Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Islands , by Dan Bonsanti and The 14 Jazz Orchestra and it's strong. Opening with Tyner's Man From Tanganyika , Peter Erskine on drums and Dennis Marks on bass set the pace. Ed Maina on flute (solo), and alto sax, Peter Brewer on tenor sax, flute and clarinet, Ed Calle on tenor sax (solo) and flutes, Mike Brignola on Bari sax, flutes and bass clarinet, set the melody and Mike Levine takes the first solo on piano. Brett Murphy, Jason Carder and John Lovell on trumpet and Dan Teboe, Dante Luciani (solo), Major Bailey (bass) and Dan Bonsanti (including tuba emulation) on trombone really swing. with excellent solos. Really nice opener. With plenty of punch, Corea's, Bud Powell , really excels with the front line of brass and Maina blows a great alto solo, Carder on trumpet and Levine on piano solo nicely as well, joined by Mike Harvey on drums, Lindsey Blair on guitar, and Jamie Ousley on bass. Levin original Carme...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wooden Music , from Mick Kolassa and it's chocked full of of blues talent. Opening with shuffle, Educated By The Blues , Mick Kolassa on vocal and guitar lays down a cool melody, with Doug MacLeod and Jeff Jensen on guitar, Carl Casperson on bass, Tom Lonardo on drums, Rick Steff on piano and featuring Eric Hughes on harmonica. Up-tempo, If I Told You , has a swampy rhythm with Jensen on guitar, Casperson on bass, Lonardo on drums and Vince Johnson on harmonica. Very nice. Over My Shoulder is a cool little tune with a saunter. With solid vocals by Kolassa and tight guitar melody by Jensen, this track has a great feel. Wrapping the release is country flavored, Gas Station Sushi , with Kolassa on vocal, kazoo and guitar, with straight up slide from Jensen and Lonardo on drums. This is a cool closer for a characteristic Kolassa release.   If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to lea...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live , from Raphael Wressnig & Igor Prado and it's hot! Opening with funky, Bill Withers' Kissing My Love , Raphael Wressnig on Hammond and Igor Prado on guitar set up an excellent jam. Wressnig lays down the melody, backed by Yuri Prado on drums and Igor picks up the melody making this a great opening groove. Wressnig has the mic on Born To Roam with full Hammond backing and Igor's phrasing on solo guitar kicks it up to overdrive. Very cool. Crossfire is an excellent guitar fueled blues jam featuring some of Prado's best chops on the release. Wressnig pushes the heat on organ, making this one of my favorite tracks on the set. Igor gets his shot on the mic on Snooks Eaglin's, swampy, Drive It Home . With New Orleans style he rips some great riffs and Wressnig cements the groove. Bobby Blue Bland's Ain't No Love (In The Heart of the City) is a real nice change up with it's slinky feel, ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, New Southern , from Justin Cody Fox and it's strong set of well written rock and radio tracks. Opening with Living Ghosts , Justin Cody Fox sets a solid rocking opener on guitar and vocal. Backed by Fred Eltringham and Seth Aldridge on drums, David Morse and Robert Kearns on bass, Jen Gunderman and Rhett Huffman on keys and Tarsha Murphy on backing vocals. Bluesy ballad, Take Me Home Virginia, has a great melody and shows strong radio appeal. Show Me Your Light really kicks it with a driving drum beat and piano. The vocal is perfect for radio and with it's super hook. My choice for top radio track. My favorite track on the release is heavy footed Walking These Blues , with just the right tempo and a rock guitar riffs. Fox's vocals are super with full vocal backing by Murphy and the track is full of attitude. Very cool. Wrapping the release is rural Old Man Rest , a simple ballad duet between Fox and Murphy ove...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Franklin Sessions , from Mike Guldin and Rollin' and Tumblin' and it's a solid set of contemporary blues. Opening with The Franklin Shuffle , Mike Guldin leads the way on vocal and guitar, backed by Yates McKendree on drums, James Pennebaker on guitar, and David Santos on bass. With a nice guitar lope and sparkling piano work by Kevin, this track cuts a nice groove. With a nice soulful feel, The Right Thing finds The McCrary Sisters backing Guldin on vocals, Kevin on organ, Yates adding some real nice lap steel, Bill Sharrow on bass, Tim Hooper on piano and Billy Wear on drums. Very cool. Yates really shines on guitar on Blow Wind Blow with a super bass groove by Sharrow, and Wear on drums. Guldin on lead vocal and Kevin really getting the organ going makes this one of my favorites on the release. Smokin' Woman has a deep groove with Sharrow leading the way on bass. Guldin's vocals have just the r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Crusin' Kansas City , from Mike Bourne Band and it's straight up rockin' blues. Opening with laid back title track, Crusin' Kansas City with my man Johnny Burgin on guitar with Mike Bourne, Patrick Recob on bass, and Dave Creighton on organ. Cool opener. Swing track, Lose Your Rings, Keep Your Fingers features Bourne on lead vocal and beefy organ work by Creighton. Burgin steps up with his hot, stylistic guitar soloing giving the track real sting. Morganfield sound permeates, Hollow Man with John Paul Drum on harmonica and Bourne on vocal. Adam Hagerman on on drums and Recob on bass keep the bottom tight and understated slide work adds nicely to the set. Loose With The Truth is absolutely my favorite track on the release with real nice vocal work by Bourne, a featured trumpet solo by Greg Hopkins a cool sax solo and Johnny Burgin loose with some of the signature, blistering guitar work that makes him on...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Generations of Blues: West Side Legacy , from Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family and it's strong. Opening with She Treat Me Just The Same , Larry Taylor on lead vocal and drums leads the way. With a bluesy R&B feel, he sets a solid drum line, joined by Joe B. Brinson on guitar, Abraham Avery on bass, Barrelhouse Bonni on keys and hot sax work by Ronnie G. Solid opener. Demetria Taylor steps up to the mic on Bad Girl , a nice shuffle and she's the perfect leader for this track. Her vocals are sassy and tight, backed by Eddie Taylor Jr on guitar and Ronnie G. on sax and Duke Harris on keys.  Brenda Taylor is featured on lead vocal on I Found Out with Jerry-O Mansfield on guitar and Ronnie G on sax. This is a strong track with a great balance between Brenda and Ronnie. Demetria is back up front on funky, You Belong To Me . This is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a hot sax solo by Ronnie G. I Paid M...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nosy Neighbors , from Paul Boddy & The Slidewinder Blues Band , and it's a cool, straightforward contemporary blues band. Opening with easy shuffle, Trouble Finds Me Everyday , Paul Boddy on lead vocal and guitar sets a solid platform, joined by Glenn Halo on keys, Chuck Hearne on bass and Dave Hollingsworth on drums. Another shuffle, Hanky Panky Blues has a real nice sway with a strong piano solo by Hale and excellent vocal by Boddy who adds some real nice slide. With it's cool Latin beat, title track, Nosy Neighbors , has strong radio appeal with a great melody, hot drum rhythm and real nice slide work by Boddy. Right Way Up is a real nice blues rocker with nice finger work by Boddy, a driving bass line by Hearne and strong backing vocals. Wrapping the release is Trash Can Head , a laid back bluesy rocker with super jammy piano by Hale, and a cool bass line by Hearne. Backing vocals aren't listed on the ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ridin' The Blinds , from Hudspeth and Taylor and it's an excellent new interpretation of early  Mississippi Delta Blues. Opening with Poor Boy Long Ways from Home Jaisson Taylor on vocal and percussion and Brandon Hudspeth on guitar take this traditional tune and retain the best of it's vintage sound with modern style. Taylor has a strong voice and Hudspeth's slide work is solid. Nice opener. Otto Virgial's Little Girl In Rome has great energy with electrifying slide work by Hudspeth. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Willie Borum's Lonesome Home Blues with excellent vocal power by Taylor and driving guitar work by Hudspeth. Excellent. Waters' I Can't Be Satisfied kicks the set into up tempo mode and the duo is really jamming. With Morganfield trademark slide styling and super vocals, this is a great track. Wrapping the release is Big Bill Broonzy's Hey Hey with it's ...