PK Entertainment artist: Kelly's Lot - The Blues Remind Me - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Blues Remind Me, from Kelly's Lot and it's a solid blend of soul, blues, boogie and rock. Opening with I Gotta Sing The Blues, an easy paced soul track featuring Kelly Zirbes on lead vocal shared with Mo Beeks, backed by Perry Robertson on guitars, Matt McFadden on bass, Beeks on keys, and Art Mendoza on drums. With a memorable melody and well balanced vocals, this is a strong opener and a likely airplay track. Kelly takes the mic on Mama's Blues, with it's slow dance feel and warm horn work by Bill Johnson (Bari), Aviva Maloney (alto), Paulie Cerra (tenor and alto), Didier Reyes on trumpet, and Chip Tingle on trombone and a solid sax solo. Swampy, Without You, is a firm ricker led by Kelly and Robertson on guitar and has a rocky bottom provided by Mike Sauer on drums and McFadden on bass. Rocker, Aces features Tomislav Goluban on harmonica trading lead with Kelly on vocal. Steady drum rhythm by Sauer, bass line by McFadden and Robertson on guitar makes this a lively entry to the set. Wrapping the release is shuffle, Love And Understanding, the best showcase for Kelly on the release. With it's easy pace and acoustic guitar work by Robertson a smooth closer for the 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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Kelly's Lot - Where and When - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Where and When, from Kelly's Lot and it's a solid blend of blues and country. Opening with Stronger, a basic acoustic blues number featuring Kelly Zirbes on lead vocal, Perry Robertson on rhythm guitar, Doug Pettibone on lead guitar and David Grover on bass. Zirbes has a solid voice with just a slight grit and Pettibone's tight guitar riffs over the rhythm of Grover and Robertson makes for a cool opener. Reworking Howlin Wolf's, Somebody In My Home, kelly gets the feel of Wolf's performance without his thickness and gruff and Pettibone's slide work very nice. Uptempo, Howlin' Wolf's Nature, has a real nice guitar line and Kelly's vocals are the best on the release. Robert Johnson's Stones In My Passway is my choice track on the release with a nice balance between Kelly's lead vocal, the rhythm work of Grover and Robertson and the solid slide work of Pettibone. The dual acoustic guitar work on That Fool creates a nice background for Kelly's lead vocal which lays right on the pocket. Very nice. Ma Rainey's rag blues, Black Eye Blues has a great feel and again Kelly's vocals are nicely suited for the track. Smooth understated acoustic backing and Kelly's management of the seductive lyrics gives this track just the right touch. Wrapping the release is Ship, a contemporary acoustic blues with a rocky feel. Kelly sings against the boogie line of Grover and the slide accents of Pettibone making this a cool closeer. 

  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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Kelly's Lot - Can't Take My Soul - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Can't Take My Soul, from Kelly's Lot, and it's a cool mix of blues, rock, country and folk. Opening with Boogie rocker, All I Ever Want Is the Blues, Kelly, backed by Perry Robertson on guitar, Matt McFadden on bass, and Mike Sauer on drums set a rocking example. Funky, All Hope Ain't Lost, is a cool track with essential vocals and a great bass line by McFadden and the addition of Bobby Orgel on keys. Primarily acoustic sounding, Safe and Warm has a county/folk feel with a terrific melody and ambiance really showcasing Kelly's voice. Very nice. On Rise Up, Kelly duets with Jean-Francois Thomas with Rob Zucca on lead guitar. A real nice track with a bluesy feel and some clean, articulate guitar soloing. Another bluesy track, Broke Myself, has a shuffle approach with dominant bass bottom, more driven vocals by Kelly and features Frank Hinojosa on harmonica. Kelly steps up with a simple pop tune on Little Bit Of This, the certain front runner for radio airplay with it's strong melody and vocals. Wrapping the release is Mon Ami, an interesting pop track with strong vocals and a French twist. With Jean Paul Monshe' on accordion this track is a real nice closer for a solid 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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Excitement Building For 10th Annual Ventura County Blues Festival

10TH ANNUAL VENTURA COUNTY BLUES FESTIVAL BLENDS AWARD-WINNING ACTS, POPULAR FESTIVAL PERFORMERS FROM THE PAST; SPECIAL 'BENEFIT RIDE' FOR MICKEY JONES; NEW "SECOND STAGE" OF CONTINUOUS LIVE MUSIC; BENEFITS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY              Saturday, April 25, 2015  - 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.    (MOORPARK, CALIF) - Excitement is building for Southern California’s longest-tenured Blues festival, the 10th Annual Ventura County Blues Festival, taking place Saturday, April 25 on the grounds of beautiful Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Rd. in Moorpark, California. Gates open 10 a.m.; music begins at 11 a.m.   “The tenth year is truly a year of celebration of this charity event with repeat performers who supported our festival the very first year, in addition to multi-award-winning acts,” says festival founder/Ventura County Blues Society President, Michael John Basowski. “Also new this year: a Second Stage to insure a full day of continuous live music. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society along with community charities.”   Scheduled to perform on the Main Stage:  The VCBS All-Stars;  Delgado Brothers; BB Chung King & The Buddaheads; Deanna Bogart; John Nemeth; and the legendary Coco Montoya. The all-new Second Stage features top SoCal talent including Guy Martin Band; Barry G and Grease Fire; Chase Walker Band;  Jim Gustin and Truth Jones; Kelly’s Lot; Crooked Eye; Blues Bullet;  and additional special guests. Also avaialbe that day is a wide array of food vendors, artisans, and much more.   This year also features a special Benefit Ride for Mickey Jones, longtime VCBF Festival Emcee and the “face” of the festival the previous nine years. The well-liked musician-turned-actor has always been there to lend a hand to help so many in need, and now needs a little help himself. His recent bout with a prolonged illness has taken a toll on his finances. Due to insurance restrictions, the next crucial step of his recovery will be impossible without some outside help.    The 10th Annual Ventura County Blues Festival is both family-friendly   and affordable; a Pre-Sale ticket amounts to paying less than $2.00 per band! Pre-Sale tickets online are $26.00 (includes $1.00 convenience fee). Tickets are $35.00 at the Gate. All Pre-Sale ticket purchases available for pickup at Will Call - bring Confirmation Email and your ID. An amazing deal is the all-new VIP Experience at $125.00 per ticket (with no additional fees) that includes early festival entry at 9:30 am; your own private shaded seating area with tables and chairs; catered lunch; private bar; private restrooms; (2) drink tickets; (1) event t-shirt; (1) event poster and complimentary bottled water. These VIP tickets will sell out as there are only a limited amount -  now is the time to go online and purchase yours at:  www.venturacountyblues.com. Festival Hotline: (805) 501-7122.                                                                     10th Annual Ventura County Blues Festival  - Music Itinerary 11:00AM – 11:45AM  VCBS All Stars: A gathering of top SoCal blues musicians showcasing their talents. Featuring Mikey Mo; Ray Jurique; Sandy Scott; Tommy Marsh; Michael John; Eddie Z; Mark “Pocket” Goldberg;  and many others.                                              HEADLINERS 12:00PM – 12:55PM/Delgado Brothers: Driven by fierce independence, unified by family, and fortified by the brotherhood of music, the L.A.-based Delgado Brothers deliver the musical goods with topical anthem-worthy songs complemented by call-to-action lyrics, and East L.A. Soul.  http://www.delgadobrothers.com/. 1:10PM – 2:10PM/BB Chung King & The Buddaheads: Grammy- nominated song writer, producer and one of the hottest rockin’ blues guitarists on the planet.  The Buddaheads' songs have been featured in several movies and television shows. Tye put on a live show you will not want to miss! http://www.buddaheads.com/. 2:30PM – 3:45PM/Deanna Bogart: Multiple award-winning multi-instrumentalist and multifaceted musician whose fans value the diversity of her genre-free zone.  As a bandleader/singer/songwriter/producer/pianist/sax player, Deanna combines the best of boogie-woogie, contemporary blues, country and jazz into a splendid blend she calls “blusion.” http://www.deannabogart.com/. 4:05PM – 5:20PM/John Nemeth: Celebrating six BMA nominations and a new CD titled Memphis Grease, Nemeth is a celebrated electric blues and soul harmonicist, singer, and songwriter. “Classic soul and R&B styles have been revitalized in recent years by a cadre of young and relatively young artists such as James Hunter, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, and Sharon Jones. You can include John Németh on any list of the best of them.” - Nick Cristiano, Philadelphia Inquirer 5:40PM – 7:10PM/Coco Montoya: Legendary guitarist who played the festival during its first year is coming back to celebrate our tenth year. Guitar One Magazine calls Montoya “the hottest southpaw in the blues” and raves about his “master touch and killer tone.” Montoya earned his status through years of hard work and constant touring, starting with a chance meeting in the mid-1970s with legendary bluesman Albert Collins, who offered Montoya a gig as his drummer. Albert took an immediate liking to Montoya, becoming his mentor and teaching his new protégé the secrets of Collins’ “icy hot” style of blues guitar. Five years later, British blues icon John Mayall happened to catch Montoya at a jam session and was blown away. Mayall recruited him as his guitarist in the legendary Bluesbreakers, and Montoya spent the next ten years touring non-stop, proving himself to be a world-class guitar master in one of the most renowned blues bands in existence. Coco and his band will close the festival. 10th Annual Ventura County Blues Festival Media/Photo Passes Available.                                            www.venturacountyblues.com

Live @ The Montmartre - Kelly's Lot - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Live @ the Montmartre from Kelly's Lot. Opening with Reason For The Blues, a lively shuffle track, vocalist Kelly Zirbes has a natural feel for the stage. Guitarists Perry Robertson and Rob Zucca trade some nice blues and slide riffs on this track and Matt McFadden is solid on bass with Robert Dill on drums. Hush Up, another shuffle tune has a faster pace and the guitar duo push the track to the next level. Taking Time has more of a pop blues style but with some interesting musical twists. Redbone finds Kelly singing with a more old style blues vocal style and maybe with a little Grace Slick mixed in. Clever guitar riffs surround the vocal track. Better Way has a Latin rhythm accentuated by Dill. Robertson plays some cool southern slide guitar riffs as well as chicken picken finger licken riffs. Funky track Come To This, has some musical similarities to Use Me Up but with more of a rock feel. Again simple but effective guitar work adds nicely to the track. On Robert Johnson's Crossroads (as arranged by The Cream) Kelly leads on vocals but this track is really about the guitar work. Robertson and Zucca do veer away from a straight forward cover of Clapton but retain the basic feel of the "original". Tired is a slow blues track giving Kelly the most open vocal opportunity. This is really a pretty cool guitar track with 10 minutes or so for Robertson and Zucca to jam. Train has a real feel of Chris Duarte, kind of a SRV Texas funk. Cool track. Once again, the guitr duo does a nice job of delivering an interesting exchange. Right Now, a blues rocker, has a cool hook and melody. A nicely timed guitar solo on this track, although more contained is nicely effective. Pistol, a country style track loosely based on Wonder/Beck Superstitious melody with a definite country bend. Homage To Janis Joplin has more of a bluesy folksy sound but with more pronounced Joplin like affections in Kelly's vocals. Steppenwolf guitar vamp is an interesting addition to the track along with nice under the melody single riffing. Nobody Here But Me has a loose SF sixties sound with tight rhythm by McFadden and Dill. Wrapping the release is Happy Girl, a strong Texas style Boogie. Not needing much to get them front and center, Robertson and Zucca take turns ripping on this track. Nice conclusion to a pretty straight track.

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