RJ Ray Entertainment, Inc., artist: Ray Goren - Save My Soul - New release Review

I just received the newest release, Save My Soul, from Ray Goren and it's quite good. Opening with Stop, Goren on lead vocal and guitar steps up with a poppy blues rocker and a really soulful voice. I need to compare his vocals to someone? OK...Stevie Wonder. Yeah, the kid can sing and has nice phrasing. Matching his solid vocals with a mean streak on the guitar gives Goran the double whammy, swacking this track right at the radio hard! Save My Soul is a bit rockier with solid drum works from Rob Humphreys and an explosive guitar solo by Goren showing his chops. On ballad, Can't Live Like This, Goren stretches out vocally, showing his soul roots. Real nice radio track. I Need You Here To Stay is my favorite track on the release with a modern R&B feel and traces of D'Angelo syncopation in vocal delivery. Masterful guitar riffs flow giving weight to the instrumentation. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Rise Together actually has the feel of an earlier era of Wonder and his pop/soul mastery with a modern polish. Can't argue with success. This release has a lot of strengths and not many weaknesses. Goren is proving to be a tasteful guitarist with good song writing capabilities and a strong voice. Nice job!

  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”

 

BGB Music, Inc. artist: Georgie Bonds - Stepping Into Time - New release Review

I just received the newest release, Stepping Into Time, from Georgie Bonds and it's smooth. Opening with the classic St. James Infirmary, Georgie Bonds, singing a capella establishes himself immediately as a solid soulful vocalist. Joined on The Blacksmith, a Robert Johnson rooted blues track with cool rhythm and slide work from Neil Taylor as well as Kenny Githens on bass,Andy Haley on drums, Walter Runge on organ and with a gritty harp solo from Buddy Cleveland this is a real nice track. On swing jazz track, What More?, Bonds really takes the track for a ride and sax work from Dave Renz adds a heavy warmth. Harry Jacobson whips down a slick guitar solo as well. On New Orleans influenced Lord, Oh Lord Haley and Runge really set the tempo and Buddy Cleveland punctuates Bonds fine vocal work. Daily News is a bluesy ballad and Bonds is certainly up to the soulful task. Neil Taylor plays a well heeled guitar solo over the solid organ work of Runge and still regiment of Haley. Very nice! On funky organ track Dyin' Is The Easy Way, Runge and Joey Stout on piano set a nice pace. Bonds is certainly up to the challenge, James White plucks some fine bass riffs and Taylor rips it wide open with a screaming guitar solo. Another strong soul ballad, Calling Your Name is a cool spotlight for Bonds on vocal. A slow dancer this track has basic backing from Runge on piano and Haley on drums. Kicking it up to full funk blues, Going Shopping is pushed along by funky riffs by Taylor, Haley, and Kenny Githens on bass. One of the hottest tracks on the release it features a cool organ solo from Runge and nicely articulated solo from Taylor as well. A fine slow blues, Out Of The Fryin' Pan gives Bonds to really show his blues vocal chops. Taylor lays up a nice guitar solo heavily supported by Runge and Stout on keys. James White is tight on bass and Haley never misses a beat. I Need Somebody is a funky rocker with a Bonds on top and cool harp additions by Cleveland. On Hurricane Blues, Taylor rips some pretty hot riffs supporting Bonds solid vocals and cool bass riffs from Githens. Wrapping the release is John Lee Hookers, Dimples, with a bit more polish than Hooker but still with a nice rawness and broken delivery. I like Russ Joels drum work on this track and think Taylor does some of his most aggressive yet bluesy guitar work complimented by Cleveland on harp and bringing out the rawest vocal delivery by Bonds on the release. A rudimentary delta style track with harp and acoustic guitar take it home. Very Nice!

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”

R.Music, Inc. artist: Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer - Hurricane Unleashed - New release review

I just received the newest release, Hurricane Unleashed, from Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer and he unleashes his hurricane of funky horn work on you. Opening with Gotta Get Back to Chicago, a blend of funk, jazz and blues, Spencer lets the juice flow on vocal and tenor sax. Andrea Balestra on guitar adds some funky rhythm and Mo Beeks rides under the track on keys. On You're All I Need, a slower R&B style track, Spencer has a more serious radio style in mind. Camarillo has a real nice swing blues feel (a la Kansas City Blues) and Spencer lays down some rich vocal leads. A real cool track Matias Alvear Fall on bass and Dario Benzoni on drums keep it tight. Lester Lands opens the track on guitar with a standard 12 blues riff. Dueling instrumentally with Spencer on sax this is a pretty cool jam. Lovers Hill is a R&B style pop track with warm vocal lead and backing by Kelly Chappue. Little Mama is a sassy strut with King Curtis like sax riffs. A very cool track. On soulful, You Make Me Crazy, Spencer really digs deep with his horn. A solid melody and nice backing vocals by Chappue with great horn work from Spencer makes this another cross channel radio target. Grover Washington's Mr. Magic gets a real nice punch from Fall on bass and Balestra on guitar but it's Hurricane that really takes this track for a ride. Very nice! Soul track I Got The Blues features rich vocals from Spencer over a bed of Beeks electric keyboard riffs and very melodic sax soloing by Spencer. Big Maybelle gets a real nice New Orleans feel with Benzoni leading the way on snare. Fall lays down a nice bass line and Spencer is tops on vocal and sax. Very nice! Holler'n and Wallow'n has a real cool groove with a funky bass line. This Jr Walker like track really hits the spot. Wrapping the release is Call Your Dogs Off with another taste of New Orleans. This springy track with crisp sax riffs is a great finish to a tasty 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”