Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ooh Yeah! , by Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne , and it's a full plate of Boogie Woogie. Opening with title track, Ooh Yeah! , a cool piano boogie, Wayne really rattling the piano and lead vocal joined by Joey DiMarco on drums, Nick Succi on bass, and Jimmy Bowskill on guitars. Solid opener.  With a New Orleans flavor, Baby, I'm Your Man has a shuffle rhythm by DiMarco Succi, and full horn support of Kaven Jalbert on tenor sax, Remi Cormier on trumpet, Mathieu Mousseau on bar sax and of course strong vocal and piano by Wayne. With a potent strut, Wishing Well is a soulful track really showcasing Wayne's vocals as well as some real nice guitar riffs by Bowskill, backed by Ian McKeown on drums. I really like Honey, Honey, Honey with it's rolling feel, piano/vocal lead by Wayne and and potent horn backing by  Jalbert, Cormier and Mousseau. Wrapping the release is That Crazy Monkey , a cool blues rocker wi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In The Real World , from Eric Bibb . Opening with Take The Stage , a quiet, well penned, ballad with Bibb on guitar and vocal, Glen Scott on drums bass, Hammond and featuring haunting slide by Robbie McIntosh. Very nice. Everybody's Got A Right is a lively track with lighter than a feather lyrics and lush slide work by McIntosh and super backing vocals by Agnese Stengrevics, Chris McGreevy and Glen Scott. This River (Chains & Free) is a ethereal track with confident lead vocals by Bibb and excellent featured vocals by Shaneeka Simon and lush backing vocals by Sepideh Vazin' and Simon. Exception track. Another standout track is Dear Mavis with a steady, percussive, guitar pattern by Bibb under his deep seated vocals. With Glenn Scott on synths, this track is quiet but effective. Out of the ordinary, The Real World is a real nice track with a supple melody and soothing vocals by Bibb and Scott, accompanied by M...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roll With Me , from Duke Robillard and it's particularly hot! Opening with Eddie Boyd's Bluecoat Man , Robillard is on vocal and these guys are really rocking. With Doug James really humming on sax and Mark Teixeira on drums and Marty Ballou on bass giving Robillard a great platform to blow the doors off on guitar. Excellent opener. Gatemouth Brown's Boogie Uproar is hot and heavy with Robillard having a excellent solo exchange with James and Rich Lataille punched up by the likes of Pam Murray and Carl Querfurth on trombone, Al Basile on cornet, Matt McCabe on piano, Ballou on bass, and Teixeira on drums. Powerful. Willie Dixon's, Built For Comfort has a real cool feel with Robillard playing the easy shuffle under his vocals and nicely interwoven horn work by James and Murray and the tight drumming of Teixeira and groove bass by Ballou gives this track an electrifying feel. Hot, slow, blues, Give Me Back...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Struck Down , by The Fabulous Thunderbirds and it's one of their best. Opening with Struck Down By The Blues , Kim Wilson has the mic singing lead vocals on this BB King style track. Johnny Moeller and Steve Strongman handle the gripping guitar lead with Bob Welsh on piano, Rudy Albin Petschauer on drums and Steven Kirsty on drums. Excellent opener. Classic ZZ Top style, one line bass, drives Payback Time features Wilson and Billy Gibbons on lead vocals with great harmonica overtones by Wilson and featuring Gibbons on guitar. Very cool. Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo and Taj Mahal share the mic on Nothing But Rambling , an easy shuffle with strong harmonica work by Wilson and Keb Mo on slide. Wilson back up front on romping shuffle, Whatcha Do To Me . Elvin Bishop lends his guitar work on his track giving it a nice kick and Wilson's harmonica work turns up the heat with his own spice. I really like Moeller's guitar work...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Positively 4th Street , by Rory Block and it's a stylized tribute to Bob Dylan. Opening with Everything Is Broken , Block gets it rocking with layered guitars and slide, backed by light snare and bass backing her trademark vocals. Solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Not Dark Yet , a strong blues with Block working guitar magic against her soulful vocals. Smooth slide and concise picking really makes this track stand out. One of my favorite Dylan compositions, Positively 4th Street this is a nice cover with slide accompaniment and drums. Block really captures Dylan's feel on this one. Wrapping the release is Murder Most Foul , a tough track and well dramatized by Block. This is an interesting exploration of one of America's greatest songwriters.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like -...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Guitar Woman , from Sue Foley and it's an acoustic solo release in tribute to female pioneers of guitar. Opening with Elizabeth Cotten's Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie , Foley on vocal and guitar delivers this classic blues track with clarity and nicely articulating Cotten's classic guitar styling. Mother Maybelle Carter's, Lonesome Homesick Blues is a nice showcase for Foley vocally and her Davis like turnarounds work really nicely on this track. Spanish styling on Foley and Lydia Mendoza composed, Mal Hombre , is really tasty and Foley singing in both Spanish and English really suits this track. One of my favorites on the release. Classical composition, Romance In A Minor is a beautiful addition to this set. Composed by Niccolo Paganini, this track is all feel. Very nice. Sister Rosetta Thorpe song, My Journey To The Sky is a really soulful composition and Foley does it justice with clean vocals and a ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At The Scala Theatre Stockholm , by Eric Bibb and it's my favorite in a long time. Opening with traditional track, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad , Eric Bibb on guitar and vocal creates a warm bluesy feel, with excellent slide guitar backing by Christer Lyssarides, Johan Lindstrom on pedal steel, Glenn Scott on bass, Olle Linder on drums, Greger Andersson on harmonica and Esbjorn Hazelius on fiddle. I love the depth and fluidity. Great opener. Led Belly's Bring Me Little Water , Sylvie benefits nicely from the warm, silky vocal of Bibb and Lindstrom on pedal steel, punctuated by Glen Scott on bass makes this track an excellent addition. Walter Vinson's, Things Is 'Bout Comin' My Way has always been one of my favorite blues tracks. I just love the melody. Wrapping the release is Mole In The Ground , another traditional track with very light accompaniment. Bibb always handles this classic t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Chasing The Sun, by Colin James  and it's chocked full of great tracks and guest talent. Opening with Protection , Lucinda Williams is up front on vocal with Colin James on vocal and lead guitar. Colin Linden on guitar adds rea nice riffs joined by Darryl Jones on bass, Charley Drayton on drums and Ann & Regina McCrary on backing vocals. This track has a strong melody with a Keith Richards feel. Excellent opener. Devilment has a really cool, New Orleans style drum rhythm by Drayton and with the addition of Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica crafting some sweet lead work, this is a strong track. Soulful radio track, How It Feels To Be Loved , really has that warm universal radio play feel featuring James on guitar and vocal, a paced, walking bass line by Jones and warm B3 contributions by Michael Hicks and Jim Hoke on sax. Very nice. Another track that has a great rock feel is This Song Kills Hate with it's guit...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Strongman Blues Remedy, Volume 1 , from The Strongman Blues Remedy and it's chocked full of foot tapping blues. Opening with blues rocker, Hard Luck , leader Steve Strongman adds great slide riffs, bass and harmonica to his solid lead vocal efforts for a super radio track. Joined by Dave King on drums and Jesse O'Brien on keys this is a great opener. Dawn Tyler Watson has the mic on Fine Young Man , a solid radio track with country and blues roots. Slick slide work by Strongman and with O'Brien on keys and King on drums, another fine track. Slow blues, White Lightnin' is my favorite track on the release with Strongman's best vocals on the release and strong, soulful, fluid guitar lead, backed by Alec Fraser on bass. Excellent! Crystal Shawanda has the mic on Tell Me I'm Wrong and her vocals are sassy and powerful against the bluesy riffs of Strongman. Wrapping the release is Love Comin' I...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Breathe In The World , Breathe Out Music , from Mike Stevens and it's a cool slice of contemporary blues/country influenced music. Opening with Like A Little Bird , harmonica master, Mike Stevens teams up with Polly Harris on lead vocal with a light reggae rhythm. Supporting are Jeff Getty on acoustic guitar, Kevin Breit on electric guitar, Art Kratchian on drums, and Jeff Bird on bass. Grumbling Old Man Grumbling Old Woman is a cool, jig featuring Stevens and Breit playing tandem melody/harmony lines over the tight rhythms of Getty and Kratchian. Very nice. Gordon Lightfoot's classic, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald maintains it's easy approach but substitutes Breit and Stevens on melody giving the track a cool, folky feel. Bound by the solid acoustic playing of Getty and Kratchian, this is a strong entry. Jesse's Request is an interesting track with a really strong melody. With a lot of the characte...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mercy Me , from Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters and it's strong. Opening with Muddy Waters' classic shuffle, Blow Wind Blow in Earl style and it's great. With Diane Blue handling the lead vocals nicely, Dave Limina on B3, Paul Kochanski on bass and Forrest Padgett on drums and Peter Ward sharing the guitar work with Earl, this is a solid opener. Slow blues, Blues For Duke Robillard , is prime Earl. I know that this may sound repetitive, but although Earl is an excellent player across the spectrum, his flow and chops on slow blues instrumentals are really tops in todays market. His feel, phrasing and tone is excellent and this track is an excellent example. With a slight uptick, Anthony Geraci's A Prayer For Tomorrow , is another great jam showing Earl not only with strong lead phrasing but gripping trem bends and lush chords under the beautiful key work of Geraci. Very nice. Another great shuffle, Dave...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Set The Record , from HOROJO Trio and I really like it. Opening with rocker, Man of Steel , lead vocalist Jeff Rogers who also plays keys leads the way, with well known guitar slinger JW-Jones on guitar and Jaime Holmes doing a great job on drums really get it ramped up. R&B track, Set The Record Straight has a lightly funky rhythm and the real richness of Rogers vocals shine through. Jones, who lead the vocal charge on his own solo releases and Holmes do a terrific job blending backing vocals making this a tight vocal effort.  One of my favorite tracks on the release is Stay Crazy with it's soulful feel and terrific lead vocals. With it's radio melody and Jones tasty guitar riffs, this track is very nice. Another particularly strong track is The Night with has a terrific melody, strong lead vocal by Rogers who adds warm organ backing and includes a sweet guitar solo by Jones. Very nice. Contemporary blues r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, They Called It Rhythm & Blues , by The Duke Robillard Band ,  and it's another stellar performance by the Duke and his crew. Opening with swing blues, Here I'm Is , Chris Cote on lead vocal really does a nice job with excellent fluid guitar lead by Robillard, and solid backing by Bruce Bears on keys, Marty Ballou on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums and Doug James on sax. Fools Are Getting Scarcer , James really does a great job stepping out on bari and tenor sax solos over a hot R&B feel. Excellent! Kim Wilson takes the lead on Tell Me Why with his trademark vocals and solid harmonica work. Robillard's guitar lead is impeccable and the band is solid. John Hammond is up front on Homeless Blues with his delta based vocal and playing style. I really like Hammond and am glad to see him on this release. With distinctive drum work by Teixeira and piano by Bears, this track is one of my favorites. Freddy King...

 I just had the opportunity to review the release, Blues From Chicago to Paris , and it's a strong traditional blues release from Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne . Opening with piano boogie, Rock This House , Wayne really has the keys rolling with his terrific vocals and solid backing by Russell Jackson on second vocal and bass and Joey DiMarco on drums. Great opener. Slowing things down a bit, Willie Dixon's A New Way To Love is a scorcher with soulful vocals and really strong piano work by Wayne. Clocking in at over 7 minutes, this is a showcase tune. Memphis Slim's Messin' With the Blues is a real cool addition to the set with it's jazzy approach but solid blues core. Wayne, again is showcased on vocal but his piano work is really tops, both under the melody and in soloing conditions. Excellent! Up tempo, After While has a revival feel with Wayne and Jackson on vocal and Wayne's piano rolling. Another fun piano boogie, I Ain't Gonna Be No Monkey Man ,...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Open Road , from Colin James and I really like it. On James' landmark 20th release, James covers some classic blues tracks and adds some of his own. Opening with Tony Joe White's As the Crow Flies , James cranks out a real driving boogie with stinging lead guitar, backed by Geoff Hicks on drums, Norm Fisher on bass and Simon Kendall on keys. Strong.  Albert King's Can't You See What You're Doing To Me , is up next and with Chris Caddell on rhythm, Steve Hilliam on sax, this is another potent track with excellent phrasing by James. Magic Sam's That's Why I'm Crying fits in perfectly with it's slower pace, giving James a chance to stretch a bit with soulful vocals and nicely crafted solo lead. Excellent! James original, When I Leave This House , has a country rocking honky tonkin feel that will get you moving. James really plays guitar to this one with a nice flair and the addition of Jes...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (October 22, 2021), Pinky's Blues , from Sue Foley and I think it's her best yet! Opening with title track, Pinky's Blues, Foley digs in on guitar, establishing that this is a going to be a blues guitar release right up front. Her riffs are stinging and relentless. Angela Strehli's blues strut, Two Bit Texas Town has a great aggressive, Willie Dixon feel featuring Foley on vocal and with vicious SRV like riffs,  Jon Penner on bass, and Chris Layton on drums. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Southern Men and it's story telling format. Foley not only does a great job on vocal  but with bends and a lot of vibrato, really whammy's this track. Excellent! Another Strehli penned track, Say It's Not So really works nicely with rich vocals and double stopped rhythm work by Foley. Here soloing throughout is really nicely phrased and emotional. Excellent! Clarence Gatemouth Brown's Okie Dok...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Get Happy Together , from Maria Muldaur and Tuba Skinny and it's captures the sound of the 20's and 30's. Opening with I Like You Best of All, Muldaur on vocal and Shaye Cohn on wild cornet, Todd Burdick on the anchor ... tuba, Barnabus Jones on super trombone, Jason Lawrence on 6 string banjo, Craig Flory with a great clarinet solo, Greg Sherman on guitar, Max Bien Kahn on guitar and Rubin Rupuzzi on washboard. I really like the clarinet / cornet play off each other. It sets the stage nicely and Jones is a strong trombone player so his work with Muldaur's vocals are classic. Taking the pace down quite a bit on Delta Bound , Flory and Jones again really work the track and Burdick's tuba work is terrific under Muldaur's vocals. I Go For That has great pace and excellent instrumental weaving that is so important in this period music as well as all Dixieland music. Very nice. One of Muldaur...