Endrick and the Sandwiches - Green Room Rumble - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Green Room Rumble, from Endrick and the Sandwiches and it's a lot of fun. Opening with Junior Parker's Mystery Train, Montreal's own Endrick and The Sandwich has their blues groove on. Endrick Tremblay on lead vocal, harmonica, piano, and guitar leads the way, backed by Greg McEvoy on guitar, Simon Ebber on bass, and Mandella Coupal Dalgleish on drums. Willie Dixon's slow blues, Choo Choo has really nice feel with solid vocals and giving Tremblay a little space to show his guitar chops. Very cool. Trouble In Mind, made popular by Chippie Hill is sung as a quiet duet featuring Tremblay and Rene Lauziere and hitting the spot nicely. Slim Harpo's Scratch My Back is up next and is a cool ramble. Tremblay on harp and guitar captures the funky blues feel and backing vocals balance it nicely. Original track, Devil Does is my favorite track on the release with Endrick on lead vocal and guitar and a feel that blends the Hill Country sound with contemporary stripped down blues. Very nice. Wrapping the release is another Dixon track, You Can't Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover, with a distinctly early British invasion sound. This is a solid blues rocker and strong closer. 

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Leaky Shoes Records artist: John McLean and Charles Barkatz - Shadow Man - New Release review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Shadow Man, by John McLean and Charles Barkatz and it's a mixed bag of blues based rock. Opening with Leaky Shoes Blues with it's almost Pink Floyd like feel and blues overtones. With John McLean on lead vocal, Charles Barkatz on guitar and vocal, Derek O'Brien on guitar, Nick Connolly on keys, Chris Maresh on bass and John Chipman on drums and with Kaz Kazanoff on sax, John Mills on bari sax, and Al Gomez on trumpet this is a cool opener. Title track, Shadow Man, is a bright shuffle with and a cool extended guitar solo. Slow blues, She Cry Blues is one of my favorite tracks on the release with fat sax work behind soulful vocal lead by McLean and tasty blues guitar lead and solid accents. Bathtub Blues is a cool, upbeat blues rocker with the addition of Kazanoff on harmonica. Wrapping the release is New Life, a strong blues track in the manner of Willie Dixon. With it's hard rhythmic bottom, loose but cool guitar lead and cohesive piano work, under the lead vocals of McLean and backing vocals by Connolly, John Chipman, Stuart Sullivan, Derek O'Brien, Maresh, Kazanoff and Barkatz, this is a cool closer for an interesting release. 

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Roots Art Records artist: Andres Roots - Mississippi to Loch Lomond - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mississippi to Loch Lomond, from Andres Roots and it's a strong set of acoustic style blues tracks from one of todays strongest slide players. Opening with In The Dark, a cool delta style slide piece, Roots digs in with great attack and fervor. A more solitude approach was taken on Build Me A Statue where strong, yet deliberate slide phrasing is the key. On Snake Girl Blues, Roots uses an effective blues phrase as the refrain with a cool slide anchor and slides nicely through the melody. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Legacy Blues with it's traditional structure and sweet slide phrasing. Roots has a real nice hand and works this track just right. Another of my favorites is finger picked 4 AM Hot Dog with it's Piedmont kind of style and driving thumb bass line. Alternating back and forth between flat and slide, a real nice track. With it's light feel, Spanish Run moves from a rock/surf like tune done on acoustic guitar to a more intricate and classical like tune with varying time signatures. Very cool. Traditional tune, Station Blues Medley is a sliding cruise through melodies including You Gotta Move and Sitting On Top Of The World. The Sheik Of Hawaii blends multicultural melodic and rhythmic concepts, all expressed on slide guitar creating quite an interesting outcome. Wrapping the release is Wagon Swing, falls back to a more traditional blues style track with a solid bass drone and slide melody. This release shows a perfect balance of traditional and contemporary acoustic and slide blues influenced music. Very nice. 

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Beauwater - Who Works For Who? - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Who Works For Who?, by Beauwater, a cool blues rock band from Canada. Opening with title track, Who Works For Who?, Jonathon Reid, on lead guitar and vocal is upfront with Michael Maddox on drums, Greg Newhook on bass, Chris Kirby on slide guitar (which adds nicely to the opener) and keys. With a heavy lumbering rhythm, The Real McCoy has a great feel, augmented by Kelly Hoppe on harmonica and the rocking guitar work of Reid. Funky, Long Way Down is really working it with a great bass line by Newhook, with solid vocals by Reid, warm organ work by Kirby and and the addition of trumpet by Terry Campbell and sax by Chris Harnett. Poison is a solid blues rocker with strong radio appeal. With it's straight forward melody, tight drum rhythm and wailing harmonica under Reid's vocals, this is a strong track. Wrapping the release is One Way Out, another solid radio track with a strong melody. A definite blues rocker with added tension on keys, this is a super closer for a solid rock release. 

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The Last Music Company artist: Jimmie Vaughan - The Pleasure's All Mine - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Pleasure's All Mine, from Jimmie Vaughn and it's a super blues cd. Opening disc one with title track, The Pleasure's All Mine, Jimmie Vaughan lays right in the slot with this low slung blues track. His guitar work is stylistic and tasty, his vocals are solid and fat sax by Kas Kasenoff work really caps it nicely with George Rains on drums, Ronnie James on bass, Billy Pitman on rhythm guitar and Greg Picollo on tenor sax. Terrific instrumental, Comin' & Goin' really hits the spot with tight drums rhythms by Rains and a melodic guitar lead. Excellent! Up beat shuffle, How Can You Be So Mean, will get you bopping in your seat. Vaughan has one of those voices that works really nicely with swing beat music and his guitar style has just the right sting. Really nice. Cool boogie track, Roll, Roll, Roll has a strong bottom and Vaughan's vocal paired with his loose, but slick style makes for an unbeatable pair. Another great jump track, (She's Got the) Blues For Sale, pairs the hot sax work of Picollo and Kasenoff with carefree vocals and really tasty guitar work by Vaughan.

Opening disc 2 with two stepper, I Ain't Never, Vaughan sets a simple guitar palate but teamed with his smooth vocals and Doug James on sax makes for a great opener.  Slower blues, Teardrop Blues, gives Vaughan a super opportunity to dig in on guitar and he takes the opportunity to work it nicely. Paired with a sax underwork by Picollo and James, this is a really nice track. R&B track, What Makes You So Tough really works nicely into Vaughn's repertoire with more emphasis on vocal but still turning to some stinging riffs to accent the way.  Jazzy instrumental, Greenbacks, is a really nice departure from the blues with a great swing and fluid guitar runs. Super bari sax soloing by Doug James and a tight bottom by Rains makes this one of my favorites on the release. Cried Like A Baby has particularly soulful vocals by Vaughn and excellent guitar punctuation which really is Vaughn's trademark. Very cool! Wrapping the set is Shake A Hand, featuring Lou Ann Barton on lead vocal over solid horn backing by James and Picollo and a final fat sax solo by James makes this a strong closer to a great set. 

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Laura Green - Green Eyed Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Green Eyed Blues, from Laura Green and it's a cool mix of rock, blues, country and soul. Opening with country flavored, Bone To Pick, Laura Green is up front on lead vocals, backed by Art Dwyer on bass, Aaron Griffin on slide, Rob Lee on drums and Bob Lohr on piano. Her paired vocal with Rich McDonough who also plays guitar makes this a solid opener. Green really shines on It Ain't Easy, a shuffle track with a gospel structure. With backing vocals by Renee Smith, Chris Shepherd, Ron Roskowske, Michelle Isam and Ellen Kinkle make this one of my favorites on the release. Folk blues, Mama Don't Cry is a real nice track with strong vocal lead by Green over acoustic guitar and mandolin by Charlie Pfeffer. Excellent! Joe Meyer adds a real nice tom tom rhythm to That's Right, a Bo Diddley like track and Griffin's guitar work really shines. Shuffle track, Cry, has a solid blues feel and Green's vocals shine nicely. Wrapping the release is slow shuffle, Don't Know Why, with Green working the melody over some real tasty guitar work. With Bill Murphy on keys and Meyer on drums, a cool closer for a cool release. 

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Joyann Parker - Out of the Dark - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out of the Dark, from Joyann Parker and it's a solid set of radio directed tracks with plenty of beef. Opening with Gone So Long, a country rock flavored track featuring Mark Lamoine on guitar and slide, Bill Golden on drums and Brad Schaefer on bass. With a lightly funky beat by Golden and Schaefer and the addition of Laycey Dreamz and Patricia Lacy on backing vocals, nested nicely on the warm key strokes  of Tim Wick on organ, Carry On is a solid country rocker with strong vocal lead by Parker. Either Way is a really nice ballad and a strong showcase for Parker's voice with only acoustic guitar and slide supporting her vocals. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Predator with it's Latin rhythm and seductive vocal styling by Parker, tasty guitar work by Lamoine and the addition of Dave Foley on trumpet. Come On Baby (Take Me Dancing) is an ideal radio track with a catchy melody and upbeat memorable feel. Rocker, Fool For You, is a hard driver with rolling drums, hammering piano and strong slide work by Lamoine under the powerful vocals of Parker. Wrapping the release is soulful title track, Out of the Dark, with the addition of strings by Greg Byers, keys by Parker, backing vocals by Bill Golden, Dreamz, Lacy and strong lead vocal by Parker. 

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Michael Schatte - Conundrum - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Conundrum, from Michael Schatte and it's an interesting contemporary rock release. Opening with high energy, Water In The Kettle, singer, guitar player, Michael Schatte cranks out a radio track on par with Glenn Frey. Also playing violin and percussion and backed by Ryan Spratt on bass, Riley O'Connor on drums, Sacha Visagie on vocal and Carson Freeman on sax, this track hits the note. Pop track, Genevieve, had straight up rock lines and a solid melody. Shuffle track, Please Don't Dance With My Brother, has definite blues roots with a tight rhythm by O'Connor and cool sax by Freeman. Come On Down is a solid boogie track with great drive. With Schatte on vocal, guitars, organ and bass, adding only Chad Davis on drums, this is my favorite track on the release. Bluesy ballad, In The Cold Hard Here And Now is a real cool track with a strong melody and folky twist. Schatte's mandolin work on this track add a real nice compliment. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Good King Richard, made up of traditional folk tunes and a tribute to English guitarist, Richard Thompson. This is a cool closer for a cool release. 

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Cathy Grier + The Troublemakers - I'm All Burn - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I'm All Burn, from Cathy Grier + The Troublemakers and it's a cool blend of R&B and blues. Opening with title track, I'm All Burn, Cathy Grier is upfront on vocal and guitar, backed by Deirdre Fellner on backing vocal, Jim Ohlschmidt on guitar, Larry Byrne on organ, Greg Roteik on bass, matt Liben on drums, Pauli Ryan on percussion, and with great horn work by Andrew Spadafora on sax, Joe Neimann on trumpet and Mike Lizzo on trombone. Down on My Knees is a cool pop R&R track with clean vocals, great bari sax work and a tight dance rhythm. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Backyard Blues with strong, soul vocals by Grier, solid slide by Greg Koch and Steve Cohen on harmonica.  Bluesy ballad, Easy Come Easy Go is a terrific showcase for Grier's voice and warm organ work by Byrne cements the deal. Very nice. Bobbi Gentry's Ode To Billy Joe gets a slightly funkier rework and with the addition of Howard Levy on harmonica a bluesier overall feel. This is a cool rework of a mostly forgotten track. Wrapping the release is Cathy's Bike Song, a somber blues track with Grier accompanying herself on cigar box guitar. This is a special track that creates solid tension.

 

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Danny Brooks & Lil Miss Debi - Are You Ready? - The Mississippi Sessions - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Are You Ready? - The Mississippi Sessions from Danny Brooks & Lil Miss Debi. Opening with straight up rocker and title track, Are You Ready? Danny Brooks leads the way on vocal and guitar with Debi on vocal, Chalmers Davis on B3, Joel may on drums, Micah May on bass on Geri O'Neal on bass. Jesus Had the Blues has a cool strut with soulful lead guitar and vocal by Brooks, and with James Lawlis on sax, Paul Mitchell on trumpet, and Peter Hysen on tuba. Very nice. With revival gospel styling, Let Me Know is full of energy with Danny and Debi trading vocal and vibrant drum work by May. Debi gets her lead vocal showcase on John Prine's Angel From Montgomery. A cool duet with Brooks on vocal, guitar and harmonica, this is the choice radio track for the release.  My favorite track on the release is One More Mile (To Mississippi), a stripped down hill country style hollar with cajon and harmonica under lead vocal. Very nice. With a full load of soul, When I'm Holding You is another particularly track with a strong melody, warm keys and guitar and Brook's best vocal on the release. Wrapping the release is cool track, The Battle with gritty vocals by Brooks and great tuba work by Peter Hysen and strong trumpet work by Mitchell. This is a dynamite closing for a solid release. 

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Cleopatra Blues: Junior Wells - Blues Brothers - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Brothers by Junior Wells and featuring many contemporary blues players. Opening with low slung, Blues Hit Big Town, Colin James weighs in on lead guitar with Wells on Harp. Good Morning Little School Girl lines up Pat Travers on guitar and James Montgomery on harp. I really like Montgomery's work and his interweaving with Travers on this track is tight. One of Well's most loved classics, Messin' With the Kid gets a rework with Tyler Bryant on guitar and his open tone with just the right amount of reverb works really nicely. Baby, Scratch My Back features Albert Castiglia and I always like his style. He doesn't overplay but his notes all count. Very nice. Eric Gales is featured on Lovey Dovey, Lovey One and his confident attack on this shuffle really works nicely. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Snatch It Back And Hold It, featuring Joe Louis Walker. His guitar work is fluid and fleet with just the right bend. Wrapping the release is Hoodoo Man Blues again with Walker on guitar. Walker really is a great fit for this track with his soulful trem bends and tasty fills. This is a strong closer for a very cool release. 

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Provogue artist: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Straight To You Live - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Straight To You Live, from Kenny Wayne Shepherd and it's a solid rocker. This is a double pack with a cd recording as well as a dvd video of the concert. Opening with Woman Like You, KWS of course leads the pack on vocal and guitar, backed by Noah Hunt on vocal and guitar, Chris "Whipper" Layton on drums, Joe Krown on keys, Scott Nelson on bass, Mark Pender on trumpet and Joe Sublett on sax. Shepherd sets a solid pace and with his trademark vocals and fluid lead runs sets up a good opener. Elmore James' Talk To Me Baby has a real nice shuffle pace with Pender and Sublett on horns and Shepherd on guitar and slide and some of his best vocals on the release. Real nice sax work by Sublett and a hot trumpet solo by Pender gives this track a real turbo boost. Bluesy ballad, Heat of the Sun is one of my favorites on the release with soulful vocals by Shepherd and explosive, melodic guitar work by Shepherd. Very nice. Shame, Shame, Shame is a strong slower shuffle with fiery blues guitar riffs and excellent vocals by Shepherd. A nice piano solo by Krown and extensive soloing by KWS really pushes this almost 9 minute track over the top. Excellent! Joe Walsh's Turn To Stone is always a favorite and a great showcase for lead guitar players to lay it all out there. Very nice. Classic blues number turned rocker, I'm A King Bee is full of energy with a driving beat and standout key work from Krown. Wrapping the release is Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child with KWS throwing everything at it but the kitchen sink. This is a solid review of a classic tune over 11 minutes and an excellent closer for a strong release. 

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GSGS Music artist: Greg Sover Band - The Parade - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Parade, from Greg Sover Band and it's a strong rocker with roots in the blues. Opening with Wake Up, a firm rocker with a stiff drum rhythm and grinding guitar riff, GSB lets you know right up front that this is no ordinary blues band. With Sover on lead guitar and vocal, Garry Lee on bass, Allen James on guitars, Wally Smith on keys and Tom Walling on drums, this is a solid opener. On Feelin' Sumthin', Sover dons a resonation and lays in a cool slide riff pitted with Willing's punctuating snare strike over Lee's active bass line to create a modern, country blues rocker. It's nice to see Jack Bruce's Politician, come out on a new release. I have always love this track and Sover handles Bruce's vocal lead nicely and his own lead guitar is exciting with excellent drumming by Walling and a great bass groove by Lee. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Never Gonna Stop, a classic style rocker with a cool a super guitar/drum rhythm. Blended vocal lead by Sover and Lee and fluid rock guitar lead makes this a strong closer. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Kevin Burt - Stone Crazy - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stone Crazy, by Kevin Burt and it's a cool contemporary blues rocker with a pop edge. Opening with I Ain't Got No Problem With It, a free and easy rocker, Burt on lead vocal, guitar and harmonica is joined by Mike Zito on guitar, Doug Byrkit on bass, Matthew Johnson on drums, Lewis Stephens on keys and Jimmy Carpenter on sax. Purdy Lil Thing has a cool, swampy feel and Burt's deep, smooth vocals are excellent! Johnson's drum touch is terrific and guitar accents by Zito have just the right touch. R&B based, title track, Stone Crazy, has a laid back feel and Burt's vocals float nicely on a lush melody. You Get What You See is a smooth fusion between a blues shuffle and a Booker T jam. With it's driving guitar vamp and Carpenter's sax work, this is a cool track. With it's funky groove, Better Off Dead is one to be reckoned with. Burt lays in the pocket with the confidence of Bill Withers on the most likely radio track on the release. Wrapping the release is Got To Make A Change, an interesting ballad with wailing electric slide under Burt's soulful vocals. 

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Miss Emily - Live At The Isabel - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at the Isabel, from Miss Emily and it's solid. Opening with Sometimes It's Better To Lose, Miss Emily takes command of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts with her powerful vocals. Backed by Van Sheen, James McKenty and Rob Baker on guitar, Gord Sinclair on bass, Seamus Cowan on bass, Zak Colbert on bass, Sean Jensen and Rob Radford on drums, Benni Vander on keys, Jon "Bunny" Stewart on sax, and Spencer Evans on piano. Who Is He is a slinky R&B number with a cool guitar vamp and lush backing vocals by Kelly Prescott and Chad Murphy on backing vocals. Gospel flavored Three Words, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with super dynamics and heartfelt vocals, accompanied by piano. Very nice. The Letter, made popular by Joe Cocker is up next and really a strong rendition, closely following Cocker's arrangement. Soulful ballad, Blue Is Still Blue is a great showcase for Emily and another of my favorites on the release. With a sparse background, mostly piano, this track is strong. Another flavor is The Sellout with it's R&B basis. Emily hardly takes a breath nailing it to the wall and with rich backing vocals and tight guitar answer to her call, this track is very nice. Wrapping the release is Hold Back the River with it's gospel roots, acapella, handclaps and all. I really think that this is a cool release and one that should get some attention.

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Random Chance Records artist: Martin Lang - Bad Man - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bad Man, from Martin Lang and it's pure blues. Opening with Reefer Head Man, a real nice Chicago blues, featuring Martin Lang on lead vocal and harp, Little frank on guitar, Illinois Slim on bass and  Dean Haas on drums. Lang's phrasing and sense of feel is really classic sounding like original Chicago blues rather than a current day take. Very nice. He Don't Love You is a great track with some of Lang's best vocals on the release. His harp tone is warm and round and David Waldman on piano adds classic blues piano. Harp boogie, High as a Georgia Pine is a top notch track with Lang riding high on harp over a solid bass line by Illinois Slim. The Mix Up is another harmonica instrumental with a Latin flavor. Lang has a great feel for just how much harp to add with a great balance of guitar by Little Frank. Mood Indica is a cool, slow blues instrumental with really nice exchanges between Frank and Lang. Very nice. All Gone Now is a really cool strut with Lang on harmonica melody. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Stacys On My Feet, a slow blues with Lang on lead vocal and David Waldman on piano. This is a strong closer for a really nice release. 

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Hard Rain Records artist: Terminal Station - Brotherhood - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Brotherhood, from Terminal Station and it's a super blues rocker. Opening with instrumental, Barrelhouse, Terminal Station is off and running with Scott Smith on guitar, Jeremy Holmes on bass, Liam MacDonald on drums and percussion, Darryl Havers on keys and Vic Polyik on harmonica. Cool opener. Chicago Calling is a real cool blues track built around a slide guitar riff. With solid lead vocals and Little Feat like swampy rhythm and slide, clear precise piano work by Havers and the addition of harmonica lead by Polyik this track has a great feel. On bluesy ballad, If You Don't Know Me Now, Smith shows solid vocal footing in R&B with nice piano lead by Havers and a smooth melodic guitar solo of his own over the firm footing of MacDonald and Holmes. Energetic rocker, It's Not The End of the World has strong pop appeal with extensive vocal work, reinforcing snare work by MacDonald and slick, Allman influenced slide work by Smith. Shuffle, One More Shot, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a crisp rhythm, a bright piano solo by Havers, Alvin flavored guitar attack and super vocals by Smith and solid blues fused harmonica work by Polyik. Very nice. Booker D is a cool instrumental built over the trademark MG feel but with the classic Booker T vamp understated. Sure, Havers winds it out on organ but it has a fresh feel and not like a rip off and sure, Smith comes back with a Steve Cropper like attack on guitar, but not sounding like Cropper. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Voodoo Queen with a 60's British blues rock/Willie Dixon sound. With grinding guitar soloing by Smith and elevating organ work by Havers, this is a solid closer. 

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