasing his first new collection of songs in five years titled The Desperate Kingdom of Love (World Village/Harmonia Mundi). Backed by one of today's great American roots bands, 'The Tarbox Ramblers,' C.J.'s new album combines great original songs with soulful interpretations of Clifton Chenier, Hank Williams, Van Morrison, and the haunting title track by P.J. Harvey. (05.02.2006)

Popa Chubby's 'Stealing the Devil's Guitar' #1 on the Roots Music Report Blues Chart, + Top Ten Billboard Blues Charts!

Popa Chubby's latest CD Stealing the Devil's Guitar (Blind Pig/Dixie Frog) is the most diverse and well received album of his career. Chubby's unique combination of rock, blues, soul, bluegrass and the spirit of Keith Richards make this one of the first great CDs of 2006. He will span the globe playing concerts throughout 2006-2007. (5.2.2006)

Josh Ritter gears up for album release, US tour

Josh Ritter's The Animal Years (out April 11, 2006) is the kind of breakthrough effort that will cause listeners new to the 29 year-old singer-songwriter's work to wonder where this guy has been all their lives - and prompt his passionate fan base to just say, well, we told you so. With this record, his V2 Records debut, Ritter more than lives up to the buzz. He embraces the topical while reaching for the timeless, resulting in an album that's firmly rooted in right now but guaranteed to resonate for years to come. Josh will tour to support the album this spring. (3.1.2006)

Chico Hamilton releases four new albums

Join legendary jazz drummer and band-leader and NEA jazz master Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton as he hits with four breathtakingly remarkable new albums in 2006 in celebration of his 85th birthday.

Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Cha's release record

On March 7, Rounder Records proudly released Hang It High, Hang It Low - the new album from zydeco titans Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Cha's. Now approaching his twentieth year as one of zydeco's premier artists, Nathan Williams, Sr. and his tight, fiery backing band have traveled the world, introducing audiences everywhere to their infectious, dance-inducing version of Louisiana party music.

Nathan Williams plays zydeco, the fast and furious accordion-driven dance music of the Creole people of South Louisiana, a relatively modern style that emerged after the Second World War. With its trademark rubboard percussion, electric guitars and R&B influences, zydeco is distinct from the fiddle-driven music of neighboring Cajuns. (4.20.2006)

Ali Farka Toure: 1939-2006

Ali Farka Touré was a true original. An exceptional guitarist, he transposed the traditional music of his native north Mali and single-handedly brought the style known as desert blues to an international audience. Last month he won his second Grammy award for the album In the Heart of the Moon, with Toumani Diabaté, and work had just been completed on his new solo album.
Ali saw his main role in life as that of a farmer and for a large part of his life he dedicated his time and resources to better the agricultural and social situation in Niafunké, his home village in the semi-desert region in northern Mali. Ali’s tireless work was officially recognized when he was appointed mayor of the region in 2004.
Ali Farka Touré was a giant of African music and will be missed by fans throughout the world. (3.7.2006)

Konono N°1 win BBC World Music Award

Congolese likembe virtuosos Konono N°1 have been awarded the prestigious BBC Radio 3 World Music Award in the Newcomer category. The win rounds out a watershed year for the group, who released their first album, Congotronics, on Crammed Discs to a torrent of rave reviews from press all over the world this fall. Konono followed this incredible success with a series of high profile dates in Europe and a triumphant debut US tour this fall. Congotronics was recognized as one of the top albums of 2005 in a slew of year end best lists, including Mojo, the New York Times (#9 in the top ten albums overall), the UK’s Sunday Telegraph, CMJ New Music Monthly, and Pitchforkmedia.com. The band is available for select North American dates this summer. (3.7.2006)

CE artists well represented at Grammy Awards ceremony
Congratulations to Ali Farka Toure, whose album In the Heart of the Moon, a collaboration with Toumani Diabate, took home this year's Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album. The album was called "the most beautiful music on Earth" by Mojo magazine. Jimmie Dale Gilmore's Come On Back, a collection of songs introduced to Jimmie by his beloved late father, was also honored with a nomination in the Best Traditional Folk Album category. New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas helped close out the Grammy Awards show with an unforgettable, all-star performance of "Yes We Can Can", featuring Allen Toussaint, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt and Paul Schaeffer. (3.1.2006)

NEW ARTIST: The Klezmatics
The Klezmatics are world-reknown superstars of the klezmer world. They erupted out of New York City's East Village in 1986 and revitalized klezmer for the new century. Their music is steeped in Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition, while incorporating more provocative themes such as social rights and anti-fundamentalism with eclectic musical influences such as gospel, punk, and Arab, African, and Balkan rhythms. Over the course of nearly twenty years, they have released six albums of wild, spiritual, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable music, forever redefining and transcending traditional labels. The Klezmatics have collaborated with musical luminaries such as Arlo Guthrie, Itzhak Perlman, Israeli icons Chava Albertstein and Ehud Banay, Ben Folds, beat legend Allen Ginsberg, and avant-garde experimentalist John Zorn. Concerted Efforts is proud to welcome the Kelzmatics to our roster! (11.1.2005)

THE SYN reunite, plan US tour
Twenty years before "Owner of a Lonely Heart" became a No. 1 hit for progressive-rock giants Yes, there was THE SYN. Now, original members Chris Squire and Steve Nardelli have reformed and revitalized the band, recording stellar new material and getting ready to tour the US. In May 2005, Umbrello Records released the collection Original Syn 1964-2004, featuring the classic freakbeat gems "Grounded" and "14 Hour Technicolor Dream." Syndestructible, the first all new SYN album in nearly 40 years, followed soon after, and the reunited Squire and Nardelli will be joined by Alan White of Yes for a tour of select US cities this January. (12.28.2005)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown: 1924-2005
We'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have called and emailed with expressions of sympathy regarding the passing of Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. Concerted Efforts was privileged to represent "Gate" for 2 decades, from 1983-2003. We have lost a dear friend, and the entire world has lost a truly great artist and an American treasure. Your words pour in with accolades like "a true original" - "one of a kind" - "an American roots music legend". We take consolation in knowing that Gate enjoyed an incredibly rich and varied career, and that he left us a compelling body of work that will live on forever. (9.13.2005)

Buckwheat Zydeco keeps the sound of Louisiana alive, appearing on major benefit albums
One of Louisiana's foremost musical ambassadors, Buckwheat Zydeco, is joining with many others to keep the sounds of Louisiana alive and help their neighbors back home. "This is something we must do," said Stanley 'Buckwheat' Dural, Jr. "Our hearts are heavy for the people who have suffered so much, and we hope we can lift their spirits a bit with our music. We must all step in and help as much as we can." For Nonesuch Records' Our New Orleans, a compilation to benefit Habitats for Humanity, Buckwheat collaborated with Ry Cooder and famed producer Mike Elizondo on a magisterial cover of George Perkins and the Silver Stars' 1971 civil rights lament, "Cryin' in the Streets." Buck turns in one of his finest vocals and trades accordion licks with Ry's magnificent slide guitar. On Blue Note Records' Higher Ground hurricane relief album, Buckwheat Zydeco performs "I'm Gonna Love You Anyway," from the band's critically acclaimed new studio album, Jackpot!. Both benefit albums will be released on November 22, 2005. Buckwheat Zydeco would like to thank all the concerned friends and fans who have inquired about its safety and that of its families. (11.1.2005)

The Benjy Davis Project takes listeners to The Angie House
The Benjy Davis Project, one of the most talked about young bands in the southeast region over the last few years, released its third and most ambitious CD yet on September 27 with The Angie House, on Real Records/Bogalusa Records. Combining elements of southern rock, pop, blues and country, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based group has a musical maturity well beyond its years, as evidenced by the songwriting, performances and production on the new album. The Angie House has a harder rock edge than previous works, as evidenced by such songs as the opening track, "Wait" and "She Ain't Got Love," which features special guest Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown on guitar. The Benjy Davis Project will tour the country extensively in support of The Angie House. (8.26.2005)

Concerted Efforts presents Konono N° 1 debut North American tour in Autumn 2005
Konono N°1 was founded over 25 years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the likembé (a traditional instrument sometimes called "sanza" or "thumb piano"). The band's line-up includes three electric likembés (bass, medium and treble), equipped with hand-made microphones built from magnets salvaged from old car parts, and plugged into amplifiers. There's also a rhythm section which uses traditional as well as makeshift percussion (pans, pots and car parts), three singers, three dancers and a sound system featuring these famous megaphones. The musicians come from an area which sits right across the border between Congo and Angola. Their unique style has, from a sonic viewpoint, accidentally connected them with the aesthetics of the most experimental forms of rock and electronic music, as much through their sounds as through their sheer volume (they play in front of a wall of speakers) and their merciless grooves. The first studio album by Konono N°1, Congotronics, was recorded and produced by Vincent Kenis (Zap Mama) for Crammed Discs and released in early 2005 to phenomenal reviews. Look for the US release on Rykodisc, set for August 2, 2005. (5.5.2005)

PERFORMING ARTS PACKAGE: Louisianna Keyboard Commotion! featuring Buckwheat Zydeco and Marcia Ball
On Jackpot!, Buckwheat Zydeco's critically acclaimed latest album, the four time Grammy nominee combines soulful original tunes, inspired playing and singing, and the trademark exuberance that's made him the world's foremost and best-loved zydeco artist. Over the course of her three-decade career, Marcia Ball has developed a large and enthusiastic fan base with her blend of sounds from the Texas-Louisiana border with New Orleans R&B and piano boogie. A two time Grammy nominee, Marcia Ball has just released her 12th CD, Live Down The Road!. The combination of these two stars promises a memorable event for the whole family. (8.26.2005)

NEW ARTIST: Al Kooper releases new CD, joins Concerted Efforts roster
Legendary musician Al Kooper has just released a new album, Black Coffee, on Favored Nations, and will be touring worldwide in support of the release.
"…Kooper reminds us that he is a major talent from the revelatory songwriting, to the nuanced world-weary singing to the ease in which he plumbs the subterranean depths of his soul and comes up with sheer gold. A career-defining work." -MOJO Magazine (UK)
"…almost no one alive has lived as much rock n roll history as Mr. Kooper in his assorted lives as performer, producer, sideman, songwriter, author, talent scout, enthusiast, critic, and muse…" -New York Times
(8.2.2005)

Jimmie Dale Gilmore to release new album, Come On Down
Jimmie Dale Gilmore's first album since his critically lauded One Endless Night (2000) will be released August 16th on Rounder/Windcharger Music. Come On Down is a collection of songs introduced to Jimmie by his father as he was growing up in Lubbock, Texas. Most of the songs were written and/or made popular by classic country artists such as Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, and Ray Price. Jimmie makes each song his own with the same soulful, timeless delivery which has made him an American treasure since his early days with The Flatlanders. (8.2.2005)

Popa Chubby Live Album & DVD Out Now!
On May 24, Blind Pig Records released Big Man, Big Guitar, a live album collecting twelve of Popa Chubby's most inspired blues and rock excursions culled from live concert performances in France. The album debuted at #12 on the Billboard Blues charts. The 72+ minute program spotlights Popa's scorching guitar prowess and includes fan-favorite Chubby tunes plus inspired covers of Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man", the Carter Family's "Keep On The Sunny Side" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". A concurrent DVD release of the same title is also out now and features different live cuts from those on the CD. Says Popa, “the focus is on my guitar work, the roots of my music and the energy we generate on stage. In the case of the live CD, they not only chose some of my favorite originals but also material I do live that I've never included in my studio releases. I think they not only captured the best of me as a guitar player and performer today but also included some of those seminal selections that influenced my career from the very beginning.” (6.10.2005)

Buckwheat Zydeco releases new album, Jackpot!- first studio recordings in 8 years!
Four time Grammy nomine Buckwheat Zydeco has recorded his first studio album since 1997's much-lauded Trouble. Jackpot! debuted at #5 on the Billboard Blues charts! Working with longtime producer Ted Fox at Ultrasonic Studio in New Orleans, the album was engineered by David Farrell who also helped record Buckwheat Zydeco's first ground-breaking Island albums. Featuring all new material, Jackpot! hit the streets June 7, just in time for a jam-packed spring and summer touring season! A major national publicity, marketing and radio promotion campaign is planned. More news to follow soon, but one tidbit: Buck will break out some wicked Hammond B-3 organ in addition to his mighty accordion... (6.7.2005)

Holmes Brothers win W.C. Handy Award for Blues Band of the Year
The Holmes Brothers took home the 2005 W.C. Handy Award for Blues Band of the Year at the 26th annual awards ceremony, hosted by The Blues Foundation in Memphis on May 5th. Concerted Efforts was also represented in the winner’s circle by Roomful of Blues, who were given the award for Best Instrumentalist- Horns. The W.C. Handy Awards are the Blues Industry's equivalent of a Grammy, a most prestigeous honor.

Oumou Sangare, Orchestra Baobab play Live 8
Oumou Sangare and Orchestra Baobab joined a host of African musicians to perform at the Johannesburg, South Africa Live 8 concert on July 2nd. The show, called "Standing Tall Against Poverty", was part of a series of international all-star festival shows timed to coincide with the G8 summit of world leaders in Gleneagles, Scotland. Organizer Bob Geldoff hopes that the concerts have put pressure on the G8 to forgive African debt and increase aid budgets. Further concerts are planned for Kenya and Ghana later in the year. (6.30.2005)

NEW ARTIST: Ben Weaver
Ben Weaver’s latest release is Stories Under Nails. It was released in the US on his own label, Fugawee Bird Records, on Sept 7th 2004. It was Americana album of the month in MOJO and has been featured in the New York Times, Uncut, Utne, No Depression, Timeout London and Dirty Linen, among others. Weaver has supported the album with a non-stop worldwide tour throughout the past year. He has performed with many artists including Kristin Hersh, and is currently gearing up to tour the US with the Waifs this summer. (6.10.2005)

NEW ARTIST: Catherine Russell to perform at JVC Jazz Festival - NYC
Catherine Russell will perform as featured vocalist at JVC Jazz Festival, NYC, June 14, 2005 at Rose Theater along with Clark Terry, Nicholas Payton, Warren Vache, Earl May, George Wein, and more on a program titled Doc Cheatham Centennial Jazz Party. As a David Bowie band member, Catherine Russell (keyboards, vocals, guitar, mandolin, percussion) appears on "David Bowie - A Reality Tour DVD" (ISO/Columbia) which has been certified Platinum with U.S. sales exceeding 100,000. In between David Bowie tours, Catherine has toured with Jackson Browne, opening stadium shows for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, touring sheds across North America with Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, and Keb' Mo', and joining Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and Keb' Mo' on the Vote For Change Tour. She recently performed on the Late Show With David Letterman with Al Green and on Saturday Night Live in a musical skit with Ashton Kutcher. Catherine also appears on latest cds by David Bowie, Rosanne Cash, Buckwheat Zydeco, Al Kooper, Steely Dan, Toshi Reagon. (5.23.2005)

Kiran Ahluwalia: Love Songs from India, Pakistan and Canada
Kiran Ahluwalia is a performer of vocal music based in Toronto and New York City. More precisely she is a performer of two distinct styles of vocal music from the Indian subcontinent- ghazals (a form of sung poetry that originated in Persia 1000 years ago and reached India 400 years later) and Punjabi folk songs. As a composer Kiran is forging a new repertoire, putting words of Indo and Pakistani Canadian poets to her own tunes; compositions that are firmly rooted in the tradition while taking a modern turn. Today Kiran Ahluwalia has become an organic part of the long line of singers who have preserved and reinvented the ghazal form over the last thousand years, just as she has absorbed the rich traditions of Punjabi folk music. Her second recording, Beyond Boundaries, released in November 2003, was the recipient of the JUNO Award for Best World Music Recording in 2004. Kiran's new self-titled CD, featuring Natalie McMaster on two tracks, was released on Triloka/Artemis Records throughout North America on May 31st, and debuted at #11 on CMJ's New World Top 20. Available for 2005-2006 tour dates. (5.1.2005)

NEW ARTIST: Maria McKee
Concerted Efforts is excited to announce the addition of Maria McKee to our roster. Maria will release her sixth solo album Peddlin' Dreams April 19 on Eleven Thirty Records. Produced by her bassist, frequent co-writer, and husband Jim Akin, the 12-song album finds the former Lone Justice frontwoman applying what USA Today called "one of the strongest and most versatile voices in pop music" to an engaging variety of American music, from soulful hard charging roots-rock, to country tinged acoustic folk. Peddlin' Dreams arrives two years after Maria's critically acclaimed High Dive, a meticulously produced and finely polished album that Mojo's four-star review called “an organic, risk-taking record oozing rich details." Maria is planning special concerts to coincide with the release of Peddlin' Dreams, following her 2003 tour in support of High Dive, for which she toured the U.S. and overseas, a 10-country trek encompassing the U.K. and Europe. (4.1.2005)

Steve Cropper inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
Booker T. & the MGs' Steve Cropper will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the 36th annual induction and awards dinner this year. "The Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards is very special because it's a time when premier songwriters come together to honor their own," said SHOF Chairman/CEO and songwriter extraordinaire, Hal David. "We're proud of the growing impact of our event, which is now one of the high points of the year. We are looking forward to another terrific and memorable evening where we spotlight the accomplishments of those who have provided us with the words and music that form the soundtrack of our lives!" This year's other inductees include John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Richard and Robert Sherman and Bill Withers. (3.3.2005)

Boubacar Traore joins the Concerted Efforts Roster
One of the legendary figures in African music, Boubacar Traore has led an extraordinary life - rising to fame at the dawn of Malian independence in the 1960's with his patriotic dance song "Mali Twist". Kar Kar, as he has been nicknamed since his youth, has found worldwide recognition and acclaim, alongside his friend Ali Farka Toure, with his haunting Malian blues and ballads. Rolling Stone magazine named Boubacar's 2000 album Macire one of the top 50 albums of the year. In 2005 First Run Features will release to DVD the documentary film I'll Sing for You, a brilliant and touching portrait of Boubacar's life story directed by Jacques Sarasin and produced by Jonathan Demme. Harmonia Mundi's World Village label will release a brand new studio album Kongo Magni featuring 10 new songs recorded in Bamako. Boubacar will tour North America in September and October. (1.4.2005)

Holmes Brothers lead WC Handy Award Nominations
Soulful blues/gospel greats The Holmes Brothers lead all the nominees for The Blues Foundation's 2005 W.C. Handy Blues Awards. The trio's six nods include Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for their Alligator Records release Simple Truths, as well as contention in the Band of the Year category. The individual players were each recognized for their contributions to the group's work, with the Wendell Holmes composition "Run Myself Out of Town" up for Blues Song of the Year, and Sherman Holmes and Popsy Dixon up for Best Instrumentalist/Bass and Best Instrumentalist/Drums, respectively. Other Concerted Efforts artists being honored with nominations this year include Roomful of Blues (Best Instrumentalist/Horns) and Chris Thomas King (Contemporary Blues - Male Artist of the Year).
The W.C. Handy Blues Awards ceremony and concert will be held May 5, 2005 in Memphis, TN, at the Cook Convention Center. (12.16.2004)

Roomful of Blues set to release new album
Roomful of Blues will release their 18th album, Standing Room Only, on Alligator Records January 11. It features a stunning mix of cherry picked covers and Roomful originals that are sure to become classics as soon as they hit the streets. Of particular note are Chris Vachon's "Boomerang", the Travis Colby piano soaked powerhouse "Jona Lee", Rich Lataille's tribute to Illinois Jacquet entitled "Straight Jacquet", Mark DuFresne's "Two For The Price Of Ten" and Mark Earley's bopping "Flip Flap Jack". The album was recorded at Osceola Recording Studios in Raleigh, NC, where, by no coincidence, they recorded their Grammy nominated Alligator debut That's Right!.(11.23.2004)

John Doe's Forever Hasn't Happened Yet to be released March 22 on Yep Roc Records
Of his forthcoming Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, John Doe says, "This is not punk rock, but it uses all the same ingredients: sex, drugs, death, loss, longing and alienation." Like Doe's body of work to date-- his acclaimed solo albums as well as the landmark discography of his band X-- Forever Hasn't Happened Yet explores the artistic and emotional common ground between punk and American roots music. The album features a number of the key players in Doe's tight musical community, including Dave Alvin, Grant Lee Phillips, Neko Case, Kristin Hersh, and Exene Cervenka, who co-wrote the track "Hwy 5" with her X band mate. Forever is Doe's first album for Yep Roc Records. Label president Glenn Dicker has shared his enthusiasm about the signing: "Everyone here is a fan, so it's a slam dunk for us, and we believe this is his best album." Doe will tour the U.S. in Spring 2005; an itinerary of shows will be announced soon. (12.16.2004)

Josh Ritter signs deal with V2 Records!
We're pleased as punch to report that Josh Ritter has inked a new deal with V2, which will reissue his latest album, Hello Starling, in a limited edition deluxe package on Feb. 22. The set will be bundled by an EP of tracks recently recorded live in Dublin, where Ritter has become something of a sensation. The live EP will also be available as a stand alone item. Previously released in North America on the independent label Signature Sounds, Hello Starling debuted at No. 2 in Ireland last year. The album also won critical acclaim and recognition from the Boston Music Awards (Best Song for "Kathleen") and a nomination for the esteemed Shortlist Music Prize. Josh just wrapped up a splendid year of touring with a sold out Bowery Ballroom show in NYC Dec. 10th. Mr. Ritter will head into the studio this spring to begin work on a new album. Congrats, Josh! (12.16.2004)

Yat-Kha front man working on new record
Albert Kuvezin, the main man behind Yat-Kha began recording a new album of covers in November. Tracks include "Exodus, Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles" by Captain Beefheart, "Orgazmotron" by Motorhead, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division and "Ramblin' Man" by Hank Williams. Meanwhile, the release Yat-Kha's Storm Over Asia on DVD is also in progress. More details to come! (1.4.2005)

McGarrigle Sisters receive Canadian Governor General's Award
Kate and Anna McGarrigle are among the Canadian artists who have received the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for 2004. This highly esteemed prize recognizes artists who, over a lifetime of achievement, have made an indelible contribution to Canada's cultural life. The McGarrigles were honored in a three-day long celebration held in Ottowa the weekend of November 6. In other news the McGarrigles appear in the soundtrack to the new film A Letter to True from acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Bruce Weber. (11.9.2004)

Holmes Brothers grace the cover of Blues Revue magazine
The world's largest blues publication, Blues Revue, features a cover story on The Holmes Brothers in the December/Jan 2005 issue, on newsstands now. Included are in depth interviews with Wendell Holmes, Sherman Holmes, and Popsy Dixon, speaking about their latest CD, Simple Truths, on Alligator Records. The music of the Holmes Brothers has also recently been showcased on two popular prime time television series, HBO's The Wire and NBC's Crossing Jordan. In addition, the USA Network TV special, Willie Nelson and Friends: Outlaws and Angels, which includes The Holmes Brothers along with an all-star cast performing duets with Willie Nelson, is now released on cd on Lost Highway and on DVD from Eagle Rock Entertainment. According to mymusic.com, "...a particularly notable moment is The Holmes Brothers' take on Willie's old heartbreak anthem 'Opportunity To Cry', which adds an extra dash of soul." The Holmes Brothers tour the Midwest in January. (11.9.2004)

Chris Thomas King returns to the big screen in Ray
Multi-talented, Grammy Award winning musician, composer and actor Chris Thomas King has a major supporting role in the upcoming Universal Pictures movie Ray, which is already receiving Oscar buzz. The much anticipated film, an authoritative biopic on the life of soul legend Ray Charles, will be released on October 29th. Fans will remember King's portrayal of Tommy Johnson in the hugely successful box office hit, Brother Where Art Thou? King also contributed significantly to the film's original soundtrack, which won him multiple music awards including the prestigious Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Following his success in O Brother, King went on to play noted bluesman Blind Willie Johnson in the critically acclaimed Wim Wenders feature film The Soul of a Man, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and aired on PBS TV as part of the miniseries Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues. King has just finished his 10th studio album Why My Guitar Screams and Moans which is set to be released on his own 21st Century Blues Records this fall. He has additional film projects in various stages of development. (9.7.2004)

NEW ARTIST: Sean Costello
Concerted Efforts is pleased to announce the addition of Sean Costello to the roster. Already a seasoned veteran at age 25, his most ambitious album to date is set for release Oct. 5 on Tone-Cool/Artemis. Sean brings forth the complete package as a fully developed young artist: distinctive, emotionally driven vocals, incomparable guitar work, and polished, mature songwriting. (8.6.2004)

Josh Ritter nominated for Shortlist Music Prize
We're excited to announce that Josh Ritter's Hello Starling has been long-listed for the esteemed Shortlist Music Prize. This is the US equivalent of the UK's Mercury Prize, where influential artists and musicians nominate albums of their choice yearly. Past winners include Damien Rice and NERD. You can read more at www.shortlistofmusic.com. (9.7.2004)

US release date set for Rokia Traoré's Bowmboï, US tour to follow
Rokia Traoré's Bowmboï will be released on August 31 by Nonesuch Records. This is the first US release of the critically acclaimed album that took home the BBC3 critic's award for best album of the year in 2003. With her first two albums, Rokia Traoré established herself as West Africa's most exciting and precocious new talent. Her third album, Bowmboï, breathtakingly transcends all her previous achievements as she strikes a perfect poise between the roots of traditional African music and her own thoroughly modern outlook on the world. Bowmboï is characterised by a bold and cliché-free approach that will confound those looking for easy categories. Much of Bowmboï was recorded in Mali on traditional instruments. Rokia also traveled to San Francisco to record two tracks with the world-class strings of the Kronos Quartet. 20 date North American tour to follow. For updates, check Rokia Traoré's itinerary. (8.6.2004)

Cristina Branco's Sensus out September 28 on Decca, North American fall tour dates announced
When listening to fado singer Cristina Branco's first three releases in consecutive order one hears an artist maturing and finding her path. It's the sound of an artist evolving. So it's appropriate then that what's captured on the Portuguese singer's fourth proper release, Sensus, is the sound of a singer in full bloom. Her most personal work yet, Sensus is a veritable ode to sensuality, to eroticism, to the senses. It's a hymn to beauty and sensuality as well as a study of the relationship of the body to the soul. "It's good that we can compensate with love for all this mess around us," Branco notes. The disc finds her voice to be more steady, controlled, flexible and full of emotion than ever before. Weaving a whole series of correspondences between all the senses, the disc seems to come straight from the world of Baudelaire. Select US tour dates are planned for the fall. (8.23.2004)

Holmes Brothers appear on Willie Nelson's annual Memorial Day television special
The Holmes Brothers recently collaborated with Willie Nelson for a special rendition of Willie's song "Opportunity to Cry". The performance aired on the USA network Monday May 31, as part of the Memorial Day concert special "Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws and Angels". The Holmes Brothers join an all-star line up for this year's show, including Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Richards, Kid Rock, Merle Haggard, Ben Harper, Lucinda Williams, Al Green, Shelby Lynne, Rickie Lee Jones, Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals, Los Lonely Boys, and more. The Holmes Brothers recorded "Opportunity To Cry" on their latest album, "Simple Truths", which Willie Nelson calls "quite simply one of the best albums of the year." Update:The Willie Nelson concert special will be re-aired on the Trio TV Network on Sunday, August 29 at 9pm and midnight. Look for the CD release of the entire show September 14th on Lost Highway Records.(8.6.2004)

Oumou Sangare releases new album, tours US
Oumou Sangare's career-spanning double CD Oumou is now available in the US from Nonesuch Records. Her first new release in 7 years, this collection contains 8 songs never released on CD, alongside a career retrospective of 12 of the best tracks from Sangare's previous 3 critically acclaimed albums. All tracks have been digitally remastered and the CD booklet contains song notes by Oumou Sangare herself. Select dates in North America, including a show with Tracy Chapman at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl on July 11th, garnered rave reviews from attendees. The Malian superstar is now at work on new material for her fifth album. (8.23.2004)

Josh Ritter co-headlines Newport Folk Festival- Josh Ritter recently co-headlined the opening night concert of this year's Newport Folk Festival. He played with Ron Sexsmith at the Hotel Viking Ballroom on August 6th at 8pm. Other artists playing this year's festival included Wilco, Crosby Stills & Nash, and Lucinda Williams. Josh also recently took top honors in the Best Singer/Songwriter category of the Boston Phoenix's annual reader poll! (8.9.2004)

Juliana Hatfield to release new album on Zoe/Rounder Records -Juliana Hatfield's new album, In Exile Deo, will be released in May 2004. Never afraid to wrestle her personal demons into songs, Juliana Hatfield has carved out an impressive musical career with her brand of self analysis. From her work with indie darlings the Blake Babies and her critically acclaimed solo albums (beginning with 1992's Hey Babe), to last year's Some Girls side project, Hatfield has won fans with songs that blend bright, infectious melodies with lyrics drawn from life's chaos and confusion. While her latest album continues to mine that dark yet appealing vein, In Exile Deo also represents a breaking of new ground for the popular and influential singer-songwriter. For the latest on Juliana Hatfield's upcoming tour, check her itinerary.(4.20.2004)
Rounder to release Bill Morrissey retrospective, The Essential Collection, June 29th -Bill Morrissey has created as impressive a body of work as any songwriter today, a collection of finely-honed songs that match his economy of lyric and melody with a writer's gift for storytelling. His empathetic knack for capturing the harshness and small sadness of the characters in his songs is tempered by his wry sense of humor, such that many of his songs leave the listener with a smile.Here are some of his best, along with three new songs written and recorded just for this collection. (6.11.2004)

Popa Chubby releases his new CD, Peace, Love & Respect, in May 2004 -It's no secret that Popa Chubby hails from New York, has a bad attitude, and plays the guitar like his life depends on it. On his Previous Blind Pig releases, Popa set the stage for redefining the Blues for today's audience, who want more than just the same old story. In the tradition of his idol, Willie Dixon, and with his original and aggressive style of guitar-based Blues Rock, Popa Chubby comes forward with 12 tracks of hard-hitting politically inspired songs that run from upholding our first amendment rights in the hard-thumping shuffle "Un American Blues", to protesting the plight of young people dying for the lust of oil and power in "Young Men Don't Go Marching Off to War". Highlights also include "The Top Ten Reasons Why I Can't Sleep at Night", destined to become a late night classic when David Letterman gets his hands on it, a punk infused version of the Carter Family classic "Keep on the Sunny Side of Life", and finally the spiritually charged "Midnight Ride/Peace", all of which add to what will surely become one of the most topical and important records of 2004. (4.20.2004)

NEW ARTIST: Marie Knight -Concerted Efforts is pleased to announce the additon of Marie Knight to the roster.A fine gospel singer, with a ringing, signifying voice, Knight attracted attention while singing in the choir at the Oakwood Avenue Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. She made some 78s for Brunswick Records in 1953 and later some EPs and an album for Mercury Records that found her well and truly in the gospel fold. Her fame spread further than many of her kindred spirits owing to some excellent duets she performed with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, notably ecstatic versions of "Up Above My Head" and "Didn't It Rain", the latter recorded for Brunswick. In 2003 Marie Knight was recruited to sing a track for the highly successful CD, Shout Sister Shout, A Tribute to Sister Rosetta on M.C. Records. Since its release in August 2003 Marie Knight has performed on syndicated radio programs Mountain Stage and Wood Songs Radio Hour. She has been interviewed for NPR's Weekend Edition. Marie Knight was also part of two successful Tribute shows in New York City with The Holmes Brothers and Odetta. (4.20.2004)

Concerted Efforts proudly presents the signing and debut tour of knock-out Brazilian singer Cibelle
Cibelle (pronounced: see-BELL-ee) is a musical force of nature. On Cibelle (Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees), her debut album, not only did she sing everything, the Brazilian also wrote or co-wrote virtually the entire disc, in addition to co-producing the record with her startlingly talented young countryman, Apollo 9. It's everything you'd expect from someone whose first appearance on recording was with the late, gifted Suba. Cibelle goes anywhere the Brazilian chanteuse's imagination takes her, exploring sensual bossa nova, down tempo electronica, samba, jazz, and beyond. The mixing, by Chris Harrison and Pete Norris, the men behind Morcheeba's sound, brings out her stunning vision. (3.08.2004) available: July 20 - August 2004 with 5 piece band

Orchestra Baobab VH1 Special to air May 8th, David Letterman appearance May 7th. Currently touring North America -A documentary on Orchestra Baobab, featuring special guests Trey Anastasio from Phish and Dave Matthews, will premiere May 8th on VH1. The special chronicles Anastasio and Matthews' trip to Senegal, where they performed with Orchestra Baobab. To watch a music video for the song "So Damn Lucky" featuring Trey Anastasio and Orchestra Baobab, and get more information on the collaboration, visit VH1's web site. On May 7th Orchestra Baobab will appear on Late Night with David Letterman with special guests Dave Matthews and Trey Anastasio from Phish. Orchestra Baobab are currently on tour in the US and Canada. (4.20.2004)

The Holmes Brothers Appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Release New Album, Simple Truths (Alligator) to Critical Acclaim -The Holmes Brothers guitarist/vocalist Wendell Holmes, bassist/vocalist Sherman Holmes and drummer/vocalist Popsy Dixon will appear on NBC Television's Late Night With Conan O'Brien this Wednesday, February 18. They will sing "We Meet, We Part, We Remember" from their new Alligator CD, SIMPLE TRUTHS, a song Entertainment Weekly called, "A timeless original." Produced by Craig Street (Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson) and released on January 13, 2004, SIMPLE TRUTHS is receiving massive amounts of critical acclaim, radio airplay and popular support. Stellar reviews appeared in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, The Washington Post, The Associated Press Newswire, The Detroit Free Press, Guitar World, GuitarOne, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. Currently holding the #7 spot on the Billboard Blues Chart, SIMPLE TRUTHS is receiving airplay on over 250 stations nationwide, and was the #1 album on the Friday Morning Quarterback’s Public Radio chart two weeks straight. The album is in the Top Ten on the influential Radio & Records Americana Charts and reached the Top Five on the CMJ Adult Rock chart. Ever since 1979, The Holmes Brothers have been bringing their brand of gospel-inflected, spiritually moving and funky music to audiences around the world. Their breathtaking harmonies resonate with a passion and conviction matched only by their inspired musicianship and their ability to perform sanctified gospel, low-down roadhouse blues, deep soul, barroom country and pure pop--all in one set.
The Holmes Brothers are currently on tour throughout the United States to support Simple Truths. (2.18.2004)

NEW ARTIST: 50 Foot Wave -In a career full of busy years, 2003 stands out as a very busy year for Kristin Hersh. In March of 2003 Hersh put out not one, but two full-length releases -- The Grotto, her fifth solo record and an all-new Throwing Muses record for the first time in seven years. Add to that the birth of her fourth son (Bodhi), months of touring, a cross-country move, and the formation of her first new band since she began making music with Throwing Muses in the early eighties: 50 Foot Wave.
This new band - consisting of Kristin, Throwing Muses bassist Bernard Georges, and drummer Rob Ahlers - sounds like nothing she's done before, but listening to the two records released in 2003, it's possible to see how she got there.(3.08.2004)

Rokia Traore wins album of the year award from BBC3 critics -Malian singer Rokia Traore's album Bowmboi was judged the best release of the year by music critics. This is the second time one of her albums has won an award. Her 2000 release Wanita was also the recipient of the critics' award for the year's best release. FROM THE BBC AWARDS SITE: "Compared with recent years, 2003 has lacked many really important West African releases into the world market. But even in a good year this one would be outstanding, marking an even bigger jump forward for the artist than she made between her debut Mouneïssa and 2000's Wanita which scooped the Critics' Award for album of the year. Bowmboï sounds like a defining release for an artist who must now be considered world class. Her voice is deeper, matured and soaked with sultry soul, the musicianship is of the first order, the arrangements are groundbreaking and often challenging, and there's constant and accessible variety throughout. The whole thing is brought together by a full and warm production which finally captures on record how good she can be as a live performer, but with that added studio edge which turns it into quite a masterpiece. The belters, like 'Nienafing' and the balafon and tama powered "hidden" track on the end, are supremely tight and high on energy, conjuring the vision of the animated on-stage Rokia with limbs flying in all directions ("that woman has far more legs than normal people", as somebody aptly commented after one of her London shows). But it's in the slower pieces where the production allows detail to shine - as in her use of vocal harmonies (just occasionally reminiscent of early Zap Mama, but unusual for Mali) and constantly surprising little instrumental colours. Among the outstanding tracks is 'Mariama', where she duets with the long-lost Ousmane Sacko, barely heard of outside Mali since his memorable London and Paris concerts in the mid '80s but obviously still in supreme vocal shape. It's also the only piece which approaches the old griotte staple of praise song, but the instrument textures take it way out there. (2.18.2004)

OffBeat Magazine - 2003 Best of the Beat Award Winners -OffBeat's ninth annual Best of the Beat awards honor Louisiana's finest musicians, as nominated by their fellow musicians and music industry professionals with the final balloting determined by the public voting online. The Beat of the Beat party is one of the few instances where the majority of local musicians are under one roof, at one time, listening to their fellow players' music and swapping notes-musical or otherwise. Louisiana's musician's are the greatest in the world and OffBeat wishes to salute them all.
Best Cajun Band or Performer: Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Best Album by a Louisiana Artist: Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys - Bon Rêve
Best Female Vocalist: Irma Thomas (3.08.2004)

BBC Radio 3 Announces Awards Nominees; Oumou Sangare, Radio Tarifa, Rokia Traoré Honored Oumou Sangare, whose latest album Oumou is a 2CD collection with 8 new tracks and 12 of the best tracks from her previous 3 World Circuit album, is nominated in the Africa category. Celebrating their 10th anniversary with the mesmerising live album Fiebre, Radio Tarifa are nominated in the Europe category. Rokia Traoré, Bowmboï, whose latest album has been released to critical acclaim, was nominated in the Africa category. She was also nominated for The Critics Award. In 2002 Orchestra Baobab were the only band ever to have picked up 2 awards in the one year, for the Specialist In All Styles album. The winners will be announced in January 2004, and the poll winners' concert will take place at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland on Tuesday 9th March 2004. (1.14.2004)

NEW ARTIST: Juliana Hatfield Concerted Efforts is pleased to welcome Juliana Hatfield to the roster. Whether as a member of seminal indie-rockers the Blake Babies, or as a groundbreaking solo artist, Juliana Hatfield has helped to define alternative music as we know it today. A new album will be released in April 2004 on Zoe/Rounder Records. Tour dates to follow. (1.6.2004)

Offbeat Magazine - Best of the Beat 2003 Recognizes Concerted Efforts Artists
Offbeat Magazine, nationally recognized Louisiana music magazine, nominates outstanding artists from Louisiana for a yearly awards ceremony. Winners will be announced January 30 in New Orleans at Generations Hall. For a complete list of nominees and more information, visit Offbeat Magazine.
Concerted Efforts Nominees
Best Blues Album by a Louisiana Artist: Chris Thomas King - The Roots: The Soul of CTK
Best Emerging Rock Band or Performer: The Benjy Davis Project
Best Cajun Band or Performer & Best Cajun Album: Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Best Zydeco Band or Performer: Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Best Accordion Player: C.J. Chenier
Best Female Vocalist: Irma Thomas (1.5.2004)

Concerted Efforts Well Represented In 46th Annual GRAMMY Award Nominations!
-Rosanne Cash's Rules of Travel (Capitol) for Best Contemporary Folk Album
-Orchestra Baobab's Specialist in All Styles (World Circuit/Nonesuch) for Best Contemporary World Music Album
-Roomful of Blues' That's Right (Alligator) for Best Traditional Blues Album
-Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys' Bon Reve (Rounder) for Best Traditional Folk Album
For a complete list of nominees, visit the official Grammy website. (12.5.2003)

Rokia Traoré's New Release Bowmboï Garners Rave Reviews Throughout Europe.
In anticipation of her upcoming album, Bowmboï, Rokia Traoré is featured on (left-right) fRoots Magazine (November 2003), Germany's Blue Rhythm (Autumn 2003), France's Mondomix (October 2003), and Music News From France (October-December 2003). "Bowmboï is mesmerizing, casting its spell with virtuoso vocals, rich textures and startling diversity. If her 2000 album Wanita was her breakthrough, winning Traoré worldwide acclaim as a rising star, then Bowmboï is a stamp of the 29-year-old's growing musical authority." - Time Magazine "Bowmboï sounds like a defining release for an artist who must now be considered world class. - Ian Anderson, fRoots Magazine Bowmboï was released throughout Europe in October 2003, with US release scheduled for early 2004. North American tour is being planned for summer 2004. See your Concerted Efforts representative for more information. (11.24.2003)

Steeleye Span The 35th Anniversary World Tour in 2004 -Since their debut in 1969, Steeleye Span have been one of the most influential names in British roots music. Pioneers of folk-rock, Steeleye Span changed the face of folk music forever, taking it from small clubs into the world of gold discs and international tours. Members have come and gone over the years, with past and present lineups virtually a who's who of the British folk scene, but Steeleye has always remained an institution, at the forefront of the genre they helped define. Steeleye Span 2004 finds Maddy Prior - the voice of Steeleye for 28 years- back at the helm of a line-up featuring band stalwart and fiddler extraordinaire Peter Knight, Rick Kemp on bass, Ken Nicol (Albion Band) on guitar and vocals and Liam Genockey on the drum stool. The line-up were raptourously received in their sell-out tour in December 2002, coinciding with the release of Present, a double album revisiting 18 classic tracks from Steeleye's long and distinguished career. Steeleye Span's 35 anniversary year sees this line-up - already hailed as one of the band's strongest - embarking on a worldwide tour taking in Europe and Australia before returning to the UK. Looking not only to the band's long history, but also to the future, the tour will be supported with a studio album of new material, to be released in February 2004. (11.24.2003)

Chico Hamilton Honored by National Endowment for the Arts. Concerted Efforts is pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton a Jazz Masters Fellowship for 2004!! The NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships are the highest honors that our government bestows upon jazz musicians. These fellowships are given in recognition that this magnificent art form, so profoundly based in American culture, is one of America's greatest gifts to the world. In 2002 Chico was awarded the WPBX-FM Radio Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1997 Chico received the Beacons in Jazz Award from the New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of Jazz." (11.24.2003)

Odetta Honored by Library of Congress On November 13, Odetta was honored by the Library of Congress with their "Living Legend" award, only the fourth such recipient in the history of the Library. The Library of Congress "Living Legend" award is given to recognize and honor individuals who have made significant contributions to America’s cultural, scientific and social heritage. Other musicians who have received the Living Legend award include Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Yo Yo Ma. On October 17, Odetta was among the first group of recipients to be honored with the National Visionary Award at the Kennedy Center from the National Visionary Project. Her co-honorees that evening at the black tie affair, were Ray Charles, Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee, Jimmy Heath, Dick Gregory, and Geoffrey Holder. At the ceremoney, Tracy Chapman performed in tribute to Odetta. Also, in July, Odetta was presented with Presidential Honors by the Cognac (France) Blues Festival. (11.24.2003)

NEW SIGNING: Radio Tarifa, the Spanish Mediterranean's premier stylists, continue their cultural explorations of the Iberian peninsula with their fourth album, Fiebre (World Circuit), recorded live in Toronto at the Isabel Bader Theater on September 28, 2002. The Daily Telegraph proclaims Fiebre "a scintillating whirl of style and sound." Jazzwise calls Fiebre "one to get the blood racing." Fiebre is out now in Europe on World Circuit Records, with US release forthcoming. A North American tour is planned for summer 2004. See your Concerted Efforts representative for more information. (10.21.2003)

NEW SIGNING: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Gospel Legends, Celebrate Their 75th Anniversary with New Release, Diamond Jubilation. This year, as the iron men of gospel mark three quarters of a century in song, Bob Dylan has featured them on the soundtrack of his film "Masked and Anonymous," and Oxford University Press has published the highly acclaimed history Great God A'Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds by Penn State scholar Jerry Zolten. On October 7, Rounder Records will join the party with the release of Diamond Jubilation, a CD that makes it abundantly clear what all the fuss is about. The Dixie Hummingbirds are an institution. Perhaps Isaac Hayes has put it most eloquently: "In the beginning, after the word, and before there was rap, hip-hop, disco, punk, funk, metal, soul, Motown, rock-a-billy, before bebop, doo-wop, and the big band swing there was the Dixie Hummingbirds." (9.24.2003)

Josh Ritter's new album, Hello Starling, debuts at #2 on Irish Album Charts! "Hello Starling truly is one of the landmark records of the year," raves The Irish Times. The New York Times says: "Josh Ritter proves that the old folky verities - an acoustic guitar, a gruffly sincere voice - can still be the making of songs that tell riveting stories or conjure up extravagant romance." "Ritter's is the rare type of songwriting: untouched by affectation, embroidered with a quietly plaintive voice and sparse melodies, and with words expressive of another time and place - intangible and idyllic, full of longing and nostalgia, with imagery that awakens even the inanimate." - Village Voice Josh Ritter's new album, Hello Starling, debuts in its first week of release at #2 on the Irish Album charts, in between the Thrills and Norah Jones. Hello Starling was released in the United States in September 2003 on Signature Sounds. To buy the album, hear soundclips, and more information, visit Josh's official website.(10.20.2003)

The New York Times' John Rockwell Previews Kate & Anna McGarrigles' Performance Tonight, October 21, 2003 at Carnegie Hall: "For Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Music Is a Family Affair." Read the full article here. Tonight's performance is part of a weeklong celebration of American icon Emmylou Harris, featuring her peers and protégés. Tickets are $35, for more information, visit Carnegie Hall's website. (10.21.2003)

Some Girls Embarks on Coast-To-Coast tour of the United States! Some Girls, a new group led by