Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Holy Sinners & Sinful Saints , by David M'Ore and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Me And My Baby , David More on lead vocals and guitar is joined by Wade Olson on drums and Marshall St. Clair on bass. A cool track with a funky back beat, a solid opener. Title track, Holy Sinners And Sinful Saints , features More laying down some stinging guitar lead under gritty vocal and with it's driving is a strong rocker. Bluesy ballad, Bleeding Heart , features a melodic guitar lead with rich, distorted tone and a crisp bottom. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the release with strong radio potential. Lumbering, Hoochie Man , is a real nice blues based rocker with a solid guitar vamp. Bottom heavy, gritty and filled with super guitar overtones, under the lead vamp, this is another of my favorite tracks on the release. Still In Love With You is a real nice track with notes of Santana and Gary Mo...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Catalyst: The Music of Gregg Hill , by Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet & Elden Kelly and it's full helping of diversified world flavors. Opening with Traveling With Gregg , Dave Sharp on bass enlists Henrik Karapetyan on violin, Igor Houwat on oud, Elden Kelly on guitar and Mike List on percussion on an exotic East Indian/fusion journey. Karapetyan on violin with List on percussion set the pace and Houwat and Kelly engage enthusiastically. 13th Century Lion has a medieval/eastern flavor creating a thematic nature led by Houwat and Kelly and anchored by List on drums. Karapetyan takes an adventurous ride on violin, exchanging with Houwat accented by List. Cidade has a warm melody crafted by Karapetyan and Kelly with minimal percussion by List. Houwat takes a real nice excursion on oud before returning to Karapetyan. This is a really solid track and my favorite in the set. Wrapping the release is The Stray Moonduck ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from The Kerry Kearney Band , and I like his style. Opening with Otis Rush 's All Your Love , Kerry Kearney on lead guitar and vocal resurrects this classic with solid vocals and flaming guitar lead. Bringing to mind the command of Peter Green in Fleetwood Mac , Kearney is joined by Gerry Sorrentino on bass, Mario Staiano on drums and Bill Lifford on harmonica. Excellent opener. Original track, slow blues, Harder To Breathe features Camryn Quinlan on lead vocals and she really digs in. Kearney really rips his slide work on this track, joined by Jack Licitra on keys and follows back yet with a ripping lead solo. Quinlan's voice puts me in mind of Jo Baker and her solid contribution to Bishop 's band of the 70's. Very nice. Dylan 's Meet Me In The Morning has a cool hitch to it and Kearney's vocal style is a little different on this one but alternating with his soloing, very potent ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Vagabond , by Royce Campbell and if you like that full brass sound, this may be your ticket. Opening with Peepers , Terry Vosbein gets his band pumped up with Bill Schnepper, Greg Moody, James Cotton , Kelli Birchfield and Kyle Greaney on sax, Chris Magee, Alec Moser, Brian Quakenbush and Kerry Moffit on trumpet, Matt Niess Tom Lundberg, Tom McKenzie and Tyler Bare on trombone, Matthew Billings on piano, Bob Bowen on bass and DeWayne Peters on drums. Royce Campbell lays down a real nice guitar solo followed by Niess on trombone for a swinging starter. On A Sharp Blues , Campbell crafts a really tasty solo followed by Bowen on bass. Tom Ludberg really stands out on trombone with a stellar solo of his own. Latin flavored, Mambo Puente is a really cool track with it's terrific rhythm, nicely capitalized by Campbell on guitar and a super trumpet solo by Chris Magee. Middle Ground leads off with Campbell on guitar really h...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Alegre Menina , by Masha Campagne and it's quite enjoyable. Opening with Brazilian flavored, Bahia Com , Masha Campagne delivers nicely on vocal creating a very soothing feel. Ricardo Peixoto on guitar adds clean, articulated soloing backed by Scott Thompson on bass Rafael Barata on drums, and Brian Rice on percussion. Strong opener.  Coracao Vagabundo is up next with Campagne's vocals floating on a soft samba rhythm. Peixoto creates a beautiful acoustic guitar solo adding just the right contrast for this track. Cobra Criada is a really cool track with an unusual time signature. I really like Peixoto's electric work on this track which is both tasty and exciting, Scott Thompson on bass adds a cool solo of his own, and Barata's drum rhythm is exceptional. Wrapping the release is Estrada Do Sol with colorful accompaniment by Frank Martin on piano nicely complimenting Campagne on vocal. His soloing is ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, City Life , from Michael Dease and it's super. Opening with Willow Walks In , Michael Dease outlines the melody on trombone, backed by Linda May Han Oh on bass Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. Dease really is stellar on trombone stretching the track and Oh and Watts expand the palette nicely for a terrific opener. With a driving bass line by Oh, Dease creates a sonic environment on Movie Theme with some of the richest trombone solo work I've heard in a while. Watts expands the track with a variety of percussion tones and a tight rhythm and Brooklyn Dease adds color on vocal. Very cool. Sweet Georgia Gillespie is a terrific track with fleet slide and articulation by Dease, a fleet bass solo by Oh gives the track breadth and Watts really works the skins making this one of my favorite tracks on disc one. Claxilever shows Dease in bold form with full throated trombone and Oh again really forms a nicely fluid...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Bluesman of Sorts , by Reverend Freakchild, and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with laid back rocker, Green and Brown Blues, with the smokey feel of John Kay, the Rev has the vocal lead and harmonica along with rhythm guitar, backed by John Robinson on bass and Patrick Carmichael on drums. Cool track. On Robert Johnson's Come On In My Kitchen, the Rev sets up a cool acoustic slide and falsetto vocal paring, not unlike Johnson or Skip James adding to it's stark blues feel. Willie Newbern's Roll and Tumble Blues is another track with authentic treatment with primitive acoustic slide work, harmonica and "hambone" carrying some of the best vocals on the release. Original shuffle, A Day Late and A Dollar Short , has a cool groove with bass, drums and organ backing the Rev on vocal.  Chris Whitley's Dust Radio is a cool closer for disc one with slack string guitar giving the track a real ba...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, 80 Years Young: Live At The Blue Note , by James Moody and it's super. Opening with Benny's From Heaven , featuring James Moody on vocal and ripping some terrific sax leading the way. David Hazeltine on piano sets the pace with excellent rhythm, joined by Todd Coolman on bass who crafts a really nice solo, and Adam Nussbaum who really kicks on drums.  Strong opener. Jazz classic, Cherokee is next with Moody leading the way on flute. Not missing a stroke, Moody really has this track jamming with colorful piano by Hazeltine and a driving bass line by Coolman. Hazeltine gets his turn on the throttle and keeps the pedal down before handing off to Nussbaum on drums for an excellent rendition of this notable theme. Birk's Works has a super groove set by Jon Faddis on muted trumpet. Slide Hampton also joins the set with an excellent trombone solo of his own. Another featured guest, Paquito D' Rivera really runs ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Fallen Angels , by Early Times & The High Rollers   and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Walk Out On Me , Early Times on lead vocal, organ, guitar and percussion leads the way on this cool track with a distinct, early British blues sound. Joined by Jeremy  Portwood on drums and Conrad Korsch  on bass, this is a cool opener. Pop rocker, Bedroom Eyes , has a solid melody giving Early clear way to show his vocal styling and a great avenue to stretch on guitar as well. Solid. Slow ballad, Abandoned Child is one of my favorite tracks on the release with soulful vocals by Early who accompanies himself on organ and arpeggiated guitar, joined by Portwood and Korsch. Chriscell Eminizer on sax and Tim Ouimette on trumpet and flugelhorn really gives the track an authentic 60's sound. Another track with a real retro sound is Bad Things . A strong 60's rhythm and snare slap with Early on vocals and organ really s...

 I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, Identity , by Peter Lin AAPI Jazz Collective and it's quite good. Opening with Emperor's Stride , featuring band leader and trombonist, Peter Lin (trombone), Erena Terakubo (sax) and Mike Bond (piano) on this Asian flavored opening, you get only a taste of what's to come. The track explodes with energy starting with Lin and Brandon Choi on trumpet laying down a melody, Daseul Kim on bass and Wen-Ting Wu on drums feeding the fire. Bond on piano takes the first solo and really winds it up. Terakubo on sax holds nothing back ripping a great solo and Lin shows a no prisoners attack on trombone really smoking the slide. Powerful opener. A Town With An Ocean View is an unexpected surprise with a beautiful melody played by Choi on piano, paired with Terakubo on flute. Bond takes the first solo and plays another lush solo that literally floats on air, guarded by a super bass line by Kim and Wu. Choi steps back up with anoth...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Which Way Do We Go? , from Brandon Santini and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with laid back, title track, Which Way Do We Go?, Brandon Santini on vocal and harmonica sets a soulful table with just a touch of country with Timo Arthur on electric guitar, Jeff Jensen on guitar, Cliff Moore on bass, Ron James on drums and Jesse James Davis on backing vocals. A well rounded track with a solid melody, this is a cool radio track. Rocker, See That Pony , has a cool, stripped down feel with heavy snare driven drum work by James and cool rhythm guitar by Arthur. Santini alternates vocal and harmonica melody but his solo harmonica solo is serious business. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Do What Comes Naturally with it's driving guitar/bass/drum rhythm and grinding vocals. Arthur's guitar solo is just right for this primitive rocker giving it just the right amount of fuel. High energy rocker, Working On ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Delight , by Dawn Clement and I really like it. Opening with Outstretch , Dawn Clement opens her latest with an original track, Outstretch, and a driving piano vamp. Reinforced by the excellent bass work of Buster Williams and aggressive drumming of Matt Wilson. Playing a lower vamp on piano against a brilliant upper register soloing is brilliant. Excellent opener. Elvis Costello's Someone Took The Words is really a nice composition and I don't think that he gets nearly the appreciation he deserves. Clements handles the vocals on this track with clarity and elegant phrasing. If I had never heard the track, I would know it was Costello because of her thoughtful arrangement. Her precise piano work, accenting her vocal phrasing and the addition of Wilson on drums is just right making this a beautiful contribution to the set. Williams' Tokudo is a solid contribution with a great bop. Lightly dancing on the keyboa...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Grown In Mississippi , by John Primer and it's deep rooted blues, Delta style. Opening with John's Blues Holler , an authentic style acapella track replicating the sounds that Primer heard by field workers in his youth. Rolling into Born In Mississippi with Primer showing his slick finger work and his warm vocals on acoustic guitar. Fluid, precise and solid. Very nice. Willie Dixon's Down In The Bottom features Primer guitar and vocal and Watermelon Slim on slide dobro, and backed by Billy Earheart on piano. Very nice. Bobby Rush joins on Nothin' But A Chicken Wing adding some nice harp work to this funky blues track featuring Primer on lead vocal and guitar, Harvell Thomas Jr on bass and Quicksand Martin on drums. This track is stripped down and moving. Another track with a cool funk is When I Met The Blues driven by Lee Williams on drums and featuring Lightnin' Malcolm on guitar and Primer on guita...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Influences , by Jared Hall and it's really solid. Opening with Song For Shaw , influenced by the sounds of Woody Shaw is really hot with a percussive attack by Jared Hall on trumpet paired with John Bishop on drums. Rolling into a terrific groove framed by Michael Glynn on bass and Tal Cohen on piano, Hall really sets the pace with crisp, open-bell attack, Cohen taking his lead plays with exceptional vibrancy, and Bishop adds excellent accent. Glynn gets a turn and lays down a a strong bass solo followed by the vibrant drumming by Bishop.  Powerful opener. Quiet ballad, Dear Roy , a tribute to Roy Hargrove, has a rich melody with Hall leading the way. Cohen picks up on piano with an introspective feel, then back to Hall who carries the melody to the end with lush support of Cohen, Glynn and Bishop. Very nice. Let The Children Dance has a real nice Latin under beat structured by Glynn and Bishop. Hall blows a tigh...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Stay High from The Alexis P. Suter Band and it's terrific! Opening with God Gave Me The Blues , a powerful, slow blues, Alexis P. Suter really hits hard on this opener with her dynamite deep vocal style, over a steady bass line by Peter Bennett, keys by Will Bryant, Lee Falco on drums and soaring and dive bombing guitar soloing by song writer Jimmy Bennett. Excellent opener. Funky track, Breathe , written by bassist Byron Isaacs, has a solid groove giving Suter a solid platform for this heavy bottomed track. With Bryant on keys and Ray Grappone laying in just the right amount of aggressive drumming, this is a super track. Lumbering blues, Be On Your Way , framed by Bennett on bass, Bryant on keys and Falco on drums really plays to Suter's strong suit giving her a dark feel to really grind out the vocals and keyboard soloing by Bryant and tasty guitar soloing by Jimmy Bennett with excellent guitar phrasing an...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Auteur , by David Weiss Sextet and it's quite good. Opening with original composition, Too Little Too Late , David Weiss on trumpet is hot on the street with his trumpet blazing, paired with Myron Walden on alto and one of my favorite new comers, Nicole Glover on tenor sax, David Bryant on piano, Eric Wheeler on bass and E.J. Strickland on drums. Walden takes the first lead with some excellent points and Weiss punches in taking the track even higher with strong accents by Bryant on piano, followed by Glover on tenor and a well structured solo by Bryant, anchored by Wheeler and Strickland. Hot starter. The Other Side of the Mountain has an interesting intro building with Weiss and Walden in tandem opening over Wheeler, Strickland and Bryant creating an intricate weave or tones and breaking into a great bop featuring Glover on tenor on first solo followed by Weiss really getting into a great groove driven by the excelle...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Told Ya , from Ginger St. James and it's a rock'n blues rockabilly set. Opening with Not Round Here , Ginger St. James really gets things moving with her energetic vocal styling, backed by SnowHeel Slim on guitar and tambourine, Chris Altmann on bass and Cleave Anderson on drums. Solid opener. Bluesy ballad, Lowdown Lonesome Blues is definitely one of my favorites on the release with terrific vocals by St. James and it's hip grinding rhythm..Slim lays in a tasty, "lowfi" guitar solo that really works great with the track. Honky Tonk Hangover has a cool, southern soul feel with sassy vocals by St. James and a cool guitar solo with a twangy sound. Funky, Soul Shack , is another track with that southern soul feel. St. James could easily fill the bill on 60's Atlantic or Capitol records with period correct guitar work by Slim. Wrapping the release is country flavored, Railway Rider with it's cl...