Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Love You Bleed , from Danielle Nicole and it's a solid, radio oriented release. Opening with Love On My Brain , a cool rocker with a strong melody. With Danielle Nicole Schnebelen on lead vocal and bass, Go Go Ray on drums, Damon Parker on keys and Tony Braunagel on percussion, the track has super vocal and a stiff guitar lead by Brandon Miller. Strong opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Right By Your Side with it's bluesy feel. Solid soul format with nice backing vocals and crisp melodic guitar lead work by Miller, and rich organ work by Parker really make this track a strong seller. Another one of my favorites is a more acapella A Lover Is Forever featuring Danielle on vocal with Miller on guitar. With it's memorable melody and lush vocal styling, another top track. F ools Gold with it's heavy bottom is another standout with a great bass line lead and vocal response by Danielle. I ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Wolves are Coming , from Philip Sayce , and it's a powerful blues rocker. Opening with Oh! That Bitches Brew , this release is explosive from the first note. With Philip Sayce on vocal, guitar and bass, and Michael Leasure on drums, this track is a powerhouse. Sayce and Leasure really drive a heavy rhythm and Sayce plays stinging lead guitar giving the track plenty bite. Excellent opener. Another hard driver is Babylon Is Burning with the addition of Fred Mandel on organ. Blues based guitar riffs permeate the mix but this is honest to God rock! Your Love has a real swagger with a a lead bottom by Aaron Sterling on drums and Bernice Barlow joins Sayce on vocal. Sayce really knows how to light up the place on electric guitar and he certainly does it. Very cool. Soulful, It's Over Now , is definitely the most likely radio track with it's sweet melody and fuller arrangement including backing vocals, Joel Got...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live In 1967 Vol. 3 . from John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and it's terrific. Over the years I've embellished upon how much the British blues had on me personally and my personal taste in music. I's remarkable that these early tapes have come to light, featuring Green, Fleetwood, McVie and Mayall in their raw glory. It would have been a rare find when recorded and it's a real treat today. Opening with Brand New Start, Mayall on vocal, harmonica and organ is the leading force, with solid bottom by Fleetwood on drums,  and the driving bass line of McVie but of course it's Mayall's harmonica and vocal, punched into oblivion by the sensitive hands of Green that make these cuts so vital. Listen to Green just rip away on Tear In My Eyes , a slow blues justcrafted excellently for Green's phrasing and style. He doesn't waste a phrase, making every impulse count, framed by Fleetwood. Brilliant! Ther...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Weight Of The World , by Joe Louis Walker , and it's a cool uncompromised blues release. Opening with title track,  The Weight Of The World , Joe Louis Walker on lead vocal and guitar leads the way on this R&B soaked track. His funky approach and with Eric Corne and Gia Ciambotti on backing vocals gives it even a gospel like feel. His guitar work is great, surrounded by Scott Milici on organ and backed by John Medeiros Jr on drums, Eddie Jackson on bongos, and Geoff Murfitt on bass. Strong opener.  Soul track, Hello, It's The Blues , really has a rich approach with smooth backing vocals and Eric Gorfain on violins and tasty nylon string guitar work by Walker. Very nice. Blues rocker, Blue Mirror is my favorite track on the release with a strong feel of Chuch Berry or Keith Richards. Walker puts his own signature on it complimented by great riffs and great driving rhythm by Milici on piano, Murfitt on bass...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Back On The Road To You , from Freedy Johnston and it's a well written and performed set of great tunes. Opening with Back On The Road To You , Freedy Johnston quickly demonstrates why he gets such critical praise. With strong vocal harmonies and a super melody, Johnston is joined by Dusty Wakeman on bass, Doug Pettibone with really nice lead and steel guitar riffs, and Sasha Smith on keys. Aimee Mann joins Johnston on Darlin' , one of my favorites on the release with it's lush melody and lightly played steel guitar by Pettibone. Shimmering keys by Smith create an iridescence on the track. Susan Cowsill joins Johnston on pop rocker, The Power of Love with a total radio melody and concise attack. Pettibone adds in some real nice guitar flavor giving it just the right blend. Wrapping the release is The Really Miss Ya Blues with it's definite radio friendly melody. Perfect vocal harmony puts you in mind of ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In Too Deep , from Sugaray Rayford and it's chocked full of R&B style blues. Opening with funky, Invisible Soldier, Sugaray Rayford is upfront with his powerful voice, backed by Rick Holmstrom on guitar, Drake Hunkikaid Shining on keys, Taras Prodaniuk on bass, Matt Tecu on drums and a powerful horn section consisting of Aaron Liddard on trumpet and Tom White on trombone. I really like the slinky bass line on No Limit To My Love  blended with the subtle guitar lead of Eamon Ryland and vocal backing by Gia Ciambotti and Eric Corne. Very nice. Please Take My Hand is a really warm vocal track with sonic roots in field hollers or work songs. Nicely paired vocal backing by Rayford and Corne sets the lead vocal off nicely. My favorite track for radio play is One with it's smooth bottom and rich vocal. I like Prodaniuk's bass line on this one and the violin and cello work of Eric Gorfain and Richard Dodd. Wrap...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Sun Is Shining Down , from one of the fathers of modern blues, John Mayall and it's quite good. Opening with Hungry and Ready , Mayall on harmonica and lead vocals, Melvin Taylor on lead guitar, Greg Rzab on bass, Jay Davenport on drums and Carolyn Wonderland on rhythm and with Ron Dziubla on sax, Mark Pender on trumpet, Richard Rosenberg on trombone providing a power horn sound. Dynamic opener. Markus King really hits hard on Can't Take No More with slashing guitar riffs over the tight rhythm by Davenport. With it's driving bass line by Rzab, Chills and Thrills , Mayall plays a nicely phrase piano solo and adds B3 warmth and Mike Campbell lays down a strong guitar lead. Very nice. Slower blues, A Quitter Never Wins showcases Mayall on lead vocal nicely, floating on his own key backing and intuitive harmonica punctuation. One of my favorites on the release is Driving Wheel again featuring Melvin Taylor o...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (February 22, 2019), Nobody Told Me , from John Mayall and it's quite good. Opening with Magic Sam's, What Have I Done Wrong , a solid  blues rocker, Mayall on lead vocal, keys and harp is joined by Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums and features Joe Bonamassa on guitars. Great opener. Larry McCray joins on The Moon Is Full with blistering guitar riffs over a really hard driving bass line by Rzab. Excellent! Rush veteran, Alex Lifeson joins on Evil And Here To Stay , a lumbering blues track with a healthy dose of Mayall on vocal, harp and piano. Lifeson shows an excellent adaptability from his hard driving rock sound to soulful blues riffs. Very nice. Little Milton's That's What Love Will Make You Do has a funky bass line by Rzab and tune master Todd Rundgren fires off some blistering blues guitar riffs of his own. Gary Moore's, The Hurt Inside , is one of my favorites on the release again...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Somebody Save Me , from Sugaray Rayford and it's cool, dark and funky. Opening with The Revelator , Rayford is trudging into dark country. With an ominous bass line by Taras Prodaniuk, punctual guitar work by Rick Holmstrom, and cool trumpet by Mark Pender, with additional work by Sasha Smith on keys, Ron Dziubla on sax and Richard Rosenberg on trombone as well as a voodoo sounding choir made up of Eric Corne, Brittany Gael Vaughn, Brittney S. Wheeler, Gabriel M. Newman, J-Blake White, &Terika Jefferson. R&B track, You and I has an excellent melody with full horn section compliments of Pender, Dziubla and Rosenberg making is a solid radio track. One of my favorites on the release is I'd Kill For You, Honey , with a super moving blues bottom featuring a super bass line by Prodaniuk, Eamon Ryland on slide and Eric Corne on harp complimenting Rayford's excellent vocals. Soul ballad, Somebody Save Me , ...

Sugaray Rayford Brings Vintage Soul Vibe to New Album Somebody Save Me  out on Forty Below Records, March 1 st On March 1 st , Forty Below Records will release  Somebody Save Me,  the new studio album from soul blues singer, Sugaray Rayford. On the album’s opening track, “The Revelator”, Rayford forcefully sings, “I’m a freak of nature / I ain’t no honey bee / I’m an unknown creature / The like you’ve never seen” At 6’5” and 300 pounds, this cigar chompin’ ex-Marine with a voice like a force of nature holds court in any room he enters. Possessing a magnetic personality, and an old school vocal style that echoes Muddy Waters, ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (4/20/18), Happy Songs for the Apocalypse , by Eric Corne and I really like it. Opening with Mad World , a British feeling folk tune with contemporary sensibility, it is acoustic and ethereal featuring Corne on vocal, acoustic and electric guitar, Eamon Ryland  on pedal steel and Sasha Smith onWurlizter, Ian Walker on bass, David Ralicke on horns and Andrew Crosby on drums. Ridin' With Lady Luck is a simple Neil Young like rocker featuring Walter Trout on lead guitar, Corne on lead vocal and harp. One of the strongest radio tracks on the release is Locomotion with it's seductive rhythm, full horn work of Ralicke, tight drums by Blair Sinta and cool slide work by Eamon Ryland . Solid ballad, History Repeats , has a real nice symmetry. It puts me in mind of some of the strong tracks written by the band in the 70's with Skip Edwards on particularly nice pedal steel and keys, Ted Russell Kamp on bass and Matt ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Three For The Road , a new live album from John Mayall and it's quite cool. Opening with shuffle track, Big Town Playboy , Mayall is back full and strong on vocal, keys and harmonica with Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums. Classic, I Feel So Bad , is up-tempo and Mayall's piano playing gives it a jazzy feel. On piano boogie, The Sum Of Something , Rzab really nails the bass line and Mayall's piano rolls are super. A terrific display of what Mayall is all about. On Latin flavored, Streamline , Davenpot sets the stage on drums, accented by Rzab and Mayall's organ work balances nicely with his vocals. Extended organ soloing by Mayall really makes this track shine. Very nice. Bringing the tempo way down, Tears Came Rolling Down , on a great Sonny Boy Williamson bar is my favorite track on the release. Mayall's definitive vocals and poised piano phrasing coupled with Rzab and Davenport give thi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Talk About That , from John Mayall and it's diverse with a wealth of blues. Opening with title track, Talk About That , John Mayall steps up with a funky blues track, bucked by Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums. Mayall's vocals are solid with super funky organ and cool bass riffs. Blues rocker, It's Hard Going Up has a nice guitar vamp and cool horn work from Ron Dziubla on sax, Mark Pender on trumpet and Nick Lane on trombone. Funky blues number, The Devil Must Be Laughing has a sweet guitar intro and soloing by Joe Walsh and with it's dark overtones, is one of my favorite tracks on the release. New Orleans flavored, Gimme Some Of That Gumbo , highlights the drum work of Davenport and Mayall's piano playing is super of course with terrific horn work. Athas breaks loose with hot riffs of his own on this one adding flame to an already smoking track. Chicago style bl...

Forty Below Records Set to Release John Mayall’s Talk About That Album on Vinyl February 17 Vinyl Package to Include Free Download Card LOS ANGELES, CA – Forty Below Records announces a February 17 release date for the vinyl edition of iconic musician and Blues Hall of Fame member John Mayall’s latest album, Talk About That . Originally released on CD January 27, the vinyl version will also include a free download card. Joining Mayall (vocals, keyboards, harmonica and guitar) and Greg Rzab (bass), Jay Davenport (drums) and Rocky Athas (guitar) as special guest is legendary guitarist Joe Walsh, who plays on two tracks, “The Devil Must Be Laughing” and “Cards on the Table,” both John Mayall compositions. John Mayall will begin a lengthy European tour in early February. His most-recent American dates included several days onboard the “Legends Cruise,” and featured an exciting special guest appearance from another legend – Todd Rundgren – who jammed on...

Blues Hall of Fame Member John Mayall Set to Release New CD, Talk about That , on January 27, 2017, from Forty Below Records Latest Album Features Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member Joe Walsh as Special Guest  on Two Tracks LOS ANGELES, CA – Iconic musician and Blues Hall of Fame member John Mayall will release his latest CD, Talk about That , on January 27 from Forty Below Records. Joining Mayall (vocals, keyboards, harmonica and guitar) and Greg Rzab (bass), Jay Davenport (drums) and Rocky Athas (guitar) as special guest is legendary guitarist Joe Walsh, who plays on two tracks, “The Devil Must Be Laughing” and “Cards on the Table,” both John Mayall compositions. The songs showcase Walsh’s amazing guitar work and are destined to be two of the many highlights on this new disc. Talk about That will be available for pre-orders at both Amazon.com and iTunes starting December 9. Watch a special preview video of the making of Talk about That : Prod...