Bman's Blues Report

Forty Below Records Sets February 26 Release Date for Vinyl LP Version of Find a Way to Care Album from British Blues Godfather John Mayall New March Tour Dates Announced LOS ANGELES, CA – Forty Below Records has announced a February 26 release date for the vinyl LP version of the latest album from legendary blues artist, John Mayall, Find a Way to Care , which follows its critically-acclaimed CD launch in September, 2015. John Mayall and his band have scheduled a series of U.S. tour dates starting in early March to help kick-off the LP’s debut.     To watch the video trailer premiere of the making of the Find a Way to Care album:   http://youtu.be/E-jwpvB4OY0 Since its release on CD, the reviews of Find a Way to Care have been universally glowing: “ Find a Way to Care represents another soulful mile marker on John Mayall’s incredible life journey into the blues” – Living Blues ; “The Godfather of British Blues” has ...

Tasha Taylor Sings Sweet For Her Fans Honey For The Biscuit Is Soul-Bearing Out March 18 Daughter of Stax Legend Johnnie Taylor Carries Family Tradition Proudly “This record has a lot of relationship heartache, missteps, and some confusion. I think it’s about searching for something via someone.”- Tasha Taylor Ruf Records recording artist Tasha Taylor has always carried the torch for Soul and Blues. Now, with her dazzling third album, Honey For The Biscuit , set for an March 18 release, the US singer/songwriter/musician unveils thirteen new songs that push her beloved genre into the spotlight. “I’m carrying on the next generation of rhythm, blues, and soul,” says Tasha. “Bridging the gap between one generation and another; it’s my family business – as well as my passion.”          As the daughter of R&B trailblazer and Stax giant Johnnie Taylor, Tasha’s genealogy is auspicious. And yet, while lesser talents...

I just received the newest release, Gristle to Gold from Randy McAllister and it has a lot of soul. Opening with The Kid With the Really Old Soul , McAllister on lead vocals and harp is joined by Rob Dewan on guitar, Matt Higgins on bass, Maya Van Nuys on fiddle, Kevin Shermerhorn on drums and Andrea Wallace on backing vocals for a real R&B style rocker. The Push really shows the strength of McAllister's vocals and features solid vocal backing from Wallace. I particularly like Dewan's guitar work on this track. Something That Don't Cost A Dime has solid R&B roots with gospel fusion reinforced by the driving bass lines of Higgins and backing vocals by Wallace. Crappy Food, No Sleep, A Van and A Bunch Of Songs actually puts me in mind of Golden Earring in blue. With punctuation by McAllister on harp and backing vocals by Benita Aterberry-Burns, this track gets rockin'. I'm Like A Boomerang is one of my favorite tracks on the release with solid R&...

I just received the newest release, Angels Sing The Blues featuring performances by Liz Mandeville, Mary Lane, Al Short, Shirley Johnson and Johnny Drummer and it's cool! Opening with Al "Guitar" Short on the Johnny Guitar Watson track, A Real Mother For Ya , backed by Johnny Drummer on keys, Walter Scott on rhythm guitar, Anthony Palmer on lead guitar, Kenny Hampton on bass, Tino Cortes on drums this release starts off with a kicking funk. Danny O'Connor takes the mic on Cold Women With Warm Hearts and a rolling James Brown rhythm driven by O'Connor's own bass lead. Very nice! Johnny Drummer is up next and a slick guitar intro by Palmer opens Gonna Sell My Cadillac, Buy Myself A Mule . This track has a great feel with extended guitar work by Palmer and Drummers vocals are tight, complimented by his own harp work. Slowing it down a bit, Drummer leads a low slung groove in easy style. Palmer steps up with some real nice riffs on this track giving it a rea...

I just received the newest release, Memphis Blue: Sweet, Strong, & Tight from Barbara Blue and it's got soul. Opening with J McShann's Hands Off, a rumbling R&B style track Barbara Blue gets it rolling taking the lead on vocal, and backed by Bobby Rush on harp, Jason Yasinsky on trombone, Joe Spake on bari sax, Lannie McMillan on sax, Marc Franklin on trumpet, David Smith on bass, Michael Tols on guitar, Rev Charles Hodges on B3, Lester Snell on whirlitzer and Steve Potts on drums. On No Time To Cry , Barbara gets a nice Kid Wilson swampy feel and with Ronnie Earl on guitar and backed by Shontelle Norman and Sharisse Norman on vocals, it's on of my favorites on the release. Two stepper, Rudy's Blues has real nice trumpet work from Dedrick Davis and a snappy beat, courtesy of Potts. Voodoo Woman has a real nice bass groove set in place by Smith and The Royal Horns punch up the track. Cody Dickinson adds washboard and Sonny Barbato spices it up with accord...

I just received the newest release, Some Call It Freedom (some call it the blues) , from RB Stone and it's quite good. Opening with Hill Country Stomp , a hard driving boogie, RB Stone drives this track hard with a great lead riff and solid vocals. Joined by Terrance Houston on drums Stone really gets rockin' with grinding slide and harp work. Excellent opener! A bit more laid back and with a little funk, title track, Some Call It Freedom has a real cool groove. Stone again hits the slide but this time with more polish, Larry Van Loon on keys and a more contemporary sound. 35 Miles To Mobile is a piano driven track with a real rock bottom. I like Stone's guitar tone on rhythm and his slide sound is fat as it gets. Randy Coleman adds a solid bottom for yet another strong track. YoYo Lover has a light Cajun rhythm and cool piano riffs from Van Loon and Stone plays a more melodic guitar and harp solos making this the more prominent radio track to this point. Straight ...

I just received the newest release, Tryin' To Make You Understand: Remastered , by Walkin' Cane Mark . Opening with Howlin' Wolf's Somebody's Walking/Somebody's In My Home, Mark wastes no time diving into the gritty blues. Kirk Hawley's guitar tones is great and Mark's vocals are a great match for his harp work on this super bluesy opener. Written with the help of Junior Wells, Tryin' To Make You Understand is classic Chicago with signature Wells phrasing. Arizona Woman , written by Chico Chism, is simple and bluesy with harp, vocal and slide guitar. JJ Cale's Rock and Roll Records keeps a stripped down Cale intention with only lightly delivered vocals and prominent harp over acoustic guitar. Ellada Ellada has a great Latin beat backed by John Rumbaugh on drums and Brenden McBride on bass. Tom T. Hall's That's How I Got To Memphis is a great song and Mark keeps it simple and clean. Very nice. Hot Chicago track, Let Me In While You...

    Joe Bonamassa: "Blues Of Desperation" | Joe Bonamassa: UK Dates March 2016 Joe Bonamassa: "Live at Radio City Music Hall" | Joe Bonamassa: "Muddy Wolf At Red Rocks" Joe Bonamassa: "Different Shades of Blue"   BONAMASSA EVOLVES AS BLUES-ROCK MUSICIAN WITH NEW ALBUM “BLUES OF DESPERATION” RELEASED WORLDWIDE ON FRIDAY 25th MARCH 2016 GRAMMY-nominated blues-rock guitar icon Joe Bonamassa announces today that his brand new studio solo album, Blues Of Desperation (Provogue), will be released 25th March 2016 . Like his previous solo disc, 2014’s Top 10 Billboard hit Different Shades of Blue , the new album features all-original material, and it sees the maverick superstar guitarist, singer and songwriter tossing away the rule book as he continues to reinvent and redefine the blues-rock genre like no other...

chris.yakopcic@gmail.com

  KING MUD (FEATURING LEFT LANE CRUISER'S FREDDY J IV & BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES' VAN CAMPBELL) TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT STUDIO ALBUM " VICTORY MOTEL SESSIONS" FEB. 5TH VIA ALIVE NATURALSOUND RECORDS! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THEIR NEW TRACK "SMOKED ALL MY BUD" King Mud is Van Campbell from the Black Diamond Heavies and Freddy J IV from Left Lane Cruiser.  They joined forces in Los Angeles for a marathon session that gave birth to an album of hard blues, blue-eyed soul, heavy rock and feedback - Victory Motel Sessions . They’re also joined by Radio Moscow’s guitar extraordinaire Parker Griggs on a couple of indelible rockers. In addition to their eight original tracks, King Mud also turn in rousing covers of both Wilko Johnson’s “Keep It Out Of Sight” and The Troggs’ “I Can Only Give You Everything.” If you dig the bands these musicians come from you’ll love this record! King Mud’s Victory Motel Sessions will be availa...

I just received the most recent release, Everything Comes With A Price , from Trudy Lynn and it's quite enjoyable. Opening with blues swinger, I'm Gonna Latch On , Lynn immediately establishes why she has been nominated for the BMA Koko Taylor award for female vocalist in 2015 and 2016. Harp man Steve Krase hits the harp square on adding cool riffs and The Mighty Org lays down some really nice guitar riffs as well. Slinky blues number, Fat Daddy , has a great groove and super harp riff, backed by Randy Wall on keys, Paul Lil Buck Senegal on lead guitar and Terry Dry on bass. Lynn has a great swagger on Everything Comes With A Price and Krase is right there to match her on harp. Wall's keys add nicely on this track in particular and Lil Buck sets a great groove of his own on guitar. Very nice! Wall plays a most excellent solo on Yesterday I Was Lonely , a slow blues number and Lynn digs deepp for some of her most heartfelt vocals on the release. Super! My Alley Boogie ,...

Famed Rocker/Bluesman Joe King Carrasco Releases His Latest "Chiliando" Crowd pleasing showman Joe King Carrasco releases "Chiliando" Enter one Joe King Carrasco.  As songwriter Joe Whiting penned and still sings, “Plays in the sun where the Red River flows”.  Yep, that’s Joe.  Allow me to digress for a quick moment: it’s interesting to note that Joe’s body of work spans decades but yet this is not an artist stuck in the past, this is a man that continues to please audiences in a big way. Joe's music is as fresh today as it was then.  In fact Joe's latest release on the Anacaonda label “Chiliando” is receiving tremendous reviews.  Here’s an excerpt of what writer Grant Britt has to say about "Chiliando" - “but there's no...