Brandon Santini

The Longshot

American Showplace Music

Brandon Santini hails from the Piedmont region of North Carolina. He relocated to Memphis in 2003 and began fronting the Delta Highway Band. In 2009 they received a Blues Music Award nomination as Best New Artist.

Santini released his own debut recording “Songs of Love, Money and Misery” in 2011 and received rave reviews. His 2013 follow up was “This Time Another Year”. As a direct result Santini received 2014 BMA nominations for both “Contemporary Blues Album of The Year” and best “Instrumentalist – Harmonica”.  In the later category he was nominated alongside Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin and James Cotton. In 2016 Santini released “Live & Extended!” and was nominated for two more BMA’s; another in the category of best “Instrumentalist – Harmonica” and for “Male Blues Artist of The Year”.

This is Santini’s first album for American Showplace Music. The Brandon Santini Band includes Santini, harmonica and vocals; Timo Arthur, electric guitar; Jed Potts, acoustic guitar; John Ginty, keyboards and percussion; Chuck Combs, bass; and Reid Muchow, drums. Additional musicians include guitarists Greg Gumpel and Jimmy Bennett; percussionists Michael Bram, Doug Hinrichs and Samantha Bono; and background vocalist Moe Watson. The album is produced by Ben Elliot, Ginty and Santini.

“The Longshot” is a departure from the traditional blues influences Santini is normally associated with as this is much more a blues rock album. On this new album we find Santini inspired by legendary rock artists such as The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, The Allman Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revival. All of the songs were written or co-written by Santini except for one lone cover.

The relentless opener with the lyric “hey baby, don’t you come around here no more”, was co-written with Joel DaSilva; the driving rhythm section sets up Santini’s fabulous solo. “Beggin’ Baby” was written with Victor Wainwright and slide guitarist Gumpel who sits in.

“Drive You Off My Mind” is from Santini and Arthur. “Heartbreaker” was written with Jeff Jensen and Bill Ruffino. “Evil (Is Going On)” is the Willie Dixon classic with some great bass from Combs and Santini nailing that high reedy sound. The remaining six tracks are all Santini including the acoustic “Broken Bones” featuring his harp as it dances with Ginty’s organ.

Santini is like Houdini as he weaves his blues and rock influences on this magical new studio recording.

Richard Ludmerer