Where's Fred? In Europe releasing his new Blues album

Fred and crew are finishing the fifth of this year's six tours in Europe, highlighting it with the release in of his long-awaited Blues album, "From The Blues and Back." 

The release is happening tonight at Liechtenstein's Little Big Beat Studios created by engineer and drummer Little Konzett, who's also celebrating the studio's 10th anniversary. Konzett co-produced the album with Fred and is releasing it on his label Lo-End Records. Stay tuned for details on when and where you can get it in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The current tour began with three dates in France and inckuded a four-night stand in Terni, Italy, at Umbria Jazz Weekend. Click here to view excellent video from Italy and enjoy the photographs below shot by Xavier Chauvet at rhe Albret Jazz Festival in Nerac. (Merci, Xavier.)

Up next Fred has two guest appearances, in the Boston area with the BT ALC Big Band, and at the Cola Jazz Fest in Columbia, SC. Click to get your tickets now,

Home preparing a tribute to Maceo Parker

Fred will celebrate his friend Maceo Parker this month in Seattle at Jazz Alley. The four-night stand Aug. 24-27, is a return appearance with his band the New JB Horns, aka The New JBs. The band had a wonderful four nights in August 2022. Seattle residents who missed it don't want to make the same mistake again. Click here to get tickets now.  Click here to read coverage in the Seattle Rocket.

Since the 1960s when they both joined James Brown's band as young horn players, Fred and Maceo have been best friends. It has been a funky friendship that coincided with a lifetime of musical collaboration that connects through hits with the Godfather of Soul and his JBs, continues through the P-Funk Mob's Horny Horns, and culminated in the 1990s with the JB Horns, which also featured the late, great Pee Wee Ellis, who we lost in 2021.

Fred turned 80 last month and his band is hotter than ever, still keeping the music alive. They ended their latest tour with three nights on the Italian island of Sicily on Aug. 5. After lighting up Seattle, it's back to Europe again next month, with dates in Paris, Zurich, Milan and other French, Swiss and Italian destinations. Maceo, who turned 80 a few months before Fred, on February 14, hasn't been playing but fans still ask about him and request his songs. Fred is happy to feature some Aug. 24-27 in Seattle.

Also coming up, catch Fred on Sept. Oct. 1 at the Cola Jazz Festival in Columbia, South Carolina. And stay tuned for information about the forthcomin new release, "From The Blues and Back."

Enjoy these photos from Festivalle in Agrigento's "Valley of the Temples" world heritage site. Thank you, Danilo Sguali.