Bman's Blues Report

Rare Air  Mike Farris - A Change Is Gonna Come Tennessee-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist Mike Farris possesses one of the most unmistakable, soul-stirring voices in American roots music. His powerhouse delivery effortlessly bridges the gap between Saturday night rock 'n' roll and Sunday morning gospel. Farris first made his mark in the 1990s as the charismatic frontman of the beloved Southern rock outfit The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, earning a loyal following for his raw, electric stage presence. After stepping away from the band and overcoming a hard-fought battle with addiction, Farris launched a solo career in the early 2000s that allowed him to lean fully into his deepest musical loves: Delta blues, Memphis soul, and traditional gospel. Over the past two decades, that fearless authenticity has earned him widespread acclaim alongside a shelf full of hardware, including a GRAMMY Award for Best Roots Gospel Album, an Americana Music Awar...

ALBUM REVIEW Teskey - Live At The Rhythm Room Label: Independent Released: July 17, 2026 DR: TBD B ased out of Phoenix, Teskey is a blues-rock trio that thrives on deep grooves, vintage '60s gear, and the kind of chemistry you only get from playing live in a room together. Fronted by guitarist and singer Brandon Teskey alongside Matt Baldwin on bass and Brandon Gaddy on drums, the band moves effortlessly from heavy, gritty riffs to soulful, psychedelic jams—picking up fans across the country since dropping their 2025 debut album, White Wolf.  Now, they’re bringing that unscripted stage energy straight to your speakers with Live at the Rhythm Room. Captured in a single, unfiltered take at Phoenix’s legendary neighborhood blues joint, the 11-track record bottles up a great night of music—mixing favorites from White Wolf, early previews from their upcoming Blue Dreams sessions, and a laid-back cover of Blind Faith’s "Can...

ALBUM REVIEW David Friesen / John Stowell - Interplay Variations Label: Origin Records Released: November 20, 2026 DR: TBD D Bassist David Friesen and guitarist John Stowell first teamed up back in 1976, quickly building one of jazz's sharpest and most intuitive duo partnerships. For the next seven years, they hit the road across North America and Europe, weaving together folk-inspired melodies, quiet intensity, and wide-open improvisation. Their standout 1978 album Through the Listening Glass drew major praise and landed on a top ten list of the decade's best jazz records, while follow-up sessions like Other Mansions showed off just how effortlessly they could finish each other's musical sentences. Away from the duo, both musicians have spent decades blazing their own trails as respected teachers and true originals—Friesen with his percussive, deeply expressive touch on the acoustic and Hemage basses, and Stowell w...

ALBUM REVIEW Jason Ricci and The Bad Kind - 13 Hours Label: Gulf Coast Records Released: May 29, 2026 DR: TBD J ason Ricci has spent the last couple of decades carving out his own lane in the blues world, turning the harmonica into an instrument that feels just as at home in a punk club or a psychedelic jam session as it does in a traditional juke joint. Originally hailing from Portland, Maine, he cut his teeth on the road through Memphis and the Deep South before eventually settling into the vibrant music community of New Orleans. Along the way, he picked up a few Blues Music Awards, recorded alongside legends like Johnny Winter and Walter Trout, and built a dedicated following through his bands New Blood and The Bad Kind.  What sets Ricci apart isn’t just his effortless speed or his mastery of complex overblow techniques—it’s the honesty and grit he brings to the microphone. Whether he is sharing hard-won stories from his...