michael packer: News

Michael Packer's new release 'The Sunny Side of Me'; features cover-art and lyrics to the title song by 8 year old Gabby Kasper from Albany, NY, the daughter of one of Michael's oldest friends. The album consists of 6 new originals, 2 by Grammy award winning songwriter Hugh Prestwood and 1 by Folk-icon Paul Siebel.A fan recently wrote 'Michael Packer is one of the best kept secrets in the US. Perhaps not anymore after this album. Produced by Michael Packer and Alan Lorber for the Iris Music Group. Available at Amazon www.amazon.com and Borders Books and Music.There are also Sunny Side of Me T-shirts available @ GMURPH9@NYCAP.RR.COM

The Michael Packer Blues Band recently performed a Live radio broadcast @ WPKN-FM Bridgeport CT with Bill Nolan from the Antique Blues show. The show was heard up the east coast to Providence RI. We are also adding WYCE-FM Grand Rapids Mi where the best of album hit the charts with Nora Jones, John Hammond and the Holmes Brothers. Also receiving airplay in Washington DC on Elliott Gross's Monday night blues show.Some great shows lined up @ Savannah's in Albany, NY and The Dockside Pub in Lake Mahopac NY. Hope to see you there or on the radio.

2006 was a great year for the Michael Packer Blues Band with 2 releases Live @ Sweet Rhythm and The Best of The Michael Packer Blues Band. The gigs were great! Savannah's in Albany, NY, BB Kings with David Maxwell,The Turning Point we almost sold it out.Opening for our friend Beatle Pete Best.We look forward to his return to the states in 2007.
2007 is already starting to jump off with great reviews of 'Sweet Rhythm' in Blues Revue, Living Blues and an unbelievable review in the UK's Blues Matters. Michael is currently in the studio recording a new album. He is going back to his roots with an acoustic CD of songs called 'The Sunny Side of me'. The cover art and lyrics to the title song are by an 8 year old girl from Albany, NY named Gabby Kasper. Truly amazing. Will keep you posted. Happy New Year to all and thank you for your support.

We are proud to announce "Recovered Soul' the first track on the best of the Michael Packer Blues Band CD will air on the nations #1 Blues show, Blues Deluxe, on December 3rd through December 9th www.bluesdeluxe.com syndicated on over 100 radio stations across the country, Canada and the US Virgin Islands. Also on the web worldwide.

The Best of the Michael Packer Blues Band is now available @ www.amazon.com The CD is receiving airplay in Michigan, New York, Illinois, Conneticut, Maine, Minnesota, California, New Jersey, Alaska and the Virgin Islands. Reported @10 to Living Blues. Top artist @49 in the Rhapsody blues charts. This is only the beginning of the Iris Music Group and Sounds of Blues marketing campaign. We will keep you posted.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be opening for old friends, The Pete Best Band on Sunday October 29th @ The Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue, New York City 212-683-6500. Come down for an exciting night of authentic rock and blues with the 5th Beatle. This is a FREE event!

The 'SWEET RHYTHM' and 'BLEECKER - BOWERY' CD's are available at the Apple Jam, Japan's leading record store. www.applejam-mojoroux.com. check it out.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be hosting some new Blues Jams this fall Starting Sunday, October 8th we will be @ ORPHAN ANNIES www.oannies.com in Stirling New Jersey. Cool club who recently had James Cotton appear there. Already in progress is the on going Thursday night Blues Jam and Open Mic @ RILEYS 523 BAY STREET, STATEN ISLAND,NY.
Come out and have some fun!

The Best of The Michael Packer Blues Band will soon be released globally by The Iris Music Group distributed through The Orchard The compilation is produced by music industry veteran Alan Lorber who has worked with Quincy Jones and Phil Spector.

We are having a party to celebrate the new CD 'Sweet Rhythm' @ BB KINGS in New York City on Monday August 14rh,2006 @ 8pm. The band will include Michael Packer, guitar-vocals, David Maxwell on piano, Jimmy Vivino, guitar,Felix Cabrera, harp, Billy Schroeder drums, Ed Jackson, percussion, King Bear, bass.
It will be a night of old and new friends getting together for an exciting night of NYC Bkues

The new CD 'Sweet Rhythm' by the Michael Packer Blues Band is now available here and @ CDbaby. Recorded live @ Sweet Rhythm in NYC. It features Michael Packer guitar and vocals, David Maxwell on piano, Jimmy Vivino - Guitar, Lou Marini - sax, Ed Jackson -Bongos, Felix Cabrera - harp, King Bear - Bass and Nat Seeley on drums.

Buzzy Linhart rocked the Real McCoy on Staten Island, NY a few years back. He returns with keyboardist Moogy Klingman Bo Diddley side man Jim Satten They will be backed up The Michael Packer Blues Band. Should be quite a night.

The band will be featured live on Sunday May 28th and Sunday June 4th on the Blues Warehouse a Blues radio show out of Long Island, NY. Hosted by Mark Klein and recorded at EKO studios. It can be heard Sunday nights 8 to 10pm EST on RADIOX 94.7 - 94.9 - 104.5 FM or streaming worldwide at www.liblues.com.

Mak Naftalin former keyboard player for Paul Butterfield will be appearing with the band this Saturday, May 20th @ the Turning Point in Piermont, NY.
The Michael Packer-Nick Gravenities tune "Born in NYC' has been added to 'Wikepedia" online encyclopedia , for songs about New York City along with artists such as Duke Ellington, Simon and Garfunkel and John Lennon to name a few. 'Born in NYC' is also featured on Last-FM Radio as one of the most popular songs about New York. Packer's 'Gotta Go" was recently featured on The Roadhouse podcast a weekly blues show.
Look out! The new CD 'Sweet Rhythm" coming soon!

The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll at the Towne Crier the other night The Michael Packer Blues Band set the tone for the boys from Liverpool the Pete Best Band for a wonderful rollicking crowd that didn't want to go home. More shows coming in June. We will keep you posted.

Thank you to all that came out to support us at Sweet Rhythm. It was quite a special night captured live on the soon to be released CD. Michael, Ed and Felix will be joining Prof.Louie and the Crowmatix at the Van Dyke in Schenectady,NY on St.Pat's weekend and the Pete Best Band is returning for another show with the band at the Towne Crier in Pawling, NY on April 2. The Papa Nebo and Free Beer reissues should be available real soon at www.itsaboutmusic.com. We will keep you posted.

Sax great Lou Marini has been added to the Michael Packer band for the Feb.1,2006 date at Sweet Rhythm, New York City. Famous for his role in the Blues Brothers movie, Lou has recently been recording and touring with James Taylor

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be appearing at Sweet Rhythm 88 Seventh Avenue New York City on Wednesday Feb.1,2006. Appearing with the band is David Maxwell, considered one of the finest blues piano players in the world. He has played with James Cotton, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt and studied under the direction of the legendary Otis Spann. Also sitting in that night is guitarist Jimmy Vivino direct from the Conan O'Brien show. Ace blues-harpist Felix Cabrera who is the closest thing you will find to Paul Butterfield will be also be there. The date will be recorded by Blue Note's sound engineer Jack O'Hara. Expect an exciting night of blues at this famous New York jazz landmark in Greenwich Village.

We would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season. We are going to be busy doing what we do best, playing the blues. We have a benefit for the musicians of New Orleans, a gig at one of the finest jazz clubs in the country, The Van Dyke in Schenectady, NY. Michael Packer's birthday Dec.20th at Kenny's Castaways NYC and we will be performing at BB Kings Blues Club in Times Square NYC on Christmas Day.
The big news is Michael Packer's albums which he recorded in the 70's with his groups "Papa Nebo"and
"Free Beer" will be reissued under the direction of producer Alan Lorber for the premier record label It's About Music. Merry Christmas and keep rockin!

Michael Packer has been invited to sit in at the party for Buddy Guy on Tuesday November 15th at A&M Roadhouse New York City hosted by Jake Walker.

Catch Michael Packer and the band live on "Across the Tracks" WFDU FM 89.1 on Friday December 2, 2005 at 3PM hosted by blues and rock historian Keith Mulhare.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be sharing the stage with former Monkee Peter Tork and his band Shoe Suede Blues. The event takes place Saturday Dec.3, 2005 at The Turning Point Cafe in Piermont, NY Go to www.turningpointcafe.com for more info.

I would like to thank Pete Best and his band for a marvelous weekend of great rock and roll. Added thanks goes out to Sean Weiss, Chaz DePaolo, Keith Mulhare, Thom Manno and my band Ed Jackson, Riley Fitzsimmons, Squid, Felix Cabrera, Zebra and our pilot Bill on Sax.

www.itsaboutmusic.com E-mail record label has added The Michael Packer Blues Band to the roster which includes artists such as John Lee Hooker.Mississippi Fred McDowell and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be performing with The Pete Best Band on Friday October 28th at the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts,Bayshore, NY

www.boultoncenter.org