Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the first full band release from Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood and I really like it. Opening with driving blues rocker, Juke Joint , Gearshifter has a cool, loose, "Mississippi" delivery, backed by Matt Patton and Larry Morrisey on drums. His own guitar style is loose and cool. On traditional track, Rabbit In A Log , Gearshifter delivers like a pro. His vocals are cool, relaxed and rich, his guitar work has sting and organ backing by Jimbo Mathus is understated and solid. No Working Blues sounds like it's right out of a juke joint with it's crude but SRV like guitar riffs and rhythmic vocals. I really like this track which has a golden groove. A Big Change has a regal feel in almost a Screaming Jay vein. Gearshifters' loose guitar style is super and his vocals are rare. Very cool. Jimmy Olden's Goin' Down Slow has a slick, R&B feel but Gearshifter's vocals are all blues. Although not technical...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Of A Kind , from Grady Champion , and it has variety. Opening with Bump and Grind , Grady Champion on lead vocal and harp along with Ken Smith on bass, Eddie Cotton on guitar and Carroll McLaughlin on keys set an early groove, not unlike a more polished Jesus Just Left Chicago. Nice opener. With a R&B feel, Heels and Hips floats along with a really cool bass line by Smith and nice backing vocals by Champion, Jewell Bass, Eddie Cotton and Lisa Palmer. Shuffle track, House Party , gets deeper in the groove with the addition of Kimble Funchess on trumpet, Jessie PrimerIII on sax, Sydney Ford II on bari, Robert Lamkin on trombone and champion's harp backed by nice vocals by Bass and Palmer. On Life Support , Champion really gets the band swinging on harp and some of his best vocals on the release. Myron Bennett's bass work is tight and vital giving this track just the right weight. Classic, Chicago style blu...

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