Gene Butler Band - Born Inside a Hard Rock

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 45:24 
Size: 104,4 MB 
Label: Self Released
Styles: Americana/Blues/Rock/Country
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Born Inside A Hard Rock - 3:48
 2. Everybody Gets The Blues Sometime - 3:06
 3. Fanny - 2:38
 4. In The Morning Rain Or Shine - 4:22
 5. Sweet Lorretta - 4:14
 6. Going Where The Money Is - 2:59
 7. In For Stormy Weather Once Again - 3:53
 8. Maybe Someday - 3:51
 9. I'll Go Down In The Hole For You - 5:28
10. Love's The Real Thing - 3:28
11. Stuck At The Bottom Of The Ocean - 3:25
12. A Beggar For Your Love - 4:07

The Gene Butler Band plays an all original eclectic mix of Americana/Blues/Rock/Country. Butler has been likened to John Prime, Ray Wylie Hubbar, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller & Gurf Morlix.
Born and raised in Macon, Georgia, Butler began singing publicly at the age of nine with the Cotton Street Gospel Choir (an all Afro-American choir in which he was the only Caucasian). Originally starting out as a high tenor without pitch or tone, he was relegated to being the one member of the choir asked to whistle and hum all the songs rather than attempt to sing along with the others. However, he stuck with it and by the age of thirteen he had developed into a middle baritone and was actually allowed to sing with everybody else.
Butler wrote his first song in collaboration with his best friend, Larry Crawford, after they spent a night in jail for violating Macon's "under eighteen" ten o'clock curfew law. They were both ten years old at the time and the song is titled "Momma, Wished I'd Listen To You". Butler still sometimes sings the acapella song during his show and always makes a point of performing it before ten o'clock.
At the age of sixteen, Butler and his family left Georgia for Seattle, Washington. There he began to play the guitar, and with two of his five brothers, formed a group called the Mudville Flats. They were a local hit and toured the Northwest for several years. It was in Seattle that Butler sold his first song to a recording group, The Jerry Rowen Trio. "What Moment of the Day" was written as a kick-butt country song, but wound up as a tame bosa nova tune on the Rowen album. After listening to the album once, Butler never played the song again.
Butler struck out on his own at the age of twenty-one and headed for the Big Apple. It was there that the acting bug bit him. He put down his guitar and picked up Stanavaski's Method. After doing a ton of theater in New York, he became a "quad-costal-ite" by moving to Los Angeles.
Since relocating to Los Angeles, Butler has been able to scratch out a decent living by acting and writing in film, television and stage. But during that time his first love, music, would not let him go, and in the year 2000 he picked up his guitar again and hasn't stopped playing, singing and songwriting since.

Born Inside a Hard Rock

Gene Butler Band - For Cornelius

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2019
Time: 41:03 
Size: 94,3 MB 
Label: Self-Released
Styles: Americana/Blues/Rock/Country
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Please Send Me a Postcard - 3:39
 2. Let the Rain Come Down - 4:29
 3. Everybody Gets the Blues Sometime - 3:02
 4. I'm Leaving Today - 3:21
 5. Somebody's Watching Me - 3:52
 6. Looking Blind - 3:32
 7. Ain't It Hard - 4:28
 8. Show Me the Open Road - 3:48
 9. Going Where the Money Is - 2:57
10. Oh the Low - 4:54
11. Vegas 59 - 2:57

Growing up a native of Macon, Georgia, Gene was surrounded by the music of Otis Reddding, the Allman Brothers, Little Richard and the inspiring gospel music that would emanate out of the black churches on a Sunday Morning. At a young age Gene knew that music was as close to heaven as the human soul could get. Little wonder that music was the path his life would take. His hundred-plus original songs lean towards Americana, but with plenty of country, blues and rock mixed in. Gene has shared the stage with such amazing talents as Buddy Miller, Gur Morlix, Lucinda Williams, The Desert Rose Band to name a few and of course, as heard on many of Gene's five albums, the amazing and unique fiddling of the great Brantley Kearns....

For Cornelius

Healing Sixes - Bluejay

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2010
Time: 39:37 
Size: 91,0 MB 
Label: ItsAboutMusic.com
Styles: Rock/Southern Rock/Blues Rock
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Bluejay On the Wrenhouse - 4:00
 2. Fine Time - 5:00
 3. Superhot - 3:38
 4. Move On - 4:14
 5. System - 3:13
 6. Walked Away - 4:24
 7. Grass and Gasoline - 4:57
 8. You Want It - 4:26
 9. That's Alright - 2:49
10. End of Always - 2:52

It appears as though the majority of up-and-coming rock bands of the 21st century are all about fine-tuning their songs with Pro Tools, to the point that the top hits often sound like a pitch-perfect android fronting a bunch of robot rockers. Thankfully, there are also bands like Healing Sixes, who haven't forgotten what the great rock bands of the 1970s sounded like -- a bunch of longhairs letting it rip, while trying to keep it sounding as close to "live" as possible. And this approach certainly pays off on their 2010 release, Blue Jay. Granted, they may not be breaking new ground musically -- Lynyrd Skynyrd meets AC/DC, with a dash of Black Crowes, is a fitting description of many of the tunes here -- but Healing Sixes pull it off convincingly. Whereas some "retro" groups are content with merely re-creating authentic rock sounds, and don't have the compositional skills to back it all up with strong hooks and memorable songwriting, Healing Sixes certainly have the tunes, cases in point being such standout tracks as "Superhot," "Walked Away," and "You Want It?" Also included is "Fine Time," which features special guest Joe Bonamassa on guitar, as well as more laid-back fare as the album-opening "Bluejay on the Wrenhouse" and the album-closing "That's Alright." Real-sounding, honest-to-goodness rock & roll still exists in the early 21st century, as evidenced by Healing Sixes' Blue Jay.

 Bluejay

Lil' Jimmy Reed with Ben Levin - Back to Baton Rouge

 

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 35:07 
Size: 81,0 MB 
Label: NOLA Blue Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Down in Virginia - 2:48
 2. They Call Me Lil' Jimmy - 4:07
 3. Wish You Wouldn't - 3:47
 4. Cincinnati's the Place to Be - 3:20
 5. Back to Baton Rouge - 3:04
 6. In the Wee Wee Hours - 3:11
 7. Engine Light - 4:06
 8. I'm the Man Down There - 3:17
 9. A String to Your Heart - 4:04
10. Mailbox Blues - 3:19

Pianist Ben Levin cut his fifth album last year while still attending his hometown University of Cincinnati. Guests on Take Your Time included Chicago blues luminaries Lil’ Ed Williams, Bob Stroger, and Rockin’ Johnny Burgin. Lil’ Jimmy Reed, one of the elder statesmen of Louisiana blues, was also in the house taking the lead in voice and on guitar on three of the album’s rollicking highlights. Reed, at a spry 85, hit it off famously with Levin, despite the 62-year gulf between them. By appearances, Levin possesses the kind of affable personality that translates to a natural touch with blues piano playing. Thus, Back to Baton Rouge, which will reportedly be Reed’s last album, swings with ease through five new songs and five neat covers, the latter batch including three by Reed’s namesake, the legendary Jimmy Reed. Ever since he first took the stage professionally as an eleven-year-old, Levin has turned heads. His enlightened style combines elements of Professor Longhair, Pinetop Perkins, Otis Spann, and Ray Charles. Engaging, to say the least. Born in a shotgun shack, Reed too began performing for a living while in his teens. One night early on, filling in for Jimmy Reed at a chitlin circuit club, he was dubbed Lil’ for his innate skills and likable style. Reed recounts the 1958 episode here during “They Call Me Lil’ Jimmy,” underscoring the memory with still-piercing guitar amid a lowdown bumpy roll of a groove. The band, including Levin’s dad Aron Levin assisting Reed on guitar, and bassist Walter Cash, Jr. and drummers Ricky Nye or Miss Shorty Starr providing the locomotion, throws a perfect, understated spotlight on Reed. They set that tone with the classic Jimmy Reed romp, “Down in Virginia.” Levin plays delightfully through it, also deferring to Reed but still sparkling. On “Wish You Wouldn’t,” co-written with Reed, his notes tumble out sounding like a fistful of diamonds thrown. Reed also still blows strong, melodic harmonica, especially sweet in tone during Jimmy Reed’s “I’m the Man Down There,” thought to be Reed’s answer to Elmore James’ “One Way Out.” The sauntering beat of it here is certainly less frenetic than James’ “One Way Out,” but nonetheless real, hard, excellent blues music. That and the minor key Levin/Reed co-write “Engine Light” ring out as basic examples of the basis of the blues and its captivating reach, rendered with authentic talent. Reed has not only been a committed and striking bluesman for as long as he has but took a sabbatical from it to serve his country for ten years. So ultimately, Back to Baton Rouge celebrates—with excellence—a life well-lived, and music that will live on (https://www.makingascene.org/lil-jimmy-reed-with-ben-levin-back-to-baton-rouge/).

Back to Baton Rouge

Elder Jack Ward - The Storm

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 30:40 
Size: 70,7 MB 
Label: Bible & Tire Recordings
Styles:  Gospel/Christian/Gospel Funk/Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. When This Life Is Over - 2:39
 2. The Storm - 3:09
 3. Be Ready - 3:59
 4. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - 3:24
 5. The Time Is Now - 2:45
 6. Payday After While (feat. Fantastic Johnny Ward) - 2:49
 7. Do Lord - 2:59
 8. For a Better Day - 3:10
 9. Don't Be Too Late - 3:17
10. Lord You've Been Good To Me - 2:23

The follow up to 2021's "Already Made", Elder Jack Ward is back with a new offering of original sacred soul compositions. Backed by the all-star memphis session crew The Sacred Soul Sound Section and accompanied by his son and daughters for backing vocals.
More info: https://biglegalmessrecords.com/collections/bible-tire/products/the-storm

 The Storm

Gerry McAvoy - Can't Win 'Em All

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2012
Time: 46:12 
Size: 108,5 MB 
Label: Angel Air
Styles: Blues/British Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Misunderstood - 4:39
 2. Chose To Sing The Blues - 3:25
 3. Born Too Late - 3:00
 4. Troubled Heart - 6:39
 5. Behan - 3:34
 6. Can't Win 'Em All - 3:50
 7. Midnight Man - 5:16
 8. Oh What A Shame - 2:42
 9. Runaway - 4:06
10. What My Mamma Told Me - 3:53
11. Help Me Through The Day - 5:02

For over twenty years Irish bassist Gerry McAvoy was Rory Gallagher's right hand man as he held down the bottom end for the famous guitarist, logging countless miles on the road as well as playing on every one of Rory's solo records from 1970 to 1990. After parting ways with Rory in 1990 McAvoy took drummer Brendan O'Neil with him and joined forces in the newly revamped lineup of British blues band Nine Below Zero, where McAvoy has remained to this day. With a recent flurry of activity in the Nine Below Zero camp, new album, couple of stellar reissues & celebrating their 30th anniversary etc� the timing for McAvoy to launch a new solo album couldn't be better.
With Gallagher it seemed that Gerry was rarely called upon to contribute as a songwriter, but with Nine Below Zero and now with Can't Win 'Em All he's shown that in addition to be a gifted musician he's an accomplished writer as well. Although no actual specifics are given the songs on Can't Win "Em All were recorded in different locations at various times in the 70's and 80's, but for some reason they're only seeing the light of day now. Some of the musicians helping him out here are his Nine Below Zero cohorts, O'Neil, harmonica player Mark Feltham and ex-Manfred Mann guitarist Dave Flett. Revealing his love for 50's rock 'n roll, straight ahead rock and of course the blues, songs like "Troubled Heart", the bluesy swagger of the title track and "Help Me Through The Day", along with the punchy horns featured prominently on the Junior Wells cover "What My Mamma Told Me", certainly wouldn't have sounded out of place on any of Rory's records. While I wouldn't consider Gerry to be a particularly strong lead vocalist, he doesn't try to push things outside of his range, and his voice does have an endearing appeal to it. In the end if you've followed Gerry McAvoy's career at all for the past forty years I don't think you'll find that the material on Can't Win 'Em All strays too far from what he's been known to do. However, what this album really does is offer the listener a bit of unique insight into who Gerry McAvoy is as both a musician and a songwriter, because this is certainly one musical vision that he can truly call his own.

Can't Win 'Em All

Ty Curtis - Ascendant Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 56:35 
Size: 129,9 MB 
Label: Deep Stone Records
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock/Rock
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Hey Now - 3:02
 2. What's The Use - 3:48
 3. Loose Ends - 4:27
 4. Back To You - 3:11
 5. Moving Forward - 6:13
 6. Treat Someone - 5:57
 7. So Far Gone - 3:51
 8. Big Deal - 5:15
 9. Cut And Run - 4:35
10. Wish You Well - 3:29
11. Back To You (Extended) - 7:08
12. Hey Now (Extended) - 5:34

This album is a culmination of my musical journey, blending together my signature blend of blues and rock with an emphasis on guitar skills and soulful vocals. I've been performing and creating music for over a decade, building a devoted following with my high-energy live shows and blues-infused songs. This album continues in that vein, offering a collection of tracks that showcase my musicianship and songwriting abilities. Fans can expect to hear a mix of classic blues influences and modern rock elements on this album as I continue to push the boundaries of the genre. With catchy hooks and emotive lyrics, I believe this album will be a hit with blues fans and rockers alike. Huge thanks to all my fans for your undying support! 

Ascendant Blues

Alan Farrington - Have Mercy

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 30:41 
Size: 70,6 MB 
Label: Playaudio
Styles: Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Goodbye - 3:31
 2. Shame - 3:07
 3. Tonight is the Night - 3:37
 4. Self Confidence - 3:41
 5. Have Mercy - 5:13
 6. Stuck On You - 2:51
 7. Someone Else - 2:16
 8. The Funky Fever - 3:47
 9. The Best of My Past - 2:34

Alan Farrington (England, 1951) is a British singer, bassist and guitarist resident for many years on Lake Garda in Soiano del Lago. Born in England, Alan Farrington moves, at the age of five, to Rome. In the capital he studies music by himself and, at sixteen, he takes the stage with a band of Soul Music at the Piper Club. In 1974 he goes to the U.S. with his band, until 1976, attending a singing school in Maryland. On his return to Italy he stays for ten years in Rome working for production companies and advertising. Later he moves to Milan, where he will finally form his band "Allan Farrington Band".

Have Mercy

Mare Edstrom - Inside The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2004
Time: 49:07 
Size: 113,6 MB 
Label: Spiritone Records
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock/Modern Electric Blues
Art: Full 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Treat Me So Low Down - 3:18
 2. That's Alright - 2:40
 3. Cherry Wine - 2:43
 4. Statesboro Blues - 4:27
 5. North Memphis Blues - 3:06
 6. Tried So Hard - 3:25
 7. The Thrill Is Gone - 4:16
 8. Can't Be Satisfied - 2:22
 9. I Feel The Same - 4:00
10. Spiderman Blues - 4:06
11. Tell Me - 2:52
12. Rollin' And Tumblin' - Got Mud In My Soul - 3:43
13. Stop Breakin' Sown Blues - 3:54
14. In My Time Of Dyin' - 4:08

In her first blues project, Inside the Blues, Mare Edstrom displays her vocal virtuosity with a tribute to the blues legends who have been such a key component in the development of her vocal style. Songs by Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters are spiced with the gospel blues of Blind Willie Johnson, the jump blues of Little Esther, and the Piedmont style blues of Blind Willie McTell. This work presents an exciting new perspective on the blues while maintaining a vintage brand of roadhouse authenticity.

Inside The Blues

Greyhound George Band - No Time To Cry

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 57:33 
Size: 132,3 MB 
Label: Timezone Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Too Tired - 4:01
 2. No Time To Cry - 4:14
 3. I've Got The Blues For You - 5:20
 4. All You Can Eat - 4:07
 5. No Excuses Anymore - 6:44
 6. The Road - 5:03
 7. Crosswind - 3:13
 8. My Buddy Buddy Friends - 4:11
 9. Live Your Life - 3:28
10. Simple Man's Blues - 4:21
11. Gone For Good - 3:57
12. Fake Reality - 4:13
13. If It Wasn't For You - 4:36

Greyhound George is now in his sixties. When he was young he kept it with the motto "I hope I die before I get old", but now he is glad that he was able to experience all the years in which he was able to gain plenty of human and musical experience. 45 years of band and performance experience, hundreds of songs written, concerts in the most diverse constellations, inspiring but also disillusioning encounters with blues heroes and role models, in Westphalia it takes time to form an artistic personality.
Most of that time went under the radar, unnoticed by the wider public. This is inevitable if you, as a German, deal with styles of music such as blues, skiffle, soul and reggae and are also firmly rooted in East Westphalia. In recent years, however, the blues-interested audience listens a little more closely when the name "Greyhound George" is mentioned. Is it because of George's skills on the guitar or because of his songs? Some American colleagues say of the latter that they wonder why something like this isn't written in the USA anymore. Maybe it's his stage presence that got him to the finals of the "International Blues Challenge" in Memphis. There are even people who say he's a good singer. Or maybe it's just because he's had enough time to carefully develop his style.
Even changing trends and tendencies in the music business can no longer faze Greyhound George. While many younger artists hardly think it is contemporary to make an album, George and his band put together a whole trilogy from 2020 to 2022, which summarizes his musical development and at the same time spans the earthy Chicago blues to funk and soul influenced titles to almost pop sounds.
With "No Time To Cry" the third part of this trilogy is now being released by Timezone Records. The 13 songs on the album are written from a mature perspective, from someone who doesn't have to do everything anymore because he doesn't have that much time left in life. They neither follow any trend nor limit themselves to a single way of playing the blues. Rather, like its two predecessors, it is an "album" in the best sense of the word. There are danceable numbers like
"I've Got The Blues For You" and "My Buddy Buddy Friends" as well as thoughtful songs like "Simple Man's Blues" with a strong jazz influence and "No Excuses Anymore", a more spherical guitar blues. A few rough shuffles like "All You Can Eat" and "Gone For Good" are of course also included. Songs like "If It Wasn't For You" and "Fake Reality" are more soulful. Of course, Greyhound George wrote the horn sections on the album himself. He also learned that at some point along the way.
A great stroke of luck for George is this band! The guys are adept at all musical waters, since they've been touring the country's stages for as long as George himself. They're not only able to implement all of George's musical ideas, but always add a little more to them. They have known each other for years from the blues sessions in Bielefeld and therefore understand each other blindly. The resulting groove is also present in every song on "No Time To Cry" and makes it difficult for the listener to simply sit still once they have got involved. Maybe that's the reason why the band, which has been touring concerts and festivals all over Germany since 2019, was nominated as "best band" for the Blues Award and took second place in the "German Blues Challenge 2022". The band has just as much fun on stage as the audience. Listen to "No Time To Cry" and you'll know why!

No Time To Cry

David Deacon - Four

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 45:58 
Size: 105,8 MB 
Label: Self-Released
Styles: Roots Rock/Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. No Never Mind - 3:01
 2. Arc of Life - 3:17
 3. Rising Up Again - 5:08
 4. California Has No Winter - 4:35
 5. Poetry - 4:13
 6. Only in Her Dreams - 3:52
 7. Simplify - 5:38
 8. Jane - 7:05
 9. Hard Time - 4:49
10. Waving Free - 4:15

You often find that when musical veterans with a certain pedigree get together it all goes horribly wrong. And the Puppies certainly have a pedigree. Alan Glen was a member of The Yardbirds between 1996 and 2003 and has also recorded with Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, Dr Feelgood, Alannah Myles and numerous others. Jim Mercer has worked with Paul Lamb & The Kingsnakes, Pinetop Perkins and Muddy Waters. Dino Coccia has session credits with Andy Shepard, Patrick Moraz and Grace Jones and live shows with Jo-Ann Kelly, Homesick James and Lowell Fulson. John O'Reilly has worked with The Blues Engineers and The Big Town Playboys. Finally, Dave Briggs has performed with Scotty Moore, D.J.Fontana and Sonny Burgess. Frankly you couldn't get a much better CV than these guys.
Now bearing in mind how badly this could have turned out, it gives me great pleasure to say that it's a joy from beginning to end. If you like white boy blues then you're going to lap this up. Mixing up originals as well as classics from Taj Mahal and T-Bone Walker amongst others, this is the perfect soundtrack to the blues basement party in your head. The best covers are the Mississippi Fred McDowell track, “61 Highway” and G.L. Crockett's “Man Down There”, with the instrumental title track being the winner amongst the original material. As well as the outstanding (and contrasting) guitar work from Alan Glen and John O'Reilly, the former also provides some splendid harmonica work. A joy from beginning to end, it's good to hear a band playing the music they love, the way they love. Highly recommended. /Stuart A. Hamilton

Four

Gwyn Ashton - Mojosoul

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 39:33 
Size: 90,8 MB 
Label: Fab Tone Records
Styles: Blues Rock/Rock 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. By Your Side - 2:34
 2. Vanish Into Thin Air - 3:47
 3. No More - 4:28
 4. Take Your Medication - 3:51
 5. Allergic To Love - 2:58
 6. Yesterday's Me (Cool, Cool Water) - 3:49
 7. The Blues Should Take A Holiday - 4:30
 8. The Ballad Of Gwyn Ashton - 4:43
 9. 12,000 Miles From Home - 4:52
10. The Perfect Day To Sing The Blues - 3:57

Gwyn Ashton announces "Mojosoul", the 10th album of his career, celebrating 50 years of playing guitar/ The UK-based musician, former Virgin Records France artist and South Australian Music Hall of Fame inductee has toured in over 30 countries. He’s a storyteller who shifts from the personal to the acerbic and belatedly to the introspective, while his acoustic guitar playing is his best ever, illuminating the light and shade of his songs.“This is my most personal album so far,” says Ashton. “It’s a song-driven, partly autobiographical album with occasional social commentary that has always been part of the best blues songs down the years.” He’s at his most succinct and personal on the autobiographical “The Ballad of Gwyn Ashton”: “At 12 years old I shared my bed with my new friend, my fingers bled, I never quit, I just kept playing hard.” Armed with a 1930 National steel guitar, a Martin acoustic, three 12-string acoustic guitars and an old 60s electric Harmony H-75 for the only electric track on the album, Ashton provides the perfect accompaniment to well-crafted songs occasionally beefed up by his foot percussion including kick, snare, hi hats, tambourine, and blues harp.mojosoul is Gwyn Ashton’s versatile take on the blues, a musical journey that stretches the genre from acoustic folk to ragtime, swampy supercharged boogie and delta blues.No note is wasted and each tone provides subtle counterpoint to his brusque blues vocal. He surprises us with the evocative “Yesterday’s Me (Cool, Cool Water)”, one of two Gary Allen co-writes on the album. Inspired by former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor with whom he toured, much like the closing “The Perfect Day To Sing The Blues”, it’s full of feel and delicate restraint. Ashton is at his best on “12,000 Miles From Home”, a very catchy boogie about touring through the Australian bush fires, straight into the 2020 pandemic, locking him down in South Australia for an extended stay. He switches to a pulsating rhythm amplified by his acerbic lyrics on the political “No More” and then explores a funky feel to match Garry Allen’s withering lyrics on the second co-write, “Take Your Medication”.Wisely, Ashton doesn’t preach but persuasively draws on his own life experiences to paint a believable narrative.The Son House-inspired “By Your Side” illustrates the way he uses traditional gospel and blues influences in a contemporary setting on an aspirational song. He’s expansive on “Vanish Into Thin Air” and glances at his riff-driven past on acoustic 12-string track “Allergic To Love”.This 10-song set offers plenty of contrast, subtle dynamics and, as his label name suggests, plenty of sumptuous tone to fill his mojosoul canvas. Website: https://www.gwynashton.com/

Mojosoul

Mike Harrison Meets The Hamburg Blues Band - Touch

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2001
Time: 50:11 
Size: 128,5 MB 
Label: Ruf Records
Styles: Classic Rock/Blues Rock
Art: Full 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Hold Back - 4:59
 2. Movin' On - 3:51
 3. Try Me Again - 5:23
 4. Make Me Smile - 4:13
 5. Security - 5:39
 6. There's A Road - 4:01
 7. King Of Hearts - 3:45
 8. Perfect Day - 3:58
 9. Hittin' The Spot - 4:33
10. True Lies - 3:55
11. Waiting For The Wind - 5:49

Touch is an album released on Ruf Records in 2001 by Mike Harrison and the Hamburg Blues Band. Billed as "Mike Harrison meets the Hamburg Blues Band", the album followed an invitation to Mike Harrison in 1999 to regularly appear with the Hamburg Blues Band. The album is notable for featuring new songs by lyricist Pete Brown, with music by members of the Hamburg Blues Band, and lead vocals by Harrison. The album received mixed reviews. As one reviewer commented, "Mike's voice is more reminiscent of Ray Charles now that he's older and is perfect for blues rock... This is one of those CDs you listen to for the first time and feel like you've been listening to it your entire life and not just because of the Spooky Tooth song at the end."   In contrast, another reviewer commented that "the band members are decent musicians, but their playing and the album's production is just too sterile, too perfect, lacking that certain 'oomph' or 'edge' that turns the ordinary into something special. 

Touch

Mojo Stomp - When The Dust Settles

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 36:07 
Size: 83,4 MB 
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Ramblin' - 5:16
 2. I Might - 3:00
 3. Low Orbit - 3:21
 4. Dusty - 3:53
 5. Apophis - 3:36
 6. New Man Blues - 3:15
 7. Emily - 5:18
 8. Whisky And Smoke - 4:18
 9. Swampwater Blues - 4:06

It's a musical journey that keeps its roots firmly into the blues by a rich and powerful sound. Live, pure, authentic, real.

When The Dust Settles

Brendon Linsley - Live In Detroit

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 31:35 
Size: 72,5 MB 
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Black Cat Bone (Live) - 4:10
 2. Rack'em Up (Live) - 4:50
 3. Next Door Neighbor Blues (Live) - 5:06
 4. If You Love Me Like You Say (Live) - 3:09
 5. Drowning On Dry Land (Live) - 6:16
 6. Angel Of Mercy (Live) - 3:32
 7. Catfish Blues (Live) - 4:29

Brendon Linsley is a young Guitar phenom who has been playing Blues since 2013 and is one the newest up-and-coming Blues stars in Metro Detroit! He's mentored under Erich Goebel and has been taken under the wings of Jim McCarty and Bobby Murray. He's opened up for acts such as Brandon Miller, Larry McCray and Samatha Fish
In 2014 he traveled with with Nick Tabarias and played with Ronnie Earl at Space Theater. Also on New Years Eve 2014 he preformed with Tosha Owens at the Detroit D Drop. Brendon can be seen around town playing with some of the finest Blues musicians in Metro Detroit at the Blue Goose Inn, Pub Froggy, Harbor House and First Place Lounge open jams. (https://www.brendonlinsley.com/)

Live In Detroit

Andreas Diehlmann Band - Long Way To Go

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 42:47 
Size: 98,3 MB 
Label: Mountain Meadow Studio KS
Styles: Blues Rock 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Long Way To Go - 5:16
 2. Pretty Baby - 3:45
 3. Way To Hell - 4:12
 4. Broken (Into Little Bits) - 6:24
 5. Burning Slow - 4:37
 6. Bad Luck - 3:43
 7. Wedding Dress - 3:24
 8. Baby It's Gonna Rain All Night - 7:29
 9. The Sky Is Crying - 3:51

Musicians:
Andreas Diehlmann - Guitars & vocals;
Jörg Sebald - Bass;
Tom Bornemann - Organ;
Tom Bonn - Drums.

This is the output of Kassel blues rock guitarist Andreas Diehlmann, which is well worth listening to. Now, six years after his debut, his eighth album will be released in early May. Quantity doesn't always have to equal quality, but it's fundamentally different with Diehlmann, and it wasn't for nothing that he received the "German Blues Award" last year. ... Straightforward and forward-thinking are numbers like "Way To Hell" and "Wedding Dress," which could easily be hits by the long-bearded Texas trio. Here, too, the band proves not to be a cheap copy, but equal. “Broken”, a classic blues-rock ballad, offers great, emotional cinema, in which Bornemann weaves a tapestry of sound with the B3, on which Diehlmann takes off with a breathtaking solo. 

Long Way To Go

Ana Popovic - Power

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2023
Time: 40:19 
Size: 95,7 MB 
Label: ArtisteXclusive Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Rise Up! - 4:44
 2. Power Over Me - 3:42
 3. Doin' This - 3:38
 4. Luv ’n Touch - 4:09
 5. Queen Of The Pack - 3:28
 6. Strong Taste - 3:35
 7. Recipe Is Romance - 4:12
 8. Deep Down - 3:52
 9. Ride It - 3:51
10. Flicker & Flame - 2:40
11. Turn My Luck - 2:24

Guitarist Ana Popovic is set to release Power on May 5th. It’s her first album since a life changing cancer diagnosis.“In the fall of 2020, while the world was dealing with Covid, I found myself in a dire and devastating situation,” says Popovic. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having lost my mother three years before the same illness, my world just crumbled. My family had just built a beautiful new home in Manhattan Beach, California. It seemed that everything we had looked forward to, suddenly came to a crashing halt.” “It left me with so many uncertainties. We didn’t know what to do,” continues Ana. “Should we move back to Europe? Should I abandon my music career and simply stop performing? I didn’t know what choices I had or what path I should take.” Ana’s bassist and musical director, Buthel, provided some much needed encouragement, “You can’t retire! You’re born for this,” he told her. “We’ve got work to do. We need to touch people with our music,” he said. “He simply has that gift,” Ana said; “he can build people up!”. The duo connected through Zoom to write the new album while Popovic flew back and forth between Los Angeles and Amsterdam for chemotherapy treatments.
“He took care of the band, oversaw the music, and even chose wigs and hats with me, encouraging my new look, and our new sound while helping me through every difficult day on the road,” says Popovic. “This record brought my spirit the salvation it needed, and ultimately, the music and my ’64 Fender Stratocaster saved my life. I’m convinced now more than ever that guitars CAN save lives.”
Artists change; their artistry evolves over time. Some chart a path that’s consistent; others follow a progression that’s better described as linear. Others bounce around from style to style, with the path only clear when it’s viewed in retrospect. Ana Popović  start as a blues guitar shredder. More than two decades ago when she made her solo debut with Hush!, listeners were presented with a fiery guitarist who could sing, and who had undeniably arresting visual character. Let’s just say that Ana Popović doesn’t look like your standard-issue blues guitarist, and that her spiky heels and slinky outfits leverage her assets in that regard. But Popović has done a commendable job of establishing and maintaining her bona fides as a blues practitioner. Close your eyes if you must, and you can appreciate her expressive musical qualities. It hasn’t always been blues, though; her 2016 set Trilogy explored other styles (including hip hop[!]), and Popović sounds increasingly comfortable embarking upon these musical excursions. Now in 2023, Power threatens to use the blues as little more than a foundational touchstone; the music has more to do with r&b, soul and pop than anything else. Blues purists (aka the Blues Police) forsook the Serbian- born and -raised Popović (if they ever accepted her at all) long ago. Power isn’t likely to win them back, but the loss is theirs. Taken for what it is, Popović’s latest release is a modern collection of songcraft, with fiery blues-inspired guitar work at its core. Here solos fit seamlessly into the big, brassy (metaphorically and otherwise) arrangements, and her vocals bear little if any trace of her Eastern European language inflections. It’s worth noting that Popović’s pre-solo career had her leading a band called Hush, and that group was far from a traditional blues outfit. Hush played r&b, soul and fun. With that in mind – and factoring in her entire career arc to date – Power can be viewed, from a certain angle at least, as a kind of return to form. The press kit for Power emphasizes that the record is a collection of thematically-linked songs that deal with it describes as “a tale of survival.” It’s all slickly packaged, but slick does not always connote soulless. Listeners who don’t know the intricacies and details of that story (the phrase cancer diagnosis figures into it) are left only with the music itself, and as pop played by a top-flight musician goes, it’s fine indeed.

Power