I heard Harry Manx a few years back and instantly dug his performance, which was concert footage from Australia. Manx’s rich slide guitar playing had a powerful enchantment. Steve Marriner, of the raucous swamp blues outfit MonkeyJunk, is a frequent Manx collaborator, and judging from Hell Bound for Heaven, the duo’s first album release, I […]
Taylor Scott Band – All We Have
Taylor Scott is a relatively new artist who has already done some remarkable things. He, along with Warren Haynes, laid down guitar licks on Otis Taylor’s groundbreaking Hey Joe Opus: Red Meat, which wired a web of varying music pieces into a symphonic whole. That experience placed Denver-based Scott in good company. Perhaps a blues player […]
SXSW 2019 – The Sounds, Part 1
BALTO I was sold on Balto as soon as I heard the blistering slide on “Black Snake, Mojave Blues”, the sample track that they shared on their SXSW profile page. Seeing them live provided an exclamation point – I caught two exceptional raucous and greasy outdoor sets in the afternoon sun. The LA-based quartet were […]
Nikki Hill on Touring with “Big Connie” and Believing in Herself
Fiery rocker Nikki Hill talks about the vast array of day jobs that she’s had while building her career and finding rehearsal studios while touring.
Monday Morning Video – ZZ Top
Many of us may be dealing with some cold weather but here’s something to warm you up. How about some vintage ZZ Top to raise the temperature? Here’s “Just Got Paid” from a 1980 live performance.
Mayer’s Playlist for January/February 2019, Part 2
Jingle and Go, Ryan Bingham (from the Axster Bingham Records release American Love Song) Ryan Bingham stretches out on American Love Song, offering up a roadhouse full of of songs about on love, political commentary and boisterous escapades. Opener “Jingle and Go” kicks things off playfully, recalling Little Feat with its intertwined piano and slide […]
Melissa Ruth – Meteor
Starting a few miles north of the Golden Gate and lasting all the way to Canada, the coastal redwoods make their way to the very edge of the ocean. Â The climate that supports them cycles from the omnipresent fog in the summer to the waves of rain that blur the distinction between sea and land […]
Monday Morning Video – Los Lobos
Let’s start the week with a question. Why aren’t Los Lobos in the Rock Hall of Fame? Over their more than 45 year career, they’ve demonstrated a mastery of broad musical styles alongside a tremendous commitment to artistic creativity and craft. Their live performances bring this range to life with an infectious energy. Here are […]
Bill’s Blues Based Best of 2018
Once again, I have compiled my inexpert list of the blues-based albums that I liked the most from the past year. Here we go: 1. Eric Bibb – Global Griot. I like experimentation, and that is something Bibb is not afraid to do, as his last several albums all include interesting collaborations and stylistic blends. […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2018, Part 2
Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues, Larkin Poe (from the Tricki-Woo Records release Venom & Faith) Although The Lovell Sisters hail from Georgia and now live in Nashville, their latest album is mostly steeped in Mississippi blues. And by that I mean some down-home, dirty blues. They make an immediate – and powerful – musical statement with […]