Blue Heart Records artist: Johnny Tucker featuring Kid Ramos and the Allstars - 75 and Alive - New Release Review

I just had the oppoortunity to review the most recent release, 75 and Alive, from Johnny Tucker featuring Kid Ramos and the Allstars and it's really good. Opening with All Night Long, All Night Wrong, a hot swinging shuffle, Kid Ramos on guitar shows why he is one of the top slingers in the business. Teaming up with Johnny Tucker on vocal, these guys are really humming with Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, John Bazz on bass, Jason Lozano on drums, Bob Corritore on harmonica, and with exceptional backing from Ron Dziubla on sax. Wow! Slow blues, There's A Time for Love, is a terrific track, really showcasing Tuckers soulful feel and giving Ramos a wide open road to show just how good he really is. Been listening to Ramos for years and on the rare chance that you don't know him from his solo work, this is an excellent sampling of his crisp, fluid style and bluesful phrases. Excellent! Chicago style shuffle, Can't You See is another solid vocal blues number with strong piano work by Leyland. Latin fused, What's the Matter gets a real going wit some great bends by Ramos adding great guitar tension a la Albert King. Dziubla's sax really punches up the bottom and Lozano's drum work is snappy. Hot! Snowplow is a strong instrumental with solo breaks for Ramos, Leyland, and Diubla. Strong loping shuffle with toneful jams. High energy, piano boogie, What's On My Mind is a driving from start to finish. Leyland drives the boat with a great bass line from Bazz and Corritore's harmonica work sweet. The band really gets humming on this one and Tucker gets so geared up that he's hooting. Excellent! Ramos breaks out his slide on Dance Like I Should giving it a real Chicago feel and between Tuckers hooting, Corritore's harmonica, and Leyland's piano work, this is another great addition. Wrapping the release is funky blues, Gotta Do It One Time, with a great presence. Bazz's bass is very active and Leyland really stirs the pot on piano. Ramos plays hot riffs under the lead and Tucker's natural excitement gives this final track a great kick. Never like to say this is the best or anything, but this is one of the best blues releases I've heard this year. Congratulations!

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Blue Heart Records artist: Adam Schultz - Soulful Distancing - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soulful Distancing, from Adam Schultz and it's a cool release with a strong soulful base. Opening with Johnny Guitar Watson's massive hit, A Real Mother For Ya, featuring Clarence Spady on lead vocal and guitar, Adam Schultz on guitar, Dan Cohen on bass, Sharon O'Connell on drums, Robert O'Connell on organ and Scott Brown on piano. Schultz phrasing is natural and "Watson like' making for a fun opener. Spady's lead vocal continues on Louis Jordan's Early In The Morning with it's Latin beat and BB King lke guitar phrasing by Schultz.
Adding cool sax solo work by Tom Hamilton, another cool entry. Original R&B track, Good Conversation, features Michael Angelo on lead vocal and George Benson like lead guitar phrasng by Schultz and really nice bass work by Jon Ventre.  Ekat Pereyra has the mic on soul track, Have Some Faith, a real nice track with solid radio appeal. With a twist of funky juice, Schultz takes the track on a little detour adding just the right guitar spice before returning to this straight up soul track. Breaking out Tyrone Davis' Can I Change My Mind, Spady is back up front on vocal and Schultz plays in the pocket nicely with fluid jazz/R&B guitar runs over George Benson like rhythm work by Spady, rich sax work by Hamilton and Cohen on bass. Wrapping the release is a faithful redo of Roosevelt Sykes' 44 Blues with Spady on lead vocal, O'Connell on organ, Sharon O'Connell on drums, Cohen on bass. Schultz lays down some stiff riffs giving the track plenty of sting making this a cool closer.  

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Blue Heart Records artists: Rob Stone, Elena Kato & Hiroshi Eguchi - Trio In Tokyo - New release review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (May 21, 2021), Trio In Tokyo from Rob Stone, Elena Kato and Hiroshi Eguchi and it's a solid entry in Chicago blues. Opening with shuffle, No Money, Stone on vocal and harmonica leads the way with Elena Kato on piano and Hiroshi Eguchi on bass. This is a cool acoustic piece with tight rhythm work. With R&B bones, Come Back Baby really showcases the strength of katon on piano under the lead vocal work of Stone. Very nice. Big Jay McNeely's classic R&B track,  There Is Something On Your Mind, gets an even bluesier feel with harmonica and the solid piano work of Kato under the strong vocals on Stone. Jump track, Jack You You're Dead, made popular by Louis Jordan and later by Joe Jackson is punched up with the fleet finger work of Kato, strong the bass line of Eguchi and the punchy harmonica and vocal work of Stone. Blow Fish Blow! is a strong instrumental featuring the lead harmonica soloing by Stone. Hot track and my favorite on the release. Wrapping the release is a powerful rendition of Ledbelly's Goodnight Irene featuring Stone on lead vocal and Kato adding gospel like piano support. Solid closer for a solid release. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Blue Heart Records release: Backyard Blues - Blues Society of Central PA. - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Backyard Blues, by the Blues Society of Central PA. It's a collection of tracks of varying blues styles written and performed by Central Pennsylvania artists and it's a lot of fun. Opening with A Bad Influence, a cool shuffle by Blues On The Loose featuring Lewy Dean on lead vocal and harmonica, Jay McElroy on keys and guitar, and Doug Porter on bass. Rose Hudson with Barrelhouse performs Since We've Been Apart, a slow blues with a lot of tension featuring a drone bass line by John McGovern, Mark Huber on keys, Tommy Leanza on drums and Steve Davis on guitar, supporting the resonant vocals of Hudson. The Mighty Klucks step up with potent guitar led instrumental, C Jam, featuring Todd Klucker on guitar, Christina Klucker on bass ad Sam Welday on drums. Very cool. Bob Wineland and the House Band lays down a real nice up tempo shuffle, What Have You Done For Me Lately, with a driving bass line, fluid keys and a tight drum rhythm. Wrapping the release is Buzzard Luck with True Force of Nature blending blues, rock and country. This is a cool set of blues fused music. 

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Blue Heart Records artist: Malaya Blue - Still - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Still, from Malaya Blue and it's a solid release with plenty of soul. Opening with title track, Still, UK singer/songwriter, Malaya Blue is joined by Nat Martin on guitar, Stevie Watts on keys, Mike Horne on drums and Eddie Masters on bass. Really nice vocal phrasing and a solid melody makes this a strong opener. With a funky beat and and some cool organ work, Down To The Bone has a great groove and Martin's guitar soloing is really tasty. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Why Is Peace So Hard with it's gospel overtones. Malaya really works this track and the organ work on Watts drives it home. Excellent! R&B track, You Kiss My Troubles Away has a great beat and with it's rhythmic vocal delivery, a solid radio presence. Another of my favorite tracks is jazzy R&B track, Settle Down Easy with a strong bass line from Masters and a solid vocal delivery by Malaya. Wrapping the release is rocker, Hot Love, with it's grinding guitar tones and driving rhythms. Blue has put together a solid release here. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Blue Heart Records artist: Crooked Eye Tommy - Hot Coffee and Pain - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hot Coffee and Pain, from Crooked Eye Tommy and I think it's a kicker. Opening with Son House's Death Letter Blues Crooked Eye Tommy opens this release with all of the attitude of Ronnie Van Zant in 1973 (think... I Ain't The One). With Tommy Marsh on lead vocal and guitar and paired with Paddy Marsh on guitar, Samuel Corea on bass, Charlie McClure on drums and Jimmy Calire on keys, this track has real swagger! Paddy takes the mic on Sittin in a Driveway, and it's a scorcher. Nicely paced with a great blues feel, one of my favorites on the release. Another standout track is Baby Where You Been pairing Tommy with Teresa James on lead vocal. This is a great R&B flavored track with strong sax work by Craig Williams. Contemporary blues rocker, Time It Takes To Live has a real strong melody and pairs Tommy and Paddy on guitar and vocal for an appealing radio track. Moving even further into the southern blues rock vein but with a hard pinch of jazz, The Big House seems a tribute to the Allmans. An instrumental track with strong lead guitar work and warm, rich organ by Calire, this is sure to be a crowd favorite. Wrapping the release is another of my favorites, horn flavored Congo Square with it's heavy rhythms and to my ear, African horn lines. This track really moves and with excellent sax work by Williams, hot drum work by McClure and hot guitar riffs, an excellent closer.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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