RIP Blues Master Linsey Alexander 1942-2025

 

Chicago Blues Master Linsey Alexander July 23, 1942, Holly Springs, MS.- February 22, 2025, Chicago, IL. Linsey Alexander's family has confirmed that this Chicago blues master passed early this morning. Sad sad news for the blues community and for our Delmark family.  Linsey Alexander: 822 - Linsey Alexander - Been There Done That 838 - Linsey Alexander - Come Back Baby 851 - Linsey Alexander - Two Cats 862 - Linsey Alexander - Live at Rosa's

 

 

LINSEY ALEXANDER is a classic Chicago bluesman, and has been a fixture on the blues scene since he arrived in 1963. He was born on July 23rd, 1942 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Linsey learned to play the guitar at an early age — around 12 years old— after he had moved with his mother and sister to Memphis, Tennessee. Linsey has played with some of the most legendary bluesmen in history; B.B. King, Magic Slim and even Mr. Buddy Guy himself to name a few. His playing is straight forward and to-the-point, he turns his amps up and lets it fly. He is serious about the music. He has a great time at each show, making sure everyone is entertained. I was introduced to Linsey several years ago, by Buddy Guy’s guitarist Ric Hall, at one of Chicago’s historic blues venues...The Kingston Mines. It was a cold winter night, but Linsey was on fire! Linsey was walking through the crowd, stopping at each table to sing to everyone in the house. The Hoochieman knows how to work the room, and I can tell you everybody loves it. Linsey is one of hardest working Bluesman in Chicagoland. You can catch him playing almost any night of the week. Whether he’s headlining at a local blues club, or doing an acoustic set somewhere, you’re sure to catch him live around town. This show was recorded at Rosa’s Lounge, on the northside of Chicago, in May 2019. Linsey was in rare form, and ready to deliver. The setlist consists of several originals by Linsey, as well as songs by notable artists including Junior Wells, Freddie King and B.B. King and Latimore. The first track on the album is “Please Love Me” which Linsey says is a tune by B.B. King. Great opening song, with some killer keyboard action on it. The second song is an original by Linsey titled “My Days Are So Long” from his 2006 album of the same name. Track three is a classic blues jam by Freddie King titled “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”. The second longest track on the album, it’s a stone-cold killer blues piece, filled with some beautiful guitar work. Linsey’s vocals and guitar playing are spot on. Track number four “I Got A Woman” is another original by Linsey, from his album Come Back Baby. It’s a funky cool groove that will get you up on the dance floor for sure. Track number five is another Linsey original titled “Goin’ Out Walking” that has a Texas Boogie vibe to it. Track six is a Latimore song titled “Somethin’ ’Bout ’Cha” which has a slower Blues classic sound. Linsey’s vocals are on point here, and the song has an old school feel to it. Also from the album Come Back Baby, track seven “Snowing In Chicago” is one of my personal favorites. From the opening riff to the classic hook, this is a fan favorite! Track eight is a blues jam from Junior Wells titled “Ships On The Ocean”. It is also the second longest song on the album, clocking in at 8:35. This is Chicago Blues at its finest right here. The last track on the album is “Going Back To My Old Time Used To Be”. Linsey says the riff came from his son Nick Alexander, who is also a very accomplished guitar player in his own right. The fruit didn’t fall far from the tree! LINSEY’S BAND THESE TWO NIGHTS IN MAY 2019 INCLUDED: Sergei Androshin(guitar), Ron Simmons(bass)–who has been with Linsey for over 40 years–Roosevelt Purifoy (keyboards), “Big” Ray Stewart(drums). Support live blues music and help us in Keeping The Blues Alive in Chicago and all over the world! —DJ MIGHTY QUINN • BUDDY GUY RADIO Linsey Alexander is a true bluesman, a great artist, and a mentor to so many. He already has three albums on Delmark. His fourth has been recorded during two live shows at the legendary Chicago blues club, Rosa’s Lounge. The highly praised record “All Your Love, I Miss Loving: Live at the Wise Fool’s Pub Chicago” (DE-781) by Otis Rush was Delmark’s reference for the production of Linsey’s new project. Otis’s live album represents an ultimate example of an authentic blues album and moment. On that path, for Linsey’s new live album “Linsey Alexander Live at Rosa’s” the Delmark team of Julia Miller, Elbio Barilari and Steve Wagner aimed for the alloy of an updated, big modern sound with a classic concept, energy and warmth which conveys what Linsey and his band unchain on the stage. Continuing the Delmark legacy of great live recordings, this album is a milestone for Linsey Alexander’s career. Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Linsey Alexander discovered a down to earth city that truly understands and appreciates music on Chicago's southside. In much the same way as many great blues artists before him, he grew up in a poor but honest and hard working family, learning early on that music has the power to lift the spirit and comfort the soul. In Linsey's own words, "Blues is not hard- it's just a documentary about life." His first guitar - a gift from a family friend who played on the front stoop of Linsey's home in Memphis - was never retrieved from the pawn shop where he left it almost 50 years ago. Using the money to help pay his way to Chicago, he now plays a variety of Gibson and Fender guitars. Since 1959, Linsey Alexander has been perfecting the art of entertainment blues for the sheer and simple pleasure of it. His easy smile and unpretentious personality define a charismatic entertainer who loves to perform; and perform he does! Although having played with B.B.King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, A.C.Reed, Larry McCray, Bither Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay, Eddie Clearwater, and other great blues performers, Linsey Alexander has remained resolutely true to his own style. His earlier CD's released, "Someone’s Cookin' in My Kitchen," "My Days Are So Long," and "If You Ain't Got It" are all three compilations of original Blues and R&B tunes. Alexander has been to 10 countries and all across America spreading the joy of blues. He is thankful for the good things in his life, and now at last, seems willing to realize that the friends that encouraged him to keep playing over the years may have known a thing or two about talent. Linsey has "never truly believed in himself" until now; Now, he is ready to believe. In 2012, He signed with Delmark Records and recorded his first international CD, "Been There, Done That." Linsey's recent Delmark CDs, "Come Back Baby," from August 2014, landed Linsey a spot as number three best Chicago Blues album, and Living Blues magazine called it “a can’t-miss release for any lover of no-nonsense Chicago blues." "Two Cats" from 2017, where "Linsey weaves his colorful stories throughout this album of blues, soul, R&B, and funk. It’s great fun and serious music at the same time. `Cause the blues don’t mess around and neither does Linsey." Linsey Alexander was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame June 8th, 2014.

SwirlDisc artist: FreeWorld - More Love - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, More Love, by FreeWorld and it's a mix of rock, soul, funk, jazz, gospel and reggae. Opening with funk rocker, Outta Sight, Richard Cushing on lead vocal and bass sets the pace with a hot sax solo by Peter Climie and smoking B3 by Cedric Taylor, and joined by Alex Schuetrumpf on trumpet, Courtney Reid on vocal, Frank Paladino on bari sax, Freedman Steorts on trombone, Matt Sweatt on drums and hot guitar solo by Walter Hughes. Smoking opening. Soulful title track, More Love has a solid melody and should appeal strongly for radio play with great lead vocals by Chris Stephenson and warm backing vocals by the Tennessee Mass Choir. Hard driving Rush Hour has a soundtrack feel with Taylor on keys and Gene Nunez on guitars taking the lead pumped up by Schuetrumpf, Climie, Paladino and Steorts on horns and Sweatt on drums. Color Trip is an interesting pop jazz composition with tight horn lead and a real nice guitar solo by Hughes and Hector Diaz on percussion. Wrapping the release is funked up track, D-Up (Here's To Diversity) with it's radio format on straight up vocals, a tight drum rhythm, plenty of keys, making for a unified 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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Lightning In A Bottle Records artist: Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots - Gate C23 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gate C23, by Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots and it's strong. Opening with Fresh Suits, a strutting blues rocker, features Chad Rupp on lead vocal and guitars, joined by LaRhonda Steele, Arietta Ward and Ms. Vee on backing vocals Ken Scandlyn, on guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, Timmer Blakely on bass and Ken Brewer on organ. Sassy opener. Title track, Gate C23, is a deep blues track with Rupp and Ms. Dee on vocal and excellent guitar work by Rupp and Kenny Blue Ray, Brady Goss on piano, Gene Ermal on drums and featuring Joe McCarthy, Bradley Ulrich and Pat Pepin on horns. Smoking! Super shuffle, Blues City Cafe, really rolls with solid guitar lead and vocal by Rupp and excellent harmonica work by Mitch Kashmar. Soulful, You'll Be Singing My Songs, is rich with vocal lead and harmonies and excellent harmonica work by Kashmar and a stinging guitar solo by Rupp. Very nice. Fat Kid Boogie is a cool change up with a hot beat. Rupp on vocal and Kashmar (on harmonica) really get this track rocking and with Blakely on bass and Goss on piano. Wrapping the release is O.V. Wright's Blind, Cripples and Crazy with deep funk. Rupp, Steele, Ward and Vee really work the vocals and with Rupp laying down hot guitar riffs, Goss on piano, Kashmar on harmonica, and Ray on guitars, this is an excellent closer. Great 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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Copper Fox Music artist: Mile Marker Zero - Coming Of Age - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Coming of Age, from Mile Marker Zero and it's a solid dose of 80's progressive rock. Opening with A Place In Time, Dave Alley on lead vocal and Mark Focarile on keys set the intro for Best Is Yet To Come with it's spirited, guitar and drum driven attack. With Dave on lead vocal and guitars, Doug Alley on drums, Focarile on keys, Jaco Lindito on bass and John Tuohy on guitars and backing vocals this gets ramped up. Title track, Coming of Age has a solid, memorable melody, strong vocals, a very nice Spanish flavored guitar solo and a tight drum rhythm by Doug making this a likely radio track. My favorite track on the release is heavy handed, Heavy Days with excellent guitar work by Dave and smashing drum work by Doug. Wrapping the release is End Of August with an acoustic guitar rhythm leading to Dave leading the way over a bed of subtle piano and percussion. The melody develops nicely with solid phrasing by Focarile on keys giving the track strong thematic body.  This is a solid closer for a comprehensive composition. 

  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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Jay Lang - Blues Vol 1 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Vol 1, from Jay Lang and it's a lot of fun. Opening with country blues, Sweet Honey, Jay Land plays a real nice Piedmont style finger picking with authentic vocal style. Simple, clever and well done. Strong opener. A natural story teller, his Hopalong Tracy puts me in mind of one of my favorite tracks from Elvin Bishop tracks, Have A Good Time. It's laid back, funny and down right great! My Sweet Mama has a bit of rag mixed in with Brad Porter on drums and sweet trombone work by Bob Dowell. Charley Patton's Shake It,  Break It is an excellent addition with solid vocal and guitar by Lang, Eric Carlton on piano and Brad Porter on drums. Pine Box is a cool, laid back blues track with great vocals by Lang, backed by Carlton who stretches a bit on piano and Porter on drums. Wrapping the release is I've Been Saved, a Rev. Gary Davis style track with Lang laying down the blues on acoustic and vocal only. This is an excellent closer for a totally excellent 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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APM Records artist: Mississippi MacDonald - I Got What You Need - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Got What You Need, from Mississippi MacDonald and it's a strong blend of blues and soul. Opening with rumbling blues, I've Got What You Need with it's stinging Albert Collins like lead guitar and thick bluesy lead vocals by Mississippi MacDonald, backed by Eliott Boughen on bass, Jim Kimberley on drums, Phil Dearing on guitars and keys and Lucy Randall on backing vocals, the release is off to a great start. Slow blues, Stop! Think About It! is one of my favorite tracks on the release with gripping Albert King influenced lead guitar work MacDonald really knows how to pour it on. 3.35 AM is a cool guitar instrumental with a rocking beat. Very cool. Gospel classic, If I Could Only Hear My Mother Pray Again with excellent lead and backing vocals and excellent lead guitar work over Dearing's organ. Very nice. Wrapping the release is deeply soulful, Your Dreams, featuring MacDonald really digging deep on vocal and guitar, paired with Dearing on piano. This is a serious release with soulful blues. Check it out! 

  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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House of Berry Productions artist: Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival - Revival - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Revival, from Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival, and it's soul drenched blues. Opening with shuffle, Lucky, Kat Riggins on lead vocal leads the chase with Shaelyn Mulberry and Mark Barner on backing vocals, understated but tasty lead guitar work by Erik Guess, and Tim Mulberry on bass, drums and keys. Solid opener. With a real great feel, Southern Soul, really gets swinging. Riggins vocals are soulful and Guess screams on guitar with great backing vocals by Mulberry and Barner. Set Me Free is one of my favorite tracks on the release with lush vocals and winding guitar work by Guess over a tight rhythm by Mulberry. Wrapping the release is soulful, Healer with it's subtle manner. With Guess and Mulberry creating the ambiance, Riggins takes it home. Solid closer for a very cool 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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Blue Canoe Records artist: Randy Hoexter - Tomorrowsville - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tomorrowsville, from Randy Hoexter and it's a strong fusion release. Opening with Rosetta Stone, with it's jagged drum rhythm by John David and Randy Hoexter on piano, this track is humming. Sam Skelton adds some solid phrasing on sax and Justin Powell on trumpet join Jimmy Haslip on bass to really fill out the track but this is a great opener. The Dragonfly has a funky bottom and the addition of Mike Stern is a killer idea with his signature guitar work in contrast with Hoexter's clean yet adventurous piano phrasing. Very nice. Up tempo, The Wine-Dark Sea really gives Sam Skelton a broad stage to really rip on sax and features Roberta Setzu on lead vocal. Another track with with exciting pace is Particle Accelerator. Hoexter and Skelton both lay down really nice solo concepts and the tight rhythms of Haslip, David and Emrah Kotan on percussion, complimented by Powell on trumpet and Eric Alexander on trombone make this an exceptional track. Wrapping the release is an adventurous track, In Bright October, featuring Skelton on bass clarinet and sax in complex melody with Hoexter on piano nicely balanced by Haslip and David. Solid 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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Stony Plain Records artist: Eric Bibb - In The Real World - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In The Real World, from Eric Bibb. Opening with Take The Stage, a quiet, well penned, ballad with Bibb on guitar and vocal, Glen Scott on drums bass, Hammond and featuring haunting slide by Robbie McIntosh. Very nice. Everybody's Got A Right is a lively track with lighter than a feather lyrics and lush slide work by McIntosh and super backing vocals by Agnese Stengrevics, Chris McGreevy and Glen Scott. This River (Chains & Free) is a ethereal track with confident lead vocals by Bibb and excellent featured vocals by Shaneeka Simon and lush backing vocals by Sepideh Vazin' and Simon. Exception track. Another standout track is Dear Mavis with a steady, percussive, guitar pattern by Bibb under his deep seated vocals. With Glenn Scott on synths, this track is quiet but effective. Out of the ordinary, The Real World is a real nice track with a supple melody and soothing vocals by Bibb and Scott, accompanied by McIntosh on guitar, David Davidson on violin, David Angell on violin, Monisa Angell on viola and Carole Rabinowitz on cello. Wrapping the release is Victory Voices featuring a duet between Bibb and Lily James with McIntosh on guitar, Scott on drums, piano and bass, Vaziri on backing vocals and Rabinowitz on cello. Warm 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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Mojo Minefield - Watch Your Step! - New New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Watch Your Step!, from Mojo Minefield, and it's a cool blues based rocker. Opening with title track, Watch Your Step, Tyler Fry on lead guitar and vocal set the pace with a tight drum rhythm by Ethan Meters, Scott Carere on bass, and organ work by Nick Royal McNeil. Fry cuts loose with some real solid soloing using fuzz and overdrive giving it a real edge. Livin' Ain't That Hard is a strong blues rocker with a great drum rhythm and solid vocal harmonies under Fry's lead vocal and matched with guitar lead with real attitude. Love this track. Change The World is another favorite with a heavy bottom. It got a great call and response with Fry singing the melody and then the trio coming back with a power response (think a more refined War Pigs with super harmonies and fluid bluesy guitar lead). Another strong track. Forget You Blues is a deeply rooted blues rocker nodding to Muddy but with real rock edge. Fry's vocal are super and the trio really brings this bad boy home. Wrapping the release is funky blues rocker, Ain't One To Gamble with great amp saturation and plenty of real swagger. These guys really get it (and deliver). 

  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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