BM ISSUE 149 May 2025

BLUES

E M M A W I L S O N K E B M O & T A J M A H A L M A R I O R

MATTERS!

O S S I P A U L B R A D Y J O E B O N A M A S S A E R J A L Y Y T I N E N E M M A W I L S O N

MAY 2025 149

25+ YEARS STRONG

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Roy Bainton

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Colin Campbell

Laura Carbone

Norman Darwen

Paul Davies

Dave Drury

Stephen Harrison

Barry Hopwood

Andy Hughes

Rowland Jones

Adam Kennedy

Jean Knappitt

Brian Kramer

Ben McNair

David Osler

Iain Patience

Glenn Sargeant

Graeme Scott

Andy Snipper

Dani Wilde

Steve Yourglivch

Abbe Sparks

Contributing Photographers:

Arnie Goodman

Adam Kennedy

Laura Carbone

Rob Blackham

Ian Potter

plus others credited on page

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4 ISSUE 149 : BLUESMATTERS.COM

B.B. King

“Learning from

the Electric

Kings isn’t about

copying licks—it’s

about learning

how to speak the

Blues with your

own voice.”

Freddie King

Albert King

guitarists move beyond surfacelevel

solos and start playing with

real expression and depth. Each

unit of this course is like a journey

through time, and Unit 3 drops

us squarely into one of the most

explosive and influential eras of

Blues history: the 1960s.

In Unit 1, we uncovered the soulful

roots of the Delta Blues. In Unit 2,

we followed those sounds north to

the streets and clubs of Chicago,

where Blues became electric and

powerful. Now, in Unit 3, we turn

our attention to the Electric Kings—

players who shaped the modern

sound of lead guitar and inspired

generations of musicians to come.

the Golden Era of Electric Blues

The 1960s was a decade of

transformation—for culture, music,

and especially the guitar. It was the

era when B.B. King, Albert King, and

Freddie King (no relation!) took the

electric guitar from a background

rhythm instrument to a spotlightstealing

lead voice. Their phrasing,

tone, and emotional command

set the standard for Blues—and

influenced everyone from Eric

Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan,

Jimi Hendrix to Gary Moore. This

wasn’t just a stylistic upgrade—it

was a redefinition of what the

guitar could say. Each of the Kings

brought something distinct:

• B.B. King taught us that a single

note played with the right vibrato

and phrasing, could say more

than a flurry of notes ever could.

• Albert King flipped the guitar

upside down and bent the rules

(literally), delivering raw, searing

bends that sounded like cries

from the soul.

• Freddie King fused Texas

Blues and Chicago grit with an

infectious rhythmic punch, laying

the foundation for Rock ‘n’ Roll

lead guitar.

These legends—and many others

of the 1960s—pushed Blues

to new heights, giving us the

expressive, melodic, and dynamic

playing style we now consider

modern Blues guitar.

Key Elements of 1960s Electric Blues

The Minor Pentatonic in Full Color

– This unit introduces Pattern 3 of

the minor pentatonic scale, with

added notes and bends that reflect

the expressive style of the Kings.

We’ll study turnarounds, slides, and

the BB Box—a legendary fretboard

zone that unlocks melodic phrasing

like B.B. himself.

Emphasis on Expression – Vibrato,

bends, slides, and touch became

essential tools in this era. The

electric guitar became more

vocal—players began to “sing”

through their strings, not just riff.

The Rise of the Lead Guitar – While

rhythm is still key, the 1960s saw

the emergence of the lead guitarist

as the storyteller. You’ll learn how

to build phrases, craft solos, and

use dynamics and space to make

your playing more compelling.

Turnarounds and Advanced Rhythm

– This unit also digs deeper into

rhythm, with “chips” on 2 and

4 and fancy 7th chord voicings.

These techniques give your

rhythm playing bounce and depth

while preparing you for more

sophisticated comping.

Blues Fusion and Influence – The

sounds of the 60s didn’t stay in the

Blues clubs—they crossed over

into Rock, Soul, and Funk. Artists

like Albert King influenced Stax

Records. B.B. King was embraced

by the Rock world. Blues became a

global language.

Going Beyond the Notes

At this point in your guitar

journey, you shouldn’t simply

be learning scales or licks—it’s

about unlocking a sound and

a mindset. I’d suggest you dive

into curated playlists to soak in

the tones and phrasing of the era.

In Blues Immersion, you’ll work

through licks that live in Pattern 3,

explore signature techniques like

rolling and melodic sequences,

and learn how to use dominant 7th

chords in more musical, expressive

ways.

You’ll also get to explore two

essential Blues standards:

• “Born Under a Bad Sign” by

Albert King – a funky, riff-driven

classic that’s a joy to play once

you’ve got the groove.

• “The Thrill Is Gone” by B.B.

King – an emotional, minor Blues

masterpiece with one of the most

memorable solos in modern

guitar history.

Plus, you’ll choose a 1960s Blues

artist to study and write about. The

goal? To help you connect more

deeply with the history and heart

behind the music.

Why It Matters

Learning from the Electric Kings

isn’t about copying licks—it’s about

learning how to speak the Blues

with your own voice. This unit

gives you the tools to be more

intentional, more expressive, and

more confident in your playing.

Whether you’re working through

slides, trying out the BB Box,

or finally nailing the feel of a

turnaround, every part of Unit 3

is designed to help you grow—

not just as a guitarist, but as a

musician with something to say.

Justin Sandercoe

Ready to truly feel the Blues?

If you haven’t joined Blues

Immersion yet, your next

chance is Summer 2025. This

isn’t just another course—it’s

a deep dive into the heart of

Blues guitar. Spots are limited

and always go fast—save yours

now: justinguitar.com/blim

ELCOME

1960s BLUES

How the Electric Kings

Shaped Modern Blues

’m Justin Sandercoe, founder of

I JustinGuitar. I designed the Blues

Immersion program to help

JUSTIN GUITAR FEATURE

SUMMER FESTIVALS

JOE BONAMASSA LIVE REVIEW

FAT TONE AMPS FEATURE

KEB’ MO’ AND TAJ MAHAL

NEW YORK BLUES

MARIO ROSSI INTERVIEW

ERJA LYYTINEN LIVE REVIEW

UK BLUES AWARDS - RESULTS

SAMANTHA FISH INTERVIEW

BIG BLUES REVIEWS

EMMA WILSON INTERVIEW

Chyrisse Tabone

1960s BLUES

How the Electric Kings

Shaped Modern Blues

B.B. King

Freddie King

“Learning from

the Electric

Kings isn’t about

copying licks—it’s

about learning

how to speak the

Blues with your

own voice.”

Albert King

I

’m Justin Sandercoe, founder of

JustinGuitar. I designed the Blues

Immersion program to help

guitarists move beyond surfacelevel

solos and start playing with

real expression and depth. Each

unit of this course is like a journey

through time, and Unit 3 drops

us squarely into one of the most

explosive and influential eras of

Blues history: the 1960s.

In Unit 1, we uncovered the soulful

roots of the Delta Blues. In Unit 2,

we followed those sounds north to

the streets and clubs of Chicago,

where Blues became electric and

powerful. Now, in Unit 3, we turn

our attention to the Electric Kings—

players who shaped the modern

sound of lead guitar and inspired

generations of musicians to come.

the Golden Era of Electric Blues

The 1960s was a decade of

transformation—for culture, music,

and especially the guitar. It was the

era when B.B. King, Albert King, and

Freddie King (no relation!) took the

electric guitar from a background

rhythm instrument to a spotlightstealing

lead voice. Their phrasing,

tone, and emotional command

set the standard for Blues—and

influenced everyone from Eric

Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan,

Jimi Hendrix to Gary Moore. This

wasn’t just a stylistic upgrade—it

was a redefinition of what the

guitar could say. Each of the Kings

brought something distinct:

• B.B. King taught us that a single

note played with the right vibrato

and phrasing, could say more

than a flurry of notes ever could.

• Albert King flipped the guitar

upside down and bent the rules

(literally), delivering raw, searing

bends that sounded like cries

from the soul.

• Freddie King fused Texas

Blues and Chicago grit with an

infectious rhythmic punch, laying

the foundation for Rock ‘n’ Roll

lead guitar.

These legends—and many others

of the 1960s—pushed Blues

to new heights, giving us the

expressive, melodic, and dynamic

playing style we now consider

modern Blues guitar.

Key Elements of 1960s Electric Blues

The Minor Pentatonic in Full Color

– This unit introduces Pattern 3 of

the minor pentatonic scale, with

added notes and bends that reflect

the expressive style of the Kings.

We’ll study turnarounds, slides, and

the BB Box—a legendary fretboard

zone that unlocks melodic phrasing

like B.B. himself.

Emphasis on Expression – Vibrato,

bends, slides, and touch became

essential tools in this era. The

electric guitar became more

vocal—players began to “sing”

through their strings, not just riff.

The Rise of the Lead Guitar – While

rhythm is still key, the 1960s saw

the emergence of the lead guitarist

as the storyteller. You’ll learn how

to build phrases, craft solos, and

use dynamics and space to make

your playing more compelling.

Turnarounds and Advanced Rhythm

– This unit also digs deeper into

rhythm, with “chips” on 2 and

4 and fancy 7th chord voicings.

These techniques give your

rhythm playing bounce and depth

while preparing you for more

sophisticated comping.

Blues Fusion and Influence – The

sounds of the 60s didn’t stay in the

Blues clubs—they crossed over

into Rock, Soul, and Funk. Artists

like Albert King influenced Stax

Records. B.B. King was embraced

by the Rock world. Blues became a

global language.

Going Beyond the Notes

At this point in your guitar

journey, you shouldn’t simply

be learning scales or licks—it’s

about unlocking a sound and

a mindset. I’d suggest you dive

into curated playlists to soak in

the tones and phrasing of the era.

In Blues Immersion, you’ll work

through licks that live in Pattern 3,

explore signature techniques like

rolling and melodic sequences,

and learn how to use dominant 7th

chords in more musical, expressive

ways.

You’ll also get to explore two

essential Blues standards:

• “Born Under a Bad Sign” by

Albert King – a funky, riff-driven

classic that’s a joy to play once

you’ve got the groove.

• “The Thrill Is Gone” by B.B.

King – an emotional, minor Blues

masterpiece with one of the most

memorable solos in modern

guitar history.

Plus, you’ll choose a 1960s Blues

artist to study and write about. The

goal? To help you connect more

deeply with the history and heart

behind the music.

Why It Matters

Learning from the Electric Kings

isn’t about copying licks—it’s about

learning how to speak the Blues

with your own voice. This unit

gives you the tools to be more

intentional, more expressive, and

more confident in your playing.

Whether you’re working through

slides, trying out the BB Box,

or finally nailing the feel of a

turnaround, every part of Unit 3

is designed to help you grow—

not just as a guitarist, but as a

musician with something to say.

Justin Sandercoe

Ready to truly feel the Blues?

If you haven’t joined Blues

Immersion yet, your next

chance is Summer 2025. This

isn’t just another course—it’s

a deep dive into the heart of

Blues guitar. Spots are limited

and always go fast—save yours

now: justinguitar.com/blim

Multi award winning blues rock band Catfish’s final album

‘Time to Fly’

is now available for pre-sale on CD or vinyl,

along with a special edition t shirt

on the website at

www.catfishband.com/shop

Crossroads of Blues, Beaches, Peaks

and Streets: Travel and the Blues

Festivals of the Summer

Laura Carbone

The Festivals of Summer 2025! Think about Blues and

vacation and combining them together. Why not see a

spectacular concert as well as a vacation to an exciting

city, ocean beach, a cool mountain retreat or quaint town.

Come for the music and stay for the vacation hang. Here

are a few suggestions for the Summer of 2025 both in

Europe and the US.

culture with the Art Institute of Chicago, the Shedd

aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, all along the Lake Michigan

shoreline which is a show-stoper with its sandy beaches

next to skyscrapers. Don’t forget about its famous deepdish

Pizza as well as many Michelin star restaurants.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/

chicago_blues_festival.html

CITY! Chicago Blues Festival, USA

The Chicago Blues Festival is a FREE four-day event and

is recognized as the largest blues festival in the world

drawing approximately 250,000 visitors over its four-day

span, with about half traveling from outside Chicago.

The festival kicks off with an opening night at the Ramova

Theatre, continues with three days of music at the beautiful

Millennium Park in Central Chicago before wrapping

up Sunday at the legendary Maxwell Street - where rural

roots turned electrified, and the blues as well as music

world changed forever. Headliners include Mavis Staples,

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Bobby Rush, Dawn Tyler

Watson and a B.B. King Centennial Tribute featuring

D.K. Harrell and Jonathan Ellison. Chicago remains a

music paradise with a plethora of clubs like Buddy Guy’s

Legends, Kingston Mines, and Rosa’s Lounge that keep

the spirit alive every night. Vacation in Chicago for its

jaw dropping architecture, (it invented the skyscraper),


Jay Pritzker Pavilion in

Chicago’s Millenium Park

BEACH! North Atlantic Blues

Festival, Rockland, Maine, USA

Dancing in the Streets at North

Atlantic Blues Fest

its importance. This year’s lineup features blues royalty

like Kenny Neal, Canned Heat, the Blackburn Brothers,

and the Chambers-DesLauriers Band. When the sun

sets, toute one closes for a club crawl with dancing in

the streets. Vacation bonus: Maine’s rugged 3,500-mile

coastline, historic lighthouses, sandy beaches, national

parks, and of course, plenty of fresh “lobstah”. https://

www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com/

COUNTRY! Brezoi Open Air Blues

Festival, Romania

Set in a mountain valley surrounded by natural beauty,

Brezoi Open Air Blues (July 22–27) is an epic six-day

festival featuring over 40 bands — including Beth Hart,

Keb Mo, Fantastic Negrito, Kenny Neal, The Animals,

Orianthi, John Nemeth, the Blackburn Brothers and Kaz

Hawkins. The line up one of the most impressive of the

summer. Its in a large field where one can slip right up

next to the stage without being a VIP, the music goes until

ones eyes cannot stay open, and the romance of the

gypsies lures you to dance all night under a full moon.

While you’re there, explore Romania’s castles (yes,

even Dracula’s!), the Carpathian Mountains, black sand

beaches, and sample some of Europe’s purest and most

prized honey. https://www.brezoiblues.ro/artists

You can’t get closer to the ocean than the North Atlantic

Blues Festival set in Rockland Maine the weekend of July

12th to 13th. The backdrop behind the stage is the North

Atlantic Ocean and one can see the lobster boats bobbing

in the backround, feel the fresh ocean breeze while hearing

killer music. It’s the site of the most eastern marker

in the US for the Mississippi Blues Trail which heralds

Keb’ Mo’ is set to

play at the Open Air

Blues Festival

in Romania in 2025

Blackburn Brothers Bring the soul funk

and blues to North Atlantic, Porretta

and Romania Open Air Fest

ISSUE 149 : BLUESMATTERS.COM 11

MOUNTAIN! White Mountain

Boogie and Blues Festival, New

Hampshire, USA

On 72 gorgeous acres in the White Mountains,

the Boogie and Blues Festival is in its 28th year

and runs from August 15–17. This festival is a

back to the woods camping experience with

many of its patrons pulling up in RV’s and

tents every year to spend the weekend with

6,000 of their closest friends!! Notable

artists include Sugaray Rayford, Victor

Wainwright, The Blood Brothers and

The Nick Moss band. Beyond the

festival, this area is known for epic

hikes, adventure sports, and pancake

breakfasts with maple syrup straight

from the festival producers, Benton

Brothers’ own sugaring operation.

https://www.whitemountainboogie.com

JP Soars at the

White Mountain Boogie

Eliza Neals at the

White Mountain Boogie


TOWN! Porretta Soul

Festival, Porretta

Terme, Italy

Where the streets are literally named

after soul legends and murals of Otis

Redding and Aretha Franklin decorate

the walls, the Porretta Soul Festival (July

24–27) brings pure soul magic to hills

of Tuscany. Its’s initial inception and

dedication has been to the legend of Otis

Redding and 37 years later about every

famous soul/rnb artist has performed

here. This year it features the Memphis

Hall of Fame Band, John Nemeth, the

Blackburn Brothers, and Andrew Strong

(from The Commitments). Between

concerts, soak in Roman-era thermal

baths and savor street food like calamari,

carbonara, and cannoli. And this small

town is just a train jump away from the

beauty of Florence. Bellissimo! https://

porrettasoulfestival.it

Porretta Ferme where the streets

are soaked in Soul

Kenny Neal at the Open Air Festival in Romania

and North Atlantic Blues Fest

This is just a glimpse of the many incredible blues

festivals set in stunning destination spots around

the world. Take the opportunity to travel for the

music — and stay for the unforgettable experience.

Any festival can become a vacation — and

every vacation should have a soundtrack.


JOE BONAMASSA

LIVE REVIEW

Colin Campbell

Ian Potter

Joe Bonamassa’s performance at Glasgow’s SEC

Armadillo on 21 April 2025 was a masterclass

in blues-rock, but also much more, reaffirming

his status as one of the genre’s most electrifying

performers. This was the opening night of his

current UK tour, and what a way to start – Bonamassa

is not just a great entertainer; his guitar

skills are truly off the charts. Across a two-hour

set, he infused blues, soul, rock, and even touches

of gospel into a compilation of old favourites and

newer songs.

From the moment the prelude music of the

Bar-Kays’ “Soul Finger” faded, the lights rose

and it was time for the show to begin. Every Joe

Bonamassa concert feels like a major event, and

to the packed, adoring Glasgow crowd, it was

time to be bedazzled by Joe and his consummate,

tight band. The sound and lighting

shifted beautifully with the mood of each

song. Dressed in a sharp suit and his signature

sunglasses, he has true stage presence

– Joe Bonamassa is that man.

Setlist & Performance

Highlights

The evening featured a dynamic mix of

Bonamassa’s classics and newer material.

Opening with “Hope You Realize

It” from Blues Deluxe Volume 2, the

band sprang into action, setting the

groove immediately.

In a moody, soulful set, “Dust Bowl”

stood out as a highlight, with Bonamassa’s

vocals sounding better than

ever – crisp and clear throughout, with that

sneering timbre cutting through at times. His

fretwork on “Twenty-Four Hour Blues” was

mesmerising, as he moved around the

stage with effortless command.

“Done Got Over It” was upbeat and

vibrant, with a searing guitar solo

underpinned by the

mercurial Reese Wynans

on keyboards – a real

crowd-pleaser. Then came

the master opus, “Self-Inflicted

Wounds”, with sonics so powerful

it felt like the auditorium would burst.

When Jade MacRae unleashed a stunning


SEC ARMADILLO | GLASGOW | SCOTLAND

vocal, the effect was awe-inspiring.

“Shout About It” was another upbeat moment, the

rhythm section powering through and Bonamassa

again showcasing phenomenal fretwork. The

ballad “The Last Matador of Bayonne” was soulful

and atmospheric, building towards a phenomenal

crescendo. “Pack It Up”, from Blues Deluxe, kept the

energy high – Josh Smith’s rhythm guitar work was

outstanding, and another brilliant keyboard solo

added even more heat to the performance.

Throughout, Bonamassa jammed with the rest of

the band, his guitar phrasing phenomenal, and the

chemistry between the musicians was electric.

When he introduced the band, each member received

enthusiastic ovations, with Joe highlighting

their journeys to Glasgow – and of course, mentioning

how he loved starting a tour here, even joking

about being able to “Talk Scottish”. He certainly

knows how to work a crowd.

The second half opened with “Heart That Never

Waits” – another guitar masterclass – followed by

“Hard But It’s Fair”, which brought a big-band feel

to the set. Their version of “How Many More Times”

swaggered and soared, mashed creatively with

“Love Gun” in a strong medley, even featuring an

intricate drum solo.

A standing ovation brought them back for the

encore, with “Mountain Time” – a fan favourite

that seems to evolve every time he plays it, and a

magnificent way to end the night. The SEC Armadillo’s

acoustics and intimate setting provided the

perfect backdrop for Bonamassa’s soulful vocals

and intricate guitar work. The audience’s energy

was palpable, responding passionately to each and

every moment.

With a guitar change for nearly every song, it’s hard

to quantify just how good a guitarist Joe Bonamassa

really is. His style generates plenty of debate, but

one thing is certain – he puts on a top-quality show

every time.

Final Thoughts

Bonamassa’s Glasgow concert was far more than

just a performance – it was an unforgettable

experience. For those who missed it, there are still

chances to catch him as he continues his UK tour

with upcoming dates in Cardiff, Liverpool, Nottingham,

and Brighton, before heading to Cork, Ireland

for his special Joe Bonamassa Plays Rory Gallagher

shows from 1–3 July. Catch him where you can – he

is truly one of the greatest blues guitarists around.


FAT TONE

AMPS


Sons of the Delta’s front man Mark Cole, a harp player himself, collaborator and fan of

Fat Tone Amp’s products, caught up with the company’s owner, designer and craftsman

David Walker to find out more about FTA and their products.

What gave you the idea for starting a company

that produces specialist equipment for harmonica

players?

Basically, my background is I’m an engineer and most

of my engineering has been electronics based, plus I’d

played the harmonica ever since I was given one for

Christmas when I was a little kid. I was intrigued by it,

fascinated by it, and ended up playing it pretty much

self-taught. Nothing clever, but just got really into it. Fast

forward to when I was about 30 and I started playing with

this band called Maxwell Street Rhythm and Blues Band,

which you may know of. After that, various other bands

that included the RTA blues band and Steelhead blues

band and then formed my own blues band in 2011, which

was the No Parkin’ rhythm and blues band, and then that

turned into Urban Freeway band which I’m still playing

in now. So, I’ve got this musical passion but also an

engineering background and in 2016 I thought, how can

I bring these two things together and do something with

it? Fat Tone Amps was created as a result of that.

How did you get the ball rolling, what was your

initial focus?

The focus has always been, and will always be, trying to

find technical solutions for the same old problems that

every harmonica player has. Where do I put my big old

amp? Because there’s always the bass amps in there,

the guitar amps in there, the drums are in there. Yeah.

And there’s no space for your kit. And then there’s the

feedback problems. So I thought, how can I get that big

fat Chicago sound that so many people want and try and

come up with some solutions to solve the problems that

every blues harp player has.

Here’s a question. Did you, from the get go,

think you wanted to help the harmonica community

as a whole, and you knew you had the skills

to work on this to do something. Or did it start

off like so many things do with inventors and

designers, where they want to sort this problem

out for themselves and then they have a light

bulb moment to think, hang on - if this is going

to work for me, why don’t I look at expanding

this into a business to try and help other people?

So from the get go, with Fat Tone Amps, it was about

making a product that could go out there. The big difference

is you’ve got to make it in a way that it can be

repeated. When you make something for yourself, you

can spend a huge amount of money and amount of time

and effort and buy the most expensive materials and

make a one off. But when you’re making it for the broad

public, you’ve got to make sure what you’re doing is

repeatable. Still high quality, best components, best parts,

but repeatable. So from the start it was for the harmonica

community.

Where is Fat Tone Amps based?

We’re based in Monmouth, which is just across the

border line, as Willie Nelson would say, in Wales. I don’t

think there’ll be any more skirmishes with the English,

hopefully.

(Laughs) It’s been on various sides of the

border over the centuries but hopefully

that’s all done with!

It’s about forty minutes from Gloucester, and most people

know where Gloucester is.

I’ve visited the workshop and you’ve got a fantastic

workshop there, for product development

and assembly.

I spend hours of time playing around with new ideas.

Do you get visitors? Can people

come over to you?

By prior arrangement, yes, but I don’t do that as much as

I used to because it used to be a requirement for building

the Fat Tone Amps combo amps, where a player came

and we worked out the sound they wanted and then the

product was built. Now that we no longer build the custom

amps that’s not a requirement, but I’m still more than

happy to welcome people in to try the different microphones

out, to hear it and see what’s going on.

Why did you stop building the amps?

They were superb.


“from diaphragm

to diaphragm”

Given the super-high quality of them, it’s the sheer cost

of manufacture that has unfortunately made it not worth

my while. Huge amount of effort, highest quality parts

from the USA and Canada, huge amount of time to make

one. And the demand was good but due to shipping and

duty costs it was a UK only product so in the end it’s just

not viable.

You also invented the Fat Box, the only valve

preamp built for harp players so they can plug

straight in to a PA.

Yes, another idea to help harp players who don’t want a

big amp but still want that classic sound. Charlie Musselwhite

has one and he loves it. Takes it with him on tour,

even on flights, as it’s a guaranteed great sound and so

portable. But again, the manufacturing costs, shipping

and duty ultimately made that not a viable ongoing product

either. I have one of those left on the shelf but it will

sell soon I’m sure! The amps and Fat Box preamps, fantastic

as they are, don’t have the economy of scale to make

them viable whereas the mics do. There’s still the highest

attention to detail and highest quality components in the

mics but you’re able to buy parts to scale because there’s

more demand, hence why we decided to concentrate on

mics.

I guess you could say that the first products led

ultimately and logically to the mics?

OUR NEW MICROPHONE FOR HARMONICA PLAYERS

Yes, we have a motto, “from diaphragm to diaphragm”,

meaning the journey from the diaphragm in your chest

all the way to the diaphragm of the speaker cone. The full

journey of the harp player’s sound. Each step is important

and all of our products are part of that journey. So

yes, mics are the way forward now for us as they are an

important part of the sound plus there’s a much higher

demand for mics.

So tell us about the mics.

You have two on offer now?

Yes, we started with the Fat Ball which was designed with

input from various harp players, your good self included.

With the amps and the Fat Box we had built a good

base of enthusiastic customers so had plenty we could

approach for feedback on the initial mic designs. For

example, back when we started Eddie Martin was a part


of our initial amps promotion effort, and he helped us

get noticed. So big thanks to Eddie Martin for that. Then

we have customers like official Hohner artist Liam Ward,

obviously well known to the harmonica community in UK

in particular, but around the world for his Learn the Harmonica

website. There’s Adam Pritchard of the Charlton

Blues Kings band who has the GobIron Harmonica channel

on YouTube, Paul Winn from Jorvik Radio and the DC

Blues Band, Anthony Cresci who plays in various acts. I

think I mentioned Charlie Musselwhite already. Anyway,

those are just a few who have helped us and supported us

so far on our journey.

So the Fat Ball shape came as a

result of consultation?

Yes, it was refined to the shape and size it is now plus

the feature of the bigger volume control on the back end

which makes it far easier to get to and more controllable

than some other designs out there.

Fat Tone Amps went quiet for a while but now

you are back with an additional mic design, the

Fat Bomb?

Yes, we halted production for a while due to personal reasons

but now we are back with a slightly redesigned Fat

Ball, using a tougher material for the rigours of gigging,

and a new mic called the Fat Bomb which is a Fat Ball

with a push button on/off switch underneath to give a

slight boost to volume and midrange tone, making it ideal

for a quick lift for explosive solos!

I love mine. I have one of the twenty limited

edition launch celebration models, branded

as Fire Ball before it reverts to the Fat Bomb

branding. Having that ability to set your rhythm

volume with the volume control on the back and

simply use the booster for solos is great. Better

than constantly fiddling with the volume, even

though the volume’s easy to get to and roll with

your little finger. You’re doing it less because

once you’ve set your rhythm volume you don’t

have to roll it for solos.

Yes, just by pressing that on/off selector button it kicks

it up. A little bit of a volume boost but also a bit of upper

mid tone, so it cuts through a little bit more. Very effective.

What are your future plans?

Any new products in the pipeline?

Our future is in microphones and my passion is for solving

problems, the R&D side of things, so I’m always asking the

question “What do harp players want? What challenges

do they have?” and trying to come up with solutions, so

I’m sure there are more models that will be designed and

released as we move forwards.

Thanks Dave, I can’t wait to see

what the future holds.

EXPLORE


WIZZ JONES OBIT

April 25th, 1939 – April 27th, 2025

By: Iain Patience

Truly sad to learn of the passing of UK picker and roots

master Wizz Jones, two days after his 86th birthday.

Wizz was an inspiration to countless guitarists and blues

lovers with his thumping rhythmic playing always taking

centre-stage. I personally had the good fortune to know

and love the guy: he gave me patient guitar lessons back

in the late 1980s/90s when we’d meet in a small studio/

room below a store in south London. He’d thump along on

his beloved Epiphone Texan and show me the intricacies

of his deceptively simple style while roaring in laughter

when things didn’t quite go to plan!

We spoke to Wizz a few years ago when he finally got

round to recording two albums with his lifelong buddy,

Ralph McTell. We therefore repeat that same interview

here in full as a fitting testimony to his legacy, significance

and huge loss to the music community.

Speaking to Wizz Jones, a guy even the great Eric Clapton

is reported as quoting as an influence, it’s impossible not

to return to his own London roots, picking guitar, and

being immersed in the emerging folk music culture of the

early 1960s.

Jones is one of those guys who led the way, busking on

the streets of Paris, finding rare blues recordings and

figuring out how to work them into his own burgeoning

repertoire.

‘John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, Sleepy John, Reverend Gary

Davis, all those guys were there, putting out some incredible

music. It wasn’t always easy to find here in London,

back then. But there was always Dobells record store and

other musicians who would turn up with something new,

something different, maybe,’ he recalls.

Jones has in many ways, sadly perhaps, remained firmly

rooted to the underground London city pub and folk club

circuit. While others, many old buddies of Jones’, like Bert

Jansch, Richard Thompson and John Renbourn, have

all gone on to acquire near-legendary status on a global

stage, Jones has somehow managed to slip just below


the radar, a fact that he wearily acknowledges with a

resigned shrug.

When I mention Clapton’s oft stated admiration of his

music, Jones is philosophical and claims that to his own

personal knowledge, he’s never met the guy or been in

any way involved with him. (Although he subsequently

produces a letter from Clapton inviting him to join him

and play at the famous Crossroads Guitar Festival – an

invitation Wizz sadly didn’t treat seriously or follow

through with.)

But Jones has always been a roots musician with a

remarkable passion and flair for blues. Anyone unsure

about his credentials could do no better than catching his

fiery take of Corrine on YouTube to get a general idea of

just where he comes from.

For many years he has picked acoustic guitar always

accompanied by his driving, stomping footfall, a sound

and element that is pretty much central to his work and

output down the years, and one that has long made him a

revered festival, live-gigging performance musician.

He talks about the huge difficulties in working as a

musician these days, in a digital age, difficulties that have

always been evident, he believes:

‘I don’t know why I still go on. I can’t afford to retire, I suppose.

I don’t have a pension to fall back on. There’s never

been much of a living in this really. And as I grow older, it

gets harder. I’m nearing 80 now!’

His latest work with Ralph McTell, whom he first knew as

a great, close buddy and worked with back in the sixties,

has led to the release of two recent albums, About Time

and About Time Too. Both feature a range of tracks that

cover most acoustic bases from straight-on folk and general

rootsy music to outright acoustic blues.

Jones is clearly delighted to be once again working with

his old mate after all the years apart:

‘I’ve known Ralph for ever, it feels like. In many ways

these albums with Ralph could be seen as the highlight of

my own career,’ he quips, with more than a hint of serious

irony.

Of course, it’s inevitable that our chat turns to the

extraordinary live set by Bruce Springsteen in Berlin in

2012.

The Boss closed his set on the Wrecking Ball tour before

an enormous, full-auditorium crowd, with an explosive

cover of Wizz Jones’ own composition, always a live-set

favourite and now an essential, When I Leave Berlin:

‘Well that was a real surprise. I don’t know how it came

about. But it would have been great, much better, if he’d

actually given me the credit, said it was my song!’ he says

with a laugh at fickle fortune.

Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal

ROOM ON

THE PORCH


When two masters of American roots music unite,

the results are bound to be extraordinary...

Stephen Harrison

David McClister Photo

Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal — two towering figures whose

careers have crossed genres, generations, and continents

— have once again collaborated on a new album, Room on

the Porch. Following their Grammy-winning 2017 release

TajMo, the pair sat down with me for a rich, free-flowing

conversation about their music, the blues, and what

keeps them inspired after decades in the business.

A New Chapter

“The idea started with the record label,” Keb’ Mo’ shares,

reflecting on the beginnings of Room on the Porch. “After

TajMo, it was like, ‘Man, we already did one that’s pretty

good. How are we supposed to top that?’”

Taj Mahal agrees. “There’s a lot of fond memories from

that first record. It all started in Atlanta during a Gregg

Allman tribute. We were hanging out, and I said to Keb,

‘We should make a record together.’ It just made sense.”

But the prospect of a second album didn’t come without

nerves. “It was daunting,” Keb admits. “But when you get

to work with someone like Taj, the excitement overrides

the fear.”

The creative process took time to gather momentum.

“We had to figure out what this record wanted to be,” Keb

continues. “We couldn’t just repeat ourselves.”

Beyond the Blues

Listening to Room on the Porch, it’s immediately clear

that it isn’t just a blues album. Country, gospel, and even

Caribbean rhythms weave through the songs.

“Nobody was ever just playing blues,” Keb says. “Even

in the old days, musicians were songsters. They played

whatever people wanted to hear — gospel, folk, swing —

to put food on the table.”

Taj Mahal points out that record companies were the

ones who divided the music. “They needed to market it.

So, they boxed it: this is gospel, this is blues, this is jazz.

But at its core, it’s all the same music, just expressions of

life.”

He offers a compelling example: “Robert Johnson wasn’t

just playing blues either. If he heard a popular song on the

radio, he’d learn it and play it at night to make tips. Muddy

Waters did the same.”

The separation of genres was a business decision, not an

artistic one. “It was marketing,” Taj states. “And yet, people

like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Son House

were absorbing every sound they heard. They were

deeply versatile.”

Capturing Spontaneity

The recording process for Room on the Porch was as fluid

and organic as the music itself.

“We didn’t plan every little thing,” Keb explains. “Each day,

different writers and musicians came through. We started

with our sons, and from there, whoever was around

and could bring something to the table.”

Taj smiles. “Keb lives in Nashville, so he knows everyone.

Whoever he called in, I was happy with. The sessions had

this spontaneous energy.”

“I don’t like deadlines,” Keb laughs. “I believe the universe

provides what you need if you’re open to it. You’ve got to

let the music breathe.”

Often, the best moments came from unplanned magic.

“Sometimes it’s someone you’ve never worked with before,”

Keb says. “You just trust your instincts.”

Songs That Tell Stories

Throughout the conversation, one theme keeps surfacing:

the importance of storytelling.


“You never figure

it all out. It’s a

lifetime journey.”

“Our music focuses on the story,” Taj says. “Every song on

Room on the Porch tells a tale you can understand and

relate to.”

Keb nods. “We’re standing on a foundation built by those

who came before us. The blues is more than a sound —

it’s a way of life. It’s hard times, good times, community,

resilience.”

Taj elaborates: “We’re telling human stories. That’s why

it resonates so deeply. You’re not just hearing a groove;

you’re hearing somebody’s life.”

One of the standout moments on the new record is their

rendition of “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and

Out.”

“I’ve loved that song for 75 years,” Taj says. “It’s still true

today. Humanity hasn’t changed that much.”

Changing Times

I asked how they felt about changes in the music industry

over the years.

“Technically, it’s easier now,” says Taj. “You can record at

home. You can reach audiences directly through streaming

and social media. But it still comes down to the song

— the realness.”

“There’s more music out there,” Keb adds, “but it’s spread

out. In our day, everyone was listening to the same handful

of radio stations and TV shows. Now it’s all fragmented.

But there’s more room for everyone.”

The big difference, they both note, is financial. “Major labels

used to make or break artists. Now you can succeed

independently. But you’ve got to hustle, and it’s not easy

money.”

Taj laughs. “A lot of popular artists today don’t make much

from their records. The money’s in touring — and even

that’s risky if your popularity dips.”

JUNKYARD DOG

Keb points out the reality for artists today: “Even Beyonce

has to play the songs her audience expects. You

can’t run away from the hits.”

Spanning Generations

Our talk inevitably turns to legacy and the next generation

of musicians.

“It’s not my job to figure out who’s next,” says Keb. “My


job is to be a link in the chain, to be of service to

those coming up.”

Taj shares a memory. “Back in the day, musicians

were everywhere. They were bards, storytellers.

Now it’s fewer, but the real ones dig into the roots.

That’s what makes the difference.”

He continues, “Guys like Van Morrison, Clapton, and

the Stones really connected with the source. They

spent time learning from the real players. They kept

the spirit alive.”

“You could tell who had dug into the soil,” Taj says.

“They weren’t just copying licks; they understood

the spirit of it.”

A Lifelong Education

Growing up, music wasn’t just entertainment for

either of them — it was life itself.

“Music was like breathing,” says Taj. “Songs were like

relatives. They lived in your house, in your car, in

your conversations.”

“Back then,” Keb adds, “you got music from a few

places — the radio, church, record players — but

everyone shared a common soundtrack.”

Taj recalls, “You’d walk down the street and hear

music coming out of every house, every car window.

It wasn’t background noise — it was part of life.”

“Now there’s more choice,” Keb says, “but the cultural

connection isn’t as strong.”

Staying True

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from our conversation

is their commitment to authenticity.

“We haven’t changed what we do to chase trends,”

Taj says. “We’ve leaned into what we love, and people

respect that.”

Keb agrees. “The blues is about telling the truth,

about life, love, pain, and joy. As long as we keep

telling those stories honestly, there will always be

people ready to listen.”

Taj offers a final thought: “Creativity isn’t about

studying notes. It’s about feeling. What came first —

the music or the paper? The music.”

Closing Reflections

Before we said our goodbyes, Taj summed it up

beautifully: “The best thing about the blues? You

never figure it all out. It’s a lifetime journey. There’s

always another story to tell, another song to sing.”

And in the hands of musicians like Taj Mahal and

Keb’ Mo’, the tradition is not only safe — it’s thriving.

Room on the Porch is out now. To hear the full

stories behind the songs, listen closely — because,

as these two masters show, the blues is more than a

genre. It’s a way of living.


BLUES IN A

STATE OF MIND

At 81, The Yardbirds’ Legendary

Drummer Jim McCarty Keeps A-Rollin’

Abbe Sparks

Arnie Goodman

Legendary drummer Jim McCarty, now 81, and an original

member of The Yardbirds, is currently touring the U.S.

with the band. They recently played The Bayonne in Bayshore,

Long Island, delivering a show packed with classic

hits and stories from McCarty’s decades behind the kit.

The lineup featured McCarty (drums, vocals), John Idan,

Godfrey Townsend, Myke Scavone, and Kenny Aaronson.

The concert combined the group’s timeless music with

multimedia elements and personal reflections from

McCarty himself. Hits included “For Your Love,” “Heart

Full of Soul,” and “Train Kept A-Rollin’.” They closed with

a powerful rendition of “Dazed and Confused,” a track

famously associated with Jimmy Page and the early roots

of Led Zeppelin.

I caught up with Jim McCarty for a deep dive into his

early days, musical influences, and enduring passion for

the blues and beyond.

The Early Years

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST PICKED UP

A PAIR OF STICKS?

I was in my teens. I played snare drum in the Boys Brigade,

a semi-military organisation in England. We had a

marching band with bugles and drums. That’s how I got

started.

WHAT MUSIC DID YOU LISTEN TO AS A TEENAGER?

After the marching band, I discovered early American

rock and roll – Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash. I borrowed £11

from my dad to buy a snare drum I saw in the paper. It was

a simple kit – snare, bass drum, and hi-hat. I’d listen to the

radio and try to copy the drummers.


WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTO THE BLUES?

That came a bit later, after the rock and roll phase. I became

good friends with Paul Samwell-Smith, the Yardbirds’

bassist. We went to Hampton Grammar School

together. After school, Paul invited me to his house to

listen to Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall. We were hooked.

We started digging into Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters –

music we couldn’t hear on the radio. You had to find it in

jazz shops or through word of mouth.

WHO WERE YOUR EARLY AMERICAN INFLUENCES?

Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed –

there were quite a few.

The Yardbirds: from the start...

HOW DID THE YARDBIRDS FORM?

It all started when we’d gather at The Crown pub in

Kingston. Keith Relf, Chris Dreja, Top Topham – they

went to Kingston Art School. That place produced a lot

of great musicians. We formed a group, playing electric

blues covers – but made sure not to copy the Stones!

TELL US ABOUT TOP TOPHAM

He was younger than us but a serious blues player. His

dad had an incredible vinyl collection. Top’s family wanted

him to focus on art, not music, so he left the band

early on. Shame, really. He was very talented.

HOW DID YOUR FAMILY FEEL

ABOUT YOU PLAYING DRUMS?

It was just my mum. I’d set up in the sitting room. She wasn’t

thrilled about me going full-time. I was working in a stockbroker’s

office, training to be an actuary. I had to convince

her I was serious about music.

WERE YOU ALREADY IN THE

YARDBIRDS AT THAT POINT?

Yes. I was about 20 or 21. It was tough – working during the

day and gigging at night.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING

WITH MANAGER PETER GRANT?

Peter was tough, but good. He always made sure the band

got paid.


WHAT WAS YOUR VIEW WHEN THE YARDBIRDS

EVOLVED INTO LED ZEPPELIN?

By then, we were exhausted. Playing 300 shows a year,

chasing singles. Albums weren’t a focus yet. Keith and I left

the group, and Jimmy Page carried on. Chris Dreja dropped

out too, and John Paul Jones came in. Then came Led Zeppelin.

The In-Between Years

TELL US ABOUT THE STATION TAVERN DAYS.

Top Topham reached out in the ’90s. He’d been to some

blues clubs in Florida and wanted to play again. We started

jamming at a pub in Jefferson Woods. The owner wanted a

full-time blues venue. We rehearsed Wednesday nights, and

slowly built an audience. Eventually, it was packed every

week. John Idan, who’s still in the Yardbirds, was there from

the start.

HOW DID THE BOX OF FROGS COME TOGETHER?

Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith and I kept in touch. We

played a 20th anniversary show at The Marquee. It went

well, and we started writing new material. Jeff Beck even

played on some tracks. That became Box of Frogs – our new

band.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?

Early 1980s. The first album came out in 1983. We ended

up making two albums. We had guest artists like Jeff Beck,

Rory Gallagher, Jimmy Page and Steve Hackett. It was a lot

of fun.

WHEN DID THE YARDBIRDS REFORM?

After our Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1992. We

reformed around 1993.

ARE YOU THE LAST ORIGINAL MEMBER?

Yes. Chris Dreja stayed until 2011, but had to step back due

to health reasons. John Idan has been with us since the ’90s

and is still touring.

WHAT OTHER MEMORABLE BANDS DID YOU SHARE

THE STAGE WITH?

We once toured with Vanilla Fudge when they were just

starting out – such energy and excitement.

McCarty Today

WHAT’S IT LIKE PLAYING IN NEW YORK AGAIN?

I’ve always loved New York. We did Hullabaloo back in

1965. The crowds have always been great. I’d visit jazz and

Latin clubs, soak in the music. We’d catch players like Albert

King live.

IF YOU’D CONTINUED WITH JIMMY PAGE, WHERE

MIGHT THE YARDBIRDS HAVE GONE?

Hard to say. I was used to the Jeff Beck lineup, and then

Jimmy came in. Who knows where it could’ve led?

WHY TOUR IN 2025?


The music still feels fresh. We’re reaching

new generations. We played Boston last

night – lots of young faces in the crowd.

That’s motivating.

WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF THE BLUES?

Many of the greats are gone. Buddy Guy

is still around. I’d like to see more younger

blues artists – Joe Bonamassa, for instance.

I’ll need to check out Kingfish.

ANY PLANS TO TOUR

EUROPE OR LONDON?

We mostly play in the U.S., but I’d love to get

back to London.

Blues Alive in New York

This spring brought a wave of blues to NYC,

including Chris Cain, Davey Knowles, and

Eric Bibb. Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton is in

town prepping a new album in Brooklyn.

Weekly jams continue strong, with Big Ed’s

World Famous Blues Jam and others cropping

up across the city. The newly formed

Gotham Blues Society is now the go-to

source for listings and updates. Check their

Facebook page for the latest.

At 81, Jim McCarty continues to inspire generations

of musicians and fans, proving the

beat goes on – and the blues are here to stay.


Blues

Without

Borders

Colin Campbell

Supplied

In a world where blues is often considered the preserve

of American or British artists, Brazilian guitarist and

composer Mario Rossi is proving that soul, feel, and grit

know no borders. Blues Matters sat down with Mario

ahead of the release of his first fully instrumental album,

Steels, to talk musical roots, the state of the blues

in Brazil, and how one guitarist’s passion can transcend

language and geography. When you think of the blues,

Brazil might not be the first place that comes to mind,

but Mario Rossi is changing that, one blistering solo at

a time.

Hailing from São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo

State, Rossi has carved out a reputation as one of the

most compelling voices in modern blues guitar, blending

the raw emotion of Delta tradition with the rhythmic

fire of Brazilian soul. Since making his live debut

at the age of 18 in 2004, he has steadily evolved from a

promising young guitarist into a confident and expressive

performer who treats riffs, licks, and melodies with

respect and purpose. His early days as a cover artist laid

a strong foundation, as he immersed himself in classics

like “Key to the Highway” and Guitar Slim’s “The Things

That I Used to Do,” while also drawing inspiration from

legends such as Elmore James, B.B. King, Peter Green,

Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, and even Ray Charles.

With a tone that cuts deep and a stage presence that

pulls you in, Rossi isn’t just playing the blues, he’s living

it, reshaping its borders with every note.


EXPLORE


From Childhood Sparks to

Six-String Obsession

“I think I was four or five years old,” Mario says, reflecting

on when the music first took hold of him. “I saw a commercial;

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers which had

tracks on from Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Everly Brothers.

It ruled my world.”

While many musicians point to a musical family, Rossi is

the anomaly. “No musicians in my family, just me,” he explains

with a shrug. His father was a teacher, his mother

worked in an office. Still, Mario found his escape early on,

spending hours with instruments. “I was always obsessed

with them. Drums, guitars, it didn’t matter. I’d just play.”

By age 12, Mario had formed his first band with school

friends, and not long after, started taking guitar lessons.

One teacher, in particular, opened his ears to the blues.

“He was fascinated by it, that was my first real contact.

Then came Guitar Slim, Elmore James, BB King, I just fell

deeper into it.”

Brazil’s Blues Boom and Bust

Mario’s first professional gigs came in 2012 as soloist. But

soon, he veered toward fronting his own blues project.

His debut solo record, Electric Art, was released in 2019.

“It was my first real studio experience. We recorded most

of it live, it was simple but real.”

Despite a once-vibrant scene, Mario paints a sobering

picture of today’s blues landscape in Brazil. “Five years

ago, there were blues clubs and festivals across the

country. Now? Nothing. The big clubs closed. No real gigs.

Nothing like before.”

So how does a blues artist like Mario get his music out in

a world that’s seemingly lost interest in his genre? “My

space is the albums,” he says simply. “Touring costs too

much. We have fans in Germany and the UK, but we’re in

Brazil. It’s hard.”

Even so, there’s hope. “We have some gigs lined up in July

at a theatre in São Paulo; SP Midnight Blues. It’s something

else.”

1839 BLUES

‘ACID’ JAM LIVE 2023

A New Chapter: Steels

Steels is Rossi’s fifth album, and his first completely

instrumental work. Released via Golden Robot Entertainment,

it marks his first label partnership. “Before

this, everything was independent. We spoke to a few

labels, and Golden Robot came back to us the same day.

They said yes. It was amazing.” The album was recorded

quickly, in just two or three days, with mixing and mastering

taking a bit longer. It draws on a range of influences.

“Chet Atkins, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, Paul

Kossoff, all those British blues legends are in there.”

But the sound is more than a homage. Tracks like Painkiller

Blues channel the fury of Jimmy Page, while Perplexed

Ballads shows Paul Kossoff’s ghostly restraint. Manhattan

Way swings toward jazz, with special guest Leo Susi

on drums. “He’s a big name in Brazil’s instrumental scene.

That song, it’s more about his drums than my guitar! It

makes me think of a good time when I was in New York.

Blues is always the main influence, the main inspiration,”

says Rossi, “but for a strictly instrumental album, I

think you need some variety for the listener.” His list of

influences is a tour through rock history: Jeff Beck, Led

Zeppelin, Free, Focus, and Humble Pie all played a part

in shaping the sound of Steels. “Humble Pie was a huge

influence. You can hear it on the track Heartache Alley,

those powerful guitar riffs are pure Humble Pie.”

The Spirit of the

Blues Lives On

Despite challenges, Rossi is relentlessly passionate.

“Blues is emotional. It’s a friend,” he says. “Since I first

picked up a guitar, I’ve always played blues. It feels natural.”

Even with no lyrics, his songs on this album speak volumes.

Like We Used to Be started with a riff in his studio,

evolving through pure improvisation. Blues Breakin’ is a

love letter to John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. “The

tone, the feel, that’s all Peter Green and Eric Clapton, you

know? We’ll play it live soon.” Live shows, in fact, are next

on the horizon. The tracks on this album have not been

road-tested yet, Rossi and his band plan to debut it on

stage this year.


The Spirit Behind Steels

Rossi’s new album title has a dual meaning. It’s a nod

to the steel guitar strings he favours specifically from

Rotosound, though he jokes, “They don’t sponsor me! It’s

about resistance. Something solid. We’re still playing because

of passion. Steels is about being strong and staying

true.” What makes this project unique is the connection

among his bandmates. “We’re not just a band we’re

friends. We know each other through music. On this record,

we didn’t rehearse the same way, we just looked at

each other and played. It was a great experience.”

The Blues Finds a New Home

Mario Rossi is proof that passion trumps geography. His

English might be halting, but his playing speaks fluently in

the language of blues. Steels is

not just an album; it’s a milestone

in a musical journey that

started with a childhood commercial

and led to international

recognition. For Rossi, the blues

isn’t just a genre. It’s identity.

“It’s how I play. It’s who I am.”

That’s something that doesn’t

need translation. With the

release of his first fully instrumental

album, Brazilian guitarist

and bluesman Mario Rossi

is expanding the boundaries of

the genre while staying rooted

in its raw emotional core.

Looped in the Blues

Despite the range of styles on the album, the blues remains

Rossi’s bedrock. “I’m always in a loop,” he explains.

“Ten Years After, Guitar Slim, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King,

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers… these are always my

favourites. I love those classic blues records, the Delta

songs by Lightnin’ Hopkins, just timeless stuff.”

He reflects on how these legends continue to guide his

craft, even without the full-throttle touring schedule.

“The music today feels more ideological than professional.

There aren’t many gigs or record deals for blues acts.

But the flame still burns. I play because I love it.”

Success, Smoke Burst,

and the Next Chapter

Following the success of his last album, Smoke Burst, Rossi

felt it was the perfect moment to step into new territory.

“The reviews were great. People really listened and

appreciated it. That was inspiring. But this one’s different,

it’s not what listeners might expect.” He’s already working

on his next album and says he has enough material

for two records. But Steels was a necessary step before

moving forward. “It’s not like Smoke Burst. It’s all instrumental,

but it’s got that same spirit.”

“The music today

feels more

ideological than

professional”

A Mentor Named Primer

One of the most transformative experiences in Rossi’s

career was touring with blues legend John Primer. “We

did two big tours and even played on the biggest Brazilian

TV show. It was amazing, young audiences, electric

energy. John is the blues. He’s the real thing.” So, what did

Rossi learn from Primer? “Everything,” he says without

hesitation. “I thought I knew how to play the blues… but

after playing with John, I realised I didn’t. He taught me

things you don’t learn in music school. The blues is all

about feeling and emotion. There’s a special language to

it. He’s a master.”

The Legacy of John Mayall

If Primer is a mentor, John Mayall is a musical father

figure. “John Mayall is my main

influence,” Rossi says. “He’s a

visionary. He moved the blues

forward with electric guitars,

and even his acoustic work is

something else. He gave us Eric

Clapton, Peter Green, Mick

Taylor, come on, he’s a legend.

He’s, my hero.”

Looking Ahead

Rossi has big plans for the future,

though they don’t include

non-stop touring. “We’ve got

some gigs coming up in July and August, mostly theatres

in Brazil. We play a fancy hotel in São Paulo with a great

new theatre, that’s where I met B.B. King’s band in 2012!”

The dream? “I’d love to play in the UK someday. We have

great fans there who still buy our CDs. After five albums,

I’m hoping new listeners discover our music. Then I’ll release

another vocal album, always with something new.”

Audiences and

Aging Gracefully

Rossi’s fans in Brazil range in age, but he’s encouraged by

the new faces he sees. “We’ve got young fans discovering

us all the time. It’s a beautiful thing. The audiences are

loyal. They show up. They really appreciate the classic

blues we play. I used to love touring, now, I’m a bit more of

a studio guy. Touring’s hard little sleep, but I still enjoy it.”

Final Notes...

Before signing off, Rossi has a message for Blues Matters

readers: “I really love this magazine. You guys do

great work. To everyone out there, keep the blues alive.

We need it. Share it with the younger generation. That’s

the message.” As for his hopes and fears about the new

album, he’s taking it as it comes. “I just hope people listen,

that’s all and if they feel something, then it’s a success.”

For more information see website:

https://mariorossiband.com


ERJA LYYTINEN

LIVE REVIEW

Ross Muir

Ian Potter

Award-winning Finnish blues rock artist Erja Lyytinen

returned to the UK in April to promote her

new album Smell The Roses, including two Scottish

dates. At Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy, the trio received

a warm welcome from a supportive crowd—many

already familiar with the album, others persuaded

by a lively post-gig merch queue.

All nine tracks from Smell The Roses made the set,

shuffled out of album order for maximum impact.

The gritty ‘Ball and Chain’ opened the show with

heavy-pop flair and a stylophone-like slide solo.

‘Wings to Fly’ brought dynamic range with its moody

build and soaring vocals, while ‘Going To Hell’ and

‘Abyss’ ventured into progressive blues territory,

showing the trio’s tight interplay and Lyytinen’s

standout guitar chops.

‘Dragonfly’ and the swampy ‘Stoney Creek’ added

variety, while ‘Smell The Roses’ punched through

with punk energy and melodic weight. A late-set

highlight, ‘Empty Hours,’ stripped things back with

its dark, atmospheric delivery—demonstrating Lyytinen’s

knack for space and tone.

Closing the show were a pair of fan favourites.

‘You Talk Dirty,’ reworked from Lyytinen’s early

catalogue, exploded into a psychedelic jam, before

the extended blues-rock workout ‘Wedding Day’

brought down the house with ZZ Top-style swagger

and sizzling slide solos.

Erja Lyytinen remains a national treasure in Finland

and a firm favourite on the European circuit. On this

evidence, with a storming new album and live shows

to match, it’s surely time UK blues fans gave her the

wider recognition she deserves.

Ross Muir

www.FabricationsHQ.com


NICE N SLEAZYS | GLASGOW | SCOTLAND


UK Blues Awards 2025

Winners Announced

John Bull (Rockrpix)

The UK Blues Awards 2025 once again lit up the British

blues scene, recognising the incredible artists, venues

and festivals who have made their mark over the past

year. With Marshall amplifying the celebrations as lead

sponsor, and category sponsors across the board, this

year’s winners showcased the breadth and strength of

talent in today’s blues community.

Young Artist of the Year, sponsored by Terry & Lesley

Marshall, went to Zac Schulze, whose fiery performances

have been turning heads across the UK.

Emerging Act of the Year was awarded to Blue Nation,

sponsored by The Crawdaddy Club, a band whose energetic

live shows and passionate songwriting are taking

the scene by storm.

Music Venue Trust were recognised as Unsung Hero

of the Year, sponsored by Old Bush Blues Festival, for

their vital work in safeguarding grassroots music venues

across the country.

Flying the flag internationally, Beth Hart took home

International Blues Artist of the Year, sponsored by Blues

Matters Magazine, cementing her status as one of the

genre’s most powerful voices.

The much-loved Great British R&B Festival in Colne,

Lancashire, was named Festival of the Year, sponsored by

McGuckin Audio, celebrating its longstanding reputation

as a cornerstone of the UK blues calendar.

Acoustic brilliance was recognised as Mississippi Mac-

Donald won Acoustic Act of the Year, sponsored by

Goin’ Up The Country Blues Club, showcasing his souldrenched

sound and heartfelt storytelling.

A career of extraordinary achievement was honoured as

Dave Kelly received the Lifetime Achievement Award,

sponsored by Blues in the South. From The Blues Band

to his solo work, Kelly’s contribution to British blues is

unmatched.

Elles Bailey was a triple winner on the night, taking home

Blues Vocalist of the Year (sponsored by Upton Blues Festival),

Broadcaster of the Year (sponsored by Alfold Rock

& Blues Festival), and Album of the Year for her stunning

release Beneath the Neon Glow, sponsored by the IBBA.

Elles’ influence, both on stage and over the airwaves,

continues to grow stronger.

The Tuesday Night Music Club was recognised as Club/

Venue of the Year, sponsored by Lancashire Blues Archive,

applauding their dedication to keeping live blues

thriving week after week.

Connor Selby took home Traditional Blues Artist of the

Year, sponsored by Ain’t Nothin’ But…, proving that classic

blues remains as vital and relevant as ever.

Dom Martin’s mesmerising guitar work saw him named

Instrumentalist of the Year, sponsored by Paul & Fiona

Long, continuing his reputation as one of the UK’s finest

musicians.

Pushing the genre forward with soul, grit and modern

flair, Alice Armstrong was crowned Contemporary Artist

of the Year, sponsored by Rhythm Room Music School.

Closing the night on a high, Brave Rival were named

Blues Band of the Year, sponsored by Valentine Music

Promotions, a well-earned accolade for one of the UK’s

most exciting live acts.

From seasoned legends to rising stars, the 2025 awards

proved once again that the UK’s blues scene is not only

alive and well – it’s thriving.



PAPER DOLL

SAMANTHA FISH

Doug Hardesty

Samantha Fish isn’t just a blues guitarist; she’s a force of nature. With her fiery fretwork, soulful

vocals, and fearless genre-blending musicality, she’s redefined modern blues, bringing rock,

country, and even pop influences into the mix. Whether she’s tearing up a cigar box guitar or

pouring raw emotion into a ballad, Fish commands attention with every note. She reflected on

her journey, from a shy teenager to a commanding presence on stage.

Colin Campbell

As credited

As she continues to evolve and push boundaries, Blues

Matters caught up with her to talk about her journey,

inspirations, and what’s next for one of the most electrifying

artists in contemporary blues.

FINDING HER PASSION

“When I started learning guitar, I had never really found

something I was passionate about,” she admitted. “It

was this thing I did 100% for me, and it allowed me to

connect with myself and, eventually, with others.” As a

self-described introvert, Fish found a sense of liberation

in performing, relishing the adrenaline rush that comes

with each show. “From the nerves before going on stage

to the high you feel afterwards, it’s just exhilarating. I fell

in love with it.”

DEVELOPING HER STAGECRAFT

Unlike some performers who seem born for the spotlight,

Fish honed her skills through experience. “There’s no

manual for stage presence,” she explained. “You just have

to get up there and do it, over and over again.” Through

trial and error, she learned how to engage with audiences,

move across the stage, and bring her music to life in

a visually and emotionally powerful way. Her first time

performing live came unexpectedly at a backyard party

in Kansas City when she was just 17. “A band was playing,

and someone handed me a guitar, telling me to play a couple

of songs. I didn’t have time to think about it, I just did

it.” Though nerve-wracking, the experience was a defining

moment in her career. “It was exhilarating and terrifying,

but it showed me what I needed to do.”

LIFE ON THE ROAD

Touring has become a way of life for Fish, though the

experience varies from one trip to the next. “I love touring,

and I have a great team around me. We’ve found a

rhythm, but every tour is different.” While she’s moved

beyond the gruelling early days of long van rides, each

tour brings its own challenges. “Sometimes we’re on a

bus together, which has its own dynamic, and other

times we’re flying between gigs, which can be

exhausting. But it’s all about getting to the stage;

that’s what matters.”

She thrives on collaboration, finding inspiration in

the musicians she shares the stage with. “When you

introduce a new player into the mix, it changes the

chemistry, and we all have to listen more closely. It keeps

things exciting.” One particularly influential collaborator

has been Jesse Dayton. “Jesse is a fireball on stage.

His energy pushes me to elevate my own performance.

He’s such a natural showman, and working with him has

helped me grow as a performer.”

WORDS OF WISDOM

Reflecting on her journey, Fish has learned invaluable

lessons along the way. If she could advise her younger

self, it would be simple: “The nerves never go away. You

just have to lean into them.”

One of the most impactful pieces of advice she received

came from John Hiatt. “I was feeling down about my

songwriting, and I asked him how he consistently writes

such great songs. He told me to lean into what makes

me unique, to embrace my voice and my perspective. In

a world that’s so crowded with content, you have to find

what sets you apart.”

STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE:

THE ART OF SONGWRITING

When it comes to songwriting, Samantha Fish believes in

setting a high bar for herself. She acknowledges that not

every song written will be a masterpiece, but the process



“THE

BLUES IS

THE HEART

OF IT ALL”

CAN YA HANDLE THE HEAT?

SWEET SOUTHERN SOUNDS


itself is an essential exercise. “You don’t always hear the

songs that don’t make it, obviously, but there’s a lot an

artist has to filter out,” Fish says. By maintaining exacting

standards, she ensures that only her best work reaches

the audience.

For aspiring musicians, her advice echoes her own journey:

“Be confident in yourself because it’s necessary to

get on stage and be gawked at.” But she also urges young

artists to view themselves objectively, asking, “How am

I unique next to all these other artists?” Fish stresses

that an artist’s appeal extends beyond their music—it

includes aesthetics, stage presence, and overall presentation.

“Don’t forget about the little things that make

people want to see and listen to you.”

PASSION AND DEDICATION:

THE DRIVE TO PERFORM

Fish attributes her work ethic to her Midwestern roots.

“Everybody I know from back home, works really, really

hard,” she states. That dedication drives her to overcome

any obstacle that stands between her and the stage.

Whether it’s travelling thousands of miles or maintaining

personal well-being, she is committed to making

every show happen. “I have a whole group of people

that relies on me, and I rely on them. We’re all working

towards the same thing; the music.”

ARTIST VS. PRODUCER:

TWO SIDES OF THE INDUSTRY

When asked whether she prefers being an artist or a

producer, Fish doesn’t hesitate. “I like being the artist.

That’s where I’m home.” While she appreciates the role

of a producer—helping shape an artist’s vision while

balancing budgets and timelines—her true passion lies in

creating music. She recently recorded her latest album

with producer Bobby Harlow, marking their second

collaboration. “He probably has a whole different philosophy

on production than I do, but he’s very passionate

about where the songs should go. It’s nice when someone

believes in your work as much as you do.”

THE MAKING OF PAPER DOLL

Fish’s latest album, Paper Doll, came together under

Doug Hardesty


challenging circumstances, written and recorded while

she was actively touring. “It was difficult, but also a little

romantic,” she reflects. With a tight deadline looming, she

adapted by writing during the summer and recording in

short, intense sessions between tour stops. “We created

an impossible situation for ourselves, but we found a way

to make it happen.”

The album features a mix of fresh material and older

songs that have been reimagined, including “I’m Done

Running,” which was originally written three years ago

for her Faster record. “Its meaning has changed for me

now. When I wrote it, we were in pandemic isolation,

and everything felt dire. But over time, I’ve gained a new

perspective on it.”

A SOUNDTRACK TO LIFE’S JOURNEY

Fish describes her songwriting as a snapshot of her emotions

and experiences at a given moment. “The themes in

my albums aren’t necessarily deliberate, it’s just where

I am at the time.” That natural evolution of meaning is

what makes music so powerful. With each performance,

she continues to inspire audiences with her raw energy,

authenticity, and dedication to her craft.

Samantha Fish isn’t just making music—she’s creating an

experience, blending talent, grit, and passion to captivate

audiences around the world. And as she moves forward,

one thing remains certain: she will always find a way to

make the show happen.

RUSTY RAZOR: PUNK, POWER,

AND PASSION

Fish’s latest album is a raw, unapologetic blues record

with a modern edge, and nothing embodies that spirit

more than Rusty Razor. A song that nearly didn’t make

the cut; “That was one of the last songs we wrote for the

record, I hit up Bobby, and we co-wrote it while I was on

the road, just in a hotel room with a melody and some

lyrics. I wasn’t even sure if it would make the album, but it

ended up being one of my favourites.”

Adding Mick Collins’ vocals to the track brought an entirely

new layer of intensity. “He was incredible, his vocals

just took the song to another level.” With its punk energy

and blues foundation, this song cuts deep into the heart

of Samantha Fish’s sound.

FORTUNE TELLER:

A NOD TO NORTH MISSISSIPPI

Blending blues tradition with a contemporary spin, Fortune

Teller is another standout on the album.

“I wanted to pay homage to my love for

North Mississippi blues,” Fish explains,

referencing inspirations like Junior

Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside. “It started

as just me riffing on an acoustic, very

rootsy. But when the band got involved,

it took on a psychedelic edge. Some

even called the drumbeat ‘prog rock,’

which is funny because it wasn’t intentional,

but it just drives the song.”

Late-night studio sessions helped

shape the final version, and she

penned the lyrics while on tour. The

song’s groove, mechanics, and unexpected

shifts make it an electrifying listen.

DON’T SAY IT: A MOMENT OF DRAMA

Another track that evolved significantly in the studio was

Don’t Say It. “Bobby came to New Orleans, and we spent

days writing. It started with a melody I had in my head,

which didn’t even make it to the final version,” Samantha

laughs. “But the essence was still there.”

The addition of a choir gave the song an extra layer of

emotional intensity. “The singers were phenomenal. It became

so much more dramatic, and I think it’s going to be a

huge moment in the live set.”

SWEET SOUTHERN SOUND

AND LIFE ON THE ROAD

The road is a central theme in Samantha’s music, and

Sweet Southern Sound captures the highs and lows of a

touring musician’s life.

“I brought a bluesy riff to Anders Osborne, and we built

the song around it, as touring musicians, it really resonated

with us, the feeling of being untethered, always

moving, and searching for that connection to keep you

grounded.”

Coming home to New Orleans after a tour is always an

adjustment. “You go from this hyper-routine; wake up,

work out, travel, soundcheck, play, to suddenly being

home, where there’s no strict schedule. It takes a few

days to decompress.”

THE POWER OF LIVE PERFORMANCE

Samantha is no stranger to the festival circuit, including

a return to Jazz Fest this year. “It’s massive, the first

time we played, I was just blown away by the sea of

people. It’s surreal because you’re trying to connect, but

they’re just tiny dots in the crowd.”


“THE

NERVES

NEVER GO

AWAY”


EXPLORE

Aries Photography Nola

“EVERYTHING

IS A WORK IN

PROGRESS”


Yet, there’s magic in both big festivals and intimate club

shows. “At a festival, you harness this huge energy, but

in a small venue, it’s a shared experience, you feel every

note with the audience. The goal is always the same:

connection.”

THE BLUES: A LIVING,

BREATHING TRADITION

For Samantha, the blues isn’t just a genre, it’s at the core

of everything she does. “I pull from different styles, but

the blues is the heart of it all, true blues artists have this

way of cutting straight to the soul. That’s why the genre

is still alive. because people need that kind of raw, real

music.”

A DIFFERENT PATH?

If Samantha Fish hadn’t pursued a career in music, what

would she be doing? Surprisingly, the blues-rock powerhouse

might have found herself in the field of psychology.

“I think, well, maybe, I don’t know, maybe something in

the psychology world,” she muses. “I’d love to help people.

I like talking to people. That was kind of where my head

was before I decided music was for me.” Reflecting on her

younger years, she recalls considering a career in psychology

during middle and high school.

But then again, her love for animals could have taken

her in another direction. “Maybe something with

animals,” she adds. And, just for fun, she throws in a

wildcard: “An astronaut? Man, I would have been an

astronaut. Why not?”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

As for what’s ahead, Fish takes a measured approach.

“The future is always kind of like... I mean, I

look at the next couple of years, but I can’t really see

the full road ten years from now. I have different albums I

want to make, different ideas, but I have to find the right

one at the right time.”

In an industry as unpredictable as music, she acknowledges

the need to adapt. “You just kind of have to ride it

out and see who you are on the other side of it.” For Fish,

the journey itself is just as important as the destination.

DEFINING SUCCESS

With numerous awards and accolades to her name,

how does Samantha Fish define success? “It’s so tough

because I’ve moved the goalposts so many times,” she

admits.

Thinking back, she puts things into perspective. “If I

was 15 and I saw the things I’ve been able to do, I’d be

amazed. I feel like I’m self-made. I’ve had great mentorship

and a great team, but I’ve had some really good

things happen in my career. I’m really fortunate.”

But beyond awards and recognition, she emphasises a

deeper purpose. “I want to be able to take care of the

ones I love. I want to connect with as many people as possible

and put out music that I can be proud of years down

the road. I want to create timeless music that still holds

up in ten years. I don’t really see a marker where I’ll say, ‘If

I get this, I’ll be done.’ The reward is the thing itself.”

The Rollercoaster of Making an Album

Releasing an album is an emotional experience, filled with

highs and lows. “There’s no better feeling than walking

out of the studio knowing you’ve finished your next

record,” she says. “There’s so much pressure and stress

going into making an album, so when you finish, there’s

this elation that I don’t think any drug in the world could

match.”

But then comes the mixing process, a stage she describes

as soul-crushing. “It’s an up-and-down experience, but

once you get it to a place where you love it, and people

finally get to hear it, it’s like you’ve been keeping a secret

for nine months, and now you can finally share it.” Once

the album is out in the world, Fish is ready to let go. “It’s

not mine anymore. I’m ready for it to belong to the listeners.”

A LOVE FOR EDINBURGH

As our conversation winds down, talk turns to Edinburgh,

a Scottish city Fish holds dear. “We were just there not

too long ago,” she recalls. “I love it—it’s one of my favourite

cities. Someone asked me where to go in Europe, and I

said, ‘Just go to Edinburgh.’ It’s beautiful.”

She even jokes about how she’s finally learned to pronounce

it correctly. “I might mispronounce it on purpose

next time, just to get a laugh.”

Ever Evolving

From her early days with Girls with Guitars to her current

standing as one of the most respected blues-rock musicians,

Fish continues to push boundaries. “It’s just a work

in progress,” she says humbly. “Everything is.”

Samantha Fish’s new album “Paper Doll” is released by

Rounder Records on April 25th.

Pre-order / pre-save Paper Doll here:

https://found.ee/SFPaperDoll

Samantha Fish’s new album Paper Doll is out now via

Rounder Records and is available from – https://found.

ee/SFPaperDoll

Samantha tours the UK May 28 – June 1st. Tickets are

available from https://samanthafish.com/#tour

Dates include Frome, Cheese & Grain (May 28), Suffolk,

Red Rooster Festival (May 29), Liverpool, The Arts Club

(May 30), Southampton, The Brook (May 31), Oxford,

O2 Academy (June 1).


WHY NOT ME?

EMMA WILSON

When you meet Emma Wilson, you’re not just speaking to a blues singer - you’re talking to

someone whose life and spirit have been transformed by the music she loves. As I sat down

to chat with her, it quickly became clear that her story is one of passion, resilience, and the

fearless pursuit of authenticity. From humble beginnings to a career that now spans Memphis

and Clarksdale, Emma’s journey is proof that sometimes the only thing standing between

you and success is the simple belief: why not me?

Stephen Harrison

Fishy Snapper

From the very first hello, Emma Wilson’s energy lights

up the room. We catch up like old friends, immediately

falling into easy conversation. Emma’s been busy-settling

in with a new PC, navigating tech struggles-and it makes

me laugh to hear her so candid, a true reflection of her

down-to-earth nature.

Naturally, we end up talking about last year’s awards

ceremony. I tell her how mortifying my speech was, but

Emma, ever the encourager, reminds me that I added

some much-needed “rock and roll” to the proceedings.

“You livened it up!” she laughs. It’s clear that Emma

doesn’t just understand music - she understands moments,

and how to turn nerves or setbacks into something

memorable.

We quickly move into deeper territory: the strange disconnection

that sometimes exists between audiences and

true blues legends. Emma recalls seeing John Mayall take

the stage to a surprisingly muted reception. “You could

feel the apathy,” she says. We both agree-if you don’t

understand the history of the music, if you don’t know the

giants like Slim Harpo or Skip James, you’re missing the

very foundation of it all.

Emma’s humility shines through when she talks about

learning from others. “If I don’t know something, I say so,”

she tells me. It’s a refreshing attitude in an industry often

dominated by bravado, and it’s a big part of why she has

earned the respect of so many musicians, on both sides of

the Atlantic.

The conversation inevitably turns to interviews-my

own nerves when facing legends like Van Morrison, and

Emma’s experiences standing shoulder-to-shoulder with

some of the greatest players in the blues world. We both

agree that preparation is vital: “If Van thought I didn’t

know what I was talking about, he’d have just walked out,”

I tell her. She nods, completely understanding that level

of pressure.

Then Emma’s face lights up when she starts talking about

her life-changing trip to Memphis. “I just felt drawn

there,” she says. She was invited by her US distributors to

attend the American Blues Awards, and from the moment

she arrived, she was immersed in a whirlwind of music,

energy, and community.

She tells me about standing just a few feet from Kingfish

as he performed live, about the buzzing atmosphere on

Beale Street, where every bar was packed with the best

blues musicians America has to offer. And it wasn’t just

about watching-it was about belonging.

That sense of belonging took a major step forward when

Emma made the spontaneous decision to travel to Clarks-



dale for the Pinetop Perkins Crawfish Boil at Ground

Zero Blues Club. She messaged the event curator, Steve

Kolbus, and simply asked: could she jump on stage?

“He said yes,” Emma beams. “He said he’d get me a real

cool band.”

Emma’s stories from that day are nothing short of

electric. She describes walking backstage into a group

of young, ferociously talented musicians - including

Wyly Bigger and Harrell Davenport-and finding herself

embraced with open arms.

“You can’t

fake it in

Memphis”

Originally, she thought she might do one song. Instead,

she and the band ended up performing a full five-song

set-and the reaction was nothing short of magical. “It

changed my DNA as a musician,” she says, and I don’t

doubt her for a second.

Standing on that stage, in Clarksdale of all places-the

home of the blues-Emma found the affirmation she had

long sought she belonged.

It was this energy and self-belief that led Emma to

record her new blues album. Unlike the more produced

feel of her earlier work, this album captures the raw, live

spirit that Emma discovered in Memphis and Clarksdale.

GOOD TO THE LAST DROP

Recorded in a single day with her loyal UK band, the

album focuses on the music of Willie Dixon-a natural

choice, given the groove, lyrical sharpness, and spirit of

his songs. Tracks like Wang Dang Doodle, I Can’t Quit

EXPLORE


You Baby, and I Want to Be Loved form the backbone

of a record that feels immediate, honest,

and gloriously alive.

I ask her why she chose Willie Dixon specifically.

“His songs just fit me,” she explains. “The rhythms,

the lyrics, the feel-it’s all there. And my band just

clicked with it straight away.”

She’s keen to point out that while songs like I

Can’t Quit You Baby have traditionally been sung

from a male perspective, she’s made them her

own without losing any of their emotional power.

“You take those lyrics, and you sing them your

way,” she says. “You find your voice in them.”

As we talk, an idea emerges-a live album combining

the Memphis soul sound of Memphis Calling

with the raw blues power of her new Willie Dixon

project. Emma’s face lights up. “That would be

amazing,” she says. “We could bring in a horn section,

guest artists, do something really special.”

She talks passionately about the Memphis music

community-the radio stations that have welcomed

her, the musicians who have embraced

her, the genuine friendships she’s built. Despite

being a Brit abroad, Emma has earned her place

in a world where respect must be earned, not

given.

“You can’t fake it in Memphis,” she says. “You have

to prove yourself, and you have to mean it.”

“His songs

just fit me”

Listening to her, it’s obvious why she’s been welcomed

into such a storied scene. Her respect for

the music, her willingness to learn, and her sheer

joy in performing are infectious.

Towards the end of our conversation, we circle

back to a phrase I once said to her during a moment

of self-doubt: “Why not you?”

It became a turning point for Emma-a reminder

that dreams are not reserved for someone else.

They are there for those brave enough to seize

them.

Today, Emma Wilson is no longer asking why not

her. She’s standing proudly as one of the most exciting

voices in contemporary blues-one shaped

by Middlesbrough’s grit, Memphis’s soul, and the

heart of Clarksdale’s deep traditions.

And as she looks towards the next chapter-perhaps

a live album, perhaps something even bigger-you

can feel it in every word she says: Why

not me, indeed. Emma’s New Album “A Spoonful

Of Willie Dixon” Out 2nd May 2025.


SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC NEAR YOU

THE BIG BLUES CHART

THE TOP 50 BLUES ALBUMS

POS ARTIST ALBUM LABEL

#1 TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS CLOSER TO THE BONE ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#2 BOB CORRITORE DOIN THE SHOUT VIZZTONE LABEL GROUP/SWMAF

#3 JIMMY VIVINO GONNA BE 2 OF THOSE DAYS GULF COAST RECORDS

#4 KID RAMOS STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING NOLA BLUE

#5 JANIVA MAGNESS BACK FOR ME BLUE ELAN RECORDS

#6 POPA CHUBBY I LOVE FREDDY KING GULF COAST RECORDS

#7 WILL WILDE BLUES IS STILL ALIVE VIZZTONE

#8 THE BOB LANZA BLUES BAND BREADMAN’S BLUES MOMOJO RECORDS

#9 EDDIE 9V SARATOGA RUF RECORDS

#10 HEAVY DRUNK & WATERMELON SLIM BLUESLAND THEME PARK HEAVYDRUNK RECORDS

#11 GILES ROBSON & JOHN PRIMER TEN CHICAGO BLUES CLASSICS GILES ROBSON & BH PRODUCTIONS

#12 MITCH RYDER WITH LOVE RUF

#13 FRANK BEY PEACE NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#14 BOBBY RUSH & KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD YOUNG FASHIONED WAYS DEEP RUSH/THIRTY TIGERS

#15 MAX HIGHTOWER NOTHIN’ BUT THE TRUTH MOMOJO RECORDS

#16 RONNIE BAKER BROOKS BLUES IN MY DNA ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#17 TONY HOLIDAY MUSIC KEEP YOUR HEAD UP FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#18 DADDY MACK BLUES BAND DOCTOR’S ORDERS INSIDE SOUNDS

#19 TOMISLAV GOLUBAN WITH CROOKED EYE NASHVILLE ROAD OVERTON MUSIC

#20 ED ALSTROM FLEE THOUGH NONE PURSUE HAYWIRE

#21 SHEMEKIA COPELAND BLAME IT ON EVE ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#22 MATT “THE RATTLESNAKE” LESCH BLUES CUT LIKE GLASS BLUE LOTUS

#23 STEVE HOWELL & THE MIGHTY MEN YEAH MAN OUT OF THE PAST MUSIC

#24 THE REVERED PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY OWNED RECORDS

#25 SOUTHERN AVENUE FAMILY ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#26 TRAVELLIN’ BLUE TAKE THE EDGE OFF NAKED

#27 SUNNY BLEAU AND THE MOONS PASSION & REGRETS ENDLESS BLUES RECORDS

#28 BIG AL & THE HEAVYWEIGHTS BLUES POWER VIZZTONE

#29 OLLEE OWENS NOWHERE TO HIDE OLLEE OWENS MUSIC

#30 TAB BENOIT I HEAR THUNDER WHISKEY BAYOU

#31 DEAN ZUCCHERO SONG FOR THE SINNERS PUGNACIOUS RECORDS

#32 LARKIN POE BLOOM TRICKI-WOO RECORDS

#33 GA-20 GA-20 EP VOL. 2 COLEMINE/KARMA CHIEF RECORDS

#34 MICKI FREE DREAMCATCHER BUNGALO

#35 SEAN CHAMBERS LIVE FROM DARYL’S HOUSE CLUB QUARTO VALLEY RECORDS

#36 MARK MULEMAN MASSEY BEEN A LONG LONG TIME MULETONE RECORDS

#37 THE ANTHONY PAULE SOUL ORCHESTRA WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? BLUE DOT

#38 CHRIS CAIN GOOD INTENTIONS GONE BAD ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#39 BENNY TURNER BT NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#40 CAT WELLS BLUES BAND BRAND NEW SHOES SELF RELEASE

#41 SAMANTHA FISH PAPER DOLL ROUNDER RECORDS

#42 ALBERT CASTIGLIA RIGHTEOUS SOULS GULF COAST RECORDS

#43 JOVIN WEBB DRIFTER BLINDPIG RECORDS.

#44 MITCH WOODS HAPPY HOUR MOMOJO RECORDS

#45 MARK “NESSIE” NESMITH A SINNER’S PRAYER SELF RELEASE

#46 VANESSA COLLIER DO IT MY OWN WAY PHENIX FIRE RECORDS

#47 JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR BLACK & GOLD JOURNEYMAN RECORDS

#48 SUE FOLEY ONE GUITAR WOMAN STONY PLAIN RECORDS

#49 SUGAR BROWN TORONTO BOUND INDIE

#50 KAT RIGGINS & HER BLUES REVIVAL REVIVAL HOUSE OF BERRY PRODUCTIONS

The Illustrated Blues Of Brian Kramer

Old Is NEW Again! Jerron Paxton

April 4th 2025 I saw root/Blues artist Jerron Paxton was

performing in Stockholm at club Fasching and wanted to

go check him out & show my support locally.

I’d been enjoying Mr. Paxton’s music for a bunch of years

now, especially his skills on ragtime guitar, which he executes

in a most natural, unpretentious way and has great

expression with his voice.

I met another outstanding roots/blues artist at the venue;

Eric Bibb along with his lovely wife Ulrika and soon Paxton

came in & we all greeted him (Eric and Jerron were

already acquaintances).

I decided to gift him with this illustration I created of

him a few years before, which he really dug, and asked if

he knew of Larry Johnson, also an exponent of ragtime

guitar, mentioning that Larry & I played and recorded

together for many years. Jerron then said “Then I

must have seen you at Terra Blues” (NYC Blues

Bar).

With a bit of surprise I responded; “Every

Wednesday night for years!”.

Larry is one of the very few ragtime players

who to me truly played the music and style

as an extension of who they were, rather

than a demonstration of the genre, until

now…

While I definitely got that sense from seeing

videos of Jerron, his impact live is just

unparalleled.

An engaging personality on stage he spoke

to the full house as if we were sitting on his

back porch, sipping a cold one, spontaneously

breaking into song. One microphone… Just

one, vintage, retro looking mic to catch his voice

and his instruments (Which even Mr. Bibb admit to

being a bit jealous of…). He then effortlessly navigated

the set through several instrument; guitar, banjo, fiddle

(all vintage instruments ranging from late 1800s to early

1900s) harmonica, piano and even had some bones in his

pocket to percuss with.

Every song and every style felt personal, elegant, and

stunningly played, with a bit of a “throwaway” vibe that

only engaged you more.

His stories draw you in, his humor is so genuine, he actually

cracks himself up at times with certain revelations.

Even his taking the time to tune-up these temperamental,

old instruments was worth seeing with his humorous

interaction.

Since I’m 15-16 years old, I started taking in the great

ragtime guitar players like Blind Blake, Blind Lemon, Blind

Gary Davis. However, seeing “Blind Boy Paxton” live and

in person left me several times wondering just what decade

this was and where I was in the world. It was as close

as one could get, what was old felt new again. Eric claimed

it was like watching and hearing the great Fats Waller.

I wasn’t intending to write a live music review here, but

I mainly wanted to express my feeling of inspiration to

witness Jerron Paxton up close and personal.

There’s not a whole lot in this Blues world, for a while,

that makes me feel like I did the first times I took in this

music as a kid.

Thank you for that Jerron!



BIG BLUES

REVIEWS

SAMANTHA FISH

PAPER DOLL

Rounder Records

AJ CROCE

HEART OF THE ETERNAL

BMG

REVIEWS May2025 REVIEWS May2025 R

This twelfth album release by AJ Croce

draws its musical rich palette from rock,

blues and soul sources with a dash of

gospel thrown in for good measure.

Going into the family business of music

in which a famous parent, Jim Croce,

has already blazed a brief but starry trail

takes brevity and talent. For AJ, it’s been

a classy case of so far, so good. Recorded

at the famed Sunset Sound Studios and

linking up with another son of a famous

father, Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon,

on production duties keeps the respective

family musical firms ticking over

nicely like a meticulously tuned time-

Samantha Fish’s newest release is a

bold, genre-blending statement that

captures the raw power of her live

shows and channels it into one of the

most complete studio records of her

career. Opening with the rocky I’m

Done Runnin’, an older cut originally

shelved from her release Faster, she

quickly sets the tone with a strippedback

groove that builds into a defiant,

vocally assured anthem this will be

an instant live set contender. What

follows is a masterclass in dynamics

and range. Can Ya Handle The Heat?

brings infectious stomp and melody.

The sublime tones on the track, Lose

You smoulders before erupting into

a towering blues-rock crescendo.

Tracks like, Sweet Southern Sounds

and the earthy tune, Off In The Blue

show her command of texture and

mood, gliding seamlessly from Southern

soul to Americana roots. The explosive

highlight, Fortune Teller is a

slow-burn blues that erupts gloriously,

while the garage-rock swagger of,

Rusty Razor (featuring Mick Collins)

is a riotous, retro-flavoured joyride.

The title track Paper Doll is a deep-cut

blues ballad, sweeping and emotional,

showcasing Samantha’s spine-tingling

guitar work and lyrical finesse. The

final track, Don’t Say It winds things

“one of the most

complete studio

records of her

career”

down with gentle lamentation and

grace. With these new tunes, Samantha

Fish doesn’t just deliver a

strong blues album, she redefines

the edges of blues-rock with fearless

experimentation, soul, and fire.

It’s a record that dances, aches, and

roars and proves she is as powerful in

the studio as she is on stage.

COLIN CAMPBELL

EXPLORE

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piece. The carefully produced hipster

sonic feel on Croce’s guileful storytelling

style of compositions finds the confluences

of this song collection merging

into a singular cool vibe from the heavy

bluesy soul opener I Got A Feeling and

groovy follow up On A Roll to the languid

ripple of piano and strings on this

record’s exit sign closer The Finest Line

(feat. Margo Price). In between there’s

a funky, honky tonk, jazzy and trippy set

of tunes waiting to get under the skin of

clued-up listeners.

AN DIAZ AND

YOKATTA BROTHERS

KOMOREBI IN NEW

ORLEANS

Blue Velvet & Yokatta studios

PAUL DAVIES

Bang! – I’m in a Blues joint in New

Orleans … how can an artist do that in

two beats of a song? Then the voice –

hits you like a train. Whoa, loud, clear

and pure.The surprises keep coming

– KOMOREBI of the title, how do the

Japanese have one word for a short

sentence of ours (light shining through

trees’ leaves). Sorry, I digress but man,

there is a lot going on here! An Diaz

and the Yokatta brothers are a riot

of exotic names; Kazoo on vocal

arrangements, Stephane Bihan

on electric bass and vocals, Manu

Slide Guitars, harp, vocals and

Julien Mahieu Drums and vocals

and they create a riot of music steeped

in old Blues, Gospel, Swamp, Boogie &

Roots, basically celebrating the music

of black American and doing it joyously

and very, very well. 7

tracks all different

in feel musically

but tied together

with the stories

CHRISTOPHER WYZE

AND THE TELLERS

LIVE IN CLARKSDALE

Big Radio Records

The band released their debut album, Stuck In The Mud in 2024, to huge acclaim,

I might add. I had the chance to get to know Chris through reviewing

this album for Blues Matters Magazine, so, I was very excited to receive the

next installment in this band’s journey. The album and DVD were recorded at

a Juke-joint, Shack Up Inn, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. As a bonus, there is also

a fifty-minute documentary filmed entirely in Clarksdale. The majority of the

songs have been taken from the debut album, Stuck In The Mud, with a couple

of iconic Blues covers thrown in for good measure. Joining Chris Wyze

(Vocals, and Harmonica) are, Gerry Murphy on Bass, John Boyle on guitars,

It promises to be a very

interesting story

Douglas Banks on Drums, and last but not least, Mark Yacovone on Keyboards.

Three Hous From Memphis opens the proceedings, and you immediately

get a feel of the ambiance within the audience. A juke joint, in Clarksdale,

what’s not to like? Hard Work Don’t Pay, and Cotton Ain’t King are two

of the best descriptions of how life used to be in and around the Delta, as

opposed to how it is

right now. Two different

songs about

life’s struggles in

Mississippi. How

Long How Long

Blues, is a tune that

I have not heard in

many a year. Originally

written and recorded

by Ida Cox in

1925, a century-old

song, also recorded

by Scrapper Blackwell

and Leroy Carr.

A song that dates back to the real Country Blues, but is still as vibrant and

valid today. The album concludes with the other cover, Nobody Knows You

When You’re Down And Out, performed here by messers Wyze and Yacovone

on keyboards. A brilliant way to end a gig, intimate, but still as telling

as always. This is the first of what will be a trio of reviews and features

with Christopher Wyze And The Tellers over the next three months. It

promises to be a very interesting story, with the band at the heart of the

composition.

STEPHEN HARRISON

LISTEN, WATCH AND DISCOVER

MORE AT THESE ARTIST

ISSUE 149 BLUES MATTERS! 57

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EMMA WILSON

A SPOONFUL OF

WILLIE DIXON

Independent

This collection of songs, all written

by Willie Dixon, is not so much a

homage to Dixon, it is more of

Emma Wilson reminding us all of

just how brilliant a Blues artist

she is, by giving us her renditions of some classic

Willie Dixon songs that have been around for over seven decades.

Now, this is not an easy task, as any Blues artist will tell you, but Emma

takes it in her stride. At the last count, Dixon is credited with having written

over 500 tunes, so these six on the album are the crème de la crème within

Such passion, such soul oozing from

every pore of her skin

the Blues world. The songs of Dixon have been covered by the great and the

good, so it is not surprising that the opening track should be one of the most

famous, Spoonful, originally recorded by Howlin’ Wolf back in 1960. Emma

does not shy away from such an iconic song, she merely embraces it and

delivers a raunchy, gutsy performance that I’m sure would have woken up

Wolf in Blues Heaven.

I was going to

say, what amazes me

about Emma, but,

nothing amazes me

about Emma. She has

such a wonderfully

powerful Blues voice

that I’m convinced

she could perform

any Blues tune, without

breaking sweat. I

Can’t Quit You, Baby,

is another standard,

first recorded in

1956 by Otis Rush, and then famously appearing on the debut album by Led

Zeppelin. So, you can see the type of company she is up against, but she rises

to the challenge and never skips a beat. Wang Dang Doodle, I Want To Be

Loved, is like viewing a Picasso in The Louvre, with familiar paintings presented

in a different frame. The final track, It Don’t Make Sense (You Can’t

Make Peace) is my favourite track on the album. Such passion, such soul oozing

from every pore of her skin, is a monumental way to end what is a monumental

album. Bravo Emma Wilson.


MORE AT THESE ARTIST LINKS

STEPHEN HARRISON

of our lives and different challenges we

face but ultimately sharing the belief

that “sunlight will always find its way

through” and no better way to allow

that than through music and stories to

music. Celebrated, multi award winning

musicians/singers this “musical

family” of powerhouse vocalist An Diaz

and the raw talent of three Northern

French Blues musicians has resulted in

an amazing album and live shows that

feature blues dancing, concert performance,

Afro-American cultural lectures,

masterclasses in blues/gospel singing

and DJ sets – like I said, this talented

bunch have a lot going on! Second track

in I was thinking this is going straight to

Mr Hopwood (Bluesbarn) he’ll want this

in his collection!

JEAN KNAPPITT

BRANDON SANTINI

WHICH WAY DO WE GO?

MoMojo Records

Brandon Santini’s latest release, is an

eleven-track blues-soaked roadmap of

grit, soul, and hard-earned wisdom.

Known for his fiery harmonica

work and a voice

that straddles the line

between Memphis grit and

Delta dust, Santini doubles

down on everything

that’s made him a force

in modern blues, with a

few new twists. From the

opening title track Which Way

Do We Go, it’s clear Santini

isn’t interested in playing it

safe. This pulses with urgency,

capturing a crossroad moment

with muscular guitar lines and a

harmonica that howls like a train in the

night. It’s blues storytelling at its finest,

full of restlessness and soul-searching.

Throughout the record, Santini’s

command of the harp is as dynamic as

ever, at times sharp and stabbing, other

times warm and mournful. Tracks like

Ain’t Turning Back and the gritty vocals

on Trouble Stay Away, show off his

versatility, weaving Chicago-style grit

with Southern soul in a way that feels

both classic and fresh. There’s also a

notable confidence in the production

by Jeff Jensen; the album sounds big

without being overblown. The rhythm

section of Cliff Moore on bass and Ron

James on drums lock in tightly, allowing

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Santini the space to stretch out vocally

and instrumentally. This release doesn’t

just follow the blues tradition, it walks

beside it, carving its own path. Santini

proves once again that the blues isn’t

about staying still. It’s about moving

forward, one stomp, shout, and harp

blast at a time. A must-listen for modern

blues fans.

CITIZEN JONES

DOWNTOWN WAYS

INDEPENDENT

COLIN CAMPBELL

The duo on here is Daniel Jones on

guitar and vocals, and Tim Douthit plays

guitar. The press note included advises

that the duo have been together for

thirty years and they, quote ‘bring fresh

power to old-school front porch country

blues. You should never judge a book

(or indeed album) by its cover, but more

often than not, art work and photos

are an accurate signpost to the music

JIMMY REGAL

AND THE ROYALS

WELL BOSS

Independent

The latest release is a live recording of nine

songs from a concert the band played at

The Temperance at Leamington Spa. This is

a searing showcase of harmonica virtuosity,

the album features Joff Watkins in the form of his life, delivering a tribute to

Little Walter that is nothing short of electrifying on Mean Old World. The

title track, Well Boss, is an instrumental with teeth: Chicago-inspired harmonica

licks blaze over a heavy swing groove, with CJ. Williams harmonies

lifting the track into a triumphant crescendo. It’s already earned its place as

This is raw and bold blues, timeless,

reverent, and roaring with energy

the band’s gig-opening anthem, a bold swaggering mission statement. Their

take on 44 Blues nods to Howlin’ Wolf’s 1950s version, but cranks the funk

factor, thanks to Sammy Samuel’s slick percussion work and CJ’s fuzzed-out

guitar tone. Meanwhile, on Keep It to Yourself, the band leans acoustic, echoing

Sonny Boy Williamson II’s original with a raw, miked-up harp and nimble

country-bluesstyle

picking, CJ

multitasking like a

one-man band.

I Wish You Would is

a firestarter, with a

rolling groove that

builds from a simmer

to full-blown

ignition. The band

even weave in a sly

nod to Jody Williams,

who appeared

on both this and

44 Blues in their

original forms. There’s slow-burn elegance on St. James Infirmary, inspired

by a young CJ’s encounter seeing Snooks Eaglin play in New

Orleans. The closing tune, Regal Alley is pure, pedal-driven thunder

of equal parts sousaphone style stomp and rockabilly snarl,

with Sammy stealing the spotlight on drums. This is raw and

bold blues, timeless, reverent, and roaring with energy from

one of the best live bands in the UK today.

COLIN CAMPBELL


MORE AT THESE Chyrisse ARTIST Tabone LINKS

Phil Honley



KAREN

MACLEOD

LOW ROAD

Independent

One woman, a beautifully pristine

voice, three deftly fingerpicked

acoustic and resonator

guitars, three chords and the

truth, no added ingredients. It’s a

tough genre. Karen Macleod, a Brit raised in the country blues, country and

folk traditions, conceived this self-released collection as a back-to-basics reflection

of her time living in Appalachia and riding freight trains across the

One woman, a beautifully pristine

voice, three deftly fingerpicked

acoustic and resonator guitars

USA, and the end result is as American as a 10% universal baseline tariff. The

CD is made up of 16 tracks. Two of them are original instrumentals, with title

track Low Road and March Of The Pop Bottles obviously designed to showcase

Macleod’s mastery of the alternating bass technique, in the former case

additionally adorned

by bottleneck. The

remainder are largely

traditional songs

in the blues and adjacent

idioms. The

most readily recognisable,

at least for

most listeners, will

be Lead Belly’s Alberta,

which I first

came across on Eric

Clapton’s Unplugged

album more than

three decades ago.

Other more familiar material includes Mississippi John Hurt’s Pay Day and

Fishin’ Blues, an extensively covered tune now over a century old. There

is also a notable bluesified rendition of Roy Acuff’s 1940 country classic

Streamline Cannonball. After that it ranges into more hardcore territory.

Perhaps the most obvious comparison is with Irish prodigy Muireann Bradley,

who has been garnering a fair bit of publicity of late with a similar act.

Could we be on the cusp of a folk blues revival?



DAVID OSLER

waiting inside. And so, it is here – the

cover shows our duo sitting in front of

a barriered-off-for-demolition building,

and the back cover shots show them

busking and playing in a blues bar. And

that’s exactly what the collection of

songs inside provides – the soundtrack

to two old friends loving their friendship,

and the country porch blues that

binds them together. The lyrical content

tells similar stripped-down honest tales

of drinkin’ and ponderin’, nothing much

going on, nothing at all to worry about.

The music is as simple and straightforward

as the style requires, nothing too

fancy, or too loud, or too distracting. A

song that titles itself Four In The Morning

is never going to be about a man fast

asleep dreaming about his office commute

after breakfast. Surprise, it’s about

a feckless woman who is elsewhere,

and the singer outlining the tragedy

involved. The covers they band offer

are faultlessly and lovingly detailed,

they’ve just does fine so far, no need to

mess with them. So they don’t. Mr Jones

gives full reign to his gritty blues bark on

Willie Dixon’s Spoonful, and contrasts it

nicely with the surprisingly upbeat original,

Henhouse, bringing in the oft-used

metaphor of chicken-based activity

in the farmyard to equate with more

traditional human rocking and indeed

rolling. Two more covers are reverently

checked out, and they stand up just

fine, The Band’s The Weight, and Hank

Williams’ classic country weepie I’m So

Lonesome I Could Cry. Originals and

covers are all treated with equal respect

and make this an interesting collection

for porch blues fans to pick up and add

to their collection.

DORIS BRENDEL

& LEE DUNHAM

BIG BLUE SKY

Sky Rocket Records

ANDY HUGHES

This album seems to ease into starting

but with an epic and haunting sound,

guitar and the voice of Doris blending

in where the strings are duly matched

by Sam Whites drums, to make this a

wonderful way to introduce this artist

into the world of Blues, away from her

prog style. From the album’s artwork,

Doris comes across as a steampunk

cowgirl singing the Blues and as I said,


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this has an epic feel about it, especially

on I Should Have Known, where Lee’s

fingerpicking is nothing short of outstanding,

it hits the mark very nicely.

Another thing that catches me is how

quickly my ears are taking to Doris’s

voice, like a velvety Janice Joplin and by

the third track I’m hooked, and anticipating

the next ten tracks. Not just

for her voice, there’s stories being told

and I’m eager to listen, like Slow Wi-Fi

Weekend which is a catchy song that

most of us can relate to. Along with

Doris and Lee, we have Sam Brown on

Hammond, Sam Black on triangle and

Sam White on drums, making me deduce

this is a reservoir dogs of Blues albums.

I’m always astonished, when listening to

some artists, how they can get a track

to sound so epic, like, Red Letter Blues,

epic is the only word I can think of with

my comprehensive school education,

how big the guitar playing is on this. I’m

off to listen to the last six tracks on my

own with a smile on my face and will

leave you with this, Once you’ve listened

to this album, you’ll want to listen to it

again.

THE SPEED OF LIFE

DUDLEY TAFT

BARRY HOPWOOD

AMERICAN BLUES ARTIST GROUP

If you were wondering what to expect

from this one, the cover artwork certainly

sets the tone. Cincinnati-based

guitarist Taft can readily be imagined as

the missing skinny member of ZZ Top,

posing with a heavily strapped Strat,

cowboy-booted foot astride the fender

of a convertible parked in the middle of

a desert. On the back he rides his Harley

down a one-lane blacktop in similarly

bleak country. Accordingly, the musical

references are mainly to bands such as

Gun N’ Roses and Red-Hot Chilli Peppers

rather than Albert, BB and Freddie

or even Clapton, Beck and Page. The

Speed of Life features 12 self-written

songs, all radio-friendly blues-rockers

built around prog-ish chord progressions

and impactful hooks carefully

crafted to lodge in the brain after a

couple of listens. The best tracks include

Same Mistakes, which is verging on indie

pop, and Miles And Miles To Go, which

features a neat tricksy riff. The chanted

titles of Burn It Down and Work It

Out make them both obvious potential

MARIO

ROSSI BAND

STEELS

Golden Robot Entertainment

With his latest release, his fifth

album, Brazilian bluesman Mario

Rossi isn’t just laying down tracks;

he’s carving out stories in sound,

letting his six-string sing, growl, and cry across nine original cuts. This album

marks a new chapter for the guitarist and his band. Rossi’s instrumental

chops have already earned their place in the spotlight. His last release, Smoke

Burst and the enduring radio-favourite The Sunshine Jam from The Same

Old Street release, set the tone for what was to come. Now, with Steels, he’s

It’s pure expression through

fretwork and feel

going all-in on an instrumental record for the first time in his career. Behind

the drum kit is Rafael Cacavallo, hitting hard with surgical precision, while

Bruno Vallim, who’s been holding down the low end live, officially steps into

the role of bassist. Their chemistry is the backbone of this project. There are

nods to his influencers, BB King, John Mayall and Peter Green on these original

tunes, Painkiller

Blues a particular

stand out track. Also

loving the tone and

phrasing on tracks,

The Heartache Alley

and Like We Used To

Be. Adding flavour to

a few select tracks is

drummer Leo Susi,

who brings the heartbeat

of Brazilian instrumental

music into

the mix. Jazz bassist

Edu Malta lends his

signature groove to Manhattan Way, the album’s smooth, scene-setting

opener. What you get on Steels is a vibrant ride through blues rock grit, classic

blues soul, and touches of jazzy sophistication, all without a single word

being sung. It’s pure expression through fretwork and feel.



COLIN CAMPBELL



SOUL

DECEPTION

GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Porchfight

Now this is cool, right from the off with Suddenly, with its strong,

ever so slightly Latin-tinged beat, beautiful vocal by Samantha Pace, and a

neat blues guitar break by John Heller. Would You Mind then takes a detour

in a funkier direction, high tempo rhythm guitar, strong backing vocals behind

Samantha’s strong vocal, and a socking drive from the sadly late drummer

Fred Mahoney. Formed in 2015 and nearly a decade since their self-titled

debut (and only previous) album, the follow-up from this Portland,

Oregon based four-piece is long overdue. Soul Deception is not a blues band

per se, though the blues comes through on every track. It combines with soul

the overall impression is of an

imaginative blues band stretching

the boundaries

and rock across the album, adds a modern sensibility, and the overall impression

is of an imaginative blues band stretching the boundaries – try Drifting

Away which sounds a little like Heart to begin with and ends as a fine piece

of blues-rocker. It is

followed by the gritty

blues-rock of Deal

Don’t Last, with its

hollered vocal and

dirty guitar playing,

then the tightly controlled

drive of Mystery,

and Voodoo

Blues sounds appropriately

mysterious

and tantalising both

musically and vocally,

has a subtle Caribbean

tinge in the

piano playing and boasts some fiery guitar work. The very danceable I Didn’t

See has a retro sound, part blues band, part beat group and part soul number,

though each time I listen, I hear something new… Forgotten Blues is another

tough blues-rock based number, but more subtle than that might suggest –

shades of Steely Dan, maybe? – though the riffing Noir is tougher still. My

Boyfriend Is A Zombie sounds like a new wave song from the late 70s, a bit of

fun to round out this extremely entertaining set.



NORMAN DARWEN

stadium anthems. There’s no point in

questioning Taft’s classy fretwork. The

guy is patently a superlative player and

a talented songwriter to boot. But it’s all

rather slick, as might be expected from a

man who owns his own studio in a home

he bought from Peter Frampton, and

perhaps a little too far way away from

the spirit of three chords and the truth.

EARLY TIMES AND

THE HIGH ROLLERS

FALLEN ANGELS

Dealers Choice Records

DAVID OSLER

This is the third album to be released by

the band, and having had the pleasure

of reviewing the two previous albums,

I can say that this is the best one by a

country mile. The reason is that they

have a very significant ‘70s swagger and

lurch about them. The band consists of

Early Times (Vocals, Guitar, Organ, and

Percussion) Conrad Korsch (Bass), and

Jeremy Portwood (Drums). Chriscell

Eminizer joins in on two songs with Tenor

Sax. So, to the album, I can describe it

as a Blues/Rock collection of songs, with

the odd ballad thrown in for good measure.

Pistol Under My Pillow certainly

revels in the Blues/Rock scene, which

suits the vocal range of Early Times

perfectly, and which also allows him to

show off his considerable guitar chops.

Papa Died And Left Me begins with a

beautiful Soulful organ intro which leads

effortlessly into some rocking guitar.

The lyrics are meaningful leaving me

with pleasurable gratification. Sooner

Rather Than Later brings out the softer

side of the band. A lovely ballad delivered

with a hint of sorrow, and this is

what appeals to me about this band. The

ability to change direction whilst still

keeping the underbelly of Blues/Rock.

Until The World Burns Down finishes

the album with aplomb. The tenor Sax of

Chriscell Eminizer adds to the proceedings

to make this my favourite tune. All

in all, another brilliant album from the

guys, who knows, we may get to see

them in a live setting before too long.

STEPHEN HARRISON



GARY MOORE

LIVE (BALOISE SESSION)

Provogue Records

This album was recorded live at a celebrated

seated venue with lamplit tables

back in 2008 in Basle Switzerland. Not

the normal sort of venue you would

expect to hear a Blues Rocker, but this

really works. The sound is superb, and

Gary is on good form running through

eight tracks, which are firmly focussed

on the Blues. Gary is supported by Pete

Rees on bass, Vic Martin on keyboards

and fabled Thin Lizzy drummer Brian

Downey who together create an

impressive sound which allows Gary

to perform freely and deliver some

cracking guitar soloing on his Gibson

ES335, particularly on Since I Met You

Baby. Better still is the twelve minute

plus Al Kooper song, I Love You More

Than You’ll Ever Know, which besides

Gary’s exceptional guitar playing,

highlights what a great vocalist he was,

the emotion he puts into the song is

spellbinding. It made me breathless just

listening to it. Gary pays homage to his

time in Thin Lizzy with a version of Don’t

Believe a Word on which he delivers

an uncanny Phil Lynott style vocal. This

is followed by the standout track Still

Got The Blues, for me this is one of the

most complete modern Blues songs and

Gary performs it perfectly. Throughout

the concert each song is thunderously

applauded by a very appreciative audience,

who get a chance to participate

in the song, Walking By Myself, which

is immediately followed by an encore

song, The Blues Is Alright. This is one of

those occasions where I wish I had been

there, but it wasn’t to be. Listening to

this album brings the immense talents

of Gary Moore to the fore, he is sadly

missed but this is a good reminder of

how great he was.

KEB MO’ AND

TAJ MAHAL

ROOM ON THE PORCH

Concord Records

With a combined age of 156, these two

Blues stalwarts prove that age is no barrier,

you either got it, or you don’t. With the release of, Room On The Porch,

Keb Mo’ and Taj Mahal remind us that quality is permanent. This is their second

collaboration, the first one was in 2017. They are assisted in the writing

of some of the songs on the album by Ruby Amanfu, who, incidentally, provides

vocals on the opening title track, Room On The Porch. Now, you could

be forgiven for thinking that the album would be a full-on Blues album, well,

it epitomizes what this project,

and life itself, is all about

it isn’t. What it is, is a collection of Blues, Country, and Gospel, sometimes

within the same tune. It is a recollection of Keb and Taj’s journey through

their respective lives. My Darling My Dear, for me, is another way of describing

what the album is all about, relaxing on a swing seat, on a porch, watching

life trickle by without a care in the world, a happy place that we all need more

often than we realize. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out, was

originally written by

Jimmy Cox in 1923,

and recorded and immortalised

in 1929

by Bessie Smith. It

has been the subject

of many a rendition,

Keb and Taj’s

version brings some

wonderful Gospel

to the proceedings.

Junkyard Dog has a

Blues/Funk tinge to

it, with both Keb and

Taj keeping the song

swinging to and fro making it one of the best on the record. I’ll finish by saying

this, Keb Mo’ and Taj Mahal are not just going through the motions here,

they are conveying a lifetime of friendship through a universal medium, music,

and more importantly, Blues, Country, and Gospel music. Blues’ll Give

You Back Your Soul is a track on the album, it epitomizes what this project,

and life itself, is all about. I commend this to the house.



STEPHEN HARRISON

ADRIAN BLACKLEE


GIANNI TBAY’S BLUES

AGAINST YOUTH

THE BLUES AGAINST

YOUTH

ESCAPE FROM TODAY RECORDS

One of the many delights in finding new

music that has found its way to BM

Towers, is realising that you had some

sort of vague idea of what an Italian

blues artist would sound like, and then

being delighted to find that it’s nothing

at all like you thought it was going to be.

This is album number seven from Mr

TBay, and the press release advises that

it is something of a musical departure

from previous offerings. If they are as

quirky, off-centre and left-field as this

collection, they absolutely deserve

exploration. The overriding interest

in this album is the way the vocal is

produced, a genuine bluesy Americana

tone which is then distorted into

something that absolutely belongs in

the latest Netflix drama series about

… just about anything. There is a song

here that will fit anything they are

looking for. Goin’ To California is an

ironic theme for a musician who quite

probably has never actually enjoyed

the sunshine and laid-back ambiance of

The Sunshine State, but still manages to

sound as though he was born and bred

in any number of central, and southern

US states. The sparing slide-guitar that

underpins those intriguing vocal sounds

fits perfectly with the sound made by

Gianni and engineer Guglielmo Nodaro

who appears to landscape pure Americana

out of his selection of instruments

brought along for the purpose. As I’ll Try

Not To winds its way out of the speakers,

once again that other-worldly voice

spins another tale that is open to myriad

interpretations for the listening public.

How Can You Do It? settles into an

almost-standard blues instrumentation,

but again, that voice comes in and by

now it’s almost comfortingly clear that

there is never going to be anything that

passes as ‘standard’ anywhere on this

album. Gianni is delighted to understate

his considerable technical ability of the

instrumental Snake Away, before leaving

us with the track Emissions, which

manages to out-weird anything that has

gone before it, some accomplishment.

I may hear something equally unusual

and intriguing as this album during the

rest of the year, but I won’t be surprised

if I don’t.

JENNIFER LYN & THE

GROOVE REVIVAL

RETROGRADE

J&R Collective

ANDY HUGHES

From the plains of North Dakota, singer,

guitarist and bandleader Jennifer has

here an album of ten original songs

LISTEN TO THE BLUES MATTERS

PODCAST

Listen to some amazing interviews with

the artists we’ve been lucky enough to speak

to for the magazine. NOW ON YOUTUBE!

SAMANTHA FISH

In this exciting episode, Adam Kennedy sits down with blues

sensation Samantha Fish, known for her electrifying guitar skills,

powerful vocals, and genre-defying sound.

TAJ MAHAL

We sit down with one of the most legendary figures in blues and

world music—Taj Mahal. At 82 years young, this pioneering artist

continues to defy expectations...

TERRY MAYSHALL

In this episode, Steve Harrison sits down with Terry Mayshall,

founder of Mayshall Records, to discuss the release of his highly

anticipated new album.


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pretty much guaranteed to appeal to

a large section of the readership. The

clue is in the title, of course. The opening

track, Light The Fire, sounds like a

recently discovered slab of late sixties

or early seventies classic bluesy rock,

which Jennifer and crew then follow up

with the solid blues shuffle Searching

For Solid Ground and the gritty Sucker

For The Pain. Refuge is a slight change

of direction, a bluesy slab of southern

rock balladry with a noteworthy excellent

and soulful vocal by Jennifer – one

of the standouts of the album. Do Bad

Things To You has a hint of vintage Free

in the melody with the Paul Kossoff

styled raw riffing guitar, and maybe too

in the way the guitar break comes in and

is structured – whatever, it is another

impressive performance. Soul Saver has

a slightly smoother sound (with a hint

of soul and jazz in the vocal) – though is

there a nod to Ten Years After? Baggage

is a catchy item, kind of New Orleans

second line meets The Allman Brothers,

and it works. There is some particularly

fine slide guitar too from Richard Torrance,

before ’59 Cadillac finds Jennifer

taking control in a funky blues style.

Breaking Chains is another slab of pulsating

blues-rock, with some excellent

guitar, before the album’s final track,

the ballad-to-rocker Do It All Again,

closes this very fine set on a high. Then

it’s time to follow the advice of that last

title, press play again and do it all again.

Modern, individual blues-rock with deep

roots.

NORMAN DARWEN

JOHNNY RAWLS

MAKE THEM DANCE

Catfood Records

Johnny Rawls proves once again why

he’s a soul-blues mainstay with his latest

release, a groove-driven, ten-track

collection that solidifies his status as

one of the genre’s most reliable torchbearers.

Produced by the late, legendary

Jim Gaines at Bessie Blue Studio

in Tennessee, this is equal parts grit,

groove, and raw emotion, designed to

move hearts and feet in equal measure.

The opener, So Cold, penned by Bob

Trenchard and Zac Harmon, is a smooth,

mid-tempo shuffle that sets the tone

for the record’s irresistible energy.

Dreams of You, is a classic soul-blues

ballad that lets Rawls’ velvety vocals

take centre stage, while the title track

lives up to its name, driven by an infectious

rhythm section and catchy hooks.

Move In My Direction, a collaboration

with songwriter Sandy Carroll, has lush

instrumentation meeting emotional

lyricism. Rawls’ own composition, Costs

Too Much, highlights his gift for storytelling,

painting a vivid picture of love’s

sacrifices over a simmering groove.

The musicianship is stellar throughout,

with longtime collaborators Wil Mc-

Farlane (guitar), Bob Trenchard (bass),

Steve Potts (drums), and Dan Ferguson

(keys) locking into airtight grooves. The

horn section: saxophonist Andy Roman

and trumpeter Mike Middleton adds a

punchy vibrance, especially on tracks

like Give It to Me and Rip Off the Bandage.

Final track, The Long Road offers

a reflective, world-weary moment that

underscores Rawls’ decades-long dedication

to the craft. Johnny Rawls doesn’t

just uphold the soul-blues tradition, he

elevates it. It’s a record bursting with

rhythm, passion, and that unmistakable

Rawls magic, proving that even after all

these years, he’s still got plenty of fire

left to burn.

SEAN CHAMBERS

LIVE FROM DARYL’S

HOUSE CLUB

Quarto Valley Records

COLIN CAMPBELL

Sean Chambers delivers a blistering set

on Live at Daryl’s House Club, a live album

that captures the raw intensity and

precision of a seasoned blues-rock road

warrior at the top of his game. Recorded

at the iconic New York venue once

home to the televised Daryl Hall jam

sessions, the album feels both intimate

and electric; like you’re standing five

feet from the stage, sweating through

every searing solo.

Chambers wastes no time lighting

the fuse. His take on, Red Hot Mama

explodes with swagger and tone-rich

ferocity, setting the pace for a setlist

that straddles classic blues grit and

Southern rock fire. His guitar work is

sharp, fluid, and emotionally charged,

equally at home burning through the

Texas-style shuffle of, Cut Off My Right

Arm, or grinding through the moody

tension of, In The Winter Time. The trio

format of Chambers backed by the Savoy

Brown Rhythm Section, with Pat De

Salvo on bass guitar and Garnet Grimm

on drums offering little room for error

and no place to hide, and that’s part of

the album’s power. It’s a tight unit firing

on all cylinders, with Chambers’ vocals

as gritty and road worn as his fretwork.

Unlike overproduced live records

that polish away the magic, this album

thrives on authenticity. There’s no gloss

here, just sweat, soul, and the kind of

playing that reminds you why the blues

still matters. Live at Daryl’s House Club

isn’t just a live album; it’s a masterclass

in how to bring fire to the stage without

ever losing the feel.

COLIN CAMPBELL

SISTER SUZIE AND THE

RIGHT BAND

HONESTLY?

Independent

Every so often an album comes along

which just makes you smile with pleasure.

There is absolutely nothing new

contained within these ten tracks, no

boundaries pushed and yet it just works

completely. Another Waste Of My Time

kicks things off in rollicking fashion

guaranteed to have your feet moving.

Honky-tonk piano and growling sax to

the fore on that and Whoopsy Daisy

before the tempo slows with the arrival

of Time. Suzie aches as she sings her

way though this track. She has a fine

strong vocal style and is surrounded by

a couple of her regular band colleagues

Matt Jackson and Al Nicholls guitar and

sax respectively. The rest of the musicians

are all from Belgium but they gel l

so wonderfully that it makes me wonder

if, as a collective, they have also played

together as a live band. Which brings me

to the various styles contained within

the CD. We got Jump Jive of Too Right,

Jazz grooves of Whiskey, stark simple

Blues with Dead Butterflies. Hell, there

is even a bit of Ska thrown in for good

measure with Layla-Sue. So, no matter

your own preferences there is plenty

to keep you happy. All of these touchstones

are well within the ability of

these musicians to transfer to the live

environment, so I do hope that Sister Suzie

hits the road soon. Now at one point

in time this collection might well have



been called Drunk, Sad or Horny, which

personally I like better than Honestly

but there you go. As the song says if it

ain’t getting used it’ll end up being Too

Tight!

STEVEN TROCH BAND

THE DAWNING

Naked

GRAEME SCOTT

Fourth album from this Belgian band

fronted by harmonica player and vocalist

Steven Troch who also wrote all the

material. I notice that the credits show

Troch as also playing musical saw, whistling,

jaws harp and harpsynth so guess

that we may not be in for a straight 12

bar blues album here. Opening track Be

There For Myself is an upbeat proclamation

by Troch featuring assertive

vocals, funky bass, chunky guitar licks

and excellent harp work. The Mountain

has a touch of reggae as Troch tells his

tale of the search for fulfilment with the

rhythm section of drummer Dennis de

Gier and bass player Liesbeth Sprangers

driving the song along. Deleted Scene is

a humorous, film noir, tongue-in-cheek,

epic complete with Bogart Esque intro

and lyrics like “I go back to my trailer

and look for my inhaler” featuring a

slinky feel and sneering lyrics. Nice

One! A tasty, rocking, harp led instrumental

called Double Down is followed

by God Pulls The Strings a gentle but

deeply philosophical and evocative

tale featuring lonesome whistling from

Troch. The eclectic, sometimes quirky,

material hangs together well thanks to

the superb delivery and musicianship.

A catchy harp riff leads into the funky

On The Road Again which is followed

by the heavy rocking Stuff. Questions

are posed during Wonder Why as Troch

demands answers on his failing relationship.

The sprightly country tinged Buckriders

is a road tale of bandits struggling

to survive and “forced to run and hide”.

Hope arrives on the scene with the pretty

and worshipful love song You Came

Along featuring a fine guitar solo. In the

sultry song The Lottery Troch voices

everyone’s hopes of becoming rich overnight

and finding the girl of your dreams.

This fine album closes with a caustic,

but humorous, ditty The Only One with

Troch growling to his lady “the baker

man ain’t the only one to put sugar on

your jelly roll”. This is a very entertaining

and enjoyable album.

STRATCAT WILLIE

AND THE STRAYS

DON’T SLOW DOWN!

INDEPENDENT

DAVE DRURY

There is an utterly indestructible spirit

that occupies a large number of veteran

bluesmen, and it allows them to continue

recording blues tracks, and playing

shows in hot steamy blues venues at

hours well past their bedtime and cocoa.

One such stalwart is Stratcat Willie, or

William Hayes to the local takeaway, aa

veteran blues player who is still rockin’

and let’s be frank about it, rollin’ in a

style not dissimilar to the one he started

out with more than fifty years ago. In a

long and clearly highly enjoyable career,

Willie has arrived on the proverbial

downhill run in with the required philosophical

approach, consisting on enjoying

every tune you play as though it’s the

last one. This attitude has been someone

crystalised by the total loss of one

band compadre, and the impending loss

of another to the demon of Alzheimer’s,

which is claiming more or and more

blues veterans as each year passes. But

the upshot of reality on the back nine,

is a willingness to embrace the here and

now, and enjoy every experience with

as much joy and joi de vivre as possible.

That attitude shines through like a new

penny throughout all the songs on this

album. The song Slow Down advocates

the precise opposite, and is delivered

with a vigour in both vocals and lead

guitar that confound the chronology of

the operator. Mr Mayes demonstrates

a nimble and articulate touch with his

guitar, nothing overly flashy, and nothing

that impedes the overall atmosphere

of fun that is clearly being felt by all

involved. And most importantly, said

enjoyment comes over to the listener,

which after all, is the entire point of the

exercise. Consuela has definite echoes

of Carlos Satana in his second / third

album pomp, and there is nothing wrong

with that, especially the nifty funky bass

lines from Ted Goldwyn. Ain’t Gonna

Change kinda of settles into its story,

and again that feeling of a life wonderfully

lived and utterly enjoyed comes

through. Joy and enthusiasm, what else

do you need? Based on this album – it

would appear that requirements are

covered. Sublime.

THE DEREK

TRUCKS BAND

JOYFULNOISE/

BACKYARD TRACKS

FLOATING WORLD RECORDS

ANDY HUGHES

I had Derek Trucks filed away as the

Generation X progeny of the Allman

Brothers dynasty, channelling the spirit

of uncle Butch’s buddy Duane with

seamless slide solos. While there is

plenty of gutbucket southern rock on

this rerelease of two recordings from a

couple of decades back – what we used

to call a ‘twofer’ in the days of vinyl - the

forays into soul, world music and fusion

highlight his wide-ranging six-string

capability across multiple genres. The

reissue will also interest fans of late

percussionist Yonrico Scott, a Trucks

sideman at the time, who went on form

Royal Southern Brotherhood in the

2010s. Two of the tracks, Home In Your

Heart and Like Anyone Else, feature

lead vocals from none other than Solomon

Burke, and are inevitably immaculate.

Susan Tedeschi, Trucks’ wife and

co-leader of what is now the Tedeschi

Trucks Bands, sings from the heart on

Baby, You’re Right. But best of all are

the two instrumentals that close Joyful

Noise. Lookout 31 is sonically in John

Scofield territory, while Frisell is a tribute

to the work of jazz supremo John

Frisell. The live set Backyard Tracks will

keep the traditionalists happy with a

bottleneck-heavy rendition of the old

warhorse Key To The Highway and a

cover of civil rights era anthem I Wish I

Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free).

How on earth did this fine stuff slip my

radar first time round?

DAVID OSLER

THE MAZ MITRENKO BAND

SHOOT THE MOON

Independent

This band formed back around 2008



and have toured and played extensively

since that point in time both here in the

UK, Europe plus a couple of US tours

into the bargain. To be honest though

and not surprisingly given a pretty

crowded playing field, I personally have

not come across them before. Again to

be honest, for me, there is nothing particularly

different about them to have

raised them above being three very proficient

journeyman players. Now please

don’t get me wrong they are good at

what they do and I have enjoyed having

Shoot The Moon in the car with me over

the past week. This trio consisting Maz

on guitar and lead vocals, Phil Brittle

drums and Pete Vickers bass and BVs

are patently road strong players who

are really tight together. According to

their www.mazmitrenkomusic.com website

this is album number four although,

again on their site, there is only 2019s

Midnight Run available. Anyway here

we have a collection of ten originals

which are pretty solid. I feel that the

recording process could well have been

pretty much straight to “tape” but if not,

then, not a lot, apart from extra guitar

fills, in the way of overdubs took place.

That is one measure of a band being

very well rehearsed and ready to blast

their way through the process resulting

in a fine album. Now the tracks which

stand out for me are the title cut, Same

Old Fool, Freight Train Comin’, I Ride

Alone and the fine slow Blues closer

Seventh Brother. So whilst this breaks

no new ground it is a solid body of work

with much to enjoy within its grooves.

Nice one guys!

GRAEME SCOTT

THE MONTREUX YEARS

MOMENTS VOLUME 1

BMG

The Montreux Festival was started by

Claude Nobs in 1967, originally named,

The Montreux Jazz Festival. Over the

years it has hosted the finest Jazz and

Blues artists from every part of the

globe. It has become renowned for Jazz

and Blues, but on this particular recording,

also tips its hat to Classical music.

On this album, you will find the cream

of Jazz and Blues, Side (1) opens with

Etta James, I Just Want To Make Love

To You, recorded Live At Audioorium

Stravanski in 1993. This sets the scene,

and ambiance for the rest of the album,

Nina Simone gracing us with one of the

finest renditions of her signature tune,

Mississippi Goddam. The song has long

gone down in history, as a calling for an

end to racism, and for Black people to be

treated as equals, after over a century

of oppression. The song resonates with

all faiths, creeds, and colours, and it has

never been performed with as much

passion as this recording at The Casino

Montreux in 1990. The album is, quite

obviously a Jazz and Blues record, and

nothing comes close to the stunning

performance given by Muddy Waters

and his band with their tune, The Blues

Had A Baby And They Named It Rock ‘

N’ Roll. I have heard Muddy doing this

song on many occasions, it must be

something in the Montreux air, I don’t

think I’ve heard a better version. Side (2)

lends itself to a mix of Jazz, Blues, and

Classical music, brilliantly intertwined,

with artists from the continent of Australia,

as opposed to Europe and America.

The album ends with John McLaughlin

producing some of his finest work

with The Free Spirits. Bravo Montreux,

and bravo BMG for putting this remarkable

album together.

THE SPEAKER WARS

SELF TITLED

Frontiers Music

STEPHEN HARRISON

The Speaker Wars’ self-titled debut album

is a compelling blend of classic rock

nostalgia and contemporary Americana,

marking a triumphant return for Stan

Lynch, former drummer of Tom Petty

and the Heartbreakers, alongside Texas

singer-songwriter Jon Christopher

Davis. The album showcases the duo’s

synergy, honed over years of collaboration

since their initial meeting in

Nashville in 2001. Jay Michael Smith on

guitar, Brian Patterson on bass, Steve

Ritter on percussion, and Jay Brown on

keyboards are the other band members

and what a tight band they are. Opening

with, You Make Every Lie Come True,

the album immediately sets a tone of

introspection and raw emotion. Tracks

like It Ain’t Easy, Never Ready to Go and

When The Moon Cries Wolf highlight

the band’s ability to fuse Southern rock

influences with modern sensibilities,

delivering anthemic choruses and tight

instrumentation. Taste Of Heaven and

The Forgiveness Tree delve deeper,

offering introspective lyrics and atmospheric

arrangements that highlight the

band’s versatility. The production, led by

Lynch, is polished yet retains an authentic

edge, allowing each instrument to

shine without overshadowing the heartfelt

vocals of Davis. The album’s pacing

is deliberate, guiding listeners through

a journey of love, loss, and redemption.

Closing with I Wish You Peace, the

album leaves a lasting impression of

hope and reflection. The Speaker Wars

have crafted a debut that pays homage

to their roots while forging a distinct

identity. It’s a testament to seasoned

musicians uniting to create music that

resonates across generations.

WHEN RIVERS MEET

ADDICTED TO YOU

One Road Records

COLIN CAMPBELL

British blues-rock powerhouse When

Rivers Meet return with their stunning

fourth studio album. Known for their

raw energy and unmistakable chemistry,

Grace and Aaron Bond push their

sound further than ever before. The title

track, Addicted To You, is a slow burning

anthem that erupts into a full-throttle,

crowd-ready chorus. It’s a powerful

reminder of the electric dynamic that

continues to set this band apart in the

modern blues-rock scene. Cut deep in

the sonic woods of Suffolk’s Boathouse

Studio and sculpted by the sharp ears of

producer/mixer Adam Bowers, this release

is a statement. Drenched in mood

and brimming with atmospheric allure,

it crackles with fresh textures and a

bold spirit that speaks to the band’s

ever-evolving sound. Coming Up For

Air, is a haunting tune that aches with

feeling. Then there is the foot-stomping

groove of Still Standing, the band lays

down markers of growth. Preacher,

swaggers in with a filthy funk strut, all

snarling riffs and Grace’s powerhouse

vocals commanding every beat. Tree

of Life, Break Free, Never Change, and

Don’t Wanna Fight flex serious musical

muscle; dynamic, textured, and dripping

in soulful grit. Soft White Sand seems a

defiant middle finger to industry naysayers,

channelling the band’s fierce independence.

The album closes with When



Rivers Meet, the band tips their hats to

their loyal tribe, The Rapids, saluting the

ride they’ve taken together with a tune

that’s equal parts raw and reverent.

This is blues rock forged in fire, soaked

in soul, and unapologetically authentic.

When Rivers Meet are evolving, louder,

bolder, and ready to shake the foundations.

COLIN CAMPBELL

VARIOUS ARTISTS –

THE LOST RECORDINGS

AMERICAN FOLK BLUES

FESTIVAL TOURS 1962–

1964

Beautifully presented in a rich blue,

gold-lettered sleeve, this limited-edition

double 180g vinyl (just 3000 copies)

from The Lost Recordings captures

landmark American Folk Festival performances

in Paris (1962, 1964) and

Bremen (1963). Three sides feature

previously released material – notably

the full Paris 1962 show with Memphis

Slim, Willie Dixon, Helen Humes, T-Bone

Walker, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee,

and a spellbinding John Lee Hooker

– but the fourth side offers genuinely

unreleased gold: Sonny Boy Williamson

II solo and band performances from

1963–64, newly unearthed and in

stunning sound quality. Hooker’s solo

Paris set is extraordinary, revealing him

as a subtle, masterful artist in a concert

setting. Meanwhile, Sonny Boy’s razor-sharp,

playful harp work and soulful

vocals dazzle, including three solo

tracks, a raucous band feature, and an

unforgettable live duet with Memphis

Slim. Though some material overlaps

earlier releases, the impeccable sound,

lavish packaging, and the priceless new

Sonny Boy tracks make this an essential,

celebratory physical release in today’s

digital age. Highly recommended.

GILES

BLIND LEMON PLEDGE

LEMON LIVE

Ofeh Records

Full of great songs, and brimming

with talented musicians

Blind Lemon Pledge first appeared on our radar

after the release of the first album back in 2009. From that point

on, it’s fair to say that I have been following his musical career quite closely.

Blind Lemon Pledge, aka, James Byfield, writes, sings, and plays guitar, nothing

unusual there you might ask. But it’s the way that he goes about it that

interests me and many more of my ilk. It’s the simplicity of his approach and

playing, nothing fancy, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it mode. That, to me, is what

the Blues is all about. Anyway, I digress, Lemon Live is a collection of thirteen

songs, some originals, and some covers. Blackeyed Suzie kicks off this live

gig, with an original song by Pledge, it almost eases you into what is coming

next and sets the tone of the album if you like. Blind Lemon Pledge is accompanied

by Peter Greneel (Bass), Rockin’ Juli Moscovitz (Drums), and Sioux

City Slim (Harmonica). Somebody Loan Me A Dime, was originally recorded

by Boz Scaggs. Pledge brings his own unique take on the song, as he does with

the other covers in the set. He never just rolls out a replica, he manages to

take all of the covers someplace else, that is another of his traits that appeals

to me. There are two Muddy Waters tunes on here, She’s Into Something,

and I Feel Like Goin’

Home, both classics,

both stripped-back

allowing Sioux City

Slim to amaze us

with his Harmonica

chops. Fever, written

by Eddie Cooley

and Otis Blackwell,

was made famous

by Peggy Lee. But,

did you know that it

was also recorded

by Little Willie John

in 1956, not heard

of him? Well, he also wrote Need Your Love So Bad in the same year, not a

Peter Green tune, as many people think that it is. Little Willie John spent

the remainder of his life in prison for manslaughter. Blind Lemon Pledge has

certainly done his homework on digging up classics with rarely known histories.

You Can’t Get From There To Here, for me, epitomizes Blind Lemon

Pledge, the way he phrases songs and allows space for the other band members.

Lemon Live is a wonderfully orchestrated album. Full of great songs,

and brimming with talented musicians.

STEPHEN HARRISON




IBBA TOP 40

bluesbroadcasters.co.uk

INDEPENDENT BLUES

BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION

Most Played Album Top 40 – March 2025

Collated from the playlists of the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association members

Position Artist Album

1 WILL WILDE BLUES IS STILL ALIVE

2 THE 2.19 KEEP MY WILL STRONG

3 CATFISH TIME TO FLY

4 GILES ROBSON & JOHN PRIMER TEN CHICAGO BLUES CLASSICS

5 ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW THE INVISIBLE BLUESMAN

6 TRAVELLIN' BLUE TAKE THE EDGE OFF

7 THE TOO BAD JIMS OVER THE HILL - A TRIBUTE TO RL BURNSIDE

8 MELON JELLY THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS

9 JUKE JOINT KINGS CAN'T BE SATISFIED

10 JOHN DOE TRIO JD III

11 VINCE LEE & SOPHIE LORD OUT IN THE STICKS VOL. 2

12 BOB CORRITORE & FRIENDS DOIN' THE SHOUT!

13 JOHNNY BURGIN RAMBLIN' FROM COAST TO COAST

14 ERJA LYYTINEN SMELL THE ROSES

15 EMMA WILSON A SPOONFUL OF WILLIE DIXON

16 FABRIZIO POGGI HEALING BLUES

17 KID RAMOS STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING

18 LITTLE FEAT STRIKE UP THE BAND

19 EDDIE 9V SARATOGA

20 TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS CLOSER TO THE BONE

21 JIMMY VIVINO GONNA BE 2 OF THOSE DAYS

22 REVEREND PEYTON'S BIG DAMN BAND HONEYSUCKLE

23 ALLY VENABLE MONEY & POWER

24 CECILYA & THE CANDY KINGS PARISIAN MAMBO

25 ROBBERT DUIJF SILVER SPOON

26 WILY BO WALKER THE RATTLIN' BONE THEATRE SHOW VOLUME 1

27 LARKIN POE BLOOM

28 THE DAVIDSON TRIO COUGAR

29 SOUTHERN AVENUE FAMILY

30 LR PHOENIX (LEIGHTON PHOENIX) IF THE DEVIL SANG THE BLUES

31 JIM KAHR KEEPIN' IT HOT

32 THE JAKE LEG JUG BAND LIVE AT GREEN NOTE

33 ERIC JOHANSON LIVE IN MISSISSIPPI

34 JARKKA RISSANEN & SONS OF THE DESERT MIXED WASTE

35 GUY VERLINDE & TOM EYLENBOSCH PROMISED LAND BLUES

36 LITTLE GEORGIE & THE SHUFFLING HUNGARIANS THE COMPENDIUM OF UNRULY

CATERWAULING

37 MIKE FARRIS THE SOUND OF MUSCLE SHOALS

38 BIG DAVE MCLEAN THIS OLD LIFE

39 DELTA FUSE BLOWN FUSE

40 CAT WELLS BLUES BAND BRAND NEW SHOES E.P.

BM ISSUE 149 May 2025

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