SUNJAY NEW ALBUM – “BLACK & BLUES REVISITED” RELEASED FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2022 PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM FROM WWW.SUNJAY.TV NEW SINGLE – “BUILT FOR COMFORT” RELEASED WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2022 |
Multi-award-winning blues guitarist Sunjay is pleased to announce his long awaited and highly anticipated new studio album, Black & Blues Revisited (the follow up to 2015’s Black & Blues) is released by Mighty Tight Records on Friday 14th October 2022, and is available to pre-order from www.sunjay.tv. The first single, Built For Comfort, released Wednesday 27th July, is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer and Tidal from https://ditto.fm/built-for- Black & Blues Revisited produced by Sunjay and Josh Clark at Get Real Studios in Bath, UK marks a significant passage of time in Sunjay’s life. “I’d just started recording the album when my mother suddenly and tragically died,” says Sunjay. “There was so much to deal with, the shock was huge, and it took me a long time to recover. Thankfully Josh enabled us to keep the momentum going as he continued to work on various things until I could record again. Music has always been my catharsis. I’m grateful that I’m now in a much better place both personally and musically. My mother was born in Goa, India. She gave me my forename, Sunjay. Though always very proud of me, I think there were cultural expectations of me becoming a Doctor or Lawyer! My father who (is British) taught me to play guitar initially, and I inherited his love of blues music. Faced with these challenges I feel far closer to these songs now than I’d ever done before. Some of these songs, in fact most of them, I’ve been singing for years. However singing them now has a whole different meaning. In the Blues, references to death, the devil etc aren’t usually very far removed from real life.” “A very accomplished and dynamic guitarist, with a mature stage presence and echoes of a young Ralph McTell.” – RNR Magazine“Already creating a stir with talents way beyond his years. A really soothing, natural sound and most definitely destined for bigger things.” – Maverick Magazine Listening to Statesboro Blues and Living With The Blues, you can feel that raw emotion. Sunjay’s voice sounds more edgy than it has on previous albums. There’s a willingness to sing straight from the heart, to let the listener hear him at his most vulnerable and somehow evoke feelings of, ‘hey, it’s ok, come and sit with me a while’. While on other tracks like Freight Train and Come Back Baby we hear the more familiar warm sonorous vocals that we’ve become accustomed to hearing from Sunjay. This is new territory for Sunjay, territory that’s unfamiliar to him as well as to the regular Sunjay listener. Have no fear though, it’s wonderful to hear the growth between albums. “When I was younger, I always got told – you need to suffer to be able to sing the blues. Well, now I have.” says Sunjay, a wry smile that those accustomed to his live performances will be familiar with. He has a unique ability to craft equal parts sadness and humour into songs and stories alike. At 28 years old he seems to have the experience and wisdom of somebody much older. Though as he’s keen to point out, “That’s only because I’ve made so many mistakes…”. “One of the best young pickers and singers around.” – Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2“One of the UK’s finest young Blues stars.” – Iain Anderson, BBC Radio Scotland The stellar band on the album comprises; drummer (and occasional bassist!) Josh Clarke (Kate Rusby), bassist Josh Jewsbury (Eve Selis), Bob Fridzema on keys (King King, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Walter Trout), and harmonica player Lee Southall (Voodoo Blue). Together the musicianship is impeccable, exquisitely tasteful and perfectly stated.Sunjay kicks off with the first of three single releases to accompany the release of his Black & Blues Revisited album on October 14th. The first single is an upbeat rocking blues track entitled Built For Comfort. Built For Comfort originally written by Willie Dixon is a classic Blues piece. Presented here in a raunchy Blues-Rock format, Sunjay’s powerhouse vocals are as driving as the accompanying music. There’s an extended music break in the middle where Sunjay’s faultless guitar skills are showcased, followed by a organ/piano, call and answer, interspersed with bluesy harmonica. Although written over 60 years ago, the song is as relevant today as it was then. Echoing the sentiments of ‘built for comfort, I ain’t built for speed’ and ‘ain’t got no diamonds, ain’t got no gold, what I do have baby’s gonna satisfy your soul’ Sunjay calls out the idea of valuing material possessions over true emotional fulfilment. It’s a corker, from start to finish. ALBUM TRACK LISTING & SONGWRITING CREDITS 1. Built For Comfort (3:48) Written by: Willie Dixon. Published by: BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited2. Statesboro Blues (3.59) Written by: Blind Willie McTell. Published by: Peermusic (UK) Ltd3. Key To The Highway (3:44) Written by: Big Bill Broonzy/Charlie Segar. Published by: Universal/MCA Music Limited 4. Hesitation Blues (4:09) 5. Living With The Blues (4:21) 6. Monday Morning Blues (4.51) 7. Come Back Baby (3:59) 8. Big Fat Woman (3:28) 9. Freight Train (3:00) 10. Dust My Broom (3:47) 11. The Easy Blues (3:14) PRODUCTION CREDITS Recorded at: Get Real Studios, Bath, UK LINE-UP Sunjay – Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK BUILT FOR COMFORT Originally written by Willie Dixon and first recorded in 1959. Raunchy, powerhouse vocals, driving rhythm and wailing harmonica. A great opener for an album of blues material. There’s an extended music break in the middle where Sunjay’s faultless guitar skills are showcased, followed by a organ/piano, call and answer, interspersed with great bluesy harmonica.STATESBORO BLUES Blind Willie McTell recorded Statesboro Blues in 1928. Country-Blues with a touch of gospel. This version also combines lyrics from Church Bell Blues by Luke Jordan. ‘Daddy died and left me reckless, mama died and left wild’. Sunjay explains that having sung these lines hundreds of times before his mother passed away, singing them after was an extremely emotional experience. “I had to belt it out because I just couldn’t do it gently, the words got stuck”. KEY TO THE HIGHWAY A Big Bill Broonzy/Charlie Segar co-write. Segar, a blues pianist recorded it first in 1940. Swinging blues that’ll have you clicking your fingers or clapping your hands. An ‘I’m leaving you and won’t be coming back’ kind of song. Walking bass lines on the guitar with swirling Hammond riffs and more wailing harmonica.HESITATION BLUES Ragtime guitar picking at its finest. Gentle drums and bass backing up Sunjay’s vocal and acoustic guitar. A song that explores the trials and tribulations of a man concerned about whether or not to engage with a prostitute. This version is much cleaner than historic versions, which in parts could be extremely vulgar! The song is listed as traditional, though many have claimed they wrote it. LIVING WITH THE BLUES MONDAY MORNING BLUES COME BACK BABY BIG FAT WOMAN THE EASY BLUES SUNJAY BLACK & BLUES REVISITED UK TOUR 2022 TICKETS: WWW.SUNJAY.TV BEWDLEY, St. Georges Hall (ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW) – Oct 28 SALTBURN, Blues Club – Nov 6 BEDWORTH, Folk Club – Nov 9 KINGSWINFORD, Woodman Folk Club – Nov 11 MALVERN, St. James Church – Nov 12 SEDGEFIELD, Candlelite Live Music – Nov 15 BANBURY, Folk Club – Nov 16 WILLOUGHBY, Village Hall – Nov 19 TWICKENHAM, Folk Club – Nov 20 HAMILTON, Quarter Acoustic – Nov 22 DUNFERMLINE, Folk Club – Nov 23 Photo of Sunjay by Jane Jordan |