Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood has teamed up with ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro on a blues-themed album titled Blues Experience. The 10-track collection, which will be released on October 18, features reinterpreted versions of various classic blues songs.
Videos by American Songwriter
The album also includes a selection of other covers, and an original tune called “Kula Blues” that Shimabukuro wrote about the area of the Hawaiian island of Maui where Fleetwood lives.
Another track on Blues Experience is a spoken-word version of the Christine McVie-penned Fleetwood Mac ballad “Songbird,” which originally was released in July 2023 to mark what would have been the late McVie’s 80th birthday. In addition, second rendition of the tune, without vocals, is included on the album as well.
About the Album’s Lead Single
Coinciding with the announcement of the album, a cover of the blues standard “Rollin’ N Tumblin’” has been released as an advance single. The track is available now via digital formats, and a companion video got its premiere at Relix.com. The clip also has been posted at Shimabukuro’s YouTube channel.
Shimabukuro, whose instrumental prowess has earned him the nickname “the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele,” delivers a blazing. reverb-drenched solo on his and Fleetwood’s recording of “Rollin’ N Tumblin’.”
“Jake and I had a full let-it-all-go moment on this one!!” Fleetwood commented to Relix about the song. “Jake let his hair down. A Blues standard being given a wake-up call!”
Meanwhile, Shimabukuro said of working with Fleetwood, “Mick’s energy when he plays is so infectious. He’s such an intense musician. He pushes everyone around him, and it’s inspiring to see his facial expressions and watch his movement and the way he hits the drums.”
Other Musicians Featured on the Blues Experience Album
Blues Experience was recorded over the course of two three-day session on Maui. Besides Fleetwood and Shimabukuro, the album features two members of Jake’s touring band, bassist Jackson Waldhoff and keyboardist player Michael Grande. In addition, keyboardist Mark Johnstone, a member of Fleetwood’s side group The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, contributed to covers of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” and Little Willie John’s “Need Your Love So Bad.”
Acclaimed blues guitarist Sonny Landreth also makes an appearance, playing slide guitar on a version of to the Stevie Wonder-penned Jeff Beck classic “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers.”
Fleetwood’s History with Shimabukuro
Fleetwood first met Shimabukuro during the 1990s at a Hawaiian music awards ceremony, where Jake performed with Kenny Loggins. The two musicians were reintroduced several years later by a mutual friend when Shimabukuro attended a Fleetwood Mac reunion concert in Nashville.
Speaking about how the Blues Experience project came about, Shimabukuro explained, “I’ve always wanted to do a Blues album, and when Mick and I started talking about working together, I thought ‘who better to work with than Mick Fleetwood?’”
More Details About Blues Experience
Blues Experience can be pre-ordered now. It’s available on CD, as a vinyl LP, and via digital formats.
Blues Experience Track List:
- “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers”
- “Rollin’ N Tumblin’”
- “Need Your Love So Bad”
- “Kula Blues”
- “Whiter Shade of Pale”
- “I Wanna Get Funky”
- “Still Got the Blues”
- “Rockin’ in the Free World”
- “Songbird”
- “Songbird” (Mick Fleetwood spoken word)
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