The Robert Cray Band will release a new album "Shoulda Been Home," on May 15 through Rykodisc. It's the contemporary blues group's 12th studio album and second for the label. A U.S. tour behind the Steve Jordan-produced set kicks off on the day of release in Modesto, Calif.
The tour will play U.S. venues and festivals through June 24, then adjourn to Europe for a month of dates in England, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, and France. U.S. dates pick up again Aug. 5 in Portland, Ore., and run through a Sept. 30 stop in Murphys, Calif.
Led by guitarist/singer Robert Cray, the band features keyboardist Jim Pugh, bassist Karl Sevareid, and drummer Kevin Hayes. The new album sports guest appearances by Memphis Horns tenor saxophonist Andrew Love, trumpeter Ben Cauley (Otis Redding, Staple Singers), and trombonist Jack Hale ("Shaft") on album opener "Baby's Arms."
"We made this record in the tradition of how people used to record," Cray says of the set. "We play live in the studio and it's like we're reproducing what we do onstage. This album really shows what we can do as a band."
Here are the Robert Cray Band's tour dates:
May 15: Modesto, Calif. (State Theatre)
May 16: Santa Cruz, Calif. (Catalyst)
May 17: Agoura Hills, Calif. (Canyon Theatre)
May 19: Austin, Texas (KSGR Blues Festival)
May 20: Dana Point, Calif. (Doheny Blues Festival)
June 1: Norfolk, Va. (Norva Theater)
June 2: Elmer, N.J. (Appel Farms Music Festival)
June 8: San Francisco (Fillmore)
June 9: San Diego (San Diego Blues Festival)
June 20: Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (F.M Kirby Center)
June 21: Newark, N.J. (N.J. Performing Arts Center)
June 22: Vienna, Va. (Wolf Trap)
June 24: New Haven, Conn. (International Festival of Arts & Ideas)
June 27: Coventry, England (Warwick Arts Centre)
June 28: Dublin (Vicar Street)
June 29: Belfast, Ireland (Waterfront Hall)
July 1: Aberdeen, Scotland (Music Hall)
July 2: Glasgow (Fruitmarket)
July 3: Newcastle, England (Newcastle Opera House)
July 4: Basingstoke, England (the Anvil)
July 6: Reading, England (Concert Hall)
July 8: London (Shepherd's Bush Empire)
July 9: Croydon, England (Fairfield Hall)
July 10: Cambridge, England (Corn Exchange)
July 11: Chichester, England (Festival)
July 13: Hamburg, Germany (Jazzport Festival)
July 14: Bonn, Germany (Museumplatz)
July 15: Munich (Klaviersommer)
July 16: Berlin (Haug Der Kunst)
July 18-19: Pori, Finland (Pori Jazz Festival)
July 20: Stockholm (Stockholm Jazz Festival)
July 22: Peer, Belgium (Rhythm 'N' Blues Festival)
July 25: Lucerne, Switzerland (Blue Balls Fest)
July 26: San Remo, Italy (Jazz Festival)
July 29: Cognac, France (Cognac Blues Festival)
Aug. 5: Portland, Ore. (Waterfront Park/Jammin' for Salmon)
Aug. 15: Hyannis, Mass. (Cape Cod Melody Tent)
Aug. 16: Cohasset, Mass. (South Shore Music Circus)
Aug. 17: Gilford, N.H. (Meadowbrook Farm)
Sept. 1: Bedford, Texas (Bedford Blues Festival)
Sept. 2: Atlanta (Montreux Atlanta Music Festival)
Sept. 3: Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis Botanic Garden)
Sept. 7: Jacksonville, Ore. (Britt Festival)
Sept. 29: Los Gatos, Calif. (Oak Meadow Park)
Sept. 30: Murphys, Calif. (Ironstone Vineyards)
The tour will play U.S. venues and festivals through June 24, then adjourn to Europe for a month of dates in England, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, and France. U.S. dates pick up again Aug. 5 in Portland, Ore., and run through a Sept. 30 stop in Murphys, Calif.
Led by guitarist/singer Robert Cray, the band features keyboardist Jim Pugh, bassist Karl Sevareid, and drummer Kevin Hayes. The new album sports guest appearances by Memphis Horns tenor saxophonist Andrew Love, trumpeter Ben Cauley (Otis Redding, Staple Singers), and trombonist Jack Hale ("Shaft") on album opener "Baby's Arms."
"We made this record in the tradition of how people used to record," Cray says of the set. "We play live in the studio and it's like we're reproducing what we do onstage. This album really shows what we can do as a band."
Here are the Robert Cray Band's tour dates:
May 15: Modesto, Calif. (State Theatre)
May 16: Santa Cruz, Calif. (Catalyst)
May 17: Agoura Hills, Calif. (Canyon Theatre)
May 19: Austin, Texas (KSGR Blues Festival)
May 20: Dana Point, Calif. (Doheny Blues Festival)
June 1: Norfolk, Va. (Norva Theater)
June 2: Elmer, N.J. (Appel Farms Music Festival)
June 8: San Francisco (Fillmore)
June 9: San Diego (San Diego Blues Festival)
June 20: Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (F.M Kirby Center)
June 21: Newark, N.J. (N.J. Performing Arts Center)
June 22: Vienna, Va. (Wolf Trap)
June 24: New Haven, Conn. (International Festival of Arts & Ideas)
June 27: Coventry, England (Warwick Arts Centre)
June 28: Dublin (Vicar Street)
June 29: Belfast, Ireland (Waterfront Hall)
July 1: Aberdeen, Scotland (Music Hall)
July 2: Glasgow (Fruitmarket)
July 3: Newcastle, England (Newcastle Opera House)
July 4: Basingstoke, England (the Anvil)
July 6: Reading, England (Concert Hall)
July 8: London (Shepherd's Bush Empire)
July 9: Croydon, England (Fairfield Hall)
July 10: Cambridge, England (Corn Exchange)
July 11: Chichester, England (Festival)
July 13: Hamburg, Germany (Jazzport Festival)
July 14: Bonn, Germany (Museumplatz)
July 15: Munich (Klaviersommer)
July 16: Berlin (Haug Der Kunst)
July 18-19: Pori, Finland (Pori Jazz Festival)
July 20: Stockholm (Stockholm Jazz Festival)
July 22: Peer, Belgium (Rhythm 'N' Blues Festival)
July 25: Lucerne, Switzerland (Blue Balls Fest)
July 26: San Remo, Italy (Jazz Festival)
July 29: Cognac, France (Cognac Blues Festival)
Aug. 5: Portland, Ore. (Waterfront Park/Jammin' for Salmon)
Aug. 15: Hyannis, Mass. (Cape Cod Melody Tent)
Aug. 16: Cohasset, Mass. (South Shore Music Circus)
Aug. 17: Gilford, N.H. (Meadowbrook Farm)
Sept. 1: Bedford, Texas (Bedford Blues Festival)
Sept. 2: Atlanta (Montreux Atlanta Music Festival)
Sept. 3: Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis Botanic Garden)
Sept. 7: Jacksonville, Ore. (Britt Festival)
Sept. 29: Los Gatos, Calif. (Oak Meadow Park)
Sept. 30: Murphys, Calif. (Ironstone Vineyards)
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