ZSBC T’Shirt designs and other Merch available via the ‘REDBUBBLE’ store Visit
"It's two years to the day that we played our first gig with our 'Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion' band. It's been a very exciting and enjoyable ride... and if you're lucky enough to play with such creative people, in this case Pete Whittaker, Paul Robinson and Zoe, you stand a decent chance of producing interesting original music and keeping the whole thing moving forward so the walls don't close in."
Rob :-)
Just signed up to an organisation created by Clare Free which went live today… it stands for something very important and I urge every performing/recording Music Artist to sign up NOW! Go to http://www.uima.co.uk
Just had a fantastic weekend in Skegness playing at the Great British Rock and Blues Festival…. not only was it brilliant fun performing, but also having the chance to hear so many great acts.
Si Genaro, our very own harmonica player, Friday night playing with us at Skegness and then Saturday night he’s turned over-night super-star…. Not only has he been on The VOICE and RADIO 1! Si is the most talked about musician who has appeared on the Voice, and Radio 1 said its the best episode of the Voice ever! Si Genaro - what's next????
Just wanted to share the title track of our album with photos by Richie Brown put together by our album designer Margarita Vazquez will post a couple more tracks soon.? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERX0_cSZ25o
Some more very cool news folks! Hot off the press: 'Blues In The South' (monthly blues editorial since 1987) has just voted our album 'The Blues Don't Scare Me' as their Number 1 from their Top 100 albums for 2013, Thanks editor Ian Mc Kenzie. x (you can subscribe to BitS via www.bluesinthesouth.com )
Just found out last night that our song 'I'll Be Yours Tonight' was voted best song for 2013 by the prestigious, award winning, American organisation Mary4Music. http://www.mary4music.com/Intro.html
Despite this horrible recession, musically the band had a great year with the release of our second album 'The Blues Don't Scare Me'. We're proud of the fact that our live and studio sets feature 90% original music.
Since the release of the album in October 2013 we've consistently been one of the most featured bands on the air-waves in the blues genre not only in the UK but also notably in America. This has lead to us receiving a fair few nominations across the blues spectrum, including, Best electric blues album, best vocalist, best band, best Hammond-organist. 2013 also saw us have feature interviews in Blues In Britain, Blues Matters, Jazzwise, and Classic Rock's Blues Magazine and have our second airing on the Paul Jones show, this time featuring our song 'Liberated Woman'.
Naturally we're looking forward to building on this momentum we've generated. Last year we made our first appearances at Blues On The Farm, Tenby Blues Festival, Scarborough Blues Festival as well as several theatre and club dates. This year we're looking forward to making our first appearance at Skegness, Hebden Bridge and Upton blues festivals… they'll be a lot more to follow, we'll also have club dates around the UK… so we'll keep you posted.
Thanks so much to all of you who have played a part in all of this, whether it be through just listening to the music, coming to gigs, sending us messages of support and appreciation, writing reviews, booking us, or featuring us on your shows.
Here's to 2014, and good luck to all of you out there.
Rob and Zoe xx
Just heard that our CD 'The Blues Don't Scare Me', has been nominated for the best electric blues album in the readers poll "Best Blues 2013" of the German online-magazine Wasser-Prawda. The voting is open until January 1st.
Also today, received the Blues Matter's Compilation album where we have a track included. Looks great… have a look at http://www.bluesmatters.com
We had a fab time at the Concorde Club, Eastleigh, an amazing venue with a great acoustic.
One more gig with the full six piece Blue Commotion band for this year, the Carswell Golf and Country club for the Oxfordshire jazz club's Christmas special…. for other gigs see the gigs page here and for the duo gigs and jazz gigs see www.zoeschwarz.info
Exciting times, the legendary 100 club was great, the band were superb; thanks to everyone who came, friends, family, & blues fans. Met several important people from the industry. The equally legendary Concorde club coming up! Also fresh in, a great new album review from Peter Quinn in the new Dec/Jan Jazzwise, and from Pete Feenstra on the Get Ready To Rock site yesterday.
Zoe x
It's very interesting and fascinating that the trend of getting 75% plus website hits from America has continued since the launch of this site! Coincidentally we are very pleased to receive another great reviews from the 'Blewsman' from www.Mary4Music.com who resides in Florida….. This time the review is for our The Blues Don't Scare Me album. Rob
We are shortly due to be on two compilation albums, one in America and one in the UK… will post details soon.
Last Saturday we had a fantastic night in Chichester at Root Around The World, Hampshire, thanks to those who came to the gig and created such a great atmosphere, and to Sue Martin the promoter.
Next up we're at the 100 club Tuesday blues club on 26th November, also on the bill are Billie Walton band from USA - brilliant! And Mark Pontin from Wales - excellent!
We had great fun at Tenby Blues Festival on Saturday, an excellent venue, stage and audience, and the guys played brilliantly …. then huge fun at the hotel party/jam afterwards … what great company Bernard Allison is!
Last day of Liberated Woman being on BBC Radio 2's 'Paul Jones' i.player...
z x
Tenby, Roots Around The World, 100 Club, Concorde Club.... going through the set lists now.
And big thanks to Paul Jones and team on BBC Radio 2 Rhythm & Blues show for playing a track on Monday 4th Nov, and for the nice plaudits about the guys solos, ... and thanks to everybody for their kind comments. :-)
New album out there now.... and can you believe, Rob and I already have something exciting brewing album wise for next year.... chuckle. :-))
See you on a gig soon, and please spread the word. x
Hi again, it is 5 days till 'The Blues Don't Scare Me' is officially released.
Just wanted to share these one-liners from the last few weeks from the djs and journalists.
Zoë x
"Awesome gig seeing Zoe & her band yesterday. I can really hear this lot do a late night blinder at Glastonbury Festival Total quality."Dom Chambers, Tunnels Gig, 17th Oct 2013 Somer Velley FM, Bath
Zoe’s vocals are something special – paul b blues The Blues Connection, Always Internet Radio.
‘The new disc is excellent, you kill it vocally on all tracks and that organ player is a monster’ – Pete Lauro, Mary4music.com USA
'We know Zoe is great on CD, but live I have to say no one can match her,,, her voice is actually in the legendary zone"-Steve Pierce (writes for The Classic Blues Rock Magazine)
‘For my money, one of the best bands around at the moment’ - Jason Elliott, Pheonix FM - Sat 28th Sept 2013’
‘Zoe Schwarz with something frankly epic from her new album with Blue Commotion’.- Independent British Blues Broadcast. Ian McHugh, Blues Is Truth. Ukjazzradio.com
‘The best in the country Its your best yet it is a winner will be a winner!’ - Phil Penny, Radio Trent
“Absolutely brilliant” - Paul Stewart ‘Pablo and the Blues’
“New CD from Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion is now on general release, this is a CD that has to be in all Blues Collections . Amazing Music From Start to Finish ( this CD has my Full Backing ) this is how to enjoy amazing Blues !!!!!!” - Hosted by Tony Fitton - Phoenix fm radio – ‘blues in the nite’
“Just played the CD all through It is F' fabulous!” Ian McKenzie, Blues in the South
“ the album is just fantastic, powerful songs with a hint of vulnerability about them. Just blew me away. The whole package is just so Kick Ass!! Paul B Blues, The Blues Connection, Always Internet Radio.
“I am really enjoying the CD very much. An excellent body of work with great singing, some great musicianship and lovely, thoughtful and interesting lyrics. Congratulations. It will be receiving more plays from me for sure!!”Ashwyn Smyth, digital blues music
“Zoe I played it last night and just love the original compositions. Festivals are coming your way and you are moving up to the next level. You and Rob are so talented you will get there.” - Dave Scott Blues Matters,
Jason Elliott (Hebden festival and Phoenix fm) "One of things I like about both Katie Bradley and Zoe Schwarz and their bands is that sometimes, when it all kicks off musically, it sounds like they are only barely in control of some manic multi-legged and headed beast, howling, spitting fire and galloping into battle, as they are perched on the top, standing up in the saddle, carrying a big sword and shouting "Yeehaaaaa!!!" That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how you front a band."
Hi everyone, thanks for the great feed back re our new website, so thanks to Roy Chappell @ Green Parrot Design for his expertise in setting it up and designing it.
The official release date for our new CD 'The Blues Don't Scare Me' is October 28th, please see the promo trailer here on the video page, you can buy a copy here via the website through paypal.
Other news is that we have a feature interview in the current Oct/Nov issue of Blues Matters, looks and reads really well, we're v pleased... thanks to Clive and Alan at Blues Matters for that.
We've just added some great new pics of our recent gig at the Regent Centre... thanks Richie Brown.
Next concert is the Tunnels in Bristol on 17th Oct... which we're very excited about... anyone from the Bristol area please help us spread the word. (details on the gig guide here)
bye for now,
Zoe and Rob