A contestant on the US version of “The Voice”, Nakia, sings blues at The Saxon Pub in Austin, Texas. http://youtu.be/r2CmmCMHals  

Tracks: Bad Is Bad / Lonely Avenue / Hoochie Coochie Man North West favourites, The Hexmen, have a new three-track maxi single available now. Fronted by George Hexman on vocals and harmonica, the band also comprise: Doc Crilly (guitar), Noz Easterbrook (bass) and Wayne Dangerous (drums). The three tracks are a ‘snapshot’ of their high-energy [...]

Great little piece on the In A Blue Mood blog about the late Texas bluesman, Juke Boy Bonner, perhaps best known for The Fabulous Thunderbirds cover of his “Runnin’ Shoes”. http://inabluemood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/juke-boy-bonner-lived-life-of-ghetto.html Here’s Bonner’s original “Runnin’ Shoes”: http://youtu.be/gPlu-0Ae2c4 Here’s the afore-mentioned T-Birds cover: http://youtu.be/ApiQW3w2wpA

Billy Walton Band – Crank It Up! (Mystic Records: MYS CD 208) From Asbury Park, New Jersey, the Billy Walton Band have been regular visitors to the UK since 2007, and initially toured on the back of their excellent “Neon City” debut album, which blended a hard rock style with some classic home area soul [...]

miXendorp – Black & Tan Edits (Digital download only) Here’s a new release from Black & Tan records boss, Jan Mittendorp, wearing his miXendorp ‘hat’ . . . . he introduces it by saying, “The blues used to be party music; now it can be played again at the hippest modern parties, festivals and clubs [...]

Here’s a great little jam shot recently in France, with Canadian guitarist and singer JW-Jones sitting in with Alex Schultz and Raphael Wressnig. Look out for reviews of new albums featuring all three here soon. http://youtu.be/P6zFgjwXmJU

Dance Hall Pimps – Beast For Love (Lakeshore Records: LKS342352) From the striking album cover, to the band name, apperance, and the lavish press kit supplied, the Dance Hall Pimps package screamed out for attention. What we have with the band is an outfit that defy any normal genre, with the music touching all bases, [...]

Sad to report the death of the influential guitarist Bert Weedon, at the age of 91. The man who brought out the legendary guitar tutorial, “Play In A Day”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17781762 http://youtu.be/7NCKe6ZZOhg

RIP to the great Levon Helm, drummer and vocalist with The Band, who has passed away today, aged 71, following a long battle with cancer. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/arts/music/levon-helm-drummer-and-singer-dies-at-71.html http://youtu.be/feEBEpDLTKI

Sir Trev was in Mississippi and Tenessee last night on his “The Mighty Mississippi with Sir Trevor McDonald” programme. Although factually suspect and a bit lightweight, we should always be happy when the blues gets some prime time attention. See shots of downtown Clarksdale and Ground Zero Blues Club.  Then Sun Studios and Beale Street [...]

A great article on the wonderful Jon Cleary.   Jon Cleary: All By Myself :: OffBeat :: New Orleans and Louisiana Music, Food, and Art News.

JJ Grey And Mofro – Brighter Days (Alligator Records: ALCD 4944) JJ Grey’s first ever live DVD/CD two-disc set has been out for a little while now, but it would be criminal to overlook it . . . capturing him and Mofro live, in full flight at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia on 22nd [...]

The lineup of the Worthenbury Festival has been announced. You can download the flyer here. www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/Media/flyer2012.pdf

There are still some tickets left for this coming week’s Buddy Whittington gig at the Band on the Wall, Manchester. http://bandonthewall.org/events/3385/ http://youtu.be/gbIAmTHSkiY

Legendary tenor saxophone player Andrew Love has passed away at the age of 70. Together with trumpet player Wayne Jackson they were The Memphis Horns who played on most of the great Stax recordings, as well as working with the likes of Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond and Al Green, to name but a few. They [...]

Musically speaking, the juke is the most important place in the world. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57410403/musical-history-of-the-blues-found-in-juke-joints/ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57410403/musical-history-of-the-blues-found-in-juke-joints/