Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1 , from Kenny Wayne Shepherd and it's a solid blues rocker with plenty of radio potential. Opening with title track, Dirt On My Diamonds , Kenny Wayne Shepherd is back with his excellent vocals, tuneful melodies showing excellent swagger. With full horn/synthesized backing, Shepherd pours on his blistering guitar solos but just enough to wet your appetite. Funky, Best of Times , had a real nice bass line that plays against a horn line and Shepherd carries the melody vocally. With his guitar pumped through a wah pedal it really ties the funky rhythm with his bluesy attitude. Another pop track with its funky salting is Man on a Mission featuring Shepherd on vocal and keyboard backing complimenting Shepherd's rhythm guitar and drums. There's no lack of talent by KWS on guitar as he plays free flowing solos reminiscent of traditional southern rock. Wrapping the release is Ease My Mind wi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ride , from Walter Trout , and it's a solid rocker with solid blues roots. Opening with Ghosts , a solid blues rocker, Trout on harmonica, guitar and vocal sets a heavy tempo, beefed up by Teddy Andreadis on Hammond organ, Michael Leasure on drums and Jamie Hunting on bass. This is a heavy footed, lumbering track and Trout lays out a searing guitar solo giving the release a great start. So Many Sad Goodbyes is another solid rocker with nicely overdriven guitar tone and Trout's featured vocals with Eric Corne singing in tandum. Reinforcement by Andreadis on Hammond gives the track a rich sound and the strong snare work of Leasure paves the way for another of Trout's slicing guitar solos. The strongest blues number on the release is Waiting For The Dawn with Trout leading the way, playing melodic lead on guitar. Folding his vocals nicely into the mix, warmed by the undertone of Andreadis' Hammond, this track...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Trouble Is...25 , from Kenny Wayne Shepherd and it's great to hear. A release and reinterpretation of his second release, Trouble Is, Trouble Is ...25 sounds pretty fresh. Opening with Slow Ride , KWS really gets the program started with great vocals,  high energy blues riffs, and excellent sustain. With Chris Layton on drums, Kevin McCormick on bass and Reese Wynans on keys, this is a strong opener. Laid back, Everything Is Broken , anchored by Layton, has great drive and KWS shows all of the southern guitar spunk he has accumulated during his career. (Long) Gone has terrific Texas style swagger with hot guitar riffs and the addition of harmonica on this track really pumps it up. Classic, Somehow, Somewhere, Someday is just slow (fast) enough to really hit the groove. Wynans keyboard adds real tension and KWS's guitar work is stinging. Wrapping the release is Bob Dylan's fabulous Ballad of a Thin Man and KWS...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dear America , from Eric Bibb and it may be his best in years. Opening with Whole Lotta Lovin' with it's rolling acoustic guitar riff and backing instrumentation by Ron Carter on bass and Glen Scott on keys this track had a very friendly warmness. Shaneeka Simon joins Bibb and Tommy Sims on lead vocal, and teamed with Steffan Astner on slide guitar gives this track strong appeal. Slower, lumbering Whole World's Got The Blues features a nice appearance by Eric Gales who lights up his electric guitar and Sims on bass, and Glen Scott on drums fill out the bottom. A modern take on the delta style blues, title track, Dear America pairs Bibbs acoustic guitar and vocal over Chuck Anthony on electric guitar, Scott on drums and percussion, Christer Lyssarides on mandola and Simon and Big Daddy Wilson on backing vocals. Strong ballad, Emmett's Ghost plays to Bibb's strength in songwriting, vocal and acoustic gu...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Coming Closer To The Day , from Robin Trower and I quite like it. The unearthly soaring riffs of Trower are missing but a soulful, nicely phrased blues player with continued sensitivity is here. Opening with Diving Bell , a lumbering blues rocker, Trower handles bass, guitar and vocal and does it with style. His rhythm guitar is chorded and distorted and his lead work, slicing and overdriven. His sense for the blues is strong. On title track, Coming Closer To The Day , has a light Latin rhythm and airy guitar lead and with upper and lower fretboard contrast, this is a really solid track. The Perfect Wrong is a gritty blues track with cool vocals and a strong drum lead and signature blues riffs by Trower giving it a good blast of steam. Little Girl Blue is one of my favorite tracks on the release is a quiet, ballad like structure but with excellent guitar lead over warm chords throughout. Very, very nice. Don't Eve...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Survivor Blues , from Walter Trout and it's his most mature and cohesive release to date. Opening with powerful slow blues number, Me, My Guitar and the Blues Trout is back locked and loaded. I love his command of the volume swell, using it like an old master, making his guitar cry like a baby and his prasing is magical. With Michael Leasure on drums, Johnny Griparic on bass and Skip Edwards on keys, this is a terrific opener. On Woman Don't Lie , it's a slink funky beat that gives this track traction.Trading lead vocal with Sugaray Rayford and adding Teddy Andreadis on Wurlitzer really sets this one up or a guitar slam and Trout is all over it. Gone are the days of cramming every note into one measure and real feel and biting riffs carry this track high. Shuffle track, Please Love Me has great feel and tension with relaxed riffs with excellent punctuation work on a heavily pumped up BB King like style. Re...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Toby Arrives , from Koch Marshall Trio and I really like it! Opening with loose shuffle and title track, Toby Arrives , Greg Koch on guitar, Dylan Koch on drums and Toby Lee Marshall on Hammond set the corner stone for this latest release. This is a tight trio with feature strength all round. Funk Meat has a rich bottom provided by Marshall's organ and Greg's funky guitar lead is nicely enhanced by Dylan's tight drumming. Heed The Boogaloo has a driving bass line similar to a Manzarek riff setting a strong foundation for Greg to dig in with adventurous and nicely flowing guitar lead. His float from rock to jazz influenced lead is very nice.  One of my favorite tracks on the release is jazz rock fusion endeavor, Mysterioso , with understated bass and organ lines and a beautiful exploration in chorded melody by Greg and East Indian influenced bending/slide. Very nice. Marshall takes the helm for a solid ride...

Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center' CD/DVD set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group  Watch Hart Perform "Tell Her You Belong To Me": On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated "powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone)  Beth Hart  performed a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this standout performance with  'Live From New York - Front & Center' , out  April 13th  via  Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group . The performance is also featured on the Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert seri...

Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center' CD/DVD set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated "powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front & Center' , out April 13th via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group . The performance is also featured on the Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings). Known for he...

MASCOT LABEL GROUP LAUNCHES PLAYERS CLUB IMPRINT WITH RELEASE OF KOCH MARSHALL TRIO ALBUM TOBY ARRIVES ON FEBRUARY 23, 2018 The Koch-Marshall Trio Are American Guitarist Greg Koch, His Son Dylan Koch On Drums and Hammond B3 Specialist Toby Lee Marshall New York, NY --- Mascot Label Group has announced the release of Koch Marshall Trio’s Toby Arrives on February 23, 2018.  This will be the first album on the new imprint THE PLAYERS CLUB .  At the heart of this organ trio is a blues sensibility - but Koch's compositions are an amalgam of rock, funk, jazz and country served up with heavy grooves and dynamic improvisations delivered with no small dose of humor and occasional wild abandon. The trio blends the explosive guitar manipulations of Greg, the groove-centric, power-pocket playing of his son Dylan on drums (who share many telepathic musical moments) and the glorious, Hammond organ stylings of the uber-talented Toby Marshall, Greg’s compositions a...

JONNY LANG EXTENDS SIGNS WORLD TOUR Twenty-Five New North American Shows Added Tickets On Sale This Week Signs To Be Released On September 8 th In North America Los Angeles, CA --- Jonny Lang ’s brand new studio album, Signs , will be released in North America on September 8th via SayRai / Concord Records.  The album (his sixth major label release) is his first in four years. The European release for Signs will be on August 25 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group. The new album is available to pre-order here: http://amazon.com/dp/B071FPWNS6 .   All pre-orders will include both “Bitter End” and “Make It Move” as instant gratification tracks. This morning, twenty-five new shows in North America have been added to Jonny’s World Tour in support of Signs .  Tickets for most of these shows will go on sale this week.  VIP tickets will be available starting this Tuesday via www.jonnylang.com Anyone who originally discovered Jonny La...