electric blues

Ben Vee’s Roadhouse Music News – New Blues & Blues Rock Releases

We get the month of May going with new Roadhouse blues & blues rock album releases from Reverend Shawn Amos, Misty Blues, Jeff Pitchell, Gary Cain and a slew of singles including new songs by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Eliza Neals, and Quin Sullivan! I hope you get a chance to follow the links and enjoy some badass contemporary blues!!

Recordings Out Now – Albums

Reverend Shawn Amos – Soul Brother No. 1 (Immediate Family Records)

I’ve always considered the Reverend Shawn Amos the Elvis Costello of the contemporary blues. For the new recording Soul Brother No 1, he returns to his Harlem roots with several soul blues tunes and some edgy social observations. There are also several catchy upbeat contemporary blues tunes of the style that I have always associated with him that should garner a lot of airplay.

Misty Blues – Silver Lining

Based in Massachusetts, Misty Blue is led by the deep voiced Gina Coleman. Tinged with a bit of jazz and funk, Misty Blues’ new recording Silver Lining is a chill contemporary blues listen featuring a nice horn section and some great beats!

Jeff Pitchell – Brown Eyed Blues (Dequello Records)

Featuring appearances by Reese Wynans, Rick Derringer, Duane Betts, Charles Neville and Michael Allman, the new Jeff Pitchell recording Brown Eyed Blues is some straight up badass roadhouse blues….oh yeah!!

Gary Cain – Outside the Lines (Qayn Records)

Gary Cain is a singer, songwriter, and one damn fine guitar player. On the new recording Outside the Lines listen to Attitude and you will see what I mean. Gary is a natural blues rocker who can also funk it up real nice! Overall it is a great contemporary blues album!

AJ Fullerton – Closer (Color Red Records)

AJ Fullerton is a Colorado based artist that I got to see last fall at the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. His new album, Closer, showcases his roots based sound and songwriting acumen. I have been predicting big things for AJ since I first heard him six or seven years ago and the new album reaffirms his status as an outstanding roadhouse blues talent.

Son Henry & T. Rogers – Grace (Twang House Records)

Son Henry is a New York state native who has teamed with the Hungarian T. Rogers Band to produce a stellar roots recording, Grace. Son has a fabulous voice and writes such great songs. Straddling the line between the blues and light country music (as do Bonnie Raitt and Chris Stapleton), the new recording is well worth a listen!!

Lizz Wright – Shadow (Blues & Greens Records)

Lizz Wright has one of the great voices of her generation and the new recording Shadow is simply fabulous. Give the songs Sweet Feeling and Your Love a listen and I bet you will agree!

Jesse Redwing – Trim the Fat

Jesse Redwing is another talented Australian that should continue to make inroads into the North American and European contemporary blues markets with his third album, Trim the Fat. He will be touring in Europe during the month of May. If any of you readers get to see him…drop me a line and let me know what ya think!!

New Single Releases

The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Payback Time (ft. Billy F Gibbons)

Bridgette Purdy – Sugar Fried Candy (single)

Robert Jon & the Wreck – Give Love (music video)

Elles Bailey – Leave the Light On (music video)

Brave Rival – Five Years On (music video)

Eliza Neals – Colorcrimes

Quinn Sullivan – Rise Up Children

Cody Dickinson – Goodbye Albuquerque, Tuesday Night

Black Country Communion – Enlighten (rock group that features Joe Bonamassa)

Jhett Black – Nothing But You

Jesse Roper – Way Down in the Valley

No Agenda – Stranger

Rob Lutes – Come On In My Kitchen

Lily Anna & the Maverick Queen – Stuck in the Mud

Due Out in May

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – The Hits Keep Coming (May 10th)

Krissy Matthews – Krissy Matthews and Friends (May 10th) Ruf Records

Taylor Bryant & the Shakedown – Electrified (May 10th)

Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Hollywood Bowl (May 17th)

Slash – Orgy of the Damned (May 17th) …yes..it is a blues album!!

Little Feat – Sam’s Place (May 17th)

Troy Redfern – Invocation (May 17th)

Seth Lee Jones – Tulsa Custom (May 17th)

Big Harp George – Cooking With Gas (May 17th)

Alastair Greene – Standing Out Loud (May 17th)

Jeff Slate – The Last Day of Summer (May 17th)

Cass Clayton Band – Message In A Bottle (May 17th)

Bison Hip – Welcome to the Rest of Your Life (May 17th)

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)

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)

The Commoners – Restless (June 21st)

Cody Dickinson – Homemade (June 21st)

Lara Price – Half & Half (June 21st)

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

Upcoming releases in 2024

Billy Price – Person of Interest (August 2nd)

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

Bywater Call – Shepherd (August 9th)

Brave Rival – Fight or Flight (August 16th)

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/

March 8th – New Releases from Dion, Taj Mahal, The Wicked Lo-Down plus some great upcoming recordings!!

It’s another great week of album and single releases by contemporary blues and blues rock artists. Dion leads the way with an album that features him singing with some of the greatest female artists of the blues. Taj Mahal continues to mesmerize live audiences with his enchanting style. And Marcus King, Robert Jon & the Wreck, and Seasick Steve all have new singles. I hope you have a chance to peruse the entire list below and have time to follow the links and listen to some of this great new music! (Links in blue to Spotify and new adds to the list are in yellow.)

Recordings Out Now – Albums

Dion – Girl Friends

Goin’ strong in his eighties, Dion does songs with Susan Tedeschi, Danielle Nicole, Rory Block, Sue Foley, Shemekia Copeland, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Debbie Davies & Christine Ohlman, Valerie Tyson, Randi Fishenfield, and Maggie Rose. Yeah….you are gonna like this recording!!

The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live at the Church in Tulsa

One of the elder statemen of the blues at the age of 81, Taj Mahal sounds relaxed and fabulous on this new live recording done in Oklahoma. He covers a number of his classics from a solo career that began back in 1968.

The Wicked Lo-Down – Out of Line

This Boston based group is on my bucket list of artists to see SOON! They do a great job of rockin’ up the blues and are a perfect fit for my roadhouse blues shows!

Vargas Blues Band – Best of My Blues

This compilation album should give you a good feel for the talent of this Spanish band. Javier Vargas is a world class talent that is still largely unknown in North America. If you love blues rock, give this album a listen and pass the word!!

Sean Riley & the Water – Stone Cold Hands

Sean hails from my hometown of New Orleans and there is a great laid back “down the bayou” feelin’ to this recording. Best typified as root blues music, this recording kept me chillin’ as I finalized this week’s listings!

New Single Releases

World Funk Orchestra – I Speak In Rhythm (single)

Marcus King – Hero (Single)

Robert Jon & the Wreck – Dragging Me Down (Single)

The Commoners – Too Soon to Know You (single)

Seasick Steve – Backbone Slip (single)

The Milk Men – One Man Band (single)

Due Out in March

Micheal van Merwyk – Blues Everywhere I Go (March 15th)

Steve Howell & the Mighty Men – 99 1/2 Won’t Do (March 15th)

The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards (March 15th)

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man (March 22nd)

Altered Five Blues Band – Testifyin’ EP (March 22nd)

Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG Raw (March 22nd)

Tom Mansi & the Icebreakers – No Face Blues (single) (March 22nd)

Shawn Kellerman – Kell’s Kitchen (March 29th)

Due Out in April

Marcus King – Mood Swings (April 5th)

Eric Bibb – Live at The Scala Theatre (April 5th)

Cedric Burnside – Hill Country Love (April 5th)

Ulrich Ellison -Vintage Salvation (April 5th)

Black Keys – Ohio Players (April 5th)

The Curse of KK Hammond – She Is My Precious (April 5th)

Mark Knopfler – One Deep River (April 12th)

Anthony Geraci – Tears in My Eyes (April 19th)

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (April 19th)

Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow (April 19th)

Chris “Bad News” Barnes – Bad News Travels Fast (April 26th)

Upcoming releases in 2024

Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Hollywood Bowl (May 17th)

Slash – Orgy of the Damned (May 17th) …yes..it is a blues album!!

Little Feat – Sam’s Place (May 17th)

Troy Redfern – Invocation (May 17th)

Reverend Shawn Amos – Soul Brother No. 1 (In May 2024)

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul (June 7th)

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

The Commoners – Restless (June 21st)

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

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

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman (Sometime 2024)

#blues #bluesmusic #bluesrock #newmusic #newblues

New Blues Albums & Singles plus Upcoming Releases

The months of March and April are going to be great for releases of new contemporary blues music!! Walter Trout, one of the giants of modern blues rock, released a new recording this past Friday. And Dion, Taj Mahal, and the One Dime Band out of Boston will all issue new albums this coming Friday….can’t wait!!

Recordings Out Now – Albums

Walter Trout – Broken

By my count, this is the 25th album of new material by Walter Trout since he began his solo career in 1989. And, as happens with truly great blues and blues rock artists, he just keeps getting better as he strides through his seventies. Guest appearances by Beth Hart, Dee Snider (!!!), and Will Wilde add some spice to the recording…..mhmm…it’s a keeper!!

One Dime Band – Side Hustle

A roots and blues based duo out of Boston, this group first came to my attention with the release of their debut album, Gonna Take Time, back in 2017. Paul Gallucci’s gravely vocals and harmonica playing are a perfect mesh with the string wizardry of John Brauchler on electric and acoustic guitars, resonator, and banjo. They are backed on this recording by some great studio musicians and local area talent. Nice album to chill to when the last grasps of winter keep us inside this month.

Bex Marshall – Fortuna

This is the first new recording from Bex Marshall in 12 years. A gifted guitar player with a distinctive gritty vocal style, this recording is some perfect roadhouse blues and should help re introduce her as one of the great talents of her generation.

Dan Patlansky – Movin’ On

South African Dan Patlansky has been one of my favorite blues rockers for over a decade. He reminds me alot of Stevie Ray Vaughan on this new recording that is chocked full of some damn fine guitar licks! He has been rated one of the top guitar players on the planet and I hope this is the breakthrough recording for Dan…he deserves heaps more attention than he has gotten in the past here in North America!!

Steve Shive & the Urban Saints – Hard Bargain (EP)

Steve Shive & the Urban Saints are an indie blues group out of Pennsylvania. On this soul and R&B oriented EP, Steve (drums) gets two of my favorite artists to help out: Mickey Jr. on vocals for the entire recording and Victor Wainwright on piano on the tune You Can’t Take It When You Go….mhmm!

New Single Releases

2024 continues to be a banner year for singe releases…..hope you get a chance to check all of them out…..some blues, blues rock, and even a bit of retro acid blues!!

The Wicked Lo-Down – Toxic (Single)

Cedric Burnside – Closer (Single)

Vitor Bacalhau – Bruised and Howling (Single)

Fred Chapellier – I’d Rather Be Alone – Live (Single)

Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band – Strange Ways (Single)

Lucid Evolution – The Seed (Single)

The Electric Sugar – Sugar High (Single)

Bad Temper Joe – Reinventing the Blues (Single)

Troy Redfern – The Calling (Music Video)

Due Out in March

Dion – Girl Friends (March 8th)

The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live at the Church in Tulsa (March 8th)

The Wicked Lo-Down – Out of Line (March 8th)

Sean Riley & the Water – Stone Cold Hands (March 8th)

Micheal van Merwyk – Blues Everywhere I Go (March 15th)

Steve Howell & the Mighty Men – 99 1/2 Won’t Do (March 15th)

The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards (March 15th)

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man (March 22nd)

Altered Five Blues Band – Testifyin’ EP (March 22nd)

Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG Raw (March 22nd)

Shawn Kellerman – Kell’s Kitchen (March 29th)

Due Out in April

Marcus King – Mood Swings (April 5th)

Eric Bibb – Live at The Scala Theatre (April 5th)

Cedric Burnside – Hill Country Love (April 5th)

Ulrich Ellison -Vintage Salvation (April 5th)

Black Keys – Ohio Players (April 5th)

Mark Knopfler – One Deep River (April 12th)

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (April 19th)

Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow (April 19th)

Upcoming releases in 2024

Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Hollywood Bowl (May 17th)

Troy Redfern – Invocation (May 17th)

Reverend Shawn Amos – Soul Brother No. 1 (In May 2024)

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul (June 7th)

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

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman (Sometime 2024)

New & Upcoming Contemporary Blues Releases

February ends with a bang as Mike Zito and JJ Grey & Mofro release new albums and this Friday Walter Trout puts out his new recording…..oh yeah!!!!

Recordings Out Now

Mike Zito – Life is Hard

Incredible album….see my review HERE! Without Loving You is one of my faves!

JJ Grey & Mofro – Olustee

First new recording from JJ Grey & Mofro since 2015! They haven’t lost the magic! Love the funky Rooster!

Elles Bailey – The Night Owl and the Lark (EP)

This British belle has a great voice and a growing following. She effortlessly flits between blues, soul, and country on this new five song EP. Love the song Bring It On.

Sean Athens Band – Time

A member of Chris Kraemer and the Beat Boxin’ Blues group, this German guitar player is incredible! BBB is a traditional blues band so I was stunned by the opening beautiful blues rock instrumental The Ballad of the Gone on this recording. And the blues rock and his vocals just keep flowin’ from there on!

HALM – Runner

A Scandinavian group from Sweden, this trio kicks out some sweet tunes that meld blues rock and roots blues. Love the hints of Fleetwood Mac in the tune Real Fantasies.

Katie Henry – Get Goin’

This New York City artist has such a bright future. Listen to The Lion’s Den and see why!

Philip Sayce – The Wolves Are Coming

If you like your blues rock hard with hints of psychedelia, Phillip Sayce is your man! The Moon is Full should give ya a good feel for his talent.

Jeff Rogers – Dream Job

This Canadian artist has a soulful voice and hails from the Chris Stapleton wing of the blues in my opinion. And believe me, that is not a bad thing..mhmm! Dream Job is a great song about the life of a musician payin’ his dues.

Orianthi – First Time Blues (ft Joe Bonamassa) (single)

Orianthi and Joe Bonamassa…oh yeah….a match made in blues rock heaven!!

Misty Blues – Silver Lining (ft Early Times) (single)

The husky deep voice of Gina Coleman of Misty Blues in combination with some excellent guitar playing by Early Times plus some badass sax….oh yeah!

Due Out in March

Walter Trout – Broken (March 1st)

Bex Marshall – Fortuna (March 1st)

Dion – Girl Friends (March 8th)

The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live at the Church in Tulsa (March 8th)

The Wicked Lo-Down – Out of Line (March 8th)

Sean Riley & the Water – Stone Cold Hands (March 8th)

Micheal van Merwyk – Blues Everywhere I Go (March 15th)

Steve Howell & the Mighty Men – 99 1/2 Won’t Do (March 15th)

The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards (March 15th)

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man (March 22nd)

Altered Five Blues Band – Testifyin’ EP (March 22nd)

Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG Raw (March 22nd)

Shawn Kellerman – Kell’s Kitchen (March 29th)

Due Out in April

Marcus King – Mood Swings (April 5th)

Eric Bibb – Live at The Scala Theatre (April 5th)

Ulrich Ellison -Vintage Salvation (April 5th)

Black Keys – Ohio Players (April 5th)

Mark Knopfler – One Deep River (April 12th)

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (April 19th)

Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow (April 19th)

Upcoming releases in 2024

Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Hollywood Bowl (May 17th)

Reverend Shawn Amos – Soul Brother No. 1 (In May 2024)

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul (June 7th)

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

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman (Sometime 2024)

Out Now New Albert Cummings and more Upcoming Contemporary Roadhouse Blues Albums & Singles!

Recordings Out Now

Albert Cummings – Strong

Highly danceable rockin’ blues with flashin’ guitar licks has been his calling card since the late ’90’s. And when he slows it down and lets his voice soar, there are very few that can reach the same heights! Another recording that stakes his claim as the King of the Roadhouse Blues!

Bernard Allison – Luther’s Blues

An ode to the blues of his father Luther Allison, who is one of the all time greats of the genre, Bernard shines on this recording. He is a great talent in his own right and I’m dang sure his father would be proud of him.

Britti – Hello I’m Britti

Produced by Dan Auerbach (Black Keys), Britti is a native New Orleanian with a lilting voice reminiscent of Sade and the late great Melanie. The debut album is chill through and through with several soul infused tunes.

The Immediate Family – Skin In the Game

The second outing from an all star group of session musicians. Think the Travelin’ Wilburys of the roadhouse blues!! All five of these guys can claim association with a Who’s Who of the music world…Keith Richards, Warren Zevon, Robben Ford, James Taylor, Don Henley…together they have played on close to 5,000 recordings!!

Timo Gross – Black Dawg Bone

A German talent, Timo Gross has a gravely voice that he applies to 10 tunes that run the gauntlet from blues rock to a heart felt rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot.

Omar Coleman & Edie Roberts – Strange Times (Music Video)

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul (Music Video)

Sugaray Rayford – Run For Cover (single)

Jesse Roper – Suntan Woman (single)

Due Out February 2024

Elles Bailey – The Night Owl and the Lark (EP) (Feb 23rd)

JJ Grey & Mofro – Olustee (Feb 23rd)

Sean Athens – Time (Feb 23rd)

HALM – Runner (Feb 23rd)

Mike Zito – Life is Hard (Feb 23rd)

Due Out in March

Walter Trout – Broken (March 1st)

Bex Marshall – Fortuna

Dion – Girl Friends (March 8th)

The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live at the Church in Tulsa (March 8th)

The Wicked Lo-Down – Out of Line (March 8th)

Sean Riley – Stone Cold Hands (March 8th)

Micheal van Merwyk – Blues Everywhere I Go (March 15th)

The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards (March 15th)

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man (March 22nd)

Altered Five Blues Band – Testifyin’ EP (March 22nd)

Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG Raw (March 22nd)

Shawn Kellerman – Kell’s Kitchen (March 29th)

Due Out in April

Marcus King – Mood Swings (April 5th)

Eric Bibb – Live at The Scala Theatre (April 5th)

Ulrich Ellison -Vintage Salvation (April 5th)

Black Keys – Ohio Players (April 5th)

Mark Knopfler – One Deep River (April 12th)

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (April 19th)

Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow (April 19th)

Upcoming releases in 2024

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

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman (Sometime 2024)

New Tab Benoit & Mike Zito Singles, Tinsley Ellis’ New Album and more New and Upcoming Contemporary Blues & Blues Rock Recordings

The new year continues to produce a plethora of contemporary blues & blues rock recordings with many more on the way! If you like to hear new blues music….drop by every Friday here on my blog for new tunes!! Links to Spotify or Youtube are included when available.

Recordings Out Now

Tinsley Ellis – Naked Truth

A sparse acoustic album that takes Tinsley back to the roots of the blues!

The Mystix – On Stage (EP)

Jo Lily is on vocals for this Boston based band….he has a distinctive voice and this EP is well worth a listen!

Mike Zito – Forever My Love (Single)

An ode to his wife Laura who passed away last summer after a long battle with cancer….very touching.

Tab Benoit – Gold On the Ceiling (Single)

The first new instrumental music from Tab that I can recall in over ten years! Fabulous cover of a Black Keys tune that he first did back in 2012.

Robert John & the Wreck – Red Moon Rising (music video)

Title cut from the new album out in late June. It will be produced by Kevin Shirley (Joe Bonamassa, Beth Hart)….can’t wait!!

Marcus King – Mood Swings (music video)

Marcus is at his best as a R&B and soul singer….see what I mean on this new single.

Gary Clark Jr. – Maktub (music video)

Gary tells stories in many of his songs and he isn’t afraid to sing it as he sees it. He is one of the giant talents of the roadhouse blues.

Sue Foley – Oh Baby It Ain’t No Lie (music video)

Sue covers a Elizabeth Cotton tune as she celebrates the early female pioneers of the guitar. Can’t wait for the entire album due out later this year.

Rickey Medlocke Band – Never Run Out of Road (Single)

A native American and a southern rocker with enough blues in his soul to warrant airplay during my roadhouse blues shows. He played with Lynyrd Skynyrd briefly in the early days and was the frontman for Blackfoot. Part of the proceeds from purchasing the single go to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Movement.

Little Odetta – Struck (Single) [France]

LIttle Odetta has a great sassy blues rockin’ style and is another French artist that has made my playlists in recent years.

Leigh Thomas – The One (Single) [Australia]

A blues rocker from Down Under with a great voice and some nice licks on the guitar!

The Dead & Down – Bloodhound Blind (Single)

Out of Montana, The Dead & Down’s new album No Broken Bones is some great roots rock with just enough of a blues and blues rock sensibility to merit airplay during my shows. Love this tune!

Due Out February 2024

Albert Cummings – Strong (Feb 16th)

The Immediate Family – Skin In the Game (Feb 16th)

Jeff Rogers – Dream Job (Feb 16th)

Elles Bailey – The Night Owl and the Lark (EP) (Feb 23rd)

JJ Grey & Mofro – Olustee (Feb 23rd)

Sean Athens – Time (Feb 23rd)

HALM – Runner (Feb 23rd)

Mike Zito – Life is Hard (Feb 23rd)

Due Out in March

Walter Trout – Broken (March 1st)

Bex Marshall – Fortuna

Dion – Girl Friends (March 8th)

The Taj Mahal Swingin’ Sextet – Live at the Church in Tulsa (March 8th)

The Wicked Lo-Down – Out of Line (March 8th)

Sean Riley – Stone Cold Hands (March 8th)

Micheal van Merwyk – Blues Everywhere I Go (March 15th)

The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards (March 15th)

Rick Vito – Cadillac Man (March 22nd)

Altered Five Blues Band – Testifyin’ EP (March 22nd)

Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG Raw (March 22nd)

Shawn Kellerman – Kell’s Kitchen (March 29th)

Due Out in April

Marcus King – Mood Swings (April 5th)

Eric Bibb – Live at The Scala Theatre (April 5th)

Ulrich Ellison -Vintage Salvation (April 5th)

Black Keys – Ohio Players (April 5th)

Mark Knopfler – One Deep River (April 12th)

Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey (April 19th)

Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow (April 19th)

Upcoming releases in 2024

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

Anthony Gomes – Praise the Loud (Sometime 2024)

Bernard Allison – Luther’s Blues (Sometime 2024)

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman (Sometime 2024)

The Story of the Contemporary Blues in the 2010 Decade : Internet Streaming & DIY Recording

As the dawn rose on January 1st 2010, few could have guessed that the contemporary blues would experience a vibrant revival during the decade with the emergence of dozens of new popular artists that were reinterpreting the blues and appealing to a broader audience. The previous two decades had been a blues doldrum period with very few blues artists signed to major record labels and the blues music being played on the radio was largely consigned to Sunday mornings. The brief heyday of pop culture attention to blues music in the 1980’s ended with the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan in the spring of 1990. If you didn’t frequent blues clubs in your local market, you heard very little contemporary blues at all!

But two things emerged during the 2010 decade that breathed new life into the blues; the advent of cheap internet streaming and the Do It Yourself blues recording artist. Low cost internet streaming services began to flourish and “mini stations” began to pop up all over North America and Europe spinning contemporary blues. Each individual station only reached 100 to 1000 listeners but as the number of stations grew (largely manned by non profit organizations and individuals), the aggregate audience by my estimation grew to 500, 000 listeners or so per hour worldwide. Not major numbers by terrestrial broadcast standards but more than enough to attract the interest of local blues artists looking for an audience other than the local blues circuit of clubs. And, as the decade wore on, streaming music on your phone became easier and the ability to listen through your car speakers freed urban workers from the drudgery of repetitive classic rock, country, hip hop, pop, and talk radio on the drive to and from work. And to top it off, for a premium, you could listen to the blues on the SiriusXM B.B. King Blues Channel.

At the same time that new audiences and markets for the contemporary blues were emerging in the 2010’s, the costs for artists to record, produce, and release their own music were dropping dramatically. Low cost digital software that works on any computer tied together a slew of instruments and microphones and allowed blues artists to create, produce, and control their own music…..the holy grail of artistic freedom. One of the early adopters of this method of recording is also one of the current stars of the contemporary blues…Joe Bonamassa.

After releasing two studio albums for a major record label but being dissatisfied with the pressure to produce music that he didn’t want to record, Joe set up his own company in 2003. Combining savvy marketing with world class recording and a relentless commitment to touring, by 2009, Joe Bonamassa had attracted the attention of Eric Clapton and laid the groundwork for the explosive growth of his popularity during the 2010’s.

Who were the contemporary blues artists that emerged in the 2010 decade besides Joe Bonamassa? And what artists from the golden age of the blues in the 1950’s continued to thrill audiences 60 years later? I will begin to write about them in the next of a series of articles about the contemporary blues in the 2010’s. I hope you will read along with me!! And PLEASE comment on the article. Were there other major factors that I missed? Are there artists from the 2010 decade that deserve special mention in upcoming articles? Do you think a book about blues artists from the 2010’s would be interesting?

#blues #bluesmusic #bluesrock #bluesnews #bluesreviews #contemporaryblues

Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB as well as a Youtube channel.

Roadhouse Blues Nooner on BMFR 12-2 pm ET

Join us today on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com from 12-2 pm. I will start it rollin’ with an instrumental from one of Billy Gibbons first bands, Moving Sidewalks. Then we will hear from 4 artists that will be stars of the Winter Blues Fest in Iowa in a couple of weeks. Got some new Foghat…Walter Trout…Doug Duffey..Wayne Nicholson. And I’ll talk a bit about Coco Montoya…interesting background!

This is the intended playlist:

ARTISTTITLE
Moving SidewalksHeadin’ Out [Instrumental]
Tony HolidayJust As Gone
JD SimoMind Trouble
IndigenousJealousy
Carolyn WonderlandPalace Of The King
Blackburn BrothersShe’s A Heartbreaker
FoghatShe’s Dynamite
Coco MontoyaNatural Born Love Machine
Doug Duffey And BaddLet ‘er Rip
Sue FoleyStop These Teardrops
Wayne NicholsonGin House Blues
Tim WoodsAre You Kind?
Omar and The HowlersMagic Man (Live)
KA & The Blue DevilsDey Story
Sunny Bleau and The MoonsKing of Hearts  (Album Version)
Albert CummingsBarrelhouse Blues (Live)
Big Wolf BandRolling With Thunder (live)
Walter TroutBleed (feat. Will Wilde)
Joe BonamassaWell, I Done Got Over It
Joanne Shaw TaylorJust No Getting Over You (Dream Cruise)
Popa Chubby and the Beast Band69 Dollars
Dana FuchsAlmost home
Bywater CallLeft Behind
Gov’t MuleThe River Only Flows One Way (Feat. Billy Bob Thornton)
Nick Moss BandTime Ain’t Free
The Allman Betts BandDown To The River

Roadhouse Chillin on BMFR 3-5 pm

Hope you get a chance to listen in today on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com for a great mix of the contemporary blues from 3-5 pm ET. Below is the intended playlist.

ARTISTTITLEALBUM
Frenchie MoeFurry SlippersSoul Full Tonight
Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page & Steve WinwoodRita MaeA.R.M.S. Benefit Concert
IngvayMidnight JourneyOne Magic Mile
Cee Cee JamesCrossroad BluesSeriously Raw (Live at Sunbanks)
John PrimerAin’t Doing Too BadTeardrops for Magic Slim
Junior Wells & Buddy GuyLittle By Little (Live)Live In Hiroshima 1975
Frenchie MoeSlow DownSoul Full Tonight
Albert King & Stevie Ray VaughanAsk Me No QuestionsIn Session (Live)
POTLIQUORLevee BluesLevee Blues
Wayne NicholsonWhen Trust Turns To DustGin House
AJ GhentDancin’AJ Ghent Band – Live at Terminal West
Albert Castiglia95 SouthUp All Night
Voodoo WaltersNo Good DeedHow to be Happy
The B. Christopher BandNina Come OnTwo Rivers Back
Harlem LakeThe RiverVolition Live
Caroline CottoMystery RideBayou Sun
Jean Shy & The Shy GuysI Don’t Need No DoctorBluesin’ Montreux
Jimmy Rip & The TripWay Down In Mississippi (ft. Stacy Michelle)Muy Crudo
Peter Veteska & Blues Train2 In The MorningFull Tilt
Darnell ColeThe StoryA Man Of Soul
JJ Grey & MofroBlackwaterBlackwater
Damon FowlerSome Things ChangeAlafia Moon
Tommy Lee CookSatisfiedTommy Lee’s Jonesin’
Karen LovelyBlues Ain’t Far BehindLive! in Los Angeles
Keb’ Mo’Government CheeseLive – That Hot Pink Blues Album

2023 Best Roadhouse Blues Instrumental Songs of the Year

There are times, such as when I am writing articles like this one, that I just like to put on instrumental music to inspire me.. move me…get my fingers tappin’ as I write. I have done it for years; perhaps you do also. But I have never taken the time to actually write about all the great instrumental music I listen to each year. So at the beginning of 2023 I made a resolution to note the great instrumentals on albums that I listened to and included in my shows during the year. This list is the result of that effort. It is not an exhaustive list and is drawn from the singles and albums that were submitted to me or available to me through my association with Blues Music Fan Radio. But I think it is representative of the fabulous blues, jazz, R&B, Soul, blues rock, and Roots instrumentals released during 2023 that fall under the “Roadhouse Blues” that I love to spin. I will comment on some of my favorites and I invite you to listen to all 40 via a Spotify play list that I have created at this link.

#1 Mindi Abair – Fly (Single release)

Mindi Abair is one of her generation’s great saxophone players. She is also a gifted singer and songwriter who has been nominated for several Grammys over the years for her artistry. Mindi only released one song during 2023 and it is an instant classic. FLY soars and floats in a musical stratosphere that many artists aspire to reach but few do. If you need a song to chill you out or inspire you to go out and face the cold cold world, this is it!

#2 Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – Mississippi Night (Live In London)

The prince regent of the blues is a 24 year old young man from Mississippi by the name of Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Mentored by both Buddy Guy and Keb’ Mo’ at the start of his career, Christone has emerged as the first superstar of a new generation of young blues men and women. His instrumental version of Mississippi Nights is simply the electric blues at its finest.

#3 Jason Ricci & the Bad Kind – Hip Hug-Her (Behind the Veil)

Jason Ricci & the Bad Kind’s instrumental Hip Hug-Her is a throwback to the golden age of R&B in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I put this song on par with the Booker T & the MG’s classic Green Onions. Jason is based in my hometown of New Orleans and is acknowledged as one of the great contemporary harmonica players. Combine his talent with the organ playing of Joe Krown and you get one of the great instrumentals of 2023!

#4 Tony Wessels and the Revolvers – Walking With Jody (Reloaded)

I do my best during the year to give all the “indie” blues artists their due during my shows on BMFR. Independent artists have no label support. They raise the money to go into the studio from friends and family. Most have day jobs or independent sources of income that allow them to devote their time to their passion for the Blues. They market themselves as best they can and I write about them to get word out about their music. Tony Wessels is an indie artist from near Atlanta that put out a great album this year, Reloaded. Tony assembled a cast of supporting musicians he calls the Revolvers. Together they recorded a great upbeat instrumental entitled Walking With Jody.

#5 Vargas Blues Band – Blues The Healer (Stoner Night)

The Vargas Blues Band song, Blues the Healer, is my favorite blues rock instrumental of 2023. With soaring guitars solos and some awesome saxophone playing, this is another of those tunes that can just lift your day up after listening. This Spanish group led by Javier Vargas is well known in Europe and with songs like this one, they should make a big impression on listeners and audiences here in the USA and Canada.

#6 Blood Brothers (ft. Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia) – Hill Country Jam (Blood Brothers: Live in Canada)

I got to see the Blood Brothers perform this song live in Connecticut this past April. Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia trade guitar licks effortlessly, the dual drummers Ephraim Lowell & Matt Johnson drive the beat and Matt Johnson lays down some badass bass riffs. I put this Live instrumental on par with some of the best jams by the Allman Brothers and Gov’t Mule.

I hope you enjoy looking through the entire list of 40 of my favorite roadhouse blues instrumentals for 2023. All these artists deserve a listen….give them one!!!

ARTISTTITLEALBUM
1Mindi AbairFlyFly (single)
2Christone “Kingfish” IngramMississippi Night (Live-Instrumental)Live In London
3Jason Ricci and the Bad KindHip Hug-HerBehind the Veil
4Tony Wessels and the RevolversWalking with JodyReloaded
5Vargas Blues BandBlues the HealerStoner Night
6Blood Brothers (ft Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia)Hill Country JamBlood Brothers – Live in Canada
7The Count Basie OrchestraThe Patton BasieBasie Swings The Blues
811 Guys QuartetBlues Beyond Midnight11 x 11
9Mikey JuniorSummertimeBlues in the Barn – Volume 1
10Bruce Katz BandRight Here Right NowConnections
11Monster Mike WelchAfraid Of My Own TearsNothing But Time
12Duke RobillardGroovin’ in the SwampSix Strings Of Steel
13Sean PolukThe EndC’est La Vie
14Selwyn BirchwoodShow TuneExorcist
15Frenchie MoeFurry SlippersSoul Full Tonight
16Mick Pini & Audio 54Head NorthWay Ahead
17Guy BelangerBayou’s RideVoyages (& autres histoires)
18Charlie A’CourtBo JinxA’Court, Spiegel, & Vinnick
19Vic MartinRollin’Angry Hammond
20Andy Robson & Urban FoxEmpty MirrorsBe Forgiving
21The Wicked Lo-DownLockdownWe Hot
22Leonard “Lowdown” BrownLowdown’s bluesBlues is calling me
23The StumbleHeads UpThe Deal
24High Ridin’ Hobos, William PearsonMuddy Water BluesDevil May Care
25Bernard Sellam & The Boyz From The HoodJalapeño BluesFeelin’ So Fine
26Sweet Marta & The Blues ShakersGrease FatHard Times EP
27Joe FlipJimi SwingHome Sweet Home
28Sue FoleyHooked On Love (AKA Lucky Lou)Live In Austin Vol. 1
29MIssissippi ‘Shiners, William PearsonLouisiana MoonLouisiana Moon
30West TrainzRail NomadsRail Nomads
31Timo HaikarainenGood FatsLookin’ for My Baby
32Bad Thomas and the NortonsMister SmoothMister Smooth
33Rip Lee PryorMidnight MoaningSugar Daddy Blues
34Joe KrownGumbo BoogieTRIBUTE
35Robert Connely FarrRunnin Hiding JamPandora Sessions
36Wolf MailLonerThe Wolf is at Our Door
37Eric SardinasSwamp CoolerMidnight Junction
38Popa Chubby and the Beast BandSteel Horse SerenadeLive at G. Blueys Juke Joint
39Mojo StompSwampwater BluesWhen the Dust Settles
40Keith Scott bluesRiver SongOne Nation Under the Blues

#blues #bluesmusic #bluesrock #bluesnews #bluesreviews #contemporaryblues

Ben Vee started out spinning songs on terrestrial radio and at nightclubs back in the 1970’s in his home state of Louisiana. After a career in the construction business, he returned to DJing in 2011. He now hosts two shows each week on http://www.bluesmusicfan.com and writes about the blues at http://www.benveeblues.com from his home in Connecticut. He also has a personal 24 hour stream devoted to the Roadhouse Blues… WRHB as well as a Youtube channel.