New Releases
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NOW PLAYING: BIG PETE w/ KIM WILSON "Act Like You Love Me" From the album "CHOICE CUTS" This text will be replaced by the flash music player.

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"…Holland's best kept secret…" – Blues In The Northwest

"…harmonica influences of William Clarke, Al Blake, and Lester Butler,and a sweet, full-toned natural voice." – American Blues Blog

"The sessions were simply incredible. A lot of deep blues got put down." – Alex Schultz

Big Pete's informal introduction to the U.S. market materialized in March 2010 with his appearance on The Mannish Boys' 5th anniversary release "Shake For Me." Pete closed out the album in style paying tribute to his hero Lester Butler on the storming New Orleans romp "Way Down South," backed by Kid Ramos, Willie J. Campbell and Jimi Bott along with special guest pianist Andy Kaulkin, who previously recorded with Lester Butler on the classic album "Thirteen." Now Holland's best kept secret makes his official American solo album debut with an incredible all-star recording lineup featuring Kim Wilson, Paul Oscher, Al Blake, Johnny Dyer, Alex Schultz, Kirk Fletcher, Kid Ramos, Rusty Zinn, Shawn Pittman, John Marx, Mojo Mark, Rob Rio, Willie J. Campbell and Jimi Bott. "Choice Cuts" is guaranteed to be an instant classic not to be missed by anyone who considers themselves a true blues lover!

Retail: $17.99 OUR PRICE: $12.99+ s&h

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"Her Strat-driven blues variations range from high octane SRV-style throwdowns to electric slide-and-wah excursions to Ronnie Earl-inspired jazziness and acoustic Delta stomps." – Guitar Player Magazine

"…her playing is a melting pot in the best sense, combining jazzy inflections, rockier stylings, fluent runs and muscular string bends to impressive effect." – Guitarist Magazine

"Ana Popovic is a fine example of a blues artist who takes new directions while remaining true to the essence of the genre" – Blues Revue Magazine

Featuring guests:
Sonny Landreth, Jason Ricci
Jon Cleary, and more!

Ana Popovic is widely regarded as one of world's very best female guitar-players. Her new album, "Unconditional," was recorded at the famous Piety Street recording studios in New Orleans and is Ana's sixth studio release. It was produced by Ana Popovic and Grammy Award winning producer John Porter. Of the album's twelve songs, eight are originals by Popovic, from which two are co-written by writing partner Mark van Meurs. Also on the album are songs gleaned from the rich blues history done by some of Ana's favorites, including Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Otis Spann, Nina Simone and Sugar Pie DeSanto. "The title 'Unconditional'," Ana explains, "describes what I feel on stage. That place is simply unconditional. It is magical. It's just me and my guitar, notes, sounds and drum grooves. I let the band lift me up, and I feed off of their energy. I hate to think when playing. I only feel. Unconditional is how I stand towards my music - it's mine, it's sacred, and it's with no boundaries – absolute, definite. I tend to put everything I have into it and don't let anything or anyone get in between, except the people that truly inspire me."

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"A Blues Diva of the 20th century who can liven up any party without shedding a stitch." – People Magazine

"This tough cookie wails with a rousing confidence, affirmation of identity, the courage of her convictions and wisdom beyond her years." - Downbeat Magazine

"Laura Chavez is not just a rising star. She's already arrived." - Vintage Guitar

"A voice that is a natural wonder – like the Grand Canyon." – The Washington Post

Featuring Laura Chavez
& Special Guests: James Harman,
Nathan James, and more!

On her latest release, "Sister Vagabond," Candye Kane once again delivers her heart on a platter. Kane presents a more mature and swinging collection of scorching blues and soul originals, searing with the young Laura Chavez's impressive guitar work. Kane takes us on a journey thru love, heartbreak, rejection and personal empowerment, colored in swampy and soulful earth tones that bring a new twist to old favorites (Brenda Lee's Sweet Nothings) and explore spookier and darker territory (Walkin' Talkin' Haunted House). Laura's guitar work stands out on these performances demonstrating maturity beyond her years. Kane and Chavez are a powerhouse duo to reckon with, exhibiting feminist strength and power in bucketfuls. Move over all you mannish boys....

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"…his fiery Strat playing elevates each and every song, as do the swallow-your-emotions vocals."– Vintage Guitar

"…one of the finest, most creative musicians on the competitive blues-roots scene." – Blues Revue Magazine

"His music flows into the veins and moves the body in ways that can only be described as free and wild…"– Jazz Times

"The lyrics are great, the musicianship is superb, but Zito's voice is the real surprise. Gritty, thick, and expressive, Zito delivers his lyrics with heart and soul…" – The Celebrity Café

Mike Zito's latest release "Greyhound"- produced by Grammy-Award winning guitarist/singer/songwriter Anders Osborne - is the continuation of the songwriting process established by Zito on his two previous and critically acclaimed recordings on Eclecto Groove Records. His music still retains its bluesy Americana charm while also emphasizing that dusty, big wide-open Texas sound. Here, we find Zito exploring more personal and introspective themes; inspired by the Greyhound bus that helped carry him on his way out of town as a young man, ultimately steering him onto his current pathway and direction in life.

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Delta Groove Music
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GUITAR WORLD BEST OF 2011 Guitar World announces its "Top 15 Blues and Roots Rock Albums of 2011" and selected Ana Popovic "Unconditional" as #13! To read more CLICK HERE! .......................................................................... BLUES MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED! The Blues Foundation has just announced the nominations for the 2012 Blues Music Awards and we are proud to let you know that 10 Delta Groove artists picked up a total of 14 nominations in 12 categories! The 33rd annual award ceremony will take place at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN on May 10th, 2012. CANDYE KANE "SISTER VAGABOND" B.B. King Entertainer Contemporary Blues Female Artist TRACY NELSON "VICTIM OF THE BLUES" Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Traditional Blues Album ANA POPOVIC "UNCONDITIONAL" Contemporary Blues Album Contemporary Blues Female Artist BIG PETE "CHOICE CUTS" Best New Artist Debut MIKE ZITO "GREYHOUND" Rock Blues Album TERRY HANCK "LOOK OUT!" Song of the Year - "Appreciate What You Got" Instrumentalist-Horn KIRK FLETCHER Gibson Guitar Award LARRY TAYLOR Instrumentalist-Bass JIMI BOTT Instrumentalist-Drums TONY BRAUNAGEL Instrumentalist-Drums Show your support for your favorite artists and releases by voting today! CLICK HERE! To register and become a member of The Blues Foundation and be eligible to vote for your favorite Delta Groove artists, please visit the Blues Foundation website at www.blues.org. .......................................................................... GERMAN RECORD CRITIC AWARD It has just been announced that the new album "Choice Cuts" by Big Pete has been nominated for a German Record Critic Award. The German Record Critics' Award ("Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik") was established in 1980 to set the "most rigorous standards for supreme achievement and quality" in the field of music recording. The German Record Critics' Award Association consists of up to 145 music critics, writers, musicologists and editors in Germany, Austria and Switzerland actively involved in the assessment of CDs and DVDs. Its mission is to provide producers, composers, artists and music lovers with an honest guide to new releases of true artistic significance. The critics nominate from the latest releases  in 29 categories ranging from opera to rock, folk, blues — even Indonesian Gamelan orchestra — produced by large and small, domestic or foreign record companies. ......................................................................... ELVIN BISHOP INTERVIEW Delta Groove recording artist and blues legend Elvin Bishop was just recently interviewed by Guitar World touching on his almost 50 year relationship with his Gibson ES-345 "Red Dog", as well as touring, the Blues Cruse, singing and song writing. CLICK HERE TO READ! .......................................................................... ANA POPOVIC IN GUITAR WORLD Ana Popovic was recently interviewed by Guitar World Magazine in which she discusses her new album "Unconditional". Click here to read the full article! In addition to the interview, Ana Popovic was also featured on Guitar World's "Lick of the Day" where she shares her passion for the blues tradition and demonstrates one of the many memorable licks from her latest album 'Unconditional'. Click here to watch the video! .......................................................................... TRACY NELSON & CYNDI LAUPER Tracy Nelson is featured on Cyndi Lauper’s new DVD, To Memphis With Love, where together they perform Nelson’s signature song “Down So Low.” Lauper’s new DVD follows on the heels of her 2010 Grammy nominated CD Memphis Blues, which finds the Pop diva tackling traditional blues standards and personal favorites (including Nelson’s “Down So Low), along with the help of blues heavyweights B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite and Jonny Lang. Lauper’s new DVD was released on October 24, 2011 and also features special guests Allen Toussaint and Jonny Lang. .......................................................................... ANA POPOVIC ON THE BILLBOARD BLUES CHARTS! Ana Popovic’s new CD Unconditional has proven to be a smashing success right out the gate. The album debuted on the Billboard Blues Chart at #11 the week ending September 3, 2011, and so far has spent a total of seven weeks on the chart with a peak position of #7. Additionally, Unconditional also appeared on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album Chart for three weeks hitting its peak position there at #36. .......................................................................... NEW ARTIST SIGNING - R.J. MISCHO Renowned blues vocalist and harmonica player R.J. Mischo got his start over 20 years ago while working his way up through the thriving Minneapolis blues scene of the early 1990's. He formed the RJ and Kid Morgan Blues Band with guitarist Teddy Morgan and released the album "Ready To Go," which also featured vocalist Percy Strother, in 1992. Mischo's first official solo album, "Gonna Rock Tonight," followed two years later in '94 on the regional blues label Blue Loon Records. In the intervening years, Mischo has continued to release top-shelf recordings while working with such high caliber musicians as Jeremy Johnson, Steve Freund, Junior Watson, Frank Goldwasser, Rusty Zinn, Kid Andersen, Marc Thijs, Barrelhouse Chuck, June Core and Richard Innes, among many others. He's also maintained a consistently aggressive touring schedule with regular trips overseas to Europe, and has even travelled to South America for performances with Brazil's very own Igor Prado Band. For his Delta Groove debut, R.J. Mischo has conjured up an album comprised entirely of original material recorded both in Austin, Texas, as well as his old stomping grounds of St. Paul, Minnesota. Mischo gathers together a collection of top-tier talent for this release which includes Johnny Moeller, Nick Curran, Jeremy Johnson, Ronnie James Weber, Wes Starr and Nick Connolly. Are you excited yet? I know we sure are! Look for the brand new CD by R.J. Mischo on Delta Groove Music coming early Spring 2012. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE! .......................................................................... ANA POPOVIC ON PRI American blues greatly influenced a young Ana Popovic. She grew up in Belgrade, in what was then Yugoslavia. Now this Serbian blues musician has released her new album "Unconditional." It was recorded in New Orleans and Ana Popovic tells anchor Marco Werman that there are similarities between the crescent city and Belgrade. To listen to this inteview visit http://www.theworld.org/2011/08/serbian-blues-musician-ana-popovic/ .......................................................................... DELTA GROOVE HARP BLAST The Delta Groove "Harp Blast" featuring Mitch Kashmar, Randy Chortkoff, Bob Corritore, and "Big Pete" Van Dr Pluijm just recently set the stage on fire at the Edmonton Blues Festival in Edmonton, Canada. In anticipation of this all-star performance the Edmonton Journal wrote a feature story highlighting the group member's many accomplishments, as well as a brief history of Randy Chortkoff's journey to into the Blues world and the formation of this new supergroup. . CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE! ..........................................................................

Partner Companies
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Delta Groove Music is thoroughly engaged in developing our prestigious event, The 7th Annual Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue, held right here in Southern California on Memorial Day weekend. 2012 marks our third year producing the Blues Stage at the Cajun & Blues Music Festival in Simi Valley (Produced by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise) and talent prospects are already looking good. Tentatively scheduled to perform so far are The Fabulous Thunderbirds, A Tribute To Muddy Waters featuring James Cotton, Mud Morganfield (Eldest Son of Muddy Waters), Bob Margolin, Darrell Nulisch and Johnny Dyer, Rod Piazza & The West Coast Sheiks
featuring: Junior Watson and special guests, The Mannish Boys Revue with Finis Tasby, Sugaray Rayford, Kid Ramos and more, Paul Oscher, Candye Kane, "Big Pete" van der Pluijm, R.J. Mischo, The Terry Hanck Band, and The Delta Groove Harp Blast featuring Mitch Kashmar, Al Blake, Bob Corritore, Big Pete and other Delta Groove top tier harmonica talent. Mark your calendars now for Memorial Day weekend, Saturday May 26th and Sunday, May 27th and stay tuned for forthcoming announcements regarding additional artists and a complete festival lineup. 

Cajun & Blues Festival Dishes It Up

Simi Valley, CA has it going on! The 22nd annual Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival was held Memorial Day weekend, May 28-29. I had a gig the 27th and the 29th but made a point to drag myself up early Saturday morning the 28th and drive over two hours to catch at least one day. What a treat it turned out to be! Relaxing, exciting and downhome all rolled into one gently sprawling event that felt like a community fair/music festival. An added surprise was seeing Blues Foundation pals Jay and Priscilla Sieleman representing here all the way from Memphis , TN.

CLICK TO SEE PHOTOS
& READ MORE!

LIVE SHOW REVIEW

Memorial Day Weekend A busy time for the blues! All around the country blues fans had their choice of festivals this holiday weekend and California, both north and south, were no exceptions. Santa Cruz in the north, Simi Valley in the south ­ the Simi festival, known as the Cajun & Blues Music Festival, is in its 22nd year. It started out as the Cajun Creole Festival, but three years ago a blues stage was added. This year and last Randy Chortkoff and the Delta Blues Team booked and produced the blues stage. He uses the festival to showcase many of his Delta Groove performers, but he also books acts not associated with Delta Groove. This festival reminds me of the T.A.M.I. shows of the 60's, or the Stax festivals of the 70's: more than a festival, it's an all-star review.

It's 18 hours of non-stop music with short set changes, a highly efficient stage crew, excellent sound and sight lines which made this very enjoyable. The music ran the gamut from young up-and-comers like The 44s, Mikey Jr. and Stone Cold Blues, and Cadillac Zack, to veterans Arthur Adams, Finis Tasby, and the star power of Elvin Bishop, Kid Ramos, Tracy Nelson, and the Mannish Boys.

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& READ MORE!

MUSIC MAN ADDS MORE BLUES

On a leafy Sherman Oaks street, past a sturdy fence and well-tended yard, there is a house of blues.

A large, time-lapse photo of Chicago highways hanging above the fireplace of the Mellenthin Ranch home announces this is the home of Delta Groove Music.

Wood-paneled walls sport folk art and framed posters of the independent record label's acts, which range from veterans like Elvin Bishop to newcomers Cedric Burnside and owner Rand Chortkoff's own band, The Mannish Boys.

Memorabilia and stylized busts of blues musicians are tastefully arranged on table tops and book cases, and the converted bedroom that is Chortkoff's office has its own photo-laden wall of fame. From here, the 61-year-old harp blower charts the careers of some 35 artists - and in his spare time, he programmed the Blues Stage for this weekend's Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE!

Festivals Exclusive, LLC is a new booking agency specializing in booking Blues, Roots & Music Festivals worldwide. Festivals Exclusive will initially focus solely on booking artists on the Delta Groove Music and Eclecto Groove Records labels.

THE DELTA ALL-STAR HARP BLAST

THE MANNISH BOYS

FINIS TASBY
SUGARAY RAYFORD

ROD PIAZZA

BIG PETE

BOB CORRITORE

LYNWOOD SLIM & IGOR PRADO BAND

KIRK FLETCHER BAND

MITCH KASHMA R BAND
ARTHUR ADAMS
TERRY HANCK
MIKEY JR.
ROB RIO

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!