Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Raices/Roots , from Valeria Stewart and it's warm and refreshing. Opening with El Dia Mas Oscuro , Valleria Stewart on acoustic guitar and lead vocal creates a lush track accompanied by Kevin Dudley on acoustic guitar, Eugenio Ibarz on bass, Jason Walker on congas and bongos, Juan Megna on bombo leguero and Grey Jacks on harmony vocals. Very nice. Ballad, Eres Mi Amor , has a rich melody and ready for airplay mix with nicely stylized Spanish guitar by Dudley. No Eres Tu is another track with strong radio appeal with a strong melody and terrific harmony between Stewart and Jacks and a crisp Spanish guitar solo by Dudley. Wrapping the release is an Argentine folklore zamba ,  Zamba de Usted . Nicely documenting the richness of Stewart's voice, with simple percussion and Dudley's Spanish guitar work, this is a lovely closer.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release ( April 3, 2026 ), Slidemaster , from Rick Vito and it's great! Opening with Vegas Jump , things are immediately rolling on a Lonnie Chatmon thing with Rick Reed driving on drums, Charlie Harrison on bass and clean and wide slide by Rick Vito. Strong opener. I love the droning bass line on The Danger Zone by Vito who overlays soulful picking/slide reinforced by Charlie Johnson on drums. Very nicely done. Peter Green 's, Albatross is a nice addition to the set with warm chords, picked melody and authentic, "Green like" slide work. A real surprise on the release is a beautiful cover of Sam Cooke 's, A Change Is Gonna Come . The phrasing is delicate and the tones pure. Excellent! Another Peter Green composition, The Supernatural , has an eastern feel with a Latin beat by Lynn Williams on drums. Vito's slide work seems to just hang in the ether as he tastefully articulates the melody. Very nice. Wrap...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bright Colors On A Dark Canvas , by Naseem Alatrash and it's rich and earthy. Opening with Prelude , Naseem Alatrash, a Grammy nominated cellist plays a deer, rich cello solo with what sounds like a cavernous space. His strokes are crisp and intentional. Very nice. On Ramad , Alatrash is joined by Chase Morrin on piano and George Lernis on on percussion creating an energetic composition with a somewhat eastern/classical feel. Morrin's piano work is vibrant and Alatrash's cello work is tense and rhythmic. Exciting. Echoing In The Hollow is patient with Morrin on piano creating glistening statements, answered by Alatrash on cello. Lernis interjects a tight rhythm on percussion and is joined by Bengisu Gokce, Lilit Hartunian, Greta Myatieva, Heeyeon Chung, Aija Reke,Eric Mrugala, Liubomyr Senyshyn, Helen Sherrah-Davies, Miyu Imai on violins and David Wallace, Anna Stromer and Raymond Dineen on viola. Rich. Wra...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Very Moment , from Chenxi Pan , and it's quite good. Opening with Hymn for the Spring , vocalist and composer, Chenxi Pan opens with a light and beautiful voice accompanied by Shaonan So on piano and Anders Julsgaard on drums who create a misty atmosphere for her brilliant vocals. Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee on sax and clarinet, creates a more obtuse, yet lush melody joined by Julsgaard and Su handing off to George Grydkovets who elaborates nicely on guitar.  Crisp opener. With a light poppy melody and N-Lee on clarinet, Little Bells is a easy flowing song with brilliant guitar work by Grydkovets on guitar, Nicolas Bond on bass and Julsgaard on drums, adorned with cleverly interwoven clarinet and vocals. Very nice. Endless Summer is another standout track with improvisational vocals by Pan with Julie Kim on cello, Peyton Cook on violin, joined by Bond, Julsgaard and Su. Possibly my favorite track on the rel...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One For The Ride , from Matthew Curry and it's a solid rocker with a lot of flavor. Opening with high energy, Rum Stumblin' , Matthew Curry is back with great vocals and stinging guitars. With Francis Valentine on drums, Tim Brickner on bass, Mark Masefield on keys, Marc Russo on sax, Mike Olmos on trumpet and Mika Rinta on trombone this track has the intensity of Steve Gaines ' tracks penned with Skynyrd and all of the commercial polish of Glenn Frey . Top opener. Laid back, Dancing In The Kitchen , is a real nice track with what I consider the kind of writing sure to get Curry real attention as a song writer, I love his articulate guitar work on the track and his vocal are perfect, with the added backing of Rob Archer on B3. I can definitely see other artists covering this track. Very nice. Another favorite track on the release is rock funky, Ballad Of Jesse Ed Davis . It's good to see acknowledgement of...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Answers , from L. Shankar and it's a cool fusion of jazz, rock, pop and prog. Opening with title track, Answers , L. Shankar on vocal and double violin leads the way with Tony Levin on bass, Scott Seiver on drums and Dave Palmer on keys. On Innocent , Juliette Rose joins on vocals creating a nice pop rocker balance with Shankar vocally with Palmer creating a sea of keys. Keeping it light, Shankar mixes melody with guitar texture and solid drumming from Seiver for a definite radio standout. My favorite track on the release is To Live featuring Levin on bass, Stephen Perkins on drums, and Zac Baird on keys. Wrapping the release is pop rocker, Thinking with blended vocals by Shankar and tight drum rhythms by Perkins, Levin on bass and Palmer on keys. This release is quite pop oriented with strong instrumental backing.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Jaded , by Shouse and it's a substantial display of metal guitar prowess. Opening with a Synthesizer and electric guitar display by Mike Shouse on Romeo and Juliet theme it wets your appetite for what is to come. On A Bitter Cold , Shouse uses a solid hammer on technique running melodic rudiments on electric guitar. Very cool. On rocker, Smiley Faced Emoji , James Pulli on bass and Charlie Zeleny on drums lay a firm foundation and Shouse shows lightning fast shredding, wide vibrato and wild bends giving the track real commercial appeal. Title track, Jaded , has a real led footed drum kick and a moving bass line providing a firm bottom for Shouse to sculpt a scorching melody, with excellent phrasing, and solid suspended notes, hammering home his thematic concept. Wrapping the release is Upon Looking Back with a traditional rock rhythm and featuring Tony MacAlpine . A concrete bottom courtesy of Pulli and Zeleny rea...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Issaquena Getaway , from Charlie Barath and it's a lot of fun. Opening with cool strut,  I Gets Around , Charlie Barath on vocal and harmonica leads the way with the confident riffs of Andrew Sherer on guitar and Johnny Burgin on with solid lead guitar, Mark Yacovine on piano, Mike Law on bass and Danny Banks on drums. Cool opener. Slinky, Waitin' For The Queen , featuring a cool story by Barath a signature guitar solo by Burgin and soulful harmonica solo by Barath. Cool interlude. Shuffle, I Might Fall In Love , has a real nice lazy lope with an harmonica and guitar trades. A cool radio track with an easy melody, just perfect for kicking back. I really like Brass Monkey with Banks riding the up beat on drums, Yacavone on organ, and a jangly loose guitar solo by Burgin. On low slung, That Wasn't Me , Barath digs in on vocals and Burgin's guitar work is understated but it scratches the itch and a sou...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Mississippi Roots , by James "JB" Barnes and it's a solid set of blues, rock and soul. Opening with blues rocker, Get Up & Go Blues , Steven Braxton on lead vocals sets the pace with thumping bass by JB Barnes, Anthony Krizan on screaming guitar and drums, Jarred Barnes on keys. A driving ricker this is a solid opener.  Brown Eyed Blues Man features Krizan on lead vocal and Steely Dan like guitars. A shuffle style laid back track has strong radio appeal with Barnes on bass and backing vocals, Carmine Diorio on drums, Will Wilde on harp, and Chip Degaard on on keys. Hot footed blues number, The JB Shuffle features Wilde, leading the way on harp and Krizan on guitars. With JB winding in out on bass with Barnes on keys, a smoking solo by Krizan and Dave Moore on drums, this is a ripping track. A bluesy take on Hall and Oates ', Sara Smile , featuring excellent vocals by Braxton and excellent vocal...