CLICK ON TITLE BELOW TO GO TO PURCHASE!!!!
CD submissions accepted! Guest writers always welcome!!
I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, by Beth Hart and I really like it. Opening with Whole Lotta Love, Hart shows that Robert Plant has nothing on her belting out the most classic of rock anthems like it's her own. Backed by Dorian Crozier on drums, Chris Chaney on bass, Tim Pierce on guitar, Rob Cavallo on guitar and Jamie Muhoberac on keys, this band is tight. I'm particularly happy with Crozier's handling of Bonham's drum work which is the key to getting this band. Another drum heavy track, "later phase" Led Zep's Kashmir, sounds really strong and Hart fills Plant's shoes better than anyone might expect. The Crunge, from Houses is a great track with tight little guitar riffs and hot drum rhythms. Anyone passing a shop with this playing would likely do a double take on whether it's Led Zep... the keys are the tale with different intonation but still a really nice job! One of the best rock tracks by anyone is of course Black Dog and Hart and company does a great job. Once again I have to salute Crozier. As a long time Zep fan, it's all about the drums. Covers of Pages guitar solos are really quite accurate and still exciting. Digging back into early Zep again Good Times Bad Times is still a great rocker. Hart makes a small gender adjustment to the lyrics but her vocals are questionably better than Plants and covers of Pages guitar solos sound great. (Did I mention... great work by Crozier). Wrapping the release is gloomy and moody, The Rain Song with "strings" by Muhobeac and Hart's final chance to showcase her bluesy voice. This really is a strong release of Zep covers and a cool listen.
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” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE
Beth Hart Announces First Live
Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center'
CD/DVD
set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label
Group
Watch
Hart Perform "Tell Her You Belong To Me":
On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated
"powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed
a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured
songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career.
Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release,
'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this
standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front &
Center', out April 13th via Provogue
Records/Mascot Label Group. The performance is also featured on the
Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert
series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings).
Known for her visceral, soul-baring vocals and
dynamic range, Hart is riding a creative tidal wave following the release of
her critically acclaimed 2016 studio album, 'Fire On The Floor',
as well as her just-released studio collaboration with guitarist Joe
Bonamassa, 'Black Coffee.' Leveling audiences with her
incredible power and celebrated burnt-honey vocals for 20 years, Hart has
just launched a 16-date coast-to-coast US tour, which will be followed by a
European tour in April-May 2018.
Hart has had an incredible career, beginning with
the release of a fistful of hit albums through the '90s, then reigniting in
the post-millennium as both a solo artist and the head-turning vocalist for
guitar heroes like Joe Bonamassa, Slash and long-time collaborator Jeff Beck.
But it's in recent times that Beth has truly blossomed, selling out
ever-larger venues in cities around the world, including New York, Los
Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. She is
recognized as one of the great live vocalists of our time, with a voice
"reminiscent of Etta James and Janis Joplin" (Music Connection),
topping Billboard's Blues Album Chart and receiving numerous GRAMMY and Blues
Music Awards nominations. Dubbed "the ultimate female rock star" by
The Blues Magazine, the Guardian has praised her "daring, brooding
performances" and The Times has called her "Extraordinary."
'Live From New York - Front And Center' will be released as a 2-disc DVD/CD set, mixed in
5.1 stereo, featuring never before seen bonus material, including an exclusive
interview with Hart. The audio from the performance will also be sold
separately as a digital release.
Track Listing
CD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - Broken And Ugly
06 - St. Teresa
07 - Isolation
08 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
09 - Fat Man
10 - Love Gangster
11 - Leave The Light On
12 - As Long As I Have A Song
DVD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - St. Teresa
06 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
07 - Fat Man
08 - Leave The Light On
09 - Can't Let Go
10 - As Long As I Have A Song
Bonus DVD features:
* Full Band Bonus Content (Love Gangster - Broken And Ugly - For My Friends)
* Acoustic Bonus Content (Isolation - My California - No Place Like Home)
* Beth Hart Interview
Beth Hart Announces First Live Release In 13 Years, 'Live
From New York - Front and Center'
CD/DVD set will be released
on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group
On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated
"powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed
a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured
songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her
career. Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live
release, 'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of
this standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front &
Center', out April 13th via Provogue
Records/Mascot Label Group. The performance is also featured on the
Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert
series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings).
Known for her visceral, soul-baring vocals
and dynamic range, Hart is riding a creative tidal wave following the release
of her critically acclaimed 2016 studio album, 'Fire On The Floor',
as well as her just-released studio collaboration with guitarist Joe
Bonamassa, 'Black Coffee.' Leveling audiences with her incredible
power and celebrated burnt-honey vocals for 20 years, Hart has just launched
a 16-date coast-to-coast US tour, which will be followed by a European tour
in April-May 2018. Hart has had an incredible career,
beginning with the release of a fistful of hit albums through the '90s, then
reigniting in the post-millennium as both a solo artist and the head-turning
vocalist for guitar heroes like Joe Bonamassa, Slash and long-time
collaborator Jeff Beck. But it's in recent times that Beth has truly
blossomed, selling out ever-larger venues in cities around the world,
including New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam, and
Copenhagen. She is recognized as one of the great live vocalists of our time,
with a voice "reminiscent of Etta James and Janis Joplin" (Music
Connection), topping Billboard's Blues Album Chart and receiving numerous
GRAMMY and Blues Music Awards nominations. Dubbed "the ultimate female
rock star" by The Blues Magazine, the Guardian has praised her
"daring, brooding performances" and The Times has called her
"Extraordinary." 'Live From New York - Front And
Center' will be released as a
2-disc DVD/CD set, mixed in 5.1 stereo, featuring never before seen bonus
material, including an exclusive interview with Hart. The audio from the
performance will also be sold separately as a digital release. Track Listing
CD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - Broken And Ugly
06 - St. Teresa
07 - Isolation
08 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
09 - Fat Man
10 - Love Gangster
11 - Leave The Light On
12 - As Long As I Have A Song DVD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - St. Teresa
06 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
07 - Fat Man
08 - Leave The Light On
09 - Can't Let Go
10 - As Long As I Have A Song Bonus DVD features:
* Full Band Bonus Content (Love Gangster - Broken And Ugly - For My Friends)
* Acoustic Bonus Content (Isolation - My California - No Place Like Home)
* Beth Hart Interview Tour dates - www.bethhart.com/tour/ Beth Hart Online: www.facebook.com/officialbethhart www.twitter.com/BethHart www.instagram.com/officialbethhart www.bethhart.com
This year’s
festival started off under partly cloudy skies with Patty Reese rendering an
acapella version of the Star
Spangled Banner.As she sang you could
gaze out over the Chesapeake Bay and
imagine, as I did, the British
warships heading back out to sea after failing to capture Fort McHenry.Then a moment of silence was observed for the passing of BB King.
The festival
kicked off with the Marcus King Band
followed by a female band of local DC musicians put together
specifically for this performance called the
Sisterhood of Soul.Then a last minute
substitute band, The Record Company, replacing the
previously booked Davy Knowles.The
highlight of these opening acts, in
fact one of the true high points of the whole festival, was the
performance turned in by Little Margie Clark of Sisterhood of Soul. The little
old lady (formerly of the 60s group
The Jewels) packed a powerful voice. And when she ad libbed some serious scat
she blew the lid off that place!Man, I can’t even tell you what language she
was signing in!!The most outstanding
version of an improvised scat vocal I’ve ever heard on a record or in person…
and that’s counting Ella Fitzgerald!The
horn section for Sisterhood of Soul was outstanding.I really wish they’d
have turned those horns loose on their
set finale Turn On Your Lovelight.
The meat of the lineup started when Tommy Castro and The
Painkillers took the stage at
mid-afternoon.The set they played was clearly the
best I’ve ever heard Tommy play.I’ve
seen him at least 7 or 8 times and have not come away impressed.This time I came away singing his praises.He dropped his horn section a couple years
back and his new lineup has taken some time to come together.But they
are a tight outfit now!The highlight of
his set was his cover of the Wet
Willie standard, Keep On Smilin’.
The
Painkillers were followed by Bobby Rush making his second appearance at the festival.His was the usual standard
entertaining Bobby Rush set full of good music and a few laughs.
Next up was
Beth Hart who has the most amazing
voice.Extremely powerful.She was holding the
mic at her waist and it was picking up her voice like other
singers who are damn near swallowing it!I did not know what to expect from her as my only exposure was on some
duet performances she recorded with Joe Bonamassa.But she wowed me and pretty much everyone
within earshot, which probably included some fishermen way out under the Bay
Bridge!
Immediately
after Beth Hart concluded her set the
thunder and lightning rolled in bringing some heavy rain with it. This delayed the
start of the Gregg Allman set by
more than an hour and 15 minutes.Finally, with lightning still off in the
distance and the crew squeegeeing
water off the stage,I left for the evening.By all accounts those who stayed were thoroughly impressed with Gregg’s
band and his set.Everyone
mentioned his tribute to Dickie Betts and the
quality of musicianship the whole
band displayed.
Day two
started off the way day one ended
with cloudy skies and spitting rain.But
by the time the
Chesapeake Bay Blues Band took the
stage it had cleared.They are another “festival specific” band featuring Mark Wenner
on harp and vocals and Tommy Lepson on keys. It essentially consisted of what
amounted to the “Old Nighthawks,”
guys who once played in the
Nighthawks of the 80s, 90s, and
early 2000s.They ripped through a very
hot set of blues standards in which everyone got a vocal or two and they set the
bar higher for the remainder of the day.
Next up was Jarekus
Singleton.I was looking forward to
hearing him as I had heard mixed reviews on his first album and wanted to make
my own decision. Some folks said he was great and the
new savior of the blues.Others
said he was a highly overrated product of the
music industry hype machine.I found neither to be true.A lot of folks really enjoyed his set.I found it to be excessive and self-indulgent.He has talent and a big upside.But he is far from being the future of the
blues.
Mingo
Fishtrap wrapped up the afternoon
with a mixed bag set that was well received.Their set included everything from a New Orleans second line to country blues to
straight ahead gut-bucket. And then the rain came.
As Shemekia
Copeland took the stage she
announced “Here I Come!And Here Come The rain!”Shemekia is the absolute
Queen of the Chesapeake Blues Fest
and has appeared more times than any other
artist.The fans love her and she loves
playing this festival.It was the usual high energy, superb performance we’ve come
to expect from Shemekia.As always she
paid tribute to her father Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, but this weekend she also paid tribute
to the late B.B. King who had passed
just two days day before.
The artist I
most wanted to see was Charlie Musselwhite.I had never seen him perform and I was not disappointed.In fact, I liked seeing him live more than I
liked him from listening to his albums.He had an outstanding playlist of his older stuff, newer stuff, blues
classics.A thoroughly enjoyable set.
Jonny Lang
came on.Pleased many people with his
guitar antics.He was largely
popular.I have however grown weary of
his faux ”pain with every note” stage act.He is another hugely talented
guitarist who can’t decide whether
he wants to play rock, blues, prog, or Christian music.All I can say is constant thrashing may
entertain some, but it becomes tiresome to me.
As I’ve
probably said in previous reviews, this festival has probably one of the most beautiful settings as any in the country.It’s
right on the Chesapeake Bay with the Bay
Bridge as a
backdrop.The festival is non-profit and
all proceeds go to charities that actually get the
money!It’s a good time, it’s a good
place and it’s a good cause.If you ever
get the chance to come on down to my
place, the largest estuary in the United
States, please check out this festival.
“Like” Bman’s Facebook page. I use Facebook to spread the word about my blog (Now with translation in over 50 languages). I will not hit you with 50 posts a day. I will not relay senseless nonsense. I use it only to draw attention to some of the key posts on my blog each day. In this way I can get out the word on new talent, venues and blues happenings! - click Here
Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE
The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival with Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy, Beth
Hart, Jonny Lang and many more at Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, MD
on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015! Buy tickets today!
2015 CHESAPEAKE BAY
BLUES FESTIVAL
Two
incredible days of live music on the beautiful shores of the Chesapeake Bay.
On Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015, the Chesapeake Bay
Blues Festival will return to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland.
Boasting one of our best line-ups
ever, the festival will feature performances by: Gregg Allman,
Buddy Guy with special guest Quinn Sullivan, Beth
Hart, Jonny Lang, Charlie
Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Shemekia Copeland,
Mingo Fishtrap, Jarekus Singleton, the Sisterhood of Soul, the Marcus King Band
and the Chesapeake Bay Blues Band.
The
festival also includes a variety of food, including local favorite crab cakes
and oysters, Beer, wine, smoothies, a large crafter village with something for
everyone, and a kids activities!
The
net proceeds from this event will go to several worthwhile and very special
charities, including: Special Love, Inc., Camp Face, We Care and Friends and
League for People with Disabilities.
Provogue Records are pleased to announce the Monday March 24th CD, DVD & Blu-ray release of "Live In Amsterdam", the debut live recording from grammy nominated duo Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa.
The project was born from what Hart, Bonamassa, and Bonamassa's
long-time producer Kevin Shirley call a "crazy idea" to record in a way
that recalls the days when bands recorded live in the studio, with
little or no overdubs; the days when the vocalist was happy when a take
was done, regardless of their personal performance.
"What we’re trying to capture is an era of reaction and spontaneity –
something that was a great inspiration for me as a budding musician,"
explained Bonamassa. "It’s a bygone era in lieu of modern times and
digital studio manipulation. We wanted to do the exact opposite of that
for this live concert. There were no nets and what you hear is what
was sung and played that night."
Both Hart and Bonamassa were heavily influenced by these songs and
the artists who originally performed them. "We’re doing these amazing
cover songs, and what’s so great is that it shows part of what excited
us and made us want to become artists when we were young and just
starting out," said Hart. "You can see that a lot of this was an
influence with me, and Joe, and the other musicians, you can hear it in
the way everyone plays and performs."
Featuring 22 songs and over two hours of bonus and behind-the-scenes
footage, the sonic pairing that critics are calling a "match made in
heaven" are backed by the same world class band that kept the grooves
going on both the pairs’ studio albums: Anton Fig (drums, percussion),
Carmine Rojas (bass), Blondie Chaplin (rhythm guitar and backing
vocals) and Arlan Schierbaum (keyboards). This time out, their mighty
sound is augmented by a horn section, with Lee Thornburg (trumpet and
percussion), Ron Dziubla (saxophone and percussion), and Carlos Perez
Alfonso (trombone and percussion).
Boy
do we have a great year of music for you. For those of you who ARE familiar with
Provogue, you already know that we are an international favorite in the blues
world. With artists like, Robert Cray, Walter Trout,Beth Hart,Popa Chubby, and Leslie West it's no surprise that we took home
7 honorable mentions in The Blues Magazine's Best of 2013 edition, not to
mention 2 Blues Foundation nominations, and a Grammy nomination! That's why
it's no surprise we plan on making a lot of noise in 2014!
WHAT'S NEW?
Fresh Artists + Brand New
Releases
Whether
you're into classic blues, Chicago blues, a good ol' shuffle or even your
new-age progressive blues there's a big buzz coming from Matt Schofield.
His latest release "Far As I Can See" serves an entree of well thought out songs
that take you for a journey. The album is available worldwide on February 18th,
you can click here to pre-order now.
"THERE
ISN'T A BETTER BRITISH BLUES GUITARIST PLAYING
CURRENTLY"
-Guitar
Magazine
NEW
ALBUMS FOR 2014! March 4 "A Day In Nashville" - ROBBEN
FORD April 1 "In My Soul" - THE ROBERT
CRAY BAND
