I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live , from Zac Harmon & The Drive and it's super! Opening with soulful, NTRO , Nate Robinson on bass and Gino Iglehart on drums set a solid foundation, with Corey Lacy building on keys and lush guitar work by Zac Harmon and Kingston Livingston really setting the bar. Terrific opener. Blue Pill Thrill has super movement and soulful vocals by Harmon. Lacy on keys works the rhythm with Robinson and Iglehart and Livingston and and Harmon play stinging riffs on guitar really giving this track some kick. Deep blues track, Feet Back On The Ground features Albert King like stinging riffs and super soulful vocals by Harmon. Keeping the music floor low allows Harmon plenty of space to go dynamically from soft to wow quickly adding real emotion to the track. Excellent! Boogie Down is a strong jam with a firm piano base by Lacy giving Harmon plenty of headroom for vocal corralling. Lacy lays in some real tasty keyboar...
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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!
I just received the newest release (July 8, 2016), A Night On The Sunset Strip, from Eric Gales, and it's really strong. Opening with Make It There, Gales and crew are FUNKY! Backed by Cesar Oviedo on bass who's emphasis is additive and percussive and Nicholas Hayes, who's drumming is crisp and direct this band is tight and spontaneous. Gales, of course, has the mic, playing a green/gold metallic Strat and his soloing is absolutely fluid. This man can throw down 50 note runs barely moving is gingers. Great opener. On modified boogie track, The Change In Me, Oviedo sets a solid boogie bass line but this track has some changes in mind. With effective use of rim shots and snappy jazz turns by Hayes and classy chords by Gales, this track is adventurous. Gales slowly builds dynamics using light bursts of fire but ultimately exploding into full out speed riffs, but not without returning to the jazzy chords and light touch to close. An interview with Gales is interjected between tracks and his honest and informative dialogue adds nicely to the film. Gales wife, Ladonna Gales and cousin, Tyrone Thomas Jr. join the band onstage with rich vocal work on jazz influenced rocker, Block The Sun. Gales vocals on this track really take it in an interesting direction with soulful, bluesy phrasing and the blend is really interesting. His guitar playing is inspired, fast and intense. Very nice. Heavily R&B influenced The Open Road, keeps the playing light and free with nicely blended vocals and a stern kick drum. Using synthetic processing at times, Gales shows his precise, expressive guitar riffs in a most understated manner. This man is have fun and not just blasting it in your face. Nicely done. Boogaloo style instrumental, Sea Of Bad Blood, takes some really interesting jazz turns with Gales playing a lot of rhythm guitar and adding lush jazz chords. Gales leaves the stage giving Oviedo and Hayes free rein to play a nicely progressive jam. Gales returns to the stage for a really lush wrap. Very nice. Instrumental, Swamp erupts a as a rockin jam with everybody at full overdrive. Hard driving and aggressive, this track rocks. Rejoining Gales are Ladonna and Tyrone as well as well as Dylan Wiggins on keys for modern neo soul track, 1019. With it's funky bottom and super key work, Gales and troupe really are visiting Johnny Guitar Watson territory. I really like this track with it's funky interplay between the bottom and Gales vocal and his blues rock guitar work. Excellent! Digging up country roots but with heavy blues and rock influence, Good For Sumthin' openings with a very traditional vamp. Developing this track with funky overtones and heavy bottom, this track has a great groove. Wrapping the release is Jagger/Richards track, Miss You. Raphael Saadiq joins on bass for this final number giving it just a bit more soul and jazz than the original. Gales takes pride in showing off some real nice chords abefore breaking into a real expressive speed blues solo. Strong conclusion to a super concert.
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Lucille Bogan (April 1, 1897 – August 10, 1948) was an American blues singer, among the first to be recorded. She also recorded under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson . The sexologist and music critic, Ernest Borneman , stated that Bogan along with Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith , was in "the big three of the blues". She was born Lucille Anderson in Amory, Mississippi , United States, and raised in Birmingham, Alabama . In 1916, she married Nazareth Lee Bogan , a railwayman, and gave birth to a son. She first recorded vaudeville songs for Okeh Records in New York in 1923, with pianist Henry Callens . Later that year she recorded " Pawn Shop Blues " in Atlanta, Georgia , which was the first time a black blues singer had been recorded outside New York or Chicago. In 1927 she began recording for Paramount Records in Grafton, Wisconsin , where she recorded her first big success, " Sweet Petunia ", which was covered by Blind Blake . She also recorded for Brunswick...
Charles LoBue was one of the fathers of the custom electric guitar business. Charles came to the industry after taking classes from Michael Gurian, first working in and around the guitar repair business in NYC in the mid 60's. Charles' interest in the business began by doing basic repairs on factory made guitars. These were primarily made by Gibson and Fender, the "Gold Standard" for electric guitars, as well as any guitar including acoustics which came through the door. As a professional player in the U.S. in the 60's, Gibson and Fender were the most likely choices if you wanted an electric guitar. It is well known that the Brits used European made guitars as well, primarily due to their accessibility. By the mid late 60's both companies had been sold to larger corporations which were not primarily in the guitar business. The basic perception even today is that the guitars made by these companies during this period were inferior in quality and also l...
It is with great sadness to report that J. Blackfoot (born John Colbert , November 20, 1946) died today, November 30, 2011 at Methodist Germantown Hospital near Memphis, TN. We will keep you abreast of service information as we receive it. J. Blackfoot will truly be missed. “Like” Bman’s Facebook page (available in over 50 languages). I will not relay senseless nonsense. In this way I can get out the word on new talent, venues and blues happenings! - click Here
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