BluePower CD Review....Widespread Panic....Free Somehow!

Free Somehow speaks of love, tradition, politics and freedom. Finely produced by Terry Manning and Widespread Panic, it demonstrates a new musical plateau for one of the hardest working and long lived traveling bands in the USA.

This record is guaranteed to become a favorite of all WSP fans. Were terrestrial radio today what it used to be ten years ago, I would say this record is a smash; combining all the best features of a band who has traditionally delivered the goods. The band's seemingly limitless musical abilities mesh music, words and arrangements to go beyond anything WSP has produced before.

Don't just take my word for this as I am thoroughly prejudiced. Attain the CD and see for yourself.

BluePower congratulates Widespread Panic on another astounding accomplishment....Free Somehow.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

The players are:

John Bell....vocals, guitar
John Herman....keyboards
Jimmy Herring....guitars
Todd Nance....drums
Domingo S. Ortiz....percussion
Dave Schools....bass

Here's the music:

1)...."Walk On The Flood"....WSP....Widespread Records
2)...."Boom, Boom, Boom"....WSP....Widespread Records
3)...."Angels On High"....WSP....Widespread Records
4)...."Dark Day Program"....WSP....Widespread Records
5)...."Up All Night"....WSP....Widespread Records

Click here to listen to....Widespread Panic....Free Somehow!

Click here to go to Widespread Panic's web site!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.

Calvin Owens Passes At 78!

Calvin Owens

b. April 23, 1929 - d. February 21, 2008

Legendary bandleader and trumpeter Calvin Owens succumbed to kidney failure today. He was 78. Owens is best known for being a bandleader for B. B. King in the early fifties while King recorded his famous sides at the Kent label in Texas.

Owens, born in New Orleans Fifth Ward, migrated with his mother to Houston, Texas, where at thirteen he began playing trumpet. Joining a vaudeville show after high school, Owens later met B. B. in 1953 then toured and led his band till 1957, when he returned to Houston. Upon his return, Owens became a songwriter/arranger/session player/A&R rep for the famed Peacock Record Company under the infamous Don Robey. During that period, Owens recorded with T-Bone Walker, Amos Milburn, Junior Parker, and David "Fathead" Newman to name a few.

Owens recorded continually while playing all around the Houston area for many years, refusing to be pidgeon-holed as a jazz and blues musician. Owens would later return to touring with B. B. King from 1978 through 1984, notching a Grammy as the bandleader for King on the album Blues 'n' Jazz. Owens would then move to Belgium where he stayed and recorded sporadically for a decade before returning to Houston in 1993.

This time, Owens would record not only blues but country music, Spanish music and Hip-Hop. His numerous abilities to fluidly cross between genres can be heard in any number of his subsequent releases. Two recordings in the blues genre garnered him critical acclaim for his solo album, Ain't Gonna Be Yo' Dog No Mo' in which Owens is coupled with several younger blues artists and for his bandleader work on his own label, Sawdust Alley Records' Trudy Lynn with the Calvin Owens Orchestra.

Owens won several instrumentalist nominations from the BMA for his work on trumpet. Last year, Owens released the Spanish album, La Myjer que Cante Blues, a collaboration with Evelyn Rubio. In 2007, Owens also recorded and arranged a country album with legends Willie Nelson, Ray Price and Johnny Bush.

Diagnosed with liver cancer a few years prior, his health had continually deteriorated after subsequent surgeries to remove tumors. The latest surgery which took place several weeks ago weakened his condition from which he never recovered. "The Maestro" as he was called, has a long recording history and influence that will shine on for years to come.

Andrew Dansby
The Houston Chronicle

BluePower CD Review....Sean Costello....We Can Get Together!

Last week-end we found ourselves traveling throughout Southern California. During long drives I like to listen to new material and get a fix on what's happening on the blues scene through new CD releases.

I told Lori to pick one of the CDs and pop it in the player. She chose Sean Costello's new release on Delta Groove Productions, We Can Get Together.

Let's put it this way....the man is unique. Costello's guitar playing is dirty and clean with a choice of notes which accent the feel of the song he's playing at the time. He's a natural Bluesman and a terrific writer. His vocals expose his feelings and contribute to an overall, enthralling experience.

Mr. Costello has had several CDs released and has garnered accolades from some major folks. You can find this history on his web site below.

Stay Tuned!
John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Little Birds"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove
2)...."Same Old Game"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove
3)...."Have You No Shame"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove
4)...."How In The Devil"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove
5)...."Hard Luck Woman"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove
6)...."Can't Let Go"....Sean Costello....Delta Groove

Click here to play....Sean Costello....We Can Get Together!

Listen to an exclusive interview with Sean Costello!

Click here to go to Sean Costello's site!

Click here to go to Delta Groove Productions!

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If you are an aspiring guitarist....please be sure to check out BluePower's Company Store. We have our first basic guitar lesson now available with more lessons being added soon. Help yourself....and help BluePower as well.