Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live From Daryl's House Club , from Sean Chambers and it's a potent blues rocker. Opening with driving rocker, Cobra , Sean Chambers, notorious guitar slinger is joined by Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums, both of Savoy Brown fame. With grinding guitar rhythm and a driving bottom, Chambers really gets things amped up. His guitar riffs are searing and relentless. Solid opener. Blues rocker, Red Hot Mama has a real nice feel with great vocals by Chambers who plays some real nice slide on this one. Louise is a smoking blues and Chambers really lets the dog off the leash on this one. His vocals are raw and his guitar tone is round and cutting. Very nice. Paying tribute to Kim Simmonds, they tee up a Savoy Brown favorite, Street Corner Talking with it's intimidating swagger. Maintaining Simmonds original arrangement but with his own take on guitar soloing, this 7 plus minute track is terrific. Chambe...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Flee Though None Pursue , by Ed Alstrom and it's a juicy bity of soulful blues. Opening with Be Nice! Ed Alstrom on lead vocal and keys we're greeted with a sound that could be The Impressions. With Ula Hedwig on backing vocals and Don Guinta on drums, this is a fine opener. Slow Blues , features Robert Hill on guitars supporting Alstrom on keys and vocals. Slide guitar really gives the track a bluesy sound and Alstrom's organ is great support for his own rich vocals. New Orleans flavored, The Truth features Alstrom and Hedwig on vocals and Jerry Vivino on sax and Frank Pagano on drums. Great track.  Screwed is a cool, funky blues with solid vocals and a nice ripping guitar solo by Alstrom and Pagano on drums. Very cool. Great Notch is another track with a funky New Orleans feel. Don Guinta on drums and Hedwig and Alstrom's vocals add nicely to the piano work of Alstrom and cool harmonica work of Rob Pa...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bluesland Theme Park  by Heavydrunk and Watermelon Slim and it's really sweet! Opening with charging, Bluesland Theme Park , a high stepper with vaudevillian sound and Mad Dogs and Englishman horn vamp.  With Rob Robinson on lead vocals and Watermelon Slim on harmonica this is really potent. Featuring great interpretative innovation by Roy Agee on trombone, Emmanuel Echem and Lorenzo Molino on trumpet, Evan Cobb and Maxwell Abrams on sax this is a potent opener. Funky, New Wine is another meaty track with excellent vocals and notable bass by John Allouise and Brian Allen, Ricky Burkhead on drums and some real nice slide work by Slim. Watermelon Girl has a really nice Texmex/island feel with excellent vocals, nice slide and great percussion work by Burkhead. Another favorite on the release is Better Worser Too with thick vocals and, sassy horn work and funky funky bottom. Can be remiss by not mentioning th...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hidden Gems, by Brent Laidler , and it has a cool, yet sophisticated approach. Opening with Latin influenced, Haba Verde , Ned Boyd on sax  and Brent Laidler on guitar set the theme working with Richard Sleepy Floyd on drums, Jamie Newman on organ and Scott Pazara on bass to create a very pleasant theme. Flute solo by Boyd, Buselli on trumpet and a rich guitar solo by Laidler really make this a bright opener. Led by Boyd on sax, Gemani has a cool island feel and with Newman holding the bar and Floyd on rimshot, Boyd really gives it a ride. An exuberant solo by Newman on organ and a lively soli by Laidler really takes the track to another level. Very nice. Another track with a bright, Latin bottom, Riff Business gives Newman the first pass and his chops shine bright with just the right zing. I really like Buselli's approach on trumpet with a tight yet laid back attack and Laidler's mellow guitar tone really polis...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Brothers , from Towner Galaher Organ Group and it's quite good. Opening with title track, Brothers , Towner Galaher sets the rhythm with a funky snare, hi hat thing and Craig Handy on tenor sax builds the melody. With warm B3 by Jimmy Sanders, Marvin Horne on guitars and excellent bass contributions by Randy Monroe, this is a solid opener. The Diamond Chalice is one of my favorites on the release with it's easy pace and soulful melody by Handy. Sanders on Rhodes and thick B3 adds substantially to the depth of the track and Monroe's bass lines balanced with Galaher's tight drumming give the track a real substantial feel. Cahva Bite? weaves from a straight ahead groove and 4 time highlighted by cool percussion by Galaher. Ever present fluid lead lines by Handy and straight up soloing by Sanders and Horne make this another standout on the release. Wrapping the release is Seventh Heaven, a driving rocker with...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Way Ride , from John Brennan, and it's a real nice set of blues rockers. Opening with Nothin' To Lose , John Brennan on vocal, slide and drums sets a solid blues foundation. With it's traditional sound and, electrified hollow body slide sound and solid vocals, Brennan shows a purity that I rarely hear on contemporary blues releases. On Elmore James', Shake Your Money Maker, I think the track sounds spontaneous along the lines of Hound Dog Taylor. A great cut and hot slide. On Robert Johnson's shuffle Ramblin' On My Mind , Brennan's vocals are highlighted with solid slide, balancing with acoustic rhythm guitar. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Where'd You Stay last Night , a vibrant rocker with a late 50's/early 60's sound. Stripped down with basic guitar, drum and vocal, this track rocks. Slipping in with some real nice lead/slide guitar and a rockabilly feel, this is an excel...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nashville Road , from Tomislav Goluban with Crooked Eye Tommy and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Hard Run , Tomislav Goluban on harmonica leads the way with an aggressive rock rhythm by Tommy Marsh on guitar, Eric Robert on keys, Jasco Duende on guitar, Doug Seibert on bass, and Alphonso Wesby on drums. Super opener.  Boogie rocker, Bad Choices Make Good Stories is a deep track with a thumping rhythm by Seibert and Wesby, super lead vocals and guitar by Marsh and signature harmonica lead by Goluban. Hip Hop Shake is another driving boogie with critical bass line by Seibert, dueling lead between Goluban, Robert and Marsh. Super track. I really like the rhythm on Keep On Movin On with its  lightly funky beat. Wrapping the release is laid back, There Is A Train featuring Marsh on vocal and guitars, and Goluban wailing train on harmonica and Marsh on steel. This is a real nice release from two talen...