And thats very much a good thing. The vocals and harmonies, performed by these multi-instrumentalist sisters, are a standout. Elvin Bishop website forms: { Just make sure they aren't already on the list and check your spelling, because this is already an accurate compilation of the best examples of british blues, as well as a good place to start if you're asking yourself, or friends, exactly how to get into british blues music. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". That brings us to his latest offering Thats What I Heard. The albums closer, Rock and Roll for the soul is just that. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. A strong opening track has a way of steamrolling the listener into submission. This is a lesson he seems to have learned from the greats of the blues. With a killer voice, Grace rocks the 12 tracks, along with Aarons rich vocals and monster guitar riffs. If you're not a fan of John Mayall or Ten Years After, then vote those down so that the list takes your preferences into account. There are those who believe the blues is a musical idiom that can only be mastered by Americans. 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. King, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Thackery, Tinsley Ellis, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Johnny "Clyde" Copeland, Double Trouble, Joanna Connor, Kim Simmonds, and more. Greg, British husband and wife duo When Rivers Meet have been riding high since they cleaned up at the 2021 UKBlues Awards, taking home four trophies in one night. Review of Containment Blues Sugaray Rayford ABOUT THE AWARDS READ THE RULES THE 2023 FINALISTS NOW LIVE Review of Aint Done Yet Song Starter Kit: 12 Gauge from A Savage Life, Blues On The Bay from A Savage Life, Hell For You from Spain to Italy. Fresh from scooping the awards for Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year and Blues Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2022 UKBlues awards, Northern Irelands Dom Martin is very much a musician breaking into his stride. A listen to You Make Me Feel must provoke the listener to ask why he hasnt released more. A truly memorable effort. Memphis Loud is not album without flaws. Review of Ice Cream In Hell You may also want to check out Brave Rival who have just released their debut album. If theres a finer blues harpist around these days, he or she must be well-hidden. The track that grooves and swings the hardest is Aint Goin to Do It. Its the kind of song you play when the party slows down a little and needs a jolt to keep your friends from reaching for their car keys. A vintage party that evokes the kind of old-school shindig where you could picture James Dean cutting the rug with Marilyn Monroe. By Ed Mitchell published July 30, 2010 Keeping blues music alive in 2010 Fatback Deluxe 1. Zito is a blues/rock monster and this is arguably his best work thus far. listeners: [], #233 of 750. Kyla Brox ); Larkin Poe website, Southern rock and roll band Robert Jon & The Wreck have been releasing albums since the bands inception in 2011, collecting multiple awards along the way. } 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. 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. The 10 best folk albums of 2020 Jake Blount, Shirley Collins and Brna McVittie. And the show-stopping closer Slide Master makes the listener wonder what a joy it must be to check Allison out live. 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. Please Help Keep Rock & Blues Muse Alive, Cant You See What Youre Doing To Me (Live) ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Marc Broussards New Single Features Joe Bonamassa Thats What Love Will Make You Do, Review: Feed the Wolf by Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf. 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. Theres gusto and redemption on One Shot, with Jackaman channeling anguish and grit into bold, swinging tunes. 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. Awesome, Fantastic , Fabulous!!! Daughter of cult Mancunian blues figure, Victor Brox, her musical career began when she was a teenager performing in his band. All of them deserve to be heard. Don't miss the latest deals, news, reviews, features and tutorials. Bath Who will be the new Foo Fighters drummer in the post-Taylor Hawkins line-up? What more could you want from a blues album? This is as lowdown and real as it gets and is a functional cure for the plastic-hearted music we all hear far too much of. The year started strong with Joe being joined by a host of talent for his Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea V cruise in February, but when COVID changed the landscape for musicians he rallied for touring players in need from loss of earnings with his Fueling Musicians program. on: function(evt, cb) { If you enjoy our site, you can help with a small donation. The result is a searing collection of tunes that each carve their way into the listeners soul in a dazzlingly different way. As euphoric and full of joy as its title would imply, Iguanas Chicago Spectacular! Even at his advanced age, he needs little to no enhancement to his sound to shine. If the late Frank Bey isnt familiar to you, the opening (and title) track of his final album serves as a fine introduction. List includes The Yardbirds, Eric Burdon & the Animals, more. Ruthie Foster website, Blues/rock ruler Tinsley Ellis continues his run as one of the most memorable guitarists and vocalists in the game on his new album Ice Cream In Hell on Alligator Records. Many people consider King King to be the strongest blues/rock band out there these days and Maverick proves the band is worthy of such profound praise. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 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. Did we forget to mention that hes Eric Claptons nephew? Dion website, British singer-songwriter Lynne Jackaman, former frontwoman of rock band, Saint Jude, released One Shot, recorded at Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals. Dions latest venture, Blues with Friends, features yet another change in direction. This year, they performed a similar feat, claiming three more awards, including Blues Album of the Year for 2021's Saving Grace. Review of Blacktop Run Rhode Island isnt typically thought of a hotbed of the blues, but the strong presence of Roomful of Blues, a revival jazz/blues band plants a giant feather in the cap of Americas tiniest state. California-born blues guitarist Kirk Fletcher has the kind of soulful, ebullient vocals that make us briefly forget what an extraordinarily gifted guitar whiz he is. The Allman Betts Band website, Former lead guitarist for The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kirk Fletcher is widely considered one of the best blues guitarists in the world. 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. Huge mistake to spell his name wrong..Shepherd. Review of Songs From The Road If this album is any indication, theyre just getting started. Put it this way, its not easy to listen to King Size Slim without breaking into an unconscious head bob or foot tap at the very least. Rock and Blues Muse, LLC. Uncivil War would not have been possible by a less time-tested voice. Highly recommended. He's proof positive of the timeless power the blues possesses in gifted hands his deep soulful vocals as potent with an acoustic as his Strat. 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. Songs from the Road will make a believer of you. In other words they know exactly where the blues lives. Have you lost your Mind contains elements of rock, funk, hip-hop and jazz. Heres how it works. All told, Thats What I Heard is a top notch effort. When two extraordinary Chicago bluesmen combine efforts, the results are predictably breathtaking. Lynne Jackaman website, 2020 Blues Music Awards nominee Albert Castiglia hits hard on his live album Wild and Free thanks to Gulf Coast Records. You can click on the british blues band names to see more information about that particular notable british blues group. Joanne Shaw Taylor Broadbents party trick is playing slide with a beat up hip flask, and it doesnt take too much imagination to figure out which creative stimulant likely played a big part in perfecting that skill. 10 questions for Joanne Shaw Taylor (opens in new tab). Veteran singer/songwriter Dion DiMucci has seen enough dramatic shifts in his careers direction to last a few lifetimes. Brox possesses and commands a vast vocal range and is also a highly accomplished flautist which works surprisingly well in a bluesy context. 41. Epitomising the spirit of DIY, Darvills music has found its way into the eardrums of millions without the backing of a big label, and his tunes have appeared on hit shows like Breaking Bad, Preacher, and Bloodline. No point in listening to them if they aren't actually good or even half-way decent british blues bands. Theres just too much great music this year. Why We Love Them: "Best album since Yield " is nearly as much of a Pearl Jam clich as "best since Tattoo You " is a Stones clich, but this . Indeed he sounds like he means everything. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. Platypus Dipster may be the albums best track and the strangest. Thanks to missmoke007 for the video Video Website Blue Poets (blues-rock, rock band) Led by Marcus Deml. Ive had the pleasure of listening to 8 of these albums. Releases from stalwarts like Savoy Brown and Robert Cray as well as newer voices like Whitney Shays and Shemekia Copeland shone as brightly as ever. (HTTP response code 503). Joined by long-time band mates, Pat DeSalvo and Garnet Grimm, Aint Done Yet features well-crafted tracks with catchy hooks, Simmonds smooth vocals, and a band thats as tight as it can be. Your access to this service has been limited. #141 of 185. Good Times, as its title would suggest, pines for days gone by with a wistful, gentle breeze of a sound. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. Philip Sayce, But Copeland has recently turned forty and her voice shows all of the gravity and none of the rust of a blues elder statesman. The most obvious example of a timely song is Blues for George Floyd. With a self-explanatory title, it pays gentle homage to a fallen citizen and victim of ignorance who has, for deeply sad reasons, been very much in the news of late. All important, significant and iconic names in british blues music history deserve your votes, so make sure to choose wisely. But What the Hell a challenge to current political/social polarization may be the albums standout track. This list of the top british blues bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. Theres so much energy and life to Bernard Allison and his crew of A-list band of musicians on this album that highlights some of his best cuts from several of his albums. This is double-strength blues/rock that will cure what ails you. But it seems likely that both problems will work themselves out in time. 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. Great list. on: function(evt, cb) { Struggle for Grace offers the best showcase of the bluesmans pipes, demonstrating his range, his power and his warmth. 4,259 votes. Genre: Chicago blues, Electric blues & Blues; Nationality: United States of America. As its title suggests, its a blues album that features a number of stunning cameo performances from noted stars of the blues world. The legendary Dan Erlewine, luthier Gene Imbody and Berklees Tomo Fujita have shot a 6-point lesson video to help. Inspired by the current pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, its actually, an upbeat plea for us all to calm the hell down and have a little faith/ in the human race.. The man sounds every year his age and his latest effort works precisely for this reason. Peter Green (1946 - 2020) Peter Allen Greenbaum (29 October 1946 - 25 July 2020), known professionally as Peter Green, was an English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. While comparisons to Irelands wild man of the blues, Rory Gallagher, are somewhat inevitable, Martins sound is far from derivative. The Gospel-influenced Burying Ground may be the albums best track because it reminds listeners of how much of Crays signature sound is rooted in his deep, resonant voice. Great guitar blues with exemplary craft. He is the only three-time inductee. Mike Zito website, Nine-time Blues Music Award winner and three-time Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster puts her big-league vocals into a brass-heavy big band setting on Live At The Paramount. 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. Fleetwood Mac. Black Top Run combines vocal and instrumental cuts to great effect and paints a clear picture of Landreths monumental talent and keen instincts. With a record-breaking number of votes from fans, from the Rock and Blues Muse Group, and our editorial staff, our faith in music fans has been reaffirmed. 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. Denis, The classic Hellhound on my Trail gets the album off to a rousing start, but things only get richer and more alive from there. The album closer, Fathers Day, is a heartwarming song that wins the listener over completely. Fatback Deluxe Style: Classic American blues Influenced by: Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker Gear: Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Pro, late 60s Ampeg AUB-1 fretless bass Kingfish is a player who inspires while simultaneously makes us want to give up the Clarksdale-born sensation is just on that higher blues plain that few can ever ascend to. 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'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. Will Johns is one of those artists that can take all the known elements of blues and rock, understand them, respect them, and then apply his own creativity to uplift them. For all his obvious skill as a songwriter, his resonant tenor rattles the soul just as much. Thats a great thing, something we are all grateful for. King Size Slim Tickets will be on sale in the near future at UKBlues Federation. King, often come up. 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. My Blues Pathway is a celebration of the blues and blues masters. Joe is always high in this list every year he's the biggest blues guitarist in the world, but also the hardest working. Its seems like only yesterday that Shemekia Copeland was hailed as a prodigy of the blues, an incipient star in a genre often neglected by those of her generation. She made a big. Kings previous albums and EPs include Carolina Confessions, Due North, The Marcus King Band and Soul Insight. Dave Horton - Electric and Acoustic guitar . Larkin Poe have developed a slide blues sound that takes classic values forward without falling down intro the retro traps so many others have. Young sisters Megan and Rebecca Lovell seem to be on a mission to revive lagging mainstream popularity of the acoustic blues by performing mostly recent pop and rock hits. Just listen and let his sound wash over you. Colin Cooper (vocals, harp) Pete Haycock (guitar, vocals) Derek Holt (guitar) Great list well done When Rivers Meet and everyone else. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved, Top 20 Blues, Rock And Roots Albums of 2020. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( With three albums under her belt already, theres no doubt that Baileys a gifted songwriter and band leader, but what really sets her apart from the pack is her smoky, soul-infused vocal delivery. Since 2016, there's been plenty of chart success and an overabundance of recognition from The BRITs and annual BBC Sound poll, for the likes of NAO, Mabel, Izzy Bizu, Jorja Smith, RAYE, IAMDDB and . 25 new blues artists you need to hear! 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. Also of note is Give Me All the Love You Got, a surprisingly heartfelt ballad that engages in that age-old blues tradition of begging for a womans affection. For anyone who suspected they were a mere novelty, The Juice provides the most vibrant evidence to the contrary. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. Review of We Fly Free It returns the listener to the vintage day of the blues, when all it took to get a juke joint jumping was a good man playing a great harmonica. A five-time Blues Music Award and British Blues Award nominee, Fletcher released My Blues Pathway on Cleopatra Records, his sixth solo album. Lets just hope some younger fans can give My Blues Pathway a listen and learn the same lesson from him. . Review of Quarantine Blues He reveals his personal truths as a writer while still slinging enough hot guitar to melt an iceberg. Martin Harley 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. 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 Quarantine blues is about a good world feeling bad. For now, add every one of these albums to your listening rotation. Another home run Martine! Huge mistake to suggest including an album we did not review. At just 17 years old, Toby Lee has already packed tonnes into his musical career. })(); 2023. This is an incomplete list of British blues bands and musicians . Blues infused Southern rock, the band self-produced this 11 track, all-original album that's fresh with contemporary, expansive sounds and pristine production. It was a tough year for blues its players win hearts and minds the old way, on the stage. Shake your Moneymaker packs the albums most powerful punch as Johnny Iguana bangs the keys into impressive submission. Robert Cray is a name and a sound well known to any true lover of the blues. A British blues/rock duo and husband and wife, When Rivers Meet have the kind of frenetic sound that the blues needs. At the rate Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters are keeping up with the times, we can expect to hear great music from them for another thirty years at least. Mark Lyon - Electric, Acoustic, Slide, Steel guitar and vocals. Will Johns Review of Last Light On The Highway Adept at acoustic and electric styles, he imparts a natural, unlaboured charm to his guitar playing, and hes been blessed with an innate gift for storytelling that allows him to side-step lyrical cliches at every turn. Song Starter Kit: Ghosts from The Fire Cosmic, Waiting for Your Love from The Fire Cosmic, John the Revelator from Island. It seems to work every time, it rarely works better than it does here. But undergirding it all is a floor of blues that somehow holds this glorious mess of an album together. After all, what could be more heartbreaking than a man facing the demise of his car. Containment Blues features Gomes whiskey soaked vocals, rock swagger, and growling guitar with more of a blues/roots flavor than previous releases. An antidote to the overly-polished, overly-produced blues pop that sometimes drifts into the charts but never sticks around for too long, Broadbents vocals are full of natural, gritty charm. 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. King King website. She'll be putting that back into action with live dates in her homeland next year . Having celebrated thirty years as a band, Ronnie Earl and his Broadcasters have seen more than their share of changing times. But as any fan of the genre knows, a little dust only makes the blues go down better. British husband and wife duo When Rivers Meet have been riding high since they cleaned up at the 2021 UKBlues Awards, taking home four trophies in one night. And a damn tasty one at that. A master of making his instrument whisper and wail, Harley is virtually unmatched in the category of vocal guitar playing. If available, you can also see information about where all british blues bands on this list got started. 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. And it's vital in bringing the blues to new ears and carrying the fire forwards. The list is of 2020 albums we have reviewed. The best showcases of his talent include the tortured ballad Ill Go Crazy and the foot-stomping Cracked up Over You. Bryants latest release contains more than a few echoes of old-school R&B and that is not a bad thing at least not in Bryants capable hands. I depend on you for my Blues recommendations and will go through all these albums. Shes gone on to release eight acclaimed studio albums since then the latest of which was produced by blues heavyweight Joe Bonamassa and released on his KTBA (Keeping The Blues Alive) record label. Guitarist Aaron Bond brings the riffs usually opting for either Gibson Les Paul or a cigar box guitar for slide while Grace takes care of more of the melodic duties on lead vocals, violin and mandolin. event : evt, Standout tracks include the soulful B.B. Nearing his 80th birthday, Smithers voice shows wear, but this isnt a bad thing. The 2020 FORM UKBlues Awards virtual presentation event took place on Sunday 17th May 2020 - and if you missed it or want to enjoy it again we have the link at the bottom of this page. Its a fine enough album closer to make you forget that Stronger that strong is at times a little uneven. Congratulations to all of these fine rocking blues musicians! Why release one album in 2020 when you can put out two? Another touching example is Black Lives Matter.. Altogether, it was a year of glorious surprises and traditions that havent outgrown their welcome and never will. It also doesnt hurt that the bands leader (also its singer and chief songwriter) has the shredding skills that guitarists of all ages would understandably envy. Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz in an orthodox muslim household, the eccentric artist whose stage name is Fantastic Negrito has a sound and musical approach all his own. King tribute Thank you Lucille and the hilarious album closer Money.. If you're a fan of blues and blues/rock, some of these artists you know well. Meanwhile, Hot refocuses the attention right back to Crays guitar playing as a scorching demonstration of his ability to set the fretboard ablaze. Another strong example is the dance track Sweep the Shack. Its a simple tale about a man whos eager to finish his day of work to get back into the arms of his beloved. Released by Blue Corn Music, the record was captured live January 26th, 2019 at the 105-year-old Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas and is an overwhelming mix of Ruthies blues and gospel skills and fully-orchestrated big band arrangements. On El Dorado, King is backed by Gene Chrisman, Bobby Wood, and Dave Roe. If 2020 will be forever remembered as the year of a deadly pandemic, it can also be thought of as a year that demonstrated the undying spirit of the blues. Kindred Spirits may be a mixed bag for the fan of traditional blues, but for the fan ready to welcome a new approach, this album is an early Christmas present. The result is a kind of authenticity that smacks of hard graft and a lifelong love affair with the music. event : evt, His self-titled debut arrived last year but Kingfish has kept the momentum running with new singles; Rock & Roll's tribute to the mother he lost last year not just highly emotive, but also hinting a real crossover potential for him as an artist. British-Jamaican singer/songwriter Celeste won this year's prestigious BBC Sound of 2020 prize for her satiny soul pipes and refined instrumentals perfect for a rainy Sunday. Eric Clapton. 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. But the musicians who stood out for you still found a way to reach people in the pandemic with standout albums and performances. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Think of her as a softer, more intimate Etta James. The players who transcended 2020's lockdown blues. Uncivil War is a definite high point in her career, and addresses vital issues of society and humanity. If youre ready to dive into something out of the ordinary, its close to a masterpiece. Joe Bonamassa website, Grammy nominated roots/rock duo Larkin Poe released Self Made Man on their Tricki Woo Records and it rocks with powerful vocals, guitar and lap steel riffs, and a roaring rhythm section.
