Ben Rice - Wish The World Away - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wish The World Away, from Ben Rice and it's light and airy with great guitar riffs and cool melodies. Opening with Dirt Road Home, a driving understated boogie, Rice shows just how much music can be played with just vocal, guitar and drums by Jimi Bott. Cool opener. Peace Will Overcome has a really nice rhythm set up by Bott, Julio Appling on bass and Dave Fleschner on piano, topped by excellent slide work by Rice. Very nice. Mojo Hand feels like hill country with a lot of rag tag and a lot of rockin blues. Rice's vocals are perfect for this track and his resonator guitar work is tight and clean with highlights drawn by Mitch Kashmar on harp and Dave Melyan on percussion. Very nice. Soulful track, Hardtimes is one of my favorites on the release with the best vocals on the release and rich organ tones of Dave Fleschner. Very nice. Stevie Wonder's HigherGround get an acoustic rework and retains a lot of the original energy with only the power of Rice's excellent vocals and tight slide guitar work. Wrapping the release is Don't Worry Mama with the mourning sounds of Rice accompanied by his steel resonator. This is a very strong release with contemporary blues roots.

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Stony Plain Records artist: Colin James - Miles To Go - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Miles To Go, from Colin James and it's really good! Opening with Muddy Water's, One More Mile, Colin James puts a funky spin on it and it is a contemporary as they come. With Geoff Hicks on drums, Steve Pelletier on bass, Simon Kendall on Hammond, Chris Caddell on rhythm guitar and Steve mariner on harp, this track is a super opener. Another Waters track, Still A Fool maintains the basic Waters outline but with a solid bass line and fiery guitar riffs, another super addition. Very nice. Big Boy Crudup's Dig Myself a Hole has a super Little Feat, swampy funky feel with real nice slide by James and perfect backing vocals by The Sojourners. James original. I Will Remain, is really solid with a real nice drum track, glistening rhythm guitar, a soulful melody and excellent blues guitar lines bringing to mind BB King or Robert Cray. Excellent! Jessie Mae Robinson's Black Night is my favorite on the release with James' best vocals on the release. His guitar riffs are inspired and Chris Gestrin's piano work is crisp. Wrapping the release is an acoustic take on One More Mile with James on acoustic guitar and vocal with Coleen Rennison on backing vocal. This is a really nice closer for a very nice release.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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