Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers
Kirkland, Washington, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2011 | SELF
Music
Press
MICHELE D’AMOUR & the Love Dealers/Heart of Memphis: Even though this is blues and not world beat, world beaters will get it when D’Amour says Memphis feels like home. More of a blues/Memphis soul stew than a straight up Stax etc. feeling set, this white girl with the blues doesn’t make any bones about taking blues where she needs to as it takes her where it will. Fun stuff for modern ears that don’t really care about picking cotton on the delta and want to hear some choogling the way they think it should be. On the money throughout. - Midwest Record
Michele D’Amour grew up in the Seattle region, and she and her band, The Love Dealers, have four releases already under their belt. Back in January, they made the trek to Memphis for the IBC, and were so taken in by the ambience and history of the Bluff City that they headed straight to Royal Studios and producer Boo Mitchell to lay down what would become their fifth release, “Heart Of Memphis.” Seven originals and one sho’ nuff funky cover make this one a solid package, indeed!
Michele’s got that big, bold voice, and The Love Dealers have a cool rhythm and horn section, laying down a serious groove, no matter the song. Leading off is the Santana-by-way-of-Peter Green vibe of “Another Sleepless Night, my baby’s gone away!” Michele gets into her best come-hither lines to coax a lover to “Come On Over, I need some relief,” in this smoldering, sexy, strutter. Our heroine later finds herself down at the Crossroads in “Cradle To The Hearse,” where “nothin’s so bad it can’t get worse!” This one has some fierce, booty-kickin’ sax from Noel Barnes. Everybody gets funky on a cool take of one of STAX’s most iconic instrumentals, “Memphis Soul Stew,” and they close out with our favorite. Michele plays the blues preacher to the hilt as she lays out a bittersweet story of playing in bars for the lovers, the broken, the homeless, and those who just want to drink their troubles away over a musical backdrop. It’s a church-ified tale of “Strange Angels,” where “we’re all community here,” unlikely shepherds to a culturally-diverse flock.
Michele D’Amour And The Love Dealers are all fantastic musicians in their own right. When you add the soul, blues, and overall vibe of Memphis and the Royal Studios into the mix, “Heart Of Memphis” becomes a powerful set, indeed!!!" Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance. - Don and Sheryl's Blues Blog
The album recorded in Memphis, live in the recording studio , without all the embellishments that modern digital recording usually imposes on the “in studio” sound of bands and artists, is a refreshing and at times quite exciting approach to “keeping” the sound as real and live as you can get.
You have no hesitation in understanding that what you hear on this cd is what you would get in a live performance! And that’s a great thing! Michele sings with fire and gusto on some classic stomping Rn B grooves, then brings it down to a soulful, melodic romp when required. The band play with a skill and feel that complements her singing so well. They are a tight and professional unit, individually excelling when called upon, and always laying down a solid , pulsating rocking rhythm, getting very funky, down and dirty! And don’t we just love it! - Mystery Train
Discography
- Sin Comin' On - 2014
- Ante Up - 2015
- Lost Nights at the Leopard Lounge - 2017
- Wiggle Room - 2018
- Heart of Memphis - 2019
- Christmas in Blue - 2019
- Hot Mess - 2022
Photos
Bio
What happens when you combine an award-winning poet and songwriter/singer from the Pacific Northwest with a New Orleans guitarist, a smokin' rhythm section, and a sax player with top notch r&b, funk, and jazz chops? You get Northwest-based Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers, an award-winning blues band that delivers fun, funky original tunes as well as strong interpretations of blues classics. The band has released seven studio albums, most recently Hot Mess in October 2022, which charted internationally and won two silver medals from the Global Music Awards.
About the album, Blues Blast Magazine said, "There is a lot to like here. D’Amour’s vocals are controlled and balanced, delivering power when she needs to and offering restraint when appropriate. The electric and steel guitar work are super, the backline is steady, solid, and funky and the horns and keys add nice dimensions to the music."
North Jersey Blues Society said, "Every band member provides style and substance to the mix...music this good is timeless."
LA Music Critic awarded the band "Best Blues Band" in January 2019 and said: "There is nothing like a good solid blues rhythm coupled with an amazing female voice that understands the true sound of the blues. Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers…bring an authenticity to their sound not normally heard by today’s modern blues bands."
The band draws its repertoire from a mix of well-written contemporary blues originals, and carefully chosen covers on which the band puts its own spin. Fans appreciate the lyrical “soulful whimsy” and deep dedication to the groove. Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers have played more shows than you can shake a stick at, and have been invited back to numerous festivals and venues due to their ability to put on a show that entices people get up to dance and sometimes even take part in the show as impromptu backup singers.
Show calendar at: https://www.micheledamourandthelovedealers.com/shows
http://www.micheledamourandthelovedealers.comListen at: https://soundcloud.com/micheledamourlovedealers/sets/hot-mess/s-y4oCIQZJarU?si=bc6c2e12af5540e79da43...
https://soundcloud.com/micheledamourandthelovedealers/sets/lost-nights-at-the-leopard
Members are: Michele D'Amour, lead vocals and occasional percussion; Carl Martin, drums; Patrick McDanel, bass and background vocals; Richard Newman, guitar; and Noel Barnes, saxophone.
Band Members
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