Here are the blues players you choose as 2020's standouts. Big riffs and anthemic choruses are very much the order of the day here. This is the sound that inspired him as a young man and has informed his musical journey from then until now. Theres a lot of hype surrounding Dom Martin right now, and while pundits are not to be confused with soothsayers, it only takes listening to a track or two to understand why so many are predicting a bright future for the Belfast born blues man. Anyone searching for the singers best work should remain in the realm of mainstream pop. Lynne Jackaman website, 2020 Blues Music Awards nominee Albert Castiglia hits hard on his live album Wild and Free thanks to Gulf Coast Records. This band packs a powerful sonic punch that could fill any room. Fronted by the American radio and TV personality Robert "Sully" Sullivan and consisting of a host of seasoned musicians including bassist James East who has worked with some of the best including Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson and Elton John. It contains the kind of raw, explosive power that any fan of the genre has come to expect, and in addition, it features a danceable bounce that will likely to appeal to fans more geared toward classic R & B. When Rivers Meet website, Expanding on Marcus Kings Southern soul, rock and blues sound, El Dorado is Kings first solo album, produced by Black Keyes guitarist Dan Auerbach, out on Fantasy Records. The plaintive voice of Chris Smither has served him well for decades. If not, you may want to stay away. The band includes Ehab Omran (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Justin Young (lead guitar, vocals), Tom McCullough (drums) and Nick Frantianne (bass.) Kings previous albums and EPs include Carolina Confessions, Due North, The Marcus King Band and Soul Insight. Kyla Brox Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Namesakes Devon Allman and Duane Betts along with group members Berry Duane Oakley, Johnny Stachela, John Ginty, R Scott Bryan, and John Lum tracked it at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama on two-inch tape, vintage style. Heavy Mama 85 listeners Formed over 10 years ago while studying at Perth College, Heavy Mama toured across Scotland for several years, serving up a potent mix of blues, Absorb every note and become part of the movement. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Another home run Martine! This year, they performed a similar feat, claiming three more awards, including Blues Album of the Year for 2021's Saving Grace. Until rudely interrupted by the global pandemic, Shaw Taylors touring schedule was one of the most tireless in the business, and her gutsy guitar playing and husky vocals are best appreciated live on stage. If you're a fan of blues and blues/rock, some of these artists you know well. For all his obvious skill as a songwriter, his resonant tenor rattles the soul just as much. Song Starter Kit: Hell Drive You Crazy from Saving Grace, Did I Break The Law from We Fly Free, Free Man from The Uprising EP. forms: { 109 listeners. For the non-fan, it is also essential and a likely tool for conversion! Born in the unlikely city of Paris, France at a time (1965) when the blues seemed to be in commercial decline, Bernard Allison may not have been the blues hero we were expecting, but if his latest album is any indication, hes on a mission to prove himself capable of the job. Anything but traditional, he layers beatbox grooves with infectious vocal hooks and rowdy harmonica playing all wrapped up in a slightly maniacal (in a good way) on-stage persona. Song Starter Kit: 12 Gauge from A Savage Life, Blues On The Bay from A Savage Life, Hell For You from Spain to Italy. More than anything else, he lets his soul lead the way. It finds her making John Mayer (opens in new tab)'s Slow Dancing In A Burning Room and Rag N' Bone Man's Human her own, alongside the new song Here Comes The Flood that's sure to transfer well when she returns to the stage. Quarantine blues is about a good world feeling bad. Forced to cancel or postpone extensive touring plans before she could return with socially distanced shows, the inspirational Samatha Fish adapted, playing weekly Facebook live performances from home for fans. As with any time-tested blues star, Landreth only grows in stature with each passing release. Lincolnshires Jack Broadbent honed his craft by playing at open mic nights and busking on city streets. Martin Harley King tribute Thank you Lucille and the hilarious album closer Money.. listeners: [], Review of Uncivil War She also used her platforms to pay it forwards with weekly showcase livestreams blues artists she's signed to her own Wild Heart Label, but we can't wait to see her back to hopefully touring properly again in 2021. Also vital is Diggin Roots with Ron Artis the 2nd. Great list! The album closer, Fathers Day, is a heartwarming song that wins the listener over completely. 1967 - by Colin Cooper, Pete Haycock, Derek Holt, Richard Jones, George Newsome and Arthur Wood. So, what are the best blues rock bands ever? Backing singers include Mahalia Barnes, Jade McRae and Juanita Tippins. Zito is a blues/rock monster and this is arguably his best work thus far. Great list. Heres how it works. We're loving the Lovell sister's blues takes on Lenny Kravitz, Phil Collins and Elton John hits for their Kindred Spirits records but it's their own songs on Self Made Man that are the main event. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good british blues bands with which to start out. Thats awesome, glad our lists are helpful and you enjoy them! Happy New year 2021 to Blues and Rock.. Long live the blues and all these new and veterans musicians. His song writing goes far beyond tried and tested tropes, his licks balance classic vibes with contemporary flair, and his main guitar of choice an Ernie Ball Music Man Eddie Van Halen signature isnt exactly the conventional bluesmans go to. A truly memorable effort. We did and love John Nemeths album. Charlie Musselwhite website, Alastair Greenes 2020 effort The New World Blues on Tab Benoits Whiskey Bayou Records is a stripped-down blast of live-in-the-studio blues/rock built on grit, soul, and first takes. The legendary Dan Erlewine, luthier Gene Imbody and Berklees Tomo Fujita have shot a 6-point lesson video to help. The list includes all new british blues bands, and if there are any missing on the list, you can always add them yourself. All Rights Reserved, Top 20 Blues, Rock And Roots Albums of 2020. Until then, this effort will serve as a solid building block for what may someday become a brilliant career. })(); 2023. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. Joe is always high in this list every year he's the biggest blues guitarist in the world, but also the hardest working. Armed with a loop station, a briefcase full of harps and a bag of slightly homemade looking percussion instruments, Son of Dave is a one-man blues explosion. Nearing his 80th birthday, Smithers voice shows wear, but this isnt a bad thing. In addition to the buoyant title track, stand outs include the inspirational One Thing Every Day and Beys stunningly poignant cover of John Lennons Imagine. The Georgia-born singer may be gone, but the music he left behind will undoubtedly inspire an army of future blues fans. A British blues/rock duo and husband and wife, When Rivers Meet have the kind of frenetic sound that the blues needs. If youre ready to dive into something out of the ordinary, its close to a masterpiece. Brox possesses and commands a vast vocal range and is also a highly accomplished flautist which works surprisingly well in a bluesy context. Tracked at Abbey Road Studios and released by J&R Adventures, the set features new material co-written by Bonamassa and important British musicians including former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, ex-Cream lyricist Pete Brown, and piano man Jools Holland. Songs From The Road is all about killer contemporary blues. He went on to play a livestream from the Ryman in Nashville for the cause too before releasing one of his finest albums in October with Royal Tea and the 20th anniversary version of his debut. So it doesnt take a Gypsy soothsayer to announce this new album by guitarist and vocalist John Primer & harmonica master Bob Corritore is a top notch effort. Keary, Meanwhile the stunning ballad Crying guitar features as gentle and warm a touch as its descriptive title would imply. Review of Maverick Howlin' Wolf. Generated by Wordfence at Sat, 4 Mar 2023 13:48:21 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. Led by vocalist/guitarist Robert Jon Burrison, whose voice is one of the most ear-pleasing today, the band includes Andrew Espantman, Steve Maggoria, Henry James and Warren Murrel. There's the jazz end of the blues; folk blues; blues rock; straight forward, honest to goodness, down home blues; Chicago blues; British blues; country blues; as well as white men. More from the Levee is just that stunningly good. Dions latest venture, Blues with Friends, features yet another change in direction. Song Starter Kit: Roll With the Punches from Roll With the Punches, Mojo Fix from Mojo Fix, Blues At My Window from Money Dont Matter. The four-piece have managed to commit their on-stage vibrancy to record with great success, and whether youre hearing them through headphones or a cranked festival soundsystem, Wille and The Bandits make for fun listening every time. Here we have a slight interloper in the ranks. Blues Artist of the Year - sponsored by Blues in the South Blues Instrumentalist of the Year - sponsored by Digital Blues In other words they know exactly where the blues lives. Castiglia is a dominant guitarist, a strong singer, and a compelling entertainer who is creating his own legend now, in real time. These Poetic Geniuses Wrote Your Favorite Songs of All Time. In 2020, Robert Cray sounds as much like Robert Cray as he did in 1990. All and all, Unemployed Highly Annoyed will do more than please you. Pushing boundaries, Self Made Man sees sister Rebecca and Megan Lovell sourcing their American Southern heritage, with their own modern day depiction of blues-based roots/rock in the 11 tracks. There are those who believe the blues is a musical idiom that can only be mastered by Americans. Nice List, but I think you are missing the latest from The Finnish blues supremo didn't let lockdown keep her down; she even released a Lockdown Live album from her rooftop show in Kuopio in June. By Ed Mitchell published July 30, 2010 Keeping blues music alive in 2010 Fatback Deluxe 1. } Toby Lee But What the Hell a challenge to current political/social polarization may be the albums standout track. Eric Clapton. event : evt, And he's there at only 21 years of age. Greene has all the guitar, vocal, and songwriting power anybody could ask for and will no doubt reach the heights of stardom we all dream of. The set is a back porch session by two of the most famous blues players ever and lets Bishop and Musselwhite do it their own raw-boned way with minimal interference to disrupt the vibe. Rock and Blues Muse, LLC. Far from being put on or a stylised affectation, her husky tones can be attributed in part, at least to when she contracted a serious bout of pneumonia in her childhood, resulting in her having to breathe through a tube for 17 days. Info-video A comprehensive rundown of the best guitarists of all time, featuring the trailblazers, the early innovators, the best jazz, rock, indie, blues, metal and acoustic players - and the top guitarists around today. The result is a searing collection of tunes that each carve their way into the listeners soul in a dazzlingly different way. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". Jack Broadbent Led by vocalist/guitarist Robert Jon Burrison, whose voice is one of the most ear-pleasing today, the band includes Andrew Espantman, Steve Maggoria, Henry James and Warren Murrel. Not that sheer technical mastery is the only tool in his shed. On El Dorado, King is backed by Gene Chrisman, Bobby Wood, and Dave Roe. Song Starter Kit: Cant You See What Youre Doing To Me (Live) ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd from Blues From The Heart Live, Stop Messin Round from The Blues Album, The Best Thing from Reckless Heart. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Castiglia gets down with special guests Mike Zito, John Ginty, and Lewis Stephens in front of a happy crowd at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton, Florida, reminding us all how much we have to get back to post-Covid. Marcus King and his band have a gritty quality that many younger players seem to lack when they enter the world of the blues. If the title track doesnt send shivers up your spine, its time to have your spine examined. As always, Bonamassa puts on a clinic on how to make great music and guitar fans the world over will love every moment of it. A nightmare of a virus may have given us all the blues, but as usual, our favorite genre could be relied on to help ease the pain. Its may take me all year to sample and listen to your recommendations! Wille and The Bandits Along the way there was another Epiphone signature model, producing Eric Gales' forthcoming studio album, a film about his own remarkable career and Joe has even reversed roles to great effect interviewing his peers in the Live From Nerdville series (check it out here (opens in new tab) it's great). Born in Michigan in 1946, Lavettes vocal stylings owe as much to mainstream R&B that the blues, but her sweet, silky voice belongs as much in this genre as her harder-edged sisters. Rock and Blues Muse, LLC. The (Male) Singer You Most Wish You Could Sound Like. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. If you like to wash your rock n roll down with just a swig of blues, then youre probably going to dig these guys. } We dont expect youll need a full-blown introduction to the guitarist and songwriter who gifted the world Bridge of Sighs over 40 years ago, but you might not be quite as familiar with his more recent material. Thanks to missmoke007 for the video Video Website Blue Poets (blues-rock, rock band) Led by Marcus Deml. Gary Clark Jr. Gary Clark Jr. is another player who incorporates ostensibly alien elements into the mix and yet it's still the blues. Youre going to like what you hear. I purposely left off widely celebrated names such as Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, John Mayall, and more. After this auspicious start, Johns formidable chops as a guitarist, singer and songwriter were cultivated the hard way: in the trenches of bands, breakups and tours up and down the UK and far beyond. Review of Blacktop Run Having said all that, Dions friends do a more than capable job of compensating for the weaknesses of the the albums star. Albert Castiglia website, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist Elvin Bishop and Grammy-winning harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite conspire as an awesome blues duo on their new album 100 Years of Blues on Alligator Records. The harmonies on this album are part of the bands signature sound, along with well-crafted songs and outstanding musicianship. Greg, We Fly Free, released by One Road Records, is their follow up to EP, Innocence of Youth, also released in 2020, When Rivers Meet possess a clear talent for songwriting as well. British blues artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. English blues band, Savoy Brown has been proving this belief wrong since the mid-sixties. You can click on the british blues band names to see more information about that particular notable british blues group. Described by its creator as a straight vintage-style blues album. Blues Bash is just that. } The result is a kind of authenticity that smacks of hard graft and a lifelong love affair with the music. Still fairly new on the scene, its possible that theyll grow more consistent as time goes by. It sure would be at or near the top of my personal top 20 list of albums released in 2020. A Gypsy Woman Told me is a truly stunning album. Fleetwood Mac. The name says it all. Individuals [ edit] Ian A. Anderson Elles Bailey [1] Ginger Baker Long John Baldry [2] Chris Barber Norman Beaker [3] Jeff Beck [2] Duster Bennett [2] Graham Bond [2] Marcus Bonfanti [4] John Bonham [5] Geoff Bradford Jack Broadbent [6] Jack Bruce [2] Danny Bryant Eric Burdon Theres attitude by the fistful in everything the band has released to date, which is perhaps unsurprising when you consider that the heavily tattooed, Telecaster-wielding Barras is an ex-MMA cage fighter. She'll be putting that back into action with live dates in her homeland next year . Sure, theres humor laced in this tale, but we get the feeling Smither means it. Theres just too much great music this year. To anyone concerned with the current state of the blues, Whitney Shays latest release Stand Up could have been delivered with you in mind. At just 17 years old, Toby Lee has already packed tonnes into his musical career. He began as a doo-op singer, peppering the pop charts with such hits as The Wanderer and Runaround Sue, then moved in the direction of folk with the 1968 smash Abraham, Martin and John.. British Americana might sound like a bit of a contradiction in terms, but its not a bad way to sum up the sound of Bristols Elles Bailey. But it seems likely that both problems will work themselves out in time. Robin Trower Review of Live At The Paramount Dave Horton - Electric and Acoustic guitar . Blacktop Run is a much better album than it might have been years earlier. It seems to work every time, it rarely works better than it does here. You can only vote once on this list. Having gained a sturdy online following during lockdown, the dedication of When Rivers Meets fans has recently been proven in the real world as theyve played a string of jam-packed venues on their first ever UK headline tour. Thanks to Rock & Blues Muse for including Anthony Gomes among these greats!! Call it the most unpredictable and challenging year yet and our number of albums fits right in. Review of Quarantine Blues Not that this blues bash ever threatens to slow down. Review of Last Light On The Highway Pulling in musicians from all over the world, this record features blues/rock, R&B, and Soul. 40 years in the blues business have only made Ellis better and more eloquent, which rocks because he obviously still has a lot to say. All Rights Reserved, Best of British: 15 UK Blues Artists to Check Out Today. This is their first release together, but 100 years sounds as effortless and organic as something youd expect from friends with a decades-long history of collaboration. If its not the albums best track its a close second to her cover of the stunning Billie Holiday classic Strange Fruit. Overall, Blackbirds is a very compelling piece of work. A British blues/rock duo and husband and wife, When Rivers Meet have the kind of frenetic sound that the blues needs.