Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review All We Have , the most recent release by Taylor Scott Band who mixes smooth ballads with clean rockers. Opening with funky rocker, Somebody Told Me , lead vocalist and guitarist, Taylor Scott shows powerful pipes, backed by Jon Wirtz on piano, Chris Harris on bass, Lem Williams on drums. His slick guitar styling and the and tight drumming by Williams make this a great opener. Salted Watermelon has all of the qualities of a great radio track with it's strong melody, solid vocal lead, well blended backing vocals by Steve Watkins and nicely blended instrumentation. One of my favorites on the release is Carry Me Away with it's jazzy overtones, dual guitar lead and springy rhythm. Another well crafted ballad, The Walk , shows real radio potential with a super melody, glistening keyboard work and some of Scott's best vocals on the release. With horn backing by Mark Gonzalez (trombone), Josh levy (bari sax), Gilbert Elorreaga (trumpet), ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Drop The Hammer , from Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith & The House Bumpers and it's a cool fusion of a number of sounds rooted in the blues. Opening with Head Pounder , a loose jam, Smith, who plays drums and leads on vocal blends African rhythms with delta styling and contemporary fluidity with the help of Billy Flynn on guitar and Omar Coleman on harp for an interesting perspective on the blues. Sliding into a more traditional shuffle, Hey Daddy , lead by Smith, backed by Mae, Clara and Theodore Smith on vocal and Flynn, Ari Seder on guitar, Felton Crews on bass Luca Chellini on piano, and Coleman on harp. R&B track, Scratchin' Your Head features Flynn and Seder on guitars over and cool bass line by Crews and laid back funky vocal by Smith. Chellini's organ work really fits in nicely and solos by Flynn and Coleman make this a really cool groove. Funky, What In The World , rides heavy on the bass...

NURS'N BLUES MUSIC FEST BENEFITS MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM; PRESENTED BY BUFFALO MUSICIAN AND NURSE, PATTI PARKS; GRAMMY-NOMINATED KENNY NEAL HEADLINES STRONG LINEUP   Saturday, May 25 - THE COVE  - 3PM to 10PM Patti Parks, creator of the Music Therapy program, is also a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.    (Depew, NY) - The Nurs'n Blues Music Fest takes place at The Cove , 4701 Transit Rd., Saturday, May 25. Showtime: 3pm to 10pm. Tickets: $20. Donation in advance, $25. at the Door. Info: (716) 870-3600 or visit https://www.musicisart.org . Proceeds benefit Nurs'n Blues Therapy Program, that uses Blues Music Therapy for those struggling with chemical dependency. Presented as a non-profit collaborative by the Blues Society of Western New York and Music Is Art .    Nurs'n Blues Music Fest features two stages with continuous music all day long, headlined by Gramm...

PETER FRAMPTON BAND’S ALL BLUES DUE FOR RELEASE JUNE 7 VIA UMe “I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU” (FEATURING KIM WILSON) PREMIERES TODAY SIRIUSXM SIX-WEEK SERIES “THE PETER FRAMPTON SHOW” DEBUTS MAY 10 ON DEEP TRACKS CHANNEL PETER FRAMPTON FINALE— THE FAREWELL TOUR KICKS OFF THIS SUMMER photo credit: Austin Lord     “ One of rock ‘n’ roll’s lifelong major players ” All Blues , the forthcoming covers album from the Peter Frampton Band , is set for release on June 7 via UMe . The album is a collection of Frampton’s favorite blues classics and was recorded with his longtime touring band, made up of Adam Lester (guitar/vocals), Rob Arthur (keyboards/guitar/vocals) and Dan Wojciechowski (drums). “ I Just Want To Make Love To You ” (featuring Kim Wilson ) is the first song to be released from the new album, and is available now with digital album pre-order. Listen/share the track HERE . All Blues was recorded ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Texas Honey , from Ally Venable and it's a fine blend of power pop and blues. Opening with rocker, Nowhere To Hide , Venable is on top with super vocals and fresh guitar riffs over a solid bass line by Bobby Wallace and the tight rhythm of Elijah Owings. Great opener. Title track, Texas Honey shows real grit with fat guitar tones and Gibbons like snarl. Excellent track. Blind To Bad Love has dark overtones, deep backing vocals and cool backing guitar work by Mike Zito. Come And Take It is a heavier track with real teeth. Eric Gales adds vocal and real snarling guitar riffs giving the band more intensity and more balance. Very cool. You knew it was going to happen... a young female guitar slinger taking on SRV. Love Struck Baby has lots of snap and Venable's guitar riffs aren't SRV but it's still hot and fun. Another track with vicious guitar riffs is White Flag . Venable turns up the grit up to Z (for...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Been There by Jonas Scott Cowan and it's a rocking pop blues party. Opening Muddy Water's, Catfish Blues , Cowan is hot out of the chute with hot slide work, piano by Carl Rodenberg and a tight rhythm by Danny Erkman on drums and Jon Rochner on bass. With a regimental drum lead Black Boots maintains a rigid, military style drum line with bluesy vocal and warm slide guitar tones. Adding a little Cajun spice and Lacy Jean on fiddle, Another Fiddle is a stylized pop rocker. Rodenberg and Erkman maintain the form and warm backing vocals make this a cool radio track. R&B ballad, I Miss The Girl , is my favorite track on the release with it's direct melody, solid vocals and slick guitar and piano soloing. Very nice. Jacobsville Jail has a really dark and solid early blues feel with warm backing vocals by Stillwell, Rochner and Rodenberg. Another of my favorites is Rollin' On , a solid blues ballad. Cowa...

I just had the opportunity to review to most recent release, The Longshot , from Brandon Santini and it's a stripped down blues rocker. Opening with Don't Come Around Here No More , Brandon Santini is upfront on lead vocal and his vocals are particularly strong. Backed by Timo Arthur on guitar, Chuck Combs on bass, Reed Muchow on drums, John Ginty on keys and Moe Watson on backing vocal this is a super opener with hot harp riffs by Santini. With a country two step feel, Drive You Off My Mind has a cool open road feel with snappy drums and added percussion by Michael Bram. Greg Gumpel really adds nice slide guitar riffs under the lead vocal, paired with Santini's own harp work and saturated in Ginty's organ flow making this one of the best tracks on the release.  I really like Arthur's guitar tone on Back To You pushing into a foot stomping, lumbering drive. Santini works back and forth between lead vocal and crisp harp riffs giving the track a fine flow and Ar...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, It's About Time , from Susan Williams & The Wright Groove and they lay down a blend of ballads, shuffles and R&B tracks. opening with bluesy ballad, Tell Me You Love Me , vocalist Susan Williams leads the way and plays bass. Mike Gallemore fits in some real nice guitar phrases backed by Darryl Wright on bass, Rob Davis on drums and Mike Cruse on keys. On R&B track, Loving You From A Distance , Gallemore plays a nice melodic guitar solo and with a really memorable melody, scores the best radio track for the release. Shuffle track, Shame On You has a cool pace and with nicely blended lead and backing vocals and flowing blues guitar soloing by Gallemore has a kind of BB King feel and features a cool bass solo by Wright. Cool rocker, You've Got Another Thing Coming has a light funky beat with a great bass line a rowdy solo and cool guitar accents.  Please Come Back To Me is my favorite track on the re...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Halfway Home By Morning by Matt Andersen and it's quite cool. Opening with solid R&B style track, What Would Your Mama Say with a great melody, super rhythm, and featuring Andersen on lead vocal and guitar, Steve Dawson on guitars, Mike Farrington, Chris Gestrin on keys, Jay Bellerose on drums and the fabulous McCrary sisters on backing vocals. Excellent opener. Free Man is even a little swampier with solid sax by Jim Hoke, trombone by Charles Rose and Steve Hermann on trumpet. Give Me Some Light is likely the radio track from the release with excellent lead vocal and John Hiatt like feel. Everything just clicks on this track. A driving beat and a funky rhythm really makes Gasoline stand out as one of my favorites. It's got everything including punchy horns, great drums, hot slide, great lead vocals and super backing vocals. Excellent. Powerful ballad, Been My Last has rich lyrics and a strong melody. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kitchen Table Blues Vol. 1 , from The Reverend Shawn Amos and it's a cool relaxing treat. Opening with the Faces hit,  Ooh La La , Amos shows his genuine enjoyment of this classic 60's track with acoustic guitar, accordion, harmonica and banjo backing. Very nice. Amos gives Devo's, Whip It , a stripped down funky rework making it even cooler than the original. With vocal, harp, light snare drum and a bari sax, this track has texture. On The Sonics, Have Love Will Travel , Amos takes a garage tune and makes it bluesy with his vocal styling, crisp acoustic guitar riffs and soulful harp work. Wrapping the release is Tom Waits' song, Jesus Gonna Be Here , with only terrific vocal, tight snare drum rhythm and acoustic bass leading up to a smooth bluesy electric solo and an adventurous harp solo. Amos really works this track not only making it the best track on the release but also a super closer.   ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Satisfied , from Tim Gartland , and its well balanced and cool. Opening with blues rocker, Drinking For Two , Tim Gartland's vocals are casual but authentic and the spanking drum work of Jack Bruno really hits the spot. Wendy Moten's backing vocals give the track a nice additional dimension and solid piano work by Kevin Mc Kendree, slide work by Tom Britt, Steve Mackey on bass and Gartland's own harp work make this a real nice opener. There is something about the vocal delivery on Don't Make More Trouble that almost makes you think it's asking for trouble with it's cool arrogance. I mean I really like it and lead guitar soloing by Robert Frahm it strong. One of my favorite tracks on the release is honky tonker, Can't Paint A Prettier Picture , with a great rolling rhythm, firm piano by Tom West. Excellent! The vocal interplay between Gartland and Ray Disilvis, the guitar discord by Frahm, the...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Grit , from Cara Being Blue and it's got grit! Opening with title track, Grit , Cara Lippman shows a heap of swagger with thick, soulful lead vocals and solid backing vocals by Mandy Vixen. Guitar lead by Val Lupescu, keys by Eric Robert, drums by Flip Winfield and bass by Jonathan Nixon and solid horn punch by Miqui Gutierrez on sax, and Varney Green on trombone. Rock flavored ballad, One Day , has classic lines and nicely showcases Cara's voice. Lupescu's melodic guitar lead gives the track a regal feel and Tim Gonzalez on harmonica a bluesy flavor. Jack Pearson lays out a nice guitar intro on slow blues ballad, You Don't Wanna, with tight accents by Matt Doctor on drums. Robert's keyboard soloing on this track really adds a nice contrast to the overall tension of the track. Very nice. Nicely articulated guitar soloing by Lupescu gives Old Feelin' a great footing out of the gate, warmed by G...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Piano and Guitar , live 1973 recordings of Henry Townsend and Roosevelt Sykes and it's really strong. Recorded live at Washington University, Graham Chapel, this is a great set. Opening with Townsend on Sloppy Drunk Again , the feel of a different era is alive and Townsend's percussive attack is a great accent for his perfect vocals. Tired Of Being Mistreated has great pace and Elmore style guitar riffs giving this track sensational life. Henry's Worry Blues is an excellent example of early blues with tight guitar riffs and excellent vocals. Roosevelt Sykes enters the stage with Night Time Is The Right Time and his distinctive piano style brings it all together. Piano boogie, Boot That Thing is one of my favorites on the first disc with excellent vocal and a great piano stretch. Dirty Mother For You (Don't You Know) is a humorous track by Sykes with solid piano work and vocal by Sykes. Contem...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, That's Where It's At! , from Michael Jerome Browne and it's quite fine. Opening with acoustic jazz instrumental, Don't Ask Me Why , Browne shows fleet fingered accuracy backed by the light and tight drum work of John Mc Colgan. Smoking opener with great chops. On shuffle track, Black Nights , Browne slips on the slide and settles down in a nice groove with bluesy vocals and again, Mc Colgan on drums. Harrison Kennedy joins on vocals on traditional delta blues styled Pharaoh , rich in tradition and earthy wealth. Very nice. Remember When is a cool folk ballad with clean acoustic picking and featuring vocal duet with Roxanne Potvin. Very clean. Rolling into Al Green's Here I Am (Come And Take Me) showing that Brown not only has the blues but a rich soul. His vocals are soulful and his guitar playing strong and supportive. Randy Newman's, Lousiana 1927 , never sounded so sweet with solid vocals, in...