Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tick Tock Tick , from Will Porter and it's a cool slice of music. Opening with title track, Tick Tock Tick , a Dr John track features the Dr with his Will Porter with his soulful lead vocal, backed by Thaddeus Richard on keys, Todd Duke on guitars, Brian Brian Quezergue on bass and and Bunchy Johnson on drums. My favorite track on the release is original Why Do We get Blue? which is a stellar showcase for Porter's voice and backing vocals by The Womack Brothers and with a tasty baritone guitar solo Jimmy Haslip. Ike turner's funky, I'm Blue , is really pumped up with super horn work by Mic Gilette and Johnnie Bamont. Solid blues, I Can Do Bad By Myself is another favorite with deep roots, featuring sreat soulful vocal by Porter, warm keys by Richard, powerful horns by Gilette and Bamont and strong guitar soloing by Leo Nocentelli. Very nice. Smooth jazz ballad, Don't Go To Strangers has the strings a...

 DR John, the flamboyant New Orleans singer-pianist whose hoodoo-drenched music made him the summarizing figure of the grand Crescent City R&B/rock ‘n’ roll tradition, died Thursday of a heart attack at age 77. “Towards the break of day June 6, iconic music legend Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., known as Dr. John , passed away of a heart attack,” a statement on his social media pages said. “The family thanks all whom shared his unique musical journey & requests privacy at this time. Memorial arrangements will be announced in due course.” Rebennack had already tallied more than a decade of experience as a session musician in his hometown and Los Angeles when he rose to solo fame in the late ‘60s after concocting his voodoo-influenced, patois-laced persona of “the Night Tripper.” In their history of postwar New Orleans music “Up From the Cradle of Jazz,” Jason Berry, Jonathan Foose and Tad Jones wrote richly of the artist they called “a true original The writers de...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black , by The Original Blues Brothers Band and it's great! Opening with Jimmy Reed's Baby What You Want Me To D o, Bobby "Sweet Soul" Harden with Tommy "Pipes" McDonnell on harp and vocals and Rob "The Honeydripper" Paparozzi on harp and vocals take center stage with super harmony and John Tropea plays terrific guitar soloing backed by Tom Malone on trumpet, Baron Raymonde on alto sax, Eric "The Red" Udel on bass, Lee "Funkytime" Finkelstein on drums, Leon "The Lion" Pendarvis on organ, Rusty "Cloudmeister" Cloud on clav, Wurlitzer and piano. High stepping, Cherry Street , features McDonnell on lead vocals, Birch Johnson on trombone and Raymonde really rips on alto sax. Eddie Floyd is up on lead vocals on slinky, On Saturday A Night , and guest Tom Malone on bari sax  and with tight, warm horn backing. Harden ta...

The Bender is Sept 7.8.9.10, 2017 Big Blues Bender Announces Fabulous Lineup for Sept! LAS VEGAS, NV. – The Big Blues Bender, one of the most talked about Blues events in the country, has announced an impressive 2017 lineup. The Big Blues Bender offers what could be their best artist lineup to date, offering a wide variety of first-class music and entertainment including, Mavis Staples, Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, and many more. This four-night all-inclusive music experience delivers eighteen hours of live music, daily, on three indoor stages and a fabulous pool stage all under one roof, featuring the most talented and sought after Blues artists to...