Bman's Blues Report

I just received the newest release (May 5, 2015), Low Down , from Delta Moon and it's a warm mix of blues rock, country and radio play. Opening with Wrong Side Of Town , a blues rocker with Tom Gray on lead vocal and Mark Johnson playing bottleneck on a Rickenbacker spanish-electro guitar. A catchy melody and a JJ Cale like feel, this track should easily catch airplay. On New Orleans rhythm track, Afterglow , again has nice slide work with nice drum work from Marion Patton and bass work from Franher Joseph. Mark Johnson and Gray trade guitar riffs giving the track texture. Nothing You Can Tell A Fool has Muddy Waters like slide work from Johnson. Heavy tom tom work from Patton and backing vocals from Francine Reed, Johnson and Joseph nicely compliment the shimmery slide work throughout. Mean Streak has a solid radio theme and a slight funk on the bottom. Both lead and slide riffs on this track add nicely to the composition. Two stepper, Lowdown , a Tom Waits track, is my favor...

Erja Lyytinen is to release a new live album Live In London, via Tuohi Records on June 8 th . Dovetailing the release of the new album, Erja will embark on a 12-date UK tour this October along with a string of UK festival appearances. 2015 UK TOUR DATES LINTON FESTIVAL                                                             FRIDAY JUNE 19 DURHAM BLUES FESTIVAL                                           SATURDAY JUNE 20 CLEETHORPES BLUES FESTIVAL  ...

NEW RELEASE FROM FAN FAVORITES THE CASH BOX KINGS! Blind Pig Records will release  Holding Court , the latest album from award-winning fan favorites The Cash Box Kings, on April 28th! On this release the band continues their mission of carrying on the spirit of the 1940's and 50's post-war Chicago blues sound as well as the Delta blues music of the 20's and 30's. But these illustrious torchbear­ers also add a bravado, energy and freshness to the mix that results in a distinctive musical expe­rience. The Cash Box Kings are fronted by Joe Nosek , who writes and arranges songs, sings, and channels the spirits of Little Walter and Slim Harpo on harmonica, and singer and songwriter Oscar Wilson, a 6’3”, 300 hundred pound Muddy Waters-type throwback to the heyday of the Chicago blues scene.  No less a blues authority than Charlie Musselwhite said, "The Cash Box Kings play with taste and feel and it was faith restoring to know t...

RICHARD THOMPSON announces new album 'STILL' Produced by JEFF TWEEDY Released June 29, 2015 on Proper Records RICHARD THOMPSON ELECTRIC TRIO – UK tour in Aug & Sept 2015 “Richard Thompson is the kind of guitar player other guitar players revere. It’s not just his technique, nor the fact that he’s equally at home with an electric or an acoustic guitar. He’s also a songwriter of uncommon skill.” — NPR "Richard's been one of my favorite guitar players for a very long time. When I think about it, he's also one of my favorite songwriters and favorite singers. He's the Ultimate Triple Threat. Getting to work closely with him on this record was a truly rewarding experience, not to mention a great thrill. And he keeps alive my streak of working exclusively with artists who make me look good as a producer." - Jeff Tweedy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 28th, 2015 – The renowned guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson will release Still, an a...

Billboard Premieres Lead Track "El Matador" from Double Disc All-Instrumental Album Featuring Legendary Guitarist Schon With Keyboardists Jan Hammer And Igor Len, Alongside Journey's Steve Smith To Stream Click Here: http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6546329/neal-schon-el-matador-track-the-vortex-album-exclusive-premiere New York, NY --- Mascot Label Group's Music Theories Recordings and Neal Schon have announced the release of Vortex on June 23.  The 2-CD all-instrumental album utilizes rock as its foundation, while also embracing elements of jazz, classical and world music in an 18-track stunning, sonically explosive collection of original compositions.  The release is dedicated to Schon's best friend and wife, who serves as his true inspiration every day (Both "Lady M" and "Triumph of Love" were written for her, the latter of which he performed at their wedding on December 15, 2013).  Schon shares, "...

Alectro Writes on the Desks at the School of Desire: A wildly, ill-mannered album that would make Jim Thompson blush Music Vets Jeff Eyrich and Steve Kirkman Create one helluva an album! “…brings surf-country twang to life through eleven tales of hard living, lonesome traveling, and trying to find an elusive place called 'home'.  “   Jersey Beat Atlanta GA – BeBop Records aims to release the Alectro debut release School Desire on April 28 th . A genre splitting sound that can only be done by its two members, Jeff Eyrich and Steve Kirkman. This album was produced at Kirkman’s studio called The Octagon located in upstate New York by the highly creative duo. Jeff Eyrich and Steve Kirkman are the musical partners and soul brothers (in the soulful sense), who make up Alectro. They are music veterans from all facets of the industry; musician-producers, session men and fellow sidemen. Both share a passion for surf guitars, the spaghetti-w...

PRESENTING THE ADELANTO NEW BLUES FESTIVAL AT STATER BROS. STADIUM & HERITAGE FIELD FEATURING LEGENDARY BAND, CANNED HEAT & OTHER TOP INTERNATIONAL, HIGH DESERT SOCAL  BLUES/ROOTS ACTS Sunday, May 24, 2015 - 12 Noon to 10 p.m. (Rain or Shine)     (ADELANTO, CA) - The Blues are coming to the SoCal High Desert in a big way with the announcement of the 1st Annual Adelanto New Blues Festival , at Stater Bros. Stadium & Heritage Field, 12000 Stadium Way, Adelanto, on Sunday, May 24 (Memorial Day Weekend). Festival takes place 12 Noon -10 p.m. Tickets $25. (General Admission); $50. (VIP) in advance, available at www.ticketreturn.com or at www.newbluesfestival.com . Kids 12 and under free with paid adult admission. Info: (562) 762-8317 .    The legendary Canned Heat is the main headliner, supported by a stellar bands lineup that includes SoCal blues staples The 44's, Mighty Mojo Prophets, Boxca...

I just received a new, never before released, Stockholm 1973 , by Canned Heat and it's really super. Featuring Bob "The Bear" Hite on vocals, Henry "The Sunflower" Vestine on guitar, Adolfo 'Fito" La Parra on drums, James Shane on guitars, Richard Hite on bass and Ed Beyer on keys this lineup rocks! Opening with Let's Work Together the band really gets the audience cranked up. Driving bass line, organ solo, jamming guitar and bear on vocals how could you go wrong. Next up is the ever popular boogie On The Road Again . Hite leads off with wailing harp and never looks back. This band had jam in it's blood and that's exactly what it does. Very cool. Harley Davidson Blues has that country style blues that lets you sit back in your seat and just smile. With Hite's yodeling vocal and again jam like instrumental this track is a good pacing point for the concert as a whole. Election Blues slows the pace down nice and easy. At over 10 minut...

I just received the newest release (May 19, 2015), Southside , from Sugaray Rayford and it's got a great groove! Opening with Southside Of Town , Ralph Carter develops a great walking bass line stage for Rayfords solid vocals. Backed by Allan Walker on sax and Gary Bivona on trumpet as well as Jade Bennett, Zara Davis and Rachele Quiogue on vocals, Leo Dombecki lays out a nice keyboard solo and Gino Matteo rips on guitar continuing under the vocals throughout the track. Very nice! Slinky funk track, Miss Thang , again is heavily reliant on the bottom provided by Carter as well as Lavell Jones on drums. Rayford adds girth with his beefy vocals and Matteo rides the funky wave with tight guitar riffs. High stepping, Live To Love Again , really gets you moving and with horn and guitar punctuation is a clear radio play hit. Matteo lays out a crisp guitar solo and Walker and Bivona add warmth. Excellent! On shuffle track, Texas Bluesman , Matteo really take a nice guitar solo. Rayford...

DEFINITIVE LITTLE RICHARD 3-CD BOX SET, SPANNING SPECIALTY AND VEE-JAY YEARS, COMING FROM SPECIALTY RECORDS ON JUNE 2   Directly From My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years   features 64 classics and rarities spanning the mid-’50s through the mid-’60s. Set features 36-page booklet with notes by Billy Vera. Photos courtesy of the Specialty Archives LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In the early ’50s, Little Richard Penniman combined the spirit of church music, the barroom-hewn raunch of blues and the swing of New Orleans jazz and turned it into something altogether new — rock ’n’ roll.  When the Macon, Ga. native signed to Art Rupe’ s Specialty Records in Los Angeles, he was in turn dispatched to New Orleans to record at Cosimo’s legendary studio. Over the course of several sessions, the Little Richard sound began to develop around hits like...