After a year’s absence due to shoulder discomfort and some kind of inflammation with what Duke refers to as Les Paulsy, the great one is back and wielding a much lighter Strat. His new album is a beauty and the master of taste and texture is sporting a rather sharp, crisp tone not unlike one of his contemporaries who makes a guest appearance on Blues Full Circle, Jimmie Vaughan. He also was able to sit down and write several new tunes for Blues Full Circle to go along with some old tunes he had sitting on the shelf. The result is a very satisfying album. Singer Kelly Hunt, as well as the great Sugar Ray Norcia, makes great contributions to this album as well. Highly recommended... (read a full review of this CD in our Monthly Album Spotlight in this edition of BLUES JUNCTION) 

If you are a Ronnie Earl fan you are going to love this CD. Even of you are not, this one might be where you join the party, as this may be the best Ronnie Earl record in years. Maxwell Street is a tribute to both the late great pianist Dave Maxwell and an homage to the Maxwell Street Market that was the home of the blues on Chicago’s south side for decades. This ten track sixty seven minute journey through the musical soul of Ronnie Earl reflects his contemplative nature which he has been exploring for many years now. The lengthy songs allow Earl to stretch out and as per usual he flexes his prodigious chops to great effect. This is the type of material which I often eschew and file under the heading of self indulgent bull sh*t. Why Ronnie gets a hall pass from me, I have no idea, but he does. Maybe it is the combination of talent, tone and taste which he imbues in every song.  Combine that with his unwavering commitment to the material he presents and you have a potent elixir for the soul. Dianna Blue’s contributions here are outstanding. Earl originals, mixed with some terrific covers make Maxwell Street an aural feast not to be missed. 

Let’s start with the obvious questions; Who is Trickbag and who are their friends? Many of our longtime readers are familiar with this band as they have been the subject of features here in the JUNCTION in the past. Trickbag is an international amalgamation of musicians based in Sweden who have been at the forefront of the talent laden Scandinavian blues scene for many years. It is comprised of vocalist Tommy Moberg, Lars Näsman on double bass and backing vocals, pianist and organist Fredrik Von Werder, harp man Steve “West” Weston, guitarist extraordinaire Tomi Leino and drummer Peter Norin. Ok, so who are these friends? They are Kim Wilson, James Harman, Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, Rusty Zinn, Steve Guyger, Kid Andersen, Aki Kumar and Nathan James. That is a boat load of talent and, believe me, it is put to good use on Trickbag With Friends Vol. 2.  As much as I enjoyed 2013’s ...with friends Volume 1, this record is even better. It is a real beauty. 

The King Brothers, who are Lee on guitar and vocals along with brother Sam on drums and background vocals, lead their ensemble through some tried and true blues material. The brothers are both veterans of Freddy King and Albert King’s road bands, so they should know their way around the blues by now. On Get Up and Shake It they take some pretty worn out blues standards, such as Hound Dog, Rock Me Baby and Hoochie Coochie Man for instance, out for a funky spin around the block. This independent release mines that very familiar “Malaco Records” house sound, which is always a hit with certain segments of the blues world. The album has as much to do with 70’s style funk as it does the blues. While Get Up and Shake It and the King Brothers aren’t my particular cup of tea, if this is your thing, you are in for a treat.    

Once again the veteran harmonica master is backed by his longtime musical collaborators Doug Demming and the Jewel Tones. This time out the New Jersey based Gruenling writes all of his own material. His vocals, while not unusually strong, don’t hinder the performance, which is very often the case.  This pro really knows how to sing and deliver this material with a real sense of musicality not always present in this day and age, when vocals are simply an afterthought. This, Gruenling’s seventh album, takes listeners through some straight ahead blues, jump blues, rhythm & blues along with some vintage rock & roll. Gruenling and the band really swing throughout this wonderful thirteen song extravaganza. This record is simply a lot of fun and is highly recommended. 

This new release from Lurrie Bell showcases all the passion, depth, rawness and uniqueness that keeps Lurrie at the top of many real deal blues lists. His working band and frequent collaborator, harp man Matthew Skoller, provide the drive and the safety net while Lurrie walks the tightrope vocally and instrumentally. Everything about this record, right down to the jewel box, reeks of old school and that, by my way of thinking, is a very good thing. Congratulations to Delmark for yet another terrific release. Bob Koester and his company have been at this a very long time and are still releasing quality CDs, such as this one, on a regular basis. Kudos... 

This is a band that is full of promise and dare I say, Possibilities. This, their first full length album, is a great first step for the Swedish band. Led by singer Ida Bang and her cohorts, they lead a charge through several blues textures, moods and tempos. This eleven song odyssey of all original material is elevated by the vocals of Ida Bang. She has a great set of pipes and seems to know how to use them. The Blue Tears are Leo Henriksson and John Bernstrom on guitars and Patrik Engstrom on bass. The drummer and percussionist is Leo Sund. They do a fine job backing their dynamic singer. Ida Bang & the Blue Tears won the 2015 Swedish Blues Challenge and Possibilities proves that honor was no fluke. This is a band that, with the right mentorship, could have a very bright future. Until then Possibilities serves as a terrific first step. 

For these and thousands more blues titles, click here: