Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Into Your Blues , from Johnny Sansone and it's got great style. Opening with title track, Into Your Blues, Johnny Sansone on harmonica, resonator guitar and lead vocal sets a cool, slinky pace. With Mike Morgan and Johnny Burgin on electric guitar, Jeffrey Bridges on bass, John Milham on drums, Tom Worrell on piano, Chris Spies on B3, Brad Walker on sax, Steve Lands on trumpet and Michael Sinkus on congos, bongos and tambourine, this is a solid opener. On Chicago style blues, Pay For This Song , Sansone gets in the slot with a super low slung lope and guitar riff by Burgin. Sansone blows some of his classic harmonica riffs giving the track a real Chicago feel. Jason Ricci guests on Blowin' Fire , an up tempo blues rocker. With solid vocals by Ricci and his flaming harmonica style, this is a great addition. Little Freddie King is featured on vocal and guitar on Willie's Juke Joint, a simple John Lee Hooker st...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Al Gold's Paradise , from Al Gold and it's raw funky blues rock. Opening with That's My Baby , guitarist/vocalist, Al Gold is joined by Jerry Cordasco on drums, Mitch Eisenberg on guitar, Jared Gold on organ, Eric Heilner on piano and Baron Raymonde on bari sax. Cool opener. Shuffle, Paradise (Downhome) , features Gold on slide guitar and Johnny Sansone on harmonica. Loosely crafted blues styling on Mr. Banker has the vitality of a Hill Country blues track that I really like with tight snare drumming and rhythm guitar riffs. Piano boogie, Got A Mind has Eric Heilner on keys and a hot bari solo by Raymonde complimenting Love's own guitar work and rowdy vocals. Smokin. My favorite track on the release is slow blues, Won't Sleep Tonight with it's glistening chords, soulful vocals and enchanted lead guitar work. Wrapping the release is cool, Latin infused, Maplewood Limbo . With it's cool guitar ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues In  My Blood , from Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson and I really like it. Opening with title track, Blues In My Blood with it's fat acoustic slide work, courtesy of Eric Johanson, this track sets a smoky stage for the powerful vocal lead of Tiffany Pollack. With Jack Miele on bass and percussion, Brentt Arcement on drums, organ and piano this is a super opener. Memories To Forget has a chilling guitar solo laid over a warm melody, lead vocal primarily by Johanson, haunting harmonica by Johnny Sansone and excellent drum accent by Acrement. Pollack demonstrated over and again the richness of her voice and her excellent blues phrasing. On ballad, Michael , she is rock solid and Johanson's amplified resonator body guitar work is really nice. A cover of Keith and Mick's No Expectations really flows nicely with Johanson back at the helm with ample harmony by Pollack. Very nice.  Shuffle track, Do I Mo...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Voodoo in the Shadows , from Fiona Boyes . Opening with dark, smoky Call Their Name , Boyes, with her swampy guitar rhythms and solid vocals leads the way backed by Tim Neal on keys, Mark Grunden on drums and Johnny Sansone on harp. On What You Put On Me , the band sets a Mississippi hill country pace with Sansone wailing away on harp and Boyes laying out some prime cigar box slide work. Very nice. On Latin flavored, Dark and Dangerous Love shows a different side of Boyes with dark, a seductive melody, steamy vocals and smooth guitar lead. Neal adds some real nice sax backing in addition to a hot organ solo and Grunden's conga playing really spices it up. New Orleans has a nice bluesy feel with great piano work by Neal. R&B roots fuel With A Little Respect . Neal steps up with another nice sax solo and melodic harp work by Sansone adds just the right tough to Boyes vocal efforts. Wrapping the release is another...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Up All Night , from Albert Castiglia and it's smokin! Up to his 7th release now and still getting better, Castiglia opens with Mike Zito's Hoodoo On Me blistering his way on guitar and leading on vocal. Joined by Jimmy Pritchard on bass and Brian Menendez on drums, this is a great opener. With a heavy footed rock beat, I Been Up All Night is a classic funk rocker. Castiglia has great presence with fluid blues riffs and raspy vocals over the big bass lines of Pritchard and tight drumming of Menendez. Excellent! Driving rock n roller, 95 South is a super track highlighted by real nice slide work by Sonny Landreth. Another Mike Zito track, Quit Your Bitching has beautiful slow blues phrasing and may be my favorite track on the release. Smooth vocals, inspired guitar soloing lead the way. Cyril Neville's Unhappy House Of Blues has a solid blues bass with a great harp topping by Johnny Sansone. Another rock...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release from Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos and it's a hot fusion of rock and biting blues. Opening with 20 Days , a tight rocker featuring Anthony Rosano on lead vocal and stinging fat slide guitar, Jeremy "JB" Bustillos on  vocal and harp, Paul Warren on bass and Scott Smith on drums. Shuffle, Give Me Strength has a cool groove with Warren romping the bass, harp attack by JB and a slick guitar solo from Rosano. You Don't Know Me is a mover and Rosano's guitar tome is warm and meaty. With a great beat and stinging guitar riffs, this track is super. Boogie track, Wicked Grin is hot with unbridled guitar riffs and a cool sax solo from JB. Excellent! Funky, Shakin' In The Veins , features really cool slide work by Anders Osborne  and with a definite southern flair, cool harp work by JB pushing the track even further. Bound To You is a solid ballad with a scorching guitar intro. I particularly l...

I just received the newest release, Black Wind Howlin' , from Samantha Fish and it's a romper! Opening with hard driving Miles To Go , Fish rides a hard rain with fat slide work and solid vocals. Pushed by Charlie Wooton on bass and Yonrico Scott on drums this is a straight up slammer. Mike Zito joins on Kick Around , a country style track featuring stylistic riffs and a little duet action with Zito and Paul Thorn. Go To Hell has a lot of guitar grind and bottom with Scott really hammering it out. A very strong radio style rocker with plenty of rowdy riffs. Sucker Born features Jumpin Johnny Sansone on harp and some razor sharp slide work under Fish's strong vocal attack. Fish penned blues ballad, Over You , is a sure winner with a nice melody, sweet guitar riffs and euphoric backing instrumentals and vocals. (put your money on it) Who's Been Talking , again featuring the hot harp of Sansone is a smokin Chicago/Latin style blues track. The guitar riffs are understa...

The Nominees For Contemporary Blues Male Artist are: Joe Louis Walker   Johnny Sansone