Bman's Blues Report

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL TICKETS GO ON SALE ON 1 DECEMBER Tickets for next year’s Cambridge Folk Festival, one of the most prestigious folk festivals in the world, will go on sale on Tuesday 1 December at 10am. This year, as part of its aim to develop young audiences, Cambridge Live has introduced new reduced ticket prices for 16-17 and 18-21 year olds, and retained the 2015 price for 5-15 year olds. The Cambridge Folk Festival, which has been running since 1965, is renowned for its eclectic mix of folk styles. It provides an opportunity for festival-goers to enjoy world famous folk acts alongside the finest country, blues and roots artists, acclaimed singer-songwriters, world music and the best traditional artists from the UK and Ireland. Held in the beautiful parkland setting of Cherry Hinton Hall, the Festival is known for its relaxed atmosphere, excellent facilities and family friendliness. It offers something f...

I just received the newest release, Ain't Bad Yet , from Micke Bjorklof (pronounced Be-York-Loaf) & Blue Strip and it's an excellent blues rocker. Opening with Last Train To Memphis , a driving rocker with great blues riff. Vocalist Micke Bjorklof leads the way and guitarist Lefty Leppanen chases on slide guitar backed by Teemu Vuorela on drums and Seppo Nuolikoski on bass. On Sweet Troublemaker , the band picks up a serious rock beat heavily reinforced by Vuorela on drums and Nuolikoski on bass. Tim Lewis joins on keys with Micke on lead vocal, Lena Lindroos and Veera Railio on backing vocal and Lefty on slide. Excellent rocker! Lefty opens Rain In Jerusalem with really rich, thick slide tones reinforced by Lewis on keys. With Timo Roiko-Jokela on percussion and Vuorela on drums, this track has a super rhythm. Super track! Offbeat funky, Get Ya In Da Mood has it's own sound and Bjorklof adds blues harp to his lead vocals. Lefty lays down a really nice guitar solo...

I just received the newest release, Grooving At The Crosse Roads , from Heather Crosse . This is an 11 track release of pure contemporary pop/light jazz music with a twist on R&B/Blues. Backed by Heavy Suga' & The SweetTones ,this release has some real bright spots. Crosse plays bass as well as performs on lead vocal and does a real nice job. On opener My Man Called Me ,Dan Smith hits a real nice guitar riff and Mark Yacovone sets a perfect stage on piano. On Why Does A Woman Need A Bass Guitar , Crosse really plays heavy bass with a few hot bass riffs in addition to what I'd call lead bass under the melody. Very nice! Clarksdale Shuffle is light and easy and Crosse's vocals are sweet as mama's home made pie. My favorite track, Hurryin' Up To Relax , has a cool R&B feel and warm backing vocals by Sandy Carroll. Nice shuffle track, Walking In Their Shoes finds Smith laysing out some really tasty guitar and slide solos and Yacovone's piano work is...

I just received the newest release, Hard Road , from Tom Killner and it's quite good. Opening with Dallas Green's, Coming Home , a stompin' blues rocker, featuring Tom Killner om lead vocal. Nigel Killner on bass, Jake Ashrom on bass and Jesse Courts on backing vocal. I really like this track with it's Delaney & Bonnie sensuousness and southern rock swagger. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked is a stiff poke in the face of American bands trying to do real southern rock. I mean, this band does really nicely what hasn't been done since RVZ died in the fatal crash of 1977. Very cool! Showtune, Feeling Good , made popular by Nina Simone, is a temperamental track with a nice blues edge, accented by Killner's vocal and guitar style. Extended lead soloing is certainly nicely executed and rhythm guitar has great tone. Excellent! Seether track, Fake It maintains it's pop rocky feel but with tasty guitar interpretation. Red Arnall song, Cocaine Blues gets an ...

I just received the newest release, Buy My Soul Back , from Kevin Selfe and it really gets down. Opening with rockin' blues track, Picking Empty Pockets , Selfe leads the way on vocal and guitar. His clever turnaround riffs and wild solo is highlighted by a super sax solo by Peter Moss and supported by Allen Markel on bass, James Pace on organ, Steve Kerin on piano and Jimi Bott on drums. Great opener. Chicago style blues shuffle, Fixed It Til It's Broke , features Mitch Kashmar with some great harp work and a great bass lead by Willie J. Campbell. Title track, Buy My Soul Back , has a R&B feel with solid horn backing from Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Chris Mercer on tenor sax and Brad Ulrich on bari sax. Pace provides a nice bed of organ and Selfe handles the lead vocals nicely, backed by Lisa Mann and also lays in some really nicely styled guitar riffs giving the track a bit of a sting. Digging My Own Grave has a old blues feel with a grungy blues guitar riff under the dr...

I just received the newest release, Bad Love , from Little Boys Blue and it's quite entertaining. Opening with Bad Love , JD Taylor leads off with powerful vocals and harp work. Steve Patterson, on lead guitar, lays in a nice guitar solo backed by Alex Taylor on guitar, Mark Brooks on drums, Dave Mallard on bass and Dave Thomas on keys, leading to a real nice harp solo from Taylor. Jump blues, She Put Me Down is solid with Thomas on B3 and really giving a wide open table to Taylor for strong harp work. Patterson shows his quick hand on guitar followed by a nice run by Thomas on B3 and back to Taylor who takes it home. Excellent! R&B track, Treat Me Like You Used To , has a solid radio feel with a nice hook and balanced backing vocals from Dave Mallard, Lindsay Patterson, Kimberlie Helton and Josh Smith. Horn work from Ralph Thomas on sax, Chuck McGill on sax and David Kyles on trumpet punches up the track. Southern funk rock track, Death Letter Blues shows strong influenc...

Cleopatra Blues Imprint To Release “A Double Dose Of The Blues” A Star-Studded Collection Of Blues Legends From Both The US & The UK Los Angeles - Cleopatra Blues Imprint is releasing a deluxe 2-for-1 package featuring a star-studded tribute to the music of John Lee Hooker (From Clarksdale To Heaven - Remembering John Lee Hooker) and a superb gathering of UK bluesmen (Knights Of The Blues Table)! “A Double Dose Of The Blues” features Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker, Gary Moore, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, Gary Brooker, Peter Green, Clem Clempson, Johnnie Johnson, Georgie Fame, and lots more plus a special appearance on harmonica by Mick Jagger! Track List: DISC 1 1. Zakiya Hooker, Johnnie Johnson & Bobby Murray - I Want To Hug You 2. Jack Bruce & Gary Moore - I’m In The Mood 3. LLC (Leo Lyons, Ric Lee & Vince Converse) - I’m Bad Like Jesse James 4. Jeff Beck - Will The Circle Be Unbroken 5. Gary Brooker & Andy Fairweather-Low...

With it's "get after it" rock beat, Stolen Hearts opens their newest release, Dirty Southern Soul with The Dream , a radio style rocker featuring Pam Taylor on lead vocal and Eric Lovell laying down guitar riffs and Rick Blacwell on bass. Carolina Days , another rocker, this time with Robert Johnson Jr. on lead vocal, backed by Taylor has a John Cougar casualness about it. Do You No Harm has a homier feel with a slight taste of country mixed into the stew. A catchy hook and smooth backing vocals, with acoustic guitar rhythm makes this track an automatic cross radio track. Bluesy, All I Got Left , has a Tampa Red feel and strong lead vocals from Taylor. With Mike Taylor on sax, Kyle Phillips on guitar, Rusty Gilbreath on bass, and LA Freeman on drums, this track is real nice. Jazzy, Werewolves , has a touch of fuzz and a touch of funk giving it a really interesting texture. With Jason Atkins on keys, Andrew Marcadis on drums and Johnson laying down some real nice guit...

I just received the newest release, Raise Your Hands , from former Blind Boys of Alabama guitarist, Sam Butler , and it's exceptional! Opening with spiritual, blues rocker, Heaven's Wall , penned by Bruce Springsteen and it's off the hook. With it's driving guitar mantra, Butler's bluesy vocals and wild pedal steel work by Roosevelt Collier, this is a great opener. Rocker, The Lord has a driving beat compliments of Marco Giovino on drums. Butler shows his chops on this track with an almost Foghat feel! Johnny Cash's Lead Me Father has a great drum rhythm compliments of Giovino and this track is fat. With it's spiritual melody but rock like vamp, and soaring guitar soloing, this track is cool! Eric Clapton's Presence Of The Lord has a really nice redo. I think most everyone on the planet has heard this track and this is such a soulful makeover, with subtle but tasty guitar work and then meaty guitar frenzy, it is almost unrecognizable. Absolutely ...

BLUES STUDIO FOR SCHOOL FUNDRAISER MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL MN, September 30, 2015 — Music matters, especially to kids. Music education is a valuable part of any well-rounded education. In an effort to bring music to the lives of children growing up in many communities in MN as well as economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, MN Blues Society’s Blues for Kids program addresses this issue by providing programs to teach children the value and joy of making music. Joe Filipovich , local musician, music teacher, and chairman of the Blues for Kids program, has created a six-week program to work with two of the jazz bands at East Ridge High School in Woodbury , MN . The program will be conducted from February to April 2016. After this pilot program, Filipovich plans to implement the program in other schools in the Twin Cities and across the state of MN. To ensure the success of the program, Filipovich is holding a fundraiser to raise money and awareness of the program and...