Bman's Blues Report

LESLIE WEST PRESENTS DEAN MISSISSIPPI QUEEN GUITAR TO LONG-TIME FAN AND MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER PAUL ALLEN WEST TO RELEASE SOUNDCHECK ON NOVEMBER 20 Album Features West Joined By Jack Bruce, Brian May, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Bramlett, Max Middleton And Others EPK: New York, NY -- On Thursday evening at BB Kings in New York City, Leslie West welcomed long-time fan and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.  Pictured below are West and Allen, shortly after the guitarist presented one of his signature model guitars to the historical figure.  On November 20, Leslie West will release Soundcheck via Provogue / Mascot Label Group, his latest studio recording which features appearances from Jack Bruce, Brian May, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Bramlett, Max Middleton and others. West will celebrate his 70th birthday on October 22. www.lesliewestofficial.com www.facebook.com/lesliewestmountain

I just received the newest release (November 20, 2015), Soundcheck , from Leslie West , and it has a new flavor and hot riffs from the guitar ace. West's 16th release opens with Left By The Roadside To Die , a classic rocker augmented by David Biglin on synthesizer. West is really looking at multiple textures adding acoustic slide guitar, and powerful electric guitar riffs to his own rugged vocals making this a great opener. Tracy Chapman's Give Me One Reason gets a power rock rewrite with the vocals kept on the lower side and the guitar doing a nice response to his vocal call. Here For The Party is a straight ahead rocker with West leading the charge vocally. His classic distorted guitar tone and driving bottom makes this a great rocker. A real interesting minor key version of traditional ballad, You Are My Sunshine , with only basic keyboard setup and featuring Peter Frampton trading solos with West on slide. Very nice! AC/DC tribute, Empty Promises/Nothin' Sacred fe...

Bonnie Bramlett is at full throttle and the vocal engine that propelled her into musical history books is as fine-tuned as ever. Bonnie was born in Alton, Illinois, and grew up in East St. Louis. At 14, she was allowed to sing on Gaslight Square, a St. Louis nightclub area much like the French Quarter in New Orleans. She was groomed by the best - Jazz greats Stan Getz, The Quartet Tres Bien, Herbie Mann, Miles Davis, and Nat and Cannonball Adderly gave her a musical foundation par excellence. But it was her love for rhythm and blues that brought her to the attention of Albert King and Little Milton. She made musical history as the first white Ikette for Ike and Tina Turner. When she expanded her career and moved to Los Angeles in 1967, she met Delaney Bramlett and married him seven days later. Delaney & Bonnie & Friends shared the stage with "Friends" that included Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, George Harrison, Dave Mason, Rita Coolidge, Gram Parsons and John Lenn...