Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Louder, by Misty Blue and it's solid. Opening with gospel style blues, A Long Hard Way, Gina Coleman on lead vocal and guitar is joined by Seth Fleischman on guitar, Ben Kohn on keys, Rob Tatten on drums, Bill Patriquin on bass, Aaron Dean on sax, and Wendy Lipp, Rebecca Mattson and Kathy Ryan on backing vocals. Powerful opener. Super voice, Big Llou Johnson joins Coleman on lead vocals on How The Blues Feels . This is a potent track with an attack quite like Cream's version of the Mississippi Sheik's Sitting on Top Of The World with really nice guitar work by Fleischman, a great bass line by Diego Monque, heavy drum work by Tatten and solid harmonica addition by Bob Stannard. With New Orleans rhythm, Seal Of Fate really gets moving. Aaron Dean on sax, Chris Rand on bari sax, David Vittone on accordion and Tatten on drums carry the meat of the track and spice by Kohn on keys and Fleischmann on guitar add...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Speakeasy , from Paula Harris , and it has old school pop jazz roots. Opening with Nothing Good Happens After Midnight , Harris shows her deep throaty voice over the sultry piano of Nate Ginsberg, with Rich Girard on bass and D'mar martin on drums. On funky, I Wanna Hate Myself Tomorrow (or Raising Hell Tonight) , Harris shows her vocal versatility and Ginsberg's piano is tops. R&B / jazz track, Good Morning Heartache has a rich melody and with it's bouncy rhythm and sparkling piano is one of my favorites on the release. Something Wicked is another smooth soulful tune with a great feel and the addition of nice trumpet work of Bill Ortiz and spoken word by Big Llou Johnson. Monk's classic, Round Midnight is a pure highlight with dark warm vocals, excellent piano and tasteful trumpet by Ortiz and spot on bass work by Girard. Wrapping the release is jazz classic, Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby ,...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Enjoy The Ride , from Deb Ryder and is has a great feel. Opening with high stepper, A Storm's Coming , Deb Ryder is back sounding as powerful as ever. Johnny Lee Schell and Coco Montoya on lead guitar plays nicely off of the steady beat of Ric Ryder on bass, Mike Finnigan on keys and Tony Braunagel on drums. Exceptional ballad, For The Last Time, is a terrific showcase for Ryder's voice and also features Finnigan on vocal as well with the sweet guitar lead of Montoya. What You Want From Me blends New Orleans feel with pure gospel vocals from Maxanne lewis, Ricky Nelson, Leslie Smith and Kudisan Kai Regalot. Very nice. Got To Let It Go has a real nice BB King style groove featuring Cain and Ryder on a cool vocal duet and slick guitar lead. Sweet Sweet Love has a tight Latin beat with nice piano work by Finnigan and featuring fat guitar riffs by Debbie Davies. Wrapping the release is Red Line featuring the st...

                     BIG LLOU JOHNSON, HOST OF SIRIUS XM'S 'BLUESVILLE",          TO EMCEE NEW BLUES FESTIVAL 3/LABOR DAY WEEKEND     (LONG BEACH, CA) - The New Blues Festival is proud to announce Big Llou Johnson has been tapped to Emcee New Blues Festival 3 , taking place Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, 2016, at El Dorado Regi...

I just received the debut release, Raise Your Hands, by Long Tall Deb (Deb Landolt). Deb opens the release with What Would a Good Woman Do, a soul strut featuring a vocal duet with Phil Pemberton and guitar work from Sean Carney. Hush Your Mouth gets a funk groove going with backing vocals by Nikki Scott and Melvin Powe sets the stage with some smooth bass lines. Let's Get Lost is a strong radio track and one that should fir well with strong vocals. Married To The Blues, a track talking about independence, features Jimmy Thackery on guitar along with Bart Walker and Matt O'Ree with a R&B style track and featuring vocals by Big Llou. Finally Forgot Your Name, a solid soul track sets up nicely as a blues ballad, with guests the Roomful Of Blues Horns (Mark Earley, Rich Lataille and Doug Woolverton). Raise Your Hands blends gospel, soul and rock for another airplay geared track. There is quite a bit of guitar work on this track courtesy of Sean Carney, Dave Clo and Brent Penne...

Bman: Hi Big LLou. I appreciate your taking the time out from your busy schedule to talk with me. And you are busy! I mean Radio, Movies, backing vocals, recording a new cd... They Call Me Big LLou . And you still have the time to be the voice of BB Kings Bluesville . How do you do it? Big LLou: You forgot to add tv commercials, prints ads and stage work.. (Laughs) No seriously, I don’t think I do anything more than any other artist who is trying to make a living from their craft. As a matter of fact I’d love to be busier than I am now. But say for instance, if I’m doing a film, and a client wants me for a tv spot or whatever, there always seems to be time to make both things work without sacrificing the creativity of either. Plus having a great team of people to work with doesn’t hurt either. For example, while I was recording my album and my agent called me with auditions, since I was at a studio anyway I just recorded it there and emailed them back to the agency. The album was ...

As the beloved voice of B.B. King’s Bluesville on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Big LLOU “that’s right..there are two L’s in his name” is heard daily by over 2 million listeners across the US and internationally. Not your average host, Big Llou ensures that your event attendees are fully engaged, informed and entertained. He is a professional, live event personality and entertainer whose folksy and bigger than life persona and voice, relates and connects with blues lovers worldwide. He is called upon regularly to host some of the biggest events in blues, including, The Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN and The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises and events for the Chicago Blues Fest. His acting career has seen him on the big screen in such films as “Barbershop I and II, Let’s go to Prison and more recently, “Dreams” to be released fall of 2011. He was also the on camera host for the BET’s “Ballers” with NBA superstar John Salley and the voice of Courtney Cox’ “Mix it Up” on the WE...