HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Bad Bob Bates Bad Bob Bates is a veteran North East England musician and lives on the banks of the river Tyne in an old stone house to the west of Newcastle/Gateshead. When he’s not making music he’s building guitars (Bridge Street Guitars) and foot […]
Leap Day Trio Live at the Café Bohemia Giant Steps Arts The Leap Day Trio (Matt Wilson, Jeff Lederer, and Mimi Jones) christen the reopening of Greenwich Village’s famed Café Bohemia sixty years later. What a story! The club originally opened in 1955, when Charlie Parker offered to play the room for free drinks. The […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Buddy Mondlock Buddy Mondlock writes songs. He does it so well that some great songwriters have recorded his songs on their own albums. Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, and Janis Ian, to name just a few. You might’ve heard his song “The Kid” (recorded by David Wilcox, Peter, […]
Alex Weiss Most Don’t Have Enough ears & eyes The socially conscious Most Don’t Have Enough is the third album for tenor saxophonist Alex Weiss and his first with his working quintet since 2019, Glad Irys. This adventurous, fiery unit has Dan Blake on soprano saxophone and Yana Davydova on guitar, forming a formidable front […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Douglas Avery Douglas Avery considers himself a lucky man, living his dream of being a musician. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Avery got an early start performing for the first time at age five as a member of his school‘s choir, singing pop and […]
Various Artists Tribute to a Song Poet: Songs of Eric Andersen Y&T Music / EARecords This massive 3-CD and digital tribute to the living legend folk artist Eric Andersen has been available since early in 2023 but we’d be remiss not to inform you about it, even now. It’s a staggering list of artists paying […]
Tim Carman Trio Key Lime Color Red Music Fans of the blues trio GA-20 no doubt recognizes the talents of those players, in this case our reference is to Boston-based drummer Tim Carman, the leader of his eponymous organ trio. Yes, this classic soul-jazz in the spirit of 60s icons Big John Patton, Jimmy Smith, […]
Tomer Cohen Not the Same River Hypnote Tomer Cohen is an Israeli-born jazz guitarist making his debut on Not the Same River, introducing us to his sound which incorporates folk, Israeli music, and jazz in a trio format. His bandmates have strong ties to the SF Jazz Collection – bassist Matt Penman and drummer Obed […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Teresa James Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps are on quite a roll. Her persuasive pipes slathered in honey and soaked in Texas-bred sass, keyboardist Teresa James and her band, the Rhythm Tramps, have long reigned as one of Los Angeles’ leading contemporary blues outfits, even […]
Don Aliquo Growth Self-released Veteran reedist Don Aliquo, originally from Pittsburgh, but resident of Nashville for the past two decades, may still be a relatively new name as he is not part of the more publicized jazz scenes in New York or Chicago. Aliquo was mentored from childhood by his father, the still active 93-year-old […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Brings you Gerry Casey’s Interview with The Dead Dasies Ten years ago, The Dead Daisies burst onto the music scene. Their mission, to create some good old fashioned 70’s style rock, gather some of the finest musicians in the world, and have a great time keeping rock music alive. The […]
Joe Locke Makram Circle 9 Veteran vibraphonist and composer Joe Locke reunites his quartet for an album that feels both old and new at the same time. The ‘old” are the two standards that bookend the album’s seven originals, either penned by Locke or band members with Locke doing all the arranging. Locke’s quartet features […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Interviews the Scarlet Goodbye The Scarlet Goodbye, labelled “the most unlikely mash-up in Minnesota Music History”, is the creative combination of Daniel Murphy and Jeff Arundel. Murphy, pivotal in the launch of both Soul Asylum and the super-group Golden Smog, had stepped away from the game in 2012, after 30 […]
Buddy Mondlock Filament Self-released Buddy Mondlock is one of the better, albeit lesser known Nashville-based singer songwriters. After all, any songwriter who co-writes with Guy Clark is in a lofty category, just be virtue of that. Yet, there’s much more here on Mondlock’s latest, Filament, than just “The Dark,” the co-write with Clark. The album […]
Leon Lee Dorsey w/ Mike Clark and Russell Malone Cantaloupe Island Jazz Avenue 1 The bass-drum team of Leon Lee Dorsey and Mike Clark are on a certifiable roll. This writer has reviewed three of their efforts, all with pianists – Manuel Valera, the late Harold Mabern, and most recently Mike LeDonne. The duo now […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene presents an interview with Big B and the Actual Proof Walk down Nightmare Alley, take a left on Scarlet Street, duck through a side door to a nameless, smoke-filled taproom, and immerse yourself in the world of The Noir Album, the new record from Big B and The Actual Proof. Inspired by film’s seamiest genre, […]
Christopher McBride Ramon KYO Music Saxophonist and composer Christopher McBride’s Ramon is a more than appropriate album for Black History Month as he weaves in the four pillars of Black music, blues, gospel, soul, and R&B as well as a suite devoted to the unfortunate murder of Trayvon Martin. The recent Grammy winner with Steven […]
Ann Hampton Calloway Fever: A Peggy Lee Celebration Palmetto Having heard Ann Hampton Calloway sing recently, there’s a bluesy, sultry style to her vocals that should interest the readers of this blues-oriented publication. Calloway has all the key attributes of nuance, power, range, and emotion as well as the presence of the best entertainers, and […]
Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jewel Brown A young nightclub performer from Houston with a booming bluesy voice, Jewel Brown faced a once-in-a-lifetime career choice in 1961: whether to join Duke Ellington’s band or Louis Armstrong’s. “I said Louis Armstrong in a flash, ” Brown recalled this week in the French Quarter hotel […]
Jesse Davis Jesse Davis Live at Smalls Jazz Club Cellar Music Group and SmallsLIVE Living Masters Series Admittedly some readers of these pages may have first associated the name Jesse Davis with Taj Mahal’s late guitarist, better known as Jesse Ed Davis. Yet, alto saxophonist Jesse Davis has been a staple within the jazz community for nearly forty […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with “The Milk Men” “The blues may have been born in America. But the gritty rhythm n’ blues that bands like The Yardbirds, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac , Dr Feelgood and so many others brought us .” Left the listeners in no doubt this was explosive […]
East Axis No Subject Mack Avenue We don’t associate the label Mack Avenue or Christian’s McBride’s Brother Mister Productions with improvised, avant-garde offerings except for his own New Jawn but that has changed with the issuance of this quartet, East Axis and their debut, No Subject. Based on the sounds heard here, more of this […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Scott Allen As a Minnesota music fan, singer/bassist and live sound engineer, Scott’s had a unique exposure to Minnesota music and the artists performing it. On the bass and backing vocals, he’s played in bands with songwriters like Tom Mason, Mark Hasbrouch (Surahoolies), Phil Solem (The […]
Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra Time Capsule Planet Arts Jazz, blues, and soul lovers will all find recognizable fare on this large ensemble recording from Bill Warfield and his famed Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra as they cover such gems as “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” “Light […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Henri Herbert Boogie Till I Die, the new solo piano album from Henri Herbert, is an intoxicating ode to a truly original American art form. Always thinking and experimenting with the form, Henri is not content standing still. “I like trying to push it forward,” he […]
Planet D Nonet Blues to Be There A Salute to Duke Ellington Eastlawn The Planet D Nonet is a Detroit-based group, actually numbering ten, lead by percussionist and music personality RJ Spangler and trumpeter/vocalist James O’Donnell. Prior to this salute to Duke Ellington the band has engaged in what they feel are neglected jazz and […]
Dave Stryker Prime Strikezone As readers of these pages know, jazz/blues guitarist Dave Stryker is prolific yet this offering, Prime, is his first featuring his working trio – organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter, each of whom have issued albums as leaders as well. This represents the classic soul-jazz organ trio with eight new […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Linda Carone LINDA CARONE IS A VINTAGE JAZZ AND BLUES VOCALIST: a niche song stylist and interpreter of popular music from the 1920’s and beyond. An early passion for jazz and blues developed upon first hearing the raw and emotive melancholy of Billie Holiday. This inspiration laid […]
Diego Rivera Love And Peace Posi-Tone Bandleader, composer, educator and saxophonist Diego Rivera returns for his fourth release for PosiTone with the inspired Love And Peace. Rivera fronts a quartet, backed by the label’s mainstay rhythm section of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston. We have covered Rivera on these pages […]
Dave Liebman Live at Smalls Cellar Music Group – Smalls Live Living Masters Series He’s played for over sixty years and attained NEA Jazz Master status, so who can blame saxophonist and composer Dave Liebman for electing to play free jazz at this stage of his career – “I have been recording since I was […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with DC Blues Band PAUL WINN | Vox/Blues Harp Manager and one of the original founders of the band. Paul is also a multi-award nominated Blues Radio Presenter as the host of “Blues From The Ouse” on Jorvik Radio and also “The Blues Hour” on Tempo FM & […]
The Shootouts Stampede Soundly Music The Shootouts never expected to engage in this level of glittering hoedown showdown, and certainly not so quickly following the success of their 2021 Top 10 Americana album, Bullseye. But they could not get out of the way of this Stampede, certainly not with Ray Benson driving it. The renowned […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Laura Zucker Singer-songwriter Laura Zucker wins audiences over with a hard-won perspective and a positive spin. The powerful imagery of her songs and stories ring so true you might think she’s read your diary – and you’ll find yourself humming her infectious melodies for days to […]
Sunny War Anarchist Gospel New West It’s been a remarkable run for the punk-blues artist Sunny War, known for her fingerpicking acoustic guitar skills and her deceptively casual, quiet approach to songs, many of which are topical. While her early independent records cast her mostly in a blues vein, her music encompasses much more as […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Brooks Young Brooks Young & His Band saturate their songs with rock and roll edge and blues feel, going for a direct, emotional and powerful sonic blend. Brooks’ searing guitar leads and soulful vocal performances lock in perfectly with the solid rhythm section, creating an inspirational […]
Ben Wolfe Unjust Resident Arts Bassist, bandleader and composer Ben Wolfe’s 2019 Fatherhood, a mix of jazz and classical was so provocative, it left us curious as to what his next move would be. The wait is over. Wolfe returns Unjust, eschewing the classical side of his personality for more of a free, improvised jazz […]
Helene Cronin Landmarks Self-released Landmarks is the follow-up to singer-songwriter Helene Cronin’s acclaimed 2019 debut, Old Ghosts and Lost Causes, yet she brings a more fully realized louder and denser sound to this effort. Comparing the two, one notices several similarities though as the main drivers for both are Cronin and producer Matt King who […]
The Matt Swanton Band The Matt Swanton Band Independent Matt Swanton is a rock blues guitarist who has been playing since 9 years old. Matt has since gotten to share the stage with the likes of Albert Castiglia, Mike Zito, Jeremiah Johnson, Papa Chubby, and Ronnie Earl. This year Matt was nominated by the Boston Blues […]
Eddie 9V Capricorn Ruf Did you ever play a game with friends where you might give each other names – like bowlers or gangsters? Well, apparently while on the road with another band, the guitarist/singer Brooks Mason was in such a situation and thus the name Eddie 9 Volt (shortened to Eddie V) was bestowed […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Eddie 9v All his life, Eddie 9V (9-volt) has acted on instinct. Aged just 15, this old-soul artist turned away from the path of college and jobs to burst all guns blazing onto the roots and blues club circuit of his native Atlanta, Georgia. Flash […]
Pocono Jones & The Bear Live at Cambridge Sound Studios Self-released This is our second review for Pennsylvania-based folk/blues artist Paul Wilkinson, billed here as the The Bear in keeping with the solo effort from 2021, 400 Bears. He is joined by Pocono Jones, aka Brad Hinton for a live acoustic performance that took place […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene presents an interview with Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective are Jamie Williams on vocals & rhythm guitar; Dave ‘The Hat’ Milligan on lead guitar; Jake ‘The Dude’ Milligan on Bass & James Bacon on drums. They exist on an imaginary tightrope stretching between […]
Jim Brunberg Songs of Stupid Hope Self-released Portland-based singer-songwriter Jim Brunberg is no newcomer though he has been out of the limelight in terms of recorded music for the past fifteen years, but he hasn’t strayed from some aspect of music. He’s long been an owner of multiple music venues in Portland and has composed […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Austin Mayse Texas-born singer-songwriter Austin Mayse has returned to the studio for his second full-length album, Bridges & Kerosene. Produced by Hill Country music ace Chris Beall and engineered by Ron Flynt, it features songs that Mayse has brought to soulful solo life onstage in recent […]
Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets Pan Africa Impact Jazz Trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Derrick Gardner has been regarded prominently ever since his 2005 debut with Slim Goodie. He has also received international acclaim for his 18-piece ensemble Derrick Gardner & The Big dig! Band, highlighted by their critically acclaimed 2020 recording debut Still I Rise, which we covered […]
Christine Correa Just You Stand and Listen with Me Sunnyside Vocalist Christine Correa and her hand-picked quartet do an admirable job recasting the iconic We Insist! Freedom Now Suite from Max Roach, Oscar Brown Jr., and Abbey Lincoln in their version, Just You Stand and Listen with Me. The prevailing notion of course, is that […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Mick Kolassa “Michissippi Mick” Kolassa lives in Memphis but was born in Michigan and lived in Mississippi for nearly 30 years, where he was given his nickname. He has played blues in solo and duo acoustic formats and with his bands for years. Mick has performed […]
Johnny Nicholas A Tribute to Moon Mullican, Volumes 1 & 2 Valcour Records Aubrey Wilson “Moon” Mullican (1909-1967) is considered by many to have been the king of honky-tonk pianists during the 1930s and ‘40s. None other than Jerry Lee Lewis covered several of Mullican’s songs and sang his praises for the ways he bridged […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Chris Shutters Chris is a two-time BSBS National Blues Champion, songwriter and producer. He has performed and toured internationally on 9 world tours and has four albums. His is latest album is called ‘Chris Shutters Quarantine Sessions’. His late 2019 album is called ‘Good Gone Bad’ […]
Yvonnick Prené Listen! Sunnyside One can count the number of jazz harmonicists practically on one hand, at least the most well-known ones such as Grégoire Maret, Hendrik Muerkens, and the legendary Toots Thielemans. Enter upstart chromatic harmonica master, Parisian born, New York-based Yvonnick Prené. If we’re not mistaken Prené’s previous recording was a trio date, […]