Blues submissions requested! Guest writers always welcome!!
I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
Lee Palmer, Al
Cross, Lance Anderson, David Woodhead, Elmer Ferrer
Toronto based singer-songwriter and guitarist
Lee Palmer has released two full length CDs, both recorded live off-the-floor.
His third recording is set for release in Spring 2015.
“Those Winter Blues” is a sneak peek
from Lee Palmer’s third album, Like Elway. The seasonally
correct single highlights well known Toronto musicians Al Cross, David Woodhead,
Lance Anderson and Elmer Ferrer. Elmer Ferrer also mixed, co-produced and
co-wrote the track “Wonderful Life”, from Like Elway, to be released in
the Spring of 2015.
Respected recording engineer, George
Seara recorded the 10- track, live album at Noble Street Studios in Toronto. It
all took place one cold winter day, this past December.
“Those Winter Blues" is available on
CD Baby, Radio Submit and Airplay Direct.
Quotes:
"...Americana with a big arching A,
incorporating blues, folk and country ... You get the feeling that in those
years before he started making his own records, that Palmer was a bit of a
collector of stories and was probably more than a bit player in a lot of them,
there is a tone, a quality to the material that suggests a real sense of
ownership." - Neil King, Fatea Magazine
"A first-rate singer-songwriter. Worthy to be heard, this Lee Palmer. Where
have you been all this time, Lee?" - Fred Schmale, Real Roots Cafe
NEW RELEASE FROM SMOKIN' JOE KUBEK & BNOIS
KING NOW AVAILABLE!
Blind Pig Records
has released Fat Man's Shine
Parlor, the latest studio album from Smokin' Joe KubekandBnois King, one of the most talented guitar tandems in
any genre.
Joe and Bnois have been thrilling music fans all
around the world with their red-hot Texas rockin' blues for twenty-five years,
and have developed into a dynamic musical tour de force, with Joe's flame
throwing guitar work complemented by Bnois' cool, jazz-inflected playing and
soulful vocals.
Their incendiary live shows feature two top
flight guitarists intuitively locked in with each other and backed by a
firepower rhythm section, making for a powerful and irresistible
combination.
Regarding the CD title - as a young musician, Smokin’ Joe
Kubek would venture in the wee hours after a gig to a declining, somewhat
unsavory Dallas neighborhood in search of fried chicken. A commercial district
for African-Americans, the area had been a hotbed for jazz and blues musicians
from the 1920’s through the 50’s where you could also find gun and locksmith
shops, tattoo studios, pawnshops, and pool halls.
Joe was fascinated by one remaining establishment across the street called
“Fat Man’s Shine Parlor.” Ostensibly a place to get your shoes shined, to
those in the know, it was also a place for other activities such as gambling,
drinking, and womanizing.
Joe sees this CD in a similar light – crack open the door, and inside you’ll
find lots more than advertised. Only in this case, the pleasures will be
musical.
For more info, or to order this great CD for $15,
please click HERE. To buy this CD for only $10 as part of our 5 CDs for $50
offer, please click HERE.
To order the CD or downloads from Amazon, please click HERE. You can pre-order the album now from
iTunes, with individual tracks available on the release date,
next Tuesday, February 3rd. For the iTunes store, please click HERE.
I just received the newest release, Boomerang, from Eric Sardinas and Big Motor and it rocks! Opening with with kick ass Run Devil Run, a blues rocker with a strong back beat and great slide. Great opener featuring Sardinas on vocal and slide, Levell Price on bass and Byran Keeling on drums. Kicking out the stops with a real rocker is title track Boomerang. This is a hard driving rocker with the heart of a freight train. Taking down the tempo a little, Tell Me You're Mine keeps a heavy rock flavor but with slide and blues riffs, it's hard not to hear the blues roots. Sardinas has his own slide style which breaks the Duane Allman/Derek Trucks/Bonnie Raitt mold influenced more by the likes of Steve Marriott or Johnny Winter to my ear. Morning Glory has a much more acoustic blues feel featuring mostly Sardinas on slide and vocal. Very nice. Bad Boy Blues takes the standard 12 bar format and classic guitar riffs complimented by Dave Schulz on keys. This is a straight forward blues track with a load of slide ... what's not to like! Hard pop rocker, If You Don't Love Me, aims square at the radio with a catchy melody and call and response vocals. Leiber and Stoller classic Trouble gets a stiff blues rock slap with a slow bluesy start including raucous slide resonator work but wrapping the track in fine rock fashion. Very cool! Long Gone is another solid rocker with solid blues roots. Although Sardinas doesn't sound at all like Lynyrd Skynyrd (the real Lynyrd Skynyrd) I can help thinking that he captures the spirit of them on a track like this. Rock on! On Howlin' Wolf's How Many More Years, Sardinas sets a really nice shuffle groove with a stiff rhythm. Again his own rowdy slide style adds nicely to the ruggedness of the overall track making it a definite blues track and a definite rocker. Super! Wrapping the release is rock n roller Heavy Loaded with strong shuffle beat. With a fun, raw rhythm and Celine Cavin on Mojo Juice Harp this is a terrific rock, boogie to conclude a very enjoyable 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”
Performing
Locally: Sue's Tavern in Frazier Park - Saturday, February
7
“I’m out on
the streets again/I’ve been sleeping in my car/I got these worn-out shoes/ Just
smoked my last cigar,” drawls the St. Augustine, FL, native known simply as Bo,
front-man of Bo and the Bluesdrivers, buttressed by a stinging guitar
and a sturdy rhythm section held down by longtime musical partners, Bluesdrivers
bassist Brian “Chewy” James and drummer, J. J. Garcia.
That’s
right, Bo & the Bluesdrivers play it like they’ve lived it, paying those
hard-living dues, forming from a chance meeting after joining forces at an open
jam hosted a decade ago by Chewy and J.J. Ten years after, they’re still
together and tighter than ever.
“From the streets of New York/To the
streets of L.A./It seems all the same/Day to day/I’ve been through the
darkness/I’ve walked through the light/The streets are all the same/Night after
night.”
The band have performed on special occasions in the L.A. area
over the years at clubs and parties of friends, but more recently have started
to develop a strong following that has seen them with consistent bookings all
over Southern California (full itinerary below). “The band came
together both naturally and organically, with no stress or drama…Just making
music that we dig," says drummer JJ Garcia.
Says Bo:
“We’re a band of brothers with mutual respect for each other and our abilities.
Always striving to be the best at what we do.”
A veteran of the
Florida club scene, Bo’s travels have seen him sitting in with legendary
drummers Buddy Miles (Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies, Delfonics, Bootsy Collins)
and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Artimus Pyle, before moving from Florida to L.A. fourteen
years ago. A world-class guitarist, you can hear his affinity for a variety of
genres - from jazz, funk and soul to rock & roll, coming through loud and
clear on such originals as “Out In The Streets”; audience favorite “Walkin’ In
The Park”; and tasty instrumentals like “Sea Song” (and) “Chillin’”, along with
well-chosen covers of classics by Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pink Floyd and ZZ
Top, among others.
Bo’s Bluesdrivers backbeat is provided by the
stalwart team of J.J. and Chewy, who have worked together for close to two
decades - previously performing in renowned SoCal-based band Stone as well as
also currently with the steadily-growing rock group, Judge Jackson. The longtime
rhythm section have several national tours under their belts and a resume that
includes collaborations with famed horror director John Carpenter, both
on-screen and as part of the soundtracks for his films, including
Vampires and Ghost of Mars. Judge Jackson has performed and
recorded music that has appeared on a variety of TV, movies and sporting events,
including Fox Sports and Super Bowl XLV.
Bo & the Bluesdrivers have
just finished recording a new album at Pawnshop Studios, which is slated for
release later this year.
"Out On The Streets" - Bo and the Bluesdrivers
BO AND THE BLUESDRIVERS - UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS/SPECIAL
EVENTS
Feb. 5
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
Feb. 7 (Sat.)
SUE'S TAVERN Frazier Park,
CA
Feb. 13
(Fri.) KX93.5 FM LAGUNA BLUES* Laguna Beach,
CA
Feb. 17
(Tues.)HOUSE OF
BLUES West Hollywood, CA
Feb. 20
(Fri.) ARCADIA BLUES CLUB Arcadia, CA
Feb. 21
(Sat.) LAKESIDE SPORTS BAR Helendale,
CA
Feb. 28
(Sat.) MADD BAILEY'S PUB Pine Mtn. Club,
CA
March 1
(Sun.) MADD BAILEY'S PUB Pine Mtn. Club,
CA
March 5
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
March 7
(Sat.) HARRY'S NIGHT CLUB Pismo Beach,
CA
April 2
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
May 22
(Fri.) RUN-A-MUCCA RALLY Winnemucca, NV
May 23
(Sat.) RUN-A-MUCCA RALLY Winnemucca, NV
May 24
(Sun.) RUN-A-MUCCA RALLY Winnemucca, NV
May 30
(Sat.) INDIAN HILL MUSIC FEST Tehachapi, CA
May 30
(Sat.) DOGHOUSE SALOON Tehachapi, CA
July 3
(Fri.) WINDY MESA Page,
AZ
July 4
(Sat.) WINDY MESA Page,
AZ
Aug. 8
(Sat.) FIESTA DAYS FESTIVAL Frazier Park,
CA
I just received the newest release (2/10/15), Heart Of Memphis, from Robin McKelle & The Flytones and it's got a cool vibe. Opening with About To Be Your Baby, a funky, high stepping, horn infused soul track. If you grew up in the 60's and 70's listening to Al Green and the like, you'll certainly find this groove! Up next is Good Time, a faster, Ike Turner like track again in the soul vein. Thick with horn and including a tambourine, this track is jumping. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, made popular by The Animals, gets a bit of a kick in the pants with a faster pace, unusual key work and brighter vocals. Control Yourself is an easy paced ballad with pop jazz overtones. It really has a nice bop making me think a bit of Badu. Very cool! Delbert McClinton's Forgetting You is a soulful ballad with simple horn backing and a country twist ... almost like a Muscle Shoals recording. Title track, Heart Of Memphis is an easy soul ballad with a simple back beat. Like A River is back in the Al Green arena with a nice slap and solid horns. Easier That Way opens with a nice guitar riff settling into a soul ballad. Warm B3 and organ work blended nicely with horns makes this a solid radio track. What You Want has a real nice bottom and McKelle shows over and again that she really has the voice to carry off soul like it was invented. I real nice groove with a bit of Gladys Knight feel makes this a memorable track. Good & Plenty is a soul rocker with a solid straight up beat and tight horn backing. Baby You're The Best has a real smooth soul sound with a lot more contemporary feel. Down With The Ship is more of a pop track with a soul twist. Light guitar backing, with keys and horns deliver the vocals on top. Wrapping the release is a tight soul ballad, It's Over This Time. Exhibiting strong emotion and nice vocal backing, this is a great track to wrap a fairly cohesive of contemporary soul tracks.
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”
