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

The Maple Blues Band – Let’s Go Cordova Bay Records www.maplebluesband.com LP version Side A – 5 tracks 18:34 Side B – 5 tracks 16:34 Formed 25 years ago, The Maple Blues Band was started to provide the music for the annual Maple Blues Awards showcase, a national program which honors Canadian blues artists, as sponsored by the Toronto Blues Society. After the 1998 event, there were some people who felt the music at the show could, and should, be better. One of those people was Gary Kendall, a veteran bass player with decades of experience. The band he put together has featured some of the fine ..read more

Walter Trout – Broken Mascot Records / Provogue www.waltertrout.com 12 Tracks – 54 Minutes Much as has been written about Walter Trout’s health issues resulting from years of abuse to his body from addictions. When you look at Walter’s web page, the opening quote is “Walter Trout: Blues Rock’s Resilient Icon”. Walter came back from the precipice of death to become once again one of the most formidable players in the blues rock format today. At 72 years old, Walter continues to deliver driving blues that deliver many profound thoughts. After his near-death experience, his songs have indica ..read more

John Primer & Bob Corritore – Crawlin’ Kingsnake Vizztone Records – 2024 www.bobcorritore.com 12 tracks; 52 minutes This is the fourth time since 2013 that John Primer and Bob Corritore have combined to record an album and it’s everything that fans of classic Chicago blues could want. The pair pay tribute to mentors like Muddy Waters and Magic Slim (Primer played with both for years), as well as giants of the blues like Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker and BB King. Recorded over four sessions between 2021 and 2023, the album benefits from a stellar band of seasoned veterans, all steeped in th ..read more

Cover photo © 2024 Laura Carbone  In This Issue  Jack Austin has our feature interview with Shawn Kellerman. We have six Blues reviews for you this week including new music from Bucky O’Hare, John Primer & Bob Corritore, Walter Trout, The Maple Blues Band, Shelley King and Wailin Walker. Scroll down and check it out!  Featured Blues Review – 1 of 6  Bucky O’Hare – The Sun’s Light Is Hazy Self-produced CD www.buckyohare.bandcamp.com 9 songs – 51 minutes Based out of Southeastern Massachusetts and a fret master who terms his music “slide guitar soul jazz” — an ..read more

Bucky O’Hare – The Sun’s Light Is Hazy Self-produced CD www.buckyohare.bandcamp.com 9 songs – 51 minutes Based out of Southeastern Massachusetts and a fret master who terms his music “slide guitar soul jazz” — an improvised style that often incorporates elements of funk, bluegrass and more, Bucky O’Hare cuts new ground and serves up a treat with this sophomore release, exploring his love for electronic percussion and indulging in his love for hip-hop, too. A familiar face across the New England blues scene — and in the pages of Blues Blast where he’s been on the writing staff for years, Bucky ..read more

Cover photo © 2024 Peter Hurley Blues vocalist, songwriter and recording artist Tomiko Dixon’s name holds a catchy rhythm within its alternating rounded vowels and clicky consonants. TO-MI-KO-DIX-ON. Once heard, it is emblazoned on the mind like a hook in an upbeat tune. It suits her personality. Her speech patterns are fast, sing-songy and hip, her movements are funky smooth, and her singing fills the room with the most soulful strains heard this far north of Memphis. Born and raised in Chicago, Tomiko is blessed with the DNA, the desire, the savvy and the unquenchable spirit of one of the p ..read more