Steve Hill - Desert Trip - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Desert Trip, from Steve Hill, and it's an interesting blend of folk, rock and blues. Opening with Evening Star, a chant like blues track with a thumping drum beat and fleet fingered acoustic guitar work is a strong opener for one of Canada's most prolific guitar players. Rain is a real cool track with super vocals, a progressive melody and solid guitar accompaniment. Cold Hearts reminds me quite a bit of a Frank Black composition (Pixies) with it's solid melody, strong pace and tight package. Very nice. Another strong composition is I Won't, a simple acoustic and vocal ballad. Hill has a great way of blending a cool tune with interesting rhythm and just the right amount of finger work. Very nice. With it's firm foot stomp driving rhythm and guitar driven melody, Hill does some of his best vocal work on Make Believe. The track shows how simple guitar execution can be so tasty. Judgement Day has a cool blues/western sound with some of the components of an old western theme. I love the lower neck amplified guitar work as well as the built up dynamics under the blues/rock guitar soloing on this track. Excellent. Wrapping the release is super instrumental, Tail Lights, with Hill dancing nicely across the electric strings creating one really nice closer for a solid set of music. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Early Times & the High Rollers - The Corner - New Release Review

 I just has the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Corner, from Early Times & the High Rollers and it's a cool rocker. Opening with easy shuffle, Come On, Let's Ride, Early Times on vocal and guitar is upfront with Joshua Keith on drums, Dan Schnapp on keys and Hardan Long on bass. On The Corner maintains a lighter radio feel but with bluesy guitar riffs by Times and a solid drum bottom by Keith. Sixties style rocker, Do What She Do keeps it simple with a solid melody and simple beat. A strong radio track and a cool track. Bluesy, She's About To Lose Her Mind, grinds into a lumbering groove with nice piano and organ work by Schnapp under some of Times' best vocal work and some real tasty guitar riffs by Popa Chubby making this one of my favorites on the release. Instrumental, Rosie's Herbs 'n Ting is a light, jazzy rocker with a hint of Latin spice giving Times a nice chance to step out on guitar over the tight percussive rhythms of Jay Messina. Very nice. Acoustic ballad, Someone Help Mary is a nicely crafted track with solid vocals and minimal instrumental as needed along the lines of Neil Diamond. Wrapping the release is high energy rocker, Return of the Queen, with driving guitar and relentless drumming. It is actually a real cool track with vocal phrasing like Dylan and a blazing guitar solo by Times. Solid closer for a cool release. 

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WildRoots Records artists: The WildRoots - WildRoots Sessions Volume 1 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, WildRoots Sessions Volume 1, from The WildRoots and it really cool. Opening with Eddie Floyd's classic, 634-5789, Stephen Dees on bass, Victor Wainwright on piano and lead vocal and Patricia Ann Dees on lead vocal and sax, joined by John Oates on rhythm guitar, Eddie Zyne on drums, Todd Sharp on lead guitar, David Kent on piano, and Beth McKee on backing vocal this is a soulful opener. Move Along Part 1 is a super jam with tight percussion and horns. With Patricia on lead vocal, Greg Gumpel on guitar, Gerard Guida on Hammond Robert Caban on percussion, and Billy Dean on drums this is a hot track. Charlie DeChant lays in a really nice tenor sax solo soulful ballad, Our Last Goodbye featuring John Oates on lead vocal. Very nice. Venturing into spiritual music, Cradled In The Bosom of Jerusalem, has deep gospel styling with rich vocal work by Wainwright, Particia, Beth McKee, drums by Alberto Cruz and acoustic slide by Pat Harrington. Robert "Top" Thomas has the mic on King Snake Crawl Revisited adding guitar and backed by Stephen Kampa on harmonica.  Funky, Move Along Part 2, features DeChant on lead sax, with Guida on organ, Gumpel on guitar and Dean on drums. In A Sad Room is my choice for top radio track with a catchy melody and smooth vocal lead by Chris Merrell. Bryan Bassett on lead guitar, Scott Corwin on drums, Top Thomas on guitar and Lucky Peterson on Hammond round out the mix. Wrapping the release is another soulful ballad, I'm Yours, featuring Wainwright on lead vocal and piano. Charlie DeChant shines balances nicely on sax making this a solid track to close. 

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Luca Burgalassi - Come To My World - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Come To My World, by Luca Burgalassi, and it's a laid back Eric Clapton/JJ Cale style look at the blues. Opening with My Loving Babe, Burgalassi sings and accompanies himself on guitar and dobro, drums and harmonica. A cool, modern stroke at the blues with a dash of country gives this track a familiar feel. Solid opener. A lightly salted jazz track, All My Blues, has a snappy rhythm section of bass and drums under Luca's flight fretwork and lush vocals. Haunting, Notte is one of my favorite tracks on the release featuring Valentina Sorbera on piano and Holly Kirsten on strings. Ballad, Song In The Distance is a solid radio track with a rich melody and Luca accompanying himself primarily on guitar. Very nice. With a Muddy Waters like dobro slide riffs, and Rob Oliver on harmonica, The Real Me is a cool, updated blues track. Country swinger/gypsy swinger, Tidewater Attitude has traces of Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks or Squirrel Nut Zippers. It's energy and featured playing by Luca, Michael glass on vocal and guitar, Bobby Black Hat on vocal and harp, Valentina Sorbera on vocal, Holly Kirsten on vocal and violin, Rob Oliver on vocal and guitar and Pamela Jo Ward on dooo dooo makes for a lot of fun. Wrapping the release is Home, an instrumental ballad featuring Luca on vocal, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, accordion, bass and percussion. This is a cool release with a lot of texture. 

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Ruf Records artist: Ghalia Volt - One Woman Band - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Woman Band, from Ghalia Volt and it's super. Opening with stripped down, Last Minute Packer,  Ghalia Volt has gone the way of a one woman band playing slide guitar and drums on this track backing her own bluesy vocals. The is a high energy strong opener. Espiritu Papago is another cool blues rocker with just a little more refinement with the addition of Dean Zucchero on bass. Tampa Red's It Hurt's Me Too is a strong classic included on the release with strong vocals and solid, traditional electric slide playing. Very nice. A little switch up on It Ain't Bad and a tight little rocker. With blues rock chords and a rockabilly turn around, Crissie Hynde like vocal and slap cymbals, this is really sweet. Letting it all hang out on Bad Apple, Volt turns up the amp on her slide and works the guitar nicely in concert with her lead vocal and foot drum. One of the longer tracks on the release and a open space for frenzied slide work. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Just One More Time, featuring Monster Mike Welch on guitar and Dean Zucchero on bass. A driving rocker, Volt pulls out the top candidate for radio track on the release. Its simple melody and term bend soloing by Welch makes it an excellent closer. 

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Little Pig Records artist: Cousin Harley - Let's Go - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Go, from Cousin Harley and it's a blast. Billed as Canada's premier hillbilly rockers, Cousin Harley opens with Right Back With The Blues, a country stepper. Paul Pigat on lead vocal and guitar, Jesse Cahill on drums and Keith Picot on bass make this track sound like it was recorded in the USA circa 1956 and I love it. Pigat's vocals are strong and chesty and his guitar playing a solid tele finger picking workout. Excellent! Jumping right on the throttle with heavy driving drums by Cahill, Let's Go has a heavy bass line that is almost metal like but the result of this track is nothing short of pure rock n' roll with berry like guitar riffs. Excellent! I'm a sucker for surf tunes and El Swarto's Big Adventure is a great instrumental with fat shimmery chords and a Latin beat. Great! Cool rag style jazz track, Dancing For Bobo is a cool country flavored jazz tune which could be straight from a Chet Atkins or Danny Gatton release with plenty of snap and strong fluid guitar lead work. Very nice. Another cool rocker with a dash of surf is Who's That Lyin' with traces to Son House and an infectious rhythm. This is not only a terrific track, it also is my choice for radio track on the release! Excellent! Bluesy rocker, Gone, Gone, Gone has a dark, Blind Willie McTell feel and another terrific entry. Pigat's vocals are nicely surrounded by the heat and sweat of a gritty hotel room and his guitar riffs are tight and meaningful. Very nice! Wrapping the release is Merle The Gypsy, sounding like Atkins meets Django. With fluid finger picking and an accelerated beat, this is a terrific closer for one of the best releases I've heard in a long time.

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Josh Piche' - Self Titled - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from Josh Piche' and it's a cool set. Opening with Starry Eyes, a solid rocker with plenty of radio appeal, Josh Piche' is up front on guitar and lead vocal backed by Eddy Ruyter on keys, Steve Pelletier on bass and Don Pham on drums. Piche's vocals are really cool and his guitar attach sophisticated. Another track with solid radio appeal is Spend My Time with the addition of steel guitar work by Mitch Lewis. With it's softer approach, December Birds has a folky acoustic feel with light instrumentation and warm backing vocals. Wrapping the release is reggae flavored, Fools In Love with tight drum rhythms, mellow lap steel by Lewis and the addition of Anthony Brancati on keys and Mike Ferfolia on vocal. 

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Dave Keller - You Get What You Give: Duets - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, You Get What You Give: Duets, from Dave Keller and it's a solid set of blues, R&B and soul. Opening with One More Tear, featuring Annika Chambers on vocal, Keller on lead vocal and guitar is backed by Ira Friedman on organ, Alex Budney on bass, Jay Gleason on drums, Mark Earley on sax, Mario Perrett on tenor sax and Tom Palance on trumpet. A potent R&B track and a super opener. Title track, You Get What You Give, pairs Keller with Annie Mack shows a lot of soul in this, radio track with it's strong, memorable melody. One of my favorite tracks on the release, The Evil That Men Do, features Keller trading lead with Trudy Lynn, Annika Chambers, Annie Mack and Johnny Rawls on what is definitely my favorite track on the release. It's composition is sophisticated and melodic and reminiscent of the best of early Elton John ballads. With Friedman on piano and Tom Palance on trumpet, this is a great track. Latin influenced, Your Kind Of Fool has a great rhythm and with Friedman on piano and organ and keller sharing the mic with Trudy Lynn, another top track. Another terrific ballad, The Spark, pairs Keller on vocal with Friedman on piano. Very nice. Gospel fueled, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, features Brother Bob White on vocal and piano, with Keller on guitar and Larry Gann on drums...powerful. Katie Henry's vocals on The Kiss I Want, along with Keller on vocal and guitar make this another top candidate for airplay. Wrapping the release is acoustic blues driven, I'm Gonna Let It Shine. Toussaint St. Negritude on lead vocal and Keller on National Steel guitar and harmonica give this release a strong closer. 

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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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