“Country and soul music have always been two parts of the same stream, the influence flows in both directions.” - Eli Paperboy Reed
Broadcast high in the Rockies each week from 2PM - 4PM MT on KFFR 88.3-FM and KFFR.org, Mateo’s Magic Bus takes listeners on a journey around the world, exploring the roots of jazz and blues alongside music from today and the past decades that has been influenced by these incredible art forms.
KFFR’s DJ Mateo interviewed Eli Paperboy Reed on-air about his auspicious musical beginnings, his latest project in partnership with Colemine Records + Eli’s father to bring the long lost recordings and story of the great bluesman Fred Davis out into the light of day after over 5 decades, as well as Eli’s latest album, the 2022 release, Down Every Road released on Yep Roc records.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Reed’s path eventually took him to Clarksdale, MS, where he immersed himself in the juke joint culture of the Delta as a teenager, and the south side of Chicago, where he played piano and organ in the church of famed gospel singer Mitty Collier in his twenties.
In 2008, Reed returned to the Boston area and began turning heads with a series of studio albums that earned widespread critical acclaim, with NPR hailing his music as “inspired, raw and powerful” and Uncut lauding its “urgent, electric energy.” The records landed Reed multiple major label deals, scores of song placements in film and television, and festival dates around the world as he established himself as one of the most compelling and consistent soul men of his time.
We then turn our discussion to talking about Eli’s latest project in partnership with Colemine and his father: “Until just recently, the name Fred Davis might not mean anything to the average music fan. The story goes that Davis was your average Cleveland factory worker in the summer of 1969, he worked alongside a man named Howard Husock (Eli’s father). The two bonded over their love of Bobby Bland’s music and it wasn’t too long after that Davis began teaching Husock the basics of blues guitar. Husock quickly learned that Davis was far beyond the average guitarist, and his voice was so powerful it filled up the room with no amplifier. Husock decided if his voice could fill up any room, why not his living room? The two set to recording Davis’ work to tape. These tapes would lay dormant for over 50 years, until today as Colemine is releasing Cleveland Blues on April 21st, resurrecting these incredible recordings from over 50 years hence. [Source: Glide Magazine]
Finally, we discuss Eli’s latest album from 2022, Down Every Road, where Eli pays homage to country legend Merle Haggard by putting a soulful spin on some classic tunes. Recorded in Brooklyn with longtime collaborator Vince Chiarito (Black Pumas, Charles Bradley), Reed taps into all the heartache of Haggard’s iconic catalog and channels it into explosive, high-octane performances that blur the lines of genre, geography, and race to reveal the common, distinctly American threads tying them all together. [Source: Yep Roc]
Please give a listen to the interview. Eli is an incredible force in today’s music scene and as we discussed, we’ll keep trying to get him to Colorado and hopefully Grand County very soon!
It also cuts to the very heart of what this record is all about, reaffirming that country and soul music are and always have been inextricably linked in ways that transcend whatever racial, social, and commercial divisions we’ve been sold through the decades. They are indeed two parts of the same stream, and Eli Paperboy Reed is here to baptize us in its waters.
The Ironsides - 'The Web' World Premier
Our friends at Colemine were gracious to give Mateo's Magic Bus and KFFR the World Premier play of The Ironsides' new single The Web from their upcoming album Changing Light. Quick background: Developed in 2010 by SF Bay Area natives, brothers Max and Joe Ramey, The Ironsides originated as a studio project dedicated to the revival of 60’s and 70’s soul music, with emphasis on a vivid cinematic, soundtrack vibe.
Since the recording of their first 45 record released on Colemine Records, The Ironsides have moved into Soul with a capital “S” harkening back to the golden days of Stax and Motown. Today, The Ironsides have arrived. Changing Light is the first full-length effort from this masterful collective of Bay Area musicians. It melds classic psych-soul sounds with sweeping orchestral arrangements – reminiscent of a cinematic soundtrack from a '60s European film.
The Ironsides enlisted the help of Louis Robert King, a New York based maestro, as co-writer and arranger. King had previously created arrangements for producer/bassist Max Ramey on other projects. Once the tunes were ready to go, the band started contacting the local musicians who would bring them to life. “We hired a group of Bay Area working musicians,” Max explained. “Many of them play a range of music, from jazz to classical, in clubs and orchestras. Using these local musicians was really important to us.”
The album (to be released in May 2023) was recorded at Transistor Sound Studios in the North Bay Area of California. Transistor is home base for The Ironsides, and a host of Colemine Records artists, including Kelly Finnigan and Monophonics. In the early days, The Ironsides’ singles found a home in the hearts of cinematic-soul lovers by way of Colemine. “We started the band to write music that evokes cinematic landscapes.” The band’s first release, The Raven (originally composed by Piero Piccioni), fit the mold and foreshadowed an elaborate sound. “We’ve come full circle – this is what we’ve wanted to do from the beginning.”
Plot a course, or just turn the car on and drive. Max recommends the latter. “The songs are inspired by landscapes - each one could mean something to someone and create a completely different meaning for someone else.” At the end of a long road, The Ironsides have found the perfect place to begin.
All this and another 1.5 hours of great new and recent Blues, Jazz, Soul, Funk and Rock - we also pay tribute and celebrate the life of the great Wayne Shorter who passed last week. It's nonstop fun on this episode of Mateo's Magic Bus, buckle up for a great ride! To listen to the full show, click on the Soundcloud plugin above & for the full setlist click here and see below as well.
Rock on,
DJ Mateo
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