MUSIC NEWS- Certainly one of the hardest working bands in show biz, today’s Little Feat is a seven-member powerhouse that carries on the group’s tradition of deftly blending rock, R&B and blues to create a jammin’ blend of Americana that has earned accolades from critics, fellow musicians and fans alike for over four decades.
Their new album, Rooster Rag is out June 26 via Rounder Records and features 10 brand new original songs including four co-writes with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter plus two blues classics, one from Mississippi John Hurt and one from Willie Dixon.
Fred Tackett contributes four songs that demonstrate some superb songwriting and singing. Paul Barrere drops a classic cover and a sizzling rocker written with the late Stephen Bruton. Sam Clayton brings it with a cover of Little Walter. New band member Gabe Ford keeps Feat’s funky rhythms going in a fashion that would have made Richie Hayward proud. And Kenny Gradney just keeps on providing a truly superb bottom end.
Recorded at long-time Bonnie Raitt guitarist Johnnie Lee Schell’s studio in Los Angeles, Rooster Rag includes visits from Fabulous Thunderbirds harp monster Kim Wilson, all-around string star Larry Campbell on violin, Aces Darrell Leonard on trumpet, Joe Sublet on saxophone, and additional vocals from Johnnie Lee himself.
All those other flavors add plenty, but in the end, the sound is unmistakably Little Feat. Paul Barrere reflected on it, “I’m really pleased with how it came out. Gabriel Ford steps up large – this is his first studio effort. What everybody added to everybody else’s songs is really remarkable. It was truly a collaboration and it shows – it’s a good old Little Feat album.”
Rooster Rag Tracklisting-
1. Church Fallin’ Down
2. One Breath at a Time
3. Candyman
4. Blues Keep Comin’
5. Mellow Down Easy
6. Rooster Rag
7. Salome
8. Just a Fever
9. Rag Top Down
10. Jamaica Will Break Your Heart
11. Tattoo Girl
12. Slippin’ and Slidin’
LITTLE FEAT Summer 2012 Tour Itinerary-
June
9 The Mount (Pocono Mountains Performing Arts Center) Tamiment, PA
July
14 Hideaway Park Winter Park, CO
21 Da Vinci Days Festival Corvallis, OR
26 Granada Theatre Dallas, TX
27 La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
28 Tipitina’s New Orleans, LA
30 Soul Kitchen Mobile, AL
31 Florida Theater Jacksonville, FL
August
1 Capitol Theater Clearwater, FL
3 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
4 Cats Cradle Carrboro, NC
5 The Morehead Center Morehead City, NC
7 Bottle and Cork Dewey Beach, DE
8 Rams Head Live Baltimore, MD
10 Flying Monkey Performance Center Plymouth, NH
11 Indian Ranch Webster, MA
12 Blue Ocean Music Hall Salisbury, MA
14 Theatre at Westbury Westbury, NY
15 Ridgefield Playhouse Ridgefield, CT
17 Whitaker Center Harrisburg, PA
18 Folk Festival Philadelphia, PA
20 The Music Pier Ocean City, NJ
22 Beekman Beer Garden Beach Club New York City, NY
September
2 Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater Minneapolis, MN
3 Verizon Events Center Mankato, MN
5 Englert Theatre Iowa City, IA
6-7 Park West Chicago, IL
11 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK
13 Bluebird Theatre Denver, CO
14 Telluride Blues and Brews Festival Telluride, CO
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