Delmark artist: Giles Corey - Stoned Soul - New release review

I just received the newest release, Stoned Soul from Giles Corey and it's a blast. Opening with funky blues rocker, Oh, Mademoiselle; Corey establishes his ground on vocal, paired nicely with Marty Sammon on keys, the driving bass lines of Joewaun Scott and straight up drumming of Rick King. Stepping up with both hot riffs and slide guitar Corey shows he means business. On Morning Train the track has a lighter bluegrass/jazz feel with intro by Pat Otto on mandola. Corey splays the guitar on this track laying it wide open. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You has a R&B/gospel feel and backing singers Diane Madison, Mae Koen and Nanette Frank help to showcase some of the best vocals on the release. Breaking into a full foot stomping tent raising frenzy Corey gives his fretboard a workout. Very nice. Time Flies When You're Drunk is an easy going shuffle track featuring Otto again on mandola and smart piano work from Sammon. Pork & Beans doesn't mess around coming out blowing flames. Maintaining a funky guitar rhythm and tight drum pattern, the band cooks up a real pressure cooker here. A rip roaring guitar solo isolates the quiet funk from the intensity that this track delivers. Gary Clark Jr.s' Bright Lights gets a slight rework on this cut but retains the intensity of Clark's own performance. Sammon plays some sparkling Rhodes piano work on this track and Corey does not hold back when he opens it up on guitar. Super! Rita, a funky rocker, has a fat slide part that echoes the melody and eventually takes center stage. Nice. Right On! has an easy jazz intro but a bluesy melody ... a radio style track with solid structure. Again, strong backing from Koen, Madison and Frank play a key role in the execution of the track. Laid back, It's All Been Said Before puts you in mind of Van Morrison or Jerry Garcia. Otto again stepping up on mandola adds to that "country" feel ... this tracks floats on air. Watch Myself Go Crazy gets the R&B groove with a glisten of pop jazz. Rhodes piano work from Sammon and light crisp drum work from King keeps it simple for Corey who delivers a Steely Dan like guitar work over poetic lyrics. That Girl Is Bad takes the high road with a grinding slide rhythm filler and Mitch Mitchell like drum work. A tight rocker, this this track does take a breath for a keyboard solo but drives on hard throughout. Nice! Home Is On My Mind is a rolling rural ballad with a contrasting slide against triplet guitar riff. Nice touch. Every Time I See Your Face is an easy shuffle with a Randy Newman feel. Stylistic piano work on this track and nicely compliments the vocals of Corey and as a wrap to the track as also to the release, Corey lets the slide out and the band turns it up a few notches. Nice conclusion to a very entertaining 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 60 Years of Blues - New release review

I just received a new release, Delmark 60 Years of Blues and it's terrific! Opening with Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings and When They Played The Real Blues. John on harp, guitar and vocals drives a hard Chicago line on this super track from Kingsville Jukin'. Really hot! Following this track is Junior Wells and Rock me Baby from the Southside Blues Jam sessions. With Otis Spann on piano, Louis Meyers on guitar, and Wells on vocal and harp, this is a band that is hard to beat. Wells is on top of his game and Spann is one of my all time favorite blues pianists so this track is primo! Lindsey Alexander plays Raffle Ticket with Mike Wheeler on guitar Roosevelt Purifoy laying down some excellent piano. Alexander leads a tight ship on this track released on Been There Done That. Magic Sam plays I Don't Want No Woman, from his Live At The Advant Garde. His guitar work is finely articulated and his vocals are inspired. This track is swinging! Quintus McCormick struts in with Fifty Fifty from Hey Jodie. This funky R&B/Albert King styled blues track gets your butt squirming in your seat. Little Walter is up next with Just Keep Lovin' Her, an alternate track to the one included on The Blues World Of Little Walter. This band includes Muddy Waters and Baby Face Leroy. Prime Little Walter. Giles Corey's Stoned Soul plays Oh Mademoiselle, a rockin blues track with a definite contemporary feel. Corey lays down a funky guitar rhythm along with Marty Sammon on clav, Joewaun Scott on bass, and Rick King on drums. This track will be released on much anticipated Giles Corey's Stoned Soul to be released in 2014. Eddie C. Campbell plays Big World, a jump track from his 2008 release Tear This World Up with full horn section. Campbell's slick guitar work with effects make this a standout track. Big Joe Williams brings 44 Blues, an unreleased tape from 1960. This is an excellent early tape with only Williams on 7 string guitar and vocal. Sharon Lewis & Texas Fire covers Blues Train from the Blues Train. This soul infused track is a real mover. Billy Branch steps up on this track with his distinctive harp sound. Delmark really should be commended for putting this release together in such a manner that it flows nicely from style to style ... cohesive yet diverse. Lurrie Bell plays She's A Good 'un from Blues In My Soul. Bell, a standout contemporary blues guitar player lays down some deep grooves on this well paced track also featuring Roosevelt Purifoy on piano. Playing just behind the beat gives this track a real grip! Mississippi Heat turns it up for Let's Live It Up, with Inetta Visor on vocal, the incredible Pierre Lacocque on harp and especially hot on this track are Giles Corey on guitar, Hambone Cameron on organ, Stephen Howard on bass and Blaze Thomas on drums from the releae Let's Live It Up. Again pacing the release, Detroit Jr. plays on of my favorites from the release, Key To The Highway, accompanying himself on piano from Blues On The Internet. Excellent!! Tail Dragger and an allstar band featuring Lurrie Bell and Kevin Shanahan on guitar, Billy Branch on harp extraordinaire, Bob Stroger on bass and Kenny Smith on drums set the Chicago groove with Tend To Your Business from My Head Is Bald, Live From Friendly's Lounge. Sleepy John Estes contributes Stop That Thing from Live In Japan. This track is yet to be release but will be in 2014. Featuring Estes on guitar and vocal and Hammie Nixon on harp this track is hot! Wrapping the release is Toronzo Cannon and John The Conquer Root from John The Conquer Root. This track successfully blends Jimi with contemporary blues for a truly smoking ending for a super release. Yeah, catch the guitar work on this deal! It's not often that I sing praises (ok, I don't sing much at all) of a compilation, but this is a really cool one! If you haven't got all of these releases already (excecpt the ones not yet released, this is a great sampler for what you have missed and if you do already have them, it's a great cd to put on and play if you want a mix of different great bands. No filler here!

  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”