Cyril Lance

Cyril Lance - Stranger In My House - 2001 - Dog Talk Music

Stranger in My House is an intense brew of American roots music with a strong dose of blues, R&B, New Orleans funk, acid-rock, swing and latin. Featuring the song-writing and the emotional guitar playing of Cyril Lance coupled with the incredibly soulful vocals of Grammy-Nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers), Stranger in My House will keep you grooving from beginning to end. In many ways his artistic tribute to one of his most important inspirations, Muddy Waters, Lance has produced and arranged what most consider his best work yet. Gathering the talents of his closest friends from years on the road, Lance captures the intensity and emotion of these live performances. Starting with Johnny Neel whose experience is a who's who of southern rock and blues (Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, Dicky Betts, Gov't Mule....), Boston-based Matt Jenson (Ronnie Earle, Johnny Adams...) burns up the Hammond B3 organ and piano, and Chris Carroll on bass and Kelly Pace on drums round out one of the finest blues rhythm sections of the south (Bob Margolin, Skeeter Brandon, Pinetop Perkins, Rev. Billy C. Wurtz, Detroit Jr...). Lance demonstrates his considerable versatility and gutt-bucket approach on slide and electric guitars, lapsteel and acoustic guitar. If you're into the blues, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf; if you're into Otis Redding, Ray Charles; if you're into the Allman Brothers, Carlos Santana, Johnny Winter, Little Feat; if you're into Jimi Hendrix, Danny Gatton perhaps some Kenny Burrell -you're sure to love this release. [from Product Description © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-My-House-Cyril-Lance/dp/B00005UKCA

Cyril Lance first heard Muddy Waters as a kid growing up in Honolulu, Hawai'i - an event set him on the path directly to his latest recording "Stranger in My House" 25 years later. Cyril has played guitar professionally in many different genres soaking up the vibes of rock, blues, jazz, reggae, latin jazz, folk, celtic. But since that first time hearing Muddy, the intensity of the blues has always stuck with him and been his anchor.Cyril has played all over the country and in Europe most recently finishing a three-year stint with zydeco blues harmonic player Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos in the late '90s. A child of the 60's and 70's, he fell in love with the great jamming bands: Allman Brothers, Traffic, Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana... His musical journey led him to explore jazz and art-music and he studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts while playing in the northeast in the '80s. In the mid-'90s, Cyril moved down to the piedmont of North Carolina, an area rich in the tradition of blues and American roots music. There he reconnected with his love of this music and started incorporating it into his writing and touring as well as honing his skills on slide guitar and lapsteel. Stranger In My House, his latest album, incorporates all these diverse influences and combines it with honest, thoughtful writing and intense, spontaneous recordings that capture the soul and intensity of blues, R&B, swing, acid-rock, new orleans funk, latin jazz. This album features the incredible singing of Grammy-nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes), jamming Hammond B3 and piano playing by Matt Jenson (Ronnie Earle, Johnny Adams, Mighty Sam McClain), and Cyril's road-mates Chris Carroll and Kelly Pace playing bass and drums - one of the finest rhythm sections in the south (Bob Margolin, Skeeter Brandon, Paul Osher, Pinetop Perkins, Rev. Billy C. Wurtz, Detroit Jr...). This album rocks, it cries, it grooves, and it moves. If you're into Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf; if you're into Otis Redding, Ray Charles; if you're into the Allman Brothers, Carlos Santana, Johnny Winter, Little Feat; if you're into Danny Gatton, Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn - then get this album now and turn it up! © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cyrillance

"Lance has masterminded one of the best contemporary blues albums of the year. His virtuosity on the guitar and lapsteel is undeniable, and his songwriting makes him an instant item in bluesville." © Billboard Magazine

"...simply outstanding whether it's meaty, slashing slide guitar or spacey Hendrix-like phrases. one of the best blues-rock albums this year." © RELIX Magazine, December 2002

"Truly amazing stuff all the way through. I'm quite simply overwhelmed... turns out to be one of my all-time favorites" © Blues-Stikka Magazine (Norway), September 2002

"One of life's little pleasures is listening to an album and being blown away on the first spin... Lance wades into swampy blues-rock that sizzles and smokes with astounding professionalism and passion." © Blues Revue Magazine

There are a lot of bands that say they play the blues. A lot of them lie. However, with Cyril what you get is a true blues experience. This cd serves as an amazing reminder that blues when done right is the most amazing music in the world. I recomend this cd to every blues fan and every one curious about the blues. Cyril and company easily hold their own against any blues band out there today. Definitely check out "I Went Down", "Just Not Ready" and "Light Of This World". Those tracks alone would be worth the price. Yet, you get seven more great tracks that will find their way into your daily rotation as well. [from Blues The Right Way - © author: Big Mike - © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cyrillance

The reviews say it all. Album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Cyril's great "Live from the Outskirts" album, and promote real music

TRACKS

1. I Want The Real Thing (5:28)
2. I Went Down (6:53)
3. Just Not Ready (6:36)
4. Hot Tamale Baby (6:13)
5. Stranger In My House (6:18)
6. Same Thing (5:15)
7. Light Of This World (4:48)
8. When I First Met You (5:05)
9. Catfish Pie (4:20)
10. Remembering Jon (7:04)

All tracks composed by Cyril Lance except Track 4 by Clifton Chenier, Track 6 by Willie Dixon, & Track 7 by Rev. Gary Davis

MUSICIANS

Cyril Lance - Electric Guitar; Lap Steel on track 3; Acoustic Guitar on track 7
Chris Carroll - Bass; Vocals on track 4
Dennis Gulley - Bass on track 10
Robby Link - Upright Bass on track 9
Matt Jenson - Piano; B-3 Organ
Johnny Neel - Vocals; B-3 Organ on track 10
Kelly Pace - Drums
Donald Smitty Smith - Drums on track 10
Nelson Delgado - Congas on track 4

SHORT BIO

At age 11, Cyril Lance's Mom brought home a $17 guitar and a book of Bob Dylan lyrics that sent him off on a journey that he is still on today. His first two discoveries as an adolescent growing up Honolulu Hawai'i, apart from the vibrant slack-key Hawai'ian music revival was blues-great Muddy Waters and jazz-great Kenny Burrell. Both of these icons have remained pivotal inspirations for Lance on his winding exploration of the American music experience for the last 25 years. In the mid-80's, Lance moved to Boston where he immersed himself in the music scene and played his guitar with bands from bluegrass, folk, celtic, jazz, reggae, blues and art-rock for the next 10 years. While in Boston, Lance studied at the New England Conservatory where he further developed his concepts of improvisation and a deep respect for roots music. After moving to the piedmont of North Carolina in 1994, Lance discovered that he had landed in an area rich with a living history of blues and roots music and quickly fell into zydeco and blues harmonica player Mel Melton's Wicked Mojo's with whom he toured for three years around the country and Europe. During these three years, Lance honed his skills as a blues improvisor and developed his unique style on slide guitar. In 2001, Lance produced, wrote and recorded his debut solo album "Stranger in My House" which was received with critical acclaim by the likes of Billboard Magazine, Blues Revue, Relix Magazine as well as major publications in Europe. "Stranger" is a deep brew of original roots-blues infused with passionate soloing featuring Lance's electric, slide and lap-steel playing, Grammy-Nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes...) heart-wrenching vocals and Boston-based Hammond B3/piano player Matt Jenson incredible keyboard playing backed by Lance's long-time roadmates Chris Carroll and Kelly Pace on bass and drums. Over the last two years, Lance and his band "Outskirts of Infinity Collective Experience Arkestra" toured regionally in the south-east honing a show tailored to Lance's vision and has built a reputation for shows that combine deep songwriting and roots grooves with passionate and spontaneous improvisational explorations that has made him equally at home in both the blues circuit and the jamband scene. Based on this touring, Lance has just released (Sept. 2004) his second CD "LIVE from the OUTSKIRTS" which has already met with similar acclaim as his first album. "LIVE" perfectly captures what makes Lance and his band so special in performance. Lance is currently recording his third album which will further the boundaries of American roots music due to be released in 2005. Lance has performed and recorded with Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes), C.J. Chenier (Red Hot Louisiana Band), Mel Melton (CJ Chenier, Sonny Landreth, his Wicked Mojos), Louisiana Red (Handy Award Winner), Katherin Whalen (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Bernard Allison and Edie Shaw. "Cyril Lance is an immensely talented guitarist and a real crowd pleaser. His powerful live set at the 18th annual Carolina Blues Festival set the tone for the rest of the day!" John Amberg, 2004 Carolina Blues Festival Chair. © http://www.dogtalkmusic.com/