Jimmy Thackery, Tom Principato & The Assassins - Partners In Crime

Album: Partners In Crime
Size: 113,7 MB
Time: 49:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Blues, rocking blues
Art: Full

1. Partners In Crime (2:55)
2. Love To Ride (5:28)
3. Hopes Up High (3:43)
4. You Can Leave Your Hat On (3:39)
5. Today I Started Lovin' You Again (5:32)
6. Dear Dad (2:15)
7. Lonesome Train (3:44)
8. Everybody Needs Love (4:05)
9. Boogie Woogie Man From Tennessee (3:48)
10. Remington Ride (Live) (6:04)
11. Honey Hush (Live) (7:55)

Singer, songwriter, and guitar virtuoso Jimmy Thackery carved an enviable niche for himself in the world of electric blues. Known for his gritty, blue-collar approach and marathon live shows, Thackery was for many years part of the Nighthawks, one of the hardest-working blues bar bands in North America. By the late '80s, he was touring and recording under his own name, and finding widespread acceptance on the festival circuit. His hard-edged, tough-as-nails approach to guitar playing and his trio's driving rhythm section holds appeal for fans of both the straight-ahead blues of Muddy Waters and the roots rock of Bruce Springsteen and Joe Grushecky. Like the Nighthawks and Grushecky's Houserockers, much of the material Thackery performs can safely be called blues or blues-rock. Hardcore blues like "It's My Own Fault" and popular blues-rock chestnuts like "Red House" from Jimi Hendrix are fair game for Thackery & His Drivers, which included Michael Patrick on bass and Mark Stutso on drums and vocals.

Born in Pittsburgh, Thackery was raised in Washington, D.C. In high school, he played in a band with Bonnie Raitt's brother, David, who exposed him to the music of Buddy Guy; Thackery saw both Guy and Jimi Hendrix perform in Washington, D.C. Thackery joined the Nighthawks in 1974, after being introduced to harmonica man Mark Wenner by fellow guitarist Bobby Radcliff, who was then based in D.C. Thackery recorded more than 20 albums with the Nighthawks and toured the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan. He left the band in 1987 and struck out on his own, needing a break from the Nighthawks' 300-nights-a-year tour schedule. He formed a new band, Jimmy Thackery & the Assassins, and toured the East Coast heavily with that band until they split up in 1991. Thackery then formed a trio, Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers, quickly forging a name for himself on the blues festival and club circuit through a prolific recording pace and a lot of roadwork.

His albums for the San Francisco-based Blind Pig label included Empty Arms Motel (1992), Sideways in Paradise (Jimmy Thackery and John Mooney, 1993), Trouble Man (1994), Wild Night Out! (1995), Drive to Survive (1996), Switching Gears (1998), and Sinner Street (2000). The latter added saxophone player Jimmy Carpenter. In 2002, Thackery signed on with the blues division of Telarc Records, releasing We Got It in 2002 followed by True Stories in 2003, Live in 2004, and Healin' Ground in 2005. Switching to Rykodisc, he released In the Natural State in 2006, followed by Solid Ice on Telarc Records in 2007. Inside Tracks appeared a year later in 2008, also from Telarc Records.

His 1998 album includes guest performances by Joe Louis Walker, Lonnie Brooks, Chubby Carrier, and Francine Reed, but any of Thackery's albums will delight fans of tough, heavy, driving guitar playing. For a taste of his thorough mastery of several styles, Drive to Survive touches on rockabilly, jazz, bebop, and surf music. Most of Thackery's albums include at least a few covers mixed in with his batch of self-penned songs. /Biography by Richard Skelly, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Partners In Crime mc
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Silvia Josifoska - Closer

Album: Closer
Size: 118,1 MB
Time: 51:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Modern electric blues
Art: Front

1. I'll Make You Feel So High (5:03)
2. In A Subway (5:13)
3. Red Blood (4:12)
4. Midnight Fire (5:43)
5. I Can't Make You Love Me (5:03)
6. Grooved (5:28)
7. Closer (5:46)
8. Every Man Needs A Woman (4:32)
9. You (3:59)
10. Baby Please Don't Go (6:08)

With the release of "Closer", the three-time winner of the title of best blues singer of the year also presents herself for the first time as a music author. She is credited to "In a Subway", "I’ll Make You Feel So High" and "Midnight Fire". The next three songs come from the pen of her colleague and longtime friend Erich Boboš Procházka ("Closer", "You", "Grooved"). The album also includes covers from the band’s original arrangements.

The first released single, for which a music video directed by Bran Špacek was shot, is the song "Red Blood" by the German band Blues Company, originally released in 1993. For this studio project, Silvia invited the best Slovak musicians. In addition to all the musicians mentioned above, guitarist Martin Zajko also took part. Bassist Martin Gašpar is also the album’s producer, and vocalist Katarina Korcek contributed several lyrics in addition to her vocals.

Thanks to Gio

Closer mc
Closer zippy

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EG Kight - Come Into The Blues

Size: 103.0 MB
Time: 43:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Somewhere In Atlanta (3:53)
02. Unlove You (4:41)
03. I Broke A Heart (2:59)
04. Skin Deep (2:53)
05. Lovin' On The Weekend (3:58)
06. At Last (3:49)
07. Fuel To Burn (4:10)
08. Bits And Pieces (4:12)
09. Nobody Ever Touched Me There (4:56)
10. I Don't Care No More (3:37)
11. I've Been Lovin' You Too Long (To Stop Now) (4:33)

Born and raised in the south, E.G. Kight's whole life has revolved around music. Her early years were influenced by her mother's involvement in Gospel music, her grandfather's presence in the ministry, her uncle's position as choir director, and guitar lessons from her grandma, starting at age four. Through the years, E.G. has travelled extensively, performing her special blend of country and blues, earning her the title "Georgia Songbird". In recent years she has delved deep into the blues and has developed a golden throat style of her own. Her unique talent has also earned her a spot in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Come Into The Blues MP3
Come Into The Blues FLAC

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Floyd Lee & His Mean Blues Band - The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Album: The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 1
Size: 179.3 MB
Time: 77:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Empty Well (3:06)
02. Red Sun (3:59)
03. Bird With A Broken Wing (1:47)
04. Sometimes I Love You (4:21)
05. Mean Blues (5:00)
06. Ridin' On Empty (2:17)
07. How Low Can You Go (3:32)
08. Mean Ol' Frisco Blues (4:07)
09. Got Love Now Waitin' (2:39)
10. Lights Out (3:16)
11. It Hurts Me Too (4:29)
12. The Counting Song (1:54)
13. Down In Lamar (5:56)
14. Don't You Know (5:16)
15. A String To Your Heart (4:37)
16. Full Moon Lightnin' (3:53)
17. Devil At Your Doorstep (5:17)
18. Blues Is A Beautiful Woman (2:30)
19. Think I Got Somethin' On My Mind (4:27)
20. Can't Stand To See You Go (3:04)
21. Shake Your Money Maker (2:00)

The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 1 MP3
The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 1 FLAC

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Album: The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 2
Size: 171.0 MB
Time: 73:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Am I Tough Enough (4:24)
02. In Trouble Again (3:29)
03. Mean Blues (Alternate Version) (7:58)
04. My Weakness (3:52)
05. Don't Answer The Door (5:55)
06. Come Home (5:30)
07. The Red Rooster (2:02)
08. Come Back Baby (3:44)
09. Key To The Highway (4:02)
10. Pea Patch Blues (Feat. Joel Poluck) (3:30)
11. Jaws Of The Black Dog (4:59)
12. Someday (3:10)
13. Lose My Number (2:19)
14. Nowhere Is Where I Belong (3:24)
15. Tell Me Baby (3:56)
16. One Of These Days (4:46)
17. Candy Coated Lover (Feat. Joel Poluck) (3:08)
18. Forever Falling (3:38)

Born in August 1933 and given away by his mother when only a few months old, Floyd spent the first 10 years of his life growing up in Lamar Mississippi near Holly Springs. During the summer, he would often hear his adopted father sing blues songs while working in the cotton fields. Going to school in Memphis during the winter months living in a house located in Webbs Alley, Floyd would sneak out at night to watch his father, who was known in the local blues scene as Guitar Floyd, perform with other bluesmen such as young Guitar Slim.

Inspired by his father he would play his guitar when he wasn't looking. He remembers the guitar neck being too big for his hands. "Back in Mississippi, I remember a bluesman that would go from house to house, selling his 78 and would let you listen to it on a wind-up victrola, which he would carry with him. You'd hold up a tin can to your ear that he had hooked up to it and you could hear what he recorded. I don't remember his name." Floyd also recalls, "In Memphis my school was right on Beale Street. There was a park close to the school with a piano in it and there would always be this guy playing it. I would go watch him as much as I could. Then I'd also go down to the New Daisy (movie theatre) and me and my cousins would sneak in the side door."

Floyd left the South early on, put on a bus at the age of ten and sent on his own, with a sign around his neck that simply read "Chicago". Staying with relatives briefly, "right up there under the L train", he earned a living by shining shoes on 43rd and Indiana. "I was always a working man." He spent some time in Flint Michigan before moving on to Cleveland Ohio in 1947.

One of his early memories of living in Cleveland was winning a contest by selling the most newspapers (Cleveland Plain Dealer) to be a batboy for the Cleveland Indians for two weeks. "They won the world series that year. That was 1948. I still remember the lineup."

Floyd sang in the church choir where his talents as a singer were recognized. The preacher thought so highly of him that he gave Floyd his first guitar (a Gibson T125 electric with one pick up in the middle). Floyd converted the pulpit's PA system into a portable amplifier by hooking it up to a battery. This allowed him to play anywhere outdoors where electricity wasn't available. This was quite a novelty in the 1950's.

Cutting his teeth on Nat King Cole songs and later moving into Jimmy Reed material, Floyd made a name for himself around town as a singer and a guitar player at various gigs and rent parties using his portable system. Word got around, eventually landing him some regular gigs with Jimmy Reed, sitting in for Eddie Taylor when he couldn't make it (Eddie was Jimmy's main sideman). One of the more prestigious gigs was a show that included Stevie Wonder, The Supremes along with Jimmy Reed on the bill. "Jimmy would swing by the house and pick me up." While living in Columbus one memorable gig was opening for Wilson Pickett at the Club Regal.

Floyd moved to New York in the early seventies finding work in Spring Valley, eventually settling down in Harlem. Working for twenty-seven years as a doorman at the Normandy Apartments (86th & Riverside Dr.), Floyd continued to play the blues whenever he could and has made himself known around New York City as a true blues original. Floyd Lee has been there and done that. Retiring a few years back, he has been pushing himself harder than ever in keeping the blues alive. He is a self-driven bluesman who follows his own path. He has a distinct style all his own. Known locally as the "King of Harlem" or "Mississippi Delta Blues" or simply "Bluesman", Floyd has played constantly in NYC for the past 30 some years. He was a founding member of the Music Under New York program in the mid 1980's and has performed at such events as NYC Mayor Dinkins Inauguration and entertained visiting dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela. Yet for all these years keeping a low profile... until now when Floyd is ready to take on the world.

The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 2 MP3
The Amogla Sessions, Vol. 2 FLAC

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Wentus Blues Band - From The Barrell

Size: 101.2 MB
Time: 43:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

01. If This Is Love (3:56)
02. My Home (3:44)
03. Close Talker (3:35)
04. Losing My Faith (4:37)
05. I Love You (3:16)
06. I'm A Lover Not A Fighter (2:36)
07. Cry For Me, Baby (3:30)
08. No Reason (3:26)
09. A Little More Time (3:32)
10. You Gonna Make Me Cry (3:58)
11. Trainfare (4:08)
12. Last Chance To Dance (3:17)

Personnel:
Juho Kinaret: Vocals
Niko Riippa: Guitar
Robban Hagnäs: Bass
Pekka Gröhn: Keyboards
Daniel Hjerppe: Drums

Wentus Blues Band celebrates 35 years on the road 1986-2021.
This album was recorded and mixed 2004-2018 at different locations from Wentus to Woodstock.

While most people associate the blues with the steamy bayous of Louisiana and the cotton fields of Mississippi there is also a thriving blues scene in Scandinavia. In the heart of this Nordic blues explosion is the Wentus Blues Band from the town of Kokkola in central Finland. And while the pine studded wilderness of their homeland is about as far as you can get from the juke joints of the Deep South, there’s no doubt about their musical credentials.

Established in 1986, the band has acquired a reputation as the hardest working blues band in Scandinavia and they have played over 2.000 gigs around Europe. Wentus Blues Band has toured in fourteen countries, released seven albums, done several TV-shows, headlined festivals and toured with many great bluesmen like Duke Robillard, Mick Taylor, Carey Bell and Louisiana Red, just to mention a few.

From The Barrell MP3
From The Barrell FLAC

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Shakura S'Aida - Hold On To Love

Size: 123.6 MB
Time: 53:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Folk
Art: Front

01. Hold On To Love (4:23)
02. Takin' It To The Streets (4:31)
03. Clap Yo Hands And Moan (4:18)
04. Glad For Today (3:58)
05. You're The One (5:11)
06. (Taste Like) Honey (3:59)
07. Doodun (3:59)
08. Too Late (5:44)
09. Complicated (3:27)
10. Ain't Got Nothin' (3:20)
11. Don't Wait For Me (5:38)
12. Heart Of Gold (4:35)

You may have spotted Brooklyn-born, Swiss-raised & Canadian-based Shakura S’Aida performing at Festivals in Dubai, Australia, Rwanda or Russia, in her 4 woman tribute to Nina Simone, ‘The Nina Project’ or in shows like Schitt’s Creek, Titans & Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. From her beginnings as world music band Kaleefah’s lead singer, this versatile vocalist and consummate entertainer has blown audiences away with her scorching vocal style, uncanny ability to deliver powerful original songs and to get deep into the guts of the most venerable standard.

Shakura’s long-simmering career initially moved into high gear in 2008 with a triumph at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, when she earned the runner-up position, competing against more than 100 bands from more than 20 different countries. In the past 11 years since, her tour schedule has taken her to almost 30 countries.

Shakura S’Aida has been consistently thrilling audiences with her powerful pipes for years, most recently as a guest host on CBC Radio 2’s Weekend Morning. As a veteran of the international music scene, she’s performed both as a featured artist with musicians like Jimmy Smith, Lee Oskar (WAR), Bettye LaVette and Keb Mo’, as well as an award winning solo artist.
After a 8 year hiatus, Shakura is back in the studio; this time with co-producers Donna Grantis (Prince/3 rd Eye Girl), Keb’ Mo’ and Roger Costa (Jeff Healey). The new album features collaborations with international artists including Eric Gales and Lee Oskar.

Whether she’s speaking Swiss-German, French or English, Shakura instantly connects with her audience — and at the same time richly demonstrates the multiculturalism that Canada prides itself on.

Hold On To Love MP3
Hold On To Love FLAC

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Jed Potts & The Hillman Hunters - Swashbucklin'

Size: 74.8 MB
Time: 31:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Swashbucklin' (2:59)
02. It Won't Be Long (5:03)
03. The Fastest Outlaw (4:24)
04. Splash-Down! (2:00)
05. To The Mountains (2:38)
06. Where's Your Man (4:05)
07. How'mi'mentuh (3:01)
08. Won't Be No Use (4:43)
09. Take What You Want (2:57)

Personnel:
Jed Potts - Guitar & Vocals
Jonny Christie - Drums
Charlie Wild - Bass

Introducing sophomore album from Edinburgh Blues Kings, Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters, this October. Recorded at Chamber Studio by Graeme Young, ’Swashbucklin’’ is 9 slices of blues gold from a band that have been integral to the Scottish and UK blues scene over the past ten years.

Jed Potts and the Hillman Hunters have been supplying only the deepest of grooves and the rudest of shuffles since 2008. The trio is completed by Jonny Christie and Charlie Wild on drums and bass respectively and are all about general musical rascality, although usually within the confines of a 12 bar structure, mind you.

Swashbucklin' MP3
Swashbucklin' FLAC

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Billy Price - 50+ Years Of Soul (Remastered)

Size: 513 MB
Time: 3:40:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues, Soul, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. I Know It's Your Party (I Just Came Here To Dance) (Live) (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 5:12)
02. Why Can't We Be Lovers (Remastered) ( 4:05)
03. Lifestyles Of The Poor And Unknown (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 3:54)
04. This Time I'm Gone For Good (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 6:07)
05. When The Lights Came On (Remastered) (Feat. Fred Chapellier) ( 4:39)
06. Absolute Love (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 4:04)
07. Nothing Stays The Same Forever (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 5:42)
08. This Magic Hour (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 5:15)
09. It Ain't A Juke Joint Without The Blues (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 7:05)
10. No Matter How You Turn Or Twist It (Remastered) ( 4:58)
11. Soul Sailin' (Remastered) ( 3:48)
12. You Don't Exist No More (Remastered) ( 3:27)
13. You've Got Bad Intentions (Remastered) ( 3:10)
14. The Jury Of Love: Cry Cry Cry / BP's Dream / Eight Men & Four Women (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) (10:50)

CD 2:
01. Real Time (Remastered) ( 3:47)
02. Let's Get Married (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 3:26)
03. Free (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 4:43)
04. Under The Influence (Remastered) (Feat. Fred Chapellier) ( 6:26)
05. Is It Over? (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 4:37)
06. Power Of Love / I Didn't Know The Meaning Of Pain (Live) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 7:26)
07. My Love Comes Tumbling Down (Remastered) (Feat. Fred Chapellier) ( 5:00)
08. One And One (Remastered) ( 4:19)
09. Slipped, Tripped, And Fell In Love (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 3:46)
10. The Big Show (Remastered) ( 4:04)
11. Since You've Gone Again (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 3:30)
12. The Hard Hours (Remastered) ( 5:12)
13. Something 'Bout 'Cha / That's How It Is / Blind Man (Live) (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) (12:44)
14. 39 Steps (Remastered) ( 4:37)

CD 3:
01. Let's Go For A Ride (Remastered) ( 4:32)
02. Beautiful Feeling (Remastered) ( 3:45)
03. Part Time Love (Remastered) ( 5:16)
04. You Time To Cry (Remastered) ( 3:47)
05. Can I Change My Mind / Is It Something You've Got (Live) (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) (12:57)
06. Don't Leave Me Starving For Your Love (Remastered) ( 3:23)
07. I Can't Lose The Blues (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 5:09)
08. Mine All Mine All Mine Live (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 7:36)
09. Love Ballad (Remastered) ( 4:49)
10. Who You're Working For (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 3:40)
11. I Betcha Didn't Know That (Remastered) ( 3:46)
12. Ain't It Funky / Now Back From The Dead (Remastered) (Feat. Billy Price Band) ( 9:18)
13. Dangerous Highway (Remastered) (Feat. Keystone Rhythm Band) ( 5:54)

50+ Years of Soul by Billy Price is a 3-CD compilation of tracks selected by Price and remixed from recordings throughout his career as a singer, recording artist, songwriter, and bandleader. 2016 Blues Music Award Winner Billy Price first appeared on record in the early 1970s when he sang on two albums as vocalist for guitarist Roy Buchanan for Polydor Records, That's What I'm Here For and Live Stock. Since then, Price has released 20 albums, CDs, and DVDs with Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band, the Billy Price Band, and collaborators Otis Clay and Fred Chapellier, along with solo recordings under his own name.

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Kris Lager - Presence

Size: 114.9 MB
Time: 49:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues/Rock Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Fly With The Stars (4:59)
02. Feel It In The Air (3:34)
03. Let's Dance Nice & Slow (4:12)
04. I Really Love You (3:40)
05. She's That Kind Of Woman (4:12)
06. Look Where You Can Find It (4:49)
07. You Ain't Gonna Do Me Like That (3:53)
08. Don't Try So Hard (4:13)
09. Summer Vibes (5:54)
10. Love Hate Thang (4:24)
11. Time To Get To Work (5:22)

“The concept of the album ‘Presence’ is to deliver a sound and vibe that allows the listener to feel the power of the present moment while also reflecting on the past. I think even in the sad songs off of the album there remains a sliver lining of light that can guide us out of the darkness and into a new sense of hope and purpose” Explains Kris. A true pandemic project, no doubt.

The album features 10 new original songs and a cover of King Floyd’s classic soul tune ‘I Really Love You’. The albums opening track and lead single ‘Fly With The Stars’ features a powerhouse guitar riff and a driving beat reminiscent of a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers hit.

There are also live staples such as ‘Let’s Dance Nice & Slow’, ‘Feel It In The Air’, and ‘You Ain’t Gonna Do Me Like That’ both available on an album for the first time. There is even a track on the album with no guitar! The gospel tinged song ‘Love Hate Thang’ features Kris on the piano and organ.

The album honestly and accurately showcases Kris’ evolution as a songwriter, musician, and producer who was involved in every step of the production. He wrote and recorded the record entirely himself on his Tascam 388 tape machine. This recording is truly an accurate artistic statement and an original recording directly from the artist himself.

‘Presence’ is also the ‘Swan Song’ for Kris and longtime drummer John Fairchild AKA ‘Scooby Sha Bo Bo’. It marks their last recorded project together before parting ways after almost 17 years of recording and touring together. “For me, that’s just another reason why this album serves as a beautiful time capsule. Scooby and I had a great chemistry from playing thousands of shows together and this is a great crescendo and documentation of who we were as a team.”

Long time KLB touring Bassist, Joe Donnelly makes his first appearance on album with Kris. He is laying down the funky low end on three of the tracks: ‘Let’s Dance Nice & Slow’, ‘Love Hate Thang’ and a tune he helped write ’Time To Get To Work’. The closing track on the album.

Presence MP3
Presence FLAC

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Floyd McDaniel & The Blues Swingers - Let Your Hair Down!

Size: 155.5 MB
Time: 66:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Chicago Blues, Jump Blues
Art: Full

01. Raggedy Ride (3:05)
02. Blue Mood (2:52)
03. Mary Jo (3:05)
04. Strange Things Happening (3:15)
05. It Don't Mean A Thing (4:02)
06. I Want A Little Girl (4:33)
07. St. Louis Blues (5:21)
08. God Bless the Child (5:21)
09. Sent For You Yesterday (3:28)
10. R.M. Blues (3:17)
11. Christopher Columbus (4:35)
12. West Side Baby (7:17)
13. Beale Street Baby (3:45)
14. Let Your Hair Down (2:48)
15. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (4:02)
16. Why Life's Got To Be This Way (2:29)
17. Caldonia (2:48)

Floyd McDaniel was 78 when, in 1994, he recorded Let Your Hair Down! for the Chicago-based Delmark. Through the years, the singer/guitarist had been the type of artist who had one foot in pre-bebop jazz and one in urban blues--and that approach continues to serve him nicely on this CD. McDaniel's credentials as a jump blues shouter are illustrated by inspired versions of Louis Jordan's "Caldonia," T-Bone Walker's "Blue Mood" and Roy Milton's "R.M. Blues," while his talents as a jazz singer are evident on Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean That Thing" and Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child." On this album, McDaniel leads a cohesive, swinging octet known as the Blues Swingers, which consists of a hard-swinging rhythm section and four horn players, including trumpeter Mike McLaughlin, tenor saxophonist Dave Clark, alto saxophonist Paul Mundy and baritone saxophonist/clarinetist Martin "Van" Kelly. Let Your Hair Down! would be among McDaniel's last recordings; the veteran artist died the following year. ~Alex Henderson

Let Your Hair Down! MP3
Let Your Hair Down! FLAC

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Yates McKendree - Buchanan Lane

Size: 104.3 MB
Time: 44:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Out Crowd (2:45)
02. Ruby Lee (3:45)
03. Wise (3:29)
04. No Justice (4:27)
05. Brand New Neighborhood (2:28)
06. Always A First Time (3:58)
07. Papa Ain't Salty (2:52)
08. No Reason (2:46)
09. Qualified (4:46)
10. It Hurts To Love Someone Else (3:18)
11. Wine, Wine, Wine (2:49)
12. Please Mr. Doctor (3:56)
13. Voodoo (3:11)

When the legendary John Hiatt tells Rolling Stone magazine “Yates was our secret ingredient,” you know that Yates McKendree’s debut record will be something special. Multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter and Grammy winner Yates McKendree is a Nashville scion, who grew up in the Rock House studio run by his father, multi award winning producer, engineer, and piano man, Kevin McKendree.

The 13-song collection, Buchanan Lane, named where father and son reside, features original compositions Yates co-wrote with Gary Nicholson, two of his new instrumentals, and a selection of deep cuts from the heroes of blues and soul he has followed since the age of three, self-taught on guitar, bass, drums, and piano. While the focus is on Yates’ stellar vocals and inspiring playing, the assembled all-star group of music city session musicians leaves nothing to chance. The crew included Steve Mackey on upright bass, Big Joe Maher on drums, the horn section of Jim Hoke: saxophones, Andrew Carney: trumpets, and Roland Barber: trombones, with the renowned McCrary Sisters supplying background vocals while McKendree Sr. manned the recording console and multiple keyboards.

Swinging rhumba “Out Crowd” opens the set as a father and son homage to the 1965 Ramsey Lewis trio hit “The In Crowd.” McKendree then proclaims his dedication to traditional blues with a spot-on reading of B.B. King’s 1956 RPM Records B-Side “Ruby Lee,” followed by his own minor key soul blues “Wise,” crafted in a “Thrill Is Gone” style emulating the master. McKendree flexes his muscles on the evocative 12-bar blues “No Justice,” delivering solid vocals and playing guitar, Hammond organ, bass, and drums on the track. He rounds up the Little Big Band for another gem from a lost R&B shouter on Fletcher Smith’s west coast jump blues “Brand New Neighborhood,” trading hot solos with Hoke and his dad. Wisely, he chose to emulate the 1977 recording of Earl King’s “Always A First Time,” going with the more modern soul version v. the 1961 original. McKendree demonstrates more devotion to blues guitar covering two T Bone Walker gems, “Papa Ain’t Salty” and the crooning ballad “No Reason,” and has fun recreating that classic T-Bone sound along the way.

The Rock House All Stars are in full force for “Qualified,” a joyous take on the deep cut from the iconic 1973 Dr. John album and Fat Tuesday soundtrack “In The Right Place.” The horn driven ballad “It Hurts To Love Someone,” first recorded for Atlantic by Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones in the late fifties, is lovingly recreated to display McKendree’s vocal and lead guitar prowess. Yates returns to the piano for the cocktail party number, “Wine, Wine, Wine,” and digs deep into Chicago Blues on a gritty reading of Tampa Red’s “Please Mr. Doctor.” Drummer Kenneth Blevins from the John Hiatt combo sits in for the final track “Voodoo,” a funky Meters styled instrumental with the McKendree’s trading hot licks on guitar and organ.

This impeccable album should launch Yates McKendree further into the spotlight his young talent deserves. ~Rick J Bowen

Buchanan Lane MP3
Buchanan Lane FLAC

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Joanne Shaw Taylor - Nobody's Fool

Size: 103.5 MB
Time: 44:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Nobody's Fool (3:36)
02. Bad Blood (3:49)
03. Won't Be Fooled Again (Feat. Joe Bonamassa) (4:54)
04. Just No Getting Over You (Dream Cruise) (4:40)
05. Fade Away (Feat. Tina Guo) (4:53)
06. Then There's You (3:23)
07. Runaway (3:49)
08. Missionary Man (Feat. Dave Stewart) (3:08)
09. Figure It Out (Feat. Carmen Vandenberg) (3:48)
10. The Leaving Kind (4:02)
11. New Love (4:06)

After eight acclaimed studio albums and an electrifying live set, Joanne Shaw Taylor has positioned herself at the forefront of the contemporary blues-rock revival. For her latest release, Nobody’s Fool, the two-time British Blues Awards Vocalist of the Year has reunited with producers Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith to explore a “retro pop” style with synth keys, heavy bass beats, and even a guest cellist. Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics also guests.

While Nobody’s Fool focuses as much on JST’s vocal and song-writing talents as on her fretboard wizardry, it’s still a guitar lovers’ album. There’s guest shots by Joe Bonamassa and Bones UK guitarist Carmen Vandenberg, but JST spices most of the tracks with her lethal Telecaster snarl. Nobody’s Fool should win JST a broader audience while delighting her existing fan base.

Producers Bonamassa and Smith contribute on guitar, and they’ve assembled a distinguished group of sidemen: drummer Lemar Carter has worked with everyone from Carrie Underwood to Mick Jagger; Calvin Turner who contributes the dynamic bass grooves, tours with Bonamassa’s band; and Deron Johnson, who has performed with Stanley Clarke, David Sanborn, and Miles Davis, adds his impressive keyboard skills to the mix.
The title track, “Nobody’s Fool” has a country-rock feel and revolves around a strong chorus, country-flavoured bottleneck guitar, and kick-ass drumming from Lemar Carter.

“Fade Away” is a JST original, written in memory of her mother and dwells on the way that time sweeps away our fleeting opportunities for communication with loved ones. It’s a song that could pass for modern country, and provides JST with an opportunity to showcase her considerable vocal chops. She delivers a throaty, smoky performance over acoustic guitar, piano, and Tina Guo’s cello. Cellist and pianist create a crystalline backdrop for JST’s fingerstyle arpeggios and heartfelt vocal.

“The Leaving Kind” is another wistful ballad with a chorus that haunts the listener’s mind. Unlike “Fade Away”, however, this song ends with a brief but searing solo that reminds us of JST’s powers as a lead guitarist.

JST gets back into her wheelhouse on “Then There’s You” and shows off her abilities as a blues/R&B vocalist. Drummer Carter and bassist Calvin Turner provide a rock-solid foundation for her performance and having Bonamassa and Smith playing rhythm doesn’t hurt.

Dave Stewart, of the Eurythmics, discovered JST when she was a teenage Joannie B. Goode and has been a mentor to her ever since. He’s back to help out on “Missionary Man”, providing a tidal rush of synth keys over the bass-heavy rhythm. It’s the only track on the album that isn’t a JST original, but it fits the overall feel of the set well.

“Just No Getting Over You (Dream Cruise)” and “Won’t Be Fooled Again” give us two sides of a painful break-up. “Just No Getting Over You”, as the title implies, embodies the ache of lost love, while “Won’t Be Fooled Again” offers an uplifting lyric and features a tasty solo as Bonamassa steps out of the producer’s booth and straps on his axe.

“Bad Blood” opens with an Ennio Morricone spaghetti-western riff that takes us into a memorable, hooky chorus. It’s a mid-tempo rocker enlivened by serious Duane Eddy twang and choral support from a girl-group trio, and it’s another song that should appeal to a general audience. JST’s fills and brief solo are inspired here, as is her smooth-but-urgent vocal.

“Figure It Out” is an up-tempo rocker with another strong chorus. The back-up trio echoes JST’s vocal effectively, and Lemar Carter drives the bus with creative fills and a rock and roll backbeat. This number introduces another Brit prodigy, Carmen Vandenberg, who collaborated with Jeff Beck on his Loudhailer album. Vandenberg salts her licks with distortion and dissonance, giving the song a punk/metal edge.

How should an album of songs that focuses on lost love and vanished opportunities end? With an upbeat affirmation of the possibility of new romance and better days ahead, of course. “New Love,” as the title suggests, wraps up JST’s latest offering on a high note, with driving rhythms and a horn-driven chorus behind Shaw Taylor’s six-string heroics.

It’s an enjoyable counterpoint to Joanne Shaw Taylor’s straight-ahead blues-rock repertoire, and it gives us a sense of some of the ideas she may develop in the future. Don’t miss it. ~Stephen Guppy

Nobody's Fool MP3
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LJ Mounteney - Mama Danced...

Size: 108.2 MB
Time: 46:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Dirty Rat (3:49)
02. I Like It Hot (3:20)
03. Wasn't That A Time? (2:52)
04. Mama Danced... (3:08)
05. Take My Message (Feat. Brandon Isaak) (3:32)
06. Somebody Pour Me Some Coffee (3:31)
07. I Did My Part (3:40)
08. Life Of The Party (3:56)
09. I'm Ready (3:29)
10. Take Some Care Of Me (4:27)
11. Neighbor, Neighbor (3:27)
12. Two Is A Couple (2:30)
13. Basement Suite Blues (4:23)

Dubbed a “Canadian Bonnie Raitt,” LJ Mounteney combines soulful vocals with high-energy performances, and is flourishing at a more developed point in her music career.

Mounteney’s humble musical roots extend from her mother, who studied classical piano and piano accordion, and her Hungarian Grandfather, who played 13 instruments – all of which he played by ear. Mounteney grew up singing along to her mother’s impressive album collection of country pioneers like Dolly Parton and Hank Williams, rock legends like Login’s & Messina, Ike and TIna Turner and Cream, and Blues icons like Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walters and Muddy Waters. These familial gifts, coupled with her Prairie upbringing (she was born in Edmonton and grew up in Calgary), inspired her authentic passion for music and strong work ethic.

Mounteney pursued this passion to the West Coast, where she enrolled in VCC’s highly regarded Jazz Program. While in the program, she studied voice and improvisation with Vancouver jazz vocal/piano great, Jennifer Scott. Driven to achieve greater heights of musicianship, and allowing her heart to take the lead, Mounteney spent the next several years playing with a wide variety of bands, lending her unique vocals to jazz, swing, R&B, and pop music.

In 2017, Mounteney independently produced her first solo album, “Here in the Dark,” a mix of eight tunes ranging in style from bossa nova to blues that showcased her ability to sing in a wide range of styles. The album was well-received and rewarded her with more opportunities to perform live, which she embraced wholeheartedly.

Over the years, LJ has had the distinct pleasure of working alongside some of Vancouver’s finest musicians, including Gabriel Mark Hasselbach, Cameron Wilson, Ron Thompson, Brent Gubbels, and Daryl Jahnke. She’s the lead singer and co-host in Van Django’s annual Cool Yule tour, was invited to participate in The White Album Revisited benefit concert with many other talented Vancouver musicians, singers, and composers, and was a featured guest in Motown Meltdown. Currently, she is a singer in two tribute bands: Zappostrophé (Frank Zappa) – where she’s been known to delight audiences with wild kazoo solos and her trademark blues/gospel tinged tones – and Get Back Reimagined (The Beatles).

In late 2019, veteran engineer, Ken Burke, connected Mounteney with blues legend and Juno Award winner Jack Lavin to produce and record an upbeat, yet authentic, album of blues and roots. Once again, Mounteney followed her heart and – one pandemic and two years later – completed her sophomore album, “Mama Danced.” The album includes some of the finest musicians, singers, and songwriters in the country. “Mama Danced” features eight original songs by west coast songwriters, five very cool covers, and an accordion accompaniment on the title track that would make her mother proud. The album is the culmination of her hard-working musical journey and a pure expression of her love for the music.

Mama Danced... MP3
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B.B. & The Blues Shacks - Jive Talk, Slow Walk

Size: 130.0 MB
Time: 55:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Electric Blues, Jump Blues
Art: Full

01. Just A Little Bit More (3:00)
02. Little Mae (4:00)
03. I'm Gonna Leave (3:41)
04. Sweetest Thing In Town (3:20)
05. The Slow Walk (3:26)
06. Sad Sad Days (5:45)
07. Jump, Jive An' Wail (3:28)
08. One More Chance With You (3:33)
09. Stranger's Hands (3:09)
10. That Ain't Right (3:26)
11. Fancied Nancy (5:28)
12. Down The Floor (3:52)
13. Nothing But A Pain (3:22)
14. Butterscotch (5:23)

For almost 25 years and counting the German blues band, B.B. and the Blues Shacks has been thrilling audiences with impecable musicianship and exuberant live performances. With more than a dozen albums under their belts, and countless concert and festival performances, these five musicians are heading to Southern California for a mini tour. There the band will perform four separate, very rare nightclub appearances. Those lucky enough to catch any of these shows will be treated to some of the best contemorary blues being performed anywhere. The band is led by the brothers Arlt. They are guitarist Andreas and his younger brother, vocalist and harmonica player Michael.

Jive Talk, Slow Walk MP3
Jive Talk, Slow Walk FLAC

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Brooks Young - Supply Chain Blues

Size: 100.1 MB
Time: 42:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Going Down (3:51)
02. Ventilator (4:26)
03. Same Old Blues (3:43)
04. Five Long Years (4:18)
05. Supply Chain Blues (3:42)
06. Tore Down (3:05)
07. Dream Away (3:00)
08. Forty Four (3:27)
09. Working Man (2:40)
10. Mannish Boy (6:25)
11. The Thrill Is Gone (4:14)

According to Young, “I enjoyed taking some of my favorite classic numbers, like Same Old Blues by Don Nicks, Torn Down by Sonny Thompson, and Forty-Four by Chester Burnett, and giving them a fresh current sound.” The eleven track album was recorded and produced at Mojo Studios in the picturesque White Mountains of New Hampshire. From the hard driving guitar of Ventilator by the Stones, to the soft soulful tones of The Thrill Is Gone made famous by BB King, the album is a powerful Blues journey.

Young’s masterful guitar work and unique voice signature are a nod to his influences including Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Otis Rush. Early on in Young’s career, BB King took notice of him and became his mentor having Young open for him on numerous occasions. “When I met BB King the first time, it was the day the Twin Towers fell. We sat in stunned silence together watching the event unfold on a TV in the back of his tour bus. I feel a special bond with BB that will last me for the rest of my life. I included The Thrill Is Gone on my new album in honor of his memory.”

Young chose to name his new album “Supply Chain Blues” after a song on the album he co-wrote based upon experiencing post pandemic frustration while attempting to buy a new Gibson semi-hollow body guitar. Young has been unable to get his hands on one. Fortunately there weren’t any supply chain issues when it came time to go in the studio and start recording what Young feels is his best album yet. He did have to take a few days off to fly to Chicago and St. Louis to open for George Thorogood and Sammy Hagar, but enjoyed taking a break from laying tracks to visit with old friends on the road and connect with his ever growing fan base.

Supply Chain Blues MP3
Supply Chain Blues FLAC

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The Lucky Losers - Standin' Pat

Size: 114.6 MB
Time: 49:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Pack Up The Bags (4:31)
02. Somewhere In The Middle (4:14)
03. Rich Strike (3:50)
04. Try New Orleans (5:06)
05. Down In Memphis Town (4:31)
06. You Can't Lose With A Winning Hand (3:30)
07. Rust Belt Blues (4:19)
08. High Two Pair (3:53)
09. Finish What You Started (4:39)
10. They Wrecked My Town (6:11)
11. Standin' Pat (4:23)

San Francisco-based band The Lucky Losers, led by veteran artists Cathy Lemons & Phil Berkowitz, return after winning five Independent Blues Awards in 2021. STANDIN’ PAT, with 11 original tracks, sits like a needle on the groove of something uniquely American. Their signature formula is a mixture of blues, retro soul, and Americana. Lemons’ voice is both gritty and angelic. Berkowitz’s big harp sound is ever-present on this album as he leads the charge and punctuates every line. Their vocal blend is made in harmony heaven and long-time producer Kid Andersen uses it to great effect. From the quick two step Rich Strike about a nobody horse who won the Kentucky Derby, to a battle cry for American unity in the funky Somewhere in the Middle, to songs that describe Americans on the move, this album addresses the challenges, disappointments, and even the eventual flight of a struggling American psyche.

Standin' Pat MP3
Standin' Pat FLAC

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Aaron Burton - Southern Swagger

Size: 92.2 MB
Time: 39:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Country Blues, Roots
Art: Full

01. My Name Is Aaron Burton (3:53)
02. Tryin' To Keep It Together (4:49)
03. City Of Hate (3:09)
04. Copulate (3:35)
05. Heroin And Cocaine (4:02)
06. Real Good Booty (3:31)
07. Caddo Line (3:14)
08. Jewerly Store (3:42)
09. Murder (5:44)
10. Southern Swagger (3:25)

Texan singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Aaron Burton’s seventh album, Southern Swagger, continues in the same impressive vein as his most recent release, All Night Long (favorably reviewed in the 09 April 2015 issue of Blues Blast Magazine). The new album contains 10 self-written songs, with Burton on vocals, guitar and banjo, William “Stompin’ Bill” Johnson on harp, Dirk Cordes on drums and Joe Degelia on steel guitar. Sonnie Collie also adds bass to one track and guitar to another.

The musicians have played together for years and their ability and willingness to focus on the song has resulted in a highly enjoyable album of roots-influenced acoustic country blues. Cordes in particular sets up a series of irresistible rhythms while never over-playing or over-shadowing the song and the space that is left paradoxically creates a bigger sound. But there is also a palpable joy apparent throughout the album, as if the musicians had a total blast while recording it.

Opening with the gloriously-titled “My Name Is Aaron Burton” Burton explains the origins of his old pseudonym, Peetie Whitestraw, over an upbeat country folk blues groove. There is a sly wit to Burton’s songs, which he sings in a lazy but engaging drawl, but there is no lack of emotional depth in his voice – the haunting “Heroine And Cocaine” has echoes of the desperation and desolation of the great Skip James.

Lyrically, he covers traditional blues themes such as death (as in the ominous one-chord boogie of “Murder”) or basic carnal desires (in the rollicking “Real Good Booty” or the country blues of “Copulate”, in which he winningly admits “I want to copulate, copulate with you. I can’t concentrate, it’s all I wanna do. Look here mama, I’m telling you straight, all I want to do is copulate. I want to copulate with you”). He is also adept at finding what humour can be eked out from a desperate situation, as with his promises to his baby in “Jewelry Store”.

The rockabilly-country of “City Of Hate” reveals a complex relationship between the song’s protagonist and the city he calls home as Burton sings “Dallas, Texas is the place I long to be. I’m going back home. Pretty mama coming home with me….. I’m going down to Dallas, way down in that Lone Star State. I’m going back home, back to the City of Hate. I’m going back home, yeah, ‘cos I love the City of Hate.”
Burton adds bouncing banjo to “Caddo Line” but primarily lays down rhythm guitar on his acoustic. Burton, Johnston and Degelia all take solos at various times, but the primary focus of the album is on the songs with the lead instruments weaving in and out of the vocal melodies. One of the highlights of the album however is the closing instrumental, the album’s title track: wonderfully dreamy (but uncredited) sax playing and articulate finger-picking over the top of another top notch Cordes groove.

Southern Swagger is yet another top class slice of acoustic country blues from Aaron Burton. There is an enticing timelessness to his music. Highly recommended. ~Rhys Williams

Southern Swagger MP3
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Albie Donnelly's Supercharge - Get Hip

Size: 101.8 MB
Time: 43:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues, Funk, Soul, R&B
Art: Front

01. Killing Floor (4:07)
02. What Kind Of Woman Is This (4:58)
03. Outta Sight (3:12)
04. Sack Full Of Dreams (5:10)
05. Back In Love Again (3:44)
06. Last Two Dollars (5:54)
07. Sixty Minutes Of Your Love (2:49)
08. What You Won't Do For Love (4:32)
09. Got My Whisky (4:03)
10. I Was Telling Her About You (4:57)

The album is described by the band as “Dynamite Rhythm & Blues” and features Molly Duncan from Average White Band and guest vocalist Tommy Blaize from the Strictly Come Dancing Band.

There’s an unashamedly retro feel to ‘Get Hip’, which features a collection of covers chosen because they are quality classics that have stood the test of time and happen to sound amazing when given the full-on Supercharge treatment. Albie Donnelly has been performing live for forty years and he knows how to pick a set of songs that are both fun and accessible; ‘Get Hip’ proves that and then some. As he says, “These songs are the real deal, we’re not talking about creating art or making a profound statement, these are great songs that swing and make people smile.”

Albie Donnelly was a founder member of Supercharge in 1974 and forty four years later he is still handling lead vocals and tenor sax duties for what has always been one of the most revered live acts on the circuit. Veterans of iconic music venues like the Marquee Club and the Nashville Rooms, Supercharge were signed by Richard Branson at Virgin, and even opened for Queen at their 1976 Hyde Park Festival. ‘Get Hip’ is just the latest chapter in the Supercharge story and is set to win them yet more fans, crack a few grins and get people moving – and surely the Strictly Come Dancing connection can’t hurt there!

Get Hip MP3
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Ralph De Jongh - Live Koeln Musicon

Size: 183.8 MB
Time: 79:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Bring Me Home Tonight (Live) ( 5:25)
02. Walking With My Hands Behind My Back ( 5:17)
03. Flapping With Your Coat ( 8:11)
04. Surrender (Live) ( 9:17)
05. That's How I Try (Live) (10:46)
06. It's Alright (Live) ( 6:37)
07. Harry (Live) ( 9:42)
08. Heartache Man (Live) ( 3:55)
09. That's My Favourite Curve ( 3:53)
10. Are You Ready (Live) ( 8:35)
11. Love In Vain (Live) ( 8:01)

CD 2:
01. Shake Your Body With Me (Live)( 6:16)
02. You're So Good (Live) ( 6:01)
03. Burden Of Man Funk ( 8:10)
04. I'm Just Learningto Read In Between The Lines ( 5:30)
05. Climbing The Mountain ( 7:26)
06. I Had A T On My Guitar (10:46)
07. Wanna Sing Everyday ( 4:37)
08. Brings It Home To His Woman (10:17)
09. Swimming In The Sea ( 6:12)
10. Sweet Rock & Roll ( 6:58)
11. Carol (Live) ( 4:10)

Ralph De Jongh was born in 1975 in Roosendaal and is a gifted blues singer/songwriter who, despite his young age, has already built up an impressive list of performances. When he was five years old, he was inspired by his father's Rolling Stones albums. Little Ralph practiced the guitar and developed a voice that suggested that there was a black soul in this blond Brabanter. After many performances here and there and a degree in ancient Chinese philosophy, Ralph threw himself completely into his music and that did not go unnoticed. Harry Muskee, the uncrowned king of the Dutch blues, saw him in 2004 and immediately became a fan. They became friends and Harry gave the young Ralph every chance by having him perform in the support of Cuby & The Blizzard on their theater tour in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Ralph De Jongh is a sensation in the contemporary Dutch music scene. Not only to listen to, but also to watch. His body, arms and legs suddenly seem to have a life of his own when he starts playing the blues and the audience is always the winner during Ralph's intense concerts. Ralph's music rises above the average blues story and this means that things are as they should be for this young blues musician. With his raw blues à la Steve Seasick, he gathers new fans every performance and is a must to see live.

Live Koeln Musicon MP3
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Kandy Roar - Demon Blues

Size: 62.1 MB
Time: 26:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Ain't That The Way It Goes (3:59)
02. Blue Collar Classification (4:01)
03. Devil Got My Soul (5:14)
04. Demon Blues (6:06)
05. Good Times (4:40)
06. The Path (2:38)

Kandy Roar, also known as Karly Palmer, moved to Vancouver from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is small town at heart. Never fitting into the big city scene, they were constantly running from where they came from, in hopes of belonging. Done running, they stand proud and own their experiences. They hold true to their identity as they write and record their upcoming album ‘Demon Blues’. Kandy Roar came from a separated household, and spent their childhood going back and forth from one parent to the other, as so many children of separation do. Their dad was a blue collar contractor with his own demons, though he never let them show. He did everything he could to raise his family from the ground up.

Kandy Roar on why they make music: “I think even more of us are struggling with depression and other conditions on the mental health spectrum than ever before. We can all relate to managing our own mental hygiene, especially coming out on the other side to a “normal” life during a still raging pandemic. It’s so important to rally together and bring awareness to our health, own it, and give others a chance to join the conversation.”

Kandy looks for a way to take music that inspires them, from artists such as blues master Robert Johnson, to T. Rex glam rocker Marc Bolan, and internalize it to create a hybrid of new music that has a familiarity of songs made over 60 decades ago.

Their debut album ‘Demon Blues’, now streaming everywhere, focuses heavily on their personal struggles with mental health, as well as exploring the idea of a higher power, and the malevolent forces in contrast. With straightforward influence in blues, a need for glam rock and an unhealthy obsession with cults - their music sets them apart from the norm.

Demon Blues MP3
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A&E & The Big C - A&E And The Big C

Size: 86.8 MB
Time: 37:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Hoochie Choochie Man (3:19)
02. Nobody By My Side (5:33)
03. Help Me (3:52)
04. Prozac (5:37)
05. King Bee (3:34)
06. Nadine (3:25)
07. Dark Dark Days (4:54)
08. Leaving (3:25)
09. Shame Shame Shame (3:47)

The debut album by A&E and the Big C. Ten tracks of powerful modern electric blues sparked into life by Geb's experiences with A&E departments (and the Big C).

BILL THORNDYCRAFT and GEB RING are 2 Twickenham guys with a deep love of the blues. Bill is lead vocalist, harmonica and guitar player with 60s blues rock legends Killing Floor. Geb is a friend, neighbour and accomplished bass player. The duo have brought years of experience in British blues together to create a unique album combining standards and original compositions.
Forced into confronting a life-threatening health condition, Geb had taken stock:
“After I had major surgery for bowel cancer in 2018, I realised that I needed to make changes. Foremost amongst these was the need for distractions and so I resolved to return to a youthful passion - being a bass player. I called on Bill to add his vocals, blues harp and rhythm guitar”.
Bill takes up the story:
“I told Geb I’d love to start playing with him, jamming old Blues and Rock songs that punctuated our youth, but said we’d need to play all the songs in A and E. Geb thought this was in rather bad taste. “Bugger that” he said (or words to the same effect) “I’ve already spent far too much time in A and E”. I explained that my very limited guitar skills mean I can basically, only play in the keys of A and E But that muddled exchange led us to the highly appropriate name for our band. We added ‘The big C’ as the triggering factor just in as the other ‘Big C’Covid emerged!”
Jamming together led Bill and Geb to recording their efforts and then to Dwayne Hamilton, a renowned producer at Twickenham’s Heatham House youth centre.
“What started as a casual distraction for me developed into a full-blown project involving many local people and resources. Making this album was a real pleasure which we hope will bring some pleasure with listeners in Twickenham and beyond” says Geb.
Additional contributions came from Killing Floor guitarist Mick Clarke, Pete Buckland and Nick Nixon on guitars and keyboards, Sassafrass drummer Chris Sharley, and other musician neighbours, John Huggins (saxophones) and Matt Wedgewood (guitar).

A & E And The Big C MP3
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Billy Truitt - Abstract Truth

Size: 96.1 MB
Time: 41:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues, Rock, Country
Art: Full

01. Who's Been Trying (3:46)
02. No Light Blues (3:48)
03. Truth Come Home (3:50)
04. Waymore Blues (3:30)
05. True (4:06)
06. Salvation Or Hell And Famous Potatoes (3:47)
07. Life Like Art (3:43)
08. Hobo Flatts (3:17)
09. Preacher Stole My Angel (3:59)
10. Ragtime Eastern Cowboy (7:16)

Southern Idaho native Billy Truitt began his touring career with Jack Ely and the Kingsmen of “Louie Louie” fame and was produced by the legendary Bert Burns of Bang Records. Uncle Sam called a couple of years later and after a tour of sunny Southeast Asia Billy returned and joined Crescendo recording artists Foremost Authority became the popular northwest band Easy Chair, which was on lineups with many of the national and international touring acts of the ‘70s.

After opening a recording studio in his hometown of Boise with friends Terry Miller and Charlie Coe of Paul Revere and Raiders, Billy got a Curb Records production deal and moved to southern California where he became entrenched in the Bakersfield honky-tonk and L.A. studio and club scene. After moving to Las Vegas in the ‘90s Billy started working with the roots/rockabilly band The Ruffnecks and later Blind Pig recording artists Contino. That project later became the Vegas Strip Kings, which enjoyed success with 2019’s album Jackpot.

Abstract Truth, although released under Billy Truitt’s name, includes most of the Vegas Strip Kings, while taking the ensemble in fresh musical directions. The result is an exhilarating voyage with a seasoned group of skilled musicians who bring a vast array of influences to this creative and original project.

Truitt handles the lion’s share of the album, writing the majority of the songs, and also providing vocals, piano, Hammond organ, accordion, and acoustic and electric guitars. Al Elk plays guitars, lap steel, harmonica and provides the vox on “Hobo Flatts.” Chris Tofield (electric guitar), Jimmy Carpenter (tenor and baritone sax), Justin Truitt (drums and percussion), and Mike Seifrit (bass), round out the rhythm section. Steve Eaton sings “Life Just Like Art,” and Rob Edwards plays doghouse bass on “Waymore Blues.”

Abstract Truth MP3
Abstract Truth FLAC

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Josh Cheyenne - Natural Blues

Size: 266 MB
Time: 49:11
File: Flac
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. So Good To My Baby (5:23)
2. She's Alright (6:07)
3. You Gonna Miss Me (3:12)
4. 44 Blues (6:28)
5. Mean Red Spider (6:49)
6. Stop Breaking Down (4:45)
7. Certainly All (4:35)
8. Sugar Coated Love (5:04)
9. Long Distance Call (6:44)

3 microphones and the truth! That sums up my intention with this recording. Blues has been an obsession and companion throughout much of my life. From when I first heard a Muddy Waters record and cut my own slide from a bottle, to playing in nightclubs, I was hooked. One of the things I love about blues is hearing someone's personality through their playing. With the 1950's early electric-blues-band era in mind, this recording is all analogue, recorded live with 3 microphones, through glowing vacuum tubes, onto 8-track tape. It captures the spirit of a sweaty sub-tropical summer evening in Queensland, Australia, playing my favorite music.

Natural Blues FLAC

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Danny Brooks & Lil' Miss Debi - This World Is Not Your Friend

Size: 313 MB
Time: 71:14
File: Flac
Released: 2015
Styles:
Art: Front

1. This World Is Not Your Friend (4:57)
2. Blue Highway (4:24)
3. All God's Children (5:42)
4. Halfway To Heaven (4:14)
5. Ride Around Texas (3:08)
6. When A Little Means A Lot (3:41)
7. Spirit of Rock n Roll (3:25)
8. Sad Song (3:48)
9. Got To Find My Way Back Home (3:32)
10. One More Mile (4:18)
11. Country Lullaby (3:38)
12. Good Love Is Hard To Find (4:15)
13. One Love (3:43)
14. Lights of Llano (3:59)
15. Who You Going To Call (3:45)
16. I'm Looking Up (4:07)
17. When I'm Holding You (3:29)
18. This World Is Not My Friend (3:00)

"Despite the suicidally depressing title this Canadian duo have produced a quintessentially “Bluesy” album which is everything I could want from that genre. I could visualize myself in the swampy southern states as soon as it opened with a track with the album name This World Is Not Your Friend, such was the atmospheric vocals and guitar work with occasional mouth organ accompaniment. In truth this is the most Blues sounding album I’ve heard for some time. Brooks has a vocal ability which belies his racial profile, he genuinely does sound like an African American in tone and tenor, making his ability in the blues a stick on winner. There is a soulful facet to this album which hits the spot too. Track three, All God’s Children has a meaning to Danny based on an actual experience, and is all the more sensitive for that despite it having a fairly raucous vocal aspect. The very next track Halfway To Heaven has a genuine quasi-religious fervour to add to the southern blues guitar and harmonica essence. Track nine Got To Find My Way Back Home is so very poignant to both of them, yet they have the strength to perform it. This whole album is essentially roots type blues without make up, writing done with true feeling and performed with a fervour that today’s superficial pop stars couldn’t spell much less perform to. The husband and wife team here are truly in tune with each other and have produced an ace for anyone’s blues collection."

This World Is Not Your Friend FLAC

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Cisco Herzhaft - Son Of A Watchmaker

Cisco Herzhaft - Son of a Watchmaker Size: 288 MB
Time: 47:05
File: Flac
Released: 2019
Styles: Acoustic blues
Art: Front

1. Just the Man (6:22)
2. Shake It Baby (4:26)
3. Old Black Train (3:40)
4. Indian Trails Blues (5:50)
5. I'm a Blues Vet (3:26)
6. Travelin' Man (4:14)
7. Cisco Kid (3:33)
8. That's My Name (5:09)
9. Poor Boy (3:46)
10. Crazy Woman (3:03)
11. Son of a Watchmaker (3:30)

Half a century ago, Cisco HERZHAFT (actual son of a watchmaker) was guitarist of the Haricots Rouges (trad-jazz formation then in vogue). During one of their galas in the Paris region, a stuttering black boy with questionable teeth provided their opening act… It was John Lee Hooker! Struck down, Cisco, who had hitherto only loved folk music, immediately dropped his formation to accompany the blues-commander in his peregrinations in the land of camembert. When it comes to the blues, we call it crossroads (and in the Maghreb, mektoub)… But since you have to live well, our man had other jobs for a while. Meanwhile, his brother Gérard asserted himself as one of the blues specialists in France, with his “Grande Encyclopédie du Blues”. And Cisco, who couldn't bring himself to give up the guitar, was gradually recognized as one of the masters of slide and picking in Europe. This sixth album since Cisco HERZHAFT recorded under his own name (he displays as many others besides) sees him bring together a few faithful accompanists (bassist Bernard Brimeur and drummer Patrick Cassotti), and a few new ones too (beatboxer MicFlow and rapper Rockin' Squat), in the forefront of which stand out the superb Belgian harmonica player Geneviève Dartevelle, and the no less extraordinary pianist Fabrice Eulry. These two illuminate with their passion and their talent classic Chicago shuffles such as “That's My Name”, or acoustic boogies like “Travelin' Man” and “Indian Trails Blues”, where their deep knowledge of these idioms makes wonder. The intro track, “Just The Man”, thus offers Eulry the opportunity for splendid transgressions in the disruptive way of Memphis Slim, Bud Powell and Mike Garson (split). Stompin' picking & slide and ragtime (of which Cisco HERZHAFT has confirmed himself as one of the best practitioners) are not to be outdone, with these “Poor Boy” and “Crazy Woman” (to which Dartevelle and Eulry provide the appropriate counterpoint ). The only covers present, John Lee Hooker's “Shake It Baby” and the obvious (and mischievous) adaptation of War's “Cisco Kid” complete this album, which turns out to be one of his very best to date. with these “Poor Boy” and “Crazy Woman” (to which Dartevelle and Eulry provide the appropriate counterpoint). The only covers present, John Lee Hooker's “Shake It Baby” and the obvious (and mischievous) adaptation of War's “Cisco Kid” complete this album, which turns out to be one of his very best to date. with these “Poor Boy” and “Crazy Woman” (to which Dartevelle and Eulry provide the appropriate counterpoint). The only covers present, John Lee Hooker's “Shake It Baby” and the obvious (and mischievous) adaptation of War's “Cisco Kid” complete this album, which turns out to be one of his very best to date.

Son of a Watchmaker FLAC

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J.J. Cale - Gold

Size: 250 MB
Time: 1:45:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Full

CD 1:
01. Call Me The Breeze (2:37)
02. Magnolia (3:25)
03. After Midnight (2:23)
04. River Runs Deep (2:44)
05. Woman I Love (2:38)
06. Crazy Mama (2:25)
07. Lies (2:57)
08. If You're Ever In Oklahoma (2:05)
09. Ridin Home (2:39)
10. Going Down (3:03)
11. Cajun Moon (2:16)
12. Any Way The Wind Blows (3:24)
13. I Got The Same Old Blues (3:00)
14. Rock And Roll Records (2:08)
15. Let Me Do It To You (2:59)
16. Super Blue (2:42)
17. Cocaine (2:53)
18. Ride Me High (3:34)

CD 2:
01. Hey Baby (3:13)
02. Thirteen Days (2:49)
03. Don't Cry Sister (2:14)
04. Mona (3:18)
05. I'll Make Love To You Anytime (3:13)
06. Sensitive Kind (5:09)
07. Boilin' Pot (2:51)
08. Carry On (2:20)
09. Wish I Had Not Said That (3:22)
10. Love Has Been Gone (2:14)
11. Don't Wait (3:09)
12. Devil In Disguise (2:03)
13. City Girls (2:49)
14. A Thing Going On (2:39)
15. Money Talks (4:17)
16. Hard Times (3:55)
17. Teardrops In My Tequila (2:17)
18. Trouble In The City (3:23)

With his laconic vocal style and a guitar style that matched it in depth, tone, and weariness all laid over easy, loping shuffle rhythms, J.J. Cale also happened to be a heck of a songwriter, and he established less a persona with his approach than his own brand of blues roots rock, and he has stuck to it throughout his career, never adjusting or deviating for the pop market. All of this means his recorded output is remarkably consistent, as this two-disc set of Cale's hit songs and other key tracks clearly shows. The big ones are here, including "Crazy Mama," "Call Me the Breeze," "Magnolia," "After Midnight," and "Cocaine," along with several essential album sides, and they portray an artist who knows exactly what he does well and then does it, no matter what storms are swirling around in the tides of current pop culture. ~Steve Leggett

Gold MP3
Gold FLAC

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Stacy Jones - World On Fire

Size: 154.3 MB
Time: 65:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Jefferson Way (4:09)
02. Juke (2:42)
03. Love Me Just The Way I Am (6:02)
04. World On Fire (6:40)
05. Everything Is Going To Be Alright (4:28)
06. Insane Asylum (Feat. Tom Jones) (5:30)
07. George Stinney (5:17)
08. Oxen Heart (3:31)
09. Sunday Morning (4:44)
10. Midnight In Harlem (6:53)
11. Shine (4:18)
12. We Are Going To Make It Through (4:30)
13. Think (4:11)
14. With Music On My Side (2:50)

Seattle based Stacy Jones and her band have lit up the Washington blues scene for the past few years, garnering many an award and accolade since 2015. Her recording career began in 2003and she and her band have released some great albums over the years. She’s performed at the Chicago Blues Festival and has received many awards from the Washington Blues Society in a state where the blues scene is quite large.

Stacy Jones sings, plays harp, organ, piano and acoustic guitar on this album. Jeff Menteer plays electric guitar and backs Stacy on vocals. Stacy’s husband Tom plays bass and helps lead one track vocally. Rick Bowen in on drums and percussion. The horns are Mike Gunther on trumpet and Gene Laukkonen on tenor and baritone saxophones.

The album begins with some greasy harp and slide and Stacy getting right into the mix. “Jefferson Way” is a great cut and Jones sings with emotion and lots of guts. The harp work is super and the groove the band lays down is outstanding. Did I mention slide guitar? Also well done. The standard “Juke” follows with some pretty harp work. A great instrumental piece, delivered tastefully. The original “Love Me Just The Way I Am” gives Jones the vehicle to show off her sultry and seductive side. A jazzy, lounge feeling is set up, but it’s certainly bluesy as the harp punctuation is a cool addition. Next is the title track, a slower torch song of sorts, another well done cut. A tasteful guitar solo adds to the performance and the song builds to a fiery conclusion. Next is “Everything is Going To Be Alright,” with the horns playing a bigger role. Another well done guitar solo is added here, too. Willie Dixon’s “Insane Asylum” follows with her husband Tom starting the lead vocals and then Stacy comes in with a forth right entry into the song. The duo and harp continue and it’s a great number. “George Stinney” is another original, a story telling about an unjustly arrested young black teen who was executed in South Carolina. The case was reexamined and the charges vacated in 2004, seventy years after his execution. Jones howls about the injustice. Stinney was only allowed to see his parents once between his arrest and eventual execution about three months later.

“Oxen Heart” is up next, a Celtic sort of ballad that Jones delivers with passion and feeling. A guitar solo is offered up here that adds to the feeling. Next is the acoustic original “Sunday Morning.” a nice, down home track with acoustic and slide guitars. “Midnight in Harlem” follows, a song we all know from Susan Tedeschi originally done by her and her husband’s band. This is a super rendition filled with feeling. The organ is sublime and the slide is equally beautifully done. Next is “Shine;” it and the next cut, “ We Are All Going to Make it Through” were written by Menteer with lyrics by Bowen and Tom Jones respectively. The former is a pretty, lighter number while the latter is bouncing and swinging. Both are enjoyable. Aretha’s “Think” is next and Jones does a nice job singing and playing harp with this big and soulful song. The horns and guitar add nicely to the fray. The album concludes with the stark and bare “With Music on My Side” with Stacy singing and playing harp and acoustic guitar. It’s a dong of surviving because of what the title says. Well done!

Exceptional vocals, great harp work and a super band make this an album you will listen to over and over again. I enjoyed the album and I am sure blues fans who listen to it will, too. I recommend this one! ~Steve Jones

World On Fire MP3
World On Fire FLAC

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