Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of the EPK for Supersonic Blues Machine's debut album, West of Flushing, South of Frisco.
The album, which documents a new collaboration between Fabrizio Grossi, Lance Lopez and Kenny Aronoff, will be released February 26 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group.
The album features guest appearances by Billy Gibbons, Walter Trout, Warren Haynes, Robben Ford, Eric Gales and Chris Duarte.
SBM stems from 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 says. “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.”
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 Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Steve Lukather’s side jam band, Goodfellas. The next step came when Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Gibbons, whom he had met on an LA 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.
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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,” Grossi says. “Every night will see different guests appearing. It will be like the Who’s Magic Bus tour.”
West of Flushing, South of Frisco is available now for preorder.
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.
