Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Windows Through Time , by Mariah Parker and it's a refreshing breeze. Opening with The Very Wings , Mariah Parker on piano sets a percussive, irregular yet solid theme for the blossoming of this track. Joined by Gary Brown on bass and Mark Walker on drums the track continues to grow through the addition of melodic soloing by Matthew Montfort on guitar and Paul McCandless on sax. Very nice opener. With a Latin flavor, Sol de Barcelona has a really nice melody framed by Parker and McCandless. Montfort's guitar soloing is clean and concise, further elaborated by McCandless and augmented nicely by Sascha Jacobsen on bass, Mark Walker on on drums and Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion, developing into an elegant presentation by Parker on piano. Another Latin flavored track, Duende , features McCandless on melody over the solid piano work of Parker. Montfort's hand at Spanish style guitar is lush and Parker's solo...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Unfoldings , by Ian Wardenski , and it's thought provoking yet familiar, it's abstract but not free form, it's outrageous yet well composed, it's heady yet understandable. This release has 5 "songs" which are really one total composition divided loosely into 5 movements. Movement I opens with Frank Russo on drums laying down a cool rolling rhythm and Amy Shook punching the bass, leading to Savino Palumbo's energetic piano lead. Tamara Tucker adds a vocal lead actually bringing to mind extracts from Zappa compositions. Composer, Ian Wardenski shows his chops on guitar which really are tight and Mercedes Beckman on alto sax is fluid and mindful. Very cool opener. Movement II opens with Shook on bass crafting a riff, then additively altered by Russo who really plays tight, rock formed riffs on drums. Palumbo on piano really stretches and forms the melody on this track handing off to Wardenski w...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, ... O r What? , from Gerald Gradwohl and I really like it! Opening with Paradoxon , an excellent fusion track, the rhythm line is laid down by Kirk Covington on drums and Adam Nitti on bass. Gerald Gradwohl creates a great environment on Line 6 effects and crafts funky, jagged, free flowing guitar lead melody. Very cool! On Cheap Chunk , Covington and Nitti did a deep groove with soulful sax lead by Bill Evans, paired with Gradwohl on guitar. Evans and Gradwohl both take aggressive solos making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. No kidding! What Are We Gonna Do Tomorrow, is another track with a heap of funk. Nitti really knows how to pour on the heat with a bass infused lead line and solid solo and Covington adds some rhythmic vocal backed by Saskia Helige. Gradwohl lays in some really tasty guitar riffs for another solid addition to the set. The Course has an aggressive, rock fusion bottom with Gergo Bor...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live And Havin' Fun , from Deb Ryder and it's a boat load of high steppin fun. Opening with Fun Never Hurt No One , with it's pumping rhythm, Deb Ryder is upfront leading the way on gritty vocals and Lon Price and Joe Sublett on sax. Tony Braunagel lays down a steady drum rhythm with Ric Ryder on bass and Johnny Lee Schell on guitar. Paul Litteral on trumpet and Jim Pugh on trombone really open the track up with brass. Solid Opener. Temporary Insanity has plenty of sway with Schell leading the way on guitar and Pugh, Price and Litteral on horns. Ric's bass work adds a real nice bottom giving Deb a solid footing for her powerful vocals. Albert Lee lays down some real nice guitar riffs on Ma Misere for a strong addition to the set. Braunagel sets up a hot, New Orleans rhythm and Albert Lee picks some real nice riffs under the soulful vocals on Deb. Funky, I'm Coming Home , leads off with Price wailing o...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cooking With Gas , by Big Harp George and it's a solid set of original blues tracks. Opening with title track, Cooking With Gas , Big Harp George on lead vocal and chromatic harmonica leads the way on this sassy track with D'Mar Martin on drums, Joe Kyle Jr. on bass and featuring Michael Peloquin contributing a hot sax solo. Latin flavored Doom Loop has a tight drum and horn section with Doug Rowan on bari sax, Ed Morrison on trumpet, Peloquin on tenor sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Kid Andersen on guitars and great guitar flare from George. Soulful blues, Wine Is My Friend has a firm bass line by Kyle Jr. working with George's great vocals, Andersen on guitar and James Dwayne and Walter Morgan on backing vocals. Funky instrumental, Maceosity really moves with Jerry Jemmott on bass and D'Mar on drums. A lively horn section and Burns on keys fuels the flame and Peloquin on diatonic harmonica works in nicely ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soul Brother No.1 , from The Reverend Shawn Amo s, and it's a strong mix of R&B, rock, soul and blues. Opening with funky rocker, Revelation , driven by Jerry "Wyzard" Seay on bass and Steve Ferrone on drums. With Rev on vocal and wailing harmonica, Dapo Torimiro on keys, and Doctor Roberts soaring on guitar, this is a super opener. I love the Al Green feel on Back To The Beginning and solid backing vocals by the McCrary Sisters and The Crimm Singers. Soulful, Circles , features The Revs vocals, great guitar accents by James Saez and backing vocals by Denise Carite, Torimiro and Seay. Wrapping the release is Things Will Be Fine , a great soul track featuring Amos and Carite on lead vocal, backed by Torimiro, Seay and the McCrary sisters. 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’...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Play Loud & Smoke Often , from Cryin' Out Loud , and it's a good set of rocking blues. Opening with I Smoke Cigars and I Play The Blues , a jazzy blues rocker, Brandon Stallard on lead vocal and guitar gets things rocking joined by Ben Chute on guitar and slide, Jim Fratini on bass,  Erik Lawrence on sax, Mark "Bluesboy" Kanter on harmonica and Jeff Glidden drums. On boogie track, You Can Dance to the Blues , Fratini on bass sets the pace with Brooks Milgate on keys and piano and Stallard on vocal. Stallard lays in a hot guitar solo and Lawrence blows a cool sax solo of his own. My favorite track on the release is bass driven, Instead , with it's drum/bass echo rhythm and fiery guitar lead and full organ solo by Milgate and Lincoln Blake. Moonshine Lover has a light feel and memorable radio melody. With it's bouncy rhythm and vocal harmonies it plays well for airplay. Up tempo rocker, Time Awa...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At The Scala Theatre Stockholm , by Eric Bibb and it's my favorite in a long time. Opening with traditional track, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad , Eric Bibb on guitar and vocal creates a warm bluesy feel, with excellent slide guitar backing by Christer Lyssarides, Johan Lindstrom on pedal steel, Glenn Scott on bass, Olle Linder on drums, Greger Andersson on harmonica and Esbjorn Hazelius on fiddle. I love the depth and fluidity. Great opener. Led Belly's Bring Me Little Water , Sylvie benefits nicely from the warm, silky vocal of Bibb and Lindstrom on pedal steel, punctuated by Glen Scott on bass makes this track an excellent addition. Walter Vinson's, Things Is 'Bout Comin' My Way has always been one of my favorite blues tracks. I just love the melody. Wrapping the release is Mole In The Ground , another traditional track with very light accompaniment. Bibb always handles this classic t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Beautiful Sin , by Paul Black , and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Howl & Moan, a driving rocker, Paul Black on lead vocal, guitar, bass and harp is joined by Curtis Lieppi on drums, Wynn Cogol on Hammond, and Sarah Smith on back vocal for a strong opener. Swampy rocker, Better Man has a great bass line that carry Blacks lead vocals nicely. With a nice weave of organ by Cogol and Blacks own guitar riffs this track has that CCR feel. Very nice. The Way is a real nice rocker with real swagger. Black on vocal and slide give the track a tough bite and bass and organ reinforcement give it solid traction. It's the snappy rhythm by Malcolm Cooley that really sets up the track  on Losin Your Love . With just the right amount of funk, well placed organ work by Cogol and a bass/guitar combo by Black sets this thing on fire. Wrapping the release is Go On Home ,  a cool rocker with a punchy backbeat. Black...