Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Heart of Fire , from Ally Venable and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with title track, Heart of Fire , Venable is upfront with this Hendrix/Trower flavored radio track. Backed by Elijah Owings on drums, Bobby Wallace on bass and Pat Fusco on keys, Venable's vocals are solid and her riffs undeniable. With a bit of finger picking and acoustic slide, Played the Game still has a pop feel but with a bit more bluesy edge. Bobby Wallace adds keys and Venable's own acoustic slide work gives it a nice feel. Heavy blues rocker, Bring On The Pain , features Kenny Wayne Shepherd and he plays stinging riffs that propel this track under the vocal harmony of Venable. This track has a real nice edge and with the heavier rhythm work, one of the best on the release. Bill Withers' ultra funky track, Use Me , is up next with Owlings, Wallace and Venable creating a great rhythm under Venable's vocals. Very nice. A play...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Texas Honey , from Ally Venable and it's a fine blend of power pop and blues. Opening with rocker, Nowhere To Hide , Venable is on top with super vocals and fresh guitar riffs over a solid bass line by Bobby Wallace and the tight rhythm of Elijah Owings. Great opener. Title track, Texas Honey shows real grit with fat guitar tones and Gibbons like snarl. Excellent track. Blind To Bad Love has dark overtones, deep backing vocals and cool backing guitar work by Mike Zito. Come And Take It is a heavier track with real teeth. Eric Gales adds vocal and real snarling guitar riffs giving the band more intensity and more balance. Very cool. You knew it was going to happen... a young female guitar slinger taking on SRV. Love Struck Baby has lots of snap and Venable's guitar riffs aren't SRV but it's still hot and fun. Another track with vicious guitar riffs is White Flag . Venable turns up the grit up to Z (for...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Puppet Show , from Ally Venable and it's quite good. Opening with Devil's Son , a powerful blues rocker, Venable leads on guitar and vocal, backed by Elijah Owings on drums and Bobby Wallace on bass. Gary Hoey adds some voracious guitar riffs on this track giving it a smoking hot edge. Very nice. Steve Krase joins on traditional delta style, Blackwater Blues , with a stripped down opening and then opening up to a full tilt blues rocker showcasing some of Venable's best riffs on the release. One of my favorite tracks on the release is a cover of Taj Mahal's, He Caught The Katy , with it's super bass line and solid vocal and guitar work by Venable. Excellent! With the swagger of Lynyrd Skynyrd, title track, Puppet Show is a solid rocker with really nice guitar riffs by Venable and warm keys by Eric Steckel. Another of my favorites on the release is slow blues, Comfort In My Sorrows with it's big t...

Teen Blues-Rock Guitar Sensation Ally Venable Brings Her Puppet Show Spectacular on New Connor Ray Music CD Due April 13 Special Guests on New Ally Venable Band CD Include Gary Hoey, Lance Lopez, Eric Steckel and Steve Krase Houston, Texas – Award winning blues-rock guitarist Ally Venable will release her new CD, Puppet Show , on April 13 from Connor Ray Music. The Ally Venable Band consists of Ally - guitar and vocals; Elijah Owings – drums; and Bobby Wallace – bass. Special Guests on Puppet Show , which was produced by Rock Romano, Steve Krase (who also plays harmonica on the sessions) and Ally Venable, include guitarists Gary Hoey and Lance Lopez, as well as  keyboardist Eric Steckel. Puppet Show , Ally’s second album for Connor Ray Music, was recorded at Red Shack Studio in Houston, and features eight original tunes written and composed by Venable, along with two blues classics that compliment her rockin’ blues sound. “I had an amazing...

Three Show Dates - Three Cities Not one but three separate show dates in the Sunshine state starting with Tallahassee then Spring Hill and then closing out in Tampa .  March 16th - The Junction at Monroe - Tallahassee March 17th - Marker 48 Brewing - Spring Hill March 18th - Ferg's Live - Tampa Seeing is believing - click and experience The Ally Venable Band Learn more about Ally - click here

Rising Blues Rock Artist Advanced Way Beyond Her Years on the Connor Ray Music Label, recorded at Red Shack Recording Studio Houston The Real Deal at Seventeen The level of feeling that a seventeen year old artist can bring to the stage can be simply amazing. As their performance begins your mind isn't fully grasping what you are seeing and hearing on stage. You notice a level of established comfort that radiates from the young performer.  The mind can easily form an early opinion that it’s just...

I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, No Glass Shoes , from Ally Venable Band and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Trainwreck , a cool track with a solid walking bass line by Zach Terry, Ally Venable takes the lead on vocal and guitarist Bobby Wallace simmers nicely. Title track, No Glass Shoes , has a bluesy basis with a strong guitar and bass vamp. Elijah Owings keeps the bottom tight on drums and Venable's vocals are sassy. Boogie track, Woke Up This Mornin' , has a great driving bass line with call and response guitar riffs. Wise Man has a cocky, Junior Wells feel and Venable grinds her vocals, displaying her guitar licks backed by Randy Wall on keys. On Junior Wells, Messin With The Kid , her vocals have edge and her guitar playing shows adventure. Too Much Too Soon has a really solid, bass line and features Steve Krase on harp. A super track, may be my favorite on the release. Wrapping the release is the Chris Smither track, Love Me Like...