Ronnie Baker Brooks plays such a serious guitar, one might say it’s in his DNA. The son of Chicago blues great Lonnie Brooks, Brooks (whose birth name was Rodney Dion Baker), along with his brother Wayne Baker Brooks, is one of a number of gifted blues offspring, including the likes of Shemekia Copeland (daughter of […]
ZZ Ward on Tour Bus Appliances and Working at a Candy Store
Singer-songwriter ZZ Ward talks about playing her first gig, at a pizza parlor in Portland, Oregon, and the time that her tour bus got stuck in the snow.
Guy Davis – The Legend of Sugarbelly
For Guy Davis, keeping the blues alive means keeping it alive even its most stripped-down form. The Legend of Sugarbelly is a throwback to the blues’ purest, simplest acoustic form, so reminiscent of Lead Belly and the earliest masters one almost expects to hear the crackle of an old 78-inch record. Davis is a great […]
Colin James – Chasing the Sun
To say that Colin James is big in Canada is an understatement. With eight Juno Awards (Canadian Grammies) and 31 Maple Leaf Blues Awards, James might be the most prominent member of a healthy Canadian blues scene that has included the likes of Steve Dawson, Colin Linden, Sue Foley, Jim Byrnes, JW-Jones, Big Dave McLean […]
Holy Ghost Blues – a Premiere from Silas Nello
“Holy Ghost Blues”, the lead single from Silas Nello’s forthcoming From West Hollywood EP is a bit of a paradox. The song originally appeared on his 2018 debut full-length album, recorded in Dallas where he was living at the time. That version had a decidedly LA flair with its Sunset Strip swagger and snarl. Nello […]
Monday Morning Video – John Mayall, 1933-2024
John Mayall, OBE, died last week at 90. Often called the “Godfather of British blues,” Mayall was so much more than just a pioneer of British blues. By introducing a generation of rock fans to the blues, he arguably had a hand in saving blues as a viable commercial music form at a time in the […]
The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Struck Down
The Fabulous Thunderbirds have persevered for roughly 50 years, and their new album Struck Down shows why. The origins of Kim Wilson’s band date back to 1970s Austin, Texas, and though Wilson is the constant in all those years, former members include Jimmie Vaughan, Duke Robillard and Nick Curran. Always known as lively concert performers, […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2024
So Glad You Made It, Fantastic Cat (from the Missing Piece Group Records release Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat) Fantastic Cat showcase their humor by maintaining a countdown clock until they’re eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, prominently displayed at their shows. Yet, it’s not entirely a joke – if […]
Eden Brent on Toyota Minivans and Living Room Jam Sessions
Blues artist Eden Brent talks about breaking a piano string at the British Embassy in Washington, her apprenticeship with Abie “Boogaloo” Ames, and the joy of performing live.
Eric Bibb – Live at the Scala Theatre Stockholm
Taj Mahal … Keb’ Mo’ … Corey Harris … Guy Davis … Otis Taylor … Eric Bibb. These guys, along with a few others, are the vanguard of modern acoustic blues. With all of them, but especially with Bibb, listeners can be sure that every recording, every performance matters. Bibb’s new live album shows the […]