Rory Block Hard Luck Child: A Tribute to Skip James Stony Plain Records Rory Block’s picture hangs in the entrance to the offices of the Martin Guitar Co. They have a Martin OM-40 Signature Edition guitar named after her. Block is one of our greatest exponents of Country blues guitar. This is her fifth recording in her […]
Tas Cru You Keep The Money Crustee Tees Records Tas Cru now lives in Chaumont, N.Y. His first album “Biscuit” was released in 2006. Cru states his unusual stage name was bestowed on him “by a Quebecois fan”. In 2008 he followed up with “gravi-Tas”. His other recordings are 2009’s “Grizzle n’ Bone”, 2010’s “Jus’ Desserts”, […]
Lil Jimmy Dickens, jocular star of Grand Ole Opry dies at 94 Little Jimmy Dickens, the diminutive country singer and Grand Ole Opry star best known for his humorous novelty songs, such as “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose,” died Jan. 2 at a hospital near Nashville. He was 94. The Opry […]
Earls of Leicester Rounder Records My love for bluegrass began with Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and The Foggy Mountain Boys. Flatt’s voice, so laidback and clear, was the greatest American voice. He gave me an appreciation for a Bluegrass tenor and led me to discover other bluegrass and country music singers. As a youngster Scruggs’ […]
Through The Streets of the City New Orleans Brass Bands Smithsonian Folkways Recordings This is the newest album from Smithsonian Folkways’ African-American Legacy series. Included is a 34 page booklet authored by Dr. Michael White. He is a jazz music historian but also a clarinetist, composer, bandleader, producer and educator. He has six albums under his […]
Michelle Willson Fortune Cookie Live at Sculler’s Jazz Club EvilGal Music Michelle “Evil Gal” Willson had four great albums on the Bullseye Blues Record label distributed by Rounder Records. In 1994 she released “Evil Gal Blues”. Her “Evil Gal” nickname comes from her appreciation for Dinah Washington and she included songs from Washington and her […]
Three New Releases from Hendrik Meurkens German born Hendrik Muerkens now lives in upstate New York. Originally a vibraphonist in the tradition of Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson Meurkens was inspired by the sound of Toots Thieleman’s harmonica. Today the self taught Meurkens is considered the most important jazz harmonica player since Thielemans. Meurkens was […]
Annika Chambers & The Houston All-Stars Making My Mark Montrose Records Annika Chambers a.k.a. U.S. Army Sergeant Annika Chambers served eight years in Iraq and Kosovo. Since she returned to the states this Houston native has been living her dream. This is her debut album. Producers Larry Fulcher and Richard Cagle have assembled an impressive […]
Georgie Bonds Stepping Into Time 8th Train Records Georgie Bonds grew up in the Germantown section of Philadephia. Bonds liked Rhythm and Blues but he loved horses even more and he dreamed of being a cowboy. He purchased his first horse in 1975 when he was 21 years old. Unfortunately a year later he got […]
Cyrille Aimee It’s A Good Day Mack Avenue Records This is the major label debut of jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimee. Vocally Aimee is a bit like Madeleine Peyroux but Aimee’s music is rooted in the gypsy guitar of Django Reinhardt. She also has affection for Brazilian guitar, and thus an understanding of bossa nova and […]
Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle Zoho Music Phil Bowler is a Grammy winning bassist and sideman who played in the bands of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Horace Silver, Hilton Ruiz, and Wynton Marsalis, among many others. Twenty years ago Bowler also had his own jazz ensemble called “Pocket Jungle”. Now they […]
Robin Banks Modern Classic RB Music Robin Banks sometimes calls herself Miss Robin Banks to differentiate her from famous males with the same name. Banks hails from Canada just east of Detroit. She released her first album “Permanent Record” in 1997 and that year won Canada’s Maple Blues Award for “Best New Artist of The […]
S.E. Willis Turtle Dove Bounce/Live at the Poor House Mr. Suchensuch Records S.E. Willis aka Steve is the veteran piano player in The Elvin Bishop Band. During a two year period when Willis was ill he worked in his home studio recording his versions of some classic piano blues. He also contributes four original compositions. […]
Trigger Hippy Trigger Hippy Rounder Records Steve Gorman, the drummer who co-founded The Black Crowes twenty-five years ago, has started this new band. Gorman has enlisted some impressive talent. Singer Joan Osborne has seven of her own recordings to her credit including her triple platinum 1995 debut “Relish”. Singer, guitarist, keyboardist Jackie Greene performed with […]
Lucinda Williams Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone Highway 20 Records Lake Charles, La. native Lucinda Williams recorded her first album in 1978, but it wasn’t until ten years later that she began to be noticed. In 1988 she released her self titled album “Lucinda Williams” containing her song “Passionate Kisses”. In 1992 that […]
Lisa Biales Belle of The Blues Big Song Music Lisa Biales hails from Ohio where she first honed her skills. In 1991 while still at Ohio University she released her first recording. Her first full length album was 1999’s “Music Box” re-issued in 2007. In 2011 Biales had a small acting role in Francis Ford […]
Chris Bergson Band Live at Jazz Standard 2 Shirts Records Chris Bergson was born in New York but spent his formative years in Somerville, Ma. He returned to Manhattan in 1995 and began his career as a sideman for Jazz singers, including Annie Ross and Norah Jones. He embraced the blues but added his own […]
Candye Kane and Sue Palmer “One Night in Belgium” Motel Swing Music Sue Palmer is San Diego’s Queen of Boogie Woogie piano. Palmer was previously a member of The Candye Kane Band when they were still called the “Swingin’ Armadillos” and she appears on four of Candye Kane’s albums including “Diva La Grande” and 1998’s […]
Hot Rize When I’m Free Ten in Hand Records Hot Rize, originally from Colorado, released their first self titled album in 1979 on the Flying Fish Record label. The band released six studio albums and disbanded in 1990 but not before being named the first “Entertainers of The Year” by the then newly formed International […]
Candi Staton Life Happens Beracah Records In 2013 Magnolia Home Entertainment released “Muscle Shoals” a documentary about Rick Hall’s Fame studios where the Muscle Shoals sound was born. Featured in that DVD was Candi Staton. Staton, who sang gospel as a teenager, had her solo career launched as a Southern soul singer. In 1970 she […]
Tommy Talton Until After Then Hittin’ The Note Records Tommy Talton is from Orlando, Florida. He picked up the guitar at the age of eight and by the time he was sixteen he was in a local band. In 1969 Talton and Scott Boyer formed the Jacksonville based “Cowboy”. Duanne Allman recommended them to Capricorn […]
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers Love Whip Blues Vizztone Label Group/Juicy Juju Records Erin Harpe is from the Boston area. Her other band Lovewhip combines electro-pop with funky dancehall beats. Between 2001 and 2009 Lovewhip released five albums, the most recent being 2009’s “Love Electric”, and it included Memphis Minnie’s “Chauffeur Blues”. Harpe’s own […]
Altered Five Blues Band Cryin’ Mercy Omnivibe Records The Altered Five Blues Band was formed in 2002. In 2008 they released their debut album, “Bluesified”. It was comprised of inventive arrangements of roadhouse covers. In 2012 they followed up with “Gotta Earn It” which contained mostly original material. Frank-John Hadley of Downbeat Magazine wrote “Taylor […]
Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band Soul For Your Blues Blue Dot Records Frank Bey was born in 1946. His mother was a gospel singer. He began singing at the age of 4 with the Rising Son Gospel Singers. At the age of 14 Bey had to sneak out of the house to sing secular […]
Lisa Mills I’m Changing Mills Bluz Records Lisa Mills sang with the British R & B band “The Big Town Playboys” and at one time toured extensively, as a Janis Joplin like vocalist, with “Big Brother and The Holding Company”. Mill’s last album was 2011’s “Tempered in Fire”. Although recorded in Great Britain, Mills received […]
Steve Krase w/Special Guest Trudy Lynn Buckle Up Connor Ray Music Steve Krase, originally from New York, now makes Houston his home. There he met and befriended Trudy Lynn and he recently appeared on her Royal Oaks Blues Café album. Buckle Up is Krase’s second recording and follow up to “Some Day” released in 2013. […]
Alex Belhaj’s Crescent City Quartet Sugar Blues Alex Belhaj Music I first went to New Orleans in 1995. I thought it would be great if I got to see Joe Krown playing piano at The Maple Leaf. I didn’t think I was really into Jazz except where it crossed with the Blues. After going to […]
Bruce Katz Band Homecoming American Showplace Music This is Bruce Katz’s seventh album and first since 2008’s “Live! At the Firefly”. Katz also appears on over seventy other albums from artists who recognize his talent; including five each for Ronnie Earl and Mighty Sam McClain. He is able to coax soulful tones outta’ those keyboards. […]
Stacy Mitchhart Live My Life Dr Sam Records Stacy Mitchhart spent his formative years in Cincinnati but for many years has resided in Nashville. He performs 275 shows a year and maintains an “ongoing residency” at The Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar. In 2009 his album “Grown Ass Man” received considerable airplay. He followed […]
Pete Anderson Birds Above Guitarland Little Dog Records Among his many accomplishments Pete Anderson is best known as the Grammy winning producer and lead guitarist for Dwight Yoakum. It’s his guitar that can be heard on Yoakum’s best selling Warner/Reprise albums including 1986’s “Guitars, Cadillacs”, 1987’s “Hillbilly Deluxe”, 1995’s “Gone”; and 17 other Yoakum recordings. […]
Otis Clay Truth Is (Putting Love Back into The Music) Echo Records Otis Clay was born February 11th, 1942. He sang in church and became a gospel singer. After moving from Mississippi to Chicago he was a member of the Sensational Nightingales. Clay also had a contract with One-derful! a record label, that wanted him […]
Kaye Bohler Handle the Curves Kaye Bohler Productions For many years I would look forward to Labor Day Weekend. I would listen to the Blues by The Bay Festival in Eureka, California broadcast over the Internet on Humboldt County’s WHUM. That was the first time I ever heard Kaye Bohler. Bohler’s music is the funk, […]
Knickerbocker All-Stars Open Mic at The Knick JP Cadillac Records J.P. Sheerar was a regular at The Knickerbocker Café. In the old days Roomful of Blues used to have weekly jam sessions at the club. Sheerar is an avid blues aficionado and collector. It was his idea to select songs to be recorded by musicians […]
The Roland White Band Straight Ahead Bluegrass Roland White Music In April 1964 World Pacific Records released The Kentucky Colonels Applachian Swing! The Kentucky Colonels were Clarence White, guitar; Roland White, mandolin; Billy Ray Latham, banjo; Bobby Slone, fiddle; Leroy McNees, dobro; and Roger Bush, bass. Clarence White had basically invented Bluegrass guitar picking. Alongside […]
Big Harp George Chromaticism Blues Mountain Records George Bisharat a.k.a. Big Harp George first heard the Blues when his older brother brought home a copy of Paul Butterfield’s East-West album. He wanted to learn how to play Nat Adderley’s Work Song which Butterfield covered on that album. Once he heard Sonny Boy Williamson II he […]
The City Boys Allstars Blinded By The Night City Boys Mike Productions LLC The City Boys Allstars’ first album “Look Out Here We Come” was recorded in 1994 but not released until 2011. “When You Needed Me” their follow up studio recording was released in 2012. After a seventeen year hiatus the band had re-united […]
JW Jones Belmont Boulevard Blind Pig Records JW Jones is an Ottawa based artist who has received twelve Maple Blues Award nominations. The Maple Blues Award is the Canadian equivalent to our Blues Music Awards. Jones released his first album “Defibrillatin” in 2000 on the Northern Blues label. Guest artists on his recordings include Kim […]
Trudy Lynn featuring Steve Krase Royal Oaks Blues Café Connor Ray Music Trudy Lynn was born Lee Audrey Nelms. In the mid-sixties she sang with guitarist Albert Collins. She began using her stage name soon after. In 1989 she released her debut recording “Trudy Sings the Blues” on Ichiban Records. She recorded five albums for […]
Robin and Linda Williams Back 40 Red House Records Robin and Linda Williams are a husband and wife harmony duo. They got their start on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” radio program in 1975. That year they also released their first recording. They were originally inspired by The Carter Family but have absorbed music […]
Devon Allman Ragged & Dirty Ruf Records Devon Allman is the son of Gregg Allman and Shelley Kay Jefts. They divorced when he was still an infant. Devon began playing music as a teen and grew up listening to The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. Devon didn’t actually meet his father Gregg until he was […]
Mississippi Heat Warning Shot Delmark Records Mississippi Heat, the band that was formed in 1991, still has one foot in Canada and the other in Chicago. Pierre Lacocque, is the talented harp player and songwriter who heads up this ensemble. Inetta Visor is the passionate vocalist heard on most of the tracks. Rounding out the […]
Fo’ Reel Heavy Water Independent This is the debut recording from a band that deserves your attention. Fo’ Reel is steeped in New Orleans soul and funk. They are just beginning so this is a formative recording. CP Love was born in New Orleans and first recorded for the King Walk label in the 1960’s. […]
Rob Paparozzi & The Ed Palermo Big Band Electric Butter/Play the Music of Butterfield & The Electric Flag Independent Rob Paparozzi, vocals and harmonica, is a New Jersey based session musician who has toured with “The Original Blues Brothers Band” and also as lead vocalist in the reformed “Blood, Sweat and Tears”. He has played […]
Gary Clark, Jr. Live Warner Brothers Records The Blues has found another young gunslinger guitarist to take our genre to a new and younger audience and his name is Gary Clark Jr. Clark is steeped in the Texas Blues tradition that includes Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddie King. Clark is a thirty year old Austin […]
Billy Boy Arnold The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold Stony Plain Records This new album produced by Duke Robillard features The Duke Robillard Band backing up the legendary singer, songwriter and harmonica master Billy Boy Arnold. In Chicago 1948 a nervous thirteen year old Arnold knocked on the front door of his idols home and […]
Rachelle Coba Mother Blues Mono Records This album is an introduction to Rachelle Coba. These are band performances but Coba’s voice and guitar are upfront as she fingerpicks her Stratocaster. The results are an intimate look at an emerging artist. All of the songs except one were written by Coba who is one helluva songwriter. […]
Liz Mandeville Heart ‘O’ Chicago Blue Kitty Music This is Liz Mandeville’s sixth album and second on her own Blue Kitty label. Mandeville’s first four albums were on Earwig Records including 2008’s “Red Top”. Her last recording was 2012’s “Clarksdale”. Mandeville was bitten by the Blues bug when she moved from Wisconsin to Chicago in […]
The Chris O’Leary Band Live at Blues Now! Basel, Switzerland Fidellis/Vizztone Chris O’Leary spent his early career as a vocalist for Levon Helm and The Barnburners. The Chris O’ Leary Band’s first cd “Mr. Used to Be” received a 2011 Blues Music Award nomination for Best New Artist Debut. They won the Blues Blast Award […]
Otis Clay and Johnny Rawls Soul Brothers Catfood Records Soul Brothers Otis Clay and Johnny Rawls are quite a pair. Otis Clay has recorded for Cotillion, Hi-Records, Bullseye, Blind Pig, and the Echo record imprints. He is a 2013 Blues Hall of Fame inductee. Rawls was O.V. Wright’s musical director and guitarist and his last […]
Marcia Ball The Tattooed Lady and The Alligator Man Alligator Records Marcia Ball is a Texas and Louisiana roots music icon. This new album is her fifth for Alligator Records and seventeenth album overall. Ball has been nominated for 42 Blues Music Awards and has won nine times. She has been “Piano Player of The […]
