Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at Space , by Dave Specter and it's terrific! Opening with Rumba & Tonic , a hot, Latin flavored guitar lead instrumental with sassy drumming by Marty Binder , warm bass work by Rodrigo Mantovani and Brother John Kattke on keys. I love it when Dave does this. Very nice. Otis Rush's Homework is up next and Specter vocals are in the slot. With smokey organ work by Kattke, a great bass line by Mantovani and tight snare snaps by Binder as a foundation, Specter uses his natural flair on guitar to play this classic like a real boss. A slow blues take on   Blues From The Inside is really tasty with vocal harmonies by Specter and Kattke. Specter uses nice pinch harmonics and slide phrasing to spell out a memorable guitar solo. Chicago style boogie , Chicago Style features Kattke on vocal and guitar grinding out the blues. With a walking bass line by Mantovani, piano punctuation and a stiff snare slap by Bind...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul In Blue , from Tad Robinson and it's terrific! Opening with R&B flavored track, Keep It In The Vault , Tad Robinson on vocal sets up a solid groove with Brian Yarde on drums and Dave Murray on bass and Kevin Anker on keys and Tommy Leino on guitar lays down some real bluesy riffs. Soulful, Out Of Sight and Out Of Mind really illustrated what I really love about Robinson. His vocals are silky smooth and dripping with soul. Clean piano backing by Alberto Marisco and meaty guitar work by Paul Holdman backed by Chris Vitarello on rhythm creates real tension, soothed by the lush vocals of Devin B Thompson and Lorie Smith . Excellent. Another soulful track, Deeper Than You Think really is deep in the soul with a throbbing bass line by Steve Gomes and features Mark Buselli   on trumpet, Rich Cohen on tenor sax, and Anker on organ really pushing Robinson's rich vocals. Forgive and Forget features so...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, At Delmark , from Johnny Iguana and it's full blown boogie. Opening with Little Brother Montgomery's Bass Key Boogie , Johnny Iguana really gets it grinding with excellent piano articulation and punctuation. Exceptional opener. On Junior Wells' Messin' With The Kid , Iguana does his own Nawlins take on the track with some good old fashion piano rolls. Very cool. Original track, One More For The Cleaning Crew has a "closing down the bar" feel with some really cool and fluid piano runs delivering an solid melody. Another addition is Magic Sam's You Belong To Me maintaining the original hard feel but with a different approach. Iguana really works the keyboard giving the track plenty of punch. Wrapping the release is Jay McShane's classic, Roll 'Em in super modified barrelhouse meets spiritual form. This is a cool piano boogie to close the set.    If you support live Blues acts...

  Chicago Blues Master Linsey Alexander July 23, 1942, Holly Springs, MS.- February 22, 2025, Chicago, IL. Linsey Alexander's family has confirmed that this Chicago blues master passed early this morning. Sad sad news for the blues community and for our Delmark family.  Linsey Alexander: 822 - Linsey Alexander -  Been There Done That 838 - Linsey Alexander -  Come Back Baby 851 - Linsey Alexander -  Two Cats 862 - Linsey Alexander -  Live at Rosa's       LINSEY ALEXANDER is a classic Chicago bluesman, and has been a fixture on the blues scene since he arrived in 1963. He was born on July 23rd, 1942 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Linsey learned to play the guitar at an ...