Bman's Blues Report

Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center' CD/DVD set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated "powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front & Center' , out April 13th via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group . The performance is also featured on the Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings). Known for he...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Get Right - The Ru_Jac Records Story, Volume Two: 1964-1966 and it's really super. Opening with Brenda Jones on It Must Be Love , we hear classic R&B with solid vocals and tight horn backing. On So Alone , Jones takes strong command of this super melody and orchestration. What More (Can Anyone Want) has a simple 60's Latin influence and strong vocal harmonies from Shirley of the Soul Sisters and Brother . Butch Cornell's Trio stretches out on a jazz fusioned instrumental, Goose Pimples . With super lead organ and tight bass/drum rhythm, this is great. Another more laid back instrumental by Cornell, Here 'Tis Now , has a great groove again allowing Cornell to ride high on organ. Excellent! Arthur Conley shows real authority on the demo for Whole Lotta Woman backed by piano. This is a terrific soul track. Shuffle track, Get Right is a great showcase for Bobby Sax & His House Keepers . With sol...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Jubilee , from Greg Sover and it's solid. Opening with driving rocker, Emotional , lead vocalist and guitarist, Sover leads the tour and a heavy bass line by Garry Lee sets the pace. Backed by Allen James on electric guitar, Tom Walling on drums and Wally Smith on keys, this track feels a bit retro. Title track, Jubilee , has a strong blues feel with Mikey Junior on harp. Slide resonator work by Sover gives the track a real cool feel. Hand On My Heart is a soulful yet jazzy track along the lines of Sting. Nicely placed guitar riffs and elegant piano placement makes this one of my favorites on the release. Don Robey's As The Years Go Passing By has a smooth blues feel with solid vocals and stinging guitar riffs. With an aggressive attack, Temptation has classic 12 bar structure but with explosive, overdriven guitar riffs. Sover slices and dices on this track making it the outstanding guitar track on the relea...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (February 23, 2018), Love Is An Army , by Janiva Magness and it's earthy. Opening with R&B track, Back To Blue, Janiva Magness shows authority in the shadows of Mayfield and Green with Stephen Hodges on drums, Davey Faragher on bass, Arlan Schierbaum on keys, Doug Livingston on pedal steel, Dave Darling on guitar, Phil Parlapiano on piano and Darrell Leonard, Joe Sublet and Alfredo Ballesteros on horns. Also contributing backing vocals are Kudisan Kai, Sugaray Rayford, Gary Pinto, Natasha Pinto, Thrones, Aurelia, Dave Darling and Brie Darling. Excellent opener. Another nice entry is Tell Me with strong vocals and real nice guitar work by Darling. Ballad and title track, Love Is An Army , has a strong melody with warm pedal work by Livingston and really nice vocal duet between Magness and Bryan Stephens. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Down Below with a really earthy feel and featuring Courtney Hart...

REVEREND GARY DAVIS: THE AVANT GARDE RECORDINGS:  RECORDED LIVE — OCTOBER 1966 ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Spirit/Matter/Truth/Lies from The Rex Granite Band featuring Sarah Benck and it's a soulful rocker. Opening with shuffle, Stop Doing What You Want , features Sarah Benck on loead vocals and Rex Granite on slide, backed by James Carrig  on bass and Anton Divis on drums. With it's driving beat, a hot opener. What You're Missing has great attitude with a solid rock rhythm and sassy Bonnie Raitt like vocals. Very cool. Percy Mayfield's Please Send Me Someone To Love has a deep soulful feel, showcasing some of Benck's best vocals on the release. Granite really digs in on slide with super fat tone and grease. Very nice. With a easy, island feel, Sail Away (Pt.1) has some of the tastiest slide playing this side of Ry Cooder. With lush vocals from Benck, a sure radio track. Boogie track, Steam Roller incorporates a hot horn section courtesy of Bucky McCann on sax, Michael Gurciullo on trumpet, Lou DeLuc...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, ...Brighter Than Your Future , from Jay Katana and it's classically electric. Opening with Bomfunk MC's, FreeStyler has a synthesizer platform and a eurometal guitar edge. Nice opener. No Time 2b Sorry is an interesting mix of beat, metal and funk with tasty guitar riffs planted over an interesting drum riff. I Need You Now is a guitar ballad with an interesting melody and Steve Vai like spikes. Possibly the best track on the release. With a softer approach, When She Dies is mostly undistorted guitar riffing which is actually quite nice. Wrapping the release is K-Koda which has a full throttle metal bottom but with an irregular drum beat. Katana has an interesting concept. Let's see what develops.   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 ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (February 23, 2018), Step On It , from Big Shoes , and it's slick. Opening with Duplex Blues , lead vocalist and guitarist, Rick Huckaby leads this easy shuffle blending vocals with Will McFarlane on guitars, Tom Szell on bass, Mark T Jordan on keys and Kenne Cramer on guitar. Andy Peake adds drums and is joined on percussion by Bryan Brock. Light, funky, jazz rocker, There You Go , has a real nice rhythm and interwoven soloing by Huckaby, Cramer, McFarlane and Jordan. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Latin flavored, Don't You Do Me That Way with nicely stylized guitar lead, a solid piano solo from Jordan and snappy percussion rhythms. Excellent! A solid radio candidate is Ain't Nobody Loves You Like Me , with nicely blended vocals, punchy horn work and a smooth slide guitar solo by McFarlane. Pop rocker, Give It To Me Now is another strong radio track with a super melody and catchy rhythm. Wrappi...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent New Truth release from Mark Daniel and it's a solid rocker. Opening with Slow Setting Sun , Daniel who handles lead vocal and guitar is joined by Mickey Curry on drums and Marc Hickox on bass. Heart Stops Beating is a heavy footed rocker with a tight bottom. Daniel's vocals are crisp and his guitar playing loose and colorful with blues and metal influences. Very cool. Walk Through Fire is a definite radio track with a solid melody and a great bass line. Coming Down is an interesting rocker sounding a bit like The Police but with a more forward drive. Wrapping the release is Got It Bad with a solid melody and tight rhythm. This is a cool first release (February 23, 2018) for Daniel.   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 ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Are We In Love? , from Emily Burgess and it's fun. Burgess, who has played with a number of top guitarists as well as tours as a part of The Weber Brothers has stepped out on her own. Opening with Til I Get To Call You My Own , a Jimmy Reed style blues number, Emily Burgess has the mic and lead guitar role, backed by Sam Weber on guitar, Ryan Weber on bass, Ryan Brown on keys and Marcus Browne on drums. One of my favorites on the release is pop rocker, All I Wanna Do Is Love You with it's driving beat, sweet vocals and stinging guitar soloing. Blues ballad, Ain't That A Woman , has a great melody and with clean vocals and a nice melodic guitar solo, should easily garner radio play. Rocker, Only One In Your Dreams has a strong power pop sound with overdriven guitars, blended female vocals and Browne on harp. Another of my favorites is Arrested with loose, naïve style vocals, a bouncy rhythm and clever guit...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Something Got A Hold On Me - The Au-Jac Records Story, Volume One: 1963-1964 and it's quite cool. Opening with previously unreleased, Fatback by Lamont Esquires , this release is off to a great start. This instrumental features low key but tasty guitar lead with hot sax work, all over a tight rockin' R&B track. Jessie Crawford with Kay Keys Band is up next, first with a smart Latin influenced rocker, Please Don't Go , followed by solid soul track Because I Love You So . Little Sunny Daye with the Shydells Band gives us blues ballad, A Woman Like You with super vocals and cool lead guitar work under the lead. Very nice. Celestine does a great job on You Won with it's cool rhythm. Honkin' sax work sets this track apart giving it a distinctive early 60's feel. great track. Winfield Parker really delivers on blues ballad, When I'm Alone . With only the basics of backing, Parker shows ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Flame , from Peter Karp and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Rolling On A Log , Karp on lead vocal and guitar is joined by Kim Wilson on harp, Daniel Pagdon on bass and Paul Unsworth on drums. Kicking it up a gear, Train O' Mine is a hard driving blues rocker with Dave Keyes on piano and Dennis Gruenling sailing on harp. Warming things up a bit with slide resonator Karp gets a little greasy on Valentine's Day . Very nice. Quiet ballad, The Turning Point develops nicely into a radio style track with an interesting melody and featuring a nice guitar solo by Mick Taylor. My favorite track on the release is The Arson's Match with a distinct Elmore James feel. Featuring Karp's best vocals on the release, hot harp from Wilson and Karp and fat fat slide, nice track. A laid back, rural feel is the ticket on From Where I Stand and another of my favorites on the release. A bright melody, clean v...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Make My Home In Florida , from the Backtrack Blues Band and it's quite good. Opening with Checkin' On My Baby , BBB, lead by Sonny Charles on lead vocal and harp gets the show started with a nice easy shuffle, with Kid Royal on lead guitar, Little Johnny Walter on rhythm guitar, Stick Davis on bass and Joe Bencomo on drums. On Woke Up This Morning , Royal steps up on lead vocals and the band is swinging. Royal plays a stinging lower octave solo which has a great feel and the band is tight. Slow blues and title track, Make My Home In Florida , gives the band a nice opportunity to stretch with solid solos from Charles and Royal. Very nice. T-Bone Shuffle has a great feel, crusing along with extended solos from Charles and Royal showing some real nice trem bends. Excellent! Your Funeral and My Trial is a solid showcase for Charles on harp who has real nice tone and phrasing. Winding the band up for the close is H...

"Hoyer sang with fire and exuded a natural joy." -  Rolling Stone New EP - 'The End of the Night' Josh Hoyer Hello Bman! On Friday, January 26th, international recording and touring artist Josh Hoyer (Silver Street Records) released 'The End of the Night' , a three song EP and the first new music from Hoyer since his 2017 appearance on NBC's The Voice. 'The End of the Night' is the result of a writing collaboration between Hoyer, veteran Nashville songwriter Jay Knowles (Ha...