A brief summary of the great artists who have and will grace the Alter States Nights at The Bassment Club in 2006 is given below.

I have plans to revamp this section as we have accumulated so much great info, including pics and music from these artists I want to ensure you can find what yiou are looking for - watch this space..

Check the GIG LIST for other info for the gigs.

www.stevejcurtis.com

He is NOT guitar shy. One of the great guitarists in this country with a soul and country voice that takes you to another place. With the Curtis Slater Experience he is joined by Ian Slater and the boys and the blend of roots Country with a tinge of blues is a treat. 

Small Mercies album is widely available - check it out. 

www.jessklein.com

''She has one of those voices you want to crawl up close to the speakers to listen to: innocent but steely tough, like a compadre of Lucinda Williams and Lucy Kaplansky or a young Tift Merritt. " - Mojo Magazine

We hope to have Jess back in Jan/DFeb 2007 to promote her new album.

www.eileenrose.com

''Like Lucinda Williams but with softer edges, Rose fuses country, honky-tonk and smoldering pop into something all her own. She has one of those rough, been-through-a-lot kind of voices, but she's careful not to overplay it'' TIME

''At her best, Eileen Rose shows the single-minded spirit and intensity of Ani DiFranco, full of attitude and gritty, evocative portrayals of life on an emotional knife-edge.'' MOJO 4 MUSIC

www.peterbruntnell.com

An astounding singer-songwriter talent.  

One of the finest songwriters in Britain"
THE INDEPENDENT

"A quiet masterclass in emotional subtlty"
METRO

"Ghost In A Spitfire's most potent weapon is Bruntnell's emotion-racked voice - a delicate instrument worthy of cherishing"
THE SUN

"Radiant....exquisite...monumental"
UNCUT

www.dannygeorgewilson.com

Grand Drive lead singer steps out on his own. Danny will be on the same bill as Peter Bruntnell for tonight at The Alter STates night -  how good is that.

A soulful songwriter who sings with immense, gentle strength' MOJO

"These superb songs unfurl with passion" THE INDEPENDENT


"The stripped down front porch vibe is just right" UNCUT


"An album with highlights too plentiful to pin down" MAVERICK


"Wistful, elegaic, summery and all round gorgeous" AMERICANA-UK

www.ragmop.co.uk

-Roots Country at it's very best. The well travelled Essex guys will seriously entertain..

www.morningbride.co.uk 

I could say a great deal about this quality outfit but why bother - see below:-

"they floored us......like Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra covered by Rilo Kiley, or Mazzy Star if Hope Sandoval belted out her vocals" 
                                                                  THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN

"Rarely will your heart have been broken quite so delicately.....they are floating in the stars, but looking down in the gutter"           
                                                                        FREQUENCY EZINE

"A highly personalised, overwhelmingly beautiful soundtrack to the dullest of urban lives. If you think it can't get any better, go and see them, and let your cynicism melt faster than the rocks in your scotch"            MUSIC-NEWS.COM

"Amity..... looking and sounding like a just blessed morning bride. the girl voice in all your best dreams"                                 LILY NOVAK, N16 MAGAZINE

Bob Collum & The Welfare Mothers can also be seen regularly at Prozak Yoel in Walthamstowe - THE PLOUGH.

www.bobcollumonline.com

On The Boy Most Likely Too..., Bob Collum masterfully combines melodicism and rootsy twang.The result is as honest and refreshing a record as has come down the dusty two laned highway this year. With TBMLT,  Collum has crafted roots popperfection.- Amplifier

www.winternet.nu

The Swedes return with an assault on the UK. New album 10 sengs just beeing released - The album covers a wide range of styles, several of which can be seen as Americana , but with an unusally strong emphasis on melodies. There is rootsy rock, biting ballads, leanings towards country and moody songs. Håkan and Anna-Lena exchange guitar licks over drummer Abbe Abrahamsson and bassist Johan Strömberg's organic interplay. On top of it all, Anna-Lena's characteristic vocals guide us through the stories. Her voice, both calm and warm at the same time, has its own musical fingerprint.

www.deadstringbrothers.com

This Detroit outfit were the highlight of 2005. Starving WInrer Report has been at No 1 in the Maverick Magazine Americana UK album charts for weeks. An honour to have this band back in 2006.  DO NOT MISS THIS!!!

Lee's first visit to Chelmsford will be as support for the Deadstring Bros this will be a treat for guitar fans and those who want to hear a music that drifts from roots through to rock.

'Lee Gordon are a fantastic band, and have released a beautifully eclectic album which offers something for everyone. This is definitely a band that deserves to go places.' Norfolk Blurb 'Oct 05

www.leegordon.co.uk

Gina is simply quite marvelous. The stunning reviews from every quarter for her studio and live work is too numerous to mention. Miss this gig at your peril. Just check out her website for all the info you ever need on the 'Queen of Americana' as one reviewer put it.. 

www.ginavillalobos.com

What a treat this is to have Felix and the boys joining Gina Villalobos for a cracking SUnday night in May. Hey Negrita's music is a whisky flavoured mix of rock, pop and country - not to be missed.

Following the release of the critically acclaimed debut 'We Are Catfish' and a UK headline tour, Hey Negrita are releasing their second album 'The Buzz Above' in July 2006.

Felix wrote a large portion of the album whilst living in Florida, where he spent his nights jamming with one of Ray Charles' backing singers and a fifty-five year-old cowboy junky who had worked with Gram Parsons and Little Feat. Within a few months of arriving in Delray Beach, Felix secured a residency at the bohemian Da Da Lounge

www.heynegrita.com

Check Jason out at www.jasonmcnif.com or at MYSPACE

A truly remarkable performer.

one of the uk's best kept secrets ' MOJO ****

' an absolutely fantastic album ' Sean Rowley, BBC RADIO LONDON

' restless travelogue post-nashville skyline dyaln ' UNCUT MAY 2006

' gazing from the gutter to the stars ' MAVERICK ****

' a troubadour and one of the best americana singers we have in this country ' ****
MORNING STAR

The Ugly Guys are former Kursaal Flyers singer Paul Shuttleworth and pedal steel guitarist Vic Collins, who first played together back in 1969 in Cow Pie, a band inspired by the country flavoured rock music coming out of California at the time from the likes of The Byrds and Gram Parsons¹ Flying Burrito Brothers.

They are joined by former Jerry the Ferret guitarist Steve Oliver and Bob Clouter, Mickey Jupps¹ original Orioles and Legend drummer. The Line up is completed by Mike Steed on bass and keyboards. Mike toured America extensively in the 80¹s with John Lydon¹s PIL Ltd. and with cult goth band Flesh for Lulu.

Regulars on the Honky Tonk scene and darlings of UK Country radio and Festivals. The boys have run ther own Honky Tonk night in Maidstone and now Gareth and Dave are the House band at Honk Tonk Sundays night held at The Constitution in Camden.

Their album 'Made in Austin' was cut in Austin Texas and has had rave reviews in the likes of Maverick Magazine. Garth is a great showman, a real entertainer Dave is a wonder on the Telecaster.

www.toocountry.co.uk

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This California roots/country singer-songwriter came to international fame in 2002 with her debut CD, Am I Too Blue. Since then Lisa has enjoyed numerous No.1 records, performances at MIDEM 2003 (France), a standing ovation at the 2004 Country Music Messe (Berlin) and sold-out tours of Germany, Holland, Spain and Switzerland. O'Kane has been featured in every major country music publication in Europe and has been hailed as a roots music diva by Mojo magazine. "...Reminiscent of Emmylou Harris, though not without sass and swing of her own. She jumps easily from rockin' up-tempo numbers to mirthful bluegrass, to easy folk, to string-laced elegance." - Nashville Scene.etails to follow.

In the meantime check out Lisa at www.lisaokane.com

Check out the new album Korea Town one of the best of 2006 hear at www.myspace.com/grantlangston

One our favourite artists of 2006. Real 'Bakersfield' California style Country Honky Tonker despite the fact that Grant is from Alabama. Great songs, great humour, great voice and some superb guitar licks. The whole groove created by this bands is great. Due back in teh UK in early 2007 - not to be missed. 

see and hear the band at

www.myspace.com/thewormwoodscrubselecticalband 

A Blues Rock outfit from St Louis on the grande ole Mississippi you get great male and female vocals, slight Country edge but still able to rock it up. veterans of tours with the likes of the Handsome Family these good peole know their way around. Great bunch of people - always welcome at the Bassment.  

see  http://www.myspace.com/thegringostars

A majestic band of multi-talented musicians who move between instruments after each song bringing a different style and feel to each number. Happy to cross multiple genre's this band deserve to go places. XFM should snap them up - they are not your average Indie or Alt-Country outfit,. They are full of surprises.

see www.myspace.com/joshtpearson or the Bellaunion site for loads of great info on the 'one of a kind' performer.      Nipper calls this guy 'THE REVEREND' and still complains that tis was the loudest performer to ever grace the venue. This guy only has an accoustic!!   

www.viarosa.com   or www.myspace.con/viarosa

The guys came on Sun 6th December 

Until the Website is revamped in early January and all this lovely info is in alphabetical - simply sorted - order please scabn through this and see the profiles for the acts playing each month.

“…Penetrating lyrical lines, impressive harmonising ….Influenced by the likes of The Stanley Brothers, The Carter Family and The Country Gentlemen… showmanship that came over as sincere and affecting” Americana- UK  

With these guys you get Harmony Singing, banjo picking, mandolin chopping and fiddle sawing – London’s newest bluegrass sensations combine acoustic savagery with sacred-harp vocals into a high-octane review of up tempo ass-kickers and mountain ballad laments.  

The band wasf ormed by Belfast born five-string banjo player Pat McGarvey and taking their name from the ground breaking multi-racial union of sharecroppers and non-landowning tenant farmers founded in Arkansas in the 1930’s, the Southern Tenant Folk Union are an explosive new London based bluegrass outfit.

see www.myspace.com/southerntenantfolkunion

Guess what - a quality Chelmsford based band. Fronted by singer/songwriter David Arscott. Of French and English blood, his writing seems to bare the emotional melancholy from the Parisian cobblestone alleys to the streets
of London’s overspill county, Essex.

Consisting of an acrobatic voice, the shimmer and twang of guitars, bass, drums and fundamental elements, the organ and piano, TWG deliver an altogether more vintage sound with a heartfelt, well-studied approach to their special brand of music.

With hints of the sixties, seventies and tasteful parts of the eighties, this band make a relevant noise with some unique, beautiful art. Rufus Wainright meets REM meets Bill Withers on a night out with Richard Ashcroft. A nice evening stroll I'd say.

see www.thewhitegospel.com

Although now based in Wales Rachel still has links to Essex.

Rachel Taylor-Beales is a singer songwriter who has spent the last 10 years between Australia and the UK, touring extensively in both countries. Her music ebbs and flows along the intersection of folk, rock and jazz with quirky melodies and rich harmonies all held together by strong lyrical story lines moving between guitar and piano led songs.

see www.annycelsi.com or www.myspace.com/annycelsi

see www.markusrill.com or www.myspace.com/markusrill

This was Jess at The Bassment in 2006. Simply one of the greatest female vocalists you will hear up close and personal. Really soulful.

see www.jessklein.com

see www.matgibson.com

see www.nelsonband.com

David Nelson was a founding member of 'The New Riders of the Purple Sage and spent a number of years working as Jerry Garcia's partner in his acoustic band whilst Banana was a founding member of 'The Youngbloods' (Darkness / Get Together). Between them they have nearly eighty years professional playing experience and are both world class guitar players; both will be expected to attract significant interest - not least because of David's close relationship with the 'Grateful Dead'.... Touring as an acoustic duo with a repertoire that covers Country Blues, Bluegrass, Traditional Country all with a little psychedelia thrown into the mix..