Joe Krown - Tribute - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tribute, from Joe Krown, and it's a New Orleans soaked release. Opening with Allen Toussaint's, All Of It, renown piano and B3 player player really gets things going, backed by  Mark Brooks on bass, Doug Belote on drums and with some searing guitar riffs by Leo Nocentelli. Powerful opener. Dr. John's Such A Night maintains all of the spirit of the Daytripper's original with Ivan Neville on lead vocal and Kassie Netherland backing, Jack Miele and John Fohl on guitar and of course Krown really  working the piano. On Ode to Mr. Davis, Krown lays back in the slot with cool piano and B3, joined by excellent sax work by Joe Sublett, Belote and Brooks. Very nice. Lightning Hopkins' Feel So Bad, features Wolfman Washington on vocal and guitar. I have always loved his style and his vocal, paired with his own funky guitar riffs makes this my favorite track on the release. wrapping the release is a stirring original, Gumbo Boogie, with Krown really cranking up the heat. With B3 under the bottom and piano on the top, a walking bass line by Brooks and a tight drums line by Belote, this is an excellent closer. 

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Take It To The Bridge Records artists: The Boneshakers - One Foot In The Groove - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Foot In The Groove, by The Boneshakers, and it's a cool blues rocker with a soulful edge. Opening with funky rocker, Mr. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Jenny Langer (of Moonshine Society) has total control with her sassy, funky vocals, joined by band leader Randy Jacobs on guitar, Jon Gilutin on keys, Nathan Brown on bass, Sergio Gonzales on drums, Joe Sublett on sax, and Mark Pender on trumpet. Solid opener. I Am The Blues is a real cool blues rocker with a lumbering feel. Langer's vocals are really strong and I love Jacob's guitar approach with wah wah and excellent blues phrasing throughout. Title track, One Foot In The Groove, has a heavy foot by Gonzales giving the track real authority. I think that this track really hits Langer's sweet spot vocally and a sizzling solo by Jacobs and warm organ by Gilutin really hits the spot. Punchy horns by Sublett and Pender on More, More, More and strong backing vocals by Bernard Folwer and Sir Harry Bowens gives extra juice to this radio ready R&B track. Wrapping the release is Powerful Notions, a funky rocker with a solid melody, juicy guitar work by Jacobs and strong vocals by Langer. Nery cool release. 

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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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-Sandy Haley - Feels Like Freedom - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Feels Like Freedom, from Sandy Haley, and it's a cool blend of blues, pop and rock. Opening with title track, Feels Like Freedom, vocalist, Sandy Haley gets into a contemporary pop rock groove, with the wailing sax work of Joe Sublett and Teddy Andreadis on keys, backed by pat McClure on guitar, Reggie mcBride on bass and Tony Brunagel on drums.  Bluesy ballad, Love Me Right gives Haley the opportunity to dig in vocally, with tasty guitar riffs by McClure cool trumpet work by Les Lovitt with Nick Lane on trombone and piano by Jeff Paris. Funky, Run For Shelter adds another dimension with Cortes laying in a solid bottom, Andreadis on keys and Braunagel on drums.  Wrapping the release is up tempo shuffle/boogie, Dirty Dog with the band really hitting the groove. With a snappy drum line by Braunagel, rock guitar riffs from McClure and Andreadis on harmonica, and backing vocals by Maxayn Lewis  and Kudisan Kai Regalto this is a solid closer. 

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Fullerton Gold Records artist: Bubba and The Big Bad Blues - Drifting - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Drifting, by Bubba and The Big Bad Blues and it's a great blues rocker. Opening with shuffle, I Want To Make Love To You Baby, Christopher Clerc on lead vocal and guitar has really nicely blended the styles of BB King and SRV to create his own soulful groove. Joined by Mike Barry on bass, Mike Finnigan on organ, Rick Solem on piano, Tony Braunagel on drums, Richard Rosenberg on trombone,  Joe Sublett on sax and Les Lovitt on trumpet, this is a full orchestral rocking sound. Title track, Drifting, is a strong, soulful ballad with excellent vocals and beautiful, shimmering guitar riffs, interwoven into a field of rich horn and key saturated music. Brilliant. Rocking boogie track, She's Your Problem Now, gets a super groove moving with excellent vocal and guitar by Clerc super organ work by Finnigan and tight work by Jason Lozano on drums and Johnny Bazz on bass. I Own The Road has a driving rock and roll beat highlighted by Rick Solem on piano and Clerc really cuts loose with some terrific rocking guitar riffs. Really nice. Wrapping the release is a quiet ballad, My Love, featuring Clerc on vocal and acoustic guitar, backed by Jacob Dupre on organ and piano, Doug Swanson on bass, and Nick D'Virgilio on drums. Keeping the track instrumentally low key really allows Clerc's electric guitar soloing to really sing making his a real solid closer for a strong new release. 

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Cleopatra Records artist: Kirk Fletcher - My Blues Pathway - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Blues Pathway, from Kirk Fletcher and I really like it. Opening with R&B flavored, Ain't No Cure For The Downhearted, Fletcher is front and center on lead guitar and vocal over a pumping bass line by Travis Carlton and drums by Lemar Carter, with Jeff Babko on keys, Joe Sublett on sax and Mark Pender on trumpet. Strong opener. No Place To Go is one of my favorite tracks on the release with is stepping pace, strong vocals and the horn work of Sublett and Pender accenting crisp guitar riffs by Fetcher. Very nice. Slinky blues, Struggle For Grace, is in the vein of King's Thrill is Gone with solid lead vocals and stinging lead guitar by Fletcher, David Kida on drums and warm horn support by Sublett and Pender. Super. Slow blues, Heart So Heavy really finds Fletcher in a nice groove with his trademark soulful guitar bends and fluid runs and his vocals sound as good as ever. Excellent! Sonny Boy Williamson's Fattening Frogs For Snakes is up next and using a cool shuffle feel driven by Babko on keys and Kida on drums and Carlton on bass. Fletcher gets a nice grip on his guitar and has it squealing for more. Very cool. Instrumental, D is for Denny is a pretty straight forward shuffle with Fletcher laying down the melody. His use of the lower fretboard for the melody, paired with Sublett and Pender on horns really gives the track a retro blues feel. Wrapping the release is Juke Boy Bonner's Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal with Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica, Josh Smith on National Resophonic guitar and Fletcher on guitar and lead vocal. With it's more acoustic delta feel, this is a solid closer for a really strong release. 

 


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Cleopatra Blues artist: Kirk Fletcher - My Blues Pathway - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Blues Pathway, from Kirk Fletcher and it's great. Opening with blues rocker, Ain't No Cure For The Downhearted, Kirk Fletcher opens his newest release with a smooth rolling track. Joined by Travis Carlton on bass, Lemar Carter on drums, Jeff Babko on keys, Joe Sublett on sax and Mark Pender on trumpet, Fletchers vocals are crisp and his guitar riffs fluid. Ballad, Love Is More Than A Word, gives Fletcher a nice chance to play and sing in the soul vein. Reinforced on organ by Babko, and with nice horn work, this is a real nice track also giving Fletcher to scream a bit on guitar. Very nice! In the vein of A Thrill Is Gone, funky, Struggle For Grace is one of my favorite tracks on the release. Fletcher's vocals are perfect and his guitar work fluid and gripping. Switching gear into a rolling blues with a organ vamp by Babko and really strong soloing by Fletcher, this is a great change up. Slow blues, Heart So Heavy is another favorite on the release with well phrased lead lines and excellent vocals. Sublett and Trumpet really add nice punctuation but it's Fletcher's attack and BB King like phrasing on the guitar that gives this track drive. Instrumental, D Is For Denny is a cool shuffle with a slick low, mid fretboard melody. This track is almost like a Freddie King design but not exactly. Fletcher takes you for a nice ride with tight drums by David Kida and solid horn support by Sublett and Pender. Wrapping the release is delta style blues, Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal, featuring Fletcher on acoustic guitar and lead vocal and  Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica and joined by Josh Smith on National Resephonic Guitar. With solid bones and tight, authentic feel, this is a nice closer for a really strong release. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Phanton Blues Band - Still Cookin' - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Still Cookin', from Phantom Blues Band, and it's terrific! Opening with a classic R&B track by Wilson Pickett, Don't Fight It (Feel It), this band knows it's strengths and plays into it. With Mike Finnigan (keys), Larry Fulcher (bass) and Johnny Lee Schell (guitars) on lead vocals, this band lays out one of my R&F favorites with strong horn work by Joe Sublett (sax) and Les Lovitt (trumpet) and great rhythm  and Tony Braunagel on drums. What a lineup! Slipping into a New Orleans funk on Wingin' My Way Johnny takes the lead on a strongly Little Feat influenced track (dedicated to Paul Barrere) with solid slide work and a tight horn line. Slow blues, Blues How They Linger, features Finnigan on lead vocal and piano, with light backing. A strong, somber track keeps it low till about half way through when Sublett cuts loose with a real nice sax solo, punctuated by Lovitts trumpet work. Very nice! Reggae track, Shine On, has a great island beat with Lenny Castro joining on percussion and Fulcher and Finnigan on lead vocal. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Latin flavored, Tequila Con Yerba, an excellent, primarily instrumental that makes you squirm in your seat...think Buena Vista. Finnigan, Sublett and Lovitt each get a spot to solo and use them well. Very nice! Shuffle track, I'm Just Your Fool, has a great sway and nicely blended vocals by Johnny with Mike give the track a warm feel. Another strong sax solo by Sublett cements the track and Schell lays in a nice run of his own. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I Was Blind, a quiet ballad featuring Schell on lead vocal, backed by Finnigan. Schell lays in some warm slide work and Finnegan some nice organ work, under the basic melody giving the track a full bottom. This is a solid closer for a really cool release. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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