Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Medication Time , from Todd Sharpville, and it's a solid rocker. Opening with Walk Out In The Rain , Todd Sharpville on vocal and guitar sets a tense stage with his intense vocal and Clapton like guitar riffs. Joined by Bruce Bears on Hammond, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Texeira on drums, this is an attention grabber of an opener. Driving track, Get Outta My Way features Doug James on Bari sax, Mark Early on tenor sax, Carl Querfurth on trombone and Doc Chanonhouse on trumpet and put to great use with a full horn delivery and a strong sax solo by Early. House Rules is a great track that's likely to get you up on your feet. With it's tight rhythm and slick guitar soloing by Sharpville, this track is super. Larry McCray joins on guitar and vocal on Brothers From Another Mother and the guy's voices actually pair up quite nicely (McCray on the left). McCray and Sharpville jam out pretty nicely for the last...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Love Makes A Woman , from the Knickerbocker All-Stars and it's rich. Opening with R&B track, So Soon , Darcel Wilson is upfront with powerful vocals, backed by the power horn section of Rich Lataille and Doug James on sax, Carl Querfurth on trombone, Doc Chanonhouse and Carl Gerhard on trumpet and the tight rhythm section of Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Kevin Barry on guitar and David Limina on keys. Excellent opener. Thornetta Davis really swings boogie track, Good Rockin' Daddy with excellent backing vocals and stellar piano work by Limina a sweet sax solo and tight guitar lead by Barry. Definitely one of my favorites on the release. Wilson takes Joe Seneca's Talk To Me, Talk To Me by the short hairs and really spins it. With a perfect touch of trumpet by Chanonhouse, the warm sax work of James and Lataille and fluid jazzy guitar work of Barry, this is a definite star. Go Girl! is a...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Me & the Originator , from Al Basile and it's a cool mix of poetry, story telling and super music. Opening with the initial story line, Basile sets the stage for the release in story telling fashion. Continuing the story but through song, Basile on vocal and cornet, leads the way, backed by Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on tom tom, Bruce Bears on keys and Duke Robillard on guitar. My J-O-B is a cool shuffle track with some of the best vocals on the release. Robillard's riffs are tight with a swing feel and Basile's own cornet work paired with the trumpet work of Jeff Chanonhouse is always cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is She Made Me Believe It , a slower blues number with soulful vocals, brass and organ backing and super guitar soloing by Robillard. Excellent! Here Come Your Trouble is another cool shuffle tune with a solid bop cornet solo from Basile and excellent piano work from...

Multi Blues Music Award Nominee Al Basile Brings His Songs and Stories to Life on New CD, Me & the Originator , Out June 15 on Sweetspot Records RUMFORD, RI – Multi Blues Music Award nominee Al Basile brings his original songs and stories to life on the new CD, Me & the Originator , releasing June 15 on Sweetspot Records. Produced by Duke Robillard, who also adds his guitar talents on the new disc, Me & the Originator showcases Al’s abilities as a storyteller in poems and songs, and as a vocalist and cornet player , backed by an additional group of New England-based all-star musicians, including Mark Texeira (drums), Brad Hallen (bass), Bruce Bears (keyboards), Doug James (tenor and baritone sax) and Jeff “Doc” Chanonhouse (trumpet). Al Basile, who is also a prize-winning poet , will celebrate the release of the new CD by performing Me & the Originator as a one-man show at the West Chester Poetry Conference, West Chester, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Ju...