Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Hill Country Blood , from Kent Burnside, and it's a cool update on the traditional Hill Country sound. Opening with Daddy Told Me , a track deep in Hill Country richness, Kent Burnside on lead vocal and guitar creates a iridescent, soulful sound with traditional guitar riffs. Very cool opener. On Hooker's Crawling King Snake , Burnside turns it up a few notches with a driving bass line courtesy of Garry Burnside (R.L.'s son) Jake Best on drums, and Buddy Guy like vocals in contrast with his dynamic howling guitar style. Excellent! One of my favorite tracks on the release is I Heard with it's active bass line courtesy of Garry, nicely timed vocals and wound out, tone rich wailing guitar soloing. Rocker, Rob And Steal really gets into the Hill Country blues rock rhythm. With Kent on vocal and guitar and Best on drums this is a solid rocker. You Better Run is a super grinder with a heavy bottom and overdriv...

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bring It On Back To Me , from John Brenan and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Junkyard Blues , John Brennan on vocal, guitar and drums sets his own pace. With a touch of reverb Brennan has the guitar firmly under his fingers and a slide at ready. Singing and playing with real conviction, this is hard not to like. On Elmore James ' It Hurts Me Too , Brennan shows a good hand with the slide and his vocals are strong and steady. Very cool. JJ Cale 's, Call Me The Breeze gets a hybrid cover somewhere between Cale's own arrangement and that of Lynyrd Skynyrd . Hi vocal has more spunk than Cale's own but less than the swagger of Ronnie Van Zant and his guitar playing is more bluesy than Cale's but not as wound out as King/Collins and Rossington... still a lot of fun. Another great original, Ain't Gonna Cry For You No More is a strong blues rocker with a driving beat and sweet slide under ...

 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...

 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...

 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 ...

  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 ...

  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. Ano...

 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...

 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 tr...

 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 cl...

 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.    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 --- Bman’s Blues Report --- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”  For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE"       “Like...

 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 S...

 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 Lo...

 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 kick...

 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...

  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 r...

 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 ha...