BM ISSUE 161 May 2026

BLUES

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...plus others credited

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4 ISSUE 161 : BLUESMATTERS.COM

ELCOME

Rob Blackham

PHILIP SAYCE

PLAYING FROM

THE HEART

Few modern guitarists channel the raw, unfiltered spirit of the blues quite like Philip Sayce.

Combining explosive blues-rock power with deeply personal songwriting, Sayce has earned a

reputation as both a formidable player and an artist who performs with complete honesty.

Colin Campbell

Paul May (live) and Adam Kennedy

When Blues Matters catches up with him, he is calling

from Los Angeles and laughing about the Californian

heat. It is, he says, “about 100 degrees every day this

week in March. I’m not complaining, but it’s a little worrying.”

The humour is immediate, but so too is the sense of

speaking with a thoughtful musician, one whose roots lie

deep in blues tradition while his attention remains fixed

on moving forward.

A LIFE SHAPED BY RECORDS

For Sayce, music began long before he played a note himself.

Growing up in a home where records were always

spinning, he absorbed the sounds of British rock, electric

blues and soul from an early age. “It really comes down

to my parents’ record collection,” he explains. “There was

always music in the house. The Beatles, The Stones, The

Kinks and Eric Clapton, alongside all the blues greats.”

Those records were more than background noise. They

offered an education in tone, feeling and authenticity,

values that remain central to everything he does today.

THE GUITAR TAKES HOLD

Like many players of his generation, Sayce was first

captivated by the guitar heroes of his youth. One song in

particular lit the spark. “The first guitar song I fell in love

with was Money for Nothing,” he recalls. “I’d run around

the house with a tennis racket pretending to play it.”

Soon afterwards came the moment that changed

everything. His parents took him to see Eric Clapton live

in Toronto, and the impact was immediate. “It grabbed my

heart and soul right there. That was it.”

From then on, the guitar was no longer simply

an instrument. It became the clearest way he

could express himself.

LEARNING THE HARD WAY

Sayce began playing seriously around

the age of fifteen, later than some,

but quickly made up for lost time. By

sixteen and seventeen he was already

performing in clubs around Toronto,

often alongside musicians far older

and more experienced than he was.

“I’d be getting home at two or three in the

morning and then going to school at 7:30,”

he says, adding that it was “the best education

I could have had.”

Those early nights taught him everything

formal lessons could not. They sharpened his

instincts, toughened his resolve and taught him

how to hold a stage.

STANDING

BESIDE JEFF

HEALEY

A major turning point came when

Jeff Healey invited Sayce to join

his band. Healey had quietly

attended several of Sayce’s gigs

before making his move. When

the invitation finally came, Sayce


LISTEN

TO THIS

INTERVIEW

ISSUE 161 : BLUESMATTERS.COM 7

After the shows, recordings were handed to him on a

hard drive. Listening back, he was not searching for technical

perfection. Instead, he wanted moments that felt

genuine. “I found moments with emotion,” he says. “That’s

what mattered.”

remembers Healey saying, “How would you like to join

my band? We’ll take you around the world.” His own reaction

was simple. “I passed out.”

Life in Healey’s band was exhilarating and demanding in

equal measure. It felt, Sayce says, “like standing in a hurricane...

trying to hang on for dear life.”

More importantly, Healey became a mentor whose

brilliance left a lasting impression. “Every night was

jaw-dropping. He was the most extraordinary musician

I’ve ever known.”

FINDING HIS OWN VOICE

For Sayce, the challenge was never to copy the masters.

It was to learn from them and then become himself. “I’m

still learning,” he says. “But I’ve been lucky to work with

people who encouraged me to be who I am.”

Collaborations with artists such as Melissa Etheridge and

Uncle Kracker reinforced that lesson. They gave him, as

he puts it, “permission to let go and be myself.”

That remains one of the guiding principles of his career.

Technique matters, but identity matters more.

STAYING PRESENT

Asked about the best advice he has ever received, Sayce

offers an answer that feels simple but carries real weight:

“Stay present. Stay grateful. Stay humble.”

In an era dominated by metrics, algorithms and constant

comparison, he works hard to keep his attention where it

belongs. “It’s easy to get caught up in likes and followers,”

he says, “but that’s not what this is about.”

For Sayce, music is about connection. The relationship

between artist, audience and song matters far more than

any number on a screen.

SCORCHED EARTH VOL. 2

His latest release, Scorched Earth Vol. 2, captures the raw

energy of his live performances. Much of the material

was recorded during a residency at The Baked Potato, a

famously intimate venue where every note is exposed.

The album also includes a live version of Spanish Castle

Magic recorded in London. “It felt right to tip the hat to

Hendrix, especially in the UK.”

PLAYING FROM THE HEART

Improvisation lies at the centre of Sayce’s style, though

not in the flashy sense many might expect. For him,

soloing is not about displaying skill. It is about revealing

emotion. “I try to get out of my head and into my heart,”

he says. “Whatever I’m feeling, that’s what comes out.”

Whether the mood is joy, anger, gratitude or reflection,

he believes honesty is what gives music lasting power. “If

I’m playing from my heart, that’s the truth.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Sayce returns to the UK soon and speaks warmly about

coming back. “It’s a privilege to return,” he says. “We don’t

take it for granted.”

Alongside the tour, he is also nearing completion of a

new studio album. “I can see the finish line,” he says. “It’s

coming together.”

WHAT THE BLUES MEANS

For Philip Sayce, the blues is far more than a genre. It is a

language capable of holding life in all its contradictions.

“It’s everything,” he says. “The light, the dark, the joy, the

pain.” He is also clear about where that language comes

from and the responsibility that comes with playing it.

“This music comes from Black culture, from generations

of struggle and expression. It’s important to honour that.”

Sayce knows he is part of a lineage much bigger than himself,

and he approaches it with gratitude. “I’m standing

on the shoulders of giants. All I can do is respect that and

add my voice to it.”

Philip Sayce’s new album Scorched Earth: Volume 2 Live

in LA / London is released May 1. He tours the UK from

May 19 to June 3. Album and tickets are available from

philipsayce.com

EXPLORE


“I’m standing on the

shoulders of giants”


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Albums available from www.davethomasblues.uk


MY CHOPS ARE

ROLLING!

JASON RICCI AND THE BAD KIND

Jason Ricci has built himself a reputation over many years as one of the most respected harmonica

players on the blues scene. The journey hasn’t been an easy one. Growing up in Portland,

Maine, being introduced to blues music by his mother, relocating to various music hotspots like

Memphis and Nashville, the South and playing with Hill Country giants like Junior Kimbrough

and RL Burnside, being invited to record with Johnny Winter but also going through addiction

and troubles that has lead to two terms in prison.

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

SUPPLIED


“WE’VE BASICALLY

BECOME TRAVELLING

T-SHIRT SALESMEN”


It’s probably safe to say that relocating to New Orleans

has not only inspired Jason musically but actually saved

his life. His band The Bad Kind now includes wife Kaitlin

Dibble on some vocals and guitar and have become a

strong vehicle for Jason’s performances. However, tragedy

struck in March 2024 when highly respected drummer

John Perkins passed away suddenly while the band

was on tour. New album 13 Hours is the first recording

since that sad event. It’s a credit to Jason, Kaitlin and

the rest of the guys that they have produced a top class

album soon to be released on Gulf Coast Records, so I

was pleased to get the opportunity to talk with Jason

and Kaitlin about it.

BM: I want to ask you about the new album, and I think

I should start with the title track 13 Hours which closes

the album and is dedicated to your previous drummer

John Perkins. This is the first recording since we lost

John, was his presence there through out? Was that

something you were aware of?

JR: Yes, we lost John while we were off on tour and he

has always been a big part of holding this band together

as a family, everyone who plays in The Bad Kind has

spent years playing with John Perkins. So, he’s a huge

part of it, understanding how to be the kind of bandmate

that we want to be to each other and the kind of

sound we want. So, we thought about him a lot as we

played and toured since we lost him.

KD: He left a lot of beautiful memories and we thought

about him a lot on the road, the track 13 Hours especially

ended up infused with a lot of the sound of

Canned Heat from the 60’s because there is this memory

of going down those highways with John Perkins,

either driving or sitting passenger side with this amazing

optimism that he managed to have from someone

who had seen stuff all over the world and played for

years and still knew how to greet the craziest of stories

and the strangest of circumstances with a grin and a

helpful hand.

I think it’s a wonderful track, it’s quite long but it

needed to be. It certainly conveys that kind of road trip

mentality.

JR: The band was definitely fractured when John died.

I don’t think there was a question of whether or not

we would keep going, I mean, we must make money.

But the question of would it ever feel good again was


battle of trying to keep your attitude good for your

friends, your family, for your people, but at the same time

acknowledging that things are hard.

definitely there. When we were recording, we recorded

this at Dockside. That’s a studio way out in the middle of

the swamps up in Maurice, Louisiana, so the bands sleep

out there. I walked into the barn where the studio is early

in the morning and the band were already there in a big

circle discussing the number.

I remember that being the first time that there was

some kind of healing from that fracture. In the past with

records, for the most part either I or Kaitlin would write

the music, we’d come up with the bass line, the guitar

parts and then bring it to the band, but on this record

almost every single song was written with the band.

You know, seeing everyone together mapping out what

the emotional content was going to be was one of the

great things that happened about recording this album.

Not just for us but for a lot of musicians it’s really hard

to make any kind of money now because of Spotify and

streaming services, and we hear a lot of people complaining

about that all the time, it’s understandable, it’s true. I

mean we’ve basically become travelling t-shirt salesmen.

But the subconscious effect on making records is positive

because you’re not trying to write a hit, you’ve stopped

caring about the radio so the good thing is that we’re

making music for the sake of making music.

I guess that takes us full circle to the opening track Sick

Of This Shit.

JR: Yeah, we’re sick of this shit over here. All of this shit,

the political shit is out of control. The majority of us are

miserable with the leadership. There was a time when it

was necessary to preserve our peace of mind to reconcile

and separate our differences, but that time is over. The

songs about more than that, its not just political, it’s not

just about the music industry. It’s about the constant

That message of being pissed off but defiant comes

through the whole album I think. In a sense it feels like

a direct stepping stone from the Approved By Snakes

album, I know that was a few releases ago but on both albums

there’s refences to the underbelly of New Orleans,

the darker side.

JR: Kaitlin was an important part of that on songs like

Long Twisted Night. On Approved By Snakes you got the

perspective of me as a drug addict and my experiences.

On Long Twisted Night you’ve got the perspective of the

person at home dealing with that. I’m flattered that you

referenced Approved By Snakes, that albums one of our

rawest. It’s even hard for me to listen to, it’s challenging

to the listener.

Another song that impressed me is River Invitation. Very

cleverly written and emotional.

KD: That was one of the covers we did for this album. And

we got to bring in some horn players who played with

Walter Wolfman Washington, man how many years did

Tom Fitzpatrick play with the Road Masters? Maybe 27

years. Getting to hear that song with this incredible New

Orleans horn section was really fun and an exciting song

to do.

A lot of the tracks have a really great kind of late-night

club vibe, while others bring the upbeat side of the band

back in.

JR: We recorded it live in one room, so there’s a lot of

bleed through on every mic, which means we can’t fix any

mistakes. So the only overdubs were done after the track

was over. There’s a lot of sacrifices that have to be made

when you record that way. Like there might be one guy

that made a mistake but the vibe of that particular song

was so good that individual now has to live with that mistake,

and so do we. Tony Daigle really served as producer

on this, he’s also mixed and mastered the record.

He works with everybody here, Sonny Landreth etc, he

built Dockside Studios, having him at the helm was imperative.

He was absolutely the sixth member of the band on

this record and we couldn’t have done it without him. We

had a brand new drummer (Benny Piazza) who’s young

and green, a great kid whose a fast learner, a little sponge

with a great attitude. But he needed some direction and

Tony was very firm with him, which is good. For the most

part he knocked it out the park, he’s from Chicago, so

some of the New Orleans numbers, there were some

discrepancies that needed to be handled. Tony made sure

we got it good enough.

Jason, on this record especially but the last few, certainly

the one you did with Joe Krown, are very New Orleans in

feel. I find that interesting because you’ve moved around

in the past, you’ve done Mississippi Hill Country you’ve

done Memphis and Nashville but you’re not bringing too


“I ORIGINALLY

CAME HERE TO DIE...”


much of previous influences into the new stuff. Is that

deliberate or just natural? Are you conscious of it?

JR: That’s a great question and very observant on your

part. I’ve never been influenced prior by a location in my

life. The reason I moved back here was because I originally

came here to die. I came here to shoot dope and

smoke crack until the inevitable overdose. And that didn’t

happen. During that time I fell in love with the way that

musicians play here. So I moved back with Kaitlin after

I got out of jail. I’ve always loved the music around the

city, Booker T, Professor Longhair, Dr John, The Meters,

Neville Brothers, you name it, but in terms of being influenced

by it, not the case.

But I had an evening and an experience when I was

watching Khris Royal, the alto sax player that lives down

here, playing an old jazz standard, just a cliché number to

play out. But the way it was being played was foreign to

me, and the way they were feeling time hyper advanced.

I knew it was not something I could listen to on record

and figure out. I had to be around it all the time. It’s in the

way people talk, the way they act, the way we go through

a red light or don’t. Every single thing about the city is in

the music and in the people. I love being surrounded by

young talented black artists that are growing up in the

city. We average 167 shows a day here in the city, every

day so that means almost 300 on the weekends. All of this

incredibly relevant constantly evolving music that holds

strong reverence for the past but yet is simultaneously

evolving, constantly infused with Mardi Gras, Indian

culture, funk, R’n’B, hip hop, blues every thing you can

imagine. It’s just non-stop inspiration. So, it’s a conscious

decision to be here around it but it’s unconscious the way

it slips in because we’re not from here.

KD: It’s so abundant we can’t possibly appreciate all of

it. It’s a city that really knows how to bring rejuvenation

out of chaos and the understanding people have of the

importance of neighbours and helping each other out has

led us to feel more attached to New Orleans as a strange

chaotic community with this unmistakable heartbeat to

it. That’s what I love about Jasons track The Big DisEasy,

a grit and strange skipping strut to it while pulling all this

love he has for New Orleans in there.

Jason, tell us a bit about your time in Jackson, Mississippi

and playing with those great Hill Country musicians.

JR:When I was in Jackson all of the blues musicians

came out of the church they were all heavy duty. A lot of

those guys didn’t know who Little Walter was, they were

making their own music that was blues to them. David

Kimbrough, Juniors son, was more influenced by Bobby

Rush and of course his father. I moved to the South and

got a gig with Junior which meant I was at the juke joint

every Sunday getting $35 and a bag of weed, a half pint of

moonshine and I was living with them there in the houses.

This was before RL made that record with John Spencer

so no white people knew about Junior Kimbrough or

RL Burnside. When you’re there they are talking about

bloodlines that are interlinked with John Lee Hooker,

Muddy Waters, Fred McDowell so people have families

that are directly tied to blues music.

You also worked with Nick Curran and Sean Costello?

JR: I didn’t really work with Sean, we did some gigs together,

and I was friends with Sean. I knew him since he

was 15 and we stayed in touch all those years from ’95 up

to 2008. The last four or five years of his life we started

having long conversations about life and music. Nick was

heavily influenced by Texas music but we grew up together

in Maine. Losing both of those were just immensely

devastating hits. There’s literally not a day goes by that I

don’t hear something and think, man, what would Sean or

Nikki think about this. If Nick had still been alive he would

have produced this record, there’s no question about it.

Pat Ramsey was an important figure in your life, did that

lead to you recording with Johnny Winter?

JR: Pat was the most important musical influence I ever

had in terms of harmonica playing, not so much songwriting.

Very few people can sing as good as Pat. Only

a handful like Curtis Salgado, John Nemeth etc. He was

one of the great blues vocalists, his harmonica playing of

course attracted me to him but he ended up like a father

figure. He was the first to introduce me the 12 step stuff,

but without pushing me into it. When I was in jail the first

time he was one of the few who wrote to me. You know

Sean’s first recording was on Pat’s record, It’s About Time

when Sean was just 15. Yeah, it was through Pat that I got

the call to be on Johnny Winter’s album. I’m not particularly

proud of my performance on that, it was sort of a

high pressure situation with not a lot of time for me to

prepare. I don’t think Paul Nelson wanted me but Johnny

did. I only got two passes at the recording, I didn’t know

what key the song was, not even what song I was playing

on. I had headphones on and it just starts clicking and I’m

recording. I have no idea what the music is. I only got the

second pass due to Johnny, Paul Nelson was saying no,

Johnny likes one take only.

It’s been a real pleasure talking to you guys, before we

wrap this up is there anything else you would like to add

Jason?

JR: Just to give a mention to Mike Zito who’s consistently

believed in me over the years. He’s been a super friend

to me even when I haven’t been very nice back to him.

Gulf Coast has been an exceptional label to work with,

this ismy third record with them. I will undoubtedly stay

there.

.

EXPLORE


“THE QUESTION

WAS WHETHER

IT WOULD EVER

FEEL GOOD

AGAIN”



GYPSY BLUE REVUE

ON THE ROAD

AN INTERVIEW WITH JP SOARS & ANNE HARRIS

Colin Campbell

Daniel Boone

When it comes to modern blues rooted in tradition yet

unafraid to wander, few pairings feel as organic as JP Soars

and Anne Harris. A celebrated guitarist and soulful vocalist,

Soars has built his reputation on a rich blend of blues,

Americana, and gypsy jazz influences, while Harris brings

a strikingly unique voice to the genre through her electrifying

violin work and expressive songwriting. Together,

they create a dynamic musical conversation, one

that’s as adventurous as it is deeply grounded

in the blues. Ahead of their latest project,

Gypsy Blue Revue, Blues Matters caught

up with the duo to talk about collaboration,

chemistry, and pushing the boundaries

of the form. Somewhere on the

road in Maine, just south of Rockland,

to be precise, JP Soars and Anne Harris

are doing what modern blues musicians

do best: moving. From town to

town, gig to gig, carrying with them not

just instruments, but a shared musical

language that refuses to sit still. They’re

en route to their next show when we

catch up, still buzzing from the previous

night in Scarborough. Life on the road

may be relentless, but for Soars and Harris,

it’s also where the magic happens.

A LIVE EXPERIENCE BUILT

ON ENERGY AND FEEL

“We take the audience on a journey,” Soars

says of their live performances. “It’s high energy,

but there are peaks and valleys. We want

people to feel something all the way through.”

Their shows draw heavily from their recorded

work, around 90% of the material, this tour,

comes from the album, but the transition from

studio to stage isn’t always predictable. “Some


songs work better live, some work better recorded,” he

explains. “And sometimes it’s the opposite of what you

expect. You never really know until you try it.” That sense

of spontaneity is at the heart of Gypsy Blue Revue; the

project that formally brought Soars and Harris together

in 2019 after a standout collaboration at the Big Blues

Bender in Las Vegas. Harris joined Soars on stage

for a full set, and the response was immediate. “We

just thought, this is really cool,” Soars recalls. “The

audience reaction was great, and we had fun.

That’s where it started.”

DIFFERENT ROADS, SHARED ROOTS

While their musical journeys differ, there’s a shared

openness at the core of their artistry. Soars’ path to the

blues was sparked by a life-changing encounter with B.B.

King in 1988. Winning a guitar and front-row tickets to

see the legend proved pivotal. “It blew my mind,” he says.

“Meeting him after the show, he was so humble, so kind.

That’s when I knew this was the music I wanted to play.

It’s timeless, it goes straight to the soul.” Harris’ story

begins even earlier and in a very different place. “I begged

to play violin after seeing Fiddler on the Roof when I was

three,” she laughs. “That was it for me.” Classically trained

from the age of eight, Harris also immersed herself in

dance and theatre. Performance, in all its forms, has

always been part of her identity. Her eventual path into

blues came through touring with Otis Taylor, where she

found her footing within the genre.

THE JOY OF CONNECTION

Ask both artists what they enjoy most about being musicians,

and the answer is strikingly similar. “For me, it’s

seeing people happy,” says Soars. “When someone comes

up after a show and says, ‘I had a rough week, but tonight

made it better’ that’s everything.” Harris agrees, adding

that collaboration is key. “Creating with other people,

being part of something bigger than yourself, that’s what

makes it meaningful and playing for people who truly

appreciate it, that’s powerful.”

BREAKING THROUGH—AND STAYING TRUE

For Soars, a major turning point came with the International

Blues Challenge in Memphis, which helped propel

him beyond the Florida circuit and onto festival stages

across the country. “That opened a lot of doors,” he says.

“It got us out there.” Harris points to a different kind of

breakthrough, one rooted in artistic identity. “The best

advice I ever got was actually bad advice,” she says with

a smile. “Someone told me not to move around on stage,

that it wasn’t ‘cool.’ I listened politely… and ignored it.”

That moment became a defining lesson. “You’re going to

get a lot of advice,” she continues. “But you have to filter

it. It’s what makes you different, that’s your strength.”

Soars echoes the sentiment: “Be yourself. If you’re really

feeling what you’re playing, people will feel it too.”

LIFE ON THE ROAD

Touring, as both admit, isn’t quite as easy as it once was.

“I used to do two or three gigs a day, no problem,” Soars

says. “Now, if there’s a ten-hour drive, I’m like, let’s break

it up.” The challenges are familiar: long hours, finding

good food, staying healthy. But the rewards still outweigh

the strain. “Seeing new places, experiencing different

cultures, it’s enriching,” he adds. For Harris, it’s also about

the company. “Doing it with people you love creating

with, that makes all the difference.”

IN THE STUDIO: CAPTURING THE MOMENT

Their latest album, titled Gypsy Blue Revue reflects that

same spirit of collaboration and spontaneity. Recorded in

Cadiz, Ohio, the sessions were deliberately organic.

“We tracked most of it live, all in the same room,” Soars

explains. “No click track, just playing together and

capturing the feel.” The setting, a rural studio tied to the

Blues for a Cure festival encouraged a relaxed, communal

atmosphere. Musicians drifted in and out, jamming,

experimenting, creating. “It was very natural,” he says.

“A lot of first takes made the record.” One standout is

an 18-minute Cigar Box Jam, captured in a single take.

“If we’d messed that up, we’d have had to start all over,”

Soars laughs. “But it worked.”

SONGS THAT TELL STORIES

The songwriting process is as fluid as their performances.

“It can start with anything, a riff, a melody, a lyric idea,”

Soars says. Goin’ To South Carolina began as a spontaneous

jam while microphones were being adjusted in

the studio. Lyrics came later, after the music had already

taken shape. Other songs have deeper roots. Jessie Mae,

was inspired by a vivid personal story involving blues

artist Jessie Mae Hemphill, sparked during a separate

interview and developed into a full song through collaboration.

“It wouldn’t exist if that conversation hadn’t

happened,” he reflects.

CHEMISTRY YOU CAN’T FAKE

One of the defining elements of Gypsy Blue Revue is the

palpable chemistry between Soars and Harris, a connection

both insist cannot be manufactured. “It has to

be there,” Harris says. “There’s a level of trust, almost a

psychic awareness when you play with someone regular-


ly.” Soars agrees, noting that their collaboration evolved

naturally over years of shared stages before becoming a

formal project. “We already knew there was something

there,” he says. “That made it easy.”

HISTORIC INSTRUMENT, A NEW VOICE

Harris’ violin adds another layer to the project, particularly

her newest instrument, built by luthier Amanda

Ewing. “It’s the first officially recognised commission in

the U.S. between two professional Black women, a luthier

and a violinist,” Harris explains. After receiving two

violins and testing both, she chose the one she now tours

and records with, a decision that has already marked

major milestones, including her debut at the Grand Ole

Opry alongside Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo.’ “It’s magical,” she

says simply.

BEYOND GENRE

If there’s a unifying theme to the album, it’s diversity.

“It’s about variety, keeping the listener engaged,” Soars

says. “There’s something for everyone.” Harris is more

direct: “Genre doesn’t really matter to artists. It’s more

for the people who sell the music.” Instead, they embrace

a broader identity, rooted in blues, but not confined by it.

“It’s just music,” Soars shrugs. “Good music.”

WHAT THE BLUES MEANS TODAY

For Harris, the blues is both heritage and living language.

“It comes from a very specific history, created by Black

Americans, rooted in experience,” she says. “But nothing

lives under glass. It has to grow.” Soars feels it on a more

instinctive level. “I just love it,” he says. “The first time I

heard Muddy Waters, it hit me just as hard as any metal

I was playing, maybe harder.” Both agree: the blues is

foundational, not just historically, but emotionally. “It cuts

straight to the soul,” Soars adds.

A FINAL WORD

As the miles roll on and the next venue draws closer,

the conversation turns to the fans, the lifeblood of any

touring musician. “Thank you,” Harris says. “For your

passion, your support, your love of this music. It gives

us a community to be part of.” Soars nods in agreement.

“Without that audience,” he says, “I’d just be playing in my

bedroom.” With that, they’re back on the road, carrying

the blues forward, one gig at a time.

For further information see websites: https://jpsoars.

com/gypsy-blue-revue/ https://www.anneharris.com/

EXPLORE


PHILIP SAYCE

PHILIP SAYCE

SCORCHED EARTH: VOLUME 2

LIVE FROM LA / LONDON

V A I L A B L E M A Y 1

A

ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS

AND PHILIPSAYCE.COM

Photos: Ian Fraser (top), Marty Moffatt (lower)

“It was enjoyable

playing dress up”


NEVER BE

THE SAME

TEDDY THOMPSON

Paul Davies

Supplied

Children of notable and highly respected parents, whose

golden reputations thread the entrancing tapestry of an

artistic movement, don’t necessarily have it easy. Expectations

are very high when joining the family business and

to follow in their own footsteps takes no little courage.

Clearly, all efforts are worthless if they do not possess a

scintilla of real artistic talent to explore. No pressure then.

So, uncommon is this artist who emerges from a musical

family institution and continues to accumulate a strong

and highly respected discography of distinguished recordings.

Teddy Thompson is such a rarity. Helming his eleventh

recording overall, Never Be The Same finds Teddy eschewing

recent collaborations including ‘23’s Once More

with Jenni Muldaur and his superb covers album, My Love

Of Country, for brand new solo material also produced by

MLOC’s David Mansfield.

Given his musical DNA, Teddy has naturally taken to songwriting

in the way fish like water by plunging headlong into

an album of smartly observed love, heartbreak and regret

narratives as he explains the reason behind this high waterline

quality album’s title: “I’ve made enough albums and

with some of them I know the title quite early on. It’s often

one of the songs, in my experience.” He contemplates further:

“There’s one song that stands out, and I sort of know

that’s where the album’s going and that’s what it’s going

to be called. At other times that’s not the case and this

was one of those times,” he affirms. “I’d finished the whole

record and then found I didn’t have a title. I just thought

I’d wait until something came to me, and essentially it was

when I was typing out the lyrics for the record sleeve that

I took a closer look and I realised that ‘Never Be The Same’

comes up a couple of times.” He pauses, “Literally, I used

that phrase a couple of times with different meanings.

Also, thematically, it’s in there quite a lot too about ageing

and can be interpreted in other ways as well. So it seemed

to fit.”

The cover with its wacky array of passport sized photos

displaying Teddy in different guises plays its fun part with

the record’s title as he candidly reveals: “Obviously, the

cover idea came after the title and we thought it’d be quite

easy to have some fun with that. It was enjoyable playing

dress up,” he smirks thinking back at the memory.

The album takes Teddy into his second decade of album

digits and is once again produced by David Mansfield.

There is clearly a strong rapport between the two of them:

“Yeah, basically he’s just the most incredible guy. I just feel

very lucky to have found him and to have him as a record

producer, which is not how I knew him.” He explains this

cryptic statement: “When I first met him, we made the

country record together and he’s an incredible player. He’s

really one of the great guitar, pedal steel and fiddle players

and it’s so very rare for someone to play all those instruments

so well,” marvels Teddy. “But he’s also taught himself

how to be a great engineer and producer. He’s a real

auto-didact, just one of those capable guys. He did such

an amazing job on the country record. And on top of all of

that and everything, I just love the guy. I just love hanging

out with him. I loved going to the studio every day. I didn’t

want the record to end because I didn’t want to stop hanging

out with David’” he enthuses, which makes it obvious

that this collaboration has further musical roads to venture

down.

Given that it is nearly six years since the release of his previous

solo record of original tunes, Heartbreaker Please,


it leads me to enquire as to when the wellspring of ideas

gushed forth for this record: “I hate to dispel the notion

of the creative flow and the idea of being inspired to start

like you get struck, and then one day you go, ‘right, I’m going

to make this record. It’s going to be about this and this’.

It doesn’t really work that way for me,” he corrects. “I’m

not sure that it really works that way for many people? For

me, it’s really just a case of once I’ve made a record, well,

not even that. I mean, the songs are just always on the go,

here and there. You know, they sort of bubble along,” he

says. “No matter where I am in the record making process,

I’ve always got a few songs on the go, and I’m not the

most prolific, so I usually just have them bubbling along

and and I sort of work on the survival of the fittest idea

which is really just if they stick with me.” He continues: “I

make notes, write them down and work on them a bit, but

I tend to only pursue the ones that stick around and get

in your head and I live with.” He opens up more about his

songwriting process: “It’s a bit unconscious like the title

of the record that I explained earlier. What’s the buzzword

that all the idiot influencers are using...’intentional’

(eureka!). I’m not intentional about these

things. I tend to let things come to me and very

often will get to the point where there are a

few songs, be it probably four or five, that I’m

quite into. Then I start thinking, ‘well, I’m not

far off from being able to make a record’, so

let me try and buckle down.” Teddy furthers:

“I start looking at what the songs are about

and seeing if they will sound the same, or

if I should make an effort to try and write

a song that’s a bit more uptempo, or one

that’s a bit more down tempo and try and

make a nice collection of songs.”

Gradually becoming a bigger honed cog

in a large wheel of continuing rolling

change for burgeoning singer- songwriters

in the folk, country

and alt rock idioms, riding

his good fortunes

eventually led Teddy

to be a master of his

own musical direction.

Announcing

his musical abilities

by strongly contributing

to his father

Richard’s mid to

late 1990s albums,

he also contributed

to his mother Linda’s

return to recording

on her Fashionably

Late album. Teddy

further corralled

together the larger

musical clan of

Thompson relatives

for his production of

their Family album. I ask him of his memories of growing

up with such legendary parents: “My dad played Everly

Brothers tapes in the car. How else would a 10 year old in

1985 hear the Everly Brothers? It was in the car, as was

Hank Williams and George Jones and other good things,”

This early years exposure explains Teddy’s affinity with

country music. He confirms: “Yes, so it was country music

first and as my parents were folk rock musicians but

never played anything that was folk or folk rock music at

home,” he reveals, “why would you want to hear that when

it’s your day job,” he queries. “So, when they were at home,

or in the car, they listened to anything from country and

soul music and anything else.” He continues: “So I was exposed

to a fantastic range of wonderful music from both

my parents, mostly my mum, really, who once I showed an

interest in music, was giving me the odd record, ‘have you

heard Songs In The Key Of Life or have you heard of Ry

Cooder’?”

Being raised in an immersive musical family environment,

I ask Teddy when did he first realise that

he possessed a musical talent: “Well, the

first time I realised I could sing was

when I was in the school choir,” he recalls.

“I went to a new school at age

11, and we were all made to be in

the choir. We were singing Handel’s

Messiah, I think it was ‘hallelujah,

hallelujah’, in unison. Then at

the end of it, there’s a big ‘hallelujah’,

and everybody’s supposed to be

in unison. But I was singing a little harmony

at the end, and I thought, ‘Oh’!,” he

smiles. “The choir master was getting very

annoyed and saying, ‘who’s doing that’? But

I remember being in that group of boys and

thinking I can sing. But it took me until I

was 18, moving from London to LA on

my own and at the back of my mind.

I was thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m going

to try and make some music

here. I can sort of give it a

go’,” he says. “ It wasn’t

until I was 21/22 that

I got a record deal

when somebody ostensibly

believed in

me, or believed they

could make money

from me, which

was probably close

to the truth at

that time in the

record business.

That was the only

time I believed it.

I was thrilled. I

thought, ‘Wow,

maybe I can do

this’.”


A very good guitarist in his own right, I further enquire as

to whether his father Richard gave him any guitar lessons:

“Not really, but it’s not his fault,” he admits. “We didn’t grow

up in the same house. My parents split up when I was six,

so there wasn’t that much time, unfortunately, and then

by the time I was into playing the guitar and singing, I was

a moody teenager and I didn’t see him that often except

on the odd weekend.” He furthers: “I think he made a few

efforts. I do remember that he did teach me how to play

Hey, Joe and I know it from him teaching me and it sticks

in my mind. I can still play the intro to Hey, Joe, because

my dad taught me exactly how to play it.” It is contributing

his emerging musical talents to his dad’s mid to late 90s

albums You? Me? Us?, Celtschmerz and Mock Tudor that

brought Teddy to wider notice prior to going it alone as

a solo artist. Never Be The Same has a personal confessional

dialogue of songs including the regretful humour of

Worst Two Weeks Of My Life: “I wasn’t sure about that

song. It was a bit of a throwaway song for me, but I then

came to quite like it. It was slightly different, and in a different

register vocally. It was down a bit lower, and I just

came to really like it. It does what it says on the tin in the

sense that this one is a bit more of a literal experience,” he

confesses. “I’ve dabbled my whole life with drinking and

some drugs and all the things that everybody else does. I

did get to the point, not recently, but a while back o f

just feeling terrible and thinking maybe I have

an addiction problem in this area. Maybe I

should try going to an AA meeting, or

exploring that world and just see if it’s

for me and it wasn’t.” He qualifies: “I

don’t mean to minimise just how valuable

that can be for some people, it

wasn’t so much the substances as my

own over-overarching issues.”

As an avid tennis player and mindful

of his fitness, this daily activity contrasts

with his slightly sluggish musical

output. I remark that he must be a slow

writer with six years between solo records.

Teddy puts me straight: “ I think

I’m just lazy. I don’t feel the urge

to write a million songs. I just

kind of finished the ones

that I really like. If I had

a bit more motivation

to finish more songs,

I probably would.

Why should I write

more than ten

songs every few

years? I don’t think

it’s going to help me.

What if somebody

was paying me more?

If somebody was

to give me ten grand

every time I finish a song

and there was hot pressure

from record companies and the publishing people to

need more songs and everybody wants to cover my songs,

I’d probably be a bit more motivated. But as it is, this is the

schedule I’m on,” he sighs. “There’s been side projects in

between, the country record of covers and I was doing

things in between that. But, yeah, I’m on a bit of a slow calendar

as a songwriter.” he admits. “But, if anybody wants

to offer me a huge sum of money per song or something,

I’d be happy to churn more out and be more productive,”

he chuckles.

Teddy details his immediate plans for Never Be The Same:

“I’m touring the UK in June, I’ll have a small band but I’m

grateful that I can do both solo and with a band with the

economics involved,” he says. “The upside of playing solo

is that I did learn how to do a show on my own. It’s a steep

learning curve. I’m not really a natural guitar player. I had

to fail a lot, especially when I started out. I mean, the first

record I made and the touring I did doing solo shows was

not great. I just didn’t have the variety of chops to play

for an hour and a half and make it interesting, especially

with the guitar playing. In my experience, the only way to

get good, is to be bad for a while.” He sagely continues:

“Maybe, that might just be the difference between people

that do it and people that don’t. There’s some unknown

need that gives you this confidence to get up there and

do it even when you’re not good yet and kind of

embarrass yourself and fail, but that is the

best teacher because I was not the most

studious guitar player.” He continues: “I

took some lessons in school. I was hopeless,

but I did really well with being embarrassed

on stage, in the sense that I was

terrible and horrified. It galvanised me to be

better next time. I went away and thought

I’ve got to improve on that.” He adds: “The

fear of failing at this thing is quite strong

too, maybe because it’s the family business,

but also because I don’t want to have

to get a job, you know, and be a Waitrose

partner”, he wittily remarks as he beams at

me from his Brooklyn home. In true

Columbo style, I ask Teddy one

more thing. Is there anyone

that he would wish to further

collaborate with and,

apart from a wish list of

Sam Cooke and Aretha

Franklin, we come back to

the land of the living as he

shares with me: “My friend

Nick Lowe, who I do love

very much and I’m the biggest

fan. If Nick Lowe ever

asked me to get up and sing

a harmony with him, I would

love to do it.” One thing is

for sure, Teddy Thompson

can never be accused of ever

being the same.


TAMPA BAY BLUES FESTIVAL 2026

3 0 Y E A R S O F B L U E S

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Laura Carbone

There are festivals, and then there are institutions. The

Tampa Bay Blues Festival firmly belongs in that second

category, and in April 2026 it reached a milestone few

in the blues world ever achieve, thirty years of live blues

music. The weekend felt like a genuine celebration of the

music in all its forms, honoring the past while embracing

the present and looking ahead. Set along the palm tree

lined waterfront of Vinoy Park, overlooking Tampa Bay in

the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, the festival has grown

from a regional gathering in the mid-1990s into one of

the premier blues events in the United States, drawing

fans from around the world.

The story of this festival begins not on a large stage, but

in a small, intimate room. “I owned a blues-style club in St.

Petersburg, Florida. It was called the Ringside Café,” recalls

founder Chuck Ross. “It was a blues music club and

restaurant, a smaller, intimate venue, but very popular.

We booked a lot of great bands, Little Milton, Billy Preston,

Delbert McClinton, Johnny Copeland, Gatemouth

Brown, Dave Mason, so many great shows.” In 1995, Ross

Samantha Fish


Nikki Hill Band

made a pivotal decision. “I sold the nightclub and decided

to continue with my music interests but convert the

nightclub bookings into a festival format.” The earliest

lineups reflected that same spirit, featuring artists like

Son Seals, Koko Taylor, and Buddy Guy, names deeply

rooted in the tradition of the blues. What followed was

the birth of an event that would grow steadily into one of

the most respected blues festivals in the country, without

ever losing sight of its roots.

Ross is deliberate about how each lineup is built, balancing

tradition, diversity, and discovery. “We do our best

to be sure that African American artists are well represented,”

he explains. “It is important for us to have female

artists represented as well. And we try to have some of

the younger generation performers or newer artists, as

well as the well-established bands.” The festival has also

earned recognition from The Blues Foundation, receiving

a Keeping the Blues Alive Award for its contribution to

the genre.

Chuck Ross is not only the founder of this festival, but

also a working musician. He performs as the lead singer

and harmonica player for the Backtrack Blues Band,

one of Florida’s longest running blues bands. They have

built an international reputation, performing at festivals

and concerts around the world with an authentic, roots

driven sound.

Noah Hunt

Over the full three-day weekend at the Tampa Bay Blues

festival there was an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 attendees.

About half travel from outside the state of Florida,

with many coming from Europe and other countries. The


The amazing crowd!

layout of Vinoy Park keeps the experience spacious yet

intimate. People can move easily between the stage, the

shoreline, and the vendor areas, and the park is large

enough that the seating never feels crowded. The festival

grounds are alive with more than just sound. There are

more than thirty food vendors offering a wide range

of cuisine, creating a culinary experience that matches

the diversity of the music. Arts, crafts, and merchandise

vendors round out the scene, turning the festival into a

full day cultural experience. The general admission price

works out to around 15 dollars per band and this cannot

be compared to what it would cost for an individual

headliner show.

Toronzo Cannon

There is also a VIP option for a premier experience, with a

special area that includes shaded tents along the waterfront,

air-conditioned restrooms, a hot dinner, three

food stations, and unlimited beer, wine, drinks, sodas, and

water. Guests also enjoy early entry and reentry privileges,

along with some of the best seats in the house, located

directly in front of the stage.

For its 30th anniversary edition, the festival delivered

a lineup that balanced legacy artists with modern torch

bearers, exactly the formula that has sustained it for

three decades. The festival began on Friday, April 10,

with rising guitarist Yates McKendree, one of the most

promising young blues players on the scene today. Jackie

Venson followed with her sharp, modern edge and expressive

guitar work. Tommy Castro and the Painkillers

kept the momentum going with their signature West

Coast sound and crowd-pleasing style. Los Lobos, often


referred to as “just another band from East L.A.,” delivered

a set that blurred the lines between blues, rock, and

Tex Mex influences, highlighting the cross-cultural nature

of the music.

The Friday night headliner was five-time Grammy winner

Taj Mahal. Backed by the phenomenal Phantom Blues

Band, he blended world music with traditional blues in a

set that felt truly historic. Moving through his extensive

catalog, he played harmonica, guitar, and banjo, while

singing and even dancing on stage, delivering a performance

that felt both timeless and alive.

Saturday, April 11, shifted into a higher gear. Jontavious

Willis considered the great new voice of the acoustic

blues in the 21st century opened with a set rooted in

Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and gospel blues, joined by TC

Carr on harmonica. Nikki Hill followed with explosive,

rock-infused energy, driven by the incredible guitar work

of Laura Chavez. One of the standout collaborations of

the weekend came when Charlie Musselwhite joined

forces with GA-20, blending his seasoned Chicago blues

harp with the groove of the band led by his former protégé

Matt Stubbs. Jimmie Vaughan and his Texas Horns

followed with their cool, charismatic Texas blues style.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd closed the night with a powerful,

high-energy set filled with soaring guitar work and arena

level intensity. Shepard and his band performed songs

from his debut album Ledbetter Heights, which, like the

festival, celebrated its 30-year anniversary.

Sunday began with the smooth, classic vocals of Darrell

Nulisch. Vanessa Collier won over the crowd with her

soulful lyrics, powerful vocals, and fiery saxophone work.

Toronzo Cannon followed with a gritty Chicago style

set that was direct, powerful, and emotionally charged.

As the sun began to drop over Tampa Bay, Samantha

Fish delivered one of the standout performances of the

weekend, blending modern blues, rock, and raw intensity

with commanding stage presence. Closing out the 30th

anniversary, Tab Benoit brought his signature Louisiana

swamp blues sound, sending the crowd off with a performance

that felt both celebratory and deeply rooted in

tradition.

The momentum is already building for 2027, with an

exciting lineup that continues the festival’s tradition of

blending powerhouse headliners with rising stars and fan

favorites. Artists expected to perform include Trombone

Shorty, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Eric Gales, Shemekia

Copeland, Los Lonely Boys, Mr. Sipp, Tab Benoit, Ruthie

Foster, The Blood Brothers, Bywater Call, and Dylan

Triplett, with more to be announced.

Vanessa Collier

You want to be there for this! Tickets for April 9 -11,

2027 and go on sale May 18. tampabaybluesfest.com


JUDITH OWEN

Suit Yourself

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Live: Mon 1st. June, Bush Hall, London, 7.15pm

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BRIDGE STREET BLUES

DAVE THOMAS

Dave Thomas is a real Blues musician. Realistic enough to know that you do it more

for love than money (which is just as well!) and now, in his mid-seventies, he is able

to completely embrace his love of writing, singing, recording, and playing the music

he has been in love with since he was a child, in Newport, South Wales.

Andy Hughes

Supplied

“That’s right, I’d be about ten or eleven, and

the show was on BBC, there was only one

BBC channel then. It was on about six in the

evening, and it was hosted by Cliff Mitchelmore,

whom your older readers will remember.

And the programme featured Otis Soan

and Sonny Boy Williamson. I was captivated

then, and I still am now.

“There were some guys who were six or

seven years older than me, who would have

left school by then, and they formed a band

in Newport in the mid-sixties. The band

was called The Cellar Set, and they were

stunningly good. I met them because they

rehearsed in the upstairs room of a pub that

my parents used to go to. I would have been

introduced to them as a very young lad, but

I did have my own band when I was around

thirteen, called Skid Row, I had the name

first! We would play in the gaps between

sets by The Cellar Set. That was amazing,

because I got my hands on a wonderful Harmony

guitar that their lead guitarist played.

It was that experience that really got me

into music, and I decided then that I wanted

more of that music. So, the core members

of The Cellar Set moved up to London and

became the band Blonde On Blonde, a

Progressive Rock group. They made one

album called Contrasts, which was on the

Pye label. The lead singer was a guy called

Ralph Denyer, who co-authored a best-selling

book called The Guitar Handbook, which

he wrote with Issac Guillory. The band had

established themselves really well on the

London circuit, and Ralph Denyer decided

he wanted to form another band. So Blonde


On Blonde came back to Newport, and offered me the job

as their lead singer. I was eighteen, and I was two weeks

away from going to Leeds University to study English and

Philosophy. It was a no-brainer for me, the band were

playing with people like Jimi Hendrix, and they were on

the Isle Of Wight Festival, with Bob Dylan. My mother

framed my Student Union Card and it sat on the mantlepiece

at home for eight years, like an accusing finger!

My mother was incredibly supportive. I would often roll

in at five in the morning, because we were touring all over

the UK, and she’d be sitting up reading, and waiting for

me to make sure I was safely home.”

It’s not unkind to say that South Wales in general, and

Newport in particular, don’t really feature in the list of

Blues hotbeds, so naturally, the move to London came

for Dave in 1972. He remembers it well. “I’d been with

Blonde On Blonde for three-and-a-half years, and it came

to an end in 1972. So, I had to make a decision, whether

to stay in Newport and get an apprenticeship, or move

to London and see what happened. So, a friend and I

travelled to London in my Morris Minor car. I had my

three guitars, and a lot of hope. The idea was to try and

join another band, after Blonde On Blonde had ended.

They were not commercially successful, but they were a

“I had my three

guitars, and a

lot of hope”

very well-respected Progressive Rock band. It was time

when the record company were making noises about hit

singles. But 1971 was the year when British Rock was

starting to really develop. Everyone had started in Blues

bands, but there was no hope of making a living playing

Blues covers, if you weren’t writing original material, it

had already been done very well by John Mayall, and

Cream, and Fleetwood Mac. I was working on building

sites and shifting from flat to flat. But I picked up a job as

a lead singer with a band called The Reign, a band led by

Robin Le Mesurier, the son of John Le Mesurier and Hattie

Jaques. And there was some money behind that band,

so there was a hope of taking it somewhere. That was my

first audition for a band that I did since moving to London,

and I got the job. There were two girl singers with the

band, one was Debi Doss, who went onto bigger things.

The other was Shirley Roden, who also went on to do

well. By a curious coincidence, Shirley was from Newport,

and went to the same school as me, although she was a

little bit older, so we didn’t know each other back then.”

Looking back, it’s fair to say that Dave’s entry into the

world of singing was somewhat unusual. “I was raised in

this big old house in Newport. It belonged to my uncle

Charles, he and his wife owned it, and me and my parents

lived in it. My mother had ten brothers, and two sisters,

and the brothers sang in a male voice choir in the docks

in Newport. My dad bought me a tin drum, which lasted

about a week. Then he bought me a plastic saxophone

that lasted about a week and a half, and both these things

went missing. I was so upset that they got me a kitten,

and that went missing as well. I do remember a piano in

the hall, and that disappeared as well. It turned out it was

my uncle Charles, who hated anything that made any

noise, and they were gone from the house pretty quickly.

Maybe it reminded him of happy times, which were gone.

But music was in the blood in the family. An aunt gave

me a mandolin, which was beautiful, but unplayable, but

I had a go on that. Then my uncle seemed to relent, and

he bought me my first harmonica when I was seven, and I

taught myself to play it under the bedclothes after lights

out. I also sang in the local Baptist chapel that was along

the road. There was no choir, I sang in the congregation,

but someone obviously noticed me and encouraged me to

sing a few solos. So, I learned really early that I could sing.

Starting in a Baptist chapel and singing hymns ghat had

quite a lot of emotion in them, It opened up an appreciation

of the emotion in Blues music when I first heard it.”

Every composer has a favourite song, it’s simply the way

writing songs works. It may not always stay the same

one, as new ideas come, sometimes an old favourite is

replaced by something new and fresh, as in the case of

Dave’s personal favourite song right now. “It’s a song

called Don’t Make Me Cry, and it will be on an album

that’s coming out in the autumn. It’s not a Blues song, it’s

more of a reflection on twenty-five years in the advertising

business. I love singing Blues songs, but, though I

say so myself, I have a pretty good voice, and it’s nice to

stretch it out on other types of songs. My other favourite

Blues song I have written is the title track of my next

album which is coming out in May, and it’s called Bridge

Street Blues, which is a bridge in Newport where I used

to live.”

Success. It’s a moveable feast. For most musicians, the

ability to write and play their music is the definition of


success. Not surprisingly, as a musician of some experience,

not to say longevity, Dave has some words of

wisdom to offer on the notion of what success means to

him. “Some people say to me that I am blessed, because

I get to make a living doing what I love to do. And my response

is, that depends on what you call ‘making a living’!

My experience is, as a Blues musician, you can’t make a

living doing it. Eric Clapton Can, Buddy Guy can, some of

the huge names can do it. It’s the same with jazz, it’s next

to impossible to support yourself financially, that’s why

I went back to playing the music I love in clubs, and I had

a not unsuccessful career in advertising. I never stopped

playing, that carried on. So, my definition of success, is being

able to write and record and perform the music that

I love. And if I get a little bit of respect and recognition

doing it, then that’s a bonus. Today, merchandising and

ticket sales are the areas you can make some profit out

of. Making and releasing albums is more of a promotional

tool these days.”

places at various times, and now in Norfolk, where I have

lived for the longest. I can always put a band together in

London. I work with a series of different bands here in

East Anglia. The cost of touring is simply too expensive.

The guys I play with these days are younger than me, they

have jobs and families, so I plan around their availability.

I’m probably best known in the US, but it’s not so easy to

get in and out of there these days.”

Indeed – another of the hurdles placed in the way of

touring artists, just trying to get around, and help their

fans enjoy the sounds they make. But Dave Thomas is

perfectly happy gigging around his home in Norwich, and

he has new albums on the way shortly. Keep an eye out,

we’ll keep you posted.

Making music and getting it out to an audience is not

about luck and hope. It takes organisation, and an

element of looking ahead. So, does Dave have a plan for

the immediate future? “Well, I do attempt to control and

direct as far as possible, but calling it ‘planning’ is a bit

grand really. When I worked in advertising, I always had a

Blues band to work with wherever I was. In South Wales,

or London, or Brighten, because I’ve lived in all those

EXPLORE


EVERYTHING’S

FINE HOLLIE

ROGERS


Hailing from Penzance, via nearby Truro, made famous by Gilbert and Sullivan’s The

Pirates of Penzance, Hollie Rogers is flying the flag for Americana and blues-infused

songwriting with a rich collection of songs on her third album, Everything’s Fine. There

is deep irony behind the title of this enchanting solo release, as she explains.

Paul Davies

Supplied

“I’m self-managed. I do everything. I do my own bookings,

my own management, my own label. I have a distributor

and my PR, Claire Lloyd, but that’s about all,” she reveals.

“I really don’t know how anyone can afford to have a team

of people unless you’re a much bigger artist and there’s

more revenue. Especially with touring, it’s so difficult

to make ends meet when you’ve got a band to pay and

everyone needs a hotel and all the rest. It often runs at a

loss, even when there’s just me.”

Cornish beginnings

Now based in West Sussex, Hollie reflects warmly on

starting out in the far-flung Penzance music scene.

“It’s got a great music scene, because there’s not a lot to

do in Penzance, especially when the weather’s bad, which

it is most of the time,” she says with a smile. “When it’s

sunny, it’s the best place to be because there are beaches

and the sea, and it feels like you’re on holiday. But in the

winter months... it’s probably a bit better now with more

touring artists coming down.”

She adds: “When I was growing up there, if you wanted

to go and see a big concert, I’d have to go all the way to

Cardiff, which is a six-hour journey, so we had to make

our own fun.”

That spirit led her into music early. “There are a lot of

college bands and that’s where I started, being in a covers

band at college. It was fun and a way to pass the time,

rehearsing and doing gigs in pubs and places like that.

There’s a vibrant music scene in Cornwall in general,

especially in Penzance.”

From classroom to stage

Hollie’s route into music was not the usual one. Before

taking the plunge full-time, she worked as a teacher.

“I was a primary school teacher, although I taught up to

the age of thirteen. I’m primary trained,” she says. “I was

teaching everything from English to Drama to History.

Some things, like long division, I had to brush up on. I

mean, does anyone know how to do long division anymore?”

She laughs, but the workload was no joke. “I did that for

five years, full-time, and I loved it, but it was crazy hours,

up to 80 hours a week. There was no time for my own

music at all.”

Eventually, music won out. “The summer holidays would

roll around and I’d think, I’m going to focus on my music.

But you can’t have a music career like that. You can’t dip

in for six weeks and then disappear for the rest of the

year.”

“So, with every year that went by, I felt the pull a bit

stronger. I left teaching intending to do music for a year


Trusted collaborators

For vocals, Hollie again turned to Grammy-nominated

producer James McMillan.

“I’ve known James since about 2017. I made

an EP with him,” she says. “He specialises in

big, powerful female vocals.”

and see how it went. I fully expected I wouldn’t be able to

make it work and I’d probably have to return to teaching.

That was ten years ago and here I am, so yes, it’s worked

out pretty well.”

The meaning

behind the title

That success has brought Hollie to a third album that digs

into emotion while often wearing a smile. The title says

plenty.

“It’s very much a sarcastic title,” she explains. “When

things are falling apart, or everything’s all too much, and

someone asks, ‘Are you OK?’ and you reply, ‘Everything’s

fine.’ What you really mean is, ‘I’m having a breakdown.’”

Whatever the reason, she trusts his

touch. “I don’t know if it’s the equipment

he uses or some kind of magic skill he has,

but whenever I go into James’s vocal

booth, even if I think I haven’t sung very

well, he plays it back and I’m like, ‘That

sounds great.’”

Stefan Redtenbacher also returns after

producing her previous album Criminal

Heart.

“Sometimes you meet someone you just

click with professionally and personally, and

it was like that with Stef,” she says. “He plays

bass, co-produces and arranges. I send him

the songs in acoustic form, then we shape

them together.”

The title track was written with Elles Bailey and Beth

Nielsen Chapman, both of whom also appear on the song.

“We were on a songwriting retreat together and grouped

up one day. Poor Elles was really ill, but she stayed in the

session. We were talking about how much we juggle as

musicians and as women as well.”

She continues: “Elles had a young child at the time. Beth

is a mother of grown-up children. We were talking about

spinning a million plates to keep everything together and

how mad it all is at times. That definitely led to the lyrics.”

Songwriting retreats

and Scotch eggs

The song came together during one of Chris Difford’s

writing retreats, where artists from different levels are

paired up at random.

“There’s no brief. You get put in a room and go and write

a song,” Hollie says. “We had to finish by lunchtime and I

remember we were writing right up to the line. We were

actually late to lunch, which is staggering, because I love

lunch, and the Scotch eggs on this retreat are out of this

world.”

“That tells you how invested I was in the song, that I was

willing to miss my Scotch egg that day.”


A lighter record

Asked how this album differs from its

predecessor, Hollie is clear.

“It’s less dark and more light-hearted,”

she laughs. “It’s more a representation

of where I am musically and

personally.”

She notes that Criminal Heart was

almost entirely self-written, whereas

this record is around half solo

songs and half co-writes.

“Co-writing is a completely different

beast. It’s less likely to be deeply

personal. It’s less catharsis and more

collaboration.”

That shift is reflected in the feel of the

record. “It’s still got moments of deep

introspection. It’s still me, but it’s a more

light-hearted record on which I don’t take

myself too seriously.”

Unexpected turns

There are still some edgier moments. One of them is Unholy

Trinity, co-written with Ed Blunt and Daisy Chute.

“We became really good friends since meeting on a writing

retreat,” Hollie says. “We’re very comfortable with

each other.”

The day itself sounds chaotic. Lunch ran long, time ran

short, and Daisy had a gig that evening.

“That left us an hour to try and write something,” Hollie

says. “Somehow, we wrote Unholy Trinity, which is

basically about having a threesome or some kind of dark,

twisted polyamorous relationship.”

She laughs. “I wouldn’t say we were writing from personal

experience, certainly not the three of us, but we were

like, wow, we’ve written a really dodgy song here. How

exciting.”

Strings attached

Elsewhere, veteran guitarist Tony Remy appears on

selected tracks, while Spaceman features the Budapest

Symphony Orchestra.

“It’s just mad. I’m never going to get over it,” Hollie says. “I

can’t believe they’re on that song. They brought it to life.”

She explains that she sang the parts she wanted into

her phone, after which they were properly arranged for

orchestra.

“It’s very much

a sarcastic title”

“I worked with them for about eight minutes on Zoom.

They did three takes and I cried when I heard the result.”

Everything really is fine

Whether through co-writes, bold collaborations or

self-penned reflections, Hollie Rogers continues to grow

into one of the UK’s most distinctive songwriters. As she

flashes one final smile before heading off to a solo show,

she reveals plans for a full-band UK tour in November.

For Hollie Rogers, everything may once have been ironic.

Now, it really might just be fine.

EXPLORE



cruel

intentions

HENRY GOTTELIER OF THE KARMA EFFECT

Few modern British bands mix swagger, groove, and blues-soaked rock as naturally

as The Karma Effect. With their new album Cruel Intentions, the group continues

to build a strong reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting live acts. At the

centre of it all is frontman Henry Gottelier, whose love of classic rock, blues, and

great songwriting runs through every note.

Stephen Harrison

Rob Blackham

Speaking with Blues Matters, Henry

was open, passionate, and full of enthusiasm

for where the band now finds

themselves.

writing the next record

For Henry, the creative process rarely

switches off. Even while one album

is still being promoted, ideas for the

next one are already beginning to

form. “I’m pretty prolific, really,” he

says. “When I get excited about

what we’re doing, the shows, the

tours, the reception from fans, I’m

always writing and getting ready

for the next chapter.”

That mindset meant Cruel Intentions

began taking shape soon

after the previous tour ended.

Returning home, he threw himself

into new material, though he

admits self-doubt is always part of

the process. “You start thinking, am

I taking too long doing this? Was the

last album easier? Is this any good?”

he laughs. “But in the grand scheme of

things, this record came together quite

quickly because the songs just came

out of me naturally.”

Listening back to the demos was a

moment of realisation. “I remember

thinking, hang on a second, how did I

get from there to here?” he says. “You

forget the journey. You remember the

start, and then suddenly you’re at the

end.”

in the studio

While songwriting is Henry’s first love,

recording is a different challenge.

“I love songwriting. It’s my biggest

passion in life. But I’m not very good

in the studio because I’ve got such

bad ADHD, and I just want to hear it

finished.”


Rather than rush the sessions, the band worked steadily

across several months, recording in stages between July

and September. “We don’t like to record under too much

stress,” he explains. “We’d do three days, go away, then

come back and do another three. Especially with vocals, I

need to feel comfortable and confident if I’m going to sing

the best I can.”

That patience has paid off. Cruel Intentions sounds

polished and focused, but never loses the spark of a band

playing with energy.

two guitarists, one sound

A major strength of the album is the chemistry between

Henry and lead guitarist Robbie Blake. Their styles are

different, yet together they create something distinctive.

“Robbie comes from a completely different style of guitar

playing to me,” Henry says. “He’s got that very dirty blues

feel. I’m a bit more of a rock guitarist. When we play

together, it creates an amazing play-off.”

He believes the best bands often come from those contrasts.

“Much like Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, it becomes

an identifiable sound,” he says. “That’s what helps create

a real band identity, and I’d say we have our own version

of that.”

blues in the blood

Although The Karma Effect leans heavily into classic

rock, Henry insists the blues remains the foundation.

“Everything we do stems from the blues,” he says. “My

singing, the grooves, the guitar playing, everything.”

His own influences include Paul Kossoff, while Robbie

draws from Albert King and Chicago blues players. Henry

“WE WANT PEOPLE TO

FEEL THEY GOT EVERY

PENNY’S WORTH”

also loves artists such as Freddie King, especially the

way blues records often expanded with horns, piano, and

powerful arrangements. “You listen to something like Going

Down and think, that’s basically a rock song,” he says.

“A lot of what we do, if you played it differently, would

just be a blues track.”

music with joy

One of the striking things about Cruel Intentions is its

uplifting feel. There is swagger, weight, and attitude, but

also warmth and fun. Henry says that was entirely intentional.

“This band is about escapism and having fun,” he

explains. “We want songs you can stick on at a barbecue,

in the car, at a party, and for however long you’re listening,

you’re taken somewhere else.”

He points to Waiting on a Miracle as the perfect example.

“That’s the style of band we want to be. Uplifting, fun,

sing-along classic rock. Big melodies, horns, solos. We

love bands like Aerosmith where you just can’t help but

want to move.”

built for the stage

If the records introduce the band, the live show is where

Henry feels they truly belong. “This band is a live band,

one hundred per cent,” he says. “I could happily never

record another album and just play songs live to people.”

He is careful to call it a show rather than simply a gig.


“We’ve always wanted to create a stadium show in a

club, theatre, or academy venue,” he says. “Lighting cues,

segues, changes, moments. We want people to feel they

got every penny’s worth.”

That attitude explains why the band’s reputation continues

to grow. Audiences respond to musicians who clearly

love being on stage, and Henry thrives on that connection.

“My best nights vocally and on guitar come from the

energy and adrenaline of playing to people,” he says.

looking ahead

With the album about to land and touring plans ahead,

Henry is eager to keep moving. There are summer shows

to come, followed by a major UK headline run in the autumn.

“We just want to hit the road and hit the UK scene

really hard again,” he says.

He is also keen on the idea of a live album. Rather than

record one single night, he would prefer to capture performances

across a whole tour. “One song from Glasgow,

one from Plymouth, one from London,” he says. “That

would really show what this band is like on the road.”

songs he wishes he had written

Asked which songs he wishes he had written himself,

Henry answers not with rock clichés but with records

that move him emotionally. Don Henley’s The Boys of

Summer is first. “Every time I hear it, I can’t skip it,” he

says. “It taps into something in me I don’t fully understand,

and that’s incredible songwriting.”

He also chooses U2’s With or Without You. “The build,

the melody, the simplicity, the guitar playing, it’s magical,”

he says. “Those are the songs that make you feel something

deeply, even if you can’t explain why.”

a band on the rise

There is something refreshing about Henry Gottelier. He

speaks with the hunger of an artist still chasing bigger

things, but also with the gratitude of someone who

knows how lucky he is to do what he loves. That energy

runs through Cruel Intentions, an album full of groove,

confidence, and heart.

The Karma Effect clearly understands its roots, but they

are not interested in nostalgia. They want to make people

move, sing, smile, and come back for more. On this evidence,

they are doing exactly that.

EXPLORE


SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC NEAR YOU

A BEAUTIFUL

BUZZ Samantha

Martin


LISTEN

TO THIS

INTERVIEW


Few artists in modern roots music combine grit, soul and emotional honesty quite like

Samantha Martin. Fronting her formidable band Delta Sugar, the Canadian singer has built

a reputation on powerful live performances, fearless songwriting and a voice capable of

moving from smoky restraint to full gospel thunder in the space of a verse.

Colin Campbell

Paul Wright & Renan-Yildizdogan

When Blues Matters caught up with her, Martin reflected

on the influences that shaped her, the realities of life on

the road, and the live spirit captured on her latest release,

A Beautiful Buzz.

From family records to

finding the blues

From the beginning, music was simply part of life. Martin

grew up in a home where records were always spinning

and instruments were never far away. Her mother had

an upright piano, her father played acoustic guitar, and

between them they created an environment where sound

and song felt completely natural.

That early soundtrack was broad and varied. Classic

rock sat beside country, while family record collections

opened doors into older styles of rhythm and blues, soul

and vocal harmony groups. It gave Martin a wide musical

vocabulary before she had even begun to think seriously

about performing. The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin

shared space with Willie Nelson, Hank Williams and

Waylon Jennings, while older compilations introduced

her to the richness of early American music. Her path into

blues came through curiosity rather than a single defining

moment. Listening to newer artists who sampled older

music led her backwards through soul and gospel, and

eventually to the roots of it all.

“If you keep tracing it back,” she explains, “you always end

up at blues and jazz. That’s where so much of it begins.”

Learning to perform

Although she would later become a respected bandleader,

Martin’s first instrument was always her voice. Singing

came naturally long before she became comfortable on

guitar. Childhood performances at school soon led to

local jam nights and early live appearances.

One spontaneous performance changed everything.

She stepped on stage, sang with a live band, and felt the

charge that only performing can bring. Soon after, she

played her first paid gig outdoors in freezing weather,

earned fifty dollars, and knew there was no turning back.

The reaction of an audience mattered. For someone who

often felt like an outsider growing up, applause carried

real meaning. Music became more than expression. It

became connection.


Touring, family and

perspective

Life on the road has changed since becoming a mother.

Touring now brings a different emotional balance, mixing

the excitement of performance with the challenge of time

away from family. A recent run of shows marked the first

time she had been away from her young son for more

than a few days.

“It was hard,” she admits. “But it also reminded me how

much I love doing this.”

Interestingly, motherhood also brought back something

she had not felt for years: nerves before walking on stage.

“It’s not nerves really,” she says. “It’s excitement. It means

I care.”

Roots and roll

Trying to neatly label Samantha Martin’s music is a losing

game. Her songwriting often draws from country traditions,

built on stories with beginnings, middles and ends.

Sonically, however, the music moves through soul, blues,

rock and gospel without ever sounding forced.

Some moments carry grit and swagger, others the emotional

authority of classic soul singers. She sums it up in

her own words: “Roots and roll.”

What ties it all together is her voice and personality. Martin

is less interested in genre boundaries than emotional

truth. If the song works, the label can come later.

Building Delta Sugar

Leadership came naturally. Martin quickly realised she

was never destined to be a backing singer, joking that

blending into harmonies was not one of her gifts. Combined

with a background in business and a clear sense

of direction, it led to the creation of Samantha Martin &

Delta Sugar, now known for their muscular live sound and

commanding stage presence.

Managing a large band is no small task, but Martin embraces

the responsibility. Someone has to steer the ship,

and she does so with conviction.

Capturing a beautiful buzz

That live energy sits at the heart of A Beautiful Buzz.

Recorded during a cross-Canada tour, the album captures

the band in its natural habitat: on stage, in motion,

feeding off the crowd and each other.

At the time, the recordings were almost forgotten amid

the chaos of touring, pregnancy and everyday life. Only

later did Martin revisit them and realise what had been

preserved.

“I listened back and thought, this band is on fire.”

It was a fitting discovery. Delta Sugar built their name

through live performance, and the record reflects exactly

that reputation. There is sweat, movement and spontaneity

throughout. Nothing feels over-polished. It sounds

alive.

What success means now

Martin believes strongly in the value of dynamics, musically

and emotionally. You cannot stay at full intensity

forever. There must be build, release and contrast.

That principle applies equally to a career. There are highs

and setbacks, packed houses and quiet nights, triumphs

and hard miles between them.

So how does she define

success now?

“Being able to keep doing this,” she says simply. “Supporting

yourself, supporting your family, and still making

music.”

It is a grounded answer, but an honest one. Fame has

never seemed the point. Longevity matters more.

A message for the UK

Before the conversation ended, she had a message for UK

audiences.

“I love you guys and gals,” she says warmly. “When we

finally get over there, I hope you’ll come out and help me

keep this going.”

Given the force of Samantha Martin in full flight, that

sounds less like a request and more like fair warning.

Samantha Martini & Delta Sugar’s live album “A Beautiful

Buzz” is released by Gypsy Soul Records on Friday May

22. Further info: www.samanthamartinmusic.com

EXPLORE


TRACES OF THE

FLOOD

STEVE LOUW

Steve Louw is something of a cultural icon in his native South Africa. He is

connected to much of the musical history of the country over many years and

has contributed in a major way to the 46664 Aids Awareness programme and

to the Anti-Apartheid movement.

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

JACQUI VAN STADEN

Steve has been a professional musician since the 1980s,

first with the band All Night Radio, who released a couple

of albums before forming the hugely successful Big Sky in

1990. Their debut album Waiting For The Dawn became

something of a soundtrack for the generation that finally

helped South Africa move away from the strict apartheid

conditions that had blighted the country for so long. Big

Sky were to release a further five albums, providing many

radio hits and sell-out tours for another 15 years.

Music fans will be aware of the heart-warming story of

Rodriguez through the brilliant Oscar-winning film

Searching For Sugar Man. It was Steve who was charged

with putting together and leading the band that backed

Rodriguez in those stadium-bursting comeback dates,

and again when the film was released.

Steve is a highly respected songwriter, acknowledged

when he collaborated with Brian May and Dave Stewart

to write for the Nelson Mandela-inspired 46664 Aids

Awareness Project. In 2003 he was inducted into the

South African Rock Hall Of Fame. However, changes to

the management team at Sony Records meant that after

the 2008 release of Big Sky’s Trancas Canyon album,

Steve found himself without a recording deal. This led to

a hiatus in recording right through to 2021 with the

launch of his solo career and the release of Headlight

Dreams. World-renowned producer Kevin Shirley has

been a major part of Steve’s comeback. Best known to

blues fans as the long-time collaborator with Joe Bonamassa,

Kevin and Steve have been friends since playing

in bands together in their youth. Kevin had produced the

last All Night Radio, and the first Big Sky albums. With a

new flow of creativity, Steve has followed that with the

releases of Thunder And Rain in 2022 and the double

album Between Time in 2024. That creative flow is set to

continue with new release Traces Of The Flood in 2026.

I had been lucky enough to interview Steve ahead of the

Between Time release and wanted to catch up with him

again to talk about Traces Of The Flood. After a few

listens I felt this was maybe a more personal album and I

put that to him when we spoke.

‘Yeah, I think so. It’s the same band, so sonically it’s quite

similar. With that said, there’s one new guitar player,

Bob Britt, who’s played with Doug Lancio, who I’ve

played with quite a bit, but this is the first time I’ve

recorded with Bob. Doug and Bob know each other

really well, so you can hear their interplay, which I think

is one of the highlights of the album. The two guitar

players playing against each other and never stepping

on each other. It was great playing with the whole band

but Bob and Doug are great together.’

I think you saw Bob playing alongside Doug first hand at a

Bob Dylan concert?

‘Bob Britt has been in his touring band since about 2018

and played on the Time Out Of Mind album. Doug joined


LISTEN

TO THIS

INTERVIEW

“if you’re writing for yourself,

you’re not thinking in terms

of production”


the band on Bob’s recommendation after Covid, about

2021. It’s great to have two players that play together

just about every day. I mean they do a lot of shows

together so you can really feel the interplay between

them and they listen so carefully, it’s a privilege to be

able to play with them. I’d heard Bob Britt’s playing on

Time Out Of Mind, like you I always read all the album

credits, and I asked Doug about him while we were

recording Thunder And Rain because at that point Doug

had just joined Dylan’s band. They had done the first

two months touring so maybe played 30 shows together,

and Doug was saying how great it was. When I saw

Bob and Doug together at that Dylan concert it struck

me how great the interplay was.’

It was a damn hot band in the studio with Steve recording

Traces Of The Flood. Both guitarists Bob Britt and Doug

Lancio have highly successful credits as producers, as

does keyboard player Kevin McKendree, their combined

CVs include not only Dylan but John Fogarty, Leon

Russell, Delbert McClinton, John Hiatt, Kingfish Ingram

and Todd Snider. Add to that the rhythm section of Greg

Morrow and Alison Prestwood.

‘It is some band of musicians. You know Alison is fantastic.

She might not be that well known outside the studio

scene but what a player. She studied with the legendary

Carol Kay. Kevin likes to use her on many of his recording

projects.’

And I believe you used a different studio this time?

‘That’s right. We used Dave Cobb’s, which is the old RCA

studio. He had been there exclusively, but now he’s built

another studio at home which has opened it up for

outside people to use. Kevin wanted us to record there,

he used it on Joanne Shaw Taylor’s previous album and

loved it. It was a great room with a lot of history in it. All

of Dave Cobb’s stuff is there, lots of guitars, amps and

vintage drum kits. There’s a lot of music in the room so

that’s inspirational.’

The last album, Between Time, ended up as a double. Did

you enter the studio with a different mindset this time?

‘I went in with 18 songs and Kevin chose the ones that

he liked or struck him as strong. You know I think after

not being in a studio for so long, I had a break for 13

years during which time I was still writing songs, and

through Covid I decided I wanted to release another

album. So, I had that kind of pent-up thing. After Covid I

wanted to make as much music as I can. I always have a

couple of songs knocking around and you know I write

songs all the time. The great thing now is having done all

these albums in quite a short period of time I feel very

connected to the band and they’re really enthusiastic

about the music and we’re comfortable with each other,

we’re more than just acquaintances now. I speak to

Kevin all the time and for me it’s very inspirational to

have that when I’m writing at home I can think of Bob

Britt, or Doug and what they would do with it, or Greg

etc. It elevates your songwriting because you’re

thinking I’ve got to walk into that room and play to

those people who are no slouches. Whereas if you’re

writing for yourself, you’re not thinking in terms of

production or in terms of I’ve got to convince these

people. It sharpens my work ethic.’


year on a nylon string guitar and I just had the riff and it

just came to me as a kinda punk song and it’s three minutes

of let’s party and have fun. It was the last song we

recorded. We knocked it out in the last ten minutes of

the session. We were actually doing it as a throwaway

and then everybody said, man this is such fun. Across

The River would also work as just acoustic guitar and

voice because it has an interesting story but we recorded

it as a full-blown band.’

I wondered if Steve had ever considered recording an

album just him and an acoustic guitar.

I had mentioned that this album felt more personal. Echo

Dream is very heartfelt, with everyone playing acoustically,

and Light Of Day (Woody’s Blues). Was that about a

specific person?

‘No, it’s just about a guy, why it’s Woody’s Blues is the

woodpecker he hears knocking but he knows nobody’s

going to be knocking on his door, and he knows when

the woodpecker knocks he’s calling out to his mate. Also

like Echo Dream, a song about a love song and a song

about loss and a person thinking of people. I think we all

carry with us people in our lives who aren’t around

anymore. They come back to us at night or in dreams or

in songs or in thoughts. Both of those and Tumbling

Down is similar, are recognising that.’

Traces Of The Flood, the title track, goes back to 2019,

tell us how that came about.

‘In 2019 I had been on a long motorcycle journey around

South Africa, like 8,000 kilometres. Being in the landscape

and doing a lot of thinking. Two songs came out of

that; Train Don’t Run which was on the Headlights

album and Traces. When I started the trip, I thought I

need some focus so I went to the beginning of this big

river and followed its course as close as I could from its

mouth up into where it came out of the mountains. I met

a lot of people on the way, and I saw a lot of landscape

and my father and my grandfather come from those

plains of the Karoo which are kind of just like flat vast

plains and I try to find my grandfather’s grave and a lot

of that stuff seeped into the song.

And you know there’s a lot of defunct train tracks in

South Africa now and nature is taking them over. I’ve

always seen that in colonial times the first things that

the British did was build train tracks. Also coincidentally

my mother’s father, my maternal grandfather, was on

the railroads in the 50s so I’ve got a link to trains, and I

love trains and a lot of that seeped into the song.’

There are a couple of songs that surprised me. CBGB

Christmas, which is short and kind of punky, and Across

The River, which has a garage rock vibe.

‘Well I wrote CBGB Christmas on Christmas Day last

‘I would like to for sure, but it’s got to be a specific set of

songs with a theme and they must be very strong with

very strong stories. It’s a hard thing to do but I would

love to be able to one day. I was always inspired by

Springsteen’s Nebraska album. I was living in New York

in August of 82 when it was released and I listened to it

incessantly on a cassette.’

Another favourite track of mine is Time To Move.

‘I knew the sound I wanted for that, a very specific

12-string electric guitar. Right before the session I went

to the guitar shop and there was one of those guitars. I

managed to rent it for the session and that guitar is the

heart of the song. Doug loved the guitar so much that

after the session he actually went and bought it. He just

couldn’t give it back, and we used it on a few things.’

Dark Pony is an amazing song. I wondered if the pony was

maybe a metaphor for a strong-willed young lady?

‘No it’s not, but it could be I suppose. It was inspired by

a horse riding trip I went on with my daughter. It was

a three-day trip and we didn’t realise what we were

getting into. You had to swim with the horses across a

river so you had to get the horse into the water which

the horse didn’t want to do. As soon as the horse felt its

feet weren’t on the ground nature kicked in and it started

to swim. We had to get off the horse and hold onto

its mane and it swims with you. It was inspired by that,

having a horse as a companion. That’s the most important

thing in life, friendship and connection with horses

or dogs or people. Or birds or mountains, just rock. I feel

a connection to mountains and rock strangely enough.

You would think it’s inanimate but it doesn’t feel like it

to me.’

Steve Louw’s new album “Traces of the Flood” is released

BFD/The Orchard on May 15th. The album is available

from www.stevelouw.com

EXPLORE


LISTEN

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INTERVIEW


COME TO ME

CARMEN RATTI BAND FEATURING JILL DINEEN

From the ever-evolving blues landscape of California comes a band that refuses

to be pinned down. Rooted in tradition but unafraid to stretch beyond it, the

Carmen Ratti Band featuring Jill Dineen, are carving out a sound that feels both

deeply familiar and refreshingly new.

Colin Campbell

Dan Wright & Tina Abbaszadeh


Catching up with guitarist and bandleader Carmen

Ratti and vocalist Jill Dineen just hours before a show,

the mood is relaxed but focused. The weather may be

unpredictable, “typical California,” as they laugh, but

their trajectory as a band is anything but uncertain. With

a powerful new album, entitled Come To Me, a growing

reputation, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity,

this is a group clearly on the rise.

BEFORE THE FIRST NOTE

Like many musicians, pre-show rituals are less about

superstition and more about finding the right headspace.

“I get really tense,” Ratti admits with a grin. “Then once

my amp lights up, I’m relaxed.” Dineen’s preparation is

more methodical, rooted in the discipline of a seasoned

vocalist. “I do all the typical singer stuff; teas, water but I

also like to take my time and shift my mindset. There’s a

little routine to it.” That balance of nervous energy meeting

quiet control mirrors the band’s music itself: dynamic,

emotional, but always grounded.

“It came from a place

of grief, but also

seeking comfort”

ORIGINS: A LIFE IN MUSIC

For Jill Dineen, music was never a choice, it was simply

part of who she is. “I come from a musical family,” she

explains. “My mom was a pop singer in the ‘60s, my dad

was a drummer and DJ. I grew up surrounded by vinyl.

Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, I’d just sit in

my room and absorb it all.” That early immersion shaped

a lifelong pursuit. From school choirs to musical theatre,

and eventually fronting her own bands, Dineen’s journey

has been one of constant expression.

Ratti’s path took a different route. “I started on drums

at ten,” he recalls. “I loved watching Buddy Rich, those

dual drum solos on TV just blew me away.” By his early

teens, he was already gigging, playing Creedence Clearwater

Revival covers at school events and house parties.

But then, unexpectedly, he stepped away. “I put it down

around twenty,” he says. “Didn’t come back to it until I

was about forty.” When he did return, it was with renewed

purpose. Guitar, bass, songwriting, Ratti immersed

himself in the creative process, spending years in the

studio crafting material before stepping back onto the

live stage. “That’s what really brought me here,” he says.

“The writing, the recording, it just pulled me back in.”

BUILDING THE BAND

The Carmen Ratti Band officially came together in 2018,

but its foundations were laid in a local blues jam Ratti

was running. “I had this great room, a big stage, great

sound system. I started bringing in really good players,”

he explains. “Then we got asked to play a local festival,

and that was the first time I put the band together

under my name.” One key piece was missing: a vocalist,

enter Jill Dineen. “I ran into Jill at the jam and basically

hounded her for months,” Ratti laughs. The persistence

paid off. Their collaboration quickly became the defining

force of the band, blending Ratti’s instrumental instincts

with Dineen’s lyrical and vocal depth. “I wanted to write

original music and really lean into that,” Dineen says.

“This partnership gave me the space to do that and to

be fully authentic.” The band gained momentum quickly,

playing extensively through 2019. Then came 2020. “We

were about to headline a major festival,” Ratti recalls.

“And then COVID hit.” Like so many artists, they adapted,

writing, recording, and releasing new material that would

set the stage for their current success.

CAPTURING THE MOMENT

Recording at Greaseland Studios, a hub for contemporary

blues, proved to be a pivotal experience. “We were

ready,” says Ratti. “Songs written, players assembled. We

knew exactly what we wanted.” Preparation is key for this

band. There’s little interest in overproduction or endless

takes. “We don’t want to overthink it,” Dineen explains.

“We want to feel it. Most of the songs were done in one

or two takes.” That approach gives the album its organic

quality, alive, immediate, and emotionally raw. “There’s


something special about capturing a moment,” she adds.

“You can’t fake that.”

SONGWRITING: WHERE IT BEGINS

There’s no single formula behind the band’s songwriting;

each track emerges differently. “For me, melody and lyrics

come together,” says Dineen. “When I hear it, I try to

catch it right away.” Ratti’s approach is more structural. “I

think in grooves and arrangements,” he explains. “I’ll bring

something in, and Jill will take it somewhere else entirely.”

That creative interplay is at the heart of their sound.

TRACK TALK

No Delusion: Driven by a powerful groove, this track

started with rhythm before evolving lyrically. “You can

feel the audience connect with it live,” Dineen notes.

“That groove really carries it.”

Blessing in the Blues: Written for the International Blues

Challenge in Memphis, this gospel-infused piece carries

a deeper message. “It’s about overcoming divides,” says

Dineen. “That’s something people really connect with.”

Get in Line: A lively, keys-driven track with a ‘60s feel,

born from an earlier writing partnership. “I wanted something

sassy, something fun,” she says. “And it feels light

when I sing it.”

Come To Me: The most striking moment on the album is

the title track. Originally an instrumental, it took on new

meaning when Dineen added lyrics inspired by personal

loss. “I wrote it after my mom passed,” she reveals. “It

came from a place of grief, but also seeking comfort.”

The result is a stripped-back, deeply moving piece that

captures the essence of the band’s ethos: honesty above

all else. “It’s about laying bare the truth,” she says. “Not

crowding it, just letting it exist.” Even now, performing it

live remains a question. “We haven’t played it yet,” Ratti

admits. “It still feels very raw.”

A BAND OF PLAYERS

Beyond the core duo, the Carmen Ratti Band featuring

Jill Dineen is powered by a formidable lineup of musicians.

“These are some of the best players in the Bay

Area,” Ratti says proudly. “I don’t have to worry about

anything when I step on stage.” From the dynamic drumming

of Randy Hayes to the expressive keys of Tony Lufrano

and bass tones of Steve Hazlewood, each member

brings depth and experience, including years of touring

across Europe. “It’s a beautiful thing,” Dineen adds, “when

you feel safe enough to create in the moment.”

WHAT IS THE BLUES?

Ask two musicians what the blues means, and you’ll get

two different answers. For Dineen, it’s deeply personal.

“I’ve been singing blues since I was fourteen,” she says. “It

helped me process heartbreak, it’s a language for emotion.”

She speaks with reverence about the genre’s origins

and its role in shaping modern music. “We’re just working

within something that existed long before us,” she

reflects. “Trying to honour it while adding our own voice.”

Ratti came to the blues later in life, but with equal intensity.

“Hearing B.B. King changed everything,” he says. “The

phrasing, the space, it just hit me emotionally in a way

nothing else had.” Since then, the blues has become his

primary language. “It’s where I can pour everything out,”

he says. “It’s not mechanical, it’s real.”

ADVICE AND PHILOSOPHY

When it comes to navigating a music career, both artists

return to a simple but powerful idea: authenticity.

“Be yourself,” says Dineen. “There’s so much beauty in

stripping away the layers and just being honest.” She also

emphasises perseverance. “Keep going. There are no

rules, just keep creating and define your own path.” Ratti

echoes that sentiment, adding a technical perspective.

“Put the time into your instrument,” he advises. “Study it,

work it, keep growing. There’s no end to it.”

LOOKING AHEAD

With a new album gaining attention and a West Coast

tour already in the works, the future looks bright. “We

want to tour more, Europe is definitely on the list,” says

Dineen. “And just keep writing, keep creating.” Ratti is

equally optimistic. “The doors are already opening,” he

says. “I can see it happening.” Perhaps most importantly,

they’re enjoying the journey. “We do this because we love

it,” Dineen smiles. “That’s what keeps it all moving.”

FINAL WORD

As our conversation draws to a close, there’s a sense of

quiet confidence from both artists. “We just hope people

connect with the music,” Dineen says. “That they feel

something.” Ratti nods in agreement. “That’s what it’s all

about.” In a genre built on truth and feeling, the Carmen

Ratti Band featuring Jill Dineen are staying firmly rooted

in both—while pushing the blues forward in their own

unmistakable way.

For further details see website:

www.carmenrattiband.com

EXPLORE


L A U R E N C E

J O N E S O M N Y

O W N


LISTEN

TO THIS

INTERVIEW



When Blues Matters caught up with Laurence Jones, he was still buzzing from his

recent acoustic show at The Flower Pot in Derby. It was a venue he knew well, having

played there many times over the past 17 years, and the setting suited the spirit of his

new album perfectly. “It’s like putting on old slippers going there,” he laughs. The gig

was intimate, warm, and stripped right back, which is exactly where Jones now finds

himself with his latest record, On My Own.

Stephen Harrison

Rob Blackham

BACK TO THE BARE BONES

The decision to make a fully acoustic blues album came

from a simple place. For Jones, that is where the blues

began. “For me, that’s where the blues really began, with

the acoustic guitar and Robert Johnson,” he says. “I was

thinking of having the electric plugged in and rocking it

up a little bit, but when I was writing the songs, I wanted

people to feel how I felt when I was writing them. As

stripped back as possible. No effects, no nothing. Just

acoustic guitar and vocal.”

That directness is a major part of the album’s strength.

Jones is known for high-energy electric performances,

but On My Own feels like something more personal. It

is not a stylistic detour so much as a return to source.

His relationship with the acoustic guitar also goes back

further than some fans may realise. He began on classical

guitar at the age of eight, studying seriously through

his teenage years and earning a grade eight distinction

before choosing the blues over a place at the Conservatoire

in Birmingham. “I thought, how do I combine that

classical feeling of where it began for me, just me and my

guitar on stage, with what I love now, which is the blues?”

he explains.

FINDING THE BLUES

The music that first filled Jones’ world was not strictly

blues, but it led him there. Progressive rock and classic

bands such as The Groundhogs, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin,

and Jimi Hendrix opened the door. From Hendrix

came Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Albert King, B.B.

King, and eventually Robert Johnson. Clapton’s Me And

Mr Johnson became especially important. “That’s one of

my favourite albums ever,” he says. “I love how he put his

stamp on the blues, and I thought if I could do something

like that but write original tunes, that would be something.”

Jones wanted the new album to carry that same sense of

respect without becoming a copy. He speaks with real ad-


miration for the way early blues players made one acoustic

guitar sound like several instruments at once. Reaching

that sound meant relearning parts of his own approach,

especially in open tunings. “Muscle memory wasn’t taking

me there,” he says. “I had to teach myself different riffs,

and that was interesting because I was writing more from

feeling than theory.”

WRITING THROUGH ILLNESS

The emotional weight behind On My Own comes from

Jones’ long battle with Crohn’s disease. He was first

diagnosed as a teenager and has lived with it for nearly 20

years, but the past few years have been especially difficult.

He lost weight, struggled with inflammation, and, at times,

hit a frightening low point. “There were times I thought I

was going to die,” he says. “I thought, I’m not dying with this

music in me. The music helped me progress and get better,

and it encouraged me that if I could get better, I could play

these songs live.”

That honesty runs through the record. Jones says the lyrics

could not be generic blues lines about waking up feeling

bad. They had to be autobiographical. At one point, he was

unable to leave the house for months, and the frustration,

fear, and isolation found their way into the songs. “I had a

lot to say,” he admits. “I was trapped inside with my guitar,

and all these feelings came to me. It felt like the music and

lyrics clicked together more than they ever have before.”

“There

were times

I thought I

was going

to die.”

TAKING CONTROL

The album also marks a major career shift, with Jones

releasing it through his own label, Ron Records. It was a

decision born from both ambition and necessity. After

years of dealing with managers, labels, and the pressures

of the wider industry, he wanted control of his music, his

schedule, and his health. “In this industry, there’s not a lot

of support when you get sick,” he says. “I needed to take

control of my royalties, control of where I could tour and

talk, and allow my health to get better.”

That independence changed the music, too. Without a label

asking for boxes to be ticked, Jones felt free to make the

record he needed to make. It was daunting, especially as

he had never released his own music before and had never

built an album around an acoustic guitar. But the risk has

paid off. “It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done career-wise,”

he says. “It’s given me the chance to reconnect

with fans personally again.”

The new way of working has also changed touring. Jones

prepares meals in advance, follows a strict diet, and keeps

his dates manageable. He has cancelled overseas plans for

now and is focusing on the UK, where he says the support

has been overwhelming. “I think 80 or 90 per cent of my

sales came from the UK, which blew my mind,” he says. “I’ve

had so much support from my home country.”



“No effects,

no nothing.

Just acoustic

guitar

and vocal”


NO PLACE TO HIDE

Playing acoustic has brought Jones back to the kind of

pressure he knew as a classical guitarist. With no drums,

bass, pedals, or volume to hide behind, every note is exposed.

“You can hear a pin drop,” he says. “If you make the

tiniest scratchy mistake, that’s getting picked up through

the speakers. But that’s what I love about it. I grew up

with that pressure, sitting in a church hall with three or

four hundred people watching a classical concert.”

That rawness suits the material. These songs deal with

illness, vulnerability, and survival, so the stripped-back

format feels natural. “The acoustic touches your heart in

a different way to the electric,” he says. “Most of these

songs are about my battle with Crohn’s disease, so it feels

natural to be vulnerable on stage telling those stories.”

The response from fans has helped him, too. After the

shows, people have come forward to talk about Crohn’s

illness, family members, and their own struggles. “You

meet people who have worse conditions than me,” he

says. “It makes you very grateful.”

AMY AND THE ROAD BACK

Jones is quick to credit his fiancée Amy for helping him

reach this point. She has been by his side through the

hardest period and now opens the shows herself. “I

wouldn’t have been on the stage without her,” he says.

“She’s been my rock.” Having her on the bill gives the tour

a deeper personal meaning. “It feels like we’re both there

showcasing our life together as well.”

He has also enjoyed the freedom to perform with her and

include their duet at the end of the show. In the past, he

says, labels often resisted the idea of them recording or

performing together for practical or promotional reasons.

Now he can make those decisions himself.

TRIBUTES AND NEW DIRECTIONS

Although the album is deeply personal, Jones still finds

room in the live show to honour the artists who shaped

him. His acoustic medley of Voodoo Chile, Whole Lotta

Love, and Can’t Find My Way Home has become a standout

moment, reshaping iconic electric material through

slide and acoustic blues. “I couldn’t do an acoustic set

without doing Jimi Hendrix,” he says. “No one’s really

done a slide version before, so I wanted to try something

different in the style of the blues.”

He also points to Clapton’s Me And Mr Johnson as a

key acoustic benchmark, while noting the importance

of paying homage rather than becoming a tribute act. “I

don’t like tributes,” he says. “But when someone is paying

respect and saying this music needs to be heard again,

that’s different.”

BUDDY GUY AND KEEPING

THE BLUES ALIVE

One of Jones’ most memorable career moments came

when he met Buddy Guy in the Netherlands. After hearing

Jones play, Guy invited him onstage, warning him with

typical humour that he had better be good. What began

as one slow blues turned into Strange Brew and Sunshine

Of Your Love, before Guy walked off and left Jones to finish

with the band. “His manager laughed and said he felt

comfortable with me on stage,” Jones recalls. “He knew I

could handle it.”

For Jones, encounters like that connect directly to the

wider history of the blues. He talks with affection about

the way British players such as Clapton, the Stones, John

Mayall, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page helped bring blues

back into the mainstream, while always acknowledging

the Black American artists who created it. “That’s what

it’s all about,” he says. “Keeping the blues alive.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Jones still has plenty of dates ahead, including festivals

and theatre shows, but he is careful not to overload

himself. Next year, he plans to keep touring manageable,

with perhaps 30 or 40 shows across the UK, while

continuing to rebuild his strength. He is already thinking

about another acoustic record and is drawn to the idea of

recording it live. “I want it really raw,” he says. “When you

record something live, you forget about the microphones,

and you’re connecting with the audience. It creates something

completely special.”

For now, On My Own stands as both a return and a new

beginning. It is Laurence Jones stripped back to the essentials:

voice, guitar, foot stomp, story, and truth. After

everything he has been through, that feels more than

enough.

EXPLORE


BIG BLUES

REVIEWS

LAURENCE

JONES

ON MY OWN

Ron Records

Laurence Jones released his first album

in 2010 and has since gone on to

collect many awards and accolades

along the way. From fronting his own

band in his mid-teens to becoming

a solo artist of some repute, he has

blazed a trail through Blues and Blues/

Rock for over a decade. On My Own is

the tenth album that he has released.

It hit the shops and socials in January

of this year. The album is entirely

acoustic, just Laurence on vocals and

acoustic guitar. It is a back-to-basics

“This feels like a

milestone in his

career, turning a

different corner”

collection of material telling the all too

familiar story of the struggles, desperation,

and loneliness that a Blues artist

usually faces. However, On My Own

has a deeply moving and personal tale

of the life and times of Mr. Jones. He

has been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease

and has suffered immensely over

the last few years with this debilitating

and terrible condition. This album tells

the story of the struggles and despair

that he has faced along the way, but he

has come out of the other side with a

new collection of stripped-back Blues

tracks that, in my opinion, are some of

his best work to date. The album opens

with, One Life which sees Jones almost

reinvigorated, especially vocally. I don’t

think I’ve heard such confidence in his

voice for a long time. That’s a huge part

of the appeal to me, new beginnings,

a different approach. A change is as

good as a rest, as they say. Songs such

as Get Back Up, Ain’t Coming Back No

More, and the wonderful, Middle Of The

Night reflect what he truly feels. Having

known Laurence for a few years, I

should not be surprised at anything

that he produces, but this feels like

a milestone in his career, turning a

different corner that I’m sure will

lead him down new roads. It’s a

journey I want to be a part of, Bravo.

STEPHEN HARRISON

EXPLORE

REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 R

AJ FULLERTON

& JAKE FRIEL

FULLERTON & FRIEL

VOL II

Independent

Up-and-Coming Roots and Blues

Duo A J Fullerton and Jake Friel

have released a new album to delight

the ears of blues fans. Recorded

live in one afternoon at Mark

Anderson’s Cowboy Cowabunga

Studios in Evergreen, Colorado,

A J Fullerton and Jake Friel have

captured the feel and vibe of Delta,

Piedmont, and Hill Country Blues in

an authentic and engaging manner.

Reinterpreting songs from the likes

of Taj Mahal, Elmore James, Mississippi

John Hurt, and others, the 15

tracks have an authentic sound that

takes you deep into the Juke joints

and dive bars of the delta. Fullerton’s

finger-picking and bottleneck

slide guitar, and vibrant vocals,

combined with Friel’s expressive

blowing make for a joyful sound

Blackham Images

72 BLUES MATTERS! ISSUE 161

EVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEW

that bring tracks like “Yonder Wall” and

“Going Down Slow” to life, even the

traditional tale of “Stack-O-Lee”, a cautionary

tale at best, is given colour and

expression in their hands. Willie Dixon’s

“Bring it on Home” is a perfect example

of Fullerton & Friel’s comprehension of

the blues – A classic Train-song driven

by Fullerton’s guitar and Friel’s smokin’

harmonica – You can feel that train

rolling by. Those deep, rich vocals, the

exquisite guitarwork and that blazing

harmonica belie the relatively young

age of AJ and Jake and demonstrates

how deeply they are steeped in the

blues traditions. As AJ Sings on opening

track “Cakewalk Into Town”, “I had the

blues, so bad one time it put my face in a

permanent frown/You know I’m feeling

so much better, I could cakewalk into

town” and this is exactly what Fullerton

& Friel Vol II does – puts a smile on your

face at every listen. This second album

from the duo is a fresh take on traditional

blues breathing new life into the

genre, remaining true to its roots whist

simultaneously giving it a modern feel.

AMANI BURNHAM

ROOTS & WINGS

Blind Pig Records

PAUL DUBBELMAN

Amani Burnham’s debut album Roots

& Wings arrives with the kind of buzz

most young artists spend years chasing

and, remarkably, it lives up to it. At just

20, Burnham delivers a confident, fully

realised statement that bridges blues

tradition and modern urgency with

striking ease. Built around a classic

power-trio setup, the record thrives on

raw feel and spontaneity. There’s little

gloss here; instead, this release leans

into groove, space, and the electricity of

live interplay. Burnham’s thumb-driven

guitar technique is the album’s defining

voice, it is percussive, fluid, and capable

of shifting seamlessly between gritty

rhythm work and soaring lead lines.

Tracks like the opener, Fastlane burst

out of the gate with high-octane swagger,

while slower cuts such as Last Thing

I Remember showcase his expressive

phrasing and emotional depth. The title

track stands out as the album’s emotional

core, reflecting on identity and

heritage with a maturity that belies his

age. What is most impressive is Burnham’s

balance between reverence and

individuality. The influence of Hendrix,

CARMEN RATTI BAND

FEATURING JILL DINEEN

COME TO ME

MoMojo Records

There’s a quiet confidence running through the Carmen Ratti Band featuring

Jill Dineens latest release, one that never feels the need to overstate

its presence. Recorded at Greaseland Stu-dios under the watchful ear of

producer Kid Andersen, Come To Me finds its strength in subtlety, sitting

comfortably at the crossroads of soul, blues, and modern R&B. It’s a record

that values feel over flash, favouring authenticity and groove above all else.

The opening track No Delusion sets the mood with an easy, unhurried sway.

The band lock into a supple rhythm while Ratti’s guitar work leans toward

warmth and tone rather than bite. His playing is measured and tasteful, allowing

space for the song to breathe, while the vocal delivery keeps things

grounded and sincere. The title track emerges as a centrepiece, unfolding

over a slow-burning groove that rewards pa-tience. A major highlight is the

gospel tinged, Blessing In The Blues. There’s a maturity in its restraint each

note and phrase placed with care, creating a sense of intimacy that lingers

long after the song fades. Across the album, the band balance grit and finesse

with ease. The lineup is completed by top Bay Area players Tony “Macaroni”

Lufrano (organ, piano, backing vocals), Randy Hayes (drums), and Steve

Hazlewood (bass), whose muscular yet nuanced playing gives the songs

space to breathe and grow. The more driving moments retain clarity, while

the mid-tempo cuts drift into a more reflective, soul-tinged space where dynamics

and phrasing take precedence. Lomg time vocalist Jill Dineen adds

further depth, particularly on Get In Line, where her smooth, expressive delivery

blends seamlessly into the band’s understated approach. Ultimately,

Come To Me is defined by cohesion and feel and is a confident, unforced set

that resonates through its honesty.

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GINA COLEMAN

UNCROWNED: A TRIBUTE

TO IDA COX

Guitar One Records

Gina Coleman’s newest release, doesn’t so much revisit the past

as pull it into the present tense, breathing new life into songs that refuse to

sit quietly in history. This is no sepia-toned homage, it’s a record that understands

the blues as a living language, still capable of cutting deep and speaking

plainly. Best known as the driving force behind Misty Blues, Coleman

steps into Ida Cox’s formidable catalogue with a sure sense of purpose, balancing

reverence with a willingness to reshape the material. From the opening

bars, it’s clear she’s not interested in preservation for its own sake. Tracks

like, Graveyard Dream Blues retain their spectral, vaudeville-tinged unease,

Coleman’s vocal walking the line between theatrical storytelling and raw

confession. There’s a quiet expansion in the arrangement, subtle guitar textures

and a measured rhythm section that deepens the atmosphere without

crowding it. Elsewhere, numbers such as Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues

arrive with a renewed swagger, Coleman tapping into Cox’s unapologetic independence

while injecting her own lived experience into every phrase. One

Hour Mama simmers with playful defiance, its double entendre delivered

with a knowing wink. Throughout Uncrowned, Coleman’s connection to Cox

feels instinctive rather than studied. Cox, long celebrated as the Uncrowned

Queen of the Blues” was a woman who wrote her own rules, and that spirit

courses through this album. Coleman’s voice carries both grit and grace,

capable of a hard-edged declaration one moment and a tender, almost conversational

intimacy the next. The band, meanwhile, understands the assignment.

The instrumentation is purposeful and restrained; clean, expressive

guitar lines, steady, unflashy rhythms, and just enough embellishment to colour

the edges. Coleman isn’t simply covering Ida Cox, she’s in dialogue with

her, bridging a century of blues tradition with a perspective rooted firmly in

the present. In doing so, she not only honours Cox’s legacy but reinforces the

enduring, unfiltered power of women’s voices in the blues.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Beck is

clear but never overwhelming; this is

not imitation, but continuation. His

songwriting carries an introspective,

searching quality, giving the album a

sense of purpose beyond instrumental

fireworks. Overall, this release,

ultimately feels like both a beginning

and a declaration. Burnham honours

the blues past lineage while pushing

it forward, proving himself not just a

viral sensation, but a serious new voice

in contemporary blues-rock, a highly

recommended release.

COLIN CAMPBELL

BOB CORRITORE AND

FRIENDS

ERNESTINE BLUES

Vizztone

Vince Ray’s distinctive artwork makes

it very easy to identify a Bob Corritore

CD, but then again, the music always

speaks for itself too. It would be easy

just to list those friends of Bob’s who

contribute to this classy set, recorded

over ten sessions between 2023 and

2025, and it would certainly be recom-

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mendation enough. If you want a list of

singers and musicians who are closest

to the classic blues sound too, you

could also use the same one. Listen to

the opening track, How’d You Learn To

Shake It Like That with its fifties Chicago

blues club sound, Bob’s raw-edged

blues harp weaving around drummer

Tony Coleman’s excellent vocal, and

the band with just the right amount

of rough and ready feel – it’s quite a

way to start! What follows are tracks

that sound like they should be on small

Windy City label 45s, such as Tell Me

Darling (lovely vocal by Carla Denise –

who has two other equally impressive

tracks), true veteran Bob Stroger, now

in his nineties, with Eugene Church’s

Pretty Girls Everywhere, Tia Carroll’s

pop-blues cover of Sam’s Cooke’s

Ernestine – the laugh at the end says it

all! - or Jimi Primetime Smith’s spot-on

cover of Jimmy Reed’s Going Fishing;

Oscar Wilson turns in a equally creditable

mush-mouthed cover of Reed’s

Down In Mississippi. Speaking of the

Magnolia state, we even have a detour

down to Mississippi with Pat Thomas’

down-home vocal and guitar work (and

just Bob’s harp) on Big Fat Mama, and

in strong contrast, the throbbing deep

south soul-blues of Johnny Rawls on

I Love The South. Teeny Tucker winds

things up with the lead and backing

vocal on the glorious Shoes – a listing

of footwear was never so much fun before!

The album’s recommended then?

Of course…

NORMAN DARWEN

JP SOARS

GYPSY BLUES REVUE

Forty Below Records

JP Soars has never been one to colour inside the

lines, and this release finds him pushing that instinct to its outer edge.

This isn’t a record that sits politely in the studio rack, it crackles with the energy

of musicians chasing the moment. Teaming up with violinist Anne Harris,

Soars delivers a set that feels less constructed and more discovered in

real time, where blues remains the foundation but rarely the destination. Viper

immediately signals intent. Built on a slinking groove and a haze of latenight

tension, the track coils around Harris’ fiery fiddle lines as they snake

through Soars’ rough-hewn vocal delivery. There’s a palpable sense of risk

here, the kind of loose, combustible chemistry that suggests the tape was

barely able to contain it. Jessie Mae pulls things closer to the tradition, but

even here Soars resists settling in. A gypsy-jazz undercurrent tipping a hat

to Django Reinhard, it threads through the arrangement, giving the track a

as unpredictable as it is alive

restless swing that keeps it from feeling like a straight homage. Meanwhile,

Goin’ To South Carolina rolls in on a rootsy, open-road rhythm, the kind of

tune that feels destined for sun-drenched festival stages and long, dustkicked

encores. What defines this release is its sense of conversation. Harris

isn’t decorating these songs, she’s driving them. Her violin operates as a

true counterpoint, locking horns with Soars’ guitar in a way that keeps each

track in motion. There are moments that echo the deep groove sensibilities

of Muscle Shoals, others that feel like front-porch improvisations stretching

into the night, but it never feels forced, it breathes. At times, the album’s stylistic

wanderlust can leave it feeling unmoored. But that’s also its strength.

Soars isn’t chasing cohesion; he’s chasing feel. That instinct pays off in a record

that’s as unpredictable as it is alive, less a fixed statement, more a snapshot

of an artist and a partnership refusing to stand still.

COLIN CAMPBELL

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PHILIP SAYCE

SCORCHED EARTH: VOLUME

2 LIVE IN LA/LONDON

Atomic Gemini Records

Philip Sayce’s new album recorded Live in L.A. and London is a

full-throttle declaration of why he remains one of blues-rock’s most incendiary

live guitarists. Captured across sold-out nights at The Baked Potato

in Los Angeles and London’s Garage, the album delivers eight tracks that

crackle with raw energy, fearless improvisation, and a palpable connection

with the audience. From the ominous stomp of , One Foot in the Grave to the

mind-bending surge of Peace Machine, Sayce’s trio, with Sam Bolle on bass

and Bryan Head on drums, demonstrates a remarkable balance of precision

and abandon. The nine-minute odyssey of, Peace Machine stretches blues

into psychedelic terrain, each searing solo a bolt of pure electricity that

seems to suspend time. Sayce’s touch is just as fiery on tighter numbers like

Morning Star, where melodic sensibility meets high-octane flair, and on fan

a sonic inferno, a masterclass

in guitar virtuosity

favourites such as Once and the brooding Bitter Monday, which ignite the

intimate LA stage with raw urgency. Across the pond, London listeners are

treated to a transcendent rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Spanish Castle Magic,

a performance that honours the legend while filtering it through Sayce’s own

volcanic tone and fearless attack. With mixing by Grammy-winning engineer

Mark Rains and mastering from Brian Lucey, every nuanced bend, feedback

howl, and audience cheer is rendered in vivid clarity. This release is not

merely a live recording; it’s a sonic inferno, a masterclass in guitar virtuosity,

and a testament to Sayce at the absolute zenith of his live powers.

COLIN CAMPBELL

STREET CORNER TALKING

- THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

KIM SIMMONDS

THE LIFE AND MUSIC

OF THE FOUNDER AND

GUITARIST OF SAVOY

BROWN

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown. For

me, the man and the band are synonymous,

meaning I can’t really think of

one without recalling the other. Both

were integral parts of the second British

Blues Boom of the late 60s, when

it seemed that not only was anything

musically possible, but in actuality

everything was....

Kim’s story is one of humble origins,

Welsh-born in 1947. Growing up in the

shadow of older brother (and non-musician)

Harry, Kim became a self-taught,

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self-motivated guitar player. He loved

to tell the story of how he got his first

guitar by saving up some money and

sending away for it; upon its arrival,

he discovered he’d have to assemble it

himself! Kim was no luthier, but he put

it together and taught himself how to

play. And play he did. The blues held a

particular fascination for him as he discovered

men like Earl Hooker, John Lee

Hooker, and Lightnin’ Hopkins, among

many others. He began playing locally

and developed some real band-leading

skills, which led to forming the

Savoy Brown Blues Band in late 1965.

Managed by brother Harry, Kim met

British blues producer extraordinaire

Mike Vernon (who penned the book’s

foreword), who became an integral part

of developing the band’s sound, and the

debut LP “Shakedown” was released

in 1967 in both mono and stereo (but

not released stateside). That first

SAMANTHA MARTIN

& DELTA SUGAR

A BEAUTIFUL BUZZ

Gypsy Soul Records

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar ignite every stage they touch, and A Beautiful

Buzz captures that electricity in full throttle. Recorded at the height of

their Love Is All Around tour, this 13-track live set doesn’t just play songs,

it lives them. From the opening surge of Love Is All Around, gospel-infused

call-and-response grooves pull listeners into the crowd, wrapping you in

music at its most thrilling,

this is the front-row experience

the warmth and immediacy of a room alive with music. Martin’s vocals are

a force of nature, shifting seamlessly from wounded, aching soul to triumphant,

belting highs. Tracks like Don’t Have to Be and You’re the Love ride on

a rhythm section that’s taut, punchy, and effortlessly syncopated, while the

horns blaze with retro swagger that feels startlingly urgent. Standouts like

The Shape I’m In, featuring Steve Marriner, fuse blues-rock grit with brassfuelled

fire, and the simmering My Crown, stretches nearly six minutes of

vocal dynamism, phrasing, and pure command. Covers such as Them Changes

and Loving Cup, nod to classic rock lineage but are filtered through Delta

Sugar’s soulful, gritty prism, making them feel entirely fresh. Beyond the music,

it’s the atmosphere that sets this album apart: audience cheers, onstage

banter, and the organic push-and-pull of a live revue give every note a living,

breathing presence. This release isn’t just a recording, it’s an invitation. For

anyone seeking modern roots music at its most thrilling, this is the front-row

experience, bottled with warmth, fire, and unmistakable soul, a breathtaking

live performance.

COLIN CAMPBELL

Paul Wright

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band didn’t last long as the young Kim

searched for more and found it when

Chris Youlden, Lonesome Dave Peverett,

Roger Earl, and Tone Stevens joined

Savoy Brown in 1968. The subsequent

four albums they recorded together

were, in my opinion, the Golden Age of

the band. Raw Sienna, Youlden’s swan

song, is a particularly good example

of great songwriting, musical collaboration,

and Kim’s technical blues (and

Jazz) chops coming together to create a

classic album. Followed by the Looking

In and Street Corner Talking LPs, which

really boosted Savoy Brown’s profile

in America (of interest is that Raw

Sienna, Looking In, and Street Corner

Talking all had different lead singers,

with Dave Walker joining in 1971). Even

with ever-changing band personnel,

Kim and Savoy Brown had established

themselves as blues-rock linchpins who

could pretty much headline any gig

anywhere in America. As the 70s rolled

on, however, Savoy Browns’ fortunes

dipped a bit, and Kim found himself at a

career/life crossroads: what next?

The answer was the USA, and Kim

packed up his stuff and moved stateside

to Ohio. And there truly defined

his ultimate legacy: Kim as the master

of re-invention. It was in Ohio that he

began his American journey, starting a

family and playing in a myriad of bands,

even straying briefly outside of Savoy

Brown, but never for long. Dave Walker

returned in the late 1980s for the GNP/

Crescendo years, and I’m happy to say

I got to work with the band during that

period. And Savoy Brown kept right on

going as Kim kept evolving, eventually

starting a new family with Debbie

and Eve and a new musical family with

Pat and Garnet. Amazing really that

Kim Simmonds, no matter what, could

always just pick himself up, dust himself

off, and refine his craft and redefine

who he was, right up until his passing in

2022. Small wonder that Blues Matters,

originally called Shades of Savoy Brown,

nicked its title from the life of the one

and only Kim Simmonds...and yes, it was

quite a life well lived, thank you, Matey.

PAUL AARONSON

DALE WATSON

UNWANTED

Forty Below Records

Willie Waylon And Whiskey is the

name of the opening track here, which

perhaps tells you all you need to know

– it’s a strong country boogie, listing

the main man’s voices and with Dale’s

deep voice right out front. Now maybe

it’s being on Forty Below – Eric Corne’s

label has released plenty of blue’s

albums – but this is certainly bluesy

country in some places. Try Whatever

The Hell Happened To The Cadillac for

a rootsy sound - and values too. She

Was My Baby certainly packs a hefty

helping of blues, in contrast with the

pure vintage country sound of If You

Really Love Me (Outlive Me), reaching

right back to Hank Williams. Austin,

Texas based Dale describes his sound as

“Ameripolitan”, with country, Western

swing, and rockabilly influences (and

those latter two styles have always contained

lots of blues elements anyway),

and as noted the blues itself is certainly

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!

Paul May

PHILIP SAYCE

Blues Matters speaks to Philip Sayce about his musical roots, live

performance, and the release of Scorched Earth Vol 2.

JUDITH OWEN

Blues Matters speaks to Judith Owen about her outstanding new

album Suit Yourself, the deep musical pull of New Orleans, and the

joy at the heart of jazz, blues, gospel and soul.

MARC BROUSSARD

Marc Broussard joins Blues Matters to discuss his powerful new

album Chance Worth Taking.


026

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GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1999, YOU CAN NOW READ THE

WHOLE BACK CATALOGUE OF BLUES MATTERS FOR FREE

CLICK HERE

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THE KARMA EFFECT

CRUEL INTENTIONS

Independent

Cruel Intentions is the band’s third album,

and it certainly does not take any prisoners. Now, if you

are one of the many Blues purists out there, then this may not be the album

for you. However, if you like good old Rock ‘n Roll with more than a hint of

attitude, then this will be right up your musical alley. Ride Or Die literally

kicks the doors open to this collection of high-intensity rocking tunes, with

lead vocalist, Henry Gottelier pitch what put me in mind of early Bon Scott

and Brian Johnson type of approach. The album proceeds to travel at a hundred

miles an hour, blasting through tunes that, while raunchy and rocky, still

retain a sense of well-produced lyrics and musicianship. The song, Raised

On Rock And Roll could easily describe The Karma Effect from their humble

beginnings. Guitarist Robbie Blake and Gottelier bounce off one another

effortlessly, each bringing something to the table, and pairing together like

they have known each other inside out since birth. I suppose the best way to

describe these guys is 70s Rock and Roll with sprinklings of Soul, heavy riffs,

and a no-nonsense sense of “this is us”. As I listened to the tracks, one thing

became ever-present in my mind. If this is how they are in a recording studio,

what on earth are they like in a live setting? I found Cruel Intentions to be fun

and uplifting. We could all use a bit more of this in our everyday lives. Great

album.

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there too. Try the closing, title track

for another strong example of Dale’s

bluesier side. Don’t Let The Honky

Tonks Go is another upbeat, up tempo

country boogie, with a couple of lovely

pedal steel breaks by Don Pawlak; it’s

a reminder too that Dale is a regular at

Austin’s famed Continental Club. This

album offers pure roots music – some

of the purest country-styled Americana

(with blues tinges) I have heard in a long

while - from “An old dog with no new

tricks” as Dale describes himself on the

sleeve. That may indeed be the case

but with roots music that can definitely

be a good thing. As someone else has

also said, “the oldies are the best”. This

album shows that off very well.

DR JOHN

LIVE AT

ROCKPALAST

1999

Made In Germany

NORMAN DARWEN

Well, what the hell can I ever write

here which will cast any new light upon

the mighty Dr John? So, I am not even

going to try. Basic facts only, born New

Orleans 1941, passed New Orleans

2019. Dozens of albums, hundreds if

not thousands of album contributions.

Six Grammy’s, Muppet character the

lists are endless. Known throughout

the world of Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk,

Jazz, Rock & Roll if there was a gig going

where he could add some of his trademark

barrelhouse piano licks you could

always guarantee the if the big man

was in the nearby, he would turn up to

play. Whether in the US, Europe, Asia

and beyond he would be there. Hell,

he even rocked up to add his talents in

Blairgowrie. Goodness knows how that

happened, but it did. So, this collection,

including a DVD, is a quick visit to his

career-defining catalogue. An impossible

task but we are treated, in no

particular order to Such A Night, Sweet

Home New Orleans, Iko Iko, Right Place

Wrong Time, Qualified, Soulful Warrior

etc. As you would expect he is backed

up with a tight, smokin’ band of the

highest order. His playing is simply wonderful,

and I suspect that you will all find

something within these cuts to easily

make you smile with enjoyment. Go on

you know that it makes sense to get a

little bit of the flamboyant, raconteur,

former resident of NOLA Dr John down


THE BIG BLUES CHART

THE TOP 50 BLUES ALBUMS

26 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS

POS ARTIST ALBUM LABEL

#1 LIL’ ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS SLIDEWAYS ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#2 DUKE ROBILLARD AND HIS ALL STAR BAND BLAST OFF! NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#3 SELWYN BIRCHWOOD ELECTRIC SWAMP FUNKIN’ BLUES ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#4 OMAR COLEMAN & IGOR PRADA OLD, NEW, FUNKY & BLUE NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#5 TERESA JAMES & THE RHYTHM TRAMPS BAD AT BEING GOOD MOMOJO RECORDS

#6 ALTERED FIVE BLUES BAND HAMMER & CHISEL BLIND PIG RECORDS

#7 MIKE FINNIGAN MIKE FINNIGAN FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#8 TINSLEY ELLIS LABOR OF LOVE ALLIGATOR

#9 JOE BONAMASSA & FRIENDS B.B. KING’S BLUES SUMMIT 100 KTBA RECORDS

#10 LAURA CHAVEZ MY VOICE RUF

#11 CRYSTAL SHAWANDA SING PRETTY BLUES NEW SUN RECORDS

#12 GARRET T. WILLIE BILL’S CAFE GULF COAST RECORDS

#13 CHARLIE BARATH ISSAQUENA GETAWAY

#14 BILLY THOMPSON THIS WORLD MOMOJO RECORDS

#15 CHARLES TINER GOOD SOUL

#16 STEFAN HILLESHEIM BAND LIVE AT THE CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL STELLA BLUE MUSIC

#17 KIM WILSON SLOW BURN M.C. RECORDS

#18 ED ALSTROM THIS IDEA OF HUMANITY HAYWIRE RECORDS

#19 GABE STILLMAN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ? GULF COAST RECORDS

#20 BROOKS MILGATE ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES MOMOJO RECORDS

#21 SEAN MCDONALD HAVE MERCY! LITTLE VILLAGE FOUNDATION

#22 BUDDY GUY AIN’T DONE WITH THE BLUES SILVERTONE

#23 ROOMFUL OF BLUES STEPPIN’ OUT! ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#24 THE JAMES HUNTER SIX OFF THE FENCE EASY EYE SOUND

#25 ROBBIN KAPSALIS THE BLUES IS IN THE HOUSE BLUES HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

#26 BOB CORRITORE ERNESTINE BLUES VIZZTONE

#27 ALEX LOPEZ AND THE XPRESS RETRO REVIVAL MAREMIL MUSIC

#28 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND FUTURE SOUL FANTASY

#29 CANDICE IVORY NEW SOUTHERN VINTAGE NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#30 MISSISSIPPI HEAT DON’T LOOK BACK DELMARK

#31 KYLE ROWLAND NOT HOLDING BACK LITTLE VILLAGE

#32 MUD MORGANFIELD DEEP MUD NOLA BLUE RECORDS

#33 PONTCHARTRAIN SHAKERS LOVE, PEACE, & CHICKEN GREASE SOUTHLAND

#34 PETER VETESKA & BLUES TRAIN KEY OF V SELF-RELEASED

#35 CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM HARD ROAD RED ZERO RECORDS

#36 BROTHER JOHN BLACK CROW JOHNNY NEVER MUSIC

#37 DUWAYNE BURNSIDE RED ROOSTER LUCKY 13 RECORDS

#38 BILLY BRANCH & THE SONS OF BLUES THE BLUES IS MY BIOGRAPHY ROSA’S LOUNGE RECORDS

#39 D.K. HARRELL TALKIN’ HEAVY ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#40 AMANI BURNHAM ROOTS & WINGS BLIND PIG RECORDS

#41 SPENCER MACKENZIE EMPTY CHAIRS GYPSY SOUL RECORDS

#42 DEBRA POWER UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME

#43 MICK KOLASSA BLUE TO THE BONE ENDLESS BLUES RECORDS

#44 MARC BROUSSARD CHANCE WORTH TAKING KTBA RECORDS

#45 FARMHAND LONG HOLLOW BLUES SELF

#46 CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE LOOK OUT HIGHWAY FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#47 THE DIBS JUST FOR YOU NAKED

#48 THE JOHNNY MAX BAND JOHNNY MAX & HIS SO CALLED FRIENDS POUR SOUL RECORDS

#49 ROYAL & TOULOUSE TELL THE DEVIL LITTLE TOWN SOUND

#50 ERIC BIBB ONE MISSISSIPPI REPUTE RECORDS


REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIEWS DECEMBE

MAY2026 REVIEWS MAY2026 REVIE

MIKE FINNIGAN

THE MIKE FINNIGAN ALBUM

Forty Below Records

I think that this may be the first solo album from Mike Finnegan

that I have heard – there were a couple of albums released in the ‘70’s

that didn’t see any play over here. Amazing for a man who was in constant

demand with some absolutely stellar names. Over the course of a very long

career he featured on Electric Ladyland, played with Big Brother & The Holding

Company, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Cher, Stephen Stills,

Dave Mason, CSN, CSN&Y, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal – his Hammond playing was

legendary. Sadly, he passed in August 2021 from liver cancer, and this set of

tracks is his posthumous legacy. This is a great listen with 11 solid and satisfying

pieces of Blues. As well as being a master Hammond B3 player he had a

rich vocal, in a Blues/Soul/Gospel vein, that deserves to be heard. The album

features contributions from Joe Bonamassa, Stephen Stills, Smokey Robinson

and his son Kelly Finnegan. The backing band is composed of LA’s top

sessioneers, and the whole package is a pure delight from start to finish. The

album started recording in 2018 and was interrupted by Covid and Finnigan

being diagnosed with liver cancer – he had been a heroin and alcohol addict

for years before cleaning up in the late ‘90’s – and unfortunately wasn’t finished

before he died, two songs still requiring vocals and other work needed

to get the album ready for release. The two missing vocals are performed by

Stephen Stills, who Finnegan had a near 40 year relationship as musicians

and friends, and Smokey Robinson. There are a good few standout numbers:

Don’t Answer The Door is a massive slab of Blues with some wonderful keyboards,

Let That Liar Alone has a great groove, the slow Blues It Ain’t Fair is

darkly powerful and has a terrific and emotional vocal. One of Blues music’s

lesser known stellar artists - this album really shows him off properly.

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your ears. Night tripping at its very

best. PS the text on the cover is correct

however the track data incorrectly

names Mama Roux and Goin’ Back To

New Orleans

G E LONG BAND

AIN’T NO RAIN

40 Watt Music

GRAEME SCOTT

G.E. Long is an American Blues guitarist,

singer and songwriter born and raised

in Pennsylvania. Sparked at a young

age by the gift of a 12 string Silvertone

acoustic guitar then formally studied

the organ, piano and briefly the drums,

the Blues is where G.E. Long finds his

place on this 10-track album. Influenced

by varying artists from the R&B, Rock,

Gospel, and old school country communities

G.E. used his formal training

alongside these fluences to create a set

of tracks that nods its head to each of

those influences but manages to feel

Blues throughout. Working Man, pure

Blues, How Many Days has a little country

to keep you company on your way to

work, Baptise is smooth and intricate,

time to chill.... the album starts Rock

blues, Ain’t No Rain and ends Blues,

Trouble’s Knockin’ - in-between is a little

country, a little smooth, a little R&B

all the time G.E.’s vocals and storytelling

weave through the entire set.

GHALIA VOLT

BURN THE

HOUSE DOWN

Ruf Records

JEAN KNAPPITT

Ghalia Volt’s newest release doesn’t

so much arrive as it detonates. This is a

raw, sweat-soaked statement of intent

from an artist who has long thrived

on instinct over polish. Recorded live

in Nashville with producer JD Simo,

the album captures Volt in her most

immediate form, leaning into the ragged

edges that many would sand down, but

she instead weaponises her musical

tones. Opening tune is No Ice Please,

setting the tone with a loose, swaggering

groove, while the ethereal tune,

Mine, drifts into late-night rock and

roll territory, carried by Volt’s gritty,

sandpaper vocal. The next song, Ride, is



the album’s most immediate highlight, a

hip-shaking, riff-driven blast that channels

garage rock energy through a deep

blues core. Elsewhere, Volt digs deeper

into her roots. Where Do We Go, taps

into hypnotic hill country blues, repetitive

and trance-like, while Lucifer’s Grip,

swings with a John Lee Hooker-style

shuffle, full of menace and movement.

Let Yo’ Hair Down, loosens things

further with a juke joint stomp, before

the title track, Burn The House Down,

erupts in a cathartic, full-band release.

What makes the record compelling is

its refusal to sit still. Flamenco textures

flicker beneath the surface, garage rock

snarls at the edges, and everything feels

captured in the moment organically, because

it largely is. Tracked quickly with

minimal takes, the album thrives on feel

rather than perfection. This release is

not a polished jewel; it’s a raw, glowing

ember. Nonetheless in Ghalia Volt’s

hands, that’s exactly the point.

GUY VERLINDE

BEST OF BLUES

Independent

COLIN CAMPBELL

There’s a low-key sense of celebration

running through Best Of Blues, the

latest compilation from Belgian road

warrior Guy Verlinde. Rather than a

simple rearview glance, this 12-track

collection, remastered for 2026 feels

like a fresh spin through a well-worn

jukebox, alive with the grit, soul and

miles that have shaped his journey.

Let’s Have a Party, kicks things off in

fine style, loose-limbed and swinging,

setting a welcoming tone that never

outstays its welcome. From there, Me

& My Blues pulls the lights down low,

Verlinde’s weathered vocal sitting comfortably

in a stripped-back, after-hours

groove. The sequencing is key here

with each track shifting the mood just

enough to keep the listener leaning in.

There’s a rhythmic snap to Soul Jivin,’

full of movement and attitude, while Do

That Boogie rolls in with a barrelhouse

swagger that tips its hat to traditional

blues roots. On the other side of the

spectrum, Heaven Inside My Head and

I’ve Got You, bring a reflective edge,

highlighting the introspective songwriting

that has become a hallmark of

Verlinde’s later work. Electric cuts like

Gator Bop and Jungle Fever, add a shot

of blues-rock muscle, a reminder of the

fire still in his playing. By the time the

closing track, Treat Me Right eases in,

there’s a sense of earned calm; soulful,

steady, and unforced. Clocking in at just

over 40 minutes, this release is tight,

purposeful, and deeply authentic; a fitting

portrait of a tireless bluesman still

moving forward.

JAYLER

VOICES

UNHEARD

Silver Lining Music

COLIN CAMPBELL

There’s a certain kind of record that

doesn’t so much introduce a band as

kick the door clean off its hinges. Voices

Unheard, the debut long-player from

West Midlands outfit Jayler, lands

squarely in that tradition, steeped in the

grit and swagger of ‘70s blues-rock, but

pulsing with a modern, working-class

urgency that refuses to be boxed in by

nostalgia. They ease you in with the

bare-bones Intro, but it’s a short breath

before the band hit their stride. Down

Below comes in swinging hard. It’s all

crunching guitar, locked-in rhythm, and

a vocal that carries equal parts soul

and snarl. This is where Jayler plant

their flag: blues-rooted, riff-driven, and

built for sweat-soaked stages. You can

almost feel the floorboards shaking under

it. Across the record, there’s a keen

sense of push and pull. Riverboat Queen

struts with a loose-hipped confidence,

while Need Your Love leans into melody

without losing its bite. Then comes

Bittersweet, a welcome comedown

that trades bravado for bruised introspection,

revealing a band with more on

their mind than just volume and velocity.

The track, Over The Mountain, sits at

the heart of it all, a rallying cry wrapped

in grit and echo, giving voice to the unheard

and the overlooked. It’s here that

Jayler’s intent becomes clear: this isn’t

just revivalism, it’s reclamation. Sure,

the ghosts of giants loom large, there

are shades of that classic British blues

boom woven through the DNA, but

Jayler don’t get lost in them. They play

it with conviction, with hunger, and just

enough rough edge to keep things honest.

If they occasionally lean on familiar

shapes, it’s the fire in the delivery that

sets them apart. For a debut, Voices

Unheard doesn’t whisper, it roars. It’s

raw, ambitious, and alive in all the right

ways. And if this is the opening chapter,

you get the sense Jayler are only just

getting warmed up.

COLIN CAMPBELL

LEWIS STUBBS JUNIOR

WEST NASHVILLE SKY

Dog Ranch Music

Lewis Stubbs is a Nashville based artist

who has self-produced this fairly short

eight track album which is full of eclectic

sounds veering from basic acoustic

driven Singer Songwriter material to

full on Rock n Roll. Lewis has recently

gone solo after performing in different

bands throughout his musical career.

On this release he plays guitar and handles

all the vocals. While this is a solo album,

he has supporting musicians, most

notable being Chris West on Horns who

transforms some of the songs into a

more funky style, perfectly demonstrated

on Never Too Late To Get Down,

which starts with Lewis playing some

gentle “wah wah slide guitar” before

the Horns cut in and the song is transformed.

The songs are all fairly melodic

with sparse arrangements although

there are subtle textures within them

that makes for a great listening experience.

The lyrics are very personal, particularly

on the song W C Blues where

Lewis highlights the alienation he felt

working for the Department of Health

Department during the COVID 19

pandemic, where he went from ‘Hero

to Villain’ overnight. The title song is a

pastoral instrumental built round the

acoustic guitar that is not representative

of anything else on the album, for

me a strange choice for the album title.

The two strongest songs are the catchy

When I Hear and the heartfelt Best I

Can Tell, which covers the impacts of

addiction and subsequent recovery, and

includes some tasty National Steel guitar

playing. A tender album with subtle

undertones, performed by an excellent

musician who writes terrific songs that

are very personal to Lewis although I

found it enjoyable sharing them with

him.

ADRIAN BLACKLEE

MICK CLARKE BAND

SHAKE THAT BOOGIE

LIVE IN BREMEN 1989

Made In Germany



Mmm, where to start? Well I guess

that Mick, in his various guises, is one

of those jobbing musicians who work

really hard over a thirty album, nearly

sixty-year career, and yet mostly remain

unknown to the wider community. Why

that should be the case is way above my

pay-grade to analyse. I confess to only

having the merest knowledge of him

myself. So really all I have to go on is this

very fine set from the five-piece band

recorded in Germany. It is a solid outing

of energetic rocking Blues. There is

absolutely nothing sophisticated about

this outing at all and, that, makes it all

the better. This is what you want from a

live gig in a sweaty club. Strident guitar,

a really tight rhythm section, keyboards

and a wailing harmonica. Sweat pouring

down the walls as you shake you body

wildly to the almost primeval rhythms

bowling you over. We have all been at

such gigs and we know just how exciting

that experience can be. This eighteen

song set, over two CDs were recorded

for Radio Bremen, and mostly consist

of originals with a few covers notably

Willie Dixon’s You Need Love, Muddy

Waters slow Blues She’s Nineteen Years

Old and Elmore James Madison Blues.

Of the originals standouts include

Closing Time, Full Moon Boogie and

Midnight Cruise. It is a solid collection

delivered with enthusiasm and, yes,

more than a touch of Blues class. I liked

it very much indeed.

GRAEME SCOTT

MIKE GULDIN

WHILE I CAN

Blue Sky Tunes

Two-time International Blues Awards

finalist Mike Guldin has assembled a

fine cast of players for his latest release

“While I Can.” Recorded, mixed and

produced at The Rock House Studio in

Franklin, Tennessee, by Grammy award

winner Kevin McKendree, and featuring

Mike’s backing bands, The Hot

Links, and Rollin’ & Tumblin’, this album

spans a wide gamut of blues styles,

blending Chicago, Southern, Gospel and

Country Blues and seasoned with some

Rock’n’roll and Honky-Tonk to cook

up a feast of good-time rockin’ blues.

McKendree also provides a variety of

keys to most of the tracks which adds

so much richness to these well-crafted

songs. The album title was inspired by a

conversation with Mike’s father, Vernie,

who said “Mike, if there is something

you wanna do in life, do it while you

can.” Mike’s influences read like a

who’s-who of Blues and Rock Legends

including the three Kings (Freddie, BB

and Albert) and contemporary artists

such as The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray,

and Eric Clapton and those influences

can be heard in the music here with the

variety of style on show. “While I Can”

opens with a crisp, Chicago-style blues

“Driving Rain” reminiscent of Robert

cray in his early days. The McCrary

Sisters, Regina, Ann, Alfreda, bring a

strong gospel vibe to “Let It Shine” while

James Pennebaker’s violin adds a hint

of country to the track. A syncopated

Latin rhythm pervades “Always a Woman,”

a driving, rocking track extolling the

love of women. The Snake Eye Horns

feature strongly on “Goin’ To Memphis”

adding Southern Blues feel to Kevin

McKendree’s rootsy keys and Mike’s

clear vocal backed by the McCrary

Sisters BVs. “Oh, Lonesome Me” is a

straight rock and roller. The Album closes

with “Down the Hatch” a raucous,

New Orleans-y Honk-Tonk drinking

song that guarantees a smile. “While

I Can” is a joyful, rootsy, blues album

with a live, as-it-happens, feel, crisp and

clean vocals and a breadth and depth

that deserves repeated plays.

PAUL COWLEY

LONG SHADOW

Independent

PAUL DUBBELMAN

Okay so Paul is a complete unknown

to me. He is based in France but originally

from the Birmingham (England)

area and has really come much later

in life to the music we love called the

Blues. Upon doing a little bit of a web

search it appears that the new album

Long Shadow is, in fact, his eighth

album since 2013. All recorded in

France and in his barn studio at home.

So this collection falls well and truly

in the lap of Country Blues. There is

BLUES MATTERS! ON



a consistency of sound to all of these

cuts, which I suspect comes from not

changing any microphone placements

throughout. You can’t really call Paul a

singer and I mean that with all respect.

He basically speaks his way through the

songs, which are very varied reflecting

untapped Blues material such as a

chicken with a prolapse (true), dry cows,

lame mule, or his dog with flees all to a

fun shuffle beat. Elsewhere First Born

surely has to be autobiographical but

I get ahead of myself. Time opens the

album and before he has even uttered a

single word you just know how he, and

the album will sound. It is home-grown

music of a high order. Eloquent words

would be wasted on such an album.

That comment is given with the utmost

respect. This is languid music, meant

to be enjoyed exactly as it was created.

Pour yourself a glass of wine, curl up

on the couch and let the Long Shadow

tracks wrap themselves around your

ears. Eight originals with three covers

(Crow Jane, Train I Ride, Same Thing).

Personally Old Man, augmented with a

harp and bass and drums, is my favourite

cut. Perhaps due to my own advancing

years.

GRAEME SCOTT

PAUL GILBERT

TRIBUTE TO JIM HENDRIX

Mascot

This album is a re-issue from 1991 consisting

of five lengthy Hendrix tracks

recorded live at Frankfurt Jazz Festival

on the 2nd of June. This was a concert

that “was never intended to be”, as Paul

Gilbert had turned up to just play with

the headline act Albert Collins who,

due to illness he had to pull out at the

eleventh hour leaving the promoter

desperate to get a headline act on the

stage. He approached Paul and told

him the stage was his and he quickly

provided some support musicians who

had been playing with Ten Years After,

namely Rick Lee on Drums and Horst

Polland on Bass. Paul came up with the

idea of playing some Hendrix material

and after a couple of hours rehearsals

the band got up on stage and given the

timescales involved this is a remarkable

performance and highlights the

skills and professionalism of the three

musicians. There are plenty of extended

guitar solo’s throughout and these for

me get into the spirit of Hendrix’s songs

and at the same time demonstrate

what a talented player Paul Gilbert is.

At the time of this recording Paul was

touring Europe with his Hard Rock

band Mr Big, so he was not coming

from a Blues background, although he

clearly demonstrates a strong blues feel

playing these songs. The songs played

are Red House, Hey Joe, Highway Chile,

Midnight and Purple Haze, the latter is

the trailblazer song at over nine minutes

in length, while Paul’s guitar work

is exemplary his vocals also add some

authenticity to the material. My first

reaction to hearing these songs was

“wow,” this is not just another Hendrix

tribute album but an album highlighting

the Heart, Soul and Fire of Jimi Hendrix.

ADRIAN BLACKLEE

PAUL THE RESONATER

UNCHAINED

Independent

Paul the Resonator is from Shepardstown,

West Virginia and his latest

album is a mix of live songs and new

studio compositions in the gospel-blues

and ragtime-blues styles. The live tracks

were recorded at the Shepardstown

Opera House, West Virginia. The main

band supporting Paul the Resonator

is SmorgasBoys. The tracks on this

album have the deep south feel with

great interplay between vocalists and

musicians on fiddle, banjo and guitar

and occasional keyboards. The backing

harmonies by either Lavinia Reid or Lisa

Rafferty are superb giving a rounded

feeling complimenting the lead vocalist.

The gospel blues and ragtime-blues live

covers on the album include a great version

of the Rev. Gary Davis tune Sit on

the Banks of the River with evocative

vocals from Paul the Resonator backed

by Lavinia Reid with great interplay between

banjo & guitar. Another live song

included is the Mississippi John Hurt

song Louis Collins which is about a man

who gets shot in a poker game with tender

vocals from Paul and moving fiddle

& banjo support. A Blind Lemon Jefferson

tune One Kind Favor has strong

vocals from Paul and a great harmonica

solo from Vince Fireball. The country

blues song by Blind Boy Fuller called

She’s Got Something There has great

interplay between fiddle, guitar, bass

and backing vocals and The pre-war

blues song On a Monday by Leadbelly

has that early century feel and is led by

banjo & fiddle with great bass guitar

backing. The six original tracks written

by Paul the Resonator include the ragtime

style Union Station with Natalia

Eyestone on vocals and Lavinia Reid on

fiddle and has a great deep south feeling

about activities around the railroad

station. The next track Charles Town

Races Boogie in ragtime style was the

winner of the Mid-Atlantic Songwriter

Contest in the Americana category. It

has Earl Hairston with laid back vocals

with honky tonk style rhythm section.

The song recorded in Accra, Ghana was

Sick and Tired which is a shuffle in the

style of Jimmy Reed with lead vocals by

Baroe supported by Lavinia Reid with

great piano, harmonica & guitar sections.

The very upbeat Bluesy number

Firehouse has great keyboard & guitar

with backing harmonies by Lisa Rafferty.

This is an excellent mix of traditional

and new Blues based material and well

worth a listen.

CHRIS ROBERTS/WIDERVIEW VISUAL

MEDIA

PETER KARP

JERSEY TOWN

Rose Cottage Records

Peter Karp resides in New Jersey in the

USA, and the grittiness of this environment

is transferred into his music which

is a contemporary electric Blues style

fuelled by Peter’s searing guitar. Forceful

vocal and powerhouse Piano playing,

accompanied by a strong rhythm section

of Mike Catapano on Drums and

Bassist Niles Terrat. Additionally, there

are some notable guest players including

guitarists Sue Foley and Rick Vito.

All the material on this thirteen-track

album has been self-written and

includes some real authentic Blues, particularly

on House Full of Love on which

Peter plays some delightful slide guitar.

While the majority of the material sits

comfortably in the Blues field there are

a couple of exceptions, the song Faith

is Gospel inspired and comes with an

assembled Church style chorus, while

Fate Is A Train sounds like a 1950’s Elvis

Pressley style Rock n Roll. The final

track on the album is called Without

You, which is superb with guests filling

out the sound with additional Guitars

and Keyboards, allowing Peter to focus



STEVE LOUW

TRACES OF THE FLOOD

BFD Records

South African music icon Steve Louw continues

his fine run of form with the release of this, his fourth

album in five fruitful years after a 13-year hiatus. Produced by the impeccable

Kevin Shirley and supported by a crack band including Dylan touring

band guitarists Bob Britt and Doug Lancio, Grammy winning keys man Kevin

McKendree with Greg Morrow and Alison Prestwood providing the rhythm

section. WE go straight into the Dylanesque title track, superb guitar work

helping paint the imagery of the wide open South African countryside with a

distinctly spiritual vibe. Tumbling Down is slower, retrospective and personal.

Echo Dream continues the very personal feel of this release, a love song

about people we may have lost, but at the same time uplifting and hopeful.

Great guitar and keys interplay give Angeline a Stones like feel with some

beautiful understated bv’s from Jade MacRae. The band goes totally off

beam on the short sharp punky CBGB Xmas, two and a half minutes of fun,

funky garage rock. A wonderful acoustic guitar intro drifts us back

into the surreal dreamy landscapes Steve creates on Light Of

Day (Woody’s Blues), balancing the sweet n sour taste of loss

and memories. We get upbeat again on the driving Across The

River. Punchy and panoramic with hints of Springsteen in the

way the chorus is big and wide. Dark Pony was inspired by a horse

trek that involved crossing fast flowing rivers and recognises the relationships

between us and wildlife, whether that’s horses, dogs or the countryside

in general. Steve is always able to explore his subject in a wider, deeper way.

Into The Night is a driving song, road long a narrow, miles behind me, more to

go. The album closes with Time To Move, one of the outstanding tracks in my

opinion. A rocky high tempo with some amazing 12-string guitar playing by

Doug Lancio at its heart, the band all hit the heights on this one. Steve Louw

is a first-class songwriter who writes with depth and emotion and deserves a

much wider appreciation outside of South Africa where he is revered. I can’t

recommend this highly enough.

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

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on an emotional but spirited vocal that

concludes the album in style. Peter

has been active since the mid 1980’s

and has recorded with some notable

musicians including the Rolling Stones

Mick Taylor and the aforementioned

Sue Foley. His focus has always been on

the Blues but he does effortlessly draw

in traces of Americana into his songs.

Peter is considered as one of the USA’s

finest contemporary singer-songwriters

in the Blues field and this album is

resolutely consolidating this position.

He is one of the most complete artists I

have heard in a long while and I cannot

recommend this release highly enough.

SETH JAMES

MOTORMOUTH

Qualified Records

ADRIAN BLACKLEE

Seth James brings his West Texas roots

as a cowboy to his rock and soul, roots

& blues influences from artists such

as Muddy Waters, Lightinin’ Hopkins,

Booker T. & the MGs and Delbert Mc-

Clinton. He has emerged with a sound

all of his own with his distinctive vocals

and great blues, roots and jazz influenced

sound. This latest record showcases

his songwriting ability and musicianship

backed by Dick50 and a couple

of tracks with The Time Jumpers, with

horns and keyboards throughout

backed by excellent backing vocals.

The album opens with the

blues-rocker Why Should I Suffer

which is a keys & guitar led

groovy number with soulful

vocals from Seth backed

by the horn section. The

title track from the

album Motorhead is a

slower song with a gin

joint feel with great

vocals & harmonies.

The centrepiece

of the album is

I’m In Trouble

with its great

bluesy vocals and

harmonies and

honky tonk piano

with supporting horn

section. Then a jazz

influenced roots number It’s Later

Than You Think with evocative vocals,

great piano backing and soaring

guitar riffs. I’ll Be Gone is a very deep

south Americana sound and vocals with

ORKNEY BLUES FESTIVAL DELIVERS

ANOTHER MEMORABLE WEEKEND

Mighty Bosscats Interview

The Orkney Blues Festival once again showed why it has earned such a

strong reputation. Set in one of the most distinctive locations in the UK, the

festival brought together great music, welcoming crowds and a real sense of

occasion across the weekend.

Venues around Stromness were packed with audiences enjoying a broad mix

of styles. Blues remained the common thread, but there was plenty of blues

rock, Americana, roots music and acoustic performances throughout the

programme. That variety keeps the event lively and gives every set its own

character.

This year’s line-up blended established names with rising talent. Young performers

impressed alongside seasoned acts who know exactly how to work

a room. From intimate pub gigs to bigger hall shows, the standard stayed

high and the atmosphere rarely dipped.

Artists repeatedly spoke about the warm reception they receive in Orkney.

The local support is a huge part of what makes the festival stand out.

Audiences listen, engage and genuinely appreciate the music, which always

brings the best out of performers.

The festival also continues to prove the strength of live music. A packed

room, a great band and an audience fully invested still create something no

playlist can match.

Another successful year is now in the books, and Orkney Blues Festival

remains one of the highlights of the live music calendar.

Want to hear directly from the artists? Check out our exclusive Blues Matters

YouTube interviews from the festival, where performers discuss music,

touring, songwriting and more.

Andy Taylor interview

Tom Rhodes interview


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TEDDY THOMPSON

NEVER BE THE SAME

Royal Potato Records

Having matured as a seasoned artist in the art

of heartache, love and regret, Teddy Thompson has gathered

all of his expertise and experience of significant matters of the head and

heart and released an exquisite album of tracks titled Never Be the Same. It’s

impermanent credo is something he has taken to heartache and heartbreak

via an innate songwriting acuity that he improves upon with each original album

release. The pleading Come Back, with its momentous chorus crescendo,

opens this blueprinted in country music styled tracks of Teddy’s tears.

Well, almost, as not all the tunes, and this is an album riveted together with

many memorable tunes, begin or end in teary circumstances but quite a few

do and with cathartic lyrical insights. This is particularly apparent on So This

Is Heartache appositely accompanied by mournful brass. Baby It’s You is a

work of beauty offset by the humorous candour of Worst Two Weeks Of My

an album riveted together with

many memorable tunes, begin or

end in teary circumstances

Life. Produced with skillful tenderness by Grammy Award winning producer

David Mansfield, who helmed Teddy’s previous album of country covers,

the wistful inevitable end of relationship ruminations on Same Old Song is

another sharply observed modern day trial between Cupid and Psyche vignette.

PAUL DAVIES

fiddle and 60s guitar sound with rolling

piano. High Horse is a funky bluesy

number with evocative vocals and great

blues riffs with lovely harmonies and

rhythm section backing. I Can’t Find

Your Mind has a more soulful sound &

vocals with up-tempo keys, harmonies

and great guitar picking. Then a slower

tempo blues song Just a Thought with

its echoey guitar and passionate vocals.

I Can’t Wait has great guitar, keyboards

and harmonica interplay with evocative

vocals from Seth. I Got to Know is

another soulful number with excellent

vocals and harmonies backed by the

powerful horns section. Then we have

Lonely Avenue which is a guitar and

piano led funky soulful bluesy number

with great vocals from Seth and lovely

harmonies from Alice Spencer, Jackie

Wilson & Etta Britt. I Feel the Burdon

is a jazz influenced song with powerful

vocals from Seth with solid horn section

and soulful harmonies. The album

finishes with Start a Brand-New Day

which is a slower jazz influenced song

with evocative vocals, soft drums, piano

and fiddle. This is a powerful record

from Seth James with quality vocals and

varied musical genres which is a must

buy for your collection

CHRIS ROBERTS

STEVEN CHARLES CECIL

TEENS KNOW BEST

(STORY AND CLARK

VOLUME 2)

Smiling Pig Records

Blues, Motown, reggae, two tone and

punk are just some of the musical

touchstones on the latest release from

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The Illustrated Blues Of Brian Kramer

MEMPHIS JUG BAND

I was reminded of the great Memphis Jug Band recently

through an incredible three part PBS documentary

from 2017; American Epic.

I got to get a deeper insight into Will Shade, also known

as Son Brimmer, founding member of the iconic band

with their landmark recordings starting in 1927 (On

The Road Again & Stealin’ Stealin’ are still considered

standards across genres).

Will Shade was a multi instrumentalist playing harmonica,

guitar, vocals and washtub bass, also known as

“bull-fiddle”, which he claims to have invented.

Will Shade continued recording and performing for

over 40 years together in different configurations,

carrying on the name of the MJB and making over 100

recordings together.

This latter day rendering features Will on guitar, Gus

Cannon -also Memphis Jug Band member on banjo,

and Bo Carter of The Mississippi Sheiks on National

resonator guitar.

I highly recommend checking out that American Epic

series. Part one; The Big Bang featured in-depth overview

of Will Shade.

Jackie Dorsey

ISSUE 161 BLUES MATTERS!

89


JASON RICCI & THE

BAD KIND

13 HOURS

Gulf Coast Records

This is the first new album from Jason and The Bad Kind since the unexpected

passing of super experienced drummer John Perkins on tour in 2024. Jason’s

wife Kaitlin Dibble deservedly gets front cover credit too and her vocals

and writing really elevate some of the tracks on here, not least the title

song 13 Hours, a dedication to John. It’s long, almost 12 minutes but never

feels it, the Canned Heat road weary vibe intro with Kaitlin’s haunting vocal

intro builds images of the long trips home in the darkness. The lyrics, we miss

you in New Orleans, we miss you in Maine, we miss you on the highway when

we’re coming home again are totally heartfelt real blues. Opening track Sick

Of This Shit is angry but, in a NOLA, laid back way with a great guitar break

keeping the stew bubbling up. Tired Of Tryin’ is a bit heavier, Kaitlin spitting

out the defiant lyrics with super harp playing sharing the limelight. The Big

DisEasy is a perfect summing up Of New Orleans chaotic brilliance, all a bit

off kilter with a Tom Waitsish lyric delivery. Leo Watkins rag pays tribute

with a lovely instrumental. Long Twisted Night is a highlight for me, painting

images of the dark side of the city and trying to keep a tough relationship

together beautifully delivered by Kaitlin. Bubble Gum Pop gives us a lighter

moment midway through before another highlight, the great cover of River

Invitation. A dark song about the temptation to end it all or to take retribution

on another. I love this version of the song with some lovely guitar playing

by Brent Johnson and a super NOLA horn section. Renegade is another song

of defiance and not accepting things for the sake of it. Nuit Waltz is a wellpaced

instrumental that is nicely placed leading the listener into the opus

13 Hours closer. The interplay between the band throughout is superb and I

think this is on course to being my favourite Jason Ricci album, the dark side

definitely brings out the best of him. Recommended listening.

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

Steven Charles Cecil. Led from the

front by Cecil on vocals, piano, Hammond

organ, bass, and tenor sax, and

a veritable orchestra of other players

this is a lively album, with fourteen

tracks, three of which are interesting

covers. Although the vocals take

some getting used to, the brass heavy,

rhythmically interesting arrangements

are mostly toe-tappers, filled with

piano, guitar and brass solos, and none

of the songs outlive their welcome. It

starts with the rough 12 bar shuffle of

Consumer Durables, although musically

it is a blues, there are liberties

taken with the lyrical rhyming form.

Don’t Know, Don’t Care appears twice,

first as a punk rock version, and as the

final track it is revisited as a reggae

track, with some interesting saxophone

interjections. The harmonica on

Talking Song is a fine addition, as is the

Clapton like guitar Big Chief by Earl

King. Baltimore by Randy Newman is a

fine interpretation, but the remaining

cover of Hal Davis and Burt Bacharach’s

Always Something There to

Remind Me takes some liberties that

take some getting used to. The keyboards

are placed at the centre of the

sonic adventures, but the vocals are

also well placed, with by Julie Lowery

and Cherria Rattler adding their dulcet

tones to the mix. This is an album that

takes some risks and is worth a listen

to hear what a talented collective

of more than twenty musicians can

create when collaborating together

like this.

BEN MACNAIR

BRING IT ON HOME

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Another Planet Music

WATCH

ON YOUTUBE

LISTEN

ON SPOTIFY

VISIT

THEIR WEBSITE

If you enjoy old-school, acoustic

country blues, then this is for you.

A wonderful collection of snippets

played by many of our finest acoustic

pickers brought together with an

eclectic bunch of songs and material.

Artists are as varied as the material:

Andy Twyman, with his usual wicked

humour and deft picking; Chris

Cororan, a seemless master of blues

with light jazz touches; Oli Mississippi

MacDonald, with his usual startling

and at times stunning fretwork equally

matched by his powerful, commanding

vocals – a guy who continues to evolve



and progress musically with awards

aplenty. Elsie Franklin brings her resonator

to the party, while Remi Banklyn

hits the Muddy trail. Abi Budgen

describes herself as a Beatlemaniac

and Sister Rosetta Tharpe devotee,

and works that cross-over soul/blues/

gospel mix with flair. Bristol’s Holly

Carter, a twice Americana UK ‘instrumentalist

of the year’, adds a touch of

twang with her assured pedal-steel

contribution. Other artis include,

Stefan Grossman inspired, Dariush

Kanani and in-demand sideman, Joe

Wilkins.The overall result is a fabulous

compilation and taster featuring many

of modern UK roots music’s absolutely

finest pickers, movers and shakers.

IAIN PATIENCE

DANI WILDE

VIZZTONE SESSIONS

Vizztone Records

Great stuff, some truly outstanding

material and fretwork, matched by a

driving voice and a glowing presence,

brings our very own Blues Belle, Dani

Wilde back to our attention. Acoustic

mostly, with driving, compelling

vocals and a great range of previously

unheard material, the Vizztone

Sessions, highlights just how seriously

accomplished Dani has become with

an evolution through the world of

modern blues music. Covering around

ten years of her signature sound, as it

developed and grows, this album is a

marvellous introduction to her music

and an essential addition to her growing

catalogue. As might be expected,

Dani is joined on a number of tracks

by her brother Will, on harmonica.

No slouch, and a leading international

award-winning harp player, Will

Wilde adds his own blasting help on

this exceptional project adding to the

creativity and rooted performances

featured in this 19-track delivery.

One of the busiest blues musicians in

Europe, Dani Wilde, is both a teacher

and inspirational picker who always

delivers full-throated blues music

tagged with an old-school approach

and determination. Without doubt,

the Vizztone Sessions is an album that

should be in everyone’s collection, an

essential buy with a passionate heart

and some simply wonderful playing

throughout from start to finish.

IAIN PATIENCE

HOLLIE ROGERS

EVERYTHING’S FINE

INDIE

By the time an artist reaches a third solo album, you hope

to hear growth and confidence. Hollie Rogers delivers both on Everything’s

Fine, a mature and engaging collection that blends sharp songwriting with

emotional honesty. This is a record that feels polished, thoughtful and ready

to take her to a wider audience. The title track, co-written with Elles Bailey

and Beth Nielsen Chapman, uses its reassuring phrase with a knowing sense

of irony. It captures the modern habit of pretending all is well while life says

otherwise. Catchy and cleverly observed, it stands out as one of the album’s

strongest moments. Bad Woman and Unholy Trinity bring a tougher blues

groove and enough swagger to suggest future live favourites. Rogers also

benefits from an impressive supporting cast. Contributors include Bailey,

Daisy Chute, Tony Remy, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Stefan Redtenbacher and

a self-released album of real

quality - smart, soulful and

consistently enjoyable

the Budapest National Orchestra, all adding colour without ever distracting

from the main attraction. The production is crisp and confident, giving the

songs space to breathe while keeping Rogers’ expressive vocals front and

centre. Having built a strong live reputation through festival appearances

and support slots, Rogers sounds like an artist fully in command of her craft.

There is warmth, wit and resilience running through these songs, alongside

the kind of lyrical detail that rewards repeat listens. Everything’s Fine is a

self-released album of real quality. Smart, soulful and consistently enjoyable,

it confirms Hollie Rogers as a songwriter of substance and an artist edging

ever closer to a deserved breakthrough.

WATCH

ON YOUTUBE

LISTEN

ON SPOTIFY

PAUL DAVIES

VISIT

THEIR WEBSITE


IBBA TOP 40

bluesbroadcasters.co.uk

INDEPENDENT BLUES

BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION

Most Played Album Top 40 – March 2026

Collated from the playlists of the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association members

Position Artist Album

1 DEBRA POWER UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME

2 ELLES BAILEY CAN'T TAKE MY STORY AWAY

3 JOE BONAMASSA B.B. KING'S BLUES SUMMIT 100

4 GARRET T. WILLIE BILL'S CAFÉ

5 TOM DAVIES & THE BLUEBIRDS ANGEL ON THE MISSISSIPPI

6 SELWYN BIRCHWOOD ELECTRIC SWAMP FUNKIN' BLUES

7 BURNIN' SENSATIONS WELCOME TO THE CHURCH OF ROCK & ROLL

8 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND FUTURE SOUL

9 LIL' ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS SLIDEWAYS

10 GREIG TAYLOR BAND TAKE A LEFT

11 DANI WILDE THE VIZZTONE SESSIONS

12 SAMANTHA MARTIN & DELTA SUGAR A BEAUTIFUL BUZZ

13 PETER VETESKA & BLUES TRAIN KEY OF V

14 MIKE FINNIGAN MIKE FINNIGAN

15 OMAR COLEMAN & IGOR PRADO OLD, NEW, FUNKY & BLUE

16 DAVE ARCARI GOING TO SEE THE KING EP

17 THE DIBS JUST FOR YOU

18 WILL JOHNS ON TOP OF THE WORLD

19 CHRIS THAYER & THE TCB ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE

20 KIM WILSON SLOW BURN

21 ED ALSTROM THIS IDEA OF HUMANITY

22 ALICE ARMSTRONG FURY & EUPHORIA EP

23 GREG COULSON LIVE AT PEGGY'S SKYLIGHT

24 STEFAN HILLESHEIM LIVE AT THE CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL

25 BILLY THOMPSON THIS WORLD

26 REBECCA DOWNES A STORM IS COMING

27 DUKE ROBILLARD & HIS ALL STAR BAND BLAST OFF!

28 ALBERT KING BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN

29 MICK SIMPSON CHANGING TIMES

30 CHARLES TINER GOOD SOUL

31 CHARLIE BARATH ISSAQUENA GETAWAY

32 ERIC BIBB ONE MISSISSIPPI

33 NEIRIN WE ARE NEIRIN

34 JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS WITH ERIC CLAPTON

35 TERESA JAMES & THE RHYTHM TRAMPS BAD AT BEING GOOD

36 THE RIGHT REVEREND CROW DEMOKRACY BLUES

37 DEL BROMHAM DEVIL'S HIGHWAY

38 THE JIGANTICS DON'T MIND IF I DO

39 BOB CORRITORE & FRIENDS ERNESTINE BLUES

40 ALTERED FIVE BLUES BAND HAMMER & CHISEL

BM ISSUE 161 May 2026

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