CD Reviews on projects by Indie Blues Artists
Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat Live at The Kessler Underworld Indie Records Jim Suhler is a Texas Blues guitarist who was born and raised in the Dallas area where he still resides. He was exposed to bands coming out of The British Invasion, Southern Rock bands and those Texas guitarists like Bugs Henderson, Stevie Ray […]
Tinsley Ellis Red Clay Soul Heartfixer Music Tinsley Ellis was born in Atlanta but grew up in south Florida. He released his first solo album “Georgia Blue” on Alligator Records in 1988. Ellis received a Blues Music Award nomination in the category Rock Blues Album of The Year for his 2009 album “Speak No Evil” also on […]
The Mike Eldred Trio’s Baptist Town tells a story in blues, all about the South and the many opposing forces that fill its history and still affect its present. Good and evil, sin and salvation, Black and White, joy and sadness, love and hate are all part of Southern tradition, and Eldred and his band […]
Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing Skronky Tonk EllerSoul Records Little Charlie (Baty) is a guitarist who enjoys playing the blues. But like other guitarists his own interest in where blues meets jazz was increased by listening to others. Organists Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff have stated that they are blues players. An appreciation for […]
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band “Got a Mind to Give Up Living: Live 1966” www.RealGoneMusic.com “Got a Mind to Give Up Living” is a live performance from (fifty years ago) May of 1966 recorded at the Unicorn Coffee House in Boston, MA, two months prior to the groundbreaking Elektra LP “East – West.” Previously this […]
Alexis P. Suter Band All For Loving You American Showplace Music When I first heard Alexis P. Suter open for Levon Helm I knew I was hearing a great new talent. Suter’s second studio recording 2011’s “Two Sides” earned her a 2012 nomination as Best Soul Blues Female Artist of The Year. What I didn’t […]
Big Harp George Wash My Horse in Champagne Blues Mountain Records Big Harp George, whose real name is George Bisharat, is a retired professor from The University of California Hastings College of Law. He released his debut recording “Chromaticism” last year at the age of 59. That album earned him a 2015 Blues Music Award […]
It’s hard to think how to even start reviewing Reverend Freakchild’s Illogical Optimism. And not because I don’t like it, I love it. This is a 3-disc set. The first disc contains an eclectic mix of 15 songs. The second consists of a dozen radically different versions of the Reverend’s popular song, “Everything Is Now.” […]
by Rhetta Akamatsu The first time I ever heard of Clint Morgan was when I received Scofflaw to review. And do you want to hear my objective opinion? I was blown away pretty much. This is in no way an ordinary album. It is a celebration of the dark side of humor nature, and then […]
Alabama Mike Upset The Status Quo Greaseland Records Michael Benjamin aka Alabama Mike was born in Talladega, Al. in 1964. At an early age his father encouraged him to sing gospel. After a hitch in the Navy he wounded up in the San Francisco Bay area. He developed a love for the blues but didn’t […]
Alligator Records 45th Anniversary Collection Various Artists Alligator Records The 2016 Chicago Blues Festival, June 10th – 12th, will again be held in Grant Park. This year the festival is celebrating the 45th Anniversary of Alligator Records. The Chicago based label was founded in 1971 by Bruce Iglauer. An underfinanced operation Iglauer operated out of his […]
Will Porter Tick Tock Tick Gramofono Sound Will Porter was born in West Virginia in 1959 where as a youngster he sang gospel. He worked with both Skip James and The Reverend Gary Davis before leaving for New York City. He eventually wound up going west to San Francisco where he established a weekly residency […]
The Hitman Blues Band is based in New York, and their blues is modern and influenced far more by soul and Motown than by the Delta or Chicago blues. The World Moves On contains 7 original songs. 1 cover and 4 reworked and remixed songs previously released. The re-released songs have had the Hitman horn […]
Bridget Kelly Band Outta the Blues Alpha Sun Records Outta the Blues comes a love story. Bridget Kelly was born in Hudson, Wisconsin and grew up in nearby Prescott. She went to The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. She spent some time in Los Angeles before moving to […]
Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans That’s What They Say ManHat Tone Records Brad Vickers was the bass player in Little Mike & The Tornadoes. He appears on 1988’s “Pinetop Perkins with Little Mike (Markowitz) and The Tornadoes After Hours” and also on 1990’s “Heart Attack” featuring four tracks with Paul Butterfield (believed to be Butterfield’s […]
Eric Clapton I Still Do Bushbranch Records /Surfdog Records In the 1960’s Eric Clapton’s work with the Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Cream caused some to proclaim that “Clapton is God”. As a rock star his guitar playing was revolutionary. Initially there was a rumor that he was afraid to sing but Clapton quickly overcame […]
John D’Amato establishes that Born Blue is a blues album with the song titles that run through it: “Helicopter Blues,” “Chicken Blues,” and “True to the Blues,” for example. But it is two songs on the album that really establish his personal connection to the blues: “Born Blue” and “Blues Man.” The title song “Born […]
“Pride and Joy: The Story of Alligator Records” www.MVDvisual.com Blu-Ray Disc For forty-five years Alligator Records has remained one of the truest Blues recording labels since their humble Windy City beginnings. Bruce Iglauer founded the company in 1971 and still remains; as owner, chief cook and bottle washer, and boss. Iglauer’s first release was by […]
Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore House Party at Big Jon’s Delta Groove Music Bob Corritore was born in Chicago in 1956. He relocated to the Phoenix area and began working with Louisiana Red. Corritore also played in a band with Janiva Magness. He started a weekly radio program “Those Lowdown Blues” on WJZZ and […]
While Ivas John is new to me, Good Days a Comin’ is actually his fifth. It is the first, however, to be completely acoustic. The trend to a return to acoustic music more often is a welcome one, allowing listeners to experience once again the power of this less embellished form in the hands of […]
The Rides Pierced Arrow 429 Records The Rides a bonafide super group with youth, legendary hit making, and chops are comprised of: Thirty-five year old, five time Grammy nominated and two-time Blues Music Award winning, guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd who has recorded with Hubert Sumlin and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Two-time Rock and Roll Hall […]
Shari Puorto My Obsession Blue Rock Music Shari Puorto was raised in Orange, CT. She moved to California sometime in the late 1990’s and began performing all over the state. Her musical influences include rock and blues singers Janis Joplin; Bonnie Raitt and Etta James. Puorto’s vocal tone and control have been compared to Bonnie Bramlett. […]
Tweed Funk Come Together Tweed Tone Records Tweed Funk” is a Memphis based blues, roots and soul band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band is led by vocalist Joseph “Smokey” Holman. In the mid-1970’s Smokey and his group “Love’s Children” were signed to Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom label. Holman also worked with Rufus Thomas. The remaining members of […]
Albert Castiglia Big Dog Ruf Records Albert Castiglia’s big break came when he was hired to play guitar for Junior Wells. Castiglia stayed with Wells until his passing in 1998. After moving to Chicago Castiglia joined Sandra Hall’s band and toured with her until 2000. Castiglia released his debut album “Burn” in 2004. He collaborated […]
The Mighty Orq has been performing solo and with his band since 2002, but many new fans discovered him when he reached the finals of the 2016 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Now, he has a new album, Love in a Hurricane, and those new fans will have the opportunity to enjoy and share his […]
With Jimbo Mathus, you never know what you are going to get except that it will be brilliant. This one, over all, is more rock-oriented, beginning with the raw “Gringo Man,” to the country rock of “Can’t Get Much Higher” and the sexy, sultry “Play With Fire.” “Stop Your Crying” slows things down and employs […]
Shaun Murphy It Won’t Stop Raining Vision Wall Records Shaun Murphy had been a featured vocalist with “Little Feat” for sixteen years. In 2009 she decided to leave that band to pursue her passion for the blues. Her album “Ask for The Moon” received three Grammy nominations and won two Blues Blast Awards. On her […]
The Bo-Keys Heartaches By The Number Omnivore Recordings The Bo-Keys are a soul/jazz band from Memphis, Tennessee. They were originally formed in 1998 by bassist Scott Bomar to be a backup band for the legendary Stax artist and songwriter Sir Mack Rice; best known for “Mustang Sally”. The Bo-Keys were comprised of veteran Memphis sidemen […]
Festival Express New Line Entertainment DVD In 1970 the following bands got on a train and rode across Canada stopping to play in Toronto, Winnepeg and Calgary. The film which shows footage of them both in Concert and “ridin that train”, sat in a garage for thirty years. Imagine being on a week long train […]
Sugar Blue Voyage MC Records James Whiting aka Sugar Blue was raised in Harlem, NY. His mother was a singer and dancer at the Appollo Theater. Blue’s aunt gifted him with his first harmonica and he wailed along with Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder songs. He was further influenced by Jazz greats Dexter Gordon and […]
The Record Company Give It Back To You Concord Music Group The Record Company’s Chris Vos grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm outside of New Munster, 50 miles south of Milwaukee. He was first inspired by Hendrix, Harrison, Fogarty, and Winter; so he got himself a guitar. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and […]
Blues For Big Walter Various Artists Ellersoul Records This album follows on the success of 2013’s “Remembering Little Walter” released on Blind Pig Records. That Grammy nominated album was produced by Mark Hummel. It featured harmonica aces Hummel, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, James Harman and Sugar Ray Norcia. This new Big Walter tribute on […]
Brothers Brown Dusty Road Funky Joint Records/335 Records This is a great recording by four fabulous musicians. They aren’t brothers and should not be confused with the Brown Brothers, a country rock duo, from Virginia. The bands sound is a combination of blues, jazz, Americana, and rock n’ roll. To further confuse the issue two […]
Laura Rain & The Caesars Gold LRC Records Laura Rain grew up in the Detroit suburbs. Her mother loved Funk and took Laura to see live music as often as possible. Her dad loved Opera. Rain started listening to Aretha Franklin when she was fifteen. Rain got started in the Detroit blues scene as a featured […]
The first thing you have to figure out about the Brothers Brown is that there are two of them named Paul Brown, one from Los Angeles and one from Nashville. Once you know you aren’t reading the lineup wrong you can relax and enjoy this bluesy bands’ debut album, Dusty Road. (The other members of […]
Tangled In Layman Terms Independent The 2015 Bradenton Blues Festival was held on December 5th. It was produced by Paul Benjamin for Realize Bradenton. The headliners included Mike Zito, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, and Janiva Magness. In between the sets we were introduced to the young duo of Cole and Logan Layman whom are […]
Jeff Chaz is labeled on his website as “The Bourbon Street Bluesman,” and on “Sounds Like the Blues to Me,” that New Orleans influence is strong. He is a strong guitarist and vocalist and a clever songwriter. Before he switched to guitar, he played trumpet and trombone, which gave him a real fill for jazz. […]
Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue fea. Mark Hummel, Lil Charlie Baty, & Anson Funderburgh Electro-Fi Records This is the debut release of what is being billed as a new supergroup. They are led by Mark Hummel, a Grammy nominated blues harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader. Hummel formed his band The Blues Survivors in […]
I believe that Jeff Jensen, Bill Ruffino, and Robinson Bridgeforth are the most exciting group to hear or see live on the contemporary blues scene. Having had the pleasure of seeing them a number of times, I can assert that this CD does a great job of capturing the sheer exuberance of Jensen live, although, […]
Mark Cameron Playing Rough Cop Records Mark Cameron is from Minnesota. He began performing in folk rock bands in the early seventies. In 1984 Cameron founded the twin cities based “Citizen’s Patrol”. Between 1986 and 1990 that band released three albums. Mark turned his focus to the blues and finally released his solo debut “Life […]
Curtis Salgado The Beautiful Lowdown Alligator Records Curtis Salgado was born in the town of Everett, Washington in 1954. By 1980 he was already a member of The Robert Cray Band and helped to launch Cray’s career as he plays harp on Cray’s debut recording “Who’s Been Talkin”. Salgado is also credited for turning John […]
Steve Dawson Solid States & Loose Ends Black Hen Music Steve Dawson is originally from Vancouver, Canada. He has produced or played on over 80 albums mostly recorded at his Henhouse Studio. His Black Hen Music label has given us musical treasures such as 2009’s “Things About Comin’ My Way”: A Tribute to the Music […]
Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues Give It Away Plantation One Productions/Burnside Distribution Mac Arnold was born in Ware Place, South Carolina in 1942. He was raised on a sharecropper’s farm. He and his brother Leroy used to make guitars from gas cans, wood and wire. Arnold’s first band was J. Floyd and The […]
Walkin’ Cane Mark Tryin’ To Make You Understand – Remastered Enable Records Mark Brehm was anointed Walkin’ Cane Mark by none other than Willie Dixon. He was recovering from an injury at the time. Mark was nineteen and he had just starting singing with some Phoenix based blues band. In 1989 Mark became the front […]
Los Jazz Vatos El Jefe Lounge Side Records Los Jazz Vatos is the brainchild of Ernie Durawa. Durawa was born in San Antonio but lives in Austin. As a drummer Durawa possesses a unique ability to totally transcend stylistic barriers. Durawa has performed with Charlie Byrd, Larry Coryell, Herb Ellis, Townes Van Zandt, and Willie Nelson. […]
God Don’t Never Change The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson Alligator Records “The Soul of a Man” is the song written by Blind Willie Johnson that opens this tribute. It is also the name of a 2003 documentary film which was part of a series on the Blues produced by Martin Scorsese. This was the first […]
Janiva Magness Love Wins Again Blue Elan Records/Fathead Records Janiva Magness was born in Detroit, Michigan. She wound up in the foster care system and was placed into a dozen homes before she got pregnant at the age of 17. Inspired by the intensity of an Otis Rush performance “Otis played as if his life […]
Guy King Truth Delmark Records Guy King was born in Israel. He moved to the states and settled in Chicago. King joined Willie Kent’s shuffle driven blues band and served as both lead guitarist and band leader until Kent’s death in 2006. After starting his own band King played Buddy Guy’s Legends, Rosa’s Lounge and […]
Dennis Jones has provided a quality blues album with “Both Sides of the Track,” which does indeed, move from the heavy side to the smoother, more traditional side of the genre. With the heavier material on the album, like the opening “Enjoy the Ride,” “It All Depends ” “The Machine,” “Nobody’s Slave,” and “I Can’t […]
Mike Pachelli Fade to Blue Fullblast Recordings Michael Pachelli was raised in Youngstown, Ohio. His earliest guitar influence was Wes Montgomery. He studied classical guitar at Youngstown State University before moving to New York City to study bebop with Joe Pass and Pat Martino. He has toured with Brother Jack McDuff and Albert King among […]
