New Orleans’ own Mississippi Rail Company has teamed up with NOLA.com to premiere their new single “Redwood Jones” today! The band is set to play a hometown show at Blue Nile on Friday, September 19th at 10pm. This show will be a triumphant return since the band sold out a New Orleans Jazzfest After-Show at Gasa Gasa with Lost Bayou Ramblers in May. The band’s unique blend of soulful blues breathes fresh, youthful energy into classic New Orleans roots music – moving music forward via a vehicle of the past. Listen to “Redwood Jones” on NOLA.com, here: http://bit.ly/1o37bBn.
The show at Blue Nile will feature guest performances fromColin LakeandJohnny Sansone,whorecentlycollaboratedin the studiowith Mississippi Rail Company. ToTravers Geoffray,the band’s leader andsinger/songwriter/pianist, recording with these two world renowned musicians was such a success it has led to on stage collaborations like this upcoming Blue Nile collaboration.“Recording “Three Little Girls” with Johnny Sansone and Colin Lake was too short and sweet,”explains Geoffray.“We got the tune in three takes. So to make up for the short session, we all thought it would be fun to do a couple of shows together. With a shared affection for Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and the like, we’ve decided to perform a couple of their tunes together. It’s a unique opportunity for the band because as much as we love playing Chicago Blues, it’s hard to pull off with just piano and hornssoadding Colinon guitarand Johnnyon harmonicacreates a band with monster force conducive to resurrecting the spirit of folks like Muddy and Wolf. Everyone’s singing, everyone’s blowing, everyone’s having a good time.”
Along with Geoffray, Mississippi Rail Company features a dapper, suit-clad lineup of Sam Shahin (drums), Calvin Morin-Martin (upright bass)Robin Clabby (tenor saxaphone), and a 2-piece horn section.
Mississippi Rail Company is one of New Orleans’ most prominent rising local acts. The band sold out their headlining Launch Party in January and followed it up by landing an opening slot for the Soul Rebels Rebels Brass Band at the legendary Tipitina’s just a week later. The sold out Launch Show revealed the band’s 2014 Singles Project, for which the band is releasing one new track every month of 2014. The first track “Big, Bad Wolf” was released in January on Relix.com, the second track “Milky Way” premiered with a new music video on ArtistDirect in February, and the third track “Chocolate Pie” on USA TODAY in April.
Mississippi Rail Company’s acclaimed live performance style has landed them impressive festival slots at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Voodoo Fest, Hogs for the Cause, and Crawfest at Tulane University, plus supporting gigs across the southern U.S. with Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Papa Mali, The Revivalists, Flow Tribe, and Lost Bayou Ramblers.
Mississippi Rail Company attributes their band name to the Delta Blues region that inspires them. “Mississippi is essentially the birthplace of American music, and that’s what we like to play: American music,” Geoffray says. “The ‘rail company’ aspect is based off our journey, traveling throughout the South and picking up all the different sounds and influences along the way.”
The complex songwriting style Geoffray exercises is rooted in years of studying New Orleans piano under the great Tom McDermott, featured prominently playing himself in HBO’s Treme Season 1. Under McDermott, Geoffray studied the styles of New Orleans’ renowned pianists – soaking up everything the music of Fats Domino, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Scott Joplin and James Booker could teach.
The band’s 2014 Singles Project is a follow-up to their debut full-length release, Coal Black Train. Geoffray sees the goal of the singles project as a means to create songs without the confines that albums present. “We want listeners to hear each track individually rather than hear the songs in relation to each other off a collective work” explains Geoffray. With 12 months of new tunes, the band will have the opportunity to explore new ground and feature various instrumentation and genres; blues, swing, gospel, big band and more.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sept 19 – New Orleans, LA @ Blue Nile
Sept 20 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea’s Café
Sept 27 – Lafayette, LA @ Artmosphere