Lloyd Price's new album 'This Is Rock and Roll,' hits brick and mortar retail on Sept. 22nd

HALL OF FAMER LLOYD PRICE PROCLAIMS, “THIS IS ROCK AND ROLL” ON HIS NEW ALBUM, DUE SEPT. 22 The legendary New Orleans singer/songwriter (“Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Personality,” “Stagger Lee”) delivers a dynamic set of new and old songs on his first new release in years.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. — If anyone know what rock ’n’ roll is, it is Lloyd Price. Price was there at the beginning … well, before the beginning of rock ’n’ roll. His debut release, the game-changing single “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” has been credited with helping to usher in rock ’n’ roll music. The song topped the charts for seven weeks, and its historic success made Price the first American teenager to sell a million copies.   The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, well-known for his other crossover smash hits “Stagger Lee” and “Personality,” returns with a vibrant new album, This Is Rock and Roll, due at brick and mortar retail on September 22, 2017, that finds him looking to the past, present and future. The New Orleans native travels back to his roots by covering a pair of Fats Domino numbers (Domino played piano on “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” by the way), as well as making stops at the Brill Building and Motown. However, the newer tunes, which lead off the album, demonstrate how vital a music-maker Price remains today.    With a roar of a bluesy rock guitar and a wail of saxophone, “I’m Getting Over You” gets This Is Rock and Roll off to an energizing start. Price says that this tale of heartbreak and survival “tells the truth on how people really feel — everyone has something to get over.” He turns more romantic on “The Smoke,” a silky, smooth tune that Price describes as “something different from what I have done before.” Surrounding that track are two hard-hitting numbers. “Nobody Loves Anybody Anymore” delivers a funk-driven slice of social commentary that suggests vintage Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield. Price pulls no punches as he looks at the world today and declares, “If we don’t get together we won’t survive.” He maintains this rock ‘n’ soul groove while making more barbed observations in “Our World,” an updating of his 1969 hit “Bad Conditions,” which remains relevant today as it was then.   When Price turns to songs to cover on This Is Rock and Roll, he definitely puts his own stamp on the material. His jaunty “Blueberry Hill” sits halfway between Fat Domino’s famous version and the song’s big-band origins, while Domino’s own “I’m Walkin’” features a finger-snappy horn-powered arrangement. Horns team with some spirited electric guitar playing to support Price’s joyous singing on the “I Can’t Help Myself” Motown medley. For Carole King’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” Price slows down the tempo, turning it into a ballad sung from a man’s point-of-view.   Anchoring the center of the CD is the title track, which is coupled with “Peepin’ & Hidin’.” The old Jimmy Reed gem receives a bluesy, Ray Charles-style rendition, punctuated by Mick Gaffney guitar solo, before flowing into Price’s celebratory call-and-response shout-out “This Is Rock and Roll.” This track holds added significance because it was recorded live at the Cutting Room. It was a 2014 performance at this New York City club that inspired Price to make a new record. For the next few years, he worked on the album at several studios, but primarily at City Lights Studios in Farmingdale, New Jersey. He reserves special praise for the studio’s owner, producer Guy Daniels, for the great job he did capturing the live in-studio performances. Price wound up recording 27 songs, from which he picked ten that he felt sounded like “a reflection of the past but still right now.”   Price’s past is the stuff of legends. Born in Kenner, Louisiana on March 9, 1933, Price showed an interest, and ability, in music from a young age, and was playing in a New Orleans jazz/R&B combo while in high school. He was working in his mother’s restaurant, the Fish N Fry, when the prominent New Orleans producer/talent scout Dave Bartholomew stopped in one day for food. Overhearing a teenage Price singing “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” the impressed Bartholomew signed him to Specialty Records. Price soon found himself recording that song in a New Orleans studio with a band that boasted Fats Domino on piano and Earl Palmer on drums.   “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” was not only one of 1953’s top songs, but it served as a foundation block for New Orleans’ now well-known R&B sound while also setting the stage for the rock ’n’ roll revolution. Specialty Records’ president Art Rupe has stated that “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” was the first black record to cross over to white audiences, particularly Southern white teens. Elvis Presley was one such teen, and he recorded the song in 1956 and continued to play it throughout his career.   Elvis was just one of the many musicians attracted to Price’s music. His songs have been covered nearly 600 times by such varied acts as the Beatles, (plus Paul McCartney and John Lennon on solo albums), Little Richard, Fats Domino, Travis Tritt, Roy Orbison, Joe Cocker, Tom Jones, Billy Joel, James Brown, Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac, Bono, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Costello, Frank Sinatra, Grateful Dead, Charlie Price, the Isley Bros., Al Hirt, and Dr. John.   The Korean War, and Army service, sidetracked Price’s career in the 1950s. Price tells the story of how Rupe phoned him while he was stationed in Japan, saying he needed a new act since Price was in the Army. Price recommended a then little-known performer named Little Richard and the rest, as they say, is history. “I knocked my own self down,” Price admits with a laugh and no regrets. After the war, Price climbed back into the charts with hits like “I’m Gonna Get Married,” Stagger Lee,” and “Personality,” which has had a long life on TV and ads. All told, Price has seen 15 of his records became top ten R&B hits.   It was during these post-war years that Price started exploring his entrepreneurial side. He founded his first record label, KRC, with partners Harold Logan and Bill Boskent. In the early ’60s, he started two more labels, Double L Records (which released Wilson Pickett’s debut record) and Turntable Records (whose roster included acts like Howard Tate). Turntable shared its name with Price’s Manhattan nightclub, located where Birdland had been at 52nd St. & Broadway; Turntable made Price was one of the first black Americans to own and operate a nightclub in New York City. It was at the club that his long-time business partner Logan was murdered in 1969. Price says that his then-upcoming single “Bad Conditions” was on the record player when Logan was found dead.   Following Logan’s death, Price turn away from the music business to other endeavors. With Don King, he co-produced two of Muhammed Ali’s most famous (and lucrative) fights: “Rumble in the Jungle” (vs. George Foreman) and “Thrilla In Manila (vs. Joe Frazier). Price proudly states that the $5 million payday the boxers received helped to change the pay structure for all athletes.   Price’s other business ventures have included building middle-class housing the South Bronx and manufacturing sports equipment (as a youth Price boxed under the name Kid Price and he is an accomplished enough bowler to have had six perfect 300 games). He also built a thriving food company after turning his father’s sweet potato recipe into a line of cookies that Walmart picked up to sell. His amazingly diverse career all falls under one guiding principle Price has: “I find things I love doing, and I work at them.”   Price, however, never left the entertainment world totally behind. In the 1990s, he toured Europe with Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Gary U.S. Bonds. He later produced and starred in 4 Kings of Rhythm and Blues alongside Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, and Ben E. King. From 1999 into the 2000s, the show played to sold-out houses across the country, including Las Vegas’ MGM Grand and New York’s fabled Apollo Theater. PBS turned 4 Kings into a TV special, which remains one of their most popular programs. In 2010, Price made his acting debut in the New Orleans-set HBO series Treme. The following year, he wrote his autobiography, The True King of the Fifties: The Lloyd Price Story, which he followed with another memoir, sumdumhonky, in 2015.   His monumental music accomplishments have not gone recognized. Price was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010, His hometown of Kenner honored its native son by naming a street Lloyd Price Avenue, and erecting a statue of him in LaSalle Park. Price also has received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.   Being a trailblazer, Price acknowledges with a touch of humor, isn’t an easy route to take. “Is it hard to be a pioneer? ... ask me, I know.” He is justifiably proud, however, at all that he has achieved — going from a 17-year-old dropout working as a dishwasher to having a song that “changed the way people listened to music and created a new avenue for young people, black and white.” Price still loves making music and “seeing the happiness and joy that it brings,” and, with This Is Rock and Roll, he certainly delivers more happiness and joy to listeners.

Hideaway Music artists: Tucci - Olivia - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Olivia, from Tucci and it's quite interesting. Opening with High Roller, a Latin flavored blues rocker, Larry McCray is upfront on lead vocal and guitar. Steve Tucci on guitar and Donnie Richards on B3 really style up this track with drums by Michael Tucci, bass by Harry DeBusk and sax by Shawn Murphy. On I Don't Need It, another track with strong Latin rhythms, McCray is again upfront and Tucci's rich guitar chords really warm the track. Murphy steps up with a real nice sax solo on Gimme Some Of Your Love and Steve lays down some cool guitar riffs of his own, joined by Dan Ryan on B3. Steve takes the mic on Overtaxed Blues with a little help from McCray on guitar. A cool blues with a snappy rhythm and a rock return. Hey Florida has not only the Allman Brothers rhythm but also guitar styling in the likes of Southbound or One Way Out. Shawn Murphy is up front on lead and sax for one of the bluesiest tracks on the release in Train Blues. Tucci and McCray lay down some smoking blues riffs and Murphy lays out some fat sax work of his own. Nice. Al Owens joins on lead vocals and Dan Tolar on lead guitar for Play By The Rules. This is a really cool track and possibly one of my favorites on the release. Very soulful. McCray steps up to the mic one more time on You Hurt Me, a super blues number showing strong BB King influences. Wrapping the release is Third Eye, a solid jam in the vein of the Allman Brothers featuring Murphy on lead vocal, Bob Dielman on guitar, Steve Tucci on guitar and Donnie Richards on B3. This is a cool track and a nice closer for a solid set. 

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VizzTone artist: Dani Wilde - Live at Brighton Road - New Release Review - CD/DVD

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at Brighton Road, from Dani Wilde, and with it's easy going acoustic set coupled with it's driving electric set, it's quite entertaining. Opening with Memphis Minnie's Bumble Bee, Wilde has lead acoustic guitar and vocal coupled with her brother brother Will on harmonica. This is a smooth contemporary adaptation of this classic track showing how clear Wilde's vocals really are and coupling her own tight guitar work with her brother's adept harp making for an excellent opener. Acoustic ballad, My Old Man is a bright, radio track with a nice melody and warm vocal blending with Kate Cameron and Faye Streek. Very nice. Mike Rutherford's The Living Years is a really nice arrangement of a large radio hit and with nicely blended backing vocals is a really strong contender for nicest of the acoustic set. I can certainly see why she wanted to get this set on disc. Very nice. Opening the electric part of the set is Deeper Than Black built over the classic Junior Wells vamp. Bass line by Victoria Smith sets the pace, Gregory Coulson stirs in the organ, Alan Taylor snaps up the drum kit, Will blows out the harp and Dani throws in a few stinging "Steve Cropper" riffs to give this track some green onion flavor. Very cool! Lieber and Stoller's Houndog gets a Latin mix and Wilde's vocals are nice. Her swinging blues playing works just right when the track gets into full swing with Smith rocking the bottom and Coulson rolling the piano. A cool boogie is Don't Quit Me Baby with some of Wilde's best vocals on the electric set, coupled with a great driving bass line, strong guitar work and ace soloing by Will. Wrapping the release is Refugee, a contemporary pop track with a solid melody. A super radio track with a clean guitar solo, a nice closer for a solid release.

Also included is a DVD with live studio performances and interview. Very nice!

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Martin Goyette - Big Beets - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Big Beets, from Martin Goyette, and it's got pure soulful style. Opening with a cool guitar intro courtesy of Jim Bland,  singer, songwriter and harp player, Martin Goyette,  pounces on St. John Morning Blues, like my assistant on a muffin. With an interesting New Orleans style, driven by Jarrod Atkins on bass and really spiced up by the stumble drumming of Louis-Etienne Drouin this is a way nice opener. Night Out flashes a R&B style and Goyette's vocals are nicely suited. Stylistic guitar playing by Bland gives the track balance. Very cool. I really like the undertone of Rolling with it's ominous bass line and punctual key work by Chris Trauchner. I've only heard on guy who successfully pulls off vocals like this and it's Joe Cocker. Very nice. Fusion track, As Long As We're In Town, has a great bass line, accented by Trauchner on keys and tight drum work of Drouin. MaryPier Guilbeault and Goyette blend vocals nicely making this one of my favorites on the release. Goyette shows off his harp skills nicely over a great walking bass line on That's The Way She Does It and Trauchner's piano work is tops. I like the laid back guitar approach on No More Room and Goyette's powerful growl pitted with the angelic backing vocals of Guilbeault are terrific. Wrapping the release is Unwind, a really hot with smoky lead vocals and rich backing vocals. The ever present bass line of Atkinson, total melody, soulful guitar playing by Bland and cool harp work by Goyette makes this a great closer for a quietly excellent release. 

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Cleopatra Blues artist: Tom Killner - Live - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live, from Tom Killmer ind it's a straight forward blues rocker with a lot of horsepower. Opening with Danny Kirwin's I Like It This Way, Killner on lead vocal and guitar is backed by Jack Allen on guitar, Oliver Tallent on bass, Jake Ashton on drums and Wesley Brook on keys. This is a powerful opener and a solid sign of what is to come. Slim Harpo's King Bee gets a really heavy driving bottom and a low slung guitar rhythm. Very cool. Freddie King's Have You Ever Loved A Woman (also made popular by Derek and the Dominos) is up next and Killner really digs in with some gritty riffs. A lighter solo on keys by Brooks eases the tension but Killner comes back with heavy firepower blowing your hair back. Very cool. Killner breaks out a few Jimi Hendrix tracks in Crosstown Traffic and Foxy Lady exhibiting the dynamics that Jimi intended. Super tracks. Warren Haynes/Govt Mule's classic Soul Shine is up next and Killner again shows exceptional feel both vocally and with his own guitar. The Allman Brothers' Whipping Post gets a driving revisit and stays fairly true to their original Fillmore recording but in a condensed 5:09 timeframe. Very cool. The Band's The Weight is nicely covered as well. Killner not only exhibits his talent as a skillful guitar player and vocalist, but also exhibits an excellent taste and knowledge in some of rock's best music.  Wrapping the release is Lennon/McCartney's With A Little Help From My Friends which was really remade big time by Joe Cocker on one of the best rock releases of all time. Killner does a great job on this track and it's a super closer for this blues rocking release. 

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Former "American Idol" Finalist Casey James Returns to His Texas Blues Roots on Latest Album, "Strip It Down"

Former “American Idol” Finalist Casey James Returns to His Texas Blues Roots on Latest Album,

Strip It Down

Singer/Guitarist’s Album Produced by Grammy-Winner Tom Hambridge & Features Guest Duet with

Delbert McClinton

NASHVILLE, TN – “All I want to do is play music,” says singer/guitarist, Casey James. “Stripping it back to just me making a record of music that I love was a huge stepping stone in my life.” Released June 9, Strip It Down, his new album produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge and featuring a guest duet with the legendary Delbert McClinton, does just that.

It’s titled Strip It Down because it’s exactly what Casey James did – shed off the layers of stylized artistic clothing that he’d been given in those other public ventures to find the real artist underneath, a guy with a convincing, smokey vocal quality and a burning, lyrical skill with a guitar.

Recorded at Sound Stage Studio and The Switchyard in Nashville, Strip It Down is a glorious return to the blues and roots music Casey James grew up on in his native Texas, and was a major influence in both his singing and guitar playing. “This music has been a lifetime in the making for me,” Casey says. “If you listen close enough, you can hear my heartbeat; the thing that keeps me alive. It’s all here. This album has been a healing process for me. To truly share my heart and passion with the world in an honest way is the best feeling I’ve ever felt.”

It’s not often that the blues gets summarized with a happy platitude, but when Casey James inserted the phrase, “Every sunrise on another day is another chance to smile,” into the song “Hard Times, Heartaches & Scars” on his new album, it was a hard-won truth. James is familiar to many as a finalist on season 9 of “American Idol,” and familiar to still more as a country artist who notched a Top 15 single with “Crying on a Suitcase.”

But in Strip It Down, James comes into his own by following a simple plan: being himself. Instead of following the expectations of TV producers or the game plan of a well-oiled record company, James collected 13 songs he’d written or co-written (plus a soulful take on Little Willie’s John’s “Need Your Love So Bad”), holed up in a Nashville studio with a trim, crackerjack band and hammered out the bulk of the album in a scant four days.

“There are no tricks here; no auto-tune, no grid, no Midi adjustments,” he proclaims proudly. 

The music Casey loves is the blues. Between his shrewd playing and exuberant singing, the influences of guitar players Tab Benoit, Doyle Bramhall II and Freddie King are highly apparent in Strip It Down, which folds-in a variety of styles, all connected directly to that blues base. Casey announces his roots entry with the dramatic blues/rock of the opening track, “All I Need.” Then, Grammy-winner Delbert McClinton joins him on a raucous bit of Texas roadhouse swagger titled “Bulletproof.” From there, the album courses through the light country swing of “Stupid Crazy” (joined by Bonnie Bishop on vocals), the spacious old-school R&B of “Different Kind of Love,” and the gutbucket closer “Fight You for the Blues.”

Growing up in Cool, Texas, a dusty town 45 miles west of Fort Worth, his destiny was laid out for James at the age of 13, when he got his first guitar. It became a constant companion, a channel for his emotions, as the six strings lay easy in his hands.

“I got pretty proficient fairly quickly, but mostly because I couldn’t put it down,” James remembers. “I don’t ever remember a time where practice felt like practice.”

It was that natural. James formed a band and hit the Texas club circuit, a collection of venues just big enough that it can keep a musician going for years. The band was in such high demand that one year he played a staggering 364 days. Clearly, he was talented – and more than ready to work. He mixed a few originals in with cover songs, played a mean guitar and sang with conviction. But he was persuaded by a family member that a run on “American Idol” might put him on better financial ground.

“I was at the best place in my life,” he recalls. “I was gigging every day. But I was struggling to try and make enough money to make a real record. Had I not done ‘Idol,’ I probably would be still struggling, so I consider it a blessing.”

It also became a bit confusing. The contract required him to stop playing clubs from the time he auditioned until the season concluded roughly nine months later. The schedule frequently involved 20-hour work days secluded from the world he knew, and he bent a lot of directions stylistically to fit into the show’s format. The work paid off – he placed third that season (2010) and landed the record deal. It was a country contract, not entirely in alignment with his influences, but it overlapped enough that he took the deal.

The next four years were a whirlwind, as James threw himself into promotion, meeting radio programmers, writing with some of Nashville’s best composers and opening for the likes of Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson and Sugarland. He experienced surreal stardom, but that came with music that merely hinted at the real Casey James. When he got off the ride, he found himself in a different place than he’d started.

“You go from zero to hero overnight, and so people see you differently,” James says. “So the person I was died. That person no longer existed.”

If it was going to be possible to resurrect that person, he knew only one way to do it. So he wrote. He launched into that phase with no real plan, just a passion for self-expression.

“It started as, ‘Man, I just need to write. I need to be able to do this for my own sake,’” he says. “I needed to just write music for me, for the sake of writing something that I enjoy singing and playing.”

The soulful “Supernatural,” the breezy ballad “Stupid Crazy” and the honking “I Got to Go” all came early in the process. He wrote them on his own, and he realized the time he’d invested in Music City had brought him to another level in his craft. James subsequently booked a series of writing appointments with some of Nashville’s finest, including one with Brice Long and Terry McBride, co-writers of James’ first single, “Let’s Don’t Call It a Night.” At the end of their session, they recommended he do some writing with another friend who had a strong affinity for the blues, somebody named “Tom.”

James got an appointment with him, and was astounded to discover that “Tom” was Tom Hambridge, a drummer, songwriter, and producer whose work he’d long admired. Hambridge had a hand in albums by Buddy Guy, Foghat, Keb’ Mo,’ and Susan Tedeschi, and his grounding in the blues and roots music was spot-on for where James was headed.

In their first co-writing session, James and Hambridge penned a bristling acknowledgement of sufficiency, “All I Need.” Two weeks later, they reconvened and authored “Killin’ Myself,” a snarling rocker that loosely encapsulates the roughest emotions from James’ experience with the music business.

The two were so in sync that before that second writing appointment was over, Hambridge was already plotting out how best to produce James’ album. And he did. Hambridge enlisted guitarists Pat Buchanan and Rob McNelley to back James up on guitar, bass player Tommy McDonald, and keyboard player Kevin McKendree, and they captured Strip It All Down mostly live in the studio, James singing and playing with the band and nailing most of the songs in three takes or less.

James funded it all through a one-month Kickstarter campaign, asking his fans to invest in the next step on his musical journey. They came through in a big way, delivering more than double his original goal. It served as a reminder that even when his path had taken down difficult roads, he’d made a strong connection with an audience that understood his creative ambitions.

Strip It Down sounds distinctly different from the work he did in his previous recording deal. And it’s much more forceful than the artist America first saw on “Idol.” As foggy as those periods in his life became, they were important steps in Casey James defining himself – recognizing the music that brought him joy and accepting the talents that make him able to deliver it.

“I always thought of myself as a guitar player that can sing, but I realize now that that’s not the case – I feel as confident and comfortable with my vocals these days as I do with my playing,” he says. “My perception of who I am has changed.”

Strip It Down threatens to change America’s perception of him, too. The blues is all about struggle, and James endured a major one as he lost a piece of himself in the spotlight. The album helped him renew his original intentions – in essence, to find himself again. And he delivers it with a passion and experience that are required to play the blues with authority.

“For the longest time, I always played with my eyes closed because music is so personal to me that I felt like I was naked – I'm putting all of everything that I am in every note,” James reflects. “I don’t close my eyes so much anymore because I’ve become more comfortable with being naked, so to speak, in front of people. I became OK with opening my eyes and engaging with people and really experiencing that moment with them.”

It’s why Strip It Down is such an apt title. All the outer layers had to come off for James to rediscover what he has to offer; to rekindle his reason for being - and to use it as a means of connecting.

“If you were to give me two options – one to have a shot at being famous, but it might mean I never play music again, or the other, to play every single night at bars, I would immediately choose option B,” he says. “Because I want to play music.”

Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers - Lost Nights at the Leopard Lounge - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Lost Nights at the Leopard Lounge, from Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers and it's versatile contemporary blues selection. Opening with shuffle track, No Good, Michele leads the way on vocal backed by Patrick McDanel on bass, Ryan Higgins on guitar and Rennie Bishop on drums. Bringing down the tempo, Trouble is a solid track with some of D'Amour's best vocals on the release. Higgins plays sweet guitar lines over the warm bass lines of McDanel and drums of Rick Bowen. With real nice guitar riffs and trem vibrato by Higgins, a cool Latin rhythm by Bowen and a nice bass line by McDanel, Leopard Lounge has great feel. Another slower blues number, All I Do Is Work, has a pop edge and with the addition of organ, and solid guitar lines by Higgins, makes this track another strong contender on the release. Blue As Blue Can Get has a great bass line and a somewhat Brazilian feel... let's say a bluesy bossa nova. Blues rocker, Last Man Standing, has a classic rock feel along the lines of Fleetwood Mac. The strong bass playing of McDanel and cool soloing by Higgins gives the track a thicker edge. Wrapping the release is shuffle track, Black Cat Boogie, with a cool walking bass line, clever lyrics and a jazzy solo from Higgins. A cool closer for a nice 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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Sherman Holmes In AP, MCR Next Week!

Sherman Holmes of The Holmes Brothers  The Richmond Sessions Reviewed In AP ​ Performing On Music City Roots Next Week Special Guests Include Joan Osborne, Rob Ickes & Sammy Shelor

Northport N.Y. - We are very excited to share with you that the AP has just published its review of the just released The Richmond Sessions. Click on the cover to check it out! On Wednesday Aug. 2, Sherman will be bringing his band with Rob Ickes to the syndicated radio program Music City Roots. The show should air the following week. Click the photo for more info.    This past Friday, Sherman Holmes released his first solo recording in his 50+ year career. The Richmond Sessions by The Sherman Holmes Project carries on the spirit of the Holmes Brothers by re-imagining songs and making them their own. The record maintains a bluesgrass/gospel vibe throughout that surprises and delights. Fans of the Holmes Brothers will relish in this fine recording. Clarion Ledger The project is flawlessly rendered, The spirit of the Holmes Brothers lives on! - Elmore Magazine A one of a kind record that’s just going to blow your mind, killer stuff throughout! - Midwest Record Sherman Holmes' voice contains a lifetime of soul.  We are so lucky we still have him with us! - Joan Osborne             Click The Photo to Watch A 5 Minute Video Bio Of The Richmond Sessions                                                                      Photo: Pat Jarrett/Virginia Humanities  Sherman Holmes’ solo debut The Richmond Sessions can’t help being a milestone: It’s the esteemed singer and bassist’s first recording since the passing of his brother and musical partners, Wendell Holmes and Popsy Dixon, both in 2015. But his solo debut, dedicated to the memories of Wendell and Popsy, is no somber affair. The blend of bluegrass, gritty rock & roll and joyful gospel will be familiar from Holmes Brothers days. And with some of his strongest vocals on record, the album shows Sherman is still an artist in his prime. Long time friend, Joan Osborne, duets with Holmes on the Dan Penn classic, “Dark End of the Street.” Other songs include The Band's "Don't Do It," Credence's "Green River" and Ben Harper's "Homeless Child." “Sounds pretty good for a 77-year-old, doesn’t it?” Holmes laughs. “I was overjoyed to do this, because I didn’t know how I was going to restart my career. We chose a good collection of songs that we wanted to do—We got some gospel in there, and some bluegrass. It’s a good mix of the Americana music, as I like to call it.” Produced by Jon Lohman, Virginia State Folklorist and Director of the Virginia Folklife Program at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, The Richmond Sessions draws from Holmes’ longstanding Virginia roots. Lohman made the new album a Virginia-style family affair, bringing in guests like the Ingramettes—Richmond’s “first family of gospel” of 50 years standing—and instrumentalists like dobro master Rob Ickes, twice nominated for Grammy Awards; and Sammy Shelor, multi-time IBMA banjoist of the year. Look for Sherman to hit the road for his first tour as a solo artist. “I’m really looking forward to getting out there,” he says. “That’s my life, man.” Sherman Holmes Project Tour Dates ​ August 2 - Music City Roots Taping, Nashville TN ​ Sept. 1 - Joe Wilson Memorial Festival, Galax, Virginia ​ Sept. 2 - Song of The Mountains Taping, Marion VA ​ October 14 - Richmond Folk Festival, Richmond VA   ***

Santa Ana based Blues/Americana outfit Dry River release 2nd album

Prayin' for the Rain is the second studio album from Dry River, recorded and produced by singer/songwriter guitarist Oliver Althoen at his home studio in Orange, California and mastered by Rob Elfaizy at Stage One Studios in Lake Forest. For the second album, Dry River wanted to crank it up a notch and stretch out a bit; so they expanded their ranks with a rhythm section, recruiting bassist Joel Helin and drummer Ruben Ordiano.  Half the songs on the new album are electric and the other half acoustic; all are originals written by Althoen with the exception of "Makin' Biscuits' which was cooked up by harmonica player Dave Forrest. Dry River is a Blues-Rock/Americana band hailing from the banks of the Santa Ana River in Southern California.  It was originally formed as an acoustic duo when Althoen and Forrest got together to share a love of early Blues. They started out playing tunes by vintage Blues giants like Mississippi Fred McDowell, Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Skip James, and Robert Johnson, as well as modern acts like Gary Primich, Tom Waits, Randy Newman, and ZZ Top.  Dry River's tag line is "Songs of Death, Desperation, and Redemption," in the Folk/Blues/Americana tradition.  Dry River's members are basically happy people... but they like to play sad songs. Their first public performance together was on the street in downtown Orange, California.  They earned enough money in tips to buy a few beers at a local gastropub, which they took as a good omen.  That was the night they decided on Dry River as their band name. The name "Dry River" refers to the Santa Ana River (which would be dry most of the time if it weren't for reclaimed wastewater) is the geographic link between Orange County (where Oliver and his family lives) and the Inland Empire (where Dave and his wife live). Their first album Lost in the World featured all original material by Althoen. The two of them recorded the album live into a single microphone; it's about as honest as music gets.  https://dryrivermusic.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/dry.river.music https://soundcloud.com/dry-river https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQX563GHr_k www.cdbaby.com/cd/dryriver

5th Annual Woodystock Blues/Rock Festival: 3 Days, New Stage, Best Lineup Yet

  

   (Apple Valley, CA) - The 5th Annual Woodystock Rock 'N' Blues Festival returns, expanding this year to three big days and nights - Friday, October 6; Saturday, October 7; and Sunday, October 8, at Woodardville Ranch, (end of Chicago Road), Apple Valley. 3-day tickets $35.00 in advance, $40.00 day of show. Camping tickets $10.00 per night/per vehicle. Kids 12 and under, free. Tickets/info.: (760) 963-4994 or www.woodystock.info. Music starts Friday night, October 6 at 7pm-12 midnite; Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8, music starts at 11am-9pm each day. Returning as Emcee for all three days again this year: Jay Jamie of High Desert radio station, KJAY Epic! Radio.

   In addition to now being three days and nights, bands will perform on a newly-built, enlarged stage. "Our goal since Day One is to bring first-class musicians to the High Desert," says Woodystock founder John Woodard, who's also a Councilman for the City of Adelanto.

  The complete Woodstock music lineup includes the Kenny C Band; Johnny Jukebox; Papermoon Gypsys; Crooked Eye Tommy; The Reverend Smack Jonez Band; Babylon Steel; Billy D and the Hoodoos; Southern Spirit; Soul Pattern Project; Delta Shade; DJ Parker; and Brigitte Rios Purdy.

  No need to go "Down the Hill" to the Inland Empire or L.A. - enjoy some of the best Blues and Rock right here in the High Desert at Woodystock!

   Some of The Artist At 5th Annual Woodystock Blues/Rock Festival 

   

Orange County's Papermoon Gypsys (pictured) recently won "Best Blues Artist" and "Fan Favorite" at the LA Music Critics Awards. They're fronted by powerhouse vocalist Lexi G. (center) and guitar whiz Kenny "Big Daddy" Williams (front row, right). They perform on Saturday at Woodystock.

        Soul Pattern Project, fronted by well-known High Desert musician,

        Maggie Vee (pictured), perform on Sunday at the Woodystock Fest.

Powerhouse IE-based blues vocalist Brigitte Rios Purdy (pictured above) makes her Woodystock performing debut on Sunday, October 8.

 

Omnivore Recordings artist: Arthur Alexander - Arthur Alexander- New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release (July 28, 2017) by Arthur Alexander and it's chocked full of country, pop and soul. Opening with I'm Comin' Home, Arthur Anderson shows the style he's know for with a bright beat and smooth vocals. One of the standout tracks on the release, Go On Home Girl, has all of the attributes of a Jimmy Buffet track with the catchy melody and an easy going rhythm. Another track that of course grabs a lot of attention is Burning Love which was covered by Elvis only months after this recordings original release. My favorite track on the release is Rainbow Road, a solid ballad with a lot of soul. Steve Cropper's Down The Back Roads is another strong track with warm melody, cool piano and the soulful vocals of Alexander. Original track, Thank God He Came, is a really nice track with a spiritual theme. Alexander's vocals coast nicely on a wave or organ and rich backing vocals. Another original, They'll Do It Every Time has classic "hit" trademarks with a catchy melody, super vocals and nicely stylized guitar work. Wrapping the release is pop track, Simple Song Of Love, with Alexander just doing his thing. Minimal instrumentation is all he needs to convey his message.

  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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Blind Chihuahua Records - The Mark Robinson Band - Live at The 5 Spot - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at the 5 Spot, from the Mark Robinson Band and it shares a healthy dose of blues rock. Opening with Baby's Gone To Memphis, Robinson on lead guitar and vocal sets up a real nice boogie rocker with a cool walking bass line from Daniel Seymour and Rick Schell on drums. Being a live release, Robinson takes a nice long guitar solo on this almost 7 minute track. On The Temptations' I Can't Get Next To You, Robinson sets in a terrific groove reminiscent of Al Green or Savoy Brown. Great track and cool performance with backing vocals by Seymour and Schell. One Way Ticket is a cool blues rocker with some of Robinson's best vocals. The band is tight and Robinson's guitar work is progressive and interesting. With it's Latin flavor, Under Her Spell has a Fleetwood Mac feel ... kind of like Black Magic Woman and even some of the glistening tones with Chip Clarke on drums. This is a cool track with slick guitar work. Another boogie track, Drive Real Fast, has a nice groove with the addition of Ben Graves on harp and Mark T. Jordan on keys. Another extended track shows how this tight knit group of guys jams. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Eddie Clearwater's I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down with a pure Chuck Berry roll. Keeping it compact, this is an excellent 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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“Like” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE