Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roots , by Joyann Parker , and it's a cool mix or country, blues, rock and ballads. Opening with 2 stepping title track, Roots , Parker on lead vocal, piano and guitar shows she knows her way around a song. Joined by Mark Lamoine on guitar and vocal, Tim Wick on keys, Chris Bates on bass and Patricia Lacey and Nesret Theba on backing vocals, a solid radio style opener. Ballad, Wash It Away , has a solid melody and warm backing vocals by Lamoine, Lacey and Theba. Latin influenced, Ain't Got Time To Cry , explores another vein of music that showcases Parkers sassy vocal style. With a strong bass line by Bates, counter melody by Lamoine on guitar and  a real nice trumpet solo by Paul Odegaard, this is a great addition. Forsaken is one of my favorites on the release with Parker mostly just belting out the bluesy lyrics and Lamoine on slide guitar carrying the counter melody. Very nice. Shuffle, Stay Home Mama , is ri...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out of the Dark , from Joyann Parker and it's a solid set of radio directed tracks with plenty of beef. Opening with Gone So Long , a country rock flavored track featuring Mark Lamoine on guitar and slide, Bill Golden on drums and Brad Schaefer on bass. With a lightly funky beat by Golden and Schaefer and the addition of Laycey Dreamz and Patricia Lacy on backing vocals, nested nicely on the warm key strokes  of Tim Wick on organ, Carry On is a solid country rocker with strong vocal lead by Parker. Either Way is a really nice ballad and a strong showcase for Parker's voice with only acoustic guitar and slide supporting her vocals. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Predator with it's Latin rhythm and seductive vocal styling by Parker, tasty guitar work by Lamoine and the addition of Dave Foley on trumpet. Come On Baby (Take Me Dancing) is an ideal radio track with a catchy melody and upb...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hard To Love , from Joyann Parker and it's solid. Opening with soulful rocker, Memphis , Parker shows a super vocal style and Mark Lamoine on slide guitar has great, fat, tone backed by Tim Wick on keys, Michael Carvale on bass and Alec Tackmann on drums. R&B track Envy is smooth with rich vocals and perfect organ backing by Wick. Another nice R&B track, Home , has a slight gospel taste to it with ideal organ backing. Parker's vocals are excellent and the song writing is super. Lamoine lays in a nicely tailored melodic guitar solo making this my choice for radio track on the release. Jigsaw Heart is nicely blended with wah wah guitar, a solid radio melody and tight vocals. New Orleans influenced Ray , has a super rhythm and of course Parker's vocals are spot on. Carvale's bass line on this track, augmented by Wick's piano lines and some western flavored guitar riffs give this track real spu...