Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul In Blue , from Tad Robinson and it's terrific! Opening with R&B flavored track, Keep It In The Vault , Tad Robinson on vocal sets up a solid groove with Brian Yarde on drums and Dave Murray on bass and Kevin Anker on keys and Tommy Leino on guitar lays down some real bluesy riffs. Soulful, Out Of Sight and Out Of Mind really illustrated what I really love about Robinson. His vocals are silky smooth and dripping with soul. Clean piano backing by Alberto Marisco and meaty guitar work by Paul Holdman backed by Chris Vitarello on rhythm creates real tension, soothed by the lush vocals of Devin B Thompson and Lorie Smith . Excellent. Another soulful track, Deeper Than You Think really is deep in the soul with a throbbing bass line by Steve Gomes and features Mark Buselli   on trumpet, Rich Cohen on tenor sax, and Anker on organ really pushing Robinson's rich vocals. Forgive and Forget features so...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Six String Soul , a double cd release by Dave Specter and it's great. Celebrating 30 years on Delmark, with remastered recordings from throughout his career and celebrating many guests. Opening with Buzz Me Specter on guitar, is joined by Barkin Bill Smith on vocal and Ronnie Earl on guitar as well as Ken Saydak on organ, Dez Desormeaux on sax, Red Groetzinger on sax, Mike McCurdy on bass and John Hiller on drums. Very cool. Specter really stretches out nicely on solo guitar on slow blues, Railroad Station . Smith, on lead vocal does a real nice job and Bob Stroger on bass anchors the track. Saydak's piano is a nice accent and sax soloing by Groetzinger is really nice. I really like instrumental, Specter's Walk, with it's deep jazz groove. Specter cruses on guitar, Desormeaux's sax solo is rich, and Saydak's organ work is strong. Tad Robinson has lead vocal on Sweet Serenity . I've always been ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from Rebekah Meldrum and it's tasty. Opening with Set Your Soul Free , Rebekah Meldrum has one of those voices that just grabs you. With plenty of grit and soul, she leads the way backed by Paul Holdman on slide, David Murray on bass, Kevin Kouts on drums and tad Robinson on harmonica. Solid opener. Far Away is a super radio track with a great melody, strong vocals from Meldrum and nicely complimentary harmonica work from Patrick Long. On smooth shuffle, Gypsy , Holdman takes a real nice solo creating a nice tension with Meldrum on vocal. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I'm Here , a bluesy ballad with gospel overtone. Meldrum has a real strong voice and the warm chords of Meldrum really accentuate her gritty smoothness. PJ Yinger on trumpet and Richard Dole on trombone give this track a nice sendoff. An additional bonus on this track is the addition of Robinson on second vocal. I think he's te...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues From The Inside Out , from Dave Specter , and it's got great style. Opening with title track, Blues From The Inside Out , Dave Spector leads on guitar and vocal with Brother John Kattke on keys, Harlan Lee Terson on bass, and Marty Binder on drums. Adding in the horns on Ponchatoula Way , Specter put up a blues rocker with a splash of New Orleans. Mars Williams on sax, Jon Janowiak on trombone and Ron Haynes on trumpet give the track fullness and Spector's innovative blues riffs and the solid piano work of Kattke are really nice.  Hot Tuna leader, Jorma Kaukonen joins on Sanctifunkious , a real sweaty blues funk right out of the streets of NO. A cool instrumental with essential drums by Binder and percussion by Ruben Alverez, and nice key work by Kattke, a great groove. Latin influenced, Minor Shout has a super beat and with tight percussion, clean lead guitar and fluid organ runs, it could easily be from ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Real Street, from Tad Robinson and it's jam packed with R&B soul music. Opening with Changes , a real nice "Al Green" flavored track, Tad Robinson shows what much of the world already knows... he's a great singer with poise and style. Backed by Charles Hodges on Hammond, Leroy Hodges on bass, Howard Grimes on drums, Joe Restivo on guitar, Kevin Anker on piano, Mark Franklin on trumpet, and Kirk Smothers on sax, this is a great opener. Bluesy ballad, Search Your Heart is really strong and Robinson's exceptionally smooth vocals, backed by Devin Thompson on vocals and the warm Hammond work of Hodges and with a crisp guitar solo by Restivo make this one of my favorites on the release. Excellent! Another really bluesy track, Love In The Neighborhood has a great R&B style but checks off the blues box nicely with soulful vocals and harmonica by Robinson and solid guitar lead by Restivo. My favo...

        Multiple BMA Nominee, vocalist Tad Robinson, headlines 1st Annual Temecula Blues Festival.    (TEMECULA, CA) -  The burgeoning SoCal Inland Empire finally has it's very own Blues Festival with the advent of the 1st Annual Temecula Blues Festival , Civic Center Plaza, 41000 Main St., taking place Saturday, April 21, from 12 Noon until 10 pm (rain or shine). Tickets: $38., now available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/temecula-blues-festival-tickets-37343345953 . Info: (951) 676-2722 . Presented by The Old Town Blues Club (formerly The Lucky Stone). All ticket sales final.                                        ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bad Intention , from Slim Butler and it's terrific! Slim has great style and it's been too long since I reviewed his last release Inner Blues back in 2013. Opening with All About You a cool R&B style blueser, a la Robert Cray, Tad Robinson shows just how sweet his voice is on soulful music and with a tight band lead by Jarmo " Slim" Puhakka on nicely stylized guitar riffs, Esko Ollila on drums, Harri Taitonen on keys and Hannu Lehtomaa on bass and punched up by the horn section (Slimcuts) of Tapio Maunuvaara on trumpet, Jukka-Pekka Peltoniemi on trumpet, Olli Tuomainen on tenor sax and Antti Napankangas on trombone. Great opener. On driving rocker, Mean Trouble , Andrew Black has the mic with a heavier feel and Slim keeps things close on guitar. On funky, Junk In The Trunk , you get a definite Tower Of Power feel with nice horn work, Black again on lead vocal and excellent drum work from Olli...

I just received the newest release (April 21, 2015), Day Into Night , by Tad Robinson and it's smokin! Opening with smooth groovin' Soul Lover , Robinson shows just how much soul he has with has solid vocals joined by Caleb Green and Christal Rheams and understated horn work of Kenny Rittenhouse (trumpet), Liesl Whitaker (trumpet), Antonio Orta (tenor sax) and Bill Holmes (trombone). On Call Me, Kevin Anker on keys and Benjie Porecki on organ set a nice groove and Robinson takes a smooth ride vocally. He really does have the groove and delivers like a master (think Al Green). Lonely Talking has a great feel and the masterful guitar playing of two of my favorite contemporary guitarists, Anson Funderburgh and Johnny Moeller. This isn't your typical Texas guitar shootoff but a real soulful sway with honest tasty riffs playing against the beat. Excellent! He's Moved On opens with Bill Holmes warm trombone sound and Robinson keeps his vocals attack on the down low. Now...

Multiple Blues Music Award Nominee Tad Robinson Brings His Soul/Blues Sound from Day Into Night on New CD, Coming April 21 from Severn Records ANNAPOLIS, MD – Severn Records announces an April 21 release date for Day Into Night , the new CD from seven-time Blues Music Award nominee Tad Robinson. This new CD is the long-anticipated follow-up to his last release, Back in Style (2010), and features the soul/blues singer backed by the Severn Records house band of Johnny Moeller – guitar, Kevin Anker – keyboards, Steve Gomes – bass and Robb Stupka – drums. Joining in the fun are special guest appearances from blues guitar heavyweights Alex Schultz and Anson Funderburgh.   This veteran team of musicians, recorded at Severn Sound Studios in Annapolis, Maryland, shows its experience by focusing on how best to serve each song. “It’s not about excess,” notes Robinson; “rather, paring down the accompaniment to the essence of each song.” That restraint is...

Tad Robinson (born June 24, 1956) is an American soul blues singer. Robinson was born and raised in New York City, attending school at Indiana University's school of music and graduating in 1980. He played regionally with a group called the Hesitation Blues Band, then moved to Chicago, where he became the vocalist for Dave Specter & the Bluebirds, singing on their 1994 album Blueplicity for Delmark Records. In 1994 he released his first album under his own name on the same label; three more have followed, two on the Severn imprint.[1]