Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gate C23 , by Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots and it's strong. Opening with Fresh Suits , a strutting blues rocker, features Chad Rupp on lead vocal and guitars, joined by LaRhonda Steele, Arietta Ward and Ms. Vee on backing vocals Ken Scandlyn, on guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, Timmer Blakely on bass and Ken Brewer on organ. Sassy opener. Title track, Gate C23 , is a deep blues track with Rupp and Ms. Dee on vocal and excellent guitar work by Rupp and Kenny Blue Ray, Brady Goss on piano, Gene Ermal on drums and featuring Joe McCarthy, Bradley Ulrich and Pat Pepin on horns. Smoking! Super shuffle, Blues City Cafe , really rolls with solid guitar lead and vocal by Rupp and excellent harmonica work by Mitch Kashmar. Soulful, You'll Be Singing My Songs , is rich with vocal lead and harmonies and excellent harmonica work by Kashmar and a stinging guitar solo by Rupp. Very nice. Fat Kid Boogie is a cool change up with a hot...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tony Holiday's Porch Sessions and I really like it. Vocalist and harmonica player, Tony Holiday has put together a great release here with a who's who of the blues business. Opening with Pick-Pocket Fingers a cool shuffle track Holiday on lead vocal is joined by James Harman on harmonica, Kid Ramos on guitar, Landon Stone on guitar and Kid Andersen on bass, this is a cool opener. John Primer steps in on lead vocal and guitar on They Call Me John Primer with featured harp work by Bob Corritore and Holiday and Joel Meza Jr. on drums. I always love Primer's slide style and Corritore has beautiful tone. Very nice. An easy, funky track, A Woman Named Trouble , showcases John Nemeth and Jake Friel with Holiday on vocal and harmonica. This is a funky funky track with a great bass line by Anderson. Excellent! Mitch Kashmar and Ronnie Shellist join Holiday for Three Way Party and slower but soulful guitar and ha...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, West Coast Toast , by Mitch Kashmar and it swings. Opening with hot shuffle, East of 82nd Street , Mitch Kashmar on harp is joined by Junior Watson on guitar, Fred Kaplan on keys, Bill Stuve on upright bass and Marty Dodson on drums. Mitch really rocks it on this one and Watson is throwing fire from the frets. Super opener. With a Latin flavor,Willie Dixon's Too Many Cooks , has a cool groove featuring Mitch on lead vocal, claves and harp. Dodson's precision playing and glistening chords from Watson set the pace and Kaplan's solo on piano is strong. Henry Glover's Young Girl is up next with Chicago style. With a solid bottom Kashmar vocals are tops and his harp playing is soulful and adventurous. Cool swinger, The Petroleum Blues , has a super 12 bar feel and and Kashmar sits nicely in the groove. Watson nails it on guitar again with a really nicely styled guitar solo. Slowing the pace down a bit, Mood ...

Mitch Kashmar "West Coast Toast" Featuring: Junior Watson, Bill Stuve, Fred Kaplan, and Marty Dodson West Coast Toast heralds the arrival of Mitch Kashmar 's long-awaited third studio album from Delta Groove. Although fans had the live recording Live at Labatt (2008) and a CD reissue of his early '80s era LP 100 Miles to Go (2010) to tide them over, it's been ten years since his last full studio effort, Wake Up ...

GET THE NEW CD! www.kevinselfe.com Excited to announce the October 16 release of “Buy My Soul Back” on the VizzTone Label. The recording consists of 13 tunes, 12 of them originals, and features Jimi Bott, Allen Markel, Sugaray Rayford, Mitch Kashmar, Willie J Campbell, Gene Taylor, James Pace, Lisa Mann, Steve Kerin, Joe McCarthy, Brad Ulrich, Chris Mercer, Don Shultz, and Peter Moss. Get more info and tour dates at www.kevinselfe.com .  CONNECT WITH US! ...