Cover photo © 2024 Jim Hartzell Last December, blues fans were treated to the surprising news that the storied Blind Pig Record label was relaunching after being on hiatus for much of the last eight years. Since its inception in 1977, the label had put out many classic recordings by a deep roster of outstanding blues artists. The relaunch offers an opportunity for more must-hear projects that will delight blues fans around the world. Taking over as the label head is Jeff Schroedl, a long-time veteran of the music business, serving as Executive Vice President of the Hal Leonard Corporation, kn ..read more

Tas Cru – Live Subcat Records http://www.tascru.com 10 Tracks – 43 minutes The album has a sub-title shown on the cover as “All-Natural, Cage Free, and Fan Fed”.  These three things are indicative of the recording being “rough and raw” exactly it was performed live before an invited audience in the Subcat Music Studios in Syracuse, New York with the recording of ten songs selected as the most requested songs on the band’s 2023 tour. He cites that these songs were selected from well over 100 songs that are currently in Tas’s repertoire. Tas’s interaction with his audience is frequently not ..read more

Sean Riley & the Water – Stone Cold Hands Pugnacious Records www.seanrileyandthewater.com 10 songs – 35 minutes Here’s an interesting album for you. Singer/songwriter Sean Riley has made a name for himself in New Orleans, performing a brand of music that pays tribute to the early sounds of the Gulf Coast. It’s a rue that combines traditional folk stylings with the rhythms that laid the groundwork for the blues, jazz and more that was to come. A guitarist and dobro player with a light, rhythmic touch and a vocalist with a sound to match, Riley splits his time as a soloist touring the lower ..read more

Chris Duarte – Ain’t Giving Up Provogue Records http://duarte.rocks 12 Tracks – 50 minutes Texas guitarist Chris Duarte was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1963. He gained notoriety in the early 1990’s in the Austin music scene and exposure at the South X Southwest Music Convention. Riding the heels of Stevie Ray Vaughan in those early days and playing in a style that was compared to Vaughan, Chris’ career took off with the release of his first album Texas Sugar / Strat Magik in 1994, which in turn led to Guitar Player Magazine naming him the “Best New Talent” in their 1995 Readers Poll and ..read more

Eric Bibb – Live at the Scala Theatre, Stockholm Stony Plain Records www.ericbibb.com 10 Tracks – 45 minutes 72-year-old Eric Bibb’s career has spanned over five decades with over 40 albums recorded. His career has generated many well-deserved accolades and awards including multiple Blues Foundation Music Awards for “Artist of the Year” and “Album of the Year” and three Grammy nominations, the most recent nomination in 2024 for his album, Ridin’. The always smooth-voiced and pleasant vocalist skirts the edge of Americana mixed with his blues. The joy in his voice as he sings his songs is ..read more

Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman Stony Plain Records http://www.suefoley.com 12 Tracks – 43 minutes Ottawa born Sue Foley got her start playing her father’s guitar at age 13 and became interested in playing the blues after listening to The Rolling Stones and other era blues rock bands. At age 16, she played her first professional performance. After graduating high school, she moved to Vancouver and formed her first band. That band played over 300 shows in 1989 traveling across the US, Canada and Europe. She sat in with Duke Robillard at the W.C. handy Awards in Memphis that year where Austin ..read more

Cover photo © 2024 Jim Hartzell  In This Issue  Mark Thompson has our feature interview with Jeff Schroedl. We have six Blues reviews for you this week including new music from Sue Foley, Eric Bibb, Chris Duarte, Sean Riley & the Water, Tas Cru and Steve Howell & The Mighty Men. Scroll down and check it out!  Featured Blues Review – 1 of 6  Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman Stony Plain Records http://www.suefoley.com 12 Tracks – 43 minutes Ottawa born Sue Foley got her start playing her father’s guitar at age 13 and became interested in playing the blues a ..read more

Cover photo © 2024 Laura Carbone Shawn Kellerman is a man with serious respect for the blues. While a skilled, versatile guitar player and songwriter in his own right, Kellerman offers constant praise to the blues musicians who came before him and particularly the iconic frontmen who took him under their wing and trained him on the road. Kellerman released Kell’s Kitchen (2024) on March 29, a significant return to the blues airways, and his first album since his 2009 release Blues Without a Home. He said the writing evolved since the last LP and he took over responsibilities on the production ..read more

Wailin Walker – All Fired Up Jitterbug Records www.wailinwalker.com 17 songs time – 57:34 Al Walker aka Wailin Walker is a singer-songwriter-guitarist from Vancouver, British Columbia whose music borrows from the sounds of 50s and 60s rock with a dash of blues thrown into the mix. He most definitely knows his way around his guitar as he offers employs various tones, as well as wearing his influences on his sleeve. Mister Walker is also in possession of an effective nicely rough-hewn voice. The two bass players occasionally contribute lead vocals as well. The remainder of the band-drums, keyboa ..read more

Shelley King – Madam Mystic Lemonade Records www.shellyking.com 12 Tracks – 44 minutes Shelly King was born in Arkansas and moved around in Little Rock and some over in Oklahoma, later moving to Amarillo, Texas and Houston. She received her first guitar at age 7 and started writing songs, although she admittedly says they were sappy love songs, at age 13. She sang gospel in church and also jazz, but when she heard down and dirty blues, she determined that was the music she loved and wanted to pursue. She began her professional music career during a stint at Sam Houston State University wh ..read more