Emanuel Casablanca

Happily, the combination has paid off. The Brooklyn-based guitarist, singer and songwriter has worked with an array of A-list performers over the course of his career, among them such luminaries as bassist and producer Bill Laswell, drummer Daxx Nielsen, a prominent member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honorees Cheap Trick, vocalist Bernard Fowler, a touring member of the Rolling Stones, bassist Doug Wimbish of the Grammy-winning band Living Colour, and others.

Emanuel’s debut album, Blood On My Hands offers an opportunity for him to shine in the spotlight, share his skills and allow his talents to advance to front and center. It’s an eloquent and expressive set of songs — some sixteen in all, each offering different sides of his persona and bringing his ideas and intents to the surface. “I made it a point with this album to try to explore the essence of an imperfect past,” Emanuel insists. “There are things that I’ve done that I’ve tried to repent for, and in exorcising those demons, I’ve made an attempt to come clean and reveal my true self, despite all the flaws and imperfections.”

To aid in the delivery, Emanuel enlisted an exceptional cast of collaborators. They include such notable colleagues as guitar greats Eric Gales, Paul Gilbert and Albert Castiglia, saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter and vocalist Kat Riggins.

In a sense, the upcoming album finds Emanuel coming full circle. “Not to sound like a cliche, but music has always been an essential part of my life,” he maintains. “My mother was a music teacher, as well as the choir director at our church. My sisters sang in a vocal group when I was a child. My first instrument was violin that I was given when I was four years old. But I hated it, so I broke it after smashing it repeatedly.”

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