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.
Sean Chambers Welcome To My Blues American Showplace Music Sean Chambers learned by fronting a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band. “Strong Temptation”, his debut recording, was released in 1998. While in Memphis in support of that album, Chambers was asked to sit in with Hubert Sumlin, the former guitarist for Howlin’ Wolf. As a result […]
SHIJIN Self-titled Alter-Nativ/SOCADISC/AN100 You’re likely already thinking “what kind of name is that?” and “what’s with the weird record label name?” Yes, this is not your usual jazz group but instead a co-op group that brings American and European jazz artists together in a fusion-jazz/improvisational jazz format across eight original compositions that range from three […]
Sandy Carroll Blues & Angels Catfood Records Sandy Carroll hails from McNairy County in West Tennessee; two hours east of Memphis. Carroll spent her early career singing in venues throughout the South. Carroll returned to Memphis, her musical home, and took up residency at Lafayette’s Corner club in 1983 when she co-wrote the single “If […]
Delta Moon Babylon Is Falling By Rhetta Delta Moon is arguably the finest “swamp rock and blues: group around. Babylon is Falling,” their 10th album is both comfortably familiar and different enough to please any fan and let casual listeners know what they have been missing. There are 5 original songs and 6 covers, so […]
Paul Kelly Nature Gawd Aggie Paul Kelly considers Nature a companion piece to 2017’s Platinum-certified Life Is Fine but although it bears some similarities, it’s not exactly a sequel. It’s not one coherent statement or even one focused theme but instead a collection of different elements, come originals and, as we’ve come to know from Kelly, […]
John Akapo Paradise Blues Mensch House Hawaii usually conjures up that special sound of the Hawaiian slide guitar, not acoustic blues but Taumei “Big John” Akapo is here to change that perception. This is a breakout record that represents the big vocal sound and adept guitar picking that residents and visitors to Hawaii have heard […]
Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones Complicated Mess Eller Soul Records Doug Deming was born and raised in the greater Detroit area. Deming is a guitarist whose influences include R n’ B and Jazz pioneers T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian. His debut recording “Double Down” was released in 2002. Deming came to national attention with […]
Maria Muldaur Don’t You Feel My Leg The Naughty Bawdy Blues of Blue Lu Barker The Last Music Company Maria Muldaur was born and raised in Greenwich Village. In 1963 she began her recording career as a member of The Even Dozen Jug Band. She was Maria D’Amato at the time and the following […]
John Fedchock Quartet Live – Reminiscence Summit Trombonist and composer/arranger John Fedchock releases his follow-up to 2015’s Fluidity, both albums recorded live during a three-night stint at the now shuttered Havana Nights, in Virginia Beach, VA. Done in quartet format with piano, bass and drums they are a different side of Fedchock, who leads a […]
Ultan Conlon Last Days of the Night Owl Dark Sideout Irish singer/songwriter Ultan Conlon deliver his third album, recorded in Galway over the winter of 2017. Songs were written on both the west coasts of Ireland and America (where he lives in Santa Monica part-time) . The album features 15 musicians in the credits including […]
Fiona Boyes Voodoo in the Shadows Reference Recordings/Blue Empress Fiona Boyes has been Australia’s foremost blues artist for over two decades now. She spends considerable time in the states touring and she’s earned six BMA nominations, including Acoustic Album of the Year and Best Acoustic Artist in 2017. Her career trajectory continues to rise, and […]
Dave Keller Every Soul’s a Star Catfood Records Dave Keller makes Montpelier, Vt. his home. He studied acoustic blues with Paul Rishell and in 1993 recorded a cassette called “Deep Down in My Soul”. After releasing the Dave Keller Band debut in 1998 he began to be mentored by Mighty Sam McClain who at this […]
Blue Largo Before the Devil Steals Your Soul CoffeeGrinds This is one mega project. Aside from the two principals, Alicia Aragon and Eric Leiberman. There are 15 supporting musicians, three recording sites, two engineers, two mixers, and two producers. This duo/band, Blue Largo, make their comeback with a strong statement, covering a few genres and […]
The Odd Dogs Beneath the Surface Manasus Music The Odd Dogs are a fusion-based group comprised of top shelf L.A. jazz musicians and Beneath the Surface is their debut. The quintet includes bassist and leader Steve Billman, guitarist Jeff Miley, saxophonist and pianist Andy Suzuki, drummer Ralph Humphrey, and percussionist Billy Hulting. They are all […]
Ken Wild/Tom Rizzo/Susan Krebs Trio WoRK GreenGig Music A serendipitous gig led to these three L.A. musicians getting together for this recording of standards. In fact the oldest song here is the oft-covered Lennon/McCartney “Eleanor Rigby.” What makes it different from other standard fare is its sparsity– just Tom Rizzo’s guitar, Ken Wild’s standup bass, […]
The Knickerbocker All-Stars Love Makes A Woman fea. Darcel Wilson and Thornetta Davis JP Cadillac Records In 1967 Duke Robillard and Al Copley hosted weekly jams at The Knickerbocker Café in Westerly, Rhode Island. It was at the Knick that “Roomful of Blues” was born; it was here that the horn section evolved. Back in […]
Dry Johnson Long Live Them Blues Connor Ray Music Bassist Terry Dry and drummer Matt Johnson are currently the rhythm section in the Mike Zito Band. Zito states “I met Matthew Robert Johnson and Terry Dry in St. Louis around 2002 when I opened a show for Hadden Sayers, I still remember thinking they sounded […]
Jim Allchin Prime Blues Sandy Key Music Jim Allchin worked for Microsoft where he helped to develop Windows operating systems including Windows 98 and Vista. Allchin retired from Microsoft and has been pursuing his love of guitar. Allchin released his third studio recording “Q.E.D.” in 2013. Interestingly the title refers to “quod erat demonstrandum”. The […]
By Rhetta Akamatsu I thought that Appleton and Ricci’s Dirty Memory was my favorite album of the year, but then along came this one and it’s even better! The only other musician involved in this powerful acoustic album is bassist Derek Nievergelt, a brave man indeed, who does a fine job keeping up. Nievergelt and Appleton also produced […]
Kat Danser Goin’ Gone Black Hen This may introduce many of you to Edmonton, Canada blues artist Kat Danser, a three time nominee for a Western Canadian Music Award and a national Maple Blues Award – Best New Artist of the Year, winner of the Ambassador of the Blues Award (Blues Underground Network) and the […]
Lindsay Beaver Tough as Love Alligator Records Lindsay Beaver is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. She grew up in a working class family. Her parents loved soul music and as a child she used to sing around the house. At age 11 she fell in love with hip, hop which led her back to blues and […]
By Adam Signore The Simple Minds – New Music, great Concert So I had the distinct pleasure of catching the Simple Minds at Boston’s Orpheum Theater, A Historic venue with amazing sound. I’m a long time Simple Minds fan and knew the band for a lot more than “Don’t You Forget About Me”. This band […]
Johnny & The Headhunters That’s All I Need Independent Johnny Ticktin is from the Washington D.C. area. He first picked up the guitar at the age of six and started playing in local bands. He graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Psychology but spent most of his free time listening to […]
Kirk Fletcher Hold On Independent Kirk Fletcher’s family originally from Pine Bluff, Arkansas moved to the LA suburb of Lakewood, California. His dad was a pastor and eventually sold the house in Lakewood to move to Compton in south LA, where he would build his church. At the age of eight, in his father’s church, […]
New Orleans Suspects Live At The Hamilton Independent The New Orleans Suspects have released three studio albums their latest being 2016’s “Kalidscoped” on Louisiana Red Hot Records. Like many New Orleans bands they are known mostly for their live performances. This set was recorded at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. on December 30th & 31st. […]
Keith Stone With Red Gravy Blues With A Taste of New Orleans Independent Keith Stone, guitar and vocals, was born in uptown New Orleans and began learning to play music on the streets of the French Quarter. His first paying gig was with the “Slu Foot Blues Band” opening for Rufus Thomas. In 1990 he […]
Mark Hummel Harpbreaker Electro-Fi Records Mark Hummel, harmonica player, vocalist, and songwriter formed his band The Blues Survivors in 1980. He released his first album as a bandleader in 1985. Since 1991 Hummel has produced the Blues Harmonica Blowout, a touring revue, with himself, The Blues Survivors and other guest harmonica players. This is Hummel’s […]
Jim Wyly The Artisan Texas Fanfair Publishing & Gaylord Music Jim Wyly must have had releasing a solo album on his bucket list. After playing in bands for forty years in and around Austin, the 72-year-old Texan is releasing The Artisan. His acoustic album sometimes features just Wyly alone while other tracks feature harmonicist Ray […]
JW Jones Live Solid Blues Records At thirty eight years old JW Jones’ influences include fellow Canadians Ronnie Hawkins and Colin James. He has also absorbed most of the roots rock, blues, and country music that has come before him. He has recorded with Kim Wilson, David “Fathead” Newman, Little Charlie Baty, Hubert Sumlin and […]
Colin James Miles To Go True North Records One of the best Canadian interpreters of traditional blues is Colin James. On his last album 2016’s “Blue Highway” James paid tribute to some of his influences. That album spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report’s Blues Chart. This is James’ sequel to […]
Tony Joe White Bad Mouthin’ Yep Roc Many of us have long thought of Tony Joe White as a blues artist. After all, Eric Clapton covered White’s “Did Somebody Make a Fool Out of You” and more recently Robert Cray covered two songs and invited White to play on his album with the HI Rhythm […]
Carlos Santana Sound of the Heart, Song of the World by Gary Golio The story of Carlos Santana’s musical development from a six-year-old boy being groomed to be a mariachi violinist to a man who makes music for the world is an inspiring one. In Carlos Santana: Sound of the Heart, Song of the World, author […]
Josh Smith Burn to Grow VizzTone Put versatile southern Californian guitarist Josh Smith together with brilliant players like Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello and more recently their band, Jackshit, and other top L.A. musicians and you have the makings of some inventive, genre-crossing blues influenced music. Smith proves to be a quadruple […]
Philipp Fankhauser I’ll Be Around Sony Music/Funk House Blues Productions Philipp Fankhauser is a Swiss soul blues singer, guitarist and songwriter. He began singing in 1987 and produced his bands first album “Blues for the Lady” in 1989. After touring with Johnny “Clyde” Copeland in 1994 Fankhauser recorded his first solo album. Four of his […]
Tim Carroll Keeping Time “Keeping Time” is the 2018 release by Tim Carroll and whoever said Rock and Roll is dead or speaks of the demise of the electric guitar, has never been to the longest running residency in Nashville. The “Tim Carroll Rock ‘n’ Roll Happy Hour” at the famed Five Spot is local […]
Celso Salim Band Mama’s Hometown Tower High Music Based in Southern California for the past four years, Brazilian guitarist Celso Salim and his band introduce their first album recorded here in the states. This is deep blues, not Brazilian music, and it’s fused with elements of soul, country, jazz and rock. There are eight originals […]
Billy F. Gibbons The Big Bad Blues Concord Records Guitarist/Vocalist Billy F. Gibbons formed the rock band ZZ Top in 1969. Their debut recording “ZZ Top’s First Album” was released two years later. Their discography includes fifteen studio albums and four albums recorded live. The rock n’ boogie band has sold over twenty-five million albums […]
The Weight Band World Gone Mad The Weight Band Records The Weight Band was inspired to carry on the legacy of The Band. Formed in 2013 when Jim Weider (1985 -1999) and Randy Ciarlante (1991 to 1999) both members of the re-united Band decided to form a new group to perform “Songs of The Band” […]
Carry Me Back Jeff Mamett As evident from the opening song from “Carry Me Back”, Jeff Mamett is the real deal. This album is pure country not forced country. This is heartfelt country not sit in a cold windowless room on music row working through a formula country. This isn’t about driving trucks and drinking […]
Rachelle Coba Blink American Showplace Music Rachelle Coba hails from Fon du Lac, Wisconsin. She is the daughter of a Kansas mom and a Cuban born dad. As a child she studied the violin but got her first guitar at fifteen when her mom took her to see Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Rachelle […]
The Textones Old Stone Gang Blue Elan It’s hard to believe that the Textones have been together for thirty plus years and are just now releasing their third album, recently signed to Blue Elan Records. Fans will remember the Austin-based releases Midnight Mission and Cedar Creek from the ‘80s which were reissued by Omnivore in […]
Mandy Barnett Strange Conversation Dame Productions/Thirty Tigers Mandy Barnett made quite a splash recording her self-titled debut for Asylum before she was even 21 years old. Prior to that she had already been resurrecting Patsy Cline in the stage production Always…Patsy Cline. Barnett was a child prodigy who signed her first record deal at age […]
Kristina Murray Southern Ambrosia Loud Magnolia Kristina Murray, like many, loves the South for certain things and is conflicted about the duality of its legacy. This album hits several topical issues while praising the elements she cherishes. This is only her second release and it follows 2013’s Unravelin’. Murray originally hails from Atlanta, spent six […]
Scott Sharrard Saving Grace We Save Music Scott Sharrard was born and raised in Michigan and attended the High School for the Arts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He played and sang with touring musicians, when they came to town, including Clyde Stubblefield, Buddy Miles, Luther Allison and Hubert Sumlin. He and his band moved to New […]
Various Artists Chicago/The Blues Legends/Today! West Tone Blues collectors will recognize the cover art work reminiscent of the Vanguard three album set, compiled by Samuel Charters and released in 1966. That project, like this one, shed light on some artists that didn’t have the reputations of Muddy or Wolf, who later went on to become […]
Eric Lindell Revolution in Your Heart Alligator Records Eric Lindell was born in San Mateo, California and spent his formative years in the greater San Francisco area absorbing sounds and learning how to craft a song. He formed a few punky garage bands as his influences included rock, blues, soul and R n’ B. In […]
Barbara Blue Fish in dirty H20 Big Blue Records Barbara Blue moved to Memphis in 1997 and has been performing there ever since. She has been named “The Reigning Queen of Beale Street” and on Friday, May 8th, 2015 after the ribbon was cut on the brand new Blues Hall of Fame, Blue was honored […]
By Adam Signore Who is Joanne Shaw Taylor? Joanne Shaw Taylor, a young 30 something Rock & Blues guitarist from England, who bounces back and forth between Detroit, MI & England for residence is kicking butt on the music scene. She has been impressing audiences from the start. Discovered at age 16 by Dave Stewart […]
Mike Spinrad Horns Spin Radical It’s not often that you’ll find a jazz drummer releasing an entire album of original compositions. Not only does San Francisco Bay area-based Mike Spinrad have an affinity for engaging melodies but this album has an upbeat, enthusiastic feel throughout. The players are clearly having fun. This is Spinrad’s second […]
Mark Winkler and Cheryl Bentyne Eastern Standard Time Café Pacific This is the follow-up to West Coast Cool for the vocalist team of Mark Winkler and Cheryl Bentyne. The two have received numerous accolades for their solo projects too. Winkler is the 2018 Downbeat Rising Male Vocalist who has recorded 16 CDs and his songs […]
