John Popper, the iconoclastic frontman of Blues Traveler has signed with 429 Records where he’ll debut a brand new project, JOHN POPPER AND THE DUSKRAY TROUBADOURS. The result of a month-long recording session in the mountains of New Mexico, John Popper’s Duskray project is much less a solo endeavor as opposed to a fully realized band featuring guitarist/producer Jono Manson, bassist Steve Lindsay, drummer Mark Clark and guitarists Kevin Trainor and Aaron Beavers. Described by Popper as a liberating, scrappy, roots-rock alter ego of Blues Traveler, Duskray Troubadours is his new “part-time” band allowing him to stretch out and explore his more melodic side. JOHN POPPER AND THE DUSKRAY TROUBADOURS will be released by 429 Records on March 1, 2011.
Since Blues Traveler’s eponymous debut in 1990, Popper has drawn up an impressive resume chock full of accomplishment and notoriety. The musician known as “the greatest harmonica player in the world” has sold millions of albums, won a Grammy Award, played the tour impresario when he conceived the H.O.R.D.E. tour, recorded several genre bending solo projects and embodied the fast living, gun toting, weed smoking outlier. Now comes the Duskray Troubadours project, a rock solid and exhilarating rock collaboration anchored by the strong musical bond between Popper and Jono—they hung out and performed in the same clubs along 2nd Avenue in New York City back in the early 80’s.
Says Popper: ““What I love about this album is that I’m playing differently and not because I tried to, either. The music led me there, which is the best way to do it, really. On this album, melody is what drove everything.”
Streams samples available here: http://www.429records.com/sites/429records/429details/d_johnpopper.asp
