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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
I sometimes get backed up with the number of CD's that I have to review and this is one that fell through the cracks. A new release, Twenty First Century Problems, by Lauren Desberg is totally unlike anything that I typically review but it has a clean simple and bright sound and certainly warrants note. With it's light breezy jazz opening track, Can't Stop The Show, it displays cool rhythmic patterns and a really nice sax part under Desberg's clear vocals. With a touch of hip hop in a pop jazz mix, He Loves She Loves is simply nice with terrific drums and piano. Emotive ballad, Lie To Me, digs back to earlier jazz times and a more serious texture. An interesting cover of well worn out Bee Gee's, How Deep Is Your Love, has a fresh face and with nice vocal blending and enough nice instrumental work to totally make you forget that you are listening to one of the most boring songs ever written ... and not mind it at all. Lullaby Of The Leaves is a really interesting track with a clever interplay between the stand up bass and trumpet. Desberg creates an cool ambiance and fills it with really nice vocals. Excellent! Angel Eyes is another interesting track with an uneven rhythm and a airy vocals. The balance of Desberg's vocals hangs by a string in a cloud of light backing vocals, cool rhythms, piano and horn work. I really like it! Torch ballad, Never Let Me Go, with a solitary voice over piano brings to mind early 60's jazz and it's clarity. Wrapping the release is Try To Get Out, an interesting pop jazz track with a touch of show. It's difficult for me to articulate what I am hearing, possibly because it is outside of my normal listening venue here, but let's just say, I am impressed by this production that makes me think Fiona Apple and Joni Mitchell yet neither. High quality work and extremely enjoyable.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
BUDDY GUY REVEALS ‘BORN TO PLAY
GUITAR’ ALBUM COVER & TRACK LISTING
NEW STUDIO ALBUM
FEATURES GUEST APPEARANCES BY VAN MORRISON, JOSS STONE AND
MORE PLUS SONGS
DEDICATED TO B.B. KING AND MUDDY WATERS
ALBUM AVAILABLE
FOR PRE-ORDER ON JUNE 29
Grammy Award winning blues icon Buddy Guy
has revealed the album cover and track listing for his brand new studio
album Born To Play Guitar. Set for release July 31 on
Silvertone/RCA Records, Born to Play Guitar features guest appearances by
Van Morrison, Joss Stone, Kim Wilson and Billy Gibbons. Morrison
joins Buddy on the heartfelt “Flesh & Bone,” a song dedicated to the
late great B.B. King. On “Come Back Muddy” Guy reminisces about the
good ole days with his friend Muddy Waters. The album is produced
by Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter Tom Hambridge.
B.B. King’s Bluesville channel on SiriusXM will debut Buddy Guy’s new
song “Born to Play Guitar” during SiriusXM host Tony Colter’s show on
Monday, June 29.
Born To Play Guitar
will be available for pre-order on June 29 at iTunes and Amazon.
Born To Play Guitar track listing:
01 Born To Play
Guitar
02 Wear You Out
feat. Billy Gibbons
03 Back Up Mama
04 Too Late feat.
Kim
Wilson
05 Whiskey, Beer
& Wine
06 Kiss Me Quick
feat. Kim Wilson
07 Crying Out Of
One Eye
08 (Baby) You Got
What It Takes feat. Joss Stone
09 Turn Me
Wild
10 Crazy
World
11 Smarter Than I
Was
12 Thick Like
Mississippi Mud
13 Flesh &
Bone with Van Morrison
(Dedicated to B.B. King)
14 Come Back
Muddy
The Incredible, Irrepressible, One of a Kind Trudy Lynn
Currently nominated for a
2015 Living Blues Award
If you have ever attended a Trudy Lynn performance then
you know from experience that the blues lives within this woman's
soul. As you watched and listened you may have recognized
that what you were experiencing was not some kind of
contrived, elaborate put on stage show. Oh no there was
something much, much deeper going on in front of you. At a
Trudy Lynn performance you sense that you are receiving
something directly from the woman's heart and that’s
what creates pause as it permeates within us. Plus there’s
another upside to a Trudy Lynn performance. There are no airs about
her. Even with all the professional heights she's climbed
Trudy remains true to being who she is, both the internationally
recognized American blues singer and also, with full humility, the
blues singer from humble beginnings in Houston,
Texas. Trudy delivers what is deeply rooted within and because
that’s what comes out the audience senses that they are
receiving something very real and they relate. Trudy
delivers her message without any constraint and so it
reaches the audience as being exactly what it is, 100%
real. It's enjoyable, passionate, it's the traditional blues being
performed the way it should be - from the heart. That's the
Trudy Lynn magic. So it may come as no surprise to you that
Trudy Lynn would be nominated for one of the 2015 Living
Blues Awards because so many blues fans have felt
this personal connection. She is the incredible,
irrepressible one of a kind Ms Trudy Lynn.
If you vote just click on the link below and it will
transport you to the list of nominees. You will see the vote button
on the right hand side of the page.
I just received the newest release, Don't Look Back, from the Royal Southern Brotherhood and it's a funky, reggae, soul and blues jam. Opening with I Wanna Be Free, a hot rocker with white hot guitar riffs from new members, Bart Walker and Tyrone Vaughan, and a solid bottom from Charlie Wooton and Yonrico Scott. Reach My Goal adds just a little funk and some cool B3 from Ivan Neville with an almost Doobies sound. Cyrille Neville, Walker and Vaughan blend nice vocally and Walker plays a fluid guitar solo making this an ideal radio track. A real nice bass intro by Wooten opens reggae infused title track, Don't Look Back, with Walker on banjo and nice percussion work from Neville and Scott. Hit Me Once has a light funky jazz sound with an R&B vocal style. This is a cool track and Neville's vocals hit! Walker and Vaughan trade some slashing riffs on this track enforcing this as one of my favorites on the release. The Big Greasy has a slippery funk style with a contagious bass line from Wooton and a hot key solo from Neville. Hard Blues has a nice swagger courtesy of Wooton and Scott and Neville's vocals balance well with the stinging guitar riffs of Walker. Better Half brings it way down for a super sweet southern soul track. This is likely my favorite track on the release with a Luther Ingram feel. Excellent! Penzi has a cool Caribbean feel with excellent percussion and a great bass line holding the bottom. Walker adds a light Spanish feel with stylistic mandolin playing. Another track with broad airplay potential. It's Time For Love has a smooth soulful jazzy feel with nicely phrased guitar riffs and silky vocal lead. Bayou Baby is a really smokey track with red hot slide work. This track has a infectious groove that really gets you... try to just play it once! Excellent! Poor Boy is a R&B flavored rocker with a hot bass line. Vaughan lays out a cool guitar riff complimenting cool, Bobbie Tench like vocals. Nice! They Don't Make Em Like You No More gets into the Tower of Power range with sax work from Max Abrams and Jimmy Hall as well as trumpet from Paul Armstrong. Funky wah wah guitar riffs give this track an edge and plucky bass riffs by Wooten push it on! Nice! Come Hell Or High Water has a really strong melody and maintains an almost Isley Brothers R&B feel. Another track that could easily garner broad radio play, vocals are warm and guitar riffs rich. Wrapping the release is Anchor Me, a quiet acoustic ballad. Coming out with the big guns and retiring with a quiet track, I really like this new release by RSB.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
I just received the newest release, Born & Raised, by Omar Coleman and this guy can sing! Opening with Shuffle track, Tryin' To Do Right, Coleman exhibits his solid vocals and harp work complimented by Pete Galanis on guitar, Neal O'Hara on keys, Ari Seder on bass ad Marty Binder on drums. Man Like Me has a pure Chicago sound with nice harp work from Coleman and a tasty guitar solo from Toronzo Cannon. Funky Sit Down Baby is anchored by O'Hara's organ work and nicely driven by Seder and Binder. Coleman rides the top with great vocal style and Galanis pops off some stinging riffs along with Colemans harp work pulling the track together. Soulful, I Was A Fool, blends a light funk and soul into the blues for a really strong track. Guest guitarist Mike Wheeler plays some really soulful riffs on this track, making it one of my favorites on the release. A bit more funky, Wishing Well, has a down right limp. It gets so funky you may need an air freshner and Wheeler is right there with fluid guitar riffs keeping the track tight on. Rocker, Slow Down Baby, finds Dave Herrero laying down a solid Chuck Berry riff and O'Hara rides the 88's as Coleman delivers on vocal and harp. Herrera rips a nice solo on this track making Coleman holler for help! Cool track! Another funky track, Lucky Man, with perfect drum riffs by Binder digs a real nice groove. Galanis plays a perfect response to Coleman's vocal call and O'Hara lays right in the groove on organ. Galanis steps up with heated guitar riffs giving the track another dimension altogether making this another favorite on the release. Upbeat shuffle track, You Got A Hold On Me, opens with a real nice harp intro from Coleman. Cannon's back setting the pace with a nice guitar lead and Binders drums are particularly crisp. The coolest harp work on the release falls right into place on this one making it the complete package. Title track, Born & Raised, is a high stepper with Coleman keeping his feet high. Galanis rips a real nice guitar solo on this one over the wah wah rhythm. Very cool! Slow soul track, One Request is the most memorable melody on the track making it my choice for radio track of the release. I really like Coleman's vocal leads on this track and the light organ support by O'Hara on this track is perfect. His piano work is nicely presented, Seder's bass hand is right there and Binder is spot on. Again Galanis steps up with a nice guitar solo on this track but just enough to emphasize the dynamics on the track. Nicely done. Funky jazz track, Tell Me What You Want, has a nice bass line from Seden which really sets the table for me. Coleman's vocal phrasing on the track as well as his harp work is nicely complimented by hot guitar riffs from Herrero. New Orleans infused, I Know You Been Cheating, has an almost rhumba feel with a nice harp solo from Coleman. Seder on snare and O'Hara on piano really emphasize the cultural richness and Galanis throws down a tasty solo to ice the cake. Wrapping the release is full out jazz track, Raspberry Wine, with Coleman showing that his vocals can carry off even the more challenging style. Galanis steps up again with a real nice guitar solo on a carrier of organ and piano by O'Hara. O'Hara pulls off a real nice solo of his own on organ and then as is traditional Coleman steps back up to take the track home and the band joins in on vocals. Really nice closer.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
I just received the newest self titled release from Bo & the Bluesdrivers and it's quite entertaining. Opening with Out On The Streets, a straight ahead blues rocker, Bo takes total command on vocals and guitar. His stinging guitar tone and slashing riffs give the track a nice bite. Ass, Gas or Grass, a boogie track with cool double stops and a smooth driving bass line from Brian "Chewy" James and tight drumming from J J Garcia really digs a nice groove. Easy paced, Sea Song, is an interesting guitar exploration on a simple theme, not unlike some of the Dickie Betts runs of days gone. Very nice. Walkin' In The Park has a very distinctive contemporary Allman Brothers sound with a jazz rock feel. It's an interesting play on a familiar theme that should bode well for the Bluesdrivers. Chillin' also has a southern rock feel but a little jazzier, say Les Dudek. This is a cool track with fluid guitar riffs and a breezy melody.
This is a cool first outing for Bo & the Bluesdrivers and should garner them significantly more attention.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
I just received the newest release, Honey For My Queen, from the Josh Garrett Band and it's deceptively hot! Opening with title track, Honey For My Queen, Garrett crafts a smooth southern pop track with a dash of country. Accompanied by Clay White on harp, and CR Gruver on keys, this track will make a solid radio track. Memphis has a laid back feel and continues with a rural easiness. Same Boat gets moving into a R&B slot and features James Johnson on guitar. With the fluidity and unpredictability of Mark Knopfler, intelligent guitar riffs flow nicely. Goodnight, Goodnight is a nice acoustic number with a blues flavor featuring Garrett on vocal and resonator and White on harp. Instrumental track, Slide in "G", starts the avalanche with it's driving beat and White's harping playing off of Garrett on slide and Gruver on keys. Easy Chair is a modern day "Help Me" blues with a nice groove and B3 cushion. Garrett really turns on the guitar heat on this track and it should make you sit back and pay attention. Whole Bottle Of Whine is another track built over a blues riff with a cool funky groove added over the top. Garrett explores another facet of guitar with a bit of chicken pickin and a few jazz riffs. Cool! My favorite track on the release, Ain't Nobody's Business, sets straight any thoughts about Garrett's blues chops. A nicely executed blues cover with excellent feel, this track is smokin! Dat's Alright With Me, is full out train style country rocker. Following the format of the Blues Is Alright or That's Alright Mama, this track takes full advantage of it's country rock roots with slick guitar riffs, Waylon Thibodeaux on fiddle and cool vocals. Wrapping the release is Moonshine and Cigarettes with it's new Orleans gait. Almost like a cakewalk delivering the happy spirits at the end of a long day, this track carries a summary of great music and instrumentals to the end. Very nice!
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
I just received the newest release, 1953, from Cheryl Lescom & The Tucson Choir Boys. Opening with Dime Store Lover, a slinky pop track, highlights Lescom's vocal styling and sets the mood for the release. Soul Shakin' Romance makes you feel like you're on the set of an Elvis movie with backing vocals by acoustic guitarist, Sameday Ray, bass player Les Graham, and Michael J Torbay. Surrender is a keyboard driven blues rocker featuring Steve O'Connor on keys and a tight vocal group. Dave The Cat leads Just Pressed Send with a rockin acoustic guitar riff. Too Much Time crosses over into modern country style with Dave and Robert Reid setting a nice line of acoustic guitar. This is a contemporary style radio track and should be well received. Hot boogie number, Party Girl, is driven by Graham on bass and O'Connor on piano and Lescom is belting out the blues with cool vocal backing by the Choir Boys. It's Not You, It's Me is another country flavored ballad. A strong acoustic lead solo by Dave is nicely presented. Places I've Been has a familiar note. I don't know why but I think Bonnie Tyler or Meatloaf.... you tell me. Nice Mix Of Crazy feels like a Texas 2 stepper with a touch of Bo Diddley and rock. Another clean guitar solo by Dave adds another dimension. Measure Of A Man is another solid ballad. I particularly like Dave's solo on this track with a unique acoustical clarity. The release is wrapped by Twenty Foot Memory, a song with a touch of gospel and a touch of country. A feel good track with a clever country guitar riff, this is a nice closer for a solid release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
