Woodward Avenue Records artist: Jacqui Brown - Love Love Love - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Love Love Love, from Jacqui Brown and it's packed with country style pop tracks and bluesy ballads. Opening with Bend, a two stepper, Jacqui on lead vocal is backed by Paul Brown on lead guitar, Tony Braunagel on drums, Bob Glaub on bass, Lew Laing on drums and Brother Paul Brown on keys. Title track, Love, Love, Love is a smooth radio ballad featuring nicely blended vocals between Jacqui and Paul. Paul sets in a Bluesy country flavored solo on guitar giving the track just a little more spice. Shuffle track, Flow Like A River has some of the most soulful vocals on the release with nice key work by brother Paul and Paul digs in nicely with a solid guitar solo. Wrapping the release is Somebody's Child, a real nice ballad featuring Jacqui on lead vocal with only the minimum of backing, primarily piano under the lead. This is a solid closer for this release. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Billy Price - Dog Eat Dog - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dog Eat Dog, from Billy Price and it's old school R&B. Opening with Funky rocker, Working On Your Chain Gang, Price, who has one of the smoothest voices on the circuit leads the way with strong support from Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, John Halblieb on trumpet, Jack Sanford on sax, Kid Andersen on guitar and organ, and Walter, James and Dwayne Morgan on backing vocals. Very cool. Smooth pop jazz track, Lose My Number sounds like it's right off of a Steely Dan record with it's strong melody and supple vocals over a organ lead backing melody. Eric Spaulding adds a real nice sax solo on this one giving it a real kick. With a smooth dance groove, title track, Dog Eat Dog is really in the groove with great lead vocals by Price, tight backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Alabama Mike, cool congas by Vicki Randell, the super sax work of Spaulding and great harmonica by Rick Estrin. Dark soul track, My Love Will Never Die, is one of my favorites on the release with screaming vocals, and ripping guitar work by Kid Andersen. Excellent! Another favorite is funky, New Orleans flavored, All Night Long Café. Price really rides high on the rhythm on this track with Jon Otis on congas and percussion, and power horn work by Spaulding, Sanford and Halblieb and a funky bluesy guitar solo by Mike Zito. Really cool. Wrapping the release is radio style track, You Gotta Go with heavy tom tom driven rhythm and glistening key work by Pugh. Andersen's guitar attack is direct and essential as always and Price's vocals are as solid as when I saw him in Pittsburgh with Roy Buchanan a lot of years ago. Price's best album in years. 

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Myles Goodwyn - Friends of the Blues 2- New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Friends of the Blues 2, by Myles Goodwyn and it's easy going. Opening with shuffle track, Hip Hip a shuffle track with Kenny Blues Boss Wayne on piano and Blair Mackay on drums, Goodwyn on lead vocal and ripping some tight guitar riffs. Bobby Womack's, All Over Now, gets an interesting rework with John Main on piano, Shrimp Daddy on harmonica and John Canpbelljohn on slide. Very cool. More traditional blues track, Fish Tank Blues, has cool guitar pick and slide technique over a slightly funky rhythm under Goodwyn's vocals. Campbelljohn is back on slide on Daddy Needs New Shoes, a quick paced shuffle with a snappy beat and backing vocals by Reeny Smith and Lisa Macdougall. Up next is I Saw Someone That Wasn't There (And It Was You), a blues rocker with some of the best vocals on the release and likely the best radio track on the release. With it's solid melody, call and response guitar riffs by David Gogo and nice piano lead. Wrapping the release is cowboy style track, Even Singing Cowboys get The Blues with a two step rhythm and yodeling. Jack De Keyzer on guitar and slide by Campbelljohn add a little spice to this closer.

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Northern Social - Northern Social - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the debut self titled release from Northern Social and I really like it. Like earlier work by Wickens and the Grand Nationals this new release has a lot of edge and genuine blues feel. Opening with Waiting, a strong rugged blues rocker, Dylan Wickens, who handles lead vocal, guitar and bass, paired with Mike Rajna on drums and percussion created a sound that is much bigger than two guys. Solid rhythms, vocals and power guitar makes this a great opener. Am I Wrong has a straightforward rock beat with vibrant rhythm guitar with Wicken's vocals carrying the melody. King Of Hearts has a lumbering blues feel with a heavy accent on the 2 and 4 and a fat fat guitar rhythm. Wicken's lead guitar work is tasty and raw where Rajna's drum work is tight and focused. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Dead Neighbor Blues with an easy acoustic country blues feel. Particularly effective is the simplicity of foot drum and tambourine by Rajna under Wicken's traditional acoustic slide work and solid blues vocals. Strong closer. 

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Wentus Blues Band with Duke Robillard - Too Much Mustard - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Too Much Mustard, from Wentus Blues Band with Duke Robillard, and I really like it. Opening with revival style track, Stayed At The Party, these guys are raising the roof. With Robban Hagnas on Bass, Niko Riippa on guitar, Duke Robillard on guitar, Pekka Grohn on piano and Hammond, Daniel Hjerppe on drums and Juho Kinaret on vocal and percussion this track is pumped. Robert Johnson's Judgement Day is up next with a cool modern twist. It maintains the rudimentary feel and Kinaret's vocals are strong, but the interwoven guitars by Robillard and Riippa and Grohn's piano, with harp over the band is terrific. One of my favorite tracks on the release is She's a Killer Hot Blonde, a great boogie with cocky blues guitar style. Excellent! Slower paced, Right In Your Arms, is a super blues ballad and a nice showcase for Kinaret on vocal and with excellent blues guitar solo phrasing by Riippa. High powered boogie and title track, Too Much Mustard, had a great feel and is super platform for Robillard and Riippa on guitar. Shuffle track, You Got My Love, has a great bottom by Hagnas and the rolling piano lines by Grohn give Riippa plenty of room to shine. Wrapping the release is blues rocker, Passionate Kiss with a more radio direct approach. I really like the drum work by Hjerppe on this track strongly featured with a cool piano lead by Grohn under Kinaret's vocal lead. Solid closer. 

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Bushmaster - Dancing In The Belly Of The Beast - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dancing In The Belly Of The Beast, from Bushmaster and it's an interesting blues rocker. Opening with Profile, a straight up shuffle featuring Gary Brown on lead vocal and guitar, Justin Kimball on bass, Justin Pinkney on drums, Tim McDonald on keys, Tracy Nelson and Vickie Carrico on backing vocals this track has a solid vocal bass line and full gospel like backing vocals. Stirring in a bit of funk on Ajax And Hot Wax, brown doesn't sound like Wolfman or JGW but you can hear the influence.  A real nice floating guitar solo by Brown in this track reinforces the overall coolness of the track. Slow blues number, Nowhere To Stand, has a smooth bass driven bottom with distorted guitar lead under contemporary lyrics and a strong organ line. Miss Sexy Fine is a funky rocker with a flavor of Jimi. Fan style rhythm guitar playing and solid lead guitar playing by Brown is spicy.  One of my favorites on the release is Elevator, a cool blues rocker along the lines of Sitting on top of the World. With it's strutting rhythm, slid guitar by Daniel Weston Cohen and solid timing on vocals, this track just has a great feel. Another track that gets me going is funky, Pressure Cooker with a mad funky beat and rhythmic lead vocals. Brown lets the dog off the leash on guitar with some freewheeling guitar that soars...really! Wrapping the release is an easy stated country style folk tune, Thing Back Home, with Tim Jones on acoustic guitar and Brown on lead vocal and a short finger picked guitar solo. With its simple but catchy melody, it's a solid closer for an enjoyable release. 

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Man Hat Tone artist: Brad Vickers and his Vestapolitans - Twice As Nice - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Twice As Nice, from Brad Vickers and his Vestapolitans and it's it's freewheeling blues. Opening with Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues, Vickers on guitar and lead vocal leads the Vestapolitans in a traditional shuffle. With Bill Rankin on bass, Jim Davis on tenor sax, Dave Keyes on piano, VD King on bari sax and Dean Shot on guitar, a solid opener. On Jimmy Reed's Close Together, Margey Peters joins on backing vocal and bass. Her touch gives the track an additional dimension and a raspy sax solo Davis adds a nice spice. Coast to Coast is a cool rocker with hot solos by Vickers, Keyes, and Davis. Very cool. Vickers turns over the mic to Peters for Twice As Nice, deferring his work to bottleneck guitar and with wailing nice clarinet by Davis. Memphis Jug Band's Stealin' Stealin' is my favorite track on the release with Mikey Junior on vocal and harmonica with Peters (who also plays bass) and Vickers on guitar, Rankin on drums, Davis on sax and King on bari sax. Mikey Junior, Davis and Vickers take real nice solos on Look A There Look A There, a super swing rocker with great tempo. Very nice. Wrapping the release is another Peters original, Brooklyn Evenings. With it's rimshot timing and featuring Charlie Burnham on violin, it has an old style blues feel and with Vickers shifting over to bass, Dave Gross' guitar work adds a nice sparkle to the closer. 

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Severn Records artist: Tad Robinson - Real Street - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Real Street, from Tad Robinson and it's jam packed with R&B soul music. Opening with Changes, a real nice "Al Green" flavored track, Tad Robinson shows what much of the world already knows... he's a great singer with poise and style. Backed by Charles Hodges on Hammond, Leroy Hodges on bass, Howard Grimes on drums, Joe Restivo on guitar, Kevin Anker on piano, Mark Franklin on trumpet, and Kirk Smothers on sax, this is a great opener. Bluesy ballad, Search Your Heart is really strong and Robinson's exceptionally smooth vocals, backed by Devin Thompson on vocals and the warm Hammond work of Hodges and with a crisp guitar solo by Restivo make this one of my favorites on the release. Excellent! Another really bluesy track, Love In The Neighborhood has a great R&B style but checks off the blues box nicely with soulful vocals and harmonica by Robinson and solid guitar lead by Restivo. My favorite track on the release is soulful, Wishing Well Blues with ultra soulful vocals by Robinson and just the right weave of instrumentation over Anker's funky keyboard work and JG Watson/WW Washington style guitar playing. Excellent! Wrapping the release is slinky, Long Way Home with a real nice bass line by Leroy. Robinson has an unbelievable sense for soul music and the sound that this unit puts together is lush and inviting. Highly recommended. 

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Miss Bix & The Blues Fix - We Don't Own The Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, We Don't Own The Blues, Miss Bix & The Blues Fix and it's slinky cool. Opening with Follow Me Down, a blues based rocker, Miss Bix (Leslie Bixler) has a casual singing style over an equally cool, swampy rhythm. With Ralph carter on bass and guitar, JT Thomas on B3, Brian Calway on harmonica and Gary Mallaber on drums, this is a memorable opener. Another swampy track in the vein of Tony Joe White, If You're Doing What I'm Thinking, has a real funky rhythm with Franck Goldwasser laying down some real nice lead guitar and RJ Mischo on harmonica. Low slung Voodoo Man digs down in the blues with solid vocals,  a droning bass line by Carter and Goldwasser's lead guitar playing is tops. Straight up rocker, You're A Child is built over a Jimi Hendrix kind of framework but filled out nicely with lush vocals by Bix and Chad Smith's drumming is tops. Wrapping the release is ballad, All The Time, featuring Bix solid vocals over a sparse backing by Carter. This is a interesting release with solid bones. 

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Chris Eger Band - Show Me Where To Sign - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Show Me Where To Sign, from Chris Eger Band and it's solid blues rock. Opening with shuffle rocker, Eatin' Crow, Egar on lead vocal and guitar has a firm approach backed by Greg Morrow on drums, Eli Beaird on bass, JT Corenflos on rhythm guitar and Moose Brown on keys with a dynamic horn section made up of Steve Herrman on trumpet and Jim Hoke on sax. R&B track, Last Addiction is one of my favorites with it's funky rhythm, punchy horns and toned down screaming guitar lead. Very cool. Another track with a super back beat is Too Much Fire with super lead vocals and strong drums. This track is clean and polished giving it a clear radio profile. Wrong Five O'clock is a pop rocker with a hook. With it's catchy lyrics and melody, another good radio track. Wrapping the release is the second of two (this one extended) SRV tracks. With it's Jimi Hendrix structure and obvious tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn, this ballad rips loose with Eger opening up his guitar throttle. Very nice closer. 

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - B's Hot House - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, B's Hot House, from Al Basile and it's a great mix of blues, R&B and soul. Opening with So Called Story Teller, a lumbering "Thrill Is Gone" like track with Basile on lead vocal and cornet, and featuring Duke Robillard with some mighty tasty guitar riffs. Backed by Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Bruce Bears on keys, Doug James on sax and Doc Cannonhouse, this is a super opener. Shuffle track, Razor Wire has a great stride with Bears' "Booker T like" organ vibe and Robillard's riffs lead nicely into a cool cornet solo by Basile. Very nice. R&B track, Give Me That Look is one of my favorites with it's easy groove and sax/trumpet accent. Basile's vocals on this track are my favorite on the release as well with solid piano work giving it that polish. Another of my favorites on the release is What Dogs Wanna Do, with Robillard dialing his guitar into warm round sound over a Latin rhythm. Horn chorus behind the lead guitar sounds almost vocal like giving the track an almost gospel feel.  Very nice. Wrapping the release is Time Has Made A Fool Of Me, a bass reinforced shuffle with muted horns on the return. Basile's vocals guide the track and a loose, jazz style trumpet gives the track a cool feel. This is a solid release by Basile and another cool release outside of the guitar mainstream.

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Sparky Parker - In The Dark - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In The Dark from Sparky Parker is it's an energy packed fireball. Opening with title track, In The Dark, a solid radio rocker, lead singer and guitarist Sparky Parker shows his showmanship with solid vocals and use of wah wah on his rhythm work under the lead. With Kevin Berry on drums and Phillip Lock on bass, a cool opener. This Old Thing has great rhythm, super tone and stinging guitar riffs under solid melody making it another strong radio contender. Games has a classic blues guitar styling and Parker's vocals really shine on one of my favorites tracks on the release. Sleepy Town is blues but a newer, less formal styling, strong lead guitar and nicely blended vocals gives it a great unique appeal. Excellent! The rolling Stones' country rocker, Dead Flowers, is always a great track and this is no exception. Parker takes the pace up just a notch and with a tight rhythm and simple paired vocals gives this track a great country flavor. Escape To Quintana is a really cool surf style instrumental with blazing tom toms and freewheeling lead guitar … what's not to love! Wrapping the release is Slim Harpo's Shake Your Hips but with a high octane pace. Keeping this track pared back but adding a little juice is difficult but Parker does it just right. His guitar riffs are just right and with a driving bass line by Lock and tight riffs by Berry. Super closer.

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Ruf Records artist: Ghalia - Mississippi Blend - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mississippi Blend, from Ghalia and it's got great attitude and style. Opening with, Gypsy Lady, a blues based track with a rockin beat, Brussels born Ghalia (Vauthier) Volt shows her understanding of real blues with it's raw feeling and emotion. Leading on vocal and slide guitar Volt has a lot of help from Lightnin' Malcolm on lead guitar, Dean Zucchero on bass and Cedric Burnside on drums. Easing into a swampy blues number, Meet You Down The Road has the kind of rawness you'd expect from the hill country with Watermelon Slim on harp, Smokehouse Brown on lead and slide guitar, Zucchero on bass and Burnside on drums. The dual slide guitar sound is intoxicating under her soulful vocals and the tight rhythms are perfectly punctuated by Burnside. Very cool. I really like heavy footed blues rocker, First Time I Died. It has real kick. Volt focuses on vocals and does a great job with excellent timing by Cody Dickinson on drums and a raw lead guitar by Brown. Excellent! Traditional song, Wade In The Water has a real nice spin with Volt and Watermelon Slim on lead vocal and Lightnin' Malcolm on lead guitar. Another real cool track is Shake & Repeat with a underscored boogie beat and super raw slide work by Volt. Additional lead vocal by Malcolm  and lead guitar by Brown give this track a nice edge. Super boogie, Why Don't You Sell Your Children starts off with a slower JLH style but ramps up to a full rocking boogie with Volt and Brown grinding the guitar and Volts sensuous vocals balancing the track. Very nice. Wrapping the release is I Thought I Told You Not To Tell Them, is a flat out rock 'n' roller with Berry style guitar riffs by Malcolm and Brown and the tight tight bottom by Zucchero and Dickinson. Excellent closer for a really cool release.

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Bahool Records artist: The McMaMarr Project - Holla & Moan - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Holla & Moan, from The McMaMarr Project and it's dripping in soul. Opening with title track, Holla and Moan, a romping R&B track John McNamara and Andrea Marr team up vocally making a really cool team. McNamara handles lead guitar backed by Bobby Manuel on guitar, Ray Griffin on bass, Willie Hall on drums, Lester Snell on keys, Scott Thompson on trumpet, Lannie McMillan on tenor sax, and Jim Spake on bari sax. With a solid bass line by Griffin, Throwing Down a Little Love has a real firm beat and great vocal blending highlighted by great blues guitar riffs by McNamara. Soul ballad, History has a taste of country and a nice dash of blues with warm vocals and melody. Definitely the top radio track on the release. Another easy floating vocal track, Something That's Real, blends the honesty of early country music with R&B for a unique soulful blend. Wrapping the release is Blues Brought Me Here, a cool mix of country blues and gospel. McNamara and Marr's vocals are perfect together and this track is a solid representation of the facts. Very cool release. 

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Michael Bloom and the Blues Prophecy - Whisper in the Wind - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Whisper in the Wind, by Michael Bloom and the Blues Prophecy and it's a cool relaxed blues rocker. Opening with Time On My Hands, Bloom is up front on lead vocal and guitar with Minuro Maruyama, also on guitars, Michael Damani on keys, an excellent rolling bass line by Jeffrey Labon, and Andrew Thomas and Faustino Cortez on drums. Just Can't Win is a real nice contemporary blues track with a solid melody and again, a cool bass line by Labon. Bloom and Michael Damani lay out some really cool guitar lines on this one as it floats along nicely. Bloom's take on Brownsville has classic styling with Bloom on slide and lead vocal and cool piano rolls by Damani. One of my release favorites is slower blues, Old Man Blues with Bloom stretching his chops on electric lead guitar and with Brant Leeper on B3. Clocking in at nearly 7 minutes...very nice. No Luck At All is an interesting blues track with a different kind of approach to an Albert King style blues. With it's funky bottom and stinging guitar lead by Bloom and Maruyama and Damani on keys, this is another of my favorites on the release. With a bit of that southern swagger, Lisa is another guitar showcase with Bloom and Tim Arnolld on guitars and Leeper on Wurlitzer. Wrapping the release is Robert Johnson's Dust My Broom with it's laid back pace. Mary lane is featured on lead vocal with Bloom on slide guitar, Damani on keys and Cortez on drums. Cool closer for a cool release. 

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Little Village Foundation: Junior Watson - Nothin' To It But To Do It - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothin' To It But To Do It, by Junior Watson and I really like it. It's become a theme, but I like most of what comes out of Greaseland, Kid Andersen's shop. Opening with Up and Out, an up tempo blazer led by Sax Gordon, Junior Watson opens this release like a showman with horns blazing. Gordon really has it humming with great underpinning by Kedar Roy on bass, Andrew Guterman on drums and Jim Pugh on keys, swinging the door open and letting Junior Watson run on guitar. Excellent! On swing boogie, Louella, Watson has lead vocal and guitar with big time sax work by Gordon. This track really has presence and Gordon shares the spotlight with Watson who shows why he's one of the best loved contemporary guitar players on the circuit. A Shot In The Dark is a terrific slower blues with Alabama Mike really working vocals upfront and giving Watson the space to work over his fretboard and he really does give it a great workout. One of my favorites on the release. Excellent Tex Mex track, Summer Love is a really nice showcase for Watson and his versatile guitar style. Moving quickly from Spanish to jazz, this is an excellent instrumental. Boogie track, That's Tough gives Watson, Gordon and Pugh all good shots upfront with Alabama Mike on lead vocal. Very cool. Gary Smith adds some real nice harmonica work on shuffle track, Well, You Know with Watson on lead vocal and some really cool lower octave guitar soloing. Another real cooker is Space Flight with Roy leading the way with his thumping bass line. Pugh, Watson and Gordon each taking monster solos. Excellent! Wrapping the release is You're Gonna Need Me Before I Need You featuring Lisa Anderson on lead vocal. This is the best showcase of her vocals on the release and with solid blues riffs by Watson and a firm bottom by Roy and Guterman, this is a solid closer. 

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American Showplace Music artist: Giles Robson - Don't Give Up On The Blues - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Don't Give Up On The Blues, from Giles Robson and I really like it. Opening with Land To Land Giles Robson on lead vocal and harmonica is a strong force to be reckoned with. His vocals are real and his harp playing solid. Backed by Bruce Katz on piano and Hammond, Aaron Lieberman on guitar, Antar Goodwin on bass and Ray Hangen on drums, this band is tight. Title track, Don't Give Up On the Blues is a cool shuffle track in pure Chicago style. Robson ramps up his harmonica showing his classic styling and key whiz Bruck Katz digs on piano for some terrific riffs as well. With it's Bo Diddley beat, Hangen really hammers it out on Damn Fool Way and Robson's tone is pure gold. Slow blues number, Your Dirty Look & Your Sneaky Grin is a terrific track with solid vocals, rich harmonica work by Robson and a real nice piano solo by Katz. Very nice. Harmonica/piano boogie track, Boogie at the Showplace is a terrific track and my choice for favorite track on the release. It has great tempo and style and gives both Robson and Katz a great opportunity to give it up. Giles' Theme is a great jam with a cool beat. Robson leads the way with slick harp riffs and Katz adds in trademark B3 overtones making this another top track.  Really kicking it is That Ol' Heartbreak Sound and it's fast paced rhythm Goodwin and Hangen really drive it hard and Robson alternates vocal and harp, Mayall style giving this track real juice. Both Katz and Lieberman throw down real nice solos on this track making it another personal favorite on the release. Wrapping the release is Way Past Midnight, an excellent slower blues with tension so thick you could smell it. Robson slowly builds the tension on harmonica with nice chord work by Lieberman. Katz rolls in over eased up chords with his B3 and winds it up further before turning it back to Robson who carries it to the peak. This is a terrific track and a super closer. 

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