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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, October 16, 2019

Segue Records artist: Vaneese Thomas - Down Yonder - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Down Yonder, from Vaneese Thomas and it's swampy, funky, soulful blues. Opening with Ebony Man, with it's thick funky blues sound, Thomas on lead vocal is backed by Shawn Pelton on drums, Conrad Korsh on bass Al Orlo on guitar and Tash Neal on dobro. Soul track, I Tried is one of my favorites with it's rich melody, powerful vocals and the addition of keys by Robbie Kondor, horn work by Lannie McMillam on tenor sax, Kirk Smothers on bari sax, Mark Franklin on trumpet and nicely articulated guitar lead by Orlo. Very nice. R&B track, Second Chance has a great radio vibe with nicely blended vocals and full horn backing. Another soulful blues track is Mama He Loves Me with a great melody and clean, tight guitar soloing and rich vocals. Funky, R&B number, Lies, has a great feel and a real strut punctuated by Will Lee on bass, Rick Kriska on bari sax Tim Ouimette on trumpet and Orlo's funky blues guitar lead. Southern gospel flavored, Gone, with it's hand claps and powerful vocals is a strong buildup for closing R&B ballad and title track, Down Yonder. Thomas' careful crafting of the melodic rhythm with Neal's Muscle Shoals like guitar solo and lush vocal backing by Carla Thomas, Bernetta Miles and Vaneese. 

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Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Music Maker Relief Foundation artist: John Dee Holeman - Last Pair Of Shoes - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Last Pair of Shoes, from John Dee Holeman and it's super. Opening with Chapel Hill Boogie, Holeman shows you that age is no obstacle at 90 years. This is a pure boogie with a great attitude. Accompanied by Tad Walters on harmonica this track is gold. Digging in on Muddy Water's She Moves Me, Holeman hunkers down and grinds it out with terrific highlights by Walters on harp. Excellent! On Lightnin' Hopkins' classic, Shotgun Blues, Holeman really has it stripped down to a basic electric guitar, kick drum and harmonica and it's as real as it gets. Holeman's expressive vocals feel like real pain … real blues. Hound Dog Taylor's masterpiece, (Give Me Back My) Wig gets my vote for favorite track with a relaxed (rather than HDT's high energy) attack. This is a great track and with Holeman's vocals and Walter's harp work, with solid supporting electric guitar and light cymbals. Wrapping the release is Muddy Waters' Two Trains Runnin' (Still A Fool). This is a gritty take on the track with cool Hammond work and scattered electric guitar soloing over Holeman's vocals. Solid finish for a really cool release. 

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Monday, October 14, 2019

VizzTone Label Group artist: Annika Chambers - Kiss My Sass - New release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kiss My Sass, from Annika Chambers, and it's a great mix of blues, soul and R&B tracks. Opening with rolling shuffle, Let The Sass Out, Chambers leads a powerful force with Corey Stoot and The Mighty Org on guitars, Greg Brown Jr. on drums, Larry Fulcher on bass and Anthony Terry on sax with Nicola Polar on backing vocals. Great opener. That's What You Made Me is a real nice R&B track with a heavy kick drum by Brannon McLeod and a great bass line by Fulcher. Chambers really gets in the groove on this one and glistening key work by Randy Wall and Polar's backing vocals ice the cake. Very nice. What's Your Thing is a really nice soulful track featuring Chambers with Ruthie Foster. With just the right amount of soul and steel guitar by the Mighty Org this is a really nice song.  Brand New Day is one of my favorites on the release with wailing slide in the background and a solid droning bass line really highlighting Chambers' vocal work. Blues rocker, World of Hurt is a real high stepper with hard reinforcement by Fulcher's bass and Anthony Terry on sax and featuring nice guitar work by Paul Ramirez. Another of my favorites is soul track, Stay with Stephanie York Blue on Hammond and Randy Wall on piano really giving the track a powerful dose of gospel. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I Feel The Same,  acoustic duet with Paul DesLauriers on vocal and slide guitar with Sam Harrisson on percussion.

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Friday, October 11, 2019

Endless Blues Records artist: Tennessee Redemption - self titled - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release Tennessee Redemption and its strongly written and performed. Opening with Glad To Be, a solid radio track, Brandon Santini is up front on  harmonica, backed by Jeff Jensen on lead vocal and guitar, Timo Arthur on guitar, Bill Ruffino on bass and David Green on drums. With it's rumbling bass line and funky wah wah guitar rhythm, We Got A Thing Going On has a real cool sound. A swampy overall sound and nicely woven instruments, under Santini's super lead vocals makes this one of my favorites on the release. A dark underpinning on Leave My Body and Jensen's nice lead vocals create a lot of tension with an active bass line, particularly nice drum work by Green and nicely crafted guitar lead. This isn't your basic blues track and really has a lot going no. Definite cool track. Gospel flavored Come On Up To The House has a real nice laid back country feel with soothing lead vocal by Jensen and warm vocal backing by Santini, Arthur Ruffino and Green. Very nice. Jensen takes control on You Don't Love Me giving it a strong guitar entry. His vocals are always warm and Santini's harp tones solid. With just a light funk underneath, this track is sneaky good. Blues stomper, Watch Yourself, features Jensen driving on guitar and Santini on vocal and harp. Keeping you focused with it's driving beat, this is one of my favorites on the release. Wrapping the release is I'm Going To Mexico with a light acoustic feel. Pairing Jensen and Santini on lead vocal with acoustic guitar and harmonica backing, this is a solid closer. 

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Thursday, October 10, 2019

Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Bob Seger Highlight Ghost Hounds' Breakout Year




Ghost Hounds Announces ‘Roses Are Black’

New Album Features Slash, Kenny Aronoff, Reese Wynans, and Michael Rhodes, Out Nov 5th
 

The band is on tour with ZZ Top this month and will play Bob Seger’s final-ever performance on November 1st
 

WATCH/SHARE the band’s live performance video for “Fire Under Water”
https://youtu.be/hE0rgl1jA28
On the heels of an opening performance with the Rolling Stones this summer, and the announcement of upcoming performances with ZZ Top and Bob Seger, Pittsburgh rock band GHOST HOUNDS has announced details of ‘Roses Are Black, their new album out November 5th, 2019.  Featuring guest appearances by Slash, Kenny Aronoff, Reese Wynans, and Michael Rhodes, ‘Roses Are Black’ was crafted by founder and guitarist Thomas Tull, alongside producing and songwriting partners David Grissom and Kevin Bowe. The album was mixed by six-time Grammy Award-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, The White Stripes, Danger Mouse, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon) and engineered by Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin).

Ghost Hounds is a rock ‘n’ roll band at a time when the world needs more of them. The band’s new album recalls the universal appeal of rock’s ‘70s heyday, but with a fresh, crackling energy crafted by Tull, and voiced with fluid power by vocalist Tre’ Nation. The band’s gritty sound reflects the blue-collar heritage of its hometown of Pittsburgh; a versatile outfit whose music fits in an Iron City barroom or a stadium — such as the one in Maryland where Ghost Hounds opened for the Rolling Stones in July. There’s plenty of energy and rock ‘n’ roll abandon, along with tight playing and intricate songcraft.

“I think it’s a direct reflection of my own eclectic music tastes,” Tull says. “The Rolling Stones are my favorite band of all time, so a lot of this is inspired by the Stones. They fell in love with American blues. They have great country songs. Those things all appealed to me. Having all those different voices is important, and that’s what I want our band to have too.”

‘Roses Are Black’ certainly celebrates that diversity across its 12 tracks. “Bad News” spreads the good word of Ghost Hounds’ return by throttling up into some 12-bar fury, echoed later on in “Push That Rock Up the Hill” and “We Roll Hard.” “Skin in the Game” reflects that Stones love Tull speaks of, while “Black Rose” and “Fire Under Water” are classic rock tunes and “Almost Loved You” would sound at home in Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. The group’s softer and soulful side is just as potent on tracks such as “When Your Shadow Touches Mine,” “Til It’s Gone” and “Second Time Around,” and Ghost Hounds’ treatment of “Devil Woman” shoots the Cliff Richards’ original through with high-test adrenaline, including biting guitar solos.


Watch Ghost Hounds' live performance video for
"Fire Under Water"


Listen to Ghost Hounds' recent single "Bad News"

‘Roses Are Black’ represents an exciting new chapter in Ghost Hounds’ nearly 15-year story. Tull initially formed the band during the mid-2000s in Los Angeles, releasing a self-titled, Nile Rodgers-produced album in 2009. The group disbanded as Tull’s focus shifted elsewhere — starting a family and guiding his Legendary Entertainment to success with films such as the Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale Batman trilogy, the “Jurassic World” series, “Straight Outta Compton,” “The Hangover” and many more, along with comics, digital media and other ventures. But after selling Legendary in 2016, Tull still had the desire to, in the words of one of his songs, “push that old rock (and roll) back up the hill.”

“I missed music,” Tull explains. “I missed writing. I missed performing. I missed the camaraderie of a band. I decided this was something I really wanted to do.”

As the release of ‘Roses Are Black’ approaches, Ghost Hounds’ new lineup – Tull, guitarist Johnny Baab, bassist Bennett Miller, drummer Blaise Lanzetta and powerhouse vocalist Tre Nation – are looking forward to making their case back on the road. “All of these songs to me just come alive in the band’s performance,” Tull says. “We tracked every song live, and we wanted this to be, in some ways, an old-fashioned record, where you can listen to the record and then go hear the band and say, ‘Yeah, that’s the song I heard.’ There’s nothing we can’t pull off live.”

‘ROSES ARE BLACK’ TRACKLIST
1. Bad News
2. Black Rose
3. When Your Shadow Touches Mine
4. Devil Woman
5. Til It’s Gone
6. We Roll Hard
7. Push That Rock Up The Hill
8. Skin In The Game
9. Fire Under Water
10. Second Time Around
11. Almost Loved You
12. Second Time Around (Acoustic)

GHOST HOUNDS TOUR DATES
Thursday, October 17th – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA^
Tuesday, October 22nd – King Center for the Performing Arts – Melbourne, FL*
Wednesday, October 23rd – Donald L. Tucker Civic Center – Tallahassee, FL*
Friday, October 25th – MGM National Harbor – Oxon Hill, MD*
Saturday, October 26th – The Wind Creek Event Center – Bethlehem, PA*
Sunday, October 27th – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT*
Tuesday, October 29th – Warner Theatre – Erie, PA*
Wednesday, October 30th – Wings Event Center – Kalamazoo, MI*
Friday, November 1st – the Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA^

^ opening for Bob Seger
* opening for ZZ Top

GHOST HOUNDS IS:
Vocals – TRE NATION
Guitar – JOHNNY BAAB
Guitar – THOMAS TULL
Bass – BENNETT MILLER
Drums – BLAISE LANZETTA
Keyboard – JOE MUNROE

 

Quebec's Masterful Harmonicist Guy Bélanger Set To Release Eldorado October 25


Quebec's Masterful Harmonicist  
Guy Bélanger Set To Release Eldorado October 25



Bélanger's sixth solo album coming out via Bros Records









Quebec’s most sought-after harmonica player, Guy Bélanger is set to release his 6th solo album, Eldorado on October 25th on Bros Records. This long-awaited new release features a mix of original blues songs and instrumental gems that highlight his remarkable melodic touch. Eldorado is another demonstration of the top-notch chemistry Bélanger and his band can attain in studio.

This brilliant assemblage of original songs also contains a few surprising covers, of note a delta blues version of Prince's “Sign 'O The Times” and a joyous rendition of Van Morrison’s “Bright Side of the Road”. 

With a storied career that has spanned more than four decades, Bélanger has worked with some of Quebec’s biggest names in music and entertainment including, among others, Celine Dion, Cirque du Soleil, and Bob Walsh. He is a two-time Maple Blues Award winner and since 2003 has won 14 Lys Blues awards.

Eldorado is Bélanger’s most ambitious album to date; the songs are powerfully emotive with twists at every turn. Eldorado is an invitation to the listener into Guy Bélanger’s musical universe through his marvellous songwriting and the top-notch harmonica playing. 

The album and its themes are summed up concisely by Bélanger. 
“Eldorado means (for me) “The Quest”. I love the road I ride, and the pitfalls only give me the courage to move forward…”




TRACK LIST

1.         CARVING THE WIND (3:17)
2.         BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD (5:22)
3.         ELDORADO (3:42)
4.         WHEN WILL I KNOW (6:14)
5.         WICKED (3:52)
6.         HUMMIN’ (5:09)
7.         GANGA (5:22)
8.         SIGN O’ THE TIMES (4:06)
9.         HOPE & FAITH (4:45)
10.       FOUR LITTLE WORDS
11.       STILLWATER (3:49)











Gulf Coast Records artist: Jimmy Carpenter - Soul Doctor - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul Doctor, from Jimmy Carpenter and it's cool mix of blues, rock, soul and R&B. Opening with blues rocker and title track, Soul Rocker, Jimmy Carpenter on lead vocal and sax sets the pace with hot guitar work by Nick Schnebelen, Red Young on keys, Jason Langley on bass and Cameron Tyler on drums. Shuffle, Wild Streak has a cool swing and features a real solid sax solo by Carpenter and so great slide by Trevor Johnson. New Orleans flavored, Love It So Much is one of my favorites on the release with hot drum work by Tyler, a great bass line by Langley, Doug Woolverton on trumpet, Mark Earley on Bari sax and of course strong vocal and sax work by Carpenter. Slower blues track, Need Your Love So Bad really gives Carpenter a chance to shine on vocal and sax and Johnson's lead guitar work is very nice. Funky, Wanna Be Right is a solid radio entry with excellent key work by Young, super vocals by Carpenter, Chris Tofield, Carrie Stowers, Queen Aries and Al Ek. With Carpenter's warm sax soloing and underpinning by Langley, this track is super. Stepping into James Brown / Boogaloo territory, Carpenter rolls a great sax lead on Boots Randolph's One Mint Julip. Wrapping the release is Eddie Hinton's R&B track, Yeah Man and Carpenter's featured lead vocal work. This is a prime entry for radio track with a solid melody, vocals and clean guitar and organ work under the lead and prominent sax soloing, supported by glistening slide work. Nice closer for a solid release. 

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Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Kathryn Grimm - Blues Tools - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Tools, from Kathryn Grimm and it is a pop driven blues rocker. Opening with shuffle track, You Make Me So Happy I Can't Sing The Blues, backed by Kelly Swift on bass, Charlie Swift on drums and featuring Fenix Sanders on sax. With a quiet Latin influence, Gone is a cool rocker with nice guitar soloing by Grimm and a hot sax solo by Kelly. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Talking To The Wind with it's mode deliberate Latin rhythms, solid vocal blending and bass work by Michael Sunday and Robin James on drums. Bluesy, Miss Celie's Blues is a solid shuffle featuring Fenix Sanders on sax with a good workout and a more sensual side of Kathryn's vocals. Wrapping the release is quiet ballad, Empty Space, featuring Kathryn on lead vocals and Johny Powel on flute over Grimm's own acoustic guitar accompaniment. Very nice. 

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Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Moonshine Society - Sweet Thing - New release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sweet Thing, from Moonshine Society and it's rich in blues. Opening with title track, Sweet Thing, lead singer, Black Betty uses her heavy, Big Mama styling to throw this track around like a rag doll with support from the likes of Jason Ricci with Joe Poppen on guitar, Wes Lanich on keys, Tod Ellsworth on bass and Rodney Dunton on drums. R&B ballad, Come On Home has great depth with the addition of Ron Holloway on tenor sax, Vince McCool on trumpet, Ken Wenzel on Bari sax and Billy Mayfield on backing vocals. Very nice. Funky, Southern Roads is one of my favorites with a super back beat and Ricci back on harp pushing Betty vocally and the excellent drum and guitar combo of Dunton and Poppen. Use Me On Guilded Splinters takes Bill Withers' classic Use Me, reinforces the funky rock bottom and hits it with a really hard dash of guitar, then rolls it all up in gumbo … Dr John style with I Walk On Guilded Splinters. Very cool jam. Etta James' I'd Rather Go Blind is a strong showcase for Betty's vocal lead and features a nice solo by Poppen as well. Wrapping the release is sensitive blues ballad, The One Who Got Away, with well crafted vocals by Betty and cleanly woven guitar lead by Buddy Speir, backed by Eric Scott on bass, Will Rast on keys and Andy Hamburger on drums. Very nice closer for a solid release. 

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Monday, October 7, 2019

Polly O'Keary and the Rhythm Method -- As Live As It Gets - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, As Live As It Gets, from Polly O'Keary and the Rhythm Method and it's a solid performance. Opening with high stepper, Red Light with it's romping bass line by O'Keary under her powerful vocal lead, backed by David Miller on guitar and Tommy Cook on drums. Funky blues, In My Father's House has a really great bottom with cool lead guitar by Miller and ever tight drum snap by Cook. O'Keary's bass line is relentless and her vocals full and heavy. Slow blues, Black Crow Callin' is my favorite track on the release with O'keary digging deep on her best vocal effort on the release and Miller really takes it to the next level with excellent lead phrasing volume swells and trem bends. Very nice. Blues rocker, I Don't Understand is another track that will get your heals high and people on the dance floor. O'Keary's vocals are solid and commanding and Cook's use of snare is perfect. Another of my favorites is Old Love with it's laid back, almost effortless feel. Just riding vocally in the sling of the beat suits O'Keary nicely and Miller's guitar approach on this one is really fine. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Who Needs The Blues with a real swagger. O'Keary's thumping rock bass line and gives the track a rolling feel and the stinging soloing of Miller is a super capper to a solid release. 

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Friday, October 4, 2019

Blind Pig Recoreds artists: Altered Five Blues Band - Ten Thousand Watts - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ten Thousand Watts, from Altered Five Blues Band and it's a scorcher. Opening with hard driving boogie, Right On, Right On, Jeff Taylor's gritty vocals lead the way over the thumping bass line of Mark Solveson and solid drum work of Alan Arber. Steve Cohen screams on harp and Jeff Schroedl on guitar really makes you want to put this on your main system and crank it up...Excellent! With an Albert King like swagger, Schroedl leads off on title track, Ten Thousand Watts and with an already powerful bottom cranks off an a head slapping lead solo keeping Taylor company right up front. Wow! Balance between Raymond Tevich on keys and Schroedl's rhythm guitar give Taylor a strong platform to continue the onslaught on Great Minds Drink Alike... a rowdy shuffle. Keep it coming boys! Dollars & Demons is a super dark blues number with super vocal phrasing and excellent guitar tone. Schroedl really pulls out the stops on this on with nice bends and fanning. Very nice! High stepper, Let Me Do The Wrong Thing has great pace and gripping guitar work over a nicely funked up bottom. I'll blame the Latin rhythm by Solveson and Arber for the non stop bouncing on Half of Nothing but Tevich's keyboards are great and Schroedl's non stop guitar riffs really work great with Taylor's super vocals. Wrapping the release is Let Me Be Gone, a hard driving blues rocker with a take no prisoners approach. Solveson and Arber are full steam ahead and Cohen is over the top on harp. This is a real nice closer for an excellent release.


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Thursday, October 3, 2019

American Showplace Music artist: Bruce Katz - Solo Ride - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Solo Ride, from Bruce Katz and it's a cool blues piano extravaganza. Opening with piano boogie, Down At The Barrelhouse, Katz is really rolling with a great boogie line on the bottom and solid great lead on top. Excellent opener. Tampa Red's It Hurts Me Too on piano has a totally different dynamic and Katz works it hard. Maintaining it's shuffle structure, Katz's hands are gold. With poise and elegance, Katz plays ballad, Dreams of Yesterday, with it's serene melody with a touch of gospel balance. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Easy Livng with it's early jazz/blues roots. Katz sets it up nicely and then hits the solo opening trill. Maintaining a slow but sure pace, his phrasing is strong. Very nice. Another piano boogie, Watermelon Thump really grinds out the blues in barrelhouse style. Very nice. Closing the release is Redemption with the structure of a movie soundtrack. Katz playing throughout the release is flawless and inspired.

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Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Maremil artist: Alex Lopez - Yours Truly, Me - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Yours Truly, Me, from Alex Lopez and it's a smooth and polished radio blues rocker. Opening with Woe Is Me, a pop rocker featuring Lopez's on lead vocal, backed by Kenny Hoye on keys, Steve Roberts on bass and David Nunez on drums with some particularly nice light jazz runs on guitar. I'm A Working Man shows cool guitar form over a somewhat funky drum and bass bottom. Blues ballad, I Love You Blues (Redux) has a sweet melody and melodic guitar soloing, backed by solid organ and piano work byKenny Hoye and with Steve Pagano on bass and Michael Maxim on drums.  Sinful is a cool bluesy ballad with some of Lopez's best vocals on the release. His guitar playing has great style and adventure. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Cheating Blues (redux) with it's rock n roll styling. Pagano's bass work and the tight drums riffs of Maxin give solid bottom to Hoye for his organ solo. 

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Monday, September 30, 2019

Dudley Taft - Simple Life - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Simple Life, from Dudley Taft and it's a solid blues rocker with a modern rock edge. Opening with Give Me A Song, a strong radio style track with a catchy melody and a solid beat, Taft's vocals are solid and his guitar lead straight on. Backed by Kasey Williams on bass, and Chris Ellison on drums, a strong opener. With a more aggressive edge, In Your Way has a strong bottom via Walfredo Reyes Jr on drums and Taft's rhythm guitar. His lead work is clean and tight. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Bombs Away with it's bright rock feel and Taft's electrifying guitar lead. Warren Haynes' If Heartaches Were Nickels gives Taft the perfect venue to show his blues chops. With an extended lead guitar solo he grinds deep in the fretboard and soars over the rhythm of John Kessler on bass and Reyes Jr. on drums. Very nice. Wrapping the release is driving rocker, Back To You with Mike Tapogna riding high on drums and Taft harmonizing nicely over his rough and ready guitar style. Solid closer.

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Friday, September 27, 2019

Cherry Bomb Records artist: Seth James - Good Life - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good Life, from Seth James and it's quite good. Not since the early inception of Little Feat have I heard anything quite this strong in this vein. Opening with Brother, a funky, swampy blues number, James on lead vocal and guitar has heavy backing by Bob Britt and his sweet Lowell George like slide style, Kevin McKendree on keys, Lynn Williams on drums and excellent backing vocals by Windy Moten. A solid compliment of horn work by Jim Hoke on sax, Roy Agee on trombone and Vinnie Ciesielski on trumpet. Excellent opener. Continuing is that funky blues vein, title track, Good Life, has a strong woven instrumental feel with thick slide work by Britt. James' vocals are solid and tuneful Very cool. Yates McKendree steps up with a real nice guitar solo and some of James' best vocals on the release on easy R&B ballad, From Way Behind.  Radio track, I'm Coming Home is dripping with soul with excellent lead vocals by James and backing by Moten. Very very nice. Funky rocker, Medicine Man has a super gritty guitar lead and tight rhythm with cool vocal work by James and Kevin McKendree. Greasy! Wrapping the release is acoustic blues number, I Am The Storm, featuring James alone on guitar and vocal. Very blues rootsy and with strong vocals, James closes out an exceptional set. Extremely nice!Oh...and the cd cover is excellent too!

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Thursday, September 26, 2019

Earwig Music Company artist: Les Copeland - One More Foot In The Quicksand - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One More Foot In The Quicksand, from Les Copeland and it's honest. Opening with blues rocker, Change Of Pace, Les Copeland sets up on lead vocal and guitar, backed by Cameron Ward on bass and Scott Grant on drums. On Big Bill Broonzy's When I Been Drinking, Copeland goes it alone with electric guitar. This is a particularly cool tract with solid vocals and excellent country blues style guitar accompaniment. Very cool. Freddie King's Woman Across The River gets a real funky edge. The base arrangement remains intact but Copeland's added funk gives it a really fresh feel. Copeland lays in some real nice riffs and Ward's bass lines are excellent. Another cool, country style blues track, Perfect Man Like You, blends solid vocals by Copeland, backed by flat picking and slide guitar overlays. Very nice. Slow blues number, Uncle To Aunt, gives Copeland a real nice opportunity to just stretch and show his blues chops. With only the minimal of bass and drum backing, Copeland shines. Tiny People is a real cool tune with a great melody. Featuring Copeland on lead slide (melody), this is certainly one of my favorite tracks on the release. Ray Charles' Hallelujah I Love Her So gets a savvy swing alternating Copeland vocals with cool jazzy guitar soloing. Very nice.  Another nice country blues rag is I'd Be Nothing with straight up Piedmont picking and tight vocal delivery. Title track, Just Another Foot In The Quicksand, adds a jazzy approach to a traditional country style blues. With some real nice articulation and bluesy accents, a real nice job. Closing the release is I Gotta Get Up, a jazzy R&B style track with a lot of commercial potential. This release has a number of approaches to the blues with a constant theme in acoustic style blues guitar. Take a listen.



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Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Misty Blues - Pickled & Aged - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Pickled & Aged, from Misty Blues, and it's a blend pf many flavors of blues. Opening with rag time, Split Whiskey, lead vocalist Gina Coleman has strong backing by Jason Webster on banjo, Bill Patriquin on trumpet, Benny Kohn on keys, Rob Tatten on tuba, Aaron Dean on sax and Diego Monque on drums. Great opener. Rolling into funky, Our Travelling Blues, Tatten really spices up the bottom with a great funky beat and excellent sax work by Dean really give Coleman a great foundation. My favorite track on the release is instrumental, It's A Jungle Out There with a terrific Latin beat and an overall jazz framework. With excellent tom tom work by Tatten and percussion by Coleman, Kohn on piano, Patriquin on trumpet, Dean on sax and Webster on guitar, this is a great ride. Another more aggressive track is Take A Long Ride with it's lumbering beat. Coleman digs in on vocals and Dean really screams on sax. Kohn's key solo is clean and well developed and Webster's guitar work driven. Excellent track. Wrapping the release is Stoop Stomp, an up tempo blues with firm support from Dean and a wound down solo by Webster. Even Patriquin gets a nice opening for a bass solo on this one. Cool closer for a real nice release.

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