Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Still Get Excited , by Terry Hanck and it's jam packed with sax infused blues. Opening with a rumble, title track, I Still Get Excited has a real nice boogie feel with excellent piano work buy Jim Pugh and cool guitar work by Johnny Cat Soubrand, with backing vocals by Whitney Shea and Lisa Leuschner Andersen, bass by Kid Andersen and drums by Butch Cousins. On Smooth Tyrone , Hanck leads on vocal and soulful sax with really nicely styled guitar work by Soubrand and again really nice piano work by Pugh. On Early In The Morning I particularly like Hanck's vocals and Chris Cain adds really strong lead guitar. I like Andersen's bass attack on this track and the backing vocals by Lisa are really nice. Pugh's B3 work on this track adds that additional dimension and June Core's drumming sets up a solid opening for Hanck to solo. Very nice.  Harmonica great, Rick Estrin joins in on Come On Back playing ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Back To The Blues , by Scotty Dennis and it's a fat slice of blues, rock, pop and R&B all rolled into one. Opening with hot blues number, I'm Gone , shows solid vocal styling by Scotty Dennis with a swaggering rock beat and hot guitar riffs by Brandon Hudspeth with solid backing by Go-Go Ray on drums, Jerry Keller on bass, Willie Newell on organ and D'Angelo talent on backing vocals. Title track, Back To The Blues , is a classic R&B style ballad with a strong melody and a prominent melodic guitar solo. For Her Love shows a cool fusion between Latin and R&B with some of the best vocals by Dennis and strong lead playing by Hudspeth. Very cool. Soulful blues ballad, It's Crying Time has super call and response between Dennis on lead vocal and Hudspeth on guitar retort. A break out piano solo by Newell leading into a real nice guitar solo by Hudspeth sets this track apart nicely. Dennis' and...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bare Knuckles & Brawn from Blue Moon Marquee and it's a mix of blues, jazz and western swing of course among many other flavors. Opening with Latin influenced Big Black Mamba and A.W. Cardinal on lead vocal  and guitar, with cool support from Jasmine Colette on bass, Darcy Phillips on piano/organ, Gerry Cook on sax and Jimmy Badger on drums. Swing number, Smoke Rings For My Rider has a great rag time feel excellent rhythm guitar and strong sax work by Cook. Hard Times Hit Parade is a sultry blues number featuring Colette on lead vocal and clean jazzy guitar work surrounded by smoky organ and echoes of trumpet work by Jack Garton. Very nice. Jazzy, The Red Devil Himself is one of my favorite tracks on the release with fluid guitar runs and some of my favorite vocals by Cardinal. Very cool. With a strong dose of New Orleans and a snappy beat by Badger on drums, 52nd Street Strut has strong horn work by Garte...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Mississippi BarBQ , by Zac Harmon and it's a cool contemporary blues release. Opening with Gypsy Road, a R&B style blues number with Harmon's trademark silky smooth vocals and stinging guitar work, he's got another winner. Backed by Bob Trenchard on bass, Richy Puga on drums, Johnny McGhee on guitar, Dan Ferguson on keys, Mike Middleton on trumpet, Andy Roman on sax, Nick Flood on sax and Drake Domingue on trombone, this is a solid opener. Blues rocker, Smoke and Mirrors has a cool hook, punctuated by slick guitar riffs and nice backing vocals by Janelle Thompson, Shakara Weston, SueAnn Carwell and Corey Carmichael. Crossing over to a smooth soul radio groove and title track, Mississippi BarBQ , Harmon really lays it back nice and easy. Backing vocals by Thompson, Weston, Carwell and Carmichael and a sweet melodic guitar solo by Harmon make this an ideal radio track. One of my favorite tracks on the release ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Won't Stay Down , from Lauren Anderson and I like it. Opening Anderson shows her rich vocal skill immediately on pop track, Honey, Call Me Baby , a soulful track with a nice melody and Pretenders attitude. I particularly like the warm rhythm guitar tone and carefree soloing of of Jimi Greene, with Hutch on bass, William Adkins on keys and John Rodrigue on drums. Ballad, Too Little Too Late has pure radio appeal with nicely blended vocals with Meg Williams and Jenny Teator and the solid organ work of Adkins. Powerful. Title track, Won't Stay Down , is another solid track with just the right swagger and some of my favorite vocals on the release and a great bass line by Hutch. Cake has a cool Latin beat with super percussion and a really nice trumpet solo by Emmanuel Echem and Kiran Gupta. Hutch gets a quick solo that leads into a crisp solo by Greene but it's Anderson who stars in this show. Very nice. Wrapp...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sweet or Mean , from Eliza Neals and joined by guitar player/band leader Popa Chubby, it's a screamer. Opening with Pawn Shop Blues , a solid shuffle Neals picks up where she left off with her gritty vocals and Chubby with romping slide guitar, backed by Dave Keys on keys, Chris Gambari-Vega on bass, John Medeiros Jr. on drums and including Ian Hendrickson on sax and Michael Leonhart on trumpet. Rocker, Bitten By The Blues has solid radio feel with it's lightly Latin flavored rhythm and smooth melody with Chubby playing a rocking, Santana influenced guitar lead style. Livin With Yo Mama is a cool, slinky, boogie track with sassy vocals and some of my favorite guitar riffs on the release. Knock Knock Knockin is a pared down blues rocker with Chubby on acoustic guitar bringing Neals' farther forward in the mix vocally. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a slightly different mix on Pawn Shop Blues , a sweet cl...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent 2 cd release, Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969 from Third Man Records and it's terrific! Opening with Dirty Mother For You , a classic by Roosevelt Sykes, this classic track really gets the ball rolling with his suggestive language and his classic piano style. JB Hutto and his Hawk do a terrific Too Much Alcohol with Hutto's dynamic slide work. An excellent contribution by Jimmy Dawkins, I Wonder Why shows exactly why his nickname was Fast Fingers. Luther Allison and the Blue Nebulae play a super log take on Everybody Must Suffer/Stone Crazy and really gives his guitar a workout... makes you sweat just listening to it. Excellent! Another really fat guitar laden track is Otis Rush and So Many Roads . This is an excellent closer for disc one. Disc 2 opens with Muddy Waters and Long Distance Call . Muddy's vocals are super and he has that crying slide work, backed by Paul Oscher on harp. Very nice. Charlie Musselwhite re...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Viva Las Vegas Live from Joe Louis Walker and it's really great! Opening with I'm Not Messing Around , a rolling blues rocker, Walker has lead vocal and guitar with the super Bruce Bears on piano, Lenny Bradford on bass Dorian Randolph on drums. Walkers guitar riffs are scorching and crisp and Bears' piano tight and precise. Excellent opener. Into low slung shuffle, Young Girls Blues ,  Walker's vocals are rich and Bears' piano work is grand. I have admired Bears' work for a long time and it's always super to hear him live where he can stretch a bit. Very nice. Ok...you want Walker. You want guitar and here it is! Sugar Mama , a slower blues number with extended guitar soloing. Walker has excellent chops and most of you already know and this track gives him the opportunity to let it all hang out... or should I say, he's more than 6 minute into the track before he starts to sing...think ab...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release from Sunday Wilde & the 1 Eyed Jacks and she hasn't missed a beat. Opening with Willie Dixon's Evil, a slinky, bluesy number with glistening guitar riffs by Ari, and Wilde's trademark vocals, the band is rolling with Wilde on piano, Arek Chamski on bass and Collin Craig on drums. Dead Man's Clothes is an interesting number with a predominant modified walking base line, percussive rim shot rhythm and cool soaring guitar riffs. Sure to be a crowd favorite, Dead Presidents is a quirky boogie and the inference that everybody loves money... yes they do. Slow blues take on London's It Hurt's Me Too , is a dynamic vocal showcase for Wilde who accompanies herself on piano with only a basic bottom and a really nice guitar solo by Ari. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Spirits up My Friend with it's somber melody and Wilde's vocals paired nicely with her stark piano accompaniment...

I just had the opportunity to preview the most recent release, Blues Power , by Jeff Dale and the South Woodlawners , and it's different. As I listen to it I think... the blues meets Captain Beefheart (Willie the Pimp). Opening with Toxic Stew , a cool, unassuming Jeff Dale leads on vocal and slide guitar and there's that deep tone of Pat Zicari's bari sax...woah. Derek Phillips on keyboards, Charlie love on guitar, Orlando Wright on bass and Tim Austin on drums makes up a solid band. Title track, Blues Power has a "revival" sound with handclaps and acapella vocals. Winding up, Wright's bass line and Austin's drums provide an excellent bottom for Dale's slide work. Another cool, swampy track is Middle Class Moan with it's unwieldy swagger, funky vocals, and the great mix of instrumental players with the add of Glen Doll on sensuous harp and the trumpet riffs of Lee Loughnane and group backing vocals. Very cool. With a Bo Diddley beat complimen...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, That's How I Roll , from Debra Power and it's a full boat of piano laden blues. Opening with All Night Playing The Blues , Debra Power knocks down the door with her powerhouse singing and terrific piano playing. Backed by Chris Byrne on bass and Lyle Molzan on drums, this track is rolling. Title track, That's How I Roll is a slick shuffle with Power way up front on vocal and punchy horns on the top with Mike Clark on tenor sax, Pat Bellveau on bari and Ian David Hartley on trumpet and featuring Tim Williams on slide guitar. Bluesy ballad, Don't Ever Leave Me , shows the richness of Power's vocals with my closest comparison being Rod Stewart. Her piano playing is solid and complimentary and Mike F. Little's B3 work  making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. I'm Comin' Around is a cool piano boogie that really shows off Power's piano prowess and Joey Landreth adds real fla...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release by Michael Lee and it's terrific! Opening with Heart of Stone , a rumbling blues rocker, guitarist/lead vocalist, Michael Lee sets a great pace. With a strong swagger, anchored by Scott Lee on bass, Colin Campbell on B3 and Blaine Crews, Michael has it going here, backed by Preston Lewis on sax, and Evan Templeton and Jordan Carr on trumpet. Super opener. On soulful ballad, Don't Leave Me , Lee really gets the chance to show how great a vocalist he is with warm backing and Charley Wiles' blues guitar riffs topping it off. very nice. My absolutely favorite track on the track is deep drenched soul track, This Is with great vocal phrasing and harmonies and electrifying guitar work by Lee. I really like this release, but this track alone could carry a release. Excellent! Can't Kick You is a super radio track with a strong story line and a definite radio (shuffle) beat. Lee's rework of BB Ki...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Go Cat Go , by the Jersey Swamp Cats and it's a lot of fun. Opening with classic, Jump Jive and Wail , The Swamp Cats are running hard right out of the chute. With Gerry Gladston on lead vocal and piano, Don Leich on vocal and guitar, Larry Ghiorsi on bass and Chris Reardon on vocal and drums this group is really humming. With a hot guitar solo by Leich and a hot piano solo by Gladston, this track is a great opener.  Boogie track, Cupcake! has a super swagger and call and response between Gladston and the band on backing vocals and Leich's guitar work is tasty and stinging. Very nice. Too Tired is a cool driving shuffle with a great loping bass line by Ghiorsi and strong vocals. I really like Leich's guitar lead on this track with a lot of movement and crisp riffs and again, Gladston is hot on the keys with excellent piano soloing. Very nice. With a great New Orleans feel, Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing , h...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (October 30, 2019), Burn It Up , by Cheyenne James and she's a vocal powerhouse. Opening with classic blues track, Grits Ain't Groceries , James establishes a firm footing and pounds it out, backed by Rock Romano on bass, Dave Carter on guitar, Randy Wall on keys, and Jim Brady on drums. In Chicago, Muddy Waters style James rolls into Gypsy Mama with great energy and featuring Steve Krase on harp. I Didn't Know has a bit of two step country flavor with Krase on harp and with Eric Demmer on sax and Lamar Boulet on Trumpet and Flugelhorn. Wall's keyboard work stands tall on this track highlighting James' vocals. On Latin rhythmed track, Lay Me Down , Mark May adds some real nice guitar riffs, paired with Wall's piano work and Krase on harmonica making it one of my favorites on the release. Pouring on the soul, a cover of Ashford and Simpson's Let's Go Get Stoned has great presence. I thin...

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Blues From Another Planet , from Jim Zeller and it's cool. Opening with blues rocker, I Grew Up In Black And White , Jim Zeller is back with his latest and most interesting release. With it's slightly funky, almost David Bowie like feel, the track has a great rhythm and Zeller's harp playing is very cool. Backed by Jimmy James on guitar, Carl Dutremble on guitar, Marc Deschenes on bass and Bernard Deslauriers on drums, solid opener. On shuffle, Life is Good , Zeller is solid on vocal and harmonica with cool guitar riffs by James and Dutremble and Zeller's harp work is hot. Very nice. Slower blues number, Violins Began to Play , is one of my favorites on the release with some of Zeller's best vocals and nice piano work by Larry Cohen. Featuring tasteful harmonica playing by Paqquale Cerascuolo, a real nice track. The man With The Harmonica is a real nice ballad with harmonica lead. A smooth, movie theme ...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hell To Pay , from Billie Williams and it's deep. Opening with Damn , a dark, lumbering blues rocker, Williams leads this tempest of a storm on vocal with strong guitar support from Stew Cutler, Jeremy Mage on power keys, Double Z on heavy bass and Tony Allen on tight drums. On radio track, Start All Over , Williams fleshes out the track with the addition of Rob Sussman and Dan Levin on trombone, Seneca Black and Jim Hynes on trumpet, Stan Killian and Chriz Eminizer on sax Manuel Quintana and Jeff Lipstein on percussion and a full round of backing vocalists. Drink From My Cup has a cool backbeat and a cool pace. Mage lays down some real nice piano lines and the snappy drumming by Allen and the punchy trombone work by Levine and Sussman really sets a great foundation for Williams. Wrapping the release is my favorite track, Ten Million Sisters , a modern plantation style track with rich vocals and stomping percussion...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 23, 2019), Blue Basso , from Charlie Wooton Project and it's really good. Opening with funky rocker, Jaceaux , Wooton sets a terrific bass line with Keiko Komaki heating up the keys, Doug Winbish on bass and Jermal Watson on drums. Excellent opener. Rolling into a cool radio style R&B number, Arsene Delay has lead vocal on Reflections. Her vocals are sweet and float on the tune with glistening key work and jazzy guitar riffs by Daniel Groover. Come On Come Over has a great funky bottom, and instrumental style vocals, an aggressive bass line and a snappy drum line. One Night is a bluesy ballad with my favorite vocals by Delay. Anders Osborne sits in with a real nice guitar solo giving the track a bit more sting. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Fulton Alley with really funky bass and guitar lines. This track, which really crosses over into fusion really humps. Excellent! Guitar wiz S...