Stony Plain Records artist: Duke Robillard - Blues Full Circle - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Blues Full Circle, from Duke Robillard and it's styling. Opening with Lay a Little Lovin' On Me, Robillard has lead vocals and the band is sets up a creep. Bruce Bears lays the ground work on piano, backed by Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums. Robillard ealks in with a really nice fat guitar scream giving the track real attitude. Nice opener. On easy shuffle, Rain Keeps Falling, Bears and Robillard swap lead work under the vocal keeping it tight. Mourning Dove slows it down a bit and Duke plays some of his most expressive riffs of the release. Ouch! Back up to tempo, No More Tears, has a nice groove and Robillard steps out in style backed by Bear's organ work. Very nice. Jimmy Lewis' Last Night features Sugar Ray Norcia and his vocals are rich. Robillard's guitar work is clean and tight and Saw Gordon Beadle lays in some real nice sax work. On New Orleans saturated, A Fool About My Money Bears and Teixeira really set the scene with Bears taking an extended piano solo leading into a contained solo by Robillard. Quite a cool track with particularly nice vocals by Robillard. Kelley Hunt takes the floor on vocal and piano on The Mood Room. A rolling blues rocker, has strong bass work from Hallen and cool solos by Bears and Robillard. Very cool. Taking the tempo down a few notches, I've Got A Feelin' That You're Foolin' has a cool Tulsa country blues style and Robillard shows he knows this style well nice blues riffs throughout. Jimmie Vaughan's Shufflin' and Scufflin' features Robillard paired with Jimmie Vaughan on guitar. A real cool shuffle tune with Bears on organ, and the boys trading, it's Doug James who steps up with the grand slam on Bari sax. Very nice. Blues for Eddie Jones is a cool track about Guitar Slim. Bears' piano work nicely nighlights the scatter guitar riffs. Sweet. On jazz shuffle, You Used To Be Sugar, has a real nice groove pushed by Hallen's bass work and Duke takes a nice walk on the fretboard. On somber ballad, Worth Waitin' On, Robillard put's up some of his best vocals, carried by Bears, who not only sets the carrier but also plays a really nice organ solo. Wrapping the release is Come With Me Baby, a real nice low slung blues, with Robillard answering his vocal call with his guitar response. Saving the best for last, Robillard hits the groove square on with some excellent guitar riffs. Super closer for a cool release.



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JP Cadillac Records artists: The Knickerbocker All-Stars - Go Back Home To The Blues - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Go Back Home To The Blues, from The Knickerbocker All-Stars and it swings! After reviewing thier previous release, Open Mic At The Nick I was excited to hear this new release and I'm not disappointed. Opening with with the ear catching, 36-22-36, Sugar Ray Norcia leads the way on vocals with really nice piano accompaniment by Al Copley. Powerful horn work from Doug James (sax), Sax Gordon Beadle (sax), Rich Lataille (sax), Doc Chanonhouse (trumpet) and Carl Querfurth (trombone) and Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums this band is loaded! Willie J Laws takes the mic on You Know That You Love Me and Monster Mike Welch is super laying down terrific blues riff. Excellent! Brian Templeton takes the mic on Cadillac Baby for a real swinger. James plays a really sweet sax solo on this one and the horn section hold up the back. Very cool. Sugar Ray is back on lead vocal on Brand New Fool, with full strut. Copley's piano rhythm and strong horn backing balance the vocal nicely and a screaming sax solo as well as an extended piano solo cap the track. Willie J Laws has the lead vocal on Guitar Slim's Something To Remember You By and Monster Mike digs on Slim's riffs. This is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Mike really doing a nice job. Norcia really swings it on Take It Like A Man and another hot sax solo by James cooks it. Instrumental, Hokin', has a real nice feel with well blended horns and piano. If you like sax, this track is your ticket with warm sax runs end to end. Very nice! Al Basile takes the lead on Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Being Right, a jump track with punchy horn work. A cool cornet solo from Basile traded with a swinging sax solo, and tight drumming makes this another stand out track. Laws gets down in serious blues territory with He Was A Friend of Mine. Morganfield like delivery and solid horns fill the track but for me it's the strong guitar work from Welsh that makes this track tick. His phrasing is always heartfelt and clean. Solid sax soloing and piano riffs from Copley are also nicely executed. Excellent! Templeton does super lead vocals on title track, Go Back Home To The Blues. I really like Copley's piano work on this track and Welch adds some swingin riffs of his own punched up by the horn section making this one not to miss. Blockbuster Boogie is a great name for the next track with all horns coming out blazing. Trumpets take the high road and saxes and piano the middle really rocking this track. Excellent! Annie Get Your Thing On has a Latin flair and nice, excellent Albert King like guitar work from Welch. The track breaks into full "swing" and sexy sax work takes over. Breaking back to Latin rhythm, this track has great contrast. Wrapping the release is I Tried, with an Elmore James like opening and Laws on lead vocals. This track is an excellent closer with solid drive, clean horn and guitar riffs and pedal to the metal.

 

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Delta Groove Music artist: Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars - Fifty Shades of Blue - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Fifty Shades of Blue, from Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars and it's great! Opening with deep R&B track, Everything I Do Is Wrong, Darrell Nullisch takes the lead on vocals and it''s terrific. Geraci is strong support on piano and Monster Mike Welch knocks it out of the park on guitar. Excellent! On title track, Fifty Shades of Blue, Sugar Ray Nocia shares the mic with Michelle Evil Gal Willson. This is a cool swing track and Geraci blasts off with a rolling piano solo. Monster Mike is on top of his game and really lays into it on this track giving it a hard kick backed by Michael Mudcat Ward on bass and Nevil Gouvin on drums. Sad But True has a cool Ray Charles feel led by Sugar Ray on vocal and harp. Monster Mike slips on the slide on this one revving it up and Sugar Ray breaks loose on harp. On slow blues number, Heard That Tutwiler Whistle Blow, Sugar Ray does a real nice job vocally digging in the Chicago grit with super punctuation by Geraci on piano. His masterful harp work really lays nicely on this track and Monster Mike lays in a few cool riffs of his own. Very nice! If You Want To Get To Heaven finds Willson back on lead vocal with a little Latin beat. Monster Mike adds some really nice guitar phrases over Geraci's solid piano work. Solid ballad, Don't Keep Me Waiting conjures up feelings of a smoky nightclub. Geraci really shines on piano on this track highlighted only by Norcia's vocals. Chicago style track, The Blues Never Sleeps, has a strong bottom with Nullisch on lead vocal. Monster Mike and Geraci plays hot riffs lightly over the track and Nullisch adds a cool harp solo. Geraci lays out a real nice piano solo complimented by Monster Mike to cap the track. Sounding a bit like The Band, Too Late For Coffee in 3/4 time features Norcia on vocal and a brief piano solo from Geraci. Washington takes the lead on Diamond and Pearls, a hip swinger with hot piano work throughout by Geraci. Monster Mike hits the groove running, laying down a solid blues solo of his own. Very nice! Sensitive ballad, Cry A Million Tears, features excellent vocals Nullisch with call and response with Welch, backed nicely by Geraci. This is an excellent track, likely my favorite on the release. Instrumental, In The Quicksand, Again, has a 60's rock beat with twin lead of Geraci and Welch. Hip drumming by Marty Richards keeps it tight and Monster Mike and Geraci both nail it on this one. Super! Norcia brings you to your knees with a sweet Ray Charles like track, Your Turn To Cry, dressed nicely by Geraci on piano. Sugar Rays vocals are the trick on this track but his smoky harp work and really clean piano work by Geraci is tops. Excellent! Wrapping the release is amazing instrumental, Blues For David Maxwell. This is a slow blues track which features really excellent soloing from both Geraci and Monster Mike and a little bass solo from Ward and even Native American Flute by Norcia. Excellent Closer!!

   

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JP Cadillac Records artists: The Knickerbocker All-Stars - Open Mic At The Knick - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Open Mic At The Knick, by the Knickerbocker All-Stars and it's excellent! Opening with the swinging You Upset Me Baby, Ricky King Russell lays down some really hot guitar riffs and Sugar Ray Norcia leads the way on vocals. Al Copley smokes the keys backed strongly by horn section, Doc Chanonhouse (trumpet), Bobby "Breeze" Holfelden (trombone), Rich Lataille (sax) and Dennis Cook (bari sax). Smokin! Up next is Turn On Your Love Light and Malford Milligan commands the stage on vocal. Vocalist Willy Laws has you in the palm of his hands from the first note of Mother-In Law Blues. Russell steps up with some really tasty guitar riffs on this track and the horn section keeps a real traditional early modern blues feel. Very nice. Milligan is back on the mic for Love Disease and an excellent sax solo from Lataille and Muscle Shoals like guitar work from Nick Adams make this song a standout. Johnny Nicholas takes the lead on the classic Jelly Jelly. Al Copley lays down classic blues riffs on this track and it's slow, easy pace makes for a cool opportunity for Russell to really step out with some nicely articulated guitar riffs. Very nice! On Reconsider Baby the band gives the track a real warm feel with a smooth horn backing and super guitar highlights. Again I find myself really groovin to Russells tasty guitar riffs. On jump track, It's Later Than You Think, Copley really has the keys rolling and the horn section is really pushing as Norcia does a great job on lead vocal. Ain't That Lovin' You features Curtis Salgado on lead vocal and his vocals are top notch. Channonhouse , Holfelden, Lataille and Cook really blow the doors on this one. Willy Laws takes the lead on Five Long Years really gripping the feel of the track. Copley  inserts some solid piano riffs but it's Russell who takes center stage instrumentally with a blistering guitar solo on this one. Excellent! J.P. Sheerar with a much heavier voice, takes the mic on Somebody's Got To Go and again Russell shows what a perfect choice he was as the guitarist for this set. The man just sits in the pocket and cherry picks his solos. Lataille plays a really rich sax solo on the track as well over the masterful key work of Copley. Brilliant. Brian Templeton is on lead vocal for Tore Down. It's nice that the vocalist from track to track are different giving a cool blend of textures with the same band. Templeton has a great voice for the swing and Russell again is right there adding just the right touch of hot guitar over the horn section. Along About Midnight features Nicholas on vocal and has a cool laid back pace. The band wraps itself around the core feel and Russell steps up with just the right amount of throttle. Very nice. Rocker, Going Down really kicks it up a notch with Russell and the horn section at full throttle. Bob Worthington on bass drives it along and featuring Dave Maxwell on keys and tight drumming from Bobby and Fran Christina on drums, is a super conclusion to a hot set!

  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 ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

New Sugar Ray Norcia "Remembering Little Walter" video

NEW SUGAR RAY NORCIA VIDEO FROM LITTLE WALTER TRIBUTE - "UP THE LINE" Last December, five of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman - gathered to pay tribute to harp virtuoso and innovator Little Walter Jacobs.  All are featured on the tribute recording entitled Remembering Little Walter. Blind Pig Records has released another in a series of videos from that memorable evening - Sugar Ray Norcia's performance of Little Walter's "Up The Line," which also features a sterling guitar solo by Little Charlie Baty.   To watch the video, please click HERE. In addition to Little Charlie, Sugar Ray is accompanied by Nathan James on guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on upright bass. To hear more from the album, or to learn more about it, please click HERE.

New "Remembering Little Walter" video!

NEW JAMES HARMAN VIDEO FROM LIVE LITTLE WALTER TRIBUTE Last December five of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman - gathered to pay tribute to harp virtuoso and innovator Little Walter Jacobs. All are featured on the tribute recording entitled Remembering Little Walter performing songs written by or associated with the late blues icon. Blind Pig Records has just released another in a series of videos from that memorable evening - James Harman's performance of  "It's Too Late Brother."  To watch the video, please click HERE. Harman is accompanied in performance by Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Nathan James on guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on upright bass. For more info and sound samples from Remembering Little Walter, please click HERE.

Delta Groove Music artist: Sugaray Rayford - Dangerous - New release review

I just received a copy of the newest release (September 17, 2013), Dangerous, by Sugaray Rayford and it's quite impressive. Rayford, well know as the featured voice of the Mannish Boys, has cut loose with his own release and he is backed by a huge list of talent. Opening with Country Boy and a strong smell of Chicago, Rayford's robust voice paves the way and Sugar Ray Norcia has the harp screaming. Anthony Geraci adds really nice key work on a solid bass by Willie J Campbell (bass) and Jimi Bott on drums. Stuck For A Buck has a bit of the James Brown shuffle going with Gino Matteo rippin fine guitar lead and Fred Kaplan warms the track with organ play. Rayford of course nicely handles lead vocals and a solid horn section made up of Ron Dziubla and Mark Pender cooks the track. On I'm Dangerous, Rayford and Norcia really grind deep in the blues. Norcia plays outstanding harmonica solos on this track making it one of my favorites on the release. Norcia shares the lead vocals on Two Times Sugar and Monster Mike Welch drops in for a really hot guitar solo. This is cool swingin blues that could make solid airplay. Another of my favorites is Pee Wee Crayton's When It Rains It Pours. Super soulful vocals by Rayford are nicely complimented by the strong guitar work of Frank Goldwasser and piano by Fred Kaplan. Super smokn track! Rayford's vocals on Charles Brown's Depression Blues have a beautiful lope and Kid Anderson takes the guitar solo to the edge... really sweet. This is another of the top highlights on the track. Bill Stuve adds a nice solid bottom on acoustic bass and Pender and Dziubla really round out the track. Goin' Back To Texas is a slow paced blues featuring some real nice slide wirk from Goldwasser, nice harp work from Kim Wilson and some of the richest vocals from Rayford on the release. I Might Do Somethin' Crazy has a real nice Willie Dixon style to it. Rayford's vocals really play into this track nicely and Kid Anderson again steps up with some spectacular guitar riffs. Excellent! Again on In The Dark, a swingin blues track, Rayford sings up a storm and really opens the doors for Anderson who kicks the guitar solo in the nuts. (Strong horns too!) Need A Little More Time takes an acoustic attack with strong vocals from Rayford backed by minimal percussion by Bott, and meaty work on National Steel Guitar by Goldwasser and harp by Chortkoff. Big Pete is featured on harp on Keep Her At Home, a quick paced boogie. The release is concluded with Son House's Preaching Blues. Goldwasser handles the slidework like a deer going through open pasture and with only like percussion, Rayford show surefooted command as his own band leader. Really super release!

  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 ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

This track is not from the release but is a good example of the music presented.

New Sugar Ray Norcia video - Remembering Little Walter

SUGAR RAY NORCIA VIDEO FROM LITTLE WALTER TRIBUTE On December 6th, five of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman - gathered to pay tribute to harp virtuoso and innovator Little Walter Jacobs.  All are featured on the tribute recording entitled Remembering Little Walter. Blind Pig Records has released another in a series of videos from that memorable evening - Sugar Ray Norcia's performance of Little Walter's "Mean Old World."  To watch the video, please click HERE. Sugar Ray is accompanied by Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Nathan James on guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on upright bass. To hear more from the album, or to learn more about it, please click HERE.

First video of Remembering Little Walter tribute

On December 6th, five of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia, and James Harman - gathered to pay tribute to harp virtuoso and innovator Little Walter Jacobs.  All are featured on the tribute recording entitled Remembering Little Walter. Blind Pig Records has released the first video from that memorable evening - Mark Hummel's performance of Walter's "I Got To Go."  To watch the video, please click HERE. Mark is accompanied by Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Nathan James on guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on upright bass. To hear more from the album, or to learn more about it, please click HERE

Blind Pig Records artists: Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman - Remembering Little Walter

I just received a new Blind Pig release, Remembering Little Walter and it's great! Featuring 5 of today's greatest harp players, Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia and James Harman this live recording gives each of the featured artists a chance to perform 2 of their choice little Walter tracks and then of course a collaboration. Opening with Mark Hummel on I Got To Go, the band featuring Nathan James on guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on bass really gets it going. Charlie Musselwhite steps up next with Just A Feeling. James plays some great guitar riffs under the lead and Musselwhite really does a nice job delivering the goods. Billy Boy Arnold has a great sound coming right out of the chute on You're So Fine. James Harman is next in line with It's Too Late Brother. Keeping it tight on his solos and presenting his fine vocals Harmon has the crowd hopping. Sugar Ray Norcia does a terrific version of Mean Old World getting just the right amount of distortion on harp to push the track into the ozone. Norcia also has a great voice and James again shows nice guitar chops on this track. Musselwhite is back with One Of These Mornings, a great Chicago groove. Charlie really does a super job on this track playing creative runs and unique phrasing. Mark Hummel returns on instrumental, Blue Light, a real deep track. His feel and sensitivity really shine through on this track. Again James is delivering really nice guitar runs that nicely compliment the lead player. On Crazy Mixed Up World, Harman keeps his vocals subdued but grabs a hold on the track and literally blows the top off with his harp. Norcia steps back to the mic for Up The Line. This time with less blow and more voice, Norcia trades riffs with James for a clean track. Arnold is the final soloist up and does a dynamite job on Can't Hold Out Much Longer. His vocals are rich and he blows some real mean riffs on this track. On the finale, My Babe, each of the players takes his turn at the mic and also added is Little Charlie Baty on vocal and guitar. This really is a great track featuring the players exchanging rather than competing and it is nicely done. This is a great tribute to Little Walter and the people in the crowd of this recording at Anthology in San Diego saw a super show.

  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 ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”
 

Sugar Ray Norcia Inducted Into Canada South Blues Society Hall of Fame

(Photo Courtesy of InRetro)

WINDSOR, ON – During a rousing evening of blues music in Windsor, Ontario, Severn Records artist Sugar Ray Norcia was inducted into the Canada South Blues Society Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 20. Sugar Ray and his band, The Bluetones, performed a blazing set of the group’s trademark blues songs during the night’s festivities at the Canada South Blues Museum. The evening celebrated Sugar Ray Norcia’s contributions to the blues over the past 40 years.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized for my contribution to blues music,” said Sugar Ray. “Along with my band The Bluetones, the support of Severn Records and the loyal  fans who have followed my career, I hope to continue singing and playing this wonderful genre of music for many years to come.”

Besides Sugar Ray on vocals and harmonica, The Bluetones lineup also includes Michael “Mudcat” Ward on bass, Anthony Geraci on keyboards, Neil Gouvin on drums and “Monster” Mike Welch on guitar and vocals.

Writing a review in Canada’s InRetro about the event, writer Lou Durnbeck said, “Sugar is well known for his sweet singing voice (and personality) and his stellar command of the blues harp. His induction into to CSBS’s Hall of Fame is a richly deserved honour that he accepted with humility and gratitude – and then he and the Bluetones rocked the house with two sets of real-deal blues that had the crowd jumpin’ and cheerin’ all night long!

“Perhaps most inspiring to me, is the very obvious love of the music and love of playing together in this band that each of the members demonstrates on and off the bandstand. A more easy-going and approachable band you’d be hard-pressed to find. Friendly and open, they all exude a comfortable professionalism that makes it a real pleasure to talk with them about music generally, blues specifically or just whatever you like. No prima donnas here. With Sugar at the helm of this cast of talented performers, Sugar Ray and The Bluetones may well be the genre’s foremost ambassadors today – and they have so much fun doing it!
“Evening is the band’s most recent release, and they played a number of tunes from that CD last night. The title track was played with such feeling and soul it gave me goosebumps! The set lists were a virtual blues encyclopedia ranging from ballads and shuffles to down-in-the-alley Chicago blues styles as well as a fair share of jumpin’ – East Coast style, and even a T-Bone! It was a great night of blues to mark Sugar Ray’s induction and no doubt was left that he deserves all the accolades coming his way!
True masters of the art of the blues, the band is set to go back into the studio early next year to record so keep an eye & ear open for that.”
For more information on the band, visit www.severnrecords.com.

BLIND PIG RECORDS ANNOUNCES LITTLE WALTER TRIBUTE RECORDING

"Little Walter Jacobs was one of the best singers of the blues and a blues harp player par excellence" - Keith Richards "Little Walter was a very, very powerful influence on me" - Eric Clapton Blind Pig Records has announced a live recording date for a special tribute to Little Walter Jacobs featuring some of the finest harmonica players on the current blues scene - Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Mark Hummel, James Harman, and Sugar Ray Norcia. The show will take place on Thursday, December 6th at Anthology in San Diego, California. The virtuosic Little Walter is without doubt one of the most influential blues harmonica players of all time. AllMusicGuide said, "The fiery harmonica wizard took the humble mouth organ in dazzling amplified directions that were unimaginable prior to his ascendancy. His daring instrumental innovations were so fresh, startling, and ahead of their time. His influence remains inescapable to this day -- it's unlikely that a blues harpist exists on the face of this earth who doesn't worship Little Walter." The idea for the Little Walter tribute recording grew out of a number of highly successful West Coast concerts in early 2012 that were part of an ongoing series of "Blues Harmonica Blowout" concerts organized by Hummel, who will serve as producer of the recording project, to be entitled Remembering Little Walter. Said Hummel, "Walter changed all the rules and raised the bar so high that nobody has yet surpassed him either in innovation or technical prowess. Walter's original sides have become the holy grail all other harpers are still trying to aspire to." Those sentiments were echoed by Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Boy Arnold, who both knew and were friends with Little Walter. In fact, both used Walter's backing musicians (Louis and Dave Myers, Fred Below, and Luther Tucker) in their own bands in the 60's and early 70's. Musselwhite said, "If you listen to Walter's earliest recordings you can see that he came from a down-home country style much like John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. And then, probably with the urban influence of Chicago horn players, started phrasing like a saxophone. This phrasing combined with his creativity and amplification really took harmonica playing to a whole new level that hadn't been heard before. For me personally, besides Walter's being an influence, he was even more of an inspiration; an inspiration and invitation to experiment, take chances, see where it'll take you and to always follow your heart." He went on to recall, "Walter was always real nice to me. He'd give me a ride home after the gig or sometimes he'd walk with me to the bus stop and wait until the bus came. He was always acting like he was looking out for me; like he was going to be there if somebody started some nonsense with me." Billy Boy Arnold added, "When I heard Little Walter's harmonica playing on the recordings with Muddy Waters and others, I knew that Little Walter was the new Harmonica King. I bought every record that Muddy Waters made with Little Walter's harp playing on it. He was miles ahead of all the other harp players on the scene. No one could touch him. He was creative, innovative, and spontaneous. Little Walter is still the top and most influential harp player that ever played." CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE is one of the most recognized names in blues harmonica. Born in 1944, Musselwhite has traveled the long road from backwoods Mississippi to a teenaged upbringing in Memphis, where he first heard and learned the blues from its originators. On the South Side of Chicago, Charlie served his apprenticeship with Robert Nighthawk, JB Hutto, Johnny Young and Big Walter Horton and developed close friendships with blues icons Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. In the late 60's and mid '70s he and Paul Butterfield were very influential in introducing traditional blues to white audiences and the burgeoning scene of young rock and rollers. Renowned for his mastery of the traditional blues idiom, in recent years he's introduced elements of jazz, gospel, Tex-Mex, Cuban and other world music into his recordings. In 2010 he was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall Of Fame. In addition, Charlie, who is one of the most beloved blues musicians in the world, has been nominated for six Grammy Awards and has won 24 Blues Music Awards. BILLY BOY ARNOLD, a contemporary of James Cotton and Junior Wells, started with Ellis McDaniels (later to be known as Bo Diddley) in Chicago in 1955, where they created the "Bo Diddley" sound at Chess Records. Billy Boy learned harp at the feet of the legendary John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson when Billy was just 12 years old. Billy went on to record singles for VeeJay like "Wish You Would", "Ain't Got You" and "You Got Me Wrong." In the mid-60's young British groups The Yardbirds and The Animals discovered Billy Boy's 45s and had hits with their own cover versions. In the early 90's Arnold firmly reestablished himself as one of the foremost practitioners of classic Chicago blues with a pair of critically acclaimed releases on Alligator. His most recent CD, Billy Boy Arnold Sings Bill Broonzy, has been receiving extensive airplay. MARK HUMMEL has been touring nationally since 1984 and has most recently written a memoir, "Big Road Blues: 12 Bars on I-80," put out by Mountain Top Publishing. Mark started his band The Blues Survivors in 1977 with Mississippi Johnny Waters and has since toured/recorded with Lowell Fulson, Eddie Taylor, Charles Brown, Brownie McGhee, Jimmy Rogers and many other blues legends. In 1991 Mark started the Blues Harmonica Blowouts which have grown to be a much heralded blues event on the national scene. These multi harp packages have included John Mayall, Huey Lewis, Snooky Pryor, James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Rod Piazza, Carey Bell, Lazy Lester plus almost every other player of note on the blues harp. Mark has been nominated four times for the best harmonica player Blues Music Award. Hummel's eighteenth and most recent CD is entitled Retroactive. JAMES HARMAN was born and raised in Anniston, Alabama, where he quickly picked up on the black blues and soul music being played on juke boxes and the radio in the Deep South. In his teens, he started playing juke joints and dance clubs throughout the South and recorded a number of 45s. In 1968 Harman moved to Southern California, where he became friends with Canned Heat, The Blasters, and led bands with top-notch talent such as Hollywood Fats and Kid Ramos. He's released numerous albums over the years, picking up 10 W.C.Handy/BMA nominations along the way. He has been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and is the harmonica player of choice on recordings and live performances by ZZ Top, appearing with them on both David Letterman and Jools Holland's TV shows. SUGAR RAY NORCIA started the popular East Coast blues band The Bluetones 30 years ago with guitarist Ronnie Earl. They backed Big Walter Horton, Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush, JB Hutto and countless others in the early '80s all over the Northeast. In 1991 Norcia hooked up with the legendary Roomful of Blues band and toured the world with the 11 piece band, appearing on their Grammy-nominated release Turn It On, Turn It Up. Norcia also recorded the Grammy nominated release Superharps during his Roomful tenure with harmonica heavyweights Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton and Billy Branch. In 2001, he reunited the Bluetones with guitarist Kid Bangham and later Monster Mike Welsh. The latest Sugar Ray and the Bluetones album, Evening, received four BMA nominations in 2012 including "Album of the Year" and "Traditional Blues Album" of the year. Following Little Walter's approach of having the very best musicians in his bands, Hummel has handpicked a sterling lineup of musicians for the show and recording in San Diego - Little Charlie Baty, the world renowned guitar slinger and former bandleader of Little Charlie and the Nightcats; second guitar will be Harman bandmate, Nathan James; June Core (Musselwhite, Little Charlie and Nightcats, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Hummel) will be on drums and RW Grigsby (Mike Morgan, Gary Primich and Hummel) will play upright bass. To see a video of the finale of the Little Walter tribute in Eugene, Oregon last February “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 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 ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”