Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let It Be Revisited: An Ovation From Nashville , by The Rock House All Stars and it's a cool cover of the Stones tenth US album. Opening with Gimme Shelter , Jimmy Hall (Ex Wet Willie, Jeff Beck, etc) is upfront on vocal joined by Bekka Bramlett and they do a terrific job. Kevin McKendree on guitar really does a nice job covering the guitar lead and Yates McKendree is tight on drums with John Heithaus on bass with added harmonica by Hall. Lee Roy Parnell adds some real country to Honky Tonk Women called Country Honk here. Not at all trying to replicate Jagger and with Rob McNelley on guitar and Luke Bulla on harmonica, this is a great track. Rick Huckaby is up front on Midnight Rambler joined by Stephen Hanner on harmonica and solid guitar work by Kevin and McNelley. Nalani Rothrock on lead vocal and James Pennebaker on steel adds a real nice contrast to the release on You Got The Silver and it's authentic R&B...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (September 17, 2021), Rose-Colored Glasses Vol. 1 , by Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps and it's a smooth blend of blues, rock and R&B styles. Opening with Show Me How You Do It , Teresa James on keys and lead vocals shows why her newest releases are widely anticipated. With Yates McKendree putting up some real nice lead guitar, and backed by Jay Bellerose on drums, Kevin McKendree on B3, Paulie Cerra on sax,  this is a solid opener. R&B flavored title track, Rose-Colored Glasses , really has a nice feel that I would expect to garner strong airplay with some nice slide guitar work by James Pennebaker. With a cocky strut, Wish It Into The Cornfield features Anson Funderburgh playing up the guitar starch and McKendree's B3 giving flow under the horn work of Cerra. Goes without saying that James has a natural voice for this and she really works it on this track. Really nice. Dean Parks, well known session...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 11, 2017), Midnight Believer , by Lee Roy Parnell and it's smooth. Opening with Hours In Between , a rich, pop driven track, Lee Roy Parnell shows why he's known for his soulful voice and solid songwriting. With bluesy guitar riffs, a thumping bass line courtesy of Steve Mackey, Kevin McKendree on keys and Lynn Williams on drums, this is a great opener. Title track, Midnight Believer , really has that Muscle Shoals, Pete Carr/Boz Scaggs sound. Parnell clearly has a super feel and for this Blue Eyed Soul. A definite radio track, Ponchatrain , is as solid a ballad as you're likely to find with a warm melody, nicely blended vocals and subdued instrumentation. Too Far Gone is another terrific soul track with warm vocals and cool keyboard work by McKendree. Sunny Days, a quiet acoustic based ballad features Parnell way out front singing lead vocal with only minimal backing, and nice slide guitar and backe...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Times Have Changed , by Ronnie Baker Brooks and it's terrific! Opening with Joe Tex number, Show Me , Ronnie Baker Brooks (on vocal and guitar) is kicking ass and taking names right out of the chute featuring Steve Cropper on guitar, Steve Jordan on drums, Willie Weeks on bass, Felix Cavaliere on Hammond, Ben Cauley on trumpet, Lonniie McMillan on tenor sax and Jack Hale Sr on trombone. Big Head Todd sits in on Doing Too Much , a cool blue rocker with Leroy Hodges on bass, Charles Hodges on Hammond and Turner on piano. Recently passed and sorely missed, Lonine Brooks, sits in on Twine Time , a cool, sixties style surf rocker. Rapper, Al Kapone  sits in on traditional blues style track, Times Have Changed , with Weeks setting a great bass line and Brooks' solid vocals and guitar riffs. The addition of Jessie Munson and Wen-Yih Yu on violin, Beth Luscome and Jennifer Puckett on viola, and Mark Wallace and Jonatha...

RONNIE BAKER BROOKS ANNOUNCES CONFIRMED APPEARANCES  PLANNED TO SUPPORT RELEASE OF TIMES HAVE CHANGED,  HIS FIRST ALBUM IN TEN YEARS Produced By Steve Jordan, Featuring Lonnie Brooks, “Big Head” Todd Mohr, Bobby “Blue”  Bland, Steve Cropper, Angie Stone, Eddie Willis, Al Kapone, Felix Cavaliere, Lee Roy Parnell Out On Provogue / Mascot Label Group January 20, 2017 Chicago, IL --- Ronnie Baker Brooks has announced planned initial appearances for 2017.  Following the Legendary R&B Cruise – At Sea in late-January, he will begin the run at SPACE in Evanston, IL on February 3.  Additional shows are confirmed in St. Paul, Des Moines, Milwaukee and Dubuque (detail below).  Today, the second instant gratification track has been provided to purchasers in front of the January 20 th  release.   Brooks, 49, was born in Chicago, and started playing guitar around age six. At 19, he joined his father, Lonnie Brooks...

RONNIE BAKER BROOKS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF  TIMES HAVE CHANGED, HIS FIRST ALBUM IN TEN YEARS Produced By Steve Jordan, Featuring Lonnie Brooks, “Big Head” Todd Mohr, Bobby “Blue” Bland,  Steve Cropper, Angie Stone, Eddie Willis, Al Kapone, Felix Cavaliere, Lee Roy Parnell Out On Provogue / Mascot Label Group January 20, 2017 Chicago, IL --- Brooks, 49, was born in Chicago, and started playing guitar around age six. At 19, he joined his father, Lonnie Brooks who by then had influenced some of the most well-known bluesman of our history: Jimmy Reed, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Winter, and Junior Wells. For 12 years, the two would tour together, putting Ronnie out front with Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Koko Taylor.  Times Have Changed , Brooks’ first album in ten years, carries with it the weight of grown perspective and time spent perfecting old material. Brooks worked it with Steve Jordan, whose work runs from Keith Richards ...

I just received the newest release, Slide Guitar Summit , from Arlen Roth and it definitely lives up to all the pre hype. Roth, well known for his own guitar styling, especially on the tele with the likes of Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton, has put together a group of the best known slide players on the planet for a full blown celebration of all things slide. Opening with Do What's Right , Roth teams up with Jack Pearson on vocal and slide guitar as well as Tom Hambridge on drums and backing vocal and Tommy MacDonald for a country two step rocker. This track moves along nicely with lead and harmonic sliding... a terrific opener. Robert Johnson's Dust My Broom is next featuring Lee Roy Parnell on vocal and slide and adding Kevin McKendree on piano. With the feel of Elmore James and a nice thick slide texture, this track is hot. McKendree adds significantly to the mix with hot piano riffs. Much like a live recording, Parnell and Roth take turns on lead slide making for a hot t...

Arlen Roth Gets His Mojo Workin’ On New Album Deal with King Mojo/Garage Door Records, Due Out April 14 Acclaimed Guitarist Convenes a Slide Guitar Summit on Latest CD, with Special Guests Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, David Lindley, Rick Vito, Jimmy Vivino, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell, Cindy Cashdollar and Greg Martin, Produced by Tom Hambridge RIDGEFIELD, CT - Guitarist Arlen Roth announces that his new CD, Slide Guitar Summit , which teams the acclaimed musician with fellow slide guitar greats Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, David Lindley, Rick Vito, Jimmy Vivino, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell, Cindy Cashdollar and Greg Martin, will be released April 14 under the terms of a new deal signed with King Mojo/Garage Door Records, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution. Slide Guitar Summit was produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge, and recorded at studios in New York, Nashville and Connecticut. Called “The Master of the Telecaster,” Arlen Roth re...

Acclaimed Guitarist Arlen Roth Convenes a Slide Guitar Summit on New CD, Due January 13, with Special Guests Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, David Lindley, Rick Vito, Jimmy Vivino, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell, Cindy Cashdollar and Greg Martin, Produced by Tom Hambridge CD Release Performance with Special Guests Set for Nashville’s City Winery on January 20 to Include Screening of Film Documentary on the Making of the Album RIDGEFIELD, CT - Guitarist Arlen Roth, the “Master of the Telecaster,” announces a January 13 release date for his new CD, Slide Guitar Summit , which teams the acclaimed musician with an incredible lineup of fellow slide guitar greats – Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, David Lindley, Rick Vito, Jimmy Vivino, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell, Cindy Cashdollar and Greg Martin – for what promises to be one of the most celebrated albums of the new year. Produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, Slide Guitar Summit was recorded at studios in N...

I just received the newest release (February 4, 2014), Blues With Friends , from Dixie Peach and it's actually quite smooth! I didn't realize it when I first received this release, but I had this band's first LP in my vinyl collection for many years (bought by a collector as a part of a atlas van sized purchase a few years back). I bought this release one day from a store called Record Rama in Etna, Pa based purely on the hopes that their version of Paint My Mailbox Blue would be decent. I really liked the release.  Opening with the woody sound of a slide guitar, Too Much Trouble sets a solid path of southern rocky blues. Ira Stanley knows his way around the slide and delivers warm luscious tones. Complimented by Tony Paulus on keys and his own vocals this is a nice track. Next up is Pork Chop Blues , a blues track with Latin rhythm. Stanley takes the first solo with a little chicken pickin' and shows he knows how to strum the strings too. He is joined by Jack Pea...