Musical Roots – Mike Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981)

So yesterday February 15th back in 1981, the music world lost one of its greatest guitarist to heroin addiction, when Michael Bloomfield died. While Bloomfield started with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. I didn’t discover his music until The Electric Flag album “A Long Time Comin’ The album quickly became a favorite and Bloomfield’s guitar artistry was a big reason. I followed his career through his work with Al Kooper and the Super Session Album and then The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. I didn’t discover his later solo work until the late 90s early 2000s. Here’s some background info from Wikipedia: Read More

“Into the Morning” with Blues from The Suitcase Brothers!

So finishing second at the International Blues Challenge in the Solo/Duo Category were brothers Pere and Victor Puertas who together form The Suitcase Brothers. They represented the Barcelona Blues Society and boy can they play the blues. I listened tonight to their first album Living with the Blues and I am in awe of Victor’s harp playing! Here’s some information about the brothers from their Myspace page: Read More

Album Review: Trout Steak Revival – Flight

Trout Steak Revival – Flight

So if you’re like me and sometimes you need some good old-time mountain music, check out Trout Steak Revival! Their latest album Flight, is now number 15 on the Folk DJ Charts and it’s a good one! The band calls Denver Colorado home and members hail mostly from Colorado and the mid-west. The band formed in 2009 after extensive close friend jam sessions during backpacking trips and backyard parties. Read More

Book 7 of 2013 – Deep Sky – Patrick Lee

–Ok so let me say this right at the beginning of the post. Book No. 7 of 2013 is the third book in the Travis Chase trilogy Deep Sky, by Patrick Lee. If you are going to read this book make sure that you read Books one, The Breech and two Ghost Country first!! Preferably you read them consecutively not like I did reading Book 2 first and then quickly going back and reading Book 1! With that said after finishing the book and having everything wrapped up and explained very nicely I feel like I want to go back and read the series again just so that I can understand everything and even then I might not understand it all! From Patrick Lee’s website: Read More

“Into the Morning” with the Rusty Wright Band “Whole Lotta Rosie”

Ok so, last night I was reviewing the Roots Music Report Blues Chart and came across The Rusty Wright Band at No 47 and their latest album THIS, THAT & THE OTHER THING. It only took listening to the first track “A Whole Lotta Rosie” to know that Rusty Wright can play guitar and that I was going to like this album. I listened to several tracks on the way to and from work tonight at Target and I REALLY like this album. I’ll write more about it after a few more listens. But until then here’s a taste as we go “Into the Morning” with The Rusty Wright Band and “A Whole Lotta Rosie”. Read More

Fireproof – Alex Kava

What’s Happening!

So,far 2013 has not been a great year, I think that I’ve missed more work both at Target and Lippincott Jacobs this month than I did all last year, as I’ve fought this upper respiratory virus. My wife his been fighting the same virus. Then top that with the loss of the son’s brother-in-law Will, and Peter’s wife’s grandfather and well it hasn’t been a great month to say the least! Read More

Life’s Stories – Will Marris loses his battle against lung cancer.

Tonight while I was out running errands, my cell phone rang, my heart stopped because the call  was from my son Peter and the call could not be a good one. He asked if his mother was there, I said I wasn’t home and then he told me that his brother-in-law Will Marris had lost his fight against lung cancer and passed away tonight from complications from pneumonia. My heart sank Will has fought lung cancer for three years and we saw him beat everything it had thrown at him and you just thought he was going to beat this last illness too! But the fight was too hard and he lost it! My heart goes out to his wife Nicole and his son Aiden, his sister and my son Missy and Peter and his mother and father Bill and Dianne who now have to face a task that no parent should have to face burying their child and it comes less than a week after Bill buried his father. Read More