Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Satisfied- An Anthology , by Gaye Adegbalola and it's packed full of tracks from 9 of her solo projects. The Dirty Dozens is a strong piano boogie with great vocals by Gaye and excellent piano by Jeff Covert. One of my favorites on the release is Tippin' On The Down Low with plenty of swing. Rodney Barnes adds great personality on piano giving it a terrific vintage feel. I really like Gaye's vocal work on Prove It On Me Blues . Her ability to dig in and deliver is well demonstrated, backed by Barnes on piano. Simple acoustic blues, Blues For The Greens starts off with Gaye alone with guitar but explodes with full support of Covert on keys, bass, drums and slide guitar. Sensitive, Winona , is a quiet blues featuring Gaye on vocal and guitar and Phil Wiggins on harmonica.  Wrapping the release is Lift Every Voice and Sing , in duet with Resa Gibbs. A solid closer for a lifetime of music.    If ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Insurrection Blues , from Corey Harris and it's particularly strong. Harris, who has released 20 albums during his career is up with a new one and this time on M.C. Records, inspired by the recent events in Washington and certainly influenced by his year long stay in Africa. Opening with Twelve Gates To The City , Harris really pours on the heat. I'm uncertain who wrote this track but I know it as a Rev Gary Davis track and a powerful version of the track with Harris at his vocal blues best. Terrific! Mama Africa could have been written and played on the Continent. The African influences are so evident and beautiful. Harris' singing and playing is top notch. Sunjuta is a traditional song, with a cool arrangement instrumental by Harris. His sensitivity to the African musical style is terrific. John Jackson's Boats Up River has a great, up beat, finger picking blues style and By and By again pulls heavily...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Black & Tan Ball , by Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons and it's strong. Opening with classic, Do You Call That A Buddy , Hunter on violin & Seamons on guitar along with Phil Wiggins create the sound of a fine wine with a really nice arrangement. Excellent! Georgian fiddler tune, Shangai Rooster really gets heels high in the air with harp, banjo and fiddle. Super jam. An exceptional hot jazz number, Struttin' With Some Barbeque , features Wiggins on harp trading lead with Hunter on violin with tight rhythm by Seamons on guitar. Very nice. Another super jazz number, Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me features solid vocals and excellent mandolin lead by Hunter and warm harmonica melodies by Wiggins. Guitar Rag is a great jam with Hunter on violin and Wiggins on harp again working with Seamons on guitar for an excellent track. Cool old blues track, Hard Time Blues holds tight and fast to original Lane Hardin ...

Blues with No Apologie s Phil Wiggins John Dee Holman  Vonna  Pop Ferguson      If you are a blues lover, then this is the place to be -- June 14, 2014 at the Pop Ferguson Blues Heritage Festival, in historic downtown Lenoir,N.C. USA   Meet blues legends. Hear their stories. Attend a music workshop.   See how other genres came from blues through our theme, “Roots, Branches and Stems” Phil Wiggins, John D. Holman and Pop Ferguson (Roots) Country, Swing, Jazz, R&B, Rock (Branches) Hip-Hop and Funk Fusion (Stems)   Learn how to play the blues harmonica with harmonica great Phil Wiggins. Play along with him on your own instrument, or be one of the first 100 attendees and get your own free Hohner -harmonica!   Learn about the blues violin f...

Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as a roots music fingerstyle guitar virtuoso who has toured the US, England, Wales, France, Germany, Belgium and Holland. Walker has been featured in the New York Times, the London Sunday Times, the London BBC, Sirius-XM radio and was the 1st place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award given out by the Blues Foundation in Memphis TN. Walker combines the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, rock and old time jazz into his own unique style. Jorma Kaukonen of Hot Tuna and the Jefferson Airplane says "Flat out... you have to hear this great musician... I'm blown away" and has employed Walker to teach at his famous Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp for 6 years. In 2010 Walker won the NY Music Award for 'Best Instrumental CD,' sharing the honors with Mariah Carey, Rufus Wainwright and Judy Collins among many others. Walker has recently released two instructional guitar DVD's fo...

Singer-Guitarist George Kilby Jr Brings a Six Pack of New Americana/Roots Music Set for Release on February 5, 2013 Collection of Six Singles Features Special Guests from Railroad Earth, as well as Phil Wiggins and Jono Manson BROOKLYN, NY -  Singer-guitarist George Kilby Jr, who plays what he calls “rough- cut American music,” announces a February 5, 2013, release date for Six Pack , coming from Top Frog Music, which includes special guests from Railroad Earth, as well as Phil Wiggins (Cephas and Wiggins) and Jono Manson, a member of Blues Traveler’s “extended family.” Born and raised in Alabama, George Kilby has been playing roots-based music for over 30 years, and has been a permanent fixture of a New York City music scene that embraces everything from blues and folk to Americana, bluegrass and jamband styles. A long stint with legendary bluesman Pinetop Perkins’ band gave Kilby a woodshed schooling in the art of performing as well as playing the blues, lesson...

Dear Festival Friends: We're excited to announce our third round of artists for the 73rd National Folk Festival. You can read our official release below or check out bios and photos on our website at www.nationalfolkfestival.com. Don't forget to find us on Facebook and Twitter. We'll see you Labor Day Weekend! 73rd National Folk Festival Announces Third Round of Performing Artists NASHVILLE – The 73rd National Folk Festival is excited to announce eight more performing artists, among the 30 groups that will appear on stages throughout Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park at this free-to-the-public festival Sept. 2-4. This event is the longest running celebration of traditional music and arts in the nation and will call Nashville home through 2013. The third round of artists that will perform at the 73rd National Folk Festival include: Eddie Pennington and Ben Hall – “Travis-style” thumb picked guitar (Princeton, Kentucky and Okolona, Mississippi) Western Kentucky’s Muh...

Cephas & Wiggins was an American acoustic blues duo composed of guitarist John Cephas (September 4, 1930 – March 4, 2009) and harmonica player Phil Wiggins (born May 8, 1954).They were known for traditional blues style known as the Piedmont blues. Both musicians were born in Washington D.C., although Cephas was older by some 25 years. They first met at a jam session at the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife in 1975 or 1976, and played together in Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis's band. When Ellis died, they decided to continue as a duo. In 1980, Cephas & Wiggins were recorded by German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Kustner. These recordings were their first as a duo and they were released the following year on as a part of Living Country Blues USA series on German label L+R. In 1986, Cephas & Wiggins released Dog Days of August, their first U.S. release on Flying Fish Records. In 1989, Cephas was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship. Two ...