Bman's Blues Report

I just received the newest release, Honey For The Biscuit , from Tasha Taylor and it has a super groove. Daughter of Stax giant, Johnnie Taylor, Tasha has some big shoes to fill and this release shows that she's not following on anyone's coattails. Opening with Feel So Good , Tasha Taylor sets the pace with a a super R&B number featuring Taylor on really nicely phrased vocals, guitar and keys, backed by Nathan Watts on bass, Don Wyatt on Wurlitzer and piano, John Notto and Jon Taylor on guitars and tight horn phrasing by Jamelle Williams, Matthew Demerrit & Lamar Buillary on horns. Wedding Bells is a soulful track with some of my favorite vocals on the release. Painterly instrumental arrangements nicely frame the featured vocals of Taylor. Excellent! Family Tree has a much more laid back R&B feel and features nicely phrased guitar work by Keb Mo. Tom Hambridge penned Weatherman , has a cool funky bottom with a real nice drum beat and again, really nicely orches...

I just received the newest release (March 31, 2015), Into The Sun , by Robben Ford and I really like it! Opening with Rose Of Sharon a smooth bluesy track with a very clean melody, Ford strokes a well articulated solo making very use of single and double time for emphasis. Day Of the Planets actually has an garage rock feel but but delivered on a polished silver platter. Howlin' At The Moon hits the road with a funky staggered rhythm. Brian Allen on bass lays down a nice funky groove with Wes Little on drums and Ford plays off the funk delivering a solo that rides the rumble. Very cool! Rainbow Cover is a straight up rocker with organ highlights and clean guitar riff adornment. Juttified features guests Keb Mo' on vocal and Robert Randolph on pedal slide. An easy blues swing with rolling piano and stylized fiddle set a super floor for Ford to highlight his nicely stylized solo. Breath Of Me featured ZZ Hill on lead vocals for possibly my favorite track on the release. H...

  GUITAR LEGEND ROBBEN FORD’S NEW ALBUM INTO THE SUN   CAPTURES HIS CONTEMPORARY SONGWRITING MASTERY To Be Released Via Mascot Label Group On March 31 st   Guest Appearances By Blues Icon Keb’ Mo’, Vocalist ZZ Ward,   And Fellow Guitar Heroes Warren Haynes, Sonny Landreth,   Robert Randolph and Tyler Bryant  February 5, 2015 - Guitar virtuoso Robben Ford’s forthcoming new album Into The Sun (Mascot Label Group) shines a bright light on his artful, contemporary songwriting and the stunning playing that’s made him a favorite foil of Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and other legends. The five-time Grammy nominee describes the 11-song set as “one of the top recordings I’ve ever done” — a staggering observation considering his extensive discography, which embraces more than 35 albums under his own name and with his various bands. There’s also Ford’s session and sideman work, which includes hundreds of ...

ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND, SWAMP DOGG, JOHN MAYALL, CANNED HEAT, C.J. CHENIER, GUITAR SHORTY, DWAYNE DOPSIE HEADLINE 25th ANNUAL SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL, SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 24-25   Los Angeles area’s largest Cajun, Zydeco, Blues and Roots Music festival, held over Memorial Day weekend, features two stages, a Mardi Gras parade, kids’ activities, crafts and dozens of food booths   Festival debut of new blues stage booker Martin Fleischmann . SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — The 25th annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival will rock once again at Memorial Day weekend, May 24-25, at Rancho Santa Susanna Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., in Simi Valley. The event features two full stages for each of its musical genres. Music will proceed non-stop each day from 12 noon until 7:30 p.m. Tickets, $22 adults 13+ and $15 children 7-12, are av...

ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND, SWAMP DOGG, JOHN MAYALL, CANNED HEAT, C.J. CHENIER, GUITAR SHORTY HEADLINE 24th ANNUAL SIMI VALLEY CAJUN & BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL, SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 24-25   Los Angeles area’s largest Cajun, Zydeco, Blues and Roots Music festival, held over Memorial Day weekend, features two stages, a Mardi Gras parade, kids’ activities, crafts and dozens of food booths   Festival debut of new blues stage booker Martin Fleischmann . SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — The 25th annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival will rock once again at Memorial Day weekend, May 24-25, at Rancho Santa Susanna Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., in Simi Valley. The event features two full stages for each of its musical genres. Music will proceed non-stop each day from 12 noon until 7:30 p.m. Tickets, $22 adults 13+ ($20 online until May 1) and $15 childr...