The Rhythm Of Love And Dysfunction by The Livesays

Billy Livesay, best known for his work with E Street Band legend Clarence Clemons as his Guitarist & Vocalist, is releasing a new album with his group The Livesays called The Rhythm Of Love And Dysfunction on Sept 20th, 2020.  This amazing album was recorded in 2018 and was set to be released early in 2019. Tragically, on November 2nd, 2018, the band experienced unimaginable sorrow when their drummer, Eddie Zyne, passed away from a heart attack.  With the replacement drummer Howard Goldberg, they were able to finish the album.  This thirteen track album features Billy Livesay on guitar and lead vocals, Jorge Laplume on bass and vocals, Victor “Cuqui” Berrios on organ and vocals, Tim Murphy on piano and vocals and Howard Goldberg on drums on such tracks as When I Dream which has a Bruce Springsteen sound, a great cover of Crosby Stills Nash and Young classic Woodstock, an amazing cover of Don Henley’s hit Heart Of The Matter, Book Of Rules, Rhythm Of Love and so much more.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish with great vocals and amazing rhythm and blues sound as well as brilliant songwriting and a superb recording.  I hope I will get the opportunity to hear this band’s earlier work in order to see the growth of them as performers and as songwriters.  To learn more about this band, their music, and their tour schedule when this pandemic is over, go to their official website https://www.thelivesaysmusic.com/

Volume One by The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers

The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers originated back in January 2008 when musician brothers Luther & Cody Dickinson sat down for a guitar jam with ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus along with Blues Greats Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart and the late Memphis pianist, producer and all-around musical stylist Jim Dickinson (who passed away in the summer of 2009) gathered for a self-described ”hardcore blues” recording under the group name of the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers.  This compilation is volume one of a two-volume collection with the first 10 tracks will be available finally on September 4, 2020, on Stony Plain Records, with the next 11 songs coming in spring 2021 on Volume 2. Volume One features such great tracks as Blues, Why You Worry Me, Night Time, K.C. Moan, Shake It And Break It, Stop And Listen and so much more.  I was quite moved by the performance on this album as well as the great songwriting talent and a superb recording.  This is an exceptional addition to your blues music library which will be available from Amazon, Walmart, Spotify, and all other outlets where CDs and digital downloads are sold.  In closing, I want to thank Mark Pucci of Mark Pucci Media for turning me on to this fine album.

 

Rise Up by Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters

Rise Up is the upcoming release by Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters set for release on September 11, 2020, on Stony Plain Records.  Ronnie Earl, a four-time Blues Music Award winner as “Guitar Player of the Year,” is joined by Dave Limina on keys, Diane Blue on vocals, Paul Kochanski on bass and Forrest Padgett on drums on this 15 track album which is his 13^th album on Stony Plain Records and the 27^th album of his career.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish with such great tracks as Higher Love, Albert’s Stomp, In The Dark, Navaho Blues, and much more.  Also on this album, he felt the need to respond urgently to coronavirus and racial strife, therefore in response, Ronnie christened one instrumental Blues for George Floyd and named a unique talking blues Black Lives Matter. The band covered Bob Dylan’s Lord Protect My Child, sung brilliantly by Diane Blue.  This release was brilliantly performed as well as showcasing great songwriting and a superb recording.  This album will be available on CD and digital download from Amazon, Walmart, and many other outlets.  To find out more about his artist, his previous work and much more, go to his official website http://www.ronnieearl.com/

Remainder of None by Keelah Tay

Remainder of None is the debut album by Los Angeles, California based artist Keelah Tay and produced by my friend and an amazing recording artist Fernando Perdomo.  This six-track EP showcases an amazing voice with a rock and bluesy sound and superb songwriting skills on the tracks History (which there is a clean and unclean version), I Against Me, Lift Up, Paper Weight and the title track Remainder Of None.  In addition to a great performance, this album features an awesome recording and production.  This is an artist, I would love to hear more from in the future.  This album will be available on July 1, 2020, on all major download platforms.

 

Go, Just Do It by Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

Canadian ball-of-fire beacon of the blues scene Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is set to add to his stack of multi-award-winning albums with the release of Go, Just Do It! scheduled for release on June 12, 2020, via Stony Plain Records.  This is my second review for this amazing blues keyboardist, my first one was back in August of last year. Joining Kenny Wayne who is playing piano, organ and vocals are Russell Jackson on electric and upright bass, Yuji Ihara on lead and rhythm guitar, Joey “The Pocket” DiMarco on drums, Sherman “Tank” Doucette on harmonica, powerhouse horn players Jerry Cook and Vince Mai and Barry Sharbo on tambourine.  This thirteen track album of original tracks feature such great work as Just Do It, You’re In For a Big Surprise, Don’t Want To Be President, Bumpin Down The Highway, Let The Rock Roll and so much more.   In addition to an amazing performance, this album also features great songwriting and a superb recording.  This is a great album to add to your blues library and is available on CD and digital download format from Amazon, Apple Music, and many other music retailers.  You can also learn about the artist, his music and where you can catch him live after the clubs and venues open up after this coronavirus situation is under control by going to his official website https://kennybluesboss.com/

Blues For A King by Shirley King

Now that I got past the 1700 mark on my reviews, let start working on the 1800 mark with the new album by Shirley King, the blues-singing daughter of the legendary blues artist B.B. King and has earned the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right.  Her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers, and Elvin Bishop, she has brought to the table her own sound and style with her take on such blues classics Gallows Pole and Hoodoo Blues Man as well as the soul hit Johnny Porter (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, Can’t Find My Way Home and Feelin’ Alright. My favorite track on this release is the powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable At Last.  I was quite moved with the performance on this album and how well it was recorded and produced.  She would definitely make her father proud with this album.  This amazing piece of art will be available on both CD and vinyl starting June 19, 2020, from Cleopatra Blues, a subsidiary of Cleopatra Records, Inc. and all other music retailers.  This is an album, that I would love to own on vinyl and have her sign it.

Fire Without Water by E D Brayshaw

Fire Without Water is the May 1, 2020 debut solo release by guitarist E D Brayshaw.  Having spent over thirty years as the guitar to go sideman for many other artists, E D Brayshaw finally put other projects aside to record his thoughts and emotions on this eight-track album.  I first got turned on to this amazing guitarist when I heard the album The Roads We Ride that he recorded with Wily Bo Walker. After hearing that album, I knew I had to hear more from this artist and now I got my chance with this eight-track album on which E D plays guitars, bass, drums, lap steel, mandolin, keyboards plus doing vocals which features such great tracks as Say What You Will, I Hear The Rain, The Call, Reckless (which I considered my favorite track with a sound like Stevie Ray Vaughn) and much more.  I was quite impressed with the performance on this album, as well as excellent songwriting and a superb recording and production.  You can get your own copy of this amazing album on CD or digital download by going to his Bandcamp page https://edbrayshaw.bandcamp.com/

 

Last Light On The Highway by Robert Jon And The Wreck

Last Light On The Highway is the May 8, 2020 album by blues and country-infused rock n’ roll quintet Robert Jon and the Wreck out of Orange County, California comprising of Robert Jon Burrison on vocals and guitar, Andrew Espantman on drums, Steve Maggiora keyboards and vocals, Henry James on lead guitar and vocals, and Warren Murrel on bass and vocals.  This eleven-song album amazing vocals and great guitar riffs features such great tracks as Oh Miss Carolina, Can’t Stand It, Don’t Let Me Go, One Last Time, the title track Last Light On The Highway which is in two parts and much more.  I was quite moved by the performance on this album, as well as great songwriting and a superb recording.  I am looking forward to hearing more from this amazing band, as well as hearing their earlier work. Last Light on the Highway will be available on CD, Vinyl, Limited Edition Deluxe colored vinyl (blue and white speckled) and various bundles including Signed Deluxe Edition Vinyl, Ltd Edition T-shirt, Signed CD, Ltd Edition collectors badge set and signed Ltd Edition poster of Robert Jon & The Wreck. The album and bundles are available for pre-order Friday 27th March from http://www.robertjonandthewreck.com/ where you can learn more about this band, their music, and tour schedule when this coronavirus situation is over.

Crossing Borders by Evelyn Rubio

Crossing Borders is the May 15, 2020 album by Houston, Texas blues-rock saxophone player/vocalist Evelyn Rubio on the Productions on Seaspeed Records label features musical contributions from a host of A-list musicians, including Fulcher’s Phantom Blues Band buddies Mike Finnigan (keys), Tony Braunagel (drums) and Johnny Lee Schell (guitar), as well as former Spirit bandmates Al Staehely (guitar) and Mark Andes. Added to that mix are world-class guitarists David Grissom (John Mellencamp, Joe Ely, The Allman Brothers Band, Dixie Chicks) and Josh Sklair (Etta James).  This fifteen track album features a mix of blues, rock, jazz, and a little country with such songs as Mistake, I Don’t Understand, Just Like A Drug, Still on Your Side, Border Town, and much more.  This album also features as a bonus three songs performed in Spanish He Did Me Wrong But He Did It Right, Cruel and the previously mentioned song Border Town.  I was quite moved by the performance on this album with powerful vocals, great harmonies, and excellent instrumentation, as well as excellent songwriting talent and a superb recording.  This album will be available on CD and digital download from Amazon, Apple Music, and all other music outlets.  I am looking forward to hearing more from this artist in the future and highly recommend this album to any blues fan.  In fact, I wish this album was available on vinyl because I would love to add this to my vinyl library to listen to on my turntable.   To learn more about this amazing artist go to her official website http://evelynrubio.com/ where you can learn about her earlier releases, her music history, and much more.

Stories To Live Up To by Harvey Dalton Arnold

Stories To Live Up To is the February 28, 2020 release by former Outlaws bassist Harvey Dalton Arnold on the Music Makers Recordings label.  Among the musicians who contributed to the project are drummer Charley Drayton, who has played with Keith Richards‘ solo group X-pensive Winos and Divinyls; keyboardist Rob Arthur, a current member of the Peter Frampton Band; and veteran session bassist Zev Katz.  This nine-track album is a bunch of songs that he had written with the intent of kind of painting a picture or telling a story with such songs as What’s On Your Mind, Poor Boy, Lone Outlaw, Gotta See Ya and a whole lot more.  I was quite moved by the performance on this album as well as his songwriting talent and a superb recording which has a different sound that you normally find in a recording studio.  It almost had a live sound.  This definitely an album you will want to check out.  Stories to Live Up To can be purchased on CD at MusicMaker.org, and also is available as a digital download and via streaming services such as Amazon, Itunes, and many others.