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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!


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Thursday, June 30, 2016

Dex Romweber Announces Solo Album, Launches New Track "Trouble of the World" via American Songwriter



Dex Romweber Announces Solo Album Carrboro, Out On September 9

*Track Premiere of "Trouble of the World" via American Songwriter

*Album pre-order / new tour dates with J.D. Wilkes

+

Former Flat Duo Jets leader and rockabilly, garage legend Dex Romweber will release a new solo album Carrboro on Bloodshot Records on September 9th. American Songwriter premiered the album’s lead single “Trouble of the World” – a song suggestive of Romweber’s earlier projects Flat Duo Jets and Dex Romweber Duo.







Carrboro is now available for pre-order on CD/LP/digital formats: https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/carrboro

On the new album, Dex assumes several musical mantles (and uncharacteristically plays all or many of the instruments). There’s the sparse and jumpy hillbilly liveliness of “Knock Knock (Who’s That Knockin’ On My Coffin Lid Door?)” with help from Rick Miller of Southern Culture On The Skids; “Lonesome Train,” originally recorded by Cecilia Batten in nearby Chapel Hill in 1957; and a take on the T. Bone Burnett-penned “I Don’t Know,” sung by Ryan Bingham and The Dude for the film Crazy Heart (says Dex: “the lyrics seem to be so much about my own life… damn I just had to record it”). With the fuller sound of the New Romans, a 10-piece Chapel Hill collective, “Nightide” is a Tarantino grind on the surf-deck of the USS Enterprise, while Mahalia Jackson’s “Trouble of the World” throbs with a thrilling apocalyptic gloom.

In support of the new album, Dex also announced an extensive run of tour dates including a European festival as Flat Duo Jets and a September run with Legendary Shack Shakers’ J.D. Wilkes. All dates are available on Dex’s tour page and listed below, with more to come soon.


7/1 – Heavy Rebel Weekend – Winston-Salem, NC
7/3 – Honeysuckle Tea House – Chapel Hill, NC
7/7-9 – SJOCK – De Kempen, Belgium (as Flat Duo Jets)
7/21 – The Station – Carrboro, NC
9/7 – Grey Eagle Music Hall – Asheville, NC*
9/8 – Martin’s Downtown – Roanoke, VA*
9/9 – Milkboy – Philadelphia, PA*
9/10 – Dogfish Head – Rehoboth, DE*
9/11 – Hill Country – Washington, DC*
9/13 – Atwoods – Cambridge, MA*
9/14 – Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY *
9/15 – Roxy and Dukes – Dunellen, NJ*
9/16 – Abilene Bar Longe – Rochester, NY *
9/17 – Village Idiot – Maumee, OH*
9/18 – PJ’s Lager House – Detroit, MI *
9/20 – Brauerhouse, Lombard, IL*
9/22 – Southgate House, Newport, KY*
9/23 – Willie’s – Lexington, KY*
9/24 – Americana Music Festival – Nashville, TN

* = with JD Wilkes

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Ruf Records artist: Royal Southern Brotherhood - The Royal Gospel - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, The Royal Gospel, from Royal Southern Brotherhood, and it's their best yet! Opening with Where's There's Smoke There's Fire, this band is hot. Tyrone Vaughan "smokes" the guitar strings with a vicious guitar solo and Norman Caesar's B3 ride is very effective. Darrell Phillips bass work, Bart Walker on guitar and Cyril Neville on percussion with Yonrico Scott on drums makes this a spectacular opener. I've Seen Enough To Know is a cool R&B style track with light funky guitar work and a great bass line. Blood Is Thicker Than Water has a super slinky, funky groove with reggae like vocals. An infectious percussion groove and slick guitar tips this one. A really cool track and one of my favorites on the release. R&B/gospel style, I Wonder Why really has a solid bass groove with nicely woven fabric of guitar , percussion, organ and vocals. Excellent! Cyril's fingerprints are on the writing of I'm Comin' Home, a really groove heavy track. The bass line is terrific and the slide work hair raising! Very nice! Everybody Pays Some Dues has a cool James Brown strut courtesy Walker and Vaughn. Vocals are strong and a cleanly executed guitar solo dresses the track. A soft bed of acoustic guitar by Walker and really lush vocals gives Face Of Love a strong face for radio play. Very nicely done. Spirit Man has soulful lead vocals and cool B3 work over a great percussion section. This track shows a modern interpretation of the stumble drum effect that I love so much about New Orleans jazz and an excellent slide guitar solo is scorching. Nice! Hooked On Plastic is funky to the max. A great bass line and well blended vocals over a hot rhythm line and clever guitar riffs makes this a particularly memorable track. Can't Waste Time has a great funky groove and super backing vocals giving it just the right feel. If this track doesn't get you moving, the San Andreas likely won't. Wrapping the release is Stand Up, a R&B style fast paced track that is just waiting to bust loose. Walker and Vaughan trading riffs on this track creates hot dynamics and with a cushion of B3 and hand claps the track had an old style revival conclusion, driven by a driving bass line of Phillips. Steamy ending to a hot release!


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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

New Release from Hal Leonard: Play Like Freddie King





Play Like Freddie King 
with New Hal Leonard Publication 



Play Like Freddie King

by Dave Rubin

$19.99 (US)

Inventory #HL00122432

ISBN: 9781480355699  

UPC: 884088952501  

9" x 12", 120 pages 

Now Available!  



See & Hear Online!
















FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2016
Milwaukee, WI

With the brand new release from Hal Leonard Play Like Freddie King, guitarists can study the trademark songs, licks, tones, and techniques of the blues guitar royal. This comprehensive book and audio teaching method provides detailed analysis of King's gear, tone, techniques, styles, songs, licks, riffs, and much more. Guitarists will learn everything they need to know about Freddie's legendary playing, from his early '60s guitar instrumental hits to his '70s blues-funk excursions and beyond.

The book includes access to audio tracks online, for download or streaming, using the unique code inside the book. Including PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch set loop points, change keys, pan left or right.

Songs include: Funnybone * Going Down * I'm Tore Down * Pack It Up * Remington Ride * San-Ho-Zay * Side Tracked * The Stumble * and more.
Play Like Freddie King is available from music and bookstores or by visiting www.halleonard.com


About Hal Leonard
Founded in 1947, Hal Leonard Corporation is the world's largest music print educational publisher and digital content provider, producing educational materials, songbooks, sheet music, reference books, DVDs, magazines, eBooks, digital sheet music, apps and more. The company is also a major distributor of music technology products, selling and marketing the most popular software, hard goods and accessories available today, to musicians and recording enthusiasts around the world. In its more than 200,000 available publications and products, Hal Leonard represents many of the world's best known and most respected publishers, artists, songwriters, arrangers and manufacturers. The company is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI and also has domestic offices in Winona, MN; New Jersey and Boston, and offices abroad in Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.




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Travis Green - A Little Too Late - New release review

I just received the newest release (July 8, 2016), A Little Too Late,from Travis Green and it's quite good. Opening with title track, A Little Too Late, Travis Green on super lead vocals, shows country two step style, with Kid Andersen on guitar, Randy Bermudes on bass, Jason Hansen on drums, and nice key work from Jim Pugh. Cowboy styling on Please Don't Cry has a lot of polish with Lisa Leuschner Andersen on harmony. This is a real nice track that should hit the radio. Everybody Knows crosses over more to a rock sound, still influenced by country flavor. With the line "Everybody Knows That You're A Bitch A Heart" it is an auto hook that will certainly be a crowd favorite. Solid bass work from Bermudes and sassy sax work from Nancy Wright give this track a solid kick. Blues based ballad, The Only Love, has really nice organ work by Pugh giving it a great feel. Kid Andersen lays in some real nice bluesy country guitar riffs for good measure. Very cool. Keep You Off My Mind has a really strong rockin blues beat with a driving bass line. Green takes his vocals to a new level sounding every bit like a 50's country star and Andersen's guitar work is clean and classy. Damage Done is a solid country rock/pop track with memorable lead vocals and with sweet backup vocals from Lisa and Courtney Knott. Andersen's steel playing sets this track off giving it that extra bite. Caroline is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a rockin' boogie beat. Wright's hot sax work, with Pugh's key work and Lisa and Courtney on backup make this a top track. Excellent! Road Runs Cold is another well written track and Green sings within a swampy ambiance. Hansen really creates the spell with his tom tom work and Kid A. lays in shimmery guitar riffs that glisten off of his solid soloing. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Don't Forget, a track with a cool country funk and a touch of gospel. This is a great closer with Green's super vocal phrasing, Pugh's organ work, nice guitar riffs from Kid and Hansen's drum work. Nice closer.

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Monday, June 27, 2016

Juke Rockets Blues Band - Hungry Soul - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Hungry Soul, from Juke Rockets Blues Band and they play from the heart. Opening with American Train, a country style rocker, Carlene Thornton leads on vocals with solid drums from Tim Woitowitz, bass from Steve Mellor and guitars from Ron Casillo. On 12 bar number, Can't Complain Blues, Ron leads the way on guitar and Steve pops in a real nice bass solo. JRBB slows the tempo a bit for Cougar, with seductive lyrics, and some of the most ambitious, San Francisco style guitar playing on the release. Title track, Hungry Soul, is a simple ballad with a nice melody, clearly articulated guitar work and nicely blended vocals. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Keep On Walkin' with a thumping bass line and real nice grinding slide guitar riffs. It also shows some of Thornton's best vocals on the release. JRBB brings it down real low for Mister 7. Showing guitar chord structure like Mr T Bone Walker over structured bass and drums, Thornton does a real nice job on lead vocal. Heavy bottomed, Sunday Morning, gives Mellor a cool opportunity to walk around on bass. Nicely overdriven guitar riffs by Casillo and lightly salted drum work by Woitowitz gives Thornton plenty of space to belt out the blues. The opener on classic, Summertime, gives Casillo the opportunity to show his best work on the release with super clarity and trem bends. I hear influences from the SF sound on Thornton but she is by no means copying Pearl so definite kudos for individuality. Funky, When I'm Good, is loose but cool. A bit of a jam and some nice vocals harmonies make this track stand out. Wrapping the release is ballad, We Threw Love Away, has a solid melody and consistent radio quality. A nice closer for a cool release.


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Friday, June 24, 2016

Underworld Indie Records artist: Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat - Live at the Kessler - New release review

I just received the newest release, Live at the Kessler, from Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat and it's really fun. Opening with I Declare, Suhler gets the crowd warmed up on lead vocal with excellent piano support from Shawn Phares, Chris Alexander on bass and Beau Chadwell on drums. Suhler has a great voice and great tone. On swampy, Across the Brazos, Chadwell's snappy drum beat and accordion like key work by Phares add extra flavor. Rock n' Roller, Doin' The Best I Can, is a hard driver with Suhler showing his super slide technique. This is a great cranker and Suhler presses on with strong support by Phares on keys. Excellent! Tijuana Bible has a real nice thumping bass line and grinding guitar riffs. With it's memorable melody and ZZ Top like feel, this track is hot! Deja Blue has a cool tandem vocal/lead guitar melody with accordion keys giving it a cajun feel. Single note bass line and steady drum lines gives the track a simple structure accenting Suhler's easy slung lead slide work. Very nice. Texassippi has a real nice southern country feel with really supple vocals and acoustic slide work. Sunday Drunk is a great rocker with a relentless bass line. Suhler stretches his strings quite nicely giving the track real bite. Devil In Me opens with a cool drum solo from Chadwell joined by Suhler on slide. Heavy toms and solid bottom is the key to this track with it's slight country taste. Suhler really lets it loose on this one with some slick slide riffs. Excellent! Panther Burn is a heavy lumbering track ... kind of a southern version of Levee Breaks. Alexander and Suhler on vocal with Suhler's slide work and solid drums really gives this track oomph. Scattergun is a really cool shuffle with lead slide. A pure blues number with boss bass lines, this track is great. Suhler and Phares really air it out here for one of the best tracks on the release. Po' Lightnin' has a cool funky beat and with nice lead bass lines and almost spoken lyrics. Prayin' For Rain, built over arpeggios on a theme, is a really sweet ballad. Wrapping the release is Restless Soul, a pure rockin' boogie. If this doesn't get you moving, nothing will. With plenty of slide work this track morphs into a driving version of Bullfrog blues and raw rowdy sliding blues. Excellent closer!

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Thursday, June 23, 2016

Delmark Records artist: Omar Coleman Band - Live At Rosa's Lounge - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Live At Rosa's Lounge, from Omar Coleman Band and it's quite good. Hot on the heels of his super 2015 release, Born & Raised , Coleman has put out a dynamic live release flexing his power.
Opening with Guy/Wells composition, Snatch It Back And Hold It, with some pure soul on vocal Omar leads the way over a great bass line from Dave Forte. Neal O'Hara takes a nice organ solo, with Marty Binder on drums and Omar wraps it up with harp. Cool opener. On Willie Dixon's, I'm Ready, OCB stays the course of Morganfield, adding a real nice piano solo by O'Hara. On funky, Born and Raised, Coleman gets a great James Brown feel going with wah wah and Preston style organ. His vocals are nicely crafted and delivered. This track has some really nice harp soloing as well and a hot guitar solo by Pete Galanis. Very cool. Rocker, Slow Down Baby, has solid drive and Chuch Berry like guitar riffs by Galanis and hot piano riffs from O'Hara. Sit Down Baby/Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone is ultra funky and Omar is running the show. A cool organ solo by O'Hara gives the track a hot side and Coleman's harp work wraps the track. Cool. Easy jazz swinger, Raspberry Wine, has old school roots and vocals but with tight bass lines by Ari Seder and drum work by Binder and a smooth organ solo by O'Hara has a great groove. High stepping, Lucky Man, gives Galanis a wide open range to rip the guitar and he steps up to the plate nicely. Omar's vocal/ harp exchange is relentless making this track one of my favorites on the release. Deep soul track, One Request, showcases Coleman's vocals nicely and Galanis steps in with a particularly nice blues solo capping off the track. Very nice! Rufus Thomas' Give Me The Green Light has a strong funk pushed nicely by the funky rhythm of Galanis, O'Hara and Seder. Seder's bass lines on this track are reall funky and Coleman really hits the groove. Wrapping the release is Willie Dixon's Two Headed Woman with a bit of country flavor. Galanis even throws down country guitar riffs before turning back to a more traditional Morganfield "Mojo" feel. Nice closer to a hot live release.

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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Bing Futch - Unresolved Blues - New release review

I just received the newest release, Unresolved Blues, from Bing Futch and it's a freewheeling acoustic ride. In 2015, he became the first mountain dulcimer player in the history of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis to advance to the semifinals and in 2016, he advanced to the finals, winning the "Best Guitarist" award. Opening with Robert Johnson's Sweet Home Chicago, Futch brings a solid boogie woogie beat with organ, percussion and bass support under solid vocals. Interstate 10 Blues has a really cool feel with Futch's vocals over a mountain dulcimer. Very nice. Juke Joint Hen has a mountain bluegrass sound with excellent finger work on his dulcimer. A reel like instrumental, this track is super. Harperville is played on resonator dulcimer giving it a metallic overtone on the dulcimer. Solid vocals and firm string work give this track authentic roots. Drinkin' and Drivin' Blues is smooth and slow. Nicely phrased blues solo on dulcimer make this one of my favorites. Tampa Red's It's Tight Like That has a great feel with nice slide resonator work. A terrific track as written, this track flies. Title track, Unresolved Blues, is a blues rocker with polished vocals, a full band sound and electric guitar solos. Nice acoustic blues, The Flip Side, is about as stripped down as it gets with warm solo vocal and acoustic accompaniment. Very nice. Traditional track, John Henry, is a really nicely executed acoustical instrumental. Excellent! That's What You Done To Me, has a cool blues drag with electric underlayment and Futch taking the melody on vocal. His string technique throughout is solid if not spectacular. Wrapping the release is Red-Headed Lover, an easy paced shuffle track. With a clean guitar lead and simple backing, Futch delivers vocally for a nice conclusion to a different take on the blues.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Danny Marks - Cities In Blue - New release review

I just received the newest release, Cities In Blue, by Danny Marks and he covers a lot of blues territory from coast to coast. Opening with a super T-Bone Walker style track, Houston to L.A. Danny Marks handles vocals and displays his strong capability to swing that guitar. Very nice! Belt Line Blues has a rural country style with Al Cross on drums, Danny Marks on slide and Johathan Goldsmith on keys. Once I Was Crazy has a great period feel highlighted by strong riffs from Chris Whiteley on trumpet and Ken Whiteley on Banjo. Very cool. Swing track, Kansas City Shout, has a real nice piano line by Julian Fauth and Marks with Alec Fraser on vocal backed by Mike Wark on sax is super. I'm particularly attracted by the guitar intro on Memphis Got Soul which has nice Albert king blues influence and the solid bari sax work by Phil Skladowski gives it that Memphis horn sound. With a light springy rag style, Heading Down To New Orleans, strongly features Marks' vocals and nicely blended vocal backing. Blues Came To Chicago features David Rotundo on harp and Bucky Berger on drums. Going Down The Road maintains it's revival feel but with mandolin and percussion has more of a primitive feel. Chris Whiteley on harp and Chris and Ken on backing vocals does give it a honest sound. Hey, New York Town has a more modern sound with contemporary guitar playing, organ work by Jonathan Goldsmith, beat by Piltch, hip hop style vocal phrasing by Marks and backing vocals by Sherie Marshall. Land Where Blues Began has a very raw instrumental style with Marks on slide guitar, Marks on acoustic, Al Cross on light percussion and Fraser and Marshall on backing vocal. Wrapping the release is Lights Out, a slick jazzy instrumental number with an almost a beach feel but holding onto the blues, Otis Rush style. Possibly my favorite track on the release and a super closer.

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