Kirk Fletcher - Keep On Pushing

Album: Keep On Pushing
Size: 103,4 MB
Time: 44:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2025
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. It's Love Baby (4:44)
2. Just A Dream (4:12)
3. I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole (3:39)
4. Every Dog Has Its Day (3:43)
5. Lost Love (6:36)
6. Croke (2:55)
7. Keep On Pushing (3:40)
8. Think Twice Before You Speak (5:12)
9. Here In The Dark (5:29)
10. Blues For Robert Nighthawk (4:28)

Globally acclaimed guitarist / vocalist Kirk Fletcher returns with his eighth studio album titled Keep on Pushing. Co-produced with JD Simo, and recorded alongside some of Nashville’s meanest blues cats – the new record brings 10 tracks of raw, straight-from-the-heart blues emotion. Speaking about the album, Fletcher said: “My new record is called Keep On Pushing, which I feel is a positive message in these uncertain times. And for me a personal message to myself suffering a stroke just a couple years ago. I’m grateful to share this album with you.”

Starting out with a Ruth Brown cover “It’s Love Baby”, the swinging rhythm rocks and rolls while Kirk delivers the catchy verses and brings clever blues guitar chops to the forefront. The band’s cohesion makes it seem as if they’ve played together every single night for 30 years straight – the vibe transports you straight to a smoky juke joint. A shuffling “Just a Dream” adds more dirt to the mix – Kirk’s vocal performance is absolutely stunning in this one. The finesse in his singing – it simply can’t be taught – you have to feel it! Bumping the tempo up a notch, “I’m Gonna Dig Myself a Hole” is an orb of pure blues energy. Just so irresistibly groovy!

“Every Dog Has Its Day” is ridiculously funky. The drum part keeps pushing the track forward with an infectious groove – crowned by a fun ride cymbal pattern in instrumental sections. This track features a couple of truly mind-blowing guitar solos – the kind that really tickle the brain and touch the soul. A slow 12-bar blues tune follows titled “Lost Love” – words will never do this track justice, it’s a proper late-night blues number that needs to be felt. “Croke” is one of the singles leading up to the release of the album – an up-tempo instrumental track that represents Fletcher’s salute to the West Coast Jump Blues.

The title track “Keep on Pushing” is built upon a nasty shuffle groove and spiced up with insane blues guitar licks. Sounds like a little nod to the great Freddie King. A cheeky guitar riff pulls you right into the slow storytelling blues that is “Think Twice Before You Speak”. Musicianship aside for once, the soul of this tune lies in its lyrics – clever lines deliver a powerful message, with a slightly humorous touch. Sticking with the 12/8 time signature, but slowing it down a bit whilst opting for a minor key, there is nothing humorous at all about “Here in the Dark”. It’s the bluest of blues. Ending this glorious album is a Delta – Chicago bridging, slide-infused instrumental tribute to Robert Nighthawk, aptly titled “Blues for Robert Nighthawk”.

Keep On Pushing is blues in its most authentic form. Concerned less about being spotless, and more about being felt as much as possible – which makes it perfect in it’s own way. It’s a real old-school blues record, with real old-school playing and real old-school production style – one could argue they don’t make them like this anymore. Fusing influences from all the different eras that we know and love, whilst managing to keep his own voice in it all, Kirk Fletcher walks us through the history of the genre and delivers a true blues masterclass. Mesmerising stuff! /Neven Tili, Blues Rock Review

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Kirk Fletcher - Heartache By The Pound

Album: Heartache By The Pound
Size: 102,3 MB
Time: 44:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Shine A Light On Love (4:32)
2. Afraid To Die, Too Scared To Live (4:04)
3. Heartache By The Pound (3:09)
4. I've Made Nights By Myself (3:56)
5. The Night's Calling For You (5:16)
6. Wrapped Up, Tangled Up In The Blues (5:05)
7. Wrong Kinda Love (4:04)
8. I Can't Find No Love (4:34)
9. Wildcat Tamer (3:53)
10. Hope For Us (5:48)

“Heartache By The Pound” marks Fletcher’s most personal and potent work to date, highlighted by robust vocals, spirited songcraft, and of course, the fiery guitar work that has earned him international acclaim as one of the preeminent bluesmen of the current era. A five-time Blues Music Award-nominee, Fletcher spent much of the pandemic living in Switzerland, writing new songs remotely in partnership with his long-time friend, legendary bassist Richard Cousins (The Robert Cray Band, Van Morrison).

When the lockdown ended, he headed to the hallowed ground of FAME Studios for three days of sessions, joined by a truly all-star backing band comprised of keyboardist Reese Wynans (Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Buddy Guy, John Mayall), drummer Terrence F. Clark (Robert Cray, Joss Stone), bass players Travis Carlton (Sara Barellies, Larry Carlton) and Randy Bermudes (The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Musselwhite), backing vocalist Jade MacRae (Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Barnes), trumpet player Mark Pender (Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul), and saxophonist Joe Sublett (Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band, Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat).

“FAME is the mother church for soul music,” Fletcher says. “It’s the same building where all these fantastic people like Otis Rush and Aretha Franklin have recorded. I wanted the vibe. I needed to bring these songs there.”

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Kirk Fletcher - My Blues Pathway

Size: 105,8 MB
Time: 45:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Blues/Soul
Art: Front

01. Ain't No Cure For The Downhearted (3:37)
02. No Place To Go (4:25)
03. Love Is More Than A Word (7:04)
04. Struggle For Grace (5:13)
05. I'd Rather Fight Than Switch (4:01)
06. Heart So Heavy (5:03)
07. Fattening Frogs For Snakes (3:53)
08. Place In This World (4:19)
09. D Is For Denny (2:53)
10. Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite) (5:03)

The fun puzzle of singer/guitarist Kirk Fletcher’s My Blues Pathways is figuring out which is more soulful and emotive: his singing or his guitar playing. Because both are striking on this impressive collection of 10 soul-blues tracks, which has the fire of blues rock and the warmth of rhythm and blues.

Fletcher has spent times in bands, with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and as a sideman, for Joe Bonamassa, and while he has a low-key energy, he authoritatively fronts his solo album, placing himself in the middle of every track, vocally and with his guitar playing. Fletcher has his own sound, but he pulls from the greats. His vocals have the depth of Muddy Waters. His guitar playing has B.B. King’s simplicity and a more controlled version of Albert King’s bends. His soul-influenced songs don’t sound especially like Robert Cray, but it’s tough to wade into soul blues without drawing the comparison. And it’s one Fletcher doesn’t try to evade, as he co-wrote two songs with Richard Cousins, Cray’s bass player.

“No Place to Go” is one of those co-writes, a slow groove lifted by horn and guitar stabs. The song is sparse, often just a drum beat and Fletcher’s voice, smoky and limber. And if the track were only this rickety soul beat paired with Fletcher’s vocals, you’d be pretty happy. But then, he brings in his guitar, which is bend after bend, exciting-yet-disciplined, and also mimicking the character of the human voice. It’s thoughtful and old school, driving home the beauty of the song. “The Struggle for Grace” is a straight-forward blues, reminiscent of B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone,” but with Fletcher’s own take. That includes his vocals, which are much less preacher-from-the-pulpit and more cool world-worn uncle. His guitar is the same dynamic, grabbing your attention not with fire and brimstone, but with interesting things to say.

Fletcher also puts his stamp on covers. He gives Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Fattening Frogs For Snakes” a slower groove and more of a Waters’-style vocal delivery. There’s no harmonica, but Fletcher’s guitar taps into classic blues lines, with some modern finesse thrown in to remind the listener of the year. Also helping is a slight update to the lyrics, which includes the all-too-relatable “It’s 2020 / Now I’ve got to correct all of my mistakes.” ~Steven Ovadia

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Kirk Fletcher - I'm Here & I'm Gone

Size: 173,9 MB
Time: 74:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: West Coast Blues
Art: Full

01. I Ain't Doing Nothing Wrong ( 5:25)
02. What Is Going On ( 5:05)
03. Chirch Street Boogie ( 4:38)
04. I'm Not Your Fool ( 7:53)
05. What Happened To You ( 5:05)
06. School Street Shuffle ( 3:11)
07. Silver Spoon (10:34)
08. You Went Back On Your Word ( 5:30)
09. Mr. Mann ( 3:21)
10. Bye Bye So Long ( 2:54)
11. Watsonized ( 5:23)
12. I Ain't Doing Nothing Wrong ( 5:24)
13. What Is Going On ( 5:05)
14. What Happened To You ( 5:03)

West Coast blues guitarist Kirk Fletcher has logged time with everyone from the Fabulous Thunderbirds to Charlie Musselwhite, but in 1999 he kicked off his solo career with I'M HERE AND I'M GONE. Given a 10th-anniversary reissue complete with bonus tracks, the album shows a guitarist who has assimilated the innovations of artists like B.B. King and Buddy Guy and channeled them into something contemporary, with traces of funk and R&B adding some extra groove juice. ~Jim Allen

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Kirk Fletcher - Live At The Baked Potato

Size: 167,9 MB
Time: 73:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01. Funnybone (6:05)
02. Rockwithme (5:02)
03. El Medio Stomp (7:13)
04. Lenny (6:17)
05. I'm In Love (8:45)
06. Blues For Kleopatra (4:55)
07. Congo Square (8:35)
08. Natural Anthem (5:35)
09. Found Love (5:10)
10. Blues For Robben & Larry (5:38)
11. Ain't No Way (9:41)

Blues gets a bad rap because of a preponderance of mediocre imposters who lack the magic. The great stuff will stir you and mesmerize. Two-time WC Handy Award nominee Kirk Fletcher has the magic, and this album is Exhibit A.

Recorded on separate nights at the legendary Baked Potato in Studio City, California, Fletcher is joined by drummer Lemar Carter and bassist Travis Carlton on the first night. The second night consists of Carter, bassist Calvin Turner, and Jeff Babko on organ.

Supplementing fresh arrangements to crowd favorites “Funnybone,” “El Medio Stomp,” and “Congo Square,” Fletcher’s sultry vocabulary adds even more brilliance to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny.” He swings hellaciously on “Blues For Kleopatra,” and explores lowdown love on Jimmy Reed’s “Found Love.”

Fletcher’s playing is a synthesis of the best qualities of contemporary electric blues, but he isn’t confined by it. On “Blues For Robben & Larry,” Fletcher displays a limitless flow of concepts in a slow-blues context.

His exceptional band swings hard on “Ain’t No Way” with Fletcher nodding to B.B. King and Robben Ford with juicy virtuosity and zeal.

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Matty T Wall - Transpacific Blues, Vol. 1

Size: 84,3 MB
Time: 35:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Boom Boom (Feat. Dave Hole) (3:24)
02. Hi Heel Sneakers (Feat. Eric Gales) (4:37)
03. Quicksand (Feat. Kid Ramos) (3:12)
04. She's Into Something (Feat. Walter Trout) (4:11)
05. Stormy Monday (6:13)
06. Born Under A Bad Sign (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (4:58)
07. I'm Tore Down (4:14)
08. Crossroads (4:58)

The career of Australian blues-barnstormer, Matty T Wall, has been on a rising path since his debut album, 2016’s Blue Skies, was nominated as Best Blues Album (International) at the 15th Annual Independent Music Awards. The follow-up, 2018’s Sidewinder subsequently reached the upper echelons of blues airplay charts in Australia, the US and Europe, opening doors all around for this firebrand singer/songwriter/guitarist.

Wall’s newest step forward may be a tad unexpected, but it’s certainly welcome. A love of blues traditions combined with a thirst for new and different approaches to the genre has resulted in a collaborative album of classic blues songs with creative twists.

So aptly titled Transpacific Blues Vol. 1, the album finds Wall reaching across the oceans to trade licks with some of the greatest blues players right now, such as the likes of Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Kirk Fletcher, Kid Ramos, and fellow West Australian, Dave Hole.

The album features three standards purely showcasing Wall and his band, namely Stormy Monday, Tore Down and Crossroads.

In any and all cases, it sounds like everyone’s having a whole lot of fun.

With the experience complete and ready for release one can’t help but note that Vol 1. would suggest more of these to come. It’s entirely possible, but Wall continues to write his own new music and there is no doubt some future surprises in store. Meanwhile, Transpacific Blues Vol. 1 is ready and waiting for those who want to take something from its bluesy goodness.

Transpacific Blues, Vol. 1

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Tomo Fujita - Blue Sky

Source: Digital Lossless Copy
Size: 132.5 MB
Time: 57:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Just Funky (Feat. Travis Carlton & Lemar Carter) (4:44)
02. People Get Ready (Feat. Travis Carlton, James Gadson & Luke Miller) (3:24)
03. Coral Sky (Feat. Travis Carlton, Lemar Carter & Luke Miller) (5:12)
04. Late Night Whisky (Feat. Josh Smith, Travis Carlton, Lemar Carter & Luke Miller) (5:08)
05. Gadson Shuffle (Feat. Kirk Fletcher, Travis Carlton & James Gadson) (4:55)
06. Kindness (Feat. Kirk Fletcher, Travis Carlton & James Gadson) (4:03)
07. Take Heart (Feat. Josh Smith, Travis Carlton, Lemar Carter & Luke Miller) (5:19)
08. Groove Like Honey (Feat. Travis Carlton, James Gadson & Luke Miller) (7:17)
09. Sweet Boy (Feat. Kirk Fletcher, Travis Carlton, James Gadson & Luke Miller) (6:59)
10. Misinformation (Feat. Travis Carlton, Lemar Carter & Luke Miller) (4:33)
11. 24 Hours A Day (Feat. Josh Smith, Travis Carlton, Lemar Carter & Luke Miller) (6:07)

Featuring Josh Smith and Kirk Fletcher on 3 somgs each. Backed up by Travis Carlton (Bass), James Gadson (drums), Lemar Carter (Drums) and Luke Millar (organ)

In making this recording, I used only one guitar: my 1965 Fender Stratocaster, and two amps: a Two-Rock, and John Mayer’s Dumble ODS. I used overdrive pedals only on Track 1 and Track 4. Enjoy the tonal variety and versatility of the ‘65 Strat!

Blue Sky

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Kirk Fletcher - Hold On

Size: 111,3 MB
Time: 47:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Soul
Art: Full

01. Two Steps Forward (5:05)
02. You Need Me (3:47)
03. Sad Sad Day (4:49)
04. The Answer (8:10)
05. Time's Ticking (6:20)
06. Dupree (6:40)
07. Gotta Right (8:23)
08. Hold On (4:40)

“Kirk is hands-down one of the best blues guitarists in the world.” ~Joe Bonamassa

For many recording artists the goal of a full-length album is to follow a theme or concept to guide the material and present a concise and focused statement. For Kirk Fletcher the target was simple as he explains the theme of his new album “It’s about love, a general love for humanity. I wanted to write songs about more than just boys and girls, and maybe give some answers and hope to this crazy time we live in.”

Kirk’s new studio album “Hold On” is his fifth album as a bandleader and solo artist. The eight original tracks were recorded at Canyon Sound in Bristol, England with a classic organ trio format of Fletcher on guitars and vocals alongside drummer Matt Brown and Jonny Henderson on organ, piano and Wurlitzer. The live off-the-floor sound captured by engineer Nick Dover flows with vibrant energy on a set of tunes that crosses genres from smooth R&B to jamming jazz and deep blues, and soul.

The deeply funky and self-searching ‘Two Steps Forward’ opens the set with powerhouse vocalist Mahalia Barnes trading verses with Fletcher, while his guitar rips a wild wah-wah solo that references a few guitar hero riffs, while Henderson delivers gritty Deep Purple-styled Hammond B3. Fletcher then does his best Bill Withers and pleads the case of a lover on the velvety soul track ‘You Need Me.’ The trio then head to New Orleans for a glorious second line infused ramble ‘Sad Sad Day,” demonstrating the magic of the blues; how an intensely sorrowful lyric sang over a joyous beat is one of the most uplifting forms of artistic expression ever created. Fletcher pours his heart out on the epic eight-minute blues suite ‘The Answer,’ delivering a lamenting vocal before letting his emotions fly on another soaring guitar solo. Brown rolls and thunders on a march beat for the turbulent and abrasive heavy blues ‘Time’s Ticking.’ The playful instrumental track, ‘Dupree,’ has the trio showing off their skills and effortless musical telepathy as they seamlessly shift to and fro through an interaction of melody, harmony, and rhythmic themes creating a substantial musical thought, ending with a unified musical punctuation.

The Chicago shuffle, ‘Gotta Right,’ demonstrates Fletcher’s musical roots as a four-time Blues Music Award nominee on the album’s most straight-ahead blues track that features his acclaimed guitar work and new-found vocal power. The Gospel infused title track, ‘Hold On,’ closes the set, with vocalist Jade McCrea supporting Fletcher and his simple plea for global harmony. The new album from Kirk Fletcher showcases a musician and songwriter steeped in tradition yet unafraid to break new ground. ~Rick J Bowen

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Deb Ryder - Grit Grease & Tears

Size: 123,0 MB
Time: 51:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Ain't Gonna Be Easy (3:47)
02. Get A Little Steam Up (4:39)
03. Blink Of An Eye (3:53)
04. Grit Grease & Tears (4:40)
05. Sweet Mary Anne (4:43)
06. Lord Knows I Do (4:45)
07. Panic Mode (3:27)
08. Just Her Nature (5:42)
09. New Mechanic (Patrick's Blues) (5:34)
10. Rivers Forgiveness (3:27)
11. Prisoner Of War (3:17)
12. Right Side Of The Grass (3:53)

Vocalist Deb Ryder matches her unquestionable blues-mama bona fides with some of the smartest lyric sets dropped in the genre this year. The Chicago-born Ms. R smolders and scorches her way around sassy, savvy workouts such as the leadoff “Ain’t Gonna Be Easy”, “Panic Mode” and, along with Sugaray Rayford, one of the hottest r&b duets one’s likely to come across these days, “Get A Little Steam Up”. Ms. Ryder keeps more good company with sidemen such as guitarist Albert Lee and keyboardists Mike Finnigan and Jim Pugh.

Grit Grease & Tears

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Joe Louis Walker's Blues Conspiracy - Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise

Year: 2010
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:53
Size: 170,0 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Full

1. Slow Down GTO (w. Mike Finnigan) (6:08)
2. Ain't That Cold (w. Johnny Winter) (5:49)
3. You're Gonna Make Me Cry (w. Curtis Salgado & Mike Finnigan) (8:04)
4. Eyes Like A Cat (w. Tommy Castro, Tom Poole, Deanna Bogart, Keith Crossan) (5:46)
5. Ten More Shows To Play (w. Kirk Fletcher) (5:44)
6. Born In Chicago (w. Jason Ricci, Paris Slim, Nick Moss) (5:53)
7. Sugar Mama (w. Watermelon Slim) (11:59)
8. Tell Me Why (w. Duke Robillard & Todd Sharpville) (7:10)
9. A Poor Man's Plea (w. Kenny Neal) (5:15)
10. It's A Shame (w. Linwood Taylor, Kevin Burton, Henry Oden, Jeff Minnieweather) (5:25)
11. 747 (w. Paul Nelson, Tab Benoit, Mitch Woods) (6:33)

The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise is one of those excursions on which a batch of musicians are put on a cruise ship with their fans for a few days of playing on the high seas, which makes it an ideal occasion for a live album packed with guests. Joe Louis Walker, appearing with his regular backup band (Linwood Taylor on second guitar, Kevin Burton on keyboards, Henry Oden on bass, and Jeff Minnieweather on drums), welcomes 18 guests on these 11 tracks, most prominent among them Johnny Winter and Duke Robillard.

In fact, his interactions with such fellow guitarists are among the high points on the disc. Walker revisits his own repertoire, dating back to his debut album, Cold Is the Night ("Ten More Shows to Play") and its follow-up, The Gift ("747"), along with tracks from his last couple of records. His is an electric blues sound that, while rooted in tradition, also came along after such blues-rock acts as the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, and there are occasional echoes of that style. It may be that, given the circumstances, the players were inclined to let themselves go a bit more than usual; after all, nobody had to worry about driving home.

In any case, the arrangements can be stretched out to the point of being a little loose and ragged, and the singing, while enthusiastic, can be too. Most of that singing is done by Walker himself, and it's possible that he makes a point in a sleeve note of saying the album has no overdubs or fixes as a way of explaining the occasional croakiness in his voice. Such imperfections are more than offset, however, by the enthusiasm with which everybody plays. /William Ruhlmann, AllMusic

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The Hollywood Blue Flames - Deep In America (2 CD)

A tasteful and elegantly modern blues band with jazzy overtones, the Hollywood Flames came together in 1975 on the West Coast as the Hollywood Fats Band, led by guitar phenom Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann and featuring Larry Taylor on bass, Richard Innes on drums, Fred Kaplan on piano and Hammond B-3, and harmonica whiz and vocalist Al Blake. The group specialized in a kind of informed update of the classic electric blues bands of the 1950s, but were also capable of eerily accurate acoustic versions of old country blues standards from the 1920s or shifting into New Orleans piano romps, keeping traditions alive while giving them a sonic push forward at the same time. Mann’s death in 1986 brought the band to a close until 2005 when the original members reunited as the Hollywood Blue Flames, this time with guitarist Kirk Fletcher aboard, and continued making vital blues music in the same vein as the original group.

Deep in America is the band’s third album released under the Hollywood Blue Flames name, and while it would be wrong to say that Mann isn’t missed, Fletcher plays on these tracks like the only feasible substitute. It works, and it works for the same reason the Hollywood Fats Band worked -passion and intelligence. These guys know the history of the blues but they seem to understand the genre’s emotional center as well, with tracks like the perfectly and wearily poised “Leavin’ California”, and they also don’t forget that people need to step it up and dance - check out the easily rolling piano shuffles “Crescent City Rock” and “Hushpuppy” for proof of that. A second disc is included in this package that features vintage live cuts from the original Hollywood Fats Band - so in a way, Mann is aboard here, too. /Steve Leggett, AllMusic

Album: Deep In America - CD 1: Deep In America
Year: 2010
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:36
Size: 118,9 MB
Styles: Blues, West Coast blues
Scans: Full

1. Nit Wit (2:12)
2. Rambler And A Rollin' Stone (6:40)
3. Crescent City Rock (2:24)
4. My National Enquirer Baby (4:32)
5. Music Man (3:13)
6. Leavin' California (3:37)
7. Jalopy To Drive (Aka Sonny Boy's Jump) (3:51)
8. Bad Boy Blues (3:40)
9. I Don't Care (3:23)
10. Rocky Mountain Blues (2:54)
11. Hip-Hoppin' Toad (4:09)
12. Hushpuppy (2:38)
13. Fly Like The Eagle, Cry Like The Dove (4:07)
14. He's A Blues Man (4:10)

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Album: Deep In America - CD 2: Hollywood Fats Band - Larger Than Life Vol. 2
Year: 2010
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:36
Size: 157,7 MB
Styles: Blues, West Coast blues
Scans: Full

1. She's Dynamite (4:55)
2. Blue And Lonesome (3:34)
3. Hide Away (4:18)
4. Kansas City (7:36)
5. Half Steppin' (5:03)
6. Read About My Baby (5:43)
7. Nit Wit (5:44)
8. Blues After Hours (7:42)
9. Jumpin' With Duncan (9:55)
10. Lonesome (2:43)
11. Shake Your Boogie (6:02)
12. Baby, Let's Play House (5:15)

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The Hollywood Blue Flames - Road To Rio (2 CD Set)

A tasteful and intelligent modern blues band, the Hollywood Blue Flames came together in 1975 on the West Coast as the Hollywood Fats Band, led by guitar phenom Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann and featuring Larry Taylor on bass, Richard Innes on drums, Fred Kaplan on piano and Hammond B-3, and harmonica whiz Al Blake. The group specialized in a kind of informed update of the classic electric blues bands of the 1950s, keeping the tradition alive while giving it a push forward at the same time. Mann’s death in 1986 brought the band to a close until 2005 when the original members reunited as the Hollywood Blue Flames, this time with guitarist Kirk Fletcher aboard, and continued making vital blues music in the same vein as the original group. A debut album under the Hollywood Blue Flames name, Soul Sanctuary, appeared in 2005 followed by Road to Rio in 2006 and Deep in America in 2010. /Steve Leggett, AllMusic

This 2-CD set features brand new recordings by the Hollywood Blue Flames featuring 2005-06 Blues Music Award Nominee Kirk "Eli" Fletcher on guitar, a special guest appearance by Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) on harp, plus 3 bonus tracks with West Coast guitarist Junior Watson. The 2nd disc includes never before issued live recordings of the original Hollywood Fats Band from '79-'80 featuring blues legends Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Roy Brown, plus a rare vocal performance by the one and only Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann on the song "Nasty Boogie Woogie". /Amazon

Album: Road To Rio - CD 1: Road To Rio
Year: 2006
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:36
Size: 128,1 MB
Styles: Blues, West Coast blues
Scans: Full

1. Road To Rio (3:45)
2. Everybody's Blues (2:44)
3. Coffee Grindin' Man (3:12)
4. Steady Rollin' (4:02)
5. Long Black Cadillac (3:53)
6. Gumbo Grinder (3:04)
7. Gone Away (Feat. Kim Wilson) (2:52)
8. 3rd Degree Burn (4:19)
9. Let's Rock A While (4:37)
10. Dr. Blake's Boogie (2:38)
11. Black Chili Pepper (3:41)
12. Sharpest Man In Town (3:19)
13. Junior's Boogie Rocket (Feat. Junior Watson) (Bonus) (2:24)
14. Let Me Love You (Feat. Junior Watson) (Bonus) (6:16)
15. Honeydripper (Feat. Junior Watson) (Bonus) (3:43)

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Album: Road To Rio - CD 2: Hollywood Fats Band - Larger Than Life
Year: 2006
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:55
Size: 144,2 MB
Styles: Blue, West Coast blues
Scans: Full

1. Fats Fries One (3:56)
2. Nasty Boogie Woogie (5:00)
3. Baby Let's Play House (4:43)
4. Side Tracked (4:06)
5. Kidney Stew (Feat. Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson) (3:59)
6. Cleanhead Blues (Feat. Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson) (5:19)
7. Shake, Rattle 'N Roll (6:45)
8. Rockinitis (3:41)
9. This Little Voice (3:37)
10. Love For Sale (Feat. Roy Brown) (8:15)
11. Boogie Woogie Blues (Feat. Roy Brown) (6:52)
12. Motel Time (5:36)

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Road To Rio - CD 2: Hollywood Fats Band - Larger Than Life zippy

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Various - A Blues Tribute To Creedence Clearwater Revival

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Electric blues, Acoustic blues, Swamp blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Mike Zito, Sonny Landreth - Fortunate Son
[3:31] 2. The Mynabirds - Bad Moon Rising
[3:14] 3. Blitzen Trapper - Proud Mary
[3:23] 4. Spirit Family Reunion - Down On The Corner
[3:06] 5. Dead Man Winter - Have You Ever Seen The Rain
[3:04] 6. Leroux - Looking Out My Back Door
[4:06] 7. Duke Robillard - Who'll Stop The Rain
[2:48] 8. South Memphis String Band - Up Around The Bend
[4:56] 9. Will Wilde - Susie Q
[4:10] 10. Smokin' Joe Kubek - Run Through The Jungle
[3:39] 11. Kirk Fletcher - Green River
[5:14] 12. Trampled Under Foot - Born On The Bayou

Perhaps the finest interpretation of what some would say is the Great American Rock-N-Roll songbook!

So...Creedence Clearwater Revival has been gone for what, over forty years? The life expectancy of most bands is probably less than 6 years of what some of us refer to as critical i.e. commercial success.

Creedence is indeed the band that will not die. Countless collections and retrospectives on their all too limited discography have been offered up. Most are horrible.

A Blues Tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival is perhaps the finest "tribute" release to have surfaced with stellar performances from Sonny Landreth, Leroux, and Duke Robillard among others. The true blues infused swamp sound of this legendary American institution is embraced with that same raw edge that took America by storm in 1969.

This is a no-brainer. ~Brent Black

A Blues Tribute To Creedence Clearwater Revival mc
A Blues Tribute To Creedence Clearwater Revival zippy

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Kirk Fletcher - Shades Of Blue

Size: 161,9 MB
Time: 70:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Blues For Boo Boo (3:34)
02. Bad Boy (3:56)
03. Welfare Blues (4:58)
04. Don't Go No Further (3:51)
05. Club Zanzibar (3:26)
06. That's Why I'm Cryin' (6:38)
07. Worried Man Blues (2:57)
08. Country Girl (4:59)
09. Down Home Woman (3:52)
10. Stranded In St. Louis (3:55)
11. Little By Little (4:34)
12. My Home Is A Prison (4:38)
13. A River's Invitation (4:10)
14. Hip Hug Her (3:47)
15. You Don't Know (Bonus Track) (4:27)
16. Club Zanzibar (Alt. Take, Bonus Track) (3:36)
17. Don't Go No Further (Acoustic, Bonus Track) (3:15)

Guitarist Kirk "Eli" Fletcher is, ironically, a rare presence on todays blues scene: a 20-something African-American man who has thoroughly immersed himself in the classic blues sounds of the 1950s and '60s. Son of a Baptist minister, Kirk's introduction to the blues came as a teenager, through his older brother's copy of B.B. King's "Live At the Regal", and he hasn't looked back since. In Kirk's relatively short time playing music, he's made some big waves and impressed a lot of the right people. Coming up through the ranks of the West Coast blues scene, he's spent valuable time with Al Blake (former frontman of the legendary Hollywood Fats Band), Richard "Lynwood Slim" Duran, and Junior Watson, among others. Eventually he was handpicked for Kim Wilson's Blues Revue, the modern day equivalent of joining, say, Muddy Waters' band in the 1950s. From there he was recruited for veteran harp man Charlie Musselwhite's band, and not long afterwards, with help from Wilson, Blake and Duran among others, he recorded his first CD, for England's JSP label. While continuing to work as one of the most sought after 'hired hands' on the West Coast blues scene, he began an association with blues producer and promoter Randy Chortkoff, which resulted in Kirk's most recent solo CD, "Shades Of Blue". On that project Kirk was supported by some the hottest and most experienced West Coast blues veterans, among them vocalist Finis Tasby, laying the groundwork for his most recent recording with all-star super group The Mannish Boys.

Personnel:
Kirk Fletcher - Guitar
Finis Tasby, Janvia Magness - Vocals
Jeff Turmes - Bass, Guitar
Kenny Sara, Richard "Big Foot" Innes - Drums
Kim Wilson - Vocals, Harmonica
Red Young - Piano, Organ

Thanks to MrWalker.
Shades Of Blue

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Kirk Fletcher - I'm Here & I'm Gone 10th Anniversary Reissue

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 74:25
Size: 170.4 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 5:20] 1. I Ain't Doing Nothing Wrong
[ 4:59] 2. What Is Going On
[ 4:34] 3. Church Street Boogie
[ 7:48] 4. I'm Not Your Fool
[ 5:01] 5. What Happened To You
[ 3:06] 6. School Street Shuffle
[10:29] 7. Silver Spoon
[ 5:26] 8. You Went Back On Your Word
[ 3:16] 9. Mr. Mann
[ 2:47] 10. Bye Bye So Long
[ 5:19] 11. Watsonised
[ 4:03] 12. Worried All The Time [Kirk Fletcher's Demo Sides]
[ 4:47] 13. I Smell Trouble [Kirk Fletcher's Demo Sides]
[ 3:23] 14. Next Time You See Me [Kirk Fletcher's Demo Sides]
[ 4:01] 15. Watsonized [Kirk Fletcher's Demo Sides]

West Coast blues guitarist Kirk Fletcher has logged time with everyone from the Fabulous Thunderbirds to Charlie Musselwhite, but in 1999 he kicked off his solo career with I'M HERE AND I'M GONE. Given a 10th-anniversary reissue complete with bonus tracks, the album shows a guitarist who has assimilated the innovations of artists like B.B. King and Buddy Guy and channeled them into something contemporary, with traces of funk and R&B adding some extra groove juice.

Recording information: Pacifica Studio, Los Angeles, CA (1999).

Kirk Fletcher (guitar); Roosevelt Caldwell, Jackie Payne, John Marx (vocals); Alex Schultz (guitar); Rick Reed (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic bass, electric bass); Jonny Viau (tenor saxophone); Troy Jennings (baritone saxophone); Tom Mahon, Fred Kaplan (piano); Paul Fasulo (drums, drum).

I'm Here & I'm Gone 10th Anniversary Reissue

Mo' Albums...
◊ Sippie Wallace - Mighty Tight Woman
◊ Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings The Blues

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