Bman's Blues Report: Blues review

Showing posts with label Blues review. Show all posts

Monday, March 10, 2025

Walk That Walk - Red Devil Lye - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Red Devil Lye, from Walk That Walk and it's a country blues rocker. Opening with The Daydream, Poppa C DeSnyder on dobro and lead vocal in a Waylon kind of style, joined by Jon Reese on bass, Stickman Waldron on harmonica, Pappy Biondo on banjo and AlanWaters on drums. Driving rocker, Heavy Music, has a solid melody with DeSnyder on guitar and lead with Jimmy James Love on backing vocal and guitar, Ray Paczkowski on keys and Richard Cheese Welch on drums. You Don't Love Me has deep blues roots in Morganfield territory, with DeSnyder on vocal and dobro, Biondo on banjo, Waldron on harmonica and Waters on drums. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Jimmy Oden's On The Road Again made popular in the 70's by boogie band, Canned Heat. Love takes the lead on vocal joined by Waldron on harmonica, Reese on bass, DeSnyder on guitar and Waters on drums. This is a cool release with a nice slice of blues.

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Friday, March 7, 2025

Gilded Tooth Records artist: Alfie Smith - Every Rome Needs A Nero - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Every Rome Needs A Nero, and it's rich in folk blues artistry. Opening with title track, Every Rome Needs A Nero, a cool folk blues track with a Latin rhythm, Alfie Smith on lead vocal and guitar captures center stage, with only the minimum of percussion by Dave Gould and bass by Justine Fischer. Troy Dowding on trumpet really adds great highlights with super trumpet phrases. Excellent opener. A fluid rag, All The Blues I Need, features Smith on vocal and excellent trumpet lead by Dowding over solid piano structure by Jesse O'Brian. Very nice. Elizabeth Cotten's classic, Shake Sugaree, is really nicely redone with Smith's deep warm vocals and understated guitar accompaniment. A nice acoustic guitar/trumpet duet really is a nice compliment on this track. Wrapping the release is Leonard Cohen's Bird On A Wire, featuring Smith singing this notable ballad accompanied by guitar, and O'Brien on piano and punctuation by Dowding on trumpet.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Greg Nagy - The Real You - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Real You, by Greg Nagy, and it's super with healthy doses of soul, R&B, blues, and rock. Opening with title track, The Real You, lead singer, guitarist, song writer, Greg Nagy on lead vocal shows a real feel for R&B. With Josh Ford on guitar, Dale Grisa on organ, John Baron on bass, Todd Glass on drums, Lynne Calloway on backing vocals, Jim Alfredson on organ, Keith Kaminski on sax, this is a solid opener. CeeLo Green's Crazy is a cool addition giving Nagy a open field to show his soulful vocals and bluesy guitar chops, complimented by Dale Grisa on organ and Richard Curran on strings. Very nice. Thornetta Davis steps up in duet with Nagy on George Harrison's remarkable, Something. I have always loved Davis' voice and with Josh Ford laying down some real nice guitar lead, this is an excellent blues rock addition. R&B track, Baby, What Took Your Love Away From Me has a cool, Robery Cray feel with confident vocals by Nagy and potent organ work giving the track real radio appeal. Blues based, Where Do We opens with a crude delta like sound but erupting into a modern blues rocker with hot lead guitar riffs by Bobby Murray and power vocals by Nagy. Wrapping the release is Brandy Carlisle's strong ballad, The Joke, handled by Nagy on lead vocal with potent lead guitar accentuating his Elvis Costello like vocal effort. I like this track and think it's a strong closer for a real nice release.

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Carly Harvey - Kamama - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Kamama, from Carly Harvey and it's pure blues. Opening with a blues wail, Native Scat, Carly Harvey on vocal really creates an environment, joined by Walking Eagle on guitar, Coleman Williams on drums and Mark Williams on bass. Powerful opener. Soulful, Misery is an excellent track from the old school format. With Harvey on vocal, backed by Dana Nearing and joined by Mike Tony Echols on bass, Deren Blessman on drums, Jonathan Sloane on guitar (with a wicked solo), Wes Lanich on keys, Danny Davis, Mario D' Ambrosio and Kevin Cerovich on horns, this is an excellent track. Rich blues, Take Your Love, really showcases Harvey's vocal style with full horn backing by Davis, D'Ambrosio and Ben Ford on horns and rich keys by Daniel Clarke on keys. Slone shines on guitar again with a deeply soulful solo and with Sean Hurley on bass and Deren Blessman on drum makes this one of my absolute favorites on the release. Harvey shares the mic with Annika Chambers and Dave Keller for dark blues, Human Too, featuring crisp guitar lead by Keller, Patrick Thornton on bass, Leland Nakamura and Mark Williams on drums and Walking Eagle on percussion and backing vocals. Wrapping the release is funky, Worth Waiting For, with it's poppy melody and bass reinforcement (and solid solo) by Mike Tony Echols and drums by Nakamura and Williams. Punchy horn work by Davis and keys by Lanich makes this a solid closer. Very cool release.

Monday, March 3, 2025

Aquinnah Records artist: Arlen Roth - Playing Out The String - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Playing Out The String, from Arlen Roth and it's great display of Arlen's acoustic guitar talents. I've been listening to Roth since early in his career with tele in hand and this is a cool and interesting departure. Opening with Gus Cannon's Walk Right In, Roth on vocal and guitar sets a more pop pace but the album gets pretty deep in acoustic/blues presentation. Norman Blake's Randall Collins is a terrific track with fleet fingered playing accompanying Roth's vocals. Very cool. Brownie McGhee's Gonna Move Across The River gives Roth a great opportunity to play acoustic slide on a terrific country blues track and Townes Van Zandt's classic, Pancho and Lefty is a strong addition with melody handled purely on guitar. Very nice. Louis Jordan's crowd favorite, You Can't Get That Stuff No More, features Roth on slide acoustic and vocal. Blind Blake's rag track, Diddy Wah Diddy is a great track and Roth some of his best vocal and finger styling on this early blues. Wrapping the release is title track, Playing Out The String, a easy going shuffle. Roth, taking this softer, acoustic look at the blues is a nice break and a solid entry to his ever growing discography. Very nice.

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Deep Groove Records artist: Dennis Herrera - Four - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Four, by Dennis Herrera, and I really like it. Opening with shuffle, Can You Feel It, Dennis Herrera on guitar gets things rolling with Lee campbell on drums, Rich Wenzel on B3, Sid Morris on piano, Frank DeRose on bass and Jack Sanford on sax. Strong opener. Up tempo boogie track, Blues and Roll is strong with raggedy vocal by Herrera who leads on guitar, and Bill Bates. Campbell holds the bottom tight on drums and cool piano by Wenzel adds texture. Great driver. One of my favorites on the release is rag tag, Tenderness I See with it's dark, Hill Country sound. Herrera's vocals are perfect for this kind of track, with added percussion by Gordon Peeke, and with super backing vocals by Tony Jones and Nina Mac and Sanford on sax, this track is off the hook. Preskitt is a super shuffle with excellent bass lines by Bill Stuve and nice sax work by Jorgenson. Fluid guitar lines really lay in the groove, accenting Herrera's laid back vocal work and Wenzel on B3 rides the tide for a well rounded groove. Texas guitar king, Anson Funderburgh brings his excellent blues phrasing to Mean Ole Texas Shuffle. Interwoven with Jack Sanford on sax, Wenzel on B3 and Herrera's own vocals, this is an excellent closer.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Blue Moon Marquee - New Orleans Sessions - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, New Orleans Sessions, by Blue Moon Marquee and it's New Orleans blues, simplistic and raw. Opening with Memphis Minnie's Black Cat Swing, BMM hits the ground running with Danny Abrams on bari sax and BC Coogan setting the tempo for lead vocal work by Jasmine Colette who also plays bass. AW Cardinal on rhythm guitar and Nicholas Solnick on drums rounds out the troop for this enjoyable track. Charlie Patton's lively Shake It and Break It features Cardinal on lead vocal and guitar. A true party rocker with honking sax work by Abrams and a cool upright solo by Colette, this track jams. Slow blues, What I Wouldn't Do, features Cardinal on electric guitar and belting out the blues. With rolling piano work by Coogan and meaty sax work by Abrams, this track wails. A rowdy take on St James Infirmary hosts Cardinal on lead vocal and guitar and highlights the firm piano work of Coogan and Abrams deep sax work making it one of the most memorable tracks on the release. Wrapping the release is Lonnie Johnson's Got The Blues So Bad, with Cardinal on lead vocal and featuring Jon Atkinson. With strong traditional styling, this is a great closer for a solid release.

Friday, February 21, 2025

Lightning In A Bottle Records artist: Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots - Gate C23 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gate C23, by Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots and it's strong. Opening with Fresh Suits, a strutting blues rocker, features Chad Rupp on lead vocal and guitars, joined by LaRhonda Steele, Arietta Ward and Ms. Vee on backing vocals Ken Scandlyn, on guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, Timmer Blakely on bass and Ken Brewer on organ. Sassy opener. Title track, Gate C23, is a deep blues track with Rupp and Ms. Dee on vocal and excellent guitar work by Rupp and Kenny Blue Ray, Brady Goss on piano, Gene Ermal on drums and featuring Joe McCarthy, Bradley Ulrich and Pat Pepin on horns. Smoking! Super shuffle, Blues City Cafe, really rolls with solid guitar lead and vocal by Rupp and excellent harmonica work by Mitch Kashmar. Soulful, You'll Be Singing My Songs, is rich with vocal lead and harmonies and excellent harmonica work by Kashmar and a stinging guitar solo by Rupp. Very nice. Fat Kid Boogie is a cool change up with a hot beat. Rupp on vocal and Kashmar (on harmonica) really get this track rocking and with Blakely on bass and Goss on piano. Wrapping the release is O.V. Wright's Blind, Cripples and Crazy with deep funk. Rupp, Steele, Ward and Vee really work the vocals and with Rupp laying down hot guitar riffs, Goss on piano, Kashmar on harmonica, and Ray on guitars, this is an excellent closer. Great release.

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Jay Lang - Blues Vol 1 - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Vol 1, from Jay Lang and it's a lot of fun. Opening with country blues, Sweet Honey, Jay Land plays a real nice Piedmont style finger picking with authentic vocal style. Simple, clever and well done. Strong opener. A natural story teller, his Hopalong Tracy puts me in mind of one of my favorite tracks from Elvin Bishop tracks, Have A Good Time. It's laid back, funny and down right great! My Sweet Mama has a bit of rag mixed in with Brad Porter on drums and sweet trombone work by Bob Dowell. Charley Patton's Shake It, Break It is an excellent addition with solid vocal and guitar by Lang, Eric Carlton on piano and Brad Porter on drums. Pine Box is a cool, laid back blues track with great vocals by Lang, backed by Carlton who stretches a bit on piano and Porter on drums. Wrapping the release is I've Been Saved, a Rev. Gary Davis style track with Lang laying down the blues on acoustic and vocal only. This is an excellent closer for a totally excellent release.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

APM Records artist: Mississippi MacDonald - I Got What You Need - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Got What You Need, from Mississippi MacDonald and it's a strong blend of blues and soul. Opening with rumbling blues, I've Got What You Need with it's stinging Albert Collins like lead guitar and thick bluesy lead vocals by Mississippi MacDonald, backed by Eliott Boughen on bass, Jim Kimberley on drums, Phil Dearing on guitars and keys and Lucy Randall on backing vocals, the release is off to a great start. Slow blues, Stop! Think About It! is one of my favorite tracks on the release with gripping Albert King influenced lead guitar work MacDonald really knows how to pour it on. 3.35 AM is a cool guitar instrumental with a rocking beat. Very cool. Gospel classic, If I Could Only Hear My Mother Pray Again with excellent lead and backing vocals and excellent lead guitar work over Dearing's organ. Very nice. Wrapping the release is deeply soulful, Your Dreams, featuring MacDonald really digging deep on vocal and guitar, paired with Dearing on piano. This is a serious release with soulful blues. Check it out!

Friday, February 14, 2025

House of Berry Productions artist: Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival - Revival - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Revival, from Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival, and it's soul drenched blues. Opening with shuffle, Lucky, Kat Riggins on lead vocal leads the chase with Shaelyn Mulberry and Mark Barner on backing vocals, understated but tasty lead guitar work by Erik Guess, and Tim Mulberry on bass, drums and keys. Solid opener. With a real great feel, Southern Soul, really gets swinging. Riggins vocals are soulful and Guess screams on guitar with great backing vocals by Mulberry and Barner. Set Me Free is one of my favorite tracks on the release with lush vocals and winding guitar work by Guess over a tight rhythm by Mulberry. Wrapping the release is soulful, Healer with it's subtle manner. With Guess and Mulberry creating the ambiance, Riggins takes it home. Solid closer for a very cool release.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Stony Plain Records artist: Eric Bibb - In The Real World - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In The Real World, from Eric Bibb. Opening with Take The Stage, a quiet, well penned, ballad with Bibb on guitar and vocal, Glen Scott on drums bass, Hammond and featuring haunting slide by Robbie McIntosh. Very nice. Everybody's Got A Right is a lively track with lighter than a feather lyrics and lush slide work by McIntosh and super backing vocals by Agnese Stengrevics, Chris McGreevy and Glen Scott. This River (Chains & Free) is a ethereal track with confident lead vocals by Bibb and excellent featured vocals by Shaneeka Simon and lush backing vocals by Sepideh Vazin' and Simon. Exception track. Another standout track is Dear Mavis with a steady, percussive, guitar pattern by Bibb under his deep seated vocals. With Glenn Scott on synths, this track is quiet but effective. Out of the ordinary, The Real World is a real nice track with a supple melody and soothing vocals by Bibb and Scott, accompanied by McIntosh on guitar, David Davidson on violin, David Angell on violin, Monisa Angell on viola and Carole Rabinowitz on cello. Wrapping the release is Victory Voices featuring a duet between Bibb and Lily James with McIntosh on guitar, Scott on drums, piano and bass, Vaziri on backing vocals and Rabinowitz on cello. Warm closer.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Mojo Minefield - Watch Your Step! - New New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Watch Your Step!, from Mojo Minefield, and it's a cool blues based rocker. Opening with title track, Watch Your Step, Tyler Fry on lead guitar and vocal set the pace with a tight drum rhythm by Ethan Meters, Scott Carere on bass, and organ work by Nick Royal McNeil. Fry cuts loose with some real solid soloing using fuzz and overdrive giving it a real edge. Livin' Ain't That Hard is a strong blues rocker with a great drum rhythm and solid vocal harmonies under Fry's lead vocal and matched with guitar lead with real attitude. Love this track. Change The World is another favorite with a heavy bottom. It got a great call and response with Fry singing the melody and then the trio coming back with a power response (think a more refined War Pigs with super harmonies and fluid bluesy guitar lead). Another strong track. Forget You Blues is a deeply rooted blues rocker nodding to Muddy but with real rock edge. Fry's vocal are super and the trio really brings this bad boy home. Wrapping the release is funky blues rocker, Ain't One To Gamble with great amp saturation and plenty of real swagger. These guys really get it (and deliver).

Monday, February 10, 2025

Amaury Faivre - My Americana - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Americana, by Amaury Faivre and it's cool and flavorful. Opening with Tumbleweed, a solid pop track with a folksy feel, Amaury Faivre handles vocals, harmonica, guitars and bass, joined by Julien Compagne on drums. Nice opener. Another track with a memorable melody is Doggone Soul with warm vocals, harmonica, mandolin and slide acoustic guitar by Faivre and drums and percussion by Compagne giving the track a dark reggae sound. Bluesy, It's Time For Me, is my favorite track on the release with soulful vocals by Faivre who compliments himself masterfully on harmonica, bass and guitar. Great track. Wrapping the release is bluesy folk track, Goodbye Joe featuring Faivre on acoustic guitar and harmonica. This is a really clean track and a solid closer for an interesting release.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Wilderness Records artist: Randy Lee Riviere - Concrete Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Concrete Blues, from Randy Lee Riviere, and it's a solid blues rocker. Opening with Mania, with a pop style theme, Randy Lee Riviere on lead vocal and guitar sets the pace. Joined by Kenny Greenberg and Bob Britt on guitars they create an interwoven melody, anchored by Stephen Mackey on bass and Tom Hambridge on drums. On Just Trying To Get Back Home, Hambridge used heavy tom tom to set the pace and Riviere's monochromatic vocals give the track a cool feel. His guitar styling on this track makes it my favorite with it's low slung bluesy feel. Stranger In My Head had an interesting British rock feel with jangly country style guitar riffs. Very cool. Dark tempered, Moccasin Lake is another cool track with a drum heavy bottom and crisp guitar riffs. Title track, Concrete Blues has a rocky rhythm with bluesy slide soloing and Mike Rojas adding some real nice piano work. Wrapping the release is rocker, Drive with Rojas on organ working nicely with Riviere on rhythm guitar. With a folky construction and country flavoring, this is a cool closer for a solid release.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Subcat Records artist: Tas Cru Band - All Natural Cage-Free and Fan-Fed - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All Natural Cage-Free and Fan-Fed, by Tas Cru Band and it's laid back bluesy fun. Opening with Dat Maybe, Cru on vocal and guitar leads the way on a straight up rocker, with Mia Casale on backing vocals, Tom Terry on bass, Scott Ebner on keys and Phil Diiorio on drums. On up tempo blues rocker, Brown Liquor Woman, Cru on vocal and guitar really gets that Clapton/Cale sound. A cool piano solo by Ebner and solid backing vocals by Casale give the track a solid radio feel. Shuffle, Grizzle n' Bone, is a fun track with a a tight bottom. Cru leads on vocals echoed by Casale and trades guitar riffs with Ebner on keys. One Eyed Jack is my favorite track on the release with a Hill Country undertone and a Tulsa overtone. Cru on vocal plays a rhythmic guitar riff and Ebner on organ warms the bottom. Wrapping the release is Heal My Soul, a country rocker with a strong bottom courtesy of Diiorio and Terry. With cool piano work by Ebner and solid vocals by Cru and Casale, this is a strong closer.

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Joe Flip - Old Soul Live - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Old Soul Live, rom Joe Flip and it cranks. Opening with Steve Ray Vaughan's Pride and Joy, Joe Flip shows he's got the chops to make Vaughan proud. Not sliding far from SRV's original arrangement this is a solid opener. On original track, Just Friends, Flip really gets things rocking, Chuck Berry style with driving guitar lead and vocal, Trent Boldt on bass, Mike DuBois on drums and Adam Daniel on keys. Freddie King's I'm Tore Down is up next with a solid shuffle rhythm. Daniel lays down a cool electric piano solo and Flip rips a cool guitar solo of his own. On Elmore James' The Sky Is Crying, Flip leans toward the Albert King/ SRV arrangement with a warm organ solo by Daniel and a ripping solo by Flip. Just Got Paid is the best of four ZZ Top covers with plenty of grind by Flip on guitar and tight drums work by DuBois. Wrapping the release is Hendrix's Voodoo Chile giving Flip plenty of space to jam. Trading guitar riffs with DuBois on drums this is a strong closer with plenty of oomph.

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