Albert Cummings - Ten (album cover)

Albert Cummings

Ten

Label: ‎ Ivy Music Company
Release date: 8 April 2022

Ever since the release of his first album in 2003, the blues world has opened it’s doors for Albert Cummings. A singer and guitarist who has played with many of the greatest players of the modern era, Cummings has received the kind of recognition that few others do. With it’s 2022 release on Cummings’ own indie label, Ivy Music Company, TEN is a full realization of the wider possibilities of where his music can go. The 13 songs on TEN are a compelling and emotional summation of what the artist has seen and done. The single “Need Somebody” begins the album with a sonic slugfest of back-alley power, the sound that Cummings has spent his life perfecting. Vince Gill lends background vocals to the standout track “Last Call”. Upon hearing that Gill was interested in collaborating, Cummings recalled “I figured then it was a sign that anything can happen.” He was certainly right. Blues is not a style of music that easily progresses, but this is exactly what Albert Cummings is able to do on TEN.

Albert Cummings – Ten
Album Tracklisting:

1. Need Somebody
2. Too Old to Grow Up
3. Hard Way
4. Last Call
5. Beautiful Bride
6. Sounds Like the Road
7. Meet the Man
8. Two Hands
9. Take Me Away
10. Alive and Breathing
11. She’s the One
12. Got You Covered
13. Remember

There are few albums today that are grounded in the blues but can still instantly jump off into a whole new sense of expression. On his new studio album TEN, Albert Cummings ventures into rock, country, soul and Americana, while his songs range from wall-ratting tunes to soft ballads, with Cummings’ rugged, world-wise vocals hitting all the right moods. Musically diverse and emotionally cohesive, TEN’s 13 original tracks stand as a compelling statement about who he is now and where he may be headed. TEN will be released on April 8 via Ivy Music Company.

TEN was recorded in Nashville at Peter Frampton’s Phenix Studios. Helping Cummings craft his vision for this album was Grammy-winning producer Chuck Ainlay (Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits, George Strait, Peter Frampton, Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, among others) and a dream team of musicians including drummer Greg Morrow, bassist Glenn Worf, keyboardist Michael Rojas, and guitarist Rob McNelley. “The music that started to be played in the studio sounded like it was being created on a whole new level,” Cummings raves. “I knew in a flash we were onto something. “

“Need Somebody” also represents another crucial element of TEN – the emotional depth Cummings reaches with his evocative lyrics. TEN is the first record where Cummings, as he explains it, “let the listener into my personal space.” The music is more songwriting-focused, with the guitar being used as a tool to drive the songs home. “Meet the Man” and “Too Old to Grow Up” provide vivid portraits of people living their lives, alongside a passionate ode of love on “She’s The One.” A song especially close to Cummings’ heart is “Beautiful Bride.” It’s the first song he ever sang in public – and he sang it at his own wedding.

A particular thrill for Cummings was working with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, who lends his vocal talent on the boisterous roadhouse tune “Last Call.”

Throughout his career, Cummings has strived not to place boundaries on his music and with TEN,he has raised the bar to a place where anything seems possible. “I have been playing for a lot of years and still find new ways of expressing myself,” Cummings says. “That’s what this album is all about to me. It supports my belief that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to.” TEN is available for pre-order

https://albertcummings.com/


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