LOUISIANA RED HOT RECORDS

Posts in the R&B category

GREGG MARTINEZ

Gregg_MartinezBIO

A premier, powerhouse vocalist of Louisiana, Gregg Martinez (from the Spanish Creoles of Bayou Lafourche) is a sensationally soulful baritone often compared to Sam Cooke and Luther Vandross. Recognized early on in local churches and bars, the young Martinez rapidly ascended all the way to an exclusive contract with billionaire Donald Trump in Atlantic City, and a seven figure recording deal with multi-platinum Philly producers Victor Carstarphen and Keith Benson. On the brink of stardom, though, the bubble burst, eventually returning the prodigal son to his native Bayou Blues and Creole Soul roots.

The late Ed Bradley of TV’s 60 Minutes—upon seeing him perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2005—called Gregg Martinez one of America’s greatest hidden treasures. His talent is the stuff of legend and even after more than thirty-five years, Gregg is better than ever. He has performed throughout the U.S. and has toured South Africa, England, Wales, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Gregg has released ten recordings, Wonders Never Cease- 1991, Love Has A Voice- 1993, They That Wait- 1997, For The Ages- 1999, All The Days- 2001, Christmas- 2002, Bring Down The Thunder- 2004, Big Bad Daddy- 2006, South Of The Parish Line-2011, and the brand new Creole Soul-2013, his first on Louisiana Red Hot Records. His music is played on radio stations in the U.S. and abroad. Gregg has shared the stage with many notable artists including Stevie Wonder, Foreigner, BTO, Dobie Gray, Shirley Caesar, Percy Sledge, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Patti Labelle, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. He is also the former lead singer of the Boogie Kings, for which, as a member of that legendary group, he was selected into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010. He wrote and recorded the title song for their final album, Never Go Away- 2007. He has twice been nominated for Best Male Vocalist by OFFBEAT Magazine – the only one outside of New Orleans to ever receive a nod in this category. He recently had the incredible honor of singing for the funeral of the great Percy Sledge.

If Elvis were remaking his famous New Orleans movie now, the man “…with a great big soul” he’d be singing about would be Gregg Martinez – the REAL King Creole.

 

PRESS

“…one of America’s greatest hidden treasures. ” – Ed Bradley, 60 Minutes

“…the white Teddy Pendergrass.” – Offbeat Magazine

“…brilliant interpretive success. A real find.” – Blues Revue

“A strong, daring presence – heartfelt when others are boastful, soulful when others simply shout.” – Something Else

“The best voice in Atlantic City and a terrific performer.” – Donald Trump

“A world class talent.” – Atlantic City Magazine

“Martinez is a vocal genius…the smoothness of Sam Cooke.” – Times Record News

“One day soon, we will all be buying his records.” – Patti Labelle

“My personal favorite.” – Ivana Trump

“…the most beautiful instrument is the human voice and Gregg Martinez has one of the best ever.” – Blues Radio, Poland

www.greggmartinez.com

RODERICK PAULIN

Roderick PaulinBIO

Native New Orleanian Roderick Paulin is blazing his own trail keeping the rich New Orleans music tradition alive in non-traditional ways. Roderick is known as being the lynchpin of The Rebirth Brass Band where he composed and arranged anthems that went outside of the ‘normal’ brass band sound with intricate harmonies, rhythms, and mainstream music concepts which attracted younger audiences. That new interest in the music was needed because at that time a lot of the older traditional players weren’t able to accommodate the physical demands of walking the long routes of second-line parades and a shift in music was happening with the younger cats. The social-aid and pleasure clubs themselves that employed the bands, reaped the benefits from this shift in the music because they were now bombarded with new members wanting to parade to this ‘new’ style of music that Rebirth was playing and Roderick was behind the scenes composing and arranging the new modal type of brass band music.

PRESS

“…Paulin possesses a chameleonlike command of his tenor, living up to his legacy as the son of New Orleans trumpeter “Doc” Paulin.”  – Patricia Myers, JazzTimes.com

 

THE BLUEBIRDS: Highway 80 East

highwayEast“Louisiana’s most soulful roots rockers” – Offbeat Magazine

If hard-rockin’ blues, stripped-down R&B and scorching slide guitars are your high test gasoline, then the Bluebirds are definitely the premium fuel for you.

The Bluebirds hail from the northern-Louisiana town of Shreveport that has spawned such blues greats as Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter and platinum-selling blues slinger Kenny Wayne Shepherd (who played his first professional gig with the Bluebirds). Anyone who has ventured out into the Southern blues circuit in the last seventeen years has probably heard the Bluebirds at one of their 150+ annual gigs!

With Kerry Hunter on drums, Bruce Flett on bass and slowhand slider, blues sharpshooter extraordinaire Buddy Flett on guitar (yes…they are brothers), the Bluebirds echo the big-beat blues of Southern-style R&B, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the “Tush”-era ZZ Top. Buddy’s guitar work scintillates throughout with the ferocity of Elmore James, the economy of Billy Gibbons and the Southern-fried soul of Lowell George.

Leaner than a silver stiletto and tighter than a Saturday night party dress, Highway 80 East is likely to be the best blues/roots/R&B album you’ll hear this year.

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CYRIL NEVILLE & THE UPTOWN ALLSTARS: The Fire This Time

Cyril Neville Fire This Time

“His voice may be rougher and tougher than that of his angel toned sibling Aaron […] but he still has the power to uplift and move.” – Angus Taylor, BBC Music

“The high social consciousness of the Neville Brothers shines through each of the four brothers in unique ways. Brother Cyril Neville and his Uptown Allstars express their desire for one world of justice and peace through a marriage of funky New Orleans Afro-Caribbean rhythms and the reggae sound of the island of Jamaica. The result is a joyous dance groove mixed with thoughtful lyrics. The title cut says it all: If we don’t get it together, it will indeed be “The Fire This Time.” “Genocide” laments the perceived dispensability of third-world peoples by an industrialized dominant culture motivated by greed and profit. Other tunes recall an important part of the heritage of New Orleans in “Congo Square,” speaking of the place where slaves were allowed to congregate and celebrate on Sundays through dance and drumming. Cyril Neville has been instrumental in reestablishing the tradition of Congo Square. Hundreds of drummers meet there on a regular basis to communicate through the rhythmic heartbeat of the drums. There is a nod to the high priest of piano, Professor Longhair, with his tune about the Mardi Gras Indians, “Big Chief.” The Nevilles share that heritage; their uncle, Chief Jolly, was the big chief of the Wild Tchoupitoulas, and all the brothers participated in the tribe’s music and traditions. Joining Cyril Neville is an array of great New Orleans musicians, such as bassist Charles Moore, Emanuel Steib on trombone, Rev. Curtis Watson on trumpet, and Willie Green III on drums. Together, they tell it like it is from uptown New Orleans.” – Sharon Witmer, AllMusic

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CYRIL NEVILLE: Soulo

SOULO

“One is reminded of the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, visionaries who saw things not as they were, but how they ought to be. Cyril Neville shares that kind of vision. And you can dance to it.” 

“A musical encounter with Cyril Neville is going to involve two basic ingredients: funky Afro-Caribbean rhythms and social protest. In his own way, the youngest of the Neville Brothers is like the folkies of the ’60s with his sharp social commentary. The CD Soulo is no exception. He even includes a song from ’60s protest poster boy Bob Dylan on the album, though Dylan never played “The Times They Are A-Changin'” like this. The entire recording is infused with the musician’s New Orleans heritage of gospel and blues, as this cut exemplifies. Neville makes another political statement in “Another Man,” a song about drugs and guns in the ghetto, and the connection to the white-collar types far removed from the inner city who profit from those sales. He suggests recognition that we are all in this together is the “Road to Unity,” and that the consequence of ignoring this fact is “No Peace, No Justice.” In additional to political statements, Neville stands strong for his own personal queen, Gaynielle Housey-Neville. She wrote the tunes “Another Man” and “Funny Ways.” Cyril Neville pays homage to her in “Be My Lady.” The song “Can’t Stop a Dreamer” may hold the key to the entire recording. One is reminded of the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, visionaries who saw things not as they were, but how they ought to be. Cyril Neville shares that kind of vision. And you can dance to it.” – Sharon Witmer, AllMusic

 

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