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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, July 19, 2017

Mudslide Records artists: Delta Wires - Born In Oakland - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Born In Oakland, from Delta Wires and they are wielding some mighty horns. Opening with Sunny Day with it's jazzy rock sound, Ernie Pinata is up front on lead vocal. Tom Gerrits funks up the bass against Tony Huszar who really knows how to use the kick pedal. Gerry Jonutz on alto, tenor and bari sax, David Bowman on trombone and John Christensen on trumpet are over the top with Richard Healy with his funky guitar riffs. Driving blues rocker, Vacation, has a super bass line and cool horns but when Pinata breaks loose on the harp, this track flies. My favorite track on the release is instrumental, In The Middle, with a super trombone solo from Bowman followed by hot solos by Christensen, Jonutz and Pinata. Hot! Wrapping the release is All I Have To Give, another jazzy pop rocker with punchy horns, a blistering solo by Pinata and a wicked guitar solo by Healy and a ripping sax solo by Jonutz. This release is a lot of fun if you like the horns... and who doesn't.


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Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Slide Guitar Master Dennis Johnson Set to Release New "Rhythmland" CD September 15 on Root Tone Records




Slide Guitar Master Dennis Johnson Set to Release New Rhythmland CD September 15 on Root Tone Records

SACRAMENTO, CA – San Francisco Bay Area-based slide guitar master Dennis Johnson announces a September 15 release date for Rhythmland, his latest CD on the Root Tone Records label. Johnson plans to release his first single off the new disc, “Timbale” to iTunes on August 1, and will celebrate the new album with a special CD release party show on September 15 at the Guild Theater in Sacramento. Listen to “Timbale”  :Here 



Rhythmland was produced by Dennis Johnson and Craig Long and recorded at Paradise Studios in Sacramento. On the CD, Dennis Johnson (guitar, vocals) is backed by his band, dubbed The Mississippi Ramblers: Tim Metz – drums; Jonathan Stoyanoff – bass; and Craig Long - keyboards, background vocals. Johnson also wrote nine of the album’s ten songs and spins a unique take on the classic, “Walkin’ Blues.”

Rhythmland explores Americana, roots, blues, Latin, rock and folk rhythms with standout improvisational sections. “I wanted to make a diverse album with great rhythms, lyrics and improvisation,” says Dennis. “The rhythms on the record really pull the listener in. That’s one reason we called the record Rhythmland.” 
                                               
Inspiring lyrics and vocals are spotlighted on songs like “Faith” and “That Way No More.” Adds Dennis: “I am really happy with the lyrics on this record. The lyrics are based on life experiences and delve into important guiding principles to help you get through the ups and downs of life. These are lessons I have lived. The songs on the album tell some great stories.” 

Rhythmland also features several innovative slide guitar techniques. “I came up with techniques like halftime rhythmic slides and artificial harmonic slides that you hear on the Latin cascara song, ‘Timbale,’” he explains. “I have learned to think rhythm first, and it takes slide guitar to a whole new level. It’s not about how many notes you play, but what you do with the notes you choose. I want to support the rhythms of the song.” 

In the studio, Johnson worked with co-producer Craig Long to find unique guitar tones that fit with the songs and other instruments. “There are some great guitar tones on the record,” he proclaims. The 12-string dobro just sings on the band's version of “Walkin’ Blues;” Dennis' 1961 Martin New Yorker demonstrates a beautiful acoustic resonance on the jazz-flavored “My Love Is Here for You” and just rips on the barrelhouse “High Heel Shoes.” 
“He well deserves the name of master slide guitarist.” – RootsTime Magazine
              
San Francisco native Dennis Johnson is one of the hardest working musicians with a deep passion for preserving and innovating roots music. He is one of roots music's best kept secrets.
Johnson realized at a young age that music was his calling. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he heard the music of Chuck Berry and it struck a chord with him. As a teenager, he taught himself the guitar and discovered his passion for slide guitar. He discovered the music of Robert Johnson, (Bay Area favorites) Roy Rogers and Norton Buffalo and was hooked. Dennis recalled “seeing Roy play the first time really blew me away; he’s a huge influence on my music.”
The iconic Robert Johnson's approach to guitar was the blueprint for Dennis’ evolution as a guitarist. “Robert‘s guitar playing sounded like two guitars,” Dennis explains. “It’s a blend of rhythm and slide phrases that sound like two guitarists are playing when it’s really one. I approach guitar in much the same way.”
The road to becoming a professional musician was paved when Dennis met Delta blues legend David “Honeyboy” Edwards. “I was at a personal crossroads in deciding whether to be a musician. Honeyboy told me, ‘If you like to play the blues, play the blues!’ The eloquence of that statement was in its simplicity. When I shook Honeyboy's hand I felt an energy there. This was a profound moment in my life. It was fate.”
Honeyboy's advice turned out to be a risk that paid off. In 2010, Dennis Johnson released his first album, Slide Show, to critical acclaim. Slide Show rose to the Top 50 blues CDs worldwide and No. 21 on the California Roots Radio Charts.
In Slide Avenue, Johnson pushed the boundaries of slide guitar with amazing instrumental conversations between slide guitar and saxophone, fiddle, piano, B3 organ, Wurlitzer and more. The album seamlessly blended swing, blues, New Orleans, rock, roots and folk music. The radio charts, reviews and audience response proved the results were stellar. Slide Avenue rose to the top of the Roots Music Report radio charts.

Rhythmland happened because I spent a lot of time exploring rhythms. Once the grooves were found, the lyrics came easily. I was fortunate to collaborate with two accomplished musicians, drummer Tim Metz and bassist Jonathan Stoyanoff, on arranging some of the tunes.  The result is an album I feel is our best material to date.”

Lost Bayou Ramblers releasing new album of perversely progressive Cajun traditional music

Lost Bayou Ramblers' evolution as a perversely progressive band rooted in Cajun traditions continues to excite, challenge, and redefine both genre expectations as well as cultural preconceptions. Produced by Korey Richey (LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire) their latest studio album, Kalenda, is set for release on September 26 on Rice Pump Records.

Their Jack White-produced performance in the 2017 documentary series and record release American Epic helped solidify Lost Bayou Ramblers' reputation as one of the world's finest traditional Cajun outfits, if one of the least orthodox. With eight albums, a Grammy nomination, contributions to the score of the Oscar-nominated Beasts Of The Southern Wild, and touring with both Arcade Fire and the Violent Femmes, Lost Bayou continues to swing wide from their Louisiana home base.

Lost Bayou Ramblers' new album celebrates the complex history and cultural diversity of "Kalenda" - a Caribbean dance, a Louisiana rhythm, a Cajun rock'n'roll song, and eventually a woman's name - that crossed both the black-white and Creole-Cajun divides in so many forms. The Ramblers channel those suggestive rhythms associated with the dance as producer Korey Richey masterfully incorporates new hues from his sonic palate into their arrangements. Once again, the band stands at the crosscurrents of Louisiana culture by inhabiting the gray area between Cajun and Creole, convention and innovation. Their Kalenda is at once a mystery and a revelation.

This amazing line-up of musicians led by brothers Louis Michot (fiddle and lead vocals) and Andre Michot (accordion and lapsteel), include Bryan Webre (electric bass), Johnny Campos (electric guitar), Eric Heigle (electronics and acoustic guitar), and Kirkland Middleton (drums). The ensemble brings the cumulative experience of 17 years of touring, recording, and collaborating to bear on Kalenda's creation with intoxicating results.

Lost Bayou Ramblers was formed in 1999 by brothers Andre and Louis Michot, performing the roots Cajun music they learned as members of Les Frères Michot, the family band their father and uncles formed in the 80's. The brothers quickly began playing clubs and festivals around Louisiana, and taking the traditional music they were raised with to new levels of rhythmic energy and spontaneity, producing the punk and psychedelic labels given to the band by reviews over the years.

In 2012, with five albums under their belt, including a Grammy nomination for their 2007 release Live a la Blue Moon, the band released its most progressive and sonically experimental record to date, Mammoth Waltz. With the stylings of producer Korey Richey and the help of guest artists Gordon Gano, Scarlett Johansson, and Dr. John, Mammoth Waltz was named #2 in the "Top 21 Louisiana albums of the 21st Century" by the  Times Picayune, and acted as an invitation for all music lovers to tune in to the hypnotic Cajun rhythms Lost Bayou Ramblers have been known for since their inception in 1999.

Lost Bayou Ramblers' contribution to the score of Beasts of the Southern Wild in 2012 brought them further renown worldwide, and continuing performances with Wordless Music Orchestra and score composers Benh Zeiltin and Dan Romer.

2014 brought LBR the support slot on Arcade Fire's REFLEKTOR tour. In addition, they made a live appearance on NPR's World Café. The program rated LBR's performance #1 on "David Dye's five favorite live music moments in and out of the World Café studio."  They also released Gasa Gasa Live, recorded at New Orleans' Uptown experimental music venue, one of four shows they played that day in the Crescent City.

Lost Bayou Ramblers have continually integrated new sonic elements to their live performances, always experimenting and growing the show to what it's become today, an eclectic mix of modern sounds and rhythms with ancient Cajun melodies and lyrics and that's reflected in the ambitious aesthetic reach of Kalenda. They will be premiering the repertoire from Kalenda live at a string of concert dates around the country, ranging from Seattle to Brooklyn to New Orleans, and all points in between.

www.lostbayouramblers.com


Reuben Records artist: Amy Black - Memphis - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Memphis, from Amy Black and it's old school. Opening with It's Hard To Love An Angry Man, Black shows her serious nature backed by Al Gamble on Hammond, Leroy Flick Hodges on bass, George Sluppick on drums, and really nice guitar work by Joe Restivo. Mark Franklin on trumpet, Kirk Smothers on tenor sax, Art Edmaiston on bari sax really adds to the warmth and Reba Russell, Daunielle Hill and Black contribute super backing vocals. Out for a rumble on The Blackest Cloud Edmaiston's sax work really sets the track off and the horn section really adds punch. Ballad, Without You is a full taste of the reason this release is called Memphis (from my perspective) with upfront female vocals and solid horns. One of top radio tracks on the release, If I Could Reach Out (and Help Somebody) is a super smooth with R&B bones and strings (Jessie Munson on violin, Yennifer Correia on violin, Jennifer Puckett on viola and Jonathan Kirkscey on cello. I particularly like Black's lead vocals on Let The Light with a airy darkness and rich backing vocals, Rev Charles Hodges on Hammond and a bluesy guitar solo by Restivo. High steppin' What Makes A Man has that cool Al Green strut. Franklin's trumpet highlights and that super bari sax by Edmaiston really sets the track off. Sassy, Further On Up The Road, with terrific vocals by Black, top notch key work from Hodges, really punchy horn work and excellent guitar work from Restivo. Wrapping the release is classic blues track, I Need Your Love So Bad. Excellent lead vocals are the key with super Hammond work from Hodges and hot bluesy chops from Bobby Manuel on guitar making this a strong closer for a cool release.


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Monday, July 17, 2017

M.C. Records artist: The Sherman Holmes Project - The Richmond Sessions - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (July 21, 2017), The Richmond Sessions, by The Sherman Holmes Project and it's quite good. This is Sherman's first recordings since the death of his partners in music, Wendell Holmes and Popsy Dixon in 2015 and it has new breath. Opening with the traditional, Rock Of Ages, Holmes is joined by Rob Ickes on dobro, Jared Pool on mandolin, Sammy Shelor on banjo Jacob Eller on bass, and David Van Deventer on fiddle for a cool bluegrass track. Continuing in the rural vein, Vince Gill's Lisa Jane is up next showing a blend of soul and country. Balancing his own vocals with a jazzy electric guitar riff, dobro riffs and fiddle riffs this track keeps it cool. On Holland/ Dozier team's Don't Do It, Holmes uses somewhat of The Band's arrangement with it's cool rural funk. Stuart Hamlin's addition on piano on this track is super and the Snappy drumming of Clarence Walters really highlights the super backing vocals by Almeta Ingram-Miller, Cheryl Maroney and Ann Cunningham. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release, I Want Jesus, really embraces the vitality of Holmes vocals with super backing vocals by Ingram-Miller, Maroney and Cunningham and the smooth dobro work of Ickes. Never thought of the blend of bluegrass and blues on Breaking Up Somebody's Home but here it is and it works. With mandolin, banjo and fiddle solos, there's no denying it's rural heritage. In a duet with Joan Osborne, Holmes lays out the classic Dark End Of The Street and a cool guitar solo by Pool is carried by DJ Harrison on B3. Traditional track, Wide River is another of my favorites with the strong lead by Holmes and beautiful backing by Ingram-Miller, Maroney and Cunningham with Hamlin on piano. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Ben Harper's Homeless Child. Holmes, Cunningham and Maroney really blend nicely with Jon Lohman on harp, Walters on drums, Shelor on banjo, Pool on Mandolin Van Deventer on fiddle and Ickes on dobro. Solid closer for a real cool release. 

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Friday, July 14, 2017

Holmes Bros., Sherman Holmes, Streets July 21!

Sherman Holmes of The Holmes Brothers 1st Solo Record
The Richmond Sessions Streets July 21

Special Guests Include Joan Osborne, Rob Ickes & Sammy Shelor
World Cafe, Mountain Stage, Music City Roots & Song Of The Mountain Booked
Northport N.Y. - On July 21, Sherman Holmes will release his first solo recording in his 50+ year career. The Richmond Sessions by The Sherman Holmes Project carries on the spirit of the Holmes Brothers by re-imagining songs and making them their own. The record will be released by M.C. Records and maintains a bluesgrass/gospel vibe throughout that surprises and delights.

A couple of weeks ago Sherman taped a World Cafe session and this Sunday he'll be performing on Mountain Stage! You can watch him live at 7PM ET,  http://www.mountainstage.org/. Next month he heads to Nashville to record a Music City Roots session and in September a visit to the television program Songs of the Mountain. More here, https://songofthemountains.org/

If you would like to listen to The Richmond Sessions you can via Airplay Direct, click the image.

The project is flawlessly rendered, The spirit of the Holmes Brothers lives on! - Elmore Magazine

A one of a kind record that’s just going to blow your mind, killer stuff throughout! - Midwest Record

Sherman Holmes' voice contains a lifetime of soul.  We are so lucky we still have him with us! - Joan Osborne

Sherman Holmes’ solo debut The Richmond Sessions can’t help being a milestone: It’s the esteemed singer and bassist’s first recording since the passing of his brother and musical partners, Wendell Holmes and Popsy Dixon, both in 2015. But his solo debut, dedicated to the memories of Wendell and Popsy, is no somber affair. The blend of bluegrass, gritty rock & roll and joyful gospel will be familiar from Holmes Brothers days. And with some of his strongest vocals on record, the album shows Sherman is still an artist in his prime. Long time friend, Joan Osborne, duets with Holmes on the Dan Penn classic, “Dark End of the Street.” Other songs include The Band's "Don't Do It," Credence's "Green River" and Ben Harper's "Homeless Child."
Click The Photo to Watch A 5 Minute Video Bio Of The Richmond Sessions

Photo: Pat Jarrett/Virginia Humanities 

“Sounds pretty good for a 77-year-old, doesn’t it?” Holmes laughs. “I was overjoyed to do this, because I didn’t know how I was going to restart my career. We chose a good collection of songs that we wanted to do—We got some gospel in there, and some bluegrass. It’s a good mix of the Americana music, as I like to call it.”
Produced by Jon Lohman, Virginia State Folklorist and Director of the Virginia Folklife Program at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, The Richmond Sessions draws from Holmes’ longstanding Virginia roots. Lohman made the new album a Virginia-style family affair, bringing in guests like the Ingramettes—Richmond’s “first family of gospel” of 50 years standing—and instrumentalists like dobro master Rob Ickes, twice nominated for Grammy Awards; and Sammy Shelor, multi-time IBMA banjoist of the year.
Look for Sherman to hit the road for his first tour as a solo artist. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there,” he says. “That’s my life, man.”
Sherman Holmes Project Tour Dates
July 13 - Summer Arts Festival, Huntington NY
July 16 - Mountain Stage Taping, Charleston WV
August 2 - Music City Roots Taping, Nashville TN
Sept. 1 - Joe Wilson Memorial Festival, Galax, Virginia
Sept. 2 - Song of The Mountains Taping, Marion VA
October 14 - Richmond Folk Festival, Richmond VA
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Plowboy Records artist: Blackfoot Gypsies - To The Top - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, To The Top, from Blackfoot Gypsies and it's outrageously cool! I can draw a number of parallels to this music and similarities to other things that i have heard but ultimately, it's different and super. Opening with I'm So Blue, you are taken to a time when music was cool and simple with a good melody and a great beat. This sound is British and it's American and it's pop and it's punk...and it's rock. Think early Kinks. Matthew Paige on vocal and guitar and Zach Murphy on drums are the core with Dylan Whitlow on bass, piano and vocal and Ollie Dogg on harp. On Promise To Keep the band is driving hard on a blues rock bottom. With a twangy guitar and beach Boys like backing vocals, this band it letting it all hang out. On Potatoes and Whiskey that band really starts to encroach on Gram Parsons and Jerry Garcia territory moving into rural music and full country without abandoning rock...very cool. Stripped down rocker, I Had A Vision shows traces of the San Francisco sound but then also John Doe. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Back To New Orleans with addition of sax and trombone. This track has a super street rhythm and cool vocals...excellent! On simple waltz, Velvet Low Down Blues, incredibly rural vocals, fiddle, piano pedal steel and a cool melody make this another contender for top track. I Wanna Be Famous is another hard rocker with an infectious beat and wailing guitar. This is the kind of music that drives your parents crazy...I love it! Settling down to more of a The Band feel, Woman Woman is probably the best radio track with nice vocal blending and a super melody. I've Got The Blues is a real cool track with authentic style vocals and features Paige on mandolin and Dogg on harp. Another of my favorite tracks, this track sounds real. Another solid rocker is Can I Get A Warning? with terrific drum work from Murphy. (Some bands have an entire career and never cut a track this good). With it's Bo Diddley beat, Gypsy Queen keeps this party rolling with a solid bottom, voracious drums, unearthly vocals and powerful guitars. Wrapping the release is Why Should I Try, a full bodied rocker with everything turned to 11. These guys aren't leaving a drop of sweat. Check it out!

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Thursday, July 13, 2017

Lukas Nelson (Son of Willie Nelson and Neil Young collaborator) & Promise Of The Real / Decca

LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM AND SHARE THREE NEW TRACKS
HEAR THE NEW TRACKS VIA ROLLING STONE HERE:
“Set Me Down On A Cloud”
“Find Yourself”
“Forget About Georgia”

(SHARE VIA SOUNDCLOUD HERE)

SON OF WILLIE NELSON AND NEIL YOUNG COLLABORATOR

WATCH THE ALBUM TEASER TRAILER

New album "Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real" due out 25th August 2017 via Fantasy Records

Live performance at the Borderline, London on 18th October 2017 - Tickets
http://i1.cmail20.com/ei/j/6A/C64/ECC/192129/csfinal/LukasNelson_SOLO_Color_Credit_MyriamSantos_General.jpg


Since their formation as teenagers 10 years ago, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real have quietly developed into one of America’s most dazzling new live acts, playing hundreds of shows and major festivals all over the world, attracting a deeply devoted underground following.

Still, with a bounty of invaluable experience under their belts, nothing foretold the artistic leap of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real their new, self-titled album, a mesmerizing, emotionally genuine, endlessly rewarding work of cosmic country soul set for release on August 25th, 2017 via Fantasy Records.

This morning the band has shared three new tracks from the album exclusively via Rolling Stone. Listen to “Find Yourself,” “Forget About Georgia,” and “Set Me Down On A Cloud” here.

Recorded at The Village Studios in West Los Angeles Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real was produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer) and features the band’s new six-piece line-up: Lukas Nelson (guitar, vocals), Tato Melgar (percussion), Anthony LoGerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass, vocals) along with new members Jesse Siebenberg (steel guitars, Farfisa organ, vocals) and Alberto Bof (piano, Wurlitzer, B3). Jess Wolfe and Holly Lessig of the indie-pop group Lucius contribute background vocals on five tracks evoking Exile on Main St.’s ecstatic, gospel-rooted harmonies, and Lady Gaga added stirring background vocals to “Carolina” and “Find Yourself.”  Elsewhere, the lilting, Glen Campbell inspired gem, “Just Outside of Austin” features a guitar solo from Lukas’ dad, country music icon Willie Nelson, and piano from his 86-year-old Aunt Bobbi.

The new album includes 12 Lukas Nelson originals that draw on his country and rock lineage including literate Texas songsmiths like his father and ‘uncles’ Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings, along with the enduring influence of J.J. Cale, The Band, Clapton-era Delaney & Bonnie and of course, his mentor Neil Young.

Young, an essential member of the POTR family, met the band after he caught them at Farm Aid several years back. “Neil got in touch after that, and we started talking by email,” Lukas recounts. “Eventually, he asked us to record with him. We fell in love with each other musically, one thing led to another and we became Neil’s band.”

“I knew I had a lot of good songs that transcended the cultural boundaries between rock & roll and country,” Lukas says of his vision for the album. “We owe a lot to Neil; we made this record after coming off the road with him for two years. Neil’s been mentoring us, and we’ve been absorbing that energy, and I think it shows. We got acclimated to a different level of artistic expression. I wanted to get the songs as pure as they could be. We’ve grown.”

“Set Me Down on a Cloud,” the soulful, country-rock epic that opens the album features Lucious’ angelic background vocals and Lukas’ lovely, lyrical guitar solo as the band stretches out behind him. “Forget About Georgia” unfolds to a “Layla”-like outpouring of yearning, as it vividly retraces the turbulent, bittersweet final stages of a doomed love affair. Lukas delivers a full-throttle vocal on the closing track, “If I Started Over,” a Roy Orbison-inspired rumination of tender devotion. The R&B grind of “Find Yourself” is a particular triumph as Lukas and Lady Gaga weave an impassioned, romantic ultimatum.

Currently on tour with Sheryl Crow, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real will be burning up stages throughout 2017 including multiple Outlaw Music Festival dates (with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Margo Price), Austin City Limits Festival, Farm Aid and Milwaukee’s SummerFest.  The band is also set for shows alongside Gary Clark Jr. and Nicki Bluhm.  Additionally, Lukas Nelson & Promise will headline the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on September 5th. 
http://i2.cmail20.com/ei/j/6A/C64/ECC/192129/csfinal/LukasNelsonTPOTR_rgb.jpg
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real is:

Lukas Nelson – guitar, vocals
Tato Melgar - percussion
Anthony LoGerfo - drums
Corey McCormick - bass, vocals
Jesse Siebenberg - steel guitars, Farfisa organ, vocals
Alberto Bof - piano, Wurlitzer

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Track List:
1. Set Me Down On A Cloud
2. Die Alone
3. Fool Me Once
4. Just Outside Of Austin
5. Carolina
6. Runnin’ Shine
7. Find Yourself
8. Four Letter Word
9. High Times
10. Breath Of My Baby
11. Forget About Georgia
12. If I Started Over



Fans can purchase items like a Skype songwriting session with Lukas, signed test pressings with turntable mats, handwritten lyrics, drumheads, and much more. All vinyl and CDs sold in Lukas’ pre-order store are signed. The vinyl is being released as a 2xLP, featuring bonus tracks not included with the other formats.

TOUR DATES:
10/18 — London, UK @ The Borderline
10/19 — Paris, FR @ Café de la Danse
10/20 — Berlin, DE @ Musik & Frieden

Pre-Order LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL:
iTunes
Amazon
Apple Music
Spotify

Follow Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Official Website
 

new studio album coming from seminal British blues band SAVOY BROWN




Being released August 25, 2017 on Ruf Records, veteran British Blues band Savoy Brown's Witchy Feelin' proves the Devil still has all the best tunes. From the thrillingly brittle guitar riff that opens Why Did You Hoodoo Me, we are in the hands of a master, with founding member Kim Simmonds reigniting the seismic vocals and searing fretwork that established Savoy Brown as linchpins of the '60s British blues boom. "On this album, I tried my best to get my voice in its power zone," he explains. "I'm a baritone singer. I like listening to singers I can relate to, such as J.J. Cale, Mark Knopfler, Tony Joe White and Tom Rush. For my guitar playing, I still get inspiration from Otis Rush, Buddy Guy and all the Chicago players I grew up listening to back in '63... but I always listen to new music too."

Recording alongside Pat Desalvo (bass), Garnet Grimm (drums) and engineer Ben Elliott, Simmonds leads us into a world of dark nights, wild weather, women and whiskey: all perennial themes given a modern twist by this ageless bluesman. "The songs on this album have been two years in the making," he reflects. "I tried to write songs that had a personal point of view yet can be relatable to everyone. On Vintage Man, I wrote about being the type of guy who doesn't change as he gets older. I wrote about the power of love on Why Did You Hoodoo Me. And with Guitar Slinger, I wrote a song about seeing a great guitar player in an old country bar - as I did when I first saw Roy Buchanan in '69."

Blues is not for the faint-hearted. Since the genre first drew breath, its greatest practitioners have embraced the darkness, spinning tales of hardship and death, hellhounds and devilry. If the sleeve of Witchy Feelin' suggests that Kim Simmonds, too, has a tendency towards the macabre, then Savoy Brown's iconic leader is happy to confirm it. "Blues has always dealt with themes of the Devil, witchcraft and so forth, and I've always written along those lines. At least three of the songs on Witchy Feelin' have that hoodoo vibe..."

Anyone who witnessed Savoy Brown leave the blocks in 1965 would speak of a similar epiphany. Back then, the band were the spark that ignited the blues-boom, signing to Decca, opening for Cream's first London show and boasting a lead guitarist who was being namedropped in the same reverential breath as peers like Clapton and Hendrix (with whom Simmonds jammed). Already, the guitarist was emerging as the band's driving force. "I had a vision," he reflects. "When I started the band back in 1965, the concept was to be a British version of a Chicago blues band. And the exciting thing now is, that vision is still alive." 

Soon, Savoy Brown had achieved what most British bands never did - success in America - and became a major US draw thanks to their high-energy material and tireless work ethic. "There's far too much said about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll," Simmonds told Classic Rock. "It's a cliché. We were all extremely hard-working guys. When we came over to America, we were like a little army. I look at that time as being filled with incredible talent."

Times changed, of course, and by 1979, Simmonds had moved from a London he no longer recognised - "The punks were everywhere!" - to settle permanently in New York. The Savoy Brown bandmembers came and went, and the music scene shifted around him, but the guitarist stuck thrillingly to his guns and reaped the rewards, performing in iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and the Fillmore East and West, releasing thirty-odd albums, and later enjoying a well-deserved induction into Hollywood's Rock Walk Of Fame.

Even in the post-millennium, while his peers grow soft and drift into semi-retirement, Simmonds retains a vision and an edge, spitting out acclaimed albums that include 2011's Voodoo Moon, 2014's Goin' To The Delta, 2015's The Devil To Pay - and the emphatic new addition to Savoy Brown's catalogue, Witchy Feelin'. "I'm amazed that I still have the energy inside me to play guitar, create music and write songs," he considers. "I've been blessed in my life and I thank God for that. I've never been a believer in holding on to the past - I don't look over my shoulder and congratulate myself. I always want to climb the next mountain - and I'm very pleased with this new album..."

Eli Cook Delivers A Musical Whiplash With High-Dollar Gospel Out On 8/18



Eli Cook Delivers A Musical Whiplash With New Album
High-Dollar Gospel
Out August 18 On C.R.8 Records Label Debut
“Mystifying” – John Mayall

“Everybody knows the story of the crossroads, where blues guitarists go at midnight to trade their souls to the devil for musical prowess. It’s just a myth, of course, but if it were true, firebrand Eli Cook could have bragging rights, as his scarifying solo-country blues chill like a hellhound on your trail.” -  Guitar Player (2007)


Eli Cook is a mystifying soul. He’s a keen observer, a provoking thinker and has swagger.

All under that messy blonde hair is a passionate heart with fingers of silver and gold that recalls John Lee Hooker, Chris Smither, and Chet Atkins, mixed in with a dirty, grungy sound. It’s clean playing mind you; it’s just his fingers are covered in the dirt left over from the crossroads.

High-Dollar Gospel preaches a high voltage bolt to your ears and shakes you loose.

Coming from Albemarle County in Virginia at the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Eli Cook grew up listening to the blues, country, classic rock and alternative rock. He grew up with no TV and radio shows like Prairie Home Companion were his Saturday night entertainment. Life moves slowly in this rural area of the world giving him time to hone his skills with his voice and guitar chops. At 18 he was opening up for B.B. King – a few years later he’s playing in Canada – and then the next week he’s blending in with his hometown locals. Talent like this shouldn’t go unnoticed, and Eli has been smoldering in the underbelly for far too long.

“It’s what was around me, and I just tried to pick up on everything and everybody, including Doc Watson and Chet Atkins. In fact, hearing Chet fingerpick made me realize I didn’t need a band.” (Source: Guitar Player 2007)

Produced by Eli Cook at Full Moon Recording Studios in VA, High-Dollar Gospel opens up with a slow bang with “Trouble Maker” – taunting and questioning his muse to join him.  Acoustic picking and slide drive the classic hoedown backs the cautionary tale “The Devil Finds Work.” The haunting “Mixing My Medicine” contains the cavernous sound of a detuned custom 12-string guitar; an instrument played famously by Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell.  Cook slows down Muddy Waters’ melancholy “Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had” into a terrifying, heart of darkness lament, his voice reaching a bottomless depth of sorrow. The orchestral 12-string guitar underscores the metaphoric boast of “King Of The Mountain” that shows off Eli’s huge growl of a voice with its anthem-like chorus is a showstopper.

“Got my spirit vision mama, she's callin’ me
head-on collision when a heart runs free
when I'm high, lordy people, don't nobody mess me round
I seen every kind of evil; got to get on out this town” – King Of The Mountain


High-Dollar Gospel isn’t all balls to the wall, for his take on “44 Blues” is a brilliantly inventive version of Howlin’ Wolf’s classic propelled by his tapping foot. Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” is made less declamatory than the original as Cook slows and lightens his approach without losing the romantic heat. He again flashes his slide accompaniment skills on the jaunty “Month Of Sundays” in a poetic entreaty to a paramour. (Click on Eli’s face for an acoustic performance of “Month Of Sundays”)

Eli Cook explains his album title as “I was brainstorming ideas that would evoke the imagery of the American South. The phrase ‘high-dollar’ is an old one, and ‘gospel’ is the Southern church music that brought us Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and countless other iconic musicians. The two phrases together can have several connotations, but the one I think of is the feeling of disillusionment that seems to be more and more pervasive. I think a lot of young people feel a sense of apathy and a loss in direction, generally speaking. People need inspiration, and it seems like that is becoming harder to come by.”

“He’s in the vanguard of young, 21st-century blues rockers!” – Tinsley Ellis

The growl in his voice shows off an emotional connection to the music as a tool rather than decoration, and with your eyes closed, you could be listening to Howlin’ Wolf or Chris Cornell. On Aug. 18with High-Dollar Gospel, Eli shows you what you can’t imagine, something so strong and melodic, so don’t be afraid to look and listen.

“Artists often talk about the blues as a living and growing thing and not just a style of music fit for museums. Cook puts that theory into practice and moves things forward.” - Slant Magazine


Guitarist Dudley Taft Unleashes Torrents of Blues-Rock Sounds on New CD, "Summer Rain," Coming September 15 from American Blues Artists Group Label



Guitarist Dudley Taft Unleashes Torrents of Blues-Rock Sounds on New CD, Summer Rain, Coming September 15 from American Blues Artists Group Label

CD Dedicated to America’s Men & Women in the Military 

CINCINNATI, OH – Blues-rock guitar master Dudley Taft announces a September 15 release date for Summer Rain, the newest disc from the Cincinnati-based artist on the American Blues Artist Group label.

Summer Rain is his fifth studio album, consisting of 11 all-original songs, and dedicated to the men and women of the armed forces who accept tours of duty in far-away places, leaving their families behind. A running theme of anguished separation and endless toil run through the album.

“I have the greatest respect for those men and women who serve in the military, especially those who are deployed halfway around the world in the hot spots of sectarian conflicts,” Taft says. “This album pays tribute to these soldiers who sacrifice much of their lives to defend freedom and to support their families. The separation from their loved ones and significant others must weigh heavy on their hearts.”

All of the basic tracks on Summer Rain were recorded in Taft's own studio, which he purchased from the legendary Peter Frampton in 2013. Appearing for the third time with Taft is Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Reese Wynans, who played keyboards for Stevie Ray Vaughan. “Reese always has the best instincts and manages to take each song up a notch,” Taft comments. “Check out the vibe he creates on the track ‘Live or Die!’ Jason Patterson plays drums on all but two tracks, with Mike Tapogna on the skins for the other two. Newcomer Kasey Williams handles the bass duties, except for three songs played by long-time collaborator John Kessler. My daughter Charmae adds some backing vocals to the title track song.”

A self-confessed guitar gear fanatic, Taft used several of his newly acquired mid-sixties Fender amps on most of the songs, along with the Tonehunter TNT to fill out the sonic palette.

The opening track, “Flying on Love,” is a bit of a departure sonically. “I reached for my fuzz pedal and layered guitars over a couple of killer drum loops and had Jason play on top of those,” he says about the recording session. “The title track, ‘Summer Rain,’ clocks in a little under six minutes, telling the tale of laboring miserably far from home under the hot sun hoping for the rain to wash away the pain and cool things down.”

“Edge of Insane” is a lighter take on a jilted lover, while “Pistols at Ten Paces” has a hint of political commentary, uncharacteristic for Taft.

The final track, “Find My Way Back Home,” winds up the stories on the album, with the protagonist finally returning home after a long separation from his family.

Dudley Taft’s music career began in high school when he founded the band Space Antelope with friend Trey Anastasio (of Phish). He then expanded his creative juices as a guitarist and songwriter with two prominent Seattle bands of the early 1990s, Sweet Water and Second Coming. Both had major label deals and Taft enjoyed success with songs on the radio, in movies and television.

In 2007, Taft started his solo career by playing songs from Freddie King, ZZ Top and Albert Collins, to name a few. His first solo effort, Left for Dead, was released in 2011. Deep Deep Blue followed in 2013, and along with Left for Dead, was released in Europe on the M.i.G. label. Screaming in the Wind debuted in 2014. His last album, Skin and Bones, was released in 2015 and resonated both with blues and rock critics and radio station deejays. It also yielded several widely seen videos, including “Lonesome Memphis Blues,” and a killer take on Johnny Winter’s “Leland Mississippi Blues,” both filmed on location.
Dudley's music can be heard on most every streaming site, Sirius XM Radio and your favorite local blues show. His music has been featured in movies and on television, most notably “The Sixth Sense” and on “That Metal Show,” “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels” and many more.

Dudley Taft recently returned from an extensive European tour, which included him playing before a crowd of over 10,000 people at a Polish music festival. 

Building Records artist: Willa Vincitore - Better Days - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Better Days, by Willa Vincitore and it's solid. Opening with shuffle track, Love Looks Good On Me, singer Willa Vincitore lead a super band of Lee Falco on drums, Brandon Morrison on bass, Chris Vitarello, Jay Collins on sax, Reggie Pittman on trumpet, Pete Hop on acoustic guitar and Scott Milici on keys. A bluesy shuffle, this track has cool bones but explodes into a full gospel style track with super horns and a nice guitar solo by Vitarello. On funky, Stop, Drop and Roll, Vincitore lays out some of her best vocals on the release with cool key work and excellent sax punctuation by Collins. Excellent! On country flavored rocker, Hey Little Sister, Chris O'Leary joins on vocal and harp. Title track, Better Days has a very contemporary "neo soul" sound with an easy feel and nicely blended vocals highlighted by under the lead soloing. On country flavored two stepper, Mama Needs Some Company, Vincitore really pulls out a bluesy throat and slide work by Vitarello adds super swagger. Crazy Man has a cool funky bottom, sassy guitar, solid vocals and a tight horn chaser. Say What is a real hot funky number with a nice bass line. Milici pumps up the rhythm and Collins and Pittman punctuate. Very nice. Rich vocals by Vincitore really hit the mark on Opposite of Lonely, a funky bottomed jazz number. I particularly like Pittman's "Miles like" approach to the trumpet solo and Vitarello tasty guitar solo is framed nicely by tight drumming by Falco. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Demons, an acoustic, delta blues style track. Nice resonator work by Vitarello nice frames the isolated vocals on Vincitore. A pure, old school blues, this is a nice closer for a cool release.



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Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Vector Recordings artist: Lee Roy Parnell - Midnight Believer - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 11, 2017), Midnight Believer, by Lee Roy Parnell and it's smooth. Opening with Hours In Between, a rich, pop driven track, Lee Roy Parnell shows why he's known for his soulful voice and solid songwriting. With bluesy guitar riffs, a thumping bass line courtesy of Steve Mackey, Kevin McKendree on keys and Lynn Williams on drums, this is a great opener. Title track, Midnight Believer, really has that Muscle Shoals, Pete Carr/Boz Scaggs sound. Parnell clearly has a super feel and for this Blue Eyed Soul. A definite radio track, Ponchatrain, is as solid a ballad as you're likely to find with a warm melody, nicely blended vocals and subdued instrumentation. Too Far Gone is another terrific soul track with warm vocals and cool keyboard work by McKendree. Sunny Days, a quiet acoustic based ballad features Parnell way out front singing lead vocal with only minimal backing, and nice slide guitar and backed by the Fairfield Four, an American Institution known for Gospel vocals. Very nice. Want Watcha' Have kicks it up a few notches with a high stepping rocker and giving Parnell a chance to present not only a funkier side but to lay in some real rocking guitar riffs. His guitar voice is warm and clean. Funky, New Orleans flavored Going Uptown has a super marching drum rhythm and cool female backing vocals but my favorite part of this track is the fluid slide work of Parnell. Very nice! A little dab of country on Tied Up And Tangled gives it a bit of a Bonnie Raitt/Little Feat feel. Soaring guitar in the style of David Lindley and a cool vocal duet with Etta Britt give this track real air. Wrapping the release is soft country rock ballad, Some Time Ago, a track that among 10 other solid tracks could easily be a big seller. I love Parnell's guitar tone on the slide solo of this track adding real heat to his soulful composition. This is a super closer to a special release.



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 This track isn't on the release but thought it deserved a listen:

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Americana Music Society - Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records by the Americana Music Society and it's really cool. This recording, co-produced by singer-guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and Tamara Saviano, the Nashville based writer-Producer and author of Without Getting Killed or Caught, with all proceeds to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Opening with swinging R&B track, John Paul Keith sings Red Cadillac and a Black Mustache featuring Jim Spate on soulful sax. Valerie June digs deep on Carl Perkin's Sure To Fall (In Love With You) joined by Jimbo Mathus and Amy laVere on backing vocals showing real American home grown country. Very nice. On Charlie Rich's Lonely Weekends, Shawn Camp takes the lead backed by spate on sax and Lauren Mascitti and John Paul Keith on backing vocals. Bryan Hayes is front and center on Charlie Rich's Ways of a Woman In Love backed by Emily Barker and Amy LaVere on backing vocals. This is a simple country tune and has great style. On Billy "The Kid" Emerson's R&B classic, Red Hot, Chuck Mead, Kevin Fonteyne, Drake Milligan and Jonah Lees rock it. Bobby Rush takes the blues right down main street with Tough Titty, one of my favorites on the release. Amy LaVere nails swing track, Ten Cats Down with real nice guitar soloing by Will Sexton and Emily Barker on backing vocals. Jimbo Mathus rocks Jerry Lee Lewis' High School Confidential. Mathus is in his own universe when he pours it on and he is channeling here. Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues gets a cool cover by Alvin Youngblood Hart with solid vocals and twangy guitar. Luther Dickinson brings on the Mississippi Hill sound on Howlin' Wolf''s Moanin' at Midnight. Joined by Lightnin' Malcolm on guitar, not only breathes a cool 6 min plus but extends to an addition jam for another 7. This is an excellent closer for a really nice release.
Another feature of this package is a super 15 page color insert with quips and humor. Very cool. 

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