CD-Charts Position 11
Average Rating:

Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Southside Johnny, La Bamba's Big Band

Release Date September 02, 2008
This CD is more about LaBamba's band than it is hearing Southside Johnny singing Tom Waits. I really wanted to hear Southside's take on Waltzing Matilda but that would be too slow and wouldn't fit the flavor of the CD.

CD-Charts Position 12
Average Rating:

City That Care Forgot

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Dr. John and the Lower 911

Release Date June 03, 2008
City That Care Forgot portrays very well how Dr. John feels about the aftermath of Katrina. Though this album is a little off the beaten path for Dr. John because his anger, it is still another excellent disc. I live in New Orleans and have seen Dr. John perform at Voodoo Festival in 2007. He echoes much of my city's sentiments and its music superbly.

CD-Charts Position 13
Average Rating:

Orange Blossoms

CD-Charts > Music > General
from: Alligator Records

Release Date August 26, 2008
In Mofro's previous three albums (Blackwater, Lochloosa, Country Ghetto) the songs have been a soulful gumbo of blues, funk, rock, and gospel. Slow rollers, mid-tempo groovers, juke house rockers, and soul-baring gospel (some of my favorites). Most songs represent poignant reflections of southern living, whose lyrics often transcend the normal bounds for blues ballads. Some of the best songs of the decade in my opinion. Their simplicity (in instrumentation, arrangement, and emotive delivery) is the key to their resonance with listeners.

Although Orange Blossoms includes some beautifully polished soul recordings, tight musicianship, and JJ's gutsy vocals, Mofro seems to have strayed from a winning formula a bit. Daryl Hance's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 14
Average Rating:

Roll Away

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Back Door Slam

Release Date June 26, 2007
I can't remember the last time that I instantly liked a new CD. Davey Knowles writes, sings, and plays British blues evocative of the Yardbirds and Clapton, while imprinting his own original stamp on each track. His solos are succinct, enhancing each song as opposed to being filler or needlessly prolonging the effort. And man, what a voice!

CD-Charts Position 15
Average Rating:

Monte Montgomery

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Monte Montgomery

Release Date September 30, 2008
Monte is the full deal..singer, songwriter, but more than anything an amazing guitarist. This release is on a new label for Monte, and it does contain a few re-arranged songs from his earlier releases, but it is simply solid. The best way to experience this genius is to see him live. In any event, this album again shows the versatility of this artist. You will not be disappointed with this disc.

CD-Charts Position 16
Average Rating:

Legends: Live at Montreux 1997 [Blu-ray]

CD-Charts > Music > General
starring: Various Artists

Release Date September 30, 2008
This is a one-off recording of a one-off supergroup.
The band line-up is:
Steve Gadd - Drums
Marcus Miller - Bass/Bass Clarinet
Joe Sample - Keyboards
Eric Clapton - Guitar / Vocals
David Sanborn - Alto Sax

This is mostly instrumental, with only vocals by Clapton on a couple of tracks. As you would expect with a crack rhythm section like this the groove generated is fantastic and the opening track 'Full House' demonstrates this amply. Clapton had insecurities about playing with such a Jazz based group of musicians, however he more than holds his own against the prodigious talents of Sample, Miller and Sanborn (not to mention the drummers drummer Gadd).

The numbers performed are: ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 17
Average Rating:

10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)/ (CD/DVD)

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Release Date January 23, 2007
This is an outstanding archival history of down-south backwoods blues, containing performances by legendary blues musicians, along with collaborations with Kennny Wayne Sheperd, Chris Layton and Tommmy Shannon
(both from Stevie Ray Vaunghn's "Double Trouble"). This is a 5 star classic blues documentary and performance DVD. It was named DVD of the year 2007, by the Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. The performances were filmed throughout the south, on site at homes, front yards, BBQ's, a church and even a cemetary. The DVD was produced by Jerry Harrison, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and former member of the "Talking Heads".

It begins in New Orleans, with a performance of "Tina Marie" with Bryan Lee, and then a performance ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 18
Average Rating:

Grant Street

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Sonny Landreth

Release Date January 25, 2005
It should be said that Sonny Landreth is blindingly fast on guitar. Yet, after trying to like this album for more than a week, I just do not. And the reason is that my ears detect no soul at all in his playing. I am reminded of several other virtuoso guitarists (Walter Trout and Johnny Winter most specifically) who make an awful lot of noise, but very little listenable music. I am also missing entirely the Blues aspect of this recording. It's rock-and-roll. A little more attention to melody and continuity, and less fret-finger acrobatics, would help a lot.

CD-Charts Position 19
Average Rating:

Blues

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Jimi Hendrix

Release Date April 26, 1994
I thoroughly enjoyed the CD. However, someone got hold of my credit card info & charged over $600.00 on Amazon.com. Fortunately, my credit card company noticed the charges, informed me & put a block on any subsequent charges. Needless to say, I'm a little "gun-shy" after the experience. I was able to recoup the bogus charges but I had to create a new account, obtain a new credit card, etc. Any suggestions?

CD-Charts Position 20
Average Rating:

Midnight Blues

CD-Charts > Music > General
by: Magic Slim & the Teardrops

Release Date September 09, 2008
Didn't get excited about Magic Slim & the Teardrops the first time I heard them. Big, greasy Willie Johnson guitar work, Jimmy Reed slurred vocals, same fatback backbeat drums, nothing special about the setlist. Didn't get excited about Magic Slim & the Teardrops the second time I heard them, either, and so on and so forth through a lot of years to the present.
The thing is, during all those years, Willie Johnson and Jimmy Reed were passing away, and other road acts billing themselves as Chicago blues acts either lost track of the attitude or burned out. Magic Slim & the Teardrops are still enthusiastically at it, doing those songs that way because that's what they do and that's the way they like to do them, no matter who or what else they ... Read More: