BM ISSUE 152 August 2025

BLUES

MITCH LADDIE THE BONESHAKERS CHRIS VINCENT

MATTERS!

OPEN AIR FESTIVAL NORTH ATLANTIC BLUES FEST WHITBY BLUES JAM

AUGUST 2025 152

25+ YEARS STRONG

ALICE COOPER

BRYAN ADAMS

DIGITAL INTERACTIVE MAG WATCH MUSIC VIDEOS INSIDE THE UK’S LEADING BLUES MAGAZINE

THE BONESHAKERS

The New Album "Live To Be This"

OUT NOW

Out Now on CD, LP And on All Streaming Platforms

FEATURING: BOBBY RUSH, CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE,

COCO MONTOYA, DON WAS, JIMMY CARPENTER,

JOHN 'PAPA' GROS & RON HOLLOWAY

WELCOME TO BLUES MATTERS

BLUES MATTERS!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/OWNER:

Iain Patience:

editor@bluesmatters.com

ALBUM REVIEW EDITOR/OWNER:

Stephen Harrison:

reviews@bluesmatters.com

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES:

ads@bluesmatters.com

DESIGN & WEBSITE MANAGER:

design@bluesmatters.com

For more news, reviews, interviews and our

advertising rate card, please visit

bluesmattersmagazine

bluesmattersmagazine

Contributing Writers:

John Angus

Roy Bainton

Adrian Blacklee

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

Original material in this magazine is © the authors. Reproduction AUGUST only be made with prior Editor consent and provided that acknowledgement

is given of source and copy sent to the editorial address. Care is taken to ensure contents of this magazine are accurate, but the publishers do

not accept any responsibility for errors that AUGUST occur, or views expressed editorially. All rights reserved. No parts of this magazine AUGUST

be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise

without prior permission of the editor. Submissions: Readers are invited to submit articles, letters and photographs for publication. The publishers

reserve the right to amend any submissions and cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Please note: Once submitted material becomes the

intellectual property of Blues Matters (2) Ltd and can only later be withdrawn from publication at the expediency of Blues Matters (2) Ltd. Advertisements:

Whilst responsible care is taken in accepting advertisements, if in doubt readers should make their own enquiries. The publisher cannot accept

any responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions, nor shall they be liable for any loss or damage to any person acting on information

contained in this publication. We will however investigate complaints.

BLUES MATTERS (2) LTD: COMPANY NUMBER 15295727

SIGN UP TODAY FREE

AND NEVER MISS

AN ISSUE

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER AND WE’LL

LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEXT

FREE ISSUE COMES OUT!

SIGN UP HERE

BLUESMATTERS.COM/SUBSCRIBE

4 ISSUE 152 : BLUESMATTERS.COM

ELCOME

Rob Bondurant

LIVE REVIEW

ALICE COOPER

YES, we know he isn’t blues...

Ian Potter

Alice Cooper may be a master of

macabre theatrics, but at Edinburgh’s

Playhouse it was the sheer

rock energy that stole the show.

Bursting through a giant curtain

with a sword in hand, Cooper

didn’t just walk on stage. He

slashed his way into the spotlight.

It was a perfectly over-the-top

entrance for the king of shock

rock, setting the tone for a night

filled with horror, humour and

huge hooks.

The setlist was a tightly packed

career retrospective, kicking

off with Lock Me Up and sliding

quickly into fan favourites like No

More Mr. Nice Guy, I’m Eighteen,

and Under My Wheels. The crowd,

seated in theory but not in practice,

rose to their feet early on

and stayed there for the duration.

It was a standing ovation in slow

motion that never ended.

Highlights were plentiful. Bed of

Nails had the entire Playhouse

singing along, while Poison saw

the roof come dangerously close

to liftoff. Cooper’s band were

razor-sharp throughout. Tight,

theatrical and completely in

sync, with blistering solos and

well-placed interludes including

a pounding drum showcase and a

searing guitar spotlight.

The production was classic Alice.

Ghoulish props, shadowy lighting

and twisted vignettes brought

Welcome to My Nightmare, Cold

Ethyl and I Love the Dead to life in

suitably sinister style. But it was

the music that anchored the spectacle,

and the energy never dipped.

By the time the encore arrived the

crowd was in full rebellion, shouting

every word and refusing to

return to their seats. The master

had cast his spell.


EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE | 23.07.25

ISSUE 152 : BLUESMATTERS.COM 7

CROWNING KOKO

BRUCE IGLAUER ON THE QUEEN OF THE BLUES AND THE NEW CROWN JEWELS ALBUM

We caught up with Bruce Iglauer, founder of Alligator Records, to talk about the label’s

latest release, Crown Jewels, a new compilation celebrating the incomparable

Koko Taylor. As ever, Bruce had stories to tell—stories of grit, growl, and greatness.

Colin Campbell

Chris Jacobs

A QUEEN AND HER FAMILY

“Koko wasn’t just one of our artists,” Bruce begins. “She

welcomed us, me and the Alligator team, into her life. We

were part of her family.”

That closeness is part of what made Crown Jewels such

a personal project. “I produced or co-produced all of her

Alligator records. I knew which songs she loved, the ones

she always played live, the ones she was proudest of.

Choosing them wasn’t hard. The hard part was narrowing

it down to 12.”

With vinyl making a strong comeback, Bruce felt it was

time to reintroduce Koko on LP for a new generation of

listeners. “We remastered the tracks, not remixing, just

warming them up, polishing the diamond. It’s a new way

to hear her power.”

TOUGH AND TENDER

Behind the power, there was also vulnerability. Koko’s education

stopped at third grade. She left school to care for

the children of sharecroppers. “She wasn’t uneducated in

life,” Bruce explains, “but it took years before she told me

she’d learned to read and write as an adult.”

That sense of determination ran through every session.

“She had high standards, and she made no compromises

in the studio,” Bruce recalls. “She’d stop a take if anything

was off, even when I knew we could fix it later.”

Her writing wasn’t prolific, but it was potent. Bruce

remembers encouraging her to create a female answer

to “I’m A Man” and “Mannish Boy.” She responded with a

song that needed no edits and became a staple of her live

set for the rest of her life.

KOKO OFFSTAGE

On stage, she was a lioness. Off stage? “Shy, warm, and incredibly

caring,” Bruce says. “If you were family, you were

always welcome in her home. She’d even house musicians

who were trying to get clean.”

That sense of care extended into her music. “She saw it

as her job not just to entertain, but to make people feel

better. Her view was that if one person left happier than

they arrived, then she’d done her job.”

Even in pain, Koko gave everything. “I saw her perform in

Spain with gout so bad we had to wheel her to the stage.

But when the music started, she danced out, sang the

whole set on her feet, then left in tears from the pain.

The crowd never knew.”

THE SOUND OF SOUL

One of Bruce’s fondest studio memories involves

a fiery duet with Buddy Guy on Born Under a Bad

Sign. “Buddy started out singing kind of like Albert

King,” he recalls. “I said, ‘Can you sing it more like

Buddy Guy?’ He smiled, said, ‘You mean like this?’

and nailed it.”

Koko, meanwhile, brought something primal.

“She could roar with soul. Her growl may have

been influenced by Howlin’ Wolf, but it was all

her. She sang from somewhere deep.”

COUNTRY ROOTS

IN A CITY LIFE

Koko never shed her southern identity.

“She was country, and I mean that as a


compliment,” Bruce says. “She came to Chicago in 1951

to escape the racism of the South. But she kept her roots.

She never tried to be slick.”

She also stayed fiercely independent. “She never borrowed

money from me. She and her husband bought a

home together, which was quite an achievement for two

people doing hard labour jobs.”

KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE

Bruce is quick to acknowledge

that Koko, like so many others,

risks fading from memory.

“We’re overwhelmed with media now. Artists like Koko,

Albert Collins, Luther Allison, they’re vivid in my mind.

But they could be forgotten.”

Still, he hopes Crown Jewels will remind new fans of what

made Koko Taylor the undisputed Queen of the Blues.

“She believed in the healing power of the blues. And

that’s what this record is. It’s a reminder of her spirit, her

soul, and her voice. She made us feel better. That was her

magic.”


VÂLCEA

OPEN AIR BLUES

FESTIVAL

BREZOI 2025

STEPHEN HARRISON

DENIS CARPENTIER

Now in its seventh year, the Vâlcea Open Air Blues

Festival in Brezoi has firmly established itself as one of

Europe’s most welcoming and scenic blues events. Set in

a valley surrounded by forested hills and mountains, it’s

a stunning location with a growing reputation for quality

music and a genuinely relaxed vibe.

Each year, the festival expands – more bands, more fans,

and stronger international recognition. Blues Matters

has been lucky enough to attend for several years, and we

remain the only UK blues magazine invited.

This year, the festival kicked off with the European Blues

Challenge, held in a shaded tent at the far end of the site.

Eight bands from across Romania competed, with Green

Onions Experience winning the chance to represent

Romania in Poland in 2026.

What sets Brezoi apart is the atmosphere. It’s informal,

friendly, and surprisingly personal for a festival of this

size. From organisers and crew to food vendors and

fellow fans, everyone treats you like part of the family.

There’s no pretension, no inflated prices – just good music,

good people, and a sense of community.

The site itself is well thought out. Food and drink stalls

are varied, fairly priced, and easy to access. A beer’s

around £3, not £7. Merch stalls are busy but never

overcrowded, and the whole place runs smoothly without

ever feeling overly corporate or commercial.

Of course, the main draw is the music. This year’s line-up

was stacked with quality acts, and the standard across

the board was seriously impressive. Big names shared

the stage with emerging talent, and it all felt part of one

shared celebration of the blues.

For me, a standout moment came just before Keb’ Mo’s

acoustic set. Backstage, he was quietly warming up on a

National Steel guitar, no fuss, no audience – just playing

for himself. It wasn’t a moment for a selfie or a recording.

It was a moment to listen. Watching him perform shortly

after on the main stage was the perfect follow-up.

That experience – getting to see artists up close, not as

celebrities but as musicians – is one of the things that

makes Brezoi so special. The access, the openness, the

respect on both sides of the fence.

Over the past two years, this festival has had a big impact

on me – both as a fan and as a writer. I’ve travelled a lot

to see live music, but Brezoi stands out. The welcome

from locals, the quality of the line-up, the setting, and the

down-to-earth nature of everyone involved make it hard

to beat.

Highlights this year included D.K. Harrel, John Németh,

Zac Schulze, Sue Foley, and Keb’ Mo’, among many others.

Too many to name, really. But to everyone involved –

organisers, crew, artists, volunteers – thank you. You’ve

built something great here.

And to the blues itself: you’re alive, well, and in very good

hands.







ROLL

WITH THE

PUNCHES

BRYAN ADAMS

With a career spanning over four decades, Bryan Adams stands as one of rock music’s most enduring

and beloved figures. From anthemic hits like Summer of ‘69 and Heaven to powerful ballads and

high-octane live performances, Adams has carved out a legacy defined by raw emotion, timeless

songwriting, and an unmistakable voice.

Colin Campbell

Arnie Goodman

As a singer, songwriter, guitarist, photographer, and tireless

touring artist, he continues to captivate audiences

around the world. Blues Matters caught up with Bryan

to talk about his creative journey, the stories behind the

songs on his new release, Roll With The Punches and

what still drives him after all these years in the spotlight.

Adams may not be the first name that springs to

mind when thinking of the blues; but as he reveals in this

candid conversation, blues has always been humming just

below the surface of his style.

EARLY BEGINNINGS: HAIR, GUI-

TARS, AND BASEMENT BANDS

Bryan Adams wasn’t born into a musical family, but the

seeds were there. “No, not particularly, but my father

loved music and had a big stereo. It wasn’t my music, but

it was music, and it made an impression.”

Albums became an escape for a young Bryan. He was

drawn to rock bands “with lots of hair and guitars,” and

though he originally wanted to be a drummer, a flamenco

acoustic guitar gifted by his father became the unlikely

spark for his musical journey.

“I just took to it because I didn’t have much choice,” he

laughs. “I had a chord book and a little mouth organ to

help tune the guitar. It was a trial-by-fire kind of education.”

Soon enough, he was in school bands “basement bands,”

as he calls them where he discovered another hidden

talent. “We kept placing ads for singers, but no one ever

came, so I just stepped up to the microphone. That’s how I

started singing.”

His early vocal inspirations included Stevie Wonder,

whose Songs In The Key Of Life resonated deeply. A

memory stands out on singing Can’t Find My Way Home

by Blind Faith during a jam session, and the stunned

silence that followed. “No one said anything afterwards.

They all just looked at me; even I couldn’t believe I did it.”

FROM GARAGES TO ARENAS

Adams is no stranger to massive crowds, but interestingly,

it’s not the stadiums that make him nervous.

“It’s almost always more terrifying to sing in front of your

friends,” he reveals. While he’s more comfortable now

with larger venues, “things sound and look better” he

still finds value in playing club gigs, returning to his roots.

Whether it’s 500 or 50,000 in the crowd, Adams stresses

the importance of being able to read the room.

“Sometimes I imagine myself in the audience. What would

I want to see? That usually sets me straight.”

His setlists are crafted before each show, but he keeps

it fluid. “If something’s not flowing, we change it up. You

have to stay connected to the energy of the room.”

BLUES BENEATH THE SURFACE

So where does the blues fit in a Bryan Adams record?

“I think I’m quite a bit more bluesy than people think,

especially in my guitar playing,” he explains. “If you listen

to the lead on A Little More Understanding or go back to

Heat of the Night, you’ll hear it, that’s me.”

Though he humbly claims he’s never “mastered any of the

great blues licks,” Adams sees blues as an essential undercurrent

in his musical DNA, more attitude and emotion

than technique.

The Independent Spirit Behind Roll With The Punches

Adams’ latest album, Roll With The Punches, isn’t just

another record, it marks a personal and professional

turning point. For the first time in over 40 years, he’s an

independent artist.

“My contract with Universal had been bounced around

for decades, now I’m free! And not just from the label, but

from management too. I’m starting again.” That newfound

freedom sparked the title track, which Adams co-wrote

with long-time collaborator Mutt Lange.

“I sent him the idea, he sent something back, and we went

back and forth online. Once we had that song, I knew it

was the cornerstone of the album. Every record I make

has one track that sets the tone, this was it.” The song is

more than just an opener; it’s a mission statement.

“It was a message to myself: keep going. Roll with the

punches.”

A CREATIVE JOURNEY, ONE DAY

AT A TIME

Creating a Bryan Adams album is a slow burn, not a rush

job. “I usually start when touring winds down. Then it’s a

year of writing, chasing ideas, digging into old lyric sheets.

It’s one day at a time. I’ll cut a song, listen the next day,

maybe speed it up or chop it down; it’s construction.”

Whilst collaboration remains central to his process, Roll

With The Punches feels deeply personal, reflecting not


only his bluesy guitar licks and gritty vocals but also

his resilience and reinvention. “I’d advise any artist

to think about going independent,” Adams says. “It’s

liberating.”

Bryan Adams: Still Playing It from the Heart Bryan

Adams might not walk the traditional bluesman’s

path, but his raw honesty, independence, and passion

for live performance place him firmly in the spirit of

the blues. With Roll With The Punches, he’s not only

paying homage to those roots, but he’s also forging

ahead, guitar in hand, voice unwavering, rolling with

every punch and playing from the soul.

FREEDOM, LABELS &

LESSONS LEARNED

After decades signed to major labels, Adams has

stepped into a new phase of his career: full independence.

“You can go with a big label and hope you’re not

treated like a piece of furniture, or you can build your

own network. Hire people you like and work with,” he

says with a pragmatic edge.

For young artists, he recognises the value of the “big

machine” when starting out but emphasises the importance

of control and awareness as you grow.

“Once you’ve done it for 20, 30, 40 years, you know

what’s going on. You just need clever people beside

you, making sure the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed.”

His advice to newcomers? “Be cautious, stay flexible,

and keep arrangements short-term. Make sure it’s

a year-by-year deal. Things change fast, keep your

options open and be careful what you sign.”

A BLUESMAN’S PHILOSOPHY

Though Adams has often been labelled a rock artist,

his approach to songwriting and performance is deeply

informed by the blues.

“The real blues, traditional blues comes from America,

it’s heartfelt. One of my heroes is Willie Dixon.

His songs had melancholy and humour and a clever

turn of phrase.” That mix of sorrow and strength,

vulnerability, and wit, resonates throughout Roll With

The Punches. The blues, for Adams, isn’t just a musical

style it’s a worldview. “If you’ve got the blues, it


doesn’t mean it’s over. It just means you’ve got to shake it

off. That’s what Roll With The Punches is about.”

FROM GUT INSTINCT TO

GLOBAL STAGE

For Adams, success has never been just about charts and

awards. “I used to say success was being able to pay rent

with the music. That feeling was the best.” It all came from

following his gut instincts. “Trusting your instinct never

stops. I sing about that on the album. Dig deep, if it feels

right, it probably is. That’s something I’ve done from the

very beginning.” He recalls a recent rehearsal where a live

performance changed everything. “We were about to release

Make Up Your Mind and played it at soundcheck. It

didn’t feel right. We realised we were playing it six beats

per minute faster than we’d recorded it. So, we went back

to the studio and cut it again.” It’s a perfect example of

Adams’ process: test, tweak, and trust the feeling.

“Dig deep,

if it feels

right, it

probably is”

“You can’t sing the blues unless you’ve had the blues.”

While he acknowledges you can perform songs outside

your experience, the connection deepens when you’ve

lived it.

“It’s better if you’ve felt it. That’s when the emotion

comes through.” Whether it’s the groove of A Little More

Understanding or the lyrical punch of Roll With The

Punches,” Adams’ songs straddle musical lines, part rock,

part blues, all honesty.

SONGS WITH SOUL AND PURPOSE

Among the album’s highlights is the track How’s That

Working For Ya, a long-simmering idea brought to life

with longtime collaborator Jim Vallance.

“We had the music for ages, but the lyric wasn’t working.

Eventually, I cobbled something together, sent it to Jim,

and he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s all right.’ It’s a message to a

friend no one in particular. Just a bit of a laugh.”

LIVE, LOUD, AND

STILL LEARNING

With four new tracks from his new album released so far

and all of them featured live, Adams is more energised

than ever.

“It’s exciting, some of it’s challenging, like playing bass and

singing at the same time. It keeps you sharp.” He doesn’t

play to expectations, preferring instead to follow inspiration

wherever it leads.

Other tracks run deeper, Be the Reason is a heartfelt ode

to connection.

“I love the idea of being the reason someone smiles.

Whether it’s nostalgic or reflective, that’s what musicians

should aim for, making people feel something.”

The socially conscious A Little More Understanding may

be Adams’ most timely song to date.

“It’s a song for the times. We’re so polarised, left, right,

up, down. But if you walk in my shoes, and I walk in yours,

maybe we’ll understand each other better.”

THE BLUES AS EMOTION AND

EXPRESSION

Adams connects the blues to emotional truth, noting,

“I’m not really doing singles, just putting out songs and

making a fuss about each one.”

Asked to name a favourite track from the new record, he

hesitates. “I kind of like them all. Right now, I’m focused

on A Little More Understanding because it just came out.

But honestly, they all have their moment.”


A ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE

Bryan Adams may have started as a scrappy Canadian

rocker, but today he stands as an example of artistic

self-sufficiency. Through grit, gut instinct, and a whole lot

of soul, he’s still rolling strong and writing, performing,

and keeping the blues close to the heart. “There are two

kinds of people in this business,” he says with a grin. “The

creatives... and the burglars.”

He’s proudly one of the former, still playing from the

heart, still paying it forward, and still trusting the blues to

carry him through.

WHAT MAKES A SONG STICK

Asked what defines a good song, Adams doesn’t hesitate:

“Just something I can remember. If I can remember it the

next day, then it’s a good song. It may not be a great song,

but it’s good.” Simplicity, memorability, and emotional resonance

seem to be the core of Adams’ songwriting ethos.

It’s not about complexity or flash, it’s about connection.

Crowds Around the World, Same Energy, Same Fire

Whether it’s a sold-out show in Paris or a festival crowd

in Ontario, Adams sees a shared enthusiasm in

audiences worldwide. “They’re pretty much

the same everywhere. But places like Spain,

Italy, Portugal, there’s something about

the water down there. The crowds just

go off. There’s so much energy.” Still,

wherever people “pitch up,” Adams

finds that they’re usually “up for

it.” That shared anticipation,

the electric exchange between

artist and audience, never gets

old.

STILL LOVING THE ROAD

For many artists, life on tour becomes tiring. Not for Adams.

“Oh yeah. Very much. I still love it.” And what fuels

that passion, even after all these years?

“Songs. It’s the songs that keep me going.” Each new day,

each new city, presents a new chance to connect through

music, and that more than anything, keeps him moving

forward.

MUSIC AS MOTIVATION, MUSIC AS

MEDICINE

Some artists chase fame. Adams chases meaning and

finds it in the small moments.

“It’s great to look back on the calendar and think, ‘Wow,

what a great year.’ There’s a lot to look forward to. There

are so many good things going on. It’s inspiring to know

my day will end with singing for people, sharing music,

being the reason someone smiles.”

That connection to his audience is something he cherishes

deeply. “Sometimes fans write in and say, ‘This song

helped me get through something.’ It’s incredible. I share

those notes with Jim [Vallance], my co-writer.

We started some of those songs in kitchens

or basements... and now they’re helping

people around the world. Music

made me happy, and I’m pleased

it’s making other people happy

too.”

For further details see

bryanadams.com

STRANGEST

STAGE,

STRONGEST

MEMORIES

When asked about the

most unusual venue

he’s ever played, Adams

pauses. “I don’t know

why, but I suddenly

thought of Carnegie Hall. I

played it once acoustically.

It’s very dead, acoustically

speaking. kind of odd.”

Despite being one of the most

legendary halls in the world, its

stark quietness left an impression.

Still, it was memorable if surreal.

“There’s something about being

there, alone, with just an acoustic

guitar. You’re in this magnanimous

space. It’s strange.”



GOOD CROOK

CHRIS VINCENT

When it comes to blending raw talent with heartfelt storytelling, few

musicians do it quite like Chris Vincent. With a voice that carries the

weight of lived experience and guitar chops that echo the roots of blues,

folk, and soul, Vincent has steadily carved out a space all his own.

Colin Campbell

Supplied

Whether he’s playing to a packed club or recording in

a stripped-back studio session, his authenticity shines

through every note. In this exclusive interview, Chris

talks candidly about his musical journey, the influences

that shaped him, and the stories behind the songs on his

new release, Good Crook.

It’s a blistering summer day in New Orleans with Chris

Vincent, a singer-songwriter whose journey through the

blues has taken as many turns as the Mississippi River.

From youthful discovery to a hard-fought return to music,

Vincent’s story is soaked in experience, hardship, and a

relentless creative fire. “I love it here, I’ve felt like this was

home for a long, long time. It feels like a pizza oven when

I open my door” he thrives off the city’s musical stew.

“There’s a reason this record is getting released in the

summertime, it’s easier to book studio time, and the city

just fuels the songwriting. A lot of these songs come from

conversations I have just walking around.”

FINDING THE BLUES – A BACKWARD JOURNEY

Vincent admits he was a late arrival to the musical table.

“I picked up a guitar at 17 after getting into Bob Dylan at

15”. But it wasn’t long before his musical compass started

pointing backwards, through the Rolling Stones to Keith

Richards, and eventually all the way to Robert Johnson

and Son House. “Keith Richards plays in open G because

of Robert Johnson, who played in open A. That’s what led

me there, and when I first heard Johnson, I thought, that’s

three guitars, I couldn’t make head or tail of it, it was

pre-internet, and it blew my mind.” But it was Son House

who unlocked the mystery for him. “His style had enough

space between the notes that I could start figuring it out.

I found his album The Real Folk Blues, and I ran it back so

many times I bet I could still play it note-for-note today.”

FROM DELTA BLUES TO DETOURS

By the late ‘90s, Vincent was gaining traction as a traditional

blues artist, gigging and touring from a home base

in New Orleans. But with the success came the shadows.

“Like a lot of artists, the lifestyle didn’t agree with me,” he

admits. “It agreed with me, but it didn’t agree with me.”

Alcohol and other distractions began to dominate.

It was a moment of clarity and love that changed

everything. “The woman I was with said, ‘Chris, this place

is gonna kill you.’ She left and asked me to come with her.

That was the beginning of a long road. I eventually got

sober five years ago.”

THE JAZZ CATALYST AND OPEN G REVELATION

When Vincent got sober, it coincided with the onset of

the COVID pandemic. “I looked around my apartment in

New Jersey and said, ‘There’s no way I’m walking out of

this one.” He checked into rehab the next day and began

the work of rebuilding, not just his life, but his musical

self.

“I spent a year just playing, I’ve got a Joe Pass poster on

the wall, and I thought, if I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna

shoot for the highest level I can.” Vincent now blends

blues with intricate jazz phrasing; all in open G tuning, a

technical feat that required him to reinvent how chords

are formed, and songs are structured. “There’s no manual

for playing jazz in open G,” he laughs. “I had to reconfigure

everything. But I put the time in, I wrote and wrote and

wrote.”


ROOTS AND LUCK

Despite the depth of his musical knowledge, Vincent

didn’t come from a musical family. “My mom loved music,

but no one could sing or play a note,” he says with a grin.

“I’m lucky I talk in the key of G, that’s basically how I

get by!” It’s that kind of humility, mixed with grit and

self-deprecating humour that defines Chris Vincent.

He’s walked through fire, come out the other side, and

now stands rooted in the very soil that once threatened

to consume him. His songs echo not just the blues of the

Delta, but the jazz of Birdland and the resilience of a man

who chose to fight his way back to his art. “I wouldn’t

want to be anywhere else,” he says, glancing toward that

blast-furnace door. “New Orleans is where the songs live.”

“I’m a drummer trapped in a guitar player’s body,” says

Chris Vincent with a laugh, but the comment reveals

more than a quirk of self-perception, it unveils the rhythmic

engine behind Good Crook, his latest record and the

bond between musician and instrument, with a special

nod to “Gloria,” his 1947 Gibson L7.

A ONE-MAN STORY MACHINE: WHY GUITAR?

“I love the fact that a single person can write their story

and present it on a guitar,” he reflects. “Back to Bob

Dylan, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Bukka

White... those guys shaped how I approached the instrument.

Especially Bukka, he was a big eye-opener for me

with that chugging rhythm. I realised guitar didn’t have to

be folky or polite. It could be a whole lot more. One of my

goals is to meld very disparate influences. Blues and jazz

might get side-eyed by each other, but to me, it’s all the

same 12 notes. When they come together right, they can

tell a story that hasn’t been told before.”

WHAT KIND OF MUSIC IS IT, ANYWAY?

“I was talking with my publicist, and I stumbled over it.

I said, ‘Well, it’s jazz, blues, country, Americana, folk…

it’s all melded together and rhythmic.’ and he just said,

‘You’re a roots player.’ That’s probably the easiest way to

put it. When I listen to the record, I don’t hear me copying

others. I hear me pulling styles together and hopefully

sounding like myself.”

GOOD CROOK: JAZZ MASQUERADING AS BLUES

Vincent calls Good Crook a blues record, through and

through, but with layers that tell a deeper story. Half of

the 12-song record features full band arrangements,

while the other half is just Vincent and his guitar.

“Some of the band material, especially with Johnny Vidacovich

on drums, leans toward jazz. Johnny’s a monster.

A master musician. Not your typical drummer cliché he’s

more like an artist painting with rhythm. We tracked all

the Johnny stuff in just four hours,” he says, still amazed.

“I’d sent him the songs beforehand, but it became clear

he hadn’t listened to them. So, we just jumped in. I’d show

him the structure, say ‘at the four we’re gonna break,’ and

he’d go ‘Got it.’ That’s it. He’d just nail it. It was like watching

Matisse pick the perfect red and make a single brushstroke.

Perfect. If you ask me, a lot of the band material

on the record is jazz masquerading as blues. I like it that

way. I’m not into layering a million tracks. If I can’t play it

live for you the way it sounds on the record, I don’t want

to do it.” He likens the approach to the old school: Louis

Armstrong, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, musicians who could

walk into a studio, lay down a tune in an afternoon, and

walk out. “There might be clams,” he says of the occasional

imperfect note, “but that’s jazz, that’s real.”

GLORIA: THE HEART OF THE SOUND

Ask any blues player about their guitar, and you’ll get a

story. For Chris Vincent, it’s all about “Gloria,” a 1947

Gibson L7 archtop. “I’m a fortunate man, that guitar man,

it’s a beast. Late-40s Gibsons are killer, and this one’s

over 75 years old and still rock solid. The tuners are even

original. She’s got throttles, play her soft and gentle, and

she sings. But when I start whacking the hell out of it,

she doesn’t flinch. Flat tops can get overwhelmed, but

archtops like this are made to take it. They’re built to

swing.” Vincent had her refretted by Benjamin Strange

of Strange Guitar Works in New Orleans. “I crossed my

fingers and told him, ‘Don’t mess this up,’ and he nailed it.

People ask about my guitar playing, and I tell them: I’m a

drummer trapped in a guitarist’s body. I can’t sit behind a

kit and play drums properly, but rhythmically, that’s how

I think. I’ve had many girlfriends, but one wife, my friend

and that’s my guitar.”

It’s this sense of groove that drives Good Crook a record

as steeped in tradition as it is restless to move forward.

Chris Vincent’s music doesn’t settle neatly into any

genre bin, but that’s the point. He’s telling his story. With

rhythm. With edge. With Gloria by his side.

BUILT FROM THE FLOOR: A RECORD WITH SOUL

Chris Vincent’s latest album oozes authenticity it feels

live, unvarnished, organic. How did it all start? “Our

mutual friend Dean Zucchero, the Zen Master Buddhist

Captain Hub of New Orleans.” A laugh follows, but the

sentiment is serious. Dean played bass on several tracks

and, more crucially, encouraged him to reach out to New

Orleans jazz drumming legend Johnny Vidacovich.

“I didn’t even know the guy, Dean said, ‘Give him a call.’ I

did, and Johnny was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll play on your record.”

Just like that, the seed of the record was planted. Production

took place at Jake Eckert’s River Shack Studios

in uptown New Orleans modest from the outside, but


Grammy-decorated within. “Next record that’s where I’m

going again. Why fix something that isn’t broken?”

SONGS FROM THE GUT

When asked about his songwriting process, Vincent

paints a vivid picture. “A lot of them come from conversations,”

he says. “There’s always a kernel.” One example

is the track Midnight After All, inspired by a tale relayed

through a friend: a woman making one bad decision too

many, culminating in a toxic relationship and an unexpected

pregnancy. “I said the phrase, ‘That’s a needle spinning

backwards. That was the song right there.” But perhaps

no track cuts deeper than Catherine the Great. “I thought

I was writing about someone else; a woman lost in the

scene, drugs, bad choices. Two days later, I looked in the

mirror and thought, ‘Son of a bitch… Catherine’s me.’” He

pauses, visibly moved even in recollection. “That was me,

man. The drinking, the drugs. I quit a thousand times.” The

song’s haunting line, “You can bring a horse to water, and

you can whip it down the trail”, became a chilling moment

of self-realisation.

THE FLOODGATES OPENED

Vincent’s journey into sobriety was hard-earned. “When

I got sober, it was like hitting a floodgate,” he says. “The

songs poured out. If I told you how many I’ve written

since moving to New Orleans, you’d think I was bullshitting

but I’m not.” In the fog of rehab, a doctor’s words hit

hard: “You wouldn’t have made it a month. You’d have

fallen asleep and not woken up.” Catherine the Great, it

turns out, was written from the other side of the darkness.

“I’m grateful I could do that. Not everyone makes

it.” The irony, he notes, is that New Orleans, a city known

for indulgence, became his sanctuary. “People thought I

was nuts to move here after rehab. But this place, for me,

is a daily reminder. I walk outside and I see where I’d be

if I went back. So, I don’t.” The city not only saved Chris

Vincent, but it also sings through his strings. The track

New Orleans, My Darling captures his complex love for

the Crescent City. “That one started with the guitar part;

an inversion on the four chords. When I play it live, it’s

never quite the same. That’s New Orleans, man. You feel

it, not fix it.”

Vincent credits collaborators like Dean and drummer

Travis Mark his road partner with the Raw Deals for

building the backbone of his evolving sound. “Dean let

the songs breathe. He knows when to play, and when not

to play, that’s rare.”

WASTED TIME, REDEMPTION, AND WHAT’S NEXT

Themes of loss, redemption, and wasted time ripple

through Vincent’s lyrics. “There’s a line in one song —

‘Things will go our way, or they won’t.’ That was how I

lived,” he admits. “Day to day, I didn’t care. But those days

are behind me now.”

With another album already in the works and another

trip to River Shack Studios on the horizon, Chris Vincent

is not just rebuilding his life, he’s crafting a legacy. From

heartache to healing, his songs tell stories we all feel, but

few can articulate.

ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Vincent’s message to up-and-coming musicians is clear:

Be yourself. “Listen to everything. If something doesn’t

speak to you, move on. But explore different styles. As

a guitar player, don’t be a clone. When I want to hear

Albert King, I press play on Albert King. I don’t want to

hear someone else doing Albert King. It took me a long

time and a lot of shitty situations to get here. I used to

drink too much because I was hiding from who I was. This

is who I am now. And if you’re going to be an artist, live

like one. Write your own story. If others like it, great. But

you’ve got to like it first.”

FINDING YOUR VOICE

Vincent speaks passionately about the long road to

developing a voice of your own. “It takes time. Whether

it’s saxophone, guitar, or drums, millions of people have

played these instruments. But when I hear Albert King?

Two notes, that’s Albert King. Same with B.B. King. Or

Johnny Vodakovich one drum roll and I know it’s him.

He’s himself. That’s what I’m chasing, too.”

ON TRADITION AND MOVING FORWARD

To the readers of Blues Matters, Vincent has a parting

thought: “Keep falling in love with the blues and keep an

open mind about what it can still be, not just what it has

to be. The blues will always be rooted in the past, but it

doesn’t have to stay there. It’s a good place to visit, not a

place to get stuck.”

He knows his approach might alienate some traditionalists.

“But maybe, if they listen to the songs, they might

change their minds. And if not? That’s okay too. But you

listen to Johnny Vodakovich play drums and tell me that

guy sucks—then something’s wrong with your equation.”

NEW ALBUM, NEW DIRECTION

As for the road ahead, Vincent is taking an unconventional

route with his upcoming album release. “It’s working so

far. Thanks to people like you who are open-minded and

willing to say, ‘This isn’t 1950s blues, but it’s blues just the

same.’ I can’t thank you enough. I hope your listeners love

it; I really do.”

For further information see

www.ChrisVincentNewOrleans.com

EXPLORE


COLIN &

ROBBIE

IN THE

US OF A

PART 3: MISSISSIPPI MUSINGS

“What are you doing next week?”

“Not much,” says I...

Welcome to a special three-part series capturing an unforgettable journey through the American South,

taken by photographer and writer Colin Campbell alongside blues musician Robbie Reay. Over the next

three issues, we’ll follow their week-long adventure from Memphis to Clarksdale and beyond, exploring

legendary venues, meeting blues icons, and tracing the roots of the music that continues to shape the

world. Packed with colour, culture and unexpected encounters, this story is a heartfelt homage to the

spirit of the blues and the people who keep it alive.

Day 5 - Farewells, Fishing,

and Beale Street Blues

We both had our reasons for taking this journey—Colin,

to explore the roots of the blues and soak in the experience;

Robbie, to gather inspiration for new songs and

reconnect with old friends while making new ones. That

mission was already proving fruitful.

After snapping a few final photos and saying farewell to

our base at 482, Robbie played one last tune on the porch

of the Hopson Commissary. Then it was off to Yazoo Pass

in Clarksdale for a hearty breakfast before heading to

visit the one and only Deak Harp.

Colin sat down to interview Deak at Deak’s Mississippi

Saxophones and Blues Emporium, followed by stops at

the legendary Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Arts and the

excellent Delta Blues Museum.

Outside the museum, we had a surprise encounter with

Anthony “Big A” Sherman—always great to chat with a

local bluesman.

Across the road, we reflected somberly on the fire that

had devastated the Delta Blues Alley Café just two nights

earlier, on 22 March. A tragic loss for Clarksdale and a

blow to the upcoming Juke Joint Festival, as it was one of

the venue hotels.

Over at Ground Zero Blues Club, we were welcomed by a

lovely couple, Steven Gorman and Dianna, and spent time

singing and chatting beneath the watchful gaze of Robert

Johnson’s mural.

Then it was time to hit the road again—northbound on

Highway 61. We paused for some catfish fishing at Friars

Point, Mississippi, driving down to the banks of the

mighty Mississippi River. Absolutely spectacular.

That evening, we were back on Beale Street, Memphis,

soaking in the sounds, enjoying some blues, and hanging

out with fellow musician Douglas Banks, drummer for

Ronnie Earl. We caught a fantastic set from Cowboy

Neale and The Real Deal on Beale at the Rum Boogie

Café. Another late night, but this time we made it back to

the hotel!

Day 6 – Stax, Shacks

and a Guest Spot at Hambone

The morning after another great night on Beale Street

began with a visit to the iconic Stax Museum of American

Soul Music. We could have stayed there all day—so much

history, incredible memorabilia, and soul at every turn.

Rufus Thomas’ suit was a highlight among many.

Heading back south to Clarksdale, we stopped for a

mouth-watering BBQ pork sandwich at Big T & Kay’s

Smokehouse—absolutely delicious.

Back in Clarksdale, we checked in to Pinetop Perkins’

Shack at the Shack Up Inn. Pinetop was a legendary blues

pianist who once worked on the Hopson plantation, and

the shack is filled with nods to his legacy—including a

piano.

That evening, we returned to Stan Street’s Hambone




Art Gallery and the adjoining Hopeless Case Bar, where

Robbie made a guest appearance, joined by Stan himself

on harp. Another memorable night of music—and we also

managed to interview Stan for good measure.

A perfect end to a perfect day.

Day 7 – Graves, Legends and Goodbyes

Our final full day began with breakfast at Our Grandma’s

House of Pancakes in Clarksdale—hearty and delicious

after another great night at Hambone.

Saying our goodbyes to The Shack Up Inn and Pinetop’s

shack, we headed out on Highway 61 for the last time.

Colin got excited when he spotted what he thought was

a vinyl record shop open. A quick 180-degree handbrake

turn led to some disappointment—it wasn’t that kind of

vinyl! But not to worry, a few blocks down the road we

discovered a brilliant flea market that had everything:

records, old car plates—you name it.

We pressed on to visit the graves of Charley Patton

and Willie Foster. The bird songs of the Delta made the

experience feel incredibly peaceful. Nearby in Moorhead

is the very spot Where the Southern Crosses the Dog—a

phrase that resonates deeply with blues historians.

Next up was the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive

Center. Feeling hungry, we tried to grab lunch across

the road at The Blue Biscuit, but we were a little too

late—shame, we were curious about whether the biscuits

were actually blue!

Back at the museum, we found ourselves sitting in B.B.

King’s boardroom, chatting with Robert Terrell, Deputy

Director and band member. With B.B.’s portrait watching

over us, it was a powerful and emotional moment.

The museum experience was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Walking through B.B.’s story was humbling. It all

culminates with a memorial statue and his final resting

place—a truly moving tribute to one of the greats.

Still reflecting on the emotional weight of that visit, we

made one last detour—Tutwiler Railway Station, where

W.C. Handy first heard the blues in 1903, as a man played

slide guitar with a knife and sang about where “the Southern

cross the Dog.” Handy would later adapt that moment

into Yellow Dog Blues, laying the groundwork for becoming

the “Father of the Blues.”

Back in Clarksdale, we returned the cigar box guitar to

Art, who was getting set up for Watermelon Slim’s show

that evening at the Bluesberry Café. One last glance into

Ground Zero Blues Club, and then we were back on the

61, heading north.

We dropped off the Recording King guitar at Guitar

Center, then hit Beale Street one last time.

Dinner? Incredible. Ribs at Blues City Café. Afterward,

we met up with John Németh at B.B. King’s Blues Club,

where he jumped on stage and performed a soulful version

of Please Accept My Love.

The night didn’t end there. After last orders, John drove

us around Memphis on a mission for chocolate ice

cream—extra chocolate, of course—while we chatted

about music. We even stopped off at Sun Studios for a

photo op.

A Trip to Remember...

The next day, as we waited at Memphis Airport, we

reflected on the journey—on the music, the people, the

places, and the stories that made it all unforgettable.



THE BONE

SHAKERS



ONE FOOT IN

THE GROOVE

The Boneshakers are a blues-boogie-soul outfit blending the grit of Chicago blues with the groove of the Delta

and the unmistakable swagger of Muscle Shoals. With a growing international following and a back catalogue

of fiery albums and explosive live shows, the band continues to push forward without losing sight of its roots.

Founding member Randy Jacobs took a rare break between tour flights to talk about the band’s journey, influences,

and the unmistakable sound they call “Boneshakers Style”.

Andy Hughes

Supplied

From Detroit to the World

Guitarist and producer Randy Jacobs has long been a respected

figure behind the scenes, having lent his talent to

artists such as Seal, Bonnie Raitt, Michael McDonald, Lisa

Stansfield, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, and Tears For Fears.

But it was with the trailblazing funk-rock group Was

(Not Was) that Jacobs first carved out a unique musical

identity.

During a hiatus from WNW, Jacobs launched The Boneshakers,

initially with Sweet Pea Atkinson on vocals. The

band’s early output included Book of Spells (1997) and

Shake the Planet (1998), both released through Pointblank/Virgin.

The turn of the millennium saw the release

of Pouring Gasoline and a pair of live albums, Put Some

Booty On It Volumes 1 and 2, showcasing a raw, uncompromising

energy that would become their hallmark.

After a break to raise his son, Jacobs returned in 2015

with a collaborative project alongside Mindi Abair. Under

the name Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers, the group

released three albums before concluding their run in

2019. In 2020, fate intervened when producer John

Wooler invited Jacobs to play on a project for Jenny

Langer’s band, Moonshine Society. The creative chemistry

was instant, and Langer soon became the new frontwoman

for The Boneshakers. Their first album together,

One Foot in the Groove, was released in 2022.

Eleven Albums In

With album number eleven on the way, Jacobs is clear on

what keeps the music relevant. “It’s about great songs,

groove swagger, soulful moments, and blues with rockfunk

intensity,” he says.

Unlike artists who painstakingly craft songs through

hours of rewriting, Jacobs works by instinct. “John Wooler

sends us covers he thinks will work. Jenny’s voice and

my guitar need to shine. For originals, sometimes I send

her a musical idea and she writes lyrics. Other times she

gives me lyrics and I build the music. I don’t force it. The

inspiration has to be real.”

Deciding when a track is finished comes down to collaboration.

“John, Jenny, Frank Rosato, and I all weigh in. I do

the arrangements, John produces, and Frank engineers.

Everyone brings something important to the final cut.”

Friends and Featured Players

The latest album features an impressive roster of guest

musicians, all personally connected to Jacobs or the band.

“Coco Montoya is a friend and a seriously talented guy.

Don Was is my old bandmate from Was (Not Was). Gregg

Bissonette is someone I’ve known since my early days in

LA — we both grew up in Michigan.”

Others, like saxophonists Jimmy Carpenter and Ron

Holloway, came into the fold through Jenny Langer. Sir

Harry Bowens, another Was (Not Was) alum, is considered

family. “We also have Bobby Rush, who we used to

open for, and now he’s duetting with Jenny on the track

‘Salty’. That’s an honour. John Gros brings that real New

Orleans touch, and David Garza — who plays sax on ‘I Am

The Cool’ — is my father-in-law. And yes, he’s a fantastic

player.”

Shaping the Boneshakers Sound

Blending distinct genres like Chicago blues, Memphis

soul, and Muscle Shoals groove isn’t an easy feat, but


Jacobs makes it sound natural. “It starts with

rhythm. I’m always a rhythm player first. I grew

up in Detroit with Motown, and Chicago wasn’t

far away. I worked with Don Davis, the Stax

guitarist and producer, when I was 20. He introduced

me to the Muscle Shoals sound. I learned

from watching him produce Albert King and

Johnny Taylor.”

Staying True and Staying Fresh

For Jacobs, individuality is everything. “We call

it ‘Boneshakers Style’. On our first album, I took

James Brown’s ‘Cold Sweat’ and made something

new out of it. B.B. King used to tell me,

‘Randy, you keep doing your thing. Play it like

today, not like yesterday.’ That stuck with me.”

The band never plays it safe. “We always change

the arrangements for live shows. If people have

the CD, we want to give them something more

in the moment. Sometimes it even sounds better

than the record.”

Reaching the Right Audience

Every release brings the opportunity to reach

new listeners, and Jacobs is always thinking

about that. “You’ve got to be aware of what

genre you’re being boxed into, but Jenny and I

are trying to reach everyone. If one song hits the

Soul guy, the Rock lady, and the Blues kid, then

we’ve done our job. And honestly, since 2022,

we’ve seen the audience grow.”

“We’re not here

to imitate. We’re

here to add to the

book...”




“Sometimes the live

version is better than

the record”

He sees the band as rooted in more than just blues.

“We’re a blend — blues, R&B, soul, funk, and rock. It

all feeds into what we do.”

The Musical Blueprint

When asked about the artists who shaped his sound,

Jacobs rattles off an eclectic and impressive list. As

a writer, he cites Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield,

Eddie Hinton, Sly Stone, Taj Mahal, and Barrett

Strong. As a musician, he was inspired by Leroy

Manuel (The Fabulous Counts), Bruce Nazarian

(8th Day), Catfish and Dallas Hodge, Jim McCarty

(Cactus), Dennis Coffey, Jesse Ed Davis, Eddie Hazel

(Funkadelic), Glenn Campbell, Carlos Santana, and

both Sly and Freddie Stone. “And of course, Jimi

Hendrix,” he adds.

Dream Stages

There are still a few dream collaborations on Jacobs’

list. “Bonnie Raitt would be my first choice to open

for — we’ve got history. I’d also love to share a stage

with Joe Bonamassa, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Warren

Haynes, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The door’s

open.”

Hitting the Road

The Boneshakers are returning to the UK in autumn

2025 for a full tour, with Holly Montgomery on bass

and vocals, and Arthur Thompson on drums and

vocals. After the UK leg, they’ll head back to the US

for a run of fall dates.

EXPLORE

For full tour details, visit:

www.officialboneshakers.com/tour


BLUES IN A

STATE OF MIND

Antone’s Nightclub Celebrates 50 Years

with a Blues Takeover in New York City

Abbe Sparks

Arnie Goodman

Antone’s, the legendary Austin nightclub founded by

Clifford Antone, took its 50th anniversary celebrations

on the road last month with a two-night takeover of New

York City. It was the first time in almost three decades

that the club brought its sound to the Big Apple, marking

the milestone with two free-to-attend events that paid

tribute to its Texas and Chicago roots.

The weekend began at the intimate Bowery Electric in

the East Village. The night’s line-up featured Chicago

bluesman John Primer (formerly of Muddy Waters’ band),

Port Arthur swamp-pop pioneer Jivin’ Gene Bourgeois,

Kam Franklin of The Suffers, and New York’s own Binky

Griptite, best known as guitarist for Sharon Jones and

the Dap-Kings. All were backed by the Antone’s 50th

All-Stars – a powerhouse ensemble of Austin regulars

including Derek O’Brien, Eve Monsees, Mike Buck of The

Fabulous Thunderbirds, Zach Ernst, and The Texas Horns.

Of particular note, 85-year-old Jivin’ Gene performed on

a New York stage for the first time in over 60 years.

The celebration continued on Sunday night at Lincoln

Center’s Damrosch Park as part of its Summer For The

City series. The outdoor show drew a packed crowd

despite the sweltering heat, and the line-up was stacked

with blues royalty. Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy

Waters), C.J. Chenier (son of Clifton Chenier), Lurrie and

Steve Bell (sons of Carey Bell), Rodd Bland (son of Bobby

‘Blue’ Bland), Benny Turner (brother of Freddie King), and

Texas legend Jimmie Vaughan (older brother to Stevie

Ray Vaughan) all took to the stage, putting their own

mark on their musical heritage.

Also featured were John Primer, 2025 GRAMMY nominee

Sue Foley, and Alligator Records’ Lil’ Ed Williams,

alongside returning performers Eve Monsees and Jivin’

Gene. Every artist was once again backed by the Antone’s

All-Stars, who anchored both evenings with precision

and fire. The finale brought the full cast together for a

show-stopping version of “Got My Mojo Working”, with

each artist taking a verse.

This roadshow was more than just a party – it was a living

tribute to Clifford Antone’s vision. Born in 1949, Clifford

founded the original Antone’s in Austin on July 15, 1975,

opening with a set from zydeco great C.J. Chenier. Over

the years, the club became a proving ground for young

talent like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr., and The

Fabulous Thunderbirds, while welcoming the likes of

B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Ray Charles, James Brown and

Junior Wells. Antone’s was not just a venue, but a blues

institution.

Zach Ernst, Antone’s current talent buyer and musical

director for the anniversary shows, first met Clifford

while studying at the University of Texas. He later took

Antone’s blues history course and eventually joined the

team as guitarist and cultural steward. Now regarded as

the “culture keeper” of the club, Ernst has helped shape a

year of remarkable celebrations, including the upcoming

PBS special taped in Austin earlier this year.

“Here we are in 2025 and who says blues is dead?” said

Ernst. “It’s 50 years later and the blues is still here. For

me, to be the post-apocalyptic architect of the blues is

everything.”

This summer’s events in New York and Austin have been

part of a banner year for Antone’s. In April, the club took

over Austin City Limits for a history-making set featuring

Jimmie Vaughan, Charlie Sexton, Chris Layton, Grace

Bowers, Kam Franklin, Sue Foley, Lil’ Ed Williams, Benny

Turner and Bobby Rush – a true generational crossover

performance.

As the Antone’s story continues into its next chapter, the

message is clear: the blues is alive, and its heart still beats

loud from Austin to New York City.




FAITH

AND OTHER BAD HABITS

An interview with Mitch Laddie

Known for his fiery guitar work, soulful vocals, and a deep reverence

for blues and funk traditions, Mitch Laddie has steadily

carved out a name for himself as one of the UK’s most electrifying

and original musical voices.

Colin Campbell

Supplied

Blending the emotional depth of classic blues with a contemporary edge,

Laddie’s sound is both a homage to legends like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie

Ray Vaughan, and a bold step forward into new sonic territory. In this exclusive

interview, Mitch talks about his musical roots, creative evolution,

and the passion that fuels his ever-growing discography, including a new

release Faith And Other Bad Habits.

The Early Strains: A Childhood Immersed in Music

From the moment Mitch Laddie picked up a guitar at the tender age of

five, his destiny as a musician seemed inevitable. Raised in a household

where his father’s guitar playing was ever-present and his mother’s taste

leaned into progressive rock, Mitch found himself shaped by an eclectic

soundscape. “There were always guitars lying around the house,” he recalls.

“My dad was always rehearsing, and my maternal grandfather was

a huge bluegrass and country and western fan. That was probably the

first genre I really got into.” Music became the bedrock of his identity, an

ever-present companion through childhood. “I can’t imagine not being a

musician,” he says. “It’s just always been there.” While his cousins dabbled

in piano, it was his father who nudged him toward the guitar. “He

played throughout my childhood. That early influence really helped me

stick with it, and I’m glad I did.”

First Gigs and Fender Dreams

Laddie’s first gig came on his birthday in 2005 at a grassroots festival

called Thimbleberry, which he fondly describes as a “mad illegal rave out


in the middle of nowhere.” That same day, he bought his

first Fender Stratocaster with saved-up birthday money;

a symbolic beginning to his musical journey. “It was a big

moment, that guitar represented a commitment.”

Defining Sound

Laddie doesn’t write to a genre. “It’s just an amalgamation

of everything I’ve ever listened to,” he says. “If it doesn’t

feel natural, it’s probably not worth working on.”

That open-minded approach shines through in his sound,

which blends elements of jazz, funk, folk, and blues. “I’m

a big fan of jazz,” he laughs. “Much to my mum’s dismay—

she loved prog, but jazz was a step too far.”

His influences are wide-ranging, from Kenny Burrell and

Miles Davis to Albert King, T-Bone Walker, and Stevie

Ray Vaughan. A teenage obsession with Joe Bonamassa

opened his eyes to how far the blues could stretch.

“THE ACT OF PLAYING

MUSIC, ESPECIALLY

GUITAR, FEELS SPIRITUAL”

A Melting Pot of Soul

Laddie’s latest album Faith and Other Bad Habits is a

culmination of years of musical exploration. The writing

process varied from song to song, some came in flashes

of inspiration, others took months to shape. “Sometimes

it just falls into your lap, and you think, did I even write

this?” he says.

The recording was equally unconventional. “None of the

drums, bass, and guitar were recorded in the same room,”

Mitch explains. Demos were shared, and contributions

layered. “Matt [the drummer] recorded his parts in his

studio. Then Ryan and I did the rest here in mine.”

The Songs: From Shades to Solitude

Take 50 Shades of Blue, for instance, a track born from

spontaneity. “I had my Boss OC-2 pedal on, which I

usually use for bass when looping, and I stumbled on this

groove. Recorded a cheap beat, threw down the idea, and

within hours the demo was done.”

By contrast, Hinode a cinematic instrumental, evolved

over months. “I remember picking up the guitar after a

heavy night out, and this idea just came to me. Despite

how I felt, it poured out, and the rest slowly fell into

place.”

Other tracks, like Faith and Day in the Life of a Broken

Man date back years, with the album’s completion delayed

in part by Laddie’s health. “Some

ideas are three years old. But

bringing them all together

took about six months.”

In Music and in

People

The track, Faith,

carries emotional and

spiritual depth. “It’s

about maintaining belief

in good people and good

things, even when the world

challenges that,” he explains.

“I’m not religious, but I was raised

with that influence. The act of

playing music, especially guitar feels

spiritual. There’s something else going on

when I really connect with it.”

Live performance, he says, allows

that connection to thrive. “When

I was younger, it just happened

naturally. But over time, I started

overthinking my sound, chasing

expectations. Eventually, I rediscovered

that freedom by just

being me.”


Rediscovering the Groove

Mitch Laddie’s musical path has never followed a straight

line. Influenced by blues, jazz, and soul, his evolution as

a guitarist and songwriter has taken many forms—but

always with a focus on feel, faith, and honesty.

His latest single, Worth The Fall, arrived unexpectedly,

just him and an acoustic guitar. “It’s probably one of the

most honest songs I’ve written,” says Mitch. “It felt like it

was just grabbed from nowhere.”

but I’ve found ways to manage them. I’ve got my own studio,

a beautiful wife, great friends, and family. I’ve learned

there’s a lot to live for.”

Redefining Success and Starting Again

Having entered the music world at 17, Mitch Laddie’s

view of success has changed. “Back then, I thought it

meant being everywhere. Now, it’s about happiness and

staying true to what I do.”

He’s already writing the next album with a focus on freedom

and creativity, not pressure. Reflecting on the past,

he says, “I’d tell 17-year-old me to document everything

and be careful who you trust. But some lessons you have

to live.”

Walter Trout remains a major influence. “He told me

to ‘play from the heart’—that’s stuck with me through

everything.”

The album also features a fiery guest performance from

harmonica virtuoso Will Wilde on She Keeps Me Down.

“He’s one of the finest instrumentalists I’ve ever heard,”

says Mitch.

One of the most personal tracks, Angels and Demons,

blends blues, jazz, and roots into something unmistakably

his. “It’s eclectic… it’s me. Not polished or forced—just

truth.”

And when those songs hit the stage, they transform again.

“They grow. They become something else entirely.”

Road Testing and Challenges

Some tracks have already been road-tested, including Angels

and Demons and A Day in the Life of a Broken Man.

Mitch explains, “That one started off solo, just me playing

it live years ago. But now we’ve done it with the band and

even brought in backing vocals. I think it’ll be really nice

to take on the road.”

Others, like The Way It Goes with Love, remain elusive

live due to their complexity. “It’s heavily reliant on keys.

Our friend James Peacock was meant to play it at the

album launch but couldn’t make it due to health reasons.

Without those keys, it just doesn’t hit the same way.”

His Peace, and His Path

When asked to pick a favourite track, Mitch pauses.

“That’s hard, but maybe Angels and Demons again, just

because it captures where I’m at, musically and personally.

It’s a direction I see myself moving toward.”

That direction includes a growing sense of inner peace.

“I’ve got chronic health issues, I’ll never be without them,

For Mitch, blues goes beyond music. “It’s life. It’s struggle,

energy, doing the right thing, and hoping to find meaning

at the end of it all.”

An Independent Spirit

Being an independent artist suits Mitch. “It’s liberating. I

control my sound, my gear, my schedule. I know where my

music’s going, and I get to engage directly with fans.”

He’s grateful for digital platforms and playlist curators

who help spread the word. “People put in serious work

just out of love for the music, that means a lot.”

He also reflects on touring culture, especially in Europe.

“They’ve still got a strong live music culture. Families

come out, they want original music. In the UK, we’ve lost

some of that, it’s tribute bands in arenas, while grassroots

scenes struggle.”

Looking Ahead

With a tour of Spain planned for October, and further

European dates in the works, Mitch is excited. “We do it

all ourselves. No crew. Just us. It’s always an adventure.”

As he signs off, he shares a final message for the Blues

Matters readership:

“Thank you. Thank you for all your support over the

years. I hope you’ll join me on this next chapter. The new

album’s out, and I’m already working on the next one. It’s

been a while, but I’m ready.”

For further information see website: mitchladdie.com

EXPLORE


SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC NEAR YOU

THE BIG BLUES CHART

THE TOP 50 BLUES ALBUMS

POS ARTIST ALBUM LABEL

#1 CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE LOOKOUT HIGHWAY FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#2 D.K. HARRELL TALKIN HEAVY ALLIGATOR

#3 CAROLYN WONDERLAND TRUTH IS ALLIGATOR

#4 LARRY MCCRAY HEARTBREAK CITY KTBA RECORDS

#5 BOBBY RUSH/KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD YOUNG FASHIONED WAYS DEEP RUSH

#6 BRANDON SANTINI WHICH WAY DO WE GO MOMOJO RECORDS

#7 THE ALEXIS P. SUTER BAND JUST STAY HIGH NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#8 JOHN PRIMER GROWN IN MISSISSIPPI BLUES HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

#9 TAD ROBINSON SOUL IN BLUE DELMARK RECORDS

#10 DAVE SPECTER LIVE AT SPACE DELMARK

#11 SOUTHERN AVENUE FAMILY ALLIGATOR

#12 JANIVA MAGNESS BACK FOR ME BLUE ELAN RECORDS

#13 TAJ MAJAL / KEB’ MO’ ROOM ON THE PORCH CONCORD RECORDS

#14 TERRY HANCK GREASE TO GRAVY LITTLE VILLAGE

#15 ANDREW DUNCANSON CALIFORNIA TRAP RUN IT BACK RECORDS

#16 POPA CHUBBY I LOVE FREDDY KING GULF COAST RECORDS

#17 ALLY VENABLE MONEY & POWER RUF

#18 LISA MANN’S NORTHWESTERN ALL-STARS THE GREAT WOMEN IN BLUES JAY RAY RECORDS

#19 TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS CLOSER TO THE BONE ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#20 AKI KUMAR GOD BLESS THE USA LITTLE VILLAGE

#21 SAMANTHA FISH PAPER DOLL ROUNDER RECORDS

#22 TONY HOLIDAY KEEP YOUR HEAD UP FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#23 WILLIE BUCK & BOB CORRITORE OH YEAH! VIZZTONE-SWMAF

#24 REVEREND FREAKCHILD A BLUESMAN OF SORTS TREAD AND RELEASED

#25 JOHNNY IGUANA AT DELMARK DELMARK

#26 THE KERRY KEARNEY BAND THE KENNY KEARNEY BAND PARADIDDLE RECORDS

#27 ALLISON AUGUST AUGUST MOON MOMOJO RECORDS

#28 BRAD GUITAR WILSON THE CALIFORNIAN CALI BEE MUSIC

#29 ALISON JOY WILLIAMS HOW YOU LOOK AT THINGS

#30 SEAN CHAMBERS LIVE FROM DARYL’S HOUSE CLUB QUARTRO VALLEY RECORDS

#31 BOB CORRITORE DOIN’ THE SHOUT VIZZTONE

#32 KID RAMOS STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING NOLA BLUE

#33 KIM FIELD AND THE PERFECT GENTLEMEN DON’T NEED BUT ONE BLUES DREAM RECORDS

#34 DOUG MACLEOD BETWEEN SOMEWHERE AND G’BYE REFERENCE RECORDINGS

#35 FRAN DREW AND THE LUCKY STRIKES TRIAL BY FIRE SHAKEY BUDDHA RECORDS

#36 JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR BLACK & GOLD JOURNEYMAN RECORDS

#37 BOB STROGER & THE HEADCUTTERS BOB IS BACK! DELMARK RECORDS

#38 TIM GARTLAND RIGHT AMOUNT OF FUNKY TASTE OF GOOD MUSIC

#39 RUSTY ENDS & HILLBILLY HOODOO ROADHOUSES, JUKE JOINTS AND ... EARWIG MUSIC

#40 DAVIS COEN LIVE AT PROUD LARRY’S SOUNDVIEW

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

#42 STEVE MARRINER HEAR MY HEART CORDOVA BAY RECORDS

#43 JOHNNY RAWLS MAKE THEM DANCE CATFOOD RECORDS

#44 RONNIE BAKER BROOKS BLUES IN MY DNA ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#45 MERCEDES NICOLE TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY S R

#46 BUDDY GUY AIN’T DONE WITH THE BLUES RCA SILVERTONE

#47 WILL WILDE BLUES IS STILL ALIVE VIZZTONE LABEL GROUP..

#48 ALL THINGS SWAMP DRESSED LITTLE VILLAGE

#49 GA-20 EP VOL 2.

#50 JON CLEARY THE BYWATER SESSIONS FHQ RECORDS

A COASTAL CELEBRATION AT THE NORTH

ATLANTIC BLUES FESTIVAL 2025

The North Atlantic Blues Festival, centered in the small picturesque town of

Rockland, Maine, is considered one of the premier, blues-rooted music festivals

in the US, a recurring event for the past 23 years.

Laura Carbone

The festival takes place right in the harbor at the Public

Landing against a backdrop of sailboats and the Atlantic

Ocean. This festival is special in many regards, not only

for its beautiful location but also for its traditions and

solid line-ups.

And what a line-up there was this year! All of the acts

are considered headliners, with no preference to status

or rank. This festival has a fondness for not only top-tier

artists but also the hottest and newest artists on the

scene in fact, 9 out of the 11 acts were new to the festival

this year. Saturday started off with a bang with Harrell

“Young Rell” Davenport making a big northeast debut on

the festival scene and setting the bar high for all.

At just 17 years old, he is one of a new wave of young

African-American blues artists who fuse classic with

contemporary blues, capturing both raw authenticity

and modern flair. A multi-instrumentalist, a captivating

guitarist, as well as a fat-toned harmonica phenomenon.

Following was The Cash Box Kings, one of the finest

traditional Chicago-style blues bands around, fronted by

Oscar Wilson with his South Side gritty lead vocals. Then

Chris O’Leary took to the stage, a powerhouse vocalist

and dynamic harmonica master, who told his life journey

with his songwriting and onstage presence.

Multiple Blues Music award winner Annika Chambers,

along with her husband, the Canadian powerhouse

guitarist Paul DesLauriers, are not only united in love and

marriage but also with their professional band. Annika’s

gospel-soul vocals combined with Paul’s gritty blues-rock

guitar sent not only a high kick from the audience, but

also Annika, as they kicked it out of Rockland Harbor’s

ballpark. Kenny Neal topped off Saturday with his iconic

soul-drenched swamp blues and a heartfelt performance.

Kenny is a true modern legend.

On Sunday morning, another yearly tradition is for the

kids from the Mid-coast Music Academy Blues Camp to

start off the show. For many of these young musicians,

it marks not only their debut on the big stage but also


the beginning of their musical journey.” Female artists

are always celebrated at this festival, beginning with the

powerful vocals of Geminii Dragon, Jessica “Geminii”

Harper, a powerful vocalist rooted in Louisiana blues,

rock, and soul. Next was the impressive guitar prowess

of International Blues Challenge winner, Mathias Lattin,

another young gun that will one day rule the blues world.

The Blackburn Brothers concert lit up the stage, with soul

as their signature, funk as their feel, and blues as their

foundation—pure fire from start to finish.

The new supergroup DeSoto Tiger is the combined force

of Jason Ricci, Damon Fowler, and Jonathon Boogie Long,

forming a whirlwind of energy and waves of talent that

catapulted off the stage. Sunday ended with the legendary

group Canned Heat, now fronted by Jimmy Vivino,

Dale Wesley Spalding and Rick Reed. They performed a

power-packed blend of their signature hits and extended

boogie jam with DeSoto Tiger for a big blues bang of a

finale.

There are some other special features to this event, such

as the legendary pub crawl which closes Main Street,

which is also coastal highway route 1, on Saturday night.

People can be seen dancing in the streets, and special

guest musicians drop in to play with the regional bands at

the local clubs. This festival also prompted Rockland to

receive one of the very few out-of-state Mississippi Blues

Trail Markers.

The “Mississippi to Maine” historical marker was erected

in honor of the many Mississippi-born blues giants, such

as Muddy Waters and BB King, who began performing

there in the 1970s. The festival keeps things inclusive,

only half the front-stage area is VIP, with over 400 general

seats open to everyone, avoiding the elitism seen at

some other events.

Music festivals should celebrate legends, fan favorites,

and also introduce and delight with fresh discoveries—

and the North Atlantic Blues Festival did all this and

more.

They will also look forward to what is sure to be a spectacular

event again next year. Tickets and information at

North Atlantic Blues Festival – Rockland, Maine https://

www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com/


THE MOORLANDS

Whitby Brewery, 14th June

BLUES JAM

A recent trip to Whitby offered more than scenic

views and seaside charm – it delivered a powerful

reminder that grassroots blues is alive and thriving

on the North Yorkshire coast.

Colin Campbell

The Moorlands Blues Jam, hosted monthly at Whitby

Brewery, has quietly become a beloved fixture, drawing

musicians and fans from across the region. With the dramatic

silhouette of Whitby Abbey in the background and

the brewery’s rustic vibe setting the tone, the stage was

set for another standout afternoon of music, community,

and soul.

A Jam Born from a Need to Play

Italian-born guitarist Giuseppe Vitale, formerly based in

London, launched the jam after relocating to Whitby in

the wake of the pandemic.

“Basically, I couldn’t stay in a place without thinking, ‘I

need somewhere to play the blues,’” Giuseppe explains.

“In London, I was playing two or three jams a week. When

I moved here, there was nothing. I asked the guys at the

Brewery if I could use the stage one Saturday. I had some

friends visiting, and we could play some blues. They had

no idea what to expect – and now, they don’t want to take

it off the schedule.”

What began as a spontaneous gathering has since become

a vibrant, monthly celebration of the blues.

Enter Rod MacKay: Building Something Bigger

Rod McKay, a seasoned blues musician from Carlisle,

joined the jam after being introduced by mutual friend

Marco Cinelli.

“Marco knew I’d run blues jams before and thought I’d

be a good fit,” Rod recalls. “We had a very long conversation

– well, Giuseppe’s Italian, and as he says, ‘I can’t do

anything without talking for half an hour!’ But I loved the

idea and signed on straight away.”

Rod’s experience brought structure and consistency to

the event. Together with Giuseppe’s passion and drive,

the pair have shaped the jam into a reliable community

event that continues to grow.

More Than a Gig – A Community

“We started doing them every month and a half or so,”

Giuseppe says. “But as people kept showing up – on stage

and in the crowd – we realised we were building something

more.”

“There’s real connection here,” adds Rod. “It’s more than

music – it’s friendships, collaborations, and a kind of

shared energy.”

That sense of connection has even birthed a new local

group: The Dodgy Jammers, named in honour of the

event.

The Spirit of the Jam

With a full calendar ahead, the jam isn’t slowing down.

But Rod and Giuseppe are clear – this is not just about a

house band.

“We’re not just a band,” says Rod. “We’ve developed a

strong house band, now playing as The Moorland Blues

Band at other venues, but the jam itself is what matters.

That open, collaborative spirit.”

Giuseppe agrees: “This isn’t a competition. We’re creating

space. Everyone is welcome – whether it’s your first time

or you’re here every month. The goal is community, not

spotlight.”

Keeping the Blues Real

Each month brings new surprises.

“You never know who’s going to walk through the door,”

Rod says. “That’s the magic.”

What started as an experiment has become a cornerstone

of local music culture – a raw, authentic, and inclusive

celebration of blues in its purest form.

Giuseppe puts it simply:


“We play the blues because there are too many pubs with

not enough people in them. That’s sad – so we play the

blues.”

The Music: June’s Highlights

On a warm June afternoon, the jam lit up Whitby Brewery.

The house band was joined by Paul Winn of DC Blues

on harmonica and guitarist Alex Hamilton, delivering

electrifying renditions of blues classics like Bring It On

Home To Me, Let The Good Times Roll, and Pride and Joy.

Toby Jack stood out with expressive, heartfelt guitar playing

that marked him as a serious emerging talent. Hamilton,

already known for his prowess, delivered a stunning

version of San-Ho-Zay that had the crowd grinning.

The house band kept the energy high with Kelly Scott

delivering a powerful take on Hoochie Coochie Woman.

With audience participation and the dramatic backdrop

of the Abbey behind them, the vibe was magical from

start to finish.

Want to play?

Message the admins via the Moorlands Blues Facebook

group or come say hello at the next jam.

Tell them your name and instrument to get on the list.

Next Jam: Friday 16th August, 5–9 PM

Venue: Whitby Brewery

Details: Always available in the Facebook group:

facebook.com/groups/431302472117115

How It Works:

> The house band opens with a short set.

> Jammers are called up in groups and

usually play 2–3 songs.

> Everyone gets a turn (time permitting).

What to Bring:

Guitar, bass, keys, harp, sax, or trumpet.

Drums, amps, pedalboards, PA and mics are provided.

Style:

Keep it to 12-bar blues. Other genres are for another

time.


54 Denis ISSUE Carpentier 152 : BLUESMATTERS.COM

“IT’S REALLY ALL OF

OUR EMOTIONS PUT

INTO THAT BASKET”


HEARTBREAK

HOTEL

Southern California rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck recently unveiled “Dark Angel,” the latest single

from their highly anticipated studio album Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes, due out August 22nd via Joe

Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records. The band partnered with legendary producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton,

Jason Isbell, Rival Sons) for their latest offering.

Adam Kennedy

As credited

Fresh from the back of a run of UK shows, it’s been a

busy year so far for the US-based outfit. “The road’s been

good this year, we’ve been getting a chance to play some

of these new songs that have been kind of itching at our

door,” said frontman Robert Jon Burrison. “We recorded

them last year, and we try not to play them until they’re

readily available for people to listen to.”

The group are widely regarded as one of the hardest

working bands on the circuit presently, with a touring

schedule that has taken the band around the world. “We

were just out there in the UK not too long ago,” he says.

“It’s also exciting to be home and at different times of the

year. It keeps you on your toes, and there’s always something

new going on. So, the kids are getting older - it’s just

a crazy life we’re living.”

Working with Dave Cobb on the band’s upcoming record

was something which the group enjoyed. “We had an

opportunity to record the whole record with Dave Cobb,

which has been something that’s been a true goal as a

band for a long time. We went down to Savannah, and

this record was different because we were all somewhere,

not at home, to record a record. First of all, we’re

all living in the same house. We’re eating, breathing the

music. We have all the instruments set up 24-7. So, if

we have an idea in the morning or have an idea after the

session at night, we just try it out. And then we’re just

jamming sometimes, too. I mean, we’re playing music all

day intensely and making sure we do the right thing and

thinking about parts,” said Robert.

Spending time under one roof allowed the band to flex

their creative muscles. “Sometimes at night we would

have some wine and beers and just openly jam, which

doesn’t really happen when you’re recording a record,

and then you go home to your families at night and come

back in the morning. So, it was a really great way to take

on a record and to finish songs the night before you

record them or come up with a new part that you didn’t

have time to think about before we got in there. It was

great,” explains Robert.

The end result is an album which is perhaps the perfect

vision of what the group were trying to encompass. “I

think it’s truly one of the most Robert Jon and the Wreck

records that we have made, because it’s really all of our

emotions put into that basket together 24-7 while we

were recording out there in Georgia. And it was a great

experience.”

Even though their new album has yet to hit the shelves,

the band are already thinking about what comes next.

“We’re writing the next record now. And we’re trying to

figure out when we’re going to record the next record,

and this record’s not even out. So yeah, the whole calendar

and timing of things is definitely different on our end

than it is on maybe someone who’s just seeing the other

side of things,” declares Robert.

The band co-wrote with Leslie Satcher and rock legend

John Oates on their new album. But is co-writing something

the band enjoys? “Yeah … unless it’s a very specific

personal story, which that’s not really what you write in

co-writes, you need everyone to kind of feel it and understand

it. And, I’ve got to sing it eventually,” said Robert. “If

it’s a personal story that I don’t understand, it’s not going

to come across very well. So, we kind of just sit there and



Rob Bondurant

Playing the Keeping The Blues Alive Cruise, by Rob Bondurant


push things around and see what happens. And, sometimes

you just create a story together that you can all

relate to.”

Working with John Oates in particular was a great experience.

“He’s great. He has a name, but it didn’t feel like it.

Do you know what I mean? He hopped in the room and

wrote a song,” said Robert. “If you think too much about

who he is, what songs he’s written and what he’s done in

his life, it almost takes it away from things.”

Robert adds: “We’re just a bunch of musicians in a room

trying to write a song together and playing with ideas

and coming up with stuff and moving stuff around.

And then afterwards, after you leave and you’re

on the plane back home, you’re like, did we just

write with John Oates? I think we did. That’s

pretty crazy. But yeah, once you’re in the

room, it doesn’t matter who you are. As long

as you just hang out and write a song.”

With Robert Jon and the Wreck, it’s hard to keep up with

their output; the band have put out almost a studio album

each year since the pandemic. Subsequently, picking a

setlist for a show must feel like choosing their favourite

family members. “I think it is, and I think it will continue

to be, I think it’s natural. I remember when we had six

songs and we had to fill an hour and a half.

And so we decided to throw in covers because we didn’t

have enough songs. We had to jam out the songs we had,

and we had to figure it out, and now we have too many

songs. So we had to figure that out too,” said Robert.

“There’s always something to figure out. And

the only problem with playing three hours

is that we’d have to do it six nights a week,

so we’d have to figure that one out. But

we’ll see how things go. And we try our

best even on the road to switch up our

“ONCE

YOU’RE IN

THE ROOM,

IT DOESN’T

MATTER

WHO YOU

ARE”

Rob Bondurant


sets as much as possible. Especially, sometimes we know

we’re playing in one city and then playing two hours

away, and we know there’s a handful of people that’ll be

at both. So we try our best to switch it up as much as we

can. And, there are songs that go off the radar and songs

that we haven’t played in a year. So, we want to bring

them back,” he says.

Robert continues: “We have an ongoing list of stuff that

we want to bring back, things that are coming up, things

that we all love but don’t translate live. And we either

have to figure that out or let it be for a second. And then

there are those songs that we have that, after two weeks

on the road, if throats are feeling scratchy, we push those

to the side and recover a little bit. There are plenty of

songs to do that with.”

With the new album on the horizon, are there any plans

for the band to return to the UK and tour in support of

their latest release? “We definitely are coming back to

the UK, we have a tour booked for 2026. So we’re definitely

coming back to the UK. I mean, that’s a no-brainer,”

he says. “And we got some exciting things on that run that

we’re doing. And so, it’s going to be good. It’s gonna be

fun,” concludes Robert.

Robert Jon & The Wreck’s new album “Heartbreaks &

Last Goodbyes” is released by Journeyman Records on

Friday August 22nd and is available to pre-order from

www.robertjonandthewreck.com

EXPLORE


All images on this spead: Denis Carpentier


Trees Rommelaere

“WE’RE JUST A BUNCH

OF MUSICIANS IN A

ROOM TRYING TO WRITE

A SONG TOGETHER”

BIG BLUES

REVIEWS

REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUS

BACON FAT LOUIS

COME ON!!!

Independent

Bacon Fat Louis hail from The Netherlands

and consist of Bo on guitar

& vocals, Thomas on harmonica &

guitar and Rik on drums. Dirty, hot,

sweaty Blues sitting on the edge of

rockabilly and about as lo-fi as you

can get. Absolutely sublime. Production

is by Detroit’s own Jim Diamond

– he of the White Stripes and The

Dirtbombs - and he was brought in

especially to create that noisenik

sound. He has created a soundscape

that sits right in the middle of the stereo

image – no separation, just three

ROBERT JON

& THE WRECK

HEARTBREAKS &

LAST GOODBYES

Journeyman Records

Southern California’s Robert Jon &

The Wreck return with Heartbreaks

& Last Goodbyes, their ninth studio

album and a collaboration with

Grammy-winning producer Dave

Cobb. Recorded in Savannah, Georgia,

during an immersive creative

residency, the album captures a

sense of cohesion and sonic maturity

that reflects the band’s evolution.

“this is Robert Jon & The

Wreck at their very best”

The record opens with “Sittin’

Pretty”, a bold, up-tempo track that

sets the tone with its tight rhythm

section and soaring guitar work. This

energy is offset by the reflective

“Ashes in the Snow”, a track rooted

in Americana with lyrics that explore

themes of loss and longing. The single

“Highway”, noted by Maximum

Volume Music as a standout, demonstrates

the band’s growing emotional

range and dynamic control. Another

key track is “Long Gone”, co-written

with John Oates, which blends

soulful storytelling with layered

64 BLUES MATTERS! ISSUE 152

instrumentation. The production, led

by Cobb and mixed by Greg Gordon

(whose credits include Rival Sons and

Chris Stapleton), is crisp and textured,

allowing each instrument to breathe.

The sessions in Georgia brought a

looseness and organic quality to the

recordings, evident in the interplay

between guitars and vocals across the

album. Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes

blends Southern rock, blues, and soul

with confident songwriting and polished

performances. With widespread

critical praise already emerging ahead

of its August 2025 release, this record

positions Robert Jon & The Wreck as a

leading force in modern roots rock.Authentic,

emotionally rich and expertly

produced, this is Robert Jon & The

Wreck at their very best!

EXPLORE

Laurance Harvey

T2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025

band members collapsed on each

other’s space and firing out from the

middle of the stage. “We don’t like

the standard blues that much,” says

drummer Rik Penninga. “We make

our own songs, and we are really

looking for the authentic sound,

but also the dirty, the rough.” That’s

how we ended up with producer and

sound guru Jim Diamond in Detroit.

To my ear every track sounds angry

and aggressive, Bo’s vocals have

something that reminds me of the

Godfathers while Thomas’ harmonica

seems to be frantically trying to

keep up with Rik’s hammering drums.

There is still plenty of variety though.

The slow Blues of Dog Is Dead, Bo

lamenting the death of Fred the Dog,

contrasts the danceable Give Me

Back My Wig or the frantic I Want

It Now. This is not an album to listen

to on a top-class system – it is music

to dance to, listen on headphones or

THE BONESHAKERS

LIVE TO BE THIS

Gulf Coast Records

The Boneshakers are fronted by Jenny

Langer on powerhouse vocals, Randy

Jacobs on guitars, vocals and clavinet and

Greg Bissonette on drums. They are supported by a huge cast of special

guests including Bobby Rush, Don Was, Charlie Musselwhite, Coco Montoya

and many more. Their music is a raunchy, heady mix of blues, soul

and rock and funky opener I’ll Kick A Brick (For My Man) is an old favourite

Stax number which features funky drums, pumping organ, thumping

bass and high-octane vocals from Langer as she proclaims, “Don’t you

mess with my man”. The energy levels continue with a hot cover of Betty

Davis’s They Say I’m Different and then comes the scorching toe-tapper

A class act with fine musicianship,

raw energy, power...

How Do You Spell Love? a song that was made famous by the Fabulous

Thunderbirds. Sizzling harmonica introduces Iggy Pop’s I Need Somebody

which is turned into an impassioned, burning, blues-rocking tour-de-force.

Langer and Jacobs share vocals on Dobro Jones (Delta Mix) with excellent

slide dobro from Jacobs. The bluesy influence continues with Charlie

Musselwhite’s wailing harmonica on the romping Evil No More. I Am The

Cool is a late night jazzy, sleazy piece with Jacobs sneering the vocals on

this little-known

Screamin’ Jay

Hawkins number.

Bobby Rush joins

Jenny Langer on

vocals for a sweet

soul ballad called

Salty before Coco

Montoya adds

some rocking guitar

licks to Don’t

Deny Me as Langer

chides her lover. A

class act with fine

musicianship, raw energy, power, great material and a sense of fun. This

excellent album closes with the beautiful and show-stopping ballad Cake

And The Candle with Langer crooning softly against a backdrop of tinkling

guitar and a choir of backing singers. This one is a definite keeper.

DAVE DRURY

LISTEN, WATCH AND DISCOVER

MORE AT THESE ARTIST LINKS

ISSUE 152 BLUES MATTERS! 65

REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEW

DEVON ALLMAN

THE BLUES SUMMIT

Ruf Records

Devon Allman’s The Blues Summit is a

modern-day meeting of blues royalty, a

bold, ten track celebration of roots, soul,

and Southern grit. Far from a solo showcase,

the record

thrives on its collaborative spirit, boasting powerhouse appearances from

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray,

and Sierra Green. Together with Allman’s seasoned touring band, they deliver

a collection that’s equal parts reverent and revitalising. The opening

track, Runners In The Night sets the tone with a brassy swagger, Jimmy

Hall’s gravel-soaked vocals, and Allman’s scorching guitar work that is

tight, expressive, and unapologetically soulful. It’s clear from the start,

genuine soul, and a spirit

of collaboration that’s hard to fake

this is a shared stage, and Allman’s ego stays firmly in check. On the song,

Peace to the World, Robert Randolph’s signature resonator cuts through

a swampy groove, elevating the track with gospel-soaked intensity. Sierra

Green commands the microphone on her stunning song, Real Love, her

fiery delivery bolstered by lush strings and smoky organ swells, while

Hall’s harp drives Blues Is a Feeling with raw, stomping energy tailor-made

for the live circuit. The album’s reinterpretations hit the mark too, Howlin’

Wolf’s Wang Dang

Doodle roars like

a juke joint classic,

and Hendrix’s

Little Wing becomes

a graceful,

guitar-led tribute,

anchored by Hall’s

emotive phrasing.

The last tune. Midnight,

Lake Erie,

is a moody instrumental

that drifts

into jazz-blues

fusion, complete with sultry sax lines and Allman’s restrained, textured

lead. This release delivers where it counts, with top-shelf musicianship,

genuine soul, and a spirit of collaboration that’s hard to fake.



COLIN CAMPBELL

on cheap PC speakers for best effect

– or best, listen live if they are ever

brought over to Blighty.

ANDY SNIPPER

BRAD “GUITAR”

WILSON

THE CALIFORNIAN

Cali Bee music

Brad Wilson is a Blues Guitarist and

Vocalist from the USA who besides

his Blues recordings has contributed

a song called Teaser to the

Soundtrack for John Carpenters

Vampire movie. On this album Brad

follows a wide-ranging Rocking Blues

format mixing self-written material

with a couple of covers. One of

these, Elmore James’s, It Hurts Me

Too opens the album but lacks any

real energy and doesn’t touch John

Mayall’s version from the late 1960’s.

The eight self-written songs stand

up well, with the best being Heartbreaker

which is lit up by some tasty

guitar work by Brad. Another strong

song is the aforementioned Teaser

which moves closer to a heavy rock

sound which fits perfectly for the

John Carpenter style movies. Session

musicians, including Tony Braunagel

on Drums, provide the back up

throughout the album although they

stay firmly in the background which I

feel contributes to the album having

a “lack of bite” in places. Having said

that, the cover of Mick Ralphs Ready

for Love lights up the album with

its Bad Company style delivery and

Brads strong vocal standing as a fitting

tribute to the recently deceased

Mick Ralphs. The final track on the album

is Otish Rush’s ballad Groaning

Blues which Brad performs superbly

taking his time with his vocal delivery

and interspersing the song with plenty

of short and sharp guitar breaks

creating a very emotional rendition

that highlights perfectly what Brad

Wilson is capable of. Brad is not new

to the Blues world having released

seven albums previously. This experience

has undoubtedly helped him

develop his sound and song-writing

to become an excellent Blues player

who deserves to make use of the

“guitar” moniker in his name.

ADRIAN BLACKLEE


S AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGU

BUTTERFIELD

BLUES BAND

LIVE AT FILLMORE

WEST SAN FRANCISCO

1966/70

FLOATING WORLD RECORDS

Posterity has not been kind to the

Paul Butterfield Blues Band, which

came together in Chicago in the early

1960s. In what was still a racially

segregated America, the very idea

of white university students making

music with black locals was itself a

political statement, and their first

album was instrumental in getting

blues a hearing with the longhair

crowd. But things went very wrong

very quickly, after a foray into jazz

alienated the original fan base. By

the 1980s, Butterfield and founder

guitarist Mike Bloomfield were dead

from drugs, leaving Elvin Bishop as

the last man standing. This album

isn’t the best introduction for those

who haven’t heard their work before.

It’s a low-quality live recording,

CHRIS VINCENT &

THE RAW DEALS

GOOD CROOK

Independent

This release isn’t just a record, it’s a street-level sermon from the heart

of New Orleans. Slide guitarist, singer, and songwriter Chris delivers a

gritty, unfiltered set of songs that fuse the dusty mystique of Delta blues

with the crooked swagger of hard bop and the worn leather soul of roots

music. From the first note, this record doesn’t ask for your attention; it

grabs it. Tracked live over just two days with no overdubs, no auto-tune,

and no safety nets, this is a front-porch confessional wrapped in barroom

heat. It’s all raw nerve and humanity, a collection that breathes, stumbles,

only someone who lives and writes

in the French Quarter could pull this off

and shouts with soul rather than perfection. You can practically hear the

French Quarter in the background: brass spilling from a corner, footsteps

on cobblestone, the laughter and heartbreak that filter into every line.

He’s backed in places by a rhythm section that reads like a local legend roll

call, Johnny Vidacovich on drums and Dean Zucchero on bass. Together,

they elevate songs like the greasy, riff-heavy Come Clean, which rides an

Open G tuning à la Son House or Keith Richards giving it a ragged Stoneslike

swagger.

Elsewhere, Chris

strips things

down to just

guitar and voice,

creating intimate

moments that

feel like he’s

singing stories

straight from the

stoop. The title

track is a soulful

lament about a

love that should

have ended long before it did, while Bloody Monday Morning tells the

tale of a friend who stumbled into a bartending gig at Tipitina’s with zero

experience. Cows is strange, funny, and weirdly profound, a cracked-mirror

Americana gem. What Johnny Said closes the album with a wink and

a gut punch, blending street philosophy and slide guitar in a way that only

someone who lives and writes in the French Quarter could pull off.

COLIN CAMPBELL





BRYAN ADAMS

ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES

BAD Records

and six of the eight selections are

jam standards played with brio.

Shake Your Money Maker, The Sky

Is Crying, and Driftin’ Blues are all

great songs, but there are few ways

for even the most talented players to

inject originality into these venerable

classics. A funkified Born Under

A Bad Sign is the best of the bunch.

The centrepiece is an extended live

rendition of original composition

East West, a track that would not

have sounded out of place on Miles

Davis’s Bitches Brew, built around

straddling the line between

resilience and reflection

On his latest release, Bryan Adams shows he’s not done

with writing heartfelt, hook-laden rock that matters. This ten-track

collection finds him straddling the line between resilience and reflection,

crafting songs that lean into hard-won wisdom while retaining the melodic

vitality that’s defined his career. The title track, Roll With The Punches,

kicks off with a muscular groove and a defiant lyrical spirit. It’s classic

Adams, punchy guitars, driving rhythm, and a singalong chorus that’s

tailor-made for live shows. It sets the tone for an album rooted in perseverance,

without ever feeling weighed down by sentimentality. Make Up

Your Mind rides on a mid-tempo, rootsy sway, displaying Adams’ ability

to distil emotional conflict into simple, relatable language. There’s an understated

soulfulness here, as he pleads for clarity in a relationship that’s

clearly on the ropes. One of the album’s strongest moments comes with

Never Ever Let You Go, a sweeping, radio-ready ballad. With its soaring

chorus and heart-on-sleeve delivery, this track feels destined to become a

fan favourite. A Little More Understanding, strips things down to acoustic

guitar and subtle piano flourishes, its message of empathy and patience

landing with quiet force. Life Is Beautiful, lifts the mood with a breezy,

optimistic shine.

It’s the kind of

wide-eyed anthem

Adams has always

done well. Love

Is Stronger Than

Hate, taps into Adams’

longstanding

belief in the unifying

power of love.

There’s a bluesy

edge to the arrangement,

and

Adams’ weathered

voice gives the lyrics real gravity in today’s divided world. How’s

That Workin’ For Ya? has a tongue in cheek swagger, whilst. Two Arms To

Hold You, is a tender standout, with lush harmonies. On Be The Reason, he

channels vulnerability into a heartfelt plea for purpose through connection.

It’s an introspective gem that underlines the album’s central themes:

perseverance, intimacy, and emotional truth. The closing track, Will We

Ever Be Friends Again, is a bittersweet ballad steeped in regret.

COLIN CAMPBELL




S AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AU-

the kind of unstructured psychedelic

noodling that sounds great when

you’re stoned and not so great otherwise.

This is a necessary purchase

for diehards; newbies are advised to

start with the debut album and then

investigate further.

DAVID OSLER

C BONE BAND

LIVE AT PROJECT 83

APM Records

July 2023 saw self-proclaimed beach

blues busker/festival funkster C

Bone release his debut album North

Sea Breeze to widespread critical

acclaim before taking the album

on tour performing approximately

200 shows across the UK. It seems a

natural step therefore to document

one of these shows in the recorded

format resulting in the Cornish six

stringer’s second album. Joining C

Bone onstage at this hometown gig

at Newquay’s Project 83 is Darren

Hurworth on drums and Ben Fletcher

on bass. The band immediately

grab the packed audience’s attention

with the familiar Latino sounds of the

Cinelli Brothers Dozen Roses featuring

outstanding extended guitar

solos before moving on to a string of

originals commencing with Perfect

Woman, a fast-paced rock n roll jump

style tune featuring neat basswork.

A trio of tunes from his impressive

debut follows – the slow blues song

I’ve Got to Know highlighting the

bands versatility sees C Bone display

extraordinary skill on the guitar.

Come Hell Or High Water gets the

dancers on their feet with its heady

mix of funk and jazz whilst North

Sea Breeze returns to the blues with

a shuffle. C Bone likes to sprinkle

familiarity throughout his set. Omar

& The Howlers Hoo Doo and the fire

and gasoline of Blue Moon Marquee’s

Big Black Mamba sandwich

the original sing-along Do Bad Things

To Me, which instils a raucous bout

of audience participation, and the

rockabilly of North Sea Breeze’s frantic

energy infused Rockin’ Chair. The

Santana like vibes of My Lovely Latin

Lover follow as C Bone criss crosses

the musical landscape once again ensuring

the audience keep moving. Impressive

covers of Stevie Ray’s Mary

Had A Little Lamb and Hendrix Little

Wing brings C Bone’s excellence on

the guitar back into focus alongside

Fletcher’s great bass skills. The encores

see soulful vocal merging with

jazz infusions on I Was Young before

the fast-paced rock n roller Keep On

Rockin’ drains every ounce of energy

from the enthusiastic crowd concluding

a perfect example of the C Bone

band live on stage.

CHAMBERS

DESLAURIERS

OUR TIME TO RIDE

Forty Below Records

TAF ROCK

In a world where authentic soul

music often feels like a fading echo,

Chambers DesLauriers is the living,

breathing sound of love, grit, and

musical fire. The powerhouse duo of

Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers

are more than just seasoned

artists; they are soulmates whose

passion spills from the stage into

every note they write and perform.

Together, they channel a vibrant

fusion of blues, rock, and soul that

hits with equal parts heart and heat.

This release is a bold declaration of

everything that defines Chambers

DesLauriers. Produced by Eric Corne

and tracked at Studio MixArt in Montreal,

with additional sessions in L.A.

and Houston; this is a gritty, grooverich

collection that’s as deeply personal

as it is sonically expansive. Love

You Just the Same, is a blues-rock

torch song, steeped in commitment

and vulnerability. Annika’s soaring

vocals wrap around Paul’s fiery fretwork

with undeniable chemistry, a

duet that doesn’t just sing about love,

but lives it. Other standouts include

the soulful anthem, Believe In Love, a

gospel-tinged affirmation of faith in

each other through stormy seasons,

and One in a Million, a slow-burning

ballad that drips with sincerity and

smoky soul. The title track, Our Time

to Ride, is an electrified stomp that

blends heavy blues riffs with unshakable

optimism. Another highlight

is the powerful anthemic, People

Gonna Talk. Whether in the studio or

under the spotlight, Chambers DesLauriers

pour everything into their

craft and while their music speaks of

struggle and triumph, it always circles

back to love, a theme throughout

these nine well-crafted tunes, highly

recommended release.

COLIN CAMPBELL

DRESSED

ALL THINGS SWAMP

LITTLE VILLAGE

Moving right along from the explanatory

title for this album, the cover image

and the track listing offer a clear

indication of the music contained

within this waxing. Created by the

cream of New Orleans soul and funk

cognoscenti, it’s very obviously a labour

of love, and clearly appropriate

raising of playing levels are brought

into the studio to ensure that

everything is as it should be. Heavy

on the brass input, most intriguing is

the sound made by the helicon, it’s a

kind of tuba (no, me neither), handled

with expected and appropriate skill

levels by Luke Kirley, which appear

to be available for a number of New

Orleans combos who make this style

of music their business. The ‘funk’

aspect is front and centre on Bah

Duey Duey which has the bottom line

of the AWB’s peerless Pick Up The

Pieces about it. The Hoagy Carmichael

chestnut Rocking Chair has a

nice world-weary vocal to accompany

its lets-not-bother feel, and Blues

For Ben turns out not to actually be a

‘blues’ at all, but quite a cheerful little

addition to the proceedings. Next

up is How Much Fun, a tale of happy

exploration between a couple getting

to know each other. The album finishes

with Take It To The Street, which is

another in a series of ensemble brass

and organ funk turnouts. Basically,

if New Orleans funk and groove is

your kind of thing, then this album is

likely to appeal strongly. If you are an

occasional fan with open ears, it will

represent a pleasant time listening to

superbly executed musicianship that

may not actually move you all that

much. It really depends what your

tastes are, but that’s true of absolutely

every piece of music anyone

ever hears. Probably one for the

serious collectors only.

ANDY HUGHES


FORREST MCDONALD

SONGS FROM MY SOUL

World Talent Records

So much to say about this man, his

music, his accolades! Sixty years as

a professional recording artist!! He

must have started young from the

picture on the colourful and slightly

fantastical graphics on his beautifully

presented and packed with tales and

facts CD cover. Having performed

for over 200,000 fans across 13

countries, playing music heard by

20 million listeners, this guy is the

recipient of many awards including

Best Modern Southern Guitarist and

Best Blues album to mention just two

- Forest has headlined at numerous

high-profile festivals - his music -

“certified ‘Blues” that’s what is said of

him within the Blues community.

Now, the album...15 tracks - all bar

one just Forrest and his guitar. Marking

his transition from Band leader

to solo artist this is a Blues man and

his guitar - Acoustic babe. All songs

carefully chosen from over 60 years’

worth of recording, no easy task.

Closing out the dozen acoustic tracks

to the ripping of a “Misery and Blues”

that features lead guitar, a harmonica

solo in front of a six-piece band

before McDonald returns to acoustic

guitar for the last track, “Trouble in

Mind”. Seems like you guys are all

gonna know this man and his music,

so I need say no more but, it’s been

five years since his last release and

his fans are saying, it’s been worth

the wait!

JEAN KNAPPITT

GARRY BURNSIDE

IT’S MY TIME NOW

Strolling Bones Records

The Burnside legacy is certainly

making itself known within this

issue of BMM. Having just been very

impressed with the album by Kent,

along comes his uncle Garry. Now,

you could be forgiven that both of

these albums would be extremely

similar, especially as Garry was a

guest on Kent’s album. Well, you

would be wrong, both albums have

a life of their own, yes, both Blues

albums, but different in so many

ways. Garry has his own make-up,

his own identity, as does Kent. Garry

has emerged as something of a guitar

protégé; in fact, he has turned into

one of the great guitarists around at

the moment. That is hardly surprising

when you learn that he began his

career at the tender age of eleven.

Anyway, to the album, the opening

track is an instrumental, and a damn

fine one at that. This is where you

first realize that Garry has spectacularly

honed his guitar chops. The

title track suggests that this is what

Garry is all about: I’m here, this is me,

sit back and observe. I get where he

is coming from, and from what the

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 AUGUSTSHALL

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

founder of AUGUSTshall Records, to discuss the release of his

highly anticipated new album.


READ THE ENTIRE BACK CATALOGUE

GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1999, YOU CAN NOW READ THE

WHOLE BACK CATALOGUE OF BLUES MATTERS FOR FREE

CLICK HERE


songs portray, he’s hit the musical

bullseye. This is a Funky/Bluesy

album full of vigour and swagger,

which is most evident on Ramblin’,

a humdinger of a tune. It’s such a

brilliant montage of musical and

lyrical verve; the song itself is so cool

that it should be wearing shades. I’ve

learned so much by listening to this

album; there is something new and

brilliant on the horizon. It’s My Time

Now, could not be more apt, I’m very

glad to hear that, Garry.

STEPHEN HARRISON

JAY MCSHANN

HOOTIE SWINGS THE

BLUES 1941-56

ACROBAT MUSIC

Unless you are some sort of peculiar

obsessive who insists on only

listening to their collections of

vintage blues and R ‘n’ B on original

dusty crackling shellac discs, then

collections like this are a perfect

way of scooping up all the important

influential works of your hero(s) in

handy modern CD formats like this

one – a three-disc set containing

seventy-three of the best and most

influential sides laid down by Kansas

City musicians like Jay McShann.

McShann, in addition to his own

contributions collected here, gave

an early break to a young Charlie

Parker. Thanks to some comprehensive

sleeve notes by Paul Watts, the

history and background of Kansas

City as a hotbed of musical influence

and development between the wars

is vividly captured. The city was a

magnet to R ‘n’ B and Blues musicians

who found eager audiences,

and chances to explore and expand

their talents over lengthy careers.

For Jay McShann, who arrived from

Muskogee in Oklahoma, it was not

at all difficult to find work in existing

outfits, before forming his own bands

to showcase his superior talents as

a pianist. Here, on tracks like Hold

Em Hootie, McShann is happy to

let his nimble fingers let loose on

a standard twelve-bar that fizzes

for all too short a time. His delicate

touch on Red River Blues is subtle

but still identifiable, and his matching

of left-hand boogie and right-hand

melody on So You Won’t Jump should

be an inspiration to boogie-woogie

players of all abilities. McShann’s

fluid style on Cryin’ Won’t Make

Me Stay indicates exactly why he

was such a prolific artist, releasing a

mass of sides on a variety of labels,

in a variety of band and orchestral

combinations, the best of which

are collected here. A true artist,

McShann is no show boater, he is

happy to fit in with the sound of the

band on Garfield Avenue Blues which

belongs fairly and squarely to vocalist

Crown Prince Waterford, but he is

equally able to shine in his solo spot

when it arrives. For blues fans, the

tracks that stand out are ones like

Shipyard Woman Blues, sung by the

legendary Jimmy Witherspoon, its

lyrics reflecting the attitudes of its

1946 period writing and recording,

and featuring some delicious blues

playing from McShann. This collection

is a welcome introduction, or

addition, depending on your position,

to the vibrant and vital music of the

Kansas City Blues and R ‘n’ B scene.

Remembering that everything flows

down from what went before, this

is the kind of thing that has shaped

your modern heroes and heroines,

and that makes it well worth a listen.

ANDY HUGHES

JB & THE HÜGGELI

THE BLUES SUPADUPA

JB RECORDS

THE Jeff Beck Group gave you Blues

Deluxe; Denmark’s JB & The Hugeli

are offering Blues Supadupa instead.

This lot are exactly the sort of band I

am sometimes lucky enough to catch

when visiting blues clubs on work

trips to European cities, who manage

to send me back to my hotel slightly

drunk and smiling. As far as I can

make out from googling, this is the

latest of a string of albums they have

issued on their own dime. As the

lads themselves would be the first to

recognise, there’s nothing here that

jumps out for originality, but if you

like well-crafted original songs that

span a range of blues sub-genres,

this is worth a listen. Several of the

tracks have a pleasing postwar jump

combo feel, with Jesper Bjarnesen’s

vocals bearing some resemblance

to a less-gravelly Louis Armstrong.

Not From Texas is built around a riff

nicked from SRV, presumably as a

conscious reference, and benefits

from a rather tasty solo emailed

over from Houston by Alan Haynes.

Get Funky lands in sonic territory

somewhere between New Orleans

legends The Meters and the Average

Whites and features horn section

guests including big names on Denmark’s

jazz circuit. The CD closes on

the title track, which is a Exile-era

Stones open G guitar singalong.

Oh, and I loved the cartoon cover

artwork. We can all dream, right? The

average blues fan/amateur musician

cannot fail to enjoy this set.

JOHN LEE HOOKER

BOOM BOOM

BMG

DAVID OSLER

This album was first released back in

1992, and it received many plaudits,

so BMG, in their infinite wisdom,

have chosen to reissue this masterpiece.

And thank God that they have.

John Lee Hooker was nearing the

end of his long and industrious career

at the time of makin the album, a

career littered with brilliant albums,

amazing live gigs, and a legacy for

up and coming Blues artists. Boom

Boom not only has JLH playing and

singing, but it also attracted a few

very well-known names from the

Blues world to collaborate on the album.

The album opens with the title

track, Boom Boom, which sees Jimmy

Vaughan exercising his eloquent

guitar chops alongside one of his

mentors. You can feel the energy and

thoughtfulness between these two

Blues giants, which is a joy to listen

to. Robert Cray, John Hammond, and

Charlie Musselwhite all contribute

on various songs, helping to make

this album one of the biggest-selling

of JLH’s career. Same Old Blues,

Sugar Mamma, and my personal

favourite Hooker tune, I’m Bad Like

Jesse JamesHittin’ The Bottle Again,

features Hooker playing a National


Steel Guitar, and delivering a vocal

performance that gives me chills,

thirty three years after I first heard

it. It’s almost eerie, but sadly, an all

too familiar tale of how Blues artists

sometimes end their days. Some

people may question why this album

has been reissued. All I’ll say is this:

thank God the folks at BMG realize

that this is not just merely an album

of Blues songs, it’s an important

history lesson.

STEPHEN HARRISON

JOHNNIE JOHNSON

I’M JUST JOHNNIE

Missouri Morning Records

Two decades after his death, Rock &

Roll Hall of Famer Johnnie Johnson,

often hailed as the unsung architect

of rock ’n’ roll piano is celebrated

on this twelve-track posthumous

release. Best known for his groundbreaking

work alongside Chuck Berry,

Johnson’s legacy gets a long-overdue

spotlight on this star-studded

release produced by Gene Ackmann

comprising of two CD’s. This major

release features tracks spotlighting

Johnson’s unmistakable keyboard

touch, The opener, I’m Just Johnnie

is a classic example of his amazing

piano playing and the band is incredible.

He is joined by a stellar cast

including Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie

Raitt, Johnny Rivers, and John Sebastian.

Former Mama’s Pride members

Baker, Dickie Steltenpohl, Paul

Willett, and Pat Liston lend soulful

support. Collaboration is the theme

and two songs featuring Charles

Glenn I Get Weary and Heebie

Jeebies are highlights. Also guesting

is NFL All-Pro Henry Lawrence who

adds unexpected vocal grit to songs,

Lo Down and Stagger Lee. Drummer

Kenny Rice and bassist Gus Thornton,

both veterans of Johnson’s and

Albert King’s bands, keep the groove

tight throughout. The version of,

Every Day I Have The Blues is packed

with rhythm and piano artistry, he is

backed vocally by Bonnie Raitt and

duets on piano with Bruce Hornsby,

just sublime musicianship. Disc two

offers something equally intimate:

one of Johnson’s final interviews,

S AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUconducted

by SiriusXM’s Pat St. John,

tracing his storied journey from the

early days with Berry through his

own later recognition. Bonnie Raitt

also shares heartfelt reflections on

her friend and collaborator. This release

isn’t just a tribute, it’s a reminder

that the roots of rock still rumble,

thanks to the man who helped give it

rhythm

COLIN CAMPBELL

KARIM ALBERT KOOK

AND EDOUARD BINEAU

ROOTS OF BLUES

Independent

With only two performers, and an

album of ten blues classics, there

is always the danger that releases

like this will not contain any musical

surprises, or much in the variety of

sounds and arrangements. The slide

and acoustic guitar and vocals of

Karim Albert Kook and the harmonica

playing of Edouard Bineau are all

there is to the album, but in this case,

it is more than enough. The rhythmic

guitar perfectly suits the vocals,

whilst there is talent, technique and

imagination in the harmonica solo.

Although songs such as Rolling and

Tumbling, It Hurts me Too, and Dust

My Broom are familiar staples in the

blues songbook, the lack of drums

and bass allows for the lyrics to be

appreciated afresh. Hoochie Coochie

Man is also missing its signature

guitar vamp, and the lively interplay

of That’s Alright Mama has the spirit

of Elvis, but not the forward propulsion

of Elvis Presley, guitarist Scotty

Moore or the double bass of Bill

Black. Midnight Special is a bluegrass

trot, and Key to the Highway is a

slower, brooding take on the number.

The closing Trouble in Mind is perhaps

the best showcase for the low

vocals of Karim Albert Kook. The two

performers are playing and singing

music that is not from their natural

culture, which adds something to

both the rhythms and the singing

that has been recorded. Although

these songs have been recorded and

performed dozens of times before,

and will be performed for decades

to come, the stripped back, blues

and boogie woogie rhythms, and the

lack of a rhythm sections means that

listeners can enjoy these songs in a

novel fashion.

BEN MACNAIR

KENT BURNSIDE

HILL COUNTRY BLUES

Strolling Bones Records

Ten tracks, two covers, eight original

songs; this immediately leaped to my

eye, and then something else also

caught my eye. Kent Burnside has his

uncle, Garry Burnside, alongside him,

and with a little bit of delving, I found

to my surprise that Garry Burnside

is the son of R.L.Burnside. So, that

makes Garry Kent’s uncle, and Kent

is the grandson of the late great R.L.

Burnside. Well, that’s cleared that

up, a family of Blues artists, but does

the greatness carry forth? Daddy

Told Me, the opening track, answers

that question, yes, the family Blues

lineage has certainly been passed

on to Kent. It has been passed on

through his vocals, songwriting, and,

more importantly, through his guitar

chops. This is not an easy burden to

carry on one’s shoulders. Kent Burnside

takes it all in his stride. Crawling

King Snake is one of the two covers

on the album. Now this has been covered

many times by many artists; the

original dates back to the 1920s, and

then recorded by Big Joe Williams in

1941, before John Lee Hooker made

it his own in 1949. This version has a

deeper, more melancholy feel about

it, Kent Burnside injecting his own

vibes into this Blues classic. I Miss

You finishes the album in some fine

style, with great lyrics and vocals,

one could say a perfect ending. But

the Blues is, and never has been,

about perfection; it’s about feeling.

Kent Burnside has a family legacy

connecting him to the Blues; it may

be in the blood, but it is certainly

within his soul.

STEPHEN HARRISON



KOKO TAYLOR

CROWN JEWELS

Alligator Records

Few voices in blues history cut

through the noise with the raw authority

of Koko Taylor’s, and Crown

Jewels, a posthumous collection of

her most commanding work, reasserts

her rightful place as the Queen

of the Blues. This 12-track compilation,

all remastered by founder of the

record label, Bruce Iglauer, serves as

both an essential primer and a triumphant

reminder of Taylor’s thunderous

growl, gritty soul, and unshakable

authenticity. Pulling from her

career-defining years with Alligator

Records, these songs highlight the

sheer force of Taylor’s vocal power;

from the fiery stomp of Wang Dang

Doodle to the heart worn tenderness

of Come to Mama. The sequencing

strikes a careful balance, allowing

the listener to appreciate the full

breadth of her stylistic command: the

sass, the swagger, and the sorrow.

Taylor wasn’t just a powerhouse

singer; she was a fierce interpreter.

On cuts like Let the Good Times

Roll and I’m a Woman, her delivery

is unrelenting, full of grit and grace.

The backing bands, featuring some

of Chicago’s finest session players,

lock in with a muscular groove,

letting Koko steer the ship with ease

and intensity. More than a greatest

hits package, this release feels like

a curated celebration. It reminds us

that Taylor not only broke barriers as

a woman in the blues but redefined

what it meant to own the stage. For

longtime fans, it’s a rousing revisit.

For newcomers, a gateway into a

legacy built on sweat, strength, and

soul. Simply put, this is blues royalty,

immortalised.

MISSISSIPPI

MACDONALD

SLIM PICKIN’

APM Records

COLIN CAMPBELL

Mississippi Macdonald (Oliver to

his friends) is one of the UK’s finest

purveyors of blues guitar. On his

latest release he demonstrates just

why he has picked up no less than

three UK Blues Awards in two years.

Slim Pickin’ may be the name of his

latest acoustic album but there’s an

abundance of quality tunes amongst

the ten on offer here. Oli has little

Trouble Doing The Right Thing as he

covers the Zack Logan tune taken

from 2018’s Raised By Wolves album

in exemplary fashion. Aided by Brent

Cundall on bass and Phil Dearing

on keys, 2nd guitar and percussion

Oli produces a laid back version

as his soul-filled vocals deliver the

message. The self-penned title

track follows, Dearing’s keys combining

with Oli’s guitar to produce

an instrumental break that’s a true

delight. Phil Dearing’s production

instils the effect of the band sitting

around in a super cool studio as they

create a Keb Mo kind of vibe. My

Bad Attitude has a wonderful beat to

it, fast paced yet still maintaining a

chilled out aura. Oli’s cool vocals on

show once again – a product of years

spent on the Memphis scene being

taught by the best in the business. Oli

says I’m Sorry for ‘letting down and

disappointing’ but there’s no need

to apologise or anything ‘out of line’

about his approach to the blues. Oli

demonstrates his love and understanding

of the blues as our trio do

more than justice to Blind Willie

McTell’s Statesboro Blues, St. Louis

Jimmy Oden’s Goin’ Down Slow, Sister

Rosetta Tharpe’s Strange Things

Happening Every Day and Keb Mo’s

You Can Love Yourself - providing

a fresh lick of paint whilst retaining

the authenticity of the classic tunes.

Original cut Got To Get To Walkin’

fills the air with warmth and soul

on our journey towards Memphis.

The definition of blues should be

rewritten as ‘see Mississippi Macdonald’

Sad Songs providing a classic

example of our genre. The band set

out to make an album saturated

with warmth, soul and feeling. They

certainly nailed it!!

TAF ROCK

MORGAN WADE

THE PARTY IS OVER

(RECOVERED)

Sony Music

Morgan Wade has never been one

to play it safe. Known for her unflinching

lyrical honesty and a voice

that carries both gravel and grace,

she digs even deeper on her newest

release. an 11-track resurrection of

songs from the vault. But this isn’t

a greatest-hits package or a dusty

demo clean-up job. This is Wade

turning the clock back with hard-won

clarity, breathing fresh life into tracks

that pre-date her major-label debut,

yet feel more relevant and more

revealing than ever. Written in her

earliest days as a songwriter, these

solo-penned pieces sat unreleased

for years, quietly gathering weight

as Wade’s life unfolded. Now, with

countless road miles and sold-out

shows behind her, she returns to

them with a new perspective. What

was once raw instinct is now refined

by experience. These songs don’t just

sound better, they mean more. Each

track pulses with the ache of someone

who’s survived the stories she

once only imagined, and the result is

something strikingly intimate. Thematically,

this release stays true to

Wade’s calling card: fearless explorations

of mental health, addiction,

heartbreak, and the road to healing.

But this time, there’s a sense of emotional

excavation. Fans who’ve heard

these songs live across the U.S.,

the U.K., and Europe, already know

their power. But hearing them fully

realized in the studio is something

else entirely. It’s not just that Wade is

offering these tracks to the world, it’s

that she’s reclaiming them for herself.

This release is a reckoning with the

past, delivered by an artist who’s

earned every scar and every syllable.

COLIN CAMPBELL

NELLIE LUTCHER

REAL GONE 1947 - 56

Acrobat Music

Nellie was an R&B, Jazz and Pop sing-


S AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AU-

er, popular in the late 40’s and 50’s

with a highly distinctive vocal style

that influenced other singers including

Nina Simone. Unusually, Nellie

became popular in the UK as she

toured in the early 50’s. This 54 track

2-CD collection contains most of her

A&B sides from most of the record

companies that produced her music

at the time. The performances from

her earlier carer transport you back

to the 40’s with their original, with

a slightly hissing, creaky sound of

an old record on an old gramophone

- just how some people like their music.

Original for sure and worth every

penny given the number of tracks on

this two-cd collection, there is blues

in there but you gotta like your Jazz

and R&B as well as the Blues story

telling for this to hit the spot if you’re

looking for the Blues - not for Blues

purists me thinks. Quite something

for an American lady singer to be

touring in the UK in the early 40’s

- time and effort required to make

that long trip back then - and then to

make a name for herself in more than

one genre in that foreign (for her)

land - quite remarkable. Even if it’s

not a keeper for real Blues fans, it’s

certainly a massive achievement on

the part of Nellie Lutcher and thank

goodness these past legends are still

being released and recognised.

JEAN KNAPPITT

TERRY HANCK

GREASE TO GRAVY

Little Village Foundation

Terry Hanck is an American tenor sax

player and vocalist born in Chicago

with his ninth album containing

seven originals and five covers

co-produced with Kid Andersen at

his famous Greaseland Studio in California.

Opening track Don’t Let The

Green Grass Fool You is a swinging

jazzy version of Wilson Pickett’s soul

classic. The jumping original song If A

Politician Was A Doctor has a funky

New Orleans feel and great work on

sax plus Kid Andersen’s slinky slide

guitar. Hanck’s warm vocals and

smooth sax light up The Best Years

Of My Life a pretty soul ballad. Ray

Charles’ 1957 bluesy slow burner

Come Back Baby features relaxed

vocals, slinky sax and B3 organ from

Jim Pugh. Hanck can rock with the

best of them as on Goin’ Way Back

Home Tonight a rock ‘n’ roll blast

featuring honking sax, urgent vocals

and great drumming from Jon Otis.

Albert King’s instrumental

Overall Junction speeds by and

is followed by the jazzy Run Run

Baby which has a big band feel. Fats

Domino’s 1958 N’awlins classic Sick

And Tired rocks splendidly featuring

piano maestro Mitch Woods. This is

a breath of fresh air. Everything here

grooves mightily and has that swinging,

irresistible, feel-good factor. The

longest track here is James Oden’s

blues classic Going Down Slow featuring

fine guitar from Johnny “Cat”

Soubrand. The rollicking Pins And

Needle leads us into the slinky closing

instrumental Midnight On The

Reef which has a reggae feel as the

sea laps gently at your feet. Hugely

enjoyable.

DAVE DRURY

THE BLUES MASTERS

FEATURING CASSIE

TAYLOR

EXULANS DMD

This set presents vocalist Cassie Taylor

on a very impressive programme

of gospel, soul, and inspirational

material, supported by The Blues

Masters, with whom she has worked

previously and who have worked

with the likes of Hubert Sumlin,

John Mayall, Elvin Bishop and Pat

Travers, plus many more. Here they

basically play tough, driving blues,

always respecting, complementing

and pushing the songs themselves,

with Tim Tucker on guitar, Eric Moon

on keyboards and accordion, Cassie

herself or Kassidy Kent on bass, and

Christian Teele on drums. There

are numerous backing vocalists, as

this music demands, to provide the

necessary call-and-response to push

the lead singer to higher heights,

and also popping up are blues harp,

pedal steel guitar – listen to Sally Van

Meter’s scared steel styled playing

on ‘If I Could Hear My Mother Pray

Again’ - and Cassie’s own banjo playing.

The Staples Singers are a major

influence on this set, with several

tracks from their repertoire; lend

an ear to Downward Road, I Wonder

Why (here given a slow blues

treatment with Doug Lynn wailing

away on harp), Respect Yourself

and the sublime If You’re Ready for

excellent examples. Aretha Franklin,

Blind Willie Johnson and southern

soul legend O.V. Wright also provide

source material – listen to You’re

Gonna Make Me Cry for the latter.

Cassie’s voice soars throughout the

album, whether the music is sacred

or secular (listen out for touches of

both Mavis Staples and Koko Taylor),

and the band always provide exactly

what is requires. Cassie has struggled

in the past to get where she is; that

is, I guess, reflected in the choice of

material here, but her performance

and the top-notch backing of the

band certainly demand and maintain

the listener’s attention – and justifiably

so.

NORMAN DARWEN

THE CHARLIE DANIELS

BAND- WITH GUESTS

AND FRIENDS

VOLUNTEERR

JAM III, IV

Floating World Records

The Charlie Daniels Band has been

around since Moses wore short

pants, well, it seems like it, and maybe

there is some truth to that. Many

people, including me, until a while

ago, that is, thought that The Charlie

Daniels Band was famous for only

one song, The Devil Went Down To

Georgia. Let me tell you, there is a lot

more to this band than just that tune.

The recordings took place between

1977-1978 at The Municipal Auditorium,

Nashville, and featured a

host of guests, Willie Nelson, Bonnie

Bramlett, Toy Caldwell, and many

more. The great and the good from

the world of Country, Blues, and

Gospel, which was Americana in its

earliest stages. The Band was, in my

opinion, the pioneers of what we


REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025 REVIEWS AUGUST2025

now refer to as Americana. Fourteen

tacks in all, showing us all just

how talented this band is, and also

allowing the guests to bring their

own stardust to the proceedings,

as it says in the title, this is a live

jam bringing out every conceivable

collaboration. Sweet Louisiana opens

the show, from the first few chords,

I’m intrigued as to how good this is

going to be. A storming rendition

of Statesboro Blues leaves me in no

doubt about how good this is going

to be. Even though it was recorded

almost fifty years ago, Volunteer

Jam sounds as fresh and as invigorating

as it did when first recorded.

Blues Medley does exactly what it

says on the tin, with Country legend

Willie Nelson stepping into unfamiliar

territory. My favourite of this

performance, Can’t You See, with the

entire ensemble of the gig gathering

as if they were some sort of heavenly

choir. If you want to take a step back

in time to when the world made great

music, and more importantly, sense,

get yourself a copy of this magnifi-

cent piece of musical history.

STEPHEN HARRISON

WAYWARD SAINTS

SURVIVOR

Independent

Now, these guys are from Canada,

but to tell the truth, if you’d told me

they were a great lost band from the

UK rock and blues-rock scene of, say,

the early seventies, or maybe a bunch

of southern rockers from Georgia

a year or two later, it would have

taken a lot to persuade me that you

were maybe being, er, economical

with the truth. This five track CD EP

opens with a couple of huge sounding

rockers – vintage Led Zeppelin,

Humble Pie, and Deep Purple came

to mind (especially their Fireball

album in the case of the latter), with

Robert Plant’s vocals springing to

mind on In The Wild, driven along

by the crunching guitars of Darren

Flower and Justin Bennett. Blues-inflected

rock, unashamedly both loud

and proud. Got To Give In also rocks

like crazy, in classic fashion, but there

is a discernible tinge of bands like

The Allman Brothers in the guitars.

This southern rock inflection becomes

even more marked on the

anthemic Flags Of Red, with some

quiet dobro-led passages adding

a strong Americana inflection and

allowing singer Lindsay Coleman a

change of pace and attitude. Pay No

Mind brings back shades of Zeppelin,

though again there is a quieter blues

interlude – that is, before the song

explodes again. The title track rounds

off the CD’s twenty-two minutes

with an acoustic-based performance,

a reflective, once again southern

tinged number that also features

some fine violin playing courtesy of

Katie Korfmann just to underline

that impression. These guys know

more than a thing or two about how

to play classic rock-blues, and it

certainly shows on this rather fine

release. Do you really need me to tell

BLUES MATTERS! ON


you to play it loud?

NORMAN DARWEN

BONNIE DOBSON &

THE HANGING STARS

DREAMS

Loose Music

Where to start with this one, an

absolute delight and gem featuring

the amazing octogenarian Canadian

singer-songwriter Bonnie

Dobson alongside a UK

band with a good grasp of

rhythmic Americana and

a growing international

following. Dobson wrote

most of the material

here and she is famed

for her composition

Morning Dew.

Grateful Dead recorded

it countless times

and generally played

it at their live gigs

leading to the moniker

of their ‘Signature

Song.’ Here, however,

the other tracks are of

a blend with subtlety

and roving lyricism

that highlight Dobson’s

still astonishing, crystal-clear

vocal delivery

backed up by Hanging

Stars Swedish frontman

and guitarist Richard Olson’s

tasteful and sensitive

picking. At the end of the day,

this is an album that is simply

a true musical pleasure, an alltoo-rare

thing these days and

while blues is never at its heart

– despite Dobson’s song Baby’s

Got the Blues featuring – this is

bound to be an album of the year

in so many ways with a deft Americana,

traditional singer-songwriter

showcase feel.

IAIN PATIENCE

BUDDY GUY

AIN’T DONE

WITH THE BLUES

Silvertone/RCA

On July 30th, 2025, Buddy Guy turned 89,

and true to form, he isn’t looking back with

nostalgia. Instead, he’s looking the blues

square in the eye and remaining defiant

about his longevity as a blues legend. His

latest release is no farewell tour; it’s a

full-throated, 18-track declaration from

a man still on a mission: to keep the blues

alive, raw, and relevant. Produced by Tom

Hambridge, the album is a heavy-hitter’s

lineup, and a heartfelt tribute rolled into

one. Whilst the guest list reads like a modern

blues summit, Joe Walsh wailing slide

and trading verses on How Blues Is That?,

Joe Bonamassa bringing soul to Dry Stick,

Peter Frampton lending sweet phrasing

to, It Keeps Me Young, Christone Kingfish

Ingram sparking fire on Where U At?, and

the Blind Boys of Alabama gracing Jesus

Loves the Sinner, make no mistake: this

is Buddy’s house. His voice is gravel and

honey, and that Stratocaster still stings

like a snakebite. Buddy opens with reverence

and roots. Hooker Thing and One

From Lightnin’ are stripped-down acoustic

tributes to John Lee Hooker and Lightnin’

Hopkins, played solo on his Martin guitar,

simple, honest, and full of grit. But this

isn’t just a history lesson. Tracks like Been

There Done That, the swampy swagger of

Swamp Poker, and the playful shuffle on,

Love On A Budget prove Buddy’s still got

stories to tell and he’s telling them with

soul, swagger, and a wink. Blues Chase

the Blues Away, is a highlight. Co-written

with Hambridge and Gary Nicholson, it’s

a reflective slow burner that feels like a

personal letter from Buddy to the music

that’s carried him through decades of

heartbreak, triumph, and transformation.

Elsewhere, I Don’t Forget taps into deep

wells of memory and pain, whilst Upside

Down, calls out a world still spinning

wrong, Buddy doesn’t sugarcoat songs; he

never has. This newest release is a living,

breathing blues document. It honours the

past while pointing toward the future,

with a torch clearly being passed to the

next generation, but Buddy’s grip on it is

still firm. This isn’t legacy in the rearview

mirror, it’s legacy in motion. Buddy Guy

isn’t fading out; he’s turning it up.

COLIN CAMPBELL

Jazz in Marciac, France

21 July to 04 August 2025

Marciac, a small town in southern France, within range of the

Pyrenees, hosts what is now well-established jazz festival which

normally includes a number of visiting blues and rock giants. Recent

years have seen john McLaughlin, Santana and Jools Holland

take to the town-centre music marquee.

This year, 2025, featured Robert Plant with his latest band, Saving

Grace, and Suzi Dann. Plant closed the opening night with his

usual class and style, taking the huge crowd with him all the way.

Other acts followed on subsequent evenings with Ben Harper

and the Innocent Criminals; Madeline Peyroux – always an

interesting artist whose fluency in French guaranteed her a happy

audience; Kenny Wayne Shepherd shared the main stage with

Santana in two sets that were totally enthralling and ended with

the two bluesmen playing together on-stage with Santana’s band.

The huge, sell-out crowd lapped it up.

Gregory Porter then Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock added

a solid jazz vibe, while the UK’s wonderful jazz picker Martin

Taylor – a Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings regular - coupled with Ulf

Wakenius and Bireli Lagrene under the combined name, ‘The

Great Guitars,’ were also guaranteed to please.

With a real holiday atmosphere throughout the town, bars,

meal-stalls of every kind, and glorious weather, Marciac Jazz

Festival is now without doubt the finest modern music festival in

France which also hosts the legendary Cognac Blues Passions and

Cahors Blues Festival – both events with great line-ups and fan

followings.

Anyone visiting France next summer, should possibly consider

adding a visit to this fabulous festival to their itinerary.

Iain Patience


The Illustrated Blues Of Brian Kramer

NEWPORT FOLK -1963

This one is special to me...

Tells a bit of a story. 1963 Mississippi John

Hurt recently rediscovered and found by

musicologist’s Dick Spottswood and Tom

Hoskins as a farmhand after not being heard

from since 1929, when he made his first recordings,

and making his debut performance

at Newport Folk Festival.

It’s well documented in video and photos

& I put together what I felt expressed a

numbing exuberance of that moment, here

flanked by Blues legends Dave Van Ronk and

Brownie McGee, who could hardly contain

themselves. Van Ronk, who has been carrying

John Hurt’s songs and guitar stylings

forward & keeping alive through his absence

in New York’s Greenwich Village scene. And

Brownie, who achieved a level of stature

and success with the Blues in the 50’s on the

Broadway stage as part of the music soundscape

of the play Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, with

Sonny Terry.

All three huge influences, heroes of mine and

represent so much about the validity and

endurance of the “Folk Blues” that sill finds

it’s way through everything.

1963, also my birth year...


IBBA TOP 40

INDEPENDENT BLUES

BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION

bluesbroadcasters.co.uk

BM ISSUE 152 August 2025

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?