Author Archives: Eric C. Shoaf

Downchild is a Canadian blues band driven by blues maestro Donnie Walsh. Their new release is made up of originals written by Walsh that are tough and gritty in the best blues tradition, with stellar production.  Special guests include bluesman/celebrity Dan Aykroyd, blues-rocker Colin James, and Stax Records legend Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns. [...]

On their first major label release, the band formerly known as Disneyland After Dark (changed after a threatened lawsuit by the Disney Co.) was poised for a breakthrough in the U.S. with backing from Warner Brothers, and video in heavy rotation on MTV, and a melodic approach to metal that featured big guitars and no [...]

Duke continues his impressive output with a nod to his swing roots. Among guitarists, Robillard is known as a do-all, as he can be at home in almost any musical style, not only mimicking lines and copping phrases from the best of the genre, but adding deft touches to the finished product. His knowledge of [...]

Jack Bruce may be best known as one third of Cream. A brilliant and prolific composer who dabbled in jazz, rock, folk, and world music, Bruce was more known for his busy approach to bass playing. Equally at home on piano, where he composed much of his recorded output over the years, and adept at [...]

When one third Cream and two thirds of Mountain joined to form West, Bruce & Laing in 1972, expectations were not exactly high. This, their first album, was a decent effort and enough to appease fans of both bands. But how does the music hold up now? Not badly at all! True, time has been [...]

Robben Ford has been a prolific artist since the early ’70s and is as much a teacher as a recording artist. His impeccable soloing techniques, phrasing, and tone have been the subject of several books and videos. Mixing jazz influences into a rootsy blues stew, Ford brings his smooth and tasty rhythm playing to the [...]

Texas-born Mike Morgan returns with his 13th album of original songs, layering blues with a funky rhythm that captures the essence of Muscle Shoals and Beale Street all at once, and does a credible job. Morgan has a strong voice and develops rich melodies that stay true to blues structures and context, but also bring [...]

What happens when a classical guitar player goes jazz? If it’s Jeff Barone, the answer is he brings a classical sensibility to the jazz and creates one of the most listenable and accessible CDs of this decade. There’s no real secret here. Barone surrounds himself with a cream-of-the-crop list of studio vets who have played [...]

On their first major label release, the band formerly known as Disneyland After Dark (changed after a threatened lawsuit by the Disney Co.) was poised for a breakthrough in the U.S. with backing from Warner Brothers, and video in heavy rotation on MTV, and a melodic approach to metal that featured big guitars and no [...]