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.
Jim Allchin Decisions Sandy Key Music Jim Allchin was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended The University of Florida. He earned his M.S. and PhD at Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Allchin went to work for Microsoft where he helped to develop Windows operating systems including Windows 98, Windows Vista and Windows […]
The Cash Box Kings Royal Mint Alligator Records The Cash Box Kings were formed by harp player Joe Nosek in 2001. They released their debut album “Live! at The King Club” in 2003. Chicago born vocalist Oscar Wilson joined the band in 2007. In 2011 The Cash Box Kings signed with Blind Pig Records and […]
Delta Wires is a seven-piece California blues band They were literally born in Oakland over 30 years ago as a college project for lead vocalist and harmonica player Ernie Pinata. Born in Oakland is the band’s seventh album and as the press release states, “demonstrates a further maturation of the group’s West Coast blues style.” […]
A new blues documentary, I Am the Blues is about to start screening around the country. If you are a fan of genuine traditional blues music, blues history, or black history, this film will suck you in, hold you to the end, and leave you wanting more. The film features Bobby Rush. Barbara Lynn, Henry […]
Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind Approved By Snakes Ellersoul Records Jason Ricci has been the recipient of many awards including the coveted Blues Music Award for Blues Instrumentalist – Harmonica which he won in 2010. He is also the only openly gay male star in the blues community. As a performance artist of the […]
Hot Roux Hometown Blues Hi Hat Records Jerry McWorter is the leader of Hot Roux. Inspired by Levon Helm, of The Band, McWorter formed the Louisiana styled swamp rock trio in order that there be a rhythm section to backup artists like James Harman, Lynwood Slim and Albert Lee. Expanding into a trio they recorded […]
Karen Lovely Fish Outta Water Independent Karen Lovely hails from Massachusetts. She started performing in 1987 but didn’t start singing blues until twenty years later. She was living in the Pacific Northwest when she released her 2008 debut recording “Lucky Girl”. Lovely competed in the band competition at the 2010 International Blues Challenge and finished […]
Gordon Meier Blues Experience Magic Kingdom Independent This album is a great introduction to an accomplished guitarist and vocalist. Gordon Meier has been part of the Western New Jersey blues scene for quite some time. For the last twenty five or more years he has been in a Morris County band called The Midnight Street […]
Low Society Sanctified Rezonate Records This is the third album from the band called Low Society. The band is the brainchild of lead singer Mandy Lemons and guitarist Sturgis Nikides. They released their debut recording “High Time” in 2011. Their follow-up was 2014’s “You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down”. The title track from that […]
Andy T Band Double Strike fea. Alabama Mike, Nick Nixon & Anson Funderburgh American Showplace Music When guitarist Andy Talamantez left the West coast he settled in Nashville. Andy used to lead the Nashville Blues Society’s Sunday night jam and it was there that he first met James “Nick” Nixon. Once they became partners in […]
Linsey Alexander Two Cats Delmark Records The seventy four year old Linsey Alexander was born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis. He has been part of Chicago’s North Side blues scene for over two decades. He released his debut recording in 2004; “Someone’s Cooking in My Kitchen” included the song “Hoochie Man” and that has […]
Amy Black Memphis Reuben Records Amy Black began her recording career as an alternative Country or Americana artist. In 2013 between her first and second albums Black released a four song EP called “The Muscle Shoals Session”. Recorded at the Fame studio that session spoke to her soul and Black changed her musical direction. Black […]
Kilborn Alley Blues Band presents The Tolono Tapes Run It Back Records The Kilborn Alley Blues Band was formed some seventeen years ago. Their very first album was self-titled and released in 2003 on Peedee Records. No other information on this recording is available. The bands next four albums were on Nick Moss’s Blue Bella […]
Gina Sicilia Tug of War Blue Elan Records Gina Sicilia is from the greater Philadelphia area. She released her first studio album “Allow Me To Confess” in 2006 one year before graduating from Temple University with a degree in Journalism. Sicilia had been writing songs since the age of twelve so she had ample material […]
Guitar Slim Jr. The Story of My Life Orleans Records Rodney Glenn Armstrong a.k.a. Guitar Slim Jr. is a New Orleans blues guitarist and singer and the son of Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones. Guitar Slim is best known for his million selling hit single “The Things That I Used to Do”. The elder Slim died […]
Polly O’Keary and The Rhythm Method Black Crow Callin’ Independent Polly O’Keary grew up in a log cabin with no plumbing or electricity. At the age of nineteen she had a husband in prison and an 8th grade education. Twenty years later she was a bassist for touring blues bands including “Too Slim & The […]
Brad Stivers Took You Long Enough Vizztone Label Group Brad Stivers grew up in California where his father instilled in him a love for roots music. In school he took up both sax and trombone. After moving to the greater Marysville, Washington area Stivers and his brothers played guitar. Influenced by B.B. King, Stevie Ray […]
Laura Tate Let’s Just Be Real Gold Records Laura Tate is from Dallas, Tx. where she began performing when she was nine years old. She studied acting in New York City and toured in theatrical productions. She soon found herself on the production side of the business directing music videos, documentaries and commercials. She now […]
North Mississippi All-stars Prayer For Peace Sony Legacy The North Mississippi All-stars were formed in 1996 by Luther and Cody Dickinson the sons of Memphis record producer Jim Dickinson. The North Mississippi Allstars released their first studio album “Shake Hands With Shorty” in 2000. That album received a Grammy Award nomination for “Best Contemporary Blues […]
Janiva Magness Blue Again Blue Elan Records Janiva Magness had some hard beginnings as she was a foster care child. Inspired by an Otis Rush performance she found her calling. She recorded her first album in 1991. She has since been nominated for twenty-six Blues Music Awards winning seven times. Magness won the BMA for […]
Selwyn Birchwood Pick Your Poison Alligator Records Selwyn Birchwood was born in Orlando but grew up in the Tampa Area. He first picked up the guitar at the age of 13. By seventeen he was into Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Freddie King and Albert Collins. He went to see Buddy Guy live and was so […]
Chaz Lipp is a saxophone teacher who occasionally gigs around Washington state. Lipp has honed his skill for years and now, luckily for us, he is ready to share it with the larger world. To do so, he has put together “The Chaz Lipp Groove Tripp” and created a debut album, Good Merlin. The group […]
John Nemeth Feelin’ Freaky Memphis Grease Records John Nemeth has an adventurous soul. Originally from Boise, Idaho he convinced his wife to move from their Oakland, California home to Memphis. Nemeth’s soul was always in Memphis, the home of Blues, R n’ B, and Rock n’ Roll. In 2013 he released his eighth album “Memphis […]
John McNamara Rollin’ With It Bahool Records/Black Market Records John McNamara is an award winning soul blues singer from Australia. He released his debut recording “One Voice, One Guitar” in 2014. In 2015 he competed in the International Blues Challenge and was a semi-finalist. This is McNamara’s follow-up recording. In order to “roll with it” […]
Nick Schnebelen Live In Kansas City Vizztone Label Group Nick Schnebelen was a founding member of the band Trampled Under Foot. First formed in 2000 the band released their self-titled debut in 2006. They won the band competition at the 2008 International Blues Challenge and Schnebelen took home the Albert King Award for “Best Guitarist”. […]
Taj Mahal/Keb Mo TajMo Tajmo Record/Concord Records Taj Mahal released his first two albums in 1968 when he was twenty six years old. He was a product of an older generation and his influences included Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Sleepy John Estes. His self titled first album included his version […]
Jon Zeeman Blue Room Membrane Records Jon Zeeman grew up near New York City. As a child he studied classical guitar and piano. He attended Ithaca College and settled in Manhattan where he began to take session work as a jazz fusion guitarist. His first album “Still Life” was released in Europe in 2003 and […]
Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos Independent Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos are a relatively new band. Formed in 2012 their debut recording was 2014’s “Get ROO’D”. They followed up with the live “ROO’D Awakening” in 2016. The Conqueroos are two time International Blues Challenge semi-finalists who have opened or shared the stage with Tab Benoit, […]
I am enthralled by You Can’t Do That! I’ve been a Beatles fan all my life and I can honestly say that I never imagined them this way. Bu oh, how well it works! Mick Kolassa and Mark Telesca are Beatles fans too, and at the 2016 International Blues Challenge in Memphis they started swapping […]
Steve Krase Should’ve Seen It Coming Connor Ray Music Steve Krase got his education playing harp with Jerry Lightfoot and The Essentials. In 2004 he formed his own band, “Steve Krase & The In Crowd”, and they won the award for Houston’s Best Unsigned Blues Band. The following year “The In Crowd” released their only […]
John Primer & Bob Corritore Ain’t Nothing You Can Do! Delta Groove Music Alfonso “John” Primer was born in Camden, Mississippi but moved to Chicago where he was a regular at Theresa’s Lounge located at 48th and South Indiana Avenue. He played in Willie Dixon’s Chicago Blues All-Stars and in The Muddy Waters Band. Later […]
Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter Right Place, Right Time Delta Groove Music When guitarist Mike Welch was only thirteen years old blues aficionado, actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd gave him the nickname Monster Mike. Welch released his 1996 debut recording “These Blues Are Mine” on the Tone-Cool Record label co-produced by Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt. […]
Bobby Messano has been up and down the scale a time or two in a lot of years of playing music. He has been music director for Steve Winwood and Lou Gramm and for county artists Jimmy Wayne and Rodney Aikens. For his own solo work, he chose to play and sing the blues and […]
Hector Anchondo Band Roll The Dice Independent Hector Anchondo was born in Omaha but raised on a farm near Salem, Missouri. He picked up the guitar when he was sixteen and has learned quickly. He moved back to Omaha in 2000 because there were more places to play. He formed his first band, Anchondo, and […]
Chris Bergson Band Bitter Midnight 2 Shirts Records Chris Bergson grew up in a Boston suburb. He began taking guitar lessons at a very young age and developed an appreciation for jazz and blues. He listened to everything from Muddy Waters to Miles Davis. Bergson moved to New York City and began to sit in […]
Eric Bibb Migration Blues Stony Plain Records Eric Bibb is the son of Leon Bibb a singer-songwriter popular during the folk music scene of the 1960’s. The younger Bibb was given his first guitar at the age of seven. Growing up in New York City he was surrounded by the folksingers of that era including […]
Ruthie Foster Joy Comes Back Stone Truth Music/Blue Corn Music Ruthie Foster is still on a roll. The former gospel singer won her first Blues Music Award as Contemporary Blues Female Artist of The Year in 2010. Since then she won the BMA for Traditional Blues Female Artist a.k.a. The Koko Taylor Award five times. […]
Billy Price Alive & Strange Nola Blue/Vuzztone Label Group Billy Price was born William Pollak in Fair Lawn, N.J. in 1949. In the seventies he moved to Pittsburgh where he still works for Carnegie Mellon University. Price became Roy Buchanan’s vocalist and he appears on Buchanan’s 1975 album “Live Stock” on Polydor Records. Price formed […]
Texas artist Matthew Wolcott proves, in his debut release Western Lights, that there is always room for another talented, sensitive songwriter. The five songs here allow Wolcott to paint melancholy pictures with sound. His piano playing perfectly accompanies his rich voice, which reminds this writer of Jackson Browne’s. The title song “Western Lights” sets the […]
Lauren Mitchell Desire Lauren Mitchell Music Lauren Mitchell was born in Columbus Ohio. She began taking voice lessons at the age of nine and developed an interest in musical theatre. Her father had been into soul music and the blues but after her parents divorced he moved to Florida. Mitchell attended college in Columbus but […]
Samantha Fish Chills & Fever Ruf Records Samantha Fish was raised in Kansas City. She started out as a drummer but switched to guitar when she was fifteen. She recorded, “Live Bait”, in 2009 and got noticed by Ruf Records. She was part of Ruf’s 2011“Girls With Guitars” along with Cassie Taylor and Dani Wilde. […]
Rockin’ Johnny Burgin Neoprene Fedora West Tone Records Johnny Burgin was raised in Starkville, Ms. and Greenville, S.C. He went to The University of Chicago with the intention of becoming a writer but instead fell into the Chicago blues scene. He started backing up the Chicago blues vocalist Taildragger. Later he wound up touring with […]
Billy Flynn Lonesome Highway Delmark Records Guitarist Billy Flynn has played with Jimmy Dawkins, Sunnyland Slim, The Legendary Blues Band, Mississippi Heat and the Cash Box Kings. He recorded with Bryan Lee, Willie Kent, Snooky Pryor, Big Bill Morganfield, Jody Williams, Billy Boy Arnold, Mark Hummel, Kim Wilson and many others. Flynn also has ten […]
Coco Montoya Hard Truth Alligator Records Coco Montoya apprenticed with Albert Collins and The Icebreakers for five years and with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers for ten. In 1993 he broke-out and formed his own band and never looked back. Montoya’s debut recording was 1995’s “Gotta Mind to Travel” on Blind Pig Records. Montoya released two more […]
By Rhetta Akamatsu Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion is a British band with a powerhouse vocalist, electrifying guitarist, amazing Hammond organist,, and rock-steady drummer. Their new album, This Is The Life I Choose,’ proves them to be capable of great diversity, ranging from heavy blues rock to jazzy ballads. This is a band that loves to […]
Adrianna Marie Kingdom of Swing Vizztone Label Group/Barking Blues Music Adrianna Marie Hansen grew up in a musical family and left Westport, CT. for California when she was seventeen. She and her husband, guitarist L.A. Jones, now live an hour and half from Los Angeles. She recorded a demo called “Spellcaster” just to get her […]
Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train M.C. Records Guy Davis is a blues musician and an actor. Davis made his Broadway debut in 1991 in the musical “Mulebone” featuring the music of Taj Mahal. He also performed in 1993’s “Robert Johnson Trick The Devil” where he played Johnson; as a direct […]
Vin Mott Quit the Women for the Blues Independent Vin Mott is from Pequannock, N.J. While still a teen he got bit by the blues bug; it was the sound of the blues harp. His influences included Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and James Cotton. Mott studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and […]
Professor Louie and The Crowmatix Crowin’ The Blues Woodstock Records Aaron Hurwitz a.k.a. Professor Louie was a sought after New York City producer and engineer. When he moved up to Woodstock he began to work with the remaining members of the Band; Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Levon Helm. Dubbed Professor Louie by Danko he […]
Sean Chambers Trouble & Whiskey American Showplace Music In the early 1990’s Florida’s Sean Chambers fronted a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band. In 1998 he released his debut recording “Strong Temptation” on the Vestige imprint. Some called the album “the most impressive debut since SRV’s Texas Flood”. While in Memphis Chambers was asked to sit […]
