The blues genre is a universal sound that resounds for all age groups, whether young or old the relatable music and situational lyrics are a soundtrack to daily life. Songwriter and vocalist Jan Cronin is one who has lived and loved the blues and on her new album Tell Him I Said Hello, there is no mistaking this is a labor of love and devotion. Tell Him I Said Hello is dedicated to Cronin’s late husband, “Lefty” Ken Howell, a well-known guitarist, harmonica player, singer, and songwriter, especially in their hometown of Nashville, TN. The album features several songs composed by Howell, along with a range of tracks that [...]
Guitarist Ric Harris began his journey as a musician in North Carolina, later relocating to Chicago with a third move to California to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology. After returning to Chicago, Harris formed his own jazz group and appeared in the area until 1991, at which time he retired to raise his children. After the kids were raised Harris decided to refocus his career and vision with a focus on his love of the blues. His debut album Open For Business gets right down to it, with a seasoned fashioning of original blues that offers a combining of tradition with a new approach to the blues.
The title track “Open For [...]
Joe Bonamassa has to be the hardest working guitarist and vocalist in the blues genre! Practically every title that comes across my desk in blues, the man is playing on everything and puts outs albums constantly. The amazing thing is though, it’s all great. Bonamassa is a very consistent player and everything he touches turns into blues gold. Redemption is Bonamassa’s latest twelve track album. With a nice mix of material, Bonamassa’s big sound is added with a three-part backing singer lineup and a rock-solid band. His vocals are robust, heart-felt and his lyrics are personal and tell a story. Certainly, Bonamassa is obviously a man with a musical [...]
Colin James has returned with his 18th studio album, Miles to Go (out Sept. 21). Furthermore, the album is a collection of tunes that finds James getting back to his blues roots. As a result, James choose to build on the dialogue with the blues past, building on the original versions rather than the actual song that drew James to them. James digs deep to bring something fresh to each track, lending vitality to older songs.
The album has James recording at Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. The album has a live band vibe and James vocals and guitar playing is front and center. The horns and backing vocals add just the right spice to this blues dish. James also [...]
