JJ GREY & MOFRO Chenango Blues Festival Norwich, NY
Thu Jul 26
GARAGE A TROIS Floydfest Floyd, VA
Thu Jul 26
GALACTIC Floyd Fest Floyd, VA
Sun Jun 03
GALACTIC Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest Augusta, NJ
Sun May 20
JJ GREY & MOFRO Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival Annapolis, MD
Fog City Records is celebrating our
15th
anniversary
as a
San Francisco based independent record label.
Our recordings are diverse, but
share a common thread: thick tones, good times
and deep roots
in regional American culture -- New Orleans,
southern California, Austin Texas, North Florida, Oakland...
Our artists
are great performers -- that's how we can cut our records live in the studio,
and that's why you should witness them
on tour.
Our goal is to provide
great musicians
with a forum for music of substance, and to encourage you to explore
the possibilities outside our increasingly monochromatic pop culture.
Our method is to capture the spirit that can only
come from real human beings playing actual
three-dimensional instruments in a live atmosphere.
An obvious
thing to some people, but it does bear repeating
in this age of over-reliance on samplers and sequencers.
And, we do like making recording studio owners say, "no one records like this any more!"
Producer/engineer
Dan Prothero
oversees every aspect of the label, from A&R to
recording, concept to finished product.
If you see or hear anything you don't like, it's probably his fault.
We are very proud to say that our first artist,
Galactic,
has become an
internationally touring
act with major label releases.
And this was no fluke... we followed up with debut records from
Stanton Moore,
Garage A Trois,
Papa Mali
and
Robert Walter's 20th Congress.
More recently,
MOFRO was featured on MTV,
National Public Radio and (ahem) the Discovery Channel
after we released their first record,
and a score of their compositions was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Music --
the sort of acclaim usually reserved for major label acts.
However, we remain independent in the best
sense of the word. Word!
JAZZFEST 2012
JazzFest 2012 rapidly approaches. Do you have your plane tickets yet? Now's the time. Ticket prices just dropped a little and if the past is any indication prices will skyrocket in the next few weeks. And demand for hotel rooms seems to be extra high this year. As for Fog City artists (past and present), there are twelve gigs and counting already on the books, and we predict more than forty shows when it's all said and done... including a great slot for JJ Grey & MOFRO at Tipitina's on Friday April 27. Keep an eye on our gigs page, where we'll post all the details and inside scoops... or scan your gig listings not only for STANTON MOORE, GARAGE A TROIS, JJ Grey, ROBERT WALTER, PAPA MALI and GALACTIC but also for their side projects like Dragon Smoke, Worship My Organ, Frequinox, and The Whip.. (link)
GEORGIA WARHORSE
Fog City's Dan Prothero just finished production work on the new JJ Grey & MOFRO record, which comes out on Alligator Records on August 24. This is the fifth record they've made together, and this time around it features guest visits from friends Derek Trucks and Toots Hibbert. A documentary of the making of the record is available on that youTube thing... check it out!. (link)
ROBERT WALTER AND JOHNNY VIDACOVICH
Bay Area friends: ROBERT WALTER is playing two nights at Coda in San Francisco, as a duo with New Orleans legend Johnny Vidacovich. Coda is an intimate room with nice sound, so expect a rare chance to see some top-notch interaction when these two square off, drums and B3 style. Two nights only, Thursday July 1 and Friday July 2. Don't miss it! Seriously. Update: just added two additional dates at the High Sierra Music Festival in sunny Quincy, California....
GAT SUMMER TOUR
GARAGE A TROIS is everywhere this summer. NY, NJ, WV, CA, AZ, OR, including a choice slot at Outside Lands in San Francisco in August. Details on the tour page.. (link)
JAMCRUISE 9
Holy Moley! Everyone is playing Jamcruise this year! ROBERT WALTER is doubling up with both The Greyboy Allstars and his own trio with Johnny Vidacovich (he of Professor Longhair fame) and George Porter (of the Meters). And Stanton's pulling triple-duty with GALACTIC, Anders Osborne and GARAGE A TROIS. Look a little further and you'll see TIM BLUHM playing with The Rhythm Devils. Plus there's acts as far-reaching as the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. Expect greatness, and lots of messy interaction on the high seas.. (link)
THE GOOD SOLDIER: "IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WATCHING A MORE AFFECTING MOVIE"
MOFRO's JJ Grey has written his first score for the feature documentary film, THE GOOD SOLDIER. The film received a national promotional boost when it was featured on PBS's nationwide show "Bill Moyers Journal." This is a powerful and important tally of the price paid by generations of men and women who fought for their country, and we highly recommend you watch it. For a theatre near you, check out www.thegoodsoldier.com.. (link)
FOG CITY T-SHIRTS BACK IN STOCK
After an embarrassing and unexplainably long period of unavailability, Fog City t-shirts are finally back in stock. They sold out long ago, and I suppose we were just working on other things, and one of those things led to another, and, well... where did the time go? (Those of you over the age of 25 probably know what we're talking about... those of you over 35 definitely do.) Fans of all ages and sizes: stop by our online store and pick up a Fog City tee, if only to pay for our therapy which will hopefully reveal any issues underlying our procrastination, which will eventually lead to the growth that would ensure a more functional running of our day-to-day operations, so that when the wanna-be's take note of your awesome Fog City shirt and go to order one for themselves they will find it in stock.. (link)
"AMBIGUOUS TRUTHS & UNAMBIGUOUS URGES": MOFRO IN NY TIMES
Great review of JJ Grey & MOFRO in the New York Times, including some very nice words about their most recent album, Orange Blossoms (recorded and produced by Dan Prothero, Fog City's head honcho and chief bottle-washer): "Among other things, it suggested that MOFRO has one of the great unhurried rhythm sections in rock, capable of heavy track-laying but comfortable with airy fluctuation." Aw shucks!. (link)
IN A HOLIDAY GROOVE
More mojo than a warehouse full of mistletoe, more spirit than a bathtub full of gin, groovier than anything you're gonna hear on the radio this holiday season... it's got soul, it's superbad... it's ROBERT WALTER's HOLIDAY RECORD. Seriously, we get so many comments about this little record, and it's always a hit when we're at home for the holidays. Take a listen and pick up your copy now. Santa baby!. (link)
RINGERS: ROBERT WALTER & STANTON MOORE
Fog City's own ROBERT WALTER and STANTON MOORE backed Alec Ounsworth (Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah) on his debut solo album, an effort that Spin has called "the sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut," and credits New Orleans "ringers" Robert and Stanton. Right on, brothers.... (link)
JJ TO PERFORM WITH MAVIS STAPLES AND BOOKER T
The news could not be better: MOFRO's JJ Grey will be performing with two musical icons: Mavis Staples and Booker T. Performing both separately and together, the artists promise a concert filled with timeless hits, heart and plenty of soul. That's Mavis of the Staple Singers, Booker of Booker T & The MG's, and JJ. Playing together. Think about it. Three dates in March were announced initially: Fort Worth, Austin, and Urbana. Dare we hope for more? Or is that just being greedy?. (link)
STANTON MOORE INTERVIEWED FOR "ICONS AMONG US"
STANTON MOORE is interviewed for the Documentary Channel’s new four-part series, “Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense”. The series has been in production for seven years. Stanton's part premiered on April 20th, 2009 (a trailer is online here). Festival screenings are in the works now. Keep an eye on the project's website for more info.. (link)
LOUISIANA'S COASTAL LINES OF DEFENSE VIDEO
Louisiana's coastal wetlands are disappearing at the rate of a football field every 45 minutes, destroying New Orleans natural storm defenses. In this video, Stanton, along with members of Fishbone and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, talk about the state of the wetlands and Louisiana's coastal crisis after a fly over of the gulf coast.. (link)
NEW JJ GREY & MOFRO RECORD OUT
Fog City label head Dan Prothero has wrapped up production and mixing on the new album from JJ Grey & MOFRO. Orange Blossoms is out now, and available through Alligator Records. Backed by the full arsenal of horns, strings and a kick-butt bunch of backing vocalists, this is some high-octane soul for your almost-empty gas tank. Take it for a spin.... (link)
JAMCRUISE 2010
Madness. Madness I say! Putting artists and fans together in the same space for a week? In international waters? Madness. ROBERT WALTER, JJ Grey & MOFRO, STANTON MOORE, SKERIK, Robert Mercurio, Cochemea Gastelum and TIM BLUHM to name just a few Fog City artists and alumni. January 2010.. (link)
NICE WORDS FOR THE NEW PAPA MALI RECORD
In addition to a very flattering five-page feature on PAPA MALI in their latest issue, Hittin' The Note magazine has included his latest record (Do Your Thing) in their
top 10 list for the year. Aww, shucks!. (link)
JAZZFEST 2009
Seems like Jazzfest is coming early this year. Or at least, all the planning sure is. Early enough that there are already a bunch of shows booked with Fog City artists, past and present... but they haven't even released the JazzFest poster yet. Damn. Last year it was EIGHTEEN SHOWS (plus sit-ins all over town) and we anticipate the same this year. Sheesh. What we can announce right now: first weekend, GARAGE A TROIS plays the Riverboat Creole Queen. As always, It's gonna be nuts. Keep your eye on our tour page as the details unfold.. (link)
MARDI GRAS 2009
Quick announcement -- if you're lucky enough to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, be sure to check out PAPA MALI's 2nd Annual Supernatural Ball, at Tipitina's on Thursday February 19th. With special guests Hot 8 Brass Band, George Porter, Jr., Glen David Andrews, John Mooney, Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, and more. Wild! Check out our tour page for links.. (link)
NEW JJ GREY & MOFRO RECORD IN THE WORKS
Fog City label head and producer Dan Prothero is hard at work with JJ Grey & MOFRO, recording tracks for their next (fourth) album in St. Augustine Florida. The intent is to release the record this year, but we can't tell you any more than that for the time being....
JAZZFEST MADNESS 2008
So far, so good. Fog City artists, past and present, are playing EIGHTEEN shows (and counting!) in New Orleans during this year's Jazz & Heritage Festival. And that doesn't even count the sit-ins that will be happening all over town, every night of the week. For an onslaught of funk and soul in one of New Orleans' most vital clubs, we recommend you check out JJ Grey & MOFRO (with New Mastersounds) at Tipitina's. For those of you who look for something more personal, PAPA MALI will be playing an intimate little show at the Rusty Nail. Also, we have high hopes for GARAGE A TROIS at One Eyed Jacks and GALACTIC on the Riverboat Creole Queen. Oh and then there's STANTON MOORE and ROBERT WALTER at historic Preservation Hall... Where to even start? Where to stop? It's gonna be nuts. Check out our tour page for the latest.. (link)
JJ GREY & MOFRO PLAY BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA
JJ Grey & MOFRO went down under in March for the Byron Bay East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, playing for three days on March 22-24. Other acts included John Fogerty, KT Tunstall, Xavier Rudd, Keb Mo and G Love & Special Sauce among others.. (link)
ROBERT WALTER TOURING WITH THE ALLSTARS AGAIN
ROBERT WALTER is continuing his occasional touring with The Greyboy Allstars. April 2008 sees them East Coasting before playing three shows at JazzFest. If you missed the Allstars the first time around, don't sleep.. (link)
MOFRO RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR IN JAX
JJ GREY & MOFRO celebrate the New Years with a return to their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida for FOUR nights at Freebird Live..
VOLUNTEER DURING JAZZFEST 2007
It's that time of year again... JazzFest. New Orleans. I can already taste the duck and pheasant gumbo at the fairgrounds, oysters at Casamento's, the muffaletta at Central Grocery, late night fried chicken at Fiorella's... mmmm. But it's also time to give a little something back. This year, we will again be volunteering with Habitat For Humanity and helping complete the Musician's Village project. Those who volunteered with us last year know it was a little exhausting and a lot rewarding. Come join us this year and experience it for yourself. You will be glad you did.. (link)
WORD OF THE DAY: GRIMOIRE
The first review of PAPA MALI's upcoming release Do Your Thing has arrived (courtesy of New Orleans' Gambit Magazine), and we thought you should read it -- not because it flatters us, but so you can see how to properly rock a word like "grimoire":Malcolm "PAPA MALI" Welbourne is the kind of local character that would be genuinely iconic anywhere else. Here in his adopted New Orleans, though, where we historically curate a stellar permanent collection of freaks, oddities and twisted brilliance, he simply fits right in. That's not faint praise, either. The psychedelic swamp sounds on Do Your Thing are New Orleans inside and out, and even if the sound didn't show it, his guest list would. No less of a supporting cast than the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's sousaphone player Kirk Joseph, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, award-collecting pianist Henry Butler, the Golden Eagle Mardi Gras Indians, and the Reverend Goat Carson -- who's equally likely to be seen sweeping up a Frenchmen Street bar in the early morning as playing in one late at night -- appear on the record, which is a magically crafted grimoire of voodoo space blues. Reminiscent of Night Tripper-era Dr. John, Coco Robicheaux or C.C. Adcock's latest gritty ghost-rock effort, Do Your Thing runs the gamut from prayerful blues on tracks like the haunting, understated closer True Religion to psychedelic, almost Beatles-esqe fuzz guitar on I Had The Dream. All in all, a powerful, glowing globe of swamp gas.. (link)
FOG CITY T-SHIRTS LINKED TO SCANDAL
Well, maybe not a scandal exactly... ok, so there's no scandal. That was just
what we in the bizness refer to as a CPG (Cheap Publicity Gag).
But seriously, the baby doll tees we're now making do usually get noticed because they're so cute
and because men and women alike appreciate a nice baby doll tee. Of course, guys don't usually wear
a baby doll tee. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
But they sure do appreciate how they fit. On women.
While they rock their own men's cut t-shirt.
Is that clear enough?
And did I mention they all glow in the dark? Bananas!
Anyway if you're still reading this you should really just
click here and order one
(for yourself or for your girl).
MOFRO TOURS WITH HOMETOWN FRIENDS THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND
MOFRO returned to the North East this November with hometown music mates the Derek Trucks Band.
The two Jacksonville, FL bands played historic and beautiful listening rooms
like Town Hall in New York City and the Keswick Theater in Philadelphia.
These shows were filled with Southern soul, funk, and rock in some of the most epic venues in the country.
Click here for more details and future tour dates.
CRITICAL RAVES FOR NEW TIM BLUHM CD
Tim Bluhm, known around the West Coast as front man for the legendary Mother Hips,
has recorded his
debut solo acoustic record for Fog City.
To those of you who thought we were just about the funk, this may be a surprise...
but we see this unusually "unplugged" release as a continuation of our interest in finding and exposing great artists
with strong regional flavor... in this case, a California soul that we think you'll find as charming as we do.
TapeOp Magazine put it this way: "the spare acoustic recording is witness to the fact that Tim Bluhm is one of the
best (and most underrated) songwriters of his generation."
We are tremendously saddened by the devastation of one of America's greatest treasures
in the wake of hurricane Katrina. Our hearts go out to the victims of the storms.
All our musical friends who call New Orleans home, including
Galactic, Stanton Moore, and members of Garage A Trois, Stanton Moore, MOFRO, and Robert Walter's 20th Congress,
are all safe.
If you would like to help those who are not so lucky, we encourage you to
to contribute to organizations like the American Red Cross (800-HELP-NOW),
Operation Blessing (800-436-6348),
America's Second Harvest (800-344-8070),
or to volunteer
in the relief effort by contacting your local branch of the American Red Cross (who are
organizing accelerated training programs for relief workers).
Our musical work has always stood on the shoulders of
giants, and in particular the unequaled musical heritage
and rich culture of New Orleans.
It's our hope that this beautiful community will rise again
and carry forward its traditions. You may find
these words
inspiring in that regard.
JAZZFEST 2005
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2005...
another year absolutely packed with Fog City artists, past and present...
more concerts during a single
JazzFest than any other label, maybe ever...
and we were blissfully ignorant of the flooding that would take place
a few months later.
Now, in the aftermath of the hurricanes, we look forward to JazzFest 2006
and encourage you to support New Orleans by planning
to be there in this next, critical year of recovery.
Please bring your enthusiasm, high spirits, and some tourist dollars,
and participate in what could be remembered as a major turning point for the city.
HARVEST FEST
At the Florida Music Harvest Festival, festival organizers were so
excited about Fog City artists MOFRO and PAPA MALI's sets that they set up an impromptu
"songwriters summit" with
PAPA MALI, JJ, guitar legend
David Bromberg, and lap steel wizard Curtis Burch.
The guys traded songs and stories, singing or supporting
each other in a moving set.
FOG CITY RECORDS CARAVAN TOUR
MOFRO's
grand finale to their
Blackwater
support tour
was FOG CITY RECORDS CARAVAN WEEK.
MOFRO - and -
PAPA MALI, sharing the stage for the first time!
Especially significant to us, since Papa Mali's
Thunder Chicken
record was a big reason MOFRO wanted to work with us in the first place.
FOG CITY ALL STAR SHOW - NEW YEARS WEEKEND, SAN FRANCISCO!
FOG CITY RECORDS' first major showcase, BIG NIGHT OUT #1...
an all-star soul summit featured, on stage at the same time,
together for the first time:
Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, Skerik, Charlie Hunter and Chris Stillwell.
Plus, a special opening set with Fog City recording artists
MOFRO.
The show was recorded for possible release on Fog City.
An Honest Tune called it "on fire from the first note"
REQUIRED LISTENING: STANTON MOORE'S FIRST SOLO ALBUM
If you've seen a Galactic show, you've definitely heard
Stanton Moore
-
the kind of funk drummer that only New Orleans can produce.
For
All Kooked Out!,
his first solo project, he hooked up with some
superbad
out-of-towners (guitarist
Charlie Hunter
and Seattle-based saxophonics wizard
Skerik)
as well as a few friends from the local scene
(including Galactic tenor saxophonist Ben Ellman
and
ex-Sun Ra trumpeter Michael Ray).
The result is, as you might expect, super funky -
taking New Orleans funk into the future and way, way out!
Now a classic release, still one of our most popular items,
and a launchpad for an incredible artist's career.
And, worth noting, a document of the very first meeting of Skerik and Charlie Hunter!
Fog City Records was proud to feature New Orleans funk band
Galactic
on its first release.
Using what was (back in 1996) cutting edge mastering technology, we packed about
an hour of the New Orleans funk grooves (for your regular CD player) AND
a full-blown multimedia experience
(for your computer's CD-ROM drive) onto
a single disc. This made us one of the very first
record labels to release an Enhanced CD... and more important, we've seen Galactic
develop to one of the most successful New Orleans bands of all time.
Capricorn (now BMG/Volcano Records) has reissued Coolin Off and released
Galactic's second album
Crazyhorse Mongoose
(which Fog City's Dan Prothero also produced). Not too shabby for our first release!
Some kindly quotes from our supporters. Thanks for chiming in!
"Fog City puts out sole music that refuses to follow in anyone else's footprints."
(SF Weekly)
"Fog City's consistency in putting
out the highest quality recordings - and I use that term in an all
encompassing way to include talent, sound, the enhanced CD extras, etc.
etc. etc. - is amazing and probably unmatchable."
(fan mail from Garrett)
"Fog City is an eminently cool record label with its penchant for
expanded-media CDs and utterly cool taste in artists."
(Lafayette Daily Advertiser)
"you really have a great knack for finding and
shepherding unique creators of quality handcrafted uncompromising
music... for this I salute you! In the age of sound alike bands with little
talent FC provides a ray of hope for the future of music... great job..."
(fan mail from Zachary)
"yet another reason San Francisco's Bay Area will
stay on the musical map forever."
(pauserecord.com)
"I absolutely love each Fog City release, and look forward to continued
success on your part. This is grass roots style, and your imprint
is stamped heavily on each disc (superb graphics). IMO, that's a great
thing, and something we in the scene should appreciate."
(fan mail from Patrick in D.C.)
"I've really learned to trust Fog City and
the music they put out - you can pretty much depend on their artists' putting
on a great show."
(fan mail from Kyle in Chicago)
JazzFest 2012 rapidly approaches. Do you have your plane tickets yet? Now's the time. Ticket prices just dropped a little and if the past is any indication prices will skyrocket in the next few weeks. And demand for hotel rooms seems to be extra high this year. As for Fog City artists (past and present), there are twelve gigs and counting already on the books, and we predict more than forty shows when it's all said and done... including a great slot for JJ Grey & MOFRO at Tipitina's on Friday April 27. Keep an eye on our gigs page, where we'll post all the details and inside scoops... or scan your gig listings not only for STANTON MOORE, GARAGE A TROIS, JJ Grey, ROBERT WALTER, PAPA MALI and GALACTIC but also for their side projects like Dragon Smoke, Worship My Organ, Frequinox, and The Whip.
. (link)
Fog City's Dan Prothero just finished production work on the new JJ Grey & MOFRO record, which comes out on Alligator Records on August 24. This is the fifth record they've made together, and this time around it features guest visits from friends Derek Trucks and Toots Hibbert. A documentary of the making of the record is available on that youTube thing... check it out!
. (link)
Bay Area friends: ROBERT WALTER is playing two nights at Coda in San Francisco, as a duo with New Orleans legend Johnny Vidacovich. Coda is an intimate room with nice sound, so expect a rare chance to see some top-notch interaction when these two square off, drums and B3 style. Two nights only, Thursday July 1 and Friday July 2. Don't miss it! Seriously. Update: just added two additional dates at the High Sierra Music Festival in sunny Quincy, California...
.
GARAGE A TROIS is everywhere this summer. NY, NJ, WV, CA, AZ, OR, including a choice slot at Outside Lands in San Francisco in August. Details on the tour page.
. (link)
Holy Moley! Everyone is playing Jamcruise this year! ROBERT WALTER is doubling up with both The Greyboy Allstars and his own trio with Johnny Vidacovich (he of Professor Longhair fame) and George Porter (of the Meters). And Stanton's pulling triple-duty with GALACTIC, Anders Osborne and GARAGE A TROIS. Look a little further and you'll see TIM BLUHM playing with The Rhythm Devils. Plus there's acts as far-reaching as the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. Expect greatness, and lots of messy interaction on the high seas.
. (link)
MOFRO's JJ Grey has written his first score for the feature documentary film, THE GOOD SOLDIER. The film received a national promotional boost when it was featured on PBS's nationwide show "Bill Moyers Journal." This is a powerful and important tally of the price paid by generations of men and women who fought for their country, and we highly recommend you watch it. For a theatre near you, check out www.thegoodsoldier.com.
. (link)
After an embarrassing and unexplainably long period of unavailability, Fog City t-shirts are finally back in stock. They sold out long ago, and I suppose we were just working on other things, and one of those things led to another, and, well... where did the time go? (Those of you over the age of 25 probably know what we're talking about... those of you over 35 definitely do.) Fans of all ages and sizes: stop by our online store and pick up a Fog City tee, if only to pay for our therapy which will hopefully reveal any issues underlying our procrastination, which will eventually lead to the growth that would ensure a more functional running of our day-to-day operations, so that when the wanna-be's take note of your awesome Fog City shirt and go to order one for themselves they will find it in stock.
. (link)
Great review of JJ Grey & MOFRO in the New York Times, including some very nice words about their most recent album, Orange Blossoms (recorded and produced by Dan Prothero, Fog City's head honcho and chief bottle-washer): "Among other things, it suggested that MOFRO has one of the great unhurried rhythm sections in rock, capable of heavy track-laying but comfortable with airy fluctuation." Aw shucks!
. (link)
More mojo than a warehouse full of mistletoe, more spirit than a bathtub full of gin, groovier than anything you're gonna hear on the radio this holiday season... it's got soul, it's superbad... it's ROBERT WALTER's HOLIDAY RECORD. Seriously, we get so many comments about this little record, and it's always a hit when we're at home for the holidays. Take a listen and pick up your copy now. Santa baby!
. (link)
Fog City's own ROBERT WALTER and STANTON MOORE backed Alec Ounsworth (Clap Your Hands And Say Yeah) on his debut solo album, an effort that Spin has called "the sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut," and credits New Orleans "ringers" Robert and Stanton. Right on, brothers...
. (link)
The news could not be better: MOFRO's JJ Grey will be performing with two musical icons: Mavis Staples and Booker T. Performing both separately and together, the artists promise a concert filled with timeless hits, heart and plenty of soul. That's Mavis of the Staple Singers, Booker of Booker T & The MG's, and JJ. Playing together. Think about it. Three dates in March were announced initially: Fort Worth, Austin, and Urbana. Dare we hope for more? Or is that just being greedy?
. (link)
STANTON MOORE is interviewed for the Documentary Channel’s new four-part series, “Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense”. The series has been in production for seven years. Stanton's part premiered on April 20th, 2009 (a trailer is online here). Festival screenings are in the works now. Keep an eye on the project's website for more info.
. (link)
Louisiana's coastal wetlands are disappearing at the rate of a football field every 45 minutes, destroying New Orleans natural storm defenses. In this video, Stanton, along with members of Fishbone and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, talk about the state of the wetlands and Louisiana's coastal crisis after a fly over of the gulf coast.
. (link)
Fog City label head Dan Prothero has wrapped up production and mixing on the new album from JJ Grey & MOFRO. Orange Blossoms is out now, and available through Alligator Records. Backed by the full arsenal of horns, strings and a kick-butt bunch of backing vocalists, this is some high-octane soul for your almost-empty gas tank. Take it for a spin...
. (link)
Madness. Madness I say! Putting artists and fans together in the same space for a week? In international waters? Madness. ROBERT WALTER, JJ Grey & MOFRO, STANTON MOORE, SKERIK, Robert Mercurio, Cochemea Gastelum and TIM BLUHM to name just a few Fog City artists and alumni. January 2010.
. (link)
In addition to a very flattering five-page feature on PAPA MALI in their latest issue, Hittin' The Note magazine has included his latest record (Do Your Thing) in their
top 10 list for the year. Aww, shucks!
. (link)
Seems like Jazzfest is coming early this year. Or at least, all the planning sure is. Early enough that there are already a bunch of shows booked with Fog City artists, past and present... but they haven't even released the JazzFest poster yet. Damn. Last year it was EIGHTEEN SHOWS (plus sit-ins all over town) and we anticipate the same this year. Sheesh. What we can announce right now: first weekend, GARAGE A TROIS plays the Riverboat Creole Queen. As always, It's gonna be nuts. Keep your eye on our tour page as the details unfold.
. (link)
Quick announcement -- if you're lucky enough to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, be sure to check out PAPA MALI's 2nd Annual Supernatural Ball, at Tipitina's on Thursday February 19th. With special guests Hot 8 Brass Band, George Porter, Jr., Glen David Andrews, John Mooney, Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, and more. Wild! Check out our tour page for links.
. (link)
Fog City label head and producer Dan Prothero is hard at work with JJ Grey & MOFRO, recording tracks for their next (fourth) album in St. Augustine Florida. The intent is to release the record this year, but we can't tell you any more than that for the time being...
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So far, so good. Fog City artists, past and present, are playing EIGHTEEN shows (and counting!) in New Orleans during this year's Jazz & Heritage Festival. And that doesn't even count the sit-ins that will be happening all over town, every night of the week. For an onslaught of funk and soul in one of New Orleans' most vital clubs, we recommend you check out JJ Grey & MOFRO (with New Mastersounds) at Tipitina's. For those of you who look for something more personal, PAPA MALI will be playing an intimate little show at the Rusty Nail. Also, we have high hopes for GARAGE A TROIS at One Eyed Jacks and GALACTIC on the Riverboat Creole Queen. Oh and then there's STANTON MOORE and ROBERT WALTER at historic Preservation Hall... Where to even start? Where to stop? It's gonna be nuts. Check out our tour page for the latest.
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JJ Grey & MOFRO went down under in March for the Byron Bay East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, playing for three days on March 22-24. Other acts included John Fogerty, KT Tunstall, Xavier Rudd, Keb Mo and G Love & Special Sauce among others.
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ROBERT WALTER is continuing his occasional touring with The Greyboy Allstars. April 2008 sees them East Coasting before playing three shows at JazzFest. If you missed the Allstars the first time around, don't sleep.
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JJ GREY & MOFRO celebrate the New Years with a return to their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida for FOUR nights at Freebird Live.
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It's that time of year again... JazzFest. New Orleans. I can already taste the duck and pheasant gumbo at the fairgrounds, oysters at Casamento's, the muffaletta at Central Grocery, late night fried chicken at Fiorella's... mmmm. But it's also time to give a little something back. This year, we will again be volunteering with Habitat For Humanity and helping complete the Musician's Village project. Those who volunteered with us last year know it was a little exhausting and a lot rewarding. Come join us this year and experience it for yourself. You will be glad you did.
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The first review of PAPA MALI's upcoming release Do Your Thing has arrived (courtesy of New Orleans' Gambit Magazine), and we thought you should read it -- not because it flatters us, but so you can see how to properly rock a word like "grimoire":Malcolm "PAPA MALI" Welbourne is the kind of local character that would be genuinely iconic anywhere else. Here in his adopted New Orleans, though, where we historically curate a stellar permanent collection of freaks, oddities and twisted brilliance, he simply fits right in. That's not faint praise, either. The psychedelic swamp sounds on Do Your Thing are New Orleans inside and out, and even if the sound didn't show it, his guest list would. No less of a supporting cast than the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's sousaphone player Kirk Joseph, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, award-collecting pianist Henry Butler, the Golden Eagle Mardi Gras Indians, and the Reverend Goat Carson -- who's equally likely to be seen sweeping up a Frenchmen Street bar in the early morning as playing in one late at night -- appear on the record, which is a magically crafted grimoire of voodoo space blues. Reminiscent of Night Tripper-era Dr. John, Coco Robicheaux or C.C. Adcock's latest gritty ghost-rock effort, Do Your Thing runs the gamut from prayerful blues on tracks like the haunting, understated closer True Religion to psychedelic, almost Beatles-esqe fuzz guitar on I Had The Dream. All in all, a powerful, glowing globe of swamp gas.
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Well, maybe not a scandal exactly... ok, so there's no scandal. That was just
what we in the bizness refer to as a CPG (Cheap Publicity Gag).
But seriously, the baby doll tees we're now making do usually get noticed because they're so cute
and because men and women alike appreciate a nice baby doll tee. Of course, guys don't usually wear
a baby doll tee. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
But they sure do appreciate how they fit. On women.
While they rock their own men's cut t-shirt.
Is that clear enough?
And did I mention they all glow in the dark? Bananas!
Anyway if you're still reading this you should really just
MOFRO returned to the North East this November with hometown music mates the Derek Trucks Band.
The two Jacksonville, FL bands played historic and beautiful listening rooms
like Town Hall in New York City and the Keswick Theater in Philadelphia.
These shows were filled with Southern soul, funk, and rock in some of the most epic venues in the country.
Tim Bluhm, known around the West Coast as front man for the legendary Mother Hips,
has recorded his
We are tremendously saddened by the devastation of one of America's greatest treasures
in the wake of hurricane Katrina. Our hearts go out to the victims of the storms.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2005...
another year absolutely packed with Fog City artists, past and present...
more concerts during a single
JazzFest than any other label, maybe ever...
and we were blissfully ignorant of the flooding that would take place
a few months later.
Now, in the aftermath of the hurricanes, we look forward to JazzFest 2006
and encourage you to support New Orleans by planning
to be there in this next, critical year of recovery.
Please bring your enthusiasm, high spirits, and some tourist dollars,
and participate in what could be remembered as a major turning point for the city.
At the Florida Music Harvest Festival, festival organizers were so
excited about Fog City artists MOFRO and PAPA MALI's sets that they set up an impromptu
"songwriters summit" with
PAPA MALI, JJ, guitar legend
FOG CITY RECORDS' first major showcase, BIG NIGHT OUT #1...
an all-star soul summit featured, on stage at the same time,
together for the first time:
Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, Skerik, Charlie Hunter and Chris Stillwell.
Plus, a special opening set with Fog City recording artists
If you've seen a Galactic show, you've definitely heard
Fog City Records was proud to feature New Orleans funk band
