Live At the 55 Arts Club Berlin - The Lucky Peterson Band featuring Tamara Peterson Pt. 3

This is the third installment of my review of this exceptional concert video. Disk 3 features Shawn Kellerman, Tim Waites and Raul Valdes jamming on their own. Opening with Matt "Guitar" Murphy's Boogie Thang, Kellerman brings the band to full boil on the first track. This band is tight and rockin'. Kellerman plays a metal bodied guitar that I'm not familiar with but it sounds very cool. Up next is Pretty Woman, a song made popular by Albert King, and Kellerman and give it a full workout. Switching back to his butterscotch Tele, Kellerman plays some funky riffs with a Tele twang but reinforces that Muddy, Roy and Mike were on the right track with the Tele for a rock and blues guitar. The solid bottom of Waites is always driving and Valdes has great hands. Buddy Ace's Love Of Mine, is next up in shuffle style. Kellerman;s vocals are adequate on this track but the overall enthusiasm of the band and Kellerman as a guitar player well make it a worthwhile addition. Last in the set is a Kellerman original called Big Time. A cool track with a rock beat and Texas guitar riffs the trio has one final chance to shine. The second section of this disc, behind The Scenes, follows the bands landing in Berlin and traveling the countryside and setting up the set to Peterson playing a great version of Mother In Law Blues. The set up and sound check continues on I Wanna Know What Good Love Is, Move On You, Who's Been talking and Love Me with brief interviews with Lucky and Tamara. The final musical section shows the band playing Trouble full blast instrumentally... WOW, but Peterson laying back on the vocals. The wrap up is an interview with Lucky and Tamara telling a bit about their meeting, earlier visit to Berlin, the creation of the current line up, writing, gospel influence, instrument of choice, touring, and other musical influences and styles. This is a very well produced set and I have gained an enhanced interest in Lucky's work and a special appreciation for him. I really enjoy his playing on Hammond especially and also find his guitar work entertaining. This is a really good set overall and if you get a chance to catch it, or see Lucky live, you should do it! Also be sure to look back in the earlier reviews for summary of the other two discs.  

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Blackbird Music artist: Lucky Peterson Band featuring Tamara Peterson - Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin - New Release Review II (CD/DVD)

Following up on last nights report on the super deluxe 5 disc set that Lucky peterson has just completed, set two begins with Giving Me The Blues designed to get the crowd hopping and it sure does. Shawn Kellerman plays a blistering solo and the band is really in the groove. Up next Peterson plays a tribute to one of my favorite (funk/soul) blues artists, Johnny Guitar Watson, with Ta' Ta' You. This is a great track and Peterson not only pushes the band with his Hammond, he does a great job on vocals. Kellerman plays a hot solo on this track as well but you all know this music is about the soul... and Peterson has it! He keeps the volume down and the band even takes a reggae twist on the track but the groove is solid as a rock. On It Ain;t

Safe Peterson calls on the funk and even conjures up a little Billy Preston. Kellerman takes another nice guitar interlude on this track but again Peterson is at the wheel driving with his organ and his dynamic voice. On Dixon's I'm Ready, the band plays with a lot more swing, giving it a bit more of a jazz styling. A walking bass line from Waites and B3 work by Peterson really make the difference on this track which has been covered by just about every band who's ever played the blues. Howlin' Wolf's Who's been Talking is done over a Latin beat (Otis Rush style) beginning very subdued early. Peterson takes a really nice organ solo on this track and again Valdes plays masterfully on this track. Peterson hops up and straps on an old red Supro Belmont for an Elmore James romp. Sounds like the guitar is tuned in open D and equipped with a glass slide Peterson rips it up on Dust My Broom, a Robert Johnson track. He then slows it down and does a really nice version of the Jimmy Reed's World's In A Tangle.
Bringing the band and the crowd back to a frenzy, Peterson welcomes Tamara back on stage for a bluesy version of Prince's Kiss. Although I'm not a big fan of any version of this song, Tamara does a particularly nice job on the vocals on this track. Last Night You Left, a R&B style track written by Tamara, moves Lucky back to keys. This is a cool number and Peterson once again brings an entire different dimension to the band. Lots of bands have organ but not often do you hear a band that id lead by an organ player as tasteful as this. Next up is Ain't Nobody like You in neo soul style. This is a cool track and likely one that would well fall into an airplay list. Waits finally gets a chance to solo and play my man does. Waites plays like a fine jazz player with no fancy tricks ... just nice chords and soulful lead melody lines. Finishing up the set is another T. Peterson track, Real Music. A built up funk track Waites carries this track with his hot bass riffs. Kellerman and Lucky bring up the heat and Waites is invited to bring on another solo. Finally Valdes rips it loose with a solo that is really hot but likely with its out of sequence and extremely difficulty patterns is lost on many observers. This band is extremely tight and the audience really got a show! 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 favorite band!

Blackbird Music artist: Lucky Peterson Band featuring Tamara Peterson - Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin - New Release Review I (CD/DVD)

I just received a copy of the new release (February 12, 2013), Live At The 55 Arts Club Berlin, by Lucky Peterson Band. First I have to tell you that this package is incredibly overwhelming. This is 2 CD's and 3 DVD's of pure dynamite! A full 20 page concert package with forward by Andreas Hommelsheim, Photos and Bios of each band member, setlists for each disc (the 2 CD's are audio versions of the frst 2 DVDs) and of course credits.
The concert opens with the band playing an intro and the sound quality is spectacular. Peterson is brought on stage by guitarist Shawn Kellerman playing a beautiful butterscotch customized (If I was a betting man I'd say Nash) Nocaster. Peterson makes his way onto stage and behind his Hammond B3 (and Roland RD-700) singing the crankin' I'm Back Again. He makes introductions of the band and each player is distinct in the mix. I love it when a bass player cuts through the mix and is clean and Tim Waites is really pushing the bottom end on a beautiful spalted maple ESP LTD 6 string bass. Raul Valdez is a drummer's drummer keeping complex rhythms on the cymbals while keeping a crisp beat on what looks like Pearl drums. This is particularly noticeable on Smooth Sailing, a funky blues track. Peterson's voice is spot on and he really uses the organ effectively. Next up is the soul/gospel/blues style track, Trouble, and Peterson has the audience in his hands. This is an absolutely show stopping track. Peterson breaks from the organ mid song to strap on a white thin line hollow body Greg Bennett Samick guitar and rip a quick solo. He then breaks into a Freddie King inspired rockin' blues jam. Peterson enters the audience and shows everyone what a real muiti instrumentalist is! Peterson continues his concert sitting at a table in the audience playing Burnett's classic Little Red Rooster and then Dixon's classic You Shook Me. As you're sitting there with your mouth hanging open you're wondering... is this guy a singer, an organ player or a guitar player.

I assure you... he is absolutely all three!! This is killer! Peterson's wife Tamara Peterson joins at the end of this track on vocals and the bands kicks into a whole new gear. Lucky transitions back to the B3 for a really funky Knocking. The band continues with Tamara as the lead vocalist on How Do I, Why Do I. Lucky adds a really solid vocal anchor to this track. Kellerman rips a blistering solo on this track and the ever present bass lines of Waites are really hot. I Don't Like You But I Love You, another Tamara Peterson composition has a Latin rhythm which is really crisply handled by Valdez. Despite relinquishing center stage, Lucky still maintains control of the crowd and is a spectacular performer. The band breaks into full swing like a good blues should and the Peterson's trade vocals. Lucky opens Been So Long with a "vocal" programmed into his Roland adding a really cool feel. It actually has a bit of a JG Watson "scat" feel but then at the hands of Peterson reverts to extremely short notes.... I mean really nice. Peterson has a smile that is hard not to love. He is a born entertainer. Kellerman plays another sweet solo on his Nocaster and gets great tone bringing the the entire band up and the track to a wide open blues bonanza. Lucky takes it back down and riffs on the Hammond ... and then in concert with Waites into a smooth jazz jam. The Roland is back up with the vocal synth again and Peterson shows his absolute creativity. The band follows back full circle to complete this terrific track in full blues style. R&B style track I Wanna Know What Good Love Is comes on strong and funky. Tamara gets under the beat and creates great dynamics with Peterson on this track. This is another super track and should get really strong airplay. Again I need to comment on the strength of the rhythm section. I really admire the work done by both Waites and Valdes.

The band close the first DVD (CD) with Lost The Right. Lucky leads the way on guitar and vocal but sharing the stage with Tamara. This is a nice loping blues track giving Waites another opportunity to play really nice bass lines under such a strong performance. This package is so strong that it deserves multiple write ups. I will be reviewing Disc 2 separately and really can't wait. I can honestly say that Lucky Peterson won't be through this town without me seeing him again just based upon this first disc. 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 favorite band!