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| Robert Charels: Back in New York Robert Charels remains the most famous blues singer that you probably aren’t aware of. In September 2005, Charels - whose most recent national CD release was Metropolitan Blue, produced by Duke Robillard - took part in a classic blues jam at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Nashville in a stage filled with luminaries such as King, Gary Tallent (of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band), LeRoy Parnell, and Coco Montoya. Today, however, finds Charels in a “starting over” mode. He’s put together an entirely new touring band, and his first 2006 show will be Sunday, February 19 at 8 PM at The Backstage in Woodmere, NY, located in Long Island’s Nassau County. It will be Charels’ first show as The Robert Charels Blues Band in almost two years. So why the long layoff after such recording success? “I wanted to get back at it so badly, ” said Charels, who is readying plans for a new national CD release later this year. “I took a long time off after losing a couple of key band members to other national acts. Now, for the first time in a long time, I know we can offer my blend of blues, jazz, R&B, and funk in a way that serves our original music well. These Backstage shows are exciting to me, because I avoided Long Island for years - my last how there was 1994, even though I live in Queens. But Manny’s Car Wash and Chicago BLUES are gone now - and I hear that Long Island is happening for roots music once again.” Charels (pronounced “Charles”) will be backed by a new touring group featuring guitarists Bob Petrocelli and Anthony Steele, drummer Kevin Rascka, and bassist Eic Mauriello. Robert Charels’ albums “Metropolitan Blue” and “Deception In Your Eyes” are available nationally at all retail stores, as well as through iTunes, Rhapsody, and most Internet sites. Charels records on the New York-based Fountainbleu Entertainment, distributed nationally through Burnside of Portland, Oregon. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |