Jimmy D Lane

Jimmy D Lane - Sir Real - 1995 - Blue Seal Records

Raised on Chicago's Southside, Jimmy D. Lane's blood line runs deep in the tradition of blues. Son of the late-great, blues legend Jimmy Rogers, he's got the skills to prove it. The usual comparisons to Jimi and SRV will be made here, but Eric Clapton, after playing with Jimmy on a tribute album to Jimmy's father, Jimmy Rogers, said that Jimmy Lane is an "incredible guitarist." Jimmy played all the instrumentation on this obscure album. Vocals are a bit indistinct at times, but not enough to spoil your enjoyment of this album. A number of these songs later reappeared on the "Long Gone" CD, including it's title track, along with "Shake, Shiver and Ache", "Whiskey" and "Obsession Baby". Jimmy's "Long Gone" album is @ JDL/LOGO [All tracks @ 192-320 Kbps: File size = 61.6 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Swingin' Time
2. Hangin' On
3. Head for the Bar
4. After Nine
5. Shake Shiver Ache
6. Stuck in the Middle
7. Out on the Road
8. Hand on the Door
9. Half Love
10. Whiskey
11. Long Gone
12. Cowboy's Retreat
13. Obsession Baby

All songs composed by Jimmy D Lane except "Out On The Road" by James A. Lane aka Jimmy Rogers, and "Long Gone" by Jimmy D. Lane & Gary Maragos

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Lane was born on 4 July 1965 in Chicago, to the musician Jimmy Rogers and his wife Dorothy. In his childhood, he got to know many older bluesmen who worked with his father, including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Mabon, Little Walter and Albert King. Lane would say years later, "I feel blessed and fortunate to have known all those cats and I do not take it for granted." At the age of 40, Jimmy D. Lane has already led quite a full life. The musicians he knows makes for an impressive resume. He has worked with Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Jim Keltner, Keith Richards, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Jonny Lang, Gary Moore, Double Trouble, Taj Mahal, Stephen Stilles, Jeff Healey, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Lowell Fulson, and Snooky Pryor, Kim Wilson, Pinetop Perkins, Johnny ‘Big Moose’ Walker, Johnnie Johnson, Kim Wilson, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Harry Hypolite, George ‘Wild Child’ Butler, David ‘HoneyBoy’ Edwards, Weepin’ Willie Robinson, Little Hatch, Nancy Bryan, Willie Kent, Henry Gray, Lazy Lester and Eomot RaSun. He has also worked with such blues greats such as Sam Lay, Hubert Sumlin, Carey Bell, Dave Meyers and his father, the legendary Jimmy Rogers. Born July 4th, 1965 in Chicago, he grew up in a household where he became acquainted with a many famous Chicago bluesmen. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Mabon, Little Walter and Albert King, to name a few, would all stop by the house to visit the "old man." Coming from this environment has instilled in Lane the deepest respect for elder statesmen of the blues. "I feel blessed and fortunate, to have known all those cats, and I do not take it for granted." At the age of eight, he began playing his dad's guitar, which he wasn't supposed to do. "I would break a string and put it back in the case like he wasn't going to discover it," Lane recalls. Shortly after that, Lane received a Gibson Acoustic from John Wayne. The Duke gave it to Shakey Jake, who was Wayne's driver, to give to Lane. "I would try to play along to a Bobby Blue Bland album" Lane states. He also wanted to join in with his dad and all those old cats that stopped by to "drink, tell lies and jam." Lane, however, would not get serious on the guitar until much later. Lane got discouraged from playing after the Gibson got smashed, and didn't play for a while. Upon returning home from the military in 1983, he had a life changing experience. "I was laying on the bed with the headset on, trying to figure out what to do with my life, and that song, "Hey Joe" (the Hendrix version) came on the radio and I heard that song like I've never heard it before". At that time, Jimmy knew exactly what to do. He took his last $59 to a pawnshop, bought a Harmony guitar and learned "Hey Joe" by ear. For the next four years he worked construction and roofing jobs, but would spend every other waking moment playing guitar. He would play along to blues as well as AC/DC and Journey records. By 1987, Lane became lead guitarist of the Jimmy Rogers Band as well as leader of his own band, Jimmy D. Lane and The Hurricanes and later Blue Train Running. Lane toured extensively with his fathers band while managing his own solo career. In 1993, The Jimmy Rogers Band toured Europe, where they made a stop to perform at the BBC. In '94 they performed at the W. C. Handy Awards and in '95 they appeared on the Conan O'Brien show, as well as the Chicago Blues Festival. Jimmy made his solo recording debut in 1995. The self titled disc on Blue Seal Records features 12 fine originals and one of his dad's tunes. In 1993, however, he would meet the people who would put his recording career into high gear. During the sessions for Bluebird for Analogue Productions, with the Jimmy Rogers Band, he met Producer John Koenig and head of Acoustic Sounds, Chad Kassem. Koenig saw the Jimmy D. Lane band at B. B. King's Club in Universal City and was floored. Koenig and Kassem got together and Jimmy recorded Long Gone for Analogue Productions in 1995, at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, which was released in 1997. His second recording, Long Gone, showcases Jimmy’s guitar virtuosity on originals like "Whiskey," "Oh What A Feeling" and the title cut. The Hendrix/Vaughan influence can be heard in his searing guitar solos but listen and you will hear his feet are firmly rooted in the blues. His versions of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" and Jimmy Rogers "I'm in Love" show his deep love for, and respect of blue tradition. Lane can stretch out on his own, but is equally at home in a support mode as can be heard by comparing his playing on Long Gone to Bluebird. Lane plays on and co-produced Hubert Sumlin's I Know You, also on Analogue Productions, where as he states "You can hear Hubert's guitar, not some guy with his amp cranked up." In fact, it was Hubert Sumlin who gave Jimmy his first Strat in 1986. Off stage, Lane's positive outlook on life is reflected in one of his favorite phrases "It's all good." This was originally the title of his third release, but changed it to Legacy in honor of his father's memory and the rich blues heritage he grew up with. Legacy, released in May '98, features guest appearances of blues greats Sam Lay on drums, Carey Bell on harp and Sumlin on guitar. It also features the last recordings of Jimmy Rogers, who played on "One Room Country Shack" and "Another Mule Kickin' In My Stall." Jimmy is proud of all his work with his dad, but this one touches him deeply. "I take great pride in the fact that the last time my dad picked up a guitar was to help me out on my project."Jimmy's fourth release,It's Time, could just as well have been titled It's Overdue. It's long been time for one of today's most powerful and expressive musicians to break the chains of relative commercial obscurity. Time to seize the reins of blues leadership, just as his father, Jimmy Rogers, did in the 1940s. Masters Eddie Kramer (engineer for Hendrix, Zeppelin, Woodstock etc.), Chris "Whipper" Layton and Tommy Shannon (of Double Trouble) and Mike Finnigan (organ in the bands of Etta James, Taj Mahal and CSN&Y) are all onboard to give Jimmy the nudge he needs to clear the launching pad. It's Time. Lane's music is on the rocking side, but is tempered with just the right amount of blues tradition. As Lane states "you can have too much water and too much fire, but with the right amount of both, you can boil an egg." Jimi Hendrix may have moved him to buy a guitar, but Hendrix is just one influence. Lane is a competent blues singer, songwriter and guitarist with a deep respect for "all those original cats who were there".

Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack

Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack - Welcome - 2001 - RCA

Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is an American singer and guitarist. Known for his work in Arc Angels, he was also the second guitarist in Eric Clapton's band from 2004 to 2009. He has also played with Susan Tedeschi and toured with Roger Waters, and is the lead guitarist and vocalist in his own Smokestack band

"I've been searching for the perfect tone for years, and I heard that a shop called Norm's Guitars [in Reseda, California] had the only left-handed '60s Strat in the L.A. area. So I went there, and it was a beautiful '64 sunburst Strat -- almost like Buddy Holly's guitar -- with a finish that turns from fiery red and orange right to brown. Then I picked it up, and it was the lightest Strat I've ever felt. The wood must have been really dry before it was painted. Anyway, they also had a 100-watt Marshall 1967 Super Bass head. I plugged the Strat into the Marshall, and it was like, "Wow! That's the sound I've been looking for for years." I bought both of them immediately. It was outrageous how much it cost, but I had to have them. I took them down to the studio to record "Cry," and I thought, "This is it!" I ended up recording the whole record with that guitar and amp". © Doyle Bramhall II

Doyle Bramhall II steps out on his own with his band Smokestack on Welcome, the Austin-based singer-guitarist-songwriter's second album for RCA. A collection of hard-hitting, old-school rock numbers like "Green Light Girl" (reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire"), "So You Want It to Rain" (a Blind Faith-ish anthem), "Problem Child" (a kind of SRV meets James Gang vibe) and "Soul Shaker" (see the Stones' "Street Fighting Man") and "Helpless Man" (a groove shamelessly lifted from the Beatles' "Come Together"), there is nevertheless an undercurrent of blues here that comes across ever-so-slightly in Bramhall's guitar work and vocal phrasing (particularly on the Muddy-influenced "Smokestack"). But make no mistake: file this one under rock rather than blues-rock. © Bill Milkowski Originally published in June 2001 © 1999–2012 JazzTimes, Inc. All rights reserved http://jazztimes.com/articles/12293-welcome-doyle-bramhall-ii-and-smokestack

In a career that has been defined by frustrating false starts and unrealized potential, it appears that Doyle Bramhall II has finally found an appropriate vehicle for his smoky voice and grinding guitar with the release of his third solo album Welcome (RCA). It isn't the first time we've crawled out on this particular limb. Way back in the dark ages of 1992 DRUM! predicted that the Arc Angeles (Bramhall's Texas supergroup featuring fellow guitar hero Charlie Sexton alongside the crackerjack Double Trouble rhythm section) would become the next big thing. Sadly they didn't, but in many ways Smokestack comes remarkably close to the sound of Bramhall's former outfit, cranking out raw hook-laden rock tunes informed by electric urban rhythm and blues. It's no secret where Bramhall came in contact with such influences. They blared out of the hi-fi in his dad's Austin living room. Doyle senior is a living legend in his hometown, known for mentoring a young Stevie Ray Vaughn, playing drums with the likes of Lightning Hopkins, and producing albums for rootsy acts such as Indigenous. But rather than recruit his dad, junior turned to his new drummer J.J. Johnson to cut tracks for Welcome. It was a great choice. Johnson has a round, live, resonant drum sound and a taste for simple and direct grooves and fills that perfectly complement the album's powerfully loose feel. We especially liked Johnson's respectful Bonham impersonation on the chorus of "So You Want it to Rain," as well as the way he contrasts a driving backbeat against Bramhall's Keith Richards-flavored guitar rhythms on "Soul Shaker," and the ultra-cool turnaround on "Problem Child," where the slow 6/8 blasts into a rocking 4/4 rave up not unlike the transition in of the Stones' "Midnight Rambler." In fact, there is a pre- dominance of 6/8 feels on the album, such as the rollicking mid-tempo "Life," the slinky slow burner "Send Some Love," and the Stax-meets-Hendrix blast of "Last Night." Bramhall is comfortably at the top of his game on Welcome, spinning out melodic Hendrix- and Clapton-inspired guitar solos and singing bluesy vocal lines over tunes that stick in your head for weeks. Get the feeling we like Welcome? It's simply one of the best jams we've heard this year. © Andy Doerschuk http://www.doylebramhall2nd.com/presspop_ups/drum.htm

Welcome, Doyle Bramhall's third effort, continues to blur the lines between rock and blues, but he doesn't always achieve success with this tactic. Although the album opens with "Green Light Girl," a frenetic tune with lots of rockin', driving guitar riffs, the majority of the songs veer toward blues, albeit unconvincingly. "Send Some Love," an aching ballad, calls for emotion-drenched crooning, but Bramhall's vocals are a tad too cool, and "Thin Dream" attempts at bluesy stylings but is really a rock power ballad. The last cut, "Cry," finally whips up some emotion from Bramhall, but it should have been spread throughout Welcome. Even contemporary blues needs a little grit. © Rosalind Cummings-Yeates © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/welcome-r535014

"Welcome" has received mostly favourable reviews. Allmusic.com's Rosalind Cummings-Yeates' review above says that "the majority of the songs veer toward blues, albeit unconvincingly", and "The last cut, "Cry," finally whips up some emotion from Bramhall, but it should have been spread throughout Welcome. Even contemporary blues needs a little grit". In truth, "Welcome" is probably more a rock than a blues album. Doyle, himself said that "Although the blues is one of his favorite genres, he finds that most of his attempts at bluesy songwriting end up sounding "corny," and his songs always tend to have more of a rock feel". Also speaking about "Welcome", Doyle said "Who wants to hear great guitar playing over terrible songs?" The album is full of great funk, rock, soul and blues grooves, and the songs are top notch. Doyle has a very distinctive vocal style. He is a guitarist of enormous skill, and the all-round musicianship on this album is superb. Listen to Doyle Bramhall II's "Jellycream" album and Doyle Bramhall's "Fitchburg Street" album. Arc Angel's s/t album is also terrific, and worth buying [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 149 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Green Light Girl - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 3:05
2 Problem Child - Doyle Bramhall II 5:51
3 So You Want It To Rain - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 5:18
4 Life - Doyle Bramhall II 5:27
5 Helpless Man - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 4:16
6 Soul Shaker - Doyle Bramhall II 4:03
7 Send Some Love - Doyle Bramhall II 4:51
8 Smokestack - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 7:03
9 Last Night - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin, Chris Bruce 6:33
10 Blame - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 4:53
11 Thin Dream - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 8:37
12 Cry - Doyle Bramhall II 8:09

MUSICIANS

Doyle Bramhall II - Guitar, Vocals
Craig Ross - Rhythm Guitar (except on Tracks 8, & 12)
Chris Bruce - Bass, Additional Rhythm Guitar on "Cry"
Benmont Tench - Piano, Organ
J. J. Johnson - Drums, Percussion
Susannah Melvoin - Vocals, (Percussion on "Life")

MORE ABOUT DOYLE BRAMHALL II / ALBUMS

YOU'VE NEVER HEARD... His guitar solos soar with the melody, speed and purpose of the greats from the '60s. No wonder Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters have all praised him. So why isn't Doyle Bramhall 2nd a star? "For a long time I didn't think I was great because it wasn't reflected in album sales," says the axman. "Finally, people like Eric calmed me in that respect." In fact, Clapton did more than fluff Bramhall's ego. After hearing the young musician's obscure 1999 album, "Jellycream," Clapton invited him to play on his CD with B.B. Kjng, "Riding With the King," on which Clapton even covered two Bramhall songs. After, Waters heard the young player's agile fingerings, he asked him to take the lead slot on his solo tour. Then, Clapton invited Bramhall's band, Smokestack, to be the opening act on his current road show. That has allowed Bramhall to promote his latest album, "Welcome," by far his most accomplished to date. On the CD, Bramhall plays with a fever and length seldom heard in this era. This isn't just an exercise in guitar hot-dogging. Bramhall's songs have sturdy melodies, his vocals have soul. "Who wants to hear great guitar playing over terrible songs?" he reasons. "The song has to come first." Also key is the interplay of the band. Far from faceless backup players. Smokestack's musicians give Bramhall the push and pull that made the guys in Cream or the Jimi Hendrix Experience cook. While most of today's wanna-be '60s stars, like Lenny Kravitz or the Black Crowes, sound' like sad knockoffs of classic rock, Bramhall's band sounds authentic. "In this generation, everybody has gotten lazy," the 32-year-old says. "They use pro tools [studio trickery that subs for real musicianship]. And they edit everything down, trying to get that perfect hit that will sell 5 million copies. They're making music for the wrong reasons." It's Bramhall's pure intent, and present-tense passion, that helps his music avoid the retro trap. Then again, he has been preparing for this moment for more than half his life. Bramhall's father played drums for blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins and for the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Bramhall and Vaughan families formed a tight clique in their hometown of Austin, Tex. Bramhall senior gave his namesake his first guitar at age 14, and "I pretty much stayed in my room and played for a good six, months before I surfaced," he explains. When he did, the teen found himself jamming with artists 20 and 30 years his senior. They were holdover hippies. He sported a blue Mohawk. In his late teens, Bramhall formed a band with fellow Texas guitarist Charlie Sexton, the Arc Angels, who landed a deal with Geffen Records. Loaded with talent, but also ego and expectations, the group fell apart after their debut, for the usual "Behind the Music" reasons. Bramhall, for one, had developed "an extremely evil drug habit." "I grew up in an alcoholic family and I had a heredity of being afraid of failure and fame and responsibility," he explains. "My dad dropped out because of it." Bramhall got clean for his first solo album,which was produced by ex-Prince associates Wendy and Lisa. But the record bombed and Geffen dropped him. "I was devastated," he says. "They didn't give that album a fair chance." RCA released his second CD, "Jellycream," but Bramhall felt he compromised himself for the project. "I didn't want to fail again. So I got caught up in expectations from the record company, and expectations from fans. I was trying find the quickest route to fame and fortune." When that album didn't click either, Bramhall decided to go with his heart. He had the idea to cut the "Welcome" album live but felt if the record company knew "they'd probably the plug. So I tricked them at first." Bramhall and his producers recorded just two cuts live, then moved up to four and, encouraged by the results, kept going "When we finished and tried to overdub a vocal or guitar part, it sounded like a foreign invader," Bramhall explains. The result was so exciting it convinced RCA to release it that way. In fact, "Welcome" has an immediacy that makes the listener feel like he's right in the middle of the music. Given Bramhall's earlier failures, he credits the superstars who've adopted him with restarting his career and with restoring his battered confidence. "I took a breath," he says, "then realized that if Roger Waters and Eric Clapton and B.B. King and the Vaughan brothers and my dad all think I'm great, then I maybe I am." In fact, more than maybe. © Daily News

BIO (WIKI)

Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is a guitarist and vocalist in his band Smokestack and is also the second guitarist in Eric Clapton's band. Doyle Bramhall II is a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. He was born in Dallas, Texas and is the son of singer, songwriter and drummer Doyle Bramhall, who grew up as a close friend of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan. At age 16, Doyle Bramhall II toured with Jimmie Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as second guitarist. Some of Doyle's influences include, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Donny Hathaway, Freddie King, Albert King, Jimmie Vaughan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sly & the Family Stone, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Curtis Mayfield. In 1992 Doyle formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton (also known as Double Trouble). Doyle and Sexton were only able to work together for one album but it was well received, with several songs receiving heavy rock radio airplay. They went their own ways after the album but have gotten back together and have been playing shows as Arc Angels again in 2006 and 2007. Doyle released his self-titled debut album on the Geffen record label in 1996 with backing support from Wendy and Lisa (Bramhall is married to Wendy's sister, vocalist Susannah Melvoin). In later interviews, he stated his intent with that album to establish himself as more than just a guitar player. The album received praise from reviewers but was received poorly with sales. Bruce Flohr, a former RCA record executive, came to the first live performance Doyle threw after writing a batch of new material for his new album. Flohr was blown away by the performance and immediately wanted to sign Bramhall to his label. Doyle agreed and signed with RCA, and released his second album Jellycream in 1999. He appeared on Austin City Limits in an episode shared with Robert Cray that fall. The record labels at RCA were unhappy at the sales records of the album and withdrew all funds for Doyle's new project. Flohr, who was a fan of Doyle's music and had faith in it, was powerless to prevent the waning financial interests of his label. It was at this time that Doyle phoned Flohr and asked to be cut from his deal with RCA. Still being friends, Flohr passed a copy of the Jellycream album to Eric Clapton. Clapton took an interest in Bramhall's music and included "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" in a collaborative album he was working on with B.B. King, released in 2000 as Riding With The King. Doyle also formed a new band, "Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack," and recorded a new album produced by Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fame. Released in 2001, Welcome marked a renewed focus on guitar. Doyle's recording relationship with Clapton continued to flourish, and he co-wrote "Superman Inside" for and played guitar on Eric's 2001 solo album, Reptile. He and Smokestack opened for Clapton on his 2001 world tour, and Doyle occasionally joined Eric on stage. By 2004, he was Clapton's second guitarist after Andy Fairweather-Low backed out of the tour. The 2004 tour was Clapton's effort at channeling his hero Robert Johnson and Doyle later admitted that he had never listened to Robert Johnson until getting the gig as Clapton's second guitarist. Doyle also appears with Eric in the 2004 CD/DVD release Sessions for Robert J. Doyle also played guitar on the 1999-2002 In the Flesh tour (captured on the In the Flesh Live album) by former Pink Floyd leader/bassist Roger Waters. Previous to that, Doyle also played a much lower key role backing his wife Susannah Melvoin's (who also toured with Waters during the In the Flesh tour as a backing singer) twin sister Wendy Melvoin for her band Girl Bros., and more recently with Wendy and Lisa in the groups Pacifico and Funk Sway. Pacifico consisted of Wendy and Lisa, along with Doyle, Mike Elizondo and Abe Laboriel Jr., and several recordings from a small club tour have surfaced. Funk Sway — Erykah Badu, Wendy and Lisa ?uestlove of The Roots, and Doyle, are featured in the music documentary Before the Music Dies.As a session guitarist, he has worked with Me'shell Ndegéocello, Sheryl Crow and Susan Tedeschi. He also toured with Eric Clapton as part of his 2006/2007 world tour along with slide guitarist Derek Trucks and he performed at the 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival at Chicago's Toyota Park. Of his songwriting, Doyle has said that although the blues is one of his favorite genres, he finds that most of his attempts at bluesy songwriting end up sounding "corny," and his songs always tend to have more of a rock feel. Doyle usually plays the Fender Stratocaster but will occasionally play some Gibson guitars, either playing on left-handed models or right-handed models upside-down. Doyle plays guitar left-handed but his guitars are strung as if to be played by a right-handed player, as was the case with Albert King. In other words, the low E string is at the bottom of his guitar, and the high string at the top. This fact and his unique playing style can be seen clearly in the "In the Flesh: Live" DVD footage.

The Matt Schofield Trio

Matt Schofield Trio - Live at The Jazz Cafe! - 2005 - Nugene

Another name that may be unfamiliar to many rock/blues/jazz fans. The thirty five years old Mancunian, Matt Schofield plays like a blues veteran. This is a wonderful album of blues rock and jazz recorded at The Jazz Cafe, Camden, London, England on April 20th, 2005. Matt is a sublime guitarist, and "Live at The Jazz Cafe!" is a terrific album and a nod in the direction of benchmark players such as BB King, Albert Collins and Robben Ford. In a review of this show, Blues in Britain's editor wrote "The Cream of their generation (and the inference is intentional). Fantastic". Matt's small back up band are also superb musicians and lay down some real sophisticated swing and funk. The following quote is taken from the Nugene record label, - "Schofield’s guitar tone and distinctive phrasing have become highly influential, culminating in Guitar & Bass magazine (3/07) listing Schofield in their Top Ten British Bluesmen of All Time, an accolade that places him alongside the likes of Eric Clapton and Peter Green (although some 30+ years their junior!)". This quote cannot be argued with, and it goes some way to explaining Matt Schofield's importance of as a musician today. To quote the great Robben Ford, "He is one helluva guitarist", and this is a great album, HR by A.O.O.F.C, and should be heard by anybody remotely interested in great music. Matt Schofield will be remembered long after all the Stevie, Eric and Walter wannabes have come and gone. Buy his "Heads, Tails & Aces" album. The Matt Schofield Trio's "Ear To The Ground", "The Trio Live", and Jan Akkerman Feat. Matt Schofield's "Live At De Bosuil Muziekcentrum, Weert, Holland" albums can be found on this blog [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 137 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 All You Need - Schofield
2 Uncle Junior - Evans
3 Lights Are On, But Nobody's Home - Albert Collins
4 Travellin' South - Collins, Modelist, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter
5 Cissy Strut - Modeliste, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter
6 On My Way - Schofield
7 It's Your Thing - OKelly Isley, R. Isley

BAND

Matt Schofield - Guitar, Vocals
Jonny Henderson - Organ
Evan Jenkins - Drums

BIO

The leader of the Matt Schofield trio (obviously) and a well traveled and talented blues guitarist, Matt Schofield was born in Manchester, England on August 21, 1977. Spurred into the world of the blues guitar by legends such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, and Albert Collins, Schofield took his curiosity to London after graduating college, and started to jam with various musicians in the scene. Catching the ear of one Dana Gillespie -- after a successful stint as part of the Lee Sankey Group -- Schofield won a spot in that blues diva's London based band. From there, Schofield eschewed the quick road to fame, instead choosing to work as part of the house band at festivals all over Europe. Eventually, through this rather unglamorous gig, the trio that would bear his name eventually came together, and Schofield became a bona fide solo presence. His first album, a live affair entitled The Trio, Live, was released in 2004, and was a critical success. The unique vibe that Matt and his trio captured was due in part of their use of organ for bass lines rather than a bass guitar -- somewhat of a rarity in the more traditional electric blues rulebook. Comprised of Schofield, keyboardist Jonny Henderson and drummer Evan Jenkins, the trio went on to record a studio record, Siftin' Thru' the Ashes after releasing the second live collection Live At the Jazz Cafe -- both in 2005. In 2007, Schofield returned to the shelves with studio album number two, Ear To the Ground. © Chris True © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/matt-schofield-p655700/biography

Mathematicians

Mathematicians - Irrational Numbers - 1994 - Aljabr

Appropriately named, this all-instrumental outfit from Indianapolis plays a driving rock-fusion that is at once complex, energized, and accessible. The lineup varies from track to track, but generally is a four piece of guitar/midi-guitar, keys, bass/Chapman Stick and drums with guesting help on flute, percussion, and acoustic piano. The seven tracks on this, their debut CD, show a high degree of compositional skill and musicianship, and plenty of originality to boot. Their style is identifiably American, yet not so immediately comparable to any others - hints of electric Al Dimeola surface from time to time, also Goodsall, Scott Henderson, Steve Morse, and others, but truthfully these guys are blazing their own trail. An impressive start for these Mathematicians, their disc is a smoker from the first track to the last, with nary a slow moment in between. Fans of the aforementioned should find much in their music to enjoy. My highest recommendation. - PETER THELEN-Exposé, Newark, CA

Where the hell have these guys been? From the Midwest comes this powerhouse quintet playing a fast and furious instrumental jazz/rock with an emphasis on the rock. Actually, Irrational Numbers' progressive attributes go off on a tangent to much modern fusion, as evidenced by the 'symphonic' rock aplomb of "Dance of the Nile", which might just be Yes if they covered Return to Forever or a hypothetical meeting between Uzeb and UK. Even when things get skanky and heavy ("Frontiers") the band's extraordinary arranging skills emphasize compositional over individual chops. Too bad the album is so short - at a mere thirty-five minutes, you wish its indomitable stamina could just go on forever. - DARREN BERGSTEIN-i/e Magazine, Phoenix, AZ

Here is an excellent little recording (37 minutes) of a quality that, alas, we rarely see at Harmonie. Why? Because the genre so superbly handled here is none other than jazz-rock. Yes, it's real, it's pure, the kind that makes fans of trash metal and hard rock consider a pain in the ... And so do even hardened "progsters" (I know a couple of them) who have forgotten that technique is an integral part of their favorite type of music. OK, so jazz-rock at its apogee (around '76-'77) had become overblown because some artists insisted on a certain pretentious "spirituality" or instrumental solos of diverse sorts with one point in common - they were unending. But when we run across some recordings from Weather Report, one or two things from Passport (a really good German group), Brand X and their second-hand drummer (Phil Collins) or a genuine certified 36 carat diamond, DiMeola live, MacLaughlin and DeLucia...a real marvel!, we can't help but feel a real wave of intense emotion. Well, when I hear the Mathematicians, I just can't help myself, my foot starts marking the rhythm, my head starts bobbing, and my face starts twitching in a way that may not be very flattering! Hey, these guys are really, really good (cool Jack) and burn up your speakers with a diabolical drum beat, controlled side-slips of six incandescent cords, and most of all with a "Fender Jazz Bass" which breathes the beat of life into the music, heavy and muted like a primitive pump that forms the heart of this festive and pleasurable music.
These Americans with a name that's a real turn-off for me (math and I crossed paths often enough but we never really got along) have put out a classy album, the technical sensuality of its mind-boggling but never boring, just the "super-work" of masters of technique who let themselves go wild, half-way between jazz and rock at a place it's good to find still exists after all these years. Placed among Uzeb, the only one to hold the torch above the crowd, Quidam and certain overheated exploits of Santana or of Satriani or Zappa (thanked by the way on the jacket), MATHEMATICIANS (grr....that name!) will tumble out onto your player like a hot potato. Be careful not to burn your fingers when you put it in. - Bruno Versmisse- Harmonie Magazine, Meulan, France

I finally got a hold of another copy of this album!! The Mathematicians are a great fusion band from the midwest that were shortlived, but did manage to put out 2 albums. I have yet to hear the 2nd album, but the 1st one, IRRATIONAL NUMBERS is brimming with great fusion ideas from the opening track SPANISH MAIN and even the 2nd track, DANCE OF THE NILE, you get the idea that this is a confident group of fusion musicians with tools to express their ideas. But for me the jewel of this album is the track RAIN. I love this tune and can't get enough of it. What I like about it mostly is the focus on Eddie Humphrey's bass playing which seems to be heavily influenced by Berrie Oakley of Allman Brothers fame. When I listen to this track I feel the same way I do when I space out to the Allman Brothers MOUNTAIN JAM, I feel like I'm in a car going for an extended drive on some route somewhere off the beaten path. I highly recommend this album for prog fusioners who like a hint of alllman brothers in their fusion. Review by & © drziltox © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2354

The Mathematicians were a US Indiana based progressive jazz rock/fusion studio band formed in 1988 by drummer Kevin Kouts and guitarist Larry McCullough which released only two albums during the 90's. Bassist Eddy Humphrey describing the band's music said "It's hard to say what musical génre we ascribe to. It has been called heavy-metal jazz/rock, space jazz, art-rock. Whatever it is, it's just what we've come up with. We believe that music is a very mathematical exercise, hence our name. Everything about music - time, rhythm, pitch, phrasing, dynamics - it's all reducible to numbers. Einstein must have thought so too, for he once referred to the music of Mozart as the most mathematically pure music in existence. I would agree to that. Mathematicians began in 1988 as the brainchild of Larry McCullough, Kevin Kouts, and Bob Fields. The rest of us fell in line as we discovered how much fun this stuff was to play". This short lived fusion outfit's music has been compared to artists like Uzeb, 4 Front, Helmet Of Gnats, Al Dimeola, Frank Zappa, Brand X, and Steve Morse. "Irrational Numbers" is a short album but a worthwhile jazz rock release. It is original, inventive, musically intelligent, and has an extremely high level of musicianship. Try and listen to the band's "Factor of Four" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 75.1 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Spanish Main - 3:52
2. Dance Of The Nile - 5:28
3. Orlando Furioso - 4:20
4. Quadari - 4:23
5. Frontiers - 4:35
6. Rain - 7:26
7. Shellshock - 4:34

Tracks composed by Bob Fields and/or Larry McCullough

MUSICIANS

Larry McCullough - Guitars, Midi Guitars, Keyboards
Eddy Humphrey - Basses, "Chapman Stick", Backing Vocals
Bob Fields, Andy Ballard - Keyboards
Yun Hui - Keyboards, Tantra, Giggles
Kevin Kouts - Drums, Tabla, Bowed Cymbals
Kevin Kaiser - Percussion
Cathy Morris - Violins, Solos

ABOUT THE BAND

Mathematicians is an interesting jazz/fusion band from USA. Very little is known about them here in PA, so I jumped on the chance to interview them and by this way gain some more info. I bought their albums some months ago too and they are interesting. I got in touch with Kevin Kouts and he patiently answered my questions. Q. When, where and by whom was your band born ? Did any of you, past and present members, play in any other bands before joining up in your band ? Why did you choose that name ? A. The band was born in June of 1987 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founding members were Kevin Kouts, Larry McCullough, Bob Fields and Eddy Humphrey. Larry, Eddy and I all grew up in the same school system so we’ve known each other since middle school age. From 1978 to 1981, I played in Larry’s Progressive Rock band, Legacy. We played mostly original music but did cover a few tunes from Captain Beyond. From 1984 to 1986, Eddy and I were in the New Wave band, Abstractions. We released an album on vinyl in 1985 and had a video on MTV. I suggested the name. I have a degree in Mathematics from the University of Indianapolis. We had always discussed the notion that music was math so we thought the idea was clever. However, very few people got the reference. As for “marketing”, the idea is a failure! Most people are really turned off by math: Which, of course, made the whole thing even more humorous. Q. Over to your two albums. Your debut album Irrational Numbers was released in 1994. Please tell us more about this album. A. A band’s first album is usually the best material. Not necessarily played the best, but the music is pure and usually has no preconceived market or concept. That was the case with us. We didn’t care at all about trying to market to an audience. We wrote to satisfy ourselves. The only thing we knew on day one was that we liked jazz/rock fusion. So, as a place to start, our first few rehearsals we played tunes by Jean-Luc Ponty. But almost immediately originals became the main focus. Both Bob and Larry were prolific writers. So we had the luxury of a large number of good ideas to pick from and develop. We also had the luxury of playing those tunes “Live” for 4 years before we ever attempted to record a CD. We also must have been pretty hard on keyboard players. We went through three of them in the years before the CD release. You’ll notice three keyboardists on the CD. That style of music requires a lot of notes and a lot of soloing and NOT a lot of pay! Q. Your second album Factor of Four was released in 1996. Please tell us more about this album. A. Factor of Four picked up where we left off. The tunes on that record had been around awhile so we wanted to record them as well. We also wanted to redeem ourselves a little bit. We thought that we had “hurried” the first CD and wanted to make sure that we played better on the second. We did play better, but the studio we used was transitioning from analog to digital. The engineer wasn’t use to the technology yet and most of the mixes got oversampled. You can hear digital clipping all over that CD: a bit of a disappointment. We had the great Bob Katz do the mastering. He was able to help fix some of the flaws and educate the engineer in the process. Putting the final product together was fun in that it took a lot of travel. It was mastered in New York, the artwork was done in Chicago and the record distribution was out of Los Angeles. Q. What have you been up to since 1996 and what is your latest update ? What is your plans for this year and beyond ? A. We were working on a third CD in the late 90’s when we decided to take a break. It had been 10 years and we had just lost our fourth keyboardist. We thought we’d take a year off but it ended up being another 13! Eddy and I had been playing with other bands in a variety of styles so we kept at it. Larry, always the composer, built a home studio and continued to write. A little over a year ago we decided to retool the band and record another CD. This time we’ve added vocals and have gone from jazz/rock to a sound more reminiscent of Genesis and Gentle Giant. Most of the tracks are complete and the vocals are being worked on currently. We are hoping that the CD will be available later this Summer. As far as the future is concerned, we don’t have any plans. Touring with a band that large with all the equipment and support is not really financially feasible. Not to do it justice anyway. Q. Your music has been described as fusion and even jazz. But how would you describe you music and which bands would you compare yourself with ? A. Originally we would have called it jazz/rock fusion. We fashioned ourselves after Jean-Luc Ponty and Billy Cobham and those types of early 70’s instrumental bands. For awhile we would ask audience members to help us decide what genre to call it. One of the better ones was, “Space Jazz”. (Which is humorous because it never had any real jazz in it). One guy called it “Rock with a Jazz Mindset” because of all the improvisation and extreme soloing. A fellow musician called us “Brave”! I’m sure some called it names that we can’t repeat in polite company! The new music though is very much Progressive Rock. The tunes are all beautifully composed with very little soloing at all. Just wonderful music… Q. To wrap up this interview, is there anything you want to add to this interview ? A. We want to thank you for your interest. We are still amazed that a little band from Indiana is still selling CDs and being played on radio stations all over the world.
Thank you to Kevin Kouts for this interview
Author & © toroddfuglesteg Topic: Mathematicians Posted: May 29 2011 at 05:52 © 2001-2010 Web Wiz © http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78656

Electromagnets

Electromagnets - Electromagnets II - 2005 - Vortexan Music

Electromagnets are best known as the launching ground for the great guitarist, Eric Johnson. Johnson is known for his clear tones and amazing technical skill. The group followed the path of such trailblazing fusion groups as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, creating an amalgam of rock, jazz, blues and the avant-garde. Unlike many of their peers, the Electromagnets were loose, letting themselves bend the beat and have fun. As a result, their music is more enjoyable than most '70s fusion records -- even when they venture into prog clichés. Their musicianship pulls them through. Eric Johnson stands out with his crystal clear guitar and tasteful solos. The first album, the self titled "Electromagnets" was re-released on Rhino in 1998. "Electromagnets II" features nine original songs originally recorded in 1975. The band shows why its fans included artists like Frank Zappa, ZZ Top, and Weather Report. Terrific instrumental bluesy fusion band featuring elements of jazz, rock, and country. The blazing guitar from guitar great Eric Johnson, intricate keyboard work from Stephen Barber, Kyle Brock on bass and the late Bill Maddox on drums make this album a must for all Eric Johnson fans, lovers of jazz-rock, and anybody who likes great guitar work. HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Electromagnet's first s/t album, and Eric Johnson's "Ah Via Musicom" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 84.3 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Pea Szong - Bill Maddox
2. Neon - Stephen Barber
3. Cannonball - Eric Johnson
4. Wake Up - Eric Johnson
5. Melvin & the Apes - Stephen Barber
6. Hunting Season - Eric Johnson
7. Simon's Dance - Bill Maddox
8. Where I Wander - Eric Johnson
9. Chicken Pickin' - Eric Johnson

BAND

Eric Johnson - Guitar
Kyle Brock - Bass
Stephen Barber - Keyboards
Bill Maddox RIP - Drums

ERIC JOHNSON BIO

Eric Johnson’s stature as one of the premier guitar players in contemporary music is his artistic trump card, backed by a Grammy Award and five nominations, platinum album, Top 10 hits like “Cliffs Of Dover,” praise from critics and the esteem of his peers. But the full hand of his talents marks him as well as a gifted songwriter, dynamic live performer, singer, pianist, song interpreter, and creator of a rich and diverse musical legacy. His myriad and distinctive musical gifts are vividly evident on Johnson’s aptly titled new album, Up Close, released on his own Vortexan Music label via EMI Distribution. The new 15-track disc finds the noted master craftsman cutting loose, roaming through variations on the rock, blues, pop, country and jazz all found at the core of his sound, pushing the dynamic range of his artistry, and mixing it up with such friends and peers as guitarists Jimmie Vaughan and Sonny Landreth and guest singers Steve Miller, Jonny Lang and Malford Milligan. “I decided to let go a bit and allow things to happen and just go with the flow,” explains Johnson of his approach to the album. “I think that’s a direction that works better for any artist, and especially for me. I like my work to have a high proficiency, but I also wanted to go for the energy and magic of the performances.” That vitality and vivid musicality brims from such hook-filled numbers as the hard-rocking instrumentals “Fat Daddy” and “Vortexan” and the driving vocal song “Brilliant Room” (sung by Milligan). “Gem” is splashed with bright and painterly six-string colors, “Soul Surprise” finds Johnson weaving a picturesque tapestry of both his guitar and piano gifts, and “Arithmetic” summons up a swirling and spectral kaleidoscope of guitars, keyboards and Johnson’s singing. His early years and influences are explored on the Mike Bloomfield/Buddy Miles-composed blues song “Texas” (from the 1968 Electric Flag album A Long Time Comin’) on which Miller sings and Johnson’s and Vaughan’s guitars engage in stirring interplay, and “Austin” (sung by Lang), which looks back to his teens in his hometown as a budding player and avid music fan who would be allowed to slip underaged into music nightclubs and “go sit in the back and listen to bands.” “On The Way” is a delightful Texas meets Tennessee twang romp, and “A Change Has Come To Me” opens with a six-string nod to Jimi Hendrix (a prime Johnson influence) that carries through the track as it burgeons into a celebration of the pleasures of the deep and soulful groove. Interstitial instrumental snippets like the spellbinding Indian music-flavored opener “Awaken” and the dreamlike “Traverse” and “The Sea And The Mountain” plus “Change (Revisited)” weave the collection together. And Johnson caps the CD with the uplifting grace note of “Your Book” on which he and Landreth interweave their playing (including Johnson’s stately piano work) with emotive elegance. The lyrical themes of reflection, emotional revelations, personal growth and fulfillment are underscored on the album by Johnson’s most daring, urgent, progressive and at times raw and fervent guitar work to date. With its sonic immediacy (thanks to a mix by engineering legend Andy Johns) and openhearted musicality and songwriting, Up Close truly lives up to its name as Johnson continues to forge fresh and compelling new dimensions of his artistry. Johnson leapt to the forefront of contemporary music some 20 years ago as “an extraordinary guitar player accessible to ordinary music fans,” as the Memphis Commercial Appeal hails him, with his landmark million selling 1990 album Ah Via Musicom. Lauded as a “recording [that] has reached near-classic proportions within the guitar community” by All Music Guide, it was preceded by dedicated groundwork as a live performer that marked him as a talent bound for great things. And it’s been followed by a diverse and fascinating musical journey that inspired The New Age Music Guide to rave that “Eric Johnson plays guitar the way Michelangelo painted ceilings: with a colorful vibrancy that’s more real than life.” His many achievements include being enshrined in Guitar Player’s Gallery of Greats and named one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century by Musician magazine alongside numerous other awards. He also enjoys the admiration of many of his fellow players and has performed and/or recorded with such notables as Chet Atkins, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and others, and follows the release of Up Close with an acoustic Guitar Masters tour sharing the stage with six-string masters Peppino D’Agostino and Andy McKee. He was tapped by Eric Clapton to appear at the 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival and plays his second stint of the Experience Hendrix tour in fall 2010. He has paid homage in song to such players as Jerry Reed (“Tribute to Jerry Reed” on his album Bloom), fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan (the Grammy-nominated track “SRV”) and Wes Montgomery (who Johnson saluted in his Ah Via Musicom song “East Wes”), and boasts both a signature Fender Stratocaster electric and Martin MC-40 acoustic guitar. “Cliffs of Dover” is featured in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock as the final winning challenge. And in addition to his recordings, tours and DVDs under his own name, Johnson also plays with his side project Alien Love Child, which released an in concert album in 2000, Live and Beyond, that earned an instrumental Grammy nomination for the song “Rain.” Even before his breakthrough with Ah Via Musicom, Johnson made his indelible musical mark with his 1986 first album release Tones. It landed him on the cover of Guitar Player magazine, which hailed the album as “a majestic debut,” and earned him his first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with the track “Zap.” Ah Via Musicom won Johnson a Grammy for “Cliffs Of Dover,” which was one of his record three Top 10 instrumental hits from a single album alongside “Trademark” and “Righteous.” Following three years of concerted touring that established him as a continuing popular concert attraction, Johnson recorded Venus Isle, which on its release in 1996 garnered him another Grammy nomination. In 1998, his previously unreleased first album recording from 1976, Seven Worlds, was finally issued. A limited-release collection of demos, outtakes and live tracks, Souvenir, hit the streets in 2002. His most recent studio album, 2005’s Bloom, yielded a fifth Grammy nomination. Johnson’s success over the last 20 years was presaged by a grassroots rise in which he made his bones and burgeoning reputation as a formidable musical talent and player since he first became a local sensation in the Austin clubs as a teen with the psychedelic rock band Mariani. Trained on classical piano as a youth, he switched to the guitar after the stateside arrival of the Beatles in 1964. As a young player he delved deeply into blues, jazz, country and other styles that inform his music. By the mid-1970s, Johnson began touring and sparking a buzz about his astonishing talents in the jazz-rock outfit Electromagnets, whose recordings and a live TV performance from that era were released in the 1990s to critical acclaim. He cut his teeth in the studio on sessions for Cat Stevens, Christopher Cross and Carole King, and by 1984 his stature in Texas and beyond was so strong that the unsigned artist was tapped to make his first appearance on the prestigious PBS concert show “Austin City Limits.” At the urging of such stars as Cross and Prince, Johnson was signed to a major label deal with Reprise Records and emerged onto the international recording scene. His dynamism as a live performer is captured on the 2008 DVD Anaheim as well as the 2005 DVD/CD release of his second “Austin City Limits” show in 1994, Live From Austin, Texas. His 1996 G3 tour with fellow guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai yielded a best selling album and platinum DVD, G3: Live in Concert. Johnson’s eminence as a musical artist goes well beyond just his stunning guitar mastery. His keen compositional sense and lyrical playing create instrumentals that speak to listeners and convey thoughts, emotions and imagery, and Up Close also spotlights his singing and sure way with words. “It really boils down to the music and the song at the end of the day,” he explains. “If it doesn’t have that it gets boring for me.” On his new release, “I wanted to bare myself a little further and show myself more,” says Johnson. “As you evolve as a person and artist, you reach forks in the road where you look at what it is you really want in life and to bring out in yourself and thereby affect other people. What’s most important to me is to grow as a person, and because of that, I want my music to also grow and have more of a profound meaning and impact.” And Up Close finds Eric Johnson continuing to expand his artistry with compelling and enriching results. © http://www.ericjohnson.com/

Dave Constantino Band

Dave Constantino Band - Bump In The Road - 2007 - Limelite Records

Dave Constantino has tasteful & polished blues rock style that has made him a legendary Western New York and National guitarist and singer. In the mid sixties he founded The Tweeds and wrote the 1967 regional hit “ A Thing Of The Past”. In the early seventies he joined forces with drummer, Paul Varga and bassist, Billy Sheehan to form the powerhouse trio, Talas. Talas became a Western New York success story and gained international recognition with classics like Dave’s song “ See Saw” . Their popularity extended into the 1990’s when they played reunion concerts to sold out shows, which led to a live CD release and international concerts. Dave has established himself as a regional icon with bands like Shyboy and most recently, The Dave Constantino Band with Ted and Tom Reinhardt. The Reinhardts are legends in their own right and perfectly compliment Dave’s bluesy rock style, to create a dynamic and powerful © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/daveconstantino/from/allrecordlabelsperformance.

Dave Constantino is the frontman of legendary Buffalo band 'Talas' [which was known for being the first band of bassist Billy Sheehan]. Constantino was the band's original singer/guitarist, who featured on the few Talas studio albums, as well as the excellent live reunion disc "If We Only Knew Then...". Since then he's been busy getting his own music out there in such bands as Shyboy [w/ Talas drummer and other singer Paul Varga] and more recently on the blues scene as The Dave Constanino Band, which also features legendary Buffalo area musical brothers Ted and Tom Reinhardt [see Gamalon, Spyro Gyra, Willie and the Reinhardts...]. The band's 9-track debut disc is a fine mix of Dave's own blues and blues-rock songs. The album kicks off with the straight ahead blues of "Bump In The Road", and features such great songs as "Missing You", a haunting acoustic ballad, "Mystery Man", which starts out lightly before stepping up to become a cool blues rocker here, and "Where You Hidin'" - another great up-tempo funky blues track, featuring some killer guitar from the man himself. The album closes with a classy rendition of Jimi Henrix's "Manic Depression", which Dave guitar goes all out on. As much as I love Dave's Talas stuff for the big straight ahead guitar sound and his tough vocals, his new blues album showcases his talents as more than just a rocker, with various guitar sounds and great solos, as well as a whole different take on the man's vocal abilities. Smooth stuff. Should make for cool outdoor summertime sounds. - Review: © Kevin J. Julie / Universal Wheels, March 2007 http://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/constantinoreview.html

Sone of Dave's influences include Robin Trower, Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Paul Kossoff, Jeff Beck, BB King, Ritchie Blackmore, and SRV. He is one of the few musicians who has successfully made the transition from a straight up rock guitarist, to an exceptional blues rock guitarist as demonstrated on this album. Read an interview with Dave @ http://www.travellersintime.com/UniversalWheels/constantinointerview.html [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 82.8 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Bump In The Road 4:14
2. Nobody's Cryin' 3:35
3. Fit To Be Tied 3:53
4. Missing You 4:04
5. Mystery Man 4:42
6. Gave You Back 3:20
7. Pain In My Heart 4:19
8. Where You Hidin' 3:54
9. Manic Depression 4:44

All songs composed by Dave Constantino except "Manic Depression" by Jimi Hendrix

BAND

Dave Constantino - Guitar/Vocals
Tom Reinhardt - Bass
Ted Reinhardt - Drums

China Crisis

China Crisis - Flaunt the Imperfection - 1985 - Virgin

A bit fiery for most in the new romantic camp during the early '80s, China Crisis was inspired by similar sources but injected their pop songs with occasional political commentary and bluesy, reggae rhythms. Mostly a duo of vocalist/keyboard player Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon, the group formed in 1979 near Liverpool. The first China Crisis single, "African and White," didn't appear until 1982, but it was quickly picked up by Virgin and made the British charts. Realizing they needed a proper band, Daly and Lundon recruited bassist Gazza Johnson and drummer Kevin Wilkinson, and recorded their debut album Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms. Another single, "Christian," hit number 12, followed by two singles from second album, Working with Fire and Steel Possible Pop Songs, Vol. 2. China Crisis spent 1984-85 making their biggest chart run, beginning with their first Top Ten hit, "Wishful Thinking." Third album Flaunt the Imperfection was produced by the sympathetic Walter Becker (from Steely Dan), and resulted in the hit singles "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style." A critical mistep followed in 1986, What Price Paradise?, though China Crisis worked with Becker once more on 1989's Diary of a Hollow Horse, which earned critical raves though not much commercial movement. © John Bush, All Music Guide

China Crisis underwent a complete change in sound for their third album, completely ditching the heavy dub rhythms and challenging arrangements of 1982's Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain and 1983's Working with Fire and Steel (Possible Pop Songs, Vol. 2) with an altogether smoother and less aggressive sound. That doesn't equal a commercial capitulation, however; if anything, the choice of Walter Becker (of the then-unfashionable Steely Dan) as producer was a more commercially daring maneuver than anything the group had previously attempted. The overall sound is considerably prettier than before -- the placid Eno-like "Black Man Ray? is downright beautiful -- and the arrangements mix synthesizers with traditional instruments in what was for 1985 an unusually graceful way, with neither predominating. Another difference from the earlier albums is that the group's songwriting is much improved, the failed instrumental experiments and tiresome dance workouts that occasionally marred their earlier albums replaced with a newfound melodic sophistication and lyrical acuity. By the time of 1987's What Price Paradise, this sophistication will be unfortunately replaced by callow slickness, but Flaunt the Imperfection is the one album where China Crisis got the balance right. © Stewart Mason © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/flaunt-the-imperfection-r3902/review

"Flaunt The Imperfection" is a classic sophisticated pop rock album and one of the most underrated albums ever recorded. Every track is a jewel. The beautiful cryptic lyrics are backed by magnificent melodies.The musicianship is stunning. Production by Walter Becker is perfect, and if you haven't heard it, then do yourself a favour and give this album a listen. The following text written by M. Sean Fosmire, and published October 03, 2004 on http://blogcritics.org/music describes "Flaunt The Imperfection" very well - "I hate to even call this simply a pop album from mid 80's from an obscure group; It's anything but. It's a mixture of rich experimental global rhythms that not only bring to mind Steely Dan (like other reviewers noted) but also contains faint doses of General Public and Tears For Fears; you hear the music, try to pinpoint where you've heard something like this before, but just can't. This is the kind of admirable musical artistry that a lot of new groups lack today and that I miss. China Crisis is not calculated or contrived in any of their tracks; They seem to go with their gut instinct which works every time". "FTI" is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. The band had talent to burn, and it would be great to hear a new studio album. China Crisis' "Peel Sessions", "Acoustically Yours", and "Best Songs" albums can be found on this blog [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 98.5 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 The Highest High - Gazza
2 Strength of Character - Gazza
3 You Did Cut Me - Gazza
4 Black Man Ray - Eddie
5 Wall of God - Gazza
6 Gift of Freedom - Gazza, Lundon
7 King in a Catholic Style - Daly, Johnson, Lundon
8 Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling - Gazza, Lundon
9 The World Spins, I'm Part of it - Gazza, Lundon
10 Blue Sea - Gazza, Lundon

MUSICIANS

Eddie Lundon - Guitar, Vocals, Backing Vocals
Tim Renwick - Guitar, Guitar [Solo]
Gary 'Gazza' Johnson - Bass
Garry Daly - Synthesizer, Vocals, Backing Vocals
Nick Magnus - Grand Piano, Synthesizer
Walter Becker - Synthesizer, Percussion, Production
Kevin Wilkinson - Drums, Percussion
Simon Clarke - Alto & Baritone Saxophone, Flute
Tim Sanders - Soprano & Alto Saxophone
Steve Gregory - Saxophone [Solos]
Pete Thoms - Trombone
Roddy Lorrimer - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Colin Campsie, Ginny Clee - Backing Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

China Crisis is an English pop/rock band. They were formed in 1979 in Kirkby, near Liverpool, Merseyside with a core of vocalist/keyboardist Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon. Their output was pop music similar in style to that of New Wave but with strong similarities to the post-punk movement of the early 1980s, namely inclusion of a broader range of musical influences and occasional flirtation with political commentary. Throughout their career, China Crisis has seen moderate success in the United Kingdom with ten hit singles between August 1982 and January 1987 and six albums, as well as commercial success in Western Europe, Australia and the Americas. Sharing an affection for Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, David Bowie, and Brian Eno, Daly and Lundon played with various Knowsley post-punk groups. Daly then spent time tinkering with synthesizers and a drum machine. Along with Lundon, Daly began writing songs. The pair eventually asked drummer and percussionist Dave Reilly to join them, and in 1982 they released their debut single "African and White" as China Crisis on the independent record label, Inevitable. In June 1982, they supported the former Television guitarist, Tom Verlaine, at London's Venue. The band was signed to Virgin Records and recorded their debut album, Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun To Entertain, which was released in December 1982. A re-release of "African & White" became China Crisis' first hit in the United Kingdom, reaching #45 in the UK Singles Chart. The follow-up single, "Christian", made UK #12 in early 1983 and brought them to national prominence. By this time, Reilly had left the band, but was still credited on the record sleeve as a guest on the single, along with new member Steve Levy playing oboe and saxophone. The album peaked at #21 in the UK Albums Chart. During this period the band toured supporting Simple Minds (as discussed in interviews on the DVD Live in Concert at the Paul McCartney Auditorium Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts). Adding Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass) and Kevin Wilkinson (drums) to the line-up, a second album, Working with Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two, was released in November 1983. Tracks included the singles "Tragedy and Mystery" (released six months earlier) and "Hanna Hanna" as well as the title track, "Working With Fire & Steel", which became a hit single in Australia. The album was a Top 20 success in the UK, and China Crisis spent 1984 and 1985 making their biggest chart run, beginning with their only UK Top 10 hit single, "Wishful Thinking", which peaked at #9. Their third album, Flaunt the Imperfection, was produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame and reached #9 in the UK Albums Chart in May 1985. China Crisis was so honoured to directly work with Becker that they 'officially' listed him in the group as a quintet consisting of Daly, Lundon, Johnson, Wilkinson, and Becker on the album's credits. Walter Becker was living on Maui, Hawaii, when he was approached by Virgin to work on this project, and he had to leave his expecting partner Eleanor to assist. Walter never formally appeared with the band, and the subsequent tour featured new keyboard player Brian McNeill. Johnson was now credited as co-writer with Daly and Lundon. The album was previewed by the #14 UK hit single "Black Man Ray", which also enjoyed critical acclaim and international success. The follow-up, "King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)", was a Top 20 UK single at #19, but it would prove to be the band's last substantial hit. A third release from the album, "You Did Cut Me", stalled at UK #54. They simultaneously released a video compilation, Showbiz Absurd. In 1986, the band collaborated with producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (who worked with Madness) on What Price Paradise, which included "Arizona Sky", the album's first single release, and another Australian hit, "June Bride". All the band were now credited as songwriters. A second single from the album, "Best Kept Secret", made UK #36 in early 1987. It was to be the band's final Top 40 hit single. The five-piece band worked with Becker once more on 1989's Diary of a Hollow Horse, which earned critical acclaim though little commercial success. It spawned the singles "St Saviour Square" and "Red Letter Day", both achieving the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart. Becker produced of most of the album's tracks, but this time was not credited as an official band member. The band's last studio album, Warped By Success, was released in 1994, following the band's parting of ways with the Virgin label. The album produced their final studio chart single, "Everyday The Same", which briefly edged into the UK Top 100. Although Johnson and Wilkinson both made small contributions, the band was now listed as comprising Daly, Lundon, producer Terry Adams and sound engineer Mark Phythian. In 1995 they released a live unplugged album and video entitled Acoustically Yours, which proved to be their recording swansong. This featured one last single, a live version of "Black Man Ray", and also saw a return for Johnson, Wilkinson and McNeill. Since 1992, there have been four compilation albums of their work for the UK and US markets and three live DVDs. The first of these, entitled "Collection", made the Top 40 in the UK album charts in 1990. On 17 July 1999, drummer Kevin Wilkinson committed suicide by hanging himself at the age of 41. Wilkinson had played with a wide variety of bands including The Waterboys, Fish, The Proclaimers, Squeeze and with Howard Jones. In 2000 Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians. Since the late 1990s, China Crisis has concentrated on live performances with only original founder-members Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly being constant throughout, although a number of other musicians have served long spells, most notably guitarist Colin Hinds (Paul Carrack, Ruby Turner, Steve Gibbons Band etc.) who has notched up more than ten years with the band. In December 2002, China Crisis' Daly and Lundon held a one night unplugged venue in Manila, Philippines, with the support of a local band, Rivermaya. They toured the UK during January and February 2007 as part of their 25th anniversary. In June 2008, it was announced they would be the support act for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's UK October tour. In February 2009, the band performed a fund raising gig for The Friends of Meols Park. Additionally, gigs were played at The Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton on 20 February 2009, and in Stone, Staffordshire on 22 February 2009. Daly's art exhibition 'How To Live & Love Your Life' was held at Kirkby Art Gallery, Kirkby, Knowsley, Merseyside from 23 February to 10 May 2009. China Crisis played at Fort Perch Rock on the Wirral on 8 August 2009, and at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on 22 August 2009. The same month they played at The Mathew Street Festival in Liverpool. They returned to the Philippines to perform at Eastwood City on January 20, 2011 and played to sell-out crowds at the Rewind Festivals in Perth (Scotland) and Henley-on-Thames in August 2011. Another concert in the Philippines was held on September 9, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center, together with Ex-Simple Minds with further shows in the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong that followed. At recent shows China Crisis's two lead musicians have been joined by 23-year old Siân Monaghan on drums.

Doron Zor

Doron Zor - A New Fusion - 2008 - Doron Zor

Doron Zor is one of Canada's foremost guitarists. He is a man who already earned his dues playing for countless sessions and creating for up and coming artists.However his genre of rock fusion uncommom to the Dutch music scene,has its roots in the Blues,which we all love. His new CD flows in this direction. It seems to be the month of the fusion releases. Doron Zor's guitar sound is situated somewhere between that of Robben Ford, Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour. His playing is melodic and bluesy, just as these gentlemen, bassist Jon Czechowski perfectly provides for a tight funky rhythm. Take one of the clips attached it might give you the impression, that Doron is a "shredder", he is certainly not. It is only a promo for the handmade "Dot On Shaft" guitars for which he endorses . Funk, jazz, blues, sometimes what even sounds like samba rhythms are all melted together in his new CD release. Hence the name fusion . Of the nine songs, there are only three with vocals (Marshall Dane), but Doron is a guitarist, so we will not complain about it. "Susing It Out" which opens this CD is a Brazilian-like song, samba-fusion, mix.... in which the excellent drummer Paul Delong can show his craftsmanship. The funky shuffle "Do not Forget To Smooth It" has his name written all over it. A nice smooth sounding jazzy instrumental blues with a hefty guitar rhythm. For the first time vocals of Marshall Dane ...makes "Cat In A Cage", a song.. that contains the same ingredients, funk jazz and blues,a perfect dose, of Marshall's relaxed voice work. Jazz-rock, are the stronger elements that are presented, in "Drunken Egg" in which there are some intense, rock moments . In the song "Detroit Bleeds" Marshall gets help from Chris Hall long time musician and rock and roller for the intense vocals. The revival of "Cat In A Cage", which is about to conclude "Devil Woman" gives us a continuation of the same sound of Doron Zor. High energy merging with a strong guitar sound and his sublime craftmanship is something we rarely hear. Fusion Lovers, just listen. © http://www.sonicbids.com/2/EPK/?epk_id=213020#press

Roots Time said "Doron Zor's guitar sound is situated somewhere between that of Robben Ford, Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour". Doron is influenced by guitarists like Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Frank Gambale, and Scott Henderson. "A New Fusion" is not a groundbreaking album but it contains enough great blues and jazz funk elements and strong musicianship to make it a well above average album. Doron also composed all the tracks. Buy Doron's "Look Here" album and give these improving artists a break [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 93.6 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Susing It Out 4:22
2 New Beginning 2:53
3 Don't Forget to Smooth It 5:53
4 Cat in a Cage 3:59
5 Drunken Egg 4:22
6 When Seven Is Six 4:15
7 Blood Gone Bad 4:05
8 Detroit Bleeds 4:39
9 Cat in a Cage/Devil Woman 5:08

All tracks composed by Doron Zor

MUSICIANS

Doron Zor - Guitar
Jon Czechowski - Bass
Michael Fonfara - Keyboards
Paul DeLong - Drums
Marshall Dane, Chris Hall - Vocals

BIO

There’s a common thread woven through the most memorable personalities in the world whether they are masters in fine art, the environment, law, literature, medicine, music, politics, sports or technology. Each, at one time during their life, realized through a parent, professor, coach or mentor that the secret to individual success is: “it’s all in the approach.” Such epiphanies contributed to life altering moments and ever lasting change where growth was not optional and choices made must be done so wisely. This theory holds especially true for Toronto based fusion guitarist, virtuoso, and composer Doron Zor. Born in Israel to a thriving fashion designer mother and acclaimed musician father, Doron and his two older siblings acquired the laws of living in a highly creative environment at a very early age. The passion for fashion and love of music was ever present and inspired Doron to pick up his first guitar – an air guitar -- at age 7. Mimicking his brother it became apparent that it was only a matter of time before Doron would attain a guitar of his own; that happened 6 years later. A move to Canada had Doron accompany his father to one of his music adventures – Doron would do so on one condition: he, be allowed to play guitar his way. Initially enrolled in high school bands and any local group that would allow him to play, Doron’s early music influence was that of hard rock and heavy metal. His scope and perspective changed when he heard his first Vivaldi piece and in doing so returned to Israel in 2002 to learn under the watchful eye, demanding discipline and critical ear of Giora (Greg) Pekel at the Kawai Academy. Emphasis on geography, history, and music – classical, theory and counterpoint -- occupied over 10 hours a day of study time, and that didn’t include practice. Influences now included Paganini, Bach, Schubert as well as witnessing the musical genius of Giora’s friends collaborating. In 2004, Doron graduated with a Masters Degree in Music and in 2005 he returned to Toronto.In addition to playing at various guitar stores, Doron found himself working with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra -- one of the leading in the world and performing pieces such as: Prelude in G Major, Elnero, Tristan and The Dark Knight. Accompanying him would be another Pekel – Ariel, son of Giora – as well as Alyssa Debare Sachwak, Maia Boriedo, Ilia Uriski, and Doug Foreman. This music project was released to CD and entitled “Live at the Royal Conservatory of Music”. Determined to go further, Doron took his newly formed quintet, “Poetic Justice” and classical compositions to the streets, opening and closing for various bands at clubs as well as performing at the Classical Music Conservatory. With off stage CD sales climbing, and his fan base growing, Doron’s musicality caught the attention of Toronto’s NOW Magazine where he was named and featured as the # 1 composer for 7 consecutive months. The ability to have more than one melody playing at the same time without interfering with the other became Doron’s music soul purpose. Quickly hired for session and production work for the likes of Leann Wilson, Laureen Hamel, and Mary Pettry as well as a re-release of Celine Dion's hit originally with Billy Newton-Davis “Can’t Live with You, Can’t Live Without You”, Doron released his first CD, A New Fusion (2006) produced by Chris Hall (Collage), and engineered by Terry Brown (Rush, Jimi Hendrix, Cutting Crew, Blue Rodeo). In the two short years that followed, Doron continued to make a name for himself as a monthly contributing writer to Mack Amp magazine offering up guitar tips. His first book “Theory Made Easy” with worldwide distribution rights is expected to hit stores and stands mid 2010. His many endorsements from guitar picks (DAVA), amplifiers (Mack), integrated tuners (N-Tune), strings (Wyres), circuits (Electro Harmonix), effect pedals (XOTic) and guitars (Bickertone) has elevated his musical status and contributed to the creation of his second and current Cd Kongo S’quare which expands on the conception of what the original fusion jazz legends brought forth in the 20th century. Having teamed up with some of Canada's finest musicians -- Michael Fonfara (Jimi Hendrix, Foreigner, Lou Reed) on keys, Jon Czechowski (Red Rider/Tom Cochrane) on bass, Aaron Spink (Steve Gadd, Randy Brecker) on drums and special guest Paul DeLong (Kim Mitchell) also on drums – Kongo S’quare with its heart and soul in the blues has all the ear markings of another inspiring production.In the short period of time that he’s graced the world with his wide range of musical talent, Doron Zor’s successes are attributed to, “it’s all in the approach”. Whether it’s a classroom of eager students waiting for lessons, the partnering of musicians waiting to rehearse, the music theory he’s prepared to share with the world, or simply respecting and handling his guitars the way only he understands, Doron continues to deliver a message through music that has no language: “Build a dream, then a life.” © 2009. All rights reserved © http://www.doronzor.com/biography.html

Kenny Neal

Kenny Neal - Let Life Flow - 2008 - Blind Pig

"Kenny Neal's new release is full of blues and soul music of the highest standard. In fact, 'Fly Away' alone is worth the price of admission, with it's soaring soul tune with beautiful strings, an incredible lyric about life and it's aftermath, stunning guitar, and a vocal that calls to mind the best of Philadelphia soul. While Neal's always been one of his generation's finest bluesmen, Let Life Flow helps push him into the upper echelon of the genre. His maturity, mastery of the music, and sheer determination show it, making this one of 2008's best - so far." - Vintage Guitar

"The Baton Rouge native has made a series of well-crafted albums, but none was as heartfelt as Let Life Flow. It's a disc worth waiting for." - Chicago Sun-Times

"It's always been said that the best blues are born of adversity, and if that's true, then Kenny Neal's Let Life Flow album should be considered a masterpiece. A wonderful reaffirmation of life and all of its wonders." - About.com

"Kenny Neal's latest effort is a resounding reaffirmation of his talents as a musician, songwriter and singer. While the album has its share of melancholy, Let Life Flow has enough uplifting moments and infectious grooves to keep the party going." - Living Blues

The title track of this CD was given the Jus' Blues Music Award for "Traditional Blues Song of the Year." This is the second Song of the Year award for this title. The CD has won three "Album of the Year" awards since its release, from Living Blues, Blueswax, and the Blues Critics organization.
It's always been said that the best blues are born of adversity, and if that's true, then Kenny Neal's Let Life Flow album should be considered a masterpiece. Since 2004, the charismatic blues musician has lost several family members, including his father, blues harpist Raful Neal. His sister Jackie was tragically murdered, and his brother Ronnie died of hepatitis C. Long-time family collaborator, drummer Kennard Johnson, also died during this time. Then, to top it off, Kenny was also diagnosed with hepatitis C, knocking the hard-touring musician off the road for almost two years. Let Life Flow: Neal used the time that he was sidelined to work up a fine batch of new songs with his son, Kenny Jr. The result is Let Life Flow, a wonderful reaffirmation of life and all of its wonders. The title track offers up some Southern rock-styled guitar licks, along with a generous groove, Neal's gritty vocals, and the spare use of horns for punctuation to help convey the song's positive message. "Blues, Leave Me Alone" is a Chicago-styled funkateer with a clever turn of a phrase, precise six-string leads, and a shuffling lope that accentuates the song's defiant edge. Although it wasn't written by Neal, "You've Got To Hurt Before You Heal" is an entirely appropriate addition to Let Life Flow. Backed by loose, subtle instrumentation with R&B accents, the song highlights Neal's soulful vocals, which are reminiscent of Otis Redding here. The gumbo-and-boudan flavor of "Louisiana Stew" is a stylistic return home for Neal, a sly swamp-blues romp that showcases his mouth harp skills, a talent often overshadowed by the artist's considerable six-string abilities. Two Sides Of Romance: The slow-burning "Starlight Diamond," written by Kenny's brother Raful Jr., is a delightful take on love and romance while "Broken Dreams" offers the other side of the coin. A classic "love-gone-bad" blues song, the heartbroken wordplay is underlined by Neal's elegant guitar lines, tearful vocals, and a steady, cautious rhythm with constant cymbal brushes. Neal's work-out on the timeless Ivory Joe Hunter gem "Since I Met You Baby" is pure gold, beginning with his trembling guitar tone and nuanced phrasing, to his blustery R&B-styled singing. Combine Lucky Peterson's wry piano playing with an energetic guitar solo, and you have a classic take on a great song. "It Don't Make Sense You Can't Make Peace," an ominous Willie Dixon song, was written about another distant war but, in Neal's capable hands, it has just as much relevance today. With a dark-hued soundtrack, Neal's somber vocals, and Latin-tinged horns, it offers a powerful performance to end Let Life Flow. The Reverend's Bottom Line: Kenny Neal's Let Life Flow is so doggone good that it might just win the talented bluesman a second "Best Album" award from the Blues Foundation. Writing, playing, and singing with a renewed sense of purpose and energy, Neal has taken the tragedies of the past few years and, in the best blues tradition, turned them into great songs and performances. His fanciful guitarwork ranges from spry single-note leads that are scattered across the song to meaty riffs and funky rhythms. With an overall lyrical theme of perseverance and hope, Let Life Flow shows that Kenny Neal still has a few tricks left in his gris-gris bag. By & © Reverend Keith A. Gordon, About.com Guide About.com Rating 4.5/5 Star Rating © 2012 About.com. All rights reserved http://blues.about.com/od/cddvdreview1/fr/KennyNealCD1.htm

Son of Louisiana bluesman Raful Neal, young Kenny had some big shoes to fill, but he's been more than up to the task. He plays bass, guitar, trumpet, piano and guitar, and worked in Toronto with the Downchild Blues Band as well as with his siblings in the Neal Brothers Band before returning to Louisiana in 1987 to cut his debut, Bio on the Bayou. Since then Neal has continued to blend his swampy roots with soul and R&B to put his own contemporary spin on the blues. Let Life Flow finds the 50-year-old bluesman in fine voice delivering four originals and seven covers. Neal accents "Louisiana Stew" with a long, jaunty, country flavored harp solo, while on "Fly Away" he drops a bit of sage spiritual advice into the mix. His Memphis-style guitar fills accent the tune, but it's his gospel drenched vocals that standout. The title track has a soulful '70s feel, with Neal's Al Green influenced vocal, and subtle horn accents from Joe Campbell's trumpet and LeRoy Harper's sax. "Since I Met You Baby," the Ivory Joe Hunter chestnut gets taken back to its blues roots by Neal's gritty delivery. His mellow guitar solo, full of slow bent notes and full round tones complement Lucky Peterson's rolling piano work. "It Don't Make Sense, You Can't Make Peace," a Willie Dixon tune, has a swampy groove with a slight Latin tinge, mournful backing vocals, and Neal's sanctified lead vocal. "Another Man's Cologne" tells a familiar story of infidelity. Neal's sneering, slightly bemused vocal and stinging guitar tell the sad story to a funky backbeat. "You've Got to Hurt Before You Heal," another simmering slow blues, lets Neal show off his soulful vocal style with Peterson supplying sanctified organ work. Neal is in fine voice throughout and his understated bluesy guitar works fine, but nothing here really catches fire. © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/let-life-flow-r1841727/review

Kenny's music has been called "down-in-the-alley blues." He is a great guitarist/singer/harmonica player, songwriter, and vocalist, and the New Orleans born bluesman is one of the most consistent talents in contemporary blues today. "Let Life Flow" is a great soulful R&B album. It includes a mix of classic standards and original material. If you like guitarists like Robert Cray, you may like this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C. The above review says that "nothing here really catches fire", but the album is not meant to catch fire. If you want that, then listen to Led Zeppelin II ! Kenny still needs to be heard by a wider audience. Listen to his outstanding "Bayou Blood" album and buy his "What You Got" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 79.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Let Life Flow - Kenny Neal
2. Blues, Leave Me Alone - Kenny Neal
3. You’ve Got To Hurt Before You Heal - Larry Duane Addison
4. Louisiana Stew - Kenny Neal
5. Starlight Diamond - Raful Neal, Jr.
6. Another Man’s Cologne - Joe Campbell, Joyce Smith
7. Broken Dreams - Kenny Neal, Rebecca LeMesnager
8. Bleeding Heart - Raful Neal, Jr.
9. Since I Met You Baby - Ivory Joe Hunter
10. Fly Away - Kenny Neal
11. It Don’t Make Sense You Can’t Make Peace - Willie Dixon

MUSICIANS

Kenny Neal - Guitar, Bass, Harmonica, String Programming (3,10), Vocals
Darnell Neal - Bass (1,2,4,6)
Kenny Neal, Jr. - Keys (10), Percussion Programming (1,2,4,6,7,11), String Programming (3,10), Bass (3), Additional Bass (11), Horn (3)
Frederick Neal - Keys (2,4,6)
Lucky Peterson - Piano & Organ (3,8,9)
Jimmy Adams - Piano (1)
Bryan Morris - Drums
LeRoy Harper - Saxophone (1,2,4,6,7)
AG (Alfonso Guillory) - Saxophone (3)
Nadege - Saxophone (8)
Joe Campbell - Trumpet (1,2,3,4,6,7)
Boney Fields - Trumpet (8)
Pierre Chabrele - Trombone (8)
Robin Rogers, Shelly Magee - Background Vocals - (11)

BIO (WIKI)

Kenny Neal (born October 14, 1957, New Orleans, Louisiana, son of Raful Neal, is an American blues guitar player, singer and band member. Neal comes from a musical family and has often performed with his brothers in his band.Neal preserves the blues sound of his native south Louisiana, as befits someone who learned from Slim Harpo, Buddy Guy and his father, the harmonica player, Raful Neal. In 1987, Neal cut his debut album for the Florida record producer, Bob Greenlee — an updated swamp feast initially marketed on King Snake Records as Bio on the Bayou. Alligator Records picked it up the following year, retitled it Big News from Baton Rouge!! In 1991 he also proved to be a talented actor in the Broadway production of the folk musical Mule Bone (by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston), singing numbers written by Taj Mahal. Neal has played with blues stars including Lucky Peterson and Lazy Lester, and was at one time a member of The Downchild Blues Band, during a period of relocation to Toronto. In September 2006 Neal announced he was taking a year's break from recording and performing, due to an undisclosed illness. He returned to the public eye at the Monterey Blues Festival in June 2007. His illness was also disclosed as Hepatitis C. He has children named Kenny, Syreeta, and Micah. Lately he is touring with Efes Pilsen Blues Festival

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The future of Baton Rouge swamp blues lies squarely in multi-instrumentalist Kenny Neal's capable hands. Along with a select few others (Larry Garner, for one), the second-generation southern Louisiana bluesman is entirely cognizant of the region's venerable blues tradition and imaginative enough to steer it in fresh directions -- as his albums for Alligator, Telarc, and Blind Pig Records confirm. Kenny Neal was born on October 14, 1957 in New Orleans, exposed to the swamp blues sound from day one. His dad, harpist Raful Neal, was a Baton Rouge blues mainstay, whose pals included Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo (the latter handed three-year-old Kenny an old harp one day as a toy, and that was it). At age 13, Neal was playing in his father's band, and he picked up a bass at 17 for Buddy Guy. The guitarist recruited some of his talented siblings to form the Neal Brothers Blues Band up in Toronto (brother Noel later played bass behind James Cotton; five other Neal brothers also play in various bands) before returning stateside. In 1987, Kenny Neal cut his debut LP for Florida producer Bob Greelee -- a stunningly updated swamp feast initially marketed on Kingsnake Records as Bio on the Bayou. Alligator picked it up the following year, retitled it Big News from Baton Rouge!!, and young Neal was on his way. Neal's sizzling guitar work, sturdy harp, and gravelly, aged-beyond-his-years vocals have served him well ever since. An acclaimed 1991 stint on Broadway in a production of Mule Bone found him performing acoustic versions of Langston Hughes' poetry set to music by Taj Mahal. His 1994 Alligator set Hoodoo Moon rates as one of his most satisfying outings for that label; it was also his last for Alligator. Toward the end of the '90s, Neal moved to the blues division of the jazz-based Telarc Records. Among his numerous albums for the label are Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain (1998), What You Got (2000), One Step Closer (2001), Easy Meeting (2003), Double Take (2004), and A Tribute to Slim Harpo and Raful Neal (2005). Three years later, Neal hooked up with Blind Pig Records and released Let Life Flow in 2008, once again incorporating his gritty Louisiana roots with a sophisticated Chicago/Memphis soul approach. A second Blind Pig release, Hooked on Your Love, appeared two years later in 2010. © Bill Dahl © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kenny-neal-p476/biography

Ian Moore

Ian Moore - Live From Austin - 1994 - Capricorn

A 35-minute EP recorded at The Steamboat, Austin, Texas on June 21st & 22nd 1994 by Ian Moore and his band. Great dynamic rock and blues rock from a wonderful guitarist. Buy Ian's great "Luminaria" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 80.5 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Pay No Mind - Ian Moore 5:19
2. Satisfied - Ian Moore 5:17
3. Deliver Me - Chris White & Ian Moore 6:47
4. Blue Sky/Abraham, Martin & John - Ian Moore/Dick Holler 10:08
5. Me And My Guitar - Chuck Blackwell & Leon Russell 7:12

MUSICIANS

Ian Moore - Guitars, Vocals
Bradley Kopp - Rhythm Guitar
Chris White - Bass, Background Vocals
Bukka Allen - Piano, Organ
Michael Villegas - Drums, Background Vocals
Kris McKay, Toni Prince - Background Vocals
Kathy Burdick - Additional Background Vocals

BIO

Encouraged by his parents, Ian Moore took up the violin at age six, moving to guitar nine years later. The Austin-based blues-rocker's early influences included the Beatles, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder and Sly & the Family Stone. Moore gained experience touring as a guitarist with Joe Ely; this led the way to a solo tour opening for the Rolling Stones and ZZ Top. He then signed with Capricorn; three records followed from 1993-95: Ian Moore, Live from Austin EP and Modernday Folklore. It was his last Capricorn release, Modernday Folklore, that suggested that the Texan was looking beyond the blues-rock roots of his home state towards a more expansive sound. Hints of southern soul, gospel and Beatle-esque pop shook hands with the blues riffs that Moore had previously traded in exclusively. It was four years before his next album, but when Ian Moore's Got the Green Grass appeared in 1999, the transformation from blues-rocker was complete. His lauded guitar work wasn't abandoned, but was no longer the sole force driving Moore's songs. He continued to explore the blues, as well as highly crafted pop songs with his 2000 release, And All the Colors, creating a unique album dynamic in the process of balancing the two styles. Always noted for his live performances, Ian Moore released his first full length live album in 2001, Via Satellite, with his touring band Action Company. Where electric blues and atmospheric songwriting had been juggled on previous recordings, Via Satellite managed to meld the two with excellent effect. In 2004, Moore returned with his first release on the North Carolina based Yep Roc label, Luminaria. Three years later To Be Loved was issued on Justice. © John Bush © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ian-moore-p40474/biography