Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hello Central, from The Jake Leg Jug Band and it's a lot of fun. Opening with St. Louis Blues , JLJB sets a cool front with a cool rag featuring Duncan Wilcox on vocal and Bass, Liam Ward on vocal, harmonica, jug, washboard, kazoo and saw, and Warren James on vocal, guitar and banjo. Complimented by Alex Clarke on sax and clarinet, Andy Henderson on trumpet and Richard Leach on trombone, this is a lively opener. James rhythm on banjo and super horn work by Henderson and Leach give Someday You'll Be Sorry a laid back opening. I particularly like Ward's harmonica solo over James' banjo rhythm and the underlying horn interplay. Very cool. Bluegrass influenced, Ella Speed is a real hoot with a foot stompin rhythm by  Wilcox and James on guitar. Ward's kazoo skills are tight and the vocals work well. I particularly like Clarke's clarinet solo which really dresses the track. Very cool. Doctor Jazz has ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the  most recent release, Shine , from The Liam Ward Band , and it's a cool, harmonica led blues band. Opening with cool shuffle, I Got Lucky , featuring Liam Ward on lead vocal and harmonica. Zach Bartlett on bass, Malcolm Thorne on guitar and a few cool riffs and with Joe Harris on drums, this is a super opener. On title track, Shine , Ward really digs in on harmonica with rich tone and Bartlett and Harris rip the Bo Diddley beat. Reinforced by Thorne on guitar and slide this is a killer track. Boogie track, Pack Your Sense Of Humor has a great driving feel, courtesy of Thorne, reinforced by Bartlett and Ward rides the wave on vocals. He kicks it in gear on harmonica and then brings it down to a slow boil where Thorne lays in some tasty riffs. On Latin flavored, Do What You Do the groove gets infectious with strong lead by Thorne and Ward teamed with Helen Hart and Bryony-Rose Ward on backing vocals. Wrapping the release is harmonica f...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At Audley Theatre by The Jake Leg Jug Band and it's jammed full of hokum and rag style tunes. Opening with I Can't Dance (I've Got Ants In My Pants) featuring Jack Tasker on banjo and lead vocal, teamed with Duncan Wilcox on bass, Neil Hulse on guitar, Liam Ward on jug, Bryony Rose on washboard and backing vocal, and Alex Clarke on sax. On suggestive track, I Had To Give Up Gym , features Ward on vocal and harmonica with a light approach to the subject and with cool guitar soloing by Neil and sax by Alex. Slower paced, Fogyism features Bryony on lead vocal, bluesy harmonica work by Liam and cool clarinet answer by Alex. Cool, folksy Easy Ridin' Mama is a good closer for disc one with the band singing background vocals, cool harmonica by Liam over Jack on banjo and overlying sax by Alex. Opening disc 2 is Caught Us Doing It another suggestive track with just the right amount of jazz. A swinging sa...