Chris Rea

'The Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes'

2008 will see Chris Rea, one of the UK's most respected guitarists and songwriters, embark on a major tour of the UK and Europe under the guise of two new musical creations, 'The Delmonts' and 'The Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes'.

In addition, this week he releases a groundbreaking double CD, double vinyl, book collection which not only has perhaps some of his greatest songs to date but wraps them in a fictional historical context that the birth of rock 'n' roll in the form of beat combo. 'The Delmonts' to the band's reformation years later as the older and perhaps wiser blues influenced exponents, 'The Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes'.

Since Chris' well documented illness at the beginning of the decade he decided to fulfil his desire to create the music he wished to create rather than be under the influence of major labels, who could not understand his desire to explore his love of the blues and felt there was no market either, he subsequently went on to sell in excess of 150,000 copies of 'Dancing Down the Stony Road' proving, not for the first time, his instinct was correct.

Unshackled by the demands of labels, his Jazzee Blue imprint has released his new projects including the highly innovative precursor to his latest releases, the enormously successful eleven CD book collection 'Blue Guitars'. For the first time, this collection highlighted Chris love of painting, which again confounded the music industry by selling again over 150,000 copies across Europe and becoming a phenomenon being distributed across supermarkets, book shops and record shops alike. This then switched on many labels to follow suit and format some releases from classic artists in a similar style. A compliment indeed.

Now with this new release 'Chris Rea Presents The Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes' and the accompanying tour, he again runs against the industry current by ignoring the download trend and not just expanding upon his vision for giving his fans more rather than less, but throws in for good measure a creative side which encompasses not just the albums' release but his tour as well.

The European tour including the UK leg will see for the first time an artist perform as both the headliner and the support band, unique indeed. 'The Delmonts' will bring their late fifties style of rock 'n' roll; all songs are written by Rea and see him performing his tribute to that genre in the band, then as the headliner he will be part of the blues based 'Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes' performing many of Rea's best known songs, as well as songs from the second CD on the new release.

'The Fabulous Hoffner Bluenotes' is out this week.

Tour dates are as follows:

March
Thu 13 Cardiff, St David's Hall
Fri 14 Plymouth, Pavillions
Sun 16 Bristol, Colston Hall
Mon 17 Brighton, Centre
Wed 19 Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
Thu 20 Edinburgh, Playhouse
Sat 22 Birmingham, Symphony Hall
Sun 23 Birmingham, Symphony Hall
Mon 24 Bournemouth, Int Centre
Wed 26 Manchester, Apollo
Thu 27 Nottingham, Royal Centre
Fri 28 London, Royal Albert Hall
Sun 30 Oxford, New Theatre
Mon 31 Liverpool, Philharmonic

April
Wed 02 Newcastle, City Hall
Thu 03 Newcastle, City Hall
Sat 05 Sheffield, City Hall
Sun 06 Harrogate, Int Centre
Tue 08 Belfast, Waterfront

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