Blues Mountain Records artist: Big Harp George - Living In The City - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Living In The City, from Big Harp George, and it's a solid mix or blues and rock. Opening with Build Myself an App, a rock track with a retro beat features Big Harp George on lead vocal and harp, Chris Burns on keys, Doug Rowan on bari sax, Joe Kyle on bass, June Core on drums, Kid Andersen on guitar and the Sons of the Soul Revivers (James Dwayne and Walter Morgan) on backing vocals. Heading Out to Itaipu has a cool, light Latin feel with excellent percussion by D'Mar, Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Carlos Reyes on Paraguayan harp and violin, Kid Andersen on bass, and really nicely crafted harmonica lead by George. Laid back blues, Bayside Bounce, has a cool, shuffle beat with Ben Torres on bari sax, Andersen on bass, and featuring Baty with some really tasty guitar riffs under George's harmonica lead. Blues shuffle, First Class Muck Up is my favorite track on the release with it's boogie beat and heavy sax bottom by Ben Torres. George lays down some really cool, fluid harmonica lead and Baty's guitar work is hot. Very nice. Pusher in a White Purse is another favorite with a slinky feel, some of George's best vocals on the release, warm backing vocals by Sons of Soul Revivers and a soulful guitar solo by Andersen. Wrapping the release is Meet Me at the Fence with an eastern zither intro by Firas Zreik, Loay Dahbour on Arabic percussion, Amal Markus on vocal, Joe Kyle on bass and Loralee Christiansen on backing vocal with George pulling it all together into a blues, rock middle eastern fusion. 

  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

Eller Soul Records artist: Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones - Complicated Mess - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Complicated Mess, from Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones and it's really strong. Opening with title track, Complicated Mess, guitar man and vocalist, Doug Deming sets the table for a blues feast. His vocals are solid as always and using machine gun and trem bend, his riffs are hot! Joining are Andrew Gohman on bass and Marty Dodson on drums. Super opener. Kim Wilson's harp work adds great depth and Demings riffs are rich and jazzy on Sweet Poison, a cool bluesy ballad. Sam Theard's classic, You Rascal You, has great wings with Little Charlie Baty on guitar, joining Deming with clever lyrics and an extremely active rhythm section. Excellent! Shuffle, Need My Baby has a great lope and Madison Slim's harp work is strong giving the track a nice edge. My favorite track on the release is slow blues, Deep Blue Sea, with soulful vocal by Deming and smoldering guitar riffs, playing against Bon Welsh's piano workout. Excellent! Bright jazzy instrumental, Captain's Quarters is bass driven by Gohman and Little Charlie and Deming really give it a strong workout. Very nice! Shuffle track, Cookin' At The Kitchen has a great feel with Welsh on piano, Slim on Harp, and tight trums work by Dodson. Wrapping the release is horn soaked instrumental Rat Killin', with Tino Barker on lush bari sax, Sax Gordon on tenor sax, Gohman getting loose on bass and some terrific flight finger work by Deming. Excellent closer for a really strong 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

Blues Mountain Records artist: Big Harp George - Uptown Cool.- New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (7/16/18), Uptown Cool, from Big Harp George, and it's tight. Opening with loping shuffle, Down To The Rite Aid, Big Harp George has it running from the first note with his great harp sound, singing duet with Loralee Christensen backed by Chris Burns on piano, Alexander Pettersen on drums, Kid Andersen on bass, Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Michael Peloquin on sax and Mike Rinta on trombone. Very nice. Alternative Facts has a laid back, sauntering feel with real cool harp soloing and great guitar backing by Kid Andersen. Latin fused track, I Wanna Know has strong rhythmic Santana like influences with D'mar on percussion and nice backing vocals by Christensen and warm sax tines by Peloquin, strong bass lines by Andersen and trademark harp soloing by George. On bluesy, Nobody's Listening, Little Charlie really lays in a articulate guitar solo and George some of his best vocals on the release.Standing In The Weather really has a saucy rhythm, augmented by sax work by Peloquin and Andersen chicken picks his way to a really tasty solo on guitar. Bulletproof is another track that nicely showcases the hot hand work of Andersen and George works the lead vocal and harp nicely. Another bluesy track, Cold Snap By The Bay, is one of my favorites on the release with wailing sax by Peloquin, a super piano solo by Burns and some of my favorite guitar sounds by Andersen. Standout instrumental, Uptown Cool, has a really jagged percussion rhythm. courtesy D'Mar with alternating solos by Baty, George and Burns. Very nice. Wrapping the release is easy swing track, Lord Make Me Chaste with gospel like backing by Christensen and Derick Hughes. Bringing on the New Orleans horn styling by Rinta and Peloquin and a taste of falling down the step drumming by Pettersen makes this a fine closer for 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”

 For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE" 

 

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

Eller Soul Records artist: Little Charlie And Organ Grinder Swing - Skronky Tonk - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Skronky Tonk, from Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing and it's massive! Little Charlie Baty has teamed up with Lorenzo Farrell on Hammond and J. Hansen on drums to put together a really swinging blues/jazz release. Opening with title track, Skronky Tonk, Little Charlie takes a departure from the blues of the Nightcats with this groove swing track instrumental showcasing Little Charlie at his best. Charlie plays long flowing nicely formed guitar phrases stacked up nicely with Farrell on Hammond. Excellent! Morgan Lewis' How High The Moon really made popular in recent times by Les Paul is really ripped by Little Charlie who cranks it up and lets it fly. Another excellent Hammond solo by Farrell and these guys deliver. Latin influenced, Receita de Samba shows yet another side of Baty with sensitive yet quickly articulate playing. Hansen is tight on drums and Farrell's organ work is clean. Gypsy jazz favorite, Nuages, by Django Reingardt is quiet and precise with feeling. Very nice! Arthur Johnson's, Pennies From Heaven, has a cool swing in very much a 50-60's jazz style. Baty and Farrell nicely jam over the solid bottom for an extremely well done cover of an old standard. High energy, Gerontology, is a Baty original and he absolutely dances on the fretboard. Farrell provides a super match for baty and Hansen balances them out for a great trio. One of my all time favorite jazz melodies is Django by John Lewis. Lindsay Buckingham and John McLaughlin with Jeff Beck covered it and now Baty. This is a terrific improvisational tune and showing just how deep Baty goes...terrific! Charlie Christian's, Swing To Bop, covers a lot of ground with Baty tested to produce. Everyone knows that he's a master bluesman but not everyone knows he's a masterful guitar player...well, they will now. Excellent! Henri Woode's Broadway has a solid groove bottom that will really keep you tuned in. Farrell and Baty both take nice solo passages keeping the feeling tight and Hansen busting a few heads himself. Another Latin track, Um A Zero, penned by Pixinguinha really has a great beat. Baty really captures the moment with his light finger work emphasizing the beat. Super. Breaking into an original swing blues, Cobalt Blues, Baty, Farrell and Hansen are solid. This is what most fans know Baty for and he delivers in spades. Erroll Garner's Misty gets a total make over with a jazzy swing feel with a touch of Latin under the bottom. Farrell leads the way on melody but Baty does shows his chops a number of times with nicely placed solos. Wrapping the release is Lionel Hampton's Flyin' Home is a cool closer with Baty and Farrell each showing a super solos to close out this hot instrumental 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" 

 

Blues Mountain Records artist: Big Harp George - Wash My Horse In Champagne - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Wash My Horse In Champagne, from Big Harp George and it's a nice dose of  harp. Opening with Home Stretch, George takes the lead on vocal with Little Charlie Baty laying down some real nice guitar along with Kid Andersen on bass and Raja Kawar on drums. Georges vocals are tight and his harp riffs certain and well punctuated. Nice opener. On Road Kill, a bikini beach rocker, George really gets the track swinging and Kid Andersen's guitar work is excellent. Wash My Horse In Champagne is a cool track with stylized Spanish guitar and cool vocal blending with Loralee Christensen, this track sets up nicely for a longer melodic harp lead. Very nice. Swing track, Cool Mistake, has a great beat and George lets his harp do a lot of his talking. With a sweet guitar lead from Baty, this track really hums. Slow blues track, My Bright Future, gives George a really nice opportunity to stretch both vocally and on harp along side the beautiful piano work of Chris Burns. With a nice walking bass line by Andersen, I Ain't The Judge of You, has a real nice boogie beat fostering a super fat sax solo by Michael Peloquin. Burns brings up the heat with his keen organ work and Baty adds his own signature to the guitar line. R&B style blues track, I Wasn't Ready, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with George leading nicely on vocal. Rich sax work from Peloquin, strong lead piano lines by Burns and excellent guitar and harp lines from Baty and George really make this track shine. Excellent! Big band style swinger, If Only, gets a fuller sound with Mike Rinta on trombone and Peloquin on sax. Rolling piano work by Burns really pushes the track and George excels as a lead vocalist with hot solos by Peloquin on sax and Andersen on guitar. Light From Darkness has traces of War (the jazz funk fusion band) with funky wah wah by Andersen and snappy drumming by Kawar. With a natural fit in this style of music of the chromatic harp and a constant interweaving of fluid lines by Andersen and Burns and addition of percussion by J Hansen, this track gives the release even another strong dimension. Mojo Waltz is a really interesting track a jazz oriented feel. George takes the lead on harp on this instrumental with killer solos by Baty on guitar and Rinta on trombone backed by a warm interweaving of horns, bass and drums. Excellent! Big time swinger, Size Matters, is a super opportunity to cut the harp loose and that's exactly what George does. Another of my favorite tracks on the release, This track is a perfect display of just what George can make a 16 hole chromatic harp do. Very cool! Somber blues number, Justice in My Time wraps the track. With clean harp lines and really tight acoustic bass work by Andersen, this is a super track to close a really 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" 

 

Electro-Fi Records artists - Golden State Lone Star Blues Review - New Release Review

I just received the newest release from the Golden State Lone Star Blues Review, and it's terrific! This all-star band opens with Gatemouth Brown's loping Texas style blues, Midnight Hour, featuring Mark Hummel on lead vocal, Anson Funderburgh and Little Charlie Baty on guitar, RW Grigsby on bass and Wes Starr on drums. This track is a great opener with reinforcements by Eric Spaulding and Jack Sanford on sax. Billy Boy Arnold's, Here's My Picture, is up next and Hummel takes a super sweet harp break during a break in the primarily Latin rhythm track. Prove It To You is a cool swing blues track with Hummel driving the train on vocal, a nice walking bass line by RW Grigsby and tight drums by Wes Starr. Little Charlie hits the strings with a slick guitar solo and Hummel's phrasing is top notch. Slow NO style blues, Cool To Be Your Fool, features beautiful piano interplay by Jim Pugh and a solid bass line by Grigsby. Very nice! Lowell Fulsom's, Check Yourself, has a real nice vocal and piano swing and tight drum snap from Starr. Hummel bears down on the harp for one of his finest features on the release. Funderburgh takes center stage with some of his trademark riffs giving the track a real hot sound. Excellent! Mose Allison's, Stop This World, has a nice easy jazz feel and Hummel's vocals blend nicely with organ work by Pugh. Guitar and harp riff trading is clean and sparkling. Shuffle track, Take A Chance, has some choice drum riffs and with Hummel leading on vocal and harp, Funderburgh and Pugh each stretching. Very cool. Lucky Kewpie Doll has a beach rock sound and Baty really lays out some cool riffs. Pugh lays in some nice piano work as well over a solid rockin' beat. Pepper Mama opens with a really hot guitar riff by Funderburgh. Hummel's vocals blend nicely with Pugh's piano work but it's Anson's turn to shine and his guitar riffs on this track are top notch. Lee Allen's Walking With Mr. Lee is a smooth shuffle and a great showcase for Hummel on harp. A cool walking bass line from Grigsby, keys by Pugh and tight drums by Starr round out the track. Detroit Blues is a cool loping blues number with vocal harmony. Hummel takes this track to task with solid red hot harp tone making it one of my favorites. Jimmy McCracklin's, Georgia Slop, has an upbeat R&B feel with great sax work on the bottom and rock drums. Grigsby drives a great bass line on this one and Hummel breaks loose for another super solo (Stilladog... this one's for you). Excellent! JB Hutto number, Dim Lights is up next with a super swagger and Hummel sets a good pace on vocal and harp. Funderburgh plays cool under the track with traditional riff and Baty hit the slide with fire in his eyes. Very super! Wrapping the release is End Of The World, an absolutely excellent blues track highlighted by Pugh's piano work, Hummel's vocals, Baty's, JL Hooker like guitar riffs and tension building sirens etc over basic drums and bass by Grigsby and Starr, peppered with harp. This is an excellent release with more joint contributions and only a few individual blow out solos making it walk like a silent giant.



  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"