Anders Osborne’s new full-length album Buddha and the Blues is now available worldwide, just in time for a whirlwind of performances surrounding the heralded New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Billboard premiered the album’s first single, "Traveling with Friends", calling the "breezy" song "a moment of gratitude," adding that "serenity may not be the prevailing state of mind in the world these days... but the album, Buddha and the Blues, determinedly takes an antidote." The next single, “Running”, was labeled as “an anthem for the directionless” by Rolling Stone, who noted that “Anders mixes Big Easy groove with California cool” on “his newest collection of greasy roots-rock.” Buddha and the Blues can be purchased on CD or Vinyl here.
With the title in hand from the start, Osborne had a clear vision of how his new record should resonate, noting that, “Buddha and the Blues means the duality of our existence. The lyrics are supposed to be true, conversational, and uplifting with clean, classic, and thumpin’ sounds. That’s what I set out to accomplish.” With the help of Buddha and the Blues producer, Chad Cromwell, an all-star cast of west coast session musicians was assembled at Brethren Studio in Ojai, California, for a soulful SoCal meets the Big Easy tracking session. In the company of Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, Linda Rondstadt, Warren Zevon) on guitar, Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne, John Lennon, Don Henley) on bass, Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash) on keyboards, Windy Wagner (Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart) on background vocals, and Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, Joe Walsh) on drums, Osborne set out to complete his initial vision; clean, classic, and most certainly thumpin’.
In true celebratory New Orleans fashion, Anders Osborne will keep the release of Buddha and the Blues rolling into weekend two of New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. With an official set on May 2nd at the festival’s main stage as an anchor of sorts, Osborne will venture into the world of Jazz Fest late night shows with his own performances—including Anders’ Birthday Bash at the Joy Theater on May 4th—as well as performances as a member of Dead Feat and Foundations Of Funk throughout the weekend. String Cheese Incident also just announced Anders as a guest for their May 3rd New Orleans show at Mardi Gras World. Osborne also shared a playlist of some of his favorite acts at the festival with USA Today so that fans may get a taste of the New Orleans music that drew him to the city in the first place.
Catch Anders Osborne during Jazz Fest and on tour:
April 26 - Lafayette, LA - Festival International de Louisiane^
April 29 - New Orleans, LA - Louisiana Music Factory (Solo Acoustic)
April 30 - New Orleans, LA - Chickie Wah Wah (Osborne, Sansone & Fohl)
May 1 - New Orleans, LA - NOLA Crawfish Festival (Duo)
May 2 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival
May 2 - New Orleans, LA - Republic NOLA (w/ Dead Feat)
May 3 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival (w/ VOWA)
May 3 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre° (w/ Foundation of Funk)
May 3 - New Orleans, LA - Mardi Gras World (guesting with String Cheese Incident)
May 4 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater (Anders’ Birthday Bash)#
May 26 - Charlotte, NA - U.S. National Whitewater Center
June 22 - Denver, CO - Citizens for the River at Confluence Park
July 12 - Alta, WA - Targhee Fest
Sep 3-6 - Big indian, NY - Steve Earle's Camp Copperhead
Sept 14-15 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
^with Tiffany Lamson & Helen Gillet
° opening for Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats
# with Tim Reynolds & TR3, Samantha Fish and The Hornstars
