Crazy Chester Records artist: Mitch Mann - Blackwater Creek - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Blackwater Creek, from Mitch Mann and it's a cool acoustic ride. Opening with traditional, Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad, Mitch Mann leads the way on acoustic guitar and vocal joined by Donna G and Russell Mefford sounding quite a bit like Delaney and Bonnie. On early century sounding track, Baby Don't Forget Mann, joined by Andreas Werner on Harmonium, gets a nice toe tapper rolling. Jimmy Hall brings his favorite harp on Crows, an acoustic boogie. Very cool! A great slow acoustic style version of WC Handy's St. Louis Blues, features Charles Rose on trombone. There isn't a lot of music that crosses my desk that actually features extended trombone solos so this is a nice treat. Finger picked ballad, Make This Last Minute Last, is a really nice vocal duet with Scott Boyer. More Thank I Could Ever Show is a straight up pop track just waiting for it's audience. Catchy melody and nice harmonies make this the commercial pick of the release. Sometimes A Rock has a bit of an Everlys feel in duet with Werner. Harvey Thompson steps forward with a throaty sax solo capping it off. Title track, Blackwater Creek, is a slick, almost classically styled acoustic instrumental and certainly my favorite on the release. Acoustic rocker, Detour You, is begging for a 4 piece electric make over, even with Mann's nice acoustic guitar solo. It has all of the characteristics of a bar classic. Rural country classic styling on Hold Her While You Got Her, makes it another favorite with it's fresh approach and springy attack. Jake Berry's Tom Clark, an Arlo Guthrie style story telling ballad. Solid. It's Time has an almost spiritual feel with warm backing vocals by Buzz Cason and percussion by Mickey Buckins. Wrapping the release is a nicely written, Good Things. Cleanly articulated acoustic guitar work and blended vocals of Mann and Godchaux make for a nice conclusion to a soothing acoustic set.

   

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Hittin' The Note artist: Tommy Talton - Let's Get Outta Here - New Release Review

I have been listening to the new Tommy Talton release, Let's Get Outta Here and it's likely to make a big splash. I first became familiar with Talton when I was tracking down every recording that Duane Allman played on a lot of years ago. Well, the band isn't Cowboy and the tracks don't sound like Please Be With Me. It's a new day. The release opens with the title track and it sounds more like Wet Willie or Steely Dan than Cowboy. This is a light breezy pop oriented track with horns and a catchy melody. You Can't Argue With Love is a rock ballad featuring Talton on vocal and slide guitar. He has a very distinct slide tone reminiscent of a few of the better slide players. Dream Last Night is a more quiet ballad further reinforcing his talent as a songwriter. Make It Through The Rain finds Talton singing harmony with his old pal Scott Boyer. A primarily acoustic rock track, this could easily make heavy airplay. Slacabamornico has a funky new Orleans beat with cool horns and strong piano work from (ex Allman Bros/Sea Level) Chuck Leavell. The horn section made up of Chad Fisher (trombone), Shane Porter (trumpet), Brad Guin (sax)really give it a workout on this party track. I don't want to miss out on mentioning Brandon Peeples on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. Where Is The World really has strong chord changes and a light jazzy sound that makes me think of Steely Dan with Talton on vocal and guitar instead of Fegan and Diaz (or Carlton/Baxter). Recent Rain has the construction sensibilities of Bob Dylan and the basic sound of Joe Walsh. It's an interesting combination. Sunk Down In Mississippi starts off with a gritty slide solo and definitely has it's roots in the blues. This is a fairly straight forward track keeping it simple and very enjoyable. You want to hear Talton play the slide...here it is! I liked this track before I heard it! How could you mot like a track called If Your Attitude Is Funky (Nobody Wants Your Monkey)! This is another breezy jazz rock track but with a really great theme. Like my artist friends say... you only need to come up with one of these... it's great! And Tommy...I couldn't agree with you more! Half of What She Is (Is All I Can Hope To Be) is another well written ballad in this case with David Pinkston added giving it a little country flavor. It really could be an Eagles track (but a good one). The last track on the recording is Tribute To Levon Helm Give A Little Bit. This track gets a lot of it's interest from the underlying bass runs by Peeples and the funky Little Feat like back beat. Tony Giordano adds some nice keys and Talton belts out some of the best open guitar work on the recording. So is this the same Tommy Talton that I heard with Duane Allman as a youth? Must be! He's still putting out fresh sounding tracks, surrounding himself with great musicians and not falling into the clutches of rehash hell. Nice job!
  “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 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”