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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!


Please email me at Info@Bmansbluesreport.com

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Blue Dot Records artist: Jackie Payne - I Saw The Blues - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, I Saw The Blues, from Jackie Payne and it's a funky blues party! Opening with Back To Normal, a soulful ballad with a nice walking bass line from Endre Tarczy and with horn backing from Ed Early (trombone), Jeff Lewis (trumpet) and Frankie Ramos (sax). Kid Andersen lays in a scorching bluesy guitar solo nicely complimenting Payne's vocals. Next up is title track, I Saw The Blues, R&B track with a rural feel. Lorenzo Farrell does a real nice job on organ on this track and Anthony Paule gives the rhythm a funky feel on guitar. Aki Kumar adds his always tight harp work. Very nice! Anthony Paule rips it open on Full Moon Blues with rich slide guitar work. Derek D'Mar martin on drums and Farrell on organ are joined by Bob Welsh on piano and Paynes vocals are real nice. Full blown swing blues When The Blues Comes Knockin', features Payne leading the way with really strong vocals and solid horn reinforcement. Kid Andersen really takes a nice walk on the fretboard on this track making it one of my favorites on the release. Basic R&B styled Wife, Woman, Hootchie stays the basic line sounding like it could have been performed during the prime R&B days with particularly nice backing vocals and punchy guitar riffs. Paynes vocals are particularly strong on this track. On Kicking Back With The Blues, Anthony Paule selects just the right spots to insert stinging blues guitar riffs nicely accenting Paynes' vocals. Ed Early steps up with a killer trombone solo. Piano boogie, Feel Like Doing My Thing features Bob Welsh on piano and he really rolls. Payne's vocals are perfect for this mix and Farrell lays down a nice organ line punctuated by Early, Lewis (with a nice muted trumpet solo) and Eric Spaulding on horns making this a great track. Slowing it down and getting it dirty, Six Million Dollar Man plays it right down the blues highway. Andersen rips it a new one with a hot, heart felt guitar solo, and the horns are strong but this track is all about the vocal and Payne really has a take no prisoners attack. Excellent! Another funky track, I Get Off On It, gives Tarcyz the chance to step up with a great seriously funky bass line. With a lot of the swagger and Kid Andersen working the wah wah and vocoder, this track really gets you moving. Easing off the pedal with a T-Bone Walker style track, Rock Me With A Steady Roll, Payne shows the more sensitive side of his voice. Bob Welsh rolls out a cool piano line giving Lewis a nice opportunity for a tight trumpet solo followed by a really hot sax solo from Frankie Ramos. Oh yeah, Andersen slips in some hot riffs of his own on guitar! Little Johnny Taylor's Somewhere Down The Line has a great feel. Payne hits it running and Ramos tears it up on sax...really! Kumar, Lewis ans Welsh each get a few really nice riffs off but don't miss the great bass work of Tarcz. Wrapping the release is Ollie Nightingale's I'll Drink Your Bathwater Baby. Yeah, I haven't met that one, but it is a great track to close a really powerful release. Payne never eases up and Andersen rips another great guitar solo on this track. 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”

 

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Chicago-Based Blues/Roots Guitarist Voo Davis Creates a "Midnight Mist" on His New CD, Coming April 28 on Butter & Bacon Records, with Bonus Video Included



Chicago-Based Blues/Roots Guitarist Voo Davis Creates a Midnight Mist on His New CD, Coming April 28 on Butter & Bacon Records, with Bonus Video Included

CHICAGO, IL – Guitarist/singer Voo Davis announces an April 28 release date for Midnight Mist, the third CD from this talented musician whose musical sound gumbo encompasses the roots of blues, with additional flavorings from Americana and jam band spices. Produced by Davis and recorded in organic analog sound at Bogalusa, Louisiana’s Studio in the Country, Midnight Mist includes a bonus video of “Riverside Blues,” filmed in and around Clarksdale, Mississippi, that perfectly captures the spirit of the new music on the album. To watch the video for the song, which Davis directed and edited: 



“Being able to return to Studio in the Country and expand my guitar sounds was something I really looked forward to on this project,” says Davis about the recording sessions. “The tones were something that I really wanted to play with, not just get stuck on one sound.”

Guitar tones are something of a specialty with Voo Davis, who played an assortment of vintage guitars, as well as pedal steel, mandolin, and keyboards, including all the instrumentation on two of the album’s 14 tracks. Joining him on Midnight Mist are Craig Borchers – drums; Michael Burkart - Hammond B3 organ; Reggie Winterland – bass; Calvin Conway - harmonica, fiddle; Carolyn Broussard and Dorian Rush - background vocals.

Coming off the critical success of his last album, Vicious Things, Voo Davis continues to build on the momentum of what has come in the past with a keen eye toward the future. While all three of his albums show differences, the common thread among all of them is Voo’s ability to mix genres of music and blending them into a common thread that flows naturally in each release.
   
Midnight Mist isn’t like my previous two albums, but I think it’s a mixture of both with a more mature side,” he states. “The difference between the first two and this one is that on Midnight Mist the song took precedence.”

A nonbeliever in slick computer fixes, Davis uses the one-take approach throughout the new disc, relying on musicianship instead of computers, emotion instead of effects. The result is an album that has a live performance feel to it with an energy level that is palpable.

“We recorded the album in three days, two of which were spent on instrumentation, and on the third day I finished up vocals. It was ten hours in the booth that day and if something didn’t work the first or second time we moved on.”

Born in Anniston, Alabama, Brian “Voo” Davis’ moved with his family to Chicago while still a child. That transition helped embed his Alabama clay roots musical foundation with some Chicago juke joint flash. The resulting sound mix permeates throughout his overdriven acoustic slide guitar playing style. Touring with former Koko Taylor guitarist and Blues Music Award-winner Eddie King, Davis learned to travel the blues circuit and sharpen his craft alongside one of the best. Critics began to take notice, too: Illinois Entertainer hailed Davis’ vocals as “built for the blues;” while iTunes called him “one of those rarities who takes his music to the same ol’ hangouts but finds something new and revelatory in the experience;” and Goldmine Magazine summarized its review by describing his music as a “Hendrix/Buddy Guy/RL Burnside combo of blues-rock chops.” 

His 2012 basement-recorded release, A Place for Secrets, spent seven months running through the Americana and Roots Music charts respectively, while surprising the blues/Americana music scene with an overdriven acoustic mix of slide-based guitar songs. While personal tragedy with the untimely passing of his wife in 2009 motivated the young guitarist back to music, the songs Davis has created since that time have been called “lyrically encouraging.”

Blind Pig Records artists: The Cash Box Kings - Holding Court - New Release review

I just received the newest release (April 28, 2015), Holding Court, by The Cash Box Kings and it's hot! Opening with Jump Jackson and Sonny Thompson's I Ain't Gonna Be No Monkey Man, Oscar Wilson leads the way on vocal and master harp man, Joe Nosek, really puts the Chicago into the track. Billy Flynn takes the guitar solo on this track and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith holds the bottom on drums. On Download Blues, Wilson and Nosek lay down a cool shuffle track and Joel Paterson adds nice guitar and backing vocals. On Gotta Move Out To The Suburbs, CBK gets a great Chicago blues groove going with Mark Haines on drums and Beau Sample on bass. Patterson steps out again with a really stylistically sweet guitar solo for a little extra spice. On Cash Box Boogie Nosek takes front and center on both lead vocal and harp. Barrelhouse Chuck weaves in some cool piano riffs and Paterson again smokes the fretboard. Nosek closes the track with a nice long harp solo with tight support from Smith. Very cool! One of my favorite tracks on this release is a modern cover of the classic JL Hooker, Hobo Blues. Wilson does an excellent job on lead vocals on the track with Paterson on religiously traditional blues guitar riffs. Excellent! On swing track, Baby Without You, Nosek has the mic for lead vocal and harp, joined by upright bass by Sample and Haines on drums. Paterson and Flinn handle the guitar work nicely and Chuck rolls the keys keeping it tight. Very nice! On Latin influenced, Juju, Alex Hall adds a nice claves part giving the track a real spice and Nosek leading on vocal and harp is joined by Chuck, and Paterson making for a really sweet mix. Willie Love's Everybody's Fishin' is hot hot hot. Wilson does some of his best vocal work, Nosek blows the life out of the harp and Paterson really lights up the fretboard. Excellent! Jimmy Rogers' track, Out On The Road, takes the pace down low and Nosek really takes his harp for a traditional ride. Wilson's vocals are spot on and rich and Brad Ber really does a nice job on bass. Sugar Pea is light and springy with Nosek handling the lead vocals. Mark Haines with brushes on drums and Sample on upright bass, Paterson's tasty blues riffs really spring to life. I Miss You Miss Anne is a subtle shuffle with nice guitar chorded riffs. Nosek keeps the vocals simple and Paterson busts loose on guitar with a crisp solo over Barrelhouse chuck on organ and Flynn on rhythm. On I'm A real Lover, Wilson grabs the groove just right and accompanied primarily by Nosek on harp, Flynn on guitar, Sample on upright and Haines on drums, the CBK's keep is simple and effective. Wrapping the release is Quarter To Blue, a super tight slower blues instrumental with Nosek really laying it out there. Paterson and Flynn both contribute some really nice guitar riffs complimented by Sample and Haines. Excellent closer!

  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”

 

Percy Sledge has passed - My thoughts are with his family

Percy Sledge, who soared from part-time singer and hospital orderly to lasting fame with his aching, forlorn performance on the classic "When a Man Loves a Woman," died Tuesday in Louisiana. He was 74. Dr. William "Beau" Clark, coroner for East Baton Rouge Parish, confirmed to The Associated Press that Sledge died early Tuesday morning, about an hour after midnight of natural causes in hospice care. Percy Sledge (born November 25, 1941, Leighton, Alabama) is an American R&B and soul performer who recorded the hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966. Percy Sledge worked in a series of blue-collar jobs in the fields in Leighton, Alabama before taking a job as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. Through the mid 1960s, he toured the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends, while working at the hospital during the week. A former patient and mutual friend of Sledge and record producer Quin Ivy introduced the two. An audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract. Sledge's soulful voice was perfect for the series of soul ballads produced by Ivy and Marlin Greene, which rock critic Dave Marsh called "emotional classics for romantics of all ages." "When a Man Loves a Woman" was Sledge's first song recorded under the contract, and was released in March 1966. The song's inspiration came when Sledge's girlfriend left him for a modeling career after he was laid off from construction job in late 1965. Because bassist Calvin Lewis and organist Andrew Wright helped him with the song, he gave all the songwriting credits to them. It reached #1 in the U.S. and went on to become an international hit. "When A Man Loves A Woman" was a hit twice in the UK, reaching #6 in 1966 and, on reissue, peaked at #2 in 1987. The song was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records. The soul anthem became the cornerstone of Sledge's career, and was followed by "Warm and Tender Love" (Covered by UK songstress Elkie Brooks in 1981), "It Tears Me Up", "Take Time to Know Her" (his second biggest U.S. hit, reaching #11 and written by Steve Davis), "Love Me Tender", and "Cover Me". Sledge charted with "I'll Be Your Everything" and "Sunshine" during the 1970s, and has become an international concert favorite throughout the world, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and on the African continent, and South Africa in particular. Sledge's career enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s once "When a Man Loves a Woman" re-entered the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #2, behind the reissued Ben E King classic "Stand By Me", after being used in a Levi's commercial. In 1994, Saul Davis and Barry Goldberg produced his new album, Blue Night, for Philippe Le Bras' Sky Ranch label and Virgin Records. It featured Bobby Womack, Steve Cropper, and Mick Taylor among others. Blue Night received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album, Vocal or Instrumental, and in 1996 it won the W.C. Handy Award for best soul or blues album. In 2004, Davis and Goldberg also produced the Shining Through the Rain album which led to his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Songs on the CD were written by Mikael Rickfors, Steve Earle, the Bee Gees, Carla Olson, Denny Freeman, Allan Clarke and Jackie Lomax. In the late 1990s, Michael Bolton brought "When A Man Loves A Woman" back into the limelight again on his smash hit album "Time, Love, & Tenderness." In December, 2010, Rhino Handmade issued a 4 CD retrospective "The Atlantic Recordings" which covers all of the issued Atlantic masters, as well as many of the tracks unissued in the US. What makes this limited edition release frustrating is that many of the mono tracks on discs 2, 3 and 4 have previously been issued in stereo (disc 1 comprises Sledge's first two LPs which were not recorded on stereo equipment). In October 2011 Sledge featured on the Cliff Richard album Soulicious, also appearing live on stage in the tour of the same name, reprising his top hit "When A Man Loves A Woman" as well as dueting with Sir Cliff. Sledge was an inaugural Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award honoree in 1989. He won the W.C. Handy Blues Awards in 1996 for best Soul/Blues album of the year with his record Blue Night. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In May 2007, Percy Sledge was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to the state's music. Sledge is also an inductee of the Delta Music Museum in Ferriday, Louisiana. In November 2004, Percy Sledge was inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Hall Of Fame. Among the many notable performances of Sledge's career was a cabaret appearance in 2005 alongside Liverpool's infamous "Steam Packet" at The Pumphouse, Albert Dock. 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 favorite band!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Bad Taste Records aertist: Danko Jones - Fire Music - New release review

I just received the newest release, Fire Music, from Danko Jones and it rips! Opening with red hot rocker, Wild Woman, Jones and his band, Rich Knox (drums) and John Calabrese (bass) crank it out. I've been waiting for a release like this since the Distillers broke up and this one hits the spot. Yes, Brody Dalle did just come out with a new release and it's great but this release has the bite that I needed. A driving rocker with the tightness that you only get from a 2 or 3 piece band is here. Jones has a great voice and with a straight up guitar solo and a really cool drum riff, this track is smokin! High energy The Twisting Knife has a great beat and melody and Jones' driving guitar riffs really set it off. Gonna Be A Fight Tonight, possibly my favorite track on the release, really gets you moving with all of the drive of the best rock. With a take no prisoners attitude, this track has teeth. Jones lays his guitar chops on the line slashing his way through the dust. Excellent! Body Bags is a great driver and one that I shouldn't listen to in my car while I'm driving in traffic (it's made for the open road)! This track is packed with a hard punch and great melodic vocals that are hard to ignore. Excellent! Live Forever slows down a little providing a contrast but still with a great rock beat. I've been listening to this release all day and I have to say it's the best rock of this type I've heard in a long time! Do You Wanna Rock has a totally different type of feel with more of a dance feel and "nervous" vocals. Frenzied cowbell and drumming by Knox gives this track it's edge. Getting Into Drugs is a simple rocker with more directed lyrics. It's likely to be popular for radio play. Watch Your Slide kicks it back into high gear with a real train rumble from Knox matched by blazing guitar work from Jones. A great rocker, this track is hot! I Will Break Your Heart is a clearest radio track on the release. Powerful guitar riffs, a solid melody and a driving beat make this an excellent radio track. Piranha kicks it back into overdrive with great guitar, bass and drum power. Jones leads the way with super vocals and grinding guitar riffs. Again, stay away from your gas pedal. This track breathes fire! Wrapping the release is She Ain't Coming Home, a powerful rocker with great lead and backing vocals. A driving drum beat by Knox pushes this track along and Jones lays out a great melodic guitar solo. This is a great closer for a super release..... ah hell. I'm riding top down tonight!

  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”

 

Friday, April 10, 2015

Forty Below Records artist: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - Live In 1967 - New Release review

I just received the newest release (April 21, 2015) from Forty Below Records, Live in 1967 by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and it's over the top! Secretly recorded on a one channel reel - to - reel recorder the audio is better than marginal but the musical quality more than makes up for it. This recording has never before been available publicly and records what is in my opinion the finest lineup of Mayall's Bluesbreakers ever... Mayall, Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood... yes, that's right... the early beginnings of The Original Fleetwood Mac. Opening with Otis Rush's All Your Love, Green's famous tone is immediately noticeable. This early work by Mayall is credibly noted as the beginning of the acknowledgement by white audiences of blues music in it's newer rock format. This is a great track and finely executed. Brand New Start is a great boogie track with Mayall's vocal/harp leadership. This is a great jam with guitar, harp and keyboard solos. Excellent! Another Rush track, Double Trouble finds Green with his classic riffs. This is so good it hurts. If you love early British blues, this is exceptional. This is where it all comes from! Blues rocker Streamline has a great bass line from McVie and Green steps up with a nicely picked solo. Mayall rolls the organ for a cool solo as well giving the track a balanced feel. On a track made popular by Freddie King, Have You Ever Loved A Woman, Mayall lays out some of his best vocals on the release. As witnessed by many other later runs at this track including Derek and the Dominos (Clapton and Allman), this track is made for stetched out gut gripping guitar solo's and Green doesn't waste a note. This is terrific! Johnny Guitar Watson's Looking Back is a real rocker with Mayall leading the way and Fleetwood pushing hard. Green shows he's not all blues with some great guitar riffs here as well. Another Otis Rush track, So Many Roads, became somewhat of a Mayall classic and this live version only proliferates the legend. Mayall really knows how to squeeze the vocals on this track and Green's blues depth is rattling! Tommy Tucker's Hi Heel Sneakers again is a great track to keep the audience moving and create dynamics from the slower more emotional tracks. Mayall takes a nice organ solo on this track as well. Another Otis Rush track, the ultimate I Can't Quit You Baby (you don't need to look it up, Led Zep recorded it in 68 and released it in 69...this is 1967). Peter Green plays it square and the track retains a lot of Rush's original feel and tension. Listen to those riffs. Excellent! Up next is Freddie King's The Stumble which is always a standard for blues guitar players. Green does a super job of delivering the goods on this extended track and Fleetwood and McVie drive the bottom hard. Very cool! Another King track, Someday After Awhile slows the tempo back down and Mayall belts out the blues. OK, the fidelity isn't great but the expressiveness is unmistakeable. Green steps up again and blows your hair back with grinding guitar riffs that are razor sharp. Excellent! Another Freddie King track, San-Ho-Zay features Green up front and with a run time of over 8 minutes, this track gives Green the chance to explore blues riffs from every angle. Very nice. Wrapping the release is T-Bone Walker's Stormy Monday. One of my all time favorite blues tracks, having been raised on Duane Allman, Green does an excellent job of interpreting this incredible track to it's fullest. (Again before you ask, the Allman's Fillmore was recorded in '71). Mayall has put together an unbelievable set and this band is out of sight. A must have for anyone who loves blues guitar.

 Excellent!!

  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”

 

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Omnivore Recordings: Beale Street Saturday Night - Various Artists

I just received the newest release, Beale Street Saturday Night, from Omnivore Recordings and it is raw and pure. Opening with Walkin' Down Beale Street by Sid Selvidge, the listener hears a blend of soul, jazz, blues and gospel with piano, slide guitar and horns. Fred Ford is up next with Hernando Horn, an exceptional old style blues track featuring exceptionally rich sax work. Grandma Dixie Davis, accompanied by piano is freewheelin and loose. No...this isn't Joe Bonamassa. Sleepy John Estes hits the ground running with Big Fat Mama/Liquor Store. Taking a breather in the track to tell the stories. Prince Gabe has a much more polished vocal presentation and again with story telling dialog. Furry Lewis is easily distinguished on Furry's Blues. A classic with Furry accompanying himself on guitar. Teenie Hodges lays down Rock Me Baby, raw and uncompromised. A more primitive version of the track by Alex with whistling and hammer claps like an old work song is exceptional. Thomas Pinkston tells the story Ben Griffin was killed in the Monarch accompanied by piano. Quite cool. Johnny Woods plays the Frisco Blow, a real authentic train blues on harp. Primitive and excellent! Mud Boy And The Neutrons plays a Dixieland style On The Road Again with every sort of instrument imaginable. Very cool! Thomas Pinkston tells the story of Mr Handy Told Me 50 Years Ago with guitar accompaniment. Unique. Furry Lewis is back with Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird. There is hardly a blues player that is half a story teller like Lewis so this is a particularly cool track. Grandma Dixie Davis wraps the release with Roll On Mississippi. Now I do need to say, I've never heard anyone sing like Grandma Dixie Davis. This is an unusual set of tracks put together by James Luther Dickinson is a cool and historical documentation.
Along with the cd you get 5 pages of liner commentary by Stanley Booth, additional descriptives by Jim Lancaster and a number of wonderful photographs.
  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”

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Cleopatra Records To Release Three Unreleased Live Albums By Blues Rock Legends Canned Heat


Cleopatra Records To Release Three Unreleased Live Albums By Blues Rock Legends Canned Heat
Los Angeles - Cleopatra Records are happy to announce the release of three unreleased live albums by legendary blues rock band Canned Heat! Canned Heat is an American blues/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists. It was launched by two blues enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, who took the name from Tommy Johnson's 1928 “Canned Heat Blues”. After appearances at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals at the end of the 1960s, the band acquired worldwide fame.
Canned Heat with John Lee Hooker - Carnegie Hall 1971 Release date – April 14, 2015
Canned Heat teamed up with blues legend John Lee Hooker for the classic 1971 double album Hooker n' Heat and embarked on a subsequent historic tour together that has been captured here in all its glory!This vintage set shakes and boogies with tons of authentic blues rhythms including the fantastic “Back Door Man” and “Let’s Work Together” as well as the Hooker-led bonus track “Tease Me Baby!” Available on both CD and limited edition green vinyl, and packaged with liner notes by Dave Thompson with a brand new interview by Heat drummer Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra!
1. Framed 2. Let’s Work Together 3. Hey Babe 4. Shake ‘n’ Boogie 5. Back Door Man BONUS TRACK 6. Tease Me Baby

Purchase the digital version on iTunes: http://geni.us/CHandJLHCarnegie71digi

Canned Heat - Stockholm 1973 Release date - May 12, 2015
A very special never before released concert that features the revered post-Alan Wilson Heat line-up including vocalist Bob “The Bear” Hite, guitar Henry “The Sunflower” Vestine, drummer Adolfo “Fito” La Parra, guitarist James Shane, bassist Richard Hite, and keyboardist Ed Beyer!
1. Let’s Work Together 2. On The Road Again 3. Harley Davidson Blues 4. Election Blues 5. So Long Wrong 6. Shake ‘n’ Boogie 7. Goodbye For Now

The third Canned Heat release Illinois Blues 1973 will be released July 7, 2015!
Canned Heat official website: http://www.cannedheatmusic.com/

LARRY CAMPBELL & TERESA WILLIAMS’ DEBUT out June 23 on Red House

LARRY CAMPBELL & TERESA WILLIAMS’ DEBUT
HONED AT LEVON HELM’S MIDNIGHT RAMBLES 
OUT JUNE 23 ON RED HOUSE
 
Listen to "Surrender to Love" at Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1xyRU5a
In-demand guitarist/producer and singer for Dylan, Simon, Lesh, Crow, Harris, Staples, and more
 


On June 23, two of the most in-demand artists in roots music, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, will take center stage with their self-titled debut album on Red House Records. After decades of marriage and seven years working closely with Levon Helm - Campbell as bandleader and producer (winning three Grammys for his work) and wife Williams as singer - their first album together features eight originals and three covers honed at Helm's legendary Midnight Rambles.
 
"It was the most pure musical experience I've ever had," Campbell says of their time with Helm. "It gave me the template for how to make music for the rest of my life: no egos, no agenda, no petty stuff. I got inspired to write more songs for Teresa and me to sing."
 
After Levon’s 2012 passing, they grieved, celebrated his life, and got to work finishing "Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams." They had the tunes, and, with drummer (and ace recording engineer) Justin Guip and Ramble Band member Byron Isaacs on bass, they had an ass-kicking, road-worthy band. Additionally, the lovefest of guests on Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams sweetened the pot considerably: Amy Helm’s voice melding with Larry and Teresa’s on the gorgeous Grateful Dead hymn “Attics Of My Life,” Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne’s rollicking touch on several tracks, and Levon himself appearing on “You’re Running Wild,” a tune made famous by the Louvin Brothers, now given an Orbison touch (originally recorded during Levon’s Dirt Farmer sessions). Finally, it all dovetailed into place.
 
In addition to Helm, Campbell and Williams have played with a Who's Who of Music Icons: Bob Dylan (Rolling Stone called Larry's eight-year tenure "the greatest period of the Never Ending Tour"), Paul Simon, Phil Lesh, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Keith Richards, Cyndi Lauper, Hot Tuna and Mavis Staples. In addition to his Grammy wins with Helm, Campbell has won the Lifetime Achievement Award (2008) and Instrumentalist of the Year Award (2013) from the Americana Music Association.
 
With Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, this duo not only brings a lot to the table, they bring the table itself – plus the house, the still, the church, the marriage bed, the sawdust-covered floor, and abiding, unconditional love, all carried in two voices harmonizing across hills, hollers, porches, and fire escapes. Those close harmonies ride atop music made in a mountain refuge, far from the madding crowd, connected to a spirit that lives on in song.   
 
Campbell and Williams will tour the country this spring and summer, including two New York shows before album release (4/8 at Rockwood and 5/18 at City Winery) and a two-day stand at Phil Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads in San Francisco (6/18-9). See current dates below (more TBA).
 
'Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams' Track Listing:
01. Surrender to Love
02. Bad Luck Charm
03. Another One More Time
04. Down on My Knees
05. You're Running Wild
06. Everybody Loves You
07. Did You Love Me At All
08. Ain't Nobody For Me
09. Midnight Highway
10. Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning
11. Attics of My Life


Tour Dates:
* w/ Phil Lesh
! w/ Hot Tuna
5/09 - Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios (Midnight Ramble)
5/18 - New York, NY @ City Winery
6/06-7 - Hunter, NY @ Mountain Jam Fest
6/12 - Marlboro, NY @ Falcon
6/13 - Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
6/18 - San Rafael, CA @ Terrapin Crossroads *
6/19 - San Rafael, CA @ Terrapin Crossroads
6/26 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena
6/27 - Katonah, NY @ Caramoor Roots Fest
7/10 - Plymouth, NH @ Flying Monkey !
7/11 - Beverly, MA @ Cabot Theater !
7/12 - Truro, MA @ Payomet PAC !

Ironing Board Sam's Return (short documentary)

Long lost soul man Ironing Board Sam is the subject of a 25-minute documentary. Sam's got an incredible story, from playing the TV show Soul Train in 1965 to Jimi Hendrix sitting in with his band around then; from playing Jazz Fest while submerged in a tank of water in 1979 to inventing the keytar (really). The Music Maker Relief Foundation recently found him and he moved to Hillsborough, NC. The former New Orleanian is returning to Jazz Fest this year. It's inspiring, touching, and full of incredible soul music from the '60s to today.

  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”

 
Ironing Board Sam's Return (short documentary) from Tom Ciaburri on Vimeo.

The Blues Rebels- Open Road - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Open Road from the Blues Rebels and it's title is spot on. Blues artists Andy Watts (guitars) and Dov Hammer (vocals/harp), together with Avi Barak on drums and Amos Springer on bass make up the blues rebels. Opening with boogie track, All I Want,the Rebels establish a gritty take no prisoners attitude with a solid bottom, a driving guitar rhythm and solid vocals with Dov and Andy trading hot licks on harp and guitar. Very cool! Before The Jubilee has a real poppy sound with a catchy tune but I particularly like the hot guitar riffs at the end. Driving rocker, Seen The Light, has a steady rhythm and warm harp additions. Devil By My Side is a smokey boogie with a great bass line. Dov maintains the lead throughout with some creative harp riffs. Turn Back The Clock has a R&B feel with another cool bass line from Springer. Vocal harmonies on this track give it a more polished feel that may appeal commercially. What If is slower paced, constructed over the bones of a pop format. Watts takes a nice guitar solo in this track complimented by Hammer on harp. Reason To Live has a bit of western styling with guitar strumming and wind swept harp soloing. Very nice! Don't Want You Back is a nice blues based rocker with a cooker of a groove. Watts and Hammer both take nice stretches on this track. One of my favorite tracks on the release. Ballad, Looking In, opens with a sorrowful harp riff and is followed by smooth vocal harmonies. This track reminds me of Marshall Tucker Band in structure. Watts lays down a cool solo on this track and Hammer carries melody on harp when he breaks from vocals. Boogie track, Secret Smile, really grinds it down and Hammer cooks on harp. Yes he does. Living The Dream has a bright but cocky strut. I Don't Mind has a lighter jazzy feel with vocal harmonies and a catchy sound. This track catches a nice wave reminding me of some of the sounds that Savoy Brown used to get on some of their jams. Very nice! Trying To Get Paid is a jazzy shuffle track. Hammer takes his nicest run on harp on this track with the band keeping a tight track behind him. His vocals are also nicely suited for this style of music. Watts takes a crisp solo on this track as well but overall always remaining contained. Wrapping the release is title track, Open Road, with Matan Ashkenazy on Fender Rhodes piano and Hammer on harp. This is a really clean instrumental ballad with Watts' screaming guitar riffs taking center stage. Excellent completion to an interesting 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”

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Captain Luke Moved Home With Hospice Care

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Captain Luke Moves Back Home With Help From Hospice

 

We learned today that Captain Luke has been moved home for the time being, with the help of home hospice care. This was very important to him as he feels more comfortable in familiar surroundings.
Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers for Captain. He has enjoyed hearing from many of you and knowing that you are thinking of him! If you'd still like to reach out, he would love to hear from you; his home telephone is 336-722-2965.
Captain's prognosis is still the same, and so he has been speaking with his family about his final wishes. Captain has a devoted family, and they want to provide a memorial for their father. However, like so many other families of Music Maker artists, the funeral costs for even the most basic service are out of their reach.  

This is one way Music Maker steps in to help the artists we serve
, and if you would like to assist in our efforts to help with burial expenses for our artists, you can make your donation to Music Maker here.
 

Shouting From the Rocky Mountains - The Wendy Woo Band - Tipping Point CD out May 9


Shouting From the Rocky Mountains
The Wendy Woo Band Reaches a Tipping Point
New Release Out On May 9th

“…her vocals exude a sensuality that's unexpectedly subtle.”  - Michael Roberts, Westword
Atlanta, GA – Woo Music recording artists, The Wendy Woo Band, gets set to take their unique blend of rock, folk and Americana to the national stage with Tipping Point, on May 9th. The popular Colorado quintet, which consists of the ever charismatic Wendy Woo (lead singer/guitar), Robin Hoch (viola, guitar, vocals), Chris Maestas (drums/vocals), Mitch DeZwarte (keyboards) and Steve Cox (Bass). They are looking to take their regional success nationwide and Tipping Point appears to be just the vehicle to cross over state lines.

Tipping Point, recorded at Colorado Sound in Westminster, Colorado by the legendary Jim Gaines. Gaines’ resume, which includes Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana, Huey Lewis and countless others made a warm, relaxing atmosphere for Wendy and the band to create and put forth their best effort.

Wendy’s alto voice along with her unique phrasing has often brought comparisons to Natalie Merchant with attitude. What separates the Wendy Woo band, however, is when Robin Hoch steps up to blend her voice with Wendy’s. The two have a tight, intuitive sound that is rarely found outside of families. The results are surreal. “I was in awe and captivated by her sultry voice and beauty” Wendy states in an interview with axs.com, Denver (2015).

“Down the Backbone Road.   Down the Backbone Road.
You can lose yourself, down the Backbone Road.” – Backbone Road

The songs on Tipping Point are perhaps the album’s strength. The band shows more depth than the average “boy meets, girl/boy loses girl” subject matter. Wendy and the band choose to explore not only love but other subject matters which everyone can relate to. Songs like, “In the Middle,” speaks of human reconciliation while, “Today” reminds us to take in the good times and enjoy them while they are happening.

Wendy, the daughter of bohemian parents who were founding faculty members at Naropa University, was exposed to the unexpected in life. Growing up, the family home would be a social center with such visitors as Allen Ginsberg, Merry Prankster, Ken Kesey and Norman Mailor. In the past, Wendy has thanked her unconventional upbringing with the song, "One Way Ticket," (unreleased live show favorite) which mentions growing up as a "beatnik's kid," and Gregory Corso teaching her how to play poker. Woo and her father also did an album of music and poetry together titled, Ecolalia, which was named by both the Denver Post and Westword as one of the top 10 Colorado albums of 2001.
“Sometimes we change
And we meet back in the middle” – In The Middle

While Woo grew up singing, she didn't start playing the guitar until she was 18 and wanted to accompany herself. Soon after learning her way around the guitar, she began writing songs and performing in songwriting circles. She attended at both University of New Mexico and University of Colorado, where she studied various musical genres, theory and composition.

As Woo’s prowess grew she developed a technique she calls “Slaptap.” "Slaptap" is performed by using the guitar as a percussion instrument. She hits and slaps at various point of the acoustic guitar creating a performance art piece. The fluid movement between her hands and body keep the viewer focused throughout the song. You can watch her here by clicking on the photo.
"Wendy Woo is a one-woman musical machine. ... The guitarist's music is chock full of varying styles, ranging from ballads to Latin beats and rock 'n' roll … “ - Jen Mulson, Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph
Early on her musical journey, Woo took a job at the Fox Theater. This is where her ambitions started to take off and she began playing more frequently. She won the Colorado Lilith Fair Talent Search in 1999, which let her share the stage with an elite lineup that included Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin and Sheryl Crow. She also toured nationally during this time, which helped her gain a larger following. Meanwhile, her accolades from the Colorado media grew exponentially, and the alternative weekly, Westword, put her in their Hall Of Fame.
Wendy has recorded more than 100 original songs, played over 200 dates a year and operating her own musical empire called WooMusic. But Wendy and her band find gratification in the personal relationships that have with past and present members creating a sense of family. Sacrificing their personal lives to be a part of something bigger they have all stayed in close contact with Woo, giving her a sense of comradery that can’t be replaced.

BEJEB Music artist: Deb Ryder - Let It Rain - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (April 21, 2015), Let It Rain, from Deb Ryder and it swings. Opening with That's Just How It Is, Ryder comes out hot and heavy with powerful backing from Kirk Fletcher, Ric Ryder on bass, Mike Finnigan on B3 and Tony Braunagel on drums. Fletcher really hits the groove and Finnigan lays it flat out. On Latin/shuffle track Can't Go Back Again, Braunagel sets a mean line and Johnny Lee Schell joins Fletcher on guitar with Lee Thornburg on Trumpet and Lon Price on sax. Very nice! On You Won't Be True Thornburg and Price give the track a much heavier swing and Schell and Fletcher lays down some really hot riffs. I really like Ryders vocal work on this release. Excellent! On the smokey, Guilty As Sin, Ryder guides her listeners down a dark slinky alley. Finnigan's B3 punctuation is particularly effective, Kim Wilson tips in some warm harp work on this track and Fletcher steps up with a few real nice R&B style blues guitars solo as well. Very smooth! Cry Another Tear has a spiritual undertone with Finnegan leading the way on both piano and B3. With a hand clapping revival feel, Ryder shows she has it all joined by Johnny Lee Schell and Finnigan on backing vocals. Fletcher steps up with a flight fingered country style solo on guitar which I would have sworn was Albert Lee. Very nice! Ryder's solid bass work drives the train on Hold Your Lamp High with rich horn work from Thornburg and Price. Finnegan creates the tension on B3 but it's the super lead vocals by Ryder that shines brightest on this track. Thornburg takes a cool muted trumpet solo on this track giving it a quiet jazz sound for a bridge but Ryder drags it back into the soul arena with her gritty voice. On boogie stack, Money Monsoon, Fletcher again shows his fast finger work and Finnegan, Thornburg and Price push it over the top. Excellent! On quiet ballad, Kiss and Dream, the entire band softens it back with James Hutchinson on double bass and Finnegan on piano accompanied by Braunagel on brushes. Ryder shows the clarity of her vocals and Price lays out a really nice sax solo. Title track, Let It Rain has a R&B feel and Fletcher steps up and delivers Robert Cray style. Kim Wilson blends his harp work in nicely with finesse and control. This is really an ideal radio track with a catchy melody, simple but tight instrumentals and of course the super vocal work of Ryder. David Fraser joins on accordion for New Orleans flavored Ma Misere and Albert Lee takes the lead guitar role bouncing off of the super piano work of Finnigan. Wrapping the release is a stripped down bluesy track, Round and Around with Ryder on vocal, Wilson on harp, Schell on guitar and backing vocals. Nice wind down from a really pretty hot 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”

 

Monday, April 6, 2015

Chris Cain Relief Fund

Friends and fans, thank you, thank you, thank you....for all your generous contributions to Chris Cain. Dave and I are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support this site has generated from friends and fans all over the country. I hope to print out a complete list of all the donors for Chris to see, along with all your kind words of encouragement and appreciation for the amazing man that Chris is. Thank you to those of you who have shared this to others as well. Please keep the love coming. -Tracy Pain Subscribe to Updates A message from Dave Mathews (bandmate and longtime close friend of Chris Cain): Due to some recent sudden personal changes in his life, Chris Cain has fallen on hard times. All of his fans need to know that as great a musician and as wonderful a person as Chris is, he struggles to make ends meet in day to day life and needs all of your support right now. In spite of his tremendous talent, Chris never has a lot of money. It's difficult for him to travel (he doesn't drive), he can't get enough gigs to pay his bills, and he struggles to keep the business end of things together. And, to top it off, Chris is now faced with the financial challenge of moving after being in the same place for years. That's just not his way; he's about MUSIC. Chris is a genius on many levels besides music, incredibly funny, witty, an incredible mimic of some of our most beloved celebrities from the 60's thru today, well read, very observant of humanity in general, and loyal to ALL of his many fans. I'm a friend, but I've also always been a fan, since the first time I heard him play, in about 1981 (although I didn't get to play with him until about '87). I love Chris like a brother, and try to play with him whenever I can. Myself, along with Chris' longtime friends, Louis and Tracy Pain, set this site up so his many fans can give back what he's given to us all these years. Our goal is to get Chris some funds needed to give him a fresh start as he goes through a difficult phase in his life. Please donate what you can. Every dollar helps. If you are unable to donate, you can also help Chris in other ways. PLEASE come out and support him whenever you can. Buy his CDs, hire him for a private party, whatever you can do for this amazing artist and human being...let's raise the roof for Chris! All the more reason to try and help our very gifted friend sooner than later..... Thank you, David K Mathews

 

Fat Possum Records artist: Jimbo Mathus - Blue Healer - New Release review

I just received the newest release (April 21, 2015), Blue Healer, from Jimbo Mathus and it's rowdy! Opening with pouncing rocker, Shoot Out The Lights, Mathus has the band in high hear right out of the gate. Joined by Ryan Rogers, Eric Carlton, Stu Cole, Bronson Tew, Kell Kellum, Eric Amble, Barrett Martin and Gig and Sunny Stuckey, Mathus blends rock, psychedelics and country for a hot rocker. Mama Please quiets down a bit with a tex mex kind of flavor with keys, accordion, vocal harmonies and simple country guitar riffs. Title track, Blue Healer, has an intoxicating feel with really cool guitar effects. A simple melody and dynamic vocals make this a strong selection for the title track. Excellent! Sometimes I Get Worried has strong bones, supported by strumming guitar rhythm and sliding guitar soloing. Backing vocals and Mathus own vocal lead make this a good radio choice. Ready To Run is a straight up rocker with a nod to Bruce Springsteen. With a driving rhythm and a natural anthem, this is a track that will likely garner broad attention. Ballad, Thank You, is particularly sensitive and primarily acoustic with only necessary instrumental appointments. Very nice! Coyote is a really cool track with a strong dose of western styling. Shimmery guitar tones and Mathus honest vocals make this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Bootheel Witch is a gritty rocker with a bit of David Bowie at his cockiest. With guitar riffs sounding more like Joey Santiago, this track transcends many eras but still sounds like Jimbo Mathus. Excellent! Old Earl has the sounds of a european/country track. What I mean by that is country music with strong roots in europe being more like a folk tune. A cool story, something that Mathus is in my mind best known for, with that country twist and light country styling gives this track a certain bite. Waiting On The Other Shoe To Fall is a driving country rocker with raucous vocals and a British flavor. Save It For The Highway is a solid rocker with just a dip of country. Stripped down and high on energy, this one is bound to be another crowd favorite. Mathus has so many musical influences, it all comes out as one natural blend with seamless integration of all sounds music. Wrapping the release is R&B track Love and Affection. Opening with a spiritual style piano riff, it quickly turns into a cool New Orleans style piano blues. Mathus leads the way joined by nicely blended backing vocals and a tight little guitar solo. Excellent piano riffs throughout and overall super styling makes this an excellent closer for another wild adventure from Mathus.

  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”
Sorry but so early that I can't find a suitable video. Here's Jimbo playing a cool boogie:


Friday, April 3, 2015

JOHNNY CASH RE-ISSUE / American Recordings Boxset (6 LP)

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN RECORDINGS OF JOHNNY CASH

 
USM are proud to present the Johnny Cash American Recordings LP boxed set, a classic black box housing all studio albums released between 1994 and 2010 on 180gm vinyl.

American Recordings is the 81st album by the country singer Johnny Cash after he was approached by producer Rick Rubin and offered a contract with Rubin's American Recordings label, better known for rap and heavy metal than for country music. Under Rubin's supervision, he recorded the album in his living room, accompanied only by his guitar.  His successful collaboration with Rick Rubin was in part due to Rubin seeking a minimalist sound for his songs. The album was hailed by critics and many declared it to be Cash's finest album since the late 1960s, while his versions of songs by more modern artists such as Tom Waits and Glenn Danzig helped to bring him a new audience.

American Recordings received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album of the Year at the 1994 Grammy Awards.  In 2003, the album was ranked number 364 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Unchained is the second album in Johnny Cash's American Recording series and contains songs by Tom Petty ("Southern Accents"), Soundgarden ("Rusty Cage") and Beck ("Rowboat"). Unchained received a Grammy for Best Country Album and Cash was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his version of “Rusty Cage”. American III: Solitary Man was notable for being Cash's highest charting solo studio LP since his 1976 One Piece at a Time. Between Unchained and Solitary Man, Cash's health declined due to various ailments, and he was even hospitalised for pneumonia.

American IV: The Man Comes Around is the fourth album in the American series by Johnny Cash and his 87th overall, released in 2002.  This is the last album released before his death in 2003.  The majority of songs are covers which Cash performs in his own sparse style, with help from producer Rick Rubin. For the song "Personal Jesus", Rubin asked then-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante to re-work an acoustic version, which featured a simple acoustic riff that stripped down the song to a blues style.

American V: A Hundred Highways is the 93rd overall album and a posthumous title by Johnny Cash released on July 4, 2006.  The liner notes of “Unearthed”, a box set composed of outtakes from the first four entries into the series, claim "around 50" songs were recorded during the American V sessions before Cash's death on September 12, 2003.  However, only two albums worth of material were released, including American VI: Ain't No Grave, which was released in February 2010

Israel's Blues-Rock King, Lazer Lloyd, delivers a hot, new, self-titled album due June 9th in North America and kicks off his 2015 tour at the House of Blues in Chicago on April 20th

Israel’s Blues-Rock King, Lazer Lloyd, delivers a hot, new, self-titled album due June 9th in North America and kicks off his 2015 tour at the House of Blues in Chicago on April 20th


Lazer’s signature deep lyrical writing and vocals combined with his virtuoso guitar work takes listeners from the depths of mind-searing pain to the highest pleasures of love, hope, and healing

CHICAGO, IL – Israeli blues-rock singer/songwriter and guitaris­­­­t Lazer Lloyd announces a self-titled album of all new electric and acoustic material to be released on CD and vinyl in the USA on June 9th.  The Lazer Lloyd album, releasing on the Chicago-based LL Records label, is packed with 11 new original songs and a cover of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay.” It follows on the critical success of his 2013 stripped-down acoustic solo album, Lost on the Highway (on U.S. label Blues Leaf Records) and his 2012 electric CD, My Own Blues (on Helicon, chosen by the Israeli Blues Society’s for best 2012 blues album). The new album was written and recorded in two Tel Aviv studios (Sonic and Papa) during a period of intense songwriting throughout 2014.  Lazer gives voice to his experiences shuttling between a demanding touring schedule on the stages of Israel, as well as in Russia and North America – often playing live knowing his wife and five children were sitting in a bomb shelter back home. 
The cover art for the album was done by Markus Greiner, a brilliant Chicago-based artist who designed the DVD release cover for the 2015 Oscar-winning film, Ida, as well as many album covers for Bloodshot Records, and other musicians such as Graham Parker, among others.
Highlights of Lazer Lloyd's upcoming Spring and Summer 2015 tour include: House of Blues (Chicago) on April 20 and May 19 (as part of the Israeli Jazz & World Music Festival); Steve’s Live Music (Atlanta) on April 30; Waterfront Blues Fest (Portland, OR) on July 5; Hayward Russell City Blues Festival (San Francisco Bay Area) on July 12 (afternoon); Biscuits & Blues (San Francisco) on July 12 (evening); The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI) on August 3; and Bayfront Blues Festival (Duluth, MN) on August 7. For a complete listing of tour events, visit his website. On his 2015 North American tour, Lazer will perform his new material backed up in the Midwest by notable blues veterans Johnny B. Gayden (Albert Collins and Johnny Winter) on bass, and in the West by Ron Perry (John Lee Hooker) on bass, with drums by Kenny Coleman of the Chicago Blues Kings and previously Koko Taylor and Sugar Blue, among others.

On the new CD, Lazer Lloyd takes his signature songwriting to another level with guts and groove that won’t quit, and is certain to become a favorite with global blues and blues-rock audiences.  During the recording sessions, Lazer was joined by his regular Israeli bass player, Moshe Davidson, and studio pros Kfir Tsairi on keyboards and Elimelech Grundman on drums.

Lazer’s music is influenced by blues, gospel, southern rock and the great guitar traditions of power and groove from Jimi Hendrix to Wes Montgomery.  Known by many as Israel's King of the Blues, he cites B.B. King as one of his biggest inspirations in music and in life. He also draws on the blues work of Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Son House, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Albert Collins, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter and Santana.

“This is the first record I ever made where I successfully recorded in the studio things better than I can do live,” Lazer says, “and I really am happy finally with how things came out. Hopefully, I can help release some pain from someone's heart and make them feel good. I think blues in all its forms continues to generate a devoted following because it's real; it's about everyone's life story and it heals." 
He also used a wide array of guitars to get specific sounds he wanted in each of the songs. “All of my guitars are always messed up because I'm always looking for a unique sound somewhere between a Gibson 335, a Fender Telecaster and a Stratocaster, so I usually have homemade stuff that I've changed the pick-ups on at least 100 times and I'm still not happy,” he recalls.

Lazer offered up some comments on the origins of several of the tracks on Lazer Lloyd. “On ‘Burning Thunder’ - this is a song about the raw energy of both the Godly and Animal soul driving a person in opposite directions.”

“Suffering” - “The life on the road and becoming a successful performer tears you in 1000 directions and it's no secret that there are dark times when a person feels alone and enslaved.”

“Rocking in the Holy Land” - “There were many places that I had a chance to break my career from and places that the record company thought I should break it from. But Man makes plans and God laughs - from a strange twist of meeting a homeless man in New York City’s Central Park, I played a concert with a hippie rabbi, who convinced me to play with him in Israel to check it out and I fell in love, so I'm there more than 20 years.”

“Love Yourself” - “This song is expressing the reality of the ultimate oneness of the world and to internalize the fact that if you hurt someone else or - God forbid - kill someone else, you are hurting or killing yourself. My original concept for the song was for so-called religious terrorists.”

“Time to Love” - “Everybody has their own blues and everybody has different levels of blues: their personal blues, blues for their loved ones, blues for their friends, blues for the country and then you have the big picture blues for the world.”

Born Lloyd Paul Blumen in New York, Lazer moved at a young age to Connecticut with his parents.  Eliezer Pinchas Blumen is his Hebrew name.  Lazer is short for Eliezer and Lazer Lloyd is a combination of his Hebrew and English names. Growing up in Connecticut, at age 15, Lazer was already playing in night clubs along the Connecticut shoreline. At 18, Lazer went to Skidmore College to study music under Milt Hinton (bass player for Louis Armstrong), Randy Brecker (Blood, Sweat and Tears), and Gene Bertoncini.

After college, an A&R executive at Atlantic Records organized a showcase for Lazer in Manhattan with plans to send him to Nashville to work with producer Garry Tallent (of Springsteen’s E-Street Band fame).  One night in New York, Lazer played a gig with the legendary singing Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach, who invited Lazer to play with him in Israel and he quickly decided to take his music to the Middle East in 1994.  Once in Israel, Lazer joined Reva L’Sheva as their lead guitar player.  With few blues fans in his new home country, Lazer became a trailblazer, as he wrote and performed his own blues tunes mixed with the classics and built an audience for the blues in a country where it was an exotic delight. 
In 2014 and 2015, Lazer brought his blues act to the USA to rave reviews, featuring great musicians such as bassists Johnny B. Gayden and Ron Perry, drummer Kenny Coleman, and for  Canadian dates his band featured blues all-stars Gary Kendall and Mike Fitzpatrick from JUNO award-winning band, Downchild. 

Lazer has successfully crossed over into the Israeli mainstream music scene, and has been featured playing live on some of Israeli TV and radio’s most popular programs. As one radio host said, “From the moment the sounds of his blues guitar reached the air, it was completely clear that this is an international-level guitarist. His shows are worth every minute. He’s one of the great musicians.”

Reviews of his previous albums have been total raves. “I have been listening to the blues for most of my life and had never run into a blues record from Israel before, but this first one is setting the bar high. His guitar playing alone is worth the price of admission, and when you add in his vocals and strong songwriting skills, this disc is a winner,” wrote Blues Blast Magazine in its review.