Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Gettin' Good , by Mighty Mike Schermer , and I really like it. Opening with title track, Just Gettin' Good , this release is off to a hot start. With Mighty Mike and Ms. Kimmy Pickens on lead vocal and the stinging guitar work of Mike out front, this track struts. With the fat bari sax work of Aaron Lington, and joined by Dmar on drums, Steve Ehrmann on bass, Tony Snead on organ, Eric Spaulding on tenor, Jeff Lewis on trumpet and Mike Rinta on trombone, this track is smokin'. On slow, soulful This Is Where My Love Is , Schermer sings a solid ballad and keeps the instrumentation to a minimum with Paul Revelli on drums, Steve Ehrmann on bass and Austin DeLone on organ.  On island track, The Hungry Dog , Schermer gets a calypso rhythm and the guys really get into the swing. June Core on drums, Kid Andersen on bass and vocal, Chris Burns on piano, Kimmy on percussion and Wally Pickins on vocal, this track is ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Gotta Have It , from Tia Carroll , and I really like it. Opening with Neo soul track, Ain't Nobody Worryin' Tia Carroll really has this release humming from the start. With guitar phenom, Charlie Hunter handling bass and guitar (at the same time) D'Mar on drums, Jim Pugh on organ and Carroll on lead vocal with James Walter and Dwayne Morgan on backing vocals, this track is hot. Carroll's vocals are so soulful on Even When I'm Not Alone , it makes you sweat. With Pugh's organ work, Kid Andersen on guitars, Steve Ehrmann on bass and Paul Revelli on drums, a strong track. With real blues swagger, Mama Told Me plays into the power of Carroll's voice with Andersen laying in some stinging guitar riffs over the power horns work of Mike Runta on trombone, Rob Sudduth on tenor sax, and Aaron Lington on bari sax. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Why Am I Treated So Bad with it's dark soulful soun...

I just received the newest release, Putting Down Roots , from Nancy Wright and it has a nice groove. Opening with pop soul track, Sweet Soul Satisfaction , Wright takes the lead on vocal with Lisa Leuschner Andersen on warm backing vocals. Of course she plays hot sax, a signature that she is well know by. Funkin' It Up , is a smoking instrumental jazz groove with Paul Olguin on bass and Paul Revelli on drums setting the forms for a great sax lead by Wright. Tony Lufrano on keys adds the glue and cementing this cool track in place. Just Can't Put A Finger On It returns to the soul style pop format again joined by Anderson on backing vocals. The track is capped off by some sweltering sax riffs... nice! Driving paced, A Serendipity , has a Motown feel, almost like a Martha Reeves meets Jr Walker. Hot key riffs from Lufrano also add nicely to the track. Instrumental, The Big Queen has a deep throaty sax voice with a New Orleans rhythm section making this funky track one of my ...