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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
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Showing posts with label Cleopatra Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleopatra Records. Show all posts
Blues, Rock & Metal Guitar Slingers
Salute Legend Jeff Beck On A Newly Reissued Collection!
Includes performances by Def Leppard’s
Phil Collen, Mötley Crüe’s Mick Mars, Toto’s Steve Lukather, and blues icon
Walter Trout plus George Lynch, Jake E. Lee and more!
Los Angeles, CA -
Some of the world’s finest guitarists offer a master class in the arduous art
and subtle science of playing Jeff Beck songs on Jeffology: A Guitar
Chronicle, a collection of extraordinary cover versions of Beck’s
best-known songs, played with all the fevered intensity and dynamic skill these
virtuosos could muster. The album will be reissued with all new artwork by
Deadline Music this October 2.
Founding member of platinum selling UK
hard rockers Def Leppard, Phil Collen, offers a stunning and emotional
interpretation of the gorgeous ballad “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers,” while
blues man Walter Trout burns the house down with his rendition of “Blues
Deluxe.” Former Ozzy axeman Jake E. Lee takes listeners on a face-melting ride
through the blazing stunner “Rice Pudding” and main Crüe man Mick Mars provides
the brilliant album closer. Each performer brings their own unique guitar
playing personalities to these compositions pulled from a wide range of Beck’s
career, showcasing both Beck’s under-heralded accessibility as well as his
inimitable stylistic panache. Guitar players of all stripes and skill levels
will find plenty here to hone their chops on, while Beck fans the world over
will not want to miss this thoroughly satisfying listening experience!
Los Angeles
- The estate of Blues Harp Legend Junior Wells has been entrusted to L.A.
based record label Cleopatra Records in a newly announced arrangement.
The deal was made
between Cleopatra owner Brian Perera, represented by the law offices of Evan S.
Cohen, and executor Martin Salzman, on behalf of Junior Wells’ daughter Regina
Brown and includes sound recordings as well as publishing from Wells’ wide
ranging catalog between his first recordings in the 1950s until his death in
1998.
In addition to
the sound recordings and publishing which includes unreleased masters,
Cleopatra also purchased a variety of personal artifacts from the Blues legend,
including his harmonicas, performance outfits, hats, canes, notes, photos and
personal journals.
“We’re very
excited to enter into this deal and be a part of the one of the all time icons
in American Blues history, “ said Perera. “We intend to keep the Junior
Wells legacy alive with a variety of releases as well as merchandise and
branding partnerships in the years to come.” Look for releases from Junior
Wells and other blues artists such as Eric Gales, Shuggie Otis, and Harvey
Mandel on the newly launched Cleopatra Blues imprint.
Junior Wells,
real name Amos Wells Blakemore Jr. (December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998), was
an American Chicago Blues vocalist, harmonica player and recording
artist. In addition to his many solo recordings on labels such as States,
Chief, Profile, Delmark, Vanguard and Telarc, Wells was also known for his
collaborations in performances as well as recordings with artists such as
Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison and the
Rolling Stones.
Junior Wells is a
member of the Blues Hall of Fame. His albums, Hoodoo Man Blues (1966),
It’s My Life Baby (1966) and Blues Hit Big Town (1977), as well as his single
“Messin’ With The Kid (1960),” are in the Blues Hall of Fames in the Classics
of Blues Recording category. He has also received several honors and
awards from the Blues Hall of Fame including, Best Historical Album and
Traditional Blues Album of the Year.
I just received the newest release, Carnegie Hall 1971 from Canned Heat and it's a living snapshot of a great live band at it's peak with one of the kings of the blues! Opening with the slinky, Framed, Bob Hite speaks the lines and belts out the chorus. Backed on lead guitar by Henry Vestine, Fito de la Parra on drums, Joel Scott Hill on guitar and Antonio de la Barreda on bass this is a great track! Classic Heat, Let's Work Together is up next and a classic Heat jam. Vestine takes a cool lead solo but this track is all about the mystique of Heat. Hey Babe features the one and only John Lee Hooker on vocal and guitar. There are few vocalists to my hearing that deliver the blues like Hooker and this track spells it out in spades. One of the difficulties that I have complained about with Hooker in a larger band setting was the band's inability to capture Hooker's real sound and trying to make all of his measures even and equal. Hooker's sense of timing is not harmed here and Heat follows the master like a hound on a rabbit. Excellent! Shake 'N' Boogie is an extended track (in excess of 19 minutes) with Hooker leading the way. The track breaks about 7 minutes in for a frenzied guitar solo by Vestine. Cranking this track up to the end is Canned Heat's inspiration by Hooker. A true boogie with loose solos including a longer solo by de la Parra on drums. A great driver! Willie Dixon's Back Door Man is up next opening with a lot of guitar distortion and loose playing. Maturing into a loaded jam, this track is the embodiment of Heat jamming during it's prime. Hooker takes the lead once again for one of his own creations, Tease Me Baby. This track, showing one of Hooker's tracks with a blues rock base, gives the band the opportunity to close this performance with an upbeat rocker while still featuring the super power of JL Hooker. I tight little rocker and a sure closer for a cool live release.
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I just received a new, never before released, Stockholm 1973, by Canned Heat and it's really super. Featuring Bob "The Bear" Hite on vocals, Henry "The Sunflower" Vestine on guitar, Adolfo 'Fito" La Parra on drums, James Shane on guitars, Richard Hite on bass and Ed Beyer on keys this lineup rocks! Opening with Let's Work Together the band really gets the audience cranked up. Driving bass line, organ solo, jamming guitar and bear on vocals how could you go wrong. Next up is the ever popular boogie On The Road Again. Hite leads off with wailing harp and never looks back. This band had jam in it's blood and that's exactly what it does. Very cool. Harley Davidson Blues has that country style blues that lets you sit back in your seat and just smile. With Hite's yodeling vocal and again jam like instrumental this track is a good pacing point for the concert as a whole. Election Blues slows the pace down nice and easy. At over 10 minutes, this jam has really super extended guitar and piano soloing giving the band a nice opportunity to shine bright. Excellent! So Long Wrong is a strong blues rocker with gritty vocals from Hite. Wailing guitar soloing on this track stretches the band a bit and trading with keyboard player Beyer gives this track a solid anchor. Shake 'N' Boogie is a solid boogie that lasts more than 14 minutes. Along with Vestine and Shane even Richard Hite and Fito get some pretty extended solos on this track. Canned Heat at it's best! Wrapping the release is another slower blues track along the lines of Jimmy Oden's Going Down Slow ... Goodbye For Now. Hite does a super job on vocals and this develops into a very hot albeit truncated blues jam.
This is a very cool release showing Canned Heat really jamming and one of the best I can recall.
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”
Cleopatra Records To Release Three
Unreleased Live Albums By Blues Rock Legends Canned Heat Los Angeles - Cleopatra Records are happy
to announce the release of three unreleased live albums by legendary blues rock
band Canned Heat! Canned Heat is an American blues/boogie rock band that formed
in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. The group has been noted for its own
interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest
in this type of music and its original artists. It was launched by two blues
enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, who took the name from Tommy Johnson's
1928 “Canned Heat Blues”. After appearances at the Monterey and Woodstock
festivals at the end of the 1960s, the band acquired worldwide fame.
Canned Heat with John Lee Hooker -
Carnegie Hall 1971Release date – April 14, 2015 Canned Heat teamed up with blues legend
John Lee Hooker for the classic 1971 double album Hooker n' Heat and embarked on
a subsequent historic tour together that has been captured here in all its
glory!This vintage set shakes and boogies with tons of authentic blues rhythms
including the fantastic “Back Door Man” and “Let’s Work Together” as well as the
Hooker-led bonus track “Tease Me Baby!” Available on both CD and limited edition
green vinyl, and packaged with liner notes by Dave Thompson with a brand new
interview by Heat drummer Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra! 1. Framed 2. Let’s Work Together 3. Hey Babe 4. Shake ‘n’ Boogie 5. Back Door Man BONUS TRACK 6. Tease Me Baby
Canned Heat - Stockholm 1973Release date - May 12, 2015 A very special never before released
concert that features the revered post-Alan Wilson Heat line-up including
vocalist Bob “The Bear” Hite, guitar Henry “The Sunflower” Vestine, drummer
Adolfo “Fito” La Parra, guitarist James Shane, bassist Richard Hite, and
keyboardist Ed Beyer! 1. Let’s Work Together 2. On The Road Again 3. Harley Davidson Blues 4. Election Blues 5. So Long Wrong 6. Shake ‘n’ Boogie 7. Goodbye For Now
I just received the newest release, Snake Box, from Harvey Mandel and it's very adventurous. For those of you unfamiliar with Mandel's work, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, John Mayall, Rolling Stones, Love and the Ventures. This 6 disc set, 5 studio releases packaged in original covers and one live jam set make up a good cross section of Mandel's early work. Also in the box are 4 pages of liner notes, poster photos and track info.
Disc One, Cristo Redentor was released in 1968 and shows a strong slice of the musical experimentation that was happening at the time. Before Six with it's Latin rhythm and horns is not unlike things that Butterfield was experimenting with. Musselwhite adds his distinctive harp tones on the Lark. The Snake has a lot of the sounds that you would expect from a San Francisco band of the late 60's. Long Wait shows true signs of blues roots with interesting interweaving of guitar, keys and percussion. A long experimental guitar solo on Wade In The Water backed by strings shows definite direction. You Can't tell Me has a poppy rhythm but again aggressively mixed musical styles. This is a disc that definitely warrants a listen if you don't know or already love the roots of jam music.
Disc Two, Righteous, released in 1969 shows a blues progression opening with the title track and Mandel doing guitar swells over a 12 bar melody. Jive Samba has a much smoother jazz ballad feel with strong horn backing. Funk steps up on Love Of Life with horns and drums laying down a 60's splashed horn track and Mandel taking a bluesy solo over the top. Quite cool! Poontang again shows the early fusion of blues, soul, rock and R&B with keys and guitar. Cool! Just A Hair More is a straight up slow blues with Mandel wailing away. Excellent!
Disc Three, Games Guitars Play, released in 1970 shows a more mature and adventurous jazz blues fusion opening with a cool funky Leavin' Trunk. Very nice! Classic Honky Tonk has the blues country feel with a Roy Buchanan like flair. Excellent! Capurange is one of my favorites on this disc with a cool rhythm and twin guitar leads. A cool exploration with just enough solidity.
Disc Four, Baby Batter, released in 1971 has an even closer to the funky side of the blues with similarity in features to the Oblivion Express. Title track has a great groove and more succinct guitar soloing. Midnight Sun, remaining in the funky groove shows Mandel's continued maturation and control of his own expression on the guitar. Morton Grove Mama is a cool boogie with Mandel trading off with Howard Wales on organ and a strong driving bass line of Larry Taylor. Freedom Ball is a real funky track but with wailing guitar work from Mandel and groovin drums by Colin Bailey and congo by Big Black. El Stinger has some really intense guitar work over a loose funky rhythm. Hank The Ripper, the disc closer goes back to primary 12 bar form but with again loose experimentation. A definite change in each disc.
Disc Five, The Snake, released in 1972 shows a further polishing and change to a more structured but still intense style. Opening with The Divining Rod has a great tight drum intensity and Mandel takes a structured approach to his experimentation. Very cool! Title track, The Snake has a real swampy funk and a eerie guitar lead. Levitation is a cool 12 bar number with steel and 6 string work. Certainly not your typical blues but definitely a solid blues beat and cool guitars. Wrapping disc 5 is Bite The Electric Eel with a solid drive consistent with the style I associate with Jeff Beck. Straight ahead beat and reckless guitar work. Excellent!
Disc Six, Live At The Matrix was recorded live in San Francisco in 1968 with Jerry Garcia, Elvin Bishop, Stephen Miller, Mickey Hart and John Chambers. Opening with Jam, a 36 plus minute jam featuring a dead like extended guitar jam. Elvin Bishop's You've Got to Feel It is up next and holds the soul groove to Bishop's band. Nice guitar work and Miller's key work fill the track. An extended 3 O'clock In The Morning has a definite blues groove. Picking up speed as the track progresses over 9 minutes, the guitars interweave. She's A Mojo Worker has a definite R&B feel and extending over 20 minutes, finds the guitar players searching each expression.
This is a very cool exhibition of Mandel's early work and one that will find interesting to the extent that you like guitar, improvisation and history of rock and blues music.
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”
I just received the newest release (April 29, 2014), Primitive Son, from Eli Cook and it's a rockin, snarling blues guitar release. Opening with War Horse, Cook and gang (Wade Warfield on drums and Rob Richmond on bass) crank up a Led Zep feel with a southern twist. It has a mesmerizing groove and cool guitar riffs. Revelator has a bit more pop to it adding Vinny Appice (drums), Jorgen Carlsson (bass and B3) and Steffen Presley and Greg Hampton on backing vocals. Sweet Thang has a slinky sound and features Tinsley Ellis on additional guitar. High In The Morning, a southern influenced track features Sonny Landreth on some slick slide work. Reese Wynans adds some Vocals remind me quite a bit of Black Label Society. Won't Be Long is a real nice little acoustic ballad featuring Cook on acoustic slide and vocal. Motor Queen steps out with real attitude... a club swingin blues rocker with Leslie West joining on guitar. This track has a lot of attitude and is one of my favorites on the release. Be Your Fool, still with more of a rock blues swagger, features Rod Piazza on harp but certainly has more of the flavor of Led Zep, Skynyrd or G&R than the old masters but still quite entertaining. Swing A Little Harder is a stripped down track with only Cook on vocal, bass and guitar and Wade Warfield on drums. A blend of spoken lyrics and heavier rock gives it a different style sound. Again the closest thing that I can compare it to is BLS. With interesting guitar riffs and a solid beat... cool track. Shake The Devil Down is consistant with the bulk of the release with solid vocals and well executed guitar riffs over a solid bottom. Tall & Twisted is again accompanied by acoustic guitar and understated drums by Warfield and bass from Rob Richmond. Modern country blues. The Great Southern Love Kill has a hotter flame featuring Artimus Pyle on drums and Pat Travers on additional guitars. A more straight up blues rocker and an easier melody actually brings this track across a bit more crisply. Smokin hot guitar riffs on this track break the uneven but consistent drum rhythms. Amphetamine Saint has a real blues rock swagger. I like Cook's vocal style more on this track and guitar heavy Eric Gales adds nicely to the mix. Title track, Primitive Son, is more vocal heavy with instruments more in the back. A straight forward blues rocker, this track definitely demonstrates the relationship between blues and progressing metal. Wrapping the track is Burying Ground, a heavy blues rocker with interesting guitar work and a heavy drum beat. Cook is carving out a niche for himself in this heavy blues rock/metal sound and I'm certain he will find a strong audience.
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”
