Hip & Happy Records artist: Janice Harrington - 80 Years of International Friendship - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, 80 Years of International Friendship, by Janice Harrington, and it's a strong entry by Janice. Opening with Old Age, an apparent tribute to her 80th birthday and it shows Harrington in fine form vocally with a firm bass line by Tabbel Dierssen, cool guitar soloing by Z.z. von Schnerck and Charles de Beaulieu, Eggo Fuhrmann on piano and Lars Plogschties on drums. On BB King style, Seven Day A Week Man Blues, Harrington exhibits great feel and has Kenn Lending on guitar playing a terrific response to her call, backed by Verner on keyboards, Svenni Savafnisson on bass and Frank Larsen on drums. Telephone Blues has the same lineup and gives Harrington the opportunity to dig in deep, pushed by the solid guitar work of Lending. Very nice. Ray Charles' Hallelujah I Love Her So, gets the full big experience with Harrington swinging. With Robert Miesbauer on alto, Max Lichtenwagner on alto, Theresia Puhringer on alto, Michael Kaltenbrunner on tenor, Gunther Bauer on tenor, Nikolas Hans Wuhrer on bari, Roland Ruhm on trombone, Peter Berghammer on trombone, Gerhard Puhringer on trombone, Gerhard Eiblhuber on trombone, Herbert Mayr on trumpet, Johann Paul on trumpet, Thomas Berghammer on trumpet, Rudolf Zorweg on trumpet, Stefan Kaltenbrunner on trumpet, Frank Folgmann on guitar, Mike Kreuzer on piano, Johann Puhringer on bass, Eduard Moitzi on drums and Michael Kuntner on percussion this track has real horsepower.  Wrapping the release is classic ballad, What a Wonderful World, a perfect track for Harington reflecting back on her life and career. Backed by Fuhrmann on piano, and Gurtler on trombone, a solid closer for an enjoyable release. 

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Farmers Road Blues Band & Janice Harrington - Move On - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Move On, from Farmers Road Blues Band & Janice Harrington and it's got great spirit. Opening with James Cotton's I Ain't Doin Too Bad featuring Dirk Theege on slide and Janice Harrington on lead vocal and with Randolf Muhl on drums, Ralf Gehrt on keys, and Jens Bornhoft-Juhl. Dinah Washington's shuffle track, Salty Papa Blues has a great feel and a swinging sax solos from Helke Dorn and Olaf Barkow as well as a tight trumpet solo from Melf Uwe Holmer. Work Your Magic has real swagger with some of Harrington's best vocals and juicy sax work from Dorn and Barkow. Gehrt lays in some real nice piano strides, Holmer's trumpet phrasing is real nice  and Theege's guitar soloing is solid. Very nice. With a bouncy bass line and a jazzy guitar lead, Blues Rockin' has a cool groove. Moritz Kruit on guitar has a BB King approach to his soloing with fits nicely with the track, Gehrt's organ is tight and Barkow's sax sounds great. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Trouble with slick guitar work by Theege and strong vocals by Harrington. Very nice. Keep On Rockin' has a driving beat and a Booker T bottom with super frenzied guitar riffs from Theege. On R&B track, A Special Girl, Theege has the lead on vocal and it has a real nice snappy bottom courtesy of Muhl and gritty guitar work added to the warm horn work of Dorn Barkow and Holmer make this a special track. Harrington's Double Dynamite is a great shuffle with her power packed vocals and warm horn backing. Theege is tight on the beat with his guitar riffs and Dorn's sax work is solid. Wrapping the release is Robert Johnson's Sweet Home Chicago with a stripped down feel, featuring Jessy Martens, Harrington, Muhl and Theege on vocal and Kruit on guitar for a home style closer. Very nice.

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Nagel Heyer Records artist: Janice Harrington - Yesterday Today Tomorrow A tribute To Dinah Washington - Release Review

I just received a copy of the most recent release, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow from Janice Harrington and it's really strong and sensual. I'll start off by saying that there can be a very fine line between what we term Jazz and what we term blues and it really depends upon the listener and the context. This has a number of markers of jazz music but it is strongly blues and I really like it. Featuring Lloyd Mayers (piano), Keter Betts (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) the album opens with I Thought About You, a strong vocal performance from Harrington accompanied primarily by Mayers. On New Blowtop Blues, Betts takes some really nice acoustic bass lines leading to a very strong strong blues track featuring great phrasing from Harrington complimented by Mayers on piano. This is a terrific track. A really tasty bass solo on this track is well worth mentioning as these bottom guys never get the attention that they deserve. Salty Papa Blues has a cool walking bass line leading the groove accented by Mayers on piano and complimented by Hans Malte Witte on tenor sax. Again phrasing and rhythm is everything and Harrington shows she has what it takes in spades! On I Wanna Be Around, Harrington takes a traditional standard and really runs her own game and it really grooves. Lean Baby is a cool swing track with just the right touch on drums, bass and keys. Mayers takes a real nice solo on this track only building space to showcase the brilliant voice of Harrington. Bye Bye Blues really sets up nicely for Mayers and Betts who take a really nice run. Cobb gets a break out solo on this track as well showing strong chops. Standard track Willow Weep For Me showcases Nat Adderley on vocal and cornet, Billy Mitchell on tenor sax and Mike Hennessy on piano. A bit adventurous vocally but a really strong live track added from and earlier recording, Remembering Dinah. This is not a mainstream blues release and leans heavily toward jazz, but it is a terrific release with a lot of blues overtones and a superior vocalist in Janice Harrington.

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See See Rider - Janice Harrington & Kenn Lending Blues Band

Janice Harrington born in Cleveland, Ohio, grew up within the tradition of Black American Music. In the 60’s,at the peak of the Black Liberation Movement, her career as a Gospel, Blues and Jazz singer began. Her greatest idols, to name a few are Mahalia Jackson and Dinah Washington.In 1969, she opened her career with a tour through South East Asia, where she sang for the U.S. military during the Vietnam war. Janice was a star guest in the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel from 1975 to 1977.During that period of time she was also well known as actress in the theater and in the American TV series „Days Of Our Lives“. In the 1970’s, she was on stage with Billy Daniels, Lloyd Bridges, Frank Sinatra Jr., Sammy Davis Jr. and Lionel Hampton. Janice began her career in Europe in 1980. While she lived in Norway, she sang for Bishop Desmond Tutu, when he received the Nobel Peace Prize and was also the opening act for Joan Armatrading. In 1989, Janice and the Kenn Lending Blues Band were the opening act for BB King in Copenhagen. Janice is described by the press as warm-as sunshine. She can create a hot atmosphere in a club as well as being a sincere front singer for a Big Band. She continues her work with the United States State Department as invited guest for various American embassies around the world. .In 2007 she was appointed as a Cultural Envoy to the country of Romania and has been invited to Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia, Israel, Jerusalem, Palestine, Poland and Thailand, representing Afro American Culture during the Black History Month. "Authentic American Music Workshops“ or "The Roots of Popular Music" is a course that Ms. Harrington conducts in Schools for children of all ages. For more information on this please visit her Home page. Current projects: "A Tribute to Dinah Washington" and "From Spirituals To Swing"  

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!