Dickey Betts - Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (2-Disc Set)

Bass – Marty Privette; Drums – Matt Abts; Guitar, Vocals – Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes; Keyboards, Vocals – Johnny Neel; Special Guests – Jack Bruce, Mick Taylor, Rick Derringer. Recorded live from the Lone Star Roadhouse, New York, NY, November 1, 1988. Dickey Betts maybe not have had the name but he was a co-founder and songwriter and the ongoing heart and soul of the Allman Brothers Band. This show was recorded in January 11, 1988 with what is now an all-star back-up band, at the Lone Star Roadhouse in New York City and simulcast on WLIR on Long Island. Band includes Warren Haynes and Matt Abts who would later form Gov't Mule. And Johnny Neel on keys who along with Haynes would join a reunited the Allman Brothers Band the next year.

Album: Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:27
Size: 101.8 MB
Styles: Southern blues rock
Year: 1978/2018
Art: Front

[ 8:33] 1. Blue Sky
[14:30] 2. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
[ 6:34] 3. Duane's Tune
[14:49] 4. Jessica

Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 1) mc
Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 1) zippy

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Album: Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:42
Size: 95.5 MB
Styles: Southern blues rock
Year: 1978/2018
Art: Front

[ 7:16] 1. Statesboro Blues
[ 9:24] 2. One Way Out
[ 5:04] 3. Rock 'n Roll Hoochie Coo
[ 9:52] 4. Spoonful
[10:06] 5. Southbound

Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 2) mc
Live At The Lone Star Roadhouse (Disc 2) zippy

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Various - Strange Angels: In Flight With Elmore James

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:59
Size: 114.4 MB
Styles: Blues, Soul, Country, Pop, Americana
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[2:15] 1. Elayna Boynton - Can't Stop Loving You
[3:17] 2. Bettye Lavette - Person To Person
[2:34] 3. Rodney Crowell - Shake Your Money Maker
[3:18] 4. Tom Jones - Done Somebody Wrong
[5:56] 5. Warren Haynes - Mean Mistreatin' Mama
[2:57] 6. Deborah Bonham - Dust My Broom
[9:10] 7. Jamey Johnson - It Hurts Me Too
[4:00] 8. Shelby Lynne - Strange Angels
[3:42] 9. Keb' Mo' - Look On Yonder Wall
[4:08] 10. Mollie Marriott - My Bleeding Heart
[2:21] 11. Chuck E. Weiss - Hawaiian Boogie
[3:53] 12. Addi McDaniel - Dark And Dreary
[2:20] 13. Elmore's Latest Broomdusters - Bobby's Rock

Passionate music followers have been known to trade thoughts on times, places, and musical line-ups they can only fantasize being there to catch. An easy nominee might for one of those would be Sylvio’s bar on Chicago’s West Lake Street in the 1950s and early ‘60s, where Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf traded off as headliners, occasionally shared bills. In those cases, the management definitely wanted an act strong enough to sandwich between those fierce competitors and their enormously skilled and exciting bands to keep both the musical heat and customers in place, and for that, the choice would often be house regulars Elmore James and His Broomdusters. Elmore’s slashing slide guitar and explosive vocal attack were famous in themselves, and had produced the hit “Dust My Broom,” that gave his band its name.

That celebrated song, and its lasting riff, had been taught to Elmore by legend-to-be Robert Johnson, but Johnson’s own record was long out of circulation when James’ electrified version became a hit in 1952, and remained so until 1970; the hundreds of blues revival and rock versions heard since were picked up directly from Elmore, though he didn’t live to know it, having died from a heart attack at age 45, in 1963

The style of guitar and vocal attack stuck because Elmore’s turns on older blues, and songs he came up with himself, were flat out electrifying in all senses of the term. As rock ‘n roll gave way to harder rock, his vocal and instrumental example became all the more a model, for all the more performers. He’d played with a full band (horns sometimes, electric always) as early as 1939, when that was an utterly novel way to present intense, personal Delta blues numbers; his songs and arrangements were built to work in hot band situations. When you hear country traditionalist Jamey Johnson’s take on the now standard blues “It Hurts Me Too,” you can be sure it’s Elmore James’ sturdy and adaptable song being saluted—though history shows that Elmore had adapted it from Tampa Red’s “When Things Go Wrong With You.’ Elmore’s music sticks, instructs, and sets a pace.

That’s evident throughout this salute album— which puts such often-revisited James numbers as “Shake Your Moneymaker,” “Look on Yonder Wall,” and “Person to Person” alongside songs known mainly by James aficionados, gets them into the hands of masterful interpreters from out of the blues, soul, country, pop and Americana arenas, as far-ranging as Tom Jones, Rodney Crowell, Keb Mo, Deborah Bonham of the rocking Bonham family, and sisters Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer. The set reveals something fresh in the process: Elmore James contributed more than riffs and intensity to American music, he left a body of memorable, adaptable songs that can be renewed again and again in surprising ways. They’re that sturdy—and no less electrifying for it. ~Barry Mazor

Strange Angels: In Flight With Elmore James mc
Strange Angels: In Flight With Elmore James zippy

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Jimmy Nalls - The Jimmy Nalls Project

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:18
Size: 76.2 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. Wood And Wire
[4:59] 2. Natural Thing
[4:15] 3. I Miss The Road
[3:53] 4. Steal My Heart Away
[4:11] 5. One More Chance
[4:59] 6. Just Let Go
[6:30] 7. Hearts Desire

Just days after the release of a long-unfinished album, a group effort meant to help ease his struggles from Parkinson’s Disease, the widely admired rock and blues guitarist Jimmy Nalls died Thursday after a fall at his home. He was 66. Nalls, who had lived in Nashville since the mid 1980s, was famous for his role in 1970s southern rock and fusion group Sea Level. He was also a valued sideman who worked with a wide variety of major American artists, including Dr. John, Gregg Allman, T. Graham Brown and Lee Roy Parnell.

Gabriel Hernandez, owner of Blues Vintage Guitars, Inc. in Nashville and one of the producers of the new album, says Nalls was an underrated but influential guitar player. “He was at such a burgeoning scene and time in Macon, GA, when Capricorn Records was just exploding. He was doing session stuff for all kinds of people and hanging out with the Allman Brothers.”

The Jimmy Nalls Project, released June 19, is a collaboration by more than a dozen prominent guitarists and numerous other musicians and producers that completes a solo album Nalls had to abandon more than a decade ago after his Parkinson’s symptoms left him unable to play. In 2015, friends and colleagues rallied to complete tracks that were in various states, playing largely in Nashville’s House of Blues studio, often with Nalls on hand to enjoy it. The project was intended to raise funds to defray the substantial costs of Nalls’s care and to improve the disability accommodations in his home. Proceeds now will go to Nalls’s family.

Among the contributors to the album are international blues rocker Joe Bonamassa, Tennessee-based jazz icon Larry Carlton, rockers Robben Ford and Warren Haynes and standout Nashville six-stringers Jack Pearson, Johnny Hiland, J.D. Simo and Kenny Greenberg. Chuck Leavell, longtime keyboard player with the Rolling Stones and leader of Sea Level between 1976 and 1980, played on the album as well.

The link is no longer available. You are encouraged to buy this CD. Proceeds will go to Nalls’s family.

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VA - The Musical Mojo Of Dr. John: Celebrating Mac And His Music (Live)

Size: 123,2+137,4 MB
Time: 52:23+58:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: New Orleans Blues, Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Dr. John & Bruce Springsteen - Right Place Wrong Time (Live) (4:33)
02 Jason Isbell - Blow Wind Blow (Live) (3:45)
03 Cyril Neville - My Indian Red (Live) (3:35)
04 Anders Osborne & Bill Kreutzmann - Somebody Changed The Lock (Live) (3:09)
05 Dr. John, Aaron Neville & Charles Neville - Please Send Me Someone To Love (Live) (6:04)
06 George Porter Jr. & Zigaboo Modeliste - Junko Partner (Live) (5:14)
07 Irma Thomas - Since I Fell For You (Live) (3:48)
08 Tab Benoit - Stack-A-Lee (Live) (4:12)
09 Allen Toussaint - Life (Live) (3:09)
10 Shannon McNally - Street People (Live) (3:32)
11 Dave Malone - Goodnight Irene (Live) (5:53)
12 Big Chief Monk Boudreaux - Big Chief (Live) (5:24)

CD 2:
01 Widespread Panic & Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Familiar Reality (Live) (9:46)
02 Warren Haynes - You Lie (Live) (6:34)
03 Chuck Leavell - Traveling Mood (Live) (3:53)
04 Ryan Bingham - Back By The River (Live) (4:29)
05 John Boutte - Let's Make A Better World (Live) (2:46)
06 Mavis Staples - Lay My Burden Down (Live) (5:59)
07 John Fogerty - New Orleans (Live) (3:41)
08 Dr. John & Terence Blanch - Rain (Live) (6:07)
09 Dr. John & Sarah Morrow - I Walk On Guilded Splinters (Live) (7:02)
10 Dr. John & Sarah Morrow - Such A Night (Live) (8:27)

On Saturday, May 3, 2014, a group of esteemed musicians and friends joined together for “The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music” a special concert event taping that honored this musical icon. The star-studded concert took place at New Orleans’ Saenger Theatre, with Dr. John joined by a stunningly diverse assortment of notable guest artists, who perform 22 songs written, recorded and/or popularized by Dr. John during his prolific six-decade career, honoring his large and still-growing musical legacy.

“It was very moving to have all these people paying tribute to me, but I just treated it like it was another show,” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and six-time GRAMMY®-winner Dr. John says of The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music.

The performers include Bruce Springsteen, who duets with Dr. John on the 1973 smash “Right Place Wrong Time”; Jason Isbell, who delivers a heartfelt “Blow Wind Blow”; John Fogerty, who performs the raucous Crescent City anthem “New Orleans”; Mavis Staples, who brings gospel fervor to “Lay My Burden Down”; Widespread Panic, who lend musical muscle to “Familiar Reality”; and Ryan Bingham, who delivers a haunting “Back by the River.”

Fittingly, The Musical Mojo of Dr. John also features memorable performances by several New Orleans legends, including Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Terence Blanchard, John Boutté, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, George Porter Jr. and Zigaboo Modeliste of the Meters, and Aaron, Charles and Cyril Neville. Bassist Don Was served as the project’s musical director, leading an all-star house band that also included Allman Brothers Band/Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, renowned NOLA pianist John Gros, Funky Meters guitarist Brian Stoltz and journeyman drummer Kenny Aronoff, as well as Dr. John’s longstanding musical compatriot, trombonist Sarah Morrow.

The Musical Mojo Of Dr. John

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The Marcus King Band - The Marcus King Band

Size: 134,7 MB
Time: 58:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With That (3:47)
02. Devil’s Land (5:08)
03. Rita Is Gone (4:23)
04. Self-Hatred (Feat. Derek Trucks) (5:32)
05. Jealous Man (4:34)
06. The Man You Didn’t Know (4:39)
07. Plant Your Corn Early (5:05)
08. Radio Soldier (4:51)
09. Guitar In My Hands (2:51)
10. Thespian Espionage (5:31)
11. Virginia (Feat. Warren Hayes) (6:31)
12. Sorry 'bout Your Lover (3:23)
13. The Mystery Of Mr. Eads (1:41)

The Marcus King Band is a six-headed musical monster led by Mr. Marcus King, a young guitarist and singer-songwriter from Greenville, South Carolina. King also happens to be a protégé of another son of the South, the ubiquitous Warren Haynes. An early MKB supporter, Haynes has now produced the band’s eponymous second album, due out October 7th.

Haynes has praised King with some of the highest accolades an up-and-comer could want to hear. “Marcus is the first player I’ve heard since Derek Trucks to play with the maturity of a musician well beyond his age,” Haynes has said. “He’s very much influenced by the blues, but also by jazz, rock, soul music and any timeless genre. You can hear the influences, but it all comes through him in his own unique way. And he has one of those voices that instantly draws you in.”

King and his band most definitely drew in the audience during their electric two-hour set at Rockwood Music Hall. With King out front on vocals and guitar, the rest of the septet is Jack Ryan on drums, Stephen Campbell on bass, Matt Jennings on Hammond B3 organ, Dean Mitchell on tenor and baritone saxophones and Justin Johnson on trumpet, trombone, percussion and backing and occasional lead vocals. As challenging as it would have been for a lesser ensemble to pull off, this talented crew easily – nay, joyfully – covered the enormous territory of their leader’s musical tastes.

In person, the similarities between King and Haynes are impossible to overlook. The two could be “fam,” to borrow King’s phrase. They’re both big-boned, with long, shaggy hair that falls mid-back. Next is their singing – rich, bluesy, from-the-gut voices. And both men’s musical tastes are as broad as Haynes described: anchored in the blues but venturing everywhere music can go.

And that’s precisely where the Marcus King Band’s Rockwood set ventured – moving effortlessly from guitar jams to Stax-style soul to Tower of Power horn work spiced with New Orleans funk, veering into Hendrixian psychedelic wah-wah and tastes of jazz-rock fusion. Sprinkled among the jammed-out selections off the new album were chestnuts from the Temptations (“Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”), the Beatles (“Dear Prudence”) and jazzman Les McCann (“Trying To Make It Real Compared To What”). Amidst the funky opening chords of Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down,” Brooklyn-based guitar slinger Eric Krasno strapped on his axe and got down to trading licks with King before the two locked into a harmonic groove.

Given the huge impression the Marcus King Band made at this Rockwood performance – and given that the new album features guests like Derek Trucks and Haynes himself – it seems a safe bet we’re going to hear a lot more from these cats in the months and years ahead. Catch this crew while you can still say you saw them when they were almost famous. ~Peter Jurew

The Marcus King Band

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Supersonic Blues Machine - West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco

Size: 130,8 MB
Time: 55:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Miracle Man (4:24)
02. I Ain't Fallin' Again (3:28)
03. Running Whiskey (Feat. Billy F. Gibbons) (2:39)
04. Remedy (Feat. Warren Haynes) (5:41)
05. Bone Bucket Blues (3:11)
06. Let It Be (5:24)
07. That's My Way (Feat. Chris Duarte) (4:51)
08. Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of The City) (5:24)
09. Nightmares And Dreams (Feat. Eric Gales) (4:42)
10. Can't Take It No More (Feat. Walter Trout) (6:11)
11. Whiskey Time (Running Whiskey's Extended Ending) (2:12)
12. Let's Call It A Day (Feat. Robben Ford) (3:30)
13. Watchagonnado (3:47)

Real blues is the music of life experience. It is simple, but contains multitudes - feelings and knowledge accrued over decades. Collectively, the trio of musicians that make up Supersonic Blues Machine (SBM) have experienced more than three typical lifetimes. These world-class musicians have banded together in Supersonic Blues Machine, bonding in their love of this uniquely American genre and motivated by a desire to help its spirit evolve.

Fabrizio Grossi (bass/producer/engineer/wordsmith) worked his artistry in his birthplace - Milan, Italy - before migrating to London, Canada, New York, and currently Los Angeles.

Texan Lance Lopez (guitar/vocals) accrued at least one lifetime of experience before he was out of high school while playing bars in Louisiana and Florida. College came in the form of tours with R&B legend Johnny Taylor and blues masters Lucky Peterson and Bobby Blue Bland.

Kenny Aronoff (drums) has a resume that spans four decades and reads like a “Who’s Who” of roots rock legends, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Jack White, Billy Gibbons, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Dr. John.

Supersonic Blues Machine stems from Fabrizio Grossi’s desire to return to his roots. “The blues is what makes me tick. It is the main ingredient of any successful musical recipe,” he explains. “It is like pasta in Italian food. You can add all the ingredients you like and any sauce, but the pasta is the core of the dish. I’m the chef and blues is my pasta.”

Like a great recipe, Supersonic Blues Machine adds carefully chosen flavorings to its blues stock. “Blues is my passion but my favorite bands have always been eclectic, like the Beatles, Queen, Toto, and Earth, Wind and Fire,” Grossi continues. “I wanted to apply their lessons to Supersonic Blues Machine, and my band mates totally get that.” Aronoff calls it “a blast from the past aimed at the future.” Says Grossi, “You will feel B.B. King’s presence on stage even though we might be wearing space suits.”

Grossi found a magical connection with Kenny Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Toto guitarist Steve Lukather’s side Jam band “Goodfellas.”
The next step came when Lance Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Billy Gibbons, whom he had met on a Los Angeles session. The ZZ Top guitarist had known Lopez as a young blues prodigy, and strongly suggested Grossi and Lopez join forces. It was the Reverend Billy G’s blessing that helped birth Supersonic Blues Machine, and a stronger imprimatur for a nascent blues-rock project would be hard to find.

The first tune recorded for the Supersonic Blues Machine project was “Running Whiskey,” written by Gibbons, Grossi, and Tal Wilkenfeld. It features Gibbons on guitar and vocals and helped forge the sound of this new blues-rock supergroup. “It had the twist on the blues that infuses all the other songs on the record,” says Grossi.

The guest guitarists on Supersonic Blues Machine’s debut West of Flushing, South of Frisco are not a random selection of famous names, but more like members of an extended family. “I have worked on projects with Warren Haynes [guest and co-writer on ‘Remedy’], and when he tours anywhere near Dallas, he will always have Lance sit in,” Grossi explains. Lopez and Chris Duarte (“That’s My Way”) have been friends for years, and the SBM guitarist grew up with guest Eric Gales (“Nightmares and Dreams”). Walter Trout (“Can’t Take It No More”) is yet another member of this blues fraternity who, despite battling health issues, was anxious to contribute to the project. Finally, Grossi describes Robben Ford (“Let’s Call It a Day”) as the “classiest guy” he knows. “All these people light up the room when they walk in,” he says.

West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco

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Warren Haynes Band - Live At The Moody Theater

Released: 2012
Size: 469.80 MB
Time: 199.9
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Blues, Sthn' Rock
Art: Full

CD 1
1. Man In Motion [ 7:57]
2. River's Gonna Rise [ 8:52]
3. Sick Of My Shadow [ 9:31]
4. A Friend To You [ 5:56]
5. On A Real Lonely Night [11:33]
6. Invisible [13:01]
7. Take A Bullet [ 5:21]
8. Hattiesburg Hustle [ 6:53]
9. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday [10:15]

CD 2
1. Frozen Fear [ 6:19]
2. Dreaming The Same Dream [ 6:33]
3. Pretzel Logic [11:54]
4. Fire In The Kitchen [ 7:06]
5. A Change Is Gonne Come [ 6:57]
6. Spanish Castle Magic [ 6:49]
7. Whb Intro [ 3:06]
8. Tear Me Down [ 8:48]
9. Your Wildest Dreams [12:11]
10. Soulshine [ 8:56]

CD 3
1. River's Gonna Rise [Acoustic] [3:40]
2. A Friend To You [Acoustic] [5:14]
3. Sick Of My Shadow [Acoustic] [3:50]
4. Man In Motion [Acoustic] [3:04]
5. Listen To The Lion [Acoustic] [5:04]
6. Soulshine [Acoustic] [4:33]
7. Power & The Glory [6:31]
8. Patchwork Quilt [From Soundcheck] [3:53]
9. Hattiesburg Hustle [From Rehearsal] [6:31]

Singer and guitarist Warren Haynes has served in some of the most devoted, generation - spanning live acts of all time — The Allman Brothers band, The Dead and Gov’t Mule. As a solo artist, Haynes has done pretty well for himself, too. After the release of only his second solo studio album, Man in Motion, Haynes performed an epic live set in Austin, Texas full of old hits, new tracks, covers and special guest appearances. Stax/Concord Music Group has just released a three-disc (two CDs and one DVD) package entitled Warren Haynes Band: Live At The Moody Theater featuring both sets of the entire two-and-a-half-hour show.

An exclusive live bonus CD of acoustic Warren Haynes performances from the 2011 tour. This bonus disc also includes the three tracks that are only on the DVD portion of Live At The Moody Theater, which are Power & The Glory from the show itself, and Patchwork Quilt & Hattiesburg Hustle from Soundcheck/Rehearsal that same day.

Live At The Moody Theater CD 1
Live At The Moody Theater CD 2
Live At The Moody Theater CD 3 - Bonus CD

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Warren Haynes (feat. Railroad Earth) - Ashes & Dust (Deluxe Edition)

Released: 2015
Size: 246.7 MB
Time: 104:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Rock
Art: Full

1. Is It Me Or You [5:14]
2. Coal Tattoo [7:26]
3. Blue Maiden’s Tale [7:26]
4. Company Man [4:48]
5. New Year’s Eve [4:39]
6. Stranded In Self-Pity [6:36]
7. Glory Road [5:59]
8. Gold Dust Woman (feat. Grace Potter) [6:24]
9. Beat Down The Dust [4:55]
10. Wanderlust [4:50]
11. Spots Of Time [8:24]
12. Hallelujah Boulevard [5:44]
13. Word On The Wind [6:47]
14. Company Man (Demo) [4:51]
15. New Year's Eve (Demo) [4:19]
16. Glory Road (Demo) [4:39]
17. Wanderlust (Demo) [5:02]
18. Hallelujah Boulevard (Live From Angel Orensanz Foundation / 2008) [6:26]

Grammy Award winning artist Warren Haynes has been recognized as a cornerstone of the American music landscape and revered as one of the finest guitar players in the world. Throughout his prolific career as part of three of the greatest live groups in rock history – Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule and the Dead – his virtuosic artistry has led to thousands of unforgettable performances and millions of album and track sales.

Despite all of the ground that Haynes has covered on his musical journey, the impressive thing is that he still has many miles to explore. On his newest solo album 'Ashes and Dust,' he puts forth one of his most gorgeous, musically rich and personal albums to date. It is endlessly exciting to see one of the most brilliant minds in modern music shine an entirely new light on the depths of his creativity.

'Ashes and Dust,' only the third studio album Haynes has ever released under his own name, is a masterful work of art and a particularly important statement for Haynes. The songs are immediately and clearly different from his usual style – encompassing beautiful acoustic arrangements, a rootsy/Americana soundscape and honeyed vocals that cut straight through to the soul.

Although many of these songs are brand new, some of the tunes that make up this album have been dear to Warren for years. In some cases he has been carrying them around for 20 or 30 years, waiting for the right time to record them.

Ashes & Dust (Deluxe Edition) Pt 1
Ashes & Dust (Deluxe Edition) Pt 2

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Big Al & The Heavyweights - 2 albums: Sunshine On Me / That Ain't Nice

Album: Sunshine On Me
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:00
Size: 89.3 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. Don't You Want Me
[3:45] 2. What's Up With That
[3:43] 3. Sunshine On Me (Feat. Warren Haynes, Anders Osborne)
[6:04] 4. Money Matters
[2:35] 5. Won't You Dance With Me
[2:57] 6. Pass A Good Time (Feat. Anders Osborne)
[3:11] 7. What Was I Thinking
[3:20] 8. Midnight Train To Memphis
[3:30] 9. Peaches
[3:28] 10. So Many Women
[3:14] 11. Zydeco Boogie

When the CD cues up and the first cut “Don’t You Want Me” starts, it’s obvious that Big Al and the Heavyweights are serious about their brand of blues. These seasoned road veterans hit it tight and hard from the get-go, and the intensity never lets up. Their sound is tried and true Chicago blues with little Westside saxophone and a taste of South Louisiana bubbling up with some frattoir and accordion. Drummer Big Al Lauro plays the blues shuffles like he was born with the drum sticks in his hand, and John “The Colonel” Fuhrman’s harmonica threatens to go completely off the rails but never quite takes it that far. This is roadhouse music, music for a dancing up a good time with a cold one never far away from one’s hand. There’s a humorous why-you-got-to-be-like-that-woman tune in the vein of Sonny Boy’s “Don’t Start Me Talkin’” called “What’s Up With That.” and the deep funk of the title cut with special guest Warren Haynes slinky slide guitar over a Meters-esque beat. The Heavyweights vary up the South Side sound with some zydeco two steps spread throughout the disc so that they don’t get bogged down in the blues. Even though the band’s playing is hard and committed, a couple of the songs delve too much into blues cliché. No one needs to do a song about a midnight train to Memphis in 2013. Aside from that, Sunshine On Me brings on a need to shake a tailfeather and sip an ice-cold beverage, and do that all night long.

Sunshine On Me mc
Sunshine On Me zippy

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Album: That Ain't Nice
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 92.0 MB
Styles: Louisiana blues,
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. A Man Out Of Love
[3:43] 2. That Ain't Nice
[3:16] 3. Shout For More
[2:53] 4. House Party!
[3:53] 5. King Of The Blues
[3:24] 6. Walk That Walk
[2:48] 7. Designated Fool
[3:19] 8. Ten Most Wanted List
[2:45] 9. Zydecoco
[2:41] 10. The 'fess
[3:21] 11. Every Day Of My Life
[3:22] 12. Santa Wants To Play The Blues

Big Al & the Heavyweights have garnered ecstatic reviews for this disc, especially from Blues Brother, Dan Ackroyd, who featured it on his syndicated House of Blues Radio Show. In fact, he selected the Louisiana party anthem, "House Party" as the Blues Breaker of the Week. The CD was also nominated for a Blues Album of the Year Award by the NEA (Nashville Entertainment Association).

From start to finish, the band will keep you toe tapping and booty shaking through this obviously crowd pleasing set of original blues tunes. Fine axe handling and vocal talents are clearly displayed by Michael Holloway and are balanced by the aggressive harmonica playing of Roguie Ray. Opening with the musically vivacious "Man Out of Love" and grooving through the tribute to Albert King, "King of the Blues", this CD has it all. Check out the blues rocking shuffle of "Walk That Walk", and the R&B sound of "Designated Fool" and "Every Day of My Life". Louisiana music fans will be moving to "Zydecoco" and the Professor Longhair inspired "The ‘Fess". There is even some Yule Tide spirit in "Santa Wants to Play the Blues".

The mood is exuberant and the groove never stops with cuts like "Shout For More" and the title track "That Ain’t Nice". Big Al & the Heavyweights deliver with knockout strength.

That Ain't Nice mc
That Ain't Nice zippy

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Various - All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman (2-Disc set)

On January 10, 2014, a multi-generational assortment of musicians from the worlds of rock, blues and country joined together at Atlanta's historic Fox Theatre for a once-in-a-lifetime all-star performance to pay tribute to the life and music of the legendary singer/musician/songwriter Gregg Allman. That live musical event can now be experienced via the new multimedia package All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman.

Shot in high definition video with 5:1 Dolby sound, this one-DVD, two-CD package captures the four-hour concert event in its entirety. The show features a diverse assortment of high-profile Allman admirers paying tribute to the iconic veteran rocker, delivering distinctive new performances of classic material drawn from his four and a half decades as a recording artist, encompassing his landmark work with the legendary Allman Brothers Band as well as his parallel solo career. The variety of the artists paying tribute to Allman, and the diversity of their interpretations of his songs, attests to the broad appeal of Allman's talents, which transcend stylistic and generational boundaries.

With musical direction by noted producer/musician Don Was, several of the guest performers are drawn from the Allman Brothers Band's extended musical family, including current ABB guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks (who also appears here with his wife and frequent musical partner Susan Tedeschi) and Gregg's talented son Devon Allman. The prestigious slate of performers also includes such Allman contemporaries as Jackson Browne, Dr. John, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, Wet Willie singer Jimmy Hall and classic soul man Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave fame), along with such younger acts as Robert Randolph, Keb' Mo', Widespread Panic and Pat Monahan of Train. The world of country music, long a key component in Allman's musical consciousness, is represented here by such notable guest performers as Eric Church, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert and Jess Franklin.

All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman would not be complete without Allman's own authoritative voice, which is spotlighted here on collaborative readings of landmark tunes with Gregg's onetime L.A. roommate Jackson Browne ("These Days," "Melissa"), Vince Gill and Zac Brown ("Midnight Rider") and Taj Mahal ("Statesboro Blues"). Gregg also joins with the Allman Brothers Band to deliver fiery readings of the classics "Dreams" and "Whipping Post," which precede a set-closing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," performed by the show's full cast. With the recent announcement that the Allman Brothers Band will cease touring at the end of 2014, these may be among the last recordings of the band on stage.

The All My Friends show also features a prestigious house band that includes Don Was on bass, former Allman Brothers Band members Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Jack Pearson (guitar), ex-Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed, Wallflowers keyboardist Rami Jaffee and renowned drummer-to-the-stars Kenny Aronoff. As Allman later enthused, "That show was one of the highlights of my life. It was great to see old friends, and everyone was so gracious and really poured their souls into my songs. It was a very special night."

Album: All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:19
Size: 167.9 MB
Styles: Rock, Country, Blues
Year: 2014

[6:49] 1. Warren Haynes - Come And Go Blues
[5:47] 2. Warren Haynes - End Of The Line
[4:28] 3. Susan Tedeschi - Stand Back
[6:16] 4. Devon Allman - You Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had
[5:00] 5. Sam Moore - Please Call Home
[6:33] 6. Keb' Mo' - Just Another Rider
[3:41] 7. Brantley Gilbert - Before The Bullets Fly
[3:40] 8. Dr. John - Let This Be A Lesson To Ya
[5:23] 9. Pat Monahan - Queen Of Hearts
[4:59] 10. John Hiatt - One Way Out
[4:41] 11. Taj Mahal - Statesboro Blues
[6:22] 12. Widespread Panic - Just Ain’t Easy
[5:42] 13. Widespread Panic - Wasted Words
[3:51] 14. Trace Adkins - I’m No Angel

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Album: All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 76:29
Size: 175.1 MB
Styles: Rock, Country, Blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[ 4:10] 1. Trace Adkins - Trouble No More
[ 5:21] 2. Vince Gill - Multi-Colored Lady
[ 4:54] 3. Martina McBride - All My Friends
[ 3:24] 4. Pat Monahan - Can You Fool
[ 4:22] 5. Eric Church - Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More
[ 6:00] 6. Eric Church - Win, Lose Or Draw
[ 4:55] 7. Jackson Browne - These Days
[ 5:22] 8. Jackson Browne - Melissa
[ 5:01] 9. Vince Gill - Midnight Rider
[10:54] 10. The Allman Brothers Band - Dreams
[13:06] 11. The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
[ 8:55] 12. Warren Haynes - Will The Circle Be Unbroken

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John Ginty - Bad News Travels

Size: 125,8 MB
Time: 54:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jam Band Blues
Art: Front

01. The Quirk (5:02)
02. Black Cat (5:30)
03. Peanut Butter (5:11)
04. Seven & The Spirit (6:36)
05. Mirrors (6:29)
06. Switch (4:27)
07. Damage Control (5:08)
08. Rock Ridge (4:38)
09. Elvis Presley (5:57)
10. Trinity (5:39)

I just received the new release, Bad News Travels, from John Ginty and it's really quite good. It's unusual that I find a release that is actually built around an organ player (James Brown and Lucky Peterson) but here's one. Opening with The Quirk, Ginty starts this instrumental track with a B3 vamp and slowly piece by piece the band joins in. Dan Fadel on drums, Paul Kuzik on bass and then out pops an outrageous guitar player.... Albert Castiglia. Playing a blues rock fusion, this track rips! (Listen to those drums!) On Black Cat, Ginty slows everything down and Castiglia takes the mic for some really nice vocals. Ginty plays really soulful B3 keys against really tasty blues riffs by Castiglia. Peanut Butter, another instrumental, has a great hook driven by Ginty on keys and Todd Wolfe steps in playing great response to Ginty's call on guitar. This is some really intense guitar work and I credit Ginty not only for assembling this great crew of musicians and building the tracks, but also for bringing out the best in all of these musicians. On a more pop oriented track, Seven & The Spirit, Alecia Chakour takes the lead on vocals and Neal Casal sits in on guitar. This is definitely the airplay track of the release and it should do quite well. Chakour has a great voice for this style track and Casal plays a super melodic, well articulated guitar solo to top off the track. Next Up is Mirrors, a high steppin instrumental featuring Warren Haynes on guitar with a solid overdriven guitar tone with an attack more like Santana than I have heard from him. The track takes a bit of a Latin turn as Ginty solos on B3 and Fadel and Kuzik absolutely jam. Really nice. Switch really features Ginty on keys more than any other track and it's a driver. With tom tom work pushing the bottom, Ginty really gets the most out of his 3 piece band on this cool jazz instrumental. On Damage Control, Ginty gets a bit more of the New Orleans beat going and Castiglia is back on vocal and guitar. A hot country blues like guitar solo erupts and Cris Jacobs joins on acoustic guitar and backing vocals. Rock Ridge features Martie Maguire on fiddle starting with a bit of a folk/mountain sound but then breaking into a full blown jazz rock track, not unlike early Dregs stuff. This is a really cool track showing yet more versatility from Ginty and crew. Castiglia joins again for the funky Elvis Presley. With clever lyrics and and great vocals, Castiglia leads the way on this track, laying down a really sweet solo with a lot of feel. Ginty unloads some heavy sounds on this track and the bottom is solid and consistent. This is a cool track and should meet a totally different audience than the standard radio play group... this could be the big one! Just the right amount of hook and heft. Trinity is a full blown foot stomper featuring Cris Jacobs on guitar. Breaking midwave it takes on a gospel like swing and is a super closer. This is a really super release and one that could appeal to a very wide audience with loads of guitar, great writing great beats and of course cool keys. ~Review by Bman

Bad News Travels

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