Blind Racoon Nola Blue Collection Volume 3 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Volume 3 from Blind Racoon Nola Blue Collection and it's chocked full of tasty tracks. Opening with Time To Forget You, from Willie Bo Walker and Danny Flam, a slow paced blues track with screaming slide and fat horns is always a great start. John Nemeth's contribution, I Can See Your Love Shine, has a cool modified reggae beat with some tasty guitar and harp work with a poppy feel. Clarence Spady's, Surrender is a warm, slow blues with cool, soulful vocals, tight, nicely phrased guitar riffs and crystal clear piano. Laura Tate's I Need A Man, features solid vocals and with punchy horns and snappy drums, and really nice piano work, commands attention. CD Woodbury performs classic, Can't Eat That Stuff No More, with plenty of humor and spunk. Dudley Taft blends blues and rock for The End Of The Blues, with his own stylistic boogie rock and rock guitar styling. Rocker, Memphis Hotline, is Brigitte Purdy's contribution  with plenty of spunk and a driving pace. Acoustic blues, Riverbend Blues is a strong entry with strong vocals and resonator guitar work by Eric Johanson. Mildly funky Red Walls, by Miss Bix, featuring Keeshea Pratt is one of my favorites on the release with real nice vocals and strong blues guitar work. Lisa Mann's It's the Monkeys or Me is a cool blend of country and blues by Lisa Mann. Her vocals are terrific and the guitar work is tight and ripping. Boogie rocker, Pretty Kitty is a strong entry by Paul Boddy & the Slidewinder Blues Band. With it's call and response between lead vocal and guitar and the sailing harmonica, it's hard not to like. Harmonica blues, Blow Fish Blow! is a cool guitar/piano instrumental featuring Elena Keto and Hiroshi Eguchi. Wrapping the release is Skylar Rogers and Back To Memphis. With it's classic bass line and power vocal lead, supported by clean electric guitar riffs, this is a solid closer for NOLA Blue. 

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JayRay Records artist: Lisa Mann - Old Girl - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Old Girl, from Lisa Mann and it's a solid radio style release with meaty melodies and strong vocals. Opening with title track, Old Girl, a country flavored ballad, Lisa shows real richness backed by Jason Thomas on guitar, Michael Ballash on drums and her own bass work. With an up tempo rockin' beat, It's The Monkey or Me features swinging guitar work by Thomas and really hot drumming by Dave Melyan. Mann's vocals are undeniable with plenty of grit and a lot of polish. With a great blues laden beat and sassy guitar work by Thomas, Mann shows her grit on bluesy, That's All. This is my favorite track on the release with it's extended instrumental work smoky feel. Wrapping the release is Around Here, the definite radio track with a strong melody and well balanced vocals. Super backing vocals by Sonny Hess, Brian Foxworth, Larhonda Steele and Arietta Ward really dress this track in richness. 

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Vizztone Label Group artist: Kevin Selfe - Buy My Soul Back - New release review

I just received the newest release, Buy My Soul Back, from Kevin Selfe and it really gets down. Opening with rockin' blues track, Picking Empty Pockets, Selfe leads the way on vocal and guitar. His clever turnaround riffs and wild solo is highlighted by a super sax solo by Peter Moss and supported by Allen Markel on bass, James Pace on organ, Steve Kerin on piano and Jimi Bott on drums. Great opener. Chicago style blues shuffle, Fixed It Til It's Broke, features Mitch Kashmar with some great harp work and a great bass lead by Willie J. Campbell. Title track, Buy My Soul Back, has a R&B feel with solid horn backing from Joe McCarthy on trumpet, Chris Mercer on tenor sax and Brad Ulrich on bari sax. Pace provides a nice bed of organ and Selfe handles the lead vocals nicely, backed by Lisa Mann and also lays in some really nicely styled guitar riffs giving the track a bit of a sting. Digging My Own Grave has a old blues feel with a grungy blues guitar riff under the driving vocal and drums. Selfe cuts loose with some tasty slide guitar riffs but still remains in the primitive blues style. Very nice. Bluesy ballad, All Partied Out, has definite radio clues with a catchy melody and solid horn backing. Selfe does cut loose with a real nice guitar stinger of a solo giving the track a definite tension. Very nice! Rocker, Keep Pushing Or Die Trying, is driven by Allen Markel on bass and features some real nice key work from Kerin on piano as well as a country influenced guitar solo by Selfe. Blues funk, Albert King style is up next on Bluesman Without The Blues. With funky guitar riffs and horns this track really moves. Selfe takes a real nice guitar lead in support to Sugaray Rayford on lead vocal. This is an excellent track and Bott really shines on this track. Every once in a while there is a track that I just don't like and this next one is it. I may be one of the only humans on the planet that doesn't love Bruce Springsteen but there it is. His I'm On Fire is next and Selfe does an interesting alteration to it making it sound a bit less processed and with harp compliments of Kashmar and the more country acoustic guitar treatment by Selfe, it has a less pop and more wholesome feel. Boogie track, Don't Tear Me Down, has a real nice upbeat accent giving it a bit of a lope. Gene Taylor's piano work nicely accents a really soulful sax solo. Keeping the track well grounded, Selfe lays in some stylized, double stop accented, guitar lines complimented by Mercer and Ulrich on sax. Very nice! Double Dipping has a easy country feel with country blues guitar riffs and simple backing by Campbell on bass, Taylor on piano,Bott on drums and Moss on Bari. Virginia Farm has a really basic rural blues feel with only Selfe accompanying his on vocal on acoustic slide guitar. Very cool! Texas style shuffle, Pig Pickin' is a particularly cool instrumental with Campbell on bass, Bott on drums, Pace on organ and Selfe on guitar. Almost breaking into a jazz feel Pace and Selfe each take nice solo's making this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Wrapping the release is Starting Up At The Bottom, a revival style track featuring Selfe on lead vocal and guitar, Kerin on piano, Markel on bass and Bott on drums. Pace takes a cool organ solo and Lisa Mann's backing vocals add substantially to the overall spiritual feel of the track. Great closer.

   

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New CD on VizzTone - Buy My Soul Back

GET THE NEW CD! www.kevinselfe.com Excited to announce the October 16 release of “Buy My Soul Back” on the VizzTone Label. The recording consists of 13 tunes, 12 of them originals, and features Jimi Bott, Allen Markel, Sugaray Rayford, Mitch Kashmar, Willie J Campbell, Gene Taylor, James Pace, Lisa Mann, Steve Kerin, Joe McCarthy, Brad Ulrich, Chris Mercer, Don Shultz, and Peter Moss. Get more info and tour dates at www.kevinselfe.com.  CONNECT WITH US! BOOKING kevin@kevinselfe.com +1 (540) 761-3957 ACCOLADES 14-Time Muddy Award Winner Cascade Blues Association Hall of Fame Blues Blast Award Nominee Kevin Selfe has cemented his reputation as a masterful, dyed-through, true bluesman with his new release, Buy My Soul Back on the VizzTone Label.  This latest collection of songs reveals an unwavering dedication to the traditional blues school, and yields yet another deft homage to empty wallets, ne-er-do-wells, and the enduring theme of love's rapid melt. Selfe's transformation into a leading voice on the American blues scene was realized after landing on the Billboard and Living Blues Charts with his 2013 release, Long Walk Home.    Oft lauded for a traditional melodic sensibility broadcast through razor sharp guitar, Selfe's songwriting awakens, revealing an enriched sense of story telling, autobiography, and revelation.   Audiences from Virginia to Oregon, Selfe's former and current homes, thrill at his commitment to the role of high octane blues entertainer on the live stage -- where this new companion of songs was inspired, refined, and perfected.  Selfe's shows are part blues revival, part force of nature.   The list of blues stalwarts joining Selfe on Buy My Soul Back reads like a contemporary blues primer:  Sugaray Rayford, Jimi Bott, Mitch Kashmar, Lisa Mann, Gene Taylor, James Pace, Willie J. Campbell and host of others.  All combine to join forces with Selfe in a rich tapestry of traditional grooves seemingly forged in the speak-easies of mid-century Chicago, the Mississippi Delta, and rural Texas.  The tributes are authentic.  The energy is palpable.  The musicianship is extraordinary.  True blues fans will rejoice. REVIEW QUOTES "Kevin Selfe has followed up his highly successful album Long Walk Home with a recording just as strong if not more so. He showcases his knack for writing clever and catchy songs, sensational and tasty guitar work and his strong vocals to help him deliver the best package of music possible." Cascade Blues Association - Greg Johnson "thrilling set of blues originals from one of the genre’s rising stars" Blues Bytes - Graham Clarke "Punishing guitar work" Roanoke Times - Ralph Berrier LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEOS