M.C. Records artist: The Sherman Holmes Project - The Richmond Sessions - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (July 21, 2017), The Richmond Sessions, by The Sherman Holmes Project and it's quite good. This is Sherman's first recordings since the death of his partners in music, Wendell Holmes and Popsy Dixon in 2015 and it has new breath. Opening with the traditional, Rock Of Ages, Holmes is joined by Rob Ickes on dobro, Jared Pool on mandolin, Sammy Shelor on banjo Jacob Eller on bass, and David Van Deventer on fiddle for a cool bluegrass track. Continuing in the rural vein, Vince Gill's Lisa Jane is up next showing a blend of soul and country. Balancing his own vocals with a jazzy electric guitar riff, dobro riffs and fiddle riffs this track keeps it cool. On Holland/ Dozier team's Don't Do It, Holmes uses somewhat of The Band's arrangement with it's cool rural funk. Stuart Hamlin's addition on piano on this track is super and the Snappy drumming of Clarence Walters really highlights the super backing vocals by Almeta Ingram-Miller, Cheryl Maroney and Ann Cunningham. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release, I Want Jesus, really embraces the vitality of Holmes vocals with super backing vocals by Ingram-Miller, Maroney and Cunningham and the smooth dobro work of Ickes. Never thought of the blend of bluegrass and blues on Breaking Up Somebody's Home but here it is and it works. With mandolin, banjo and fiddle solos, there's no denying it's rural heritage. In a duet with Joan Osborne, Holmes lays out the classic Dark End Of The Street and a cool guitar solo by Pool is carried by DJ Harrison on B3. Traditional track, Wide River is another of my favorites with the strong lead by Holmes and beautiful backing by Ingram-Miller, Maroney and Cunningham with Hamlin on piano. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Ben Harper's Homeless Child. Holmes, Cunningham and Maroney really blend nicely with Jon Lohman on harp, Walters on drums, Shelor on banjo, Pool on Mandolin Van Deventer on fiddle and Ickes on dobro. Solid closer for a real cool 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”

 For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE" 

 

 “Like” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Tommy Malone On Mtn. Stage!

Tommy Malone Rocks Mountain Stage This Week! Moving Up On AMA & Roots Music Report Texas Tour Starts Later This Month Northport N.Y. - Tommy Malone will make his Mountain Stage debut later this week starting June 7. The program also features Keb Mo, Joan Osborne and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Mountain Stage is heard on over 130 NPR stations nationwide and overseas on the Voice of America Satellite Service. Click to get more details. Poor Boy moves up 6 notches to No. 23 this week on The Americana Music Charts.  You can view the entire chart right here: http://www.americanaradio.org/ama/displaychart_beforetracks.asp?mode=lw&dtkey= Tommy Malone's Poor Boy also lands at No. 5 on this week on the Roots Music Reports Top 10 Roots Rock Albums.  Click the logo for more! Tommy will be touring all Summer, solo, with his trio and with the Subdudes! Tommy starts his Texas Tour on June 19.  Scroll down to find out more On April 29, M.C. Records released Tommy Malone's second solo effort for the label, Poor Boy.  Tommy co-produced the recording with his longtime musical friend Ray Ganucheau in New Orleans. Ray was the engineer for the Subdudes' "Primitive Streak" and Tommy's first solo recording, "Soul Heavy." Poor Boy features Tommy's unique songwriting that bleeds true Americana. The one amazing exception is Tommy covering Stevie Wonder's "Big Brother." You can listen the new release via Airplay Direct. The first 11 songs are from Poor Boy , the next 12 are from his 2013 release, "Natural Born Days." Click the cover for more. In April, Tommy visited the studios of WYEP in Pittsburgh for a Live and Direct Session. Click the photo to check out the performance/interview. Let us know if you would like Tommy to pay a visit! Poor Boy is getting serious reviews! This third solo release and second on M.C. Records by Tommy Malone, front-man for the popular New Orleans bluesy-rock band, The Subdudes, offers a soothing, laid-back feel and a dash of Southern charm. The Toledo Blade "Poor Boy" mines the Americana vein with sophistication and grit. Its songs run the gamut from layered, Beatleish psych-pop to rock-infused soul, with a consistent thread of eloquent, gut-level storytelling skill.   The Times Picayune What raises his personal bar on Poor Boy is the confident comfort that is a part of each track, and the album as a whole. The Alternate Root Tommy Malone makes music that alternately soothes and fires up the soul. He’s always been able to do that, and it’s clear on Poor Boy that it’s become second nature for him. Something Else With Poor Boy, Tommy Malone has released another album full of great songs complete with excellent guitar work and singing that should extend his stellar musical reputation beyond the cognoscenti and to the general public, where it deserves to be. OffBeat You'll learn a lot about Tommy Malone s world after hearing his third, and arguably finest solo album, Poor Boy. Americana Boogie Tommy Malone is not only one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, he’s a superb guitarist and a magnificent vocalist who animates every corner of his compositions. Over the past 40 years Malone has been at the center of some of the most storied and often star-crossed bands in Louisiana history, beginning with the family band formed with two of his brothers, Dustwoofie. Malone went on to help develop the eccentric songwriters’ collective the Continental Drifters before becoming a charter member of the still-beloved subdudes. Along the way he played in the well regarded one-off groups Tiny Town and Monkey Ranch as well as in a duo with his older brother Dave from the Radiators, the Malone Brothers. Poor Boy marks the third solo recording in his storied career. Tommy Malone has a bunch of dates solo and with the Subdudes. Tommy Malone & The Subdudes on Tour! For Bookings contact - Kyle Day - kyle@sweetwinegroup.com June Jun. 19 - Sams Burger Joint - San Antonio TX (Trio) Jun. 20 - Continental Club -  Houston TX (Trio) Jun. 21 - Threadgill's - Austin TX (Trio) Jun. 25 - An Evening With Subdudes-Birchmere- Alexandria VA Jun. 26 - An Evening With Subdudes- - Rams Head - Annapolis MD Jun. 27 - An Evening With Subdudes - Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA Jun. 28 - An Evening With Subdudes - World Cafe Live, Wilmington DE July July 12 - Public House - New Orleans LA (Band) July 17 - Vermilionville Performance Center - Lafayette LA (Solo) July 18 - Red Dragon Listening Room - Baton Rouge LA (Solo) Jul. 22 - An Evening With Subdudes Fairfield, CT -  Fairfield Theatre StageOne Jul. 23 - An Evening With Subdudes Fairfield, CT -  Fairfield Theatre StageOne Jul. 24 - An Evening With Subdudes- B.B. Kings, NYC Jul. 25  - An Evening With Subdudes - The Boulton Center - Bayshore NY Jul. 26  - An Evening With Subdudes - The Egg - Albany NY September Sept.10 - Yoshi's - Oakland - CA - (Band) Sept.11 - Moe's Alley - Santa Cruz CA - (Band) Sept. 13 - American River Music Festival - Lotus CA - (Band) Sept.  26 - An Evening With Subdudes - Tipitina's - New Orleans, LA