The Nick Moss Band

Nick Moss and his band of expert musicians made a whirlwind tour of Florida a couple years ago and I just so happened to check the lineup at BB Kings in Orlando that week and was able to catch both sets of Chicago -based blues. Wow! I had done my homework on Nick's blues pedigree and already knew of his Chi-town ties with Buddy Scott, Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins, Jimmy Rogers and The Legendary Blues Band. While perfecting his chops and paying his dues in the Windy City with the a fore mentioned legends, Nick formed his own group (Nick Moss & The Flip Flops) and formed his own record company (Blue Bella Records) Nine Albums later The Nick Moss Band is peaking with the latest recording: Time Ain't Free. The addition of Michael Ledbetter has given the band a new identity. The classically trained, cousin of Huddie William Ledbetter, better know as Leadbelly, adds a new dimension of vocals and guitar work to the musical experience of  The Nick Moss Band. Lebetter's smooth soulful vocals and guitar work are highlighted on this latest recording. Standouts on this album include: Light It Up  featuring Micheal Ledbetter -very catchy upbeat tune with infectious vocals, guitar riffs, great keyboards. The bonus instrumental: Blues For Ethel is outstanding. Fare Thee Well is yet another stellar song on this recording. This one stretches Ledbetter's vocals to the max, and shows you he has got the chops without a doubt. All in all, Time Ain't Free is one of the best recordings I have heard this year. (15 tracks full) So strap yourself in and get ready to hear more of The Nick Moss Band as they put a big explanation mark on Chicago style blues in 2014!
                                                                     

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Trampled Under Foot

Date: April 10, 2014
Location: The Sunrise Theatre, Fort Pierce Florida
Time: 8 PM


I got in the car and traversed down I-95 over one hundred miles south of Orlando to Fort Pierce Florida and took in a Trampled Under Foot show for the very first time. Let me tell you, it was way worth every mile driven. After all, they came from Kansas City, and have been traveling the country for months, so when you give it some thought, I had no excuse not to go to their show. So glad I did!
Trampled Under Foot did not disappoint, laying down a 2 hour and 45 minute Mega-set of blues that had the patrons in the Black Box Theater on their feet with spontaneous applause and appreciation. If you haven't heard;  Danielle Schnebelen is quite the female force to be reckoned with in the band. She is the soul and backbone of the group- laying down the bass riffs while delivering dynamic vocals with tones and notes you do not hear every day of the week! Not an easy thing to do . . especially in six inch stiletto heels. Her brother Nick is an accomplished guitarist with skill and finesse beyond his years. With a plethora  of guitars on stage, Nick is at his best while playing the National Steel and slide. His voice is also a complement to his fretwork, as he and Danielle traded lead vocals alternately. Jan Faircloth on drums & Mike "Shinetop" Sedovic on keyboards, round out the powerhouse four piece blues band. They highlighted and preformed material on their most recent recording which was the #1 debut Blues Album on Billboard, Itunes and Amazon Blues Charts- Badlands. This stellar album contains mostly original music with the exception of Danielle's tour de force cover of the James Brown classic: It's a Man's Man's Man's World , which by the way, she sang flawlessly live. To sum things up, Trampled Under Foot is a band that has toured and paid their dues by the book for over 12 years. The endless touring and refining has definitely transformed them into the polished, astonishing blues band that they are now. It is time to get on the bandwagon if you are not on it already. As usual, I had the trusty Nikon with me and captured a few images. Check out the videos as well.

                                                                       

                                                                           

                                                                     

                                                                    www.tufkc.com

Johnny Winter - True To The Blues

The Life Story of John Dawson Winter III is told best, not by the countless people who know him or played with him, but by both the quality  and the  longevity of his recorded music from 1968 to 2011 spanning a 43 year period and  packaged in a four CD box set released on the day Johnny Winter turned 70 years old, aptly named: True To The Blues -The Johnny Winter Story. The music speaks for itself, and few artists can equal his credentials. The box set by Legacy is put together nicely including a deluxe booklet with tributes from other musicians and some great insight into the Life and times of the legendary Texan guitar Slinger.  
With the first few chords of Bad Luck and Trouble you get a sense of Winter's deep respect and appreciation of the blues. That song is followed up by his classic blues rocker: Mean Town Blues. From there we go to some vintage live cuts recorded at the Fillmore East with Mike Bloomfield and Johnny Winter tearing it up on; It's My Own Fault the great BB King song. Johnny then delves heavily into Rock n Roll with Rick Derringer and his brother Edgar. The box set allows the listener to experience featured snippets in chronological order of Winter's entire career and that is what I enjoyed about it the most. The Alligator Records years are included as well on up to the current Roots album. The question is: what is next for Johnny Winter? . . .  All I know is I can hardly wait!
Through the years I have managed to see Johnny a few times. The first time was the most memorable. It was in the early 90's at a club in Cincinnati ; Bogart's. I will never forget hearing a 15 minute blistering version of ; You Keep Say'n That You're Leavin'. I have yet to see someone match the finesse and speed on the guitar since that night.
Johnny's stock was in decline just a few short years ago due to his health and past battles with addiction. Those vices look to be behind him thanks to his current rhythm guitarist and new road/marketing manager: Paul Nelson, who  is reinventing the JW of old. Thanks to Paul's guidance and Johnny's own determination and  dedication to music and the blues, he is now touring to sold out shows here in the states and overseas where he is also a huge draw. Catch him soon in a town near you! Enjoy the posted videos from the past (1970) to recently on the David Letterman Show.

Billboard Recent Article: http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/sxsw/5937499/johnny-winter-roots-album-eric-clapton-joe-perry-ben-harper-billy-gibbons#1m8IP03CDmz8GLbs.14

Duke Robbilard

Hopefully as time passes, most of us gain knowledge, wisdom and experience from life. We can use those gems to benefit the people around us as well as ourselves. A musician's life is similar. The old saying: " You have to pay your dues to play the blues" rings so true with the legendary Duke Robbilard.  Few bluemen possess the vast resume the "Duke Of The Blues" has under his belt. He is foremost a Guitarist, but he wears many hats. He is a Bandleader, Songwriter, Singer, Producer,Session musician, and an Advocate of the Blues. Awards? Duke has boatloads! The Blues Music Awards (formerly The WC Handy Awards) named Duke "Best Blues Guitarist" in a series of several years (2000, 2001,2003,2004). In 2007 he received a Grammy nomination for "Guitar groove-a-rama" The accolades go on and on, and to tell you the truth, many guys would hang up the guitar for a long while and go soak in sun on a island in the south pacific somewhere . . . Not Duke. That is not how he rolls! Duke is always doing something, touring 250 days a year. A guitarist guitarist, Duke is the favorite and inspiration to many blues and jazz artists. A musician friend of mine told me about Duke Robbilard in the early 1980's. Glad I took his advice and started listening to his stuff with "Roomful Of Blues" a group he formed in 1967 that still is going strong after 40 plus years! After a stay with them, Duke went out on his own with several successful recordings. In 1990 he replaced Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds.  In the meantime, his catalog of music continues to grow. Check the list on Duke's official web site, the link is listed below.

However, to experience Duke's guitar style and expertise live is the ultimate! Please do yourself a big favor and go see Duke and his band in a small club near you. Duke's newest CD addition is "Stomp The Blues Tonight" and available on his official web site listed below. The videos posted give you just a taste of what to expect when you see Duke LIVE!

        

                                                                         

                                                                             

                                    http://www.dukerobillard.com/index.cfm