CR AVERY JOINS BILLY BRAGG N. AMERICAN JUNE TOUR

May. 5th, 2008

C.R. AVERY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH BILLY BRAGG EUROPEAN RELEASE MAY 12TH C.R. Avery is a one man hip hop beat-box blues harmonica Americana iconoclast. If Lawrence Ferlinghetti could play harmonica like Little Walter, you'd have an idea of where C.R. is coming from and the genre busting audio statement that defines his latest release, Magic Hour Sailor Songs. C.R.'s intense delivery and storytelling has been likened to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska era, or Tom Waits (who is a fan), but mainly, Avery's words and visions come from his slam poetry pieces, honed by the merciless, sudden death, one-victor-and-all- others-cast-aside competitive nature of the slam world. As such, having been performed in front of an audience that demands both intellectual clarity and visceral honesty, competing against the very best work of the very best poets, his pieces are crafted to a necessary perfection. Fresh from a European jaunt which included support dates for Buck 65 and showcases in Paris, he's brought back a suitcase full of reviews and accolades, including a glowing review (4 out of 5 stars) from the UK's Time Out weekly: "(C.R. Avery's) union of hip-hop and beat-up blues packs a powerful punch, while lyrical truths creep slowly up your spine." "Each track is utterly compelling as the words cover the tunes that serve as frames for the poeticism of the lyric. This album is a listener – not background – and if you do you will be rewarded in spades by the most imaginative artist this reviewer has heard in ages. A true artist." 9/10 - Keith Hargreaves AMERICANA-UK Magic Hour Sailor Songs is released May 12 in France and continental Europe by Platinum Records France in a Euro-only version that has been re-mastered and re-sequenced; replacing two tracks with two Euro only songs, "St Marie" and "Sylvee". If Magic Hour Sailor Songs is an elegiac poetic tour de force, bending and crisscrossing genres; his live one-man show is another force to be reckoned with. Bongo Beat is proud to announce that C.R. has been asked by Billy Bragg to support him on his upcoming North American tour. Contacts Info: Ralph Alfonso ralph@bongobeat.com Kevin Komoda kevin@bongobeat.com NEW MUSIC WEST Vancouver May 15, The Yale, 10pm show W/ WIL May 22, 2008 Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre CANCELLED May 26, 2008 Calgary, AB - The Grand Theatre CANCELLED May 27, 2008 Edmonton, AB - Myer Horowitz Theatre CANCELLED May 29, 2008 Vancouver, BC - St James Hall CANCELLED W/BILLY BRAGG June 5 2008 Vancouver, Canada - St Andrews Wesley Church June 6 2008 Seattle, WA, USA - Moore Theater June 7 2008 Portland, OR, USA - Pacific Northwest College of Art June 10 2008 Los Angeles, CA, USA El Rey Theater June 11 2008 San Francisco, CA, USA The Fillmore June 13 2008 Minneapolis, MN, USA Cedar Cultural Center June 14 2008 Chicago, IL, USA - Park West June 17 2008 Toronto, ON, Canada - Harbourfront June 18 2008 Montreal, QC, Canada Club Soda

Back to the news