Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tell Me 'Bout It , from Louisiana Red & Bob Corritore and it's a really strong helping of Chicago blues. Opening with Dora Minter's Mary Dee Shuffle , Louisiana Red is up front on vocal and guitar trading the center spot with Bob Corritore, backed by Buddy Reed on guitar, Matt Bishop on piano, Mario Moreno on bass and Brian Fahey on drums. Corritore plays some real nice riffs on this track making it a strong opener. Louisiana Red original, Alabama Train , has a great rhythm and Red's vocals really carry the track nicely with rich, harmonica soaked backing. Very cool. Another Chicago blues with a slower pace is New Jersey Blues that really nicely showcases Red's vocals. With Paul Thomas on bass, Chico Chism on drums and some excellent soloing by Reed and Red, a strong entry to the set. Red pulls the slide in an Elmore James styled track, Freight Train To Ride . With soulful wailing lyrics, strong sl...

The Districts EP The Districts self-titled EP will be available on January 28th. Pre-order it below. CD Vinyl iTunes Tour Dates: Jan 14 - The Bluebird - Bloomington, IN Jan 15 - Zanzabar - Louisville, KY Jan 16 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN Jan 30 - Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY Jan 31 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA Feb 19 - One Eyed Jacks - New Orleans, LA Feb 20 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL Feb 21 - The Grey Eagle - Ashevillle, NC Feb 22 - Black Cat - Washington, DC Feb 25 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA Feb 26 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA Feb 27 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA Feb 28 - Webster Hall - New York, NY Mar 1 - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge - South Burlington, VT Mar 3 - Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto, Canada Mar 6 - Metro - Chicago, IL Mar 7 - Firebird - St. Louis, MO Mar 8 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN   Temples "Sun Structures" Temples debut album "Sun Structures" will be available on February 11th. Pre-order ...

Born in Annapolis, Maryland, BILL DICEY began playing harmonica at age 8 when his father handed down his first Hohner Marine Band harp. Harmonicas were scarce at that time, so Bill learned to play his one harp in five different keys. Learning from the street musicians, young Bill used his talent to attract customers for his shoe shine business. Early influences on his technique included saxmen David “Fathead” Newman and Clifford Scott, and blues harp greats Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and later on Little Walter. Associations with Sonny Boy and Buddy Moss helped him in developing a style uniquely his own. Bill teamed up with Buddy Moss in the late 60’s for many sessions which included engagements at colleges and clubs throughout the South, when Buddy turned over the reins of command, Bill brought the “Atlanta Blues Band” to New York City. Widely know and respected in the Blues world, Bill has performed with, opened for or recorded with a breathtaking array of talent including ...

Carey Bell-voc/harmonica Louisiana Red-git Jimmy Rodgers-git Lovie Lee-piano Queen Sylvia Embry-bass Charles"Honey Boy"Otis-drums For a period of time in the ‘70s and ‘80s, it appeared that Queen Sylvia Embry was going to emerge as one of Chicago’s leading blues women. After she emerged from her role as bass player for Lefty Dizz and the Shock treatment in the late 1970s, she began fronting her own small band in South Side clubs and making guest appearances on the North Side circuit. Everywhere she went, her big smile, warm stage presence, rich gospel-rooted voice and solid bass playing won her new fans. There were (and are) only a few professional-quality instrumentalists among the city’s blues women, and only one other playing bass. “I played piano when I first started out as a kid,” Sylvia recalled, “and I got away from it because my grandmother was very strict. She demanded I play gospel, and I wanted to play a little boogie-woogie. I was crazy about Chuck Berry and Lloy...

James "Sparky" Rucker Larry Johnson Louisiana Red Lonnie Pitchford Louisiana Red & Carey Bell Lovie Lee & Band Queen Sylvia Embry & Friends rec. October 30th, 1983, at the Volksbildungsheim, Frankfurt a. M., and November 11th, 1983 at the Music Hall, Würzburg The American Folk Blues Festival was a music festival that toured Europe beginning in 1962. German jazz publicist Joachim-Ernst Berendt first had the idea of bringing original African-American blues performers to Europe. Jazz had become very popular, and rock and roll was just gaining a foothold, and both genres drew influences directly back to the blues. Berendt thought that European audiences would flock to concert halls to see them in person. Promoters Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau brought this idea to reality. By contacting Willie Dixon, an influential blues composer and bassist from Chicago, they were given access to the blues culture of the southern United States. The first festival was hel...

Back when blues was king and South Louisiana was the breeding ground for a blast of some of the most memorable American music ever recorded, at the heart of it was Lazy Lester. Those days are gone, and so too are most of its luminaries. And yet Lester carries the tradition almost single-handedly around the world several times over each year. As a true living legend, his talents are as much in demand as ever. After all, there aren’t many living bluesmen who’ve had major hits, as Lester did on Excello Records in the 1950s and ‘60s, and are still performing with the gusto and precision of their youth. Lester hasn’t lost a thing, and as his voice has richened with age, you could make a strong case for him being in his prime now. Leslie Johnson was born June 20, 1933 in the small town of Torras, Louisiana near the Mississippi state border to Robert Johnson and Maggie Hartford. He was raised mostly in Scotlandville, a suburb of Baton Rouge. As a boy, he worked as a gas station attendant,...

Born in Annapolis, Maryland, BILL DICEY began playing harmonica at age 8 when his father handed down his first Hohner Band Harp. Harmonicas were scarce at that time, so Bill learned to play his one harp in five different keys. Learning from the street musicians, young Bill used his talent to attract customers for his shoe shine business. Early influences on his technique included saxmen David "Fathead" Newman and clifford Scott, and Blues harp greats Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson ( Rice Miller), and later on Little Walter. Associations with Sonny Boy and Buddy Moss helped him in developing a style uniquely his own. Bill teamed up with Buddy Moss in the late 60's for many sessions which included engagements at colleges and clubs throughout the South, when Buddy turned over the reins of command, Bill brought the "Atlanta Blues Band" to New York City. Widely know and respected in the Blues world, Bill has performed with, opened for or recorded with a breathtakin...

We remember and celebrate the life of the recently deceased Louisiana Red with a beautiful photo page. Red was a gloriously talented down-home blues artist and his musical contributions will live through eternity. Thanks to all the folks who sent in photos of Red upon the news of his passing. Some of those are included on this page, which you can see by clicking here . If you like what I’m doing, Like Bman’s Blues Report Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Iverson Minter (March 23, 1932 – February 25, 2012), known as Louisiana Red, was an African American blues guitarist, harmonica player, and singer, who recorded more than 50 albums. He was best known for his song "Sweet Blood Call" Born in Bessemer, Alabama, United States, Minter lost his parents early in life; His mother died of pneumonia shortly after his birth, and his father was lynched by the Ku Klux Klan when he was five. He was brought up by a series of relatives in various towns and cities. Red recorded for Chess in 1949, before joining the Army. After leaving the Army, he spent two years in the late 1950s playing with John Lee Hooker in Detroit. He recorded for Checker Records in 1952, billed as Rocky Fuller. Michael Messer, from Michael Messer Music, noted on February 25, 2012: "I am very sorry to be bringer of such sad news that my dear friend, Louisiana Red, died this morning. He had a stroke on Monday and had been in a coma." Louisiana Red had died in H...

Born in Annapolis, Maryland, BILL DICEY began playing harmonica at age 8 when his father handed down his first Hohner Band Harp. Harmonicas were scarce at that time, so Bill learned to play his one harp in five different keys. Learning from the street musicians, young Bill used his talent to attract customers for his shoe shine business. Early influences on his technique included saxmen David "Fathead" Newman and clifford Scott, and Blues harp greats Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson ( Rice Miller), and later on Little Walter. Associations with Sonny Boy and Buddy Moss helped him in developing a style uniquely his own. Bill teamed up with Buddy Moss in the late 60's for many sessions which included engagements at colleges and clubs throughout the South, when Buddy turned over the reins of command, Bill brought the "Atlanta Blues Band" to New York City. Widely know and respected in the Blues world, Bill has performed with, opened for or recorded with a breathtakin...

There will be an afternoon memorial tribute show honoring the late Louisiana Red on Friday, May 11th, 1pm to 4pm at the Hard Rock Cafe , 315 Beale Street Memphis, TN 38103, ( 901) 529-0007. Proceeds will go to the Blues Foundation 's youth education branch, Generation Blues . The Tribute is hosted by Bob Margolin & Bob Corritore and includes appearances by Lazy Lester , Maria Muldaur , Diunna Greenleaf , John Primer , Randy Chortkoff , Big Pete , Billy Flynn , Willie J Campbell (bassist of the Mannish Boys ), Michael Frank , Chris James & Patrick Rynn , Rich DelGrosso , Jostein Forsburg & Morten Omlid , Billy Gibson & JT Lauritsen , Marquise Knox , Matt Hill , Cleome Bova , Anson Funderburgh with Andy T and Nick Nixon, Phil Wiggins , David Maxwell , Lightnin' Malcolm and more. This will be a brisk-paced event with all front artists contributing just one song each. For more in formation on the Blues Music Awards , click h...

It is with a heavy heart that we report the passing of one of the greatest and most beloved traditional blues artists. Louisiana Red died this afternoon at a hospital in Germany (Note Europe is 9 hours ahead) after a few days in a coma brought on by thyroid imbalance. He was 79. Louisiana Red was a powerful downhome blues artist who could channel his teachers (among them Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, Lightnin' Hopkins and John Lee Hooker) into his own heartfelt musical conversation, delivered with such moving passion and honesty that it would leave his audiences indelibly touched. He was fine singer with a distinctive voice, and an amazing guitarist who could play all of the traditional blues styles and excelled as one of the world's greatest slide guitarists. He could create moods and textures, both musically and spiritually, and had the ability of falling so deep into his own songs that he would go to tears, making his audience cry with him. That was the gift ...

It is a sad day to hear that Louisiana Red has passed. On the 21 of February it was reported elsewhere that he had died but upon further investigation it was found that he was hospitalized of an undisclosed illness. It is now confirmed. My thoughts are with his friends, family and fans worldwide. Michael Messer (Michael Messer Music) 9AM 25/Feb/2012: "I am very sorry to be bringer of such sad news that my dear friend, Louisiana Red, died this morning. He had a stroke on Monday and had been in a coma, so thankfully he did not have to suffer. My thoughts go out to his wife, Dora, their family, and of course to so many friends and fans of this great man. I will post some photos and maybe some music later tonight, meanwhile I am going to take my dog, Molly, who was also a dear friend of Red's, for a walk in the woods." Bman Like my Facebook Page, Post your video on my Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! Share your favorite posting and get more exposure for your fa...

It has been reported that Louisiana Red has passed. It was reported that he had passed earlier in the week and was quickly shown not to be true. I will check further into this and report back on the details. Like my Facebook Page, Post your video on my Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! Share your favorite posting and get more exposure for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

I just got done listening to the new Louisiana Red release. It's really entertaining. It has a real authentic sound and you wanna keep looking at it and wondering when it was cut. I've played it 3 times already this morning and I can say I really think it's a cool cd cut in the traditions of Mud, Jr Wells, and many of the original "delta born city musicians". This one is a real keeper! Enjoy!! Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Dig the old Kay guitar in the video... huge for that old sound! Louisiana Red This Weekend at The Rhythm Room! The legendary Louisiana Red will have a rare US appearance this weekend, performing in Phoenix at the Rhythm Room on Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4, 2011. Red, now 79 years old, has been making blues records since the early 1950s, and he brings with him the experience of learning to play at the feet of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, and many others. Red can call upon all of these classic styles and more, while simultaneously keeping his blues a highly personal and uniquely signature statement. Red's blues is among the strongest and deepest being played in today's blues world, and he is considered to be one of the greatest living slide guitarists, with over 50 albums to his credit, Louisiana Red has been living in Germany since 1983 and most of his shows are in Europe, so a US appearance is always a cause for celebration. Red performs this week...

The current blues scene in the U.S. and Europe is characterized by a wide variety of styles and musicians. However, as the years go passing by there are fewer and fewer artists left that were active during the formative years of blues music, those who participated in the development of the music. Thus, it is all the more important and cause for celebration that there are still artists such as Louisiana Red. Louisiana Red has lived the Blues. And Louisiana Red not only plays the Blues, he lives it through his guitar and his singing. Strongly influenced by Muddy Waters, Lightnin‘ Hopkins and Arthur Crudup, he has long ago found his own voice, his own style, his own form of expression. When Red performs, the songs are often only launching pad for expressing his immediate feelings in the almost lost tradition of spontaneous composition that goes back to the original Delta Blues artists an even further to the West-African griot bards. In a career spanning over half a century, Louisiana Red ...