Bman's Blues Report

I just received the newest release (September 9, 2014), gotta keep rollin' , from Rob Stone and it smells of sweet Chicago. Opening with a strong Chicago style blues, Wait Baby , Stone is out front singing and blowing his harp backed by Chris James on guitar. Cool harp work and solid guitar riffs over a solid beat provided by Patrick Rynn (bass) and and Willie Hayes (drums)provides for a great opener. John Lee Willamson's easy stepping Wonderful Time features nice piano work from David Maxwell and a different slice of Stones super vocal work. His harp work complimented by James on guitar makes for an happy go lucky track. Another Chicago style shuffle track, Lucky 13 gives Stone a wide road to play his harp and he takes every inch of it. Cool vocal phrasing, a tight guitar solo from John Primer and a cool melody makes for one of the most memorable tracks on the release. Anything Can Happen features Eddie Shaw on sax and he tears up the solo opportunity as you would absolu...

This Stone Has Gotta Keep Rollin’ – Chicago Blues Singer/Harmonica Master Rob Stone Delivers High-Energy Mojo on His New CD for VizzTone Label Group, Due September 9 Special Guests on Stone’s First Album for VizzTone Include Blues Hall of Famer Eddie Shaw, John Primer, David Maxwell and Henry Gray NEWTON, MA – The VizzTone Label Group announces a September 9 release date for Gotta Keep Rollin’ , the new CD from Chicago blues singer/harmonica master Rob Stone, distributed nationally by Redeye Distribution. Joining Rob Stone and his battle-hardened group of band mates Chris James (guitar), Patrick Rynn (bass) and Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums), are several special guests, including newly-inducted Blues Hall of Famer Eddie Shaw (sax), guitarist John Primer, Blues Music Award-winning piano player David Maxwell and Henry Gray, former piano man for the legendary Howlin’ Wolf. From the first notes of the lead-off track, a rousing take on Johnny Jones’ “Wa...

I have just received a copy of the newest David Maxwell release, Blues In Other Colors . This is a 13 track composition with all songs written and performed by Maxwell. Joining Maxwell (keys) is Harry Manx (Mohan Vina and guitar), Jerry Leake (Indian and West African percussion) Fred Stubbs (Turkish ney),Boujmaa Razgul (Oud and Moroccan raita), Troy Gonyea (guitar), Eric Rosenthal (drums), Marty Ballou (double bass), Paul Kochanski (electric bass) and Andy Plaisted (congas). The recording is fairly hard to describe with conventional melodies and familiar sounds woven with the sounds of the east and Africa. Movin' On as an example, has a very traditional western styling which is carried throughout on piano but features the overlay of Mohan Vina and African percussion. The sounds are almost a juxtaposition of cultures. Conversely, Blue Dream begins with more of an eastern feel and is overlaid with piano as a woven compliment. The entire recording has a contiguous flow more in...

Grammy and Multiple Blues Music Award-Winning Pianist David Maxwell Mixes Blues and World Music on His Palette for Blues in Other Colors CD, Coming October 16 from Shining Stone Records    Special Guests Include Multi-Instrumentalist Harry Manx MIAMI , FL – Shining Stone Records announces an October 16 release date for Blues in Other Colors , the latest CD from Grammy and multiple Blues Music Award-winning pianist David Maxwell. The talented Boston-based keyboard player, known for his creative explorations of the blues format, deftly mixes piano blues and world music on his latest effort, and is joined by a host of studio all-stars along with special guest Harry Manx, who plays the Mohan Veena, an Indian instrument he frequently uses on his own recordings, as well as guitar. For the 13 all-instrumental tracks on Blues in Other Colors , David Maxwell blends traditional keyboards, guitars, bass and drums along with exotic instruments from India, ...

MICHAEL PACKER is a singer-songwriter, guitarist who was born in New York City in 1950. He did his first gig at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village at the age of 15. In 1969 he formed the group 'Papa Nebo" which included saxophonist Bob Mintzer who went on to play with the Grammy award winning "Yellowjackets". Papa Nebo recorded an album for Atlantic records. They were personally signed by Ahmet Ertegun.Today it is a collectors item. Packer soon took his sound to the West Coast with buddy Sandy Allen, playing on the streets of San Francisco during the day and The Coffee Gallery in North Beach at night, Michael met George Thorogood and was turned on to the blues. Eventually Packer and Allen made their way back to New York where they started another project "Free Beer"."Free Beer" was born at Gerdes Folk City in Greenwich Village (1973) where they added singer-songwriter Bob Potter. Free Beer recorded 3 albums for Buddha and RCA records and toured e...