Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, BB King's Blues Summit 100 , by Joe Bonamassa and it's terrific! Opening with Paying The Cost To Be The Boss , Kingfish Ingram is featured on vocal and guitar and he really gets it done. With it's laid back BB King style and with the help of Joe Bonamassa on guitar, Lemar Carter on drums, Travis Carlton on bass, Jeff Babko on keys, Steve Patrick and Tyler Jaeger on trumpet, Marc Douthit and Jimmy Bowland on sax and Barry Green on trombone, this is a strong opener. Marcus King does an incredible job on vocal and guitar delivering Don't Answer The Door . (I've bought entire albums based on 1 track that doesn't stack up well against this track). King, Bonamassa and Josh Smith really work the guitar on this track and support from Carter, Carlton, Babko, Patrick, Jaeger, Douthit, Bowland and Green are icing on this very nice cake. Buddy Guy gets Sweet Little Angel and he digs in giving it pure Guy trea...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Slow Burn , by Kim Wilson and it may be his best. Opening with Little Milton 's, I'm Trying , Kim Wilson is up front on lead vocal with Nathan James really shining on guitar. Barrelhouse Chuck has the piano rolling and Richard Innes on drums rounds out the band. Strong opener. BB King 's classic, Sweet Little Angel is up next with smoking lead guitar work by Billy Flynn . Wilson soulful vocals are perfect for these tracks and Chuck adds vibrant piano lead backed by Innes, Larry Taylor on bass and Johnny Viau on horns. Wilson breaks loose on harmonica on Boogie in E with tight backing by James, Marty Dodson on drums, and Troy Sandow on bass. Excellent! Robert Nighthawk's, The Time Has Come, features Flynn on slide and Wilson on lead vocal. Signature piano work by Chuck and Taylor and Innes working the bottom makes this another standout track. Magic Sam 's Easy Baby is a cool showcase for Wilson on v...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Struck Down , by The Fabulous Thunderbirds and it's one of their best. Opening with Struck Down By The Blues , Kim Wilson has the mic singing lead vocals on this BB King style track. Johnny Moeller and Steve Strongman handle the gripping guitar lead with Bob Welsh on piano, Rudy Albin Petschauer on drums and Steven Kirsty on drums. Excellent opener. Classic ZZ Top style, one line bass, drives Payback Time features Wilson and Billy Gibbons on lead vocals with great harmonica overtones by Wilson and featuring Gibbons on guitar. Very cool. Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo and Taj Mahal share the mic on Nothing But Rambling , an easy shuffle with strong harmonica work by Wilson and Keb Mo on slide. Wilson back up front on romping shuffle, Whatcha Do To Me . Elvin Bishop lends his guitar work on his track giving it a nice kick and Wilson's harmonica work turns up the heat with his own spice. I really like Moeller's guitar work...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stripped Down In Memphis , from Big Jack Johnson and it's a big helping of old school, delta style blues. Opening with Jimmy Reed's Baby What You Want Me To Do , Big Jack Johnson on guitar and vocal is teamed up with Kim Wilson on harmonica. With a steady, jangly acoustic guitar rhythm under his solid vocal delivery and Wilson's soulful harmonica riffs, this is a great opener. Andy Gibson's The Hucklebuck is a classic with the electric guitar turned up to warm. A stirring rhythm and again with Wilson soloing on harmonica, this is a terrific track. Wild Child Butler's See Me Coming is a cool, laid back, blues jam feat Butler on harmonica and vocal and Johnson on guitar and vocal. Wrapping the release is Bill Doggett's The Hully Gully Twist with Wilson on harmonica and Johnson on electric guitar. A rambling blues with a romping guitar lead and harmonica solo counterpoint, this is a strong closer fo...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, They Called It Rhythm & Blues , by The Duke Robillard Band ,  and it's another stellar performance by the Duke and his crew. Opening with swing blues, Here I'm Is , Chris Cote on lead vocal really does a nice job with excellent fluid guitar lead by Robillard, and solid backing by Bruce Bears on keys, Marty Ballou on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums and Doug James on sax. Fools Are Getting Scarcer , James really does a great job stepping out on bari and tenor sax solos over a hot R&B feel. Excellent! Kim Wilson takes the lead on Tell Me Why with his trademark vocals and solid harmonica work. Robillard's guitar lead is impeccable and the band is solid. John Hammond is up front on Homeless Blues with his delta based vocal and playing style. I really like Hammond and am glad to see him on this release. With distinctive drum work by Teixeira and piano by Bears, this track is one of my favorites. Freddy King...

  I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Blues Woman , from Nora Jean Wallace and it's packed full of soul. Opening with shuffle, Martell , Nora Jean Wallace (formerly Bruso) means business with her thick rooted voice. Backed by Johnny Moeller on guitar, Steve Gomes on bass, Kevin Anker on organ, Steve Guyger on harmonica, Stanley Banks on keys and Robb Stupka on drums, this track is a strong opener. With a strong dash or R&B, I Can't Stop has a great feel a romping bass line and with David Earl on guitar. Victim is a bluesy ballad featuring Wallace's vocal up front with super soulful feel and some real nice guitar work by David Earl. I've Been Watching You is a real cool track with a funky kind of bas line. Wallace really works this track, making it one of my favorites on the release. Wrapping the release is I Don't Have to Beg You to Love Me with it's lumbering bass line and floating Wallace's rich vocals is the lush guitar lead o...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Magnificent Heart , from Peter Karp and has nicely blends rock, blues and folk throughout the release. Opening with Sitting On The Edge Of The World , Karp on lead vocal and guitar and Kim Wilson on harmonica find a solid balance in contemporary blues with John Ginty on B3, Niles Terrat on bass and Michael Catapano on drums. She Breaks Her Own Heart has a cool, swampy, R&B feel with a cool sax solo by David Kasper and horn work by Jacob Wynne on trumpet. The Grave has a cool, low slung feel with Karp pulling out his slide and Wilson adding some real nice harmonica and Ginty adding real depth on B3. The Cold City Horns really funk up Let It On Out , with a solid bass line by Terrat and nicely woven guitar and horn jamming. Very cool. Going Home is a roots blues style track with ace harmonica work by Jason Ricci, slick resonator slide work by Karp and military style snare drum work by Capano.  Wrapping the rele...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Beyond The Blue Door , from Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters , and it's really strong. Opening with Brand New Me , a Jerry Butler track, the bands starts off in a solid slot with vocal dynamo, Diane Blue up front backed by Dave Limina on piano and B3, Ronnie Earl on guitar, Forrest Padgett on drums and Paul Kochanski on bass with Mario Perrett on tenor sax, and Scott Shetler on bari sax . Slipping into a cool shuffle, Baby How Long ,  Kim Wilson is up front on lead vocal and harmonica. A real Chicago style blues gives Wilson and Earl a nice opportunity to exchange solos with Anthony Geraci on piano and Peter Ward on guitar. Very nice. Henry Glover's tune made popular by Ray Charles, Drown In My Own Tears gives Earl the stage to do exactly what everyone expects of Earl, to play those long soulful runs that have been such a trademark of his sound. Exchanging phrasing with Greg Piccolo on sax, this track is reall...

I just had the opportunity to pose the newest release, All Blues , from Peter Frampton and I think it's his best effort in years. Frampton Comes Alive was great in it's time but this release shows maturity and poise. Opening with Willie Dixon's I Just Want To Make Love To You , Frampton reworks this classic track without adding a lot of fluff. With Rob Arthur on keys, Adam Lester on guitar, David Labruyere on bass, and Dan Wojciechowski on drums this is a great basic core. Kim Wilson adds strong harp riffs throughout and Frampton shows that he knows more than the basics about blues with his more traditional based guitar riffs. Very nice. On Taj Mahal's She Caught the Katy , Frampton adds even a little more of a funky bottom than Mahal used and the track feels really good. The firm bass work by Glenn Worf and stiff woodblock by  Wojciechowski give this track legs and Frampton uses them nicely to propel fluid guitar riffs. Very nice. Instrumental cover of Carmichael...

PETER FRAMPTON BAND’S ALL BLUES DUE FOR RELEASE JUNE 7 VIA UMe “I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU” (FEATURING KIM WILSON) PREMIERES TODAY SIRIUSXM SIX-WEEK SERIES “THE PETER FRAMPTON SHOW” DEBUTS MAY 10 ON DEEP TRACKS CHANNEL PETER FRAMPTON FINALE— THE FAREWELL TOUR KICKS OFF THIS SUMMER photo credit: Austin Lord     “ One of rock ‘n’ roll’s lifelong major players ” All Blues , the forthcoming covers album from the Peter Frampton Band , is set for release on June 7 via UMe . The album is a collection of Frampton’s favorite blues classics and was recorded with his longtime touring band, made up of Adam Lester (guitar/vocals), Rob Arthur (keyboards/guitar/vocals) and Dan Wojciechowski (drums). “ I Just Want To Make Love To You ” (featuring Kim Wilson ) is the first song to be released from the new album, and is available now with digital album pre-order. Listen/share the track HERE . All Blues was recorded ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Complicated Mess , from Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones and it's really strong. Opening with title track, Complicated Mes s, guitar man and vocalist, Doug Deming sets the table for a blues feast. His vocals are solid as always and using machine gun and trem bend, his riffs are hot! Joining are Andrew Gohman on bass and Marty Dodson on drums. Super opener. Kim Wilson's harp work adds great depth and Demings riffs are rich and jazzy on Sweet Poison , a cool bluesy ballad. Sam Theard's classic, You Rascal You , has great wings with Little Charlie Baty on guitar, joining Deming with clever lyrics and an extremely active rhythm section. Excellent! Shuffle, Need My Baby has a great lope and Madison Slim's harp work is strong giving the track a nice edge. My favorite track on the release is slow blues, Deep Blue Sea , with soulful vocal by Deming and smoldering guitar riffs, playing against Bon Welsh's pi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Flame , from Peter Karp and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Rolling On A Log , Karp on lead vocal and guitar is joined by Kim Wilson on harp, Daniel Pagdon on bass and Paul Unsworth on drums. Kicking it up a gear, Train O' Mine is a hard driving blues rocker with Dave Keyes on piano and Dennis Gruenling sailing on harp. Warming things up a bit with slide resonator Karp gets a little greasy on Valentine's Day . Very nice. Quiet ballad, The Turning Point develops nicely into a radio style track with an interesting melody and featuring a nice guitar solo by Mick Taylor. My favorite track on the release is The Arson's Match with a distinct Elmore James feel. Featuring Karp's best vocals on the release, hot harp from Wilson and Karp and fat fat slide, nice track. A laid back, rural feel is the ticket on From Where I Stand and another of my favorites on the release. A bright melody, clean v...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 , from Kim Wilson and it's a heavy dose of old style Chicago blues. Opening with harp instrumental Bonus Boogie , Wilson is hitting on all cylinders, backed by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, Bob Welsh on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Malachi Johnson on drums. Excellent! Sonny Boy Williamson's, Ninety-Nine features Wilson on lead vocal and harp and it's one of my favorites on the release. Pure Chicago style and Wilson's tight harp tone is the ticket here. Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues is up next with a solid slower pace highlighted by the keen piano work of Barrellhouse Chuck. John Lee Hooker's Same Old Blues has a swinging blues feel a la BB King or T Bone Walker. Billy Flynn steps in with some choice riffs on guitar, complimented by Larry Taylor on bass, Richard Innes on drums and Jonny Viau on horns. Very nice! Magic Sam's Look Whatcha Done has a great groove wi...

Kim Wilson Gets Back to Basics on Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 CD, Coming October 20 from Severn Records ANNAPOLIS, MD – Legendary singer/harmonica master Kim Wilson has gone back to the basics and old school Chicago blues for his exciting new CD, Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 , coming October 20 from Severn Records. Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 was produced by Kim Wilson, with most tracks  recorded and mixed by Nathan James at Sacred Cat Studios, Oceanside, California; except tracks 4 and 15 recorded by Big Jon at Big Tone Recording Studios, Hayward, California. “I want to tell all of the real blues fans out there what a labor of love this project has been,” Wilson writes in the album’s liner notes. “I’ve been recording many, many tracks for a couple of years now and time has just flown by! A couple of the greatest musicians that ever lived, Richard Innes and Barrelhouse Chuck, have passed away during the process of making this CD. One of their dreams was to see this stuff c...