Qualified Records artist: Mike Henderson - Last Nite at the Bluebird Live - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Last Nite at the Bluebird Live, from Mike Henderson and it's a super live recording. Opening with Weepin' and Moanin', Mike Henderson wastes no time diggin' in deep on his guitar, squeezing the blues out of the neck. With Kevin McKendree playing impeccable rhythm on piano, Steve Mackey on bass and Pat O'Connor on drums Henderson sings the blues bringing to mind the vocals of Johnny Winter. Excellent opener. JB Hutto's Too Much Alcohol  is up next and Henderson slips on his slide and puts it to work. This is a tasty shuffle with great vocals and with Henderson and McKendree both really rolling. Smoking!  Mercy Dee Walton's One Room Country Shack is a strong, slow blues, giving Henderson to show his soulful vocals. McKendree plays some great piano lead. Henderson slide in with authority showing excellent blues style slide work giving this track real grit. Big Walter Horton's Have A Good Time is another solid addition with Henderson on harmonica and vocal. His tone is fat and gutsy and McKendree really delivers on piano with top rate drum and bass work by O'Connor and Mackey. Wrapping the release is Hound Dog Taylor's Gimme Back My Wig with a real rocking feel. Henderson kicks out the stops on vocal and guitar, not following Taylor's style and McKendree is really jamming on piano giving this track the feel of a Chuck Berry/Little Richard style roots rocker. Excellent closer. 

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Qualified Records artist: Big Shoes - King Size - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, King Size, by Big Shoes and it's addicting. Opening with Jimmy Hall's, Halfway To Memphis, with a real R&B style. Featuring Rick Huckaby on lead vocal and guitar, this track has a real strut with Jimmy Borland on bari sax, Steve Hermann on trumpet and Charlie Rose on trombone, Mark T Jordan on keys, Tom Szell on bass, Kenne Kramer on guitar, Will McFarlane on guitar, Bryan Brock on percussion and Lynn Williams on drums. Solid opener. Right About Now has a real "Little Feat" feel with a swampy bottom courtesy of Williams and Brock. Bluesy slide guitar really sounds nice and Jordan's piano work adds terrific upper rhythm. Very nice. Shuffle, I Don't Need Nobody, penned by Cramer has a real nice groove filled out by Herman, Boland and Rose and Jordan sets up a real nice piano solo, leading to a cool guitar solo by McFarlane. Super track. Buckwheat Zydeco's Make It Easy On Yourself has a great funky organ with excellent horn punctuation and tight drums. Huckaby's vocals are terrific and backing vocals add another dimension giving this track real breadth. Rocker, Yvette is one of my favorites on the release with a solid driving rhythm and simple rocking rhythm. Wrapping the release is Jesse Ed Davis' She's A Pain. With Jordan pounding it out on piano and Williams tight drums, this track has great traction. Huckaby's vocals really hit the spot and McFarlane's slide work is smooth as silk. Excellent 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--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Qualified Records artist: Yates McKendree - Need To Know - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Need To Know, from Yates McKendree and I really like it. Opening with solid blues number, Burnin' Tears, Yates McKendree on lead guitar and vocal really sets a nice pace. With Steve Mackey on bass, Griffin Photoglou on drums, Robert Frahm on rhythm guitar and Kevin McKendree on piano and Hammond, Yates vocals are strong and his BB King flavored guitar attack really fits this track perfectly. Excellent opener. Run It In The Ground is a super hot runner with Muddy Waters roots. Yates is really riding high on lead vocal and his guitar work sails with Kevin and Frahm kicking it with heavy support by Griffin. James Brown's, I Don't Care gets a real nice cover by Yates with his soulful voice and solid horn backing by Steve Herrman on trumpet, John Hinchey on trombone and standout sax work by Jim Hoke on tenor and bari sax. Chris Kenner's Something You Got has a real nice funk underpinning by Kevin on organ, Frahm on rhythm and Kenneth Blevins on drums and Yates takes his guitar to town with excellent phrasing on lead and some of his best vocals on the release. See See Rider gets a real nice R&B meets jazz makeover and Yates plays some of his most outrageous guitar to date. This track may seem like it would be a sleeper, but it's anything but. Excellent! Willie Dixon's I Can't Stop is outrageous with Yates seeming to ooze Otis Rush and his falsetto vocal contrast are wild. With Kevin on piano, Frahm on rhythm Mackey on bass and Photoglou on drums, this release really does continue to get deeper. Wow! Hot shuffle, Good As Gone, is manned by Yates on vocal, lead guitar, bass and drums and Kevin on organ and guitar. This thing is a blast! Wrapping the release is Tide, a cool instrumental with progressively building intensity created by Yates adding more and more layers of washer and dryer, Guitars, bass, and Hammond to a cool beat by George Sluppick on percussion. This is a great release and an easy recommendation. You gotta get this!

  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--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Qualified Records artist: Gary Nicholson - Common Sense - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Common Sense, by Gary Nicholson and it's a mix of pop, rock, country and blues. Opening with What A Little Love Will Do, a country rock flavored pop track, Gary Nicholson on vocal and guitars leads the way with vocal backing by Harry Stinson, joined by Kevin McKendree on guitar, Jim Hoke on guitar, Lynn Williams on drums and Mike Joyce on bass. Laid back country shuffle, Make Good Trouble featured some of Nicholson's best vocals on the release and The McCrary Sisters on backing vocals Mike Finnegan on organ and piano, Hutch Hutchison on bass, Tony Braunegal on drums and John Jorgensen on guitar. We Don't Talk About It is a cool track with Nicholson and The McCrary Sisters ramping the vocals up. McKendree on piano really kicks up the juice and Jim Hoke on harmonica gives the track a real zing. Another favorite is Follow The Money with a funky blues feel. Jim Hoke on steel guitar and sax gives this track some real nice punch and Yates McKendree slips in a solid guitar solo.  All That Makes Me Happy Is The Blues has a real nice movement with Latin rhythm by Williams and McKendree and outstanding guitar work by Anson Funderburgh. Rural blues and title track, Common Sense, has a real earthy feel with Luke Bulla on fiddle and mandolin, Richard Bailey on banjo, Colin Linden on guitar and Hoke on harmonica and dobro, backing Nicholson on vocal. Wrapping the release is simple ballad, There's No Them, with Nicholson featured on vocal, backed by David Santos on bass, Rick Vito on guitar, Chris Carmichael on strings and McKendree on piano. 

  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--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Qualified Records artist: Yates McKendee - Buchanan Lane - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Buchanan Lane, from Yates McKendree on the indie Qualified Records label, and it moves. Opening with jazzy Out Crowd, Yates on piano sets a great stage, backed by his father Kevin McKendree and Big Joe Maher on drums and percussion. Excellent opener. On BB King's Ruby Lee, Yates moves over to guitar and lead vocal showing excellent versatility. With classic rhumba/blues styling, this track really swings. Backed by Kevin on piano, Steve Mackey on bass, Jim Hoke on sax, Andrew Carney on trumpet and Roland Barber on trombone, this track is tight. Original track, No Justice really digs in with Yates playing lead guitar, bass, drums and organ (and singing) joined by Kevin on piano. If you wonder if this kid has chops... listen to this track. Excellent! Earl King's funky R&B blues number, Always A Good Time gives Yates a chance to show even more style on vocal and guitar, with Kevin on Hammond B3, Greg Garner on bass, Kenneth Blevins on drums, Jim Hoke on sax, Andrew Carney on trumpet and Roland Barber on trombone. Funky New Orleans track, Qualified surely tastes like Dr. John gumbo with Yates on vocal and guitar and Kevin on signature piano, Garner on bass, Blevins on drums, Hoke on sax, Carney on trumpet, Barber on trombone. With the the McCrary Sisters backing it all up, this track hums. Guitar Slim's It Hurt's To Love Someone, is explosive with Yates again showing another root in his playing skill. His vocals are pure and his riffs vibrant. Another excellent slower blues track is Tampa Red's Please Mr. Doctor. Yates not only sings soulfully but hammers the blues out of his guitar in grand fashion. Excellent! Wrapping the release is original composition, Voodoo, with a funky back beat. Featuring Kevin on Hammond and real nice guitar riffs by Yates, this is an excellent closer for a really excellent release.

 

 

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--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Qualified Records artist: The Rock House All Stars - Let It Bleed Revisited: An Ovation From Nashville - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let It Be Revisited: An Ovation From Nashville, by The Rock House All Stars and it's a cool cover of the Stones tenth US album. Opening with Gimme Shelter, Jimmy Hall (Ex Wet Willie, Jeff Beck, etc) is upfront on vocal joined by Bekka Bramlett and they do a terrific job. Kevin McKendree on guitar really does a nice job covering the guitar lead and Yates McKendree is tight on drums with John Heithaus on bass with added harmonica by Hall. Lee Roy Parnell adds some real country to Honky Tonk Women called Country Honk here. Not at all trying to replicate Jagger and with Rob McNelley on guitar and Luke Bulla on harmonica, this is a great track. Rick Huckaby is up front on Midnight Rambler joined by Stephen Hanner on harmonica and solid guitar work by Kevin and McNelley. Nalani Rothrock on lead vocal and James Pennebaker on steel adds a real nice contrast to the release on You Got The Silver and it's authentic R&B country feel. Wrapping the release is Wild Horses with Lilly Hiatt and Luke Bulla (also fiddle) up front in vocal duet. A track with real country roots and a great melody, Kevin and  McNelley on guitars and Pennebaker on steel reall make this a solid 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--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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