Julie black
“Julie Black is the perfect mix of blues, jazz, and soul”
– CBS TV
Julie Black is an award-winning songwriter, soul-stirring vocalist, and insightful messenger presenting original roots and historic early jazz and blues at festivals, art events, quality venues, and unique spaces. Fiery, inspiring, and powerful —Julie Black is a one-of-a-kind sound that transcends time and space.
“Love her sound”
– Gibson Guitar
Critically-acclaimed singer, songwriter & artist Julie Black writes expansive music rooted in early blues & jazz. A kindred spirit of free and fiery souls, she’s a songwriter whose personal story is deep, complex, and inspiring. Her soulful voice, intuitive approach, and fiery emotional intensity conjure up live performances that are passionate and profound. Deeply-rooted influences like Solomon Burke and Etta James flavor her sound, as do elements of blues, jazz, soul, swing, and rock. Filled with emotional truth, clarity, and vision, Julie Black offers a musical experience that is one-of-a-kind.
As an artist unconfined, she finds inspiration everywhere. She performs at major festivals including Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Clearwater Sea Blues Festival, Dunedin Wines the Blues, Chasco Fiesta, Pasco Pride, and others. She appears regularly on television and radio, and can be heard at great venues like the House of Blues, H’ours Creole Smokehouse, The Florida Botanical Gardens, and Hard Rock Cafe. A passionate advocate for the arts, and of music as art, Julie can also be found at art exhibitions, historic places, and public and special events.
Julie Black creates heart-driven, soul-inspiring music. She’s charted on Sirius XM, gets worldwide airplay, and recieved a Grammy nomination for songwriting. With several successful original albums (available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify…), Julie is constantly creating new music for the world. Julie Black proudly performs with her tight-knit band of incredible musicians: Dave Eichenberger – guitar, Frank Timpanelli – drums, and Graeme Currie – bass.
& Her Band:
Dave Eichenberger
Dave Eichenberger is an innovative guitarist & composer who creates sounds that are vast and dramatic, bringing to mind molten Earth, wide oceans, and infinite space. Inspired by ambient music pioneers Robert Fripp and Brian Eno. Dave has taken his own place in the ambient music world. He has released over 55 albums, from the ambient looping of Digital Mythology to the acoustic finery of Christmas Past; was awarded a grant from National Endowment for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the State of Florida; and was commissioned by the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg to create the music for their Dali & Da Vinci walking tours.
Dave is also a music educator and writes for legendary pickup & pedal manufacturer Seymour Duncan. An unlikely and unstoppable ally of the earthy, soulful music of Julie Black, Dave’s unique and majestic guitar work further elevates Julie’s spiritual approach to music. Together they create a musical presence that is out of this world.
Frank Timpanelli
Drummer Frank Timpanelli is a passionate player with great feeling and dynamics. Frank refined his craft through live shows and intensive training, and attended California’s Percussion Institute of Technology. He played drums on television at the tender age of eleven, spent 4 years with the Marine Band, and appeared in Clint Eastwood’s film Heartbreak Ridge. He’s inspired by greats like; Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl & Gene Krupa. Frank has worked with stars like Mickey Rooney, June Valli, Frank Gorshin (The Riddler from Batman), Rosalyn Kind, and Carol Channing. His taste in music is broad and celebrates big band, jazz, blues, rock, and everything in between. With Julie Black his passionate drumming amplifies the music’s heartbeat, and his skillful approach keeps the band together as they’re shooting across the universe.
Graeme Currie
Grammy-Winning musician Dr. Graeme Currie is the heavy-hitting bassist for Julie Black. He hails from the country of South Africa, and has worked with an extensive array of notable music projects around the world (Searching for Sugarman, Sixto Rodriguez, The Mamas & The Papas, Rick Wakeman [YES], “CATS” World Tour, The Glen Miller Big Band) .
Graeme’s approach to music is both intuitive and intellectual, boundary-pushing and sophisticated. His eyes cast toward the sun, he slips into the flow –his energy echoing through the atmosphere.
A multi-faceted creative, Graeme is also a composer and producer. Graeme’s body of work is vast expanding beyond the limitations of any specific genre. Graeme is a true music-maker at heart following the flow, moving with intuition and inspiration, and finding the groove in the heart of every song he approaches.
Additional Players
The “And” Band
John Bell is a multi-instrumentalist who works with Julie Black. A child of Chicago, John had an early love for jazz and blues which expanded outward as time went on. Greatly influenced by bass great Marcus Miller, John loves to make music that moves people. He plays bass, guitar, drums, piano, and anything else he can get his hands on. John’s worked in a wide variety of band and solo projects over the years, and is a music teacher as well.
Mike LaSala is a jazz/blues drummer who works with Julie Black. He comes from a family of well-respected musicians and has been playing drums for nearly his whole life. His tasteful and complex approach to rhythm was one-third of the celebrated jazz group the Mike McKinley Trio. He can also be found performing with Tampa blues bands like Lazy Boy and the Rockers.
Eric Deggans – info coming soon
All the dirty details:
Julie Black is a critically acclaimed artist, singer, songwriter, and visionary who inspires with stories of life, love, and loss. Her authentic approach and powerful vocals weave a potent message that resonates long after the music has ended. Genuine and emotionally uninhibited, Julie Black presents her work with strong conviction and a level of honesty that is rare and refreshing. She takes listeners on a journey through many spaces, places, and states of mind.
A kindred spirit of free and fiery souls, Julie Black finds common ground with those who have gone against the grain, blazed new trails, and left a unique imprint on art, science, culture, and humanity. Inspiration comes from life, her own story being deep, complex, and inspiring. She also senses the muse in the outside world…every falling leaf, wandering soul, broken heart, hero, zero, and so much more has the potential to become a part of her art and music. In her words, “every life is worthy of a song.” Every person who crosses her path has the potential to be woven into her work. Julie Black is one-of-a kind, whose art, music, and poetry provides a whole new perspective , and beckons the listener to consider things more deeply.
Julie’s music is based firmly in the blues; early influences like Solomon Burke and Etta James flavor her sound. The emotional intensity of these icons can be felt in the music she creates. As an artist she is unconfined, and therefore open to inspiration from everywhere. Elements of jazz, soul, swing, rock, and much more can also be heard within her music; Her only master the muse, and her focus solely on honoring the song in its truest form. Called “a major singing and songwriting talent” by Blues Revue Magazine, she’s released several all original albums, hit the music charts, receives worldwide airplay, performs at events, and she was also up for a Grammy nomination for a song she co-wrote with legendary vocalist Shaun Murphy in 2013.
She performs with her exceptionally talented band at major music festivals, concert halls, and select venues, and she has shared the bill with many legendary artists (Johnny Winter, Shaun Murphy, Bettye Lavette, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray). She has appeared on television, radio and at many celebrated music festivals including: The Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Tropical Heatwave, Chasco Fiesta, Southwest Florida Music Festival, and Clearwater Sea Blues Festival. Her passionate live performances are intensified by the superb musicianship of powerful band; Dave Eichenberger (guitar), Graeme Currie (bass) & Frankie Timpanelli (drums). Together they leave a lasting impression on listeners with a sound that transcends time & genre.
Based in Florida, Julie Black’s roots extend into Illinois & California. She began writing songs at eleven years of age, and has written thousands of songs to date. A prolific songwriter, she has been known to write as many as ten songs a day, when left to her own devices. Her musical taste was defined early in life, when she fell in love with Solomon Burke’s 45; Cry to Me. Burke’s music was a powerful medicine, easing the sorrows of a dark and trying early life, and planting the seeds of what would become an extraordinary journey. Amazingly, before his passing, Julie had the opportunity to connect with Burke (The King of Rock & Soul) and thank him. His response was filled with love and support, and he expressed how much he enjoyed Julie’s music. His influence and encouragement were invaluable and continue to fuel Julie’s creative intensity.
Her debut release, Call Me Angel for Blues was issued in 2007 by BOJA Records, the independent label of music veteran Bob Langford (Deep Purple, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South etc.) and mastered by Rodney Mills (R.E.M., Charlie Daniels, Gregg Allman, Pearl Jam, Journey Patsy Cline, etc.). The album caused quite the buzz. Blues Revue Magazine, the world’s largest blues publication, referred to her as “a major singing and songwriting talent”. The all original album climbed up the charts, including those at XM Sirius Satellite Radio, and was also named one of the Top 5 Contemporary Blues Albums of the Year by Blues Critic Radio. Call Me Angel for Blues, continues to play on blues, jazz & rock stations worldwide.
She released another successful album entitled You Just Might Win in 2010, which featured all original material. The reviews were glowing, critics and fans strongly connected with Julie’s songwriting and unique musical style. The album earned heavy rotation, increased Julie’s fan base, and rose into the Top 10 at B.B. Kings’ Bluesville on XM Sirius -remaining there for several weeks.
In 2012, Come On In This House was released, which was the first single of Julie Black’s digital single release project. The recording put a spine-tingling spin on the well-known blues classic made famous by Buddy Guy & Junior Wells. Celebrated by blues lovers, the song expanded upon the influences of soulfully charged influences like; Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Elmore James, & Koko Taylor and attracted new listeners to appreciate the raw and undeniable power of blues music.
Julie Black’s third album, Follow the Muse, drove even deeper into the creative realm. Released late 2014, each song on Follow the Muse is full of energy and magic, with subjects and atmospheres as diverse as those experienced in life. The album offers listeners a series of rich soundscapes to travel through, the emotional current vast and powerful, a journey led by the muse. Response to album was positive, with recognition to Julie’s songwriting and the album’s all-encompassing emotional experience for listeners. The album opens with a sexy funk track entitled “Shout It”, and closes with “The Call” which may be Black’s most powerful musical statement yet. A mighty swell of sound and energy, “The Call” shows Julie and her band as nothing less than a force of nature. From start to finish the album is an extraordinary musical journey. In her words “Close your eyes and feel the music…”
Julie Black is committed to originality and the artistic process, exploring many creative possibilities. She lives her life in the creative flow, open to the muse, ever-evolving, and always in a state of creation. In addition to performing with her own band, she writes & co-writes songs for/with other performers (including celebrated vocalist & recording artist Shaun Murphy and Finnish Blues/Rock band The Ärräpää Orchestra), is part of a free-form music looping duo, and is a visual artist as well (sculpture, painting, digital, and mixed-media). Filled with emotional truth, clarity, vision, and understanding, Julie Black is a genuine original with something interesting to say.
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