Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, California Trap , from Andrew Duncanson , and it's a busting with soul. Opening with Relearning To Climb , a cool soul tune with a great melody, featuring Andrew Duncanson on lead vocal, backed by Tia Carroll, Lara Price and Lisa Leuschner-Andersen on backing vocals and a full compliment of Memphis instrumentation. Kid Andersen on guitar, Michael Peloquin on tenor sax, Ed Morrison on trumpet, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Dmar Martin on drums, Jim Pugh on B3, and Mike Rinta on trombone really give this track a breath of reality. Solid opener. Chugging, Hold Me Back , really gets moving with Duncanson on vocal and guitar and featuring Peloquin on harmonica as well as guitar. Title track,  California Trap is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a BB King/Mike Bloomfield feel. Kid Andersen is stellar on guitar backed by Baxter Robinson on piano and excellent vocals by Duncanson. Dripping in soul, What Kind Of Man ,...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Pease , from Frank Bey and it's a solid  compilation of Bey's music. Opening with That's What Love Will Make You Do , Little Milton's funky blues, Bey on lead vocal is joined by Anthony Paule who really lays out some real nice riffs on guitar, Loralee Christensen on backing vocals, Tony Lufrano on keys, Nancy Wright on sax, Tom Poole on trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, Endre Tarczy on bass and Paul Revelli on drums, this is a great opener. R&B track, Midnight and Day has a really nice feel with Doug Travis on keys and Kevin Frieson on bass and Thomas Jefferson on drums creating a great bottom and Bey's rich vocals sharing the spotlight with  Jeff Monjack on guitar. Rolling blues, Blues Comes Knockin' is bound to get you moving, with a great bottom by Jefferson and Frieson and with with Beys dynamic vocals, hot harmonica work by Sark Damirjian and smoking guitar lead by Monjack, this is my fav...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Got Started , from Jimmy Carpenter and it's a cool mix of blues, R&B and rock. Opening with title track, (Feels Like) I Just Got Started , Jimmy Carpenter sings soulful vocals and plays warm sax, joined by Dwayne, Walter and James Morgan on vocals, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Kid Andersen on guitar, Jim Pugh on keys and D'mar Martin on drums. Solid radio style opener. On Willie Dixon's My Babe , Carpenter plays a dynamic sax opener, backed by Mike Galisatus on trumpet, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and Endre Tarczy on piano and a flashy guitar solo by Kid. Hot sax work and a swinging drum/bass line is the trick on this one. Nice! Hot, honking sax track, Jimmy Shimmy is boosted by wild organ work by Pugh and flashy guitar styling by Bobby Vega. Smokin! Allen Toussaint's funky, Night People , has a great groove, anchored by Vega on bass and D'Mar on drums. Carpenter really gets it working with sassy sax ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent releases, Spirits , by Kid Andersen and Soul , by Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner released together as a single release (2 discs) and it's great! Opening with slow blues, The Civilized Life , Kid Andersen opens with some of the most powerful music to come out of Greaseland Studio. Andersen is a talented musician across the board and his guitar playing and lead vocals here are really strong. Endre Tarczy on bass, Chris Burns on keys and Mike Rinta on trombone, Dr Aaron Lington  and Stevie Gurr on harmonica add great texture to this excellent opener. Blind Willie Johnson's Nobody's Fault But Mine gets a really nice rework with a slinky feel courtesy Dave LeMieux on drums and Kid on guitar, bass and lead vocal shared with Lisa Leuschner. Check out the outrageous slide guitar work by Kid on Hey, Little Reaper , a Chicago style blues romp with solid harmonica work by Nic Clark and Charlie Musselwhite, coupled with B...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cooking With Gas , by Big Harp George and it's a solid set of original blues tracks. Opening with title track, Cooking With Gas , Big Harp George on lead vocal and chromatic harmonica leads the way on this sassy track with D'Mar Martin on drums, Joe Kyle Jr. on bass and featuring Michael Peloquin contributing a hot sax solo. Latin flavored Doom Loop has a tight drum and horn section with Doug Rowan on bari sax, Ed Morrison on trumpet, Peloquin on tenor sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Kid Andersen on guitars and great guitar flare from George. Soulful blues, Wine Is My Friend has a firm bass line by Kyle Jr. working with George's great vocals, Andersen on guitar and James Dwayne and Walter Morgan on backing vocals. Funky instrumental, Maceosity really moves with Jerry Jemmott on bass and D'Mar on drums. A lively horn section and Burns on keys fuels the flame and Peloquin on diatonic harmonica works in nicely ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Right Man , by D.K. Harrell and if you're looking for a new favorite blues singer who knows how to play a great blues phrase, look no further. Opening with title track, The Right Man , D.K. Harrell on lead guitar and vocal is smooth. He knows how to swing and his riffs are clean. Joined by Kid Andersen on rhythm guitar, Jim Pugh on keys, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Tony Coleman on drums and Jon Otis on congas this is a great opener. With a lot of soul and a funky overtone, Harrell lays down Get These Blues Out Of Me . I really can't think of a more BB King like performer who sounds genuinely original. His delivery is sincere and his counterpoint guitar is effortless and rich. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Hello Trouble with a slower pace and perfect vocal/guitar call and response. Backed by Neil Levonius and John Halbleib on trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, Mike Peloquin on tenor and Doc Kupka on bari...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From My Soul , by Marcel Smith and it's sopping with soul. Opening with I'm Coming Home to You , a cool, traditional soul tune that could literally come from the 60's with it's excellent lead vocal by Marcel Smith, background vocals by The Sons of the Soul Revivers and featuring Kid Andersen on guitar, Mike Rinta on trombone, D'Mar Martin on drums, Endre Tarczy on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, Aaron Lington on sax, and John Worley on trumpet. Very cool. Wake Me When It's Over is one of my favorites on the release with it's perfect melody, lightly applies backing of Tarczy on bass, D'Mar on drums and a vibraphone solo by Andersen supporting the lush vocals of Smith. Drunk is a tight R&B track with hot percussion by Jon Otis, a brassy trombone solo by Rinta, and sassy horn work by Worley all tied together by Smith's magnetic vocals. Nothing Left To Burn really moves with terrific vocals by...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stuff I've Been Through , by Alabama Mike and I really like it's funky blues sound. Opening with title track, Stuff I've Been Through , Alabama Mike's lush vocals lead the way, joined by Kid Andersen and Rusty Zinn on guitars, Jim Pugh on keys, Jerry Jemmott on bass, D'Mar on drums and with great horn work by Bernard Anderson on sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Doug Rowan on sax and Jeff Lewis on trumpet. Great opener. Another track with a great groove is King Cock , with a great back beat by D'Mar, and Jemmott on bass and featuring Anson Funderburgh on guitar with some real tasty riffs. Mike not only has lead vocals but adds harmonica and the horn section is back with a lot of heat. Excellent. A cool, R&B style track, Damage Control, features a different rhythm section of Bobby Young on guitar, Lorenzo Hawkins on Keys, AJ Joyce on bass and Ronnie Smith on drums. This is a cool track and it really d...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothing But Time , from Monster Mike Welch and it's flat out scorching! Opening with Walking To You Baby , Mike wastes absolutely no time kicking this release into overdrive. With solid vocals and high strung, blues guitar phrasing, Mike sails. Backed by Jerry Jemmott on bass, Bob Welch on piano, Kid Andersen on keys, Fabrice Bessouat on drums, Eric Spaulding on tenor sax, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and John Halblieb on trumpet, this track will part your hair. George Harrison's terrific track, I Me Mine gets a real nice cover by Mike and though he doesn't vary far from the original theme, it's a real nice track and Mike's interpretation, adding horns and blues guitar riffs takes it to the next level. Excellent shuffle, I Ain't Saying shows Mike's strong vocals and Texas style blues riffs setting up a great groove. With Andersen on bass, Spaulding on sax Bob on piano and Bessouat on drums, Mik...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Ain't Playin' (May 20, 2022), from Diunna Greenleaf and it's chocked full of R&B, blues and soul. Opening with Koko Taylor's Never Trust A Man , Diunna Greenleaf on lead vocal slips into a funky blues, Albert King style, With Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, Kid Andersen on guitar and Dmar Martin on drums with Mike Rinta on trombone, Aaron Lington on sax and Jeff Lewis on trumpet. Power opener. In Big James Montgomery's If It Wasn't For The Blues , Greenleaf really shows powerful phrasing and excellent command for that funky blues that we all love so much. With a great bass line by Andersen, Lington on flute, Rinta on trombone and Lewis on trumpet, and Igor prado on lead guitar, this is a really strong track. Original shuffle, Sunny Day Friends has a loose feel and Greenleaf really slides into the pocket. Jemmott's bass line is terrific, Andersen's guitar lead is strong and  P...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All My Dues Are Paid , by Frank Bey and it's a solid mix of R&B, soul, funk and blues. Opening with Eddie Palmieri's Idle Hands with it's excellent NO funk. Bey really works this one Jim Pugh on organ, Eric Spaulding on sax solo, Jack Sanford on bari sax, Nancy Wright on tenor sax, John Helbleib on trumpet, Alex Petersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Martin Winstad on percussion, Kid Andersen on guitar and Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Excellent opener! Rick Estrin's, Calling All Fools is a great shuffle with some really cool work by Nancy Wright and showcasing Bey's silky smooth vocals. Very nice. One of my favorites on the release is another Rick Estrin track, I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind , with it's slow, bluesy approach, and terrific guitar work by Kid Andersen. Nancy Wright's sax is thick and juicy and Pugh's organ solo is prime. Percy Mayfield's Ha Ha in th...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dog Eat Dog , from Billy Price and it's old school R&B. Opening with Funky rocker, Working On Your Chain Gang , Price, who has one of the smoothest voices on the circuit leads the way with strong support from Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, John Halblieb on trumpet, Jack Sanford on sax, Kid Andersen on guitar and organ, and Walter, James and Dwayne Morgan on backing vocals. Very cool. Smooth pop jazz track, Lose My Number sounds like it's right off of a Steely Dan record with it's strong melody and supple vocals over a organ lead backing melody. Eric Spaulding adds a real nice sax solo on this one giving it a real kick. With a smooth dance groove, title track, Dog Eat Dog is really in the groove with great lead vocals by Price, tight backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Alabama Mike, cool congas by Vicki Randell, the super sax work of Spaulding and great harmo...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Reckoning, from Billy Price and it's quite good. Opening with soul fused blues number, 39 Steps , Billy Price has surrounded himself with a who's who of musicians including Kid Andersen on guitar, Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, and Jim Pugh on keys for a solid radio style start. Dreamer is a strong track with a really nice bass line by Jemmott, nice pinched soloing by Andersen, and excellent backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Rusty Zinn. Very cool. Title track, Reckoning , has a real nice feel and an almost Al Green vibe. Price's vocals are smooth and warm keyboard work by Pugh, clean trumpet lines by Konstantins Jemeljanovs, lead bass lines by Jemmott and slick riffs by Andersen make this one of my favorite tracks on the release.  Another of my picks for the release is One and One , with its super melody, some of Price's best vocals on the release and cool sax work by Johnny...

I just received the newest release, Upset The Status Quo , from Alabama Mike , and it's a cool groove. Blending R&B, Blues and funk, Mike has put together a fine set here. Opening with title track, Upset The Statue Quo , a bluesy shuffle, Mike leads the way on vocal joined by Aki Kumar on harp, Bernard Anderson on sax, Kid Andersen and Bob Welsh on guitar, Kedar Roy on bass and D'Mar Martin on drums, this track is a great start. Identity Theft opens with a a cool bass line from Jerry Jemmott this track and an overall R&B feel which is quite cool. B3 punctuation, backing vocals by Loralee Christansen and Lisa Leuschner and a hot sax solo by Anderson tops the track off nicely. Low slung blues number, MISSISSIPPI is a great track with a serious lope and Kumar doing some fine work on harp and a nice piano solo from Bob Welsh. Funky number, Think, also shows the strong bass work of Jemmott and features nice B3, Anderson on sax as well as a hot guitar solo from Kid Ande...

I just received the newest release, Take It Like That , from D'Mar & Gill and it has a fresh, cool sound. Opening with I Fell In Love With The Blues , a catchy number with a cool walking bass line by Kid Andersen, Chris Gill leads on vocals and guitar and Aki Kumar adds in just the right amount of harp. Derrick D'Mar is tight on drums with cool piano work from Bob Welsh and nice backing vocals from Lisa Andersen. Back To Paradise has a real cool funky beat and an overdriven guitar feel putting me in mind of rhythm work by Mr Cooder himself. Very cool! Song For Honeyboy has a loose slide guitar rider following Gill's vocals and D'Mar creates a loose train feel on drums. A real nice guitar "duet" on slide with Kid Andersen sets this track off along the lines of a JJ Cale's Call Me The Breeze. Souvenir Of The Blues has a classic soulful blues feel. Gills vocals on this track are particularly expressive as are his guitar riffs. Jemmot's bass r...