Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Golden Girl , from Trudy Lynn and I really like it. Opening with Tell Me and it's cool rhythm, Trudy Lynn really hits the road running lending no clues that she's reached that golden 75 mile marker. With the tasty guitar soloing of Yates McKendree, backing vocals of Teresa James, Brannen Temple on drums, Kevin McKendree on drums and Terry Wilson on bass this is a solid opener. Heavy footed If Your Phone Don't Ring , will have you slinking around in your seat and Lynn's vocals are really strong. Adding to the mix is Steve Krase on harmonica and real nice slide work by Yates. Boogie track, Trouble With Love is a grate addition featuring Anson Funderburgh on guitar, Krase on harmonica and strong low vocal backing by Wilson. Super. Funky, R&B style blues, Live With Yourself plays really well in Lynn's vocal wheelhouse and she drains every drop of soul out of this track. With horn backing by Darrell Le...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Get What You Give: Duets, from Dave Keller and it's a solid set of blues, R&B and soul. Opening with One More Tear , featuring Annika Chambers on vocal, Keller on lead vocal and guitar is backed by Ira Friedman on organ, Alex Budney on bass, Jay Gleason on drums, Mark Earley on sax, Mario Perrett on tenor sax and Tom Palance on trumpet. A potent R&B track and a super opener. Title track, You Get What You Give , pairs Keller with Annie Mack shows a lot of soul in this, radio track with it's strong, memorable melody. One of my favorite tracks on the release, The Evil That Men Do , features Keller trading lead with Trudy Lynn, Annika Chambers, Annie Mack and Johnny Rawls on what is definitely my favorite track on the release. It's composition is sophisticated and melodic and reminiscent of the best of early Elton John ballads. With Friedman on piano and Tom Palance on trumpet, this is a great track. L...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Long Live Them Blues Vol. 1 , from Houston based duo, Dry Johnson and I really like it. Opening with lumbering blues rumbler, Daddy's Got A Cadillac , features favorites Annika Chambers and Mike Zito on vocals with Zito and Terry Dry on guitars and Matthew Robert Johnson on drums. Cool opener. On title track, Long Live Them Blues , Trudy Lynn's distinct lead vocals are coupled with Steve Krase on harp and Mighty Orq on guitar for a grinding groove. John Del Toro Richardson has the lead on guitar and vocal on Hit That Highway , a real nice blues shuffle. Two stepper, Drunk Girl With A Tambourine has kevin Snit Fitzpatrick on lead vocal and the Mighty Orq on guitar. This is really a strong track with kick. Juke Joint is a slick shuffle with a Bob Wills feel. Featuring Dry on lead vocal and Mighty Orq and James Wilhite on guitar this track is a great swinger. A track with a lot of texture is I Walk Alone featuri...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Keep Knockin' , from Trudy Lynn and it's solid blues. Opening with two stepping, Blues Ain't Nothin' featuring Bob Lanza on guitar, Steve Krase on harp, Terry Dry on bass, and Matt Johnson on drums. With powerful vocals and a driving bottom, a solid opener. On Jimmy Rogers track, That's Alright , Lynn gets into a solid groove and Randy Wall on piano and Krase on harp lay down nice solos. One of my favorite tracks on the release is One Monkey Don't Stop No Show with clever lyrics, and hot horn work by Dan Carpenter on sax and Jim brady on trumpet. Another powerful track, I Sing The Blues finds Lynn really digging in vocally, with clean guitar work by David Carter. Again Bob Lanza's tasty guitar work comes into play on Pitiful , a super slow blues number. Lynn milks every drop of juice out of this track, working Lanza into a nice guitar frenzy. Very nice.  Hot sax work by Carpenter and...

Singer Trudy Lynn Declares Blues Keep Knockin’ on Her New Connor Ray Music CD, Coming July 27 New Album Features Special Guests Steve Krase, Bob Lanza and Carolyn Wonderland HOUSTON, TX – Six-time Blues Music Award nominee Trudy Lynn will release her new CD, Blues Keep Knockin’ from Connor Ray Music on July 27.  Backing Trudy’s vocals on the new disc are m usicians Steve Krase – harmonica; David Carter – guitar; Terry Dry – bass; Matt Johnson – drums; Jim Brady – trumpet; and Dan Carpenter – sax; with special guests Bob Lanza and Carolyn Wonderland on guitar. Trudy was recently honored with three nominations for the Living Blues Magazine Awards, with voting currently underway at the magazine’s website: www.livingblues.com . “I want to thank all my blues fans new and old, or should I say ‘mature,’ for being with me through my journey with the blues, both near and far,” Trudy says in the album liner notes. “My name is Trudy Lynn and I sing t...

Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase Set Euro Tour Dates in May and June HOUSTON, TX – Connor Ray Music artists Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase announce a series of European dates that will take the blues singer and harmonica player to Germany, France, Spain and Norway on a two-week tour during May and June. Lynn and Krase will perform at a combination of outdoor festivals, concert halls and showcase venues that will give blues fans a chance to hear the two artists up close and personal. They’ll be  performing songs from Lynn’s current CD, I’ll Sing the Blues for You , which helped garner her a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Traditional Blues Female Performer (aka the Koko Taylor Award) as well as  Krase’s new album, Should’ve Seen It Coming , which is set for release on April 21. Both artists make special guest appearances on each other’s new albums. "I’m looking forward to bringing my new music to all my fans over there,” exclaims Trudy Lynn about the upcoming show...

Acclaimed Houston Blues Singer Trudy Lynn Signs with Piedmont Talent for Booking Representation Trudy Lynn Just Nominated for a Blues Music Award in Traditional Blues Female Category HOUSTON, TX – Connor Ray Music artist Trudy Lynn, whose latest CD is drawing rave reviews and substantial radio airplay for I’ll Sing the Blues for You , has been signed by Piedmont Talent for booking representation. Trudy was also just announced as a nominee for the Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) by the Blues Foundation in Memphis for the upcoming Blues Music Awards in May. “Piedmont Talent is honored to add Blues/Soul legend Trudy Lynn to our roster,” said Piedmont Talent CEO Jay Stollman in making the announcement. “Trudy’s profound talent and acclaimed musical history clearly define her as the ‘real deal’....a standout among the field of Blues vocalists, past and present. Simply put, Trudy Lynn sings the Blues as the Blues deserves to be sung....with heart, soul, p...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'll Sing The Blues For You , from Trudy Lynn and she doesn't miss a beat. Opening with rockin' blues shuffle, Alright Baby , Lynn is joined by Steve Krase on harp, David Carter on guitar, Terry Dry on bass, Randy Wall on keys, and Matt Johnson on drums. A cool jam, Lynn leads the way and Krase is really jammin'. On Lowell Fulsom's Black Night , Carter steps up with a cool guitar solo, nicely framing Lynn's featured vocals. With a cool bass line by Dry, Thru Chasin' You , has a funky bottom and cool instrumentation. Shuffle, Honky Tonk Song , has a real nice groove with lead harp work by Krase and tight key work by Wall. Memphis Minnie's World Of Trouble is up next and the definite standout track on the release. Lynn's vocals are deep and sultry bathed in blues. Ramblin' Blues is a easy driving blues along the lines of Key to The Highway. Lynn lays it out there capped nicely by K...

Connor Ray Music Set to Release New CD from Acclaimed Houston Blues Singer Trudy Lynn, I’ll Sing the Blues for You , on October 21 Trudy Lynn Will Celebrate New Album’s Release with a Special Show at Houston’s Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club on Saturday, October 22 HOUSTON, TX – Connor Ray Music announces an October 21 release date for I’ll Sing the Blues for You, the new CD from acclaimed Houston-based blues singer Trudy Lynn. I’ll Sing the Blues for You features 10 tracks dripping with blues, soul and R&B, and includes her unique takes on songs from Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulsom, Memphis Minnie and Johnny Copeland, among others, as well as the funky original, “Thru Chasin’ You,” destined to be a fan favorite. Backing Trudy on the new album are label president Steve Krase on harmonica, David Carter on guitar, Terry Dry on bass, Randy Wall on keyboards and Matt Johnson on drums.   Trudy Lynn will celebrate the new album with a special CD rele...

I just received the most recent release, Everything Comes With A Price , from Trudy Lynn and it's quite enjoyable. Opening with blues swinger, I'm Gonna Latch On , Lynn immediately establishes why she has been nominated for the BMA Koko Taylor award for female vocalist in 2015 and 2016. Harp man Steve Krase hits the harp square on adding cool riffs and The Mighty Org lays down some really nice guitar riffs as well. Slinky blues number, Fat Daddy , has a great groove and super harp riff, backed by Randy Wall on keys, Paul Lil Buck Senegal on lead guitar and Terry Dry on bass. Lynn has a great swagger on Everything Comes With A Price and Krase is right there to match her on harp. Wall's keys add nicely on this track in particular and Lil Buck sets a great groove of his own on guitar. Very nice! Wall plays a most excellent solo on Yesterday I Was Lonely , a slow blues number and Lynn digs deepp for some of her most heartfelt vocals on the release. Super! My Alley Boogie ,...

Blues Singer Trudy Lynn & Glyn Westcott President Houston Blues Society Trudy Lynn Inducted Into Houston Music Hall of Fame The artists and the fans came out to celebrate Houston, TX  - T he stars came out big and bright deep in the heart of Texas as the annual Houston Press Music Awards ceremony came to life and the evening did not fail to excite those in attendance.  The event location, Warehouse Live, well known as the premiere spot for both national and local talent, played host to the 2015 HP Music Awards ceremony.  It was a virtual sea of who’s who within the music community from start to finish.  On this partic...

The Incredible, Irrepressible Trudy Lynn The Incredible, Irrepressible, One of a Kind Trudy Lynn   Currently nominated for a 2015 Living Blues Award If you have ever attended a Trudy Lynn performance then you know from experience that the blues lives within this woman's soul.  As you watched and listened you may have recognized that what you were experiencing was not some kind of contrived, elaborate put on stage show.  Oh no there was ...