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.
Johnny Rawls I Miss Otis Clay Third Street Cigar Records Mississippi born Johnny Rawls is a perennial Blues Music Award nominee in the categories of Soul Blues Male Artist and Soul Blues Album. This is the BMA winner’s twentieth album not including collaborations. Rawls took home his first award for his 2009 “Ace of Spades” […]
Bonsai Universe Too Many Ghosts Self-released Too Many Ghosts, the latest title from renowned guitarist Woody Aplanlap, is the second project from what he’s dubbed Bonsai Universe. It’s a beautiful mess. In other words, depending on your mood his inventive psychedelic sounds can joyously transport you but if you’re looking for something more cohesive and […]
The Bad Plus Activate Infinity Edition Activate Infinity is the second album from The Bad Plus since Orrin Evans replaced co-founder Ethan Iverson in the piano chair. This widely popular jazz trio who has gathered a wide fan base drawing on pop and rock audiences, has delivered an album almost every year since their inception […]
Breezy Rodio If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It Delmark Breezy Rodio cut his teeth with Linsey Alexander and continues to prove on If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It, his fifth release, that he is a “real deal” bluesman as a bandleader.He’s got the guitar chops and the soulful vocals, with a voice quite different […]
Claudia Nygaard Lucky Girl Bet the Ranch Music Claudia Nygaard aims right for the bone in her 2019 self-released album, Lucky Girl. Claudia wrote all thirteen songs and the title track “Lucky Girl” is a winning song for the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition. This album doesn’t mince words, it’s not looking for shock value, […]
Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps Live! Jesi-lu Records Teresa James is originally from the Houston, Texas area but has for a long time called Los Angeles home. Her earliest recordings have each been re-issued several times as all of her albums are in demand. James’ fifth album 2007’s “Bottom Line” resulted in her receiving […]
Matt Ulery Delicate Charms Woolgathering Matt Ulery, Chicago-based bassist-composer, casts a mysterious, dense, often warm spell with his quintet called by the same name as the album, Delicate Charms. The unit is unusual in that the front line features alto saxophonist Greg Ward and violinist Zach Brock, each capable of inventive melodic lines, ensemble work, […]
Biscuit Miller & The Mix Chicken Grease American Showplace Music David Miller was raised on Chicago’s Southside. He was nicknamed “Biscuit” by his grandma as he wouldn’t get out of her kitchen. He learned to play bass from his older brother’s friend. His first professional gig was playing with Mojo Buford formerly of The Muddy […]
John Allee Bardfly Portuguese Knees Music There have been a couple of other Shakespeare related efforts to cross this writer, a former English major no less, desk’s recently, and for reasons of those albums being a bit esoteric or somehow unconvincing, we didn’t bring ink to these pages. So yes, John Allee, veteran stage and […]
Myles Goodwyn Friends Of The Blues 2 Linus Entertainment Myles Goodwyn’s interest in the blues began in the 1960’s when he first heard B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. A prolific songwriter he began writing blues songs but saved them for the blues album he knew he would someday make. Goodwyn is a founding […]
Ghost Town Blues Band Shine Independent The Ghost Town Blues Band can be compared to Little Feat. While Feat was a hybrid born in a classic rock era with a foundation built around New Orleans, Lowell George, Allen Toussaint, and the blues; the GTBB is anchored in Memphis with bandleader Matt Isbell, the ghost-like shadow […]
Fima Chupakhin Water Self-released The Ukraine is in the news often lately as it becomes a central focus in the impeachment proceedings but musically we can all be on the same side welcoming Ukrainian-native, Brooklyn-based pianist Fima Chupakhin who is presenting his first album as leader, Water, accompanied by a group of stellar international musicians […]
Chris Madsen Bonfire Outside in Music Saxophonist and band leader Chris Madsen leads his Chicago-based quartet on Bonfire, and album of eight originals, stretching nearly an hour. These compositions have been a long time in the making but allow for plenty of improvisation and interplay. Befitting the album title, there are plenty of moments when […]
The Mavericks Play The Hits Mono Mondo Recordings/Thirty Tigers The Mavericks were founded in 1989 in Miami, Florida. Their sound combines modern country music, Latino and rock n’ roll influences. Between 1991 and 2003 they recorded six studio albums including 1994’s “What A Crying Shame”. The title track from that album had been pre-released as […]
The B Christopher Band Two Rivers Back by Rhetta Akamatsu B. Christopher is a guitarist, singer and very busy composer whose work has been used over 20,000 times on Television. He has worked with some of the best musicians in the business. For Two Rivers Back, which features blues ranging over styles from Delta to […]
Johnny Burgin Live Delmark Records Johnny Burgin attended The University of Chicago to study writing but soon fell into the Chicago Blues Scene. The guitarists first professional gig was backing the Chicago blues vocalist Taildragger. He later toured with both Pinetop Perkins and Sam Lay. He also worked with Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins, Eddie […]
Snave and the Third Stream Tin Can Fish House In 1957, Gunther Schuller described the Third Stream as a place where jazz and classical music meet halfway. For Snave and the Third Stream, that definition expands. It is where jazz, pop, country, blues, Cajun, folk and rock come together. And they do merge beautifully on […]
Al Basile B’s Hot House Sweetspot Records This is Al Basile’s sixteenth studio recording. The singer/songwriter and cornetist continues to create his own sound. In 2017 his recording “Mid-Century Modern”, also on Sweetspot, received a Blues Music Award nomination as Contemporary Blues Album of The Year. Also a poet his 2018 follow-up album “Me & […]
Guillaume Muller Sketches of Sound Self-released Even before listening, one should give a wink to Guillaume Muller for the word play of the album title, playing off one of Miles Davis’ many great records. Guitarist Muller is a relative newcomer to the NYC jazz scene beginning in 2016. This is his debut as a leader […]
HeavyDrunk Holywater 4142 Records To consider that we’re reviewing an album with a tune called “Somebody’s Got to Take Them Panties Off” seems a bit crazy, at least for this writer. Yet, it tells you this band, HeavyDrunk, doesn’t take itself too seriously which is usually a good thing. Better yet, the soulful grooves, fun, […]
Janiva Magness Sings John Fogarty: Change in The Weather Bluelan Records Janiva Magness was initially inspired by the intensity of an Otis Rush performance. Rush gave Magness an appreciation for songwriting too. Magness has been nominated for twenty-eight Blues Music Awards having won that award seven times. She has won the award for Contemporary Female […]
Karl Berger-Jason Kao Hwang Conjure True Sound Recordings We have covered the outstanding violinist and composer Jason Kao Hwang on these pages before with his Burning Bridge band and the album Blood, Delivering very edgy and highly creative sounds. Here he is paired with avant-garde vibraphonist Karl Berger, certainly a collaboration that in some ways […]
Junior Watson Nothin’ To It But To Do It Little Village Foundation West Coast guitar phenom Junior Watson was influenced by Tiny Grimes, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Guitar Slim, and Earl Hooker. He was a founding member of The Mighty Flyers in the early 1980’s and spent a decade with them. In the 1990’s he […]
Jason James Seems Like Tears Ago Traditional country music is alive and kicking and Jason James is its ambassador. The ten original songs on Seems Like Tears Ago captures emotions and melds cheating heartaches, love done wrong songs, good ol’ honky-tonkin’ and countrypolitan stylings without once mentioning pontoon boats or rum drinks by the pool. […]
North Mississippi Allstars Up and Rolling New West This is the New West debut for the venerable North Mississippi Allstars (NMA) and it gets back to their original roots of communal inspired music in Mississippi’s North Hill Country. Joined by a slew of guests, befitting a country picnic or barbeque that’s common in the area, […]
John McAndrew Walkin’ Back Capitol Pianist/singer/songwriter John McAndrew finally let the music lead him back to the right place. For years he fought substance abuse and mental health issues that ruined his shows, caused blackout drives and masked his brilliant talents which are certainly evident as listening to Walkin’ Back for this writer leaves a […]
Jimmy Carpenter Soul Doctor Gulf Coast Records Jimmy Carpenter began playing professionally in 1980. The saxophonist toured with both Tinsley Ellis and Jimmy Thackery. In 2004 Carpenter played on “Whiskey Store Live” with Thackery and Tab Benoit. He settled in New Orleans shortly thereafter and found work with Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Eric Lindell. Carpenter […]
Tony And Joe Tin Can Tunes Tony Cochetti and Joe Flip are popular bluesmen from the Midwest. They have recently released a new album, Tin Can Tunes, which is doing well on blues radio charts already. The name comes from the unique guitars Joe makes and uses on the album. They are created from antique […]
Bruce Katz Solo Ride American Showplace Music Bruce Katz studied jazz piano and Hammond organ at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. His first professional gig was playing bass guitar for Big Mama Thornton. Katz recorded his debut album in 1992. Since then he has appeared on over seventy albums as he is known […]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band The Traveler Concord Records Louisiana born guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan when he was seven years old. Encouraged by his father he was invited onstage by Bryan Lee was he was only thirteen. He released his debut recording “Ledbetter Heights” on the Giant imprint in 1995 and […]
Arsen Shomakhov Rain City Blues Independent Arsen Shomakhov is a Russian blues artist who recorded his debut “Arsen Shomakhov & Ragtime” in 2005. That same year he competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He was signed to Blues Leaf Records and released his first U.S. album “Dangerous” in 2006. Shomakhov re-located to Vancouver, […]
Makar Kashitsyn Jazz Animals Rainy Days There’s a revolution going on in Russia, a jazz revolution that is. We’ll get to the mission and some of the projects of the label, Rainy Days but first we’ll talk about the debut recording of alto saxophonist and composer Makar Kashitsyn, the 19-year-old prodigy from Moscow with Jazz […]
James Harman Liquor Parking Bigtone Records James Harman’s Icehouse Blues Band had played alongside Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Albert King, Lowell Fulsom, Big Joe Turner, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins and numerous other blues icons. This is Harman’s sixteenth album. His most important work maybe the four albums he recorded […]
Randy Lewis Brown Red Crow Berkalin Randy Lewis Brown is another in the gifted group of Texas singer-songwriters full of poetic flair and engaging narratives. Red Crow is collection of 13 original songs, four of which are co-written. Brown sings in a clear, eminently listenable voice with great articulation and just the right amount of […]
Darrin Bradbury Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs Anti This is the witty Darrin Bradbury’s debut for Anti Records. His rhymes and keen observations may remind some of John Prine or Steve Goodman. Heck, at times even his voice sounds like Prine’s. Bradbury’ss collection of songs blend dark humor with observations that are so obvious when […]
Jacqui Brown Love, Love, Love Woodward Avenue At first this was puzzling. The brunette with the hat on the cover and inside jacket signaled country music but the label, Woodward Avenue, for this writer is associated with smooth jazz, real jazz, and soul. Woodward Avenue has a roster of great artists including Melba Moore. Readers […]
Big Beat Sounds Good, Feels Good Self-released Jazz education is thriving in many fine colleges and universities these days. In fact, there are so many talented players coming on the scene that supply is outrunning demand. There are just not enough venues and gigs for these youngsters to play. Nonetheless, the musical inspiration and joy […]
Toronzo Cannon and The Chicago Way The Preacher, The Politician or The Pimp Alligator Records Chicago’s Toronzo Cannon was born on the southside in 1968. As a youngster he would sit outside Theresa’s Lounge listening to the sounds spilling onto the street. He purchased his first guitar at the age of twenty-two. The blues guitarist’s […]
Bill Scorzari Now I’m Free There are poets, there are songwriters, there are painters of fine art, and there’s Bill Scorzari. The new album, Now I’m Free is a bold and delicate balance of each. To say it is a thing of beauty is an understatement. The album has played continuously these last few months […]
Alice Peacock Minnesota Self-released Alice Peacock had four highly acclaimed singer-songwriter albums beginning in 2000 and extending until her last studio album, 2009’s Love Remains. Much has changed since. She’s had three children, moved to Cincinnati, and obviously gotten 10 years older. To be exact, she did make a duo studio recording, Myrick/Peacock with Danny […]
Giles Robson Don’t Give Up On The Blues American Showplace Music Giles Robson has been called “England’s new blues harmonica hero”. After releasing his third album in 2016 Robson got to jam with the great Joe Louis Walker. It was his dream to record with Walker in an acoustic setting. They recorded as a trio […]
Hiss Golden Messenger Terms of Surrender Merge Terms of Surrender is the eighth album for Hiss Golden Messenger (HGM) in their storied career, now over a decade long. HGM has long established their signature sound that fuses gospel, country, pop and rock in a way like no other band. They are hard to define and […]
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Contemporary Alligator Records For over thirty years Rick Estrin was the front man for Little Charlie & The Nightcats. During the time with them he won two Blues Music Awards; Song of The Year and Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. When Charlie Baty retired from touring in 2008 Estrin re-formed the […]
Paula Harris Speakeasy Paula Harris is the sort of vocalist you would expect to find, in fact, in a classic speakeasy or in a ritzy nightclub. Her voice is full and sometimes haunting, as it is on the first song, “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight. It is also capable of getting naughty on a song […]
The McNaMarr Project Holla & Moan Bahool For over ten years now Australian soul/blues vocalist Andrea Marr has stacked up awards and recognition as has fellow Aussie guitarist-singer/songwriter John McNamara. It seemed almost pre-destined that they would combine forces and leave their native country to record in the mecca of soul music, Memphis. The results […]
Kenyatta Beasley Septet Frank Foster Songbook Sony/The Orchard Trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley leads an explosive session with his septet, through the compositions of renowned saxophonist, the late Frank Foster, Beasley’s mentor. These burning cuts, stretched over twos discs, were recorded during a two night stand at Brooklyn’s Jazz 966 in 2013. There are only 11 compositions […]
Tad Robinson Real Street Severn Records Tad Robinson is a Brooklyn born harp player and blue eyed soul singer. He moved to Chicago in 1985 to learn from the masters. In 1994 he released his debut recording “One To Infinity” on Delmark Records featuring keyboardist Ken Saydak and guitarist Dave Spector. His follow-up album was […]
Lisa Rich Highwire Tritone This is vocalist Lisa Rich’s third album, coming now a mere 32 years later, recently remixed and released for the first time. Yes, there’s a story here. Rich sings so purely and this recording is so pristine in sound that it deserves to be heard. Not only that, it features compositions […]
The Paul DesLauriers Band Bounce Vizztone Label Group Paul DesLauriers has long been thought of as a great guitarist and able vocalist. He played with the Canadian band “Black Cat Bone”; Johnny Ferriera, Bryan Lee and Canada’s “Queen of The Blues” Dawn Tyler Watson. In 1997 he formed The Paul DesLauriers Band. In 2014 the […]
Ward Hayden and The Outliers release their newest album Can’t Judge A Book on September 6, 2019.