Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Be Cool , from Willie J. Campbell and it's really strong. Opening with You Better Let Go , Sugar Ray Rayford is upfront on lead vocal, with Willie J. Campbell on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys, Kid Ramos on guitar and Jimi Bott on drums. Ramos lays out a really nice guitar solo on this somewhat funky track, nicely complimented by Condron Hampton on congas. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Can't Stay Away , featuring Janiva Magness on lead vocal and Brian Templeton on backing vocal, as well as Anson Funderburgh showing exceptional finesse on guitar. Also appearing on this track are Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman on guitars.  Excellent! Templeton has the mic on Drone with it's droning bass line and features the harmonica wizardry of Jason Ricci. There's hardly a track that Ricci contributes to that I don't think that he improves substantially so this is another of my favorites. another Texas styl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Change In The Weather - Janiva Magness Sings John Fogerty , from Janiva Magness and it's vibrant. Opening with title track, Change In The Weather , Magness really pushes the tempo with strong, revival like pace and featuring Dave Darling on guitar with tight riff insertions and backed by Gary Davenport on bass, Steve Wilson on drums, Zachary Ross on guitar and dobro, and Arlan Oscar on keys. Smart opener. Someday Never Comes gets a traditional British approach with Magness taking the ballad approach on the melody and with a double time beat under the chorus. I've always been partial to Wrote A Song For Everyone with it's "Band" like rhythm. Magness shines clearly on this one with excellent backing vocals by Bernie Barlow, Dave Darling and Zachary Ross. Taj Mahal sits in of Don't You Wish It Was True with his trademark vocal and overall country blues feel. Very cool. Although Bad Moon Risin...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (February 23, 2018), Love Is An Army , by Janiva Magness and it's earthy. Opening with R&B track, Back To Blue, Janiva Magness shows authority in the shadows of Mayfield and Green with Stephen Hodges on drums, Davey Faragher on bass, Arlan Schierbaum on keys, Doug Livingston on pedal steel, Dave Darling on guitar, Phil Parlapiano on piano and Darrell Leonard, Joe Sublet and Alfredo Ballesteros on horns. Also contributing backing vocals are Kudisan Kai, Sugaray Rayford, Gary Pinto, Natasha Pinto, Thrones, Aurelia, Dave Darling and Brie Darling. Excellent opener. Another nice entry is Tell Me with strong vocals and real nice guitar work by Darling. Ballad and title track, Love Is An Army , has a strong melody with warm pedal work by Livingston and really nice vocal duet between Magness and Bryan Stephens. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Down Below with a really earthy feel and featuring Courtney Hart...

GRAMMY-NOMINATED SINGER-SONGWRITER JANIVA MAGNESS REACHES A NEW CREATIVE APEX  WITH THE POWERFUL, GENRE-SPANNING  LOVE IS AN ARMY She’s reunited with producer Dave Darling for her   14th album, which fuses the classic sounds of Memphis and Nashville with a modern focus on songs that balance love, hope and protest.  Street date: February 23rd. Guests on this Americana-Soul album are Americana pillars Delbert McClinton,  Poco’s Rusty Young and Della Mae’s Courtney Hartman, as well as prolific blues artists Charlie Musselwhite and Cedric Burnside LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After  Janiva Magness  added a 2016 Grammy nomination to her 26 Blues Music Award nominations — with seven wins, incl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Again , from Janiva Magness and she taps a number of blues classics. Opening with I Can Tell , Magness has the place rockin' and Kid Ramos shows some trademark riffs backed by Matt Tecu on drums, Gary "Scruff" Davenport on bass, Zach Zunis and Garrett Deloian on guitar and Arlan Schierbaum om keys. On Al Kooper's, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know , Magness digs deep for some of her most soulful vocals on record. Kooper being an organ player, this track leaves plenty of space for Schierbaum and he uses it nicely complimented by tasty guitar soloing. Magness teams up with Sugaray Rayford for an vibrant R&B duet on If I Can't Have You . Joe Hinton's I'm Tired Of Walking with crisp, Freddie King/Eric Clapton like guitar work. Very nice. Nina Simone's slinky,    Buck is a cool track with snappy, SRV like guitar riffs and TJ Norton on harp. Wrapping the release is funky blu...

                                                                                           WOMEN RULE THE MAIN STAGE AT NEW BLUES FESTIVAL IV; HEADLINING SETS BY 2017 GRAMMY NOMINEE JANIVA MAGNESS AND QUEEN OF BLUES GUITAR, ANA POPOVIC      ~In Conjunction with the New Long Beach Blues Society~   ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Do What Your Heart Says To , from Scott Ramminger and it's a gumbo of great tracks. Opening with mambo, Living Too Fast , George Porter Jr. on bass and Doug Belote on drusm set a great table for Scott Ramminger's vocal and sax work. David Torkanowsky dresses the track nicely with super piano work, joined by Eric Lucero on trumpet, Rick Trolsen and Greg Hicks on trombone and Shane Theriot on guitar. Great opener. Really slamming the New Orleans feel, title track, Do What Your Heart Says To finds local grown(Phoenix) talent Francine Reed joining Ramminger on a great duet. Scott is up front on sax and Torkanowsky's piano work is strong. Funky, Give A Pencil To A Fish , really has a serious groove with excellent key work by Torkanowsky and super punctuation by Theriot and Ramminger on sax. Ramminger's vocals are really nicely complimented by the McCrary Sisters making this one of my favorites on the release...

BOBBY RUSH, JANIVA MAGNESS RECEIVE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS  A fourth Grammy nod for Bobby Rush, whose Porcupine Meat is nominated in Best Traditional Blues Category, while Janiva Magness scores first nom with Love Wins Again in Best Contemporary Blues category. Ceremony is February 12 in Los Angeles. ...

I just received the newest release, Love Wins Again , from Janiva Magness and it has a strong soulful base. Her first release on Blue Elan Records opens with title track, Love Wins Again , a uptempo R&B style track showcasing the tight phrasing of Magness with nicely blended backing vocals and a radio hook. Real Slow has an infectious funky groove with slick guitar riffs and a solid bottom. Ballad, When You Hold Me has the pure sound of 60's R&B with nicely blended vocals. I really like the feel of this track and Magness parlays her soulful vocals into a super radio track with warm key backing by Arlan Schierbaum and stinging guitar riffs by Garret Deloian, Zach Zunis and Dave Darling. Say You Will is a prime radio track with an easy beat and a solid melody. Backing vocals by Brie Darling, Bernie Barlow, Gary Pinto and TJ Norton add considerable warmth and Phil Parlipiano on piano balances the solid bass lines of Gary Davenport and tight drum work of Matt Laug. Doorw...

INCENDIARY SINGER-SONGWRITER ...