Tag: Blues

Savoy Brown – Neon & Shadows

Savoy Brown – Neon & Shadows

by | Aug 4, 2019

With a brand new album City Night out on Quarto Valley, Kim Simmonds brings the vibrant Savoy Brown trio to London for a special gig. Pete and Kim catch up backstage to discuss the new record and related matters…

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd – On The Move

Kenny Wayne Shepherd – On The Move

by | Aug 4, 2019

Kenny has a brand new album out on Provogue/Mascot called The Traveler and it typically finds him and the band moving along with a sense of purpose, great variety and immense musical competence, never swamping pure feel. Pete caught up with
Shepherd to talk about the new record…

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Peter Frampton Band – All Blues

Peter Frampton Band – All Blues

by | Jul 30, 2019

Frampton faces a loss of dexterity in his hands, so has been in the studio with his bandmates recording material for future release.This particular set finds the group performing blues standards BUT with their own stamp.

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Rory Gallagher – Blues Treasure Trove

Rory Gallagher – Blues Treasure Trove

by | Jun 6, 2019

The unearthing of a splendid collection of live and studio recordings by the late great Irish blues star Rory Gallagher means that fans can at last enjoy dozens of unreleased tracks. In fact, three albums’ worth! These releases coming out on the Chess label no less have been overseen by Rory’s nephew Daniel and whilst he was over from New York, Gallagher fan and follower Pete met him to get the lowdown…

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Robert Randolph (Robert Randolph And The Family Band) – Steelin’ The Spotlight

Robert Randolph (Robert Randolph And The Family Band) – Steelin’ The Spotlight

by | Jun 5, 2019

It is some sixteen years now that steel guitar ace and singer Robert Randolph met up with Pete the afternoon before he and The Family Band played their London debut at Dingwalls in Camden. Now older and wiser, Randolph does not seem to have lost any of his zest for life – indeed with a brand new album Brighter Days coming out on Mascot, the musician appears ready to rock out once more…

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Rory Gallagher – Blues (3-CD Edition)

Rory Gallagher – Blues (3-CD Edition)

by | May 27, 2019

Rory had a sure grip on blues, roots, folk and even jazz styles…in this collection you can hear all these elements and plenty of steaming rock’n’roll. His enthusiasm and attack are undoubted but the sensitivity is always there. It is no wonder that Rory still influences so many musicians.

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The BB King Blues Band – The Soul Of The King

The BB King Blues Band – The Soul Of The King

by | May 12, 2019

An assemblage of B B King band members and guests celebrating the great man and his music. The Hoax of course celebrated Riley King a few years back on a terrific album and it is pleasing that this set in the wake of his passing shares the fiery spirit of that record.

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Robin Trower – In Real Time

Robin Trower – In Real Time

by | Apr 13, 2019

Robin and Pete discuss the new album Coming Closer To The Day, out on Mascot / Provogue as Trower prepares for US dates with his trio. Robin’s creative approach produces a fresh set of compositions, soaked and strewn with his distinctive guitar stylings. He surely remains music’s own Monet or Turner…

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Reese Wynans – Let Loose

Reese Wynans – Let Loose

by | Apr 8, 2019

With his very own Sweet Release album being released on Provogue/Mascot Label Group, produced by Joe Bonamassa no less, it seems a good time to meet up with the veteran keyboard ace. It’s a bitterly cold morning in London, so I stop off to buy Reese a woolly hat for his stay and over tea we talk about his record…

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Robin Trower – Coming Closer To The Day

Robin Trower – Coming Closer To The Day

by | Apr 5, 2019

So here is the latest in the series of albums where Robin multi-tasks on the instruments and the vocals as part of what I call his New Testament. And he digs deep, with his musical roots on display and his imagination scraping the sky. The lyrics can bite or prompt reflection and the guitar mastery reigns but with no pomp rock bluster.

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Reese Wynans & Friends -Sweet Release

Reese Wynans & Friends -Sweet Release

by | Apr 5, 2019

Keys man of choice for many great artists, Wynans in conversation seems softly chuffed with having his own album out. On it he mixes styles, tempo’s and instrumentation and to be frank listening to it you might not assume it was a keys player’s oeuvre..which is my way of saying you will likely just enjoy the tunes and performances.

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Joanne Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart

by | Mar 3, 2019

So our guitar toting star returns..she’s carrying less and delivering more on this outing, as her producer has assembled a band of seasoned Detroit jazz alumni and what a glorious set of sound vistas they present on these recordings.

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Eric Gales – The Bookends

Eric Gales – The Bookends

by | Feb 6, 2019

A release from the loose cannon Eric Gales always turns out to be intriguing. I reckon this is because he will listen to Holst, Howlin’ Wolf, Herbie Hancock..to Blues, bluegrass, Brahms and Billie Holiday – and that could be one of my record shelves.

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Robben Ford – Purple House

Robben Ford – Purple House

by | Feb 3, 2019

This is a creative bloke who challenges himself all the time BUT with deep roots in blues and jazz stylings. As such, the amiable Robben always rings the changes with each album release..yet always he maintains his own strong character. In some ways he is truly the blues world’s Neil Young or Tom Waits. No wonder he has a following.

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Kirk Fletcher – Hold On

Kirk Fletcher – Hold On

by | Feb 3, 2019

I have seen guitarist Kirk perform a couple of times with Joe Bonamassa and my overall impression was one of robust style, accent on rhythmic patterns with very generic solo’ing.

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The Zombies On The Blues (Part One)

The Zombies On The Blues (Part One)

by | Dec 29, 2018

The Zombies – veteran purveyors of scintillating and haunting music for over five decades, drawing on jazz, rock and blues influences at every turn but scoring durable chart hits all over the world, even gifting Carlos Santana with one of his biggest hits and spurring The Byrds to explore psychedelia…

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2018 In Review

2018 In Review

by | Dec 26, 2018

As usual, we take a look at the year’s happenings – or at least some of them – and bearing in mind that again we have lost many great people, not least dear friends during 2018.

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Doyle Bramhall II – Tea, Tones And Tunes

Doyle Bramhall II – Tea, Tones And Tunes

by | Dec 25, 2018

With a new album coming out on Mascot and titled Shades it seems a good time to catch up again with the artist as he flies in from sunny California to overcast Shoreditch for press sessions. Pete and fellow guitarist Colin Howell grab a beverage and join Doyle at his hotel this morning to talk about the new record:

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Blair Jollands

Blair Jollands

by | Dec 2, 2018

Just Listen To This had the chance to speak with the NZ songsmith, up at the Cornbury Festival. He’s a bit different. But so are we. Here’s our conversation…

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John Akapo – Paradise Blues

John Akapo – Paradise Blues

by | Dec 2, 2018

‘Big John’ Akapo comes from Hawaii and reportedly has delta blues and American Samoan in his DNA. Here he performs originals in with a few versions that show where he is coming from. Like many of us, John’s parents did not care for his music.

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The Blues Messengers – Uncut

The Blues Messengers – Uncut

by | Dec 2, 2018

This act comprises ‘Sir’ Oliver Mally, Alex Meik and Peter Muller. Guitar, stand-up bass and drums and a relaxed feel as starting cut Devil’s Gone Fishing rolls in on an Al Green groove.

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Phil Brown – The Mechanics Of Song Creation

Phil Brown – The Mechanics Of Song Creation

by | Nov 25, 2018

It’s time we caught up with mercurial musician, arranger, songsmith and singer Phil Brown. Currently based in Nashville, Brown’s skyborne sonic works eschew the city’s traditional patterns and tone palates for something more linear and soulful… This conversation takes in his influences and many other thoughts…

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Green On Bluesfest 2018

Green On Bluesfest 2018

by | Oct 7, 2018

We had been fishing for a while for a quick chat with BluesFest director and musician Leo Green and as the 2018 event approached, it has happened. If we centered on the Eternal ‘act choices – what IS Blues?’ aspects this piece would never end, so we concentrate largely on the nuts and bolts of the festival

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Tony Joe White – Speaking Of The Source

Tony Joe White – Speaking Of The Source

by | Oct 5, 2018

The spark that originality lit Tony Joe White’s muse was The Blues and now he has made an elemental, stone blues album called Bad Mouthin’ to make that very point. His distinctive guitar playing and unique voice have made him a global legend of music. Pete caught up with Tony again for the lowdown….against the background of what sounds like macaws and an electrical storm.

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Ben Poole – Anytime You Need Me

Ben Poole – Anytime You Need Me

by | Oct 3, 2018

Poole returns with a new studio album, almost entirely own material therein and production by drum ace Wayne Proctor. I think I have known Proctor some twenty years now and his forte is capturing a crisp but rich sound for many artists, in the studio. He listens to the songs and creates an enhancement for each composition, working much in the manner of a tailor fashioning a garment from cloth.

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Tony Joe White – Bad Mouthin’

Tony Joe White – Bad Mouthin’

by | Sep 30, 2018

Our man heads straight back to elemental blues for this release. His voice if anything is even deeper and more grizzled than before and his mainly electric guitar rich and spiky. Some tracks have drums and some are acoustic. His son Jody engineers.

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Austin Gold – Our Blues Top Ten

Austin Gold – Our Blues Top Ten

by | Sep 30, 2018

Pete Sargeant asked English blues-rockers Austin Gold to tell JLTT which recordings really turned them on, so here are their picks. Pete is a champion of democracy, so it’s two from each group member. Thanks, lads!

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Billy F. Gibbons – Big Bad Blues

Billy F. Gibbons – Big Bad Blues

by | Sep 22, 2018

When recently having the pleasure of reviewing a box set of the second five ZZ Top albums, I was reminded of their organic assimilation of the finest elements of The Blues. The band is able to approach rock and blues music from any direction and pull it off, such is their musical skill and ability to invent but stay melodic.

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Sari Schorr – Never Say Never

Sari Schorr – Never Say Never

by | Sep 19, 2018

One of the first things that strikes the listener when playing this new album is the quality of and deft playing of the band members – keys ace Bob Fridzema, guitarist Ash Wilson, bass man Mat Beable and drummer Roy Martin.

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Maggie Bell

Maggie Bell

by | Aug 24, 2018

It was a pleasure to chat in detail with Scottish vocal stylist Maggie Bell at an eaterie in downtown Fulham…she is lively, friendly and full of great stories. Having shared the stage a few times with Maggie and guitar ace Dave Kelly, I can vouch for her musical fluency and sense of fun..and man, that voice…

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Big Apple Blues – Manhattan Alley

Big Apple Blues – Manhattan Alley

by | Aug 24, 2018

Recorded at Sear Sound in Manhattan, this NY crew, this follow-up album to Energy Harrison is drummer, Zach Zunis plays guitar, Jim Alfredson mans the keys and Anthony Kane is on harp. Some guests appear hear and there. The act records in one room, for that intimate/organic feel.

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The Sharpeez – Wild One

The Sharpeez – Wild One

by | Jun 18, 2018

Bill Mead and crew always sound so purposeful, but not jaded. Powerful, but refined. Their exciting stage brew of rock, R &B, rockabilly and country rock makes for absorbing and rhythmic shows.

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Errol Linton – A Case In Point

Errol Linton – A Case In Point

by | May 12, 2018

Our man Pete is scooting around London today but happily a window has been agreed to meet up with singer and harmonica stylist Errol Linton, to talk about his brand new and mainly self-penned album Packing My Bags. Helpfully we are joined at the chosen hostelry by band keys player Pete Zivkovic and a relaxed chat ensues…

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Tommy Emmanuel

Tommy Emmanuel

by | May 4, 2018

The Australian guitar stylist is back in the UK for some shows. Ahead of these, we were able to run some questions past the prince of the Fretboard…

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Mike Zito – First Class Life

Mike Zito – First Class Life

by | Apr 18, 2018

Zito doesn’t go for that racing around, foot on the monitor, extreme face-pulling style of guitar. He just plays out and keeps his cool, channelling soul through his fingertips. Better still he doesn’t shout or groan, he actually sings..and if these comments puzzle you, you should hear a lot of the stuff we receive to review.

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