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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Tommy Emmanuel, Maria Schafer, Carolyn Gaines, Lex Grey and the Urban Pioneers, Frank Hannon

Since the winners of the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2017 will be announced tomorrow at 6 p.m. MST, today will be our final Get it or Forget it for the week.  We have five more reviews today and then we’ll be back next Tuesday.

Artist NameTommy Emmanuel

Album Name Accomplice One

Label:  CGP Sounds

Genre:  Americana/Bluegrassd

Track Listing:  1.  Deep River Blues (w/Jason Isbell); 2.  Song and Dance Man (w/Ricky Skaggs); 3.  Saturday Night Shuffle (w/Jorma Kaukonen & Pat Bergeson); 4.  Wheelin’ & Dealin’ (w/J.D. Simo & Charlie Cushman); 5.  C-Jam Blues (w/David Grisman & Bryan Sutton); 6.  (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay (w/J.D. Simo); 7.  Borderline (w/Amanda Shires); 8.  You Don’t Want to get you one of Those (w/Mark Knopfler); 9.  Keepin’ it Reel (w/Clive Carrol); 10.  Looking Forward to the Past (w/Rodney Crowell); 11.  Purple Haze (w/Jerry Douglas); 12.  Rachel’s Lullaby (w/Jake Shimabukuro); 13. Djangology (w/Frank Vignola & Vinny Ranioio); 14.  Watson Blues (w/David Grisman & Bryan Sutton); 15.  Tittle Tattle (w/Jack Pearson); 16.  The Duke’s Message (w/Suzy Bogguss)

Publicist:  MSO PR

Review:  Tommy Emmanuel is a one of a kind musician who has consistently received critical praise.  We just reviewed his last CD with David Grisman last December, which earned him an LA Music Critic Award nomination.  He’s back already with an incredible album of duets with some of the elite members of the Bluegrass and Americana community.  From Jason Isbell to Rodney Crowell, Emmanuel plays with the best because he is the best.  This is an album you put on and just sit back and relax.  You cannot go wrong with this set of 16 amazing genre spanning songs.  Especially impressive are the covers of some very well known songs, like “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” the amazing fiddle and vocals of Amanda Shires on Madonna’s “Borderline,” and Jimi Hendrix’ “Purple Haze” with the one and only Jerry Douglas, another nominee for an LA Music Critic Award and a recent Grammy nominee.

Recommendation:  This one belongs in the music library of every music lover.  Get it now!

Artist NameMaria Schafer

Album NameTo Know Love

Label:  Marsch Music

Genre:  Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  You Don’t Know What Love Is; 2.  The More I see You; 3.  Estrada Branca; 4.  I Fall in Love too Easily; 5.  Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered; 6.  In Summer (Estate); 7.  You’d be so Nice to Come Home to/Alone Together; 8.  Body and Soul; 9.  It Could Happen to You; 10.  Almost Like Being in Love; 11.  Lush Life; 12.  S’ Wonderful/They Can’t Take That Away From Me

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  This unbelievable debut album shows so much maturity for a young vocalist.  To tackle these jazz standards and deliver says a lot about her talent and potential.  This is the sound you would expect from a seasonal veteran, not someone just releasing their first album.  As an avid jazz lover, this album will definitely go into our top tier of jazz greats.  We love the concept of an entire album full of love songs, just before Valentine’s Day.  This album will make a great soundtrack for your celebration, especially her rendition of the Loewe and Lerner classic “Almost Like Being in Love.”

Recommendation:  Don’t hesitate – Get it now!

Artist NameCarolyn Gaines

Album NameBeware of my Dog

Label:  Polka Dot Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Beware of my Dog; 2.  I’m Your Cat, Baby; 3.  Stone out Your Raggly Mind; 4.  Catch That Train; 5.  Hoochie Coochie Woman; 6.  Done got Old; 7.  I Want Your Money, Honey; 8.  Mr. Dill Pickle; 9.  Jerry Rice “Busy Man;” 10.  Charlie Mae & Chicago; 11.  Something on Your Mind

Publicist:  Blind Raccoon

Review:  Another amazing debut album and it quickly becomes apparent that this lady can definitely sing the blues.  Her husky register is custom built for the blues, and floats effortlessly on the incredible musical accompaniment, highlighted by bursts of incredible tenor sax, harmonica, organ and guitar.  Check out her sexy raspy voice on “I’m Your Cat, Baby” and even though her voice is unique, her style shows that she has spent considerable time studying the blues vocalist that have come before her.  This is down and dirty blues, and we couldn’t be happier.  This album will make all the traditional blues lovers feel the same.  Put this on as a musical backdrop for your weekend celebration.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice – just Get up and Get it!

Artist NameLex Grey & the Urban Pioneers

Album NameUsual Suspects

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Usual Suspects; 2.  Chow Down; 3.  Dirty Secret; 4.  Srv; 5.  Warrior Squaw; 6.  Sunshine and Blue; 7.  Cheap Thrills; 8.  My Jelly Roll; 9.  Renegade Heart

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  Listening to Lex Grey is almost like listening to Janis Joplin playing the 1960’s style of Rolling Stones, with a healthy mix of rock, jazz, and blues, and those smoky vocals that grab your attention and never let go.  From the first notes of the title track until the final note of the album, Grey gives notice that she has come to rock the blues.  Quite frankly, we can’t get enough of this artist, and can’t wait for the opportunity to see her and her amazing band perform live.  Our favorite cuts were “Usual Suspects, “Chow Down,” “Srv” (her rocking homage to Stevie Ray Vaughan),  “Warrior Squaw” (because it’s just so different from everything else on the album), “Cheap Thrills,” “My Jelly Roll,” and “Renegade Heart.” (I know – basically everything.)

Recommendation:  If you love the blues, you definitely need this one in your collection.  Get It.

Artist NameFrank Hannon

Album NameFrom One Place . . . to Another Vol 1

Label:  Red Hawk Records

Genre:  Americana/Roots Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Blue Sky; 2.  Call me the Breeze; 3.  Under the Milky Way; 4.  Jim Dandy to the Rescue; 5.  You’re my Best Friend; 6.  Garden Party; 7.  Sunrise in Texas; 8.  I Hear you Knockin’; 9.  Joy to the World; 10.  Four Letter Word

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  This is the first of three albums to be released in 2018 by Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon, consisting of cover songs that have influenced his life.  His guests on this album include Paul Jackson (Blackberry Smoke), Duane Betts (son of The Allman Brothers Band member Dickey Betts, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson (sons of Ricky Nelson and Roger Fisher (Heart), among others.  It is only fitting that The Allman Brothers Band’s classic “Blue Sky” be the first song on this album, which captures the essence of what made them so great.  The artists covered on this album include JJ Cale, The Church, Black Oak Arkansas, Queen, Ricky Nelson, Blackberry Smoke, Fats Domino, Three Dog Night and Lukas Nelson.  Every song brings back memories, and we love Hannon’s arrangements.

Recommendation:  Make sure you Get this one and the other two as soon as they come out.