Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Heard The Lie , from Gina Sicilia and it's a solid R&B release. Opening with title track, Heard the Lie , Sicilia blends pop, country and blues to come up with a solid radio track featuring backing by Herman Matthews on drums, Davey Faragher on bass, Arlan Oscar on keys and Josh Smith and Dave Darling on guitars. How Many Times is a strong soul track showcasing Sicilia's vocals as well as the top notch writing of Darling and smooth backing vocals of Bernie Barlow, Brie Darling, D'Andree Galipeau, Conner Pasich, Connie Cham and Kirk Pasich. Bad Company's Ready For Love is next with a bit more polish than the original with deep rich vocals by Sicilia, a light Latin beat and a nice key solo by Oscar. Janey Street's Angels Watching , is a really nice track with a perfect balance of melody and vocals. Another track with a dash of country is Sugar with just another example of Sicilia's flexibili...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dopamine Machine , from Hadden Sayers and it's strong. Opening with power rocker, Unsatisfied , Hadden Sayers on lead guitar and vocals, shows a take no prisoners attitude, backed by Greg Morrow and Rusty McFarland on bass. Fat, grinding guitar riffs and a driving bottom give this track real impact. With a pop edge but a raw delivery, I Feel Love has one of those "I know this track" feelings. With that slapping cowbell and raw energy, it continues a terrific rocking attack. With a cool Texas like swagger and double stopped and slide soloing guitar work, Hit The Road , would certainly get the RBF Gibbons seal of approval. The first ballad style track, Blood Red Coupe DeVille , is actually really terrific. I can see it as a sneak radio track with strong appeal to music heads as well as pop audience.  Another pop rocker, Good Good Girl has a light beat and with falsetto singing, this track reminds me a bit ...

SOULFUL BLUES SINGER/SAXOPHONIST VANESSA COLLIER EMBARKS ON 'HONEY UP' TOUR IN SUPPORT OF NEW ALBUM Performs Locally: SPORTSMEN'S TAVERN - Wednesday, October 11 " If you haven't yet hooked onto the  Vanessa Collier  bandwagon,   do so now because this young woman's a rising star. Ms. Collier is a true triple threat --- an accomplished sax player, a very fine soulful singer with some roots in gospel, and a prolific songwriter. If that's not enough, she also plays a little guitar."         BLUES BYTES “There’s a young lady [Vanessa Collier] came onstage with me, I forget where I was, but she’s playing an alto saxophone, and man, she was amazing.” – Buddy Guy ...

Blues Rocker Anthony Gomes to Release 13 th Disc Peace, Love & Loud Guitars out October 19th International Tour Underway Anthony Gomes has been carving out his own space as an unapologetically rock-influenced bluesman and songwriter since first coming to national attention in the 1998. Gomes’ new record, Peace, Love & Loud Guitars, is the culmination of a life spent honoring blues traditions while never losing sight of his own identity. He writes memorable new songs that exist somewhere between Willie Dixon and Billy Gibbons. He stands his ground as a creative artist, not a derivative history lesson, and is eager to push the blues back into the mainstream. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Gomes relocated to Chicago in the late 90’s. During a brief stint as a sideman for Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Gomes put together his own group and won the first annual Buddy Guy’s Legends “Best Unsigned Blues Band” competition in 1998. Later that year, Gomes release...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, That's All I Need , from Johnny & The Headhunters and it's quite good. Opening with Magic Sam's, That's All I Need with it's rocking Latin beat Johnny Ticktin on lead guitar and vocal shows why Louisiana Red had him as his lead player. With Pete Kanaras on bass, Robbie MaGruder on drums and Tam Sullivan on keys, this is a cool opener. Chet Atkin's Chicken House maintains it's two step feel with solid drum rhythm by Clark Matthews and organ by Tam Sullivan. On Lowell Fulsom's rock n roller, Rock Em Dead , Brian McGregor sets the pace on bass with Matthews on drums and Johnny's own guitar and vocal work really shines. Whipping out the slide on Elmore James' Shake Your Money Maker , Johnny really has the joint jumping on one of my favorites of the release. Another Magic Sam track, All My Whole Life , has terrific pace and feel. Johnny's vocals are warm and his guitar riffs t...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wiggle Room , from Michele D'Amour and the Love Dealers and it's a cool mix of blues, pop and rock. Opening with Falling Down , a solid rocker with Patrick McDanel on driving bass, Jeff Cornell on guitar, Dave Delzotto on drums, Brian Olendorf on keys and Noel Barnes on sax, all supporting the lead vocal of Michelle D'Amour McDaniel. Shuffle track, Sweet Lovin Man showcases Michelles vocal work and a solid sax solo by Barnes. With it's walking bass line, Nothing To No One has a solid melody and the somber trumpet lines of Greg Lyons set the track off nicely and highlights really nice piano lead by Olendorf. Rocker, Been So Long has great energy with slicing guitar riffs from Cornell and solid organ work by Olendorf. Worthy is a moody ballad with a particularly nice sax solo by Barnes. Wrapping the release is Hard Times , a definite pop/radio style track but with a strong melody and instrumentation, a ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Down Home Blues - New York, Cincinnati & The Northeastern States - Tough Enough from Wienerworld Presentations and it's really terrific. This 4 cd sent is accompanied by a 80 page cd sized book that has extensive bios, photographs and really nice record labels making this an incredible package. Opening is Alabama born, Wilbert Thirkield or Big Chief Ellis who taught himself to play piano at his aunt's house. His offerings here include Big Chief's Blues and I Love You Baby with authentic blues roots sounds, solid piano and vocals. North Carolina born, Seth Richard, known as Skoodle Dum Doo and Sheffield contributes strong country blues in Tampa Blues and Gas Ration Blues with great vocals, yelps, harp and guitar. In essential Piedmont style, guitarist Gabriel Brown is smooth and creamy delivering some of the best roots blues that you've never heard. Excellent! Chicago born, Bob Camp and His Buddie...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Old School Girl , by Lawrence Lebo and it's different . Opening with You've Got A Secret , a cool blues number along the lines of Thrill is Gone with Lawrence Lebo on vocal, Denny Croy on bass, Steve Mugalian on drums, Larry David on warm organ and with crisp guitar work by Tony Mandracchia. On T-Bone Walkers classic, Stormy Monday , Lebo applies her own vocal spin with real nice harp work by David. Double time bass lines by Croy really add to the tension and Mandracchia's guitar lines are fluid and interesting. Very nice. New Orleans flavored, Stop Shouting Your Business , is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Carl Byron on accordion, and snappy drum work by Mugalian giving Lebo a clear path for her best vocal efforts on the release. R&B track, Happy Anniversary , Baby is another of my favorite tracks with Lebo's vocals displaying a special sparkle and sweet, subdued solo lines by Mandrac...

The Ragtime Rumours Rag ’N Roll Release: 19.10.2018 Format: CD Label: Ruf Records GmbH EAN: 0710347126423 Calling all jaded music-lovers. The Ragtime Rumours have come to prick up your ears. In an era when the dead-eyedmusicindustryclings to tired formulas, these time-travelling Dutch visionariestear up the rulebook – and that rebel attitude is all overRag ’N Roll. Anything goes on this revolutionary debut album, as the ghosts of Robert Johnson and Django Reinhardt meet the in...

Mike Zito, Bernard Allsion, Vanja Sky Blues Caravan 2018 Release: 19.10.2018 Format: CD + DVD Video Label: Ruf Records GmbH EAN: 0710347126027 This was no ordinary club tour. This was the Blues Caravan 2018. If you’ve followed Ruf’s rolling revue since it started life in 2005, you’ll already know that these shows are must-see events, throwing together three stellar artists on one bill – then letting the chemistry do the rest. Traditionally, the Blues Caravan lineup has showcased the...