GRANAZI BAR

Mojo Presents- Sticky Soul Fingers- A Rolling Stones Tribute

2012-02-14T10:03:00.001+02:00

The Rolling Stones' classic 1971 album re-grooved by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Aloe Blacc & Joel Van Dijk, Black Joe Lewis, The Bamboos, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, Alice Russell, The Sugarman 3, Beta Hector, Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band, Lee Fields and more!

Ron Ringwood - Earth Tones

2012-02-10T12:53:00.000+02:00

Listening to Michael Whittaker's debut Earth Tones is a lot like glancing at postcards from a short but eventful trip around the globe, with each tune offering a different cultural vibe based on brief visits to Scotland, France, Asia, and Africa. The young but well traveled keyboardist/composer keeps the travelogue light and frisky, as if to say, my last stop was great, had fun, wish you were here, gotta go -- which is to say he only scratches the surface of world music but still engages us nonetheless. There are a few attempts at deeper explorations, most notably "Quench the Thirsting," whose Swahili chants encourage a singalong but speak of the tragic drought in Malawi, Africa. Combining Yanni's flair for symphony light with Jon Anderson's ethereal Irish flavors, Whittaker remembers a trip to the green fields of "Highland Air." Draws from other diverse influences throughout, including 70s wah-wah guitar driven soul ("Coffee of The Day") and Pat Metheny ("Write on Track"), Whittaker enjoys taking us on an upbeat search for his musical identity

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Soul Time!

2012-02-07T20:08:00.001+02:00

With every album Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings release, the suspicion increases that the recordings might be superfluous to proceedings: that what really counts with this band is the blistering live show. Soul Time! feels like merchandise-stall fodder: stacks of tracks have been issued before, and even those making their first appearance on disc are far from new – most glaringly Longer and Stronger, written to celebrate Jones's 50th birthday in 2006. Then again, newness is a relative concept for a band trading in funk and soul licks patented decades ago, whose avowed aim is to party like it's 1969. And even if the production job by Dap-Kings' frontman/bassist/chief songwriter Bosco Mann is too pristine, there is a crackle in the band's playing that, in the best songs, fans to a full-scale blaze. There is a filthy energy to the thrusting When I Come Home, while New Shoes bounces along with so much fierce attitude, it hardly matters that the song is an amalgam of cliches.

Slim Moore and The Mar-Kays - Introducing

2012-02-03T11:25:00.001+02:00

Funky Kingston - Reggae Dancefloor Grooves 1968-74

2012-01-31T10:42:00.001+02:00

Hear my train a coming from Freemanjam 14/1/2012

2012-01-30T13:11:00.000+02:00

Feel like making love from Freemanjam 14/01/2012

2012-01-30T12:56:00.002+02:00

Cold, Cold Feeling From Freemanjam Live at Granazi 14/01/2012

2012-01-27T20:22:00.009+02:00

Getatchew Mekurya & The Ex and Guests - Moa Anbessa

2012-01-27T09:53:00.001+02:00

A killer combination of sounds - the searing tenor sax of Getatchew Mekuria and the raspy guitars of The Ex brought together here in really unique cross-cultural formation! Mekuria's influence really transforms the sound of The Ex, bringing their anarchic spirit into a strongly Ethiopian mode, one that's further underscored by some great guest horn work on clarinet, alto, and trombone used like the kind of horn sections you'd find on Ethiopian recordings from the 70s, which lets Mekuria really do his thing by soloing over the tunes with a great deal of feeling.

Peter Green & Fleetwood Mac - Jumping At Shadows The Blues Years

2012-01-25T10:46:00.002+02:00

This British two-disc collection offers a rather unique look at the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac rather than just focusing on the band's output from 1967, immediately after leaving John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, to 1970 when Green left. The set is chock-full of fine studio material that documents the evolution of the band from a power trio to its Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan incarnations. And while it's true that other collections have documented the band from this period very well, none of them has dug quite as deep into the live archives or revealed the subsequent Peter Green side projects of the time. Here are 36 tracks that offer stunning live renditions of Green's "Black Magic Woman," "Oh Well," the second part of the "Madge Sessions," and Spencer's "Stranger Blues," as well as an absolutely searing version of Kirwan's "Comin' Your Way." Given the budget price of this completely remastered set, these alone would have been worth the price, but in a sense it's only the beginning. There are numerous tracks of Green with musical running-mate Duster Bennett from the pre-Fleetwood Mac years, including a truly haunted version of the title track. Add to this four tracks of Green's work with Bob Brunning's Sunflower Blues Band, and you have an evocative and intense portrait of a band struggling to come to grips with a reluctant genius as a frontman, and the era. What is most revealing is Green's focus on execution and mood. The music has a way of getting past him, not technically, but emotionally, on the live material -- the title cut, "Rattlesnake Shake," "Lazy Poker Blues" -- as well as on the instrumentals. Check the versions of Kirwan's "World in Harmony," and the extremities in this version of "Green Manalishi," for evidence. Neil Slaven assembled this comp. He also wrote its confounding and labyrinthine liner notes, which are full of information but light on continuity or style. Slaven's method of creating a musical portrait, however, is virtually unassailable. The tracks wind in and out of one another, back and forth across time and partnerships as if telling a secret that can only be fully understood when the last sentence has been whispered. There is no secret in the fact that Green was a reluctant superstar, and that madness overwhelmed him at his playing peak. What isn't known, however, is the great vulnerability and tenderness he put into every performance. That side of Peter Green is well documented here, the terminally shy skinny kid who could rain down fire from the heavens and draw water from the wells of hell on a guitar.
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Imperial Tiger Orchestra – Mercato

2012-01-19T18:34:00.003+02:00

Follow-up to 2010’s acclaimed EP Addis-Abeba, Mercato is the debut album by Swiss band Imperial Tiger Orchestra, the finest connoisseurs and grooviest performers of Ethiopian music from the Golden Age.

VanM - The Park At Castle Neuhardenberg, Germany

2012-01-17T18:25:00.003+02:00

“When Van returns things really heat up.
Gone are the rushed almost shouted soul standards and Van very quickly finds his groove.He kicks of the main show with a blistering ‘And The Healing Has Begun’. Candy Dulfer on sax is mind blowing. This song blasts it way through over 8 mins of the funkiest version of this song you will ever hear. I first heard this track on the ‘Gloria’ single and thought it must be one of the great show finishes ever. To find out it actually starts the show rather than finishing it is amazing. A great performance.

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Booker T. & The MG's - Play the Hip Hits

2012-01-13T13:28:00.001+02:00

This British-made archeological dig through the Stax archives is a major addition to the Booker T. & the MG's discography, a compilation of 25 cover tunes recorded on the wing and never released anywhere. In the course of backing the Stax roster's recording sessions, this tightly interlocked musical machine worked so efficiently that there was frequently plenty of studio time left over -- and not wanting to put it to waste, the quartet would come up with head arrangements of anything that happened to be on their minds. They're not fooling around or jamming aimlessly, either; these are all polished, concise, thought-out, radio-play-length performances that are at the very least up to the level of the filler on their mid-'60s albums. All but one of the titles ("Fannie Mae") are new to the MG's canon, and many will be surprising, like Petula Clark's hit "Downtown," retrofitted for a driving Memphis soul stew treatment, or the transformation almost beyond recognition of "You Are My Sunshine." The down-home soul workout of the Beatles' "Day Tripper" is especially effective, digging into the tune's blues roots, and Willie Dixon's "Spoonful" gets a deep-pile backwoods tread. Most revealing are the MGs' re-interpretations of two Sam and Dave hits on which they played: "Soul Man" sounds starkly stripped-down, shifting the balance of power over to Booker. T's organ, and "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" spotlights Steve Cropper's dignified guitar. It's doubtful, though, that there were any lost-long potential hit singles in this batch; nothing leaps out at you with the originality of, say, "Green Onions," "Soul Limbo," or the inspired cover of "Groovin'."

Billy C. Farlow - Gulf Coast Blues

2012-01-10T20:54:00.001+02:00

Iron Butterfly - Metamorphosis

2012-01-05T21:58:00.001+02:00

Joe Turner & T-Bone Walker - Bosses Of The Blues Vol.1

2012-01-03T11:04:00.002+02:00

Big Joe Turner sings eight numbers while T-Bone Walker stretches out on seven. Both mix together remakes of earlier hits with some newer material. While Turner is accompanied by an orchestra, Walker is joined by a crack studio group with some space allocated to the young tenor Tom Scott. This CD finds the two bluesmen in excellent form, pity that they did not record together (Turner's part was recorded in August 18, 1969 and Walker's in August 19, 1969).

Jimmy McGriff - A Bag Full Of Soul

2011-12-30T15:29:00.001+02:00

Luther Allison - Southside Safari

2011-12-27T13:05:00.000+02:00

The tracks on this disc were recorded live at a nightclub in Peoria Heights, Illinois in 1979. Luther skillfullly reworks B.B.King's "Thrill is Gone" then adds his interpretation of Junior Wells "Messing with the Kid". He also throws in some of his own songs and "You're Gonna Need Me" is my favorite of those. The next to the last band-and my favorite- is "Cat Blues", Luther's funny tribute to the Caterpillar Tractor company (based in Peoria)and his own troubles working there. "Cat Blues" gives the best sense of the magic that Luther Allison worked upon his audience as he is cheered on by the audience, some of whom worked at Caterpillar themselves. If money is tight, I might suggest blues lovers download only the two songs, "Cat Blues" and "Thrill is Gone".All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Mike Bloomfield - Record Plant, Sausalito, Ca. 1974

2011-12-23T13:03:00.000+02:00

The Black Seeds - Live volume 1

2011-12-20T13:00:00.001+02:00

The Black Seeds, a New Zealand 8-piece Reggae band, has released four studio albums as well as a remix album, and a live album. The band formed in 1997 in Wellington, New Zealand but didn't release their first studio album, Keep On Pushing L.P, until 2001. Even though this album was on a small budget, it still reached platinum status in New Zealand, as well as having success in Australia. A remix album was also released in 2002 called Pushed, which included songs from the first album remixed by local DJ's

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V.A - 21 Versions of Hey Joe

2011-12-16T10:28:00.001+02:00

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Bobby 'Blue' Bland -Two Steps From The Blues

2011-12-13T20:22:00.001+02:00

Without a doubt, 'Two Steps From The Blues' is the definitive Bobby "Blue" Bland album and one of the great records in electric blues and soul-blues. In fact, it's one of the key albums in modern blues, marking a turning point when juke joint blues were seamlessly blended with gospel and Southern soul, creating a distinctly Southern sound where all of these styles blended so thoroughly it was impossible to tell where one began and one ended. Given his Memphis background, Bobby "Blue" Bland was perfectly suited for this kind of amalgam as envisioned by producer/arranger Joe Scott, who crafted these wailing horn arrangements that sounded as impassioned as Bland's full-throated, anguished vocals. It helped, of course, that the songs were uniformly brilliant. Primarily from the pen of Deadric Malone, along with Duke head Don Robey and Scott (among others), these are the tunes that form the core of Bobby "Blue" Bland's legend and the foundation of soul-blues: "Two Steps From the Blues," "I Don't Want No Woman," "Cry, Cry, Cry," "I'm Not Ashamed," "Lead Me On," "Little Boy Blue" - songs so good they overshadow standards like "St. James Infirmary." These are songs that blur the division between Ray Charles soul and Chess blues, opening the doors for numerous soul and blues sounds, from Muscle Shoals and Stax through the modern-day soul-bluesman.
Since this, like many blues albums from the late '50s/early '60s, was a collection of singles, it's possible to find the key tracks, even the entire album, on the numerous Bobby "Blue" Bland collections released over the years, but this remains an excellent, essential blues album on its own terms - one of the greatest ever released.

VA - Buttshakers Soul Party Vol.1

2011-12-09T10:48:00.002+02:00

1. Billy Clark & The Maskman - Soul Party Part 1
2. Jamo Thoma - Bahama Mama Part 1
3. Simtex Simmons & Wylie Dixon - Socking Soul Power
4. Barry Jones - Let's Do The Funky Boogaloo
5. Pervis Lavawn & The Commanders - Crossin' Over
6. Soul Inc? - The Alligator!
7. Butterballs - Butterballs Part 1
8. B.W Soul - Marvins Groove
9. Tommy Dark - Wobble Legs
10. Jerry O - Funky Four Corners
11. Fabulous Shalimars - Funky Line Part 1 & 2
12. Electric Man Lionel Davis - Electric Man
13. Chick Willis - Mother Fuyer
14. Buddy McKnight - Everytime Part 1
15. Other Brothers - Hole In The Wall
16. Monk Higgins And The Satellite's - Mister Luckee

VA - Persian Funk

2011-12-07T10:27:00.002+02:00

It seems hard for most westerners to imagine today, but in the middle part of last century, the Iranian government was very supportive of the western way of life. In addition to pushing for women’s right to vote, the Shah and his organization encouraged art, music, and film in Iranian society. The Ministry of Culture founded Ahang Rooz, a record label featuring the biggest acts in the country. Over time, they launched additional imprints such as Caspian, Royal, Apollon, and Olympic.
The music that came out of this renaissance (’53-’79) was an incredible mix of rock, jazz, soul, funk, and indigenous music. The influence of American and British music was extremely present. In fact, some artists even covered songs (in English) by the Beatles, John Lee Hooker, Aretha Franklin, and more. Successful Iranian musicians were treated like America treats Hollywood A-listers.
In 1979 religious leaders throughout Iran grew angry with what they perceived to be the Shah’s attempt to wipe out Islam from their country. This sparked the Iranian revolution that put the anti-western Ayatollah Kohmeini in power. Once in power, Kohmeini eliminated the Iranian record business. He saw it as being riddled with western influence and a threat to his regime’s power. They burned most of the country’s recording studios and rid the country of its popular musicians. Most were exiled from Iran while others were put on house arrest.
Finally, 40 years later, some of the long lost popular music of Iran is beginning to resurface. Secret Stash Records is extremely proud to announce this release that focuses exclusively on Funk and Soul tunes recorded in Iran during the 70s. These tracks have been hand selected after hundreds of hours of digging and searching through almost forgotten archives. They are a mix of instrumental, Farsi vocal, and English cover songs. This record is packed full of deep grooves, killer breaks, and high energy, all with a healthy dose of Persian influence. Each LP comes with a free digital download of the entire album and is packaged in a re-sealable dust bag.

VA - Peruvian Funk

2011-12-02T13:24:00.002+02:00

In April of 2010, Secret Stash Records traveled to Lima, Peru in search of music to bring back to the U.S. and share with the world. While down there, we asked everyone we talked to about Peruvian funk music. No one had any idea what we were talking about. They didn’t even know what funk was. The few people who thought they knew what it was had no recollection of any Peruvian Funk ever existing. Convinced that some form of funk had to exist in Lima during the 70s, and determined to find it, we continued to inquire everywhere we went. After much searching, we finally stumbled over some by total accident.
A local man was helping us sort through stacks of records in a run-down garage when he handed me a pile of what he called rock records. Most of the stuff was psych and pop from the 60s and 70s. But, as it turned out, a few were straight up funk. Apparently, they had funk in Peru during the 70s, Peruvians just didn’t know that’s what it was called.
Peruvian Funk brings together the funkiest cuts we found that day in Lima on one compilation. The mix of Latin jazz, soul, and hard funk found in these recordings makes for one of the most fun records we’ve ever had the pleasure of releasing.

Precious Stone -In The Studio With Sly Stone 1963-1965

2011-11-29T13:34:00.001+02:00

One of the biggest success stories of the Woodstock Festival and movie, Sly & The Family Stone built up their international reputation in the years prior to 1969 with such ground-breaking albums as "Dance To The Music" and "M'Lady". Sly successfully fused soul, funk and rock, in a totally natural way.The music he created then (and in classic later works like There's A Riot Going On) changed the face of black music for ever. Sly's ideas not only influenced those working at the popular end of black music (paving the way for such artists as Prince) but also the creative jazz process (affecting the music Miles Davis made on such albums as "On The Corner" and subsequently laying the groundwork rhythms for groups like Herbie Hancock's Headhunters). "Precious Stone: In The Studio With Sly Stone" is a fascinating exploration of how Sly was to so convincingly integrate rock with dance music. It captures the early recordings he made tor the Autumn label when, as Tom Donahue and Bob Mitchell's house producer and A&R staffer, the 19-year old Sly also cut many early 60s West Coast rock sides with bands like The Beau Brummels. Between 1963 and 1966, Sly was also leading the house band and MCing at Bay Area spectaculars at the Cow Palace, DJing on KDIA and KSOL and, generally, pulsing to the heartbeat of the emerging West Coast rock and R&B scenes. From the start, Sly produced his own sessions tor Autumn. Often these were unfinished, probably no more than demos or ideas for other artists to use. I'll Never Fall In Love Again is included here in a fast, previously unissued, version by Bobby Freeman. Sly liked the song enough to include it later on his own "Dance To The Music" album. Freeman also cut C'mon And Swim for Sly and it blasted to the top of the charts, propelling Freeman to the premier position at Autumn. Also of great interest are 4 previously unissued demos Sly made with Billy Preston (all probably remained in the can as Preston was then signed to Vee Jay) and a previously unissued Dance All Night with brother Freddie (later of The Family Stone). 16 of the cuts are previously unreleased tracks. Alec Palao's detailed sleevenotes tell the early Sly story and the whole package is a must both for fans of Sly Stone and those who savour all things West Coast pop.

Village Callers - Live

2011-11-25T13:40:00.001+02:00

The Village Callers were one of the best bands in East Los Angeles in the late 60s. They were also arguably the first band with members with roots in the "Eastside Sound" of the early to mid-60s to utilize Latin percussion. Their repertoire was a mix of r&b, Latin, and Latin jazz. They recorded an album in 1968 for Eddie Davis' Rampart Records called "The Village Callers Live." The album included an instrumental with a Latin jazz feel named after their manager called "Hector," which did very well at the time and has become one of the Eastside Sound's classic recordings. It's been reissued on several compilations, used in movies, and sampled by many current and recent rap artists such as Cypress Hill and the Beastie Boys. "The Village Callers Live" has also been reissued on the Vampisoul record label, which is based in Spain and internationally distributed, and on Barrio Gold Records, based in Japan. The Village Callers also have the distinction of having recorded a Latin rock version of "Evil Ways" before Santana.

Wolf Mail - Live Blues In Red Square

2011-11-22T20:45:00.002+02:00

This recording captures for the first time Mail's raw talent, limitless passion, incredible avant-garde style and guitar technique that made his performances so legendary. Recorded in Moscow, Russia.
Wolf Mail (born March 29, 1972) is a Canadian blues-rock guitarist/singer and songwriter. Wolf Mail has been described as “way out in front of blues guitarists around the world” (Linda Fisher, The Times), “...the missing link between Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan” (Pete Wallace, National Blues Review) and “...The undisputed heavy weight champion of electric Blues” states the L.A weekly.
Tom Branson of Blues Rockers magazine says “Mail's guitar work bears the unmistakable marks of the normal SRV/Hendrix/Clapton influences. However, I pay him the ultimate compliment by saying that, though he has obviously been influenced by the normal guitar gods, he bears a striking resemblance to none of them, as his sound is strictly Wolf Mail.”
Wolf Mail’s music style is a blend of traditional blues with electric, rock and soul. His voice is very distinctive and particularly suited to the blues. The Australian Southern Star Newspaper wrote, “The man has a voice that will raise chicken skin down your back”.

ZZ-Bobby Bland - Live On Beale Street

2011-11-18T11:19:00.002+02:00

Recorded live at the New Daisy Theater with Bland's regular working road band, this captures him in fine form, bringing together old favorites with some other numbers for a heady blend. When called for, the old Joe Scott heavy horn-laden arrangements are summoned up on tunes like "St. James Infirmary," "Farther on Up the Road," "That's the Way Love Is," "I Pity the Fool," and "I'll Take Care of You" with consummate ease. But even more telling is how effortlessly and seamlessly material like Buddy Ace's "Love of Mine," "Members Only," "Soon as the Weather Breaks," and Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time" meshes with the old standbys. A lengthy slow blues medley brings guest appearances from Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Rush on "Stormy Monday," but the real star here is Bland himself. He's in good voice and good humor, and this makes a fine addition to his stack of latter-day recordings.

Willy Deville - Come A Little Bit Closer The Best Of Willy Deville Live

2011-11-15T13:48:00.001+02:00

This generous 17-track compilation of Willy DeVille's live performances covers a large swath of time from his early years with Mink DeVille in 1977 extending to solo work in 2006. All songs were recorded in Europe, perhaps an indication of how well he was accepted there as opposed to his home country. That's especially interesting given how much his music drew almost entirely from American influences such as '60s Brill Building pop, New Orleans/Cajun, R&B, and an inner city Latin style best exemplified in a sizzling version of "Demasiado Corazon." Not surprisingly, the sound quality varies but it's always acceptable and some of the later tracks are particularly well recorded. The set also functions as a decent overview of his extensive if rather inconsistent career, something that has been difficult to document because his albums have been scattered over an array of major and indie labels. Some might quibble with this disc's title, since a few of DeVille's well-known tunes such as "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Each Word's a Beat of My Heart" are M.I.A., yet a cover of Bryan Ferry's "Slave to Love," which wasn't a hit for him, appears. But most of the heavy hitters are present in generally fired-up versions, many of which trump the studio ones. The proceedings kick off with a spirited "Venus of Avenue D" which, not coincidentally, was the opening track of Mink DeVille's debut. It's especially revelatory to hear how some of the material transformed over the years with "Cadillac Walk," here in a 2002 performance, sounding even meaner and more lascivious than the comparatively sterile 1977 original. Female backing on "Can't Do Without It" adds a searing gospel angle to the song that makes it come alive. Unfortunately, a Latin take on "Hey Joe" doesn't fare as well, with the rearrangement losing the edge inherent in the murderous lyrics. A bluesy "Steady Drivin' Man" with the soul-women backup vocals and a modified Bo Diddley beat nearly explodes with intensity over its six minutes, and shows DeVille at his most aggressive. Conversely, a stripped-down "Storybook Love" shimmers with just piano, bass, and DeVille's gruff but emotional voice bringing a passion to the song that shows why he was so magnetic on-stage. Well meaning but somewhat fawning liner notes by the ex-president of the Willy DeVille Fan Club don't provide many insights, and the information listing song information is printed in eye-squinting type and nearly impossible to follow. Worse is the complete lack of musician credits, a major oversight in a historically driven release such as this. Regardless, the music is consistently dramatic and inspired, and shows those, who will sadly never get a chance to see him, how explosive DeVille was in his prime.
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The Soul Providers & Lee Fields - Gimme The Paw

2011-11-11T11:12:00.001+02:00

Before Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings... There was this.
Switchblade is (I think) Sharon's earliest solo feature...
"Jones was the only one of three singers who were called into the session to show. Having completed all the backing parts herself, Roth and Lehman were suitably impressed with her performance and recorded "Switchblade", a solo track with Jones. This track and "The Landlord" were included on the Soul Providers' album Soul Tequila, released by Philip Lehman on Pure circa 1996. The Soul Providers—with members of the Brooklyn, New York City, bands Antibalas and the Mighty Imperials—would later go on to form the Dap-Kings, Jones' current backing band."

The New Mastersounds - Live In San Francisco

2011-11-08T11:10:00.001+02:00

One of the cornerstone acts of the U.K. retro-soul scene, the New Mastersounds play taut old-school instrumental funk with a contemporary energy and enthusiasm that has earned them rave reviews and led them to collaborate with a number of major acts in Britain and the United States.
The New Mastersounds always sound grittier in a live setting -- and this album is great proof of that fact! The drums seem harder, the guitar a bit more edgey, and the Hammond let loose even more than before -- all flying together on grooves that run a bit longer than some of the combo's studio sets -- with a bit more funky energy too! This cooking little date was recorded in San Francisco over the course of two nights that are nicely distilled down here -- and the core quartet is joined by some added tenor and sax on three tracks, showing a whole new dimension of the Mastersounds groove.

The Bo-keys - Got To Get Back!

2011-11-04T10:38:00.001+02:00

When was the last time that an instrumental song not classified as contemporary jazz got any airplay on R&B radio? Fortunately, the current music market didn’t deter the Scott Bomar and his band, The Bo-Keys from making the very good Got To Get Back. – a record where the musicians grab the spotlight away from some pretty good vocalists. Seven of the songs on Got To Get Back are instrumentals in which there are little or no vocals.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. The Bo-Keys use their instruments to construct an image in the mind of listeners. A slow and easy cut, such as “Sundown On Beale,” has a theatrical feel. The Hammond B-3, horns and guitar work together to paint the picture of a street at rest in hours between the time that the workers have gone home and the night crowd prepares to take over. The fingering employed on “Jack and Ginger” may remind some listeners of “Green Onions.”
When the band shares space with the singers on, Got To Get Back, the Bo-Keys mine some familiar musical fields. That Mars/Venus thing was always the Memphis sound’s stock and trade, and the Bo-Keys ably uphold the Memphis sound’s tradition of energetic vocals and lyrical content that is gritty, sensual and eloquent. Where else will you hear a line like “If I had a nickel for every time we’ve been apart/I’d be a rich man with a broken heart”? That’s from “Weak Spot,” a gem of a song that manages combine the grit of Memphis soul with some deep, hard-hitting funk.

Stephen Dale Petit - The Crave

2011-11-01T12:17:00.000+02:00

BUOYED by the success of his last album, Guitararama, California native and guitar aficionado Stephen Dale Petit releases the gargantuan-sized The Crave, a 17-strong song collection of blues and rock classics as re-interpreted in his own inimitable style.
Containing some ferocious, rocking New Blues monsters alongside updated classics by the likes of Robert Johnson, Fleetwood Mac, Little Willie John and Albert King, the album has been produced with the help of Ian Grimble (of Travis, Clash and Manics fame) and the the Chapel Studios, Lincoln hit factory team behind recent Arctic Monkeys, Editors and Kaiser Chiefs successes.
It’s little wonder, then, that Petit seems poised to enjoy his biggest commercial success yet. The Crave, like its name suggests, possesses a thirst for the classic style of song-writing that’s informed as much by Petit’s roguish lifestyle, as well as his passion for indulging in cracking guitar solos, whether in rock or blues format.
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Granazi Collection no 3

2011-11-01T10:41:00.002+02:00

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The Bamboos - Listen! Hear!! The Bamboos Live!!!

2011-10-28T12:12:00.001+03:00

The Bamboos are Australia's masters of raw Funk and super-heavy Soul. Led by guitarist Lance Ferguson (AKA Lanu), other members include Kylie Auldist (Vocals), Danny Farrugia (Drums), Yuri Pavlinov (Bass), Stevie Hesketh (Hammond Organ), Anton Delecca (Tenor Saxophone/Flute), Phil Noy (Baritone Saxophone) and Ross Irwin (Trumpet).
The Bamboos formed in 2001 and released the 7" single “Eel Oil/Blackfoot”, earning them international acclaim from the likes of Mr Scruff, Patrick Forge and Jazzanova. Their next release “Tighten Up/Voodoo Doll” was signed by Kenny Dope (Masters At Work) and Keb Darge (Legendary Deep Funk) for their US based imprint Kay-Dee Records. Making their home at the UK's Tru Thoughts records in 2005, The Bamboos’ debut album ‘Step it Up’ was released jointly by Tru Thoughts and Ubiquity Records (US) in 2006. The second Bamboos long-player ‘Rawville' was released in 2007 and was described by IDJ Magazine (U.K) as " ...arguably the finest Funk album of the modern era".
The Bamboos have toured Europe and the U.K three times with sell-out shows at esteemed venues including The Jazz Cafe in London and countries including Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Ireland.
They have also performed as a backing band for international artists including Eddie Bo (US), Syl Johnson (US), Joe Bataan (US), Eddie Floyd (US), Betty Harris (US), Alice Russell & The Quantic Soul Orchestra (UK).
The Bamboos were included in the Melbourne Age’s prestigious ‘Top 100’ list of influential people in Melbourne city for 2008, and in a poll by the same paper they were voted Australia’s fourth best band, just after AC/DC and ahead of high profile acts such as Jet and Empire Of The Sun.

The Animals - A's B's & EP's

2011-10-25T19:28:00.002+03:00

The Animals' output on EMI has been so heavily reissued and recompiled so many times that none of it is especially rare, or notable for that reason - it just stands up as music, especially the singles, which are what we have represented here. The compilation CD A's B's & EP's is a handy way of taking a tour of the group's early sound, up through the middle of 1965, boiling down their singles, B-sides, and EP's in excellent sound. It took the group a few tries to really master the art of making a strong album from start to finish, but - as we're reminded here - their 45s were beyond reproach, exciting, bold, and daring, and all memorable. Hearing Hilton Valentine's guitar crunching and chiming away on "I'm Crying," or John Steel's drums up close and personal on "Boom Boom," supporting Eric Burdon's voice and juxtaposed with Alan Price's organ, is still a bracing experience 40 years later - and on this master, Valentine's trip down the fret board and Price's keyboard flourishes exude rippling energy and a bracing presence - even on cheap speakers, Steel's snare is distinguishable from the rest of the rhythm section; and on "It's My Life" you can practically hear the action on his kit. And this disc is also a good opportunity for low-level fans to discover obscurities such "I'm Gonna Change the World" which, with its ambitious lyric and form, sort of anticipates the later compositions that Burdon would cut, on his own and away from virtually all help. The annotation is nothing special, the packaging has its weaknesses (in terms of the original releases of the songs), and EMI's Complete Animals still runs circles around this CD, but it's an okay piece to have and easier to find than that double-disc set, as of 2004
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Stephen Dale Petit - Guitararama

2011-10-23T20:42:00.000+03:00

Having played with the likes of Randy Rhoads while still living in California and meeting and jamming briefly with BB and Albert King, Stephen Dale Petit is about to make his own mark on the guitar world. After he moved to the UK in the 80’s he gained an opening slot for Clapton and collaborated with the likes of Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Mick Jones (The Clash).
This reissue contains 3 new tracks and a different cover than its predecessor. All of the songs contained here are pure 100% blues and not the watered down versions allot of people are accustomed to; this is the real shit. Think back to a time when you had Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Clapton still had fire in his veins. Apart from a few like the late Stevie Ray or Jeff Healey most of what people call blues is just a diluted form to appeal to the masses.
Stevie and Jeff carried on the torch and remained true and brought it to Joe Public: Stephen Dale Petit aims to do the same with GUITARARAMA. Mostly instrumental but the soulfulness speaks for itself. Great melodies and playing throughout are a delight to the ears. You can envision yourself sitting in a smoky club watching him perform each and every tune.
Petit is doing what he does best, playing Blues guitar and we are better off for it.
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Vargas Blues Band - Live Wire 2011

2011-10-20T10:50:00.001+03:00

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James Brown - Klein Auditorium

2011-10-17T20:04:00.000+03:00

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P.P. Arnold - The Best Of P.P. Arnold

2011-10-14T13:04:00.002+03:00

P.P.Arnold is an American-born soul singer who enjoyed considerable success in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and beyond. Her first break came when she won an audition to be one of the back-up singers for Ike and Tina Turner in 1966. After Ike & Tina toured with The Rolling Stones in England, Mick Jagger invited Arnold to stay, and later co-produced her first solo record The First Lady of Immediate (1967). It was in England that P.P. would subsequently establish the main center of her popularity. There she worked with The Small Faces, singing on their hit "Tin Soldier" (1966) and accompanying them on their subsequent tour. The Small Faces would later write hits for Arnold and her band The Nice. After the Nice split off on its own, Arnold worked with The Blue Jays and T.N.T., and recorded two singles with Barry Gibb as producer. Although still active as a session singer and as a member of several different bands, the 70s and early 80s saw Arnold working most visibly as an actress - first on stage and later on television. In London she starred in Catch My Soul, one of the first rock musicals. In 1981 she moved back to Los Angeles and made appearances on everything from Quincy to St. Elsewhere to Knots Landing. Finding the Hollywood scene somewhat less than inspiring, Arnold eventually returned to England and appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express - as well as getting her music career started again with more session work and another solo release. Throughout the 90s and 00s, P.P. Arnold maintained a stream of musical activity, working with the London-based band Ocean Colour Scene, touring with her own band, The Band of Angels, and recording and touring with Roger Waters.
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Frank Zappa-Philly.'76

2011-10-10T09:02:00.004+03:00

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Jimbo Ross - Steady Rollinman

2011-10-04T11:43:00.002+03:00

Jimbo Ross is the real deal, and his new CD "Steady Rollin' Man" shows why this highly respected and seasoned session player has stepped to the forefront. Singing with committed soulful passion, and playing a custom made electric 5 String Viola/Violin (he calls it his "guit-fiddle") the way most master guitarists play guitar, Jimbo blazes through electrifying improvisational leaps that will make a believer out of any skeptic.
Performing with a band of stellar musicians, Jimbo and crew dish out a soulful gumbo of Chicago blues, old school R & B, with rockin' funk and soul that will make you smack your lips and holler for more. Arranged and produced by Jimbo Ross, "Steady Rollin' Man" spins hand picked classics like "I Put A Spell On You", "The Hunter", and "My Babe" with flavorful original compositions as sophisticated as Jimbo's virtuosity.

2011-09-30T13:00:00.000+03:00

WE ARE BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Το Γρανάζι ανοίγει την Παρασκευή 30
Σεπτεμβρίου
για τον 31o χρόνο της ζωής του .

Colosseum - The Ides Of March

2011-09-30T12:48:00.001+03:00

Colosseum was one of the seminal progressive bands that emerged in the late sixties; they disbanded in 1971. Drummer Jon Hiseman, sax man Dick Heckstall-Smith, keyboard player Dave Greenslade, bass guitarist Tony Reeves, and guitarist James Litherland were all exceptional talents on their instruments...

Eddie Hazel - Games, Dames and Guitar Thangs

2011-09-27T18:21:00.003+03:00

All Parliament/Funkadelic fanatics (and plenty of general funk and rock fans) should be sufficiently worshipful of Eddie Hazel to desperately crave this disc. Eddie's jaw-dropping magnum opus, Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain," ensured his status as one of the most stupendous guitarists in music history. He was also the key creative force behind Funkadelic's heaviest albums, *Maggot Brain* and *Standing on the Verge of Getting It On*. Sadly, addiction and the long arm of the law made Eddie's output tragically limited. Thanks to this Rhino release, Eddie's army of worshipers can now finally obtain most of his revelatory solo work.
The first seven tracks here represent Eddie's only official solo album, from 1977, and a reproduction of the reassuringly funkdafied album artwork is included (the outfit Eddie wore to the photo shoot was a little embarrassing, you gotta admit). This album was a rather curious affair. Just a few years after his greatest creative achievements, Eddie was overshadowed as a songwriter on his own album by the P. Funk bigwigs. The musical tracks feel like leftovers from the Parliament albums of the 1975-77 period, with Eddie simply adding continuous guitar solos, sometimes awkwardly, on top of existing funk jams. One exception is "What About It" in which Eddie has a sly guitar duel with his protege Mike Hampton, who had pretty much replaced him as P. Funk's resident axe god.
The final four tracks here are add-ons from a 1975 jam session, but they are much more interesting and give a better indication of Eddie's true unkut guitar genius. The two standouts, both more than ten minutes long, are the steamrolling funk rock jam "Lompoc Boogie" and the darkly moody ballad "From the Bottom of My Soul." These tracks are worthy of joining "Maggot Brain" in Eddie's pantheon of guitar godhood. (Note that the four jam tracks make up the now irrelevant EP *Jams From the Heart* and also appear on the compilation *Rest in P* in alternate versions with different titles. This new Rhino package plus *Rest in P* now comprise all of Eddie's known solo recordings.)

SRV & Buddy Guy - It's Still Called The Blues (Chicago 89)

2011-09-23T10:41:00.001+03:00

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Funk Spectrum - Vol. 3

2011-09-20T12:38:00.001+03:00

British DJ and beatminer extraordinaire Keb Darge has made a name for himself by finding long-forgotten funk and soul tracks and packaging them to a modern audience. Funk Spectrum, Vol. 3 is the continuation of his very successul series for BBE Records, and this time he gets a little help from legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock. As with any Keb Darge disc, there is little to criticize. Too often, compilations of obscure oldies appeal only to collectors, but Darge has an uncanny knack for finding old tracks that appeal to anyone. Highlights include tracks by long-forgotten tracks like the Chosen Few's twangy anthem "We Are the Chosen Few" and "Nothin But a Party (Part 1)" by the Blenders. Pete Rock contributes a few obscure tracks from well-known artists like the wonderfully moody "Chains & Things" by BB King and the surprisingly funky "Nothing Is the Same" by '70s rockers Grand Funk Railroad. Also included is the Motown-influenced "Hey Joyce" by Lou Courtney. None of the tracks on Funk Spectrum, Vol. 3 could be considered essential to anyone's collection. One could get a full sense of the funk genre without ever hearing music from groups with unintentionally hilarious names like Mad Dog & the Pups and Charles Pryor & Power of Love. But that's beside the point. The real joy comes from re-discovering something that might have been lost forever. As usual, Keb Darge has done all the footwork by unearthing these lost classics, leaving you with nothing to do but sit back and enjoy.

Colosseum - Live Boston Tea Party, Boston (Bootleg)

2011-09-16T13:55:00.000+03:00

James Brown - Funky Goodtime - Live At Chastain Park 1985

2011-09-13T18:14:00.000+03:00

Michael Packer Blues Band - Live At Lucille's New York City

2011-09-09T20:34:00.002+03:00

The album was recorded live on a steamy August summer night in 2007 at Lucille's blues club on 42nd street, in the heart of Times Square, New York City. They came to play and smoked the tunes like they owned them. 'Born Under A Bad Sign', 'Sweet Home Chicago', Willie Dixon's 'The Same Thing', all spectacularly performed by a magical assemblage of players. Led by Iris Music Group recording artist Michael Packer on guitar and vocals the band consisted of Jimmy Vivino, guitar and additional vocals (he is the Conan O'Brien TV show guitarist and Levon Helm's music director), pianist David Maxwell (James Cotton), Sandy Allen (Michael's longtime friend and partner) on mandolin, blues harp extraordinaire, Felix Cabrera, Ed Jackson on bongos, Japan's finest bass player King Bear, Billy Schroeder on drums and special guest Dave 'Snakeman' Runyan (James Cotton protege) on harp performing his 'Snakeman Blues'. The album was produced by Michael Packer.

John McGale - Blues Force

2011-09-06T14:01:00.000+03:00

These are songs that John McGale has been performing with the Blues Force for several months. Spanning a wide array of styles from Acoustic, Electric, Swing, Slow Blues and Funk. With guests Eric Sauve playing Hammond b-3 on "Born To Be Wild" and Eric Khayat on tenor saxophone for "She's A Real Cowboy" and "Hard On" this album sizzles with live energy and more than competent performances. Great Party Disc!

Chris Farlowe & Roy Herrington - Live In Berlin

2011-09-02T11:36:00.001+03:00

Tommy Talton Band - Live Notes From Athens

2011-08-30T11:55:00.002+03:00

Tommy Talton is one of the best songwriters and guitarists of our time. Talton has taken the southern music scene by storm in recent years with a new band, a new determination, and exceptional new music. Talton's new band showcases not only his classic slide and guitar work, but his distinctive vocals, and passionate songwriting. Talton has surrounded himself with amazingly talented musicians to support and compliment his fresh and new, yet timeless music. Tommy Talton Band live performances appeal to all ages, as evidenced by the wide age range of audiences at its live performances.
. Almost thirty-four years after "The Gregg Allman Tour" release, Talton has rolled tape on another epic live recording, "The Tommy Talton Band, Live Notes From Athens." Live Notes From Athens will delight new music fans hungry for an extraordinary, original artist whose sound is dynamite burning with a short fuse.

War - Live!

2011-08-22T20:27:00.001+03:00

War Live -- also sometimes known simply as Live -- was recorded just as the group was achieving a peak of popularity and virtuosity, and released 16 months later, amid a string of highly successful studio LPs. It was underappreciated at the time, and only on CD has it found its proper audience. Recorded at one late November show at the High Chaparral in Chicago, the group had been engaged earlier the same year in a national tour as the opening act for Isaac Hayes and was reportedly so good that Hayes kept cutting back the length of their opening set. The tapes from this show have held up extremely well across the decades, with rich fidelity and a close sound. The live renditions of "The Cisco Kid" and other such songs may not supplant the studio originals, but the 20-minute "Get Down" is worth hearing.

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Walter Wolfman Washington - Blue Moon Risin'

2011-08-20T20:24:00.001+03:00

Walter is a long-time favorite in New Orleans, and he has done some great work, but he really outdid himself here. The horn section in "Blue Moon Rising" has that majestic feel of Coltrane's "Blue Trane", and his melody line in that song is a downward walk down the stairs of longing like no other melody line I have heard in a blues song - deliberate, pensive, refraining from the acrobatic vocal loop-de-loops of modern R&B / soul. His voice can be both smooth like a crooner and tormented like a screamer. Songs like "Stop and think" and "Glasshouse" left me hitting repeat many times after the first listen, and true to his birthplace, Walter writes lyrics that not only *mean* something (are you listening, pop world?) but also decry the troubles of this world without becoming larmoyant. If you don't listen to the lyrics, you might think "He Will See Us Through" is from Prince's Purple Rain rather than a wonderfully soulful, hopeful, and danceable *gospel* addressing someone who has lost a loved one. When the going gets tough in New Orleans, people go dancing, so the same music that makes your foot tap also makes your heart cry and open up. (Maybe we should build better levees instead of partying - get to that next life.)
The recording quality is the best of any of Walter's records, too many of which suffer from a low-budget sound. The mixture of funk, blues, and jazz here makes this record a quintessential Crescent City album. Walter's unmistakable NOLA accent ("when we foist met") tops off the authenticity, along with the references to NOLA in "Cadillac" ("from Uptown to the 9th Ward"). Do yourself a favor and kill two birds with one stone: buy one of the best records you'll ever own and support a real musician from New Orleans, one who still plays world-class music at local bars. Nobody represents the best of NOLA better than Walter!
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The Pogues - Hell's Ditch

2011-08-18T20:21:00.001+03:00

“After the embattled recording of the Pogues' Peace and Love, with Shane MacGowan clearly at odds with his bandmates and their musical direction while contributing little in the way of new songs, Hell's Ditch seemed at once like a step forward and a step back for the group. While Peace and Love suggested the Pogues had grown weary of the hot-rodded Celtic sounds that had been their trademark, Hell's Ditch found the band back in more familiar territory and sounding much refreshed; if there wasn't anything as manic as the high points of Rum Sodomy & the Lash or If I Should Fall from Grace with God, these sessions reveal the Pogues had found their feet and were sounding like a band again, and while a few of MacGowan's songs lead them through his fascination with Asian and Latin accents, the musicians were able to fuse them with their own trademark style rather than being subsumed by them; the Pogues rarely sounded as graceful or a comfortable as they do on Hell's Ditch. However, MacGowan's songwriting still hadn't regained the fire and acidity that made the group's first three albums so powerful, and Terry Woods and Jem Finer don't quite pick up the slack. More importantly, while Joe Strummer's production served the band well, he was seemingly too fond of MacGowan to tell him when his vocals were all but unintelligible, and many of the songs are all but sunk by Shane's sloppy, mush-mouthed, and booze-addled delivery, which is difficult to unravel even by his standards. While there are many pearly moments on Hell's Ditch that suggest the work of a happier and more unified band than on their previous albums, MacGowan's poorly focused performances are a handicap the Pogues couldn't overcome, and it seems appropriate this was the band's last studio album with their primary songwriter and frontman.
[In 2006, Rhino Records reissued Hell's Ditch with remastered audio, new liner notes (including a poetic appreciation of the band from Tom Waits), and seven bonus tracks. Of the bonus material, the most immediately impressive numbers are the jaunty instrumental "Squid Out of Water," a stripped-down early take of "Rainy Night in Soho," and a full-bodied cover of "Whiskey in the Jar"; however, only serious fans of both football and the Pogues will need to hear "Jack's Heroes," which was written in support of Ireland's team in the 1990 World Cup tournament and hasn't dated especially well.]
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The Nick Gravenites, John Cipollina Band - Monkey Medicine

2011-08-16T20:19:00.002+03:00

Known by various names in their time, including Nickelsilver and Thunder & Lightning, this is the only official recorded legacy of a band who served as a sporadic medium for Cipollina's talents throughout the Eighties, until his untimely death in the last year of that decade. However, they were primarily a blues rock band and anybody hoping for a West Coast classic is going to be disappointed. Having said that, some concessions are made to his former acid excess. A cover of the Quicksilver classic 'Pride Of Man' so slavishly adheres to the original as to be redundant, but 'Bad Luck Baby' brims over with that unique, quavering guitar. Ironically, the lead on the album's most psychedelic effort, the instrumental 'Small Walk-In Box,' is performed in the majority by Nick Gravenites, although it is none the less interesting for that. Gravenites also possesses an exemplary voice for white blues, but whilst it is satisfying in small measures, the surfeit of twelve-bars throughout the album would all fade into one were it not for Cipollina's soloing. Ultimately, Cipollina's latter day legacy is best displayed on other releases (Terry & the Pirates, for example) but this album will doubtless yield pleasure to all those for whom he remains amongst the most innovative of guitarists.

The Joly Boys - Great Expectation

2011-08-14T20:16:00.001+03:00

Forget Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae. Long before all those Jamaican Music form, it was Mento that ruled the original dancehall. Unknown to many and considered an anachronism by some when they hear it is still being played by the oldest Jamaican band in existence, the Jolly Boys. Entertaining locals and visitors for over 60 years, the Jolly Boys was also Errol Flynn’s band of choice when he entertained friends back in the 50’s on his very own Navy Island: off the coast of Portland Jamaica.
The Jolly Boys is now led by singer Albert Minott, a gravelly voice, charismatic, and energetic 74 year old, who is eager and hungry for stardom like any aspiring teenage singer. A recent cover of Amy Winehouse’s song, “Rehab,” has taken them on sold out concerts all over Europe in 2010, and you would think that he would be looking to retire at his age, but he is just getting started on his quest to conquer the world musically with Mento. Albert talks about the Jolly Boys cover of Rehab, his inspirations, the Rumba Box, and the song “Dog War”.

The Baby Huey Story - Living Legend

2011-08-12T20:11:00.001+03:00

Baby Huey's only album, released after his untimely death, is titled The Living Legend with good reason. He was legendary in his appearance, a 400-pound man with a penchant for flamboyant clothing and crowned by a woolly Afro, a look that is best illustrated by one of several rare photos included in the Water Records edition that shows our man in a wide-lapeled polka-dot shirt with a lime-green jacket. Beyond his unusual appearance, though, he was graced with a stunning, fierce voice on par with Otis Redding and Howard Tate, wailing and howling one moment and oddly tender and sentimental the next. Nowhere on Living Legend is his range more apparent than the opening track, "Listen to Me," where listeners are introduced to both the enigma of Baby Huey and his diamond-tough psychedelic funk backing band, the Baby Sitters. The high-energy instrumental workout "Mama Get Yourself Together" is worthy of the J.B.'s and a hazy, spiraling ten-minute rendition of Sam Cooke's chestnut "A Change Is Going to Come" confirms that the Baby Sitters could hold their own with Blood, Sweat & Tears. Further lore that catapults The Living Legend from good to great: the production was helmed by Curtis Mayfield, reason enough to make it near essential, and is highlighted by three of his compositions, "Mighty Mighty," which Mayfield and the Impressions recorded a few years earlier; "Running," a classic Mayfield cut that can only be heard here ripped to glorious bits by a band that is trying to let every member solo; and "Hard Times," which Mayfield himself would revisit on his 1975 album There's No Place Like America Today, although Baby Huey's razor-edged reading remains the definitive version -- no small caveat considering Mayfield not only wrote the tune, but could rightfully be considered one of the architects of soul to boot.

The Average Blues Band - Hurt Too Much

2011-08-10T20:04:00.001+03:00

One of the UK's finest exponents of contemporary music with its roots firmley in the blues. The Average Blues Band (ABB, now) are playing a mix of covers and originals with good clean guitar work from both Chris Williams and John Holmes (...Throughout the album it's the exceptional guitar playing of John Holms that stands out. He has been compared to B.B. King and Peter Green) and particularly impressive keyboards from Mark Skerritt. ... Highlights included 'Hurt Too Much', 'Something You Do' and 'Nobody's Child'.
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Terry Blankley - Invitation to the Blues

2011-08-08T19:59:00.000+03:00

Terry Blankley is the epitome of a fine Canadian Artist/composer. Nationally his compositions are featured on Fashion Television, as well as the new CBC series MPV which features the catchy"68 Pontiac".
A credit to his versatility, Terry B , is equally at home writing and performing a wide range of musical styles. From Blues to Jazz, Cajun Funk to Country, to sizzlin Boogie Woogie, his piano and voice sing with an honesty and soul that only years of experience can bring. Terry has paid his dues playing in the hallowed halls of the grand Old Opry, been one of the unsung heros in Nashville recording sessions, entertained in the hot spots of Las Vegas, and excited audiences in Ireland backing up Irish pop star Jamie Stone.

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Syl Johnson - Is it because i'm Black

2011-08-06T19:53:00.000+03:00

This album is one of the best ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums to ever come out of the 60s! Syl Johnson mixes west side bluesy soul with some great Chicago soul arrangements by Jimmy Jones & The Pieces Of Peace – and the result is one of the heaviest soul albums you’ll ever hear – hard-hitting and funky one minute, sweeter and more groovy the next – a wonderful portrait of the depth of Chicago soul at the time.

Ray Davies - See My Friends

2011-08-02T14:27:00.001+03:00

Ray Davies’s 2010 album ‘See My Friends’ is a celebration of his Kinks work, allowing many people who’ve been influenced by him a chance to put their stamp on his songs. In duet with Davies himself, the album features contributions from some musical heavyweights, alongside some potentially more interesting cult performers. While the inclusion of Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Metallica are guaranteed to help the album shift a few units (or more likely a few iTunes downloads of those individual tracks), kudos must be given to Davies for choosing to work with some less obvious collaborators: it was a surprise to see Pixies man Black Francis and New York indie heroes Spoon on his roll-call of friends.

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Quantic - Flowering Inferno

2011-07-31T14:12:00.000+03:00

British DJ/producer Quantic played guitar in various rock bands as a teenager, but it was his subsequent switch to house and broken beat that helped launch his musical career, especially after the 7" recording "We Got Soul" arrived in 2000.
Quantic head Will Holland introduces yet another project, Flowering Inferno, to present this travelogue, recorded in Colombia but encompassing more of the sounds of Jamaica and the Caribbean. With an admirable level of attention to detail, the cover of Death of the Revolution sports the look of classic tropical music from the '60s, the type of "music for dancing" ("musica para su baile") records often found on LPs from the Seeco or Fonseca labels. As for the music, it sounds most like the summery, pastoral rocksteady reggae of organist hero Jackie Mittoo, with guitar taking the lead or solo role as much as keyboard. It's mostly a private project, with only three of the songs featuring outside musicians and Holland handling most of the instruments -- piano, guitar, tres, accordion, bass, guacharaca, and the obscure gaita. An influences record with plenty of soul (not just dry academicism), Death of the Revolution is a solid side-project jaunt from the man who, under his Quantic guise, makes some of the best clubjazz around.

Osaka Monaurail - Rumble & Struggle

2011-07-29T14:10:00.000+03:00

One of the funkiest groups of the past decade -- and a hell of a great little album, right down to the JBs-styled cover art! Osaka Monaurail have it going on all fronts -- tight drums, economical bass, riffing guitars, and the kind of horn work that we haven't heard since Fred Wesley stopped working with James Brown -- always perfect, never hokey, and handled with a sense of space and soul that's extremely rare for a group of younger musicians! The production is wonderful too -- at a level that rivals our favorite from the 70s, and which shows that it isn't just the Daptone and Soul Fire sound of New York that can get the feel of a "classic" funk record right. It's hard to sum up the strength of this set in a few short sentences -- but take our word for it when we tell you that this smoking little record can easily go head to head with some of the best of the People Records generation! Titles include "The Chase", "Jam 1976", "Changes I Wanna Make", "Strange Buddha (Karate)", and "Rumble N Struggle"

Melvin Sparks - Texas Twister

2011-07-27T14:03:00.001+03:00

After his first 3 albums for the venerable Prestige label, Mr. Sparks moved on to upstart Detroit (Ohio Players, Funkadelic, The Counts) label, Westbound, and their jazz-centric Eastbound imprint. I don't know the circumstances of the departure from Prestige, but the fact is, soul-jazz was waning in popularity, and funk was on the rise. His Westbound sides are more produced (horns/strings) and also include vocals. Soul Jazz might have been on the wane, but Melvin's brand of gritty,single note funk never goes out of style.

Melvin Sparks - Sparks!

2011-07-25T12:42:00.002+03:00

A solid soul-jazz outing that looks to commercial material for the bulk of the set, but doesn't unduly compromise itself in a pop direction. Sparks was one of the bluesiest soul-jazz guitarists, and his tart tone shares space here with deep grooves from Leon Spencer on organ. The brass, handled by Virgil Jones (trumpet) Houston Person (tenor sax), and John Manning (tenor sax) is usually secondary to the guitar-organ riffs. Sparks remakes Sly Stone's "Thank You," the Coasters' "Charlie Brown," and Eric Burdon and War's "Spill the Wine" as lengthy instrumentals -- commercial choices, to be sure, but executed with relaxed grit. Rounding out the program is a Rodgers & Hart cover and a Leon Spencer original. The entire album is available on the Legends of Acid Jazz CD reissue, which also includes his 1971 follow-up, Spark Plug.
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Marva Whitney With Osaka Monaurail - I Am What I Am

2011-07-23T12:38:00.000+03:00

Marvellous Marva", "Miss Excitement" …Marva Whitney has been given a number of monikers over the years, but it was the late, great and sadly missed James Brown himself who summed it up best; dubbing her his "Soul Sister # 1".
Widely regarded as the funkiest of all James Brown's singers, Marva has been singing since childhood and first made her mark as part of the James Brown Revue in the late-1960's. However it wasn’t long before the Kansas born soulstress was cutting records of her own, many of which have since become rare-groove collectors items.
Marva’s aim to make "real soul music, that touches you and makes you dance" has seen a string of releases over the years, which have provided some of the hardest working samples in hip hop. The 45 King's classic "The 900 Number" features the looped sax intro from Marva's "Unwind Yourself", (although popularised by Chad Jackson's "Hear The Drummer Get Wicked"), along with many a career credited to her version of "It’s My Thing".
Since the rejuvenated interest in all thing funky (thanks to Mark Ronson et al!) the time is right for Marva to step back into the limelight and reclaim her crown as Soul Sister #1. Produced by Soulpower's DJ Pari and Ryo Nakata and recorded in Toyko and Kansas City, this album features all new material, recorded in the style of 1969’s classic “It’s My Thing” album. Fans will appreciate the raw and live, punchy feel of the tracks alongside some smoother moments which allow Marva to really do her thing – belt out that classic soul!

Kenn Lending Blues Band- Psychedelic Mind

2011-07-21T12:33:00.000+03:00

Kenn Lending Blues Band was formed in November 1980, by the Danish singer and guitarist Kenn Lending. Kenn had already been very active, in several reputable Danish groups, since 1973. But forming his own blues band, fulfilled a dream, that he had, since he saw T Bone Walker live on stage in 1968.

Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs - Juke Baritone

2011-07-19T12:30:00.000+03:00

Gypsy Punk Cabaret and Pirate Blues Mayhem. Think about Tom Waits with a hangover at a Screamin' Jay Hawkins gig in New Orleans, playing music by Muddy Waters, Danny Elfman and Mike Patton.Then you're getting close to a hint of Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs do

Josh Garrett & The Bottomline - Live On Printer's Alley

2011-07-17T12:24:00.001+03:00

Born in New Roads, LA in July 1979, and raised in the bayou town of Houma, LA, Josh Garrett has been entertaining audience all over the country for the last five years with his own style of Louisiana Blues. Garrett’s style is a mixture of Louisiana Blues, New Orleans Funk, Zydeco, and Rock ‘n’ Roll. “I’m drawn to all things Louisiana, it’s my culture and I try to embrace it,” says Garrett.
Josh Garrett released his debut album, “Changed Man” in 2008. Most of the tracks on the album were composed during his time deployed with the U.S. Army to Iraq. “It was a rough time in my life, and writing these songs made that time more bearable. I wasn’t even sure I was going to record [these songs].
They were just a release for me,” say Garrett. The self-produced album is a direct reflection of Garrett’s Louisiana heritage, and the feelings brought about by his deployment to Iraq. He says, “I enjoyed recording the album, and I’ve already started writing for the next album.”
On November 20th 2009, Garrett released his second album, "Live on Printer's Alley". The album was recorded at "Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar" on Historic Printer's Alley in Nashville, TN in early February 2009. This double disc recording truly captures the energy that is released at one of Garrett's live shows and it contains new songs like "Damn Shame" and "Take Me Home".
"I feel like I’m at the beginning of my career. There’s alot more for me to do, a lot more place to go, a lot more shows to play, and a lot more albums to record,” say Garrett.' Josh Garrett has become known for his soulful vocals, emotion infused guitar styling, and that South Louisiana flavor that only comes from those with Louisiana in there blood.
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John Lee Hooker - Ride Johnny, Ride

2011-07-15T12:22:00.000+03:00

Joanna Connor - Live 24

2011-07-13T12:17:00.000+03:00

What sets Joanna Connor apart from the rest of the pack of guitar-playing female blues singers is her skill on the instrument. Even though Connor has become an accomplished singer over time, her first love was guitar playing, and it shows in her live shows and on her recordings.

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Gregg Allman & Friends -Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA

2011-07-11T12:06:00.001+03:00

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Greg Zlap - Road Movie(s)

2011-07-09T12:03:00.000+03:00

Born in 1971 in Warsaw, Greg Zlap arrived in Paris in the late 80s, a little harmonica in his pocket. In search of new sounds, he perfected his art as an autodidact, and quickly became a sought after studio musician. You find Greg’s harmonica in French Chanson, in the Slam movement, or on film soundtracks. Untiring ambassador of his instrument, Greg Zlap created in 1998 a harmonica school in Paris. Then, convinced that music can do much more than nourish the soul, he launched harmonica workshops for asthmatic children in hospitals.
Greg has a parallel solo career; he writes, composes and performs the music that inspires him, taking roots in the blues, never forgetting his Slavic soul. He has formed his group as a leader and already produced 5 albums under his name. Singer with a captivating clear tone, Greg Zlap surprises, seduces and conquers audiences wherever he goes! In 2009, French mega-star Johnny Hallyday chose Greg to accompany him on “Tour 66”.

Fred van Zegveld - Dynamite

2011-07-07T11:59:00.000+03:00

This one it's a rare hard to find, and of course as the tittle showa it's about hammond organ, so for the those who love the groovy sound of the hammond just don't miss it!

Etta James - Etta Is Betta Than Evvah

2011-07-05T11:57:00.000+03:00

Eddy Clearwater - Rock 'N' Roll City

2011-07-03T11:55:00.000+03:00

The association seems unusual at first glance, but Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater's roots rock and blues backed by Los Straitjackets' twangy surf results in a potent combination. Other than the participants' colorful choice of headgear, this joint venture urges Clearwater to his most rocking and uninhibited studio performances, while expanding his stylistic boundaries. Never a straight bluesman, the Chief's Chuck Berry tendencies are well established. But even though he tosses off another in a long line of Berry-esque rockers with a "Johnny B. Goode"-heavy "Hillbilly Blues," this album explores his non-blues roots more thoroughly. The opening cover of "You're Humbuggin' Me" kicks things off with a blast of '50s Little Richard abandon. Elsewhere, he moves into spaghetti Western, reverbed instrumental/rockabilly waters -- no doubt provoked by the Straitjackets -- on "Monkey Paw." Clearwater also tosses in a few Ray Charles-styled R&B '50s nuggets in "I Love You" and "Before This Song Is Over," both originals that sound like authentic lost gems due partially to Dennis Taylor's tough tenor sax. New Orleans rhythms rule on Clearwater's cover of Fats Domino's "Let the Four Winds Blow," and he hits an easygoing rockabilly vibe on "Midnight Groove," another horn and guitar-driven burner. "Back Down to Earth" also mixes swamp soul with country blues in an intoxicating blend. Closing with "Good Times Are Coming," a six-minute gospel-tinged slow blues with only a lonely organ as accompaniment, brings Clearwater full circle and ends the album on its mellowest note. The guitarist sounds jovial and inspired throughout, trading licks with Los Straitjackets' Eddie Angel and Danny Amis and singing with an upbeat affability that makes it sound as if he's in your living room. With its diverse menu and crackling performances, Rock 'n' Roll City demonstrates that Eddy Clearwater excels at far more than his existing catalog indicates.

Dyke & The Blazers - We Got More Soul

2011-07-01T11:16:00.002+03:00

"Dyke & the Blazers were one of the first acts -- possibly the first notable act -- to play funk other than James Brown. Indeed, they often sounded like a sort of junior version of Brown and the JB's, playing songs in which the rhythms and riffs mattered more than the tune. Similarly, vocalist Dyke Christian sang/grunted words that mattered more for the feeling and rhythm than the content. Their best-known track, "Funky Broadway, " was covered for a bigger hit by Wilson Pickett, though Dyke & the Blazers got a few more R&B hits before Dyke was shot to death in 1971.
Arlester "Dyke" Christian was born in Buffalo, NY, in 1943, and by the mid-'60s was singing and playing bass with the O'Jays backing band, the Blazers. Dyke and some of the other Blazers were stranded in Phoenix when the O'Jays' couldn't afford to bring them back to Buffalo, and the Blazers based themselves in Phoenix, having no means to travel elsewhere. Their "Funky Broadway" was released on the Phoenix indie Artco in late 1966, and picked up for distribution by the L.A.-based Original Sound label. It became a sizable R&B hit (and a small pop one), and may have been the first record to use the word "funky" in the title.
As with James Brown, Dyke & the Blazers' records sold far better, and charted much better, with the R&B audience than the pop one, which was for the most part unaware of the band. In the late '60s and early '70s, Dyke and the band issued a series of gut-bucket funk singles with scratchy guitar riffs, greasy organ, hoarse vocals, and jazzy horns; all traits that James Brown and his band had developed, admittedly. But Dyke did the style well (right down to issuing several two-part singles), although not with a great deal of variety. For some of his sessions, Dyke recorded in Los Angeles with musicians who would later play in the Watts 103rd Street Band (guitarist Al McKay would later be in Earth, Wind & Fire). According to Original Sound producer Art Laboe, most of the singles came from 15-to-20-minute jams that were edited down to a length that could fit on the 45 RPM format.
Dyke & the Blazers had Top Ten R&B singles with "We Got More Soul" and "Let a Woman Be a Woman -- Let a Man Be a Man" in 1969, and smaller sellers with "Uhh, " "You Are My Sunshine," and "Runaway People." Dyke Christian, sadly, was fatally shot on the street in Phoenix on March 13, 1971. "
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Cyril Neville - The Essential

2011-06-30T11:13:00.001+03:00

The Essential Cyril Neville collects material from across the last decade-and-a-half of the artist's career, including material from his handful of solo albums, originally released by Neville's own independent Endangered Species Records label, in addition to his work with the Uptown Allstars and Tribe 13. Guest musicians on these tracks include some of New Orleans' heaviest hitters, including the great Allen Toussaint, brother Art, and nephew Ivan as well as lesser-known but immensely talented musicians like guitarist Charles Moore, keyboardist Norman Caesar, and drummer Willie Green. Blues legend Taj Mahal even contributes to a previously unreleased track.
The Essential Cyril Neville kicks off with "Blues Is Here To Stay," the aforementioned collaboration with Taj Mahal, a funky lil' bit o' blues with a wide, loping groove and deft fretwork. The song's topical message works particularly well with Neville's soulful vocals and the band's scattered, inspirational backing harmonies. Mahal's vocals show a slightly more tenor slant than Neville's, but roll with the groove as the blues legend name checks B.B. King and Muddy Waters, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and Robert Cray and Stevie Ray. Previously unreleased, the song is a real find, the performance lively and spirited.
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Coldblood - Sisyphus

2011-06-28T11:11:00.000+03:00

Cold Blood was a San Francisco-based Rock/R&B band that performed in the style of their contemporaries Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears. Music impresario Bill Graham was so impressed with the group when they played his Fillmore West in 1969, he signed them to his record label.

Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - In The Jungle, Babe

2011-06-26T11:07:00.000+03:00

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is a pioneering American soul and funk band. Formed in the early 1960s, they had the most visibility from 1967 to 1973 when the band had 9 singles reach Billboard's pop and/or rhythm and blues Hot 100 lists, such as "Do Your Thing" (#11 Pop, #12 R&B), "Till You Get Enough" (#12 R&B, #67 Pop), and "Love Land" (R&B #23, Pop #16). They are best known for their biggest hit on Warner Bros. Records, 1970's "Express Yourself" (#3 R&B, #12 Pop) that is often sampled by rappers, such as N.W.A.
Charles Wright was born in 1940 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, before moving to Los Angeles in the early 1950s, playing guitar and singing in several doo-wop groups including the Turks, the Twilighters, the Shields and the Gallahads. He also briefly worked as an [[A&R]] for In 1962, he formed his own band Charles Wright & the Wright Sounds . Over the course of the next six years, Wright would add more players to his group and these were the players who would eventually become known as the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, at least by 1968.
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band were near the peak of their popularity on this, their third Warner Brothers LP featuring three chart singles. Artistically, they are right there. The rough unevenness of LP number one is gone, and it flows smoother than their second album -- which spawned "Do Your Thing." "Till You Get Enough," a heavy dose of funk, charted at number 68 pop and 12 R&B in 1969; the slow, sensuous "Love Land" faired much better overall at number ten pop and number 20 R&B in 1969. A final single, "Must Be Your Thing" (1970), charted at number 67 pop and 12 R&B. The band also affix their disjointed rhythmic approach to remakes of Edwin Starr's "Twenty Five Miles," the Doors' "Light My Fire," and Wilson Pickett's "I'm a Midnight Mover." In the Jungle, Babe is easily the most satisfying album of the bands' career.

Buddy Guy - The Complete Vanguard Recordings

2011-06-24T11:00:00.000+03:00

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Booker T. Jones - The Road From Memphis

2011-06-22T13:15:00.001+03:00

The Road from Memphis starts with a young Booker T. Jones hauling his stack of newspapers to Phineas Newborn s front yard where, while folding them for his after-school delivery route, he could listen to the jazz great practice piano. It ends with Booker and The Roots roaring through a set of both timeless and contemporary originals (and propulsive covers of Gnarls Barkley s "Crazy" and Lauren Hill s "Everything Is Everything"). Along for the ride are vocalists Matt Berninger of the National, Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, Sharon Jones, Lou Reed, and Booker himself, telling the story of how the funk/soul sound that Booker helped invent spiraled out from Memphis, touching The Root s hometown of Philadelphia, New York (where engineer Gabe Roth has been recreating classic soul sonics for everyone from Sharon Jones to Amy Winehouse), and Detroit. Detroit as in Dennis Coffey, legendary Motown session guitarist who introduced driving rock funk rhythm to hits like "Cloud Nine" and "Ball of Confusion" by the Temptations, and brings his Detroit grit to these tracks. The Road from Memphis is classic Memphis soul, and classic Booker in the tradition of "Green Onions", but beyond that it is the story of a sound, and how Booker, working with the inheritors of his sound, is keeping a tradition alive.

Boogaloo Investigators - Dynamighty!

2011-06-20T13:13:00.002+03:00

Formed in late 2002, The Boogaloo Investigators blasted out of the Glasgow funk scene with aplomb. With influences ranging from American rhythm & blues of the 50's & 60's and British mod soul to hammond led soul, jazz and funk, it wasn't long before the 5 piece were gaining support from DJs such as Keb Darge, Eddie Piller, Mr Scruff and Quantic.

Bobby 'Blue' Bland - Blues At Midnight

2011-06-18T13:11:00.000+03:00

In several important respects, Blues at Midnight is what an album by a major septuagenarian blues singer should be. The production is straight-ahead and dignified, and very much in Bland's time-honored tributary about halfway between blues and soul, with plenty of organ and some brass. The songs are a little on the generic side, but they're suitable, lightly melancholy vehicles for Bland's subdued persona. While Bobby's voice sounds thinner and more weathered than it did several decades previously, as could be expected from a 73-year-old, it's still in decent, expressive shape. Where this disc falls down is in the repeated insertions of Bland's trademark tic: a full-on snort, just as blatant as someone gauchely imitating a heavy snorer. That might seem like a small thing to pick on, but if this were anyone other than Bland, no one would have allowed any of those irritating snorts on the record, let alone dozens of them. It's
an unfortunate blemish on what's otherwise a reasonably respectable session, which leans toward the side of the blues repertoire that's sadder, winding down toward after hours
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Big Head Blues Club - 100 Years of Robert Johnson

2011-06-16T13:09:00.000+03:00

Big Head Blues Club is actually Big Head Todd And The Monsters, with several very special guest musicians. The album, as the title suggests, is a tribute to Robert Johnson, who was born on May 8, 1911. Robert Johnson has had a tremendous influence on the course of popular music - not just blues, but rock and folk as well. Anyone who knows anything about music has heard of him, which is amazing considering he actually recorded only twenty-nine songs, and all of them were in 1936 and 1937. He died at that weird and notable age of 27 (paving the way for Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and Kurt Cobain - who all died at that same age). His death as well as his life is the stuff of legend. The story is that he had made a deal with the devil, promising his soul in order to become a master musician. And then in 1938, he was playing at a country dance in Mississippi. As the story goes, Johnson was flirting with a married woman (in some accounts, she was the wife of the owner of the venue), and her husband poisoned him, putting strychnine in his open bottle of whiskey.
This CD showcases ten of Robert Johnson's best songs, and features some amazing guest musicians, including B.B. King, Ruthie Foster and Charlie Musselwhite.

Albert Collins - Frigorific

2011-06-14T13:04:00.000+03:00

There has never been and may never be again a bluesman quite like Albert Collins. "The Master Of The Telecaster" was born on October 1, 1932, in Leona, Texas. A cousin of the legendary Lightnin' Hopkins, Collins emerged with a blues sound and style all his own, featuring a combination of icy echo, shattering, ringing, sustained high notes, an ultra-percussive right-hand attack, and an unheard-of minor key guitar tuning (taught to him by his cousin Willow Young). Deeply influenced by T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker and Gatemouth Brown, Collins absorbed the sounds of Mississippi, Chicago, and especially Texas. He formed his own band in 1952, packing clubs around Houston. In the early 1960s, Collins' "cool sound" instrumentals like the million-seller Frosty (recorded with a young Johnny Winter and Janis Joplin in attendance at the studio) and follow-ups Sno Cone and Thaw Out were all over R&B radio. Soon he was sharing stages with his idols Gatemouth Brown and T-Bone Walker. Then, in the mid-'60s (following a move from Texas to Kansas City to California), Collins broke into the rock 'n' roll world, releasing three albums produced by members of Canned Heat, and began playing the San Francisco psychedelic circuit. But Albert's greatest success came after he signed with Alligator in 1978 and cut ICE PICKIN''. It won the Best Blues Album of the Year Award from the Montreux Jazz Festival, and was nominated for a Grammy. His following Alligator albums helped earn Collins every award the blues world had to offer. And, along with Johnny Copeland and Robert Cray (who decided on a career as a bluesman after seeing Collins play his high school prom) Collins cut the Grammy-winning SHOWDOWN!. Even after he was firmly established as a major modern bluesman, Collins never got too big for his fans and friends, and never took things easy. And he never relinquished the wheel of his battered tour bus that he loved to drive so much. Along with his band, The Icebreakers, Collins' live shows -- driven by his kinetic stage presence -- were legendary testaments to the power of the blues. With his untimely death in 1993, Albert Collins left behind a blues legacy that continues to amaze and delight blues fans all over the world. -
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VVAA - Mod World Hammond Vol 2

2011-06-12T10:56:00.000+03:00

Another personal recop, six bands, most of them from Hammondbeat Records a good label for Hammond sounds.
The Boogaloo Investigators
Captain Hammond
Fast 3
Leslie Overdrive
Paolo Apollo Negri
The Get up
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Tre - Blues Knock'n Baby

2011-06-10T10:54:00.001+03:00

The son of bluesman L.V. Banks, the singer/guitarist known simply as Tre carried on the traditions of his father's music, recapturing the sound and feeling of '50s-era Chicago blues with accuracy and real affection. Born in Grenada, Mississippi, he was raised on Chicago's South Side, initially playing rock and R&B; his musical allegiance moved to the blues while backing Banks between 1981 and 1987, during which time he honed a fluid, shimmering guitar style. Tre's solo debut, 'Delivered for Glory - Reclaiming the Blues', appeared in 1996; the follow-up, 'Blues Knock'n Baby' - recorded with backing band the Blueknights - was released a year later...'
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The Sugarman 3 - Sugar's Boogaloo

2011-06-08T10:50:00.000+03:00

The Sugarman Three's debut album, Sugar's Boogaloo, is a slice of vintage Blue Note-style soul-jazz, with alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson being perhaps the most obvious touchstone. The music is primarily driven by groove and rhythm, with Neal Sugarman's melodic, R&B-based saxophone providing most of the leads. Sugarman's playing stays solidly within the groove, so jazz fans looking for improvisational fireworks will probably not find Sugar's Boogaloo as interesting as the artists who influenced it. But fans of earthy, greasy jazz-funk and rare groove will delight in the fact that this music is being revived -- and in such danceable, soulful fashion.

The Roach Thompson Blues Band - Honky Tonkin' with Roach

2011-06-06T10:47:00.000+03:00

The new album is a classic selection of some of Blues biggest hits from the 1950’s and 60’s. Roach shows his guitar work and vocal talent with a driving deep-rooted Blues groove. The tracks have a unique blend of state-of-the-art recording with that great old rugged blues sound. It is a feel that will have you sitting back feeling like you are front row at an all-star Blues show. Every track on “Honky Tonkin’ with Roach” will bring you back to true Blues and push you forward to hit the play button again and again.
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The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - I Got Blues For You

2011-06-04T10:44:00.000+03:00

Whenever a new music group comprised of teens (or even pre-teens) appears on the scene, it's sure to be met with a degree of skepticism. After all, for every Jackson 5, there are a greater number of best-forgotten acts which merely relied on their young age as a gimmick. But on the sophomore release by the Homemade Jamz Blues Band, I Got Blues for You, this is certainly not the case with these youngsters. This group of siblings (17-year-old singer/guitarist Ryan Perry, 14-year-old bassist Kyle Perry, and 10-year-old drummer Taya Perry) specializes in a form of blues that may not be as authentic-sounding as the older blues artists from yesteryear, but for fans of Stevie Ray Vaughan/Jeff Healey-style modern blues-rock, they're certainly worth a listen. Tracks such as the album-opening "Hard Headed Woman," as well as "Dusk Till Dawn," "Loco Blues," and "King Snake" show that the Homemade Jamz Blues Band just may be the leaders of the next wave of modern-day blues-rockers.

Steve Thorpe - Live, Down And Dirty

2011-06-02T10:32:00.000+03:00

Produced by Steve Thorpe, executive producer Linda Gail Atkinson Released on CSI South/Top Dawg Records.
These recordings were taken from shows at Lou’s Blues, in Indialantic Beach, Florida, and at Dirty Harry’s in Daytona Beach during Bike Week.. Two great venues and two rockin audiences.
It was if I laid back in my easy chair, closed my eyes and dreamed I was hearing Joe Cocker and Jimi Hendrix melded together to form one hell of an album. Commercially all the songs would have to be edited for radio but this is a total blues album and you sure get your monies worth. This is some fine musicianship and great renditions. My favorite tracks are The Thrill Is Gone, Dust My Broom and Everyday I Have the Blues, on which that Bass player is astonishing! Great vocals by Steve and the piano player is one of the best I've heard in some time.
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Jimi Hendrix - The Master's Masters

2011-05-30T10:42:00.000+03:00

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Pacific Gas & Electric - Get It On...Blues

2011-05-28T10:28:00.001+03:00

The debut album of the five-member Pacific Gas & Electric reveals a nimble little blues band with a great shouter for a lead singer. Far less lumbering than the band became on their better-known major-label recordings, the Modern release of Get It On begins with the kind of maximum R&B bang that few American rock groups beyond the MC5 or Young Rascals would have been able to muster: a six-minute version of "Wade in the Water" that careens through its six long minutes with power and just enough balance between control and chaos. (The track was billed as being recorded "live," but it was actually a studio creation with overdubs.) Lead singer Charlie Allen was a charismatic force up front, and lead guitarist Glenn Schwartz, a transplant from Cleveland and the James Gang, matched Allen's charisma with his solos. If they have a weakness on Get It On, it's the rhythm section, which despite including Frank Wilson of Canned Heat, can't always keep up with Allen or Schwartz, and sounds pretty stiff in comparison.

Mr Tchang & The Texas Sluts - On The Game !!

2011-05-26T10:25:00.000+03:00

“On vocals and guitar, Mr. Chiang: Leader and founder of the Texas Sluts in 2002, the spiritual son of BB King and Hendrix, soulful voice, presence and electric game explosive. Sideman alongside many international big names, and one of the most magnetic performers of French musical landscape. For ten years arsonist of all places dedicated to blues, ubiquitous at festivals as a member of Malted Milk, Easy Money, NapKings. ”
Mr Tchang, guitar virtuoso and experienced singer, takes its inspiration from the southern soul of the 60's and brings along some electric blues, reminiscent of Robert Cray or Albert Collins.

Maple Station Express

2011-05-24T10:22:00.000+03:00

The newly formed Maple Station is a Blues Band in the purest form. Classically obscure Blues and Gospel/Soul/Rock covers and original Masterpieces highlight the bands high energy set list. The Depth of their appreciation for the genre comes through in the extremely high quality of material that they cover in addition to the original material that will eventually add to the extensive pool of classic Blues standards. The band was founded by Silverado Records founders Patrick and Isaiah Flynn. The father and son duo was previously featured as part of the short lived but successful “Father Son Band” (FSB). FSB was a staple of local clubs throughout Napa and Sonoma County as well as appearances on Bay T.V. morning show and extensive national radio exposure. The second incarnation of the Father, Son Band includes Patrick’s God Son, Vito Triglia on Saxophone, The venerable North Bay drummer Nigel Bates, and Sonoma County vocalist extraordinaire Rose Conner. If you enjoy live Blues music in all it’s magical forms from Delta to Country to Chicago/Electric to Modern and everything in-between, Maple Station will satisfy your craving for gut wrenching and hard pounding American Blues music.
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Luther Badman Keith - Blues Nation

2011-05-22T10:20:00.000+03:00

Luther Badman Keith has pulled out all the stops for his new recording, “Blues Nation” (BMB Records). In his first new recording in seven years, Badman lays down a collection of self-penned, blues-infused tunes that draw from almost every element of America’s musical landscape, including blues, rock, soul and funk. There are hints of Motown flavor and Afro and Latin grooves and beats. You can hear influences ranging from Carlos Santana to Luther Allison and Chuck Berry.
“Blues is at the center of everything I do in music, but blues is a lot like hot sauce -- you can put it on almost anything and it’s gonna taste better,” Keith said in a release. “That’s why you are going to find some good old-fashioned blues songs and some songs that use the blues to rise to a whole new level.”
His back-up band on “Blues Nation” is superb. In addition to Keith on vocals and guitar, the group includes Keith Owens on rhythm guitar, Jim David on keyboards, Darryl Lee on bass and Milton “Heavyfoot” Austin on drums. The horn section features Mark Croft (trumpet) and Billy Furman (saxophone, harmonica), and percussionist Mike Racette adds Latin flavors.
The Badman has also assembled an impressive list of guest artists, including multiple Detroit Music Award winner Paul Miles (who interacts with Keith on the rousing “Talking Old Bluesmen”), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members The Original Vandellas (Rosalind Holmes and Annette Helton), and background vocalists Jaki G and Champagne Page. One song, “Nose Wide Open,” was recorded live at the now defunct Memphis Smoke nightclub and features the late James Payton on saxophone.
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