CD Reviews on projects by Indie Blues Artists
Mick Kolassa Ghosts of The Riverside Hotel Swing Suit Records Mick Kolassa was born in Michigan but has lived in the greater Clarksdale, Mississippi area for over twenty years. He is part of the Memphis blues scene and a member of the Board of Directors of The Blues Foundation. His first album released just last […]
Joel Zoss Florida Blues Bluzpik Joel Zoss is a singer, songwriter and award winning author. Although born in Pennsylvania Zoss grew up in New Jersey, Minnesota, and Rhode Island. He graduated from The College of The University of Chicago in 1966. Zoss spent his summers in Martha’s Vineyard where he began performing with Alex and […]
JJ Appleton and Jason Ricci Dirty Memory Old Boy Network JJ Appleton was born in 1976. His father was a Dartmouth professor who turned him on to the Folkways Records catalogue. At the age of ten Appleton saw Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee and got hooked on the Blues. Other influences include Albert King, Stevie Ray […]
John Ginty No Filter American Showplace Music John Ginty is an organist and founding member of Robert Randolph and The Family Band. He appears on their 2002 “Live At The Wetlands” album and also on their 2003 “Unclassified” studio recording. He is also an in demand session player appearing on approximately sixty albums for other […]
Albert Cummings Someone Like You Blind Pig Records Albert Cummings is from Massachusetts. When he isn’t playing the guitar he makes his living in the construction industry. In 1999 Cummings recorded “The Long Way” with the band Swamp Yankee. In 2003 Cummings released his solo debut “From The Heart”, for the Under The Radar Music […]
Voo Davis was born in Alabama and moved to Chicago as a child. Although he is based in Chicago now, the South obviously has filled a huge part of his soul. His voice evokes Joe Cocker and other growly-voiced rockers and the sound may have a bit of Chicago grit but it has large doses […]
Note: This article originally appeared at examiner.com. Warren Haynes has strong Southern roots and he uses them all on his new album, Ashes & Dust, which will be out July 24. He has long been a favorite in the Atlanta area and has performed here many times.Haynes is best known for his 25 years with […]
Hot Roux Stranger’s Blues Hi Hat Records Hot Roux is a California based, Louisiana styled, swamp rock trio. Band leader and drummer Jerry McWorter was strongly inspired by the music of Levon Helm. Hot Roux has made a name for themselves as a solid rhythm section and has backed many artists including James Harman, Lynwood […]
Betty Fox https://www.bettyfox.net/ Slow Burn Foxycavanagh Productions Betty Fox is making a name for herself. Fox released her first album “Too Far Gone” in 2012. The Suncoast Blues Society sent her to the 2015 International Blues Challenge, held in Memphis, and she made it all the way to the finals. She has played festivals including […]
Samantha Fish Wild Heart Ruf Records Samantha Fish grew up in Kansas City. She was first exposed to this music by attending the local blues club “Knuckleheads”. Her early influences include Sheryl Crow, Tom Petty, R.L. Burnside and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 2011 Fish joined Dani Wilde and Cassie Taylor to become “Girls With Guitars”. […]
John Ginty’s “No Filter” showcases Ginty’s keyboard virtuosity, especially on the Hammond B-3,and the vocal and musical skills of some of his very talented friends. The themes are are pretty dark, while the music is a powerful mix of blues,, jazz and Southern Rock. It all kicks off with the powerful “Fredo,” a densely layered, […]
Voo Davis Midnight Mist Butter & Bacon Records Brian “Voo” Davis was born in Anniston, Alabama. While still an adolescent Davis’ family moved to Chicago. As a result Davis’ southern musical upbringing received an injection of northern attitude; similar perhaps to other musicians who came before him. Davis toured with Eddie King. King was Koko […]
Rick Vito Mojo On My Side Delta Groove Music Guitarist Rick Vito has appeared on over 100 recordings. He is best known as being a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1987 to 1991. He was also part of the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band who received a Grammy nomination in 2010. Vito has worked with Bonnie […]
The Kentucky Headhunters with Johnnie Johnson Meet Me in Blues Land Alligator Records In 1989 Southern blues-rockers The Kentucky Headhunters released their debut recording “Pickin’ On Nashville”. From that Grammy winning album were four consecutive Country music singles. The band followed up with 1991’s “Electric Barnyard”. Their last studio recording was 2011’s “Dixie Lullabies”. Overall […]
The Bey Paule Band Not Goin’ Away City Hall Records Frank Bey recorded his second album “Blues in The Pocket” before moving to California in 2008 to work with Anthony Paule. Anthony Paule is a guitarist who knows how to play with a big band. For twelve years Paule was the lead guitarist in The […]
Carl Hall “You Don’t Know Nothing about Love: The Loma/Atlantic Recordings 1967-1972” Omnivore Recordings Carl Hall was a singer, actor, and musical arranger. He was a member of “The Rasberry Singers” Gospel group recording for Savoy. He performed in theatre for three decades beginning with “Tambourines to Glory” in 1963 and on Broadway in the […]
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Father’s Day Stony Plain Records There is no other blues guitarist of our generation who plays with the passion and creativity expressed by Ronnie Earl. When Earl decided to limit his utilization of vocalists his compositions and interpretations became closer to Jazz. In 2014 Earl won his third Blues Music […]
Charlie Musselwhite “I Ain’t Lyin’…” Henrietta Records Charlie Musselwhite, harp and vocals, was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi in 1944. His parents moved the family to Memphis where he acquired the nickname “Memphis Charlie”. He moved to Chicago’s South Side and continued his musical education from mentors Junior Wells, Little Walter and Big Walter Horton. Musselwhite […]
Daddy Mack Blues Band A Bluesman Looks At Seventy Inside Sounds Every blues community has its elder statesmen. In Memphis that would be Daddy Mack Orr. At the age of forty-five Mack decided he would teach himself the guitar. He got so good that he began playing with the legendary soul blues band “The Fieldstones”. […]
Slam Allen proves that his nine years playing lead guitar and singing with James Cotton have honed him into one fine songwriter and musician as he slams the soulful blues on “Feel These Blues.” Here he is accompanied by Jeff Anderson on bass, Dan Fadel on drums and the great john Gintry on Hannond B3 […]
The Lucky Losers A Winning Hand West Tone Records The Lucky Losers are vocalists Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz. Lemons is from the Dallas area where she used to run with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Anson Funderburgh. In 1987 Lemons toured with John Lee Hooker. She has lived and performed in the San Francisco Bay […]
Omar Coleman Born & Raised Delmark Records Omar Coleman was born in Chicago in 1973. He didn’t begin to play the harmonica until 2003. Coleman appeared on Severn records’ 2006 “Diamonds in The Rough: Chicago Harmonica Project” produced by Twist Turner and Rick Kreher. In 2010 Coleman was asked to join the 2007 IBC winning […]
Aki Kumar Don’t Hold Back Greaseland Records Aki Kumar, born in Mumbai, India aka Bombay, is a San Jose, Ca. based harmonica player. His performance credits include playing with the band “Tip of The Top”; Rockin’ Johnny and Tommy Castro. This is Kumar’s first studio recording. The album is co-produced by Kumar and Kid Anderson […]
The Texas Horns Blues Gotta Holda Me Vizztone Records Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff, John Mills, and Adalberto Gomez starting calling themselves The Texas Horns in 1999. They began backing up artists and appearing on albums as a unit and also took appearances at festivals. But they also played together before becoming a unit. Kazanoff has appeared […]
Royal Southern Brotherhood Don’t Look Back Ruf Records This is the Royal Southern Brotherhood’s third studio recording. A lot has happened to them since their last album “Heart Soul Blood”. Led by Cyril Neville, the youngest of the Neville Brothers, and the strong rhythm section of Charlie Wooton, bass, and Yonrico Scott, drums, the Royal […]
Lazer Lloyd is not your typical blues man. How did a Jew who was born in New York and raised in Connecticut end up playing the blues in the Holy Land? On his self-titled album, Lloyd explains it all in a song: “Rockin’ in the Holy Land” tells how he played a concert with a […]
Arlen Roth Slide Guitar Summit Aquinnah Records Arlen Roth is known as the “Master of The Telecaster”. He released his first album “Guitarist” in 1978 and it won the Montreux Critics’ Award for Best Instrumental Album. He recorded “Toolin’ Around” in 1993 with Danny Gatton, Duane Eddy, Jerry Douglas, and Duke Robillard and an accompanying […]
Breezy Rodio So Close To It Windchill Records Breezy Rodio is the guitarist in the Linsey Alexander band. This is the third album of his own and the follow up to his 2012 “Playing My Game Too”. Like many guitarists of his generation Rodio first fell in love with the guitar from listening to Stevie […]
Debbie Davies Love Spin Little Dipper/Vizztone In 1984 Debbie Davies played lead guitar in the all-female Maggie Mayall and the Cadillacs led by the wife of John Mayall. In 1988 Davies became a member of the Albert Collins Band. Davies appeared on John Mayall’s 1990 album “A Sense of Place”. Davies also appeared on the […]
Nancy Wright Putting Down Roots Direct Hit Records In college Nancy Wright was a classically trained bassoon player but it wasn’t until she found the saxophone that she felt she had the right instrument. She discovered the world of improvisation. While still in the Dayton area Wright found a mentor in guitarist Lonnie Mack. She […]
Muddy Waters 100 John Primer and Friends Raisin’ Music Records Raisin’ Music Records is the independent blues label led by director and producer Larry Skoller. In 2009 Raisin’ Music released the Grammy nominated “Chicago Blues: A Living History” and its sequel 2011’s “Chicago Blues: A Living History – The (R)Evolution Continues”. Muddy Waters 100 celebrates the […]
J.B. Hutto & His Hawks Hawk Squat Delmark Records Joseph B. Hutto was born in South Carolina in 1926. His family moved to Augusta, Ga. where he wound up singing in church. When he was 23 his father died and the family relocated in Chicago. Hutto played the drums and piano before switching to guitar. […]
Little Richard “Directly from My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years” www.ConcordMusicGroup.com Little Richard was and will always be known as one of the originators of rock & roll. Richard successfully merged gospel with New Orleans R&B pounding it out at the piano with his signature wailing vocals. Numerous other R&B greats […]
Roy Rogers Into The Wild Blue Chops Not Chaps Records Roy Rogers is a delta slide guitar master. From 1982 to 1986 Rogers was a member of John Lee Hooker’s Coast to Coast Band and he plays guitar on, and produced, John Lee Hooker’s albums ‘The Healer”, “Mr. Lucky” and “Chill Out”. Rogers also appears […]
Victor Wainwright & The Wild Roots Boom Town Blind Pig Records Victor Wainwright was born in Savannah. He attended college in Daytona and moved to Memphis where he was employed during the day as an Air Traffic Controller at Memphis International Airport. At night he honed his piano skills in the clubs along Beale Street. […]
Billy Price/Otis Clay This Time For Real Bonedog Records/Vizztone Otis Clay is a soul blues icon. In 2013 he was an inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame. Now in his early seventies Clay may arguably be making the sweetest music of his career. In 2013 Clay released “Truth Is” and received Blues Music Award […]
Amy Black The Muscle Shoals Sessions Reuben Records Both of Amy Black’s parents where born in the Muscle Shoals area. When visiting her grandparents Black would drive by the FAME studios unaware of its history or significance. As an adolescent Black had sung hymns in Church but it wasn’t until graduating college in Boston and spending […]
Toots Lorraine Make It Easy Independent Originally from Florida Toots Lorraine and The Traffic released their first cd “Wrapped in Blues” in 2011. For this follow up husband and wife Tyra and Chad Dant decided to record in Campbell, California at Greaseland Studios. Greaseland Studios belongs to Christopher “Kid” Anderson. Anderson is the guitarist with […]
Deb Ryder Let It Rain Bejeb Music As a youngster Deb Ryder hung out at her step-fathers nightclub “The Topanga Corral”. While still in her teens she opened for The Canned Heat’s Bob Hite, Charlie Musselwhite, Taj Mahal, and her biggest influence Etta James. Her debut album was 2013’s “Might Just Get Lucky”. For her […]
James Harman Bonetime Electro-Fi James Harman, harp and vocals, has had an illustrious career having backed up Big Joe Turner, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Albert King, T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulsom, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Johnny “Guitar” Watson” and Albert Collins among others. Harman’s first album was released in 1987 however his […]
Sugaray Rayford Southside Nimoy Sue Records The Sugaray Rayford Band was formed in 2010. Rayford released his first cd “Blind Alley” soon later. Upon hearing him in 2011 the late Randy Chortkoff, of Delta Groove Records, asked Rayford to join The Mannish Boys and he appears on their 2012 BMA winning “Double Dynamite” album where […]
Tad Robinson is a soul singer worthy of compare to greats like Al Green and Marvin Gaye. He is also a talented songwriter just as capable of writing and performing his own songs about the many nuances of relationships as he is of doing a great c0ver like the one on Day Into Night of […]
There is a welcome trend in blues music lately, of people wanting to get back to basics, to create music that is as authentic and natural as possible on record, so that the listener feels as though he or she were right there with the band listening as the music goes down. That is the […]
Delta Moon has been setting the bar high for a long time now, but they reach new heights with the just-released Low Down. They offer nine original compositions here and three fantastic covers. Frankly, the cover of Bob Dylan’s “Down In The Flood” was enough to send this reviewer into raptures. There are few better […]
My husband and I had the privilege of seeing Too Slim and The Taildraggers Saturday night and he gave me a copy of his CD, Blue Heart, which actually came out before last year’s Anthology, but which I somehow missed. If you did, too, you need to get this CD in your collection right way! […]
Darrell Nulisch One Night in Boston Independent Darrell Nulisch is the singer currently on tour with The James Cotton Blues Band. Nulisch is featured on Cotton’s 2014 Blues Music Award winning and Grammy nominated “Cotton Mouth” album. Nulisch, harp and vocals, was the original singer with Anson Funderburgh and The Rockets and he first recorded with […]
This is what happens when you put a group of legendary guitar players together to make a live recording called Guitar Heroes. You get gold. Originally this performance was supposed to be just a souvenir for the players, who were performing at the Vancouver Island MusicFest in 2013. But when James Burton, Albert Lee, Amos […]
Kirk Fletcher Burning Blues: Live At The Baked Potato Independent Kirk Fletcher is one of the most complete guitarists on the scene today. He can lay down the rhythm before taking a guitar solo and knows how to play behind a harpist or vocalist to make them sound better. Fletcher will turn forty years old […]
Jimbo Mathus is almost impossible to categorize. This Mississippi native’s music is a combination of all sorts of Southern styles from gospel to blues to country to rock, fueled with mysticism and given a psychodelic twist. Add Mathus’s growling vocal and masterful storytelling and you have something strange and wonderful. You feel at times as though […]
Boz Scaggs A Fool To Care 429 Reccords William Royce “Boz” Scaggs was born in Canton, Ohio but his family moved to Oklahoma and later to Texas. He met Steve Miller at a Dallas private school. They both attended The University of Wisconsin. After school Scaggs spent time in England. In 1967 Scaggs re-united with […]
