Qualified Records artist: Yates McKendee - Buchanan Lane - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Buchanan Lane, from Yates McKendree on the indie Qualified Records label, and it moves. Opening with jazzy Out Crowd, Yates on piano sets a great stage, backed by his father Kevin McKendree and Big Joe Maher on drums and percussion. Excellent opener. On BB King's Ruby Lee, Yates moves over to guitar and lead vocal showing excellent versatility. With classic rhumba/blues styling, this track really swings. Backed by Kevin on piano, Steve Mackey on bass, Jim Hoke on sax, Andrew Carney on trumpet and Roland Barber on trombone, this track is tight. Original track, No Justice really digs in with Yates playing lead guitar, bass, drums and organ (and singing) joined by Kevin on piano. If you wonder if this kid has chops... listen to this track. Excellent! Earl King's funky R&B blues number, Always A Good Time gives Yates a chance to show even more style on vocal and guitar, with Kevin on Hammond B3, Greg Garner on bass, Kenneth Blevins on drums, Jim Hoke on sax, Andrew Carney on trumpet and Roland Barber on trombone. Funky New Orleans track, Qualified surely tastes like Dr. John gumbo with Yates on vocal and guitar and Kevin on signature piano, Garner on bass, Blevins on drums, Hoke on sax, Carney on trumpet, Barber on trombone. With the the McCrary Sisters backing it all up, this track hums. Guitar Slim's It Hurt's To Love Someone, is explosive with Yates again showing another root in his playing skill. His vocals are pure and his riffs vibrant. Another excellent slower blues track is Tampa Red's Please Mr. Doctor. Yates not only sings soulfully but hammers the blues out of his guitar in grand fashion. Excellent! Wrapping the release is original composition, Voodoo, with a funky back beat. Featuring Kevin on Hammond and real nice guitar riffs by Yates, this is an excellent closer for a really excellent release.

 

 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Lloyd Jones - Tennessee Run - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tennessee Run, from Lloyd Jones and its a cool blend of blues, R&B, funk and pop giving it a bright, energetic feel. Opening with hard driving R&B track, You Got Me Good, Jones on lead vocal and guitar really has the place hopping. Backed by Kevin McKendree on keys, Steve Mackey on bass, Kenneth Blevins on drums, Jim Hoke on sax, Quentin Ware on trumpet and Roy Agee on trombone this is a strong opener. Rock n roller, I Wish I Could Remember Loving You, has a great rhythm guitar pace with Jones paired with Teresa James on lead vocal and McKendree's piano work is outstanding. One of my favorite tracks on the release is funky swamp track, Bayou Boys with McKendree on organ and cool horn interplay by Hoke, Ware, Agee and with Richard Metz on percussion. Very cool. Hoke lays in a really nice bari solo on another funky swamp track, That's All I Want which also features LaRhonda Steele on vocal. Dilly Dally has a Taj Mahal like, laid back bluesy island feel. With wah wah guitar and funky organ, it just makes you feel good. Wrapping the release is Chevrolet Angel, a funky, bluesy strut. I  like Jones' cocky vocal styling on this one with nice backing vocal by Etta Britt and Jackie Wilson and funky lead guitar by Jones, chased by the horn work of Hoke, Ware, and Agee. A fine closer for a fun release. 

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Cherry Bomb Records artist: Seth James - Good Life - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Good Life, from Seth James and it's quite good. Not since the early inception of Little Feat have I heard anything quite this strong in this vein. Opening with Brother, a funky, swampy blues number, James on lead vocal and guitar has heavy backing by Bob Britt and his sweet Lowell George like slide style, Kevin McKendree on keys, Lynn Williams on drums and excellent backing vocals by Windy Moten. A solid compliment of horn work by Jim Hoke on sax, Roy Agee on trombone and Vinnie Ciesielski on trumpet. Excellent opener. Continuing is that funky blues vein, title track, Good Life, has a strong woven instrumental feel with thick slide work by Britt. James' vocals are solid and tuneful Very cool. Yates McKendree steps up with a real nice guitar solo and some of James' best vocals on the release on easy R&B ballad, From Way Behind.  Radio track, I'm Coming Home is dripping with soul with excellent lead vocals by James and backing by Moten. Very very nice. Funky rocker, Medicine Man has a super gritty guitar lead and tight rhythm with cool vocal work by James and Kevin McKendree. Greasy! Wrapping the release is acoustic blues number, I Am The Storm, featuring James alone on guitar and vocal. Very blues rootsy and with strong vocals, James closes out an exceptional set. Extremely nice!Oh...and the cd cover is excellent too!

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Taste Good Music artist: Tim Gartland - Satisfied - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Satisfied, from Tim Gartland, and its well balanced and cool. Opening with blues rocker, Drinking For Two, Tim Gartland's vocals are casual but authentic and the spanking drum work of Jack Bruno really hits the spot. Wendy Moten's backing vocals give the track a nice additional dimension and solid piano work by Kevin Mc Kendree, slide work by Tom Britt, Steve Mackey on bass and Gartland's own harp work make this a real nice opener. There is something about the vocal delivery on Don't Make More Trouble that almost makes you think it's asking for trouble with it's cool arrogance. I mean I really like it and lead guitar soloing by Robert Frahm it strong. One of my favorite tracks on the release is honky tonker, Can't Paint A Prettier Picture, with a great rolling rhythm, firm piano by Tom West. Excellent! The vocal interplay between Gartland and Ray Disilvis, the guitar discord by Frahm, the drum spank by Bruno and Gartland make this another contender for top track. Reggae flavored Why Does The Room Begin to Sway? has great darkness and depth. Gartland's unadorned vocals, surrounded by the lush backing vocals of Moten and Frahm's guitar accents really set this track apart. Wrapping the release is easy swinging shuffle, Don't Judge Me. Gartland is a master of cool with his laid back vocal delivery. McKendree's organ work lathers it up, Gartland's harp work adds the mustard and slick guitar riffs from Frahm knocks it down. This is a cool, unpretentious release with a lot of swagger.

  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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Vector Recordings artist: Lee Roy Parnell - Midnight Believer - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 11, 2017), Midnight Believer, by Lee Roy Parnell and it's smooth. Opening with Hours In Between, a rich, pop driven track, Lee Roy Parnell shows why he's known for his soulful voice and solid songwriting. With bluesy guitar riffs, a thumping bass line courtesy of Steve Mackey, Kevin McKendree on keys and Lynn Williams on drums, this is a great opener. Title track, Midnight Believer, really has that Muscle Shoals, Pete Carr/Boz Scaggs sound. Parnell clearly has a super feel and for this Blue Eyed Soul. A definite radio track, Ponchatrain, is as solid a ballad as you're likely to find with a warm melody, nicely blended vocals and subdued instrumentation. Too Far Gone is another terrific soul track with warm vocals and cool keyboard work by McKendree. Sunny Days, a quiet acoustic based ballad features Parnell way out front singing lead vocal with only minimal backing, and nice slide guitar and backed by the Fairfield Four, an American Institution known for Gospel vocals. Very nice. Want Watcha' Have kicks it up a few notches with a high stepping rocker and giving Parnell a chance to present not only a funkier side but to lay in some real rocking guitar riffs. His guitar voice is warm and clean. Funky, New Orleans flavored Going Uptown has a super marching drum rhythm and cool female backing vocals but my favorite part of this track is the fluid slide work of Parnell. Very nice! A little dab of country on Tied Up And Tangled gives it a bit of a Bonnie Raitt/Little Feat feel. Soaring guitar in the style of David Lindley and a cool vocal duet with Etta Britt give this track real air. Wrapping the release is soft country rock ballad, Some Time Ago, a track that among 10 other solid tracks could easily be a big seller. I love Parnell's guitar tone on the slide solo of this track adding real heat to his soulful composition. This is a super closer to a special 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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 This track isn't on the release but thought it deserved a listen:

VizzTone Records artist: Tim Gartland - If You Want A Good Woman - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, If You Want A Good Woman, from Tim Gartland and it's quite good! Opening with shuffle track, What The Blues Look Like, Tim Gartland establishes a solid foundation as lead singer and harp man with strong slide work from Tom Brett and nice backing vocals by Wendy Moten. Kevin McKendree adds cool keys and Steve Mackey on bass and Lynn William on drums fill out the band. Latin salted R&B track, I Had It All, has a smooth feel and a nice showcase for Gartland on vocal and harp as well as Brett on slide. Bluesy ballad, I Come When You Call, has a real nice pace with nice solos by Tom West, McKendree, and Gartland on harp. I really like the shimmery guitar work of Brett on this track giving it an iridescence. Funky instrumental, Eight Ball, is a really cool jam with lead harp on the melody, nice bass work under the track and cool solo lines by West, Brett and McKendree. Another track with a funky rhythm, If That's What You Call Love, is one of my favorites with cool vocals by Gartland and Moten and super slide work by Brett over the keys of West and McKendree and tight harp work by Gartland. Very nice! Too Many Groceries is a bouncy little track with warm backing vocals by Molten and really tasty slide guitar work by Brett over a tight bass line by Mackey. With a Willie Dixon approach, Willie That's Who is a real cool track. Mackey sets the pace with a solid bass line and McKendree and West set down nice keys. William's drum work on this one is the coolest on the release and again I really like the slide work of Brett. Wrapping the release is Go West, a two step NO flavored track with lead harp and a rock guitar rhythm. Lighting up the slide again, Brett really hits it fueling a nice close by Gartland. Really nice closer for a really nice 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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Eller Soul Records artist: 4 Jacks - Deal With It - New Release Review

I just received a new release, Deal with it, from the 4 Jacks and it's a killer! With an allstar cast of Anson Funderburgh, Big Joe Maher, Kevin McKendree and Steve Mackey this is a band of bands. The title track, Deal With It is the opener and has that Stax sound with a round, plucky lead guitar melody and keyboard soloing with the solid bottom on an instrumental that is instantaneously cool as cool gets. Funderburgh plays a real nice lead solo and shows that taste that he is so well know for. Great opener! Have Ourselves a Time is a hot swingin blues featuring Big Joe on vocals. Mackey drives this track on bass and Funderburgh sets down a real nice groove on this track as well. I Don't Want To Be President brings out the Albert King funky blues style and prolific lyrics don't get lost behind the magic. She Ain't Worth A Dime is a classic 12 bar with each player contributing some smoke here. McKendree lays down some particularly hot piano licks on this track. Love's Like That is a real smokey track with tom tom drum beat as rhythm and Funderburgh blistering the paint as punctuation under the smooth vocals of Maher. Bobcat Woman is a great Texas loper and Funderburgh throws down some great guitar phrases on this track. I remember the first time I saw Funderburgh was on the Sanborn show on TV and I was an instant fan. I saw him a few years later (possibly I'll share a photo of us sometime) and I remember asking him to step forward and play more. Funny ... me telling AF that he should step up and play more. He probably thought I was some kind of hick. This is really tastefully done and well balanced with heat all around. Your Turn To Cry is a real slow blues just simmering and waiting to burst into flames. The vocal placement in the mix is particularly cool. I'm not a recording expert but it is just forward of the band, and it sounds great. Funderburgh plays some of his most inspired riffs on the cd and I'm really diggin it! Thunder And Lightning is a fast paced track along the lines of Big Boss Man or Howlin For My Darlin and the band hits it right on the screws. Texas Twister is a great honky tonk style track with Funderburgh taking the lead and McKendree playing some great keys under the top with solid bass and drums from Maher and Mackey all through. This is style! Ansonmypants is a boogie track with some comedic lines to open leading into a full out rocker. These off beat tracks are killer! Funderburgh takes this one deep and T-Bone is taking notice! The band sounds great! Bad News Baby is another slow number with great keys intro and vocal call and guitar response... I mean...who won't love this! It's good that the band held this track off until late in the release because it will be hard to top it. Mackey keeping a nice simple walking bass line going and a low mix on great key work by Mckendree...just simple rim shots from Maher, this is terrific! Ok... for the closer. Painkiller has a simple guitar/bass riff over a simple electric organ track slowly letting the cat out of the bag. MacKendree really shines on this track and Funderburgh steps forward and takes a few really nice solos of his own. This is a great funky instrumental strut and a great conclusion to a great release.

 By the way...straight to the best of 2013 candidates!!

  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”

You know I hate putting up a review without a video. This one isn't off of the release but a suitable track to get a flavor of the band if you are not familiar with the players.

Another terrific release from EllerSoul Records

EllerSoul Records New Release - 4 Jacks "Deal With It"