Polymerase Records artist: Tom Gilberts - Old School - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Old School, from Tom Gilberts and it really is "Old School" style blues rock. Opening with "Lady" Luck, a slow 12 bar blues featuring everybody's favorite format...3 piece combo. Tom Gilbert on lead guitar and vocal, Brian Foxworth on drums and Dave Captein on bass gives this release a solid opener. Instrumental, Zoot Suit Shuffle has a brisk tempo giving Gilbert plenty of space to showcase his fluid guitar riffs. Title track, Old School, is another fast paced shuffle, this time featuring Gilbert on slide guitar and vocal. Hi playing is melodic and just a little edgy making it perfect for this track. My Paper Bag is another cool instrumental with a cleaner tone and more of a Texas style guitar riff sequence and lope. Very cool. Instrumental, Brown's Camp has a cool, funky beat and warm, round tone placing it in a more southeastern blues camp with the likes of Warren Haynes. Very nice. Nighttime may be my favorite track on the release with it's somber melody, lower octave guitar work and a Texmex influence. Wrapping the release is The Fuzz, a real butt kicker with a funky beat, a lot of bottom and searing guitar riffs. With the addition of fuzz tone on the guitar lead this is an excellent closer for a totally enjoyable release. 

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Best Side Records artist: OSLU - Another Token - New Releaase Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Another Token, from OSLU (Our Little Secret Underground), a modern blues/rock recording project based in the UK and it's cool. Opening with Andy Lewis original, Julian, a smart piano. Lewis does a nice job in the writing and execution. Solid opener. One of my favorite JJ Cale tracks, Crazy Mama get only the slightest of modifications with wah wah guitar soloing as well. Very nice. A straight up 12 bar slow blues, Blues For Embassy gives Lewis an opportunity to stretch a bit on the fretboard with Clapton inspired riffs over organ and his own more polished vocal style. JB Lenoir's I Want To Know, is a great guitar shuffle with Charles Grassot, somewhat in the style of Skip James. I like this track. Maybe my favorite on the release. Su Kirby-Clarke is featured on lead vocal on Jane's Return and the strength of the track is her vocal richness. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a Lenoir reprise, I Want To Know, with  Grassot on vocal, traditional acoustic blues guitar duet riffs and solid vocal. Super closer. 

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Blue Kitty Music artist: Liz Mandeville - Playing With Fire - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Playing With Fire, from Liz Mandeville, and it's a solid blues entry. Opening with smooth shuffle, Bailing the Titanic, Mandeville on lead vocal and guitar is backed by Dario Lombardo on lead guitar, Andy Sutton on drums, and Steve Hart. Comfort Food Blues is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's Chatmon like sound and excellent slide work from Minoru Maruyama and Darryl Wright on bass. On Chicago style track, I Just Cry, Philippe Fernandez rips some great guitar riffs pushing Mandeville into a great vocal zone. With Gilles Gabisson on harp,  and Andre Howard on bass this track is smokin.  He Loves My Biscuits is a great swing track with my favorite vocals on the release. A smooth delivery, accented by the vocal and violin contributions of Ilana Katz Katz and additional vocals by Carl Uchiyama and real nice guitar runs by Mandeville, makes this another of the top tracks on the release. Peter Struijk shows great guitar style on  Joliet Town, a strong 8 bar number with Dizzy Bolinski on harp, Bass on drums and  Hart on bass.  Hart leads the way on bass, laying down a driving boogie line on Boss Lady. With Bolinski taking the first solo on harp and Johnny Burgin stepping up with some stinging riffs of his own, this track has a great feel. Wrapping the release is John Hartford's country style blues, (Hey Babe) Ya Wanna Boogie? with Mandeville on vocal and washboard, Struijk on acoustic guitar and a cool tuba solo by Hart. Super closer for a cool release.

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Stony Plain Records artist: Rory Block - Prove It On Me - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Prove It On Me, by Rory Block and it's pretty tasty. Opening with Helen Humes' He May Be Your Man, Rory Block uses her laid back bluesy style with some of her best vocals in years, matched by her always concise guitar riffs. Excellent opener. Stuff Smith's If You're a Viper is a great tune, paying tribute to Rosetta Howard. Block's vocals are altered into a cool, more vintage feel and with light percussion and great slide, all played by Block. Very nice. Ma Rainey's Prove It On Me is the title track and shines brightly with full, thick vocals and sweet slide work. Blocks really hits her stride on this release, with a clean contemporary recording of excellent old classics. Memphis Minnie's In My Girlish Days is among my favorites on the release with rich vocal styling and Block's well known slide techniques, backed by her own angelic harmonies. Merline Johnson's Milk Man Blues (Yas Yas Girl) is my favorite track on the release with it's perfect poised pace, Block's extra work on vocal delivery which is extremely convincing for the time period and always excellent slide work. Wrapping the release is Elvie Thomas' Motherless Child, a strong closer with deep vocal character and clean slide soloing. This is a strong acoustic release. Check it out!  

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Louise Cappi - Me'lange - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Me'lange, from Louise Cappi and it's a mix of Latin jazz,  rock, and ballads. Opening with Brazilian influenced Bossa Nova style jazz pop, Talk To Me, Jenna McSwain on piano, Cali Millington on bass, AJ Hall on drums, and Russell Ramirez on trombone. Cool opener. Cappi gives Randy Newman's Guilty and bluesy ballad feel and lays out some of the best vocals on the release, backed by Dean Zucchero on bass, Piere Menefield on drums, and Alex Krahe on guitar. Stirring in a little bit of soul with Chain of Fools/Unchain My Heart Cappi has a warm, club feel with David Hyde on bass, Krahe on guitar and vocal and John Doheny on sax. Gershwin's classic, Summertime gets a cool jazzy makeover and Cappi shows her jazz pedigree (daughter of later NY jazz guitarist, Al Cappi) with plenty of style. Wrapping the release is Leon Russell's Song For You. Cappi takes it straight with Paul Longstreth on piano accompaniment. This is a serious vocal release with a taste of everything. 

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Stony Plain Records artist: Sass Jordan - Rebel Moon Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rebel Moon Blues, from Sass Jordan and it's got a raw edge. Opening with a funky take on Sleepy John Estes' Leaving Trunk, Sass Jordan shows just how special her vocals can be with Steve Mariner on harp adding great punctuation. Backed by the Champagne Hookers, Chris Caddell on guitars, Jimmy Reid on guitars, Derrick Brady on bass and Cassius Pereira on drums, this is a great opener. Smokin. On Keb Mo's Am I Wrong, Jordan works it hard with Caddell on slide acoustic guitar, kick drums and basic handclaps percussion. Simple and solid. JB Hutto's Too Much Alcohol gets a strong remake with Caddell on slide dobro. Keeping the track in it's raw "acoustic" format and accentuating the raw marriage between Jordan's vocals and the sound of Caddell's resonator guitar makes for great blues. Wrapping the release is Gary Moore's blues ballad, Still Got The Blues. Jordan backs off of the throttle just a little and allows the natural smoothness of her vocals float on the back of Moore's melodic guitar lead, played here by Caddell. This is a cool release showing the strong vocal talents of Jordan.

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Grant Dermody - My Dony - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Dony, from Grant Dermody, and it's real, old school southern blues. Opening with title track, My Dony, Grant Dermody on lead vocal and harmonica shows real grit with the richness of hill country blues. Dirk Powell, who plays lead guitar and also worked as the engineer on the release, makes ever guitar note count with a solid backing band of Jamie Dick on drums and Jason Sypher on bass. With more of an urban feel, One Step At A Time, still has a raw purity but sounding more Chicago with fat harp work by Dermody and the addition of Corey Ledet on accordion.  Very cool. On slower, Springtime Blues, not only are Dermody's vocals point on but Powell's lead guitar work plays nicely against the strong harmonica lines of Dermody. Very nice. Corner Strut is definitely a contemporary piece with a heavy bass line and bouncy drum rhythm. Dermody's vocals seem to skip across the music like a stone and his harmonica work adds great texture. A cool solo by Ledet adds a different dimension for funk music making this another cool entry. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Come On Sunshine with Dermody teaming up with Kelli Jones on lead vocal and some real cool stumble drumming from Dick. With a surf overtone, 35-59 is a cool rocker. This is the kind of track that could easily find itself as a tv show theme or a radio hit...quirky but cool. Wrapping the release is Hometown Blues, a straight up shuffle with strong lead vocals and harmonica lead by Dermody over a solid blues vamp. Solid closer for a strong release. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Casey Hensley - Good As Gone - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good As Gone, from Casey Hensley and there's some powerful good music on there. Opening with driving blues rocker and title track, Good As Gone and Casey Hensley wastes no time in showing what she's got. A powerful lead singer along the lines of Ann Wilson, Hensley cuts loose over a potent rhythm section of Laura Chavez on guitar, Marcos C. on bass and Evan Caleb Yearsley on drums. On You Should Be Lucky, Chavez steps up in the mix with that rich guitar tone that she's known for playing some blistering riffs balancing Hensley's strong vocals. With a shift to swing style and the beat on 2, Be My Baby (What Do You Say?) is a comfortable style for Hensley with perfect clarity and Chavez of course plays tight and right. Blues ballad, Love Will Break Your Heart is the best showcase for Hensley's vocals on the release with a smooth backing vocals, horn work by Jonny Viau and Steven Ebner and of course tasty guitar soloing by Chavez. Another solid blues ballad, Don't Want It to Stop finds Hensley pushing hard with gutsy vocals and Chavez does another beautiful job of squeezing the blues from her guitar. Very nice. Wrapping the release is jump track, All In, with Hensley and Chavez both showing giving it a great run. This is a super closer for a strong release. 

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Put Together Music artist: The Reverend Shawn Amos and the Brotherhood - Blue Sky - New release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blue Sky, from The Reverend Shawn Amos and the Brotherhood and it's an airy mix of folk, rock , blues R&B... You name it. Opening with, Stranger Than Today, Amos on lead vocal and harp, backed by Brady Blade on drums, Christopher Thomas on bass, and Chris Roberts on guitar the feel is high plains and relaxed. On Counting Down The Days, the band gets a real interesting groove going with an odd guitar riff, and great backing vocals by Piper Amos, Sharlotte Gibson and Kenya Hathaway and featuring a really expressive harp solo by Amos. Very nice. Hold Back is a driving rocker with cool, Ike and Tina backing vocals. Really cool. Rolling shuffle, 27 Dollars is one of my favorites on the release is wild vocals, a super piano solo by Matt Hubbard and a tight rhythms by Blade. Wrapping the release is a cool New Orleans style track, Keep The Faith, Have Some Fun with Jamelle Adisa on trumpet, Marc Bolin on sousaphone, Mike Cottone on trumpet, Matthew Demerritt on tenor sax, and Dan Weinstein on trombone. An excellent closer for a solid release. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Backtrack Blues Band - Your Baby Has Left - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Your Baby Has Left, from Backtrack Blues Band and it's a solid, straight up blueser. Opening with Best Friend's Grave (Joy, Joy, Joy) Sonny Charles on lead vocal and harmonica steps off this shuffle, with Kid Royal on lead guitar, Little Johnny Walter on rhythm guitar, Joe Bencomo on drums, Stick Davis on bass, Bruce Katz on organ and piano and with backing vocals by Latonya Oliver and Dana Merriwether. Title track, Your Baby Has Left is a great boogie with super harp work by Charles and stinging guitar accents by Royal. With it's low slung lope, Natural Born Lover features Royal on lead vocal and nicely styled guitar riffs and cool piano work by Katz freeing up Charles to lay a little heavier into the harp. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is up tempo shuffle, You'll Come Back Someday. I particularly like Charles lead vocal on this track and his harp work, punched up by Vinnie Ciesielski on trumpet and Brad Guin on sax and Royal's guitar work is always  particularly cool. Wrapping the release is slow blues number, Times Is Hard with a great guitar intro and lead vocals by Royal. With nicely interwoven, short solo riffs by Guin, Katz and Charles and a more extended guitar solo by Royal, this is an excellent closer for a solid release. 

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Wide Mouth Mason - I Wanna Go With You - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Wanna Go With You, from Wide Mouth Mason and it's got a cool, stripped down, earthy sound. Opening with Bodies In Motion, Saskatoon born Shaun Verreault on vocal and guitars and Safwan Javed on percussion and vocals establish a high bar with a fat guitar toned, blues rhythmed, track with a solid melody and super vocals. With phrasing that puts me in mind of prime Leon Russell, this is a super track. Quick paced, Some Kind of Requiem, is a snappy, contemporary blues number with fluid slide runs and strong vocals. Very nice. I really love the overdriven electric guitar sound that Verreault gets on Erase Any Trace. These guys have focused in on a really cool blend of blues, rock and gospel styling that really hits square. Very nice. On Only Child, Mason stretches further into the driving rock styling but preserving the raw blues edge grinds out s pure rocker. Excellent! Another style covered is southern blues style of Shorty Medlock on High Road. Guitar picking, over laid on slide work and a driving bass line gives this track particular traction. Listen closely on Modern Love, yes, the Daviid Bowie hit track gets a total rework and if you don't catch the words will likely slip right past you. It retains the original energy but totally reworking the track format, and with the addition of Shawn "The Harpoonist" Hall makes this redo is very successful.  Rag style track, Outsourced gives Verreault a great opportunity to show off his guitar work and the addition of Kelly "Mr Chill" Hoppe on harmonica and nicely blended vocals, a cool track. Wrapping the release is a really solid radio track, You Get Used To It with great vocal blending between Verreault and Javed. With it's contemporary rock styling and sound, this is the definite radio track on the release and a super closer. 

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Moosicus Records artist: Bai Kamara Jr & The Voodoo Sniffers - Salone - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Salone, from Bai Kamara Jr & The Voodoo Sniffers and it's a cool, mix of blues, folk and African sounds. Kamara, from Brussels originally came from Sierra Leone. Opening with Can't Wait Here Too Long, a cool folk oriented track, showcases Bai Kamara Jr on lead vocal and guitar with a distinct Mali influence and solid blues style vocal. Can't say I've heard anything quite like this before but it is cool. Black Widow Spider is another cool track with only a sketch of guitar and percussion behind ultra cool blues phrased vocals. With a bit of a more mellow blues format but still with what sounds to me like  Mali influence makes Cold Cold Love one of my favorite tracks on the release. Cry Baby has more of a pure "American" blues feel with bluesy vocal styling but again without abandoning that African purity. Very nice. Don't Worry About Me is another strong track with blending between western and African rhythms. Very nice. Time Has Come is a great song with a great Northern African beat. Highest energy track on the release and solid roots. Very nice change up. Boogie track, Fortune, has a distinct John Lee Hooker feel with percussion and a driving guitar beat. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Some Kind Of Loving Tonight which is heavily rooted in American blues with standard 12 bar formatting and even the traditional foot tap. This is a very interesting release and one that I am looking forward to listening to more.

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Albert Castiglia - Wild and Free (Live) - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild and Free (Live), from Albert Castiglia and it's a powerful blues rocker. Opening with Big Dog, Castiglia opens the doors and lets the dog off the leash right from the start. This is one guy that I haven't seen in concert that I'd really like to see and he is smoking! Castiglia on lead vocal and lead guitar, is backed by Justine Tompkins on bass, Ephrain Lowell on drums, Lewis Stephens on B3 and piano. One thing that I was really conscious about on Hoodoo on Me is the terrific guitar tome that Castiglia is getting on his rhythm part. Powered by his guitar and Stephens on B3, this track keeps the heavy drive going. With a firm bass line by Tompkins and fluid guitar lead, this track is another killer. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Get Your Ass In the Van and features some terrific slide work from Castiglia. Cool piano work by Stephens and solid vocals make this a hard track not to love. Searching The Desert For The Blues has a thunderous opening with bass, B3, drums and rhythm guitar. Castiglia really has a take no prisoners approach to his show which pins you back in your seat. His lead guitar work is imposing and inspired. Very nice. Mike Zito and John Ginty join Castiglia on Johnny Winter's Too Much Seconal. Adopting a bit of Winters swagger vocally and stinging guitar riffs, and with the addition of Ginty on keys this is pure 70's style blues rock at it's best. Wrapping the release is hard paced Boogie Funk with it's driving bass line and thrashing guitar lead. This is a great release, head to toe. You want to rock (blues style)? Get this cd! Excellent!!!

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Eller Soul Records artist: Andrew Alli - Hard Workin' Man - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hard Workin' Man, from Andrew Alli and it's a solid slice of blues. Opening with title track, Hard Workin' Man, a great blues number sounds like it's right out of the Elmore James songbook. Andrew Alli, who covers vocals and harmonica shows all of the raw edge of old school blues. Backed by Jon Atkinson on guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, Danny Michael on guitar and Devin Neal on drums, this is a super opener. AA Boogie is a real foot stomper and gives Alli a great platform to blow his harp. Excellent! With a Latin rhythm, Going Down South is a cool blues number with what sounds like Alli singing through his harp mic, answered with his harp. Cool slide work by Atkinson gives the track a warmup and Alli joins back with raw harp tones. Very nice. Walter Horton's, Walter's Sun is a great instrumental with fleet fingered guitar work and particularly nice harp riffs. 30 Long Years is a really nice, slower blues with great depth. This is authentic stuff here and between the strong guitar riffs, and the rich harp and vocal work by Alli, how could you want more! Chron-A-Thick is another instrumental blast with really strong harp playing. Alli is really cooking on this one...sit back and enjoy! Up tempo, Easy Going Man, has a great groove with strong guitar accents. Alli's vocals are clean and clear on this one and Atkinson's guitar literally sings. Alli has a choke hold on his harp and he isn't letting go. Michael's guitar work is tight and straight adding nicely to the track. Very very nice! Wrapping the release is So Long, a cool Chicago style shuffle. Leyland steps up on piano with a nice rhythm and again really nicely phrased guitar soloing. Alli carries the track on his solid vocals and strong harp playing. This is a really cool release. If you love pure electric blues, this is your ticket.  

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Green Bullet Records artists: Liam Ward and Malcolm Thorne - You Are My Medicine - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Are MY Medicine, by Liam Ward and Malcolm Thorne and it's light, bright and bluesy. Opening with title track, You Are My Medicine, Liam Ward sings lead vocal and plays harmonica with Malcolm Thorne accompanying on guitar and backing vocals. A nice melody and solid vocals make this a solid radio style opener. On Down Home Blues the emphasis goes more toward the acoustic slide work of Thorne and Ward's bluesy harmonica styling. Vocals are strong on this earthy track. Bulldoze Blues is a cool boogie with a driving rhythm line by Thorne and tight vocals by Ward. This is my favorite track on the release with it's simple, straight up approach. Wrapping the release is Song For Dennie is a nicely crafted acoustic instrumental track with simple yet cleanly executed guitar rhythms and harmonica melody. Solid closer for a cool release.

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Avey Grouws Band - The Devil May Care - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Devil May Care, from Avey Grouws Band and it's a swinging blues release. Opening with shuffle, Come And Get This Love, Jeni Grouws has the leash with lead vocals backed by Chris Avey on guitars, Bryan West on drums, Randy Lesman on bass and Nick Vasquez on keys. A radio flavored track, this one is smooth.  With a driving Latin influenced beat and a western structure, Rise Up is a cool track. Not only does it give the band room to stretch, and Avey a crisp opportunity to lay down some solid riffs, it is also some of my favorite vocals by Grouws on the release. Weary is one of the coolest tracks on the release with a low key background and total vocal melody, over the glistening guitar trim of Avey and Vasquez key work. With a real Latin sway, Dirty Little Secrets has a definite groove. West sets a strong path on drums and Avey channels his inner Peter Green (Santana). Very Nice. Dig What You Do is a real rock and roller with Avey and Grouws singing a duet. This is definitely my favorite track on the release with it's grinding guitar run, rock (abilly) guitar solo and tight vocal pairing. Very cool. Wrapping the release is dusty shuffle, Two Days Off (And A Little Bit Of Liquor) and it's laid back vocal lead. With the addition of Nolan Schroeder on sax and Dan Meier on trumpet this track has a definite jazzy taste and finds Avey rolling into a great swing blues solo. Excellent closer for a solid release. 

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Melody Place Music artist: Lisa Mills - The Triangle - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Triangle, by Lisa Mills and I really like it. I feel immediately that this release will solicit comparisons to some of more known blues singers but I think that Mills has her own voice. This first set was recorded in Muscle Shoals and the opener, Little Richard's Greenwood, Mississippi is a warm R&B style rocker with plenty of spunk. Backed by Clayton Ivey on keys, Bob Wray on bass, John Willis on lead guitar, Fred Mollin on rhythm and acoustic guitars and Justin Holder on drums and with punchy horn work by Jim Hoke on sax and Steve Herman on trumpet, this is a solid opener.  Clarence Carter's, Tell Mama has the spunk you'd expect from James or Joplin but her vocals are in a groove and with the unmistakable horn work of the south, the cool guitar solo by Willis and key solo by Ivey, it's all south! Very nice. Moving on to Memphis for the next set the tracks get a little more funky with That's What Love Will Make You Do. Michael Toles on lead guitar lays down a cool solo line and with Lester Snell on keys, Leroy Hodges on bass, Steve Potts on Drums and Rev Charles Hodges on B3. A new town and a definite different spin puts you right on the middle of that soul sound. Very nice. Another great track from this set is Otis Redding's, sweat soaked, That's How Strong My Love Is. Sounding like it's right off of a 45 in 1968, this one is smooth. On to Jackson, Mississippi, and Denise LaSalle's Someone Else Is Steppin' In. Buddy Guy has almost adopted this as his trademark track and Mills' voice is really made for it. In the audiophile business, they say a speaker loves a voice, her voice loves this track. It really does show off the richness of her voice and a ripped sax solo by Hoke is a perfect topping. This set features Sam Brady on keys, Mike Thorn on bass, Brennan White on lead guitar, Mollin on rhythm guitar, and George Lawrence on drums. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Travel On. There's just something about certain tracks and how they make you feel and this one has it! Excellent! Wrapping the release is Just Walking In The Rain, a simple, soulful ballad.. Mills and Michael Toles on guitar. This is a real nice cool down track for what is an exceptional soul release. 

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