Holly Hyatt - Wild Heart - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild Heart, from Holly Hyatt and it's a solid R&B release. Opening with Wild Heart, a smooth hi stepper with a great melody and inviting lead vocal by Hyatt. Backed by Brandon Smith on keys, Clinton Swanson on horns, Jon Burden on guitars, Billy Mendoza on backing vocals and Steve Wilson on drums, this is a super opener. Laying down a funky groove on bass, Hyatt not only writes all of her own material but sings lead (and backing vocals) on most of her tracks. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is soul track, Gravity with it's excellent bass line and lush vocals by Hyatt. This track stands head and shoulders above the balance of the release for me but it just hits a sweet spot. Excellent. Rainbows has a more contemporary pop feel with a strong melody and acoustic guitar and key backing over a less prominent bass line. Wrapping the release is With You Now, another more straight forward radio track a memorable melody and flowing electric piano and backing vocals carrying Hyatt's strong lead vocals. This is really a super release with rich vocal lead throughout. 

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Lucas Haneman Express - Catch The Westbound - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Catch The Westbound, by Lucas Haneman Express and it has strong commercial potential. Opening with Lay It To The Line, Lucas Haneman Express shows a country rock opener with solid vocals and guitar lead by Haneman, drums by Jeff Asselin, backing vocals by Megan Laurence and Martin Newman on bass. Megan has the lead on soulful ballad, Wicked Ride, with a great melody, solid guitar work by Haneman and overall strong radio appeal. Blues rocker, Devil's In My Grave, has a great rock beat and well blended vocals. Again, solid radio appeal a well written music. My favorite track on the release is blues rocker, Night Takes The Chances (For GD). It's slighty funky bottom and, tight guitar work and particularly cool lead vocals push this one to the top. Wrapping the release is cool, Piedmont style blues track, To Be Brave, with nicely articulated acoustic guitar picking and some of Haneman's best vocals on the release. With added percussion backing and backing vocals, this is a super closer for a real nice release.

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Harpdog Brown - For Love & Money - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, For Love & Money, from Harpdog Brown and it's a 40's & 50's New Orleans flavored trip. Opening with swinging, No Eyes For Me with a hard driving bass line by Jeremy Holmes and stiff drum sticking by Robert Vail  Grant under the rowdy vocals of Brown and a full horn section featuring William Joseph Abbott on alto sax, Skye Lambourne on trombone and Jerry Cook on Bari and tenor sax. The Comeback has a cool, low slung feel with rich Hammond work by Dave Webb and a nice sax solo by Cook. Boogie track, Reefer Lovin' Woman opens with a great muted trombone intro by Lambourne over a boogie piano riff by Webb. Brown really digs in on vocals getting the band ramped up and with a lot of finesse, Abbott hits nice clarinet solo followed by another great trombone solo by Lambourne. Harpdog whips out his harp and lets it wail topping off this great boogie. One of my favorite tracks on the release is soulful New Orleans style track, A New Day Is Dawning, with an excellent clarinet solo by Abbott and a grate overall New Orleans blues feel. Brandon Issak's I'll Make It Up To You has a great swing. This track may be the best highlight for Harpdog's vocals and again, Abbott's clarinet work is stellar. Wrapping the release is ballad, Sasha's Lullaby, highlighting Harpdog on vocal and lush horn work on the refrain. A real nice alto sax solo by Abbott and a crisp piano solo by Webb flesh out this strong closer. 

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Mister Goodfaith - Big Mistake - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Big Mistake, from Mister Goodfaith and it's a solid pop rocker rooted in the blues. Opening with Castaway, with it's cool melody and Nashville styling, Mister Goodfaith (aka physician Dr. Fabien Bonnefoy) shows a knowledge of songwriting and tight rhythms. With an emphasis on lead vocal and guitar solo turnarounds, Goodfaith keeps it light and tight. Break Up has a particularly cool hook with it's short guitar riff and harmonized refrain, simple by bluesy guitar soloing and tight drum work. I really like the loose, cavernous guitar tone on Wild Horses, compiled with it's sweet melody and single stroke drum rhythm. Never Again proves to be the strongest rocker with a driving guitar intro and radio ready melody. Goodfaith demonstrates over and over his ability to create interesting, well constructed tracks. Wrapping the release is title track, Big Mistake, another really nice track with a strong melody, tight guitar rhythms and clean drum work. A solid closer for a solid release. 

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Jay Kipps Band - How To Polish Your Longhorns - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, How To Polish Your Longhorns, from Jay Kipps Band and it's a cool blend of different style of music with a mutual theme of good stuff. Opening with Colt 45, a great western style instrumental track in the vein of Rawhide with a bit of Dick Dale mixed in. Chard Burford leads the charge with solid finger work and backing by Jay Kipps, Chris Lubker on bass and Cory Bruyea on drums. Low slung, funky blues, Rotten Apple Blues has deep rooted guitar riffs by Burford and Kipps, and Kipps own harp and vocals give it real texture. Big Old Engine is a cool, country style blues (think upbeat Grateful Dead) with slick guitar riffs, an aggressive bass line and smoking harp supporting Kipps masterful vocals. Very nice. Another twist is Sinister with it's tight pop rock style. If you know The Eagles of Death Metal, that's the format and Kipps really executes well. Gonzo (Live) is one of my favorite tracks on the release with adventurous abstract delivery. This track has spoken vocal lead and a great bass/guitar/drum unified dialog like a sort of Gunn/Crimson/Belew assembly. Excellent! Another live track, JJ Cales' Call Me The Breeze uses the pace of Skynyrd but with a more easy handed delivery like Cale's original.  Kipps vocal and harp attack over Burford's guitar riffs  is authoritative and confident.  Wrapping the release is surf (Dale) style track, Surffarie with bass and guitar lead and Dalesque runs. This is a cool closer to a totally enjoyable release. 

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Borealis Records artist: Michael Jerome Browne - That's Where It's At! - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, That's Where It's At!, from Michael Jerome Browne and it's quite fine. Opening with acoustic jazz instrumental, Don't Ask Me Why, Browne shows fleet fingered accuracy backed by the light and tight drum work of John Mc Colgan. Smoking opener with great chops. On shuffle track, Black Nights, Browne slips on the slide and settles down in a nice groove with bluesy vocals and again, Mc Colgan on drums. Harrison Kennedy joins on vocals on traditional delta blues styled Pharaoh, rich in tradition and earthy wealth. Very nice. Remember When is a cool folk ballad with clean acoustic picking and featuring vocal duet with Roxanne Potvin. Very clean. Rolling into Al Green's Here I Am (Come And Take Me) showing that Brown not only has the blues but a rich soul. His vocals are soulful and his guitar playing strong and supportive. Randy Newman's, Lousiana 1927, never sounded so sweet with solid vocals, intimate guitar soloing and sweet phrasing. Very nice. Where Is The Song? is a really nicely crafted closer for this truly remarkable acoustic folk/jazz/blues release. Browne's vocals and guitar work are very strong and his writing is really clean. Looking forward to hearing this on the home system at my leisure.

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Phoenix Records artist: Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin - Murder Creek - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Murder Creek, from Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin (cool name by the way) and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with 70's Brit style blues style rocker, This Old Dawg, featuring Murray Kinsley on lead guitar and vocal, Rod Williams on harp, Leigh-Anne Stanton on bass, Tom Bona on drums, Sonny Del Rio on horns & Jesse O'Brien on keys this band is standing on solid footing. Latin rhythms permeate Dance The Blues with cool, floating harp work by Williams working nicely with flowing guitar lead by Kinsley. Very nice. Electrifying slide work opens heavy bottomed, Trouble Coming, a cool, deep rocker with solid vocals and loose guitar and harp work. Interesting. Traditional blues styling on So Long, Too Soon, makes it the likely candidate for top track with soulful vocals and Kinsley's bluesiest guitar soloing on the release. Very nice. Bass driving rocker and title track, Murder Creek has a great bottom just begging for guitar and harp soloing. Wrapping the release is Freedom, a solid rocker with vocal work with Kinsley and Mary Jane Russell. Stanton really works the bass line and Williams' harp work adds to the tension as it builds to Kinsley's guitar soloing, taking the track home. Nice closer. 

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Canadian Blues & Roots Artist Michael Jerome Browne Announces New Album and Tour Dates

Canadian Blues & Roots Artist Michael Jerome Browne Announces New Album and Tour Dates

That's Where It's At! to be released on Borealis Records February 8, 2019

Michael Jerome Browne is a three-time Canadian Folk Music Award winner (Traditional Singer, 2015; Solo Artist, 2012 & 2008), Maple Blues Award winner (with 32 nominations since 1999), Kerrville (Texas) New Folk Finalist, four-time Juno Award Nominee in both the Roots/Traditional and Blues categories. He is a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter, and a living encyclopedia of American Roots music. That’s Where It’s At! is Michael Jerome Browne’s latest collection, focusing on soul music through the lens of a traditional blues player. Recorded largely live off the floor in Sherbrooke and Montréal (Québec) and Hamilton (Ontario), Michael’s fingerstyle guitar and warm, unaffected vocals are front and centre, accompanied only by John McColgan’s funky drumming on five songs. That’s Where It’s At! is the new album on Borealis Records, available February 8, 2019. This album focuses on the connection between blues and soul, the stripped-down accompaniment consisting only of Michael’s guitar, with drummer John McColgan on five tracks. Vocal guests include Harrison Kennedy, Roxanne Potvin and Eric Bibb. Five originals are mixed in with songs from Sam Cooke, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Al Green, and Stevie Wonder, as well as two spirituals from way back- the roots of gospel and soul. To celebrate and share this outstanding new recording, Michael Jerome Browne will be on tour throughout Canada in the coming months, starting with industry showcases at both Blues Summit Nine in Toronto and Folk Alliance International in Montreal. Upcoming Tour Dates Feb. 1 - 4 - Blues Summit Nine, Toronto, ON Feb. 13 - 17 - Folk Alliance International, Montreal, QC Feb. 21 - Mississippi Queen Foods, Hamilton, ON (w/special guest Harrison Kennedy) Feb. 22 - Hugh’s Room Live, Toronto, ON (w/special guest Harrison Kennedy, Michelle Josef on drums) Feb. 23 - Greenbank Folk Society, Greenbank, ON March 9 - La Vitrola, Montréal QC (w/John McColgan, drums) March 13 - Irene’s Pub, Ottawa, ON (w/special guest Harrison Kennedy, John McColgan on drums) May 3 - Rogue Folk Club, Vancouver, BC (w/Tim Williams, Cecile Doo-Kingue, Paul Pigat) May 4 - House Concert, White Rock, BC May 5 - 11- Hornby Island Blues Workshop May 12 - Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan, BC May 13 - Ground Zero Acoustic Lounge, Parksville, BC

Planned Obsolescencee Recording & Novelty artist: Rich Hope - I'm All Yours - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'm All Yours, from Rich Hope and it's quite interesting. Opening with It Comes Alive which reminds me of the Chambers Brothers, Rich Hope on vocal and guitar shows real rock drive backed by Adrian Mack on drums and vocals, Erik PH Nielsen on bass and vocals and Matt Kelly on keys. This track is a real throw back and a good one. Creepstone is a cool driving rocker with snappy drum work and a solid bass line. Hope has a cool guitar hand which lays down glistening riffs without the pyrotechnics. Very refreshing. La Iguana is a slower darker track with a wailing vocal, great bass line, rumbling organ and grinding guitar. This is really cool. 5 Cents A Dance is a solid rocker with an English feel from say the 60's (Manfred Mann/Kinks/ with a edgy punky feel). Excellent! Juke Boy Bonner's Runnin Shoes is up next with a definite edgy, rocky feel. I really like Hope's approach on this traditional blues number. Excellent rework with riding keys and driving rhythm. Wrapping the release is Heartbreaker, a laid back blues rocker with some stylized guitar riffs and Hope's loose, effective vocal style. I wasn't familiar with Hope prior to this review, but I really like his approach.

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Jim Dan Dee - Self Titled - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from Jim Dan Dee and I like it quite well. Opening with rocker, Save My Soul I can't not draw comparisons to Roger Waters with it's bottom driven rhythm, raucous vocal delivery by James Stefanuk and female backing vocals by Jules Cordosa, with drums by Shawn Royal and sax by Jason Sewerynek. Although I really don't think that this band sounds like Pink Floyd, a lot of the things that I like about it have a similar construction. Payday has powerful keyboard work by Jesse Karwat and solid guitar soloing by Stefanuk. Very nice! I love the soulful vocal lead on Just Cuz which just oozes richness and just the right about of backing vocal with deep sax work by Sewerynek and clean guitar solo lines by Stefanuk. Excellent! With it's John Lee Hooker romp, When You Move Like That There, is my favorite on the release with it's heavy handed drum and bass lines and all out feel. Excellent! Who doesn't love fat, distorted slide guitar and that's what you get on Killer with it's heavy tension. R&B track, Stand By My Woman is a solid radio track with a memorable melody and sultry sax lines by Sewerynek and and strong vocals by Stefanuk. Wrapping the release is blues rocker, Walkin Shoes with a heavy bottom and coolly distorted guitar lead.  Again, backing vocals by Cordosa and fluid finger work by Stefanuk play strongly in this power closer. Very nice. 

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Stony Plain Records artist: Colin James - Miles To Go - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Miles To Go, from Colin James and it's really good! Opening with Muddy Water's, One More Mile, Colin James puts a funky spin on it and it is a contemporary as they come. With Geoff Hicks on drums, Steve Pelletier on bass, Simon Kendall on Hammond, Chris Caddell on rhythm guitar and Steve mariner on harp, this track is a super opener. Another Waters track, Still A Fool maintains the basic Waters outline but with a solid bass line and fiery guitar riffs, another super addition. Very nice. Big Boy Crudup's Dig Myself a Hole has a super Little Feat, swampy funky feel with real nice slide by James and perfect backing vocals by The Sojourners. James original. I Will Remain, is really solid with a real nice drum track, glistening rhythm guitar, a soulful melody and excellent blues guitar lines bringing to mind BB King or Robert Cray. Excellent! Jessie Mae Robinson's Black Night is my favorite on the release with James' best vocals on the release. His guitar riffs are inspired and Chris Gestrin's piano work is crisp. Wrapping the release is an acoustic take on One More Mile with James on acoustic guitar and vocal with Coleen Rennison on backing vocal. This is a really nice closer for a very nice release.

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Deb Rhymer - Don't Wait Up - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Don't Wait Up, from Deb Rhymer, and it's quite good. Opening with shuffle track, Heartache and Trouble, Rhymer and her band of power features Kelly Fawcett on guitar, Andy Graffiti on drums, Clayton O' Howe on bass and a supple solo by Gene Hardy on sax. Elmore James' Cry For Me Baby, has great feel and vocal phrasing with Gary Preston on harp and styling guitar work by Fawcett. Very cool. Bluesy original pop track, Don't Wait Up commands the title track position and rightly so with it's catchy melody and radio appeal. Rhymer's vocals are smooth and Fawcett's guitar soloing clean and brilliant. Another cool shuffle track is There's The Door with excellent trombone work by Randy Oxford really shining bright on an already solid entry. Wrapping the release is slow blues ballad, Giving Me the Blues with Wynn Gogol on keys. Rhymer picks the right track for her closer, showcasing her best vocal effort on the release. Fawcett digs in nicely with a tight guitar solo wrapping up the excellent closer. 

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Canadian Blues Giant Harpdog Brown Shares Video for "Reefer Lovin' Woman"to Celebrate Legal Pot in Canada

Canadian Blues Giant Harpdog Brown Shares Video for “Reefer Lovin’ Woman” Released on October 17, the day pot was legalized in Canada View/Share video for "Reefer Lovin' Woman" here tinyurl.com/y985qk3k On October 17, Canadian blues singer/harmonica master Harpdog Brown celebrated the landmark occasion of Canada legalizing marijuana with the release of a new video for the track, “Reefer Lovin’ Woman”, from his forthcoming album (Spring 2019). The song is not an invitation or advocating that people ingest pot – it is simply a song about a guy who falls in love with a woman who partakes. It can be considered a social commentary as well, with the final line “that's all right with me.” For many, cannabis offers similar relief beyond the health benefits claimed by advocates of cannabis culture. “I wanted to write a fun song about one man’s acceptance of the fact that the one he fell in love with is an advocate of cannabis culture,” says Brown. When asked about his thoughts on legalization, he compared it to the prohibition of alcohol back in the day. “I believe it's long overdue. Deeming marijuana usage a criminal activity is insane in my opinion. I believe the information that supports the health benefits of cannabis over pharmaceuticals. I also believe that creating legal distribution channels would benefit Canada and communities through the taxes gained.  Eliminating the need of a black market is I think a good thing. Much like alcohol in the prohibition days, the people have spoken. Marijuana is already accepted in our culture. It’s time to take it out of the dark.” Vancouver-based Harpdog Brown has long been called a Blues Evangelist, and that’s a very fitting moniker. "I speak the blues like it's the truth, and it is,” he says. "I do feel like I'm a servant of the people. A missionary if you will. Music can heal people if they pay attention to the messages in these songs.”  Brown delivers those messages using the vintage sound whether it is with his lowdown classic blues band the Travelin’ Blues Show or with his new Uptown Blues Band.  Harpdog Brown is a gifted vocalist and an imaginative harmonica player who has earned a solid reputation as a real-deal purveyor of classic electric blues reminiscent of the old Chess Records and Sun Records of the late ‘40s and early ‘50s.  He has won three consecutive Maple Blues Awards for Harmonica Player of the Year (2014/2015/2016), the Fraser Valley Music Award, has three consecutive Western Canadian Music Awards Nominations, a Juno Nomination (Canada’s Grammy) and is the only Canadian to win the coveted Muddy Award. In 2016, he was nominated for 3 Maple Blues Awards (Harmonica Player, Male Vocalist and Album of the Year) for his latest release, Travelin’ With The Blues.  These days he’s been touring more and more as Harpdog Brown & the Uptown Blues Band - a vintage New Orleans Blues sound featuring slide trombone, keyboards, bass and drums and often a sax and clarinet. Still a vintage vibe, just a different vintage. Harpdog Brown Online www.HarpdogBrown.com Facebook https://facebook.com/HarpdogBrownLIVE

Blues Rocker Anthony Gomes to Release Peace, Love & Loud Guitars on October 19th

Blues Rocker Anthony Gomes to Release 13^th Disc

Peace, Love & Loud Guitars out October 19th

International Tour Underway

Anthony Gomes has been carving out his own space as an unapologetically rock-influenced bluesman and songwriter since first coming to national attention in the 1998. Gomes’ new record, Peace, Love & Loud Guitars, is the culmination of a life spent honoring blues traditions while never losing sight of his own identity. He writes memorable new songs that exist somewhere between Willie Dixon and Billy Gibbons. He stands his ground as a creative artist, not a derivative history lesson, and is eager to push the blues back into the mainstream.

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Gomes relocated to Chicago in the late 90’s. During a brief stint as a sideman for Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Gomes put together his own group and won the first annual Buddy Guy’s Legends “Best Unsigned Blues Band” competition in 1998. Later that year, Gomes released his debut CD, “Blues in Technicolor,” which introduced him as a guitar-slinger loaded with impressive firepower. On 2002's “Unity”, he accomplished the album's title with a heavy mix of styles leading Bandit Blues Radio to name it one of the “Top 30 Essential Blues Albums” of all time. Gomes was elevated to the top of the blues field just one year later when BluesWax Magazine named him “Artist of the Year,” a nomination he would claim for several years in a row due to his endless commitment and touring. “Music Is the Medicine” (2006) peaked at number four on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart, only to be outdone by LIVE (2008) debuting at number one. The accolades continued, with “Up 2 Zero” (2012), “...Before The Begining” (2013) and Electric Field Holler (2015) all claiming real estate on Billboard’s Top 10 Album chart and critics ‘best of’ lists.

Gomes has taken his blues to 17 countries and performed with luminaries like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Robert Plant, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Joe Bonamassa, .38 Special, Jonny Lang, Robert Cray, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. His high-level guitar, vocal, and songwriting skills have made him one of the top drawing artists in the blues/rock world. His 2015 release Electric Field Holler, debuted at Number Three on the Billboard Blues Chart and he has had five records make the Top Ten there, including 2008’s Live, which debuted at Number One and his song “Love Sweet Love” has racked up over 3.5 million plays on Spotify.

Fresh from his victory at the European Blues Awards for “Best Musician/Live Performance” comes Anthony’s latest Peace, Love & Loud Guitars. He bares heart and soul on “Come Down,” a modern work song with the startling plea “Come down from heaven B.B. King, cause this kingdom has no king.” “White Trash Princess” describes a princess from “Texarkana” who “keeps a loaded gun, right next to her bible,” for a memorable aural portrait of a femme fatale. Gomes always crafts memorable content, with the grinding slow drag “Blues in the First Degree” a prime example. Over industrial strength crunch guitars he modulates his voice from accusingly corrosive to purringly sweet while a soaring guitar solo with cascading finger tapping nails the indictment. Gomes waxes tender on “You Are Amazing”, a classic R&B ballad that should become a standard. The anthemic blues-rock of the hopeful title track could be a new motto for the post-Woodstock generation, replacing the “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” hedonism of yore. Acknowledging the past, Gomes pays tribute to Robert Johnson while creating his own crossroads legend on “Stealin’ from the Devil.” Anthony Gomes has nothing left to prove while leaving all his passion on the table. Nonetheless, he continues striving to not only find the legendary “lost chord,” but the ultimate combinations of words, notes and performance.

Peace, Love & Loud Guitars out October 19^th

Terry Blersh - Play It All Day - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Play It All Day, from Terry Blersh and it's a nice mix of cool tracks. Opening with Treat Me Right with it's Latin rhythm, Blersh on lead vocal flashes some real tasty guitar riffs over Shamakah Ali on drums, Collin Barnett on bass Michael Fonfara on Hammond and lance Anderson on piano. Nice opener. Charging right into R&B track, It's All Right, this track is all about rhythm with Garth Vogan on bass, Al Cross on drums, Anderson on keys, Art Avalos on percussion and smoky sax work by Gene Hardy. The vocal blending of Blersch and John Finley is really super. With a fusion of jazz and R&B and slick guitar lead, title track, Play It All Day, is a top radio choice with really nice backing vocals by Quisha Wint. The Girl Outside My Window has a cool island/reggae/tex mex feel with John Mays on vocal and Denis Keldie on accordion. Boogie track, King Creole has a super stride with solid vocals, tight bass lines by Dennis Pinhorn and stylized guitar work by Blersh with nicely articulated piano work by Anderson and nice horn compliment by Simon Wallis. Tex Mex track, Early Morning Rain has a particularly soothing feel with soft vocals and harmonies and mandolin by Jimmy Bowskill, Keldie on accordion and rimshots by Cross. very nice. One of the nicest tracks on the release is ballad, Only One with an extremely rich melody and certainly the best vocal track on the release with only minimal backing. Excellent! Wrapping the release is I'll See You In My Dreams with a cool "Chet Atkins" feel. Accompanied by Bowskill on mandolin, this is a super closer for a really entertaining release. 

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Carolyn Fe - Sugat Ko - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sugat Ko, by Carolyn Fe and like every release I've heard by Fe, it's interesting and different. Opening with One Minute To Midnight, with it's somber tone, frank lyrics and minimal backing with percussion, bass and keys, Carolyn goes her own way. Rocker, I Can't Breathe, shows a heavier dose of electric guitar and moody vocals with rock solid guitar and a driving bass line. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Sugar with a loose, aloof vocal style not unlike Lou Reed over an interesting jagged rock sound. Really cool. Another fresh track, Bring You Water has a bit of a swagger with a grinding bass /drum line and strong guitar lead. Howzat is an interesting composition with almost spoken lead vocals but with an underlying melody led on bass and really cool guitar and keys soloing giving the track a bit of an avantgarde feel. Very nice. Rag style, Nothin' Doin', has a nice easy pace with slide, acoustic  guitar, bass and simple vocals. Sweet and simple. Wrapping the release is Prayer with firm warm blended deep vocals and Fe's solitary voice over piano. Filling in as it builds with key/strings and percussion, this is the epic finish. 

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Gypsy Soul Records artist: Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar - Run To Me - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Run To Me, by Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar and it's got a cool R&B vibe. Opening with You're The Love, an edgy R&B ballad with a solid radio hook, strong vocals by Martin, Sherie Marshall and Mwansa Mwansa and really cool guitar work by Curtis Chaffey and Michael McCallum and tight backing by Steve Marriner on keys, Darcy Yates on bass and Dani Nash on drums. Cool opener. Another track with solid vocal and a strong hook is Will We Ever Learn with glass clean guitar rhythm and cool organ by Marriner. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Wanna Be Your Lover with just the right amount of lag in Martin's vocal delivery. Melodies are all strong on this release and this track is no exception, cushioned by guitar reverb and smooth vocal backing. Horn soaked, Over You, has really nice construction with soul and gospel feel with rich backing vocals and Shamus Currie on Trombone, Andrew Moljgun on sax and Thomas Moffett on trumpet. Very nice! Only So Much is a particularly soulful ballad with nice tension added by Marriner on organ and a stylistic guitar solo making this another of my favorites on the release.  Wrapping the release is All Night Long, an uptempo R&B track with nice vocal blending. This is a really nice release by Martin that should win her more accolades and a lot more fans.

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Ottawa’s JW-Jones Releases First Live Album on September 28, 2018

Ottawa’s JW-Jones Releases First Live Album on September 28, 2018

Canadian and USA tour dates announced

New Video:  JW-Jones - LIVE (Official Promo Video) here The improv magic you hear on JW-Jones’ 10th album, Live, is the spark that has awakened new sonic frontiers for the veteran Maple Blues Award-winning Ottawa bluesman.  “I cranked up my overdrive in concert one night for fun, and it opened up this new world of ideas for me,” admits the JUNO-nominated Jones, whose searing axemanship has been praised by Blues Revue Magazine as “a fluid amalgam of T-Bone Walker’s big, bright chords; Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s slashing leads and Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown’s jazzy sting.”  “I felt a new sense of freedom.” That sense of freedom resonates through Live, an exciting collection of 11 previously-unreleased songs lovingly recorded over two nights at a sold-out Gatineau, QC theatre by producer Zach Allen, fresh off his Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy Award victory for the Taj Mahal/Keb’ Mo collaboration TajMo.  “This album is a big departure for me,” Jones explains. “Especially on songs like ‘I Don’t Believe A Word You Say’ and ‘Moanin’ at Midnight:’ both of those songs clock in at over six minutes and I’m playing that overdriven guitar in a way I’ve literally never played on record before.”  As he continues to evolve as one of Canada’s most versatile bluesmen, with one foot in the terra firma of the traditional blues espoused by the likes of Howlin’ Wolf sideman Hubert Sumlin and harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite (who both guested on Jones’ memorable Midnight Memphis Sun, recorded at the historic Sun Studio) and blues contemporaries Robert Cray, for whom the JW-Jones band has occasionally opened, he continues to challenge and raise his standards through his recordings and the 130 dates on average yearly that he clocks in on the road.  With the last JW-Jones studio project, the Colin Linden-produced High Temperature, capturing the coveted Memphis Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge honours for Best Self-Released CD, the frequent resident of Billboard’s Top 10 Blues charts and Canadian roots radio favourite continues to accelerate his career momentum to new heights, whether it’s as a personally-requested sit-in with the likes of blues legend Buddy Guy, opening for blues rock icons Johnny Winter and George Thorogood or entertaining thrilled audiences in 23 countries and four continents.  “Audiences get excited because it’s all so organic,” notes Jones, who stretches out on Live with his Goldtop Gibson Les Paul. “The blues is such a universal language, and the fact that we never play the same solo twice just adds to that vibrant energy, which I think we really capture on this album.”  Live also embraces Jones’ continuing appreciation of modern days blues music, best illustrated by the album’s opening number, a rendition of Robert Cray’s “A Memo (Nothin’ But Love.)” “The first time I heard that tune, written by Robert’s bass player, Richard Cousins, I fell in love with it,” says Jones. “It’s a really great contemporary blues song because it doesn’t sound traditional and it’s got a great chorus and harmonies. Robert saw a video of our version and gave us the thumbs-up.” It also represents progress, reflecting Jones’ growing modern tastes.  “When I first started out, I studied old blues records and wanted to be accepted by my heroes. I wanted them to notice that I was staying authentic to the sound. Over the years things have changed, and I want to play and write music that moves me, even if it doesn’t sound like a Chicago blues tune cut in 1956. I feel that I need to play the music that speaks to me personally.”    An additional highlight is the inclusion of the JW-Jones showstopper – the 17-song medley that rifles through snippets of classic guitar riffs backed by the energetic support of 2018 Maple Blues Award Bassist of the Year Laura Greenberg and the inimitable Will Laurin on drums.  “It’s been a staple of our live show for years,” says Jones. “People have been asking us to record it forever, so now we’ve finally captured it for everyone to enjoy!” And everyone will enjoy Live, an album for the ages that captures the JW-Jones lightning in a bottle. - Nick Krewen  (freelance contributor for Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, Grammy.com, and Billboard)  QUOTES “This young man is one of the people who will keep the blues alive” - Buddy Guy (7 time Grammy winner)  “His evolution as a musician and vocalist shine through... JW is the real deal." - Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones)  "This is an amazing blues band" - Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues)  TRACK LISTING  1.  A Memo (Nothin’ But Love)  (5:04) 2.  Need You So Bad  (4:05) 3.  I Don’t Believe A Word You Say  (5:59) 4.  Moanin’ At Midnight  (9:37) 5.  Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You  (3:42) 6.  Early Every Morning (4:20) 7.  You’re Gonna Need Me  (4:41) 8.  Catch That Teardrop  (4:46) 9.  That’s Alright  (5:25) 10. Way Down Inside  (3:08) 11. I Might Not Come Home At All / Medley  (5:25) JW-JONES – LIVE ALBUM - TOUR 28-Sep   Live On Elgin – Ottawa, ON  CD Release Party 29-Sep   Van Aukens Inn – Old Forge, NY 30-Sep   Wakeley’s – Utica, NY 10-Oct    Buddy Guy's Legends - Chicago, IL 11-Oct     Shank Hall - Milwaukee, WI 12-Oct     Ore Dock Brewing Company - Marquette, MI 13-Oct     Famous Dave's - Minneapolis, MN 14-Oct     Ramada By Wyndham - Bismarck, ND 16-Oct     Blues on Whyte - Edmonton, AB 17-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 18-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 19-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 20-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 21-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 22-Oct     Wild Bill's Saloon - Banff, AB 23-Oct     The Dream Café - Penticton, BC 25-Oct     The Flying Steamshovel & Gastropub - Rossland, BC 26-Oct     Finley's - Nelson, BC 27-Oct     Osborne Bay Pub - Crofton, BC 28-Oct     Guilt & Co - Vancouver, BC 1-Nov      Torch Club - Sacramento, CA 2-Nov      Poor House Bistro - San Jose, CA 3-Nov      Covo La Jolla - San Diego, CA 4-Nov      O'Hennings - Bakersfield, CA 8-Nov      Sand Dollar Lounge - Las Vegas, NV 9-Nov      Private Party - San Diego, CA 10-Nov     Tucson Blues Society - Venue TBA - Tucson, AZ 16-Nov     Katie's - Bacliff, TX 17-Nov     Big Easy - Houston, TX

Angel Forrest - Electric Love - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Electric Love, from Angel Forrest and it's strong. Recorded live at Centre des Arts Juliette-Lassonde in Quebec this is a powerful numbered and signed limited edition. Opening with All The Way, a funky blues rocker, Angel Forrest projects live right through the player. Joined by Alec McElcheran on bass, Sly Coulombe on drums, Denis Coulombe on acoustic guitar,  and with slick guitar soloing from Ricky Paquette, this is a strong opener. On Janis Joplin's Piece Of My Heart, Forrest shows a genuine likeness to Joplin's own performance of this trademark track with able backing vocals by McElcheran, Paquette and Coulombe.  Traditional folk track, The House Of The Rising Sun, made popular by Eric Burdon in the 60's gets a nice makeover with stinging guitar work by Paquette. Excellent! Wrapping side one is smoky Move On with a cool driving beat, swaying feel and stylized guitar work by Paquette. Nice closer. Roll On Down has a country swagger but an almost gospel vocal intro. Forrests vocals are cool and Paquette opens it up with fiery rock riffs. Country rocker, Hold On Tight, Mr. I'm Alright may be my favorite track on the release with a powerful bottom, strong guitar riffs ang great vocals. Crucify is a super ballad with strong vocals from Forrest and terrific guitar soloing from Paquette. Excellent! Kris Kristofferson's Bobby McGee is up next maintaining much of Kristofferson's original feeling and Joplin's bluesy interpretation nicely showcasing Forrest's voice and Betts like guitar soloing by Paquette. Pulling out the stops for the closer, an extended jam on Ruth Brown's  Mama, You Treat Your Daughter Mean / Led Zep Whole Lotta Love. The band fuses the two dynamo tracks together into one 15 minute jam with power, feeling and rock. Solid closer to a very enjoyable release. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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