Mekons Announce New Album Deserted + New Single + Tour

Mekons Announce New Album Deserted, Out on March 29 L-R: Dave Trumfio (bass), Susie Honeyman (violin), Jon Langford (vocals/guitar), Steve Goulding (drums), Rico Bell (accordion/vocals), Tom Greenhalgh (vocals/guitar), Lu Edmonds (saz, cumbus, oud), Sally Timms (vocals). Photo credit: Ricky Malpas (hi-res) Plus, RollingStone.com Premieres Video For "Lawrence of California" and Announces New European and U.S. Tour Dates British folk-punk collective the Mekons will release a new album Deserted (PRE-ORDER HERE) on March 29. It is their first formal studio album since 2011's Ancient & Modern. RollingStone.com announced the album, along with a 2019 tour spanning Europe and the United States, and the launch of a new music video for the song "Lawrence of California." Emboldened by a sold-out tour and a surge of interest in the States after the release of the documentary Revenge of the Mekons, the Mekons retreated to the fringes of Joshua Tree National Park and popular culture to record their new album Deserted. Singer/guitarist Jon Langford said of the recording experience: "There are deserts everywhere. We took time to ponder the vastness and the weirdness of the desert. Going to the country to get your head together is a ripe old rock cliché. We went to the desert to have our brains scoured... We went from one desert to another. A more hopeful place where we arm ourselves with spikes and endure.” The band will tour extensively throughout April and July and all currently announced tour dates are included below.  Deserted album artwork: hi-res Track listing: Lawrence of California Harar 1883 Into the Sun How Many Stars In the Desert Mirage Weimar Vending Machine Andromeda After the Rain Tour dates: April 2 – Newport, United Kingdom –  Le Public Space Newport (tickets) April 3 – Leeds, United Kingdom – Brudenell Social Club (tickets) April 4 –  Brighton, United Kingdom – Patterns (tickets) April 5 – London, United Kingdom – 100 Club (tickets) April 6 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Cinetol April 7 – Berlin, Germany – Music & Frieden April 8 – Hamburg, Germany – Hafenklang April 9 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Alice April 10 – Frankfurt, Germany – Mousonturm (tickets) April 11 – Linz, Austria – Stwst Stadtwerkstatt April 12 – Vienna, Austria – Chelsea (tickets) April 13 – Reutlingen, Germany – Franz.K (tickets) April 14 – Bad Salgau, Germany – Franziskaner (tickets) July 14 – Chicago, IL, United States – Hideout (tickets) July 15 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon (tickets) July 17 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Warhol Entrance Space (tickets) July 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s (tickets) July 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (tickets) July 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room (tickets) July 23 – Big Sur, CA – Henry Miller Library (tickets) July 24 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel (tickets) July 25 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern (tickets) All dates collected on the band's tour dates page.

Ruf Records Artist Katarina Pejak Releases Roads That Cross on 2/15

SERBIAN BLUES PIANIST, KATARINA PEJAK TO RELEASE NEW DISC PRODUCED BY MIKE ZITO

ROADS THAT CROSS OUT FEBRUARY 15TH ON RUF RECORDS

It takes a brave artist to blaze their own trail. From her birth-city of Belgrade to the Marz Studios in Texas where she recorded her dazzling new album, Katarina Pejak has walked countless roads and stuck a thousand pins in the map. Now, with Roads That Cross, this award-winning performer unveils a fresh set of songs that follow her muse wherever it leads her. Inspired by blues, jazz, country and rock ‘n’ roll – and shaped by all the cities she’s called home – this is music that crosses borders and brings people together. As producer Mike Zito says: “Katarina is one of a kind…”

Making her debut on the iconic Ruf Records – and taking part in the label’s famous Blues Caravan tour in 2019 – Roads That Cross is the stone-cold classic that Katarina has promised since the start. Rewind to the post-millennium and this upcoming artist was already a little different: a classical piano virtuoso who raided her father’s record collection for Tom Waits, Bessie Smith, Van Morrison and Otis Spann – then challenged herself to write songs that measured up.

Hitting the blues circuit in her late-teens, word of Katarina’s house-rocking musicianship and smoky vocal spread across the Serbian capital like wildfire. But she had bigger plans. In 2011, Katarina followed the call to the birthplace of US roots, winning a scholarship to the famed Berklee College of Music that trained stars from Steve Vai to Quincy Jones. “It was amazing and tough at the same time,” she recalls. “Studying with people like Dave Limina and Pat Pattison really shaped me.”

Katarina soon made her own mark, picked out for Berklee’s prestigious Songwriting Achievement Award and winning critical acclaim in her native Serbia for early releases like Perfume & Luck (2010), First Hand Stories (2012) and Old New Borrowed And Blues (2016). Her material touched on every genre, but the common factor was honesty, which flooded from the speakers and held audiences spellbound as she performed with the A-list and began to be mentioned in the same breath. “I've had the privilege to meet and play with some true blues greats,” she recalls, “like Ronnie Earl, Mike Zito, Anson Funderburgh, Mark Hummel and Ana Popović.”

For now, Katarina has put down roots in Nashville. But Roads That Cross was born in Texas, where she arrived this year armed with a notebook full of new songs, a stellar studio band and the burning desire to make the best album of her career. “A young woman from Serbia,” considers Zito, “surrounded by Americans, in Southeast Texas, takes the reins and leads this band into some of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time. Her voice is subtle and seductive, her piano playing is on fire. She has emotion, passion and a desperate need for the music to be magical.”

Mission accomplished. Listen to Roads That Cross and you’ll be taken on a magic carpet ride of emotion and mood. There’s "She’s Coming After You,"  with its Latin groove, echo-chamber guitars and a lyric about a femme fatale who “looks like the Devil’s daughter/Walks like a baroness”. There’s the choppy reggae-flavored "Down With Me" and the expert jazz of "The Harder You Kick," carried by organ and Katarina’s astonishing vocal. The upbeat "Cool Drifter" combines escapism with a soul edge, while "Moonlight Rider" will satisfy the blues hardcore, its gritty riffs and dusty groove addressing a lover that she knows will leave. “I didn’t realize until after making the album,” she reflects, “but most of these songs are about good-byes.”

For everyone else, Roads That Cross is the start of a beautiful relationship. Following her meteoric early career, Katarina Pejak stands at a crossroads, ready to step into the fast lane. “She’ll make you think,” concludes Zito. “She’ll make you cry. By the end of this record, she’ll have you in the palm of her hand. For Katarina, this is only the beginning…”

Roads That Cross will be released by Ruf Records on February 15, 2019.

CRAIG FINN announces new solo album "I Need A New War" | April 26 Partisan Records | Hear new single "Blankets" at NPR | UK tour dates coming up

CRAIG FINN ANNOUNCES NEW SOLO ALBUM I NEED A NEW WAR   FIRST SONG, BLANKETS, PREMIERES TODAY VIA NPR - LISTEN HERE UK TOUR DATES THROUGH FEB + MARCH I NEED A NEW WAR ARRIVES APRIL 26 ON PARTISAN RECORDS "There's a sensation of instability, but also a spirit of inevitability, and as with so much of what Finn weaves, there's grace through it all." - NPR Photo credit: Shervin Lainez Partisan Records announces the release of Craig Finn’s eagerly awaited new album, I Need A New War arriving Friday, April 26. The third album in a trilogy (following 2015’s Faith in the Future and 2017’s We All Want The Same Things), I Need A New War once again sees Finn expertly chronicling our complex, often confusing, modern era, drawing deeply felt character studies about regular people trying to respond to extraordinary times, attempting to find connection whilst wondering how to keep pace with a world moving faster than they are. The LP further finds Finn focusing his lens on New York City – his home for the last 18 years. “Going in, I saw this record as the third part of a trilogy,” says Finn. “Thematically, this was the third group of songs that I had written about smaller moments - people trying to stay afloat in modern times, attempting to find connection, achieving tiny triumphs and frustrating let downs in their day to day lives.” I Need A New War, Finn’s fourth solo LP, was recorded throughout 2018 at The Isokon in Woodstock, NY with producer Josh Kaufman and engineer D. James Goodwin, both of whom teamed with Finn on his widely acclaimed previous solo releases. In addition, the album features musical contributions from many of his regular solo collaborators, including Kaufman, horn master Stuart Bogie (Antibalas), pianist Sam Kassirer,vocalists Annie Nero and Cassandra Jenkins, and drummer extraordinaire Joe Russo. “Perhaps forward motion is everything,” says Finn. “The characters in the songs on this record, and the last two, are trying to keep up and keep their heads above water. They succeed or they don’t, but their stories are the tales of their attempts at pushing ahead. And so, with my own push forward, I feel lucky and excited to be sharing these songs and stories.” The first song from the new record premiered on NPR today and is available now on all DSPs. “Blankets is a song about someone who has never gotten over a past love, and goes searching for her. But time is running out,” says Finn. Listen to Blankets below. Beginning today, fans can pre-order I Need A New War in physical and digital formats here (https://craigfinn.lnk.to/newwar). All orders through Finn's D2C store include a bonus digital EP featuring five b-sides from the album. Other items exclusive to the store include: a one of a kind, signed hardcover lyric book (featuring lyrics to all songs from FITF, WAWTST, INANW and photos by Dan Monick), signed vinyl, an enamel pin set, and more. Perhaps best known as the singer of The Hold Steady, Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer-songwriter and guitarist based in New York City. With his highly descriptive lyrical style and a defining focus on narrative, Finn has crafted whole worlds for the people in his songs to exist within. After five critically acclaimed albums with The Hold Steady, 2012 saw Finn release his first solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes prompting The AV Club to write, “As a solo artist, Finn has created a new world of characters and songs...working in new sonic territory while still sounding like the same old storyteller obsessed with falls from grace and calls for redemption.” Largely written in the wake of his mother’s death, Faith in the Future earned four stars from Rolling Stone and ultimately, a top 10 spot on American Songwriter’s “Top 50 Albums of 2015.” “It’s time to pay attention to Craig Finn, who made his mark as the frontman with the Hold Steady — an infectious, Replacements-style rock act from New York — but really steps up on his own,” wrote the Boston Globe “Finn’s second solo album is packed with songs rich in street intelligence and wry humor.” Finn’s remarkable third solo album, We All Want The Same Things, proved one of the most acclaimed releases of 2017 with inclusion on a wide range of high-profile year-end lists. “God In Chicago,” the extraordinary centerpiece track that gives the album its name, was ranked #1 by American Songwriter on its “Top 25 Songs of 2017,” noting, “We expect strong characters and compelling stories from Craig Finn, whether he’s recording solo or with The Hold Steady. We even expect beautiful details and excellent location scouting. But we didn’t expect a song as powerful, as specific, as lived in, as beautiful, as insightful, as risky as ‘God in Chicago.’” The Guardian, In a four-starred rave, hailed We All Want The Same Things as “a deeply personal work from a master storyteller,” while Paste simply declared the LP “[Finn’s] most self-assured album...The subtler sense of musical adventurism he has come to embrace on his own work, make these songs essential.” Finn celebrated We All Want The Same Things by touring extensively throughout 2017. Highlights included an acclaimed headlining trek backed by his live band, The Uptown Controllers, as well as solo living room tours of the U.S. and the U.K. Finn will support I Need A New War with a North American and European live schedule. He tours the UK in support of Brian Fallon on the following dates. 5 FEB 2019 / UK / Newcastle / Wylam Brewery* 6 FEB 2019 / UK / Edinburgh / The Queen’s Hall* 7 FEB 2019 / UK / Manchester / Albert Hall* 8 FEB 2019 / UK / London / Union Chapel* 9 FEB 2019 / UK / London / Union Chapel* 11 FEB 2019 / NL / Amsterdam / Meerwart* 12 FEB 2019 / BE / Brussels / AB Flex* 13 FEB 2019 / DE / Bochum / Christuskirche* 15 FEB 2019 / DE / Munich / Neue Theaterfabrik* 16 FEB 2019 / CH / Zurich / Dynamo* 17 FEB 2019 / IT / Milan / Santeria Social Club* 19 FEB 2019 / DE / Hamburg / Markthalle* 20 FEB 2019 / DE / Hannover / Capitol* 22 FEB 2019 / UK / Cambridge / The Junction* 23 FEB 2019 / UK / Brighton / St George’s Church* 24 FEB 2019 / UK / Bath / Komedia* 25 FEB 2019 / UK / Cardiff / Tramshed* 26 FEB 2019 / UK / Manchester / Albert Hall* 27 FEB 2019 / IE / Dublin / Academy* 8 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Electric Ballroom / The Weekender^ 9 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Electric Ballroom / The Weekender^ 10 MAR 2019 / UK / London / Oslo / The Weekender^ * supporting Brian Fallon ^ with The Hold Steady I Need A New War Tracklisting: 1. Blankets 2. Magic Marker 3. A Bathtub In The Kitchen 4. Indications 5. Grant At Galena 6. Something To Hope For 7. Carmen Isn’t Coming In Today 8. Holyoke 9. Her With The Blues 10. Anne Marie & Shane

DALE WATSON premieres fan-inspired track "David Buxkemper"

DALE WATSON Dale pens a song for Texas truckin' farmer "David Buxkemper"  CALL ME LUCKY out February 15, 2019 on Red House Records  January 30, 2019: Memphis, TN: Over his lengthy career, honky-tonk artist Dale Watson has found songwriting inspiration in real-life situations and his interractions with fans. A chance email Watson received from Texas fan David Buxkemper led to the aforementioned "truckin' farmer" being immortalized in his namesake song, which appears on CALL ME LUCKY, Watson's February 15 release on Red House Records.  "Him and his granddad would watch Hee Haw, and loved listening to truckin' songs as they were doing their farming," Watson tells The Boot. "So I wrote back and asked him to expound a little bit, because he had inspired me to write a song. He ended up telling me that he was an illegal truck driver two days out of the year. He kinda has to sneak his crop out twice a year, because he doesn't have the license for it," Watson added. "So I thought it was a great story, and with a name like that -- David Buxkemper?! You can't make that up." LISTEN TO "DAVID BUXKEMPER" HERE Over the last three decades, Dale Watson has been labeled as everything from alt-country to Ameripolitan. But the most humble description may come from the title of his newest album, CALL ME LUCKY. A fixture of the Austin, Texas, music scene for years, Watson recorded all but one song on the album at historic Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, TN. The album features some of Memphis’ finest as well as Dale’s longtime band, His Lone Stars, and includes a horn section on some of the tracks. In early 2018, he bought a house there and now divides his downtime equally between Texas and Tennessee. He also sold the bars he owned in Texas and purchased the fabled Memphis nightclub Hernando’s Hideaway in an effort to provide a hospitable place for touring musicians to perform. Throughout CALL ME LUCKY, Watson’s songwriting is so descriptive that you can almost see him cruising into Memphis as he sings “Tupelo Mississippi and a ‘57 Fairlane,” a throwback tune backed by a Memphis-style horn section. Meanwhile, a Hank Williams influence seeps into “Haul Off and Do It,” which is already a favorite in Watson’s live shows. And like the music from his musical heroes, many of the new songs clock in at roughly three minutes long – sometimes less. “I’ve always been a fan of keeping songs short,” Watson confirms. “Long ago, I went to a library and checked out Tom T. Hall’s How I Write Songs. And in there, he said it’s not about keeping the songs short, it’s keeping the point. Make your point and get out. That’s always been my way of writing. There are some songs I’ve written that go on a bit more like a story, but I guess it’s probably my ADD that I don’t drag it out too much.” Watson featured artist on the sold-out Outlaw Country Cruise joining Margo Price, Lucinda Williams and others. He’ll then gear up for the Sixth Annual Ameripolitan Music Awards in Memphis in February. Founded and operated by Watson, the ambitious event celebrates touring roots artists who write their own music – a winning formula that Watson has embodied for more than 30 years. “I write a lot. It doesn’t mean I write good songs, but I do write a lot of songs. So I think as with anything, you keep at it and you get better at it. But as for writing just a simple country song, I can accept that I’m good at that,” Watson says. “I’m just really, really grateful to be able to do what I do for a living, for as long as I’ve been doing it.” For Dale’s full tour schedule, please visit www.dalewatson.com. Track Listing: 1. Call Me Lucky 2. The Dumb Song 3. Johnny And June 4. Tupelo Mississippi And A '57 Fairline 5. Haul Off And Do It 6. Restless 7. David Buckskimper 8. Inside View 9. You Weren't Supposed To Feel This Good 10. Mama's Smile 11. Who Needs This Man KIND WORDS “Honky tonk hero recalls a celebratory Johnny Cash … very enjoyable”– MOJO “…this album is a toe tapping treat for anyone who likes a large helping of down home honesty in their country music….get yourself a copy of this album, it’s one of Dale’s best and a great addition to any collection of good country listening”  – Country Music People “Watson mixes a devilish charm with a touch of smarm” – Rolling Stone “Watson infuses every track with unashamedly blue-collar, grass roots honesty.”  – American Songwriter "He’s spent the past two decades proving there are still powerful tales to be told from the honky-tonk pulpit, and he's brought that message to the faithful.”  – The Nashville Scene   “I’m one of Dale’s biggest fans.” –  Willie Nelson “His objective importance lies in his priceless role as devoted counter to insipid pop-country.”  – No Depression TOUR DATES 2/1/2019 Continental Club-  Austin, TX 2/2/2019 The 4 Star Concert Hall - Brenham, TX 2/2/2019 Confederate Square - Gonzales, TX 2/14/2019 Gruene Hall - New Braunfels, TX 2/15/2019 Luckenbach Dance Hall - Fredericksburg, TX 2/16/2019 Broken Spoke - Austin, TX 2/23/2019 Blues City Cafe - Memphis, TX 3/1/2019 Longhorn Saloon - Fort Worth, TX 3/2/2019 The Broken Spoke - Austin, TX 3/6/2019 Rollins Studio Theatre -  Austin, TX 3/8/2019 Continental Club - Houston, TX 3/9/2019 Honky Tonk Texas - Silsbee, TX 3/12/2019 Gsdm-  Austin, TX 3/13/2019 Daryl's House - Pawling, NY 3/14/2019 The Birchmere -  Alexandria, VA 3/15/2019 Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse - Dunellen, NJ 3/16/2019 Murmrr Ballroom - Brooklyn, NY 3/17/2019 My Father's Place - Roslyn, NY 3/18/2019 The Locks at Sona - Philadelphia, PA 3/19/2019 Cafe Nine - New Haven, CT 3/20/2019 Godfrey Daniels - Bethlehem, PA 3/21/2019 Creative Alliance - Baltimore, MD 3/22/2019 Hard Rock Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA 3/23/2019 Circuit of the Americas - Del Valle, TX 4/5/2019 Continental Club - Austin, TX

Chin Music Records artist: Shaw Davis & the Black Ties - Tales From The West - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tales From The West, from Shaw Davis & The Black Ties, and I really like it. Opening with power blues rocker, Take My Hand, guitarist and lead vocalist, Shaw Davis  sets a signature sound with his Marino / Hendrix / Trower like blues rock style. With a tight rhythm section of Patrick Stevenson on bass and Bobby Van Stone on drums, these guys are hot. On Zappa's classic blues rocker, Willie The Pimp, Stevenson and Van Stone really turn up the heat with heavy, precise bottom and in addition to Davis' great vocals exceptional guitar soloing. Excellent! With a funk rock beat, Mama Told Me gets this train grooving. Excellent drum work by Van Stone set this track off nicely and with a rumbling bass line Shaw just rips the guitar lead.... oh yeah...you know what I mean... step back. Ok... you really got me with Junior Kimbrough's I Gotta Try You Girl and it's hill country style. Taking it's simplistic droning style and pairing it with power blues rock rhythm and lead is ingenious with excellent results. Stevenson and Van Stone are unbending and relentless and Davis slashes with his guitar lead making this and excellent showpiece for the band. Wrapping the release is My Friend, a more subtle starter with relentless guitar lead, a strong bottom and ethereal flow. If you've been wanting to know who is doing that hard edged blues rock today... look no further. Very nice job!

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Back Bay Bill Records artist: Ruth Wyand - The Tribe of One - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tribe Of One, by Ruth Wyand and it's the first "One Woman band" I recall reviewing. Opening with acoustic blues rocker, Bad Mojo, Ruth Wyand shows her solid finger picking riffs and vocals to get things moving. On Break The Curse, a blues boogie, she adds snare and foot drum to electric guitar riffs and her vocal to your foot tapping. Very cool. Whipping out the slide on her resonator on Better Off Alone, Wyand sets a solid blues riff and lays down some of my favorite lines on the release. Her vocals and smooth and slide playing spot on. Blind Willie McTell is a really cool track with strong Piedmont style finger picking straight down blues alley. I really found Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing enchanting with lush finger work totally differently worked from anything I have heard previously. A beautiful song remade in a different way with a more abstract beauty. Very cool. Another Piedmont style track, Mint Julep really flows nicely, this time purely instrumental with only acoustic guitar and foot percussion. Wyand has a real nice hand for acoustic blues and it continues with On The Porch With Etta, with it's solid picking and smooth slide transitions. An excellent closer for a really nice release.

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Neal & The Vipers - One Drunken Kiss - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Drunken Kiss, from Neal & The Vipers and it's really strong. Opening with Jack Earles' Slow Down, Neal Vitullo on rip roaring rockabilly style guitar and David Howard on lead vocal lead the way backed by Steven Bigelow on bass and Michael LaBelle on drums. Great opener! Cool blues ballad, More Than Ever, has solid vocals, a super melody and a soulful guitar solo making it one of my favorites on the release. One Drunken Kiss has just a touch of country flavor...real country like Hank Thompson with stylized guitar riffs. Very nice. Another really cool track, There's A Ghost In My Room shows Vitullo's grip on the blues with excellent guitar riffs clocking in at over 8 minutes. Howard's vocals are spot on and the bottom is solid as a rock. Excellent! Instrumental, The Hump, is always a great break in a set with a perfect sense of feel and style. Charles Underwood's Ubangi Stomp is up and not only a lot of fun but wide open rockabilly band just playing out. Great track. Vitullo original, Those Eyes is a beautiful instrumental composition that rivals the best on the release. With guitar melody reminiscent of Roy Buchanan and Jeff Beck, this track alone may get you recommending this release to all of your friends. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Sugar Coated Love dripping in loping Chicago blues style. Howard shows his harp prowess on this track with Vitullo holding his guitar work to a moderate road. Very nice closer.

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Blues Fidelity Recordings artist: Paul Oscher - Cool Cat - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cool Cat, from Paul Oscher and it's tasty. Opening with New Orleans flavored Money Makin Woman, Paul Oscher on lead vocal and piano really sets the pace with Russell Lee on drums, Mick Shermer on guitar, Eric Burnhardt on bari sax, and Tom Robinson on tenor sax. Nice opener. Excellent blues track, Blues and Trouble is one of my favorites on the release with solid vocals, rolling piano and ripping guitar soloing by Schermer.  Muddy Waters' Rollin' and Tumblin' maintains Waters' original tempo and spirit with Oscher on slide and lead vocal backed by Sarah Brown on bass, Mike Keller on guitar, Russell Lee on drums and Sunny Lowdown and Jeremy Dowden on backing vocal. Down and dirty delta style blues, Ain't That A Man, dedicated to James Cotton has great presence. Featuring Russell Lee on vocal, Oscher on guitar, and Mike Keller on bass this is another of my favorites on the release. Cool instrumental Bebop track, On The Edge, has great spirit with Oscher on piano, Ernie Durawa on drums, Tomas Ramirez on tenor sax and Chris Alcaraz on bass. Very nice. Closing with another New Orleans flavored jazz track, Cool Cat, has a full lineup of Oscher on piano, Brown on bass, Kid Andersen on bass, Mike Keller on guitar, June Core on drums, Russell Lee on drums solo, Tom Robinson on Tenor sax and Lisa Leuschner on vocal. This is an easy flowing jazz track with cool soloing making it a solid 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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Ruf Records artist: Mike Zito - Blue Room - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Room, from Mike Zito and it's terrific! Blue Room was Zito's debut release back in 1998 and it's great that Ruf Records is re releasing and remastering it for the fans. Opening with Hollywood, a funky blues rocker, Zito really has edge on vocal and is guitar work is wild and unbridled with solid bass work by Doug Byrkit and tight rhythms by Brian Zielie. Excellent opener. Another funky rocker is Pull The Trigger again with excellent raw energy on vocal and fluid guitar work by Zito. Very cool. Instrumental, Gravy Jam is a solid instrumental with super funky bass work from Byrkit and snappy beat from Zielie giving Zito a wide open floor to rip ion guitar and he takes full advantage. Excellent! Slow blues, Lovering, takes the uncontained playing feel of Steve Vai, Stevie Ray, Buddy Guy or Jimi Hendrix and plows it into raw blues energy in his own way creating wild free flowing soloing. Excellent! Ways About You has a warm chord backing over a reggae beat giving Zito yet another avenue to explore his guitar flow. Very nice. Soundcheck is another unbridled blues guitar exploration with an excellent bass and drum backing. Smoking. Wrapping the release is Zito's take on Elton John's mega hit, Rocket Man with a bit more edge and a lot more guitar. Zito really put together a strong package here. You need to check it out!

  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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Pretty Good For A Girl Records artist: Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers - All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues, from Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers and it's the "rockingest" Christmas album I've ever heard. Opening with title track, All I Got For Christmas Is the Blues with Ben White's super bass line and Abair's solid vocals. Randy Jacobs of course has his guitar talking, Rodney Lee rides the keys and Third Anderson on drums finishes out the group. On I Can't Wait For Christmas, Abair whips out the sax and blows full tones on sax, over this pop style rock track. Jacobs' fat cigar box slide tones give Merry Christmas Baby a real sting over excellent percussion work by Richardson under the power vocals of Abair. Very nice. Abair gives Mel Tormes' The Christmas Song a bluesy swagger with excellent sax tone melody sans vocals. Excellent! Run Run Rudolph gets a funky, hip hop kind of styling with exceptional guitar punctuation by Jacobs and Abair's own sax work is tops. Wrapping the release is bluegrass flavored Christmas Fool with Jacobs on lead vocal and banjo, backed by Adair on sax, band backing vocals and handclaps by Blanca Garza. Cool bluesy closer for a cool seasonal 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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Brandon Isaak - Rise 'N' Shine - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rise 'N' Shine, from Brandon Isaak and it's simply cool. Opening with shuffle track, Right Around The Corner, Brandon Isaak blends his catchy melody with his strong vocal styling, guitar work and Willie MacCalder's piano work for a super solid opener. Another real cool track, Can't Do No Wrong, has that hot jazz swing with excellent finger work, punctual harp, and seductive lyrics by Isaak. Excellent! One of my own personal favorites on the release is PhD in The Blues with a bopping bass line, a slight, funky, Albert King style and hot, smoking guitar. Country style blues, Me And The Blues is a real nice showcase for Isaak's voice and his slide dobro, followed only lightly by Chip Hart on drums is just perfect. Another particularly soulful track, Blame It On The Girl is my personal choice for radio track with an excellent melody and really inviting vocal work by Isaak, with primarily key backing by Aidan Miller and his own sparkling guitar riffs. Excellent! Another really nice country blues number is Perfectly Happy With The Blues showing a pretty happy sounding melody while singing the blues over solid finger picking and slide.  Wrapping the release is Sweet Dana Lee with it's rag styling, featuring Jerry Cook on sax and strong rhythm guitar work by Isaak. His Satchmo vocal styling and fleet fingered guitar soloing makes this a super closer for a really strong release. 

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Phoenix Records artist: Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin - Murder Creek - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Murder Creek, from Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin (cool name by the way) and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with 70's Brit style blues style rocker, This Old Dawg, featuring Murray Kinsley on lead guitar and vocal, Rod Williams on harp, Leigh-Anne Stanton on bass, Tom Bona on drums, Sonny Del Rio on horns & Jesse O'Brien on keys this band is standing on solid footing. Latin rhythms permeate Dance The Blues with cool, floating harp work by Williams working nicely with flowing guitar lead by Kinsley. Very nice. Electrifying slide work opens heavy bottomed, Trouble Coming, a cool, deep rocker with solid vocals and loose guitar and harp work. Interesting. Traditional blues styling on So Long, Too Soon, makes it the likely candidate for top track with soulful vocals and Kinsley's bluesiest guitar soloing on the release. Very nice. Bass driving rocker and title track, Murder Creek has a great bottom just begging for guitar and harp soloing. Wrapping the release is Freedom, a solid rocker with vocal work with Kinsley and Mary Jane Russell. Stanton really works the bass line and Williams' harp work adds to the tension as it builds to Kinsley's guitar soloing, taking the track home. 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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