CHRIS REA
Stony Road&The Blue Jukebox

Without a doubt, Chris Rea is one of the most important English blues rock artists of the last 30 years. A pop star during the ‘70s and the ‘80s, his style always revealed a great numbers of elements and influences and with the passing of time the chart success was followed by critical acclaim. A unique voice and a great talent on the guitar, Rea moved away from pop music with his first album on Edel “Stoney Road” and since then, he has found his true dimension in a sophisticated mix of pop, blues and rock. Music from the soul and not just thought to top the radio charts. His fans understood his new “artistic life” and Chris Rea continues to play sell out shows all over the world and his studio works are still charting everywhere.

The son of Italian immigrants, Chris Rea was born and brought up in Middlesbrough, England. Hearing a recording by Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh inspired him to buy his first guitar at the age of 19. In 1973 he joined a local band whose lead singer, David Coverdale, had just left for Deep Purple. 1978 saw his first solo single ‘Fool (If You Think It’s Over)’ scale both the British and US charts. With a discography spanning some 24 albums, Chris Rea has since sold over 30 million albums worldwide. He has also been on the road for much of the time in between recording work, headlining at major venues across the globe. One of his greatest honours was, without a doubt, an invitation to the 2002 Montreux Jazz Festival.

Chris has truly come home, comfortable with the way he perceives his musical journey, and at the same time offering the listener the complete spectrum from light to shade.

With “Stony Road” (originally released in 2002) Chris created a sophisticated mix of pop, blues and rock without denying his true blues roots. The album achieved Gold in the UK and marked a change in direction for Chris which is underlined further with the release of “The Blue Jukebox” in 2004.

With “The Blue Jukebox”, Chris Rea has created a masterpiece. It is a consistent progression from his previous album “Stony Road” which has been a worldwide success. From the first sax break on the opening track ‘The Beat Goes On’ to the album’s thirteenth and final track ‘Speed’ which closes the album on a real high with a clash of raucous harmonica, guitar and piano blending perfectly with the ever present sax, the result is a blend of great blues, jazz and vintage Rea. Both chart breaking albums will now be released in a fantastic digi-pack bundle. Enjoy almost 30 blues rock diamonds in a 2CD set!