Cleopatra Records artist: Cactus - Temple Of Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Temple of Blues, from Cactus, and it's a strong blues rocker. Opening with Bukka White's Parchment Farm really rocks. Using Mayall's basic arrangement, Carmine Appice on drums really drives it hard with Billy Sheehan on bass, Jim McCarty on guitar, Joe Bonamassa on lead guitar and Jim Stapley on vocal and harp. Excellent opener. Willie Dixon's Evil gets a real nice heavy makeover with heavy weight drum work by Appice and great guitar lead by McCarty. Dug Pinnick on bass really sets the groove and Dee Snider on lead vocal is outrageous. Coopper and White's country anthem, No Need To Worry is now a slow blues with excellent vocal and guitar phrasing by Warren Haynes with Jorgen Carlsson on bass and Appice on drums. Cactus original (from their 70's album) Big Mama Boogie (Pts 1&2) is a great track with Appice in his own seat at drums and James Caputo on bass. Stapley on vocal and harp does a real nice job and Pat Travers on slide really winds it out when Appice kicks it in gear. Dixon's You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover really kicks it featuring Stapley, Caputo and Appice and featuring Artie Dillon on guitar. Solid. Little Richard's Long Tall Sally gets that real "Cactus" treatment with a dynamic heavy bottom by Appice and Kenny Aaronson, Mark Stein on lead vocal and Fernando Perdomo on guitars. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Guiltless Glider with Tim Owens and Appice tearing it up. This is a great closer for one of the most fun real blues rock CDs to hit my desk in a long time. 

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Purple Pyramid Records: Reimagining The Court of the Crimson King - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Reimagining The Court of the Crimson King and it's a modern day replication of Fripp's early masterpiece. Opening with 21 Century Schizoid Man, Todd Rundgren and Arthur Brown on vocal is a bit more outrageous than Greg Lake's stellar vocals on the original release. Fripp who masterminded everything that KC did played guitar beautifully on the original yet Chris Poland pushes the envelope yet further. Michael Giles, who plays drums on the original track I always thought did a masterful job yet Ian Paice really does a nice job here as well and the addition of Mel Collins on sax really is a great touch. Excellent! One of my favorites form the original composition is I Talk To The Wind with Jakko M Jakszyk on vocal, guitar and keys and he really does a nice job. Django Jakszyk on flute holds the sub melody. Very nice. Danny Faulkner has the lead on Epitaph and really carries it well. Joe Lynn Turner sings Moonchild adding just a touch of theatrics to the original track and Jah Wobble on bass compliments the track with tight lines, and Marty Friedman on guitar sails. Title track, The Court of The Crimson King features James Labrie on vocal and Steve Hillage on guitar. Hillage creates trademark solos joined by Carmine Appice on drums. The release returns with instrumental takes on Schizoid Man and Brian Auger runs an elaborate keyboard solo certainly justifying the addition. 

  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”

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Arthur Brown - Monster's Ball - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Monster's Ball, from Arthur Brown and it's a cool, twisted blues rocker. Opening with Lucifer Sam, a driving rocker, Brown is joined by Ian Paice on drums, Steve Hillage on guitars, Fernando Perdomo on Hammond, Mellotron and bass and James Booth on guitar. On Jack Bruce's I Feel Free, Brown uses his own style on Bruce like vocal and Cream's arrangement. Joining Brown are  James Williamson on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums and Jurgen Engler on bass. Arthur Brown's 60's hit, Fire is up next and with only minimal changes in arrangement, Brown rolls this one out in full power. Backed by James Williamson on guitar, Carmine Appice on drums, Brian Auger on organ and Engler on bass, this track still rocks. Wrapping the release is ELP's Karn Evil #9: 1st Impression, Pt. 2 and with Brown's own twists in the arrangement, it's cool to hear this old track played with enthusiasm from Jordan Rudess on keys and Billy Sherwood on bass.

  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”

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Cleopatra Records: Animals Reimagined: A Tribute To Pink Floyd - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Animals Reimagined: A Tribute To Pink Floyd and it's quite interesting. Opening with Pigs On The Wing, Part 1, Cutting Crew vocalist, Nick Crew is paired with Jethro Tull's Martin Barre for an ethereal acoustic intro that nicely wets the appetite. The first of three major compositions on the release, (17 minute) Dogs, features Rainbow's Graham Bonnet on lead vocal, UFO's Vinnie Moore on guitar, Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton, Dream Theater key player Jordan Rudess and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto. This is a really cool idea of bringing together contemporary progressive players to reinterpret these masterpieces. We've got a different lineup for the 2nd of the major compositions, (11 and a half minute) Pigs (Three Different Ones) including Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie, Return To Forever and major solo artist Al DiMeola on guitar, Blue Oyster Cult bassist Joe Bouchard, Moody Blues  key player Partick Moraz and session man, Mahavishnu Orchestra and extreme drummer soloist, Billy Cobham. Very cool. The third of the masterworks is (10 and a half minute) Sheep featuring Arthur Brown on lead vocal, Yes and key/synth phenom Rick Wakeman, Focus and major guitar soloist Jan Akkerman, Bahaus bassist David J., and Cactus, Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck and solo drummer, Carmine Appice. Extensive soloing on all three compositions are flamboyant, exciting and not overly self indulgent. Wrapping the release is Pigs On The Wing, Part 2 matches Yes vocalist Jon Davison with Eric Clapton and session man, soli guitarist Albert Lee on guitars and Billy Sherwood on acoustic guitar and effects. This was a well conceived project in 1977 and quite enjoyable in 2021.

  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”

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