Hold on to Your Year-End Lists, "Ladies & Gentlemen"

Consummate key tickler and sideman deluxe Nigel Hall is released his debut offering, Ladies & Gentlemen… on Friday the 13th of November. The man really needs no introduction unless you’re impervious to the funky soul still making its way into the eardrums of those in the know.

Hall’s a mainstay, with thunderous keyboard klanks and a voice just as sweet and regal as a young Marvin Gaye. Hall is also a hired gun to Warren Haynes, Soul Rebels, and a constant contributor to producer and guitarist Eric Krasno’s ventures with other artists. He's also part of Krasno’s staple funky jam outfits Lettuce and the incomparable Soulive. Krasno’s no slouch in the producer chair either, touting stints with artists like Justin Timberlake, Norah Jones, and Aaron Neville as feathers in that proverbial cap. But he’s equally if not more dangerous with a hunk of wood and strings strapped around his neck and shoulder.

Although Ladies & Gentlemen… may be a bit short on original compositions -- there are five originals and five choice cover arrangements -- this album that was captured across five-plus years at a few studios in NYC and New Orleans, is sheer genius.

Continue Reading at NoDepression.com

Album Premiere: Ladies & Gentlemen… Nigel Hall

Nigel Hall's long anticipated debut solo record, is set for release on November 13 via the Feel Music Group. Ladies & Gentlemen... Nigel Hall presents a blend of original songs and covers that evoke the timeless sounds of soul and r&b in a contemporary setting. Eric Krasno produced the record and shares songwriting credits on many of the tracks with his fellow Lettuce cohort. Kraz also appears on Ladies & Gentlemen... Nigel Hall, along with ?uestlove, Ivan Neville, Charlie Hunter, James Casey, Maurice Brown, and members of Lettuce. We offer the premiere stream of the album below, which is now available for pre-order.

Listen to the album at Relix.com

Nigel Chats With The Huffington Post

By Taraleigh Weathers

Have you ever been so mesmerized by a musician that time stands still the moment they open their mouth? It seems like they are channeling something bigger than themselves and they can't help but create something magical right there right then. You feel you are witnessing something special that could only possibly happen once in a lifetime. Nigel Hall does just that at every single show and that magic comes across in his new album entitled "Ladies & Gentleman...Nigel Hall." I am a huge fan of Nigel and felt called to share his awesome with you all right here right now.

Here's a little about Nigel Hall if you don't know who he is yet. He grew up in a musical family and his fingers first touched the keys before he hit kindergarten age, and his ears were wide open. "I grew up with records," he said. "That's why I'm obsessed. My father had a vast collection. I'd be in third grade with my Walkman and everyone's listening to Ace of Bass, and I'm listening to "Return to Forever," Chick Corea's fusion project with Stanley Clarke.

Nigel Hall is also a relatively new resident of one of America's most sonically significant cities, a place that has always respected the power of history. Since relocating to New Orleans in late 2013, Nigel Hall has been embraced by its world-renowned music community. In early 2014, a feature in its premier music-focused magazine, Offbeat, enthusiastically welcomed Hall as "a perfect fit" for the vibrant city and its singular culture. The Times-Picayune's review of his solo debut at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival the same year crowned him with a comparison to Southern funk godfather Art Neville.

Now that you know a little about Nigel, let's talk to him.

Taraleigh: Why do you do what you do?

Nigel: I was born to. I don't feel that I have another choice in the matter.

Taraleigh: Sounds to me that you are living in your zone of awesome. When you are in that zone you are not only the best at what you do, but you could do it all day everyday. Many people are afraid to go for whatever that thing is for them so I honor you for doing it! And we are grateful that you are because your music makes the world a better place. What are you grateful for right now?

Nigel: I'm grateful to have met my fiancé. I'm not sure I would have accomplished so much without her by my side. I'm grateful for the privilege of getting to play music for a living and also for the amazing people I'm surrounded by.

Taraleigh: All of those people are simply a mirror of you so you must be doing something right. You have so much to be grateful for! An attitude of gratitude excites me greatly. What are you most excited about right now and why?

Continue reading at HuffingtonPost.com