Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Dream of Water , from Katy Hobgood Ray featuring Dave Ray and it's a interesting set of blues and country blended tracks. Opening with Lollie Bottoms , a simple, pop country style track singer songwriter, Katy Hobgood Ray conjures up the feeling of the early days of country rock and the likes of Bobbie Gentry and her story telling songs. Supported by Chuck Dodson on piano, Dave Hoffpauir on drums, Jason Weinheimer on bass and Greg Spradlin on guitars a solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Washed Away with it's strong, gospel style melody and warm vocal backing by Dave Ray, and Vikki McGee and the addition of nicely complimenting guitar work by Spradlin and the key organ and piano work of Dodson. With a Latin beat, House Divided features Dave Ray on lead vocal, blended nicely with Katy and clean piano lines by Dodson. Very nice. My favorite vocals by Katy on the release are in the lead of ...

  DAVE RAY    The late songwriter and guitarist's legacy remembered this Sunday, December 7  on NPR Weekend Edition, click here for regional air times   LEGACY,   a deluxe 3-CD package with 32-page booklet, is out now on  Red House Records A collection of rare and unreleased recordings from 1962 - 2002 from an American Blues Master     “Hopefully this collection does what it set out to do; illustrate just what an amazingly gifted musician and vocalist Dave was, and how wide he rode through the musical spheres.” - Tony Glover (Koerner, Ray & Glover)   December 5, 2014:   One of the first white artists to study and learn the then little-known blues tunes from the 20s, 30s and 40s and part of the Minneapolis folk and blues revival that spawned Bob Dylan, Dave "Snaker" Ray brought an enthusiasm and raw, raunchy earthiness to his performance style which set the...

I just received the newest release (October 28, 2014) Legacy , from Dave Ray and I have to say the intensity of these recordings is staggering. I've been listening to the raw blues since I was a kid and am really only familiar with Ray's work in passing. This is a 3 disc collection of blues tunes with roots in the 20's, 30's and 40's which for the most part has never been widely available. Disc one is primarily solo work, recorded between 1962 and 1987. 16 tracks beginning with Leroy Carr's Alabama Women and you would swear that this is a clean recording of an original artist from the time. Excellent! Included on this disc are a number of tracks written by Ledbelly, Brownie McGhee, Skip James, Sleepy John, Muddy, Blind Blake, originals by Ray and concluding with an incredible version of Fenton Robinson's Loan Me A Dime . Outstanding! The second disc covers 1988 to 1994 and the Ray and Tony Glover Years. 21 tracks on this disc are a little more polished...