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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, Cursed, from Bad Luck Woman & Her Misfortunes. Opening with Snatch & Grab It, Raha Javanfar, lead vocalist and bassist for Toronto based swing band is kicking it. A walking bass line with Andrew Moljgum on sax, Galen Pelley on drums, Tom Moffett on trumpet and Adam Beer Colacino on guitar makes for a great opener. With it's Latin influence, I Don't Know About You, is a super track showing Javanfar's vocals, and Tom Moffett on trumpet and Moligun on bari really set this track off. Very nice. Memphis Minnie's bluesy, Bad Luck Woman has a cool feel fired by Jay Swinnerton's piano work and stylistic guitar work by Fraser Melvin. One of my favorites is Spinach Song with it's rag feel. Javanfar's vocals are perfect and with strong bass, cool rhythm guitar and kazoo...perfect. Boogie track, Went Down, has a real nice feel with a great bass line, strong trumpet soloing by Moffett. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Ay La Bah, a blues rocker with punchy horns and cool vocals. Moffett sets down a real nice trumpet solo and Melvin's guitar work is smart. Super closer for a cool 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dream Train, from Alastair Greene and it's a smokin' rocker. Opening with title track, Dream Train, Greene on lead vocal and guitar, joined by Jim Rankin on bass and Austin Beede on drums really hit the road hard including fiery slide work by Greene. Big Bad Wolf is a great boogie rocker with grinding guitar rhythm and slashing solos. Excellent! Billy Gibbons penned, Nome Zayne has a heavy bottom and cool pinched guitar harmonics. One of my favorite tracks on the release is blues ballad, Another Lie, featuring features Walter Trout on guitar and Mike Finnigan on organ and some of the best Greene guitar riffs on tape in a while. Excellent! Acoustic instrumental, Song For Rufus, shows Greene's guitar virtuosity with serious intent. An exceptional piece of recording and playing. Dare Devil is a cool 12 bar number with a nice solo from Dennis Gruenling on harp, Mike Finnigan on organ and of course Greene on guitar for one of the most balanced tracks on the release. Blues guitar super star, Debbie Davies joins Greene on funky rocker Grateful Swagger with both artists really ripping some great riffs. Tight bottom instrumental... very cool! A beautiful instrumental tune, Iowa shows colors of electric guitar in lead soloing over tom tom. This is a very nice presentation and a nice showcase for sensitivity and guitar craft. Thick power rocker, Down To Memphis, adds super guitarist Mike Zito with a lot of girth. Very nice. Wrapping the release is jazz fused, Lucky 13, with snappy drums, a driving beat and fluid guitar runs. This is a great track to wrap a really 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black, by The Original Blues Brothers Band and it's great! Opening with Jimmy Reed's Baby What You Want Me To Do, Bobby "Sweet Soul" Harden with Tommy "Pipes" McDonnell on harp and vocals and Rob "The Honeydripper" Paparozzi on harp and vocals take center stage with super harmony and John Tropea plays terrific guitar soloing backed by Tom Malone on trumpet, Baron Raymonde on alto sax, Eric "The Red" Udel on bass, Lee "Funkytime" Finkelstein on drums, Leon "The Lion" Pendarvis on organ, Rusty "Cloudmeister" Cloud on clav, Wurlitzer and piano. High stepping, Cherry Street, features McDonnell on lead vocals, Birch Johnson on trombone and Raymonde really rips on alto sax. Eddie Floyd is up on lead vocals on slinky, On Saturday A Night, and guest Tom Malone on bari sax and with tight, warm horn backing. Harden takes the lead on funky, Itch and Scratch. This is a mover with hot horn work pushing all the way and snappy drum work over the funky bass line by Udel. Joe Louis Walker had the lead on Willie Dixon's Don't Go No Further. This track has a great groove with Rob Paparozzi on chromatic harp and featuring a cool harp solo by Tommy McDonnell. This track is saturated with soulful horns punctuated by Steve Howard's trumpet solo and a classic guitar solo by Matt "Guitar' Murphy. A hot version of James Brown's Sex Machine is lead by Paul Shaffer on lead vocal and piano with David Spinozza on guitar and Tom Malone on trumpet. New Orleans flavored, Your Feet's Too Big has Paparozzi on lead vocal and harp. The horn work throughout is super with standout solos on this track by Cloud on piano and Lou Marini on clarinet. Excellent! Dr. John is front and center on Qualified with his distinctive vocal and piano styling. With Birch Johnson on trombone, Baron Raymonde on alto sax, Lou Marini on bari and tenor sax solos, this is one of my favorites on the release. Title track, The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black has a real nice Johnny Guitar Watson bluesy R&B feel featuring Lou Marini on lead vocal. This is a super closer with Tropea featured with some ultra tasty guitar and a sultry tenor sax solo by Marini. Excellent!
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Two, from Sunday Wilde and Reno Jack and it's colorful. Vocalist/ piano player, Sunday Wilde leads the way on opener, Howlin' Wolf's Howling For My Darling with guitars by Steve Koch and Johnny MacLeod, bass by Reno Jack and drums by Cleave Anderson. I really like Jack's interpretation on Moonlight Rising which is like a cross between Lou Reed and Roger Waters. Very cool. Shuffle track, 5-10-15 Hours has a super blues feel pairing Jack and Sunday on a cool duet. MacLeod's bass work and light brush strokes of Anderson are a nice backdrop for a cool jazzy guitar lead. Bluesy ballad, No Matter How Far features Sunday on lead vocal and piano in her best vocal track on the release. Wrapping the release is duet, Leaving On Your Mind which really sets off Jack and Sunday against Jack's bass playing. A solid closer for an interesting 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Is Blues Country, from Jimmie Bratcher and it's fresh. Opening with Hank Williams' Honky Tonk Blues, Jimmie Bratcher on guitar and vocal, adds a blues spin to this country classic joined by Aaron Mayfield on keys, Terry Hancock on drums and vocals and Larry Van Loon on B3 and Wurlitzer. Jimmie Davis' You Are My Sunshine gets a snappy jazz makeover putting in mind an arrangement by Passport. With hot drum work by Hancock and flashy guitar riffs, this track takes on a whole new life. Marty Robbins' Singing The Blues has a real nice groove, with a hot electric guitar solo and slide guitar work by Sean McDonald is great for added spice. Hank Snow's I Don't Hurt Anymore has a real contemporary ballad feel and Santana like guitar clarity definitely enhances it's appeal. Very nice. Jim Reeves' Am I That Easy To Forget is slowed way down and placed into a blues frame. It really sounds quite a bit like an Elvis Costello meets David Bowie. Very cool. Marty Robbins' Don't Worry About Me has a real cool blues lope but retains a country flavor with honky tonk piano and gains rock footing with a thick raw guitar solo. Low slung, Today I Started Loving You Again, a classic Merle Haggard track, has cool acoustic resonator slide and warm backing vocals. Wrapping the release is a New Orleans flavored I Can't Stop Loving You originally a track by Don Williams. Slinky blues guitar lead really sets this track off against Bratcher's signature vocals. This is a real cool arrangement of a country classic and an excellent closer for a really cool 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1, from Kim Wilson and it's a heavy dose of old style Chicago blues. Opening with harp instrumental Bonus Boogie, Wilson is hitting on all cylinders, backed by Big Jon Atkinson on guitar, Bob Welsh on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and Malachi Johnson on drums. Excellent! Sonny Boy Williamson's, Ninety-Nine features Wilson on lead vocal and harp and it's one of my favorites on the release. Pure Chicago style and Wilson's tight harp tone is the ticket here. Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues is up next with a solid slower pace highlighted by the keen piano work of Barrellhouse Chuck. John Lee Hooker's Same Old Blues has a swinging blues feel a la BB King or T Bone Walker. Billy Flynn steps in with some choice riffs on guitar, complimented by Larry Taylor on bass, Richard Innes on drums and Jonny Viau on horns. Very nice! Magic Sam's Look Whatcha Done has a great groove with slick guitar riffs by Atkinson and Welsh. Big Walter's Blue and Lonesome is another of my favorites on the release with Atkinson and Nathan James on guitar, some of the best vocals on the release and tight guitar attacks under the melody throughout. Wilson really belts it out on this one crushing it. Kim Wilson's own instrumental, Edgier is a great shuffle with harp lead. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Jimmy Rogers' You're The One. With solid vocals and harp by Wilson, Dodson on drums, and Atkinson on guitar, this is a super closer for a really 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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I saw a great show at the Rhythm Room, the premiere blues club in Phoenix, last week and it was great. The Rhythm Room is a real Phoenix landmark that took over where the mason Jar left off. That's where I last saw Albert King. At the Rhythm Room I've seen a number of super shows and artists including Johnny Winter, Joe Bonamassa and Jimbo Mathus. I moved a while back and live outside of the city now. It makes it a lot tougher to see a mid week show, but when I heard that Rockin' Johnny was playing town, I knew I was going to be there. I've seen Johnny a number of times both on his own and with Tail Dragger. I remember seeing him on film a number of years ago where he was playing backup player and just with a few riffs, he stood out and got my attention.
Now with a number of his own excellent releases under his belt, Rockin' Johnny puts on one hell of a show! He pulls from his most recent release Neoprene Fedora as well as a few other terrific releases including Greetings From Greaseland and Grim Reaper. Johnny is a great showman and at the Rhythm Room he plays 2 sets. Obviously what originally got my attention was Johnny's powerful if not often wild guitar riffs but Johnny is actually turning out to be a really good singer. Every time I see him I think, man this guy is really a good singer but I always remember those power riffs of his. Johnny isn't a Bonamassa or Clapton clone and he doesn't ape Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page or any of the other spectacular guitar players like most of his contemporaries. Johnny has his own style which is a mix of classic, underplayed riffs and his own style and blues, R&B, soul and rock. I don't take a lot of notes at a concert (hell, I'm there to drink beer and listen to a band just like you). Johnny hits the floor hard and pushes himself to gets things hopping fast. After only a few tracks, he really settles into a groove and it just keeps getting better and better throughout the show. I believe he played most every track from his Neoprene Fedora release (which is terrific by the way) and my recollection is that he played the title track near or at the end of the first set.
Excellent! Club owner and renown blues harp player, Bob Corritore, joined Johnny on stage for a few hot Chicago blues numbers and Bob never fails to impress. He's a great harp player and extremely knowledgeable blues enthusiast, running a blues radio show on National Public Radio for many years.
Recalling the show, I'm certain that he played Guitar King, Won't Get Married Again, Give Me An Hour In Your Garden, Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear, and Goodbye Chicago. there were a few tracks that were just over the top. From Greaseland I remember Cold Chills, She's A Hit and Homework as well as the highlight of the show for me, Johnny's take on The House Of The Rising Sun. Unfortunately the footage was unusable for reasons out of my control. Grim Reaper and I Did The Best I Could were among the best of the rest but the ultimate best groove is Smoke and Mirrors. I really think that this is one of the best grooves caught on a contemporary blues release in years.
Off the floor, Johnny is a hell of a nice guy and just wants to put on a great show. Catch him in a smaller club while you can. It may not be next week, but this guy really has something special and you should get your share.
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Spankin' Hank, from Paul Dougherty and it's interesting. Dougherty, born in Houston is now living in Munich and reinterpreting Hank Williams tracks opening with My Sweet Love Ain't Around. A casual swing with cool guitar riffs, a cool opener. On Move It On Over, Dougherty adds a Bo Diddley beat, organ and with his lower octave vocals, gives the track a whole new feel. Slide guitar with what sounds like Hawaiian tuning really gives it a cool vibe. Tear In My Beer has a simple country rocker beqat with snappy drums and vocal harmonies. I like it. Another track that really stands out is Low and Lonely with it's lope and again Hawaiian sounding lap guitar. Very cool. Bluesy track, Lonesome Whistle, maintains a bit of it's country flavor but with the addition of casual military style drumming and harp. With a more straight forward rock style, Rockin' Chair Money has a cool groove. Wrapping the release is a skeleton of a track, I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome featuring a compressed vocal by Dougherty backed by electric piano. This is an interesting release and certainly a new take on Hank.
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Witchy Feelin', from Savoy Brown and it's quite good. Opening with Why Did You Hoodoo Me, Kim Simmonds is back, better than ever with Pat Desalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums. With a pounding bass rhythm and some of the most scorching riffs to come off of Simmonds guitar on record in a long time, this track rocks! There's something about a Gibson humbucker and a Marshall amp that just has that tone and Simmonds has it. Title track, Witchy Feelin', is a somber, dark blues number with light backing highlighting Simmonds vocals and exceptional soloing. Very nice. Gun Slinger kicks it into gear with modern boogie style. With a droning bass line and raw, saturated guitar tone Simmonds uses this basis to deliver one of the best rockers of modern Savoy Brown's history. Standing In A Doorway is a solid, old school blues style number with sweet slide work with tone not unlike Ron Wood on the Stones Love In Vain. This may be my favorite Savoy Brown track in many years. Excellent! Memphis Blues is a blues rocker with a solid bottom. With Simmonds' signature rock slide sound and some of the best vocals on the release, you can hear a clear tie to his records of the 70's. Very nice. Another of my favorite tracks on the release is Thunder, Lightning & Rain with it's droning boogie bass line and extended guitar soloing. Brilliant! Wrapping the release is Close To Midnight, an enticing instrumental with a smooth, mellow melody and clean guitar riffs. This is the strongest Savoy Brown offering in a number of years. I am excited to hear Kim sound so inspired.
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, After A While, from Wee Willie Walker and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra and it's really strong. Opening with Second Chance, a cool R&B track featuring Walker on lead vocal, backed by Anthony Paule on guitar, Paul Olguin on bass, Tony Lufrano on keys, Derrick "D'Mar" Martin on drums and vibes, Tom Poole on trumpet, Derek James on trombone, Charles McNeal on tenor sax, Johnnie Bamont on bari sax and flute, and featuring Loralee Christensen, Larry Batiste and Glenn Walters on backing vocals. Title track, After A While is a particularly soulful track and Walker really digs in vocally. Of particular note is the warmth of the horn section especially the rich tenor work of McNeal and the throaty bari work by Bamont. Slick, R&B track, I Don't Want To Take A Chance, has solid radio potential with Walkers effortless lead and nicely presented backing vocals. Thanks For The Dance has a Tex Mex feel with cool "south of the border" guitar styling by Paule. It's all about the bass groove on If Only with it's effect on your feet (and your seat). Another standout track is Look What You've Done To Me with rumbling tom toms by D'Mar and a slick muted trumpet solo by Poole. Easy paced, I Don't Want To Know, has great vocal posture and Paule's laid back guitar riffs add just the right amount of zip. Funky, The Willie Walk is my favorite track on the release with a great bass line, full horn compliment, featuring a great solos on trombone from James, on trumpet by Poole, on sax byBamont and on organ by Lufrano. Excellent! Wrapping the release is the soulful, Your Good Thing (Is About To End). Walker's vocals are rich with soul, backed by gospel like vocals by Christiansen, Baptiste and Walters and soaked in rich blues guitar riffs by Paule. This is an excellent closer for a really 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Waiting For The Train, from Johnny Rawls and it's solid. Opening with pumped up R&B track, Rain Keep Falling ("Till I'm Free) with Rawls on lead vocals backed by Johnny McGhee on guitar, Bob Trenchard on bass, Richy Puga on drums, Dan Ferguson on keys, and the super horn section of Andy Roman on sax, Mike Middleton on trumpet, Nick Flood on sax and Joel Chavarria on trombone. Las Vegas has a slick groove and tight trumpet accents. Rawls vocals are pure backed by Janelle Thompson and Shakara Weston on vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Bobby Womack's I'm In Love with it's warm melody, smooth guitar solo and nicely blended backing vocals. Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released gets a fine makeover with smooth lead vocals and beautiful backing vocals over a polished and nicely orchestrated melody. Very nice. We Did It is a bright R&B track with a super feel and a feel that is just right with cool percussion by Jon Olazabal added to the horn mix and tight vocals. Wrapping the release is Stay With Me, a warm bluesy ballad with light electric piano, super lead vocals by Rawls and excellent backing vocals by Thompson and Weston. This is a very nice closer for a cool 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Subway Stories, by Ilana Katz Katz and it's a big slice of blues, jazz and Americana all rolled into one. Opening with Boogie track, Don't Forget, Ilana Katz Katz, vocals and fiddle, is joined by ex Canned Heat guitar player and producer, Barry Levenson, Mike Sandberg on drums and Hank Van Sickle on bass. On 12 bar blues number, Subway Blues, Sugar ray Norcia adds his special harp work to the tasty riffs of Levenson and Ilana for one of the more solid of the blues tracks on the release. Motherless Child gets a real soft handling and with it's warm guitar chords, intense blues guitar lines somber violin work and child like innocence on vocals shines as one of my favorite tracks on the release. With it's jazzy slant, Roosevelt Sykes' Ice Cream Freezer Blues features Anthony Geraci on piano and has some of the hottest guitar riffs (and bawdy lyrics) on the release. Super groove, Requiem, is a real nice instrumental jazzy duet featuring Levenson and Ilana over tight drums and bass. Very nice. Instrumental shuffle track, The Excuse, gives Levenson and Ilana a super opportunity to lay out fluid solos over a super blues riff. Wrapping the release is a strong jig (or reel) John Brown's Dream/Subway Light of Mine which along with having great tempo and a great closer is my favorite track on the 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Overdrive Live! from The Blues Overdrive and it's really solid. Recorded at one of Denmark's biggest and most prestigious festivals, Smukfest, TBD opens with Death On The Highway with it's laid back JJ Cale or Eric Clapton style country blues rocker feel. Martin Olsen fronts the band on lead vocal and guitar with Brother Birck on bass, Louisian Boltner on drums and Andreas Andersen on lead guitar. On shuffle track, Three Time Lover, the band gets a cool groove going with extended soloing by Andersen. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Ball & Chain (not Big Mama's) but with a strong San Francisco sound, lush ringing chords and interesting guitar work by Andersen under Olsen's vocals. Very nice. With a touch of hill country sound and a heavy bass rhythm, Bob Dylan's High Water (For Charley Patton) is a really strong track that really draws me in. Excellent! With a straight up rhythm, Everybody Was Rocking has the spirit of early rock and roll well endowed with slick rock n roll guitar riffs. With a Latin flavor, Cherry, the band starts out quiet with vocal, bass, easy guitar riffs, cymbal and tom tom but builds steam winding the guitar out as it goes developing a real nice tension. Wrapping the release is smoking boogie, I Was Wrong, with a cool walking bass line, a super guitar jam and some of the best vocals on the release. This is a really nice closer and one that leaves you wanting more.
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Plays The Blues, from Jimmy Carpenter, and it's cooking. Opening with Magic Sam's You Belong To Me, and it's puffing smoke like Jr Walker. Saxman/vocalist, Carpenter really steps out on this release with authentic R&B style sax with Mike Zito on guitar accented nicely by Tony Diteodoro on guitar, Matthew Johnson on drums, Bob Bridges on bass and Marc Adams on keys. Jimmy Plays The Blues is an excellent soulful blues in the style of T Bone Walker. Using Carpenter's sax as the lead instrument, wailing out the melody, this track is hot. Solid shuffle track, Blues With A Feeling features tight guitar riffs and nice piano work paving the way for singing sax solo work by Carpenter. Freddie King's Surf Monkey has that great 60's vibe with Zito playing against Carpenter on lead lines. Very cool. Otis Rush's All Your Love has great feel with nice tom tom work by Johnson and shimmery guitar work by Zito. This track features Carpenter's best vocals on the release as well as some real nice sax work of course. Wrapping the release is Jr Walker's Shotgun, an R&B classic. An extended sax solo by Carpenter is just the ticket to cap this super closer to 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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Eyes Of the Sun, from Otis and it's blues rock with a swift kick. Opening with funky rocker, Change, Otis ( Andrew Gilpin on drums and vocals, Steve Jewell on guitar and vocal, John Seeley on bass and vocal and Boone Froggett on vocal and guitar) cuts a broad swath with their southern flavored sound. Always maintaining a solid bottom and well blended backing vocals, this band makes it's living on strong lead vocals, a power packed sound and cool slide. On Blind Hawg, lead vocalist Froggett kicks it up another notch with throaty vocals and full bore guitar tones, a rumbling bass line and power drums give this track it's signature and cool slide work it's signature. Cool drone note intro over rim shots gives Home a Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Van Halen feel with a definite southern rock swagger. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Shake You with stinging guitar riffs and a great rhythmic pace. Bluesy ballad, Turn To Stone, has a real nice melody and the edginess of Frogett's vocals give it a certain rawness. Complex guitar tones and blues bends in tandem give it a distinct familiarity yet freshness. With Steppenwolf attitude and a gritty edge, Lovin' Man is a great blues rocker with finger in your chest guitar bite. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Let Your Love Shine Down, an R&B based track with warm Hammond work by Eddie Stone, Dickey Betts influenced guitar duet and backing vocals by Sandra Dye and Bianca Byrd. Certainly one of the universally appealing tracks on the release, this could easily get cross station airplay. A solid 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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I just has the opportunity to review the most recent release, Look At What The Blues Has Done For Me!, from Arthur Adams and it's a soul saturated 2 disc release. Opening with You Pullin' My Leg, a cool blues shuffle Adams on lead vocal and guitar, James Gadson on on drums, Hense Powell on keys and Brian Simpson on bass. With a real nice lope, No Refunds is great track with a 50's feel. Fluid guitar lead and a solid bottom makes this on of the best new tunes on the release. One of my favorites, Low Down And Dirty has a BB King feel, showing some of Adams' best vocals and tight guitar riffs with added punch on sax by Bill Bergman and Lee Thornberg on trumpet. Very nice. Deep blues flows on Leftover From Yesterday, with soulful vocals, crisp lead guitar lines and warm blues rhythm. Nice. Closing disc one, is R&B track, Gorgeous, with it's smooth feel and solid vocals. Every disc needs to have a radio track and this is it.
Disc 2 is an introduction to Adams' work featuring selections from 4 studio releases from the 70's as well as a bonus single from the 80's. I Gotta Help My People is a real cool track that has sounds like Curtis Mayfield and Neil Young. With a powerhouse feel, instrumental Keep On Dancing, has a taste of Ike and Tina with a hard driving groove, a cool trumpet solo and horn punctuation. Beale Street has a super party feel with great bass lines and super vocal blending over a tight drum rhythm and cool horn work. A particular standout track on disc 2 has a great War sound with a funky bottom and female vocals charged by driving drums, trumpet and bluesy guitar work. Wrapping the release is You Got The Floor, a swirling dance track with thumping bass, dance drums and warmly blended vocals. This is a cool, bluesy soul release with a broad selection of cool tracks.
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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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Down Hearted Blues, from Eilen Jewell and it's quite good. Opening with It's Your Voodoo Working, a classic Charles Sheffield number with a great mix of R&B and surf. Great vibrato style on guitar by Jerry Miller nicely compliments Eilen Jewell's crystal clear vocals with a super bluesy drawl over Jason Beek on drums and Shawn Supra on bass. Excellent opener! Milton Leeds' Another Night To Cry has real nice quiet and smooth warm guitar chords. With T-Bone Walker like riffs and clever lead pronounced against the distinctively upright bass, this track smells of class. Title track, Alberta Hunter's Down Hearted Blues has a great timeless feel with airy vocals in the styling of Memphis Minnie (or Maria Muldair). Miller and Jewell's acoustic guitar work, nicely complimented by Supra's bass and Beek's washboard gives it a great retro feel. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Albert Washington's You Gonna Miss Me with solid vocals, heavy sax tension by Curtis Stigers, lead bass by Supra and nicely styled guitar work by Miller. Excellent! Frankie Lee Sims' (Lightning Hopkins' cousin) Walking With Frankie has a raw characteristic that I really like with vocals in the manner of Hill Country Jesse Mae Hemphill and loose slung rockin guitar work by Miller. Very very cool! Big Maybelle's Don't Leave Poor Me has great movement with contemporary vocal styling and great guitar styling over tom tom. Great! Willie Dixon's You Know My love has really soulful vocals, solid sax and super guitar riffs. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Fiddlin' John Carson's The Poor Girls Story, a nice country blues featuring Jonah Shue on violin, and acoustic guitar backing allowing Jewell to shine on vocal for a super conclusion to a really strong release.
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