Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Miles Of Blues from Professor Louie & The Crowmatix and it's a mix of stripped down rural blues. Opening with L-50 Blues , featuring Professor Louie and Miss Marie on lead vocal with Louie on keys, Gary Burke on drums, Frank Campbell on bass and John Platania on slide guitar. Passion In My Life is a cool shuffle track with Louie up front on vocal and hot piano and tasty guitar work by Platania with solid vocal backing by Marie. With  cool, New Orleans style drumming by Burke on Rain 40 Days , Marie has the lead vocals on this one and organ accent by Louie and funky bass by Campbell, this is one of my favorites on the release. Stinging guitar riffs by Plantania and warm organ work by Louie on Exit Zero gets just the right amount of punch by Nick Driscoll on sax, Jim Buckley on bari sax, Danny Coyle on trumpet and Chuck Smith on trombone. Marie's vocal highlight is on Please Send Me Somebody To Love . Louie...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Backland Blues from Waydown Wailers and it has flavors of the Dead and the Allmans with touches of British pop and American country. Opening with Back Door Woman , a bluesy shuffle, David Parker lead the way on vocal and guitar joined by Christian Parker on guitars, Connor Pelkey on bass, Michael Scriminger on drums and Professor Louie on piano. Up tempo country blues, I Want Your Soul has a great feel, drive and just the right guitar vamp. Very cool. With a modern, jazzy, almost Becker/Fagen styling, a cover of Elmore James'  Done Somebody Wrong is next showing total ingenuity. Another Bump In The Road has a southern rock feel and a Dead meets Marshall Tucker feel. Larry Williams' Dizzy Miss Lizzie retains much of the styling of the Beatles cover of this track with plenty of attitude and spunk. State Of The Union Mix has a cool Euro sound with nicely blended vocals, rhythm guitar and nice Hammond work by ...

I just received the newest release, Empty Promises , from Waydown Wailers and it has a swampy, rocky, pop sound. Opening with Don't Let Life Pass You By , lead vocalist and guitar player, Dave Parker leads and easy paced country rock track with a bit of cowboy and a bit of the New Riders influence and some nice steel guitar work from Christian "Moe" Parker, backed by Michael Scruffy Scriminger on drums and Connor Pelkey on bass and vocals. With a modified funky rock beat, Jealousy has a melodic, Tom Petty feel with a bit of hip hop delivery. Interesting. Title track, Empty Promises , is the "hit" track for the release with solid vocal hooks, and an arena rock feel. Waydown Blue has a light, breezy rock feel with a jazzy rhythm. Melodic vocals and balanced instrumental backing is the key here. No Time To Waste is a strait forward rocker with an almost Eric Clapton feel complimented by Moe's clean playing. St. Vraine is a cool ballad reminding me quit...

I just received a copy of the newest release, I Got Blues For Ya , from Michael Falzarano and it's a riot. Opening with The Night King Curtis Died , a lumbering 12 bar number, features strong vocals, lead and rhythm guitar from Falzarano, bass by Chris Matheos on bass, Ray Grappone on drums and excellent slide work from Kane Daily who has a lot of the feel of slide master Rod Price. Title track, I Got Blues For Ya , is structured along the Bo Diddley beat with a swampy feel and guitar not unlike Peter Green. Klyph Black joins on bass and Christian Cassan joins on drums. Josh Colow takes the lead guitar on I Never Think About You , a bluesy ballad. Professor Louie adds a cool piano runs and Miss Marie gives the track a warm texture on backing vocals. Colow lays out a few really nice compact solos on this track and the Professor rides the B3 high. A hot riding boogie, Snake Box Boogie , has a super beat and Falzarano really grinds this one out with the Professor and Colow for one...