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💿 ALBUM REVIEW: John Primer and Friends - Tribute To Theresa's Lounge

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John fell in love with the blues as a child when his father and an older cousin played guitar and sang at night after a hard day in the fields. His mother moved to Chicago to secure a job and support her family. She promised to bring John and his sister to the big city when they reached age 18, leaving them with family. Depressed and lonely, young Primer frequently went into the neighboring woods, where he cried his troubles away and began singing the blues in solitude. He eventually built himself a diddley bow on the side of his grandmother's house out of broom wire, two nails and a brick and began accompanying himself as he sang, eventually playing for dimes and quarters in his schoolyard. After listening to Jimmy Reed , Little Milton, B.B. King , Albert King and Muddy Waters on his grandmother's record player, his biggest dream was to play alongside Muddy Waters one day. 🎵 LISTEN & SUPPORT THE ALBUM ▶ Listen to Album Samples (Clic...

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Scott Weis Band - Raise Your Hands - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Raise Your Hands , by Scott Weis Band and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Motherless Child , Scott Weis on slide guitar and lead vocal really gets a great groove going. With a heavy kick drum and snare Roger Voss reinforces the beat and Robert Kopec on bass is joined by Cindy Mizelle on vocal creating a really strong opener. Blues rocker, Judgement Day , opens with a cool rimshot riff and Weiss powers a Gibbons style guitar riff giving this track plenty of fuel. Weis lays in a really  nice solo over a rowdy bass line by Kopec and Voss powers up the drums. Very cool. A strong cover of Cocker's arrangement of With A Little Help From My Friends really is a nice surprise. Weis' vocals are strong, with backing by Sarah Smith,  John Ginty adds real tension on keys and his Weis' guitar solo phrasing works nicely. Funky rocker, Bitch Please , has just a touch of Jagger in styling with it's rumbling ba...

VizzTone Label Group artist: Bob Corritore & Friends - Somebody Put Bad Luck On Me - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Somebody Put Bad Luck On Me , from Bob Corritore & Friends and it's another super release from Corritore. Opening with This Little Voice , Corritore, conjures so great harp tone on the intro with Jimi Primetime Smith on guitar and John Primer on vocal and guitar, backed by Bob Stroger on bass and Wes Starr on drums. Solid opener. Bobby Rush has the mic on I'm Good As Gone , a slinky R&B style blues with Smith and Dexter Allen on guitar, Chester Thompson on organ, and Steve Ferrone on drums. Very nice. Thornetta Davis is in charge on Remember Me and I gotta say, she's exceptional. I caught Davis when I went to see guitar master, Johnny Burgin and she really did a great job. Davis is joined here by Smith, Burgin, Keyes, Corritore, Stroger and Wes Starr. Very nice. Lurrie Bell leads off, Act Like You Love Me on vocal and guitar. A slow Chicago style blues with solid harp work by Corritore, is joined by ...

VizzTone Label Group artist: Chickenbone Slim - Damn Good And Ready - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Damn Good And Ready , from Chickenbone Slim and it's a cocky, blues rocker. Opening with High Ballin' Train , a southern style rocker with plenty of swagger, Chickenbone Slim on guitar and vocal leads the way and Laura Chavez really lets it fly on guitar. With Marty Dodson on drums, Justice Guevara on bass and Kid Andersen on everything else, this is a powerful opener. Low slung, Drink Me has a great lope and Slim's vocals are spot on. Stylistic guitar soloing by Chavez gives the track a nice boot and a heavy bottom by Guevara really is solid. Chavez lays down some searing riffs on Damn Good and Ready with just the right amount of funk from Guevara and Dodson. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Ice In My Whiskey , with it's heavy bottom and guitar reinforced melody. Stinging guitar work by Chavez reverberates over a bass and drum vamp as the band collects for it's refrain. Another track that ...

Blue Heart Records artist: Willie J. Campbell - Be Cool - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Be Cool , from Willie J. Campbell and it's really strong. Opening with You Better Let Go , Sugar Ray Rayford is upfront on lead vocal, with Willie J. Campbell on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys, Kid Ramos on guitar and Jimi Bott on drums. Ramos lays out a really nice guitar solo on this somewhat funky track, nicely complimented by Condron Hampton on congas. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Can't Stay Away , featuring Janiva Magness on lead vocal and Brian Templeton on backing vocal, as well as Anson Funderburgh showing exceptional finesse on guitar. Also appearing on this track are Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman on guitars.  Excellent! Templeton has the mic on Drone with it's droning bass line and features the harmonica wizardry of Jason Ricci. There's hardly a track that Ricci contributes to that I don't think that he improves substantially so this is another of my favorites. another Texas styl...

Blue Heart Records artist: Joel Astley - Seattle To Greaseland - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Seattle To Greaseland , from Joel Astley , and it's smoking! Opening with R&B flavored, Born Cryin' features strong vocals by Joel Astley, over a firm bass line by Randy Bermudes, and June Core. Astley plays a mean harmonica as well, backed by Kid Andersen on keys and outrageous guitar work by Johnny Burgin. Strong opener. Jump track, Candy Shop really is peppy with Astley on lead vocal and hot keys solos by Andersen, guitar by Burgin and harmonica by Astley. Secondhand Kid is another track that allows Burgin to shine with his Texas style blues riffs over a great bass line by Bermudes. Astley really knows how to work the rhythm and his harmonica riffs cross over nicely between rock and blues. Very cool. Swinging, Takin' It With Me , really has a cool feel with a great melody and really nice harmonica work by Astley. Burgin really cuts loose on guitar never disappointing and Core gets the opportunity to rap...

Out Of The Past Music: Steve Howell - Gallery of Echoes - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gallery of Echoes , from Steve Howell and it's a traditional look at traditional blues. Opening with Blind Lemon Jefferson's Stocking Feet Blues , with Howell on vocal and guitar. Howell's vocal style is ideal for this music and his picking style, steady and clean. On Blind Willie McTell's Statesboro Blues , only true blues aficionados are likely to have heard this highly popularized track, stripped down to this acoustic version. Very nice.  All My Friends Are Gone is a somber track and a strong addition to this release. Howell's vocals are sincere and his playing sensitive. Gary Davis', Sit Down On The Banks Of The River is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a great vocal delivery and fluid guitar work. Wrapping the release is Dallas Rag , a cool little guitar ditty giving Howell a cool closer for a solid acoustic blues release.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming...

Robert "Top" Thomas - A Thin Dime - New Release Review

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 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Thin Dime , from Robert "Top" Thomas and it's a solid, contemporary "country blues" style release. Opening with BL Jefferson's One Thin Dime , Robert "Top" Thomas accompanies his vocal on guitar. With perfect timing and tight picking pattern, this is a strong opener.  On the Ballad of John Henry , Top pulls out his steel body resonator and adds accomplished slide work to his picking style on this lively number. On St Louis Jimmy Oden's Goin' Down Slow , Top captures the earth beneath this track with excellent vocals and a tidy guitar style. Top's take on Baby Please Don't Go is a cool, up tempo rag with a great balance between his vocal and guitar picking. Very nice. Rev. Gary Davis' I Am The True Vine is full of energy with traditional Davis picking style and powerful vocals. Excellent! Wrapping the release is another Gary Davis tune, Oh Glory, How Happy I Am ...