Bman's Blues Report

        ON DELUXE REISSUE OF  NINA SIMONE AND HER FRIENDS, A BRAND-NEW STEREO RE-MASTER SHOWCASES A LEGEND ON HER ASCENSION TO STARDOM   Set includes four tracks from the  Little Girl Blue  recording session in 1957 along with songs by jazz-vocal greats Chris Connor and Carmen McRae   Available from Bethlehem Records/BMG December 3 on vinyl, CD and digital platforms  Stream the “African Mailman” re-mastered track here  (hyperlin...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Christmas Is Here , from Carolyn Lee Jones , and it's a jazzy approach at contemporary seasons greetings. Opening with one of the season's top songs, The Christmas Song , Jones is bright and tight on her vocal lead with crisp piano soloing by Brad Williams, Jonathan Fisher on bass, and Tom Burchill who lays in some tasty lead guitar. Strong opener. Charlie Brown's favorite, Christmas Time Is Here is given a straight ballad cover with crystal clear vocals, piano and warm cello backing by Jonathan Fisher. Very nice. I particularly like Tony Baker's trombone solo on Warm December , a bouncy pop track. Johnny Moore's Merry Christmas Baby has a solid boogie woogie beat with Keith Jordan on trumpet, Tony Baker on trombone, Dave Monsch on bari, Lynn Seaton on bass, Dennis Durick on drums and Todd Parsnow on guitar and a fat sax solo by Mario Cruz. Santa Baby has gotten so much airplay over the past few yea...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dumpster Fire, from Mean Old Fireman and the Cruel Engineers , and it's a solid block of traditional blues. Opening with Tour 3 funky blues rocker with a heavy bottom, Ned Bolle is upfront on lead vocal and slide guitar  with Joey Pafumi on drums, Rick Plourde on bass and some nice harmonica by Dana Andrews. Cool opener. McArthur's Cunning Ruger is a cool. extended Southern style blues rocker with some really sweet slide guitar work by Bolle. His vocals blend nicely with this styling, joined by Christina Lacoste, Shockwell Morency and Chat De Rouelle on backing vocals. On traditional blues track, Stack O Lee , Bolle's vocals have just the right amount of grit and with a New Orleans drums style by Pafumi and John Wadkins on keys, Bolle's slide work makes this my favorite track on the release. Toby Soriero opens up on electric guitar a bit on Got No Spoons and Bolle is right there with him on slide. This i...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Americana , from Lilli Lewis and it's versatile and enriching. Opening with My American Heart (Prelude) , this release immediately comes alive with the rich sounds of acapella voices. Lilli is joined on this intro by Kyshona Armstrong and Mikayla Braun. Very nice. Copper John is an country rocker with a soft easy rhythm, wailing pedal steel by Richard Comeaux, guitars by Wade Hymel, bass by Bryan Webre and strong vocal lead and harmonies by Lewis (Think Marshall Tucker Band). Very nice. Piece of Mine is a beautiful folk tune in the vein of Wayfaring Stranger but with the richness of a gospel tune. With Josh Paxton on keys, Hymel on guitar, and Gina Forsyth on acoustic guitar, backing vocal and fiddle, this is a very strong track. Everyday has a bright jazzy feel with a snappy rhythm by Doug Balote on drums and Webre on bass and Sam Kuslan's key work is really solid with Lewis' lead vocal style, backed by Br...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Open Road , from Colin James and I really like it. On James' landmark 20th release, James covers some classic blues tracks and adds some of his own. Opening with Tony Joe White's As the Crow Flies , James cranks out a real driving boogie with stinging lead guitar, backed by Geoff Hicks on drums, Norm Fisher on bass and Simon Kendall on keys. Strong.  Albert King's Can't You See What You're Doing To Me , is up next and with Chris Caddell on rhythm, Steve Hilliam on sax, this is another potent track with excellent phrasing by James. Magic Sam's That's Why I'm Crying fits in perfectly with it's slower pace, giving James a chance to stretch a bit with soulful vocals and nicely crafted solo lead. Excellent! James original, When I Leave This House , has a country rocking honky tonkin feel that will get you moving. James really plays guitar to this one with a nice flair and the addition of Jes...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Medicine I Need, from Bill Filipiak and it's a cool mix of blues, country, bluegrass, rock and folk. Opening with When The Blues Comes Calling , a rock shaped blues track, Filipiak backs his  own vocals with electric guitar, resonator and harmonica. Country style vocals and slide guitar, overlaid with bluesy resonator and harmonica is the trick on Fearing the Dawn. Nicely interwoven and heavily textured, cool track. Home To Baby is a cool boogie rocker with a great beat, driving rhythm and bluesy harmonica under a solid vocal lead. Most likely radio track on the release. I like Thirty Hearts High with it's blues twist on Are You Ready For The Country. Slide resonator, drums and piano by Filipiak really work well with his vocal lead. Wrapping the release is somewhat funky, Hope in Your Heart , with it's chunky drum line and raw slide resonator. Filipiak nicely blends this rhythm with a solid blues guitar lead ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the  most recent release, 7 Shades of Snow , from June Bisantz, and it's a bright and cheery look at seasonal music. Opening with The Merriest , an easy shuffle featuring Bisantz on vocal and backed by The Jon Burr Sextet (Jon Burr on bass, Mike Eckroth on piano, James Chirillo on guitar, Marc Pfaneuf on sax, Brandon Lee on trumpet and Alvester Garnett on drums) this is light radio jazz. A nicely phrased trumpet solo by Lee gives the track a real nice perk for a solid opener. Classic jazz styling on Hang Them On The Tree , makes it my favorite with well poised vocals by Bisantz and a real nice piano solo by Eckroth and a warm guitar solo by Chirillo. Title track, Seven Shades Of Snow is the best showcase for Bisantz's vocal styling on the release. Her vocals are smooth and rich with a well balanced  orchestration from JBS. Wrapping the release is Winter's Got Spring Up It's Sleeve , a solid ballad with complex sax/trumpet blending...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Insurrection Blues , from Corey Harris and it's particularly strong. Harris, who has released 20 albums during his career is up with a new one and this time on M.C. Records, inspired by the recent events in Washington and certainly influenced by his year long stay in Africa. Opening with Twelve Gates To The City , Harris really pours on the heat. I'm uncertain who wrote this track but I know it as a Rev Gary Davis track and a powerful version of the track with Harris at his vocal blues best. Terrific! Mama Africa could have been written and played on the Continent. The African influences are so evident and beautiful. Harris' singing and playing is top notch. Sunjuta is a traditional song, with a cool arrangement instrumental by Harris. His sensitivity to the African musical style is terrific. John Jackson's Boats Up River has a great, up beat, finger picking blues style and By and By again pulls heavily...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Already Made , from Elder Jack Ward and it's full of the spirit. Opening with high energy title track, The Way Is Already Made , with Carla Ward, Francis Ward, Cecila Garrett and Johnny Ward on vocal ( The Elder Jack Ward Company Singers), Will Sexton on guitar, Mark Stuart on bass, George Supplick on drums and Matt Ross - Spang on guitar. Solid opener. R&B fused track, Lord I'm In Your Care , has a real nice feel. Ward's vocals are smooth as silk and the Company Singers are tight and melodic. Very nice. Highly soulful, God's Love is slow gospel at it's best with lush overlaying of voices and organ underpinnings. Excellent! Bluesy, Without The Lord, has a nice slow pace, clean blues riffs by Sexton and a nice warm organ bed by Alex Greene setting a strong bottom for Ward and his troop to harmonize. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I Feel Better Since I Prayed . I have my own feelings about gospe...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Joseph and the Velozians and it's way cool. Opening with Pretty is as Pretty Does , bassist and songwriter Joseph Veloz lays down a really funky bass line, complimented by Jim Alfredson on keys, and Donny Brown on drums and percussion. Larry McCray has lead vocal and guitar and does an outstanding job, with trumpet punctuation by John Rickert. Nice opener. Contemporary makeover of Morganfield's Got My Mojo Working features Thornetta Davis on lead vocal and Carlton Washington on guitar as well as some smoking organ work by Alfredson. Then throwing a changeup moving into a Chicago blues/gospel closing.  Great hot redo. The Velozian Shuffle is one of my favorites on the release with solid guitar lead by Washington, a real nice piano solo by Phillip J Hale, strong organ work by Alfredson, Dave Marcaccio on drums, and of course Veloz on bass. Excellent! Just Jammin' Again is a cool, funky, jazz style jam with a ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest self titled release, Shakey Trill and it's an interesting mix of raw blues and folk music by Mike MacDonald and Tyler Pantlin. Opening with I Love That Woman , MacDonald on lead vocal sets a great fingerpicking lead and Pantlin lays in solid harmonica accents. Lighthouse is a terrific original blues by MacDonald really showcasing MacDonald on slide resonator and Pantlin on harmonica. Very nice. On Morganfield's classic, I Can't be Satisfied , Pantlin has the lead on vocal and MacDonald really works the slide plus the addition of Alec Fraser on bass. Excellent! Lonely is another really solid delta style blues track with balanced contributions between Pantlin and MacDonald on harmonica and guitar. This is a particularly nice showcase for Pantlin's blues styling and MacDonald's vocals are rock solid. Guitar boogie track, Hold On To It has great pace and bound to get you nodding your head. I really like MacDonald...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sky Blossom - Songs From My Tour Of Duty , from Alexis Cole , and it's geared to mainstream listeners with a mature taste. Opening with Clifford Brown's Joy Spring with it's classic "big band" attack featuring John Castleman, Vito Speranza, Josh Economy and Rich Johnson on trumpet, Dan Poerce, Ron Fleischman, Jason Miller and Teddy Arnold on trombone, Mike Reifenberg, Derrick James, David Loy Song, Jay Malone and Xavier Perez on sax, Scott Arcangel on piano, Mark Tonelli on guitar, Brandon Nelson on bass and Scott Drewes on drums. Cole's vocals are light and springy with plenty of scat and a cool solo by Castleman on trumpet makes this a power opener. A solid rendition of Miles Davis' All Blues is a strong addition to the release with a really strong sax solo by Derrick James pushing this one this one beyond it's big band formality. Cole pares the band back on Lennon and McCartney's t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Uncle Mick's Christmas Album , by Mick Kolassa , and it's quite entertaining. Opening with Mariah Carey's, All I Want For Christmas , and I think its a real solid cover. Never been crazy about pop music and Kolassa's slow bluesy approach with Jeff Jensen on lead guitar, Bill Ruffino on bass, Rick Steff on keys and James Cunningham on drums gives this track a new, fresher life. Original track, The Best Christmas Ever , is up next with a funky R&B approach. Kolassa on lead vocal and with warm backing vocals by Reba Russell and Susan Marshall over cool piano and organ work by Steff set a nice stage and pinched down guitar soloing by Jensen adds spice. Johnny Moore's Merry Christmas Baby really gives Jensen a chance to show some real nice riffs both bluesy and jazzy making it one of my favorites on the release. Tom tom laden rhythm gives Jingle Bells and whole new face. Get far enough from the music tha...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Still Here , from Ben Levin and it's really super! Opening with Love and Friendship , a terrific piano boogie with Ben Levin on piano and vocal, his father, Aron Levin on guitar, Chris Douglas on bass and Oscar Bernal on drums. Ben's voice is really strong and his piano lead and Aron's guitar lead work really nicely together. Nice opener. On title track, Still Here , Ben's soulful vocals are accentuated and his New Orleans piano styling is spot on. Aron gets a real nice opportunity to stretch a little on guitar and his phrasing is beautiful. Jimmy Liggins' I Can't Stop It has a great groove with Ben laying down a great up tempo boogie line and some real nice guitar lead by Aron as well. Very cool. Instrumental shuffle, Crown Jewel , features Aron upfront on guitar and he sets a nice pace. Ben digs in on piano setting up some really nice riffs before Aron closes it out. Very nice. Another slow blue...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Counterfeited Soulstice Vol 1 by Fabrizio Grossi & Soul Garage Experience and it's a cool, funky R&B and soul party. Opening with Slave To My Rhythm , a wildly woven musical fabric with rock and soul roots. With Grossi on lead vocal and bass, Diimond Meeks on lead vocal, Kenny Aronoff on drums, Alex Alessandroni JR on piano, Derek Day on guitar, Francis Benttez and Andrea Grossi-Benitez on backing vocals, Chris Hansen on harp and Garrett Holbrook on lap steel, this track is full out. Adding in a funky bass line on Right Down Below , Grossi sets up a real nice groove and Day and Hansen roll in and out with terrific riffs, supported by the rich backing vocals of  Benitez and Grossi-Benitez. Very cool. Bette Smith has the lead vocal on With or Without You and I really dig her voice. With Fabio Drusin sailing on harp, a pounding bass line by Grossi, Stephen Perkins on drums, Dylan Meek on Hammond and Benitez...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Long As I Got My Guitar , from Zac Harmon and it's a guitar soaked blues/soul/R&B/funky release. Opening with Deal With The Devil , a slick, Latin sprinkled blues with a funky bottom. With Harmon on lead vocal and guitar and backed by Bob Trenchard on bass, Richy Puga on drums, Johnny McGhee on guitar and Dan Ferguson keys, it's a really cool opener. On easy soulful ballad, People Been Talking , Harmon really shows off his silky smooth vocals with SueAnn Carwell and Corey Lacey on backing vocal. Easy funky, Soul Land, has a real nice melody and backing vocals making it a prime radio track for this release. Title track, Long As I Got My Guitar has a real slinky Albert King or Robert Cray like R&B feel and he really soars on his guitar leads. Very nice. With a funky R&B bass line, drums and rhythm guitar, New Years Day is bound to get you moving in your seat (if not onto your feet). Harmon, Carwell and...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release from Landslide Records , 40th Anniversary , a two disc compilation celebrating their 40th anniversary and a full house of great artists. Opening with Tinsley Ellis and the Heartfixers and Drivin' Woman . Ellis is a great choice to open this retrospective with his fiery guitar attack and tight rock shuffle beat. Strong opener. The Bluesbusters' track, If The Phone Don't Ring , is up next led by Little feat guitar and vocalist Paul Barrere in collaberation with Dregs keyboardist Lavitz and associated Feat personalities. This is a great track and solid addition to this release. Damon Fowler contributes Make The Best Of Your Time . Fowler was a great addition to Landslides lineup with his rugged vocal, strong rhythm and terrific slide work, I always look forward to his releases. Sean Costello was a unique talent and spectacular blues player. His contribution here is Motor Head Baby with it's slow swagger and Costello...