Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Is Now , by Pete Mills and it's hot! Opening with title track, This Is Now , tenor sax player, Pete Mills lays out the melody, punctuated by Kenny Banks jr. on piano and Matt Wilson on drums. Wilson digs in with his first solo and he is really cooking with Martin Wind on bass driving hard and active drum action by Wilson. Banks Jr. lays down a solid groove of his own and Pete McCann on guitar really sails, making this a dynamite opener. Laying back a bit, Daddies has a real nice, soulful melody with Mills leading the way on sax. Really settling into the groove Mills double times his phrasing before handing off to Banks Jr. who floats on the groove. A meaty solo by Wind on bass is punctuated by Wilson on tom tom. Very nice. Exit Strategy is a contemporary jazz track with a more eccentric rhythm. Mills and Wilson really set it up and Banks Jr. takes one of his most exciting piano rides on the release. McCann ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, For The Record , by Pete Mills and it swings. Opening with title track, For The Record , Pete Mills on Tenor sax , Jon Eshelman on B3 , Tom Davis on guitar and Zach Compston on drums get things moving. Mills rips loose on tenor laying down fluid lead before handing to Davis on guitar who is smooth as silk. Eshelman on B3 is strong with a fat tone and kicks it robust style. Swinging opener. Bird Lives is really hot with Davis and Mills cooking the melody. Mills takes the first solo and it really is smoking, held down by Compston and fattened up by Eshelman and Davis' guitar solo it bright and exciting. Eshelman lets the B3 roll and working in tandem with Compston he rolls. Excellent track. Laid back, Z is for Zadie features Mills cruising on sax and Eshelman on B3 with a real warm solo by Davis on guitar. Another kicker, Step On It , really moves with Mills hitting it right out of the gate. His soloing is tasty and...