Friday, May 17th, was the biggest release date for new contemporary blues and blues rock music for 2024 to date. There are new albums from Little Feat, Slash, Alastair Greene, and Don McLean as well as a new live single from Joe Bonamassa. See below for the list of new released recording and singles as well as what else is on the way! (Links are provided if available)

Recordings Out Now – Albums

[Blues] Little Feat – Sam’s Place (Hot Tomato Productions)

Simply one of the finest blues albums for 2024. Fifty years on and Little Feat is still kickin’ out some badass blues!!

[Blues] Big Harp George – Cooking With Gas

Big Harp George is a San Francisco based singer, songwriter, and chromatic harmonica player with an ear for peppy big band blues style tunes featuring plenty of horns.

[Blues/Soul/Funk] Cass Clayton Band – Midnight In A Bottle

Judy Collins and Carly Simon came to mind several times listening to Cass Clayton’s new album. Though not truly a blues album, her voice and song selection should appeal to blues & easy listening audiences.

[Blues Rock] Slash – Orgy of the Damned (Snakepit Records)

A truly great blues rock recording of some classic tunes with help from Beth Hart, Billy Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Gary Clark Jr., Chris Robinson, Dorothy, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lavato, Brian Johnson, and Tash Neal………..oh yeah!!

[Blues Rock] Troy Redfern – Invocation (RED7 Records)

Some new rattle the walls and windows blues rock from Troy Redfern. The man can play a guitar!!

[Blues Rock] Seth Lee Jones – Tulsa Custom (Horton Records)

Seth Lee Jones has a cool tone on his guitar, a distinctive voice and not only does he play the guitar, he repairs, restores, and builds new ones for clients.

[Blues Rock] Alastair Greene – Standing Out Loud (Ruf Records)

One of my favorite contemporary blues rockers, Californian Alastair Greene has hit the big time with his new recording on Ruf Records, probably the largest blues label in Europe.

[Blues Rock] Bison Hip – Welcome to the Rest of Your Life

Bison Hip is another great British blues rock band from Scotland. I hope this recording gets them some notice in the North American market.

[Roots/Blues] Don McLean – American Boys

Recorded during the pandemic, Don McLean’s new recording has 3 blues songs within a mix of roots tunes. Don has lost none of his songwriting talents over the years….enjoyed listening!

[Roots/Soul] Cam Clark – The Outer Reaches: Act II {EP} (Stripping Room Records)

The opening song on Cam Clark’s new EP, The Rising Tide, is well worth a listen. I love his voice and musical vision that incorporates elements of gospel, blues, soul, and roots music.

[Roots Blues] Lookout Tower – First Class Raft (Forks Records)

Lookout Tower is a cool group out of eastern Canada. Their style of upbeat roots blues is becoming increasingly popular among younger audiences. If I didn’t know better I would think this group is from the swamps of my home state of Louisiana. They would also be a great opening act for J.J. Grey & Mofro…oh yeah!!

[Roots] Jeff Slate – The Last Day of Summer (Schnitzel Records)

Jeff is a NYC songwriter, singer, and author. He has written books, album liner notes for Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones recordings and been a host on SiriousXM Radio. I hear elements of Tom Petty in his style….another good album listen!!

New Single Releases

[Blues Rock] Joe Bonamassa – If Heartaches Were Nickels (Live at the [Blues] Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra)

[Blues] Lara Price – We’re Still Friends (ft. Mike Zito)

[Blues] Chris Cain – Fear Is My New Roommate

[Blues Rock] Left Lane Cruiser – Motown Mash

[Blues] Mississippi MacDonald – Hard Luck and Trouble

[Blues Rock] Caitlin Krisko & the Broadcast – Piece of You

Due Out in May

Elize Neals – Colorcrimes (May 24th)

Jesse Dayton – The Hard Way Blues (May 31st)

Dana Gillespie – First Love (May 31st)

Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Her Way Out (May 31st)

Sammy Kershaw – Cross Road Blues (May 31st)

Nic Andrea & the Verdict – A Night at the Wrecking Yard Part 2 (May 31st)

Ritenour & Grusin – Brasil (May 31st)

Out in June 2024

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul (June 7th)

Seasick Steve – A Trip A Stumble  A Fall Down On Your Knees (June 7th)

Toranzo Cannon – Shut Up and Play (June 7th)

Quinn Sullivan – Salvation (June 7th)

Cactus – Temple of the Blues (June 7th)

Sugaray Rayford – Human Decency (June 14th)

Black Country Communion – V (June 14th)

Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs – Vagabonds, Virgins, & Misfits (June 14th)

Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Hollywood Bowl (June 21st)

The Commoners – Restless (June 21st)

Cody Dickinson – Homemade (June 21st)

Lara Price – Half & Half (June 21st)

Sierra Green & the Giants  – Here We Are (June 21st)

VA – True Blues Brother: The Legacy of Matt “Guitar” Murphy (June 21st)

Daryl Hall – D (June 21st)

Robert Jon & the Wreck – Red Moon Rising (June 28th)

Tom Mansi & the Icebreakers – Eyeball (June 28th)

J.P. Soars – Brick by Brick (June 28th)

The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Struck Down (June 28th)

Rory Block – Positively 4th Street (June 28th)

Jose Ramirez – Bad Hombre LIVE (June 28th)

Curtis Salgado – Fine By Me (June 30, 2024)

Upcoming releases in 2024

Albert Castiglia – Righteous Souls (July 19th)

Chris Cain – Good Intentions Gone Bad (July 19th)

Billy Price – Person of Interest (August 2nd)

Kid & Lisa Andersen – Spirit & Soul (August 2nd)

Elles Bailey – Beneath the Neon Glow (August 9th)

Bywater Call – Shepherd (August 9th)

Brave Rival – Fight or Flight (August 16th)

The Cold Stares – The Southern (September 6th)

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Left Lane Cruiser – Bayport BBQ Blues (Sometime 2024)

Randy Lee Riviere – The Wayside (Sometime 2024)

Other Websites with Contemporary Blues/Blues Rock News

Rock & Blues Muse https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/

Blues Rock Review https://bluesrockreview.com/