John A. Bigham's innovative soul-roots outfit The Soul of John Black announces the completion of A Sunshine State of Mind, a compilation of upbeat tunes that embody the “essence of summer”. While four of the tracks were released over the last summer and fall as a series of singles, the full collection will now be released in album form by eclectic roots-music label Yellow Dog Records on June 4, 2013.

The inspiration for A Sunshine State of Mind came to JB during the winter in his home town of Los Angeles. “Although the sun shines all the time here, the mood brightens even more once the summer months arrive,” he explained. “I wanted to write about the essence of summer, songs that would keep that attitude going year-round.” Each of the tracks in the compilation has a lighthearted feeling, complimenting the upbeat theme of the overall collection.

The sequence of two-song releases begins with “Lemonade,” an uptempo blues-inspired jam, and “Summertime Thang,” a sultry slow groove that moves through a soulful Al Green pulse to a gorgeous chorus of JB’s harmonies.

Other song highlights include the feature track "Higher Power", a soulful anthem with an uplifting message. According to Bigham, the repeated chorus "we vibrate / we resonate / with a higher power" affirms that "Basically, we're all in this together."

"Johnny Bear (Give It To Me)" is an uptempo blues romp that JB conceived as a modern-day tribute to the suggestive lyrics of classic bluesmen. "They couldn't come out and say it, but you knew what they were talking about," he explains.

BeScene praised the songs as “cuts tailor-made for these popsicle-melting months” while Blinded By Sound enthusiastically admitted that “I can't get these songs out of my head and don't really want to.”

Originally from Chicago, JB draws from the soul-filled South Side’s strong blues background and from the melting pot of styles that make up the Los Angeles scene, which he has been part of since the 1980’s. JB’s unique stylistic fusion has won praise from Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, National Public Radio, Blues Revue and others.