Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dockside , from Jonah Tolchin and it's bluesy, gritty and steamy. Opening with swamp funky, Blues With A Feeling , Jonah Tolchin has a great vocal for this stripped down blues style. His guitar riffs are electric and with Nic Coolidge on bass, and Terence Higgins on drums, this is a terrific opener. Save Me (From Myself) has a cool rhythm and excellent vocal interplay between Tolchin and Marley Munroe with guitar accents by Tolchin. Very nice. Chavonne Stewart is featured on lead vocals on soulful, Too Far Down with a laid back instrumental backing including Chris Joyner on keys. Tolchin's guitar lead really sets the track off nicely with critical guitar accents. Ragged blues track, Suffering Well features a really nice guitar solo by Luther Dickinson and strong vocals by Tolchin. Excellent. Wrapping the release is slow blues, Lucille giving Tolchin a real nice opportunity to stretch out a little on guitar. Thi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Love One Another , from Big Al and the Heavyweights and it's a energetic blues rocker. Opening with title track, Love One Another, is a cool track with roots in canned heat and the Allman Brothers band. With  Wayne Lohr on vocal and keys, Marcel Anton on guitar and vocal, Mark Parsons on bass, Big Al Lauro on drums and featuring Luther Dickinson on guitar and Jason Ricci on harmonica, this is super opener. Wild Tchoupitoulas has a cool bass line and the vocal lead and backing is strong. Lohr's piano solo adds a nice a strong Louisiana spice. Soulful ballad, Guardian Angel has a solid melody and with Anton on lead vocal and lead guitar, really showing how much soul this band can conjure. Very nice. Cool blues rocker, What Can I Say has a real nice feel with a heavy bottom thanks to Big Al and Pasons and with cool harmonica work by Jason Ricci and low fret guitar soloing by Anton, this is one of my favorites on t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (March 26, 2021 ... today ), Volume 2 from New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers and it's really strong. Opening with Blues For Yesterday, Charlie Musselwhite on lead vocal and harmonica sets a Chicago feel with Alvin Youngblood Hart on guitar, Jimbo Mathus on guitar, Jim Dickenson on piano, Luther Dickinson on guitar, Cody Dickinson on drums and Chris Chew on bass. On Doug Sham's She's About A Mover , Alvin Youngblood Hart has the lead vocal spot and Musselwhite lays in some really nice harmonica. Jimbo Mathus has lead vocal on Searchlight , probably the most Chicago I've heard form Mathus since his work with Buddy Guy. A solid bass line from Chew and well placed guitar and harmonica work makes this track fly. Charles Mingus' Oh Lord, Don't let Them Drop That Atom Bomb is a really nice showcase for Jim Dickinson on piano and vocal. This is a truly soulful track and one of the highlights of the rele...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mississippi Suitcase , from Peter Parcek and it may be his best yet. Opening with The World Is Upside Down , Peter Parcek opens his grittiest and rockinist release, with a driving rhythm and blazing guitar. With a rock modified blues track, Parcek has lead vocal and guitar, backed by Tim Carman on drums, Tom West on keys, and Marc Hickox on bass. Really solid.  With it's march style snare drum rhythm, Everybody Oughta Make A Change has a cool, relaxed blues feel. Parcek's vocals and lead guitar seem to float over the tight drum pattern giving the track a different kind of feel. Very nice. Bob Dylan's, Beyond Here Lies Nothing, has an interesting, easy Latin feel, reminding me of early Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Blues band with nice slide work and phrasing by Parcek. Followed by The Supernatural , a strong Peter Green composition, Parcek really works the fretboard over with a strong guitar lead composition...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Volume 1 , from New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers and it's great stuff. Opening with Blues, Why You Worry Me features Charlie Musselwhite on lead vocal  and harmonica. A strong Chicago style shuffle, also includes Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus on guitars, Jim Dickinson on piano, Luther Dickinson on guitars, mandolin, Cody Dickinson on drums, Chris Chew on bass and Paul Taylor on tub bass. Super opener. Charlie Patton's Pony Blues is a super follow up with it's Hill Country styling and Hart on lead vocal. It's no secret that Mathus is one of my favorite contemporary musicians with his quirky style and super grooves (not to mention his solid country sound). Night Time features Mathus on lead vocal and one of his infectious, funky grooves, driven by Chews' bass line and strong harmonica work from Musselwhite. Very cool. One of those cool party rags, Come On Down To My House , features the late...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Good The Bad and The Bette, from Bette Smith and it's a cool rockin' R&B release. Opening with Fistful of Dollars , a funky rocker, Bette Smith really hits a groove, backed by Matt Patton on bass, Bronson Tew on drums, Eric Carlton on piano, Jimbo Mathus on organ and with Henry Westmoreland on horns. Very cool. Possibly my favorite track on the release is bluesy ballad, Whistle Stop , showing excellent vocal by Smith, and with strings by Jamison Hollister. Punchy rocker, I'm A Sinner , has a driving beat and a cool guitar riff underlying with strong but unflashy guitar lead and backing vocal by Hood, Patton, Tew and Schaefer Llana. Nice. With it's straightforward nature and nice melody, Song for a Friend is my choice for radio track. Dominants bass lines by Patton and tight drum work by Tew and solid backing vocals by Hood, Patton, Tew and Schaefer Llana give this track a certain cool feel. Wrappi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (9/18/20), Below Sea Level , from Eric Johanson and I really like it! Johanson, who grew in Louisiana has blues rock in his blood. Opening with Buried Above Ground you hear distinct influences of Free/Humble Pie and the best of the blues rock generation mixed with Luther Dickinson and the best of the southern blues rockers in this totally fresh sound. This may be the best blues rock release of it's kind since Humble Pie's Smokin'! Cody Dickinson on drums lays down a great tom tom beat and with Johanson on gritty guitar and excellent lead vocal and Terrence Grayson on bass, this release is off to a great start. On Down To The Bottom , Johanson slips on his slide and cranks up the heat. This is a modern boogie in the vein of Hooker but with fat fat slide tones and strong vocals. Really excellent! Blues ballad, Changes The Universe , has the potential to rival Gary Moore with better vocals, a sweet melody line and ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rock 'N' Roll - A Tribute to Chuck Berry , by Mike Zito and this disc is loaded. Opening with St. Louis Blues and Charlie Berry II, Mike Zito handles guitar and lead vocals, backed by Matthew Johnson on drums, Terry Dry bass and Lewis Stephens on keys. Joanna Conner joins on Rock and Roll Music and there is just no match for that dynamo on slide guitar. Powerhouse player, Walter Trout steps in on Johnny B Goode , a long time favorite of blues and rock players alike. Trout's fluid, high intensity attack is well suited for this classic. Very nice. On Wee Wee Hours , master showman, Joe Bonamassa is featured and he lays out a full tour of the fretboard hitting about every fret on every string, making it seem totally effortless and with great feel. Clocking in at almost 5 and a half minutes, Bonamassa gives you the grand tour. Smoking. Robben Ford takes more of a country flavored approach to You Never Can Tell...

Guitarists Colin Linden and Luther Dickinson Join Forces on Amour , a New Roots CD Featuring Songs of Sentimental, Romantic Love, Due February 8 on Stony Plain Records WATERDOWN, ON - Stony Plain Records announces a February 8 release date for Amour , a new CD teaming the roots music guitar talents of Colin Linden and Luther Dickinson. The CD was produced by Colin Linden, recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, and features a backing band dubbed “The Tennessee Valentines:” Dominic Davis – bass; Bryan Owings – drums; Fats Kaplin – violin and accordion; and Kevin McKendree – keyboards. Linden and Dickinson recruited a host of Nashville talent as guest vocalists on the new disc, including the legendary Billy Swan, who sings lead on “Lover Please” (a song he wrote, which   was recorded and became a classic hit for Clyde McPhatter); as well as songbirds Rachael Davis and Ruby Amanfu; plus two of Linden’s “Nashville” TV series buddies - Sam Palladio (“C...

I just had the opportunity to review Memphis Rent Party , the soundtrack to Robert Gordon 's 6th book, and it's excellent. Opening with a ragged but remarkable rendition of Guy Clark's Desparados Waiting On A Train by Jerry McGill. Backed by Mud Boy and the Neutrons, this is subtly terrific with excellent piano and slide work under McGill's haunting vocals.  On Chevrolet Luther Dickinson and Sharde Thomas exchanging lead vocals and playing fife vs slide backed by snappy marching like snare drums and powerful bass drums strokes.  Junior Kimbrough is up next with his trademark sound on All Night Long , recorded in Kimbrough's living room in the middle of a cotton field in 1986. Very cool. Another unmistakable sound is the sound of Furry Lewis' vocals with his own slide guitar on Why Don't You Come Home Blues , recorded in his living room in the 60's. How does it get any better than this? The surprise track for me was Calvin Newborn on Frame for the B...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Belle Of The West , from Samantha Fish and it may be her best effort yet. Opening with American Dream you have an immediate sense that this isn't a typical Samantha Fish release. Produced by Luther Dickinson, this release is in a whole new strata. Laden with fife and drums by Sharde Thomas, and with Trina Raimey and Tikyra Jackson on drums, this track has a distinct Mississippi feel. Blood In The Water showcases Fish's lead vocal and harmonies with Amy LaVere who also plays bass. A swampy track with sparse but distinct guitar work and eerie violin work by Lillie Mae, this is a cool track. Cowtown has a distinct country sound with a certain blues flavor. Addition of Fender Rhodes by Jimbo Mathus gives a nice texture and Fish sounds more comfortable both vocally and with guitar work in this "new" style. I also really like the heaviness of the drums on this track which really punch it right. Very nice....

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven , by Peter Parcek and it's quite good. Opening with Peter Green's, World Keep On Turning , Parcek presents a dark, drum heavy track with flashy guitar. Solid blues rocker. On Blind Lemon Jefferson's, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean , Parcek's guitar chords are shimmery and haunting, his vocal interpretation is excellent and his solo guitar work is eerie. I've heard this track done numerous times by modern players but none as well as this. Very nice. Instrumental, Pat Hare has a country blues flair with modified chicken pickin' and cool harp work from Mickey Raphael. Ashes To Ashes is a really nice contemporary number with strong, ancient bone from Lil' Son Jones with slashing slide work and cool harp work from Raphael. Shiver has a cool mid century surf rock beat lead by Parcek's guitar and reinforced by Marco Giovino on drums. Andy Sanfospago lays in so...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration Of Sun Records by the Americana Music Society and it's really cool. This recording, co-produced by singer-guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and Tamara Saviano, the Nashville based writer-Producer and author of Without Getting Killed or Caught, with all proceeds to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Opening with swinging R&B track, John Paul Keith sings Red Cadillac and a Black Mustache featuring Jim Spate on soulful sax. Valerie June digs deep on Carl Perkin's Sure To Fall (In Love With You) joined by Jimbo Mathus and Amy laVere on backing vocals showing real American home grown country. Very nice. On Charlie Rich's Lonely Weekends , Shawn Camp takes the lead backed by spate on sax and Lauren Mascitti and John Paul Keith on backing vocals. Bryan Hayes is front and center on Charlie Rich's Ways of a Woman In Love backed by Em...

I just received the newest release, Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook: Volume I & II) by Luther Dickinson and it is a pure delight! Opening with Othar Turner's Hurry Up Sunrise , Dickinson teams up with Turner's granddaughter, Sharde' Thomas for a country blues pop track with really nice slide and a tight rhythm. Excellent opener! Up Over Yonder features JJ Grey on vocal and greasy slide work from Jason Isbell which adds real grit. Dickinson's own guitar work, bass by Amy LaVere and Thomas on drums round out this super track. Bang Bang Lulu is a really cool track with a New Orleans feel. Dickinson's own piano and slide work, along with fiddle by Lillie Mae Rische, and Paul Taylor on tub bass gives this track an excellent vibe. Super! Moonshine is an easy paced folk ballad with light, straight up acoustic picking and Dickinson on lead vocal. His slide work on this track again slides giving it a warm homey feel. Jackson is a well constructe...

TOM WAITS STREAMS SOUL OF A MAN FROM NEW COMPILATION GOD DON'T NEVER CHANGE: THE SONGS OF BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON AT HIS FACEBOOK PAGE   Legendary artist Tom Waits is streaming his new recording of Soul Of A Man from the forthcoming album God Don't Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson at his Facebook page . Waits also recorded John The Revelator for the album. The album -- to be issued on CD on February 26 and soon after on vinyl -- features newly recorded versions of the iconic slide guitarist/vocalist's most seminal material. In addition to Waits, Lucinda Williams, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Cowboy Junkies, Blind Boys Of Alabama (with Jason Isbell on guitar), Sinéad O'Connor, Luther Dickinson featuring The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band, Maria McKee, and Rickie Lee Jones all deliver deeply moving interpretations of Johnson's otherworldly "gospel blues" music. Produced by Jeffrey Gaskill (pr...

I just received the newest release, Wolf Den , from Danielle Nicole, and it's dynamite! Opening with title track, Wolf Den , Danielle Nicole who has a super voice leads the way on vocal, playing a funky cool bass riff highlighted by Mike "Shinetop" Sedovic's keyboard work. Very nice opener. Anders Osborne sets the stage for, How You Gonna Do Me Like That , an R&B style track with solid vocals, a great bass riff and tight drums by Stanton Moore. Shinetop takes a nice keyboard solo on this track giving it an authentic "era" feel and Nicole shines on bass. On soul ballad, Take It All , Nicole really shines on vocal and her bass work is spot on. A simple yet clean and tasty guitar solo from Osborne gives Nicole a vocal breather but this track is all soul and solid. Rocker, You Only Need Me When You're Down , has a great driving tom tom rhythm and over driven guitar tone from Osborne. A breakout guitar solo highlights this track with it's Spencer ...

I just received the newest release (July 10, 2015), Wild Heart ,from Samantha Fish and she just keeps getting better. Opening with Road Runner , a hill country style blues track, Fish has teamed up with the master of hill country blues, Mr Luther Dickinson ans the duo make a great team. With just a taste of rock and nice slide work, this track is a nice opener. Place To Fall is a serious slow blues ballad featuring Fish on guitar and vocal, Dickinson on bass, Brady Blade on drums and Shontelle Norman-Beatty and Risse Norman on backing vocals. Dickinson plays some really hot lap steel riffs on this track so watch yourself! Blame It On The Moon has a strong pop feel and Dickinson lends his hand again with nice lap steel work (think Lindley and Browne). Highway's Holding Me Down has a real nice slinky feel with a nice recurring guitar riff from Fish and driving bass line from Dickinson. Fish steps on the gas on this one with a real nice guitar solo and using some of the drone not...