Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Got Started , from Jimmy Carpenter and it's a cool mix of blues, R&B and rock. Opening with title track, (Feels Like) I Just Got Started , Jimmy Carpenter sings soulful vocals and plays warm sax, joined by Dwayne, Walter and James Morgan on vocals, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Kid Andersen on guitar, Jim Pugh on keys and D'mar Martin on drums. Solid radio style opener. On Willie Dixon's My Babe , Carpenter plays a dynamic sax opener, backed by Mike Galisatus on trumpet, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and Endre Tarczy on piano and a flashy guitar solo by Kid. Hot sax work and a swinging drum/bass line is the trick on this one. Nice! Hot, honking sax track, Jimmy Shimmy is boosted by wild organ work by Pugh and flashy guitar styling by Bobby Vega. Smokin! Allen Toussaint's funky, Night People , has a great groove, anchored by Vega on bass and D'Mar on drums. Carpenter really gets it working with sassy sax ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent releases, Spirits , by Kid Andersen and Soul , by Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner released together as a single release (2 discs) and it's great! Opening with slow blues, The Civilized Life , Kid Andersen opens with some of the most powerful music to come out of Greaseland Studio. Andersen is a talented musician across the board and his guitar playing and lead vocals here are really strong. Endre Tarczy on bass, Chris Burns on keys and Mike Rinta on trombone, Dr Aaron Lington  and Stevie Gurr on harmonica add great texture to this excellent opener. Blind Willie Johnson's Nobody's Fault But Mine gets a really nice rework with a slinky feel courtesy Dave LeMieux on drums and Kid on guitar, bass and lead vocal shared with Lisa Leuschner. Check out the outrageous slide guitar work by Kid on Hey, Little Reaper , a Chicago style blues romp with solid harmonica work by Nic Clark and Charlie Musselwhite, coupled with B...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Montreux Years , from Etta James and it's dynamite. Opening with Breakin' Up Somebody's Home , Etta James hits like a truck on lead vocal, supported by Herman Roscoe Ernest III on drums, Ronnie Buttacavoli on trumpet, Bobby Murray on guitar, Josh Sklair on guitar, Bobby Vega on bass, Kraig Kilby on trombone, Richard Howell on sax, David Matthew on keyboards, Donto James on percussion and Claude Nobs on harmonica. Great opener. Emotionally charged, A Lover Is Forever , is a quiet contrast to the opener with James wooing the mic over the electro acoustic guitar work of Murray and Sklair. Very nice. Rockin, Tell Mama , has great drive, with hot vocal by James, backed by Klaus Doldinger on sax, Lew Soloff on trumpet, Rick Wakeman on keys, David Fathead Newman on sax, Brian Ray on guitar, Richard Tee on keys, Steve Ferrone on drums and David Lowrey on bass. R&B track, Something's Got A Hold On Me gets a...