Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bootstraps and Other American Fables , from Jangling Sparrows and it's really cool. Opening with Estuaries , a rocker with a contemporary beat, rowdy vocals and a wide open guitar rhythm, this is a solid opener. All That I Was Never Afraid has a great "Frank Black" like feel with dynamic vocals and open jangling electric guitars by Paul Edelman and a strong melody, wrapped by stern lead guitar, firm bass work by Louis Stein and drums by Joe Grey. Highway Jawn is a really cool track with fleet fingered picking by Edelman and snappy snare work by Grey. This track has a definite country flair and brings to mind old Charlie Daniels. Boogie track, Label's All Mine has a great feel, formed by a walking bass line by Stein. Edelman story telling lyrics are accentuated by his dramatic delivery and loose guitar work making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Wrapping the release is Bootstraps , an ...

I just had the opportunity to review the latest release, This Season , from Hamilton Loomis and I got to tell you, it's the best seasonal album I've ever heard (non traditional of course). I typically will only review a "seasonal" release just before the holidays, but this one somehow slipped by (came in too late for my work load) and I decided to listen to it anyway. I always like Loomis' work. Opening with the title track, This Season , Loomis has that great soulful funky beat that he's known for. Puts you in a good mood right off. Mike Meade's bass groove is perfect, Brannon McLeod's drumming is tight and Loomis' own vocal, keyboard and guitar is tops. This is the radio track but think of it in the class of Sly or Stevie Wonder. Super opener. Another cool funky pop track is Lay Around and Love . It's got the beat, it's got the hook and Hamilton's delivery on vocal and harmonica is super. The more contemporary but traditional G...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Month of Sundays , from Jim Roberts & The Resonants , and it's a cool blues, rock country fusion. Opening with blues rocker, Skeeters , Jim Roberts on lead vocal and slide guitar sets a strong pace. With a funky bass line by Rick Hollander, a hot sax solo by Pat Zicari and with Bobby Spencer on sax and Michael Leasure on drums, this is a solid opener. With a contemporary take on delta style blues on What Her Evil Do , Roberts vocals are deep and rich, slide acoustic guitar  is tight and mandolin tasty and Joey Gomez adds a nice harmonica top giving it just the right touch. Title track, A Month of Sundays is a cool, jazzy track with a great bass line by Hollander. Hi fret slide work by Roberts over Hollanders bass line and the crisp drum work of Mike Harvey is strong. This track has that special weave making it my radio choice on the release. Long Haired Mississippi Hippie has a great groove with that North Mi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Memphis Light , from Tomislav Goluban , and it's a cool eastern European slice or blues. Opening with rocker, Hayloft Blues , harmonica man, Tomislav Goluban introduces his 11th studio release with the backing of Jeff Jensen on guitar, David Green on drums, Rick Steff on keys, and Bill Ruffino on bass. Jensen plays a hot intro on soulful blues number, Fun Starts Here , featuring Vince Johnson who really pounds out the lead vocals. Jensen smokes the track with a great guitar solo, contrasted with cool piano work by Steff. Country Bag , a strong Chicago blues style track gives Goluban a great opening to show his blues chops and guest, Mark Johnson lays down some real nice slide guitar giving the track great texture. Another flavor introduced is a surf blues, Party Time Blues , with it's rocking rhythm, melodic harmonica, a slick slide solo by Johnson and cool backing vocals by Reba Russell and Daunielle Hill. Wrap...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All My Dues Are Paid , by Frank Bey and it's a solid mix of R&B, soul, funk and blues. Opening with Eddie Palmieri's Idle Hands with it's excellent NO funk. Bey really works this one Jim Pugh on organ, Eric Spaulding on sax solo, Jack Sanford on bari sax, Nancy Wright on tenor sax, John Helbleib on trumpet, Alex Petersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Martin Winstad on percussion, Kid Andersen on guitar and Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Excellent opener! Rick Estrin's, Calling All Fools is a great shuffle with some really cool work by Nancy Wright and showcasing Bey's silky smooth vocals. Very nice. One of my favorites on the release is another Rick Estrin track, I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind , with it's slow, bluesy approach, and terrific guitar work by Kid Andersen. Nancy Wright's sax is thick and juicy and Pugh's organ solo is prime. Percy Mayfield's Ha Ha in th...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Transpacific Blues Vol. 1 , from Matty T Wall and it's quite entertaining. Opening with John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom, Matty T Wall picks up Hookers classic and moves it forward. With toasty guitar riffs, solid vocals, the firm brush work of Ric Whittle on drums and Stephen Walker on bass, and the addition of great slide work of Dave Hole, this is a real cool opener. Hi Heel Sneakers gets a cool, funky treatment, with terrific lead by Wall and Eric Gales. Very nice. On Albert Collins' Quicksand , Kid Ramos steps up with Walls on lead guitar and with a rolling pace, quick shuffle keeps you bopping in your seat. Excellent! T Bone Walker's Stormy Monday take a different turn altogether with a great slow pace but with a different (than the original) melody. This adds tension and with hard grabbed, stinging, guitar riffs Wall keeps you plastered to your seat and listening close. Very cool. Kirk Fletcher sits...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tattered & Torn , by Black Cat Bones and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Manslaughter , with it's driving bass line by Jeff Daniels, Black Cat Bones show their blues rock roots. With Charlie Pitts on vocal, Jerry Sommers on drums and Richard Rivera and Gary David on guitars these guys drum up the feeling of the early days of blues rock music and Humble Pie. Dead Broke Blues maintains a rock swagger and solid lead vocals, but what really stands out to me are the impressive guitar accent lines by Rivera and David. Rather than long flowing lines of solos, these guys insert strategically placed accents that set the track off nicely. Slow blues, The Race , has a real solid melody and lead vocal by Pitts and introduces some nice sax soloing by Clay Brown, Carla Brownlee (bari sax) and Amochip Dabney (in this order). Very cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is rocker, Pay You Back With Interest ,...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Colors by Sugar Blue and the title reflects it's musical diversity. Opening with the familiar rhythms of Bo Diddley on And The Devil Too , Sugar Blue covers lead vocal but more importantly, plays some pretty frantically cool harmonica. Backed by Rico McFarland on guitar, Brady Williams, Llaria Lantieri on bass and Damiano Della Torre on keys a cool opener. We Will Be Alright is a smooth sensitive ballad with a strong melody. Backed by Della Torre on keys and the angelic vocals of Afrika Riz... very nice. A funky remix of The Beatles, Day Tripper , has a great beat, presents some of Sugar's best vocals on the release and gives Sugar a cool track to jam on harmonica over. Solid. Acoustic blues shuffle, Good Old Days , gets your foot stomping along with McFarland on guitar and Washboard Chaz on Washboard. Dragging out some excellent blues guitar riffs, McFarland really hits it as Sugar crafts a suggestive tale, Di...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'll Drink To That , by Griff Hamlin and the Single Barrel Blues Band and I really like it. Opening with Texas/R&B flavored, Almost Level with the Ground , Griff Hamlin and the Single Barrel Blues Band sounds like a solid blend of SRV and Robert Cray. Great guitar tone and that super soulful feel by lead vocalist and guitar lead, Hamlin is blended with a wealth of organ by Ty Bailie and the horn backing of Jonathan Bradley on trumpet, Eric Letta on sax, Kevin Hicks on trombone and Laura Hamlin on bari sax making a great fabric, anchored by Mark Smith on bass and Chris Atchley on drums. Hamlin not only has the fat, rich tone but the man can scream on guitar with fluid, meaningful soloing. Excellent opener. Boogie shuffle, Down and Out has a strong, driving beat and complimenting Hamlin's solid lead vocal is super piano work of Bailie and his own liquid guitar riffs and punchy horns. Radio style blues ballad,...