A local institution unto themselves, You’ll not go wrong with Neal and The Vipers. The band that Neal Vitulo has headlined and maintained for 30 years now are truly veterans and showmen of the finest kind.

With talent and energy that defy the laws of physics, they bring to you polished and truly fun rock, blues, funk, classic rock, and even the ballads too! Neal puts more energy and passion into each song than most people put into their entire month. Following right on his heels are a band full of a passion for their art.

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I would never have seen myself visiting a biker bar in my life. It’s just not somewhere that I would have frequented. But I listened to some good friends and went to check out Cady’s Tavern for their Sunday Blues Jam. And man oh man am I glad I listened! It pays to have smart people with good taste around you. 

Sitting alongside the Putnam Pike in Chepachet RI you’ll find a longtime Roadhouse that has been in constant business, in one form or another *cough cough*, since 1810. Billed as Rhode Island’s Original Roadhouse, you’ll see that even a destructive fire couldn’t teardown the history and spirit of the institution, having moved across the street in the 1920’s where the stables and barn once stood.

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The new Jasper Hill location in Millis MA has dramatically expanded its footprint and made even more space for music setups throughout the venue to suit the style.

Soul as deep as the sea, a voice that can obliterate a room in raw power without a mic, and a message of love and acceptance full of heart.

Shemekia Copeland is, by any definition, an absolute powerhouse. The electric sense of love and acceptance that radiates from the stage out into the audience is without a doubt some of the most beautiful and widely accepting energy that can pass into a room.

Eliza Neals is one of those bombshell ladies that can also belt it out full of soul, and sometimes mischief. This Detroit powerhouse definitely comes charging at you hitting on all 8 cylinders.  

From a full throated powerful voice that would fit a raucous tent revival but moved to the best pub in town where the real fun begins. All the way to light and airy in the best possible way. 

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I’ve been lucky enough to get to enjoy this band in a couple of different incarnations. With some of the various players joining at times. On this night, however, Anthony was away taking care of his family after a recent accident. And in true Blues Community fashion, his band and the audience took up the charge to both carry the night and help support their brother!

Having had that chance to see Anthony with his band and working with other various bands it’s easy to see why he’s been nominated for multiple awards and won multiple Pinetop Perkins awards! The man has the blues piano down to a science, full of emotion and soul with a dash of sass he brings up a fantastic night of music!

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Bringing a Delta vibe and a Cajun flavor, Tab Benoit knows exactly how to spice a song. His roots run deep in the Louisiana wetlands where he brings the finest of traditions from artists across the spectrum together, and works to bring forward the next generation of blues artists with support and education.

His early years started in Houma Louisiana where he learned from a collection of blues artists that brought with them a living memory of the history of the music and imparted that knowledge and skill to him personally over the years.

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Something that Slam Allen will tell you is that he is not a Blues man, he’s an entertainer. Something he honed in his 9 years working with James Cotton and then his long time work bringing people into the Blues while working with Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Some artists choose the Blues, but the best are chosen by the Blues. Slam was truly chosen by the Blues and he has the soul and heart to tell them true. 

One of the first things you will notice when Mary Bridget Davies hits the stage is her convivial and fun personality that’s ready to have fun across the board. Having been nominated for a Tony for her work on Broadway for A Night With Janis Joplin, where she has shared the voice, humor, and music of Janis, you can clearly see that she has the ability and grace to bring a giant of the 60’s Blues and Folk Movement into the room.

I woke up this morning and my world was knocked completely off kilter.

The news of a young and brilliant singer, song writer, musician and man having passed just left me absolutely stunned. The fact he was so young makes it hurt all the more. The he was also a friend has just broken my heart.

The Last Prophet of the Funky Texas Blues….

Now that’s a bold statement to make, and Willie J Laws Jr. definitely has a divine gumbo full of funky blues simmered and spiced just right with a mix of Country, R&B, Texas Boogie Blues, Tex-Mex, and straight up Blues. And every bite is served up with a whole lot of soul!

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An old soul in a young body, gifted beyond his years!

Tyler Morris is one of those rare individuals that has talent far beyond what all logic would dictate by looking at the number of years he’s been alive. It’s no wonder then that he has worked with a long and ever growing listed of big names in Blues and Rock.

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Do you like your Blues to Rock? How about loud? Who doesn’t love a bit of peace? But what about love, ya gotta love love!?

If you said yes, then Anthony Gomes is your man.

AG can go from 0-110 in a single note and then land you in a sweet soulful place.

In the finest tradition of Rock born of Blues, AG is bringing the Blues back to Rock.

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Modern with retro respect.

Joe Moss brings in the feel and push of the ever evolving Chicago Blues sound without losing or disrespecting a single note of the rich and storied history of Chicago/Dela Blues origins.

He constantly works to bring in talented artists alongside him while he continues the work of finding and exploring the future of the Blues. His upbringing amongst the music in Chicago by his parents has richly informed his career. You can clearly see this in his ever evolving and growing repertoire of music.

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Nick Black is defying all of the norms and blending genres in a way that hasn’t been seen since the days of Motown when they took R&B and Pop and Soul and turned it into something beautiful.

Playing brand new music and building on the giants, Nick Black and his amazing band have made a whole new genre all their own. Soul-Pop. Seamlessly blending Blues, Funk, 2nd Line (with that horn section!), Motown, and Soul has truly been a triumph!

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For nearly 100 years this man moved through our world building and learning, loving, sharing, inspiring, and in my case...saving us. 

Today BB King would have been 93. He left this world three years ago, just shy of his 90th birthday. 

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The first time I had the pleasure and privilege to see the Delta Generators live was at The Bull Run Restaurant and I was left quite startled, having not had the chance prior to see them since I moved to the region I couldn't believe that I'd stumbled onto pure gold. How is it that this uniquely New England force of nature is not hitting the news every night for blowing the walls down at every venue they touch?

A mixture of Blues and Roots with a hard driving guitar that will hold you enthralled from the first note. 

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One of the most unique of venues I've visited has to be Nelson's Candies. How often do you get to enjoy world class Blues in a candy store?!

In scenic Wilton New Hampshire you get a leisurely drive through the region and are rewarded with a delightful venue full of everything sweetest in life; good people, good music, and great sweets handmade!

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We lose celebrities frequently and we are saddened but move forward. When we lose icons and individuals who have moved more than concert ticket sales or election cycles, but instead moved us as a people forward in a positive manner, those are moments that will always live with us. Musicians, leaders, scientists, authors, and friends, when we lose those individuals then we are left with a mark on us of bittersweet memory. 

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I'm going to take a departure from my review postings for a few moments. I need to tell a personal story of how I came to the Blues and how they have saved me. 

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