Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, White Wolf , from Teskey and it's a solid blues based rocker. Opening with Under The Sun , Teskey hits hard with a potent guitar riff by Brandon Teskey who also leads the way on vocal and a stiff snare swat by Brandon Gaddy . Matt Baldwin on bass creates a driving urgency on bass and Peter Murphy adds melodic keyboard rounding out the track. Slow blues, Upside Down World , follows a basic 8 bar format with Teskey setting the melody on vocal and accompanying himself on guitar. A firm bottom by Gaddy and Baldwin gives him plenty of room to lay down contemporary guitar riffs falling back to the blues root. Lemon Tree is a cool acoustic track with Teskey laying down a basic blues bottom on acoustic guitar and singing and soloing over that showing fine dexterity. Shadow Side is a straight up rocker and my favorite track on the release. With a strong bottom and nicely blended vocals, this could be a good radio track. Wr...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Waking Music: The Music of Gregg Hill & Randy Napoleon and it's solid, inspired and inventive. Opening with Super Moon , you immediately get a sense that this release is going to be a new excursion. Clock like rim shots and unexpected snare/cymbal shots by Quincy Davis , piano rhythm by Rick Roe and featuring Randy Napoleon and Jocelyn Gould on guitar creates a euphoric feel. Breaking to a real nice bop, led by Rodney Whitaker on bass, Napoleon lays down a low slung solo that really creates a groove. Gould picks up the baton and runs with it creating a nasty groove of her own. Whitaker takes center focus and he makes the groove fly. Circling back, Davis recreates the clock like timing and reggae slap. Very interesting. The Speckled Frog has a cool Latino bop feel with super drum and percussion by Davis and walking guitar texture by Napoleon and Ben Turner . Anthony Stanco sits in on trumpet shoveling a heap of...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, High Tide , from BB & The Bullets and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with rocker, Something In The Water , Brian Baker on lead guitar and vocal gets things going with with a solid mix of melody, rhythm and spunk. Stu Duncan on bass and vocal and Brad McMillan on drums and vocals makes for a solid opener. Bo Diddley 's I Can Tell has a simple rock beat and a deep bass and drum anchor. With cool vocal blending and Baker rocking the vocals, backed by cool rhythm guitar and some real simple yet tasty lead guitar makes this track one of my favorites on the release. Rufus Thomas ' Walking The Dog gets a cool makeover with an excellent backbeat emphasized by snappy drumming by McMillan. Simple sixties styling, a cool bass line and prime vocals make this another standout on the release. The Beatles ' I Want You retains much of the original feel with it's echoed vocals and bluesy guitar work yet st...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Oblivity , by Shawn Purcell , and it's intensively satisfying. Opening with title track, Oblivity , Shawn Purcell on guitar and Walt Weiskopf on tenor sax chisel out a really cool melody supported by Chris Ziemba on piano, Jeff Reed on bass and Steve Fidyk on drums. Weiskopf really rips a great sax solo, tightly punctuated by Ziemba on piano, then surrendering the lead to Ziemba who really holds the line. Purcell picks up the groove on Guitar Synth sending it even further before returning to TDC for a climatic conclusion. Explosive opener. Verdigris with it's steady pace and sophisticated drum pattern provides fertile soil for double time guitar work by Purcell over the stable melodic base by Ziemba on piano. Weiskopf really soars on sax with full scale melodic assault before Ziemba takes the lead with calming yet vibrant piano lead, anchored by Reed and Fidyk. Very nice. Laid back, Lazy Reverie , is an easy ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans ),  by Jim Witzel Quartet , and it's terrific! Opening with Victor Young 's, Beautiful Love , JimWitzel on guitar paints a lush landscape of guitar chords setting up this jazz standard. With Phil Aaron on piano punctuating the melody and Dan Feiszli on bass and Jason Lewis on drums, this track is really humming. Aaron really stretches the melody on piano giving the track real width and Feiszli and Lewis alternate riffs adding the depth. Excellent.  opener.    Steve Swallow 's Falling Grace has a stylistic Latin rhythm and Witzel really rolls on guitar with flowing rhythmic lead and Aaron on piano uses a percussive style to really deliver the goods. John Carisi's Israel has an incredible groove. Witzel and Aaron outline the melody nicely in duet, with Aaron first breaking loose with a light piano lead with just the least amount of bass and drums to set up the ...

 I just had the opportunity to review a Terrific release by John Lee Hooker , Boom Boom recorded in 1989. John Lee Hooker has been on of my favorite blues guys since I was a kid so to have the good fortunate to review this release on vinyl is really special. The release explodes with Boom Boom right out of the gate featuring Hooker on guitar a vocal, Jimmie Vaughn on guitar, Richard Cousins on bass, Kevin Hayes on drums and Jim Pugh on keys. Unlike some of the more contemporary releases by Hooker, this band stays out of Hookers way with his eccentric timing and vocal style, Jimmie Vaughn fitting right in the slot under Hookers trademark vocals, Pugh adds just the right amount of organ and Hayes kicking the drums tight to make this track an exceptional opener.  Hooker also plays a solo take on his classic I’m Bad Like Jesse James . This recording is not just clean but alive with plenty of air around Hooker with his vocals sounding immediate and present and his guitar seemi...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Return of the Light , from Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma and I really like it. Opening with Jazz For Dummies , a cool bop track, Joe Elefante on piano sets the scene with David Heilman on drums. Freddie Hendrix on trumpet and Erena Terakubo on alto sax reinforce the phrasing for a strong start. Elefante takes the first leg with an energetic phrasing, chided on by Sameer Shankar on bass and Heilman. Terakubu on alto cuts clean with some dynamic lead and Hendrix on trumpet really hits the groove, extending the concept nicely. Strong opener. Title track,  Return of the Light in 6/8 rolls along with really creative melodic summaries by Hendrix, punctuated by Elefante and Terakubu plays cleanly over mostly light bass and drums seeming to float. Elefante and Heilman exchange percussive phrases, passing to the reconciliation. Very nice. Ankara Blues really has a great feel with a driving bass line by Shankar. Ter...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Memphis Sun , from Jon Hines and I really like it. Opening with title track, Memphis Sun , Jon Hines lays down a solid boogie featuring Cameron Palmer on drums, George Wolf on bass and Hines himself singing lead, playing harmonica and some knockdown electric slide with overdriven fat tone. Excellent opener. Slow easy blues, Until The Wheels , has a cool, easy feel with Jon singing lead and playing rhythm guitar. Taking a melodic solo on guitar and with with just the right texture added by Wolf on bass, this a a real nice track. Shuffle, Pitter Patter , is anchored by Wolf on bass and Palmer on drums as Hines plays a loose rhythm on guitar and takes lead on vocal. The track has a springy feel and Hines finger work ties it all together nicely. Wrapping the release is Working Man with a lumbering, rhythmic, almost Hill Country swagger courtesy Wolf and Palmer. Kevin Fletcher really gets the harmonica howling giving Hines ...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Peace Vibes , from Ted Piltzecker and it's a solid combination of original and classic covers. Opening with Benny Golson's Whisper Not , Ted Piltzecker on vibraphone begins the melody joined by Brad Goode playing counter melody on trumpet. Gonzalo Teppa on bass and Paul Romaine on drums provide a tight rhythm section for a lush exploration of this well known classic. Piltzecker's strokes float on air and Goode's trumpet work is really crisp. Excellent opener. Toots Theilemans' Bluesette has a terrific Latin rhythm emphasized by Vinicius Barros on percussion, reinforced by Romaine on drums. Piltzecker's vibes really fill the air and Goode's trumpet lead it enthusiastic and fun. Miles Davis' Nardis features Goode on lead on trumpet, his noted caressed in warm vibes tones. Romaine lightly drives the beat as Piltzecker extends the melody and a real nice bass solo by Teppa adds another dimens...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Last Nite at the Bluebird Live , from Mike Henderson and it's a super live recording. Opening with Weepin' and Moanin' , Mike Henderson wastes no time diggin' in deep on his guitar, squeezing the blues out of the neck. With Kevin McKendree playing impeccable rhythm on piano, Steve Mackey on bass and Pat O'Connor on drums Henderson sings the blues bringing to mind the vocals of Johnny Winter . Excellent opener. JB Hutto 's Too Much Alcohol   is up next and Henderson slips on his slide and puts it to work. This is a tasty shuffle with great vocals and with Henderson and McKendree both really rolling. Smoking!  Mercy Dee Walton 's One Room Country Shack is a strong, slow blues, giving Henderson to show his soulful vocals. McKendree plays some great piano lead. Henderson slide in with authority showing excellent blues style slide work giving this track real grit. Big Walter Horton's Have A G...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, King Size , by Big Shoes and it's addicting. Opening with Jimmy Hall 's, Halfway To Memphis , with a real R&B style. Featuring Rick Huckaby on lead vocal and guitar, this track has a real strut with Jimmy Borland on bari sax, Steve Hermann on trumpet and Charlie Rose on trombone, Mark T Jordan on keys, Tom Szell on bass, Kenne Kramer on guitar, Will McFarlane on guitar, Bryan Brock on percussion and Lynn Williams on drums. Solid opener. Right About Now has a real " Little Feat " feel with a swampy bottom courtesy of Williams and Brock. Bluesy slide guitar really sounds nice and Jordan's piano work adds terrific upper rhythm. Very nice. Shuffle, I Don't Need Nobody , penned by Cramer has a real nice groove filled out by Herman, Boland and Rose and Jordan sets up a real nice piano solo, leading to a cool guitar solo by McFarlane. Super track. Buckwheat Zydeco 's Make It Easy On Y...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everything Sacred, Nothing Serious , from Kelsey Mines and it's really strong. Opening with Self-Alchemization , Kelsey Mines on bass and vocal and John Hansen on piano create a certain ambiance which develops into a super interesting groove. With Elsa Nilsson on flute and Beserat Tafesse on trombone playing in tandem, the sketch of melody is cast. Hansen takes the first solo with nicely illustrated piano lead, backed by Danilo Silva on guitar, Mines on bass, Machado Mijiga on drums and Jeff Busch on percussion. Nilsson rolls out a real nice flute solo with super bass and drum work supporting. Excellent! Sitting and Not Waiting has a really nice shape, Mines driving the bottom. Tafesse really wails on trombone with finesse and precision, punctuated by Mijiga and Hansen. Hansen really has great chops on piano, further expanding the track over the ever driving bass of Mines. Pluriverse is a real interesting track...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Need To Know , from Yates McKendree and I really like it. Opening with solid blues number, Burnin' Tears , Yates McKendree on lead guitar and vocal really sets a nice pace. With Steve Mackey on bass, Griffin Photoglou on drums, Robert Frahm on rhythm guitar and Kevin McKendree on piano and Hammond , Yates vocals are strong and his BB King flavored guitar attack really fits this track perfectly. Excellent opener. Run It In The Ground is a super hot runner with Muddy Waters roots. Yates is really riding high on lead vocal and his guitar work sails with Kevin and Frahm kicking it with heavy support by Griffin. James Brown 's, I Don't Care gets a real nice cover by Yates with his soulful voice and solid horn backing by Steve Herrman on trumpet, John Hinchey on trombone and standout sax work by Jim Hoke on tenor and bari sax . Chris Kenner 's Something You Got has a real nice funk underpinning by Kev...

p> I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wonderlust , from rocker, Pavlov's Dog . Originally formed in 1974 in St Louis , Pavlov' Dog now regrouped by founder, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter David Surkamp with singer Sara Surkamp , Abbie Steiling on violin , Rick Steiling on bass , Mark Maher on keys , Steve Bunck on drums and Phil Ring on guitar . Opening with rocker, Anyway There's Snow , David Surkamp has the lead vocal and guitar lead with Abbie adding prominent violin work and Bunck's tight drum rhythm. Mona has a distinct pop rock feel with a strong melody and firm guitar chords by David, reinforcing his vocal work and nicely executed violin lead by Abbie. Solid Water, Liquid Sky is an interesting track with shout like lead vocals and and a warm, mellow backing by Abbie, Rick on bass, Mark on piano, Phil on drums and Steve on drums. Instrumental, Calling Sigfried has a sprite, European folk/rock feel with nicely presen...