October 20, 2015
SAX PLAYER EXTRAORDINAIRE EDDIE MANION,
WHO HAS TOURED AND RECORDED WITH SUCH ARTISTS AS
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND,
SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE ASBURY JUKES,
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL
AND THE ROBERT CRAY BAND AMONG OTHERS,
SET TO RELEASE FIRST INSTRUMENTAL CD, NIGHTLIFE, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17
EDDIE “KINGFISH” MANION TO CELEBRATE NEW ALBUM RELEASE
BY HOSTING AND PERFORMING AT SERIES OF “FIRST LISTEN PARTIES”
AT ASBURY PARK WHERE MUSIC LIVES BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD
Saxophonist Eddie Manion’s recording and touring work over the last ten years has been largely centered around his lifelong relationship with recording and touring artist Bruce Springsteen. Manion was a member of Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions band in 2005 recording the historic studio album We Shall Overcome and subsequent live album Live in Dublin and most recently was a part of Bruce Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball and High Hopes tours and studio albums on Columbia Records. Last year, Eddie completed a wildly successful 3 year worldwide tour with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band from 2012 to 2014, playing 167 shows in 27 countries to over 4 million fans.
Manion’s bold style of classic R&B and Rock & Roll ’Texas Tenor’ sound and his extensive expertise in leading and arranging for horn sections has led him to a 40-plus year career in Rock & Roll, R&B, Jazz, and Blues. You could say that any group that came out of New Jersey in the last 40 years that involved horns probably had something to do with Eddie Manion.
Manion first honed his prodigious musical style with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes in the late 1970’s and Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul in the early 1980’s. In a letter of recommendation dated February 23, 1984 Steven Van Zandt wrote: “‘Kingfish’ as we affectionately called him at the time was and still is one of the best tenor and baritone sax players I have ever worked with and I’ve worked with them all. His baritone sax solos on two songs I produced, “I Played the Fool” by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes on Epic Records and “Forever” by Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul on EMI Records, stand as the definitive rock and soul performances of the genre.”
Rounding out Manion’s Rock & Roll Jersey Shore Legend status have been extensive tours with Willy DeVille, Diana Ross, Dave Edmunds and other artists. Eddie was a member of the Robert Cray Band in 1993 and recorded the Grammy-nominated Blues album Shame + A Sin on Mercury Records.
Eddie Manion has lived a life of Rock & Roll, R&B, Jazz, and Blues. Whenever Bruce Springsteen needed a horn section he has always called Manion; initially in 1977 for a historic group of shows at the Monmouth Arts Center in Red Bank, on his 1988 Tunnel of Love Tour, right up to his most recent Wrecking Ball and High Hopes world tours from 2012 – 2014.
Nightlife is Manion’s first solo instrumental release and it features songs that he’s loved over his many years as a masterful player. The album will be officially released on November 17th. All tracks were recorded and mastered by Grammy Award winner Hollis Greathouse of Audible Images in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “City at Night / Soul Serenade” was mixed by Grammy Award winner Toby Scott.
The new album includes Manion’s take on Gene Pitney’s gorgeously mournful “Town Without Pity”; R&B classics such as “It’s Gonna Take A Miracle” and “A Change is Gonna Come”; Jimmy Forrest’s “Bolo Blues”; Jazz standards “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “Tenderly,” and “Stardust”, Springsteen deep cut “City at Night” paired brilliantly with King Curtis’ “Soul Serenade”; Roy Orbison’s “The Only One”; Luiz Bonfá’s “Manhã de Carnaval;” and the bluesy title cut “Nightlife” by Willie Nelson. These selections make for a sweet, soulful, and romantic mix which is downright perfect for romantic, cuddly evenings in front of the fireplace with your loved one.
The album also contains a booklet of photographs taken by Manion as he traveled the world on the most recent Springsteen tour. He is an accomplished photographer and this makes the new album even more special. “When I’m on the road, I like to get out of my hotel room and take a few pictures of this beautiful world in which we live,” says Manion.
Eddie Manion will be a featured artist on the Light of Day Europe 2015 Tour this fall, which will encompass shows in the British Isles, Scandinavia, Italy and Germany. Eddie will host his Official UK Record Release Party for Nightlife at the Hind Hotel in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England on December 7. Tickets are available only via The Hind Hotel on 01933222827 or enquiries@thehind.co.uk He will also be a featured artist at two Light of Day Canada shows on November 6 and 7 www.lightofdaycanada.com and in July 2016 he will head to Light of Day Australia.
Manion will also host First Listen Parties for his new album at Asbury Park Where Music Lives on October 23rd and 24th 12 -3 PM and October 25th 7-10 PM (a few tickets remain at http://tickets.asburyparkmusiclives.org/). He will perform a few selections from the new album joined by his E Street cohort, keyboardist Charlie Giordano. Manion will also join Dave Marsh on E Street Radio to premiere the new album live on air 10am-noon Wednesday, October 21st.
On January 9, 2016 Ed Manion will headline an official record release show at the world renowned Strand Theater in Zelienople, constructed in 1914 and recently renovated. Fellow Pittsburgh musician and good friend Joe Grushecky will open the show acoustically with Manion. Other musicians and special guests will be announced closer to show date. Tickets may be purchased either by calling the Box Office 724-742-0400 or via this web link: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/952416 .
For more information on Eddie Manion, links to pre-order the new album, and tour dates please visit http://www.eddiemanion.com/.
If you’d like to interview Eddie regarding the forthcoming CD or tour dates, please contact Jeff Albright / The Albright Entertainment Group at rockstarpr@aol.com.
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