Bman's Blues Report

"Hoyer sang with fire and exuded a natural joy." -  Rolling Stone New EP - 'The End of the Night' Josh Hoyer Hello Bman! On Friday, January 26th, international recording and touring artist Josh Hoyer (Silver Street Records) released 'The End of the Night' , a three song EP and the first new music from Hoyer since his 2017 appearance on NBC's The Voice. 'The End of the Night' is the result of a writing collaboration between Hoyer, veteran Nashville songwriter Jay Knowles (Ha...

They Call Me Mud CD Coming from Mud Morganfield on March 9 via Severn Records Blues Singer and Son of Legendary Muddy Waters Steps Out on New Album Recorded in Chicago with All-Star Cast ANNAPOLIS, MD – Severn Records announces a March 9 release date for They Call Me Mud , the new CD from singer Mud Morganfield, son of the legendary blues icon, Muddy Waters. Produced by Mud Morganfield and Rick Kreher (who also plays guitar on the CD), They Call Me Mud was recorded at Joyride Studios in in Mud’s Chicago hometown. Mud penned 10 of the album’s 12 songs, with two others coming from his illustrious father’s catalog, “Howling Wolf” and “Can’t Get No Grinding.” A stellar cast of Chicago area musicians adds some authentic, downhome blues touches to the recording, including Billy Flynn on guitar, Studebaker John on harmonica and backing vocals, Sumito Ariyo Ariyoshi on piano, E.G. McDaniel on bass and Melvin “Pookie Stix” Carlisle on drums.  Special guests...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Usual Suspects , from Lex Grey and the Urban Pioneers and it's solid. Opening with title track, Usual Suspects , power vocalist, Lex Grey blends a reggae beat with overdriven guitars and rock drama to create a unique sound. Backed by Vic Mix on guitars, Kala Updike on bass,Walter Tates Jr. on sax, and John Holland on drums, this band shows versatility. Country rocker, Chow Down , has a driving rock rhythm by Mix and Brian Dewan on piano and accordion, a romping bass line by Per Berquist but with just a touch of country. Blues ballad, Dirty Secret has a lot of the power and style of Big Brother and the SF blues rock style thanks not only to Grey's vocals but Dewan, Holland and Updike. Sonny Boy Williamson style blues rocker SRV is really pumped up with rock power by a grinding guitar line by Mix and frantic sax work by Walter Tates Jr. Boogie rocker, My Jellyroll has a great bottom thanks to Updike and Holland...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, simple as this, from Steve Sainas and it's calming. Opening with title track, Simple as This , Sainas accompanies his own vocals on acoustic guitar. Simple and clean. With a more deliberate rock feel, Sainas is joined by Kelly Stodola on drums and Chad Matthews on bass for solid track, Why Do We Fall . I really like this track with it's warm melody and reassuring bottom. Another of my favorites on the release is Your Light Will Shine On , with solid vocals, a nice melody and strong rhythm. My Darkest Days Are Gone presents my favorite vocals on the release supported by a warm melody and clean acoustic backing. Wrapping the release is springy, Everything's Gonna Be Alright , with it's comforting lyrics and cool melody. This is a sure departure from Sainas' blues band, Mud Dog but a solid solo effort.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about ...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, S lings & Arrows , from Michelle Malone and it's a tight rocker. Opening with Hooker style boogie, Just Getting Started , leader Malone shows her flex vocally and lays down some real nice slide to get this party rolling. Excellent opener! Backed by Doug Kees on guitar, Robby Handley on bass, Christopher Burroughs on drums, and Trish land on percussion, Love Yourself has a really nice funky rhythm and again, nice fat slide guitar. Beast's Boogie uses acoustic guitar and harmonica against vocal and stiff legged bass drum to create a cool, Led Zep kind of powerful acoustic blues. Very cool. With Shawn Mullins joining on vocal on Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long , Malone lays down a real nice reverb saturated remake of this classic R&B track. Driving boogie, Fox and the Hound , has classic boogie rock lines and again, Malone whips out her slide and lays it open. Who doesn't love slide bo...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (February 2, 2018), Let It Go , from Bernard Allison and it's quite good. Opening with Cruisin For A Bluesin , Allison is strutting tall with solid vocals, tight guitar riffs and a solid back up band featuring John T. McGhee on rhythm guitar, George Moye on bass, and Mario Dawson on drums. With a funky feel, Backdoor Man is a cool track. Allison has great vocal phrasing and his slide work if fresh and greasy. Another track with a springy beat is Night Train with super tight drums from Dawson and a super groove. Well paced vocals by Allison and nicely stylized blues riffs give the track a strong overall presence. With a low slung jazz vibe, Jose Ned James on sax and Allison on vocal and guitar balance nicely on a cool cross radio track. Sure footed and lumbering, Leave Your Ego has a heavy bottom and smart guitar reinforcement. Allison really gets to grips with his guitar on this one laying down some real nice fier...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Spiritus , from Jane Lee Hooker and it's smoking! Opening with How Ya Doin? , Hooker opens up where they left off on their hot release, No B! back in 2016. Dana "Danger" Athens is upfront with a powerful voice and Tracy "Hightop" Almazan and Tina "T-Bone" Gorin create a sense of Thin Lizzy while Melissa "Cool Whip" Houston on drums and "Hail Mary" Zadroga on bass give you flashbacks to Van Halen. Powerful is the word. With the poise of Free, Gimme That is a solid blues rocker... oh yeah...with cow bell! Blues ballad, Later On shows a more subtle side of Athens' vocals and Almazan and Gorin's guitar tones are round and mellow. Blending Hound Dog Taylor with a modern garage rock feel gives you a hot rocking version of Lightning Hopkins' Black Rat . Excellent! Clean blues ballad, How Bright the Moon is a real spin featuring Athens on piano and total blues...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Something Poppin' , from Little G Weevil and it's really different. Opening with high energy rocker, Here I Come Knocking , Little G leads the way on vocal and guitar, joined by Daniel Harper on drums, Marton Pfeff on bass, Laci Borsodi on rhythm guitar, Matyas Premecz on keys, and Danny Del Toro on harp. Very cool. With a distinctive R&B feel, title track, Something Poppin' shows a slinky side with thick vocals by Little G and cool backing vocals by Rebeka Easley Ellis and Sharika Allen Brown on backing vocals. With cool guitar riffs and a solid bass line, this is a cool track. Really cool R&B track, When You Want Me To Deal With This , is one of my favorites on the release featuring super vocals by Little G and a strong bass line by Pfeff. Premecz's key work sparkles and Little G lays in some real nice guitar riffs. You Can't Say Nothing has a real nice instrumental interlude featuring ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let The Demons Out , from Ghalia & Mama's Boys . Yes, this is Johnny Mastro's Mama's Boys. Opening with  4AM Fried Chicken , a driving rock n roller, Ghalia Vauthier has that natural rockin vocal style and Mastro really rides tight on harp with Smokehouse Brown on guitar, Dean Zucchero on bass and Rob Lee on drums and percussion. Super opener. Press That Trigger is a cool track with traces of SB Williamson and Alvin Lee with a pinch of the Pretenders. Mastro's harp shows solid tone and Smokehouse's guitar riffs are sparse but cool. Blending a little contemporary styling into delta style blues, Addicition is a cool, mostly primitive blues track with Ghalia on vocal and slide guitar with only the basics of percussion by Lee and Mastro's harp filling the air. Very spatial. A great rocking boogie, All The Good Things is really infectious (like a boogie should be). Vauthier really winds it up voc...

REDISCOVER THE REMARKABLE FIRST RECORDINGS OF ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE NINA SIMONE ON MOOD INDIGO:...