Mojo Mafia - Rescue Me

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2024
Time:35:08 
Size:80,7 MB 
Label:ross puglisi Frank Carnovale 
Styles:Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Whatcha Gonna Do - 3:32
 2. Let It Slide - 3:38
 3. Cryin' Shame - 2:58
 4. Down to the River - 2:56
 5. Love Me Right - 3:06
 6. Gonna Leave a Light On - 4:16
 7. No Good Reason - 3:49
 8. While the River's Low - 3:45
 9. It Ain't Right - 3:20
10. Rescue Me - 3:43

Mojo Mafia is a blues band whose original material ranges from traditional and modern blues to funk and even rockabilly elements. Mojo Mafia have released 4 albums so far.

Rescue Me
Rescue Me

Lightning Red - The Groovemaster

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2008
Time:49:38 
Size:114,0 MB 
Label:Lightning Red Music 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. One Man's Heaven - 4:11
 2. Don't Have to Worry - 4:10
 3. Do the Revolution - 3:51
 4. Voluptuous - 3:47
 5. Tortured Mind - 5:02
 6. Cavern Crawl - 3:36
 7. Change Is Gonna Come - 4:40
 8. The Meek - 4:40
 9. Lie No More - 4:35
10. The Shake - 2:33
11. No Matter What - 4:51
12. What It Takes - 3:36

Musicians:
Lightning Red - vocals, guitar;
Chuck Krecz - keyboards;
Austin Krecz - drums;
LZ Love - vocals, percussion;
Jimi Lee - harmonica.

If you like history then you have to meet Lightning Red! The man is history himself! He saw many of the big Jazz names when he was a kid, befriended Luther Allison, performed at the Armadillo World Headquarters, played with Omar and The Howlers, Charlie Sexton and WC Clark and watched how Little Stevie Ray struggled with his guitar!
Now with the release of the Groovemaster, Lightning Red, almost a blues legend himself, is on the road again and ready to show the world that he is still a master at the guitar! Killer licks, ditto grooves and trademark vocals are the master ingredients for his recipe.“Don’t Have to worry” is a fine example of his trademark vocals! The tune gives us his raw sound that is full and expressive! “Do The Revolution” is a great blues rocker that combines the burning hot guitar licks with the Texas blues style. “Lie No More” is all what the blues is about and on “Change is gonna come” (co-written with long time collaborator & guest vocalist LZ Love) we hear some nice slide guitar as well as LZ’s voice taking over the vocals in this duet! “The Shake” is wonderfully blending blues and soul in an instrumental groove that could fit on any seventies spy-fi movie! “No matter brings” back all the misery and trouble the blues has seen over the ages in this standard 12 bar blues tune. Closing down is a funky blues instrumental with a screaming guitar taking over the vocals! A very nice way to close an album that gave us 12 hot Texas blues tracks.The passionate guitar playing combined with some nice lyrics on the Groovemaster makes from this offering by Texas guitar hero Lightning Red a much appreciated album. The low-down funky shuffles with rockin’ boogies and elements of funk-driven blues creates an experience that you simply can’t Keep quiet.

The Groovemaster
The Groovemaster

Hope Waits - Introducing Hope Waits

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2011
Time:56:20 
Size:129,7 MB 
Label:Spann Records 
Styles:Blues/R&B/Jazz/Roots/Soul Blues/Singer-Songwriter 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. I'll Be Satisfied - 2:56
 2. You Crossed the Line - 3:58
 3. Fortune Teller - 4:47
 4. Yesterdays - 4:40
 5. Get Behind the Mule - 4:34
 6. Ring Them Bells - 3:49
 7. Drown In My Own Tears - 3:53
 8. The Ballad of Judith Anne - 4:07
 9. Cigarettes and Coffee - 4:13
10. Mother-In-Law Blues - 2:51
11. Come Rain or Come Shine - 3:17
12. Ignatius - 5:15
13. Heavies - 3:35
14. I'll Be Home Tomorrow - 4:21

Introducing Hope Waits—the debut release from enigmatic singer/songwriter Hope Waits—was released digitally July 26th on Spann Records. The debut recording from the Louisiana native brews up a sonic gumbo that will satisfy audiences' appetites for impassioned and beautifully handcrafted jazz-tinged blues music. In addition to the physical album's 12 tracks produced by Peter Malick (Norah Jones), the digital release includes two additional songs by the production team of David Kalish (Rickie Lee Jones, Nicolette Larson, Michelle Shocked) and Barrie Maguire (Amos Lee, Natalie Merchant, Wallflowers).From the sparse opening crescendo of brushstrokes on a snare drum, Introducing Hope Waits instantly seduces the listener with the lead track, “I'll Be Satisfied." Waits masterfully morphs the Berry Gordy-penned, Jackie Wilson track from an upbeat and up-tempo hit to a slow and sensuous torch song. Waits proves a masterful interpreter on this wildly diverse album that ranges from the supper-club purr of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's “Come Rain or Shine" to the roadhouse rawness of Don Robey's “Mother-in-Law Blues." Originals by Waits and producer-guitarist Peter Malick such as “Fortune Teller" and “The Ballad of Judith Anne" are imbued with a deeply personal sense of love and personal loss. While the David Kalish penned “I'll Be Home Tomorrow" is sure to invoke comparisons to Bonnie Raitt.“My life really changed through the whole process of recording this album," says Waits. “I was still living in the South, so I'd come to Los Angeles every couple of months and do some tracks, stay a week, and then come back later. I think it was a great way to do it—I just don't see how you can build enough emotion behind your songs if you're going into the studio with everything just ready to go." Recorded in Los Angeles at Chessvolt Studios and Silverlake's Redstar Recording Studio, Introducing Hope Waits also boasts an impressive roster of musicians including drummer Butch Norton (Wheels, Lucinda Williams), bassist Jeff Turmes (Mavis Staples, Janiva Magness) and veteran horn players David Woodford and Lee Thornburg. Waits' team of all-star musicians perfectly complement each of the album's 14 tracks—adding just the right touches of musical support, while still allowing Waits' evocative voice to always remain at the forefront.

Introducing Hope Waits
Introducing Hope Waits

The Chicago Kingsnakes - Blues Island

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:1998
Time:40:02 
Size:92,9 MB 
Label:MusicKing Records 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Mr. Telecaster - 3:42
 2. Abandoned In Hammond - 5:11
 3. Black T-Bird - 4:00
 4. Ride On - 4:03
 5. Get Out Of Memphis - 3:27
 6. Blues Island - 5:38
 7. All Dressed Up - 2:44
 8. All Pain No Gain - 3:23
 9. Green Means Go - 3:02
10. One Turns Into Two - 4:48

The Chicago Kingsnakes were formed in 1983 by guitarist / vocalist James Anderson. He started playing guitar at the age of 8 on a homemade instrument crafted from a cigar box, rubber bands and thumb tacks. A lifelong resident of Chicago, he received his musical education on the city's infamous south side, where he played with the likes of guitar greats Buddy Guy, Lefty Dizz and Son Seals, harmonica legends James Cotton and Junior Wells and the Queen of The Blues, Koko Taylor. James has toured the nation with Sun, Chess, Bobbin, Stax and Malaco recording artist Little Milton. Anderson also played guitar with Johnny Twist's Rocka-Boogie Blues Band touring the midwest for three years. In 1992 The Kingsnakes befriended Byther Smith. The band has become 'Smitty's' road band and has accompanied him on tours of the United States, Finland, The Netherlands and Canada. In addition they played on Byther's 'I'm A Mad Man' CD on the Bullseye record label. On June 5th 1994 Byther Smith andThe Kingsnakes performed on the Main Stage of the 11th Annual Chicago Bluesfest in Grant Park. This friendship is sustained by occasional tours with Byther. The other musicians in the band have worked with such blues notables as Albert Collins, Freddie King, Lonnie Brooks, Otis Clay, James Cotton, Magic Slim, Cash McCall, and Big Twist & The Mellow Fellows, just to name a few. In 1998 The Kingsnakes released a CD of original material entitled 'Blues Island' . The disk was very well recieved by the press. Blues Revue, a national blues magazine, called Blues Island 'Essential'. Chicagoland's The Beat, said 'Blues Island magnificently captures the live feel and heart of blues in a studio setting'. The Kingsnakes are poised to carry the blues torch into the 21st century by staying true to the music's traditions as well as writing new material to reflect the blues of today and tomorrow.
Fan's of no-nonsense urban blues will want to check out Blues Island (MusicKing 60653), The solo album from Byther Smith's sometime road and recording group The Chicago Kingsnakes.The first strains of guitar on this CD put me right into my favorite blues haunt where my imagination added clinking glasses, cigarette smoke, and the muffled sound of people milling about Blues Island magnficently captures the live feel and heart of blues in a studio setting - a feat I rarely hear. Too much polish can sometimes kill the energy that is the essence of the blues to me. You won't find "predictable" here. Throughout this whole release, The Kingsnakes let their hair down without getting sloppy or self-indugent with the solo stuff.On "Abandoned in Hammond" I'd imagine Tom Waits if he's gone blues. On some cuts, I'd hear a bit of early ZZ Top, but I'm stretching. There's quite a wide range of influences, yet Blues Island is uniquely Kingsnakes throughout.Bonuses are special guest Byther Smith's guitar work, and some wonderful Hammond B-3 sound contributed by guest Jeff "Wally: Walroth. The guitar all over the CD is excellent - not overbearing or showy, but letting James Anderson's down home vocals shine through.A little sax, a little slide, great vocals, lots of soul - how can this miss? The whole CD is top notch.

Blues Island
Blues Island

Travis Haddix - A Dozen Times

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2011
Time:58:54 
Size:138,1 MB 
Label:Music Access, Inc. 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. They Call Me the Moonchild (Live) - 4:35
 2. First Thing Tuesday Morning (Live) - 5:29
 3. Job Close to Home (Live) - 7:23
 4. Caught in the Middle (Live) - 5:29
 5. No No No (Live) - 2:46
 6. I've Got a Secret (Live) - 6:35
 7. If I'm One, You're One Too (Live) - 3:46
 8. Winners Never Quit (Live) - 5:04
 9. Down Home Blues (Live) - 5:33
10. Scared Half to Death, Twice (Live) - 5:39
11. This Foolishness - 3:00
12. A Dozen Times - 3:29

Blues guitarist Travis Haddix was born on November 26, 1938. A native of Walnut, MS, Haddix was inspired in his early years by B.B. King's broadcasts on WDIA out of Memphis. In Cleveland, OH, where he has lived since 1959, Haddix developed into a fine modern bluesman and songwriter with an original and soulful touch. While he had been developing his chops in front of rowdy audiences at juke joints and blues festivals throughout the '70s, he didn't begin his recording career in earnest until he signed with the Ichiban label in 1988. His stylish and poppy albums Wrong Side Out (1988), Winners Never Quit (1991), and What I Know Right Now (1992), were, incredibly, released while Haddix continued his job as a postal worker in Ohio. As his popularity continued to grow, he began traveling to Europe several times a year and won numerous blues awards in both Europe and the States. Haddix resumed recording in 1994 with Big Ole Goodun' and also began to develop his interest in other areas of the entertainment business including the formation of his own publishing company and his own record label Wann-Sonn Records. In 2002, Haddix even became an author, releasing Caught in the Middle, a book of his musical memoirs. A quote Travis Haddix uses to close out many of his performances sums up his positive philosophical attitude: "I am the best that I can be, and since no one else can be me, there's none better." ~ Jim O'Neal & Al Campbell

A Dozen Times
A Dozen Times

Bobby Messano - Bobby Messano Live In Madison

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2010
Time:65:50 
Size:152,0 MB 
Label:Prince Frog Records
Styles:Blues/Blues Rock 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Ramblin' On My Mind - 4:43
 2. Politician - 3:34
 3. Can't Find My Way Home - 5:04
 4. Sea of Hope - 4:44
 5. Holdin' Ground - 6:05
 6. Let Me Love You - 6:27
 7. In the Depths of Love - 6:15
 8. Crossroads Blues - 7:03
 9. The Way Things Used To Be - 4:32
10. Little Wing - 9:45
11. Get Up & Dance With The Blues - 7:33

His sizeable talents have graced over 50 albums – as well as 4 of his own (one of them Grammy-nominated) – and helped him to tour the world in the company of everyone from Lou Gramm to Steve Winwood. A musician’s musician in a wide range of circles – from blues, blues-rock, funk, pop and soundtrack work – he’s relied on for his ability to position the right notes in just the right places and to make others sound good. This time out, at Madison, Wisconsin’s Bamfest ’09, Bobby joined N.Y. bassist Steve Geller and Madison’s own Joey B. Banks on drums for an hour-long, 11-song tour through some of his favorite music – his own and otherwise. He’s reached a point in his career where he likes to blend the flash he’s known for, as a player, with the heart and soul he brings to the stage as a hard-core fan of the music. Bobby’s always been loyal to his audience first but something tells me that releasing this effervescent, wide-ranging collection of music has a lot to do with satisfying himself as a musician. Nothing captures the essence of an artist’s abilities like a live record. He’s understandably proud of the results and you’ll soon hear the reasons why. If you already know what Bobby Messano can do – as a surprisingly soulful singer and a take-no-prisoners string-bender, you’ll delight in the music found herein.

Live
Live

Billy C. Farlow - "I Ain't Never Had Too Much Fun"

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2019
Time:38:01 
Size:87,5 MB 
Label:Appaloosa Records 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Too Much Fun - 2:58
 2. Honey Girl - 3:30
 3. Love Bandit - 3:35
 4. Sit on Daddy's Knee - 4:01
 5. You Left Your Mark on Me - 3:19
 6. Demon Lover - 3:05
 7. Jerry's Playhouse - 3:42
 8. Oh Babe - 6:19
 9. Don't Play in Your Own Backyard - 2:48
10. Magnolia Bend - 4:42

His name sounds vaguely familiar – but you can't quite place it. Well, Billy C. Farlow was a founding member of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, the band that expertly mixed old Country music and rock-n-roll into a heady brew that made the band a top live act and garnered them several hits including a remake of “Hot Rod Lincoln”. Farlow was one of the band's vocalists and also added his blues-based harp to the proceedings. He also wrote many of the group's best-known tunes, like “Seeds & Stems” and the band's theme song, “Lost in the Ozone”. In the last thirty-five since leaving The Airmen, Farlow has released a number of recordings under his name. He also served a lengthy stint in legendary blues drummer Sam Lay's band.

"I Ain't Never Had Too Much Fun"
"I Ain't Never Had Too Much Fun"

Bill Edwards - That's What I'm Talkin About

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2010
Time:38:34 
Size:88,8 MB 
Label:Self-Released
Styles:Blues/R&B/Soul
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:

 1. Twelve Step Program - 3:21
 2. Your Presence Is Requested - 4:58
 3. Careful What You Wish For - 3:44
 4. Love Oughta Come With Instructions - 3:52
 5. Oh No No - 3:49
 6. Powered By Patron - 3:48
 7. Loving You - 4:07
 8. Steppin' Out - 4:23
 9. Customize My Love - 3:49
10. Rocket '88 - 2:42

Horn-driven R&B, soul and blues are on the menu for Bill Edwards’ first release. His strong and warm blue-eyed soul pipes and songwriting skills are at the forefront on this collection of band originals along with two cover tunes. His take on soul music is of the summer drive variety, smooth and pleasing to digest. He learned his skills as the lead singer of the New York based band Mrs. English, as well as various studio work. The production team of Bill Edwards and Donald Benjamin construct a sturdy and clean sound.“Twelve Step Program” is about being hooked on a bad love as the narrator declares that-“I need to start my group called you anonymous”. The use of horns and girl backing vocals takes you back to the old days in a good way. Down-home acoustic guitar starts off “Your Presence Is Requested” then quickly morphs into an electric blues groove including a hot guitar solo courtesy of Joe Mennonna. The confirmed bachelor of the song relates his story of becoming hooked by a woman. The tongue-in-cheek soul-blues shuffle “Love Ought To Come With Instructions” displays the care given to the lyric writing on the age-old predicament of relationships. The bluesiest song here “Oh No No” is a foot-stomper were harmonica player extraordinaire Corrin Huddleston pushes the groove along with the percussion. Liquid courage used to get up the nerve to approach a woman, as provided by tequila, is the subject of “Powered By Patron”, that includes a biting Nicky Moroch guitar solo turn.The best example of the production skills is the seamless soul-stroll of “Loving You”, were every piece fits just right. “Careful What You Wish For” comes in as a close second in the smooth-soul song sweepstakes here. The two cover songs- Denise Lasalle’s “Steppin’ Out” and Jackie Brenston’s “Rocket ‘88” are given pretty straight readings.The best qualities of the hey-day of sweet soul music, with only a touch of blues, are given a fresh treatment here. Bill Edwards and associates have learned their lessons well. These techniques have been applied to the songwriting process to create something wholly new and rewarding.

That's What I'm Talkin About
That's What I'm Talkin About

Linwood Taylor - Two Sides

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2024
Time:40:32 
Size:93,1 MB 
Label:Zavuya Music LLC 
Styles:Blues/Blues Rock 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. I'm Good - 3:09
 2. Psychic (feat. Sol Roots) - 4:09
 3. Safe to Say - 3:18
 4. I Wanna Get Funky (feat. Sol Roots) - 5:09
 5. Shake Your Hips - 5:27
 6. Love My Baby - 3:39
 7. Rollin' And Tumblin' - 4:24
 8. Devil In The Details (feat. Sol Roots) - 3:31
 9. Dust My Broom - 4:32
10. Psychic (Acoustic)[feat. Sol Roots] - 3:14

Whenever musicians need a strong, reliable guitar, they frequently turn to the D.C. area’s Linwood Taylor. The Virginia-based, Prince George’s County reared guitarist has guest-starred on albums by Bad Brains leader H.R. and Prince George's County, Maryland harmonica player Anthony “Swamp Dog” Clark. He has shared the stage with Johnny Winter and opened for Johnny Copeland, Albert Collins, Lonnie Mack and Rory Gallagher.But a two-year stint with Joe Louis Walker made Taylor re-evaluate who he is as a musician. Specifically, his long-standing determination to be known for his own accomplishments—rather than for his association with other musicians—was prodded back to life in February, 2010 when Walker called him to tell him he was dropping him from his tour. “I’m like ‘really?’ I said ‘okay, whatever,’ “said Taylor, who had just soloed on Walker’s album, Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise. ”What was I going to do, you know?”
Taylor decided to focus his energies on being a bandleader, drawing from a pool of friends to staff a new--though apparently in flux--incarnation of the Linwood Taylor Band, a touring group he has helmed for decades.

Two Sides
Two Sides

Cash McCall - Cash Mccall

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:1996
Time:44:23 
Size:101,9 MB 
Label:L+R Records GmbH
Styles:Blues/Funky Blues/Blues Soul
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Mojo Woman -  4:20
 2. Something Funny Is Going On -  4:34
 3. No More Doggin' -  6:23
 4. European Holiday -  3:53
 5. I'll Be There -  2:59
 6. Southern Woman -  7:42
 7. Hurry Sundown - 14:29

Cash began his musical career in the gospel field during the early 1960s in Chicago before making his secular leap into soul music. Renamed Cash McCall by a local record company without being consulted, he scored a Top 20 R&B hit under his new moniker in 1966 and then enjoyed success behind the scenes as a songwriter and session guitarist at Chess Records. Moving to Los Angeles during the mid-1970s, McCall solidified his status as a versatile session guitarist and top-flight bluesman, working with his longtime friend Willie Dixon and other notables. Throughout it all, McCall’s enthusiasm for the music he loved never waned. ​Born Morris Dollison, Jr. in New Madrid, Missouri, he spent his early years on Chicago’s near North Side, his father thriving as a milkman in the big city. But little Morris and his siblings had to learn a very different way of life when Morris Sr. decided to move his family to Mississippi. There they picked cotton, planted vegetables, and attended school and church in a segregated environment that was very different from what they’d previously experienced in Chicago. Mississippi was also where the youngster first learned to play guitar—on a piece of baling wire nailed to the side of their home—and where he fell in love with the blues that he would later play so masterfully. 

Cash Mccall
Cash Mccall

Medicine Head - Heartwork

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2024
Time:43:02 
Size:98,9 MB 
Label:Living Room Records 
Styles:Blues/Blues Rock/Rock/Americana 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Makin' Up For Lost Love - 3:46
 2. Alibi - 2:50
 3. Everybody Has The Blues (Sometimes) - 4:41
 4. Get Your Hands In the Air - 4:13
 5. Livin' In A Bubble - 3:38
 6. Love Is Not a Dream - 5:42
 7. Gotta Hold On - 4:28
 8. It's All About The Love - 4:57
 9. Blue Eyes - 4:06
10. Ridin' In My Car - 4:38

Medicine Head began life in 1968 when the founding core duo of singer and guitarist John Fiddler and harmonica player Peter Hope-Evans began performing in the Midlands. They quickly came to the attention of John Peel and - at the insistence of John Lennon - the DJ ended up signing the band to his own Dandelion Records. Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend were also early cheerleaders. Medicine Headreleased three albums via Dandelion Records. The first album, 1970's 'New Bottles, Old Medicine' then a second album in 1971, 'Heavy On The Drum'; produced by the Yardbirds' Keith Relf. After their 1972 album, 'Dark Side of the Moon' [yes, before Pink Floyd), the band signed to Polydor. Medicine Headthen released 'One & One Is One', the single charted at No.3 in the charts and the album of the same name garnered them more fans. The following album 'Thru' A Five' gave them more hits with "Rising Sun" and 'Slip and Slide'. Soon after that the band became a duo again, releasing the fittingly titled album 'Two Man Band' in 1976. The following year, Peter Hope-Evans left for the final time, although John Fiddler (with Peter's blessing), has continued to work, and to release records as Medicine Head - 2011's 'Fiddlersophical' was the last before 'Warriors of Love' in 2020. Moving straight into 2024 and we see the new studio album 'Heartwork' a wonderful new album with John's classic Rock guitar playing and vocals. “Heartwork” offers 10 new songs  in the blues and blues rock genre from Medicine Head’s mainstay, singer and guitarist John Fiddler, the band’s sole original member. The album is the follow-up to the popular “Warriors Of Love” long player, the first Medicine Head album for a decade. The album is self produced, engineered and mixed, by a multi instrumentalist with a delightful lightness of touch which he uses to underpin the songs strengths rather than load them with Nashville clichés.He opens with ‘Makin Up For Lost Love’, which after an exclamatory opening slips into a percussive groove given its substance by his own heartfelt vocal. He’s admirably matched by Belinda Campbell’s gospel accompaniment, while Bucket Colwell’s tension building squalls and solo is the icing on a very rich cake. ‘Heartwork’ is actually a better album than ‘Warriors of Love’ because the songs are more consistent and hang together naturally to support the central theme, the exploration of love. And just when you think he’s exhausted his possibilities, he gives us the closing and very evocative ‘Ridin’ In My Car’ a Jackson Brown and David Lindley influenced track, but uniquely fashioned by Fiddler’s summery narrative which floats above an exquisite solo from Dzal Martin. The ‘Heartwork’ title fits the album perfectly, as he frequently sounds as if he’s pouring out his inner soul on a reflective album.It’s a laid back roots-rock album that frequently evokes Bob Dylan in term of arrangements, lyrics and vocal phrasing. Fiddler also wisely leans on Mark Knopfler’s ‘less is more’ approach on 10 tracks that allow lyrical meaning and musical feel to flourish, while the tones wash over you, and the oft repeated hooks linger in the memory.

Heartwork
Heartwork

Jack Edery & UltraSuede - Fried Chicken & Whiskey

Bitrate:320K/s

Year:2009
Time:49:25 
Size:114,0 MB 
Label:Self-Released 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Blues Outside My Window - 4:44
 2. Fried Chicken & Whiskey - 4:58
 3. Mr Earvin - 6:21
 4. Throw A Boogie Woogie - 2:24
 5. Blind Woman With A Gun - 4:11
 6. Ballad of Yvonne & Angel - 6:20
 7. Cajun Queenie - 4:00
 8. Good At Being Bad - 3:32
 9. Turn Me Loose In Your Kitchen - 4:57
10. Memphis - 4:46
11. Knucklebuster - 3:09

Hailing from Beaumont, TX, guitarist Jack Edery fronts a band that mixes a variety of musical influences into a coherent and entertaining package of original music. Edery handles most of the vocals with his dark, edgy voice. He spent some time in Chicago and played with some of the city’s veteran blues musicians, including a stretch in the band of Jimmy Dawkins. At times, Edery’s guitar picking captures the same level of emotional intensity that Dawkins is capable of generating. Susan Pierce handles the keyboards and has several opportunities to feature her outstanding vocal talents. The rhythm section of Jason McCollum on bass and Robert Smith on drums is solid throughout the disc. Jimbo Mathus, who adds backing vocals, guitar and keyboards on several of the cuts, produced the disc.UltraSuede comes at you with a roadhouse attitude that one might expect from a band out of Texas. They rip through the traditional tune “Throw a Boogie Woogie” with an energy level bordering on maniacal. Shifting gears, the band shows it can handle the Louisiana swamp pop style on “Cajun Queenie” with Eric Carlson on keyboards. Edery’s guitar is featured the acoustic run-through of “Turn Me Loose in Your Kitchen”, with lyrics full of sexual innuendo. Pierce and Edery do a duet on “Good at Being Bad” and Pierce dominates the proceedings with her powerful, sassy voice.Equally impressive is her lead vocal on “Blind Woman with a Gun”, her own composition. She convincingly tells the tale of a mistreated woman and her promise of revenge. The title track shows the group can get funky, with Carlson on organ and Edery laying down some rapid-fire guitar lines. “Blues Outside My Window” is a tough rocker with Edery shouting out the lyrics over Pierce’s stormin’ piano. Another highlight is the haunting “Mr. Earvin” with one Edery’s strongest vocal performances. The instrumental “Knucklebuster” provides Edery and Pierce with the space to showcase their skill on their respective instruments. The brooding “Ballad of Yvonne & Angel” misses the mark because Edery’s voice can’t quite handle the demands of the song.For their first release, Edery and company have put together a solid package that would suggest that they can generate plenty of excitement during their live performances. It certainly helps to have a veteran like Jimbo Mathus directing the project and keeping the band focused. Edery delivers an appealing batch of tunes and the band fleshes out each one in appealing fashion. The project might have benefited if Pierce had a few more spots to showcase her vocal talent. Otherwise, UltraSuede can be proud of the way this one turned out. 

Fried Chicken & Whiskey
Fried Chicken & Whiskey

The Reclamators - sing it, white boy!

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2009
Time:39:44 
Size:91,5 MB 
Label:Crooked Walls Records
Styles:Blues
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Bullet Blues - 3:39
 2. Redhouse - 3:33
 3. Sweet Home Chicago - 3:26
 4. Blues in the Basement - 4:09
 5. Hothouse Blues - 3:33
 6. Bright Lights, Big City - 3:46
 7. Man in the Box - 3:03
 8. Been Retired From Your Love - 3:51
 9. Inflation Blues - 3:54
10. Matchbox Blues - 3:13
11. Steamroller Blues - 3:34

Releasing fifteen singles over a period of six years back in the sixties with only minor success gave Jerome Mykietyn the blues. His misfortune turns out to be a stroke of luck for fans of straight ahead, no frills blues. After starting a family and working a 'regular job' Jerome put together his first blues effort over a period of three years with the help of his son and various musicians from his musical past. He calls his assemblage of players The Reclamators to signify his interpretations of some classic songs. Also included are five of his originals. Four of which deal with social commentary.Ably abetted by his son Jeremy on drums and a revolving cast of crack players, Jerome delivers the goods. With his endearing matter-of-fact voice he sounds like he just came in from plowing the back forty to kick out some blues tunes with his friends. There is a country element that flavors many of the songs. The two lead guitarists he enlisted seem to favor a distorted tone, which suits these songs just fine.The original "Bullet Blues" starts things off fine with Mykietyn's distorted slide guitar added to his tale of losing loved ones to the war. He comments on global warming in "Hothouse Blues" and homelessness in "Man In The Box". He incorporates a working knowledge of the blues idiom into his own compositions to come up with worthy efforts. Enough of a new twist is added to the cover songs to to render a fresh sound. At first you might say 'oh no, not another version of that' when "Redhouse" comes on, but it chugs along with an energetic vocal bolstered by stinging guitar courtesy of Robert Ross. James Taylor's "Steamroller Blues" loses it's 'Pop' novelty quality here. This version lopes along as a slow blues. The musicians execute deftly throughout this disc. It's interesting to discover the nuances of other genres that dart in-and-out during the proceedings. It could be a rockabilly inflection in the vocal or some Chuck Berry-meets-blues riffing. The piano and organ backing fleshes out the sound. David Demsey lends his sax playing to the slow blues of "Been Retired From Your Love".No real 'oh wow' moments here. Instead what is provided is a reliable, easy flowing dose of blues. When something is constructed with such thought we sometimes take it for granted. Here's hoping Mr. Mykietyn has enough blues left over for his next effort. 

sing it, white boy!
sing it, white boy!

The David Landon Band - This Time

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2009
Time:63:49 
Size:146,5 MB 
Label:Whip Records
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. The Biggest Fool - 5:00
 2. Think Twice - 4:20
 3. Say Goodbye - 4:51
 4. Who's Lovin' You ? - 8:29
 5. Log Jam - 4:39
 6. One Hundred Years - 4:22
 7. Ducks in a Row - 4:55
 8. I'm Gonna Quit You - 8:34
 9. A Man's Gotta Be a Man - 5:04
10. You've Done Nothing Wrong - 2:37
11. This Time - 7:30
12. Goodbye My Friend - 3:22

After attending college in Boston, David Landon went to Paris to hone his chops. He worked the streets and club scene in Paris and around Europe. When he returned to the states, he settled in the San Francisco Bay area. David is also the owner operator of Whip Records recording studio and record label, which he literally built from the ground up. He is not just the owner. His resume also includes recording engineer, producer, and session player, as well as singer, songwriter, guitarist, and band leader. The David Landon Band is made up of music industry veterans. David and/or members of his band have played with Lenny Williams, Tommy Castro, Coco Montoya, Eric Gales, Frankie Lee, and Earl Thomas. The band plays regularly at Bay area venues such as Biscuits and Blues and the Boom Boom Room. This is David’s fourth CD. All of the songs were written and arranged by David.This Time has twelve radio friendly tracks whether pop or FM format. “The Biggest Fool,” the opening track, is a rocking number about a musician who loses his woman over a one night indiscretion. It has good organ and guitar solos. The second track, “Think Twice,” warns his new woman not to do what he just did. The CD generally follows in a logical storyline progression. “Say Goodbye” is very Motown like. “My Girl” by the Temptations comes to mind. The theme of indiscretion is carried through. Charles Mc Neal, a guest musician, interjects a soulful sax solo.Speaking of Motown, the next track, “Who’s Lovin’ You,” even borrows a Motown title. Continuing in the storyline, now that they have said their goodbyes, he’s missing her and asking the age old question, “who’s loving you.” It has a long gospel like instrumental section that I call “taking it to church.” “Log Jam” is a honky tonk instrumental jam. “One Hundred Years” and “Ducks In A Row” are rock and roll numbers. “I’m Gonna Quit You” is a slow blues with stinging guitar. It’s about a bad habit he can’t quit- his woman. This one is a sure bet crowd pleaser at a live show.In “A Man’s Gotta Be A Man” the storyline fellow has finally got his act together and sends this woman packing. “You’ve Done Nothing Wrong” is an ironic tale. “This Time” is the title track and rightfully so. It’s a very nice ballad. The CD should have ended on “This Time.” The last track, “Goodbye My Friend” ends the story on a goodbye note but the tone of the song seems out of place with the previous tracks.The songs have standard blues themes, “I did her wrong, she did me wrong, I want her back, I can’t get enough,” but they are done in a fresh way. This Time is a good CD.

This Time
This Time

Retro Deluxe - Watermelon Tea

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2010
Time:63:05 
Size:145,8 MB 
Label:Rinkled Rooster
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Watermelon Tea - 2:51
 2. A Woman Like That - 4:23
 3. I've Got One Woman - 5:21
 4. You're Lyin' - 2:58
 5. The Mother Nature Song - 5:17
 6. One Tooth Tessie - 3:04
 7. Too Much Drama - 3:10
 8. Clarksdale, Mississippi - 6:56
 9. Hoochie Coochie Back Door Man - 3:20
10. Wine and Religion - 4:38
11. Rockin' The Blues Tonight - 3:19
12. What In The Devil Did I Do Last Night? - 2:03
13. Beer and Whiskey, Wine and Cigarettes - 3:56
14. Heavenly Band - 2:58
15. Rough, Tumble, Roll - 3:03
16. Blues Infusion - 5:46

Retro Deluxe for this effort consists of Bobby Joe Owens on lead vocals and the amazing young guitarist Zach Sweeney abetted by The Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Jimbo Mathis as producer and rudimentary drummer and Jimbo’s partner in crime Justin Showah on electric and standup bass. This is the first time out for this configuration that deals in a raw and spare sound as they deliver all original songs that take from various blues styles. You’ll swear that you’ve heard some of these tunes before as the band has absorbed without mimicking. Zach props up the proceedings with his endless trick- bag of licks providing rhythm and lead. Blues, rockabilly-blues, Chuck Berry riffs and grunge pop up to pepper the tunes while Bobby Joe’s swagger and hint of an Elvis and George Thorogood vibe keep things real. Grammy/Emmy Award winner Billy Earheart(Amazing Rhythm Aces, Hank Williams Jr.) underscores with his piano and organ on about half the tracks. The only other extra is backing vocals. The title track would fit into the soundtrack of a hokey Elvis movie. I can see it now-“The King” swiveling his hips as he exhorts the virtues of his Ruby Mae’s watermelon tea making skills as scantily glad bimbos cavort around “His Swivel-Ness”. “A Woman Like That” is George Thorogood territory, but with better guitar skills. Bobby Joe’s voice goes in-and-out of Thorogood mode on the clever “Hoochie Coochie Back Door Man”. Distorted guitar goes hand-in-hand with Owens’ down-in-the-gutter berating of an untrue lover in the aptly named “You’re Lyin’”. “The Mother Nature Song” is old-school guitar blues at its best as the writer unfolds a litany of travails the old girl has imposed on our hero. “One Tooth Tessie” is a gut-bucket blues ode to his girlfriends ability to “work that one tooth right”. Acoustic guitar, harmonica and standup bass give the song the necessary atmosphere. The pitfalls of family life are described in “Too Much Drama”, again regaled with Zach’s driving and catchy string work. Chuck Berry and the spirit of Johnnie Johnson are called up on another Thorogood-ish workout via “Rockin’ The Blues Tonight.” Zach brings out his T-Bone Walker arsenal to the front on “Beer and Whiskey, Wine and Cigarettes”, a song that sounds like it’s a jump-blues standard. “Heavenly Band” is a “dead-blues guy” tune that REALLY swings and works without sounding corny. A John Lee Hooker groove-meets-jump blues, sang thru the harp mic is the draw of “Rough, Tumble, Roll”, not to mention the ever-ready Skinny Fats. I’ll admit this one took a while to grow on me, but once the growing is done, you’re left with a dose of hard-edged blues reality. The slight flaw of the monotonous drone of “Clarksdale, Mississippi”(guess the number of times the title is repeated and you win a “kewpie doll”) aside, there is a heapin’ helpin’ of modern blues to found here. Jimbo’s production values elevate the tag-team effort of Bobby Joe and Zach. If there is any justice in the world Zach will eventually join the ranks of blues guitar masters such as Duke Robillard, Anson Funderburg and Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin. So don’t touch that dial….pick this one up and anxiously await to see what these guys cook-up next.

Watermelon Tea
Watermelon Tea

Mr G and the Mystery Band - It's A Mystery

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2009
Time:73:11 
Size:168,2 MB 
Label:Self-Released 
Styles:Blues/Harmonica Blues/Chicago Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. It's A Mystery - 5:46
 2. My Dog & Me - 8:12
 3. Hey Jose - 4:36
 4. After Party - 5:11
 5. I'm Trying To Quit - 6:06
 6. Cheat Me Fair - 8:01
 7. How Much Longer - 7:48
 8. Get Out And Walk - 6:44
 9. All I Need Is Your Love - 6:25
10. Paying Taxes - 7:40
11. Work, Work, Work - 6:38

“Mr G” is Chris Gillock, a singer, songwriter, and harpist who started life in California but finished his education in Chicago and put down area roots. He became a student of Chicago Blues and traded his California funk and jazz trombone for the Blues harmonica. Mr. G established the Mystery Band on Thanksgiving evening in 2003, filling in for a busted booking at the now defunct Bill’s Blues Bar in Evanston, Illinois, where he was a “hanger-on” and investor. In the six years since, Mr. G has convinced over 45 of Chicago-land’s top blues and jazz players to join the Mystery Band’s mission: “to jam and have fun.” The liner notes list most of those recruits, and the “A Team” on this CD are very talented Chicago stalwarts and pedigreed, indeed: Guitars – OSee Anderson and Anthony Palmer; Drums – James Carter; and bass – Greg “E.G.” McDaniel. As a reviewer, I receive too many “Blues” CDs that are not. It is a joy to receive this set of solid Blues with first rate playing, unique chromatic harp tones, and eleven original songs with both thoughtful and humorous lyrics. Some of Mr G’s raucous harmonica is rightly featured in the first track, which poses both deep questions (“mean people”) and funny mysteries (the “tattoos” and “saggy pants”). Sometimes, Mr G juxtaposes a light hearted look and heart break in the same verse like in “My Dog and Me,” a swampy guitared story of marital breakup. “When I first met my wife, I thought she was so fine / But the longer I lived with that woman the more I loved my canine / I couldn’t satisfy her no matter how hard I tried / But now she’s gone and I must confess I feel dead inside.” Back to fun in track three; “Hey José,” is a traditional 12 bar Chicago Blues shuffle with great harp soloing and guitar breaks by OSee Anderson. As the story goes, José is a best-friend bartender, and the narrator is in clearly in Chicago because he keeps ordering “another Old Style® beer.” This one is headed for a fun spot in my radio show! Another must play song is the set’s real standout, a minor key chromatic workout, “Cheat Me Fair.” This slow Blues is an eight minute expose of love gone wrong featuring torturing vocals, harp solos and Anthony Palmer’s gut wrenching guitar. The narrator indulges in a curious fantasy about “driving an old Dodge Dart down to Mexico to find a Mexican girl who will follow him everywhere and always tell the truth.” Now that’s funny! My first ear-worm (song that repeats later in your head) came from the chorus on “Get Out and Walk,” written when gasoline prices were over $4.00 per gallon in 2008. The special effects harp sounds come from a low D harp muted by a coffee cup. The rhythm guitar percolates like a mountain brook on this Country Blues flavored, go green themed number.One song has Reggae flavoring, one a Bo Diddley beat, another is a rumba. There is an ode to square shouldered working folk, a “Payin’ Taxes” protest, and themes from after hours partying to both sides of love. Bottom line: every track on this CD is a winner. Put this CD in a blind listening test for Blues fans and friends, and they will agree that there is enough going on here to elevate to a national level this band that’s slowly building a following in the intensely competitive Chicago Blues market.

It's A Mystery
It's A Mystery

Big G & The Real Deal - Chicago Blues Party

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2014
Time: 60:52 
Size: 140,0 MB 
Label: Toucan Cove Entertainment
Styles: Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had - 4:05
 2. Shake Your Money Maker - 4:12
 3. Mystery Train - 4:53
 4. Smokestack Lightning - 4:48
 5. It's Too Late Brother - 3:00
 6. Sweet Home Chicago - 3:49
 7. Honey Bee - 4:09
 8. Dust My Broom - 5:53
 9. Mannish Boy - 5:27
10. Feelin' Good - 3:46
11. Bring It on Home - 5:35
12. Walkin' Thru The Park - 3:59
13. Messin' with the Kid - 3:19
14. Got My Mojo Working - 3:52

Big G & the Real Deal’s 14-song Chicago Blues Party features tight ensemble playing that effectively represents the halcyon days of post-war Chicago blues. The set kicks off with “Can’t Lose What You Never Had,’ showcasing Tom Albanese’s strong harp attack. The band’s set list is comprised of blues classics, such as “It’s Too Late, Brother,” “Messin’ With the Kid,” “Bring It On Home,” and many other well-known songs from the traditional Chicago blues songbook..
There is quite a deep well of experience on this CD. Producer/keyboard player Phil Balsano was with the rock outfit Tantrum in the 70’s, while Tom Albanese has lent his considerable harp chops to Chicago’s Trouble No More, a band fronted by the late L.C. Walker, and more recently by Deb Seitz. Drummer Tim Scruggs has anchored the 101st Rock Division around the world, and he has shared the stage with Koko Taylor, Dave Mason, and a diverse range of musicians. Bassist Mickey Gentile has played with lead guitarist George “Big G” Millspaugh in the Southern blues band Pearl Handle for over 10 years, and John “Butch” Willard turns in many impressive guitar solos at this party.

Chicago Blues Party
Chicago Blues Party

Fatback Deluxe - Rat Now

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2008
Time:44:41 
Size:103,4 MB 
Label:Self-Released
Styles:Blues
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. You Belong To Me - 3:10
 2. Mercy - 3:45
 3. Sittin' On The Boatdock - 2:47
 4. She Belongs To Me - 3:06
 5. Country Boy (Running Wild) - 2:19
 6. The Sun Shines Down - 5:25
 7. Jump With You - 2:50
 8. She Suits Me To A Tee - 3:33
 9. Rat Now - 4:02
10. Looking Back - 2:22
11. Darkness Falls - 4:50
12. Steel Blade Fan - 3:34
13. Gawjook Boogie - 2:51

There are several interpretations as to how the term "Hotlanta" became the descriptive word for the city of Atlanta, GA. Some say "The "Hot" refers to the hot summer temperatures common to Atlanta", while others say "The "Hot" in "Hotlanta" refers to the many wonderful things to do in Atlanta, especially the sexy nightlife Atlanta is famous for." My money says someone in the Blues Community gave it the name because of all the "Hot" Blues Bands in the area. FATBACK DELUXE is just one of those many "Hot" bands.FATBACK DELUXE consist of IRA MALKIN on vocals and harp, CHRIS KRAMER on guitar, BEN GETTYS on standup bass, and PETE MAIER on drums. On their CD, "RAT NOW", they are joined by MATT WAUCHOPE on piano and organ. The disc contains thirteen tracks, of which a handful were written by CHRIS.

Rat Now

Rat Now

Alvin Jett & The Phat NoiZ Blues Band - Honey Bowl

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2016
Time: 62:48 
Size: 144,5 MB 
Label: The Store For Music Ltd
Styles: Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Make Me Smile - 4:39
 2. Lay My Burden Down - 4:07
 3. Bluesman's Hat - 4:43
 4. Honey Bowl - 5:00
 5. The Wreck - 5:17
 6. 3 Minute Man - 3:04
 7. Lucky Charms - 5:32
 8. Graveyard Shift - 5:37
 9. Zombie Land - 3:59
10. Dem Haters - 3:59
11. Alone and Drinkin' - 3:52
12. Me, You and Cyndee - 4:39
13. A Year or Two or Ten or Twenty - 4:25
14. Runnin' Like a Dog - 3:51

Albert King with a Fender Telecaster meets Robert Cray over at Otis Rush’s house. Sound good to you? It does to me. Jett’s vision sounds like a Bluesman in the 21st century. He has absorbed Hendrix, Stax, a bit of Albert Collins, and someone like Tom Principato or Mike Bloomfield. If Joe Louis Walker is to your liking, you’re going to appreciate Alvin Jett. 
“Make Me Blue“ is a good way to start the disc. Energetic song, well crafted. The lyrics are believable and convincingly delivered. Several key changes for the solos (sax and guitar) demonstrate a musical literacy that is so often missing from Blues recordings. This musical device isn’t necessary in a three-minute song, but, as featured in Z.Z.Top’s “La Grange,” or B.B.King medleys, is as potent as Bacardi 151 in longer pieces.
The next track, “Lay My Burden Down,” is in no way connected with the fantastic Gospel song, but it’s good. It’s funky and slightly aggressive. An honest lyric with a nice rocking groove.
“Bluesman’s Hat” is an admonition—As one doesn’t piss into the wind, one doesn’t presume to touch a Bluesman’s sky. This one is fine for a live performance. Maybe it will be the source for a suburban legend. The harp adds a welcome texture.
Track #4, the title cut “Honey Bowl” is not successful at being lascivious. Too bad.
The 5th track is written and sung by bassist Matt Davis. “The Wreck” is a nice idea with a good delivery. The song is well-crafted, right out of the Robert Cray playbook. I like the Montgomery-to-Cray guitar solo. The ensemble horns take the song directly to where it was intended.
Davis also composed “Three Minute Man.” This is a slow blues that summons up Jimmy Roger’s “My Last Meal,” or Rice Miller’s version of “Four Nights Drunk.” It’s wry and has the sting of the truth to it. “Three Minute Man” is the first song I’ve ever heard devoted (with an amusing pride) to substandard performance during “romantic opportunity.”
The instrumentals, “Lucky Charms” [#7], and “Dem Haters” [#10], and “Me, You, and Cyndee” [#12] are all competent, journeyman pieces. The first is somewhere between Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross” and an early CTI Records tune. The second is very reminiscent of Tom Scott’s L.A.Express. The last, a sort of generic “Breezin’.” If you’re unfamiliar with these associations then you will probably enjoy these pieces.
The arrangement of “Graveyard Shift” uses the bass and horns in a thoughtful way. It’s a slight reference to SRV, but not one of those ‘I can do that, too’ clone things. Once again, true lyrics, well crafted.
The closing cuts, “A Year or Two or Ten or Twenty” and “Runnin’ Like a Dog” are both really good songs. The first is a nearly comprehensive account of life flying by a man who is losing the battle to survive. The final cut is very much Albert King doing “Phone Booth,” aggressive and driving. It, too, is a strong piece.

Honey Bowl

Honey Bowl

Jon Justice - Forget About Time

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2004
Time: 41:16 
Size: 97,1 MB 
Label: Self-Released
Styles: Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Forget About Time - 3:17
 2. Why - 3:45
 3. Sun Shines Sometimes - 4:44
 4. Next to Me - 3:51
 5. Stay - 3:56
 6. Chains of Love - 4:26
 7. Lady Soul - 4:24
 8. Crazy Love - 4:06
 9. Don't Let This Be the One - 5:27
10. That's Alright - 3:17

The early years: Jon Justice was born in the Chicago, Illinois, area in 1982. His first formal music performance experience came as a teenager, when he toured nationally with bluegrass and Gospel groups. In 1999, he acted upon the visceral effect such music has had on him since his youth: acknowledging it's inhabiting of his soul and seeking to be among people who shared deeply felt musical sensibilities, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Using that musically rich city as both his inspiration and his base of operations, Justice joined with veteran pianist of Percy Sledge and Exile fame, Steven Bowen, to form The Recipe. They then toured together between 2000 and 2003, doing literally hundreds of shows and turning thousands of people onto the emerging sound of Jon Justice. His debut CD, Forget About Time: His extensive touring, combined with five years of life experience, enabled Justice to forge a truly distinctive sound. Philip Wolfe, producer of bands such as Alabama, Trick Pony, and Dickey Betts, came on board at that time to work with Justice, and joining them was Memphis Horn Wayne Jackson, contributor to the outstanding music of such industry forces as Otis Redding, Elvis, Aerosmith, and Aretha Franklin, and harmonica wiz Jason Ricci. Working in concert, they crafted the well-received debut Justice album, Forget About Time, which released in June 2004. Forget About Time is surprisingly diverse and deeply delightful, combining two hallmarks that define the Jon Justice sound: The first is the depth and breadth of musicality that can evoke many influences at the same time it is deeply original - unusual in one so young. The second is his ability to engender musical experiences that range from rousing anthem-like compositions that are rhythmically and lyrically irresistible, to honest, intimate songs that recall the private meditations and intimate moments shared between individuals. In support of the release of Forget About Time, Justice toured from state to state, doing what he loves to do best - perform for live audiences. A truly consummate performer, Justice walks from the sidewalk to the stage without breaking stride, bringing with him an authentic joy in his music that never fails to energize his shows - and his audience. With each show, Justice's easy presence and resonant musical style creates a bond with his listeners; the result is a live show experience that surpasses human-scale expectations and that is amazing and unforgettable - particularly when it emanates from one so young. In the course of his performing career thus far, Justice has opened for Derek Trucks and Indigenous and he has played with such music luminaries including Buddy Guy, the Memphis Horns, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The evolution of the Jon Justice sound: As Justice approaches the quarter-century mark in his life, his music continues to evolve as his life experiences expand. Already possessed of soulfulness that belies his youth, Justice is constantly exploring musical influences and expanding his repertoire of skills. Thus the 'Jon Justice Sound' is always pushing outward to fresh expression, reverberating as it does with Justice's singular take on the events of the day and building innovatively on the bedrock of influencers to the Justice musical juggernaut: hard rock, sensual soul, and heartfelt blues. One thing, however, always stays the same: the undeniable talent of Jon Justice and the incomparable thrill of his music. Rousing, touching, irreverent, and always exciting, the Jon Justice sound is not something you simply listen to; it's something you experience - just as Justice himself did when he wrote it and does every time he performs it. What others are saying about Jon Justice: • 'The kid can flat-out play!' - Buddy Guy, legendary blues and rock guitarist • 'I am so proud of this record. Jon is a singer, songwriter, and performer''all in one package.' - Phillip Wolfe, producer • 'Jon is such a talented kid with such a bright future. The live shows are just great!' - Wayne Jackson, The Memphis Horns • 'Terrific live performer. One of the most talented performers I've ever seen.' - Pat McManigal, critic, The Memphis Star.

Forget About Time

Forget About Time

Bobby G Blues Band - Bitter Cup

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2008
Time: 51:34 
Size: 118,6 MB 
Label:Self-Released
Styles: Blues/Harmonica Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Went out last Night - 6:26
 2. Ain\'t my Fault - 7:32
 3. Bitter Cup - 7:15
 4. Handy Man - 4:39
 5. Born in Mississippi - 5:09
 6. Lovely night for Romance - 5:00
 7. Hole in the Wall - 3:50
 8. Miracle - 5:38
 9. They call it the Blues - 6:02

Bobby G’s CD features nine original songs, and it kicks off with a firey “Went Out Last Night” that showcases a very talented six-piece blues band. This long, introductory jam sets the stage with fine harp work from Tony Medina, the choice lead guitar chops of Al Spear, followed by some nice touches on rhythm guitar from Orpheus Golden.While there’s some pretty hard-charging blues on Bitter Cup, Bobby G and the guys slow it down a bit on two romantic ballads tailor-made for the dance floor: “Miracle” and “Lovely Night for Romance.” Bobby G’s working to promote live blues music in the far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland, and I recommend this outfit highly. Live, they mix up the set lists with some inspired versions of classic covers, and I enjoyed “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” the night I first discovered this band. I was pleasantly surprised at Tony Medina on congas, and the twin keybards, too, that contributed to the band’s big sound.

Bitter Cup

Bitter Cuo

Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet - Soul Monster

Bitrate:320K/s

Year:2009
Time:54:04 
Size:124,6 MB 
Label:Delta Groove Music, Inc.
Styles:Blues/Harmonica Blues
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Soul Monster - 3:54
 2. Can't Stand To See You Go - 3:36
 3. Cheap Wine - 5:16
 4. Key to the Highway - 4:27
 5. Sunbird - 4:02
 6. That's What's Knockin' Me Out - 3:21
 7. Tell Me About It Sam - 5:37
 8. Queen Bee - 4:08
 9. Expression Session - 2:54
10. Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So) - 4:24
11. Talk To Me - 4:36
12. You Better Watch Yourself - 3:28
13. Hey, Mrs. Jones - 4:15

From the passionate, fat-toned honks of the opening instrumental, to the remaining dozen cuts, this four-piece ensemble of Mighty Flyers have produced a solid, harp-fueled CD. Soul Monster is Rod Piazza’s 24th recording in a career that has spanned four and a half decades, and it features a nice mixture of covers and originals. Big Bill Broonzy’s “Key to the Highway” is slowed down just a touch, and “Sunbird” takes me right back to the classic harp lines of Rod’s mentor, George “Harmonica” Smith. “You Better Watch Yourself” honors the work of Little Walter just fine, too, and “Queen Bee” sets up Rod for some tasty solos. Standout cuts on Soul Monster for me are the originals: “Cheap Wine” (co-written with Honey Piazza, the title cut, and “Expression Session.” Rod’s got Miss Honey on piano and bass guitar, Henry Caraval on guitar and vocals, and Dave Kida behind the drum kit. Henry’s vocals on “Talk to Me” and “Ko Ko Mo” are spot-on, and from beginning to end, Soul Monster is a CD worth celebrating. “Talk to Me” reminds me of classic AM radio hits of the 1960’s – a departure of sorts from more traditional blues, but it shows the versatility of the band. While it’s more Bill Haley than Big Big Broonzy, it’s a nice change of pace. This summer, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet will play Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago Independence Day weekend, followed by a show at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival prior to crossing the pond for a couple of European festivals, including the aptly-named Piazza Blues Festival in Switzerland. 
Reviewer Eric Steiner is the President of the Washington Blues Society, a proud recipient of a Keeping the Blues Alive Award from the Blues Foundation. Please visit www.wablues.org  for more information on the Washington Blues Society/

Soul Monster

Soul Monster

Jimmy Sweetwater - Food, Sex and Music

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2023
Time:24:34 
Size:56,7 MB 
Label:Self-Released
Styles:Blues
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Say Goodbye - 2:55
 2. Pawn Ticket - 3:04
 3. She Walks in a Funky Way - 4:09
 4. Got to Go - 2:42
 5. Un-Affordable Housing Blues - 3:00
 6. Slim Slamity Slew - 2:37
 7. Seafood Deep Fried - 2:23
 8. That's the Guy - 3:40

It could be argued that The Band created Americana music. Certainly one of the first popular acts to bring a multi-genre approach to their music which is at the heart of Americana. Unlike The Byrds Folk focus or The Flying Burrito Brothers Country focus, The Band used R&B and Blues as their anchor. I consider The Band to be Blues.
It’s in this vein that one can look at Jimmy Sweetwater. A harmonica wielding, washboard scraping singer/songwriter with a distinctive Levon Helm style of singing, Sweetwater has a Robbie Robertson indebted genre defying writing style. On his new record Food, Sex and Magic, Sweetwater lays out 8 diverse takes on Roots based Blues.
This record was cut in 3 different areas all with different personnel. In St. Louis, Cree Rider is on guitar, Simon Chervitz bass, and Scotti Iman drums. In the Catskills, Mike Batthany plays keyboards and bass, John Condon drums and John Botten guitar. And finally in Richmond, VA, Scott Martin offers “guitar and Spiritual Guidance.” Although each song doesn’t have personnel listings, one can infer from the sets of musicians who played on what.
Album opener “Say Goodbye” sets the stage well. A duet presumably between Martin on guitar and Sweetwater on percussion and harp this is a showcase for Sweetwater’s raspy croak. “It’s easier to say goodbye when there’s no time to say hello,” is a fun way to start an album. The looping “Pawn Ticket,” presumably featuring Batthany’s electric piano, is a hard luck hobo’s stroll. Then comes the tough funk of “She Walks In A Funky Way.” These three tunes push the listeners buttons. Quirky acoustic folk, shambling hard luck and a funky come on. Clever turns of phrase are also abundant. The “Un-Affordable Housing Blues” and the nonsense of “Slim Slamity Slew” pair nicely with songs about “Seafood Deep Fried.”
Jimmy Sweetwater is talented. His web site boasts participation in over 100 albums while his discography stretches back to 1990. Sweetwater’s playing, writing and singing bears this out. Food, Sex and Music is a cool record and a fun listen. Sadly it is not available on streaming services and hasn’t been pressed into a physical format. You can go to Sweetwater’s web site and listen song by song for free. Although not strictly Blues, Jimmy Sweetwater certainly has the Blues in him and it comes out in a unique and creative way.

Food, Sex and Music
Food, Sex and Music

Bob Levis - Barstool Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2008
Time: 73:33 
Size: 169,0 MB 
Label: Big Paw Records
Styles: Blues/Electric Blues
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. It Takes Time - 5:50
 2. Why Are People Like That? - 4:24
 3. Can't Hold Out Much Longer - 5:38
 4. Mystery Train - 5:06
 5. Double Trouble - 8:38
 6. Barstool Breakdown - 6:11
 7. I'm Coming Down With the Blues - 6:20
 8. Three Times a Fool - 5:13
 9. Just to Be With You - 4:52
10. Shuffle-isko - 4:49
11. Now I'm Good - 4:39
12. Blues Before Sunrise - 7:24
13. Gettin' Out of Town - 4:22

The CD spine says that Barstool Blues is an album by Bob Levis, but the liner notes tell a different story.  Big Paw Records executive producer Mark Thompson of the Crossroads Blues Society wanted to showcase Bob Levis’s lead guitar playing, and he’s succeeded here by bringing in a whole stable of credentialed sidemen. Levis himself is considered to be the ultimate rhythm guitarist, having held that position in the Kingston Mines house band for 17 years; he has also worked and recorded with Otis Rush and Lonnie Brooks. On Barstool Blues he plays lead guitar on all 13 tracks, and you can tell that those years in the background have payed off in a powerful, fluid, distinctive style all his own.Everything on the album was recorded live in the studio—The Fuse in Rockford—giving the album an authentic sound. And the performances do sound fine, infused with the gritty energy of Chicago blues.Levis’s tasteful guitar is joined by the guitars of his compatriot in the Barstool Bob Band Dave Wood on 5 tracks, Larry Pendleton on 1 track, and Steve Ditzell—alumnus of the Koko Taylor and Junior Wells/Buddy Guy bands—on 4 cuts.  Lonnie Brooks himself plays and sings on Little Walters’ “Can’t hold out Much Longer.”
Keeping the beats nice and tight are Marty Binder (ex-Albert Collins sideman) or Dennis “Link” Leary on drums and Brother Dave Kaye, bass. Providing the fills are Jimmy Voegeli on piano and organ—the piano is especially impressive and adds that Otis Spann touch to those cuts—and Westside Andy Linderman, Ted Lawrence, and Big Jim Johnson on harmonica.With the exception of an instrumental penned by Levis and the final number, the jumpin’  “Getting’ Out of Town” by Big Jim Johnson, Barstool Blues is an album of covers, with three by Levis’s mentor Otis Rush (including an appropriately heavy version of “Double Trouble” and the up tempo opener featuring Levis’s searing licks, “It Takes Time”).  The standards “Mystery Train” and “Blues Before Sunrise” get interesting treatment here.While the instrumentation—especially Levis’s playing—and choice of material is outstanding on Barstool Blues, the vocals are weak throughout, whether sung by Voegeli, Ditzell, Johnson, or Pendleton.  That makes it hard for me to pick a favorite cut or one number that stands out from the rest.  Another drawback is that too often the lead and rhythm guitars are both mixed up front, taking away from the producer’s stated purpose that Levis as a lead guitarist deserves “an opportunity to display his prodigious talent to a wider audience.”Despite these minor flaws, the deep feeling is there in the music on Barstool Blues. Producer Thompson also notes that he and Levis agreed that “things could be a little ragged but the music always had to be right—had to have that deep feeling, that honest approach that is the hallmark of the finest blues performances.”  Reviewer Karen McFarland is a former officer and long time board member of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Blues Foundation.Reviewer Ben Cox is a Blues Songwriter, Musician, DJ and Journalist.

Barstool Blues
Barstool Blues

Roger "Hurricane" Wilson & The Hurricane Homeboys - Live At The Blue Note Grill

Bitrate: 320K/s

Year: 2016
Time: 58:05 
Size: 133,3 MB 
Label: Self-Released
Styles: Electric Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. This Crazy World (Live) -  6:06
 2. Talking Heads (Live) -  7:45
 3. If This Is Love (Live) -  5:25
 4. Tribute to Danny (Live) -  6:35
 5. One More White Boy Singing the Blues (Live) -  7:25
 6. You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (Live) -  4:27
 7. You Do Your Job (Live) -  9:08
 8. All Along the Watchtower (Live) - 11:11

Roger "Hurricane" Wilson (born July 27, 1953) is an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has also worked as a music educator, radio DJ, music journalist and broadcaster. In addition he is an advisory board member of the Georgia Music Industry Association, and an International Blues Challenge judge. To date he has released over a dozen albums. Wilson started playing professionally in 1972, and he has jammed with Les Paul, Hubert Sumlin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan, Savoy Brown, Magic Slim, Michael Burks, and Charlie Musselwhite. He has also shared the stage with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, John Mayall, Marcia Ball, Delbert McClinton, Taj Mahal, Leon Russell, and Edgar Winter.Les Paul once commented about Wilson, "this guy plays some great blues!"

Live At The Blue Note Grill
Live At The Blue Note Grill

The CSL Jr Band - Voice Of The Heart

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2009
Time:45:54 
Size:106,1 MB 
Label:lancaster Records
Styles:Electric Blues/Guitar Blues/Boogie Blues 
Art: Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Big As Texas - 2:40
 2. Dont Give Up On Me - 5:02
 3. All In - 3:49
 4. Bluzin It - 3:13
 5. Hangman Blues - 3:51
 6. Lonley - 3:28
 7. Coupe DeVille - 4:09
 8. I Wonder - 5:18
 9. New Loving Blues - 4:29
10. Mason - 4:49
11. Dont Give Up on Me - 5:02

These guys play a hard driving brand of blues based rock that remind me a little of ZZ Top, the early Marshall Tucker Band, and others of that genre. Hailing from Sedalia in the Show-Me State, these guys have laid down ten original tracks that really impressed me. They are not a bunch of guys sitting in their garage or basement trying to sound like someone else and playing a bunch of covers. They are creating new music based on their influences and likes and they have done a pretty damn good job of it.Greg Lefholz fronts the band as vocalist and he also contributed to the track “Coup DeVill”. His gritty and gut-wrenching vocals are super. Chuck Lancaster leads on guitar and had his pen in at least part of every track’s composition. Les Gifford play bass and Carl Michael is on drums, both providing a driving backdrop to the tunes. Jamey Shepherd is also on guitar and has credits involving four of the songs. The songs have the sound of the big, gnarly jam bands but the songs range from 2:41 to just over 5 minutes, so there is nothing overdone or overstated here. They present their songs in your face and when they are done they move on to the next track without getting lost in endless repeats without getting into so many differing takes on the chords and melody. I’m sure these guys could turn some tracks into 15 or minute jam sessions, but they have created some really nice songs and not just a means to jam. I don’t have a problem with jam bands, but some of them get lost in trying to prove something and miss the forest for the trees. These guys have created music within bounds and they deliver the goods within those bounds.The first cut opens with a driving beat as they give us “Big as TX”. It is a big and bouncing song and they do “play it big as Texas”. “All In” and “Coup DeVill” later on are similar, bigger than life, driving, almost rockabilly songs with the dual guitars banging out a groove and alternating the solos/leads. They can wail when they want to, but they are not afraid to let it hag out acoustically. In “Hangman” they get down and dirty into the blues and give us some acoustic guitar mixed in along with a little slide; it is quite well done with gutsy vocals and beautiful guitar work. The CD is filled with little gems of good stuff; “New Loving” adds a little harp and is a full fledged deep in the blues number that is one of the CD’s real stand outs.“Bluezin It” is a wicked guitar instrumental that features some stratospheric fret work by Lancaster. They also close out the album with another guitar-led instrumental entitled “Mason”. A simmering and slow southern blues rock with the rhythm guitar paralleling some of the stuff and filling in ever so nicely the rest of the time. As the song fades into the distance, it leaves me wanting to hear more of these guys. 

Voice Of The Heart
Voice Of The Heart