Bman's Blues Report

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Showing posts with the label Jimmy Vivino

Waywire artist: Ed Alstrom - This Idea Of Humanity - New Release Review

By Bman - April 06, 2026

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Idea Of Humanity , from Ed Alstrom and it has blues and gospel influences. Opening with Put You First , Ed Alstrom shows his R&B influences with a Ray Charles feel. Playing piano, organ and singing, backed by Suzuki Andes on drums, Ula Hedwig on vocals, this track swings. Funky, Humans , features Alstrom on lead vocal and keys. Hedwig on backing vocals and Andes on drum give the track a cool texture. Soulful, Understanding , really is a nice showcase for Alstrom's soul shouting style and R&B piano. One of my favorites on the release. Another R&B style track, Go Ahead , has a great feel and Alstrom's vocals, backed by piano and melodica and Andes on drums keeps it light. Straight down the middle, The Way Back , is pure blues with Jimmy Vivino on guitar and Alstrom on vocal and piano. Vivino really digs in on slide giving this track real grit. Very nice. Wrapping the release is jazzy, Worry , wi...

M.C. Records artist: Rory Block - Heavy On The Blues - New Release Review

By Bman - August 25, 2025

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Heavy On The Blues , from Rory Block and it's a hip, blues rocker. Opening with Tommy Tucker 's High Heel Sneakers , Rory Block sets a great pace on acoustic guitar and excellent slide supporting her own vocals on this rocking track. Buddy Guy 's funky, What Kind Of Woman Is This is very soulful with Block squeezing the vocals and sharing guitar lead/slide with Jimmy Vivino . Right in the slot. Spiritual, Hold To His Hand is one of the strongest tracks on the release with Block overlaying her own voice over her own voice choir style for a very nice outcome. Charley Patton 's Down The Dirt Road Blues has a real earthy feel with Block grinding out the blues vocally and deft finger style accompaniment on acoustic guitar. Memphis Minnie 's Me And My Chauffeur is a great track with Block's notable acoustic guitar accompaniment and warm slide styling. Her vocals on this track are particularly effecti...

Gulf Coast Records artist: Jimmy Vivino - Gonna Be 2 of Those Days - New Release Review

By Bman - April 04, 2025

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gonna Be 2 of Those Days , and it's a super contemporary blues rocker. Opening with Blues In The 21st Century , Jimmy Vivino on lead vocal and guitar is joined by Joe Bonamassa for a straight up blues rocker with a driving rhythm and super slide work. Joined by Rich Pagano on drums, Mark Teixeira on percussion, and Scott Healy on piano, this is a strong opener. Title track, Gonna Be 2 Of Those Days , has a real nice groove with excellent vocals by Vivino, With Jesse Williams on bass, Scott Healy on piano Rich Pagano on drums and some real tasty guitar work by Vivino, this track is smoking. Slow blues, Fool's Gold is my favorite track on the release with soulful vocals, deep full B3 work and excellent guitar work by Vivino. With Pagano on drums and Williams on bass, this track is tops. Another standout track is Shady Side Of The Street with it's Howlin' Wolf like story telling and daunting bass line by Will...

Ruf Records artist: Canned Heat - Finyl Vinyl - New Release Review

By Bman - April 10, 2024

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Finyl Vinyl, from Canned Heat and it's really enjoyable. Opening with a rowdy rocking boogie, One Last Boogie, Canned Heat blows the roof off of this newest release. Featuring Jimmy Vivino on lead vocal and guitar Heat is packing with Dale Spalding ramping it up on harmonica, Fiti De La Parra on drums and Rick Reed on bass. Strong opener. Dave Alvin guests on Blind Owl singing lead and playing guitar. With it's droning bass line by Reed and tight drum line by De La Parra, this is a hot track. Wicked guitar soloing by Alvin and Vivino and solid harmonica by Spalding playing really take this track higher. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Tease Me with it's bluesy feel. Spalding has the mic and does a real nice job on vocal and harmonica. Spalding's up again on A Hot Ole Time but it's the fleet fingered work of Vivino that makes this track in my eyes. Very nice. Slow blues, When You're 69, fe...

VizzTone Label Group artist: Bob Margolin and Bob Corritore - So Far - New Release Review

By Bman - October 05, 2022

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, So Far , from Bob Margolin and Bob Corritore with special guest Jimmy Vivino and it's solid blues. Opening with Steady Rollin' On , Bob Margolin leads this acoustic duo on lead vocal and guitar with Bob Corritore on harmonica. Written by Margolin, this acoustic delta style blues is a cool opener. Robbie Robertson's It Makes No Difference is on of the Band's super tracks and one of my favorites on this release, blending vocals by Margolin and Jimmy Vivino who also contributes guitar and showing a totally different side of Corritore on harmonica in a totally non Chicago blues stance. Boogie, Now and Then is a cool mover featuring Corritore on harmonica over the steady drive by Margolin on guitar. Very cool. Bob Corritore's Salt River Stomp is another of my favorites as an instrumental with a lot of hot licks. Wrapping the release is John Lee Williamson's, My Little Machine with Margolin on lead ...

VizzTone Label Group artist: Bob Margolin - This Guitar and Tonight - New Release Review

By Bman - December 13, 2019

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Guitar and Tonight , from Bob Margolin and it's an acoustic blend of folk and acoustic blues. Opening with delta style title track, This Guitar and Tonight , Margolin, who handles lead vocal and guitar in tandem with Jimmy Vivino on acoustic guitar lays it out like he was Skip James or Robert Johnson, pure and simple. The guitar playing is tight and vocals wailing. Solid opener. Margolin gets his Muddy on with Waters like slide work on Over Time . Margolin spent years in Muddy's band and plays his own soulful take on the classic slide style. Dancer's Boogie is a lively track with hot jazz style guitar riffs and Margolin's best vocals on the release. Harp master, Bob Corritore joins Margolin on Blues Lover , a romping shuffle. One of my favorites on the release is country style story blues, I Can't Take Those Blues Away . Margolin delivers the story over a solid guitar vamp. With a more contempo...

VizzTone Label Group artist: Chris "Bad News" Barnes - Hokum Blues - New Release Review

By Bman - August 30, 2017

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hokum Blues , from Chris "Bad News" Barnes , and it's true to the old style 30's blues. Opening with Tampa Red's It Hurts Me Too , Barnes' vocals are solid with super slide work from Jimmy Vivino and Steve Guyer on harp, backed by Will Lee on bass, Shawn Pelton on drums and Bette Sussman on piano. Kicking it into swing mode and getting a little suggestive, Barnes struts Let Play With Your Poodle , featuring a real nice piano solo by Sussman and crisp guitar riffs by Vivino. Very nice. Prohibition style, I'm Gonna Get High , maintains a lot of the "prance" of the area and caller style vocals. Wild slide work on Bo Diddley rhythmed It's Tight Like That really gives this track a great presence. The Hokum Boys', You Can't Get Enough Of That Stuff, is one of my favorites on the release with cool vocal harmonies and easy going rhythm. With a Latin beat, Keep Your Mind On It...

15th Annual Blues From the Top Festival: 2 Days of Blues Royalty

By Bman - May 22, 2017

ANNOUNCING THE 15TH ANNUAL BLUES FROM THE TOP FESTIVAL: TWO BIG DAYS OF BLUES ROYALTY IN BEAUTIFUL WINTER PARK, CO Enjoy Fabulous Thunderbirds, Anders Osborne, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Carolyn Wonderland, Alvin Youngblood Hart, And More, All In A Beautiful Mountain Setting! ~ Presented With Pride By The Grand County Blues Society, In Memory of Blues From The Top Founder, John Catt ~ Saturday, June 24 (11am to 6pm); Sunday, June 25 (10:30am to 6pm) ...

Cleopatra Records artist: James Montgomery - The James Montgomery Blues Band - New Release review

By Bman - December 15, 2016

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The James Montgomery Blues Band , from James Montgomery and it's a cranking homage to Paul Butterfield. Opening with funky rocker, One More Heartache , Montgomery blows the doors open with his always powerful harp, backed by George McCann on guitar, David Hull on bass and Jeff Thompson on drums and punched up by the Uptown Horns including Crispin Cloe on sax, Larry Etkin on trumpet, Arno Hecht on sax and Bob Funk on trombone. Super opener. Nick Gravenites' Born In Chicago gets a bit more bounce that Nick's original and McCann sports a real nice guitar solo opening the way for Montgomery's harp solo. Very cool. Little Walter's Blues With A Feeling is solid and Montgomery's vocals are raw and gritty. I particularly like the tight guitar work by McCann on this track giving it a casual pace along with stinging riffs. Young Woman's Love just has that snap making it sit solid on your foot. McCan...

Little Lightning Productions artist: Shari Puorto - My Obsession - New Release Review

By Bman - April 20, 2016

I just received the newest release, My Obsession , from Shari Puorto and she's still slamming it. Opening with funky rocker, It's A Damn Shame , Puorto's vocals are tight and her phrasing is super. Johnny Hawthorn knows how to make it hot on guitar and Bob Glaub's bass lines are smokin. Backed by Kenna Ramsey, Julie Delgado and Mike Finnigan, this is my favorite track on the release. On Home of the Blues , Jimmy Vivino and Steve Fister step up on lead and slide guitar (respectively) and Mike Finnigan's B3 work is super. Rock and roller, Six Months Sober is square down the middle with Jim Pugh's piano and B3 and slide soloing by Hawthorn is smooth. Sugar Daddy is a slower sure stepper with a drone bass line and slap snare from Tony Braunagel. Title track, My Obsession , opens with a subdued niteclub feel but kicking into a solid rocker with Vivino and Finnigan trading lead riffs under Puorto's cool vocals. Old Silo Road is a quiet ballad, primarily the...

New Guitar Whiz Album!

By Bman - July 29, 2015

NEW ALBERT CUMMINGS ALBUM ! Guitar Wizard Releases "Someone Like You" Albert Cummings, a rare talent renowned for his uniquely muscular yet polished guitar wizardry, has released a new studio CD entitled Someone Like You. The album was produced in Los Angeles by Grammy-winner David Z, and features special guest and labelmate Jimmy Vivino (bandleader on the Conan TV show) on three tracks. Producer Z, who's worked with Buddy Guy, Prince, Jonny Lang, and Gov’t Mule, said, “Albert Cummings writes, plays and sings the blues like nobody else. What a blast to watch him jell in the studio with some of the best musicians in Los Angeles.” Master builder turned master guitarist, Albert has become a favorite of fans who love soulful, explosive rocking blues. Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section, was so impressed wit...

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