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| National Women In Blues"Volume 1" Jomar Records BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © November, 2007 This project has had me excited from the very first minute I was asked to be involved with it. Working with MICHELE SEIDMAN at "THE NATIONAL WOMEN IN BLUES FESTIVAL" and SCOTT THORNTON at JOMAR RECORDS, has been an absolute pleasure. Being asked to write the liner notes for the "NATIONAL WOMEN IN BLUES" CD was one of the biggest thrills that the blues has bestowed upon me. Now I get to savor the thrill even further, by sharing my thoughts about the music with all of you. Man, it just doesn't get any better than this for this over zealous blues fan. "NATIONAL WOMEN IN BLUES" is a compilation CD that includes sixteen original tracks by sixteen different, astounding, women in blues. These women are talented singers, talented songwriters, talented musicians and on top of that, they all have looks as well. I guess this is what it means to have it all goin' on. In order to be fair to all of these lovely ladies, and more importantly - because each and every track certainly rates recognition, I'm going to say something about all the songs. Having said that, let's start talking about the "NATIONAL WOMEN IN BLUES". The disc opens with SANDY ATKINSON sexily telling someone to "LET YOUR HAIR DOWN BABY".....and fool around with me. Typically, words a man does not need to be told twice. This one features great vocals and guitar by SANDY and lots of rockin' by a great rhythm section. On the next track, PATTY BENSON sings about how it took "2,666 MILES" to get over him. Hmmm, ya can't help but wonder if the 666 mile part of the trip is any indication as to how devilish this character really was. Lots of great horns and a hot organ backing up PATTY and her vibrant vocals. JULIE BLACK sings about what it takes to "LOVE THIS MOMMA", and the sultriness with which it's sung makes you want to do just that. This beautifully delivered track is highlighted by a constant and soft organ in the background with very smooth and precise piano playing. Good stuff right here. The funksters and the dancers will absolutely love "ON MY WAY", by KELLY DEES. This one's got a totally frantic and funkified jam thing going on. Let the party begin. NICOLE HART belts out some seriously soulful and very bluesy vocals on "THINK ABOUT LOVE". She really gets to show her broad and versatile range on this lovely ballad. This one's also highlighted by more great organ and guitar work. "ASK YOUR MAN", by PAT HUNTER is a great rhythm and blues number that's nice and heavy on the blues. PAT'S strong vocals are nicely supported by several very good back up singers. The blues guitar on this one is some of the best on the disc. If you've ever strolled the side streets of the French Quarter and wandered into one of those obscure joints that didn't have a sign out front but did have a bar and a piano inside, then one listen to "MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUES", by SOPHIE KAY, will bring you right back to that joint. Great Nawlin's style vocals and piano on this one. "WATCH ME WORK IT", is ANDREA MARR'S contribution to the project. Having already had the pleasure of reviewing her disc of the same title, I knew what I was in for here. ANDREA displays lots of attitude on this strong vocal effort backed up by great organ and guitar work. OCTAVIA belts out the blues from the gut on "SERVICE CALL". This one is good old raunchy blues at it's best. Hot, rippin' raw guitar, harmonica and vocals highlight one of the discs real smokers. As LARA PRICE gets driven "CRAZY", she tells about it in this slow and soulful ballad. Exceptional vocals and outstanding low down and dirty blues guitar make this one the best. Eight minutes in length also makes it that much more pleasurable 'cause this is the kinda stuff you can listen to for hours on end. PEGGY RATUSZ musically and vocally paints a very soothing, passionate and sensual picture as she sings about being on a "SEXUAL HIGH". Trust me on this one, this sultry mood setting music is not intended to be listened to while typing a review. "CHEATING ON ME", by SUZANNE THOMAS, is a nice blend of soul, R&B and funk. It features some of the discs best rhythm and has possibly one of the discs best guitar solos. "THAT'S A PRETY GOOD LOVE" is a jumpin' jazzed up tune done by someone who's name you just may hear mentioned at this years Blues Music Awards - GINA SICILIA. Great baritone sax and percussion work highlight this track. SARAH LEMIEUX is cooking up a "BLUES STEW". Just a few of the ingredients she's using are sass, soul and sultry - all in abundant amounts. Great vocals, guitar and possibly the discs best drum work highlight this one. MICHELE SEIDMAN, The "WOMEN IN BLUES FESTIVAL" organizer herself, sings about something I am all too familiar with and easily relate to - "MIDDLE AGED BONES". As MICHELE points out, "they may look good on the outside, but it feels so bad inside". And I can't agree more with her claim that they "creek and they moan". This one's good ol' rockin' blues. MICHELE LUNDEEN, or to those of us who know her better - the "QUEEN OF STEAM", seems to be "STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN". Simply said, this track kicks ass. MICHELE has one of the most powerful voices in the blues today and she's got the confidence to back it up. Having already done a review of her CD titled "SONG INSIDE ME", I was looking forward to hearing this one. Top notch accompanying musicians add to the quality of this one. MICHELE SEIDMAN and SCOTT THORNTON should be very proud of themselves and deserve tremendous recognition for there efforts. MICHELE for being THE woman in THE WOMEN IN BLUES FESTIVAL and SCOTT @ JOMAR RECORDS for putting out - which more than likely will be this years best compilation CD - "NATIONAL WOMEN IN BLUES". Below are the links to everyone involved with this project. Please stop by and check them out. While your there, pick up some of their products and don't be shy - tell them Pete the Blewzzman sent ya'. |
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It's with great pleasure to announce that Jomar Records has "teamed up" with the National Women in Blues Organization (WiB). We are dedicated to preserving and promoting the Women in Blues.
Congratulations to ALL the artists. Ya'll kick butt!
For Immediate Release 8-21-2007 Press Release: 2nd National Women in Blues Festival
This year’s headliners are well-known to blue’s lovers worldwide. Friday night, November 2nd sees none other than the Georgia Songbird and six time Blues Music Award nominee, EG Kight. Her music has been on the Billboard charts and she has shared the stage with notables like; Taj Mahal, Delbert McClinton, Phoebe Snow, and Merle Haggard. Saturday night, November 3rd headliner is Deanna Bogart, who will be coming fresh from the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, sharing the stage with Tommy Castro Band, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and Magic Dick. Deanna also was nominated as Best Instrumentalist for the 2007 Blues Music Awards. She will be appearing at the National Women in Blues Festival with The Deanna Bogart Band. Blues women from around the country will appear on this Festival’s stage, including artists from the West Coast like Lara Price and Laura Chavez, Suzanne Thomas and the Event founder and coordinator, Michele Seidman (of Michele & The Midnight Blues) is pleased to announce the addition of a compilation CD, in conjunction with JoMar Records. The artists chosen are as far away as Tickets will be available through the web site starting September 1st, 2007 ($20 each night or $30 for the weekend pass). For blues lovers and music fans of every age, this is an event not to miss. Compilation CDs will be available at the Festival and soon online. |
Michele and the Midnight Blues formed in 2000 out of CFBS blues jams in Wilmington NC. Since that time they have lived up to the motto that Blues is more than cry in your beer music. They have entertained through the South East to ever growing crowds and made it to the 2006 International Blues Challenge. Since that time, their original music has started to air on blues shows all over the world. Their song "Middle Aged Bones" has gotten a lot of airplay as more stations request hard copy to spin. The lead singer Michele Seidman has been called a singer with 'pathos'. Tunes written by her and her guitar player Madison Bunting show a great range of blues styles and very often a upbeat positive spin on those hard times that make for great blues songs. Their soon to be released CD "Sunshine Baby" has been a true labor of love for the genre and includes guests artist Dick Smith (formerly Earth Wind and Fire, Kenny Loggins) and a new song written by John Bingham (aka The Soul of John Black). This new CD will be released before the end of 2007 making it their 3rd CD in as many years. Michele and the Midnight Blues love to entertain making them 'Wildly popular" in their region. As they continue to grow and write they hope to gain new blues fans along the journey. |
I've been singing as long as I can remember. My Mom had me on stage in church when I was five. She gave me my first guitar when I was 14 and I started writing. In 1994 I moved to I'm excited and very honored to be a part of the WIB compilation CD and I look forward to hearing and meeting more Women in Blues. |
Georgia-native Kelly Dees has always loved all kinds of music. She grew up singing and writing, learned to play piano, and played trumpet for several years in school. As she got older, she realized she had a true passion for the blues. After settling in In 2004, working closely with producer Mike Conway of MCR Studio in Released in November 2006, Bettin' Woman has received favorable reviews in Blues Revue, Suncoast Blues Society's Twelve Bar Rag, and The Phoenix Blues Society's Blues Bytes. One song from her album was also chosen to appear on a compilation CD for National Women in Blues (WiB), for which Kelly feels especially honored. Bettin' Woman is an all-original blues album, but it also appeals to fans of funk, jazz and R&B. There are even a couple of gospel-inspired songs on the full-length CD. Tom Hyslop of Blues Revue writes, " Kelly is now writing the songs that will appear on her follow-up album. To quote one of her songs, "Blues Sister", she's "decided to stick around." |
A real deal blues guitarist and vocalist, I'm no stranger to the blues. Life for me started out as an abandoned biracial child in I began studying organ at the age of six and as fate would have it I was given my first lesson and introduction to the organ by the great Jimmy Smith. My parents bought me countless Jimmy Smith records to encourage me, but I had great interest in the "other" Jimi which was constantly blasting by my older brothers. I grew up in My biggest influences on the guitar were Buddy Guy and Prince but I also gave my love equally to Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, T-Bone Walker, Gary Moore, and especially Stevie Ray Vaughn. As fate would play its hand again, a friend introduced me to Ernie Isley who gave me some critical one on one with my beloved instrument. Vocally I never felt my voice was good enough to sing but I was always listening to the first ladies of blues, Bettye LaVette, KoKo Taylor, Etta James and Big Mama Thornton whose vocal deliveries played over and over in my head. After leading and playing in numerous bands, the last one being A Taste of Honey, where I doubled on guitar and bass; I decided it was time for me do my original music and return to the blues. |
Momma Sarah loves music. When she was a girl, she used to sit on her daddy's lap while he banged out old blues tunes on the piano. In the other room, her momma would be playing eerie French folk songs or winding Celtic reels on the guitar. The music that grew in Sarah from these strange old seeds sprouted wild and new, blues-driven but with a harmonic twist. |
Julie Black is one the most exciting new female vocalists in the Blues & Jazz genres. She’s also an extremely talented songwriter/storyteller who delivers her tales with power, finesse and passion. Her songs reflect a passion for Blues while incorporating flavors of other musical genres. The result is a signature sound all her own. Julie, who now lives in the Tampa Bay Area, has been singing since she was a small child growing up in the rural area of 2007 marked the release of Julie Black's debut album: Call Me Angel for Blues, released under indie label BOJA. Truly a creative feat, it features all original music and art by Julie. The CD was produced, mixed & engineered by Bob Langford and mastered by Rodney Mills, both music veterans who have worked with a multitude of legendary artists. Julie is a prolific songwriter who finds inspiration everywhere. She has written more than 500 songs, and is creating more daily. At the heart of every line is emotion. Julie’s music snatches up your soul, pulls at your heart and leaves you shaken. This is music you can feel! A dynamic vocalist, Julie commands your attention with deep & powerful tones one minute, then seduces you with velvety steam-soaked sounds the next. She performs with a collection of very talented musicians, each of them artists in their own right. Creativity abounds, accented by their diverse musical backgrounds. Together, they perform with one thought in mind; "We Spreadin' the Blues, Baby!" |
Nicole Hart & The NRG Band is the natural progression in the evolution of Blues, Funk, Soul & R&B, aggressively combining a seductive, exciting, funky feel with the soulful nuances of The Blues. Under the direction of producer, arranger, and keyboardist Nicole Hart (Lead Vocals) "Don't let Her impressive resume includes work with a variety of music greats such as Harry Belafonte, Billy Joel & Michael Bolton as well the distinction of being hand chosen by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Shirley Alston to become the first ever white singer for the R&B supergroup, The Shirelles. Straddling the diverse musical terrain as defined by such icons as Susan Tedeschi, Janiva Magness, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, & Janis Joplin, Nicole's timeless, powerful, intoxicating voice is beautifully soul-sweet ~ silky, then gritty ~ classic, yet absolutely contemporary, & she is renowned for her electrifying stage presence. Nicole originally hails from |
Andrea Marr has been described as “a pint sized powerhouse of the blues!” This Sri- Lankan born Australian resident is a truly one of a kind act in Australian blues as she combines raunchy, soulful blues with a gospel edge. Andrea has been singing the blues for only the past 8 years and in that time she has won many awards for her work. Her album “Sassified” won her the 2002 Female Blues Artist of the Year Award at the VIC/TAS Blues Awards, she won the coveted title of Blues Performer of the Year 2005 which saw her representing Australia at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee in Jan 2006 and has won many awards and accolades for her new cd “Watch Me Work It”. A seasoned live performer with a killer band behind her, Andrea brings raw passion and great delivery to all her performances. |
I’m under the radar but on top of my game; something I’m not afraid to say now that I’ve got an AARP card. Pushing up around 50 but not yet daisies, I’ve been around a long time and I’ve still got a long way to go. It’s with great pride and pleasure that I’ve shared stages from Ohio to Arizona, from Texas to North Carolina, with a plethora of outstanding humans who happened to also be musicians. A bunch of people, from Music Reviewers to the bride’s father’s uncle, have complimented me for having a great set of pipes and assured pen. It does my heart and self esteem good to hear such nice things. My There’s only one thing better then getting paid to do my passion. I quote myself when I say, making my dreams come true, is what I was sent here to do. Thanks for the listen. “She drips with soul styling, and wrings the blues out of every single syllable.” Peggy covers a lot of vocal ground; from soft highs to raunchy belts all within the context of her bawdy, heartfelt, thoughtful lyrics. …her beautiful voice captures you by the throat while her way of singing is truly remarkable. She draws phrases together and can at once express temptation, desire, sadness and anger...a vocal dream” |
Philadelphia's own Gina Sicilia began singing at the age of three and hasn't stopped since. Exposed to music early on by her parents, Gina grew up listening to Doo-Wop and the music of the 50's & 60's. Upon hearing blues legend Bobby Bland for the first time at the age of 14, she was instantly enthralled by the raw emotion and power of blues & soul. After years of polishing her vocal and songwriting skills, she began singing in clubs around the Philadelphia area, and began performing at such acclaimed venues as Warmdaddy's, Steel City Coffee House, AJ's Blue Thursdays, Scotland Yard and the Bluetone Café. More than just a throwback to the great blues & soul vocalists of the 50's & 60's, Gina uniquely separates herself from the pack of current vocalists with a style that is neither forced nor cliché. Now 22, this soulful, passionate blues vocalist and songwriter has recently released her debut album under SwingNation records and the VizzTone Music Group. Entitled "Allow Me To Confess", this project had been a long time in the making. has received rave reviews in various music publications. BluesMatters! says "it is one of the best debut albums they have heard in a while", while JazzReview.com brands her as possibly being "the best blues singer on the music scene today". As a songwriter, Gina has proven herself to have a deep understanding of American roots music, as well as the ability to compose music that perfectly suits her unique persona. Her expertly crafted songs pay homage to the great roots music of the past, which has inspired Gina throughout the years, and now comes full circle to help her create her own distinct voice in this American art form. |
MISbHAVIN! With Pat Hunter & Danny Kean As Stated by Newsday’s music critic Rafer Guzman, “Hunter’s deep down vocal power and Kean’s versatile keyboards (he can mimic anything from a full horn section to the nagging jingle of a cell phone) are tough to beat.” MISbHAVIN’s history has been as eventful as their performances. Founded in October 2003 by blind Keyboardist/ Singer songwriter Danny Kean, and smoking hot Blues Diva, Pat Hunter. Kean, a gifted piano player from young age, had by 18 become one of In their 4 years together the band has garnered many achievements both collectively and individually. MISbHAVIN! was named “Best Blues Band on |
Octavia was born and raised in Phila. PA. Her stage experience and music career began at age five in |
A powerful, soulful and mesmerizing singer/songwriter, Michele Lundeen has an energetic style truly her own. Reaching into the audience with emotional vocals and body language, she’s been dubbed “The Queen of Steam” for her electrifying vocal and stage presence –– Michele Lundeen indeed commands attention. A respected performer for years in Northern Nevada and Southern California, this San Diego, CA based artist has shared stages with nationally known blues and rock artists while gaining a reputation as a talented headliner in her own right. She’s a multiple San Diego Music Awards “Best Blues” nominee and represented Growing up in Michele has also been immersed in the blues scene as a longtime editor (Blues Festival Guide a KBA recipient, Reno Blues Society, Blues Lovers United of San Diego) and a presenter for Blues In The Schools. As an entertainer and a mentor, she believes that music can have a dynamic, positive impact on people’s lives at many levels |
Sophie Kay (née Kertesz) started to sing at 15 and picked up the guitar at 18, with a tablature book. Her family -originally from Hungary- moved to Australia and France, right before and after World War II. Sophie spent part of her early childhood in Africa, where she first heard music. Her mum, -a french lady from Alsace- was fond of Edith Piaf, Maurice Chevalier, Gilbert Becaud & Charles Aznavour. In the early 60’s the Kertesz family re-located near Paris, France. Sophie witnessed the big change that rock’n’ roll & twist craze brought to french pop music. Suddenly even the national radio started to play songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Joan Baez & many more. Sophie joined her first band while still in high school and formed her own band shortly after she graduated. A friend show her the fingerpickin’ technique and Sophie got into Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson & Blind Willie McTell. Her other big passion was acting. She started takin’ lessons at 16 and she got her first role in a play the next year. Still in her teens she moved to London, in the early 70’s, to take dance and music lessons. In 1974 she teamed-up with David Plimmer and the duo started to perform in the folk circuit of the London area. 1977 found Sophie singin’& playin’ in Greece, where she lived for a while. The next year she started workin’ with an avant-garde theater company in South of France. In 1980 she moved to Paris to work with Isaac Alvarez. Underground theater, was not exactly a way to get rich quick. To make ends meet she was obliged to do all sort of odd jobs. Things finally got better. She started to do commercials ads, cameo appearences in movies and TV series. She couldn’t stay away from music too long. In 1981she performed with her band in every hip spot in town, venues like the “Rose Bonbon”, the “Gibus” & many more. She pawned her acoustic guitar to buy an electric axe. Their music at the time, was influenced by The Clash, B52’s, Alan Vega & Suicide, The GoGo’s, Talkin’ Heads, Joe Jackson , The Cramps and other bands of that era. Sophie started to write her own material. First in english, then in french and she made her first professional recordings. Pretty unhappy with what producers and studio musicians did with her material she took a break from music business. She got back to TV movies once again, but one day she read an ad on the paper. A rock’n roll band was lookin’ for a “chick singer”.... needless to say she got the job and she found herself hangin’out with the guys from “Taxi Girl”. One of the band members was young man named Mirwais, who some years later became world-famous for his work with Madonna. Between 1988 and and 1993 she fronted different Rock&Roll and Rhthm&Blues outfits like “Susie Q” and “Tell Mama”. She even worked with composer Rhys Chatam on “A Concerto For 100 Guitars”. Blues legend Luther Allison himself told her after a club date at the -now defunct- “Front Page” that she had “What it takes”, but she lost faith and quit performing for five long years. From ’93 to 98 she ran “ Cine-Rock”, a company that distributed rock & music films in movie theaters. She put out “Gimme Shelter”, “Don’t Look Back”, “Montrey Pop”, “Rude Boy”, “Bongo Man”, “ Bob Marley” and many more. In 1994, while workin’ on Robert Mugge’s “Deep Blues”, she booked RL Burnside -one of the artists featured in the movie- for a string of special appearences. To know him is to love him and she had a dream about making a film on RL’s life. She also booked and represented artists like Bill Thomas, Ras Smaila, Rudy Chalard & many more. In 1997 she got a call from music again. She pulled out her dusty guitar from the closet and started to play again and wrote new songs during her lunch breaks. She got back to acoustic music: Lightin’ Hopkins, Memphis Minnie, Big Bill Broonzy... In 1998 Bill Thomas introduced her to his old pal Little Victor: an italian- american singer, guitar & harmonica player that knew RL Burnside and his music real well. Dreams comes true sometimes. Sophie –with some help from Little Victor- gave birth to her acclaimed “A day With RL Burnside” in 1999. During the shooting of the documentary she jammed with Victor. RL seemed to really dig the music they played. He told her “Y’all really cookin’ with gas!” Encouraged by Burnside, the duo started to perform on regular basis an original blend of pre-war and more contemporary juke-joint blues. They put out the following year the album “Cookin’ with Gas”. An hommage to their friend from Mississippi. Little Victor & Miss Sophie Kay started to play hundreds of club dates, international tours and dozens of prestigious festivals. Late in 2001 their second CD effort “Just Rockin’ the Blues” was released thanks to blues guru David Evans, who also wrote the album’s liner notes. This album of vintage juke joint blues sounds , recorded one-take in superb LO-Fi mono, received great respons from the press and promoters. Sophie shut down Cine-Rock in 2002, to focus on her new musical career. 2003 was a very busy year for our girl. She co-wrote “From Moby To Robert Johnson”, an educational play especially conceived for Junior High and High Schools. She took more live work one can handle and she even played in Scandinavia with Little Victor. In 2004 the duo starts to work on a new project: Sophie’s SOLO album. Originally conceived half in english & half in french, this new album will see the day featuring only the songs in french: all original numbers penned by Sophie Kay and Little Victor. Another big change is the kind of material recorded. A mixture of classic “Chanson Française”, swing, blues, rock, jazz with a touch of folk music from eastern Europe. Everybody who heard that (famous journalists, producers, agents and other people in the business) recognised not only her unique vocal skills and solid guitar playing, but also a great gift for writing songs that really hit the spot. They all predicted a very successful new career. Future looks bright for Sophie Kay! |
She was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles area of California. However, she has since transplanted her roots in Greensboro, North Carolina. A move recounted in the titled track of her debut CD 2,666 Miles. It wasn't until she became mature in years that she was smitten with the appreciation and love for Blues. She intently studied the idiom of Big Momma Thornton, Big Mabelle, Koko Taylor, Bobby Blue Bland, Muddy Waters and Eddie "Clean Head" Vinson. Her influences span several genres including Soul Blues. Patty was predominantly influenced by Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Clarence Carter, Denise LaSalle and Esther Phillips. She has had the opportunity to perform with Roy Roberts, Skeeter Brandon, Chick Willis, the late JJ Jones, John Lee Hooker and Lowell Fulson's protege Finis Tasby. "Patty Benson sings that she moved 2,666 Miles, to forget about a man Good for us-she connected with artist/impresario Roy Roberts who produced this fine Soul Blues disc. Tom Hyslop Blues Revue Aug/Sept 2003 |
Lara Price was born to perform. Her musical journey started at the young age of 6, taking piano lessons with Legendary 80's music innovator Howard Jones. At 12 she was singing solo and went on to train operatically with Dr. Lynn Berg at Lara fell in love with the blues without expecting to, "I didn't find the blues, the blues found me". She has come a long way in a short time, earning loyal fans worldwide. Lara's blues band's (The Lara Price Band) journey includes 4 great CD's, a tour across the
Lara looks forward to promoting all 3 of her self produced CD’s and is working hard on her 4th CD with co- writer and lead guitarist Laura Chavez. She’s an All American singer with a sultry stage presence and a voice that demands you're attention-smoky, lonely, sexy, and powerful. It's no wonder her music transcends the blues and crosses a line into music that is unequivocally superb. "It’s all about the love of music and letting the crowd share my passion." |
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Celebrate the Arts presents, the 2nd National Women in Blues Festival in 
Michele and the Midnight Blues
Sandy Atkinson
Kelly Dees
Suzanne Thomas
Sarah Lemieux 
Julie Black 
Nicole Hart & The NRG Band
Andrea Marr
Peggy Ratusz
Gina Sicilia
Pat Hunter 
Octavia 
Michele Lundeen
Sophia Kay
Patty Benson
LARA PRICE