
Richard Wilkins – Life’s For Livin’
Richard Wilkins
Life's For Livin'
Self release
Review by Anni Piper
Originally from sunny California, Richard Wilkins has made Portland his home and obviously rode the rails into the blues scene here in a big way. Wilkins is a vocalist, bassist,…

Angela Easley – Rise
Angela Easley
Rise
Class A Records
Review by Anni Piper
Lush is the first word that springs to mind when I hear the arrangements on this album. If it were a floral bouquet, Easley’s work wouldn’t be a bunch of lazy daisies but rather orchids…

The Love Light Orchestra – Leave The Light On
The Love Light Orchestra
Leave the Light On
Nola Blue Records
Review by Randy Murphy
The joy of listening to so many new music releases is that occasionally an album comes across my desk that reminds me of why I fell in love with this music…

Peter Veteska and Blues Train – So Far So Good
Peter Veteska and Blues Train
So Far So Good
Blue Heart Records
Review by Anni Piper
This album is like a textbook, and trust me, dear listeners, that doesn’t mean to say that it is dry and dull, but more an endorsement of the accuracy of…

Roger ‘Hurricane’ Wilson – A Spiritual Awakening
Roger 'Hurricane' Wilson
A Spiritual Awakening
CD Baby
Review by Kirk Anderson
Roger got his “Hurricane” nickname from decades of scorching blues guitar riffs as he performed and taught guitar for more than 50 years. Behind him are over…

Chickenbone Slim – Serve It To Me Hot
Chickenbone Slim
Serve It to Me Hot
Vizztone Records
Review by Anni Piper
I promised myself, with some variety of Girl Guide unbreakable vow, that I would not, under any circumstances, allow myself to talk about sex when I reviewed this disc.…

Dionne Bennett – Sugar Hip Ya Ya
Dionne Bennett
Sugar Hip Ya Ya
Hunnia Records
Review by John Taylor
Dionne Bennett has seen – and conquered -- a lot of the world. And the British-West Indian singer-songwriter has been around the block enough to find her way around without…

Mississippi MacDonald – Do Right Say Right
Mississippi MacDonald
Do Right, Say Right
Another Planet Music Ltd
Review by Anni Piper
Fortunately for the listener, Mississippi MacDonald isn’t trying to sell us the tasteless generic recipe of his namesake. A young British blues sensation,…

Gov’t Mule – Heavy Load Blues – Fantasy
Gov’t Mule
Heavy Load Blues
Fantasy
Review by Kirk Anderson
From their first live show at Rivalry’s on Cherry in Macon, Ga., on June 11, 1994, Gov’t Mule peppered their first set list of 13 songs with four tunes by the blues originals…

Rusty Ends Blues Band – Rusty Ends Blues Band
Rusty Ends Blues Band
Rusty Ends Blues Band
Earwig Music Co.
Review by Anni Piper
There is something timeless about blues music, and that’s one of the reasons we are drawn to it like moths to a flame.
First impressions upon listening to…