Blues Underground Network: Solomon King "Medicine" A Hauntingly Exquisite interpretation of the Blues is perhaps the best way I can describe Solomons King's brilliant new release, "Medicine". With a voice that sounds like a cross between Mark Knopfler and Johnny Cash, GRAMMY® Nominated Blues artist Solomon King has released one of the better Albums yet in 2011. ....Living up to the description as "stripped down Blues, back to its naked essence", the majority of "Medicine", is truly that, with just Solomon King doing, Guitar and Vocals, and Don Heffington on Drums. The only other performers on "Medicine" were Pablo Alemann (percussion) and Sebastion Steinberg (Bass), both on only the one track called "Trouble". Recording this album, in such a manner truly brought the vocals of Solomon King to the forefront and in essence was able to give the listener a true sense of lyrical intimacy, something which right away caught my attention with it's rawness and uniqueness. I would have to go back to the first part of 2010 to a performer by the name of Guthrie Kennard to have previously been so impressed with the vocals of an artist. http://www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com/Solomon_King_CD.html Dog Ears Music: Volume 181 - HuffingtonpostBasking in overcast memories of hard living, blues singer/guitarist Solomon King got his start in Motor City's "automobile dream factory." Chasing the blues dream, King ultimately relocated to Los Angeles. After years of finger-bleeding, King turned a corner with his 2008 debut Under The Sun--two tracks featured on HBO's beloved True Blood. His sophomore project, Medicine, produced by Marvin Etzioni, is graced by bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing) and drum master Don Heffington. Discover the emotionally turbulent "Trouble," from King's 2011 Medicine. This guy ain't lyin'.Check out the post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-ramone-and-danielle-evin/dog-ears-music-volume-181_b_883809.html?ref=fb&src=sp Folk Blues & Beyond: Solomon King - MedicineAmerican Blues man with a mean boogie. Solomon King is a Grammy nominated blues artist with style. Medicine is his second album, produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice). 10 tracks and back to the blues. Solomon King has got the right ingredients for a top album.Throughout the USA, Canada and Europe Solomon King has played on broadcast radio leaving his emotion, music and soul where ever he plays. Medicine has all the essentials for a great blues album. Boogie, Bo Diddley, and low down dirty blues. Here’s what the pros are saying: Over the course of the striking, stripped-down Medicine, former Detroit autoworker Solomon King returns to that moment when the blues moved inexorably away from the uplift that defined gospel music, and ultimately toward rock ‘n’ roll and then hip hop. The blues sought, at first, to define every-day concerns, but there were no easy answers. As with King’s efforts on this new project, it sought to render those things more real, to define them. That made the music, back in the days of Son House and Robert Johnson, more dangerous than danceable. http://www.folkblues.co.uk/forum/files/3a20a7b55cdd1431330599b66607d87c-46.html SOMETHING ELSE! - REVIEWSomething Else! ReviewOver the course of the striking, stripped-down Medicine, former Detroit autoworker Solomon King returns to that moment when the blues moved inexorably away from the uplift that defined gospel music, and ultimately toward rock ‘n’ roll and then hip hop. The blues sought, at first, to define every-day concerns, but there were no easy answers. As with King’s efforts on this new project, it sought to render those things more real, to define them. That made the music, back in the days of Son House and Robert Johnson, more dangerous than danceable. Same here. King’s title track on Medicine, a new release produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice), is a shivering fever dream, this stalking series of worries set against a halting, haunting groove. There is a looming sense of empty longing, something long unrequited. “Baby Does Me Good” takes the same basic instrumentation — guitar, bass, drums, augmented by a fuzzy echo — but goes deeper into a memorable crepuscular fear, the idea that our worst addiction, the passion for earthly love … our shared carnal desire … will ultimately bring us low. READ MORE... SOLOMON KING BREAKS THROUGH WITH MEDICINEGRAMMY® Nominated Blues artist Solomon King releases his follow up album Medicine.Solomon first garnered international attention in 2008 as "Jack Me Up" and "Frankie & Johnny," both from his debut album Under the Sun were featured on two episodes of HBO's Golden Globe winning “True Blood”series, followed in 2009 with a GRAMMY® entrant nomination as Under the Sun was considered for "Best Contemporary Blues Album." Throughout 2010 Solomon King was played on broadcast radio across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and even South America. Now 2011, Solomon breaks through with Medicine, a striped down Blues, back to its naked essence: guitar, vocals and drums album. This is King's daring musical tightrope walk stretching between the Past and the Future with no safety net in sight. Medicine was written and performed by Solomon King and produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice). Medicine is available now! IN THE STUDIO WITH MEDICINE Medicine was written and performed by Solomon King,
with Don Heffington on drums. Produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice) who combined his signature stripped down raw vision with Solomon's songs to create a sound only found on Medicine. Other musician's include Sebastion Steinberg on bass and Pablo Alemann on percussion on "Trouble."In a whirlwind recording session Solomon describes the process “We were only in the studio tracking for two days, we recorded five songs one day, then we came back a month later and recorded another five songs. I had never worked with Marvin before and didn't know what to expect, so we went in and said lets do four or five songs and see what happens...I just played and sang the songs live." "When we were talking about what kind of record to make, Marvin asked me a really interesting question, 'what didn’t I like about the last record I did?' said Solomon. ”The last record I did was a really good record, It a got GRAMMY nom and did all kinds of wonderful things for me, but the thing I didn’t like about the record in retrospect was there was just a little space for Solomon King to come in and do what he does within the framework of a real traditional record - all of the arrangements were done before, note for note, the whole idea behind it was these were Motown guys, we wanted to do a slick, blues, R&B record, so we really followed the Motown formula." "This time with Medicine, I wanted to explore what I could do if I was given more space. Then Marvin said 'ok, you want space? Lets just do you and drums'…. I wasn’t prepared for that," says Solomon with a laugh. SOLOMON KING LIVE! If you've seen Solomon King live, you know he thrives under the spotlight. "I like to be on stage with people, I like the chemistry of what happens with a band and what happens with other musicians." says Solomon talking about live music. Solomon can be found in the heart of Los Angeles playing concert venues and Blues jams around the city. Over the past several months Solomon has taken up residency at The Norwood 16200 Nordhoff St North Hills, CA 91343. Wednesday nights from 8:30 p.m to 10:00 p.m. Solomon leads his band "the Chosen" through previously recorded hits and introduces new material. A lot of my songs have developed in environments where nobody knows what is going to happen next. I dont sit around with guys and rehearse for three months. Most everything is born from an idea that I bring to the stage to hear how the band will develop it - and how the audience reacts to it. I can usually tell from a single run through if the song is gonna work. If it does I bring it back to the next show. Also, there is a great community of musicians in Los Angeles. We always have surprise guest stars. Doing small clubs gives us an opportunity to stretch out in ways that bigger shows dont permit 
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Solomon King: New American Bluesman 
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Back in the day of the old American Dream, Solomon lived in Detroit City and worked at the big automobile dream factory. But the promise of fulfilling that big dream quickly faded into the assembly line Blues. Mind-numbing monotonous hours, and a daily grind of soul-destroying work, eased only by lots of booze, broads, and the never-ending Friday night cocaine Blues. Reflecting on those times, he says, "There was a lot of hurting going on. It's too hazy to remember. But one thing was constant. I always had the Blues. Well, truth is the Blues always had me. We were joined at the hip."