Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Drums of Compassion, from Michael Shrieve and it's an exceptional exposition of world rhythms. Opening with The Call Of Michael Olatunji , Shrieve begins this journey with Babatunde Olatunji speaking vocal incantations, surrounded with a sea of synthesized sound designs by Jeff Greinke, Joe Doria on Rhodes providing a basic melody line and excellent drum and percussion work by Shrieve. Developing into a very melodic, eastern influenced travel, this is a strong opener. Synthesizers by Grienke over a Afro/Latin rhythm by Karl Perazzo and Raul Rekow on percussion and C Smith on keys, this is a mover. I really like The Euphoric Pandiero Of Airto Moreira featuring Airto on voice and percussion leading directly into The Fierce Energy of Love with Dave Hill Jr on drums, Shrieve on brushes and Stephan Maas on drums. Wrapping the release is Hejira with Greinke on synth on Shrieve on drums and featuring Jack Dejonette on drum...

 I just had the opportunity top review the most recent release, Tu-Ner For Lovers  (Live) by Tu-Ner and it's a very cool sonic exploration. Opening with The Last Barbie Tango , Markus Reuter on touch guitar and soundscapes works with Trey Gunn on Warr Guitar to create a very interesting shape, over Pat Mastelotto's masterful drum and electronics bottom. This track is tensely stretched and highly creative. Super opener. The White Thing has a cool, ethereal, electronic intro developing with deep guitar lead and soaring guitar contrast supported by stylized percussion. Triangle Of Love has a middle eastern rhythm with finely articulated guitar phrasing floating through the mist and fat Warr guitar lead thickening the stew. One of my favorite tracks on the release is The Call Him Threnody with heavy, drum laden rhythm, fat bottom and soaring guitar. Wrapping the release is Combat And Courtship with rapid percussion, a brilliant interplay between the bass and drum and guitar. ...

  I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Me , by Katie Knipp , and it's quite entertaining. Opening with slinky, Mud , Katie Knipp is showcased with her intoxicating yet unusual vocal style. She also accompanies herself on piano, joined by Steve Ulstein on guitar and Neil Campisano on drums. Excellent opener. Funky, Vampire has a firm bass line by Ulstein and Knipp leads again on vocal and piano. This track has a number of turns and changes with a strong familiarity and again strong vocals. Time and Space is a really nice ballad with a great melody and showing a different side of Knipp on vocal and joining Ulstein on keys. Very nice. The Devils Armchair is a real cool track with a Spanish flair. I really like Knipp's vocal work and Mick Martin's lead guitar work. Wrapping the release is somber ballad, Lava Pot featuring Knipp on vocal and piano. This is a solid piece of work featuring both strong tunes and serious interpretation.    If you su...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Troublemaker , by Black Cat Bones , and it's a solid blues based rocker. Opening with Bad Enough , Black Cat Bones hit the road running with a thumping bass line by Jeff Daniels, Bill Greenberg on drums and Charles Pitts on vocals. With Richard Rivera and Kid Dynamite on guitars these guy have plenty of horsepower and aren't shy to unleash it. I really like the paired guitar work ...power vs lead which gives the track a real afterburn. Strong opener. Title track, Troublemaker , is a strong mix of Robert Johnson and southern rock. Pitts vocals have plenty of swagger and Dynamite and Rivera play off of each other with Greenberg and Daniels anchoring. Excellent stones like rocker, Act Like You Don't Care , has a great bottom courtesy of Daniels and Greenberg and lead work by Dynamite and Rivera add just the right grit under the confident vocals of Pitts. Very cool. Blues rocker, Yesterday's Gone really is in t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at Woodystock Blues Festival by Jay Gordon and Blues Venom and it's great heavy rock blues...just the way you like it. Opening with Morganfield's classic, Hoochie Coochie Man and it's breathing fire. I really like Gordon's approach to the blues with a hold nothing back vocal and guitar assault, Sharon Butcher's driving bass lines and Tom Parham keeping it tight on the drums. Powerful opener.  George Thorogood's I Drink Alone is a great fit for Gordon with his scorching slide and hot, overdriven guitar attack. Thumping bass by Butcher really powers the track giving Gordon a great platform to stand on. Really nice. Sonny Boy Williamson's Good Morning Little School Girl gets an excellent cover based on one of my favorite blues rock bands, Ten Years After's arrangement with an excellent driving bottom and Gordon just letting it fly. If you like blues rock...you'll love this. Wrappin...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Changing Tide , from Leon Alvarado and it's obviously influenced by Pink Floyd. Opening with The Equilibrium Of Time , Leon Alvarado on drums and keys/effects creates an alternate world to Dark Side of the Moon with the beat of the heart, chattering train and with soaring guitars by Edoardo Scordo and Damian Darlington, Tony Franklin on bass and Pablo Hopenhayn on violin cello and viola a cool opener. A View From A Different Room welcomes dynamic sax work by John Helliwell and excellent guitar soloing by Scordo over the tight drumming of Alvarado and excellent bass work of Franklin. Very nice. Dance Of The Pink Elephants is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a great drum rhythm by Alvarado, Franklin on fretless bass and excellent melodic soloing by Scordo on guitar and slide. Wrapping the release is a cover of Floyd's Brain Damage with Alvarado on vocal, keys and drums, Gary Gnaedinger on bass, gu...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Struck Down , by The Fabulous Thunderbirds and it's one of their best. Opening with Struck Down By The Blues , Kim Wilson has the mic singing lead vocals on this BB King style track. Johnny Moeller and Steve Strongman handle the gripping guitar lead with Bob Welsh on piano, Rudy Albin Petschauer on drums and Steven Kirsty on drums. Excellent opener. Classic ZZ Top style, one line bass, drives Payback Time features Wilson and Billy Gibbons on lead vocals with great harmonica overtones by Wilson and featuring Gibbons on guitar. Very cool. Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo and Taj Mahal share the mic on Nothing But Rambling , an easy shuffle with strong harmonica work by Wilson and Keb Mo on slide. Wilson back up front on romping shuffle, Whatcha Do To Me . Elvin Bishop lends his guitar work on his track giving it a nice kick and Wilson's harmonica work turns up the heat with his own spice. I really like Moeller's guitar work...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Positively 4th Street , by Rory Block and it's a stylized tribute to Bob Dylan. Opening with Everything Is Broken , Block gets it rocking with layered guitars and slide, backed by light snare and bass backing her trademark vocals. Solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Not Dark Yet , a strong blues with Block working guitar magic against her soulful vocals. Smooth slide and concise picking really makes this track stand out. One of my favorite Dylan compositions, Positively 4th Street this is a nice cover with slide accompaniment and drums. Block really captures Dylan's feel on this one. Wrapping the release is Murder Most Foul , a tough track and well dramatized by Block. This is an interesting exploration of one of America's greatest songwriters.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like -...

 I just had the opportunity top review the most recent release, Collapse The Wave , by IZZ and it's a straightforward progressive rock release. Opening with We Are The 3rd , Paul Bremner on guitars, Brian Coralian on drums, John Galgano on vocal, bass and guitar, Tom Galgano on keys and vocals and Laura Meade on vocals set the adventure afloat with tight drum rhythms, ripping guitar riffs, swelling keyboard lines and nicely woven vocals. On Brace For Impact , Tom G and Bremmer set the engines and Coralian and John on bass maintain the charge. Title track, Collapse The Wave , is one of my favorite tracks on the release with exciting guitar melody/lead and counter rhythm and nicely crafted keyboard lines and nicely blended vocals over the tight bottom by John G and Coralian. Brethren is another cool track with Coralian getting front and center with some over the top drumming. Wrapping the release is And We Will Go , with it's jagged drum rhythm and guitar riffs. With solid dual...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bossa+ , from Sergio Pereira , and it's warm, clean and inviting. Opening with title track, Bossa , Luis Guerra on keys lays down the melody, complimented by Sergio Pereira on guitar, Ariel Ramirez on bass, Chipi Chacon on trumpet and Mauricio Zottarelli on drums. Chacon, Pereira and Guerra expand on the melody alternatively with lead soloing keeping the track close. Solid opener. Laid back, One For Pat, finds Pereira on lead vocal and excellent Spanish guitar styling, joined by Ivan Melon Lewis on piano, Ivan Ruiz Machado on bass, Jose San Martin on drums and Romero Lubambo on violao. Very nice. Desamor (Verao Boreal) is a very nice track and my recommendation for radio track. With it's great melody, vocal by Pereira, and interwoven Latin rhythms, this track really hits. Chacon on trumpet lays in a real nice solo giving the track just the right amount of special sauce. Wrapping the release is and jazzed up cover ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Under The Covers , by The Steve Luciano Quartet and it's really cool. Opening with Duke Pearson's Chant, Steve Luciano shows immediately where he's coming from. With clear, concise, improvisational phrasing he sets the tempo backed by Mike Avila on piano, Charlie Siva on bass, Walt Hubbard on drums and Dan Jordan on sax who also blows the roof off of this track with a terrific solo. Excellent opener. Wayne Shorter's Hammer Head is a great addition to this set with, the melody carried by Jordan and Luciano. I really like Luciano's groove line with excellent fluidity and impeccable style. Siva on bass and Hubbard on drums anchor this track to the floor and Jordan's solo really is tasty. Avila rides the wave with a really nice solo of his own adding to the overall polish of this strong track. Following Tal Farlow's arrangement of Rogers and Hart, Everything I've Got , Luciano really shows his f...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, The Blues Is Back , by Karen Lawrence and it has a real cool feel. Opening with shuffle, Made To Move , Karen Lawrence on lead really gets a slinky feel. Tony Saracene on guitar lays in some nice slide, with Bobby Donahoe on bass and Thomas Southworth on drums. Driving shuffle I'm Comin' Home is a really cool track with substantial slide work by Saracene and warm organ by by Max Butler. One of my favorites on the release. Title track, The Blues Is Back , is a nice showcase for Lawrence's vocal style and Saracene works the fretboard nicely against  keeping you rocking in your seat. Heaven's Masterpiece is an interesting ballad showcasingnish guitar styling by Saracene and solid vocal work by Lawrence. Wrapping the release is boogie track, Hold Onto Me with it's driving bass line by Ted Chatt and Dan Potruch on drums. Saracene again steps up with some tasty guitar riffs giving the track a stinging edge. Sol...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Down At The Juke Joint from Gerald McClendon  and it's a solid soulful R&B release. Opening with soul track, Back  Where You Belong , drips with soul with Gerald McClendon on lead vocal joined by Tony Llorens on Fender Rhodes, Joe Burba on guitar, Mike Jackson on sax, David Forte on bass, and Twist Turner on drums and Hammond. Title track, Down At The Juke Joint has a real Sam Cooke feel showing McClendon's voice and backed by Mary Lane. Harlan Terson hods it tight on bass and Turner adds melodic faux harmonica. My favorite track on the release is House Ain't A Home featuring Maurice John Vaughn working guitar solo work with McClendon's lead. Forte lays down a firm bass line and The Delta Roots Horns add nice depth. Very cool. I really like Cryin' Time Again with it's  super vocals by McClendon, riding on piano by Llorens, Gurba on guitar, Forte on bass and Turner handling strings and drums. ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Jubu , by Jubu Smith and it's a super blend of soul, funk, jazz and blues. Opening with super funky, Hamster Wheel, Jubu Smith on lead guitar pairs with guitar master Charlie Hunter on his hybrid guitar and tight drum work by Calvin Napper on drums. Spinning the top on guitar and with Hunter really working a hot bass line, this is an energetic opener. Kwik-Way Nostalgia is a cool, laid back track with Hunter working the rhythm from the bottom and Smith and Napper playing it straight with it's easy melody and clean, bluesy, articulation. Organizations Sake has a great funky bottom with Napper and Hunter really spanking it along. Smith takes a WW Washington blues (or JG Watson if you prefer) approach with poised phrasing giving the track real spark. EG Is Here is a really cool merger between funk and soul giving it a funky turn on BB King. Hunter and Smith, joined by Eric Gales, really craft a great track here wit...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Time To Sa y, from Sergio Pamies and it's a strong tribute to Chick Corea. Opening with Latin flavored release with title track, Time To Say , Sergio Palmies on piano joins with Dave Liebman on soprano sax developing a strong melody over the rhythm bottom held tight by Samuel Torres on percussion, Jimmy MacBride on drums, Miguel Fernandez on percussion and handclaps and Ricky Rodriguez on bass. Excellent opener. Sleep Delirium is another really solid track featuring Alex Norris pelting out melodic lead soloing on trumpet, chased by Pamies on piano and MacBride on drums. Michael Thomas gets the floor and sets his sax flowing. Corazonada has an extended bass solo by Rodriguez and exceptional percussion by Torres allowing solid piano soloing by Pamies. Kenny Wheeler's Miold Man is a strong addition to the set with a great moving bottom and featuring Marshall Gilkes with a terrific trombone solo, a strong trumpet so...

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Bite of the Street , by Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics and it's an entertaining cornucopia of sound. Opening with Souled Out , a Latin infused track with a driving bottom by Eric Klaastad on bass and Jeanne Carno on drums. Mac Gollehon on trumpet soars, blowing great flowing lead and Ismael Sanchez adding intense percussion. Solid opener.  Title track, Bite Of The Street , has a funky, soulful feel with Latin overtones. With a powerful brass refrain the track slowly melds into a Spanish flavored tune with great movement and powerful lead. On funky, High Drama , the band drops back giving Gollehon plenty of space to play first muted, then open. This is my favorite track on the release with plenty of movement and exciting lead by Gollehon. Wrapping the release is S leepwalker , a rapid fire jam with hot trumpet riffs and Ariel Lawler on backing vocals over hot drum and percussion bottom. Tight closer.  ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Fine By Me, from Curtis Salgado and it's a great mix or rock, pop R&B and blues. Opening with country rocker, My Girl Is A Nut, with Salgado on vocal and harmonica, Alan Hager on guitar, Keith Brush on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. Chugging rhythm on Better Things To Lie About has a great feel, reinforced by Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Lars Campbell on trombone, and Tim Bryson on sax and features super vocal and harmonica by Salgado. One of my favorite tracks on the release is I'm Gonna Forget About You featuring vocal duet with Salgado and Robert Cray. Jim Pugh on piano and B3 gives the track depth and Jerry Jemmott on bass and Kid Andersen joining Cray on guitar really adds the spice. Hear The Lonely Hearts is a terrific soul track featuring Salgado on lead vocal backed by The Sons of Soul Revivers (James Morgan, Walter Morgan and Dwayne Morgan) on harmonizing vocals. With Rome Yamilov on guitar and Kid Andersen o...