Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Live From Centennial Park, Atlanta 1996 SSR Free Roll Records The Eagles had just broken up and Glenn Frey hadn’t yet started his solo career. In 1982 he found some friends to have fun with and the R n’ B cover band Jack Mack & The Heart Attack were […]
Big Dave McLean Pocket Full Of Nothin’ Black Hen Music Big Dave McLean has been active on the Canadian blues scene since releasing his 1989 debut recording “Muddy Waters for President”. In 1992 Mclean was a Juno Award winner; the Juno Awards are Canada’s equivalent to our Grammys. The veteran bluesman has been an influence […]
Chris “Bad News” Barnes Live Vizztone Label Group Chris Barnes was a member of Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe; and a writer and performer for Saturday Night Live, Seinfield, 30 Rock, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He began his blues music career as an opening act at New York Cities’ “Tramps” where he would take […]
Rae Gordon Band Wrong Kind of Love Independent Rae Gordon’s debut album “Blue Lemonade” landed in the top ten on the Billboard Blues Chart in 2013. She followed-up with “Dirty Flowers” in 2016. In January of 2017 “Rae Gordon & the Backseat Drivers” finished third in the band competition at the International Blues Challenge. Gordon’s […]
Ben Racine Band Live A Montreal Independent Canadian guitarist Ben Racine formed The Ben Racine Band in 2009. Their debut album “One of a Kind” received a 2013 Maple Blues Award nomination. Racine followed up with his sophomore recording “Grand New Brew” in 2015. The Ben Racine Band began touring with Dawn Tyler Watson, and […]
Matty T Wall Transpacific Blues, Vol#1 Hipsterdumpster Records Matty T Wall is an Australian guitarist who has played flamenco, swing jazz and funk. After listening to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan he worked backwards. Wall remembers “I discovered Robert Johnson and he made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, I […]
Odds Lane Lost & Found Gulf Coast Records Odds Lane are Doug Byrkit, guitar, bass and vocals; and Brian Zietlie, drums. The pair first met while in high school. Their working relationship has lasted over 25 years as they have toured internationally with numerous artists. Twenty-one years ago they met Mike Zito who at the […]
Lucky Peterson 50 – Just Warming Up! Jazz Village Lucky Peterson is the son of the late James Peterson, former owner of the Governor’s Inn, a blues club in Buffalo New York; with at least five albums of his own. Born Judge Kenneth Peterson, Lucky was a child prodigy, discovered by Willie Dixon, when he […]
Bernie Mora & Tangent No Agenda Rhombus Records The San Antonio based guitarist Bernie Mora stepped out front in 2013. He formed his band Tangent and they released their debut recording “Dandelion”. Tangent is an instrumental jazz fusion group that mixes funk, and rock into their sound. Their music can best be described as Spyro […]
Black Stone Cherry Black To Blues Vol. 1 & 2 Mascot Records These are two EP’s from Black Stone Cherry; the covers are basically the same. Volume#1 was released in 2017, one year after The Rolling Stones released their 2016 cover album “Blue and Lonesome”. I noticed that the six songs on the first EP […]
Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans Twice As Nice Man Hat Tone Records Bassist Brad Vickers apprenticed with Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin and Pinetop Perkins. As the bass player in Little Mike & The Tornadoes he appears on 1988’s “Pinetop Perkins with Little Mike and The Tornadoes After Hours” and also on 1990’s “Heart Attack”. Sometime […]
StringShot Blues & Latin Chops Not Chaps Records This album from StringShot is a collaboration. Each of the principal players a virtuoso in their own right. Roy Rogers is a delta slide guitar master. In the 1980’s he was a member of John Lee Hooker’s Coast to Coast Band, and he plays on and produced […]
Samantha Fish Kill or be Kind Rounder Records/Concord Music Group Samantha Fish got her introduction to the blues at Kansas City’s Knuckleheads Saloon. Influenced by Sheryl Crow, and Stevie Ray Vaughan she learned to play guitar. In 2011 she joined Dani Wilde and Cassie Taylor to become “Girls with Guitars” and tour Europe as that […]
Keb’ Mo’ Moonlight, Mistletoe & You Concord Records Keb’ Mo’ is an Americana and roots music stylist with fourteen Blues Music Awards and four Grammy Awards. Released on the heels of his latest recording, 2019’s “Oklahoma”, this is his first Holiday album, a melting pot of originals and classic covers, just in time for Christmas. […]
Joanna Connor Rise M.C. Records Joanna Connor was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Massachusetts. The guitarist moved to Chicago in 1984 where she became part of the blues scene sharing the stage with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, James Cotton and A.C. Reed. She started her own band in 1987 and two years […]
Dave Specter Blues…From The Inside Out Delmark Records Born in Chicago in 1963 guitarist Dave Specter has been part of that cities music scene since he began playing clubs in 1985. He toured the U.S. and Europe backing such greats as Son Seals, Hubert Sumlin, Sam Lay, and The Legendary Blues Band. Specter has performed […]
The Sensational Barnes Brothers Nobody’s Fault But My Own Bible & Tire Recording Co. The Sensational Barnes Brothers are vocalists Chris and Courtney and organist Calvin II. This is the first recording released on the new Memphis gospel label the Bible & Tire Recording Co. founded by Fat Possum Records and its producer Bruce Watson. […]
Mike Zito & Friends Rock ‘N’ Roll: A Tribute To Chuck Berry Ruf Records Things began happening for Mike Zito when he signed with the Delta Groove subsidiary Eclecto Groove in 2008. His second album for them “Pearl River” featured the title track co-written with Cyril Neville and they received a 2010 Blues Music Award […]
Mike Osborn Unbroken Je Gagne Records Guitarist Mike Osborn grew up in Illinois but moved to the greater San Francisco area. Strongly influenced by Steve Ray Vaughan, Osborn released his debut album “Fire & Fury” in 2009. His follow-up band album was not until 2014 when he released “In The Dog House”. In 2018 he […]
Brody Buster’s One Man Band Damn! I Spilled the Blues Vizztone Label Group/Booga Music Brody Buster hails from the Kansas City area where as a child he was a celebrated harmonica prodigy. He appeared on countless national TV shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Baywatch Nights and Full House. He shared the stage […]
Staci Griesbach My Patsy Cline Songbook Independent Staci Griesbach was a former Vice President of Publicity at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. After returning from vacation she found herself downsized. She decided then to place her corporate career on hold and fulfill her long standing desire of becoming a jazz vocalist. Virginia Patterson Hensley a.k.a. Patsy […]
Johnny Rawls I Miss Otis Clay Third Street Cigar Records Mississippi born Johnny Rawls is a perennial Blues Music Award nominee in the categories of Soul Blues Male Artist and Soul Blues Album. This is the BMA winner’s twentieth album not including collaborations. Rawls took home his first award for his 2009 “Ace of Spades” […]
Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps Live! Jesi-lu Records Teresa James is originally from the Houston, Texas area but has for a long time called Los Angeles home. Her earliest recordings have each been re-issued several times as all of her albums are in demand. James’ fifth album 2007’s “Bottom Line” resulted in her receiving […]
Biscuit Miller & The Mix Chicken Grease American Showplace Music David Miller was raised on Chicago’s Southside. He was nicknamed “Biscuit” by his grandma as he wouldn’t get out of her kitchen. He learned to play bass from his older brother’s friend. His first professional gig was playing with Mojo Buford formerly of The Muddy […]
Myles Goodwyn Friends Of The Blues 2 Linus Entertainment Myles Goodwyn’s interest in the blues began in the 1960’s when he first heard B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. A prolific songwriter he began writing blues songs but saved them for the blues album he knew he would someday make. Goodwyn is a founding […]
Ghost Town Blues Band Shine Independent The Ghost Town Blues Band can be compared to Little Feat. While Feat was a hybrid born in a classic rock era with a foundation built around New Orleans, Lowell George, Allen Toussaint, and the blues; the GTBB is anchored in Memphis with bandleader Matt Isbell, the ghost-like shadow […]
The Mavericks Play The Hits Mono Mondo Recordings/Thirty Tigers The Mavericks were founded in 1989 in Miami, Florida. Their sound combines modern country music, Latino and rock n’ roll influences. Between 1991 and 2003 they recorded six studio albums including 1994’s “What A Crying Shame”. The title track from that album had been pre-released as […]
Johnny Burgin Live Delmark Records Johnny Burgin attended The University of Chicago to study writing but soon fell into the Chicago Blues Scene. The guitarists first professional gig was backing the Chicago blues vocalist Taildragger. He later toured with both Pinetop Perkins and Sam Lay. He also worked with Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins, Eddie […]
Al Basile B’s Hot House Sweetspot Records This is Al Basile’s sixteenth studio recording. The singer/songwriter and cornetist continues to create his own sound. In 2017 his recording “Mid-Century Modern”, also on Sweetspot, received a Blues Music Award nomination as Contemporary Blues Album of The Year. Also a poet his 2018 follow-up album “Me & […]
Janiva Magness Sings John Fogarty: Change in The Weather Bluelan Records Janiva Magness was initially inspired by the intensity of an Otis Rush performance. Rush gave Magness an appreciation for songwriting too. Magness has been nominated for twenty-eight Blues Music Awards having won that award seven times. She has won the award for Contemporary Female […]
Junior Watson Nothin’ To It But To Do It Little Village Foundation West Coast guitar phenom Junior Watson was influenced by Tiny Grimes, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Guitar Slim, and Earl Hooker. He was a founding member of The Mighty Flyers in the early 1980’s and spent a decade with them. In the 1990’s he […]
Jimmy Carpenter Soul Doctor Gulf Coast Records Jimmy Carpenter began playing professionally in 1980. The saxophonist toured with both Tinsley Ellis and Jimmy Thackery. In 2004 Carpenter played on “Whiskey Store Live” with Thackery and Tab Benoit. He settled in New Orleans shortly thereafter and found work with Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Eric Lindell. Carpenter […]
Bruce Katz Solo Ride American Showplace Music Bruce Katz studied jazz piano and Hammond organ at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. His first professional gig was playing bass guitar for Big Mama Thornton. Katz recorded his debut album in 1992. Since then he has appeared on over seventy albums as he is known […]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band The Traveler Concord Records Louisiana born guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan when he was seven years old. Encouraged by his father he was invited onstage by Bryan Lee was he was only thirteen. He released his debut recording “Ledbetter Heights” on the Giant imprint in 1995 and […]
Arsen Shomakhov Rain City Blues Independent Arsen Shomakhov is a Russian blues artist who recorded his debut “Arsen Shomakhov & Ragtime” in 2005. That same year he competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He was signed to Blues Leaf Records and released his first U.S. album “Dangerous” in 2006. Shomakhov re-located to Vancouver, […]
James Harman Liquor Parking Bigtone Records James Harman’s Icehouse Blues Band had played alongside Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Albert King, Lowell Fulsom, Big Joe Turner, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins and numerous other blues icons. This is Harman’s sixteenth album. His most important work maybe the four albums he recorded […]
Toronzo Cannon and The Chicago Way The Preacher, The Politician or The Pimp Alligator Records Chicago’s Toronzo Cannon was born on the southside in 1968. As a youngster he would sit outside Theresa’s Lounge listening to the sounds spilling onto the street. He purchased his first guitar at the age of twenty-two. The blues guitarist’s […]
Giles Robson Don’t Give Up On The Blues American Showplace Music Giles Robson has been called “England’s new blues harmonica hero”. After releasing his third album in 2016 Robson got to jam with the great Joe Louis Walker. It was his dream to record with Walker in an acoustic setting. They recorded as a trio […]
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Contemporary Alligator Records For over thirty years Rick Estrin was the front man for Little Charlie & The Nightcats. During the time with them he won two Blues Music Awards; Song of The Year and Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. When Charlie Baty retired from touring in 2008 Estrin re-formed the […]
Tad Robinson Real Street Severn Records Tad Robinson is a Brooklyn born harp player and blue eyed soul singer. He moved to Chicago in 1985 to learn from the masters. In 1994 he released his debut recording “One To Infinity” on Delmark Records featuring keyboardist Ken Saydak and guitarist Dave Spector. His follow-up album was […]
The Paul DesLauriers Band Bounce Vizztone Label Group Paul DesLauriers has long been thought of as a great guitarist and able vocalist. He played with the Canadian band “Black Cat Bone”; Johnny Ferriera, Bryan Lee and Canada’s “Queen of The Blues” Dawn Tyler Watson. In 1997 he formed The Paul DesLauriers Band. In 2014 the […]
Two Re-issues from Omnivore Recordings Steve Goodman Santa Ana Winds/Unfinished Business Steve Goodman was born in Chicago in 1948. He attended the University of Illinois where he began his singing career as a member of a popular rock cover band. He left the University after one year to pursue his musical career in New York […]
Alabama Mike Hip You To My Blues Bigtone Records Michael Benjamin was born in Talladega, Alabama in 1964. At an early age Mike sang gospel. After serving in the Navy he settled in the San Francisco Bay area where he developed his love for the blues. Using the name Alabama Mike he released his 2009 […]
Altered Five Blues Band Ten Thousand Watts Blind Pig Records The Milwaukee based Altered Five Blues Band was formed in 2002. They released their debut cover album “Bluesified” in 2008. Their 2012 all original recording “Gotta Earn It” received a rave write-up in Downbeat Magazine. Their third album “Cryin Mercy” won the award for the […]
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Beyond The Blue Door Stony Plain Records Ronnie Earl is the most soulful blues/jazz guitarist working today. He is a four time Blues Music Award winner as Best Instrumentalist – Guitar. He also believes in the power of music to heal the mind and spirit. The Broadcasters include Earl; vocalist […]
Paul Gabriel Man of Many Blues Smoke Ring Records Paul Gabriel’s professional career began in 1969. He recorded three albums with Harry Chapin in the 70’s; and three albums with the four piece blues band “Blue in The Face”; including their self-titled album released in 1987. In 1992 he appeared on Rory Block’s Grammy nominated […]
Shaun Murphy Reason To Try Vision Wall Records Shaun Murphy was initially inspired by the blues and the women who sang it including Big Maybelle, Big Mama Thornton, Koko Taylor, and Etta James. She found work in the theater eventually leading to a Motown recording contract. Her first album, “Stoney and Meatloaf”, was a collaborative […]
Coco Montoya Coming In Hot Alligator Records Coco Montoya played drums with Albert Collins and The Icebreakers. After being mentored by Collins he switched to rhythm guitar. He stayed with Collins for five years before becoming the lead guitarist in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers for ten years. Montoya started his own band in 1993 and soon […]
Bobby Rush Sitting On Top Of The Blues Deep Rush Records Bobby Rush was born Emmit Ellis Jr. in Homer, Louisiana in 1933. As a youngster he befriended and played with Elmore James. He formed his own band and eventually moved to Chicago where he found work with Jimmy Reed. Rush’s music is a combination […]
Billy Price Dog Eat Dog Gulf Coast Records Billy Price first came to national attention as the singer with Roy Buchanan. He appears on 1974’s “That’s What I’m Here For” and 1975’s “Live Stock”. Price formed the Keystone Rhythm Band in 1977 and recorded four albums before renaming his band The Billy Price Band. Price […]
