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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!
I just received the newest release, Glory Bound/Rattle The Hocks from The Grahams and it's lively. Opening the studio recordings with title track, Glory Bound, the Grahams are riding the rail in western style with a driving drum rhythm and flashy country guitar. Gambling Girl is a country style track with Alyssa Graham in the lead with hit radio vocals. Harp work over a punchy piano part makes for a cool track. Western style ballad Blow Wind Blow features a steady rhythm guitar part and nicely blended vocals. Lay Me Down has a spiritual quietness and sweet vocals by Alyssa. Other musicians on this set include Ryan Engleman, Gabe Pearson, John Fullbright, Byron Berline and Dan Walker. High energy bluegrass track Kansas City is spry with jig with fiddle, chicken picken electric guitar, and rail riding steel guitar chased by solid bass and driving snare. Very cool! Ballad, Mama, has a clear rural feel and spiritual overtones. Nicely blended vocals and tight instrumentals are featured. The Wild One is my favorite track on the studio release with a warm friendliness. Alyssa handles vocals nicely and the music craft on this track is particularly nice with a catchy melody. Griggstown is a clean, contemporary western style track. Alyssa' vocals are featured out front with Doug blending nicely. I really like the transparency of the guitar work on this track in particular. Biscuits is an easy paced country blues with light piano and acoustic guitar and featuring some of the nicest vocal on the studio track. Again a trick electric guitar riff with double stops puts a nice curly cue on the track. Borderland adds accordion giving it a more swampy feel. Sticking to a simple 2 step rhythm this track has a radio feel. The Spinner is a simple country style ballad with warm blending vocals and smart steel guitar accents. Wrapping disc one is bluegrass track Promised Land. A pure contemporary country western track with pure sweet vocal harmonies, this is a good conclusion for the first set.
The live recordings entitled Rattle The Hocks has a different lineup of musicians including Cody Dickinson, Luther Dickinson, Alvin YoungBlood Hart, John C. Stubblefield, Rick Steff, Duwayne Burnside, Sharde Thomas, Lester Snell, Sam Shoup and Stu Cole. With only three track changed, Tender Annabelle, City Of New Orleans with a cool banjo, tuba bass part and an excellent trombone solo and Big John which is performed a capella like blues in a field added, I find the live recordings a bit less controlled and much more enjoyable. With more rawness to the vocals and more grit to the instrumentals overall the live tracks are much more alive. I've always said there is something for everyone and each of these sides has it's own personality. My personality tends more to the freewheeling attack on disc two so make sure you check it out!
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”
While Beppe
lives in his native Genova, Italy, he travels to North America at
least four times a year to play music. We are excited to have Beppe in Ohio for
this once in a lifetime up-close-and-personal Big Song Music House experience.
Read all about Beppe on: Wikipedia
Stephanie Bettman is at the least a triple threat. An accomplished
writer, singer, and fiddler: her lyrics are infused with wit and wisdom, poetry
and insight. Vocally she draws comparison to the soaring soprano of Joan Baez
and the plaintive emotion of Emmylou Harris. Meanwhile, her fiddling, which
combines elements of bluegrass and jazz, is inspired by such masters as Stephane
Grappelli, Byron Berline and Johnny Gimble.
Luke
Halpin is a renowned multi-instrumentalist. A master of the guitar and
the mandolin, impressive on fiddle, banjo, and adept at nearly anything he picks
up. Halpin draws inspiration from the likes of Sam Bush, Mark O'Connor and Tony
Rice and holds his own in comparison. A dynamic and sensitive vocalist himself,
the harmony blend he and Ms Bettman achieve is chilling and at times simply
transcendent. His quirky sense of humor is a perfect foil to Stephanie's dry
witty presence.
I just received the newest release, Feel These Blues, from Slam Allen and it's a hard driver. Opening with title track, Feel These Blues, Allen on guitar and lead guitar sets the pace. Joined by keyboard wiz John Ginty, Jeff Anderson on bass and Dan Fadel on drums, these guys show they mean business. Allen slashes with Albert King like bend phrasing and mean intent. Cool! All Because Of You has a really smart bluesy guitar intro sliding into a Otis Rush like tempo with cleverly styled guitar riffs. Ginty and Allen trade alternate drop in riffs as punctuation around Allen's lead vocals. Very nice! R&B styled, In September, lays easy ground work for a radio track with slick guitar work and also showcasing Allen's soulful vocals. The Blues Is Back showing definite influences of Mr BB King. Allen's vocal phrasing is spot on and his Albert King/ SRV guitar phrasing is hot! Baby Please Don't You Go is a boogie rock n roller. Flashing guitar chops over a Chuck Berry rhythm and Ginty's organ dynamics makes this a true rocker on the release. High stepper 35 Miles Outside Of Memphis is a real swamp rocker along the lines of Edwin Starr or CCR's Born On The Bayou. This is a great track with a rolling beat from Fadel, super key support from Ginty, heavy bass from Anderson and searing knife like guitar strikes from Allen. Super! My favorite track on the release, World Don't Stop Turning, has a bit of BB and a bit of SRV (Ain't Gonna Give Up On Love) blended into Allen's own chowder giving Allen a spectacular opportunity to show his stuff and he isn't bashful. Excellent! Another R&B flavored track, Can't Break Away From That Girl has a real nice feel. Allen has a real nice voice for this particular style and his guitar riffs are very complimentary as well. I don't now if you have noticed but sometimes a track just hits me. When it does, gotta say what it makes me think. When The Blues Comes Around is a funky blues track and Ginty on organ with the beat brings me to one of my all time favorite Blues Rock tracks, I'm A Roadrunner, from Humble Pie's Smokin' release. This track has a bit of the feel but instead of Steve Marriot's superb voice, you have Allen who really does have a great feel for this style. I particularly love his guitar work on this track with solid tone and sting. Strong blues track, You're Wrong, has a great vocals and stiff guitar call and response ad mostly demonstrated by BB King. With youthful exuberance, Allen not only pulls at the strings but he runs then raw. This is a really hot track that will stick you...watch out! The release is wrapped by a soulful cover of Prince's Purple Rain. Allen works the vocals over pretty good with a hard soulful eye. Ginty pours on the heat with his B3 and Allen comes back hard with a really cooking blues guitar solo wrapping a really strong 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”
Clarksdale, Mississippi's 12th
annual Juke Joint Festival unites crazy old bluesmen and leaky juke joints with
paddling pig races and greasy soul
food!
2015
LINEUP ANNOUNCED FOR CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI'S WORLD-FAMOUS JUKE JOINT
FESTIVAL
Clarksdale, Mississippi – Clarksdale,
Mississippi’s Juke Joint Festival may only be celebrating its 12th edition, but
it is already the stuff of blues legend.
“2014 was the biggest Juke Joint
Festival yet, and so far, 2015 looks to top it,” according to festival
co-organizer Roger Stolle. “Our annual festival now attracts attendees from
almost 30 foreign countries, almost 50 states and over 50 Mississippi counties.
Still, the most important number here is the number of bluesmen in their 70s,
80s and even 90s who play our fest."
JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL LINEUP:
www.jukejointfestival.com
This year's from-the-old-school lineup
includes blues legends like Cedell Davis, Big George Brock, Leo "Bud" Welch,
Elmo Williams, Hezekiah Early, LC Ulmer, Cadillac John Nolden, Eddie Cusic, YZ
Ealey, Robert "Bilbo" Walker and others. The festival doesn't ignore the
upcoming young guns of the blues, of course — players like Clarksdale's
20-something Omar Gordon, 30-something Anthony "Big A" Sherrod and 16-year-old
internet phenom Christone "Kingfish" Ingram.
"The first acts we book are our region's
older, culturally-connected blues performers," explained Stolle. "Then, we
spread out from there. There is an insane number of blues musicians in town
during Juke Fest week! It's like no other event in the world."
This year's main event is Saturday,
April 11th – all day and late into the night – with related events kicking off
Thursday and continuing through Sunday night. The official line-up of events can
be found on-line at www.jukejointfestival.com. Saturday's Juke
Joint Festival itself features 100+ blues acts, 12+ daytime stages, 20+
nighttime venue stages, racing pigs, a 5K/8K run, multiple children's
activities, history bus tours, arts & crafts vendors, Southern food
offerings, a student art/writing contest and much more.
Daytime activities are free thanks in
large part to major sponsors like C Spire (official
technology partner), Isle of Capri (rooms still available), Clarksdale/Coahoma
County Tourism Commission and Miss Del's General Store, among
others.
PRE-SALE
WRISTBANDS NOW ON SALE: www.jukejointfestival.com
Saturday's nighttime music requires a
wristband. Pre-sale wristbands for the festival's 20+ Saturday-night "juke
joint" venue stages are available at www.jukejointfestival.com — $15 pre-sale.
(Wristbands go up to $20 on the day/night of festival — Sat., April 11th.
Details on web site.).
“Juke Joint Festival is half blues
festival, half small-town fair and all about the Delta,” said to co-organizer
Nan Hughes. “There will be tons of official and related events all weekend long
for both families and music fans. You literally cannot do, see and hear
everything. It's completely overwhelming – in a good way.”
"MS HILL COUNTRY BLUES" THURSDAY
KICK-OFF
The festival weekend starts early with
Thursday, April 9th's free Juke Joint Festival Kick-off at 5pm featuring a
festival poster signing by artist Cristen Barnard and live lobby blues by
Preston Rumbaugh, followed by the annual Miss Sarah Awards.
Then, at 6:30pm, the free Kick-off moves
onto the Delta Cinema Stage for a special Mississippi Hill Country Blues Tribute
to fallen heroes Robert "Wolfman" Belfour and Martin "Big Boy" Grant — featuring
Sean "Bad" Apple, Robert Kimbrough Sr., Andre Otha Turner, RL Boyce, Little Joe
Ayers, Stud and more. This is followed by a performance featuring Clarksdale's
own Dancing Divas of the Delta with music by bluesman character Watermelon
Slim.
Wristbands and merchandise will also be
available at the Kick-off event.
Then, on Friday, April 10th,
Clarksdale's related events include educational activities at the Delta Blues
Museum and book signings, live blues and more at other downtown businesses and
entities, including the Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art and the Rock &
Blues Museum. At night, Clarksdale's blues clubs and jukes will run till the wee
hours.
After
Saturday’s epic day/night Juke Joint Festival, itself, a Sunday of additional related
downtown events will cap off the weekend – including the annual free Cat Head
Mini Blues Fest and the Second Street Blues Party. The Rock & Blues Museum
and Delta Blues Museum will be open as well as several downtown
restaurants and businesses. The weekend wraps up with live blues at Red's Lounge
and other venues that night.
HOTEL ROOMS STILL AVAILABLE AT ISLE OF
CAPRI
According to tourism sources, all of the
local hotel rooms have been booked up for months. Fortunately, official festival
sponsor Isle of Capri in nearby Lula, Mississippi, still has hotel rooms
available and will run a bus shuttle to/from festival on Friday and Saturday,
4pm-midnight. Special room rates are available by using the savings code "JUKE
15". Book special room rate at 662-363-4600. Info on hotel at
http://lula.isleofcapricasinos.com
Full music line-up, event
schedule, pre-sale wristbands, parking info, sponsor list and much more
available on-line at www.jukejointfestival.com. Festival hotline (Mon.-Sat., 11am-4pm),
662-624-5992.
NOTE: The “Juke Joint Festival” name and logo are
registered trademarks and cannot be used by outside parties without the express
written consent of the Clarksdale Downtown Development Association/Juke Joint
Festival. Third parties may not create unauthorized “Juke Joint Festival”
products (e.g. T-shirts and apparel) or advertising (e.g. event banners and
print ads).
“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, Southern California's Hardest-Working
Blues Band, ably supported by a stinging guitar and a sturdy rhythm section held
down by longtime musical partners, Bluesdrivers bassist Brian “Chewy” James and
drummer, JJ 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.
BO AND THE BLUESDRIVERS - UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS/SPECIAL
EVENTS
April 2
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
April 15
(Wed.)UNIVERSAL BAR
& GRILL Universal City, CA
April 17
(Fri.) RIVER BAR LOUNGELaughlin,
NV
April 18
(Sat.) RIVER BAR
LOUNGELaughlin,
NV
April 19
(Sun.)RIVER BAR
LOUNGE Laughlin,
NV
May 7
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
May 8
(Fri.) WHISKEY DAVE'S Big Bear Lake,
CA
May 9
(Sat.) WHISKEY DAVE'S Big Bear Lake,
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
June 4
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
June 18
(Thur.) BERGIES Santa Clarita,
CA
July 3
(Fri.) WINDY MESA Page,
AZ
July 4
(Sat.) WINDY MESA Page,
AZ
July 31
(Fri.) WHISKEY DAVE'S Big Bear Lake,
CA
Aug. 1
(Sat.) LAKESIDE SPORTS BARHelendale,
CA
Aug. 8
(Sat.) FIESTA DAYS FESTIVAL Frazier Park,
CA
Sept. 5
(Sat.) BLUES, BREWS & BBQ FEST Pine Mtn. Club,
CA
Sept. 6
(Sat.) MADD BAILEY'S PUB Pine Mtn. Club, CA
Oct. 17
(Sat.) HELENDALE CHILI COOK-OFF Helendale, CA
Shown: Ms Trudy Lynn with guitar legend Paul
"Lil Buck" Sinegal to be featured on several
tracks
2015 BMA Nominated Blues Great Trudy Lynn Back In
The Studio
CD release date early May
Ms. Trudy Lynn has personally chosen her musicians and the doors
are locked tight at Rock Romano's Red Shack Recording Studios and with good
reason. Trudy has once again personally chosen the numbers that the CD will
host and this team of very experienced artists are working toward recording
another smash hit. 2014 found Trudy's "Royal Oaks Blues Cafe'" on the Connor
Ray Music label topping Billboard's blues album chart at #1 while radio airplay
charts revealed Trudy in the top five for four months in a row. To say that the
enthusiasm in the studio is at an all time high this time around could almost be
an understatement.
"I have worked with Trudy on more than one project in
the studio. She's always a pro and knows what she wants the end result to be.
It's a pleasure to work on these projects with her. This time around she's
added Lil Buck Sinegal on lead guitar and they have worked together before.
This project is moving along at a nice pace and I look for cool things to come
out of the experience", Rock Romano, Red Shack Recording Studios.
Trudy
will be at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis in May and then move on to headline
at the T-Bone Walker Blues Fest and then a week later she will be on the main
stage at the Pop Ferguson Blues Festival. If you haven't seen Trudy live it
would be a treat...
