Celso Salim Band
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Celso Salim Band

Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2001 | INDIE

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2001
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"Mama's Hometown Album Review"

Celso Salim Band – Mama’s Hometown

Self-Produced/Tower High Music

http://www.celsosalim.com

CD: 9 Songs, 42:06 Minutes

Styles: “Traditional Contemporary” Blues, Dobro Blues, Swamp Blues

Why do we love music so much, no matter our background or culture, and no matter what kind it is?

Music brings us back to primal roots that dug themselves into our minds long ere societal ones did. This is what the blues is great at doing, whether traditional or contemporary.

Brazilian guitarist Celso Salim presents a near-perfect fusion of these two styles on his new album, Mama’s Hometown. Its nine songs – eight originals and one classic tune (“In My Time of Dying”) – will take you back there, evoking a swamp blues atmosphere even if you live in the city. The only flaw is that a lyrics booklet should have been included. It’s hard to decipher the meanings and messages displayed in such terrific tracks. Celso and his posse provide understated but melodic singing. They let their instruments tell voodoo stories; the chief shaman is the dobro. It weaves a spell to lull one awake, not asleep.

Salim started playing guitar at the age of six; by his teens he was focusing on early blues artists. From ages seventeen to twenty, he lived in the United States where he got deeply involved with a variety of American styles including country, folk, jazz, soul and rock. With five solo albums to his credit, he’s becoming one of the busiest and most respected blues artists from Brazil.

In a short period living in Los Angeles, he did openings for Canned Heat and Kim Wilson. After winning first place in the 2015 Southern California Blues Society (SCBS) Battle of the Bands, he represented the SCBS at the International Blues Challenge in 2016.

Along with Celso on guitar, dobro and vocals are Rafael Cury on vocals; David Fraser on piano, keyboards and harmony vocals; Mike Hightower on electric and upright bass and harmony vocals, and Lynn Coulter on drums, percussion and harmony vocals. Special guests include Darryl Carriere on harmonica for track two, Mo Beeks on Hammond B3 on tracks one, four and seven, and Minique Taylor on harmony vocals for tracks five and seven.

The following three originals are like Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes: “they’re gr-r-reat.”

Track 01: “Mad Dog” – Not since Eric Clapton’s “Pretending” has there been a blues rock song so exhilarating. Sometimes when everyone goes all out, vocally and instrumentally, the result is loud chaos. This time, magic happens. The title character “lives his life running from the law, raising hell from dusk till dawn, getting high, chasing women…” If this tune’s so jaunty, why is it played in a minor instead of a major key? It’s because we all know what happens to mad dogs if they’re ever caught: they’re put down. Revel in how Celso sings “moving” near the finale, and play air piano along with David Fraser during his dynamite solo.

Track 02: “Locked Out in Misery” – Time for good old Chicago blues, featuring a good old Chicago blues theme: when your lady won’t let you in the house because she’s quit you. This song’s subject has lost not only his home, but his car and children. He can find solace in Darryl Carriere’s rueful harmonica.

Track 07: “Mama’s Hometown” – The title track can be summed up in two words: “dobro heaven.” It’s a slow burner featuring long slides and reverberations of the strings, a perfect tune for ambiance while sitting out on the porch and drinking lemonade. Dig the harmony vocals, too.

Mama’s Hometown is a magical, musical place where everyone is welcome! - Blues Blast Magazine (2018)


"Mama's Hometown Album Review"

By Tom O’Connor

Brazilian guitarist, Celso Salim continues to channel the soul of American Blues with his namesake band in his new and truly inspiring album, Mama’s Hometown, due for release on September 28 thfrom Wide Track Records. There are a lot of reasons why Salim is a multi-award winning musician and widely acknowledged Blues master on both sides of the equator, and you’ll find plenty of them on this almost too short nine-song collection. The album is produced by Mike Hightower and Celso Salim.

Album opener, “Mad Dog” comes correct with a swampy stomping feel as Salim’s guitar slides over a good time tune anchored by Max Butler’s piano and Rafael Cury’s spot-on vocals. The band then effortlessly switches gears to some straight outta Chicago blues on “Locked Out in Misery” that features more piano and a sharp harmonica turn from Darryl Carriere. Jake and Elwood would have loved to cover this one. The band takes us back down Highway 61 on “Let it Burn,” a toe-tapping boogie-woogie number that surely has Lowell George smiling down from wherever he might now be. “Don’t try to fight the fire, just let it burn” might as well be talking about this album. There is no fighting it, and why would you?

Mo Beeks guests on the Hammond B3 for the slow and dreamy “No Need to Be Alone,” which also features some sweet picking from Salim that all hangs on the soft touch of Mike Hightower’s steady bass. The ghosts of Little Feat return on the boogie-funk of “Got to Find That Babe” with an assist from Minque Taylor’s guest vocals. The light and open hearted tune tells you that, even if he doesn’t “find that babe” it is still likely going to be a very good day. The rootsy “Down the Aisle” is another feel-good jaunt in the sun; all dobro and washboard bouncing off some popping barrelhouse piano.

Title track, “Mama’s Hometown” returns to that slow and steady blues. In no hurry to impress, the song does anyway with long, slow dobro slides and plenty of room to feel the reverberations. The return of Mo Beeks’ B3 and Minique Taylor’s harmony vocals are both icing on an already delicious cake. Vocalist Rafael Cury gets to show off his inner blues crooner on the lush and lovely “Best of Luck.” Do not miss the delicate and soulful piano solo on this one, a perfect compliment to Celso’s heartfelt guitar turn.




The album closes with a true blues deep cut. “In My Time of Dying” has been part of the DNA of the blues for century, played by everyone from Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin to Jack White. It is also the last song Chris Cornell sang in his final performance before his tragic death. It is heavy stuff and it comes as a surprise at the end of this too brief album of good vibe-in’ boogie and blues. But surprises are good things. Celso doesn’t have to prove his bonafides or the depth of his connection to this music, but this song does that anyway, and in spades. Stripped down to dobro, vocals and little else, it is reminder to listeners of the deep well of pain and spirit which all the music you’ve heard on this album sprang from. More than just a showcase of Salim’s prodigious guitar skills, it is an homage and offering to the ghosts who carried this music before him, and it also sounds like a promise to stay true to their memory. …and I believe it. You will too. - Blues and Rock Muse (2018)


Discography

Albums:
Mama's Hometown (2018)
Celso Salim Band - To the End of Time (2014)
Celso Salim & Rodrigo Mantovani - Diggin' the Blues(2011)
Celso Salim - Big City Blues(2008)
Celso Salim - Going out tonight(2003)
Celso Salim - Lucky Boy(2001)

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Bio

CELSO SALIM BIO

New release: To the End of Time (GRV Discos)





Celso Salim, a leading bluesman of Brazil
presents the 5th album
of his career “To the end of time”, with
eight original tracks and three covers of classic
blues.

Recorded in São Paulo,
with production by Celso Salim &
Rafael Cury, the album has Rodrigo Mantovani on
bass, Jason Sterling on drums,
and special guests Ari Borger (piano), Humberto Zigler
(drums), Rafael Cury
and Bia Marchese
(vocals) Denilson Martins (sax) and
Darryl Carriere (harmonica).

Between acoustic and electric tracks, Celso sings and
plays electric and acoustic guitars, dobro and mandolin.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bluesman who
at age six began practicing guitar and at
fifteen already became a
professional, is today one of the leading blues guitarists in the country.

The years of effort yielded fruit to the
talented guitarist, singer,
songwriter and producer. His 3rd album Big City Blues
received good national and international critics (Guitar Player, Blues'n'Jazz, Real
Blues Magazine, Blues
Bytes, mary4music.com, among others.). Several of their tracks now run on radio from different countries like Spain, Italy, France, Argentina, Australia,
USA and Brazil. In
addition, four of them entered
the Top 500 of the Billboard
songwriting contest (2008) and one of them took the title of "best blues
composition" by American songwriting contest IMA (International Music Awards). The track, which
bears the name of the disk, was
among the five finalists compositions, three of them American and one Canadian. Surprisingly, the popular vote selected the only Brazilian composition in the category.



In his 4th album
Diggin'the Blues
, a partnership with bassist
Rodrigo Mantovani, they plunged into a repertoire
full of versions of songs from old Blues composed
between the 30s and 60s, making great presentations across the Brazil, including festivals like;
Republic Blues (DF), Cinemúsica (RJ),
Mississippi Delta Blues Festival(RS), Só Blues-Cultural Center (SP), Rolla
Pedra acoustic (DF) and several concerts at SESC and SESI facilities.

They also participated in the Espaço Cultural
TV show of the Brazilian Senate TV.




Born in the Brazil’s capital, Brasília, he began studying guitar in
his hometown and years later choose
to continue abroad, since he
could benefit from a scholarship
in the estimated Musicians Institute
(MI), Los Angeles.
During the years he lived in the United States, he was part of a Blues band
with harp player Darryl Carriere, that frequently
featured in the L.A. local scene. There, Celso a recorded his first album"Lucky Boy" and at
the end of its course, the
talented "lucky boy" receives
the "outstanding student award” by the Musicians Institute.



He returned to Brazil in 2000 with the first album already in hand, thus
starting his solo career. Launched in 2003, his second CD "Going out tonight"
which earned him, among other events,
the opening show for B.B. King in Brasilia, participation in one of the biggest blues festivals in Brazil ;
the Guaramiranga Jazz and Blues(CE) and the invitation to release his cd in a Senate TV show,
then gaining great
national exposure.
Celso lived in São Paulo from 2004 to 2014. During this time, in addition to promising solo career, he was member of two great bands; Ari Borger Quartet and Sérgio Duarte Blues Band. He also works as a music producer. In recent years he made ​​several appearances on SESC and SESI units with Ari Borger, Sergio Duarte, Donni Nichilo and Celso Salim Band; participated in the festivals Republica Blues and Porao do Rock in Brasília; participated in the TV special “Blues in the country of Samba” organized by André Christovam; with Ari Borger Quartet he participated in the Rio das Ostras Jazz & Blues Festival and has toured Europe . With the band Rock and Roll Circus oppened for Deep Purple in 2014. In Brazil Celso also toured with American Bluesman Larry McCray; was a special guest in the Willie "Big Eyes" Smith concert (Muddy Waters drummer) and has been personally invited by Magic Slim, who was at one of Celso’s presentations, to participate in a show he held in São Paulo. 
Celso is currently living in Los Angeles, CA.


www.celsosalim.net

Band Members