Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Somewhere Not Here , by D. Scott Riggs and it's a super take on traditional acoustic blues. Opening with Hard, So Hard Sometimes , D. Scott Riggs has the perfect combination of gravely vocals and resonator guitar presenting spartan blues. His delivery is unwavering and solemn. Gripping opener. Nicely articulated finger picking carries Riggs gritty vocals on Troubled, So Troubled with his paired vocal and guitar melody and well adorned yet brief, guitar turnarounds between chorus'. Very nice. Riggs presents a more contemporary sound on These Walls Don't Own Me without breaking his traditional blues presentation. I like his almost Farka Toure' guitar styling on this track giving it a brighter, change up. Instrumental, The Breaking of The Day is a really nice track with a great melody and the addition of slide to the turnaround is haunting. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Goodnight My Angel, Goodnight , ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, With Love , by Mitch Ryder and it's an interesting mix of rock and R&B tracks. Opening with Lilli May , an up tempo rocker featuring Ryder on lead vocal, Dave McMurray on sax, Luis Resto on keys, Roscoe White on guitars, Jeff Canady on drums, Mahindi Masai on percussion and Chuck Bartels on bass. Solid opener. Sanguine is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's lightly salted Latin influence and super guitar soloing by Laura Chavez. Another Latin flavored track, Oh What A Night , really has a great rhythm featuring Masai on percussion and Resto on keys. Ryder's vocals, backed by Hershel Boone and Terena Boone give it just the right flavor and McMurray's sax solo really tops it off. Fly is on of my favorite tracks on the release with it's funky rhythm and solid vocals by Ryder and Boone. McMurray steps up again on sax and Canady's drum work really shines on this track. Wrapping the r...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release,  Blues Cut Like Glass , by Matt "The Rattlesnake" Lesch and it's hot. Opening with Feel So Good , an up tempo shuffle featuring Matt "The Rattlesnake" Lesch on lead vocal and realy laying down some excellent lead guitar work. Backed by Chuck "Popcorn" Louden on drums,  and Taylor Streiff on organ, this is an excellent opener. Low slung, Big Legged Woman , opens with a fat sax lead by Ian Buschmann with Ben Schafer on tenor sax, Dan Smith on tenor, Streiff on piano, Gus Thornton on bass and Louden on drums setting a solid platform for more of Lesch's blue guitar riffs. Very cool. Latin flavored blues, Sittin' At The Station has a Peter Green feel with clear single line lead over rich cords and with strong vocals by Lesch and warm organ by Wayne Sharp, John Davies on bass and Louden on drums, this is a real nice track. Title track, Blues Cut Like Glass , has a deep, Gary Moore feel ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the mot recent release, Eye Of The Storm , from Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin and it's strong. Opening with gritty Ray Wylie Hubbard's blues rocker, Snake Farm , Murray Kinsley on lead vocal and cigar box guitar slides in with thick overdrive and bluesy finesse. Dave Tettmar on drums pairs with Laura Greenberg on bass and backing vocal, setting a rock solid bottom and Steve Marriner adds great harmonica riffs making this a dynamic opener. Driving rocker, Dressed In Black , is led by Jesse O'Brien on organ, Greenberg on bass  and Kinsley on vocal and guitar but features hot harmonica riffs by Marriner. With Britsh blues overtones, this track has a great flair. Shuffle, Friday Blues , has a cool, easy pace ana features Marriner on harmonica and Kinsley on vocal upfront. O'Brien on piano lays in a real nice solo followed by Marriner making this track the most logical radio track. Wrapping the release is Blues For Sorrow , a solid, ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Breaking News , from McKenna Moonah Blues Duo and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with title track, Breaking News , Jay Moonah on lead vocal and harmonica and bass/percussion creates the structure of a Texas boogie with Mike McKenna playing lead guitar throughout.  Thursday Night Boogie has a great feel with Moonah on vocal and harmonica leading the way and McKenna playing lead and some fine guitar riffs in answer. I really like the feel on Adria for radio track with it's driving bottom and vocals by Moonah and straight forward melody. Wrapping the release is Scarborough Blues with McKenna on acoustic slide and Moonah on vocal and harmonica. Cool, country blues closer.   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’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the aud...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Been A Long, Long Time , by Mark Muleman Massey , and it's a strong mix of blues, soul and R&B. Opening with title track, It's Been A Long, Long Time Clayton Ivey on keys and Robert Fossen on harmonica set the pace for Mark Muleman Massey on lead vocal and guitar, backed by Roger Starr on drums and  Bob N. Weaver on bass. On funky blues, Can't Tell Me Nothing About The Blues showcases Massey on lead vocal over Ivey's active keyboard work and features a nice slide solo by Billy Lawson. Give Me Your Love is a terrific soul track featuring Massey really belting the blues over the warm keyboard backing of Ivey. Very nice. Another soulful track, Bobby Womack's I'm Sorry About That , really hits a sweet spot with excellent vocals by Massey and lush horn backing by The Webster Street Horns. Wrapping the release is Your Good Stuff, a funky radio track with Massey on vocal with tight rhythm by Starr ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Breadman's Blues , by The Bob Lanza Blues Band , and I really like it. Opening with Johnny Jihngo , a cool blues rocker, Bob Lanza is upfront on guitar and vocal with healthy sax work by Nick Conte. Eric Heilner on keys,  Steve Kirsty on bass and Nick Fishman on drums keep it tight and the slashing guitar lead of Lanza really delivers. Excellent opener. Strutting blues rocker, Cut Off My Right Arm really hits the slot with gripping SRV/Albert King style guitar attack and his vocals are gritty and real. Really nice. Ballad, Same Old Blues , has a strong melody, supported by Heilner on keys and Lanza's guitar chops are A1. Shuffle, A Man Like Me, has traditional form and solid lead lines supporting some of the best vocals on the release. Honey Hush has a great, Latin rock twist giving Lanza, Heilner on piano and Vin Mott on harmonica great room to solo. Very cool. Roller Coaster has that signature Allman Brothers/D...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Under A Lavender Sky , by Ermelinda Cuellar and it's really smooth. Opening with classic Latin jazz track, Poinciana adapted from a Cuban folk song by Simon and Bernier. Presented with clear vocals by Ermelinda Cuellar on vocal and surrounded by rhythm by Anthony Caceres on bass, and Marlon Simon on percussion and featuring a strong guitar solo by Greg Petito, this is a solid opener. Mucenca Rota is a rich Peruvian ballad written by the Quinteras and Cuellar really digs deep emotive presentation. Featuring Darrell Lavigne on piano, Jerre Jackson on drums and Deborah Ungar on accordion, this is a nice entry to the set. Johnny Mercer's classic, Midnight Sun is another top track with super lead vocal by Cuellar. Lavigne on piano, Jackson n piano, Andre Hayward with a soulful trombone solo, Petito on guitar, and Caceres on bass really give the track nice balance. Horace Silver's classic, Song For My Father real...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Soft Light , from Mark Scott III and it's a mix of bop and contemporary jazz. Opening with Carpals , Mark Scott III on guitar leads the way with clean lead and chord emphasis over a tight rhythm by Ben Triesch on bass and Mike Gordon on drums. Triesch gets a nice opportunity to shine on bass as Scott falls away to give him room. This is a strong opener with solid bop roots and concise concepts. Very nice. News Blues sounds like a jazz classic with a straight forward melody on guitar. As the track develops, Scott deconstructs the melody and explores on guitar, giving a bit of space for Gordon to lay in an articulate drum riff before returning to the cohesive melody. Monster Beat has a bit of a modern groove with Gordon holding it tight and Scott running free over nicely placed bass lines by Triesch. Very cool. Smile has a happy go lucky feel with Scott cruising on the melody, supported by loose bass by Triesch and a ...