Jesi-Lu Records artist: Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps - Live - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live, from Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps and it's jam packed full of blues, R&B and soul. Opening with In The Pink, a funky, R&B number with hot vocal work and keys by Terresa James, Terry Wilson on bass, Billy Watts on guitar, Herman Matthews on drums, Lee Thornburg on trumpet, and Ron Dziubla on sax. Solid opener. Put The Squeeze On Me has great blues feel and James really works it hard, old school style and Watts lays down a real nice guitar lead giving the track James Brown like fever. Soulful, Don't Make A Habit Of It, is a smooth, radio ready, track with a great melody and nicely showing off James' vocal work. With the addition of Paulie Cerra on sax this track has the strength of a Van Morrison track with the super soul of James. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is ballad, The Day The Blues Came To Call with a strong melody, expressive vocal phrasing and a nice guitar solo by Watts. Very nice. With a calypso feel, I Want It All, has real pizzazz. James vocals are primo and her piano playing is hot. Joe Sublett on sax and Darrell Leonard on trumpet really spice things but it's the drumming of Tony Braunagel that pushes it over the edge. Wrapping the release is Long Way From Texas with it's Chuck Berry style drive. James' piano work is great and Cerra's sax solo pushes it. Add in a dirty guitar solo by Watts and you've got a great closer. 

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Jesi-Lu Records artist: Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps - Here In Babylon - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Here In Babylon, from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps and it got a funky yet soulful sound. Opening with I Know I Ain't Been So Perfect, James on lead vocal and piano really captures the new neo soul feel with a great opener, backed by Jay Bellerose on drums, Billy Watts on guitars, Mike Finnegan on B-3, Terry Wilson on bass. Very cool. Laid back, Head Up, Heart Open has a nice sway (think Doobies) with tight backing vocals by Watts, Wilson, Gregg Sutton, Jessie Wilson and James and the warmth of horns added by Darrell Leonard on trumpet and Joe Sublett on sax. Lumbering, Ground Zero, has a solid bottom, courtesy Wilson and a plucky guitar line by Watts. With it's smoky club feel, You Had To Bring That Up is really the nicest showcase for James on piano and vocal. Relaxed, cool and gritty, a really solid track. Piano boogie, I Gotta Roll is another favorite with a super groove, punched up by Leonard and Sublett. Wrapping the release is Find Me A Bar with a hot New Orleans bottom compliments of James and Bellerose. Watts lays in a distorted guitar solo adding to the texture and with a rumbling bass line by Wilson this track is humming. James has a distinctive voice and her phrasing on this track is exceptional with just the right vocal backing. 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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Jesi-Lu Records artist: Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps - Bonafide - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Bonafide from Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps and it's a rocking blast! Opening with R&B track, I Like It Like That, James leads the way on vocal and over the top piano with super bass work by Terry Wilson, Guitar by Billy Watts and drums by Tony Braunagel. Excellent opener. On Spit It Out, James really hits her stride with Al Green like pace. This track really makes you want to dance with hot vocals and nice horn work by Darnell Leonard and with Mike Finnigan's excellent B3 additions. Funky, Hollywood Way has a super groove with Wilson crafting a nice bass line and real nice slide work by Billy Watts. Backing vocals by Wilson and Watts really add to the richness of this track and James' phrasing is tight! A cool soul track, You Always Pick Me Up, is right down the slot with warm vocals and all of the poise of the queen of soul herself. With a spiritual warmth and the addition of trumpet by Lee Thornburg and sax by Ron Dziubla this track is really nice! Funky rocker, What Happens In Vegas, has the sound of New Orleans fused with a bit of Muscle Soul. Mike Finnigan's piano work, a smoky guitar solo by Wilson and Wilson and Watts' backing vocals really set James vocals on top. Too Big To Fail is another track with that swampy funk and Herman Matthews' drum work and Wilson's guitar work nicely compliment James' soulful vocals. Another great soul track, No Regrets goes even further to show how James is really hitting on all cylinders. With basic backing by Finnigan on organ, Lewis Stephens on Wurlitzer and sassy sax work by Ron Dziubla, this track is smoking! Kicking out the jams, You Want it When You Want It sounds like it was written by Keith Richards. With attitude and style, James crafts a solid rocker and gives it spunk. Wrapping the release is a really nice song, Have a Little Faith In Me, written by John Hiatt. I've always really liked this track and James keeps it light and airy with clear vocals and simple instrumentation. Atmospheric guitar work by Watts, percussive piano by James, Finnigan's organ work and a soulful sax solo by Jerry Peterson makes this a super closer for a really super 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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Jesi-Lu Records artist; Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps - Come On Home - New Release Review

I just received a copy of Come On Home, the new release from Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps. The release opens with Come On Home To Me, a funky blues track with a touch of country. James has a special voice and displays it nicely on this track. I particularly like the saturated guitar tones that co-writer Terry Wilson grinds out of his guitar box on this track. If I Can't Have You had the feel of a Jimmy reed track that was never written featuring a vocal duet with Finnegan. This is actually a strong track and will likely also get airplay. Long Way From Texas has that Texas rock sound with a touch of Chuck Berry. Mike Finnegan lays down some nice piano riffs on this track and Billy Watts has a few hot guitar riffs as well. Forgetting You is an Otis Redding style R&B ballad and James airs out the pipes showing the girl's got soul. Still Got The Message is another updated R&B style tracks along the lines of Wilson Pickett. It's a well written track and the guitar and horns are great supporting characters as is the B-3 by Finnegan. She's Got A Way With Men has a Motown flavor and James continues to show the versatility of her voice. That's Just Love is a pop style ballad with well arranged horns, keys and guitar backing. Voodoo Doll comes on with a little New Orleans and a little country. This just adds to the overall consistency of this release. I Can Do Better is a two stepper right out of the gate. It comes on heavy with some really nice slide work and fatter bottom as the track starts to move. All I Wanna Do Is Dance gets it with a funky front line drum section and overlay of trumpet but no abandoning the formula that has gotten James to where she is. Overall a solid vocal cd with well written vocal tracks and punchy rhythm.

 If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”