Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Your Baby Has Left , from Backtrack Blues Band and it's a solid, straight up blueser. Opening with Best Friend's Grave (Joy, Joy, Joy) Sonny Charles on lead vocal and harmonica steps off this shuffle, with Kid Royal on lead guitar, Little Johnny Walter on rhythm guitar, Joe Bencomo on drums, Stick Davis on bass, Bruce Katz on organ and piano and with backing vocals by Latonya Oliver and Dana Merriwether. Title track, Your Baby Has Left is a great boogie with super harp work by Charles and stinging guitar accents by Royal. With it's low slung lope, Natural Born Lover features Royal on lead vocal and nicely styled guitar riffs and cool piano work by Katz freeing up Charles to lay a little heavier into the harp. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is up tempo shuffle, You'll Come Back Someday . I particularly like Charles lead vocal on this track and his harp work, punched up by Vinnie Cies...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Wanna Go With You , from Wide Mouth Mason and it's got a cool, stripped down, earthy sound. Opening with Bodies In Motion , Saskatoon born Shaun Verreault on vocal and guitars and Safwan Javed on percussion and vocals establish a high bar with a fat guitar toned, blues rhythmed, track with a solid melody and super vocals. With phrasing that puts me in mind of prime Leon Russell, this is a super track. Quick paced, Some Kind of Requiem , is a snappy, contemporary blues number with fluid slide runs and strong vocals. Very nice. I really love the overdriven electric guitar sound that Verreault gets on Erase Any Trace . These guys have focused in on a really cool blend of blues, rock and gospel styling that really hits square. Very nice. On Only Child , Mason stretches further into the driving rock styling but preserving the raw blues edge grinds out s pure rocker. Excellent! Another style covered is southern blues st...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Salone , from Bai Kamara Jr & The Voodoo Sniffers and it's a cool, mix of blues, folk and African sounds. Kamara, from Brussels originally came from Sierra Leone. Opening with Can't Wait Here Too Long , a cool folk oriented track, showcases Bai Kamara Jr on lead vocal and guitar with a distinct Mali influence and solid blues style vocal. Can't say I've heard anything quite like this before but it is cool. Black Widow Spide r is another cool track with only a sketch of guitar and percussion behind ultra cool blues phrased vocals. With a bit of a more mellow blues format but still with what sounds to me like  Mali influence makes Cold Cold Love one of my favorite tracks on the release. Cry Baby has more of a pure "American" blues feel with bluesy vocal styling but again without abandoning that African purity. Very nice. Don't Worry About Me is another strong track with blending between ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild and Free (Live) , from Albert Castiglia and it's a powerful blues rocker. Opening with Big Dog , Castiglia opens the doors and lets the dog off the leash right from the start. This is one guy that I haven't seen in concert that I'd really like to see and he is smoking! Castiglia on lead vocal and lead guitar, is backed by Justine Tompkins on bass, Ephrain Lowell on drums, Lewis Stephens on B3 and piano. One thing that I was really conscious about on Hoodoo on Me is the terrific guitar tome that Castiglia is getting on his rhythm part. Powered by his guitar and Stephens on B3, this track keeps the heavy drive going. With a firm bass line by Tompkins and fluid guitar lead, this track is another killer. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Get Your Ass In the Van and features some terrific slide work from Castiglia. Cool piano work by Stephens and solid vocals make this a hard track not to love. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hard Workin' Man , from Andrew Alli and it's a solid slice of blues. Opening with title track, Hard Workin' Man , a great blues number sounds like it's right out of the Elmore James songbook. Andrew Alli, who covers vocals and harmonica shows all of the raw edge of old school blues. Backed by Jon Atkinson on guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Danny Michael on guitar and Devin Neal on drums, this is a super opener. AA Boogie is a real foot stomper and gives Alli a great platform to blow his harp. Excellent! With a Latin rhythm, Going Down South is a cool blues number with what sounds like Alli singing through his harp mic, answered with his harp. Cool slide work by Atkinson gives the track a warmup and Alli joins back with raw harp tones. Very nice. Walter Horton's, Walter's Sun is a great instrumental with fleet fingered guitar work and particularly nice harp riffs. 30 Long Years is a really...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Are MY Medicine , by Liam Ward and Malcolm Thorne and it's light, bright and bluesy. Opening with title track, You Are My Medicine , Liam Ward sings lead vocal and plays harmonica with Malcolm Thorne accompanying on guitar and backing vocals. A nice melody and solid vocals make this a solid radio style opener. On Down Home Blues the emphasis goes more toward the acoustic slide work of Thorne and Ward's bluesy harmonica styling. Vocals are strong on this earthy track. Bulldoze Blues is a cool boogie with a driving rhythm line by Thorne and tight vocals by Ward. This is my favorite track on the release with it's simple, straight up approach. Wrapping the release is Song For Dennie is a nicely crafted acoustic instrumental track with simple yet cleanly executed guitar rhythms and harmonica melody. Solid closer for a cool release.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Devil May Care , from Avey Grouws Band and it's a swinging blues release. Opening with shuffle, Come And Get This Love , Jeni Grouws has the leash with lead vocals backed by Chris Avey on guitars, Bryan West on drums, Randy Lesman on bass and Nick Vasquez on keys. A radio flavored track, this one is smooth.  With a driving Latin influenced beat and a western structure, Rise Up is a cool track. Not only does it give the band room to stretch, and Avey a crisp opportunity to lay down some solid riffs, it is also some of my favorite vocals by Grouws on the release. Weary is one of the coolest tracks on the release with a low key background and total vocal melody, over the glistening guitar trim of Avey and Vasquez key work. With a real Latin sway, Dirty Little Secrets has a definite groove. West sets a strong path on drums and Avey channels his inner Peter Green (Santana). Very Nice. Dig What You Do is a real ro...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Triangle, by Lisa Mills and I really like it. I feel immediately that this release will solicit comparisons to some of more known blues singers but I think that Mills has her own voice. This first set was recorded in Muscle Shoals and the opener, Little Richard's Greenwood, Mississippi is a warm R&B style rocker with plenty of spunk. Backed by Clayton Ivey on keys, Bob Wray on bass, John Willis on lead guitar, Fred Mollin on rhythm and acoustic guitars and Justin Holder on drums and with punchy horn work by Jim Hoke on sax and Steve Herman on trumpet, this is a solid opener.  Clarence Carter's, Tell Mama has the spunk you'd expect from James or Joplin but her vocals are in a groove and with the unmistakable horn work of the south, the cool guitar solo by Willis and key solo by Ivey, it's all south! Very nice. Moving on to Memphis for the next set the tracks get a little more funky with That...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus , from Dom Flemons and it's a cool retro mix of country, folk, blues and rag  with great vocal and instrumental tracks. This release is a compilation of the original 2014 release, Prospect Hill along with a never before release on cd, What Got Over which had been released on vinyl and an additional 12 never released instrumental tracks. Disc one, Prospect Hill, opens with springy rag Til' the Seas Run Dry , featuring Flemons on acoustic guitar and lead vocal, Ron Brendle on bass, Kobe Watkins on drums, and Brian Horton on clarinet. Excellent opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is But They Got it Fixed Right On , with Pura Fe Cresioni on harmony vocals, Guy Davis on Mike Seeger's six sting band, and Horton again on clarinet. Super track. Harmonica track, Martching Up to Prospect Hill features Flemons on rhythm bones with Davis on harmonica. Excellent!...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Front Porch , from The Mary Jo Curry Band , and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Nothin' Is Easy , a romping boogie, Mary Jo Curry is a solid leader and vocalist with Albert Castiglia on guitar, Rick Snow on drums, Chris Rogers on bass Michael Rapier on slide guitar, Brett Donovan on Hammond and Brian Moore on sax. Cool opener. Shuffle track, All Your Lies, really showcases Curry's vocal prowess and with a swell of Hammond by Donovan, riding drums by Snow and a flurry of guitar work by Rapier. Bluesy ballad, Explaining The Blues, shows the silky smoothness of Curry's voice and with warm keys from Ezra Casey creating tension and tight ride cymbal by Snow. I like guitar shuffle, Shake & Bake , featuring the fancy finger work of Tom Holland on guitar, backed by Snow, Rogers (who lays in a cool bass solo), Rapier, Casey and with a heavy sax solo by Moore. Very cool. Edgar Winter's, We All Had ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Luke's Juke , by Cort Duggins and it's a cool mix of Chicago style blues. Opening with I Can't get You Off My Mind, Babe , Duggins, is a virtual one man band (one track at a time) with a rolling bass line, rhythm guitar, simple drums line, vocal and harmonica. Cool. My favorite track on the release is slow blues, Blue And Lonesome Ramblin' Man with mandolin like guitar strumming and quick guitar riffs over shimmering reverb laden chords, raw vocals and soulful harmonica. Very nice. Shuffle track, Watch Yourself, Mind Your Own Business has some fun riffs both on harmonica and guitar. Duggins' vocals on this track on my favorites and his slide work is primitive but cool. Honky Tonkin' Down Easy starts off with a simple, tom tom laden, almost Latin beat but mellows into full boogie with a cool walking bass line and wailing harmonica. Wrapping the release is Hey Good Lookin, I'm Ready, the cl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Real McCoy , from Alex Dixon , grandson of the great, Willie Dixon and it's pure Chicago style blues. Opening with Nothing New Under The Sun , this track could be straight off of a Muddy Waters release. Featuring  Lewis "Big Lew" Powell on lead vocal and Steve Bell on harmonica, this track is solid with Dixon on bass and piano, Alvino Bennett on drums, Joey Delgado on guitar, and with backing vocals by Leila Dixon, this is a great opener. Willie Dixon's, Spider In My Stew is my favorite track on the release with some stinging guitar work by Rico McFarland and strong harp work by Sugar Blue. Slower blues number, My Greatest Desire has a great bass line and Big Lew's vocals are as crisp as anywhere on the release. Sugar Blue does a real nice job on harmonica, playing strong but not overpowering lew on lead vocal. Very nice. Wolf's, Howlin' For My Darling has great pace, Big Lew's v...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rise Up , from Harper and Midwest Kind and it's a cool rocker. Opening with title track, Rise Up , Peter D. Harper leads the way on vocal, harmonica, didgeridoo, keyboard and guitar, With Geoff Michael on guitar, Dan "Ozzie" Anderson on bass and Jim Pryor on drums. With it's chant like rhythm and primitive sounds, it's quite a cool opener. On Blues I Can't Use , Paul Nelson joins on guitar and hill country styling is accented nicely by hot slide riffs. My favorite track on the release is I Still Got You with it's funky, R&B bass line, great melody and Harper's soulful harmonica and vocals. Another track with a thumping bass line is Welcome Home with cool vocals, a bouncy rhythm making it the most likely radio track and solid harmonica work. Wrapping the release is Peaceful, a cool, jazzy track with a light feel and nice percussion under the stylized acoustic guitar work of Harper...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good Gone Bad , by Chris Shutters with special guest Jimmy Burns and it's a fun packed blues rocker. Opening with driving rocker and title track, Good Gone Bad , featuring Chris Shutters and Jimmy Burns on vocal and guitar, joined by Byron Harris Jr. on bass and drums, Rick Warner on piano, and Tony Shutters on harmonica. Super opener. Adding Art Bishop on sax, this band gets funky on Can't Play The Blues Like B.B. Chris takes the lead on vocal and guitar and this track has just that perfect edge with the horn reinforcement sounding quite like Sly or Clinton. On boogie, Unwind, Frank May's bass line defines the rhythm and a more melodic approach makes this a cool radio track with a clean, meaty sax solo by Bishop. Straight up rocker, Living In A Dream , has a super pace and with it's quiet bridge and a hard working bass line by Harris Jr. the track gets a real edgy rock style guitar solo by Shutters and...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Still Cookin' , from Phantom Blues Band , and it's terrific! Opening with a classic R&B track by Wilson Pickett, Don't Fight It (Feel It) , this band knows it's strengths and plays into it. With Mike Finnigan (keys), Larry Fulcher (bass) and Johnny Lee Schell (guitars) on lead vocals, this band lays out one of my R&F favorites with strong horn work by Joe Sublett (sax) and Les Lovitt (trumpet) and great rhythm  and Tony Braunagel on drums. What a lineup! Slipping into a New Orleans funk on Wingin' My Way Johnny takes the lead on a strongly Little Feat influenced track (dedicated to Paul Barrere) with solid slide work and a tight horn line. Slow blues, Blues How They Linger , features Finnigan on lead vocal and piano, with light backing. A strong, somber track keeps it low till about half way through when Sublett cuts loose with a real nice sax solo, punctuated by Lovitts trumpet work. Very n...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, World of Broken Hearts , from Tom "The Suit" Forst and it's got a warm bluesy feel. Opening with Late Night Train , Tom Forst blends super blues concepts with a Pink Floyd, march like cadence and wailing guitar. Leading the way on vocal, bass  and guitar Tom is joined by Ryan Hommel on guitar, James Montgomery on harp, and Travis McNabb on drums. On ballad and title track, World of Broken Hearts , Tom accompanies himself on banjo. This is a solid track with a strong melody and also featuring Vincent Brike on keys and Cynthia Tolson on violin. Wrapping the release is my favorite track on the release, Willie Dixon's Hoochie Coochie Man with a great funky rock drum beat by McNabb, Forst on keys, bass and guitar behind his best vocals on the release. Hints to Dr. John's, I Walk on Guilded Splinters are really nice.  Also of note is some real nice slide work by Paul Nelson and backing vocals by Christ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, High Risk, Low Reward from Ryan Perry and he has put together a solid blues rock release. Opening with Ain't Afraid to Eat Alone , a straight up rocker with R&B overtones, Perry's strong vocals and fluid guitar lead is perfect for this band. Backed by Roger Inniss on bass, Lucy Piper on drums and Jeffrey Staten & Stephanie Bechtold on backing vocals, this is a super opener. Maintaining the strong melody and rhythm consistent throughout the release, Pride continues to showcase Perry's vocal strength, addition of backing vocals by Staten, this track has strong radio appeal and soulful guitar lead reinforcing the melody. Title track, High Risk , Low Return has a real cool droning guitar sound that I associate with Mississippi blues and with it's simple structure and rich vocals makes this one of my release favorites. Oh No has a slower pondering pace with a suspenseful feel. The surprise track on...