Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The River's Invitation , by Robert Allen Parker is it's quite entertaining. Opening with rocker, The Sound Of A Revolution , a vibrant instrumental with smoking drums by Paul Taylor, Brian Wells and Howard Grimes, Parker on guitars and Gerald Stephens  on keys. My favorite track on the release is traditional Jesus Is On The Main Line with great slide by Parker and strong vocal work by Kennard Farmer, Sheba Potts- Wright and Hope Clayburn. Excellent! Indian Dream / 1 Way 2 Fly is a cool track with soaring violin work by Krista Lynne and Cello by Jana Misener, breaking into a crisp, Kink's like rocker. Farmer is again up front on lead vocal with Parker setting a guitar rocking feel and offering up some cool blues rock riffs. Progressive jazz rocker, The Movement, features Stephens on keys and cool Latin percussion by Michael Alan Todd and Melvin Turner under fluid Latin rock guitar riffs. Very cool. Another of...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'm A Tiger , from Tokyo Tramps and it's a pop blues rocker. Opening with I'll Stay And Take Care of You , a rocking track with a cool back beat features Satoru Nakagawa on vocal and guitar, Yukiko Fujii on bass, keys and vocals and Tim Carman on drums, percussion and vocals. Pop ballad and title track, I'm A Tiger features Fujii on lead vocal and shimmery guitar work by Nakagawa on guitar. Long Day has a cool New Orleans flavor with funky drums and percussion work by Carman and grinding blues guitar ruffs by Nakagawa. Wrapping the release is instrumental, Lovin' Man , with it's quiet ballad like form and featuring Nakagawa on lead guitar melody.  Overdubbing additional guitar soloing in layers, this is a cool 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 P...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Volume 3  from Blind Racoon Nola Blue Collection and it's chocked full of tasty tracks. Opening with Time To Forget You , from Willie Bo Walker and Danny Flam , a slow paced blues track with screaming slide and fat horns is always a great start. John Nemeth 's contribution, I Can See Your Love Shine , has a cool modified reggae beat with some tasty guitar and harp work with a poppy feel. Clarence Spady 's, Surrender is a warm, slow blues with cool, soulful vocals, tight, nicely phrased guitar riffs and crystal clear piano. Laura Tate 's I Need A Man , features solid vocals and with punchy horns and snappy drums, and really nice piano work, commands attention. CD Woodbury performs classic, Can't Eat That Stuff No More , with plenty of humor and spunk. Dudley Taft blends blues and rock for The End Of The Blues , with his own stylistic boogie rock and rock guitar styling. Rocker, Memphis Hotline , is Bri...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (March 26, 2021 ... today ), Volume 2 from New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers and it's really strong. Opening with Blues For Yesterday, Charlie Musselwhite on lead vocal and harmonica sets a Chicago feel with Alvin Youngblood Hart on guitar, Jimbo Mathus on guitar, Jim Dickenson on piano, Luther Dickinson on guitar, Cody Dickinson on drums and Chris Chew on bass. On Doug Sham's She's About A Mover , Alvin Youngblood Hart has the lead vocal spot and Musselwhite lays in some really nice harmonica. Jimbo Mathus has lead vocal on Searchlight , probably the most Chicago I've heard form Mathus since his work with Buddy Guy. A solid bass line from Chew and well placed guitar and harmonica work makes this track fly. Charles Mingus' Oh Lord, Don't let Them Drop That Atom Bomb is a really nice showcase for Jim Dickinson on piano and vocal. This is a truly soulful track and one of the highlights of the rele...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Blues Proper Sessions Vol. 2 , from Shakin' Woods and it's a cool mix of blues and pop. Opening with blues jam, Enemy , with it's slow, electric blues roots. With singer/guitarist Rich Russman leading the way, this is a strong opener with firey riffs and solid backing by Austin Day on keys and Paul Dudley on drums, this is a solid opener. On Robert Johnson penned, I Believe I'll Dust My Broom with it's strong nod to Elmore James, Day takes over lead vocal and lays down some real nice slide guitar. Wrapping the release is Peter Green's Long Grey Mare with a cool British rock rhythm guitar and bass and lead harmonica work by Rob Paparozzi. Cool 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 fo...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, No Running From The Blues , from Reverend Randy Mac , and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with title track, No Running From The Blues , lead singer Richard Fidge, is joined by Randy Mac on guitar and bass, Timothy Sears on drums, Neil Barbu-Rip on organ, Kim Lange on backing vocal, Dennis Orris on piano and Eric Noffz on sax. With it's rockfunky bottom and strong drum rhythm and blues based guitar soloing, the band is off and running. With a rocking, walking bass line, Have A Good Time really gets moving and with power, John Lord like organ work by Barbu-Rip and a rowdy guitar solo by Randy Mac this track is a mover. Another funky rocker, So Mean , has a cool edge and features a thumping bass solo and flaming guitar solo by Randy Mac. My favorite track on the release is Are You Ready with rocking rim shot and a driving bass line. Up tempo boogie, Fools Paradise , has a great beat and with power organ and tight ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dance Songs For Hard Times (April 9, 2021), from Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band and it's gritty and solid. Opening with Ways and Means , with it's raw, Hill Country like sound. Peyton on lead vocal and guitar and backed by Breezy Peyton on washboard, percussion and vocal and Sad Max Senteney on drums, percussion and vocal, this track has real stones. It's primitive rhythm and sparse instrumentation, it's what blues is all about. Excellent opener. Rocker, Rattle Can is propelled by slide guitar and driving percussion. Peyton really winds it out on this one and his call response with Breezy is terrific.  No Tellin' When, a real blues, with authentic style vocals and guitar percussion is the real deal. This is the kind of track that reflects the real power in the Son House and Lightning Hopkins recordings. Very nice. Sad Song not only has the grit of original blues but also the undercut funk of Little...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (April 2, 2021), Living In The Last Days , from Elizabeth King and it's deeply spiritual. King, who was never expected to walk again after a terrible auto accident in 1969 took her first steps and pledged herself to the Lord. King quite recording sacred soul in the mid seventies concentrating on raising her 15 children. Her new release opens with No Ways Tired , a soulful track with the powerful lead vocal of King, backed by Will Sexton on guitar, Mark Stuart on bass, George Sluppick on drums and Matt Ross - Spang on guitar plus Al Gamble on organ, rick Steff on organ, Chris Barnes on vocal, Courtney Barnes on vocals Art Edmaiston on horns, Jim Spake on horns and on vocal and Wurlitzer. Stuart's bass line sets a cool theme for the track and King's vocals are powerful. With a distinct, almost Muscle Shoals like sound, this is a solid opener. With it's R&B styling but with the revival uplift, Living In The...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Peanuts , from Sauce Boss , and I think it's his best yet. Taken from the original score for the Jimmy Carter film, Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President, this release opens with Let the Big Dog Eat , a romping rocker with a heavy bass line by Majic John Jones and rowdy vocals by Boss, backed by Pat Ramsey on harmonica, Lucky Peterson on organ, and Shannon Kori on drums. Zipper Bird is a cool blues rocker with Boss winding it out nicely on slide guitar. Very cool. Slinky, Alligator , is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a funky back beat and with Ramsey answering Boss's wailing vocal call on harmonica over a strong bass line. Very cool. Outlaw Blues is a raw, blues specifically working Boss' slide work and holler vocals over a driving drum beat. Gotta love this. Out In The Night is a strong rock jam that I would associate with Joe Walsh's style. It has pure blues rock bones and elevated guitar...