Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Brighter Days , from Grand Marquis and it's a blues/jazz fusion party. Opening with Another Lover , lead vocalist Bryan Redmond has a R&B/world sound with a delivery like Van Morrison. With Chad Boydston on trumpet, Redmond on sax, Trevor Turla on trombone, Ryan Wurtz on guitar, ben Ruth on bass and Fritz Hutchison on drums, these guy have the sound like BST and ska. With a Latin rhythm, I'm On Fire , the band fuses that horn fusion sound with the hot sax work of Jr Walker. Very nice. New Orleans flavored, Night Shift has silky vocals and I love the sousaphone work of Ruth, highlighted by Boydston on trumpet, Redmond on sax and really cool trombone solo by Turla. It Don't Matter is a real nice, horn laden, blues track that highlights the nicely blended horn voices of the band. Excellent. Jimmy Cliff's Many Rivers To Cross is transformed into a soulful, gospel like track with rich horn backing and c...