I’ve been chomping at the bit to get the word out on this articulate, contemporary Louisiana blues man. There must be something in the water that runs between Memphis and Baton Rouge, ‘cuz The B. Garr Band has that geographical musical terrain covered like the felt on a Brunswick table. Slick Southern soul is the…

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Chris Duarte is a great guitarist. Of the current crop of players aspiring to the permanently vacated Texas chair, Chris’ stuff rises closest to the top. In concert, his chops are endless and eloquent, crafted far beyond the constraints of the Lone Star School. On this most recent effort Duarte takes the steps necessary to…

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What can you add to the legacy of one of the greatest harmonica players of all time? Perhaps a second legacy of developing a generation of great unknown guitarists within the confines of his bands. Fortunately for the readers of this magazine, Wilson always has great young guitar talents, that are for the most part…

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Be honest; if you played R&B-based guitar in the mid ’70s and were looking to extend your blues vocabulary, you stole licks from this Tower Of Power alumnus. It’s great to hear Bruce Conte again. His style is as definable as any of the better-known West Coast blues fusion player of that period. This release…

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Loveable? I guess. Dogs? Maybe. They’ve got all the musical tricks new and old, and they’re not jumping through hoops to get their rootsy message across. Elegant arrangements, diverse tunes, strong presentation, and and straight-ahead musicianship conjure up a package worthy of the most sophisticated listener’s ear. Considering the geographical locale of the Dogs, the…

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Blues Deluxe? Absolutely! Anyone who has followed Joe’s career knows the diversity he possesses. The multiple-genre approach can be the bane of great guitarists. But when you have talent that displays no parameters, why not explore the edge? Bonamassa has done that in the past, but on this release there is no identity crisis. From…

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Let’s get down to bizness. B3 bizzness, that is. That’s what Brother Red be all about. Three piece. Sho-nuf! But now we got monstrous left hand and pedal B3 bass. No frills. “Cut to the quick” would be the order of this down-to-the-bone band. Combine the Hammond talents of Red Young with the prodigious uptown…

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Dallas-based Teddy Morgan was a protégé of the less-is-more master Anson Funderburgh, whose rhythm work can be heard throughout this release, and to a large degree Morgan is still immersed in Anson’s style. Careers have been established with much less influence, but Morgan and the Crawl did not stop there. He has been busy over…

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It’s obvious this Terre Haute-based guitarist is a talented individual. He’s got the chops and did all the writing and arranging on this disc. Not only the instrumental portions, but the vocal melodies, as well. This M.C. employs the talents of a number of midwest-based vocalists to handle the up-front chores. And the vocal stylistic…

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Let’s word it this way: few if any blues artists can pump life into a overwrought classic like Tommy Tucker’s 1964 hit “High Heeled Sneakers.” Jimmy Johnson can, and does. Granted, this set is from the mid ’70s, but his stamp of style is current, timeless, and pretty much without peer among the second-generation Chicago…

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