Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Heartache and Toil , from Jon Strahl Band and it 's a cool, gritty blues rocker. Opening with Hey Yeah, All Right a snappy but grimy blues number with great vocals and overdriven guitar tones from Strahl, solid bass work from Mitch Millhoff, simple drum rhythms from Nick Mallers, keys by Bill Mallers, and the addition of Joshua Silbert on sax, Bruce Knepper on trumpet, Charlie Krone on trombone, this band is is on its way. How Long sounds like a page right from the Mississippi hill country blues notebook. With it's simple, driving rhythm and guitar/vocal melodic lead, this track is terrific. With more of a jam approach on title track, Heartache and Toil , the band shows blues and jazz influences. An extended, all clean and rich guitar lead, Strahl leaves no question that he has chops. R&B ballad, The Weight I Feel shows Strahl's influence from yet another base and his voice lends itself nicely to this soulf...

Born in Anderson, Indiana, Tyler started his professional career at the age of 13 and touring internationally at age 18. He has shared the stage or opened for everyone from Joe Bonamassa, Van Morrision, The Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, John Rich and the list goes on and on. Tyler has toured the world and played for thousands over the last 8 years. His debut album "Already Home" (recorded with super producer David Z) is scheduled to be released early 2012. Check out his video of "Leave My Little Girl Alone" featuring Dane Clark from the John Mellencamp band!    “Like” Bman’s Facebook page. I use Facebook to spread the word about my blog (Now with translation in over 50 languages). I will not hit you with 50 posts a day. I will not relay senseless nonsense. I use it only to draw attention to some of the key posts on my blog each day. In this way I can get out the word on new talent, venues and blues happenings! - click Here Get Facebook support for your ...

Ken Tucker was born on January 12, 1965, he was born in Sullivan, Indiana. .. Now on Benevolent Blues Records ( www.benevolentblues.com ) with latest CD, "Juke Joint Serenade". Booking and representation through: Iris Ayers at Ayers Entertainment 702-439-6443... Ken Tucker has 27 years experience as a guitarist, songwriter, and performer. He has played for several groups over the years including,Christian Music Legend, Larry Norman. Canadian Rocker, Lindsay Ell, Darrell Mansfield, as well as sharing the stage with the extraordinary, Shawn Mullins. Josh Hammond, Ken's occasional music partner and collaborator, is a harmonica playing and guitar picking force of nature. In spite of their diverse musical upbringings, they compliment each other amazingly well. Ken's gravelly, baritone voice is a perfect blend for Josh's high tenor harmonies. They have been getting lots of airplay in the US and overseas. If blues, gospel, folk, americana, and old school country is you...

Girls. Guitars. Blues. THE SAD SAM BLUES JAM is all that and more! These ladies are oozing with talent and have created quite a stir in Indiana and beyond. Fronted by sisters Sadie Johnson, 16, on lead guitar and vocals, and Sam Johnson, 18, on bass, these gals exude amazing chemistry and bring extreme excitement to the stage. Sadie plays guitar with the heart and passion of a much older, wiser soul, yet her original songs have a young, gritty attitude. Sam can rock a bass like NO other, giving an unforgettable performance every time. Matt Mc Carthy holds down the groove whether it is blues or funk. He is a drummer/mind-reader and keeps up with the girls every time.   “Like” Bman’s Facebook page. I use Facebook to spread the word about my blog (Now with translation in over 50 languages). I will not hit you with 50 posts a day. I will not relay senseless nonsense. I use it only to draw attention to some of the key posts on my blog each day. In this way I can get out the word on...

  Friday, Aug. 9 - Leroy's Hot Stuff, Porter   Saturday, Aug. 10 - Shoreline Brewery, Michigan City Experience 'Indy Blues': The Planetary Blues Band, three brothers hailing from Valparaiso, are out to do Indiana proud with the release of their new album, Once Upon A Time In The South Loop . They play two high-energy live gigs in Indiana this Friday and Saturday. For more info log onto www.planetary.com or https://www.facebook.com/theplanetarybluesband .   (Indianapolis, IL) -  Experience 'Indy Blues' twice this weekend when rising Indiana-based blues/jam/rock group The Planetary Blues Band hit the road for shows this Friday, August 9 at Leroy's Hot Stuff , 333 W. US Highway 20, in Porter; and Saturday, August 10 at Shoreline Brewery , 208 Wabash St., Michigan City. Click on links for additional show information.   "Once Upon A Time In The South Loop"  - What The Press Is Saying So Far " Someone you want ...

Ken Tucker was born on January 12, 1965, he was born in Sullivan, Indiana. .. Now on Benevolent Blues Records ( www.benevolentblues.com ) with latest CD, "Juke Joint Serenade". Booking and representation through: Iris Ayers at Ayers Entertainment 702-439-6443... Ken Tucker has 27 years experience as a guitarist, songwriter, and performer. He has played for several groups over the years including,Christian Music Legend, Larry Norman. Canadian Rocker, Lindsay Ell, Darrell Mansfield, as well as sharing the stage with the extraordinary, Shawn Mullins. Josh Hammond, Ken's occasional music partner and collaborator, is a harmonica playing and guitar picking force of nature. In spite of their diverse musical upbringings, they compliment each other amazingly well. Ken's gravelly, baritone voice is a perfect blend for Josh's high tenor harmonies. They have been getting lots of airplay in the US and overseas. If blues, gospel, folk, americana, and old school country is you...

Stammering, 8-year old Carson Diersing mustered up every ounce of guts he had to tell his harmonica teacher, Indiana music legend Tony Cooley, that “Skip To My Lou” (his first assignment) was not his style. Mr. Cooley looked Carson straight in the eye and proclaimed, “You’re 8 years old. You don’t have a style.” Two weeks later Tony encouraged Carson’s family to go to The Bean Blossom Blues Fest and enter young Carson in his first harmonica contest. Carson did—playing “Skip to My Lou,” naturally. However, Carson was stunned when he was announced the first-place winner. He walked onto the huge stage at the Bill Monroe Campground—and from that point his life changed: “Looking out at that huge crowd that day did something to me—the energy was astounding!” Carson recalls. He never looked back—deciding there that he would make his life making music. Carson began playing as much as he could, and continually sitting in with other artists—and his life became a whirlwind. By 12, he wa...

Donald Kinsey (born May 12, 1953, Gary, Indiana, United States) is an American guitarist and singer, best known as a member of The Wailers Band, the reggae backing group for Bob Marley & The Wailers. Kinsey is one of three sons of the late Chicago blues performer, Big Daddy Kinsey. He is a member of The Kinsey Report, which he formed in 1984 with his brothers Ralph Kinsey and Kenneth Kinsey, plus Ron Prince. Previously he had toured and recorded with Albert King, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley & The Wailers and Roy Buchanan.  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Charles Williams Higgins (born April 17, 1924 in Gary, Indiana; died September 14, 1999 in Los Angeles, California) was an American saxophonist. Higgins, who was noted for mixing elements of Latin Jazz with Blues, recorded in Los Angeles during the mid-fifties, notably for the Specialty, Combo and Doo-Tone labels, and is best remembered for the song "Pachuko Hop". Higgins relocated from Gary to Los Angeles in his teens, where he played trumpet and went to school at the Los Angeles Conservatory. Later switching to saxophone, he penned the single "Pachuko Hop" (1952), which became popular among American Latinos on the West Coast. The "Pachuko Hop" single's B-side, "Motorhead Baby", was the inspiration for the nickname of musician Motorhead Sherwood, who played with Frank Zappa. The song "Pachuko Hop" is also referenced in the lyrics to the songs "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" on Zappa's album Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (...

Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives for modern jazz and bebop Hubbard started playing the mellophone and trumpet in his school band at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Trumpeter Lee Katzman, former sideman with Stan Kenton, recommended that he begin studying at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music (now the Jordan College of the Arts at Butler University) with Max Woodbury, the principal trumpeter of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In his teens Hubbard worked locally with brothers Wes and Monk Montgomery and worked with bassist Larry Ridley and saxophonist James Spaulding. In 1958, at the age of 20, he moved to New York, and began playing with some of the best jazz players of the era, including Philly Joe ...

This guitarist covered much stylistic territory in his long and active career, starting out in wandering '30s territory bands such as Eddie Johnson's Crackerjacks and winding up smack in the middle of the disco era, playing an important part in the career of singer Loleatta Hollaway, whom he married. Smith's father was a drummer; the boy's entry to guitar was a ukulele and after switching up he went to the trouble of studying music theory in high school. During the late '30s the guitarist was a member of the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra and the Sunset Royal Orchestra as well as an outfit known as the Brown Skin Models. Prior to serving overseas during the second World War, Smith also flailed out chord changes behind bandleader Andy Kirk, doing a good enough job that this job was waiting for him when returned to civilian life. Smith began leading his own groups, usually small configurations such as trios. The stepping stone toward his later musical productions was the ki...

Sidney Catlett (January 17, 1910 – March 25, 1951), was a swinging jazz drummer often referred to as "Big Sid Catlett" because of his large frame. Catlett was born in Evansville, Indiana, and started at piano, but switched to drums and entered formal study when his family moved to Chicago. His career began in Chicago in 1928 with Darnell Howard. In adulthood, he moved to New York City and worked with Benny Carter, Fletcher Henderson, Elmer Snowden, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, and others. In 1941, he joined Benny Goodman's band and after that joined Teddy Wilson's Sextet. In 1944, he did an album with pianist Harry Gibson. He also had his own band and played for Louis Armstrong's All Stars from 1947 to 1949 and became his drummer of choice. He played bop, dixieland, and other styles. In early 1951, he began to suffer from pneumonia. In that same year, he died of a heart-attack while visiting friends backstage at a Hot Lips Page benefit concert in...

Bobby Lewis (born February 17, 1933 or 1925, Indianapolis, Indiana) is an African American rock and roll and R&B singer. Lewis learned to play the piano by age six. Adopted at age twelve, he moved to a home in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up with the influences of the pioneer blues musicians until the advent of rock and roll, Lewis began to build a musical career in the 1950s, and in 1960 appeared at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. In July 1961, his recording of "Tossin' and Turnin'" went to No.1 for seven weeks on the Billboard chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Later that year, he had a second Top Ten song, "One Track Mind", his only other major hit record, at #9 Pop. "Tossin' And Turnin'", composed by Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene, was featured in the soundtrack for the 1978 film, Animal House. The song was also covered by Steve Goodman, The Replacements, The Guess Who, Peter Criss, and Jimmy Stu...

Cutting-edge blues singer, songwriter and bottleneck slide guitarist Catfish Keith has established himself as one of the most exciting country blues performers of our time. Catfish's innovative style of foot-stomping, deep delta blues and American roots music has spellbound audiences the world over. He has reinvented the guitar with great power and artistry, and brings a rare beauty and vitality to his music. Handing down the tradition, Catfish continues his lifelong journey as one of the brightest lights in acoustic blues and roots music. A two-time W. C. Handy Blues Award nominee for BEST ACOUSTIC BLUES ALBUM, and 2008 inductee into the BLUES HALL OF FAME, Catfish has fourteen NUMBER ONE independent radio chart-topping albums to his credit, and packs houses all over the world with his dynamic stage show. The 30-year veteran has toured the USA, UK and Europe dozens of times to wide acclaim, headlining major music festivals, and appearing with legends John Lee Hooker, Ray Char...

b. Edward Lamonte Franklin, 16 January 1928, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, d. 31 July 1975, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. His mother wrote many songs for her lodger Leroy Carr, and Franklin’s interest in music developed early, beginning with piano, on which he was as adept as on guitar. His guitar playing was influenced by local musicians Scrapper Blackwell and Jesse Ellery (who recorded as accompanist to Jack ‘Champion’ Dupree), but he could change his playing completely to fit with an amplified Chicago ensemble. As a pianist, Franklin was, not surprisingly, indebted to Leroy Carr, but on both instruments he was an original and remarkably accomplished musician, who was not recorded to the extent his talent merited. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”...

Next to Wilber deParis on trombone there are Sidney deParis on trumpet and cornet, Omer Simeon on clarinet and Wilbert Kirk on drums. Wilbur de Paris (January 11, 1900 – January 3, 1973) was a trombone player and band leader, especially known for mixing New Orleans jazz style with Swing. De Paris was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where his father, Sidney G. Paris, who came from West Virginia and who was a musician (trombone, banjo, guitar), a circus barker, a ventriloquist, a minstrel, etc., had met and married his mother, Fannie Hyatt. By the autumn of 1906, when he was five, de Paris had started playing alto saxophone, and a year later was working for his father in one of his plantation shows. These shows were small travelling theatrical-musical groups of singers, dancers, actors, comedians, and musicians who mainly worked for Theatre Owners and Bookers Association in the South. They performed in small tents and theatres with a mixture of drama, musical and comedy sketches, m...

Joe Hinton (November 15, 1929 – August 13, 1968) was an American soul singer. Hinton, who was born in Evansville, Indiana, began as a gospel singer with the Chosen Gospel Quartet and the Spirit of Memphis Quartet. Producer Don Robey asked the singer to try doing secular tunes, and Hinton began recording for Robey's record label, Peacock Records, in 1958. It was not until 1963, with his fifth single on the label, that he managed to chart with "You Know It Ain't Right"; the next single, "Better to Give Than to Receive", also hit the lower regions of the charts. His biggest hit was 1964's "Funny How Time Slips Away", written by Willie Nelson; the tune peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. Cash Box magazine listed "Funny How Time Slips Away" as #1 for four weeks on their R&B chart. The track sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "I Want a Little Girl", the next single, also charted, but i...

Roaring out of the southern Indiana foothills comes Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band playing a brand of Americana and Blues that stands alone – Delta blues and hillbilly fervor combine with musical acuity sharp as razor wire – best know, this trio is a force to be reckoned with. The growl of a good truck engine, the fiercest passion for his country home and family and an uncanny ability to breathe new life into old forms of music give them a pedigree many Americana acts would kill for and an ironclad work ethic keeps them on the road 250 dates a year, playing for the people with hurricane force. Locked in with an audience, the band create their own community and welcome the crowd into it, transporting them away from their troubles to joyous release, the way great musicians have done for centuries. The Rev. J. Peyton, his wife Breezy and distant cousin Aaron “Cuz” Persinger are a living breathing embodiment of the traditions and hard work ethic native to their Brown County, Indiana ho...

Larry Grisham is a survivor, plain and simple. Both personally and professionally, he has overcome obstacles most people will never face. Time and again he not only met these challenges, but rose to them and came out the other side stronger for the experience. But isn't that what the Blues is all about? Larry was born in southern Indiana in 1953 and moved about much as a child, attending sixteen different schools before graduating from high school. He did, however, spend several formative years in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky living with his grandmother (whose first cousin happened to be legendary Country/Blues guitarist Merle Travis). This is where young Larry started to soak up the music. Not only was he exposed to the area's indigenous Bluegrass, Blues, Gospel and Soul Music, but like most kids his age he was taken with the new sound of Elvis, The Everly Brothers and later The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stax and Motown. Soon Larry learned to play drums, and enough guita...

The Kinsey Report is a Gary, Indiana based band, established in 1984 by the brothers Donald, Ralph, and Kenneth Kinsey, plus a family friend, Ron Prince. As Big Daddy Kinsey and the Kinsey Report, they effectively backed their father, Big Daddy Kinsey. Lester Davenport played harmonica with the group. The Kinsey Report's father was instrumental in steering his offspring towards the blues. The older brothers, Donald and Ralph, formed a blues/rock trio called White Lightnin', before the younger children also ended up in the group. Albert King, Bob Marley, Middle Walter and Big Daddy Kinsey have all toured with the group If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”