Bman's Blues Report

LEGENDARY CUBAN SINGER OMARA PORTUONDO RETURNS TO NORTH AMERICA ON HER LAST-EVER WORLD TOUR “LAST KISS” TOUR REACHES LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, WASHINGTON DC AND MORE photo credit Johann Sauty Omara Portuondo , legendary Cuban diva and original member of the famed Buena Vista Social Club ™, comes to North America this spring/summer for the final time as part of her worldwide “ Last Kiss ” farewell tour. Highlights of the tour’s North American portion include performances at the Regent Theater in Los Angeles , Sony Hall in New York , the Barns at Wolf Trap in Washington, D.C. and the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago . See below for a list of dates. On the road, Portuondo will be joined by a traditional piano/bass/drums/percussion lineup consisting of acclaimed GRAMMY Award nominated pianist Roberto Fonseca , Andres Coayo on percussion, Ruly Herrera on drums and bassist Yandy Martinez . Portuondo’s last-ever worldwide tour comes on the heels of her m...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Going Back Home , from Benny Turner & Cash McCall and it's quite fun. Opening with rumbling R&B track, Got To Find A Way , Turner is upfront on lead vocal and bass joined by Carla Davis. This track has solid horn punch with Jason Mingledorff on sax, Barney Floyd on trumpet and includes Cash McCall and Butch Mudbone on guitars, Raishene Webb on keys and Terry Saffold on drums. McCall steps front and center on Willie Dixon's Spoonful sharing the guitar work with Turner, Joe Krown on keys, Webb on organ, and Johnny Sansone on harmonica. McCall original, Money is a really cool track with spoken dialogue by McCall and only base piano, drums and walking guitar rhythm. Very nice. Elmore James' Shake Your Money Maker has great pace with Turner on lead vocal, Mudbone on slide and a nice sax solo by Mingledorff. Another EJ track, It Hurts Me Too features Billy Branch on harmonica as well as Turner and McCal...

Smithsonian Folkways Presents a 50 Year Retrospective of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Box Set, to be released May 10, 2019, Features Five Discs of Live Music from 1974 to 2016 Highlights Iconic New Orleans Musicians Like Trombone Shorty, Irma Thomas, Big Freedia, Professor Longhair, The Neville Brothers, Allen Toussaint, Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Kermit Ruffins, Terence Blanchard, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Champion Jack Dupree, Buckwheat Zydeco, and many more! For 50 years, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival , known to Fest-goers as simply Jazz Fest , has brought the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Big Easy to millions of festival goers. In celebration of Jazz Fest’s golden anniversary, venerable record label Smithsonian Folkways is proud to ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, 7 Minutes Late , from Chris O'Leary and I really like it. Opening with R&B track, What The Devil Made Me Do , O'Leary on lead vocal creates a lot of steam backed by Andrei Koribanics on drums, Matt Raymond on bass, Jeremy Baum on organ Chris Difrancesco on sax and some cool guitar soloing by Chris Vitarello with Peter Hopkinson and Greg Gumpel on guitars. One of my favorite tracks on the release is funky, One More Chance At Love , with a great bass, drum and rhythm guitar bottom giving O'Leary an excellent stage to show his excellent vocal and harmonica styling as well as slick guitar soloing by Hopkinson and Gumpel. Another favorite, Second Time Around is a straight, solid boogie. Grinding guitar soloing highlights the track over rimshots, harp boogie and super vocals. Excellent! Basin Street style blues on She Ain't Coming Back not only explores cool vocals but mandolin work by Gumpel and really n...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, When I'm Gone , from GProject Blues Band , and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with blues/rocker, and title track, When I'm Gone , lead singer and piano player Michael Staudenmeyer leads the nice paced shuffle, backed by TomBo on drums, James Ransom on bass, and Leonidas Kyriakakos on guitar. Smooth and slow, Someday Baby is a really nice track with solid vocals and a strong melodic guitar lead by Kyriakakos. Very nice. Can't Take It With You is another shuffle rocker with strong bones. Kyriakakos lays hard on the strings wailing away. One of my favorites on the release, The Old Have Moved On , is subtle but really effective with soulful vocals and strong guitar soloing.  Getting into Boogaloo mode, The Date , has a terrific beat and with it's irregular return, and tight guitar riffs makes it a top contender for the release. (Think Mary Had A Little Lamb).  Kyriakakos really fans the flames on Ta...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mule , by Henry Townsend , and it's solid old school blues. Opening with Bad Luck Dice , Townsend is on vocal and piano laying down really strong piano blues. This is a great intro of things to come. Townsend's vocal wailing continues into Things Have Changed with terrific piano and added mandolin by Yank Rachell. On boogie piano track, The Old Man's Soul , Townsend changes it up a bit but it's all Townsend with signature piano style and vocals. Very nice. Vernell Townsend has excellent lead vocals on Tears Come Rollin' Down with additional guitar to henry by Norman Merritt. One of my favorite tracks on the release is It's A Hard Road To Travel with some of the more refined vocals by Townsend with smooth piano lead. Rachell joins Townsend on guitar on Talkin' Guitar Blues, another solid romping blues track with a cool jagged rhythm. Piano instrumental, Alley Strut is a cool piano boogie w...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Breakfast In September , from Andres Roots and it's quite good. Opening with The Sheik of Hawaii Pt. 1 , Andres Roots is on a steel resonator and making terrific slide sounds. With a riff that has just a touch of middle eastern flavor, Roots attacks the strings. His work is sure and true. Excellent opener. Tango Walk features Roots, joined by his one time teacher, Halvo Livamagi blending a tango guitar rhythm and slide soloing by Roots. This is a nicely balanced track with well blended techniques. 4 AM Hot Dog is a cool rag time track clearly showing Roots finger mastery and authentic style. Very nice. Another excellent blues track, Leif's Guitar Blues is a super display of finger picking and slide technique. Thing Stephan Grossman. Waltzin' Blue on electric guitar with slide is really lush with super bass notes injected much like Kottke does. Very nice. With really fat slide tone, 7th Heaven is really ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Griot , from Gaye Adegbalola , previously of Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women. Opening with Nothing's Changed , Gaye takes on her world challenges with song. Over a strong rhythmic Bo Diddley beat, Gaye delivers the word from her perspective, citing her observations of todays prejudice.  FMG is an African based track with a chant based upon the fight against female genital mutilation. (You're) Flint Water is a bluesy shuffle with slick slide work by Jeff Covert, organ by Keith Armstead,  and solid horn backing by Zack and David Smith on trumpet, Steve Patterson on sax and Dan Haverstock on trombone. Solid ballad, Gon' Be Alright , is my favorite track with smooth vocals, guitar and organ by Gaye and smooth guitar lead by Covert. Doc Pomus penned, (There Is Always) One More Time slides in nicely with warm vocals, a beautiful melody and acoustic guitar by John Freund and Gaye. Sorry, But … No Shame is a...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Choices , from Willa Vincitore and it's got soul. Opening with Just Ain't The Same , a low slung blues track with hot vocals this is a solid opener with Doug Abramson on bass, Karl Allweier on guitar, Scott Millici on keys and Lee Falco on drums. Hi-stepper Need A Little Help has great pace and feel. One of my favorites on the release, Willa really pushes the band with a slick guitar solo by Allweier. A solid soul track, Trust, is a top radio style track with Willa seemingly floating on the rhythm and nice backing vocals by Falco and Millici. Another clean lead guitar lead by Allweier really dresses the track nicely. Wrapping the release is Annie Lennox's, Money Can't Buy It with a straight ahead dance beat.  Nicely blended vocals and just the right amount of funk, make this a cool closer.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news an...