"Johnny Burgin Live" Street Date 8.16, Single Available Now!

Johnny Burgin Live" on Delmark Records, CD/LP Street Date 8.16!   This live CD/LP offers twelve brand-new originals and two covers, performed in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Sonoma County, CA on Jan 5 of this year.  The band consisted of my road-tested rhythm section of Steve Dougherty and Chris Matheos in addition to some special guests and friends that I don't get to work together regularly, namely Kid Andersen, Rae Gordon, Aki Kumar, Charlie Musselwhite and Nancy Wright.  We had just one night to nail it, which made this recording a crazy, but thrilling, high wire act!  Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite's driving boogie-woogie harp on L"California Blues" is an absolute highlight.  You could feel a jolt of electricity run through the crowd when Portland, Oregon-based Rae Gordon took the stage.  The end result is a raw, fresh, and original all-star set of blues, shot through with live energy.   PLEASE NOTE: While the CD street date is 8.16, the LPs won't be available for purchase until January.  I'll keep you posted. CHICAGO CD RELEASE PARTY: Sept 19, Martyr's. 8-11, 3855 N Lincoln Ave, featuring the Chicago debut of Portland OR's award winning singer Rae Gordon and a rare appearance by Bollywood Blues star Aki Kumar.  Buy advance tickets here. EXCLUSIVE SWAG BAGS: Twenty 50$ bonus Swag Bags are available.  These will include a Delmark t-shirt, a bit of vintage memorabilia, a gift certificate for the autographed LP, free entry, and a band meet and greet from 7-7.30.  Reserve yours now via Paypal, click here or send payment to rjohnnyband@gmail.com.     THE TOUR CONTINUES...   It's been a great summer-- I had a great time in at one of the world's best blues festivals in Cazorla, Spain with Tail Dragger and Quique Gomez performing in a centuries-old bullring.  We also had a fun swing through the UK and the privilege of appearing with Billy Boy Arnold and Charlie Musselwhite at The Chicago Blues Festival.  For a youtube clip of Billy Boy Arnold with me in Madrid. click here.  Upcoming dates:  Fri-Sat:  July 19-20: Bejar Blues Festival, SPAIN, with Tail Dragger.  Wed July 24: Ina Mae's, duo show w Chris Matheos, Chicago Fri, July 26: The Washington, Burlington, IA Sat, July 27: Merchant St Festival, Kankakee, IL Sun, July 28: The Iron Post, Urbana IL 3-6 Thurs, Aug 1: The Smoke Daddy, duo show, Chicago  Fri, Aug 2: Third Base, Springfield, IL Sat, Aug 3: Elements Wine Bar, Valparaiso, IN Sun, Aug 4: private party, Greencastle, IN Wed, Aug 7: Ina Mae's, duo show, Chicago Thurs, Aug 8: The Smoke Daddy Wrigley, Chicago Fri, Aug 9: Acorn Coffeehouse, Wheaton IL   Sat, Aug 10: Flatted Fifth Blues and BBQ, Bellevue, IA  Sun, Aug 11: Bobber's, Winslow, IL 2-5 I'll have some new shirts and stickers as well on this trip-- here's the style: Aug 12-Sept 17: EU TOUR: Stockholm, Malmo Sweden, Swing Blues Festival Wespelaar Belgium, shows in Kouvola and Lahti in Finland, a house party and MOJO in Copenhagen, a house party in Lucern Switzerland, club dates and The Vinovo Blues Festival with Fast Frank near Turin, Italy, and a string of dates in Rome with Marco di Folco.  FALL TRAVELS: Watch for dates in Chicago, Michigan, Indiana, The Carolina Downhome Blues Festival, Pensacola FL, and then working my way back to Portland, OR by November 1.

Delmark artist: Omar Coleman - Born & Raised - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Born & Raised, by Omar Coleman and this guy can sing! Opening with Shuffle track, Tryin' To Do Right, Coleman exhibits his solid vocals and harp work complimented by Pete Galanis on guitar, Neal O'Hara on keys, Ari Seder on bass ad Marty Binder on drums. Man Like Me has a pure Chicago sound with nice harp work from Coleman and a tasty guitar solo from Toronzo Cannon. Funky Sit Down Baby is anchored by O'Hara's organ work and nicely driven by Seder and Binder. Coleman rides the top with great vocal style and Galanis pops off some stinging riffs along with Colemans harp work pulling the track together. Soulful, I Was A Fool, blends a light funk and soul into the blues for a really strong track. Guest guitarist Mike Wheeler plays some really soulful riffs on this track, making it one of my favorites on the release. A bit more funky, Wishing Well, has a down right limp. It gets so funky you may need an air freshner and Wheeler is right there with fluid guitar riffs keeping the track tight on. Rocker, Slow Down Baby, finds Dave Herrero laying down a solid Chuck Berry riff and O'Hara rides the 88's as Coleman delivers on vocal and harp. Herrera rips a nice solo on this track making Coleman holler for help! Cool track! Another funky track, Lucky Man, with perfect drum riffs by Binder digs a real nice groove. Galanis plays a perfect response to Coleman's vocal call and O'Hara lays right in the groove on organ. Galanis steps up with heated guitar riffs giving the track another dimension altogether making this another favorite on the release. Upbeat shuffle track, You Got A Hold On Me, opens with a real nice harp intro from Coleman. Cannon's back setting the pace with a nice guitar lead and Binders drums are particularly crisp. The coolest harp work on the release falls right into place on this one making it the complete package. Title track, Born & Raised, is a high stepper with Coleman keeping his feet high. Galanis rips a real nice guitar solo on this one over the wah wah rhythm. Very cool! Slow soul track, One Request is the most memorable melody on the track making it my choice for radio track of the release. I really like Coleman's vocal leads on this track and the light organ support by O'Hara on this track is perfect. His piano work is nicely presented, Seder's bass hand is right there and Binder is spot on. Again Galanis steps up with a nice guitar solo on this track but just enough to emphasize the dynamics on the track. Nicely done. Funky jazz track, Tell Me What You Want, has a nice bass line from Seden which really sets the table for me. Coleman's vocal phrasing on the track as well as his harp work is nicely complimented by hot guitar riffs from Herrero. New Orleans infused, I Know You Been Cheating, has an almost rhumba feel with a nice harp solo from Coleman. Seder on snare and O'Hara on piano really emphasize the cultural richness and Galanis throws down a tasty solo to ice the cake. Wrapping the release is full out jazz track, Raspberry Wine, with Coleman showing that his vocals can carry off even the more challenging style. Galanis steps up again with a real nice guitar solo on a carrier of organ and piano by O'Hara. O'Hara pulls off a real nice solo of his own on organ and then as is traditional Coleman steps back up to take the track home and the band joins in on vocals. Really nice closer.  

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”

 

Delmark Records artist: Mississippi Heat - Warning Shot - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Warning Shot, from Mississippi Heat and it's real nice! Opening with Sweet Poison, an Elmore James like track, featuring Inetta Visor on vocal and Giles Corey on super slide. Pierre Lacocque lays in some smoking harp work backed by Neal O'Hara on piano, Brian Quinn on bass and Kenny Smith on drums. Alley Cat Boogie is a fast paced boogie with a driving piano line from O'Hara and Andrew Thomas on drums. Visor really rolls with the vocals on this track backed by Mae Koen, Diane Madison and Nanette Frank on backing vocals. Lacocque rips a super harp solo on this track and Sax Gordon blows a fine solo of his own! Come To Mama has a definite New Orleans flavor with added percussion from Ruben Alvarez. O'Hara puts a real authentic spin on the piano work and Gordon adds some really cool sax work to compliment Lacocque's excellent harp phrasing. I Don't Know is a club style ballad and Visor really digs into her vocal style. Lacocque shows his impeccable harp style on his solo work on this track and Corey also lays out some really nice guitar soloing on this track. Yeah Now Baby really gets into gear with an uptempo blues track. Michael Dotson takes the lead on vocal and Lacocque really shines on this track. Andrew Thomas sets the pace on drums with a tight snare ride throughout. Funky track Birthday Song gets back to that New Orleans sound with a good amount of bounce. Visor, Koen, Madison and Frank played against the horns and keys make for a nice contrast and Carl Weathersby rips it loose on guitar as well. Alvarez, Gordon and Quinn each take nice solos as well for a really cool jam. Nowhere To Go has a cool lope for a more traditional Chicago sound. Lacocque takes advantage of the pace and lays down another super harp solo. Title track Warning Shot has a cool swing and O'Hara takes a nice organ solo followed by Corey and Gordon who both lay it out! Swingy Dingy Baby is a super shuffle featuring Dotson on vocal. A slick guitar solo heats up this track and Lacocque and O'Hara squeeze it for what it's worth. Too Sad To Wipe My Tears has a early delta feel with simple guitar riffs and expressive harp soloing. Visor's rich vocals are well suited to this style as well. Recession Blues returns to the Latin flavor with distinctive percussion from Alvarez. An easy blues rock overtone gives Corey a opening to play some really stylized guitar riffs followed by Lacocque. Excellent! Evaporated Blues has an unusual approach to the blues with a staggered military kind of drum work and a swampy feel. This is a cool track featuring Dotson on lead vocal and cool key work from O'Hara throughout. Hank Williams classic, Your Cheating Heart, gets a swing makeover with Lacocque taking the melody on harp. Gordon takes a really throaty sax solo on this track as well giving it extra body. A Part Of Something Special has a really funky groove and Visor puts forward my favorite vocals on the release. Gordon gets into a really grinding groove followed by a crisp solo by Lacocque making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. What Cha Say? is a really nice slow blues instrumental lead by Lacocque over a strong bass line from Quinn. Kenny Smith takes the lead on vocal on this track and Corey adds some nice slide guitar work as well. Wrapping the release is Working Man, a quick paced Chicago style blues with Visor back on lead vocal. With O'Hara setting the pace and Lacocque playing to the lead, Corey and Lacocque each take turns with cool solos. O'Hara and Smith warm the track making this is a nice conclusion to 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”

 

Delmark artist: Sleepy John Estes with Hammie Nixon - Live In Japan - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Live In Japan, from Sleepy John Estes with Hammie Nixon. If you like primitive blues/country blues, this is tough to beat. The release is comprised of music previously released in Japan only in the late 70's on LP just shortly before Estes death on 1978. The releases, earlier titled Blues Live! Sleepy & Hammie Meet Japanese People and Blues Is A-Live. This is an extensive 21 track set and I won't even attempt to describe it track by track but will attempt to give you a flavor. The release opens with Corrina Corrina, with Estes singing lead and playing guitar and Nixon on vocal and kazoo. Broke and Hungry, an original track is a perfect for illustrating the gripping qualities of Estes unique vocal style. Always a crowd favorite, I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You, finds the duo trading lead vocals, again with Estes on guitar and Nixon on kazoo. This is of course one of many "fun" songs on the release and showing the life in these performances. Stop That Thing has always been on of my personal favorites by Estes and Nixon does a real nice job on harp as well. A track that has been played by a number of contemporary players is Divin' Duck Blues. Here as Estes wrote it, accompanying himself on guitar and Nixon on harp, it certainly has a personality of it's own. Nixon takes a larger role in When Your Mother Is Gone, a traditional track showing his absolute strength as a vocalist. A super blues track, Rats In My Kitchen, again relies heavily on the super vocals of Estes. Nixon has a harp style that is well matched to Estes' voice and that is very apparent on this track. Another deeper blues track, Potato Diggin' Man falls back to tghe strength of Nixon on vocals and harp. Very nice. The last 4 tracks include backing by the Japanese band, Yu Ka Dan. Sleepy John's Twist has almost a rock blues feel but still remaining with the primitive style. It's a good chance to see Sleepy John with a slightly different but still true style. Love Grows In Your Heart is more of a gospel oriented ballad along the lines of Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning.  Another Estes original, Brownsville Blues, is gritty and wailing. Estes definitely had his own sound, never to be duplicated. This is a very cool track again with all of the bite of Estes at his best. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Jesus Is On The Mainline, features Nixon on lead with Estes on chorus and harmony. This is a super wrap for a very cool release. Wether you have all of Sleepy John's stuff, or you are just looking for an intro, this is a very cool set which captures Estes in a great live setting.

  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”

 

Eric Guitar Davis Murdered

Eric "Guitar" Davis, an up-and-coming blues musician who was the son of legendary drummer Bobby "Top Hat" Davis, was killed early Thursday morning on the South Side, authorities said. Davis, 41, of south suburban Riverdale, was one of two people killed a short time apart on East End Avenue in South Shore, authorities said. "He was a talented guy,'' said Ronnie Baker Brooks, a blues musician who worked with Davis on his last album. "It's just a tragic loss." "We deeply grieve the loss of our Blues brother, Eric Guitar Davis," musician Billy Branch wrote on Davis' Facebook page. Police said about 4:45 a.m., a 74-year-old man was found shot repeatedly in a car in the 7000 block of South East End Avenue. Killed was Willie Cooper, 74, of South Shore, who was prounced dead at 5:08 a.m., the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said. He was a retired CTA bus driver and longtime church deacon at St. Phillip Neri Church, ABC7 reported. At 5:20 a.m., police said a man — later identified as Davis — was found behind the wheel of a car in the 6700 block of South East End Avenue. He had been shot in his torso and neck, police said. He was prounced dead at 6:07 a.m., the medical examiner said. On Thursday, police were investigating if there was any connection between the two shootings. No one was in custody. "Doc" Pellegrino, who runs Kingston Mines blues club in Lincoln Park, said Davis was at a party at the club the night before the shooting. "He was a really nice guy," Pellegrino said Wednesday. "People enjoyed him. He was well-thought of." Bob Koester, owner of Delmark Records, said his label was about to record Davis. "He was next in line for the blues before these guys shot him," Koester said. "Maybe we should give these gang guys some target practice." In addition to Kingston Mines and House of Blues, Davis had dazzled crowds at Chicago Blues Fest and toured Europe frequently. He played Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, earlier this month, with his band, the Troublemakers. Slideshow Eric "Guitar" Davis was found fatally shot in the 6700 block of the South East End, Thursday morning. Eric Guitar Davis "It's like I lost a brother," said Tony Mangiullo, who owns Rosa's. Mangiullo said it was "a matter of time" before Davis made it big. "He had all the components. He had a vision. He had the roots. He was able to interact with people," he said. According to a bio on Davis' website, Davis first learned drums from his father, who played with such greats as Muddy Waters and Otis Rush. By the age of 10, he was playing percussion behind blues greats Junior Wells, B.B. King and others at clubs like the Checkerboard Lounge and the now-shuttered Theresa's, the bio said. Buddy Guy, though, is the one who turned him onto guitar years ago while the two were at the Checkerboard, which was on 43rd Street before it moved to Hyde Park. "Buddy Guy ... told Eric that 'in order to get all the girls' you have to play this, and handed Eric his old beat up Fender guitar,and showed Eric his first chord," the bio says. "Fast foward almost 30 years later and you have Eric Guitar Davis." Mangiullo said Davis had come a long way since he first played at the club a few years ago. He said Davis' set that night wasn't that great, but he knew he was dedicated because he brought in a full band with horns and was willing to work hard. "I knew he had a vision, he was confidant about his talent and he was willing to work for it," he said. He saw huge improvement when he played on Dec. 7 at the club. He was writing his own music and wowing the crowd. "The last show was his best," he said. His last text message from Davis was Monday, when Davis asked about playing the club in January. He signed off the text saying, "I can only be me." Mangiullo thinks that was a reference to a conversation they recently had about the importance of carving your own niche as a musician. Now instead of playing a gig at Rosa's, the club will hold a fundraising concert to benefit Davis' children on Jan. 19.By Josh McGhee

  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 favorite band!