BERT JANSCH - JUST A SIMPLE SOUL - The first comprehensive Best Of collection - Oct 26th via BMG

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Bert Jansch Just A Simple Soul The first comprehensive Best Of collection spanning Jansch’s 5-decade-long career, compiled by Bernard Butler and the Bert Jansch estate Released 26th October via BMG Released on 2CD, 2LP and advance pre-order 2LP+Tote bag “Bert lived and breathed the sound of the guitar and its endless possibilities for communication, storytelling, conversation, emotional dialogue. We have a life’s work here, and what a life Bert Jansch has given us.” – Bernard Butler “One of the most influential and intriguing musicians to have come out of the British music scene". – Johnny Marr From his 1965 iconic debut album, Bert’s peerless musicality, songwriting and interpretation of traditional song has held generation after generation spellbound and inspired musicians in all genres. Just A Simple Soul – named after the closing track on his 1998 album Toy Balloon ­- is the first collection of Jansch’s entire solo career, with insightful liner notes by Bernard Butler (Suede) who compiled this selection with the Bert Jansch Estate. As a writer and player, Jansch has inspired countless other music icons including Jimmy Page, Paul Simon, Johnny Marr, Laura Marling, Graham Coxon, Fleet Foxes and Neil Young. Pre-order the collection HERE Presented chronologically the collection begins by drawing from his prolific 1960s period, during which he released six albums between 1965 and 1969. His self-titled debut, sometimes referred to as The Blue Album, is listed at #3 in NME’s Best Folk Albums Of All Time, and this collection plucks three tracks including the harrowing ‘Needle Of Death’; about the tragic passing of Bert’s friend, folk singer Buck Polly. The influence of young singer Anne Briggs began to show in this period, and the traditional folk songs she taught him, plus his bluesy, improvised guitar accompaniment which dominated his third solo album, Jack Orion (1966), featuring John Renbourn on guitar. That same year, the collaborative album Bert & John laid the foundations of the trad folk supergroup Pentangle. Jack Orion included ‘Blackwaterside’ (featured in this collection), a traditional song Jansch learned from Briggs. Elsewhere, eco-warning ‘Poison’ and ‘The Bright New Year’ are included from Bert’s fifth solo album Birthday Blues (1969), with Pentangle colleagues Danny Thompson and Terry Cox. Jansch recorded three solo albums while part of Pentangle, notably Rosemary Lane (1971), an album described by The Guardian as “a stark, reflective work”, which again included a traditional song learned from Briggs (‘Reynardine’, included here) alongside his own compositions. Also featured here is ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’ (originally written by Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger) as a duet with Mary Hopkin. ‘Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning’ and ‘Chambertin’, lifted from 1974’s L.A. Turnaround, highlight a significant passage, being recorded after Pentangle’s demise, featuring erstwhile Monkee Mike Nesmith on production. Jansch’s 70s’ output is drawn to a close with the inclusion of Kittiwake from his 1979 album Avocet, on which he teamed up with the multi-instrumentalist Martin Jenkins and Danny Thompson for a concept album inspired by birds. Pentangle reunions and illness limited Jansch’s 80s’ solo output. It’s represented by ‘Sweet Rose’ from From The Outside (1985) which was described by Irish author and composer Colin Harper as “Bert's rawest and most cathartic work since Bert Jansch twenty years earlier.” When The Circus Comes To Town (1995) was the start of a renaissance for Bert with the title track featured here, as well as ‘Morning Brings Peace of Mind’. This collection takes its name from ‘Just A Simple Soul’, on 1998’s follow-up Toy Balloon, which also included Bert’s take on Jackson C. Frank’s ‘Carnival’ which was a perennial in his live sets. Jansch’s 21st century output is represented by ‘Crimson Moon’ (Crimson Moon, 2000) and ‘On The Edge Of A Dream’ (Edge Of A Dream, 2002), two records that bookend his 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Edge Of A Dream featured Bernard Butler on electric guitar, Bert’s son, Adam, on bass and vocals of Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. This collection is concluded with ‘High Days’, taken from Bert’s 23rd and, tragically, final studio album The Black Swan. Released through Sanctuary and Drag City, it featured prominent admirers including Beth Orton, Devendra Banhart and Helena Epsvall. It was dubbed an instant classic, described by Pitchfork as “immaculate but natural”, and named one of the best albums of 2006 by MOJO, who described it as “a beautiful, evocative piece of music… his strongest album in years.” Just A Simple Soul reminds us of Bert Jansch’s enduring legacy and his influence across the musical spectrum. As Bernard Butler eloquently puts it; “Bert lived and breathed the sound of the guitar and its endless possibilities for communication, storytelling, conversation, emotional dialogue. We have a life’s work here, and what a life Bert Jansch has given us.” Pre-order the collection HERE Tracklist - LP Side 1 1. Strolling Down The Highway 2. Angie 3. Needle Of Death 4. It Don't Bother Me 5. Black Water Side 6. Soho 7. The Time Has Come Side 2 1. Go Your Way My Love 2. Come Back Baby 3. Poison 4. The Bright New Year 5. Rosemary Lane 6. Reynardine 7. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Side 3 1. Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning 2. Chambertin 3. Baby Blue 4. Daybreak 5. Kittiwake 6. Sweet Rose 7. Let Me Sing Side 4 1. Morning Brings Peace of Mind 2. Carnival 3. Just A Simple Soul 4. Crimson Moon 5. On The Edge Of A Dream 6. High Days Tracklist - CD CD1 1. Strolling Down The Highway 2. Angie 3. Needle Of Death 4. It Don't Bother Me 5. A Man I’d Rather Be 6. The Waggoner’s Lad 7. Black Water Side 8. Soho 9. The Time Has Come 10. Go Your Way My Love 11. Come Back Baby 12. Poison 13. Promised Land 14. The Bright New Year 15. Rosemary Lane 16. Reynardine 17. M’Lady Nancy 18. Moonshine 19. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face CD2 1. Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning 2. Chambertin 3. The Blacksmith 4. Baby Blue 5. Daybreak 6. Kittiwake 7. Up To The Stars 8. Sweet Rose 9. The Road Tae Dundee 10. Let Me Sing 11. When The Circus Comes To Town 12. Morning Brings Peace of Mind 13. Toy Balloon 14. Carnival 15. Just A Simple Soul 16. Crimson Moon 17. Omie Wise 18. On The Edge Of A Dream 19. The Black Swan 20. High Days ****

The Bob Lanza Blues Band Talks About "Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women" on New CD Coming August 31 from Connor Ray Music

The Bob Lanza Blues Band Talks About Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women on New CD Coming August 31 from Connor Ray Music

HOUSTON, TX – Connor Ray Music announces an August 31 release date for Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women, the new CD from New Jersey-based blues guitarist Bob Lanza and his band.  Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women is Bob’s fifth album release. Digital pre-release sales start July 31.

Bob and the band will celebrate the new album’s release with a special CD party and show on Saturday, September 29, at the legendary Stanhope House, 45 Main Street, Stanhope, New Jersey.

Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women has been a long time coming. Working with acclaimed producer and performer, Anthony Krizan (Spin Doctors, Noel Redding, Lenny Kravitz), at his Sonic Boom Recording Studio in Raritan, New Jersey, Lanza delivers a mix of covers and originals, done only the way he can do it. The album also includes a tribute to the late, great harmonica master, James Cotton, penned by Lanza and Krizan.

Lanza has known Krizan for many years, but had never gotten the opportunity to work with him until now. “It’s a no brainer,” he says, about working with Krizan. “I’ve known Anthony since 1990. Thru the years we crossed paths many times, as I watched his career as a performer and producer soar, and I always thought about what doing a record with him would sound like.”  

As fate would have it, the two would hook up on a landscaping job. They were doing labor for a mutual friend, who said he would love to hear Anthony and Bob playing together. With that thought in mind, they both continued with their respective bands, doing gigs around the area, crossing paths here and there. Two years later, this past March, the two guitarists would end up on the same bill, a fundraiser for the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation. A resulting jam at the end of the show presented the opportunity for them to play together, and it sounded as if they were playing together for years. “That day I asked Anthony if he’d be interested in recording us,” Lanza recalls. Krizan didn’t hesitate and two weeks later, Lanza would bring his rhythm section, Vin Mott and Dave Lockhart, to Sonic Boom Recording Studio.

"Right from the start, we knew we had some great stuff going on,” says Lanza.  Joining the two guitarists are John Ginty on Hammond B3 organ and piano, Vin Mott on harmonica and drums and Dave Lockhart on bass.  The session resulted in some real raw blues, with Krizan adding haunting slide guitar, pushing Lanza's guitar playing and singing to another level. 

“John Ginty is a good friend of Anthony’s and I opened up for him a few times over the years, so we called him in,” Lanza remembers. “He is one of the world’s foremost Hammond B3 players, and his piano playing just cooks on this disc. To have him on this session was an honor, and it bought the session to another level.”  

Ginty had this to say about the sessions: “The best part of the New Jersey music scene is how small and connected it is. I've been on the same bill as Bob Lanza for many years, and it was always a thrill to hear him play live. I've also been making records at Anthony Krizan's Sonic Boom Studio for years. Now, playing on Bob’s new album has been a thrill, and it sounds incredible and authentic. Great blues records are made here in New Jersey, and this is certainly one of them.”

Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women is raw and real, and delivers the blues from the heart, soul and the gut. “Bobby Lanza is the real deal and a true bluesman,” says producer Krizan. “He plays guitar with fire and emotion; on top of that, his voice and songwriting abilities are stellar, as well. We tracked this record live with no studio tricks to masque the rawness of the session. You can feel the energy on the tracks and you can feel the band laying it down together in the room! We used all old-school recording equipment, like ‘60s Neve pre-amps and Olympic modules and we used all vintage guitars and amplifiers!”

Lanza chimes in: "Yeah, I didn’t have to bring too much to Anthony’s studio because between his guitars and amplifiers and my guitars and amplifiers, we have some of the nicest vintage gear, and we put all of it to use.”

Amplifiers were everywhere: Krizan’s coveted 1964 Super Reverb, as well as two old Gibson amps, are on full display on this disc. In the guitar department, Lanza’s 1966 Gibson 345 and his 1968 thin line Telecaster, along with Krizan's  TV yellow 1960 Les Paul Special (responsible for the killer slide work  on the title cut) and some choice vintage Telecasters all make their presence known. “Man, Anthony really hit the note on that one” says Lanza, referring to the slide solo on the title cut.

Kids, Dogs & Krazy Women will stoke your mojo for old school rhythm and blues. Lanza and Krizan make a formidable team on this recording, blending swampy blues and roots music effortlessly, as if they were meant to be together. “I think this record will stand up to what’s happening right now, as well as standing with some blues classics,” says Krizan. “Doing this record was a lot of fun and I hope listeners can tell how much, from the sound coming out through the speakers.”

The songs on this disc stay in your head for days after listening, a true testament to the musicians involved and the vibe that went on inside Sonic Boom Studio during the sessions. “I’m very excited about this release,” Lanza summarizes. “It just seems so right to finally record with Anthony and hear the results that came from sessions that we all had so much fun doing.”

Canadian Guitarist Extraordinaire Colin James Says He Has "Miles to Go" on New CD, Out September 21

Canadian Guitarist Extraordinaire Colin James Says He Has Miles to Go on New CD, Out September 21

Toronto, ON-- With his 19th album, Miles to Go, releasing September 21 (Stony Plain Records in USA;  True North Records for the rest of the world), acclaimed guitarist Colin James is getting back to the blues.

Miles to Go is Colin James’ ambitious sequel to his critically-acclaimed 2016 CD, Blue Highways, and it continues James’ story with a collection of carefully curated songs handpicked from some of the greatest blues artists.  

In the months leading up to the recording, as James was reflecting on songs for the album he decided to reacquaint himself with a beautiful red Gibson ES-335.  It was just like the guitar he played as a teenager, but regretfully had to sell for rent money.

While James reconnected with this guitar, Miles to Go seemed to just flow onto the studio floor.

This album blends songs old and new, some of them completely reimagined and some almost perfect homages. But all are unified by a theme of undying love for the blues and the highest respect for the creators that led the way.

Known as one of Canada’s best blues musicians, it wasn’t until Blue Highways that James found himself on a blues chart: the album spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report’s Blues Chart. It also landed him one of his biggest hits: “Riding in the Moonlight,” a Willie Dixon song that James once covered when busking in the streets and subways of Toronto and Montreal that landed on a Spotify playlist garnering millions of streams.

When James set out to make Blue Highways, an album of blues covers recorded with his touring band, he always intended it to be the first of two installments. Now we have Miles to Go, in which James records nine new covers of his favorite artists (Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Little Willie John, Robert Johnson, etc.) and adds two originals, “I Will Remain” and “40 Light Years.”

“Blues has always been a pass-it-forward kind of thing,” says James. “It’s also surprisingly hard to write. You have to be careful how modern you get in your phrasing. Certain writers can write a song that sounds like it was done 40 years ago, but it’s deceptively hard.”

To be a blues musician is to always have a dialogue with the past.  As with much blues music, it’s the performances on the original versions rather than the actual song that drew James to them. That said, what could he possibly bring to them in 2018? “You bring what you can,” he says. “If I feel like I’ve brought enough, then I put it out. I knocked a bunch of songs off this record when I realized that I couldn’t bring anything to them that weren’t there already. All my life I’ve tried to bring vitality to older songs. Hopefully, my dedication to it is what floats it over the mark. That’s a subjective thing; some people will always prefer the original. However, there’s always a group of people coming up to see me after a show who might say, ‘Oh, I never would have heard ‘One More Mile’ by James Cotton—nothing in my life would have pointed me there.’ ”

So much of Colin James’s career has pointed him to this moment: joyfully tangled up in the blues, which, as he notes, “is the only genre where you can maintain a young profile at the age of 53.”

Colin James Upcoming Canadian Tour Dates

07/13/18    Windsor, ON        Bluesfest Windsor   

07/14/18    Ottawa, ON        Ottawa Bluesfest   

08/17/18    Grande Prairie, AB    Bear Creek Folk Music Festival   

08/19/18    Salmon Arm, BC    Salmon Arm Roots & Blues   

08/25/18    London, ON        London Bluesfest   

09/08/18    Blue Mountains, ON    Blue Mountain Village   

Justin Saladino Band - A Fool's Heart - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Fool's Heart, from Justin Saladino Band and it's groovingly smooth. Opening with A Fool I'll Stay, a melody rich track with a catchy hook, Justin Saladino on lead guitar and vocal crafts a top radio track, joined by Gabriel Forget on bass, A.J. Aboud on drums and Felix Blackburn on guitars. Add a little bounce and you have Honey, a polished R&B track with just the perfect balance of guitar and vocal.  Take What You Need is polished with a solid weave of vocals, keys and guitar. This is as close to Steely Dan as it gets. My favorite track on the release is Bad Habit with it's skipping funky rock fusion feel. Saladino's vocals are cool and lain back and the guitar, bass and drums workout is terrific! Bluesy ballad, Peace Be With You, has a strong melody and familiar feel with smooth vocals and nicely accented guitar work over warm organ backing. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Mama Said, an easy set acoustic style ballad featuring Saladino backing his own vocals with fingerpicked electric guitar. This is a really "nice" release with a lot of feel. 

  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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No Label Records artist: Steve Hill - The One-Man Blues Rock Band - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The One-Man Blues Rock Band, a new live album from Steve Hill and it's powerful. Opening with Rhythm All Over, a power rocker, Steve Hill wastes no time making you a believer. With an excellent rock voice, the terrific ability to accompany himself as well as any band and fluid slide riffs, this is an excellent opener. His lead guitar on Go On, make you actually sit back and listen. This guy's playing has such presence that it rivals Jimmy Page and Alvin Lee. We're talking strong phrasing and focused notes. With a solid bass line and strong melody, Hill has great energy.  Excellent! Never Is Such A Long Time oozes blues like it was born in the Mississippi hill country but with a firm grip on modern rock and guitar techniques and tight drum rhythm giving it not only an emotional power but also strong musical punch. Very nice!  Little Walter's Hate To See You Go is a great blues rocker with Hill just killing it on guitar. You hear the initial interpretation style of jack White but pushed to the limits and the energy of young Alvin Lee. Terrific! Still Got It Bad is so beefy with tone that this thing is ready to pop. Excellent! The release is wrapped with a super rendition of Hendrix's Voodoo Chile with dynamics and gripping, soaring guitar riffs.

This is a really strong release and one that should easily plant Hill atop the hill!!

  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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Soars High productions: JP Soars - Southbound I-95 - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Southbound I-95, from JP Soars and it's really cool. Opening with Ain't No Dania Beach, there's a country flavor but still folky/rock along the lines of the Band...you know...just right. Joined by Travis Colby on organ, Paul DesLauries on ultra cool slide, Greg Morency on bass, and Sam Harrison on percussion, this is a stylin' opener. Swamp funky, Sure As Hell Ain't Foolin' Me, is a great track with a solid bass line and vocal delivery by Soars. His guitar playing is really nice as well, backed by Teresa James on vocals, Oscar Santiago on percussion and Scott Ankrom on trumpet, this is my favorite track on the release.  Title track, Southbound I-95 has great Dale/surf feel with dancing guitar work and a great rocking bass line by Jason Newstead. Excellent! Rock n Roller, The Grass Ain't Always Greener, will really get you moving with a tight piano solo by Colby and a ripping sax solo by Sax Gordon. Very hot! Born In California is another of my favorites with a cool back beat courtesy of Chris Peet on drums and Soars on guitar and bass and his vocals are edgy and cool. Straight up slow blues number, When You Walk Out That Door, features blues masters Jimmy Thackery and JP Soars trading guitar solo's in paced, masterful style. Ouch! With a strong dose of southern R&B, Deep Down In Florida is another great number with blazing guitar work by Albert Castiglia and Soars and a tight beat by Peet and sax work by Ankrom. Spanish flavor on Across The Desert really gives it just the right spice. Soars guitar work in duet with Lee Oskar further cements this release as one of the year's best. Another Latin flavored track, Dog Catcher, this time wide open, has great percussion by Santiago and flavorful guitar work by Soars. Very nice. Heavy tom tom work by Jeremy Staska and a flurry of guitar riffs over a driving bass line by Soars and real nice clarinet soloing by Ankron really sets this track off. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a radio edit of Sure As Hell Ain't Foolin' Me with strong vocals and rich funk. This is one of the must hear releases of the year! 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”

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Ruf Records artist: Jeremiah Johnson - Straitjacket - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Straitjacket, from Jeremiah Johnson and it's quite good. Opening with title track, Straitjacket, Jeremiah Johnson has a hot one on his hands. With a driving beat, a rolling bass line by Tom Maloney, Benet Schaeffer on drums Frank Bauer on sax and Mike Zito on rhythm guitar, Johnson on guitar and lead vocal this is a solid opener. Blues fused but with a great R&B style back beat, Getting Tired is one of my favorites on the release with a hot sax/bass lead and strong guitar fronting. another really cool track is Blues In Her Eyes with a great melody, solid vocals and crisp guitar lead. Rock and roller, Keep on Sailing has a strong boogie underpinning and slick slide work by Zito. Slow blues number, King & Queen, has some of the best vocals by Johnson on the release and an extended guitar solo on this 6 plus minute track is gold. Excellent! Zito move upfront on 9th and Russell, a slower country rocker with powerful guitar riffs and vocal duet. Sax dominant instrumental, Bonneville has a definite 60's soundtrack feel and with bent guitar soloing, a real cool flair! Wrapping the release is Rock N Roll Music To The World written buy one of my all time favorite players, Alvin Lee and a great rocker it is. With Johnson and Bauer on lead vocal and solid rock n roll style guitar work by Johnson and Zito, this is an excellent closer for 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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Ruf Records artist: Vanja Sky - Bad Penny - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 17, 2018), Bad Penny from Vanja Sky and it's a pop rocker with zip. Opening with title track, Bad Penny, Vanja Sky wastes no time in demonstrating her no prisoners attitude with a swaggering track that could easily be from the Lynyrd Skynyrd songbook. Leading the band on guitar and vocal Sky is backed by Mike Zito on guitar, Terry Day on bass, Matthew Johnson on drums and Lewis Stephens on keys. Low Down And Dirty is my favorite track on the release with what to me sounds like Mike Zito on vocal and slide guitar. This track has a gritty two step feel with cool guitar lead and vocals by Sky making this track hot hot hot! All Night has a poppy/rock feel with firm rhythm guitar and polished vocals by Sky. Ballad, Inside Pain has a smooth Mark Knopfler guitar feel and a solid radio melody. Another of my favorites is Give Me Back My Soul with a great SRV /Texas lope with Dave Smith on bass and Yonrico Scott on drums. Very cool. Pop rocker, Do You Wanna has great attitude with a rock and roll rhythm, stinging guitar riffs and a Joan Jett feel. Another track with a rowdy feel is Don't Forget To Rock n Roll, with melodic guitar lead and Patty Smith like vocal attitude. Wrapping the release is a southern based, Crossroads of Life with understated slide guitar and an anthem feel. This is a solid 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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Singer Crystal Shawanda Chases Dreams and Trades Country for Blues on New "VooDoo Woman" CD, Coming September 21 from True North Records

Singer Crystal Shawanda Chases Dreams and Trades Country for Blues on New VooDoo Woman CD, Coming September 21 from True North Records

Her New Gritty, Soul-Drenched Release Available Via Download Now

TORONTO, ON – True North Records announces a September 21 release date for singer Crystal Shawanda’s new CD, VooDoo Woman. The new album is already available via download at these platforms:

  

iTunes
Labelstore

Spotify

Sometimes, even the most instinctive singers need a little time to find their true voice. Just ask Crystal Shawanda. The celebrated Canadian-born, Nashville-based songwriter and musician has built a decade-long career on her hugely emotive performances, scoring a major label deal, chart hits, critical acclaim, marquee tours and a fervent fan following along the way. She was even the subject of a reality show, “Crystal: Living the Dream” on the CMT television network. Yet it has taken Shawanda until studio album number five — the gritty, soul-drenched, and positively electrifying VooDoo Woman — to pinpoint her essence as a blues singer, even though her previous albums would mostly be filed under country and she has been performing since her teens.

With her country debut album producing a Top 20 radio hit, Top 20 Billboard Country Albums chart status — plus more than 50,000 copies sold in the U.S. — Shawanda couldn’t help but feel out of place within the genre.

“The whole time I was singing Patsy Cline on stage, I was singing Etta James at home,” Shawanda admits.

VooDoo Woman presents a modern take on the blues, capturing the resilience of the human spirit with the intensity and range of a multi-faceted woman whose story is finally being told. “The songs just fell out of me and it was like setting my voice free,” Shawanda confesses. “I can’t help but feel like I’m home, no longer holding back.”

Indeed, that deep veneration of the blues is positively palpable on VooDoo Woman. Witness Shawanda’s thrilling interpretations of Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and “Ball and Chain,” Koko Taylor’s “Voodoo Woman,” Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue” and Etta James’ "I'd Rather Go Blind,” all gold-star gems in the blues canon demanding equal parts knock-kneed reverence and enormous skill. Shawanda and husband, guitarist/collaborator Dewayne Strobel bring both.

And VooDoo Woman — cut live-off-the-floor in Nashville alongside a boatload of talented guests— is a dazzling mix of “tributes to my heroes who led me to the blues” and previously released originals recut to meet the ever-evolving standards of co-producers Shawanda and Strobel.

“These are all first-take vocals. We didn’t redo anything,” explains Shawanda, who can frequently be found moonlighting, guitar in hand, at Nashville’s famed Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar. “My fans have often said they wished they could feel the energy of the live show on the records. That was a goal for us. Every time I went into the vocal booth, I treated it like a live performance.”

Not surprisingly, the new album kicks it right out of the gate. Scorching opener “Wang Dang Doodle” is a harp-goosed corker penned by blues legend Willie Dixon. The track provides Shawanda’s soaring, sandpapery delivery with maximum momentum.

Elsewhere, as on the candlelit focus track “I’ll Always Love You” written by Larry Grisham and Tommy Stillwell (aka The Beat Daddys and friends/mentors to Shawanda and Strobel), the singer dials down her power to unearth the song’s richly evocative and wholly universal emotion.

“I fell in love with that song, which first appeared on The Whole World’s Got the Blues, but we completely re-recorded it here,” she says. “We didn’t feel we had caught its heart before. After our daughter Zhaawande was born, the song took on a different meaning. I started singing it differently; it was sweeter, more personal. And I recorded that song — and most of this album — with Zhaawande in my arms. So,” she laughs, “that’s probably my favorite song on the album.”

Equally resonant is Shawanda’s reading of the classic “Misty Blue,” elevated to megahit status in 1976 by Dorothy Moore. “You don’t have to add much flash to a song like that,” Shawanda confirms, though she pretty much can’t help but adding flash to every song she tackles.

Notable originals on the new album include the saucy and slowly percolating “Cry Out for More,” a Shawanda/Strobel co-write. “It’s a song about the push and pull of relationships… working through those moments of ‘You drive me crazy… but I’m also crazy about you,’” Shawanda howls. “And because we are husband and wife, we can really put that out there.

“Dewayne and I also wrote ‘Bluetrain’ to show the correlation between the missing and murdered Indigenous women in the north and missing and murdered Black women in the south. It's about finding peace.”

“Trouble,” another blistering original on VooDoo Woman, showcases both Shawanda’s peerless belting and her broader influences. “That song has a bit of a throwback, Tina Turner-feel to it.  It’s about being in love with bad boys,” she says. “It was done so fast and I just love it.

Having grown up a native North American on the Wikwemikong reserve on an island in Ontario, it was there her parents encouraged Crystal to sing, play guitar, and ultimately find her start in country music. It was her oldest brother, however, who introduced her to the blues. “Singing the blues is like letting a bird out of a cage,” she says. “This feels like what I am supposed to be doing. When I sing the blues, I can let loose and really be who I am as a vocalist and song stylist.

“That’s what VooDoo Woman is about,” she adds. “I am so grateful to my country fans for the career they’ve given me. But everybody has new dreams every day and if we don’t chase them, we’ll never figure out who we really are. I hope my country fans find the courage to chase their dreams, too.

“VooDoo Woman is a whole new Crystal Shawanda. And when you think about it, blues is the root of everything; country, pop, rock — they all derive from the blues.  Even country led me to the blues. Hank Williams sang ‘Lovesick Blues’ and ‘Long Gone Lonesome Blues.’ Maybe this album is like a mini-education in blues! If that’s how people approach it, well, that’s fine with me.”

Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen - Break It Down - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Break It Down, from Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen and it's quite cool. I've listened to this release a number of times and I keep hearing new stuff. Opening with A Little Bit, a really cool neo soul track blended strongly with raw guitar attack by Dustin Douglas, a meaty bass line by Matt Gabriel and tight drum rhythms by Tommy Smallcomb and you get something really cool. Think "D'Angelo light' jamming with David Gilmore in a modern rock band. Very cool! Destiny has an even more rocky feel almost into Living Color territory. Goodbye is another particularly interesting track with a Led Zep spin. It doesn't have the Bonzo bottom but the riffs are the children of Page and even the vocals are "Plant"ish, although Douglas' vocals are much more listenable than Plant's. Another track with a definitive Page riff and a JP Jones line is Out Of My Mind. This is a particularly interesting track with a soft underlying bass line and perfect drum timing setting up soulful vocals and guitar riffs that have Gilmore and Gibbons influences. Excellent! On Your Face Is Stunning, Douglas seems to take the band even farther into the mist with another guitar led track. Santana like riffs but Gilmore like phrasing over solid rock footings yields even yet another cool direction. Wrapping the release is No More Tears to Cry with a pure blues rocker. With a raggedy approach and fat slide guitar work, this is a solid closer for a really enjoyable release. Very nice! 

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Mike Farris - "Silver & Stone"

Coming off of an incredible GRAMMY win for 2015’s SHINE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE (Best Roots Gospel album), Nashville rocker Mike Farris keeps it earthy and personal on SILVER & STONE, out September 7 on Compass Records. The title refers to his wife's ring, and the album is a celebration of their 23 years of marriage and her steadfastness in sticking by him through his years struggling with addiction and alcoholism. Now sober for 7 years, Farris has the energy and conviction of a man saved, a stack of anecdotes and life experiences that would make most people’s heads spin, and a soulful vocal delivery reminiscent of Sam Cooke or Otis Redding. SILVER & STONE isn’t a “gospel” album by any means, but Farris still takes us to church on these 12 engaging tracks, including a cover of Bill Withers’ “Hope She’ll be Happier.” 

Produced at Compass Sound Studio (AKA “Hillbilly Central” – the birthplace of Outlaw Country) in Nashville by Compass Records co-founder, Garry West, SILVER & STONE finds Farris imbuing his songs with a vibey, lighthearted feel, returning to his roots as a rocker and soul singer. The album weaves through the traditions of American music the way that Tennessee born and bred Farris has done expertly throughout his 25-year career, starting with his major label band, Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies.

Sonically, SILVER & STONE’s warm organic sound and stellar playing recalls the cream of the Stax Records’ catalog. The album opener and Farris original, "Tennessee Girl,” seguing into “Are You Lonely For Me Baby?” and “Can I Get a Witness,” are loose and groove-driven, hitting all the right notes of soul,  and  blues with an effortlessness that shows what a natural Farris is for this sound. 

The studio band includes famed “Memphis Boy” Gene Chrisman (Dusty Springfield, Elvis Presley, Dan Auerbach) sharing drum duties with Derrek Phillips (Robben Ford, Hank Williams Jr.), keyboardists Reese Wynans (Joe Bonamassa, Double Trouble) and long-time Farris collaborator Paul Brown (Waterboys, Ann Peebles), guitarists Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin, John Hiatt), Rob McNelly (Delbert McClinton) and George Marinelli (Bonnie Raitt) with Steve Mackey (Wallflowers, Delbert McClinton) and producer West splitting bass duties. Farris is quick to credit the crew in the band for putting their modern spin on classic grooves and progressions.  The band was given just enough structure so they could add their own flavor. Among the album's many standout moments is Joe Bonamassa's searing solo on “Movin’ Me” (Bonamassa became a fan and friend while opening for Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies in the 90's).

Melding the spiritual and the earthly, Farris says the album is about “reaching something better without actually trying.” This sentiment drives the Farris-penned composition, “Golden Wings”, written for his son, Christian, at “a pivotal point in his life, with so many options in front of him. That feeling of ‘Where am I supposed to be?’” 

Farris told Rolling Stone Country. "It's one of those songs that just flowed out after I did an exercise where you write a letter to your younger self. It has a dual message— something to say to a young person who is looking for answers, but also a reminder to myself to be free and open to the possibilities of life."

Another Farris composition, “When Mavis Sings,” hits equally close to his heart. Over his years as a performer, he’s had the privilege of becoming close to legendary singer and gospel icon Mavis Staples.  He says, “Mavis is everything you want your heroes to be.” Julie Farris elaborates, “She calls him ‘Mikey’.”  The song is actually a history lesson on Mavis' life, as it's completely comprised of literal tidbits of her life.  

“I wanted to explore that upbringing, being in that neighborhood with all of these luminaries and absorbing that music,” he says. “It was exciting to watch all the pieces come together and fit lyrically.”

The album closes with “I’ll Come Running Back To You,” an acknowledgment of the surrender intrinsic in love by accepting the kind of love that conquers shame and self-doubt.  Where the narrator of this song is losing his identity in service of unrequited love, for Farris, it’s quite the opposite—it’s relinquishing a vision of identity that needs to be served by attention or self-medication and instead takes root and grows through love.

“It’s the most essential, yet most difficult, part of faith,” Farris says.  “Remembering to open up and allow the universe to have its way with you and your gifts. Be open and free to the possibilities of life.”

"With a supersized voice filled with the electricity of Saturday night and the godly grace of Sunday mornings ." — Rolling Stone Country

“Mike Farris has enough heart, soul, and power to light up a city. He mixes up the elements and turns them into something new, beautiful, and uniquely his own.” — Buddy Miller

 "Country and gospel music is in dire need of some pure heartfelt soul right now.  He's like a secret weapon — he's loaded with soul."  — Marty Stuart (Rolling Stone Country) 

TOUR DATES:

July 10 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge

July 13 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall 

July 14 – Navarro, CA – Redwood Ramble

July 15 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s

Aug 18 – Saugerties, NY – Cantine Veterans Memorial Complex

Aug 23 – Chattanooga, TN – Songbirds

Aug 24 – Lexington, KY – Willie’s Locally Known

Aug 25 – Knoxville, TN – Open Chord Music

Aug 26 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre

Aug 27 – Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall

Aug 28 – Charleston, SC – Queen Street Playhouse

Sep 6 – Buford, GA – Buford Community Center

Sep 8 – Franklin, TN – Franklin Theatre

Sept 14 – Nashville, TN - AMERICANAFEST

Sep 17 + 18 – Penticton, BC – The Dream Café

Sep 20 – Salt Spring Island, BC – PitchFork Social

Sep 21 – Seattle, WA – The Triple Door

Sep 22 – Victoria, BC – University Centre Farquhar Auditorium

Sep 28 – Franklin, NC – Franklin Town Square Gazebo

Oct 5 - Madrid, Spain - Changó LIVE

Oct 6 - A Coruna, Spain - Sala Inn Club

Oct 7 - Gijón, Spain - Teatro de la Laboral

Oct 12 - Calella, Spain - Fàbrica Llobet

Nov 03 – Moab, UT – Moab City Baseball Field

Nov 29 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House    

Singer Trudy Lynn Declares "Blues Keep Knockin'" on Her New Connor Ray Music CD, Coming July 27

Singer Trudy Lynn Declares Blues Keep Knockin’ on Her New Connor Ray Music CD, Coming July 27

New Album Features Special Guests Steve Krase,

Bob Lanza and Carolyn Wonderland

HOUSTON, TX – Six-time Blues Music Award nominee Trudy Lynn will release her new CD, Blues Keep Knockin’ from Connor Ray Music on July 27.  Backing Trudy’s vocals on the new disc are musicians Steve Krase – harmonica; David Carter – guitar; Terry Dry – bass; Matt Johnson – drums; Jim Brady – trumpet; and Dan Carpenter – sax; with special guests Bob Lanza and Carolyn Wonderland on guitar.

Trudy was recently honored with three nominations for the Living Blues Magazine Awards, with voting currently underway at the magazine’s website: www.livingblues.com.

“I want to thank all my blues fans new and old, or should I say ‘mature,’ for being with me through my journey with the blues, both near and far,” Trudy says in the album liner notes. “My name is Trudy Lynn and I sing the blues for you, some old some new and some borrowed too. I love singing the blues! The blues knocks on my door, on my window and my heart. I must sing and I sing only what I feel and I sing to make you feel exactly what I feel!”

Blues Keep Knockin’ features ten soul-drenched songs dripping with blues and R&B. In addition to a new original song written by Trudy (the album’s title track), she puts her own stamp on   covers of songs from Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Big Maybelle, Big Bill Broonzy and Jimmy Rogers, among others.

“I am so grateful to all the musicians who contributed their talent to this recording,” says Trudy, “with very special heartfelt thanks to producer Rock ‘Papa’ Romano for all the time and effort he dedicated to this CD. (Can’t nobody call him ‘Papa’ but me!!)

“I also would like to give a special thanks to my ‘daughter’ … as I call her, Miss Carolyn Wonderland, who graciously added her talents to this recording. I can recall when she was just starting her blues career; she has blossomed into a force to be reckoned with. Our friend Jerry Lightfoot is smiling down on you. Love you baby girl!”

Blues Keep Knockin’ is Trudy Lynn’s 13^th solo album and her fourth release on the Connor Ray Music label, following up on I’ll Sing the Blues for You (2016), which garnered a Blues Music Award nomination for “Soul Blues Female Artist.” That was preceded by 2014’s Royal Oaks Blues Café, which hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart; and 2015’s Everything Comes with A Price, which spent four months on the Living Blues Radio Chart. Trudy was also inducted into the Houston Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Trudy Lynn was born Lee Audrey Nelms in Houston’s Fifth Ward, where she began singing as a teenager. After high school, Lynn went to visit her aunt in Lufkin, where a club called the Cinderella needed a singer. She decided Lee Audrey Nelms wasn't going to cut it as a stage name. The club had a bunch of cartoon character names painted on the wall and she noticed “Trudy,” which she quickly paired with Lynn. “Lynn was something in those days,” she recalls. “Gloria Lynne, Barbara Lynn. I thought, ‘I’m going to be one of those Lynns, too, baby.’”

Prior to striking out on her own, Trudy was the vocalist for such Texas greats as I.J. Gosey and Clarence Green, where Trudy spent five years as the vocalist for his band. Green was a stern mentor, but Lynn credits him with helping her become a professional. “He molded me well,” she says. “He's still in me because of what he taught me. It takes that.” After leaving Green’s band, Lynn began performing on her own. For years she struggled to get recorded in a manner deserving of her talent, until 1989 when Trudy signed with John Abbey’s famed Ichiban label and provided the opportunity for her to tour the world and perform at the most prestigious festivals, including Lucerne and the Chicago Blues Festival. While at Ichiban, producers had a strong hand in directing her recordings. Since joining forces with harmonica wizard Steve Krase and the Connor Ray Music label in 2014, Lynn has played curator for herself. She has been writing original songs that blend nicely with the vintage material. The songs are mostly about good times and bad men. “Each one of these songs means something to me,” she states. “I truly understand something about each one of them.”