Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'm Just Johnnie , by Johnnie Johnson and it's cooking. Opening with title track, I'm Just Johnnie , Johnnie Johnson on piano and vocal leads the way with terrific style. Tony T lays in some blistering slide work on guitar, backed by the heavy horn section of Jm Manley and Ray Vollmar while Kenny Rice on drums and Gus Thornton on bass round out the band. Excellent opener. On I Get Weary , Max Baker plays a heartfelt blues intro and solo on guitar and Charles Glenn sings a silky smooth lead. Johnson plays a hot, well articulated solo on piano and with Paul Willett on organ, Dickie Steltenpohl on bass, and Andy O'Connor on on drums, this is a strong track. Powerhouse horns by  Doc Simpson, Tom O'Brien and Ray McAnallen open Let The Good Times Roll with Kenny Rice on lead vocals. Bonnie Raitt really shines on slide guitar followed by Johnson's signature piano style. Excellent. Three Handed Woman...

 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...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gettin' Together , by Michael Jerome Browne and it's a full plate of authentic blues, performed as written. Opening with Mississippi John Hurt's, Monday Morning Blues , Michael Jerome Browne on vocal and 12 string shows a true understanding of the original music with his articulate picking pattern and vocals, joined by Harrison Kennedy on vocal and harmonica. Excellent opener. Delmore Brothers' I've Got The Big River Blues is a terrific track with MJB on guitar and Mary Flower on lap slide guitar. Really nice. Mississippi born Rube Lacy penned Ham Hound Crave and MJB and guitar wiz Colin Linden really bring this track to life. On Bukka White's (BB King's cousin, Booker T. Washington) Fixin' To Die Blues was reimagined as a mountain duet featuring MJB on vocal and gourd banjo and Teilhard Frost on fiddle. This is a great track and it's hard to imagine it any other way. Slow blues, Blac...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Comin' On from Joe Louis Walker and it's a fireplug. Opening with rocker, Feed The Poor , a funky blues rocker, Walker on lead vocal and Jorma on lead guitar, John Bradford on bass, Dorian Randolph on drums, Juma Sultan on percussion and Bruce Katz. This track is heavy. Super backing vocals by Bradford, and Randolph almost give it a Daryl Hall edge. Cool opener. R&B track, Someday, Someway is certainly one of my favorites on the release with Carla Cooke at the mic. Her vocals are terrific and with Walker on backing vocal and guitar and joined by Lee Oskar and his classic harp tone, Eric Finland on keys, Bradford on bass and Randolph on drums. Excellent! Easy shuffle, Old Time Used To Be has Walker on 12 string and vocal, with Joh Sebastian on harp and  Keb Mo on slide. Katz has a real nice piano solo on this one and adds an overall bright feel to the track. Swampy Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man has a...