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.
The Smoke Wagon Blues Band The Ballad of Albert Johnson Independent Canada’s Smoke Wagon Blues Band was formed in 1996. Working out of Hamilton Ontario’s famous Hess Village they released their debut “Smoke Wagon Blues Band Number 36” in 1997. They followed up with 2001’s live “Low Down Righteous Blues”. In 2005 their third album […]
John Craigie Asterisk the Universe Zabriskie Point John Craigie is the modern-day troubadour who has knack for drawing listeners to his articulate cons filled with dry wit and unexpected twists. He has spent more than a decade on the road honing his storytelling skills, brought to the fore once again with his latest project, Asterisk […]
Tony Holiday Soul Service Vizztone Label Group Salt Lake City’s Tony Holiday used to play guitar and front his band the Velvetones. When he switched to harmonica he recruited the young prodigy Landon Stone as the band’s guitarist. The band was named 2016’s “Best Blues Band” by the Salt Lake City Music Awards. After relocating […]
Going to the Sun Love Letters from the Western Gate Mountainsize Music Minneapolis has been in the news, most for the wrong reasons lately, although reforms are beginning to take shape. Out of that darkness and anger bursts forth a group that’s been together for a while now and as their name suggests, theirs is […]
Madre Vaca Winterreise Madre Vaca Seeing the name of Austrian composer Franz Shubert on the cover led me to believe this was some slight twist on classical music by jazz musicians. (and not the kind of music we would cover on these pages). Obviously, I was wrong. As the album unfolded it was stirring modern […]
Dion Blues With Friends Keeping The Blues Alive Records Dion DeMucci better known as Dion was one of the first musicians that formulated my musical preferences. As part of the post doo-wop group Dion & The Belmonts, this Bronx soul, mesmerized myself and my peers with singles like “I Wonder Why”; “A Teenager in Love”; […]
John Minnock (with Dave Liebman) Herring Cove Dot Time This is the second collaboration between vocalist John Minnock and NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Dave Liebman, who also serves as executive producer. It’s Minnock’s third release as a leader, and his first for the label. The album pairs Minnock’s signature no-holds-barred wit with introspective lyrics to paint a compelling […]
Gerald McClendon Can’t Nobody Stop Me Now Delta Roots Records Born and raised in Chicago Gerald McClendon is one of the more versatile artists weaned on the Masters of R n’ B: Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding. He embraces many genre’s and is an interpreter of classic rock, soul, blues, country and jazz. […]
Jeff Reed Look for the Light Stricker Street Look for the Light is the debut for jazz bassist Jeff Reed as bandleader who brings a collection of originals and jazz standards performed by a quintet. Let’s first share some information on Reed before getting to some of the remarkable stories that are the foundation for […]
Cathlene Pineda Rainbow Baby Orenda This is the third album, and by far the most personal, for pianist/composer Cathlene Pineda, who leads a quartet on Rainbow Baby. The theme comprises four years of motherhood, pregnancy. Loss, and ultimately love. She was thriving at the time of her second album, Passing: A California Suite, which was […]
Dr. John Ske-Dat-De-Dat/The Spirit of Satch The Last Music Co This weekend marks the first anniversary of the passing of Mac Rebennack better known as Dr. John. In order to commemorate the event The Last Music Co. is re-issuing the six time Grammy Award winner’s 2013 album in a limited edition vinyl format. Dr. John […]
Eddie 9V Way Down the Alley Many of us have been craving live music these days when we can’t safely gather, so it is lovely to hear Way Down the Alley. Close your eyes and imagine you are at Atlanta’s famous Blind Willie’s Blues Club, where it was recorded, listening to Eddie 9V (pronounced 9 […]
Alexa Tarantino Clarity Posi Tone Alexa Tarantino is a woodwind virtuoso who has a fluid, swinging style with remarkable tone. In that sense, the album title is fitting. Clarity is her second release as a bandleader following last year’s Posi tone Winds of Change. She is also a composer and educator. Tarantino is the principal […]
Duffy Bishop I’m Gonna Do What I Want! ‘Lil Spinner Records Born in Redding, Ca. Duffy Bishop began performing in rock bands when she was sixteen. Roadside Attraction, Toulouse Lautrec and The Rhythm Dogs were but a few. In 1975 she moved to Los Angeles, and later to Seattle. She first formed the Duffy Bishop […]
John Scofield Swallow Tales ECM Master bassist Steve Swallow will turn 80 this coming October and remains highly vital whether as a member of his wife, Carla Bley’s Trio, or as a sideman. Many acknowledge Swallow as one of jazz’s best bassists, but this recording shines a light on his compositional skills as well. More […]
Kenny Carr Hard Jazz Self-released There’s a subtle clue in the title Hard Jazz that refers to guitarist Kenny Carr’s spot in Ray Charles’ band for over ten years. Yes, “Hard Times,” the title of one of Brother Ray’s biggest songs and a term this writer has heard others exclaim in the context of blues […]
Holy Hive Float Back to You Big Crown The expectations for this debut release from Holy Hive and their self-described “folk soul” were rather high following a string of live shows, singles, and their Harping EP. It’s fair to say the trio delivered on them as well with their retro mashup of folk and ‘60s soul. It’s, […]
Gina Sicilia Love Me Madly Blue Elan Records The Philadelphia born Gina Sicilia released her debut recording “Allow Me To Confess” in 2007. That well received album earned her a Blues Music Award nomination as “Best New Artist”. Three more studio albums followed before Sicilia relocated to Nashville, a songwriter’s city. Newly inspired she signed […]
Lorena Leigh Water Theory Cowgirl-Mermaid Records This morning I started my day listening to a CD I received in the mail the other day by an independent artist from Fort Worth, Texas that mixes pop with a little of island and folk sound. The artist is Lorena Leigh and the album is Water Theory released […]
Mayita Dinos The Garden Is my Stage Dash Hoffman Maybe this writer is just a bit biased toward landscape designers. After all, my wife is one of them. However, she doesn’t have dual talents of being vocalist like Mayita Dinos, who is making her debut as singer, with songs naturally themed on nature and gardens. […]
Ex Norwegian Something Unreal: The Best Of Think Like A Key Records The other day I received the 20 September 2019 signed vinyl album by Ex Norwegian called Something Unreal: The Best Of on the Think Like A Key Records label. Ex Norwegian consists of Roger Houdaille playing most of the instruments on this album […]
G.F. Patrick One Town Over Need to Know This is the debut for Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter G.F. Patrick. Patrick brings us 14 originals backed by tight unit that features Billy Conway (Morphine, Jeffrey Foucault) on drums to form an Americana sound backed in guitars and keyboards from Mark Blasquez while co-producer Frank Swatt handles the bass. […]
Charlie Bedford Good To Go Blue Heart Records Charlie Bedford hails from Melbourne Australia. The guitarist began playing in clubs, seven years ago, at the age of twelve. The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society sent Bedford to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Bedford returned to Memphis […]
Jaime Wyatt Neon Cross New West Jaime Wyatt may not be as outspoken or as strong a media magnet as her ‘sister’ Megan Rapinoe but she’s starting to get a similar buzz in the country and Americana music circles. Hailed by one publication as “the queer queen of country” Wyatt’s music threatens to take a […]
Johnny Burgin No Border Blues Delmark Records Johnny Burgin attended The University of Chicago where he soon fell into the Chicago Blues scene. The guitarist’s first professional gig was backing the vocalist Tail Dragger. Burgin toured Japan in 1996 with his Tail Dragger bandmate Ken Kawashima. Burgin states “I realized just how intense and dedicated […]
VICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE TRAIN MEMPHIS LOUD Ruf Records 2020 Blues Music Award winner for Instrumentalist Piano and Grammy-nominated keyboard player/songwriter/singer VICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE TRAIN’s MEMPHIS LOUD releases MAY 22, 2020 on Ruf Records. From the opening tap on the keys to the last lingering hum of the Hammond B3, Memphis Loud hits you […]
Miguel Zenón Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera Miel Music Okay, those in the know might be questioning why we are reviewing an album that came out last August. There are several reasons: 1) Miguel Zenón’s Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera received a 2020 Grammy nomination, 2) Zenon was just this week awarded Best […]
Fernando Perdomo Leo August The Leo August Album is the May 19, 2020 concept album by Fernando Perdomo, guitarist, and bassist of the Dave Kerzner Band in which the concept of this amazing release is that Leo August is a singer-songwriter on his death bed at the end of his battle with a deadly disease. […]
Jose Ramirez Here I Come Independent At the age of thirty-two Jose Ramirez is Costa Rica’s premier blues guitarist and vocalist. In 2020 he represented the D.C. Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and he finished second place in the band competition. He has played with Buddy Guy, Janiva Magness, Mark Hummel […]
Vanderlei Pereira and Blindfold Test Vision for Rhythm Jazzheads Vanderlei Pereira is a renowned Brazilian drummer who has been in the states for over thirty years. With extensive experience as a sideman in his native country as well as in the U.S., this marks his first recording as a bandleader with his newly formed band, […]
Mark Telesca Higher Vibrations Mark Telesca has a new solo acoustic blues album, Higher Vibrations, out, and it is a smooth-sailing winner. With a total of sixteen songs, 9 of them originals and the other 7 pre- WWII blues songs, the whole album fits together perfectly. Mark is a skilled finger-picker and an amazing storyteller, […]
Linsey Alexander Live At Rosa’s Delmark Records Linsey Alexander is a classic Chicago bluesman. Born in Mississippi he moved to Memphis with his family when he was twelve. He has played with everyone from B.B. King, to Magic Slim and Buddy Guy. After being part of the Chicago scene Alexander released his solo debut “Someone’s […]
Otis Rush All Your Love, I Miss Loving Live at The Wise Fools Pub, Chicago Delmark 781 It was a “cold day in hell” on Chicago’s West Side in January, 1976. Otis Rush was about to take the stage at The Wise Fools Pub. Otis Rush was a guitarist of unquestionable talent and a singer […]
Alan Davey Four Track Mind Purple Pyramid Records/Cleopatra Records Four Track Mind is a four-CD compilation of home studio recordings from the brilliantly creative and exhaustively produced Alan Davey, an English bassist, singer, keyboardist, and songwriter, best known as the former bassist with Hawkwind scheduled for release May 22, 2020, on the Purple Pyramid Records […]
Shirley King Blues For A King Now that I got past the 1700 mark on my reviews, let start working on the 1800 mark with the new album by Shirley King, the blues-singing daughter of the legendary blues artist B.B. King and has earned the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding […]
Ruthie Foster Big Band Live At The Paramount Blue Corn Music The sensational Ruthie Foster has a total of twelve Blues Music Award nominations. She won her first BMA for Contemporary Blues Female Artist in 2010; but between 2011 and 2019 she won The Traditional Blues Female Artist Award a.k.a. The Koko Taylor Award seven […]
Wild Ride Wheels on Fire This morning I want to take you through a journey with a band which truly the most international of bands, Wild Ride features a Polish-born guitarist, a half Maori drummer, and just one home country player on bass. A trio of committed rockers, the band pulls no punches and demands attention. This journey […]
Robert Jon And the Wreck Last Light on the Highway Last Light On The Highway is the May 8, 2020 album by blues and country-infused rock n’ roll quintet Robert Jon and the Wreck out of Orange County, California comprising of Robert Jon Burrison on vocals and guitar, Andrew Espantman on drums, Steve Maggiora keyboards and vocals, Henry James on lead guitar and vocals, and Warren Murrel on […]
Willie Nile New York At Night River House Records Willie Nile was born Robert Noonan in Buffalo, New York in 1948. He attended the University of Buffalo and later moved to New York’s Greenwich Village to begin his recording career. He frequented the nightclub CBGB’s were he was first inspired by the Ramones. He released […]
E D Brayshaw Fire Without Water Fire Without Water is the May 1, 2020 debut solo release by guitarist E D Brayshaw. Having spent over thirty years as the guitar to go sideman for many other artists, E D Brayshaw finally put other projects aside to record his thoughts and emotions on this eight-track album. I first got turned […]
Signal 13 Destination Unknown I am proud to present as my review, the EP Destination Unknown by Baltimore, Maryland based progressive rock band Signal 13 which was released on April 17, 2020. This five-piece band led by front-woman, Vicky Starr and joined by guitarists Johnathan Lassiter and Chris Starr, bassist Patrick Jenkins, and drummer Johnny Sexx. This album with amazing vocals and a classic rock sound […]
Farnell Newton Rippin’ & Runnin’ Posi-Tone This is likely the first review on these pages from the niche jazz label, Posi-Tone, which issues a select number of albums annually, generally just one or two per month on average. Owner and man of many hats, Marc Free, produces, records, markets and more than anything, has discerning […]
Orpheus Visions Visions is an album by Orpheus which is a beautiful, bewitching, viby brew of acoustic & electronic elements, featuring lush, soulful vocal textures and elegant melodies featuring the talents of Jarrod Lawson on all instruments and programming along with some guest artists on a few tracks. This twelve track album on orange colored vinyl features such […]
Nektar Live From the Wildey Theatre Nektar’s album Live From The Wildey Theatre was filmed on March 7, 2020, on their Up Close And Intimate Tour of North America. This show performed in Edwardsville, Illinois focuses on new and classic Nektar tracks spanning their 50 Year career as a band. The psychedelic progressive rock band Nektar comprises of Randy […]
Peter Karp Magnificent Heart Rose Cottage Music Peter Karp’s music is fueled by blues and inspired by the Americana and roots music he grew up listening to. He writes about personal experience with detailed observations. This collection of songs is about people he met and experiences encountered “the triumphs and tragedies that you leave behind […]
Jocelyn Gould Elegant Traveler Posi -Tone Elegant Traveler is the debut for the well-traveled Canadian jazz guitarist/composer/arranger and now bandleader Jocelyn Gould. Gould works with a core quarter augmented by one, two, or three horns on five of the ten selections, mostly originals with a few standards. While earning her master’s degree at Michigan State, […]
Sissy Castrogiovanni Terra MANU There is always a fascination for this writer when world music meets jazz, and to a good back story as well. It also doesn’t hurt to have eye catching album art, On Sissy Castrogiovanni’s self-produced Terra, most stateside listeners, except those who speak the Sicilian dialect, will not identify with the […]
Jeffrey Halford and the Healers West Towards South Review Of “West Towards South”by Jeffrey Halford And The Healers. The formula of the concept album has been around a while. I suppose one of the earliest, and most famous of all was The Beatles classic, ”Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band,” There have been quite a […]
Grant Dermody My Dony Self-released Just listen to the opening title track and it’s immensely clear that this is a deep blues album. Tread in a little further and learn that multi-Grammy award winning musician and producer Dirk Powell partnered with Dermody in the production, songwriting, and, as per usual, brought an arsenal of instruments, […]
King Solomon Hicks Harlem Provogue/Mascot Label Group Twenty-five year old Solomon Hicks is from New York Cities upper west side. He started playing guitar at the age of six. When he was fourteen he recorded “Embryonic” with the seventeen-piece Cotton Club All-Star Band, and toured Europe and Japan. His first mentor was Melvin Sparks. The […]