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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tim Bastmeyer's All Star Blues Band and it's got a cool flavor. Opening with What The Woman Does To Me, Tim Bastmeyer on guitar and vocal sets the pace for his newest release with an easy country blues pace. Joined by Julian Fauth on piano, Paul Reddick on harmonica, Sean Pinchin on slide guitar, James Thomson on bass and Cam De Latt on drums, a nicely woven tapestry of acoustics. Northern Boogie Blues has an unusual time signature giving it a less expected resolution. With You is a modern style blues built over a Lonnie Chatmon style track. A cool wandering electric guitar lead by Bastmeyer is nicely complimented by the slide work of Pinchin and the lush bass work by Thomson. Love Turns To Pain has the most primitive blues sound with Pinchin on slide and Fauth on piano under Bastmeyer's classic vocal style and Reddick's harp. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Funky Ten, a light funky jazz tune with lead acoustic guitar melody. Fauth lays out a real nice piano lead and Pinchin isn't far behind with nicely executed slide soloing of his own. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Rough Night At The Office, a cool, laid back track with perfect pace and Lou Reed like feel. Airey piano soloing and a smooth bass solo give this track just the right feel for a smooth closer to a 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”
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I just received the newest release, Cities In Blue, by Danny Marks and he covers a lot of blues territory from coast to coast. Opening with a super T-Bone Walker style track, Houston to L.A. Danny Marks handles vocals and displays his strong capability to swing that guitar. Very nice! Belt Line Blues has a rural country style with Al Cross on drums, Danny Marks on slide and Johathan Goldsmith on keys. Once I Was Crazy has a great period feel highlighted by strong riffs from Chris Whiteley on trumpet and Ken Whiteley on Banjo. Very cool. Swing track, Kansas City Shout, has a real nice piano line by Julian Fauth and Marks with Alec Fraser on vocal backed by Mike Wark on sax is super. I'm particularly attracted by the guitar intro on Memphis Got Soul which has nice Albert king blues influence and the solid bari sax work by Phil Skladowski gives it that Memphis horn sound. With a light springy rag style, Heading Down To New Orleans, strongly features Marks' vocals and nicely blended vocal backing. Blues Came To Chicago features David Rotundo on harp and Bucky Berger on drums. Going Down The Road maintains it's revival feel but with mandolin and percussion has more of a primitive feel. Chris Whiteley on harp and Chris and Ken on backing vocals does give it a honest sound. Hey, New York Town has a more modern sound with contemporary guitar playing, organ work by Jonathan Goldsmith, beat by Piltch, hip hop style vocal phrasing by Marks and backing vocals by Sherie Marshall. Land Where Blues Began has a very raw instrumental style with Marks on slide guitar, Marks on acoustic, Al Cross on light percussion and Fraser and Marshall on backing vocal. Wrapping the release is Lights Out, a slick jazzy instrumental number with an almost a beach feel but holding onto the blues, Otis Rush style. Possibly my favorite track on the release and a super 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”
For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE"
Julian Fauth (vocals, piano, guitar) blues, roots and 'barrelhouse jazz'
"When I was six, my father, a radio journalist, brought home some discarded LPs from the radio station. (They played them a certain number of times and then got rid of them, because the grooves would wear out.) One of them was a blues LP called 'The Golden Blues Hour', with 20 tracks, from John Hurt to Buddy Guy. There was a live recording of Big Bill Broonzy doing 'Louise' at the 1938 Spirituals To Swing Concert on that LP, and some live recordings from, I think, the Newport Jazz Festival: John Lee Hooker doing what I still think of as the definitive version of 'Tupelo', Lightnin' Hopkins singing about his father, a "sack-shaker," who made him carry heavy bags of cotton, Muddy Waters praising the skills of a 19-year old girl whom, alas, he can't satisfy, and Otis Spann singing 'Sometimes I Wonder' through a cold. I haven't heard that LP in a long time, but I still hear many of the songs in my head - that's how often I listened to it."
