Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Venetian , from Vincent Venezia and it's a cool but inventive exploration into the classics. Opening with The Days Of Wine And Roses, Vin Venezia presents the melody with flowing electric riffs, backed by Richie Morales on drums, Harvie S. on bass, and David Budway on piano. Harvie steps out with a real nice bass solo giving the track more depth. Nice opener. Venezia's take on Stella By Starlight is really nice with sure footed, guitar riffs and a tight drum rhythm. With his clean presentation and nice interlude by Budway, this is a real nice track.  Jobim's classic How Insensitive , is a really nice break in the set with a strong Latin rhythm giving Veneziia a broad canvas to paint. Also of note is a health, well presented solo by Harvie. Very nice. Davis' Tune Up is really nice with lead melody by Danny Walsh on tenor sax. Paired with Venezia and his fluid guitar runs, this track takes yet another d...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Rose-Colored Glasses Vol. 2 , by Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps , and it's got a great feel. Opening with blue rocker, I'd Do It For You , James on piano and lead vocal, enlists Brannen Temple on drums, Terry Wilson on bass, backing vocals, B3, Rhythm guitar, and Billy Watts on lead guitar. Solid opener. Easy, laid back, pop ballad, That's What I'm Talking About has terrific radio appeal with it's smooth melody and James really nice vocals. Slinky, Ain't Nothing For Certain , is another track with strong radio appeal with James really doing a nice job deliveing the melody and  Matt Lomeo featuring counterpoint on harmonica. Wrapping the release is Second Chance with a tight rock delivery. James on lead vocal always hits it square on and with backing by Braunagel on drums, bass, guitar, Wilson on backing vocal, Kevin McKendree  on piano and Bennett Salvay on B3, this is an upbeat closer.    ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blu Ja Vu , from Tom Hambridge , and it's potent set of blues rock tracks with plenty of gusto. Opening with Ain't It Just Like Love , Tom Hambridge joins up with Buddy Guy on vocal, (Hambridge on drums and Guy on guitar) with bass by Tommy MacDonald, Kevin McKendree on on keys and featuring an explosive guitar solo by Guy. Strong opener. Rob McNelley on lead guitar really gets things cranking on Wear You Out with a driving beat and solid vocals by Hambridge. Shuffle, Blues Don't Care , features Kingfish on guitar and vocal and this track has great style. Hi power Brother John Boogie features harmonica superman, James Cotton with Glenn Worf on bass, Chuck Leavell on keys, and of course Hambridge on drums. Excellent! Another great boogie, Get Out Of Town features McKendree on vicious keys and Hambridge on vocal. Very cool. Stripped down blues, Johnny Winter , features excellent slide work by McNelley, Hambridg...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At The Hidden Gem , from Chris Yakopcic and it's a solid set of Delta and Piedmont style blues. Opening with original composition, Gotta Get Goodbye Somehow , singer/songwriter and guitar player, Chris Yakopcic opens his set. With contemporary folk blues styling, Yakopcic has firm guitar footing and a strong vocal approach.  On one of Robert Johnson's better known compositions, Traveling Riverside Blues , Yakopcic shows a lot of feel with percussive guitar attack and wailing vocal. Very nice. Another Johnson composition, Kind Hearted Woman , has a much smoother approach with a more romantic sound and precise guitar accompaniment. Original composition, Sounds of the Highway , has a Blake feel with a certain contemporary edge. Fine guitar work and vocals make this the likely top track on the release. Wrapping the release is a rousing cover of Johnson's Preachin' Blues with Yakopcic working his national ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Too Much Blues ,  from Willie J. Laws Jr. and it's dripping in funky blues. Opening with Regl' Ol' Blues , Willie J. Laws Jr. on vocal and guitar sets the stage for a soulful sort of blues. His phrasing is super and his guitar work mature, backed by Dave Johnson on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys, Justin Blackburn on drums, Erik Lawrence on sax, and Siobhan Magness on backing vocals. Strong opener. Stuck in Traffic is a particularly cool track with that Curtis Mayfield funky stew feel. Laws uses a great blend of vocal and guitar to get just the right mix. Title track, Too Much Blues has a super bass line by Johnson leading the way and Jaws singing in somewhat a BB King style with real nice guitar phrasing, punched up by Milgate on organ. Another funky blues, You Don't Love Me , really has a great feel, alternating Johnson's bass line with Laws' vocals, tied together by Milgate on keys and Blackburn o...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, T-1 Contact Information , from Tu-Ner and it's an excellent exploration of a theme. With some of the most prestigious names in Avant-Garde / progressive rock style music, this is quite an exhibition spread over 2 CDs.  Opening with Crowfin , Pat Mastelotto, lays out a really interesting rhythm pattern over which Markus Reuter creates an adventurous lead on guitar with atmospheric contributions by Trey Gunn on stick. If you aren't familiar with this trio, Reuters has been pioneering this style of music for quite some time wit this band as well in other endeavors. Mastelotto is widely known for his work with King Crimson as it Gunn who also had his ow band as well as a member of KTU. 31 is a deep groove with a solid funky like bass line from Gunn. Very nice. On Contact Information, an extremely heavy footed track, Mastelotto sets a deep stage and Reuter literally soars. Poem About A Sad Horse is a cool. introspect...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, TechnoCats: The Music Of Gregg Hill , by TechnoCats and it's got a real nice feel. Opening with shuffle, Come On Down , the TechnoCats have a solid groove going with Michael J. Reed on drums, Xavier Davis on piano and Javier Enrique on bass. Nathan Borton on guitar sets off with a real nice guitar solo and Chris Glassman on bass trombone, lays out a real nice one as well. Enrique plucks a real nice bass line and gets a stretch to solo as well. Strong opener. After a nicely presented piano intro by Davis on I Want To Live , Glassman takes the lead on trombone, improvising around a strong melody. Davis rolls back in with inciteful piano lead over the solid bass line and soloing of Enrique and tight drumming of Reed. Very cool. Latin flavored, Rista! Rista! is a cool, up tempo track with a lively bass line, tight percussion, and excellent solos by Borton, Davis and Glassman. This is my favorite track on the release. Sunn...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Pass It On Down , by Chris Beard and it's a super set of blues, soul and R&B tracks. Opening with funky, Let The Chips Fall , with Brother Wilson on rhythm guitar, Marvin Parker on bass, Carlton Campbell on drums, John Tucker on keys and featuring Chris Beard on lead guitar and vocal. Hot opener. Rocker, Big Girl , has influence of Santana and the Isleys with a solid melody and vocals, a rich lead guitar solo by Beard and backing by Richard Rodolph on bass, Quinn Lawrence on horns, Jonathan Curry on keys and Duane Beard on backing vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is House Of Shame with slashing lead guitar work and deep vocal by Beard. Backing vocals by Mary Ellen Haden really add the right element and Parker's bass lines and tight drum work by Campbell make this one of the nicest tracks on the release. Strong bluesy R&B track, Son I Never Knew , has a real nice groove with Beard trading off...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues From Caucasia , by Tom Buenger and it's an entertaining mix of blues, gospel, neo soul, country and rock. Opening with Above The Sun , a hand slapping revival track, Tom Buenger on lead vocal and harmonica, Chris Eger on guitar, Cyrus Zerbe on drums, Richard Williams on bass  really gets things moving. On That Ain't Right Buenger hits a solid, old school blues vein with great vocals and rich harmonica accompaniment over tight drum and bass bottom. Another track with a wealth of gospel richness is Don't Stop with backing vocals by Teresa Russell and Rafael Tranquilino. Very nice. With a neo soul arrangement, Feel Alright has a contemporary approach that could easily run high on the air. Excellent vocals by Buenger, Tranquilino and Russell. Wrapping the release is Soul of a Man with excellent vocal blending by Buenger, Russell and Tranquilino blending soul, blues, and gospel for a dynamite closer.  ...