“Pilgrimage” is easily the best blues genre album of the year, delivering brilliant playing, great songs and real moments of inspiration.

Blues Caravan breathes fresh life into the blues genre but is not trapped by it, as the quality of the songs are an integral component of a cracking set.

Take three young Euro talents, fly them to America’s deep south - for sessions in Mississippi and Memphis - throw in a template created some two decades before by the Alligator records’ late 80s “Showdown” meeting of Robert Cray, Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland, and you have the perfect ingredients from which to derive the very best performances of these three major talents.

The songs drip raw emotion, the interplay comes from a cutting edge frisson, and the whole project is infused by a rare dynamic.

Aynsley's “1010 degrees” opens the album with a big toned guitar frenzy with Aynsley and Erja taking the first two verses, and for the rest there's a superb balance of rocking blues, and down home acoustic efforts.

Finnish guitarist Erja Lyytinen adds some sumptuous slide parts, while Aynsley fulfils his considerable potential throughout.

Ian Parker meanwhile, adds characteristic grit and passion particularly on “Heal Me Love”. Erja even delivers an unlikely rap in a broad Finnish accent on “Blues Caravan” but pulls the whole thing off with a lovely belated vocal break. She similarly impresses in a duet with Ian on the ballad “Last Love Song”, while the Albert Collins/James Solberg sounding 'Too Much to Hide', complete with some stinging guitar licks is an excellent shuffle.

In an age where a few fiery guitar licks passes for raw talent, let me push you in the direction of one of the very best albums of the year that will appeal to rock and blues fans alike.

It's rare for an independent label band to have such a prodigious song-writer as Roadhouse leader/guitarist Gary Boner, but with "Broken Land" the band's 9th album, he has surpassed even his previous excellent efforts.

The key to Roadhouse's Americana road anthems resides in some excellent pre production planning with Gary's mid range vocals being bolstered two female singers. Fiona McElroy, and Mandy G switch from bv's to lead vocals in a rip roaring set that straddles Rock, Blues and Americana.

The opening Jefferson Airplane sounding "White Water" is a classy slice of West Coast rock while another album highlight is the Dylan inflected "Redemption Song". The barnstorming title track belies its dark imagery with a searing chorus full of superb slide guitar.

In short, this album is crammed full of magical moments. And while there is a dip into the Dylan catalogue for "All Along The Watch Tower" - complete with a lovely sax solo - and Mandy's tour de force, "Knocking On Heavens Door", it is the original songs that really stand out.

Listen to the anthemic "Last Train Home", and you are put in mind of classic Southern rock, while the biting irony of "Pulp Fiction 2" brings with it a sonic dimension not unlike Amon Duul2.

But for the most part "Broken Land " is a cd full of great playing with some lovely slide from Canadian Drew Barron, killer songs from Gary Boner and the kind of exuberant choruses that in a previous age would have generated even more radio play than the band have already enjoyed.

It's a good month for Ruf records who have released some excellent material of late. This live BA album is a case in point, being arguably Bernard's best album.

For one thing it's refreshing to realise that this is a live album that faithfully reflects the band's live show.

Son of the late great Luther Allison, Bernard takes a giant step out of the shadows on a two CD set that is packed full of his deep toned guitar signatures, most notably on the self penned album highlight 'The Way Love Was Meant to Be', and the subtle promptings on Luther's anthem 'Bad Love'.

The band provides excellent support throughout with the exceptional drummer Andrew Thomas and bass man Jassen Wilber constructing a potent mixture of funky grooves, cool blues and sizzling shuffles to which Bernard adds some searing solos.

And if Bernard is a little OTT with his funky groove that suits his Johnny Guitar Watson style vocals as on "Too Cool" - there are other highlights including Luther's epic "A Change Must Come'". Ironically another notable highlight is an ode to his late dad, "Don't Be Confused". But in paying due homage to Luther, Bernard is merely paying his respects to a blues immortal whose son is doing just fine in his own right, as "Energized" thrillingly proves.

It's not often a keyboard album makes it this high in my play list, but in Public Symphony there is a winning blend of swooping melodies, wistful choruses and fine Colin Blunstone style vocals from Dobs Vye and his keyboard playing partner James Reynolds.

The album is a mix of the 70's (Blunstone vocal style throughout and Pink Floyd on "Touch"), the 80's in Tears For Fears meets The Korgis and Coldplay in terms of the contemporary music. But in truth there are a hand full of classic efforts here that set the band above their contemporaries.

The opening "Wings" sets the standard as Dobs delivers his emotive lines very deliberately over accompanying keyboard generated strings, while the piano led chords of the single "Stronger" has a simplicity that hits home before giving into Dob's soaring vocal line. "Touch" is as good as it gets with sweeping vocals, a blinding chorus and some Pink Floyd bv's, while "Rise & Shine" is a clever musical representation of the lyrics.

Unbelievably this band is unsigned but with a few killer singles in the pipeline and a brace of audio-visual projects underway, Public Symphony is a name to watch out for.

Hailing from Bo Diddley's home of McComb, Mississippi, it can be argued Omar Dykes is the most authentic sounding white boy blues practitioner alive. 'Bamboozled' his third live album is recorded in Germany and is a typical down to earth Omar effort full of a lifetime's intuitive deep blues feel.

Omar took the Diddley beat, the Wolf growl and a penchant for some steely riffs and headed for the hot bed of Austin Texas in 1976. The result was he broke on to the international blues scene, most notably with the lyrically biting and deeply ironic 'Hard Times in the Land of Plenty', which is included here.

"Bamboozled" is his best live effort, comprising swinging shuffles as on the title track, some full tilt boogie on his ode to John Lee Hooker "Boogie Man", some deep blues on "East Side Blues" and of course the Diddley beat on "Magic Man", and "Wall of Pride". Omar adds some sparse but gnawing riffs and telling chord changes. He tops the lot with a voice that is imbued with all the feel and resonance of his southern upbringing.

There's some powerful stripped down blues - "South Congress Blues" - and a moving dedication to his late wife on the autobiographical "Muddy Springs Road".

Omar is real quite simply the real deal, raw uncluttered blues. "Bamboozled" is an apt title for a compelling live blues set.

Popa Chubby is a curious musical phenomenon. While looking as if he fronts the toughest Grunge/heavy metal outfit in town, his music belies his image being a bluesy guitar driven slice of urban funk blues, with a handful of killer hooks to boot.

In short Chubby refuses to kow tow to contemporary fashion. He thinks nothing of linking rapped out lyrics with sizzling slide guitar as on the opening "Slide Devil Man Slide", or in the case of "Smugglers Blues' fusing Rap with a catchy chorus that might just garner him Euro radio play.

Chubby delivers some tough urban funk on "Ride On", and adds a country feel to his "Young Guns" story and he even covers a spiritual on "In This World", and throws in a reworked Jimi Hendrix "Bold as Love".

Eclectic is probably the best term to describe this set. On "Buffalo Chips" his country picking vibe could almost have come from the Grateful Dead early career, while "Preacher Man" is a sumptuous slide number that neatly juxtaposes some delicate guitar work with his gruff voice. The closing instrumental "The Devils Guitar" is a heavied up kind of Ventures tune.

Poppa Chubby is larger than life, a good guitarist, a musical dabbler with a bunch of songs that contain dark narratives, but compelling hooks that have made him a star in France; the UK awaits with bated breath.

Tommy Allen is still in his early 20's but has already made an impact since his teens with a precocious guitar style on the blues circuit, so it comes as something of surprise to realise that "Fade To Black" is a full on rocking set, but none the worse for that.

Stripped down to a power trio Tommy revels in his role as an unreconstructed rocker in the company of the excellent rhythm section of Barry Pethers on bass and Craig Bacon on drums. Trafficker set about their songs with gusto and Tommy's fiery guitar licks pepper out and out rockers like "It Don't Matter", "You've Got The Stuff", and the aspirational "Be The Best".

There are some nice guest turns as well with Gary Moore's Vic Martin adding some cool keys on the tortured dynamic of "It's Not You Baby", which opens with some guitar and sax double lines courtesy of Steve Jones. Guest cellist Kate Harding also broadens the sonic palette on the ballad "Falling Back To You".

There's another full blown rocker in the shape of "Rock & Roll Superstar", a thinly veiled reworking of Rock Derringer's, "Rock & Roll Hoochie Coo", but containing enough swagger to suggest that Trafficker can spar with the best of them in their new found rocking guise.

Die-hard fans of Southside Johnny/Bruce Springsteen almost certainly already know about Bocci aka Tony Amato, the larger than life keyboard playing vocalist/band leader and New Jersey legend. Together with the fiery guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Walton, Boccigalupe & the Bad Boys have kept the New Jersey Club scene alive with some incendiary performances and more recently a couple of welcome ground breaking UK tours.

The opening "I Cant Take It" finds the core of the band rocking out over Billy's licks, while Bocci himself adds a cool mellow vibe on "Some Kind of Fun"- a keyboard led number that sounds very live in the studio'. Walton's "Half Mile" is soulful New Jersey soul rock and Tony's keyboard led "We Stand on Our Own" is the kind of thunderous rock beloved by many of the band's Jersey contemporaries. Billy roars away on the big band soul stomp arrangement of "Don't wash Away My Sins", and for a soul outing there's some killer guitar playing from a heavy weight in the making. "Can't Forget About You" is a vocal duet with Billy and Tony churning out an infectious sixties style pop drama predicated on a strong hook.

Given the band's killer horn section of Pete Maureron trombone, Louongo on trumpet and Tommy Labella on sax, the band seem uncertain as to whether they wish to remain a killer soul band or a stripped down core rock and roll band. Either way would be fine but as the infectious "Dance On" and "Lemons" shows they really are excellent with the full line-up. The closing anthem "Holy Lightning is the perfect set closer, a great performance from a great band.

Yeah another upside down left handed black psychedelic blues rocker, and good though he is, Eric Gales is by no stretch of the imagination Hendrix.

That said, this Memphis born guitar cruncher is undoubtedly influenced by the likes of Cream and Hendrix, and Eric is soon to be found blissing away over a funky groove on "Are You My Friend". He ploughs his own heavy groove and if that's your bag he has much to recommend. There's an undoubted early 70's British blues-rock feel to much of the material. Listen for example to "I Don't Want You Hangin' Around", with its funky grooves and heavy duty guitar attack, and only the contemporary harsh drum sound gives a clue as to the date of its recording.

Eric is without doubt a groove player, and in that respect there is a Hendrix connection but this powerhouse trio are to be more accurately regarded as gloriously retro rather than innovative. There's even a feverish cover of Joe South's "Hush" and some cool blues on "Freedom from My Demons" to flesh out the connections.

The title track is perhaps a close as you get to Eric's real forte, being a sledgehammer riff led piece of psychedelic rock, complete with the late 60's sounding bv's. It almost puts you in mind of a heavy Arthur Lee. Guitar players will love this cd as will Rock Blues fans of a certain age. Tune in and bliss out!

A true Texas troubadour Bugs Henderson is a real trooper whose musical CV covers nearly 40 years in a career that has seen him become a Texas Guitar Master who has found further appreciation in German, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.

The title track is a slow burner that sees Bugs building up a lovely solo over the changes. His playing style is warm, full toned and uncluttered and above all unhurried just like his persona.

"Hold The Line" has a Delbert Mclinton rootsy feel, while the humorous country hop feel of "Tom's Trip To Texas" is the kind of song Bugs delights in talking about on the his unique closing album track.

As in much of his work, it's the little guitar vignettes that impress without any real need for blazing solo's. On the beautiful love song "(The Whole World) Sighs", Bugs delivers a weary road tested vocal nicely counter pointed by some delicate guitar notes, and on "The Train Song (Lord's Prayer)" he adds a characteristic Texas style Rap, and he even finds time to duet with Billy Joe Shaver on "Wish I Could Write Like Billy Joe" And while the mood is undoubtedly mellow, there is a feeling of an artist at work, painting his aural canvas. By the time of the closing groove that is "Shadow of the Rose", the picture is nearly complete, with just enough time for a few more telling guitar lines, and of course his closing explanatory track. Great stuff.