Eric Krasno has announced tour dates in support of his forthcoming solo album, 'Blood From A Stone,' due July 8 on his own record label, Feel Music/Round Hill. The Grammy Award-winning guitarist/songwriter/producer, best known as a co-founder of Soulive and Lettuce, has assembled a band that features bassist Alex Chakour, drummer Eric Kalb, keyboardist DeShawn Alexander, rhythm guitarist Danny Mayer and backing vocalist Mary Corso. Initial shows include the band's debut performances spread out over two nights in Colorado with Dumpstaphunk, headline shows stretching from Brooklyn through New England and an additional run of co-bills in the Southeast this fall with Marco Benevento.
"I'm excited to get out on the road and play the new songs I've been working on," says Krasno. "I've assembled a killer band of players and singers that will take the music on 'Blood From A Stone' to whole other level. We also plan to pull out some covers and a put a fresh spin on a few tunes from my back catalog."
In a recent video premiere for the album's first single, Billboard Magazine wrote, "'Blood From a Stone' and lead single 'Waiting On Your Love' mark a change from Krasno's earlier funk-imbued style to a more structured blues and R&B-influenced sound." Indeed, the record, which features appearances by Derek Trucks, as well as members of Soulive, Lettuce and The London Souls, reveals a previously unknown and utterly compelling side of Krasno's artistry, as he both literally and metaphorically finds his voice. Hear Krasno's dark, seductive vocals rounded out by gorgeous harmonies and a deep, psychedelic groove with All Music's premiere of "On The Rise" here. Find the song on Friday, June 10 at all digital music outlets, including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon.
"My writing partner David Gutter and I have been writing songs with vocals for other people for long time," explains Krasno. "With these songs, we initially wrote them thinking others would sing them, so when I was in the studio with different artists, sometimes I'd introduce one of the tracks and they'd record it, but it wouldn't necessarily work out. Eventually, I realized it was because these songs had been written for myself."
It might sound strange hearing Krasno discuss the idea of "finding his voice" so deep into a career already chock full of remarkable songwriting (he's written and produced for everyone from Norah Jones, Tedeschi Trucks and 50 Cent to Talib Kweli, Aaron Neville and Allen Stone), but as he sees it, there's something new, something intimately personal about this album that urged him to step up to the microphone for the first time.
Krasno relocated from his home in New York City to Maine to join Dave Gutter from Rustic Overtones for the album's initial writing session, which turned out to be so productive that the two had penned most of the album in just a few days. In a shift from the looser, jam/funk spirit that has marked Krasno's previous work, the songs for 'Blood From A Stone' took shape as tight, infectious, highly structured rock, blues and R&B-based tracks, specifically drawing inspiration from the likes of Bobby "Blue" Bland's 'Dreamer' and Muddy Waters' 'Electric Mud.' Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, the duo headed into Gutter's barn along with Ryan Zoidis (Lettuce) to lay down what they envisioned to be demos, but in fact turned out to be the backbone of the album.
It's apparent from the first moments of 'Blood From A Stone' that Krasno's voice has been an ace up his sleeve this whole time. Rich and full-bodied, his tone blends sincerity with casual swagger and, much like his guitar playing, taps into a deep vein of emotion. On "Torture" and "Jezebel," he sings as a bruised survivor of love-gone-bad, while the slow-jam of "Please Ya" channels Otis Redding soul, and "Waiting On Your Love" builds off a raw, psychedelic blues riff that's lifted by a modern, hip-hop influenced groove. Later still, Krasno is joined by his old friend Derek Trucks on "Curse Lifter"—a hypnotic instrumental that lands somewhere between Santana and the Allman Brothers. It's an eclectic collection, to be sure, but it's all tied beautifully together through Krasno's understated vocals and skillful song-craft.
Along with currently announced tour dates this summer and autumn, Krasno will be adding additional shows in the coming weeks leading leading up to the release of 'Blood From A Stone.' The album is currently available for pre-order on LP, CD and digital formats at PledgeMusic and will be available for pre-order at iTunes and Amazon on June 10.
Eric Krasno Band Tour Dates
July 1 - Bellvue, CO - Mishawaka Amphitheatre *
July 2 - Boulder CO - Fox Theatre *
July 7 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl ^
July 8 - Bridgeport, CT - The Acoustic
July 14 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
July 15 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern ^^
July 17 - Rowayton, CT - Rowayton Summer Music Festival
August 6 - Springfield, MA - Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
August 19 - Portland, ME - Portland House of Music ^^
August 20 - Bolton Valley, VT - Hop Jam
August 27 - Sherman, NY - Night Light Festival
October 18 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry **
October 19 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre **
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West **
October 21 - Asheville, NC - New Mountain **
October 22 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House **
* w/ Dumpstaphunk
** w/ Marco Benevento
^ w/ Marcus King Band
^^ w/ Armies
