As part of our Best of 2015 edition of BLUES JUNCTION, I thought it would be great to continue our tradition of bringing you the Top Ten albums of the year as submitted by ten highly respected individuals who have been part of the blues scene for many years. Represented here we have blues afficionados from five countries and three continents.

We only included albums released in 2015 between 1/1-12/31; pretty simple.  These releases had to be available in a legitimate physical format ie. vinyl and/or CD. No MP3 only releases were considered. We focused on new material and eschewed for this feature, re-issues, compilations and “greatest hits” packages that were released last year. This year we decided not to rank these albums one through ten as we have done in previous years, but these individuals just picked their ten favorite releases of 2015.

Several albums appear on multiple lists and those are noted in the bonus list which is the consensus favorites amongst these individuals. The number that appears in parenthesis represents the number of lists in which these albums appear.

Chico Blues – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Chico is the founder and president of Chico Blues Records out of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is widely recognized as the leading blues authority in South America. His label and extensive roster of artists has continued to produce some of the finest blues recordings in recent years. Some of the most renowned blues musicians in the world have traveled to Sao Paulo to record with the musicians on his label and be backed primarily by the label’s flagship ensemble, The Igor Prado Band. Chico recused himself from selecting any recordings from his own label’s 2015 recordings.

The Igor Prado Band and the Delta Groove All-Stars Way Down South

Wee Willie Walker If Nothing Ever Changes

Ron Thompson Son of Boogie Woogie

Leo “Bud” Welch I Don't Prefer No Blues

Chris James & Patrick Rynn Trouble Don’t Last

Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars Fifty Shades of Blue

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

Jackie Payne I Saw the Blues

The Bey Paule Band Not Goin’ Away

Trickbag Candyville

Don “T Bone Erickson “-  Des Moines, Iowa  (USA)

Don is a long time blues journalist. He is the former editor for the Central Iowa Blues Society Newsletter and author of 76 monthly feature articles entitled “Legends of the Blues.” He was a founding editor of one of the first online blues journals entitled Blues Wax. Don is the host of 'T-Bone's House Rockin' Blues Party' and 'The Groove Zone' at KFMG 99.1 FM, Des Moines.  His program was voted "Best Radio Station" in City View’s "Best of Des Moines" reader's survey in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. He is also the Chairman of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame.

James Harman Bonetime

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

The Knickerbocker All-Stars Go Back Home To The Blues

The Headcutters Walking In USA

Chris O’Leary Gonna Die Tryin’

Igor Prado Band & Delta Groove All Stars Way Down South

Chris James & Patrick Rynn Trouble Don’t Last

Rick Vito Mojo On My Side

The 44s On The 13th

The Cash Box Kings Holding Court

Jeff Scott Fleenor – Garden Grove, California (USA)

Jeff is the universally recognized leading authority on the international blues scene. He had been the Southern California Regional Specialty Music Buyer for Virgin Mega Stores. He has written liner notes for over two dozen albums. He has also been the co-producer for the “Blues on the Bay” festival in Newport Beach. For the past 15 years, Jeff has been the International Talent Coordinator for the Doheny Blues Festival. Also during that time, Jeff was the host of a Southern California based radio show called “The Blues Disease.” Jeff is a blues historian and archivist of the highest order. In addition to that, he has produced twelve albums for Delta Groove Music. Jeff remains in the employ of Delta Groove Music and excluded himself from listing any albums that were produced by that label in 2015. 

James Harman Bonetime

Big Creek Slim Hope for My Soul

Sam Burckhardt Fly Over

Nico Duportal and His Rhythm Dudes Guitar Player

Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin Lost Time

Trickbag Candyville

Si Cranstoun Old School

The Cash Box Kings Holding Court

Jai Malano Rocket Girl

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

Tom Hyslop – Naganee, Michigan  (USA)

Tom is a contributing editor and senior writer for Blues Music Magazine. For 15 years he was a senior writer for Blues Revue Magazine during which time he profiled artists Magic Slim, Phillip Walker, Nick Curran, Rick Estrin, Jody Williams, Duke Robillard, Kim Wilson, Nick Moss, John Primer, Big Jack Johnson, Sean Costello, Gary Clarke Jr. and others.

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Lost Time

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

Sherwood Fleming with the Moeller Brothers Blues Blues Blues

James Harman Bonetime

Javier & The Innocent Sons Born To Ramble

Tad Robinson Day Into Night

Andy Santana & The West Coast Playboys Watch Your Step!

Wee Willie Walker If Nothing Ever Changes

Igor Prado Band and the Delta Groove All-Stars Way Down South

Will Porter Tick Tock Tick

Michael Kinsman – San Diego, California (USA)

For over twenty years Michael has written about blues and roots music for the San Diego Tribune, the city's leading daily newspaper. He has written for numerous outlets including Blues Revue Magazine, Blues Music Magazine and VH1.com. Since 1998, Michael has interviewed more than 500 blues and roots artists. He has produced music festivals since 1998, as well. Michael is the founder and producer of the San Diego Blues Festival and host of the SD radio blues program “Every Shade of Blue.”

The Bey Paule Band Not Goin’ Away

Bubba McCoy Learn to Dance With Bubba McCoy

Chris James & Patrick Rynn Trouble Don’t Last

D’Mar & Gill Take It Like That

Ian Siegal The Picnic Sessions

James Harman Bonetime

Omar Coleman Born & Raised

The Cash Box Kings Holding Court

The Rev. Shawn Amos The Rev. Shawn Amos Loves You

Wee Willie Walker If Nothing Ever Changes

Charlie Lange - Santa Cruz, California (USA)

Starting in the 1970’s, Charlie was doing research for independent boutique blues labels including Specialty Records in the U.S. and Route 66 Records out of Sweden. He has written liner notes for Verve, Rounder and other record labels. Charlie has also done oral histories of Joe Liggins, Ray Agee, Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, JD Nicholson, George “Harmonica” Smith and others for various labels. In the 1980’s, Charlie started his own business called Bon Ton West and for several years booked virtually every blues and zydeco musician out of Texas and Louisiana on their west coast tours. He also booked the famous Antone’s West shows as well as select acts at the Long Beach Blues Festival. During this time he started Bluebeat Music which is widely considered the largest on-line retailer of blues, jazz, soul and vintage rock&roll in the world. 2015 marked his 40th anniversary of hosting blues radio shows out of Santa Cruz, California. Charlie is also an ongoing contributor to BLUES JUNCTION.

Helge Tallqvist In Footsteps 

Ron Thompson Son of Boogie Woogie

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

Wee Willie Walker If Nothing Ever Changes

The Bey Paule Band Not Going Away

Sherwood Fleming with the Moeller Brothers Blues Blues Blues

James Harman Bonetime

Igor Prado Band and the Delta Groove All-Stars Way Down South

Trickbag Candyville

Billy Watson The Tenth Square Peg

Tommy Lofgren – Stockholm, Sweden

Tommy has been with Jefferson since 1970. It is the world’s oldest blues magazine still in circulation. He was editor of this prestigious publication from 1977-1996. He remains a senior contributing writer. Tommy took over Smokestack Blues, a retail and mail order store in Stockholm in 2000. He has made a pilgrimage to the home of the blues, the United States, 27 times between 1972-2015 to explore the landscape of the our African-American musical roots. 

Beat Flippa I Got The Blues Vol.1  

Big Creek Slim Hope For My Soul       

Buddy Guy Born To Play Guitar   

Charles Wilson Sweet and Sour Soul 

Harmonica Shah If You Live to Get Old You’ll Understand

Jackie Payne I Saw The Blues  

Jewel Brown & Bloodest Saxophone Roller Coaster Boogie 

King Edward 50 Years Of Blues  

Shoutin´ Red Introducing Shoutin´ Red 

Willie Clayton Heart & Soul  

Art Martel – Pomona, California (USA)

In 2014, Art Martel celebrated his 20th year of being in the blues business. It was in 1994 that Art began co-hosting a radio show, “Breakfast With The Blues” with legendary blues purveyor Left Coast Carl at KSPC 88.7, the voice of the world famous Claremont Colleges. Soon he was tapped to host his own show and he can still be heard on his “Same Old Blues Show” on that same station. Since 1998, Art has been booking National and International touring bands in Southern California. He eventually started his own booking and production company, Straight Up Blues Productions. Both in the spring of 2013 and in the fall of 2014, Art served as tour coordinator for the west coast tours of Germany’s B.B. and the Blues Shacks.

Ron Thompson Son of Boogie Woogie

Nico Duportal & His Rhythm Dudes Guitar Player

Barry Levenson I Wonder Why

Igor Prado & the Delta Groove All-Stars Way Down South

Trickbag Candyville

Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South

Eugene Hideaway Bridges Hold On a Little Bit Longer

Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars Fifty Shades of Blue

Jackie Payne I Saw the Blues

James Harman Bonetime

Purtti Nurmi  - Helsinki, Finland

Pertti Nurmi has been a record collector all his life. His collection boasts more than   10,000 blues albums, mostly by black artists, and as such, is presumably one of the largest collections of black blues music in Finland. Pertti was the editor-in-chief of the Blues News journal of Finland (founded in 1968) during the 1980s and the managing editor in later years. He has been the journal’s principal photographer throughout the past decades, and his photography has been covered in legendary European blues magazines Jefferson and Il Blues as well as Blues Music Magazine in the U.S. All the major blues festivals in Finland have hosted Pertti’s photo exhibitions, and outside of Finland his blues photography has been on display at the 55 Bar in New York City (2004), the Musicians Institute of Hollywood (2004) and the foremost European blues festival, The Notodden Blues Festival (2014). Pertti’s photographic career culminated in January, 2015, by the recognition of the Blues Foundation’s prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award in conjunction with the annual International Blues Challenge event in Memphis.

James Armstrong Guitar Angels

Daddy Mack Blues Band A Bluesman Looks At Seventy

Buddy Guy Born to Play Guitar

Zac Harmon Right Man Right Now

Little Freddie King Messin’ Around The Living Room

Eugene Hideaway Bridges Hold On A Little Bit Longer

Russell Malone Love Looks Good On You

Mr. Sipp The Mississippi Blues Child

Jackie Payne I Saw The Blues

John Primer & Special Friends Muddy Waters 100

Mike Stephenson - United Kingdom

Mike is a researcher, interviewer, reviewer and photographer of blues music in the United Kingdom. He has made frequent visits to the United States to attend festivals and interview blues artists. For many years Mike has also had a strong association with the UK publication Blues & Rhythm Magazine. He has also had articles published in the Swedish blues magazine, Jefferson.

King Edward 50 Years of Blues 

Peterson Brothers The Peterson Brothers

Edie Cotton One Day at a Time

The Bey Paule Band Not Goin’ Away

Omar Coleman Born Raised

Daddy Mack Blues Band A Bluesman Looks at Seventy

Dexter Allen Trilogy of Blue

Ronnie Earl Father's Day

Jeron Paxton Recorded Music for Your Entertainment

Leo Bud Welch I Don’t Prefer No Blues

The Consensus Top Ten

1)            James Harman Bonetime (6)

2)            Big Jon Atkinson Back Down South (6)

3)            The Igor Prado Band and the Delta Groove All-Stars Down South (5)

4)            Wee Willie Walker If Nothing Ever Changes (4)

5)            Jackie Payne I Saw The Blues (4)

6)            Trickbag Candyville (4)

7)            The Bey Paule Band Not Goin’ Away (3)

8)            Ron Thompson Son of Boogie Woogie (3)

9)            Chris James & Patrick Rynn Trouble Don’t Last (3)

10)         The Cash Box Kings Holding Court (3)

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