Bman's Blues Report

I just received the newest release, Wash My Horse In Champagne , from Big Harp George and it's a nice dose of  harp. Opening with Home Stretch , George takes the lead on vocal with Little Charlie Baty laying down some real nice guitar along with Kid Andersen on bass and Raja Kawar on drums. Georges vocals are tight and his harp riffs certain and well punctuated. Nice opener. On Road Kill , a bikini beach rocker, George really gets the track swinging and Kid Andersen's guitar work is excellent. Wash My Horse In Champagne is a cool track with stylized Spanish guitar and cool vocal blending with Loralee Christensen, this track sets up nicely for a longer melodic harp lead. Very nice. Swing track, Cool Mistake , has a great beat and George lets his harp do a lot of his talking. With a sweet guitar lead from Baty, this track really hums. Slow blues track, My Bright Future , gives George a really nice opportunity to stretch both vocally and on harp along side the beautiful piano...

Must be the Mississippi water. Belgrade born in the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia, and current resident of Memphis Tennessee, Ana Popovic has put together a blockbuster of a triple CD entitled Trilogy that boggles the mind! I don't know how to start this review. My good friend Bman asked me to review this album while he took a little vacation. And while the album is absolutely phenomenal, it is so unique and diverse I am having trouble finding words to describe it's diversity! The release comes in 3 parts, hence the title Trilogy. It is all of the description that Ana herself gives. 'In an era where most are skeptic about the current state and future of the music industry, I wanted TRILOGY to tell a different story. The record biz might be broken and Spotify might rip us off, but that can't keep an artist down. Creativity is very much alive, and music is the celebration of life.' Trilogy highlights in musicianship. And tell a different story it...

I just received the newest release, My Blue Soul , from Terrie Odabi and it's dynamic! Opening with Gentrification Blues , Odabi fuses blues, R&B, gospel, rock and primitive rhythms to create her own modern feel. This track is upbeat featuring Odabi on lead vocal and percussion, Kid Andersen on guitar, Kirk Crumpler on bass, Derrick Martin on drums, Ken Cooke on clav and piano, Terry Hiatt on rhythm guitar and Courtney Knott on backing vocal. Smokin! Live My Life is a cool uptempo club style blues with a great bass groove by Kid Andersen. Nancy Wright really hits the note on her sax solo on this track backed by Manny Angel on trumpet and Faris Jarrah on trombone. Soul track, Will You Still Love Me , really showcases Odabi's vocal strength and Ken Cook's Rhodes work along with Kid Andersen on organ make the track glow. Funky, He Wouldn't Let Go , has a super bass line from Kirk Crumpler and snappy drum work by Leon Joyce jr. Terry Hiatt lays down some hot lead gu...

Pimps of Joytime If you have yet to encounter the Brooklyn-based band, The Pimps of Joytime, prepare to take a funky ride! The PJT’s live events and recordings have captivated fans all across the country, as they have begun writing their own success story, show-by-show, and track-by-track. Bandleader Brian J is a charismatic and soulful visionary, whose well-crafted songs invite the listener to enter a world of infectious dance grooves and indelible melodies. Spending formative years in New York City, New Orleans and Los Angeles, Mista J honed his craft, becoming an accomplished live performer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. In 2005, Brian began to assemble a group of righteously soulful vocalists and musicians to assist in bringing to life the musical concept that would become The Pimps of Joytime. The band’s diverse sound and spirited attitude is strongly influenced by the Brooklyn DJ culture and live music scene from which they emerge. Recent collaborations with le...

I just received the newest release, Demolition Day , from Honey Island Swamp Band and it's quite entertaining. Opening with a full blown rocker, How Do You Feel with a Stones vibe, Aaron Wilkinson on guitar, Chris Mule on guitar, Sam Price on bass, Garland Paul on drums and Trevor Brooks on keys get this track rockin. With strong piano support, key guitar riffs and a sassy Bobby keys like sax solo this track is a great opener. Head High Water Blues has a swampy, Band meets Little Feat groove. Price's bass work on this track, nicely balanced with Brook's keyboard really hits on full behind the vocal work of the band. High plains rider, No Easy Way , has an ethereal western sound blended with a jazz flavor. Subdued slide guitar work and nicely accented horn work gives this track a real cool feel. Medicated has a modern R&B feel bringing to mind a lot of the J Geils tracks with solid vocals and horn backing over a solid bass line. A nicely articulated guitar solo gi...

I just received the newest release (June 3, 2016), Good Days A Comin , from Ivas John , and it's warm smooth and inviting. Opening with folk blues track, Goin' Back To Arkansas , Ivas John on guitar and vocal is joined by Robert Bowlin on fiddle and guitar as well as Ross Sermons on bass for a really nice opener. Skillfully played and nicely augmented by Bowlin, this is a great opener. Here I Am has a bit more rural flavor with David Davis on mandolin, Gary Gordon on dobro and Charlie Morrill on drums. Country blues number, Roll Mississippi has a great tempo and a definite country swing with lead fiddle lines from Bowlin and cool dobro soloing from Gordon. A real nice toe tapper that will stick in your head. Merle Travis penned, Dark As A Dungeon , is a very nice track in 3/4 time. Ivas, Gary and Roberta Gordon harmonize giving this track a strong warmth. Tom Paxton penned, Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound , is a straight forward country track with cool fidd...

I just received the newest release, Love In A Hurricane , from The Mighty Orq , and it's packed full of energy. Opening with Sweet In Between , a cool rocker with dynamics, quiet melodic vocals and powerful slide riffs, this is a super opener. Falling Down has a cool hook and smooth vocals by Orq, backed by Jimmy Rose on drums, Barry Seelen on organ and Terry Dry on bass. Pack It Up has a boppy funk to it, and Orq shows that he really is a tune master. With clever slide riffs and a crafty dance beat, this track is a strong radio player. Say It With Silence has a cool soul attack with Dry's bass emphasis focusing the beat and Orq again shows his solid radio appeal with smooth vocals and clean guitar solos. Title track, Love In A Hurricane , has traditional ballad lines featuring Orq's strong vocal attributes, an extremely clean acoustic guitar riff, tight drums and solid key work. The Possum Song has a low slung blues rock feeling with a driving rock guitar rhythm, nic...

I just received the newest release, Come Together , from Tweed Funk and it's super. I've reviewed a number of Tweed Funk releases and they just keep getting better! Opening with Light Up The Night , a track with a super solid bass line from Eric Madunic giving it's funk feel and the horn work of Andrew Spadafora on sax and Doug Woolverton on trumpet punching up the R&B aspects. Joseph "Smokey" Holman on lead vocals is smooth as silk and David Schoepke is tight on drums. Don't Give Up has that Memphis sound with bountiful horns and a brassy trumpet solo from Woolverton dominate the track with solid vocals from Smokey and cool backing vocals from Crissy Dzioba and Sara Moilanen. Muse continues in that soulful vein and Smokey shows some of his best vocals on the release. Sweet Music sets up with an easy guitar rhythm from JD Optekar caressing the soulful vocals of Holman. Always filled with rich horns this release is very consistent. Come Together get...

I just received the newest release (June 3, 2016), Red Clay Soul , from Tinsley Ellis and it's got real soul. Opening with All I Think About , Tinsley Ellis shows that he is continuing to spread his wings. The rocking country blues track, features Ellis on lead vocal and guitar, joined by Kevin McKendree on organ and piano, Lynn Williams on drums and Steve Mackey on bass. With a bit more R&B styling, Givin' You Up has strong commercial potential with a solid hook and instrumentation. Callin' has an easy soul feel with an almost Al Green sound. I really like the melody on this track and Ellis alternates his blues runs with his own vocals. Very nice. Anything But Go stays in the soul vein and Ellis does a real nice job of delivering on vocals. McKendree's rich keyboard work anchors this track and Ellis' own melodic riffs are contained and well placed. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Hungry Woman Blues , is a deep soul track with a strong blues twi...

    JOEL DASILVA & THE MIDNIGHT HOWL LAUNCH 2016 U.S. TOUR     Performing Locally: BRADFORDVILLE BLUES CLUB - Friday, June 3     (Tallahassee, FL) -  Top Americana/Blues, Rock 'n' Roll and Soul guitarist-vocalist, Joel DaSilva and the Midnight Howl , take to the road for their most ambitious U.S. tour yet, kicking off at Bradfordville Blues Club on Friday, June 3. 7152 Moses Lane. Showtime: 9 pm. $13. Info: (850) 906-0766 or http://www.bradfordvilleblues.com/ . Complete Tour Itinerary at bottom.   What The Media Is Saying About Joel DaSilva And The Midnight Howl "Intense, dyna...