Little Village artists: Kid Andersen - Spirits / Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner - Soul - New Double Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent releases, Spirits, by Kid Andersen and Soul, by Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner released together as a single release (2 discs) and it's great! Opening with slow blues, The Civilized Life, Kid Andersen opens with some of the most powerful music to come out of Greaseland Studio. Andersen is a talented musician across the board and his guitar playing and lead vocals here are really strong. Endre Tarczy on bass, Chris Burns on keys and Mike Rinta on trombone, Dr Aaron Lington  and Stevie Gurr on harmonica add great texture to this excellent opener. Blind Willie Johnson's Nobody's Fault But Mine gets a really nice rework with a slinky feel courtesy Dave LeMieux on drums and Kid on guitar, bass and lead vocal shared with Lisa Leuschner. Check out the outrageous slide guitar work by Kid on Hey, Little Reaper, a Chicago style blues romp with solid harmonica work by Nic Clark and Charlie Musselwhite, coupled with Burns on keys. Very nice. I really love the feel on I Ain't Right with Kid on lead vocal and slide guitar. This track is a loose shuffle and reminiscent of the work that Skydog did with Arthur Conley at Muscle Shoals back in the early 70's. The groove is excellent and horn work by Eric Spaulding, Jack Sanford,  along with Lorenzo Farrell on keys, June Core on drums and Jerry Jemmott really sends this one over the edge. Wrapping Spirits is Ship of Fools, a sauntering soul/jazz track in the vein of early War. The vocal blending by a host of characters is incredible and Jemmott really anchors this track. Excellent closer for disc one. 

Leuschner opens her disc with Mike Schermer's In My Mind's Eye with a warm R&B influenced feel. Smooth, soulful vocals, backed by Kenny Ken Franklin on bass, D'Mar on drums, and clean guitar work by Kid make this a solid opener.  Another R&B track, Donnie Woodruff's I Won't Let That Happen To Me, really has a great feel showcasing Leuschner's voice nicely. With Jemmott setting a deep groove on bass, D'Mar on drums, Jim Pugh on keys, Vicki Randle on percussion and cllean, understated guitar work by Kid, this is a really nice entry. Digging back into Bishops great days with Jo Baker, Rock Bottom is resurrected and is punchy as it was when I first heard it in college. Lisa is backed by James, Dwayne and Walter Morgan on vocals, Rinta, Lington, Scott Jensen on trumpet add in authentic horns and Kid rips a guitar solo that would make Crabshaw proud. Kickass! Infectious, Slipped Through My Fingers, has a strong deep groove courtesy Kid on bass, Latimore on keys and D'Mar on drums. Latimore trades vocals with Lisa on this serious radio track. Wrapping the release is smart little ballad, Family, written and performed by Lisa with the last verse sung by Kid. With only acoustic guitar, keys and bass backing, this is a really nice track with Lisa's voice as pure as it gets, unadorned and straight up. Very nice closer for a tremendous double set. One of the most enjoyable reviews of the year! 

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Club 88 Records artist: Mitch Woods - Friends Along The Way - New Release review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Friends Along The Way, from Mitch Woods and it features a who's who in the blues business. Opening with Ma Rainey's C.C. Rider, Van Morrison on vocal and Taj Mahal on vocal and guitar, join Mitch Woods on piano for a early blues style rendition of this classic. Very nice. Oliver Perry's Keep A Dollar In Your Pocket is a great boogie with Elvin Bishop on lead guitar and vocal, joined by Woods on piano and Larry Vann on drums. Woods really lays in his notorious piano boogie style and Bishop's guitar signature is prime. John Hammond steps up on Don Roby's Mother In Law Blues, adding not only super National steel riffs but solid lead vocals. Rolling piano riffs by Woods makes this one of my favorites on the release. Springing to life is Nasty Boogie with Joe Louis Walker on lead vocal and guitar and excellent piano by Woods. Very nice. Jimmy Liggins' Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man is a ripping way to open side two with Woods really showing what he's got on piano and excellent riffs by Bishop. Superharp James Cotton joins on Chicago Express wailing away over Woods really hammering on the piano. Excellent! Another real nice entry with Morrison and Mahal is Leroy Carr's Midnight Hour Blues with real nice vocal lead by Morrison and trademark riffs by Mahal over the melodic piano work of Woods. Marcia Ball and Woods have a cool piano boogie playoff on In The Night, a New Orleans flavored track. Maria Muldaur adds some sassy vocals on Mojo Mambo accompanied by Woods on vocal and piano. Woods really does have a cool feel on the piano making him a favorite in todays market. Wrapping the release is Worried Life Blues, with Woods on piano, Walker on guitar and vocal. A real foot stomper, penned by Lightning Hopkins, is a strong closer for a really solid release. 

  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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Stony Plain Records artists: New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers - Volume 2 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (March 26, 2021 ... today), Volume 2 from New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers and it's really strong. Opening with Blues For Yesterday, Charlie Musselwhite on lead vocal and harmonica sets a Chicago feel with Alvin Youngblood Hart on guitar, Jimbo Mathus on guitar, Jim Dickenson on piano, Luther Dickinson on guitar, Cody Dickinson on drums and Chris Chew on bass. On Doug Sham's She's About A Mover, Alvin Youngblood Hart has the lead vocal spot and Musselwhite lays in some really nice harmonica. Jimbo Mathus has lead vocal on Searchlight, probably the most Chicago I've heard form Mathus since his work with Buddy Guy. A solid bass line from Chew and well placed guitar and harmonica work makes this track fly. Charles Mingus' Oh Lord, Don't let Them Drop That Atom Bomb is a really nice showcase for Jim Dickinson on piano and vocal. This is a truly soulful track and one of the highlights of the release with gritty vocal blending. Greens and Ham is a great entry by Mathus in his primitive Mississippi blues styling. I've always liked Jimbo's country styling and this track is all Jimbo. Real nice. Musselwhite's Black Water is a strong track and a perfect name for this track with it's dark tones and overall heavy feel. This is my favorite track on the release with Musselwhite on vocal and harmonica but a a great track for the band as a whole. With some dark slide work and warm harmonica, it's all gravy. Hart delivers the most pure blues track on the release with If Blues Was Money with authentic delta style acoustic guitar work, complimented by Luther D on mandolin and Musselwhite on harmonica. Excellent! Luther takes the lead on Blue Guitar, a slide guitar lead instrumental. This is another terrific track with great feel and pace. Wrapping the release is Blues Is A Mighty Bad Feeling, a Mississippi Sheiks track with Jim Dickinson on lead vocal and piano. This is a strong slower blues with nicely articulated guitar by Luther and Charlie adding just the right amount of Harmonica. Strong closer for a really cool release. 

  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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