Release: Tony Holiday - Porch Sessions Volume 2.

TONY HOLIDAY - PORCH SESSIONS VOLUME 2
CLASSIC BLUES
LABEL: BLUE HEART RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

“James Harman (R.I.P.) was my mentor and my friend,” says Tony, who raised $50,000 for James when he fell ill with cancer. “He meant a lot to me, man. The album is dedicated to him.” Tony Holiday

One of the magical aspects about blues music is the form is a universal language which transcends nationality, genre, age, and skill level among the artists, who understand its parameters, allowing them to have musical conversations filled with spontaneity, openness, and freedom. Bluesman Tony Holiday convened several sessions with a cavalcade of players - friends and mentors - for Porch Sessions Volume 2. The sixteen tracks recorded raw without overdubs at studios in Memphis and Jackson TN, Bristol VA, Fort Collins CO, Clarksdale MS, Anaheim and San Jose CA are reminiscent of the historic Lomax field recordings from the 1930’s/40’s that documented undiscovered voices of roots music.

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Holiday, along with Big John Atkinson and JD Taylor, set up the mics for as they call them “One Take Shots,” employing over thirty-five musicians on a collection of timeless classics and undiscovered gems. The guests include Grammy winner Bobby Rush, Victor Wainwright, Kim Wilson, Vasti Jackson, Kid Ramos, Johnny Burgin, Ben Rice, Kid Andersen, together with stellar vocalists Willie Buck, AJ Fullerton, Watermelon Slim, James Harman (R.I.P.), Jon Lawton, Rae Gordon and Tierinii Naftaly, and fellow harmonica gurus Mark Hummel, Dennis Gruenling, Andrew Ali, Jake Friel, who shared duties with Holiday. 

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The album opens with a cut from the Late Night at Wainwright Studio session recorded in October of 2020 with Wainwright, his rhythm section and Holiday killing it on the harp, covering the classic "She's Tuff" from The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Willie Buck demonstrates his vocal powers on a run through the Sonny Boy Williamson Delta standard “Honey Bee,” while Rusty Zinn and Kim Wilson spar on gritty slide guitar and blues harp. Up and coming Colorado bluesmen AJ Fullerton and Jake Friel deliver acoustic Piedmont Blues on the prophetic “Change
Is Inevitable” and the irrepressible Bobby Rush preaches a blues sermon on a duet of “Recipe For Love,” with acclaimed guitarist Vasti Jackson. Watermelon Slim rolls easily through “Smokestack Lightnin’” on his dobro; the Howlin’ Wolf number has been a fixture of his repertoire for decades. The collection includes one of the last recordings from James Harman, who leads Holiday and guitarists Kid Ramos and Landon Stone through “Going To Court,” a playful boogie filled with joyous improv. Jon Lawton pairs up with Richmond VA harp player Andrew Ali for another Delta Blues chant “Go” and living legend of Chicago Blues, Lurrie Bell, is matched up with Blues Harmonica Blowout conductor Mark Hummel on a faithful reading of the 12-bar anthem “Every Day I Have The Blues.

Richard "Rip Lee" Pryor, son of the legendary Snooky Pryor, leads his crew through the bawdy juke joint tale “Brazilian Brothel.” Remarkable Greaseland guitar man, Kid Andersen, nimbly plays the bass backing up Portland’s Johnny Burgin and Holiday on the spontaneous “Bad Bad Girl,” literally recorded on the front porch of the San Jose studio. Rose City blues diva Rae Gordon struts her stuff on her own tune “Find Me When The Sun Goes Down,’ with fellow west coast players Ben Rice and Dave Melyan. Rice delivers some of his award-winning blueeyed soul on the easy shuffle “That’s How I Learned.” Dennis Gruenling and Mark Hummel give us a cuttingheads harp duet on “Cake Walk,” trading rhythm and leads on the Mississippi saxophones. JD Taylor and his son Alex work some mournful Hill Country Blues on “Family Tree,” and the latest sensation from Memphis, SouthernAvenue take us to church with an acoustic version of their civil-rights anthem “Peace Will Come.” Bobby Rush returns for an encore with “Get Outta Here (Dog Named Bo),” an acapella folk tale from the legendary blues storyteller.
All in all, Porch Sessions Volume 2 is a magical gathering of musicians perfect for any music lover’s catalog.

WEBLINKS
OS: www.tonyholidaymusic.com
FB: www.facebook.com/tonyholidaymusic

More information:  Betsie Brown, Blind Raccoon, betsie@blindraccoon.com