Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Men Are Like Potato Chips , by Anni Piper and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Devil Bride , Brian Foxworth really set a solid drum rhythm giving Anni Piper on vocal and bass a great platform for her chugging rocker. Ted Swanson   lays in some nicely stylized guitar work and Jimi Bott rounds out the band on percussion. Sassy, title track, Men Are Like Potato Chips , has a vintage blues style lead by Chris Shuttleworth on tuba and Steve Kerin on keys giving the full range to Piper on lead vocal. I do like  Shuttleworth's tuba solo on this one. Cheetah , is my favorite track on the release is tasty guitar work by Swanson, and strong drum beat by Foxworth, John Dover contributing a tight trumpet lead and of course smooth lead vocal by Piper. Thunderous drums by Foxworth open Match With A Sasquatch rocking with Piper's vocals and Tim Langford and the track picks up a hot James Brown funky drum rhyth...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Great Women in Blues , by Lisa Mann's Northwestern All-Stars , and it's powerful. Opening with traditional spiritual numbers, Wade In The Water /Swing Low Sweet Chariot really demonstrating the richness of Odabi's voice...wow. Rolling into rocking blues, I Sing The Blues , Odabi holds the crowd in her hands supported by the potent backing of Mann on bass, Jimi Bott on drums, Louis Pain on organ, and flaming guitar work by Ben Rice and Jason Thomas. Very cool. Pops Staples' Why Am I Treated So Bad has a lightly funky arrangement with rich harmonies by Odabi and Mann and crushing double stops against cool lead by Rice and Thomas really gives this track a potent signature. One of my favorites. Rudy Toombs' R&B hit, 5-10-15 Hours is smooth as silk with Odabi swinging the lead and Mann, Rice and Thomas setting the groove. Tasty blues riffs by Thomas and a tight bottom by Bott give this track great t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Don't Need But One , by Kim Field and the Perfect Gentlemen and it's super. Opening with R&B track, Don't Need But One , Kim Field shows what a front man is supposed to do with an excellent vocal presence, backed by Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Rob Rayfield on essential bari sax, Denny Bixby on bass, Whit Draper on guitar, Vyasa Dodson on guitar and Jimi Bott on drums. Hot opener. Chicago style blues , Please Don't Ask Me , features Field on vocal and super harp, and Dodson lays in some real stylin guitar riffs. Very cool. Slow, soulful blues, Black Diamonds is one of my favorite tracks on the release with an excellent feel, really nice guitar lead by Dodson and rich organ work by Louis Pain . Cool shuffle, Dress The Monkey provides a great showcase for Field on harmonica. His fat tone with the off beat drumming really males this a standout track and Dodson's guitar work is in the groove. Very ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gate C23 , by Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots and it's strong. Opening with Fresh Suits , a strutting blues rocker, features Chad Rupp on lead vocal and guitars, joined by LaRhonda Steele, Arietta Ward and Ms. Vee on backing vocals Ken Scandlyn, on guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, Timmer Blakely on bass and Ken Brewer on organ. Sassy opener. Title track, Gate C23 , is a deep blues track with Rupp and Ms. Dee on vocal and excellent guitar work by Rupp and Kenny Blue Ray, Brady Goss on piano, Gene Ermal on drums and featuring Joe McCarthy, Bradley Ulrich and Pat Pepin on horns. Smoking! Super shuffle, Blues City Cafe , really rolls with solid guitar lead and vocal by Rupp and excellent harmonica work by Mitch Kashmar. Soulful, You'll Be Singing My Songs , is rich with vocal lead and harmonies and excellent harmonica work by Kashmar and a stinging guitar solo by Rupp. Very nice. Fat Kid Boogie is a cool change up with a hot...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Empty Seats , from Richard Wilkins and it's a cool fusion of blues, rock and country. Opening with Duncan McGillvray ,  a traditional Scottish tune and leading directly into Coming In For A Landing , a country two stepper with a rock edge. Richard Wilkins on vocal, sax, bass and guitar is joined by Paul Brainard on guitar and lap steel, Brian Harris on piano, and Jimi Bott on drums. Rocking opener. I particularly like Rainy Sunday Morning with Wilkins and Rhonda Steele on vocals and cool, slide guitar by Wilkins and Ed Neuman on organ. Shuffle, Daylight Train , has a great feel, with Wilkins on vocal and Brainard on lap steel, and Joe McCarthy on brass. Crossroads Of Love is a cool rocker with edge. Wilkins keeps it raw with edgy vocals and stripped down guitar riffs and Bott keeps it tight. Jump track, Rock This House really moves with excellent guitar lead by Brainard and Wilkins and Neuman on piano. Wrapping the r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Fine By Me, from Curtis Salgado and it's a great mix or rock, pop R&B and blues. Opening with country rocker, My Girl Is A Nut, with Salgado on vocal and harmonica, Alan Hager on guitar, Keith Brush on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. Chugging rhythm on Better Things To Lie About has a great feel, reinforced by Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Lars Campbell on trombone, and Tim Bryson on sax and features super vocal and harmonica by Salgado. One of my favorite tracks on the release is I'm Gonna Forget About You featuring vocal duet with Salgado and Robert Cray. Jim Pugh on piano and B3 gives the track depth and Jerry Jemmott on bass and Kid Andersen joining Cray on guitar really adds the spice. Hear The Lonely Hearts is a terrific soul track featuring Salgado on lead vocal backed by The Sons of Soul Revivers (James Morgan, Walter Morgan and Dwayne Morgan) on harmonizing vocals. With Rome Yamilov on guitar and Kid Andersen o...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Devil Won't Get You , from Chad Rupp & The Sugar Roots and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with funky rocker, Even Money , Chad Rupp on lead vocal and guitar is upfront over a strong bass line by Timmer Blakely and Jimi Bott on drums. Cool organ work by Louis Pain and strong piano work by Brady T Goss really create a pocket for Rupp to solo which has a distinctive Dicky Betts feel. Strong opener. Joe-Mack McCarthy on trumpet and Scott Franklin on sax create a strong intro on this swinging blues with great guitar riffs throughout and highlighting Rupp's vocals. Franklin, McCarthy and Rupp trading riffs makes this track one of my favorites on the release. Leopard For Your Love is a potent shuffle a great start and stop vocal treatment's and stiff call and response vocal with Ruffs guitar. Up tempo shuffle, At The Candlelight Room is driven by aggressive drum rhythms by Bott and Rupp plays off his...

 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, Keep On Pushin' , from Johnny Wheels & The Swamp Donkeys and it's a cool rocker with solid R&B and blues overtones. Opening with On The Run , a poppy R&B track features John "Wheels" Kennicott on lead vocal and harmonica, Brandon Logan on guitar and vocals and Taylor Frazier on bass along with full backing by LaRhonda Steele on vocal, Steve Kerin on keys, Jimi Bott on drums. With it's great melody and overall sound, this could easily pull good radio play. This Time is a cool, bluesy rocker with vocal blending by Kennicott and Kern and horn punctuation. Kennicott's vocals are gritty and Frazier's bass line anchor's the track. Logan lays down some real nice guitar riffs here but Kennicott's harmonica work is notable as well. My favorite track on the release is As Long As You're There with it's memorable melody, solid vocals and balanced guitar work, complimented ni...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Life's For Livin' , by Richard Wilkins and it's a good blend of R&B, rock and blues. Opening with Howling Wolf's Howlin' For My Darling , Richard Wilkins is upfront on lead vocal and bass, with power tom toms by Jimi Bott, Kevin Selfe on lead guitar, Steve Kerin on piano. Solid opener.  Original blues rocker, Here I Come Mama , has a solid bottom and rockin' piano by Kerin with a driving guitar lead by Selfe.  Title track, Life's For Livin' is a solid radio track penned by Wilkins with a "Kinks like" rock feel. Super melody and steady beat, cool track. I really like the driving beat of Night Train with Don Reardon and Selfe on guitar and it's "Social Distortion" kind of feel. Lofi and blues rocky... very cool. Wilkins straps up the sax on Joe Hill Louis'  Hydramatic Woman and it's rockabilly style with lively piano by Kerin. On I Don't Drink No M...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, and it's a cool raw edged blues. Opening with Over In The Corner , Schafer on lead vocal and guitar has the feel of Tom Waits. With Jimi Bott on drums, Timmer Blakely on bass, and Willie Scandlyn and JT Thomas on guitars, a cool opener. With broad, shimmery guitar chords Virgin Mary has just the right flavor of country western. Schafer's vocals, worked with the guitar soloing of Scandlyn and Thomas and a warm fiddle solo by Tom Esch makes this my choice track of the release. On Astara a rumbling bass intro by Blakely and tight rhythm by Johnny Moore on drums leads nicely into Schafer's vocal lead and some real nice guitar soloing and clean fiddle work by Esch. Wrapping the release is swampy, Rich Boy , with Schafer shouting the lead and Scandlyn and Thomas pairing with some real nice guitar riffs. Blakley and Moore hold a tight ship and really nice guitar soloing by JT and Willie makes this an excellent closer...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Ain't Done , from The Proven Ones , and it's a solid blues flavored rocker. Opening with Get Love , a contemporary blues rocker with hints of Jim Dewer, The Fab Thunderbirds and SRV, lead vocalist Brian Templeton has a powerful voice, and with the stinging guitar riffs of Kid Ramos and Mack McCarthy on trumpet, and with Jimi Bott on drums, Willie J Campbell on bass, and Anthony Geraci on keys, a super opener. Gone To Stay pushes further into the grunginess of rock and with a Nirvana like attack, ventures further into the rock arena. Bott's driving drum work really give this track a firm footing. With a firm backbeat, title track, You Ain't Done is one of my favorites on the release with solid vocal blending from Mike Zito and LaRhonda Steele, a great trumpet compliment from Mack, cool slide work from Ramos and a rich organ solo from Geraci. Ruthie Foster lends her fabulous lead vocal to Whom My Soul ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Why Did You Have To Go , from Anthony Geraci , and it's rich. Opening with R&B title track, Why Did You Have To Go , Sugar Ray Norcia is upfront on lead vocal backed by Michael Mudcat Ward on bass, Marty Richards on drums, Sax Gordon on sax, Doug Woolverton on trumpet and with stellar guitar styling by Monster Mike Welch and piano wizardry by Anthony Geraci. Excellent opener. Bluesy ballad, Angelina, Angelina is really strong with really nice piano work by Geraci and lead vocals by Sugaray Rayford. Welch is back again with signature tone, backed by Willie J Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. Very nice. Soul track, Two Steps Away From The Blues , features Michelle "Evil Gal" Willson on lead vocal with warm piano and B3 work by Geraci. Norcia is back on vocal and harp on Time's Running Out , an easy shuffle, joined by nice pace piano work by Geraci and the strong guitar accents by Ronnie Earl. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild Again , from The Proven Ones and it's quite good. Opening with Jimi Bott penned, Cheap Thrills , The Proven Ones hit the high stepping with a driving bass line by Willie J Campbell, Bott on drums, Anthony Geraci on Hammond and piano, Kid Ramos on guitars and Brian Templeton on lead vocal, this is a veritable who's who band. Up next is City Dump , a rolling boogie not unlike James Brown might use with nice solos by Ramos and Renato Coranto on sax, joined by Joe McCarthy on trumpet and Robert Crowell on bari sax. Fats Domino's Don't Leave Me This Way has great dynamics with excellent vocals by Templeton and ripping guitar work by Ramos. Excellent! Peter Green's slow shuffle, If You Be My Baby , has perfect pace and with the jangle of Geraci's piano, Templeton's vocals and the stylistic playing of Ramos, this track really hits! Clarence Carter's Road Of Love had the fortune of having ...

I just received the newest release, Buy My Soul Back , from Kevin Selfe and it really gets down. Opening with rockin' blues track, Picking Empty Pockets , Selfe leads the way on vocal and guitar. His clever turnaround riffs and wild solo is highlighted by a super sax solo by Peter Moss and supported by Allen Markel on bass, James Pace on organ, Steve Kerin on piano and Jimi Bott on drums. Great opener. Chicago style blues shuffle, Fixed It Til It's Broke , features Mitch Kashmar with some great harp work and a great bass lead by Willie J. Campbell. Title track, Buy My Soul Back , has a R&B feel with solid horn backing from Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Chris Mercer on tenor sax and Brad Ulrich on bari sax. Pace provides a nice bed of organ and Selfe handles the lead vocals nicely, backed by Lisa Mann and also lays in some really nicely styled guitar riffs giving the track a bit of a sting. Digging My Own Grave has a old blues feel with a grungy blues guitar riff under the dr...

GET THE NEW CD! www.kevinselfe.com Excited to announce the October 16 release of “Buy My Soul Back” on the VizzTone Label. The recording consists of 13 tunes, 12 of them originals, and features Jimi Bott, Allen Markel, Sugaray Rayford, Mitch Kashmar, Willie J Campbell, Gene Taylor, James Pace, Lisa Mann, Steve Kerin, Joe McCarthy, Brad Ulrich, Chris Mercer, Don Shultz, and Peter Moss. Get more info and tour dates at www.kevinselfe.com .  CONNECT WITH US! ...