Category Archives: Albums

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas: Blue Élan charity holiday collection features songs from Janiva Magness, Gary Hoey, and more

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Mike

“What do you get somebody who has everything?”, asks blues/pop singer Janey Street on her jazzy original track “Christmas in Your Eyes”, and one good answer to that question is the new holiday album on which Street’s song appears: a … Continue reading →

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Quick takes: latest from blues masters John Mayall, Joe Louis Walker

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Mike

Here are a few more recent releases we just couldn’t let go unmentioned before the new year, from two of the biggest names in the blues! John Mayall, Find a Way to Care (Forty Below Records) Even after all these … Continue reading →

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Quick takes: The Nighthawks throw a Back Porch Party, Sugaray Rayford leads a soulful tour on Southside

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Mike

With the end of another year already in sight, we’re taking a quick look at some other 2015 releases we just couldn’t let go unacknowledged, including these latest offerings from both one of the blues’ most established acts as well … Continue reading →

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Joe Bonamassa is living his dream Live at Radio City Music Hall

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Mike

By now, you’ve probably figured out from this blog that nearly everything that blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa puts out is good stuff, and his latest CD/DVD set Live at Radio City Music Hall (J&R Adventures) is certainly no exception. Recorded … Continue reading →

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Thorbjorn Risager delivers again with Songs from the Road

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Mike

A little while back, we told you about the Ruf Records debut of Danish bluesman Thorbjorn Risager and his band The Black Tornado, a doozy of an album called Too Many Roads. If you didn’t get a chance to read … Continue reading →

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Walter Trout shows off Battle Scars on first recording since successful transplant

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Mike

If calling his return to the road the “I’m Back” tour wasn’t enough of a statement of his improving health after more than a year-and-a-half of a break from performing, blues/rock guitarist Walter Trout is back in a big way … Continue reading →

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Having a blast with Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner on The Caster Blaster

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Mike

We have to admit we weren’t at all familiar with Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner when we popped this latest CD of his into the player, so we may have been a bit skeptical upon hearing the album’s opening lines … Continue reading →

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It Ain’t Right to miss this one from Jimmy Burns

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Mike

A few weeks ago, we told you about Chicago bluesman Omar Coleman’s debut recording on Delmark Records, Born & Raised. Jimmy Burns’ latest CD marks the singer/guitarist’s fifth project on that same label – with one additional on Velrone Records – … Continue reading →

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Guy Davis plays it “like Sonny did” on new CD Kokomo Kidd

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Mike

The closest you’ll find to a modern-day troubadour, acoustic bluesman Guy Davis is back with another terrific collection of tunes on his second release for M.C. Records, Kokomo Kidd. From the plucky, tuba-accented title track about a country bootlegger-turned-political fixer … Continue reading →

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Robert Cray Band celebrates 4 Nights of 40 Years Live on latest CD/DVD offering

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Mike

Bluesman Robert Cray has been “groovin’ 4 decades” now, so this isn’t of course the first live recording we’ve heard from him, nor is it likely to be the last. But the double CD/DVD set 4 Nights of 40 Years … Continue reading →

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