Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to listen to the newest release, Just Drop On By ,  by David Luning Band and its quite enjoyable. As my regular readers know, I saw Luning in concert with one of my personal favorites, Jimbo Mathus, last week and they impressed me. This release opens with title track, Just Drop On By , a very well written country influenced track with a great melody. Buddies Till The End is up next with a real warm recognizable feel. "Fit's like a glove" music with clever lyrics and strong melody and a taste of country gives this song particular appeal. Guitarist Dave Sampson adds some really nice steel guitar like guitar riffs giving the track a real party feel... "right off the juke box". Excellent! You And Me And The Devil In Between is a poppy ballad with a light country twist. Sampson plays lap steel on this number with mostly atmospheric effects. Brodie Jenkins adds some nice vocal harmonies on this track as well. The most memorable track on ...

I just received the newest release, Turnaround Blues , from Forrest McDonald Band . Opening with title track, Turnaround Blues , McDonald on guitar, joined by Andrew Black on vocal, John McKnight on drums, Jon Liebman on harp and vocal and Tony Carey on keys lays down a solid 12 bar track. Checking On My Baby has a R&B feel with cool blues overtones. Black's vocals are prime on this track and Liebman does some real nice harp work on this track backed by Cary on keys. River Of Tears , has a real Bessie Smith "Nobody Knows You" feel and Carey does a premier job on keys on this track. Black's vocals on this track are particularly clear and warm. Really nice. Cross My Heart has a real nice feel with Lee Gammon driving it home on bass. McDonald steps up with some pretty nice guitar riffs joined by Liebman on harp and Carey on keys. I'm A Fool has a strong R&B feel and the groove is just right. Black's vocals are really nice and Carey knows how to add j...

Al Basile Sets July 15 Release Date for New Jazz CD, Swing n’ Strings , on Sweetspot Records, Produced by Duke Robillard Basile Will Perform Special CD Release Show on Thursday, July 24, at Rhode Island Historical Society’s “Concerts Under the Elms” in Providence RUMFORD, RI – Singer/songwriter/cornetist Al Basile announces a July 15 release date for his new swing-based jazz CD, Swing ‘n Strings , produced by Duke Robillard, on Sweetspot Records. Backing Al Basile (cornet and vocals) on the new album are Marty Ballou (bass) Fred Bates (guitar)., Rich Lataille (alto and tenor sax) and Bob Zuck (guitar and vocal on “I Know What I’ve Got, Don’t Know What I’m Getting”). To launch the new disc, Al Basile will perform a special CD release show with the members of the band who recorded the new album with him on Thursday, July 24, at the Rhode Island Historical Society’s “Concerts Under the Elms” series in Providence. While a complete departure from his recent...

BROTHER DEGE HITS THE ROAD IN SUPPORT OF HIS NEW " SCORCHED EARTH POLICY " DIGITAL SUMMER MIXTAPE OUT NOW!   DEGE SHARES HIS NEW SONG "SET IT OFF" CLICK HERE TO LISTEN AND POST Ever since his music has been featured in Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained as well as the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel, Brother Dege (AKA Dege Legg) can no longer lay claim to being "one of the best kept secrets in the Deep South." Dege is a musician, writer, workingman and heir to a long line of unusual characters born and raised in the southern U.S. Like the mad lovechild of Son House, Faulkner and Patti Smith, Legg has burned a crooked trail to the Promised Land. Avoiding traditional career paths, he has spent as much time exploring the backwoods weirdness of his home state as he has forging his own brand of incendiary, "psyouthern" roots music. The journeys are parallel. Since the late '90s...

I just received the newest release, Time Is Coming , from Indigenous featuring Mato Nanji . Opening with a strong radio player, Grey Skies , Nanji and company, Jeff Martin (drums), Steve Evans (bass) and Jesse Bradman (keys)set the stage for a strong blues rocker. I'm Telling You , another track with strong musical hooks, adds a mild funk bottom and Nanji leads with certain vocals and fluid guitar lines. Heated guitar solo work on this track gives you a strong taste of Nanji's flair. Good At Feelin' Bad is a straight up rocker with a Latin twist. Nanji keeps the heat on during the entire track with crisp creative guitar riffs complimented by Martin's percussion. Time Is Coming , staying in the blues vein, works in a country rock flavor. A ballad by construction, this track has a really strong hook and displays some of Nanji's best vocal efforts, supported by Bradman on backing vocals. Sun Up, Sun Down has the characteristics of a mountain country primitive blues...

Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition hit Phoenix last night like a meteor. I don't give strong endorsements to many bands so listen up. I got to the Rhythm Room a little early last night and the opening act was just setting up. I have to tell you that the opening band, David Luning Band , was the surprise of the year for me. First off I have never heard of them but then reading their bio, they go places that I never go... like American Idol? Now before you shut this down, give me a second. If someone told me that I would like someone that was on American Idol they would get a pretty smug look of disbelief (if not a stiff defiant finger) but to actually sit in a room with this band, listen to strong, creative, concise songwriting performed by a really nice group of fellows was just inspiring.   Luning, a good looking young man who could easily have been the lead for British Band "Faces" or fit into the Beatles, has a super voice. This band doesn't sin...

I just received the newest release (June 17, 2014), Blues For My Father , from Vaneese Thomas and it really hits the spot. Thomas, daughter of Mr. Rufus Thomas has put together 12 cool tracks opening with Southern Central Blues , a swinging soul number. Joined by Buddy Williams on drums, Will Lee on bass, Robbie Kondor on piano, Tash Neal on guitars and Wayne Warnecke on percussion its a bright opener. 10 X The Man You Are has a taste of Dixon's Wang Dang Doodle and a dash of Beatles really showing the strength of Thomas' pipes. Neal breaks loose with a slick guitar solo on this track adding just that dash of flash. Great track. On Wrong Turn , a duet with her sister, Carla Thomas, the girls present a light and airy R&B track that is likely to see good radio reception. Wrap Your Arms Around Me has a slinky, swampy feel with solid rhythms from Shawn Pelton and Neal on dobro. Thomas commands the spotlight with her distinct phrasing on this track and her voice is always sp...

AMERICAN SONGWRITER TO PREMIERE “SAD SATURDAY NIGHT” VIDEO FROM DAVID OLNEY Monday June 23 rd Starting Monday, June 23rd, national magazine, American Songwriter will be premiering David Olney’s full length video for “Sad Saturday Night” from his forthcoming release, When The Deal Goes Down, on Deadbeet Records. This will be located on their website: www.americansongwriter.com   and will run all week until Friday June 27 th . This will be a great part of promoting this unique songwriter and roots music icon. Produced by David Olney and Mark Robinson and recorded/mixed at Guido’s Studios South in Nashville, When the Deal Goes Down presents a dozen tales of roots music mayhem and delight, with the acclaimed singer/ songwriter backed by a cadre of some of Music City’s most creative players, including long-time Olney compadre Sergio Webb on guitar. The new album is the first time Olney and Robinson have worked together. In this video, shot late at...

            THE PLANETARY BLUES BAND TO BE INTERVIEWED ON "AMERICA'S BLUES RADIO" SHOW - TUESDAY, JUNE 27 The Planetary Blues Band are interviewed on one of the hottest blues shows on the dial, America's Blues Radio , this Tuesday, June 24 at 8 p.m. Central time with host, Jimmy Warren. Listen live at http://www.jimmywarrenshow.com/ . Past guests on America's Blues Radio include greats Johnny Winter, Candye Kane, John Mayall, Jack Bruce, Robert Randolph, Steve Lukather, George Thorogood, Charlie Daniels and others, so the band is in great company here.   Other upcoming Planetary shows of note: Big Dawg On My Trail Blues Festival, Saturday, July 12 in Richmond, Indiana; and the Rock 4 Hope Benefit Concert in Merrillville, IN on Sunday, August 10 (complete upcoming itinerary below).   The Planetary Blues Band's album Once Upon A Time In The South Loop   received top 2013 year-end hon...

I just received the newest release, I've Got Something To Tell You , from Ilana Katz Katz , and it's quite good. I'll preface this review with a note that this release is strongly bluegrass/ rural feel and has a unique open look at the blues. Opening with Marilyn's Blues Ronnie Earl and Katz trade riffs (guitar and violin) over a solid blues bass line by Jesse Williams. Very nice. On John Lee Hooker's She's Long She's Tall , a strong sense of Hooker and boogie underlies this updated version of a classic blues track. Katz is on lead vocal and violin and Earl provides percussive guitar rhythm. On traditional track Cruel Willie Blues , Katz really takes the lead on what I'd call a traditional fiddle tune, joined by Marylou Ferrante on guitar for a simple country instrumental. Robert Lockwood Jr.'s Take A Little Walk With Me features Diane Blue on lead vocal and she does a really sweet job. Ronnie Earl is back on lead guitar, this track falling square...

NEW FOUR-CD SET OF HISTORIC “LOST” GOSPEL RECORDINGS RESTORES A MISSING CHAPTER IN MEMPHIS MUSIC HISTORY The Soul of Designer Records captures the nexus of Bluff City soul and spirituals, pays tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit of label founder Style Wooten and to legendary  guitarist/producer Roland Janes MEMPHIS, Tenn.— If passion and fervor were electricity, the performances on  The Soul of Designer Records  could put the glow in every neon sign in the city on the Mississippi River where they were recorded. The four-CD set will be releaed by Big Legal Mess Records on September 30, 2014 Between 1967 and 1977 Designer label founder Style Wooten and his studio main man Roland Janes , a heroic figure in Memphis music, produced between 400 and 500 gospel singles. Many of the artists they recorded came from Tennessee, Mississippi...