Earl Green - A Different Picture

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2005
Time:46:30 
Size:107,5 MB 
Label:Snakestone Records 
Styles:Blues/Mix 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. She's Gone - 3:53
 2. What a Fool - 3:51
 3. Space and Time - 5:39
 4. A Love Thing - 3:41
 5. She'll Eat You Up (feat. Paul Lamb) - 3:05
 6. Let That Someone In - 4:19
 7. Things Could Be Worse - 3:47
 8. I Crossed the Line - 4:09
 9. Don't Mess With My Baby (feat. Matt Schofield) - 3:01
10. I Don't Want This To End - 6:02
11. Day Dreaming - 4:57

The excellent and powerful singer Earl Green has crafted a personal album that offers a different perspective from what we were accustomed to during his time with Otis Grand. This is a more sophisticated record, featuring a wide range of rhythms and styles—from funk to fusion—while, naturally, never losing sight of the blues. Nearly ten years after his last solo project, Earl Green treats us to eleven tracks brimming with intensity and musical richness. He is backed by a group of superb, highly professional musicians—including special guests Paul Lamb and Matt Schofield—alongside a tight, well-rounded quartet (bass, drums, guitar, and keyboards) and an impressive horn section. ~ LHBB (12/2005)

A Different Picture
A Different Picture (Y)

Jill Sharpe - Pet My Kitty (featuring Fred Kaplan)

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2000
Time:50:05 
Size:115,5 MB 
Label:Not On Label 
Styles:Blues/Modern Electric Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Drunk on Love - 3:20
 2. Got My Eye on You - 3:37
 3. Voodoo Man - 5:55
 4. Red Hot Mama - 3:29
 5. XS Betty - 2:46
 6. Stranded in Texas - 3:57
 7. Sharin' Erin - 4:13
 8. Big White Cadillac - 4:03
 9. CYA Blues - 2:32
10. I Wish You Knew - 5:26
11. Pet My Kitty - 2:44
12. Crybaby Blues - 4:04
13. Just Because You're Sober (Don't mean you're wise) - 3:54

".....we are a hard driving soulful blues/swing band. Jill writes all of her own material and tries to accommodate every type of musical taste. Though we are mainly a blues band, we do West coast swing, good ole swamp grooves and up happy swing dance tunes. We are fun, very professional and a great crowd pleaser. We are always on time, and are accepted by almost all musical tastes. Jill can stand up to anyone in the business. She is a strong guitarist and one of the most powerful vocalists today. She's played with some of the all times greats.  Here are just a few performers Jill has played with;
Candye Kane, Walter Trout, Laurie Morvan, Rosie Flores, Los Lobos, Kirk Fletcher, Sue Palmer, Danielle Schnebelen, Sugaray Rayford, Fred Kaplan, Tammy Diddley, Carlos Guitarlos, Jeff Ross, Mighty Mojo Prophets, White Boy James, JOE HOUSTON (toured as lead guitarist for many years), Marcy Levy, Floyd Dixon, and many many more.
Named "Peggy Lee of the Blues" by famed LA, DJ and harpist John "Juke" Logan, she can jump from sultry & sexy to a belting blues, song after song, night after night, year after year. Always known as underrated, Jill is one powerhouse to watch. "Sultry Voice & Smokin' Guitar" says Southland Blues Magazine. "This girl can sweet the honey out of each note played" Random Lengths magazine. "Jill is much too good for us undeserving souls" ~  OC Weekly.

Pet My Kitty (featuring Fred Kaplan)
Pet My Kitty (featuring Fred Kaplan) (Y)

Jimmy Morello - The Road I Travel

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:1998
Time:49:29 
Size:117,1 MB 
Label:JSP Records  
Styles:Blues/Modern Electric Blues/Jump Blues 
Art:Full 

Tracks Listing:
 1. I Need To Go Home - 5:38
 2. Too Much Crime In The City - 3:39
 3. I Need Some Money - 3:50
 4. Put Down That Bottle - 4:06
 5. No One Answers The Telephone - 3:55
 6. Retro Jump - 3:47
 7. The Way I Used To Be - 3:54
 8. Working Stuff - 3:35
 9. Sugar And Honey - 5:13
10. I Got To Know - 4:05
11. What Is Going On - 4:19
12. If I Get Lucky - 3:24

There's an agreeable time-warp factor present on The Road I Travel that's partially the result of the tube-type amps used in its making and the inclusion of an acoustic bass (a very welcome trend), but primarily due to Morello's songs, which hark back to the '40s and '50s, when men like Roy Brown and Big Joe Turner ruled the roost.
Each of the 12 songs (all originals) is strong, and everybody digs in. Morello loves to shout, and he's quite good. He does a credible imitation of Turner on one cut. Almost all of the lead guitar work is handled with aplomb by the talented Alex Schultz. He's one of the most tasteful guitarists around and is always a pleasure to listen to. The band is fleshed out on some cuts by the Almighty Horns, who fill out the sound and help create that tasty postwar ambience. A fine disc all-around.
Here he's surrounded himself players whose chops are as terrific as their resumes: Alex Schultz, John Marx, Mitch Kashmar and The Almighty Horns. Recommended.

The Road I Travel

The Road I Travel (Y)

Duffy Bishop - Ooh Wee!

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2003
Time:53:19 
Size:123,6 MB 
Label:Trillium Records  
Styles:Blues/R&B 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Should I Ever Love Again - 4:00
 2. Keep on Churnin' - 3:52
 3. I'm Blue - 2:51
 4. Tamale Man - 4:25
 5. Combination for Love - 4:48
 6. Blue Monday - 2:48
 7. Ooh Wee - 3:18
 8. Rock House - 2:32
 9. Peace of Mind - 3:53
10. Ain't No Use - 3:20
11. I Wanna Know - 4:39
12. You're Gonna Make Me Cry - 4:29
13. Alley Cat - 2:25
14. Act Right - 3:00
15. Rock House (Reprise) - 2:53

Blues vocalist Duffy Bishop has a list of honors and awards as long as her microphone stand, including Best Female Vocalist from the Muddy Awards for five consecutive years, beginning in 1995. She took home the award again in 2001. She snagged a spot in the Cascade Blues Association's Hall of Fame in 1997. The Northwest Area Music Association dubbed her Best Female Vocalist in both 1989 and 1990, and followed up a year later by naming her Entertainer of the Year. In 1992, she again earned the title of Best Female Vocalist, this time from the Washington Blues Society. The organization repeated the recognition in 1999. The same society proclaimed her Entertainer of the Year in 1993 and repeated the honor in 1995. The Duffy Bishop Band earned a Muddy Award for Best Regional Blues Act in 1994, and another award two years later for Best Contemporary Blues Act. Not a bad career for a woman who started out at the age of four singing from the make-believe stage of her family's picture window, making up tunes on the spot with a child's charm and enthusiasm. Once in school, she traded her pretend stage for a real one when she became involved in class productions, which she continued to do until her high school graduation. She started appearing with local groups when she was 16. She spent three years with her first band, Roadside Attraction, before working her way through other outfits with names like Toulouse, Lautrec, Coda, and Skeezix. The names she appeared with as her career blossomed were considerably more recognizable. She has been the opening act for such artists as Roy Orbison, John Lee Hooker, Lou Rawls, Chicago, and Etta James, among others. In 1983, Bishop became a member of Cool Ray & the Shades. She moved on to the Rhythm Dogs and worked on the albums Dogs Run Cheap and On a Journey. At one point she developed polyps and a cyst, but after recovering she went on to sing and tour Japan with Big Brother & the Holding Company. In addition to picking up awards for her vocal talent and stage presence, the singer is actively involved with costume design. At one time, she contributed designs to the Brass Ring Theater, Skid Row Theater, and Pasadena's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She continued to design for the academy for about four years. Bishop has also performed in theater productions in San Francisco and Seattle. Her band consists of keyboardist Dover Weinberg, bassist Phil Haxton, drummer Michael Partlow, and guitarist Chris Carlson. © Linda Seida /TiVo

p.s.At the end of track 15 there is a hidden track (I'll Have Duffy By The Ass) which starts at 1:16 and lasts for 1:38.

Ooh Wee!
Ooh Wee! (Y)

Drew Zaunbrecher - Higher

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2008
Time:52:12 
Size:120,3 MB 
Label:Not On Label 
Styles:Blues/Blues Rock 
Art:Full 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Higher - 4:36
 2. Road Less Traveled - 4:56
 3. Higher Ground - 5:47
 4. Old Times - 4:33
 5. Peace Of Mind - 6:26
 6. She Ain't Coming Back - 4:23
 7. Crazy - 4:48
 8. Sweet Love - 5:49
 9. Good Hearted Woman - 4:33
10. Dust And Bones - 6:18

Drew Zaunbrecher from Rayne, Louisiana, US has been a popular artist of the Lafayette, Louisiana area for a few years now. His Shades of Blue band played some great blues rock. As a solo artist, he is an excellent guitarist and songwriter. Along with bassist Tom Lyles, and drummer Jeff Hebert he plays some great electric blues, soul blues, R&B, and funk. His influences include Eric Clapton, Susan Tedeschi, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. "Higher" is an exceptional debut album.

Higher
Higher (Y)

Dr. Mablues and The Detail Horns - Reason To Moan

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2010
Time:42:47 
Size:102,5 MB 
Label:Othis Medienverlag
Styles:Blues/Soul/R&B 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Running and Hiding - 4:40
 2. My Kinda Life - 4:01
 3. Shoes Blues - 4:00
 4. Reason to Moan - 4:13
 5. Strange Kinda Feeling - 5:29
 6. Not This Time - 7:16
 7. Get Ready - 3:51
 8. At Your Command - 3:48
 9. Rock Your Life - 5:25

Musicians:
Gaz - lead vocals & guitar
Henry Heinrich - trumpet
Boris "Bobo" Hartmann - tenor sax
Michael S. Forstner - bariton & tenor sax
J.R. Bloody Lips - trombone & vocals
Martin Hofpower - guitar
Steff Illing - piano & organ
Thomas L. Mathessohn - bass & vocals
Thommy K. - drums
Special guests:
Steve Baker - harp
Volker "Elvis" Rischmüller - backing vocals

Dr. Mablues and the Detail Horns is a rhythm and blues band from southern Germany, founded in 1985 in Waiblingen, Baden-Württemberg.
Highlights of their musical career include a concert before an audience of 13,000 at the Custom Bike Show in Dymchurch, UK, and an appearance at the Bridgeport Rhythm & Blues Festival in Connecticut, USA—where, in May 1997, Dr. Mablues performed as the only European act alongside artists such as Chic, Ashford & Simpson, the Commodores, and Isaac Hayes. At their debut performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, they were hailed as "the discovery" of the event. During the 2000 SWR Hotjazz Festival, the audience voted Dr. Mablues their favorite out of 27 participating bands, leading the broadcaster SWR to present them with the 2000 Audience Award.
In 2007, founding member Hans Kretschmer passed away unexpectedly.
In April 2024, founding member Henry Heinrich passed away unexpectedly.
In April 2025, Ralf Otto Reichert joined the band as their new trumpeter.
In December 2025, the band released a new album titled "Celebrate The Day."

Reason To Moan

Reason To Moan (Y)

Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones - Double Down

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2002
Time:52:17 
Size:120,9 MB 
Label:Mighty Tiger Records 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. GoodBye Baby - 3:29
 2. BlackJack - 4:09
 3. Bad For You - 4:01
 4. Make it Last - 3:38
 5. You Don't Even Care - 4:01
 6. Let Me Be - 3:59
 7. HDF - 4:31
 8. On the Midnight Shift - 5:13
 9. Mr. Blues - 4:44
10. It's a Crime - 6:06
11. All About the Digits - 5:12
12. Double Down - 3:06

Detroit bluesman Doug Deming and his working band, The Jewel Tones, make their recording debut with a hard-hitting set. Deming and co. have been a mainstay in the Motor City for the past few years, and they're often called to back a number of international blues performers including Chicago's A.C. Reed, Johnnie Dyer, Alberta Adams, Johnny "Yard Dog" Jones and others. Deming, on guitar and vocals, combines various form of traditional blues from West Coast jump to Texas/Chicago shuffles to Louisiana swamp boogie. He's been the driving force behind the band (formerly the Blue Suit Band) since its beginnings in 1991. Doug and his band play a pure traditional music from the heart with deep respect and love for the music. Doug acknowledges a musical debt to T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian as well as modern bluesmen like Jimmie Vaughan and Ronnie Earl. Upright bass player Dale Jennings adds depth and authenticity to the group's sound and drummer Don Gruendler Jr. reminds of a young Gene Krupa. The harp work is from Brian Miller on all but two tracks. It's Gregg 'Fingers' Taylor who adds his touch on those two tracks. Other featured guests are Denny Freeman, Chris Codish, Rick Holmstrom and Steve Mugalian.

Double Down
Double Down (Y)

Mick Louis - Ride

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2026
Time:33:56 
Size:78,8 MB 
Label:1779238 Records DK 
Styles:Southern Rock 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Ride - 3:27
 2. I Came To Git Down - 3:43
 3. Get Happy - 3:39
 4. Mr. Coleman - 4:54
 5. Start (feat. Matthew Stephen) - 3:40
 6. Radio - 3:36
 7. Chevy - 3:21
 8. Where I Came From (LIVE) - 3:54
 9. The Devil Went Down To Georgia (LIVE) - 3:39

Mick Louis is a Connecticut Native and proud New Englander. With influences ranging from Country and Southern Rock artists like Dierks Bentley and Lynyrd Skynyrd, all the way to songwriters like Jason Mraz​, Mick has created a style ALL HIS OWN. Captivating audiences on the Connecticut Shoreline all the way to the stages of Nashville, Mick has earned the hearts of many with crowd favorite songs such as "American Dream", "Tennessee" and "Twang".  In 2022, Mick released his debut album, "Rebel Soul". In 2026, Mick released his new Southern Rock album titled, “Ride” and is currently on the road supporting it. 

Ride
Ride (Y)

Kivett Bednar Band - When You Got A Good Thing

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2026
Time:43:39 
Size:100,7 MB 
Label:S-R 
Styles:Blues/Texas Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Blood On My Hands - 2:32
 2. Texas T - 5:02
 3. Whiskey Shake - 4:03
 4. Three Good Reasons - 4:04
 5. Goin’ Out Tonight - 2:26
 6. Screen Door - 3:51
 7. Sweet In The Middle - 2:42
 8. Bottom Of The Barrel - 6:48
 9. Jesus On The Mainline (feat. Annika Chambers-DesLauriers) - 5:24
10. White Van Blues - 2:09
11. Roughneck - 4:34

The new album by the Kivett Bednar Band, titled "When You Got A Good Thing," was released on October 30, 2026.
Key facts about the album:
• Release date: October 30, 2026.
• Recording location: Roseleaf Recording studio in Portland, Oregon (the recording process took four days).
• Launch event: The release was accompanied by a concert in Portland (at The Blue Diamond PDX) on October 30, 2026.
Kivett Bednar is a guitarist/vocalist, amp maker and visual artist originally from Austin, TX and now residing in Portland, OR. His time in Austin was well-spent, soaking in the Texas blues traditions by sneaking into Antone's to hear the greats and playing along with his dad's old records. Blending those influences with the skills he built at Berklee College of Music has led to an award-winning sound that is gritty, heartfelt and distinctly his own. Drummer Edwin Coleman III mixes his roots in Louisiana and Cuban music with the West Coast Swing he learned playing in clubs with his father, bassist Edwin Coleman, Jr. to create a potent rhythmic stew. On bass is Jeff Langston, another accomplished Berklee grad who’s played everywhere from CBGB to Carnegie Hall. Organist Pat McDougall listens avidly to drawbar greats like Mike Finnigan, James Toney, Jimmy McGriff and more, seeking to bring their immortal grit and grease to the sound of the KBB. 

When You Got A Good Thing
When You Got A Good Thing (Y)

Doo The Doo - It Stands To Reason

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:1997
Time:50:26 
Size:116,3 MB 
Label:iMD- SKYDOG 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. One More Night - 5:06
 2. Checking On My Baby - 3:30
 3. All I Need Is Your Love Tonight - 4:01
 4. It Stands To Reason - 9:27
 5. Here I Am - 5:10
 6. I Got To Go - 4:30
 7. If You Love Me Like You Say - 4:28
 8. Woman's Man - 4:40
 9. Pretty Thing - 3:25
10. Sweet Lovin Woman - 3:19
11. More Elmore - 2:44

Musicians:
Vocals, Harmonica – Elmore Jazz
Guitar, Vocals – Jimmy Jazz
Bass – Gilles Avoine
Keyboards – Vincent Pollet-Villard
Drums, Percussion – Philippe Carnot
Saxophone – Alain Debiossat
Trumpet – Laurent Castellvi

Doo The Doo is a French blues-rock band formed in 1991 in the city of Quimper (Brittany).
The group plays in a distinctive, energetic style, blending elements of Texas and swamp blues, New Orleans-style rock 'n' roll, country, and zydeco. In 1999, they were named the best European blues band of the year.

It Stands To Reason
It Stands To Reason (Y)

Donna Lynn Kay - Electric Blue

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2006
Time:36:36 
Size:84,1 MB 
Label:Independent 
Styles:Blues/Folk/Country 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Muddy Waters) - 3:11
 2. Come On In My Kitchen (Robert Johnson) - 3:03
 3. Turn Back Time (Donna Lynn Kay) - 3:28
 4. Catfish Blues (Robert Petway) - 3:32
 5. Take Me Dancing (Donna Lynn Kay) - 2:52
 6. Nobody's Fault But Mine (Joseph) - 4:03
 7. Sundown - 4:05
 8. Cross Road Blues - 4:45
 9. Goin' Down To The River / Two Trains Running - 7:32

*Electric Blue* by Donna Lynn Kay is the debut album from the singer and guitarist, released in 2006. It contains nine tracks: six are covers of blues classics, and three are original compositions by Kay.
The album blends blues styles with rock, folk, and country.Some of the standout tracks include "Rollin' and Tumblin'," "Come On In My Kitchen," "Turn Back Time," and "Nobody's Fault But Mine." *Electric Blue* showcases Kay’s talent and passion for the blues, inviting listeners to enjoy her music.

Electric Blue
Electric Blue (Y)

Bare Bones Boogie Band - Red Album

Bitrate:320K/s

Year:2010
Time:45:29 
Size:105,0 MB 
Label:Srlf-Released 
Styles:Blues/Blues Rock 
Art:Full 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Baby, Baby Be Mine - 6:10
 2. Black Cat Strikes Back - 4:44
 3. Full Tilt Boogie Man - 3:24
 4. One Good Man - 6:09
 5. Sister Sunshine - 3:47
 6. I'd Rather Go Blind - 5:45
 7. Live With Me - 3:26
 8. Simple Suggestion - 4:00
 9. Throw Me A Line - 4:20
10. Early Monday Morning - 3:39

“It is to their credit they can also be filed next to The Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin. The opener, 'Baby, Baby Be Mine' has the infectious riff and rhythm of the latter two in particular. Guitarist Iain Black composes six of the tracks, so it's no surprise that the album is a guitar gumbo, with shades of Peter Green most welcome. 'Black Cat Strikes Back' has an air of early Texas, only better, with Helen Turner giving heartfelt feeling to the vocals, certainly more Lorna Fothergill than Sharlene Spiteri. The boogie element of the band only comes across on a couple of tracks and is almost a misnomer, as their focus works best on the slow shivering Blues. Turner rejuvenates Joplin in 'One Good Man' and this sound is surely their stripped down bare bones niche. A crowd-pleasing precipitator, 'I'd Rather Go Blind' is emotively raw and leads sweetly into the Jagger/Richards avalanche of rock 'Live With Me'. It's a super debut.”

Red Album
Red Album (Y)

Son Jack Jr & Michael Wilde - Walk The Talk

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2010
Time:43:23 
Size:99,9 MB 
Label:S-R 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Walk the Talk - 4:12
 2. Crying Time - 6:05
 3. When Your Love - 3:20
 4. Crawling Kingsnake - 5:07
 5. Miss Maybelle - 3:13
 6. Down So Low - 4:27
 7. Maximum Insecurity - 1:53
 8. Requiem - 2:04
 9. Pony Blues - 3:00
10. I Heard A Man - 2:44
11. Howling Poppet - 2:13
12. Skinny Woman - 4:58

Son Jack Jr was born and brought up in the UK. He left in 1997 and around that time he decided to revive a musical career that had been dormant for 20 years. In the ‘70s and ‘80s he had recorded, performed and toured extensively in the UK. Wise move. Since the renascence he has recorded three albums, all of which have been well accepted and this one will expand his fan base and may even win some awards. Here Mr Jack is working with harp man Michael Wilde and a small band; Mark Davies (b) and Billy Barner (d) with ‘special guest’ Eric Robert (keys). The CD consists of 12 tracks many of which were written by Jack or Wilde. But the album includes covers of music by John Lee Hooker, Charley Patton and R.L. Burnside (twice!)
I’ll come back to the covers in a moment, but first let me say that some of the self-penned songs are just terrific. For example, the wonderful emotional and controlled solo that opens ‘Crying Time’ (written by Wilde) is just outstanding. In addition the harp playing on that track (chromatic, I think) is an exemplar for any aspiring blues harmonica players. Check out too the title track “Walk The Talk” a ‘walking blues’ with a vengeance! Try keeping your feet still while this is on the CD player. This CD is a nice mix of originals and covers. Often, CDs that fall through my letter box, by bands on the edge of ‘making it’ are all covers or all originals. Now, I can understand why folks want to push their own stuff and I can equally well understand how some people want to recognize, laud and promote the music of people they admire and seek to emulate. But when it is ALL original it is almost impossible (unless you know the musician from live performances or some such) to judge how they think about the music of others who have inspired them. The major strength of this CD is that the covers tell you ‘how deep is the love’ that these musicians have for their Delta roots. An accomplished acoustic player Son Jack Jr has some strenuous workouts here on electric guitar including slide (‘Miss Maybelle’ is enough to make the dead get up and dance). All in all, this could be work by folks born and raised in the Delta or the Mississippi Hill country, rather than by an ex-pat Brit and a bunch of musicians from Seattle.Some nice finger-clicking music that will make your feet tap and satisfy your soul. Recommended.

Walk The Talk
Walk The Talk (Y)

Donna Hopkins - Free To Go

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2003
Time:59:22 
Size:136,7 MB 
Label:Donna Hopkins Publishing 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Don't Ask Why - 4:57
 2. Dirty Alabama Road - 3:58
 3. Everything Money Can't Buy - 3:27
 4. Free To Go - 6:32
 5. Thunderin' In The Thickets - 6:19
 6. U Haul You Back - 5:04
 7. Anything - 4:01
 8. Little India - 4:35
 9. I'll Fly Away - 4:49
10. Lone Gone Lonesome Blues (feat.Tip Barbee) - 2:55
11. Everything With India (feat.India Hopkins) - 3:30
12. Little India Reprise - 9:08

Free to Go Review by Hal Horowitz:
The debut from Georgia (by way of Alabama) singer/songwriter/guitarist Donna Hopkins is a long-awaited effort from an artist well-known for her weekly live gigs in and around her Atlanta home base. Blues-rockers who read liner notes closely will recognize her name from two vocal contributions to Tinsley Ellis' Hell or High Water 2002 release. But even Hopkins' fans would probably not expect her first album to be so well-produced and conceived. Shifting away from the barroom blues she plays live, Free to Go is a polished yet gutsy stab at Southern blue-eyed soul of the Bonnie Bramlett variety. Hopkins' tough, burnished voice has a Susan Tedeschi edge to it, but her music is more swampy, atmospheric, and diverse. The nearly seven-minute title track with its layered guitars, ominous organ, and oozing sensuality, is the album's centerpiece, but all of the tracks are as impressive. These songs aren't just blueprints, but fully formed, melodically mature statements about survival and growing up on the poor side of the tracks. Far from being overly sentimental, they exude a proud, hopeful assurance, helped immensely by Hopkins' natural, hardscrabble voice, and Bryan Cole's sympathetic production. Like The Band, these songs creep up on you, but the strong choruses, and Hopkins' emotionally charged presence, make them instantly likeable. With its bottleneck acoustic guitar and easily surging chorus, the album's first single, "Dirt Alabama Road," received some local airplay, and the Georgia Satellites/ Stonesy rocking of "U-Haul You Back" is a sure dancefloor filler. But it's the slower, less upbeat tunes, like "Everything Money Can't Buy," and the opening "Don't Ask Why," that are more impressive. The beautifully recorded sound is clean but not slick, especially for a low-budget, locally produced and distributed project. Even though the reprise of "Everything Money Can't Buy" -- sung as a duet with Hopkins' young daughter -- is a little cloying, the closing gospel-reggae of "I'll Fly Away" doesn't really mesh with the rest of the album, and the Hank Williams Sr. cover on which Hopkins' sings backup is extraneous, even as a bonus track. Free to Go proves that, even on her first album, Donna Hopkins is already focused and experienced enough to go big time.

Free To Go
Free To Go(Y)

Don Baker - Duckin' n Divin'

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2003
Time:47:54+43:29
Size:110,3 MB+122,9 MB 
Label:Modal Records 
Styles:Blues/Singer-Songwriter 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
CD1
 1. Sea of Heart Break - 4:24
 2. Duckin' & Divin' - 3:32
 3. The Holy Vow - 3:27
 4. The Politician - 2:57
 5. Maria - 4:15
 6. Wouldn't Treat a Dog - 4:00
 7. Goodtime Woman - 3:22
 8. Cocaine Blues - 3:27
 9. Wake Up - 4:14
10. Can't Take No More - 3:25
11. You'll Never Know - 3:09
12. Black, Brown & White Blues - 7:37
CD2
 1. Finnerty's Blues - 2:14
 2. Glory Train - 4:11
 3. Funky Duck - 4:42
 4. Jiggin' the Blues - 3:39
 5. Me & Louis - 4:11
 6. Almost illegal - 1:40
 7. Baker's Shaker - 2:48
 8. Jordanna - 4:14
 9. The Marriage - 3:25
10. Amazing Grace - 4:22
11. Don's Train - 2:35
12. Waiting for Daylight - 5:23

Don Baker was born in Whitehall, Dublin in 1950, but by the time he was in his early teens he was already showing his natural talent on the harmonica and guitar.
Living in the Corporation Buildings in inner-city Dublin he was attracted to blues music and by 1973 he was playing all over Germany, Austria, Holland and France, earning a living from the music he not only loved, but was supremely proficient at. He spent a decade on the road, paying his dues, travelling on trains and sleeping on floors.
Don became a significant Irish musical figure in 1979 when he was invited by the Late Late Show to compose a song about inner city Dublin. ‘Dublin’s Inner City’ was the outcome, and the version by The Jolly Beggarmen reached No. 2 in the Irish charts.
Since then, Baker has built a solid reputation as a singer, guitarist, harmonica player and songwriter. Many of his own compositions offer disarmingly honest reflections on aspects of his own life and personality, and he has openly spoken of his deeply spiritual approach to life and people.
He has recorded several acclaimed albums including Almost Illegal, Born With the Blues, Duckin’ & Divin’, Miss You, No Regrets “Live in Concert”, Just Don Baker, No Nonsense and Rain On The Wind. His DVD/video releases include Don Baker Live and Don Baker In Profile.

Duckin' n Divin'
Duckin' n Divin' (Y)