Cleopatra Blues: Junior Wells - Blues Brothers - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Brothers by Junior Wells and featuring many contemporary blues players. Opening with low slung, Blues Hit Big Town, Colin James weighs in on lead guitar with Wells on Harp. Good Morning Little School Girl lines up Pat Travers on guitar and James Montgomery on harp. I really like Montgomery's work and his interweaving with Travers on this track is tight. One of Well's most loved classics, Messin' With the Kid gets a rework with Tyler Bryant on guitar and his open tone with just the right amount of reverb works really nicely. Baby, Scratch My Back features Albert Castiglia and I always like his style. He doesn't overplay but his notes all count. Very nice. Eric Gales is featured on Lovey Dovey, Lovey One and his confident attack on this shuffle really works nicely. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Snatch It Back And Hold It, featuring Joe Louis Walker. His guitar work is fluid and fleet with just the right bend. Wrapping the release is Hoodoo Man Blues again with Walker on guitar. Walker really is a great fit for this track with his soulful trem bends and tasty fills. This is a strong closer for a very cool release. 

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Cleopatra Records artist: James Montgomery - The James Montgomery Blues Band - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The James Montgomery Blues Band, from James Montgomery and it's a cranking homage to Paul Butterfield. Opening with funky rocker, One More Heartache, Montgomery blows the doors open with his always powerful harp, backed by George McCann on guitar, David Hull on bass and Jeff Thompson on drums and punched up by the Uptown Horns including Crispin Cloe on sax, Larry Etkin on trumpet, Arno Hecht on sax and Bob Funk on trombone. Super opener. Nick Gravenites' Born In Chicago gets a bit more bounce that Nick's original and McCann sports a real nice guitar solo opening the way for Montgomery's harp solo. Very cool. Little Walter's Blues With A Feeling is solid and Montgomery's vocals are raw and gritty. I particularly like the tight guitar work by McCann on this track giving it a casual pace along with stinging riffs. Young Woman's Love just has that snap making it sit solid on your foot. McCann is featured on lead vocal and Montgomery really digs in with fat, well formed harp riffs making this one of my favorites on the release. Sure to be the release favorite, I Got A Mind To Give Up Living, features Jimmy Vivino on lead guitar and he really pours it on. Montgomery's harp work is relentless and his vocals soulful. Excellent! On Elmore James' Shake Your Moneymaker, McCann slips on the slide and the band is loosely tight like Hound Dog Taylor giving this track real life. Good Question is a jazz born R&B track that really sings. Grace Kelly sets up a real nice sax solo and Montgomery rides high on the rhythmic drum work of Thompson and a moving bass line by Hull. McCann cuts loose with a real nice solo of his own and the band circles back for a final refrain. Very cool. With it's walking bass line, One Plus One absolutely struts. Closing the release is Junior Parker's Mystery Train. Cooked in full JL Hooker, boogie style, Montgomery works the band into a real lather for this sensational 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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mmm, mmm, mmMemphis! ... and coming soon!

BRAND NEW FROM THE VIZZTONE LABEL GROUP mmm, mmm, mmMemphis!  and coming soon.... Hey All Y'all (note the vernacular, we're getting in the mood) — Lots of VizzTone folks are heading to Memphis this week, so we wanted to take this opportunity to give one more shout out to our BMA nominees, talk about our Big Blues Party on Beale, and brag about our new and upcoming releases! So first of all, one more big CONGRATS and GOOD LUCK to the Blues Music Awards nominees from our VizzTone/Vizzable family: OUR NOMINEES... Ann Rabson w/Bob Margolin / Not Alone - Acoustic Blues Album Bob Margolin- Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year Phantom Blues Band - Blues Band of the Year Tony Braunagel (Phantom Blues Band, Robert Cray Band) - Drums Mike Finnigan (Phantom Blues Band) - Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Diunna Greenleaf (Vizzable Music Artist) - Koko Taylor Award        Click the CD to listen or buy at VizzTone.com   ;-) For those of you who'll be coming to Memphis, we can't wait to see you there!  And, if you're sticking around town for the Friday night AFTER the Awards, c'mon down to our amazing VizzTone Blues Party On Beale!  Check it out: See what I'm sayin'??  This is gonna be one party that is NOT TO BE MISSED! Lately we've been bragging about our BRAND NEW releases - Click the album covers to take a listen, and you'll understand why!                   ...and we'll tell you more about these soon (trust us on that!), but here's a quick peek at what's COMING VERY SOON.... Coming May 14! RUFF KUTT BLUES BAND THAT'S WHEN THE BLUES BEGINS Deep Texas Blues featuring Zac Harmon, Finis Tasby, Anson Funderburgh, and James Goode. Coming June 25 CANDYE KANE COMING OUT SWINGIN' featuring LAURA CHAVEZ We are SO PROUD to welcome our good friends Candye Kane and Laura Chavez to the family! Coming soon... LITTLE G WEEVIL MOVING • 2013 International Blues Challenge winner

Did you know... you can preview Every song from Every artist at www.vizztone.com!

New CD - James Montgomery Band!

BRAND NEW FROM THE VIZZTONE LABEL GROUP VizzTone proudly welcomes the James Montgomery Band! NEW ON VIZZTONE / OPEN E ENTERTAINMENT - CLICK ON THE CD COVER TO CHECK IT OUT! The VizzTone label group is proud to welcome the James Montgomery Band, and their new CD - FROM DETROIT TO THE DELTA - featuring special guests Johnny Winter, James Cotton, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer, the Uptown Horns, and seminal rapper DMC! When blues legend James Montgomery sings and plays the harmonica, he summons the power and inspiration of a rich history.  While growing up in Detroit he learned first-hand from the masters — James Cotton, John Lee Hooker, and Jr. Wells — at the legendary “Chessmate.” Over the years, he’s carried on in the tradition and continues to be a vital presence in Blues as one of its most dynamic performers. In the late 60s James moved to Boston and formed the James Montgomery Band.  Incredibly energetic live shows placed them among the hottest acts in New England alongside the J. Geils Band and the budding Aerosmith (who opened two shows for the Montgomery Band), and they were quickly signed to a multi-album deal with Capricorn Records.  Since that time, James has recorded eight albums. His releases have hit the Billboard Top Ten and included members of the David Letterman Band, the Uptown Horns, producer Allen Toussaint and other luminaries. James spent four years playing with Johnny Winter, and recorded on his Grammy-nominated “Bluesman” CD.  He has also recorded with Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker. James has toured with many major artists, including Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, the Allman Brothers, Steve Miller and others, and performed onstage with B.B.King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Jr. Wells, James Cotton, Bonnie Raitt, Greg Allman, Laverne Baker, and Peter Wolf among many others, including an impromptu session with Mick Jagger at New York’s “Trax”. FROM DETROIT TO THE DELTA finds James and his great band once again in the company of well-known friends: Johnny Winter plays some blazing slide guitar, James Cotton joins James in a lowdown country blues, Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford power up a couple tracks, the Uptown Horns add their special flavor, and rapper DMC (Run DMC) takes “Who Do You Love” to a whole new place. The James Montgomery Band:  George McCann, James Montgomery, David Hull, Seth Pappas Did you know... you can preview every song from every artist at www.vizztone.com!

Delta Rising: A Blues Documentary -- Trailer

A film documentary about the blues. Clarksdale Mississippi to Memphis Tennessee. Although not new, a new one on the list for me to watch!

Features Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Jimbo Mathus, Scott Bomar, James Montgomery, Chris Cotton, Ruby Wilson, Super Chikan, Grace Kelly, Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards and others.

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