Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Black Tea , from Kerry Kearney and it's solid. Opening with blues rocker, Shakin' Like Jelly , Kerry Kearney on vocal and guitar leads this tight group with Mario Staiano on drums, Gerry Sorrentino on bass, David Bennett Cohen on keys, and Charlie Wolfe on harmonica. A driving blues vamp, nice guitar soloing and Chicago style blues harping tell the tell here. Cool opener. Light shuffle track, Long Tall Mama has a kind of JJ Cale feel with light, train like drums, easy vocals and super acoustic slide. Goin' To The Mardi Gras is again in the Cale vein with running snare lines and great slide work by Kearney. A particularly cool trombone solo by Victor Poretz gives this track a nice kick making it one of my favorites on the release. Creole Woman is a blues shuffle with guts. Kearney sets his stance and riffs freely, Clapton style. making this another real standout on the release. Wake Me, Shake Me, Bake Me ...

I just received Kerry Kearney 's new cd (to be released September 1, 2012), Ghosts of the Psychedelta . This 8 track recording is primarily based on old blues with a contemporary feel starting off with Kearney original Mississippi River Stomp . This track has a sound of southern rock with plenty of electric slide. Mean Old Frisco , a Big Boy Crudup song, keep a lot of the original roots with Kearney on acoustic slide (and toe tap). Stop Breaking Down , a Robert Johnson track, is a bit more upbeat from the original and in my mind with it's boogie beat, a bit more entertaining than Eric Claptons version.Big Bill Broonzy's Louise Louise Blues follows next and keeps with the upbeat tempo. Kearney presents the track very cleanly and compliments his singing with flawless slide playing. Lennon and McCartney (yeah the Beatles) One After 909 gets a southern rock styling with electric slide and a boogie beat. Although I'll not draw a comparison, Kearney's playing is certain...