Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dark Side of the Blues , Pat Fulgoni Live In Prague and it's a smoking cover of some of the top blues tracks that you know. Opening with Sonny Boy Williamson's classic, Help Me , Fulgoni on vocal gets this band rolling with Jan Martinek, Lukas Martinek and Richard Mader exchanging guitar riffs over the keys of Boris Secky and Jan Korinek, Brian Regan, Mick Reed, Vladimir Grunt on drums, and Leos Drabek, Robert Mader and Jason Riley on bass. On soulful, Hard Times , Fulgoni really turns on the heat and his guitar arsenal is right there with him creating a steamy, Ray Charles like feel and featuring Jim Corry on sax. Very nice. BB King's hit, the Thrill Is Gone gets a bouncy rework but without losing it's blues intensity. A real nice showcase for Fulgoni's vocals, the track actually seems to strut rhythmically as it rolls and the guitar intensity is tight. John Lee Hooker's boogie, Think Twice Before...

I just received the newest release, Hard Road , from Tom Killner and it's quite good. Opening with Dallas Green's, Coming Home , a stompin' blues rocker, featuring Tom Killner om lead vocal. Nigel Killner on bass, Jake Ashrom on bass and Jesse Courts on backing vocal. I really like this track with it's Delaney & Bonnie sensuousness and southern rock swagger. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked is a stiff poke in the face of American bands trying to do real southern rock. I mean, this band does really nicely what hasn't been done since RVZ died in the fatal crash of 1977. Very cool! Showtune, Feeling Good , made popular by Nina Simone, is a temperamental track with a nice blues edge, accented by Killner's vocal and guitar style. Extended lead soloing is certainly nicely executed and rhythm guitar has great tone. Excellent! Seether track, Fake It maintains it's pop rocky feel but with tasty guitar interpretation. Red Arnall song, Cocaine Blues gets an ...

I just received the newest release, Set Me Free , from Angela Lewis Brown and it's quite cool! Opening with Blues Blues Lovin' , a funky pop rocker, ALB shows her clear vocal style accompanied by Chris Carter on drums, Ashley Hurst and Dunbar Delmar on harp and with some tight guitar riffs from Alisdair Pickering on guitar. Set Me Free has a distinctive American soul feel with Carter and Pickering developing the rock component on guitars and Zenny Lee on backing vocal. Easy paced ballad, Summer Nights is nearly accapella with ALB and Lee harmonizng nicely with only the basic of guitar and drum as support. Very nice! I'm Feeling Good About Me is a prominent radio style track with all of the finesse and polish required of it. A strong melody, clear vocals and a good hook mike this a prime pick. Hopeless is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a soulful melody and really strong vocals. It has a nice groove and a solid bass with an easy stated guitar line. Very...