Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothin' But The TRUTH , from Max Hightower and it's a romper. Opening with funky blues rocker, Double Bubble, Max Hightower blows the intro announcing that something big is about to happen and he doesn't disappoint. Leading on vocal and funky rhythm guitar, Hightower gets things moving and kicks up on harmonica some fat fat tone. Joined by Brandon Phelps on drums, Steadman Williams Sr. on bass, James Beaumont on sax and Rob Davis on keys, this is a great opener.  Twitchy Witcha keeps that funky groove going with Davis on piano and Beaumont on sax rolling over Phelps on rimshot and funky funky vocals. Adam Lessneu joins on trombone and sousaphone and Hightower breaks loose on harmonica and it's not subtle. Great tone. Sweet Gum Tree has a strong New Orleans jam flavor with active Drum/bass/guitar work and Beaumont on sax and Adam Lessneu on trombone working with Hightower on vocal and harmonica in lead. Th...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hard Workin' Man , from Andrew Alli and it's a solid slice of blues. Opening with title track, Hard Workin' Man , a great blues number sounds like it's right out of the Elmore James songbook. Andrew Alli, who covers vocals and harmonica shows all of the raw edge of old school blues. Backed by Jon Atkinson on guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Danny Michael on guitar and Devin Neal on drums, this is a super opener. AA Boogie is a real foot stomper and gives Alli a great platform to blow his harp. Excellent! With a Latin rhythm, Going Down South is a cool blues number with what sounds like Alli singing through his harp mic, answered with his harp. Cool slide work by Atkinson gives the track a warmup and Alli joins back with raw harp tones. Very nice. Walter Horton's, Walter's Sun is a great instrumental with fleet fingered guitar work and particularly nice harp riffs. 30 Long Years is a really...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Clean Up The Blood , from Atomic Road Kings and it's killer. Opening with I've Got Time , Big Jon Atkinson is upfront on vocal joined by Eric Von Herzen on harp and Danny Michel on lead guitar, backed by Bill Stuve on bass, and Malachi Johnson on drums. With it's quiet, suspenseful pace and full bodied guitar work from Michel, this is a great start. With the heaviness of Dazed and Confused by Michel on guitar and hot lead by Tony Delgado, under the smoky riffs of Von Herzen,  Rumors will have you gasping for breath. Excellent! With it's Latin styling and surf like guitar riffs by Atkinson, Have Your Way is a cool track. The solid bass line and cool cymbal work is perfect. Atkinson's echo saturated wailing on guitar on title track,  Clean Up The Blood , supporting his own solid vocal and eerie harp work by Von Herzen makes this an excellent lead track for the release. Vibrations is a slinky track w...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (releasing today), Don't Let The Devil Ride! , from Bob Corritore & Friends and it's super. Opening with Willie Buck's shuffle track, Went Home This Morning , Bob Corritore on harp joins up with Willie Buck on lead vocal, Mojo Mark on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Brian Fahey on drums for a solid opener. On Little Walter's Tell Me Mama , Oscar Wilson is on lead vocal and Corritore lays out a real nice harp solo with Priimetime Smith on guitar, Henry Grey on piano and Johnny Rapp on guitar. Alabama Mike has the lead on Laundromat Blues and with really expressive lower octave work from Corritore, particularly nice soloing from Atkinson on guitar and strong piano work from Welch making this one of my favorites on the release. Corritore original, Fork In The Road , features Oscar Wilson on vocal, with Henry Grey on piano and Johnny Rapp on guitar with Corritore in in mostly a strong supportive role cho...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Seven Day Blues , from Johnny Tucker and I really like it. Opening with Talkin' About You Baby , Johnny Tucker has the rugged voice of a pure blues man. Backed by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass, Scott Smart on guitar, and Malachi Johnson on drums, this is a solid opener. With the addition of Sandow on harp, Tired of Doing Nothing has super presence, really, imaging that I haven't experienced in my office location on many occasions thanks I believe to the expert engineering of Atkinson (in Mono). If you listen to this, you won't need to have someone tell you it's special. It's way apparent! On Why Do You Let Me Down So Hard , Tucker's vocals are super and Atkin's guitar work is downright outstanding. Excellent! Title track, Seven Day Blues , is funnkkyy! Again, Sandow's harp work over Atkinson's bass, working in concert with Tuckers vocals really make the groove. With...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 , from Kim Wilson and it's a heavy dose of old style Chicago blues. Opening with harp instrumental Bonus Boogie , Wilson is hitting on all cylinders, backed by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, Bob Welsh on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Malachi Johnson on drums. Excellent! Sonny Boy Williamson's, Ninety-Nine features Wilson on lead vocal and harp and it's one of my favorites on the release. Pure Chicago style and Wilson's tight harp tone is the ticket here. Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues is up next with a solid slower pace highlighted by the keen piano work of Barrellhouse Chuck. John Lee Hooker's Same Old Blues has a swinging blues feel a la BB King or T Bone Walker. Billy Flynn steps in with some choice riffs on guitar, complimented by Larry Taylor on bass, Richard Innes on drums and Jonny Viau on horns. Very nice! Magic Sam's Look Whatcha Done has a great groove wi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Big Beat , from Chickenbone Slim and the Biscuits , and it's quite good. Opening with title track, The Big Beat , Chickenbone Slim is up front on vocal and guitar joined by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar and harp, Scot Smart on bass and Marty Dodson on drums. With that Tony Joe White feel, Long Way Down has a top notch groove. Loose guitar soloing really sets this track off making it one of my favorites on the release.  Long Legged Sweet Thing with it's unusual time signature on a solid blues base, bluesy harp and excellent drumming by Dodson, is like a strange combination of Steppenwolf and the Doors. Excellent! Chicago style blues number, Do You Like It has a really great groove and Slim's vocals are right in the pocket. Atkinson's harp work giving this track timeless appeal. Slow blues number, Me And Johnny Lee has solid vocals, with super harp riffs a nicely stylized guitar solo. With a funky bass...

Kim Wilson Gets Back to Basics on Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 CD, Coming October 20 from Severn Records ANNAPOLIS, MD – Legendary singer/harmonica master Kim Wilson has gone back to the basics and old school Chicago blues for his exciting new CD, Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 , coming October 20 from Severn Records. Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 was produced by Kim Wilson, with most tracks  recorded and mixed by Nathan James at Sacred Cat Studios, Oceanside, California; except tracks 4 and 15 recorded by Big Jon at Big Tone Recording Studios, Hayward, California. “I want to tell all of the real blues fans out there what a labor of love this project has been,” Wilson writes in the album’s liner notes. “I’ve been recording many, many tracks for a couple of years now and time has just flown by! A couple of the greatest musicians that ever lived, Richard Innes and Barrelhouse Chuck, have passed away during the process of making this CD. One of their dreams was to see this stuff c...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Travelin' With The Blues , by Harpdog Brown and I really like it. Opening with Better Days , a rolling blues number, Harpdog is upfront on vocal and his signature harp work with Jordie Edmonds on guitar, Pat Darcus on bass, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Jimmy Morello on drums and featuring Kid Andersen with some hot guitar riffs. On Otis Spann's Must Have Been The Devil , Brown settles down nicely into the Chicago style on vocal and strong harp with Edmonds and Little Victor laying down some real tasty guitar. On Latin flavored, Moose On The Loose , Brown and Charlie Musselwhite play off of each other on harp. With Mike Thorne on cowbell, and solid guitar riffs by Edmonds, this track rocks. Boogie Woogie track, For Better or Worse , features Andersen laying out some really nice rocking riffs with a nice twang. Excellent! Slowing it down a bit on What's Your Real Name , Brown tells it Bishop style, but subbing...

Mitch Kashmar "West Coast Toast" Featuring: Junior Watson, Bill Stuve, Fred Kaplan, and Marty Dodson West Coast Toast heralds the arrival of Mitch Kashmar 's long-awaited third studio album from Delta Groove. Although fans had the live recording Live at Labatt (2008) and a CD reissue of his early '80s era LP 100 Miles to Go (2010) to tide them over, it's been ten years since his last full studio effort, Wake Up ...

I just received the newest release, House Party at Big Jon's , from Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore and it's a huge side of Chicago blues. Opening with Goin' Back To Tennessee , Big Jon Atkinson is on lead vocal and guitar with Bob Corritore accenting his vocal. Nicely stylized, almost John Mayall/British Blues feel, these guys have a great opener joined by Danny Michael on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Brian Fahey on drums. On shuffle track, Here Comes My Baby , Big Jon and Corritore step up the instrumental a bit with a real nice line of instrumental soloing and Malachi Johnson on drums adds a fine snap to the track. Taking the tempo down a bit, It Wasn't Easy , gives Corritore a bit more breathing space and his warm chops fill nicely. Jon has a great singing style which resonates "old style blues" throughout the release and his guitar work on this track is understated but effective. Stepping up with She's My Crazy Little Baby , Jon really del...