Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, No More Blue Mondays , from Landon Spradlin and it's strong. Opening with Seminary , a cool R&B style track featuring Spradlin on lead vocal and guitar and backing by Henry Spinetti on drums, Dave Markee on bass, and Dan Cutrona on keys this is a solid opener. Title track, No More Blue Mondays , settles right down into the arms of Texas and a super deep blues number. With heavy spiritual overtones and super organ backing by Cutrona, Spradlin really sings the blues and his guitar work is gripping and intense. Excellent! R&B hit, Drift Away gets a solid cover with little changes in arrangement. With particularly solid bass work by Markee and nice backing vocals by Amoy Levy, Ciceal Levy and Owen Welch, this track is bound for solid airplay. With upbeat tempo and country style, I Got Jesus Name is a super lively track that will have your toe tapping. Snappy drum/bass rhythm and clever guitar riffs make this t...

Canadian Songwriter Lee Palmer Releases Bridge Palmer's fourth album in four years is out on February 24th "The music of Lee Palmer is perhaps best described as a mix of blues, country, jazz, folk and Americana. But above all it is very good music, Lee Palmer played his songs with conviction. This is an interpreter we believe every word and every sentence.” – Rudolph's Music Reviews Canadian guitarist and songwriter Lee Palmer’s fourth album in as many years is a mixture of Americana and blues featuring some of the best session players in Toronto, affectionately known as “The One Take Players” for Palmer’s recordings.  Recorded at famed Metalworks studio and produced by Palmer and Elmer Ferrer, the album tracks were written and intended for release in 2016 but Palmer’s plans were sidelined by quadruple bypass surgery. Not one to slow down, Palmer quickly recuperated and...

IMELDA MAY’S LIFE, LOVE, FLESH, BLOOD OUT APRIL 7 VIA VERVE RECORDS “BLACK TEARS” PREMIERES AT BILLBOARD MAY’S FIRST NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM IN THREE YEARS PRODUCED BY T BONE BURNETT Artwork photo credit: Max Dodson “I’ve never met anyone quite like Imelda May. She is full of life… I [am] inspired by her honesty and her generosity, and I continue to be intrigued.”—T Bone Burnett “I love the girl she used to be but I think I love even more the woman she’s become. Still mischievous and playful, still a siren, but there’s an ache in her voice now that has me with a glass at my ear to the wall of her world where trouble has entered the room. There’s an erotic power here that’s not just feminine power. She makes truth telling an invitation to intimacy.”—Bono Life, Love, Flesh, Blood , the fifth full-length record from critically acclaimed Irish singer Imelda May and her first new music in three years, is due April 7 via Verve Records . The record is receiving...

WAYNE HANCOCK "I KILLED THEM BOTH" MUSIC VIDEO (CLICK TO WATCH VIA  CULTURE COLLIDE ) A sheriff and killer square off in the new music video from Texas honky tonk legend Wayne Hancock , and it's now playing via Culture Collide .  The music video blends dark humor and tragedy, just like a classic country murder ballad should. This is Wayne Hancock's first music video in years, and it's following on the heels of Wayne Hancock's new album Slingin' Rhythm , available now. The video was directed by Chicago filmmaker Stanley Sievers (who is a performer at legendary Chicago comedy temple iO) and color graded by Mikey Pehanich at The Mill Chicago .      

       BE! Records, a German independent record label exclusively distributed through Bear Family Records, presents... The Texas Box, The Michigan Box, and The Florida Box deluxe CD box sets coming February 10th     BE! Records , a German independent record label exclusively distributed through Bear Family Records , will release three regionally-focused Americana box sets on February 10th via MVD Entertainment Group: The Texas Box , The Michigan Box , and The Florida Box . THE TEXAS BOX ($275)  330 tracks on 10 CDs, 1950s & early 60s Rockabilly / Garage Rock The ...

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers sign with Bloodshot Records + Sidelong to be released on 4/28 Chapel Hill, NC natives Sarah Shook & the Disarmers have signed with Bloodshot Records and will release their album Sidelong on April 28. The band is also working on a brand new album for release in 2018. Sarah Shook & the Disarmers have been heralded by No Depression, Alternate Root, and Rolling Stone Country, with the last saying, “Honest to a fault and as foul-mouthed as a drunken sailor, she's a nonconforming spitfire who's proud of not fitting in with mainstream country music.” PRE-ORDER LINK: https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/sidelong PopMatters announced the signing and release , saying, ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Blues Chose Me , from Alvon Johnson and I really like it! Opening with I Love The Blues , an easy laid Piedmont style blues, Alvon shows a voice so rich it calls comparison to Nat Cole. With Alvon on guitar and backed by Mike Rinta on trombone, Billy Moe and DMar on drums, Ron Perry on bass and Felton Pilate and Karen Richards on backing vocals it's a real nice opener. Title track, The Blues Chose Me , has a solid bass line with nicely phrased guitar riffs under satin smooth vocals with just the right amount of sting. Very nice. Heaven has a jazzier feel somewhat in the Walter Wolfman Washington style with backing keys by Felton C. Pilate II and James McKinney and nice bass groove by Perry. Alvon's guitar work is really excellent. Bluesy and articulate this track is very strong! Breakfast In Bed is the sure fire R&B style radio track. Think Marvin Gaye meets George Benson on style but with Alvon's ...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, You Greasy Devil , by Hardcore Sex and it's raw and real and I like it. Opening with Clarksdale , a modern stripped down blues, Bear Ryan wails the lyrics and plays drums and Brian Johnson has super saturated and distorted guitar, not dissimilar but not the same as early The Black Keys with heavy blues and punk edge. This is great! Sister has a soulful vocal line by Ryan and Johnson's slide work is fatter than fat with a catchy guitar vamp and showing a band that is just loose enough to give it a rag tag feel but tight enough to keep you glued. Down My Throat takes raw to the next level with overt sexual lyrics that give the raw bluesy feel even more edge. This duo takes the blues as close to punk as I've heard it and has super aural presence. Great guitar tone man! Excellent! Wrapping the release is Tiger Meat ,a led footed blues rocker with a really wide girth and erotic lyrics. This band knows how to hold i...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, If You Want A Good Woman , from Tim Gartland and it's quite good! Opening with shuffle track, What The Blues Look Like , Tim Gartland establishes a solid foundation as lead singer and harp man with strong slide work from Tom Brett and nice backing vocals by Wendy Moten. Kevin McKendree adds cool keys and Steve Mackey on bass and Lynn William on drums fill out the band. Latin salted R&B track, I Had It All , has a smooth feel and a nice showcase for Gartland on vocal and harp as well as Brett on slide. Bluesy ballad, I Come When You Call , has a real nice pace with nice solos by Tom West, McKendree, and Gartland on harp. I really like the shimmery guitar work of Brett on this track giving it an iridescence. Funky instrumental, Eight Ball , is a really cool jam with lead harp on the melody, nice bass work under the track and cool solo lines by West, Brett and McKendree. Another track with a funky rhythm, If That...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Resurrection , from Gaetano Letizia & The Underworld Blues Band and it's quite interesting. Opening with title track, Resurrection , Gaetano Letizia shows you right up front that you are in for something special. Gaetano, who plays guitar and sings, is joined by Larry Keller on bass, Steve Renko on drums, Bill Ransom on percussion, Bob Esterle on sax, Mike Fisher on trumpet, Tim Keehn on trombone and Robin Stratton on vocal. A dynamic guitar intro unfolds into a jazzy, laid back shuffle with Letizia twisting the blues on his guitar as only he can do. Very nice. Old Guitar Player has a really nice drum line compliments Renko and Keller's bass work sets the tempo. Letizia's vocals are straightforward and his guitar playing fleet and stylistic. Very nice! Latin infused, Hot and Cold Woman , really moves and with Mike Fisher popping up the top on trumpet. Letizia's vocals are crisp and his rhythm guitar ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, RSVP to Paradise by Jim Koeppel . Opening with Johnny's In The Dog House , an easy going shuffle track, Jim Koeppel leads on guitar and vocal. Backed by Tennyson Stephens on piano, Welton Gile on bass, James Gadson on drums, Ron Haynes on trumpet, Rajiv Halim on tenor sax, Norman Palus on trombone, and featuring some real nice harp by Billy Branch, this track is a cool opener. On easy blues number, Hurry Sundown , Koeppel lays down some of his best vocal and guitar riffs along with Stephens on piano over a nice horn set. On title track, RSVP To Paradise , Gile sets a nice table with a romping bass line. Koeppel gets aggressive on guitar with some stinging guitar riffs over Gile's solid bass line and Daddy G Bargetenn slips in a real nice sax solo of his own. Another easy shuffle track, Every Night Without Warning features a real nice piano solo by Stephens as well as some nice trumpet adds by Haynes. Wrapping th...

  QUEBEC BLUES ARTISTS SWEEP MAPLE BLUES AWARDS The Paul DesLauriers Band and Angel Forrest win multiple awards The fast-paced performance rich gala featured a moving memorial tribute to the late John Mays (Fathead), Brian Cober and past Blues With A Feeling Award Winner Bob Walsh (January 23, 2017) Toronto, ON – Canadian blues artists from coast-to-coast were honoured by their peers at the 20th Annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto last night as a crowd of blues lovers gathered to celebrate Canadian blues at Koerner Hall.   Quebec blues artists swept the awards with honours going to trio The Paul DesLauriers Band who won Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year, Drummer of the Year for Sam Harrisson , and Bassist of the Year for Greg Morency . Blues belter Angel Forrest took home three awards including Female Vocalist of the Year, Recording/Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year...

I just received the most recent release, When We Die, We All Come Back As Music by Jon Gindick . Opening with swinging blues title track, When We Die, We All Come Back As Music with full horn section, warm backing vocals slick guitar riffs and tight harp work. Wishing Well has a cool bass line and crisp piano riffs floating Gindick's vocal and harp work nicely. Bird On A Wire is an easy flowing pop track with mellow lead and backing vocals. Ghost Dance has a hot rockin' rhythm reinforced by Gindick's harp and well phrased vocals. School has a real cool groove in concrete on bass. Gindick uses this rhythm nicely to highlight his harp work making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. I Love You More is a nice, easy blues track with a great feel. With strong vocals and harp by Gindick and nice sax work, this track is another of my favorites on the release. With it's modified Bossa Nova rhythm, Jealous Kind of Guy has a smooth, jazzy feel with nice keyboa...

THE BLUES FOUNDATION KICKS OFF ITS   33RD INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE   WITH A FREE CONCERT ON JANUARY 31 The IBC’S International Showcase will feature   top blues acts from around the world  performing at Memphis’ historic Clayborn Temple MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The blues will be coming home to Memphis on January 31st when   The Blues Foundation   hosts its   33rd annual International Blues Challenge . At this blues summit, musicians from around the globe will battle it out for cash, prizes, and bookings in the Challenge’s half-dozen categories.     Before the much-anticipated competition begins, however, musicians, blues professionals and fans will first come together for the traditional kick-off concert, the   International Showcase . Taking place at the historic   Clayborn Temple   on   January 31,   2017 , beginning at 5 p.m., this opening night event features pe...