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Looking to find some really cool, truly high fidelity vinyl, to spin on that new player ya got for Christmas?
This four song EP was remixed for vinyl... and then we took it to "WELCOME BACK TO 1979" studios in Nashville, one of the premier vinyl mastering studios on the planet (just ask ZZ Top!) and had them master it specifically for the 10 inch vinyl that it was pressed on by Precision Record Pressing!
And the tunes??? Guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, horns, background singers... playing some kick-ass BLUES ! ! !
The price was cut because we'd rather have people enjoy this project... selling it for cost.
... and I'll sign it, if ya want!
Pressed on translucent red vinyl with a full color, four-panel gatefold cover.
New art, new photos, new liner notes.
NOTE: INTERNATIONAL PURCHASES... Contact StratCat to inquire about this offer! Shipping ain't cheap! ! ! stratcatwillie@stratcatwillie.com
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REVIEW FROM BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE:
Smooth. The word describes coffee, suave speech, silk. Carlos Santana turned it into the most famous title of one of his most famous songs. Can it describe the blues as well? More often than not, it’s been characterized as raw, rough, unrefined, made for barrooms and poolrooms instead of drawing rooms. I would say six or seven out of ten artists’ work fits the bill. However, New York’s StratCat Willie and the Strays thread the needle with aplomb on their new offering, cheekily titled On a Hot Tin Roof! Its twelve original selections would be equally welcome at your local tavern or nightclub. They’re so short that if you blink, you’ll miss them, but they add up to thirty-nine minutes of some of the most appealing music I’ve heard this year – overall.
In the liner notes, Willie Hayes explains the origins of the CD’s opener, a big-band blast called “Have a Blues Party.” “When I wrote [it] back in the summer of 2021, I sorta figured, even hoped, that by the time it was released, it would no longer be relevant! And yet things continued to drag on. But it looks like now we may finally be on the other side of all this. So I invite you to join me for a long-awaited party! Let’s ‘drive on through the rain’ and explore the many moods of the blues. From the tears of a love gone bad, to the playfulness of tunes in the styles of Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker. And the Blues will get us all through it, together, in the end.” Truer words were never spoken than these last, yet every genre guru repeats them.
Who’s reveling along with StratCat (guitars and vox)? Neal Massa on keyboards, John Wisor and Vinnie Burvee on bass, Dave Fiorini and Dave Salce on drums, Mabel Welch and Sing Trece on vocals, Rich Graiko on trumpet, Josh Cohen on sax, and Jeremy Hummel on percussion.
Almost never have I heard such a seamless quality to a CD, the way one track flows into another with nary a hiccup, sustaining the momentum that the first number builds all the way to the end. This goes for the instrumentation as well. As with all ensemble bands, there’s a lot to unpack, from sax to bass to trumpet to keyboards to lead and background vocals. If they’re not only mixed well afterward, but balanced skillfully during the studio takes, it just sounds like chaos. Noise. In this case, that’s not the case, and I’m grateful. StratCat and the Strays know exactly what they’re doing. From the high-voltage funk of the title tune to the tongue-in-cheek humor of “Redneck Woman” to the tenderness of “My One True Love,” each separate song is as connected to the others – almost interconnected – as beads in a rosary or links in a chain. You won’t find that intangible aspect on many blues albums, so I’m thrilled I found it here.
StratCat Willie and the Strays offer up smooth blues while they’re On A Hot Tin Roof!
ORDER NOW... Direct from the "StratCat" himself for a signed copy!
NOTE: Due to prohibitive shipping costs, International customers must use Amazon or a similar point of purchase.
Click on the link to hear clips of the tunes!!
https://stratcatwilliethestrays.hearnow.com/
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Looks like an old school cassette, but it's really a thumb drive loaded with both .mp3 AND.wav versions of the CD! You can play it on any USB device or download it to any PC! Perfect for those without a CD player.
Comes with handy case!
LIMITED SUPPLY.... order now!
NOTE: Due to prohibitive shipping costs, NOT AVAIABLE for International shipping.
($5.00 shipping)
NOTE: Due to prohibitive shipping costs, International customers must use Amazon or a similar point of purchase.
BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE says:
"Solid playing, ...well crafted lyrics" "...sounds like a lost Allman Brothers track" "... spiraling guitar solo" "...musical excellence" " There is a lot to enjoy here as Willie and his cohorts take us on a wide-ranging tour of the blues."
BLUES IN THE SOUTH "BITS" MAGAZINE says:
"this is blues all the way "... "nice BB King styled guitar work"... " excellent slide guitar"... " a sense of deep respect for the music, and also a sense of sheer enjoyment in playing"... " well worth investigating"!
CHICAGO BLUES GUIDE says:
“... a playing style that ranges from swing to blues and funk...”
“... hits on all cylinders...”
Thirteen original tunes... capturing a variety of blues styles! A full hour of exciting music guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for the Blues... and leave ya wanting to play it again!
Click the link to sample the tunes!
https://stratcatwilliehayes.hearnow.com/
If ya landed here, ya must be a fan of the BLUES !
Thanks for dropping by...
and "COME ON IN"!