Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tribute To Peter Green, by Rick Berthod, and it's a solid retro of an important blues guitar revivalist of the 70's. Opening with If You Be My Baby , Rick Berthod on vocal and guitar and vocal leads the way with Ronee Mac on bass, Brett Barnes on drums and Junior Brantley on Vocal and Piano. On the Green track that Santana made popular, Black Magic Woman , Berthod does a real nice job of getting the harmonic ring and the general Green "les paul" grind. Nice phrasing and of course track recognition will make this the top track on the release.  John Zito joins on slide guitar adding a real nice depth to Albatross , paired with Berthod and with Mac on bass, Billy Truitt on piano and Barnes on drums. Cool shuffle, Stop Messing Around, adds Chris Tofield, Stoney Curtis and Mike Varney on dueling guitars to the mix over Truitt on Hammond giving this track real traction. Berthod lays down his coolest guitar work ...