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Ryan Montbleau Band with Dwight + Nicole

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A staple in the New England music scene, Ryan Montbleau blends rock, folk, americana, and r&b to create a blend of fresh yet comforting music that feels like home. 

For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau’s been a seeker. From the jungles of Peru to the volcanoes of Hawaii, from the beaches of Costa Rica to the streets of Brooklyn, from the backseat of a 16-passenger van to backstage at Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has spent much of his life crisscrossing the globe on a perpetual search for meaning, purpose, and understanding. It’s a quest that’s guided him both personally and professionally over the years, one that’s come to define not only his music, but his very sense of self. And yet, listening to Montbleau’s ambitious new multi-part album, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air, there is a profound sense of satisfaction in sitting still, a recognition that perhaps all those spiritual treasures he’s been chasing for so long were closer than he thought. 

“My whole adult life has been this journey of trying to figure out where home is,” Montbleau reflects. “I think I’ve finally found it.”

Ryan Montbleau Band

Connect with this artist:

www.ryanmontbleau.com

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Artist Bio

For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau’s been a seeker. From the jungles of Peru to the volcanoes of Hawaii, from the beaches of Costa Rica to the streets of Brooklyn, from the backseat of a 16-passenger van to backstage at Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has spent much of his life crisscrossing the globe on a perpetual search for meaning, purpose, and understanding. It’s a quest that’s guided him both personally and professionally over the years, one that’s come to define not only his music, but his very sense of self. And yet, listening to Montbleau’s ambitious new multi-part album, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air, there is a profound sense of satisfaction in sitting still, a recognition that perhaps all those spiritual treasures he’s been chasing for so long were closer than he thought. 

Dwight + Nicole

Connect with this artist:

www.dwightandnicole.com

American roots artists Dwight Ritcher and Nicole Nelson have toured the Eastern US as a power trio called Dwight & Nicole since 2017. They have been steadily cultivating a devoted following, and gaining plenty of industry respect along the way; nominated for nine Boston Music Awards, eight Daysie Awards, and ten New England Music Awards, winning “Band of the Year”, “Vocalist of the Year”, “Best Blues/R&B Band”, “Female Vocalist of the Year”, “Blues Act of the Year” and “Video of the Year” They have opened up for their idols including Mavis Staples, who exclaimed “Dwight & Nicole are my favorite new band!” as well as Melissa Etheridge who said “Dwight & Nicole are absolutely the real deal. They are outstanding singers and songwriters, and I am proud that they are here. They’re carrying the torch”

Nelson and Ritcher met in Boston, Massachusetts when they were just out of school, both cutting their teeth on the local club circuit. They each fronted popular bands in the area, and discovered a shared obsession of soul & blues greats like the Staples Singers, Albert King, Lighting Hopkins, Jimmy Witherspoon, Roberta Flack & Etta James. They began singing together often, and developed a close friendship that grew over time. Eventually, forming Dwight & Nicole, which was in the early days, a duo group; Dwight on electric guitar, Nelson on tambourine stomping their feet and singing in harmony. They began to tour regionally- writing together and developing a sound. After a move to Burlington VT, they met powerhouse drummer Ezra Oklan (Nicole Atkins, Elle King) and the group quickly formed a trio with Nelson picking up the bass.

Their EP, Electric Lights, was recorded live to analog tape with multi-Grammy nominated producer Joel Hamilton (Aaron Neville, Tom Waitts, The Meters, The Black Keys) at Studio G in Brooklyn, NY. Hamilton has undoubtedly captured their sound and live energy. He also brings out their experimental side on Electric Lights. The EP has introduced the band to a new wave of fans as well as opportunities including their first major label distribution deal through Orchard / Sony Music.  The year wrapped up with another Independent Music Award nomination, and the Electric Lights EP landing on several ‘Best of the Year’ lists. 

 

Winter of 2019 found them back in the studio with Hamilton, recording their follow up as a power trio. The new album was set to be released in April of 2020, but the worldwide shutdowns & cancelled tours hit pause on everything. D+N took the time off the road to become more active in their local community, hosting fundraisers, streaming concerts, and Nicole began offering online sound healing sessions. Their following grew, and the band grew as well; now their live show features keys, backup vocalists and often a horn section. Check out their latest EP “Further” released at the end of 2021. Here’s what American Songwriter had to say: “What’s so neat about “Further” is its sense of immediacy… there’s something about Ritcher and Nicole Nelson’s vocal performances that makes it feel so raw, so urgent” The Burlington Free Press has proclaimed it “One of the best EPs to ever come out of the Green Mountain State”. 

A full length album is slated for release in the Fall of 2022. 

Follow D+N on IG & socials for upcoming tour announcements and a peek behind the scenes @dwightandnicole

“Give “Wait” a spin and, for at least three minutes and fifty seconds, all will be right with the world” 

~ Dan Bolles, Seven Days (review of the single “Wait”)

“A retro soul band, contemporary blues act, roots rock duo and r&b dynamo all at once, Dwight & Nicole have found that (producer) Joel Hamilton can capture their spirit on tape… and that can be heard on new single “The Next Go-Round. Written by singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Nicole Nelson and based on a simple, hypnotic keyboard line she came up with, “The Next Go-Round” works nicely as a calling card for Dwight & Nicole’s sound. It resembles a gospel tune written a century ago and would also fit nicely on Brittany Howard’s experimental pop album.”

~ Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald (review of the single The Next Go-Round)

“Notes of R&B and hip-hop with a smoothness that feels like cruising through the city on a summer night. The band layers on funky elements on guitar and organ, culminating in a mix of vocal harmonies and rich instrumentals that leave you feeling enchanted.”

-Glide Magazine (review of the single “Time)

“Take R&B, soul, blues, mix in razor-sharp rock guitar... heat to boiling, and watch your face melt. That's Dwight & Nicole.” ~ Relix Magazine (live show review)

“Dwight & Nicole are a tour-de-force that demand much wider success. Poignant, hard driving... and heavenly” ~ Steve Morse, Boston Globe (feature story)

“There are good voices, and then there are GREAT voices; Nicole Nelson is definitely the latter” ~ Christina Aguilara

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