Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Beyond The Blue Door , from Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters , and it's really strong. Opening with Brand New Me , a Jerry Butler track, the bands starts off in a solid slot with vocal dynamo, Diane Blue up front backed by Dave Limina on piano and B3, Ronnie Earl on guitar, Forrest Padgett on drums and Paul Kochanski on bass with Mario Perrett on tenor sax, and Scott Shetler on bari sax . Slipping into a cool shuffle, Baby How Long ,  Kim Wilson is up front on lead vocal and harmonica. A real Chicago style blues gives Wilson and Earl a nice opportunity to exchange solos with Anthony Geraci on piano and Peter Ward on guitar. Very nice. Henry Glover's tune made popular by Ray Charles, Drown In My Own Tears gives Earl the stage to do exactly what everyone expects of Earl, to play those long soulful runs that have been such a trademark of his sound. Exchanging phrasing with Greg Piccolo on sax, this track is reall...

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters and Colin James Both Set to Play Big Blues Bender at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on September 6 LAS VEGAS, NV – - F our-time Blues Music Award-winning guitarist Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, as well as acclaimed Canadian guitarist Colin James, are set to play the 2019 edition of the Big Blues Bender on Friday, September 6 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Both sets will take place at “The Joint”: Colin James from 6:30 – 7:45pm; followed by Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters from 8:15-9:45pm. Ronnie Earl, who has won “Guitar Player of the Year” honors four times from the Blues Foundation, was the hit of the most-recent Blues Music Awards show in Memphis with his show-stopping live performance of the Junior Wells classic, “In the Wee Hours.” Earl is following that up with the August 30 release of the latest Stony Plain Records album (on CD and vinyl formats) from the blues guitar mast...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (November 17, 2017), The Luckiest Man , from Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters and it's really strong. Opening with Don Robey's Ain't That Loving You , and a great groove featuring Diane Blue on vocals, the band is smoking. Earl's perfect syncopation on his solos backed by Dave Limina on keys, Forrest Padgett on drums and Paul Kochanski on bass...excellent opener. Jim's Song is a quiet, introspective track using primarily guitar chords as the skeleton and guitar lead soloing as a lush environmental flesh. Very nice. With a cool swing, Blue is back up front on Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me) . Limina really takes the floor with his B3 solo and Earl tears it up nicely with great balance and style. Soul track, Never Gonna Break My Faith really shows off Blue's vocal style at it's best. Earl and Limina carry the weight, but this track is all about Blue and she kills it. Sugar Ray Norcia...

Mouradian, of Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Passes Away Jim Mouradian, bassist for Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters since 2000, suffered a massive heart attack and passed away following the band’s show on Saturday night, January 14, at The KATE in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. In addition to being a fantastic bassist who toured an recorded with Ronnie Earl for all those years, Jim Mouradian was an internationally known luthier, who crafted basses for a number of legendary bassist, including Chris Squire of Yes. Ronnie Earl’s management posted the following statement yesterday on Facebook: “ We are devastated to share the passing of our dear brother Jimmy  Jim Mouradian  of a massive heart attack last night following our show at The KATE. Jim was a man we all loved who exuded compassion, joy, faith, and gratitude for every person he met and every note he played. Please keep his wife Michele and his entire family in your prayers. We will update you...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (September 9, 2016), Maxwell Street , from Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters and it's a scorcher! Opening with Mother Angel , a tight jazz influenced number featuring Ronnie Earl and Nicholas Tabarias on guitar, Lorne Entress on drums, Dave Limina on keys and Jim Mouradian on bass. Slow blues, Elegy For A Bluesman is one of many beautifully executed tracks on this release. With subtle bottom and really nice piano and B3 by Limina, Earl takes it front and center with lush melodic guitar lead. Excellent! In Memory of T-Bone is a strong, T-Bone Walker "modeled" blues track with Earl interpreting T-Bone Walker's style and phrasing. With just a wisp of bass and drums and a carrier tune of keys, Earl just flat out plays the melody in fine style. Excellent! Diane Blue joins the mix for original track, Kismet , showing why she is the go to girl on many blues release. Her vocals are clean and powerful and a good...

I just received the newest release (July 17, 2015), Father's Day , from Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters and it's terrific! I have to admit that I've always had a soft spot for Earl but these last two releases have been over the top. Opening with Otis Rush's It Takes Time with Michael Ledbetter on lead vocals, Earl lays down a super guitar shuffle supported strongly by Lorne Entress on drums, Jim Mouradian on bass and Dave Limina on B3. Excellent! Higher Love , another shuffle track has a deep almost drag which gives it a cool gait. Ledbetter shares vocals with Diane Blue and Earl plays classic guitar riffs over the sax work of Mario Perrett and Scott Shetler. Very nice! Another Rush tune, Right Place Wrong Time has excellent pace and Earl is squeezing out ever drop of blues from his strat from the opening intro. You may as well drop what you're doing right now... cause when you hear it... it will stop you in your tracks! Ledbetter is such a great choice of voc...

Guitar Master Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Celebrate Father’s Day with a New CD Coming July 17 on Stony Plain Records EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records proudly announces the release on July 17 of Father’s Day , the new CD from Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters. Voted by The Blues Foundation as “Blues Guitarist of the Year” in 2014, guitar master Ronnie Earl and his band return with an even stronger package of music, his ninth album for the label. Added to Ronnie Earl’s spellbinding intensity and soulfulness on guitar, the presence of a horn section for the first time in decades on Father’s Day adds another dimension to his sound. Stony Plain also plans to release the album as a vinyl LP later this year. The 13 tracks on Father’s Day also feature two special guest vocalists throughout: Diane Blue, whose previous work with Earl created a sensation; and Chicago-based Michael Ledbetter, best known as lead singer of the Nick Moss band. Ledbetter is also a distan...