Jason Ricci Press Release

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JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD’s “ROCKET NUMBER 9,” NOW AVAILABLE

“One of the biggest regrets I have is that I never got to see Jimi Hendrix, but seeing Jason Ricci’s literally breathtaking and physics defying show...is probably the closest I will get. Ricci did for the electric and acoustic harmonica what Hendrix did for the guitar: took it somewhere it’s never been.” (Brad Kava/SJ Mercury News)

Van Nuys, CA - Eclecto Groove Records is proud to announce the release of Nashville-based JASON RICCI & New Blood’s ROCKET NUMBER 9. ROCKET NUMBER 9 was produced by Grammy-winning producer JOHN PORTER (Roxy Music, Buddy Guy, Ryan Adams) and recorded at The House of Blues Studio in Encino, CA. The 12 tracks (11 originals + a Sun Ra cover) are an eclectic mix. Jason Ricci & New Blood fuse blues, rock, funk and jazz into a seamless cohesion. Critics have compared them with acts as diverse as The Rolling Stones, John Coltrane and Lou Reed. Jason Ricci & New Blood deliver a level of musical virtuosity, while effortlessly keeping the fun, angst and energy of a punk rock band, with the skill, refinement and reflection typical of a jazz ensemble.

As a blues band Jason Ricci & New Blood have individually and collectively won various accolades and distinguished awards from blues organizations around the world.

As a jam band, tapers have archived shows from the shores of France and Belgium to San Francisco and weekly Internet downloads, often in the thousands, have surpassed heavily bootlegged acts such as The Grateful Dead and Phish. Jason Ricci’s self-released 2006 CD "Blood On The Road" sold over 12,000 copies in under a year from stage, by word of mouth and through the Internet.

Jason Ricci is that rare individual that comes along once in a generation – a unique artist with the ability to help shape and redefine the sound of his chosen instrument . His style is varied and his influences far reaching, having spent countless hours absorbing everything from Sun Ra to Little Walter, The Rolling Stones to the Pixies, Lou Reed to Govt. Mule, and everything in between.

By the time Ricci was 21, he had won the Sonny Boy Blues Society contest, had performed on the main stage at the King Biscuit Blues Festival, and had worked with Susan Tedeschi, Billy Gibson, and Bobby Little. Soon Ricci was gigging with Junior Kimbrough’s son, David, and frequently performed with Junior and R.L Burnside in clubs throughout the South.

After Junior’s death, Ricci returned home to Portland, ME and formed a band with guitarist Nick Curran. A year later, Ricci won the Mars National Harmonica Contest, beating out over 1,000 contestants. Hohner harmonicas quickly signed Jason on as an endorsee.

In 2001, after touring nationally with Big Al and the Heavyweights, Ricci relocated to Nashville. He released his first solo album, Feel Good Funk, but he needed new blood to take his music where he wanted it to go. Ricci joined with young guitarist Shawn Starski, flamboyant Argentine drummer Maki Bergara, and veteran first call Beale Street bassist Slim Louis to form, appropriately, Jason Ricci & New Blood.

Since that time Jason Ricci & New Blood has been on a rigorous, 300 gig-a-year schedule thrilling audiences, defying musical genre labeling, and constantly evolving. No two Jason Ricci & New Blood shows are alike. Steve Johnson now supplies an infectious swing on drums, and Todd Edmunds brings a jazzy funky groove on bass.

At the age of 33, Jason Ricci is a seasoned, road-tested and proven musician with a fire and passion to take his music to new heights and innovations. He is an inspiration, a rare talent, and a performer not to be missed. Together with guitarist Shawn Starski, who brings with him an arsenal of creative talent and fresh ideas, and Grammy Award winning producer John Porter at the helm, on ROCKET NUMBER 9 Jason Ricci & New Blood have created a visionary and sonically explosive masterpiece that is sure to shake your foundations.