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 received the newest release, Love Mechanic, from The JC Smith Band, and it's a ripper. Opening with jump track, Jump For Joy, Smith is out of the box on lead vocals pushed notably by Donnie Green on drums and Tommy Maitland on trumpet. Abraham Vasquez and David Sandez rips it up with nice sax work and Smith lays down a nice guitar solo as well. A rock version of Mr James Brown's infamous Cold Sweat is up next with an almost JB like roll. It cool hearing someone taking James Browns hottest track and using what is his trademark rhythm solid bass line and turning it back on itself by Robert Green. Very Cool idea. Smith wails again on lead guitar backed by the horn section making for a cool cover. R&B ballad, Come On Home To Me, is up next with a nice piano solo by Richard Palmer. Title track, Love Mechanic, is a blues rocker with a bit of chug a lug compliments of Green and Green. Cool rhythm work with horn backing and JC cuts loose with a real nice guitar solo and Todd Reid is hot on the organ as well. On shuffle track, Ring Around The Tub, Smith lays down a nice guitar solo adding to his clever lyrics. Elmore James' track, Yonder Wall gets a total make over with a heap of funk. I really like Green's drum work on this track and Vasquez and Sandez set down some real nice sax work. Smith lays in a real nice solo of his own but for me on this track it's the Green's that make it happen. Bad, Bad Feeling has a totally different feel with a simple almost train style blues rhythm and what to my ears sounds like banjo solo. Little Walter track, Last Night, takes the slow road and Smith digs in nicely on the guitar intro. Todd Reid really lays it out nicely on organ on this track making it one of my favorites on the release. Super star guitar man, Chris Cain, joins on Elmore James' shuffle track, Talk To Me Baby, and he really rips it. Staying in shuffle mode, Rocket To The Moon, has a real nice feel with a nice muted trumpet solo by Maitland and sax solo by Vasquez and Sandez. Eddie Boyd's, Five Long Years, gives Smith a chance to stretch the strings out a bit again and he does a nice job. Smith's vocals on this track are probably his best and with excellent backing by Reynolds and Maitland, a real fine track. Wrapping the release is Toronzo Cannon's Ain't No Stranger. Smith and Vasquez trade solos and Maitland and Reynolds provide solid horn support over a nice driving bass line by Green.
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”
