Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Quiet Money , from Al Basile and it has great body!  Basile, hot cornet player and legendary first trumpet with Roomful of Blues is back with Duke Robillard on guitar, Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Bruce Bears on piano, Doc Chanonhouse on trumpet, Rich Lataille on tenor sax and Doug James on tenor and bari saxes. Opening with Blues Got Blues , Basile and Robillard lead the way with balanced lead lines making for a solid opener. On Simple Ain't Easy , Robillard lays out some really tasty lead work under Basile's vocals giving it great feel. Basile steps up with muted cornet and plays off the tempo for super accent. On title track, Quiet Money, James has the bari out and the heft really sets the track. With an easy swing, Basile's vocals ride the groove on this laid back number. Put Some Salt On It, a prime 12 bar number, Basile lays in a real nice cornet lead, complimenting his vocals and Rob...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Calling Nashville , from Trevor Sewell and it builds on his last release, Calling Your Name. Opening with Some Day , singer /songwriter and guitarist, Sewell crafts a track with traces of pop, Charlie Daniels and Jeff Beck for his new release backed by Kellen Michael Weinrich on fiddle and Trevor Brewis on drums. Janis Ian has the floor on Fade To Grey in a vocal duet with Sewell and piano on this cool jazz number. Blues rocker, Matter Of Time has a taste of Dire Straits with grinding guitar tones and ultra  cool vocals. With a quick shuffle, You Ain't What I'm Looking For has a super feel and snappy guitar riffs. Stand Next To Him pulls in flavors of western styling and the sounds of the range. Sewell's guitar finesse and the fiddle work of Weinrich pull this off nicely with bass by Justin Kimball and Brewis on bass. Very cool. Wrapping the release is ballad, Shadows , featuring Janis Ian on piano and Sew...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Summer Rain , from Dudley Taft and it's a powerhouse. Opening with Flying On Love , a power blues rocker, Taft is back with a vengeance. Heavy overtones, distortion soaked guitar riffs, pounding drums and beefy bass is the ticket. Taft on lead vocal and guitar, is backed by Kasey Williams on bass, Jason Patterson on drums and Reese Wynans on organ. Title track, Summer Rain , is a strong rocker with a memorable melody, strong guitar riffs, nicely harmonized vocals and super drumming by Mike Taponga. I particularly like Edge Of Insane with it's simple vocal and guitar pairing and cool hook as well as some of the best vocals on the release. One of my favorites on the release is Live or Die with it's tone saturated guitar riffs and classic Robin Trower like, rock overtones. This is a track that players will dig into. Very cool. Another standout track is Don't Let It Fade with it's lumbering bop groove...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Walk In The Dark , from Rob Lutes and it's quite good. Opening with folk/blues track, A Little Room , Lutes weaves his tale, singing and playing acoustic guitar, joined by Rob MacDonald on guitar, Mark Nelson on drums, Andrew Horton on bass and Bob Stagg on piano. One of my favorite tracks, There's No Way To Tell You That Tonight , is a blues infused rocker with solid guitar soloing and includes Guy Belanger on harmonica. A strong melody and Lutes solid vocals give this track substantial girth. Another particularly cool track is Rocky Mountain Time , a simple ballad with a waltz time. Lutes has a way of telling a story and composing a tune that just sits right. Think JJ Cale and Mark Knopler. Country western / bluegrass styling makes Rabbit another standout track featuring the violin work of Josh Zubot and Joe Grass on mandolin. Very nice. A happy feeling track, Believe In Something , will have you bopping in yo...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rhythmland , from Dennis Johnson and it is a slide player's dream. Opening with Walkin Blues , Johnson shows that super smooth sliding technique that he's know for on this updated and fast tempo'd remake. Featuring Tim Metz on drums, Jonathan Stoyanoff on bass and Craig Long on keys, this is a smooth opener. Timbale has a cool, Latin beat and a nice pop melody. Fillmore Street is a clever blues rocker with a snappy shuffle beat. Johnson's vocals and super slide work, coupled with Long's piano work makes for a really cool track. My favorite track on the release is High Heel Shoes with it's driving beat and smoking slide work. Very nice! Wrapping the release is Revolution , a stripped down rocker with some of my favorite vocals and basic rock rhythms. A super closer for a solid release.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Brother's Blues , from Benny Turner and it's great! Benny pay homage to his big brother and best friend, Freddie King and does it with style. Opening with Big Legged Woman , Benny is on lead vocal and bass, showing excellent vocal style and tone. A punchy horn section featuring Barney Floyd on trumpet and Jason Mingledorff on sax really sets the track off and the solid foot pedal of Jeffrey "Jellybean" Alexander and the riding organ work of Keiko Komaki plays nicely with rhythm guitar fills by Derwin "Big D" Perkins and lead guitar runs by June Yamagagishi. Excellent! Have You Ever Loved A Woman is a definite highlight on this release with soulful vocals by Turner, backed by Earl Smith and suppressed but critical horn work and organ by Davell Crawford, and Jack Miele plays some real tasty guitar lead to ice the cake.  Swinging I'm Tore Down features Otis Clay, Turner and Marva Wright ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (September 15, 2017), The Eastwest Sessions , by Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers and it's a lot of fun. Opening with Vinyl , a high stepper with a rock solid bottom, Mindi Abair has it going on lead vocal and hot sax. Backed by Randy Jacobs on guitar, Rodney Lee on keys, Derek Frank on bass and Third Richardson on drums all joining Sweet Pea Atkinson on backing vocals. Droning bass line and pumped up sax shows the way on instrumental Not That Kind Of Girl . Pop track, Play To Win has a solid melody line and shows Abair's vocal strength.   Pretty Good For A Girl has got to be Abair's trademark track with it's practical lyrics, blistering sax work and hot contributions from Joe Bonamassa. My favorite track on the release, Let Me Hear It From You , features Sweet Pea Atkinson on lead vocal. Excellent soul tune with nice backing vocals and real soul town sax soloing. With the feel of Jr Walker, Live My Lif...

EILEN JEWELL STEPS BACK IN TIME FOR DOWN HEARTED BLUES, RELEASING SEPT. 22 ON SIGNATURE SOUNDS Sax great Curtis Stigers contributes to renditions of unearthed blues treasures by Otis Rush, Memphis Minnie, Howlin’ Wolf and other favorites PopMatters premiered a track. ...

BRUCE KATZ BAND HIT THE ROAD FOR FALL EAST COAST TOUR; HAMMOND B-3 KEYBOARDIST/IN-DEMAND SESSION PLAYER IS 4-TIME BMA NOMINEE LATE OF BUTCH TRUCKS & THE FREIGHT TRAIN, ALLMAN BROS SPIN-OFF BAND LES BRERS Performs Locally: BIG BUGGS ISLAND BLUES BASH - Sat., Sept. 30   (Clarksville, VA) - Bruce Katz , legendary Hammond B-3 organist/keyboardist and four-time Blues Music Award nominee, and his Bruce Katz Band , hit the road for a Fall East Coast Tour, with their first date headlining the 3rd Annual Big Buggs Island Blues Bash , the Lake at Robbins Ballpark, 104 Woodland Dr., Saturday, September 30. 2pm-10pm. Tickets $30. in advance, $35. at the door. Info: (919) 451-4356 or visit www.bbibb.org .      In addition to leading the Bruce Katz Band, Katz has performed with the Delbert McClinton Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, and John Hammond, the latter whom he still plays with on occasion. This past Sum...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (9/23/17), Hauntings from Cassie Keenum & Rick Randlett and it's aninteresting mixture of blues, gospel and country. Opening with Seventh Day , Keenum is upfront on lead vocal adding acoustic guitar and Randlett adds interesting lap steel work. One More Last Time gets a Latin/rock feel with the addition of Little Mike's cool harp work, Rusty Valentine on drums and Nicole Wagner on bass. Shuffle track, All Along has a cool guitar solo to compliment Keenum's powerful vocals. Not a big fan of Leonard Cohen, but Randlett's slide work on his Hallelujah is pretty cool! On She's Gone , a duet by Keenum and Randlett is my favorite track on the release with just the right blend of texture and tension. Minute Man is a cool swinger with tidy guitar riffs by Randlett. With it's up tempo shuffle feel and laid back soloing, it hits the mark. Wrapping the release is hill country style blues track, How Lo...

I just had the opportunity to review the to be released (October 27, 2017) recording, Supremo , by Jing Chi . After a 13 year break Jing Chi, featuring Robben Ford, Jimmy Haslip and Vinnie Colaiuta is delivering their 4th record for Tone Center Records and it's a doozy. Opening with The Majestic , this band is off the hook with a fusion sound made in heaven. Ford has incredible chops and Colaiuta (who coincidentally grew up only a few miles from my childhood home) is one of the best drummers on the planet. On a who's who list of drummers, it's easier to list who he hasn't played with... even Jeff Beck! Haslip sets a great bottom, doing what most great bassists do... setting a great foundation for the track while playing incredible lines that would blow you away if you just listened to them without the band. Mike Haynes on trumpet adds tight trumpet work as well. Powerful opener. Showtime is a super track with a strong bass line and various time changes. With clean ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ridin' A Chicken , from Big Joe Shelton & The Black Prairie Blues Ambassadors and it's real cool. Opening with Put The Chairs In The Wagon , a driving rocker, Big Joe Shelton is up front on vocal and harp with firm backing by Bob Damm on percussion, Ed Swan on bass and Ben Ferrell laying down some real strong riffs on guitar. Title track, Ridin' A Chicken , has a real Latin flavor and the tight percussion work of Damm is nicely complimented by Bobby Shannon on keys. Shelton shows solid vocals and Swan lays solid footing under the adventurous guitar soloing of Ferrell. Very nice! Got So Hot is a smokin' blues rocker with shifting keys, nice guitar work and strong percussive punctuation. With a walking bass line and a familiar Sonny Boy Williamson form, Just Let Me Breathe has a great feel. Shelton's vocals are solid and rich key work by Shannon is nicely complimented by the flowing guitar riffs a...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Basics , from Hamilton Loomis and it's really great! Opening with blues rocker, Sugar Baby , bassist, Sabrina LaField also takes the mic. With just a bit of swish in the tail this is a snappy rocker with Loomis on harp and lead guitar joined by Armando Aussenac on drums. Getting into a super funky groove, If I Would've , Loomis is back up front on vocal, guitar and harp creating a purely infectious track. His electrifying guitar riffs and bass lines are tight. Super! With an easy sway, Candles and Wine has just the right feel featuring tasty guitar riffs and cool vocal backing by Aussenac, Fabian Hernandez and Chris Eger. Ain't What It Ain't is a solid rocker with cool vocal blending but what really sets this track apart is super harp and hot slide riffs from Eger. Bluesy ballad, Breaking Down , is pure Loomis and it's a thread that you can trace from release to release. Rich composition, super voc...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release,  A Hundred Years From Today , by Steve Howell & Jason Weinheimer , and it's quiet and soothing. Opening with Fats Waller's Lulu's back In Town , Howell shows his clean acoustic finger work and holds down lead vocal while Weinheimer is on bass. Rag style Kansas City Blues has smooth flow and nice tempo. Lightning Hopkins' Going Back To Florida is somber and bluesy with solid vocal emphasis staid guitar accompaniment. Mississippi John Hurt's Louis Collins has super tempo and tight guitar riffs. Blues standard, Basin Street Blues , has an easy pace and nicely articulated guitar lead. Limehouse Blues / After You're Gone has a 20's sound with springy pace and light vocals. Wrapping the release is Hoagy Carmichael's Rocking Chair with a light jazzy sound. Nicely presented chords and lightly peppered fingering by both men make this a cool closer for this release.    If you suppor...

SUPERSONIC BLUES MACHINE ANNOUNCE THE GLOBAL RELEASE OF  CALIFORNISOUL ON OCTOBER 20 VIA MASCOT LABEL GROUP / PROVOGUE ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDES BILLY GIBBONS, STEVE LUKATHER, ERIC GALES, WALTER TROUT AND ROBBEN FORD Los Angeles, CA – Supersonic Blues Machine, featuring Fabrizio Grossi (bass / producer), Lance Lopez (guitar / vocals) and Kenny Aronoff (drums) has announced the global release of CALIFORNISOUL ! On October 20 via Mascot Label Group / Provogue Records.  The title, available on CD, double vinyl, download and streaming, presents the sound the band spent much of 2017 sharing with audiences from Texas to Holland and India to St. Petersburg, Russia, picking up right where the they left off on their well-received debut record, West of Flushing, South of Frisco . Grossi shares, ““ CALIFORNISOUL ! That’s exactly what it is. It’s the missing soundtrack to a summertime drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 1971!” Recorded at Fab’s Lab in North Holl...