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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Running Out Of Time, from Peter V Blues Train and it's got style. Opening with Stay On Track, a simple blues rocker, lead vocalist and guitarist, peter v. is backed by Aron Louis Gornish on keys, Sean Graverson on bass and Alex D'Agnese on drums. Danny Walsh on sax lays down some memorable lead on Buzzed Busted & Blue, a modern blues number with solid lead vocals by Peter and real nice piano work by Jeff Levine. Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues, has really nice pace and not only sets a nice stage for Peter's vocals but also gives him space for some of his nice guitar riffs on the release. Very cool. Title track, Running Out Of Time is a funky blues rocker built along the lines of Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign. With stinging guitar riffs by Peter, solid organ lines by Gornish and rumbling bass by Graverson, this is a very cool track. Funk horn track, Time to Collect is really nice with excellent sax lead by Walsh. Excellent! Blues ballad, Freedom has very clean guitar lead, stinging soloing and a solid melody making it my choice for radio track with bite. Very nice. Wrapping the release is lightly salted funk rocker, Lay Down My Friend, with an ideal radio melody and Latin style percussion by D'Agnese, Latin flavored guitar riffs and again very nice sax lines by Walsh making this an excellent closer for a strong release.
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Here In Babylon, from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps and it got a funky yet soulful sound. Opening with I Know I Ain't Been So Perfect, James on lead vocal and piano really captures the new neo soul feel with a great opener, backed by Jay Bellerose on drums, Billy Watts on guitars, Mike Finnegan on B-3, Terry Wilson on bass. Very cool. Laid back, Head Up, Heart Open has a nice sway (think Doobies) with tight backing vocals by Watts, Wilson, Gregg Sutton, Jessie Wilson and James and the warmth of horns added by Darrell Leonard on trumpet and Joe Sublett on sax. Lumbering, Ground Zero, has a solid bottom, courtesy Wilson and a plucky guitar line by Watts. With it's smoky club feel, You Had To Bring That Up is really the nicest showcase for James on piano and vocal. Relaxed, cool and gritty, a really solid track. Piano boogie, I Gotta Roll is another favorite with a super groove, punched up by Leonard and Sublett. Wrapping the release is Find Me A Bar with a hot New Orleans bottom compliments of James and Bellerose. Watts lays in a distorted guitar solo adding to the texture and with a rumbling bass line by Wilson this track is humming. James has a distinctive voice and her phrasing on this track is exceptional with just the right vocal backing. 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”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Got The Blues, from Freddie Pate and it's quite cool. Opening with Willie Dixonesque, Let the Juke Joint Jump, Pate on lead vocal and guitar has a flashy, yet stylistic guitar style and just enough raggedness to his vocals to give it edge. Backed by Terry Dry on bass, Matt Johnson on drums, Lewis Stephens on keys and Mike Zito on rhythm guitar, this is a cool opener. On Elmore James, Sho-nuff I Do, Pate really belts out the blues and with grinding tone, tells it with his guitar. Stephens' piano work dances above the solid bottom of Dry and Johnson giving this track an authentic feel. Hank William's Hey Good Lookin' gets a 60's rock (Watusi) make over and I really like it. Alan Toussaint's Nothin Takes The Place Of You has a strong soulful delivery and exhibit's Pate's best vocals on the release. 12 bar number, and title track, I Got The Blues has a strong roll and Elmore James like guitar swagger. R&B track, My Josephine is built on a standard bass riff, answered by stinging guitar riffs. Willie Dixon's My Babe has just a touch of new Orleans back beat mixed in giving it that cool cache and Pate's guitar soloing compliments it nicely. Jolie Blond maintains a lot of it's Cajun origins including language. A rocking beat and driving guitar riffs give it additional spunk. Wrapping the release is shuffle track, Beer Drinkin Dog, a clever track that you would expect from Elvin Bishop. Well balanced between lyrics and guitar riffs, this is a cool closer for a cool release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Gospel Truth Live, from Marie Knight and it's rich. This performance was recorded on October 19, 2007 at Margaret A. Hart '35 Gospel fest at the Church Street Center in North Adams Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Knight passed in 2009 after a stroke and a bout with pneumonia. Fortunately, these tracks are now available for the public. Opening with Rev. Gary Davis' I Belong To The Band, Marie Knight is pure gospel with strong piano backing from Dave Keyes. Excellent! On Sister Rosetta Tharpe's Beams Of Heaven, Knight shows just how tightly the blues is bound to gospel music. Keyes piano work is terrific and Knight is off the charts. Davis' 12 Gates To The City has a great swing and Knight and Keyes are really rockin'! Knight's rework of Anna Warner's Jesus Loves Me, shows not only pure talent but pure love for the Lord and her work. Another Davis track, Let Us Get Together, has a super gospel swing and exploits the richness of Knight's vocals. Wrapping the release is a powerful cover of the traditional, For Thine Is the Kingdom, a truly excellent closer. if you are even slightly inclined to hear the complimentary work of Tharpe and Davis as performed by Knight, this is a strong release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rhymes For Mellow Minds, from Steven Troch Band and it's really cool. Opening with The Short End, Belgian harp maestro and lead vocalist, Steven Troch lays out the first of 13 super tracks with a strutting blues rocker. With Steven Van Der Nat using a clean picking style, backed by Liesbeth Sprangers on bass, and Bruce James on drums. Nice opener. Bad Taste has an Otis Rush general feel with excellent guitar riffs and chords by Van Der Nat and super melodic lead harp work by Troch. This is style! One of my favorite tracks on the release is Long Long Beard (check it out Stilladog), an easy paced folk like track with only basic accompaniment and community backing vocals by Van Der Nat, Sprangers and Heirman. Jump track, White Line Express really turns up the heat with a solid bass line, snappy drums and some of the best vocals on the release. Troch struts his stuff on the harp and Van Der Nat adds just enough to wet your whistle. Excellent! A track with a great bluesy gut is Rabbit Foot Trail with a harmonica melody, country roots and primitive feel. Very very nice! With a walking bass line and great harp work, Mister Jones and another track to be reckoned with.Vertigo is a guitar lovers track with Van Der Nat really kicking up the heat on a new wave meets Robert Fripp kind of track. I really like this voyage. Excellent! With TexMex styling, Rain Rain is a clever, almost Ry Cooder meets the Caribbean effort. With it's pleasant melody and cool beat, a nice addition. Wrapping the release is blues driver, Walk Away with it's lumbering beat and fluid guitar riffs. Troch wraps the track with his own harp lines and then comes back with an odd little ditty ... a little something to keep you wanting. Nice!
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sometimes The Blues Got Me, from Breezy Rodio and it's quite good. Opening with Lee Hazelwood's, Don't Look Now, But I've Got the Blues, Breezy Rodio on lead vocal and guitar sets off on the right foot, with a power play, backed by Ariyo Ariyoshi on piano, Ian Letts on sax, Chief McGarrie on sax, Constantine Alexander and Art Davis on trumpet, Chris Foreman on organ, Greg Essig on drums, and John Lauler on bass. Shuffle track, Change Your Ways exhibits a particularly nice blend of Rodio's vocals and Ariyo's piano work, complimented by Simon Noble on harp. With Rodio's stinging guitar styling in the style of the great Albert King and even a bit of funk, Albert King's Wrapped Up In Love Again has a great feel with tight trumpet punctuation by Davis and Alexander. Jump track, I Walked Away has a great T-Bone Walker feel with over a smooth horn saturated bottom and featuring a super solo from The Chief. another cool shuffle, BB King's Make Me Blue, gives Rodio a nice chance to show his feel and along with his solid vocals and Ariyo's piano work, another super track. One of my favorite tracks on the release, The Power Of The Blues has a really cool OV Right soul sound coupled with the guitar fluidity of BB and Wolfman mixed together. Very cool. Soulful shuffle, Blues Stay Away From Me, lays nicely in the groove with the tight piano work of Ariyo and excellent guitar riffs of Rodio. Very nice! One Of A Kind has a tight bottom led by the power bass lines of Light Palone and leads to some of the snappiest guitar lead on the release. Chris Foreman's organ work punches just in the right spot giving the track a nice reinforcement of the groove. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Chicago Is Loaded With The Blues with it's traditional Chicago sound, highlighted by Billy Branch on harp. Joining on this track are Brian Burke on bass, Luca Chiellini on piano and Rick King. A cool closer for a solid release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Have No Hold Over Me by Ten Second Pistol and it's quite interesting. opening with slow blues number, Hold My Hand with Benny Chang leading the way on lead guitar and vocal, backed by Davis Alexander on bass and Manny Ayala drums. Chang's guitar riffs are fluid and constant, making this a great opener. On soul track, Hold On, the band shifts gears a bit and Chang's emphasis is on soulful vocals and lush chords. His stinging lead guitar soloing is crisp and nicely adorned. Very nice. Slow blues number, Get To Steppin' is really nicely formed wailing vocals and well placed guitar accents. Ayala really tips the cart on drums giving the track just the right heaviness and machine gun guitar riffs by Chang give it a nice flair. Bluesy ballad, Like A Bird is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's haunting melody and warm, nicely executed guitar solos. Burn Baby Burn incorporates a reggae beat by Ayala and cool bass line by Alexander to the rocking delivery by Chang. A laid back, yet wound out guitar lead gives this track real smoke. Freedom shows a strong influence by Hendrix and a powerful under cut by Alexander and Ayala and distorted guitar lead by Chang. Wrapping the release is She Left Me featuring Chang on vocal and guitar into distortion with early blues simplicity. This is a cool closer for a super introduction to Ten Second Pistol (love the name by the way).
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review Memphis Rent Party, the soundtrack to Robert Gordon's 6th book, and it's excellent. Opening with a ragged but remarkable rendition of Guy Clark's Desparados Waiting On A Train by Jerry McGill. Backed by Mud Boy and the Neutrons, this is subtly terrific with excellent piano and slide work under McGill's haunting vocals. On Chevrolet Luther Dickinson and Sharde Thomas exchanging lead vocals and playing fife vs slide backed by snappy marching like snare drums and powerful bass drums strokes. Junior Kimbrough is up next with his trademark sound on All Night Long, recorded in Kimbrough's living room in the middle of a cotton field in 1986. Very cool. Another unmistakable sound is the sound of Furry Lewis' vocals with his own slide guitar on Why Don't You Come Home Blues, recorded in his living room in the 60's. How does it get any better than this? The surprise track for me was Calvin Newborn on Frame for the Blues, a sophisticated jazzy blues entry. Newborn's blues guitar phrasing is subtle but innovative coupled with flute and a solid backing. Very very nice! Jerry Lee Lewis rolls out Harbor Lights with his unmatched rocking piano work. The Fieldstones, live at Green's Lounge in South Memphis, grind out Little Bluebird, a slow gripping blues number. Mose Vinson does a real nice barrelhouse piano boogie, Same Thing On My Mind, with clarity and real feel. Very cool. Charlie Feathers contributes Cajun flavored country track, Defrost Your Heart with pure style and grace. Wrapping the release is Jim Dickinson on I'd Love to be a Hippie, a lumbering blues track with a rock edge. This is a super closer to a powerful release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Keepin' It Real, by Guitar Jack Wargo and it's a soulful mix of R&B, Blues, Pop and Jazz. Opening with solid blues number, You Don't Feel The Same, AD Beal leads on vocal and Wargo shows his guitar prowess with stiff in you face guitar riffs that will have you nodding your head. Backed by Edoardo Tancredi on drums, Matt Bragg on bass and Arlan Oscar Shierbaum on Hammond, this is a super opener. On Power of Love, the band gets more into an easy, Donald Fagan style groove with it's swaying rhythm and smooth melodic feel. Turning up the funk a bit, Keep On Keepin' On is a bright jazz rock track with nice bluesy guitar riffs and a strong melody. Another track that really slides in the Steely Dan groove is Inventory Blues. Bragg gets the bass popping on Shipwrecked giving the track a particularly funky feel, highlighted by Shierbaum keyboard work and super vocals by Beal. This gives a really nice opening for Wargo to slash nicely with super tone on his guitar solo. Ballad, Only-est One has a warm, soul feel and Beal really steps up taking the lead. This is a really ideal radio track. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Mayfield like, Blues Holiday. Backing vocals by Willie Chambers, Sweet Inspiration, Jacqui Walker Adamcik and James Whitney give the track even more warmth. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Sending Out A Message, a solid closer with rich backing vocals a strong melody and some of Tancredi's snappiest riffs on the release .
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Shake The Love Around, from Suzie Vinnick and it's light rocker with fine vocals and a poppy feel. Opening with Happy As Hell, Vinnick lays down a cool funky guitar line and with Gary Craig on drums, Johnny Johnson on sax and Dean McTaggart they really set up a tight foundation to support her strong vocal lines. Another track with a nice back beat, Lean Into The Light has a real infectious feel with nicely harmonized vocals courtesy David Leask and slick guitar work by Vinnick. A particularly cool track is Danger Zone with Vinnick accompanying herself on bass. Excellent job. My favorite track on the release is Creaking Pines with a haunting melody and some of Vinnick's best vocals and nicely stylized blues guitar riffs. Excellent. Wrapping the release is Drift Away, a strong ballad with a smart melody. With only light electric and acoustic guitar, drums and Hammond by Mark lalama, this is a sweet closer for a solid release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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Falling
Rising on New CD of Soul/Jazz/Rock Sounds, Due April 25
BOSTON, MA – Gretchen and the Pickpockets announce an April 25 release
date for their new full-length album, Falling Rising, on their
Pickpocket Records imprint. The new disc, which showcases 10 all-original
songs, was recorded in Boston at Dimension Sounds Studio, with engineering by Dan
Cardinal (Darlingside, Ballroom Thieves), mixing by Nick Nagurka (Vulfpeck) and
mastering by Grammy-nominated Emily Lazar (Foo Fighters).
Gretchen and the Pickpockets is a six-piece soul/jazz/rock band
featuring heavy horn lines and improvisation that started with siblings
Gretchen and Mike Klempa. Besides Gretchen on vocals and Mike on bass, the rest
of the band consists of Ryan O’Connell on trumpet and guitar; Tom O’Connell on
drums and percussion; Richie Smith on guitar; and Diego Tunjano on saxophone.
Named after a hometown road with a history for larceny, the group has become
known for their unique blend of genres and their energetic live shows.
“Working with Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sounds Studios was truly a
dream,” says lead singer Gretchen Klempa about the recording sessions. “Being
able to take ideas for sounds and textures we’ve had in our heads and give them
life through recording is an incredibly difficult yet rewarding endeavor,” adds
her brother Mike. “We decided as a group to track as much of the music as we
could live, together, and in full takes so that the listener can hear the
communication emotion, and exchange of ideas that happens between us. So much
of our music is based on jazz — we love incorporating improvisation and
flexibility of interpretation. We even recorded some upright bass on this album
on songs like ‘Back and Forth’ and ‘Devil’s Due’ for a warm, booming, and
intimate feel.”
Watch a video about the making of Falling Rising here:
Based out of Boston, Gretchen and the Pickpockets have been active in
the New England area since 2013, and recognitions include multiple Iguana Music
Fund grants from Club Passim, Best in State: New Hampshire 2015 from the New
England Music Awards and Best Rock Band 2015 from the Seacoast NH Spotlight
Awards. They have supported bands such as Houndmouth, Marco Benevento, Haley
Jane & The Primates, Kat Wright and Will Dailey.
“We won a grant to help fund this album, from the iconic
Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts,” states Gretchen, “furthering our
gratitude that the Boston community is behind this project.”
“We also had the awesome opportunity to track some live
horns as well,” recalls Ryan O’Connell. “We are very thankful to Converse
(the shoe brand), who let us track our horn section for free at their Rubber
Tracks Studio in Boston.”
Past Gretchen & the Pickpockets live shows thus far have included
dates in New York City, Chicago, Milwaukee, Raleigh, Nashville, Asheville,
Durham, Portland, Maine, and Portsmouth New Hampshire. The band will tour in
support of Falling Rising with shows planned for New York City
and Western New York in late April; and a July tour that includes Nashville,
Raleigh, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and several other markets.
“This album was a really unique experience for us in a number of ways,”
adds Richie Smith, “and I think for the first time the title of the album
finally fits the story behind it. ‘Falling Rising’ is actually the name of a
song we used to play and recorded for the album, but didn’t make the cut. We
spent such a long time discussing that tune and trying to figure out where it
could go, but in the end we decided to leave it off. And from there, Falling
and Rising seemed to become more and more pertinent.”
“Over the two-year process of releasing this album, we always felt like
we took a step forwards and a step back,” says Mike Klempa. “Some
collaborations we hoped for didn’t come through; some that we always dreamed of
ended up happening. However, I think the most subversive example of
“falling and rising” was actually our session at Converse Rubber Tracks. The
day we went in to the studio was the day right after the 2016 presidential
election. It was a day that began with such excitement, but was met with such
caution and tension. The air was thick with unease. And yet, as soon as we got
our headphones on, the click track came in, and I raised my hands to conduct
the horn section, we put all our thoughts and fears aside and just made
something happen. And from that fear came something that we were really proud
of; it ended up being such a beautiful experience. I don’t think the horns
would have sounded as good under any other circumstances. We gave all we had in
that studio that day. It was all we could do, and I think that is what’s really
behind this album and our experiences here. Things happen. Life pushes onward
forever. We fall. We rise.”
Guitarist Steve
Dawson Draws Lucky Hand On Instrumental Acoustic Album Coming
June 15 from
Black Hen Music
Special Guests Include a String Quartet
Arranged by Jesse Zubot, and Appearances by Charlie McCoy and John Reischman
“It is inspiring to hear modern instrumental music for guitar that is
articulated within true song form. Steve Dawson’s new album conjures the ghost
of John Fahey for me – not in imitation, but by way of joining a tradition
and then extending its range. I find this song cycle to be intelligent and
challenging; joyful and deeply romantic; both earthy and untethered. It is
affirming – and music to which I shall soon be returning.” – Grammy-Winning
Artist and Producer Joe Henry
NASHVILLE, TN – Black Hen Music announces a June 15 release
date for multiple Juno-award-winning musician/producer Steve Dawson’s new
instrumental acoustic album, Lucky Hand. The new recording
showcases Dawson’s brilliant fingerstyle work on a variety of instruments, accompanied
by special guests Jesse Zubot on violin, harmonica legend Charlie McCoy and
mandolinist John Reischman, as well as the presence of a string quartet on a
number of tracks. The album will be available on both CD and vinyl LP formats.
Lucky Hand is Steve Dawson’s 8th album and his
first record of instrumental music since Rattlesnake Cage in
2014. The scope of his musical voice broadens to take on a cinematic quality,
as he sketches aural paintings and creates tapestries of sound with his guitar.
Recorded live off the floor,
with up to 12 microphones in various positions throughout the large studio
space to capture the guitar and orchestration, Lucky Hand
represents the perfect intersection of the primitive and the modern that has
fascinated Dawson for so long.
“I wanted to
re-explore the acoustic fingerstyle and slide guitar pieces that I’d started
with my Rattlesnake Cage album in 2014,” says Dawson, “but this
time I thought it would be fun to augment that with something special; so I
hooked up with my old musical partner Jesse Zubot, who created some string
arrangements around the music that were meant to augment them and push the
pieces along, rather than just be passive accompaniment.”
Lucky Hand represents a high point of more
than two decades of musical searching for Steve Dawson. Comprised of ten
instrumental tracks of solo, duo and full-bodied string quartet works, Dawson
has never released music as sweeping, dynamic and visually suggestive as this.
Enlisting Jesse Zubot in the project to create complementary and adventurous
arrangements for his guitar excursions, these completely realized compositions
– with Zubot’s orchestration adding color to the sepia tinged melodies -
represent Dawson’s finest recordings yet. 2018 marks 20 years since the debut
of Zubot and Dawson, and their collaborations never cease to inspire.
“I’m
interested in guitar music as a way to express song-form rather than guitar
pyrotechnics,” Dawson proclaims. “I don’t really relate to modern fingerstyle
music that much, although players from the 1920s up through the 1970s are what
originally and still inspire me. But I still wanted to do something modern and
different, which is where the duo ideas with John Reischman and Charlie McCoy,
as well as the more intense string arrangement concepts all came from.
“We recorded this album in Vancouver, with all of us
playing together live, using vintage mics in a big room. It was me facing the
quartet, which was in a semi-circle in front of me. I’ve never done anything
like that before. We just played the pieces until we got it. The challenge was
to get a good performance from me while the strings were getting through their
intricate parts. Everyone was sweating a little!”
All of Dawson’s records feature a
wide array of stringed instruments, and Lucky Hand is no
exception. His artistry on the six and twelve string guitars shimmers
throughout, while the track “Bugscuffle” showcases his unique tuning and voice
on the Weissenborn lap guitar. “Bentonia Blues” features a thrilling duet between
Dawson’s National Steel Guitar and roots legend Charlie McCoy’s harmonica.
Gorgeous interplay abounds as his guitar converses with John Reischman’s
mandolin on “Little Harpeth.” At times it’s hard to tell where Dawson’s
guitar begins and Reischman’s mandolin ends. A truly masterful performance,
it’s just one of the many breathless, transcendent moments to be heard on Lucky
Hand.
With song titles like “Lonesome Ace” and “Lucky Hand,” a person could be
forgiven for thinking that Dawson attributes his creativity to chance and
caprice. In truth, each of these songs is named for the inspiration of places
he’s encountered around his Nashville hometown. Music like this has nothing to
do with good fortune, unless you’re talking about his listeners. For them, Lucky
Hand is a royal flush of a record.
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Throwback, from Wentus Blues Band and I really like it. Opening with Carey Bell's Wrapped Up In Love, lead vocalist, Juho Kinaret has a super voice for the blues with excellent riffs from Niko Riipa on guitar, Robban Hagnas on bass, Pekka Grohn on keys and Daniel Hjerppe on drums. Very nice. Eddie Kirkland's Rainbow is very soulful with definite flavors of Robert Cray. Kinaret's voice is spot on and Grohn's organ work adds a real nice texture. Another Kirkland track, Done Somebody Wrong, really rides nicely in the groove with excellent vocals from Kinaret and stinging guitar riffs from Riipa... possibly my favorite track on the release. Hungry John's Feel So Young is a great boogie in the vein of Slim Harpo. With driving bottom work by Hagnas and Hjerppe; overflowing organ by Grohn and Kinaret, coaxing the whole set along, this is another of the top tracks. Another Carey Bell track, Hard Working Woman, has a mysterious looming feel and some of Kinaret's best vocals on the release. Excellent! With a driving boogie sound, Eric Bibb's Don't Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down is a really cool track with elongated fluid guitar riffs. Sven Zetterberg's I Think You Need A Shrink has a terrific R&B blues feel again really showing the strength of Kinaret's vocals. Riipa gets the opportunity to stretch on this one and it isn't wasted. Excellent! Phil Guy's Fixin' To Die is a real barn burner of a slow blues and Rippa tears it up quite nicely. His lead guitar work is hot, interesting and nicely phrased. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Louisiana Red's, Red's Dream showing nice balance of the entire band. This is a truly solid blues release and one that I think most blues listeners will love.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Remember What You Knew Before, from Katy Guillen & The Girls and it's a solid country, pop, rock release. Opening with Slingshot, a Buckingham Nicks style track with Katy Guillen on guitar and lead vocal, Claire Adams on bass and vocal and Stephanie Williams on drums these ladies know how to blend vocals on a strong melody. Waiting Till The Day is a really nice ballad with only acoustic guitar and electric guitars, bass and drums accompanying smooth vocals. Very nice. Grabbing a stripped down blues rock feel, Humbucker is one of my favorite tracks on the release with resonator slide and tight vocal blending matching some of the super work of Veruca Salt and Sleater-Kinney . Another cool rocker is Can't Live Here Anymore with a great pop rock feel and just the right edge. Showing her Spanish guitar styling on Quiver, Guillen changes gears but maintains her signature pure blended vocal styling. This really is solid! Wrapping the release is If You Were Gone with it's light touches of country and Jack White. Featuring straight up finger picking by Guillen and rich vocals by the band, this is a super closer. This isn't your traditional blues release, but it is a good release and one that goes by really fast.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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Blues-rock is a tightrope –
and Mike Zito has never lost his footing. At times in his storied
two-decade career, the Texas bandleader has rolled up the amps and rocked
as hard as anyone. Yet his lifelong fascination with the blues has always
reeled him back in. And now, having shaken the rafters with 2016’s
acclaimed Make Blues Not War, First Class Life finds Mike diving deep
into the only genre that can do justice to his hard-won true stories of
hardship and redemption. “Make Blues was pretty extreme and rocking,” he
reflects. “This time, I was definitely thinking more blues.” Released in 2018 on Ruf
Records, First Class Life is a fitting album title from a man who
remembers the hard times. “The title track is a nod to where I’ve come
from and where I’m at,” explains the songwriter whose promising early
career was almost destroyed by addiction. “It’s a rags-to-riches story,
and it’s certainly true. I grew up poor in St. Louis, and now I'm
travelling the world to sing my songs. In the world of excess America, I
may not look ‘rich’, but in my world, I most certainly am. I have a
beautiful family, I’m clean and sober, and I get to play music.” And what music. Since
Mike’s debut album, Blue Room (1997), there have been countless creative
peaks, from 2011’s confessional Greyhound, through his world-conquering
contributions to US supergroup the Royal Southern Brotherhood, right up
to recent solo triumphs like Gone To Texas (2013), Keep Coming Back
(2015) and Make Blues Not War (2016). Last November, as the band
tracked live at Mike’s new backyard recording facility – dubbed Marz
Studios – there was an unspoken mission to raise the bar. “We planned three
days for the session,” he reflects, “but had all the tracks finished the
first day. The band was really on fire and it just had this really fun
vibe that we were in my backyard making a first class record.” On his 14th album release,
Mike’s socially charged observations and candid soul-searching have never
been sharper. There’s the punchy call-to-arms of Time For A Change and
the exquisite ‘one-note’ slow-blues, The World We Live In. The
electrified blues bounce of Dying Day swears lifelong allegiance to his
wife, while the sinister Old Black Graveyard growls with Hendrix-esque
flourishes as it salutes the fallen. “That’s about a forgotten cemetery
of poor black Americans that has not been kept up near my home in
Beaumont, Texas,” he says. “Blind Willie Johnson is buried there. It’s a
sure sign of racism in America and how the poor aren’t treated with
dignity. That song is a ghost story that those buried there wreak havoc
in the night.” Yet the record’s darker
moments are offset by cuts like Mama Don't Like No Wah Wah, the
crash-bang-wallop gem written with Bernard Allison. “Bernard told me
about his first gig as guitarist for Koko Taylor,” laughs Mike. “Koko
didn’t like any effects on the guitar, she wanted it to sound natural.
She also didn't know what effects were, she just called them ‘wah wah’.
So when Bernard made an attempt to use an effect on his guitar after
playing with her for months, he got caught. ‘Mama don't like no wah wah’
is what he was told. That’s a song to me!” Of course, the most captivating
story of all is the dazzling upward curve of Mike Zito’s unfolding
career. In 2018, First Class Life doesn’t just capture the past glories
and setbacks – it points a signpost at the peaks to come. “With this
album,” he concludes, “I had this idea of ‘stepping up’. I want the world
to know I can play this music with conviction and style. I think it’s
really the next step…”
No matter where Big Daddy
Wilson travels on this big, beautiful, mixed-up planet of ours, he takes the
South with him. Listening to the soulful
storytelling of the man born Wilson Blount in a small town in the Inner Banks
region of North Carolina, it's impossible not to conjure images of dusty back
roads, cypress groves, a Saturday night juke joint or Sunday morning revival
meeting. It's a nostalgic and – some might say – glorified image of rural
America. Yet in an age of ruthless demagogues and divisive politics, Big
Daddy Wilson chooses to celebrate the simple things that bond us as human
beings – a smile, a shared meal, a helping hand – along with cherished values
like faith, perseverance and devotion to family. For more than two decades,
he has been carrying his message of hope and unity to each and every show,
whether in New York, Paris, Auckland or – in the case of his new live album
Songs From The Road – the village of Rubigen in central Switzerland. The concert recorded at the
Mühle Hunziken exemplifies Wilson's uncanny ability to connect with an
audience. The key ingredients are honesty, his natural charisma and the sheer
power of his voice. This performance from the fall of 2017 is a testament to
just how far the American ex-pat and former soldier has come since answering
a newspaper ad and summoning the courage to sing "Stormy Monday"
for a group of young German blues musicians way back in the 1980s. He's ably
supported by a tight and versatile four-piece unit comprising Cesare "Smokestack"
Nolli (g), Paolo Legramandi (b), Nik Taccori (dr) and Enzo Messina (k). A
band that backs Big Daddy Wilson always has to be at the top of its game,
because his music isn't any one thing. From song to song, it may transform
into something hard-driving or laid-back, funky or bluesy, joyful or
brooding, stripped down or supercharged. "I tried to give my
listener a small view of the journey, the good, the bad, the highs and the
lows," explains Wilson in the liner notes to the album. He and the band
open the set sounding figuratively uptown: "Wake Up" is a steady
grooving call to action, "Drop Down Here" a reggae-tinged plea for
help from the man upstairs, "Miss Dorothy Lee" a guitar-fueled
tribute transported on a Bo Diddley-like rhythm. The bawdy blues of
"Texas Boogie" gives way to the dead serious testifying of
"Ain't No Slave." Then it's time for a little side trip to the
countryside: "Anna Mae" and, later, "Cross Creek Road,"
are sun-drenched and pastoral. The band picks up steam again on
"Neckbone Stew," ultimately climaxing with the earthy "Baby
Don't Like." The twelve-song live CD closes with the eloquent simplicity
of "I Just Need A Smile." As usual with the long-running
Songs From The Road series, there are visuals as well. The accompanying DVD
in the two-disc set includes 15 songs in all and offers a good long look at
Big Daddy Wilson in action. It opens with the familiar gospel blues of
"John The Revelator" and closes with something he revealingly calls
his "Country Boy Medley." But don't expect to see him standing
onstage in overalls and work boots. As always, Wilson is nattily attired in
fine threads, a short-brimmed hat and the ubiquitous pair of dark shades. Some years ago, Big Daddy
Wilson told an interviewer that the main reason he wears sunglasses onstage
is his inherently shy nature. "I'm no entertainer," he claimed at
the time. Songs From The Road delivers some pretty strong evidence to the
contrary. And yet, in a certain way, he's right. Wilson's music – like Wilson
himself – is real. It's honest. At no point is this man ever putting on a
show. "I’m just interested in singing, getting my message out and
feeling the people – and hoping I can make them feel me."
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dragonfly, from Long Tall Deb and Colin John and I really like it. Opening with On The Way Down, an eerie blues track, Deb and Colin John sing in duet over cool, thick, slide guitar breaking into a driving "brick" like anthem. John really winds up on electric guitar under Deb's vocals making for an exceptional opener. Title track, Dragonfly, is a cool Duane Eddy, western surf style track with fanned chords, vibrato and tom toms. Excellent! Slinky ballad, I'll Be The One, features some of Deb's best vocals on the release with a soulful style and a nice rhythm. This is the radio track for the release with a strong melodic line, nice guitar work by John and complimented by Jimmy Castoe on drums, Nate Hofman on organ, and Melvin Powe on bass. Another track with a western twist is Remember Why, with great baritone guitar work by John and snappy drum work by Jo El. Horizontal Lightning is a particularly seductive track with a Spanish flair. The track has a dark, smoky feel and Deb's vocals, coupled with nicely stylized guitar work by John certainly make this really pop. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a return on Dragonfly, with the guitar really popping and the Spanish overtones really dressed. This is a really special release and one you should definitely check out.
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Myles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues, from Myles Goodwyn and it's a lot of fun. Opening with I Hate To See You Go ( But I Love To Watch You Walk Away) Goodwyn shows super feel on lead vocal and keys with Shaun Verreault on slide guitar, Eric Khayt on sax. Blues ballad, It'll Take Time To Get Used To, has a super melody and Amos Garret's lush guitar work really hits the nail on the head, backed by Emily Lamarche on vocal. Very nice. Western styling on Tell Me Where I've Been (So I Don't Go There Anymore) is really nice with excellent piano work by Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne and twangy blues guitar riffs from Steve Segal. I'll Hate You (Till Death Do Us Part) shows continued story telling and tongue in cheek soulful tracks. Wayne really works the keys on this one as well (I mean he really works them) and Frank Marino cooks the strings on guitar with precise blues riffs giving the track added sting. very nice! Shuffle track, Good Man In A Bad Place, has a real nice feel and Garret lays in some really tasty guitar riffs under Goodwyn's always tight vocals. Rick Derringer adds real heat on Last Time I'll Ever Sing The Blues, an easy loaded shuffle with some warm returns and articulate lead guitar work. Jack De Keyser has the lead on guitar on Nobody Lies (About Having The Blues), another track with particularly smooth vocals and cool electric piano work by Goodwyn. Wrapping the release is You Never Got The Best Of Me featuring Steve Segal and Amos Garret on guitar and Dewey Reeds on harmonica. This is a cool package with good tunes, solid guitar and real nice vocals.
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Blues And I Should Have A Party, from Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion and it a cool blues rocker. Opening with Please Don't Cheat On Me, lead singer and band leader Schwarz continues where she left off on This Is The Life I Choose, with strong guitar riffs by Rob Koral, Pete Whittaker on Hammond and Paul Robinson on drums. Title track, The Blues And I Should Have A Party, has a super slow pace with excellent guitar riffs by Koral under the melody. Rich Hammond organ work by Whittaker really sets a soothing stage for an excellent solo line by Koral and the soulful vocals of Schwarz. Excellent! Don't Worry Blues is another 12 bar entry with a cool groove. A firm bass line and Hammond work establishes the mood and Schwarz and Koral trading the lead is the standard. Whittaker lays down a nice organ solo and Koral is back with firm soloing of his own. Very nice. An up tempo jazz fused track, My Handsome Man, changes the pace up nicely and with a catchy melody and snappy beat making it the likely radio track for the release. Another of my favorites on the release is Don't Hold Back with a strong melody, and some of Schwarz's strongest vocals on the release. I also really like the attack of both Whittaker and Koral on this track giving it a bit of edge. Wrapping the release is Thank You a cool soul jazz feel. Light and breezy, yet with stinging guitar riffs from Koral, Robinson mixing up the rhythms and solid organ work from Whittaker making this a super closer for a solid release.
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Big Daddy Gumbo, from Tommy DarDar and it's a healthy helping of swampy gumbo music. Very nice to get this release after DarDar's death in July of 2017. Opening with Johnny Lee Schell's It's Good To Be King, with DarDar on vocal and featuring Johnny Lee Schell on some exciting slide, backed by Hutch Hutchinson on bass, Jon Cleary on piano, Mike Finnigan on keys and DarDar on harp. Great opener. Baby I Can Tell has a great Chicago blues feel with solid bass lines and DarDar's vocals and harp up front. This has a great SB Williamson feel. C'mon Second Line really shows off Braunagel's excellent New Orleans drum styling with solid bass lines by Hutch. Very nice. With pure New Orleans R&B style, Jon Cleary's Let's Both Go Back To New Orleans is a nice showcase for DarDar on vocal, anchored by Cleary's piano rhythm and Hutch's bass. Very nice. The absolute radio track on the release is Dangerous Woman with it's Latin fused R&B feel and strong melodic lyrics, strongly supported by Teresa James, Tommy Lee Bradley, Larry Fulcher and Terry Wilson on backing vocals and a smooth harp solo by DarDar. Shake A Leg is a cool countrified blues rocker with bright piano and bouncy rhythm. Schell snaps in with some real nice country style riffs and DarDar's own harp work is super. Wrapping the release is my favorite track on the release, funky title track, Big Daddy Gumbo with it's infectious rhythm, a super sax vamp by Joe Sublett, excellent slide work by Schell. It's rich backing vocals, big bass lines, funky organ and tight drums make it almost impossible to sit still. Excellent closer!
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