Sleeping Dog Records artist: Mother Blues with Gerald McClendon - Sleeping While The River Runs - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sleeping While The River Runs, by Mother Blues with Gerald McClendon and it's really strong. Opening with powerful R&B track, Pass You By features Gerald McClendon on lead vocal with Steve Bramer strumming rhythm guitar, Jerry Soto on keys, Gordon Patriarcha on bass and Jim Barklay on drums. A solid ballad with a bluesy feel, super opener. Soulful, Keep You From Harm, has an easy pace and tasty guitar guitar soloing nicely complimenting McClendon's sure vocals. Funk rocker, Common Ground, is another show of McClendon's vocal styling with a chukka rhythm accentuated by Soto on organ and Bramer throwing down on guitar. Bramer lays down a real nice intro on shuffle, Come To Me, and McClendon's vocal phrasing is super. Me & Ian is a real cool instrumental with jazzy textures and full surf like chords for drum and guitar. Habit of The Heart is a straight up rocker with flashy guitar riffs and an aggressive bass drum rhythm. McClendon leads the way on vocal and Bramer shows his chops. Very cool. Another cool rocker is Where's The Fire with fanning guitar rhythm by Bramer and Hurtin' Burt on harp with some funky bottom by Partiarcha on bass and Gikas Marks on drums. Really nice. Wrapping the release is a reprise of Sleeping featuring saturated organ work by Soto and lush vocals by Carole Baskin, Lara Jenkins and LaShann McNicholas. Strong closer.

 


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Origin Records artist: Milan Verbist Trio - Time Change - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time Change, from the Milan Verbist Trio and it's a solid set of tracks from introspect to lively. Opening with title track, Time Change, a somber yet insightful composition with Milan Verbist creating a calming presentation, adorned by Jens Meijer's light drum work. Toon Rumen takes the lead on bass with a standout melodic solo adding strong contrast to the track. Bop track, No, I Haven't has a strong groove with a driving bottom courtesy of Rumen and Meijer and a strong yet off jagged melody by Verbist. Rumen again steps up with a strong bass solo that really adds to the composition. Very cool. Brigitte's Waltz is a lovely composition which slowly unfolds and develops very nicely, starting first with mostly Verbist but blooming with the progressive introduction of Rumen and Meijer. Rumen again adds a powerful bass solo, accented nicely by Verbist's percussive piano. Bach's Sarabande is a terrific addition to the set allowing Verbist to illustrate one of his early passions for classical music. Very very nice. Wrapping the release is Gary Peacock's Flutter Step. Originally performed by Peacock and Ralph Towner, this track is rearranged to fit and a terrific closer for this strong set. 

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Guitar One Records artist: John Brennan - Bring It On Back To Me - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bring It On Back To Me, from John Brenan and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Junkyard Blues, John Brennan on vocal, guitar and drums sets his own pace. With a touch of reverb Brennan has the guitar firmly under his fingers and a slide at ready. Singing and playing with real conviction, this is hard not to like. On Elmore James' It Hurts Me Too, Brennan shows a good hand with the slide and his vocals are strong and steady. Very cool. JJ Cale's, Call Me The Breeze gets a hybrid cover somewhere between Cale's own arrangement and that of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Hi vocal has more spunk than Cale's own but less than the swagger of Ronnie Van Zant and his guitar playing is more bluesy than Cale's but not as wound out as King/Collins and Rossington... still a lot of fun. Another great original, Ain't Gonna Cry For You No More is a strong blues rocker with a driving beat and sweet slide under commanding vocals by Brennan. I particularly like Brennan's cover of Robert Johnson's Love In Vain. The arrangement somewhat follows the Stones cover of the track in 1969 but this cover, maintaining it's guitar and vocal only pairing is particularly effective with deft handling of the slide by Brennan. Very nice.  Wrapping the release is a rocking version of Muddy Waters' Baby, Please Don't go, featuring Brennan doing call and response on slide before taking command on vocal with authoritative delivery and driving guitar. Strong closer. 

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Blues Root Productions artist: Debbie Bond - Live At The Song Theater - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release by Debbie Bond, Live At The Song Theater and it's live. Opening with That Thing Called Love, Debbie Bond on lead vocal and guitar. With an easy rock beat and soulful sax by Sam Williams, This is a solid opener. Slow blues, Watch Out For Your Heart, features Bond with some of her best vocals on the release and clean guitar accompaniment highlighted by a bluesy sax solo by Williams. Grand Funk's hit, Some Kind Of Wonderful gets a country rockin' 2 step feel with Bond on vocal and Rick Asherson on backing vocals and keys and Williams taking the lead on sax for a real nice solo. Ann Peebles track, I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, really ventures deep into pop music with Bond adding soulful enthusiasm and Williams again taking the lead solo on sax. Wrapping the release is Blues Without Borders, a blues rocker with a cool drum beat by Jukeman Lee on drums Bonds on vocal, glistening electric piano by Asherson and soulful sax work by Williams. Bond really enjoys her performance adding significantly to the release. 

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Earwig Music artist: Rusty Ends - Roadhouses, Juke Joints and Honky-Tonks - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roadhouses, Juke joints and Honky-Tonks, from Rusty Ends and it's swampy, blues rock. Opening with Bad Like Billy The Kid, has a Tony Joe White feel with it's easy rock rhythm. With Rusty Ends on vocal and guitar, Dave Zirnheld on bass, Gene Wickliffe on drums and Wayne Young on guitar, this is a cool opener. Ballad, Lost In The Blues features Ends on lead vocal and strumming lush chords leading the track in step for that perfect slow dance. Rocker, Rockabilly Train is stripped down and raggedy with a solid beat. Featuring Ends on vocal and guitar and Roosevelt Purifoy on piano this is a a solid straight up rocker. I particularly like The Worm's Turned with it's surf flavored guitar flair. Ends' vocals are aloof and his guitar playing nicely stylized giving the track just the right amount of attitude. Slow and easy, Midnight Screams showcases Ends and Wayne Young on guitar laying down one of the deepest blues tracks on the release. Thing Called Love has a real nice strut with Zirnheld on vocal, Ends on guitar, and Purifoy on organ. Cool, stylized guitar soloing by Ends sets this track apart. Another of my favorite tracks on the release is Bourbon Moon with cool trem bends by Ends set against a '50's backing by Wickliffe and Zirnheld. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Willie Nelson's Night Life with Ends singing surrounded by Purifoy's warm organ tone and the stiff snare snap of Wickliffe. A simple melodic guitar solo by Ends reinforces the track giving it just the right traction to close the release. 

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Doubleton Records artist: Saul Dautch - Music For The People - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Music For The People, by Saul Dautch, and it really hits the spot. Opening with Duke Pearson's, Hello Bright Sunflower, the band is in the groove. Opening with Noah Halpern delivering the melody on trumpet, and Hank Allen-Barfield on drum, cool intro. Saul Dautch on bari sax lays down the first solo lines and he's swinging with deep rich bari tones. Halpern follows back with a fluid interlude of his own. I literally was just looking at the internet an hour ago to see when pianist Miki Yamanaka may be touring and here she is on this release. I love her spirit and swinging punctuation is excellent.  Strong opener. Odious Din has a quick pace and distinctive drive. Halpern really opens up on trumpet with excellent phrasing and Allen-Barfield and Yamanaka work a hard line with Leager on bass. Dautch really digs in on bari delivering deep, warm phrasing and Yamanaka really shows what she's got with vibrant piano soloing, followed by Allen-Barfield who explodes on drums. Excellent! Ballad, L'Chaim, features Dautch with a full, beefy melody line, and a sparkling piano solo by Yamanaka . Very nice. Wrapping the release is easy shuffle, Bacher's Batch with Halpern and Dautch playing duet on the intro/melody. Dautch develops real nice bari phrasing and Yamanaka punctuation is spot on of course reinforced by Leager and Allen-Barfield. She takes center stage next with her lush and unpredictable piano style. Halpern rolls in with a breezy trumpet solo before Dautch rolls it all back together for a great bopping completion. Really nice release. 

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Origin Records artist: Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto - Mais Que Tudo: Live At Kerry Hall 1995 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mais Que Tudo: Live At Kerry Hall 1995, by Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto and it's exhilarating. Opening with Metamorph, Jovino Santos Neto on piano is joined by Hans Teuber on flute and sax, Chuck Deardorf on bass and Mark Ivester on drums creating a Brazilian flavored whirlwind. With a heart pounding piano solo by Neto, and a fluid hurricane of music by Teuber on sax, this is a powerful opening. Settling into a solid Latin influenced groove on Caranavalha, Teuber leads the way on sax with aggressive lead lines, spurred on by the solid punctuation of Neto on piano. Neto continues the push with fine articulation of his own taking the lead with Deardorf and Ivester in support. This is a live concert. I'm thinking the breaks between songs were lengthier than on the disc for musician recovery. Whew!  Hoping For The Day has a nice easy 3/4 timing with Teuber and Deardorf playing the melody in tandem, floating on a stream created by Neto and Ivester. Neto creates a sweet piano interlude followed by a lush solo by Teuber on sax and an inciteful solo by Deardorf on bass. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Neto's variation on Happy Birthday, a dedication to his son's 13th birthday, Happy Birthday Ariel! in fine Samba style. 

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Nola Blue Records artist: Maria Muldaur - One Hour Mama - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Hour Mama - The Blues Of Victoria Spivey - from Maria Muldaur and it's her best in years. Opening with My Handy Man, is easy going with Maria workin the vocals like it's her own. Backed by James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band (James Dapogny on piano, Kim Cusack on clarinet and alto sax, Russ Whitman on clarinet and tenor/baritone sax, Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet, Chris Smith on trombone and tuba, Rod McDonald on guitar and banjo, Kurt Krahnke on bass annd Pete Siers on drums). Solid opener. What Makes You Act Like That features Muldaur in duet with Elvin Bishop and their vocal styles work really well together. Danny Caron on guitar lays in some real nice guitar soloing and Johnny Bones on sax, Steve Height on bass, Neil Fortano on piano, David Matthews on piano, Beaumont Beaullieu on drums really make this track. Organ Grinder Blues really has an authentic feel with Tuby Skinny backing (Craig Flory on clarinet, Greg Sherman on guitar, Max Bien-Kahn on guitar, Shaye Cohn on cornet and trumpet, Barnabus Jones on real nice trombone, Todd Burdick on tuba, Robin Rapuzzi on washboard and David Torkanowsky on piano. Taj Mahal teams up with Muldaur on vocal on Gotta Have What It Takes, with terrific piano work by Matthews and Caron on guitar. Very cool. Wrapping the release is T-B Blues with excellent backing by by Dapogny's Chicago Jazz band and some of Muldaur's best vocals on the release. There's just that feel that you get when an artist hits the slot and Muldaur does it here. Great to hear. 

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Mercedes Nicole - Too High A Price To Pay - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Too High A Price To Pay, from Mercedes Nicole and it's a cool mix of blues and soul. Opening with blues rocker, I'll Play The Blues For You, with Mercedes Nicole on lead vocal and featuring Rod Cook screaming some real nice King sized blues riffs on guitar. With Scotty Harris on bass, Jake Sele on organ, Andrew Cloutier on drums and Tommy Warren, Stacy Jones, Ben Lange and Patrice O'Neil on backing vocals a solid opener. John Hiatt's Feels Like Rain is presented as a soulful ballad and Nicole's lead vocals, caressed in backing vocals has a great feel. Another soulful ballad, Breathe Again is radio focused with a strong melody, slow danceable timing and a real nice sax solo by Alexey Nikolaev. Another slow blues track is Elmore James', The Sky Is Crying, with wailing guitar work by Cook. Solid vocals by Nicole and warm organ work by Sele flesh out the track. Wrapping the release is Ease My Soul an easy soul/pop track with a solid melody and smooth melodic guitar work by Cook. Nicole's vocals float on the melody with nice organ and piano work by Sele adding warm backing. Solid closer. 

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World Talent Records artist: Forrest McDonald - Songs From My Soul - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Songs From My Soul, from Forrest McDonald and it's a simple folk blues release. Opening with On Your Life's Road, a blues structured track with McDonald playing acoustic guitar and singing the melody together. This is a cool effect that really focuses the listeners attention on the story. I Can't Stop The Love has a bright melody with McDonald strumming the rhythm and singing the happy melody with clever acoustic turnarounds. Ballad, I Need You, has sonic tension created between McDonalds vice and guitar. With a solid melody and upbeat rhythm, this is one of my favorites on the release. Shuffle, That's How I Want Our Love, has a great feel with solid vocals and straight up acoustic guitar accompaniment. Blue Morning Sun has a Morganfield structure but a definite original spin. McDonald makes it his own with contemporary style vocals and stylized guitar work. Electrified blues, Misery and Blues kicks up the whole game a few notches with John McKnight on drums, Lee Gammon on bass, Matthew Wauchope on piano, Jimmy King on trumpet, Norman Franks on sax, Pix Ensign on harmonica and some real nice guitar work by McDonald. Wrapping the release is classic country blues, Trouble In Mind with McDonald singing straight up and playing conventional blues riffs. Strong closer. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: The Boneshakers - Live To Be This - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live To Be This, from The Boneshakers, and it's a soul filled blues rocker. Opening with high stepping, I'll Kick A Brick (For My Man), Jenny Langer on lead vocal sings with attitude backed with the tight drum raps of Greg Bissonette, and Randy Jacobs on guitar exchanging riffs with Rodney Lee on keys, Ron Holloway on sax, Joe Sublett on sax, and Mark Pender on trumpet and solid backing vocals by Harry Bowens, and Derrick Harris. Hot opener. Funky, How Do You Spell Love is a real workout for Langer with Bissinette on drums and super vocal and horn backing. Dobro Jones has a great country blues feel with Jacobs featured on dobro and vocal with Langer. Very nice. Here I Am is downright slinky with an excellent bottom and Ron Reinhardt on keys. Jacobs distorts his guitar for a real nice guitar solo and Langers vocals paired with Bowens, Harris, Lessly Fisher jr, and Holly Montgomery and Lenny Castro on percussion makes this one of my favorites on the release. Took A Trip has serious radio appeal with it's melody and vocal appeal and it's lightly funky rhythm and horn overtones. Wrapping the release is pop ballad, The Cake and The Candle featuring Langer in her most serious vocal mode. This would easily blend into adult contemporary airplay with it's subdued backing and vocal forward presentation, and melodic soloing by Jacobs on guitar. 

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Reference Recordings artist: Doug MacLeod - Between Somewhere and Goodbye - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Between Somewhere and Goodbye by Doug MacLeod, and it's that cool, MacLeod blues rock thing. I've been reviewing Doug's releases for over 10 years and I find him like JJ Cale in that his music is cool, clever and somewhat definable... and that's good. Opening with Memphis In Your Soul, MacLeod sets off with a lightly funky, track with soulful vocals, an easy guitar riff, and with Paul Ossola on bass, Lynn Williams on drums and Cindy Walker, Marie Lewey and Carla Russell on backing vocals. MacLeod lays in one of his understated, single string guitar solos making for  perfect opener. Keep On Walking On is a straight up shuffle with really light instrumental backing almost dominated by a single snare/tambourine snap and MacLeod's vocals, backed by Lewey, Russell and Walker and another traditionally simple yet interesting guitar solo. Very solid melody and performance. I Ain't No Stranger has a spirit of it's own like any good, old school delta blues track. With resonating guitar vamps, story telling vocals and distant drum and percussion this track is not aa radio track but shines on it's own. Shuffle, I Don't Like Your Chances, powered by MacLeod's guitar and Mark Jordan on piano gives the release some juice and MacLeod fans an energetic guitar solo to compliment his Bromberg like vocal delivery. Vey cool. I like the guitar vamp on Watching The Sun Go Down developing into another of those MacLeod, hidden gems with it's understated melody. His vocals are raspy yet perfect to deliver on just such a track. Solid closer. 

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LA Reserve Records artist: Nick Biello - New America - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, New America, from Nick Biello, and it's jamming. Opening with Bel Canto, Nick Biello on alto sax, paired with Charlie Porter on trumpet leads the way with an energetic melody. George Colligan on piano adds substative piano punctuation over the tight rhythm of Alex Tremblay on bass and Peter Kronreif on drums. Biello cuts loose on sax really wailing a great solo, followed by Porter who delivers a rich, earthy trumpet solo handing to  Colligan on piano who develops a super groove followed by a strong bass solo by Tremblay. Solid opener. Slightly Perilous is my favorite track on the release with double time instrumentation by Porter and Biello. Anchoring the track is Colligan on piano, handing off to Biello for a tremendous rip roaring solo. Porter, more laid back attach still makes you sit back and take a breath. Off to the races again with Colligan, this track really is strong with excellent punctuation by Tremblay and Kronreif. Ballad form, A Long Way To You has a warm melody led by the expressive phrasing and tone of Biello on sax. Comforting reinforcement by Colligan on piano gives the track a homey feel. Porter's trumpet solo is smooth and sensuous with nice blending by Biello. Very nice. Wrapping the release is title track, New America with it's bop feel. Biello winds it up with an exhilarating sax solo contrasted with Porter's more laid back yet perfect trumpet solo. I like Colligan's feel on piano and the richness of Tremblay's work on bass ever encouraged by the tight kit work of Kronreif. Strong closer. 

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Origin Records artist: Marc Seales - People & Places - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, People & Places, from Marc Seales with Ernie Watts and it's tasty. Opening with Rue Cler, with it's suspensive bottom created by Marc Seales on piano and floating lead by Ernie Watts on tenor sax sets a yearning feeling, anchored by Bruce Lett on acoustic bass and Moyes Lucas Jr on drums. Prelude is a quiet piano piece, nicely illustrated by Seales alone. Sensitive and introspective. The Muddy Chicago Blues has a real nice sway to it. With Seales, Lett and Lucas setting the platform, Watts wails to meat and taters. With soulful phrasing and tight articulation Watts rides high, edged on by the clever piano punctuation of Seales. Taking over the lead on piano, Seales has the blues flowing like a second language with deft and fluidity. Lett gets his run as well with double timed bass riffs on an aiery form. Very cool. I particularly like The Gingi with it's light, creative rhythm pattern by Lucas with mostly rim shots, cymbals and snare punction and Lett on bass. Melodic lead by Seales on tenor and Seales on piano really stretch this piece giving it real weight. Wrapping the release is Home Light with it's almost gospel like foundation created by Seales on piano. Watts soars on sax with firm piano punctuation creating a solid melody and Seales takes the tension down with sensitive piano phrasing.  This is an excellent closer for a very cool release. 

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Origin Records artist: Mike Pope - The Parts You Keep - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Parts You Keep, from Mike Pope, and I really enjoy it. Opening with Misgivings, a lively track with a driving piano melody featuring Geoffrey Keezer, building with an aggressive snare rap by Nate Smith and breaking into a sensual bass solo by Mike Pope who builds the track with the hands of a sculptor. Very nice. I love the cover of Charlie Parker's Steeplechase featuring Roxy Cross on sax. Pope laying down a funky bass line and breaking into a wicked electric piano solo by Keezer, this track is hot. Dashan's Flying Ubercar really moves with terrific underpinnings by Smith and Pope. Keezer rides high on this groove before a total break and accelerated bass solo by Pope. Really nice. Barolo Blue was my favorite track on the release with an infectious angular bass groove, nicely playing against Smith on drums and with free wheeling piano by Keezer and jagged guitar soloing by Amaury Cabral. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Spharenmusik from Winterreigen Opus 13 No.5 featuring the classical piano of Ann Almond Pope, Mike's 85 year old mother who along with his father, David Pope, both being world class classical pianists. This really is wonderful. 

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Leggero Records artist: Victoria Cardona - Que Paso - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Que Paso, from Victoria Cardona, and it's fully bodied Latin music. Opening with Que Paso En La Habana, Victoria Cardona on vocal and guitar, fully backed vocally by Marilyn Scott, Jimmy Branly and Tim Goodman really get a warm Latin feel. With Kevin Richard on percussion, Rene Camacho on bass, Goodman on organ, San Miguel Perez on Cuban Tres Guitar, Francisco Torres on trombone, and some real nice flute work by Justo Almario. Solid opener. Another original track, Ghost has a strong radio appeal with Cardona playing some really tasty guitar lead, joined by Jimmy Branly on drums, Kevin Ricard on percussion, Jimmy Haslip on bass, Bill Payne on piano, Goodman on guitar, organ mandolin and backing vocals. Very nice. Rhodes Royale really gets in the slot with Cardona on vocal, guitar, percussion and steel drums, joined by Rene Camacho on bass. It's up tempo rhythm really gives the track a lively feel. One of my favorites on the release is Isolina Carrillo's Dos Gardinias with lush vocals by Cardona and beautiful work by Almario on sax and clarinet. Reggae flavored Tuesday Rain is laid back with warm brass. Wrapping the release is Lowell George's Spanish Moon. Branly and Ricard sets the stage with excellent rhythm and Cardona singing in Cuban. Bill Payne on piano adds a familiar groove and Jimmy Haslip on bass are well supported by Torres, Almario on horns and Goodman on guitar. Excellent closer. 

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