FALL CHANGES named MOJO Magazine's #1 Blues Album of 2008! "* * * *...these guys could strip down the engine of a soulbluesmobile and put it back together blindfold.” – MOJO "Bergson's stirring voice and glorious guitar command immediate attention." - BLUES REVUE "Chris Bergson plays the kind of guitar you can build a house on…it's B.B. meets Steve Cropper meets John Scofield." - ROLL Magazine "Gut-busting, horn-bedecked NY blues." - MOJO "Gowanus Heights" #5 on The MOJO Playlist, December 2007 "This magnificent collection by Chris Bergson, recorded at Levon Helm’s Woodstock studios, follows The Band in drawing intuitively and seamlessly from blues, country, folk, funk, soul and jazz. Bergson has the kind of voice that can be sepia-tinted, whiskey soaked or nicotine stained to fit the requisite style and mood, standing alongside Gregg Allman, Dr John, Van Morrison and Danko / Helm. A neatly balanced set of self-penned numbers and entirely justified covers (‘Are You Experienced’ is a revelation!) are immaculately played by a tight and energetic band complimenting excellent guitar work with washes of organ and honking sax. Crisply but roundly produced, Fall Changes is an undeniable pointer to a talent with major league potential." - LEICESTER BANGS (UK) "Chris Bergson is a serious talent. Bergson gives early notice to the listener on the album's opening cut, 'Gowanus Heights', of his prowess as both a performer and songwriter. With a horn section that would do the old Stax crew proud, Bergson lures the listener into his world of jazz influenced blues and doesn't let up until the final cut... both jazzy and bluesy with a slight dash of rock and massive amounts of melody, Fall Changes is a treat." - LIVING BLUES “It takes a confident musician to pack his band with some of the hottest players in New York City, but singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris Bergson is equal to the company he keeps. Starting with the rocking “Gowanus Heights” from his recently released album Fall Changes, the young virtuoso took charge of the stage. He growled out the vivid lyrics about Brooklyn street life and launched a series of dazzling flights of fancy on the guitar, playing as organically as if the instrument were a third arm.” - BLUES REVUE "Seriously street-smart songwriting and Allman-esque vocal prowess..." - GIBSON.COM "Fresh and inventive...a tour de force." - ELMORE "A small masterwork...a candidate for year's best." - ROOTSTIME "Tremendous!" - BLUES MATTERS (UK) “Chris Bergson is a dynamic, masterful guitar player...one of the most impressive new blues releases I’ve heard in years.” - OLD BLUE BUS Chris Bergson Band - FALL CHANGES 1. Gowanus Heights (3:30) 2. Float Your Mind (3:44) 3. Fall Changes (4:14) 4. Sanctuary (3:54) 5. Latitude (4:21) 6. When I Paint My Masterpiece (3:49) 7. Rain Beatin' Down (3:59) 8. The Engine (4:19) 9. The Bungler (3:08) 10. Are You Experienced? (5:14) 11. Drown In My Own Tears (5:30) Featuring: Jay Collins, Bruce Katz, Tony Leone, Chris Berger and Special Guests: Amy Helm, Erik Lawrence and Kenny Rampton 2 Shirts Records Release Date: October 1, 2007 Recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY and produced by guitarist/singer/songwriter Chris Bergson and award winning Blues journalist Dave Rubin, FALL CHANGES showcases the band’s personal blend of rootsy blues and soul, highlighting Bergson’s honest storytelling, soulful vocals and the first class musicianship of a true working band. Replete with the warm sound of Helm’s studio, FALL CHANGES features stellar performances from Bergson on guitar and vocals, Jay Collins on tenor sax and backing vocals, Bruce Katz on piano and B3 organ, Tony Leone on drums and bassist Chris Berger. Special guests include vocalist Amy Helm of Ollabelle and a Stax-styled horn section arranged by Jay Collins, and featuring Erik Lawrence on baritone sax and Kenny Rampton on trumpet. From the opening bars of the contemporary soul classic “Gowanus Heights” to the blues-based rock anthem “Float Your Mind,” Bergson and the band take us on a journey as dynamic, exhilarating, and hard-hitting as the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn he calls home. According to Bergson, traveling to Woodstock to record had an air of pilgrimage about it, as he counts Helm and The Band among his biggest influences. Levon’s studio, a renovated barn nestled in the Catskills, has an impressive history, with an almost magical list of past clients—The Band, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards. The FALL CHANGES sessions proved to be magical as well; not only were the eleven CD tracks cut, but it was also here that Helm first heard Bergson play, prompting an invite to join him at his Midnight Ramble concerts. Listening to Fall Changes, it’s easy to hear what caught Levon’s ear. For more information, please visit: www.chrisbergson.com www.myspace.com/chrisbergsonband Gibson.com Review Gibson Recommends Chris Bergson Band Fall Changes Sean McDevitt | 09.13.2007 When Brooklyn-based Chris Bergson headed upstate to Woodstock, New York, to cut his latest album of rootsy rhythm & blues at the recording studio of Band drummer Levon Helm, the guitarist and vocalist made sure to bring the sounds of Muscle Shoals and Memphis along for the ride. Aside from showcasing some seriously street-smart songwriting and Allman-esque vocal prowess, Fall Changes also suggests an artist in creative transition: While those who have caught one of Bergson’s New York City club gigs know that he’s equally adept playing jazz or the blues, this album is decidedly neither. Sure, flashes of both genres—along with a host of other musical strands—infiltrate from time to time, but they never threaten the big picture. And at day’s end, this release (produced by Bergson and blues guitarist Dave Rubin) works hard to remain varied while simultaneously resisting categorization. The soaring tenor saxophone of bandmate Jay Collins serves as the perfect complement—and sometimes foil—to Bergson’s tasteful guitar lines, which he skillfully coaxes from his dotneck reissue ES-335. The opening “Gowanus Heights” and the tempo-shifting “Latitude” are firmly rooted in Americana, Collins’ horn lines emanating a Stax vibe; the groove-laden “Float Your Mind,” where Bergson’s guitar chops are firmly on display, is a straight-ahead rocker; the gentle “Sanctuary” offers a meditative, almost gospel-like quality; keyboardist Bruce Katz shines on “The Bungler,” a trip down to New Orleans; and “Rain Beatin’ Down,” with its stark instrumentation, irresistible tension and release (and pronounced bottom end), feels like something Delta blues master Charley Patton might have played—had he lived to see the dawn of the electric guitar. While the originals speak volumes about Bergson’s musical ambition, his choice of covers says every bit as much: He digs deep into Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” reimagines Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced?” as a horn excursion, and treats Ray Charles’ “Drown in My Own Tears” with tasteful, economical B.B.-like guitar lines. A fully-realized effort from a rising artist.