Win A Copy Of The Jools Holland Album Best Of Friends

10 October 2007

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Released October 15th on Rhino

Jools Holland shows what friends are for as he releases his twelfth studio album in as many years on 15 October 2007. Entitled Best of Friends this album is a personal collection of some of Jools Holland’s best loved and most memorable tracks from his collaborations over his last six albums.

Featuring world class artists from across the musical spectrum, Best of Friends sees Jools join forces with legends and luminaries of the music industry, including giants such as Bono (‘If You Wear That Velvet Dress’), Sting (‘Seventh Son’), Tom Jones (‘Think’), Chrissie Hynde (‘Out Of This World’) and a cover of “I Put a Spell on You” with Mica Paris and David Gilmour, whose distinctive guitar style gives the song an entirely different tangent.

The album also features a brand new remix of the track ‘Horse To The Water’ with vocals provided by the great George Harrison. Co-written with his son Dhani this is one of the last songs George ever wrote. Jools described the experience by saying: “George Harrison is one of the true giants of popular music. This was probably the orchestra’s greatest honour of all, to back George on a brand new song that he had written”.

Contemporary collaborations featured on the album include Norah Jones (‘In The Dark’), The Stereophonics (‘First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’), India Arie singing of her home state with ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and KT Tunstall, who lends her rich vocals to ‘Darkness on the Face of the Earth.’

In addition to previously released material, the album contains two brand new recordings with soul songstress Ruby Turner (‘To Love A Child’) and the ever delightful Lulu on ‘Where Have All The Good Guys Gone?’, both of whom will appear with Jools on the forthcoming Autumn tour.

Other highlights of the album include tracks such as “Snowflake Boogie” with the late Edwin Starr, ‘Oranges And Lemons Again’ with Madness lead singer Suggs, and ‘Mabel’ with soul and country music pioneer Solomon Burke and guest appearance by guitar maestro Eric Clapton.

The CD also comes with a bonus DVD that contains real gems for established and new fans alike with footage taken from the recording sessions across the Jools & Friends albums. This includes an exceptional, previously unreleased, 49-minute long documentary, which features an extensive interview with Jools, cut with exclusive footage documenting the creation of songs on "Best Of...Friends", with stars from the album such as Sting, Bono, KT Tunstall, Solomon Burke, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, Lulu and Edwin Starr, not to mention people like Shane MacGowan, Ronnie Wood, Sugababes and Robert Plant also making an appearance. The bonus DVD also contains a selection of music videos and an interview with former Squeeze drummer and long time Jools collaborator, Gilson Lavis.

This spectacular collection of Jools best loved collaborations will follow his first ever autobiography which is released through Penguin Books on 4th October. ‘Bare Faced Lies And Boogie Woogie Boasts’ is a marvellously witty memoir by Britain’s most popular pianist and bandleader.

Jools Holland has had a fascinating life. From playing on bombsites as a boy in south-east London, to skiving off school and then rocketing to international success with Squeeze, the first twenty years of his life were eventful, chaotic and colourful.

From playing pubs in the East End docks as a teenage greaser, presenting The Tube and Later With Jools Holland, to leading his rhythm & blues orchestra and selling millions of records this century, it is his passion for music that has made Jools Holland into a doyen of the music scene and it is passion which suffuses the pages of this fascinating and delightful autobiography.

Coinciding with the release of Best Of Friends Jools will embark on a 32-date UK tour. Kicking off on the 26th October, Jools, performing with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, will tour the UK with special guest Lulu and will play two dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The album also features a brand new remix of which track?

A.Horse To The Water
B.Horse To The Whisper
C.Horn To The Water

Closing Date: 2007-11-10

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