Tracy Nelson - Life Don't Miss Nobody - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Life Don't Miss Nobody, by Tracy Nelson and it's really good. Opening with Strange Things Happening Every Day, Tracy Nelson on vocal really gets things moving. Kevin McKendree on piano knows how to play a boogie and backed by John Gardner on drums, Byron House on bass, Mike Henderson on electric guitar, this is a great opener. With a Spanish taste, title track, Life Don't Miss Nobody features Nelson on lead vocal and Wurlitzer, with Mike Dysinger on congas and Guiro, House on bass, Larry Chaney on 12 string guitar and Cuatro and Steve Conn on piano and with the tight horn work of Jack Warner on sax, Dominique Caster on trumpet, and Chase Carpenter on trombone. Very nice. Willie Nelson steps up on Honky Tonkin' sharing the lead vocals with Nelson. Mickey Raphael adds some tasty harmonica lead melody and I particularly like Mike Johnson's contribution on steel guitar. One of my favorites on the release. Terry Hanck joins on Gene McDaniels' Compared To What. With Tracy on lead vocal and Hanck on vocal and sax, this track is great. Gardner and House set the rhythm and Steve Conn on piano seeds a great solo by Hanck. Excellent track. Chuck Berry's Brown Eyed Handsome Man gets a cool, New Orleans twist with Nelson surrounded by Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Larry Chaney and Reba Russell on complimentary vocals really giving the track a solid richness. Wrapping the release is Hard Times featuring Nelson alone on vocal and 12 string acoustic guitar. A pure traditional track, this is an excellent closer. 

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New West Records artist: Angela Strehli - Ace of Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ace of Blues, by Angela Strehli and it's her best in years. Opening with Bobby Bland's Two Steps From The Blues and it's soulful presentation. Strehli's vocals are smooth as silk, backed by Mike Schermer on guitar, Steve Ehrmaann on bass, Kevin Hayes on drums, Mike Emerson on keys and a power horn section of Rob Sudduth on tenor sax, Johnnie Beaumont on bari sax, and Marvin McFadden on trumpet this is a fine opener. Funky track, Ace of Spades shows Strehli falling back into her R&B feel delivering "in spades" with cool trumpet highlights by McFadden. Schermer plays a beautiful intro on Gambler's Blues, setting a deep bluesy path for Strehli, supported by Jim Pugh on B3, Emerson on keys and Sudduth, Beaumont and McFadden on horns. Schermer really digs in on this track laying you back in your seat just cruisin. Very nice. Another fine soul track, Otis Clay's Trying To Live My Life Without You, holds true to the original with punchy horns and a tight bottom. Wrapping the release is Strehli's own, SRV, a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan. A strong radio ballad with a solid guitar solo, SRV is a smooth closer. 

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Little Village artist: Silent Partners - Changing Times - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Changing Times, from Silent Partners, and it's a huge heaping of soul and blues. Opening with Ain't No Right Way To Do Wrong, a deep soulful blues track, Silent Partners get straight to the groove. With a rich bass line by Russell Jackson, tight drums by Tony Coleman and strong supportive guitar lead by Jonathan Ellison, this is a powerful opener. Backed by Don Daily on violin, this track has great radio appeal.  Another strong radio track is, Road To Love with excellent lead vocals and backing vocals by Lisa Lueschner Andersen and featuring cool solo guitar work by Kid Andersen. Very nice. Funky, Never Make Your Move Too Soon, has a real nice feel that will get your butt right out your chair. With BB King style "talking" guitar riffs, by Ellison, and well placed organ placement by Jim Pugh over a romping bass line by Jackson, this track is moving. I love the sweet, soulful vocal lead on Teasing Woman,  backed by the plucky bass/guitar rhythm. Ellison's guitar lead really hits the spot making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Wrapping the release is Beale Street Shuffle with a laid back, shuffle feel on an old Robert Johnson concept. This band knows how to make a groove and sit in it and most anything Kid Andersen touches sounds like gold so we have a winner here. 

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Little Village Foundation: The Phantom Blues Band - Blues For Breakfast - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues For Breakfast, by The Phantom Blues Band and it's a solid party. Originally formed as Taj Mahal's backing band, PBB began performing on their own and released their first release back in 2006. With a few changes in the lineup most significantly Les Lovitt replacing Darrell Leonard on trumpet and Jim Pugh replacing the nearly irreplaceable Mike Finnigan after his fight with cancer ending in 2021. This newest rendition of the band opens with a roaring  cover of I Take What I Want with Larry Fulcher on bass and lead vocals paired with Johnny Lee Schell on lead vocal and guitar. Backed by Tony Braunagel on drums, Joe Sublett on sax, Les Lovitt on trumpet and Jim Pugh on piano and organ this track has real juice. New Orleans flavored, She's Into Something has strong percussion by  Braunagel and the horn work of Joe Sublett and Les Lovitt really spices things up. Schell drops into a nice Texas style guitar solo really setting hit one off. Very nice. A reggae style rework of Curtis Mayfield's, Move On Up, is really cool with vocal by Ruthie Foster  and tight rhythm guitar by Tony Chin and the horn work of Subett and Lovett add nice authenticity. Very cool. Mike Finnigan leads the way on organ and vocal on OK, I Admit It with real swing. Punchy horns by Sublett and Lovitt and Finnigan's own organ work make this one of my favorites. Bonnie Raitt joins on laid back shuffle, Country Boy with her distinct vocal work. Very nice. Curtis Salgado adds lead vocal and distinctive solo harmonica on Laughin' and Clowin', a slow blues and one of my favorites on the release. On up tempo, I Know You Don't Love Me, Salgado has the lead vocal again and does a great job. Sublett, on sax lays in a solid solo making it hard to stop your foot stomping. Wrapping the release is boogie track, Stuff You Gotta Watch with a great driving bass line by Fulcher and stellar work by Pugh on piano. Power horn work by Sublett and Lovitt work great with Schell's lead vocal and Sublett finishes the release with a hot sax solo. Very nice. 

This recording is dedicated to the memory of Mike Finnigan. All proceeds from sales are being donated to the scholarship program at The Mike Finnigan School of Music in Salina, Kansas. 

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Little Village artist: Diunna Greenleaf - I Ain't Playin' New Release Review

 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  Pugh adds some real nice piano as well. A darker, deeper track, Long John Hunter's I Don't Care is one of my favorite tracks on the release with superb guitar soloing by Andersen and warm sax additions by Eric Spaulding and Sax gordon. Really nice. Joe Medwick's, Damned If I Do, R&B track really gest a blues workout by Greenleaf and her vocal richness and again Andersen just smokes the guitar with strong horn backing by Rinta, Lington and Lewis. Gospel track,  I Know I've Been Changed, is another powerful demo for Greenleaf's voice with Alabama mike on additional lead vocal and Nic Clark on guitar. Very nice. Johnny Copeland's Let Me Cry is another terrific track with stellar guitar intro by Andersen, excellent piano contributions by Pugh and some of Greenleaf's best vocals on the release, wrapped in the horn work of Spaulding. This is excellent! Wrapping the release is upbeat R&B style track, Deitra Farr's My Turn, My Time with a driving funky bottom by Dmar, Jemmott and Vicki Randle (percussion) and and the addition of Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Solid closer for a terrific release. 

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Delta Roots Records artist: Gerald McClendon - Let's Have A Party - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Have A Party, from Gerald McClendon, and it's a cool R&B/Blues release. Opening with Keep On Keepin' On, Gerald McClendon sets the bar high with a strong soul track, backed by Joe Burba on guitar, Tony Llorens on Fender Rhodes,  Jim Pugh on B3, Skinny Williams on sax, Johnny B. Grayden on bass,  and Twist Turner on drums. Very nice. On blues track, If That Ain't The Blues, McClendon's lead vocal balances perfectly with Rico McFarland's response on guitar. Harlan Terson's bass line sets a perfect bottom for the fluid soloing of McFarland. Pack Your Bags and Go has classic soul styling with real nice sax work by Williams. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Throw This Dog A Bone with its bluesy vocals and gripping, "BB King" like guitar phrasing by Joe Burba and McFarland. Another of my favorites on the release is I Just Can't Take Anymore, with McClendon in the spotlight vocally and it's classic vocal phrasing. Burba lays in a real nice guitar solo punctuating this one and Ariyo Ariyoshi's Fender Rhosed work glistens but this track is all about McClendon and his soulful delivery.  Very nice.  Wrapping the release is Funky Stuff with it's solid bass line by Art love and tight guitar soloing by Melvin Taylor. This release has just the right amount of R&B, soul and blues to give everybody what they want. Very nice. 

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Little Village artist: Tia Carroll - You Gotta Have It - New release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Gotta Have It, from Tia Carroll, and I really like it. Opening with Neo soul track, Ain't Nobody Worryin' Tia Carroll really has this release humming from the start. With guitar phenom, Charlie Hunter handling bass and guitar (at the same time) D'Mar on drums, Jim Pugh on organ and Carroll on lead vocal with James Walter and Dwayne Morgan on backing vocals, this track is hot. Carroll's vocals are so soulful on Even When I'm Not Alone, it makes you sweat. With Pugh's organ work, Kid Andersen on guitars, Steve Ehrmann on bass and Paul Revelli on drums, a strong track. With real blues swagger, Mama Told Me plays into the power of Carroll's voice with Andersen laying in some stinging guitar riffs over the power horns work of Mike Runta on trombone, Rob Sudduth on tenor sax, and Aaron Lington on bari sax. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Why Am I Treated So Bad with it's dark soulful sound. With a daunting bass line by Ehrmann and the power horns of Rinta, Sudduth, Lington and Lewis, supporting Carroll's strong vocals and a cool key solo by Pugh, this is a terrific closer for a terrific release.

 


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Little Village Foundation artist: Ron Thompson - From The Patio, Live at Poor House Bistro, Volume 1, New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From The Patio, Live at Poor House Bistro, Volume 1, from Ron Thompson and it's a strong, raw performance. Opening with Willie Dixon's Meet Me In The Bottom, Ron Thompson on vocal and guitar gets a running start with his grinding tempo with Scotty Griffin on drums, Dave Chavez on bass, Sid Morris on piano and Jim Pugh on organ. His solid groove and unpolished but excellent blues vocals are spot on. On Lightning Hopkins' Bring Me My Shotgun, Thompson shows just how close to the "real blues" his work is with excellent vocals, slide work and minimal bass and drums. Excellent! Bob Geddins' Tin Pan Alley, made popular to most by SRV gets a real nice workout by Thompson with not only really soulful vocals and solid piano work by Morris but with some real nice electric guitar work by Thompson. Very nice. Guitar Slim's Done Got Over It is another potent track with Jim Pugh on organ solo and rockabilly style blues guitar riffs by Thompson. On Lowell Fulson's Sinner's Prayer, Thompson runs out a real nice slide solo working very nicely with Pugh's organ work. Very cool. Doctor Brown features Kid Andersen and Thompson on slide and we all know the Kid can play. With Elmore James style riffs under Thompson's vocals, this track is great! Wrapping the release is Thompson original, When You Walk That Walk with strong Hound Dog Taylor influence and Andersen again playing some wicked wicked guitar. This is really a strong release and highly recommended. 

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Jose Ramirez - Here I Come - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Here I Come, from Jose Ramirez, and it's a very cool, R&B flavored, contemporary blues release. Opening with title track, Here I Come, Jose Ramirez leads on vocal and guitar, backed by Jim Pugh on piano, Wes Starr on drums and Nate Rowe on bass. Showing his first solo, he's low slung and with plenty of Texas feel...think Jimmie Vaughan or Anson Funderburgh styling. Very nice. Slow blues, I Miss You Baby sounds like it's right out of the T Bone Walker songbook and with solid vocals by Ramirez and the backing of  Texas Horns (Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff, John Mills and Al Gomez) this track is rich. Listen to Ramirez make that guitar sing... nice. Anson Funderburgh actually shows up on Gasoline and Matches and lays in some stinging riffs over the Horns, a funk bass line by Rowe. Very nice. Goodbye Letter is a real nice slower blues with some of Ramirez's best vocals on the release and excellent rolling piano work by Pugh. Sit back and let him stroke the strings... solid phrasing and great tone. Combining the guitar loping riff of SRV and the warm organ work of Pugh, Three Years has a real soothing blues feel and gives Funderburgh and Ramirez plenty of space to work. Very nice. Super soulful, As You Can See, is one of my absolute favorites on the release with strong lead vocals by Ramirez, and plenty of fat horn work. Ramirez holds back on his guitar until the tail of the track but it's a perfect short of heat at just the right moment. Excellent! Wrapping the release is strong shuffle, Stop Teasing Me, with cool organ work by Pugh under Ramirez's solid vocals. His lead guitar lines and the tight drum work is a perfect balance and with continued pressure from Pugh on his Hammond, this track is a stong closer for a really strong release. 

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Gulf Coast Recordings artist: John Blues Boyd - What My Eyes Have Seen... - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, What My Eyes Have Seen..., from John Blues Boyd, and it's tasty. Opening with shuffle track, In My Blood, John Blues Boyd has the mic with silky smooth vocals, backed by Kid Andersen on guitar, Jim Pugh on piano, Quantae Johnson on bass, June Core on drums, and Eric Spaulding and Jack Sanford on sax. Solid opener.  Title track, What My Eyes Have Seen... is a really cool track with soulful vocals by Boyd over a dark bass line/guitar lead by Johnson and Anderson. There is quite a bit going on here with super percussion from June Core and Kid Andersen, Jack Sanford on sax, John Halblieb on Trumpet, Ric Feliziano and Pugh on organ. Excellent! Straight up blues number, A Beautiful Woman (For Dona Mae) is strong vocally with nice guitar soloing by Andersen and featuring Nancy Wright on sax. 49 Years is a real nice slower blues number with strong piano lines by Pugh, wailing sax by Spaulding and super blues phrasing by Andersen on guitar. Funky, I Got To Leave My Mark, puts you in mind of Albert King, with excellent guitar riffs by Andersen (who also plays organ and percussion), and a solid horn backing by Spaulding, Sanford, Halblieb and Feliziano. Wrapping the release is My Memory Takes Me There which really highlights Boyd's vocal strength surrounded by only the basics with Andersen on organ. Nice closer for a solid release.

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NOLA Blue records artist: Frank Bey - All My Dues Are Paid - New Release Review

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 the Daytime has a solid bounce. Bey's deep vocals are rich and with Jemmott's firm bass work and Spaulding's sax work, this is another really cool track. Up tempo pop track, One Thing Every Day is an ideal radio song with a great melody, solid lead vocals and full backing vocals by Loralee Cristensen, Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Vicki Randle. Wrapping the release is John Lennon's Imagine with a gospel like remix. Bey knows how to bring it and Lorenzo Farrell's organ work, along with Pugh on piano and organ, a soulful sax solo by Wright, soulful guitar work by Andersen and with Jemmott on bass, D'Mar Martin on drums, Jack Sanford on sax, Halbleib on trumpet, Ric Feliciano on trombone, a well chosen closer. 

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Little Village Foundation artist: The Mike Duke Project - ...Took A While - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, ...Took A While, from The Mike Duke Project and it's a soulful southern style release packed with musical elite. Opening with Little Miss Ponytail, a certain radio track, Mike Duke on lead vocal and piano leads the way with Bill Stewart on drums, Phil Yeager on bass, Ronnie Brown on guitar and Rick Kurtz on guitar. Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do features Duke with Jimmy Hall and the vocals are not only warm and solid but this is really a strong track. Let Me Be Your Fool Tonight is a real cool track with the addition of Lloyd Meadows, Angela Strehi  and Lisa Lueschner Andersen on backing vocal and featuring super accordion work by Bruce Gordon. I'm Not Sad Tonight sounds like it could be pulled right out of Van Morrison's songbook with distinct vocal phrasing and poise and the addition on Jim Pugh on B3. Very nice. Gospel flavored Torn & Scarred is Duke, accompanying his vocal lead on piano with  Andersen on bass. Short but very nice. I Can't Let You Go is a bluesy ballad with all the right notes. Certain radio compositional style and Elvin Bishop's trademark slide work makes this track a release favorite. Another soulful ballad, Coming 'Round Again is certainly one of my favorites on the release with some of Duke's best writing and vocals. Backed by Bill Connell on drums, Paul Hornsby on bass, Ray Honea on guitar Don Finney on sax, Larry Finney on trumpet and Roger Dennison on trombone, this track has real traction. Wrapping the release is Nicasio, a short piano track with Duke showing his stylistic chops. This is really a rich release on one to hear.

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Billy Price - Dog Eat Dog - New Release Review

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 harmonica by Rick Estrin. Dark soul track, My Love Will Never Die, is one of my favorites on the release with screaming vocals, and ripping guitar work by Kid Andersen. Excellent! Another favorite is funky, New Orleans flavored, All Night Long Café. Price really rides high on the rhythm on this track with Jon Otis on congas and percussion, and power horn work by Spaulding, Sanford and Halblieb and a funky bluesy guitar solo by Mike Zito. Really cool. Wrapping the release is radio style track, You Gotta Go with heavy tom tom driven rhythm and glistening key work by Pugh. Andersen's guitar attack is direct and essential as always and Price's vocals are as solid as when I saw him in Pittsburgh with Roy Buchanan a lot of years ago. Price's best album in years. 

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Little Village Foundation: Junior Watson - Nothin' To It But To Do It - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothin' To It But To Do It, by Junior Watson and I really like it. It's become a theme, but I like most of what comes out of Greaseland, Kid Andersen's shop. Opening with Up and Out, an up tempo blazer led by Sax Gordon, Junior Watson opens this release like a showman with horns blazing. Gordon really has it humming with great underpinning by Kedar Roy on bass, Andrew Guterman on drums and Jim Pugh on keys, swinging the door open and letting Junior Watson run on guitar. Excellent! On swing boogie, Louella, Watson has lead vocal and guitar with big time sax work by Gordon. This track really has presence and Gordon shares the spotlight with Watson who shows why he's one of the best loved contemporary guitar players on the circuit. A Shot In The Dark is a terrific slower blues with Alabama Mike really working vocals upfront and giving Watson the space to work over his fretboard and he really does give it a great workout. One of my favorites on the release. Excellent Tex Mex track, Summer Love is a really nice showcase for Watson and his versatile guitar style. Moving quickly from Spanish to jazz, this is an excellent instrumental. Boogie track, That's Tough gives Watson, Gordon and Pugh all good shots upfront with Alabama Mike on lead vocal. Very cool. Gary Smith adds some real nice harmonica work on shuffle track, Well, You Know with Watson on lead vocal and some really cool lower octave guitar soloing. Another real cooker is Space Flight with Roy leading the way with his thumping bass line. Pugh, Watson and Gordon each taking monster solos. Excellent! Wrapping the release is You're Gonna Need Me Before I Need You featuring Lisa Anderson on lead vocal. This is the best showcase of her vocals on the release and with solid blues riffs by Watson and a firm bottom by Roy and Guterman, this is a solid closer. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Terry Hanck - I Still Get Excited - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Still Get Excited, by Terry Hanck and it's jam packed with sax infused blues. Opening with a rumble, title track, I Still Get Excited has a real nice boogie feel with excellent piano work buy Jim Pugh and cool guitar work by Johnny Cat Soubrand, with backing vocals by Whitney Shea and Lisa Leuschner Andersen, bass by Kid Andersen and drums by Butch Cousins. On Smooth Tyrone, Hanck leads on vocal and soulful sax with really nicely styled guitar work by Soubrand and again really nice piano work by Pugh. On Early In The Morning I particularly like Hanck's vocals and Chris Cain adds really strong lead guitar. I like Andersen's bass attack on this track and the backing vocals by Lisa are really nice. Pugh's B3 work on this track adds that additional dimension and June Core's drumming sets up a solid opening for Hanck to solo. Very nice.  Harmonica great, Rick Estrin joins in on Come On Back playing tag with Hanck on sax. With a cool shuffle feel and a slick guitar solo by Soubrand, this is one of my favorites on the release. Slow instrumental, Rosita (No Wall Can Hold Our Love) is a really nice showcase for Hanck on his sax with warm undertones by Pugh on B3. Howlin' Wolf's Howlin' For My Darlin' maintains it's original arrangement and spunk. Soubrand's stinging guitar work are nicely highlighted on this track of course sharing the spotlight with Hanck on sax. Very cool. Tracy Nelson joins Hanck on lead vocal on Spring with Tim Wagner on bass, Butch Cousins on drums and a soulful sax solo by Hanck. Super. Wrapping the release is Feel So Bad with a lot of spring in the rhythm. A Stax feel really gets the blood flowing on sax and Hanck really knows how to play it. Soubrand plays some of his flashiest solos on this one and Hanck's vocals work really nicely with this style. Solid closer for a real cool release. 

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Whitney Shay - A Woman Rules The World - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Woman Rules The World, from Whitney Shay and it's lively. Opening with pop track, Ain't No Weak Woman, lead vocalist Whitney Shay is joined by Jim Pugh on piano, Kedar Roy on bass, Sax Gorgon Beadle on sax, and Alexander Pettersen on drums. Slinky Blues Down Home settles down into a nice groove with full sax and trumpet punctuation by Beadle and John Halbleib respectively. A solid sax solo by Beadle, harp work by Aki Kumar and piano and organ work by Pugh gives this track real oomph. With a rolling R&B feel, Love's Creeping Up On Me has great feel, with super vocals, stinging guitar riffs by Igor Prado and nicely blended vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is title track, A Woman Rules The World with super vocals by Shay and Lisa Leuschner Andersen, nice guitar phrasing by Andersen and an overall great soul feel. Freedom has a soulful strut with a great bass line, tight drums and powerful bari sax work by Beadle. With a funky bottom, Shay's best vocals shine on Get It When I Want It. A nicely woven instrumental backing of organ, slide guitar, organ, piano and drums, this track it hot! Soulful ballad, Empty Hand, is laden with rich organ and sax giving Shay a perfect stage to belt out the blues and Beadle get yet another chance to lay out a super sax solo. Wrapping the release is rocking R&B track, Get Down With It, with all of the enthusiasm of Little Richard, driven by Pettersen on drums and Pugh on piano. Beadle's sax soloing and some cool guitar work by Andersen put a bow on this one. Very cool. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Billy Price - Reckoning - New Release Review

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 Bones. Funky soul number, Never Be Fooled Again, has a tight bass line from Jemmott and warm backing vocals by Andersen and Courtney Knott. With a laid back attack, Kid Andersen lays in some mighty tasty licks on guitar. Expert Witness stays in the funky stream with power horn work by Nancy Wright. Very nice! R&B track, Love Ballad could easily have been a strong radio player in the early seventies with it's rich vocals, melody and that tale tell sitar work by Andersen. Lisa's backing vocals on this track are particularly nice. Wrapping the release is Your Love Stays With Me with a country blues feel. Warm horn work, coupled with Prices own smooth vocals over Jemmott's bass line set this track apart and Bones sax solo is really sweet. Cool closer to a cool release.

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