Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Know You From Old , by Steve Howell & Fats Kaplin and it's a great set of folk and blues tunes. Opening with Black Dog , a Kentucky Rag recorded by Bayless Rose features Steve Howell on vocal and guitar and Fats Kaplin on banjo. Excellent opener. Bugger Burns is a cool track recorded by John Lomax back in 1941. Howell on vocal and guitar with Kaplin on mandolin this is a very spry number. Blue Ridge Mountain Blues , made popular by Doc Watson fits this set nicely with Howell on vocal and guitar and honest fiddle harmony by Kaplin. Burl Ives ' The Escape of Old John Webb about a jailbreak in 1730. A great story and some of Howell's vocals paired with Kaplin's fiddle makes for a great add. Shawneetown is a rich, folk track and Howell sings wide open with minimal guitar rhythm and excellent fiddle work by Kaplin. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a solid arrangement of Ellington's Mood Indigo ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Yeah Man, by Steve Howell & The Mighty Men and it's soothing.  Opening with Blind Lemon Jefferson's Long Lonesome Blues , Steve Howell on vocal and guitar leads this contemporary shuffle joined by Chris Michaels on guitar, Dave Hoffpauir on drums and Jason Weinheimer on bass and keys. Easy going, cool opener. J.B. Hutto's 20% Alcohol is a cool track with a solid strut feel and free wheelin' guitar run. Jack Lawrence's I'm Glad For Your Sake is really a nice bluesy ballad featuring Howell on vocal with lush guitar adornment and Weinheimer on keys. Very nice. Joe Zawinul's Mercy Mercy Mercy was a great tune written for the great Cannonball Adderley and enhance with lyrics by JG Watson. Howell keeps the original structure sans vocals and parlays the original sax tune into a reverberant guitar tune. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Bob Dylan's Chimes of Freedom featuring another nicel...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, 99 1/2 Won't Do , from Steve Howell & The  Mighty Men and it's a cool, stripped down blues rocker. Opening with I'm A Little Mixed Up , Steve Howell keeps the rocking feel of the James/Johnson composition but ads his own flavor. Leading on vocal and guitar and backed by Chris Michaels on guitar, Dave Hoffpauir drums and Jason Weinheimer on bass and keys. Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is covered instrumentally, led by Howell on guitar melody. Traditional blues, God's Gonna Cut You Down , is my favorite on the release with a Hot Tuna or Gary Davis feel. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Apache made popular by The Shadows and The Ventures. With it's solitude guitar melody and reverb, it's a cool closer.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Face...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gallery of Echoes , from Steve Howell and it's a traditional look at traditional blues. Opening with Blind Lemon Jefferson's Stocking Feet Blues , with Howell on vocal and guitar. Howell's vocal style is ideal for this music and his picking style, steady and clean. On Blind Willie McTell's Statesboro Blues , only true blues aficionados are likely to have heard this highly popularized track, stripped down to this acoustic version. Very nice.  All My Friends Are Gone is a somber track and a strong addition to this release. Howell's vocals are sincere and his playing sensitive. Gary Davis', Sit Down On The Banks Of The River is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a great vocal delivery and fluid guitar work. Wrapping the release is Dallas Rag , a cool little guitar ditty giving Howell a cool closer for a solid acoustic blues release.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Long Ago, from Steve Howell, Dan Sumner & Jason Weinheimer and the title aptly describes the musical journey. Opening with 20's song, Singin' The Blues, Howell on lead vocal and guitar, backed by bassist Jason Weinheimer and with the addition on lush jazz chords and runs by Dan Sumner sets the stage for this easy paced release. Jobim's Dindi has a real nice arrangement with Howell and Sumner playing guitar runs over a Bossa Nova backing. Very nice. Johnny Mercer's ballad, I Thought About You, gets a finger picked overlay by Howell giving it a bit of a country styling but the warm chords of Sumner maintains the jazz richness under Howell's understated vocals. Another jazz standard with  Bossa beat is I'll Remember April and the beauty of the melody is enhanced by the poise of Howell, Weinheimer and Sumner on this instrumental remake. Horace Silver's Song For My Father is another jazz track ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Dream of Water , from Katy Hobgood Ray featuring Dave Ray and it's a interesting set of blues and country blended tracks. Opening with Lollie Bottoms , a simple, pop country style track singer songwriter, Katy Hobgood Ray conjures up the feeling of the early days of country rock and the likes of Bobbie Gentry and her story telling songs. Supported by Chuck Dodson on piano, Dave Hoffpauir on drums, Jason Weinheimer on bass and Greg Spradlin on guitars a solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Washed Away with it's strong, gospel style melody and warm vocal backing by Dave Ray, and Vikki McGee and the addition of nicely complimenting guitar work by Spradlin and the key organ and piano work of Dodson. With a Latin beat, House Divided features Dave Ray on lead vocal, blended nicely with Katy and clean piano lines by Dodson. Very nice. My favorite vocals by Katy on the release are in the lead of ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Play The Blues , by Doug Duffey and BADD and it's straight up with a twist. Opening with shuffle track, The Things That We Used To Do , Doug Duffey takes the basic original blues premise and bends it. With basic piano, bass and drum accompaniment, holds a solid shuffle beat under solid vocal but then in walks Dan Sumner on lead guitar and plays outside of the routine shuffle beat. Pretty cool matrix with cool backing vocals. On Evil, a mod funky blues track, soulful vocals command the spotlight but you can hardly miss the introduction of rhythm guitar riffs that fall more into the pop/punk genre. A fat bluesy guitar solo by Sumner and it's contagious beat makes this one of my favorites on the release. Blues based rocker, Drink It On Down , is another of my favorites with  distinct Keith Richards dirty rock feel. A springy, piano rocker, You Got That Somethin' , has a most commercial feel with it's simpl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good As I Been To You , from Steve Howell & The Mighty Men featuring Katy Hobgood Ray and it's freshly familiar. Opening with 50's blues rocker, Bacon Fat, Howell leads on vocal and guitar with Chris Michaels on guitar, Dave Hoffpauir on drums, and Jason Weinheimer on bass and setting a strong groove. On Memphis Minnie's New Dirty Dozen , Katy Hobgood Ray takes the mic and her vocals blend nicely with the throaty guitar work of Howell. Walter Davis' Come Back Baby has a smooth approach, along the lines of Eric Clapton and Howell's vocals are perfect with just the touch of guitar. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Blues In The Bottle with it's ideal symmetry. Howell's vocals are smooth and the backing guitar, bass and drums are spot on. A lightly salted guitar solo by Howell tops off the track nicely. Wrapping the release is Blind Blakes You Gonna Quit Me played in easy shuff...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release,  A Hundred Years From Today , by Steve Howell & Jason Weinheimer , and it's quiet and soothing. Opening with Fats Waller's Lulu's back In Town , Howell shows his clean acoustic finger work and holds down lead vocal while Weinheimer is on bass. Rag style Kansas City Blues has smooth flow and nice tempo. Lightning Hopkins' Going Back To Florida is somber and bluesy with solid vocal emphasis staid guitar accompaniment. Mississippi John Hurt's Louis Collins has super tempo and tight guitar riffs. Blues standard, Basin Street Blues , has an easy pace and nicely articulated guitar lead. Limehouse Blues / After You're Gone has a 20's sound with springy pace and light vocals. Wrapping the release is Hoagy Carmichael's Rocking Chair with a light jazzy sound. Nicely presented chords and lightly peppered fingering by both men make this a cool closer for this release.    If you suppor...

I just received the newest release, Friend Like Me , from Steve Howell & The Mighty Men and it's got style! Opening with Baby Face Thomas' Another Friend Like Me with it's boogie woogie rhythm line. Howell on vocal and guitar leads the way with Chris Michaels on electric guitar, Dave Hoffpauir on drums and Jason Weinheimer on bass. The walking bass line of Jason and fluid guitar lines of Chris make for an interesting trip. Bukka White's Aberdeen, Mississippi Blues is up next with a snappy country flare. I really like the loose guitar soloing technique on this track giving it a raw flavor. Charley Patton's Elder Green Is Gone has a cool R&B flavor with raw country guitar riffs. This music has an unusual JJ Cale kind of vibe...laid back but pointed. Very cool! Reverend Gary Davis' Oh, Lord, Search My Soul has a casual shuffle feel. With a droning guitar rhythm and easy set lyrics the track lulls you back. Little Sadie is one of my favorite tracks o...

I just received the newest release, Yes, I Believe I Will from Steve Howell and it is really hauntingly good. The release opens with I Had A Notion , a simple acoustic country rocker not unlike contemporary Eric Clapton on JJ Cale tracks. Walk On Boy is a cool track written by Mel Tillis and long covered by Doc Watson having a distinctive Hot Tuna/ Gary Davis sound. Very cool. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning has long been one of my favorite acoustic blues with spiritual overtones. I was first introduced to this track on the first Hot Tuna release and it has always stuck with me. Howell, who plays most of the acoustic guitar on this release is joined by Chris Michaels on electric guitar on this track and he adds some really cool riffs that are almost unworldly in tone. Love it! Another real eerie sounding track, Country Blues originally written by Dock Boggs is performed here with a lot of authenticity and feeling. There is a real humble but warm feel conveyed by this type of ...