Blues Root Productions artist: Debbie Bond - Live At The Song Theater - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release by Debbie Bond, Live At The Song Theater and it's live. Opening with That Thing Called Love, Debbie Bond on lead vocal and guitar. With an easy rock beat and soulful sax by Sam Williams, This is a solid opener. Slow blues, Watch Out For Your Heart, features Bond with some of her best vocals on the release and clean guitar accompaniment highlighted by a bluesy sax solo by Williams. Grand Funk's hit, Some Kind Of Wonderful gets a country rockin' 2 step feel with Bond on vocal and Rick Asherson on backing vocals and keys and Williams taking the lead on sax for a real nice solo. Ann Peebles track, I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, really ventures deep into pop music with Bond adding soulful enthusiasm and Williams again taking the lead solo on sax. Wrapping the release is Blues Without Borders, a blues rocker with a cool drum beat by Jukeman Lee on drums Bonds on vocal, glistening electric piano by Asherson and soulful sax work by Williams. Bond really enjoys her performance adding significantly to the release. 

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Ryan Lee Crosby - At The Blue Front - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, At The Blue Front, from Ryan Lee Crosby, and it's an interesting mix of pure stripped down American blues and African blues. Opening with Going Away, Ryan Lee Crosby on vocal and 12 string lays down a solid blues, backed by Grant Smith on percussion, and Jay Scheffler on harmonica. I've Been Worried maintains an American, earthy, primitive sound but with distinct, African guitar styling not unlike Ali Farka Toure'. This is a cool, interesting track with American meter and a solid melody. Catfish, features Jimmy "Duck' Holmes joining Crosby on vocal and guitar with a Mali flavored take on the traditional blues. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Tell Me features Holmes on lead vocal and guitar with Crosby on guitar with cool percussion and Calabash by Smith. This is an interesting blues fusion release. Where musicologist and guitar player extraordinaire, Ry Cooder did a really strong work with Farka Toure' it leaned heavy into authenticity to Mali music. This release maintains a purity to American blues interpretation with influences in Mali. Farka Toure's guitar styling giving it a sound of it's own. Very cool.  

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Earwig Music artist: Rusty Ends - Roadhouses, Juke Joints and Honky-Tonks - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Roadhouses, Juke joints and Honky-Tonks, from Rusty Ends and it's swampy, blues rock. Opening with Bad Like Billy The Kid, has a Tony Joe White feel with it's easy rock rhythm. With Rusty Ends on vocal and guitar, Dave Zirnheld on bass, Gene Wickliffe on drums and Wayne Young on guitar, this is a cool opener. Ballad, Lost In The Blues features Ends on lead vocal and strumming lush chords leading the track in step for that perfect slow dance. Rocker, Rockabilly Train is stripped down and raggedy with a solid beat. Featuring Ends on vocal and guitar and Roosevelt Purifoy on piano this is a a solid straight up rocker. I particularly like The Worm's Turned with it's surf flavored guitar flair. Ends' vocals are aloof and his guitar playing nicely stylized giving the track just the right amount of attitude. Slow and easy, Midnight Screams showcases Ends and Wayne Young on guitar laying down one of the deepest blues tracks on the release. Thing Called Love has a real nice strut with Zirnheld on vocal, Ends on guitar, and Purifoy on organ. Cool, stylized guitar soloing by Ends sets this track apart. Another of my favorite tracks on the release is Bourbon Moon with cool trem bends by Ends set against a '50's backing by Wickliffe and Zirnheld. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Willie Nelson's Night Life with Ends singing surrounded by Purifoy's warm organ tone and the stiff snare snap of Wickliffe. A simple melodic guitar solo by Ends reinforces the track giving it just the right traction to close the release. 

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Doubleton Records artist: Saul Dautch - Music For The People - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Music For The People, by Saul Dautch, and it really hits the spot. Opening with Duke Pearson's, Hello Bright Sunflower, the band is in the groove. Opening with Noah Halpern delivering the melody on trumpet, and Hank Allen-Barfield on drum, cool intro. Saul Dautch on bari sax lays down the first solo lines and he's swinging with deep rich bari tones. Halpern follows back with a fluid interlude of his own. I literally was just looking at the internet an hour ago to see when pianist Miki Yamanaka may be touring and here she is on this release. I love her spirit and swinging punctuation is excellent.  Strong opener. Odious Din has a quick pace and distinctive drive. Halpern really opens up on trumpet with excellent phrasing and Allen-Barfield and Yamanaka work a hard line with Leager on bass. Dautch really digs in on bari delivering deep, warm phrasing and Yamanaka really shows what she's got with vibrant piano soloing, followed by Allen-Barfield who explodes on drums. Excellent! Ballad, L'Chaim, features Dautch with a full, beefy melody line, and a sparkling piano solo by Yamanaka . Very nice. Wrapping the release is easy shuffle, Bacher's Batch with Halpern and Dautch playing duet on the intro/melody. Dautch develops real nice bari phrasing and Yamanaka punctuation is spot on of course reinforced by Leager and Allen-Barfield. She takes center stage next with her lush and unpredictable piano style. Halpern rolls in with a breezy trumpet solo before Dautch rolls it all back together for a great bopping completion. Really nice release. 

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Nola Blue Records artist: Mud Morganfield - Deep Mud - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Deep Mud, from Mud Morganfield and it's pure Chicago blues. Opening with Bring Me My Whiskey, Mud Morganfield commands the blues with the vocal authority of his father, joined Studebaker John laying down some thick harmonica love. Filling out the band are Rick Kreher on guitar, Mike Wheeler on guitar, Pooky Styx Carlisle on drums, E.G. McDaniel on bass, and Sumito Ariyo Ariyoshi on piano. Solid opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Muddy's, Strange Woman, with it's excellent SBW feel. John harps the melody supporting Mud, joined by Kreher who lays in some really strong blues lines on guitar. Ernestine has a real strut that will get you on your feet or grooving in your seat. Morganfield really digs in on this one and John on harmonica is a perfect echo for his lead vocals. Roosevelt Purifoy joins on piano adding some mighty funky riffs and McDaniel and Carlisle keep things tight. Another Chicago style blues rumble, Lover Man, has Mud a little less aggressive on vocal but really showcases John on harmonica. Wheeler opens The Man That You're With, using trademark Muddy Waters slide riffs giving it immediate blues texture. Mud takes it deep with strong vocal work and Ariyoshi rolls the piano with believable Spann like texture. John really shines on harmonica conjuring up really earthy harmonica tones on this one. Excellent! Another Muddy Waters track, Country Boy gets a nice rework with traditional Muddy slide, and with Mud grinding out the vocals, authentic echo, John's super harmonica work and minimal percussion by Carlisle, this is strong track. Wrapping the release with A Dream Walking, Purifoy brings church like organ richness, with Mud riding high on vocal backing by Felicia Collins, Jacole Avent and Demetrias M Hall. Very nice closer. 

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Origin Records artist: Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto - Mais Que Tudo: Live At Kerry Hall 1995 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mais Que Tudo: Live At Kerry Hall 1995, by Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto and it's exhilarating. Opening with Metamorph, Jovino Santos Neto on piano is joined by Hans Teuber on flute and sax, Chuck Deardorf on bass and Mark Ivester on drums creating a Brazilian flavored whirlwind. With a heart pounding piano solo by Neto, and a fluid hurricane of music by Teuber on sax, this is a powerful opening. Settling into a solid Latin influenced groove on Caranavalha, Teuber leads the way on sax with aggressive lead lines, spurred on by the solid punctuation of Neto on piano. Neto continues the push with fine articulation of his own taking the lead with Deardorf and Ivester in support. This is a live concert. I'm thinking the breaks between songs were lengthier than on the disc for musician recovery. Whew!  Hoping For The Day has a nice easy 3/4 timing with Teuber and Deardorf playing the melody in tandem, floating on a stream created by Neto and Ivester. Neto creates a sweet piano interlude followed by a lush solo by Teuber on sax and an inciteful solo by Deardorf on bass. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Neto's variation on Happy Birthday, a dedication to his son's 13th birthday, Happy Birthday Ariel! in fine Samba style. 

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Nola Blue Records artist: Candice Ivory - New Southern Vintage - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, New Southern Vintage, from Candice Ivory, and it's powerful blues. Opening with foot stompin' boogie, Ain't So Blind with JL Hooker richness. With Candice Ivory on vocal, Jan Hartmann on harmonica and the Bluebloods (Robert Allen Parker on guitar, Khari Wynn on bass and Donnon R. Johnson) on drums, this is a great opener. I'm In Trouble is a cooking Chicago style blues with Ivory on vocal, and adds Ben Levin on piano and Adam Hill on slide guitar. Very cool. Excellent driving blues, Strong Black Mattie, really has a great Willie Dixon feel with some of my favorite vocals by Ivory on the release, adding Chris Stephenson on B3, and including some tight guitar riffs by Parker and Hill. Slow blues, Look Away, really has a great feel with Ivory really digging in vocally. With heavy reverb by Hill, emotive soloing by Parker, warm B3 by Stephenson and crisp drum work by Johnson, this is another top track on the release. Jimmy "Duck"  Holmes is featured on vocal and guitar on Catfish Blues joined by Damian Pearson on harmonica, Levin on piano and Ivory on vocals. Solid, old school blues. Another old school blues, Corrina, showcases Ivory on more traditional vocal style and it works really nicely with David Evans on guitar and Levin on piano. Very cool. Memphis Minnie's World of Trouble is a great old piano blues featuring Ivory on vocal and Levin on piano, and Evans digging in on guitar, giving yet another flavor of blues. Wrapping the release is piano boogie, Shout The Boogie with Ivory really getting things moving. Levin really gets the piano rocking and Evans and Cohen play some fleet fingered riffs on guitar. Fun closer. 

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Nola Blue Records artist: Maria Muldaur - One Hour Mama - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, One Hour Mama - The Blues Of Victoria Spivey - from Maria Muldaur and it's her best in years. Opening with My Handy Man, is easy going with Maria workin the vocals like it's her own. Backed by James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band (James Dapogny on piano, Kim Cusack on clarinet and alto sax, Russ Whitman on clarinet and tenor/baritone sax, Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet, Chris Smith on trombone and tuba, Rod McDonald on guitar and banjo, Kurt Krahnke on bass annd Pete Siers on drums). Solid opener. What Makes You Act Like That features Muldaur in duet with Elvin Bishop and their vocal styles work really well together. Danny Caron on guitar lays in some real nice guitar soloing and Johnny Bones on sax, Steve Height on bass, Neil Fortano on piano, David Matthews on piano, Beaumont Beaullieu on drums really make this track. Organ Grinder Blues really has an authentic feel with Tuby Skinny backing (Craig Flory on clarinet, Greg Sherman on guitar, Max Bien-Kahn on guitar, Shaye Cohn on cornet and trumpet, Barnabus Jones on real nice trombone, Todd Burdick on tuba, Robin Rapuzzi on washboard and David Torkanowsky on piano. Taj Mahal teams up with Muldaur on vocal on Gotta Have What It Takes, with terrific piano work by Matthews and Caron on guitar. Very cool. Wrapping the release is T-B Blues with excellent backing by by Dapogny's Chicago Jazz band and some of Muldaur's best vocals on the release. There's just that feel that you get when an artist hits the slot and Muldaur does it here. Great to hear. 

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JCP Records artist: Jeff Chaz - Apartment 14 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Apartment 14, from Jeff Chaz, and it's got a cool groove. Opening with instrumental title track, Apartment 14, laying down a simple rock beat rhythm guitar, bass, and drums with an infectious guitar melody and solo by Chaz. Solid opener. Serial Killer has a light taste of Latin rhythm under a rocking horn overtone featuring Chaz on lead vocal and guitar and AJ Pittman on horns. Wrapping the release is The Brownsville Crawl with a super guitar vamp and and creative use of reverb. I really like this track...a strong closer. 

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Mercedes Nicole - Too High A Price To Pay - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Too High A Price To Pay, from Mercedes Nicole and it's a cool mix of blues and soul. Opening with blues rocker, I'll Play The Blues For You, with Mercedes Nicole on lead vocal and featuring Rod Cook screaming some real nice King sized blues riffs on guitar. With Scotty Harris on bass, Jake Sele on organ, Andrew Cloutier on drums and Tommy Warren, Stacy Jones, Ben Lange and Patrice O'Neil on backing vocals a solid opener. John Hiatt's Feels Like Rain is presented as a soulful ballad and Nicole's lead vocals, caressed in backing vocals has a great feel. Another soulful ballad, Breathe Again is radio focused with a strong melody, slow danceable timing and a real nice sax solo by Alexey Nikolaev. Another slow blues track is Elmore James', The Sky Is Crying, with wailing guitar work by Cook. Solid vocals by Nicole and warm organ work by Sele flesh out the track. Wrapping the release is Ease My Soul an easy soul/pop track with a solid melody and smooth melodic guitar work by Cook. Nicole's vocals float on the melody with nice organ and piano work by Sele adding warm backing. Solid closer. 

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Lost World Music artist: The Christopher Dean Band - Steppin Out - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Steppin Out, by The Christopher Dean Band, and it's a cool mix of blues, rock, soul and pop. Opening with Crying Sam Collins' My Road is Rough and Rocky, Christopher Dean on vocal and guitar sets a rockin pace with Carl Snyder on piano, Rob Fraser on bass and Dave Hollinsworth on drums. Cool slide work holds the track in the blues for a cool opener. Pop track, Here With Me, has solid radio potential with a strong melody and vocals. T-Bone Walker's That Old Feeling Is Gone has a cool shuffle feel with nice, boogie piano by Snyder and Walker style guitar riffs by Dean. Curtis Mayfield's I'm The One Who Loves You features an easy guitar accompaniment and a Latin rhythm. With plenty of falsetto vocals and backing vocals by Steve Lombardelli a solid entry to the lineup. Wrapping the release is Hound Dog Taylor's boogie, She's Gone with Dean on vocal and wicked guitar, Snyder on piano and Lombardelli on horns driving it home with the solid base of Holingsworth on drums. Strong closer. 

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World Talent Records artist: Forrest McDonald - Songs From My Soul - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Songs From My Soul, from Forrest McDonald and it's a simple folk blues release. Opening with On Your Life's Road, a blues structured track with McDonald playing acoustic guitar and singing the melody together. This is a cool effect that really focuses the listeners attention on the story. I Can't Stop The Love has a bright melody with McDonald strumming the rhythm and singing the happy melody with clever acoustic turnarounds. Ballad, I Need You, has sonic tension created between McDonalds vice and guitar. With a solid melody and upbeat rhythm, this is one of my favorites on the release. Shuffle, That's How I Want Our Love, has a great feel with solid vocals and straight up acoustic guitar accompaniment. Blue Morning Sun has a Morganfield structure but a definite original spin. McDonald makes it his own with contemporary style vocals and stylized guitar work. Electrified blues, Misery and Blues kicks up the whole game a few notches with John McKnight on drums, Lee Gammon on bass, Matthew Wauchope on piano, Jimmy King on trumpet, Norman Franks on sax, Pix Ensign on harmonica and some real nice guitar work by McDonald. Wrapping the release is classic country blues, Trouble In Mind with McDonald singing straight up and playing conventional blues riffs. Strong closer. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: The Boneshakers - Live To Be This - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live To Be This, from The Boneshakers, and it's a soul filled blues rocker. Opening with high stepping, I'll Kick A Brick (For My Man), Jenny Langer on lead vocal sings with attitude backed with the tight drum raps of Greg Bissonette, and Randy Jacobs on guitar exchanging riffs with Rodney Lee on keys, Ron Holloway on sax, Joe Sublett on sax, and Mark Pender on trumpet and solid backing vocals by Harry Bowens, and Derrick Harris. Hot opener. Funky, How Do You Spell Love is a real workout for Langer with Bissinette on drums and super vocal and horn backing. Dobro Jones has a great country blues feel with Jacobs featured on dobro and vocal with Langer. Very nice. Here I Am is downright slinky with an excellent bottom and Ron Reinhardt on keys. Jacobs distorts his guitar for a real nice guitar solo and Langers vocals paired with Bowens, Harris, Lessly Fisher jr, and Holly Montgomery and Lenny Castro on percussion makes this one of my favorites on the release. Took A Trip has serious radio appeal with it's melody and vocal appeal and it's lightly funky rhythm and horn overtones. Wrapping the release is pop ballad, The Cake and The Candle featuring Langer in her most serious vocal mode. This would easily blend into adult contemporary airplay with it's subdued backing and vocal forward presentation, and melodic soloing by Jacobs on guitar. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Long Tall Deb & Colin John - Light It Up - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Light It Up, from Long Tall Deb & Colin John and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with title track, Light It Up, Long Tall Deb on lead vocals leads the way with rockbluesy guitar riffs by Colin John supported by Chris Butler on bass and Jason Edwards on drums. Lesson In The Ground is a lumbering rocker with a thumping bass line, with guitar harmonics and nicely interwoven backing vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Hear Them Moan with some of Deb's sweetest vocals on the release and really nice lap steel by John. Excellent! Black Light Wolf has great swagger with a heavy bass/drum bottom and super low register guitar work. Deb's vocals are strong and John's guitar work attention grabbing. Wrapping the release is Crooks Thieves and Liars, an interesting ballad with a country feel. Debs vocals are strong and I really love John's attack on lap steel. This is a cool closer for a real nice release. 

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Reference Recordings artist: Doug MacLeod - Between Somewhere and Goodbye - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Between Somewhere and Goodbye by Doug MacLeod, and it's that cool, MacLeod blues rock thing. I've been reviewing Doug's releases for over 10 years and I find him like JJ Cale in that his music is cool, clever and somewhat definable... and that's good. Opening with Memphis In Your Soul, MacLeod sets off with a lightly funky, track with soulful vocals, an easy guitar riff, and with Paul Ossola on bass, Lynn Williams on drums and Cindy Walker, Marie Lewey and Carla Russell on backing vocals. MacLeod lays in one of his understated, single string guitar solos making for  perfect opener. Keep On Walking On is a straight up shuffle with really light instrumental backing almost dominated by a single snare/tambourine snap and MacLeod's vocals, backed by Lewey, Russell and Walker and another traditionally simple yet interesting guitar solo. Very solid melody and performance. I Ain't No Stranger has a spirit of it's own like any good, old school delta blues track. With resonating guitar vamps, story telling vocals and distant drum and percussion this track is not aa radio track but shines on it's own. Shuffle, I Don't Like Your Chances, powered by MacLeod's guitar and Mark Jordan on piano gives the release some juice and MacLeod fans an energetic guitar solo to compliment his Bromberg like vocal delivery. Vey cool. I like the guitar vamp on Watching The Sun Go Down developing into another of those MacLeod, hidden gems with it's understated melody. His vocals are raspy yet perfect to deliver on just such a track. Solid closer. 

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Exulans DMD artist: The Bluesmasters Featuring Cassie Taylor - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from The Bluesmasters, and it's rich with gospel, soul and blues. Opening with Downward Road, Cassie Taylor fills the air with soulful vocal backed by Larea Edwards, and Chrissy Grant. With the thumping bass line of  Kassidy Kent, and Sally Van Meter on lap steel, this is a strong opener. Slow paced, Sit Down Servant really gives Taylor to sing the blues and with Edwards and Grant on on backing vocals, Van Meter on Lap steel and Christian Teele on drums, another solid entry. With plenty of gospel wealth and sway, You're Gonna Make Me Cry, Taylor leads the way and Eric Moon on keys fleshes out the instrumentation and Teele amps up the bottom. I Wonder Why is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's droning bass line by Tim Tucker and Teele on drums. The interplay between Taylor, Grant and Edwards is lush and Doug Lynn's harmonica adds a great accent. Wrapping the release is a cool cover of Chain Of Fools featuring Taylor on vocal and with soulful backing vocals by Taylor, Grant and Edwards. 

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VizzTone Label Group - Willie Buck & Bob Corritore - OH YEAH! - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, OH Yeah!, from Willie Buck & Bob Corritore and it's rich Chicago infused blues. Opening with title track, Oh Yeah, Bob Corritore and Willie Buck have a hot one here. Buck on lead vocal really has the stuff on vocal and Corritore really knows how to conjure the Chicago mojo on harmonica. Featuring Jimi Primetime Smith on guitar, Billy Flynn on guitar, Ben Levin on piano, Bob Stroger on bass and Wes Starr on drums, this is a super opener. On William Crawford's That Ain't Enough, Buck's vocals are particularly gritty and Bob Margolin really digs in with Muddy Waters style slide. Playing with Waters for 7 years, Margolin plays this like it's second nature. Corritore's style on harmonica is perfect on this traffic. Corritore has the mic on Went Home This Morning and he wails. Mojo Mark Cihlar and Jon Atkinson join on guitar lays out some terrific riffs and Troy Sandow on bass and Brian Fahey on drums  round out the band making this one of my favorites on the release. Morganfield's Baby Please Don't Go follows original arrangement and Buck is really in the groove. This track is always a easy sell and Corritore and Buck sail high. Wrapping the release is Let Me Find Out Your Name with Levin on piano, and featuring Billy Flynn on guitar. A slow deep groove gives Buck plenty of space for his vocals to breathe and Flynn's tone is terrific. Corritore closes out the track with some lower octave blowing really giving it guts. Strong closer.

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