- Crow John
- What Katy Did
- Sabine River
- Cemetery Road
- I Am The Big Easy
- So Long Blues
- Reckless Feeling
- Carry The Fallen
- Goin’ By Feel
- Shy Star
- Run Jolee Run
- Cool Cool Rain
Red House Records is pleased to announce the January 22, 2008 release of Goin’ By Feel, the highly anticipated new album from slow-burning bluesman Ray Bonneville. Known for his funky visceral grooves and rich story songs, the Canadian-born artist stretches himself into new territory with gritty production and raw Americana instrumentation. This new album is one that is sure to solidify Ray’s place as one of today’s truly innovative roots musicians.
Although he has toured all over the world, sharing the bill with such luminaries as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, J.J. Cale and Robert Cray, Ray Bonneville became known in the U.S. a few years ago, when he released Roll It Down, his first CD on a U.S. label. Following up on that album’s success, he returns with a power-packed album that Ray produced with Gurf Morlix (Mary Gauthier, Lucinda Williams) and Rob Heaney (Cirque du Soleil, Kate & Anna McGarrigle). The record’s smoky groove-laden tracks include crowd favorites “What Katy Did,” “Carry the Fallen” and “I Am the Big Easy,” his powerful tribute to the resilience of New Orleans, where Bonneville lived for half a decade. Although the traveling musician has spent time in many places, including Boston, Colorado, Alaska, Montreal, Seattle and Paris, France, it is New Orleans that Ray cites as the city most influential to his unique musical style. Bonneville says, “New Orleans is where I learned to take my time, to allow space between the notes so the songs could truly groove.” That groove is certainly present in “I Am the Big Easy” with Ray’s funky syncopated sound mixing with Eliza Gilkyson’s earthy harmony vocals. This song, like all on Goin’ By Feel, is an example of what is best about Ray Bonneville—his ability to combine infectious bluesy sound with tough, poetic storytelling.
A world-class guitarist, harmonica player and hard-hitting songwriter, it is no wonder that Bonneville has received rave reviews from blues, jazz and roots critics alike and can count among his fans such artists as Chris Smither and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Combining the best of blues, folk and Americana, Ray’s grooves hypnotize and don’t let go.
Ray has been touring in Europe and North America throughout this past year, and wowed the music industry with his bring-down-the-house performances at South By Southwest and the North American Folk Alliance Conference. He will continue touring throughout 2008 in support of Goin’ By Feel.
