Over the last few years one of my favorite blues harmonica players has been Steve Krase. So the other day when I saw his latest release Just Waitin’ on Spotify I knew it would be going into my music rotation. The other morning I decided that it would be the soundtrack for my morning walk.
A few weeks after I started my 21-day Yoga Challenge I realize that wanted to add some more to my exercise regime. I thought back and remembered how I started to gain weight, when I stopped babysitting Oliver two plus years ago. While I was babysitting I would take him for two or three 30 minute walks during the day.
Yesterday, I had a chance to take a good look at the Roots Music Report Blues Charts. After reviewing the charts I listened to a few minutes of many albums to see if they match my taste. I ended up with thirteen albums to listen to over the rest of the week. The album that intrigued me the most yesterday was Puppet Show from the Abby Venable Band. Currently, the album is number 23 on the Contemporary Blues Album Chart.
Yesterday was Day 5 of my New Musician Challenge and, while I did listen to some new music, I didn’t get a chance to write anything. The Road to Jerusalem was a little more hard rock than the bands that are usually in my music rotation. However, based on what I’ve heard from The Road to Jerusalem (RTJ) I may be checking out a few of those bands that are listed as Related Artists on their overview page!!
Once again as I perused albums recommended by Spotify based upon artists I have listened to I came across blues artist Marcus Malone. And since I have never heard the music of Marcus he fit my New Music Challenge perfectly. A quick listen to the album convinced me that this guy is someone I should be listening to. Better Man, his 2017 release, was the album that was recommended. I listened to the album yesterday and again today on the way to and from work at Target. And the more I listen to the album the more I like it. It really does have everything, some great vocals coupled with some fine instrumentals. I think this one is going to be in my music rotation for a while!! In his Get Ready To Rock Review Pete Feenstra writes the following about Better Man
Last night and this morning I spent so time reviewing both the Roots Music Roots charts and the Euro-Americana Chart. I was looking for some musicians that were new to me. I found several names that interested me. However, when I played a few minutes of their albums , only a couple of them really caught my fancy. This morning though one really stood out. The album was Harmony Sovereign by Michael Kelsh.
The other day, one of the new challenges that I thought I could initiate was the following. The 30-day New Musician Challenge. Each day during the challenge I will search Spotify for a musician whose music I have never heard. Ok so that really doesn’t sound very much different from what I normally do does it? Well, maybe it doesn’t but what the challenge does it gives me some structure something that I can do every day on a regular basis, well, at least for 30 days!
