Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Crossroads Communion , from Denise La Grassa , and it's a hard driving blues rocker. Opening with Big Bad Dream , Timothy Walker sets a high pace rhythm with Alvin Santner on guitar and Steven C. Manns on bass setting the stage for Denice La Grassa on vocal. Pounding opener. Bluesy, Who Will Mourn You? , has a lumbering feel with a prominant bass line by Manns and super overdriven guitar by John Kregor a blues soaked vocals by La Grassa. I'll Play The Blues For You is my favorite track on the release with LaGrassa sharing the mic with Manns and the addition of Pierre Lacocque on harmonica and dome really nice guitar work from Santner. Wrapping the release is rocker, Go Bad Mouth Yourself with it's cool drum rhythm and La Grassa adding contrasting organ to her own vocals and funky guitar work by Santner.   If you support live Blues acts , up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more abo...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Wish You Would, by Dida Pelled and I really like it. Opening with John Lee Hooker's Dimples , Dida Pelled leads the way on vocal and guitar. Taking this classic blues track and adding a kick, Dida not only sings the vocals but gives the guitar a total jazz twist with fluid lead and soloing. With Sullivan Fortner on piano, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums, this is a strong opener. Clarence Williams' Sister Kate has a prohibition era feel with a twist of New Orleans thanks too Wollesen and Fortner and Pelled's own guitar style is bluesy and inviting. Excellent. Mary Lou Williams' Rosa Mae , and a real nice bass line giving the track a solid sub rhythm reinforced by Wollensen on drums. Pelled has the lead on guitar and she's not messing around with excellent guitar chords and bluesy phrasing nicely woven with Fortner on Rhodes piano. Lonnie Chatmon's classic, Sitting On Top Of The Wo...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Qualified , by Joe Krown Trio +1 featuring Papa Mali and it's strong. Opening with Dr. John's , Qualified , Joe Krown on piano with Papa Mali on guitar and lead vocals really create a ruckus. Casandra Faulconer on bass nicely augments the excellent rhythm work of Eric Bolivar on drums. Excellent opener. Driving piano blues, Mess Around , anchored by Krown on piano also features some super work by Jason Mingledorff on bari sax and Mali wails on guitar giving the track a nice edge. Allen Toussant's funky, Going Down , has a great back beat emphasized by Bolivar on drums and Krown rides high on organ. Another funky treat is Papa Mali's Neckbone with a super funky guitar rhythm with a killer warm organ saturation and a snappy bottom by Faulconer and Bolivar. Mali original, Honey Bee , has a cool, bluesy feel with great trombone work by Mark Mullins and a strong piano solo by Krown. Wrapping the releas...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Come To Me , from Carmen Ratti Band featuring Jill Dineen and it has a cool groove. Opening with No Delusion , a slinky track with a well woven rhythm backing, Jill Dineen on vocal really holds tight on the reins. Carmen Ratti on rhythm and lead guitar adds tome distinctive riffs feeding Tony Lufrano on keys, Steve Hazelwood on bass and Randy Hayes on drums. Super opener. Bluesy ballad and title track, Come To Me , is a nice showcase for Dineen on lead vocal and Ratti's soulful guitar phrasing drips blues. Organ saturation by Lufrano and solid backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen adds just the right juice. Riley is real nice instrumental (think Thrill Is Gone ) with Ratti laying out the melody with crisp, clear, electric guitar work and Lufrano's organ solo is warm and inviting with a great bass lead by Hazlewood. Really cool track. Blues rocker, Coming Down , has a super funky rocking sound with great...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, While I Can , by Mike Guldin and it really hit's the spot. Opening with Driving Rain , Mike Guldin is upfront on vocal and guitar and this track really has a great groove. Guldin's vocals are soulful and with Steve Mackey on bass and Lynn Williams on drums the strut is heavy. Kevin McKendree really works the organ providing a great back beat and Guldin and James Pennebaker play some stinging riffs making this first track worth the price of admission. Excellent! Rocker, Always A Woman has a cool Latin beat, reinforced by a driving rhythm guitar layer. Guldin was made to sing this music with his natural delivery and Pennebaker really rips it lose on guitar with snappy drum work by Williams. A cool stroll, When The Bills Come Due , has a stiff cowbell strike over Mackey on bass. Gulden on guitar and vocal, and McKendree on keys give legs to this swampy rocker. Don Williams ' New Orleans flavored, Oh Lonesom...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mirage , from Andrew Moorhead and it's intense. Opening with Faster Etude , Andrew Moorhead on piano creates a thematic melody, altering and varying the speed of it, accompanied by Francois Moutin on bass and Ari Hoenig on drums. With an alteration of the piano accent in the phrase the track has a circular feel and seems to whirl. Intervals is structured along a similar method but with four primary chords, altered with a solid hi hat rhythm and percussive piano under the initial melody. As the track grown the phrasing alternates giving it a refined feel with tight snare work driving the contrast. Very cool. Title track, Mirage , has a smooth, soothing melody with a bouncy drum rhythm and bass accents. A higher keyboard flirtation sets the track off nicely against it's lower keyboard primary melody. Wrapping the release is Boogie , with it's strong boogie piano format. An off timed melody provides a stark contr...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Motormouth , from Seth James and it's terrific! Opening with Why Should I Suffer , vocalist extraordinaire, Seth James, creates a great vibe with his rich, R&B style vocal lead and his own lead guitar work, joined by Kevin McKendree on keys, Rob McNelley on guitar, Steve Mackey on bass, Lynn Williams on drums and super backing vocals by Alice Spencer and Etta Britt and and punchy horn work by Jim Hoke on sax, Steve HHermann on trumpet and John Hinchey on trombone. Excellent!  Soulful, I'm In Trouble has a great, slinky feel with James, Spencer, Britt and Jackie Wilson really working the vocals and featuring McKendree on piano. Hoke, Herrmann and Hinchey keep the back hopping and Mackey and Williams the bottom tight. Super. Country swing track, I'll Be Gone , has a great feel with excellent lead vocals by James and excellent piano work by Jeff Taylor. Eddie Dunlop on steel guitar gives the track real sti...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues & Spirituals/Hymn Hustler , by Reverend Freakchild and it's quite good. Opening with traditional, Jesus On The Mainline and the Rev not only shows acute guitar prowess and strong, stylized vocals. Excellent. Blues For No One is a real nice guitar ditty featuring the Rev and his extreme dexterity on acoustic guitar. Very nice. A cool interpretation of Billie Holiday 's, God Bless The Child demonstrates just how smooth the Rev's vocals can be. With only the essence of guitar, jazz chords, this is a strong entry to the mix. A sensitive take on Lowell George 's Willin' is a great closer for disc one. Morganfield's Rollin' and Tumblin' has the Rev digging in deep with lively vocals and excellent acoustic slide work. Another slide delight is Hawaiian Cowboy Lost In NYC. The Rev's slide work is intense and fluid with recollections of John Lennon , street noises. Very interesting...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release. Electric Eden , from Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Breaking Chains , Jennifer Lyn on lead vocals cranks up the band with fiery vocals, joined by Richard Torrance on vocal and guitar, Jim Anderson on drums and vocals, Barb Jiskra on keys and Nolyn Falcon on bass. Silky guitar riffs by Torrance give the track a real kick making this a solid opener. A cool remake of Grace Slick 's White Rabbit fits the set nicely with tight rhythm by Anderson on drums driving the vocals of JL. Sucker For The Pain is one of my favorites on the release with a great back beat, and solid lead and harmony vocals and excellent piano work by Jiskra. A real kicker on the release is swampy, Baggage with a true Little Feat feel. Lyn's vocals are spot on and Jaxon Fitterer really winds up the slide, joined by Falcon, Jiskra and Anderson driving the rhythm. Excellent. Wrapping the r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Vigil and The Sleeping Giant by Ron Wilkins and Rebecca Patterson and it's quite interesting. Opening with Covid Suite I . Big City Livin' , Ron Wilkins and Rebecca Patterson start off a dual trombone riff and you immediately know something special is about to happen. Boris Koslov initiates a strong bass solo carried by Ray Marchica on drums. Joined by Seneca Black , Alex Pope Norris and Freddie Hendrix on trumpet; Ron Wilkins, Rebecca Patterson, Ed Neumeister on trombone and Eric C Davis on french horn; Zac Zinger and Carl Maraghi on sax, Mike King on Rhodes, this is a cool mix. Neumeister and Wilkins each blow radically great solos followed by King on Rhodes who gets a real nice swing emphasis going. Very cool opener. Sulk City is a more laid back, orchestral piece, featuring Black on trumpet, King on piano and Marchia on drums. Near East is another cool piece with a super melody, anchored by Patte...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Fool's Fate , from Rik Wright's Fundamental Forces and it's really cool. Opening with Fool's Fate , Rik Wright on guitar sets a rhythm, joined by Greg Campbell on drums and Geoff Harper on bass carving out a funky fusion feel. James DeJoie on alto sax plays aggressive shredding riffs surrounded by lush chords by Wright. This is a spacy, creative track with plenty of expansive space. Very cool opener.  Freezer Jam pairs Wright and DeJoie on melody over a creative, jagged rhythm by Harper and Campbell. DeJoie breaks free forming a more cohesive melody on sax and Wright plays a particularly melodic rhythm as DeJoie breaks free, leading to his own guitar romp supported by Harper and Campbell. Staggering. Luminescence has a haunting, particularly beautiful melody, structured by Wright on electric guitar chords, and easy paced melodic lines by DeJoie. Wright takes a calming, well articulated guitar solo of...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Is Now , by Pete Mills and it's hot! Opening with title track, This Is Now , tenor sax player, Pete Mills lays out the melody, punctuated by Kenny Banks jr. on piano and Matt Wilson on drums. Wilson digs in with his first solo and he is really cooking with Martin Wind on bass driving hard and active drum action by Wilson. Banks Jr. lays down a solid groove of his own and Pete McCann on guitar really sails, making this a dynamite opener. Laying back a bit, Daddies has a real nice, soulful melody with Mills leading the way on sax. Really settling into the groove Mills double times his phrasing before handing off to Banks Jr. who floats on the groove. A meaty solo by Wind on bass is punctuated by Wilson on tom tom. Very nice. Exit Strategy is a contemporary jazz track with a more eccentric rhythm. Mills and Wilson really set it up and Banks Jr. takes one of his most exciting piano rides on the release. McCann ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live In Denmark , from Dana Fuchs and she kicking it in high gear. Opening with blues rocker, Double Down On Wrong , Piero Perelli on drums and Kevin Mackall on bass really have the place rocking. Fuchs has a strong voice and Jon Diamond is relentless on guitar blending blues with contemporary rock riffs. Blue Mist Road opens with light backing and strong vocals by Fuchs. Breaking it wide open, Diamond winds it out on guitar with overdriven guitar tones, backed by solid drum work by Perelli and great lead bass riffs by Mackall. Very nice track. One of my favorite tracks on the release is ballad, Nothing You Own with a great melody, subdued guitar lead and excellent vocal by Fuchs. Diamond takes a melodic guitar solo with plenty of oomph giving the concert a super change of pace.  Borrowed Time is a country rock styled track with a a stiff kick by Perelli. A strong radio track, this is a great concert track a...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Too Glam To Give A Damn , from Lexie Blue and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with title track, Too Glam To Give A Damn , Blue with her trademark voice leads the way with Pete Bullard on guitar, Kevin Schoepke on bass, Gary Martin on drums, and Jack Rivers on keys. Driving opener. R&B flavored, Sit Down & Hush , really has a strong bottom courtesy of Schoepke and Martin. With Blue, grinding out the blues and Bullard on guitar, this is a nice groove. Bluesy, Sneaking Out , gives Blue a real nice chance to dig down and Bullard grinds out a strong guitar solo as well. Wrapping the release is Chin Wagging with a powerful tom tom rhythm by Martin and guitar by Bullard. Double timing the rhythm, Blue's vocals are raw and energetic, with chicken pickin' by Bullard  and Martins drums add just a dash of New Orleans. Solid closer.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and wa...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good God , from Leeann Atherton and it's gospel/revival soaked music. Opening with Lieber and Stoller's Saved , Leeann Atherton really belts it out on this opener. With Johnny "V" Vernazza (Elvin Bishop Band) winding it up on slide guitar, Edward "Hott" Cleveland, Rob Lamonica and Bob Berman on keys, and Mike Bernhan on bass. Atherton original track, Joy , has a real bopping feel with Rob Lamonica on piano and solid backing vocals by Austin Atherton, Johnny V, Laura Jane Wilcox and HeartBeat Pro. Joe South's classic, Games People Play , really plays to the richness of Atherton with nice guitar work by Mac McNabb and warm organ work by Berman. Harry Dixon Loes' This Little Light Of Mine has new spunk with Atherton really swinging it. Solid rhythm guitar by McNabb, and warm organ and hot guitar riffs by Johnny V make this a real nice cover. Another Atherton original, Smack Dab In A Mirac...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Back To The Blues , by Beyond 1969 and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with I'm Never Gonna Leave You , a cool rocker with a funky backbeat, Tom Forst on lead vocal and guitar sets the pace with active bass work by Tony Delisio , Jeff Bousfield on keys and Bryan Caudle on drums. Bluesy ballad, Consolation Man is a real cool track in the vein of the Thrill Is Gone with soulful vocals and tasty, overdriven guitar lead by Forst, backing vocals and bass by Delisio, saturated organ work by Bousfield and a tight rhythm by Caudle. Very nice. Caudle opens Darkest Before The Dawn with a funky drum rhythm, supported by a complimentary bass line by Delisio. This may be my favorite track on the release when Forst gets into the groove with his vocal and melodic guitar soloing, surrounded by Bousfield's saturated organ and keyboard soloing. Very cool. Blues soaked, It's My Own Damn Fault, really gives Forst a c...