JamBase Exclusive Premiere: Eric Krasno Shares New Solo Album ‘Blood From A Stone’

Next week, Soulive and Lettuce guitarist Eric Krasno will issue a new solo album Blood From A Stone through his Feel Music Group/Round Hill label. In advance of its official release next Friday, July 8, JamBase is pleased to exclusively premiere the entire 10-song album.

Krasno employed a number of special guests who appear throughout the record, including Tedeschi Trucks Band guitarist Derek Trucks and vocalist Alecia Chakour, some of his Soulive and Lettuce band mates and The London Souls. It’s the first material of Krasno’s to feature not only his guitar, but also his singing voice.

“This new record is a side of my music that many people haven’t heard, especially the vocals,” Krasno said. “Most of the album was recorded in Maine with my co-writer Dave Gutter, Jon Roods (both from Rustic Overtones) and Ryan Zoidis from Lettuce. We set up a studio in their barn/rehearsal space and just started recording. What we thought were going to be demos became the actual album. That the relaxed environment helped the creative flow and enabled us to push each other to new places. I’m really looking forward to getting out on the road with the new band and playing these songs for everyone.”

The Eric Krasno Band featuring keyboardist DeShawn Alexander, bassist Alex Chakour, backing vocalist Mary Corso, drummer Eric Kalb and rhythm guitarist Danny Mayer will make their debut with a run of shows in Colorado beginning tomorrow at the “Fiyo on The Mountain” event with Dumpstaphunk at Mishawaka Amphitheatre in Bellvue. A number of additional Eric Krasno Band shows are planned throughout upcoming months.

Hear Eric Krasno and Derek Trucks Team Up on "Curse Lifter" at Guitar World

Eric Krasno—founding member of Soulive and Lettuce—will release his new solo album, Blood from a Stone, July 8.

Although Krasno is best known as a fiery lead guitarist, Blood from a Stone is the first recording to feature Krasno's own vocals. That said, the lone instrumental track on the collection is a collaboration with Krasno’s old friend and longtime collaborator, Derek Trucks. 

"'Curse Lifter' is an homage to Santana, the Allman Brothers Band and some of the bands I grew up listening to," Krasno says. "I’ve always loved guitar harmonies when they’re done the right way. After we recorded the rhythm tracks and listened back, I knew it would be great to have Derek Trucks play on it. We recorded at his studio and just mic’d up two amps in the live room and went for it."

The release of Blood from a Stone comes at a particularly prolific time for Krasno. He's producing new records for Allen Stone, Aaron Neville and the London Souls; he also recently played to a packed house with Lettuce at Red Rocks in Colorado and joined Kamasi Washington and others as part of Bonnaroo’s SuperJam. His solo band will tour the U.S. throughout the remainder of summer and fall.

All Music Song Premiere: Eric Krasno, "On the Rise"

oulive and Lettuce guitarist Eric Krasno debuts his vocal chops on "On the Rise," a track from his upcoming solo album, Blood From a Stone. Krasno has made a name for himself in the jazz, funk and jam band scenes, but "On the Rise" shows off his psychedelic side, with lyrics about "where the mountain meets the moon," vintage-sounding production and swirling, ephemeral vocals. Blood From a Stone is due out on July 8.

Blood From a Stone can be ordered via PledgeMusic

Upcoming Eric Krasno tour dates:
July 1 - Bellvue, CO - Mishawaka Amphitheatre *
July 2 - Boulder CO - Fox Theatre *
July 7 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl ^
July 8 - Bridgeport, CT - The Acoustic
July 14 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
July 15 - Hartford, CT - Arch Street Tavern ^^
July 17 - Rowayton, CT - Rowayton Summer Music Festival
August 6 - Springfield, MA - Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
August 19 - Portland, ME - Portland House of Music ^^
August 20 - Bolton Valley, VT - Hop Jam
August 27 - Sherman, NY - Night Light Festival
October 18 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry ** 
October 19 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre ** 
October 20 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West **
October 21 - Asheville, NC - New Mountain **
October 22 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House **

* w/ Dumpstaphunk
** w/ Marco Benevento
^ w/ Marcus King Band
^^ w/ Armies

Grammy Winner Eric Krasno Drops Bluesy 'Waiting On Your Love': Exclusive Billboard Premiere

Watch "Waiting On Your Love" at Billboard.com

Soulive and Lettuce co-founder and guitarist, Grammy winner, and producer for just about everyone (he's worked with Talib Kweli, Norah Jones and 50 Cent, to name a few): Eric Krasno has an impressive CV for someone who's only releasing his second solo album two decades into his career.

The experienced Krasno crafted the bulk of upcoming album Blood From a Stone in a handful of days alongside Rustic Overtones' Dave Gutter. "We didn't realize we were actually making the record, so there was no pressure, and that let us experiment in really cool ways," Krasno explained. "There's a lot of rawness to the recordings, and that really bled into the performances and my vocal delivery."

Blood From a Stone and lead single "Waiting On Your Love" (premiering exclusively below) mark a change from Krasno's earlier funk-imbued style to a more structured blues and R&B-influenced sound. "Growing up, I listened to Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead, along with a lot of hip-hop," Krasno recalled. "When I linked up with Soulive, we played instrumental music, and that's the path I’ve mostly been on ever since. This record loops back to those initial bands and songs I loved, but with the added experience and influence of the past 20 years."

Krasno described "Waiting On Your Love" as "a song about moving on. Realizing you can’t wait any longer on something that isn’t there." Sonically, it's a mix of his varied influences. "It's blues, but psychedelic, and has a hip-hop feel at the same time. The hypnotic vibe is a good introduction for what’s to follow."

Krasno utilized the city of New Orleans and its resources for the single's music video, enlisting skilled local faves Mike Bertel, Alex Glustrom, and Ben McKay for the colorful clip. "For the initial shots in the video, we actually hopped a fence and snuck in to an old rundown factory building in New Orleans," Krasno said. "At one point I’m standing with my guitar on a rail at the top of a seven story building acting like everything was cool, but thinking ‘damn, I could fall deep into the abyss from here.'"

"Waiting On Your Love" marks Krasno's first single featuring his vocals. "It's something I didn’t know was there," Kresno said. "I would have been totally content just being a guitar player and writing songs for other people, but this inspiration just happened, and I'm really glad it did, because it's changed things. I didn't know I had this in me."

Watch "Waiting On Your Love" at Billboard.com