Nola Blue Records artist: Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family - Generations of Blues: West Side Legacy - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Generations of Blues: West Side Legacy, from Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family and it's strong. Opening with She Treat Me Just The Same, Larry Taylor on lead vocal and drums leads the way. With a bluesy R&B feel, he sets a solid drum line, joined by Joe B. Brinson on guitar, Abraham Avery on bass, Barrelhouse Bonni on keys and hot sax work by Ronnie G. Solid opener. Demetria Taylor steps up to the mic on Bad Girl, a nice shuffle and she's the perfect leader for this track. Her vocals are sassy and tight, backed by Eddie Taylor Jr on guitar and Ronnie G. on sax and Duke Harris on keys.  Brenda Taylor is featured on lead vocal on I Found Out with Jerry-O Mansfield on guitar and Ronnie G on sax. This is a strong track with a great balance between Brenda and Ronnie. Demetria is back up front on funky, You Belong To Me. This is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a hot sax solo by Ronnie G. I Paid My Dues is another track featuring Larry upfront on vocal and his style and presence carries this track nicely with an almost Albert King like feel. With wailing sax work by Ronnie, solid piano by Bonni and Brinson on guitar, this track is another showpiece. Wrapping the release is slower blues, Larry and Eddie Jr. Groove (Blues In The Rain), Eddie Jr. has the guitar lead with Matthew Skoller on harmonica. Larry keeps the bottom tight on drums with Michael Sleepy Riley on bass. This is a solid release packed with talent. 

  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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Big Bill Morganfield - Bloodstains On The Wall - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bloodstains On The Wall from Big Bill Morganfield and it's outstanding! Opening with a solid Muddy like track, Lost Without Love, shows deep soul and excellent vocals with nice guitar riffs by Morganfield, Colin Linden, Chuck Cotton, Eddie Taylor Jr,  bass by Bill "Mookie" Brill, and drums by Grant Clifton. On Willie Dixon track, I Don't Know Why, Steve Guyger adds real nice harp work and Bob Margolin tips in on guitar. Barton Szopinski really dazzles the keyboards on When You Lose Someone You Love, and Big Bill's slide work is raw and rowdy. Excellent! Boogie track, Help Someone really rolls again with the piano strength of Szopinski and the Mofo Party Band on backing especially John Clifton on harp and Grant Clifton on bass. Nice! Another slow and rudimentary blues right out of the Mud catalog is title track, Blood Stains On The Wall. Augie Meyers sits in on piano with Taylor, Linden and Cotton on guitar, Doc Malone on harp and Brill on bass. Willie Dixon's I Am The Blues is another favorite on the release featuring a brilliant guitar solo Bill Clifton and dazzling and super piano work by Szopinski. With a big strut, Jimmy McCracklin's Help The Bear rolls in with Szopinski on piano and John Clifton on harp. Super nice. Wrapping the release is Hold Me Baby, a really eccentric track that is so perfect a conclusion of this release. It not only has all of the components on early blues but has modern sounds that I have a difficult time describing. It is a really cool track and a great 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”

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Chicago Blues Extraveganza - Rhythm Room - Phoenix Arizona - Excellent Concert Review

Bob Corritore, one of the top Chicago blues harp players on the planet today and owner of the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ brought a terrific concert to town last night and I was fortunate enough to be in attendance. Corritore, a native of Chicago moved to Arizona over 30 years ago and is such a part of the blues music fabric here that he is sometimes taken for granted by locals. Making routine appearances here around his own recording and touring schedule he often becomes a complimentary musician to guests in his own house. His instrumental release, Taboo is certainly one of the best contemporary blues harp releases that I have heard. Last night, hosting a great group of Chicago musicians, Corritore took the stage with Eddie Taylor Jr. (guitar and lead vocal),Illinois Slim (guitar) and Brian Fahey (drums).

This was a terrific set of straight up Chicago blues showing just how good Taylor is both as a lead singer and blues guitarist and giving Corritore the opportunity to really shine.This initial set was maybe 6 -10 songs and was extremely well received. Exceptional bassist and vocalist Bob Stroger joined the group on bass and lead vocals. Stroger is an exceptional performer who stands out as a musician when in a back up role but as a leader really takes control. Having performed with Eddie King, Odie Payne, Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Big Eyes Smith and Carey Bell, he knows how to do his business and he took control. This was a short but powerful set with Strogers queezing solid gutsy blues from this set of excellent musicians.

This probably isn't a secret to any of my daily readers but I was especially here to see Rockin' Johnny Burgin. Johnny took the stage like wild fire playing two dynamic tracks from his most recent release, Greetings from Greaseland which is exceptional. I had only seen Johnny on video, backing others such as Tail Dragger on his DVD Live At Rooster's Lounge and on Youtube so I was extremely anxious to see him in person. This guy has his own style of guitar playing and is a really super singer. Now don't go off half cocked thinking I'm saying he's Stevie Ray Vaughn or Joe Bonamassa. He's Johnny Burgin and he takes his craft seriously, playing the rocking edge of the Chicago blues and doing it with dynamic style. Burgin only played two tracks as a band leader/lead vocalist, but I've been to concerts where there weren't two songs that I enjoyed as much as these two tracks so don't take that lightly.
Next up was ninety year old Henry Gray has played with a literal who's who of blues including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Homesick James, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Billy Boy Arnold, Muddy Waters, Johnny Shines, Hubert Sumlin, Lazy Lester, Little Walter Jacobs, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Little Milton Campbell, Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Reed, and Koko Taylor.  I reviewed his most recent release with Corritore, Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest and his appearance in person was dynamic and memorable. His vocals are solid and his piano playing inspiring. His style to my ear is somewhat similar to one of my favorites, Booker T Laury and his set as a leader was really great as well.

Finally Tail Dragger took the stage, or the entire room as the case was, singing to and hugging most everyone in the room. Kneeling, crawling and growling the entire way, Tail Dragger lived up to every show of his that I have ever seen. Check out my review of his most recent release, Stop Lyin' from 2013. Burgin, who is a now regular with Dragger had some super opportunities to fan the flames and although careful to never take over the show, was super hot gasoline on the smoking fire. Needless to say this was an exceptional show. If you have the opportunity to see this line up, do it. It won't happen too many times and clocking in at over 3 hours, you get way more than your monies worth!  Oh, and Rockin Johnny has some terrific hot blue t shirts. If you know the Bman, you know he's all about the blue (s) so don't be afraid to ask Mr Burgin. They are very affordable and really cool. Mine's in the mail so don't be surprised to see me sporting one at the next blues show!

   

  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”