PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Ruf Records

Showing posts with label Ruf Records. Show all posts

Saturday, May 11, 2024

#682 : Alastair Greene - Standing Out Loud (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Ruf Records

Release Date : May 17, 2024

By Phillip Smith; May 11, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Alastair Greene is one of those artists I am always excited to hear new music from. He really does elevate blues-rock to a whole new level. In the past, Greene has worked with other favorites of mine such as Alan Parsons, and Sugaray Rayford. For his latest and eleventh solo record Standing Out Loud, Greene has enlisted the extraordinary J.D. Simo to co-produce and engineer this off-the-chain listening experience.

The churning, driving rhythm of “Slow Burn” pulls me in tight for a tasty dish of ZZ-Top-inspired Texas blues slathered in a spicy slide sauce. “In Trouble” is an incredible-sounding blues-rocker. If KISS played blues, this track definitely represents what it would sound like. It’s indeed a favorite. I love hearing that swampy slide guitar as it echoes out from “The Last to Cry”. Greene slows it way down for “Rusty Dagger” for an amazing listen where notes seem to hang in mid-air. His guitar-mastery absolutely shines on this one. A stellar cover of Rory Gallagher’s “Bullfrog Blues” brings this record to its finish. It truly is a smashing performance.

It's refreshing to hear such an unbridled approach to blues as Greene and Simo exhibit in this recording. It’s raw, it’s to the point, and it rocks.

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For more information about Alastair Greene, visit his website at www.alastairgreene.com

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Alastair Greene:
PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Search results for alastair greene (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)

Friday, April 26, 2024

#676 : Canned Heat - Finyl Vinyl (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

Canned Heat

Finyl Vinyl

2024 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; April 27, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

For a band whose music spans nearly Sixty years, Canned Heat has sure had a good run. Their latest album Final Vinyl just leaves their fans wanting more. It really is a terrific album. Dale Spalding leads the group on vocals and harmonica, with original member Adolfo ‘Fito’ de la Parra on Drums, Jimmy Vivino (Tonight Show Band) on guitars,keys,vocals, and Richard Reed on bass.

Kicking off this eleven-track album is the very-fitting “One Last Boogie”. Knowing this is their last album, this song is a bitter-sweet beginning of the end. I love all the automobile references in “Going to Heaven (in a Pontiac)”. Spalding rips it up on harp and vocals in this classic-style original. The great Joe Bonamassa steps in as guest guitarist on “So Sad (The World’s in a Tangle)” for a cooking blues track. The rhythm section keeps this one diligently churning. The most unique song is an instrumental called “East/West Boogie”. I adore this adaptation of the theme for the Apple TV show Tehran. The track absolutely shines. Things heat up for “A Hot Ole Time” with Vivino ripping it up on guitar and Spalding wailing on harp. I absolutely love the slide guitar presence to the harp-heavy deep-blues track “When You’re 69”. This is what the blues is all about,

Like a fine wine, Canned Heat’s Finyl Vinyl gets better and better with every listen. It’s surely a record blues fans will want to add to their collection.

Saturday, February 3, 2024

#658 : Bernard Allison - Luther's Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 3, 2024

Release Date : January 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Bernard Allison’s records have always included a song or two written by his father the renowned blues recording artist Luther Allison ( 1939 – 1997 ). Luther’s Blues, the latest album from Bernard, celebrates the music of his dad with a spectacular collection of twenty songs on a two-disc set. Each song was hand-picked by Bernard and then remastered by Pauler Acoustics. Luther’s Blues joins in the festivities which celebrate Ruf Records’ Thirtieth anniversary. Ruf Records, launched in 1994 by Luther’s then European manager Thomas Ruf, recorded several albums with Luther. With Bernard at Ruf Records as well, this album exhibits the deep connection and bond which runs strong between the two families.

Guitar ablaze from the get-go, “Hang On” blasts out the gates on the first track with Jimi-Hendrix inspired deliciousness topped with Allison’s demanding vocals. I absolutely adore the funky, horn-infused “Too Many Women”. The inescapable groove pulls me right in to its masterful jam. I love how “Midnight Creeper” sneaks right in the door with its slow-swaying soul. Allison pours out some gut-wrenching early Chicago blues on “Back Down South”. The piano accompaniment snugs right up with Bernard’s smokin’ guitar playing. I feel every note played and every word sung as Allison gets down with the slow-burner “You’re Gonna Need Me”. Allison brings the album to closure with the beautiful “Castle”. I adore the soft Cat Stevens vibe. The song is gorgeous.

Luther’s Blues is an excellent album and a wonderful tribute.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://bernardallison.com

Read additional PhillyCheeze reviews for Bernard Allison : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=bernard+allison

Saturday, November 11, 2023

#644 : Ghalia Volt - Shout Sister Shout! (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 11, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I have been enamored by the music of Ghalia Volt since her album with Johnny Mastro and Mamas Boys Let the Demons Out crossed my desk for review five years ago. She is a musical force on guitar and vocals with a mastery of songwriting. Ghalia’s talent shines bright with on her latest release Shout Sister Shout!. The album is loaded with a dozen all-original tracks. Each one is a gem. Backing Ghalia is Danny Frankel on drums/percussion, Ben Alleman on keys, and special guest on guitar David Catching.

With a funky, slide-slathered riff, the record opens with “Every Cloud”. The Ray Manzarek-inspired keys Alleman contributes makes for a groovy touch. “Can’t Afford to Die” pulls me in fast and tight with its upbeat delivery and dire, matter-of-fact lyrics. “Insomnia” is a true masterpiece. Ghalia’s dobro performance is beautifully guided with Alleman’s poly-rhythm beats, setting an Eastern musical landscape for this wonderful blues song. Catching’s cosmic guitar splashes add a psychedelic Pink Floyd feel. The North Mississippi Hill Country sound of “Can’t Have it All” opens up in a genius way. I think of the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is instantly transported from a black and white world to one that boasts the full glory of Technicolor. With guitar in hand, Eddie 9V makes a guest stop on “Hop on a Ride” for a searing blues performance fit for a juke-joint.

Shout Sister Shout! is a stellar album that stays strong from beginning to end. It is such a terrific release; I feel it should land Ghalia on several awards lists.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.ghaliavolt.com/

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Ghalia Volt at : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Ghalia

Sunday, June 25, 2023

#620 : Eric Johanson - The Deep and the Dirty (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; June 25, 2023

Release Date : July 28, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Louisiana blues-rocker Eric Johanson has a ridiculously cool album with his latest release The Deep and the Dirty. Enlisting Jesse Dayton (Rob Zombie, X, Samantha Fish) surely accounts for the badassery which abundantly flows out of the dozen original tracks contained on this record. With Eric Johanson on guitar and vocals, the band is comprised of drummer Terence Higgins, and bassist Eric Vogel, along with Jesse Dayton and Patrick Herzfeld on shaker/tambourine.

Rocking out in a Hendrix fashion, Johanson greets the listener with “Don’t Hold Back”. The infectious hard-driving riff is painted with explosive guitar licks. Immediately following is the title-track The “Deep and the Dirty”. I love Vogel’s buttery blues-soaked bassline. It sounds great and draws me quickly in to enjoy Johanson’s smokin’ performance. His slide-play on “Beyond the Sky” and “Familiar Sound” is deliciously swampy and captivating. Led Zeppelin had a “Stairway to Heaven”. Johanson on the other hand has a ride to “Elysian Fields”. That song stands out as instrumentally grand and wonderfully poetic. I quickly fall for the highly infectious “Galaxy Girl”. Johanson cooks this one to a rapid boil from the git-go with an amazing guitar performance.

The Deep and the Dirty from Eric Johanson is a heavy load of blues served with hard-driving guitar. I love every single bit of it, and highly recommend giving it a listen.

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For more information about Eric Johanson visit his website at : https://ericjohanson.com

Saturday, March 4, 2023

#599 : Eddie 9V - Capricorn (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 4, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Striking while the iron is hot, Brooks Mason aka Eddie 9V continues to forge his own unique path into the world of southern soul. I absolutely loved his previous album Little Black Flies. It was among my favorite 20 albums of 2021. Prior to the recording of this album, Eddie 9V stated he had been “listening to Muscle Shoals and soul, a lot of music recorded at Capricorn in the late ‘60s too.”, hence the title Capricorn.

A rush of feel-good, horn-infused, southern-soul leads this record off with “Beg Borrow and Steal”. Afterward, the listener is taken down to the swampy bayous of Louisiana for a funky good time with “Yella Alligator”. I love the Allman-esque slide guitar licks that Eddie pours into it. He brings out his Allman Brothers influence again on “Down Along the Cove”. The song is outstanding. Capricorn closes out with a lush mid-60’s soul track called “I’m Lonely”. Swirling around in pools of Stax and Tom Dowd-era Atlantic Records, it sounds fabulous with Eddie digging deep on his stand-out vocals.

Capricorn is a work of excellence from beginning to end and Eddie 9V continues to be a favorite.

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For more information about Eddie 9V, visit his website at : https://www.eddie9volt.com

Check out the PhillyCheeze reviews for Eddie 9V - Little Black Flies at :

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/06/502-eddie-9v-little-black-flies.html

Saturday, January 15, 2022

#537 : Bernard Allison - Highs & Lows

2022 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 15, 2022

Bernard Allison is one of those artists who I totally admire, and I’m absolutely thrilled to hear fresh music from him. Highs & Lows, his latest album is hands-down fantastic. Produced by Grammy Award winner Jim Gaines, this eleven-track blues album is a slice of perfection. The core of Allison’s top-notch band consists of George Moye on bass guitar, Dylan Salfer on rhythm guitar and Steve Potts on drums.

Energy levels are high as Allison fearlessly hits the ground running on “So Excited”. It’s great to hear him blaze full-throttle on guitar. This is exactly what I was hoping for on an opening song. Title-track “Highs & Lows” rolls out with its funky, infectious riff and pulls me right in. Guitar in hand, Canadian blues artist Colin James joins Allison in a juicy duet of Texas-style electric blues on “My Way or the Highway”. The swampy sounds of the Mississippi delta are quite infused into “Side Step”, making it one of my favorite songs on the disc. What a pleasant surprise it is to hear Bobby Rush accompany Allison on “Hustler”. His distinctive voice and harp playing are delivered in his usual suave approach and it’s fun to hear him collaborate with Allison.

I love that Allison pays tribute to his father, Chicago blues legend Luther Allison by recording two of his songs. The first up is the 1974 single “Now You Got It” off the album Luther’s Blues. This is Seventies soul-blues at its best. Immediately following is “Gave it All”, from Luther’s 1994 album Soul Fixin’ Man. It swoops me right up in its cozy warm arms for an intoxicating horn-infused listen. Allison's performance on this is downright breathtaking.

Lows & Highs ends with a blast of funky downhome blues with “Last Night”. Lyrically timeless, this song hits on every cylinder, and I dig every bit of it. Allison pours everything he has into this guitar performance, making it a huge standout.

This is an album that delivers the goods with each and every song. It’s terrific through and through.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://bernardallison.com

Past PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Bernard Allison :

PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: #313 : Bernard Allison - Let it Go (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)

PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: #347 : Czech Village Blues - Aug 11, 2018 featuring Ruf Record's Blues Caravan (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)

Sunday, August 23, 2020

#459 : Bette Smith - The Good The Bad The Bette

2020 – Ruf Records

Release Date : Sep. 25, 2020

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 23, 2020

Three years have passed since Bette Smith released her debut album Jetliner. The Good The Bad The Bette, her follow-up album, is an exquisite explosion of gritty, soulful, and funky music. Recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, Mississippi, the record was produced by Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers), and Bronson Tew. With Patton on bass guitar, and Tew on drums, Smith enlists a small army of guitarists comprised of Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus, Craig Pratt, Jody Nelson, Bronson Tew, Matt Patton, Curtis J. Brewer, and John Mcleod.

A bodacious cover of Lonnie Sheilds’ “Fistful of Dollars” struts in with a glamourous, spaghetti-western disco fashion. The rhythm is downright funky and sophisticatedly accompanied with strings and horns. “Whistle Stop”, an original from Smith is extremely bluesy and soulful. Based on a dream she had shortly before her mother passed, this is a song commemorating her last goodbye. Featuring Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers ), “I’m a Sinner” invokes the sounds of sixties surf rock and absolutely cooks. Smith’s vocals are fearless and from the gut, reminiscent of power-house soul singers Aretha Franklin, and Sharon Jones. Luther Dickinson makes a guest appearance to pour some sweet southern soul into “Signs and Wonders”, setting the stage for an uplifting cosmic spiritual. Smith serves up a big bowl of Muscle Shoals-style southern rock, with a delightful cover of The Dexateens’ “Pine Belt Blues”. The band is tight as hell, and Smith’s vocals are rich and superb. More Muscle Shoals-inspired music follows with a fabulous cover of the late, great Eddie Hinton’s “Everybody Needs Love”, featuring Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers.

The Good The Bad The Bette is beautiful and flawless. Don’t let this record pass you by.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.bettesmith.com/

Saturday, March 28, 2020

#438 : Ryan Perry - High Risk, Low Reward

2020 – Ruf Records
By Phillip Smith; March 28, 2020

In 2007, Ryan Perry was only thirteen years old when Homemade Jamz Blues Band placed second at the 23^rd International Blues Challenge in Memphis. With four albums already under his belt as frontman for this Tupelo, Mississippi-based sibling trio with brother Kyle and sister Taya, Ryan ventured a new direction to record this debut album as a solo artist. For High Risk, Low Reward, Perry noted that he originally wanted to keep the Jamz vibes going, but discovered along the process of writing, his musical tastes had changed. “The new generation of the blues is here now, and it’s here to stay…”, says Perry. This new album contains eleven extraordinary tracks, and features Roger Inniss on bass, Lucy Piper on drums, along with backing vocalists Jeffrey Staten and Stefanie Bechtold.

Perry cracks the album open with “Ain’t Afraid to Eat Alone”, a track offering a healthy dose of attention-grabbing guitar and creamy vocals. From the first listen, I’m instantly reminded of the remarkable music of Robert Cray. I find myself going back for extra helpings of title-track, “High Risk, Low Reward”. Perry delivers it in that delectable North Mississippi swamp style, which I adore so much. His cover of Willie Dixon’s “Evil is Going On” is riveting and magnificent. His guitar prowess shines brightly as his voice delightfully growls. The album closes with an amazing delta-blues original “Hard Times”. I absolutely love it.

Perry keeps one foot in Mississippi as his other seeks new ground, creating a fresh blend of blues. Mississippi High Risk, Low Reward is a terrific album every blues fan should give a listen to.

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· * Note : Ryan Perry will be joining Jeremiah Johnson and Whitney Shay for Ruf Records Blues Caravan 2020.

For more information about the artist, visit this website: www.ryanperryband.com

Saturday, January 18, 2020

#428 : Thorbjørn Risager - Come On In

2020 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan.18, 2020

I’ve been a big fan of Thorbjørn Risager since reviewing his Too Many Roads album in 2014. This eight-piece band from Denmark has been playing together for seventeen years, and continually raise the mark with every release. Rooted in blues, and infused with elements of jazz, swing, gospel, and rock, Risager’s music is some of the best recorded today. Their new album Come On In is absolutely stunning. Backing Risager while he takes lead on guitar and vocals, is Emil Balsgaard on piano/keys, Joachim Svensmark on guitar, Kasper Wagner on assorted saxophones, Hans Nybo on tenor sax, Peter W. Kehl on trumpet/flugelhorn/trombone/sousaphone, Søren Bøjgaard on bass/moog/synthesizer, and Martin Seidelin on drums/percussion.

Title track “Come on In” rolls out with a fetching pulse from Seidelin while Risager lures me in with his cool-as-hell voice and etheric guitar licks. I love the slide on “Last Train”. This fabulous, hard-driving blues tune is marvelously infectious. “Two Lovers” is beautifully written and performed. Risager constructs a dreamy and hypnotic atmosphere in “On and On”. There’s a deep soulful energy about this one, that draws me right in. With the dials set at eleven, they tackle “Love So Fine” with searing guitar, pounding keys, and a backline of brass. This powerful jam is a great one to rock out to.

Thørbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado have unquestionably won me over yet again with Come On In. It is such a splendid album to usher in the new year.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website https://risager.info

Friday, July 12, 2019

#400 : Ruf Records - 25 Years Anniversary

2019 - Ruf Records

by Phillip Smith; July 12, 2019

To commemorate the 400^th PhillyCheeze’s Rock & Blues Review, I want to shine some light on the special 25 Years Anniversary disc from Ruf Records. This is one hell of a collection. This edition contains both a 14 track CD, and a 12 video, 62-minute DVD . The CD features a ton of music from Ruf’s most recent releases, while the DVD delightfully spans their entire era, going back to the Luther Allison days.

After seeing Ruf’s Blues Caravan last year in 2018, I was happy to see the disc containing songs by Ally Venerable, Mike Zito, and Bernard Allison who all shared the stage at the 2^nd annual Czech Village Blues festival, here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last August. Ally rips it up on guitar and belts out the title track to her latest album, “Texas Honey”. Zito’s song is also the title track for his latest, “First Class Life”. I love the slide guitar on this one. The swampy, funky goodness of Bernard’s “Backdoor Man” is so enjoyable. Vanja Sky, who played on the European legs of the caravan, gives us the smokin’ blues in “Hard Working Woman”.

Ruf also includes the sultry “Chills and Fever” from the wonderful Samantha Fish, and Ina Forsman’s exquisitely danceable ’ “Get Mine”. For the classic blues-head, there is “Low Down“ from The B.B. King Blues Band, and hardcore soul music fans will surely dig “Deep in my Soul” from Big Daddy Wilson. Also nice to hear, is my favorite Savoy Brown song from the past few years, “Why Did You Hoodoo Me”. It definitely cuts to the bone.

The DVD begins with a spectacular performance of Denmark’s Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado fabulously performing “If You Wanna Leave”. It’s so cool to see Mike Zito, Devon Allman and Cyril Neville jam together on “Moonlight Over the Mississippi”. Oli Brown’s driving blues-rock anthem “Here I Am” is captivating. From the 2019 Blues Caravan, there’s a terrific video of Katarina Pejak, Ina Forsman and Ally Venable covering the classic Stevie Ray Vaughan song “If the House is Rocking”, and they sound great. For a wonderful song to close with, Luther Allison soulfully sings “Living in The House of Blues”.

Ruf Records 25 Years Anniversary should be in the collection of every blues fan. It is a powerhouse of a retrospective.

Associated PhillyCheeze Reviews include:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/06/thorbjrn-risager-black-tornado-change.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2014/06/thorbjrn-risager-black-tornado-too-many.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/08/347-czech-village-blues-aug-11-2018.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/07/344-vanja-sky-bad-penny.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2019/06/395-big-daddy-wilson-deep-in-my-soul.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2019/03/384-bb-king-blues-band-soul-of-king.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/03/322-victor-wainwright-and-train-self.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/01/313-bernard-allison-let-it-go.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/savoy-brown-witchy-feelin.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/04/samantha-fish-chills-fever.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/02/ina-forsman-ina-forsman.html

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

#395 : Big Daddy Wilson - Deep in My Soul

2019 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; June 11, 2019

Deep in My Soul, the latest album from the Big Daddy Wilson, is a magnificent platter of soulful blues. This North Carolina born bluesman who now calls Northern Germany his home, trekked back to the U.S. to begin working with Grammy-winning producer Jim Gaines. Recording began at Gaines’ Bessie Blue Studio in Stantonville, Tennessee, and wrapped up at the legendary FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. With Laura Chavez onboard playing guitar, Wilson’s killer rhythm section is comprised of Memphians Dave Smith on bass, and Steve Potts on drums.

With a soulful Memphis Stax vibe, the album begins with “I Know”. Chavez immerses herself into Steve Cropper-mode and the rest of the band follows suit. With additional accompaniment from Brad Guin and Ken Waters, aka The Alabama Horns, the stage is perfectly set for Wilson’s deep, engaging vocals. “Tripping On You” is another terrific track saturated in the funky, soulful sound of Stax. It is purely delightful. The inescapable hook of “Ain’t Got No Money” keeps me on the line while I gush over the slide guitar. I absolutely love the funky riffs, soul-wrenching vocals, and an infectious groove on title track “Deep in My Soul”. Ominous and seductive, “Voodoo” is one cool-as-hell blues-soaked track. It’s as if it were pulled right out of a Mississippi swamp.

This album from Big Daddy Wilson scores high on all levels, and I highly recommend it.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website: https://www.bigdaddywilson.com

Saturday, March 30, 2019

#384 : The BB King Blues Band - The Soul of the King

2019 – Ruf Records

Release Date: May 10, 2019

By Phillip Smith; March 30, 2019

Even though B.B. King has been gone for four years now, his spirit and legacy lives on. His band of over 35 years The BB King Blues Band, with the support of several guest artists have created a wonderful blues album The Soul of the King. The band is comprised of lead vocalist/bassist Russell Jackson, guitarist Wilbert Crosby, drummers Brandon Jackson and Herman Jackson, trumpeters James Boogaloo Bolden and Lamar Boulet, lead saxophonist Eric Demmer, saxophonist Walter King, keyboardist Darrell Lavigne, and trombonist Raymond Harris.

The energy of the big band is exquisitely captured on “Irene Irene”, an original tune featuring the great Kenny Wayne Shepherd on guitar. This smoking blues track is heavily steeped in the B.B. King sound. Hearing Mary Griffin and Taj Mahal pair up for a duet on “Paying the Cost to be the Boss” is indeed a special treat. Joe Louis Walker makes an appearance to perform his song “Regal Blues (A Tribute to the King)”, making sure to throw in a sweet guitar solo. For the grand finale, the band delivers B.B.’s signature song “The Thrill is Gone” with Michael Lee on lead vocals. Lee, from Season 15 of The Voice, absolutely does this one right. Other special guests on the album include, Kenny Neal, Diunna Greenleaf, and John Del Toro Richardson.

Soul of the King is an absolute gem and I highly recommend it for all blues fans.

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Sunday, August 12, 2018

#347 : Czech Village Blues - Aug 11, 2018 featuring Ruf Record's Blues Caravan

Czech Village

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

All photos by Phillip Smith; Aug. 11, 2018

I am so thrilled and amazed to see how Czech Village Blues festival in Cedar Rapids has expanded and grown in just its second year. Again, the Linn County Blues Society has joined together with the Friends of Czech Village to keep this wonderful blues event going. It was incredible to see the musical talent and dedication to the blues presented on the Youth Stage by Kristopher Bries, Anderson Coates, Miles Damaso, and Matthew Burger. Accompanied by Iowa Blues Hall of Fame inductees, Tom 'T-Bone' Giblin on keys, and Dan 'DJ' Johnson on bass guitar, they were quite impressive, and did a fantastic job to kick start this years festival which featured Tim@theTrutones , Shane Johnson's Blue Train, and Ruf Records' Blues Caravan presenting Bernard Allison, Mike Zito, and Ally Venable.