Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Songs From My Soul , from Forrest McDonald and it's a simple folk blues release. Opening with On Your Life's Road , a blues structured track with McDonald playing acoustic guitar and singing the melody together. This is a cool effect that really focuses the listeners attention on the story. I Can't Stop The Love has a bright melody with McDonald strumming the rhythm and singing the happy melody with clever acoustic turnarounds. Ballad, I Need You , has sonic tension created between McDonalds vice and guitar. With a solid melody and upbeat rhythm, this is one of my favorites on the release. Shuffle, That's How I Want Our Love , has a great feel with solid vocals and straight up acoustic guitar accompaniment. Blue Morning Sun has a Morganfield structure but a definite original spin. McDonald makes it his own with contemporary style vocals and stylized guitar work. Electrified blues, Misery and Blues kick...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues In A Bucket , from The Forrest McDonald Band , and it's a solid release of blues, funk and soul. Opening with New Orleans soaked, Boogie Me Till I Drop , Andrew Black leads the way on vocal with Forrest McDonald on guitar, Lee Gammon on bass, John McKnight on drums, Matthew Wauchope on piano, Jimmy King on trumpet and Norman Franks on sax. Cool opener.  Slow Blues, Blues In A Basement is an excellent showcase for Blacks lead vocal, with super organ work by Wauchope, really hot guitar riffs by McDonald and with Jon Schwenke on bass and Tony Carey on keys, one of my favorite tracks on the release. Another track with real style is Windy City Blues which is a great stage for McDonald's guitar chops. With warm horn backing and Blacks soulful vocals, a solid entry. McDonald had the mic on Misery and Blues and blended in call and response with his own guitar lead, and a cool harmonica solo by Pix Ensign and soli...

Acclaimed Guitarist/Songwriter Forrest McDonald Unleashes 11 Original Tracks on his 15th CD, Blues in a Bucket , Due February 7 from World Talent Records Acclaimed guitarist/songwriter Forrest McDonald announces a February 7, 2020, release date for his new CD, Blues in a Bucket , on World Talent Records. Recorded mixed and mastered at Dogwood Recording & Mastering in Oxford, Georgia, with Ron Benner engineering, Blues in a Bucket showcases Forrest McDonald’s guitar mastery in full bloom, aided and abetted by a stellar cast of backing musicians, featuring the dynamic lead vocals of Andrew Black and special guest vocalist Becky Wright. Award-winning guitarist Forrest McDonald has been performing and recording earth-shaking, soul-stirring music distilled in the blues for nearly six decades. His insightful song writing skills embrace the journey of an adventurous explorer who plunges head first into every twist of fate life throws his way. The add...