Brandon Isaak - Rise 'N' Shine - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rise 'N' Shine, from Brandon Isaak and it's simply cool. Opening with shuffle track, Right Around The Corner, Brandon Isaak blends his catchy melody with his strong vocal styling, guitar work and Willie MacCalder's piano work for a super solid opener. Another real cool track, Can't Do No Wrong, has that hot jazz swing with excellent finger work, punctual harp, and seductive lyrics by Isaak. Excellent! One of my own personal favorites on the release is PhD in The Blues with a bopping bass line, a slight, funky, Albert King style and hot, smoking guitar. Country style blues, Me And The Blues is a real nice showcase for Isaak's voice and his slide dobro, followed only lightly by Chip Hart on drums is just perfect. Another particularly soulful track, Blame It On The Girl is my personal choice for radio track with an excellent melody and really inviting vocal work by Isaak, with primarily key backing by Aidan Miller and his own sparkling guitar riffs. Excellent! Another really nice country blues number is Perfectly Happy With The Blues showing a pretty happy sounding melody while singing the blues over solid finger picking and slide.  Wrapping the release is Sweet Dana Lee with it's rag styling, featuring Jerry Cook on sax and strong rhythm guitar work by Isaak. His Satchmo vocal styling and fleet fingered guitar soloing makes this a super closer for a really strong 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”

 For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE" 

 

“Like” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Full Swing Records artist: Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl - Un Twisted - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Un-Twisted, from Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl and it's quite good. Opening with Soul Mate, an easy going 12 bar, Hoerl lays back on the harp and with cool guitar lead from James "Buddy" Rogers. Pure & Simple Blues has a nice swing to it and a cool bass line from Roger Brant. Hoerl plays smooth harp riffs and trades solos with Rogers. Nice! A cool, bouncy cover of I'd Rather Be Blind, Crippled and Crazy gives Hoerl and Dave Dykhuizen on guitar a real nice platform to jam. Vocals by Hoerl are particuarly cool on this track. Period sounding track, Snake Charmer, is nicely done with really nice classic harmonica styling and super guitar work from Brandon Isaak. Fight Of The Century has a show sound with a light James Brown guitar rhythms by Double D and strong organ work from Dave "Cob" Webb. Don't Think It Can't Happen To You is an easy going shuffle with a rich organ solo from Webb and of course nice harmonica work from Hoerl. Grand Old Game has a strong Bo Diddley rhythm and harmonized vocals. Long Highway is swinging shuffle with a cool feel. A Little Off The Top has a nice bluesy feel and Hoerl gets into a real nice groove vocally. Johnny Ferriera skates in with a real nice sax solo on this number and Webb does some real nice piano work complimenting some of Hoerl's best harp work on the release. Closing the release is classic I Left My Heart In San Francisco nicely done and with a lot of the feel of Toots Thieleman. A nice wrap up of an interesting 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”

 

Here Comes The Hurricane: Vancouver's Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl Releases Un-Twisted

Here Comes The Hurricane: Vancouver's Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl Releases Un-Twisted June 24, 2014 Multiple award-winning musician Dave “Hurricane” Hoerl is a force to be reckoned with on the North American blues scene. One of Canada’s foremost harmonica players, his mastery of the harmonica -both standard and chromatic - as well as his soulful vocals, and charismatic, memorable performances make him stand out on any stage. Born and raised in San Francisco, Hoerl has made Vancouver his home since 1982 and for over three decades has been performing at clubs and festivals around the world, most notably as the founding member of Vancouver’s legendary jump blues band The Twisters. Un-Twisted is Hoerl’s first recording under his own name and features members of his band, Hurricane and the Hooligans, comprised of some of Vancouver’s best blues musicians. Un-Twisted features 11 standout tracks including “Soul Mate”, a shout-out to Hoerl’s wife, “Snake Charmer”, a fun track with plenty of double-entendre, “Don’t Think It Can’t Happen To You”, a reminder that nobody is immune to tragedy and bad fortune, and “Grand Old Game”, possibly one of the only modern blues songs written about one of North America’s favourite sports - baseball. Un-Twisted is a brilliant showcase for Hoerl’s soulful singing, perfect playing and stimulating songwriting, serving up one vivid slice of life after another.   “This hard workin’ harmonicist is surely worthy of his many accolades, and this CD will no doubt add a pile more.” - Paul  Norton, CiTR 101.9 Code Blue & CFRO 100.4 One O’clock Jump www.davehoerl.com Listen to "Snakecharmer" on Soundcloud Track List 1. Soul Mate 2. Pure & Simple Blues 3. I’d Rather Be Blind, Crippled And Crazy 4. Snake Charmer 5. Fight of the Century 6. Don’t Think It Can’t Happen To You 7. Grand Old Game 8. She Took Back Her Heart 9. Long Highway 10. A Little Off The Top 11. I Left My Heart In San Francisco