Ronnie Earl is has long been regarded as being among the best blues guitarists alive today, having won the Blues Music Award for “Guitar Player of the Year” four times. But Earl is also an earnest cheerleader for advancement of the human condition. Rise Up effectively lashes his interests in social justice with great music. […]
New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers – Vol. 1
There are jam sessions, and then there are JAM SESSIONs. When you get blues masters Charlie Musselwhite and Alvin Youngblood Hart together with former Squirrel Nut Zipper Jimbo Mathus, North Mississippi Allstars brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson and their father Jim, you’re gonna have a JAM SESSION. That’s what happened in the fall of 2007, […]
Non Duo – In Your Eyes
I’ve been writing reviews for over a decade, and I listen to a bunch of things I never write about. Plus, stints on the radio and owning too many records. In all that time, I’ve never heard an album start and end with the same song, only in English and Russian. I have now. Better […]
Sam Morrow – Gettin By On Gettin Down
Sam Morrow’s previous release “Concrete and Mud†walked the line between Country and Rock. This made sense given the songwriter was Texas born but had moved to Los Angeles. He was definitely fusing his roots with his newfound locale on the record. It was also a successful fusion and garnered much critical acclaim. On his […]
Thriving Roots 2020 – Mayer’s Highlights
THE SCENE It’™s a glass half empty, glass half full kind of situation. The Americana Music Association awards and conference is an event that I eagerly await and always enjoy every year (mild understatement). A chance to catch up with friends both old and new, gain some knowledge at the panel discussions, and, of course, […]
Brendan & the Strangest Ways – Are We Sure the Dawn Is Coming?
As documented by everyone from Ken Burns on down, country music came out of the fields of the South and the mountains of Appalachia. Alt-country, on the other hand, has its roots in the urban centers of the Rust Belt, like St. Louis, Chicago, and Pittsburg. Based on the new album from Brendan & the […]
Savoy Brown – Ain’t Done Yet
With Ain’t Done Yet, Savoy Brown frontman Kim Simmonds lays down the statement that his blues mastery will be around a while longer. And that’s saying something, since Savoy Brown have been around pretty much since the middle years of the British Invasion. In its original form, the band was comparable to the early Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac, Cream and […]
Kelley Swindall – You Can Call Me Darlin’ If You Want
Regret is an interesting emotion. For some people, it’s a melancholy tickle in the back of their mind. For others, it’s a pair of blinders that forces them straight ahead when they have so many choices. Finally, some use regret as the engine that propels them to greater heights. On her new album, You Can […]
Emily Zuzik – Torch and Trouble
After two Video Premiers most of you should be aware that I am excited about the new Emily Zuzik release “Torch and Troubleâ€. The album id finally releasing after a bit of a pandemic caused delay on Friday, August 28th. Zuzik is an L.A. based singer-songwriter. Her music is a blend of Americana and Rock […]
Chuck Prophet – The Land That Time Forgot
Maybe it’s just me, but 2 guitars, bass, and drums is like the instrumental equivalent of a meat and three. There may be a lot of variations, but it’s all comfort food. That’s a little bit how I think of Chuck Prophet. You can get pickled okra to go with your marshmallow yams and douse […]