Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good Life , from Hurricane Ruth and it's a charging blues rocker. Opening with driving, Like Wildfire , Ruth La Master is upfront and on fire with her dominant vocal style, backed by Scot Holt on guitar, Calvin Johnson on bass, Bruce Katz on B3 and Tony Braunagel on drums. Good Life is a slower ballad with deep soulful roots. Katz's B3 work on this track adds real depth and I love Holt's guitar phrasing punctuating the track nicely. Kicking in the rock bottom, Ruth shows her rocking edge with some of her grittiest vocals on the release. My favorite track on the release, Late Night Red Wine has a super traditional rock beat with a solid melody. Holt steps up with a stinging guitar solo with a blues edge and Katz's organ work pulls it all together. Very cool. Wrapping the release is ballad, I've Got Your Back , with Ruth bringing on her sensitive soul vocals. Nicely balanced with Katz on piano and organ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release , Good Life , from Seth James and it's quite good. Not since the early inception of Little Feat have I heard anything quite this strong in this vein. Opening with Brother , a funky, swampy blues number, James on lead vocal and guitar has heavy backing by Bob Britt and his sweet Lowell George like slide style, Kevin McKendree on keys, Lynn Williams on drums and excellent backing vocals by Windy Moten. A solid compliment of horn work by Jim Hoke on sax, Roy Agee on trombone and Vinnie Ciesielski on trumpet. Excellent opener. Continuing is that funky blues vein, title track, Good Life , has a strong woven instrumental feel with thick slide work by Britt. James' vocals are solid and tuneful Very cool. Yates McKendree steps up with a real nice guitar solo and some of James' best vocals on the release on easy R&B ballad, From Way Behind .  Radio track, I'm Coming Home is dripping with soul with excellent l...