1/1/12 – Black Bamboo Recordings news from the north shore of Kauai.
Surfline.com, the top website for current info on surfing related news and conditions mentions my Andy Irons tribute song ‘The Longest Ride': http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/press-release/allan-thomas-releases-song-for-andy-irons-the-longest-ride_66013/
The new ‘Deep Water’ CD is off to a good start with radio play especially in Europe, also see December 2011 News http://www.allanthomas.com/wordpress/?p=1444.
DJ Bart van der Po of the acoustic Americana radio show Acoustic Rain in the Netherlands is still playing title track ‘Deep Water’. http://acousticrain.rtvkatwijk.nl/?p=103
DJ Peter van Zeijl of the Americana/singer songwriter Folk en Zo radio show out of Winschoten, the Netherlands is playing title track ‘Deep Water’. http://www.folkenzo.net/Playlists.html
Wildman Steve of the Auburn Alabama web based radio show Wildman Steve Radio is still playing ’The Longest Ride’ from the new ‘Deep Water’ CD. http://www.wildmansteve.com/
Mr Blue Boogie of the Dutch music review website Billy Bop reviews ‘Deep Water’. http://www.billybop.be/admin/CDdetail.asp?ID=10593:
Allan Thomas is already active in the music scene since 1966 and has worked with some of the biggest names around. Many artists open shows for big names in their lives, but seldom they are asked to co tribute to albums of those they opened. For Allan Thomas things are different. He did not only open for the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Weather Report, Richie Havens, Taj Mahal, and elder blues men Bukka White and Arthur Cruddup but he worked also with some of them. Especially with Cannonball Adderly things worked out quite well and as a result he was asked to contribute on the Cannonball Adderley Quintet song ‘Behold’, which appeared on the groups ‘Soul Of The Bible’ concept album.
Allan Thomas has always been busy working for and with others, but in his long carreer he hasn’t got much time to make recordings himself. Deep Water is only his fifth album, and features long time pals David Crosby & Graham Nash. Furhtermore the record also features members of the Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young, Van Morrison, James Taylor, CSN, and the Yellowjackets bands.
Brought to you in laid back style crossing borders between Americana & Jazz, Deep Water gives us some nice songs like the title track Deep Water, The Longest Ride (featuring Crosby & Nash) and Homegrown. Not for the lovers of common Americana & Roots Related music, but if you dig something different, you might find it on this record.
Mr Blue Boogie.
1/8/12 – Honolulu Star Advertiser – John Berger review of ‘Deep Water’: A requiem for pro surfer Andy Irons is one of several memorable songs on this recent project by Kauai resident Allan Thomas. “May you rip in peace, brother Andy, in waves that never end,” he sings in “The Longest Ride,” no doubt expressing the feelings of Irons’ family, friends and fans.
Several of Thomas’ musical arrangements evoke memories of Steely Dan’s early work. Other songs stand out on the strength of Thomas’ lyrics. Take “The Downturn,” a horrifying look at the continuing aftermath of America’s economic meltdown. Or “Monkey Business,” where he assumes the persona of a burned out drug smuggler. A third song “Soldier Of Misfortune,” is neatly constructed around a clever mutation of an age-old phrase.
Thomas harks back to the beatnik poets of the late 50’s with “Other Than That,” an acerbic shopping list of personality flaws and unidentified annoying people which he recites over brisk percussion tracks.
The title tune is a gentle love song reminiscent of Dan Fogelberg, as Thomas compares the emotions stirred by a first kiss to “diving into deep water from the highest cliff.” He also explores the toxic fallout of bad relationships with a dark philosophical tune, “Everything Happens For A Reason.”
DJ Michael van Bruggen of the Dutch Americana/ Roots radio show Landslide is playing ‘Deep Water’. http://www.rootsparadise.nl/landslide/index.php
DJ Frederico Fonseca of the Ao Correr Do Tempo radio show on Diana FM radio in Portugal is playing ‘The Longest Ride’. http://www.myspace.com/fredericofonseca/music/playlists - www.dianafm.com
The French community radio show Crossroads at Radio Arverne is playing ‘The Longest Ride’. http://www.radioarverne.com/
DJ Johanna J. Bodde of the Dutch-based, long-running and very diverse Americana/Singer songwriter/Alt Country radio show RadioGirl is playing ‘Fall In Love Too Easy’ on both the Netherlands-based Dollard Radio and Insurgent Radio network shows. http://www.dollardradio.nl/index.php?pagina=programmas&id=1&actie=blogitem&bid=68
DJ Jos van den Boom of the Americana and roots music radio show Crossroads is playing ‘The Longest Ride’ on the Netherlands-based Roots Paradise radio network. http://www.rootsparadise.nl/crossroads/index.php
DJ Paul van Gelder of Dutch Americana, soul, singer/songwriter radio show Roots Paradise is playing ‘Other Than That’ from the ‘Deep Water’ CD. http://paulvangelder.com/playlists.htm – http://www.rootsparadise.nl/paulvangelder/index.php
DJ Rein Wortelboer of Peelgrass Radio in the Netherlands is playing ‘Homegrown’ and ‘Fall In Love Too Easy’. http://peelgras.home.xs4all.nl/playlistboard/playlists/play2908.htm - http://peelgras.home.xs4all.nl/playlistboard/playlists/play2910.htm
DJ’s Raymond Swennen and Theo Geenen of the Americana and singer/songwriter Radio Goud RootsRevival radio show based in Belgium is playing ‘Deep Water’. http://rootsrevival.webklik.nl/page/voorpagina
German Americana radio show Free FM is playing ‘Monkey Business’.
Americana Radio is playing ‘Other Than That’.
Italian radio show Happy Trails on Susa Onda Radio is playing ‘The Longest Ride’ and ‘Homegrown’.
Dutch rock magazine and internet magazine Strutterzine reviews ‘Deep Water':
Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of the ‘Deep Water’ compact disc directly from Black Bamboo Recordings can always e-mail us @ allant6@gmail.com or send a check for $12.00 plus $3.00 shipping & handling per CD in USA – and $12.00 plus $5 for S&H outside USA to: Black Bamboo Recordings – po box 785 – Hanalei, HI. 96714 – USA
For those interested in purchasing more than one copy of ‘Deep Water’ – or any of Allan’s other CD’s for that matter – we are offering discounts of $10.00 each CD plus shipping.
Downloads of the album and single-song tracks are now available at The Allan Thomas Music Store @http://allanthomas.bandcamp.com/album/deep-water – Here you can can listen to all tracks in their entirety, read stories about the writing and recording of the songs, plus find lyrics, credits and photos. Bandcamp offers downloads in 6 different compression file sizes to suit your bandwidth and preference, and you can pay by credit card or PayPal should you so desire. If you plan to download give Bandcamp a go, as they offer the highest-quality downloads, and host a great platform for independent artists to sell their music.
‘Deep Water’ downloads of the full album and single-song tracks are now available at CD Baby @http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AllanThomas – The babies are carrying the compact disc.
The record is now also available for listening and digital downloading through the Allan Thomas Music Facebook PAGE @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allan-Thomas/168576603179719?sk=app_204974879526524
iTunes and Amazon.com, are now also offering ‘Deep Water’ downloads with most other digital music distributers also online. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ASIN/B005ZXMMXA