HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Crooked Eye Tommy Forged in the blood of brothers Tommy and Paddy Marsh, Crooked Eye Tommy casts a musical spell with the depths of joy and melancholy that can only result from a lifetime of playing music together. Since first entering the music scene in Ventura […]
Paul Kelly and Paul Grabowsky Please Leave Your Light On GawdAggie/Cooking Vinyl Australia’s greatest and most enduring songwriter, the exceptionally versatile Paul Kelly collaborates with perhaps the country’s best jazz pianist, and strong composer in his own right, Paul Grabowky – not “Me and Paul” but Paul and Paul. Yes, these are songs for just […]
JW-Jones Sonic Departures Solid Blues Records Canadian JW Jones released his debut album in 2000. Since then he has recorded with Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Little Charlie Baty, Hubert Sumlin, David “Fathead” Newman, and others. His eighth album, “High Temperature”, won the award for “Best Self-Produced CD” at the 2017 International Blues Challenge. His last […]
Chris Bevington Organisation Sand And Stone I remember a night in January of this year, I had made my annual trip to the fantastic “Skegness Blues And Rock Festival” over in the north east of England. Unmissable date in my musical calendar as far as I’m concerned. But that’s another story as they say over […]
Samoa Wilson with the Jim Kweskin Band I Just Want To Be Horizontal Kingswood Records During the early 1960’s there was a thriving folk music revival coming out of New York’s Greenwich Village. In 1963 the “Even Dozen Jug Band” released their album on Elektra Records. The music was fun, and among the band members […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Kitty Coen Kitty Coen is a singer-songwriter based in Austin, TX. Kaleidoscopic and hopelessly romantic, Coen’s voice pulses through the listener and lingers with a haunting essence thereafter. Paired with booming bass guitar, energetic electric guitar, funky synth, and infectious drum patterns, Kitty Coen brings a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Anthony Geraci Pianist, Hammond organist and composer Anthony Geraci was born in New Haven, Conn. in 1954. His interest in playing piano began at age four when he told his parents “I want a piano!” Kind of an odd request when most kids want a […]
Cary Morin Dockside Saints Dockside Saints released August 7, 2020 and features an all-star cast of soulful players. Cary Morin releases the best album of his career at a time when promoting new music will take a higher power. There is something special at play here, perhaps something ancestral was captured, some ancient Native culture […]
Eliza Neals Black Crow Moan Eliza Neals has produced an album of soul stirring blues and rock n’ roll. You know that your in for a treat from the opening track “Don’t Judge The Blues” when it blast’s off with the meanest slide guitar that you are ever likely to hear, add in some hand […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Wily Bo Walker Wily Bo Walker is an award-winning solo artist, songwriter, composer and performer noted for his swaggering ‘live’ performances and is regarded as one of the top blues vocalists in Europe Renowned as being a diverse and prolific artist and hailing originally from Glasgow, […]
Jeff Fetterman Southern Son Self-released Hailing from western Pennsylvania, not exactly a blues hotbed, comes vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Jeff Fetterman, a self-taught bluesman, with his fourth album and one that may break his name out there beyond the regional success he’s had. Fetterman has placed highly in IBC in both 2017 and 2018 and won Rock Erie […]
Kat Riggins Cry Out Gulf Coast Records While growing up in Miami, Katriva Tabitha Riggins’ was instilled with a love for music. Her parent’s record collection included R n’ B, soul, gospel, hip-hop, country and rock n’ roll. Her primary influences soon became Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Etta James and Koko Taylor. Riggins landed a […]
Quinsin Nachoff Pivotal Arc Whirlwind Recordings Say the words “classical music” and it scares off plenty of would-be listeners, even the most fervent jazz listeners. Yet, we have so many examples of classical music in jazz from Miles to Mingus to Corea to Wayne Shorter and to the more contemporary Ambrose Akinmusire, to name a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Cary Morin Described as “one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today,” Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America and beyond like no other. With deft fingerstyle guitar and vocals that alternately convey melodic elation and gritty world-weariness, Morin crafts an […]
The Lucky Losers (w/ Cathy Lemons & Phil Berkowitz) Godless Land Vizztone Label Group The Lucky Losers are a band fronted by vocalists Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz. Lemons is originally from the Dallas area where she used to run with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Anson Funderburgh. In 1987 she toured with John Lee Hooker. […]
Market Junction Burning Bridges Self-released Houston, Texas-based Market Junction grabs the listener right from the outset with lyrics to the opening “When Your Heart Begins to Break.” Try this line – “Love is not an anchor that steadies you at sea. It’s more like a shipwreck on a godforsaken beach.” As the album unfolds, it’s […]
Thundermother Heatwave Let’s get straight to the point, this album delivers in spade’s with song after song of red hot high voltage rock n’roll. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard songs of this quality. In fact if I’m being honest, it’s the Bon Scott era of AC/DC since I heard something this good. With songs […]
Slave To Sound Vol 5 The Muggs If proof was needed that honest, loud,driving rock n roll is still cutting it. You need look no further than the latest offering from Detroit rockers The Muggs. “Slave To Sound Vol 5”is a collection of songs designed to get your toes tapping and hands clapping. What’s called in […]
Scott Weis Band Simmer Me Down Sleepy Lodge Records Scott Weis began playing professionally in the 1990’s. Early on he worked with, or opened for, Jerry Garcia, Junior Wells, John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy. He formed the Scott Weis Band in 2005; and recorded their well-received 2006 debut “Have A Lil Faith” with co-producer […]
Family Album Stephen Simmons Introducing new music from Stephen Simmons as he releases his Family Album on his indie Locke Creek label. These are uncertain times but perhaps one saving grace during the pandemic is that people are slowing down and reconnecting with family. The songs on Family Album are exactly that, a connection to […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz of the Lucky Losers Accompanied by a dynamic four piece ensemble, veteran Bay Area artists, Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz deliver a truly signature sound, layering elements of Stax/Volt styled R&B, electric Americana, and psychedelic rock atop a Chicago and Texas […]
JD Taylor The Coldwater Sessions Vizztone Label Group JD Taylor is the harmonica ace, vocalist and front man for the Tennessee based blues band “Little Boys Blue”. Originally formed in 1993 they’re popularity continues to grow. In 2016 they released their fourth album, and first for Vizztone, “Tennissippi”, and followed up with 2018’s “Hard Blue […]
HOME PAGE Making A Scene presents an Interview with Billy Prine The best education a musician can get is playing in bar bands, and the earlier the better. Billy Prine formed and led his first bar band in Chicago at the tender age of twelve. Chicago in the 1960’s and early 1970’s was wide open, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with JD Taylor! JD Taylor grew up in Brownsville TN. never dreaming that at age 30 a gift of a harmonica would change his life forever. In just 3 short years of writing songs practicing harmonica, hanging out on Beale Street and and catching all the greats traveling […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Graham Bramblett Graham Bramblett was born in raised in Dallas, Texas before embarking on a journey where he called many places home. Bramblett attended college in Missouri but found himself paying as much attention to writing and performing songs as much as his school. Upon graduation, […]
Wily Bo Walker & Danny Flam Ain’t No Man A Good Man Mescal Canyon Records Wily Bo Walker is a Scottish born singer/songwriter who has had success in both Europe and the U.S. He combines Rock, Americana, Blues, Gospel and R n’ B into his own hallucinogenic stew. He performs his swamp and stomp “VoodooVille” […]
Susan Tobocman Touch & Go Soliterra Records Touch & Go could be the breakout album for vocalist/composer/arranger Susan Tobocman. This is her fourth album as a leader but here she steps forward with five originals of the dozen tunes, two of which are instrumentals, rare for one known mostly as a vocalist. Of course, Tobocman […]
Nicole Zuraitis All Wandering Hearts Dot Time All Wandering Hearts is Grammy® nominated vocalist, pianist, composer and arranger Nicole Zuraitis’ fourth album as a bandleader and it explores the raw emotions and tribulations of life on the road as a full-time musician. Listeners will take a journey through genre-bending jazz-adjacent soundscapes that are both complex and […]
Mark May Band Deep Dark Demon Gulf Coast Records Guitarist Mark May was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a young man he was already playing nightclubs before he turned fifteen. He relocated to Houston, Texas where he spent twenty years playing country music and rock in biker bars. Influenced by Albert Collins May turned to […]
Libby Rae Watson & Bert Deivert She Shimmy Hard Danger Studio Word is surely getting around in this ever smaller world of ours. In the past few months, this writer has been contacted by artists and/or producers in Russia, Cuba, and Sweden. We have covered some of the jazz artists on the Russian label, Rainy […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Leslie Mandoki In 1991, Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, and Al Di Meola became founding members of Leslie Mandoki’s band project Mandoki Soulmates, and for almost three decades, Leslie Mandoki has continued to unite a “who is who” of the icons of Anglo-American and European rock and […]
Shawn Pittman Make It Right! Continental Blue Heaven Shawn Pittman was born in 1974, in Talihina Oklahoma, approximately 100 miles from Tulsa. His grandmother played boogie-woogie but instead of learning piano he picked up the guitar. He was influenced by the musicians he heard on the radio including Jimmy Reed, Elmore James and Hound Dog […]
Taylor Swift Folklore In a stroke of marketing genius,Taylor Swift dropped a surprise album with 17 hours notice on Friday. Swift’s 8th studio album titled Folklore proves that even as the world is in the midst of a pandemic, the music doesn’t have to stop. Fans went wild upon hearing the news of the lengthy […]
Orquesta Failde Failde Con Tumbao Egrem Word is surely getting around in this ever smaller world of ours. In the past few months, this writer has been contacted by artists and/or producers in Russia, Sweden, and Cuba. We have covered some of the jazz artists on the Russian label, Rainy Days and will be telling […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jon Strahl We are a group of musicians interested in exploring the Blues and the many interweaving genres of American music. Our playing and songwriting is straightforward and heartfelt, always moving forward while remaining rooted in tradition. We continue to create, perform, and entertain on our […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Rick Berthod Rick started playing Blues Guitar in his late teens influenced by Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Rory Gallagher,Jeff Beck ,Jimi Hendrix ,& BB King. Rick played clubs in town even though he was barely old enough to get into a bar. While living in […]
Gravel & Grace Bringing The Blues Ava Grace Music Modesto California’s Big Earl Matthews is a twenty-year veteran of the local blues scene. He is bandleader of “Big Earl and the Cryin’ Shame” and an intense organizer of jams and events. He is also a member of the blues and roots band the “Poorhouse Millionaires”. […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jay Moonah One man. A suitcase kick-drum. A toolbox of harmonicas. A beat-up guitar. Also a mini-washboard, and a bit of kazoo for good measure. Broke Fuse is a one-man folk-blues band from Toronto, playing originals alongside classic songs by Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, […]
Home Page Making a Scene Reviews “InstaBand” The Movie The changes in the music industry and how music is consumed has forced the indie artist to adapt and look for new ways to navigate the world of Music Business. Streaming is now the delivery platform for music today and despite the fact that artists are […]
CD Woodbury World’s Gone Crazy Independent CD Woodbury developed a reputation as a sideman on the Pacific NW blues scene. He founded his own band in 2009 and released his debut Sunbanks Live! In 2010; resulting in winning the first of his eleven Washington Blues Society “Best of The Blues” awards and the moniker “The […]
Zen Zadravec Human Revolution Marmite (FACTOR) Two weeks ago, we brought you the outstanding big band debut from trumpeter and Canadian resident Derrick Gardner’s Big dig! Band in which Zen Zadravec was the pianist. Now the Canadian pianist, saxophonist, and composer Zadravec and his quintet Human Revolution, of which Gardner is a key member, brings […]
Mafalda Minnozzi Sensorial – Portraits in Bossa and Jazz Self-released Internationally acclaimed vocalist Mafalda Minnozzi presents Sensorial – Portraits in Bossa & Jazz. Under the musical direction of guitarist Paul Ricci and with the help of heavyweights like pianist Art Hirahara, bassists Essiet Okon Essiet and Harvie S, drummer Victor Jones and percussionists Will Calhoun and Rogério Boccato, Sensorial revisits and reimagines the Brazilian songbook, intersecting with NYC jazz. Pianist Hirahara just […]
Laura Cox Burning Bright “Burning Bright”the latest album by French blues rock sensation Laura Cox. Right from the opening track Fire Fire the pace is relentless, song after song of explosive high voltage rock n’ roll. The most difficult tasks for me, is to pick a favourite track, as the standard set is so high. But […]
Bill Kirchen The Proper Years The Last Music Co. Connecticut born Bill Kirchen attended high school in Ann Arbor. Later as a student at the University of Michigan he was a member of a country band with George Frayne and John Tichy. In 1967 they became the nucleus and co-founders of Commander Cody and the […]
Heathcote Hill The Stories We Are Told 311 Music Westchester County New York may not be a common base for many bands, but Heathcote Hill are proud to call Mamaroneck, NY home. Stories We Are Told is the band’s fifth album in less than four years. Produced and mixed by Timothy M. Hatfield (Keith Richards, […]
Home Page Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Danny O’Reilly of The Coronas! The Coronas’ 13-year journey has definitely been unique. With a handful of multi-platinum selling albums and a huge fan base in their native Ireland, they were just about to embark on a planned six-month world tour in support of their long-awaited […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Gerald McClendon Gerald, known in Chicago as the “Soulkeeper.” One of the most reminiscent and versatile soul, R&B, singer/songwriter/performer in the recording industry. Gerald McClendon has graced the stage to sellout crowds to practically all the major entertainment venues throughout the Midwest area. In addition, his […]
Too Slim And The Taildraggers The Remedy Vizztone Label Group Too Slim And The Taildraggers were first formed in 1986 by Spokane, Washington’s Timothy Lee “Too Slim” Langford. They released their debut recording “Swingin’ in the Underworld” in 1988. The prolific band received a 2012 Blues Music Award nomination in the category of “Blues Rock […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Mandalyn! Mandalyn hales from NW Indiana (the region). She was born with a love of music in her soul. Being classically trained, Mandalyn started competing in various competitions at a young age. In her late teens, she started performing at live venues. Mandalyn’s background includes studio […]
Gregg Martinez Mac Daddy Mojeaux Nola Blue Records Gregg Martinez a.k.a. Mac Daddy was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1956, where he graduated from high school. His powerful tenor vocal style was inspired by soul icons Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Al Green; and contemporary Louisiana artists Johnny Adams and Luther Kent. His musical gumbo […]