Leslie West - Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West (2022)

 

Dee Snider, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Randy and Tal Bachman, Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Charlie Starr, Elliot Easton, Robby Krieger, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Eddie Ojeda, Marc Labelle, Mike Portnoy, Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones contribute performances celebrating Leslie West

When Leslie West passed away in December of 2020, he left behind a towering legacy of epic recordings that few rock guitarists can match. But there was more to West than great songs (although, to be sure, he created a ton of them); there was his brilliant, idiosyncratic sound, a gargantuan earth-mover that razed arenas and stadiums across the globe. More than just paralyzing tone, though, he also had a touch nobody could beat. It helped to make West one of the most significant, influential and irreplaceable guitarists of the rock era.

An astonishing array of West’s admirers – who also happened to be friends and peers – came together to celebrate the trailblazing musician. Check out the list below!


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Diunna Greenleaf - I Ain't Playin' (2022)

 

Diunna has one of those distinctive, powerfully emotive voices that just stops you in your tracks the first time you hear her. This dynamic and gifted singer from Houston has an absolutely amazing voice, full of soul, emotion, feeling, finesse, and strength! Even though Diunna is always winning or nominated for best traditional blues female singer of the year, this is remarkably her first album in over 10 years (since 2011’s highly acclaimed ‘Trying to Hold On’) and her first that was not self-released on her own Blue Mercy label.

Executive producer Noel Hayes excels in thoughtfully picking out killer songs from the past to fit the style of his favorite current singers, like Diunna.

This winning team of Noel with co-producer Jim Pugh and his Little Village record label and co-producer Kid Andersen and his Greaseland studio have helped to create magic again in the studio and unearthed a batch of buried treasure blues, soul, R&B, and gospel songs that perfectly match Diunna’s distinctive and expressive vocals.

In addition to the four outstanding originals from Diunna, many of these fascinating songs are from singers from her own home state of Texas, which she has transformed to make them all her own. Lone star state standouts are the funky “I Don’t Care” from Long John Hunter, the deep blues of “Let Me Cry” from Johnny Copeland, and “Damned If I Do” from the vastly underrated singer/songwriter Joe Medwick.

Diunna, with the help of Alabama Mike (one of our other favorite real deal blues singers of today) created a new version of a classic gospel song done by The Staples Singers, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” and they also killed it on a soulful country gospel duet, “When I Call Your Name” from Vince Gill. The head turning opening Koko Taylor track, “Never Trust A Man” is also available on YouTube where you can see how it was masterfully done at Greaseland with this all-star band of Kid, keyboardist Jim Pugh, drummer D’Mar and the legendary bassist, Jerry Jemmott, who “lays down the groove that could anchor the solar system!” “If It Wasn’t For the Blues” was one of Mighty Sam McClain’s favorite songs and it really says how Diunna feels, too, and “Answer To The Hard Working Woman” is a twist on Otis Clay’s hard funk soul song, where she flips the script. Be sure to check out one of the most meaningful, powerful songs that still resonates today, “Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” where she eerily channels Nina Simone; I don’t know anyone else but Diunna who can pull this off so well.



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Larry McCray - Blues Without You (2022)

 

Underrated and overlooked blues guitar veteran Larry McCray finally gets his due with the help of rockstar producer team Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith. After growing up with his incredible talent Joe and Josh felt it was time for the world to discover this Bay City, Michigan gem. With 11 original tracks (plus 1 cover) this new album showcases Larry's powerhouse, soulful vocals,blazing guitar playing, and amazing songwriting. Blues-Rock stars Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes and Joanna Connor all lend their fiery guitar solos as featured guests.

https://album.link/i/1607417923



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Albert Castiglia - I Got Love (2022)

 

'I Got Love' was produced by Gulf Coast Records guitarist and co-owner Mike Zito and features a stellar cast of musicians backing Albert Castiglia (guitar and vocals): Justine Tompkins (bass and vocals); Ephraim Lowell (drums and vocals) and Lewis Stephens (Hammond B3 organ and piano).

The new album, which showcases 11 blistering, blues-drenched tracks, is a personal and powerful statement from Castiglia. "'I Got Love' is a musical essay documenting the last two years of my life: two years of many highs and lows," Castiglia offers. "It's about falling, failing, adapting, reinventing, surviving and becoming triumphant. It contains musings of an unemployed man, a covid-stricken idiot and getting through it like Andy Dufresne in 'The Shawshank Redemption.' The blues and blues-infused music is rooted in truth. "This album is my truth. To ignore the events of the past two years (the covid era) and write about anything else would not be my truth. I went through it all - loss, depression, illness, fear of the unknown. I know I couldn't have been the only one that went through it. This collection of songs is for those who felt like I did. It's for those who went down fighting and those who keep on fighting. For many of us in my profession and in the gig economy, this was our great depression. Some of us are doing well and some of us are still trying to find solid ground."

https://album.link/i/1606222822

The Simon Kinny-Lewis Band - King Biscuit (2021)

King Biscuit is a modern blues album featuring the cream of the blues crop.

https://album.link/i/1604997982

Darren Rahn - Rock The World (2022)

 

Tracklist:

01. Darren Rahn - Rock The World

02. Darren Rahn - Cry

03. Darren Rahn - On Wings Of Hope

04. Darren Rahn - Table For Two

05. Darren Rahn - Weekend Flow (feat. Brian Bromberg)

06. Darren Rahn - Midnight Sun (Extended Version)

07. Darren Rahn - The Perfect Storm (feat. Dave Koz, Najee & Everette Harp)

08. Darren Rahn - Caught Up In You (feat. Brian Culbertson)

09. Darren Rahn - Moxified (Extended Version)

10. Darren Rahn - Funky D

11. Darren Rahn - Infinite Love (Extended Version)

12. Darren Rahn - Everlasting

With multiple GRAMMY nominations over the past 14 years as an artist, producer and mixing engineer, Darren Rahn has become urban jazz’s premiere sonic architect – the “go-to” guy for established genre greats and up and comers looking for their next sure-fire hit.

After launching his career producing, engineering and mixing for local Denver area artists starting in the late 90s, Darren became the ultimate urban jazz hyphenate as an artist/producer in the 2000s, following his success with Wayman Tisdale (which included the #1 hit remake of “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now”) with behind the scenes roles as producer, composer, arranger and/or mix engineer for music on five Dave Koz projects (Greatest Hits, Hello Tomorrow, Summer Horns, Gifts Of The Season, and A New Day ).

Over the years, as his detail-oriented sonic excellence led to more and more hit recordings, his resume has grown to include everyone from Toby Keith, Jonathan Butler and Najee to Bob James, Rick Braun, Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Jeff Lorber, Kirk Franklin, Jonathan Fritzen, Julian Vaughn, Blake Aaron, Lebron, Riley Richard and the late Nick Colionne.

Reaching yet another creative milestone in a dual career as an artist/producer that has earned him 26 #1 Billboard singles and multiple Grammy nominations, Darren Rahn’s highly anticipated new full length album Rock The World offers a message of love, faith, and hope through music in these challenging times.

https://album.link/i/1605391400

Sugaray Rayford - In Too Deep (2022)

 

Sugaray Rayford returns with In Too Deep - following up to his 2020 Grammy® nominated Somebody Save Me, an album which also earned Rayford two major Blues Music Awards for B.B. King Entertainer and Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year (2 straight years). Combining classic soul melodies with funky R & B grooves, raw blues power and mashed up with modern sensibilities, the album takes on social issues, such as, PTSD, civil rights and social justice. With vibrantly detailed arrangements tailored to showcase Rayford's deft portrayals and interpretations, In Too Deep is a poignant album that seeks to inspire and uplift. Albumism described Rayford as having "a sound that's undeniably fresh and inspired," while PopMatters declared it "will appeal to fans of Gary Clark Jr. and Chicano Batman." At his core, Sugaray Rayford is a galvanising uniter. His live shows are a party. Some conversations may be had, and some self-reflection may occur, but at the end of the day, people leave feeling a sense of joy and togetherness

Title: In Too Deep

Year Of Release: 2022

Label: Forty Below Records

Genre: Soul, Funk, Blues

Total Time: 37:51

Tracklist:

1. Invisible Soldier (3:54)

2. In Too Deep (3:34)

3. No Limit to My Love (4:26)

4. Under the Crescent Moon (3:43)

5. Miss Information (3:48)

6. Please Take My Hand (3:04)

7. One (4:09)

8. Gonna Lift You Up (3:31)

9. Golden Lady of the Canyon (3:40)

10. United We Stand (4:08)

https://album.link/i/1592461310