Club 88 Records artist: Mitch Woods - Friends Along The Way - New Release review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Friends Along The Way, from Mitch Woods and it features a who's who in the blues business. Opening with Ma Rainey's C.C. Rider, Van Morrison on vocal and Taj Mahal on vocal and guitar, join Mitch Woods on piano for a early blues style rendition of this classic. Very nice. Oliver Perry's Keep A Dollar In Your Pocket is a great boogie with Elvin Bishop on lead guitar and vocal, joined by Woods on piano and Larry Vann on drums. Woods really lays in his notorious piano boogie style and Bishop's guitar signature is prime. John Hammond steps up on Don Roby's Mother In Law Blues, adding not only super National steel riffs but solid lead vocals. Rolling piano riffs by Woods makes this one of my favorites on the release. Springing to life is Nasty Boogie with Joe Louis Walker on lead vocal and guitar and excellent piano by Woods. Very nice. Jimmy Liggins' Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man is a ripping way to open side two with Woods really showing what he's got on piano and excellent riffs by Bishop. Superharp James Cotton joins on Chicago Express wailing away over Woods really hammering on the piano. Excellent! Another real nice entry with Morrison and Mahal is Leroy Carr's Midnight Hour Blues with real nice vocal lead by Morrison and trademark riffs by Mahal over the melodic piano work of Woods. Marcia Ball and Woods have a cool piano boogie playoff on In The Night, a New Orleans flavored track. Maria Muldaur adds some sassy vocals on Mojo Mambo accompanied by Woods on vocal and piano. Woods really does have a cool feel on the piano making him a favorite in todays market. Wrapping the release is Worried Life Blues, with Woods on piano, Walker on guitar and vocal. A real foot stomper, penned by Lightning Hopkins, is a strong closer for a really 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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Tracy Nelson - Life Don't Miss Nobody - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Life Don't Miss Nobody, by Tracy Nelson and it's really good. Opening with Strange Things Happening Every Day, Tracy Nelson on vocal really gets things moving. Kevin McKendree on piano knows how to play a boogie and backed by John Gardner on drums, Byron House on bass, Mike Henderson on electric guitar, this is a great opener. With a Spanish taste, title track, Life Don't Miss Nobody features Nelson on lead vocal and Wurlitzer, with Mike Dysinger on congas and Guiro, House on bass, Larry Chaney on 12 string guitar and Cuatro and Steve Conn on piano and with the tight horn work of Jack Warner on sax, Dominique Caster on trumpet, and Chase Carpenter on trombone. Very nice. Willie Nelson steps up on Honky Tonkin' sharing the lead vocals with Nelson. Mickey Raphael adds some tasty harmonica lead melody and I particularly like Mike Johnson's contribution on steel guitar. One of my favorites on the release. Terry Hanck joins on Gene McDaniels' Compared To What. With Tracy on lead vocal and Hanck on vocal and sax, this track is great. Gardner and House set the rhythm and Steve Conn on piano seeds a great solo by Hanck. Excellent track. Chuck Berry's Brown Eyed Handsome Man gets a cool, New Orleans twist with Nelson surrounded by Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Dianne Davidson, Vickie Carrico, Larry Chaney and Reba Russell on complimentary vocals really giving the track a solid richness. Wrapping the release is Hard Times featuring Nelson alone on vocal and 12 string acoustic guitar. A pure traditional track, this is an excellent 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”

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Blue Heart Records artists: The Texas Horns - Everybody let's Roll - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everybody Let's Roll, from The Texas Horns, and I really like it! Opening with title track, Everybody Let's Roll, The Texas Horns (Kaz Kazanoff on tenor sax, Al Gomez on trumpet, and John Mills on bari sax) come out steaming with Carolyn Wonderland on lead vocal, Mike Keller on rhythm guitar, Sean Giddings on keys, Chris Marsh on bass, and Tom Brechtlein on drums and featuring Anson Funderburgh with some real nice guitar lead. Solid opener. Piano boogie, I Ain't Mad With You, led by Matt Hubbard really rocks with excellent solos from Kaz and Johnny Moeller and a fat fat bottom by Mills. Excellent! A really interesting (bluesy) rework of The Beatles, I Want You (She's So Heavy), has great horn blending with Gomez taking the lead on trumpet. With it's jazzy drum hitch by Brannen Temple, a cool organ solo by Sean Geddings and a blast of blues by Moeller on guitar, this is a punchy track.  Soulful, Prisoner In Paradise, features Guy Forsyth on lead vocal and is the certain radio track with brassy backing and a real nice trumpet solo by Gomez and a warm sax solo by Kaz. Wrapping the release is JB Lenoir's J.B.s Rock with hot drumming by Jason Corbiere and sassy sax work by Kaz. Flanigin rolls in some warm organ tones and Jimmie Vaughan  lays down some trademark guitar riffs making this a great 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”

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Whitney Shay - Stand Up! - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stand Up!, from Whitney Shay and its got a cool R&B vibe. Opening with funky title track, Stand Up! ... Whitney on lead vocal and strong drumming by Brannon Temple. This track has got it going. With solo guitar work by favorite Laura Chavez and a full horn compliment of Kaz Kazanoff on tenor sax, John Mills on bari and Al Gomez on trumpet and with Chris Maresh on bass and Red Young on keys, this is a strong opener. Equal Ground is a slower, lumbering blues style track with a lot of swagger. Slide work by Derek O'Brien and the rich vocals of Shay gives this track just the right sound. Radio ballad, I Thought We Were Through has a strong melody and soulful vocals by Shay and a cool sax solo by Kaz makes this an ideal radio track. A duet vocal with Guy Forsyth on funky, Far Apart (Still Close) a solid fluid guitar solo by Chavez and a strong bass line by Maresh makes this track one of my favorites on the release. Boy, Sit Down has a snappy, beat with a sizzling drum rhythm. Shay's sassy vocals, cool resonator work by Forsyth, real nice trumpet work by Gomez and keys by Marcia Ball is another of my favorites on the release. Falling back into a nice soul track, I Never Meant to Love Him, is a great showcase for Shay's voice and one of the stellar tracks on the release. Really nice! Wrapping the release is Change with the Times, a rolling R&B track with a full horn compliment. Mills has a throaty sax solo giving the track a nice jolt and backing vocals by Alice Sadler, Whitney Shay and Kaz give the track smooth out the edges before a pumped up finale. Very 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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Finedog Records artist: Mighty Mike Schermer - Blues In Good Hands - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Blues In Good Hands, by Mighty Mike Schermer and I really like it! Opening with R&B track, Baby Don't Stop featuring Mighty Mike on lead vocal and guitar, Paul Revelli on drums, Steve Ehrmann on bass, Tony Stead or organ, Austin Delone on piano, Terry Hanck on sax, and backing vocals by Shelley King and Carolyn Wonderland. Hanck steps up with a clean solo and Mighty Mike throws down a nice riff or so himself but I gotta mention that I really like Delone's piano work on this track. Great radio track with a cool melody and a good hook. With a funky beat, Heaven's On The Other Side struts in and Ehrmann's bass really sets the pace. Mike rips really tasty blues guitar lines over a warm organ line by Stead. With a laid back Philly kind of sound, It's A Pleasure, really hits a solid. It's catchy melody, even pace and warm overall feel, with Delone on electric piano and nice jazz style guitar work from Schermer makes this a radio success story. Reggae track, One Tear At A Time, has a really nice Jimmy Cliff kind of feel with Keith McArthur on bass and spot on guitar riffs from Schermer and perfect vocal blending between Schermer and Randle. Very nice! Pop jazz track, World Gone Crazy has a nice Steeley Dan feel with some of Schermer's best vocals on the release. Nancy Wright hits the sax on this number adding warmth and texture and Schermer's own guitar riffs at the bottom of the fret board are really nice! The writing on this release is really quite good with traces to many of the great song writers of the 70's to now. Blues In Good Hands has a real Becker/Fagen compositional style (Any Major Dude Will Tell You) but based around a different style. It is quite interesting and successful with Hanck on sax and King and Wonderland adding smooth backing vocals. Shuffle track, Wait-On-Me Woman, is more Dylanesque with a definite blues feel. Greg Izor's contributions on harp and Damien Llanes on drums give it it's looser style. Nice! New Orleans style Most People has just a twist of Chuck Berry (Almost Grown) and Schermer's vocals paired with Delone's piano deliver the goods. A plucky guitar solo from Schermer and breaks the basic 2 step pace but compliments the track nicely. Boogie Woogie track, Barkin' Up The Wrong Tree, features Marcia Ball, the perfect piano player for this track. With it's country blues feel and casual vocal delivery, Elvin Bishop would be proud. Schermer takes and excellent guitar solo followed by Ball. One of my favorites on the release. Latin style, Take Me By The Hand, lets Llanes loose on drums, complimented by Izor on harp. Schermer has a rockin good time on vocal and guitar and Johnny Bradley's bass line is perfect. Tommy Castro joins on Stop Cryin' the hottest blues track on the release. With only simple bass and drums complimenting the vocal, Castro (on left) and Schermer really tear this one up. Excellent!! R&B track Baby Be Kind, is another track that really lends itself to cross radio play. John Nemeth trades harp riffs with Schermer on guitar giving the track nice balance. Wrapping the release is Hear You Calling Him Baby, has a strong dose of New Orleans and a spunky guitar solo from Schermer over the stylized piano work of Stead. Excellent closer! I definitely recommend that you check this one out!

   

  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”

 

Six Alligator Artists Win LIVING BLUES Awards

SIX ALLIGATOR ARTISTS WIN LIVING BLUES AWARDS

Living Blues magazine has announced the recipients of the 2015 Living Blues Awards. Six Alligator Records artists received a total of six awards. In the Critics' Poll, James Cotton won Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica), Joe Louis Walker won Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar) and Selwyn Birchwood won for Best Blues Album of 2014 (New Recording/Best Debut) for Don't Call No Ambulance. In the Readers' Poll, Shemekia Copeland (whose new CD Outskirts Of Love will be released on September 11) received the award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female). Marcia Ball won for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) and Elvin Bishop won Best Blues Album Of 2014 (New Release) for his Grammy-nominated Can't Even Do Wrong Right.

CRITICS' POLL WINNERS:

SELWYN BIRCHWOOD:

Best Blues Album Of 2014 (New Recording/Best Debut):

Don't Call No Ambulance











JAMES COTTON:

Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)












JOE LOUIS WALKER:

Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

READERS' POLL WINNERS:

SHEMEKIA COPELAND:

Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)










ELVIN BISHOP:

Best Blues Album Of 2014 (New Release):

Can't Even Do Wrong Right

 MARCIA BALL:

Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

Real Blues Festival Of Orange County

THE REAL BLUES FESTIVAL OF ORANGE COUNTY 6   The Orange County Blues Society is proud to present, for the sixth year in a row, The Real Blues Festival of Orange County. Malone's Concert Venue, 604 E Dyer Rd, Santa Ana, CA 92705, (714) 979-6000 will once again be hosting the event.  The date this year is Sunday, September 13 from noon until 8 PM. Tickets are $20 at the door, $15 on the Orange County Blues Society website and $10 for any card carrying Blues Society member. This Blues and nothing but the Blues event will have five bands on the Malone's stage. The Godfather of Orange County Blues, Papa J and the Chairman of the Board of the Orange County Blues players, Richard Hassebrock will be bringing their brand of back porch blues. Bluespower, featuring Kenny BD Williams, Rich Smith and Joe Dolci bring their rocking' brand of the blues. Each of these guys has years of varied experiences that come together and create Bluespower! The Stoney B Blues Band Stoney B is the real deal, a true Blues Man. He was born in Chicago. He grew up listening to his father, Lil’ Howlin’ Wolf, playing the Blues and his dad learnt his Blues from the Chicago Blues Legend, Howling Wolf. During Stoney B's career he has played behind well-known Blues Musicians such as Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Johnny Guitar Embry and the Blues Kings, Son Thomas, Homesick James, Lovie Lee, Roosevelt Boobie Barnes and Willie Mississippi Foster. The Band delivers an outstanding Blues Show of Chicago and Southern Style Blues played by Masters of the Blues. Stoney B’s soulful licks and brilliant guitar riffs and his dynamic vocals will transfix you as he delivers heart and soul felt Blues. His Band has Lance Dieckmann who is a well known and highly respected local musician whose powerful Vocals and Harmonica playing always leaves people amazed. On the Keyboards is Pat Kelley a wonderful entertainer and musician. The Band is backed on the Bass by Doug Brunelle and on Drums by Paul Carlomagno. Chase Walker Band a group of California teens has spent the past 24 months launching their explosive blues infused rock assault on the clubs and festivals across the US, including the Vans Warped Tour, The International Blues Challenge, House of Blues, and more, opening for greats like Kenny Loggins, B.B. King, Eric Sardinas, Tab Benoit, Royal Southern Brotherhood, and American Idol star Casey Abrams.   The Griff Hamlin Band is the culmination of those 20+ years and literally thousands and thousands of miles. In Griff Hamlin Band, Griff has surrounded himself with the highest caliber of musicians and performers anywhere. With so much experience under their belt, what this band excels at is connecting quickly with a crowd and taking them down a transformational journey through music that everyone can relate to - the blues. In addition to this great musical lineup Malone's has a great variety of beer, booze and food to satisfy your taste buds. And as if that's not enough,Israeli Blues great, Lazer Lloyd has donated a vintage white Dean Bel-Aire used by Lazer in the video for his hit single "Burning Thunder" which was an exclusive premiere on Vintage Guitar magazine in part due to the inclusion of this beautiful white guitar against the lush green backdrop of Chastain Park in Atlanta where the video was shot.Ticket for the raffle are available at the Festival and on the OCBS website at http://www.orangecountybluessociety.com/TICKETS.html   The Orange County Blues Society is dedicated to the preservation of the Blues God Bless the Blues!

The 2015 Cincy Blues Fest, August 7 & 8, Sawyer Point Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

August 7-8, Sawyer Point Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

Buy Tickets here or here TAB BENOIT SHAWN HOLT AND THE TEARDROPS THE 24TH STREET WAILERS TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS Chicago Women in the Blues Revue MARCIA BALL CASH BOX KINGS SAMANTHA FISH KELLY RICHEY BAND