Bman's Blues Report

ADD SPECIAL UNPLUGGED SHOW TO UK TOUR Alongside their fast-selling string of UK dates with Europe and FM this April that already includes sold out shows in Newcastle and Bristol, FOREIGNER today add a special "An Evening With Foreigner: Unplugged" show at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire , London on Saturday 12th April . A Q&A session with the band, hosted by Team Rock’s Kylie Olsson (presenter of The AOR Magazine Show ), will also take place on the night with fans invited to submit questions. Foreigner - Photo Credit: © Bill Bernstein An exclusive pre-sale will be available to fans who have purchased tickets to the electric tour from 10am on Thursday 30th January , with tickets going on general sale at 10am on Friday 31st January , priced £35 (subject to per-ticket charge plus order processing fee) from www.livenation.co.uk  or www.ticketmaster.co.uk . The announcement of "An Evening With Foreigner: Unplugged" show, comes a...

I just received the newest release (April 15, 2014) Live At Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago , from Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers and it rips! Opening with a hot cover of Elmore James' Wild About You Baby , Fuller wastes no time in whipping hot the hot slide action. Excellent! Next up is Rock N Roll Cowboy , a blues/boogie with a western twang. This track moves along really well and Fuller really knows how to deliver on guitar and vocals. Next up is John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom . Glen "Manny" Manuel on bass and Mark Ward on drums carry the bottom and Keith Blair rides the organ on this primarily vocal boogie. Richard Doc Malone fills in with some choice harp riffs and Fuller continues JLH's intention with guitar in pure boogie style. Love and Alcohol is a cool original slow blues track with great old style blues riffs throughout. JL Hooker and Johnny Winter are definitely present in spirit. This is a very expressive track with a lot of the feel of delta blues...

I just received the newest release (March 25, 2014), Traveling South , and it's great! Opening with Traveling South, Mikey Junior shows that he's got a great voice for the blues and absolutely great harp chops and tone to match. A stripped down track with emphases on drums by Michael Bram this track has a dark sound and guitarists Dave Gross and Dean Shot and Mikey on harp really make the best of it! Excellent! Nobody Does It Like It Like Me has a nice lumbering pace driven mostly by Matt Raymond on bass. This is old school blues with emphases on vocal and harp... but that is old school...not old! It's really nice! Morning On My Way opens with tom tom beat and guitar riffs. Mikey's vocals are really super and his harp work paired with the sparing use of crisp guitar inserts it mighty fine. Mill Tavern has a great pace with just the right amount of syncopation that gives New Orleans music it's flair but with harp and guitar instead of horns. Jeremy Baum adds re...

I just received the newest release, Images 13, from the Dex Rommeber Duo and it's a full blown sub with everything. Opening with Roll On , an off tempo rocker with strong drumming from Sara Romweber and a driving guitar work from Dex. This track is a heavy metal/punk/surf track and I really like it! Long Battle Coming is wound much looser kind of like a blend between Johnny Cash, a classic western theme and Motorhead. Interesting touch. Baby I Know What It's Like To be Alone has a early 60's movie soundtrack feel to it, and with it's own standard for cool. The Who's So Sad About Us is a poppy tune like a mix of The Everly's, The Kinks and just 60's pop in general. Nice track with a lot of airplay potential. Prelude In G Minor is a slick instrumental with metal, rock, surf and progressive features. I like it! Blackout is an all out instrumental surf track and I am a sucker for new surf tracks. This is well done with that "Batman" like basis an...

Striking like a flash of lightning out of the piney wood region of East Texas, Wes Jeans ranks as one of the “Top Young Gun Guitar Players” - Guitar Player Magazine, March 2004. Wes delivers a soul-drenched mix of high voltage, rockin’ Texas Blues. Wes commands the stage from the start to finish and opens with a spirit of intensity that will surely grab you with his grinding rhythms and stinging leads allowing you a deep look into Wes Jeans’ Marshall, TX roots. In 1996 Wes entered the International Jimi Hendrix Competition held in Austin, TX and placed an amazing second among fifteen hundred other young guitar players. Al Hendrix, father of Jimi Hendrix, told Wes, "In my eyes, you won because you played straight from the heart like Jimi!" These words along with the support of his family and friends set this young Texas Tornado in motion. Soon, Wes was playing area venues and festivals, attracting booking agents and record labels. Wes’ debut album was recorded with Al...

From Walter's wife, Marie: My heart is breaking to make this posting. We have waited a bit to make sure - but Walter's team of doctors have confirmed the diagnosis: Walter's condition has worsened - he is now in full-fledged liver failure. If he does not get a new liver within the next few months - he will not make it. I have just reached out to all our cooperation partners and cancelled all Walter's touring for 2014. He will not be allowed to travel for the next six months minimum and he will need lots of recovery time post-surgery. Walter is very, very ill currently and at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles where teams of the best surgeons and liver specialists are taking care of his survival until they can secure a high quality liver for him. I know that some of you have reached out previously with a desire to help Walter. A dear friend of ours, Kirby, has set up a donation account to help with the huge medical expenses. I can also update you on the details regardi...

               GET YER R&B/BLUES GROOVE ON WITH DAVE WIDOW & THE LINEUP BACK AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES/ANAHEIM THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 21 (Also: April 18; May 30)     (ANAHEIM, CA)  - Hey now! Get your Blues (and R&B, Funk and Soul) on with Dave Widow and the Lineup when the popular band returns to the House of Blues/Anaheim , this Friday, March 21 at 8 p.m. No cover. HOB/Anaheim is located at 1530 S. Disneyland Dr. Info: (714) 520-2334 or https://www.facebook.com/hobanaheim?fref=ts . (Also apperaing there Friday, April 18 and Friday, May 30).     Dave recently returned to teach and preach the Gospel of the Blues at Down 2 The Crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The five-day guitar and bass 'retreat' offered a full immersion in the Blues for Blues Guitar and Bass players of all levels, taking place in the heart of the land where the Blues beg...

I just received the newest release (March 31, 2014), First Name Lucky , from Tweed Funk and it's a funky blues party! Opening with Blues In My Soul , a funky blues track that's kind of a mix of Booker T and Albert King. Smokey leads the way on vocals and Jon Lovas on sax and Kevin Klemme keep the horns hot. Time To Burn moves more to a rock/R&B sound and JD Optekar hits some cool guitar riffs on this one. Jon Lovas steps up on sax playing an outstanding solo as well. A song almost thought of synonymously with BB King is up next, Let The Good Times Roll and Tweed Funk keeps a lot of authenticity while having a nice jam at it. Hoodoo Power is a powerful track with Eric Madunic laying down some great bass and Klemme keeping a tight leash on the trumpet. Funky guitar work from Optekar highlights this track. Divided is a very smooth soul ballad with clear guitar accompaniment. Vocals by Smokey are really nicely highlighted on this track and backing by Chrissy Dzioba and S...

“Where Blues Crosses Over” (Pronounced “Roof”) RUF RECORDS HITS THE BLUES CHARTS WITH TWO CDs NEXT WEEK New Records From SAVOY BROWN, ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD & JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR Out Now Label’s “Songs From The Road” CD/DVD Sets Chart With Joanne ...