Nola Blue Records
“Blues In My Blood” joins New Orleans jazz singer Tiffany Pollack with acclaimed Whiskey Bayou Records artist Eric Johanson (Tab Benoit’s label) to bring forth a swampy, gritty take on blues and roots.
On Saturday March 30, 2019 (9:00 pm), the CD release for “Blues in My Blood” will be held at Spirits Food & Friends in Alexandria. Backing Eric and Tiffany will be local favorites, Jamey Bell, drums, Trey Huffman, bass and Bill Spears, organ. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.spiritscenla.com
Pollack and Johanson are third generation members of a musical family that Pollack only discovered at the age of 25, after having been given up for adoption at birth. Tiffany’s adoptive parents always supported her search for her biological family. Her biological mother, Margaret Ward Knight was also searching for her. Uncle Charles Ward is the first one that found the website that connected them. Mom Margaret and sister Frances Johanson’s first view was a MySpace video of Tiffany singing at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans! Since then it has been an incredible experience, joining the immediate and extended families and friends in music and love. Tiffany and Eric’s first public performance was in Alexandria, put together by Matt Henry, for the Arts Council of Central Louisiana’s A-Town Jazz series.
Nola Blue Records president, Sallie Bengtson, says, “When Jack Miele first shared some of Tiffany’s work with me, I was immediately impressed with the quality of her vocals. As the conversation continued and I learned about her family’s musical heritage that she didn’t even discover until her adulthood, I was deeply captivated. She and Eric bring an indie, roots-based approach to the blues that both honors the traditions and also expands them. Their powerful songwriting is a gift that flows from the undeniable blues in their blood. Nola Blue Records’ Sallie Bengston was so inspired by recordings of their performance that they signed the pair to make a blues CD.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Tiffany Pollack began singing as soon as she could talk. Although never receiving formal training, countless hours of her childhood and teens were spent at her parents’ old 70’s organ and later the out-of-tune piano they bought for her, writing songs by ear and singing very loudly. Her adoptive family’s annoyance never discouraged her from sharing the songs in her heart. She performs regularly in New Orleans singing primarily jazz with The Dapper Dandies and her band, Tiffany Pollack & Co, as well as doing session vocals at The Music Shed. Pollack says, “Recording this album with my cousin Eric was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I’m so happy that after years of our mothers dying for us to work together we finally did it, and I’m really proud of what we wrote together.”
New Orleans native Eric Johanson has toured across the US and internationally as lead guitarist for the legendary Cyril Neville, Grammy-winning Zydeco artist Terrance Simien, and performed onstage with Tab Benoit, JJ Grey & Mofro, Eric Lindell, Mike Zito, Anders Osborne, the Neville Brothers, and many more. Following his debut release on Whiskey Bayou Records, “Burn It Down,” in October 2017, Johanson has been touring across the US supporting Tab Benoit at sold-out theaters and performance halls. He says, “From the first time I played onstage with a band at 13, it was blues. And no matter what style of music I may have been trying to create at different times in my life, if I picked up a guitar without thinking about it – what came out was blues.”
Recorded and produced in New Orleans by Grammy, Emmy, 4-time Telly and 2-time Global Music Award-winning Jack Miele at The Music Shed Studios, “Blues in my Blood” is an 11-track collection of both original and cover songs. Co-producer Brentt Arcementt is a 2-time Telly and 2-time California Music Award-winner. Special guests include New Orleans icons Johnny Sansone on harmonica and John “Papa” Gros on B-3.
