Blind Racoon Nola Blue Collection Volume 3 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Volume 3 from Blind Racoon Nola Blue Collection and it's chocked full of tasty tracks. Opening with Time To Forget You, from Willie Bo Walker and Danny Flam, a slow paced blues track with screaming slide and fat horns is always a great start. John Nemeth's contribution, I Can See Your Love Shine, has a cool modified reggae beat with some tasty guitar and harp work with a poppy feel. Clarence Spady's, Surrender is a warm, slow blues with cool, soulful vocals, tight, nicely phrased guitar riffs and crystal clear piano. Laura Tate's I Need A Man, features solid vocals and with punchy horns and snappy drums, and really nice piano work, commands attention. CD Woodbury performs classic, Can't Eat That Stuff No More, with plenty of humor and spunk. Dudley Taft blends blues and rock for The End Of The Blues, with his own stylistic boogie rock and rock guitar styling. Rocker, Memphis Hotline, is Brigitte Purdy's contribution  with plenty of spunk and a driving pace. Acoustic blues, Riverbend Blues is a strong entry with strong vocals and resonator guitar work by Eric Johanson. Mildly funky Red Walls, by Miss Bix, featuring Keeshea Pratt is one of my favorites on the release with real nice vocals and strong blues guitar work. Lisa Mann's It's the Monkeys or Me is a cool blend of country and blues by Lisa Mann. Her vocals are terrific and the guitar work is tight and ripping. Boogie rocker, Pretty Kitty is a strong entry by Paul Boddy & the Slidewinder Blues Band. With it's call and response between lead vocal and guitar and the sailing harmonica, it's hard not to like. Harmonica blues, Blow Fish Blow! is a cool guitar/piano instrumental featuring Elena Keto and Hiroshi Eguchi. Wrapping the release is Skylar Rogers and Back To Memphis. With it's classic bass line and power vocal lead, supported by clean electric guitar riffs, this is a solid closer for NOLA Blue. 

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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. 

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Nola Blue Records artist: Frank Bey - Back In Business - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Back In Business, from Frank Bey and it's quite good. Opening with title track, Back In Business, Bey establishes firm footing with a confident shuffle. Backed by Tom Hambridge on drums, Rob McNelly on guitars, Marty Sammon on piano and Tommy MacDonald on bass this is a strong opener. Moving to a funky James brown feel, Gun Toting Preacher has a great bottom with Adam Nitti on bass and features great trumpet punctuation by Julio and sax by Max Abrams. Nitti's bass lines on Cookie Jar really sets the mood and Bey knows how to work it. The horns really kick it into high gear on this one and McNelly's guitar solo is tops. R&B track, Where You Been So Long has a real nice strut and Bey's vocals shine like on no other track on the release. With solid piano and super horns, this may be my favorite. Another track that had super radio appeal is Give It To Get It with it's high strut. Wendy Molten's vocals coupled with Bey are really nice and McNelly's guitar soloing is strong and throaty. Wrapping the release is slow blues, Yesterday's Dream, an obvious pick for best track on the release. With a hot opening guitar solo by McNelly and soulful vocals, surrounded by warm keys by Marty Sammon and a solid bottom this track is smoking. bey turns up the heat and McNelly responds with more heat. Excellent closer. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Nancy Wright - Playdate! - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Playdate!, from Nancy Wright and it's smokin! Opening with funky, Why You Wanna Do It, Wee Willie Walker takes the lead on vocal and Nancy Wright really sails on sax. Joe Kyle Jr. sets the pace on bass with some heavy lines and J. Hansen's drum work is tight. Excellent opener! On Willie Dixon's I Got What It Takes, Kyle again sets a strong bass line and Tommy Castro brings a real nice guitar solo. This track is in the groove and Wright delivers a great sound on sax backed by Tom Poole on trumpet and Faris Jarrah on trombone.Yes He Do is a great swinger with Victor Wainwright really taking control on piano. Wright takes it higher and the two hit it out of the park. Super. Eddie Shaw's Blues For The Westside is an absolute screamer with Wright really digging in. Chris Burns' piano work on this track really stands out and Joe Louis Walker stands tall with soulful guitar riffs fluidly added throughout as well as featured in solo form. Really tasty! R&B track, Been Waiting That Long features Frank Bey on lead vocals and with it's swampy beat martin Winstad adds cool percussion to an already gritty track. Wright really squeezes the horn on this one getting it to squeal. The thoughts of Jr Walker come around as Trampled blows from Wright's horn with Kid Andersen echoing the guitar retort and Jim Pugh showing his stuff on organ. Very cool. Satisfied has a distinct revival/gospel sound with the Plymouth Church of Jazz and Justice Choir bringing up the chorus. Wright sails on sax backed by Chauncey Roberts on tambourine and handclaps. Another track with deep funk, Warranty, features Terrie Odabi on lead vocals. This track is so well crafted it is likely to get strong airplay across a number of stations. Andersen sets in some real nice guitar riffs and Wright crafts a hot sax solo giving the track real heat. New Orleans flavored, Cherry Wine, has super cool drum work and Lisa Leuschner-Andersen brings cool backing vocals. Wright down right swings it when she comes in for her solo taking it to the house. Instrumental, There Is Something On Your Mind, is a great blues track with Wright really winding up her sax and Mr Elvin Bishop answering with Red Dog on slide. This track has Bishops name written all over it and Wright really knows how to stack these cards. Excellent! Mike Schermer takes the lead on guitar on the swinging, Back Room Rock. Burns and Kyle really get the track cranking and Wright seals the deal with fat sax work on this one. Wrapping the release is laid back, Soul Blue, with Wright and Chris Cain setting the stage. Cain's guitar work cuts like a hot knife, searing through the horns and keyboard work giving the track a relaxed but crisp sound. Burns takes a real nice piano solo leading up to Wright tying everything up tight with her final chorus. This is an excellent release with plenty of blues for everyone. Check it out!



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Blue Dot Records artist: Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band - Soul For Your Blues - New release review

I just received the newest release, Soul For Your Blues, by Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band and a not only clever but appropriate name. Opening with I Don't Know Why, a smokin' soul track featuring great heartfelt vocals from Bey and great horn backing from Mike Rinta (trombone and tuba), Nancy Wright (sax) and Steffen Kuehn on trumpet. I'm Leavin' You maintains the sould feel but crosses over closer to the blues with a solid bottom by Paul Olguin (bass) and Paul Revelli (drums). Anthony Paule lays out some really hot guitar riffs on this track again with backing from the dynamo horn section. I Just Can't Go On, written by Christine Vitale, has a really solid soul feel and conjures images of Bey's earlier employer, Otis Redding, who died 45 years to the day of the completion of these recordings. Paule steps up with a nice guitar guitar solo on this track which isn't overpowering but pinpoint on. Super job by all. Don't Mess With The Monkey is a high stepping R&B style track and one of the most memorable tracks on the release with it's catchy melody and hook. Rick Estrin adds cool harp riffs to this already fun track. Buzzard Luck has a real old style club blues swing feel. One of the best tracks to feature Bey's vocal smoothness, also features a different side of Paule on guitar. Real nice. On straight up blues ballad, You're Someone Else's Baby Too, the band really gets a strong groove on, with Bey leading belting out the lead. The warmth of the horns on this track is really super and Paule plays some particularly articulate and melodic guitar lead on this track. I Want To Change Your Mind is another strong R&B track again with Bey leading strong and with rich backing vocals from Lisa Leuscher, Larry Batiste and Ron E. Beck. BB King like blues riffs flow from Paule's fingers adding a nice blues touch to the mix. Instrumental track Smokehouse lets the band get into a New Orleans style blues jam. A really hot trombone solo from Mike Rinta, cool key work from Tony Lufrano and trumpet work from Kuehn are great adds to Paule's lead guitar work. On Percy Mayfield's Nothing Stay's The Same Forever, Rinta plays the lead intro on tuba, something I rarely hear and it's cool, with Bey following closely on vocal. Turning with a funky beat, this is a strong track on every facet. The band is well mixed with just dabs of sound from each member. This is a great track! Wrapping the release is a swinging instrumental version of I Left My Heart In San Francisco. Paule pulls out all the stops leading the way with clean guitar lead. The horns keep the track full and Revelli on drums make this track rock.

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Blue Dot Records artists: Frank Bey with the Anthony Paule Band - You Don't Know Nothing - New release Review

I just received a copy of the newest release, You Don't Know Nothing, by Frank Bey with the Anthony Paule Band. This release was recorded live in San Francisco and I have to say the people who saw this show got an ear full! Bey has a very solid soul style to his blues and this band is absolute killer! The recording opens with the title track, You Don't Know Nothing About Love which is a smokin' soul track. Bey is a great showman and Anthony Paule wastes no time in showing that he can really make his guitar sweat. Not only beautifully bluesy riffs but great filler riffs giving nice texture...and with great tone. Backed by a stellar band including Tony Lufrano on Keys, Paul Olguin on bass, Mike Rinta on Trombone, Paul Revelli on drums, Nancy Wright on Sax and Steffen Kuehn on trumpet. Yes, Bey is the star of this show and a mighty strong singer he is but take nothing at all from the great horn backing on this set. On Ain't That Lovin' You, Paule shows his jazz chops integrating style and technique for a really nice spotlight. On John Lennon's Imagine, Bey gives a somewhat "sacred cow" a very proper cover. Paule, Lufrano and Wright take an absolutely blistering solo interlude on this track making it particularly interesting. The band does a very clean cover of Town Without Pity led by Paule and before you start thinking, Montrose... no. This is done more in a Les Paul style with a lot of 50's feel. It is actually quite cool but then... Wright steps in with "the beef" on the sax and Paule plays counterpoint on the guitar making the entire track quite memorable. Again on Still Called The Blues, a funky Albert King like track, Wright really steps it up and if you love sax... and I mean down and nasty grab you by the short hairs sax..this is it! I also gotta say Rinta plays one of the hottest trombone solos I've heard on CD this year! Paule original, Can't get The Time Of Day, gives Paule a great chance to step out swing style and some nice swing articulated guitar he does. Paule also takes the vocal lead on this track and the horn section comes forward in the mix a bit but when they break loose, Wright is on the trigger again...Stilladog...you listening? This lady is really hot.... I mean don't get close to the brass! Paule rips some really nice riffs on this track as well even squeezing some chickin' pickin' in there! Real tasty! Bey takes on Ray Charles' Hard Times and although not Ray Charles, he does a really sweet job. Wright takes over where Bey leaves off and man can she carry the load. This is some of the most soulful sax on any blues CD to reach my desk in quite some time. This is a really hot set instrumentally as you can tell and Bey really sets the tempo. On You've Got To Hurt Before You Heal, Bey brings is back to solid soulville and give Wright and Paule each a chance to show their gold one last time. Although primarily a ballad track showcasing the strong vocal efforts of Bey, Lufrano really pulls the track together on organ and Wright and Paule each get one last chance to shine. This was a show not to miss and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to listen to it today.

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Frank Bey

Frank Bey is a blues singer who grew up in Millen, Georgia, son of gospel singer Maggie Jordan. Frank toured with the Otis Redding Review in the 60's and later with Archie Jenkins & The Incredible Saxons. He rejoined the music business in 1996. He has been performing in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area ever since. His performances include yearly appearances at the Cape May Jazz Festival. His debut CD, which premiered in 1998 was entitled "Steppin' Out". In 2000, he released a single "I Wanna See You Soon." Frank Bey's latest CD released September 2007 is 'Blues in the Pocket." The CD was produced by Kevin Frieson and Jeff Monjack who also provided the original compositions. It was released by jeffhouse records. Frank's current band includes Joe Blong on bass, Joe Novak on guitar, Thomas Jefferson (TJ) on drums, Sam Reed of tenor sax, Kenny Taylor on trumpet, and Bill Levinson on keyboards. 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!