8785 - KRISSY MATTHEWS - SCENES FROM A MOVING WINDOW (2015)
KRISSY MATTHEWS
''SCENES FROM A MOVING WINDOW''
MARCH 2 2015
65:23
1 If I Had a Time Machine 06:02
2 I've Been Searching 03:26
3 It Ain't Worth It 05:11
4 Day by Day 07:24
5 Can't Get It Down on Paper 04:28
6 Out of Control 05:55
7 Bubbles and the Seven Phones 05:22
8 Searching the Desert for the Blues 04:03
9 Roadsick Blues 03:19
10 Heading South 09:41
11 Language by Injection 05:07
12 Bad Boy 05:17
Guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Krissy Matthews' new album sees this highly talented 22-year old join forces with the legendary Pete Brown, best known for co-writing many of Cream's celebrated hits of the 1960's with the late Jack Bruce, and for his work with such esteemed figures as Graham Bond, Peter Green and Jeff Beck. "Scenes from a Moving Window" includes a dozen songs, eleven of which written by the pair, with the Blind Willie McTell clasic "Searching The Desert For The Blues" also in the mix.The album was also produced by Pete Brown.
REVIEW
Guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Krissy Matthews’ new album sees this highly talented 22 year old join forces with the legendary Pete Brown, best known for co-writing many of Cream’s celebrated hits of the 1960s with the late Jack Bruce, and for his work with such esteemed figures as Graham Bond, Peter Green and Jeff Beck. “Scenes from a Moving Window” includes eleven songs written by the pair and was also produced by Pete.
Much of Krissy’s time is taken up with touring, and although only in his early twenties, he’s appeared at clubs and festivals in some sixteen countries across the whole of Europe. The past five years have seen him perform live on stage with musicians of the stature of John Mayall, Clem Clempson, Chris Farlowe, Rick Vito, Jeff Healey and, in a supporting role, with artists including Robben Ford, Ten Years After, Greg Allman, Beth Hart, Derek Trucks and TOTO. In June 2014 he performed at the famous Hi Rock Festival in Loreley, Germany, alongside fellow guitarists Joe Bonamassa and Joe Satriani to an incredible response.
It was at another concert in Germany, in September 2012, that Krissy first met Pete Brown, in fact. They got on really well from the outset, agreed to keep in touch, and progressed to writing songs together….and ultimately “Scenes from a Moving Window” came to be. Since then they’ve performed live shows together and plan to collaborate on future projects.
Many of the songs that make up the new album are based on personal experiences, including two about a former girlfriend (“I’ve Been Searching”, “Day by Day”) and another about the sad passing of an old friend who acted as Krissy’s manager and agent (“Bubbles and the Seven Phones”). By way of contrast the (rocking) opener, “If I had a Time Machine”, is a reflection on how it would feel to be playing in the ‘60’s music scene.
Away from the concert circuit, Krissy recorded a live session at Maida Vale Studios which was broadcast nationally on Paul Jones’ show on BBC Radio 2. He’s also conducted interviews with numerous radio & TV programmes across Europe and with most of the major Blues magazines. UK publication Total Guitar were suitably impressed to include Krissy in a “bands to watch out for” feature and, in the Netherlands, he made the front cover of GitaarPlus.
It’s been some four years since Krissy’s last CD, “Hit the Rock”, and since that time his songwriting, singing and playing – with Pete Brown’s active involvement – has taken a major step forward. Whilst he feels there will be a high level of expectation with “Scenes from a Moving Window”, he unquestionably considers this his definitive statement to date.
KRISSY MATTHEWS OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
It was 1995, Krissy was three years old, and his father Keith Matthews invited him up on stage to strum along to Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman”.
This is when the Krissy Matthews story started…
Now 22 years old, he keeps bursting from strength to strength in all aspects of his career from his live performances, guitar playing, vocal ability, song writing and reputation as being one of the most promising, individual and unique artists the 21st century has seen.
Krissy received his first electric guitar on his eighth birthday, and for the first two years, his father spent time teaching him songs from Hank Marvin and The Shadows song book. However, at the age of 11 he discovered the blues through a Norwegian artist named Amund Maarud, whilst on a family holiday in Norway.
In August 2004 Krissy ended up backstage at a festival show in Norway for the “Godfather of British Blues”, Mr John Mayall. He ended up handing Mr Mayall a little demo, which included the Otis Rush classic “All Your Love” from the Beano album on it. John Mayall then invited Krissy to sit in on that song on the encore. The first night went so well, that Krissy ended up performing two songs with him the following night, resulting in several national radio and press interviews and opportunities to sit in with various top Norwegian acts. The opening act on these two festival shows were the British Blues All Stars featuring Peter Green and Long John Bauldry. Krissy used the same amp as Peter Green. A pretty good milestone for someone of 12 years old.
Krissy went back to Norway in October 2004, where he appeared on “God Morgen Norge”, Norway’s national breakfast TV, did a radio session with Knut Reiersrud for “Blues Asylet” on NRK P2, and performed live on stage with Larry Burton (Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Albert King) in the club “Muddy Waters”, centre of Oslo, which was filmed for national TV.
When Krissy got back to the UK, he started his first band Krissy’s Blues Boys. This was a four piece, with the extra guitar added by Keith Matthews. The band did several pub gigs to get the name around, with the odd festival and an appearance by Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake) sitting in at one of them. Krissy continued to build his name up locally.
Then about a year later, Keith Matthews went onto bass, forming a 3 piece power blues trio, and this was the line up to stay. The band used different drummers, but in July 2005 (Krissy was 13 years old), went onto record their first CD “Influences” in Timeless Studios with Mark Freeman on Drums and Keith Matthews on Bass.
This was to be sold just at gigs, but then in February 2006, Krissy got a licencing deal with Via Music in Norway, and the CD was renamed “Blues Boy” for a European release. During March 2006, Krissy was invited backstage to meet the King of the Blues BB King where he received advice on the industry and met one of his all-time heroes. Immediately after, Krissy went back to Norway for a press weekend to promote the CD. This included national breakfast show “God Morgen Norge” again and several radio and newspaper interviews such as “Dagbladet”, “Vaart Land” and “Aftenposten”.
Later that year, Krissy had a 7 page feature in the British national magazine “Blues Matters”, as well as several good reviews of the record across Europe and more concerts.
In February 2007 the band went off to Norway to record the second CD “No Age Limit”, in Juke Joint Studios, Notodden, Norway. This record features Keith Matthews on Bass, Freddy Schaal on Drums, Mike Smith on Keyboards, and two special guests Felix Peikli on Clarinet and Silje Hagen on Backing Vocals. This was released on CDBaby.com.
This was followed up by their first invite to perform at a European festival. A trip to France, where they performed the Blues Autour Du Zinc festival in Beauvais to a great response.
2 months later, in May 2007, Krissy was invited up by Jeff Healey to perform on stage with him, which sadly turned out to be his last ever two songs performed live in the U.K. Jeff Healey was one of Krissy’s favourite guitar players, and still is, so that was a huge highlight in Krissy’s career.
The CD was released in August 2007, and to celebrate that, the band did a 15 date tour of Scandinavia, which included playing Rockefeller, Oslo supporting Walter Trout, and going off for two nights in the Mojo Blues Bar, Copenhagen. That same year, the band also went off to Europe in October, to celebrate the release. This included 3 shows supporting Robben Ford, as well as 4 club dates in and around Belgium and Holland, with a support slot for Walter Trout in the U.K, where Krissy got up and jammed with him.
In April 2008, the band went off for their second tour of Europe, where they performed 15 shows in 15 days. Krissy quit school in May 2008, and has been a professional musician ever since.
Also, in September 2008, the band was invited to perform at the prestigious “Festa Avante” in Lisbon, Portugal. They performed on the second stage to 1000 people, where they sold out of records, and later the same night, Brazilian blues guitarist Nuno Mindelis invited Krissy to join him on the main stage for a song, where 20,000 people were in attendance. People loved Krissy and his band so much, they were invited back the following year to open up the main stage.
The next CD “Allen in Reverse” was recorded in January 2009 at M.A.R.S Studios with Keith Matthews on Bass, Chris Sharley on Drums, Mike Smith on Keyboards and special guest Holly Petrie on Backing Vocals.
During July 2009 Krissy got a phone call from Marshall Amplification inviting him to come and perform for the Marshall Class 5 Amplifier Launch Party at the famous Ronnie Scott’s in London supporting Joe Bonamassa. Of course the band did the gig, and from that received an invite to record for BBC Radio 2, and also had one of his songs on the “Classic Rock” magazine compilation CD, and “Total Guitar” featuring him in the “Bands to watch out for” section.
In September 2009 “Allen in Reverse” was released on Membran Records, Germany. It received great reviews, and was followed up by numerous shows around the UK and Europe. The famous “Jazzism” magazine in Netherlands said about the record…”A stunning example of innovative blues. Great promise for the future…”
By the age of 18, Krissy had recorded and released 3 albums.
November 20th, the band went to record a live session for BBC Radio 2 Paul Jones at BBC Maida Vale, which was aired February 2010, just before a string of UK shows.
2010 proved to be another busy year for the band. Miikey Dean Smith joined the band on the drum stool, just before the festival season started, giving the band an extra dimension, and Krissy had his first 15 date tour of Poland on his own with a Polish band, as well as several other fantastic gigs in Europe. The year ended with the recording of the 4th studio CD “Hit the Rock” in Oxford which was released late April 2011 on “Rock the Earth” records. The name was inspired from a near fatal van accident the band had in Norway a month prior to the recording, skidding in the ice of the snowy Norwegian mountains. “Classic Rock” said “Hit the Rock is a great record and a MUST for any blues enthusiast”.
2011 and 2012 was spent being very busy touring and promoting “Hit the Rock” all across Europe. This included the first 6 date tour of Spain where Krissy attracted 1200 people in Gandia for his own headline performance, and performed the famous Majorca Jazz Festival and Burlada Blues Festival with Miikey Dean Smith on Drums and Aaron Spiers on Bass. Other gigs included opening up for bands and artists such as Tedeschi Trucks Band, Gregg Allman, Beth Hart, Ten Years After and TOTO, and sitting in with incredible artists such as Rick Vito (Fleetwood Mac), Clem Clempson (Colosseum, Humble Pie), and Chris Farlowe. Dutch Guitar Magazine “Gitaarplus” featured Krissy on the front page, and had 5 pages inside about him. Several other magazines in this time had interviews and features on Krissy Matthews including Blues News Norway, Blues News Germany, Blues News Finland, Route 66 Spain and Blues in Britain and the new Classic Rock Blues magazine, including one of Krissy’s tracks on a compilation disc highlighting the best talent around today.
During 2013 Krissy carried on performing live shows, gaining lots of road and life experience and doing what he does best, but then went back into the studio to record his 5th studio album. He assembled a band who had never worked together before. A collaboration of musicians that Krissy liked, and wanted to merge together with all their different musical backgrounds. Paul Jobson on Keyboards, Aaron Spiers on Bass and Kevin Hickman on Drums, with special guest’s Nikki Loy and Keith Matthews. They went into Echo Studios, Buckingham to record this.
The legendary poet, song writer and producer Pete Brown was in the producer’s chair. Krissy had met Pete previously at a German festival in September 2012, where they developed a good relationship, thus, leading to writing and performing live shows together. Pete has co-written some of the most well-known rock songs in history including many of the hits for British Rock Band “Cream”. These include “Sunshine of Your Love, White Room and Politician” alongside the late Jack Bruce. Pete Brown has also co-written 11 songs on the record with Krissy. The album features 11 originals, and one Blind Willie McTell cover of “Searching the Desert for The Blues”.
While release for this was being sorted, Krissy continued performing shows across the UK and Europe and hired 18 year old Max Maxwell to be the full time drummer. Keith Matthews remains on bass today for the majority of the shows. This included a performance at the legendary amphitheatre in Loreley, Germany. This was for a one day rock festival, which had only one stage. The other acts that were on the bill included Bernie Marsden, Joe Bonamassa and Joe Satriani. The band performed to 6,000 people there, and received lots of great feedback.
Summer 2014, Krissy signed a licencing with Proper Records, and the band played many other festivals and clubs, including appearances alongside Jimmie Vaughan and Steven Seagal.
The new record, which was recorded in 2013 with producer Pete Brown and engineer Jamie Masters, is entitled “Scenes from A Moving Window” and will be released on March 2, 2015 on Promise Records (an imprint of Proper), and will be followed up by the busiest tour schedule of Krissy’s life to date.
To date Krissy has performed in 20 different countries including England, Wales, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia and Switzerland.
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