John Ginty- No Filter

2015 –American Showplace Music

By Phillip Smith; Sep 19, 2015

Not only is John Ginty an amazing keyboardist, he surrounds himself with amazing talent and continues to release the most outstanding music I’ve heard.  Ginty returns to Showplace Studios in Dover, NJ with guitarist Mike Buckman, bass player Paul Kuzik, and drummers, Dan Fadel and Andrei Koribanics to record his latest masterpiece of all original songs, No Filter.

The album begins and ends with the funky and very soulful “Fredo”, taking its name from the character Frederico "Fredo" Corleone from Mario Puzo’s Godfather.  The first time we hear the song, it is an instrumental, but when we hear the remix at the end, it takes on a whole new personality.  The one and only Redman throws down rhymes of his own mastery infusing a hip-hop vibe into this wonderful track about backstabbers and losers.   

“Old Shoes”, featuring the magnificent contralto voice of Alexis P. Suter and swampy guitar from Jimmy Bennett, is wonderfully bluesy.  Suter belts this song out with attitude and conviction.  Cara Kelly takes the mic on the colossal R&B track “Battlegrounds”.  Ginty tosses everything he’s got into his performance, bombarding the soul on every level.  While on the topic of ‘soul’, Ginty commandeers the bus and drives us to his chapel for a “Rock ‘n Roll Sunday”.  I love the sound of the B3 on this poppy and spirited track sung by Paul Gerdts.  Now this is my kind of church music.  Amen!

Slam Allen - Feel These Blues

2015 – American Showplace Music

By Phillip Smith; April 4, 2015

Step inside, Slam Allen’s latest album, Feel These Blues, and allow yourself to soak up all the soulful house-rockin’ goodness you can.  Don’t worry about being greedy, there’s plenty for everyone.  Listening to the blues being performed at the level Allen plays is such a joy.  Having worked his way up through the ranks by being lead guitarist and lead singer for James Cotton for nine years, Allen’s years of experience is felt in every song.  With a band composed of bassist Jeff Anderson, drummer Dan Fadel, and organist/pianist extraordinaire John Ginty, Allen delivers eleven delightful original tracks, and a surprising cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain”.

Allen jump-starts things with title track “Feel These Blues”, a high-energy boogie with fantastic, bluesy guitar licks.  It’s a perfect song to set the album in motion with.  Keeping the blues bus a rolling is “All Because of You”.  This stand-out track, topped with Ginty’s B3 is slathered with Allen’s soulful guitar and vocals.  There’s an undeniable Memphis Stax influence on “Can’t Break Away From That Girl”.  Allen seeming channels Otis Redding, while throwing in little Steve Cropper-ish licks on guitar.  I love the funky, feel-good groove built around Anderson’s bassline.  All this, along with a little church added via Ginty on organ, makes the track a bona fide favorite.  For a feel-good song which exudes positive energy, nothing beats “That’s Where You Are”.  From the opening bassline to the closing organ outro, this luscious track puts a smile on my face every time.   

Slam Allen keeps the writing real and the performances fresh. Feel the Blues is “Top-Shelf” blues at its best.

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