Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Be Cool , from Willie J. Campbell and it's really strong. Opening with You Better Let Go , Sugar Ray Rayford is upfront on lead vocal, with Willie J. Campbell on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys, Kid Ramos on guitar and Jimi Bott on drums. Ramos lays out a really nice guitar solo on this somewhat funky track, nicely complimented by Condron Hampton on congas. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Can't Stay Away , featuring Janiva Magness on lead vocal and Brian Templeton on backing vocal, as well as Anson Funderburgh showing exceptional finesse on guitar. Also appearing on this track are Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman on guitars.  Excellent! Templeton has the mic on Drone with it's droning bass line and features the harmonica wizardry of Jason Ricci. There's hardly a track that Ricci contributes to that I don't think that he improves substantially so this is another of my favorites. another Texas styl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Lights Went Out In Dallas, by Mike Morgan and the Crawl and it's super. Opening with Ding Dong Daddy , Mike Morgan is up front on lead vocal and guitar dueling with master Anson Funderburgh and it's an excellent opener with Drew Allain on bass, and Danny Cochran on drums. With a name like Funkafaction , you know it's gonna be funky, with Morgan on guitars, Mike Flanigin on B3, Reo Casey on Rhodes piano, Allain on bass and Kevin Schermerhorn on drums. This is a strong track that really moves. Title track, The Lights Went Out In Dallas , has a catchy melody and firm lead vocals by Morgan and backing vocals by Andrea Wallace plus Matt Farrell on B3 making it my choice for radio track for the release. I like the groove of boogie, Out In The Jungle with it's low slung rhythm and guitar pace. Morgan on vocal and guitar, Casey steps up with a cool solo on guitar himself and the slap rhythm of Schermerhorn on ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Make It Right! , from Shawn Pittman and it's terrific! Opening with a great blues track, Done Tole You So! and it's raunchy, grinding guitar tone sets the groundwork for this, one of the best blues cds I've heard this year. A droning, Mississippi Hill country style saturates this track with Pittman on lead guitar and vocal, Erkan Ozdemir on bass and Levent Ozdemir on drums. Really hot! Lumbering, Finger On The Trigger blends Albert King style guitar riffs with a heavy foot and plenty of grit. Super! Slow blues, How Long has great bones with strong vocals, over driven chords and saturated lead guitar showing excellent phrasing and poise. James Brown's Cold Sweat get's an Albert King style rework showing that Pittman isn't all grime and grit but fleet fingered finesse. Excellent instrumental! Settling back into a more traditional Chicago shuffle on Bobby Bland's Woke Up Screaming , Pittman r...

************************ !!! BREAKING BLUES NEWS !!! THIS MONDAY'S (MAY 28, 2012) HUGE MEMORIAL DAY BLUES CONCERT & JAM IN TARZANA IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ANNUAL SHOWS AND WE EXPECT SEVERAL FAMOUS SPECIAL BLUES GUESTS TO DROP IN! THIS MONDAY, MAY 28, 2012 *** SHAWN PITTMAN *** PLUS MANY FRIENDS! ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATEST TEXAS BLUES GUITARISTS COMES TO TARZANA !!! ...

This thing just smells of small town Texas. I mean this thing oozes the blues. I am listening to Shawn's work for the first time but I really like it. Now when I say it oozes Texas I don't mean it's a SRV copy or Johnny Winter comparison...not even T-Bone Walker. It sounds like itself and that's the best thing I can say about an album. Now there's a riff in there that Elmore James made popular but you know...everyone has played it... it's a part of the blues but this guy just plays the blues like he feels it and he sings it like a road man. This is one you gotta check out! Gimme More! Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE