Category Archives: Albums

Taj Mahal, Shemekia Copeland, other blues faithful team to present True Blues

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Mike

Not since the designation of 2003 as the “Year of the Blues” has the genre been more celebrated than it is on the newTrue Blues CD from Telarc, featuring solo and joint performances from blues greats Taj Mahal, Corey Harris, Guy … Continue reading →

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Smithsonian Folkways delivers another classic in Classic Harmonica Blues

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Mike

Hard as it may be to imagine a worthy collection of blues harmonica that doesn’t include the likes of James Cotton, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, or Big Walter Horton, leave it to the good folks at Smithsonian … Continue reading →

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Where did you come from, Cotton Mouth Man?: Blues harp legend James Cotton strikes a personal chord with new Alligator CD

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Mike

As far as we can tell, blues harmonica giant James Cotton has never published a memoir, nor has anyone yet written a book on the life of this extraordinary bluesman, who’s been playing since age nine. And with the release … Continue reading →

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Guitarist John Primer, harmonica ace Bob Corritore team for Knockin’ Around These Blues

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Mike

While it may have been the guitar that dominated much of the past month here on our blog – between our coverage of Eric Clapton’s Pittsburgh show, the Crossroads Guitar Festival, and new albums from both Ronnie Earl and Ana Popovic –  the next few weeks … Continue reading →

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Guitar Week continues: Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters’ Just for Today more like one for the ages

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Mike

We’ve had several instrumental blues albums cross our desk in recent weeks, including the latest releases from both guitarists Tinsley Ellis (Get Up!, Heartfixer Music) and Ronnie Earl (Just for Today, Stony Plain Records). As much as we enjoyed listening … Continue reading →

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Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite cool as all get-out on Get Up!

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Mike

It may just be that we aren’t all that hip, but we have to admit we’ve never paid a whole lot of attention to Ben Harper. But when we heard last year that Harper was teaming with blues harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite on … Continue reading →

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San Fran harp player Big Bones helps remember Paul Pena with some vintage blues by the Bay

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Mike

About a decade back during a visit to the world-famous Biscuits & Blues club in San Francisco (which, true to its name, offers up some tasty food as well as music), we picked up a Joe Louis Walker-produced CD compilation entitled Mean … Continue reading →

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As Christmas approaches, some Ho! Ho! Hoey for blues fans

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Mike

This summer, we told you about a Kickstarter campaign from rock guitarist Gary Hoey, who you may recall was seeking funds for an album of all blues songs. Having achieved 135% funding for the project, it’s been more a question of when than whether the album … Continue reading →

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Give it up now… for Gary Clark Jr. on Blak and Blu

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Mike

We’ve talked quite a bit here before about the rising star of Austin bluesman Gary Clark Jr., who you may recall being hailed as nothing less than “the future of the blues” during this spring’s Red, White and Blues performance at the White … Continue reading →

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A year after his death, Willie Big Eyes Smith still helping to keep the blues alive; new CD captures performance by blues legend accompanied by friend Roger Hurricane Wilson

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Mike

A while back, we told you about a Kickstarter project aimed at helping with the costs of a live recording from Muddy Waters band alumnus Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Georgia bluesman Roger “Hurricane” Wilson. Though the Kickstarter campaign didn’t … Continue reading →

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