Saturday, January 30, 2021

Albert King - Lovejoy

Size: 85,0 MB
Time: 36:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1971
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Honky Tonk Woman (4:00)
2. Bay Area Blues (2:57)
3. Corina Corina (3:46)
4. She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride (3:57)
5. For The Love Of A Woman (4:22)
6. Lovejoy, ILL. (3:48)
7. Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (4:22)
8. Going Back To Iuka (4:00)
9. Like A Road Leading Home (5:23)

This 1970 studio effort teamed up Albert with producer Don Nix, who supplied the majority of the original material here. Kicking off with a typical reading of the Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman" and including Taj Mahal's "She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride," the session is split between a Hollywood date with Jesse Ed Davis, Jim Keltner, and Duck Dunn in the band and one at Muscle Shoals with Roger Hawkins, David Hood, and Barry Beckett in the lineup. Although all of this is well-produced, there's hardly any fireworks out of Albert or any of the players aboard, making this an unessential addition for any but Albert King completists. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

Lovejoy mc
Lovejoy zippy

Jose Luis Pardo & The Mojo Workers - That's Right!

Size: 155,3 MB
Time: 66:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Blues, jump blues
Art: Full

1. That's Right (1:37)
2. Cansado (4:20)
3. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (4:06)
4. Stopping Me Cold (3:59)
5. Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of The City) (3:51)
6. Mi Mujer Se Enojó (4:10)
7. Minor Swing (3:39)
8. Me Estás Llamando (2:54)
9. I'm Just Your Fool (3:59)
10. Kidney Stew (6:30)
11. They're Red Hot (3:16)
12. Jump Jive And Wail (3:03)
13. Running Out Of Time (3:55)
14. Poco A Poco (5:04)
15. Caldonia (4:24)
16. Vamonos A Chicago (8:03)

Jose Luis Pardo is one of a handful of young artists born and raised outside the standard blues Meccas and who still has proven to be one of the best and most outstanding guitarists of the world scene. He is a living proof that you dont need to be born in North America to understand and feel the blues and make it your own. During the last five years, Argentine guitar blues singer, guitarist and composer Jose Luis Pardo has performed in the most important blues festivals of half of the world, earning a well deserved reputation as one of the most important and attractive blues acts in the international blues circuit.

In April 2007, he played the Jacksonville Blues Festival in USA where, after his set, he was specially asked to sit in with the legendary Muddy Waters Band to close the festival. He was the only non-american act at the festival. In July 2007, he was the great revelation of Blues Cazorla, Spain's most important festival and one of Europes finest. In January 2008, he was the leader of the Southamerican Band, in the Festival de Blues de Santiago de Chile, the most important blues festival of South America. Pardo was the only guitar player of all South America at that Festival, and he would repeat in Cazorla the following year.

The talented 29 year old musician, has already toured Memphis, Chicago, New York, Florida, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain, Portugal, France, Colombia, Mexico and a numoerous other countries. He has three CDs and one DVD pusblished and he is one of the privileged guitar players from South America endorsed by legendary guitar company, Gibson.

Jose Luis Pardo was born in Buenos Aires, March 17, 1981. Altough nobody in his family was a musician, he was always surrounded by music. First influences would be Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Europe. As Pardo says: "One night, I was about ten years old, I found myself playing imaginary guitar with a broomstick to a Brian May solo for about two hours, same solo. It was late at night but it was so intense that I had to wake my mother up. I knew that was it, that was what I wanted". He started studying guitar the following day. However, he would be a self taught musician as he quit guitar lessons one year later. At the age of 16, he started playing in the pubs and blues clubs of his hometown. This was the beginning of a journey that would later take him to the best blues spots in the world.

That's Right! mc
That's Right! zippy

Papa Don McMinn & Nightrain - Home Blues

Size: 109,8 MB
Time: 47:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Electric blues
Art: Front

1. Whole Lotta Woman (3:44)
2. White Mountain Prison Blues (4:25)
3. That's When I'll Stop Lovin' You (4:04)
4. Living On The Outside Plan (3:39)
5. Last Night Baby And The Night Before (4:02)
6. Key In The Lock (4:19)
7. Junior's Place (4:23)
8. I'll Follow The Blues (5:18)
9. Gypsy Wind (5:51)
10. Chicken Feets (3:16)
11. Big Wolf (4:28)

Papa Don McMinn is a Memphis Music legend. He was instrumental in the rebirth of the Home of the Blues: Beale Street in Memphis Tennessee. During the mid-1980s, Papa Don’s band had the "house gig" at Rum Boogie on the corner of Beale and Highway 61. Everyone who was anyone was there, and when the big names came to town to record or perform, there was only one place to go - to see Papa Don McMinn and his Rum Boogie band.

Twenty five years later, Papa Don is still creating and perpetuating his special brand of Southern Music, a concoction of Delta and Boogie Blues. Papa Don's current band, Nightrain, is anchored by his sons, Doug on drums and Rome on bass. Don has performed all across the planet, and he’s worked and recorded with the likes of Memphis Slim, John Mayall, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Albert King among others. Some of the notables who’ve made cameo appearances with Papa Don's band are Joe Walsh, Gregg Allman, Rufus Thomas, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy F Gibbons, and Eddie Floyd.

Home Blues mc
Home Blues zippy

Friday, January 29, 2021

Bernard Allison - The Next Generation

Size: 106.7 MB
Time: 45:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1992
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Low Down And Dirty (3:39)
02. Master Of Disaster (3:47)
03. Help (3:49)
04. Walkin' (3:21)
05. Baby Child (5:45)
06. Next Generation (4:48)
07. Wonderful Site (3:49)
08. Trav'lin' (7:23)
09. B.A.'s Knocking At Your Door (3:54)
10. Boogie Woogie Boy (5:16)

Bernard Allison's inaugural effort bristled with the urgency and blues-rock guitar chops that distinguished his late father, Luther Allison. The pair played together for much of the '80s before Bernard recorded this album with his father's musicians -- including keyboardist Michel Carras, who pulls down some good barrelhouse piano parts. The mood is feisty and assertive, especially on "B.A.'s Knockin' at Your Door" and "Low Down and Dirty," which poses the gleeful question, "And you think I'd change my style?" Of course not; fans knew exactly what they were getting, such as the Hendrix-flecked string-bending that drives "Help." (Bernard even dabbles on drums and keyboards.) Other highlights include the title track's party blues, complete with sassy horns; "Baby Child," a hilarious recounting of how Bernard began his career; and "Travlin'," a slower, yet frank look at the road's ups and downs. While hardly the deftest lyricist, Bernard's breezy self-assurance on guitar and can-do musical ethic should overcome most objections. ~Ralph Heibutzki

The Next Generation MP3
The Next Generation FLAC

Rufus Black - Extraneous Miscellaneous

Size: 105.2 MB
Time: 45:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Lucille (4:16)
02. Sweet Home Chicago (4:04)
03. Repo Man (7:34)
04. High Heel Sneakers (4:08)
05. Sunshine Of Your Love (9:06)
06. Cold Sweat (5:44)
07. Make A Move (3:56)
08. Shut Up (3:02)
09. Rise Up (3:16)

Personnel:
Gavin Conder - Vocals (Whitesnake, Manfred Mann)
Scott Mckeon - Guitar (Tom Jones, Lana Del Rey)
Ben Jones - Guitar (Mary J. Blige, The Voice Band)
Leighton Allen - Bass (Kelvin Jones,The Hoosiers)
Russell Parker - Drums (Robbie McIntosh, P.P. Arnold)

Rufus Black are a raw cocktail of British Blues, Funk, Soul and Rock. Formed in Dorset in December 2015, the five professional musicians became friends over their love of of blues & soul and decided to create a band. After a few packed out gigs in the pubs of Dorset they realised that the sound they created was instantly desired and appreciated.
Drawing influences from: Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Al Green, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Donny Hathaway, James Brown, Joe Cocker, Freddie King and everything in between!

Extraneous Miscellaneous MP3
Extraneous Miscellaneous FLAC

VA - Southern Bred: Texas R&B Rockers Vol. 9 (KMCD47)

Size: 158.3 MB
Time: 66:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, Rock, R&B
Art: Front & Back

01 Bobby Day - That's All I Want (2:18)
02 Roy Hawkins - Trouble Makin' Woman (2:39)
03 Mercy Dee - Red Light (2:33)
04 Calvin Boze - Working With My Baby (2:16)
05 Joe 'Papoose' Fritz - I'm Not Suspicious, But (2:27)
06 Camille Howard - Fire-Ball Boogie (2:27)
07 Charles Brown & Amos Milburn - Educated Fool (2:20)
08 Joe Houston - Shtiggy Boogie (2:36)
09 Floyd Dixon - Roll Baby Roll (2:18)
10 Harmonica Slim - Going Back Home (2:01)
11 Lightnin' Hopkins - New York Boogie (2:47)
12 Pee Wee Crayton - Little Bitty Things (1:49)
13 Peppermint Harris - My Blues Have Rolled Away (2:04)
14 Bud Harper - This Woman I Love (1:49)
15 'Smokey' Hogg - I'm Looking For My Baby (2:33)
16 Marie Adams - Ain't Car Crazy (2:47)
17 Ivory Joe Hunter - You Can't Stop This Rocking And Rolling (2:18)
18 Jesse Powell - Ain't You Gonna (2:18)
19 Ray Sharpe - Long John (2:41)
20 Andrew 'Smokey' Hogg - You're Gonna Look Like A Monkey (When You Get Old) (2:31)
21 T.V. Slim - Flat Foot Sam Meets Jim Dandy (2:19)
22 Barbara Lynn - Teen Age Blues (1:34)
23 Freddy King - I'm Tore Down (2:39)
24 Peppermint Harris - She's My Baby (2:13)
25 Freddy King - That's What You Think (2:37)
26 Cal Valentine & The Texas Rockers - The Boogie Twist Pt 1 (2:45)
27 'Smokey' Hogg - Good Mornin' Baby (2:33)
28 Young Jessie - I Smell A Rat (2:22)

The concept of these albums allows a variety of wide-ranging black music chosen by the theme of birth to be collected onto the albums. This makes the aural sound of the series different from that of a label-based collection. The mixed variety of artists include hitmakers, Bobby Day, Ray Sharpe and Marie Adams from the Johnny Otis Show. Piano rockers are heard from; Roy Hawkins, Floyd Dixon, Ivory Joe Hunter, Charles Brown and Amos Milburn and chanteuse Camille Howard all of whom offer different techniques of keyboard playing. The Downhome Blues comes from traditional roots performers; Harmonica Slim and Lightnin' Hopkins. The guitar Blues artists include Pee Wee Crayton, Barbara Lynn, and Freddy King and with horns to drive the song along Cal Valentine and The Texas Rockers have a catchy hook in their instrumental tune. The album climaxes with the wild and raucous Blues rocker from Young Jessie. Together all the artists featured perform a variety of music and many styles of Roots music are featured on I'm Tore Down. As with every album, there is more music to hear and enjoy and the vibrant music has a pleasing up-tempo feel throughout. This 'Koko Mojo' album is compiled by well-known Dee Jay and face on the music scene Mark Armstrong, who has been Dee Jaying since his early teen years. Our albums have; stunning design, sleeve notes, 28 songs, mastered for the best possible sound available. The album is great to play at home and perfect for Dee Jays who will find good dance-floor filling songs.

Thanks to Nappyrags 

Marc Ford - Live In Germany

Size: 301.5 MB
Time: 130:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Blues/Rock
Art: Front

01. Smilin' (Live) ( 7:49)
02. Devil's In The Details (Live) ( 3:46)
03. I'm Free (Live) ( 4:42)
04. The Ghetto Is Everywhere (Live) ( 4:58)
05. Old Lady Sunrise (Live) ( 4:46)
06. All We Need To Do Is Love (Live) ( 5:44)
07. Shalimar Dreams (Live) ( 3:01)
08. Pay For My Mistakes (Live) ( 7:08)
09. Don't Ya Get Me Killed (Live) ( 6:54)
10. The Vulture (Live) ( 5:27)
11. Locked Down Tight (Live) (10:48)
12. Greazy Chicken (Live) ( 9:13)
13. Dream #26 (Live) ( 5:03)
14. Gone Too Soon (Live) ( 2:48)
15. Lookout Joe (Live) ( 4:40)
16. The Same Coming Up (Live) ( 3:09)
17. Mother's Day (Live) ( 7:44)
18. Main Drain (Live) ( 7:51)
19. Deep Water (Live) ( 6:05)
20. Arkansas Gas Card (Live) ( 7:43)
21. Steady Rollin' Man (Live) (10:51)

Personnel:
Marc Ford - Guitars / Vocals
Mike Malone - Keys / Vocals
Tom Gilkes - Drums
Chris Jones - Bass

Note for note, Marc Ford ranks as one of the world’s preeminent guitarists. Even so, his songcraft commands the utmost respect. Ford is no one trick pony. Keyboardist Johnny Neel once said: “Marc Ford’s an actual genius. He has the best guitar sound I’ve ever heard.”

Ford’s career began in Los Angeles during the 1980s. His group, Burning Tree, captured the essence of his guitar virtuosity and songwriting.

He joined the Black Crowes in late 1991. Ford toured and recorded on three of the Crowes’ finest albums--The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, Amorica, and Three Snakes and One Charm. Ford’s tenure in the Crowes found the group operating at a zenith. He rejoined the Crowes in 2005-2006 when they toured and released The Lost Crowes--two albums the band never released when he was a member.

In 2002, Ford released his first solo album, It’s About Time. During this era, Ford experienced the highs and lows of surviving in a cutthroat music business through the years as well as being a dedicated family man. Ford’s following solo albums included Weary And Wired (2007), The Fuzz Machine (2010) and Holy Ghost (2014).

Ford won a NAACP award (John F. Kennedy counts as one of the few other Caucasians bestowed the honor) for his work on the Ben Harper and Blind Boys of Alabama album There Will Be A Light.

Also, Ford’s role as a record producer allowed him to use his gift of tone and a powerful ability to listen. Artists he produced include Ryan Bingham, Pawnshop Kings, Steepwater Band, Chris Lizotte, Phantom Limb and Republique du Salem. Marc Ford exists as a musical architect of the highest order.

Through his career Marc Ford has performed and recorded with Izzy Stradlin, Gov’t Mule, The Jayhawks, The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers, Federale, Widespread Panic, Blue Floyd, Booker T. Jones, Ivan Neville and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell.

The group on The Vulture, The Neptune Blues Club, recorded their debut album in 2009, which charted at #15 for two weeks on the blues charts. This versatile ensemble includes Mike Malone (vocals, harp, keys), John Bazz (bass), Anthony Arvizu (drums) and Ford. Mr. Ford unleashes his hypnotic guitar skills on these soulful tunes.

The Vulture was recorded on analog tape at mastermind John Vanderslide’s Tiny Telephone Studios located in the mission district of San Francisco. The Vulture emits Ford’s greatest strengths: soulful musicianship, memorable songs and an emotive groove.

Ford explained the ethos of these new compositions: “If Holy Ghost was Sunday morning, then The Vulture is Saturday night…”

The opening track--”Devil’s In the Details”--emerges as one of Ford’s finest. The tune operates in his electric wheelhouse. He’s like Clint Eastwood with a guitar. The well-crafted “The Same Coming Up” clocks in at one minute and fifty seconds emitting joyous rock n roll. “All We Need To Do Is Love” eases the listener into pastoral reflection. “This Ride” inspires reckless abandon. The title track contains Ford’s signature snakebite guitar work as he delivers a savage truth in the lyrics: “Got a head full of diamonds/And a nose full of snow/You leave a trail of destruction/Everywhere that you go/Got a shrug of the shoulder/For all that you stole.”

“Arkansas Gas Card” stands as one of the group’s stellar numbers that transfers with brilliance to a live audience. “Old Lady Sunrise” travels into sonic backwaters of a low-country swamp like some vintage STAX Records jewel. The gospel-laced “Deep Water” explores redemptive sanctuaries where matters of the soul are at stake.

“Shalimar Dreams” augments a gritty R&B, rock-n-roll magic in a mesmerizing sound that surrounds the listener. The last cut, “Girl of Mine”, is a love song Ford sings and provides steel on as the group provides a sparse, yet concise musical backdrop.

It’s harvest time for Marc Ford. Over the years he’s created his own stellar sound that meets all the rigid standards of excellence. The Vulture represents another timeless volume in Marc Ford’s inimitable musical journey... ~James Calemine

Live In Germany MP3
Live In Germany FLAC

Jeremiah Johnson, Whitney Shay, Ryan Perry - Blues Caravan 2020

Size: 182.5 MB
Time: 78:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

01. Let's Work Together (Live) (5:10)
02. Ain't Afraid to Eat Alone (Live) (5:18)
03. Evil is Going On (Live) (4:07)
04. High Risk, Low Reward (Live) (8:01)
05. Stand Up! (Live) (4:10)
06. Love's Creeping up on You (Live) (5:20)
07. A Woman Rules the World (Live) (5:33)
08. White Lightning (Live) (3:57)
09. Blues in Her Eyes (Live) (6:40)
10. Showdown (Live) (8:42)
11. Good Man Good Woman (Live) (4:04)
12. Gotta Serve Somebody (Live) (4:48)
13. Cherry Red Wine (Live) (8:25)
14. Old Time Rock 'n’ Roll (Live) (3:49)

For the last fifteen years, Europe’s Ruf Records has been putting on Blues Caravan tours featuring three top artists from their roster. The Blues Caravan tour includes performances every night on club stages across the US and Europe, with three rising talents who burn down the house and kick the blues into the modern age.

Every Blues Caravan tour has a fresh vibe, a dizzying chemistry and plenty of sparks. With exciting blues artists like Jeremiah Johnson, Ryan Perry, and Whitney Shay, you’ve got a trio of big talent poised to blast the roof off every single venue they perform in.

Blues Caravan 2020 MP3
Blues Caravan 2020 FLAC

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Guitar Jr. (Lonnie Brooks) - Broke An' Hungry

Size: 85.9 MB
Time: 36:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1969
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Wee Wee Hours (4:34)
02. Things I Used To Do (3:15)
03. Go To The Mardis Gras (2:30)
04. Texas Flood (3:51)
05. Tom Cat Blues (2:53)
06. Rooster Blues (2:59)
07. The Train And The Horse (5:42)
08. Broke & Hungry (3:10)
09. When There's No Way Out (1:56)
10. Don't Touch Me Baby (2:19)
11. Bed Bug Blues (3:10)

A momentary 1969 return to the Guitar Junior monicker -- for Capitol Records, no less -- was produced by Eddie Shuler's son Wayne and focuses on Lonnie Brooks's enduring swamp blues roots (long after he'd jettisoned the style). Unavailable on CD (Crosscut reissued it on vinyl), the LP consists of interpretations of oldies first rendered by Guitar Slim, Lightnin' Slim, Elton Anderson, Larry Davis, Hop Wilson, and Professor Longhair (along with Brooks' own "The Train and the Horse"). ~Bill Dahl

Broke An' Hungry MP3
Broke An' Hungry FLAC

Ghalia Volt - One Woman Band

Size: 98.6 MB
Time: 41:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Last Minute Packer (3:51)
02. Espiritu Papago (4:12)
03. Can't Escape (4:35)
04. Evil Thoughts (4:22)
05. Meet Me In My Dreams (4:14)
06. Reap What You Sow (3:45)
07. Loving Me Is A Full Time Job (4:09)
08. It Hurts Me Too (2:44)
09. It Ain't Bad (2:26)
10. Bad Apple (4:29)
11. Just One More Time (2:52)

The global pandemic has pushed most people out of their comfort zones and in the case of singer/guitarist Ghalia Volt’s One Woman Band, it’s a good thing. The album is a garage-y collection of tunes that rocks like something out of the 1950s.

The album title is literal. Volt handles vocals, guitar, and drums, all at the same time (although there are two tracks with bass from Dean Zucchero and Monster Mike Welch helps out with some guitar on “Evil Thoughts”). Volt began her career busking in Belgium, so she’s capable of performing alone, but this is the first time she’s recording as her own rhythm section. The beauty of the album is the freshness that comes from jumping into something new. Volt is a solid drummer, especially when you factor in that she’s belting out the vocals while handling the guitar, but it doesn’t sound the same as someone else playing. There are subtle tempo lags and shifts that inject tracks with excitement.

The energy comes from the boldness of Volt’s experiment. Drumming is hard for anyone. Drumming while accompanying yourself vocally and on guitar is next-level difficult. And then when you factor in it’s not her usual way of operating? It’s like watching a circus performer on a tightrope without a net. The tracks where the drums threaten to fall out of sync with the rest of the song are riveting, which sounds like a criticism, but is a strong, sincere compliment. Too many artists are afraid of imperfection and paint over the small blemishes, where Volt recognizes them as the true beauty of the track. No one listens to Robert Johnson for the production. It’s the songwriting, performance, and moment he’s locked into that grabs us.

And to clarify, Volt’s drumming is solid and professional. She just leaves in moments that many other artists would have re-done. In that sense, this sounds like a live album, where there’s no going back. For instance, on “Loving Me is a Full Time Job,” Volt starts with her voice and chorus-twinkling guitar, transitioning the song through a bluesy dirge, before kicking in her own drums, moving the track into a 50s bounce. But the drums hang back a bit, rather than propelling the song. It sounds punk rock and classic blues, all at the same time. Factor in Volt’s voice, which provides a lighter counterpoint, with its hint of a blues howl, and you have a song that works in several different time periods.

Volt is a strong songwriter, but her cover of “It Hurts Me Too” is special. Her electric guitar provides the song’s low-end until her slide comes in, mirroring the sadness of her vocals. And that’s all there is: electric guitar and voice making the song sound huge and complete. The beauty of the cover is how Volt locks into the spirit of previous versions, not rocking it, but simplifying the song all the way down to its essence. I’m a huge Elmore James fan and while he didn’t write it, he’s strongly associated with the song. I’m protective of anyone horning in on James’ territory, but this version passes my test.

Who knows if Volt would have come to this album under different circumstances? But I’m glad she did. It’s a bold move from an artist committed to getting her music out, even if it means becoming her own band. Eventually, Volt will be able to return to band-oriented recording but I hope she keeps the one-person band in her musical arsenal, at the very least for a few tracks per album. The Review: 8.5/10 ~Steven Ovadia

One Woman Band MP3
One Woman Band FLAC

Alabama Slim - The Parlor

Size: 69.5 MB
Time: 29:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Delta Blues
Art: Front

01. Hot Foot (1:46)
02. Freddie's Voodoo Boogie (2:52)
03. Rob Me Without A Gun (4:22)
04. Rock With Me Momma (3:00)
05. All Night Long (3:32)
06. Forty Jive (2:00)
07. Midnight Rider (2:18)
08. Rock Me Baby (3:04)
09. Someday Baby (3:08)
10. Down In The Bottom (3:44)

Milton Frazier a.k.a. Alabama Slim was born in Vance, Alabama in March of 1939. His father worked at the Pullman Plant, the manufacturer of railroad cars, and his mother a housekeeper. His parents listened to 78’s on an old Victoria turntable, and as a youngster he fell in love with the music of Lightnin’ Hopkins and Big Bill Broonzy.

Slim moved to New Orleans in 1965 where he still resides. “I came to New Orleans after hurricane Betsy. Got me a job with a moving company and then one making cooking oil. My cousin Freddie King was drinking hard in those days, and I was too. We jammed every once in a while. By the time the 80’s rolled around I was not doing much but Freddie always checked on me. By the 90’s I got myself together and we have been the best of friends ever since, tighter than brothers really; there is not a day goes by when we do not speak or see each other.”

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans on August 29th, 2005; and both Slim and Little Freddie lost all their worldly possessions. Together they settled in a Dallas apartment complex where they spent their days working up old and new songs. Drummer/producer Ardie Dean recorded one of their sessions. When Music Maker Relief Foundation founder Tim Duffy heard the session he asked them to come to North Carolina to record. In 2007 Slim, Little Freddie, and Ardie cut their first album “The Mighty Flood”. Three years later Slim, with the assistance of Freddie and Ardie, recorded a follow-up album “Blue & Lonesome”. In 2013, Slim recorded with Ironing Board Sam and Robert Lee Coleman; and also appears on Music Makers 2019 compilation “Blue Muse”.

On June 7th, 2019 Slim, Little Freddie and Ardie entered the New Orleans recording studio “The Parlor”. During post production Matt Patton of the Drive-By Truckers was added on bass, and Jimbo Mathus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers added on piano and organ. “Slim and King’s guitars interweave with Dean’s masterful drumming to create a driving boogie, with Slim’s soothing vocals sprawled out on top, reminiscent of John Lee Hooker”. The album is produced by Ardie Dean, and Tim & Denise Duffy.

The ten tracks include new masterpieces from Slim including the opener “Hot Foot”; “Rob Me Without A Gun”, “Rock With Me Momma” and “Midnight Rider” featuring outstanding vocals; retooled classics “Rock Me Baby” and “Someday Baby”, special guest Little Freddie King’s lead on “Freddie’s VooDoo Boogie” and Slim’s timely politically charged “Forty Jive”.

The final product is a lesson in perseverance, fifty years in the making, Slim holds dear to the blues he learned growing up in Alabama. An instant classic. ~Richard Ludmerer

The Parlor MP3
The Parlor FLAC

Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King - Roadhouse Research

Size: 110.4 MB
Time: 47:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Texas Blues
Art: Full

01. Healthy Mama (3:56)
02. Tell Me Why (3:41)
03. Cryin' Shame (4:09)
04. Got To Get Paid (4:09)
05. Better Be Getting It On (3:44)
06. Runnin' Blind (5:45)
07. The Blues Is Still With Us (4:54)
08. Make It Right (4:32)
09. I Need More (5:09)
10. Standing In My Door (7:13)

If the 10 years these Texas guitarists have spent as a team exploring the world bar by bar has been "research," what they've learned is how to please a crowd. The formula's simple: no-frills songs about women and working for a livin', set to meat-and-potatoes arrangements that leave plenty of room for their guitars to roam. Kubek's six-string snarls the loudest, hitting Albert Collins-style sustains and grinding out beefy chords. King skirts around the fringes with his sweet-toned, jazz-informed fills or works at groove-level, anchoring things with his basic, chopping, R&B-style chording. King's vocals are really his trump card. They're smooth and slinky when he's romancing in "Make It Right" or gravelly as Kubek's fluid guitar when he's a driven man in numbers like "Runnin' Blind." The album ends with the kind of guitar grand finale that sets a crowd on fire just after last call. The tune, "Standing in My Door," lets both six-stringers sting. Bnois King lays down a red carpet of sliding chords and Smokin' Joe struts through, doing his own dirty take on B.B. King's vibrato-laden style, bending notes and letting them sing. Then Bnois take the lead, his cleaner fretboard diction cutting even closer to B.B.'s lines before he returns to the microphone to sing the closing chorus. Fans of the Lone Star State's blues guitar tradition need to check these guys out. ~Ted Drozdowski

Roadhouse Research MP3
Roadhouse Research FLAC

VA - Southern Bred: Texas R&B Rockers Vol. 8 (KMCD46)

Size: 166.7 MB
Time: 70:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, Rock, R&B
Art: Front & Back

01 Mercy Dee - Romp & Stomp Blues (2:23)
02 Joe Tex & His X Classmates - Charlie Brown Got Expelled (2:18)
03 Joe Houston - Ko Ko Mo (2:41)
04 Katie Webster - Hoo Wee, Sweet Daddy (2:06)
05 Peppermint Harris - Fat Girl Boogie (2:33)
06 Larry Dale - Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee (2:39)
07 Bobby Day - Ain't Gonna Cry No More (2:15)
08 Jesse Powell Orchestra - Hot Box (2:44)
09 Roy Gaines - Loud Mouth Lucy (3:03)
10 T-Bone Walker - Pony Tail (2:28)
11 Roy Hawkins - Mean Little Girl (2:54)
12 Calvin Boze & His All Stars - You're Tops With Me (2:27)
13 Lightnin' Hopkins & His Guitar - Papa Bones Boogie (2:34)
14 Camille Howard - Bangin' The Boogie (2:15)
15 Floyd Dixon - That'll Get It (2:47)
16 Mercy Dee - Come Back Maybelline (2:31)
17 Freddy King - The Stumble (3:13)
18 Ray Sharpe - That's The Way I Feel (1:54)
19 Smokey Hogg - Baby Shake Your Leg (3:01)
20 Roy Hawkins - On My Way (2:35)
21 T.V. Slim & His Heartbreakers - Flat Foot Sam (2:13)
22 Ivory Joe Hunter - Shooty Baby (2:03)
23 Bobby Day - Honeysuckle Baby (2:45)
24 Harmonica Fats - Mary Ellen (1:58)
25 Big Walter & His Thunderbirds - Six Weeks Of Misery (2:19)
26 Robbin Ray - Love My Baby (2:38)
27 Roy Gaines - Skippy Is A Sissy (If This Ain't Love) (2:20)
28 Pee Wee Crayton - You Know Yeah (2:33)

"That'll Get It", Southern Bred Texas R&B Rockers (Koko Mojo KMCD046) takes us deeper into Texas sand and collects a plethora of Rhythm & Blues artists born in the big 't 'State. The concept of these albums allows to source a variety of wide-ranging choice of music chosen by the theme of birth, which makes the aural sound of the album different to that of a label-based collection. Sitting comfortably side by side are Country Blues Shufflers, Rhythm & Blues and Rock 'N' Roll music. The mixed variety of artists include the famous; Joe Tex and His X Classmate, hit maker Bobby Day, saxophone master's Jesse Powell and Joe Houston (here with a vocal recording). Piano boogie is heard from Floyd Dixon, Katie Webster, Camille Howard and Mercy Dee Walton. Variety of style is heard from Lightnin' Hopkins and Harmonica Slim from their stomping Blues sounds. The electric side of Rhythm & Blues is heard via living legends; Roy Gaines and Ray Sharpe who both pick a mean and wild guitar. As with every album there is more music to hear and enjoy. This Koko Mojo album is compiled by well-known Dee Jay and face on the music scene Mark Armstrong, who has been Dee Jaying since his early teen years. Our albums have; stunning design, sleeve notes, twenty-eight songs, mastered for the best possible sound. The disc is housed in an attractively designed cardboard sleeve, specially designed to avoid the use of plastic and be environmentally friendly. The album is great to play at home and perfect for Dee Jays who will find good dance-floor filling songs. The recordings are all killers and no fillers. The album is great to play at home and perfect for Dee Jays who will find good dance-floor filling songs.

Thanks to Nappyrags

Selwyn Birchwood - Living In A Burning House

Size: 117.3 MB
Time: 50:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. I'd Climb Mountains (3:30)
02. I Got Drunk, Laid And Stoned (3:32)
03. Living In A Burning House (4:08)
04. You Can't Steal My Shine (3:53)
05. Revelation (2:49)
06. Searching For My Tribe (4:19)
07. She's A Dime (3:58)
08. One More Time (4:30)
09. Mama Knows Best (4:36)
10. Freaks Come Out At Night (4:40)
11. Through A Microphone (3:22)
12. Rock Bottom (3:08)
13. My Happy Place (3:41)

Selwyn Birchwood first picked up the guitar at the age of 13; by seventeen he was into Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Freddie King and Albert Collins. Birchwood was befriended by Sonny Rhodes who became his mentor and took him on the road. In 2014 Birchwood released his debut album “Florida Boy”.

Birchwood won the right to represent the Suncoast Blues Society at the 2012 International Blues Challenge and although he didn’t win; it proved to be a positive experience. Bruce Iglauer, President of Alligator Records, was judging and states “I was immediately impressed by how this young Floridian ruled the stage, strolling barefoot while playing searing solos and singing in his rough edged voice. He carried himself like a musician with years of experience.”

In 2013 Birchwood returned to the IBC, won first place was declared the IBC’s “Albert King Guitarist of the Year”. He was signed to Alligator and released his label debut “Don’t Call No Ambulance” the following year. As a result, Birchwood won the 2015 Blues Music Award for “Best New Artist Debut”. In 2017 Birchwood followed up with “Pick Your Poison” and received two more BMA’s nominations including “Contemporary Blues Male Artist”; and followed up with a second “Contemporary Blues Male Artist” nomination in 2019.

The current band lineup includes Birchwood, guitar, lap steel, glockenspiel and vocals; Regi Oliver, baritone, tenor, and alto saxophones, and piccolo flute; Donald “Huff” Wright, bass; Philip “Squeak” Walker, drums; and Walter “Bunt” May, Hammond B-3, Wurlitzer and piano. The album is produced by the Grammy winning Tom Hambridge and recorded at the Phat Planet Studios in Orlando.

All songs and arrangements (including horns) were written by Birchwood who adds “I tell my stories in my own way, with my own voice. You won’t ever hear me on stage singing someone else’s songs. Muddy Waters, B. B. King, and John Lee Hooker all told their own stories. That’s what I’m doing.” Birchwood opens with the rocking “I’d Climb Mountains” and states “with the keyboards it’s like we’re a whole new band with a bigger footprint; I can really stretch out on guitar while still featuring the baritone.” On “I Got Drunk, Laid and Stoned” Birchwood plays the lap steel as he sings “she was out all night, she got drunk laid and stoned…my baby hurt me to my soul, she cut me to the bone…I’m going out all night, gonna get drunk, laid and stoned”.

The title track, “Living in A Burning House”, is built around a ska beat, which quickly becomes unrecognizable, as it’s replaced with some serious funk before Birchwood takes a blistering but fluid solo, followed by a tenor solo from Oliver. “You Can’t Steal My Shine” is a gospel inspired celebration with another insane solo.

On “Revelation” Birchwood is joined by Hambridge who sings the backing vocal before Birchwood shreds his Gibson. “Searching For My Tribe” features another emotive lyric “I can’t take no rest, till I complete my quest…I’m searching for my tribe.” On my favorite “She’s A Dime” Birchwood sings “my baby’s, she’s a dime, she ain’t no six, seven, eight or nine, and she’s mine, all mine” while Oliver plays his baritone sax.

On “Mama Knows Best” Birchwood is joined by the BMA winning Diunna Greenleaf as they share a duet. Birchwood’s best vocal might arguably be the outstanding “One More Time”, featuring a baritone solo from Oliver, and backing singer Cece Teneal. Birchwood switches back to the lap steel for the funky “Freaks Come Out At Night”.

The band is at their best on “Through A Microphone” with the lyric “and the only time I feel whole is when I’m baring my soul for you through a microphone”. “Rock Bottom” is another funky tune with strong bass from Wright, May’s organ, and Birchwood’s soulful vocal and stinging guitar. Birchwood closes with the airy “My Happy Place” with Oliver on sax, as he sings “one-part melody, one-part harmony, a splash of imagination, that’s all it takes to make, my happy place”.

Birchwood puts his own unique spin into the making of this baker’s dozen, “it stops just being music and start’s being medicine… when it’s made with love”. Thank you Selwyn. ~Richard Ludmerer

Living In A Burning House MP3
Living In A Burning House FLAC

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

VA - Austin, Texas Rockin' The Crossroads

Size: 108.7 MB
Time: 45:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01 Luther Tucker - You Got What You Wanted (3:46)
02 Doyle Bramhall - Too Sorry (2:44)
03 Sue Foley - Open Up Your Eyes (2:30)
04 Lewis Cowdrey - Itchy And Scratchy (3:48)
05 Kim Wilson - Tigerman (3:41)
06 Candye Kane - Don't Blame It On Me (3:18)
07 Snooky Pryor - Bury You In A Paper Sack (4:35)
08 Steve James - Railroad Blues (2:19)
09 David Halley - It's Just As Well (3:36)
10 Loose Diamonds - Downtown (4:09)
11 Stephen Bruton - This Train Is Gone (3:43)
12 Pat McLaughlin - Better You Get Ready (3:12)
13 Glen Clark - Old Enough To Know Better (4:26)

In the 1980s and 1990s, Austin, Texas became more and more of a hotbed of roots music -- everything from electric blues, funk, and soul to Tex-Mex, country, rockabilly, americana, folk, and jazz. One of the independent labels that popped up in Austin was Antone's, which provides a variety of roots music on Austin, Texas: Rockin' the Crossroads. This good-to-excellent sampler offers a generous dose of high-energy electric blues, including Snooky Pryor's "Bury You in a Paper Sack" and Luther Tucker's "You Got What You Wanted." But it also contains everything from the acoustic country blues of Steve James' "Railroad Blues" to Lewis Cowdrey's "Itchy and Scratchy" (which brings a rock edge to James Brown-like funk), Sue Foley's moody soul number "Open Up Your Eyes," and earthy roots-rock/americana tunes like Pat McLaughlin's "Better You Get Ready" and David Halley's "It's Just As Well." Not all of the artists on the album are natives or residents of Austin -- some are Californians, some Midwesterners. Nonetheless, Austin, Texas paints an honest and enjoyable picture of the variety of music one could expect from the Lone Star city and from the Antone's label. ~Alex Henderson

Austin, Texas Rockin' The Crossroads MP3
Austin, Texas Rockin' The Crossroads FLAC

Natural Blues - Elementary Power

Size: 138.7 MB
Time: 59:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Chicago Blues, Delta Blues
Art: Full

01. Love You In The Morning (Single Version) (3:26)
02. Muddy Waters (3:52)
03. Mr. President (5:10)
04. Three O'Clock In The Mornin' (5:17)
05. I Can't Breathe (2:57)
06. Shame On You, Mr.Trump (3:46)
07. Fishing Blues (3:24)
08. I Hear My Phone Ringing (4:46)
09. What My Boss Wants (5:11)
10. Weepin 'n' Mounin' (3:45)
11. Sweet Goddess Blues (3:25)
12. Rockin' Goddess Blues (3:21)
13. Lovin You In The Morning (Extended Version) (4:43)
14. Shame On You, Mr.Trump (Extended Version) (6:03)

Natural Blues is the Blues formation created in Hamburg by Norbert Egger in 1982. At that time, the 1979 founded band City Blues Connection has been the main project with up to 20 concerts a month. Initially Natural Blues has been intended as a “side project”, but with its incredibly diverse Power Blues and extravagant show, the band evolved to become a main act.

After the death of the founding member and outstanding Blues harp player Heiko Petcke in 2017, Norbert Egger reformed and expanded the band. At the new formation, Alex Meik (double bass), Hubert Hofherr (Blues harp), and Stefan Schubert (guitar and vocals) joined the band.

Blues from all eras of its history is presented, from the earliest country blues on acoustic instruments to the Blues of the 1920s, Mississippi Delta Blues, Chicago Blues and current Blues Rock. As live act, Natural Blues offers an extraordinary stage performance: it is captivating and entertaining, when band leader Norbert Egger throws his jacket across the stage, letting his slide guitar scream while sliding on his knees or lying on the floor, Hubert Hofherr is doing his magic with the Blues harp, Stefan Schubert conjures up his brilliant solos on the parquet, or the whole band involves the audience as a huge background choir.

In 2019, Natural Blues published the first EP Shame On You, Mr. Trump with committed lyrics according to the politics of the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. This first release has been very successful: the music has been played by many radio stations around the world. Two songs of this EP established themselves for almost 18 months in the Bluestime Blues Charts, reached #1 and held the top position for more than nine weeks. Dozens of very good reviews in music magazines and radio shows completed the successful publication. The same year, Natural Blues had also a big number of very successful concerts, too. In good memory are, for example, the concerts at Rockhouse Salzburg and as support act for Jethro Tull, where they wowed the audience!

Due to Corona restrictions in 2020 only few concerts took place. But the band made good use of the time by producing another two EP’s.

EP I Can’t Breathe included mainly tough electric Chicago Blues and Blues Rock, matching the committed lyrics against racism and police violence. On second EP Extraordinary Times a musical journey from the Mississippi delta to Chicago is to be heard: the songs are varying from delta style with Dobro and double bass to modern electric Chicago Blues performed with the typical setup with amplified Blues harp, electric guitars, electric bass and drums. Concerts and releases are demonstrating:

Natural Blues is elemental primal power, music and a show really worth listening to, captivating any audience!

Elementary Power MP3
Elementary Power FLAC

Brandon Miller - Virtue And Vice

Size: 161.8 MB
Time: 69:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues Rock, Americana
Art: Front

01. Gone (4:53)
02. Fire (5:21)
03. Virtue And Vice (5:30)
04. Dirt To Stone (7:05)
05. Bad Situation (5:39)
06. Ain't Welcome Here No More (4:47)
07. Honey Bee (5:56)
08. Captured By You (4:24)
09. Losing Control (4:48)
10. Win To Lose (5:34)
11. Love Ain't No Guarantee (3:51)
12. Road Less Traveled (3:35)
13. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (7:42)


Best known as a founding member of the Danielle Nicole Band, Kansas City-based Brandon Miller steps out of the shadows for the first time in six years as a front man for this powerful collection of blues drenched Americana that shows why he’s a fan favorite wherever he appears.

A product of Gardner, Kan., where the Santa Fe and California Trails split about 35 miles southwest of Eight Street and Vine, Miller always dreamed about a musical career in music, something that was enforced by witnessing Aerosmith, Rush and Kiss up close in childhood. His interest in guitar began at age 17 when he saw Kenny Wayne Shepherd for the first time.

Influenced heavily by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Warren Haynes and Joe Bonamassa, Brandon studied music through high school and college before launching a band under his own name, releasing two CDs in the process – Long Goodbye in 2011 and Slow Train three years later. His 2017 album, Live at Knuckleheads, exhibited plenty of the six-string fireworks you’ll hear here.

A gifted songwriter who switches off between electric and acoustic arrangements, Miller penned 11 originals here — blending blues, rock, country and roots — in addition to covering one song each from the catalogs of Tom Petty and George Harrison. Recorded at Weights and Measures Soundlab in the City of Fountains, he’s backed by Damon Parker on keys, Go-Go Ray on drums and Dylan Reiter on bass.

“Gone” opens the action with a quiet acoustic intro before erupting into an unhurried, driving blues-rock complaint about Brandon finding himself alone at home and knowing he has to move on after his woman splits. It quiets briefly at the break before exploding prior to a diminished acoustic close. The tempo quickens slightly for “Fire” and “Virtue and Vice,” which continue the sense of loss forward atop a percussive shuffle.
The seven-minute ballad “Dirt to Stone” is up next, announcing that the relationship truly is a broken dream. It’s highlighted by a mid-tune break that features Brandon’s soaring, bittersweet, single-not guitar runs juxtaposed to Parker’s steady chording. The mood brightens with the medium-paced shuffle, “Bad Situation,” which expresses the realization the singer stayed too long, a message that continues in the driving rocker, “Ain’t Welcome Here No More.”

A fairly faithful cover of Petty’s “Honey Bee” is up next before the acoustic ballad “Captured by You” comes across with a slight, pleasant country feel. The energetic blues-rocker “Losing Control” describes the feeling of living life too fast before things quiet again momentarily for “Win to Lose,” a powerful statement in which Brandon wants to run away to save himself from another seemingly impossible relationship.

It’s a difficult discovery, which Miller expresses in “Love Ain’t No Guarantee,” the realization of which is expressed subtly by the brightness and lack of tension in the arrangement despite the subject. “Road Less Traveled,” a country-tinged number with Brandon on slide, and a stellar take on Harrison’s familiar “While My Guitar Weeps for You.”

If you favor blues-rock, this one’s definitely for you, although – in a world plagued with coronavirus – you’d better be in the right frame of mind because of the downer messages within. ~Marty Gunther

Virtue And Vice MP3
Virtue And Vice FLAC

VA - The Mojo Man Special Vol. 1: Doctor Velvet (KMCD100)

Size: 133.0 MB
Time: 56:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, Rock, R&B
Art: Front & Back

01 Mike Robinson - Lula (2:17)
02 Volcanos - Oh Oh Mojo (1:36)
03 Jesse Powell Orchestra - The Walking Blues (2:52)
04 The Nite Riders - Doctor Velvet (2:32)
05 Bobby Hendricks - Molly Be Good (2:04)
06 Jimmy Liggins - I Aint Drunk (2:23)
07 John Lee Hooker - Dimples (2:13)
08 Gay Poppers - You Got Me Uptight (1:54)
09 Johnny Otis Orchestra (Vocal Redd Lyte) - Little Red Hen (2:28)
10 Earl (Connelly) King - They Tell Me (2:25)
11 Eddie Barnes - Sweet Lover (2:16)
12 Harmonica Fats - Tore Up (2:36)
13 Helen Humes - Real Fine Daddy (2:13)
14 Smokey Smothers - Twist With Me Annie (3:05)
15 Teddy (Mr Bear) McCrae - Hi Fi Baby (2:29)
16 Ray Johnson - Shake A Little Bit (2:11)
17 Earl Washington - Misirlou (2:17)
18 Sugar Boy Williams - Little Girl (2:31)
19 Little Betty - Twistin School (2:13)
20 Chris Kenner - Will You Be Mine (2:01)
21 Larry Bright - Way Down Home (1:59)
22 Huey Smith & His Clowns - Genevieve (2:27)
23 Henry Strogin - Misery (2:20)
24 The Five Counts - Watermelon Walk (2:32)

You heard about the Koko-Mojo series (30 volumes), the Southern Bred series (20 volumes) and Boss Black Rockers (10 volumes). The Mojo Man has compiled a brand new series - 24 handpicked Blues and R'n'B songs - dancefloor killers only!

The Mojo Man Special Vol. 1: Doctor Velvet (KMCD100) MP3
The Mojo Man Special Vol. 1: Doctor Velvet (KMCD100) FLAC

LeVee Town - LeVee Town

Size: 112.9 MB
Time: 48:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. I'm Not Broke (2:26)
02. Three Sides (3:59)
03. You Mean (4:44)
04. Why Why Why (3:25)
05. Broken Jar (3:47)
06. Rhythm Man (3:26)
07. Vegas (2:56)
08. KC Killa (4:13)
09. Etta (2:21)
10. Heartless Is The Winter (6:48)
11. Hullabaloo (2:03)
12. Rock Me Baby (2:29)
13. Pressures (2:14)
14. Chicken Truck (3:21)

Levee Town is truly reminiscent of the old rock n roll energy that very first dominated the stage, but with a searing blend of blues and rockabilly stylings. Since forming in 2002, the band has taken their powerhouse sound from the fertile Kansas City blues scene to festival stages all over the US. Known for their explosive live shows, this foursome has won adulation and critical praise the old-fashioned way - they earned it.

Fronted by a trio of talented singer-songwriters, Levee Town is never at a loss for fresh new material. In addition to playing an average of 250 dates a year, the band is constantly writing new songs and revamping the classics.

Their 2004 live debut Snapshot displayed the band's on-stage prowess and blistering live performance. In 2006, they released their first full-length studio effort Unstable Table which displayed a strong penchant for solid songwriting and inventive lyrics. Their 2009 album entitled simply LEVEE TOWN shows that the group continues to grow musically and contains the band's finest songwriting and production to date. Their current release, "Pages of Paperwork", offers a solid set of original blues rooted firmly in the traditional blues sound, but also mixed with traces of rock, country, and even a little bit of pop.

Levee Town MP3
Levee Town FLAC

Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson & Jay McShann - Jumpin' The Blues (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions)

Size: 144,6 MB
Time: 62:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003/2008
Styles: Blues, piano blues
Art: Full

1. Confessin' The Blues (3:19)
2. Yardbird Waltz (3:42)
3. My Chile (3:42)
4. Satin Doll (5:16)
5. Kansas City (4:05)
6. Jumpin' The Blues (4:05)
7. Mr. Cleanhead Blues (4:14)
8. Wait A Minute, Baby (4:17)
9. Juice Head Baby (5:00)
10. Kidney Stew (8:23)
11. Cherry Red (3:03)
12. Red Top (4:54)
13. Roll 'Em C Jam Blues (6:15)
14. C Jam Again (2:10)

As part of The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions series, alto saxophonist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson is spotlighted on 14 digitally remastered tracks, recorded at Cargo Studio in Paris on March 9, 1969. This straight-ahead session pairs Cleanhead with pianist Jay McShann, Gene Ramey on bass, and McShann's drummer at the time, Paul Gunther. While this disc doesn't contain any unreleased tracks, it does feature several first-rate renditions of Vinson's signature tunes, including "Mr. Cleanhead Blues," "Kidney Stew," and "Juice Head Baby." /Al Campbell, AllMusic

Jumpin' The Blues (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions) mc
Jumpin' The Blues (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions) zippy

Louisiana Red - Live At Montreux

Size: 103,3 MB
Time: 44:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000/2003
Styles: Acoustic blues
Art: Full

1. Bring It On Home To Me (3:34)
2. First Degree (3:21)
3. Look At The Children Run (3:38)
4. My Heart's A Loser (4:08)
5. When My Mama Was Living (5:01)
6. Held Up In One Town (4:14)
7. Turkey Killer (3:30)
8. Date With Barbara (3:31)
9. Standing at Your Door (5:23)
10. Going Train Blues (4:30)
11. Sweet Blood Call (3:47)

Recorded live in Switzerland in 1975, here's Louisiana Red performing solo to a wildly appreciative audience. Armed with nothing more than his slide guitar and a voice that consumes most of the space in the mix, Red lays down a set of originals and old standards like Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me" with equal flair. This is a very inspired performance and one of Red's best albums to date. Highly recommended. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

Live At Montreux mc
Live At Montreux zippy

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Bernard Allison - Kentucky Fried Blues (Live)

Size: 134.2 MB
Time: 57:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Introduction ( 0:29)
02. Buzz Me ( 2:05)
03. Going Down ( 5:25)
04. Bad Love (14:08)
05. Life Is A Bitch ( 4:52)
06. Midnight Creeper ( 6:34)
07. Leave My Girl Alone (18:12)
08. Good Time Woman ( 6:01)

More than a few musicologists have noted the parallels between hip-hop and the blues -- both involve first-rate storytelling, both can be sexually candid, and both have been known to use dark humor. But there is one major difference between hip-hop and the blues: while hip-hop is extremely youth-driven, the blues world is a lot more receptive to people who are 30 and over. Blues fans realize that someone might have more to say at 35 than he/she did at 20; consequently, blues artists are encouraged to grow and develop, which is a good thing for someone like Bernard Allison. The singer/guitarist showed promise all along, but Kentucky Fried Blues finds a thirtysomething Allison continuing to grow as an artist. This CD isn't called Kentucky Fried Blues because Allison is from Kentucky -- Allison gets most of his electric blues inspiration from Chicago and Texas. Rather, the name Kentucky Fried Blues stems from the fact that this CD was recorded live at the WC Handy Blues Festival in June 1999 in Henderson, KY, where a 33-year-old Allison is sounding more and more confident -- not only as a bluesman, but also as a soul singer. The blues are the album's main focus, and a blues-oriented approach serves him well on the instrumental "Buzz Me," Buddy Guy's "Leave My Girl Alone," and father Luther Allison's "Life Is a Bitch." But he has no problem getting into soul-singer mode on "Midnight Creeper," which is also by the late Luther Allison. For Bernard Allison, being blues-oriented doesn't mean excluding soul, funk, and rock influences -- and it doesn't mean that he can't have some fun with a '60s-like soul tune. All things considered, Kentucky Fried Blues paints an appealing picture of Allison at 33. ~Alex Henderson

Kentucky Fried Blues (Live) MP3
Kentucky Fried Blues (Live) FLAC

The Love Gloves - Delta Roll

Size: 101.4 MB
Time: 43:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Electric Blues, Delta Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. Sometimes Woman (3:17)
02. Elevate Me (4:44)
03. Deja Vu, All Over Again (2:19)
04. Fet 'Em While They're Hot (3:25)
05. Who Do You Love (2:56)
06. Leaving Blues (4:17)
07. Hate To See You Go (3:57)
08. Mother Don't Allow (2:29)
09. Raining On My Heart (3:42)
10. Strange Land (3:29)
11. Money Bound (3:15)
12. Waiting For The Man (2:12)
13. Bottle It Up And Go (2:53)

Personnel:
Keith Dunn - vocals, harmonica
Lars Vegas - vocals, guitar
Marko Jovanovic - upright bass
Klaas Wendling - drums, backing vocals

A unique sound that the Berlin band The Love Gloves present to us. The sound is based on the delta, country and juke-joint blues of the 20s to 40s, plus the rougher style of the 50s and not to forget: a refreshing dose of courage. What comes out not only pulls the audience off their feet in the smoky blues bar but also in the exciting basement clubs. The Love Gloves have been around for seven years, but the new CD: Delta Roll is also a debut because the fourth band member Keith Dunn is presented here for the first time. ~RocktheHouse

Delta Roll MP3
Delta Roll FLAC

Bluesman Tom Larsen - The Hard Way

Size: 132.1 MB
Time: 56:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. ZBH Intro (0:20)
02. Sexy Lingerie (3:48)
03. Lean & Mean (5:39)
04. Rollover (6:53)
05. Party Girl (5:14)
06. Too Late (4:19)
07. In My Hand (2:57)
08. The Hard Way (2:57)
09. Violent Love (3:33)
10. Do Me (7:41)
11. Whatever It Takes (4:43)
12. Too Proud To Beg (3:52)
13. Lovin' Me To Death (4:47)

Bluesman Tom Larsen has been a major Player on the East Coast music scene for over forty years.

He originally made his mark in the Blues World as a highly original and distinctive performer, with a brash and funky style all his own.

Bluesman is widely known as a songwriter. A number of his songs have been recorded by other artists, and when he performs in concert, he plays 100% BTL originals.

The Hard Way MP3
The Hard Way FLAC

Shawn Pittman - Meridian

Size: 98.5 MB
Time: 43:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Edge of the World (4:47)
02. Fortune and Fame (4:14)
03. Make the World Stop Turnin (3:40)
04. Call Them How I See Them (3:01)
05. My Luck Has Changed (3:41)
06. No Such of a Thing (5:06)
07. Mr. Dime Dropper (3:47)
08. Make People Dance (3:32)
09. Let's Blow This Joint (2:38)
10. High Maintenance Woman (5:29)
11. Hurricane (3:01)

Texas-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Shawn Pittman attended the Albert King/Jimmie Vaughan school of blues guitar playing. He's not flashy, and he realizes the spaces between the notes are as important as the notes themselves. Tone and melody are just as important to Pittman's way of thinking, as fast and flashy runs up and down the guitar neck.

By the time he was 28, Pittman had recorded and released three albums that showcase mostly his own original material, occasionally reinvigorating the work of others, such as his cover of Bob Dylan's "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" on his 2001 release, Full Circle.

Pittman was born and raised in Oklahoma, where his earliest musical memories were listening to his father and grandfather's record collections, which included good people like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. His grandmother was a boogie-woogie piano player and his grandfather played country guitar. His earliest blues heroes were Jimmy Reed and Lightnin' Hopkins. Hearing both of them for the first time was a revelation for the young, impressionable Pittman. He began taking piano lessons at age eight and stuck with that until he was 15, playing around a bit with saxophone and drums before settling on guitar. Pittman arrived in Dallas in 1992 for his last year of high school and attended the Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts. Shortly after this, he jumped right into Dallas' still-bustling blues club scene, sitting in with and befriending musicians like Anson Funderburgh, Hash Brown, Mike Morgan, Tutu Jones, Mark Pollock, and Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones. Being schooled by some of the best players around Dallas and Fort Worth, Pittman became a multi-dimensional guitarist who even today enjoys playing rhythm as well as lead guitar.

Pittman counts among his influences people like Lightnin' Hopkins, Hound Dog Taylor, Mike Morgan, and of course, Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, who came out of the Dallas club scene before they moved to Austin, one at a time, in the late '70s. Pittman recorded two discs for the now-defunct Cannonball Records label, Burnin' Up in 1997, and the Jim Gaines-produced Something's Gotta Give in 1998.

After spending the next two years battling some personal and professional demons, including the premature closing of Minneapolis-based Cannonball Records, Pittman moved to Austin, got his act together with the aid of two bassists, Tommy Shannon and Preston Hubbard, and released the somewhat autobiographical Full Circle, a 2001 release on his own Shawn Pittman Music label out of Austin. Full Circle was also produced by Jim Gaines.

Of his three releases, Something's Gotta Give and Full Circle showcase a mature songwriter with something to say, deep, tone-conscious guitar playing, and a fine voice. On Full Circle, Pittman is backed by a short who's-who of Austin-area musicians, including Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton from Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble on bass and drums, as well as Riley Osborne on Hammond B-3 and keyboards. ~Richard Skelly

Meridian MP3
Meridian FLAC

VA - Southern Bred: The Hot Thirty Picks (A Jubilation Of Scorching Rockers) (KMCD86)

Size: 169.8 MB
Time: 71:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, Rock, R&B
Art: Front & Back

01 Sonny Boy Williamson With Willie Love - Too Close Together (2:34)
02 John Lee Hooker - Leave My Wife Alone (2:48)
03 Willie Dixon - Don't Tell Nobody (2:10)
04 Howlin Wolf - Wang-Dang-Doodle (2:25)
05 Big Bill Broonzy & His Big Little Orchestra - Tomorrow (2:51)
06 Sonny Boy Williamson - Do It If You Wanna (2:29)
07 Clayton Love - Mary Lou (2:05)
08 Little Johnny Jones - I May Be Wrong (2:50)
09 Earl Hooker - Frog Hop (2:27)
10 Amos Milburn - Birmingham Bounce (3:04)
11 Lee Graves - I'm From Texas (2:02)
12 Bobby Day - Ain't Gonna Cry No More (2:15)
13 Harmonica Slim - Going Back Home (1:59)
14 Baldemar Huerta - El Rock De La Carcel (2:16)
15 Cledus Harrison - Rock And Roll In The Groove (2:01)
16 Gene Forrest & Four Feathers - Wiggle (2:43)
17 Joe Tex - She's Mine (2:23)
18 Ernie Fields - Teen Flip (2:24)
19 Floyd Dixon - Roll Baby Roll (2:17)
20 Earl King - You Can Fly High (2:13)
21 Larry Williams - You Bug Me Baby (1:51)
22 Drifting Charles - Evil Hearted Woman (2:05)
23 Linda Hopkinks - Shiver And Shake (2:27)
24 Fats Domino - Dance With Mr. Domino (1:56)
25 Earl Palmer - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On (2:59)
26 Paul Gayten - You Better Believe It (2:20)
27 The Heart Throbs - So Glad (2:19)
28 Chuck Carbo - Lucy Brown (2:23)
29 Lloyd Price - The Chicken And The Bop (2:15)
30 H.B. Barnum - Do't Cha Know (2:03)

“The KoKo Mojo Southern Bred R&B Rockers anthology was developed by well-known Dee Jay and face on the music scene Mark Armstrong, who has been Dee Jaying since his early teen years.”

A Jubilation of Scorching Southern Bred Rockers, Koko Mojo (KMCD086) is compiled to promote the now twenty CD album series Southern Bred, which has so far visited three States; Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana and New Orleans.

It is no grand narrative to say, “A Jubilation of Scorching Southern Bred Rockers is full of vibrant, exciting, and “A” grade titles that are highly danceable.” The promotionally CD album is an introduction to the series and a wonderful opportunity for you to acquaint yourself with Southern Bred R&B Rockers.

It all began with an idea to make available the Rural Rustic Blues recordings of Willie Love and some of his fellow Trumpet artists, and the demand was unprecedented, and from the music-buying public’s interest, the series was continued. The Southern States sofar visited are; Mississippi (KMCD034 – 038), Texas (KMCD039 – 049 and 062), and Louisiana and New Orleans (KMCD063 – 070).

The titles on this promotional disc are selected from the twenty albums and 560 songs used throughout the series. As every song is of quality through our “killer no filler” philosophy this coordinator had great difficulty selecting thirty highlights for your listening pleasure, and through endeavor accomplished the task. I have chosen thirty of my favorite songs from the series for the promotional disc, one of which is my all-time pick from the twenty albums.

Every Southern Bred album has; stunning design, is adorned with photographs, the sleeve-notes are engaging and include short biographical information, interesting facts, and anecdotes about the artist. Within the promotional album sleeve, there is a "standalone" twelve-page booklet that doubles up as a catalog introducing each release with a front cover, full track-listing, and purchasing information.

Through the Koko Mojo series, we endeavor to go deeper with research and the selection of recordings, to give you better value for your money and listening pleasure! The albums are mastered by our sound expert of choice, Heiko Schulz

Southern Bred: The Hot Thirty Picks (A Jubilation Of Scorching Rockers) (KMCD86) MP3
Southern Bred: The Hot Thirty Picks (A Jubilation Of Scorching Rockers) (KMCD86) FLAC

Morblus - I Feel Blues

Size: 100.9 MB
Time: 43:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues, Rock, Funk
Art: Front

01. Jungle Night (4:29)
02. I Play My Blues (4:51)
03. Guitar's Talking (4:14)
04. Lump Sugar (2:41)
05. I Can't Go Wrong (4:55)
06. Pappy's World (4:08)
07. I've Been A Fool (4:50)
08. Sufferin' (6:17)
09. They Ain't Got What I Got (3:09)
10. Better Half Of Me (4:14)

MORBLUS stands for American Blues made in Italy that captures the audience with it's exceptional sound of Funk, Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Soul. The band founded in 1991 has a wide repertoire of blues classics, modern soul pieces and original compositions. With an unbridled load of adrenaline, the quartet around frontman Roberto Morbioli conjures a unique music experience . The MORBLUS sound is different: its power and groove affected by the most different types of music sweeps the public away more than hardly any other act in the European music scene.

In Spain, the Netherlands and even in the Home of Blues, the USA, MORBLUS has by now made its mark as the most fiery Funky Blues Export from Italy. For this reason, MORBLUS has already rocked the stage together with numerous recognised Blues musicians such as:
Robben Ford, John Mayall, Ronnie Earl, Shakura S’Aida, Sax Gordon, Duke Robillard, James Montgomery, Diane Blue, Lucky Peterson, Sandra Hall, Chicago „Bob“ Nelson, Beverly Hammond, Jesse Yawn, Steve Smith, Paul Orta, Preston Shannon, Hush Brown, Blu „Benoit“ Boy, Michael Coleman, Tolo Marton, Louisiana, Mojo Queen, Billy Coban, Stanley Jordan, Stevie Smith, Roomful of Blues, Nalaya Brown, Waldo Weathers, Robin Brown.

I Feel Blues MP3
I Feel Blues FLAC

Monday, January 25, 2021

Chino & The Big Bet - 100 Years: Tribute To Robert Johnson

Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 43:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Stop Breakin' Down (2:17)
2. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom (2:58)
3. Come On In My Kitchen (2:48)
4. Stones In My Passway (3:15)
5. Love In Vain (3:25)
6. Last Fair Deal Gone Down (3:31)
7. Ramblin On My Mind (3:52)
8. They're Red Hot (2:33)
9. 32-20 (3:30)
10. If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day (4:46)
11. When You Got A Good Friend (3:47)
12. Malted Milk (2:48)
13. From Four Till Late (3:40)

Chino is one of the leading figures of Barcelona’s Blues and Swing scene. A highly original guitarist his style on slide guitar, encompassing blues, swing or jazz manouche, is unmistakable. Together with his band “The Big Bet”, comprising Rod Deville on double bass and Giggs Nother on drums, they have left their mark on numerous clubs and festivals throughout Spain and Europe.

Personnel: Chino (guitar, vocals); Rod Deville (upright bass); Marti Elias (drums); Victor Puertas (harmonica); Albert Bello (ukelele); Pol Prats (tenor sax); Maria Voronkova, Sandra Angles (backing vocals).

100 Years: Tribute To Robert Johnson mc
100 Years: Tribute To Robert Johnson zippy

Mem Shannon - A Cab Driver's Blues

Size: 127,0 MB
Time: 54:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. 5th Ward Horseman (1:45)
2. Play The Guitar Son (4:08)
3. $ 17.00 Brunette (1:26)
4. You Ain't Nothin' Nice (2:20)
5. My Baby's Been Watching TV (4:10)
6. Me And My Bed (3:51)
7. Ode To Benny Hill (1:18)
8. Taxicab Driver (4:44)
9. The Miserable Bastard (2:07)
10. One Hot Night (3:29)
11. Dick Tie Commandos (1:52)
12. The Boogie Man (4:50)
13. Maxine (4:28)
14. The Older Broad (0:57)
15. Got To Go (4:25)
16. Chantelle (1:02)
17. If This Ain't The Blues (5:35)
18. Food Drink And Music (1:52)

Mem Shannon's first album, A Cab Driver's Blues, became a minor media sensation upon its 1995 release due to circumstance more than music. Shannon's story is fascinating - he's a New Orleans taxi driver who wanted to get out of the business and become a bluesman. That's basically what all the songs on the album are about, whether they're about the job ("5th Ward Horseman," "$17.00 Brunette"), domestic problems ("My Baby's Been Watching TV") or just life in general ("Food Drink and Music," "Ode to Benny Hill"). Shannon's songs have so much specificity and detail that they wind up being much more interesting than the average contemporary blues album.

Also, his warm, laidback musical style is idiosyncratic and unpredictable. His delivery is friendly and conversational - he often sounds as if he's singing directly to the listener. And it's that special, intimate quality that makes A Cab Driver's Blues a truly unique and special contemporary blues record. /Thom Owens, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

A Cab Driver's Blues mc
A Cab Driver's Blues zippy

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Various Artists - Retro Jump: Swinging Blues Instrumentals

Year: 1999
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:14
Size: 85,6 MB
Styles: Blues, jump blues, R&B
Scans: Full

1. Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Gate Walks To Board (3:59)
2. Sax Gordon - For Whom The Horn Honks (4:28)
3. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - Narcolepsy (3:54)
4. Pat Boyack & The Prowlers - Ol' Blondie Swings Again (3:26)
5. Tri-Sax-ual Soul Champs - Blue Am I (3:12)
6. Roy Gaines - Roy Jumps The Gator (2:32)
7. Jimmy Morello - Retro Jump (3:46)
8. Kirk 'Eli' Fletcher - School Street Shuffle (3:10)
9. Johnny Marshall - South Georgia Boogie (3:38)
10. Porky Cohen With Roomful Of Blues - Porky's Blues (5:05)

It's time to jump with these ten hard-swinging instrumentals. From the legendary Texas swing of guitarists Clarene "Gatemouth" Brown and Roy Gaines to the honking horns of "Sax" Gordon, Porky Cohen and Roomful Of Blues - the big beat is right here on Retro Jump.

Retro Jump: Swinging Blues Instrumentals mc
Retro Jump: Swinging Blues Instrumentals zippy