Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Keep On Pushin' , from Johnny Wheels & The Swamp Donkeys and it's a cool rocker with solid R&B and blues overtones. Opening with On The Run , a poppy R&B track features John "Wheels" Kennicott on lead vocal and harmonica, Brandon Logan on guitar and vocals and Taylor Frazier on bass along with full backing by LaRhonda Steele on vocal, Steve Kerin on keys, Jimi Bott on drums. With it's great melody and overall sound, this could easily pull good radio play. This Time is a cool, bluesy rocker with vocal blending by Kennicott and Kern and horn punctuation. Kennicott's vocals are gritty and Frazier's bass line anchor's the track. Logan lays down some real nice guitar riffs here but Kennicott's harmonica work is notable as well. My favorite track on the release is As Long As You're There with it's memorable melody, solid vocals and balanced guitar work, complimented ni...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kick Up Some Dust , from Arthur Adams and it's super. Opening with It Makes Me Mad , a strong R&B style blues, Arthur Adams has a silky smooth voice and great blues hands. Backed by Hense Powell on keys, Lou Castro on bass, David Leach on percussion and James Gadson on drums, this is a terrific opener. Soulful, Hold On To Me is another showcase for Adam's voice with super phrasing and perfect guitar accents. With Freddie Washington on bass, Powell on keys and Greg Brown on drums, this is another strong track. Title track, Kick Up Some Dust , is a slick, instrumental with Adams leading the way on solo guitar. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Thieves Of Love with deep soulful groove and warm guitar articulation by Adams. Powell on keys, Washington on bass and James Gadson on drums really make it happen on this one. Wrapping the release is funky,  A Bag Of Soul with it's JG Watson or WW Washingto...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Zero-2-Sixty from Scott Ellison and it's a cool mix or rock, R&B and blues. Opening with shuffle, She Needs A Whole Lotta Lovin' , Scott Ellison on lead vocal and guitar gets this thing going. Backed by Jon Parris on bass, Robbie Armstrong and David Bernston on harmonica, this is a solid opener. On slow blues, That's How I Love My Woman , Ellison digs deep both vocally and on guitar making this a terrific track. With Parris on bass, Armstrong on drums and Danny Timms on B3 and piano, this is one of my favorites on the release. Another cool shuffle is You Can't Blame A Guy For Tryin' with a cool bass line by Matt Kohl, Matt Teegarden on drums, Hank Charles on piano and organ and great syncopation by Ellison on vocal and lead guitar. Soulful blues, Before The Teardrops Fell is a nice showcase for Ellison on vocals and his lead guitar chops are very nice. Piano soloing by Timms adds another dimensio...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Desert Drive-In , from the Weezil Malone Band and it's a funky blues rockin' band. Opening with All Over Again , Larry Fitzgerald (Weezil Malone) on lead vocal and guitar lays down a rocking boogie with Dave Alves on bass and Karl Schantz on drums. These guys have a take no prisoners sound with plenty of grit. Children of the Night has a terrific rhythm set by Schantz and Alves and Fitzgerald on guitar and vocal leads the show. This really has the feel of early ZZ Top. If you haven't had the pleasure...this is where it's at... funky rockin' blues. Niiice! Whiskey has plenty of swagger with rowdy vocals and a solid blues rock guitar riff over the pounding bottom by Alves and Schantz. It's obvious that these guys mean business and just for reference, they make the stripped down blues rockers of today sound polished. That's the ticket. Rocking boogie, Take It Away , really will have you stomping ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Living A Daydream , by Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion , and it's really enjoyable. Opening with Nagi Yate' , Miguel Espinoza on guitar, opens with a beautiful intro, joined by Dianne Betkowski on cello and Andy Skellenger on tabla and Nabin Shrestha on tabla. Howard Levy on harmonica and piano really adds an additional dimension, joined by Randy Hoepker on bass, Mario Moreno on timbales, and Linda Richardson on castanets. Excellent opener. Zelda The Caterpillar Goes To Spain is another strong track featuring Espinoza on guitar really creating nice sonic depth. This track really is interesting. Levy on harmonica, Espinoza on guitar, Hoepker on bass and Skellenger really set a solid floor and Betkowski's solo cello work is rich, complimented nicely by the percussion of Mario Moreno. Wrapping the release is The Storm with has traditional Spanish rhythms. Espinoza's guitar work really is nice and I particular...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Four , from David Deacon and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with No Never Mind, David Deacon with his Leonard Cohen like vocals paces over a classic romping blues bass line with guitar, keys and drums. Cool opener. Rising Up Again has a smooth undertow with raspy vocals and jangly guitar work and solid vocal harmonies. Simplify has a simple ballad format but puts me in mind of a more melodic Roger Waters. With it's loose guitar work and floating guitar riffs, this track coasts along nicely. Wrapping the release is Waving Free with it's romping bass line. Deacon's vocals bounce along nicely, chased by playful guitar riffs giving the track an Dire Straits feel but a cooler presentation. This is a strong closer for an interesting release.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Legacy , by Hollywood Paul Litteral and it's light and has a great groove. Opening with Fathead Newman's, Hard Times , Paul Litteral on trumpet is surround by talent including Bill Bodine on bass, Michael Rosen on drums, Rocky Davis on keys, Sam Morgan on bari sax, and Colin Kupka on alto sax. Strong opener. On Harry Warren's There Will Never Be Another You , Litteral sets the lead on trumpet joined by Davis on keys. Angela Mae O'Neill is featured on lead vocal and does a great job. I particularly like Davis' piano improve on this track, backed by Bodine and Tony Pia on drums. The Eagles, Desparado , gets a real nice rework with Litteral on trumpet melody. With Marcy Vaj on violin and viola, Kevan Torfeh on cello, Bodine on bass, and Davis on keys, this is a new track rather than a stale remake. Wrapping the release is Billy Cobham's The Moon Ain't Made of Cheese which really has a nice feel. W...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everything Now , by JW-Jones and it's a solid mix of blues, R&B, rock, and pop. Opening with title track, Everything Now , JW-Jones on lead vocal and guitar has penned a cool, pop rocker with a strong melody, featuring Stanton Moore on drums, Gordie Johnson on harmony, rhythm, bass and keys making this a super opener. Blues rocker, Papa's In The Pen has a cool rhythm and Jones' vocals are strong with a tight guitar solo pushing the track nicely. With Eric Eggleston on harmony vocal, rhythm guitar and percussion, Aaron Sterling on drums and Jeff Rogers on keys another solid entry. Shuffle track, Take Your Time features Jimmie Vaughan on guitar with his signature style, and includes Jason Corbiere on drums. My favorite track on the release is To Tell You The Truth (I Lied) with Jones' best vocal on the release and it's supple bluesy feel. Cutting loose on guitar Jones really gives this track an ext...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Life Don't Miss Nobody , by Tracy Nelson and it's really good. Opening with Strange Things Happening Every Day , Tracy Nelson on vocal really gets things moving. Kevin McKendree on piano knows how to play a boogie and backed by John Gardner on drums, Byron House on bass, Mike Henderson on electric guitar, this is a great opener. With a Spanish taste, title track, Life Don't Miss Nobody features Nelson on lead vocal and Wurlitzer, with Mike Dysinger on congas and Guiro, House on bass, Larry Chaney on 12 string guitar and Cuatro and Steve Conn on piano and with the tight horn work of Jack Warner on sax, Dominique Caster on trumpet, and Chase Carpenter on trombone. Very nice. Willie Nelson steps up on Honky Tonkin' sharing the lead vocals with Nelson. Mickey Raphael adds some tasty harmonica lead melody and I particularly like Mike Johnson's contribution on steel guitar. One of my favorites on the relea...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everybody , by Danny Liston and it's a solid rocker.  Opening with title track, Everybody , Danny Liston on acoustic guitar and lead vocal is paired with Bekka Bramlett, and supported by Steve Potts on drums, Davy Smith on bass, Will McFarlane on guitar, Mark Narmore on piano, and Rick Steff on organ. With it's strong melody and tight craftsmanship, this is a strong radio candidate. Soulful, Real Man , is one of my favorites on the release, with excellent vocals by Liston and warm horn backing by Alan Branstetter on trumpet, and Brad Guin on sax. Very nice. Rocker, Goodbye Jack Daniels has a good hook that will have the crowd singing along. With it's Seeger like swagger and McFarlane's guitar riffs, this track hits the mark. Wrapping the release is A Change Has Come , a clever, 80's style pop track with lush backing vocals and a solid melody. A fitting close for this rocker.   If you support l...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Best of Me , by Joanna Connor and it's wild. Opening with funky blues number, House Rules , Connor dons her notorious slide guitar, accompanying herself on lead vocal, also featuring Josh Smith on guitar, and backed by a serious horn section of Fernando Castillo on trumpet and flugelhorn, Carlos Sosa on sax and flute, Raul Vallejo on trombone, together the Grooveline horns, Shaun Gotti Calloway on bass, Jason Edwards on drums, and Curtis Moore Jr on organ. Super opener. Title track, Best of Me , is a smooth, soulful, ballad featuring really nice vocal by Conner and nicely articulated lead work making hits an ideal radio track. I Lost You is another slow blues with excellent vocal and guitar lead by Conner, complimented by Dan Souvigny on rhythm and keys. Blues driver, Mercury Blues, really gets rolling with Conner pushing on vocal and letting the slide fly, joined by David Abbruzzese on drums. Very cool. Wrapping the r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Ghost Hymns , by William Lee Ellis and it's an interesting exploration of blues, gospel and bluegrass. Opening with Cony Catch The Sun, Ellis on fretless banjo and vocal play a very cool, primitive, Hill Country like track. Very cool. On Pearl River Blue s, Ellis and Mikahely on guitar work nicely over a piedmont styling and solid vocal work by Ellis. One of my favorite tracks on the release is instrumental, Lost Heaven featuring  Ellis on acoustic guitar and a Chinese folk string instrument called a yueqin with it's quiet melody and clean articulation. With honor to father Tony Ellis and godfather Bill Monroe, Mumblin' Word is a great bluegrass tune with Ellis on vocal and 12 string, Neil Rossi on fiddle, Rik and Julie Coffey on vocal. Very cool.  Tony Ellis penned track, Belarus , has a beautiful melody, with Ellis on guitar and Tom Cleary on piano. Very nice. Closing the release is Bury Me In The Sky , with ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blood Brothers , from Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia and it's pure blues music. Opening with Hey Sweet Mama , a romping blues rocker, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia share the mike for nicely blended lead vocals and Chuck Berry influenced guitar work makes this an excellent opener. With Zito and Castiglia on guitars, Douglas Byrkit on bass, Matthew Johnson on drums, Ephraim Lowell on drums and Lewis Stephens on keys this is a tight band. Over a classic blues vamp, Fool Never Learns is a driving rocker. Castiglia on lead vocal and Zito and Castiglia trading hot riffs, makes this a strong contender for radio airplay. My favorite track on the release is You're Gonna Burn with really strong, soulful lead vocal and excellent lead guitar work. Thumping tom tom work by Johnson compliments the track nicely and Stephens' keyboard work gives hit just the right edge. Jazzy, Hill Country Jam has a slinky rhythm and twin ...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothing But Time , from Monster Mike Welch and it's flat out scorching! Opening with Walking To You Baby , Mike wastes absolutely no time kicking this release into overdrive. With solid vocals and high strung, blues guitar phrasing, Mike sails. Backed by Jerry Jemmott on bass, Bob Welch on piano, Kid Andersen on keys, Fabrice Bessouat on drums, Eric Spaulding on tenor sax, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and John Halblieb on trumpet, this track will part your hair. George Harrison's terrific track, I Me Mine gets a real nice cover by Mike and though he doesn't vary far from the original theme, it's a real nice track and Mike's interpretation, adding horns and blues guitar riffs takes it to the next level. Excellent shuffle, I Ain't Saying shows Mike's strong vocals and Texas style blues riffs setting up a great groove. With Andersen on bass, Spaulding on sax Bob on piano and Bessouat on drums, Mik...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time Bomb , from Jan James and it's a healthy dose of soulful R&B. Opening with Swingin' In The Sweet Sunshine , Jan James on lead vocal has a great start for her 12th album. With Craig Calvert on guitar and bass, Bob Long on keys, and Jake Loomis on drums, warm backing vocals by Cheryl Wilson, and Joyce Faison, and with strong sax work by Brian Gephart on sax this is a super opener. Cool, R&B number, Sometimes Love's Like That , has a real nice melody and Calvert's guitar work, balanced with Gephart's sax work makes this a strong radio contender. My favorite track on the release is Love Is The Answer with strong vocals by James and caressing guitar lead by Calvert creating just the right pocket for James, Wilson and Faison. Wrapping the release is Always The Blues , with it's blues rock feel. Calvert kicks in the wah wah pedal on his lead work and James' bluesy lead work really works ni...