Monster Mike Welch - Nothing But Time (2023)

                                                              Monster Mike Welch
 Monster Mike Welch makes a spectacular return to form after battling Long Covid and surviving on his new record Nothing But Time.

The new set comes out June 30th, 2023 and is his label debut on Mike Zito’s Gulf Coast Records imprint. Welch tracked at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California with studio boss and Nightcat guitarist Kid Andersen producing, engineering, and playing on the sessions. The rest of Welch’s all-star studio band for the record includes bass legend and two-time Grammy winner Jerry Jemmott (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Gregg Allman), harp master Rick Estrin, drummer Fabrice Bessouat, and pianist Bob Welsh.

Welch fought the Covid fight for more than 18 months and said of his experience “At its worst, Long Covid was completely debilitating, and I spent most of 2022 genuinely unsure whether I’d be able to play music full-time ever again. Kid Andersen and Mike Zito inspired me to take a leap of faith and make a new start; they both had my back and gave me the support and freedom to make the most personal record of my career.”

Given the nickname “Monster Mike” by actor/”Blues Brother” Dan Aykroyd at the age of 13, Welch went on to become a fixture on the international blues scene with nearly 30 years in the game. He had released a solid body of work as a solo artist, been a member of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones from 2001 to 2017, and recorded with the likes of Shemekia Copeland, Ronnie Earl, Danielle Nicole, Duke Robillard, Johnny Winter, Victor Wainwright, Nick Moss, the Mannish Boys, and Sugaray Rayford. He’s also won two Blues Music Awards, one with the late, great vocalist Mike Ledbetter and their band Welch Ledbetter Connection and one on his own. He’s a big part of the present-day blues climate and hearing him bounce back with this new album is cause for celebration.

Welch opens Nothing But Time with the powerful, B.B. King-inspired “Walking To You Baby.” Immediately, Welch is fully switched-on and swinging for the fences. His guitar lines are audacious and bold, as are his vocals. The horn-enhanced band swings hard behind him and gives him plenty of space to fly. You can easily tell how good he feels to be back in the hot seat.

Robert Johnson’s eternal “If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day” becomes a revved-up, train beat rocker with a down-home vibe in Mike’s grip. Rick Estrin guests on harp and does himself proud. Welch’s voice is urgent and full of soul and sounds like he’s singing right in front of you. This is real, ragged-edge blues and the energy it creates is what this thing of ours is all about.

In contrast, Welch’s title track “I’ve Got Nothing But Time” is laidback and deeply funky. Mike wails with a sweet vintage tone overtop of a chilled-out beat sure to get people moving wherever it’s heard. Figure in the horns and backup singers and you’ve got yourself a proper party. It’s a fun song and one of the best on the set.

Another amazing moment on Nothing But Time is Welch’s complete reinvention of The Beatles’ “I Me Mine.” It’s wild how well George Harrison’s classic song transforms into a passionate blues/rock epic without losing any of its original greatness. Kudos to Monster Mike for taking an ambitious stab at an unexpected cover and slam-dunking it. This is how the blues songbook expands.

“Time To Move” is a haunting, minor key blues with a perfect late-night feel. Welch drops some of his most well-conceived guitar lines on it and sings with real grit and fire. A list of additional album highlights would have to include “Hard To Get Along With” and “Jump For Joy.”

Monster Mike Welch proves that he’s 100% back in the saddle all over Nothing But Time and the album will come to be known as another high-water mark in his blues career. He’s a guitar arsonist and a vocal force to be dealt with who is now recovered and ready to go harder than ever before. This is fine work from one of the top artists making roots music today. Listen loud and love it! By Mike O’Cull

320 kbps
149 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Walking To You Baby 05:15
02. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day 03:45
03. I've Got Nothing But Time 04:03
04. I Me Mine 04:06
05. Offswitch Blues 04:39
06. I Ain't Sayin 03:43
07. In Case You Care 04:30
08. Time To Move 03:57
09. Losing Every Battle 05:48
10. Hard To Get Along With 04:04
11. Jump For Joy 02:59
12. Ten Years Ago 06:03
13. Afraid Of My Own Tears (Parts 1 & 2) 08:44
14. Kind Hearted Woman Blues 03:36

Shannon Bourne - Burn It Down (2005)

                                                                   Shannon Bourne
 Shannon Bourne has been an integral part of the new roots movement. He spent 7 years playing with leather lunged bluesman Chris Wilson. In this time he toured twice overseas and heas shared the bill with The Waifs, John Butler, Richard Thompson, Jeff Lang and many more. His music comes from an honest place and his intensity is only out shone by his deep lyrics. You will never see this kind of commitment to the exorcism of raw emotion. Unpretentious and pure, he wont do anything that he doesn't believe in.

320 kbps
94 Megabytes

Credits:

John Salerno - Drums  
Shannon Bourne - Guitar, Vocals 
Chris Wilson - Harmonica   
Marcel Yammouni - Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Joe Yammouni - Backing Vocals   
 
Tracklist:

01. Dead End Town 03:33
02. Burn It Down 03:01
03. Handyman 02:27
04. Bring You Back 05:19
05. Light On 04:14
06. Don't You Throw Your Book On Me 02:57
07. Tracks In My Skin 03:50
08. In The Cold 02:59
09. When Life Seems So Long 03:58
10. Changes All The Day 04:07

Johnny Searfoss - Johnny Searfoss (2013)

                                                                    Johnny Searfoss
 This long-awaited debut album features just some of the many styles Johnny loves to listen to and play. Steeped in blues, you'll also find elements of swing guitar, acoustic and electric rock and even a cover of one of John's all-time favorites - Santo & Johnny's 'Sleepwalk'. Years of 'live' playing reveals a well-seasoned guitarist whose influences mix well with his own unique and infectious style. ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian Setzer, Joe Satriani and even Brent Mason's influences can be appreciated. John's love of a melodic hook and a groovy rhythm is heard throughout the tracks.

320 kbps
123 Megabytes

Credits:

Nick Lauro - Drums   
Johnny Searfoss - Electric Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Drums, Acoustic Guitar
Joe Bogwis - Harmonica, Backing Vocals 
Matt McGasko - Keyboards   

Tracklist:

01. Roll Me Over 02:49
02. Blindsided Blues 05:09
03. The Open Road 03:36
04. The Renegade 03:21
05. Cruisin' 03:07
06. Crying 03:07
07. Taking Flight 03:19
08. A Love Lost 03:52
09. She's Got Something 03:19
10. Sleepwalk 03:45

6 V 6 - Fire Bottle (2003)

                                                                        6 V 6
 Blues band from Illinois.

256 kbps
99 Megabytes

Credits:

John Jenkel - Piano   
Aaron Miller - Bass, Vocals, Drums, Guitar  
Gene Duncan - Drums, Vocals
Randy Hoffman - Guitar, Vocals   
Russell Miller - Guitar, Vocals, Bass 

Tracklist:

01. Too Good Lookin' 05:28
02. Guitar Jones 04:50
03. Sugar Mama 05:10
04. Can't Say No 03:07
05. Like It This Way 05:19
06. Red Rocket 03:53
07. Moondance 04:12
08. World's In A Tangle 04:41
09. Tryin' To Make A Livin' 03:43
10. Let It Be 03:20

De Bloes Broers - After All These Years (1997)

                                                                   De Bloes Broers
 The De BloesBroers lineup may have changed here and there, but the passion for the blues has always remained strong. Through typical 12 bar blues but also beautiful more complex schemes, Herman Schoone on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Hans Schoone on bass, Marc Huis in't Veld on drums and vocals and Nico de Graaf on guitar and vocals bring us swing blues, blues rock and more.

192 kbps
146 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Backstroke 05:08
02. After All 03:59
03. Phone Booth 02:40
04. Holderdebolder 07:48
05. Bericht Voor De Macho 03:55
06. I Know What You're Thinkin' 03:50
07. It's My Soul 03:03
08. I Want To Shout About It 03:37
09. Soms Zit 't Tegen, Soms Zit't Mee 05:05
10. Zwiep, Zwaai & Zwier 02:54
11. Drumkit 04:36
12. Big Boss Man 03:31
13. I Wish You Could See Me Now 04:08
14. Someday, Someway 03:45
15. Am I Losing You 06:56

Daniel Castro - Live At The Saloon (2003) reposted

                                                                     Daniel Castro
 Daniel was born in Ensenada, Baja California and also lived in Tijuana. The family later moved to Buena Park, California when Daniel was eight. Even as young kids, Daniel and his older brother Mario wanted to play guitar. "In Tijuana we found an old piece of plywood in a field. We took it home and cut two guitars out of it, painted on the knobs and pick guard, and strung some fishing line with nails on them." After bugging their mother and father for years they finally got their first real guitar from Sears - a St. George electric guitar with no amplifier. The brothers shared the right-handed guitar, which was no problem for Mario who was right-handed but a huge problem for Daniel who was a lefty. Daniel’s brother would laugh at him while he tried to play it upside down, so he finally taught himself to play right-handed. Daniel’s older sister, Jypsy, who was singing in a band, introduced Daniel to all the big soul stars at the time and taught him to play Jimmy Reed riffs in the key of E. Jypsy also gave Daniel two BB King records and "when I heard that Lucille vibrato, that was it...it made me cry.”

 
In 1969, Daniel's brother Mario was killed in a car accident. Daniel was fifteen at the time.  "I was sitting on the curb in front of our house after my brother's funeral and a friend came up and said ‘Daniel you take that guitar and play your heart out for Mario wherever you go.’" And that’s what Daniel’s been doing ever since.

 
 As he grew up in the L.A. area, Daniel was heavily influenced by the blues greats Albert KIng, B.B. King, and Albert Collins. As a kid, Daniel would hang outside clubs like the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach to hear these blues legends perform and wait for a glimpse of them through the curtains. After cutting his teeth in South Central L.A. blues clubs with “Mighty Mouth” Delmar Evans, who worked with the Johnny Otis Show, Castro backed other great artists from Otis’ band, including Pee Wee Crayton and Little Esther Phillips. He also recorded and toured with many other artists including legendary Small Faces singer-bassist Ronnie Lane.

 
Moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995, Daniel formed The Daniel Castro Band and quickly became a hot draw in the burgeoning local blues scene. In 1999, Daniel recorded his first release, No Surrender, followed in 2003 with Live at The Saloon, a double CD recorded at San Francisco’s oldest bar and mecca for the blues faithful. Both CDs highlight the talents of Daniel’s playing, songwriting, and arranging and feature stellar performances by some of the Bay Area’s best sidemen.

 
In 2011, Daniel began looking to form a new band. He had always been surrounded by great players but wanted to focus on his original material, which required working with musicians that shared his passion, would commit to strenuous rehearsals, and had the natural chemistry needed to help him realize the music’s potential. Daniel began getting together with bassist Johnny Yu, whom he had played with in the past and who had recorded several cuts on his “No Surrender” CD. They quickly became a team, working out arrangements to many of Daniel’s new original tunes and forming the nucleus of the new band. Daniel and Johnny began performing as a trio, using a platoon of drummers as they searched for the elusive third member of the band. In early 2012, Johnny reconnected with drummer David Perper, whom he had worked with in a variety of settings over many years. David got together with Daniel and Johnny at their rehearsal space and it soon became obvious to all that they collectively had something unique. With Johnny and David, Daniel has an intuitive and explosive rhythm section, able to anticipate each others moves and support Daniel’s music as it deserves. “We have something special. It’s hard to describe, but we feel it and so do our audiences. We’ve all come from different backgrounds and our personal stories vary. We all come to this band with our past and are forming our future.”


This recording preserves on CD what audiences have been thrilling to for years. On a sweltering spring night, in one of the funkiest, least pretentious bars in America, the world famous Saloon in North Beach, San Francisco, Daniel Castro and his band –which consisted of drummer T. Moran, bassist Artis Joyce, and keyboardist Michael Emerson, along with a special guest appearance by Daniel’s sister, Jypsy— came together and delivered an evening of unbelievable, electrifying music recorded in two four hour performances in one day, with no set list. Songs like “Blues For Mario” and the intro to “All Along the Watchtower” were written as they were being recorded.

The day left the band and the audience exhausted and in an ocean of sweat. Produced by Daniel Castro and Lee Parvin, “Live At the Saloon” takes no safe roads, never lets up, and captures all of a brilliant night.

320 kbps
307 Megabytes

Credits:

Daniel Castro - Guitars, Vocals
Scotty Ford - Guitar
T. Moran - Drums
Artis Joyce - Bass
Michael Emerson - Keyboards 
Jypsy - Vocals

Tracklist:

CD 01

01. Introduction 00:47 
02. Intro Song 04:09 
03. Match Box Blues 06:42 
04. Let Me Love You Baby 10:42 
05. Rock Me Baby 07:57 
06. Blues For Mario 13:24 
07. All Your Love 11:28 
08. Sweet Little Angel 12:03 

CD 02
 
01. Got My Mojo Working 13:42 
02. Empty Arms 06:47 
03. Cross Cut Saw 10:32 
04. Talk About My Baby 05:47 
05. Intro To... 09:25 
06. All Along The Watch Tower 10:14 
07. Turn On Your Love Light 10:29 

Little Boogie Boy - Boogie Disease (1993)

                                                                Little Boogie Boy
 Little Boogie Boy is a blues singer/guitarist and bandleader, performing in his own soulful style.

320 kbps
63 Megabytes

Credits:

Erik Missot - Bass   
Jos De Mooy - Drums  
Martijn 'lightnin'Obdeijn  - Guitar 
Little Boogie Boy - Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica   

Tracklist:

01. Don't Say That No More 02:54
02. Every Day I Have The Blues 04:05
03. The Sky Is Crying 06:42
04. I'm A King Bee 03:55
05. Poor Boy 03:12
06. I've Loved You Babe 03:15
07. Sweet Home Chicago 03:07
08. As The Tears Go Passing By 04:35
09. Tell Me Baby 02:42
10. Wonder Where Can She Be 03:49
11. Wonder Why 03:08
12. No Good Man 04:06

Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders - Roundhouse Blues (2011)

                                                                   Big Shot Reub
 San Diego’s Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders Release “Roundhouse Blues” Featuring the virtuoso guitar work of Reuben Vigil

(SAN DIEGO) – There is a quality guitar slinger on the Blues horizon, and you should know his name: Reuben Vigil. Vigil fronts trio Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders, who have released a tasty new ten-song set of sumptuous music entitled, Roundhouse Blue (Hat and Case Music). The CD was mastered by multi-Grammy-winning Charlie Watts (renowned for his work on Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors among others), while being engineered and produced by Glen Laughlin (Dickies, Cherry Bluestorms).

Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders (Reuben Vigil, lead guitar-vocals); Jodie Hill (bass); Ric Lee (drums) played and performed in various San Diego bands before coming together to record Roundhouse Blues, which in Vigil’s words, “is a labor of friendship and getting my friends back to work. In this effort all processes have been near seamless. I am a lucky man.”

The songs on Roundhouse Blues reflect Vigil’s diverse influences – B.B. King, Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix among them. From opening track “So Much Inside Me” (“a jump-swing tribute to the greats, including Wynone Harris and Louis Jordan,” explains Vigil) and melodic “Love’s Come Knocking” (“a song designed to comfort a mending heart…speaking what you want and not what you have”); to the Latin-flavored “Viva Bracero” (“a tribute to the unskilled laborers that helped rebuild America after the Great Depression”); and uptempo, toe-tapping “Big Shot Roll” (“a salute to the West Coast swing dancers that are an integral part of the San Diego blues scene”), there is truly something for every Blues lover on Roundhouse Blues.

320 kbps
105 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. So Much Inside Me 02:47
02. Love Comes Knocking 04:13
03. Viva Bracero 05:01
04. Celestial 05:15
05. "C" 03:39
06. Big Shot Roll 05:09
07. I Don't Drink 05:43
08. Love Is A Memory 05:25
09. Time Was 05:10
10. Survive 05:01

Rory Gallagher - Live In San Diego '74 (2022)

                                                                   Rory Gallagher
 Live In San Diego ’74 is an unreleased live radio concert recovered from the depths of the Rory Gallagher archives. This recording features Rory and his band playing a 7 song set at the San Diego Sports Arena on February 8, 1974. This period is regarded as one of his peak live eras, most notably on his album Irish Tour ’74, which is his biggest-selling record. This follows the RSD 2021 release of Cleveland Calling, Pt. 2, which came in at #2 on Billboard’s Blues chart.

320 kbps
172 Megabytes

Credits:

Gerry McAvoy - Bass Guitar 
Rod De'Ath - Drums   
Rory Gallagher - Guitar, Vocals 

Tracklis:

01. Messin' With The Kid 06:06
02. Cradle Rock  11:12
03. I Wonder Who 09:31
03. Hands Off Written 09:35
04. A Million Miles Away 09:35
05. Bullfrog Blues 09:16
07. In Your Town 19:54

Hank Shreve Band - I've Had It (2013)

                                                                 Hank Shreve Band
 Eugene, Oregon, multi-instrumentalist and singer, Hank Shreve, is primarily known as a stellar harmonica player and fine singer.

"Clearly one of the finest recordings to originate from the Northwest yet this year...Definitely a winning release from a band that is set to bring us all to attention very quickly." Greg Johnson  CBA

320 kbps
117 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Boogie Boss Baby 02:21
02. I've Had It 03:03
03. Lovely One 03:36
04. Street Light 05:12
05. Lollipop Mama 02:32
06. I'm Good 03:58
07. Lovers Holiday 06:05
08. Help Me Out 03:42
09. Real Kinda Thing 04:09
10. Tell Me Why 04:23
11. Mercury Blues 03:26
12. Sugar Bee Boogie 04:04

Greg Koch Band - Plays Well With Others (2013) reposted

                                                                 Greg Koch Band
 Excellent 12th studio disc by this supreme world-class axemaster from Wisconsin featuring special musical guests Joe Bonamassa, Robben Ford & Paul Barrere among others who join in and jam on this outstanding, electrified G.K. rock n' roll party. Includes 13 tracks of awesome, dynamic, blues-based, retro-fied, guitar rock mojo that weigh heavy on killer musicianship complete with strong musical compositions. Greg Koch is a modern day guitar hero who definitely Plays Well With Others. A top-shelf, impressive bluesy guitar rocker that is Highly recommended to fans of ERIC JOHNSON, ROBBEN FORD, JOE BONAMASSA & WARREN HAYNES and to fans of GREG KOCH'S previous excellent, superb, prolific musical output.

320 kbps
187 Megabytes

Credits:

Greg Koch - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Bass
Paul Barrére - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals
Roscoe Beck - Bass
Joe Bonamassa - Guitar 
Jon Cleary - Piano
Robben Ford - Guitar 
Eric Hervey- Bass
Dylan Koch- Drums
Theo Merriweather - Organ, Piano (Electric)
John Sieger - Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Brannen Temple - Drums, Percussion

Tracklist:

01. Simone (Feat. Joe Bonamassa) 03:52
02. Walk Before You Crawl (Feat. Robben Ford, Roscoe Beck & Brannen Temple) 06:24
03. Spanish Wine (Feat. Jon Cleary) 06:10
04. This Whole Town Has A Broken Heart (Feat. Paul Barrere) 03:40
05. Sho Nuff (Feat. Robben Ford, Roscoe Beck & Brannen Temple) 05:02
06. What You Got To Lose (Feat. Robben Ford, Roscoe Beck & Brannen Temple) 05:35
07. Whiskey Rainstorm (Feat. Paul Barrere) 03:35
08. Down The Road 04:43
09. Night Owl Now (Feat. Paul Barrere) 05:17
10. Hey Godzilla (Feat. Paul Barrere) 06:34
11. Spanish Wine (Radio Mix) 04:55
12. What You Got To Lose (Radio Mix) 04:46
13. Hey Godzilla (Radio Mix) 04:09
14. Welches Grape (Digital Bonus Track) 07:06
15. Sweet Tea (Digital Bonus Track) 09:55

JT Coldfire - Live (2020)

                                                                        JT Coldfire
 JT Coldfire plays with a combination of the equally whiskey-soaked musical roots in the country blues of the bar. Coldfire was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, into a diverse musical background that ranged from blues, traditional Mexican music, and southern rock.
JT began playing bars, clubs and motorcycle rallies at the age of 15 and soon became a staple in the South Texas music community. He moved to New York City in his 20s where he garnered more accolades as a bona fide Texas nightclub performer. Back in Texas he went back to his roots, formed a new group and hit the dance halls and festivals. Five Scandinavian tours to his credit, four albums, a double live album and two more to be released this summer of 2014, along with another European tour speak to JT and his potential as a bluesman. JT Coldfire Passed away in 2015.

320 kbps
201 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Listen Here 04:38
02. Have You Ever Loved a Woman 08:02
03. Dimples 05:26
04. Big Black Mariah 03:55
05. Don't Lose Your Cool 04:09
06. The Things That I Used to Do 05:53
07. Boogie Chillen 05:59
08. La Grange 03:09
09. Baby Please Don't Go 03:07
10. Hoochie Coochie Man 06:20
11. Blind 05:40
12. Red House 09:42
13. Boom Boom 03:52
14. Lights Are on but Nobody's Home 06:33
15. Third Degree 11:34

Hundred Seventy Split - The Story So Far (2022)

                                                           Hundred Seventy Split
 Leo Lyons is best known as the legendary bassist and founder member of Ten Years After who took the Woodstock Festival by storm in 1969. Their appearance prefaced a worldwide touring schedule which lasted into the mid-70s as audiences responded to their jazzy Blues Rock. With eight Top 40 albums under their belt, many making platinum status, Lyons turned his attention to record production, engineering and songwriting, working with the likes of UFO, Magnum, Motörhead, and many more. Ten Years After reformed in 2004 with Joe Gooch replacing the late, great Alvin Lee as vocalist/guitarist, and the band toured until 2010 when Leo and Joe left and, with the addition of drummer Damon Sawyer, formed Hundred Seventy Split. This dynamic three-piece power trio continue to make music which rocks right out of the Ten Years After box. Compiled by Leo Lyons, this 12-track overview encapsulates the HSS vibe: “… titles like ‘The Smoke’, ‘Going Home’ and ‘Grew Up On Muddy Waters’ are biographical, others are simply HSS playing the music we love. How would I describe that? Perhaps an amalgam of Rock, Blues, Swing, Country, Jazz and Psychedelic. You decide.” 

320 kbps
163 Megabytes

Credits:

Joe Gooch - Guitars, Vocals 
Leo Lyons - Bass, Double Bass 
Damon Sawyer - Drums 
With:
Billy Livsey - Hammond Organ
Sean Fuller - Drums
Tanner Jacobson - Drums 

Tracklist:

01. The Smoke 03:50 
02. Going Home 07:12 
03. The Devil To Pay 04:58 
04. Gonna Dance On Your Tombstone 07:34 
05. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl [Live] 07:07 
06. Pork Pie Hat [Live] 04:39 
07. The Game 05:13 
08. It’s Coming Back Around 04:47 
09. Love Like A Man [Live] 05:44 
10. I’m Going Home [Live] 09:12 
11. I Grew Up On Muddy Waters [Live/Bonus Track] 04:38 
12. She’s Got The Mojo [Live/Bonus Track] 02:56 

Paul Coombs Blues Band - Steeltown Blues (2023)

                                                            Paul Coombs Blues Band
 The Paul Coombs Blues Band brings a mix of original and covers for some bluesy, rocking, grindin FUN!

320 kbps
88 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Trouble Trouble 04:22 
02. Steeltown Blues 03:10 
03. Jezebel's Blues 04:07 
04. Wishin' and Hopin' 03:36 
05. Hurtin' Country Song 03:59 
06. Lost a Good Friend 04:32 
07. Lockdown 03:29 
08. Addicted to the Blues 04:29 
09. Waiting for the End 04:02 
10. Time to Move On 03:04 

Jeau James - Fated (2023)

                                                                      Jeau James
 This CD features 8-tracks including a nice reinvention of a classic Doors song “Hello, I Love You.” The Los Angeles-based singer Jeau James (lead guitar/bass) has some smoky vocals stirred in with his slinky guitar. Part Lenny Kravitz, part Jimi Hendrix & produced by 2-time Grammy Award nominee Eric Corne (backing guitar/vocals).

The album Fated (Drops June 16–Lord Vinyl/Forty Below Records) cooks from the start but does have a distinct formula approach. The songs — well-played & performed with genuine fervor follow tried & true recipes of this genre of music. 

While James’ isn’t an entirely deep seeded blues artist (Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Campbell) he adds enough funk, confident rock guitar & rambunctious assertive vocalizing that he delicately treads through this enduring style with flair.

Not everything works but many hit the target regardless & there are enough well-deserved vivid juke joint blustery soulful blues to render Mr. James’ authenticity. Some songs need a little better focus to step away from the expected harmonic cues & drive harder into a more creative area – which sounds like Jeau has but prefers to play it safe by staying on the surface where audiences are attentive instead of diving deep & giving them more gutsiness. It’s like the difference between polyester & cotton. Both have their benefits, but some song fibers need to breathe. 

 The guitar solo on “Pray” possesses the hottest, crunchiest playing & Kenny’s drums are tightly woven through the break. This is a keeper. Even the vocals sound far more inspired here.

With the tune “Rock Hard & Roll,” Jeau’s intonation on some words is pure Mick Jagger in his disco-Some Girls-phase. There are asides where the vocalizing has the flexibility of Terence Trent-Darby. “Is This History,” is framed by some juicy guitar as Jeau sings more in a soulful demeanor & keeps the tune silky. The guitar solo is fluid & affirming. It’s one of the slower tunes on the LP yet the most impressive.

320 kbps
83 Megabytes

Credits:

Kenny Aronoff - Drums
Carl Byron - Hammond B3
Eric Corne - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jeau James - Bass, Guitar, Vocals

Tracklist:

01. Fated 03:04
02. Hello, I Love You 02:51
03. Another Night 03:16
04. Rock Hard and Roll 04:10
05. Human Condition 04:51
06. Pray 04:46
07. River 04:18 
08. Is This History 04:40

Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze - Live In France (1997)

                                                          Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze
 Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze, a Chicago-style boogie and blues band, was formed by Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney in 1990. Through the years, Sweet Daddy has developed a loyal European following touring overseas for over twenty-five years. Back home, the band is one of the premier blues bands in New England.   Working from Maine to Key West and all points in between.  With the release of their sixth CD S.D.C.B 28 Years with the Blues in 2018 and the pandemic behind them Sweet Daddy is looking forward to continuing to work at a successful Blues career which has already spanned over thirty years. He's recorded with the likes of Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Blues Brothers, Jaimoe - founding member and drummer for the Allman Brothers and John Kay (Founder & Lead Singer of Steppenwolf) recording a DVD titled John Kay & Friends Live at The Renaissance Center.  Sweet Daddy's superb showmanship and smooth lead vocals, full-bodied harmonica, and soulful saxophone along with long time partner Tommy Whalen's explosive guitar playing, the solid rhythm section of bassist Eddy Humber and Liviu Pop on drums all add up to an unprecedented high energy Blues show that few bands can match. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the music.


192 kbps
134 Megabytes

Credits:

Joe Fonda - Bass 
Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney - Blues Harp, Saxophone, Vocals  
Peter Perfido - Drums  
Uwe Herr - Guitar  

Tracklist:

01. Take A Holiday 05:09
02. Routine Blues 05:38
03. Cards On The Table 04:01
04. Outskirts On Town 06:41
05. Hey Baby 04:30
06. Doggin' Me Around 08:22
07. Mother Earth 07:02
08. Greenbacks 03:52
09. In Love With A Musician 10:39
10. Sweet Tooth Mama 04:46

Gov't Mule - Peace...Like A River (Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (2023)

                                                                       Gov't Mule
 Renowned GRAMMY-nominated band Gov’t Mule has announced their new studio album, Peace…Like A River, will be released this summer and has shared the first single “Dreaming Out Loud,” featuring Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster. For the stirring new song, GRAMMY?Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, guitar legend, and producer Warren Haynes wove together inspirational quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert and John Kennedy, and the late civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis.

Peace…Like A River is the band’s 12th studio album and follow-up to their chart-topping, Grammy-nominated blues album, Heavy Load Blues. The 12-song rock collection also features guest appearances from Billy Bob Thornton, Celisse, and Billy F Gibbons. In addition, the Peace…Like A River Deluxe Edition (available on CD only) includes the original 12-track album plus the special 5-track Time Of The Signs Bonus EP, which features four brand-new, unreleased tracks and an alternate version of the album track “The River Only Flows One Way,” with Warren taking lead vocals.

“Peace…Like A River is very ambitious from a musical arrangement standpoint in the way that a lot of the songs take twists and turns that is not common in today’s pop music world,” shared Haynes. “At the same time, it’s very much a song record and covers a lot of ground, stylistically speaking. Song for song maybe my favorite one.”

The tracks on Peace…Like A River explore the many sides of Gov’t Mule and bring together all the qualities that have earned the four-piece - Haynes [guitar, vocals], Matt Abts [drums], Danny Louis [keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals], and Jorgen Carlsson [bass] – the beloved stature they enjoy today. Concise songcraft coexists seamlessly with the band’s trademark instrumental journeys. Songs longer than pop convention are somehow still compact: they’re explorative but never meandering; the tunes are at once both wide-ranging and tightly focused. Thematically, the new album explores the seismic changes the world has gone through over the past few years. Influenced both in his songwriting and playing by what Haynes calls “the golden era of rock, soul, jazz and blues,” Gov’t Mule combines the best and most enduring qualities from all those musical strains to create a timeless piece of art on Peace…Like A River that could have easily been released during rock ‘n roll’s classic 70’s classic.

Peace…Like A River was recorded during the same sessions as Heavy Load Blues at The Power Station New England with co-producer John Paterno (Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos) alongside Haynes. The albums, however, were created in different rooms, with no shared gear or instruments, keeping the two concurrent projects with their own unique identity and character.

One distinguishing difference on Peace…Like A River is the presence of talented friends in important guest roles. Billy F Gibbons’ trademark vocals underscore the tasty ZZ Top textures that inform the humor-infused “Shake Our Way Out,” while Billy Bob Thornton adds his distinctive vocals to “The River Only Flows One Way.” For introductory track “Dreaming Out Loud,” Haynes wanted a Sly and the Family Stone vocal style where different singers take different sections of the song, so he called upon previous collaborators blues great Ruthie Foster, whose backing vocals graced Mule’s 2006 album High & Mighty, and longtime friend, New Orleans soul legend, Ivan Neville. Lastly, rising soul artist Celisse adds her incredible vocals to “Just Across The River.” Deluxe 2 CD set includes the bonus Time Of The Signs EP.

320 kbps
256 Megabytes

Tracklist:

CD 01

01. Same As It Ever Was 06:44
02. Shake Our Way Out 06:23
03. Made My Peace 09:07
04. Peace I Need 07:21
05. Your Only Friend 05:59
06. Dreaming Out Loud 04:38
07. Head Full Of Thunder 04:35
08. The River Only Flows One Way 07:21
09. After The Storm 06:24
10.Just Across The River 05:18
11. Long Time Coming 05:19
12. Gone Too Long 07:15

CD 02

01. Stumblebum 06:09
02. Under The Tent 05:25
03. Time Stands Still 05:17
04. Blue, Blue Wind 06:49
05. The River Only Flows One Way (WH vocal) 07:21

Mike Dugan and the Blues Mission - Blues From The Rust Belt (1994)

                                                                      Mike Dugan
 Formed in the 1990’s, MIKE DUGAN AND THE BLUES MISSION is still going strong! Mike Dugan is a blues guitarist from the Allentown, PA area. He plays what's known as the rust belt blues style. This power trio has been Mike’s primary vehicle for developing and performing his signature blistering “Rust Belt Blues” sound. THE BLUES MISSION has rocked countless venues, festivals, parties, weddings and concert stages up and down the East Coast since the band’s inception over two decades ago. They have a well-deserved reputation as the toughest, hottest, tightest power trio around!

320 kbps
106 Megabytes

Credits:

Mike Dugan - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards  
Rob Fraser - Bass, Backing Vocals
Mark Tomlinson - Drums
Maury "Hooter" Saslaff - Bass 
Steady Jim Miades - Bass
Charles Taylor - Drums
Ron Howden - Drums, Tambourine 
James Supra - Harmonica 

Tracklist:

01. Out On The Load 04:38
02. Life In the Rust Belt 03:29
03. Dark Factory 06:51
04. Livin' The Blues 04:17
05. There's No Talkin' To Ya 04:05
06. Blue Eternity (Here We Go Again) 06:07
07. The Stumble 03:02
08. I Mean Business 03:12
09. Roller Coaster Love 07:31
10. Rust Belt Blues 07:17

Johnny Jenkins - Handle With Care (1999)

                                                                  Johnny Jenkins
 American left-handed blues guitarist. Credited with kick-starting Otis Redding’s career who drove him to a session with Booker T & The MG's, as Jenkins had no drivers licence. They used the remaining studio time to record These Arms Of Mine with Steve Cropper on piano in a spontaneous arrangement.

320 kbps
103 Megabytes

Credits:

Johnny Jenkins - Guitar, Vocals
Rick Hinkle - Guitars, Sitar
Stan Robertson - Bass
Bill Stewart - Drums
Randall Bramblett - Keys, Organ, Sax, Backing Vocals
Count M'butu - Percussion   
William Howse - Harmonica   
Anne Boston - Backing Vocals 
Deborah Reece - Backing Vocals 
Jeff Walls - Backing Vocals 
Tom Ryan - Sax,Backing Vocals
Wayne Postal - Sax

Tracklist:

01. Cry Like A Man 03:31 
02. A Woman's Love In Vain 03:25 
03. Swift Creek 04:12 
04. Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand) 06:00 
05. Johnny's Blues 03:40 
06. Take That 02:56 
07. Come In Out Of The Rain 04:36 
08. Bashful Guitar 04:34 
09. Spunky 02:00 
10. Sincerely 04:39 

James Pace Band - Sierra Madre Sessions (2023)

                                                                  James Pace Band
 The James Pace Band has been going strong since the ’90s, hailing from Asbury Park and with just the right amount of heart-pounding guitar-driven rock n’ roll act with plenty of blues, funk, and soul mixed in.

Whats Next: New album the "Sierra Madre Sessions" due out late Fall with guest members, bassist Johnny Griparic (Slash Snakepit, Walter Trout), drummer Mike Leasure (Edgar Winter), vocalist Peggi Blu (Bob Dylan) and Mark Brown on B3.

320 kbps
53 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. (Intro) Earth 00:57
02. Touch the Sky 03:22
03. Sierra Madre 02:00
04. Good Times, Hard Times 03:25
05. Rise 03:26
06. Truth 04:01
07. Blue 03:34
08. Cholly' 02:34

Doug Westberg - I Get The Blues (2020)

                                                                  Doug Westberg
 This is my third album and the first working with a producer and other players. It was the first time I’ve intentionally sat down to write an album and it took the entire calendar year 2017. In 2020, Dave Smith of Sweet ‘N Juicy was looking for a project during the Covid-19 lockdown. His guidance and patience, experience and connections made this album possible. Many players sent tracks remotely from as far away as NYC and Copenhagen. Special thanks to LaRhonda Steele, member of the Cascade Blues Assn. Hall of Fame, and to Holly, who refused to settle for my first stab at an album cover.

320 kbps

99 Megabytes

Credits:

Doug Westberg - Keyboards, Vocals

LaRhonda Steele - Vocal

Dave Smith - Bass  

Keith Robinson - Drums, Percussion

Casper Gyldensøe - Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitars

John Malloy - Lead Guitar

Trevor Lund - Saxes, Flute

Jessa Campbell - Additional Vocals

Dave Smith - Additional Vocals

Paul Paresa - Additional Vocals

Tracklist:

01. Shaking Off Signs 03:22

02. Honest Buck 04:11

03. Wondering When You'll Call 04:00

04. Doin' The Wackadoodle 03:06

05. Stuck In The Doldrums 03:54

06. Show Me How To Dance 03:44

07. Breathalyzer Boogie 04:13

08. Gloom and Doom 03:51

09. What You Made Me 08:52

10. Every Time I Wake Up 04:02

Jay Jesse Johnson - Man On A Mission (2021)

                                                              Jay Jesse Johnson
 Emerging from the shadows of the almost forgotten old school of rock, Jay Jesse Johnson shows how it was done the old way with his latest release Man on a Mission. Because rock is not going to save itself, and today there are few standing for this musical form.

Musically speaking, the album has a fairly consistent sound and the tracks are arranged in a cohesive and coherent way, even skipping some of them the album does not sound in any way disjointed, it is a well-articulated and meticulously thought-out work, from the beginning to the last detail.

“Got to Burn” is the track that serves as the introduction to Man on a Mission, a start with a firm foot and a determined step to make it very clear that Jay Jesse is here, he is ready to rock hard, shake the floor , and blow some minds. This intro contains an initial keyboard sound effect and a distant guitar echo that creates expectations and, boy, exceeds them once the track starts. Just imagine how that’s gonna sound live!

One thing that pleases and appeals to my academic demands is the fact that although there are many riffs and use of distortions on the guitar, these sound incredibly clean and the beat measure is perfectly taken care of, this attention to detail shows that rock is music and that the veterans still possess the distinctive touch and good taste.

The use of the bass as a harmonic support for the second guitar making clear its compositional trends and its musical background. The influence of soul is also well exposed and developed within the musical form that we well know comes from there.

The melodic guitar, for its part, is the great star of the simple orchestration with which the musical form of rock music is organized. The guitar not only sings, howls like a wolf and moans to the rhythm of Jay, but also tells the stories, it is perfectly used as a discursive element, the perfect icing on the cake. Highlights include “No Disguise” which clocks in just over 7 minutes and the punchy “Livin’ On Rock N’ Roll.”

And of course, how about the vocal performance? Mr. Johnson’s voice has the dark and warm but velvety color of soul music. His voice is not scratchy or cut by abrupt breaths. The low notes are quite consistent, while the high notes have a punch without being strident, truly a virtuoso of this musical form.

Speaking of the album cover art, I must say that it reminded me a bit of the covers of the legendary Santana (no comparison) the image is straightforward: a man and everything he needs, his guitar. The blue color and the mosaic in the background add an extra touch of good taste and the concept that characterizes this work.


320 kbps
119 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. Got to Burn 05:32
02. One Day at a Time 03:46
03. Livin' on Rock 'n' Roll 03:46
04. No Disguise 07:09
05. Tearin' Down the Walls 05:04
06. Man on a Mission 03:59
07. Beyond the Horizon 04:10
08. Good as Gone 04:00
09. Whatever You Want 03:57
10. Rock the Blues 04:46

Chris Morrison - Waves (2023)

                                                                  Chris Morrison
 "Waves" is a collection of original songs and reinterpretations of a few classics. The songs cover a range of influences from driving rock, epic psychedelia, atmospheric blues, and soulful ballads, with Chris's heartfelt vocals and emotional guitar playing at the core.


128 kbps
93 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. I'm Going Home 03:49
02. Desert Dream 04:42
03. Everytime You Go Away 05:35
04. Verge Of Tears 04:37
05. Keep 'em Away [From My Mind] 03:57
06. To Love Somebody 04:03
07. Never Find You Again 05:48
08. Ride On 05:44
09. Waves 04:42