Steve Vai's - Third Vai Academy Guitar Camp To Take Place Jan 2-6th in Carmel, CA

STEVE VAI’S THIRD VAI ACADEMY GUITAR CAMP  TO TAKE PLACE JANUARY 2-6, 2017 IN CARMEL, CA

PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 180 GRAM VINYL NOW AVAILABLE

NORTH AMERICAN PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR CONTINUES

LOS ANGELES — Steve Vai’s third annual Vai Academy Guitar Camp — Vai Academy 3.0:  “Passion and Technique” — will be taking place in Carmel, CA at the Asilomar Conference Grounds from January 2-6, 2017.  Along with a star-studded lineup of special guests including Al Di Meola, Zakk Wylde, Carlos Alomar and others, Vai will stage the event for players and music lovers of all ages, levels, interests, and tastes. The four-day gathering offers once-in-a-lifetime activities such as jamming with Steve Vai and his band, as well as activities and workshops for master players, beginners, and enthusiastic fans alike.  For more information, including a variety of registration options, visit www.vaiacademy.com.  Register by November 24 and receive a BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive Pedal, TC Electronic Polytune Clip, and a copy of the Tone Wizards eBook when you arrive to Vai Academy.

“I’m so excited that Vai Academy has been as successful as it’s been, and it seems to become more interesting every year,” Steve Vai, the newly-inducted 2016 Long Island Music Hall of Fame Member, remarked.  “For 2017, we chose the Asilomar Conference Grounds in beautiful Carmel, California during the first week of January, which is great because everyone’s ready to start the year fresh after the holidays. This year, we’re going to focus on guitar technique, and we’ll talk about finding inspiration within yourself to write melodies and songs.  The technique is the tool.  It’s your most useful friend to express what’s inside.  We’ll unlock that together.”

“Ultimately, the main goal of Vai Academy is for everybody in attendance to feel incredibly enthusiastic when thinking about their goals, their future, and connection to the instrument, and to make some new friends, maybe find a new bandmate or two, and have a great time.”

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To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare, Vai released Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition, earlier this year via Legacy Recordings.  Modern Primitive includes previously unreleased material either recorded or written following Vai’s first solo record Flex-Able and prior to Passion and Warfare.  The 25th Anniversary version of Passion and Warfare is remastered from the original analog tapes and includes four bonus tracks (“Love Elixir,” “We Are One,” “As Above,” and “So Below”).

Now, a limited edition first time 180 Gram Audiophile vinyl of Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition is available — impeccably mastered and enhanced on two clear LPs with four recently unearthed bonus tracks from the album sessions, featured in a first time gatefold cover presentation and pressed at R.T.I.  Fans can now hear 1990’s Best Album of the Year, as designated by both Guitar World and Guitar Player, like they have never heard it before.  The 180 Gram Audiophile vinyl is available here:  http://amzn.to/2g3vk1b

Vai is currently on a critically-acclaimed, 100+ date Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour celebrating one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all time.  For the first time ever, Vai and his band are playing Passion and Warfare from front to back live at each tour stop.  In a show review, Mass Live said Vai “bent notes and minds” and of the performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco, SF Sonic noted, Vai “delivered a masterful performance” and added “it was hard to not get wrapped up in the enthusiasm emanating from Vai, who seemed overjoyed to be playing these songs…his playing demands and holds your attention throughout, a mark of a true master.”

The North American leg of the tour includes these upcoming concerts:    

Nov. 15 - Vienna, VA - The Barns at Wolf Trap

Nov. 16 - Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Theater at the Whitaker

Nov. 18 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre

Nov. 19 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works

Nov. 20 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre

Nov. 21 - Durham, NC - The Carolina Theatre

Nov. 22 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall

Nov. 23 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre

Nov. 25 - St. Petersburg, FL - Palladium Theatre

Nov. 26 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse

Nov. 27 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live

Nov. 28 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre

Nov. 29 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

Nov. 30 - Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre

Dec. 1 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater

Dec. 2 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre

Dec. 4 - San Antonio, TX - Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Dec. 5 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory

Dec. 6 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom

Dec. 7 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

Dec. 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up

Dec. 10 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex

Dec. 11 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Theater

Dec. 12 - Scottsdale, AZ - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

To purchase tickets, EVO Experience VIP packages (including front row, meet & greet + Q&A opportunities with Steve), and for more information, visit:  www.vai.com/tourdates/

Known for his intense, virtuosic and instantly recognizable guitar style, Steve Vai is also a visionary composer, consummate producer, and relentless live performer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. At 18 years old, he began his professional musical career transcribing for, and then playing with, the legendary Frank Zappa. More than three decades, more than 15 million in album sales, and three GRAMMY Awards later, Vai has proven himself, in his own right, as one of music’s true originals. While many artists fit easily into a single category, Steve Vai remains unclassifiable.  Throughout the years, Vai has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship while touring the world as a solo artist, a member of G3, with Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, and bands such as Alcatrazz and Whitesnake. As an accomplished audio producer, Vai has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums — several released via Favored Nations, his own independent record label that has released over 70 albums by legendary musicians such as Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Lukather, Eric Johnson, Billy Sheehan, Larry Carlton and many more. For Vai, virtuosity and versatility are not mutually exclusive. He has created music for blockbuster films, bestselling video games, national sports franchises, corporate brand initiatives, as well as several accomplished orchestras around the world with whom he has performed. Vai remains one of the most honored guitarists of the past few decades.  His career accomplishments have earned him honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute.  Vai has been honored multiple times by Guitar World and Guitar Player as Guitarist of the Year and Guitar World has ranked him as one of the Top Ten Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

www.vai.com

Ronnie Baker Brooks Announces First New Album In Ten Years

RONNIE BAKER BROOKS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF 

TIMES HAVE CHANGED, HIS FIRST ALBUM IN TEN YEARS

Produced By Steve Jordan, Featuring Lonnie Brooks, “Big Head” Todd Mohr, Bobby “Blue” Bland, 

Steve Cropper, Angie Stone, Eddie Willis, Al Kapone, Felix Cavaliere, Lee Roy Parnell

Out On Provogue / Mascot Label Group January 20, 2017

Chicago, IL --- Brooks, 49, was born in Chicago, and started playing guitar around age six. At 19, he joined his father, Lonnie Brooks who by then had influenced some of the most well-known bluesman of our history: Jimmy Reed, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Winter, and Junior Wells. For 12 years, the two would tour together, putting Ronnie out front with Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Koko Taylor. 

Times Have Changed, Brooks’ first album in ten years, carries with it the weight of grown perspective and time spent perfecting old material. Brooks worked it with Steve Jordan, whose work runs from Keith Richards to Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Eric Clapton. With that comes a lesson in rhythm and blues history. Brooks refers to the director as “a walking encyclopedia of music detail and equipment”, a professor through which Brooks could take that next developmental step. “Once we got the ball rolling, my confidence went higher and higher”, he says. “I’m a better musician for this experience.”

The experience Brooks is talking about is that which came together over the course of a few weeks at Royal Studios in Memphis, the home of Al Green, Syl Johnson and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Jordan and Brooks brought in a mint press of Memphis music royalty: Stax Records staple Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave), Archie Turner (Al Green, Syl Johnson, O.V. Wright), jazz saxophonist Lannie McMillan, and R&B icon Angie Stone. For several tracks, Brooks also enlisted brothers Teenie (guitar), Charles (organ) and Leroy Hodges (bass) of the legendary Hi Rhythm Section, which served as the house band for hit soul albums by artists like Al Green and Ann Peebles. “We used the same mics that Al Green used on his record”, says Brooks. “Matter of fact, we were using much of the same band! It kind of took that vibe.” The first track recorded was a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly hit Give Me Your Love. The second, Twine Time, the instrumental jam from Alvin Cash. 

“To be honest with you, when Steve said ‘Man, we need an instrumental,’ the first person I thought of was Freddie King. Steve wanted something more appealing to all people, not just guitar players. He said ‘What about Twine Time?’’ I said, ‘Is he serious?’ Yeah, Twine Time. But that song was a key to this album. Man, that just lit the fire for this record. It became one of the funnest tracks we did.”

Several tracks on Times Have Changed were recorded at the legendary Blackbird Studio in Nashville. “It had great hospitality, a great vibe, great tone, great equipment,” Brooks said. “And of course I got to get closer to some of the musicians who live there, Felix Cavaliere, Steve Cropper - they all live there, and it just created a great atmosphere. One of the key things for me was that we got Todd Mohr there, and he was willing to play rhythm guitar along with Lee Roy Parnell, so we got a nice little chemistry going with the three guitar parts together.”

‘Times’ also comes laden with original hits. Five of the eleven tracks were penned by Brooks. Raised on others’ music, he’s always considered the songwriting process to be as sacred. “It’s like having a baby”, he says. “You see it come to life. Once you play it live, it grows even more. That was the most fun part of it, for me: the creative side. Coming up with a song people can relate to, and you relate to, it just snowballs. It’s almost like therapy for me. Like the song Times Have Changed: I wrote that song years ago. I sent Steve my songs and he picked that one. It’s kind of timeless. Every day something’s changing. Now, when I play it live, you can see the effect of it. Initially, it was just an idea: just a riff. Now, this song has influence on people. We were just in Europe this year, after the bombing in Brussels. And we’re playing Brussels. I played that song; people were in tears. It helped them heal.”

It’s on that title track that Brooks brandishes what may be his finest songwriting talent: the ability to humanize social issues and unite different voices into one cohesive thought. That’s no more evident than in the latter stages of the song, in which Brooks deploys his longtime friend, Memphis' Al Kapone, to drop 32 bars on what the future holds for our people.

“My whole intention, when I started with Golddigger (his 1998 debut album) and up through this one, was to be authentic enough for the older generation but have something that the younger generation could latch onto,” says Brooks. “I try to be that bridge. With Take Me Witcha (2001), I’ve got a rapper on that. On The Torch (2006) we went with Al Kapone. He’s a bridge. He’s a bridge from blues to hip-hop. With music, it all comes from the heart. It comes from the heart and from the soul. In blues, it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about, it relates.

“That was my intention on this record: to build that bridge.”

The complete track listing features: “Show Me” (feat. Steve Cropper), “Doing Too Much” (feat. “Big Head” Todd Mohr, “Twine Time” (feat. Lonnie Brooks), “Times Have Changed” (feat. Al Kapone), “Long Story Short,” “Give Me Your Love (Love Song) (feat. Angie Stone), “Give The Baby Anything The Baby Wants” (feat. “Big Head” Todd Mohr & Eddie Willis), “Old Love” (feat. Bobby “Blue” Bland), “Come On Up” (feat. Felix Cavaliere & Lee Roy Parnell), “Wham Bam Thank You Sam,” “When I Was We.”

Severn Records artists: The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Strong Like That - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Strong Like That, from The Fabulous Thunderbirds and I really like it. Opening with Temptations classic, (I Know) I'm Losing You, TFT have melded a track that has been done by everyone from Rare Earth to Rod Stewart and with spicy steel guitar work of Roosevelt Collier and the funky beat of Wes Watkins created a cool new sound. Kim Wilson is upfront on vocal and harp and Steve Gomes lays down a solid bass riff along with Kevin Anker on keys. Very cool! Stepping off like Curtis Mayfield on Don't Burn Me, Wilson delivers a really soulful vocal line. Anson Funderburgh lends an artful hand to this soulful mix with tasty guitar riffs and with Christal Rheams and Caleb Green on backing vocals, Gomes on bass and Robb Stupka on drums. Excellent! Funky blues soul on You're Gonna Miss Me has a super groove that makes you want to bounce in your seat if not outright get up and dance. Wilson's harp work on this track is more soul than blues and really works nicely. Al Jackson's Drowning On Dry land has a super cool bottom Wilson keeps it light as air with his smooth vocals and restrained harp. Moeller's guitar riffs are spot on and Anker punctuates nicely. Excellent! Another funky track, Somebody's Getting It, is full blown with Kenny Rittenhouse on trumpet, Joe Donegan on trumpet, Antonio Orta on sax and Bill Holmes on trombone and Rheams and Green on back vocals. Wilson's vocals are particularly rich on this track, possibly being my favorite featuring him in near memory. With it's rolling bass line, Meet Me On The Corner, is the bluesiest track on the release and Wilson takes full advantage with his trademark blues harp riffs and vocals. Very cool. Where's Your Love Been has a cool southern soul sound with the full horns, crafty keyboard work by Anker and a few real nice guitar outings by Mr Johnny Moeller. Eddie Floyd's I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do) has a smooth soul sound with tight horn work and cool stylistic rhythm guitar work by Moeller. Wilson's vocals are cool and the track solid. Wrapping the release is title track, Strong Like That. With it's funky bass line and snappy drum bottom, Wilson really brings it home on vocal and harp. His phrasing and tone are top notch and this track is a particularly cool closer to what may be my favorite Thunderbirds release...ever!



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Conner Ray Music artist: The Bob Lanza Blues Band - Time To Let Go - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time To Let Go, from the Bob Lanza Blues Band and it's rockin'. Opening with boogie woogie track, Mind Your Own Business, Lanza leads the way on vocal and guitar but not without heavy support from Randy Wall on piano, The Cranberry Lake Horns and Vin Mott on drums. Excellent! On title track, Time To Let Go, Lanza leads an easy, jazzy track with light fingered guitar riffs and a bluesy twist. With supple vocals and cool horn backing this track is just right. Snappy drumming by Mott on When The Sun Comes Up gives it a cool spring and snappy bottom for super guitar riffs by Lanza. Slower blues number, Your Turn To Cry, sets a nice groove with Lanza punctuating his vocal with stinging guitar riffs. Very cool! Rush'n The Blues is a low slung blues instrumental and Lanza pulls out the stops. Riding along on a nice B3 air by Wall this track is one of my favorites on the release. Chicago style track, Follow Your Heart, features Don Erdman on harp and he really gets it going. Wall's piano work really stands out and Lanza's vocals and guitar work really hit the spot. Straight up rocker with a cool back beat, Don't Go No Further has solid vocals and super bluesy guitar riffs giving it a lot of presence. Love Me Or Leave Me has a nice slow swagger accented by Arne Wendt on piano and Mott's drum work. Lanza really steps up with some cool guitar riffs making this another release favorite. Snappy rocker, Johnny Smith, has the kick of a Little Richard track featuring Steve Krase on harp and Wall on piano. Super blues rocker! Latin rocker/blues shuffle, Walkin' Thru The Park, has a great bass bottom compliments Sandy Joren and Mott's harp work is tight. Lanza steps up with a few final hot riffs on guitar and leaves you wanting more. Very cool closer to a super release.



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Tastee - Tone Records artist: Dave Keller - Right Back Atcha - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Right Back Atcha, from Dave Keller and it's a funky blues party. Opening with R&B track, It's Time You Made Up Your Mind, and it has a great groove. With Jessica Friedman on bari and alto sax, Joe Moore on tenor and Terry Youk on C melody sax the horn section is rich. 2 AM Talks continues with a driving soul feel and Keller sets out a biting guitar solo over Ira Friedman's Hammond, Gary Lotspeich on bass and Brett Hoffman on drums. Hi steppin' title track, Right Back Atcha, has a great bass line from Lotspeich and a crisp guitar solo from Keller under his rich vocals. Prime soul track, Deeper Than The Eye Can See opens with a real nice piano line from Friedman and the soulful vocals sounding like a blend of Lionel Richie and Van Morrison. Very nice. Forever Summer has a different blend of sounds with vocal duets with Morgan Klarich giving it more of a pop country phrasing. Slow Train slides out of the chute with warm sax harmonies and Keller's lead vocal paired with April Caspari gives it real radio appeal. Joe Moore's sax work gives the track an even more soulful feel. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Circles, has a slow warm pace and nice organ work by Friedman. Keller uses his guitar effectively with a introspective solo on this track, nicely complimenting his super vocals. Another track that reminds me quite a bit of Morrison, She's Just Katie, has strong commercial potential with a great hook, strong melody, strong lead vocal and complimentary guitar work. This is a very strong track. Willing To Learn has a lot of the feel and delivery of Wilson Pickett and a strong vocal effort from Keller. Warm sax work and smooth melody makes this another candidate for best track on the release. Wrapping the release is You Make It Easy, a soulful pop track. This is a really cool release with great vocals and smooth instrumentals. Check it out.



  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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Leon Russell has passed - Our thoughts and prayers are with his family

American musician and songwriter Leon Russell has died at the age of 74.

The artist, who is best known for the songs "Shine a Light" and "A Song for You", died in Nashville on Sunday.

“His wife said that he passed away in his sleep,” a statement posted on Russell’s website read.

The artist, who performed his gospel-inflenced southern boogie piano rock, blues, and country music for over five decades,  was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2011.

Russell's colourful career saw him lead the famous Joe Cocker's ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ tour, perform with George Harrison and Friends and tour with everyone from Sir Elton John to Willie Nelson, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Edgar Winter and The New Grass Revival. He was a longtime hero of Sir Elton  and collaborated with him on a number of occasions. 

Born in Tulsa in Oklahoma, Russell embarked on his musical career at the age of just 14 in local nightclubs. By the 1950s he had moved to Los Angeles to become a session music, playing the piano on the songs of numerous 1960s musicians. Fast forward to 1970 and he had become a solo recording artist but continued to persist with his other numerous musical roles. His hit Shine a Light was featured on the 1972 Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main St.

He then dipped into relative obscurity for a period before coming back with a vengeance after he recorded The Onion alongside Sir Elton. This boosted his popularity until his last days, with him going on to release a solo album and tour the world.

Goldenlane Records artists: Ike & Tina Turner - The Complete Pompeii Recordings 1968-1969 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review Ike & Tina Turner, The Complete Pompeii Recordings 1968-1968 3 CD Set on Cleopatra Records and it's a wealth of 60's soul and R&B music. This is a boxed set with three original LP covers and 10 pages of cool liner notes. Disc 1, So Fine includes It Sho Ain't Me, a slow R&B number with terrific vocals and back up vocals by the Ikettes. Another favorite is I Better Get Ta Steppin', a funky James Brown style track. Other highlights are Shake Your Tail Feather with it's fast paced rhythm, R&B hit, So Fine, with rich backing vocals and a solid bass line by Ike and You're So Fine. On Disc 2, Title track Cussin' Cryin' & Carryin' On they wastes no time getting in the groove. With sounds of early James Brown, Tina really has started to mature a little starting to stretch a bit and showing traces of contemporary Tina Turner. Black Beauty is an interesting Jazz funk fusion. It's instrumental composition is characteristic of an emerging sound that has weathered well. Wrapping this disc is a new, funkier version of Better Get Ta Steppin' showing some of Tina's best vocals to date. Disc 3, A Black Man's Soul, open is with Thinking Black, a horn driven instrumental with solid bass work by Ike. With it's light pop sound, Black's Alley, resembles Friends of Distinction. With it's driving drums and blazing horns, Funky Mule, has a lot of kick. On Philly Dog, there is an interesting play between Bari sax and trumpets. Wailing sax work takes the lead for a hip shaker. Wrapping the release of this fine set is spiritual based, Freedom Sound, with a balance of keys and horns. With it's cool bvalance of organ and piano, it's a fine closer for a cool vintage release.



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Blissed Out Productions artists: Ducharme - Jones - Strangest Things - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the latest release, Strangest Things, from Ducharme-Jones. Opening with Red Roses, a country rocker, David Ducharme-Jones takes the lead on vocal and guitar with Anne Ducharme-Jones singing harmony. His guitar work is actually quite interesting with Mark Leshner on drums, David Evertson on bass and David Breaux on keys. Smooth ballad, Wherever You Go is a well written track with nicely blended vocals. Anne takes the lead on vocals on I Was Wrong, a radio track with rock and country roots. One of my favorites on the release is Of The Water, with delicate guitar work and nicely blended vocals, reminiscent of Graham Nash and David Crosby. Rocker, The Girl Is Gone, features some of the coolest guitar work on the release with constructiuon not unlike Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Wrapping the release is country rocker, Good Enough with a super hook. Well blended vocals and solid organ support by Breaux makes this a perfect closer for this Austin based duo.



  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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Corte' - Seasoned Soul - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Seasoned Soul, from Al Corte'. Opening with Little Milton's That's What Love Will Make You Do, Corte' serves up a full plate of traditional funky soul. On Freddie King's, I'm Tore Down, and sticking pretty close to the original arrangement, Corte' is joined by Jerry Bone on guitar, Lennon Bone on drums and Ron Miller on keys. I particularly like Bone's bass line on Albert King's Oh Pretty Woman. Otis Rush's, All Your Love, gets a light Spanish flavoring showcasing some of Corte's finest vocals. On classic, Unchain My Heart, Corte's vocals are solid with nice vocal backing by Sarah Jo Roark. On Otis Reddings' Any Ole Way, Corte's vocals are smooth as silk breathing real southern fried R&B. James Brown's Cold Sweat gets a total remake with a rolling swing. Jerry Bone plays some of his best riffs with snappy bottom work by Lennon. A cool release that is definitely worth a listen.



  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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Ross Neilsen - Elemental - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Elemental, from Ross Neilsen. The release opens with It's Time You Made Up Your Mind, a dark spiritual kind of sound with warm, soulful vocals. Primal tom tom work by Matt Sobb give this track a cool vibe. Black Coffee is a modern take on the blues with harp by Steve Marriner. His vibrant harp work coupled with stylistic drums and loose guitar riffs give this track bite. Woman's Name is a cool track with solid drum work by Sobb, reminiscent of John Bonham and with Jack Bruce like vocals by Neilsen, and searing slide work by Jim Boskill, one of my favorite tracks on the release. Country flavored, Devil Made You shows strong radio characteristics highlighted by Boskill on pedal steel. Aided by the sounds of the fiddle, Ash Fault has the sentimental sounds of rural America. Another track with a country twist, Nobody Gets Lonely shows some of Neilsen's best vocals, backed by Boskill on mandolin and featuring a solid bass line by Darcy Yates. R&B track, The Race has just a pinch of country, punched up by the horn work of Ed Lister on trumpet and Brian Asselin on sax. Wrapping the release is a nicely written country ballad, Step Into the Light. With warm keyboards by Steve Marriner and nicely styles pedal steel work by Boskill, Neilsen accompanies himself on acoustic guitar for a nice conclusion to a solid release.




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Regina Royale Records artist: Ilana Katz Katz - Movin' On - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Movin' On, by Ilana Katz Katz and it's original and interesting. Opening with Baby Please Don't Go, Ilana immediately grabs your attention with the lonesome sound of the Appalachian fiddle in a blues setting with Cedric Watson on banjo and in duet with Katz on vocals and Daniel Sanda on drums. Barry Levenson adds masterful guitar riffs to Sweet To Mama with Katz on vocal and fiddle, Mike Sandberg on drums and Hank Van Sickle on bass. Reuben's Train has a pure Appalachian sound with Katz's vocals and fiddle. Tanya switches gears with a stylistic jazz track. Nicely adorned by Katz and Bobby Radcliff this track is soothing and smooth with a solid rhythmic bottom courtesy of Geoff Wright on bass and Dave Moore on drums. On Blues for Bobby Radcliff, Chas Justus and Katz play a cool acoustic blues with traditional Piedmont style. Very cool. I really like Demon Blues which has a bit of a Ali Farke Toure sound with Katz on vocal, Radcliff on guitar, Moore on drums and Wright on bass. Lazy John/Sail Away Ladies again reels back to a more bluegrass sound and lead fiddle. Greasy Cool continues in the vein with Sanda and Watson joining in. Very solid. Wrapping the release is Jack of Diamonds with only Katz and her fiddle. This is a nice closer for a really special release.




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Treated and Released Records artist: Reverend Freakchild - Illogical Optimism - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Illogical Optimism, from Reverend Freakchild and it's quite good. This is a 3 disc review so I will try to describe it as I can. Opening disc one is a loose, Lou Reed kind of interpretation of John Lennon's Imagine. It's actually quite different and with a fluid jazzy electric guitar solo, it's quite cool. Next up is The Meters' Hey Pocky Way... pure New Orleans with nice sax work, a super bass line and vocals and of course snappy drumming. Joseph Pace's I Still Have Joy is exceptional in all of it's spiritual glory. Gospel backing on this track is off the charts. Bill Monroe's Cryin' Holy To The Lord has the gospel feel but with a solid country swing table. This track is clever and a nice addition to the set. Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love has a considerable swampy darkness and a lot of the Diddley rock beat. With underlying guitar melodies from Jimi crossing the Diddley beat and cool harp work it runs nicely into Dylan's All Along The Watchtower but with a fusion of Jimi and reggae. With cool guitar riffs and driving drum beat this release just keeps pushing the envelope. Driving track, Shark Boogie, captures the sound of a great modern boogie, say Savoy Brown or George Thorogood but with the pure roots on Hooker. Very cool. Woodie Guthrie's Pretty Boy Floyd has a punk country (Social Distortion) overdo and it's terrific. The Rev knows how to play this and he hits it square on the logo. Straight up folk rocker, Sweet Sweet You has a really solid melody and nicely woven instrumentation. Blind Lemon Jefferson's See That My Grave Is Kept Clean maintains much of it's blues roots but with just a slice of country and a contemporary rock refrain. Very tastefully done. Gram Parsons' Big Mouth Blues seems just the perfect track for this band with it's country rock feel. Gritty guitar work, yodeling and fun this track rocks. Robert Johnson's Hell Hounds On My Trail plays it close to the blues bone with amplified guitar and vocal. As nice as a primitive blues gets in modern form. John Lennon's Yer Blues is perfect in juxtaposition with it's modern form but with slide guitar and harp instead of Lennon's finesseful guitar riffs. Breaking loose into a 2 step number the Reverend steps up with a healthy load of slide work giving this track a whole new look. Rev Gary Davis' Death Don't Have No Mercy is one of my all time favorite blues numbers and Freakchild does a real nice job of interpreting it with slide acoustic guitar, vocal and flute.

 Disc 2 opens with a funky radio rap and dance groove called Once Upon A Time Called Right Now. Most of the balance of this disc is the experimentation of All I Got Is Now in different forms including Reggae, DJ, Hillbilly, Punk, French,German and acoustic forms.

 Disc 3 is Kairos by Ramblin Jennings who presents modern acoustic blues with Jennings on vocal, acoustic slide and harmonica. Seven original tracks and a remake of John The Revelator is a sweet set and a cool bonus to an already nicely packed release.



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Blues Hall of Fame Member John Mayall Set to Release New CD, "Talk about That," on January 27, 2017, from Forty Below Records

Blues Hall of Fame Member John Mayall Set to Release New CD, Talk about That, on January 27, 2017, from Forty Below Records

Latest Album Features Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member Joe Walsh as Special Guest  on Two Tracks

LOS ANGELES, CA – Iconic musician and Blues Hall of Fame member John Mayall will release his latest CD, Talk about That, on January 27 from Forty Below Records. Joining Mayall (vocals, keyboards, harmonica and guitar) and Greg Rzab (bass), Jay Davenport (drums) and Rocky Athas (guitar) as special guest is legendary guitarist Joe Walsh, who plays on two tracks, “The Devil Must Be Laughing” and “Cards on the Table,” both John Mayall compositions. The songs showcase Walsh’s amazing guitar work and are destined to be two of the many highlights on this new disc. Talk about That will be available for pre-orders at both Amazon.com and iTunes starting December 9.

Watch a special preview video of the making of Talk about That:

Produced by John Mayall (who also designed the album package) and Forty Below Records president Eric Corne (who also engineered and mixed), Talk about That was recorded at House of Blues Studio in Encino, California, and contains 11 tracks: eight originals, plus covers from Memphis soul music songwriter Bettye Crutcher (“It’s Hard Going Up”), blues great Jimmy Rogers (“Goin’ Away Baby”) and rock singer/songwriter Jerry Lynn Williams (“Don’t Deny Me”). The album also showcases a three-piece horn section that adds extra punch on several tracks, including the infectious New Orleans-flavored “Gimme Some of that Gumbo.”

“When I first had the idea for the title track, ‘Talk about That,’ I wanted to write lyrics that were about aspects of life that were running through my head,” says John Mayall. “I also wanted to give the song a modern groove that would convey the fun mood driving the piece.  Greg and Jay laid down a really infectious rhythm for me to feature my keyboard chops and bring the song to life with a really funky feel driving it.”

Throughout his career, John Mayall has always written timely songs that reflect what he sees going on in the world around him, whether it’s war, poverty, social injustice or personal introspection. Such is the case with “The Devil Must Be Laughing,” which deals with the current political and world climate. And that incentive also brought him in touch with Joe Walsh, who contributes some percolating guitar work that melds perfectly with the song’s theme.

“A day before we recorded ‘The Devil Must Be Laughing,’ we got a message through the studio owner that Joe Walsh wanted to come by and possibly play on a track or two as a guest,” recalls Mayall. “Who was I to say no to that idea!  So, Joe turned up at noon on the appointed day and with only a quick listen, plugged in and we did the song in one take.  The second song closely followed, and with a smile and a quick photo, Joe was done and on his way.  What a kick for all of us that day!”

For Joe Walsh, playing on a session with one of his musical heroes also held a special place. “It has been a bucket-list item since 1970 to play with John Mayall,” states Walsh. “John had a run of GREAT British guitarists (one after another) with his ‘Bluesbreakers’ albums, and that’s how many of us in the States became aware of them.  Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor - I studied them all for hours and became a much better guitarist as a result. The albums were legendary stuff and I have wanted to work with John for years and years, wondering what it would be like.

“Finally got the chance - and he was the complete gentleman and fine, fine musician I had always hoped he would be. When you meet a hero who helped shape your career – it’s a wonderful feeling to find they’re even cooler than you always thought they were.”

The recording sessions for Talk about That also represent the last recordings with Mayall’s quartet band lineup, as shortly after they were completed, guitarist Rocky Athas left the band to pursue his solo career. Starting with the recent fall tour dates of the British blues “Godfather,” his band became a trio with Mayall, Rzab and Davenport.

In September, John Mayall issued the following statement:

“By now, many of you will have heard the dramatic news that I will now be performing live shows as a trio. I feel I should explain how it all came about in a chain of events that led to my decision.  Due to severe storm conditions recently, guitarist Rocky Athas was unable to get out of Dallas for my recent festival shows that led to my performing as a trio.  Having never performed anywhere or at any time without a guitar sidekick, I found that I was able to explore new territories in a trio configuration playing organ, keyboards, harmonica and guitar.  Needless to say I was surprised at how different and stimulating the experience was for me as a performer.

“When I told Rocky Athas of my decision, he was very understanding and hopefully his popularity in my band for the past seven years will be increased as he resumes his solo career.  To me it seems fitting that the final guitar position in my band featured one of the nicest and most talented guys I’ve known and the best in his field. We all wish him well.

“So now, as Greg Rzab, Jay Davenport and I embark on several weeks of intensive touring all around the States, we hope you all will enjoy the fireworks coming your way as my live show calendar brings us to your expectant ears.”

The John Mayall trio will continue to tour throughout the fall and into early 2017 in the U.S., followed by a lengthy European tour in February. The American tour includes several days onboard the “Legends Cruise,” leaving Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and sailing from January 19 – 23.

For more information, visit www.johnmayall.com and www.fortybelowrecords.com

John Mayall US Tour Dates

11/9                       Tower Theatre                                                                  Bend, OR

11/10                     El Rey Theatre                                                                  Chico, CA

11/11                     Rio Theater                                                                         Santa Cruz, CA

11/12-11/13        Yoshi’s                                                                                  Oakland, CA

11/14                     Tower Theatre for Performing Arts                          Fresno, CA

11/15                     Crest Theater                                                                    Sacramento, CA

11/16                     Fremont Theater                                                             San Luis Obispo, CA

11/17                     Canyon Club                                                                       Agoura Hills, CA

11/18                     The Rose                                                                             Pasadena, CA

11/19                     The Coach House                                                             San Juan Cap., CA

11/20                     Belly Up Tavern                                                                Solana Beach, CA

11/23                     Castle Theater @ Maui Arts & Cultural Ctr.           Maui, HI

11/25                     Palace Theaterilo                                                             Hilo, HI

11/26                     Honokaa Peoples Theater                                            Honokaa, HI

11/27                     Blue Note Hawaii                                                             Honolulu, HI

1/19/17 – 1/23/17 – Legends Cruise

Blues Kitty Music artist: Liz Mandeville - The Stars Motel - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, The Stars Motel, from Liz Mandeville and it has a real nice flow. Opening with Too Hot For Love, Liz Mandeville is up front on lead vocals with Scott Ellison on lead guitar, Matt Kohl on bass, Robbie Armstrong on drums and Joan Gand on B3. With a more relaxed BB King kind of feel, Blues Is My Boss features Dario Lombardo on lead guitar with Mandeville handling lead guitar and lead vocal. Matt Cartwright sets a deliberate bass line and Andy Sutton is tight on drums. With a New Orleans feel, Everybody Knew But Me, has a great rhythm with Heather Tackett Faludo on bass, Steve Hart on tuba n Alex Leong on trombone and Jim Godsey on percussion. Very cool! Quiet ballad, One Dance, is soulful and has great horn bass featuring Jeannie Tannec on trumpet, Johnny Cotton on sax Charlie Kimble on sax. Gand's B3 work really beefs up the middle and Minoru Maruyama, guitar work gives the track sting almost sounding like a Muscle Shoals track. On Try Me Mandeville gets a great soul feel going backed by Rachelle Coba and Andy Sutton. Gand's Piano work is spot on developing a great swing with Faludo and Sutton's lines. Mandeville lays out some real nice lower octave guitar riffs that set the track apart. Truth has a great chugging rhythm not unlike a cool Al Green track. Darryl Wright's bass line really sets this and Mandeville's vocals ride it. Harp work by Dizzy Bolinsky adds really nice texture and guitar work by Maruyama and Mandeville ices it. Dario Lombardo's Reefer and a Glass of Wine is a super swing track featuring Doug Deming on lead guitar. A really swinging sax solo by Charlie Kimble seems to fuel Deming's guitar work and sassy trombone work by Cotton makes this one of my favorites on the release. Slower blues ballad, What Could Have been is the best showcase for Mandeville's voice. Matt Kohl sets a solid bass bottom and Gand's B3 work caress the soulful guitar lead by Mandeville. River Of Blood has a swampy sound with heavier vocal lines by Mandeville and fluid guitar lines by Coba. Wrapping the release is swing track, What Do Blues Men Like? with really slick guitar lines by Ellison and really rich vocals by Mandeville. Jon Parris on bass and Sutton on drums tops a great closer for a solid release.


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Rik Emmett Video For "End Of The Line" featurimg James LaBrie and Alex Lifeson

Rik Emmett & RESolution9

‘RES 9’

Provogue/Mascot Label Group

Out: 11 November 2016

Teamwork. Collaboration. Connectivity. Solidarity. These are all words that readily describe the thrust of Rik Emmett & RESolution9, who are poised to release their electrifying new album RES 9 worldwide on November 11^th in various formats — including CD, limited-edition red vinyl, and digital download — on Provogue Records, an imprint of Mascot Label Group. “This album represents a journey through my life,” Emmett observes, “and the idea behind a lot of these songs is me trying to figure out who I am, and why I’m doing what I’m doing. There’s a common thread of positivity here that ties into the records I was making 30 years ago. What did I learn from making them? You’ll hear all of that echoed in the grooves of this album.”

Indeed, the scope of the 11 deeply heartfelt songs on RES 9 covers a lot of exciting aural ground, from the out-of-the-gate gallop of “Human Race” (which also features a driving 12-string contribution from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson) to the testifying tones of “My Cathedral” to the whispering blues of “The Ghost of Shadow Town,” not to mention the cutting-heads guitar duels on “End of the Line” and the touching album-closing bonus track “Grand Parade,” which reunites Emmett with his onetime Triumph bandmates, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore. (“Grand Parade” also recalls the distinctive intimate feel of Triumph’s “Suitcase Blues,” which Emmett continues to perform solo to this day.)

The RESolution9 band itself is comprised of Rik’s touring quartet, with Dave Dunlop on guitar, Steve Skingley on bass and keyboards, and Paul DeLong on drums. Dunlop and Skingley also co-produced RES 9 with Emmett. In case you’re wondering where the band name came from, Emmett reveals he always viewed the recording team as a band and not as solo-artist support from the very outset. “We always wanted it to be packaged like a band, so we needed a band name,” Emmett recounts. I didn’t want it to be just Rik Emmett. We liked the idea of using the initials RE for Rik Emmett, so what about a word that starts that way, like REvolution? RESolution was even better, because it’s almost like the Rik Emmett Solution, and the solution to all of my problems is the band! Great! But I thought using RESolution on its own was very ’60s or ’70s, so I said, ‘How about we stick the number 9 at the end?’”

What’s the significance of going with 9, you ask? “Dave Dunlop has a thing about the number 9,” Emmett says. “He plays hockey twice a week, and the sweater he wears has the number 9 on it. His studio is Room 9, and he’s got a tattoo on his right arm that’s the Chinese symbol for the number 9. It’s totally his thing.” With that final numerical addendum, the mighty RESolution9 collective was officially born.

And while Emmett is forever grateful for all of the outside contributions to RES 9, he very much feels that when listeners get to experience the back-to-back soul-kisses of “My Cathedral” and “The Ghost of Shadow Town,” they’ll connect even deeper with his current musical mindset. “That’s the heart and soul of what the album really is for me,” Emmett admits, “because that is me. That’s 2016 Rik Emmett. That’s where I’m at today.”

That said, Emmett is also a strong believer in teamwork, and to him, the overall vibe of RES 9 is clearly reflected in the brotherhood and camaraderie shared amongst all the artists who made this special music together. “You can’t accomplish this kind of project 100 percent by yourself,” Emmett believes. “It takes a lot of things working together to make something like this happen. I come back to the old saying that goes, ‘Success has many fathers, and failure is an orphan.’ I knew that I had to spread it all around. It’s important I keep the guys in my band pretty happy.”

For their part, Emmett’s fellow RES 9’ers couldn’t be happier with the end RESults. “I’ve been working with Rik for over 20 years and we’ve done several records together as a duo, so I knew going in that it would be a good experience,” says Dunlop, who’s also performed with Emmett under the quite fitting name of Strung-Out Troubadours. “Rik is always open to suggestions and is gracious in the space he gives me to play and come up with ideas. He trusts my judgement, so I had endless freedom when it came to creating my parts on the album.”

Concurs Skingley, who also served as the album’s co-principal engineer, “Brotherhood is a good way to describe it. It’s a very unique record in the sense that all of the writing, production, and engineering was kept in-house. It reminds me of a throwback to the ’70s, where bands like 10cc did everything themselves. Here, everything flowed from Rik. Dave and I spent a week of pre-production choosing the songs from his demos and playing them acoustically, making sure everything was solid. We then brought in Paul on drums, and started playing them live in a room together. I recorded each step along the way. It was pretty interesting to listen to the development of each song throughout that process.”

Once DeLong got behind the kit, the unique brand of RES 9 magic was unleashed full-force. “Rik is a great leader in that he allows creativity to take place, always,” DeLong says. “He welcomes input from everybody in the band. This hasn’t always been my experience, so it’s a welcome change — and it made for a lot of fun while we were both rehearsing and recording the material for the album. And the recording was painless! Rik was always very positive about what we were accomplishing, and I think that reflects in the overall vibe of the tunes.”

Nowhere is that vibe more evident than in the lead track “Human Race,” which masterfully sets the positivity table for what’s to come. “I’ve been around the block a few times, and one of the things I like about the lyrics in ‘Human Race’ is when we get to the last verse where it says, ‘I am still this guy. I still live this.’ That’s very true,” Emmett acknowledges. “There’s also a line in there about raising a joyful noise — and I still want to do that too.”

As noted earlier, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson added some period-perfect 12-string guitar alongside Emmett and Dunlop to buttress the impact of “Human Race,” and he says he found it quite an honor to play with and for his lifelong friend. “When Rik asked me to play on his new album, I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Lifeson reports. “He’s the consummate musician, a wonderful guitarist, and a terrific person, and it’s always my pleasure to work with him any chance I can get. There is a rock purity in his songwriting and performance, and it’s just so much fun to get together and throw ideas around. He’s always so up and open for anything — even a notoriously uncooperative Rickenbacker 12-string!” Dunlop points out the way RESolution9 meshed with Lifeson “stands as a great example of the collective efforts of the brotherhood.”

Another one of RES 9’s honored guests, Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie, lent his own considerable talents to a pair of tracks, “I Sing” and “End of the Line” (the latter of which also features Lifeson taking the third guitar solo), and he jumped at the chance to record with his fellow Canadian. “I’ve been extremely blessed and fortunate to meet so many great musicians and beautiful people throughout my career, and to have the opportunity to collaborate and record with some of them is really icing on the cake,” LaBrie notes. “What a thrill it was to record with Rik, who is such an incredible musician and overall down-to-earth cool guy.” About the slow-build manifesto of “I Sing,” Skingley enthuses, “James sang his ass off on that song!” Adds Dunlop, “I enjoyed tracking the guitars on ‘I Sing’ the most because I got to go crazy with several layers of guitars — and I also got to channel [Pink Floyd’s] David Gilmour on the outro.”

A fair amount of the album was recorded and mixed at Mississauga, Ontario’s MetalWorks Studios, a location where Emmett, Levine, and Moore (who owns the studio) recorded many of Triumph’s greatest works — and it’s also where the trio convened to tackle “Grand Parade.” Clarifies Emmett, “The Triumph song is a bonus track. That’s the best way to position it. It’s like ‘Suitcase Blues’ [the last track on Triumph’s 1979 million-seller, Just a Game] — or ‘Her Majesty’ at the end of Abbey Road!”

Having Triumph involved on RES 9 to some degree was always on the table. “I play ‘Suitcase Blues’ as the last song of the night in the encore for my acoustic shows. I dedicate it to Mike and Gil and the fact that they gave me the latitude to do the crazy things that I do,” Emmett laughs. “As I was developing the lyrics for ‘Grand Parade,’ I started thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could get Mike and Gil to play on it? Wouldn’t that just bring everything full circle?’ One thing led to another, and there we were, recording in MetalWorks. Things just lined up perfectly.”

Levine had a great time in the studio with his former bandmates. “We rocked it up a bit, and Gil made the drums heavier than they were on the demo,” the bassist notes. “Once I paid deeper attention to the lyrics, I really got into the ‘let’s wrap up this late night’ kind of feel to it. I think it turned out really fantastic. I told Rik I felt it was a really cool tune, one that was very personal for all of us. I’m really, really proud of it, and it was great to work with both Rik and Gil on it. It was really neat.”

Moore wholly enjoyed the “Grand Parade” experience. “It was really a pleasure to have Rik and his band at MetalWorks, and getting to see him there every day was just like the old days,” the drummer recounts. “I always liked how Rik was able to bring another dimension and another color palette to what we were doing, and I like the spacious bass and drum tracks we did together. That’s what’s always been in my wheelhouse, as far as my playing is concerned. I’m really happy with how this song turned out. I hope we get to do it again.”

Overall, RES 9 is a spot-on representation of the many facets of Emmett the recording artist. “I was always an eclectic chameleon of a player. I had to learn how to adapt from playing folk guitar to being in a wedding band or a polka band to joining a rock band,” Emmett recalls, “and with RES 9, that chameleon is showing off all of his colors. While there are vintage and retro sounds on the album, it is very much about my currency as an artist. I want this record to be a summation of who I am and what I’ve done as a songwriter, guitar player, and singer — the whole ball of wax.”

Emmett’s ultimate goal for RES 9 is to connect with as many people as possible. “The context of this entire album for me was, ‘Wow, somebody tossed me a lifeline,’” he concludes. “I still want to make positive music and offer people something that’s motivating and inspiring — and I want to do it for myself too. I need music, and music can provide that lifeline for me.” Mission accomplished: “I’ve got a thirst for life,” as Emmett sings on “Human Race.” And you’ll find that thirst being quenched quite handily in the very heartbeats that percolate within all 11 tracks of RES 9. Drink up.

Rik Emmett & RESolution9 – RES 9	Track List	Extra Information
Rik Emmett & RESolution9 is: Rik Emmett - Guitar & Vocals Dave Dunlop – Guitar Steve Skingley  - Bass & Keyboards Paul DeLong - Drums	01. Stand Still 02. Human Race (feat. Alex Lifeson) 03. I Sing (feat. James LaBrie) 04. My Cathedral 05. The Ghost of Shadow Town 06. When You Were My Baby 07. Sweet Tooth 08. Heads Up 09. Rest of My Life 10. End of the Line (feat. Alex Lifeson & James LaBrie) 11. Grand Parade  (feat. Gil Moore & Mike Levine) [bonus track]	Release Date November 11, 2016 Available formats CD, LP and Digital Rik Emmett Online www.rikemmett.com facebook.com/rikemmettnetwork twitter.com/rikemmett instagram.com/rikemmett