Bman's Blues Report

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 ...

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 a...

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 gri...

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...

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 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 .

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 ...

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 .

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

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 gettin...

(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 ...

"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 t...