Bobby Radcliff - Live At The Rynborn

Album: Live At The Rynborn
Size: 132,4 MB
Time: 57:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Improvisations On Honky Tonk (6:43)
2. Please Have Mercy (4:35)
3. Tramp (6:49)
4. Early In The Morning (7:12)
5. The Introject (5:00)
6. Been Around The World (5:17)
7. Kool And The Gang (3:26)
8. The Honeydripper (5:09)
9. Ten Years Ago (7:46)
10. The Twist (5:28)

This raw, intense, honest performance was captured in November 1996 at the Rynborn Theatre in Antrim, New Hampshire. Radcliff's in-your-face style demonstrates his bravery, for this recording is not flawless (it is live, after all) and there are times where you find yourself saying "What was that?" - but that's what makes it so appealing. Radcliff is not an imitator but rather an interpreter, and he is an especially great admirer of the Chicago West-siders, particularly Magic Sam. Although this CD is 90% standards (just one original), he manages to surprise even those listeners who thought they'd heard it all. Selections range from Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk" to a well-disguised Kool & the Gang medley.

Playing here with a trio, Radcliff rips off solo after solo throughout. He switches back and forth between lead and rhythm, shifting gears frequently when it comes to the rhythms themselves. He sings on several tunes but vocals are definitely not his strong suit. At it's worst, Live at the Rynborn is an interesting listening experience; at it's best it is a volatile and brash performance in a very cool way. It is not for the faint of heart, and that's what makes it a lot of fun. /Ann Wickstrom, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Bobby Radcliff - Hard Hitting

Size: 106,5 MB
Time: 45:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: ull

01. High Cost Of Living (4:29)
02. Why Baby (3:11)
03. Part Time Love (5:34)
04. Man Or Mouse (5:13)
05. In The Open (2:43)
06. Mardi Gras In New Orleans (2:33)
07. I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday (2:00)
08. I Wonder Why (4:08)
09. Since I Met You Baby (3:27)
10. Talkin' About My Friends (4:27)
11. Please Don't Leave Me (4:39)
12. Bobby's Rock (2:39)

The toast of the New York blues scene Bobby Radcliff has enlisted a choice group of musicians from Finland and Sweden to back him on his latest project. This effort was recorded at Suprovox Studios, Finland. The guitarist-singer offers up twelve diverse blues covers with just a two guitar, bass and drums line up. He shares lead guitar duties with Jonne Kulluvaara from Helsinki, Finland. The sound is ok except for the fact that the drums tend to be mixed a little low.

“High Cost Of Living” is a slow-ish blues with skittering guitars with Bobby’s matter-of-fact vocals that set fine here. He shows a more exuberant vocal performance on the lively “Why Baby”. The band chugs along nicely on “Man Or Mouse”. Freddie King’s instrumental “In The Open” gets it just deserves as the guys give it a run for its’ money.

Up next is a two song visit to the New Orleans music scene, leading off with Professor Longhair’s perennial “Mardi Gras In New Orleans” were the rhythmic guitars make up for the usual piano parts. “The Fat Man” Fats Domino gets the Bobby Radcliff treatment on his “I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday”. Fats’ warm vocal is missed, but Bobby does it proud.

Jimmy Dawkins’ “I Wonder Why” takes things back to the good old Chicago blues. This versatile guitar band shows its mellow side on the Ivory Joe Hunter classic “Since I Met You Baby” that finds Bobby in fine voice. “Sometimey” friends are the subject on the reality checking “Talkin’ About My Friends”. This time they cover a more obscure Fats Domino track in “Please Don’t Leave Me”. It’s another New Orleans Rhythm And Blues gem featuring vocal-guitar call and response. Shop closes up with Elmore James’ instrumental “Bobby’s Rock” to take things out in style.

Here with have another keeper of the traditional blues that keeps things fresh and up to date. A steady vocalist, two well versed guitarist and a crack rhythm section what self respecting blues fanatic could want more? In a perfect world I would of liked the drums a bit more up front, but that’s a minor quibble. This band rocks out the blues in grand fashion. ~Greg "Bluesdog" Szalony

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Bobby Radcliff - 2 albums: Crime School / Absolute Hell

Album: Crime School
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:41
Size: 141.2 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Two Heads
[3:23] 2. Mean Ms. Mindy
[2:51] 3. Seyler's Bald
[4:12] 4. Tina's Teenage Dance
[5:03] 5. Forbidden Love
[2:55] 6. Class Reunion
[5:25] 7. Pineapple Storn
[3:46] 8. Plastic Doll Blues
[2:56] 9. Rat's Nest
[3:55] 10. Roast Beef Float
[1:52] 11. Crime School
[6:22] 12. Mouse Man
[6:48] 13. Kandy Soup
[8:21] 14. Still In Love
[0:44] 15. Pork Roll Blues

BOBBY RADCLIFF (guitar/vocals), CLINT WARNER (guitar), CHRIS MATHEOS (bass), KEITH HURRELL (drums). Recorded in California March 2018.

If you’re looking for some classic blues alongside some refreshing and unique blues expressions, Bobby Radcliff’s latest record “Crime School” is a great choice. The album beautifully weaves universal school experiences into songs and instrumentals that are all very well-played. You’ll reminisce about those emotional rollercoasters that are intertwined with school. Who didn’t have a mean teacher? “Mean Ms. Mindy” takes you down that road. And who didn’t wish for a parental note to just get out of school because they’d had enough? “Two Heads” takes you there. And the school dance? Radcliff’s instrumental “Tina’s Teenage Dance” sets the musical stage for your imagination to return to that high school (or Jr. high!) dance – whether you were standing on the side and never invited to dance or you were awkwardly trying to dance with a girl or boy you had a crush on. We’ve all been there and Radcliff’s glittering solo on this cut is a beautiful dance of notes, in and of itself. One of the record’s deepest cuts is “Forbidden Love.” It’s got a driving beat that pulls a nuance of punk-rock attitude into this blues where Radcliff’s lyrical cadence thoroughly explores the gut-wrenching downside of opening your heart. On the flipside, “Crime School” has a few live tracks, including the tenderly sung “Still in Love.” This song is a beautiful contrast that also showcases his dynamic vocal range. His stunning solo is quintessential Bobby Radcliff: smooth, intricate and beautiful. Clint Warner’s guitar playing is a perfect complement to Bobby’s solo – at the other end of this song. Another fantastic track is “Syler’s Bald”, Radcliff’s rockin’ blues track, staying in the love vein with references to being lonely and cold on that great peak on the Appalachian Trail.

Love isn’t the only subject matter that is explored on all sides, Radcliff’s “Plastic Doll Blues” offers both irony and truth about the state of physical beauty in our strange world. Radcliff’s humorous side fully blossoms on “Class Reunion” - a gem of a country song that brings this record full-circle to that later-in-life time when one might return to school and see how everyone turned out. (Bobby’s influences growing up in Washington D.C. were vast including country, swing, bluegrass – in addition to the obvious blues for which he is mostly known. It’s cool to hear this country track and be reminded that there are so many sides to Bobby’s influences.)
In addition to all the “schooling” this record offers, there are some delicious sounding food-named tracks, perhaps from the Crime School cafeteria or maybe they were just hungry when they made this record? 😊 : “Roast Beef Float,” “Kandy Soup” (yum!), “Pineapple Storn” and the record’s final 45-second playful snippet at the end “Pork Roll Blues.” The musicianship and artistry by Radcliff and his seasoned and wonderfully talented collaborators is a joy to the ears. They are all true masters: Chris Matheos on Bass, Clint Warner on guitar – in addition to Radcliff - and Keith Hurrell on drums. This is a tight-knit group who has recorded and performed many times, allowing for some wonderfully spontaneous deviations from convention. They still stick to the leadership of Radcliff’s incredible guitar playing and songwriting, - a style that is all his own.

This record has it all: The bitter, the sweet, the tender, the humorous. I would be remiss not to mention that this record is a really nice complement to Radcliff’s 2011 “Freakin’ Me Out” – all originals. Bobby, who is a very accomplished visual artist, made the drawing and paintings for both these records. ~Lonnie

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Album: Absolute Hell
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:02
Size: 73.4 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Absolute Hell
[3:11] 2. Airport People
[3:11] 3. Sweet Emily
[2:10] 4. Jefferson Air Raid
[2:51] 5. Who R U
[4:32] 6. The Agony Booth
[2:07] 7. Broiled Owl
[3:27] 8. Everybody
[2:06] 9. Krellno Hop
[4:27] 10. Fried Mongoose

Bobby Radcliff doles out his music in a raw and spare fashion. His back-up is bass and drums, while he takes on the guitar and singing chores. A few guests step in on guitar and drums. It sounds like everything here was recorded live in the studio. Bobby’s guitar playing is loose and lively, skirting blues, rock, rockabilly and jazz and who knows what else. His voice is appropriate for the material. The one qualm I have with the production is the strange way the drums were recorded. They are mostly buried deep in the mix, at times it sounds like no cymbals were used. Quite often it sounds like the drums were recorded over the phone. It has to be intentional, but why? The music presented here is real. It can best be described as Bobby Radcliff music. ~Greg "Bluesdog" Szalony

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Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans - 2 albums: Les Blues Hot / Traveling Fool

Album: Les Blues Hot
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:13
Size: 158.5 MB
Styles: Roots, Contemporary blues
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[2:30] 1. Freight Car
[2:23] 2. Baby, Please Don’t Go
[3:54] 3. Dogs Don’t Sing
[3:10] 4. I Don’t Want To
[3:56] 5. Hudson’s Stomp
[4:08] 6. Where Can My Baby Be
[3:52] 7. Hesitation Blues
[3:20] 8. Up From The Bottom
[3:55] 9. Give It Up, Buddy
[3:06] 10. Our Real Good Thing (...Gets Better Everyday)
[3:41] 11. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:17] 12. It’s Gonna Be Me (There'll Be A Day)
[3:08] 13. ‘a’ Rag
[3:34] 14. Hands Off
[2:59] 15. I’m Homesick
[3:52] 16. Gonna Quit You
[2:46] 17. Woogie On Down
[4:13] 18. Mississippi Shadows
[3:20] 19. Boogie For Jimmy Reed
[2:58] 20. Raisin’ Praise

A CD by a fabulous musician who deserves this solo album more than anybody else. One of the baddest blues bassists around, it turns out that Brad also knows his way around a guitar's neck and a microphone! His playing is tasty and his singing is strong too. Plus, his song selection suits my tastes very well. It's eclectic, mixing blues with some good time jazz. Whoever had the idea to include clarinet on this album had a GREAT idea; the sound is just pure fun! With 20 songs and almost 70 minutes of music, great playing, and some first-class musicians, 'Le Blues Hot' is a CD that should have been released a long time ago! ~Przemek Draheim, Radio Sfera, Torun (Poland)

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Album: Traveling Fool (feat. Bobby Radcliff)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138.1 MB
Styles: Roots, Contemporary blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:42] 1. Traveling Fool
[3:34] 2. Because I Love You That Way
[4:37] 3. Diggin' My Potatoes
[4:07] 4. Don't Take My Cadillac
[2:43] 5. Uh Oh!
[2:54] 6. No Baby, No
[5:39] 7. Leave Me Be
[3:57] 8. Low Down Dirty Shame
[2:42] 9. Glad Rags
[3:42] 10. In My Dream
[4:05] 11. Fourteen Women
[3:25] 12. Skeeter Song
[3:35] 13. Without Moolah
[5:56] 14. How Long Blues
[3:32] 15. Rockabilly Rumble

Special guest guitarist Bobby Radcliff has this to say about Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans and "Traveling Fool":

Sometimes I forget how much I loved those old albums from the ’60s: J. B. Lenoir and Lowell Fulson’s Chess recordings with the horns slightly out of key (which I adore)—not to mention all my old Blind Lemon Jefferson, Texas Henry Thomas, etc. albums on those funky 78-rpm-to-disc re-issue labels back then.

I can’t think of many artists today that can get the kind of raw, direct punch that was so evident in the “old masters”. For some reason, Brad Vickers does capture it. And the best part is that his music never sounds “manufactured to sound authentic”. Brad’s music doesn’t have the glossy high-tech veneer that too many artists utilize to “sound like the great artists of old”. This recording, his 3rd release on CD, is the obvious choice if you want to experience first-rate American blues/R&B music, and its related tributaries.

Brad’s vocal delivery always stays firm in a laconic, easy-going manner. I’m reminded at times of Fats Domino via Bill Monroe, but that’s an oversimplification. Brad is his own man both vocally and in his instrumental technique. Much of his guitar work is the direct result of his use of open E tuning rather than standard Spanish. This actually gives him a bit of an edge over some of his musical peers. I am always blown away by the unusual tone variations and colors he achieves. Believe me, as a practicing picker myself, you will not get certain odd inflections and subtle pitch/interval variations with standard guitar tuning. All of this adds up to some extremely nasty guitar sounds!

Of particular note, I should add, is the equal importance of his Vesapolitans line-up: Bill Rankin on percussion; Margey Peters, who adds her rich and sonorous playing on bass and fiddle; the great Jim Davis on clarinet and tenor saxophone; Matt Cowan on baritone saxophone; and one of my favorite guitar (and piano!) pickers, Arne Englund. The estimable V.D. King also makes an appearance with this fine ensemble.

I can’t say enough about Dave Gross’s production on this CD. As a guest myself on this session, I had the opportunity to observe him in the production/engineer capacities. All I can say is this: I had one of the best times in years being involved with the making of this recording. A great captain at the helm always gets the best out of musicians. I’d put him up with my favorites, Hammond Scott (Black Top), Peter K. Siegal, and Chris Matheos. All of this said, if you’re in the mood to spend some time listening and dancing—don’t forget, Mister Vickers is a rocker to the core!—to some downright incredibly hip music, then slap this in your favorite player and tear it up! ~Bobby Radcliff,

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Bobby Radcliff - Absolute Hell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:11
Size: 73.7 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Absolute Hell
[3:14] 2. Airport People
[2:10] 3. Jefferson Air Raid
[3:11] 4. Sweet Emily
[4:33] 5. The Agony Booth
[2:53] 6. Who Ru?
[2:07] 7. Broiled Owl
[3:27] 8. Everybody
[2:07] 9. Krellno Hop
[4:27] 10. Fried Mongoose

NYC Blues Legend BOBBY RADCLIFF's latest work Absolute Hell. This is the most creative and innovative project Bobby Radcliff has ever recorded. Ten new original compositions are featured. The songs mix blues based roots with rock, jazz, & surf, textures. Recorded in California between 2010 and 2015 with his west coast USA band. Bobby Radcliff (guitar/vocals/producer), Chris Matheos (bass/co-producer), Bob Danielson (drums). Special guests: Clint Warner (second guitar on tracks Fried Mongoose & The Agony Booth), Rockin' Johnny Burgin (second guitar on Broiled Owl), Rob Anderson (drums on Fried Mongoose). This CD is a continuation of the "Freaking Me Out" CD sessions. Only this CD is even more creatively pushing the boundaries of Radcliff's songwriting. Bobby Radcliff's original artwork is featured on the CD cover and CD faces. There is a variety of cover art variations in circulation as well as cd face variations. A CD collectors dream come true!! Radcliff's masterpiece The "City of Hell" is featured on the front cover artwork and in the lyrics of the title track. Some of the CD variations even feature alternate versions of songs (like the title track Absolute Hell and The Agony Booth)!! NOTE: The music on this CD is far more experimental than any of Radcliff's BlackTop Records releases. No overdubs here or heavy over production. Just a live trio/quartet getting creative on some experimental blues based music. This is the second release on Radcliff's own label Krellno Records. Krellno Records "Music for the Insane"!!!!

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Various - Blues Guitar Spotlight

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 69:20
Size: 158.7 MB
Styles: Various styles
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Alex Schultz With The Mighty Flyers - Jam Up
[3:21] 2. Snooks Eaglin - Traveling Mood
[3:32] 3. Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Ways Of Man
[2:55] 4. Anson Funderburgh And Joe Hughes - I Don't Want Your Money
[3:01] 5. Robert Ward - Forgive Me Darling
[2:35] 6. Hubert Sumlin - Healing Feeling
[7:55] 7. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - That's When My Soul Comes Down
[3:56] 8. Mike Morgan & The Crawl - You Ain't Like You Used To Be
[4:47] 9. Earl King - Time For The Sun To Rise
[2:15] 10. Bobby Radcliff - The Stinger
[3:05] 11. Mike Morgan & The Crawl - Frankie's Blues
[3:50] 12. Snooks Eaglin - Don't Take It So Hard
[2:21] 13. Alex Schultz & The Mighty Flyers - Nook-N-Kranny
[3:02] 14. Texas Heat - Won't Throw It All Away
[3:53] 15. Clarence Hollimon - Blues For Carol
[5:02] 16. Bobby Radcliff - Hard Road To Travel
[4:33] 17. The James Harman Band - I Declare
[2:40] 18. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - Gonna Wait For My Chance
[3:56] 19. Robert Ward - Dry Spell

Fans of blues guitar playing should be happy with the lineup of artists on this compilation. Among the many contributors are Ronnie Earl, Hubert Sumlin, Earl King, Bobby Radcliff, Robert Ward, Anson Funderburgh, Clarence Hollimon, and Snooks Eaglin. It's a good opportunity to get a taste of where blues guitar playing has been and the direction it's headed toward in the near future. This release includes two previously unissued performances featuring Alex Schultz with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. Includes previously unreleased tracks. Performers include: Hubert Sumlin, Rod Piazza, Snooks Eaglin, Earl King, Clarence Hollimon, Robert Ward, Anson Funderburgh, Ronnie Earl, Bobby Radcliff, Alex Schultz, Joel Foy, Mike Morgan, Jon Moeller.

Blues Guitar Spotlight

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