Tag Archives: R&B

Album review: CONNOR BRACKEN AND THE MOTHER LEEDS BAND – Nightbird Motel

Posted on August 26, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 25.09.20] Based in Astbury Park, New Jersey, Connor Brand (lead guitar and vocals) has a whiff of a look of a young Springsteen. But hometown aside, that’s about where the similarities end – MLB being a blues rock … Continue reading →

Album review: ERIC ROBERSON – Erro Live: Vol. UK

Posted on March 22, 2020 by jason

Blue Erro Soul [Release date 16.03.20] “We celebrating music tonight and we celebrating those who have made music and made art”. So proclaims Eric Roberson, he might also proclaim that he’s celebrating those who make music independently. In the age … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Eric Roberson, Erro Live: Vol. UK, live, melodic, R&B, review, soul | Leave a comment

Album review: JAMES OLIVER BAND – Twang

Posted on March 20, 2020 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to James Oliver for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in April 2020. The Last Music Company [Release date 03.04.20] When it comes to the concept of ‘Twang’, Deke Leonard’s last book about guitarists, ‘The Twang Dynasty’, may … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged ALBERT LEE, album, and roll, Big Joe Turner, blues, Brian Setzer, country, Deke Leonard, Dick Dale, Dr. Feelgd, Elmore James, guitar, James Oliver Band, Link Wray, Mick Green, R&B, reviw, rock, rockabilly, Roy Orbison, surf, The Del Tones, Twang, Wilko Johnson | Leave a comment

Album review: BYWATER CALL – Bywater Call

Posted on February 9, 2020 by petefeenstra

Gypsy Soul Records [Release date 21.11.19] Toronto is suddenly becoming a hothouse for new music with the enterprising 7 year old Gypsy Soul label at its heart. While the emphasis is on the familiar foundations of southern roots rock, in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adam Hindle, album, Aretha Franklin, blues, Bywater Call, Canada, Canadian soul, Dave Branes, funk, Gypsy Soul Records, jam band, Julian Nalli, Julian Taylor Band, Meghan Parnell, New Orleans, R&B, review, rock, roots rock, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, soul, Tedeschi Trucks, The Band, Toronto, Van Morrison | Leave a comment

Album review: SAMANTHA MARTIN & DELTA SUGAR – Run To Me

Posted on February 8, 2020 by petefeenstra

Gypsy Soul Records [Release date 27.04.18] Released in Canada in 2018, but finally gaining some overdue promo in Europe now, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’s ‘Run To Me’ is a deeply wrought album full of heartfelt lyrics (3 originals and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Canadian, Dracy Yates, funk, gospel, Muscle Shoals, R&B, review, Run To Me, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, soul, Stax | Leave a comment

Album review: ALBERT CUMMINGS – Believe

Posted on January 28, 2020 by petefeenstra

Provogue Records [Release date 14.02.19] ‘Believe’ is Albert Cummings debut album for Provogue records. It’s a surprisingly understated affair full of quality musicianship, but a few songs short of being a definitive album. Indeed, some of the best moments are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Al Green, Albert Cummings, album, BELIEVE, blues, Freddie King, funk, guitar, horns, Memphis soul, Muscle Shoals, R&B, review, rock, Sam & Dave, soul, Van Morrison, Willie Dixon | Leave a comment

Album review: BILLY PRICE– Dog Eat Dog

Posted on December 24, 2019 by petefeenstra

Gulf Coast records [Release date 02.08.19] Billy Price’s ‘Dog Eat Dog’ is a well crafted slice of contemporary soul. This is the peerless soul singer’s 17th album and he surrounds himself with an intuitive band, a killer horn section and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alabama Mike, album, Billy Price, blues, Bobby Byrd, Curtis Mayfield, Dog Eat Dog, funk, Gulf Coast, Jim Pugh, Kid Andersen, Mike Zito, Motown, Otis Clay, Philly, R&B, review, Rick Estrin, Roy Buchanan, soul, Willie Dixon | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUES CARAVAN 2019 (Katarina Pejak, Ina Forsman, Ally Venable)

Posted on September 28, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall chatted to Katarina Pejak in November 2019 for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. This hour special includes tracks from her earlier albums as well as the latest – ‘Roads That Cross’ – and the Blues Caravan 2019 live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Ally Venable, blues, Blues Caravan 2019, blues rock, Ina Forsman, interview, Katarina Pejak, R&B, review, rhythm and blues, roots, ruf records, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Gig review: BLUES CARAVAN 2019 (Ina Forsman, Ally Venable, Katarina Pejak), The Iron Road, Pershore, 13 September 2019

Posted on September 15, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

BLUES CARAVAN 2019 - The Iron Road, Pershore, 13 September 2019

Friday 13th may have seemed more than ominous to the girls in the Blues Caravan with a six hour journey from Scotland taking fourteen hours. But that didn’t seem to quell their enthusiasm for the South Midlands stop on a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 13 September 2019, Ally Venable, blues, Blues Caravan 2019, blues rock, gig, Ina Forsman, Katarina Pejak, Pershore, R&B, review, rhythm and blues, roots, ruf records, singer, songwriter, The Iron Road | Leave a comment

News: MARGATE RHYTHM & ROCK, 6-8 September 2019 with headliners LINDISFARNE, WILKO JOHNSON & STEVE HARLEY

Posted on August 26, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

WILKO JOHNSON BAND – Royal Albert Hall, London, 26 September 2017

This preview was first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 25 August featuring two of the bands appearing at the three-day Margate event: Curved Air and Man. (12:16) Margate Rhythm & Rock 2019 takes place 6th – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, NEWS | Tagged 6-8 September 2019, blues rock, classic rock, Curved Air, festival, Focus, Lindisfarne, Man, Margate Rhythm & Rock, R&B, Steve Harley, Stray, The Blockheads, The Sharpeez, Wilko Johnson | Leave a comment

Album review: SAMANTHA FISH – Kill Or Be Kind

Posted on June 30, 2019 by petefeenstra

Rounder [Release date 20.09.19] There’s no denying the natural vivacity, or the cigar box guitar driven grooves and songcraft of Samantha Fish. Since bursting on the rock-blues scene a decade ago, she’s cut 6 solo albums of which the last … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, blues, funk, guitar, Kill Or Be Kind, Mike Zito, Mississippi Hill Country Blues, R&B, review, rock, Samantha Fish, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: INA FORSMAN – Been Meaning To Tell You

Posted on June 25, 2019 by petefeenstra

Ruf [Release date 25.01.19] ‘Been Meaning To Tell You’ is a challenging cross genre album that suggests Ina Forsman will be a musical force to be reckoned with. The low key vocal and piano intro to the opening ‘Be My … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Been Meaning To Tell You, blues, Chris Maresh, Eartha Kitt, Finnish, funk, Ina Forsman, Kaz kazanoff, Laura Chavez, pop, R&B, Red Young, Samantha Fish, soul, vocals | Leave a comment

Album review: KYLA BROX – Pain & Glory

Posted on April 24, 2019 by petefeenstra

Pigskin Records [Release date 29.03.19] Kyla Brox’s ‘Pain & Glory’ is the perfect showcase for one of the great blues singers of her generation. From the striking artwork to the the nascent songcraft of Kyla and her bass playing partner Danny … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Blues Train, Clive Mellish, Danny Blomeley, funk, John Ellis, Kyla Brox, Leonard Cohen, Pain & Glory, Paul Farr, R&B, review, Sam Brox, Santana, soul, Steely Dan, Tony Marshall, Victor Brox, vocal | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE SHARPEEZ/Deep Blue Sea/Spinout UK – Boom Boom Club, Sutton, 22 February 2019

Posted on February 23, 2019 by petefeenstra

The 3rd Boom Boom Rocking R&B Festival might not win many prizes for it’s strap line, but The Sharpeez, Deep Blue Sea and Spinout UK more than make up for that with three engagingly varied and well received sets. All … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 3rd Boom Boom Rocking R&B, Bruce Spingsteen, Deep Blue Sea, Dregas, funk, Gary Roberts, Graeme Wheatley, Hawkwind, Iago Banet, Jack Casady, Len Surtees, Loz Netto, psychedelia, R&B, rock, Spinout Uk, Stereophonics, stoner rock, The Edge, The Sharpeez, U2, Will Pike, William Mead | Leave a comment

Album review: TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND – Signs

Posted on February 13, 2019 by petefeenstra

Concord [Release date 15.02.19] ‘Signs’ is the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s 6th album and it finds them unwittingly embracing middle age with mature songs, deep emotion and intricate playing. What it lacks is a sense of equilibrium, as there’s surfeit of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Al Green, Barrett Strong, blues, Bobby Bland, Butch Trucks, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, funk, Gregg Allman, Jackson Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Oliver Wood, R&B, rock, Signs, Sly Stone, soul, Susan Tedeschi, Tammy Terrell, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Warren Haynes | Leave a comment

Album review: IAN PARKER – Spoonful Of Gold (Blues For Willie)

Posted on December 7, 2018 by petefeenstra

Eye Pea Records (Release date 23.10.17) It’s over 15 years since Ian Parker originally signed to Ruf records and confounded his fans and probably his record company too by cutting a deeply introspective album that became a best seller. Since … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Cesar Rosas, Chicago Blues, Great White, guitar, Howlin Wolf, Ian Parker, Los Lobos, Magic Sam, Morg Morgan, Otis Rush, R&B, review, soul, Spoonful of Gold (Blues for Willie), Tex Mex, Widespread Panic | Leave a comment

Quick plays: BEN DE LA COUR, SAM LEWIS

Posted on November 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

BEN DE LA COUR The High Cost Of Living Strange Flour Sack Cape Records [Release date 06.04.18] Having trodden a path from NYC to Europe, and then back to LA, to New Orleans and now (yes, somewhat predictably it would … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged acoustic, album, Ben De La Cour, Loversity, Nashville, R&B, review, roots, Sam Lewis, shoegaze, singer, songwriter, soul, Superdrone, The High Cost Of Living Strange | Leave a comment

Album review: ERIC CLAPTON AND THE YARDBIRDS Feat.SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

Posted on November 19, 2018 by petefeenstra

The Store For Music [Release date: 09.11.18] And so to the endlessly recycled ‘Eric Clapton And The Yardbirds with Sonny Boy Williams’ (Williamson) and a few tracks from Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. This material will always hold some interest … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Aleck "Rice" Miller, blues, Bo Diddley, Chicago Blues, Elmore James, Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton And The Yardbirds feat. Sonny Boy Williamson, Giorgio Gomelsky, Graham Gouldman, guitar, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Page, metal, R&B, review, Robert Lockwood, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ALBIE DONNELLY’S SUPERCHARGE – Get Hip

Posted on November 4, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

3MS Music [Release date 18.01.19] On a number of occasions back in the early 1970s, fellow scribe David Randall and I would venture to the Sportsman Bar in Liverpool, often post gig, to catch Albie Donnelly’s Supercharge. The band – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Albie Donnelly, album, Get Hip, R&B, review, soul, Supercharge | Leave a comment

Album review: CONNOR SELBY – Made Up My Mind

Posted on August 22, 2018 by petefeenstra

3Ms Records [Release date 07.09.18] With a soulful wash of blues, r&b, funk and nascent songcraft, Connor Selby works hard to pull together an album that slowly, but surely unveils his own imprint He’s a white boy soul singer with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 3Ms, album, Connor Selby, Eric Clapton, funk, Gregg Alman, JOE COCKER, Made Up My Mind, Peter Green, R&B, Ray Charles, review, rock, soul, Van Morrison, vocal | Leave a comment

Album review: MIKE VERNON & THE MIGHTY COMBO – Beyond The Blue Horizon

Posted on August 17, 2018 by petefeenstra

Manhaton Records [Release date 07.09.18] Producer, songwriter and vocalist Mike Vernon’s award winning career has encompassed the birth of British blues including Clapton, Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac etc. He also worked with the younger David Bowie, Focus and soul singer … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andrew Roachford, Beyond The Blue Horizon, Big Town Playboys, blues, Brook Benton, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Focus, Frogman Henry, Ian Jennings, Kid Carlos, Laurence Jones, Matt Little, Mike Hellier, Mike Vernon, Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo, Mose Allison, Oli Brown, Paul Tasker, Peter Green, R&B, review, Rocky Sharpe & the Replays, Sari Schorr, The Olympic Runners | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April 2018 – June 2018)

Posted on August 2, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Albums of the Month 2018 January 2018 – March 2018 July 2018 – September 2018 October 2018 – December 2018 THE SHARPEEZ Wild One (3MS Music) “…there isn’t a weak track on here, while their very best efforts such as … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 2018, albums of the month, Andy Susemihl, April, classic rock, June, May, My Indigo, pop, progressive, R&B, Spock's Beard, Ted & Majella, The Sharpeez | Leave a comment

Album review: BIG BOY BLOATER AND THE LIMITS – Pills

Posted on June 6, 2018 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 15.06.18] Big Boy Bloater And The Limits new CD ‘Pills’ strips things down to the bone in a power trio format, with Bloater on guitar and lead vocals, Matt Cowley on drums and bv’s, bassist Steve Oates … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Big Boy Bloater And The Limits, blues, David Bowie, Elton John, funk, Howlin Wolf, Ian Dury, Matt Cowley, Mott the Hoople, R&B, review, rock, Rockpile, Steve Oates, Tom Waits | Leave a comment

Book review: JIM McCARTY with DAVE THOMPSON – Nobody Told Me: My Life With The Yardbirds, Renaissance and Other Stories

Posted on May 18, 2018 by petefeenstra

http://www.jamesmccarty.com/ 305 pages paperback ISBN 978-0-244-96650-8 [Publication date: May 2018] ‘Nobody Told Me’ is a suitably titled autobiography that documents the life and times of Jim McCarty, The Yardbirds founder member, drummer and rock and roll hall of fame inductee. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged blues, book, Box of Frogs, British Invasion All Stars, Chas McDevitt, Chris Dreja, Cream, Dave Thompson, Eric Clapton, Georgio Gomelski, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Reed, New Age Music, Nobody Told Me, Peter Grant, psychedelic, R&B, Renaissance, review, Robert Plant, rock, Rolling Stones, Ruthless Blues, Simon Napier Bell, The Country Gentleman, The Yardbirds, Top Topham | Leave a comment

Album review: MIKE ZITO – First Class Life

Posted on May 1, 2018 by petefeenstra

Ruf [Release date 11.05.18] ‘First Class Life’ is Texas based Mike Zito’s 14th album. It’s is a stripped down blues album on which he sets himself the challenge of penning some meaningful narratives to fill the genre with fresh input … Continue reading →