Red Lights
Artist: Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice

Former Roomful of Blues saxophonist Greg Piccolo stretches his musical wings even further on this, his third solo outing since leaving the group in 1990. In addition to his brawny tenor sax wailings, Piccolo also plays lead guitar (in a crude, but effective style somewhat reminiscent of Roy Buchanan and Carlos Santana) and alto sax this time... Read More

Acid Blue
Artist: Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice
Me and My Crazy Self
Artist: Lonnie Johnson

With a firm emphasis on the less schmaltzy side of Johnson's 1947-1952 stint at Cincinnati's King Records, this 20-tracker finds the blues pioneer coming into the age of electric blues and R&B quite adroitly. His dignified vocal style similarly weathered the ensuing decades nicely -- "You Can't Buy Love," "Friendless Blues," and the title track... Read More

Solid Gold Cadillac
Artist: Mitch Woods

With West Coast jump blues and boogie-woogie piano. this is tasty, if not particularly original. Charlie Musselwhite guests on harp. ~ Niles J. Frantz, All Music Guide Read More

Wailin' Daddy
Artist: Johnny Nocturne Band

A solid recreation of the jump blues genre from a modern perspective. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide Read More

Groovy Blues, Vol. 2
Artist: Roy Milton & His Solid Senders

The rarities and unissued material begin to pop up on Vol. 2, making it even more of a feast for collectors. Milton's Solid Senders, featuring pianist/singer Camille Howard, guitarist Johnny Rogers, and a crew of roaring saxmen, were one of the tightest and most respected on the Coast. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide Read More

Something Gonna Jump out the Bushes
Artist: Nappy Brown

Ultra-solid support from guitarists Anson Funderburgh, Eugene Ross, Ronnie Earl, and Earl King and Black Top's superb house horn section make this Dallas-cut set Brown's best contemporary album to date. His lusty shouting style works well on covers of the Dominoes' "Have Mercy Baby," the "5" Royales' title track, a pair of Earl King-penned... Read More

Soul on Fire: The Best of LaVern Baker
Artist: LaVern Baker

One of R&B's earliest divas, LaVern Baker could grab hold of a song and belt it out with the best of them, whether she was singing bouncy, up-tempo rock & roll or bluesy torch ballads. Baker's contributions to the rockin' and rollin' wing of '50s R&B were in a class with Atlantic labelmates Ruth Brown and the Clyde McPhatter-era Drifters, as the... Read More

R+B = Ruth Brown
Artist: Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown's lengthy career has taken her from the Apollo Theater to Broadway. One of the original rhythm & blues superstars, she has emerged on the other side as one of the genre's most beloved singers. On this outing, producer Scott Billington returns Brown to her roots in the company of a superb New Orleans band, surrounds her with stellar... Read More