Papa Mali Launches Summer Tour

For Immediate Release 6/24/2008:

PAPA MALI LAUNCHES SUMMER TOUR

Papa Mali will embark on a West Coast tour starting July 4th weekend that will feature band members Ron Johnson on bass (Tiny Universe, New Monsoon) and “Big” Thomas McCree on drums (Lyrics Born). They will make a three night stop at High Sierra Music Festival with guest Will Blades on organ (Stanton Moore Trio), two nights at Crystal Bay in Tahoe, Santa Cruz, a show in San Francisco with his friends from the U.K., The New Mastersounds and a main stage slot at Oregon Country Fair. You can also catch Papa’s band at 10,000 Lakes Festival in MN, Mountain Stage (nationally syndicated live radio show based in Charleston, WV along with Amos Lee, The Steeldrivers & more), Sleeping Bear Dunegrass & Blues Festival in MI, Magic City Blues Festival in MT, Loki Music Festival in NC (along with The Roots, Toots and the Maytals and more), the Masquerade Ball in Terra Alta, WV and much more to be announced.

Papa Mali kicked off his Summer tour with a weekend stop at the Wakarusa Festival and played a rousing set that paid tribute to the great Bo Diddley. With the assistance of longtime Papa Mali drummer Robb Kidd sitting in on percussion, Papa and company rocked out versions of “Who Do You Love?” and “Hey Bo Diddley” that had the crowd belting out the late performers name in the chorus. Papa took over some M.C. duties at the festival, played a set with Everyone Orchestra (which featured members of the Flecktones, New Monsoon, Delta Nove, Hot Buttered Rum, Arrested Development and more) and a couple sets with his own band. Papa then set off for a Colorado tour that had him joining Great American Taxi in Denver, with Vince Herman sitting in on Papa’s set as well. Papa and his band played festival sets at FIBArk Whitewater Festival in Salida, & Bayou in the Butte in Crested Butte. This past weekend Papa Mali helped kick in the summer at the Solstice Shakedown in South Dakota and rocked the Log Jam in Minnesota.

Coming off of a stellar Spring tour with extensive runs in the Midwest, West Coast and Southeast, an East Coast solo tour (dobro and vocals) with the king of the blues B.B. King (his second in the last few months), Papa is bringing his infectious style to every corner of the map. Papa spent a week at New Orleans Jazzfest (that included on stage appearances with Gov’t Mule, Ludacris, Tommy Lee, Jojo Hermann, Cyril Neville, Henry Butler and many others) and played a set during the N.O. Jazz and Heritage Festival at the Blues Tent with Ruthie Foster (who’s current CD was produced by Papa Mali and went to #3 on the Billboard Blues Chart and #3 on the Triple-A radio charts). Papa Mali is fully recharged and will be unveiling some new material and band configurations this Summer.

Papa Mali will be recording a live CD in August, keep an eye out for updates on this special package release. Papa will follow up his recent Hawaii tour (with Derek Trucks Band) with two performances in Honolulu for Halloween. A Fall tour in Europe will be announced in coming months.

PAPA MALI- 2008 TOUR DATES
7/4-7/6 High Sierra Music Festival: Quincy, CA
7/7-7/8 Crystal Bay Club Casino/ The Red Room: Crystal Bay, NV
7/10 Moe’s Alley: Santa Cruz, CA
7/11 The Independent: San Francisco, CA with New Mastersounds
7/12 Oregon Country Fair: Veneta, OR
7/23 10,000 Lakes Festival: Detroit Lakes, MN
7/27 Mountain Stage- Cultural Center Theater: Charleston, WV
8/2 Sleeping Bear Dunegrass and Blues Festival: Empire, MN
8/9 Magic City Blues Festival: Billings, MT
8/16 Music in the Zoo: Minneapolis, MN with Joe Bonamassa
10/12 Loki Festival @ Deerfield’s: Mills River, NC
10/17 Halloween Masquerade Ball @ Sunshine Daydream: Terra Alta, WV
10/31 Spirit Fest: Honolulu, HI




Link: http://www.papamali.com