Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1 , from Kenny Wayne Shepherd and it's a solid blues rocker with plenty of radio potential. Opening with title track, Dirt On My Diamonds , Kenny Wayne Shepherd is back with his excellent vocals, tuneful melodies showing excellent swagger. With full horn/synthesized backing, Shepherd pours on his blistering guitar solos but just enough to wet your appetite. Funky, Best of Times , had a real nice bass line that plays against a horn line and Shepherd carries the melody vocally. With his guitar pumped through a wah pedal it really ties the funky rhythm with his bluesy attitude. Another pop track with its funky salting is Man on a Mission featuring Shepherd on vocal and keyboard backing complimenting Shepherd's rhythm guitar and drums. There's no lack of talent by KWS on guitar as he plays free flowing solos reminiscent of traditional southern rock. Wrapping the release is Ease My Mind wi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ride , from Walter Trout , and it's a solid rocker with solid blues roots. Opening with Ghosts , a solid blues rocker, Trout on harmonica, guitar and vocal sets a heavy tempo, beefed up by Teddy Andreadis on Hammond organ, Michael Leasure on drums and Jamie Hunting on bass. This is a heavy footed, lumbering track and Trout lays out a searing guitar solo giving the release a great start. So Many Sad Goodbyes is another solid rocker with nicely overdriven guitar tone and Trout's featured vocals with Eric Corne singing in tandum. Reinforcement by Andreadis on Hammond gives the track a rich sound and the strong snare work of Leasure paves the way for another of Trout's slicing guitar solos. The strongest blues number on the release is Waiting For The Dawn with Trout leading the way, playing melodic lead on guitar. Folding his vocals nicely into the mix, warmed by the undertone of Andreadis' Hammond, this track...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Trouble Is...25 , from Kenny Wayne Shepherd and it's great to hear. A release and reinterpretation of his second release, Trouble Is, Trouble Is ...25 sounds pretty fresh. Opening with Slow Ride , KWS really gets the program started with great vocals,  high energy blues riffs, and excellent sustain. With Chris Layton on drums, Kevin McCormick on bass and Reese Wynans on keys, this is a strong opener. Laid back, Everything Is Broken , anchored by Layton, has great drive and KWS shows all of the southern guitar spunk he has accumulated during his career. (Long) Gone has terrific Texas style swagger with hot guitar riffs and the addition of harmonica on this track really pumps it up. Classic, Somehow, Somewhere, Someday is just slow (fast) enough to really hit the groove. Wynans keyboard adds real tension and KWS's guitar work is stinging. Wrapping the release is Bob Dylan's fabulous Ballad of a Thin Man and KWS...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Voodoo Nation , from Supersonic Blues Machine and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Money , SBM sets up a cool New Orleands flavored funk rocker with a solid drum line by Kenny Aronoff and featuring Kris Barras on lead vocal and guitar, Fabrizio Grossi on bass, Alex Alessandroni Jr on keys and perfect backing vocals by Francis Benitez and Andrea Grossi- Benitez. You and Me is a solid rocker that reminds me of Pink Floyd (and I actually don't know why). I think maybe it has the drive of Roger Waters' The Wall and the guitar attack by King Solomon Hicks  (doesn't sound like Gilmore), but the riffs are cut from the same cloth. Very cool. 8 Ball Lucy is one of my favorites with solid vocals, cool slide by Sonny Landreth and really cool reggae drum work by Aronoff. Title track, Voodoo Nation , has an interesting sound with really potent drum work by Aronoff, wark key addition by Alessandroni Jr. and again...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Tribute To Led Zeppelin , by Beth Hart and I really like it. Opening with Whole Lotta Love , Hart shows that Robert Plant has nothing on her belting out the most classic of rock anthems like it's her own. Backed by Dorian Crozier on drums, Chris Chaney on bass, Tim Pierce on guitar, Rob Cavallo on guitar and Jamie Muhoberac on keys, this band is tight. I'm particularly happy with Crozier's handling of Bonham's drum work which is the key to getting this band. Another drum heavy track, "later phase" Led Zep's Kashmir, sounds really strong and Hart fills Plant's shoes better than anyone might expect.  The Crunge , from Houses is a great track with tight little guitar riffs and hot drum rhythms. Anyone passing a shop with this playing would likely do a double take on whether it's Led Zep... the keys are the tale with different intonation but still a really nice job! One of the best rock...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Weekend In London , from George Benson and it's a solid show. Opening the show, one of Benson's biggest sellers, Give Me The Night which not only showcases his famous vocal work but also his incomparable guitar work. Benson grew up in my home town (Pittsburgh) and continues to play his mix of traditional and contemporary jazz. Love X Love is a another lightly funky track with that fluid guitar soloing that is so trademark Benson. He is gotten miles of publicity for his smooth, soulful vocals but it's his incredible chops that get me going and this track has it. Backed by Randy Waldman on keys, Stanley Banks on bass, Thom Hall on keys, Michael O'Neil on guitars and Khari Parker on drums, he can do it all.  New Orleans R&B singer Dave Bartholomew's I Hear You Knocking , made popular more recently by Dave Edmunds gets a warm R&B cover and is always a crowd pleaser. James Taylor's Don't Let ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Neon Highway Blues , from Gary Hoey and it's a solid blues rocker with lots of heat. Opening with, Under The Rug , a funky blues rocker with a definite Eric Gales added guitar flavor. Hoey's style is easily discernable from Gales and they work together nicely. With Matt Scurfield on drums, Sandy MacDonald on organ and AJ Pappas on bass, a solid opener. Slowing it down to a cool blues pace, Mercy of Love is up next with Josh Smith joining Hoey for some real blues fireworks. Excellent! One of my favorite tracks on the release is shuffle track, Your Kind Of Love with an super shuffle feel and slick slide guitar work. Very nice. Don't Come Crying is a solid 8 bar number featuring Hoey's son Ian laying down some serious riffs with the old man. This is a cool track and showcases what's coming up for the blues world. For those seeking the blues ballad style with lead guitar a la Gary Moore, Almost Heaven...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Coming Closer To The Day , from Robin Trower and I quite like it. The unearthly soaring riffs of Trower are missing but a soulful, nicely phrased blues player with continued sensitivity is here. Opening with Diving Bell , a lumbering blues rocker, Trower handles bass, guitar and vocal and does it with style. His rhythm guitar is chorded and distorted and his lead work, slicing and overdriven. His sense for the blues is strong. On title track, Coming Closer To The Day , has a light Latin rhythm and airy guitar lead and with upper and lower fretboard contrast, this is a really solid track. The Perfect Wrong is a gritty blues track with cool vocals and a strong drum lead and signature blues riffs by Trower giving it a good blast of steam. Little Girl Blue is one of my favorite tracks on the release is a quiet, ballad like structure but with excellent guitar lead over warm chords throughout. Very, very nice. Don't Eve...

Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center' CD/DVD set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group  Watch Hart Perform "Tell Her You Belong To Me": On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated "powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone)  Beth Hart  performed a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this standout performance with  'Live From New York - Front & Center' , out  April 13th  via  Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group . The performance is also featured on the Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert seri...

Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center' CD/DVD set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated "powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front & Center' , out April 13th via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group . The performance is also featured on the Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings). Known for he...

JONNY LANG EXTENDS SIGNS WORLD TOUR Twenty-Five New North American Shows Added Tickets On Sale This Week Signs To Be Released On September 8 th In North America Los Angeles, CA --- Jonny Lang ’s brand new studio album, Signs , will be released in North America on September 8th via SayRai / Concord Records.  The album (his sixth major label release) is his first in four years. The European release for Signs will be on August 25 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group. The new album is available to pre-order here: http://amazon.com/dp/B071FPWNS6 .   All pre-orders will include both “Bitter End” and “Make It Move” as instant gratification tracks. This morning, twenty-five new shows in North America have been added to Jonny’s World Tour in support of Signs .  Tickets for most of these shows will go on sale this week.  VIP tickets will be available starting this Tuesday via www.jonnylang.com Anyone who originally discovered Jonny La...