Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Old School Girl , by Lawrence Lebo and it's different . Opening with You've Got A Secret , a cool blues number along the lines of Thrill is Gone with Lawrence Lebo on vocal, Denny Croy on bass, Steve Mugalian on drums, Larry David on warm organ and with crisp guitar work by Tony Mandracchia. On T-Bone Walkers classic, Stormy Monday , Lebo applies her own vocal spin with real nice harp work by David. Double time bass lines by Croy really add to the tension and Mandracchia's guitar lines are fluid and interesting. Very nice. New Orleans flavored, Stop Shouting Your Business , is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Carl Byron on accordion, and snappy drum work by Mugalian giving Lebo a clear path for her best vocal efforts on the release. R&B track, Happy Anniversary , Baby is another of my favorite tracks with Lebo's vocals displaying a special sparkle and sweet, subdued solo lines by Mandrac...

The Ragtime Rumours Rag ’N Roll Release: 19.10.2018 Format: CD Label: Ruf Records GmbH EAN: 0710347126423 Calling all jaded music-lovers. The Ragtime Rumours have come to prick up your ears. In an era when the dead-eyedmusicindustryclings to tired formulas, these time-travelling Dutch visionariestear up the rulebook – and that rebel attitude is all overRag ’N Roll. Anything goes on this revolutionary debut album, as the ghosts of Robert Johnson and Django Reinhardt meet the in...

Mike Zito, Bernard Allsion, Vanja Sky Blues Caravan 2018 Release: 19.10.2018 Format: CD + DVD Video Label: Ruf Records GmbH EAN: 0710347126027 This was no ordinary club tour. This was the Blues Caravan 2018. If you’ve followed Ruf’s rolling revue since it started life in 2005, you’ll already know that these shows are must-see events, throwing together three stellar artists on one bill – then letting the chemistry do the rest. Traditionally, the Blues Caravan lineup has showcased the...

SHEMEKIA COPELAND TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM AT NEW YORK GIANTS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS NFL GAME ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Grammy-nominated singer Shemekia Copeland will perform the national anthem on Sunday, September 30 at the NFL game between the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints. The game, broadcast live on CBS Television, begins at 4:25pm Eastern time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Copeland is currently on tour, bringing music from her critically acclaimed, powerful new album, America’s Child (released August 3), to fans all across the country. NPR Music says Copeland is "head-turning and outspoken . America’s Child is a true hybrid of simmering, real-talking spirit and emphatic, folkie-and soul-style statement-making. Copeland sings slow-burning soul and rollicking country-blues with growling vigor and potent conviction." Produced by Americana Instrumentalist Of The Year winner Will Kimbrough (who also plays guitar on...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Play It All Day , from Terry Blersh and it's a nice mix of cool tracks. Opening with Treat Me Right with it's Latin rhythm, Blersh on lead vocal flashes some real tasty guitar riffs over Shamakah Ali on drums, Collin Barnett on bass Michael Fonfara on Hammond and lance Anderson on piano. Nice opener. Charging right into R&B track, It's All Right , this track is all about rhythm with Garth Vogan on bass, Al Cross on drums, Anderson on keys, Art Avalos on percussion and smoky sax work by Gene Hardy. The vocal blending of Blersch and John Finley is really super. With a fusion of jazz and R&B and slick guitar lead, title track, Play It All Day , is a top radio choice with really nice backing vocals by Quisha Wint. The Girl Outside My Window has a cool island/reggae/tex mex feel with John Mays on vocal and Denis Keldie on accordion. Boogie track, King Creole has a super stride with solid vocals, tight b...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Keep Knockin' , from Trudy Lynn and it's solid blues. Opening with two stepping, Blues Ain't Nothin' featuring Bob Lanza on guitar, Steve Krase on harp, Terry Dry on bass, and Matt Johnson on drums. With powerful vocals and a driving bottom, a solid opener. On Jimmy Rogers track, That's Alright , Lynn gets into a solid groove and Randy Wall on piano and Krase on harp lay down nice solos. One of my favorite tracks on the release is One Monkey Don't Stop No Show with clever lyrics, and hot horn work by Dan Carpenter on sax and Jim brady on trumpet. Another powerful track, I Sing The Blues finds Lynn really digging in vocally, with clean guitar work by David Carter. Again Bob Lanza's tasty guitar work comes into play on Pitiful , a super slow blues number. Lynn milks every drop of juice out of this track, working Lanza into a nice guitar frenzy. Very nice.  Hot sax work by Carpenter and...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Keith Stone with Red Gravy : Blues with a Taste of New Orleans , from Keith Stone and it's quite good. Opening with jazz blueser, Ain't That The Blues , Stone is up front on lead vocal and guitar spiced up by Brent Johnson on slide and backed by Tom Worell on keys, Kennan Shaw on bass, and Eddie Christmas on drums. Digging in the funk on Love Don't Put Me Down , Shaw really sets a super groove. This is one of those tracks that really makes you wanna move and Worell's keys matched with Shaw and Christmas on drums is hot. New Orleans saucy title track, Red Sauce has a super piano line and that perfect rhythm. Soloing by Worell and strong vocals by Stone give this track solid footing. Ballad, Crazy In Love With You , has a warm mix of organ and electric piano behind some of Stone's best vocals on the release, topped off by a soulful sax solo by Jimmy carpenter. Don't Count Me Out is a solid shuffl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Velvet Space Love , by Tomislav Goluban , featuring Toni Staresinic and it's quite unusual for items I review. Opening with Zero Gravity , a somewhat spacey, atmospheric, composition featuring Goluban playing soulful harmonic melody over Staresinic's synth work. Space Drive is a continuation of a sonic fusion with what sounds like computer rhythm, Theremin, atmospheric keys and harp and guitar soloing. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is The Busiest Woman I've Ever Loved with a crisp jazz like rhythm. Goluban solos nicely over the key work of Staresinic backed by snappy drum work of Igor Vugrek, and bass of Damjan Grbac and punched up by Zvonimir Bajevic on trumpet, Robert Pulgar on sax and Mario Sinck on trombone. Very nice. Zero Gravity , Space Drive and Tsmk all get remixes with an emphasis on electronica, my favorite being Tsmk. Wrapping the release is Man With A Harmonica , an int...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Whiskey Bayou Sessions , from Damon Fowler and it's quite good. Opening with a modern take on James Brown style, It Came Out Of Nowhere , with it's cool back beat, Fowler's solid vocals, nicely stylized guitar soloing and backing by Todd Edmunds on bass, Justin Headley on drums, and Tab Benoit on rhythm guitar. Excellent opener. Fairweather Friend has some real funky juju on it with a really nice bottom and a guitar lead that really sits in the pocket. Johnny Nash's Hold Me Tight gets a real cool upbeat shuffle rhythm and a new life. This is a cool interpretation by Fowler with country flavored picking giving the track just that right amount of spice. Little Walter's Up The Line has a really strong drive and with just the right touch of guitar is set to get you moving in your seat if not on your feet. So you're itching for some of that famous Fowler slide work...wait no longer. Ain't Gon...

`   AMY RAY Ray's rootsy solo album HOLLER  premiering at NPR Folk Alley   "Hear It First" Featuring guests Justin Vernon, Phil Cook, The Wood Brothers, Brandi Carlile, Derek Trucks, Vince Gill and more Street date 9/28/18: Daemon Records/Compass Records Group  "Melding the urgency of punk with the earthiness of country and the vaunt of Southern soul, Holler embraces more aspects of Ray's influences than any of her past efforts."  -- Folk Alley ...

Doug Deming Brings His Complicated Mess To Fans On October 19, 2018 “a stone killer... devastating in every way” - Tom Hyslop " Deming is a ferocious guitarist, fiery but clean, with a crisp, clear tone reminiscent of Charlie Christian's style ." - BLUES MUSIC MAGAZINE EllerSoul Records is proud to release the new album from guitarist Doug Deming called Complicated Mess , out on October 19, 2018. Along with his road band and some great guests, this album is Deming’s most courageous effort to date, combining traditional blues, jazz, swing, soul and R&B. Delivered in style with ten original Deming tunes along with three familiar covers of Fats Domino, Sam Theard, and the late great Lazy Lester. Complicated Mess is sure to set music fans on fire. “EllerSoul Records is excited to be working with Doug on his new recording . It is something we've talked about for some time, and the timing finally worked out for us. Doug is just the type o...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Still I Rise , by Brigitte Purdy and it's a solid hit record. Opening with Hoodoo , a rocker with a driving bass line compliments of Dave Osti, Brigitte Purdy leads charge with powerful vocal melody backed by Drake Shining on keys, Donnell Spencer on drums and Kenny Neal on harp. My Kinda Blues is an uptempo track with a country blues shuffle feel. Hot guitar picking by Osti gives this track some real electricity under the sassy vocals of Purdy. Funky, If I Could has a real nice plucky bass and bump rhythm and Purdy's restrained vocals are spot on. Bluesy, Lucille Don't You Weep is my choice track of the release with it's thumping bass line, electric piano and my favorite lead and backing vocal on the release. Osti's guitar soloing on the track really stands tall. Very nice. R&B style Blues Angel has a real nice hook and smooth radio presence. Wrapping the release is title track, Still I Ris...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sugat Ko , by Carolyn Fe and like every release I've heard by Fe, it's interesting and different. Opening with One Minute To Midnight , with it's somber tone, frank lyrics and minimal backing with percussion, bass and keys, Carolyn goes her own way. Rocker, I Can't Breathe , shows a heavier dose of electric guitar and moody vocals with rock solid guitar and a driving bass line. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Sugar with a loose, aloof vocal style not unlike Lou Reed over an interesting jagged rock sound. Really cool. Another fresh track, Bring You Water has a bit of a swagger with a grinding bass /drum line and strong guitar lead. Howzat is an interesting composition with almost spoken lead vocals but with an underlying melody led on bass and really cool guitar and keys soloing giving the track a bit of an avantgarde feel. Very nice. Rag style, Nothin' Doin ', has a nice easy pace ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Secundus , by Travis Bowlin and it covers a lot of territory. Opening with Strange Vibes , Bowlin on lead vocal and guitar has a voice that is somewhere between Tom Jones and John Fogerty with B Mooney on bass, D Johnson on drums and K Gupta on keys laying down a clever funky beat. Kicking up the rock factor, Dancin' With the Devil has strong bones and heavy drum work by Johnson. Blues ballad, All Over Again is one of the richest tracks on the release with lush chords, soulful vocals and bluesy guitar soloing. Very nice. Another solid radio entry is You Know You Are with it's smooth vocals and warm melody. Bowlin's vocals are blended just right. Wrapping the release is Slow Cooker Man , a swaggering shuffle featuring a standard 12 bar blues format and H Aaron on harp. Bowlin's vocals complimented nicely with a potent bottom and solid blues/rock riffs make this a solid closer for a solid release.   ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Doin' Fine , from Lady A and I really like it. Opening with title track, Doin' Fine , Lady A gets things moving with a strong R&B track led by her own solid vocals and backed by Joey Robinson on piano, Dexter Allen on bass and guitar, and Joey Robinson on drums. Slowing things down just a little and with attitude, The Ride has a solid strut and cool funk. Very nice. One of my absolute favorites is Change The World , a powerful soul/gospel fused track. Lady A's vocals are ultra soulful and the backing vocals joined by Dexter Allen give this track that extra oomph. Excellent! That Man has a powerful Al Green like strut. A's vocals are nicely phrased and Allen's guitar work is tight. Throw Down is ultra funky with definite roots to George Clinton and James Brown. Allen lays down some real nice bass lines with Christopher Minter on drums and Joey Robinson on piano. Wrapping the release is soulful b...