Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Hear Thunder , from Tab Benoit and it's super fused swampy funky blues. Opening with title track, I Hear Thunder , Tab Benoit opens it with a bottom heavy feel, strong vocals and fiery guitar work, anchored by Terence Higgins on drums, Corey Duplechin on bass, and Anders Osborne on guitar. Heavy opener. Soulful, Still Gray has a sad, country feel that showcases Benoit's vocals nicely. Jangly guitar work by Benoit and cool lead guitar riffs by Osborne, held tight by Higgins and Duplechin make this a primary radio candidate. Swamp rocker, Watching The Gators Roll In , is aa super, Tony Joe White like track that just has that groove. Track has great electricity and fun. Bluesy, Overdue , has great soulful vocals by Benoit, caressed by warm guitar riffs. Benoit's guitar lead on this track has real nice focus making it one of my favorites on the release. Little Queenie has a strong back beat worked by Benoit and...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 23, 2019), Blue Basso , from Charlie Wooton Project and it's really good. Opening with funky rocker, Jaceaux , Wooton sets a terrific bass line with Keiko Komaki heating up the keys, Doug Winbish on bass and Jermal Watson on drums. Excellent opener. Rolling into a cool radio style R&B number, Arsene Delay has lead vocal on Reflections. Her vocals are sweet and float on the tune with glistening key work and jazzy guitar riffs by Daniel Groover. Come On Come Over has a great funky bottom, and instrumental style vocals, an aggressive bass line and a snappy drum line. One Night is a bluesy ballad with my favorite vocals by Delay. Anders Osborne sits in with a real nice guitar solo giving the track a bit more sting. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Fulton Alley with really funky bass and guitar lines. This track, which really crosses over into fusion really humps. Excellent! Guitar wiz S...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Plays The Blues , from Jimmy Carpenter , and it's cooking. Opening with Magic Sam's You Belong To Me , and it's puffing smoke like Jr Walker. Saxman/vocalist, Carpenter really steps out on this release with authentic R&B style sax with Mike Zito on guitar accented nicely by Tony Diteodoro on guitar, Matthew Johnson on drums, Bob Bridges on bass and Marc Adams on keys. Jimmy Plays The Blues is an excellent soulful blues in the style of T Bone Walker. Using Carpenter's sax as the lead instrument, wailing out the melody, this track is hot. Solid shuffle track, Blues With A Feeling features tight guitar riffs and nice piano work paving the way for singing sax solo work by Carpenter. Freddie King's Surf Monkey has that great 60's vibe with Zito playing against Carpenter on lead lines. Very cool. Otis Rush's All Your Love has great feel with nice tom tom work by Johnson and shimmery guitar w...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release from Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos and it's a hot fusion of rock and biting blues. Opening with 20 Days , a tight rocker featuring Anthony Rosano on lead vocal and stinging fat slide guitar, Jeremy "JB" Bustillos on  vocal and harp, Paul Warren on bass and Scott Smith on drums. Shuffle, Give Me Strength has a cool groove with Warren romping the bass, harp attack by JB and a slick guitar solo from Rosano. You Don't Know Me is a mover and Rosano's guitar tome is warm and meaty. With a great beat and stinging guitar riffs, this track is super. Boogie track, Wicked Grin is hot with unbridled guitar riffs and a cool sax solo from JB. Excellent! Funky, Shakin' In The Veins , features really cool slide work by Anders Osborne  and with a definite southern flair, cool harp work by JB pushing the track even further. Bound To You is a solid ballad with a scorching guitar intro. I particularly l...

    ANNOUNCING THE 15TH ANNUAL BLUES FROM THE TOP FESTIVAL:     TWO BIG DAYS OF BLUES ROYALTY IN BEAUTIFUL WINTER PARK, CO Enjoy Fabulous Thunderbirds, Anders Osborne, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Carolyn Wonderland, Alvin Youngblood Hart, And More, All In A Beautiful Mountain Setting! ~ Presented With Pride By The Grand County Blues Society, In Memory of Blues From The Top Founder, John Catt ~ Saturday, June 24 (11am to 6pm); Sunday, June 25 (10:30am to 6pm)   ...

I just received the newest release, Wolf Den , from Danielle Nicole, and it's dynamite! Opening with title track, Wolf Den , Danielle Nicole who has a super voice leads the way on vocal, playing a funky cool bass riff highlighted by Mike "Shinetop" Sedovic's keyboard work. Very nice opener. Anders Osborne sets the stage for, How You Gonna Do Me Like That , an R&B style track with solid vocals, a great bass riff and tight drums by Stanton Moore. Shinetop takes a nice keyboard solo on this track giving it an authentic "era" feel and Nicole shines on bass. On soul ballad, Take It All , Nicole really shines on vocal and her bass work is spot on. A simple yet clean and tasty guitar solo from Osborne gives Nicole a vocal breather but this track is all soul and solid. Rocker, You Only Need Me When You're Down , has a great driving tom tom rhythm and over driven guitar tone from Osborne. A breakout guitar solo highlights this track with it's Spencer ...

I just received the newest release (November 6, 2015), Keep Coming Back , from Mike Zito & the Wheel and it's a real rocker! Opeing with title track, Keep Coming Back , Zito is leading the way on vocal and screaming hot slide guitar. Jimmy Carpenter on sax, Scot Sutherland on bass, Rob Lee on drums and Lewis Stephens on keys really rock the house! Excellent opener!! Keeping up the driving rhythm with Chin Up , with a little more country rock twist. Rocking guitar lines and soulful sax work from Carpenter nicely compliment Zito's vocals. Easy country rock track, Get Busy Living has that laid back Dickie Betts Blue Skies feel. A perfect radio track, has cool vocal blending with Carpenter and Suzie Sims. Country rock ballad, Early In The Morning , nicely highlights Zito's vocal work, backed on vocal by Riley Zito. Comfortable track for cross radio play. I Was Drunk is a cool style ballad with a twist of southern blues. This is a really nice gritty track with Anders O...

JAMES COTTON RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION Conjure up a list of all-time great blues harmonica players, and high up on it you'll see the name James Cotton. --NPR The Mississippi Arts Commission presented blues music icon (and Tunica, Mississippi native) James Cotton with the coveted Governor's Award For Excellence In The Arts in a ceremony held February 20, 2014 at Belhaven University in Clarion, Mississippi. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented annually to outstanding writers, artists, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work as well as to corporations or organizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement. Previous winners include B.B. King, Little Milton Campbell, and Bo Diddley. Video of the presentation and live performance is here: http://www.alligator.com/artists/James-Cotton/ . Cotton is currently celebratin...

"Coming Down" by Anders Osborne Gets The Vinyl Touch On April 15         Northport N.Y.  -  M.C. Records is proud to announce that it will release New Orleans roots music sensation Anders Osborne's 2007 recording Coming Down (MC-0075LP) on vinyl. Street date is April 15 and it marks the first time any of Ander's recordings have been released on vinyl. On Coming Down Anders sings about his two great loves, his wife and New Orleans. The recording finds Anders in a sparse setting that showcases his songwriting.  Recorded in Nashville and New Orleans, Coming Down was co-produced by Anders and Troy Verges (BMI country songwriter of the year). Click on the cover to check out the title track,  Coming Down. He’s created one of the best albums of the year. Paste Magazine

HARMONICA GIANT JAMES COTTON RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Conjure up a list of all-time great blues harmonica players, and high up on it you'll see the name James Cotton. --NPR The Mississippi Arts Commission will present blues music icon (and Tunica, Mississippi native) James Cotton with the coveted Governor's Award For Excellence In The Arts in a ceremony set for February 20, 2014 at Belhaven University in Clarion, Mississippi. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented annually to outstanding writers, artists, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work as well as to corporations or organizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement. Previous winners include B.B. King, Little Milton Campbell, and Bo Diddley. Cotton is currently celebrating his 69th year as a professional entertainer. His 2013 CD, Cotton Mouth Man , is an upbe...

  OFFBEAT MAGAZINE PREMIERES SENTIMENTAL TIMES FROM NEW ANDERS OSBORNE CD PEACE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Anders Osborne is set to release his new CD, Peace , on Tuesday, October 8, 2013. OffBeat magazine will exclusively premiere the song Sentimental Times at OffBeat.com beginning on Tuesday, September 3. Relix.com premiered the title track on August 30. "It was a sunny day in New Orleans, spring of 2011," says Osborne of Sentimental Times . "I picked up my J45 with old rubbery strings on it. It had been ten years since my mother passed away. I strummed slowly and gently on my guitar and started to sing about two events (the other being Hurricane Katrina) that broke my heart. These are my sentimental times." With Peace , Osborne continues the journey started by his previous Alligator Records releases, American Patchwork and Black Eye Galaxy , emerging from a whirlwind of e...

  MAJOR JAMES COTTON FEATURE IN LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE NEW CD COTTON MOUTH MAN OUT ON MAY 7 Blues harmonica legend James Cotton , whose new CD Cotton Mouth Man will be in stores on May 7, 2013, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Living Blues magazine. The 10-page cover story, written by blues scholar David Whiteis, takes an in-depth look at Cotton's entire career, including the new CD. Cotton Mouth Man is a joyous celebration of Cotton's 69 years as a professional musician (beginning at age nine). Recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy-winning producer/ songwriter/ drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Joe Louis Walker, Susan Tedeschi), the album is a trip through sounds and scenes from Cotton's long and storied career. Cotton co-wrote seven of the tracks with Hambridge (who co-wrote five additional tracks). The songs were inspired by Cotton's colorful and sometimes perilous life and his memories of the Missi...