Epops Music artist: Mike Sponza - Ergo Sum - New release review

I just received the newest release, Ergo Sum, from Mike Sponza and I really like it. Opening with a R&B flavored Modus In Rebus, Sponza and Ian Siegal share the guitar and vocal spots with a cool texture of swamp and soul. Stinging guitar riffs, nice organ work by Dean Ross and tight rhythm by Mauro Tolot on bass and Moreno Buttinar on drums make this melodic opener a great start. Country blues rocker, Carpe Diem, pushes hard with solid structure and a real nice sax solo by Matej Kuzel. With a good dose of country and simple slices of slide guitar, Penelope has the flavor of Hey Jude, and sweet sax work by Kuzel. A definite radio track with a solid melody, this track is super. One of my favorite tracks on the release, The Thin Line, is a dark, jazzy track with Kuzel on sax, Chris Storr on trumpet and Ross on Hammond, features Dana Gillespie on lead vocal and has nicely interleaved slide work and jazz guitar chords giving it just the right amount of suspense. Very cool! Funky track, See How The Man, continues with pumped up horn work from Storr and Kuzel and a funky guitar rhythm under an almost poetic delivery of spoken lyrics. Very nice! Shuffle track, Poor Boy, is a super showpiece for Siegals's slide work and Ross does an excellent job on piano as well. Driving rhythm and a vocal duet by Sponza and Siegal gives this track a lot of spunk. Kiss Me is a solid foot stomper with solid vocals and a nice interplay between Siegal and Sponza on guitars. Wrapping the release is super soul track, Prisoner of Jealousy. Mustering vocals with Otis Redding intensity, and nicely backed by horns and Rob Cass on percussion, this is a terrific closer for a solid 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”

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Arkansas Street Records artist: Bill Phillippe - Parade - New release review

I just received the newest release, Parade, by Bill Phillippe and it's quite good. This is not your typical blues release...in fact, not sure it's a typical release at all, but it's interesting. In a cool followup to 2014's Ghosts Phillippe set new roads in a sensuous and unconventional way.

Opening with Blues Come Calling, Phillippe, on vocal and guitar, creates an aural street feel joined by Ivor Holloway on clarinet, Swen Hendrickson on bass and Glenn Hartman on accordion. Nicely crafted and melodic, this track is soothing. Folk track, Proper Sorrow is so nicely arranged with Phillippe's vocals backed by a very strong acoustic bass work and weaving clarinet line it's quite enticing. 14th Street, with warm accordion work and clarinet lead gives the track a sense of old Paris. Sensitive writing, vocals and a very strong bass line give this track nice contrast with clarinet overtones. If I Should Lose My Mind is the most straight forward melody on the track but again with sophisticated accordion and clarinet support and great bass. Duke Ellington's Solitude / A Kinder Voice is very subdued with only critical accompaniment. Everything I Have Is Grey, a quiet ballad adheres to a haunting ballad style with really nice bass work and a super clarinet/accordion duet. Little Zion has a more jazzy yet folk approach. Hendrickson really plays a nice bass on this release and his style on this track is outstanding. Balanced with Phillippe's vocals and Holloway's clarinet work, this track is magic. With a 30's sound, Holloway opens Red Beret with clean clarinet work over that solid bass work. Phillippe uses his vocals and guitar work creating a perfect balance of music. Wrapping the release is Tom Waits' Take It With Me, a bluesy number with a nice clarinet intro. Phillippe's vocals are deeper and the track is bathed in accordion. A nicely written and performed release, check it out for a change of pace.



  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”

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BROTHER DEGE HITS THE ROAD FOR WEST COAST SUMMER TOUR!

LOUISIANA BLUESMAN BROTHER DEGE & THE BRETHREN ON TOUR NOW FOR WEST COAST SUMMER DATES!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A NUMBER OF BROTHER DEGE'S SONGS FROM HIS VARIOUS ALBUMS

BROTHER DEGE & THE BRETHREN 2016 U.S. TOUR DATES:
7/6 SANTA CRUZ, CA - APTOS STREET BBQ
7/7 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DOC'S LAB
7/9 GRANT'S PASS, OR - G STREET BAR & GRILL
7/10 EUGENE, OR - SAM BOND'S GARAGE
7/11 HOOD RIVER, OR - TRILLIUM CAFE
7/12 PORTLAND, OR - DUFF'S GARAGE
7/13 SEATTLE, WA -  HIGH DIVE
7/14 BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA, TREEHOUSE CAFE
7/19 DENVER, CO, 3 KINGS
7/22 TULSA, OK, MERCURY LOUNGE

HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT BROTHER DEGE:

"Frankly, every track on the Brother Dege CD could have been in the movie [Django Unchained]. It works and has a badass score sound to it. Almost every song could be a theme song. It’s like a greatest hits album. But this song 'Too Old to Die Young'... it’s pretty damn badass. And it’s used in the movie in a pretty damn badass way, I’ve got to say.” - QUENTIN TARANTINO

 “Fans of slide guitar, Southern gothic, or plain old rock & roll attitude need to run, not walk, and check out Brother Dege ASAP. Brother Dege is a case study in how one guy with a steel guitar and minimal accompaniment can out-rock a roomful of electric bombast, given the right songs, the right skills, and the right voice. Brother Dege has‘em all.” – POPMATTERS

 “[Four Stars] In lesser hands all this might easily sound contrived, but instead it’s genuinely powerful and compelling stuff. 'The Girl Who Wept Stones' and 'Dead & Gone' might have been ripped from the Son House songbook, though the seven-minute epic 'House of the Dying Sun' is the real keeper.” – UNCUT

 “Both ancient and modern, like an indie rock cover of something Lomax may have recorded a hundred years ago.” – BLOGCRITICS

 "... an updated perspective of the age-old Delta blues." - OFFBEAT MAGAZINE

 “Brother Dege brings the ghosts of kudzu-covered swamp rats to life in your speakers.  Find the darkest spot in your backyard, light some candles and turn it up.” – THE BIG TAKEOVER

 “... in the slide guitar Delta blues tradition, but with Legg’s own twist.” – CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE 

Omnivore reissue of Ru-Jac catalog continues: 'Gene & Eddie with Sir Joe at Ru-Jac'

OMNIVORE’S REISSUE OF RU-JAC RECORDS CATALOG  CONTINUES WITH TRUE ENOUGH: GENE & EDDIE WITH SIR JOE AT RU-JAC  Gene & Eddie and Sir Joe were stars of Baltimore soul and R&B label. Compilation, out September 2, available on CD, digital and blue vinyl. BALTIMORE, Md. — Omnivore Recordings continues its restoration and reissue of the mid-’60s Baltimore-based R&B/soul label Ru-Jac Records with True Enough: Gene & Eddie With Sir Joe at Ru-Jac, the first-ever compilation of single sides by Washington D.C.’s sensational soul duo Gene & Eddie. Also included are the rare sides by Sir Joe, otherwise known as Joe Quarterman, producer/songwriter/artist, who produced and wrote many of the Gene & Eddie sides for Ru-Jac. The compilation is scheduled for September 2, 2016 release on CD, blue vinyl LP (with download card) and digital. Emerging from the very active East Coast ’60s soul scene, Gene, Eddie and Joe had been in bands and recording from the early part of the decade. They formed, or joined, regional acts with names like The Nightcaps, The Knights, Don Downing, The El Corols and The Maidens, sharing stages with bigger, national artists such as Major Lance, Garnet Mimms, Joe Simon, The Soul Children, and The Emotions. For all their ambitions, wider, national success never found them, and with only one local chart hit to their name, “It’s So Hard,” they eventually all called it quits to pursue other endeavors. However, these restored tracks give us a window onto a time when East Coast doo-wop met the soul explosion and got a little funky as it headed into the early ’70s.  Featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this is the definitive musical history of Gene & Eddie and Sir Joe Quarterman — True Enough! Omnivore’s Ru-Jac reissue initiative launched with the March 25 release of Mr. Clean: Winfield Parker at Ru-Jac. Track listing: 1. I Would Cry 2. I Tell You 3. Nobody Beats My Love (Sir Joe) 4. If You Give Up Your Love (Sir Joe) 5. You Don’t Fool Me 6. Let Me Go Easy 7. It’s So Hard 8. Sweet Little Girl 9. Let Me Go Easy (Alternate Version) 10. She’s True Enough 11. Baby, I’d Drop Every Thing (Sir Joe) 12. Every Day (I’ll Be Needing You) (Sir Joe) 13. It’s No Sin 14. You’ve Got To Love Me Sometimes 15. Darling I Love You 16. Why Do You Hurt Me Bonus Tracks: 17. It’s So Hard  (Eddie & Gene and the Nightcaps) 18. Check You Later (Eddie & Gene and the Nightcaps) 19. A Guy For You* (Sir Joe) 20. You Don’t Fool Me (Stereo Mix)* 21. Let Me Go Easy (Stereo Mix)* *Previously unissued LP consists of tracks 1-16 with download card of entire CD program

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: DYLAN WICKENS & THE GRAND NATURALS

Listen/Share "Rock Bottom" on Soundcloud

Hi Lo-Fi is available on Radio Submit, iTunes and dylanwickens.ca

True to the spirit of power trios of the sixties, Dylan Wickens & The Grand Naturals immediately grab the listener by the ears with their unapologetic take on the blues, by choosing to colour outside the lines with fuzzed up guitars and bass and melodic, hook-heavy vocal lines.  Raw, real, modern and traditional; it’s that paradox which defines the sound of these three world-class musicians that have come together to record the aptly titled, Hi Lo-Fi. Released on May 6, 2016, Hi Lo-Fi has been getting positive reviews from critics around the world and extensive airplay throughout Canada.  Here's what some of the reviewers are saying about Hi Lo-Fi “Canadian guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Wickens presides over a tough and tasty trio sound, his blues chops melding well with his songwriting smarts.  The overall vibe here smacks strongly of classic British blues and Mr. Wickens’ vocals frequently evoke a Cream-era Jack Bruce.  Axework is varied and solid throughout and the song list sports airplay-worthy tracks including “Rock Bottom”, “Foolish Heart” and “Fall Apart”. - The Roots Music Report    “…a varied collection which demonstrates well the tricky art of blues power trio playing, maintaining energy without relying on out-and-out volume. Wickens’s soulful vocal impresses across all eleven tracks, on occasions its anxious edge reminiscent of Paul Rodgers.” - Blues and More Again   “Hi Lo-Fi, the wonderfully bluesy sophomore release from Dylan Wickens and The Grand Naturals is a delightful listen...This is an album I could listen to all day long.  Hi Lo-Fi is a sure-fire winner.” - Phillycheeze's Rock and Blues Reviews Their debut recording Tattoo Black was released in 2010 to critical acclaim and extensive airplay on commercial and campus radio, CBC, Stingray and blues programs, quickly establishing themselves as one of the most original and exciting bands in the genre. Featuring Dylan Wickens on guitars and vocals, Al Webster (Jeff Healey, Colin James, Long John Baldry) on drums, and Dennis Pinhorn  (Downchild, Danny Brooks, The Last Waltz Tribute) on bass, this trio has created an album that is tremendous in sound and quality. Wickens’ guitar work transitions between visceral, stinging slide and soulful blues/rock with the combination of the two helping to define the band's sound as both raw and real but contemplative, while his vocals are gritty and fervent with a “Clapton like growl and urgency” (Blinded By Sound).  As a songwriter, Wickens composes well crafted and meaningful songs that often have a melodic twist at the end - a nod to the freestyle playing of 60s power trios. In addition to Wickens’ guitar prowess, bassist Dennis Pinhorn locks in the grooves with his thunderous, fuzzed out Fender bass while drummer Al Webster holds it all together with subtle yet powerful drumming, choosing his moments to shine with flurries of brilliance. The 9 tracks on Hi Lo-Fi feature compelling lyrics on topics such as desperation, revenge, love, and lust and each is ripe with substantial hooks and melodies as if there were songs within the songs.  “The making of Hi Lo-Fi came about very slowly until it was time to track it - at that point, I committed completely to a sound that has been rattling about in my head for years - one that is as the name says, both hi and lo-fi all at once”, says Wickens. This long awaited sophomore release from one of Canada's most imaginative trios follows in the tradition of heavy, 1960’s psychedelic blues/rock and influenced by Doyle Bramhall II, Jimi Hendrix, The Black Keys, and Gary Clark Jr. is best dialed up to 11. dylanwickens.ca  RIYL: Big Sugar, Doyle Bramhall II, The Black Keys, Cream Hi Lo-Fi Track List 1. Foolish Heart 3:41       2. Love & Lust 5:03 3. Run Sister 3:51          4. Calamity Jane 4:41 5. Fall Apart 3:43                  6. She’s Back In Town 3:54 7. Your Other Man 3:44 8. Rock Bottom 4:35 9. In My Time Of Dying (Live) 4:13 Upcoming performances July 9 - Lighthouse Blues Festival, Kincardine, ON July 17 - Waterloo Region Museum Concert Series, Kitchener, ON July 29/30 - Lavigne Tavern, Lavigne ON August 5 - Kitchener Blues Festival - The Berlin, Kitchener ON August 7 - Kitchener Blues Festival - MainStage, Kitchener, ON August 27 - Donnelly's Pub, Thorold, ON August 28 - Bay City Music Hall, Hamilton, ON September 17 - The Boathouse Victoria Park, Kitchener, ON Dylan Wickens is available for interviews and station IDs.  For more information, hi-res photos or promo copies of Hi Lo-Fi contact  Sarah French Publicity 416-566-4188 or sarah@sarahfrenchpublicity.com