News

Spring Tour Starts On March 20th!

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Blues Music Award Voting Ends March 1

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Be Sure To Vote For Brandon Santini!

Brandon is nominated for two prestigious 2014 Blues Music Awards in the categories of, “Contemporary Blues Album” and “Instrumentalist- Harmonica” and voting ends at 7:59:59 on Saturday March 1st!

The Blues Music Awards are the highest accolades musicians and songwriters can receive in the Blues genre and the fans have the opportunity to vote! You can vote by becoming a member of The Blues Foundation if you aren’t already by visiting www.blues.org. By becoming a member, you not only have the opportunity to vote but you will be supporting great programs such as The Raise The Roof Campaign, The Hart Fund, and Generation Blues! Individual memberships start at just $25 per year and allow one vote while Corporate memberships start at just $100 per year and allow you four votes.

Every vote is very important so let’s get together and help Brandon bring home the trophy!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!!!

 

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Brandon’s Interview on Blues Next!

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Click here to listen to Brandon’s interview on WGLT- Illinois State University’s Blues Next Podcast as he talks about how a 90’s Pop/ Rock band led him to the blues!

 

 

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Metro Music Mayhem – Interview

There Are Many Different Opinions As To What The Future Of The Blues Harmonica Will Be.

By Metro Music Mayhem

Brandon+Santini+mcs-1105-2904624522-OMemphis vocalist and harmonica player Brandon Santini is undeniably a worthy player to keep an eye on as the latest surge of young blues artists leave their footprint in blues history. His name is worthy of conversations that include Jason Ricci, Billy Gibson, Dennis Gruenling, Rick Estrin and other frontline harmonica players by combining his love and respect for traditional blues with a present, colorful style of playing that is often compared to James Cotton or Paul Butterfield. Raised in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, Brandon purchased his first harmonica in 1997 at the age of fifteen when his mother took him to the local music store upon his request. He founded the Blues Music Award nominated band Delta Highway in 2003 and relocated to Memphis where he absorbed the sounds and culture of the Delta and North Mississippi Hill Country, honing his craft night after night, sweating it out in local Beale Street clubs just like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King did decades before him . . . Read the interview HERE ->

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VOTE Brandon Santini – 2014 BMA Nominee!

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We are extremely honored to announce that Brandon has been nominated for two 2014 Blues Music Awards from The Blues Foundation! He picked up nominations in the categories of “Instrumentalist-Harmonica” and “Contemporary Blues Album” for his latest album This Time Another Year.

You have the opportunity to vote and help Brandon win one of the highest accolades in the Blues music industry! We would greatly appreciate you taking a moment to visit The Blues Foundation’s website (blues.org) to vote and become a member if you aren’t already. You can also purchase your tickets to the awards show taking place on Thursday May 8th!

I am so extremely honored to announce that I have been nominated for two Blues Music Awards this year from The Blues Foundation nominating committee! I am nominated in the category of “Instrumentalist-Harmonica” and “Contemporary Blues Album” for my latest album This Time Another Year. I am very excited and nearly speechless today. Thanks so much for everyone’s love and support this year in helping spread the word and getting my album of the ground and into people’s ears. Congratulations to all nominees on the list! ~ Brandon

Contemporary Blues Album

  • Get Up! – Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite
  • This Time Another Year – Brandon Santini
  • Rhythm & Blues – Buddy Guy
  • Magic Honey – Cyril Neville
  • Badlands – Trampled Under Foot

Instrumentalist-Harmonica

  • Brandon Santini
  • Charlie Musselwhite
  • James Cotton
  • Kim Wilson
  • Rick Estrin

For more info and a complete list of nominees visit www.blues.org

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Blues Hall during IBC

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Be sure to check out Brandon Santini & Friends each night following the International Blues Challenge at Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall on Beale Street. January 22-23-24!

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Don & Sheryl’s Blues Blog – Review

This Time Another Year

By donandsherylsbluesblog

BSantini-ThisTimeAnotherYearBrandon Santini was born in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, but relocated to Memphis in 2003, after forming his band, Delta Highway.  They represented Memphis in the 2006 IBC’s, and were nominated for a BMA in 2009.

The young harpblaster is back with hs second album, “This Time Another Year,” on the Swing Suit label.  Ten originals and two covers show the depth of Brandon’s talents on both chromatic and diatonic harps.  And, his backing crew is a set of genuine blues all-stars, too.  Jeff Jensen is on guitar, Bill Ruffino is on bass, James Cunningham is on drums, and Chris Stephenson is on B-3.  The mighty Victor Wainwright holds down the 88′s, and guests on a couple of cuts.

The title cut is a booming blast of harp-driven blues, playing out as Brandon’s biography of sorts, and is a killer collabo co-written by Brandon and Charlie Musselwhite.  A wishy-washy lover is the subject of “Things You Puttin’ Down,” featuring fine organ from Chris.

Brandon has a fine appreciation for the country-blues in the vein of Rice Miller.  Check out the sweet swing of “Bye Bye Bird,” “Been So Blue,’ and the set-closing acoustic band original, “Fish Is Bitin.”

We had two favorites, too.  Another shufflin’ boogie dealing with a high-maintenance girlfriend is the raucous, slide-driven “Coin Operated Woman.”  and, Victor Wainwright adds piano and duet vocals to the swaying, walkin’-blues lope of “What You Doing To Me,” detailing a trip to New Orleans via Highway 61 to “lay down our heavy load.”

It is easy to see why this has been nominated for a Blues Award, given the immense talents of Brandon Santini and the other cast of players, and the overall strength of the material .  He’s come a long way from his days of busking down on Beale, and here’s wishing him the best of luck come next May!!  Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, Nashville Blues Society.

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