The Blues Foundation has announced the nominees for the 46th Annual Blues Music Awards, to be held in Memphis, Tenn., on May 8 at The Renasant Convention Center.

The BMAs are generally recognized as the highest honor given to blues musicians and are awarded by vote of Blues Foundation members.

Here are the nominees:

Acoustic Album Naked Truth, Tinsley Ellis One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley Raw Blues 2, Doug Macleod The Legend of Sugarbelly, Guy Davis Things Done Changed, Jerron Paxton Acoustic Artist Doug MacLeod Eric Bibb Guy Davis Keb’ Mo’ Kevin Burt Album of the Year Blame It On Eve, Shemekia Copeland Fine By Me, Curtis Salgado Hill Country Love, Cedric Burnside Person of Interest, Billy Price What Are You Waiting For?, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Willy Jordan B.B. King Entertainer Duke Robillard Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman) Rick Estrin Shemekia Copeland Sugaray Rayford Band of the Year Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra John Nemeth and the Blue Dreamers Nick Moss Band Rick Estrin and the Nightcats Southern Avenue Best Emerging Artist Album 8000 Miles to the Crossroads, Prakash Slim Carry On, Destini Rawls Drifter, Jovin Webb Go Be Free, Sonny Gullage Revelation, Piper & The Hard Times Blues Rock Album About Time, Dennis Jones Broken, Walter Trout Life is Hard, Mike Zito Righteous Souls, Albert Castiglia Struck Down, The Fabulous Thunderbirds Blues Rock Artist Albert Castiglia Mike Zito Tab Benoit Tommy Castro Walter Trout Contemporary Blues Album Blame It On Eve, Shemekia Copeland Blues In My DNA, Ronnie Baker Brooks Do It My Own Way, Vanessa Collier Good Intentions Gone Bad, Chris Cain The Hits Keep Coming, Rick Estrin & the Nightcats Contemporary Blues Female Artist Beth Hart Carolyn Wonderland Danielle Nicole Ruthie Foster Vanessa Collier Contemporary Blues Male Artist Chris Cain Johnny Sansone Mike Zito Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman) Ronnie Baker Brooks Instrumentalist – Bass Benny Turner Bob Stroger Jerry Jemmott Michael ”Mudcat” Ward Rodrigo Mantovani Instrumentalist – Drums Chris Peet Derrick D’Mar Martin June Core Kenny ”Beedy Eyes” Smith Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist – Guitar Chris Cain Christoffer ”Kid” Andersen Christone “Kingfish” Ingram Eric Gales Ronnie Baker Brooks Instrumentalist – Harmonica Billy Branch Bob Corritore Kim Wilson Mark Hummel Rick Estrin Instrumentalist – Horn Jimmy Carpenter Doug James Deanna Bogart Trombone Shorty Vanessa Collier Instrumentalist – Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony Geraci Ben Levin Bruce Katz Eden Brent Mitch Woods Instrumentalist – Vocals Beth Hart Billy Price Curtis Salgado Danielle Nicole Ruthie Foster Song of the Year “Blues For My Dad” performed and written by Chris Cain “Blues In My DNA” performed and written by Ronnie Baker Brooks “Mama, I love you” performed by Albert Castiglia and written by Albert Castiglia, Kevin Burt, & Jerry Jemmott “Tough Mother” performed by Shemekia Copeland and written by John Hahn & Will Kimbrough “Mother Watch the World Go By” performed by Eden Brent and written by Bob Dowell & Eden Brent Soul Blues Album Fine By Me, Curtis Salgado Human Decency, Sugaray Rayford Person of Interest, Billy Price REVIVAL, Kat Riggins & her Blues Revival What Are You Waiting For?, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Willy Jordan Soul Blues Female Artist Annika Chambers Candice Ivory Kat Riggins Thornetta Davis Vaneese Thomas Soul Blues Male Artist Alabama Mike Billy Price Curtis Salgado Johnny Rawls William Bell Traditional Blues Album Crawlin’ ’Kingsnake, John Primer & Bob Corritore Getaway Blues, Eden Brent HAPPY HOUR, Mitch Woods Hill Country Love, Cedric Burnside Roll With Me, Duke Robillard Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist) Diunna Greenleaf Eden Brent Rhiannon  Giddens Sue Foley Teeny Tucker Traditional Blues Male Artist Cedric Burnside Duke Robillard Jimmie Vaughan John Primer Jontavious Willis

Tomislav Goluban / Crooked Eye Tommy — “Nashville Road” — Overton Music

It’s not very often that an old-school Croatian harp player hooks up with a West Coast blues band to create an album, but when they do, what else could it be called but “Nashville Road”?

Croatia-born Tomislav (Tomi) “Little Pigeon” Goluban says he owes his passion for the blues harp to the likes of Sonny Terry and Slim Harpo, which gives him a fine head start on the blues. (“Little Pigeon” just happens to be a translation of his last name.) The Crooked Eye Tommy band roars out of Ventura, Calif., with fierce blues-rock intentions. Together, they create a masterful blend, pulsating with music from both their worlds, driving hard on “Nashville Road.”

The album is filled with original material by Tomi, with an assist from Crooked Eye Tommy (Tommy Marsh) on “There Is A Train,” and lyrics by Anamarija Nekić on “Life Is Good.” They share the vocals, while Tommy adds guitar to the mix, with Tomi’s blues-inspired harp. The smartly crisp backers are Eric Robert on keys, Jasco Duende on guitar, Doug Seibert on bass, and Alphonso Wesby on drums.

The opening instrumental, “Hard Run,” lives up to its title, offering a taste of what’s to come with Tomi’s soaring harp runs kicked along by the crackling Crooked Eye band. Tommy opens the vocal duties on “Rock Dog,” chugging along over a percussive beat and wicked harp with an optimistic message: “When the world is dark as night I’ll be your light / When everything is wrong I’ll sing this rockin’ song.”

“Up Is Down” opens with a delicious pairing of harp and roadhouse piano before giving Tomi a gritty vocal turn to explain how “You can knock me down but I’ll get back up / I been through it all, you know I’ve had enough.”

An elegant, jazzy blend of harp and guitar opens “Bad Choices Make Good Stories,” handing the vocals back to Tommy for a philosophical turn: “Sometimes when I’m feeling down / I think about the road I’ve run / I been bad and I been good / But now I’m doing just what I should.”

“Hop Hop Shake” is a throbbing instrumental blues-rock that gives the band a chance to cook up something tasty as an ensemble, featuring a delicious piano break and searing harp lines. “Hard Candy” continues rocking with Marsh letting his sweet tooth do the talking: “Hard drivin’ and heavy drinkin’ / Hard candy, she’s a hard candy / Hard candy from the candy store.” Tomi returns to the mic for the bluesy “Keep On Moving On,” with sensuous harp: “I hope one day I’ll be far away / I don’t care what the people say / Cause I’m moving on, I’m moving on.”

Tommy offers a relaxed, easy-swinging vocal on “Life Is Good,” with a lyrical piano accent and some liquid guitar phrasing: “My days are beautiful, ’cause I’m not alone / And the nights are incredible when you love someone / Yeah life is good.” The closer is the ethereal “There Is A Train” with Tommy’s haunting vocals accented by his lap steel, Grady Clark’s slide guitar, and Bill Gilliam’s upright bass. The finale of this musical journey raises a fitting existential question: “Are you gonna live a life of love and spread good cheer? / Or will you choose he road of desolation? / This train gonna take you to heaven or to damnation.”

It’s most likely musical heaven, as Tomislav Goluban joins Crooked Eye Tommy with straight-ahead, hard-rocking blues on their international journey to “Nashville Road.” You’ll want to make sure you’re along for this joyous ride.

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Here’s “Rock Dog” from the album:

Tracklist:
1.Hard Run/2:39
2.Rock Dog/4:03
3.Up Is Down/3:17
4.Bad Choices Make Good Stories/5:08
5.Hip Hop Shake/2:51
6.Hard Candy/3:07
7.Keep On Moving On 3:35
8.Life Is Good/3:27
9.There Is A Train/6:08

Frank Bey — “Peace” — Nola Blue Records (Jan. 17 release)

Some singers sing. And they do it well. Some pour their heart and soul into their vocals, creating magical musical moments — that’s the late Frank Bey.

Who is Frank Bey? He’s not exactly been a household word in blues circles. Although his regal vocals and soulful style should have certainly placed him there.

Bey’s backstory, like many of his contemporaries, began in gospel music, his in his native Millen Ga. At the age of four, Bey, his brother and two cousins formed “The Rising Sons” and toured the South. At 17, Bey joined the Otis Redding Revue as the opening act for several years. In the early 1970s, Bey formed a funk group, the Moorish Vanguard. A failed record deal and dispute with James Brown subsequently pushed Bey out of the music business for 17 years. He later opened a Philadelphia club called Smith’s, where Jeff Monjack and his jazz band were hired. Eventually, Monjack was recommended to put a band together when Bey decided to return to performing in 1996.

Bey’s debut album, “Steppin’ Out,” was released in 1998, but health issues interfered with his performing, and his second album, Blues In the Pocket,” came in 2007. Three more albums followed between 2013 and 2015: “You Don’t Know Nothing,” “Soul for Your Blues,” and “Not Goin’ Away.”

That brings us to Bey’s Nola Blue recording career — a revival of sorts, for his richly expressive vocals and impeccable singing style. This excellent posthumous collection, “Peace,” caps a pair of albums on the label: 2018’s “Back In Business,” which he certainly was, and 2020’s “All My Dues Are Paid,” which they certainly were, and which was nominated for a Grammy as Best Traditional Blues Album that year, shortly before Bey’s death at age 74.

“Peace” is filled with eleven tracks culled from Bey’s career that celebrate both its terrific musicality and Bey’s tremendous voice. The opener is Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” a tough and bluesy romp with the band crackling all around Bey’s deeply soulful vocals — it’s a 2015 recording, released here for the first time. “One Thing Every Day” is an upbeat ode to the joy of trying to make the world a better place. “Midnight and Day” adds a little funk to the mix.

“City Boy,” by Keb Mo’, is a gorgeous acoustic ballad, full of soul and the Frank Bey spirit, with an ethereal harp solo by Sark Damirjian. “Blues Comes Knockin'” is the first of a handful of songs created by Monjack, and this one deals with the blues directly — “When the blues come knockin’, don’t you let him in….”

“Walk With Me” is another enthusiastic blues that gives Bey more room to soar. “Bed For My Soul” is an acoustic gem with just Monjack on guitar behind Bey’s heartfelt vocals in a country blues throwback: “Got a bed for my body / but got no bed for my soul.” “If You Want Me” is a soul-stirring slow blues that simmers with emotion. “Blues in the Pocket” is tough and funky with a raunchy sax solo, then the mood shifts to a dramatic reading of Sam Cooke’s anthemic “Change Is Gonna Come.” The closer is a Bey favorite, his passionate rendering of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” It’s a fitting emotional finale to this outstanding tribute.

Monjack says of his years with Bey: “For over 25 years show after show, going on stage with Frank Bey was a joy. Frank’s connection to whatever that spiritual part of music is, was strong. His singing came straight from the depths of his ancestors and connected to the deepest part of everyone’s soul who was there. There were no wrong notes – it was beyond that. Pure music.”

Nola Blue president Sallie Bengston says of this album: “Peace was Frank’s vision. Peace was Frank’s mission. Peace is his legacy. And now, “Peace,” the Frank Bey compilation album, will be released on his birthday, January 17, 2025; an enduring tribute to The Southern Gentleman of the Blues.”

Give this album a serious listen. Add Frank Bey to your list of great blues singers. Imagine the possibilities.

Peace.

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A 2012 live version of “Imagine”

Tracklist:

01. That’s What Love Will Make You Do
02. One Thing Every Day
03. Midnight and Day
04. City Boy
05. Blues Comes Knockin’
06. Walk With Me
07. Bed for My Soul
08. If You Want Me
09. Blues In the Pocket
10. Change is Gonna Come
11. Imagine

Ed Alstrom — “Flee Though None Pursue” — Haywire

He calls himself an “itinerant musician and musical disaster relief specialist.” He’s performed with the likes of Chuck Berry, Leonard Bernstein, Bette Midler, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan and, yes, even the New York Yankees, where he reigns as the stadium’s weekend organist.

He is Ed Alstrom, a veteran musician, singer and songwriter with unrivaled skills on the organ, and not incidentally, many other instruments. On his latest release, “Flee Though None Pursue,” Alstrom deftly handles lead and background vocals, Hammond/Farfisa/pipe organs, piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synthesizers, guitars, bass, mandolin, melodica, alto sax, accordion, theremin and percussion, weaving them all into his original musical style, with a varied group of talented musicians. He’ll be representing the North Jersey Blues Society in the Solo/Duo competition at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January.

The album is also filled with the wit and wisdom of Alstrom’s masterful songwriting, with an often otherworldly lyricism devoted to his eloquent storytelling in the 18 original tracks. The title cut illustrates that internal and eternal dilemma: “So i remain marooned with this insanely troubled mind / And try to map a future while I run from what’s behind / But what’s behind me is not there, so what is there left for me to do? / Face eternity uncertain and keep fleeing though none pursue.”

Other themes surface as a question in the sprightly opener, “Be Nice,” with Alstrom asking “I wonder what it might be like / If folks would just be nice.” As if in response to Little Milton’s classic “The Blues is Alright,” Alstrom takes a more introspective view with the organ-fueled “The Blues Ain’t All Right” – “Nobody’s blues are unimportant / Nobody’s misery is trite /

Nobody’s served right by sufferin’ – and the blues ain’t never all right.” A slashing slide guitar highlights the melancholy vocal of a deep “Slow Blues” – “MIsery has found you – and you just can’t be free / Until you hear these slow slow blues, and then you’re in mighty good company.”

The bouncy shuffle of “The Truth” serves as counterpoint to its message: “On the road to truth you take, there’s only two mistakes: don’t go all the way or don’t even start.” The hypnotic rhythm of “Sick” is reminiscent of the classic Doc Pomus song “Lonely Avenue” by Ray Charles, but adds its own lyrical strength: “Sick of livin’ and dyin’ all at the same time / Sick of tryin’ / Sick of cryin’ / Sick of this saga that’s nobody’s drag but mine.”

“Always Near” is a gorgeous, melodic love song with jazzy overtones and lyrics by Kay Murcer: “Hold my memory, make some new ones, take me on where you go.” “The Record People” is a bit of honky-tonk piano behind a whimsical complaint about the music business: “The record people came tonight,,. they came to dig my grave.” The uptempo “Sometimes” floats along, followed by the witty take of “Screwed” – “Bein’ a fool’s too expensive – I’m gonna stop gettin’ screwed.” A bit of optimism shows up in the clever wordplay of “H-O-P-E-L-E-S-S,” – “Gonna rise up from the depths and gonna grab that big brass ring.”

The easy-swinging “Great Notch” describes a favorite watering hole where “You can decompress or just plain debauch.” Then “Fruitcake” rolls in with some New Orleans piano, dedicated to a loopy girlfriend. “Yours Is a Place” is a delicate love song: “I long to live my lifetimes at your place.” More rollicking piano leads into “Success,” which, alas, “just can’t be achieved.” The “Crossfire” of love is a bittersweet ode to lost romance. “I Drunk You Drive” rocks hard with the message of its title. The closer, “Don’t Cry at My Funeral,” is a spiritually uplifting conclusion to an album overflowing with thoughtful lyrics: “Don’t cry for me, I’m happy, I’m free / And I won’t be cryin’ for you.”

With “Flee Though None Pursue,” Ed Alstrom has created a magical lyrical journey crafted with lively, imaginative storytelling that draws you in with his word wizardry and carries you along on his instrumental genius. You are hereby invited along for the joyous ride.

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Here’s an interview with Ed Alstrom by Michael Limnios at Blues.gr

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Here’s the album title track, “Flee Though None Pursue”

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Albums by Duke Robillard, Mitch Woods, Blue Moon Marquee, Colin James, Kid and Lisa Andersen, Eric Bibb, J.P. Reali

Well, 2024 is finally over, which means (what else?) that 2025 is finally here — not that I was breathlessly awaiting its arrival. It also means another welcome year of new blues and blues-related music to enjoy and write about.

But first, I can’t let go of ’24 without mentioning some albums I probably should have written about but didn’t. And I probably missed some others. So, here’s a handful of mini-reviews of worthwhile releases that are very deserving of a mention. In no particular order.

Duke Robillard — “Roll With Me” (Stony Plain) — This a rocking blues album with plenty of honking sax and blazing guitar from the veteran Robillard that he began in 2005 and finally got around to finishing. It’s filled with originals and great blues covers like “Built for Comfort,” “Boogie Woogie Country Girl,” and “Are You Going My Way,” a rollicking update of “Good Morning, School Girl.” first recorded by John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson (the original Sonny Boy) in 1937. It’s fine, fun listening — some of Duke’s best.

Mitch Woods — “Happy Hour” (MoMojo Records) — Pianoman Woods and his Rocket 88s jump out with his trademark boogie ‘n’ blues that fill this album with the kind of joyous music that spawned rock ‘n’ roll back in the ’40s and ’50s. The 88s add raunchy horns and flashy guitar work to Woods powerful piano-pounding. His growling vocals complete this swinging session. A happy hour indeed.

Blue Moon Marquee — “New Orleans Sessions” (Bigtone Records) — Canadian guitarist/vocalist A.W. Cardinal and standup bassist/vocalist Jasmine Colette are Blue Moon Marquee and together they’ve created a delicious session of old-timey New Orleans-flavored music, recorded on location in just two afternoons with a swinging cast of New Orleans musicians. They reach back into the 1920s and ’30s for inspiration and songs to cover. The live-to-tape production and Cardinal’s raspy vocals give the album a raw, authentic feel that lends just the right atmosphere to this lively set. A highlight is their raucous treatment of Charlie Patton’s “Shake It and Break It.” A genuine Big, Easy treat.

Christoffer “Kid” Andersen — “Spirits” / Lisa Leuschner “Little Baby” Anderson — “Soul” (Little Village double album) — Kid Andersen runs Greaseland recording studios, and in the past 15 years or so, has produced more than 150 albums. He’s also the guitarist in Rick Estrin & the Nightcats band. His wife Lisa Leuschner “Little Baby” Anderson has a stellar history as a singer. Together they run Greaseland, with Lisa providing backup vocals on many of Kid’s productions. Finally, they’ve recorded themselves on this excellent double-disc set, with Kid offering a crackling bluesy session and Lisa contributing her own soulful sides. They’re backed by the considerable talents of Greaseland studio musicians, plus a few extras. A fine outing all around.

Colin James — Chasing the Sun” (Stony Plain) — James is veteran Canadian singer (this is his 21st album) whose rootsy guitar work and smooth vocals enable the folksy story-telling style emphasized on this smartly crafted. Despite his genius at Americana, James isn’t all that well known in this part of the Americas. This album should help. It’s filled with musical gems that speak honestly about the human condition.

Eric Bibb — “In The Real World” (Stony Plain) — Bibb says of this richly conceived collection: “Musically, the album feels like a self-portrait because it truly represents my influences.” His influences are many and varied, fueling this insightful music and allowing him to create another thoughtful album, deep in the blues and roots tradition, but also, rooted in the real world. And that’s the best of both worlds.

J.P. Reali — “Blues Since Birth (Reali Records) — Washington D.C. music veterans Reali and Jim Larson combine on this pandemic project of eight bright and bluesy originals and one splendid cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry.” Reali handles the vocals and plays the guitar parts (including some sharp slide) plus harp, with Larson on percussion — and a little help from some musical friends. Their originals span a variety of vintage blues styles and are well worth a listen.