ALBUM REVIEW: DAVE RILEY & BOB CORRITORE – TRAVELIN’ THE DIRT ROAD (South West Musical Arts Foundation)
Bob was born in Chicago 1956 picking up the harp aged 12 having heard Muddy Waters on the radio. Studied all the great players before he moved to Pheonix in 1981 where he has basically remained. Dave was born in Hattiesburg Mississippi and following a stint in Chicago he is now based in Scottsdale Arizona. […]
ALBUM REVIEW: BILLY J – RISE ABOVE (Independent Release)
This is Billy J’s debut album on which he has drawn together a superb pedigree studio band that has Dave Fields at the helm producing and playing slide guitar and piano. Additionally, there is a rhythm section that includes the late Yonrico Scott, Charlie Wooten and Todd Smallie who ply their trade in bands like […]
ALBUM REVIEW: JOHNNY IGUANA – JOHNNY IGUANA’S CHICAGO SPECTACULAR (Delmark Records)
Johnny Iguana a.k.a Brian Berkowitz has been around the blues music scene for a while. He used to play piano for Junior Wells Here he shares his passion for this genre with an assembled all-star band, including John Primer, Billy Flynn, Bob Margolin and Billy Boy Arnold. This is a toe tapping odyssey of how […]
ALBUM REVIEW: BEN HARPER – WINTER IS FOR LOVERS (Reservoir Music)
An album of short and sweet instrumentals written for solo Lap Steel Guitar may not be an album for partying to, but there are times when music like this has a place in any record collection. With a soundscape that takes as much from the work of Brian Eno, Erik Satie as it does Blind […]
ALBUM REVIEW: Kevin Coyne & Brendan Croker – Life is Almost Wonderful
Those of a certain age and a penchant for nostalgia will remember the somewhat quirky, poetic songs delivered by Kevin Coyne, an English musician, singer, composer, filmmaker, and a writer of lyrics, stories, and poems. He was a John Peel favourite and did several sessions for the much-missed DJ. Brendan Croker is also in possession […]
ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – THIS IS FAME 1964 – 1968 (Kent Soul)
Muscle Shoals, Alabama, still a place of pilgrimage for many artists looking to grab a piece of southern music action. Well, FAME Records (written that way, by the way: an acronym for Florence, Alabama Musical Enterprises) was founded by Rick Hall, and although his success dates back to 1962 with Arthur Alexander’s You Better Move […]
ALBUM REVIEW: ARTUR MENEZES – FADING AWAY (Vizztone Records)
Fading Away is Brazilian guitarist Artur Menezes’ fourth album and his second since his relocation to LA in 2016. In 2018 he won the Best Guitarist Award at the IBC’s, as well as coming third in the Band category. Produced by Josh Smith and featuring both Josh and Joe Bonamassa as guests, Fading Away is […]
ALBUM REVIEW: THE WAYNE RIKER GATHERING – BLUES LIGHTNING (Independent Release)
ALBUM REVIEW: Uncut – Blue (Klonosphere Records)
Uncut are a powerful blues rock trio from France. They comprise of ;Alexy Sertillange on vocals and baritone guitar, Enzo Alfano on lead guitar and on drums, Pablo Fathi. They have their roots in old school rock. Their live shows are a thing to behold full on showmanship. As is this new album, it grabs […]
REVIEW: DUDLEY TAFT – COSMIC RADIO (American Blues Artist Group)
Half a century after his death, Jimi Hendrix is still inspiring grown men to pick up Stratocasters and record albums that clearly bear his imprint. But much in music has happened since, as evidenced by Seattle-based Dudley Taft. This guy has the master’s chops, while being sufficiently inventive to inject originality into a format that […]
