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1997 best
newcomer W.C. Handy Award
1 x Grammy Award winner
1 x
Grammy Award nominee
Appears in the Wim Wenders section of
Martin Scorsese's Blues series,
Appeared solo on Later with
Jools Holland
Appears in BBC 4's "Blues on Later"
Appears
in the "Great Debaters" Movie alongside Denzel Washington
Appears in the latest Link Wray documentary "The Rumble"
 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 BST for their ‘Rock The Lockdown’ series
attracting hundreds of thousands of views on a weekly basis. Fan
engagement is second to none, while WRM fans continue to
organically multiply on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
On November 20th, 2020, the duo released their long-awaited
debut album ‘We Fly Free’, to critical acclaim from the UK radio
and rock music magazine media. Chris Kimsey, the Rolling Stones
record producer praised the album saying that “The performances
are exemplary, the sound is magnificent, the songs are gorgeous.
I love the drama. I love everything.” In October, WRM’s first
single from the album, ‘Battleground’, was added to the main
playlist on the UK’s leading classic rock radio station Planet
Rock. In late November, the band followed up with a second
single, ‘Did I Break The Law’, that was played on BBC Radio 2’s
The Rock Show with Johnnie Walker. The single was also played on
Planet Rock throughout December 2020 and into January 2021.
The UK rock music press were unanimous by praising ‘We Fly
Free’ as one of the most striking, refreshing, and impressive
debut blues rock albums of 2020. Classic Rock said of the band’s
debut, “Wheel-spinning out of Dodge like Bonnie and
Clyde on
opener ‘Did I Break The Law’, Grace and Aaron Bond prove capable
getaway drivers on a debut album that unfolds like a road
movie,” while Blues in Britain described it as “A stunning album
of pure alchemy.” Vive Le Rock said that ‘We Fly Free’ was
“urban blues with the brakes off,” and gave the album with a
9/10 rating, while Guitarist Magazine described at album as
“electrifying, it’s a great debut.” Fireworks Magazine praised
it as “One of the best blues
rock albums of the year.”
On October 26th , ‘Battleground’ won “Tracks of the Week” on
Classic Rock’s Louder Sound website, who described it as “Primal
old-school blues (more John Lee Hooker than Stevie Ray Vaughan)
– dressed up in biker leathers and wreathed in arthouse smoke.”
November 2020 saw two more accolades when WRM graced the
magazine covers of Blues Matters and Blues in Britain featuring
stylish and provocative photographs taken by one of the UK’s
leading rock photographers, Rob Blackham. Blues Rock Review
voted ‘We Fly Free’ #9 in their Top 20 Albums of 2020 poll. The
album was also made Rock and Blues Muse’s “Top 20 Blues, Rock
and Roots Albums of 2020,” alongside Joe Bonamassa, Larkin Poe,
Walter Trout, Shemekia Copeland, The Allman Betts Band, Marcus
King, Kirk Fletcher, Savoy Brown, Bernard Allison, and King
King. When Rivers Meet’s debut album cemented their name and
signified a bold move in their trajectory that singled them out
as innovative risk takers, willing to take their influences, and
putting their own stamp over it.
After two years of hard
work, everything came together. The WRM buzz was in full swing.
Guitarist Magazine, was quick to catch on to this when he
reviewed the debut album by saying, “It’s a tough job to make a
new blues-based record that really arrests the listener’s
attention, however, WRM’s sound is built of simple but powerful
elements, handled with taste but delivered from the gut.” The
music magazine reviews continued to pour in. HRH Magazine
proclaimed, “For blues lovers, ‘We Fly Free’ is a purist’s
paradise,” while Powerplay Magazine said, “They may be a duo,
but they make a big noise.” Maverick Magazine said, “This is the
start of what should be a hugely successful career, while RNR
Magazine focussed on the album’s production standards by saying,
“The use of authentic techniques, including tube tape echoes and
reverbs, adds to the overall production, reproducing a splendid
live, vintage sound that reinforces the appeal.”
When
Rivers Meet released their third single ‘Walking On The Wire’ on
26 th February 2021. The single had an exclusive 24-hour
premiere on PlanetRock.com on Thursday 25th February. The music
video was filmed in North Essex accompanied with stunning aerial
footage and cinematography courtesy of a drone. When Rivers Meet
were recently nominated in four categories at the UK Blues
Awardsincluding “Emerging Blues Artist of the Year”, “Blues Band
of the Year”, “Blues Album of the Year”, and “Most Inspirational
Online Performance of the Year”. Winners will be announced in
May 2021. In October 2021, When Rivers Meet will be very special
guests on King King’s 8-date October UK tour. In April 2022, the
band will embark on their first nationwide headline UK tour.
 Finalist
2020 UK Blues Challenge. UK Blues awards nomination best blues
band for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Cinelli Brothers
have a passion for the music of the 1960’s, an amalgam of blues,
rock and soul, and add a twist of contemporary style, making
them a rising force on the music scene. Their appeal crosses all
manner of boundaries, attracting a significantly younger crowd
to their shows as well as pleasing the ears of older fans.
Brothers Marco (guitar, keys, vocals) and Alessandro (drums,
B/V’s) are joined by Tom Julian-Jones (guitar, harmonica,
vocals) and Stephen Giry (bass, guitar, B/V’s). The band has
released three albums to date: Babe Please Set Your Alarm (2018)
Villa Juke Joint (2021) No Country For Bluesmen (2022),
featuring guests on every track, including Dana Gillespie, Ian
Siegal, Big Joe Louis and many up and coming stars of the
British blues scene. The Cinelli Brothers tour widely in the UK
and across Europe, playing clubs and festivals, delivering live
shows of predominantly original material with high energy, great
musicianship and showmanship. They have been nominated for UK
Blues Awards and are establishing themselves as one of the
leading lights of the UK blues scene. Definitely a band not to
be missed!
 James Oliver has
already rubbed shoulders with many of the greats of the guitar
firmament. Now, having recorded three vital, very contemporary
albums with his band Glas, he is preparing to write a new
chapter of not only his career but also Welsh music history.
His progress since forming Glas in early 2012 has been steady
rather than spectacular, playing every gig in the Valleys before
expanding horizons beyond. See him on stage, though, and
spectacular is very much the word. Little wonder the late, great
Deke Leonard of Man/Iceberg fame was moved to say that ‘Speaking
as a guitarist, James Oliver scares the hell out of me.’ Taff
Williams and Tweke Lewis, who have played with him, were
similarly impressed.
Oliver’s propulsive guitar won Glas an invitation to play the
prestigious Monaghan Blues Festival in Ireland – the first Welsh
act to do so – while other festivals at Tenby and Colne soon
followed. His rootsy, Fender-fuelled music has been heard
supporting the likes of Albert Lee . Bill Kirchen,and, only this
year, Played London’s legendary 100 Club. Former Love
Sculpture/Dave Edmunds bassist John David has worked
with Jamesin the studio, further enhancing a more than
respectable CV.
As music business veterans will tell you, success is 10 per cent
inspiration and 90 per cent perspiration. As he enters the next
stage of his career, James Oliver has a track record that shows
he will not allow an ounce of his talents to be wasted. And with
new musicians to interact with, chances are the music in store
will exhibit hitherto unheard dimensions to delight his growing
army of fans. Blues, rock a billy, rock and country…it’s all
here in one explosive pickin’ package.
 Mississippi
MacDonald sounds like he should be on Stax or Hi. He has a
strongly southern soul inflected vocal delivery, musical
accompaniment that sounds just like Albert King turning up on
the Malaco label, a tight, controlled band that is right on the
top of its form, and songs that come straight out of the classic
southern soul-blues songbook. He is a 3x British Blues Award
nominee with a multi-album back catalogue. In 2021, he signed to
APM Records, releasing his album "Do Right, Say Right" in
November. In a short time, the record has reached number 1 on
the IBBA British Blues Charts, and the top 10 of the Roots Music
Report Blues / Contemporary Blues charts. RocknloadMag.com said
this :"The album is a joy to behold and to anyone who has even
tried tackling the guitar you’ll know there is playing the blues
and then there is “playing the blues” and Mississippi does the
latter. We are very lucky in the UK to have such a rich pool of
players of serious quality that we can call our own and
Mississippi is another one to add to that list"
 The
Milk Men is a band made up from the cream of British R’n’B
talent and pedigree.
Bringing together young veterans of the UK’s live music scene.
The Milk Men have been tearing up venues and festivals all over
the UK with their dynamic live show.
With former Pirate Mike Roberts on drums, Lloyd Green (son of
guitar legend Mick Green) on bass guitar, husky blues singer
Jamie Smy on vocals, the band is rounded off on guitar by Adam
Norsworthy, also know as the singer and guitarist in blues scene
mainstays Mustangs.
The band draws its influences from a wide range of classic bands
from Dr Feelgood to Fleetwood Mac. Their original music is
classic blues rock, but always played with attack, energy,
melody and a sense of fun.
The band has released four hugely-acclaimed albums of original
material, and their latest and finest album Spin The Bottle saw
the band cement their reputation as one of the UK’s premier
keepers of the British Blues Rock flame.
The band has headlined major blues festivals all over the UK
including Swanage and The Great British Rock & Blues Festival in
Skegness. 2023 sees them take their unique brand of catchy blues
rock all over the country playing at festivals everywhere from
Cornwall to Carlisle.
 THE
HIDING MAGPIES are an emerging alternative Rock Band from
Lancashire. Their first album covers all aspects of love, loss,
and redemption with a nod to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Their latest
album ‘Searching For Gold’ establishes them as a great melodic
band in their own right. This exciting line-up is now a six
piece with glorious three-part harmonies and impressive
musicianship.
Jake Dixon the
bandleader, songwriter, singer and guitarist is amply supported
by the pooled band experiences of tours with Chuck Berry, Nico,
Louisiana Red, Atomic Rooster, and Denny Lane.
Their latest
single ‘Home’, recorded at Hope Mill Studio in Manchester, will
be released in February 2023 and marks a new era in the bands’
development.
Wherever they play, be it a pub, club
or festival, they are always rewarded with standing ovations and
a following of loyal fans.
This year they will be appearing at
The Northern Kin Festival, The Blues Rhythm and Rock Festivals
in Glasgow, Whitby and Looe, The Beatherder Festival and
countless other gigs around the UK.
 Thomas
Atlas is a British guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early
career saw him touring the UK and USA with Soul and Blues
outfits before pursuing his own musical endeavours.
A
new line up saw a difference in direction with players from “The
Brand New Heavy’s” and “The Brothers Groove” coming on board.
The first Glimpse into what Atlas had in store came from a
series of successful Youtube videos released in 2018 under the
title “Garage Funk”, resulting in a sensational response from
fans and industry alike.
Atlas found himself venturing
out of the garage to play some of the most prestigious venues in
the UK such as Ronnie Scott’s, 100 Club, The Borderline,
Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham Symphony hall and a residency
at Jools Holland’s Jam House.
In 2019 Atlas was touring
Europe, Electrifying audiences with his unique style of guitar
playing. Fusing roaring Blues solos over his Funk-laden
arrangements.
 The
Redfish Blues Band have travelled a VERY long way in VERY short
time. The U.K. Blues Award nominees have not only developed a
distinctive and defining style of their own, featuring the
astonishing vocal and guitar talents of Christian Sharpe and the
awe-inspiring swirling Hammond organ of Steve McGuckin, they
have collaborated with the very best in the blues community, as
featured artists on the superb Cinelli Brothers-produced album
“No Country For Bluesmen”, considered to be a recent “who’s who”
of British musicianship.
Christian Sharpe is the consummate master of his craft,
delivering jaw-dropping dynamics, tone and phrasing, together
with an unforgettable vocal range and soaring power. With Steve
McGuckin’s “tower of power” Hammond/ Leslie, he is backed by the
rock solid and sympathetic rhythm section of Rod Mackay (bass)
and Steve Gibson on drums.
With influences including Clapton, The Fabulous Thunderbirds,
Jimmie Vaughan, Booker T, and “all the Kings”, this must-see,
must-hear band has developed a delicious, bubbling gumbo of
blues, soul, gospel and funk, with live performances defined by
both energy and restraint, and the visibly obvious delight of
personal interaction, in the moment, between performers at the
very top of their game.
The Redfish Blues Band are landing on festival stages, sometimes
headlining, all across the UK. Catch some ‘fish!
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