Bman's Blues Report

I just received the new release, Drink Up , by the Eric Hughes Band and it's quite good. Starting off with the title track, Drink Up , a classic jump rocker. This track not only has the beat but it also has great unusual guitar riffs and a little bit of sense of humor. That's My Baby's Mama takes a whole new turn with a pop R&B sound and solid radio vocals. Blues Magician is a great track with a slick guitar hook. I really like the choice of rhythm guitar harmony. This is extremely solid and in addition to the the funky bottom really sets the tone. Lead guitar riffs from Hughes are hot and this is definitely one of my favorite tracks on this release. Frostina is another funky track with great key work from Robert Nighthawk Tooms. With Texas guitar rhythm and overdriven guitar solos this is a track with a lot of character. The first real straight forward blues track, Tested Positive For The Blues , is a great swingin boogie blues with great harp and piano work. Talki...

I've been listening to the Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms release, Spectator Shoes. It really quite good! The recording is made up of 11 tracks, most of the tracks being written by Tooms. First up is the title track, Spectator Shoes, a song about those cool black and whites (of course I have a pair)and how they make the day. This has some really cool guitar riffs and Tooms shows his vocal and harp chops and of course some cool B-3 thrown in. Forgive and Forget is a loping Texas style blues that will get your foot stompin'. It is a great rhythmic track as well as having great cool instrumental breakouts. Whooping and Hollering features Earl Forest on vocals and is a very solid blues song driven by bass and piano. Tooms is a really good pianist and it shows throughout this recording. Feed The Monkey is a laid back tune with a bit of a jazz twist. Aside from the clever lyrics, this tracks has some great riffs on guitar and keys. Cotton's Sack is really a harp driven song a...

I just received the new I55 Records release, Long Time Comin' by Fred Sanders. The release is made up of 12, 10 of which were composed by Sanders and the band. The first track out of the chute sets the standard for the entire release with "I Got A Feeling", a Texas/Gatemouth style swing blues. Daddy Cain is an off rhythm style track with a cool groove, breaking to a full swing. Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven, a track most often associated with Albert King but written by Don Nix of Goin' Down fame. Sanders feels Albert in his playing but keeps it as his own. House Is Not A Home gets the soul juices with the horns and all. Very effective breaker. Light Bulb is a cool uptempo blues giving Sanders the chance to stretch a little on guitar. He does have cool style. Hey Baby gets back to that Texas swing groove and Saunders settles into it really well again with tasty guitar soloing throughout. How I Feel has the rhythm tempo of "Let Me Love You" and is a good ave...

I just received the new release, Memphis Livin , by Billy Lavender . It's a real strong release overall. It has a rock blues flavor overall but great guitar blues riffs and harmonica work throughout. It opens with Singin The Blues , a blues rock tune with some pretty tasty slide work by Brad Webb. Another track, Let's Party is an uptempo blues track with strong vocals by Reba Russell (who sounds quite a bit like Bonnie Raitt in quality. She is again backed by great guitar and harp work. Just Chillin is a real funky track with real effective key backing by Russell Wheeler. The track gives the band a chance to stretch out a bit on their own. Cool track. Each artist gets a chance to step up. Cold As Ice is the down and dirty "T Bone Walker" type song and my favorite on the release. Vince Johnson harp does his best work on the release and Billy steps up a little on guitar and also plays some tasty soloing. Get Along has a country honky tonk or Jerry Lee Lewis type f...

I just received and had the opportunity to review a new release by Willie Foster called My Inspiration. This is a CD about a real bluesman's music... Willie James Foster. From the handwritten name on the old van door to no legs, still playing them blues..even on the very night he died. He never made too much money or did the killer big money gigs. He was the blue collar or workingman's bluesman. - Brad Webb This is a pretty cool little package. Not over polished Chicago blues sung rom the heart. Foster pens and plays 11 tracks on this cd playing harp and covering vocals. He is backed by Micky Rogers (Guitar), Skeeter Provis (Guitar), Donnie Brown (Bass), Mike Dill (Drums), Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms (Piano), Brad Webb (Guitar) and Russell Wheeler (B-3). The first track shoots out of the can with Let Em Talk, along the lines of "Messin' With The Kid" laying down a nice harp solo. Why Babe lopes along again with cool harp licks and cool guitar riffs. Found M...

I just received and have had the opportunity to listen to the new Witch Doctors release, Looking For A Bone . The recording includes 14 tracks which are all written or co written by Don Cook who handles Lead vocals and lead guitars. The recording opens with Looking For A Bone , a Texas style blues with plenty of guitar. Bad Luck is a bluesy rock song with catchy hooks and vocal harmonies reminiscent of Eric Clapton mixes. Susan Buel, the female lead singer's voice puts me in mind of Bonnie Bramlett... not a bad thing! You're Outta Control follows in the footsteps of Jimmy Rogers with the Latin rhythm that turns to a full swing. Great tune. The Rib is a straight out Chicago blues numbers with great harp by Blind Mississippi Morris and smokin' guitar riffs throughout. A real stomper. Takin' It One Day At A Time is a straight forward blues rock song in the vein of Bonnie Raitt. Next Little Town is an uptempo delta style blues played primarily on resonator. That's G...

I have just had the opportunity to review Fred Saunders newest recording I Believe and it's definitely worth the listen. Fact is I've listened to it a number of times. This 10 track release is written or co written by Sanders and his years of playing with BB King, Albert King and Bobby Blue Bland were obviously not in idle. Saunders puts out a strong release of diverse styles blues. The opening track, Stop Foolin' Around has a strong Texas swing. Another track, I Think About You Baby has a little New Orleans flavor with some tasty guitar soloing. Time Out takes this to the next step with an all instrumental number and the band gets to stretch out a little. Very nice! Let's Dance has a creative style which moves between a soulful ballad and the jazz blues feel of Otis Rush' All Your Love . Don't Know What To Do is modeled out of the T-Bone Walker songbook and is a pretty strong Texas blues. The guitar soloing is creative but not overactive. Possibly my favor...