Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Daydreams In Blue , from Anthony Geraci and it's a solid release with a who's who of players. Opening with shuffle, Love Changes Everything , the line up is Dennis Brennan on lead vocal with Anthony Geraci on piano, Monster Mike Welch on lead guitar, Michael Mudcat Ward on bass, Jeff Armstrong on drums, and with Scott Arruda on trumpet and Mark Early on sax. I really like Welch's approach on guitar with excellent phrasing and tone. Very cool. Walter Trout sits in on No One Hears My Prayers and lays in some of the smoking best guitar riffs I've heard in a while over full horns and tight piano riffs. Brennan and Geraci play a smart piano duet on Mister, a smooth shuffle with Brenan on lead vocal and harmonica and Geraci on piano. With cool piano rolls and extended lead lines, this track has a nice groove. Swing track, Tutti Frutti Booty has a great beat and rowdy vocals by Geraci. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Why Did You Have To Go , from Anthony Geraci , and it's rich. Opening with R&B title track, Why Did You Have To Go , Sugar Ray Norcia is upfront on lead vocal backed by Michael Mudcat Ward on bass, Marty Richards on drums, Sax Gordon on sax, Doug Woolverton on trumpet and with stellar guitar styling by Monster Mike Welch and piano wizardry by Anthony Geraci. Excellent opener. Bluesy ballad, Angelina, Angelina is really strong with really nice piano work by Geraci and lead vocals by Sugaray Rayford. Welch is back again with signature tone, backed by Willie J Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. Very nice. Soul track, Two Steps Away From The Blues , features Michelle "Evil Gal" Willson on lead vocal with warm piano and B3 work by Geraci. Norcia is back on vocal and harp on Time's Running Out , an easy shuffle, joined by nice pace piano work by Geraci and the strong guitar accents by Ronnie Earl. ...

I just received a copy of the newest release from Nuno Mindelis , Angels & Clowns featuring the Duke Robillard Band and Sunny Crownover . Opening with It's All About Love , a blues laced pop track, Mindelis is nicely complimented vocally by Sunny Crownover. With simple blues riffs and a nice hook and melody, this is a track that could easily hit the airwaves hard. It's Only A Dream is a straight up rocker along the lines of a Glenn Frey track with a twist of Dire Straits. The title track, Angels & Clowns actually has the melodic sound of a Jimi Hendrix composition but as executed by Steve Winwood. Very interesting. Miss Louise has an easy going bluesy sound with a clever key solo and a well executed guitar solo as well. Hellhound has a funky jazz rhythm and some pretty strong guitar riffs laid down on a cleanly executed bed of drums (Mark Teixeira), keys (Bruce Bears) and bass(Brad Hallen). 27th Day is one of my favorite tracks having an unusual melody and instr...

I just received the newest release (June 18, 2013), What's the Chance from Paul Gabriel and it's tight! Opening with Old Time Ball , the band is hot with smokin' hot guitar soloing from Gabriel and guitar ace Duke Robillard. Mark Early and Rich Lataille cover sax work and Doug Woolverton is on trumpet. Ride, Ride, Ride has a slower loping tempo and in addition to the two obvious guitar strength, Larry Fallstrom sits in on piano and Gabriel shows his strength vocally. Billy Bileca holds down the bass role and Nick Longo lays down a solid drum line. Title track, What's The Chance , is more of a R&B style track with smooth jazz style sax soloing. 328 Chauncy Street is a jazzy fast paced boogie with hot guitar work from Gabriel and Robillard and a great key solo from the amazing Bruce Bears... a perfect match up. A funky R&B track, Baby I Wish hits a really nice groove opening wide solo opportunities for Robillard, Gabriel and Bears. Woolverton adds some really ...

Shining Stone Records Signs Guitarist Paul Gabriel and Will Release His Label Debut CD, What’s the Chance, on June 18 Album Produced by Duke Robillard and Also Features Special Guests Mark Naftalin and Roomful of Blues Horns MIAMI, FL – Shining Stone Records announces the signing of Connecticut-based guitarist Paul Gabriel, and will release his label debut CD, What’s the Chance , on June 18. Produced by Duke Robillard, What’s the Chance features Paul Gabriel backed by a core band of Billy Bileca on bass, Nick Longo on drums and Larry “Buzzy” Fallstrom on keyboards. Special guests on the new album include Duke Robillard on guitars and background vocals; former Butterfield Blues Band alumnus Mark Naftalin on piano; Bruce Bears on keyboards; Steve Pastir on guitar; and the Roomful of Blues Horns consisting of Rich Lataille on alto/tenor sax, Mark Earley on tenor/baritone sax, and Doug Woolverton on trumpet. For decades, Paul Gabriel has been a region...

I have just received a copy of the newest David Maxwell release, Blues In Other Colors . This is a 13 track composition with all songs written and performed by Maxwell. Joining Maxwell (keys) is Harry Manx (Mohan Vina and guitar), Jerry Leake (Indian and West African percussion) Fred Stubbs (Turkish ney),Boujmaa Razgul (Oud and Moroccan raita), Troy Gonyea (guitar), Eric Rosenthal (drums), Marty Ballou (double bass), Paul Kochanski (electric bass) and Andy Plaisted (congas). The recording is fairly hard to describe with conventional melodies and familiar sounds woven with the sounds of the east and Africa. Movin' On as an example, has a very traditional western styling which is carried throughout on piano but features the overlay of Mohan Vina and African percussion. The sounds are almost a juxtaposition of cultures. Conversely, Blue Dream begins with more of an eastern feel and is overlaid with piano as a woven compliment. The entire recording has a contiguous flow more in...

SHINING STONE RECORDS SIGNS BLUES SINGER SUNNY CROWNOVER AND WILL RELEASE HER LABEL DEBUT CD, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW , PRODUCED BY DUKE ROBILLARD, ON OCTOBER 2 MIAMI , FL – Shining Stone Records announces the signing of Massachusetts-based blues singer Sunny Crownover and the upcoming release of her label debut CD, Right Here, Right Now , produced by Duke Robillard, on October 2. Shining Stone Records is part of the Blue Duchess/Shining Stone Records Group founded by Robillard and Jesse A. Finkelstein. Right Here, Right Now was recorded at Lakewest Recording by John Paul Gauthier and showcases Crownover’s stunning voice backed by an all-star cast of musicians including Duke Robillard on guitar, Bruce Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums and a horn section that includes Doug James on sax. Multiple Blues Music Award nominee Sugar Ray Norcia guests on harmonica. To those who know Sunny Crownover only from earlier collaborations w...