West African palm wine music and American folk and blues all come together to make up the mellow rhythmic sound of the Palm Wine Boys. Palm wine music is West African roots music. Like folk and blues, the roots music of North America, it is the music of the township and village; "an expression of the day-to-day life of ordinary people, the music of their hearts. It tells of their joys, their sorrows, their pleasures and their displeasures" said the late S.E. Rogie, one of the great innovators of the genre. The Palm Wine Boys fuse the lyrical sensibilities of folk and blues with the guitar lines and rhythms of palm wine music to create a new form. They play innovative world roots music.

"The rich vocal harmonizing, combined with intricate guitar interplay and lilting rhythms make Palm Wine Boys a fresh, warm breeze in the increasingly stale 'world music' atmosphere" - Larry Kelp, KPFA

Up & Down makes top 10 list! DJ John Prentice has selected Up & Down as one of his top ten Worldbeat picks for 2005. John does the “Planet Mainstage” radio program, Saturdays from 2 PM to 4 PM on station UMFM , 101.5 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Thank you, John.

The Palm Wine Boys' song "where will you go" is featured in the just released film "Custody". You can find out more about the film at Lucid Visionent Ertainment

MP3 Digital Downloads

Looking for digital downloads (mp3s) of Palm Wine Boys? You can buy them right here on the Wildplum site (the best way to support their music- no "middle man"), just hit the "CD & music" button, off to the right on the navigation bar.
Our 192 kbps mp3 files are of the highest possible sound quality. They are produced in our own Wildplum Studio using the original 24 bit masters (to which we have exclusive access because, well, we recorded them). Our devotion to quality also demands that we treat each track separately, allowing us to tailor the encoding process to the needs of each individual song. In contrast, other download services source their mp3s from 16 bit replicated compact discs and use a batch process which treats all songs the same. The result is that the sound of our mp3s is unmatched and is as close as an mp3 can get to the original recording. Hey, we care about the music and the artists in our family. Simply put, that's the reason Wildplum exists.

They're also available from most "music services", including: iTunes , Rhapsody , MPERIA , Emusic , the new Napster , AOL's MusicNet , MusicMatch , Yahoo Music , and many more.
Just go to your favorite download site and search for the artist's name. If they do not currently list the artist you want, email the download site and ask them to get the music from our digital download distributor, CDBaby. (If you do not have a favorite download service, we suggest MPERIA because they currently have the best arrangement for indie artists.)

Up & Down has been selected to be on the front page of CD Baby . Here's what Derek Sivers (president of CD Baby) had to say: "We're REALLY picky about what goes on the front page. We get about 75 new albums a DAY coming in here now, (about 30,000 total), and yours is one of the best I've ever heard." This is a big honor and we are grateful to CD Baby for listening to Up & Down .

Here's the review by Tamara Turner of CD Baby :
With a West African heartbeat, lightly lilting the soul of highlife and Afropop with a wholly acoustic approach, the Palm Wine Boys have caputred a sound appropriate to their namesake- lightly sweet, spreading warmth through your veins and intoxicating the mind with a hopeful spirit. Sung through soft acoustic guitar and humble male vocals, you might liken their style to echoing Paul Simon yet toned down; the spirit of highlife made for the simple, acoustic, folk-like realm. Absolutely delightful and refreshing, leaving a minty breeze to sharpen your senses. Pick this one up.
CDBaby.com

Judy: What drive/inspires you every day to pick up the guitar, write a song, and sing?
Richard: Life. Music and writing songs for me has kept me out of trouble, not always mind you but it has always been a life saving device. A way to express for me. I love too, the sheer joy of writing. The process, to me, has always been more important than the final product. I get inspired by everything…my kids especially.

Indiefan had a listen to Up & Down . Here's some of what they had to say:
The Palm Wine Boys have been gaining a fan base in the folk world with their intriguing blend of American folk and West African palm wine music. Having fallen in love with some of the band’s all-original song list, fans had been asking for a new CD even as they purchased the first self-titled release last year.
The ensemble features the lyrical song writing style of Richard Linley and Tom Chandler who’s innovative stylized guitar work truly brings to life and characterizes the band’s stage performances. This lightness of sound is a slight of hand parlor trick that on second glance reveal insightful observation of human foibles. This is evident in “Laughing Spirits” -- a song that communicates joyfulness, but asks the searching question, “Will there ever be a cure for deep down hate?” The overall sound is deftly anchored by back up vocals and percussion of Q.B. Williams and Eliyahu Sills.

For photos of the band in action (at the Healing Garden Music Series , a benefit for Art for Recovery , UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center), go to Healing Garden Music Series

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