Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Travelin' Woman , from South Side Chicago's Mary Lane and its real nice. Opening with title track, Travelin' Woman, Lane shows why her reputation precedes her large as life. Joined by Travis T. Bernard on drums, Chris Cameron on keys, Jim Trullio on guitar and bass, Terry Ogolini and Gene Barge on sax, Don Tenuto on trumpet and with flaming hot slide work by Louie Zagoras this is a super opener. Up tempo blues track, Leave That Wine Alone , has a great tempo and Lanes vocals are sassy. Johnny Grey on B3, Phil Miller on slide and Paul Mertens bass harmonica work is solid and backing vocals by Simbryt Dortch and Yvonne Gage really add nicely to the bottom. Corky Siegel sits in on harmonica on shuffle track, Some People Say I'm Crazy and with solid piano work by Grey, a very cool track. One of my favorite tracks on the release is soul soaked, Let Me Into Your Heart with it's gripping vocal feel and go...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Why I Choose To Sing The Blues , from Derrick Procell and it's interesting. Opening with The Wolf Will Howl Again , Derrick Procell has the lead on vocal with Eddie Shaw and also plays keys and harp. Joining on this track are Woody Johnson on guitar, Jack Skalon on drums, and Bobby Levine on guitar. Trouble Me No More has a high energy R&B feel with Bob Baglione laying down some real nice guitar riffs. Bob Margolin sits in on The Eyes Of Mississippi with some slick slide work and some of Procell's best vocals on the release backed by his own fine harp work and keys. Cool. On title track, Why I Choose To Sing The Blues , Procell has a nice soul feel in his vocals and a little funk in the groove handling bass, drums and keys. Very nice. With a cool swing feel, They All Find Out features Zoey Witz with guitar "witzardry" and Procell adds bass and key with horn work over a solid bottom. David Steffen han...

I just received the newest release, Black Magic , from Magic Sam Blues Band and it's nothing short of great! Magic Sam passed only days before the original release of Black Magic back in 1969 and this shows Sam with his allstar studded band and a few additional/alternate tracks. Opening with Roscoe Gordon's, I Just Want A little Bit , Sam leads the way on guitar and vocal for a snappy blues rocker. The great Eddie Shaw is right there blowing a great sax solo and Sam handles guitar with Mighty Joe Young. What Have I Done Wrong has a cool R&B underpinning supported by Lafayette Leake on piano, Mac Thompson on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Willie Dixion's classic, Easy Baby has a super soul feel with strong horn work from Shaw. With it's Boogaloo style, Sam has this track hopping. Slick guitar work and rolling rhythm gives this track extra spark. Lowell Fulsom's, It's All Your Fault Baby has a great unique take showcasing Sam's vocal styling and tid...

I just received the newest release. Heart 'O' Chicago from Liz Mandeville and it's quite cool! Opening with Cloud Of Love , a blend of soul, R&B, funk and gospel; I really like the feel! Featuring sax solo's from Oz Landessberg and Eddie Campbell as well as a cool trombone work from Eric Campbell and hot bass from Darryl Wright, this smokes. On These Blues , the band falls back into a calm swing and Mandeville goes from a hot spiritual vocal style to more of a club jazz style. Minoru Wright on guitar and Joan Gand share the instrumental spotlight backed by Wade baker on trumpet, Eric campbell on trombone and Oz Landessberg on sax and the slick stick work of Jeremiah Thomas on drums. Don't Doubt My Love finds Charlie Love in a vocal duet with Mandeville on an easy R&B track. Maruyama lays down a nicely stylized guitar solo on this track which nicely dresses it. So Called Best Friend has a cool groove set by Wright and Thomas and featuring Mandeville on ...

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 just received the newest release, Barrelhouse Stomp , from Chris James and Patrick Rynn and it's a roller! Opening with contemporary Chicago style blues track, Goodbye, Later For You , in traditional fashion, Rynn and James open the release featuring super harp support from Rob Stone and piano work from Aaron Moore. James is always solid on vocals and he lays down nicely phrased riffs on guitar. Just Another Kick In The Teeth has a funky swing to it featuring Eddie Shaw on sax (as well as Jonny Viau, Norbert W Johnson) and Jody Williams on guitar. Viau opens I Feel So Good with a honkin good sax solo and James does a nice job of delivering on this classic blues track with contributions from Willie Big Eyes Smith (drums) and Aarom Moore on piano. Messin' With White Lightning has a spankin quick pace and Jody and James are on it with guitar riffs. Hot piano riffs from David Maxwell highlight this track and Willie Hayes is tight on drums. On slower paced swing track, Befo...

Eddie Shaw (born March 20, 1937, Stringtown, Mississippi, United States) is an African American, Chicago blues tenor saxophonist. In his teenage years, Shaw played tenor saxophone with local blues musicians such as Little Milton and Willie Love. At the age of 14, he was involved in a jam session in Greenville, Mississippi with Ike Turner's band. At a gig in Itta Bena, Mississippi, when the then 20-year-old Shaw performed, Muddy Waters invited him to join his Chicago based band. Shaw more or less divided the tenor saxophone duties with A.C. Reed. In 1972 he joined Howlin' Wolf, leading his band, the Wolf Gang, and writing half the songs on The Back Door Wolf (1973). After the singer's death in 1976 he took over the band and its residency at the 1815 Club; renamed Eddie's Place. Shaw led the gang on Living Chicago Blues Vol. 1 and Have Blues - Will Travel (1980), and recorded albums in different company for Isabel Records, Rooster Blues, and Wolf Records. By the late 19...

Abb Locke is one of the most legendary saxmen of the blues, born in Cottonplant, Arkansas. Picked cotton as a young boy but had a dream to play the sax. He struggled throughout his childhood, living on his own and working his way to fullfill his dream. He came from the cotton fields to Carnegie Hall. This came true when he played with Albert Collins. He has recorded and worked with Buddy Guy (see the Chess box set), Willie Mabon. Earl Hooker, Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, Magic Sam, Eddie Clearwater, Lonnie Brooks, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Howlin Wolf (three or four years in the band and Abb is featured in Wolf's new biography), the Rolling Stones, and many more. “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a red...

I was talking to my new friend Jackie Scott a few weeks back and she asked if i was familiar with the new Eddie Shaw recordings. I am now and it is hot! The release has 8 tracks opening with a hopping instrumental, Sack Full Of Blues with Eddie leading the way on sax. It's a screamer! Stilladog! It's the saxbomb! I know you'll love it. It features Shaw on Tenor, Chuck Williams on Alto, Bill Kelly on bass, Mark Hopkins on guitar , Henry M Johnson on guitar and Philip Johnson on drums.(Stilladog is my lifelong friend and blues music aficionado in Maryland). Oh Baby is a laid down boogie featuring Williams on vocals and some hot riffs from HM Johnson on guitar. What Comes First features Shaw on vocal for a standard 8 bar blues jam. Paris In The Fall , a loping swing boogie, features Bruce Gray on vocal and super sax from Shaw and Williams. Tom Fisher does some really sweet piano work on this track. Black-Eyed Peas and Fatback features Shaw and Tom Dikon on harp for a p...

Liner Notes  Exclusive Interview - Jackie Scott I have to admit … sometimes I think that I live under a rock. A number of months back I got a cd by Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers , Going To The Westside , for review and I wasn’t familiar with her work. At the time, I gave it a good review and stuck it in a drawer with CD’s to listen to later because it was good. My regular readers know I have been going through that drawer recently and pulling out the best of the best. Jackie Scott is high on the list. Her recording is incredible and when I watch video of her I wonder how I could have missed her. I mean this is the real deal! http://www.bmansbluesreport.com/2012/01/going-to-west-side-jackie-and.html " Jackie has been kind enough to take some time out to talk with me and I’m ready to listen! Bman: Hi Jackie! Where did you come from? I mean you are off the charts with talent and you can’t just be starting out! Tell me what you have been up to and how ...

I opened the mail yesterday and found a real treat. I received a copy of the recording, It Ain't Over celebrating Delmark's 55 years in business live at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago. I have been in this club many many times and this would have had to be the blast of all blasts. The opening track finds powerhouse singer Zora Young doing some power funk with a backing band featuring Lurie Bell and Scott Cable on guitars, Roosevelt Purifoy on keys, Bob Stronger on bass and Kenny Smith on drums. Young's Till The Fat Lady Sings is a great opener for this show. Bell throws down some great blues riffs on the funk playing his 335 and as Purifoy starts to rap out the funk on the keys Young starts to channel the godfather of soul with some squeals that would make JB proud. The rhythm section on this band is remarkably tight and Cable gets in some hot riffs on his Strat. I notice three amps on stage throughout the night which appear to be a Brownface Vibroverb, a Pro Tweed ...