Vaneese Thomas Down Yonder Segue Multiple BMA nominee and daughter of iconic soul man Rufus Thomas, Vaneese Thomas, delivers her eighth album, another terrific soul work, Down Yonder. Thomas splits her time between her hometown of Memphis and Broadway, as she’s lived in the New York area for some time now. Thomas is either the […]
Bobby Rush Sitting On Top Of The Blues Deep Rush Records Bobby Rush was born Emmit Ellis Jr. in Homer, Louisiana in 1933. As a youngster he befriended and played with Elmore James. He formed his own band and eventually moved to Chicago where he found work with Jimmy Reed. Rush’s music is a combination […]
J.P. Soars Let Go Of The Reins Whiskey Bayou Records Besides fronting his own band J.P. Soars is a member of the all-star “Southern Hospitality” also featuring Damon Fowler, Victor Wainwright and drummer Chris Peet. In 2013 Tab Benoit produced their debut album “Easy Livin’”. When Benoit decided to begin his own label Fowler was […]
Mark Cameron On A Roll Cop Records Mark Cameron hails from Minnesota where he has been making music for over forty years. In the early seventies he began performing in folk rock bands. In 1984 Cameron founded the twin cities based “Citizen’s Patrol” and released three albums with them. He turned to the blues and […]
Diana Rein Queen of My Castle Gulf Coast Records Diana Rein is the daughter of Romanian immigrants who migrated here in 1981 when she was three years old. At the age of eight her parents brought her to a Chicago Blues Club where she fell in love with the music; her primary influence is Stevie […]
Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues Roots And Branches: The Songs of Little Walter Alligator Records Billy Branch was born in Chicago in 1951, and raised in Los Angeles. In 1969 when he was eighteen Branch moved back to Chicago to attend The University of Illinois. That summer he attended the first Chicago Blues […]
Patrick Barnitt Sway Self-released Vocalist and actor Patrick Barnitt is releasing his second album, Sway, backed by the 17-piece Paul McDonald Big Band and featuring a varied collection of swing, pop, and blues tunes. At times Barnitt, with his robust tenor voice, will remind you of those classic male singers of the Great American Songbook. […]
Lauren Desberg Out for Delivery Self-released Out for Delivery is a different kind of jazz vocal album because songstress Lauren Desberg wants to be anything but predictable You may not even think it’s jazz as you know it. It’s an album that doesn’t rely on standards although there are two of them transformed into almost […]
Dawn Tyler Watson Mad Love Independent Canadian Dawn Tyler Watson studied Jazz and Theatre at Concordia University in Montreal. She was featured in several movies but achieved success playing a 1950’s cabaret singer in the 2004 film “Jack Paradise (Les Nuits de Montreal)”. The resulting soundtrack featuring Watson was nominated for a Prix Jutra, the […]
Pablo Lanouguere Quintet Eclectico Self-released Pablo Lanouguere is a native-born Argentinian bassist and composer and this is the recording debut of his quintet, Eclectico. These are a dozen originals, 11 by Lanouguere. Their music is unique, for lack of a better term, world fusion, combining modern jazz, tango, Argentinian, and classical music. Lanouguere has been […]
Joe Zook & Blues Deluxe Good Mornin’ Blues Self- released Blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, bandleader and now retired teacher, Joe Zuccarello (Joe Zook) is now nearing almost five decades playing in various configurations. Here he leads the ensemble Blues DeLuxe, with a full three-piece horn section, a group comprising nine members. Zook, based in Trenton, […]
The South Austin Moonlighters Travel Light Station House Records The South Austin Moonlighters are a roots-rock band. A group of local music veterans got together in 2011 just to have a good time. Included were bassist/mandolinist Lonnie Trevino Jr. who had previously toured with Mike Zito, played with singer-songwriter Drew Womack, and was soon to […]
Ernest Turner My Americana Self-released Veteran pianist Ernest Turner hails from Durham, NC but has soaked up plenty of jazz through his university studies as well as playing in New Orleans before returning home and establishing himself as a mainstay in Durham’s burgeoning jazz scene. My Americana is his solo debut album after spending years […]
Cara Being Blue Grit Independent Cara Lippman is a native of Hopkinton. Ma, a Boston suburb, who was mentored by that cities “Regal Queen of the Blues” Shirley Lewis. Cara relocated to Nashville over a decade ago to hone her live performance skills. Quickly she became a pro blues jam host and eventually wound up […]
Peter Ward Train To Key Biscayne Gandy Dancer Records While growing up guitarist Peter Ward and his brother were bitten by the blues bug. Influenced by the music of Muddy Waters and Little Walter they would attend as many live concerts as possible. Peter backed Jimmy Rogers, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Lowell Fulson and others when […]
Bob Corritore & Friends Do The Hip-Shake Baby! Vizztone Label Group/Southwest Musical Arts Foundation Bob Corritore is a Blues Music Award winner with a total of six nominations including one again this year as Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. His last album was 2018’s “Don’t Let the Devil Ride”. Corritore is also back with a […]
Rebecca Loebe Give Up Your Ghosts Blue Corn Music Give Up Your Ghosts is exactly that. Written within a creative span of a few months, these are songs that Rebecca Loebe needed to hear, they are songs about empowerment. The eleven songs, written by Rebecca, are poppy and current and appeal to young and old […]
Bianca De Leon Dangerous Endeavor Lonesome Highway Music South Texas native Bianca De Leon is an Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter and author dubbed “Queen of the border ballad” by Nova Lomax and “A voice from Texas that does it right” by Guy Clark. Outside of Texas, she’s better known in Europe where she’s been touring since […]
Art Turk Burton Ancestral Spirits T N’T Music Percussionist, band leader and author Art Turk Burton leads a powerful ensemble with several AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) members, a six-piece rhythm section and singer Maggie Brown for another adventurous album as a leader. This is his follow-up to Spirits – Then & […]
Akira Tana & Otonowa Love’s Radiance (Ai San San) Vega Drum master Akira Tana is releasing the third album with his group Otonowa, which was founded in 2012 to tour and raise funds for the communities devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. That earthquake registered a whopping 9.1, damaged the […]
Phil Madeira Crickets Mercyland Records Multi-Instrumentalist award-winning Americana singer-songwriter and producer Phil Madeira is releasing an instrumental jazz album Crickets on April 26th. The audible pin drop notwithstanding, noodling at jazz and blues is how Phil Madeira relaxes when he’s not in the spotlight. It’s an energy born of passion and content. The songs are […]
Tim Gartland Satisfied Taste Good Music Ohio born Tim Gartland saw Muddy Waters in concert when he was fourteen and it proved to be a life changing experience. He studied the harmonica, began playing in bands and started writing his own songs. After graduation from college Tim relocated to Chicago where he studied with Jerry […]
Meg Williams Take Me As I Am: The Muscle Shoals Sessions Nola Blue Records Meg Williams hails from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. She formed the Meg Williams Band a.k.a. MWB and her debut recording was released in 2014 when she was compared to Sheryl Crow. She came to national attention with the […]
Russ Tolman Goodbye El Dorado Lost As one who has spent considerable time in LA, I find sustenance in this, Russ Tolman’s love letter to LA, Tolman’s eighth solo album. It’s the lyrics that keep me returning for listens. The titles read like an La travelogue: “North Hollywood Dream,” “405,” “Yuba City,” Pacific Rain” and […]
Sarah McKenzie Secrets of My Heart Normandy Music Australian pianist, singer, composer Sarah McKenzie became well established globally with her Impulse! 2017 Paris in the Rain and now returns on an independent label with the half originals/half covers Secrets of My Heart. She reunites with noted Australian composer, arranger, and events music director Chong Lim […]
Daniel Norgren Wooh Dang Superpuma Wooh Dang is the first worldwide release from Swedish musician Daniel Norgren and it’s a mix of jazz, new age, and contemporary folk. Said another way, it’s practically impossible to pigeonhole it as it moves from the ambient tones of electronica in the opening “Blue Sky Moon” to the spare, […]
Adam Carroll I Walked in Them Shoes This is an exciting time for Adam Carroll fans. The Texas troubadour is releasing a new album on April 12, 2019. They don’t come around often so it’s time for a humble celebration. I Walked In Them Shoes is the ninth release for the artist and follows an […]
George Freeman George the Bomb! Featuring Billy Branch Southport This is the epitome of “less is more.” George Freeman is a legendary Free 91-year old jazz-blues guitarist who does not waste one note and has such an inherent feel for each genre, befitting the title. Yes, he is the bomb! Freeman can remember when Charlie […]
Bill Toms and Hard Rain LIVE (featuring The Soulville Horns) Bill Tom’s “writes songs that stir emotion, challenge the mind, and move the tail feather”, and that ladies and gentlemen defines rock ‘n’ roll. Bill Toms is a working man. Being a Pittsburgh Pennsylvania guy that ethic is forged into you. He works at being […]
M. Lockwood Porter Communion in the Ashes Black Mesa Communion in the Ashes is flat-out rock n’ roll, a rallying cry, a series of anthemic songs by M. Lockwood Porter and his five-piece band designed to build hope amongst the surrounding doom. Yes, this about community and moving forward rather than wallowing in despair. It’s […]
Madison Violet Everything’s Shifting Big Lake/Passenger Sounds Madison Violet is Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIssac. The duo first met in Toronto in 1999 only to discover that their fathers were high school classmates. They are genre crossing instrumentalists with flawless harmonies. Hailing from small Scottish towns, in close proximity to Nova Scotia, their sound has […]
Luther Dickinson and Sisters of the Strawberry Moon Solstice New West Luther Dickinson has a penchant for making albums with all-star female casts, but none larger than on this outing with the collective name of “Sisters of the Strawberry Moon.” Inevitably, The Wandering (Amy LaVere, Sharde Thomas, Shannon McNally and Valerie June comes to mind. […]
Andy Statman Monroe Bus Shefa This kind of review opportunity does not often happen. Mandolinist Andy Statman played at this writer’s wedding (Yes, that was ages ago) and at the time Statman was already a well-established musician who accompanied David Bromberg, Doug Sahm, Vassar Clements, David Amram, Tony Trischka, Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead, […]
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Gnomes and Badgers Seven Spheres Karl Denson’s star is rising. He will be replacing Bobby Keys on the upcoming Rolling Stones tour. He continues to back Lenny Kravitz and play with the Greyboy All-stars, but he’s long been a beacon in the jam scene with his Tiny Universe band, finding time […]
Big Al and The Heavyweights World Full Of Trouble Eller Soul Records Big Al Lauro, who is from The Big Easy, started recording his original Louisiana based roots music around 2001 with the release of both Big Al and The Heavyweights “Hey, Hey Mardi Gras” and “Ultimate Mardi Gras”; and followed up with 2002’s “Late […]
Mary Lane Travelin’ Woman Women of the Blues Although 83-year-old Chicago blues veteran Mary Lane has not released an album in twenty years, we did cover her on these pages for last year’s Chicago/ Blues Legends/ Today. That project was helmed by the late Mike Mettalia, who passed away much too soon just last week […]
Vegas Strip Kings Jackpot! GutBukit Records Two of the founding members of the Vegas Strip Kings were part of the band “Contino” who recorded “Back Porch Dogma” on Blind Pig Records in 2012. That band morphed into the Vegas Strip Kings and they recorded their “(Live)” album in 2015. The live album was mostly covers […]
Nick Schnebelen Crazy All By Myself Vizztone Label Group Nick Schnebelen is from Kansas City where he grew up in a household surrounded by music. “Music’s been in my blood for generations” as both of his parents were professional musicians, as were his grandparents and great grandfather. Schnebelen is a founding member of the band […]
Caleb Elliott – Forever to Fade Single Lock Forever to Fade is the impressive debut album from Louisiana singer/songwriter Caleb Elliott. Elliott tells his story, from preacher’s son in a cult-like religion to finding musical freedom in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This is a swamp-art-rock record. There may not be many of those but think of John […]
Senor Groove Little Havana Zoho Senor Groove is a the latest band from the Smith brothers, bassist Tim and guitarist Roddy, who are flanked by Mercelo Perez (drums), Martin Bejerano (piano), and Murph Aucamp (percussion). For this session that focuses on the Cuban neighborhood in Miami named Little Havana, the quintet is augmented with a […]
Peter Rogan Still Tryin’ to Believe Melt Shop Proving that’s it’s never too late to begin, this is the debut album from 57-year-old Peter Rogan, already a songwriting winner in the Great American Song contest. Rogan wrote or co-wrote all dozen songs on the album with 17 musicians and back-up singers, thereby fulfilling a lifelong […]
Jane Kramer Valley Of The Bones Jane Kramer releases her third full-length album Valley of the Bones on March 1st of this year. This is an album of original songs that evolve out of the heart. They make sense out of the things that wear you down and rip you heart. They are also about […]
Amy McCarley MECO Amy McCarley is a steely eyed musician on a mission. A native of north Alabama, McCarley is on a course that is true. MECO is the NASA acronym for Main Engine Cut Off. The songs chronicle Amy’s pursuit of a career in music after leaving the NASA contracting world. These are good […]
Tony Holiday Porch Sessions Vizztone Label Group Tony Holiday used to play guitar and front the Salt Lake City based Tony Holiday and the Velvetones. When he switched to harmonica he recruited the then young prodigy Landon Stone as the band’s guitarist. The band won the Salt Lake City Weekly Music Awards and was named […]
Doug MacDonald Quartet Organisms Self-released Only last month we wrote about guitarist Doug MacDonald’s trio album View of the City but the prolific and rather restless MacDonald returns with a self-released quartet disc featuring some fine players. Like the title implies Organisms is an organ project, MacDonald’s third, as a leader, composer, and arranger. Interestingly, […]
Eric Jerardi Occupied Niche Records Guitarist Eric Jerardi won the Ohio University battle of the bands in 1989. He won again two years later as the Midwest’s “Best Unsigned College Band”. He recorded his debut album in 1995. Since then he has shared the stage with Little Feat, toured with Robin Trower, and has been […]
John Mayall Nobody Told Me Forty Below The Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall is now 85 years old, but you’d never guess it from his prolific output in recent years since he signed with co-producer Eric Corne’s label, Forty Below Records, in 2013. Mayall’s long overdue induction into the Blues Hall of Fame was […]
Katarina Pejak Roads That Cross Ruf Records Katarina Pejak hails from the Serbian city of Belgrade, where her father ran the local jazz and blues nightclub. Listening to her father’s record collection she became inspired by Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Bessie Smith, Otis Spann and others. She decided she should stretch her classical piano […]
Aaron Lack’s Vibetet Lovely Night Millard Street Music Aaron Lack is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Concordia University in Austin, Texas. He currently teaches Drumset, Applied Music and the history of Jazz. Lack plays drums, classical percussion, Vibraphone and traditional steel pan music. He has shared the stage and performed with Benny Green, Roy […]
Seth Walker Are You Open? Royal Potato Family It’s been one heck of a moment or two lately. Normal has turned on its head. We are all in this together, and together we can make a difference. Are You Open?, the new album by Seth Walker releases February 15 on Royal Potato Family and asks […]
