SANTA MONICA, CA. (Top40 Charts) Papa Mali, the New Orleans based singer and songwriter and guitarist, has signed with 429 Records which will release an all new album,
Music Is Love on March 17th.
Showcasing his distinctive knack for blending elements of roots rock, R&B, blues, gospel, folk and psychedelia,
Music Is Love features Papa Mali (aka Malcolm Welbourne) on acoustic and electric guitar, slide guitar, and lead vocals. Recorded at The Living Room in New Orleans, the album was produced by three time Grammy winning producer (for his work with
Blind Boys of Alabama), John Chelew whose other notable projects include work with Donovan, Vic Chesnutt, Charlie Musselwhite, Richard Thompson and John Hiatt. The album also features drum legend Johnny Vidacovich (Professor Longhair, Mose Allison), Casandra Faulconer (bass), Dave Easley (pedal steel), Mike Dillon (vibraphone, tablas), Josh Paxton (Hammond organ, piano, farfisa) and The Harmonaires (vocals). Papa Mali will embark on a tour (dates TBA) with appearances confirmed during SXSW and Jazzfest.
Music Is Love will be released worldwide on 429 Records March 17th.
With
Music Is Love, Papa Mali continues to build upon his standing as a distinctive artist within the Crescent City musical community. The album reflects his deep appreciation and respect for legendary artists such as Dr. John, The Meters, Lee Dorsey, Fats Domino, Johnny Adams and others. A mix of 12 original songs and carefully curated covers (from
Al Green to Randy Newman), the album is a musical bridge to both the swampy Southern blues traditions as well as the West Coast psychedelic leanings of youthful influences such as The Grateful Dead, The
Doors and CSN (Crosby's first solo effort If I could Only Remember My Name a notable influence on this album).
A touring musician since the 70's, Papa Mali began playing professionally throughout the South at age 17. In addition to his visionary solo work, he is also renowned for performing with two all-star bands. He's a founding member and frontman of 7 Walkers formed in 2008 with
Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Meters bassist
George Porter, Jr. and keyboardist Matt Hubbard. He wrote all of the songs with the great Robert Hunter and sang a duet with Willie
Nelson on the track "King Cotton Blues"—one of his proudest moments. He's currently collaborating with New Orleans-based supergroup The M&M's, whose lineup includes John Medeski, Robert Mercurio and Stanton Moore of Galactic. His song "Sugarland" was used prominently in several episodes of "American Horror Story: Coven" in 2013 quickly becoming a soundtrack favorite and generating over 70,000 + plays on the FX website and Youtube.
Says Papa Mali: "If
Music Is Love is telling any kind of story, it's that I've been around long enough to have assimilated the wide range of my influences into something that's my own. People know I'm from New Orleans, but I'm also letting them know I grew up in Shreveport and lived in and played in Austin for many years. I'm not trying to be anything but myself and ultimately that's what I want to come across."
Track Listing:
Lonesome Road
I'm a Ram
Make a Way
Bottle Up and Go
Let's Burn Down the Cornfield
Wild Gardenias
Music is Love
Bought & Sold (Body & Soul)
Spike Driver
Go Down Water
Cane River Waltz
For Free
