These are selected tracks from Whelan's just-released 13-song album "The Story of Ike Dupree" featuring Fred Wesley.  Available for purchase at Bandcamp.

06 One Way Street Main Pf

11 That Little Fice Main Pf

For this, his third self-produced album since returning to music from a decade-long hiatus in 2013, songwriter, guitarist, singer & bandleader Sid Whelan has re-united with producer/musician Lora-Faye Åshuvud (Arthur Moon) for ‘Waitin’ for Payday,’ an eight-song collection that runs the Americana road from African-influenced blues to bright soul-pop.  A songwriting student of Grammy-winners Steve Earle and Chely Wright, Sid has been earning respect for his rich guitar voicings and well-crafted, compelling lyrics.  Sid says: “Half of the songs on this album represent a new outward-facing direction from me.  When I started back up in 2013 for obvious reasons I was mostly in my own bubble.  Since then I’ve been in front of audiences constantly and the dialogue with them about their passions, preference, enthusiasms and lives has affected both my lyrical themes and my melodic development.  You’ll hear even more of that on whatever my fourth record turns out to be.”
Never one to dominate an album with binary love songs (though there are two of those on this collection: ‘Love Me Right,’ ‘Make Some Time’ as well as one non-bitter breakup blues ‘Midnight in the Country), on this collection Sid ruminates on (s)heroes such as Nina Simone, Robert Johnson and Al Green as well as on the seductive nature of extremism in ‘Break it Down;’ the vagaries of getting paid as a contract/creative or commission worker in the title track and the need to break one’s word when it has been given to a toxic person in ‘The Promise.’ 
It’s not widely known in Sid’s current foray in what he calls “Dark Blue Americana,” but Sid spent a decade making music as a guitarist in the USA with a variety of musicians from Nigeria, Liberia, (then) Zaire, South Africa, Cameroon, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  His love for African music resurfaces on this album with star percussionist Valerie Naranjo playing the Dagomba Gyil (a member of the xylophone instrument family) as well as congas and a variety of percussion. Also appearing is an ensemble playing the Yoruba/Lucumi Bata drums featuring Richard Huntley, David J D’Ambrosio and Jimmy Greenfield.  It’s unlikely that either sound has appeared on this type of recording frequently if at all before now.
Additionally Sid returned to Horn arranging for the first time in decades, writing four charts for a 3-piece section comprising Ron Horton (trpt); Art Baron (‘Bone) and Michael Lee Breaux (Reeds). Other musicians include the great vocalist Darry Tookes (Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin. Luther Vandross); keyboard prodigy Matthew Whittaker on Hammond B3; vocalists Ariel Guidry and Christian Tookes; kit drummers Robert Weiss and Richard Huntley and bassist Trevor ‘Bridges’ Bridgewater. 
Produced by Lora-Faye Åshuvud and Sid Whelan
Recorded at Peter Karl Studios and Douglass Street Recordings in Brooklyn NY by Peter Karl.
Mixed by Eli Crews at Figure 8 Recording in Brooklyn NY
Mastered by Nicholas Ciavatta at Friggin’ Fabulous Productions in Jersey City NJ
Photography by J. Henry Fair and Sid Whelan
Graphics Design by Andrew Sheron

8 Break It Down

7 Waitin' For Payday

6 The Promise

5 Legba Ain't No Devil

4 Midnight In The Country

3 Make Some Time

2 Love Me Right

1 Nina Simone

Sid Whelan is a guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born and raised in New York City.  His inspiration comes from the Country music his mother introduced him to; the classic Blues and New Orleans Jazz his dad introduced him to; the rock n roll of his formative years and the classic soul music his wife introduced him to in his 20's.  Currently working on albums 4 and 5 with his longstanding rhythm section of Trevor Bridgewater (bass) and Robert Weiss (drums), he previously released three self-produced albums: Flood Waters Rising (2013), The Story of Ike Dupree (2015) and Waitin' for Payday (2018).

Muziekwereld – Netherlands
“The great original songs; the relaxed laidback voice of Sid; the quirky, funky horn section; the sensual backing vocals and guitar make this horn-infused Whelan disc one that simply must compete with the releases of many contemporary blues artists.” - Lambert Smits
Skope – USA
“{Whelan} knows how to play the blues like they know how to BBQ in the south.” – Michael Friedman

The Lonesome Highway – Ireland 
“Sid Whelan has an impressive guitar prowess, holding his own against a coterie of accomplished players.” - Stephen Rapid

Rootstime – Belgium
“The additional contribution of legendary bandleader and trombonist Fred Wesley and his funky horns section to these songs can be defined as a great and artful achievement.” - Valsam

Here Comes the Flood – Netherlands
“The Story of Ike Dupree is an album for fans of Al Green, Mike Bloomfield, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Backed by an old school kick ass band, this is the kind of music that should be coming from a tiny stage of a bar that has the guts to put on live music and whose owner laughs at the concept of curfew. Late night music that you don't want to end.” – Hans Werksman

The Sid Whelan Band

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