Bman's Blues Report

 I had the pleasure to attend the Joe Bonamassa concert at the Arizona Financial Theatre (Previously Dodge Theater) in Phoenix Arizona on November 18, 2022, in support of his most recent release, Time Clocks ,  and the house was packed. I was fortunate enough to have brilliant seats not far from the stage and very near the middle of the floor. I started listening to Joe Bonamassa around 2000 when I caught an earful of his music on Pandora. Wasn't long before I had his new release, A New Day Yesterday , and Bonamassa had a new fan. I saw him shortly thereafter in a small club in Scottsdale and then at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. He didn't have the repertoire of songs that he has now but it was amazing to see this unassuming kid with his long hair and his jeans dragging on the ground, step up on the stage and blow through his own book and quickly show how easily he could cruise from one guitar icon phrasing to another, playing their riffs and blowing back the crowd. His own big...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Night At The Rhythm Room , by Until The Sun and it's a solid blues based rocker. Opening with Battle Cry , Alyssa Swartz is upfront on lead vocal and has just the right blend of grit and polish. With Brandon Teskey on guitar, Chris Tex on drums and Glenn Peacock on bass, this band is tight and stout. Southern California born, Teskey opens Hell of a Thing with a red hot blues solo, paving the way for Swartz's vocal lead. This is his showcase and his tone is pure and sweet and his dynamics noteworthy. Very cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Death in Disguise with a good emotional balance between Swartz and Teskey. Soul ballad, Burning Home , has some real radio potential with a solid melody, good front work by Swartz and just enough guitar adornment to catch your interest. Wrapping the release is Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love with open guitar interpretation by Teskey over a solid base by Peacock...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Drowning In Blue , from Until The Sun and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with title track, Drowning In Blue , finds Bruce Jensen on lead vocal and bass, and Brandon Teskey on lead guitar, backed by Alyssa Swartz on vocal and Chris Tex on drums. With amostly straight line rock feel, a dash of metal and a tad of blues, this is a solid opener.  On Shadow of the Valley , Tesky dons a slide and with a more rural feel lays down a contemporary blues track. This track has a bit of the rawness of the Stripes or Keys but with just a bit more complexity and polish. Rock ballad, 1,000 Miles Away follows a blues rock formula with cool vocals and fluid lead guitar lines by Tesky and a firm bottom by Jensen and Tex. Swartz has the mic on prime radio track, Burning Home, a country influenced blues number showcasing her solid vocals. I like Tesky's guitar solo on this one not only demonstrating strong phrasing but clean techni...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Green Eyed Blues , from Laura Green and it's a cool mix of rock, blues, country and soul. Opening with country flavored, Bone To Pick , Laura Green is up front on lead vocals, backed by Art Dwyer on bass, Aaron Griffin on slide, Rob Lee on drums and Bob Lohr on piano. Her paired vocal with Rich McDonough who also plays guitar makes this a solid opener. Green really shines on It Ain't Easy , a shuffle track with a gospel structure. With backing vocals by Renee Smith, Chris Shepherd, Ron Roskowske, Michelle Isam and Ellen Kinkle make this one of my favorites on the release. Folk blues, Mama Don't Cry is a real nice track with strong vocal lead by Green over acoustic guitar and mandolin by Charlie Pfeffer. Excellent! Joe Meyer adds a real nice tom tom rhythm to That's Right , a Bo Diddley like track and Griffin's guitar work really shines. Shuffle track, Cry , has a solid blues feel and Green's vocal...

We all see ordinary talent in shows around town but there are a few bands that will draw me out late at night every time they tour because of their artistry and Rockin' Johnny is definitely one. When I saw that he was playing the Rhythm Room, definitely the best place to see a band in Phoenix, I made it a date. The club was packed and I sat in the corner because I arrived just before the show started but I wouldn't miss it. Johnny came on stage carrying his classic Emperor and his classic tone. He did a short set, maybe 6 or 8 tracks and he didn't take a note to get on track. He was hitting on 12 cylinders from note one. I don't know if you've seen Johnny, but this is a guy who is all about style. He isn't Jeff Beck who wrote every trick in the books, nor Joe Bonamassa who plays every Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton riff. This is a pure Chicago blues guy who has been around the block and has assembled some absolutely terrific old style riffs that he applies at j...

I saw a great show at the Rhythm Room , the premiere blues club in Phoenix, last week and it was great. The Rhythm Room is a real Phoenix landmark that took over where the mason Jar left off. That's where I last saw Albert King. At the Rhythm Room I've seen a number of super shows and artists including Johnny Winter, Joe Bonamassa and Jimbo Mathus. I moved a while back and live outside of the city now. It makes it a lot tougher to see a mid week show, but when I heard that Rockin' Johnny was playing town, I knew I was going to be there. I've seen Johnny a number of times both on his own and with Tail Dragger.  I remember seeing him on film a number of years ago where he was playing backup player and just with a few riffs, he stood out and got my attention. Now with a number of his own excellent releases under his belt, Rockin' Johnny puts on one hell of a show! He pulls from his most recent release Neoprene Fedora  as well as a few other terrific releas...

Robben Ford performed more than ninety minutes of non-stop craftsmanship to a very appreciative desert town crowd at The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona . The set list contained a pleasing baker’s dozen plus one encore of songs both from his current release, ‘Into the Sun’ ( Mascot Label Group, NY, NY USA) and a potpourri selection from his vast catalog of work. Perhaps the show was extra spirited as it was the last stop on his current 2015 tour prior to departing for a few shows in France. None-the-less, the sound mix and tone was amazing partly due to vintage amp and obvious journeyman chops from Robben and the others. Each member of the group more than held their own when given featured solos and as a unit throughout the performance. The set kicked into high gear with ‘ Just Like It Is ’ from the 1997 Tiger Walk release followed up with ‘ Howling At the Moon ’ from the new CD. Ford dove into an extensive bridge solo more than demonstrating his talent and command of his ros...

   THE CASH BOX KINGS PERFORMING IN PHOENIX, AZ! "The Cash Box Kings' cast of aces sizzle the hip side of classic Chicago blues with an old delta branding iron. A prime homage to the blues' rich history with creative, enthusiastic twists." - Hittin' the Note The Cash Box Kings  make an appearance in support of their latest award-winning CD, Black Toppin ' ,  as follows: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH THE RHYTHM ROOM 1019 E. INDIAN SCHOOL RD 602-265-4842 8:30 PM  $10 These illustrious torchbear­ers skillfully capture the essence of postwar Memphis and Chicago blues, while adding their own bravado, energy and freshness to the mix.  No less an authority than recent Grammy winner Charlie Musselwhite said, "The Cash Box Kings play with taste and feel and it was faith restoring to know there are guys out there that still know and appreciate real blues."    Black Toppin' won the Blues Blast Music Award for "Bes...

HIGH ENERGY PERFORMER BRINGING HIS SHOW TO PHOENIX, AZ!   JW-Jones , a red hot young Canadian guitar slinger/singer known as a high-energy crowd-pleaser, will bring his dynamic show to Phoenix as follows:  SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST RHYTHM ROOM 1019 E INDIAN SCHOOL RD.  9:15 PM $10   Jones, a popular and highly acclaimed artist in Canada, widely regarded as one of that country’s premier touring blues acts, is set to break out in the U.S. and worldwide markets with his first release on acclaimed American roots music label Blind Pig Records, entitled Belmont Boulevard . The album was produced in Nashville by Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge, who’s helmed projects for Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, and Susan Tedeschi.   Jones said, "Signing with Blind Pig is truly an honour and major milestone in my career.  I am ecstatic to be on a label that is a fixture in roots music." Jone...

Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition hit Phoenix last night like a meteor. I don't give strong endorsements to many bands so listen up. I got to the Rhythm Room a little early last night and the opening act was just setting up. I have to tell you that the opening band, David Luning Band , was the surprise of the year for me. First off I have never heard of them but then reading their bio, they go places that I never go... like American Idol? Now before you shut this down, give me a second. If someone told me that I would like someone that was on American Idol they would get a pretty smug look of disbelief (if not a stiff defiant finger) but to actually sit in a room with this band, listen to strong, creative, concise songwriting performed by a really nice group of fellows was just inspiring.   Luning, a good looking young man who could easily have been the lead for British Band "Faces" or fit into the Beatles, has a super voice. This band doesn't sin...

An extra full house was the scene recently at the Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ USA when blues legends and veteran road pros Nick Moss and Jimmie Vaughan delivered killer sets of tasty Blues. Chicago based Nick Moss and Michael Ledbetter (guitar and vocals), were joined by Bob Corritore (harmonica and vocals) and drummer Patrick Seals for a full hour of house rocking ‘Chicago style’ tunes. Just two weeks into a seven week Western USA tour this group was jumping. According to road tour manager, Javik Smith (son of Willie “Big-Eyes” Smith ) the core band will work the West for five additional weeks, take a short rest and then head out to the Eastern leg of the USA as the summer progresses. Moss showed his decades of experience through the fret board runs, fills, comps and seamless blending with guest harmonica player Bob Corritore and members of his regular band. Great support came from Michael Ledbetter on rhythm guitar and vocals who has been with Moss for the past two years. Class...