Ruthie Foster Sees The Promise of a Brand New Day

Ruthie Foster is one of the most thrilling singers in American vernacular music today. A singer and songwriter with roots in gospel and classic R&B, she has also been embraced by roots and blues audiences for her stirring performances. For her most recent recording Promise of a Brand New Day (Blue Corn Music), she recruited Meshell Ndegeocello to produce it (as well as contribute bass). Ndegeocello observed that she “wanted this album to highlight Ruthie’s voice and also communicate her vibe, give a fuller picture of her artistry and ability. She really trusted me with the music and I think we've made something that complements and holds its own alongside the power of her voice.”

Ndegeocello played bass and enlisted her regular guitarist, Chris Bruce (Sheryl Crow), and keyboardist Jebin Bruni (Aimee Mann), plus drummer Ivan Edwards and backing vocalist Nayanna Holley. Foster did request two special guests: guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and singer Toshi Reagon. Promise of a Brand New Day includes seven songs written or co-written by Foster, most of them “songs with messages—because that’s important to what I do,” she explains. “Maybe that’s from growing up with people like Mavis [Staples] and a lot of strong women who have come before me, who are great singers but also have a message.” Furthermore the other songs themselves are also very strong in this same manner.

Singing the Blues is a strong R&B performance about finding a new home, writing a new song, and finding a rhythm to help her get through things as she keeps singing the blues which never gets old to her. Let Me Know, which features Doyle Bramhall II’s guitar, has a gospel-inflected vocal set against a steady rocking groove which contrasts with the country soul feel of My Kinda Lover. The Ghetto was originally recorded by The Staples Singers with its evocative lyrics that bring inner city life alive while the late Willie King’s Second Coming is a folk-blues protest song noting that they could kill Ruthie’s body but not kill her mind like they could kill John Brown but not his mind. With the simple acoustic guitar backing and spare organ accompaniment it is a powerful performance.

Other remarkable songs include a collaboration with Stax legend William Bell, It Might Not Be Right, about gay love where she notes that it might not be right for some folk, but it is all right for this girl. Other songs include the ballad Learning to Fly, with its memorable line “Everybody knows that a seed must die so a flower must grow” sung with the warmth and genuineness that marks Foster’s singing throughout. After the moving a cappella Brand New Day there is, Complicated Love, a bittersweet song of dealing with difficult times in a relationship.

It has been said that some singers could make reciting the phone book sound good. Ruthie Foster makes one want to recite it with her. Promise of a Brand New Day is simply the latest marvelous chapter in her body of recordings.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is her singing Brand New Day.

Ruthie Foster Let it Burn

Ruthie Foster is one of the signature voices today. I really enjoyed her performance at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival and her latest album Let it Burn (Blue Corn Music) is a gem. 

Recorded in New Orleans with George Porter, Jr., and Russell Batiste amongst others it has some terrific material as well as performances. There are several wonderful collaborations with the Blind Boys of Alabama including Lord Remember Me that are chilling. They back her on her rendition of Steven Stills' A Long Time Coming that make these four decades old lyrics come across as contemporary. The riff from Miles Davis' All Blues (laid down by organist Ike Stubblefield) is incorporated into the arrangement of  William Bell You Don't Miss Your Water that is a soulful duet by Foster and Bell. James Rivers is outstanding on tenor sax here. I enjoyed her interpretation of the Johnny Cash hit Ring of Fire, as a ballad (I also recommend folks check out the classic rendition by deep soul legend, James Carr). One last track to mention is the classic from The Band, It Makes No Difference, that Ruthie places her stamp on. 

Simply a marvelous recording.

Ruthie Foster at the 2013 Pennsylvania Blues Festival

This was a purchase.

James Cotton Is A Cotton Mouth Man

In 1953, James Cotton entered the Sun Studios in Memphis to make his first recordings. 60 years later, Alligator has just issued Cotton’s latest, Cotton Mouth Man. The title song was a number that Tom Hambridge and Richard Fleming wrote that Cotton liked and he got together with them and they wrote a number of new songs many based around Cotton’s life. These comprise almost all of this album that Hambridge produced in Nashville. In addition to Cotton’s regular band of Darrell Nulisch on vocals, Tom Holland on guitar, Noel Neal on bass and Jerry Porter, Hambridge brought in as guests Joe Bonamassa, Gregg Allman, Keb Mo, Warren Haynes, Ruthie Foster, Delbert McClinton and Colin Linden with Chuck Leavell playing keyboards on much of this. Its been about two decades since Cotton lost his singing voice, so he is relegated to the harp here.

The title track is a warp-speed boogie with Cotton wailing on harmonica with Joe Bonamassa ripping off a solo as Nulisch sings about Cotton’s harp does all of his talking while Hambridge hammers away mechanically on drums (he plays better elsewhere). Midnight Train, opens with Cotton hoarsely speaking “Midnight Train to Mississippi,” and then comes off as an amplified Sonny Terry, while Chuck Leavell’s keyboards fit in with Cotton’s band. Gregg Allman takes the vocal on what is a straight train blues about the whistle blowing and his baby going away. Keb Mo has a strong vocal on Mississippi Mud, slow blues where Cotton’s harp and Leavell’s piano stand out.. 

The lyric of He Was There, traces Cotton’s career from recording to Sun and moving to Chicago with Cotton’s band augmented by Leavell wailing behind a fine vocal from Nulisch. Warren Haynes sings and adds driving blues-rock slide guitar for the rocking Something For Me which is followed by Ruthie Foster singing the lyric on the excellent Wrapped Around My Heart. Nulisch is terrific as Cotton and band revive Muddy Waters’ Bird Nest On The Ground. 

Keb Mo returns to sing over the low-key backing on Wasn’t My Time To Go. This is a song about Cotton outliving his parents and siblings, as well as surviving a crazed gun man at a Chicago bus stop, with a refrain that so as long as Cotton can still blow, it ain’t his time to go. After the driving Blues Is Good For You, Cotton backed solely by Colin Linden’s resonator guitar, delivers the whiskey soaked vocal (not far removed from talking) on the closing Bonnie Blue. 

As displayed on Cotton Mouth Man, James Cotton, and his harmonica, remains a formidable performer and is well-served by this varied and exciting recording.

I received by review copy from Alligator. Here is a clip of Mr. Superharp in performance.

Hadden Sayers Has Rolling Soul

Rolling Soul is Hadden Sayers’ newest release on Blue Corn Music and follows up the terrific Hard Dollar. Sayers has seen hard times with circumstances leading him to have given up music for a period. Thankfully, he is back and writing new tunes, part of the amazing Ruthie Foster’s band and this new release full of Texas Roadhouse blues and rock with country, swamp pop and Tex-Mex seasoning. On his latest release he is backed by David DeWitt on keyboards and accordion; Mark Frye on bass and Tony McClung on drums and percussion with Phil Clark on harmonica and Baritone sax, Jim Ed Cobbs on clavinet and Ruthie Foster sings on one track.

Don't Take Your Love (out on me), opens with Sayers’ nuanced sandpaper vocals and blues-rock guitar with his effective use of various effects set against his band’s crisp backing. Something Wrong In the World, was written after learning a mentor of his had passed and is a restrained soulful blues about wanting his baby but knowing someone else is holding her tight,” with a nice guitar solo as DeWitt’s organ provides additional musical colors. Sayers and his band struts on Want What You Have, with effective employment of a riff from You Don’t Love Me. He also makes effective use of his wah wah pedal. Also noteworthy is Sayers’ use of sustain and echo with his spare playing on Alone With the Blues. 

Ruthie Foster joins him for the vocals on Lay Down Your Worries, on which Clark adds harp to support the vocals. Hadden calls The Man I'm Supposed to Be, a love letter to his one and only. It is a lovely performance, marked by restraint in his playing that displays that it is what one plays, not how fast and how many notes that one plays, that matters. Unlucky has a rocking country flavor with some nice guitar while DeWitt is in a honky tonk piano mood. Insomniac Blues is a nice 12 bar blues with a late night feel in the backing and a terrific vocal, before closing out with Can’t Get You Off Of My Mind, a very fine piece of blues-rock.

Hadden Sayers has a knack with words, his vocals ring true and his wonderful guitar playing is complemented by his fine band. The result is that Rolling Soul is another excellent addition to his body of recordings.


I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Hadden in performance although not doing music from this recording. For those in the Washington DC area, he is at Hill Country Barbecue on April 27.

Maria Muldaur's Loving Memphis Minnie Tribute

Memphis Minnie was a pioneer in what we now call “country blues,” who recorded over 200 sides from the late twenties until the early fifties. One of the greatest blues performers of her time, her popularity was reflected by the fact she recorded as often as she was. A marvelous guitarist as she was a singer, she often recorded duets with then husband Kansas Joe McCoy in what some would call the “Memphis style.” After the break-up of their marriage, she started playing in small combos that would foreshadow the post-war Chicago blues ensemble style. In her career she made numerous classic recordings including Bumble Bee, Frisco Town, What Fault You Find Of Me?, What’s The Matter With the Mill, Tricks Ain’t Workin’ No More, Joe Louis Strut, Me and My Chauffeur, and Black Rat Swing. She recorded over 200 blues over her career. 

Maria Muldaur has long been a fan of Memphis Minnie and performing Minnie’s songs for decades. She has produced … First Came Memphis Minnie (Stony Plain), which is subtitled “a loving tribute.” Included are performances by Maria along with Rory Block, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow and Koko Taylor with support from Del Rey, David Bromberg, Steve Freund, Alvin ‘Youngblood’ Hart, Steve James and Roy Rogers. 11 of the 13 performances are newly recorded. The performances of Phoebe Snow and Koko Taylor were previously issued.

There's plenty of music to enjoy here, much of it performed by Ms. Muldaur herself on a program that includes a few of Memphis Minnie’s most famous songs and a number of lesser known ones. If her voice is not quite a supple as in her own girlish days, Maria Muldaur is perhaps even more expressive a singer and this is evident on the opening Me and My Chauffeur Blues, with Roy Rogers providing nice easy swinging backing. Ain’t Nothin’ in Ramblin’, has a wonderful vocal from Bonnie Raitt with Steve Freund adding his guitar to hers. I’m Goin’ Back Home is one of two vocal duets by Maria with Alvin ‘Youngblood’ Hart (who provides guitar backing) that revive Minnie’s duets with Kansas Joe McCoy.

There is a bit larger group including Del Ray and Steve James backing Maria’s vocal on I’m Sailin’ with its wistful lyric. Rory Block’s sings When You Love Me backed by her guitars followed by Maria’s hopeful vocal on Long As I Can See You Smile, with Steve James adding mandolin in addition to Del Ray’s guitar, followed by Lookin’ the World Over, with just some lovely accompaniment from Del Ray. Phoebe Snow’s rendition of In My Girlish Days dates from a 1976 recording that included David Bromberg in the backing who adds mandolin along with guitar in the backing of Snow’s vocal. Ruthie Foster backed by a small group with Steve Freund’s guitar delivers a wonderful vocal on Keep Your Big Mouth Closed, which adapts the Sitting on Top of the World melody. Maria’s vocal on Tricks Ain’t Walkin’ is one of her finest here with Del Ray on guitars and Dave Earl adding mandolin here. 

The album closes with Koko Taylor’s rendition of Black Rat Swing that was licensed from Alligator from what I believe was her last album. Bob Margolin was among those on the session. It is an interesting choice insofar as it was written and sung by her husband, Ernest ‘Little Son Joe’ Lawler, under whose name it was originally released. In any event, it is a nice finale to this loving tribute to one of the greatest blues artists who ever lived.

I received a review copy from a publicist and it is scheduled for release on Tuesday October 9.

DC Area Has The Blues

Chick Willis returns to Lamont's for the Lamont's Blues Festival

Just want to highlight and make some comments on upcoming blues events in the Washington Metropolitan area through June that folks might want to be aware of.

Yesterday I attended a production Women of the Blues that takes place at the Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church in Falls Church Virginia. This is a blues review that is described as celebrating the lives and music of some of the greatest divas of the 20th Century. Directed by internationally acclaimed artist, Matt Conner, the show will take audiences on a soulful and sassy journey though some of the most memorable songs in the blues canon. It is being produced in conjunction with the Tinner Hill Foundation. It will run this and the next two weekends, Thursday through Sunday through May 20. The Creative Cauldron’s website is http://www.creativecauldron.org/. The link for tickets to this show is http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/193640#comments and there will be a bit more information on the production there.

Ruthie Foster will be at the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

Two weekends from now there will be two blues events in the Washington area. The annual Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival takes place May 19 and 20. This event takes place at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis and is a fundraiser for charities. Frankly, the festival is more of a blues-rock event, especially on Sunday with Jonny Lang as a headliner and performers like Albert Cummings although the Swiss artist Phillippe Faunkauser sounds promising. Sarturday, up against the Preakness in Baltimore, has a stronger line-up for those who want blues, not blues-tinged rock including Janiva Magness, Ruthie Foster and the Delta Guitar Slingers with Michael Burks, Bernard Allison and Lurrie Bell. I would also not mind seeing the Tedeschi-Trucks Band but would have to sit through Big Head Todd to wait for them. For more information on this festival, check www.bayblues.org.

Bobby Parker will be at the Lamont's Blues Festival

An alternative for a straight blues show on May 19 is the Lamont’s Blues Festival at Lamont’s in Indian Head (PoMonkey), Maryland. Performing at Lamont’s will be Chet ‘Dr. Feelgood’ Hines, Lady Rose, Clarence ‘The Bluesman’ Turner, along with DC Blues Legend Bobby Parker and the Stoop Down Man, Chick Willis. After the show outside, it will move indoors for the after-party with the Gridlock Band until the night runs late. Lamont’s Entertainment Complex is at 4400 Livingston Road, Pomonkey, MD 20640 and a phone number is 240 393-2525. It is easier for me to get to and less hassles. Also, every chance I have to see Chick Willis I try not to miss him. I intend to be here unless the Washington capitals are still in the playoff and playing at home.

Walter Wolfman Washington will be at the Western Maryland Blues Festival

The first weekend of June brings the Western Maryland Blues Festival in Hagerstown Maryland. Actually it starts on Thursday May 31 with a prelude show. It begins in earnest on Friday evening, June 1 with a nice line-up of Skyla Burrell Band, Billy Thompson Band, Walter “ Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters and Matt Schofield Blues Project. Saturday June 2 the festival has two stages of blues with Hard Swimmin’ Fish, Mike Westcott Band featuring Tommy Lepson, Trampled Under Foot, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, Moondog Medicine Show, Moreland & Arbuckle, The Lee Boys and Walter Trout. Both Friday night and Saturday’s shows take place in downtown Hagerstown. Sunday, there is the annual Festival in the Park at Hagerstown City Park with Paul Pfau Blues Band, Stack O’ Blues, Bad Influence Band and Bobby Parker Band. For more information including cost of tickets for Friday night and Saturday, see www.blues-fest.org.

Ironing Board Sam will be at the Tinner Hill Blues Festival as part of the Music Makers Revue

The following weekend, the same as the Chicago Blues Festival is the annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival produced by the Tinner Hill Foundation and held in the City of Falls Church VA City Park. On Friday night, June 8, the Festival presents at the State Theatre, the wonderful Texas blues powerhouse, Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy. with the superb guitarist Jonn Del Toro Richarson. Saturday, June 9, the Festival takes place at several locations. There will be blues at the weekly farmer’s Market. At 10 Am, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley present the history, music and legacy of the Underground Railroad and its connection to Blues Music! at the Falls Church Community Center. At 11:00PM Big Ron Hunter from the Music Maker Blues Revue will create a Tinner Hill Blues Song at his Songwriting Workshop also at the Community Center. The main festival takes place at Cherry Hill Park with performers including the Big Boy Little Band, The Pluckerland Band, Cathy Ponton King Band, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, the Kelly Bell Band, and the Music Maker Revue with Ironing Board Sam, Big Ron Hunter, Ardie Dean, Sol Creech and Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen. There will be screening of the film, “John Jackson; A Blues Treasure”

Other events include a showing of the award-winning short film documentary film on the life and music of John Jackson by film maker Beverly Lindsay-Johnson and narrated by DC legend Chuck Brown, and “Call it the Blues”, a juried Art Show, awards presentation at Art & Frame of 111 Park Avenue  Falls Church, VA 22046 which will be on view all weekend! The winner will be announced at the Festival at Cherry Hill Park. On Sunday, June 10 the Mad Fox Brewing Company & Restaurant will host a Blues Brunch, Tribute and Open Jam featuring musicians associated with the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. For more information on the festival check out the Tinner Hill website, http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. Note that some events have a charge. For more information visit http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. I hope to attend some of the events although I will also be attending some of the annual DC Jazz Festival that takes place June 1 through June 10.

Warner Williams will be at the Silver Spring Blues Festival

Two following weekend on Saturday June 16 will be two free blues festivals. The Columbia Pike Blues Festival takes place at the intersection of South Walter Reed and Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia. Performers include Karl Stoll & the Danger Zone, Moondog Medicine Show, Danny Blew and the Blues Crew, Chris Polk and headliners Peter Karp and Sue Foley. Information on the festival is at http://www.columbia-pike.org/?page_id=2172. The same day in downtown Silver Spring, the Silver Spring Blues Festival will take place with an electric stage lineup that is headlined by Warner Williams and also includes Moonshine Society, Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes, and DC Blues Society Band featuring Ayaba Bey. On the acoustic stage will be the Archie Edwards Blues Foundation Ensemble; Sheryl Sears Trio and Cooking with Gas. For more information on this event see http://silverspring.patch.com/events/4th-annual-silver-spring-blues-festival-at-downtown-silver-spring.

That captures some of the more significant blues events in the Washington DC area through mid-June. All photos on this blog entry copyright Ron Weinstock

Hadden Sayers Earning That Hard Dollar

While described as a blues guitar blaster, Hadden Sayers is far more than that as exhibited on his new Blue Corn Music release Hard Dollar. He has seen times go from a hard touring musician to personal circumstances that led him to give up music for a period. But he is back and writing new tunes, part of the amazing Ruthie Foster’s band and this new release full of Texas Roadhouse rock with blues, country, swamp pop and Tex-Mex seasoning certainly should re-introduce him to the roots and blues music audiences.

Marking his Texas blues bar guitar with a gravelly, whisky drenched voice he kicks off the disc with his rocking celebration of his home state Take Me Back to Texas, before he follows with the blues-ballad All I Want is You, with a melody that evokes the swamp pop classic “Mathilda,” with some strong chicken scratching guitar that harkens back to Houston and early Gatemouth Brown. Ruthie Foster joins for a duet on Back to the Blues, which may not be a “blues’ song but a wonderful and soulful performance. “Inside Out Boogie” is a rocker inspired by lazy Lester’s Sugar Coated Love, with some rollicking piano by dave DeWitt before Sayers takes a hot rocking break.

Plenty of humor on this such as when Sayers talks about this woman that keeps him living in the Lap of Luxury, or his low-key Flat Black Automobile, whose trunk may not work and uses too much gas with some steel sounding guitar in the backing. His country-flavored celebration of Sweet Texas Girls, is another celebration of his home state. Crush on You is more hard-nosed roadhouse rock’n’roll while the Ain’t Comin’ Round No More, evokes Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor mixed with Sitting on Top of the World, and Sayers noting he originally thought of this as an acoustic number before thinking of Hubert Sumlin. Like other of his songs, this shows his fresh use of older songs and the effective spare but strong ensemble sound heard here.

With some harp in the backing, Sayers has an unusual tribute to Lightnin’ Hopkins where he wants to take his lady on a groovy Hippie Getaway, while Burnin’ Up, is a chugging Texas shuffle blues with a heavy bass line and more harp as Sayers sings to his lady that everything he has she owns as he adds some blistering guitar making effect use of various effects during the break. Room 115, the longest performance here, is a slow blues written for Sean Costello as his on the edge guitar lyrics embellish the grainy vocal, and establish the low-down mood.

This disc closes with Moneyshot, a strong organ trio instrumental, that allows organist DeWitt and Sayers to both shine. Hard Dollar simply is a terrific release.

My review copy was provided by a publicist for the release. This is scheduled for official release on June 21.

Since posting this I have found out that Hadden will be appearing at Hill Country BBQ in Washington Dc on Tuesday, June 7 and Hill Country BBQ in NYC on June 8, in Buffalo at Sportsman's Tavern on Friday June 10 and at the Rohester International Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 11. His website is: http://haddensayers.com.

Big Head Todd's Well Considered Robert Johnson tribute

Big Head Blues Club is an offshoot of Big Head Todd and The Monsters created by Todd Park Mohr, to help celebrate the Robert Johnson Birthday centenary, 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko/ Big Records). Guitarist and vocalist, Mohr and his band mates, bassist Rob Squires, drummer Brian Nevin and keyboardist Jeremy Lawton are joined by B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm for renditions of ten of Johnson’s songs. Robert Johnson was a brilliant performer who died way too young so he has become a mythical figure which has led some to make the incredulous assertion that Robert Johnson was most influential blues artist of all time. This unsupported assertion has more to do with myth than reality or blues history. Call Robert Johnson the greatest blues artist of all time. That opinion can be debated but can't be faulted. But calling him the most influential exposes one’s ignorance of the music’s history (and the impact of others) and ignores the fact that if there was no Robert Johnson, blues as we know it would probably have evolved in pretty much the manner it sounds like today.

I have no idea what is included in the physical CD as I received a download promotional copy, but the music on this is not without its pleasures. For one thing, the renditions of Johnson’s songs are not overly reverential as say the tribute albums by Rory Block or Eric Clapton. As a vocalist Mohr may lack the depth of feeling that a Johnny Shines, Elmore James or Big Joe Williams brought to their interpretations of Johnson’s music, but does bring an amiable, gravelly approach and sings with plenty of heart.

The disc opens with Come On In My Kitchen features a funk groove that is more Hill Country flavored than Johnson’s original with a harp break from Charlie Musselwhite. Rambling on My Mind, follows with an emphatic groove that is slowed down from the original. Cedric Burnside is on acoustic guitar and Lightning Malcolm on slide guitar on an accompaniment not wedded to the broom-dusting riff employed on many versions of this. It is followed by a frenzied Preachin’ Blues, on which Burnside is on drums and Malcolm adding the acoustic slide. The frenzied character of the performance does a credible job of evoking Johnson’s original which struck me as one of Johnson’s most fervent recordings.


Crossroads Blues, with B.B. King, has an imaginative arrangement owing little to Johnson or Elmore James and Mohr credibly shares the vocal with King as Johnny Lawton’s funky organ helps set the mood. When You Got a Good Friend is another tine with more of a hill country fill that traditional delta-styled blues of Johnson with Foster adding backing vocals and Sumlin some guitar embellishments along with Lightnin’ Malcolm. Kind Hearted Woman is a nice piano-guitar duet between Malcolm on acoustic guitar and pianist Lawton as Foster and Mohr trade lines in the shared vocal. One jarring note is Mohr singing “Mr. Johnson” when he could have personalized it as to Big Todd. Honeyboy Edwards may be the last living link to Robert Johnson, but of those associated with Johnson, he is musically the least able and his weak vocal at the beginning of If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day, is salvaged by Mohr’s strong singing and the driving, rhythmic backing of Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Musselwhite contributes moody harmonica behind a smoldering, smokey treatment of Last Fair Deal Gone Down.

After Mohr’s capable solo acoustic rendition of All My Love’s In Vain, the album concludes with a somewhat inept Sweet Home Chicago, by Honeyboy Edwards which does have some nice harmonica by Musselwhite on it to make this track listenable. It perhaps ends this disc on a bum note, which is unfortunate as with this exception on this. 100 Years of Robert Johnson may not be an essential recording, but it certainly is an entertaining release that blues traditionalists like myself and those with a more casual interest in blues, should be able to enjoy.

This review originally appeared in the May 1 - June 15, 2011 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 335). A download of this was provided by a publicist for the release.