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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
Please email me at Info@Bmansbluesreport.com
I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
Please email me at Info@Bmansbluesreport.com
Monday, July 21, 2014
Presenting Jeremy Baum - The EEL!
Labels:
Jeremy Baum,
VizzTone Label Group
FORMER SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS LEADER TOM MAXWELL DEBUTS "BLOW WOLF" FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM
FORMER SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS LEADER TOM
MAXWELL
DEBUTS "BLOW WOLF" FROM FORTHCOMING
ALBUM
“Tom Maxwell & The Minor Drag” Album Out On August 26,
2014
“Hell: My Life In The Squirrel Nut Zippers” Out August 26,
2014 On Oyster Print Press
Listen To "Blow Wolf" via The AV
Club:
July 18, 2014 - After an almost ten year hiatus from
recording, the former lead singer of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Tom
Maxwell returns with a new album, a new band Tom Maxwell & The
Minor Drag and a new book.
As a member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers between 1994
and 1999, Maxwell became a critic’s darling and his song “Hell” became a smash
hit at radio. Tom’s songs propelled the Squirrel Nut Zippers to multi-platinum
status, selling over 3 million albums.
His new self-titled album, Tom Maxwell & The Minor
Drag, was recorded with long-time Zippers producer Mike Napolitano and
features guest vocals by Ani DiFranco. The Minor Drag is an
extraordinary collection of musicians, featuring members of Lost In The
Trees and The Old Ceremony. They display remarkable flexibility and
nuance, and boast instrumentation not often found: drums, tuba, vibraphone,
piano and guitar.
Along with the new album, a memoir written by Maxwell about
the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ strange rise, Hell, will be published by Oyster
Point Press (formerly Pressque Publishing) on August 26th,
simultaneous with the release of this album.
You can read more about the album and book via USA
Today here:
Both are available for pre-sale now on Tom Maxwell’s website
at: www.tommaxwell.com
Tom Maxwell & The Minor Drag have just announced an album
release show at the Mercury Lounge in New York City on August 25th. Tickets go
on sale today at Noon EST : http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/event/633211-tom-maxwell-minor-drag-new-york
Labels:
Blow Wolf,
SKH Music,
Tom Maxwell
The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer - A Real Fine Mess - New Release Review
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Real Fine Mess, from The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer and it's clever and entertaining. Opening with Black and Blue, a poppy track with roots in the blues but with modern feel and almost a Sting like quality. Do Whatcha has a cool stripped down Willie Dixon kind of sound with a cool blues guitar riff by Matthew Rogers (who also plays drums) and crying harp by Shawn Hall (who also sings and plays bass). Tea For Two almost has a calliope feel but with a light funky rhythm. Nice! Mama's In The Backseat has a country rock feel driven mostly but a thumping rhythm guitar. Hall goes apes**t on the harp making it quite a cool track. Closer To Death has a strong funky beat and a super blues harp sound. Feel Me Now has a lot of strong airplay characteristics with a bit of Journey mixed with R&B and a rock twist. Interesting. Don't Make'em Like They Used To has a feel of the Black keys if they were British. A bit of grind and a bit of pop. Very cool with nice backing vocals. My Paradise has a R&B feel with a bluesy kick. Again on this track backing vocals by Andrina Tuenne, Alexa Dirks and Dawn Pemberton add nice warmth. In And Out Of Love has a Bo Diddley beat and strong harp work over the lead work and direct drumming giving it a distinct NO feel. Sweat This Pain almost gets into a James Brown groove with funky guitar riffs and a groovy rhythm. Cry A Little returns to a more pure blues feel but still with a contemporary feel. Again backing vocals give it a R&B edge. This track has a different kind of vibe with a guitar/harp exchange, making it one of the coolest tracks on the release. With it's light guitar lead and harp overtones, In The End has an almost Neil Young feel but with a softer edge. This could easily be the best radio track on the release. Act Your Age is a bright, happy kind of track with a plucky rhythm guitar/bass feel. Again warm backing vocals give the track a special smoothness. Wrapping the track is A Real Fine Noise, the most eccentric track on the release and likely my favorite. With it's unusual rhythm pattern and underlying funk rhythm, this is a real nice finish for a solid consistent release.
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 audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
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 audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
Thursday, July 17, 2014
This Stone Has "Gotta Keep Rollin'" - Chicago Blues Singer/Harmonica Master Rob Stone Delivers High-Energy Mojo on His New CD for VizzTone Label Group, Due September 9
This Stone Has
Gotta Keep Rollin’ – Chicago Blues Singer/Harmonica Master Rob Stone
Delivers High-Energy Mojo on His New CD for VizzTone Label Group, Due September
9
Special Guests
on Stone’s First Album for VizzTone Include Blues Hall of Famer Eddie Shaw, John
Primer, David Maxwell and Henry Gray
NEWTON, MA – The VizzTone Label Group announces a September 9
release date for Gotta Keep Rollin’, the new CD from Chicago blues
singer/harmonica master Rob Stone, distributed nationally by Redeye
Distribution. Joining Rob Stone and his battle-hardened group of band mates
Chris James (guitar), Patrick Rynn (bass) and Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums),
are several special guests, including newly-inducted Blues Hall of Famer Eddie
Shaw (sax), guitarist John Primer, Blues Music Award-winning piano player David
Maxwell and Henry Gray, former piano man for the legendary Howlin’
Wolf.
From the first notes of the lead-off track, a rousing take on
Johnny Jones’ “Wait Baby,” through the album’s closer, “Not No Mo,” (a swingin’
entreaty to a lady friend), it’s obvious that Rob Stone’s music, while steeped
in the finest traditions of Chicago blues, is not here gathering dust. It’s
exciting, vibrant music for the 21st century with more grooves and
high-energy than the law should allow.
Over the course of an dozen high-energy tracks that feature
six originals, plus blistering covers of the aforementioned Johnny Jones, John
Lee Williamson, (“Wonderful Time”), Jazz Gillum (“She Belongs to Me”), Billy
“The Kid” Emerson (“Move Baby Move”), Willie McTell (“Cold Winter Day”) and
Cornelius Green (“It’s Easy When You Know How”), Rob Stone and Co. take the
listener on a tour of the sounds heard in Chicago-land’s finest blues clubs.
Gotta Keep Rollin’ is Stone’s fourth album as
bandleader and first for VizzTone. His previous CD, Back Around Here
(Earwig – 2010) scored big on the blues radio charts and was also named
by Living Blues magazine as one of that year’s top release. Prior
releases also include No Worries (1998) and Just My Luck
(2003), which was nominated for a Chicago Music Award in the “Best Blues
Album” category. Rob was also prominently featured in the Martin
Scorsese-produced “Godfathers and Sons” episode of the critically-acclaimed
blues series that aired on PBS stations nationally in 2003.
Now based in Los Angeles, Rob Stone cut his musical teeth in
the gritty clubs of Chicago’s north, south and west sides, learning from the
masters. He got his start at age 18, when he slipped into a blues joint in his
native Boston to check out harp great Charlie Musselwhite and was instantly
transfixed. He bought his first harp the next day and began listening to
recordings of Little Walter, Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells, James Cotton and
the two Sonny Boys. Before long, Rob was learning the finer points of the
instrument from ex-Muddy Waters mouth organ maestro Jerry Portnoy and playing
regularly with Rockabilly legend Sleepy LaBeef. Relocating to Colorado in 1990,
he got his feet wet playing with biker bands on the smoky bandstands around
Colorado Springs. Then in ‘93, legendary drummer Sam Lay invited the young
harpist to sit in with his combo, leading to a job offer and a move to Chicago
the next year. Touring internationally with Sam Lay for four years
introduced Stone to blues fans worldwide. Despite leaving Sam’s band in 1998 to
form the first incarnation of his current band, the C-Notes (with Chris James
and Patrick Rynn), Rob and Sam continued to perform together over the years, and
Sam has appeared on several of Rob’s albums. “I have worked with many harmonica
players, and he turned out to be the best,” says Sam (quite an endorsement,
considering Lay was a member of Paul Butterfield’s vaunted mid-‘60s band and
also kept impeccable time for Howlin’ Wolf and Little Walter). “That cat is a
monster harmonica player and musician!”
Besides headlining his own club tours, Stone has opened major
shows for a wide-range of stars, including B.B. King, Sheryl Crow, Robert Cray,
Los Lobos, James Cotton and Etta James. He’s also gaining a wide reputation as
an emerging talent throughout Europe with consistent overseas touring, as well
as in Japan, where he’s built an impressive following of fans.
Rob Stone’s hard-hitting, honest and highly-danceable blues
never fails to delight crowds at his shows. Firmly committed to spreading the
blues gospel, Stone is nevertheless his own man, carving out a niche for himself
with exceptional singing and harp work, plus a knack for writing terrific
original blues songs.
Rob Stone and his band will support the release of
Gotta Keep Rollin’ with non-stop touring both in the U.S. and
abroad.
For more information, visit www.robstone.com and www.vizztone.com.
Richie Onori's Blues Messenger at Arcadia Blues Club
Richie Onori's Blues Messenger
(Photo by Deja Cross)
RICHIE
ONORI'S BLUES MESSENGER TO ROCK
ARCADIA BLUES CLUB - FRIDAY, JULY 25
(Arcadia,
Calif.) - Acclaimed
veteran rock musician Richie Onori unleashes his new band, Richie Onori's Blues Messenger, in a headlining show at the Arcadia Blues Club, 16 E. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, Friday,
July 25. 9 p.m. Tickets $6.25 (advance), $11.50 (at the door). Info: (626)
447-9349 or visit http://www.arcadiabluesclub.com/.
Onori, who
also drums for legacy muti-platinum act, Sweet, steps out from behind his drum
kit and takes front-and-center on guitar and lead vocals for Richie Onori's
Blues Messenger, a band ten years in the making. The group includes guitarist
Phil Woodard (Sahara); bassist Marvin Sperling (who previously played with Onori
and famed keyboardist Keith Emerson in the group Aliens); keyboardist Stevie
Stewart (who also plays in Sweet); drummer Paul Maselli (Dread Zeppelin); and
backing vocalist, Aina O'Kane. The live show includes a preview of Richies'
Rock-Theater project In The Name Of Freedom, also the title
of his recently-released album.
Critics Praise
In The Name Of Freedom/Richie Onori's Blues
Messenger
"Revolutionary...An exceptionally
powerful collection”
VINTAGE ROCK
“…the rawness of Jimi Hendrix mixed with some
modern-day blues of Joe Bonamassa.” NATIONAL ROCK REVIEW
"...modern, rich and vibrant. The Great American
Anthem Album of 2014!" XOMBIEWOOF
MAGAZINE
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Labels:
Richie Onori
Blind Pig signs Canadian artist JW-Jones!
Labels:
Blind Pig Records,
Canada,
International,
JW-Jones
Ruf Records artist: Royal Southern Brotherhood - HeartSoulBlood
I just received the newest release, HeartSoulBlood from Royal Southern Brotherhood and it's smooth! Opening with World Blues, a swampy, funky rocker with underlying hot slide and guitar work from Mike Zito and Devon Allman. Cyril Neville adds a super percussion track giving the track tht extra spark. Rock And Roll is a classic rocker with driving guitar riffs and drum work by Yonrico Scott. Groove On has a jazzy feel and hints of Steely Dan. Warm vocal harmonies and a distinctive rhythm are the keys to this track. Nice twin guitar leads to cap the track add a bit of bite. Here It Is is built over a cool funky bass riff from Charlie Wooton. A very funky jam track to get you moving. Callous has a slow slinky bluesy feel and is likely my favorite track on the release. A romping bass line and raw guitar soloing really make this a standout track. Lead vocals on this track are also particularly effective. Ritual had a grinding rhythm guitar part and actually reminds me a bit of Joe Walsh with a metallic edge. A cool track for radio play with a good melody and just enough edge. Shoulda Known is a very well composed R&B style track. I particularly like the vocals on this track and think that it could be the gem of the release. Let's Ride has components of soul and metal but an overriding feel of southern funky rock... funky Lynyrd Skynyrd with vocal harmonies. Cool! Trapped takes a more laid back shot at rock with sonic guitar riffs added over a easy funk rhythm. She's My Lady oozes soul. Keeping the instrumental backing light the vocals are king on this track and nicely executed. Takes A Village features supple vocal lead over light percussion and vocal like slide work. Very nice! Wrapping the release is a jagged tempo intro leading into anthem like, Love And Peace. Cool stagger step rhythms breaking the uniformity of the chant like melody creates a nice duality to the track and dualing guitar leads with Zito and Allman make this another release favorite.
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 audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
Johnny Winter's passing has been confirmed - Our prayers are with his friends and family
GENEVA (AP) — Texas blues icon Johnny Winter, who rose to fame in the
late 1960s and '70s for his energetic performances and musical
collaborations including with childhood hero Muddy Waters, has died. He
was 70.
His representative, Carla Parisi, confirmed Thursday that Winter died in a hotel room in Zurich a day earlier. The statement said his wife, family and bandmates were all saddened by the loss of one of the world's finest guitarists.
He had been on an extensive tour this year that brought him to Europe. His last performance came Saturday at the Lovely Days Festival in Wiesen, Austria.
Winter, along with his younger brother Edgar, rose to prominence in their early 20s and turned heads both for their musicianship and stark-white hair, a result of the musicians' albinism.
The guitarist was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1944 and rose to prominence in his early 20s after a Rolling Stone cover story on Texas music in December 1968. "If you can imagine a 130-pound, cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest, fluid blues guitar you ever heard, then enter Johnny Winter," wrote Larry Sepulvado and John Burks in the issue. "At 16, [Mike] Bloomfield called him the best white blues guitarist he ever heard.... No doubt about it, the first name that comes to mind when you ask emigrant Texans about the good musicians that stayed back home is Winter's." The guitarist, who had previously played in a band with his younger brother Edgar (who scored a Seventies hit with "Frankenstein"), was playing in a trio at the time. After the article came out, Winter was offered several deals and eventually signed a reported $600,000 contract with Columbia.
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 audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
His representative, Carla Parisi, confirmed Thursday that Winter died in a hotel room in Zurich a day earlier. The statement said his wife, family and bandmates were all saddened by the loss of one of the world's finest guitarists.
He had been on an extensive tour this year that brought him to Europe. His last performance came Saturday at the Lovely Days Festival in Wiesen, Austria.
Winter, along with his younger brother Edgar, rose to prominence in their early 20s and turned heads both for their musicianship and stark-white hair, a result of the musicians' albinism.
The guitarist was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1944 and rose to prominence in his early 20s after a Rolling Stone cover story on Texas music in December 1968. "If you can imagine a 130-pound, cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest, fluid blues guitar you ever heard, then enter Johnny Winter," wrote Larry Sepulvado and John Burks in the issue. "At 16, [Mike] Bloomfield called him the best white blues guitarist he ever heard.... No doubt about it, the first name that comes to mind when you ask emigrant Texans about the good musicians that stayed back home is Winter's." The guitarist, who had previously played in a band with his younger brother Edgar (who scored a Seventies hit with "Frankenstein"), was playing in a trio at the time. After the article came out, Winter was offered several deals and eventually signed a reported $600,000 contract with Columbia.
Winter was found dead overnight
in a hotel room outside Zurich, according to a police spokeswoman. A
prosecutor has ordered an autopsy because the cause of death is unclear.
There was no indication of third-party involvement, and early indications pointed to a medically related incident.
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 audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”
Labels:
Carla Parisi,
International,
Johnny Winter,
Switzerland,
Tour,
Zurich
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