Gulf Coast Records artist: Jimmy Carpenter - The Louisiana Record - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Louisiana Record, from Jimmy Carpenter and it's a heaping bowl of Louisiana blues. Opening with Smiley Lewis' I Hear You Knocking, made popular by Dave Edmunds in the 70's. This track with all the trimmings has a real NO R&B feel with Carpenter on vocal and sax, Mike Zito on guitar, Casandra Faulconer on bass, Wayne Maureau on drums and John Gros with excellent piano and organ work. Super start. Carpenter blows a solid intro on Something You Got and his vocals really work nicely with spot on piano work by Gros. Another track with great piano rolls is Travelin' Mood and Carpenter balances his vocal with sax lead and Zito's slide work really adds some nice grease. With a Latin drum rhythm, Cry To Me really shows Carpenter's lead vocal qualities and his sax soloing balanced with Zito's guitar articulation really works nicely. Earl King's Those Lonely Lonely Nights is another classic NO R&B tracks with soulful vocals by Carpenter and solid piano rhythm by Gros. His sax solo adds some real nice icing to the cake. Wrapping the release is Lee Allen's Rockin' At Cosimo's with a real second line rhythm by Maureau on drums. Carpenter takes it all the way with sax on lead melody and Zito, Faulconer and Gross for an excellent closer. 

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Short Stack Records artist: Johnny Sansone - Into Your Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Into Your Blues, from Johnny Sansone and it's got great style. Opening with title track, Into Your Blues, Johnny Sansone on harmonica, resonator guitar and lead vocal sets a cool, slinky pace. With Mike Morgan and Johnny Burgin on electric guitar, Jeffrey Bridges on bass, John Milham on drums, Tom Worrell on piano, Chris Spies on B3, Brad Walker on sax, Steve Lands on trumpet and Michael Sinkus on congos, bongos and tambourine, this is a solid opener. On Chicago style blues, Pay For This Song, Sansone gets in the slot with a super low slung lope and guitar riff by Burgin. Sansone blows some of his classic harmonica riffs giving the track a real Chicago feel. Jason Ricci guests on Blowin' Fire, an up tempo blues rocker. With solid vocals by Ricci and his flaming harmonica style, this is a great addition. Little Freddie King is featured on vocal and guitar on Willie's Juke Joint, a simple John Lee Hooker style, primitive boogie. Driving, The Getaway, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Sansone back on lead vocal and harmonica. With it's stripped down feel and harmonica vamp, this is a cool track. Sansone lays into the slide Resonator on New Crossroads, another boogie track with a simple bottom by Milham and Bridges under Sansone on vocal. Single Room has a cool, swampy feel with Sansone on vocal and shimmery guitar work by Burgin and Morgan and great percussion work by Milham and Sinkus. Wrapping the release Southern Dream, is a solid acoustic instrumental with Sansone layered over himself on Resonator, slide resonator and guitar. This is a cool closer for a cool release. 

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Bywater Call - Remain - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Remain, from Bywater Call and it's a cool, modern, southern flavored, funk fused rocker. Opening with Falls Away, Meghan Parnell on lead vocal, shows clear command of the track with Dave Barns on guitar, Stephen Dyte on trumpet and trombone, Bruce McCarthy on drums, Mike Meusel on bass, Julian Nalli on sax and Alan Zemaitis on keys. I particularly like the stiff drum rhythm by McCarthy played against the lush slide work of Barnes. Great opener. Title track, Remain, has all of the components of a top radio track with it's sweet, memorable melody, strong vocals and instrumental arrangement with just the right amount of guitar. Let Me Be Wrong has a lot of sting with it's R&B beat and excellent vocals by Parnell and warm keyboard / vocal backing. Meusel sets a great bass posture on Sea We Swim and with McCarthy on drums, Zemaitis on keys and full horn support of Dyte. Parnell really swings it vocally making this one of my favorites on the release. Excellent! Bring It Back with a R&B flavored feel and powerful vocals by Parnell and punchy horn work by Dyte and Nalli give this track a firm base and Barnes cuts his guitar loose for a great ripping slide solo.  This really a cool release and one with broad appeal. Check it out. 

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Rochelle Records artist: The Hungry Williams - Let's Go! - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Go, from The Hungry Williams and it's a swinging R&B party. Opening with Mardi Gras Days, Kelli Gonzalez on lead vocal rides high on a real New Orleans flavor. With Mike Sieger on bass, Joe Vent on guitar, Jack Stewart on keys, John Carr on drums, Jason Goldsmith on sax and featuring Lech Wierzynski on trumpet this is an energetic track. You'd Better Find Yourself Another Fool, oozes 50's R&B and Gonzalez really nails it. A solid sax solo by Casimir Riley is the gem added to this really strong track. Big Maybelle's One Monkey Don't Stop No Show has always been an era favorite and with great vocals by Gonzalez and a sweet solo by Goldsmith, this is one of my favorites on the release. Goldsmith really wails on Oooh-wow, another New Orleans R&B classic featuring Vent on lead vocal. Wrapping the release is original track, 669 (Across the Street from the Beast). A basic swing jam, the band just lets it all hang out for a solid closer for a swinging release. 

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David Owen - Oh Suzana Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Oh Suzana Blues, from David Owen and it's solid acoustic country blues. Opening with Soul of a Sullen Man, David Owen on vocal, harmonica and guitar is joined by Dominic Davis on bass and Fats Kaplin on violin. Very nice in a Rev Gary Davis style. On All Folks Get The Blues, Owen takes to a Piedmont style picking, complimenting his vocal with harmonica with special guest Colin Linden adding guitar as well. Very nice. Bankruptcy Blues is a cool, delta style blues with Owen on vocal, harmonica and guitar. This track has a real Mali undertone giving it a rich delta feel. Title track, Oh Suzana Blues is a real simple country folk blues with it's straightforward approach and vocal dominance. Wrapping the release is So Lonesome Without You, a cool folk track featuring Owen on vocal and harmonica and Colin Linden on dobro. Nicely crafted and presented, this is a solid closer for a cool acoustic release. 

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Blue Moon Marquee - Scream, Holler & Howl - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Scream, Holler & Howl, from Blue Moon Marquee, and it's a cool blend of blues, swing gypsy jazz and more. Opening with title track, Scream, Holler and Howl, Blue Moon Marquee (A.W. Cardinal - vocal and guitar and Jasmine Colette - bass) gets this newest release (September 9, 2022) moving with a cool variation on a Howlin' Wolf theme with a spin. Backed by Darcy Phillips on Hammond, Matt Pease on drums Jerry Cook on sax this is a cool opener. Hound Dog On A Chain is a strong blues rocker with a driving bottom. With Colette on vocal and bass, and Cardinal on guitar really gets moving with a Booker T kind of sound complimented by Phillips' organ work. Lowlands has an early jazz sound with definite bluesy roots. With Colette on lead vocal and Bonnie Northgraves on sassy trumpet, this is a very cool track. Slinky, Come On Down really has a nice feel thanks to the snappy underpinnings by Pease on drums and Cook's bari sax work, complimenting the vocal work of Colette. Cool rag/gypsy jazz track, My Wild Rose is really cool with Cardinal back up front on lead vocal and a really nice synchronized gypsy style guitar soloing between Cardinal and Paul Pigat, with Phillips on piano, Colette on bass and Pease on drums. Very smart. Red Dust Rising is a solid blues track with Cardinal growling out the lead vocal. Philips piano really adds a classic blues character and Cardinal's guitar riffs add a modern authenticity. Wrapping the release is Another Night To Cry in classic blues styling. With Duke Robillard laying down a strong rhythm and Cardinal on guitar and lead vocal, over Phillips on piano, Colette on bass and Pease on drums this track is a fine closer. 

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The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer - Live at the King Eddy - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at the Eddy, by The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer and it's a great live concert. Opening with Cry A Little, a soulful rocker seeming like a boogie just waiting to bust loose features Shawn Hall on vocal and harmonica and Matt Rogers on guitar, backed by Andrina Turenne and Dawn Pemberton on backing vocals and Geoff Hilhorst on keys. With a solid bottom and raw guitar riffs, this is a solid opener. Roll with the Punches is a cool, Mississippi Hill Country flavored track with great harmonious vocals gives the track real feel. Love Me 'fore Ya Leave Me' is another hill country flavored, stripped down rhythm but with the addition of Hall's harmonica and rich backing vocals it gives the track a real full southern rock twist. Very nice. Father's Son has a real nice underlying funk over a basic stripped down rocker. Hall's harmonica work adds nicely to the feel and the gospel like vocal tension on the track makes it one of my favorites on the release. Wrapping the release is a cool, acoustic bluesy ballad featuring the strong vocals of Hall, Turenne and Pemberton. This is a real cool release and a definite check out suggestion. 

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Delmark artist: Dave Weld & the Imperial Flames - Nightwalk - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nightwalk, from Dave Weld & the Imperial Flames and the man knows how to boogie. Opening with Mary Who, Weld on lead vocal and guitar gets into a cool JL Hooker groove, backed by Harry Yaseen on piano, Kenny Pickens on bass, and Jeff Taylor on drums. One of favorite tracks on the release is slide guitar loaded, Red Hot Tabasco featuring Weld on lead vocal and slide over a Latin beat. With Tom Hambridge on drums and Tony Carpenter on percussion this track is caliente. I really like Now She's Gone with Graham Guest on B3, and featuring Bill Branch on harp and Weld with some of the wildest slide work on the release. Very cool! Donde Vas is another Latin flavored track featuring Monica Myhre on lead vocal and with Weld adding some key lead guitar work and a fat sax solo by Rogers Randle, Jr. backed by spicy brass work by Kenny Anderson on trumpet and Bill McFarland on trombone. Uptempo, Loving You is another solid boogie with plenty of Weld's notorious slide work, fueled by Pickens, Taylor and Yaseen. Wrapping the release is an extended mix of Mary Who, a solid groove with Weld fueling the band as they jam on for over 7 and a half meeting. Solid closer for an enjoyable release. 

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South Bay artist: Jack's Waterfall - American Roots Project - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, American Roots Project, from Jack's Waterfall and it's a cool mix of blues, rock, New Orleans, Latin and R&B music. Opening with New Orleans R&B influenced, Louise, Jack Licitra on vocal and piano has that traditional rolling piano style, with Trifon Dmitrov on bass and Mark Carpentieri on second line flavored drums. My Baby's Gone A Long Time has a contemporary vocal feel with just the right amount of funk by Dmitrov. Warmed by the organ addition and timed by the piano work of Licitra, this track has strong radio potential. Jack's Rag is a great little piano workout with a vintage feel. Another top track on the release is bluesy, West Texas Ghost Story, with it's strong melody, tight drum work and solid vocals. I've Been Listening really commands your attention with a strong melody, gospel like piano structure and nice vocals by Licitra. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Like An Eagle with it's blend of country and revival styles. 

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Green Bullet Records artist: The Jake Leg Jug Band - Live At Audley Theatre - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At Audley Theatre by The Jake Leg Jug Band and it's jammed full of hokum and rag style tunes. Opening with I Can't Dance (I've Got Ants In My Pants) featuring Jack Tasker on banjo and lead vocal, teamed with Duncan Wilcox on bass, Neil Hulse on guitar, Liam Ward on jug, Bryony Rose on washboard and backing vocal, and Alex Clarke on sax. On suggestive track, I Had To Give Up Gym, features Ward on vocal and harmonica with a light approach to the subject and with cool guitar soloing by Neil and sax by Alex. Slower paced, Fogyism features Bryony on lead vocal, bluesy harmonica work by Liam and cool clarinet answer by Alex. Cool, folksy Easy Ridin' Mama is a good closer for disc one with the band singing background vocals, cool harmonica by Liam over Jack on banjo and overlying sax by Alex. Opening disc 2 is Caught Us Doing It another suggestive track with just the right amount of jazz. A swinging sax solo by Alex over Jacks' mandolin work and a slick guitar solo by Neil makes this a great opener. One of my favorite tracks is My Pencil Won't Write No More that I know from old Muddy Waters tapes but this is likely a more authentic track. With a warm clarinet harmony by Alex and blended vocals, a very cool track. Classic, St James Infirmary opens with Duncan on bass just giving an outline of the track. This is a really nice arrangement with Alex on clarinet soaring over the track and bluesy additions by Liam on harmonica. Very nice. A sultry lead vocal offering by Bryony on  Sugar In My Bowl may be my favorite cover of this classic track with just the right amount of clarinet and sax by Alex. Wrapping the release is a rowdy cover of He's In The Jailhouse Now. With everyone in perfect synch with just the right amount of New Orleans style jamming, this is a solid closer. 

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Chuck Wright - Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky, from Chuck Wright and it's quite interesting. Opening with instrumental, The Weight of Silence, bassist Chuck Wright (ex Alice Cooper, Slash, Greg Allman, Quiet Riot) has a cool release on his hands. Featuring Allen Hinds with some soaring guitar lead, and backed by Luis Villegas on acoustic guitar, Ed Roth on B3, Tim Janssens on keys, Tom Hatziemanouel on electric guitar, and Scott Breadman on percussion, this is a super opener. Army of Me is a great track with an infectious bass line by Wright, reminiscent of  lines by Rhonda Smith and Tal Wilkenfeld of Jeff Beck fame. This driving bass line and the slap drumming by Griffin by set a perfect stage for vocalist, Whitney Tai, backed by Hatziemanouel, Walter Ino on Rhodes piano and Tim Janssens on synth. Excellent! Funk rocker, It Never Fails really has a great sound with a stiff drum line by Pat Torpey coupled with Wrights bass work and the screaming guitar work of Scotti Hill. Filling the band is Jeff Scott Soto on lead vocal, Eric Martin on backing vocal, Lanny Cordola on guitars, Jude Gold on lead guitar fills, Dave Schulz on clavinet and B3, Allen Moreno on lap steel and Dale Edward Chung on percussion. Farewell Horizon is a cool instrumental with lead melody by Toshi Yanagi on guitar, backed by Wright on acoustic guitar and bass, Jimmy Keegan on drums, Claudio Pesavento on moog, Koi Anuta on violin, Katja Rieckermann on bari sax and Griffin on percussion. Wrapping the release is a reprise of The Weight of Silence with an interesting arrangement featuring Wright on bass, keys and guitar, Derek Sherinian on mellotron, moog and Theremin, Ben Woods on flamenco guitar, Walter Ino on acoustic guitar and Griffin on percussion. This is a very cool release with a lot of instrumental teeth. Very nice. 

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Juke Joint Jonny & The Kindred Spirits - Just Folkin Around - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Folkin Around, by Juke Joint Jonny & The Kindred Spirits and it's a cool update on traditional blues. Opening with Muddy Waters' I Can't Be Satisfied, Jonny on vocal and National Steel Guitar, is joined by Steve Rusin on harmonica, Ben Bernstein on bass and Mike Stevens on percussion. Solid traditional style opener. Dylan's Tomorrow Was A Long Time is presented as a cool acoustic finger picker with Jonny accompanying his own vocal on guitar. On John Mooney's Dirty Rat, Jonny really kicks up the pace with slide on the national, rapid fire lyrics and tight backing by Rusin, Dave Peterson on bass and Stevens on percussion. Crafted by John Rizzo and Steve Rusin, Terre Haut Blues is one of my favorites with great fingerpicking and vocal by Jonny. Another of my favorites on the release is Taj Mahal's classic, Fishin' Blues. Jonny's voice is just perfect for this track and his picking technique works great! Closing the release is Leo Kottke's acoustic masterpiece, Sailor's Grave On The Prairie which is covered very nicely by Jonny. His patience on timing and slide techniques on his National Steel is solid and controlled. Very nice closer. 

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Thirty Tigers artist: Delbert McClinton - Outdated Emotion - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Outdated Emotion, from Delbert McClinton and it's a assemblage of the songs that influenced him the most. Opening with traditional folk track updated and made popular by Lloyd Price, Stagger Lee, McClinton uses mostly Price's arrangement and with a vocal intro by Robert Bailey, the likes of Yates McKendree on drums, Kevin McKendree on piano, Jim  Hoke on sax, and with vocal backing by Wendy Moten and Vicki Hampton this track is a solid opener. Jimmy Reed's The Sun is Shining and it's classic shuffle beat provides a great slot for McClinton vocally joined by Yates, Kevin and includes McClinton on harmonica. Little Richard's Long Tall Sally really gets up and goes with McClinton really feeling the lyrics, Yates on bass and drums, Kevin on piano and featuring Hoke on sax. Great track. One of favorite tracks on the release is Ray Charles' I Want A Little Girl and McClinton singing sweet soul with Kevin on piano and Yates on bass. Excellent! McClinton original, Connecticut Blues has a cool shuffle beat and a cool Mose Allison feel with Yates on drums and bass and Kevin on piano. Very nice. Hank Williams' Move It On Over throws a bit of country into the mix and McClinton on vocal is joined by Chris Scruggs on steel guitar, Mark Winchester on bass, Jimmy Stewart on flat top guitar, Wes L'Anglois on arch top, and Stuart Duncan on fiddle. Another McClinton shuffle, Sweet Talkin' Man has a great feel and McClinton really digs in vocally. Kevin plays piano, guitar, bass and drums on this track and it's really got feel. Wrapping the release is one final McClinton composition, Call Me A Cab, the one track that is an art piece that most every recent McClinton release seems to have and always catches my attention. Great closer. 

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StratCat Willie & The Strays - On A Hot Tin Roof - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, On A Hot Tin Roof, by StratCat Willie & The Strays and it's a mixture of blues and rock/rockabilly. Hot Tin Roof is a rocker with a rockabilly flair. Led by StratCat Willie Hayes on vocal and guitar this track is moving with Neal Massa on keys, JOHN Wilson on bass, Dave Fiorini on drums, Rich Graiko on trumpet, JOsh Cohen on sax, and Mabel Welch and Sing Trece on backing vocals. Way Too Fast is a hot footed shuffle with cool vocals and strong solo's by Cohen, Graiko and Hayes. I like the swampy feel of Redneck Woman with it's Creedance kind of feel and cowbell and drums by Dave Fiorini, Massa on organ and lots of guitar flair by Hayes. Bluesy Cryin' is classic with Hayes on lead vocal, working with his guitar in call and response.  Mezcal is a cool Latin rocker instrumental featuring Hayes just jamming out the lead. With tight backing by Vinnie Burvee on bass and Dave Salace on drums, this is a cool track. Wrapping the release is Chuck Berry influenced Runnin' With The Strays. With it's driving rock rhythm, supported by Massa on piano this is a solid closer. 

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Origin Arts artist: Randy Napoleon - Puppets: The Music of Gregg Hill - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Puppets: The Music of Gregg Hill and it's cool and relaxing yet instrumentally stirring. Opening with Andy's Lament, vocalist Aubrey Johnson leads the way with easy Brazilian style scat. Randy Napoleon takes the lead and runs with a really solid Kenny Burrell style fluid lead improvisation and chord display. Bassist, Rodney Whitaker gets the second lead and lays in a really nice solo of his own before the circle back to Johnson, backed by Quincy Davis on drums. Very nice opener. Pianist, Rick Roe sets the stage on Lyrica, another track with a loose, Brazilian feel and featuring the vocal work of Lament and really showcasing the tight drumming of Davis. Napoleon's lyric lead style on guitar is likely the root of the track title with it's free flowing melody continued by Roe on piano.  Still Life of a Tuba is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's casual bop styling. Roe takes a really expressive solo giving the track real meat. Wrapping the release is Bossa style Wide River featuring Johnson and Napoleon on a light pop jazz track. With it's sweet melody and solid delivery, the certain radio track of the release and a solid closer.

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Bible and Tire Recording Company artist: the Dedicated Men of Zion - The Devil Don't Like It - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Devil Don't Like It, by the Dedicated Men of Zion and it's really strong. Opening with Lord Hold My Hand, I am immediately thinking this may be the best opening track on any new release I've heard this year. The Dedicated Men of Zion, Anthony Daniels, Antwan Daniels, Marcus Sugg and Dexter Williams really have this track chugging. Backed by Will Sexton on guitar, Matt Ross-Spang on guitar, Mark Edgar Stuart on bass and Al Gamble on organ, these guys are on fire. Rock My Soul is another terrific track with excellent soulful lead vocal and rich, deep background vocals. God's Got His Eyes on You is a strong revival style gospel track that is high in energy and full vocal blending. R&B track, I'm Going Home has a firm bass line setting the pace and strong lead vocal and blues guitar riffs by Sexton and warm organ work by Gamble gives this track pure radio appeal. Wrapping the release is soulful ballad, I'm A Soldier in God's Army. These vocals ooze emotion and the overall track is very powerful making it an excellent closer for a really good release.  

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Quarto Valley Records artists: Bonham - Bullick - self titled - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review Bonham-Bullick's self titled release and it's a smooth blend of pop, rock, soul, R&B and country. Opening with See You Again, a certain radio composition with a solid melody and featuring Deborah Bonham on lead vocal and Peter Bullick on guitars, Gerard Louis on keys, Ian Rowley on bass, and hard Newman on drums. On Albert King's, Can't You See What You're Doing To Me, Bonham gets into a cool groove and Bullick lets his blues rock chops fly. Delving deeper into the blues, Charles Brown's Trouble Blues is rich with ambiance and Bonham really works it. Bullick's guitar phrasing is poised and soulful. Very nice. I particularly like the arrangement on When This World Comes to an End, with it's suspenseful setup and then how it breaks into a more outright rocker. Reminds me of a favorite blues rock track Religion by Ten Years After. It Ain't Easy, that was made popular by David Bowie back in the 70's holds it's basic arrangement but sounds great after all of these years with strong vocals by Bonham and solid guitar riffs by Bullick. Wrapping the release is ballad, The Changeling with some of the best vocal on the release and strong atmospheric guitar work by Bullick. Solid closer. 

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