The Nighthawks are happy to announce the early arrival of the new CD, "Last Train to Bluesville." It was recorded live this year at B.B. King's Bluesville channel on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Some of the tracks have already received airplay as Bluesville's "Homemade Blues Jams."
The session was done without amps or electric instruments. Paul Bell played his beautiful National Steel resonator guitar, Johnny Castle thumped his Clevenger upright bass, Pete Ragusa used brushes on a parade snare drum and Mark Wenner blasted away on his custom-tuned Hohner harmonicas without a mic! Although many of the tunes have been on previous Nighthawks recordings, we never played them like this. The selections lean bluesy, with several Muddy Waters classics plus Little Walter and Sonny Boy, along with Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and James Brown.
Although the CD's official release is in February, those of you on our e-mail list have the opportunity to get an advance copy for $20 RIGHT NOW.
You can be the first on your block to own it, and your purchase will help us afford the media blitz we are planning.
SOME BIG NEWS: PETE RAGUSA TAKES WING FROM THE NIGHTHAWKS AFTER 35 YEARS
Yes, it's true, Pete Ragusa has decided to leave The Nighthawks after a fabulous 35-year run. There is no doubt that Pete's departure is a big loss. But, The Nighthawks are incredibly lucky to have gained Mark Stutso - a great drummer and a great vocalist (both lead and harmony) and former drummer with Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers (for 18 years). Mark has been rehearsing with the band and The Nighthawks are taking full advantage of this change to take the band to a new level.
Five years ago, The Nighthawks, one of the longest running, most consistent American Roots bands of their generation, made two major personnel changes. Paul Bell took over the guitar slot and Johnny Castle snatched the bass position after 30 plus years without a change.
These two were no strangers to The Nighthawks, having played in various side combinations around the band over the past several decades. Pete Ragusa, the Hawks' drummer since 1974, did several side projects with Paul and Johnny, including a band with Catfish Hodge. Johnny played on Mark Wenner's first solo album as a member of Switchblade in 1984. The infusuion of fresh energy, ideas, and enthusiasm has made this combination the very best Nighthawks yet.
2-Disc
Combination
(CD Audio and DVD Video)
Price: $17.97
Blue
Moon In Your Eye
Live at The Barns at Wolf Trap
The
Nighthawks have a TWO-DISC SET (audio CD/video DVD)
called "Blue Moon in Your Eye."
The release captures the Hawks during a recent high energy performance
at The Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia -
a highly regarded venue in the Washington, DC area.
Mark Wenner, the lead singer and soul of the
legendary Bethesda band The Nighthawks, has never wavered from his belief
that satisfaction comes from playing the music, not from money or fame. Read
the entire article online...
Johnny
Castle is the Featured Artist on the Eden Electronics Website
Check
out a lengthy interview with Johnny Castle covering the type of equipment
he uses (for both live and studio work), his primary musical influences,
his overall philosophy on bass, and much much more! If you're a bass player
or just interested in how Johnny achieves such a clear, high quality,
hard-driving sound - you need to check out this interview!
The
Nighthawks: Live at The State Theater with Special Guest: Hubert Sumlin
A
classic and historic live concert video of The Nighthawks with
Hubert Sumlin at the State Theater in Falls Church, Virginia.
In
case you missed it, The
Nighthawks' DVD was reviewed (on New Year's Eve) by Mike
Joyce in the Washington Post.
Excerpts
from the Post review include:
"...a
blues summit, wherein the Nighthawks team up with the great guitarist
Hubert Sumlin."
"...From
start to finish, Sumlin sounds as hip as he looks in his snap-brim
fedora. He briefly solos and subtly contributes a trademark array
of accents to the DVD's finale: sweet-sounding bends, sliding
fills and country turnarounds. Playing electric guitar with thumb
and index finger, Sumlin casually reveals his Mississippi and
Arkansas roots, and Nighthawks guitarist Pete Kanaras pays him
tribute by shedding his pick at one point. Then again, Kanaras
colorfully evokes images of Waters, too, when playing slide guitar.
The finale also finds Mark Wenner briefly trading in his blues
harmonica for a chromatic model in order to pump out fat, resonating,
low-end chords during "I'm Ready."
"...the
Nighthawks are typically in fine bar-band form, playing plenty
of road-tested tunes and frequent requests, such as 'Can't Get
Next to You' and 'Pretty Girls and Cadillacs.'" -- Mike Joyce,
The Washington Post.
ALSO
WORTH NOTING:The folks
that produced the Nighthawks DVD, Rolling Storm Communications,
recently released another live concert DVD for The Atlanta Rhythm
Section (ARS). You remember them, with hits like "So
Into You", "Spooky", "Champagne Jam", "Not
Gonna Let it Bother Me Tonight", and Imaginary Lover."
The DVD is called "The
Atlanta Rhythm Section - Live at Stabler Arena."
