Bman's Blues Report

I just received a new release, Delmark 60 Years of Blues and it's terrific! Opening with Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings and When They Played The Real Blues . John on harp, guitar and vocals drives a hard Chicago line on this super track from Kingsville Jukin'. Really hot! Following this track is Junior Wells and Rock me Baby from the Southside Blues Jam sessions. With Otis Spann on piano, Louis Meyers on guitar, and Wells on vocal and harp, this is a band that is hard to beat. Wells is on top of his game and Spann is one of my all time favorite blues pianists so this track is primo! Lindsey Alexander plays Raffle Ticket with Mike Wheeler on guitar Roosevelt Purifoy laying down some excellent piano. Alexander leads a tight ship on this track released on Been There Done That. Magic Sam plays I Don't Want No Woman , from his Live At The Advant Garde. His guitar work is finely articulated and his vocals are inspired. This track is swinging! Quintus McCormic...

I just got my copy of Quintus McCormick 's now release, Still Called The Blues . Seven of the 13 tracks on the cd are originals demonstrating McCormick's influences in solu, blues, R&B, funk and rock. On Bobby Rush's What's Good For The Goose , McCormick not only shines on vocals but lays down some sweet blues riffs. Original track What Am I Gonna Do is a strong track showing influences from New Orleans funk and R&B as well as soul and blues McCormick's light touch on the guitar solo is really a nice approach to the track. Still Called The Blues is in the vein of the Albert King soul blues and quite a strong entry. Everybody Knows About My Good Thing is the stellar track on the cd with McCormick not only singing the blues but squeezing every last drop from his guitar. Another interesting track was McCormick's take on the classic I Woke Up This Morning , starting out with a Latin rhythm but turning to a full swing on the chorus. The guitar solo on this...