Cleopatra Blues artist: Joe Louis Walker - Blues Comin' On - New Release Review

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 real nice groove with Walker on super lead vocal and guitar with Rick Estrin on harp and Waddy Wachtel on lead guitar. Funky, Uptown to Harlem is a cool James Brown boogaloo style track  with Jellybean Johnson on lead guitar and Eric Finland on organ. Wrapping the release is Arthur Lee's rad rocker, 7&7 is with Arlen Roth on lead guitar. With full reverb and sixties style guitar lead over some ferocious drumming by Randolph, this is a solid closer for a totally enjoyable 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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Cleopatra Records artist: Joe louis Walker - Blues Comin' On - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Comin' On, by Joe Louis Walker, and it's a great blend of Blues, Soul, R&B and Rock musical styles. Opening with Feed The Poor, a funky blues rocker, Walker joins with legendary Jorma Kaukonen on lead guitar who brings a ragged edge to this otherwise soulful track. With John Bradford on bass, Dorian Randolph on bass, Juma Sultan on percussion and Bruce Katz on organ this is a strong opener. Carla Cooke contributes lead vocal on Someday, Someway, a real nice soulful blues ballad. Her vocals, backed by Walker, on guitar and vocal, and with Lee Oskar on harmonica, Eric Finland on piano, Randolph on drums and John Bradford, this is definitely one of my favorites on the release. Keb' Mo on slide guitar and John Sebastian on harp join Walker on 12 string laying down a real nice shuffle, Old Time Used To Be. Backed by Katz on piano, Scott Petito on bass, Randolph on drums and Sultan on percussion this track has a great feel. I love the heavy bottom funk on Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man featuring Bradford on bass and Randolph on drums. Walker has the lead vocal on this one and does a great job with Waddy Wachtel on guitar, Rick Estrin on harp and Katz on organ. Nice and funky. Another soulful ballad, Awake Me, Shake Me,  featuring Cooke and Walker on lead vocal has real power with Walker really digging in on guitar. Very nice. With a real James Brown "boogaloo" beat, Uptown In Harlem features solid drumming by Byron Case and Jellybean Johnson winding it out on lead guitar under Walkers lead vocal. Cool. Wrapping the release is 7&7 Is, an Arthur Lee track with an early rock feel, featuring Charlie Harper on lead vocal and Arlen Roth on lead guitar. Roth slows this hypnotic pace down with some of the nicest blues riffs on the release, making is a solid closer.

  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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Jim Allchin - Decisions - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Decisions, from Jim Allchin and his records just keep getting better. Allchin's first two releases garnered strong review but I believe that this one is his best yet. Opening with Artificial Life, a boogie rocker, Allchin has his amp dialed in just perfect and it getting super tone. With strong support from Michael Rhodes on thumping bass, Reese Wynans on B3 and Tom Hambridge on drums this is a strong opener showcasing Allchin's chops and cool phrasing. Latin rocker, The Mexican End has a solid melody and horn punctuation by Bill Bergman on sax, Lee Thornburg on trumpet. Allchins vocals are solid and his guitar playing tight. Driving rocker, Bad Decisions, has the solid rhythm of Don Nix's Goin' Down with searing guitar riffs making this one of my favorites on the release. High intensity, Just Plain Sick is a super hot number in the style of Clarence Gatemouth Brown. Allchin really rips it up on this one and the piano and organ of Wynans is spot on. Excellent! Slower blues number, Friends, has particularly soulful guitar runs and smokin' soulful bends. Excellent! After Hours stands out really nicely with volume swells and lead solo guitar melody that seems to float. Kenny Greenberg joins on guitar with Steve Mackey on bass and James Wallace on keys. With contemporary blues vibrato akin to Joe Bonamassa, Allchin really gets it rolling on Don't Care with "showy" guitar riffs, a rock solid bass line by Rhodes and cool B3 by Wynans. Understated blues ballad, Stop Hurting Me, has great bones and a sweet piano solo by Wynans. Horn warmth by Bergman and Thornburg really set the stage for Allchin to lay it out there with some of his best riffs on the release. Wrapping the release is Destiny, a more progressive track with Allchin out there with his guitar and only minimal backing. His guitar with effects really floats nicely on a bed of piano and organ making it an excellent closer for a strong 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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Rounder Records artist: Bobby Rush - Porcupine Meat - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (September 16, 2016), Porcupine Meat, from Bobby Rush and it's a mover. Opening with I Don't Want Nobody Hanging Around, Bobby Rush has a high steppin funky opener featuring a cooking horn section, great bass lines and of course some fine harp work. With a smooth R&B feel, title track, Porcupine Meat, is a real cruiser with Vasti Jackson laying down some tight riffs on guitar over a solid bass line. Very cool. Slow blues number, Got Me Accused, really gives Rush the opportunity to show his deep blues roots. With his soulful vocals and crying harp playing, this track is heavy. Again the strong bass lines really anchor the track and salted lightly with guitar, this track is smokin. R&B track, Snake In The Grass, has strong radio play sound with a catchy hook and a solid beat. Funky track, Funk o' de Funk, has really super bass line and the funk is so deep you can smell it. Punched up horns, keyboard and nicely placed harp work. This track hits the groove. Me, Myself and I is a smooth, jazzy number with a rock solid bottom and clean guitar riffs added by Joe Bonamassa. Catfish Stew is a cool pop jam with a rolling bass line. Light hearted feel and cool horn work make this track sail. It's Your Move has a nice BB King like feel that almost glides across the airwaves. Dave Alvin lays in some really nice guitar work over a solid bottom and a strong keyboard cloud. Keb' Mo' slips on the slide hitting Nighttime Gardener running over a blues riff. Rush does his thing lyrically, and with no pause. A sure crowd pleaser. R&B track, I Think Your Dress Is Too Short, has a real nice feel. With it's super cool bass line, snappy drums and horn punctuation, Rush just rides the wave. Very nice! Standing On Shaky Ground is pure soul and the horns sound like they are pure from the 70's. Rush has seen it all and knows the way with billowy keys and clean accents. Cool track. Wrapping the release is I'm Tired, a high water stepper with nice harp work, slide guitar and light percussion. Rush's harp work is instinctual and gives this track a cool modern feel. Nice closer.



  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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Ruf Records artist: Tasha Taylor - Honey For The Biscuit - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Honey For The Biscuit, from Tasha Taylor and it has a super groove. Daughter of Stax giant, Johnnie Taylor, Tasha has some big shoes to fill and this release shows that she's not following on anyone's coattails. Opening with Feel So Good, Tasha Taylor sets the pace with a a super R&B number featuring Taylor on really nicely phrased vocals, guitar and keys, backed by Nathan Watts on bass, Don Wyatt on Wurlitzer and piano, John Notto and Jon Taylor on guitars and tight horn phrasing by Jamelle Williams, Matthew Demerrit & Lamar Buillary on horns. Wedding Bells is a soulful track with some of my favorite vocals on the release. Painterly instrumental arrangements nicely frame the featured vocals of Taylor. Excellent! Family Tree has a much more laid back R&B feel and features nicely phrased guitar work by Keb Mo. Tom Hambridge penned Weatherman, has a cool funky bottom with a real nice drum beat and again, really nicely orchestrated instrumental backing. Wyatt takes a real nice electric piano solo on this track and brassy horns give the track that extra spark. Soul track, One And Only has a super soul feel and Taylor delivers big time. Vocal harmonies and glistening piano work make this another of my favorites on the release. Little Miss Suzie has a revival sound (hand claps and all) with rich organ work and hot lap steel addition by Robert Randolph. I Knew, another sumptuous soul track, just has a special groove. Horns carefully caress Taylor's vocal delivery making this another of my favorites on the release. Another contribution by Hambridge, How Long, has a country rock flavor with a distinct 2 step feel. Laid back R&B feel on That Man should easily make considerable radio play. Catchy melody, warm, easy rhythm and nicely intertwined vocals make this a pop standout. Funky R&B track, Leave That Dog Alone, features the guitar fire of Samantha Fish. Taylor's vocals are always front and center, but Fish's contributions are hot and sweaty. Places I Miss has a light, jazzy sense and Taylor continues to show her versatility. With breezy, coastal like delivery and crisp guitar highlights this track sails. Don't Rush Off continues in that soft and easy feel with extremely nicely done drum work, supporting Taylor's solid vocals. Wrapping the release is Same Old Thing with an almost Al Green feel. Old school R&B with great horn punctuation and Tommy Castro joining on vocal makes this a perfect choice to conclude a very strong outing by Taylor.



  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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Heritage Music BluesFest coming soon August 7-9, 2015, Wheeling, West Virginia

Heritage Music Bluesfest 2015 Main Stage Lineup BUY TICKETS HERE FRI 7 ·         11:30am - 1:00pm - Taste of the Blues FREE PREVIEW ·         4:00 pm - GATES OPEN ·         5:00 to 6:00 - Eric Gales ·         6:30 to 7:30 - Nikki Hill ·         8:00 to 9:00 - Albert Cummings ·         9:30 to 11:00 - The Lowrider Band SAT 8 ·         12:00 to 1:00 - Randy McQuay - IBC Solo/Duo Winner ·         1:30 to 2:30 - The Gold Magnolias ·         3:00 to 4:00 - Austin Walkin' Cane ·         4:30 to 5:45 - Mike Zito and the Wheel ·         6:15 to 7:30 - Carolyn Wonderland ·         8:00 to 9:15 - John Nemeth's Memphis Grease Party ·         9:45 to 11:00 - Walter Trout SUN 9 ·         12:30 to 1:20 - Gina Sicilia ·         1:50 to 2:40 - Billy The Kid CD release with special guests TBA ·         3:10 to 4:00 - Jason Ricci ·         4:30 to 5:30 - Samantha Fish ·         6:00 to 7:00 - Coco Montoya ·         7:30 to 8:30 - Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots ·         9:00 to 10:30 - Keb' Mo' BUY TICKETS HERE Schedule subject to change Second Stage with local and regional acts, After Jams and MORE to be ANNOUNCED SOON Keb' Mo' Walter Trout John Nemeth Nikki Hill

Provogue Records artist: Robben Ford - Into The Sun - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (March 31, 2015), Into The Sun, by Robben Ford and I really like it! Opening with Rose Of Sharon a smooth bluesy track with a very clean melody, Ford strokes a well articulated solo making very use of single and double time for emphasis. Day Of the Planets actually has an garage rock feel but but delivered on a polished silver platter. Howlin' At The Moon hits the road with a funky staggered rhythm. Brian Allen on bass lays down a nice funky groove with Wes Little on drums and Ford plays off the funk delivering a solo that rides the rumble. Very cool! Rainbow Cover is a straight up rocker with organ highlights and clean guitar riff adornment. Juttified features guests Keb Mo' on vocal and Robert Randolph on pedal slide. An easy blues swing with rolling piano and stylized fiddle set a super floor for Ford to highlight his nicely stylized solo. Breath Of Me featured ZZ Hill on lead vocals for possibly my favorite track on the release. Hill's soulful vocals are nicely complimented by Ford on beautifully clean solo runs. Excellent! High Heels And Throwing Things has an interesting light funky jazz feel with an almost Steely Dan polish. Warren Haynes lends his hand at guitar on the track giving it a feel of it's own. Cause Of War has a low slung, lumbering feel, a solid melody and with a hot guitar riff following each line of vocals. A heavy "bass solid" romp with tight drums makes this track tick. So Long 4 U features Sonny Landreth has an almost Little Feat swampy feel. I particularly like Ford's vocal delivery on this track and Landreth's slide tone really sets this track off. Excellent! Same Train feeds up more of the jazzy funk and it really has a contageous groove. Ford on guitar and lead vocal is chased by a tight harp line which I really like. This track is infectious with Ford really digging in on guitar and Allen and Little holding a tight bottom. Very very nice! Wrapping the release is Stone Cold Heaven and Ford trades hot guitar riffs with Tyler Bryant. This track with it's swampy rhythm gets really steamy with Ford and Bryant trading riffs and rich backing vocals. An excellent completion to a very 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”

 

Robben Ford - INTO THE SUN - Coming March 31

 

GUITAR LEGEND ROBBEN FORD’S NEW ALBUM INTO THE SUN

 CAPTURES HIS CONTEMPORARY SONGWRITING MASTERY

To Be Released Via Mascot Label Group On March 31^st  

Guest Appearances By Blues Icon Keb’ Mo’, Vocalist ZZ Ward,  

And Fellow Guitar Heroes Warren Haynes, Sonny Landreth,  

Robert Randolph and Tyler Bryant 

February 5, 2015 - Guitar virtuoso Robben Ford’s forthcoming new album Into The Sun (Mascot Label Group) shines a bright light on his artful, contemporary songwriting and the stunning playing that’s made him a favorite foil of Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and other legends.

The five-time Grammy nominee describes the 11-song set as “one of the top recordings I’ve ever done” — a staggering observation considering his extensive discography, which embraces more than 35 albums under his own name and with his various bands. There’s also Ford’s session and sideman work, which includes hundreds of concert appearances and albums by Bonnie Raitt, Barbara Streisand, Charlie Musselwhite, KISS, Ruthie Foster, Jimmy Witherspoon and Rickie Lee Jones. 

Into The Sun, which follows last year’s critically acclaimed A Day In Nashville and 2013’s Bringing It Back Home, explores the breadth of Ford’s sophisticated, visionary writing and playing, creating a new chapter in his brilliant musical history. The album features a coterie of guests: Allman Brothers guitarist and Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes on “High Heels And Throwing Things,” slide guitar guru Sonny Landreth on “So Long 4 U,” Americana and blues icon Keb’ Mo’ and pedal steel wizard Robert Randolph on “Justified,” vocal sensation ZZ Ward on “Breath Of Me," and along with gritty Southern rock newcomer Tyler Bryant on “Stone Cold Heaven.” Niko Bolas, whose credits include Neil Young, John Mayer and Keith Richards, engineered.

“The album is really upbeat,” Ford relates. “It has a positive vibe to it — a good time feel. There are a lot of different rhythms and colors and the way the instruments are used is really different on this. It makes me very happy to have something so diverse.”

Although Ford’s recent releases have been hailed as returns to his musical roots — which go back to his discovery of blues as a teenager in the 1960s – Into The Sun is a clear departure, using tradition as a springboard to incorporate his timeless vocabulary of jazz, pop, blues and rock into a modern framework for his poetic lyrics and the most graceful, emotionally nuanced and melodic vocal performances of his career. 

“This album is obviously of these times,” Ford says. “And the rule during the recording process was to have no lid on things. I’ve worked very hard to master my craft as a musician and a songwriter, but other than relying on my strengths in those areas, I made sure there was room for new ideas and everything my collaborators brought to the music. When you’re open to different concepts and approaches, the most beautiful things can happen.”

All of the music and most of the lyrics from Into The Sun came directly from Ford, but he also collaborated with ZZ Ward on “Breath Of Me” and enlisted the enigmatic Kyle Swan, whose own recordings liberally mix images and styles to build articulate modernist-pop tone poems. That quality reverberates in the four songs Ford co-wrote with Swan, married to the guitar giant’s own deep commitment to narrative. “Working with Kyle was part of my desire to toss up everything and see what might happen, to get a fresh perspective,” says Ford. 

“Justified” is a sheer gas with Keb’ Mo’ and Ford trading tongue-in-cheek vocal lines as Randolph adds soaring pedal steel punctuation over Jim Cox’s purposefully wobbly honky tonk piano. 

Into The Sun was recorded by Bolas, a collaborator of Ford’s since his all-instrumental 1997 album Tiger Walk. “Niko is simply the best tracking engineer I’ve ever encountered,” says Ford. “He gets great sounds instantly.” All the better to capture Ford’s glorious guitar tones, this time derived from four of his go-to instruments: a pair of Gibson SG’s from 1963 and 1964, his beloved 1960 Telecaster and his Gibson B-25 acoustic. As he’s done on every album he’s made since 1983, Ford used a Dumble Overdrive Special amplifier. 

“For me,” Ford says, “it’s all about the art. If you work hard at something you’re going to get better. I honestly think I reached a point with my writing on Into The Sun where I could just go with the flow and bring some of the best songs I’ve ever created to life.”

Ford already has an impressive number of shows lined up to support the album, both in America and overseas. In addition to a lengthy list of tour dates, another notable upcoming appearance will be Robben Ford’s Traveling Dojo Guitar Camp at the elegantly rustic Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY in the Catskill Forest Preserve (about 30 miles west of Woodstock) from August 31-September 4, 2015.  Ford will host guitar enthusiasts and guitarists of all skill levels for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

In addition to his robust profile as a world-class musician, Ford is a highly sought-after educator with a series of acclaimed and groundbreaking interactive videos presented on a variety of formats including disks, downloads and mobile apps.  This Traveling Dojo Guitar Camp will include master classes, one-on-one sessions, landmark live performances with sit-in opportunities, and all-inclusive meal options and lodging accommodations.  Ford will be joined by special guest guitar virtuoso John Jorgenson; as well as Ford’s ace rhythm section (Brian Allen on bass and Wes Little on drums), who will conduct master classes on groove, time, and pocket; and Ford’s friend and trusted guitar tech, Rick Wheeler, a jazz virtuoso, will also conduct sessions on jazz guitar.  One of the most thrilling aspects of the Traveling Dojo Guitar Camp will be hearing these complimentary talents make music together.  A 10% discount off camp registrations is available through February 14.  To get more details on the camp and/or to register, visit: http://www.robbenfordguitarcamp.com/

ROBBEN FORD - INTO THE SUN Track Listing

1. Rose Of Sharon

2. Day Of The Planets

3. Howlin’ At The Moon

4. Rainbow Cover

5. Justified (with Keb’ Mo’ & Robert Randolph)

6. Breath Of Me (with ZZ Ward)

7. High Heels And Throwing Things (with Warren Haynes)

8. Cause Of War

9. So Long 4 U (with Sonny Landreth)

10. Same Train

11. Stone Cold Heaven (with Tyler Bryant)

ROBBEN FORD - INTO THE SUN EPK:

http://youtu.be/9Ud7A8OrU4Q

ROBBEN FORD – TOUR DATES

Feb. 17-21 - Miami, FL / Key West, FL / Nassau, Bahamas - Keeping The Blues Alive Cruise

Feb. 22 - Clearwater, FL - Clearwater Sea Blues Festival - Coachman Park

March 13 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Stadttheater (with hr-Bigband)

March 14 - Rüsselsheim, Germany - Theater (with hr-Bigband)

ROBBEN FORD – INTO THE SUN - 2015 TOUR DATES

April 10 - Ft. Worth, TX - Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

April 11 - Oklahoma City, OK - Academy of Contemporary Music

April 12 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads Saloon

April 14 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center

April 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall

April 16 - Evanston, IL - SPACE

April 17 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Park Street Saloon

April 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater

April 19 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater

April 21 - Syracuse, NY - Wescott Theatre

April 22 - Londonderry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall

April 23 - Fall River, MA - Narrow Center For The Arts

April 24 - Beacon, NY - Towne Crier

April 25 - Norfolk, VA - Infinity Hall

April 26 - New York, NY - City Winery

April 29 - London, England - O2 Academy Islington

April 30 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - North Sea Jazz Club

May 1 - Breda, Netherlands - Mezz Concerts & Dance

May 2 - Groningen, Netherlands - Rhythm n Blues Night

May 5 - Leuven, Belgium - Het Depot

May 8 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Tollhaus

May 9 - Hamburg, Germany - Fabrik

May 10 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine

May 12 - Munich, Germany - Technikum

May 18 - Zvecan, Kosovo - North City Jazz and Blues Festival

               Kosovska Mitrovica - Cultural Centre “Trepca"

May 20 - Zurich, Switzerland - Kaufleuten Festival

May 30 & 31 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi’s at Jack London Square

June 2 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre

June 3 - Seattle, WA - The Triple Door

June 26 - Carpentras, France - Auzon Le Blues

Additional dates to be announced soon…

Tommy Malone On Mtn. Stage!

Tommy Malone Rocks Mountain Stage This Week! Moving Up On AMA & Roots Music Report Texas Tour Starts Later This Month Northport N.Y. - Tommy Malone will make his Mountain Stage debut later this week starting June 7. The program also features Keb Mo, Joan Osborne and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Mountain Stage is heard on over 130 NPR stations nationwide and overseas on the Voice of America Satellite Service. Click to get more details. Poor Boy moves up 6 notches to No. 23 this week on The Americana Music Charts.  You can view the entire chart right here: http://www.americanaradio.org/ama/displaychart_beforetracks.asp?mode=lw&dtkey= Tommy Malone's Poor Boy also lands at No. 5 on this week on the Roots Music Reports Top 10 Roots Rock Albums.  Click the logo for more! Tommy will be touring all Summer, solo, with his trio and with the Subdudes! Tommy starts his Texas Tour on June 19.  Scroll down to find out more On April 29, M.C. Records released Tommy Malone's second solo effort for the label, Poor Boy.  Tommy co-produced the recording with his longtime musical friend Ray Ganucheau in New Orleans. Ray was the engineer for the Subdudes' "Primitive Streak" and Tommy's first solo recording, "Soul Heavy." Poor Boy features Tommy's unique songwriting that bleeds true Americana. The one amazing exception is Tommy covering Stevie Wonder's "Big Brother." You can listen the new release via Airplay Direct. The first 11 songs are from Poor Boy , the next 12 are from his 2013 release, "Natural Born Days." Click the cover for more. In April, Tommy visited the studios of WYEP in Pittsburgh for a Live and Direct Session. Click the photo to check out the performance/interview. Let us know if you would like Tommy to pay a visit! Poor Boy is getting serious reviews! This third solo release and second on M.C. Records by Tommy Malone, front-man for the popular New Orleans bluesy-rock band, The Subdudes, offers a soothing, laid-back feel and a dash of Southern charm. The Toledo Blade "Poor Boy" mines the Americana vein with sophistication and grit. Its songs run the gamut from layered, Beatleish psych-pop to rock-infused soul, with a consistent thread of eloquent, gut-level storytelling skill.   The Times Picayune What raises his personal bar on Poor Boy is the confident comfort that is a part of each track, and the album as a whole. The Alternate Root Tommy Malone makes music that alternately soothes and fires up the soul. He’s always been able to do that, and it’s clear on Poor Boy that it’s become second nature for him. Something Else With Poor Boy, Tommy Malone has released another album full of great songs complete with excellent guitar work and singing that should extend his stellar musical reputation beyond the cognoscenti and to the general public, where it deserves to be. OffBeat You'll learn a lot about Tommy Malone s world after hearing his third, and arguably finest solo album, Poor Boy. Americana Boogie Tommy Malone is not only one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, he’s a superb guitarist and a magnificent vocalist who animates every corner of his compositions. Over the past 40 years Malone has been at the center of some of the most storied and often star-crossed bands in Louisiana history, beginning with the family band formed with two of his brothers, Dustwoofie. Malone went on to help develop the eccentric songwriters’ collective the Continental Drifters before becoming a charter member of the still-beloved subdudes. Along the way he played in the well regarded one-off groups Tiny Town and Monkey Ranch as well as in a duo with his older brother Dave from the Radiators, the Malone Brothers. Poor Boy marks the third solo recording in his storied career. Tommy Malone has a bunch of dates solo and with the Subdudes. Tommy Malone & The Subdudes on Tour! For Bookings contact - Kyle Day - kyle@sweetwinegroup.com June Jun. 19 - Sams Burger Joint - San Antonio TX (Trio) Jun. 20 - Continental Club -  Houston TX (Trio) Jun. 21 - Threadgill's - Austin TX (Trio) Jun. 25 - An Evening With Subdudes-Birchmere- Alexandria VA Jun. 26 - An Evening With Subdudes- - Rams Head - Annapolis MD Jun. 27 - An Evening With Subdudes - Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA Jun. 28 - An Evening With Subdudes - World Cafe Live, Wilmington DE July July 12 - Public House - New Orleans LA (Band) July 17 - Vermilionville Performance Center - Lafayette LA (Solo) July 18 - Red Dragon Listening Room - Baton Rouge LA (Solo) Jul. 22 - An Evening With Subdudes Fairfield, CT -  Fairfield Theatre StageOne Jul. 23 - An Evening With Subdudes Fairfield, CT -  Fairfield Theatre StageOne Jul. 24 - An Evening With Subdudes- B.B. Kings, NYC Jul. 25  - An Evening With Subdudes - The Boulton Center - Bayshore NY Jul. 26  - An Evening With Subdudes - The Egg - Albany NY September Sept.10 - Yoshi's - Oakland - CA - (Band) Sept.11 - Moe's Alley - Santa Cruz CA - (Band) Sept. 13 - American River Music Festival - Lotus CA - (Band) Sept.  26 - An Evening With Subdudes - Tipitina's - New Orleans, LA