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JAMES ARMSTRONG & BAND (USA)
Friday, July 1st, 22:00


JJames Armstrong - guitar, vocals
Felton Crews- bass
Lukas Knöfler - drums
Raphael Wressnig - keyboards

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James Armstrong.

Deutsche Übersetzung folgt in Kürze!
Guitarist, singer, and songwriter James Armstrong has a bright future in blues music. His latest album was one of the finest electric blues records of 2000, garnering two W.C. Handy Award nominations: one for Contemporary Male Artist of the Year, and one for Song of the Year ("Pennies and Picks," co-written with Bruce Bromberg and Onnie Heaney). He tours extensively and his shows are among the best on the circuit.

The son of a blues-singing mother and jazz guitar-playing father, Armstrong got the music bug at an early age. He formed his first band in the seventh grade and has progressed rapidly ever since. He singles out Jimi Hendrix and Robert Cray as singing influences, and Albert Collins, Albert King, and Eric Clapton as guitarists whose work has inspired him.

Based in the Los Angeles area in the early 1980s, Armstrong learned by playing -- a lot of playing -- around Southern California's club scene. He recalls backing Big Joe Turner during that time at Santa Monica's Music Machine, and a similar gig with Albert Collins later on as part of a band that included guitarist Coco Montoya. Then there was that wild gig with Smokey Wilson in East L.A. that reinforced the image of the blues as a tough business on a young Armstrong.

His first HighTone release, 1995's Sleeping With a Stranger, drew widespread critical acclaim as well as tremendous popularity on the European circuit. Unfortunately, the great momentum he had going into early 1997 ended with a stabbing attack in April of that year. During his slow recuperation, Armstrong recorded Dark Night in late 1998. The songs on Dark Night reflected the turmoil and introspection of that time, and they featured his debut on slide guitar (since he had not yet regained his ability to play lead electric guitar)

Armstrong has come back strong over the last few years with a solid schedule of touring and physical therapy. He's once again playing lead guitar, but he still incorporates his searing slide-guitar skills into his recordings and live shows. Confident and re-energized, he entered the recording studio with producer Bruce Bromberg in the late spring of 2000 to begin recording his latest album, Got It Goin' On. In addition to the members of his regular touring band, the sessions included keyboardist Mike Emerson, Joe Louis Walker's rhythm section, and a special guest appearance on two songs by keyboardist Jimmy Pugh of Robert Cray's band.

Dynamic in its performance and execution, Got It Goin' On is packed with scorching guitar work and soulful vocals. The songs cover a wide spectrum of experiences; "I let the tone of the lyrics dictate the style of the music," says Armstrong of his songwriting process. "Or sometimes, I'll just grab a title first and then go with an idea." "Pennies and Picks" is a true story of the road. "2 Sides" was written over eight years ago and was included in the movie Speechless (starring Michael Keaton). "Mr. B's" is another true story, about a club in Santa Monica where James held down a regular gig in the early '90s. "Love Will Make You Do Wrong" is a cautionary tale about the downsides of the heart.

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