Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus , from Dom Flemons and it's a cool retro mix of country, folk, blues and rag  with great vocal and instrumental tracks. This release is a compilation of the original 2014 release, Prospect Hill along with a never before release on cd, What Got Over which had been released on vinyl and an additional 12 never released instrumental tracks. Disc one, Prospect Hill, opens with springy rag Til' the Seas Run Dry , featuring Flemons on acoustic guitar and lead vocal, Ron Brendle on bass, Kobe Watkins on drums, and Brian Horton on clarinet. Excellent opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is But They Got it Fixed Right On , with Pura Fe Cresioni on harmony vocals, Guy Davis on Mike Seeger's six sting band, and Horton again on clarinet. Super track. Harmonica track, Martching Up to Prospect Hill features Flemons on rhythm bones with Davis on harmonica. Excellent!...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Muse , from Music Maker Relief Foundation . This cd will accompany a photography book of the same name by Tim Duffy coming out on March 28th. Opening with an acoustic jam, The Grotto Sessions , featuring Simon Arcache on guitar, Dr. Burt, Ironing Board Sam, Etta baker, Captain Luke, Rufus McKenzie, Alabama Slim and Guitar Gabe on vocal, plus a sea of others this is raw and adventurous. Taj Mahal is up next on John Hurt's Spike Drivers Blues with his distinctive vocal and guitar styling. Very nice. Eddie Tigner is up next on vocal and piano with a great boogie, Route 66 with Matt Sickles on bass, Ron Logsdon on drums, Paul Lindon on harp and with really nice guitar runs by Felix Reyes. Excellent! No question that my favorite track on the release is Robert Finley's Age Don't Mean A Thing , the title track from the spectacular release of the same name. Dom Flemons' Polly Put The Kettle On is a great ...

Music Maker Blues Revue's packed show at Lincoln Center Out Of Doors last Sunday as part of Americana Fest NYC. Beverly "Guitar" Watkins, Ironing Board Sam, Dom Flemons, Albert White, and company rocked the joint and earned a standing ovation!

I just received a copy of one of the coolest traditional and Piedmont style blues recordings to hit the market in a long time. 83 year old Boo Hanks , who has played locally and worked in the tobacco fields of Virginia most of his life and Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops were recorded in 2006 and 2007 in mostly casual settings. The relaxed atmosphere and genuine love for the music comes through very strongly. Hanks has a unique vocal style and phrasing which is all but lost. The recording is made up of 12 traditional songs all which have been arranged by Hanks. The track list includes Railroad Bill ; Drinkin' Wine, Spodie Odie (done by many artists but often associated with Hank Williams Sr.); Truckin' My Blues Away (a Blind Boy Fuller song); One Dime Blues ; one of my favorites, Wild Geese Blues with a more serious pace (often associated with Gladys Bentley and Eddie Lang); Move To The Outskirts Of Town (which has been covered by many many artists including...