I’m excited to send you a new release that is not an Alligator album! It’s The Count Basie Orchestra Basie Swings The Blues, on Candid Records, and it features a collection of world-class blues men and women guesting with the legendary big band that has been known for decades as “the band that swings the blues.”
In 2021, Alligator joined a group called Exceleration Music Partners, an organization of independent labels who believed that we could combine forces to become stronger in the marketplace, and share our experience to help grow all our companies. Among the labels that joined Exceleration was the revitalized Candid Records, which had released famed jazz recordings (as well as classic blues albums by Otis Spann and Lightnin’ Hopkins) over many years, and now has been reborn, and is releasing important new jazz albums.
Scott Barnhardt, who leads the Basie band, had the brilliant idea of bringing together the band and some of the cream of today’s blues artists, including two revered members of the Alligator family, Shemekia Copeland and Charlie Musselwhite, plus greats Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush, Keb’ Mo’, Robert Cray, George Benson, Ledesi, Mr. Sipp, Lauren Mitchell, and Bettye LaVette. Energized by the great Basie band, the guest artists delivered terrific performances. For example, just listen to how Shemekia, Charlie and Buddy were inspired while recording Koko Taylor’s classic I’m A Woman with one of the all-time legendary jazz big bands.
I wanted to put the spotlight on this upcoming release because it’s different from anything Alligator has done, and an absolute treat for any blues fan, journalist or DJ. The official street date is September 15, so please hold reviews and airplay until close to that date.
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