Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Supramundane Blues , from Reverend Freakchild and he lays down some really nice, old school, delta style blues here. Opening with Son House's Preachin' The Blues , Freakchild has a great feel on vocal and slide acoustic guitar. Excellent opener. Blending country swing and gospel on Crying Holy , Freakchild really gets things hopping with backing from Chris Parker on drums, Matt Rae on lead guitar. Righteous! Romping boogie, Personal Jesus , has super drive with Hugh Pool on harmonica and bass, Parker on drums and Freakchild on vocal. Strong! Contemporary boogie, Factors Of Awakening features Kevin Griffin on lead vocal, guitar and bass. ZZ Tops' Jesus Just Left Chicago gets a total redo with a folksy approach but with with soulful vocals, and harmonica backing. Hot Tuna's version of Good Shepherd is up next with Mark Karan on lead guitar, Malcolm Oliver on bass and Steve Sirokin on keys. Rev Gary Davis'...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Keep Moving On , from Dexter Allen and it's a solid mix of soul, R&B and blues. Opening with title track, Keep Moving On , Dexter Allen sets up a high stepper on lead vocal and guitar, backed by Christopher Minter on drums and Joey Robinson on keys. Solid opener. Shuffle Blues Eyed Girl has a a cool swing and fluid lead guitar under Allen's vocal. One of my favorite tracks on the release is slow blues track, F.A.B.U.L.I.S.T. Woman with it's BB King like call and response style guitar riffs and some of Allen's best vocal on the release. Lightly funky, If I Ain't Got You is a real cool track giving you a strong urge to get up and move. Very cool. Soul track, Can't Live Without You , is another of my favorites on the release with gospel like bones and great vocals by Allen. Wrapping the release is R&B influenced blues track, My Cup Of Tea , with a rolling beat and strong vocal lead by Allen...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mas , from Rich Chorne' and it's a solid blues release. Opening with breezy shuffle, I Just Can't Stop Loving You featuring Kathy Lyon on lead vocal, Rich Chorne' on lead guitar is joined by Erik Unsworth on bass, Ricky Malichi on drums and Bud Hewett on keys. Boogie track, Where's the Love , features Rich Cagle and Julia Cozby on vocal and with it's aggressive bass line gives Chorne' a nice opening to show his stuff on lead guitar. Very nice. Boogie Woogie Fever again features Lyon on lead vocal, backed by Cozby and Cagle on backing vocal, Hewett's flashy key board work  and the up tempo pace make this one of the best tracks on the release. Shuffle, I Gotta Get Home , features Chorne' on lead vocal and gives everyone a chance to show their stuff. With it's light melody and jam format, another release favorite. I like the Latin flavor of Down In The Quarter with snappy drum work by...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bruised , from Thy Dirty Deuce, and it's an updated blues rock release. Opening with Call It  What You Will , Thy Dirty Deuce shows a distinct southern rock sting with Rob Atwood on lead guitar and vocal, backed by Jamey Clark on drums, Gregory Roteik on bass, David Passow on harmonica and Matt Ostlund on sax. Title track, Bruise , is a salty blues rocker with a cool bass riff and Jim Morrison like vocal delivery by Atwood. I really like the addition of Jeff Hamilton on lap steel on this track giving it a more aggressive sound. Lean Black Cadillac has a heavier sound with metal characteristics but almost Zappa like construction and still a bluey edge. Very cool. Another blues based track with a metal edge is One Crazy Summer with it's grinding guitar work and heavy overtone but soulful harmonica wailing by Passow. Very cool. One track stands out to me with strong radio appeal and that's You Might . With it...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Fred's Blue Chair Blues , from Fred Hostetler and it's a cool set of straight forward blues and ballads. Opening with Jimmy Reed's Bright Lights, Big City , Fred Hostetler lays down the simplest of blues tracks using only his voice and an acoustic guitar. Deep Deep Well is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Hostetler on acoustic slide showing some real clean riffs and super blues feel. Taming The Wolf is another cool track with some delta style picking. This isn't hot and fancy finger work but authentic and cool leading into a cool JLH style boogie. Wrapping the release is Salt Tears with it's country style acoustic guitar feel and vocal. This is a solid set of contemporary blues with honest roots. Very cool.    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’...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'm Hungry , from Jimmie Bratcher and it's a cool mix of swampy rock and blues. Opening with I Love Her Name , a cool boogie rocker, Bratcher is joined by Craig Kew on bass, Joe Selle on drums, and John Selle on keys. Bratcher has an aggressive guitar style and attacks his solo with real grunt. Cool opener. With a laid back easy pace, Mama Won't Fry No Chicken , has a real comfortable gait with Aaron Mayfield on B3 and Terry Hancock on drums turning up the heat for a cool relaxed guitar solo by Bratcher. Rocker, Where You Gonna Stop , is low slung and with solid vocals and stinging guitar work by Bratcher, this track is one of my favorites on the release. Eric Stark's keys under Bratcher's lead guitar and tight stick work by Hancock may this a hot instrumental. With a New Orleans rhythm, Green Bananas is loose with super horn work over the fun vocals on Bratcher. Soul classic, Grit's Ain't Gro...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Express Connection , from Tomislav Goluban and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with title track, Express Connection , eastern European harmonica player, Tomislav Goluban flexes his muscle on this hard driving blues rocker with Jeff Jensen on guitar, David Green on drums, Rick Steff on keys and Bill Ruffino on bass. A solid ballad, Pale Blue Eyes has a real nice melody featuring Goluban on lead vocal and cool reverb soaked guitar by Jensen and Mark Johnson on slide and Kelly Zirbes on backing vocal. Blues shuffle, Extra Boom really sits nicely in the groove and Goluban works the Chicago styling nicely on harmonica. Steff lays in a cool electronic keyboard solo and Jensen follows with some cool riffs of his own. Blues rocker, No Future In Your Past , has great pace and features Kirk Smothers on sax, Marc Franklin on trumpet and Zibes on backing vocals. Wrapping the release is Beast Walk with a cool organ melody by S...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Eye Open , from Kat Dancer and it's cool. Opening with shuffle, Way I Like It Done , Dancer is upfront on lead vocal and guitar, with Steve Dawson on guitar and some hot pedal steel,  Gary Craig on drums, Jeremy Holmes on bass, Dominic Conway on tenor sax, Jerry Cook on bari sax, Malcolm Aiken on trumpet, and Kevin McKendree really working the piano. Strong opener. With it's drone bass line, Lonely And The Dragon is one of my favorites on the release with bluesy vocals, some really tasty blues guitar soloing and solid horn backing. Another hot track is New Orleans flavored, Frenchman Street Shake . Craig's tight drum rhythm, with Dansen's vocal timing, solid horn work and excellent slide work by Dawson gives this track real traction. Another favorite on the release is One Eye Closed with it's driving rhythm and punky rock attack. Wrapping the release is Mi Corazon, a Tex-Mex number featuring Dans...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Firebreather , from Skylar Rogers and she shows a powerhouse voice. Opening with Hard Headed Woman , Rogers' vocals dance on a floor of rock with a light funky bottom. Featuring Steven J Hill and Marty Gibson on guitars, Jerry Ewing on bass, Pete Zimmer on keys and Bradley Arl on drums, this is a solid opener. R&B track, Like Father Like Daughter has real radio appeal with it's great lead vocal and melody and solid backing vocals by Arl, Hill, Ewing and Vanessa Hudson. Soul track, Failure has really a great melody and gives Rogers a great opportunity to showcase her phrasing over a simple guitar lead backing. Title track, Firebreather is a potent rocker with heavy drums and organ. Rogers holds the track in her hand stirring and fiery guitar solos give the track extra punch. My favorite track on the release is Drowning , with it's arpeggiated keyboard and potent bottom accenting the tension in Roger's ...