Hype and Press 

 

 

 

 

 

January 27, 2010 - Rockwiz Blog Mark Ferrie on Barrence Whitfield - The Rockwiz Orkestra have been operating as a unit now for about six years. In that time we have been inundated with offers to perform outside the 'cosy' confines of our little corner in the Gershwin Room. For one reason or another we've had to pass on most of these offers. One exception to this was the tour we undertook last year backing US rock n' roll singer Barrence Whitfield as he toured the land of Oz for the first time as part of the annual Big Day Out extravaganza. [ read the rest of Mark's post ]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 21, 2010 - Art Matters (Beverly Citizen) Headliner Barrence Whitfield disappointed absolutely no one with his amazing pipes, showmanship and sudden Screaming Jay Hawkins-like outbursts from time to time.....[read the entire article]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December 14, 2009 - Recorded live at the Regent Theater in Arlington during last night's "Rock N Soul Revue" to benefit the Music Museum of New England, we bring you 21st century Boston soul legend ELI PAPERBOY REED teaming up with 20th century Boston soul legend BARRENCE WHITFIELD on a roof-raising version of William Bell's "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday." [read the entire Phoenix article]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 13, 2009 - Sandy's Legacy: North Shore Jazz Project aims to continue vision of Beverly jazz icon - When Sandford Berman died of cancer in 1991 at 68, his dream of educating the region's youth about jazz and blues through the medium of television did not die with him � it just took an 18-year hiatus....... Ferrini is the project's director, Hudson is its producer and filmmaker Joe Cultrera of Salem serves as editor. Other area musicians, such as Barrence Whitfield of Beverly, are advisers. [Read why this project matters so much]

TOP

January 23, 2010 UPDATE - THE 2009 ROCKWIZ FAMILY Q AND A - BARRENCE WHITFIELD :: February 21, 2009 - Barrence is on the Tube... in Australia!!  RocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series focused on rock music. The show features the "RocKwiz Orkestra" which provides musical clues and support for special music guests/participants.  Barrence was of two special guests on their 2/21/09 airing.  IT WAS A KICK!!  Click here  to watch the replay NOW. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 20, 2009 - Gold Coast kicks off Aussie Big Day Out tour; Kylie Northover - Neil Young headlines the Gold Coast Big Day Out.  It was a mostly youthful crowd and a diverse line-up at the first stop on this year's Big Day Out Australian tour on the Gold Coast on Sunday.  A record crowd of 55,000 music fans were treated to more than 50 local and international acts at the Gold Coast's Parklands Showgrounds for the annual festival, now in its 17th year.  From Boston outfit Dropkick Murphys - the only act on the bill featuring bagpipes - to Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine, fans were treated to a varied line-up of musical genres across seven stages; from music from hip young local acts like Sneaky Sound System and Sparkadia and legends Died Pretty to South Africa's Risenga's Bush Techno and some old-fashioned rock and roll from Barrence Whitfield, who was backed by the ABC's RockWiz Orchestra. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 3, 2009 - Here's a GREAT TREAT we just found!!  An on air interview with Barrence, hosted by MATT THE CAT -  "Barrence Whitfield, the leader of one of the greatest party rock/soul bands of all time, The Savages was kind enough to come on my college radio show, The Soul Bucket. He brought with him some amazing soul records to share with us. This is one of my all-time favorite interviews."  Click here for the interview. ( February 24, 1996)  (Scroll down a bit and you'll find BW's interview right under Aaron Neville's ;)  Check out the other interviews Matt The Cat has posted. A kick in the pants to be sure!  THX MATT!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2009 Big Day Out; Australia-Jan 16 through Feb 1, 2009 - December 2008; Rockabilly's best kept secret, BARRENCE WHITFIELD is outta the bag and set to shake Lilyworld to its very foundations at BIG DAY OUT 2009. He grew up on gospel but in Boston he found the truth in rock n' roll. He's got the funk, he's got the soul' basically, he's got Little Richard covered. But wait, there's more, BARRENCE will be backed by the ROCKWIZ ORKESTRA, as seen on TV! Mark Ferrie, Peter Luscombe and James Black have backed an amazing array of artists on SBS TV's music quiz show, but none have the lungs nor the boundless energy of soul sensation BARRENCE WHITFIELD. Trust us, this is gonna be a scream. (All Australian Shows) Read more of Lilyworld at Big Day Out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let the MUSIC speak for itself.  LIVE in Aviles Spain, November 21, 2008 with the Hi-Risers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whitfield: Worthy of the Nobel Prize for Funk - By Ricardo Fernandez  Wed Mar 12, 2008, 06:02 AM EDT Beverly, MA- I was fortunate to see the Boston Horns twice in one week, once on Sunday at the Danversport for a Harborlight Montessori School event and the following Saturday at the Pickled Onion on Rantoul Street.  The Beverly High School Jazz Band opened for the Boston Horns and played a professional set, at times augmented by the Horns Henley Douglas Jr. and Garret Savluk.  Read the entire article. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gospel according to Barrence Whitfield - Cape Cod Times By Ken Capobianco February 22, 2008 - 'People in this era don't know what to make of me',  Barrence Whitfield says, 'but if they see the live show, they know they've seen something different and special.  'If considering the great performers of the Boston music scene in the last quarter-century, you'd have to put Barrence Whitfield at the top of the list. The soul shouter has torched so many stages; you wonder how his hoarse fans don't have singed eyebrows. Read more about the Gospel according to BW

Barrence's Discology View Barrence Whitfield's Sonicbids EPK   The Savages are BACK

eNewsletter maintained by DedaMojo Productions

TOP

Barrence's EPK

The music man: From choirboy, to R&B celebrity, to record store clerk, Barrence Whitfield's life is all about the tunes - By Rosemary Ford , Staff writer; Eagle-Tribune; December 20, 2007

In the '80s, as part of Barrence Whitfield and The Savages, he achieved cult status here and fame in England, where he counts Robert Plant and Elvis Costello among his fans. Nowadays, Whitfield still is singing - and screaming and shouting like Brown - locally. Sometimes he performs with the former Savages, other times with another local favorite, the Boston Horns, comprised of many North of Boston musicians. He's also featured on the Horns' latest album, "Shibuya Gumbo." Read more about one of NEW ENGLAND's Favorite Son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whitfield joins Boston Horns for seventh release
By Rosemary Ford, Staff writer
Eagle-Tribune December 20, 2007

When it comes to local jazz icons, there are always a few names on people's lips. Barrence Whitfield may be one of them, click here to read more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Honeydripper - barrence whitfield still savagely sweet after all these years - NorthShore Living - Holiday 2007 - by David Sneade 

When not touring the world, delivering his signature scream and singular vocal style, you can find him at the Salem Record Exchange. There, the one and only Barrence Whitfield is also in his element. Whitfield has worked at the store since 1991. Its proprietor is Ross Kohonen. 'He's been a friend', says Whitfield. "He knows who I am and that I go off and tour from time to time. If I had aregular 9 to 5, I couldn't do what I do." - Read More About the Music

TOP

Barrence's EPK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I SCENE IT: Lucinda Williams, Barrence Whitfield - -July 24, 2007 - by Frank De Blase; Rochester City News (excerpt from the music blog)    

It was 1985, the summer of lust, when I first heard Barrence Whitfield and the Savages' "Bloody Mary" blasting out of the Bop Shop's speakers. Rusty, raunchy sax, a savage beat, and a singer who wailed like Screamin' Jay Hawkins with his nuts in a vice grip... well, that's all it took. So it made sense to have Whitfield play as part of The Bop Shop's 25th anniversary weekend in the Village Gate courtyard. Whitfield was backed by the high-flyin' Hi-Risers. Saxophonist Mark Bradley joined in making it a quasi-Salamanders/Essentials reunion - which, incidentally, doesn't sound like a bad idea. Whaddaya say fellas?

 

Even when the PA cut out for a breather, Whitfield kept it going. The energy was high and all the way live, despite his casual attire. I mean, he looked like he was ready for a round of golf. And I've scene this cat sportin' some class with the sass in slick suits and tall turbans, crawling across the bar screaming his head off.

Still, Whitfield wailed incredibly on a wild 'n' loose set, working dancers up so much they just started jumping up and down and howling. It was like church without the guilt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jouneyman RnB Singer from Outer Space - February 27, 2007 - by Jon Harrison (littlehits.com/log #93)  Whitfield has impeccable command of a powerful voice that�s perfect for tackling old blues and soul tunes, and if that were the beginning and end of him I�d say �feh� and mentally file him away with all of the other singers who possess roughly equivalent skills and make boring albums for Blind Pig or Alligator or whatever. The reason someone should build a statue of Mr. Whitfield is because of his willingness to dig through the stinkiest, sloppiest trash heaps of late 50s-early 60s dance floor buffoonery and emerge with gems like Les Cooper�s �Dig Yourself� and Rudy Greene�s �Juicy Fruit,� which he then drags kicking and screaming into a year that you and I may not live to see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAMILY MEETING - The Movie - Tells a unique story about people behind music. The film was shot during the fall 2006, in and around the 20th anniversary concert of the Wentus Blues Band, also on their home turf in Ostrobotnia, Finland. It's a delicious mash-up of backstage life and passionate stage performances. The film features an impressive line-up of rock and blues legends, such as Eddie Kirkland and Louisiana Red, ex-Rolling Stone Mick Taylor, Kim Wilson from the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Omar Dykes from Omar & The Howlers, Barrence Whitfield, Eric Bibb, Lazy Lester, Sven Zetterberg and Clas Yngstr�m from Sweden, Lester from the States, deep south.  Read More

Heikki Kossi; Director - 1/8/2007

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barrence Whitfield and the Rizlaz - All the cats were rockin' down the house.... July 30, 2006; sisterchill � Fuji Rock Festival 2006 ( Japan)

This show was one of the most unexpected treats for me at FRF06. I had no expectations and even less insight into who these guys are, but, hey, when it all comes down to it, the only thing that matter with music is the experience. And this was a hot 'n' rockin' show. (fujirockers.com/blog)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BARRENCE HAS BEEN THE MAN since the early 80's, and as a result there are thousands of pieces of content written about him from all over the world.  Below are some samplings.  The man is as frenzied today as he was when he first hit the scene, it just hurts more now! Check out the LISTEN section next.

Barrence's Discology View Barrence Whitfield's Sonicbids EPK  The Savages are BACK

TOP

 

Barrence's EPK 

"A howling explosion of vocal energy, the Savages generate unstoppable R&B, soul, blues and roots rhythms in a combination that is as deadly as nitroglycerin. In the music dictionary under "party band" it says 'see Barrence Whitfield and the Savages.'" - Agent 0007 Web Site

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Barrence always manages to turn the band up a couple of notches, and this night was no exception."
      - Bob H., Review of Los Lobos at Harper's Ferry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Local sensation Barrence Whitfield who warmed up the night with his tight band joined LL for a very rockin' Georgia Slop..."
      - Paul W., Review of Los Lobos at The Middle East

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Whitfield is the owner of one incredible pair of lungs and limitless energy and enthusiasm for his music."
      - John Dougan, All Music Guide   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Whitfield sings in a ferocious yell that recalls a whole tradition of '60s soul music...The band's originals have the snap and concision of great lost hit singles, and rumor has it that the band is even better on stage, which is almost hard to believe."
      - Philadelphia Inquirer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Whitfield is all the vocal firepower this Boston quintet needs."
      - Mark Jenkins, Washington Post 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Barrence is still one of the most soulful singers in town, whether he's doing manic R&B or old-fashioned jump blues. And his bag of tricks has only gotten bigger over the years."
      - Brett Milano, Boston Phoenix
  (Read)
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Whitfield is a performer so consumed with satisfying his audiences that he has been called 'crazed, frenetic and completely unhinged' by Spin magazine. The Houston Chronicle has called Barrence Whitfield and his band, 'the most complete live act in rock today.'"  (Read)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Barrence Whitfield is a full-throttle, uninhibited rocker and shouter in the tradition of Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis."
      - Geoffrey Himes, Washington Post

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Boston's Barrence Whitfield is still the premier rock/R&B screamer this side of Little Richard."
      - Steve Morse, Boston Globe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Movers and shaking - Barrence Whitfield still swings -- and rocks and belts out soul by John O'Neill

 

It will be a matter of time, perhaps decades, before Boston's Barrence Whitfield assumes his rightful position in the history of music -- usually an honor bestowed with more than little touch of 20/20 hindsight. That's especially true with rock critics who generally have the advantage at getting the ball rolling on such matters as overlooked-but-influential characters. So let the bandwagon start here. Barrence Whitfield is, without exception, the greatest.

 

  TOP

 

Barrence's EPK

You used to know Barrence Whitfield as the screaming maniac who fronted the Savages. Now you know him as the assured vocalist (and occasional screaming maniac) who fronts for bands throughout the world. But there's one thing that hasn't changed: Barrence is still one of the most soulful singers in town, whether he's doing manic R&B or old-fashioned jump blues. And his bag of tricks has only gotten bigger over the years. With a band that originally included folks from the Lyres, Barrence did the trashabilly thing long before Reverend Horton Heat was ordained. He still loves a good novelty number, though he no longer does the immortal "Mama Get the Hammer (There's a Fly on Baby's Head)" at every gig. But then he'll turn around and do something deep and rootsy, and there will be a depth to his singing that wasn't there before.  

 

Barrence has even made stabs at country music (on a pair of albums with Texas songwriter Tom Russell) and done it well enough to be included on From Where I Stand, a WEA/Warner compilation devoted to "the black experience in country music." You'll find him there right between Aaron Neville and Ted Hawkins. Though he hasn't recorded in a few years, he's been working overtime on new music.  "I think people are ready to hear something a little wild", he told me once. He's got just the man for the job. -- Brett Milano  (Content pulled from Brett�s piece on Barrence in a 1998 Boston Phoenix supplement)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROCK: LOS LOBOS BAND

NEW YORK TIMES By JON PARELES ; February 13, 1984

BANDS from the East and West Coasts brought revved- up, back-to-basics rock and roll

Los Lobos, four Chicanos from East Los Angeles, plays party music from all over the South and Southwest - rockabilly and rhythm and blues as well as the waltzes and polkas of Mexican norteno music, with lyrics in English and Spanish. In the oom-pahing Mexican-style songs, David Hidalgo wielded a button accordion as Cesar Rojas strummed a bajo sexto, a Mexican guitar; Mr. Hidalgo switched to steel guitar for country-rock, and both players also delivered stinging, bluesy electric guitar solos.  The band's repertory extends even further than its current record, ''And a Time to Dance,'' suggests; it encompasses Chicago blues and New Orleans-style ballads, along with songs by the Tex-Mex rocker Ritchie Valens and by Los Lobos. Only one song in Spanish about ''mojados'' (literally, ''wetbacks'') hinted at topics beyond love and good times.

Still, Saturday's set - with Steve Berlin of the Blasters as guest saxophonist - bounced and rolled and strutted as if such musical border- crossing happened every day. Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, an explosive five-man band from Boston, played supercharged 1950's-style jump-blues and rockabilly songs that rarely paused for breath - 15 tunes in half an hour. The 24-year-old Mr. Whitfield belted the songs' boastful lyrics and rocketed around the stage like a latter-day Jackie Wilson, raising his hands and dropping to his knees with the fervor of a gospel soloist

Barrence's Discology View Barrence Whitfield's Sonicbids EPK  The Savages are BACK

Barrence's EPK 

Booking Contact: Paris Krane
email:
savageson@comcast.net phone: 978.235.8264 | Boston, MA

   TOP

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO:  David Stowell Designs for BW's psychedelic pic - Way cool huh?

Michael Naomo for BW's promo pic - dig it!

 

 

 

  Barrence Whitfield Enterprise | Boston, MA | USA info@barrencewhitfield.com

Site maintained by DedaMojo Poductions |

Copyright  2011 Barrence Whitfield Enterprise Contact Us