Delmark Records artist: Dave Specter - Six String Soul - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Six String Soul, a double cd release by Dave Specter and it's great. Celebrating 30 years on Delmark, with remastered recordings from throughout his career and celebrating many guests. Opening with Buzz Me Specter on guitar, is joined by Barkin Bill Smith on vocal and Ronnie Earl on guitar as well as Ken Saydak on organ, Dez Desormeaux on sax, Red Groetzinger on sax, Mike McCurdy on bass and John Hiller on drums. Very cool. Specter really stretches out nicely on solo guitar on slow blues, Railroad Station. Smith, on lead vocal does a real nice job and Bob Stroger on bass anchors the track. Saydak's piano is a nice accent and sax soloing by Groetzinger is really nice. I really like instrumental, Specter's Walk, with it's deep jazz groove. Specter cruses on guitar, Desormeaux's sax solo is rich, and Saydak's organ work is strong. Tad Robinson has lead vocal on Sweet Serenity. I've always been a fan of Robsinson's vocals and Specter really gets this track swinging on guitar. Very nice. West Side Stroll is another terrific instrumental, showcasing Specter's dynamic guitar style. Backed by Mike McCurdy on bass and Mark Fornek on drums, another great track. Seventy-Four is a strong slower blues with Willie Kent on lead vocal and bass. This is the style of track that really gets Specter in the slot. His lead soloing is tops and with Fornek on drums, another highlight of the release. Lynwood Slim has the mic on Get Back Home, a strong shuffle. Mike Scharf on bass, Barrelhouse Chuck on piano and Fornek on drums hold a tight bottom and Specter nails it on guitar. Very nice. Kenny Lynn really adds depth to the release with his powerhouse vocals on Blues On My Mind and Rob Waters' organ solo is dynamite. Low slung, In Too Deep, features Sharon Lewis on lead vocal and Specter's guitar doing his talking. With Brother John Kattke on piano, Harlan Terson on Bass and Marty Binder on drums, this is a great shuffle. The Blues Ain't Nothin' features a cool pairing of Specter and Jorma Kaukonen on lead guitars with Harlan Terson on bass, Marty Binder on drums, Kattke on keys and lead vocal, Mars Williams on sax, John Janowiak on trombone and Ron haynes on trumpet. Wrapping the release is Ballad of George Floyd with Specter on guitar and vocal with Billy Branch on vocal and harmonica backed by Danny Shaffer on acoustic guitar and Brother John Kattke on organ. This is a really terrific retrospective and a great addition to your collection. 

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Dennis Herrera Blues Band - Livin' Life Not Worryin' - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Livin' Life Not Worryin' from the Dennis Herrera Blues Band and it's terrific! Opening with All This Fun's for Free, a cool blues rocker featuring Igor Prado. Herrera brings a great band featuring Rich Wenzel who really plays out the piano on this track. Prado throws down some hot rockin riffs on guitar and Herrara's vocals are just right. Denis Depoitre steps on the gas with his harp playing topping off this real nice opener. Can't Get Enough is a stinging rocker with Alan Maggini with great tone on guitar and Wenzel laying down some great organ riffs. Loping, Damn Uncle Sam opens with Depoitre on harp and a cool Lee Campbell drum riff. Herrera has just the right vocal style for this track and Maggini cuts it up pretty nice on guitar. Hank Van Sickle's bass lines are spot on, with Wenzel giving the track a great rhythm. Uptempo blues, Chicago style, Love You Good, has a cool vintage feel with distorted vocals and super harp riffs from Depoitre. Bill Bates steps up on guitar on this one with some cool slide riffs and leaves the track with some precise thrillers. Title track, Livin' Life Not Worryin' features Prado on guitar and he kills it. Depoitre hits the harp just right with great tone. This is a really hot track and one of my favorites on the release. Slim Baby Slim is a rock n roller featuring Lynwood Slim and Jeffrey Paul Ross on guitars and Slim also takes the lead vocal role. Wenzel takes a lead piano solo and the house is rockin! Depoitre grabs tight and blows a great few lines. Excellent! Mean Ole Texas Shuffle features the one and only Anson Funderburgh. Depoitre takes a real nice long harp solo supported nicely by Wenzel, Van Sickle and Campbell. Herrera guides the track nicely on vocal and Funderburghs are stylistic and precise. Very nice! Funky track, Sun Is Shining, has a great waddling pace. This is one of those tracks that just gets your head bobbing. With Dan McCann on bass and Depoitre on harp, this track hits hard. Wenzel's organ work on the track, punctuated by Maggini's guitar work make this a standout track. Lynwood Slim, Maggini and Jeffrey Paul Ross are back on guitar on Talkin' At My Back Door and fat sliding gives this track a trace of Elmore. Slims vocals and Wenzel's piano work dress this track nicely and Depoitre's harp work brings it home. Blues rocker, Something I Read, features a real nice blues rock guitar rhythm and a casual vocal delivery by Herrera. Depoitre sets a nice foundation on harp and Herrera lays out some really nice guitar riffs of his own. Rock n Roller, This Ain't Nothin' New has Funderburgh back and again he hits it square on with his trademark riffing. Wenzel takes a nice keyboard solo of his own, pushed along by Campbell and Van Sickle. Depoitre wraps the track in exchange with Funderburgh making this a solid rocker. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a hot boogie called Hooker Heat. A very characteristic Hooker style track features hot riffs from Depoitre, Maggini and Tommy Castro coaxed along by Herrera. This is an excellent closer for a really hot 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”

 

Delta Groove Music artist: Igor Prado Band - Way Down South - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (February 17, 2015), Way Down South, from Igor Prado Band and Delta Groove All Stars and it's smokin! Opening with Ike Turner's, Matchbox, Sugaray Rayford leads the way on vocal and Prado really romps the guitar. A heavy slung blues, Prado throws stiff riffs and wild trem work making this a terrific opener! John Hunter's, Ride With Me Baby has an easy rock beat with deep blues roots. Kim Wilson has the lead on vocal and Prado shows his fleet fingered guitar work. Yuri Prado on drums and Rodrigo Mantovani on bass keep it tight. Muddy Water's She's Got It, featuring Mud Morganfield on lead vocal sounds like it's right out of 60's Chicago with Ivan Marcio on harp and Donny Nichilo doing a great Otis Spann. Morganfield, Marcio, Nichilo and Prado really do capture Muddy's band sound with a lot of authenticity. Very cool! Lowell Fulsom's Baby Won't You Jump With Me features Ari Borger on piano and Lynwood Slim on vocal with cool jazzy guitar work from Prado and Junior Watson and tight sax work from Denilson Martins. James Lane's, What Have I Done, has a smooth groove led by Mitch Kashmar on vocal and harp. Kashmar really takes a nice romp on his solo as does Ari Borger on piano and Prado shows again that he's got great guitar chops. Jr. Walker and the Allstars' Shake & Fingerpop keep all of the R&B groove of the original with super stinging guitar riffs and lead vocals from Prado, a super bass run by Mantovani. Raphael Wressnig does a super job on B3. On Elmore James' Talk To Me Baby, Rod Piazza takes the mic for lead vocal and harp. Honey Piazza joins in on piano with Prado on lead guitar super charging this track. Excellent! Jerry West's If You Ever Need Me, keeps the original feel of the 60's R&B lead by Kim Wilson on vocal and harp. Very Nice! Joe Tex's You Got What It Takes has a nice twist on the original with Prado and JJ Jackson sharing the vocal lead. Keeping the guitar work tame on this number, Prado's finesse on the fretboard isn't hindered with quiet but cool riffs. Sugaray Rayford's Big Mama Blues has the girth of a Muddy Waters track with Prado and Monster Mike Welch doing the guitar Muddy style. Rayford leading the vocal charge and Borger tickling the keys, this track is right off the Chicago stage. Sweet! Paul Gayten's R&B swing tune You Better Believe It, led by Lynwood Slim on vocal and chased by Borger on piano and Martins on sax make this one really hot number. Prado jumps up and stiff arms the crowd with a flaming guitar solo keeping with the pace of the release. On Jerry West's, Rooster Blues, Wallace Coleman takes the vocal and harp lead and gets right into the Chicago groove. Yuri Prado (drums) keeps this track on a tight leash and Borger lays down a great piano solo. Prado really lets it out on this track proving once again that he can hold his own with just about anyone on the blues circuit. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Omar Coleman's Trying To Do Right with Coleman on vocal and harp. Prado takes the acoustic guitar and shows how powerful the simple instrument can be in the right hands. This is a powerful acoustic track and a great conclusion to a terrific 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”

New Release: Igor Prado Band

Igor Prado Band - Way Down South Release Date: February 17, 2015

Bayou Blues Festival - Big Weekend

FRIENDLY BLUES REMINDER - TONIGHT (MONDAY) - BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN - starring LYNWOOD SLIM, JUNIOR WATSON and many more!

COME DOWN TO TONIGHT'S

BIG BLUES HARMONICA SHOW

Friendly blues reminder for blues harmonica lovers!  See you TONIGHT - MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 - for the Blues Harmonica Heaven with a cavalcade of top notch blues greats!  

All details below were sent in a previous e-mail.

Your blues pal forever,

Cadillac Zack

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 BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN!

  ...IS BACK AGAIN!  STARRING...  

 LYNWOOD SLIM 

 BHARATH RAJAKUMAR 

 JUNIOR WATSON 

 FRED KAPLAN 

 RICK REED 

 RENA BEAVERS 

 AND TONS OF SURPRISE GUESTS! 

 (TONIGHT MONDAY, OCT. 29) 

 7:00 pm - Audience Seating Begins 

 8:00 pm until 9:30 pm - Harmonica Heaven Concert

 9:30 pm til 1 am - Open Blues Jam Rages On 

 NO COVER AT THE DOOR!  THERE IS A TWO DRINK MINIMUM AT THE CLUB.  DONATIONS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THIS GOING.  WE DO VERY KINDLY AND GENTLY SUGGEST A $15 OR $20 DONATION PER PERSON TO HELP US MAINTAIN SUCH HIGH-QUALITY, FESTIVAL-LEVEL BLUES ARTISTS EVERY WEEK - THANKS AGAIN, BLUES FRIENDS !  

*****************************

   * * BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN * *  

 THIS UPCOMING MON. OCTOBER 29, 2012 ! 

 THE MAUI SUGAR MILL SALOON 

 $15 OR 20 SUGGESTED DONATION 

 PER PERSON 

*****

We expect a tremendous turnout

THIS MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

when BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN hits the stage; featuring a plethora of brilliant and legendary blues artists including Lynwood Slim (west coast harmonica legend), Bharath Rajakumar (brilliant harp master from Canada), Junior Watson (famed blues guitar icon), Fred Kaplan (legendary pianist from The Hollywood Fats Band), Rick Reed (bass player for Paul Butterfield), Rena Beavers (drums from the Little Milton and Coco Montoya Bands) plus many, many more surprises!.  

Check out video from the last Harmonica Heaven concert with Jason Ricci:

Your blues pal,

Cadillac Zack

*****

THIS HARMONICA HEAVEN

CONCERT'S STARS INCLUDE:

  LEGENDARY WEST COAST HARMONICA ACE !

        LYNWOOD SLIM !       

 CANADIAN HARP MASTER FLIES IN JUST FOR THIS! 

 * BHARATH RAJAKUMAR * 

 FAMOUS WEST COAST GUITAR DIETY RETURNS!  

 **JUNIOR WATSON **

 LEGENDARY PIANIST FROM HOLLYWOOD FATS BAND !

 **FRED KAPLAN ** 

 PAUL BUTTERFIELD'S BASS PLAYER ! 

  ** RICK REED **  

 COCO MONTOYA AND LITTLE MILTON'S DRUMMER!

  ** RENA BEAVERS **  

*****

  PLUS  

SPECIAL SURPRISE GUESTS

ALL NIGHT LONG!

*****

HUGE BLUES JAM AFTERWARD 

 BRING YOUR WHOLE BAND! 

From approximately 9:30 pm til 1:30 am, a huge blues jam with So Cal's finest blues musicians will rage on. If you would like to bring your full band to do a 15-minute showcase we'd love that, but please e-mail us first so that we can schedule you and give you the details.  We have a limited amount of these slots.

*****

 SEATING / DINNER / DRINKS 

Due to the overwhelming popularity on Monday night at The Maui Sugar Mill we recommend coming early to grab a table and chair - say around 7:30 pm.  You may also bring your own food to the Sugar Mill.  

There is a two drink minimum per person.

*****

 SHOW DETAILS 

 ** BLUES HARMONICA HEAVEN ** 

  SHOW TIME: 8 pm to 9:30 pm  

   THIS MONDAY OCT. 29, 2012  

THIS IS A FREE SHOW! 

 But a donations are needed and seriously appreciated.  We kindly and gently suggested $15 or $20 donation, if you can, per person for this event, to help with the costs associated with keeping high-quality blues music alive in Southern California. 

WHERE:
Maui Sugar Mill Saloon
18389 Ventura Blvd.
(one-block east of Reseda Blvd.)
Tarzana, CA 91356

*****

WORLD-CLASS BLUES JAM

BEGINS AFTER THE OPENING SET

This incredible weekly blues jam has become very popular amongst blues lovers.  Every Monday a legendary blues artists drops in to play or just hang out, including: John Mayall, Kim Wilson, Coco Montoya, Arthur Adams, Finis Tasby, Robert "Bilbo" Walker, Barbara Morrison, Phil Upchurch, Deacon Jones, James Harman, Larry Taylor, Al Blake & Fred Kaplan, Roy Gaines, Albert Lee and many others!  If you are a great blues musician PLEASE come jam with us!

 Sign up begins at 7:30 pm.

The jam typically starts at 9:30 pm and rages until 1:00 am.   Please note: Due to the popularity of this weekly event, musicians are only guaranteed to play if they sign up before 9 pm, although, we've never turned anyone away in 4 years.  Wait times vary from 1/2 hour up to 3 hours, depending on how early you sign up.  Last week we had 36 jammers.

LYNWOOD SLIM and ALEX SCHULTZ

Alex was born in new york city in 1954, and at a young age became
immersed in the city’s legacy of jazz. Studied with guitarist George Barnes and at Berklee College of Music in boston. Early exposure to BB King, James Cotton and the Butterfield Blues Band planted seeds of a lifelong love of blues music.

Schultz moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and established himself as both a bass player and guitarist on the roots music scene, working for two and a half years with rock and roll/rhythm and blues pioneer Hank Ballard. This provided some early road experience, including playing Antone’s in Austin, Texas in 1986 and sharing stages with Jerry Lee Lewis, Albert Collins and many other greats.

Beginning 1986 worked with L.A. harmonica master William Clarke: recorded the W.C. Handy award winning album “Blowing Like Hell”, played and recorded with Smokey Wilson, and made appearances on all 4 of Clarke’s releases on chicago’s Alligator label.

This period saw gigs with a who’s-who of the los angeles roots music scene, including Coco Montoya, Debbie Davies, Finis Tasby, Steve Samuels, Rob Rio, and countless others.

In 1988 began a seven year, five record association with Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, touring Australia, Japan, Europe and Scandinavia. Recordings included two albums on the Black Top label and “Live at BB King’s” recorded in Memphis. During this time the Flyers backed Jimmy Rogers, Lowell Fulsom, Louis Myers, Pine Top Perkins, James Cotton, Robert Ward, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, Albert Collins, Larry Davis, etc. and supported the likes of Albert King, BB King, Al Green, Robert Cray, Dr. John, The Neville Bros., The Allman Bros. and more. Schultz left the group in ‘95 to pursue other projects as a free agent.

The first of these was a three year collaboration with blues rebel Lester Butler (ex- ‘Red Devils’ harmonica and vocals ) which resulted in the HighTone album “13 Featuring Lester Butler” and 4 european tours.

At the same time, Schultz appeared on two Delmark releases with old new york friend Tad Robinson, a collaboration that continues to the present day: co-producing and playing on Tad’s 2005 Handy nominated “Did You Ever Wonder” on the Severn label, numerous festival appearances in the U.S. and Europe, and playing on Tad’s upcoming (2007) release “A New Point Of View”.

A wide variety of freelance work has resulted in many recordings and tours, with artists including Italian harmonica player Egidio ‘Juke’ Ingala, Washington DC jump blues masters Big Joe & the Dynaflows, nu-swing band Royal Crown Revue, ‘Sax’ Gordon, Sugar Ray Norcia, Jimmy Morello, keyboardist Benjie Porecki, Kirk ‘Eli’ Fletcher, Mickey Champion, Frank ‘Paris Slim’ Goldwasser, Germany’s BB & the Blues Shacks, Italian guitarist Enrico Crivellaro and Austria’s Raphael Wressnig.

Finally, in october 2004, after playing on over 40 discs, Schultz’s first solo CD, “Think About It”, was released on the Severn label, bringing it all back home.
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Stretchin Out - Lynwood Slim Band featuring Kid Ramos

Born on January 13, 1959, in Fullerton, CA, blues-rock guitarist David "Kid" Ramos inherited his love of music from his parents, who were both professional opera singers. When his father grew tired of life on the road, he settled down with his family, buying a gas station in Anaheim. One day, when Kid was eight, he bought his son an electric guitar and amplifier from a customer passing through. By his teenaged years, Ramos was playing friend's parties and nightclubs on a regular basis, joining harmonica expert James Harman's blues-based band in 1980 (all its members sported sharkskin suits), playing up and down California alongside such punk bands as X, Oingo Boingo, the Blasters, and the Plimsouls. Kid played with the Harman Band for most of the '80s, until his departure in 1988, and although he filled in as the guitarist for the outfit Roomful of Blues, decided to put his musical career on the backburner to focus on his home life and start a family (for the next seven years, Ramos was employed as a water delivery man).

Eventually though, his desire to play music returned and Ramos formed the Big Rhythm Combo with singer Lynwood Slim (issuing The Big Rhythm Combo in 1994), in addition to releasing his first-ever solo album, Two Hands One Heart, in 1995. The same year, Ramos was invited to join one of his favorite all-time bands, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, at the personal request of their singer, Kim Wilson. Ramos promptly accepted and he returned back to the road. In addition to his work with the T-Birds, Ramos has continued to issue solo albums on a regular basis, including 1999's self-titled sophomore effort, 2000's West Coast House Party, and 2001's Greasy Kid's Stuff.
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