Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Believe , from Keeshea Pratt Band and I really like it! Opening with soul fused, Make It Good , Keeshea's vocals let you know that you are listening to something special. Pratt has a solid horn section of Misaki Nishidate on trumpet, Dan Carpenter on sax and James Williams III on trumpet and Brian Sowell on lead guitar, Shawn Allen on bass and Nick Fishman on drums. Cool opener. Kicking it open on Have A Good Time Y'all is a romping and rolling blues shuffle with slick guitar lead, a great bass line and smoking hot sax work.  In The Mood has a great bass line and Pratt is all over this track with rich vocals. WahWah guitar and funky rhythm makes this such a great track. It's Too Late is soulful and sassy. Pratt has such great phrasing and feel and the horns are spot on, accented by excellent piano and organ work. With a snappy New Orleans drum beat, Shake Off These Blues , the band rolls into a rocking R...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Second Chance , by Allman Goldflies Band and it's interesting. I know that first thing that will cross your mind is what relation this band has to the Allman Brothers Band and it has a few. First of all, vocalist/keyboard player Gary Allman is Gregg and Duane's cousin and David Goldflies played drums with the Allmans during the Enlightened Rogues/Reach For The Sky/ Brothers of the Road sessions. Opening with southern flavored shuffle, Ever Been So Lonely Baby , you can certainly hear the Allman Brothers influence with Joe Weiss on bass and Luther Wamble on lead guitar. A definite radio track, Standing In The Georgia Rain has a memorable melody and solid instrumentation. Southern's All I Ever Want To Be is another radio track with a solid hook and lyrics that would certainly appeal to the southern demographic. Fiddle tune, Fadiddle , has a country rhythm but an eastern European flavor. Very nice. Pretty Gre...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Enjoy The Ride , from Deb Ryder and is has a great feel. Opening with high stepper, A Storm's Coming , Deb Ryder is back sounding as powerful as ever. Johnny Lee Schell and Coco Montoya on lead guitar plays nicely off of the steady beat of Ric Ryder on bass, Mike Finnigan on keys and Tony Braunagel on drums. Exceptional ballad, For The Last Time, is a terrific showcase for Ryder's voice and also features Finnigan on vocal as well with the sweet guitar lead of Montoya. What You Want From Me blends New Orleans feel with pure gospel vocals from Maxanne lewis, Ricky Nelson, Leslie Smith and Kudisan Kai Regalot. Very nice. Got To Let It Go has a real nice BB King style groove featuring Cain and Ryder on a cool vocal duet and slick guitar lead. Sweet Sweet Love has a tight Latin beat with nice piano work by Finnigan and featuring fat guitar riffs by Debbie Davies. Wrapping the release is Red Line featuring the st...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Falling Rising , from Gretchen and the Pickpockets and it's a adventurous mix of pop, jazz and rock. Opening with Keep Talking, vocalist Gretchen Klempa has solid piped, backed by Mike Klempa on bass, Ryan O'Connell on trumpet, Tom O'Connell on drums, Richie Smith on guitar and Diego Tunjano on sax. Bluesy, Easy On My Heart has a real nice feel with sensitive vocals and a powerful horn attack. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Devil's Due has all of the radio appeal of the Eagles without all of the hours of overplaying a cleaner, sassier lead vocalist, and punchy horns for a fresher feel. With a funky, Memphis kind of sound, Let Me Do My Thing , has a nice blend of jazz, soul and pop. A little more traction is added by Ryan on trumpet solo and the band kicks it almost to New Orleans sound. Very nice. Another adventurous track is Take Flight with a real Latin (Rhumba?) rhythm. Extended horn solo...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Reckoning, from Billy Price and it's quite good. Opening with soul fused blues number, 39 Steps , Billy Price has surrounded himself with a who's who of musicians including Kid Andersen on guitar, Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, and Jim Pugh on keys for a solid radio style start. Dreamer is a strong track with a really nice bass line by Jemmott, nice pinched soloing by Andersen, and excellent backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Rusty Zinn. Very cool. Title track, Reckoning , has a real nice feel and an almost Al Green vibe. Price's vocals are smooth and warm keyboard work by Pugh, clean trumpet lines by Konstantins Jemeljanovs, lead bass lines by Jemmott and slick riffs by Andersen make this one of my favorite tracks on the release.  Another of my picks for the release is One and One , with its super melody, some of Price's best vocals on the release and cool sax work by Johnny...

 Guy Davis Scores Americana Fest Showcase The 2018 Grammy Nominated Artist To Make His Debut at the Fest ​ Northport NY - M.C. Records is proud to announce that our artist Guy Davis will be performing at the world famous Americana Fest in Nashville this September. The Fest takes place from September 11-16 at various venues throughout Nashville. Other great artists appearing include John Prime, Candi Staton, Shemeika Copeland, The Milk Carton Kids and so many more. You can view all the confirmed artists by clicking the photo. The invitation to Americana Fest is another milestone for the NYC Bluesman. Earlier this year, his recording with Fabrizio Poggi, "Sonny & Brownie's Last Train" was nominated for Grammy in the Traditional Blues category. It marked Guy's 1st Grammy nomination in his 30+ year career. In May, Guy was also nominated for two Blues Music Awards in Memphis.  Sonny & Brownie'...

ORLANDO SOUL & FUNK OUTFIT, CECE TENEAL &   SOUL KAMOTION TO RELEASE #5or5000 ON JUNE 22ND 
 “CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion give southern soul charm!” Soul Tracks “Sassy and brassy throughout, this is how deep soul sounds these days.”  Midwest Record “CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion’s blues, soul, and gospel roots extend out into a lavish coppice of musical pageantry.”  American Blues Scene CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion have been captivating audiences internationally with original, live music for over 16 years. Their blend of blues, soul and roots music uplifts and inspires audiences with messages of hope, love and the belief that anything possible. The band’s new live album, “#5or5000”, is a captivating, energetic and entertaining blend of songs that’s funky and fun, addressing all stages of love and living. It’s enchanting yet powerful, encouraging us to move and groove on the dance floor and to embrace life. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (releasing today), Don't Let The Devil Ride! , from Bob Corritore & Friends and it's super. Opening with Willie Buck's shuffle track, Went Home This Morning , Bob Corritore on harp joins up with Willie Buck on lead vocal, Mojo Mark on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Brian Fahey on drums for a solid opener. On Little Walter's Tell Me Mama , Oscar Wilson is on lead vocal and Corritore lays out a real nice harp solo with Priimetime Smith on guitar, Henry Grey on piano and Johnny Rapp on guitar. Alabama Mike has the lead on Laundromat Blues and with really expressive lower octave work from Corritore, particularly nice soloing from Atkinson on guitar and strong piano work from Welch making this one of my favorites on the release. Corritore original, Fork In The Road , features Oscar Wilson on vocal, with Henry Grey on piano and Johnny Rapp on guitar with Corritore in in mostly a strong supportive role cho...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' work, Are You One Of Jay's Kids , and it's creative, strange and cool. Screamin' Jay was a showman, being carried on stage in a coffin and emerging with a bone in his nose, but he was serious about his music. I first became aware of Hawkins' work through CCR and then later Leslie West but this guy way really hanging it all out there. Disc one opens with Louis Jordan's Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby , with his dramatic vocals but not at all lacking with production quality or musical integrity with tight backing vocals and clever guitar soloing. Jump track, I Feel Alright is played pretty straight with aggressive drums and classic 50's vocal backing and cool guitar work and a hot sax solo. His ultimate money track, I Put A Spell On You , gets an odd dance mix with Matt Guitar Murphy style guitar rhythm and rapping backing. BB King's track, I Hear You Kno...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You should have been there! from Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds and it's a super exhibition of Savoy Brown live and on top of it's game, recorded live at the Yale in Vancouver on 2.23.03. Opening with When It Rains from their 2003 release, Strange Dreams, Kim is handling stinging lead guitar and vocal, backed by David Malachowski on guitar, Gerry Sorrentino on bass and Dennis Cotton on drums. I have seen this unit and it is tight. On slow blues, Where Has Your Heart Gone? , also from Strange Dreams, Simmonds gets into such a nice guitar groove that this 11 plus minute track seems to be over in short minutes. Simmonds' phrasing is excellent as always and his ingenuity on this night was spot on. On classic, Poor Girl , from on of my all time favorite SB releases, Looking In, Simmonds literally blows the doors off. You like contemporary blues rock. This is it! Excellent! On Jimmie Rodgers' Blues Like ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cold November , from Spencer MacKenzie and it's solid. Opening with light funk rocker, Fine Place To Start , Mackenzie shows real promise on lead vocal and guitar. Joined by Miles Evans on piano, Al Duffy on bass, Sean O'Grady on drums, Brant Parker on lead guitar, Dave Dunlop on trumpet, Peter Hysen on trombone, Jay Davidson on sax this is a polished opener. On Move On Down The Track , MacKenzie blends in a bit of country drive and Parker on slide enriches the sound even further. The title track, Cold November is a bluesy ballad with soulful vocals, a nice melody and strong guitar riffs. Very nice. One of my release favorites is Voices Echoing with a funky jazz feel and boppy keyboard by Evans reminiscent of Brian Auger. Haunt Me is a cool shuffle track with real radio appeal. Backing vocals by Rochelle Harrison and Camille Harrison add yet another dimension to this smooth jazzy approach with light and breez...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Blues Is Alive and Well, from Buddy Guy and it's strong. Opening with A Few Good Years , Buddy Guy pleads in song for continued good years to remain but his vocals are smooth and his guitar as vibrant as ever. Joined by Tom Hambridge on drums, Rob McNelley on guitar, Kevin McKendree on B3 and Willie Weeks on bass, this hits home. Shuffle track, Guilty As Charged shows a strong romp attitude and you can see that gold tooth glistening as Buddy shouts out guilty and fans his guitar wildly in one of his frantic guitar explosions. Very nice. Cognac , is a real nice 12 bar number featuring not one but two legendary guest guitar players, Keith Richards and Jeff Beck who along with Guy give this track real teeth. Richards' riffs are always standout and Beck's style is remarkable and an absolute signature. Excellent! Title track, The Blues Is Alive And Well is a great R&B fused track with Weeks' instin...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blind Spot , from The Lucky Losers and it may be their best one yet. Opening with It's Never Too Early , a melodic two stepper featuring nicely blended vocals by Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz, backed by Ian Lamson on guitars, Chris Burns on keys, Endre Tarczy on bass and Robi Bean on drums. Take The Long Road is a real cool track with an Al Green strut. Lemons' vocals are spot on, with Laura Chavez on lead guitar and Berkowitz harp contributions are notable. Alligator Baptism is a cool blues rocker with a pinch of Latin spice courtesy of D'mar on percussion and the addition of Kid Andersen on lead guitar, Jack Sanford on bari sax and Nancy Wright on sax. Another strong track, The River , this time country soul really nicely showcases Lemons' voice which sounds a lot like Susan Tedeschi. Lamson's slide work and harp work by Berkowitz add nicely to this really solid entry. With a cyclical bass line...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Keep Pushing , from Artur Menezes and it's quite good. Opening with radio track, Now's The Time , Artur Menezes delivers a smooth R&B track with warm horn saturation, highlighted by melodic BB King like guitar riffs. Nice opener. Title track, Keep Pushing , has a real nice feel with fluid guitar runs by Menezes, a solid bottom by Daniel Aged on bass, Gary Novak on drums, Carey Frank on keys and solid horn work by Jamelle Adisa on trumpet and Dan Bosley on sax. Come With Me is a lumbering blues rocker that really gives Menezes a great floor for his vocals and with a thick underbelly, his vibrant guitar riffs are smoking hot. Excellent track. Slow blues number, Any Day, Anytime has strong blues bones along the lines of a Freddie King number. Menezes keeps coming on stronger and stronger with his soulful vocals and crisp guitar work. his phrasing is intuitive and inspired. Excellent! Funky, Should Have Never ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wisdom & Decay , from Jeff Jensen and it's flavorful. Opening with Little Milton's I'm Living Off The Love You Give , you get a strong sense of soul from Jensen's hometown of Memphis. With Jensen on guitar and vocal, this band is packed with sound featuring Bill Ruffino on bass, David Green on drums, Chris Stephenson on organ, and a powerful dose of horns from Kirk Smothers on sax and Marc Franklin on trumpet. 2000 Days has a sensitive Latin rhythm and James Cunningham on percussion. A nicely phrased guitar solo by Jensen gives this track a nice boost.  With a formula that made the Doobies popular, Jensen hits that smooth rhythmic groove, pumped up by horns, clean melodic guitar riffs and backed by Reba Russell on vocal. With a slinky Latin feel, Downtown , has a firm bass edge by Ruffino, muted trumpet and simmering guitar lead giving the track a fiery feel.  Bob Dylan's Tonight I'll Be Sta...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Brighter Days , from Grand Marquis and it's a blues/jazz fusion party. Opening with Another Lover , lead vocalist Bryan Redmond has a R&B/world sound with a delivery like Van Morrison. With Chad Boydston on trumpet, Redmond on sax, Trevor Turla on trombone, Ryan Wurtz on guitar, ben Ruth on bass and Fritz Hutchison on drums, these guy have the sound like BST and ska. With a Latin rhythm, I'm On Fire , the band fuses that horn fusion sound with the hot sax work of Jr Walker. Very nice. New Orleans flavored, Night Shift has silky vocals and I love the sousaphone work of Ruth, highlighted by Boydston on trumpet, Redmond on sax and really cool trombone solo by Turla. It Don't Matter is a real nice, horn laden, blues track that highlights the nicely blended horn voices of the band. Excellent. Jimmy Cliff's Many Rivers To Cross is transformed into a soulful, gospel like track with rich horn backing and c...

JAMES HOUSE AND THE BLUES COWBOYS NEW ALBUM OUT AUGUST 3 “There is a vulnerable truth in James House’s songwriting that is very humbling for any writer to experience and that voice!!! That voice is pure emotion heartbreaking and soul lifting at the same time. I love you, James. Congrats on another great one!” – Beth Hart The beautiful mind of House writes words and lines that will turn you inside out: “ Once there was this spider in my bed, I got caught up in her web, of love and lies”  Nashville-based singer-songwriter James House set to release an album of Blues, Americana, and rock to his fans that have been begging him to do for a long time. His love of the Blues has always been an undercurrent tone to his tunes. The self-titled album will come out on August 3 to worldwide audiences, and this time, James is singing from his gut. “Mama killed Daddy in self-defense Never was one to sit on the fence” – “Jail House Blues” Created by James in h...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Evangeline , from Blind Lemon Pledge and it's an interesting slice of contemporary blues. Opening with, Buley's Farm , a modern interpretation of an original chain gang work song, BLP recaptures the spirit of the old Lomax recordings. Very cool. One of the most curious, and possibly my favorite track on the release is Brimstone Joe with it's 30's cadence and clever lyrics. Swing track, Jump The Willie has a light, bright feel, jazzy guitar accompaniment and light brushes and piano for kicks. Slick. Language Of Love has a cool, Latin rhythm and percussion and with BLP's vocals almost sounds like The Kinks "Apeman". Very interesting. Wrapping the release is title track, Evangeline , with cool slide and resonator tones over a bluesy ballad. A solid closer for a cool release.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and F...