Mike Hallal Band

Bio

"Helluva songwriter," says bluesman Jimmy D. Lane of Hallal.

"The right elements of blues and funky sensibilities keep it real" with his "gutbucket" band, says The Noise of Boston.

Their sound is "tight... smoldering... electrifying," declares Blues Bytes.

And their new live-in-studio album, Hatchet Blues, is one of the Top 100 CDs of the year, judges Real Blues magazine, in the company of releases from Elvin Bishop, Roomful of Blues and other notables.

"Lyrically and sonically... a fine piece of work," says the UK's Blues Matters!.

Have a taste.

THE LINEUP

Jim Antonellis (drums): Brother-in-arms with Hallal for some 15 years. His shuffle grooves and 4-to-the-floor stomps recall Chicago blues drummers Ted Harvey and Fred Below. Influences include Gene Krupa and Charlie Watts.

Robert DeCorte (bass, vocals): Longtime jam partner and vinyl-hunting bud of guitarist Schluntz. Wrote and sings the evocative "Last of the Great Train Robbers" on new album. Also plays with Rhode Island jam band institution, Loose Change.

Mike Hallal (guitar, vocals): Some "superb" songs, says Blues Matters! of Hallal's latest material on the new album. Early influences include Beatles, Stones and Robert Johnson. Hatchet Blues is the 10th full-length release featuring his songs and performance.

Chris Schluntz (lead guitar): His burning axe work shines throughout the new hour-long album, helping ignite original cuts like "Crying at the Sun" and the title track. Also authored the funk for "World's a Place." Vinyl collection includes Buddy Guy and The Black Keys.

RADIO PLAY FOR HATCHET BLUES

WMRA 90.7, Blues Valley (Harrisonburg, VA)
WUCF 89.9, Smokestack Lightnin' (Orlando, FL)
KDHX 88.1, Stumble in the Dark (St. Louis, MO)
WMBR 88.1, Pipeline & Droppin' Knowlege (MIT, Cambridge, MA)
WHUS 91.7, Bluesline (Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT)
WRUW 91.1, Diversified Inc. (Case Western Univ., Cleveland, OH)
LT38 104.3 FM, Desde La Torre (Entre Rios, Argentina & Atlanta, GA)
CFBX 92.5, At the Crossroads (Kamloops, BC, Canada)
UKW 104.5, Bluescorner (Schopfheim, Germany)
RTV Raalte 105.1, Bluestown (Kwadendamme, Netherlands)
VFM 91.6, Boom Boom (Vinkovci, Croatia)
Radio 2: 94.1, Mojo Blues (Skopje, Macedonia)
mvyradio.com, Local MusiCafe (Vineyard Haven, MA)
jango.com (New York, NY)
loudcaster.com, Charlietown Blues (Columbia, SC)
radioukinternational.com (Basingstoke, UK)
nixul-rockradio.com (Wales)
live365.com, Midnight Special Blues Radio (Paris, France)


PREVIOUS RELEASE: LIVE AT LIZARD LOUNGE

Live at Lizard Lounge album at iTunes
53-minute, 8-song live album available at iTunes, Amazon and other fine sites. (Dec. '08)

Top 100 New CDs: Real Blues Magazine
Real Blues put Live at Lizard Lounge at #54 in their Top 100 New CDs of '09, in the company of folks like Taj Mahal and Los Lonely Boys. New Hatchet Blues album is at #35 as of Jan. 2012.

"This is one disc I keep throwing in and enjoying"
Mike Loce, The Noise: Rock Around Boston (Apr '09)

Preview 3 albums now at iTunes >