The cd inlay states simply, ‘Warning: Cool Music', but that tells only half the story, for Ocar Jordan is a mighty talent - an intuitive singer and fine guitarist - with great songs that extend from Soul to Funk, and the ghost of Hendrix, to Santana tinged Latino Rock and of course the blues.

Oscar uses the blues genre as a launch pad from which he leaps headlong into a compelling mix of funky signatures, heavy duty blues rock work outs, flighty soulful offerings and 70's retro rock. In short while Eclectic Soul lives up to its name, Oscar has gathered together his influences under the watchful eye of former Ry Cooder producer Phil Bloch to produce a quite excellent album all of his own making.

Together with The Mighty Sons of Hercules, Oscar has refined his own brand of soul. Several outings may be derivative and undoubtedly owe much to artists like Ben Harper, as on the mighty hook of “Hendrix T Shirt” and the beautifully restrained Rough Neck. Taj Mahal looms large on the New Orleans flavoured soul of “Like A Lover Should”, but ultimately there's enough great playing and superb singing to nail down the project as Oscar's very own.

Only the ironically titled “I Liked You Better When You Were Drinking” doesn't really work as guest vocalist Karen Dilworth doesn't quite bring the necessary gravitas to her phrasing to pull off the gospel feel. But that is a rare aberration, on an album crammed full of great moments.

Another highlight is the instrumental “Loretta”, featuring a sumptuous bass line from Randall Yamamoto, which combined with Oscar's very deliberate big toned guitar notes and Nick Karvon's cymbal splashes, sounds like the blues track Zappa never recorded. .

This is an album with many influences at play, topped by Oscar's lovely soulful voice, and an intuitive wide ranging understanding of his musical antecedents all brilliantly brought together on a hugely impressive album

2) Ian Parker "... whilst the wind" Ruf Records
IanParkerMusic.com

Not so much a slow burner as an album full of live songs that offer more nuances by every listen. Buy a copy, catch the band live, and rejoice in a real UK talent to joust with the best the US has to offer.

Over the last two years Ian Parker has established himself as a serious artist of note, combining nakedly honest songs with some inspired playing and a white boy soul singing that teases out every nuance and last drop of feel from each song.

Since startling his label by delivering the deep and meaningful “Inside” album instead of the usual rock blues format, Ian has ploughed his own musical furrow. And it comes as no surprise that this album sounds so “live” that you really do feel as if you are there at the gig. Significantly the set was recorded in Germany, at Hannover's Blues Garage.

Opening with Ben Harper's acappella “The Power of the Gospel”, Parker draws you in with a subtle combination of voice, guitar and superb accompanying band. On “The Love I Have” the angst ridden lyrics give way to several superb guitar breaks, and the process is repeated on one of his very best efforts, the moody, and very bluesy “It Hurts A Man”. This song comes close to the younger Peter Green and is full of languid guitar lines, and some soulful vocal phrasing, over a cool organ accompaniment. The number builds up the dynamics before a superb tension breaking guitar break. If this album proves nothing else it is that Ian Parker is anything but a one dimension guitar hero. “Whilst The Wind” is all about songs, and about real emotions, a subject that too many bluesy practitioners clothe in cliché to hide their inability to deal with real feelings.

Ian takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and his band play some beautiful, awe inspiring stuff along the way. The gentle funky undertow and catchy hook of “She Cries” stays with you long after the gig has finished, while the understated “The Truth Within” is redolent of John Fogerty.

By the time of his long term stage favourite Crosby's “Almost Cut My Hair”, which is cleverly segued into Peter Green's “Green Manalishi”, Ian has the crowd in the palm of his hand, not through histrionics, and not through a million notes a minute, but simply through the ability to communicate real feelings through his songs. Simple really, but this album is a salutary reminder to many who have forgotten the art of musical expression.

Here are some audio clips from ... whilst the wind :	Broadband (CD quality)	Dial-Up (AM radio)
The Love I Have
It Hurts A Man
She Cries

It’s been a few years since Ian Siegal relocated to London and started making a a name for himself on the live circuit. Always regarded by live fans as a real talent, Ian seemed in danger of being taken for granted, as he appeared stuck in a few residencies, and occasional jaunts with a passing US blues artist.

Since signing with Nugene records that all seems to have changed, and “Meat & Potatoes” is the work of a mature artist who aside from sounding like a younger Van Morrison, is also capable of exploring vocal whoops and hollers that recall a caustic mix of Tom Waits and Howlin Wolf.

It is with the opening “Sugar Rush” that Ian visits all three mentioned influences during the course of one outstanding slice of blues. Things toughen up on another Wolf influenced “Revelator (John The Apostle)”, complete with Biblical imagery, low down dirty slide guitar, and simply the most compelling low down dirty blues in recent times.

One of the album highlights “Butter-Side Up” is a neatly juxtaposed cool groove with some lovely percussive work by Nikalaj Bjerre. This effort could easily have come from any of Dr John’s early 1970 albums, and builds up a lovely head of steam, all neatly topped by Ian’s almost tortured vocals. If you describe this as cool swampy blues with a timeless feel to it, then you could extend that impression to most of this album. But Ian has a penchant for working a groove and hits the same feel magically on the word association piece “Work”, which comes complete with some telling harp fills from Giles King.

Ian finally extends himself on national steel guitar, working his way round a dirt sounding tone on “She Got The Devil In Her”. He also uses a couple of clever little link pieces, one gospel, one full on Delta blues and in between there’s more early Morrison influenced vocals on “Falling Down Again”.

In short this is a contemporary blues album using traditional blues values. Not so much old wine in new bottles as new wine for a new palate. “Meat & Potatoes” is a truly outstanding album by a talented blues artist rapidly fulfilling his promise.

Three undisputed top class bluesmen, plus Lucky Peterson, finally fulfil their potential simaltaneously on a funky blues work out. . Combining the diverse but highly complementary talents of the “young guns” of the blues, “Triple Fret” is almost a rework of the triple guitar concept that underpinned the Alligator records “Showdown” recording of Robert Cray / Johnny Copland and Albert Collins.

The concept is similar, and this album gloriously emulates those mid 80's efforts, giving Larry McCary and Bernard Allison, especially the context for their respective talents. Both came into the blues scene with a blaze of publicity some years back, Larry on the back of being a new blues star on Point Blank records, while Bernard suddenly found himself in the spotlight following the untimely death of his dad Luther. Carl is less known over here but on the evidence of this album, he is a heavy weight singer and a guitarist with a heavy duty tone.

Lucky Peterson, a star in France, but again lesser known in the UK also weighs in with some fine playing, most obviously on the jazzy feel of the instrumental “Where's Lucky”.

The magnificent funky opener “Bottle of Whisky” is everything you would love to hear from the talented quartet, being underpinned by a brilliant rhythm section featuring former Joe Louis Walker bass man John B. Gayden and Larry's brother Steve McCray on drums.

The following “Bluesman” includes some beautifully structured horn arrangements that act as a perfect foil for Larry's emotive vocals. The funk feel and delightful horns are topped by more searing guitar on “Get Drunk & Pop The Trunk”.

Everyone of the four talented bluesmen deliver big time, but I wish to make a special mention for Larry whose blues ballad “I'm Praying For You” shows he has matured into a magnificent singer to match his tough chops. I can't think of anyone who has improved so much over the years as Larry, and he is the lynchpin of a magnificent effort. Bernard ups the funk quotient on “Good To Me”, and Carl not to be outdone adds some perfect angst filled vocals on “Ain't Nothing But The Truth”.

A special mention for Bruce Feiner who all but wrote the whole album, co produced it and added the horn parts on a set that fulfils all the players potential to the limit. Go out and buy this album!

Here are some audio clips from Triple Fret:	Broadband (CD quality)	Dial-Up (AM radio)
Bottle Of Whisky
Get Drunk & Pop The Trunk
I'm Praying For You

The Imperial Crowns are all about the larger than life, low down sleazy southern California blues preaching of Jimmie Wood, who can take his place in the burgeoning field of Beefheart/Tom Waits meets Howlin Wolf. But what sets Jimmie aside from the pack is that his style of Preachin' The Blues is so full of magical imagery, complete with tales of sex, death, voodoo, Hollywood and beyond.

The band announced their not inconsiderable talent with last year's startling debut album “Hymn Book”. Aside from Jimmy's stunning voice, his incredible blues narratives, and the stunning band, the album was packed full of bv's, and superb production qualities.

On this live set there are no such studio luxuries, and as a consequence you get the Crowns stripped to the bone.

They are boosted by a bit of echo here and there, and of course Jimmie's non stop chasing the devil. The result though as on “Little Death” is the Crown's subtle sexual imagery becomes reduced to simply “Death by pussy”.

This low down dirty helping of funk is simply the best cutting edge sleazy blues to come out of LA for years. JJ Holiday makes a good fist of filling the gaps, as an exhausted Jimmy uses his on stage excitement to conquer everything from jet lag to sheer exhaustion. And just as the song starts to flag a little Jimmie suddenly ups the ante with a ferocious harp break. He's a fiery preacher, who thinks nothing of castigating his audience unceremoniously but ultimately converts a startled German crowd to the ways of the Crowns.

On “Praise His Name” the Wolf influence extends to the guitar signature, and by the time of “Big Boy”, a song that Jimmie tells us is a ‘True Story', there's a let up from the his lucid visions, as the band almost slip into a laid back blues mood.

Before long its back to Jimmie's preaching, as he reminds us about the bands LA origins, and the Imperial Crowns power into cuts from “Hymn Books”, including the almost poppy “Simply Just A Dream”, and “The River” which features some raucous riffs from JJ.

The Imperial Crowns are no ordinary band, there are out to convert you to the church of Jimmie Wood , and this album is their weapon!! Rejoice brothers, and sisters The Imperial Crowns are here to save your soul, and reignite the blues.

So much has been written about Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges that it is almost surprising to find he is relatively speaking still a young man, and with enough raw ability to inherit BB King's crown. In many respects the thing holding him back is knowing in which direction to best harness his talent.

As this album shows he can mesmerise, and frustrate by turns, while at the same time offering delicate moments of real beauty. Eugene of course has a gospel voice that few can equal, and it's a point well worth restating as his vocal performances lie at the core of everything that is good about this album

Eugene is blessed with a soulful style that shifts from pure Sam Cooke and works its through a few inconsequential shuffles, via a handful of meticulously arranged horns parts before eventually leading a path back to the blues

He seems happiest in a soulful mood as on the magnificent Cooke influenced “In Your Arms Tonight” which is pure love song territory that in another era would be a sure fire radio hit. He mellows into a similar grove on the laid back “I Need You”. Curiously the vocal performance on both these cuts is not dissimilar to Steve Miller, and both showcase Eugene 's vocal prowess.

On the down side the material is sometimes a little too stodgy. On “Railroad Line”, there's almost a danger of lyrical cliché, while on “How Can I Win” the song gets stifled by too many horn lines.

Billy Jones's “Tha Bluez” album, deals in a contemporary version of Urban blues. Arrangements are sparse, lyrics are sometimes esoteric, and his guitar playing sporadic to say the least. But Billy Jones offers a rare cocktail of cool, interspersed with low down feel that is prised out in a delicious mix of funky soul and distant blues grooves. On, “I Like It Like That” he delivers a sleazy vocal on one of the album's most sensuous tracks, utilising little more than his voice, piano and bass

It's not until “Deal Wit Da' Devil”, which unashamedly deals with a crack cocaine problem that he employs his guitar. Again the piece is underpinned by thudding bass and beautifully delivered delicate piano lines.

Billy's works a mix of blues and several deep grooves. “At Da' Crossroads” employs a John Fogarty style guitar figure, and is a real southern swampy blues outing, topped by Billy's emotive phrasing.

When Billy does slip into a more straight ahead funky groove on “Ain't Good Lookin'”, he toughens up his vocal delivery to emphasize a different texture.. Few blues albums worthy of the name are as original as this, and fewer still drip with as much feel and emotion. If you are looking for a trail blazing guitar led slice of rock blues, you are listening to the wrong guy, although as on “Barnyard Blues”, Billy does show that he has the chops to burn with the best of them. On cuts like “Breakin Away”, Billy employs another sparse arrangement with the emphasis on voice and percussion and he details the traditional blues subject matter of relationship troubles.

There's enough here to conclude that Billy Jones is easily one of the more interesting proponents of contemporary urban blues.

Slowly but surely Blues Matters has grown as a label that has opened the door to new blues talent in the UK. And in Sean Webster they have unearthed a raw gem. Armed with an expressive husky voice, capable of some world weary phrasing, and a better than confident guitar style, Sean Webster is a rock blues player with a big future.

Above all as this album proves, he is not limited to the Rock Blues format, as he has penned several very strong songs, on which his brusque guitar style is a classy appendage rather than the song's raison d'être.

The album open with an Ian Parker style ballad "Hero" and is followed by a staccato funky arrangement that would grace many a Free/Paul Rogers outing, as the piece expands into an expansive melodic chorus.

As happy playing acoustic as well as electric guitar, both the "Hurting So Bad" and the Paul Weller feel of the closing "Lie To Me", suggest a young artist with a Pop sensibility as well as some core blues roots. And when he does play the blues as on "So Rare", he does so with total conviction and a soulful feeling that is rare in an artist recording his first album.

And it when you realise that Sean has only recently started to record his own material, that you realise the potential he has. With a great voice, a tough but intuitive guitar style, and a willingness to patiently build up the dynamics, "If Only" is a fine debut album from arguably the most exciting new talent to emerge from Nottingham since Ian Siegal.

Here are some audio clips from If Only:	Broadband (CD quality)	Dial-Up (AM radio)
Hero
Mama
So Rare

A must for all fans of fans of the late lamented Storyville, as vocalist Malford Milligan "Rides Again". Unfortunately he's opted for a soul set full of rather dull and obvious covers. That said Malford has the kind of voice that makes light of taking on material such as Wilson Pickett's "These Arms of Mine" and makes it into something more personal. On, "Blow Wind Blow" he seems to actually revel in the big band arrangement, but this is quickly followed by a very pedestrian horn led, "Today I Started Loving You Again".

Malford sounds more comfortable on the self penned, stripped down, small combo number "Ain't Nobody", and he belatedly rocks out on "Stingy", completely with snappily arranged horns.

At times he sounds like Delbert McLinton which is no bad thing, but in spite of an enjoyable effort, Malford is surely capable of something more exciting.

Another SoCa outfit, the Stoney Curtis Band are the stuff of bulldozer riffs, the mightiest drum sound you ever heard, and are a power house guitar led blues rock trio. I'm not sure where the concept of Acid Blues came from as the down side to this full-on set is some very clichéd lyrics, about Evil Women, Trains, Bullets etc. But that said, drummer Charles Glover and bass player Colby Smith lay down a rock solid groove for guitarist Stoney to conjure up some of the most mesmerising guitar licks.

At times he sounds like Joe Gooch from Ten Years After, with an awesome tone while on other occasions there's stunning fiery interplay between the band that belies the fact they are a trio. The band rock out mercilessly and on a straight forward blues work out like "Crashing Down Like Thunder" Stoney wrings out every last note and drummer Glover punctuates the lyrics with an extra few beats for emphasis

On the instrumental "Mulholland Shuffle", Curtis gives full reign to his abilities, and yes we are talking one very hot guitarist. Listen to this album, watch this space for further developments and watch the sparks fly as Stoney Curtis is on fire.