OUT TODAY: AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT’S NEW LP I’LL COME BACK

OUT TODAY: 

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT’S NEW LP I’LL COME BACK

“Indeed they deliver a well-rounded and texturally diverse set of contemporary bluegrass that honors the tradition while sounding fresh and vital, where the tones of the instruments; deft, tasteful playing; and tight, intricate arrangements are employed to great effect in support of Lee’s emotionally resounding, powerhouse vocal delivery.” - The San Francisco Chronicle 

“Between the interplay among the instrumental lines, the passion conveyed in Lee’s voice and the grooving feel of the rhythmic engine, everything comes together to seamlessly produce Americana perfection.” - American Songwriter   

“…it is hard to argue with their success…Like many young performers, when Lee started her group in 2015 they began to experiment and push against the boundaries of what they had grown up playing, but in the end the grass calls them home.” - Bluegrass Today  

"This band is good in the bluegrass way: they use their skill not to show off, but  

to build songs that are sturdy as houses, with plenty of room for guests, and ready for any  

weather.” - Country Queer   

LISTEN: I’LL COME BACK   

Today, award-winning Bay Area-based roots powerhouse AJ Lee and Blue Summit (“AJLBS”) have released their brilliant new LP I’ll Come Back. Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, the new album is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery. 

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, a configuration effectively used to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers.  Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. 

“The origins of the band go back 16 years, when a 7-year-old Lee joined the Palo Alto group the Tuttles, a family band assembled by renowned bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and educator Jack Tuttle featuring his children, Molly, Sullivan and Michael, all virtuosic prodigies themselves,” said The San Francisco Chronicle. “Although only 23, Lee is a seasoned and celebrated veteran of the greater Bay Area bluegrass scene and nine-time winner of the Northern California Bluegrass Awards for best female vocalist, exhibiting a musical depth and maturity beyond her years.”  

“Lee is part of the same class of [Youth In Bluegrass] artists that produced Molly Tuttle. In fact, AJ was a member of Molly’s family band for many years, performing as The Tuttles with AJ Lee when they were teens,” said Bluegrass Today. “Now heading up her own group, Lee is out front on lead vocals and mandolin, supported by Molly’s younger brother, Sullivan Tuttle, and Jesse Fichman on guitar, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on bass.”  

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, using their configuration effectively to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers. Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. I’ll Come Back is available for purchase HERE.  

TOUR DATES  

AUG 20 - Mauch Chunk Opera House @ 8:00pm - Jim Thorpe, PA  

AUG 21 - Della Mae's Fam Fest @ 2:00pm - Round Hill, VA 

AUG 22 - Stages Music Arts @ 7:00pm - Cockeysville, MD 

AUG 26 - Casa Flamenca, Inc. @ 7:30pm - Albuquerque, NM 

AUG 27 - Wildwood Sounds @ 7:00pm - Del Norte, CO 

AUG 28 - Taos Center for the Arts @ 7:30pm - Taos, NM 

AUG 29 - Number Thirty Eight @ 8:00pm - Denver, CO 

AUG 30 - MainStage Brewing Company @ 6:00pm - Lyons, CO 

AUG 31 - Sherbino Theater @ 7:00pm - Ridgway, CO 

SEP 1 - Dolores River Brewery @ 7:00pm - Dolores, CO 

SEP 3 -  Four Corners Folk Festival 2021 @ 7:00pm - Pagosa Springs, CO 

SEP 10 - Sierra Meadows @ 7:30pm - Ahwahnee, CA 

SEP 11 - Black Oak Concert Series @ 7:00pm - Tuolumne, CA 

SEP 18 - Whale Rock Music Festival @ 7:00pm - Templeton, CA  

SEP 19  - Lodi Grape Festival Grounds @ 6:00pm - Lodi, CA 

SEP 24 - FreshGrass Festival 2021 @ 11:00am - North Adams, MA 

SEP 22-25 - AMERICANAFEST -  Nashville, TN [Official Showcase] 

OCT 1 - Sisters Folk Festival 2021 @ 12:00pm - Sisters, OR 

OCT 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop @ 8:00pm - Santa Monica, CA 

OCT 9 - Paramount Ranch @ 3:00pm - Agoura Hills, CA 

OCT 30 - Felton Music Hall @ 8:30pm - Felton, CA 

NOV 20 - Hopmonk Tavern @ 8:00pm - Novato, CA^ 

^w/ The Coffis Brothers 

KEEP UP WITH AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT:

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT ANNOUNCE NEW LP I’LL COME BACK OUT ON AUGUST 20TH NEW SINGLE “LEMONS AND TANGERINES” OUT TODAY

 AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT ANNOUNCE NEW LP 

 I’LL COME BACK OUT ON AUGUST 20TH 

NEW SINGLE “LEMONS AND TANGERINES” OUT TODAY 

LISTEN: “LEMONS AND TANGERINES”   

Today, award-winning Bay Area-based roots powerhouse AJ Lee and Blue Summit announce the upcoming release of their new LP I’ll Come Back, due out on August 20th. Today, the band unveils the latest track from the album, “Lemons and Tangerines,” inspired by a grafted lemon tree in Lee’s backyard. This single follows the release of “Magdalene,” which debuted in June. “This band is good in the bluegrass way,” said Country Queer in the premiere of “Magdalene,” adding, “they use their skill not to show off, but to build songs that are sturdy as houses, with plenty of room for guests, and ready for any weather.” 

LISTEN: “MAGDALENE”  

AJ Lee and Blue Summit made their first appearance in Santa Cruz in 2015. Led by singer, songwriter, and mandolinist, AJ Lee, the bluegrass band has performed all over the world, but found home in California’s Bay Area. In 2019, they released their debut album, Like I Used To.  

Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, I’ll Come Back is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks (“Put Your Head Down” and “Faithful”) fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others (“Lemons and Tangerines” and “I’ll Come Back”) fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery.  

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, with Sullivan Tuttle and Jesse Fichman on steel stringed acoustic guitars, AJ on mandolin, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on upright bass - a configuration effectively used to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers.  Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. 

TOUR DATES  

AUG 7 - The Independent @ 8:00pm - San Francisco, CA [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]* 

AUG 13 - Caffe Lena @ 8:00pm - Saratoga Springs, NY 

AUG 14 - Podunk Bluegrass Festival 2021 @ 12:20pm - Goshen, CT 

AUG 15 - Hardeman Orchards @ 7:30pm - Red Hook, NY 

AUG 16 - Truro Vineyards @ 8:00pm - North Truro, MA 

AUG 18 - Watermelon Wednesdays @ 3:00pm - Williamsburg, MA 

AUG 18 Watermelon Wednesdays @ 7:30pm - Williamsburg, MA *SOLD OUT* 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 6:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 8:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 20 - Mauch Chunk Opera House @ 8:00pm - Jim Thorpe, PA  

AUG 21 - Della Mae's Fam Fest @ 2:00pm - Round Hill, VA 

AUG 22 - Stages Music Arts @ 7:00pm - Cockeysville, MD 

AUG 26 - Casa Flamenca, Inc. @ 7:30pm - Albuquerque, NM 

AUG 27 - Wildwood Sounds @ 7:00pm - Del Norte, CO 

AUG 28 - Taos Center for the Arts @ 7:30pm - Taos, NM 

AUG 29 - Number Thirty Eight @ 8:00pm - Denver, CO 

AUG 30 - MainStage Brewing Company @ 6:00pm - Lyons, CO 

AUG 31 - Sherbino Theater @ 7:00pm - Ridgway, CO 

SEP 1 - Dolores River Brewery @ 7:00pm - Dolores, CO 

SEP 3 -  Four Corners Folk Festival 2021 @ 7:00pm - Pagosa Springs, CO 

SEP 10 - Sierra Meadows @ 7:30pm - Ahwahnee, CA 

SEP 11 - Black Oak Concert Series @ 7:00pm - Tuolumne, CA 

SEP 18 - Whale Rock Music Festival @ 7:00pm - Templeton, CA, United States 

SEP 19  - Lodi Grape Festival Grounds @ 6:00pm - Lodi, CA 

SEP 24 - FreshGrass Festival 2021 @ 11:00am - North Adams, MA 

SEP 22-25 - AMERICANAFEST -  Nashville, TN 

OCT 1 - Sisters Folk Festival 2021 @ 12:00pm - Sisters, OR 

OCT 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop @ 8:00pm - Santa Monica, CA 

OCT 9 - Paramount Ranch @ 3:00pm - Agoura Hills, CA 

OCT 30 - Felton Music Hall @ 8:30pm - Felton, CA 

NOV 20 - Hopmonk Tavern @ 8:00pm - Novato, CA^  

* w/ The Sam Chase Trio & The Coffis Brothers 

^w/ The Coffis Brothers 

CONNECT WITH AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY    

DESTROY BOYS RELEASE THEIR SNARLING NEW SINGLE “MUZZLE” AN ANTHEM FOR THE UNSEEN + ANNOUNCE SIGNING TO HOPELESS RECORDS

DESTROY BOYS  RELEASE THEIR SNARLING 

NEW SINGLE “MUZZLE” AN ANTHEM FOR THE UNSEEN + 

ANNOUNCE SIGNING TO HOPELESS RECORDS

"Channeling the spirit of anarchic American garage rock and melodic sensibilities of classic Bay Area punk into short snarling songs, Sacramento’s Destroy Boys whip up noise that is truly timeless.” - Rock Sound

“The band’s sardonic, biting tunes are a perfect blend of political subterfuge, headbang-able rhythms, and the overall catharsis of unrestrained self-expression. It’s scratchy punk that reminds listeners that it doesn’t really matter how technically sound you are, although Destroy Boys certainly have that covered as well, it’s about the passion, dammit.” - V13

“Destroy Boys have earned high-profile fans like Billie Joe Armstrong all before graduating from high school.” - UPROXX

“If Destroy Boys are showing us a current direction punk is going in, maybe we should let them lead us there.”  - If it’s Too Loud

LISTEN TO “MUZZLE”: HERE

The San Francisco Bay Area’s Destroy Boys are excited to announce the release of their hard-hitting compact new single “Muzzle,” out today through their new label partner Hopeless Records.

Destroy Boys are a three-piece band founded by Violet Mayugba (guitar/vocals) and Alexia Roditis (vocals/guitar). Rounded out by drummer Narsai Malik they have been redefining West Coast punk, making waves from the California shoreline to the UK, sharing stages with up and coming bands like Mannequin Pussy as well as punk stalwarts such as Face To Face and Lagwagon. They’ve also racked up over 40 million streams, with the numbers ticking upward every day without fail. Their visceral personal tales of scene bullies, elitist cliques, betrayal, and unrequited love have won over the hearts and ears of eager listeners ranging from the fervent teens who pack out their shows to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong (see his mention in the Rolling Stone cover story HERE via Instagram HERE).  

“Led by singer Alexia Roditis’ sarcastic and wistful singing and Vi Mayugba’s shredding guitar, held down by Narsai Malik on drums, they pay homage to and represent an evolution of all things classically punk, making music that is a searing reminder of how recklessly expressive punk rock was designed to be.”  - Culture Collide

Having gotten their start playing shows and touring while they were in high school, they’ve seen and dealt with the same issues many teenagers face in a world run by adults: Being talked down to, brushed off, ignored, taken for granted, pre-judged - if they are even seen at all.  These experiences channel directly into their music and that authenticity is one of the main reasons for their rapid rise. Now in their early 20’s, their experiences are no less fraught with similar hurdles. The new single “Muzzle,” is a blistering track exploding with aggression and energy, produced by Martin Cooke (Death Cab For Cutie, Of Monsters And Men, and producer of Destroy Boys last LP Make Room). The song tackles feelings of being seen as disposable and subhuman, feeling out of control and taking your power back. It's an anthem for the unseen, written by Mayugba, and inspired by a toxic relationship where she was mistreated by a man she was in a relationship with. With “Muzzle” Mayugba also takes her first role as lead vocalist, seething out the lyrics  "You don’t know me / You don’t see me / You think I’m trash and you think I’m mean / I am not your fucking mannequin / Clothes pin call up your weekend sin / I am not your Polly Pocket girl /Chucking me in your donate bin."

The band is thrilled that “Muzzle” is their first release with Hopeless, a label whose diversity and particularly the number of women on staff, is something that really appealed to them.  “It’s important to have women, and queer people, people of color, and differently-abled people in all aspects of the music industry, to have that support. Now we’re able to have more of a say in who we work with, and when you have that kind of control, you should do good with it,” says Roditis.  “We’re really excited to be in a place where we can create the album we want to create,” she continues. ”They took our project very personally; they were really excited about us, and they don’t seem to want to infringe on what we have. They want us to maintain our own vision.” 

 "We are so excited to be working with Destroy Boys,” says Hopeless Records Vice President of Marketing Erin Choi. “They're incredibly talented and have such a powerful vision for who they are as a band. They inspire us as people, creatively, and through their passion for social justice. We think they're a great fit for the Hopeless roster."

“Muzzle” is just a taste of what’s to come. The band is working on a new album with Will Yip (Quicksand, The Menzingers, Mannequin Pussy), a producer they highly admire and respect. As for touring, after a 2020 that promised tours with Against Me! and Vundabar, as well as a slot on the Sad Summer Festival, the band’s live trajectory was momentarily checked by the pandemic. But as hopes for future touring grow stronger the group are excited about finally getting back out in front of people, both in the US and abroad.

KEEP UP WITH DESTROY BOYS :

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Relief Fund Opens Grant Applications for Musicians

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Relief Fund

 Opens Grant Applications for Musicians

August 24th, 2020 - The Hardly Strictly Music Relief Fund: Bay Area is now accepting applications from local musicians. Created by Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, this $1.5 million charitable effort seeks to recognize, appreciate, and care for the people who lend their creativity, heart, and hard work to the American roots music ecosystem in the Bay Area. The fund includes $450,000 for individual musicians’ relief and additional support for local music venues and their workers.

 The individual grant program is open to roots musicians living full time in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, or Sonoma Counties. Applications will be accepted through September 14, 2020, at 5 p.m. Applicants will be notified about their award status by September 25, 2020, followed immediately by the disbursement of funds.

“Our fund for roots music musicians, in the form of grants up to $2,000 in unrestricted funds, is available to all but will give priority to Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color,” says Frances Hellman, one of the directors of the Hellman Foundation, which since 2011, has focused on supporting local organizations and initiatives homegrown in the Bay Area, while bolstering the impact of partner organizations and engaging in strategic public-private partnerships such as Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. “This is not only because these communities have been historically under-funded by philanthropy, but also because they have been adversely affected by the pandemic.” 

The Fund will be administered by the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) and the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI). CCI has a longstanding practice of prioritizing those who have been marginalized in the conventional arts and culture field. They have mobilized their many years of expertise in supporting individuals to facilitate COVID relief funds for artists, and have successfully worked with the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, as well as the State of California, on COVID relief. Both ACTA and CCI bring their long commitment and experience as grant-making intermediaries supporting individual artists and cultural communities towards advancing racial and cultural equity.

"This music relief effort recognizes the impact of artists whose roots music reflects the expressions, histories, and values of their communities,” says Amy Kitchener, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Alliance for California Traditional Arts. “In these pandemic times, supporting artists also acknowledges the deep impact musicians have on cultural continuity."

The fund’s definition of American roots music acknowledges that the landscape of music in the United States has evolved from a wide variety of musical genres and peoples. Broadly, roots music is shaped by the American social, cultural, and environmental landscape. Roots music is characterized by its deep connection to people and the communities, reflecting a sense of place, history, values, language, and aesthetics. 

In addition to the musician grant program, The Hardly Strictly Music Relief Fund includes a grant program for Bay Area music venues with a track record of presenting American Roots styles. The nomination process for venues is now closed with funding announcements being made soon.

For more information on the individual musicians grant opportunity and to apply, visit:

actaonline.org/hardlystrictly.

 For more information on the venue grant opportunity, visit:

http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2020/music-relief/

Keep Up with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass:

Website || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram || Spotify 

ABOUT ACTA

The Alliance for California Traditional is a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports ways for cultural traditions to thrive now and into the future by providing advocacy, resources, and connections for traditional artists and their communities. As statewide and national leader dedicated to supporting cultural practitioners, our programs, services, and funding opportunities are weaving a more integrated, just, and empathetic social fabric across California, and around the country. ACTA works in partnership with communities, learning from their own articulation of assets, needs, and aspirations in order to craft responsive programs and services. Founded in 1997, ACTA proudly serves as the California Arts Council’s official partner in serving the state’s traditional arts field.

ABOUT CCI

The Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI) was founded in 2001 as a California 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Its mission is to promote knowledge sharing, networking, and financial independence for individuals in the arts by providing business training, grants, and incubating innovative projects that create new program knowledge, tools and practices for artists in the field, and conditions that contribute to realizing financial self-determination. In addition, by acting as a cross-sector incubator with an informed point of view, CCI advances efforts to improve conditions for artists and all those who share artists’ conditions of low wages, high debt, and too-few assets. 

ABOUT HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is a one of a kind free music festival that takes place in the iconic Golden Gate Park and attracts over half a million fans annually. Founded by Warren and Chris Hellman in 2001, the festival is the single largest activity of the Hellman Foundation. Unlike any other major festival, it is offered free to the public with zero corporate sponsors or advertising. The three-day, multi-stage event features an array of eclectic bands each year from roots and Americana, to funk, rock, soul and more. This year through Let the Music Play On the spirit of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will be coming to living rooms and backyards across the globe the first weekend in October with the Hardly Strictly Broadcast. The broadcast will feature new performances from the expansive range of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass artists that include first-time performers to legends of American Roots music, along with archival footage from the festival’s past two decades and memories from fans, performers, and staff and priceless gems from the festival’s rich history.