Little Village artist: Billy Price - Person of Interest - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Person of Interest, by Billy Price and it's got style. Opening with funky, Inside The Box, Billy Price is back with his next chapter. Notable for a leading vocal style for more than 25 years, Price is joined by Larry Fulfher on bass, Josh Sklair on guitar, Jim Pugh on keys, Tony Braunagel on drums and backing vocals by Masayn Lewis, Fred White and Will Wheaton. Of course there's a great horn section behind him including Ron Dziubla on sax, Eric Spaulding, and Mark Pender on trumpet. Great opener.  Bluesy ballad, Mercy, gives Price a chance to belt one out and warm keys by Pugh under the solid lead guitar work of Fulcher, and a sultry sax solo by Spaulding make this a solid radio contender. Title track, Person Of Interest, really has a funky pop sound in the vein of Steely Dan. Reggie McBride on bass lays in a great vibe and Pugh is killer on keys. Price's vocals are loose and free and Dziubla and Pender do a great job on horns. Having spent 3 years with Roy Buchanan, Price dedicates a track, Change My Mind, to Roy. A serious soul track and featuring Joe Bonamassa on guitar who gives Roy a few nods this is a very cool track.  Latin rhythms on A Certain Something has radio warmth and a strong melody. Pugh leads the track nicely on keys and Lenny Castro on percussion and Braunagel really spice up the bottom with Fulcher on bass and lead vocal by Price, backed by Lewis, White and Wheaton really shines. Wrapping the release is high stepping, Damage Control, with Price playing call and response with Dziubla and Pender on horns. McBride on bass holds the line with Braunagel on drums and Pugh of course on keys is stellar. Spaulding shines on tenor sax whipping out a real nice solo and Lewis, White and Wheaton blend nicely. This is a consistently cool release ... think a bluesy Steely Dan. Very nice! 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Chickenbone Slim - Damn Good And Ready - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Damn Good And Ready, from Chickenbone Slim and it's a cocky, blues rocker. Opening with High Ballin' Train, a southern style rocker with plenty of swagger, Chickenbone Slim on guitar and vocal leads the way and Laura Chavez really lets it fly on guitar. With Marty Dodson on drums, Justice Guevara on bass and Kid Andersen on everything else, this is a powerful opener. Low slung, Drink Me has a great lope and Slim's vocals are spot on. Stylistic guitar soloing by Chavez gives the track a nice boot and a heavy bottom by Guevara really is solid. Chavez lays down some searing riffs on Damn Good and Ready with just the right amount of funk from Guevara and Dodson. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Ice In My Whiskey, with it's heavy bottom and guitar reinforced melody. Stinging guitar work by Chavez reverberates over a bass and drum vamp as the band collects for it's refrain. Another track that really catches my attention is Ty Cobb's Chiclets with dramatic vocals and nicely phrased and saturated guitar work backed by Lisa Andersen on backing vocals. Wrapping the release is shuffle, I Don't Want To Talk About It with a terrific guitar stroll intro. Guevara's bass line will have you stomping in your seat and Chavez's double stopped laden guitar soloing will have your head bopping. Excellent closer for a strong release. 

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Little Village artist: Marcel Smith - From My Soul - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From My Soul, by Marcel Smith and it's sopping with soul. Opening with I'm Coming Home to You, a cool, traditional soul tune that could literally come from the 60's with it's excellent lead vocal by Marcel Smith, background vocals by The Sons of the Soul Revivers and featuring Kid Andersen on guitar, Mike Rinta on trombone, D'Mar Martin on drums, Endre Tarczy on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, Aaron Lington on sax, and John Worley on trumpet. Very cool. Wake Me When It's Over is one of my favorites on the release with it's perfect melody, lightly applies backing of Tarczy on bass, D'Mar on drums and a vibraphone solo by Andersen supporting the lush vocals of Smith. Drunk is a tight R&B track with hot percussion by Jon Otis, a brassy trombone solo by Rinta, and sassy horn work by Worley all tied together by Smith's magnetic vocals. Nothing Left To Burn really moves with terrific vocals by Smith and excellent guitar work by Andersen, all over the solid bottom of D'Mar and Tarczy and Rinta, Lington and Worley. Very nice. Smith does a real nice duet with Lisa Leuschner Andersen on My Heart Told A Lie, a soulful track with plenty of radio appeal. Wrapping the release is Barry Gibbs' classic track, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart performed live. Smith's vocals are rich and soulful, backed by Andersen and Pugh applies the heat on organ really making this a powerful, gospel like closer. Really nice release. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Monster Mike Welch - Nothing But Time - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothing But Time, from Monster Mike Welch and it's flat out scorching! Opening with Walking To You Baby, Mike wastes absolutely no time kicking this release into overdrive. With solid vocals and high strung, blues guitar phrasing, Mike sails. Backed by Jerry Jemmott on bass, Bob Welch on piano, Kid Andersen on keys, Fabrice Bessouat on drums, Eric Spaulding on tenor sax, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and John Halblieb on trumpet, this track will part your hair. George Harrison's terrific track, I Me Mine gets a real nice cover by Mike and though he doesn't vary far from the original theme, it's a real nice track and Mike's interpretation, adding horns and blues guitar riffs takes it to the next level. Excellent shuffle, I Ain't Saying shows Mike's strong vocals and Texas style blues riffs setting up a great groove. With Andersen on bass, Spaulding on sax Bob on piano and Bessouat on drums, Mike kills it on guitar. One of my favorite tracks on the release is funky blues, In Case You Care, with Jemmott back on bass, Mike Peloquin on sax, Dr Aaron Lington on bari, Halblieb on trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, and Vicki Randle on percussion, this track is hot! Jump For Joy is really packed with energy and Mike is again swinging for the wall. Gotta say if he comes to Phoenix, I'm seeing the concert. Slow blues, Ten Years Ago is that one track when you just sit back in your chair nodding. Mike grabs this track by the scruff and shakes the stuffing out of it. His vocals are gripping and his guitar attack is relentless. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a modern take on Robert Johnson's Kind Hearted Woman Blues with Mike on electric guitar and vocal. His poise and prowess are obvious and his vocals are actually in line with Johnson's own falsetto. This is an excellent track to close a spectacular release. Out of the park

  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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Gulf Coast Recordings artist: John Blues Boyd - What My Eyes Have Seen... - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, What My Eyes Have Seen..., from John Blues Boyd, and it's tasty. Opening with shuffle track, In My Blood, John Blues Boyd has the mic with silky smooth vocals, backed by Kid Andersen on guitar, Jim Pugh on piano, Quantae Johnson on bass, June Core on drums, and Eric Spaulding and Jack Sanford on sax. Solid opener.  Title track, What My Eyes Have Seen... is a really cool track with soulful vocals by Boyd over a dark bass line/guitar lead by Johnson and Anderson. There is quite a bit going on here with super percussion from June Core and Kid Andersen, Jack Sanford on sax, John Halblieb on Trumpet, Ric Feliziano and Pugh on organ. Excellent! Straight up blues number, A Beautiful Woman (For Dona Mae) is strong vocally with nice guitar soloing by Andersen and featuring Nancy Wright on sax. 49 Years is a real nice slower blues number with strong piano lines by Pugh, wailing sax by Spaulding and super blues phrasing by Andersen on guitar. Funky, I Got To Leave My Mark, puts you in mind of Albert King, with excellent guitar riffs by Andersen (who also plays organ and percussion), and a solid horn backing by Spaulding, Sanford, Halblieb and Feliziano. Wrapping the release is My Memory Takes Me There which really highlights Boyd's vocal strength surrounded by only the basics with Andersen on organ. Nice closer for a solid release.

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NOLA Blue records artist: Frank Bey - All My Dues Are Paid - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All My Dues Are Paid, by Frank Bey and it's a solid mix of R&B, soul, funk and blues. Opening with Eddie Palmieri's Idle Hands with it's excellent NO funk. Bey really works this one Jim Pugh on organ, Eric Spaulding on sax solo, Jack Sanford on bari sax, Nancy Wright on tenor sax, John Helbleib on trumpet, Alex Petersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Martin Winstad on percussion, Kid Andersen on guitar and Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Excellent opener! Rick Estrin's, Calling All Fools is a great shuffle with some really cool work by Nancy Wright and showcasing Bey's silky smooth vocals. Very nice. One of my favorites on the release is another Rick Estrin track, I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind, with it's slow, bluesy approach, and terrific guitar work by Kid Andersen. Nancy Wright's sax is thick and juicy and Pugh's organ solo is prime. Percy Mayfield's Ha Ha in the Daytime has a solid bounce. Bey's deep vocals are rich and with Jemmott's firm bass work and Spaulding's sax work, this is another really cool track. Up tempo pop track, One Thing Every Day is an ideal radio song with a great melody, solid lead vocals and full backing vocals by Loralee Cristensen, Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Vicki Randle. Wrapping the release is John Lennon's Imagine with a gospel like remix. Bey knows how to bring it and Lorenzo Farrell's organ work, along with Pugh on piano and organ, a soulful sax solo by Wright, soulful guitar work by Andersen and with Jemmott on bass, D'Mar Martin on drums, Jack Sanford on sax, Halbleib on trumpet, Ric Feliciano on trombone, a well chosen 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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