Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Travelled , by Marie Martens & The Messarounds and it's old school blues rock. Opening with Change My Ways, Marie opens with a great slide riff and this band really has the grit of the early Yardbirds (if you don't know them check out the beginnings of Jeff Beck, Clapton and Page). With Ronnie Cacioppo on percussion, Jimmy B Natural on bass and Tom Selear on drums. I like Martens' slide style and with solid bass and driving drums...what's not to love. Very cool! On Keep On Loving Me , Martens steps out on guitar and her riffs are loose and fluid, consistent with the time and is a breath of fresh in todays climate. Just listen to the throaty rumble that she's getting on Mama Won't Allow Me . It's her basic style and those old Teisco (?) pickups that gives it that Hound Dog Taylor feel. Excellent! Listen to this fat slide work on Movin' On! Using just the basic slap drumming techniqu...

I just received the newest release, Everybody's Gotta Go , from the Alabama Lovesnakes and it's terrific! I had the pleasure of reviewing their last release, Nasty Weather, and this is a more mature and exciting followup! Opening with a smoking boogie, Prisoner Of Lov e, Crocodile Claes Nilsson takes the lead on guitar and vocal. Heavily driven by Fredrik Nilsson on bass and Henrik Gillgren on drums this is a great opener! Slow blues track, Your Little Key , opens with an excellent guitar intro and Claes has just the right grit on vocals to make this track scream. Jonny Lindstrom & Thomas Thornqvist add super sax and trumpet backing to this track which almost combusts it's so hot! Rock and roller Something You Got has a super rhythm and Nilsson drives the train on guitar and vocal backed by Ida Bang and Lovisa Birgersson. Very cool! Shuffle track, Searching High and Low has a great drive with the Nilssons and Gillgren really hitting the groove. I Need You Toni...

I just received the newest release, Blood In My Eyes For You , from Bert Deivert & Copperhead Run and it's quite good! Opening with Big Joe William's Baby Please Don't Go , Deivert do an uptempo version, leading on vocal and mandolin and backed by Fredrick Lindholm on drums and percussion, Janne Zander on guitars and Per-Arne Pettersson on bass. Son House's Death Letter has a smooth sink to it with cool slide riffs under the melody. With mandolin highlights accenting, this is one of the best redo's of this track I have heard. Sleepy John Estes' Mailman Blues is up next and taken in strong 12 bar format. Lead by a strongly reinforced rhythm pattern by Zander and Pettersson, Deivert's vocals and mando playing are super and a strong slide effort by Zander is tops. Original, Black Nanny , has a much more contemporary sound with bass intro by Pettersson. Zander's slide work and Deivert's mando work are nice compliments to Deivert's vocals. V...

The long-awaited new studio album "Tearing Down The Walls" Released on April 14th, 2014 via earMUSIC Featuring the new single "A Shot At Redemption" taken from the same titled 4-track EP - released February 14th, 2014 "What can you say about H.E.A.T? If you don't like these energetic Swedes you must be dead inside, as this year they've shown the UK crowd how to be the most complete band on the planet." - Classic Rock Magazine April 14th, 2014 sees the UK release of the long awaited new studio album "Tearing Down The Walls" by Swedish rock band H.E.A.T via earMUSIC .   Once again the band decided the move into Bohus Studio with Grammy-award winning producer Tobias Lindell and created an explosive, fresh sound. The first sneak peak of the album is the lead single "A Shot At Redemption" . It confirms all that H.E.A.T showed before and more: a catchy hookline, a driven beat, the obligatory g...

Talking about blues players outside America it´s hard to leave out Sven Zetterberg, Sweden´s most versatile artist in this field. Being both an excellent singer, guitarist,songwriter and harmonica player extraordinary,he has become a house-hold name all over Scandinavia. Born in Skärblacka on the 28th of March in 1952, Sven took music seriously enough to perform in school at the age of seven.”I didn´t know any real english words and couldn´t actually play any instrument but my grand-mother had bought me an acoustic guitar that I fooled around with trying to mimic Elvis Presley. “The first black performer I heard was Little Richard and he almost drove me crazy with his wild,frantic singing. “In 1964 he first heard Mick Jagger play harmonica and later that year heard Sonny Boy Williamson(Rice Miller) and that got him started. “The Blues activated something in me and it still moves me”. “Harmonica was my main instrument to begin with. I didn´t start playing guitar seriously until I w...

”They don’t make them like that anymore” When you’ve been around on this earth for a while, that thought does come to you once in a while. It could hit you when you see a nice old car, a music instrument, a real ”old school” personality being interviewed on the TV…. and if you’re into the blues, this thought definitely comes more often as the years keep passing by. Our heroes pass away, and many of the young musicians who try to pick up this heritage will sound like scholars for a long time before they might come out as a full-fledged blues musician. But here’s a guy that startles you as soon as you hear the sound of his guitar, his voice and the way he deals with the tradition. Raw and direct, well not ”too raw” but just sounding like himself. A straight-forward approach, with that special ”bite” that we associate with some of the great bluesmen. Where does he find it? Maybe in the deep forests of Värmland, a sparsely populated region in Sweden, near the Norwegian border. But mostly...

I have just received a copy of the new release, Nasty Weather , by the Alabama Lovesnakes and it's a blast. Opening with Early In The Morning (Live), ALS get a real nice groove going. Lead by "Crocodile" Claes Nilsson on vocal and guitar these guys really know how to rock. With a Latin twist Claes plays some flashy guitar work. Up next is Someone Like You (Live) these guys are quite convincing as a Texas blues rock band. Fredrik Nilsson carrys the bottom really nicely on bass and guest key player Pierre Sward really lays into the organ. A "Help Me" based track driven along by Henrik Gillgren on drums is a terrific venue for Crocodile to show his blues chops on the fretboard. Clocking in at over 7 minutes, this is a terrific jam! Title track Nasty Weather (Live) has a real distinctive lope to it and scorching slide work by Crocodile to bring you to your knees. Bringing down the tempo a bit Something For The Pain (Live) is a really hot track. Another track ...

Erik Torsten "Totta" Näslund (1 April 1945 – 19 June 2005) was a Swedish blues musician and actor. Näslund was born in Sandviken and grew up in the small northern town Köpmanholmen, but moved to Gothenburg in 1970 to find work. He was working in the Gothenburg docks when he joined Nynningen, a rock group with leftist political texts and inspired by the Russian Communist poet Mayakovsky. Totta Näslund became the group's main singer. In the mid-1970s, Nynningen fused with Nationalteatern, a musical theater ensemble with many members. Totta Näslund joined the group as singer, guitar-player and actor. Nationalteatern developed away from the theater and became a straight rock group, a rock orchestra as they called themselves. Even though Totta never wrote any own songs for the band, he was probably the most prominent member, next to Ulf Dageby. Nationalteatern was one of the many leftist music and theater groups that came together in 1977 to form Tältprojektet, The Tent Pr...

Stockholm based Emil & The Ecstatics is nowadays a well-known name on the european roots scene. After countless festivals, clubs, and three full-length albums, the band has proved to be a force to reckon with. Apart from the many great album reviews, The Ecstatics put a great effort in what they do best - live shows. This have been confirmed by many ecstatic audiences all over Europe. This, their third album “Bit By Bit”, consists of a number of original tunes in the midlands of blues & soul music without being to conservative for that matter. Take a trip to Hawaii in “The Hula” or perhaps a short visit to a 60..s horror screening in “The Spook”. Or what about a trip down “Highway 4”, Swedens own Chitlin Circuit? Get ready for a cruel mix of roots music!   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 an...

For over 17 years now TRICKBAG has amazed audiences all over Scandinavia, Europe & the US with their Energetic, Explosive Live-shows and 4 full length CDs all containing original songs... Nowadays Trickbag is regarded a topact on the European Blues scene and is well known for being one of the best back-up bands in the business. The band has backed numerous Bluesartists when touring in Europe, such as: JAMES HARMAN (US), KID RAMOS (US), LYNWOOD SLIM, (US) JOHN NÉMETH (US), BARRELHOUSE CHUCK (US), GENE TAYLOR (US), RJ MISCHO (US), WEST WESTON (UK), "LITTLE GEORGE" SUEREF (UK), EGIDIO "JUKE" INGALA (ITA), KURT CRANDALL (US), etc. Trickbag has also shared stages with stars like: Kim Wilson, James Harman, Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, John Németh, RJ Mischo, Jackie Paynem, Barrelhouse Chuck, West Weston, Gene Taylor, Sven Zetterberg, Rick Holmstrom, Kirk Fletcher, Earl Thomas, Little George Sueref etc etc... Their brand new (July 1st - 2011) release "GOIN`DOWNTOWN...

Niklas Carlson – Vocals/Guitar Rasmus Grip – Guitar, Percussion Björn Jacobson – Harmonica, Percussion Pontus Olsson – Piano, Percussion Johan Olsen – Contrabass Sakarias Larsson – Drums Formed in the fall of 2011, first public appearance in january 2012. Homemade rhythm'n'blues from Stockholm, Sweden. 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 favorite band!

Little Jenny & the Blue Beans are a sultry Blues Rock act from Scandinavia. They are four experienced, skilful positive funny and dynamic ladies that just LOVE to improvise and surprise you on their musical jorney. The today lineup resides from 2001 and since then their career has seen them feature at many of the major European Festivals. Little Jenny herself has been the recipient of two of the top Swedish blues awards: the Jan Rosenqvist award in 1998 and the Åmal blues festival award in 2001. She is now considered to be one of Sweden’s greatest blues harmonica players. Little Jenny has a fine blues pedigree having toured and recorded with the likes of Eric Bibb between 1990 and up till today, and has toured Germany dozens of times with MONAC BLUES BAND. Other career highlights include her performing at the Mustique Blues Festival with the English blues diva Dana Gillespie. Alongside Little Jenny, all the band members have years of experience backing a large number of Sweden’s mo...

Felicia Jangaard Nielsen is a Swedish young woman - she is this years recipient of "Jenny Bohman Blues For Life" scholarship - and will attend Blues Summer Camp in Sweden this summer.   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 favorite band!

Kjell Gustavsson gathered some of the best Rhythm & Blues musicians in Sweden 2008 for the release of his first solo album Many Million Miles. Since then the band been playing clubs and festivals all around Sweden and Europe. The members in the band has been playing with all kind of artists in Sweden, Europe and Us. Like: Peter Carlsson Blå Grodorna,The Boppers, Eric Bibb, Ulf Lundell, Jump 4Joy, Dana Fuchs, Jerry Williams, Owe Thörnqvist, Peps Persson, Billy Bremner, Junior Watson, Jukka Tolonen and many many more.... They all have there heart in the Rhythm & Blues and New Orleans rhythms. So get ready with your dancing shoes and get prepared for a hot night on the dance floor...   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 favorite band!

No Possession Blues is a live blues/rock, rockabilly quartet based in Vaggeryd, Sweden. Founded in ‘09 the band focuses on live performances as well as writing their own brand of blues rock and aims to entertain anyone tired of the commercial scene. The band members are: Micko Ylinikka - lead guitar player from Vaggeryd. With a long history of music creation Micko has a writing and riff structure...See More Description Band members: Danne "Dagny" Pettersson (rythm guitar,harmonica and vocals) Micko "Ylmen" Yllinikka (leadguitar and vocals) Mattias "Steve" Vestlund (bass guitar) Mikko "K2" Karppinen (drums)   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 favorite band!

Mizz Percy started up back in 1983 by the Guitar-player and singer Mats Samuelsson. They come from Gothenburg, Sweden. Mizz Percy took their name from the lyrics of a ZZ-Top song, and decided to spell their name with two Z:s. To accentuate the ZZ Top connection & the kind of music they were playing at that time. Over twenty years later their influences incorporate a much wider range from the Blues scene. Theres really only one thing left that they have in common with ZZ Top, and thats the two Z:s in their name. Mizz Percy have developed their own music and style, which is a Guitar Orientated Power Blues. Over the years, Mizz Percy have played more than 1000 gigs all over Scandinavia & have also played and jammed with such great artists as; Albert Collins, Alan Haynes, Claes Yngström. They have also supported Johnny Winter and played at the same occasion as Jimmy "Walking By Myself" Rogers, Walter Trout, Dr. Feelgood among others. If you support live Blues acts, ...

The Alabama Lovesnakes gives you genuine bluesrocking & beer-drinkin´ music that´ll rock you like a wagon wheel! Claes Nilsson Fredrik Nilsson Henrik Gillgren The Alabama Lovesnakes was formed in 2006 in Karlstad, Sweden, during the recordings of Claes Nilsson's country project "The Wheels". Late nights in the studio provoked an irresistible feeling of the band that just had to come off - the blues. Six years later, the band still consists of the same members, and has logged countless gigs around the country and has been a regular feature of the largest blues festival Åmåls Bluesfest and get attention wherever they are. Crocodile Claes & The Alabama Love Snakes is the guarantor for a heavy rocking blues rock with roots in the southern Värmland real blues swamp. (Tony Berg, PD) The Alabama Lovesnakes have during 2013 several large Swedish festivals booked, eg Mönsterås Blues & Roots, Dusty Roads Tidaholm, Karlskoga Bluesfestival and Kristinehamns Blues F...

Although the world is constantly changing, some things remain. Like Hamlet, hot dogs, the Himalayas. And blues music. The blues was born in the delta and got electrified further up north. Then it was spread around the world. In Arvika, Sweden, the blues is fresh and vigorous, thanks to T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm. Here, in the deep woods of western Sweden, close to the norwegian border, the storytelling tradition is very much alive. The blue notes come naturally. Some might say the blues is just pure nostalgia. In Arvika, we don't. The blues is about the past, the present and the future. Just as important and challenging as it once was in the backstreets of Chicago. T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm have been the blues ambassadors of Arvika since 2004, composing and interpreting r&b and blues like there was no tomorrow. They are on a mission. Broadcasted all the way from Tokyo to Timbuktu, with two studio albums so far, T-Bear and his hellhounds have won global respect w...

Watch the brand new promo video for Europe’s new single "Firebox" Academy Events and the DHP in association with The Agency Group are pleased to announce Europe’s “ Bag of Bones UK Tour 2012” .  Hot off  the heels of last year’s Balls N’ Banners UK Tour and sold out concert at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Sweden’s biggest hard rock band undertakes a nationwide November 2012 UK Tour.  Very special guest on all UK dates is the US rock band StoneRider . Tickets can bee booked online from www.eventim.co.uk and www.ticketweb.co.uk .   All tickets are priced £18.50, except London Shepherd’s Bush Empire (£20.00). The highly anticipated UK tour follows hot on the heels of Europe’s ninth studio album, Bag Of Bones , and the Planet Rock radio playlisted singles Not Supposed To Sing The Blues and Firebox . Classic Rock Magazine recently rated Europe’s previous album, Last Look At Eden , as one of the best hard rock album...

Talking about blues players outside America it´s hard to leave out Sven Zetterberg, Sweden´s most versatile artist in this field. Being both an excellent singer, guitarist,songwriter and harmonica player extraordinary,he has become a house-hold name all over Scandinavia. Born in Skärblacka on the 28th of March in 1952, Sven took music seriously enough to perform in school at the age of seven.”I didn´t know any real english words and couldn´t actually play any instrument but my grand-mother had bought me an acoustic guitar that I fooled around with trying to mimic Elvis Presley. “The first black performer I heard was Little Richard and he almost drove me crazy with his wild,frantic singing. “In 1964 he first heard Mick Jagger play harmonica and later that year heard Sonny Boy Williamson(Rice Miller) and that got him started. “The Blues activated something in me and it still moves me”. “Harmonica was my main instrument to begin with. I didn´t start playing guitar seriously until I ...