raycashman.net

“ Ray Cashman‘s new album, Delta Sound, brings the Houston singer-guitarist back around full circle to what he calls ‘down-home, southern style blues.’ He comments, “The past two records were harder blues-rock, almost southern rock in some spots. I felt I’d started to stray a bit too far from where I came from. Those are great records, and I’m certainly proud of them, but they aren’t where I want to be, musically, right now. I wanted to go back to the spirit of my older records, they were distinctly more rooted in blues.”Delta Sound‘s 12 tracks spin tales of working class friendships, hardships and love, all from the time-tested perspective of someone who’s been honing his songwriting chops for well over two decades. “I just write what comes to me. Some are first-person, which, of course, I’ve changed to ‘protect the innocent,’ and others are completely fictional. I’m a wannabe novelist, but I realized early on I was much better at telling a story in a few verses rather than a few hundred pages, so I became a songwriter.” Recorded in Clarksdale, MS by GRAMMY-nominated producer Gary Vincent, Cashman’s stripped down sound cuts straight to the bone evoking a more intimate experience – as if you’re watching him play in somebody’s living room. “I stay in Clarksdale a month or more every year, so I’ve gotten to know all the guys who I had from down there on the record; they’re good friends and better musicians. Basically, this is my live sound. I’m kinda done playing with bands. I prefer to travel by myself or maybe with a harp player. One of the things that was important in making this record – really any record I make – is that the songs all have to be different; I don’t want to be repetitive.” Cashman’s songs range from a jukin’ shuffle to a back porch jam to pure blues grooves, with moods that range from undeniably celebratory to undeniably eerie and foreboding – all thoroughly infused with the spirit of the delta and all a rewarding ride. ” - By American Blues Scene Staff

“ New York, NY (Top40 Charts) It all came together rather unexpectedly back when he was ten years old. He was at a friend's house and a guitar that was sitting in another room caught his eye. He asked if he could pick it up and something about holding that guitar seemed to fit rather well. There was a mirror in the room and he looked into it while holding that guitar. Somehow it just felt like it was meant to be and that was the beginning. Next Ray would take in the blues from some real down home bluesmen and that was the icing on the cake - the young man was hooked. Years later while looking back at those formative years Ray never would have imagined that armed with just the blues in his veins that he would go on to share his love of the guitar and the blues with people all over the U.S. and Europe. From Spain to Belgium to Italy and on to the Netherlands Ray had been sharing what's inside him naturally with folks across the big pond. Then he returned to the states and set up camp in Austin and then on to Nashville where the folks at BMI signed him up so he could license his music to the Discovery Channel. Austin had been great but the lady he was in love with said Nashville was calling her and the thought of moving to Nashville Tennessee was more than a little intriguing to this Texasbluesman. Once he arrived in Nashville he was glad to be there. However, as time moved forward the notion of returning to Southeast Texas grew deeper in his heart. It was as if something was pulling him to return to the lifestyle he grew up with, the desire to return was just too much to resist. Now he's back in Montgomery Texas and even though performing on the stages in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Austin at SXSW, as well as a number of other cities which was a tremendous experience the man has now settled back in where it all began. He's turned out six albums over the years and once he arrived back home there was one more working its way to the surface. The muse he needed he found right in his own backyard. This time around the album will be a blues rock release which Ray will title as "Houston Electric". It's scheduled to be released in the June time period after producer engineer Gary Belin buttons up the production side of things. Ray describes his upcoming album this way, "Best one I've ever done, most rounded one and even more rocking." Which is not too surprising when you learn that his top musical influences over time include The Rolling Stones, Howlin' Wolf, and the great songwriter Townes Van Zandt.Ray Cashman is an interesting musical gumbo of a person as the man fits into the Americana roots scene as well as in both the blues and rock genres. Quite interesting actually. His sound is solid and his lyrics hit home. Two things you can tell about the man right out of the gate is that his heart is in his music and he's passionate about sharing the blues with all sorts of folks. After all that's how he found it and how his love affair with roots music began so many years ago. It hasn't stopped since, his upcoming release is probably his best.....”

“InterviewRAY CASHMAN Du blues, au folk, en abordant les rivages du bluegrass, du rock, du cajun et de la country il varie les genres avec une égale maestria.  Blues Again : D’où viens-tu Ray ?Ray Cashman : J'ai grandi principalement à Conroe au Texas. J'ai vécu à Houston jusqu’à mes 20 ans et à Austin dans ma trentaine. Je suis récemment revenu à Montgomery au Texas après avoir vécu 10 ans à Nashville, Tennessee.Sur quels types de guitares joues-tu ? As-tu une marque préférée ? Je joue sur une un Trilion National, une Martin D-28 et une Gibson ES 125. J'aime ces trois ces marques.Y a-t-il un musicien, un chanteur, un groupe qui t’a particulièrement impressionné ?J'ai grandi en écoutant les Stones, Hendrix et Led Zeppelin. J'ai été vraiment influencé par Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard et Townes VanZandt ainsi que par d'autres chanteurs, auteurs-compositeurs texans tels que Guy Clark et Steve Earle. Quand je me suis mis au blues, ça venait du Texas avec Lightning Hopkins et Mance Lipscomb, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Winter et les Fabulous Thunderbirds.  Si tu devais nommer 3 ou 4 musiciens comme références principales, quels seraient-ils ?Townes VanZandt, Chris Whitley, Lightning Hopkins et Keith Richards.Quel genre de musique écoutais-tu quand tu étais un jeune ?Principalement du rock.Te souviens-tu du premier blues ou rock entendu ?J'ai acheté une cassette Jimi Hendrix quand j'avais 10 ans. Mon père détestait ça. J'avais grandi au son de la country classique jusque-là.Comment définirais-tu ton style ?Chanteur/compositeur, blues man.Combien de concerts fais-tu dans une année ?J'avais l'habitude de jouer environ 150 concerts par an, mais j'ai réduit drastiquement ces deux dernières années. Je privilégie maintenant la qualité à la quantité.En novembre dernier, tu as donné quelques concerts près de Toulon avec Buck Langlois avant de te rendre en Italie. Comment était-ce ?J'ai passé un super moment avec Buck, les concerts étaient super et le public était très enthousiaste. Buck est un super musicien et une merveilleuse personne. Je le considère comme un ami très proche.Sens-tu une différence entre un public américain et européen ?Très certainement. Aux Etats-Unis, dans la plupart des endroits on ne se soucie pas du blues. Il faut jouer dans des coins comme Clarksdale, Mississippi, et les festivals de blues pour ressentir une certaine appréciation.Quelques mots sur ton dernier album Slow Drag… Les pistes de base ont été enregistrées à Seattle. Le label Knick Knack Records est basé là-bas. Tous les mixages, mastering, overdubs et réglages ont été faits à Nashville, ainsi que l'enregistrement des titres ‘Fame’ et ‘Bleed’.Quelles sont tes sources d'inspiration pour l'écriture et la composition ?Je n'ai pas de méthode. Quand la chanson vient à moi, je l'écris et je la joue plusieurs fois jusqu'à ce que ça sonne bien et achevé. Tout peut m'inspirer mais cela peut prendre des mois ou moins d'une heure pour terminer une chanson.Y a-t-il un objectif que tu aimerais atteindre avec ta musique ?Continuer à me rendre moi et d'autres gens heureux grâce à ma musique.Quels genres de musiques aimes-tu écouter quand tu es seul ?Celles qui m’ont influencé.En dehors de la musique, quels sont tes passe-temps ?La pêche et la cuisine raffinée.Quels sont tes projets pour les prochains mois ?Trouver des dates pour une tournée d'été en Europe. Principalement en France et en Italie.En tant que musicien, quel serait ton rêve le plus fou ?Ouvrir pour les Rolling Stones.Quel est l’endroit où tu aimes te retrouver ? C'est difficile à répondre. J'aime le grondement des grandes villes telles que New York, Paris et Rome mais j'aime aussi la tranquillité de la pêche dans les bois ou le long de la baie de Galveston (située au sud-est de Houston sur le golfe du Mexique : NDLR).Gilles Blampain – novembre 2017www.raycashman.net/” - Gilles Blampain

“CD REVIEWs:RAY CASHMANSLOW DRAGKnick Knack RecordsArmed with a national steel guitar, stomp box and fender amp, Ray Cashman the blues singer song-writer normally performs solo. With years of experience touring and playing music in the United States and around Europe, Ray Cashman's music reflects the inspirations of southern gothic literature and a blues gumbo repertoire that conjures up the ghosts of the Mississippi delta. Growing up outside Conroe, Texas. Listening to older black men play guitar, sing and drink, Cashman lives the experiences in his music. “They would sell us BBQ sandwiches and Budweiser beer, we would sit around and listen to them play music and tell stories.” Now living in Nashville 'A gumbo troubadour' Cashman’s mastery of the Southern Cajun and blues styles are highlighted on his sixth album Slow Drag. Released on Knick Knack records, Having the launch party on Cashman’s own home porch, where Fame the opening track would not have been out of place with its relaxed stomp box and guitar. Along with Bleed the only two solo tracks on the recording. Spicing things up with backing from the rhythm section of blues-doom band Gravelroad, Joe Johnson bass and Marty Reinser drums on several of the tracks, The piercing slide guitar work of Nashville's Mark Robinson and the blues harmonica of Bob Bogdel. Some Delta blues With Nana's Diner About a living angel “she walks down the aisle like 12 bar blues" and the gothic Dead Man’s Cadillac. Taking the tempo up with a 12-bar blues groove on She's Just A Girl “she’s much too young to sing the blues." Baby has some understated harmonica playing. Thank God I Have You brings in some subtle slide guitar. The rhythm section is back with the driving Where The Blues Was Born before the heartbreak of lost love on Full Moon Over Orleans with its haunting slide guitar. changing track with the blues gospel of Rise Again. There are some finely crafted songs on this album with enough variation in style and tempo to keep it fresh interesting and enjoyable. ” - Allen

“RAY CASHMAN Slow Drag Knick Knack 0028 (USA) -2016- Smorza i toni di un’elettricità da juke joint, Ray Cashman, per regalarci al suo sesto disco un lavoro da undici tracce orientate all’acustico, spontanee come se fossero suonate nella veranda sottocasa, il classico porticato sul retro di qualche baracca in Mississippi, come potrebbe dirsi dello stile downhome che ci ripropone, anziché i contorni di uno studiolo su a Nord - Ovest, nientemeno che a Seattle, dove vengono registrate invece le tracce base di questo “Slow Drag”. Sembra davvero una globalizzazione del blues per Mr. Ray (certo ormai non solo per lui) ma se il suo stile pare non essersi mai allontanato da casa, l’album è stato inciso piuttosto al Ground Control d e l l a c a p i t a l e d e l grunge...mentre in realtà il nostro vive attualmente a Nashville, Tennessee, capitale del country! Un eterno girovagare che nulla toglie alla magistrale assimilazione di un’identità musicale che pure gli è propria, mescolando le proprie radici con quelle dell’idioma che più gli piace, delineandosi allora originario di quel luogo ideale che fu anche del suo ormai vecchio “Texassippi” (2007). Ai tempi c’era il patrocino di Jimbo Mathus, stavolta invece la produzione è autonoma, comunque mai superficiale e pur nel procedimento a togliere, articolata nel lavoro integrato da una band al completo: altra chitarra (Mark Robinson), armonica (Bob Bogdal), basso (Joe Johnson), batteria (Marty Reinsel) e l’immancabile battito del piede a scandire i silenzi, le pause musicali e i cenni ipnotici ad evocare i flashback in bianco e nero del canzoniere popolare americano. E all’Anthology of American Folk Music come a vecchie registrazioni itineranti in un Sud lontano fa pensare la terza “Dead Man’s Cadillac”, introdotta dalle aperture che molto spazio lasciano a meditazioni strumentali di contorno al cantato (“Fame”, “Mana’s Diner”). Prima che la “stoniana” “She’s Just A Girl” infili davvero la spina, e la corrente inizi a circolare accendendo gli spiriti assopiti dalle più diffuse atmosfere sospese, a fare il paio con “Where The Blues Was Born” che è forse la migliore a scendere là dove tutto è cominciato. Ci aspettavamo fosse tutto così e qualche traccia acustica nel mezzo, invece la sola traccia che resta nella medesima vena artistica, quella elettrica, è l’ultima, che è poi “She’s Just A Girl Reprise”. Ma in fin dei conti poi un artista fa quello che gli pare, e se Cashman sfodera di più qui l’altra faccia del downhome, lo fa bene: potremmo quasi chiamarlo bluesman, anziché nuovo bravo testimone del suono Fat Possum del tempo che fu. Matteo Fratti” - Matteo Fratti

“RAY CASHMAN – SLOW DRAGwww.rootstime.be   RAY CASHMAN – SLOW DRAG Singer-songwriter / gitarist Ray Cashman is al sinds 2001 “a blues singing troubadour”. Hij zingt over zijn reizen, over wat hij leest en over het leven met alle moeilijkheden en uitdagingen. Cashman groeide op in de omgeving van Conroe, TX. Hij luisterde er vaak naar oudere zwarte muzikanten, die bij de BBQ doorleefde liedjes zongen en broodjes en (Budweiser?) bier verkochten. Vóór zijn muzikale carrière was Cashman kort in het leger, werkte hij als timmerman, truck chauffeur, verkoper, barman en deed hij nog “twaalf stielen en...”. Momenteel woont Cashman met vrouw en zoon in Nolensville, TN.Op de eerste plaats vindt Cashman dat hij een songwriter is, daarna gitarist en pas dan zanger. Cashman debuteerde in 2005 met ‘Black And Blues’ en bracht ondertussen al zes studio albums uit. Cashman tourde al uitgebreid in Noord Amerika en Europa. In 2015 was hij opnieuw in België en was hij o.a. te gast bij onze roots vrienden in het Loodscafé in Aarschot. ‘Desolation’ (“troosteloosheid / verwoesting”) [2015] was het laatste album dat van Cashman op mijn bureel belandde. Het was (zo schreef hij zelf) “het meest gestripte album, dat hij uitbracht sinds zijn debuut in 2005”.Het laatste album van Cashman heet ‘Slow Drag’ [2016]. Als je gaat zoeken naar de betekenis van ‘Slow Drag’, dan zijn er twee referenties. Een: de ‘slow drag dance’: een populaire Amerikaanse dans. Twee: het ‘slow drag album’: een jazz album van trompettiste Donald Byrd uit 1968. De Slow drag (dance), waar hier naar verwezen wordt is een Amerikaans ragtime jazz genre en de dans waarvoor de muziek geschreven werd, kortweg de ”drag”. De slow drag dance maakt deel uit van blues dancing. Ragtime (rag-time of rag time) muziek was erg populair tussen 1895 en 1918 en wordt gekenmerkt door zijn typisch "ragged", onverwacht, gebroken ritme.Ray Cashman’s ‘Slow Drag’ is een album met elf originals, dat hij opnam samen met gitarist Mark Robinson, harpist Bob Bogda, drummer Marty Reinsel en bassist Joe Johnson. ‘Slow Drag’ is opnieuw een album met de typische, stemmige Cashman mix van blues, cajun en swamp.Met ”Fame” begint Cashman aan zijn trip en vertelt hij ons een van zijn verhalen. Wat songwriting verder betekent hoor je in ”Nana’s Diner”, ”Baby” en ”Thank God I Have You”. In ”Dead Man’s Cadillac” is er een hoofdrol uitgezet voor de bluesharp van Bob Bogdal en, met ”She’s Just A Girl” kies je voor een uptempo shuffle. ”Where the Blues Was Born” is behept met slides en, in het weemoedige ”Full Moon Over Orleans”, ”Bleed” of in de afsluiter ”She’s Just A Girl (Reprise)” doet Cashman waar hij goed in is.Gitarist Ray Cashman kan je omschrijven als een singer-songwriter “zonder franjes”, met een intrigerende stem en met vele verhalen. Met ‘Slow Drag’ leidt hij ons opnieuw rond in zijn kleine wereld, waar je de voodoo van de Mississippi delta ontmoet en laat hij ons voelen hoe fragiel en subtiel alles kan zijn. Als je  de kans krijgt om Ray Cashman live mee te maken, mis die dan niet, want Cashman doet waar hij goed in is, niet meer en niet minder…Check voor alle tourdata de website van de artiest/band en/of Rootstime !Eric Schuurmans  Album track list: 1”Fame” - 2”Nana’s Diner” - 3”Dead Man’s Cadillac” - 4”She’s Just A Girl” - 5”Baby” - 6”Thank God I Have You” - 7”Where the Blues Was Born” - 8”Full Moon Over Orleans” - 9”Rise Again” - 10”Bleed” - 11”She’s Just A Girl Reprise” – Music / Lyrics by Ray L Cashman ℗ 2016 – Produced by Ray CashmanAlbum Line-up:Ray Cashman: vocals, guitar, foot stompMark Robinson: guitarBob Bogda: harmonicaMarty Reinsel: drumsJoe Johnson: bassDiscography Ray Cashman:Slow Drag [2016] | Desolation [2015] | Rough & Tumble South [2012] | Texassippi Stomp feat. Grant “Gabby” Brown (harmonica) & Jimbo Mathus (different instruments) [2007] | Black And Blues [2005] ” - Freddy Celis

“Ray Cashman – Slow DragFormat: CD / Label: Knick Knack RecordsReleasedatum: 15 November 2016Tekst: Rick Kanselaar‘Slow Drag’ is de titel van het laatste album van Ray Cashman, een man die zichzelf betitelt als Gumbo troubadour. Zijn muziek is een mix van pure blues, swamp en cajun. Best bestemd om gespeeld te worden in een stoffige dorpje, zittend in een schommelstoel voor de deur van een houten huis ergens heel diep in het zuiden van Mississippi. En laat Ray Cashman dat nu net gedaan hebben op zijn eigen veranda met de release van dit album.Cashman haalt de inspiratie voor zijn songteksten en muziek uit eigen ervaringen, tijdens de reizen die hij maakt maar ook uit de vroege Amerikaanse literatuur. Dit levert op zijn zesde volledige album eerlijke en gepassioneerde muziek op. Oorspronkelijk komend uit oostelijk Texas maar tegenwoordig wonend in de heuvels rond Nashville maakt Cashman muziek met gevoel. Ray Cashman toert intensief door de States maar doet hij ook op regelmatige basis Europa aan.De stemming op de cd is kalm en ingetogen en vormt een kabbelend geheel. Ray Cashman brengt subtiele arrangementen en nergens gebeurt het overdadig. Subtiliteit blijft een belangrijk ingrediënt. Op ‘Slow Drag’ gaat het vooral om de ambacht van het liedjes schrijven getuige de nummers Fame, Nana’s Diner en Baby. Tegelijkertijd zorgt dit er wel voor dat de plaat nergens echt spannend wordt. Echter Cashman doet waar hij goed in is, niet meer en niet minder, luister maar eens naar Full Moon over Orleans en She’s Just a Girl (reprise). Cashman levert met ‘Slow Drag’ een degelijke bluesplaat zonder franjes af. ” - Rick Kanselaar