Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble - Live At The El Mocambo 1983 (2014)

                                                          Stevie Ray Vaughan                                            
It has to be exciting to watch a star being born, and that's how the people who saw Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's stunning show in 1983 at Toronto's tiny El Mocambo club must have felt. Live at the El Mocambo captures the majesty of muscular, sweaty blues-rock in an intimate setting -- in the way that, some might say, God intended. Live in Austin, Texas is a strong compilation of the band's two Austin City Limits performances, but Live at the El Mocambo blows it away in terms of hunger and raw power. Vaughan, bassist Tommy Shannon, and drummer Chris Layton open with the fine instrumentals "Testify" and "So Excited." Then Vaughan really hits his stride and uncorks a perfect cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)." "Pride and Joy" remains the best example of Vaughan's talent for combining a catchy melody with snappy licks. The fierce "Texas Flood" is truly mind-blowing -- Vaughan's playing is splendid, but he also tosses in some fancy showmanship by playing his guitar behind his back. "Hug You Squeeze You" is a playful tune that should have been lifted and placed on an album, perhaps on one of the "greatest hits" collections. Vaughan pays tribute to Hendrix again with "Third Stone from the Sun"; he thrashes on his famously mangled sunburst Stratocaster and coaxes unholy noises out of it. It's as if Pete Townshend took possession of him in that moment. During the first encore, "Lenny," Vaughan demonstrates his capacity for subtlety, foreshadowing the In Step favorite "Riviera Paradise."

 Tracklist:

1 Testify

2 So Excited

3 Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

4 Pride And Joy

5 Tell Me

6 Mary Had A Little Lamb

7 Texas Flood

8 Love Struck Baby

9 You'll Be Mine

10 Hug You, Squeeze You

11 Little Wing/Third Stone From The Sun

12 Lenny

13 Wham!

14 Rude Mood

Mike Crandall Band - Just Livin' The Blues (2008)

                                                           Mike Crandall Band
Mike Crandall Band, Just Livin' The Blues (2008) Blues Rock / Harmonica Blues.

01. 20 Miles
02. Trying To Make You Mine
03. High Plains Drifter
04. Donna Rose
05. Slide Show
06. Change Your Ways
07. Pawn Shop
08. Just Livin' the Blues
09. Ray's Shuffle
10. On My Way
11. Sure Seems Strange
12. Keep Loving Me Baby
13. Drowning In A Sea of Problems
14. Cold Shot
15. Blues Soldier 

Alex Haynes & the Fever - Howl (2018)

                                                                  Alex Haynes
‘Haynes’ guitar follows in the footsteps of the great soloists from the UK… a good voice – solid and expressive, a whiff of Chess Chicago Blues filtered through a rock lens with psychedelic touches and explosive bottleneck slide… Blues which is still able to surprise – not too swamped with respect, however respectful it is of the masters.’ – Bruno Conti

'The full and sensual voice of Haynes, tinged with soul and whiskey, along with his intriguing, rootsy guitar style is a sound that crosses the different facets of the blues and with songs close to the sounds of the past yet re-styled with taste and energy, make ‘Howl’ a tantalising album, performed with style and vitality.' – Helga Franzetti

‘Flickering with a beat last heard in the most dirty and genuine of the early-‘60s English bands… Shifting from John Lee Hooker and Elmore James, to the hill country blues of RL Burnside… hypnotic blues boogie drifting into ‘60s psych.’ – Buscadero

'His style embodies the primitive spirit of the down home blues, mingling with the soul of Chess and the R&B of the ‘50s. A hard and strident sound, that seems to invoke the hypnotic, swampy blues of Mississippi, whilst approaching the sound of Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker. But Haynes with his Fever – a tight and energetic band – expertly adds to this mix an originality to the music.' - Mescalina

‘Throwing in a few surprises, it is the ability of this band to take you on a journey… without seeming stale or contrived, that impresses most – it bodes well for their future. ’ – Blues Bunny

'A sort of modern and electric transposition of the down-home blues as played in Mississippi, filtered through the sound of contemporary bands like The Black Keys.' - Late For the Sky

Alex Haynes - vocal, electric and acoustic guitars, percussion
Alessandro Diaferio - bass
Pablo Leoni - drums and percussion
Richard Coulson - piano and electric piano
Ernesto Ghezzi - organ
Andy J. Forest- harp

All songs written & produced by Alex Haynes
Mixed by Alex Haynes & Alex John Ives, Dropped Pin Studio, London
Mastered by Martin Smith, Mu Studios, Sheffield
Photography by Lee Thompson

Fenzl Experience - Discovering (2006 )

                                                              Fenzl Experience
 Band:
Edi Fenzl (git, voc)
David Fenzl (dr, voc)
Adele Fenzl (bass, voc)

01 - Them Changes 04:12

02 - Come On 04:14

03 - Tight Rope 04:36

04 - Black Hearted Woman 06:01

05 - Born With A Broken Heart 05:05

06 - The Real Thing 07:31

07 - Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers 04:38

08 - Ten Dollar Man 04:24

09 - Sick And Tired 04:27

10 - Bony Moronie 02:49

11 - Oh Well 04:37

12 - Freedom 03:34

13 - Evil (Is Going On) 03:38

14 - La Grange (Bonus Track) 09:52

In 1995, Edi, David and Adele Fenzl along with Hö (as, bs), Andi Roshon (g), Jerry Scheidl (perc) and Clemi (v) often jammed in an old factory hall with time-lapse effect. So Edi Fenzl came after a few nights of drinking a brilliant idiot idea: "Let's transform our giddy Hippie Kommune into a band"!

And as luck would have it, one morning, the organizers of the Bike Cruise approached the band to engage them for two months as a ship chapel for a cruise through the Caribbean. Immediately sensing the success, the band eagerly studied a whole program of '60s and' 70s songs. And as bad luck goes, the shipping soon fell into the water (2 biker clubs jumped off at the last minute, the organizers are still working off debt in a Philippine soybean crop, but that's another story). So they just played in the Roots (R.I.P.), which caused so many groundbreaking waves among the (regular fat) regulars (but not as fat as the band) that it was only with the help of drugs and alcohol that they managed to stay on the carpet. Often the whole night.

Therefore, the following years can only be partially reconstructed. The second guitarists changed his underpants more often than Edi, after Andi Roshon came Rolando Furioso, Betty Pichler, and maybe others. At some point Hö left to hitch a boat on one of the big ocean liners. Clemi devoted himself to the schnapps and with Scheidl there were musical barriers.
All that remained was the soft core of Edi, David and Adele. Because the three felt so light now, they did not want to carry heavy instruments anymore. The many jams with other musicians, such as Al Cook, Alex Bourne, Chris 4er Peterka, The Ter, Dirty Guitar Alex, Erich Metzenbauer, Erik Trauner, Hannes Bartolot, Hannes Kahses, Hary Wetterstein, Hermann Posch, Ina Nelson, Jan Wessely, Kurt Toni, Leni Lang, Marilia Nelson, Mel Diamond, Peter Cairn, Phil Guy, Reverend Frank TT, Robert Shumy, Sepp Grasl, Slidin 'Frederik Diamond, Stefan Weber, Susi Plahl, The Rocking Birds, Tom Hornek and Jimi Hendrix (Plates) ; as backing act of Canned Heat, Diamond Dogs and Ten Years After and as a backing band for the Sugarbabes, they made playing in front of tens of thousands of people in huge stadia superfluous.

Therefore, together with Papa Fenzl, they constructed the legendary mini-equipsment with suitcase percussion kit, guitar driver, car loudspeaker bass amplifier, all completely battery-powered and off-road capable. This makes Fenzl Experience the first choice for unusual events, from the camel race to the birthday party in the bedroom.

Tomcat Blake -‘Till I Get Back Home (2012)

                                                              Tomcat Blake
Honesty. The word that sticks best to the personality of Tomcat Blake. Honesty in his way of life, honesty in the path he’s chosen, musical honesty in his writing and live appearances. Whether acoustic, electric, solo or with a band, whatever “style”, he shares rather than claims the almost endless influences that have shaped the originality of his style. A style anyone can identify with, depending on their musical preference .

Tracklist:
01. Goin’ Back South
02. My Heart Would Know
03. Jessie Mae ( Interlude)
04. Nobody Else
05. That’s How I Know
06. How Long, How Long Blues ( Interlude)
07. That’s Why I Love You
08. All Alone
09. It Was the Devil
10. Baby Please Don’t Go ( Interlude)
11. Let You Down
12. Blues Again
13. Appaloosa ( Interlude)
14. The Earth Is Crying
15. Sally’s Song ( Interlude)
16. Hole in Me
17. A Real ( Interlude)
18. 15 Years
19. Adios Senorita ( Interlude)
20. Something to Say

Robert 'Bilbo' Walker - Promised Land ( 1997)

                                                          Robert 'Bilbo' Walker
Right from the opening call on "Goin' to the Train Station" to the last notes of "Berry Pickin'" (Roll over Chuck), I was kept pleasantly off balanced and surprised. What disc can you think of where you are going to find Chuck Berry ("Promised Land") crossed with Merle Haggard ("The Wild Side of Life/It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels") backcrossed with Muddy Waters ("Still a Fool"). Stinging guitar licks in as many different styles as you can think of yet always played through a blues disposition, with a verve and conviction not often heard recently. The gospel overtones on many of the cuts are strong; just listen to some of the subtle vocal inflections hiding in the background. No real weak cuts here and a good number of true gems. The downside of this disc is that it sometimes sounds like it was recorded in a tin can, with a poor mix, but even so, it's worth rooting around in the bins to find.

Roy Buchanan - Live in Japan (1978)

                                                                Roy Buchanan                                                                                            
Live in Japan (2003) is said to have been Roy Buchanan's favorite of all his platters, and ironically, it was never issued stateside. However, as word spread, the title became an essential addition to his discography. Fact is that it may have never come out at all, had there not been a loophole in Buchanan's contract with former label Polydor, giving them control over his non-North American output. Joining the guitarist for his 1977 tour of Japan are John Harrison (bass), Malcolm Lukens (keyboards), and Byrd Foster (drums/vocals). They are likewise the core contributors to Buchanan's most recent studio effort, A Street Called Straight (1976), though no tracks from the album are represented here. Instead, the set consists of recent collaborations, definitive cover versions, and a few seminal Buchananclassics. The immaculate fidelity immediately separates Live in Japan from most other releases in his canon. The enthusiastic yet typically reserved Japanese audience is first treated to a laid-back and stretched-out reading of Booker T. & the MG's' "Soul Dressing." The backing trio provide a rock-solid bed for Buchanan's sinuous interjections and spacious melody lines. "Sweet Honey Dew" is a perfect vehicle for some incendiary string shredding, although the actual tune is somewhat of a derivation of a standard blues riff. Perhaps more fitting is the rousing rendition of Larry Williams' "Slow Down," uncovering the nimble accuracy accompanying the sonic kick in Buchanan's piercing fret work. Contrasting this is the lengthy jam on "Blues Otani," as the ensemble ably improvise in and around the guitarist. Live in Japan concludes with an intimate and affective "Sweet Dreams," which may well have been the artist's unofficial anthem, as his unique interpretation undoubtedly made it a signature piece. If you own but one concert recording of Buchanan, let it be this one, as you will not be disappointed.

1 Soul Dressing 7:18    
   
2 Sweet Honey Dew 3:28    
   
3 Hey Joe 9:23    
   
4 Slow Down 2:53    
   
5 Lonely Days Lonely Nights 4:13    
   
6 Blues Otani 7:51    
   
7 My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me 3:24    
   
8 Sweet Dreams 3:58 

The High Rollers - High Time (2001)

                                                           The High Rollers
The High Rollers - High Time (2001)

 1. 24-7 Man (4:08)
 2. Before You Go (3:35)
 3. Don't Go There (4:18)
 4. Flexible Flyer (3:47)
 5. Ain't No Big Deal (3:53)
 6. 5-10-15 Hours (4:34)
 7. Good, The Bad & The Ugly (5:14)
 8. Washing Machine Blues (3:34)
 9. Sometimes (6:05)
10. Dark Is The Night (4:41)
11. That Extra Mile (5:19)
12. High Time (2:59)

Phil Berkowitz is a master of the blues harmonica and an accomplished vocalist who has been energizing the San Francisco Bay Area blues scene for more than a decade.

Phil founded the High Rollers in 1996 and plays regularly in clubs and blues jams throughout the area. His love of the blues has also taken him to New Orleans, Memphis, and other cities where he has jammed with some of the best players in those cities.

Phil has released four CDs to date, two with the High Rollers and his latest two solo efforts with other top Bay Area musicians. On this CD, Phil fronts the High Rollers on 12 jumpin' R&B and blues tunes, nine of them written by Phil.

Jim Lahman - Music Changes Everything (2018)

                                                               Jim Lahman
This album contains a variety of song styles. I have wide ranging influences in the Rock, Blues, and Funk genres.

1. Music Changes Everything 4:02    
   
2. Listening Is an Act of Love 4:53    
   
3. Just Above the Horizon / Salida '63 7:17    
   
4. Bring It Down / We Can't Let Them 3:47    
   
5. This Trip 3:29    
   
6. I Just Want to Play 5:55    
   
7. Funky Wild Horse 5:05    
   
8. Anymore 4:55    
   
9. All of My Friends 5:15

Randy Morrison Band - Hard Place (2018)

                                                           Randy Morrison Band
With the release of Hard Place, the Randy Morrison Band has crafted a righteous collection of West Coast blues filled with catchy guitar lines and rhythmic grooves aimed at keeping your blood pumping and feet moving.  Its high-caliber, original music proves that this is a band poised to make a worthy statement in the hot Portland blues scene.

The band itself is formed by a foursome of musicians that have long held their own amongst the best, with twin guitars by Randy Morrison and Stephen “Midnight” Anderson, backed by the solid rhythm section of bassist Laura Petch and drummer Dusty Hill. Add into this mix the powerful organ of Shawn Lyday and the horns of Scott Franklin and Joe McCarthy and magic happens. The musicians all offer great solos and vocal leads. The group is pretty much intact with the exception of Anderson’s number “Trouble” where Scott Franklin and Allyn Jackson turn tremendous horn parts with Dan Pettis on keys and Steve Shroy handling drums.

The album has a driving combination that offers a feeling of bluesy, soulful R&B flowing through all ten tracks. Each song has its own life and will either make you smile or feel the pain being told, depending on the track. Favorite numbers may include “Sensible Shoes” where our hero talks about how much they’ve got in life, but all they really need is some sensible shoes – the ones that lead me back to you. Laura sings about how much you may think you’re happy right now, “You’ll Get Tired Of Winning” and realize that the best place for you is back with her. The cover of The Cate Brothers’ “There Goes The Neighborhood” has some absolutely blistering guitar licks being thrown out. That one sizzles big time! Truth be told, every number, start to finish, is well conceived and sound fantastic. Hard Place is certainly going to turn a lot of heads. Well worth checking out!!

Duster Bennett Feat. Peter Green - Out In The Blue (1995)

                                                             Duster Bennett
Duster Bennett Feat. Peter Green - Out In The Blue (1995)

 1. Worried Mind (2:51)
 2. I've Been A Fool (3:20)
 3. I Wonder, I Wonder (Feat. Top Topham) (7:21)
 4. Down The Road (Feat. Top Topham) (6:34)
 5. Trying So Hard To Forget (Feat. Peter Green) (5:15)
 6. Kind Hearted Woman (Feat. Peter Green) (2:30)
 7. Coming, I'm Coming (Feat. Peter Green) (1:44)
 8. I'm Thinking About A Woman (Feat. Peter Green) (6:19)
 9. Two Harps (Feat. Peter Green) (1:40)
10. Everybody's Got A Friend But Me (3:17)
11. Blues With A Feeling (2:56)
12. As Years Roll By (Instrumental) (3:21)
13. I Don't Wanna Fuss (3:35)
14. Sleep With Myself (4:11)
15. Losing Love (3:50)
16. Everyday (3:11)

Odds and ends, mostly from 1966-68, with a few tracks from 1975 and 1976, the year Bennett was killed in a car wreck. Two tracks feature fine lead guitar by Duster's longtime friend (and original Yardbird) Top Topham - home tapes worthy of inclusion if only for Top's amazing and expressive vibrato.

Five tracks feature Peter Green, including a demo of his "Trying So Hard to Forget" that's especially moody and the fascinating snippet "Two Harps" instrumental duet (unaccompanied harmonicas, as the title implies), showing the similarity in the pair's harp styles. The final cut, "Everyday," from 1976, sets one of Bennett's finest vocal performances against a string backdrop. What a contrast to the one-man band shouting "Worried Mind" - and it works. /Dan Forte, AllMusic

Additional info: Tracks 13-15 are credited to the band "Thirty Days" featuring Duster Bennett (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Keith Randall (vocals, guitar, harmonica): Richard Ford (vocals, bass, drums).

Benoit Blue Boy - Lent Ou Rapide (1997)

                                                             Benoit Blue Boy
Benoit Blue Boy - Lent Ou Rapide (Feat. Franck Goldwasser)

01. Mets Tes Gants (4:12)
02. Barge Et Sans Loi (4:06)
03. On Peut Plus En Trouver (4:39)
04. C'est Pas L'cas (4:32)
05. Un Petit Bebe Encore (4:14)
06. Un Endroit Cool Cool (6:16)
07. Cricketer's Le Retour (2:39)
08. Bon A Rien (5:02)
09. Du Fil Et Une Aiguille (2:49)
10. Trop Difficile (5:17)

Born in Paris in 1946, Benoît Blue Boy soon shared his study time at the design school of Les Beaux Arts with two lifetime companions: blues and harmonica. As an author and a composer, he learned his trade on stage, introducing the french audience to this new sound from over the ocean: blues. In 1970, he moved to Los Angeles where he stayed for the next two years and met Stevie Wonder, Carol King, James Taylor and Albert King. In 1972, Zachary Richard introduced him to Louisiana cajun music. Both musicians, singing french lyrics, acknowledge a mutual influence.

"Benoît Blue Boy", released in 1978 on Vogue, was the first french blues album ever, and brought to attention a very humoristic and "home-made" style. A year later, a second album followed, "Original", also on Vogue. In the mean time, Benoît collaborated with "Backstage" (featuring Paul Personne), producing the group’s first two albums. 1981 saw Benoît Blue Boy launching his single, "Le Blues Du Vendeur De Blues" (Vogue) and producing Patrick Verbeke’s first album. He played Paris’ Olympia theatre in 1982, and appeared on numerous radio and TV shows. A third album, "Plaisir Simple", was released on Gaumont Records and he also participated in Jacques Dutronc’s album on the same label. In 1986, Madrigal released Benoît’s fourth album, "Tortillage", announcing his future group, "Les Tortilleurs". In 1988, "BBB et Les Tortilleurs", his fifth album (on M.O.) featured François Bodin on guitar and Philippe Floris on drums. After the release of his first CD, "Parlez-Vous Français", in late 1990, Benoît hit the road with his new songs, touring France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. New Rose released a CD version of "Tortillage" and "BBB et Les Tortilleurs" and, in 1993, a new album came out, "Plus Tard Dans la Soirée". Next releases were "Couvert de Bleu", in 1994, on the label "Pense A Moi", and "Lent Ou Rapide" in 1996 on Dixiefrog.

Touring relentlessly through France and Europe, Benoît gained a wide and enthousiastic audience. He played numerous national and international venues, including the Francofolies (as Paul Personne’s guest), the Festival De La Chanson Française du Val De Marne and Montreal Jazz Festival.