Solitary by Don Dokken

Solitary is an October 21, 2008, acoustic rock album by Don Dokken, singer of his original band Dokken released on his own label and will be re-released January 31, 2020, on Deadline Music, a division of Cleopatra Records.  To help bring this project to life, Don reached out to several high-profile musicians including The Firm/Whitesnake bassist Tony Franklin plus renowned drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa / Sting) as well as Wyn Davis on guitars and bass, Steve Ornest on guitars, Frank Lentz and Gary Ferguson on drums, John Schreiner and John Keane on pianos and a guest performance of Kelly Keeling doing background vocals on Where The Grass Is Green.  At the time in 2008, the album was only sold to fans attending his tour for the album.  This twelve track album features the nine tracks that was on the original release plus three more tracks for the re-issue release which features Don’s powerful vocals on such tracks as I’ll Never Forget, Ship Of Fools, his take on Celine Dion’s hit My Heart Will Go On (from the movie Titanic), Someday and much more.  This album was well written, recorded, performed and produced.  This album is available on CD, digital download and a very special limited edition RED vinyl pressing from Cleopatra Records, Amazon and many other music outlets.

Evening’s Pay by Eva Cappelli & The Watershops Band

Evening’s Pay is the March 23, 2015 album by multi-award singer/songwriter from western Massachusetts, Eva Cappelli & The Watershops Band.  This band consist of Eva Cappelli on vocals and acoustic guitar, Tom Wolverton on pedal steel guitar, steel guitar and dobro, Joe Carvallio on electric guitars, mandolin and keyboards, Shawn Mansfield on bass, Jeff Turcotte on drums, Vinnoe Dimauro on saxophone, Erik Percoski on trombone, Chris Donelan on trumpet, Jon Adams on Steel Drums, and Phyllis Ann Lataille on backing vocals.   This is a thirteen-track album with is mostly Americana with a couple of blues and jazzy tunes as well with such amazing tracks as the title track Evening’s Pay, Queen Of The Heartbreak Hotel, Hands Off My Blues, Dangerous Thing To Do and so much more.  I was quite impressed with her vocals and her songwriting ability as well as the performance and recording.  I recently heard her work on an independent online radio show and got hooked.  I am looking forward to hearing more from this artist.  You can find more about this artist on her official website https://evacappelli.com

Mahto and The Loose Balloons, Minorcan and Loose Leaves at The Hideaway in Johnson City, Tennessee

Last night was a night of great local bands at The Hideaway in Johnson City, Tennessee with Mahto and The Loose Balloons, Minorcan and Loose Leaves.  These three bands put on a great show with Mahto and The Loose Balloons opening up the show. This band out of Johnson City, Tennessee comprised of Sam Love on the drums and Will Diebold on the bass with Mahto Addison-Browder acting as a frontman on guitar.  This band had a folk-rock sound that I enjoyed very much with tracks from their numerous albums. I was able to get their cassette tape Loose Balloons signed by the band and looking forward to getting my hands on their CDs.  After a short break, it was time for Minorcan, a rock trio based in Asheville, North Carolina to hit the stage featuring Ryan Anderson on guitar, vocals, songwriting, Joey Terry on bass and Dustin Goose on drums. I enjoyed their alternative rock style as they played tracks from their various albums.  I was lucky to get a copy of their vinyl album Keep At Hand signed by the band.  To finish off the evening is Loose Leaves, a little funk, a little folk and a whole lot of rock and roll band from Church Hill, Tennessee featuring Trace Hoover on guitar and vocals, Jacob Tipton on bass and Justin Hoard on drums.  I was quite impressed with their sound and looking forward to reviewing their recordings.  I also had a chance to meet and to talk to all three bands and I am looking forward to seeing them perform again in the future.  If you ever get a chance, check out The Hideaway, a great venue for local bands.

Blues With Horns Volume 1 by Chris Daniels And The Kings With Freddi Gowdy

Since his return from battling leukemia, Chris Daniels has been nominated for a Grammy, inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame(CMHOF), served as the bandleader and backup band for a major CMHOF event for Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Joe Walsh and many more. He has recorded and produced 3 more albums, Blues With Horns being the 2nd with his singing partner -recording artist Freddi Gowdy (of Freddi Henchi & The Soulsetters- formerly on Reprise).  This is horn-driven blues which features both brand new songs and a tribute to some of the great artists that combine horns with their blues. It features Sonny Landreth on slide guitar, John Magnie (Subdudes) on keys, Clay Kirkland (Gary Morris) on harp and more which features such great songs on this ten-track album as Sweet Memphis, Get Off Of That Funk, Baby’s In Love With That Radio, You Can Stay But The Noise Must Go and so many others.  I was quite impressed with the production of this album as well as it’s performances, the way it was written and recorded.  This is definitely an album you will want to add to your blues library which can be purchased on CD and digital download from Amazon, CD Baby.  To learn more about this great band, their tour schedule and more go their official website http://www.chrisdaniels.com

Eminence Funk by Red56

Freddy Vilano (American Mafia/Dambusters/Quiet Riot) has a new band Red56 who has released a new album via Bandcamp called Eminence Funk featuring Danielle Gorre on lead vocals released on Christmas Eve of 2019.  Along with Freddy Vilano on bass, he is joined by Nate Horton on drums, Harris G. Thor on guitars and lap steel, Lonnie Park on keyboards and many other guest musicians.  This New York-based band presents an amazing eight-track album that features such great tracks as It’s All Right, Salvation, Right On Time, the title track Eminence Funk and much more.  I was quite impressed with the performance on this album as well as the production, the recording and the songwriting style on this album.  This is an amazing album from start to finish is an album you will want to take a listen to and add to your music library from Bandcamp, Amazon and other outlets on CD and digital download.

When I Was Young: MGM Recordings 1967-1968 by Eric Burton And The Animals

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a new boxed set featuring all of the albums recorded by Eric Burdon & The Animals for the MGM Records label issued between October 1967 and December 1968. Eric Burdon & The Animals came together in December 1966 when the original Animals had ground to a halt. Vocalist Eric Burdon recruited Vic Briggs on guitar and piano, John Weider on guitar, violin and bass, Danny McCulloch (who played with Paul McCartney and Wings) on bass and Barry Jenkins on drums to form a new group which changed direction away from raucous Rhythm and Blues and embraced Psychedelic rock and the influences of the emerging counter-culture. This five-disc set called When I Was Young: Mgm Recordings 1967-1968 features such tracks as San Franciscan Nights, the title track When I Was Young, Good Times, Paint It Black, Yes I Am Experienced and so much more.  The set features the albums Winds of Change (both stereo and mono versions), The Twain Shall Meet, Every One Of Us and Love Is, all newly remastered from the original master tapes, along with ten bonus tracks drawn from the band’s single releases, including the classic B-sides A Girl Named Sandoz, Ain’t That So and Gratefully Dead, all remastered from recently located original master tapes. Also included is an illustrated booklet with a new essay and a replica poster.  This collection was excellently written, mastered, recorded, performed and produced.  If you are a fan of classic rock of the sixties like I am, you will want to own this collection which is available from Cherry Red Records, Amazon and many other music outlets.

Ammonia Avenue Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set by The Alan Parsons Project

The Alan Parsons Project,  a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson has been a band I have enjoyed over the years with such great songs as Eye In The Sky, Games People Play, Time and many more hits has returned with the Ammonia Avenue Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set To Be Released March 27, 2020, by Esoteric Recordings.  First released in February 1984, Ammonia Avenue was the seventh album by The Alan Parsons Project, the brainchild of composer, musician, and manager Eric Woolfson and celebrated producer and engineer Alan Parsons.  The album sessions featured the contribution of musicians such as Ian Bairnson (guitars), David Paton (bass), Stuart Elliott (drums) with Eric Woolfson playing keyboards and lead vocals on four of the album’s nine songs. Colin Blunstone, Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek also provided lead vocals on the remaining songs.  This three-CD set features such tracks as Dancing On A High Wire, Since The Last Goodbye, the title track Ammonia Avenue, Don’t Answer Me, Prime Time and much more.  I was impressed with the production, recording, songwriting, and performance on this collection which consists of three CDs, a blu ray disc, a vinyl edition of a new stereo mix of Ammonia Avenue as two 12-inch 45rpm discs plus a lavish illustrated book with a new essay with unseen photos and features recollections from Alan Parsons, the Woolfson family and from musicians Ian Bairnson and David Paton. It also includes a reproduction poster and a reproduction press kit folder. This deluxe edition of Ammonia Avenue is the definitive treatment of a special album.  I am looking forward to owning a copy of this collection myself.  You will be able to get your hands on this amazing collection on April 3, 2020, from Amazon and all music outlets.  To learn more about this artist and music go to their official website

https://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com

Once In A Blue Moon by The Dave Goddess Group

Sorry folks for not having any reviews for the past few days, but I had nothing on my desk.  Today I want to present as my 1573^rd review an amazing album by the Dave Goddess Group with their new album Once In A Blue Moon to be released on February 28, 2020.  The Dave Goddess Group is and Dave Goddess on lead vocals, guitars, and harmonica, Mark Buschi on bass and backing vocals, Tom Brobst on keyboards and saxophone, Chris Cummings on drums and backing vocals, Gary Gipson on guitars on backing vocals.  This ten-track album of original sounds has the great country-rock sound of such artists as The Eagles, Tom Petty, and many others.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish with great vocals and harmonies, and amazing instrumental backup on such tracks as All Talk And No Action, the title track Once In A Blue Moon, Chinatown, You Can’t Fight Fire With Fire, When You’re Happy I’m Happy, When The Lightning Strikes and much more.  I was quite impressed with this performance as well as the songwriting talent and recording.  I highly recommend this album to your library.  This amazing album will be available on February 28th through Itunes, and their official website http://davegoddessgroup.com where you can learn more about this band, their music and much more.  Check out their latest video
When You’re Happy I’m Happy on youtube.

Backstage Stories by Robertas Semeniukas

After listening to this artist on an online radio show hosted by Dave Davis, I got hooked on this artist and wanted to hear more, so I contacted this artist and received this amazing CD. Hailing from Lithuania, Robertas Semeniukas brings a new full length 20 track album titled “Backstage Stories.” The 20 track album released on November 20, 2019, contains 12 instrumentals and 8 vocal songs.  This amazing artist with intriguing guitar work and strong vocals is joined by a long list of supporting musicians in the making of this album which is a great mixture of blues and rock features such great tracks as Kai nieko nebelieka, Flying High (S.V.J.S.), Killer Boogie From China, Journey Home, You Gotta Move, Icebreaker Comes To Town, Dream Song and so much more.  I was quite moved with his guitar work, his songwriting talent, and performance as well as how this great album was recorded.  I am so looking forward to hearing more from this artist both his earlier work and his future releases.  I highly recommend this artist’s work to your music library. I would put his guitar work with such classic guitarists as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Vai, Slash, and many others.  I feel you will love his work as much as I do. This amazing album is available from Bandcamp, Discogs, and his website https://www.semeniukas.com/ where digital downloads, CDs and Vinyl are sold.  You can also go to the website to learn more about this artist, his music and his other releases.

 

Footprints by Joel Cuzzi

Footprints is the October 7, 2019 album by Joel Cuzzi a Northern California-based musician has gone from punk to folk-style singer-songwriter. Joining Joel Cuzzi who is providing lead and backup vocals as well as guitar, is Ben Bernstein on bass, Mike Stevens on drums, Jared Stinson on lead and backup vocals and Morty Lopez on backup vocals.  I enjoyed this ten-track album from start to finish with amazing vocals and harmonies as well as acoustic guitar work on such songs as Help On The Way, the title track Footprints, The Sunrise, Valentine,  In The Arms Of Strangers and so much more.  I was quite impressed with the songwriting style as well as this album’s performance and recording.  I highly recommend this album for your music library.  This album is available digital download from Amazon and his official website https://joelcuzzi.com where you can also get this great album on vinyl.  I am looking forward to hearing more from this amazing artist