Archive for the ‘ Blues ’ Category

David Bloom & Cliff Colnot – Shadow Of A Soul

shadowofasoulChicago guitarist and flautist David Bloom began studying folk guitar at the age of eight, and was listening to jazz three years later. For example, he was inspired by Herbie Mann.

Six years later, when he was 17, he heard Buddy Guy and wanted to play the blues. He asked Buddy for guitar lessons in blues, but also wanted to learn jazz at the same time. Finally, he attended Berklee College of Music for 2 years.

After playing and touring with several bands, in 1981 he decided to focus his energies on teaching, writing and painting. This new CD means a return to performing and playing the alto flute on 2 compositions.

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Grant Geissman – Blooz

bloozAmerican guitarist and composer Grant Geissman is a popular contemporary jazz guitarist, who has already released 16 albums. So you can safely call him a veteran.

Since the beginning of his musical career, he has explored the blues, such as his electric guitar solo on Chuck Mangione’s 1978 hit ‘Feels So Good’. Over the years, Grant has played for Quincy Jones, Steve Tyrell, Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello, Van Dyke Parks & Brian Wilson, Robbie Williams & Michael Feinstein etc.

A veteran of film scoring, he wrote the music for all 12 seasons of the CDBS sitcom ‘Two and a Half Men’, which earned him an Emmy nomination for the theme. In the mid-eighties he launched an impressive series of pop & jazz recordings.

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Larry Carlton & Paul Brown – Soul Searchin’

SoulSearchinjpgWhen two guitar virtuosos of high renown play together, it is fair to expect something great. It was that way with Larry and Lee, and it’s no different with Larry and Paul.

This is not the first time the two have worked together. As Larry notoriety shot up through his period with the supergroup Fourplay, he decided to release the solo album Fingerprints. Paul Brown played on this album drums and also worked as composer, arranger, producer and recorder. It was not until twenty years later that the idea of recording a guitar album together matured.

The album opens with Miles and Miles to Go written by Wes Montgomery inspired guitar player Mark Carter. Paul and Larry are perfectly attuned to each other and the tone colors of their guitars are also very similar.

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Jules Leyhe – Your First Rodeo

YourFirstRodeoThis ain’t your granddaddy’s blues. Heck, it ain’t even your daddy’s blues. Guitarist Jules Leyhe is on an entirely different trip. His forthcoming “Your First Rodeo” is a whimsical mashup of blues, hip hop, funk, fusion, jazz, rock and Latin music dropping September 17 on Monkey Finger Records. Producing the set with Protist, the Oakland, Calif.-based slide guitar slinger wrote the bucking bronco of an album that obstinately refuses to be categorized.

An audacious collection evading lasso, “Your First Rodeo” brilliantly juxtaposes futuristic elements with downhome “comfort” sounds. Leyhe paired inventive sonicscapes with soulful blues guitar play. Conceived and constructed using vivid fantasy, the guitarman wondered what it would sound like to pair diametrically opposed artists – or, in this case, use signature elements of the imagined artists’ unique style – on one recording. Picture Cardi B sitting in with the Buena Vista Social Club. Or Jimi Hendrix playing in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Or Duane Allan jamming with jazz pianist Gil Evans.

“I wanted to create music based off of collaborations that I’ve pictured of many of my favorite artists who never actually worked together. The clearest example is picturing Jimi Hendrix playing with the psychedelic Beatles era, a wild pairing that never actually happened but sure is fun to imagine and try to create with my own flavor. My bandmates’ fantastic playing and imaginations helped me reach for this sort of potential for pairing abstract, disparate musical ideas and getting away with it, or at least creating something unique to us. This album encapsulates so many musical idioms with a gritty, urban, fun feel of an old-soul Oakland band,” said Leyhe who was empowered by his Family Jules Band – keyboardist Ian McArdle, saxophonist Nancy Wright, bassist Murph Murphy and drummer Isaac Schwartz.

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Patrick Yandall – Rouge River

Guitarist Patrick Yandall is without a doubt one of the most productive musicians under America’s sun. This year alone he has released three albums, Jazz On The Vine, Nylon Expression and now Rouge River.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Yandall now routinely records, produces and releases the entire album himself. Each album has a certain direction and purpose. Rouge River is Patrick’s homage to his roots and the beautiful state of Michigan.

Also on this album Patrick lives out his artistic freedom to record what is close to his heart. And so it starts with Zug Island, a piece Patrick has created in the energetic style of the group Tower Of Powers. Hammond B3 organ and a strong horn arrangement support his guitar performance. Instead of sterile drum programming he conveys the use of an advanced live drum kit.

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Patrick Yandall – Jazz On The Vine

It is the independent musicians with small budgets that keep the fire of the smooth jazz genre burning. Among them it’s guitarist Patrick Yandall who distinguishes himself by special activity. He begins the New Year with his album Jazz On The Vine (2020), dedicated to the Napa Valley wine region.

Patrick is a welcome guest at the events in this wine region, which brings its products closer to the consumer with numerous smooth jazz activities. Patrick’s main passion is creating new music every day. Playing many instruments with a convincing perfection is his ability and especially advantage when recording a new album. Playing with other musicians is really joyful but studio time is not cheap and that’s the reason why most musicians are working today’s in their own home studio.

Patrick has written and produced all songs of the new project. Patrick admits that this is already the fifth album without the help of other musicians. The title song commemorates the festival that is held annually at The Osthoff Resort. While the intro sounds somewhat spacey with its wave sound, the guitar driven main theme is almost jazzy despite the use of a lot of reverb.

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The Justus Brothers – Chinese Checkers

The roots of The Justus Brothers date back forty years, in the birthplace of soul, blues and rock ‘n’ roll: Memphis. The musicians who comprise the band dropping the eponymous debut album on October 11 on the iconic Memphis International Records/Select-O-Hits labels met long ago in the sweaty blues and smoky jazz clubs on Beale Street. Together, they electrified Memphis churches with rousing musical sermons and tracked in fabled Memphis recording studios alongside an incomparable list of hall of famers, Grammy winners and chart-topping legends. Before they backed a galaxy of stars in sold-out arenas, the members of The Justus Brothers paid dues playing long hours, night after night, sharpening their chops and earning virtuosity while forming a brotherhood built upon rhythm and groove.

Guitarist Niko Lyras and The Justus Brothers produced the ten songs on their self-titled set, a balance of original tunes and choice covers given the full Memphis makeover. Already garnering playlist adds is their soul-powered jam session workout “Chinese Checkers,” a revival originally recorded by Memphis’s Booker T. & the M.G.’s (https://youtu.be/ArzJIfJI8Zo). Several members of The Justus Brothers have ties to Booker T. & the M.G.’s, including drummer Steve Potts, who was a longtime member of the outfit.

The chemistry between the five “brothers” sizzles throughout the collection. Lyras, Potts and bassist Dave Smith have been playing together the longest. Thirty years ago, hornman Pat Register (tenor, alto and soprano sax and flute) and keyboardist Jason Clark completed the family. Continue reading

Patrick Yandall – When Its Hip

To classify Patrick Yandall as a smooth jazz guitarist would not do justice to his stylistic spectrum. Smooth jazz, contemporary jazz, blues, rock, every genre is a facet of his musical personality. Patrick’s new album When Its Hip has exactly these edges that make up the whole Yandall package.

Patrick performs all instruments on the new album. With the exception of three covers he has written all songs. The album is launched with the title song. While the lead guitar is focused on chords offers the main part variations of trumpet, bass and guitar underlined by synth strings. King James is somewhat harder due to the use of distortion effects. Even a short piano solo is included.

B Boy is called a break-dancer, who follows the athletic path of street dancing. Piano and guitar alternate in the presentation of the main motif. Most friends of smooth jazz will know Who’s That Lady through guitarist Peter White, who helped the 1973 Isley Bothers song to new fame. Unlike Peter White, Patrick lets the wildness of the guitar shine in its untamed form.

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Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers – All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues

2018 holiday release. Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers return with a powerhouse blues rock holiday album. Four original songs feature the hard driving, down and dirty “All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues”. And five holiday classics including “Merry Christmas Baby” and “The Christmas Song” are reimagined with a gritty, raucous spirit.

Mindi Abair is a two-time Grammy Award nominated saxophonist, vocalist, and author. Her solo career has produced ten #1 radio singles, two #1 Billboard Jazz CDs, and four more solo CDs that have landed #5 and above on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts. She was the featured saxophonist for the 2011 and 2012 seasons of American Idol.

Our third Christmas recommendation is available on Amazon.com.

Steve Oliver – Illuminate

Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Steve Oliver is known for his distinctive style, which results from three components. Foremost a jazz guitarist, he follows his guitar performance with his voice. This jazz singing wherein words are sung note for note to melodies is called vocalese. Steve Oliver’s trademark is the wordless vocalese. The third component is the Roland (Boss) GR-33 guitar synthesizer which bases on the Roland JV-1080 sounds and is triggered by his guitars.

His album Illuminate is now available, his 11th career album. Steve has written and produced all songs. He plays all guitars, guitar synth, vocal sounds, bass, keyboards, drums, sound design. On selected tracks he is joined by Joel Taylor (drums), Cory de Brake, Jimmy Haslip, KT Tylor (bass), Walle Larsson, Chase Huna, Nelson Rangell, BillyRay Sheppard (saxophone), Tateng Katindig (piano), and Craig Chessnut (percussion).

The best way to get started on a new project is to get going at full steam. The aptly titled Full Tilt features Steve Oliver as master at work in the style he is known for and loved by his audience. The Game Is On serves syncopated thrill with exciting freshness.

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