1960s Legends Chambers Brothers are Back!
New Year, New Collaboration on Crazy Tomes' Album "Crazy on the Island" Featuring Swamp Dogg and Guitar Shorty!
Genre-shattering and boundary-breaking artist Crazy Tomes has revolutionized the rock and blues scene in a very unexpected way since his start in music, and now has released long-awaited album “Crazy on The Island'' with key track “King of Pot” – feat. The Chambers Brothers, Swamp Dogg, and Guitar Shorty. Bringing The Chambers Brothers back on his new album, Tomes presents listeners with one of the last remaining links to 1960s rock and R&B music - as they prove to be some of the only artists left from this era. With Tomes on guitar alone, his music is truly something unmatched - from his stage presence to his eclectic sound that blends old-school blues with progressive rock n roll, he creates an atmosphere where his talent is palpable, and the energy is infectious. His sound, along with the legendary musicians beside him on the album, brings back old school blues – with an entirely new feel.
Starting his musical journey as a young child in Israel playing classical music, Tomes has moved on to play alongside incredible names like The Chambers Brothers (which have been said to be John Lennon’s favorite band), Swamp Dogg, and Guitar Shorty (Jimi Hendrix’s mentor and brother in-law). Described by many as "bluesy rock and roll with a touch of insanity,” Tomes released his first album in eight years on January 6th this year, and it brings layers of uniqueness, versatility, soulfulness, and craziness that Tomes has been known to deliver since his beginnings.
Listen to the full album here.
The album, “Crazy on the Island” includes the key track “King of Pot '' featuring the legendary psychedelic soul band The Chambers Brothers (“Time Has Come Today”, “People get Ready”, “Funky”) - who have not released music together since disbanding in 1972. The track will not only bring back this widely loved and nostalgic group, it includes other huge names like the soul legend Swamp Dogg (“Good, Better, Best”, “Lonely”, “Synthetic World”), and the legendary Guitar Shorty, who has been releasing music all the way since 1950’s (“A Little Less Conversation”, “We The People”). This project has been a work in progress for Tomes for many years, as he wrote it about a friend who was a Vietnam veteran who was discharged for smoking pot. It speaks to the world’s need to focus on enjoying life rather than arresting people for victimless "crimes.” Listen to the featured track here.
Growing up in Israel, Tomes began his musical journey in classical piano but became inspired by American rock n’ roll legends like Elvis Presley and The Beatles. From there, he decided to switch his focus to the guitar and soon picked up jazz when he moved to Virginia in 1998. His unexpected journey continued when legendary American musician - and Tomes’s idol - Little Richard invited Tomes on stage to perform a song with him, where he was given his iconic name.
This event validated Tomes’s path in jazz guitar, and thus he went on to study it at The College of William and Mary. Tomes’s career exploded from there, headlining the “Kenya Feel the Rock '' festival with blues-rock band Burning Wagon, as well as performing at the Bruce Hornsby festival before moving to Los Angeles. There, he joined the Pop-Rock band “Arrest My Sister” and performed at Carnegie Hall, and shortly after joined the band Gundriver - and soon after was hired as a bass player (and later guitar) for another Blues icon, Guitar Shorty.
His story doesn’t stop there - Tomes soon began playing guitar for Willie Chambers, and eventually for The Chambers Brothers, and now is lead guitar for R&B and soul artist Swamp Dogg, performing with him every New Year’s Eve at the Roxy Theater since 2017, as well as at the Ryman Auditorium with Bon Iver, Crazy Tomes also tours with the 90’s rock band The Red Elvises.
According to Tomes, his style is best described as a unique combination of “blues, funk, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, reggae and country,” and to some, it is described as “a bluesy rock’n’roll with a touch of insanity.” Fans praise him for his “energetic live shows, virtuoso guitar playing, distinctive soulful vocals, and musical versatility.” Drawing inspiration from a large list of names such as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Elton John, Louis Armstrong, The Animals, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Ray Charles, Lou Reed, Nirvana, The Kinks, The Zombies, Black Sabbath - to name a few - it only makes sense that Tomes’s music is a thing entirely his own. A sound that truly cannot be placed into one genre, Tomes’s discography explores nearly every musical style known to man, without exaggeration.
About Crazy Tomes:
Crazy Tomes is an Israeli artist who grew up playing classical music, soon becoming inspired by rock and blues legends. His diverse musical taste shows in his performance - blending layers of old-school feeling blues with progressive rock n roll with a twinge of alternative, Tomes gives oldies blues a “new age” feel.
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Raquel Figlo, Public Relations | raquel@raquelfiglo.com | raquelfiglo.com