Blue Barrel Records artist: The Love Light Orchestra Featuring John Nemeth - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Love Light Orchestra featuring John Nemeth and it's a super R&B show. Opening with See Why I Love You super vocalist John Nemeth leads this super group of Marc Franklin on trumpet, Scott Thompson on trumpet, Jason Yasinsky on trumpet, Art Edmalston on tenor sax, Kirk Smothers on bari sax, Jon Restino on guitar, Gerald Stephens on piano, Tim Goodwin on bass and Earl Lowe on drums. Edmalston cranks out a real nice solo on this one punched up by the tight trumpet work making it a terrific opener. Blues shuffle, Bad Breaks has terrific swagger with excellent guitar lead by Restivo and a nice tenor solo by Edmalston. Excellent! Nemeth's vocals are really nice on every track but none better than bluesy ballad, I've Been Wrong So Long, really enriched by warm sax work and punchy trumpet. Very nice.  Another shuffle, Sometimes plays Nemeth's vocals in call and response with Restino's slick guitar riffs. Stephens gets a real nice opportunity to lay out the keys and Edmalston gets the chance to throw down a squealer of his own. Very cool. Lonesome and High has great guitar lead with Nemeth's vocals riding high. The horn section here lacks nothing with depth and warmth. A cool track and one of the best on the release. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Singing For My Supper, with great incredible style. The horn section really pops on this one and Restino's soloing is emotional and fluid.  Wrapping the release is Al Green's Love and Happiness, a great closer. This band has great style and all the talent you could ask for. The people who were lucky enough to see this show live at Bar DKDC in Memphis were damn lucky.

Super job!

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Mick Kolassa & Mark Telesca - You Can't Do That - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Can't Do That, by Mick Kolassa & Mark Telesca and it's quite entertaining. The concept, to take classic Beatles compositions and remake them in a new style as a group is cool... I mean possibly the greatest pop band of all time. Opening with I'll Cry Instead, the arrangement has a casual New Orleans strut and features a muted trumpet by Marc Franklin. With a creative blues bottom, early Beatles track, I Feel Fine takes on new air with suspenseful bass lines and bluesy harmonica work by Eric Hughes. One of my favorite tracks on the release is the sorrowful rework of Fixing A Hole. Telesca's vocals and stylistic acoustic guitar lead really hits. Very nice. Just the flatting of key notes in Lady Madonna transforms it from a springy pop tune into a New Orleans flavored track with soulful fiddle work by Tommy Borroughs and snappy drumming by James Cunningham. Very cool. Wrapping the release is a vibrant bluegrass rendition of She Came In Through The Bathroom Window with really cool mandolin lead by Tommy Boroughs. Excellent closer for a cool release.

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Big Legal Mess artist: Robert Finley - Age Don't Mean A Thing - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Age Don't Mean A Thing, from Robert Finley and it's a powerful new soul release. Opening with high stepping Memphis groove, I Just Want To Tell You, Robert Finley wastes no time establishing that his talent far exceeds his professional experience. An extremely soulful vocalist, Finley traveled north to Memphis to work with members of the Bo-Keys. Players include a who’s who of the Memphis soul scene including drummer Howard Grimes (Al Green, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, OV Wright), Marc Franklin (Bobby “Blue” Bland), Jimbo Mathus (Elvis Costello), Al Gamble (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, the Hold Steady, Alex Chilton), Kirk Smothers (Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Guy), Reba Russell (U2, BB King), Harold Thomas (James Carr) and Daunielle Hill (Solomon Burke). With full soul backing vocals and Al Gamble's B3 rolling this is a great opener. On title track, Age Don't Mean A Thing, Finley really sings with gut wrenching authority. This track is exceptional with almost spiritual organ work by Gamble and essential underpinnings by Mathus. R&B track, Let Me Be Your Everything, is saturated with horn work by Kirk Smothers and trumpet by Marc Franklin and super backing vocals by Russell and Hill. Slowing down to a smoldering simmer, It's Too Late, puts Finley back upfront with nicely blended backing vocals by Russell and Hill. This is a really nice track and one that could easily hit the radio hard. Solid soul track, Snake In My Grass, has a nicely anchored melody with Finley's vocals drawing out the emotions, complimented by Smothers and Franklin. Very nice. James Brown like, Come On, gets a super groove cooking pressing you to get on your feet. With warm vocals and horn punctuating over a wah wah and funky bass work, how can you not love this! 70's pop track, Make It With You, written by David Gates, is given a really soulful overdo with light guitar rhythm, shimmery organ and Finley's powerful vocals. Very nice. You Make Me Want To Dance has a real Al Green kind of feel and you automatically feel that bounce starting in your head. Russell, Thomas and Hill really warm up the background on this track and Smothers and Franklin work is tight. Super. Wrapping the release is excellent soul track, Is It Possible To Love 2 People. With warm sax work by Smothers, nicely placed guitar riffs by Mathus, tom tom work by Grimes, B3 by Gamble and tight punctuation by Franklin, this track leaves you with nothing but wanting more. Excellent release.



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