Soars High productions: JP Soars - Southbound I-95 - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Southbound I-95, from JP Soars and it's really cool. Opening with Ain't No Dania Beach, there's a country flavor but still folky/rock along the lines of the Band...you know...just right. Joined by Travis Colby on organ, Paul DesLauries on ultra cool slide, Greg Morency on bass, and Sam Harrison on percussion, this is a stylin' opener. Swamp funky, Sure As Hell Ain't Foolin' Me, is a great track with a solid bass line and vocal delivery by Soars. His guitar playing is really nice as well, backed by Teresa James on vocals, Oscar Santiago on percussion and Scott Ankrom on trumpet, this is my favorite track on the release.  Title track, Southbound I-95 has great Dale/surf feel with dancing guitar work and a great rocking bass line by Jason Newstead. Excellent! Rock n Roller, The Grass Ain't Always Greener, will really get you moving with a tight piano solo by Colby and a ripping sax solo by Sax Gordon. Very hot! Born In California is another of my favorites with a cool back beat courtesy of Chris Peet on drums and Soars on guitar and bass and his vocals are edgy and cool. Straight up slow blues number, When You Walk Out That Door, features blues masters Jimmy Thackery and JP Soars trading guitar solo's in paced, masterful style. Ouch! With a strong dose of southern R&B, Deep Down In Florida is another great number with blazing guitar work by Albert Castiglia and Soars and a tight beat by Peet and sax work by Ankrom. Spanish flavor on Across The Desert really gives it just the right spice. Soars guitar work in duet with Lee Oskar further cements this release as one of the year's best. Another Latin flavored track, Dog Catcher, this time wide open, has great percussion by Santiago and flavorful guitar work by Soars. Very nice. Heavy tom tom work by Jeremy Staska and a flurry of guitar riffs over a driving bass line by Soars and real nice clarinet soloing by Ankron really sets this track off. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a radio edit of Sure As Hell Ain't Foolin' Me with strong vocals and rich funk. This is one of the must hear releases of the year! Check it out!

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Soars High Productions artist: JP Soars - Full Moon Night In Memphis - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Full Moon Night in Memphis, from JP Soars and it's a blast. Opening with title track, Full Moon Night in Memphis, Soars leads the way with his raspy voice and melodic slide work, accompanied by Chris Peet on drums and Todd Edmunds on drums. Brandon Santini adds significantly with some hot harp riffs as well. Back To Broke is a funky track with rap like vocals. Mark "Muggy Doo" Leach adds a nice B3 edge and Soars clean picks a pretty nice solo. Makes No Sense is a really smooth slower blues with sumptuous chords and clean bluesy riffs. A really nice T-Bone Walker like approach to this track makes it stand tall with any of Soars earlier work. Somethin' Ain't Right has a strong blues rock feel reminding me of Mountain. Raul Hernandez adds some cool percussion to this track giving it a different texture. Soars really attacks the electric guitar on this with some real sting. Where's the cowbell? Very nice! Mean Old World has a Latin beat and cool simple chords supporting Soars on vocal. Lower octave guitar soloing and a light Spanish touch makes this track really shine. Savin' All My Lovin' is a nice loping shuffle and features Steve Laudicina on 2nd guitar. Nice Texas style blues riffs smoke this track and leave you wanting more. Classic, Reefer Man is really hopping and fleet fingered guitar soloing is really hot. Chaim Rubinov (Trumpet) adds nice top and Scott Ankrom (sax) and Soars each step up with hot solos making this one of the best tracks on the release. Way Back Home has a real gritty feel with Soars on cigar box and slide. This is bound to be one of the release favorites with hot licks like this! The Back Room is a R&B style track Leach on B3 and Soars ripping rock solid blues style riffs. Thorn In My Side is a straight up blues rocker, Detroit style, with unusual slide riffs over a clean blues rock beat. Another classic, Viper, is really well done. Soars vocals are perfectly suited for this track and Ankrom with a super solo on clarinet and Chaim Rubinov's solo on trumpet along with the strong bass work from Peet give this track a real period feeling. Really cool Django like gypsy guitar work from Soars ices the cake. The Road Has Got Me Down crosses over to country. Joined by Teresa James on vocals and Santini on harp, Soars plays it up and also adds a nice tinge of pedal steel. Cool! My favorite track on the release, Spanish style Lil' Mamacita really crosses the border into Latin style with real salsa. Smoking hot guitar riffs and all of the percussion you could possibly want from Hernandez makes this a track that's hard not to love! Wrapping the release is swing style track, Missin' Your Kissin', a real driver. Soars plays as hot a guitar solo as you'd dream and Terry Hanck joining on tenor sax literally blows the top off! Excellent!  

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”