Aiken & Friends Music Fest Brings Three Days of Music & Workshops to Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, New Jersey, on September 20-22

Aiken & Friends Music Fest Brings Three Days of Music & Workshops to Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, New Jersey, on September 20-22

Proceeds Go to Scholarships for Students and

Music Education

BRANCHBURG, NJ – Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Mike Aiken, whose new CD, Wayward Troubadour, is generating rave reviews and solid radio airplay, will once again present his “Aiken & Friends Music Fest – North Branch,” a three-day program of music and workshops, at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg on September 20-22. Proceeds go toward scholarships and programs for the students, in keeping with Aiken’s mission to support music education.

“It started with my desire to start an original music festival that would feature mostly Americana and acoustic music … from bluegrass, blues to singer/songwriter,” Mike Aiken says about the festival’s origin. “Geographically, the location needed to have a good vibe of its own. As I’ve traveled and toured, I’ve kept my eyes and ears open for the right locale.

“The first twelve years, the Fest had a home in Smithfield, Virginia. In 2017, we added a new Fest location in Branchburg, New Jersey. Aiken & Friends Music Fest – North Branch is rooted on the Community College campus of RVCC – Branchburg, New Jersey. Under the guidance of Arts Director, Alan Liddell, we look forward to many years continuing to support and promote original music.”

The three-day event will feature a number of different musical shows by Mike Aiken, as well as other solo artists and groups, starting with a residency at 1:00pm on Thursday, September 20, with the M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio, discussing the evolution of the Piedmont Blues style, how it reflected life at that time and how it has influenced music styles since. MSG will perform a few songs along with a Q&A session.   

Workshops on Friday, September 21, include techniques of guitar, songwriting and indie music promotion, followed by a Songwriter In-the-Round concert at the RVCC Arts Nash Theatre at 7:30pm.

On Saturday, September 22, Raritan Valley Community College will celebrate its 50^th anniversary with a day-long schedule of events. Several college departments will showcase their programs around campus with the music festival continuing on the quad during the afternoon, and in the Nash Theatre that evening.  In addition to the music and special events, there will be local artisans, food, and new this year, a children’s area.

Events Schedule:

Thursday, Sept.20

Residency at 1 pm with M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio: Evolution of Piedmont Blues, Q&A and music.

Friday, Sept. 21

Workshops 12 pm – 1pm - Open to the public, students from RVCC, as well as local high schools. Pre-registration required.

Guitar Workshop - Brian Ashley Jones, Nashville session player http://www.brianashleyjones.com

Songwriting Workshop - Mike Aiken www.mikeaikenmusic.com

Indie Music Promotion Workshop - Amy Aiken, President, Northwind Records

7:30 pm Songwriter In-The-Round Concert in the RVCC Nash Theatre

Mike Aiken, Brian Ashley Jones, Sally Jaye (http://www.sallyjaye.com)

Saturday, Sept. 22 

RVCC is celebrating their 50th anniversary and the day will be built around the festival.

Outdoor Stage - art vendors, food, kids area

2:00 pm Last year’s open mic winner, local artist Phil Swanson (https://www.philswanson.com)

2:30 pm Last year’s open mic winner, local artist Jo Stones (https://jostonesmusic.bandcamp.com)

3:00 pm MSG Acoustic Blues Trio (from Hampton, VA http://www.acousticbluesmsg.com )

4:00 pm Banjo Nickaru and Western Scooches (from NYC http://banjonickaru.com)

5:00 pm Session Americana (from Boston http://www.sessionamericana.com)

7:30 pm Mike Aiken Band - Tall Tales & Troubadours Show closes the festival in the Nash Theater

Tickets:

Tickets are available for each individual day or as a Weekend Pass. To purchase tickets, go to

http://www.aikenandfriendsfest.com/tickets/. Or call the box office Monday-Friday, 11am-4 pm at 908-725-3420.

Website: www.AikenAndFriendsFest.com; email: info@AikenAndFriendsFest.com

About Mike Aiken

If anybody has earned the title of “Wayward Troubadour,” Mike Aiken has. He ran away as a kid to play music. He became a licensed USCG Captain, has sailed over 30,000 Bluewater miles on his own sailboat and logged countless miles on the road performing in North America and Europe.

“Mike Aiken’s new release, Wayward Troubadour (Northwind Records), is one of those summertime Americana ‘kick back and hang out’ collections perfect to pop in the stereo and launch into the season.” – Americana Highways

“With so much fake country music hogging the airwaves, it’s downright refreshing -- like a cool mountain breeze -- to hear such a Wayward Troubadour as Mike Aiken.” – Aquarian Weekly

“Mike Aiken delivers an album rooted in traditional country, with moments of Western Swing that will fit very nicely in your summer playlist… These are songs that will have you smiling and head-bobbing and generally feeling carefree. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Just wait until you hear this album.”
- Parcbench.Live – New York City

“Mike is something of a John Prine crossed with Ry Cooder.” - Sail Magazine

Roseleaf Records artist: The Proven Ones - Wild Again - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild Again, from The Proven Ones and it's quite good. Opening with Jimi Bott penned, Cheap Thrills, The Proven Ones hit the high stepping with a driving bass line by Willie J Campbell, Bott on drums, Anthony Geraci on Hammond and piano, Kid Ramos on guitars and Brian Templeton on lead vocal, this is a veritable who's who band. Up next is City Dump, a rolling boogie not unlike James Brown might use with nice solos by Ramos and Renato Coranto on sax, joined by Joe McCarthy on trumpet and Robert Crowell on bari sax. Fats Domino's Don't Leave Me This Way has great dynamics with excellent vocals by Templeton and ripping guitar work by Ramos. Excellent! Peter Green's slow shuffle, If You Be My Baby, has perfect pace and with the jangle of Geraci's piano, Templeton's vocals and the stylistic playing of Ramos, this track really hits! Clarence Carter's Road Of Love had the fortune of having had Duane Allman on the original release giving it broad exposure. This remake is excellent with Templeton doing a great job on vocal and Ramos taking a new route but with definite nod to Allman with a fiery solo of his own. Probably my favorite track on the release. A Fenton Robinson track (and another Duane Allman influenced track from an early Boz Scaggs release) Loan Me A Dime, gets an 11:30min plus dedication. Ramos really digs in on this one ripping some extremely memorable guitar riffs of his own, soaked in the Hammond work of Geraci and of course with the solid lead vocals of Templeton. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Lennon/McCartney's Don't Let Me Down, a solid contribution with balanced instrumentation and nicely interwoven leads throughout. A very nice closer for a really strong 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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Out Of The Past Music artist: Steve Howell & The Mighty Men - Good As I Been To You - New release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good As I Been To You, from Steve Howell & The Mighty Men featuring Katy Hobgood Ray and it's freshly familiar. Opening with 50's blues rocker, Bacon Fat, Howell leads on vocal and guitar with Chris Michaels on guitar, Dave Hoffpauir on drums, and Jason Weinheimer on bass and setting a strong groove. On Memphis Minnie's New Dirty Dozen, Katy Hobgood Ray takes the mic and her vocals blend nicely with the throaty guitar work of Howell. Walter Davis' Come Back Baby has a smooth approach, along the lines of Eric Clapton and Howell's vocals are perfect with just the touch of guitar. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Blues In The Bottle with it's ideal symmetry. Howell's vocals are smooth and the backing guitar, bass and drums are spot on. A lightly salted guitar solo by Howell tops off the track nicely. Wrapping the release is Blind Blakes You Gonna Quit Me played in easy shuffle style. Howell sounds as relaxed as a bluesman gets and his guitar work, paired with Michaels' really matches the pace nicely. A cool contemporary blues 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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Acclaimed Saxophonist Steve Wilson Confirms Concerts in DC and NYC, Collaborations with Billy Childs and Chick Corea, and expansion of educational efforts

Acclaimed Saxophonist Steve Wilson Confirms Active Fall/Winter, with Concerts in D.C. and NYC, Collaborations with Billy Childs and Chick Corea, and More

International Educational Efforts Continue

First Tour of China as Bandleader is a Huge Success

Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Steve Wilson looks forward to an active Fall/Winter, as he confirms headlining concerts at Blues Alley in Washington D.C. and at Jazz Standard in New York City, as well as collaborations with Billy Childs and Chick Corea, and an expansion of his ongoing educational efforts.

The D.C. and NY concerts will feature Wilson’s Analog Band, comprised of Ray Angry on piano/keys, Ben Williams on bass and Willie Jones III on drums. Confirmed shows are as follows:

September 5th       Blues Alley           Washington, D.C.
September 6-9th    Jazz Standard       New York City

These dates are Wilson’s first concerts since the recording of ‘Sit Back, Relax & Unwind’ (J.M.I. Records,) an analog recording, released only on vinyl.  The album was produced by Wilson and Steven Mandel, Music Producer for The Tonight Show. RoughTrade called the release “Mr. Wilson’s definitive artistic statement…” and DustyGroove described it as “one of the most beautiful records we’ve heard from Steve Wilson…”

Prior to the September headlining shows, Wilson will perform with Chick Corea at the Detroit Jazz Festival. Then, in October/early November, he will tour Europe with Billy Childs. Following the Childs tour, Wilson will perform a series of headlining European dates from November 6-19, with his acclaimed Wilsonian’s Grain Band, featuring Uri Caine on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Ulysses Owens, Jr on drums.  More tour details here: http://www.stevewilsonmusic.com/itinerary.php <http://www.stevewilsonmusic.com/itinerary.php>

In other news, Wilson recently completed his first tour of China as a bandleader, and the limited run was a huge success. On the Education front, Wilson’s efforts continue to expand: He was just an Artist in Residence at the Funote Summer Jazz Camp run by faculty members from Shangahi Conservatory.  He was also Artist in Residence at Michigan State in East Lansing, MI, and the visit went so well they asked him back for their Summer Band Festival, which he then attended in June. Wilson continues to serve as the Chair of Jazz Studies at CCNY, and has also just joined the 2019 faculty of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute in Chicago. He recently recorded an educational video for Open Studio, with release date tba. Other artists who have done these online courses include Dianne Reeves, Peter Martin, Geoffrey Keezer, Christian McBride, and more.

Steve Wilson was cited DownBeat Magazine’s annual Critics’ Poll, in the categories of alto, soprano, and flute.

At http://www.stevewilsonmusic.com/, visitors can get updates, sample new tunes and see performance footage. The site, part of the Jazz Corner family, also includes a streaming audio player, details of Wilson's numerous band configurations, and more.

Visit: https://www.facebook.com/stevewilsonmusic/ <https://www.facebook.com/stevewilsonmusic/>
Visit: https://www.instagram.com/stevewilsonsax/ <https://www.instagram.com/stevewilsonsax/>

Modern Blues Harmonica label artists: The Blues Doctors - Same Old Blues Again - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Same Old Blues Again, from The Blues Doctors and it's cool. Opening with The Champs' track, Tequila, a Latin flavored R&B number ever popular since it's inception in the late 50's. Handled here with melody on harp and rhythm just claps and guitar. This is a lively song and a super opener. Mud's Rollin' & Tumblin' is up next with Adam Gussow on harp and Alan Gross on lead vocal and cigar box guitar. Very nice. Another Chicago style blues track, Cry For Me Baby features Gussow on lead vocal and harp and Gross laying down some nice electric guitar riffs. Bog Boy Crudup's That's Alright gets a great workout with lead vocal and harp solo by Gussow and snappy picking by Gross. Very cool. Original instrumental track, Blues For Hank is one of my favorites on the release with a nice walking bass line by Bill Harrison and each Gussow and Gross taking nice solos. Kicking it into high gear with Jimmy Reed's You Don't Have To Go, Gussow alternates harp and lead vocal and Gross's electric rhythm guitar tone is great. Another of my favorites on the track is Take You Downtown with warm chord work and bright solo exchange by Gross and lead vocal and harp by Gussow. Wrapping the release is Robert Johnson's Crossroads Blues with an emphasis on harp rather than guitar... a different take for this popular blues track made popular by the Cream. This is not to say that Gross doesn't get his turn and he does a real nice job but Gussow does come back and close with some tight harp riffs. Nice closer.

  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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Vanessa Peters (indie-folk, singer-songwriter, Americana) releasing new album in October

Vanessa Peters Photo credit: Brent Baxter Photography Acclaimed singer-songwriter Vanessa Peters set to release Foxhole Prayers via Idol Records on October 5th “a true poet and a brilliant songwriter” – Rootsville Dallas, TX-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Vanessa Peters is set to release her new album, Foxhole Prayers, on October 5, 2018, via Idol Records.  In Foxhole Prayers, Peters’s already-considerable songwriting prowess has risen to its fullest stature, presented as a concise, gut-punching collection of songs composed of piercing observations of both the outside and inside worlds. “I’m a literature geek at heart and for years I’ve wanted to do an album somehow influenced by The Great Gatsby, but the idea seemed much too nerdy and abstract,” explained Peters. “But after I re-read it last year, it dawned on me that we were literally reliving the Gatsby years. Suddenly I could see all the corrupt and self-indulgent characters from the book all around me, with Trump as some kind of PT Barnum-meets-Warren G. Harding character.  I was on tour in Europe at the time and had some time off between shows, so I holed up in a tiny apartment in Utrecht for four days and began writing the songs that would become the basis for the new album.” Peters shines a bright light on the modern world, illuminating the perilous rise of populist politics, the seemingly incessant swirl of violence around us, the struggle to remain positive in dark times, and the need to stand strong against hate and desperation.  The album is dark at times, but Peters reminds us on upbeat songs like “Lucky” and album opener “Get Started” that we forge our own luck from sheer determination and in finding gratitude even in the face of hardship. Never before have we heard Peters speak out as forcefully as she does in “Carnival Barker,” one of the album’s most pointed tracks which takes direct aim at not just populist politics but also the frightening way that history repeats itself.  And it is impossible to remain dry-eyed throughout the starkly-honest “Fight,” in which Peters movingly bares her deepest fears as a songwriter. In Foxhole Prayers, Peters demonstrates that she has not only reached an entirely new level of lyricism, but has vaulted into a new echelon of musicality. The album reflects a pleasingly diverse yet cohesive collection of styles, effortlessly weaving modern electronica elements and drum machines into more familiar acoustic and rock arrangements. The result is a splendid musical tapestry that unfolds from the first insistent notes of “Get Started” and keeps the listener sonically mesmerized throughout. For the record, Peters turned to producer Rip Rowan (Old 97’s, Rhett Miller), producer John Dufilho (Deathray Davies, Apples in Stereo), and what has now become her established stable of all-star musicians, including longtime sideman and Grammy-winner Joe Reyes (Buttercup) and Dallas guitar hero Chris Holt (Don Henley) on electric guitar.  Dufilho and bassist Andy Lester form the rhythm section for most of the album, while Peters’s European bandmates (Federico Ciancabilla, Andrea Colicchia) also make an appearance on a couple of tracks.   On the deeply personal “Fight,” the track opens simply and builds to an emotional climax on a swell of interlocking guitar melodies evocative of Bends-era Radiohead. “Before it Falls Apart” is an instantly striking, minimalist arrangement of drum machines, acoustic and electric guitars, and a rich vocoder that suggests a more analog version of Imogen Heap. On “This Riddle,” producer Rowan gives the track a decidedly Neil Finn treatment, with intersecting live and looped drums and swirling mellotrons. The album also showcases the band’s ability to deliver punchy raw rock on tracks like “Trolls” and “Carnival Barker.” Throughout the album, Peters’s voice is lush and blissful as never before, dominating the mix and commanding the listener’s attention to every word. And that’s the point: these are big songs, full of weight and meaning, demanding to be heard - and Peters makes the listener feel every syllable. Over the years, Peters has gotten comparisons to songwriters like Suzanne Vega, Beth Orton, Aimee Mann, Josh Ritter, and others.  Rootsville called her “a true poet and a brilliant songwriter,” while No Depression praised her “metaphor-rich songs” and “the depth and substance of her skillfully-crafted lyrics.” The Dallas Observer called her “the best kind of singer-songwriter.”  Peters has released 11 albums and has played over 1000 shows in 11 countries as an independent artist.  She has been crowdfunding her albums for over a decade, long before Kickstarter ever existed.  She was nominated as Best Folk Artist by the Dallas Observer.  The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram praised her most recent release, The Burden of Unshakeable Proof, for its “10 gorgeously-sculpted tracks, a blissful shuffling of folk, pop, and jazz bound together by Peters’s peerless voice.”  Peters spent 2016 and 2017 touring the US and Europe with her band, while The Burden of Unshakeable Proof received airplay on over 100 different AAA, college, and public radio stations across the country. The album was found on a number of "best of" lists at year's end, including No Depression’s “Alt-Country and Beyond” list.  In early 2018, Peters performed solo at 30A Songwriters Festival, and she has opened for artists like John Oates, 10,000 Maniacs, Horse Feathers, and Griffin House.  Peters plans to tour – both solo and with her band – in support of Foxhole Prayers, both in the United States and abroad.  Tour dates will be announced soon. https://vanessapeters.com/ Vanessa Peters Photo Credit: Brent Baxter Photography

AMY RAY premiers a song from "Holler" - out Sept. 28 via Daemon/Compass

AMY RAY announces new album "HOLLER" Out September 28 on Daemon Records/Compass Records Group Listen to "Sure Feels Good Anyway" and read an interview with Amy at Billboard FALL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED August 10, 2018 Nashville, TN -- At a time when hope and forgiveness seem in short supply, roots singer-songwriter Amy Ray, still thriving as one half of GRAMMY-winning folk duo Indigo Girls, gives us all a shot in the arm with her ninth solo album, HOLLER. Containing 14 new songs by Ray, the album will be released on September 28, 2018 on Daemon Records via the Compass Records Group and will include special double LP, along with hi-res and MQA versions. Ray talks about the inspiration behind HOLLER with Billboard. Ray says of the song, "I feel very rooted in the South and very proud of it in a very deep way and I could never leave it. As a progressive and a lesbian I'm in a distinct minority here, but at the same time when I'm in trouble and I need some help with something, people help out and don't worry about our differences. That's part of the South, too, I think." Listen to her new track, "Sure Feels Good Anyway," and read the interview at Billboard here.  Inspired by her Southern upbringing and her home in rural Georgia, Ray once again displays her knack for straddling the line between the personal and the political on these songs. Ray says, “The album is inspired by traditional country, Southern rock, mountain music, gospel and bluegrass. The songs tell stories of late nights, love, addiction, immigration, despair, honky-tonks, growing up in the South, touring for decades, being born in the midst of the civil rights movement, and the constant struggle to find balance in the life of a left-wing Southerner who loves Jesus, her homeland and its peoples." She says was partially inspired by Jim Ford’s 1969 cult-classic country album, Harlan County. “I had that album in my mind, musically. I knew I wanted horns and strings to bump it up to that level, to get that swagger into it.”  To achieve this she’s called upon the masterful slide guitar of Derek Trucks (Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Allman Brothers), the banjo and guitar work of Alison Brown, and vocal harmonies from Vince Gill, Brandi Carlile, the Wood Brothers, Lucy Wainwright-Roche, Phil Cook, and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. These guests illustrate notably how broad Amy’s musical tastes are but how widely she’s respected among her musical peers. HOLLER also reunites Ray with the band she put together for her first Americana album, 2014’s GOODNIGHT TENDER, which includes shape-shifting multi-instrumentalist Jeff Fielder on guitars, dobro, bass, and mandolin, Matt Smith on pedal steel, dobro, and guitar, Adrian Carter on fiddle and guitar, Kerry Brooks on upright bass and mandolin, Jim Brock on drums and percussion, and special guest Kofi Burbridge of Tedeschi Trucks Band on keys. After four years together, this group has fused into a level of cohesion more typical of a family band and there’s a loose, live feel to the recordings with Ray still finding new ways to use her incredible, iconic voice. Ray tackles Southern identity and racism in “Sure Feels Good Anyway” and “Didn’t Know a Damn Thing,” while in “Bondsman (Evening in Missouri)” she paints a scene of poverty and hardship in the Ozark mountain region. And though it was written well before the crisis of family separations at the Southern U.S. border, Ray’s upbeat gospel flavored song, “Jesus Was a Walking Man,”bears a timely message for the listener: “Jesus would’ve let ‘em in,” she reminds us. To cap off the track, Ray enlisted the oratory prowess of former SNCC Freedom Singer Rutha Mae Harris, driving several hours to Albany, Georgia, just to capture Harris’s voice, field recording-style. All of Ray's musical interests blend beautifully on HOLLER, from the emotionally gripping title track, which she finished writing during the week of recording in Asheville, North Carolina, to the edgy, guitar-driven frenzy and brass-section blast of “Sparrow’s Boogie,” and beyond. Fans of GOODNIGHT TENDER will love Brown’s banjo on “Dadgum Down,” the pep talk to indie artists on “Tonight I’m Paying the Rent,” and the Elizabeth Cotten-influenced “Fine with the Dark.” Thoughtful and musically fluid, Ray, like many Southern artists, grapples with love for her heritage — both musical and personal — and her own, more inclusive values. It’s that drive and artistic commitment that has made Ray’s career so full of unforgettable songs, and HOLLER feels like a culmination. We can only hope for more. Pre-order the album here TRACK LISTING 1.  Gracie’s Dawn (Prelude) 2.  Sure Feels Good Anyway 3.  Dadgum Down 4.  Last Taxi Fare 5.  Old Lady Interlude 6.  Sparrow’s Boogie 7.  Oh City Man 8.  Fine with the Dark 9.  Tonight I’m Paying the Rent 10. Holler 11. Jesus Was a Walking Man 12. Sparrow’s Lullaby 13. Bondsman (Evening in Missouri)  14.  Didn’t Know a Damn Thing TOUR DATES TH Oct 23 -  Macon, GA | Hargray Capitol Theatre w/Michelle Malone FR Oct 24 -  Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall w/ HC McEntire SU Oct 26 -  Nashville, TN | Mercy Lounge w/ HC McEntire MO Oct 27 -  Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse TU Oct 28 -   Asheville, NC | The Grey Eagle w/ HC McEntire TH Oct 30 -   Winston-salem, NC | The Ramkat w/ HC McEntire WE Nov 7 -   Tampa, FL | Crowbar w/Danielle Howle TH Nov 8  -    Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | Ponte Vedra Concert Hall /Danielle Howle FR Nov 9 -     Statesboro, GA | Averitt Center for the Arts w/ Tony Arata SU Nov 11 -   York, SC | Sylvia Theater w/Danielle Howle TU Nov 13 -   Nelsonville, OH | Stuart's Opera House w/Amythyst Kiah WE Nov 14 -  Ann Arbor, MI | The Ark w/Amythyst Kiah TH Nov 15 -   Chicago, IL | Maurer Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music  w/Amythyst Kiah TU Nov 27 -   Akron, OH | EJ Thomas Hall w/Chastity Brown WE Nov 28 -  Indianapolis, IN | The Hi-Fi w/Chastity Brown FR Nov 30 -   Athens, GA | The Foundry w/Chastity Brown SA Dec 1 -     Rocky Mount, VA | The Harvester w/After Jack SU Dec 2 -     Charleston, WV | Mountain Stage - West Coast and Northeast Tour dates coming early Spring 2019

Eller Soul artist: Mark Wenner's Blues Warriors - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mark Wenner's Blues Warriors put together by Mark Wenner and it's quite good. Opening with Diamonds At Your Feet, a high energy Chicago style blues number, Mark Wenner revs the band up with vocal and harp, and guitarists Clarence Turner and Zach Sweeney lay down the hot riffs, backed by Steve Wolf on bass and Mark Stutso on drums. Tight opener. Teddy Bear is a cool shuffle giving Wenner, Turner and Sweeney nice soloing opportunities under nicely blended vocals. Introducing a bit of two step blues, Checkin' Out My Baby is one of my favorites on the release laden with great harp tones and a tight rhythm. With it's slow, steady blues groove, Just To Be With You rolls nicely with a crisp guitar solo and excellent harp enhancements throughout. When you think "Chicago blues and harp, King Bee is exactly what you're thinking with fat tones, excellent control and a solid bottom. My favorite vocal lead on the release is on My Own Fault with great dynamics, and excellent guitar riffs over a solid bottom make it a choice track. Instrumental, Hucklebuck is a great showcase for Turner and Sweeney on guitar and Wolf bursts off a great bass solo as well. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Robert Johnson's famous shuffle, Dust My Broom with vibrant vocals and solid drums. Wenner steps up with rich harp work and articulate guitar soloing follows making this a super solo 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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Whitney Shay - A Woman Rules The World - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Woman Rules The World, from Whitney Shay and it's lively. Opening with pop track, Ain't No Weak Woman, lead vocalist Whitney Shay is joined by Jim Pugh on piano, Kedar Roy on bass, Sax Gorgon Beadle on sax, and Alexander Pettersen on drums. Slinky Blues Down Home settles down into a nice groove with full sax and trumpet punctuation by Beadle and John Halbleib respectively. A solid sax solo by Beadle, harp work by Aki Kumar and piano and organ work by Pugh gives this track real oomph. With a rolling R&B feel, Love's Creeping Up On Me has great feel, with super vocals, stinging guitar riffs by Igor Prado and nicely blended vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is title track, A Woman Rules The World with super vocals by Shay and Lisa Leuschner Andersen, nice guitar phrasing by Andersen and an overall great soul feel. Freedom has a soulful strut with a great bass line, tight drums and powerful bari sax work by Beadle. With a funky bottom, Shay's best vocals shine on Get It When I Want It. A nicely woven instrumental backing of organ, slide guitar, organ, piano and drums, this track it hot! Soulful ballad, Empty Hand, is laden with rich organ and sax giving Shay a perfect stage to belt out the blues and Beadle get yet another chance to lay out a super sax solo. Wrapping the release is rocking R&B track, Get Down With It, with all of the enthusiasm of Little Richard, driven by Pettersen on drums and Pugh on piano. Beadle's sax soloing and some cool guitar work by Andersen put a bow on this one. Very cool. 

  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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Bluzpik Media Group artist: Kat Riggins - In The Boys Club - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the ost recent release, In The Boys Club, from Kat Riggins, and its a dark, R&B soaked rocker. Opening with Try Try Again, Riggins blends a high stepping rhythm with repeating vocal theme to create a cool opener with slick guitar riffs by Josh Bowand. Traditional delta style blues, Troubles Away features some of the best vocals on the release complimented with solid slide resonator work by Bowand. Soul track, Hear Me is a smooth track with warm keyboard work by Darrell Raines, bass by George Caldwell and drums by Johnnie Hicks. I like the tension of this track and Haines' guitar solo is solid. Uptempo 2 stepper, Kitty Won't Scratch features vocal pairing with Albert Castiglia who also contributes a fleet fingered guitar solo. Very nice. Riggins and Hicks team up with Clay Goldstein on harp on rocker, Johnnie Walker creating a modern day Led Zep sound. Cool rocker. Funky, Live On, has a nice R&B flavor and solid vocal blending peppered with Goldstein's harp flavoring and flavorful guitar picking by Raines. Wrapping the release is A Girl In The Boys Club, a driving blues rocker with attitude. Solid bottom and solos by Raines and Goldstein maintain balance with Riggin's vocals.

  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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Busted Flat Records artist: Elliott and the Audio Kings - Long Live The King - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Long Live The King, from Elliott And The Audio Kings and it's terrific. Lead singer and guitarist, Mike Elliott, joined by Jonny Sauder on drums and Scott Fitzpatrick on bass for an old school raw blues rocker with a lot of guts. Opening with jump rocker Zim Zam Zoom, the guys start on full throttle and never let up. Elliott lay down the hot riffs and Sauder and Fitzpatrick keep it pumping. Super. Rolling in to All Revved Up, a low slung shuffle, these guys are really in the groove. With it's stripped down sound (raw guitar, vocal and rim shots) Shoulder The Weight is a cool Latin fused rocker with grip. Very nice. Pringles and Perrier is a real nasty instrumental with excellent lead guitar melody and just the basics for backing with an infectious Texas style lope. Excellent! With a real Chicago style, Day Drinking has just the right drag with a great guitar vamp and harp by Elliott, solid vocals and tight bass and drums making this another top choice on the release. Rock n' roller, Rich Girl has real drive bringing to mind the likes of Little Richard and Alvin Lee. Elliott has his own guitar style and it suits this music to a t. Very cool. Heart Attack is another track with real fire. Sauder and Fitzpatrick sit nicely in the slot as Elliott rifles away with his rowdy riffs. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Tin Sandwich, a hot jump track featuring Elliott on harp, chased by Sauder and Fitzpatrick. Excellent closer.

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - Me & the Originator - Al Basile - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Me & the Originator, from Al Basile and it's a cool mix of poetry, story telling and super music. Opening with the initial story line, Basile sets the stage for the release in story telling fashion. Continuing the story but through song, Basile on vocal and cornet, leads the way, backed by Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on tom tom, Bruce Bears on keys and Duke Robillard on guitar. My J-O-B is a cool shuffle track with some of the best vocals on the release. Robillard's riffs are tight with a swing feel and Basile's own cornet work paired with the trumpet work of Jeff Chanonhouse is always cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is She Made Me Believe It, a slower blues number with soulful vocals, brass and organ backing and super guitar soloing by Robillard. Excellent! Here Come Your Trouble is another cool shuffle tune with a solid bop cornet solo from Basile and excellent piano work from Bears. R&B style blues track, First One To Go, has a real nice guitar solo by Robillard and stylistic cornet work by Basile over solid bass work of Hallen. Very nice. Wrapping the release is If It Goes It Goes/How It Goes, a bluesy jazz number with a great walking bass line and grinding guitar riffs by Robillard. Hallen's bass line, Bears' bright key work and Chanonhouse's trumpet backing roll the release into Basile's closure on his story. This is an interesting release with some really cool music.

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Conner Ray Music artist: Steve Krase - Just Waitin' - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Waitin', from Steve Krase Band and it's strong. Opening with Hank Williams' Settin' The Woods On Fire Steve Krase on lead vocal and harp gets this country flavored boogie rockin'. Backed by David Carter on guitar, and Tamara Williams on drums, a super opener. I Don't Mind has an up tempo "Bo Diddley" beat and with flaring tom tom work by Williams an excellent floor for some hot riffs by Krase. Kenan Ozdemir joins with lead guitar on Just Waitin' On My Brand New Baby, a cool Chicago style shuffle matching super harp and guitar leads behind solid vocals. Very nice. One of my favorites on the release is a Zydeco take on The Ballad of Jed Clampett. With Brian Jack on accordion, Mike Vee on rubboard and James Gilmer on percussion added to Krase's vocal and harp and the tight rhythms of Williams, this is super. Slow blues, Nobody Loves Me exhibits some of Krase's best vocals on the release, complimented nicely by Carter's rich guitar lead and Krase's own harp work. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Howlin' Wolf's My Baby Walked Off with it's classic Chicago styling. With strong soloing by Carter and Krase, this is a strong closer for a very enjoyable release.

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Superstar Records artist: Tom Hambridge - The Nola Sessions - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The NOLA Sessions from Tom Hambridge and it's got real feel. Opening with Easy flowing, Blues Been Mighty Good To Me, Hambridge has lead vocal and of course drums backed by superstar Allen Toussaint on piano, max Moran on bass and Wendy Molten on backing vocal. Smooth opener. On Bluz Crazy, Hambridge has a distinctive slap on the snare that I really like and the lope of the track is further enhanced by John Fohl on guitar with Tommy MacDonald on bass and Kevin McKendree on piano. Very nice. Sonny Landreth's Slydeco guitar on This End Of The Road gives the track a real nice edge on a John Hiatt style track. Great two stepper. With real New Orleans style, I Love Everything has a great melody and sense of rhythm. With Shance Theriot on guitar, Calvin Turner Jr. on bass, David Torkanowsky on piano, McKendree on B3, SaRachael on backing vocals and The Naughty Horns this track rocks! Landreth is back again on Little Things, funky New Orleans style blues rocker. Gotta love his slide work and Hambridge really works the skins over. Very nice! Save Me has a cool country rock flavor and strong melody with outstanding backing vocals by The McCrary Sisters and super punchy horn work by The Naughty Horns. Wrapping the release is Faith, a quiet acoustic track featuring Hambridge on vocal, with Fohl on guitar, macDonald on bass and Nathaniel Smith on cello. This is a really nice closer to a very enjoyable 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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