Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Seven Day Blues , from Johnny Tucker and I really like it. Opening with Talkin' About You Baby , Johnny Tucker has the rugged voice of a pure blues man. Backed by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass, Scott Smart on guitar, and Malachi Johnson on drums, this is a solid opener. With the addition of Sandow on harp, Tired of Doing Nothing has super presence, really, imaging that I haven't experienced in my office location on many occasions thanks I believe to the expert engineering of Atkinson (in Mono). If you listen to this, you won't need to have someone tell you it's special. It's way apparent! On Why Do You Let Me Down So Hard , Tucker's vocals are super and Atkin's guitar work is downright outstanding. Excellent! Title track, Seven Day Blues , is funnkkyy! Again, Sandow's harp work over Atkinson's bass, working in concert with Tuckers vocals really make the groove. With...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Double Standards , from Mick Kolassa and it's packed full of stars and blues standards. Opening with Willie Dixon's 600 Pounds of Heavenly Joy , Kolassa is joined by Sugaray Rayford on vocal with solid Latin rhythm by James Cunningham on drums. With Kolassa on guitar and vocal, Bill Ruffino on bass, Chis Stephenson on organ, and Colin John on guitar, very solid opener. H eather Crosse joins on lead vocal for another Dixon hit, I Just Want To Make Love To You . With her sultry vocals and Eric Hughes on harp, this is a real cool track. With it's jazzy club feel, Annika Chambers really shows on Fever . Her vocals are rich and deep caressed in a warm bed of Jensen's guitar tone. Alice Hasan's violin contributions to Tas Cru and Kolassa's rework of Jimmie Cox's Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out is really nice. Another particularly warm spot is Erica Brown 's vocal lead on Dix...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Changes, The Ru-Jac Records Story, Volume Four: 1967-1980 and it's quite good. Opening with stirring R&B track, She's So Pretty by Winfield Parker , this release is off to a hot start... think Ike and Tina meets Wilson Pickett! You Don't Fool Me by Gene and Eddie has a chugging bass line and punchy horns backing a cool vocal duel. Delving into rich soul, Fred Martin Review sings I'm The One (That Loves You) , with it's spoken lines and rich melodies, enriched coral harmonies. Very nice. Another nice soul track, Take Me Back Again , by Martin really explores that defines the 60's soul sound. Changes Part I by Saturday is a classic with a lumbering blues pace. One of my favorites on the release. Martin explores a more funky sound on Sugar with a dominant bass line, sassy sax work and James Brown like drums. Hot! Another of my Martin favorites is When I'm Alone , a gripping soul track ...

TONY BANKS RELEASES BRAND NEW ORCHESTRAL ALBUM 'FIVE'  TODAY CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ON CD/LP/DIGITAL  " Five is a gorgeous collection" - Best Classic Bands "A wonderful piece of work." - SongFacts " 5 is a shining gem of sonic beauty that is truly deserving of your attention and a round of emphatic applause. Bravo, Mr. Banks!" - Cryptic Rock  "Fifty years ago Tony Banks started bringing pastoral English eccentricity to nascent progressive rock with Genesis. Now he’s taking this most dignified (but difficult) next giant step for any classically-grounded prog pioneer by bringing up to date and thus keeping alive the music that first inspired him."  - Prog  Tony Banks today releases his brand new orchestral album entitled Five via BMG. Five is av ailable on CD, double 12” gatefold vinyl, digital download and stream. To celebrate its release, Billboard.com is premiering a behind the scenes look...

I just had the opportunity to review the first full band release from Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood and I really like it. Opening with driving blues rocker, Juke Joint , Gearshifter has a cool, loose, "Mississippi" delivery, backed by Matt Patton and Larry Morrisey on drums. His own guitar style is loose and cool. On traditional track, Rabbit In A Log , Gearshifter delivers like a pro. His vocals are cool, relaxed and rich, his guitar work has sting and organ backing by Jimbo Mathus is understated and solid. No Working Blues sounds like it's right out of a juke joint with it's crude but SRV like guitar riffs and rhythmic vocals. I really like this track which has a golden groove. A Big Change has a regal feel in almost a Screaming Jay vein. Gearshifters' loose guitar style is super and his vocals are rare. Very cool. Jimmy Olden's Goin' Down Slow has a slick, R&B feel but Gearshifter's vocals are all blues. Although not technical...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Family Matters , from Straw Family and it's sweet and melodic. Opening with rocker, Alive , Straw Family, is really a vocal group of Denise Fabricius, Henriette Fabricius, and Sally Fabricius with Carsten Fabricius,  Frederik Nordvang and Jens Runge on guitar, Helge Solberg on bass  and Michael Axen on drums producing a warm, bouncy sound with tight harmonies. Definite radio material. 1965 has a bit more of a pop country sound, again with rich harmonies and a cool melody. Bang Bang has a driving bass line and still with solid radio qualities, but with a grittier edge. One of my favorite tracks on the release is quiet ballad, Spider Making new Web, featuring Sally on solo vocal and piano, accompanied lightly by drums and guitar. Another solid ballad, I Hope ,  features Soren on piano and solo vocal.  A third ballad, Family and Friends , finds the family blending nicely on vocal with just a little mor...

    13TH ANNUAL VENTURA COUNTY BLUES FESTIVAL, SOCAL'S LONGEST-RUNNING YEARLY BIG BLUES EVENT RETURNS TO LOVELY CAMARILLO; EARL THOMAS, JOHN NEMETH HEADLINE THIS YEAR'S STRONG LINEUP  **Festival Also Dedicated to the Late Actor/Musician, Mickey Jones**                                   Saturday, April 28, 2018 - Gates Open 10am...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Next In Line , from the Tyler Morris Band , and it's solid. Opening with arena rocker, Ready To Shove , Morris shows his strong technical guitar skills, with  Morten Fredheim on lead vocal, joined by Scott Spray on bass, Tyger Macneal on drums and Mike Dimeo on keys. On blues rock classic, Willie the Wimp , Joe Louis Walker has the lead on vocals, nicely complimenting some real tasty blues riffs by Morris. Very cool. Down On My Luck is a heavy footed blues rocker with a good swagger. I like Morris' lead guitar approach on this one giving the track real traction. Changing gears, Choppin' is a cool shuffle instrumental with guitar melody and punched up by the Uptown Horns. Very cool. Thunder has a more Hendrix edge with isolated vocals and wah wah. Without doing a straight Jimi thing, Morris captures his feel in his own sound. This Ain't No Fun has the staggered rhythm of Whippin' Post combined wit...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul of a Man , by the Billy Walton Band and it's polished. Opening with radio track, Save The Last Dance , Billy Walton on lead vocal and guitar puts this new release into motion. Backed by William Paris on bass and vocal and Johnny D'Angelo on drums. On high energy, I Don't Know , D'Angelo really snaps the drums and horn backing by Matt Fischer, Ian Gray and Frank Rein on trombone; Jon Shaw, Sean Marks, Tom Petraccaro and Joey Stann on sax and Rick Rein on trumpet really punch the track up. It's Paris' bass line that stands out on Hell n Highwater giving Walton a solid floor to lead the way. It Ain't True is a throw back rocker combining classic early 60's rock with the Ramones' simplicity. Possibly my favorite track on the release with pop lyrics and easy guitar lead. Walton steps up with flashy lead guitar on Poison Pill , a ballad based blues number. keyboard work by Eric Safka...

I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, JFI , from Johnny Fink and the Intrusion and I really enjoyed it. Opening with boogie track, Oh No , Johnny Fink on lead guitar and vocal is rocking out of the gates backed by Matt Newman on bass, Doug Moore on drums and Jimmy Rogers on keys. Maintaining the simmer like a master Fink slowly adds fuel to the fire and then explodes with fiery guitar riffs and pointed vocals. Very cool. On shuffle track, Hey Hey Hey , Fink has a smoother vocal sound in the Robben Ford range and the band rocks on with a driving bass line, simple, effective guitar riffs and super drums. On slow blues number, The Fall , Fink is front and center vocally, displaced only by tight, expressive guitar runs that will have you sitting back and listening ... contently. Very nice.  Another real nice slow blues is Damn Broke . I have to admit, I am a sucker for slower expressive blues with cool guitar parts. I am less excited by blues ballads and Fink kno...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Muddy Gurdy , by a French trio of musicians, Tia Gouttebel (guitar and vocal), Gilles Chabenat (Hurdy Gurdy) and Marc Glomeau (percussion). Joining up with Cedric Burnside (acoustic guitar and vocal), Sharde Thomas (fife and vocal), Cameron Kimbrough (guitar and vocal) and Pat Thomas (guitar and vocal), they made terrific North Mississippi Hill Country Blues. Opening with RL Burnside's, Goin' Down South the group conjurs the feeling of Mali and Ali Farke Tour. Very nice. Another Burnside track, See My Jumper Hanging On The Line maintains a really rural feel with gritty guitar work and earthy vocals.  Muddy Water's Rollin' and Tumblin' is tom tom heavy with acoustic slide and authentic vocals. Otha Turner's Station Blues really keeps in line with Turner's roots with ancient slide sounds and snare drum accompaniment behind Tia's vocals and Sharde's fife. Very nice. With a more modern...

Black Iris Records Set to Release New Album from Singer/Songwriter Dulcie Taylor, Better Part of Me , On March 9 First Single, “Halfway to Jesus,” Coming March 2 ARROYO GRANDE, CA – Black Iris Records, a joint venture with MesaBluemoon Recordings, announces a March 9 release date for Better Part of Me , the new album of songs from acclaimed singer/songwriter Dulcie Taylor. The label will release “Halfway to Jesus,” the first single off the new album, to all platforms on March 2.  The title of the first single has special meaning to Dulcie Taylor, as she reflected on it recently. “ Our planet is suffering through ravaging climate change that has brought on catastrophic storms, commonly called ‘1,000 year storms,’ indicating how rare they should be. We must take action to save our planet.” Better Part of Me was recorded at Laurel Lane Studio and produced by Dulcie Taylor (lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, dulcimer and tambou...