Little Village artist: Alabama Mike - Stuff I've Been Through - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stuff I've Been Through, by Alabama Mike and I really like it's funky blues sound. Opening with title track, Stuff I've Been Through, Alabama Mike's lush vocals lead the way, joined by Kid Andersen and Rusty Zinn on guitars, Jim Pugh on keys, Jerry Jemmott on bass, D'Mar on drums and with great horn work by Bernard Anderson on sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Doug Rowan on sax and Jeff Lewis on trumpet. Great opener. Another track with a great groove is King Cock, with a great back beat by D'Mar, and Jemmott on bass and featuring Anson Funderburgh on guitar with some real tasty riffs. Mike not only has lead vocals but adds harmonica and the horn section is back with a lot of heat. Excellent. A cool, R&B style track, Damage Control, features a different rhythm section of Bobby Young on guitar, Lorenzo Hawkins on Keys, AJ Joyce on bass and Ronnie Smith on drums. This is a cool track and it really does showcase Mike's vocals nicely. Shuffle track, Mississippi (Live) really gets a fine groove featuring Rick Estrin on hot harmonica and Mike on vocal. Pugh on keys sets a real nice pace, with the Kid on guitar, backed by Endre Tarczy on bass, D'Mar on drums and super backing vocals by Vicki Randle and Lisa Leuschner Andersen. My favorite track on the release. Wrapping the release is a warm, gospel infused, God Is With You (Live), with super organ work by Pugh and Mike really digging in on vocal. With Jemmott on bass, D'Mar on drums, Andersen on guitars and Randle and Andersen on backing vocals, this is an excellent closer for a very enjoyable release. 

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Little Village Foundation artist: Mighty Mike Schermer - Just Gettin' Good - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Gettin' Good, by Mighty Mike Schermer, and I really like it. Opening with title track, Just Gettin' Good, this release is off to a hot start. With Mighty Mike and Ms. Kimmy Pickens on lead vocal and the stinging guitar work of Mike out front, this track struts. With the fat bari sax work of Aaron Lington, and joined by Dmar on drums, Steve Ehrmann on bass, Tony Snead on organ, Eric Spaulding on tenor, Jeff Lewis on trumpet and Mike Rinta on trombone, this track is smokin'. On slow, soulful This Is Where My Love Is, Schermer sings a solid ballad and keeps the instrumentation to a minimum with Paul Revelli on drums, Steve Ehrmann on bass and Austin DeLone on organ.  On island track, The Hungry Dog, Schermer gets a calypso rhythm and the guys really get into the swing. June Core on drums, Kid Andersen on bass and vocal, Chris Burns on piano, Kimmy on percussion and Wally Pickins on vocal, this track is a lot of fun. Funky blues, Tired of Travellin', is one of my favorite tracks on the release. With Mike throwing down some great riffs, with Revelli on drums, Ehrmann on bass, Tony Snead on organ, Andersen on rhythm guitar and heavy horns by Jack Sanford on sax and John Halbleib on trumpet. Super. Another blues track with a funky bottom is Cook Up A Little Love. With Kimmy and Mike trading off lead vocal, Ehrmann on bass, Tony Snead on keys and D'mar on drums this track and Mikes grip on the guitar, another cool track. Rocker, Kimmy Kimmy Gimmee Gimmee has a early rocking feel with a lot of spunk. Wrapping the release is ska track, It's Not Me, It's You. With Revelli on drums, Ehrmann on bass, Austin DeLone on organ, Andersen on acoustic guitar, John Nemeth on vocal, Uncle Bernie on sax, Mike Kobin on trumpet and James Cody Arnholt on trombone, and with Mike taking a stylized guitar solo this is a fun party closer. 

  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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Paula Harris - Speakeasy - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Speakeasy, from Paula Harris, and it has old school pop jazz roots. Opening with Nothing Good Happens After Midnight, Harris shows her deep throaty voice over the sultry piano of Nate Ginsberg, with Rich Girard on bass and D'mar martin on drums. On funky, I Wanna Hate Myself Tomorrow (or Raising Hell Tonight), Harris shows her vocal versatility and Ginsberg's piano is tops. R&B / jazz track, Good Morning Heartache has a rich melody and with it's bouncy rhythm and sparkling piano is one of my favorites on the release. Something Wicked is another smooth soulful tune with a great feel and the addition of nice trumpet work of Bill Ortiz and spoken word by Big Llou Johnson. Monk's classic, Round Midnight is a pure highlight with dark warm vocals, excellent piano and tasteful trumpet by Ortiz and spot on bass work by Girard. Wrapping the release is jazz classic, Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby,  with Harris in full swing mode. Again, Ginsberg's piano is stellar and the driving bass lines of Girard are tight. Cool closer for a cool 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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Whitney Shay - A Woman Rules The World - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Woman Rules The World, from Whitney Shay and it's lively. Opening with pop track, Ain't No Weak Woman, lead vocalist Whitney Shay is joined by Jim Pugh on piano, Kedar Roy on bass, Sax Gorgon Beadle on sax, and Alexander Pettersen on drums. Slinky Blues Down Home settles down into a nice groove with full sax and trumpet punctuation by Beadle and John Halbleib respectively. A solid sax solo by Beadle, harp work by Aki Kumar and piano and organ work by Pugh gives this track real oomph. With a rolling R&B feel, Love's Creeping Up On Me has great feel, with super vocals, stinging guitar riffs by Igor Prado and nicely blended vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is title track, A Woman Rules The World with super vocals by Shay and Lisa Leuschner Andersen, nice guitar phrasing by Andersen and an overall great soul feel. Freedom has a soulful strut with a great bass line, tight drums and powerful bari sax work by Beadle. With a funky bottom, Shay's best vocals shine on Get It When I Want It. A nicely woven instrumental backing of organ, slide guitar, organ, piano and drums, this track it hot! Soulful ballad, Empty Hand, is laden with rich organ and sax giving Shay a perfect stage to belt out the blues and Beadle get yet another chance to lay out a super sax solo. Wrapping the release is rocking R&B track, Get Down With It, with all of the enthusiasm of Little Richard, driven by Pettersen on drums and Pugh on piano. Beadle's sax soloing and some cool guitar work by Andersen put a bow on this one. Very cool. 

  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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VizzTone Label Group artist: Billy Price - Reckoning - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Reckoning, from Billy Price and it's quite good. Opening with soul fused blues number, 39 Steps, Billy Price has surrounded himself with a who's who of musicians including Kid Andersen on guitar, Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, and Jim Pugh on keys for a solid radio style start. Dreamer is a strong track with a really nice bass line by Jemmott, nice pinched soloing by Andersen, and excellent backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Rusty Zinn. Very cool. Title track, Reckoning, has a real nice feel and an almost Al Green vibe. Price's vocals are smooth and warm keyboard work by Pugh, clean trumpet lines by Konstantins Jemeljanovs, lead bass lines by Jemmott and slick riffs by Andersen make this one of my favorite tracks on the release.  Another of my picks for the release is One and One, with its super melody, some of Price's best vocals on the release and cool sax work by Johnny Bones. Funky soul number, Never Be Fooled Again, has a tight bass line from Jemmott and warm backing vocals by Andersen and Courtney Knott. With a laid back attack, Kid Andersen lays in some mighty tasty licks on guitar. Expert Witness stays in the funky stream with power horn work by Nancy Wright. Very nice! R&B track, Love Ballad could easily have been a strong radio player in the early seventies with it's rich vocals, melody and that tale tell sitar work by Andersen. Lisa's backing vocals on this track are particularly nice. Wrapping the release is Your Love Stays With Me with a country blues feel. Warm horn work, coupled with Prices own smooth vocals over Jemmott's bass line set this track apart and Bones sax solo is really sweet. Cool closer to a cool release.

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Delta Groove Music artist: Andy Santana & the West Coast Playboys - Watch Your Step - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Watch Your Step, from Andy Santana & the West Coast Playboys and it's a mover! Opening with Fran and West 50's R&B track, Knock Knock,Santana delivers with a full New Orleans swing. Bob Welsh handles piano in fine form, joined by Anthony Paule on guitar, Kid Andersen bass, Robi Bean takes on the drums and Frankie Ramos hits a hot sax solo. Very nice! Bobby Parker's Watch Your Step has a cool Latin rhythm and Santana carries lead vocal and some really tasty lead guitar. Kid Andersen kits the sax on this track adding some key lines and Nate Ginsberg handles the keys. Dave Bartholomew's swing boogie, Playgirl is a really nice track to feature the fine harp work of Santana. He also takes a great lead guitar solo on this track backed by Kid Andersen as well as Mike McCurdy on bass and Robi Bean on drums. Hot track! ZZ Hills R&B track, One Way Love Affair had some real nice dynamics compliments of Eric Spaulding on sax, Jack Sanford on bari and Manny Angel on trumpet. Santana again takes center stage on guitar laying down some really gritty lead riffs backed by Rusty Zinn. Ginsberg is back on B3 and Mike Phillips lays down some real nice bass lines. Hi steppin R&B track, Love Sickness, penned by Bonny Rice features Bob Welsh on lead guitar Lorenzo Farrell on B3, Phillips on bass, and D'Mar on drums but it's the groove that pumps this track. Gill and Jones', up tempo jump boogie track, You May Not Know, features solid vocals by Santana and again he gets a fine opportunity to hit the harp. Welsh on piano and warm vocal backing by Lisa Leu Andersen add a solid middle as Paule hits it hard on lead guitar solo. Rick Estrin track, No Double Talk, has a 60's rock feel with wild guitar effects from Kid Andersen and keys by Welsh. Chuck Willis' super nice slow blues number, Can't You See, features Santana on some of his strongest vocals and Paule steps up on lead guitar. Farrell's B3 work compliments Paule's extremely tasty guitar riffs with B3 warmth, Welsh pulls out some strong piano lines, Phillips riding on bass and June Core keeps the drums low and tight. Phillips really drives rocker, Take Me Back,on bass and Santana shows his guitar flash once again with cool retro guitar riffs. Very cool! Funky Greaseland, is a cool instrumental with Santana, Paule, Mighty Mike Schermer and Welsh each taking turns at lead guitar. Santana even takes an interesting Moog interlude on this one. Phillips plays a pretty plucky bass line and Core holds down the bottom on drums. Very nice! One of my favorite tracks on the release, You Smell Like Cookies, a straight up Chicago style shuffle. Jammin the harp balanced against Welsh on piano and featuring Paule on lead guitar, this track is really sweet! What's Wrong? has some really interesting components over a basic blues rocker including some cool keyboard tones from Farrell and and surf machine gun guitar from Andersen. Wrapping the release is another Dave Bartholomew R&B track, Go On Fool. A country style guitar riff by Andersen and a hot sax solo by Ramos gives it flair and Spaulding, Sanford and Angel on horns and LL Andersen on percussion and shouts give it a bit of a New Orleans finish. Cool 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”