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Eric C. Shoaf
Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters
Stony Plain Records
Starting like a number of instrumental albums Ronnie Earl has produced over the past 15 years, this one opens with a mid-tempo (Albert Collinspenned) track, then slows for some blues and a cool cover (“Chitlins Con Carne” by Kenny Burrell). But then, something amazing happens; reaching deep and from the heart, Earl works through four…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Todd Wolfe Band
American Home Entertainment
Wolfe is best known as a sideman for Sheryl Crow, but he has also recorded with Leslie West and Faith Hill, among others. Now, with his own group – a trio – Wolfe delivers a set of nine originals and a live cover that captures the key elements of the band. In the tradition of…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos
Deltra Groove Music
This second release from the Southern California band Los Fabulocos sizzles like a juicy steak fajita sprinkled with seasoning from rock, tejano, and country-western swing with a garnish of talent and high style. Born of the rich and varied musical experiences of its members, the eight original tunes and a handful of covers are…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Harvey Dalton Arnold Blues Band
Music Mania Studios
Named for its founder, this band is steeped in the blues and modern interpretations of classics. An album of covers? Not inasmuch as the arrangements are completely different which provides an unexpected character to familiar lyrics. So “It Hurts Me, Too” has a midtempo feel, “Ramblin on My Mind” is recast as a rocker, and…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Duke Robillard
Stony Plain Records
One of the busiest players around today, Duke takes a break from touring, producing, and recording jazz, jumpswing, and bop to crank out his most uncompromising blues set in 20 years. Twelve original songs and a cover offer gritty guitar, gravelly vocals, and grinding rhythm. “Workin’ Hard for my Uncle” is Robillard’s ode to the…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Julius Pittman & the Revival
JPR
Southern soul singer Julius Pittman, whose smooth vocal style brings to mind Al Green or Teddy Pendergrass, is a key performer, songwriter, and vocalist for the band that features Randy Moss on guitar. In a time when it seems singers from “American Idol” finalists to Michael Bolton apparently believe a song has to be sung…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Raisin’ Cain: The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter
Backbeat Books
The biographer has a duty to get close to the subject in order to relay all the facts and get first-hand accounts of events while at the same time not getting so close that a story becomes sanitized and historically reinterpreted. In this bio on bluesman Johnny Winter, author Mary Lou Sullivan gets close enough…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Downchild – I Need A Hat
Linus Entertainment
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.…
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Eric C. Shoaf
D.A.D. – No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims
Wounded Bird Records
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…
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Eric C. Shoaf
Duke Robillard – A Swing Lesson with Duke Robillard
Stony Plain
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…
