blues.the-butcher-590213 "Feel Like Going Home" CD

Nagai "Hotoke" Takashi x Numazawa Hisashi x Nakajo Taku x KOTEZ = Japan's leading blues combo, Blues the Butcher, releases their long-awaited new album, their first in four years! Their memorable 10th album overall!

■Blues the Butcher, a representative Japanese blues band consisting of Nagai "Hotoke" Takashi (g/vo), Hisashi Numazawa (ds), Taku Nakajo (b) and KOTEZ (hca/vo). This new album is their 10th overall, including a collaboration with the late Monsieur Kamayatsu and James Gadson, and two albums featuring guest Utsumi Yoko (formerly of Mescaline Drive and Soul Flower Union).

■The theme of this work is Muddy Waters, the origin of Nagai's blues. Muddy Waters was the first bluesman Nagai fell in love with. He is the creator of the Chicago band blues, which had a major influence on musicians around the world, including the Rolling Stones. Blues the Butcher has often featured his songs, but this time he has gone all out on Muddy's numbers. A spirited new album has been completed, consisting almost entirely of Muddy numbers.

■And Little Walter, an innovator of blues harmonica who was indispensable in completing Muddy's band style. He is a great man who can be said to have had the greatest influence on those who followed him with his unparalleled technique and the amplified harp that he popularized. KOTEZ covers his famous songs.

■The signature sound of btb, with the ironclad groove created by the super-strong rhythm section of Hisashi Numazawa and Taku Nakajo, the deep blues singing and guitar of Nagai "Hotoke" Takashi, and the powerful harmonica and vocals of KOTEZ, is still alive and well! It breathes new life into everything, from Muddy's heavy songs to Little Walter's catchy numbers.

■Recording and mixing was handled by Naoyuki Uchida (LITTLE TEMPO, OKI DUB AINU BAND, etc.), who has teamed up with him for the seventh time since 2011's "Voodoo Music." Experience the superb, raw, and bold "sound" of Uchida, who knows btb's deep blues groove inside and out. Of course, this time too, it was recorded completely in one take with no tricks!

■The artwork is by illustrator Taiga Kuhara, also known as the "prodigal artist," as in the previous two works. His highly impactful artwork colors the BTB sound.

■Track list