Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Hour Mama - The Blues Of Victoria Spivey - from Maria Muldaur and it's her best in years. Opening with My Handy Man , is easy going with Maria workin the vocals like it's her own. Backed by James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band (James Dapogny on piano, Kim Cusack on clarinet and alto sax, Russ Whitman on clarinet and tenor/baritone sax, Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet, Chris Smith on trombone and tuba, Rod McDonald on guitar and banjo, Kurt Krahnke on bass annd Pete Siers on drums). Solid opener. What Makes You Act Like That features Muldaur in duet with Elvin Bishop and their vocal styles work really well together. Danny Caron on guitar lays in some real nice guitar soloing and Johnny Bones on sax, Steve Height on bass, Neil Fortano on piano, David Matthews on piano, Beaumont Beaullieu on drums really make this track. Organ Grinder Blues really has an authentic feel with Tuby Skinny backing (Craig Flory on cl...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Get Happy Together , from Maria Muldaur and Tuba Skinny and it's captures the sound of the 20's and 30's. Opening with I Like You Best of All, Muldaur on vocal and Shaye Cohn on wild cornet, Todd Burdick on the anchor ... tuba, Barnabus Jones on super trombone, Jason Lawrence on 6 string banjo, Craig Flory with a great clarinet solo, Greg Sherman on guitar, Max Bien Kahn on guitar and Rubin Rupuzzi on washboard. I really like the clarinet / cornet play off each other. It sets the stage nicely and Jones is a strong trombone player so his work with Muldaur's vocals are classic. Taking the pace down quite a bit on Delta Bound , Flory and Jones again really work the track and Burdick's tuba work is terrific under Muldaur's vocals. I Go For That has great pace and excellent instrumental weaving that is so important in this period music as well as all Dixieland music. Very nice. One of Muldaur...

Tuba Skinny is a band that takes its listeners back in time to the traditional jazz and old blues music of the nineteen twenties and thirties. The members have been playing together since meeting on the streets of New Orleans five years ago, & officially began playing as Tuba Skinny during the spring of 2009. They have released three albums. Tuba Skinny is: Erika Lewis - Vocals Todd Burdick - Tuba Kiowa Wells - Guitar Shaye Cohn - Trumpet Barnabus Jones- Trombone Robin Rapuzzi - Washboard