The Toni Lynn Washington Band
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The Toni Lynn Washington Band

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"CD Review Blueswax Magazine"

Trying to analytically explain why this CD is so wonderful is like trying to explain why God is God or why water is wet.

You are doing yourself a disservice if you don't go and get this album. Now!
- P. Kellach Waddle/ BluesWax


"CD Picks"

Kinda sounds Like: Your grandmother (if she were Shug Avery from 'The Color Purple').

Why you should buy her CD: Hearing the Blues should never be this much fun, but damn if there isn't something about Washington's mournful voice that doesn't get you swaying, laughing and crying right along with her.

Best listened to: While playing spades.
- Essence Magazine


"Globe CD Picks"

Toni Lynn Washington does herself proud with another sterling effort, this time co produced by Duke Robillard. He and Bruce Bears (Washington's pianist and music director) bring out enough soulful style to render comparisons to one of Washington's idols, Ruth Brown. Washington shows great range, moving from the piquant jazz of the Little Jimmy Scott-identified ''Angel Eyes'' to the steamy boogie-woogie of ''It's Been a Long Time (Been So Long),'' with Bears kicking it to life on the ivories. The dizzying range feels seamless, though, whether it's a sweet cover of ''Willow Weep for Me'' (learned from a Nina Simone record) or the more modern swamp-rock of the Cate Brothers' ''Are You Happy Now?'' or the funky rock of ''Shake Me,'' penned for her by Jon Pousette-Dart, former leader of Boston's Pousette-Dart Band. The overall star, though, is Washington, whose style and grace are queenly, indeed.

Steve Morse, Boston Globe, August 1, 2003
NorthernBlues Records (http://www.northernblues.com)
- Boston Globe


"Toni Lynn comes to Chi-Town"

" Whether she's purring a noirish ode or soaring over a sassy New-Orleans flavored horn line, soul-blues diva Toni Lynn Washington caresses each song, building intensity until the audience is as sweaty and satisfied as the protagonists of her romantic ballads. Her lyrics when combined with her fervent smoldering croon, transmute sexual pleasure into something approximating an existential revelation."

The Chicago Reader
- The Chicago Reader


"Live Performance Review"

People are dancing like Elmore James, Little Milton and Etta James got their DNA mixed up in a test tube!!!


- Northeast Performer


"Winner Best Blues Vocalist"

"She will make you melt" Boston Magazine - Boston Magazine


Discography

Konti/Atlantic, Dear Diary, Breaking Lovers Hearts 1966
Konti/Atlantic, Good Things, Satisfaction 1966
Blues at Midnight 1995 Tone-Cool Records
It's My Turn Now 1997 Tone-Cool Records
Good Thing's 2000 Tone-Cool Records
Been So Long 2003 NorthernBlues Records

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Toni Lynn Washington
If receiving critical accolades was enough to get you into heaven (or even a higher tax bracket), Toni Lynn Washington should have been "in" years ago. Performances at venues like the Saratoga Jazz Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, Memphis in May and the Newport Jazz Festival at Sea (aboard the QE2) etc., as well as tours of Europe, the U.S. and Canada, over 2000 performances since 1992. Seven WC Handy Award nominations (including 2003, 2004 and 2005 "Soul-Blues Female Performer of the Year" nominations..), and many other award nominations for her previous albums including "Album of the Year" at the W.C. Handy Awards, "Album of the Year" at the NAIRD Awards, and "Outstanding Blues Album" at the Boston Music Awards, participation in charitable projects like the Respond II CD (with Joan Baez...), and critical acclaim from the media, including Essence Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times, Living Blues, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Blues Revue, The Ottawa Citizen, Big City Blues, Boston Magazine, The Boston Herald , Jazziz, Downbeat, The House of Blues Radio Hour, NPR's 'All Things Considered' , Mountain Stage, The Boston Phoenix, Bluestage, WBOS, WGBH, WFNX, etc.,.. And the 1999 Boston Blues Festival Lifetime Achievement Award., are the things which have defined her career.

In 2003 Toni released her fourth CD since 1997, and her first on the NorthernBlues Label (Produced by Duke Robillard and her longtime musical director and keyboardist Bruce Bears) entitled "Been so Long" which has been universally received as her best ever (and one of the best Blues CDs of '03). Other recent highlights include "watching Ruth Brown and Carla Thomas enjoy my show so much at the Handy Awards VIP Party" Toni said, and giving the "Best New Artist" Award to newcomer Robert Randolph and The Family Band while trading jokes with Little Milton at the Orpheum (Memphis) later that night . It's been a fun couple of years, but we think the fun is just starting (look for another CD in '06)....so that finally, after years of hard work and critical acclaim, Toni's coming into her own. We hope you'll become a part of her success by helping us spread the word.....