Ruf Records artist: Meena - Try Me - New Release Review

I have been listening to the newest release, Try Me, by Meena. The recording contains 9 original tracks as well as a few classics and Meena is backed by Dave Smith on bass, Steve Potts on drums, Rick Steff on keys, and Chris Fillmore on guitar. First up is the title track, James Brown's classic Try Me. Meena is backed on vocals by Vickie Atkins, Sandy Carroll and Amyee Bragg who give it a genuine soul flavor. Guest artist Joanne Shaw Taylor plays a beautiful melodic solo staying in character with the tune. Send Me A Doctor is a rock track with Eric Sardinas contributing some cool slide guitar flare. Put Your Hands Out Of My Pocket is a solid soul fused blues track showing Meena's vocal range and giving Chris Fillmore a chance to play some pretty tasty guitar riffs. This Song Is For You would work nicely on the airwaves with a classic hook and memorable tune. Again Fillmore plays some tasty guitar riffs topping up an already strong entry. Meena belts out an enriched version of I'd Rather Go Blind and Fillmore again plays a tasty guitar solo. On Let Your Sweet Love Shine On Me, Meena picks the tempo with a Zydeco rhythm. I Shoot You Down again features Eric Sardinas on slide guitar and he gives it a pretty good workout. The final track, Just As I Am, is the best track on the recording featuring Shakura S'Aida as a contrast to Meena and Coco Montoya really spices up the track with his red hot guitar soloing.

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What You Gonna Do - Washboard Willie Hensley

Lena Hall:Vocals

Washboard Willie and his Super Suds of Rhythm:

Washboard Willie Hensley:Washboard

Calvin Frazier:Guitar

Recorded in Detroit, MI. 1956
Washboard Willie (July 24, 1909 – August 24, 1991) was an American Detroit blues musician, who specialised in playing the washboard. He recorded tracks including "A Fool On a Mule in the Middle of The Road" plus "Cherry Red Blues", and worked variously with Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Baby Boy Warren, and Boogie Woogie Red
Born William Paden Hensley in Columbus, Georgia, Washboard Willie, as he became known, did not take up music until his thirties. By 1948 he had relocated to Detroit, and in 1952, he watched Eddie "Guitar" Burns performing and played along with Burns' backing group. He impressed the proprietor and ended up with a three year residency with the band.

Working full-time washing cars for a living, he decided to name his own musical ensemble, Washboard Willie and the Super Suds of Rhythm, working off of the name of a once-popular laundry detergent! He graduated from just playing the washboard to incorporate a bass drum and snare and, in 1955, gave Little Sonny his first booking. In 1956, Hensley made his own debut recording of "Cherry Red Blues," with "Washboard Shuffle;" and then "Washboard Blues Pt. 1 & 2." His recording career continued until 1962 utilising Boogie Woogie Red on piano accompaniment. The recordings were not issued until 1969 on Barrelhouse Records. However, in 1966, Willie did release a single with the tracks "Natural Born Lover," and "Wee Baby Blues." His band remained in demand playing nightly in both Detroit and Ann Arbor.

In 1973, he toured Europe with Lightnin' Slim, Whispering Smith, Snooky Pryor, Homesick James and Boogie Woogie Red; he also played at the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz festival that year on the Saturday afternoon "Detroit Blues" show. A compilation album, American Blues Legends '73 was issued on Big Bear Records with Willie contributing the tracks, "I Feel So Fine" and "Kansas City." Six years later he stopped playing professionally.

He died in Detroit in August 1991, at the age of 82.
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Discography

Every Day I Have The Blues - Floyd McDaniel

Known for blues-drenched jazz and jazz-drenched blues, Floyd McDaniel was a part of the Chicago scene for most of his 80 years. The singer/guitarist was born in Athens, Alabama but spent much of his life in the Windy City, where he'd moved to when he was 15, in 1930. As a teenager, McDaniel played and sang the blues on the streets of Chicago, and in 1933, he joined a washboard band called the Rhythm Rascals. In the early '40s, McDaniel learned to play the electric guitar and joined the Four Blazes, a jump blues combo that later became the Five Blazes and recorded for Aristocrat in 1947 and United Artists in 1952-1953. The Blazes went through their share of personnel changes; some of the artists McDaniel played with in the group included bassist Thomas Braden and pianist Ernie Harper. After The Blazes drifted apart in the late '50s, McDaniel was involved in a variety of activities, including operating a tavern on Chicago's South Side in the '50s and '60s and playing with a version of the Ink Spots in the '70s. In the '80s, McDaniel joined forces with Dave Clark, a veteran tenor saxophonist who ended up joining McDaniel's final group, the Blues Swingers. McDaniel, who recorded for Delmark in the 1990s, died in Chicago on July 23, 1995, only two days after his 80th birthday.
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Empty Bed Blues - Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer.

Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on subsequent jazz vocalists.
The 1900 census indicates that Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in July 1892. However, the 1910 census recorded her birthday as April 15, 1894, a date that appears on all subsequent documents and was observed by the entire Smith family. Census data also contributes to controversy about the size of her family. The 1870 and 1880 censuses report three older half-siblings, while later interviews with Smith's family and contemporaries did not include these individuals among her siblings.
Bessie Smith was the daughter of Laura (née Owens) and William Smith. William Smith was a laborer and part-time Baptist preacher (he was listed in the 1870 census as a "minister of the gospel", in Moulton, Lawrence, Alabama.) He died before his daughter could remember him. By the time she was nine, she had lost her mother and a brother as well. Her older sister Viola took charge of caring for her siblings.

To earn money for their impoverished household, Bessie Smith and her brother Andrew began busking on the streets of Chattanooga as a duo: she singing and dancing, he accompanying her on guitar. Their favorite location was in front of the White Elephant Saloon at Thirteenth and Elm streets in the heart of the city's African-American community.

In 1904, her oldest brother, Clarence, covertly left home by joining a small traveling troupe owned by Moses Stokes. "If Bessie had been old enough, she would have gone with him," said Clarence's widow, Maud. "That's why he left without telling her, but Clarence told me she was ready, even then. Of course, she was only a child."

In 1912, Clarence returned to Chattanooga with the Stokes troupe. He arranged for its managers, Lonnie and Cora Fisher, to give Smith an audition. She was hired as a dancer rather than a singer, because the company also included the unknown singer, Ma Rainey. Smith eventually moved on to performing in various chorus lines, making the "81" Theater in Atlanta her home base. There were times when she worked in shows on the black-owned T.O.B.A Theater Owners Booking Association circuit. She would rise to become its biggest star after signing with Columbia Records.

By 1923, when she began her recording career, Smith had taken up residence in Philadelphia. There she met and fell in love with Jack Gee, a security guard whom she married on June 7, 1923, just as her first record was released. During the marriage—a stormy one, with infidelity on both sides—Smith became the highest paid black entertainer of the day, heading her own shows, which sometimes featured as many as 40 troupers, and touring in her own railroad car. Gee was impressed by the money, but never adjusted to show business life, or to Smith's bisexuality. In 1929, when she learned of his affair with another singer, Gertrude Saunders, Bessie Smith ended the relationship, although neither of them sought a divorce.

Smith eventually found a common-law husband in an old friend, Richard Morgan, who was Lionel Hampton's uncle and the antithesis of her husband. She stayed with him until her death
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Up to My Neck In the Blues - The Sonny Moorman Group

"I came to play" says Sonny Moorman. "I was raised in the bars my folks owned in and around Hamilton, OH and got to hear world class artists Lonnie Mack, Cal Collins, Dumpy Rice, Troy Seals, Wayne Perry, and a score of others up close and personal and learned one thing – all the hype in the world doesn't mean a thing unless you can back it up!" Those are words Sonny has lived by through the decades of roadhouses, bars, and juke joints from coast to coast. He backed it up gig after gig, night after night, and year after year until his own "hype" got too big to go unnoticed any longer. After a decade of playing rock bars in Michigan with a variety of bands and a five year "visit" to LA during which he graduated from Musician's Institute and played with "Z Deluxe" (Warren Zevon's former tour band), Moorman returned to Ohio – and to the Blues.

When Cincinnati Blues icon Big Ed Thompson suffered his debilitating stroke, Sonny was brought in to handle the guitar and vocal chores in Big Ed's band – the Cincinnati Blues All-Stars. The CBA's ETH Records release – Live at Burbank's chronicled the band during this period, and Living Blues Magazine was effusive in it's praise for Moorman's playing and singing. Not satisfied with the stylistic limitations of the All-Stars, Sonny moved on – to the Blues/Rock power trio format that is his vehicle to date.

In 1994, Moorman and his band played the Memphis Cross-Cultural Music Exposition and got a recording deal with Sun Studio's 706 Records imprint. "Gary Hardy (then Sun Studio manager) came up to me before I walked off of the stage at Blues City and offered us a deal", says Sonny. Two 706 Records releases followed – L*I*V*E and Telegraph Road. At that point Moorman started what became a four-year tour with Easyriders Magazine playing their events and became a client of manager William Perkins (Allman Bros., SRV, Tinsley Ellis). Sonny recorded his next releases on Perkins' Atlas Records label, including the 2009 Just Plain Folks, Best Blues Album / Best Blues Song nominee – Crossroads Motel, Live as Hell, and and Sonny's current release, More Live as Hell – Up to My Neck in the Blues.
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All Going Wrong - Darren Watson

Darren Watson is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and guitarist in a wide range of blues styles.

Darren Watson was born in Wanganui. His first musical experience was playing drums and trumpet but he soon moved on to guitar and was playing in bars and clubs throughout his years at Hutt Valley High School (1980–83).

In 1985, he formed Chicago Smoke Shop with harmonica player Terry Casey and, although Casey left the band in 1987, the band went on to record two charting LPs and several radio hits. The group was also in big demand as a support act by international touring bands. Between 1987 and 1990, Smoke Shop (the 'Chicago' tag was eventually dropped) opened for NZ tours by Robert Cray (twice), Koko Taylor, George Thorogood, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Since leaving Smoke Shop Watson has recorded three successful albums: King Size (2002), which was nominated for Best Roots Album at the 2003 New Zealand Music Awards,[1] South Pacific Soul (2005) which received favourable reviews from both local and international media, and Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy (2010).

In late April 2009 Darren won 1st place in the blues section of the prestigious International Songwriting Competition in Nashville, USA, with his song "All Going Wrong", a cut from South Pacific Soul. Judges for the competition included Tom Waits, James Cotton, John Mayall, and Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer. Watson has gone on to finish on the 'podium' in 2010, judged in 3rd in the blues category of the International Songwriting Competition for 'Can't Get Enough Of You'.

Watson's latest album Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy was released November 1, 2010 on Red Rocks Records.

In July 2011 Darren was selected to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Previous winners include Sean Costello and Suzan Tedeschi. The event takes place in February 2012
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"Muck Blues Roots Festival" August 16 Benefits Better Vision For Children

Announcing The.... "Muck Blues Roots Festival"

First-Ever Orange County Blues Society Concert Event Under The Stars At The Scenic Muckenthaler Cultural Center - Thursday, August 16

<< Better Vision For Children Foundation>>>

(Fullerton, Calif.) - The recently-formed Orange County Blues Society presents its first-ever concert event - "The Muck Blues Roots Festival" - under the stars at the scenic outdoor Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, Thursday, August 16. 8 p.m. Advance tickets available at www.orangecountybluessociety.com or through the Muckenthaler (www.themuck.org). Info: (714) 328-9375 or (714) 738-6595. Portion of proceeds to benefit San Diego-based Better Vision For Children Foundation, a non-profit charity working to prevent and cure partial or total blindness in pre-school children resulting from Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Autisim, Diabetes or Eye Cancer.

Artists scheduled to perform include "The Brooklyn Bluesman," acoustic guitarist-vocalist Calvin B. Streets; "Mistress Of the Blues," bassist-vocalist Randa Lee and Friends; L.A. blues-rock trio, The Hellhounds; and teenage trio blues upstarts, the Chase Walker Band featuring 13-year-old Chase Walker on guitar and vocals.

The Orange County Blues Society was formed this past Spring by musician Papa J, who also created the Real Blues Festival of Orange County. "The Orange County Blues Society was formed in 2012 as a public benefit corporation to keep the Blues alive. Its purpose is the education, presentation and preservation of Blues music as an original American art form for the next generation through teaching, publications, festivals and concerts.... The Blues Society's purpose is to promote, preserve and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an American Art form, and to help local blues artists get the attention needed to keep the blues alive. The Orange County Blues Society is focused on providing high-quality music and member satisfaction - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations."

Bar/None Records artists: The db's - Falling off the Sky - New Release Review

I have been listening to the newest release, Falling off the Sky, from The db's and it's quite tasty. It's not bluesy but a very strongly crafted power pop recording. The db's formed back in the late 70's releasing 4 albums over about 10 years. The original band is back together and sounding great. The recording opens with That Time Is Gone, a great gritty rocker sounding fresh and familiar. All of the swagger you'd want from a NYC power pop band. Before We Were Born, a straight up pop song with British sounding influences is up next. This is really a strong melodic track. The Wonder of Love, a pop rock track with a bit of a back beat even squeezes a cool guitar solo in. Write Back has the classic hook that you'd expect from a radio play track. Far Away And Long Ago has the delicacy of a George Harrison ballad. Very nice. World To Cry is another strong track with solid hooks. Vocal and instrumental is equally well constructed and executed. The Adventures of Albetross and Doggerell sounds a bit like a it could have come from a Nirvana recording... a pretty tall order. Curt indicated that he was influenced by those who came before him. She Won't Drive In The Rain Anymore is a particularly interesting track with interesting lyrics and painterly instrumental construction. My favorite after the opener. The title track, Falling off the Sky, completing the recording sounds like it was written by a prominent songwriting duo from Liverpool but possibly while they were on a stay over at Wilco's studio in Chicago. This is a very solid recording of power pop music and one that I am very anxious to lend to my best friend. I feel very confident that it will see great success.

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Debbie Davies News & Interviews!

Debbie Davies After The Fall Great Reviews & Great Airplay! Appearing on XM/Sirius This Week Contact: Mark Carpentieri Phone: 631-754-8725 E-Mail: mc@mc-records.com web: www.mc-records.com http://debbiedavies.com/ Northport NY- M.C. Records is thrilled by all the great reviews and airplay that Debbie's Davies' After The Fall is receiving. You can catch Debbie Davies talking about her new CD with Bill Wax on B.B. King's Bluesville on XM/Sirius. The times are all Eastern: Monday July 23 at 4 pm Wednesday July 25 at 1 pm Thursday July 26 at 9 pm Friday July 27 at 10 am. If you don't have XM/Sirius you can start a free trial by signing up here: From L to R: Dan Castango, Debbie Davies, Bill Wax of XM/Sirius M.C. Records would like to thank all the radio stations that have been playing After The Fall: CBC, CHMR, KIWR, KMEC, KRFX, KTEP KXJZ, KZSU, RADIOIO, RADIO-VAGABOND, WBFO, WBOR, WDVX, WGLT, WILDMAN STEVE, RADIO, WKGL, WNCW, WXCI, WYCE, WYSO , XM/Sirius Washington. Check out these great reviews! “After The Fall” has a depth to it that is all to rare in today’s music. It speaks truthfully of, as Ms. Etta James said, Life, Love and the Blues, and if you have a soul you will enjoy this release. Blues411.com Davies has put together a versatile recording of blues influenced music and there is certainly something for everyone. Bman's Blues Report Debbie's guitar and voice are natural extensions of each other and each note has a purpose - that's what we're all striving for. She just keeps getting better. Keith Wyatt A trendsetter of a set, contemporary blues has to be glad to have Davies as a leading light as this set really shows the way. Midwest Records What I really like was the variety on this album. Each track has its own mood and - unlike some blues albums - it's not the "same old, same old" Anything Phonographic Certainly anyone who has been a fan of Debbie Davies will not be disappointed by this release. After the Fall will be welcome by blues lovers of a diverse range of tastes. Recommended. In A Blue Mood After The Fall (MC-0069) is Debbie Davies' 11th solo recording and is an all-original affair with Debbie writing or co-writing six of the 11 songs. In 2010, Debbie lost her dear friend, blues musician Robin Rogers and later that year Debbie broke her arm. As she began to heal, she started writing and putting many of her experiences and feelings into songs. The result is 2012's, After The Fall. In her amazing career Debbie has received 10 nominations for Blues Music Awards, and in 1997 and 2010 won the award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist. Debbie has recorded and performed with such blues luminaries as John Mayall, Albert Collins, Tab Benoit, Kenny Neal, Ike Turner, James Cotton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Coco Montoya, Duke Robillard, Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton and Charlie Musselwhite. Check out Debbie's passionate vocals and stinging guitar playing on this slow burner. Recorded earlier this year at the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise! The Debbie Davies Band is booked by Piedmont Talent www.piedmonttalent.com 7/27/2012 EDINBURGH SCOTLAND - EDINBURGH JAZZ FESTIVAL 7/28/2012 CUMBRIA ENGLAND - MAYPORT BLUES FESTIVAL 8/3/2012 SPRINGFIELD OR - WILLAMETTE VALLEY BLUES & 8/10/2012 PAWLING NY - TOWN CRIER CAFÉ 8/11/2012 NORTHAMPTON MA - IRON HORSE 8/18/2012 THROUGH 08-19-2012 VISBY SWEDEN - SUDERBLUES FESTIVAL 8/24/2012 NEW HAVEN CT - CAFÉ NINE 8/25/2012 WOONSOCKET RI - CHAN'S 9/6/2012 ROCKFORD IL - ADRIATIC CAFÉ & LIVE MUSIC BAR 9/8/2012 SAINT PETER MN - ROCK BEND FOLK FESTIVAL 9/10/2012 LINCOLN NE - THE ZOO BAR 9/11/2012 SIOUX FALLS SD - OLD SKOOLZ 9/13/2012 EVANSTON IL - SPACE 9/14/2012 DES MOINES IA - HOUSE OF BRICKS 9/15/2012 KANSAS CITY MO - KNUCKLEHEAD SALOON 9/25/2012 CHICO CA - SIERRA NEVADA BREWERY 9/28/2012 FOLSOM CA - THREE STAGES AT FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE 9/29/2012 STATLINE NV - HARRAH'S LAKE TAHOE 10/11/2012 HALIFAX, NS CANADA - ALLEGRO ROOM 10/12/2012 LITTLE BROOK, NS CANADA - LE CLUB SOCIAL DE CLARE 10/13/2012 SACKVILLE, NB CANADA - GEORGE'S ROADHOUSE 10/17/2012 NEW YORK CITY - B.B. KINGS BLUES CLUB 10/25/2012 WEST SENECA NY - RHINO'S UNION PUB

What I Say - Stevie Ray Vaughan And The Fabulous Thunderbirds

For over 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group's distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as "Tuff Enuff" and "Wrap It Up". Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation.

"We started as a straight blues band", vocalist and harmonica player Wilson says. "We now incorporate a mixture of a lot of different styles. We're an American music band and we're much higher energy than we were before."

Fabulous Thunderbirds with Stand Up BassIn addition to Wilson, the current Thunderbirds line-up features Jay Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitar, and Randy Bermudes on bass.

"To be in the T-Birds, you need to understand the different styles of music and different ways of playing," Wilson comments. "You have to be willing to adopt a more contemporary style. The guys we have now are able to do that."

The band continues to tour extensively, in both the U.S. and Europe. Wilson is currently writing songs on his own, with band members and other writers.

"I've primarily been a solo songwriter, but I'm looking forward to experimenting with the guys in the band," Wilson says.

The thread throughout the T-Birds career has been the respect the group commanded for its peerless musicianship and devotion to the sounds of blues, R & B and rock 'n roll. In fact, Muddy Waters called Wilson his favorite harmonica player and vocalist. "Muddy Waters was very good to me," Wilson says. "He almost adopted me. I'll never forget him."

For Kim Wilson, the musical journey started in Goleta, California. At 17 he began playing the harmonica. His influences included Little Walter, George "Harmonica" Smith, Lazy Lester and James Cotton. At the same time, Wilson began singing and was deeply impacted by Bobby "Blue" Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rodgers and Muddy Waters. In search of other musicians who shared his love of the blues, Wilson headed to Minneapolis. He stayed there for a year and a half, playing locally, before moving to the burgeoning music scene of Austin, Texas. It was there that he met Jimmie Vaughan and they founded the T-Birds in 1974. The band developed a reputation as a compelling live act and subsequently signed a record deal with CBS/Epic Records.

In 1979, The Fabulous Thunderbirds released their first self-titled album. Primarily blues influenced, it became a cult classic. "Things were wide open back then," Wilson recalls. "There were hundreds of stages where bands could show what they had."

Fabulous Thunderbirds B&WIn subsequent releases, the band started to incorporate more Cajun, rock 'n roll and soul influences. The album "T-Bird Rhythm" marked a creative turning point for the group as it collaborated with noted producer Nick Lowe. In 1986, The Fabulous Thunderbirds reached a commercial peak with the album, "Tuff Enuff". The single of the same title as well as the singles "Wrap It Up" and "Look At That", all went top 40. The song, "Tuff Enuff" was featured in the film "Gung Ho" starring Michael Keaton.

For the remainder of the '80s, the band continued to record and tour, and released the album, "Powerful Stuff". Jimmie Vaughn left in 1989 but Wilson kept the group going, incorporating keyboards into the guitar-driven sound. Kim moved back to California in 1996, continuing to cultivate the T-Birds music.

As a side project Wilson formed Kim Wilson's Blues Revue, a traditional blues band. He also owns a blues label, Blue Collar Music, that has released three albums - one by Kim, one by "Big Al" Blake and one by Fred Kaplan. Wilson has also recorded and written with noted session guitarist Danny Kortchmar and drummer Steve Jordan and may tour with them at some point. However his current focus remains The Fabulous Thunderbirds. "This is a great time for this band," he says. "We're looking forward to the future
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The Highway Is My Home - PERCY STROTHER

For a sense of the blues at its most tangible, one needs to look no further than singer/guitarist Percy Strother, who triumphed over incredible tragedy to create music of genuine pain and sorrow. Born July 23, 1946 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, he was still a child when his father died violently; his mother passed away shortly afterward, and rather than submitting to life in an orphanage, Strother simply took to the road. He drifted from job to job for a number of years, all the while fighting a battle with alcoholism; discovering the blues turned his life around, however, and after sobering up he began teaching himself guitar, honing his chops in virtual anonymity before recording his debut LP A Good Woman Is Hard to Find in 1992. The Highway Is My Home followed in 1995, and in 1997 Strother returned with It's My Time. He toured Europe several times and recorded Home at Last there, which saw release in 2001. A legend in his adopted home of Minneapolis, Percy Strother was diagnosed with liver cancer and passed away May 29, 2005.
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Every Day I have the blues & Outskirts of Town - Curly "Barefoot" Miller

Curly 'Barefoot" Miller, piano player born July 23, 1902 in New Orleans, Louisiana. I am able to find only small details about Curly.
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Brian Batchley On Harmonica

Hi I'm Brian Batchley. I am a musician.I have been fronting the Preachers Blues band since 1987.I play harmonica,guitar,piano and bass. I'm working on drums and digital sax.I also sing. david Reo is our guitar player aka: "Rhode Island Red" We have been playing together for years.Our current line up is : Myself ,David ,Tony Cicero on drums , and a guy named Bob on bass. We play out around Ventura and Ojai California 4 to 6 times a month .We are working on an album too. Also we've been looking to find players who'd like to be in out band in a comitted way not just for thr gig money, which is pretty crappy money anyway at this time. We play blues with variations on rock ,swing and acid music and we write cool songs....you should all come out and see us play. I was born and raised in Queens N.Y.C. and moved to So Cal in 1980 , been here ever since.I still like New York pizza and bagels though. I attended High School of Art and Design in N.Y.C. class of '75'.Theses days I don't do much graphic any more but I do make a living sort of in art ,restoring antique stoves and refrigerators ain't much money in bar music huh? My other major interests include martial arts , I began studying in 1977 with tae kwon do and dabbled in various other arts for years, I settled inopt Aikido 16 years ago and have been training in Aikido ever since - the fit is right for me.Currently I hold the rank of Nidan through Birankai Int and Hombu Dojo. Anyhow , glad to meet you all and maybe more about me later on...Peace.
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Bullfrog Blues - The Russ Tippins Electric Band

The band has been together since October 2009, initially playing Rock & Blues covers around the bar & club circuit in the North-East of England. By Spring 2010, they'd cooked up enough ideas to go and make their own album at Newcastle’s Cluny Studios.

The result was the "Electrickery" CD and subsequent reactions have been way beyond expectations, firstly, getting some incredible press reviews - including album of the month in Classic Rock - the U.K's biggest music magazine (who've also decided to include our song "Little Josephine" on their cover CD for the April 2012 issue). National distribution through Plastic Head/Code7 also helped to establish the beginnings of a fan-base outside the North-East. Indeed, much of 2011 was spent travelling up & down the length of the country to vociferous acclaim.

On top of this, a mini-tour of the U.S mid-west was also squeezed in after the CD got significant airplay on a number of Blues radio shows in Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Kansas. As a result, further rave reviews followed & Russ has even received a 1st-round nomination for a BMA, (Blues Music Awards, Memphis 2012).

Gig offers have been pouring in for 2012, many from venues that had previously shown no interest. Now the band are looking forward to appearances at some prestigious festivals including HEBDEN BLUES in June www.hebdenbues.co.uk ; MARYPORT BLUES FESTIVAL in July www.maryportblues.com; and COLNE R&B Festival in August www.bluesfestival.co.uk/

The "Electrickery" album features nine original songs plus the Hendrix track "Freedom" and is available on Code7/Plastic Head through most HMV stores. Alternatively, you can order it on here from our album page or download it from iTunes

All three band members are established professional musicians. Russ has been one of the most popular performers on the N.E live music circuit over the last 10 years, whether playing solo or with the acclaimed Led Zeppelin tribute Zep3 (now disbanded).
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Pick Up The Pieces - Wentus Blues Band w/ Eddie Kirkland

While most people associate the blues with the steamy bayous of Louisiana and the cotton fields of Mississippi, lovers of the devil´s music may be surprised to hear that there is also a thriving scene in Scandinavia.At the heart of this Nordic blues explosion are the

WENTUS BLUES BAND, who hail from Kokkola in central Finland. And while the pinestudded wilderness of their homeland is about as far as you can get from the jukejoints of the Deep South, there´s no doubting their musical credentials. Established in 1986, the band have acquired a reputation as the hardest working in Scandinavia and play around 150 gigs a year. The Wentus Blues Band has toured in 15 different countries, released 7 albums, done several TV-shows, headlined festivals and toured with many great bluesmen. Expect explosive blues

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Any Day Now - Chuck Jackson

Possessing one of the most elegant baritone voices in the annals of recorded music, Grammy Award-nominated Chuck Jackson has set a benchmark for aspiring vocalists of all genres. In turn, he's engendered deep respect from contemporaries and aficionados around the globe.

His seductive rasp is emblematic of his inimitable style and is underscored on all levels of his monumental recordings.

Consistent with this, Chuck's rhythmic compositions are truly prolific and speak volumes to his extraordinarily poetic histrionics, coupling evocative lyrics and eclectic instruments with posh studio arrangements.

From his early days at Scepter Records to his Motown Records' productions, Chuck's discography consists of some of the most memorable popular and R&B hits ever arranged: "Any Day Now," his 1962 chart-stopping signature song, is one of the most recognizable crossover tunes in popular music vaults and has been covered by countless artists since.

By contrast, "I Don't Want To Cry," an alluring and rapturous piece that he co-wrote and recorded in 1961, was his first hit single and forever etched his imprint onto the record industry's shifting landscape.

Raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Chuck spent his formative years honing the craft that would launch him into the international spotlight and expose his talent to national television audiences such as The Tonight Show, Soul Train and American Bandstand.

Along with this, his extraordinary gifts can be witnessed at live concerts in select venues planet-wide, where he often shares the stage with other superlative vocalists like songstress Dionne Warwick and the soulful Smokey Robinson. Other well-known productions have included Michael McDonald, Boyz II Men, Ben E. King and a plethora of other household names.

Ms. Warwick was Chuck's partner in the 1997 Grammy-nominated duet "If I Let Myself Go" (Grammy nominated for Best Duet) from his well-orchestrated CD I'll Never Get Over You. Thus far he has 23 charted songs to his credit.

He appreciates the value of the creative aspect of the business, but he also realizes the importance of the business side of the music industry: Financing the production of concerts and special events requires an intricate knowledge of contracts and budgets.

In addition to his professional commitments, he organizes and produces events for New York's world-famous Apollo Theatre. Inclusive in these productions are exemplary performers like Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones, Paul Shaffer (The Late Show) and Ashford & Simpson, to name a few.

Chuck knows the struggles new artists face and therefore has donated time and personal resources to the development of the careers of many of our top stage performers in music, theater and comedy: Flip Wilson, at one time the most popular comedian in the world, got his big break when Chuck took him on the road to open shows for him.

The superlative Dionne Warwick sang backup for Chuck on many of his stellar recordings, and Britain's Tom Jones was heavily influenced by Chuck when he touched down on American soil with the smash that was originally written for Chuck, "It's Not Unusual."

Chuck's versatile background permits him to vocalize in different styles: from R&B and pop to gospel and blues. And his trademark adlibbing is second to none as he continues to release new material with potent lyrics sporting dynamic arrangements.

His latest project, Chuck Jackson: The Motown Anthology, is a United Kingdom release (available on-line), and it will be distributed domestically in the future. This disc contains 48 tracks of incredible ballads interspersed with up-tempo grooves, which chronicle his fascinating career from some of his earlier studio recordings till now.

Chuck has received so many awards that it would take a book to list them all. However, a noteworthy one is the Apollo Theatre's Hall of Fame Award and tribute for headlining more shows there than any artist in the history of the historical Manhattan venue.

He's received additional commendation from the following: Anheuser Busch, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, Motown Heroes & Legends and The Harlem Jazz & Music Festival, etc. Chuck is also a permanent member of New York's famous Friars Club.

Working closely with civic leaders such as key political figures, including Representative Charles B. Rangel, enables Chuck to network a collective to achieve some of his many community goals.

As a humanitarian, Chuck continues to donate time and revenue to further creativity in the inner-city, performing in concerts and organizing events that impact the lives of millions of citizens, junior and senior.

From his first major success with Bacharach and David to his present studio enterprises, Chuck Jackson continues to create wonderful music. And with new gospel and secular projects on the horizon, this is just the beginning of the next phase in the career of Smithsonian Institute's certified 'national treasure' and one of the most exciting entertainers of our time.

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Saint Louis Blues - Joe "Stride" Turner

Joe Turner (November 3, 1907 – July 21, 1990) was an American jazz pianist.

Joseph H. Turner was born in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. One of the masters of the stride piano style associated with Harlem, New York City, Turner got his first big musical break in 1928 with his hiring by the Benny Carter Orchestra. He also played with Louis Armstrong. After World War II, he settled in Europe, living in Paris from 1962. He played at La Calavados, a nightclub situated on the Champs Elysees until his death from a heart attack in 1990, at the age of 82
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Women Be Wise - Sippie Wallace

Sippie Wallace (born as Beulah Thomas, November 1, 1898 – November 1, 1986) was an American singer-songwriter. Her early career in local tent shows gained her the billing "The Texas Nightingale". Between 1923 and 1927, she recorded over 40 songs for Okeh Records, many written by herself or her brothers, George and Hersal Thomas. Her accompanists included Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet, King Oliver, and Clarence Williams. Among the top female blues vocalists of her era, Wallace ranked with Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, and Bessie Smith.

In the 1930s, she left show business to become a church organist, singer, and choir director in Detroit, and performed secular music only sporadically until the 1960s, when she resumed her career. Wallace was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1982, and was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 1993
Wallace was born in Houston, Texas, one of 13 children. In her youth Wallace sang and played the piano in Shiloh Baptist Church, where her father was a deacon, but in the evenings the children took to sneaking out to tent shows. By her mid-teens, they were playing in those tent shows. By performing in the various Texas shows, she built a solid following as a spirited blues singer.

Wallace came from a musical family: her brother George W. Thomas became a notable pianist, bandleader, composer, and music publisher; her other brother Hersal Thomas was a pianist and composer; and her niece (George's daughter) Hociel Thomas was a pianist and composer.
In March 1986, following a concert in Germany at Burghausen Jazz Festival, she suffered a severe stroke, was hospitalized, returned to the US, and died on her 88th birthday at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. She is buried at Trinity Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.
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MC Records artist: Debbie Davies - After The Fall - New Release Review

I just received the new recording, After The Fall by Debbie Davies. Debbie is a stellar blues guitarist and I been anxious to hear this. The recording opens with Don't Put The Blame, a song that to my ear has a country rock swagger. Davies has a great voice and it is the feature on this first track. The Fall, another vocal dominant track has a great guitar solo with Davies bringing that slick style and tone that she's known for. True Blue Fool is a classic R&B style ballad and Davies takes full advantage of the opportunity to play a beautifully melodic guitar solo. Done Sold Everything, an uptempo Texas style blues track with a good story line and great dual lead guitar playing. A sure crowd pleaser. Little Broken Wing, another R&B style ballad is well written and includes another cool contrasting guitar solo. All Of My Forgiveness has a light Latin rhythm and another smooth guitar solo to top off Debbie on vocals. Goin' To Gaggle gets the Bo Diddly rhythm going and Davies plays off the piano and guitar rhythm to tell her story. I'll Feel Much Better When You Cry is a straight up 12 bar blues with the money solo that traditional blues fans will be looking for.... EXCELLENT! R.R. Boogie is a great and unpredictable instrumental giving Davies and crew the chance to stretch out a little... certain to be a favorite at concerts. The recording ends with Google Me Baby, styled after early jazz style tunes. Davies takes this opportunity to show her jazz chops and her touch is spot on.
Davies has put together a versatile recording of blues influenced music and there is certainly something for everyone.
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