Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Howl , from Howell Devine and it's quite cool. Recorded at the acclaimed Greaseland Studios by Kid Andersen, this release has a great old style yet current vibe. Opening with Sonny Boy Williamson's The Key , Joshua Howell on vocal, guitar and harp melds nicely with Pete Devine on drums and Joe Kyle Jr. on bass. With it's lumbering pace, the track has deep blues roots. RL Burnside's Going Down South develops a rumble with solid bass lines and super vocals by Howell. Kickin it up a notch, Howell drives his guitar hard without breaking Burnside's basic monumental style. Very nice. Sookie Sookie has that great Booker T feel complimented by Kid Andersen on organ but this track is really a showcase for Howell's harp work. Very cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is original composition, Sirenic Woman with raw slide playing and tom tom heavy drums and exaggerated bass lines by Kyle. Excelle...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Maybe Someday , from Meg Wilson and it's a straight up rocker. Opening with Not My Problem , Meg Williams leads on vocal and guitar with funky bass lines from Greggory Garner steady drum rhythm by Kyle Law and backing vocals by Sara Rogers. Shuffle track, Bad Lovin' has a catchy melody and slick guitar riffs by Williams with backing vocals by Sam Gonzales and Chase Walker. Blues rocker, Little Bit Of The Devil blends Charlie Daniels, The Allmans, JJ Cale, and Pat Benetar to come up with a flashy country rock radio track. Title track, Maybe Someday has a bouncy rhythm and slide guitar by Dan Wecht with a lot of the grease characteristic of Derek Trucks. With a solid melody and certain pace, this is definitely my pick for best track on the release. You Let Me Down is a straight ahead rocker with a cool melody but it's the fiery guitar lead that sets this track apart. Wrapping the release is pop rocker, I Fee...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Irreverent Dissident , from J.J. Vicars and it's solid rocker. Opening with Los Vatos in A ,  a sympathetic guitar interlude, this release is off to a good start. Long Way From Home is a ragged garage rocker with Vicars on vocal and guitar, Anthony Lumpp on bass and Danny Lumpp on drums. With the swagger of early Stones, Vicars charges right into Dixon's Wang Dang Doodle . Excellent! Slow blues, Outskirts of Town , has rich guitar chords with Robert Johnson on piano and drums and Denny Wright on bass. Vicars' guitar soloing is full of tension and feeling. Stinky Twinky is a super piano boogie instrumental featuring Big Jay McNeely on sax, Doug Oscard on drums and tasty guitar riffs from Vicars. Instrumental, Downhome stays in the boogie groove with Vicars leading the way on guitar. Excellent! Deguello is an interesting quasi classical composition with cool electric guitar over arpeggiated chords. Very ni...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roughmax and the Steamrollers from Max Pieri and it's different. Opening with Candy Ass Blues (what a great name for a song) is a pop rocker with overdriven vocals and bass by Max, Luciano Lucky Pesce on piano, and Corrado D' Amato on drums. I Am Too Loose (I Want To Stand) is an interesting rocker with over the top drums and aggressive organ work by Pesce giving Max a strong top for his bass and vocals. Sebastiano Lillo adds an additional dimension on jazz rocker, Junk with his cool slide work. One of my favorite tracks on the release is somber ballad, Guilty with a subtle bass line, piano and lead vocal. This track is simple, yet strong. Very nice. High stepping instrumental, The Second Bite is lead by Pesce's electric keys and features strong bass lines by Max and drums by Amato. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Little Stone In My Pocket , a pop rocker with a driving beat. This release has characte...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gas Station Guru , from Ted Hefko And The Thousandaires , and it's quite entertaining. Opening with Two Vices , Ted Hefko leads his own flavor of New Orleans jazz on lead vocal and sax with Elliot Slater and Mem Shannon on guitar, Justin Carlo Davi on bass Jasmine Butler on drums, and Beck Berger on organ. With the easy stride of the Night Tripper himself, cool opener. Funky, The Roofer, has a super groove with horns by Hefko on vocal and sax, Antonio Gambrell on trumpet and Carolyn Brussard and Arsene DeLay on backing vocal. Excellent. Billy Joe Shaver's Ride Me Down Easy sits nicely in country waltz style. Smooth vocals by Hefko and solid backing vocals give this track that something special. My favorite track on the release is Clarence and Spencer William's Ain't Gonna Give You Non O' My Jellyrol l. Now I can't listen to this track without thinking of Sweet Emma Barrett and her perfect deliv...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hard To Love , from Joyann Parker and it's solid. Opening with soulful rocker, Memphis , Parker shows a super vocal style and Mark Lamoine on slide guitar has great, fat, tone backed by Tim Wick on keys, Michael Carvale on bass and Alec Tackmann on drums. R&B track Envy is smooth with rich vocals and perfect organ backing by Wick. Another nice R&B track, Home , has a slight gospel taste to it with ideal organ backing. Parker's vocals are excellent and the song writing is super. Lamoine lays in a nicely tailored melodic guitar solo making this my choice for radio track on the release. Jigsaw Heart is nicely blended with wah wah guitar, a solid radio melody and tight vocals. New Orleans influenced Ray , has a super rhythm and of course Parker's vocals are spot on. Carvale's bass line on this track, augmented by Wick's piano lines and some western flavored guitar riffs give this track real spu...

    Electric Hot Tuna 's music is unique, an expression of Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady 's individual personalities who forge their improvisational sounds with a feeling of significance into a dynamic event. Their electric sound is complete with the addition of drummer Justin Guip ,* whose "emphatic yet fluid timekeeping is a true complement." Starting August 25, Steve Kimock , the blazing psychedelic guitarist versatile enough to touch almost all aspects of American music, will join Hot Tuna on tour.    ...

Harmonica Ace Steve Krase Expands His Blues Roots on New CD, Just Waitin’ , Coming June 15 from Connor Ray Music HOUSTON, TX – World-class harmonica player Steve Krase expands his blues music into new territory on his fourth CD, Just Waitin’ , coming June 15 on Connor Ray Music. Produced by Rock Romano (who also played bass and sang backing vocals), Just Waitin’ features Steve Krase (vocals and harmonica), backed by a solid cast of additional notables, including David Carter (guitars and backing vocals); Tamara Williams (drums, percussion and backing vocals); James Gilmer (percussion); Brian Jack (accordion); Mike Vee (rubboard); and Kenan Ozdemir (lead guitar). Steve Krase will celebrate the new album with a special CD pre-release show at Houston’s famed Big Easy Club on Friday, May 18th (5731 Kirby Dr., Houston), where he’ll be joined by several special guests including the legendary singer Trudy Lynn, plus James Gilmer on percussion and Brian Jack on accordion. ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dial It In , from Reverend Freakchild and it interesting. Opening with Opus Earth , with it's early delta sound, Freakchild plays National Steel guitar, organ and bass and performs what is described as a chant but really sounds like Yoko Ono, joined by Chris Parker on drums. Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus gets a solid blues rock remake and it's strong, featuring Hugh Pool on harp. Cool. Original track, Hippie Bluesman Blues , has some country overtones and featuring the rev on national Steel guitar and lead vocal, Pool on guitar, Parker on drums, Robin Sylvester on bass and Mark Karan on lead guitar and vocal. With a light funky edge and distortion, Roadtrance is an simple interesting jam with Rev on vocal and NSG, Pool on guitar, banjo and electronic sounds, and parker on drums. Actually fairly cool. 15 Going on 50 is a driving rocker strongly led by Brian Mitchell on piano and featuring Pool on lead guit...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Puppet Show , from Ally Venable and it's quite good. Opening with Devil's Son , a powerful blues rocker, Venable leads on guitar and vocal, backed by Elijah Owings on drums and Bobby Wallace on bass. Gary Hoey adds some voracious guitar riffs on this track giving it a smoking hot edge. Very nice. Steve Krase joins on traditional delta style, Blackwater Blues , with a stripped down opening and then opening up to a full tilt blues rocker showcasing some of Venable's best riffs on the release. One of my favorite tracks on the release is a cover of Taj Mahal's, He Caught The Katy , with it's super bass line and solid vocal and guitar work by Venable. Excellent! With the swagger of Lynyrd Skynyrd, title track, Puppet Show is a solid rocker with really nice guitar riffs by Venable and warm keys by Eric Steckel. Another of my favorites on the release is slow blues, Comfort In My Sorrows with it's big t...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Love Songs & Life Lines from Kris Lager Band and it's breezy and rhythmic. Opening with instrumental, Aurora Borealis , the band shows influences of world music with intricate guitar sounds by Lager, bass by Aaron Underwood and percussion by Scooby Sha Bo Bo. Adventuresome and soothing. Super ballad, I Wanna Hold You In My Arms has flavors of R&B and The Band. Lager's vocals are strong and his slide guitar adds nicely to the overall feel of the track. Very nice. San Francisco Bound is another strong track a good melody, slide guitar and sax by Lefever with trace sounds of Garcia and Van Morrison. Pickin' Up The Pieces is a bluesy, country flavored ballad. I like the general looseness of the track and blazing sax work of Lefever. Very cool! Another warm ballad, I'm Still Here And I Ain't Lettin' Go , features heartfelt vocals by Lager and Lefever's sax over organ a bed of richness...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Human Race , from Tim Woods and it shows strong influences of blues and rock players of note. On Can You Feel It , a solid blues rocker, traces of Cream and Robin Trower permeate the flow and Woods' Leslie West like vocals ride high on the backing by Bobby Lee Rodgers on guitar, bass, drums and keys. Solid! Instrumental, Step has a funky bottom giving Woods a real nice platform to lay down his best rock riffs with snappy drums and bass by Rodgers. Roger Waters like composition, Take A Minute has more of an American flavor but the Brit's clues are there. With a poppier edge, another solid contribution. Title track, Human Race pulls trace sounds from the Yardbirds and the Doors to create an electrifying driving rocker. TW Funk has a cool yet funky vibe fueled by a rich bass groove, clean, tele sounding lead and wah wah guitar backing. Very nice! Trixie is a catchy jam with "Dead like" melody. Woods...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Running Out Of Time , from Peter V Blues Train and it's got style. Opening with Stay On Track , a simple blues rocker, lead vocalist and guitarist, peter v. is backed by Aron Louis Gornish on keys, Sean Graverson on bass and Alex D'Agnese on drums. Danny Walsh on sax lays down some memorable lead on Buzzed Busted & Blue , a modern blues number with solid lead vocals by Peter and real nice piano work by Jeff Levine. Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues , has really nice pace and not only sets a nice stage for Peter's vocals but also gives him space for some of his nice guitar riffs on the release. Very cool. Title track, Running Out Of Time is a funky blues rocker built along the lines of Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign. With stinging guitar riffs by Peter, solid organ lines by Gornish and rumbling bass by Graverson, this is a very cool track. Funk horn track, Time to Collect is really nice with e...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Here In Babylon , from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps and it got a funky yet soulful sound. Opening with I Know I Ain't Been So Perfect , James on lead vocal and piano really captures the new neo soul feel with a great opener, backed by Jay Bellerose on drums, Billy Watts on guitars, Mike Finnegan on B-3, Terry Wilson on bass. Very cool. Laid back, Head Up, Heart Open has a nice sway (think Doobies) with tight backing vocals by Watts, Wilson, Gregg Sutton, Jessie Wilson and James and the warmth of horns added by Darrell Leonard on trumpet and Joe Sublett on sax. Lumbering, Ground Zero , has a solid bottom, courtesy Wilson and a plucky guitar line by Watts. With it's smoky club feel, You Had To Bring That Up is really the nicest showcase for James on piano and vocal. Relaxed, cool and gritty, a really solid track. Piano boogie, I Gotta Roll is another favorite with a super groove, punched up by Leonard an...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Got The Blues , from Freddie Pate and it's quite cool. Opening with Willie Dixonesque, Let the Juke Joint Jump , Pate on lead vocal and guitar has a flashy, yet stylistic guitar style and just enough raggedness to his vocals to give it edge. Backed by Terry Dry on bass, Matt Johnson on drums, Lewis Stephens on keys and Mike Zito on rhythm guitar, this is a cool opener. On Elmore James, Sho-nuff I Do , Pate really belts out the blues and with grinding tone, tells it with his guitar. Stephens' piano work dances above the solid bottom of Dry and Johnson giving this track an authentic feel. Hank William's Hey Good Lookin' gets a 60's rock (Watusi)  make over and I really like it. Alan Toussaint's Nothin Takes The Place Of You has a strong soulful delivery and exhibit's Pate's best vocals on the release. 12 bar number, and title track, I Got The Blues has a strong roll and Elmore James like...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Gospel Truth Live , from Marie Knight and it's rich. This performance was recorded on October 19, 2007 at Margaret A. Hart '35 Gospel fest at the Church Street Center in North Adams Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Knight passed in 2009 after a stroke and a bout with pneumonia. Fortunately, these tracks are now available for the public. Opening with Rev. Gary Davis' I Belong To The Band , Marie Knight is pure gospel with strong piano backing from Dave Keyes. Excellent! On Sister Rosetta Tharpe's Beams Of Heaven , Knight shows just how tightly the blues is bound to gospel music. Keyes piano work is terrific and Knight is off the charts. Davis' 12 Gates To The City has a great swing and Knight and Keyes are really rockin'! Knight's rework of Anna Warner's Jesus Loves Me , shows not only pure talent but pure love for the Lord and her work. Another Davis track, Let Us Get Together , has a s...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rhymes For Mellow Minds , from Steven Troch Band and it's really cool. Opening with The Short End , Belgian harp maestro and lead vocalist, Steven Troch lays out the first of 13 super tracks with a strutting blues rocker. With Steven Van Der Nat using a clean picking style, backed by Liesbeth Sprangers on bass, and Bruce James on drums. Nice opener. Bad Taste has an Otis Rush general feel with excellent guitar riffs and chords by Van Der Nat and super melodic lead harp work by Troch. This is style! One of my favorite tracks on the release is Long Long Beard (check it out Stilladog), an easy paced folk like track with only basic accompaniment and community backing vocals by Van Der Nat, Sprangers and Heirman. Jump track, White Line Express really turns up the heat with a solid bass line, snappy drums and some  of the best vocals on the release. Troch struts his stuff on the harp and Van Der Nat adds just enough to...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sometimes The Blues Got Me , from Breezy Rodio and it's quite good. Opening with Lee Hazelwood's, Don't Look Now, But I've Got the Blues , Breezy Rodio on lead vocal and guitar sets off on the right foot, with a power play, backed by Ariyo Ariyoshi on piano, Ian Letts on sax, Chief McGarrie on sax, Constantine Alexander and Art Davis on trumpet, Chris Foreman on organ, Greg Essig  on drums,  and John Lauler on bass. Shuffle track, Change Your Ways exhibits a particularly nice blend of Rodio's vocals and Ariyo's piano work, complimented by Simon Noble on harp. With Rodio's stinging guitar styling in the style of the great Albert King and even a bit of funk, Albert King's Wrapped Up In Love Again has a great feel with tight trumpet punctuation by Davis and Alexander. Jump track, I Walked Away has a great T-Bone Walker feel with over a smooth horn saturated bottom and featuring a super so...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Have No Hold Over Me by Ten Second Pistol and it's quite interesting. opening with slow blues number, Hold My Hand with Benny Chang leading the way on lead guitar and vocal, backed by Davis Alexander on bass and Manny Ayala drums. Chang's guitar riffs are fluid and constant, making this a great opener. On soul track, Hold On , the band shifts gears a bit and Chang's emphasis is on soulful vocals and lush chords. His stinging lead guitar soloing is crisp and nicely adorned. Very nice. Slow blues number, Get To Steppin' is really nicely formed wailing vocals and well placed guitar accents. Ayala really tips the cart on drums giving the track just the right heaviness and machine gun guitar riffs by Chang give it a nice flair. Bluesy ballad, Like A Bird is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's haunting melody and warm, nicely executed guitar solos. Burn Baby Burn incorporates a reggae...