One of the best indie albums of the year!

An amazing journey from the rivers to the deserts of Mali, crossing the ocean to the Americas.  Recommended for the great female vocals and the virtuoso guitar playing.

Original mix of Latin music and rock without losing tradition. Strong!

Delta Generators are primarily a brilliant live band, but with full-length albums like ‘On & On’ they confirm their status as a top band. Unlike the previous record, which was more of a collection of great songs, this new release ‘On & On’ stands on its own as a completely cohesive work. Highly recommended!

With the third volume of the five-part ‘Black Phantom Rockers’ series, we dive once again into 26 tracks, in which well-known artists can be discovered within a hazy and often mysterious setting.
‘Hallelujah Rock And Roll’ kicks off immediately with a massive cracker: the delightful rocking blues à la Chuck Berry, ‘Hill Billy Blues’ by Clear Waters. This refers to Eddy ‘The Chief’ Clearwater. He was given the name Clear Waters, a reference to Muddy Waters, by drummer Jump Jackson in the 1950s. Another fun phantom rocker announces itself as Big Red McHouston and ‘I’m Tired’. McHouston is actually guitarist Mickey Baker, also known from the duo Mickey & Sylvia.
For a large part of his career, he used the name Smilin’ Joe, which you hear here in ‘Sleepwalkin Woman’. Later, he became Cousin Joe.
You can certainly rock out to ‘Big Jimmy, Little Jack And Nellie’ by Bobby Flare. As far as is known, it would be his only single. You can also rock out to ‘Nursery Rhyme Rock’ by Percy Welch and His House Rockers.
Both the song and the artist Guitar Junior are well-known, as is the widely known dance ‘The Crawl’. Moreover, this song was covered by quite a few artists, including The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Guitar Junior would later achieve worldwide fame as Lonnie Brooks.
As Eddie Kirkland, he recorded with John Lee Hooker and toured with Otis Redding. Here, as Eddie Kirk, you find him with the largely instrumental ‘The Hawg’. He is reportedly accompanied here by Booker T & The MG’s.
David Walker was active in the gospel genre but wanted to record raw and rousing rock ‘n’ roll. To avoid shocking the fans of his group The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, he did this as Bunker Hill in ‘The Girl Can’t Dance’. You can hear Link Wray on guitar. A song that, incidentally, in terms of style, is reminiscent of ‘the wild’ Little Richard.
The phantom rocker on Bobby Long’s ‘Jersey City’ is guitarist ‘Wild’ Jimmy Spruill. He is responsible for the masterful blazing guitar solo in the song. It is generally assumed that Jimmy Spruill is also the guitarist on ‘They Just Rockin’ And Rollin’’ by V. and B.B., although he was not listed on the musicians' roster.
Delmer Wilburn released the rocking ‘Kissin’ Cousin’ with The Mandals in the mid-20th century. Later, he made recordings as Del Delmon. Recordings that, however, did not achieve the hoped-for success.
As Little Mac Simmons, he had his own record label and, through his club, he gave young musicians a platform. You get the man here in ‘I’m Your Fool’ simply as Little Mac.
It often happened that artists who already enjoyed a certain level of fame were under contract with a specific label. As a result, they were often forced to record under a pseudonym. This also happened to Jesse Stone, who also recorded as Chuck Calhoun or Charles Calhoun. Under the latter name, you can hear him together with The Four Students on the swinging ‘My Pigeon’s Gone’.
He made several recordings as Driftin’ Slim. You can hear this harmonica player, guitarist, and singer as Model ‘T’ Slim during ‘Shake Your Boogie’.
The vocal group The Ecuadors, among others, serve up impressive harmonies with ‘Let Me Sleep Woman’. The same applies to the slow, bluesy ‘It’s Hot’ by Gene & Billy. Both were also part of various vocal groups.
The title track of this volume is credited to the dynamic singer Sandra Grimms.
For a bit of verbal bickering, you can turn to the spoken ‘Topless’ by Rolls Royce & The Wheelers, swaying along to a nice groove.
Series like these always provide a lot of listening pleasure. In addition, they also contain discoveries and fun facts about the artists responsible for these impressive recordings. Moreover, pay attention to the stunning illustrations by Dayvk Martins.
Fortunately, we are not at the end yet with this third volume. The upcoming release is titled ‘The Twirl’. To be read on this site soon.

What an exciting happy sound!  With a few contemporary elements Kuljit Bhamra brings Punjabi music into the 21ste century.

The Vanishing Dutchman knows how to compose.  But after so many years the surprise is gone and that’s a shame.

For Nana Osei a tough journey but with a nice debut album as result. Respect!

The many awards Jason Ricci has won prove that he is an artist and harmonica player in a league of his own. He may well have both feet firmly planted in the blues, but he doesn't get bogged down in it. As both an artist and a wizard on the harmonica, Ricci pushes boundaries. Boundaries that he then convincingly redefines.
He does this once again with verve on his new album ’13 Hours’, dedicated to his drummer, John Perkins, who passed away on March 31, 2025. After a long search, Perkins' place was entrusted to Benny Piazza, who also performs as a backing vocalist. In addition to Jason and Benny, The Bad Kind consists of Jason's wife, singer Kaitlin Dibble, Brent Johnson on guitars and backing vocals, and bassist Bill Blok, who also serves as a backing vocalist.
On the 10 songs, two of which are covers, Ricci explores various corners of the roots genres. Genres that align perfectly with his lyrics, which address frustrations, contemporary life, the broken music industry, honesty, and self-preservation.
With the opener, the over eight-minute-long ‘Sick Of This Shit (Explicit)’, Jason immediately sets the bar immensely high. The song is bathed in a delightful funky New Orleans groove, in which Dr. John also shone. The track starts with a clever funky beat featuring Jason and Kaitlin. Brent Johnson’s sublime guitar solo also plays a prominent role. Halfway through the song, Jason vents his frustrations in a spoken section, after which he unleashes the harmonica. The first of two covers is announced with the bluesy ‘Tired Of Trying’ by Johnny Winter. The other cover is the emotional ‘Rivers Invitation’ by Percy Mayfield, performed formidably by Kaitlin, in which a fantastic horn section also joins the band. The instrumental ‘Leo Watkins Rag’ starts with a super-fast groove and Jason’s equally fast harmonica, only to transform halfway through the song into a guitar-driven slow blues, after which the tempo regains that ‘rag feel’. Jason showcases a waltzing blues harp in the instrumental ‘Nuit Waltz’, while Kaitlin serves up a compelling soul blues in ‘Long Twisted Night’, which she wrote herself. Jason and Kaitlin advise that you can often only survive by taking a step back and staying away from the noise in ‘Bubble Gum Pop’, which is drenched in a fine bass line. Kaitlin also takes the microphone for the upbeat shuffle ‘Renegade’, a track in which the late John Perkins still handles the drumsticks. That same John Perkins is finally honored in the nearly 12-minute title track, in which Kaitlin vocally portrays John's years of connection with the band, being on the road, making music together, and the loss and absence in a formidable way. She is supported in this by the catchy lead guitar of guest musician John Lisi.
With formidable songs and arrangements, breathtaking harmonica, sublime vocals from Jason and Kaitlin, and an excellent band, Jason Ricci has delivered a top-tier contemporary album. Not to be missed!

'No Rhyme or Reason' is the seventeenth (!) studio album by blues guitarist and singer Stacy Mitchhart, who first made a name for himself on the club circuit of his hometown of Cincinnati during the early 1990s. These days, Mitchhart lives in Nashville, has performed in stadiums such as the Johan Cruijff ArenA before tens of thousands of people, and has collected awards including the Albert King Most Promising Guitarist Award at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He has also been inducted into the Canadian South Blues Hall of Fame and has received multiple awards from the Music City Blues Society. Naturally, such a résumé raises expectations for a new release, especially when the album is produced by two-time Grammy winner Tom Hambridge. What we hear on 'No Rhyme or Reason' is certainly of a high standard, although this blues veteran rarely ventures into truly new or groundbreaking territory.
The album gets off to a strong start with the swinging 'Good One Time', one of several blues-oriented tracks that gain additional colour from keyboards and horns without allowing those elements to overshadow the guitars and wah-wah effects. 'Bad As You', meanwhile, briefly misleads the listener by opening with a few loose notes before the rest of the band turns it into one of the strongest songs on the album.
Mitchhart is not an exceptional vocalist, but he is certainly more than capable of handling the lead vocals on his own material. On 'Sure Looks Good to Me', however, he receives assistance from Gretchen Wilson, whom he first met back in the 1990s when she was still working in a bar. Add some piano to the mix and the result is a highly enjoyable slice of roadhouse rock.
Things slow down somewhat with the solid ballad 'Once You Leave', which, thanks to its backing vocals, piano and horns, sounds just a little too polished. After that, we seem to pay a visit to Mississippi on the swampy 'Flip It to the Other Side', a track that – believe it or not – features lyrics about making pancakes and spinning blues records. A very cool song.
On 'We Blew It', Mitchhart occasionally adds a bit more distortion to his voice, although the music itself may be slightly too restrained to be considered particularly daring. The fact that 'It’s a Long Way Down'—originally written by Jordan Rainer and Kevin Brandt for Chris Stapleton, who ultimately passed on it—is another slow-paced song filled with organ and gospel influences does little to change that impression.
The cleverly constructed 'Ain’t No Rhyme or Reason' opens with a fat bass line and immediately reveals itself as one of the album’s more intriguing and original tracks. It therefore comes as no surprise that it has become a live audience favourite. 'Mean Bad Wrong', featuring Kenny Neal as co-vocalist, harmonica player and guitarist, is a completely different affair. Mitchhart’s slide guitar work and Neal’s rougher, more mature vocal performance elevate the song considerably, while the honky-tonk piano contributes greatly to its appeal.
'Never Gonna Get Me Back' perhaps feels a little too radio-friendly for our taste, although its guitar solo is certainly worthwhile. The shuffle-driven 'She’s Just Right for Me', on the other hand, recalls B.B. King and succeeds largely thanks to several excellent blues guitar solos.
Finally, 'On My Dying Day' brings the album to a powerful conclusion. Opening and closing with strong songs: hats off.

Emotional meditarrenian music from Corsica, finally recorded. Watch out for a live concert!

The reason why you’ve probably never heard of Ben Brandt? Well, we're talking about a still relatively young guitarist who previously played in the somewhat rougher Soul Miners Union and already had an EP to his name before releasing this album. Although his former band originated from Harrisburg, Brandt has clearly drawn most of his inspiration from the Nashville music scene. The 11 songs on this album – including the three tracks that each form part of the highly enjoyable yet brief instrumental jam session 'Matthew's Tire' – are all original compositions and showcase Brandt's versatility as a rock and blues guitarist who is not afraid to add a touch of funk influence here and there. Backed by a rhythm section that is fairly tight by the standards of this genre, the listening experience is certainly enjoyable, and opening track 'Solid Ground' is immediately a catchy tune that manages to leave an impression rather quickly.
A song like 'Burning Bridges' slows the pace down for a smooth groove, while 'Parasite Blues' picks things up again with a lively tempo and an enjoyable backbeat. 'Under the Weight of Us' opens with a particularly tasty riff before moving in a more 'bluesy' direction, while 'The Seeker' brings to mind the blues music of the 1970s. The rhythm of 'Little Something', however, feels just a bit too similar to that of the preceding track. The album partially concludes with 'Scramblin (The Well)', which once again adds some welcome variety to the mix.
'Solid Ground' is a very solid debut with one major drawback: Ben Brandt's own voice. It's decent, but certainly nothing more than that, and it often sits too far back in the mix. Many listeners will likely appreciate that 'Matthew's Tire Pt. 1', '2', and '3' sound as though they were recorded quickly in a small venue and received very little mixing, but personally I don't think that 'garage sound' was really necessary, and I believe those tracks would have benefited from a more modern production as well.

No idea why pianist Milan Robberechts and the four other members of Warmoes chose Swiss chard as their album title, but the fact that their debut is being released on the Trad Records label already says quite a bit about the kind of music you can expect to find on it. Flemish folk, then, performed exceptionally well by a group of highly diverse musicians who successfully incorporate influences from jazz, pop, and funk.
'De Zandman' opens with an alarm clock and sounds pleasantly upbeat – the kind of music you could often hear on BRT(N) morning radio during the 1980s. 'Klutskweit' is a jazzy piece initially carried by the double bass and makes clever use of the instruments the band members excel at playing, but it is the slightly more dynamic and mature-sounding 'Nachtvorst' – which opens beautifully with piano – that leaves the first truly lasting impression. A fine composition that gives ample room to the piano, accordion, wind instruments, and double bass, while seeking greater restraint at exactly the right moments. Those who are quickly irritated by Boombal music will find something to appreciate here.
'Orlando' explores more interesting rhythmic territory, while at times also sounding like an invitation to an exotic dance, after which 'Thee Deugd' breaks the cheerful atmosphere with a highly welcome and fragile piano piece that, in our opinion, ranks among the finest tracks on the album.
'Fiets Jigs' opens with fitting sound effects and briefly promises a darker atmosphere, but soon returns to an abundance of playfulness (along with an excellent wind instrument passage – Arno Molenschot masters both the tenor saxophone and the flute), which we honestly find a little disappointing; after all, there are no vocals anywhere on the album, and in that case a broader diversity of themes would have been welcome. As a result, we consider 'Kune Kune' one of the album's most interesting tracks purely because of its subtle tonal shift. Precisely because of this change in mood, the slower and more introspective 'Galanthus' emerges as the strongest song on the album, which may also have something to do with the wordless vocals – it's a shame the band waits so long before introducing any vocal elements, because they work remarkably well here. Vocals also reappear on 'Radiator Jig', but unfortunately by then we have returned to the 'happy people' zone, which will undoubtedly appeal to many 'spiritual' listeners who struggle with heavier themes because of their supposedly inherent negative energy, but for us it nevertheless feels like a slight anticlimax after the aforementioned 'Galanthus'.

‘Phantom Rockers’ concludes the series with ‘Pocketful Of Hearts’. The album once again contains thirty tracks, including one previously unreleased acetate track, and attempts to highlight the essential but often unknown contributions of artists; whether performing under their own names, studio musicians, or artists using a pseudonym. Moreover, many of these musicians later became famous artists themselves.
The reason why the already well-known names recorded under a pseudonym was sometimes due to the fact that they were still under contract elsewhere or timidly aspired to a solo career.
This volume also features breathtaking tracks, and just like on the previous volumes, you get, as already indicated, a never-before-released acetate recording. This also contains the title track of this compilation and comes from an emotional-sounding Fred Dexter, in real life Sylvester Long Cross, owner of Crest Records. Incidentally, ‘Pocketful Of Hearts’ was released in 1958 by Eddie Cochran, as the B-side of ‘Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie’. ‘Pretty Baby (I Saw You Last Night)’ by The Vibes is a delightful rocker. The phantom rocker here is singer Ronnie Franklin. He later became a member of the group Bread as David Gates. Jericho Jones adopted various aliases. Under this name, he can be heard rocking on ‘Save Your Lovin’ For Sis’. As Johnny Blaine, he later returns with the country-influenced ‘Play That Song One More Time’. He was born Clifford Joseph Trahan.
The Dovells present wonderful harmonies in ‘Bristo Stomp’, and a touch of doo-wop can be found in ‘Pretty Brown Eyes’ by Kenny Esquire & The Starlites.
Hardrock Gunter also recorded under various names. You hear him for the first time as Sidney Jo Lewis in the echo-drenched and special ‘Boppin’ To Grandfather’s Clock’. As Hardrock Gunter, he makes an appearance with the rocking and rolling ‘Gonna Dance All Night’, complete with a fine piano.
Jerry Grant, who can be heard with The Rockabilly Bandits in the rockabilly number ‘Some Day, Maybe Tonight’, is none other than lead singer Dicky Doo of Dicky Doo & The Don’ts. He is also present here with that lineup in ‘Wild Party’. On the Presley-famous ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ by Hank Smith & The Nashville Playboys and ‘Rock It’ by Thumper Jones, the phantom rocker is country legend George Jones, who, with these recordings, rode the wave of the genre’s success as a rocker.
For a touch of African percussion, skip to the instrumental ‘Rockin’ Bongos’ by Chaino, in real life bongo player Leon Johnson. Malcolm John Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, is the phantom rocker on both ‘Bad Neighborhood’ by Ronnie & The Delinquents and ‘Dangerous Redhead’ by Jerry Raines.
Impressive vocal work can be found on ‘Tonight And Forever’ by The Whirlers, ‘Looking For Love’ by The Prestos, and ‘Don’t Touch My Gal’ by The Empires. The same vocalists were central to all these groups.
In ‘Watch Me Do The Twist’ by Misty Bonner, you might think you hear a female singer. Not true, because it is a perfectly camouflaged Bobby Lee Tramell.
The most famous phantom rocker on Leslie Harris’ ‘Come On Little Sarah’ is Mickey Baker, who was not only the guitarist but also co-wrote the song.
The album closes with ‘South Of Chicago’ by Charlie Morgan. It was the only time Charlie Feathers used this pseudonym. With ‘Pocketful Of Hearts’, the ‘Phantom Rockers’ series has a worthy end. If you own all 5 volumes in this series, you are guaranteed to embark on a journey of discovery in the realm of the Phantom Rockers.

The Canadian left-handed blues rocker Spencer Mackenzie may not be world-famous just yet, but he recently managed to secure both a Maple Blues Award and a JUNO nomination, and anyone who listens to his album 'Empty Chairs' will immediately understand why: this is pure, unfiltered blues rock, performed by a gifted guitarist who first picked up a guitar at the age of five and gradually found inspiration in legends such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa.
There is also little doubt that the man has something to say and is (thankfully!) probably not just another Republican MAGA supporter playing blues rock. The title track is a protest against gun violence; a mid-tempo blues rocker featuring excellent lead guitar work and inspired by the Parkland shooting in Florida, in which 17 people lost their lives. It is a powerful song, but the rest of the album offers a wide range of textures, from the more upbeat 'Trip' (featuring a strong guitar riff and straightforward yet highly effective drumming) to the more commercial single 'What You Do' and the memorable 'Don't Know Where I'm Going'.
The optimistic 'Till I Get to You' breaks away from the preceding tracks by introducing more soul influences and keyboards, and works slightly less well as a result, but that is quickly remedied by the somewhat rougher 'Frozen Hearts', which relies on a particularly tasty guitar riff that beautifully supports its subject matter – children being separated from their parents and placed in residential institutions.
'Helping Hands' adds more blues influences, after which it takes a little while before we arrive at the even smarter 'Shoot Me Down', which, with its highly singable melodies, wonderful slide guitar, and darker atmosphere, ranks among the album's stronger tracks. This is certainly one I'll be returning to regularly.
After 'Won't Find Her' and closing track 'Evil', the conclusion is clear: 'Empty Chairs' has become a highly varied blues rock album featuring more than enough impressive guitar riffs and equally strong solos, all serving songs that are further elevated by Spencer Mackenzie's excellent and powerful vocal performance. He is undoubtedly an artist worth discovering live as soon as possible.

Less than a full year ago, ‘Flee Through’ was released, but blues musician Ed Alstrom is already back with a new offspring: ‘This Idea of Humanity…’ Anyone who has listened to the aforementioned album already knows what to expect: music that navigates between blues, jazz, and rock, with keyboards rather than guitar serving as the primary instrument – hardly surprising, since Alstrom is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who, on this album, plays everything from melodica and organ to piano, clavinet, synthesizer, Suzuki Andes, bass guitar, guitar, percussion, and drums, while also proving himself to be a fine vocalist. For more than 20 years, he has been providing the organ music at Yankee Stadium and has collaborated with a number of much better-known artists (including Leonard Bernstein, Bette Midler, Chuck Berry, Herbie Hancock, and Odetta), but his most recent notable achievement is undoubtedly reaching the semi-finals of the International Blues Challenge this year.
As the title of Alstrom’s second album suggests, the 14 tracks gathered here explore the human condition – often with a healthy dose of humor – while being wrapped in a variety of musical styles that remain just coherent enough to make it fair to say that ‘This Idea of Humanity…’ will primarily appeal to fans of blues and classic rock ’n’ roll. Just listen to ‘Party Planner’, sung together with Jimmy Vivino, for an example of the latter genre, while ‘All I’m Gonna Do’ is much more firmly rooted in the blues tradition and ‘Put You First’ seems to have drawn most of its inspiration from someone like Ray Charles.
The fact that the album plays with a wide variety of tempos – from the slow blues that characterizes ‘Understanding’ to the more progressive ‘Blues Keep Coming Back’ and the faster-paced ‘Go Ahead’ – provides enough incentive to keep listening for nearly a full hour, although after ‘Understanding’ one has to wait a little while for the excellent ‘Inquiring Minds’ (which features somewhat stronger jazz influences) before encountering another major highlight. We are also particularly fond of the gritty slide guitar that Vivino contributes to ‘The Way Back’; it works even better than a straightforward rock ’n’ roll tune such as ‘So Hard’.
The album closes strongly with the captivating ‘Worry’, and that’s it for Ed Alstrom. A recommended release, even if there are a few tracks we will probably end up skipping from time to time.

The Scott O’Neal Band: I describe our music as leaning toward the blues side of R&B! The release ‘Call Me Mr Blues’ is a very pleasant and relaxed album. It’s as if The Scott O’Neal Band is constantly evolving.

Recently, you could read the review of the first volume on Lefty Bates on this site. That volume covered the period 1939 – 1960. This second volume starts in 1946 and ends in 1962.
Lefty Bates was a highly sought-after session musician in the Chicago blues scene. He managed to wonderfully adapt his guitar playing to serve various artists in the blues and rhythm & blues genres. But vocal groups also gladly called upon his input. Occasionally, Lefty even ventured into jazz. It also happened that his guitar parts were mixed into the background or, very occasionally, erased and subsequently played by someone else. On this album, however, you get those recordings where Bates’ guitar playing comes fully into its own. On the recordings Lefty made with the vocal group The Flamingos on the rhythm & blues ‘Carried Away’ and Big Bertha Henderson on the slow blues ‘Tears In My Eyes’ for the Chance label, he played alongside bassist and bandleader Al Smith, tenor saxophonist Red Holloway, and drummer Vernel Fournier. For fans of vocal groups, the Four Buddies perform ‘Look Out’ later on.
The album opens with the blues ‘It Makes Me Blue’ by Aristo-Kats. In ‘The Spider And The Fly’, Aristo-Kats sensitively ramps up the tempo, partly due to Lefty’s guitar playing, and he delivers a brilliant guitar solo.
On ‘I Should Love Her More’ by Jimmy Eager, actually Tampa Red, Bates’ sublime guitar playing is clearly in the foreground and has a somewhat jazzy feel.
Female blues arrives with ‘Annies Answer’ by El Doradoes featuring vocalist Hazel McCollum, the wife of the legendary Robert Nighthawk. Piney Brown and Billy Brooks are united in the bluesy jazzy ‘They Call Her Rosalie’. Brooks was once a member of The High Toppers, Little Richard’s first permanent backing band. In 1960, Piney Brown hired Bates once again for the soulful ‘My Love’.
Soulful rhythm & blues resonates in ‘Fannies Place’ by Larry Birdsong, featuring Al Smith’s orchestra.
For a magnificent slow blues with unique harmonies, it is best to skip to ‘Have No Fear’ by The Answers, accompanied by Lefty Bates’ own band. Impressive doo-wop is also the hallmark of ‘Great Googley Moo’ by The Spaniels.
You get a breathtakingly swinging instrumental with Al Smith and his Broomdusters in ‘Hot Rod Special’, featuring a smooth-sounding Lefty Bates, and on Al Smith’s instrumental ‘Road House’, Lefty largely determines the sound through his playing.
Lefty can be heard under his own name on the instrumental ‘Am I Blue’ and the vocal ‘Ninety Days’, two classic tracks that he recorded in the late fifties. In the early sixties, Bates could be heard on recordings by John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, and Etta James, among others. From Lefty’s collaboration with Jimmy Reed, ‘I’m Mr. Luck’ has been selected on this album, featuring a beautiful guitar intro. Incidentally, Bates can also be heard on Reed’s widely known ‘Big Boss Man’. On Hooker’s ‘I’m Goin Upstairs’, Lefty can be heard somewhat in the background behind John Lee’s unadulterated boogie style.
We conclude with the formidable blues ‘Stop The Wedding’ by Etta James.
It is clear that Lefty Bates felt right at home in any musical genre and more than once determined the sound of the song. The two volumes dedicated to him are therefore more than worth purchasing.

Long before Motown Records put Detroit on the musical world map, Fortune Records was the label that captured the raw rockabilly and wild rock 'n' roll from Detroit on record. From the late 1940s to the mid-1960s, Fortune Records produced songs characterized by striking directness and immense rawness. The recordings were not polished, and country, rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, and rhythm & blues were committed to vinyl with that mindset. As a result, these recordings have lost none of their persuasive power today, thanks to their directness and energy.
Fortune launched an impressive array of artists, including the York Brothers, Johnny Powers, Pete DeBree, Roy Hall, and Andre "Bacon Fat" Williams.
The recordings from both Fortune Records and the sub-labels Hi-Q and Strate 8, which you will find on this CD, were recorded with a fixed house band, whose musicians changed quite frequently. One of the most important musicians was guitarist Eddie Jackson, partly responsible for the typical Fortune sound. This compilation also contains incredibly rare songs, including ‘Blues I Can’t Hide’ by Eddie Jackson, the only release on his Caravan label.
The CD starts immediately with a classic, namely ‘Rock The Universe’ by Dell Vaughn & The Fortune Aires, recorded in 1958. A track that immediately highlights Fortune’s energetic and raw sound. From then on, the tone is set for 28 fiery rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly, both vocal and instrumental. Energetic songs performed by wildly lashing-out artists, accompanied by tight bands with skillful contributions on lead guitar and sax.
Kenny Land & His Bull Dogs take things down a notch in ‘Columbus Stockade Blues’. Not for long, however, as we are back at top speed with the instrumental ‘The Roll’ by Butch Vaden & The Nite Sounds. Pay special attention to that tearing sax. The saxophone also takes center stage in the equally instrumental ‘Long Walk’ by The Catalinas. Sublime! Guitar and saxophone complement each other perfectly in another fine instrumental, namely ‘J & D Hop’ by Jim Myers & The Regan with The Gems. A pure guitar instrumental appears with Ellis Kirk & The Town And Country Boys in ‘Flamingo Rock’. Guitar with a somewhat Eastern slant later makes a splash in the equally instrumental ‘Fling’ by The Phaetons.
The reason why Eddie Jackson was one of the most important musicians at Fortune can be heard in the previously mentioned ‘Blues I Can’t Hide’, a magnificent blues-based number. A top-class song is the rawly performed ‘Gonna Get Me A Satellite’ by Little Ernest Tucker & The Ted Walker Orchestra, featuring yet another delightful saxophone part. Inspiring guitar work sets ‘Hamtramck Mama’ by The York Brothers on track. A track that contains subtle traces of hillbilly. For a fun piano boogie, you'd best skip to the fiddle-adorned ‘Dirty Boogie’ by Roy Hall & His Cohutta Mountain Boys. You get a serving of rocking rhythm & blues with ‘Try Me One More Time’ by Nolan Strong & The Diablos, complete with great backing vocals.
Elvis not only captured the imagination but was also a source of inspiration for songs. The first song you get is ‘Elvis Is Rocking Again’ by The Hunt Sisters & Mark with Roy Hall & His Boys, a track in which The Hunt Sisters put their best foot forward with breathtaking harmonies. The second track is ‘Hey Mr. Presley’ by Pete De Bree & The Wanderers, featuring vocals by Jimmy Franklin.
Snippets of gospel grace ‘No Grave’ by The Whirl Wind Evangelists.
True to tradition, you once again receive a beautifully produced 36-page full-color booklet, packed with rare photos, illustrations, and an extensive label history, as well as info about the tracks and the artists.
Volume 55 in the ‘That’ll Flat… Git It!’ is once again a standout. If you love the raw and energetic aspect that characterized Fortune Records recordings, then there is good news. Bear Family Records is currently working on a second volume centered on the raw rockabilly and wild rock ‘n’ roll of this Detroit label.

When we think of the birthplace of rock and roll, we almost immediately arrive at Memphis, and actually, this is only partially correct. After all, a large part of the music developed outside the city, namely in the rural South. There, country, blues, and the new beat came together in a raw way, as in Arkansas. This region is often unjustly overlooked. The reason may lie in the fact that Arkansas was not really a major recording center. However, it cannot be denied that many young musicians took their first steps there with only one goal... to get to Memphis. Many of those who had their roots in Arkansas grew into world-famous artists. Just think, for example, of Johnny Cash, Sonny Burgess, Billy Lee Riley, and Conway Twitty. They all came from The Natural State and became world-famous through their own sound. Just behind these well-known artists were artists like Larry Donn, Bobby Lee Trammell, and Don Head. They too spread the sound originating from Arkansas, just like Eddie Bond, who is connected to both Memphis and Arkansas. They recorded on smaller labels, produced their own singles, or played in clubs and on radio shows in the region. It is these recordings that you can listen to on this first volume of ‘Arkansas Rocks’. These rare original recordings from the fifties and sixties were carefully selected, resulting in 25 tracks that sound unpolished, real, and honest. Tracks by artists who had an immense drive and were willing to do anything to be part of the rock 'n' roll and rockabilly scene.
That becomes immediately clear during the opener ‘Arkansas Twist’ by Bobby Lee Trammel. A track that sounds incredibly professional and immediately captures Bobby's emotion and passion. With this song, we also start our trip through Arkansas in Jonesboro, ending up in Little Rock via Trumann, Monette, West Memphis, Harrisburg, Bald Knob, Concord, Harrison, Fayetteville, Siloan Springs, Fort Smith, Plainview, and Hot Springs. The nice thing about this compilation is also that it shines a light on artists who are less well-known and even unknown. Yet, being less well-known does not detract from the quality. Kenny Owens delivers a delightful rocker with his ‘Long Lost John’, complete with razor-sharp guitar playing, while Ken & The Goldtones’ ‘If Somebody Loves You’ still clearly bears the traces of rocking rhythm & blues.
The young, driven artists from Arkansas clearly managed to distinguish themselves. Be sure to listen to Bobby Brown’s ‘Please, Please Baby’, as well as Chuck Comer’s ‘Little More Lovin’’, a track featuring incredibly skillful guitar work.
Of course, there were covers too, but in a fiery manner. ‘A Whole Lot Of Shakin’’ by The Thunderbirds is a fine example of this, in which the guitar duels beautifully with the piano. Sonny Deckelman presents another very personal cover with ‘Lonely Weekends’, the ending of which leans somewhat towards The Blues Brothers. Eddie Bond also delivers an excellent rendition of Jimmy Reed’s ‘Big Boss Man’. Beautiful harmonies form the foundation for ‘Johnny Come Lately’ by The Morgan Twins. The Arkansas ladies also held their own, such as Sylvia Mobley, who beautifully blends rockabilly with country in ‘Everytime I See You’. Pure and unadulterated rockabilly is the genre for Tonya Dee in ‘Shake This Town’.
Charley Maybee was active in both rock and roll and country. You can experience his delightful country voice for yourself during ‘Little Judy’. Country influences can also be found in ‘You’re In Love With Yourself’ by Johnny Tolleson. A Johnny Cash rhythm, in turn, forms the basis for ‘Moonshine’ by Montie Jones. Raw and authentic are the keywords that certainly apply to ‘Spinning My Wheels’ by Chuck Brooks.
‘Arkansas Rocks’ rightly focuses on the often overlooked rock and roll and rockabilly scene from Arkansas. What this volume makes clear is that Arkansas had a great number of excellent artists and songwriters. It is just a shame that a large portion of them had to make do with only local fame.
This compilation is so immensely good and convincing, regarding both the songs and the sound quality, that we are already eagerly looking forward to the second volume of ‘Arkansas Rocks’.

​​Just like the ‘Phantom Rockers’ series, this series centered around the ‘Black Phantom Rockers’ will eventually comprise five volumes. With ‘The Dance’, we have reached the second volume, and we can already say that this album contains gems waiting to be discovered. The title of this second volume is well chosen, as the energetic opener ‘The Jump’ by Richie Richardson with Charlie Cuevas And The Jaguars will ensure the dance floor is overcrowded in no time. A personal favorite comes with Lord Tennyson, and rightly so, the title track. ‘The Dance’ is a delightful rocking rhythm & blues with a sax riff that gives the song extra shine. Downhome blues forms the basis of ‘Goin’ Back To Orleans’ by Jesse and Buzzy. What makes the track special is the addition of the blues harp. In ‘Comin’ Around The Mountain’ by Johnny Two-Voices, the backing vocals add clever gospel to the rhythm & blues. For a touch of New Orleans blues, you can turn to The Jokers Orchestra’s piano-driven ‘Love Money’, featuring vocals by Johnson Boudreaux. No wonder, as Boudreaux hailed from Louisiana, and ‘Love Money’ is immediately his most famous song. Little Papa Joe, present here with ‘Looking For My Baby’, was actually Jody Williams. Jody used this alias for his first solo recording. Norman Sands was an artist who remained obscure. Here you hear him together with the vocal group The Valiants on the rare and, apart from a few shouts, mainly instrumental ‘Don’t Wanna Leave The Congo’. The same applies to ‘Work With It’ by Jesse Pipkin and Band. On the country blues ‘Little City Woman’ by Big Bill & His Guitar, the phantom musician is none other than Big Bill Broonzy.
The duo Henry and Mamie did not make many recordings. But those they did make were undeniably convincing. Experience it for yourself during the cheerful ‘Two Big Feet’, the B-side of their most famous song, ‘Soap Suds’. The phantom rocker on ‘Strollie Bun’ by The Blond Bomber is none other than rockabilly pioneer Ronnie Dawson. Another phantom rocker who registered as Big Ed and His Combo for the recording of ‘Biscuit Baking Mama’ was Eddie ‘Guitar’ Burns. Also impressive is ‘Rock And Roll Baby’ by Mercy Baby, a performance that is somewhat reminiscent of Big Joe Turner.
For delightful vocal work, Tippie & The Clovermen offer the solution with ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’. Hearing pumping piano sounds makes you think of Little Richard or Esquerita. On ‘Gettin’ Plenty Lovin’’, it is Esquerita who is said to have served as the model for Richard. The latter would achieve the most success, although Esquerita paved the musical way for him. Over a cool blues melody, Blue Charlie showcases the largely spoken ‘I’m Gonna Kill That Hen’. The impressive guitar work comes from Blue Charlie himself, aka Charles Morris.
Well-known, perhaps more so among true enthusiasts, is the sublime ‘Love Blood Hound’ by K.C. Mojo Watson. Little Jessie Smith sings her heart out on ‘My Baby Has Gone’. Jessie Smith would later become part of the Ikettes, backing vocalists for Ike and Tina Turner. The phantom rocker on ‘Say You’ll Be Mine’ by The Ecuadors is Chuck Berry, and you can hear that clearly in the guitar part.
We started with a dance and we end with one too. The closing track is ‘Du De Squat’ by Little Luther.
The second volume in the ‘Black Phantom Rockers’ series once again provided striking recordings.
In June, you can expect the third volume, titled ‘Hallelujah Rock And Roll’. Fans know that it is best to consult our site regularly for this.

The Charcoal Sunset, or T.C.S. for short, is a Berlin-based Americana band led by Juri Member (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, harmonica, and banjo). Other band members are Norman Haase (drums and percussion), Dirk Flatau (piano, Fender Rhodes, organ, and accordion), Florian Kolditz (upright and electric bass, backing vocals), Stefan Roller (pedal steel), Tobias Thiele (Spanish guitar), and Kyla Linnenkohl (backing vocals). The band was founded in 2007 and has since evolved into one of the best-kept, most authentic gems of the German roots scene.
With their earliest recordings, they managed to win the enthusiasm of even international music critics. For instance, the famous Rolling Stone once awarded the band the title ‘Demo of the Month’. But The Charcoal Sunset also earned its stripes through live performances. T.C.S. supported acts such as The Avett Brothers and Seth Lakeman. Through this, the band proved that Americana from Berlin can be just as authentic, raw, and compelling as Americana from Nashville or Austin.
After some wandering and artistic growth, the band now is ready for a fresh start. They are taking this step with ‘Souvenirs’, their debut on the Bear Family Records label.
The album contains 10 songs. Nine of them were written by frontman Juri Member. The remaining track is a cover of Neil Young’s ‘For The Turnstiles’.
The album opens with ‘If Jesus Was American’. What immediately stands out is the beautiful structure of the song, the stunning arrangement, and Juri’s impressive voice, which reminds me of Lou Reed’s here—and that is not just because of the phrase ‘Take a walk on the wild side’. This is undeniably top-level Americana.
The band moves between Americana, folk, and roots rock. That latter genre expresses itself sublimely in the title track ‘Souvenirs’, including a nice harmonica section. Later, the band works its way through ‘Statue Of Liberty’ in a roots-rock style, served up wonderfully with mandolin. Blues, in turn, is the breeding ground for ‘Basement Blues’, a track that also boasts delightful harmonies. Those excellent vocal harmonies are also present in the uptempo ‘Rolling Like A Wave’. ‘Monkey Tonk’ announces itself with an authentic honky-tonk piano, in which that amazingly sounding harmonica pops up once again.
The used riff elevates ‘Sweet Harsh Winds’ to a rock level, and once again that incredibly skillful harmonica makes itself heard. Self-reflection is no stranger to Juri, as he demonstrates in ‘The Kind Of Man I Am’.
T.C.S closes the album with the quiet ‘Lullaby’.
The Charcoal Sunset, and Juri Member in particular, has a talent for setting atmospheric stories to the accompanying music and expertly selected arrangements.
‘Souvenirs’ contains impressive musical memories from a band that holds Americana in high regard. Authentic yet contemporary, making the album simply timeless. Just as timeless as the cover photo of the bleached skull on the barren, overgrazed ground in Badlands, South Dakota in 1936.

The original songs sound artistic and oh so cool. Stylistically, it is a varied collection, ranging from traditional blues to hard-hitting blues rock. Piper's original songs are thematically quirky, often humorous, and offer a bold, unique perspective on relationships and intimacy. Add all this that tight rhythm section, her fine vocals, and deep and energetic bass lines. That is why this is a highly recommended release....

Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport Announces Full‑Length Debut on Little Village A new generation of blues takes the stage. Little Village proudly announces the full-length debut from Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport, the 19-year-old Mississippi phenom whose rapid rise has electrified the blues world and reaffirmed that the tradition is not only alive — it's evolving in real time. Raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi and steeped in the cultural memory of the Delta, Young Rell represents the rarest combination: a deeply rooted traditionalist with the instincts and imagination of a modern songwriter. A standout guitarist of striking maturity, a fat-toned harmonica player with a signature attack, and a vocalist who sings with unforced authority, Davenport has already emerged as one of the most compelling young voices in contemporary blues. One of Davenport's greatest strengths is the breadth of his musical vocabulary. His repertoire moves effortlessly from deep Mississippi Delta blues to acoustic country blues, from Chicago electric grit to southern soul. He understands the connecting tissue between these styles because he has studied them — not casually, but obsessively. His knowledge of blues history is astonishing: legendary recordings, obscure B-sides, forgotten innovators, regional variations, and the overlooked artists who shaped the music from the shadows. Young Rell's songwriting is extremely impressive and his taste in covers is impeccable; he wrote all the songs on this album except two, and they aren't the usual standards — they're deep cuts, songs most musicians never touch, like his unique, fascinating and timely take on Bob Dylan's “Masters of War” and Fenton Robinson's should be classic “I Hear Some Blues Downstairs!” And he doesn't just play them; he inhabits them, reshaping each tune with a sense of ownership and emotional clarity far beyond his years. Highly recommended! 

With The Rhythm Rockets, Bear Family Records takes a look at rockabilly from Miami. You might raise an eyebrow at the link ‘Miami and rockabilly’, but upon listening, it quickly becomes apparent that Miami, although located far from the musical center, gave The Rhythm Rockets a distinct identity of their own.
The core of The Rhythm Rockets was formed by brothers Ray and Donnie Pate. Two enormously talented teenagers who grew up with gospel, country, and rhythm & blues, which they absorbed through radio programs. From those influences emerged their own energetic and impressive sound.
When rock and roll spread to Florida, The Rhythm Rockets quickly became part of the local scene. Performances at jamborees and in the legendary shows of DJ Milt ‘Mr. Rock & Roll’ Oshins followed, and they even shared the stage with grandmaster Carl Perkins. Brothers Donnie and Ray wrote all the songs, and once in the studio, they blossomed into confident and dedicated musicians. Unfortunately, many of their songs remained unreleased for decades and could only be found sporadically on obscure releases or acetates. Their only official release took place in 1958 on the Gulfstream Records label. Collectors have since discovered the band and earned them the status of a ‘cult band’. It is therefore commendable that Bear Family Records is now paying attention to The Rhythm Rockets as well as their contribution to rockabilly.
What stands out immediately is that the Pate brothers had the talent to compose catchy songs. Songs that, through their power, get stuck in your head, and Donnie’s distinctive guitar sound and Ray’s powerful and convincing vocals certainly play a part in that. This is immediately evident in the first track, ‘My Shadow’. Raw, energetic, and delivered with immense personal flair, just as rockabilly should be. In ‘I’ve Got That Feeling’, Ray uses the well-known ‘voice break’, but he manages the boundaries; not excessive but measured use undoubtedly adds value to the track.
Donnie’s talent on the six strings is sublimely on the instrumental ‘Donny’s Boogie’. A track that also closes the album in an ‘alt. take’.
The fact that The Rhythm Rockets were not at the epicenter of rockabilly certainly paid off. Young and talented as they were, they sought a way to distinguish themselves from other musicians. They did this by composing powerful songs with structures that often varied. For instance, guitar solos could open a song, drop in the middle like in classical way, or even close the track. Moreover, their attitude in the studio testifies to enormous professionalism, something other rockabilly groups often fell short of. In short, anyone who thinks that Memphis or Nashville produced only excellent rockabilly will be forced to revise their opinion after listening to this band from Miami.
The authentic, raw, original, and long-unreleased compositions by the Pate brothers have invariably put Miami rockabilly on the map. It is just a pity that it took several decades for this to happen. Nevertheless, this album is a ‘must-have’ for rockabilly fans, although you need to be lightning fast once again, as this album is also limited to 500 copies. So don't hesitate!