Californisoul Supersonic Blues Machine

• 1 I Am Done Missing You 04:27
• 2 Somebody's Fool (feat. Robben Ford) 04:42
• 3 L.O.V.E. 04:30
• 4 Broken Heart (feat. Billy F. Gibbons) 03:57
• 5 Bad Boys 05:08
• 6 Elevate (feat. Eric Gales) 05:25
• 7 The One 03:57
• 8 Hard Times (feat. Steve Lukather) 07:44
• 9 Cry 04:07
• 10 The Stranger 05:00
• 11 What's Wrong (feat. Walter Trout) 06:16
• 12 Thank You 03:24
• 13 This Is Love 04:36
• Total Runtime 01:03:13

Info for Californisoul

Supersonic Blues Machine is back! On the new album "Californisoul" Fabrizio Grossi, Lance Lopez and Kenny Aronoff are joined by featured artists Walter Trout, Steve Lukather, Billy F. Gibbons, Eric Gales and Robben Ford.

It's the sound that Supersonic Blues Machine has spent much of 2017 sharing with audiences from Texas, Holland, India, St. Petersburg, Russia, starting with their headlining slot in front of thousands at the Notodden Blues Festival (Europe's premier blues festival) in Norway, and they are back with an exciting new studio release that picks up right where the band left off on their well-received debut record, West of Flushing, South of Frisco.

Recorded at Fab's Lab in North Hollywood, California, Californisoul is all about the songs, and while Grossi wrote most of the lyrics, the music was created and fleshed out in the studio by the band, and they have conjured up a modern day soulful, blues rock classic.

Californisoul is all about great songs. This album shines in the depth and soul of the songs and songwriting - no cookie cutter filler to be found. "Cry" is a soul searching, simmering piece of poetry and Lance Lopez preaches it in the most righteous way. "I Am Done Missing You" is another number that reaches down deep with a message that will resonate with both spurned lovers and those who have left their bad habits and ways in the past. Californisoul is a study and celebration of the human condition, and "This Is Love" could be the lovechild of Bob Marley and War with some stinging guitar action spread on top. We're living in times in which it's hard to keep on keeping on, and it's easy to fall prey to habits, vices, and distractions - "Elevate" takes a close look at the "high" life, and how one must raise above the temptations and tribulations if the music is to be made. Elevate your soul, ineed. Blues, rock, reggae, soul, it's all here in a joyous abdundance and a celebration of life. That's the nature of Californisoul.

Supersonic Blues Machine is Lance Lopez (guitars/vocals/songwriter), Fabrizio Grossi (bass, producer, songwriter), and Kenny Aronoff (drums). As they've proven on their first album and round of shows, it's not a party unless you invite some friends, and for Californisoul, they've brought along some heavy hitters.

Guests on the album include Billy Gibbons, who returns with pen and guitar ("Broken Heart"), Steve Lukather (Toto) throws down some stunning licks ("Hard Times"), Eric Gales is back in the fold ("Elevate"), Robben Ford brings his bag of soulfully sophisticated chops ("Somebody's Fool"), Walter Trout brings some silky slow blues ("What's Wrong"), and the party is rounded out with Alessandro Alessandroni Jr. on keyboards, Serge Simic (co-writer and background vocals on "Love" and "Hard Times"), and Andrea and Francis Benitez Grossi (background vocals). You may come for the stars, but you'll stay for the whole show.

Fabrizio Grossi adds, "Lots of people have been saying to me ‘why does Supersonic Blues Machine always bring guests around? You guys can stand your own ground', and there are three answers to that : 1) we're all super friends and we're having a blast, 2) most of them don't give lessons and for us it's only way to learn their secret "ways", and three because the inspiration and the challenge they bring to the table!"

Supersonic Blues Machine is truly a family as well as a band, and these guests don't mail it in, they stay for dinner. The community aspect is very real, and one of the band's great treasures.

Supersonic Blues Machine
Robben Ford, guitar
Billy F. Gibbons, guitar
Eric Gales, guitar
Steve Lukather, guitar
Walter Trout, guitar

Supersonic Blues Machine
Real blues is the music of life experience. It is simple, but contains multitudes - feelings and knowledge accrued over decades. Collectively, the trio of musicians that make up Supersonic Blues Machine (SBM) have experienced more than three typical lifetimes. These world-class musicians have banded together in Supersonic Blues Machine, bonding in their love of this uniquely American genre and motivated by a desire to help its spirit evolve.

Fabrizio Grossi (bass/producer/engineer/wordsmith) worked his artistry in his birthplace - Milan, Italy - before migrating to London, Canada, New York, and currently Los Angeles.

Texan Lance Lopez (guitar/vocals) accrued at least one lifetime of experience before he was out of high school while playing bars in Louisiana and Florida. College came in the form of tours with R&B legend Johnny Taylor and blues masters Lucky Peterson and Bobby Blue Bland.

Kenny Aronoff (drums) has a resume that spans four decades and reads like a “Who’s Who” of roots rock legends, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Jack White, Billy Gibbons, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Dr. John.

Supersonic Blues Machine stems from Fabrizio Grossi’s desire to return to his roots. “The blues is what makes me tick. It is the main ingredient of any successful musical recipe,” he explains. “It is like pasta in Italian food. You can add all the ingredients you like and any sauce, but the pasta is the core of the dish. I’m the chef and blues is my pasta.”

Like a great recipe, Supersonic Blues Machine adds carefully chosen flavorings to its blues stock. “Blues is my passion but my favorite bands have always been eclectic, like the Beatles, Queen, Toto, and Earth, Wind and Fire,” Grossi continues. “I wanted to apply their lessons to Supersonic Blues Machine, and my band mates totally get that.” Aronoff calls it “a blast from the past aimed at the future.” Says Grossi, “You will feel B.B. King’s presence on stage even though we might be wearing space suits.”

Grossi found a magical connection with Kenny Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Toto guitarist Steve Lukather’s side Jam band “Goodfellas.” The next step came when Lance Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Billy Gibbons, whom he had met on a Los Angeles session. The ZZ Top guitarist had known Lopez as a young blues prodigy, and strongly suggested Grossi and Lopez join forces. It was the Reverend Billy G’s blessing that helped birth Supersonic Blues Machine, and a stronger imprimatur for a nascent blues-rock project would be hard to find.

The first tune recorded for the Supersonic Blues Machine project was “Running Whiskey,” written by Gibbons, Grossi, and Tal Wilkenfeld. It features Gibbons on guitar and vocals and helped forge the sound of this new blues-rock supergroup. “It had the twist on the blues that infuses all the other songs on the record,” says Grossi.

The guest guitarists on Supersonic Blues Machine’s debut West of Flushing, South of Frisco are not a random selection of famous names, but more like members of an extended family. “I have worked on projects with Warren Haynes [guest and co-writer on ‘Remedy’], and when he tours anywhere near Dallas, he will always have Lance sit in,” Grossi explains. Lopez and Chris Duarte (“That’s My Way”) have been friends for years, and the SBM guitarist grew up with guest Eric Gales (“Nightmares and Dreams”). Walter Trout (“Can’t Take It No More”) is yet another member of this blues fraternity who, despite battling health issues, was anxious to contribute to the project. Finally, Grossi describes Robben Ford (“Let’s Call It a Day”) as the “classiest guy” he knows. “All these people light up the room when they walk in,” he says.

European and North American tours are planned. “It was important for us to do this with people who can eventually join us live on stage when we tour,” says Grossi. “Every night will see different guests appearing. It will be like The Who’s ‘Magic Bus’ tour.”

Supersonic Blues Machine marks a new page in the story of three creative musicians with a history of lending their prodigious talents to others. “Here, the artist is us, no boss to follow or established identities to be maintained,” says Aronoff. “We’re writing our own book, and when you have been blessed and enriched by having collaborated with so many significant artists, your vocabulary gets richer.” Adds Lopez: “We’re mixing all the shades of the blues with our personal sound.”

An anonymous sage once said, “We used to sing because crying didn’t seem to help much.” The blues is not just about experience. It is about creating catharsis to help people through the hard times. “Everyone on this record has fought through their own personal demons,” says Grossi. “This is the redemption record.”

This album contains no booklet.