The boys are back from Europe and ready to play! Come on out to Brian’s Backyard BBQ in Middletown, NY this Friday night to hear their stories from their Europe tour and get your blues fix! Get there early to get a seat and some great barbeque; the band goes on stage @9 pm. We hope to see you there!
“Developing a Brand”
Richard Ludmerer, a contributing editor at BluesWax, the online weekly for the Blues Revue Magazine, says that the band’s second CD, “Waiting For The Phone To Ring,” is as exciting as their award-winning debut. In his words:
‘Chris O’Leary spent his early career as a vocalist with Levon Helm and The Barnburners. The Chris O’Leary Band’s first CD, Mr. Used To Be, was nominated for a Blues Music Award and was also a Blues Blast Awards winner for “Best New Artist Debut CD.” This follow up: Waiting For The Phone To Ring is equally exciting.
‘O’Leary, vocals and harmonica, has put together a talented band, including guitarist Chris Vitarello; Jeremy Baum on piano; the horn section of Andy Stahl, tenor sax and Chris DiFrancesco, baritone sax; and the rhythm section of Sean McCarthy, drums and Frank Ingrao on bass. Willa McCarthy is the background vocalist.
‘On the opening track, “Give It,” producer Dave Gross provides additional percussion and helps to augment the infectious beat. “Without You” features a nice harp solo by O’Leary. Vitarello’s tasteful guitar opens “Louisiana Woman.” “Pictures of You” features Baum’s piano.
‘O’ Leary is a soulful vocalist who also wrote all thirteen of the album’s songs, and there isn’t a weak one here. Other highlights include “Hole in My Head” and the title track, “Waiting for the Phone to Ring”, with the lyric “If I’m too low for your standards, what say you lower your standards.” “Questions” and “History” are two bits of New Orleans second line with additional horns added making the overall sound similar to that of Roomful of Blues. Dave Gross has quickly built a reputation as a “first call” producer and he once again proves himself here.
‘This is a thoroughly enjoyable album. I find it difficult to imagine how good O’Leary might become as this is only his second recording. O’Leary’s future is bright; he is one worth watching.’
BluesWax Rating: 8
Reprinted from http://bluesrevue.com/2012/09/chris-oleary-band-waiting-for-the-phone-to-ring‑9–21-12/#
What a blast!
Thank you Blues Now for your amazing hospitality. We were dined, we were wined, we were given a tour by an incomparable tour guide through the beautiful city of Basel and we even heard the Swiss audience holler between songs for the band. Basel, you were a blast!
Hello, Facebook!
Here’s hoping that we’ve got all the settings in place, so that our posts to the band’s website blog will appear “auto-magically” on the band’s Facebook page. This is the inaugural test post.
On the road again
This report from the road comes from Gary Schwartz, substitute drummer for the band:
Just back on the road toward Syracuse, after a lunch stop at Tannersville Diner. Truck stop looking, unassuming roadside Diner. Food was surprisingly good, done right.
This is my first road trip with the Chris O’Leary Band (and company) where, due to the distance of travel, we all ride together in Andy Stahl’s 11 seater van. As we share lunch, I somehow find great comfort in the stories that are shared, the mention of mutual friends, some sadly no longer with us.
This group of musicians and friends are those that I have “come up” with in The Blues, for the last 21 years of my life.
The most recent of these musicianly friendships has lived for 12 years.
I laughed to Chris V. (aka “Johnny Jazz”) as I referenced one of my classic automobile mishaps, “I can’t lie to you guys about ANYTHING, you were there!”
Anyway, the point is, these people, these moments, this mission of musical migration, have me feeling peaceful yet energized, at my best, and more than a little bit introspective.