The iconic Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are returning to the UK for live performances at Shepherds Bush Empire in London on March 22nd and at Holmfirth Picturedome in Holmfirth on March 23rd and 24th, while they continue to tour extensively throughout the U.S. and overseas. These dates mark the band’s return to the UK, after having performed live at the 02 Forum Kentish Town in June 2017.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ 2015 album SOULTIME!, which was their first new studio CD of all original material in five years, was very highly received by critics and fans in the U.S., the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Denmark.
Shortly after its release, the SOULTIME! CD received high praise from music critics, with Music Riot in the UK proclaiming “The more you listen to it the more you realize it is a work of genius. Johnny’s voice is sublime and would melt a heart of stone.”
While critics in the U.S. also raved - “I’ve been waiting for Southside Johnny to make this album for almost 40 years. It’s the best record of his entire career. If you really have soul, no further explanation necessary” said Dave Marsh/SiriusXM Radio/E Street Channel Host.
In addition, just last year, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes surprised fans by releasing their “Live From E Street” vinyl 12 inch EP, which made it onto the Billboard Magazine Blues Album Chart at #10 recently, after coming out on independent Leroy Records.
The new disc, featured Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ versions of the Bruce Springsteen tracks Jack of All Trades, Cover Me, Murder Incorporated and Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, all recorded live at their Stony Pony performances of all Springsteen material, which they do every February in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Only 3000 copies of this limited edition vinyl EP were pressed and quickly become a collector’s item.
And, “Soul music is not a genre, it is a way of life. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes keep the classic R & B clock spinning hot and forward on Soultime!, one of their best records since they first burst out of that New Jersey night,” praised veteran music writer David Fricke.
The CD was written and produced by Jeff Kazee and John Lyon, and was recorded at Lakehouse Recording Studios in the Jukes’ hometown of Asbury Park, NJ. SOULTIME! celebrates the transformative power of ‘70s soul music and represents a return to - as Southside sings -“just letting the music take us away”. The disc is available on iTunes, Amazon, at www.southsidejohnny.com and at Asbury Jukes live shows.
Soultime! encapsulates everything that fans cherish about Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The pattern of horns plus rhythm - each song painted with catchy choruses, top-notch string arrangements and gospel charged vocals - keeps on coming. Highlighting the eleven tracks on the new disc is “Looking for a Good Time,” a show-stopping blast of unforgiving soul that’s tailored in tribute to Mayfield’s muscular 1970 “debut” album Curtis.
The tracks “Spinning” and “All I Can Do” summon the grittiness that Isaac Hayes and David Porter brought to their best work for Sam & Dave. The romance and tenderness of “The Heart Always Knows” might have been a B-side for the Drifters’ “This Magic Moment.” And, the funk flavored “Reality” sounds like it belongs on Bobby Womack’s soundtrack to Across 110th Street.
“SOULTIME!” features Southside Johnny on vocals and harmonica, Jeff Kazee on keyboards and vocals, Glenn Alexander on guitar, bassist John Conte, Chris Anderson on trumpet, John Isley on saxophone, Neal Pawley on trombone and drummer Tom Seguso.
With a decades-long successful career, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes delivered their soul-searing brand of raucous blues and R&B, recorded over 20 albums and became known for huge hits like “I Don't Want To Go Home”, “Love On The Wrong Side Of Town”, “The Fever”, “This Time It's For Real” and “Got To Get You Off My Mind”.
For more information please visit
www.southsidejohnny.com.
