Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, High Rise Blues from Bob Corritore & Friends and I really like it. Opening with Last Time featuring Jimmy Rogers on vocal and guitar, this band is in the groove. With Chico Chism on drums, SE Willis on piano, Johnny Rapp on guitar, Bruce Lopez on bass and Bob Corritore on harmonica, this is a solid opener. Title track, High Rise Blues , features Chism on vocal and he does a great job.  Rapp is joined by Luther Tucker who rips some great guitar riffs backed by Gordo Moraga on bass and Chism on drums. Chicago blues, Honey Where You Going has a great feel with Corritore upfront on harmonica joined by Sam Lay on vocal and drums. Rapp and Chris James on guitar Patrick Rynn on bass round on this great track. Pinetop Perkins is featured on vocal and piano leading Grinder Man . His quiet yet firm vocal style provides great balance for his deliberate piano style and Corritore gets the harmonica humming on this one. W...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release from Johnny Iguana , Chicago Spectacular! and it's a cool mix of styles and packed with blues notables. Opening with Roosevelt Sykes' 44 Blues , featuring John Primer, Bob Margolin and Michael Caskey, Iguana does a great job on keys and Primer's lead vocals are super. On Willie Dixon's Down In The Bottom  ,Primer has the mic again and with cool guitar lead and with Michael Caskey on drums another cool entry. Gil Scott- Heron's Lady Day and John Coltrane has a cool, laid back jazzy feel and features Phillip-Michael Scales on lead vocal and guitar. Iguana really rocks the piano on this one with simple rhythms by Caskey. Lil' Ed guests on Burning Fire with flaming lead guitar and vocal. Rolling piano work by Iguana and solid drum work by Kenny Smith makes this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Lil' Ed is back on Elmore James' Shake Your Moneymaker and Ed knows how to make that slide talk. V...