Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon Together Appalseed This collaboration between two giants of folk music, Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon, seems predestined but still may not have happened if it weren’t for the intervention of the pandemic. Though a series of conversation via ZOOM, the reminiscing and sports talk soon turned to songwriting, resulting in […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring Caroline Cotto This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a living […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Caroline Cotto Imagine leaving your country in search of beauty, love and truth. That’s exactly what Caroline Cotto was brave enough to do after her 22nd birthday. She toiled away in the NYC music scene for years before she left to live in Paris and explore […]
Steve Gellman All You Need Self-released Multiple award-winning Maryland singer-songwriter Steve Gellman has released his thirteenth album, All You Need. The album carries the ambience of an authentic folk singer backed by an impressive casts including members of The Seldom Scene, guitarist Nina Gerber, Chao Tian (a special star on this album), Grammy winners Cathy […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with Slyboots Slyboots’ unique yet cohesive sound can be attributed to their different tastes, but similar inspirations. Despite their wide-ranging influences: The Beatles, The Kinks, The Smiths, The Cure – their shared admiration for strong females that have paved the way, e.g., Talking Heads’ Tina […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with The Customers The Customers are a rock band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1995 by Ryan Sexton. A demo of Sexton’s songs found its way onto the desk of Neil Young’s manager, Elliot Roberts, who was then in the process of launching Young’s fledgling label, […]
Joe Bonamassa Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 J&R Adventures Joe Bonamassa cannot possibly have an off switch, only one that adjusts the mode. If he’s not out promoting an album onstage somewhere in the world, he’s likely in a studio working on the next one. Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 marks his 51st in 23 years, considering […]
Dave Keller It’s Time To Shine Montpelier, Vermont’s Dave Keller has been schooled by the very best. He studied acoustic blues with guitarist Paul Rishell, and soul blues with guitarist Robert Ward. After releasing the Dave Keller Band debut in 1998 he began to be mentored by Mighty Sam McClain who lived in nearby New […]
Ray Bonneville On the Blind Side Stonefly Juno Award winner and multiple Juno nominee, the Quebec-born, well-traveled and currently Austin-based blues and roots artist Ray Bonneville returns with his tenth solo album, On the Blind Side. This is Bonneville’s post-pandemic release, and understandably may be even more introspective than some previous efforts, leaning a bit […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you an Interview with The International Treasures Doyle Turner and Ted Hajnasiewicz are two gifted musicians who have come together to create something truly extraordinary. There is a palpable synergy when they appear together on stage. Tugging on heartstrings and bringing smiles to faces since 2020, your Minnesota neighbors […]
David Bennett Cohen Seems Like a Good Time for the Blues Self-released Blues pianist David Bennett Cohen has been on the scene for over sixty years and yet, as hardly a household name, his resume would be the envy of many, even those that are indeed well recognized. He’s a founding member of Country Joe […]
Ghalia Volt Shout Sister Shout Ruf We have one quick clarifier before we get started. The title may cause some, like this writer, to think this is a tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe and an album of the same name did just that. The Belgian-born, ever-evolving, once one-woman band Ghalia Volt is not in that […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring Willie J Laws This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a […]
Making a Scene Looks at Bandlabs new Aquisition “AirBit” Introduction Bandlab has been quietly (or maybe not so quietly) acquiring indie music assets since 2015! They started by purchasing the Cakewalk DAW Software product SONAR from Gibson and released it as a FREE download (which now they plan to release a new version as a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jeff Plankenhorn Jeff Plankenhorn’s songwriting, expressive vocals, and musicianship are front and center on his latest album, Alone At Sea, produced by Colin Linden (Bruce Cockburn, Keb Mo.) New sonic territory is explored on this gem of a long player. The title track, “Alone at Sea,” is […]
Making a Scene Presents Turn it up with Gerry Casey Show #214 with his Guest Chris Denman of The Southbound Snakecharmers Robert Jon & The Wreck Stone Cold Killer The Southern River Band Stan Qualen Southall All I Have Sunflower Fox & The Chicken Leg Naughty Little Girl The Record Company I Found Heaven Joanne […]
André Bisson Latchford Self-released It’s somewhat rare to hear an artist for the first time on his tenth album release and in the case of Canadian soul/R&B/roots singer-songwriter André Bisson, it raises the obvious notion of ‘look at what I’ve been missing.” Bisson has been on the scene for twenty years, boasts numerous awards and […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you The Turn it up Interview with Chris Denman of the Southbound Snake Charmers This dynamic four piece have been conjuring up their own unique brand of swampy blues since 2013. Led by the original Snake Charmer himself: vocalist and charismatic frontman Chris Denman, Brooke Maloney is on Drums, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Willie J Laws Jr. A Texas guitar “gun slinger”, vocalist and song writer following in the footsteps of T-Bone Walker, Lightning Hopkins, Albert King and many others. This music is the kind of real Texas soul, all mixed up with classic R&B, country, blues/funk that grows […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Ben Gage Ben Gage is a songwriter from Akron, OH blending folk and roots blues. Ben Gage grew up in the rust belt of Northeast Ohio, spread out in the countryside along the great Lake Erie. His roots run deep alongside the hard working blue collars […]
Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind Behind the Veil Gulf Coast Records Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind. What a suitable, vivacious name for this bunch, given all the ins and outs and ups and downs crisscrossing Ricci’s story. Ricci’s traits include being an on again off again drug abuser, and a spiritual, openly […]
Making a Scene Presents The 2023 Independent Blues Awards Winners! This is the 8th year we have produced and honored independent blues artists with the Independent Blues Awards. The voting this year has broken all records and was the largest voting participation since we began. As always we believe that not only are the winners […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring Ralph Beeby This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a living […]
Making a Scene Presents Turn it up with Gerry Casey Show #213 with his Guest Clara Rose The Rolling Stones Angry Laurence Jones I’m Gone The 100Watt Vipers In The City Tonight Jack Browning featuring Troy Redfern The Hangmen Midnight Riders Reach NYC All For Metal Goddess Of War Albany Down Same Damn Thing Climax […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with Clara Rose Rose brings a raw rootsy blues edge to the vocals on her enticing folk and folk-rock efforts The album was recorded over two shows in Arthur’s Blues and Jazz Club (Dublin) and The Garage Theatre (Monaghan) in the spring of 2020. With […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Ralph Beeby of Ralph Beeby and the Elephant Collective It’s possible to revere the greats without just copying them. Ralph Beeby & the Elephant Collective treat the Blues and classic rock as a jumping-off point, crafting bold new songs with dark, richly storied lyrics, and tunes […]
Dave Keller It’s Time to Shine Tastee Tone In previous reviews of Vermonter soul/blues artist Dave Keller, this writer recalls a quote from Keller about preferring to be a big fish in a small pond than an artist competing with many in the same locale. Do you know any other national blues artists from Vermont? […]
Heather Lynne Horton Get Me to a Nunnery Pauper Sky Singer-songwriter Heather Lynne Horton delivers the richly ethereal Get Me to a Nunnery, transporting us to some otherworldly place that seems cushioned by clouds and sounds that echo well beyond mere earthly realms. It’s a sound forged by her violin, layered voices, and the keyboards […]
The Count Basie Orchestra, Directed by Scotty Barnhart (with Guests) Basie Swings the Blues Candid Records (assisted by Alligator Records) ‘There ain’t nothin’ wrong with havin’ a good ol’ time,’ Mr. Sipp urges in “Let’s Have a Good Time,” the hip-shaking opening number to Basie Swings the Blues. Sipp, the saucy, dapper, alter ego of […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring Nick Wade This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a living […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Legendary Rick Derringer Entertainer Rick Derringer was just 17 when his band The McCoys TM recorded the No.1 hit “Hang On Sloopy” in the summer of 1965, knocking “Yesterday” by The Beatles out of the top spot. The McCoys had enjoyed four years of successful touring, […]
Making a Scene Brings you Turn it up with Gerry Casey Show #212 with his Guest Tullie Brae Johnny And The Drivers Real Wild Child Johnny Mastro & MBs Shake It Spy The Two Five Ones Featuring Charlie McGettigan Southbound Snake Charmers Hell On Wheels HeadCat Motrhead featuring Larry Wallis Alice Armstrong Upbeat Baby Aerosmith […]
Nick Wade Feeling Good Is Good Enough ESP It’s not often that a younger bluesman comes along, steeped in the country Delta blues. Enter Nick Wade, who has received a glowing endorsement from Guy Davis and Corey Harris, and surely many others who don’t grace the liner notes. Guy Davis says, “…a young cat with […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with Tullie Brae The soulful Blues singer and multi-instrumentalist credits her musical gift to Gospel music like so many great soul singers before her. Tullie’s musical journey began singing in church where her Daddy was a preacher and her Mom was a vocalist and musician . […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Chris Murphy For 25 years, and with no sign of slowing, violinist Chris Murphy has made a living by writing, performing and recording original music. For Murphy, the path forward is charted by looking backward, to the troubadours and minstrels of ages past. Forget the exaggerated […]
Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps Rose-Colored Glasses Vol. 2 Blue Heart The highly decorated Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps are on a roll. They return with Rose-Colored Glasses Vol. 2, going for three in a row. The hot streak began with 2019’s Grammy-nominated Here in Babylon, followed by the first installment of Rose-Colored […]
Lee Oskar She Said Mahalo Dreams We Share She Said Mahalo is harmonica legend, Lee Oskar’s more lighthearted, uplifting follow-up to his stunning career tour-de-force, 2022’s Never Forget, covered on these pages. This one is similar in Oskar’s melodic lines that often front fairly large ensembles, creating cinematic, expansive sonic palettes. If you’re thinking of […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Nick Wade Nick Wade’s journey as a musician began 32 years ago, when he took his first lesson at five years old. Teaching him was his grandfather, Johnny Wade, a professional jazz musician who played with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Slack, and many others. Johnny […]
Joyann Parker Roots Hopeless Romantics Records Too often an artist that takes on this amount of variety in style for one project ends up presenting a flat experience. Not Joyann Parker with Roots. Not by a country mile and a half. Few shift so fluidly between rock, country, blues, hard and smooth soul, and even […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring The Greg Sover This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Greg Sover While Greg Sover’s friends in his Philadelphia neighborhood, where he grew up, were listening to local rappers he was immersed in classic rock, country and the blues ever since he first picked up a guitar at the age of five. “From the beginning, it’s […]
Making a Scene Brings you Turn it up with Gerry Casey and his Guest Bernie Marsden Whitesnake Trouble Whitesnake Day Tripper Whitesnake Take Me With You White Snake Long Way From Home White Snake Medicine Man White Snake Lovehunter Whitesnake with Bernie Marsden Fool For Your Lovin ‘ Whitesnake with Bernie Marsden Carry Your Load […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Bernie Marsden Bernie Marsden is an English rock and blues guitarist born in Buckingham, England. A professional musician since 1972, he is primarily known for his work with Whitesnake having written or co-written many of the group’s hit songs, most notably the USA number one […]
Will Bernard & Beth Custer SKY Dreck-to-Disk Guitarist and composer Will Bernard should be a familiar name to readers of these pages as we’ve covered him on straight-ahead trio, organ trio, and ensemble releases for Posi-Tone, and his 2022 exploratory effort Pond Life. The ever-adventurous Bernard now goes in yet a different direction, with his […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Ed Sweeney Ed Sweeney honors people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners, understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Dwight Twilley Dwight Twilley and partner Phil Seymour created an enduring and highly memorable brand of power pop that blended Beatlesque pop and Sun rockabilly “slapback” echo. Only a fraction of the band’s early output was made available at the time, but these records are highly […]
Bill Connell with John Lynskey Forward by Chuck Leavell Allman Joy: Keeping the Beat with Duane and Gregg Mercer University Press Tuscaloosa, Alabama native Bill Connell lived a fulfilled, rollercoaster ride of a life that included playing the drums for, and on bills with, several significant names in the annals of rock and roll. […]
Making a Scene Presents the PODCAST of LIVE from the Midnight Circus Featuring The Blackburn Brothers This is the Voice of Indie Blues, the future of the blues. Artists who embrace the diversity of the blues that always has and still is being created from it’s roots. These artists understand the blues is a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with The Blackburn Brothers An obvious uniqueness that identifies and sets apart the band is that Blackburn Brothers is a band of brothers – literally. Duane (lead vocals, organ, piano), Brooke (guitar, vocals), Cory (drums, harmony vocals), Robert (guitar, harmony vocals), and cousin Nathan (bass guitar) all […]
Making a Scene Brings you Turn it up with Gerry Casey and his Guest Dez Murphy Clara Rose Love You Like A Man Live ! Santiago Perotti Better Give Yourself To Someone Else Anthony Gomes The Whiskey Made Me Do It Eddie Angel Elephant Johnny Gallagher Scars & Stiches John Angus Blues Band Mamas Blues […]
