Paul Long Introduces Us To Five Artists
You Should Get To Know
We asked multi award winning, producer, composer, musician, writer and broadcaster Paul Long - who is based in Sussex, England - to suggest five artists we should be listening to.
Paul's radio show, Blues And Roots Connections, is a weekly programme inspired by the blues but not constrained by it. It is broadcast every Sunday and Tuesday on Blues & Roots Radio, and is also available as a podcast on The Sound Cafe.
Paul features blues, soul, funk, rock and other music with a roots vibe - music that has the emotional contact and feel, if not always the chord sequence. As he says, 'it may not always be the blues, but there is always a connection, as the tracks are linked by theme, subject matter, artist and whim!"
Paul has a lifetime of record collecting as well as his experience as a producer for the BBC, and also as a performer and recording artist, Paul remains an in demand producer and writes for UK blues magazines.
Paul was recently voted Blues-based Broadcaster of the Year 2021 at the UK Blues Awards.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bluesandrootsconnections
GEORGIA VAN ETTEN
London based singer-songwriter Georgia van Etten, soulfully blends roots music with alt-pop to craft songs that stick. Recently signed to Canadian record label Birthday Cake, founded by The Bros. Landreth, Georgia continues to solidify her position on the international stage.
Originally from Melbourne, Australia, van Etten packed one tiny suitcase six years ago and headed for the U.K. Impressively, she has played the likes of Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Porretta Soul Festival (Italy), Falls Festival (Australia), Ealing Blues Festival (UK) and headlined London Omeara. ,
Website: http://georgia-van-etten.com/
HAZMAT MODINE
Hazmat Modine is a musical group based in New York City and led by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Wade Schuman. Their music is rooted in blues and also touches on folk, jazz and World music. The most recent lineup of the band circa 2015 features harmonica, tuba, trumpet, saxophone, drums and two guitars, as well as solo and harmony vocals.
"Hazmat" is a portmanteau of "hazardous material", and "Modine" is a brand of heater
Website: http://www.hazmatmodine.com/
STEVIE WATTS ORGAN TRIO, FEATURING ALICE ARMSTRONG
Stevie Watts is an award winning keyboard player and one of the UK's most sought after Hammond organists who plays Hammond for mod revival legends Secret Affair and Hammond/piano for renowned blues artist Danny Bryant, Sari Schorr and can often be seen touring with other great artists including Elles Bailey. As well as being a busy sideman Stevie leads his Hammond soul outfit - The Stevie Watts Organ Trio.
Artists that Stevie has worked with include Steve Winwood, Mike Farris, Arthur Brown, Joe Louis Walker, Mary Coughlan, Roland Gift, James Maddock, Lisa Mann, Ronnie Scott's Blues Explosion, Archive, Terry Hall, Mylene Farmer, Bobby Whitlock, Jo Harman, Kirk Fletcher, Jack Bruce, PP Arnold, Lulu, Kiki Dee, Mica Paris, Gerry Beckley, Eli Paperboy Reed, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave) and has supported bands such as Duran Duran on arena tours.
Website: https://www.steviewatts.org/
KYLA BROX
Blues and soul become inextricably entwined in award-winning singer-songwriter, Kyla Brox, whose raw talent has seen her described as “the finest female blues singer of her generation”.
Winner of the 2018 UK Blues Challenge, as well as the 2019 European Blues Challenge and crowned Best Female Vocalist in the 2019 European Blues Awards, Kyla’s star continues to shine brightly.
Website: https://www.kylabrox.com/
WHEN RIVERS MEET
The Husband and wife duo have had a very successful year, winning an unprecedented four UK Blues Awards in 2021.
Since bursting on to the UK Blues scene with their debut record ‘The Uprising EP’ in April 2019 followed by their second EP ‘Innocence Of Youth’ in May 2020, Grace and Aaron have been going from strength to strength. The British husband and wife duo have an ever-growing online fan base and have gained the attention of Cerys Matthews’ The Blues Show on BBC Radio 2.
Their unique harmonic vocal-led approach to song writing, dirty electric guitar, slide resonator mandolin and fiddle create a unique distinctive and contemporary blues rock sound that echoes 1970s classic rock with hints of the 1930s blues that inspire them.
Before lockdown, the duo toured the UK in their self-converted VW camper with an impressive tour schedule. Since the lockdown, the duo live stream on Facebook every Saturday at 8pm GMT for their ‘Rock The Lockdown’ series attracting hundreds of thousands of views.
Website: https://whenriversmeet.co.uk/
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