My picks of 2019 releases roughly in order of release date. 

Mary Lane (Travellin’ Woman)

John Mayall  (Nobody Told Me)

Zac Harmon –  (Mississippi BBQ)

Bobby Rush –  (Sitting On Top Of The Blues)

Jimmie Vaughan – (Baby Please Come Home)

Bob Corritore & Friends (Do the Hipshake Baby)

Christone Kingfish Ingram (Kingfish)

Jontavious Willis (Spectacular Class)

Toronzo Cannon (The Preacher The Politician or The Pimp)

Rick Estrin & the Nightcats – (Contemporary)

Junior Watson (Nothing To It But To Do It)

Delbert McClinton & The Self Made Men (Tall Dark & Handsome)

North Mississippi All Stars (Up and Rolling)

Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters – (Beyond The Blue Door)

Johnny Burgin (Johnny Burgin Live)

Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps (Live)

Myles Goodwin & Friends of The Blues 2

Bea & Baby Records – The Definitive Collection

Misty Blues (Pickled & Aged)

Jimmy Johnson (Every Day of Your Life)

 

Pick of Australian releases

Blues Arcadia (Carnival of Fools)

Holler & the Bones (Holler & The Bones)

Lazy Eye (Whiskey & Gin)

Ash Grunwald (Mojo)

The Streamliners (Kicking Back the Blues)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive And Well

Frank Bey – Back in Business

Big Harp George – Uptown Cool

Deb Ryder – Enjoy the Ride

JoyAnn Parker – Hard To Love

The Bruce Katz Band – Get Your Groove

Walker/Katz / Robson – Journeys To the Heart of The Blues

Lloyd Spiegel – Backroads

Fiona Boyes – Voodoo in the Shadows

Anthony Geraci – Why Did You have To Go

Liza Ohlback – Mercy Train

Charlie Musselwhite/Ben Harper – No Mercy In This Land

Bob Corritore – Don’t  Let The Devil Ride

Bettye Lavette – Things Have Changed

Trudy Lynn – Blues Keep Knockin’

The Proven Ones – Wild Again

John Mayall – 3 For the Road

Dennis Herrera – You Stole My Heart

Paul Barry – Blow Your Cool

Jim Allchin – Prime Blues

Lazy Eye – Black Hill

Kenny Blues Boss Wayne – Inspired By the Blues

Barbara Blue – Fish in Dirty H20

Ivy Ford – Time To Shine

Peter V’s Blues Train – Shaken But Not Deterred

These are my 25 picks of Blues releases from 2018. I had over 300 albums sent to me so some hard choices had to be made. I did not include CDs with 7 or 8 tracks, more than an EP but not comparable to a full album. I also received many albums which were good but the Blues content was missing or minimal. I do prefer original music but if the album includes covers they must be well interpreted. I started buying Blues records back in 1963 and seeing live gigs then so there are many songs that to me are just too played out. I don’t want to hear another version of Wang Dang Doodle or Rock Me Baby! Blues is certainly evolving and more and many albums now are incorporating other styles. There is the evolving genre of Neo Blues. I’m looking forward to seeing what develops in 2019!