Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Approved By Snakes , by Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind and it's quite good. Opening with My True Love Is A Dope Whore , a salty, stinky, slinky, funky track with tight instrumentals and intelligent, sassy vocals (think Jim Morrison meets Frank Zappa or Klaus Doldinger's Passport meets Peter Wolf). Andy Kurz lays down a sweaty bass line and Ricci blows great harp over frantic guitars by John Lisi and Sam Hotchkiss and solid drums by Adam Baumol....what an opener! With a more "contemporary", maybe Chili Peppers influenced, Something Just Arrived , the band is a bit more contained but by no means tame. This band is rocking but and taking names. Bluesy and theatrical, Broken Toy , follows a more conventional road but Ricci's vocals warp the senses and his harp playing is sensational, paired squarely with wild guitar. Very cool. Kurz sets up a really nice bass line to open Eddie Harris' Listen Here ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Two Cats , from Linsey Alexander and it's smooth with that sassy R&B overtone. With Alexander's strong vocals and soulful guitar work, strongly supported by Kenny Anderson on trumpet, Hank Ford on sax and Norman Palm on trombone, I'm Not Your Problem is a  nice opener. A blues with saunter, Where Did You Take Your Clothes Off Last Night? has a cool bass line by E.G. McDaniel and stinging guitar work by Alexander with nice harp work by Paul Hanover. Funky, That Ain't Right highlights the horn section and a high stepping rhythm by Bryant Parker is spot on. Ford lays in a real nice sax solo, followed by Anderson on trumpet and Palm on trombone giving the track punch. Another hi stepping blues number, title track, Two Cats , have a real nice balance with horn accent and guitar soloing. Very nice. Gospel flavored blues, Facebook Woman features some of Alexander's finest vocals with Roosevelt Puri...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Slowdown , from Alex Lopez and it's tasty. Opening with funky rocker, Dangerous , Alex Lopez wields a powerful ax joined by Gary Dowell on keys, Steve Pagano on bass and Michael Maxim on drums. I Don't Know is a cool rocker with an unusual Rock n' Roll rhythm. With slashing guitar riffs, and jagged bottom, this track rocks. Exodus is a really nice guitar interlude with Lopez accompanying his electric guitar solo with acoustic guitar, leading directly into ballad Long Long Time with Pink Floyd like sensibility. Guitar driven blues ballad, Stolen, is my favorite on the release with fluid runs, nice vocals and cool keys. Redeem Me starts a string of quiet vocal ballads, this one with a nice piano solo. Wrapping the release is War Without a Face , with military style drumming and a nice melody.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (July 21, 2017), Act Like You Know , from King James & The Special Men and it's quite good. Opening with Special Man Boogie , band leader, lead vocalist and guitar player Jimmy Horn shows what he has up his sleeve and it won't be a secret for long. He has a great band. On this New Orleans/Latin flavored track Horn, joined by Ben Polcer on piano, Rob Snow on bass, John Rodli on guitar, Chris Davis on drums, Scott Frock on trumpet, Jason Mingledorff on tenor sax, Travis Blotzky on tenor sax and Dominick Grillo on bari sax these guys are tight. With Guitar Slim style, New Orleans R&B track, Baby Girl really sits in the groove with fat horns and super lead vocals, highlighted by classic guitar riffs.   Eat That Chicken has a cool strut and really nice guitar soloing, capped by a super tenor sax solo. Very nice. In the style of Ray Charles, Tell Me (What You Want Me To Do) has great soulful vocals. The stro...

Blues Music Award-Winning Band, The Nighthawks, Display Their Versatility on New CD, All You Gotta Do , Coming July 21 on EllerSoul Records WASHINGTON, DC – Legendary blues and roots band (and Blues Music Award winners) The Nighthawks, announce a July 21 release date for their new CD, All You Gotta Do . The band is also enjoying critical acclaim for Michael Streissguth’s award-winning documentary film about their history, The Nighthawks – On the Blue Highway , which is now available on DVD from the group’s website, as well as Amazon.com. The film will also be screened prior to the ‘Hawks’ June 30 performance at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson in Baltimore.       Eclectic? All over the map? The material on All You Gotta Do , The Nighthawks’ latest release, can certainly be described in these terms. Yet, throughout the nearly five decades of its career, the band has sourced songs from everywhere and anywhere. The prototype recording, Roc...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Live at Blues On The Chippewa , by the Mark Cameron Band and it's rough and tumble. Opening with boogie track, Doctor In The House , Mark Cameron has the lead on vocal and guitar with Bill Keyes on harp, Scott Lundberg on bass, Dan Schroeder on drums and Sheri Cameron on flute and percussion. Willie Mabon styling on Dicey makes it a really cool track with mostly spoken lyrics and double stopped guitar and harp work. Borrowed Time is a slower ballad with nice blues bones. Nicely highlighting Mark's vocals and with nice flute work by Sheri, the solemn guitar soloing by Mark is particularly cool... like James Gurley on Summertime. With a slice of two step, Mojo Shuffle cruises nicely with it's tight bass line and harp riff. Willie Dixon's Killin' Floor is up next in the slot between the original and Led Zep's take. With raw vocals and a rock beat, Keyes lays on the harp giving the track a cool blues e...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tug of War , from Gina Sicilia , and it's soulful. Opening with I Don't Want To Be In Love , with solid pop foundation, is backed by Dave Darling and Zack Zunis on guitars, Dave Darling on bass and backing vocals, Matt Tecu on drums, Arlan Oscar on organ and piano. Showing that Memphis soul sound on He Called Me Baby , Sicilia belts out my personal favorite on the release with Ron Jennings on guitars, Ken Pendergast on bass, Scott Key on drums and Joel Bryant on B3. On contemporary radio track, Never Gonna End , Jennings, Pendergast and key are back but with Walter Runge on piano. Bluesy ballad, They Never Pay Me , features some of Sicilia's vocal work carried by the soothing B3 work of Runge and nice bass lines of Pendergast and with a curiously nice guitar solo by Jennings. 60's pop track, Tell Him , made popular by The Exciters, is a cover, fairly close to the original but with a fresh spin. Lennon /M...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Home Town Blues , from Hot Roux , and its cool in a different kind of way. Opening with Louisiana flavored, Don't Wanna Talk About Love , Jerry McWorter on lead vocal and drums leads the way joined by Brent Harding on bass, Franck Goldwasser on guitarRJ Mischo on harp and some hot sax playing from Bill Flores (bari) and Jimmy Calire (tenor). Old style country track, Woman You Haunt Me , is a really cool track with nicely blended vocals, a tasty guitar solo fromKyle Jester and nice piano work from Carl Sonny Leyland. Swamp rocker, Misery Misery has a classic Louisiana flavor and with paired vocals and a tight guitar solo from Kyle Jester, this track should be an instant hit. Rent Party Boogie has a super bass line compliments Steve Nelson and crisp rock n roll guitar riffs compliments Johnny Main. Processed vocals by McWortner work nicely on this track and Calire's sax work is tops. With it's Latin New Orle...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bone Rattler , from the Bridget Kelly Band and it is a rocking blues party. Opening disc one with Ain't Missin' You , Kelly on lead vocal and Tim Fik on guitar gets this release rocking with Mark Armbrecht on bass and Alex Klausner on drums. What You Need is a blues rocker with attitude and influences of Johnny Winter are obvious in Fik's playing. Nice slow cooker, No Good For Me has the skeleton of T-Bone Walker with rich vocals by Kelly and real nice guitar soloing by Fik. Very nice.   Leavin' On Sunday has a cool, funky rhythm and guitar with phazer giving it a Trower flavor. Bluesy ballad, Deeper Than Blue gives Fik lots of space to wail and he makes good use of it with a creative blues intro. Introspective vocals by Kelly make this one of the standout tracks. Disc two opens with The Dark Night and features Fik on vocal. With a dark overtone and abundant use of vibrato, Fik's guitar really...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Story Of My Life , by Guitar Slim Jr. and it's really cool. GS Jr. (Rodney Armstrong) is the natural son of Guitar Slim (Eddie Jones). Opening with a classic Guitar Slim track, Trouble Don't Last , Jr. is front and center on guitar and vocals with Shannon Powell on drums, Rene Coma on bass, Milton Batiste on trumpet and Ernest Watson on sax. Title track, The Story of My Life , has a slower tempo and Jr. shows vocal skill along with pointed guitar riffs. Very nice. On Bad Luck Blues , Jr. maintains a lot of Sr.'s sty;e but he has his own flair with stinging riffs. On classic R&B track, Can I Change My Mind , Jr. shows a much smoother vocal style and his guitar playing is jazzy and fluid with Kerry Brown on drums, Charles Moore on bass and Keith Fazarde on keys. Hot! Reap What You Sow is my favorite track on the release with strong Sr. attributes and powerful vocal and guitar work by Jr. A lot more r...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, T attoo Burn Redux , from Micki Free and it's pretty smooth. Opening with God Is On The Phone , vocalalist and guitar player Micki Free sets a cool tempo with a nice R&B baseline but with hot Santana like fiery guitar riffs. Joining Free on lead vocal is Howard Hewett, Cindy Blackman-Santana on drums, Bill Wyman on bass, and Mark Leach on B3. Title track, Tattoo Burn has a solid thumping single note bass line with Billy Gibbons style vocals and crisp blues guitar riffs. On blues ballad, Six Feet Down In The Blues , Free's soulful vocals and crisp riffs are nicely balanced by the Hammond flow of Leach. Mojo Black Coffee has great appeal with a pounding George Thorogood rhythm and featuring Randy Singer on harp. On Jimi's Hey Baby , Free does a real nice redo of the classic with a fuller guitar arrangement, pinched harmonics and fluid runs making it certainly one of my favorite tracks on the release. Wra...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (June 16, 2017), Double Strike , from Andy T. Band and it has a cool swing. Opening with I Want You Bad , Alabama Mike leads the way on vocal with Andy T on guitar, a featured solo by Anson Funderburgh and rocked nicely by Kaz Kazanov on tenor sax, John Mills on bari sax and Al Gomez on trumpet with Larry van Loon on keys, Johnny Bradley on bass and Jim Klinger on drums. On R&B track, Somebody Like You , Mike really sets down some of his best vocals on the release with cool key work by van Loon.   Deep Inside has a real nice blues lope featuring Nick Nixon on lead vocal coaxed along by Greg Izor harp.  On Chuck Willis' I Feel So Bad , Nixon and Andy set a cool blues rocker pace. With stinging guitar riffs and a solid bass line, this track has a great feel. Another Chuck Willis track, Juanita , is sopping with classic R&B style making it one of my favorites on the release. Funderburgh's Mudslid...

Tucci Band Sets July 14 Release Date for New Album of Blues/Rock, Olivia , on Hideaway Music, with Special Guest Larry McCray CD Also Includes Final Recording Appearance from Guitar Great Dan Toler SARASOTA, FL – Blues/rock group Tucci announces a July 14 national release date for their new CD, Olivia , on Hideaway Records. Tucci band members are Steve “Doc” Tucci – guitars and vocals; Michael Tucci – drums; Shawn Murphy – sax and vocals; and Harry DeBusk – bass and vocals. Blues great Larry McCray lends his guitar and vocal talents throughout the album, and Olivia also includes perhaps the last recorded appearance from former Allman Brothers Band, Gregg Allman Band and Great Southern guitarist Dan Toler, who died shortly after his track was recorded. The Tucci band will celebrate the release of the new Olivia CD with a special performance at Bert's Black Widow Harley Davidson, 2224 El Jobean Road, in Port Charlotte, Florida, at Noon on Sunday, July 16....

Sherman Holmes of The Holmes Brothers 1st Solo Record The Richmond Sessions Mailing This Week Street Date Is July 21 ​ Special Guests Include Joan Osborne,  Rob Ickes & Sammy Shelor World Cafe, Mountain Stage, Music City Roots & Songs Of The Mountain Booked Northport N.Y. - On July 21, Sherman Holmes will release his first solo recording in his 50+ year career. The Richmond Sessions by The Sherman Holmes Project carries on the spirit of the Holmes Brothers by re-imagining songs and making them their own. The record will be released by M.C. Records and maintains a bluesgrass/gospel vibe throughout that surprises and delights. We'll be mailing CDs this week to media. Scroll down for Sherman's tour dates.  Sherman Holmes’ ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Took You Long Enough , from Brad Stivers and it's terrific! Just barely in his mid twenties, Austin's Brad Stivers has really hit it deep on this one. Opening with rock n roller, 2000 miles, Brad Stivers steps up to the mic with his telecaster and just lets it fly. His vocals are clear and his playing clean. On Latin flavored, You're Just About To Lose Your Clown , Mark Wilson really rips on sax and the tight drum work of Nico Loophonte, coupled with Bobby Perkins on bass sets a hot plate for sizzling hot guitar riffs by Stivers. Put It Down is a super boogie with key changes and twangy guitar riffs. Smokin! Lightly funked title track, Took You Long Enough , makes it hard to stay in your seat. Funky rhythm guitar with tight drums, and Odie Hill on bass keeps this party rolling with crisp understated low octave guitar soloing. Emily Gimble is featured on country track, Here We Go Again , with Eric Fraygocki ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live In Kansas City from Nick Schnebelen and it's electrifying! Opening with Fool , a super blues rocker, founding member of Trampled Under Foot, Nick Schnebelen affirms that he is a first rate vocalist and his riffs are fresh and crisp. Joined by Cliff Moore on bass and Adam Hagerman on drums, this band conjures visions of Edgar Winter's White Trash with it's raw, gritty temperament. Excellent opener. On Muddy Waters' Herbert Harper's Free Press News , Schnebelen cranks it up a few notches but maintains that New Orleans kind of funk with strong drive by Moore on bass. His guitar work is loose and free flowing with excellent phrasing and Hagerman lays out a cool drum solo as well. Very nice. You Call That Love has a really nice thumping bass line, solid vocals and extended guitar lead. What else could you ask from a contemporary blues track...really! Smoking slide work by Schnebelen and a Bo Diddle...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Twangadelic Bluesophunk from Gary Cain Band and it's a cool mix or country finger pickin', blues and rock. Opening with Live Wire, Tom Nagy on bass really drives this track with his tight bass riffs and Donnie McDougall hangs tight on drums and Gary Cain mixes finger picking and speed metal riffs for a cool sound. On heavy bottomed, Pipes and Spoons , Cain moves more into a dark blues' sound with a crunchy guitar sound and the swagger of ZZ Top. Very cool. With it's unusual guitar riff and it's solid rhythm, No Foolin' is one of the coolest tracks on the release. Funky, Write You A Letter is a solid rock er with traces of Led Zep. Twang Strut is a real nice instrumental showcase for Cain's finger picking' work. Another ZZ Top oriented track, Got Me Where You Want Me has a stripped down feel with a hard driving beat and crunchy guitar riffs. Girl's Too Rich is a bit jazzier with...