Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of "Rosalee," a new live track by the Chris Robinson Brotherhood.
"Rosalee" is from the band's new album, Betty’s Blends, Volume Two: Best From The West, which was recorded and mixed live from the board by legendary Grateful Dead archivist Betty Cantor-Jackson. The seven-track collection presents performances captured throughout the CRB's 2014 summer tour of the western U.S. It will be released June 2.
"Rosalee," which you can check out below, was recorded at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur.“This edition has a second set kind of vibe," Cantor-Jackson says. "There are some tunes with experimental spaces and some with a very different feel from slamming rock to majestic and soulful ballads. The CRB are inventive, expressive and poetic. They hit so many notes that bring such delight. This is the joy I want to preserve. It’s the here and now of the moment. Nobody gets to fix it later. It’s already history.”
Betty's Blends, Volume Two will be issued by Robinson's own label imprint, Silver Arrow Records, as a limited-edition release with only 2,000 2LP sets, 2,000 CDs and 2,000 downloads available. The approach is true to Robinson’s farm-to-table aesthetic for the CRB.
“We’re running our band and record label as a mom-and-pop endeavor, so we're free to experiment with new concepts for how to get the music out to people," Robinson says. "The Betty's Blends series is just one way we're exploring that idea. This time around, it’s a small-batch release for connoisseurs.”
"Off we go on another sonic adventure through the ears and mind of the one and only Betty Cantor-Jackson," Robinson adds. "Clear some room, lay on the music and let the high times commence!”
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
