Conquest Music has announced the release of Chess, the follow-up album to Bernie Marsden’s superb, chart-topping, Kings. Kings reached #1 in the Amazon Blues Chart, #18 in the UK OCC Album Sales Chart and gained fantastic reviews and accolades following its release in July this year.

The forthcoming 12-track album, Chess, is due out on November 26, available on all digital platforms along with a Special Limited Edition Digipak CD accompanied by a 16-page booklet.

Chess is the second album in Bernie Marsden’s Inspiration Series, where he chooses and crafts his own interpretation of the iconic artists and songs that helped inspire and shape his own musical style and taste. Like the previous release in the series, Kings, Chess marks another collaboration between Conquest Music and Bernie Marsden’s Little House Music.

Listen to each of the Inspirations Series albums and you’ll find more than a carefully curated homage to music that means much to Bernie. You’ll hear his own, nuanced guitar virtuosity and his heartfelt vocals, along with the wonderful synergy with the top-tier musicians he’s brought together for the project.

Many will know Bernie Marsden for being a founder member of Whitesnake, co-writing the iconic global smash, "Here I Go Again". He is undeniably one of Britain’s premier blues guitarists, praised by B.B. King for both his musicianship and innate understanding of the soul and feel of the blues. Bernie has written and recorded with some of the biggest names in the industry, and also composed music for film & TV. He’s also a bestselling author, an in-demand writer and producer and has amassed a priceless collection of guitars.

Chess is the second album of Bernie Marsden’s Inspirations Series’(a concept sparked by a backstage conversation with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons about influences and heroes). Bernie created the Inspirations Series to showcase the rich veins of music of those who inspired him during his formative years. In Kings, Bernie turned the spotlight on Freddie, Albert and B.B King; in Chess, he moves focus to tracks and artists on the fabled Chess label.

The album features 10 tracks that were originally released on Chess by greats such as Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf , Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters & Elmore James. What’s more, two Bernie Marsden-penned instrumentals appear as bonus tracks on the album. Chess was recorded ‘the old way’: with a band of truly gifted musicians, all in one room, over a handful of days. It’s led to a subtle, tasteful and a superbly delivered reimagining of these classic songs.

Tracklisting:

"Just Your Fool"
"Back In The USA"
"Grits Ain’t Groceries"
"I’m Ready"
"You Can’t Judge A Book"
"I Can’t Hold Out"
"Won’t Be Hanging Around"
"Fattening Frogs For Snakes"
"That’s Alright"
"Who’s Been Talking"
"Lester"
"Johnny"

Lineup:

Guitar & Vocals: Bernie Marsden
Bass Guitar: John Gordon
Drums: Jim Russell
Keyboards: Bob Haddrell
Harmonica: Alan Glen

The Inspirations Series is an ongoing sequence of albums released by Conquest Music where Bernie Marsden pays tribute to those whose music shaped his taste and guitar playing. Not one to hang around, Bernie has begun sessions for the next Inspirations album, which will be out in 2022.

(Photo - Fabio Gianardi)