Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Pass It On Down , by Chris Beard and it's a super set of blues, soul and R&B tracks. Opening with funky, Let The Chips Fall , with Brother Wilson on rhythm guitar, Marvin Parker on bass, Carlton Campbell on drums, John Tucker on keys and featuring Chris Beard on lead guitar and vocal. Hot opener. Rocker, Big Girl , has influence of Santana and the Isleys with a solid melody and vocals, a rich lead guitar solo by Beard and backing by Richard Rodolph on bass, Quinn Lawrence on horns, Jonathan Curry on keys and Duane Beard on backing vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is House Of Shame with slashing lead guitar work and deep vocal by Beard. Backing vocals by Mary Ellen Haden really add the right element and Parker's bass lines and tight drum work by Campbell make this one of the nicest tracks on the release. Strong bluesy R&B track, Son I Never Knew , has a real nice groove with Beard trading off...

When you grow up in a house filled with the blues, when your father grew up on Beale Street, when music was in your DNA, then blues is who you are and what you do. Chris Beard is a modern blues guitarist and singer like few others. His personal connections to the blues were forged with the living blues men he’s sat with since childhood. Born in 1957, Beard is the son of Joe Beard, a fine blues guitarist who grew up on Beale Street in the 1950’s before moving to Rochester, NY. When family friends like Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Buddy Guy stopped by, young Chris became their willing pupil. After years playing the clubs in and around Rochester, Chris was offered the opportunity to record. In 1998, he released his debut recording, Barwalkin’, on JSP Records. That record earned Beard a W.C. Handy nomination as Best New Blues Artist. Chris produced his follow-up disc, Born To Play The Blues in 2001 to the critical acclaim of the blues press and earned Beard the title, Prince of the Blues. Then...