Welcome to Southland Blues.com

Since 1989 Southland Blues has been an important source of news and information for Southern California blues fans. We started with a two page printed newsletter which eventually evolved into a glossy color cover 40 plus page monthly print magazine distributed to clubs, festivals, music and record stores, restaurants and other targeted locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The magazine ran successfully from 1990 until 2013. in 2006 we also launched our online Southland Blues E-Weekly newsletter which continues to this day.  

In 2004 The Blues Foundation honored Southland Blues with a "Keeping the Blues Alive" award for Achievement in Print Media.  

Southland Blues News

CHICAGO BLUESMAN TORONZO CANNON ANNOUNCES TOUR

Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon has announced the first set of dates of his Shut Up & Play! concert tour. The 28-city tour will take Cannon from the Midwest to the East Coast and back, including dates in Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Boston. 

Shut Up & Play! on Alligator will be released on Friday, June 7. It will be available on CD, yellow vinyl LP, and at all digital services.

Reviews

WALTER TROUT TOUR 
COMING BACK TO THE U.S.

Currently touring Europe through May, Walter Trout will launch his U.S. Tour in July in support of his new album Broken. That album rdebuted in March at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Blues Charts. The summer tour will include dates in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Broken is available for purchase on CD and translucent vinyl.

SOUTHERN AVENUE SIGNS
WITH ALLIGATOR RECORDS

Grammy-nominated Memphis-based roots, blues and soul band Southern Avenue has signed with  blues and roots label Alligator Records. 

The band's as-yet-untitled Alligator Records debut, due later this year, was recorded in Memphis at the famous Royal Studios (Al Green, Ann Peebles, Bruno Mars).

VARIOUS ARTISTSBreakin’ News: Ten Years of BluesNola Blue Records

	Celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Nola Blue label, Benny Turner offers “Breakin’ News” with his perky vocals and his comfortably rhythmic pride. His track begins the ten-song album, and it just keeps on swinging gracefully from there. Nola Blue has introduced numerous stellar artists and has done well by celebrated veterans. 	Veteran Turner is featured with veteran Cash McCall on “It Hurts Me Too,” which oozes the blues nice and slow. This one features Billy Branch’s soulful harmonica, which complements McCall’s vocal and Turner’s rhythmic bass comfortably. McCall returns with “One Who’s got a Lot,” which also moves with a slow ambience, but here his expressive vocal gets a smooth partnership with Jim Koeppel’s guitar. Together, they present the blues with heartfelt joy. 	The tracks presented come from single releases as well as from albums that date from 2014; ten years covers a lot of good music, and Nola Blue has plenty. Artists featured on this anniversary album include Lil’ Jimmy Reed, John Németh, Trudy Lynn, Clarence Spady and Frank Bey. 	Of particular interest is Bey’s “All My Dues Are Paid,” which provides autobiographical information they way many known blues artists have done it. This gives the listener background with which to understand the artist all the better. Here, Bey works with a thundering band that keeps the motion going strong. Horns, background vocals, and all the usual suspects help Frank Bey give it up. Nola Blue knows how to celebrate with authority. 	                              -- Jim Santella