Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Strongman Blues Remedy, Volume 1 , from The Strongman Blues Remedy and it's chocked full of foot tapping blues. Opening with blues rocker, Hard Luck , leader Steve Strongman adds great slide riffs, bass and harmonica to his solid lead vocal efforts for a super radio track. Joined by Dave King on drums and Jesse O'Brien on keys this is a great opener. Dawn Tyler Watson has the mic on Fine Young Man , a solid radio track with country and blues roots. Slick slide work by Strongman and with O'Brien on keys and King on drums, another fine track. Slow blues, White Lightnin' is my favorite track on the release with Strongman's best vocals on the release and strong, soulful, fluid guitar lead, backed by Alec Fraser on bass. Excellent! Crystal Shawanda has the mic on Tell Me I'm Wrong and her vocals are sassy and powerful against the bluesy riffs of Strongman. Wrapping the release is Love Comin' I...

  I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, Volume 1 , by Reverend Nathon and it's a rugged blues rocker. Opening with a boogie style rocker, Darker Shade Of Blues , Nathon Dees is upfront on guitar and vocal backed by Gary Delz on drums creating a solid romp. Low slung ballad, A Love Like Yours is a strong radio track with a cool melody and blues firm guitar soloing by Nathon. Very cool. Goin Fishin is another cool track with it's funky drum beat by Delz and fat slide guitar work by Nathon. Another ballad, Autumn Breeze also shows radio promise with a solid melody, sung over arpeggiated guitar chords and a standout guitar solo. Another cool boogie number is Walking On , with lofi under driven slide work. The track has basic fundamentals but it really appeals to me... possibly my favorite on the release. Very cool. If you like Deep Purple, then Deep is likely to appeal to you with it's Space Trucking feel. A solid rocker constructed on blues roots. Wrappi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Volume 1 , from New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers and it's great stuff. Opening with Blues, Why You Worry Me features Charlie Musselwhite on lead vocal  and harmonica. A strong Chicago style shuffle, also includes Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus on guitars, Jim Dickinson on piano, Luther Dickinson on guitars, mandolin, Cody Dickinson on drums, Chris Chew on bass and Paul Taylor on tub bass. Super opener. Charlie Patton's Pony Blues is a super follow up with it's Hill Country styling and Hart on lead vocal. It's no secret that Mathus is one of my favorite contemporary musicians with his quirky style and super grooves (not to mention his solid country sound). Night Time features Mathus on lead vocal and one of his infectious, funky grooves, driven by Chews' bass line and strong harmonica work from Musselwhite. Very cool. One of those cool party rags, Come On Down To My House , features the late...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From The Patio, Live at Poor House Bistro, Volume 1, from Ron Thompson and it's a strong, raw performance. Opening with Willie Dixon's Meet Me In The Bottom , Ron Thompson on vocal and guitar gets a running start with his grinding tempo with Scotty Griffin on drums, Dave Chavez on bass, Sid Morris on piano and Jim Pugh on organ. His solid groove and unpolished but excellent blues vocals are spot on. On Lightning Hopkins' Bring Me My Shotgun , Thompson shows just how close to the "real blues" his work is with excellent vocals, slide work and minimal bass and drums. Excellent! Bob Geddins' Tin Pan Alley, made popular to most by SRV gets a real nice workout by Thompson with not only really soulful vocals and solid piano work by Morris but with some real nice electric guitar work by Thompson. Very nice. Guitar Slim's Done Got Over It is another potent track with Jim Pugh on organ solo and rocka...