Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Duke and his Dames of Rhythm, by Duke Robillard and it's a mighty swing fest. Opening with From Monday On , Sunny Crownover has the floor, backed by Bruce Bears on piano, Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums, Jon Erik Kellso on trumpet, Billy Novick on clarinet and alto sax, Carl Querfurth on trombone and of course Robillard on guitar. A bright prance, this track has super clarinet, strong guitar riffs, a powerful bass line and a particularly nice trombone solo by Querfurth. Maria Muldaur had the floor on Got The South In My Soul and again, powerful clarinet soloing by Novick and bright guitar riffs by the Duke really set it off. Kelley Hunt steps up to the mic on Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone , a solid blues ballad with solid vocals, jumping into swing time with Mark Earley's brilliant tenor sax solo. Kellso's trumpet work, Bears' piano work, another clarinet solo by Novick a...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Love Light Orchestra featuring John Nemeth and it's a super R&B show. Opening with See Why I Love You super vocalist John Nemeth leads this super group of Marc Franklin on trumpet, Scott Thompson on trumpet, Jason Yasinsky on trumpet, Art Edmalston on tenor sax, Kirk Smothers on bari sax, Jon Restino on guitar, Gerald Stephens on piano, Tim Goodwin on bass and Earl Lowe on drums. Edmalston cranks out a real nice solo on this one punched up by the tight trumpet work making it a terrific opener. Blues shuffle, Bad Breaks has terrific swagger with excellent guitar lead by Restivo and a nice tenor solo by Edmalston. Excellent! Nemeth's vocals are really nice on every track but none better than bluesy ballad, I've Been Wrong So Long , really enriched by warm sax work and punchy trumpet. Very nice.  Another shuffle, Sometimes plays Nemeth's vocals in call and response with Restino's slick guitar...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Unconditionallove , from Davide Pannozzo , and it's realy cool. Opening with Six Wires , guitarist & lead guitar player, Davide Pannozzo sets the pace with a strutting funky track with a solid bass line from Will Lee and his own melodic lead. Joined by Steve Jordan and Shawn Pelton on drums and Olli Rockberger and  Ricky Peterson on Hammond and keys,  this is a super start. Rocker, One & Only has a definite radio hook, cool melody and tight beat. Chasing Illusions has a real nice modern take on the delta blues with contemporary lines. I particularly like Pannozzo's vocal pairing with Lee's bass lines. George Harrison's Wah Wah is a nice surprise with a more key laden refrain than Harrison's own but with a cool Pannozzo styled guitar lead. Very nice. The Purest Thing is a warm melodic jazz guitar melody. Extremely clean. Billy Cobham's Stratus is always one of my favorites and this on...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, live, from Casey Hensley and it's smokin'. Opening with Big Mama Thornton's, Big Mama's Coming Home , Hensley grinds right into it with gritty vocals and a big presence. Backed by Evan Caleb Yearsley on drums, Johnny Viau on sax and Marcos C on bass this band is first class. I really want to point out that this release features Laura Chavez and I mean it features her. Chavez has always carries a big hammer but this first track has made me a big fan. Chavez really tears it up, reminding me of the style of one of my favorite contemporary players, Rockin' Johnny Burgin and that is a huge endorsement. On original track, Put Your Lovin' Where It Belongs , Hensley digs in her heals vocally with a lot of heft.  Again, Chavez is hot on her heels hot, tasty riffs. A slow grinder with teeth. Classic, You Can Have My Husband , has a cool shuffle feel and again, right with Hansley's front work is Chave...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cuba Neils , from Dirk Digglers Blues Review and it's a real kicker. Opening with Nuthin' Too Untoward , a super rocker with attitude, Darroll Wheatley has the lead on vocal and bass, backed by Mark Sweetmore on guitar, Paul Reece on keys and Aaron Gent on drums. Stinging rock riffs, usually associated with the southeastern US really give this track a hot edge. Keep Yo' Momma Down the Line has a nasty blues feel with a raw punky edge and slide guitar. I like it! Shuffle track, If You Don't Wanna Dance , maintains that edge with sounds not unlike Carl Perkins ...wound tight. Black Cat Blue s settles down into a pure blues slot with Sweetmore's slide following Wheatley's vocal lead. Breaking down with a bit of funk (and some funky sax by Chris Dyer) It Ain't Fair has a real nice groove. Think "Use Me" with attitude. Very cool.  With a smokey, jazzy atmosphere, Steamroller Blues mix...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Big Road , from Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers and it's really enjoyable. Opening with Mississsippi Fred McDowell's Kokomo , Erin Harpe takes on traditional blues with a slashing slide and solid vocals. With Jim Countryman on bass, Matt Prozialeck on harp and Kendall Divoll on drums, this is great stuff! With classic Mississippi John Hurt style, Frankie gives Harpe the opportunity to demonstrate her solid story telling blues style and finger picking acuity. Response on harp by Prozialeck adds polish to this modern interpretation of a classic track. Slim Harpo's Shake Your Hips has a more modern "Stones" feel. Harpe lets it loose on guitar and Divoll really hammers, reinforced by Countryman and pumped up by Prozialeck really delivering the goods on this super boogie. Original track, Stop & Listen is a real driver in classic blues style. Prozialeck sails on harp and Harpe's slippery sli...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven , by Peter Parcek and it's quite good. Opening with Peter Green's, World Keep On Turning , Parcek presents a dark, drum heavy track with flashy guitar. Solid blues rocker. On Blind Lemon Jefferson's, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean , Parcek's guitar chords are shimmery and haunting, his vocal interpretation is excellent and his solo guitar work is eerie. I've heard this track done numerous times by modern players but none as well as this. Very nice. Instrumental, Pat Hare has a country blues flair with modified chicken pickin' and cool harp work from Mickey Raphael. Ashes To Ashes is a really nice contemporary number with strong, ancient bone from Lil' Son Jones with slashing slide work and cool harp work from Raphael. Shiver has a cool mid century surf rock beat lead by Parcek's guitar and reinforced by Marco Giovino on drums. Andy Sanfospago lays in so...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Natural , from Andrea Marr and it conjures up images of old time soul and R&B. Opening with driving number, Force Of Nature one can't help thinking of Otis Redding and his aggressive vocal styling. backed by Dave Reynolds on guitar, Rob Little on bass, Roby Corelli on drums, Cameron Fallaw on keys, and with powerful horn work of Sean Rankin on trumpet, Jeff Mead and Stuart Byrne on tenor sax, and Byrne on bari sax, this track is moving. Aretha Franklin's Rock Steady has great movement with a heavy bass line by Little and punchy horn lines. Blues ballad, That's Where Love Ends , is a super showcase for Marr's vocal lead as well as a nice sax solo by Andy O'Connell. Let's Take It To The Bedroom is a rumbling blues number and features a nice guitar solo by Reynolds. What Do I Have To Do had a super James Brown strut with cool bass work by Little and tight drums work by Corelli and trumpet by...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Play This , from Mike 'Mudfoot' McDonald and it has a good feel. Opening with Tired Of The Same Old Rut , an island flavored rocker, McDonald leads on guitar and vocals with Edwin Romikat on drums, Cory Turnbull on bass, Pat Rush and Russell Williams on guitar,and Mick Evans on percussion. On Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I Put A Spell On You , McDonald's vocals seem tailored for the track. Guitar soloing on this track is particularly cool with the addition of Mike Branton on guitar. Whistle Blowin' has a real nice feel featuring real nice guitar work both behind and upfront by McDonald and a nice piano solo by John Lee. On Valerie , McDonald and Pat Rush play a real nice guitar duet melody reminiscent of the Allman Brothers and Chuck Leavell with solid bass work by Al Richardson and tight drumming by Randy Coryell. Light and jazzy...very nice. Slide is a cool shuffle featuring McDonald playing a real...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues On My Shoulders , from Peter Ward and it's quite good. Opening with solid shuffle, She Took It All , Peter Ward on guitar and lead vocal sets a great pace with Mudcat Ward on bass, Neil Gouvin on drums and Sugar Ray Norcia on harp. Excellent opener. Surf rocker, Which Hazel , is a solid rocker along the lines of Chuck Berry with a strong surf twist. Clever lyrics and guitar riffs by Ward give this track a lot of gas. On title track, Blues On My Shoulders , Anthony Geraci adds nice piano and I particularly love the guitar work by Monster Mike Welch. Collaborate is all about lush chords and sassy sax and Ward's guitar work with Sax Gordon Beadle's sax work is just that. Excellent! Shuffle track, It's On Me is another outstanding entry on the release with a hot sax solo from Beadle and hot fingering from Ronnie Earl and Ward. Very nice. Southpaw is a hot number with a smoking B3 solo from Rusty Sco...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mojo , from Al Corte' and it's a cool soul & R&B release. Opening with title track, Mojo , lead singer Al Corte' sets the stage for this cool track with a solid melody and nice vocals. Featuring Leroy Hodges on bass, Rev. Charles Hodges Sr. on B3 and Steve Potts on drums, this track hums with a strong guitar solo by Michael Toles and backing vocals by Candice Rayburn, Sharisse Norman and Stefanie Bolton. Also contributing throughout the release are Jim Spake on tenor sax, Kirk Smothers on bari sax, Lannie McMillan Jr. on tenor sax, Marc Franklin on trumpet and flugelhorn. I'll Never Lose My Love For The Blues features a cool slide riffs by Brad Webb and a strong bottom end. Very cool. John Nemeth's harp contributions to Juke Joint Jive add a crisp edge to this soulful stepper and I particularly like the Hammond work by Hodges and the soulful work by Smothers on the bottom. Soul tune, Bless...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul Shattered Sister , from Jim Vegas and it's an interesting mix of rock, pop and soul. Opening with title track, Soul Shattered Sister , Jim Vegas leads on vocal and guitar backed by Sam Young on bass, Luke Young on sax and Philip Holmes on drums. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Till The Whole Thing Blows , an easy paced ballad with a nice melody, warm sax tones and comforting guitar riffs. Not That Strong is a solid boogie with a driving pace and sax overtones. Love Is Coming Back Around has a polished Steely Dan feel with it's tight, solid rhythm, Fagan like vocals and jazzy sax approach. Very nice.  Another lead track on the release is Lightning Hit The Box with warm sax, polished guitar riffs and soulful singing. Very nice. Closing track, Sun Is Gonna Smile , has a smooth sway and nice melody. This is an interesting release with plenty of easy paced melodies.    If you suppor...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Break , from Andre' Bisson and it's a solid set of bluesy tracks. Opening with title track, Break , lead guitarist and vocalist, Andre' Bisson belts out a cool R&B melody, backed by Gordon Aeichele on alto and tenor sax, Bil Holinaty on bari and tenor sax, Loretta Hale on trumpet, Mike Rowell on bass, Sean Bruce Parker on drums and Jesse O'Brien on piano, B3 and Wurlitzer. With a lot of that early 70's style, Bisson throws his riffs out like a true pro. Funky, I Got The Right , has a great horn backing and especially nice bari sax leading into a fluid guitar solo by Bisson. I also really like O'Brien's piano work giving the track real sparkle. Ballad, The Reason Why , is particularity strong with and solid melody, warm vocals and nice backing horn work. Hi Stepping, Next In Line is power packed with some of the best vocals on the release, backed up with punchy horns and rocking guitar ri...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Strip It Down , by Casey James and it's quite good. Opening with blues rocker, All I Need , Tommy MacDonald sets a Ray Manzarek style bass groove and Casey James on lead vocal and guitar takes the bait. His vocals are gritty and his guitar tone is warm and rich. Backed by Kevin McKendree on Wurlitzer, Tom Hambridge on drums and Ron McNelley on rhythm guitars, this is a band made in heaven. Two stepper, Bulletproof, has a great feel and Delbert McClinton joins on vocal giving it great style and screaming harp work gives it great edge. Hurt Me More has a real nice Texas lope where McKendree's dancing key work nicely compliments James' vocals and guitar riffs. Very nice. Pat Buchanan's harp work sets the tone for Latin flavored blues number, I Got To Go with a great sound. Hambridge's tight rhythm patterns drive this track, McKendree's B3 solo adds color and James guitar soloing and vocals are to...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Moon Over Montgomery , by The McKee Brothers and it's flavorful. Opening with Pig Feet , a jazzy track with cool backing vocals, Jeff Robinson on lead vocals, backed by Denis McKee on guitar, Hammond and vocal, Bobby West on keys, Ralph McKee on lap steel, Bobby Watson on bass and particularly Jerome Edmonson on classic drums. Andy Wilson adds a really nice chromatic harp, Bob Schultz on bari sax and Andy Georges  on acoustic guitar are complimented by Maxayn Lewis, Melissa McKee, Dennis Lockett on vocals. Funky, I Feel Like Dynamite , has a cool James Brown feel with tastes of the Temptations, Tower of Power and Dave Mason. Very cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release, You Know How I Lie , has some of the best vocals, both lead and lush backing on the release, smart lead guitar runs by Laith Al-Saadi, trumpet and trombone by Lee Thornburg and tenor and bari sax by Doug Webb. Very nice. With an orchestral qua...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kalenda , from the Lost Bayou Ramblers and it's a earthy taste of Lousiana. Opening with Sabine Turnaround , Andre Michot on accordion and Louis Michot on vocal and fiddle present this rural music in it's purity supported by Eric Heigle on drums, Korey Richie on bass, Jonny Campos on guitar and Kirkland Middleton on T-fer. Granny Smith is a real foot stomper with particularly hot drumming by Heigle. La Valse de Balfa/ The Bathtub is a particularly cool track with environmental sounds over Kirkland Middleton on drums. Very cool.  Si J'auris Des Ailes is another interesting track with a strong melody by accordion and fife over super, stumble march drumming. Nezpique is a lively jig with a droning bass line, churning fiddle and tom tom. Title track, Kalenda , has a very cool African feel with definite Creole/Cajun influences. Mysterious and cool. Wrapping the release is Aloha Golden Meadow , Andre's pla...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tales of a Rich Girl , by Kings & Associates and it's quite good. Opening with slinky blues number, Truth Be Told , Benjamin Cunningham leads the way with slashing lead guitar and lead vocal in duet with Angela Portolesi, backed by Stephen Portolesi on bass, Matt Williams on guitar, Kelvin Sugars on drums and Louie Higuera on Hammond and piano. Very nice. Deadwood is a driving blues rocker with a great bass line and stinging guitar lead. Soul tune, Nitty Gritty , is really well constructed with a great duet with Portolesi and Cunningham and impressive instrumental dynamics. Peace x Peace is a super, gospel based track beautifully featuring Portolesi's vocals. I particularly like the organ and piano work by Higuera adding super tension and the backing vocals on this track are over the top. Excellent! Another real mover is All That's Good has a great bass line and Higuera's Hammond work is tops. Cha...