Carl Sonny Leyland Meets The Joel Paterson Trio (USA)
A Chicago Session
Ventrella 5001
© Ventrella Records 2008

An informal session of blues, hot jazz and boogie woogie classics featuring the piano and vocals of Carl Sonny Leyland and the guitar of Joel Paterson

Carl Sonny, Leyland piano, vocals
Joel Paterson, guitar
Beau Sample, upright bass
Alex Hall, drums.

Original liner notes for "A Chicago Session":

"A Chicago Session" was recorded one Monday in December '07 on location at "Bernie's Place"- a scenic jazz hot spot overlooking Lake Shore Drive. At the grand piano, Carl Sonny Leyland turned this relaxed setting into an afternoon rent party, cutting a swinging small group session of classic blues, hot jazz and pure boogie woogie.

Carl is accompanied by the versatile Ventrella Records session men - "The Joel Paterson Trio". This big little band can handle any style of today's popular music. Their repertoire includes traditonal jazz, western swing, country blues, instrumental hits and, when necessary, "rock and roll."

Carl Leyland is from Southampton, England and has settled in Southern California where he fronts The Carl Sonny Leyland Trio and performs as a solo act.

On the drums is Chicago's own Alex Hall, a tasteful and swingin' drummer and a talented recording engineer. Alex sets the levels and the groove for Ventrella Records.

Bassist Beau Sample is from San Antonio, Texas and now makes Chicago his winter home. Beau is a modern day pundit of rhythm, a scholar of slappin' and walkin' the bass. He is the Austin, Texas talent scout, Ventrella's man with an ear to the ground.

Joel Paterson hails from from Madison, Wisconsin and has lived in Chicago for many years, leading his trio and playing guitar and pedal steel with several top Windy City acts. Joel founded Ventrella Records in 2001 and has recently discovered how to release a record.

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Esa Kuloniemi (FINLAND)
The Legend Of Bicycle Bronson
BLR331302
©Bluelight Records 2006

Esa Kuloniemi / electric, acoustic, slide, lap steel & baritone guitars & bass
Gary Primich / harmonica
The Campbell Brothers / steel guitars
Denise Brown / vocals
Sharon Lewis / vocals
Jimmie "Bluesman" Lawson / vocals
Chendrima Haldar / vocals
Aija "Honey B." Puurtinen / vocals & bass

A solo album by one of the legendary Finnish axemen. Featuring: Gary Primich and The Campbell Brothers!

Esa Kuloniemi himself is a cult figure in the Finnish music scene and counted among the Republic’s legendary axmen. As the official Blues Minister of Finland, he has been a part
and parcel of a great many acts. Apart from having filled the guitarist’s mandate in the Helsinki-based band Honey B. & T-Bones ever since 1982, Mr. Kuloniemi started his musician’s career already in the early seventies; a career that has been both uncompromising and logically progressive. Meanwhile, his journey has accommodated musicianship in a rather free musical genre: various blues line-ups, psychedelia and surf
combination with The Hypnomen as well as traveling on many continents. His
blues programs in the Finnish National radio YLE have been an institution for a
quarter of a century.

With his first solo album released in late 2006 Esa Kuloniemi will take you to a
trip via Finnish Lapland and Russian Vladivostok to India, Africa and back to
the United States. His music is a blend of all elements that he has absorbed
during his life and found significant: blues, gospel, primitive folk guitar à la
John Fahey, Finnish gypsy music, jazz, avantgarde guitar styles, Indian
influences, hip hop and psychedelia. He chose several exhilarating acts with guest artists to this album, including The Campell Brothers’ sacred steel group, Austin harmonica ace Gary Primich and Indian musicians; all Esa’s friends from his journey through the Music.

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Egidio Juke Ingala Band feat. Alex Schultz (ITALY / USA)
Drivin' & Jivin'
CD KRBW 67680
© Kayman Records 2002

EGIDIO "JUKE" INGALA - voc/hca,
ALEX SCHULTZ - gtrs
ALBERTO COLOMBO - gtrs,
WALTER TOSIN - bass,
GIO ROSSI - drums.
JÜRGEN MAGIERA - piano

DRIVIN' & JIVIN' won the French Blues Trophy Award as Best European Blues Album on 2002

Another masterpiece from Egidio "Juke" Ingala ! Along with his Californian" friend, the highly gifted guitar virtuoso Alex Schultz, Egidio from Milano, Italia is demonstrating his skills, and superb taste. Rightly, this team's playing the first league of European jump and blues bands. This album features a well-balanced mix of originals and covers. Stylewise, Juke even went a step back in history. Covers by Jimmy Liggins or Tiny Grimes, and the addition of horns on four cuts are nice examples of 1940s and '50s style r&b. But you'll also hear a lot of harmonica, and guitar. Superb! (from Crosscut catalog)

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Egidio Juke Ingala Band (ITALY)
Game's Over
© 2007

Egidio Juke Ingala : Harp , vocals
Alberto Colombo guitar
Alberto Marsico on piano
Walter Tosin on double bass
Gio Rossi on drums

Game’s Over represents the second recording of Egidio Juke Ingala Band on the Italian label Kayman Records, and the fifth official recording for Egidio overall.
Riding the crest of the popularity of two previous CDs released with Alex Schultz, Egidio Ingala recorded this new CD with his road band in the studio really trying for a live sound on this, mainly room mics with lots of ambient, incorporating Swing
into a Blues format. This distinctive style has earned the band the reputation as one of the best blues bands in Europe today.
Game’s Over is comprised of twelve songs, including ten original compositions and two exceptional covers including classics by Tiny Grimes (Frankie and Johnny) and Pee Wee
Crayton (Hurry Hurry), and all twelve songs have been stamped with Egidio's distinctive harp style that draws his inspiration from the Chicago school but add elements of jump Blues and rock 'n' roll into the mix have come up with an exciting new style of West Coast Blues.

The Egidio Juke Ingala has been described as "an absolutely world class unit", and their energetic stage show is always extremely powerful and stimulating. Egidio Juke Ingala is the group's vocalist and harmonica player; Alberto Colombo strokes the guitar; Billy Billiani thumps the bass;and Gio Rossi rounds out the band on drums.

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Little Roger & The Houserockers (UK/GERMANY)
Cut It While It's Hot
TRCD 9934
©Tramp Records 2002

Roger Wade (Vocals, Harmonica)
T-man Michalke (Guitar)
Marion Wade (Piano)
Puck Lensing (Double Bass)
Tom Gerke (Drums)
Marc T (Guitar)
Thomas Feldmann (Saxes)

If you're into 40s and 50s blues, this one is for you. Covering a range of styles, jump, chicago, louisiana and many more, the Houserockers are one of the leading traditional blues bands in Germany. The bandleader and frontman Roger from the UK has been playing in Germany and their neighbouring countries for many years and is one of the leading blues harp players in the area. The band has released three CDs and an EP to date - the last was produced by the great TEE of Electric Kings fame - don't miss it!

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1. Puck's Jive
2. Reelin' and Rockin'
3. Dont' Go No Further
4. I Got Mailed
5. Don't Stay Out All Night
6. I Hear You Knockin'
7. Hold Your Money
8. Somethin's Goin' On In My Room
9. Knock Me A Kiss
10. Hot Tuna Muffins
11. Blues For Otis
12. Nosey Neighbours
13. Red, Red Wine
14. Puck's Bop

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Steve Kozak's WestCoast Blues Revue (USA)
Hoot 'N Holler
SK56001
©Steve Kozak 2007

Steve Kozak , guitar, vocals
Brian McFadyen, harmonica
Dave Webb, keyboards
Trevor Newman, electric bass
James Badger, drums
Ken Wilson, stand-up bass
Jack Lavin, harmonica, back up vocals (producer)
Connie Andersen, back up vocals

Playing some great new originals, jumpin’ west coast classics, and rockin’ roots tunes he is backed by some of the best talent in Western Canada. Steve and his band serve up plenty of toe tappin’, tail shakin’ tunes that keep dance floors filled with smilin’ folks who keep coming back for more.

Steve Kozak and his fabulous West Coast Blues Revue are fast becoming one of western Canada’s premier Blues acts. After somewhat of a setback and absence this past year due to an emergency medical situation Kozak has come back stronger than ever with a renewed appreciation for life and passion for his music

Hot on the heels of his recently released and critically acclaimed new album the Vancouver Canada native, Blues guitarist/singer songwriter is charged up and ready to get things rolling again this year touring and performing tunes from his newest CD Hoot ’N Holler.

For over two decades Kozak has been performing his up-tempo brand of working mans Blues to satisfied audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout his career Steve has shared the stage and played with many Blues greats including; Pee Wee Crayton, Big Joe Duskin, Sonny Rhodes, Eddie ‘The Chief’ Clearwater, Rick Estrin of Little Charlie and The Night Cats, ‘Ice Pick’ James Harman and Rockabilly guitar legend Evan Johns.

In 1999 Steve formed the WESTCOAST BLUES REVUE featuring a tight and solid line up of talented Vancouver Blues musicians who share a keen interest in playing hard hitting authentic Blues. This band delivers red hot swingin’ jump Blues, deep Texas style shuffles and hard rockin’ roots music. Their sound is drenched with plenty of gritty guitar, heartfelt vocals, fat harmonica tones, and a solid and ever steady rhythm section. What you will get from Steve and his band is infectious, soulful and honest, working mans music. “You can feel the drive, dirt and sweat in every note they play and sing whenever you see them perform.” The perfect prescriptions for folks who love to party and dance all night long to some great house rockin’ music!

Steve and his band have recently released his brand new CD entitled ‘Hoot ‘N Holler’. This album is Kozak’s second release and his first featuring almost entirely original material. Ten of the thirteen tracks included were written by Steve with one track being co-written with long time friend and producer Jack Lavin. This new album is a celebration of love, life, survival and good times. It was recorded in a manner to best reflect the energy and feel of a live performance of the band where ever they perform.

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1. Hoot 'N Holler
2. Come By Baby
3. Girl Of My Dreams
4. It Didn't Happen That Way
5. I Just Wanna Be With You
6. You Got Love For Me
7. Rollin' With Brother D
8. Almost Bought The Farm
9. Juiced
10. Right On Time
11. Don't Go No Further
12. You Got To Lose
13. Leavin' Time

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*The new CD Hoot ‘N Holler hit the number one spot on the Top Ten Blues Albums for early December ’07 on play list charts of CFBX 92.5 FM radio in Canada and is receiving critical acclaim in reviews from the media across North America and Europe.

*Dwain ‘The Blues Doctor’ Anderson host of Another Shade of Blues on CJSF 90.1 FM in Vancouver Canada rates Hoot ‘N Holler at #2 in his Top Ten Blues Albums of 2007

*Real Blues Magazine lists Hoot ‘N Holler at #32 in their Top Blues CDs of 2007. *John Valenteyn from the Toronto Blues Society’s Maple Blues Online says of the title track; “it’s an infectious romp that brings Willie “Big Eyes” Smith to mind.” And “…a well-written and arranged little delight it is.”

*Richard ‘Rosy’ Rosenblatt former CEO of Tone Cool Records and currently the president and CEO of the Vizz- tone label group and Tone Cool Productions says; “This is real, honest blues-party music! Tasty musicianship and solid tunes. It's great that there is so much original music on the disc. You don't have to re-invent the wheel, it's all how you spin it.”

*Jerry Hall, top notch record producer and owner, president & CEO of The Pacific Blues Recording Company says; “Steve's new release comes after a long absence due to illness, "Hoot 'n Holler" is a strong return to form featuring some of Western Canada's best players and 10 originals of the13 songs on the CD recorded live in-studio for a natural performance feel and produced by Jack Lavin, Steve has returned strong as ever.”

*The Blues Hound, producer/programmer of KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston Texas says; “Yeah that's the real deal stuff with extra grease.”

*Tom Harrison of The Vancouver Province calls it “Blues that can put a smile on your face.”

*Steve Kozak was recently featured in the winter 2007 issue of Vancouver Lifestyle Magazine as the subject of ‘The People Worth Watching’ section written by Vancouver music icon Lindsay Mitchell. (Former guitarist from the legendary Canadian Rock bands, Prism and The Seeds of Time.)

K.T. & Midnight Cannonball (GERMANY)
Knock Me A Kiss
RBR 5614
© Rhythm Bomb Records 2005

1950s style jump blues at its best.

Swing, shuffle, mambo, beguine and second lining?

Every one of these words has to be in the mix if you want to try and describe all the different grooves on this CD. But such is the case when a band feels at home in the wide range of rhythms of the Afro-American culture. Heike and Alex have got the reins so firmly in their hands for all of these rhythms that they would win first prize at any rodeo in the Southern states.
Kay plays a very neat harp (whether electric or acoustic), his unpretentious, perfectly sung intonation is simply genuine and does not sound like a bad re-import from Mississippi.
David takes us all on a journey to the top spots of the blues guitar. The West Side Chicagos can be heard on "V 8 Ford", Los Angeles welcomes us in T-Bone Walker's "Glamour Girl" and we are swept off to the wide plains of Texas in "Tell Me Why". But as a guitarist myself, I am impressed the most by the eloquent and agile accompanying guitar when Kai is taking center stage. That really is excellent and is too easily overlooked. Just listen to the backings on "Saturday Night Fish Fry".

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