Slideways, is the new album (and 10th Alligator release) from Chicago’s own Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials. The album features 12 of 13 original songs and was co-produced by Williams along with Alligator president and founder Bruce Iglauer. Slide guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Lil’ Ed Williams—like his musical forebearers, guitar masters J.B. Hutto (Ed’s uncle), Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor—is a giant of the genre. He and his band —bassist (and Ed’s half brother) James “Pookie” Young, guitarist Mike Garrett and drummer Kelly Littleton—have been delivering gloriously riotous, intensely emotional, wickedly playful Chicago blues to audiences around the world for nearly 40 years together – the same four guys (that’s an amazing story in and of itself!). And now with Slideways they’ve made what is, according to Iglauer, “the crowning achievement of their entire career.
The songs are saturated with Lil’s swinging slide guitar playing and raw vocals, all wrapped up in a cheerful mix of splashing slide guitar boogies, raw shuffles and heart-rending slow blues.

A balancing album between pop, rock and prog. Love the few songs in progressive style. 

A very talented guitarist with a bright future ahead

Eccentric duo with a free spirit inspires us all.  Love the music!

Energetic, downright and open-hearted songs we all believe in. Wonderful bluesrock!

We already noticed on the first volume of the ‘Rock-A-Ballads’ series that rock 'n' roll doesn't always have to be loud and wild. The second volume once again focuses on the romantic, emotional, and melodic recordings in this genre. What's even more remarkable is that these songs are just as timeless as their loud, rhythmic and wild counterparts.
On this second volume, Germany's Bear Family Records once again brings together 31 tracks that certainly evoke that romantic and loving feeling. Many artists and songs will undoubtedly sound familiar. You'll also undoubtedly discover songs that have remained hidden from you until now.
The album kicks off with a serious banger, ‘Young Love’ by Sonny James, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful rock 'n' roll ballads from the genre's heyday. Both Sonny and Tab Hunter scored with the song, but the original version belongs to Ric Cartney. The follow-up is ‘Teenage Love’ by Kimball Coburn. A song also backed by a great harmonious vocal group. Charlie Feathers picks up the pace a bit on ‘When You Decide’, a song that also showcases Charlie's country influences. Things usually get a bit wilder with Jerry Lee Lewis. Yet, he manages to convince with the slow, emotional ‘I'll Make It All Up To You’. Jody Reynolds also impresses. His ‘Fire Of Love’, marinated in clever guitar work, sounds absolutely timeless. For a classically constructed tearjerker, skip to ‘Tell Me’ by Jerry Raines and The Vikings. Niki Sullivan left Buddy Holly's Crickets at the height of their success. Holly's enormous influence on him is evident in his solo single ‘Waitin'‘, a song that, incidentally, was never released. Gene Vincent also shows his emotional side here on ‘I Sure Miss You’. A lot of big names appear on this volume, such as Roy Orbison with ‘A True Love Goodbye’, a ballad as only the ‘Big O’ can deliver them. Leon McAuliffe was undoubtedly the most famous member of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys. Here you hear him under his own name on the country-tinged ‘What's The Use’. For emotional ballads, it's hard to ignore The Everly Brothers. Don and Phil are present with the well-known ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’. Joe South achieved worldwide fame in the late sixties with ‘Games People Play’. However, Joe was bitten by the music bug at a young age. Just listen to the 1958 recording ‘It's Only You’, which he also wrote. Well-known artists who followed include Carl Perkins and Ritchie Valens, with ‘Forever Yours’ and the all-time classic ‘Donna’, respectively. Warren Smith recorded some of the best rockabilly albums for Sun Records. However, he didn't deny his country side with ‘Goodbye Mr. Love’. As you can see from the previous section, this second volume, also featuring excellent sound, is a wonderful continuation of the ‘Rock-A-Ballads’ series.
Besides the brilliant tracks, you'll find all the detailed artist and track information provided by Bill Dahl in the 38-page booklet.

What a fantastic guitar player.  12 fingerpicking pieces to lick your fingers. Strong!

Some artists or bands are eagerly anticipated when they announce a new album. Well, for me, that includes Germany's B.B. & The Blues Shacks. The fact that this band can't be pigeonholed into a single blues genre, but instead presents the entire spectrum with class, places them among the top. They do this again on their new album, ‘Blues Is A Stew’, a title that perfectly reflects their diversity.
The album contains 15 tracks, no fewer than 11 of which were penned by brothers Michael ‘Maddy’ and Andreas Arlt. The band also consists of Hennig Hauerken (upright and electric bass), Fabian Fritz (piano and organ), and Andre Werkmeister (drums and percussion), supplemented by guest musicians for the horn section.
The band kicks off with a swing with their own composition, ‘That Kind Of Woman’, where Andreas's sensitive guitar work immediately shines. Michael introduces the follow-up, the harmonica-based shuffle ‘Till The Break Of Dawn’. He does the same with ‘Let Me Know’. For a slow soul blues, the quintet turns to Little Milton's signature ‘Dead Love’, and the band’s version of ‘Please Don't Leave’ is also a stunning slow blues track. However, the band doesn't rely on others for slow blues songs. For proof, be sure to listen to the fantastic and original ‘When A Long Time Friend Is Gone’. Steaming rhythm & blues can be found in ‘Wrong Direction’. For a truly beautiful Chicago blues, check out ‘Gold Diggin' Woman’.
Michael's brilliant vocals and blues harp, complemented by Andreas's sublime six-string parts, make this album another blues album that exudes class. That class can certainly be attributed to the rhythm section and keyboardist. Without them, this album wouldn't have reached this high level.
In short, ‘Blues Is A Stew’ is a finely cut diamond of a blues album.

Dance or dream on the sounds of the magic tango music

Dutch singer-songwriter with strong poetic lyrics and a diverse musical style.

Melancholic and heart beating dance music to upgrade your party in Afro-Latino style

Mama Sissoko shows his skills with nimble guitar playing. So good, so melodic.

Mark Cameron uses his multiple skills to compose not so familiar blues songs.  Surprisingly good!

Groundbreaking folk album with classical instruments.

The album gives a vivid image of Bourne and Kansas City. Really a vibrant album!

Amazing songs that leave a good feeling.  I love it Lily.
So give it a try, people!

A necessary album to remind us of the great musical traditions in southern America

The grunge voice of Cole Chaney can be considered as pretty unique in the country scene.  Strong album and recommended!

As the ‘Godfather of Soul’, James Brown became a global household name. His fusion of soul and funk sparked a new direction in music. Long before achieving that status, James was already a prolific artist. He laid the foundation for his later dynamic and exhilarating performances in the 1950s and early 1960s. His explosive recordings, even then, revolutionized the musical landscape. This compilation offers a sublime glimpse of this. The 30 tracks bring together Brown's recordings for Federal and King.
From the very first track, the full-throttle rhythm & blues ‘That Dood It’, it becomes clear that James was forging his own path within rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, soul, and gospel. Not only was he already an exceptionally idiosyncratic and engaging performer, but he was also a songwriter who knew perfectly which songs suited him. Many of the tracks attest to this. Horns were always a key component of Brown's recordings, even long before he achieved international fame.
A prime example of how James began to find his way is ‘And I Do Just What I Want’ and ‘Shout And Shimmy’, and... he did it raw, energetic, but above all, perfect. Moreover, he always surrounded himself with musicians who sensed the direction he wanted to take and who, together formed his Famous Flames. Even grandmaster guitarist Kenny Burrell can be found on ‘Tell Me What I Did Wrong’ and ‘There Must Be A Reason’.
A great track is certainly the primarily instrumental ‘Hold It’, in which James fires up his band with his screams and brilliantly puts them in the spotlight. Also instrumental is ‘Night Flying’, with fantastic performances by guitarists Leslie Buie and Bobby Roach. The also instrumental ‘Choo-Choo’ focuses more on James on the organ. The album closes with two now-classic tracks, ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’ and ‘Papa's Got A Brand New Bag’.
Bill Dahl also delves deeper into the rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll of the 1950s in the beautifully produced 39-page booklet. These are genres that the young James Brown would personalize, resulting in raw, energetic, and incredibly powerful recordings, with soul and funk as key ingredients.
‘James Brown Rocks’ offers a fantastic insight into James Brown's search for his own style. This search is evident in the 30 tracks of formidable, powerful, and no-nonsense recordings on this compilation. Highly recommended!

Ana Popovic is always convincing: if not with her appearance, then with her voice and guitar.