Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rise , from Angela Easley , and it's a bluesy radio oriented release. Opening with I Can Let Go , a strong ballad, Angela Easley on lead vocal and piano shows real vocal purity. Backed by the McCrary Sisters, this track is rich and warm with Randy Peterson on guitar, Calvin Johnson on bass, Brian Czach on drums, Matthew Gros on sax, Garen Webb on trombone, and Kiran Gupta on trumpet. Very nice. Title track, Rise , is another solid radio track with a firm bass line by Johnson warm backing vocals and electrifying guitar riffs by Peterson. Slow ballad, One More Last Time has a strong, sax (Gros) guitar (Peterson) melody, addition of violin by Billy Contreras  and nice vocal doubling giving it strong radio potential. Wrapping the release is another slow ballad with just a light country flavor. Accented by slide guitar and tom tom, Crazy Rain follows in the radio format with it's memorable melody and solid approach. ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Healing Kind of Blues , from Val Starr & the Blues Rocket and it's a poppy mix of blues/rock tracks. Opening with Ridin' That Memphis High , Val Starr on vocal and rhythm guitar teams with Frankie Munz on harmonica up front, backed by John Ellis on bass, Paul Farman on drums and Tim Brisson on lead guitar. Mid paced ballad, Slow Blues Grinder gives Starr a nice chance to shine on vocal with the addition of Todd Morgan on organ and a solid lead guitar solo by Brisson. Shuffle track, Pretty Girl Blues , focuses on the dilemma faced by people as they age and the privilege's granted some based upon popularity. With a nice harmonica line by Munz and Debra Power on piano, a solid radio track. Wrapping the release is classic rock track, Get Over It with Starr on lead vocal and bold chords by Brisson and solid piano work by Power.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues From All Points , by Vince Salerno and Gerald McClendon and it's a solid R&B/Blues rocker. Opening with funky rocker, Hip City , the band is really rocking, Boogaloo style with Vince Salerno wailing on sax, Thomas Klein on guitar, Thomas Linsk on keys, Michael P. Fiorino on bass, Chuck Schwartz on drums, Ellis Clark on percussion and Ron Haynes on trumpet, all supporting the dynamic vocals of Gerald McClendon on lead vocal. Great opener. Street Walking Woman really has a great Texas style blues lope with heavy bari sax and a hot solo by Salerno and terrific T-Bone Walker style guitar riffs by Klein. Excellent! Big Joe Williams' Highway 49 is next with some real nice harp by Salerno, some of my favorite vocals by McClendon on the release and of course, Elmore James like slide by Klein. Very nice. Bessie's Blues is a hot boogie with a great sax soloing by Salerno,  slick piano work by Linsk and some gr...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blind Raccoon and NOLA Blue Collection Vol. 4 , and it's a solid mix of blues and rock tracks. Opening with blues rocker, Sorry , Mark Cameron shows solid vocals, slide guitar and harmonica carrying a radio worthy melody. Funky blues rocker, Devil in the Dark is a cool entry by Michele D' Amour & The Love Dealers. With strong organ support and cool guitar and sax solos,  this track has a laid back feel. Trudy Lynn covers a Bluesbusters' track, If Your Phone Don't Ring and with just the right strut, and blues attitude, this is one of my favorites on the release. Wily Bo Walker's I Want To Know has a real nice R&B feel with interwoven bass, guitar and keyboard backing under Walker's infectious lead and backing vocals. Very nice. Super shuffle, Back Door Woman Blues by the Waydown Wailers sets a nice pace with strong vocals and a cool piano/guitar exchange. David Gogo sets up a simple guita...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From The Specials & Beyond from Neville Staple and it's a straight ska pop release. Opening with Right From Wrong , OK Two-Tone Ska legend Neville Staple and his wife Sugar Staple are upfront, joined by Steve Armstrong on bass, Matty bane on drums, Joe Atkinson on keys, Billy Shinbone on guitar, Drew Stansall on sax, and Peter Johnson on trombone. With the addition of Armstrong on vocal, Don't Let Life Pass You By has just a touch of Northwest indie influence making it one of my favorite tracks on the release. A twist of reggae on a DJ mix of Miss Dis n Dat makes this another stand out track with the addition of Clint Eastwood on vocals. World Turned Upside Down has a more sophisticated arrangement with really nice accents by Shinbone on guitar, Armstrong on bass and trombone by Peter Johnson. Wrapping the release is earlier smash hit, Monkey Man . A straight forward ska track, it's energy is perfect to ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release,  Big Belly Mama , from Albert Smith and it's a terrific example of stripped down blues. Smith, on broke down piano and vocal knows how to create the mood. Opening with Tell Me Mama , Smith shows a real feel for the roots of rock and barrelhouse piano playing. His vocals are primitive yet pleasing. Piano boogie, Biscuit Roller has a great feel and Smith's vocals are steady and authentic. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Give Me Back My Wig with it's soulful wailing vocal style, cool lyrics and rag tag piano style. This appears to be the same track made popular by Hound Dog Taylor but from a totally different style. Excellent! Moving into a gospel styling with Roll Is Gonna Be Called and continuing into You Are My Sunshine , Smith is just out there rejoicing in his life. Wrapping the release is Albert's Rap'n Boogie with Smith playing piano under a brief discussion with MM's Tim Duffy. Th...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Veneta , from Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion and it's really nice. Opening with multicultural influenced, Gnossienne , Miguel Espinosa lays the foundation theme on classical guitar, joined by Dianne Betkowski on cello. The theme is then further developed by the addition of Lynn Baker on saxophone, Randy Hoepker on bass, Andy Skellenger on tabla and Cajon. Very nice. Although this release is heavily Spanish influenced, it is so colorful and full of international flavor. Very nice. Bulerias Barrocas continues the theme opening with a fluid pace and developing immediately into a cello led force. This track is very rich with deeply woven themes and masterful guitar. Very nice. Another cello led track, Sad is rich in tone and has excellent underlying rhythm provided by Espinoza on guitar, Skellenger on Tabla and Cajon, Mario Moreno on percussion, Hoepker on bass and a very nice lead solo by Lynn Baker on sax. Wrapping t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Booze, Blues and Southern Grooves from Reddog and Friends and it's a solid blues and R&B soaked release. Opening with R&B style track, Love, You've Got To Spread The Word , Reddog on lead vocal and guitar is backed by Carla Russell Mary Mason and Angela Hacker on backing vocals. Instrumentally, Clayton Ivey on keys, David Hood on bass and Justin Holder on drums fill out the band. This track could easily be from the Curtis Mayfield songbook with heavy Muscle Shoals influences. Bluesy, Down, Down, Down is one of my favorite tracks on the release with soulful vocals and tasty guitar riffs by Reddog. Still bordering on the soul sound, this is a real nice track. She's A Georgia Peach adds just a little country funk in it (think Elvin Bishop) with a solid lead vocal line and loose instrumental and vocal contributions giving it a real nice party feel. Adding slide guitar under the vocals by Reddog and this t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (March 18, 2022), Truth , from Tim Gartland and it's got distinct soul and blues roots. Opening with Don't Mess With My Heart , Gartland and his distinctive vocal and harmonica styling lead the way. Backed by Kevin McKendree on piano, Kenneth Blevins on drums, Steve Mackey on bass, Robert Frahm on guitar and Wendy Moten on backing vocal this is a solid opener. With it's easy percussion, The Thing About The Truth has a nice radio presence. Shuffle track, Outta Sight Outta Mind glides with super vocals by Gartland and perfect backing vocal Motan and slick guitar work by Frahm, all anchored by the hands of McKendree. Very nice. Wish I Could Go Back has a cool, easy blues feel with Ray Desilvis on slide guitar and backing vocals. With it's Louisiana rhythm and cool harmonica soloing, this may be my favorite track on the release. Wrapping the release is bouncy, blues rocker, Save Sammy Some ,  giving Gartland ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Welcome Aboard The Midnight Train , from Night Bluemers , and it's a cool blend of rock, pop and blues. Opening with Poor Me , a pop rocker, Normand Beleveau is up front on lead vocal and guitar, backed by Sebastien Cloutier on bass, Jacques Livernoche on drums,  Pierre Verville on keys and Christian Gamache on guitars. Latin R&B fused Take Me to the Other Side has a lot of Ray Charles and a great rhythm. This track really moves with really tight drum rhythms and great vocals by Beliveau and some wild guitar soloing by Cloutier. Dr. Blues really gets down in slow blues with an excellent guitar solo and prime B3 and piano by Guillaume Marchand. Blues rocker, Obey has a super, upbeat tempo and solid blended vocals. A rockin' shuffle track with hot guitar riffs by Beliveau and Gamache make this one of the top tracks on the release.  The intro of Mississippi Fred McDowell's You Got To Move , gets a modern r...

I just had the opportunity  to review the most recent release, Satisfyin' , from Lady A (The REAL Lady A) and it's cool funky and real. Opening with Whatever (You Do) , an upbeat driving shuffle, Lady A is on top of the beat with her rich vocal, backed by John Oliver III on backing vocal and drums, Herman Brown on guitar, Paul Richardson on keys. High stepper, Miss Beula Mae has a great rumbling bass line by Oliver, drums and keys by Paul Richardson. When you listen to A it's an experience. You don't feel like you are listening to the radio but to a real person singing about her own stuff. Great! One of my favorite tracks on the release is Big Momma , with it's swagger. This track is all Lady A with no sugar coating. I love it! Wrapping the release is soul track, Heaven Help Us , a solid ballad that really shows off Lady A's rich lead vocal work. With backing vocals by Lady A and Roz Royster McCommon and cool key work by Oliver, this is a great closer for a st...

  I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, Volume 1 , by Reverend Nathon and it's a rugged blues rocker. Opening with a boogie style rocker, Darker Shade Of Blues , Nathon Dees is upfront on guitar and vocal backed by Gary Delz on drums creating a solid romp. Low slung ballad, A Love Like Yours is a strong radio track with a cool melody and blues firm guitar soloing by Nathon. Very cool. Goin Fishin is another cool track with it's funky drum beat by Delz and fat slide guitar work by Nathon. Another ballad, Autumn Breeze also shows radio promise with a solid melody, sung over arpeggiated guitar chords and a standout guitar solo. Another cool boogie number is Walking On , with lofi under driven slide work. The track has basic fundamentals but it really appeals to me... possibly my favorite on the release. Very cool. If you like Deep Purple, then Deep is likely to appeal to you with it's Space Trucking feel. A solid rocker constructed on blues roots. Wrappi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hermanos , from Cortez/Williams Project and it's quite enjoyable. Opening with title track, Hermanos , and a Latin rhythm carried by Doug Matthews on bass and, Walt Hubbard on drums. Chris Cortex takes the first melodic solo on guitar with clean, fluid runs over the piano work of Bob Thornton and Dan Jordan on flute. Larry Williams' trumpet is really nice with open bell and thoughtful phrasing, followed by Jordan on flute. Very nice opener. Another Latin based number is Un Pedazo De Tu Sonrisa . With a Samba beat by Jeremy Katalnic and a cool trumpet lead by Williams , reinforced by Cortez on guitar this track is anything but predictable. Thornton's direct piano solo is engaging and tight. Silhouette is an inciteful piece with a convoluted melodic interplay between  Jordan on flute, Williams on trumpet and Thornton on piano and featuring  Marco Bojorquez on bass. Topaz is one of my favorite tracks on the rele...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Louder, by Misty Blue and it's solid. Opening with gospel style blues, A Long Hard Way, Gina Coleman on lead vocal and guitar is joined by Seth Fleischman on guitar, Ben Kohn on keys, Rob Tatten on drums, Bill Patriquin on bass, Aaron Dean on sax, and Wendy Lipp, Rebecca Mattson and Kathy Ryan on backing vocals. Powerful opener. Super voice, Big Llou Johnson joins Coleman on lead vocals on How The Blues Feels . This is a potent track with an attack quite like Cream's version of the Mississippi Sheik's Sitting on Top Of The World with really nice guitar work by Fleischman, a great bass line by Diego Monque, heavy drum work by Tatten and solid harmonica addition by Bob Stannard. With New Orleans rhythm, Seal Of Fate really gets moving. Aaron Dean on sax, Chris Rand on bari sax, David Vittone on accordion and Tatten on drums carry the meat of the track and spice by Kohn on keys and Fleischmann on guitar add...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Brutal Fairytale by Raul E Blanco & Jazz Wires and is shows a broad mix of jazz styles and with cool rhythms and a lot of horns. Opening with title track, Brutal Fairytale , a slinky bluesy number, Gabriella Aragon is upfront on lead vocal with strong sax work by Brant Fisher, Blanco on piano, Joseph Ballestrasse on bass and Anthony Channita on drums. Spanish Tale in Arabia is a flowing composition with clear Spanish styling. Noah Austin on trumpet and Fisher on sax really rail out and Channita on drums over Blanco's piano really make this track work nicely. Hermit's Song is a really nice ballad with a captivating melody. A lush sax solo by Fisher and cool horn support from Aragon on trombone and Austin on trumpet give the track real dynamics. Lo-Fi Banger opens with a nice bass lead, underpinned by drums and light horns. Further developing the melody is Blanco with a very thoughtful piano melody and tight d...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, So Far So Good , from Peter Veteska & Blues Train and it's a solid mix of blues and rock. Opening with R&B fused rocker, one With Bad Luck , lead vocalist and on guitar Peter Veteska is joined by Alex D'Agnese on drums, Coo Moe Jhee on bass and Jeff Levine on B3. The addition of Gary Neuwirth on harmonica gives the track a cool texture and Veteska's guitar riffs really make the track pop. Shuffle, My One and Only Muse , is a cool track featuring Mikey Junior on harmonica. Veteska rolls out some real nice riffs and I particularly like his tone on the intro. Very cool. Slow blues, Low Down Dirty Blues really gives Veteska a great opportunity to show his soulful best vocals and over the warm B3 tones of Levine, his solid blues guitar chops. Rockin' East Coast Blues shows Slideman Boddy's slide work over a solid rockin rhythm lead by Veteska and punchy drums by D'Agnese. Very cool. Wrapping t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Transitions , by Yaron Gershovsky and it's really nice. Opening with fast moving, Northern Lights , accomplished pianist, Gershovsky drives this train backed on a basic piano riff. Boris Koslov sets up a super bass line and Gershovsky really runs the keyboard end to end with tasty chops. Add in the tight drum riffs by Cliff Almond and you've got a great opener. Yaron, who  spent the past number of decades with Mathattan Transfer as Musical Director and pianist as well as working with Pharoah Sanders and Wayne Shorter (among others) has been busy. Simon and Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair is really nicely arranged and the vocal work by Aubrey Johnson is beautiful. I really like  Show Me The Way with Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, Kozlov on bass and Ross Pedersen on drums. With it's melancholy melody, Sipiagin's trumpet tone and strong reinforcement by Yaron on piano, this track really hits.  Every contemporary j...