Every week our staff of CD Reviewers bring you the best in Independent CD releases. Making a Scene is considered the number 1 resource for the independent musician and the fans that love them.
Adam Holt Kind of Blues Zenith Given the familiarity of the title, with the added ‘s,’ it is somewhat surprising that no one else has used it (at least that this writer is aware of). Adam Holt is right; there are blues influences here but it’s essentially a southern rock album from the Alabama roots […]
The Forty-Fours Twist The Knife Rip Cat Records The Los Angeles based 44’s caused quite a stir when they released their debut recording “Boogie Disease” in 2011. The album was produced by ex-Fabulous Thunderbirds guitarist Kid Ramos who also played on four tracks. They followed up with 2012’s “Americana”; and a 2015 live set called […]
Jimmie Vaughan Baby, Please Come Home The Last Music Company Jimmie Vaughan is the older brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan. While SRV was forming Double Trouble his older brother was founding The Fabulous Thunderbirds. In 1979 The Fabulous Thunderbirds with lead guitarist Vaughan released their debut recording “Girls Go Wild” on Takoma/Chrysalis Records. Jimmie stayed […]
The Waterboys Where the Action Is Cooking Vinyl This one from Mike Scott and his current lineup of Waterboys lies somewhere between 2017’s Out of the Blue and earlier Waterboys and Scott solo material. At times, the full band is revved up in rock mode and at others the poet Scott holds court over ethereal […]
Albert Castiglia Masterpiece Gulf Coast Records Albert Castiglia’s credentials include apprenticeships with Junior Wells and Sandra Hall. He recorded his debut album in 2002. He signed with Bluesleaf Records in 2006 and released four albums including 2008’s “These Are the Days”; the lead off track “Bad Year Blues” resulted in his first Blues Music Award […]
Jennifer Truesdale Through the Circle The first thing you will notice about Through The Circle is that Jennifer Truesdale has a thrilling voice. As a graduate of Berkeley School of Music and a 25-year veteran of the music industry who has performed hundreds of shows on the East Coast, she knows exactly how to use […]
The Cash Box Kings Hail To The Kings! Alligator Records The Cash Box Kings were founded in 2001 by Joe Nosek. Oscar “43rd Street” Wilson joined in 2007. Born in Chicago in 1953 Wilson grew up in the company of blues royalty such as Junior Wells, Elmore James and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. Chicago’s 43rd Street […]
RJ Cowdery What If This Is All There Is When you listen to an album that evokes Patty Griffin, Gretchen Peters, Kim Richey all rolled into one, you know you’ve picked high-cotton. What If This Is All There Is, is one of life’s grandest questions. It’s reflective and forward focused and allows for personal growth. […]
Joe Zook & Blues Deluxe Good Mornin’ Blues Self- released Blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, bandleader and now retired teacher, Joe Zuccarello (Joe Zook) is now nearing almost five decades playing in various configurations. Here he leads the ensemble Blues DeLuxe, with a full three-piece horn section, a group comprising nine members. Zook, based in Trenton, […]
The South Austin Moonlighters Travel Light Station House Records The South Austin Moonlighters are a roots-rock band. A group of local music veterans got together in 2011 just to have a good time. Included were bassist/mandolinist Lonnie Trevino Jr. who had previously toured with Mike Zito, played with singer-songwriter Drew Womack, and was soon to […]
Rev. Freakchild Road Dog Dharma Once again on Road Dog Dharma Rev. Freakchild breaks the mold. The mood is set by the sound of static as a radio is dialed, interrupted by a strong acapella version of “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad.” After that, about half of the 25 tracks are bits and pieces […]
Elizabeth Tomboulian Love’s In Need of Love Today Self-released It’s never too late. Elizabeth Tomboulian has been singing since the ‘70s but this is her debut CD, Love’s In Need of Love Today. In keeping with her career, it’s an eclectic mix of blues, bossa nova, and jazz – all styles that she has covered […]
B.B. King Blues Band The Soul of the King Ruf Records When B. B. King passed away on May, 14th 2015 the world mourned. He also left behind this fabulous ten piece band. They pay tribute to his memory on “The Soul of the King”. In order to help keep the tribute vibrant the thirteen […]
The Duke Robillard Band Ear Worms Stony Plain Records Duke Robillard is one of the most heralded recording artists, guitarists and producers in the blues genre. He founded Roomful of Blues in 1967 but left that band two years later to form his own. Between 1985 and 2017 Robillard released thirty-three albums; the last being […]
Rising Appalachia Ley Lines Blends cultures and harmonies into pure bliss Patrick O’Heffernan The word “ley lines” was coined in 1921 by the amateur English archaeologist Alfred Watkins, describing the apparent alignments among historical and geological spaces, hypothesizing that they had persisted over millennia to facilitate travel, trade and community. Later, others theorized that global ley lines […]
Carlo Ditta Hungry For Love Orleans Records Carlo Ditta is a Grammy nominated New Orleans record producer with over thirty years experience. On his own Orleans Records label Ditta produced albums by Professor Longhair, Mighty Sam McClain, Coco Robicheaux, Rockie Charles and others. Recently he produced “Fried Rice & Chicken”, a Little Freddie King compilation; […]
Reverend Shawn Amos Kitchen Table Blues Vol 1 and Vol 2 In February of this year, Rev. Shawn Amos released Kitchen Table Blues Vol. 1, Recorded Live Over Breakfast, Van Nuys, CA 2016, and also Kitchen Table Blues Vol. 2. Each volume contains five fabulous songs which came from f a podcast Amos did in […]
Mike Daly Renascence Self-released Mike Daly is a steel player, as in pedal steel, lap steel, baritone slide, slide mandolin, Weissenborn, Dobro and steel drum, all of which he plays here. You have all that, right? Daly is known most, perhaps as the regular pedal steel player in Hank Williams Jr.’s and Travis Tritt’s bands […]
PezBand Cover to cover “I thought of that name for the group because first, I always liked the candy and thought it was very special stuff; kind of like medicine that tasted good,” says lead vocalist and guitarist Mimi Betinis of the ’70’s “Power Pop” group PEZBAND. “What really kind of fascinated me was the letter combination; P E Z. I thought it […]
Harpdog Brown For Love & Money Dog House Records Harpdog Brown was born in Alberta, Canada and adopted into a musical family. His mother played guitar and he picked up the instrument when he was fifteen. He formed his own blues band in the early 1980’s, but didn’t release his debut recording until 1993. His […]
Ellynne Rey The Birdsongs Project Self-produced Jazz vocalist Ellynne Rey delivers this interesting project of bird songs by a wide array of writers including Blossom Dearie, Joni Mitchell, Hoagy Carmichael, Abbey Lincoln, Franz Shubert, and the Beatles. Looking at that list, you could likely guess some of the songs, but you might be wrong on […]
Steve Katz The Juggle Independent At the age of fifteen Steve Katz was already studying guitar with Dave Van Ronk and Reverend Gary Davis. He met guitarist Stefan Grossman and together they spent time rediscovering bluesmen Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James and Son House. Living in Greenwich Village Katz and his friends, Grossman, Maria Muldaur, […]
Ernest Turner My Americana Self-released Veteran pianist Ernest Turner hails from Durham, NC but has soaked up plenty of jazz through his university studies as well as playing in New Orleans before returning home and establishing himself as a mainstay in Durham’s burgeoning jazz scene. My Americana is his solo debut album after spending years […]
Cara Being Blue Grit Independent Cara Lippman is a native of Hopkinton. Ma, a Boston suburb, who was mentored by that cities “Regal Queen of the Blues” Shirley Lewis. Cara relocated to Nashville over a decade ago to hone her live performance skills. Quickly she became a pro blues jam host and eventually wound up […]
Peter Ward Train To Key Biscayne Gandy Dancer Records While growing up guitarist Peter Ward and his brother were bitten by the blues bug. Influenced by the music of Muddy Waters and Little Walter they would attend as many live concerts as possible. Peter backed Jimmy Rogers, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Lowell Fulson and others when […]
Bob Corritore & Friends Do The Hip-Shake Baby! Vizztone Label Group/Southwest Musical Arts Foundation Bob Corritore is a Blues Music Award winner with a total of six nominations including one again this year as Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. His last album was 2018’s “Don’t Let the Devil Ride”. Corritore is also back with a […]
John Clifton In The Middle of Nowhere Rip Cat Records Harmonica player John Clifton and his brother Bill founded the MoFo Party Band in the late 1980’s. Their 1999 debut recording “Call the Doctor!” made numerous “Best” lists and they followed up with three more albums. As a result Clifton was often featured with Mark […]
The Felice Brothers Undress Yep Roc After making some changes in personnel, the upstate folk-rock band The Felice Brothers are back with their first album in three years. They sound different than the ragged, wild, raucous band that earned them a enviable reputation for their live shows, having now matured and focused into a strong, […]
Rebecca Loebe Give Up Your Ghosts Blue Corn Music Give Up Your Ghosts is exactly that. Written within a creative span of a few months, these are songs that Rebecca Loebe needed to hear, they are songs about empowerment. The eleven songs, written by Rebecca, are poppy and current and appeal to young and old […]
Bianca De Leon Dangerous Endeavor Lonesome Highway Music South Texas native Bianca De Leon is an Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter and author dubbed “Queen of the border ballad” by Nova Lomax and “A voice from Texas that does it right” by Guy Clark. Outside of Texas, she’s better known in Europe where she’s been touring since […]
Art Turk Burton Ancestral Spirits T N’T Music Percussionist, band leader and author Art Turk Burton leads a powerful ensemble with several AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) members, a six-piece rhythm section and singer Maggie Brown for another adventurous album as a leader. This is his follow-up to Spirits – Then & […]
Ellis Mano Band Here and Now Self-released Switzerland may be one of the last places you’d expect as home for a soulful blue band. Yet. Switzerland has a more vital music scene than most of us realize. If the Elllis Mano Band is a good indication of that underated musical hotbed, we can only respond […]
Bad Influence Got What You Need Bad Blues Records The Bad Influence band was formed in 1988 by Michael “Jr.” Tash. They recorded their debut album “Where You Been” in 1997. The bands 2001 follow-up recording, had my favorite album title, “Tastes Like Chicken”. Their last, self produced, recording 2011’s “Under The Influence” helped to […]
Dave Stryker Eight Track III Strikezone We’ve not only covered composer/guitarist Dave Stryker on these pages before but also projects from his working trio of drummer McClenty Hunter and organist Jared Gold as leaders. That formidable trio is augmented here by stellar vibraphonist Stefon Harris and, on four of the nine selections, percussionist Mayra Casales. […]
Bennett Paster Indivisible Self-produced Bennett Paster is a keyboardist, producer and arranger-composer who loves being eclectic. You’ll hear echoes of Monk and Hancock to New Orleans pianists like James Booker and soul men like Ramsey Lewis on Indivisible, a wide ranging set of music performed by his core trio and some contributing guests on guitar, […]
Willie Buck Willie Buck Way Delmark Records William Crawford a.k.a. Willie Buck was born in Houston, Mississippi. Buck relocated to Chicago in 1953. Though still a teenager an older relative snuck him in to see Muddy Waters when Waters was in his prime. The sound of that classic band had such an impact on Buck […]
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith & The House Bumpers Drop The Hammer Big Eye Records Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith is a native Chicagoan who learned the drums from his father the late Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. His father was the drummer for Muddy Waters for over eighteen years. Other drummers who inspired him were Odie Payne, […]
Akira Tana & Otonowa Love’s Radiance (Ai San San) Vega Drum master Akira Tana is releasing the third album with his group Otonowa, which was founded in 2012 to tour and raise funds for the communities devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. That earthquake registered a whopping 9.1, damaged the […]
Josh Hyde Into the Soul JHR Records. There is a vintage vibe to this album. The tone is warm, comfortable, and evokes the music of artists like JJ Cale, Tom Petty, Delbert McClinton, and Lyle Lovett. Growing up and stomping around Louisiana, it’s easy to hear that swampy blues, jazz, and zydeco influence. The eleven […]
Phil Madeira Crickets Mercyland Records Multi-Instrumentalist award-winning Americana singer-songwriter and producer Phil Madeira is releasing an instrumental jazz album Crickets on April 26th. The audible pin drop notwithstanding, noodling at jazz and blues is how Phil Madeira relaxes when he’s not in the spotlight. It’s an energy born of passion and content. The songs are […]
Grady Champion Steppin’ In: A Tribute to ZZ Hill Malaco Thirty-seven years later, we have the iconic songs of Texas-born singer Z.Z. Hill brought to us by Grammy-winning bluesman Mississippi-based Grady Champion on the same Mississippi-based Malaco label. Champion is a producer/singer/songwriter/musician who has won a Grammy, several prestigious Blues Music Awards as well as the 26th International Blues Challenge. Amazingly, […]
Kerry Kearney Smokehouse Serenade Highlander Records Kerry Kearney is a slide guitarist deserving additional recognition. Although not as well known as Sonny Landreth or Roy Rogers his fretwork at times has been compared to theirs. Long Island’s Kearney has been performing for over forty years as this is his seventeenth recording. A review of his […]
Henry Townsend and Roosevelt Sykes Blues Piano and Guitar: Washington University 1973 Omnivore Recordings Roosevelt Sykes spent his formidable years in his home state of Arkansas and in St. Louis. Sykes learned the rudiments of the keyboard on his grandfather’s organ. When he would return home to visit relatives in West Helena he would be […]
Tim Gartland Satisfied Taste Good Music Ohio born Tim Gartland saw Muddy Waters in concert when he was fourteen and it proved to be a life changing experience. He studied the harmonica, began playing in bands and started writing his own songs. After graduation from college Tim relocated to Chicago where he studied with Jerry […]
Big Daddy Wilson Deep in My Soul Ruf Records Big Daddy Wilson was born Wilson Blount in the small town of Edenton, North Carolina. He recalls “Me and my sisters were raised by mom and grandma. We lived a simple life, we went to church every Sunday, school on weekdays. I also worked back then […]
Mitch Woods A Tip of the Hat To Fats Blind Pig Records Brooklyn born Mitch Woods fell in love with boogie-woogie when he was eight years old. His stepfather purchased him a piano and he began classical training at eleven. In his mid-teens Woods was already moonlighting in Greenwich Village night clubs. He attended the […]
Meg Williams Take Me As I Am: The Muscle Shoals Sessions Nola Blue Records Meg Williams hails from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. She formed the Meg Williams Band a.k.a. MWB and her debut recording was released in 2014 when she was compared to Sheryl Crow. She came to national attention with the […]
Shane Dwight No One Loves Me Better Red Parlor Records Shane Dwight was born in California. As a youngster he was diagnosed with a debilitating bone disease. He began playing guitar in high school as his early influences were mostly rock acts such as Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. As a late bloomer he […]
Russ Tolman Goodbye El Dorado Lost As one who has spent considerable time in LA, I find sustenance in this, Russ Tolman’s love letter to LA, Tolman’s eighth solo album. It’s the lyrics that keep me returning for listens. The titles read like an La travelogue: “North Hollywood Dream,” “405,” “Yuba City,” Pacific Rain” and […]
Anna Tivel – The Question Fluff & Gravy Portland-based guitarist/violinist, singer-songwriter Anna Tivel releases her fourth album, The Question, as she continues her provocative look into flawed characters, overlooked aspects of ordinary life, shared experience, and some political commentary. Her music is often deceptively quiet, concealing the pain and heartache that she writes about, whether […]
