Best Blues cds of 2017

My Best Blues of 2017 Listing

2017 was a wonderful year for blues, and I think these cds were the best. Looking at the list, a few highlights stand out. This could easily be called The Samantha Fish year. Her two cds were both chock-full of great music, and I don't even want to get into the arguments about whether the music is blues or not. The Kim Wilson cd is a tremendous release. The Taj Mahal-Keb Mo collaboration was WAY better than I expected. Before this year I never heard of Anthony Rosano & The Conqueroos, and now I wonder how I got along without them. It was also a year of surprises--I was glad to get another Omar & the Howlers cd--I've been a fan since 1978 and I thought that part of my life was over. The Cash Box Kings made their best cd ever. Hurricane Ruth has been on this list since last April.  I loved the Sean Chambers cd from the first time I listened to it. I have never done one of these lists without having an Albert Castiglia cd on it, and Up All Night is the best thing he has ever made. This is the tenth year of my little blog, and while I could always write more often, I think the quality of the music I have lifted up here has been pretty damn good.

A big thanks to the artists, the promotions people, and the Caldonia's Crossroad Radio listeners.

Texas Blues--in no particular order:

Kim Wilson -- Blues & Boogie Vol 1 

Ruthie Foster -- Joy Comes Back 

Anthony Rosano & The Conqueroos -- self titled

Milligan Vaughan -- MVP 

Andy T Band with Alabama Mike -- Double Strike

Omar & The Howlers -- Zoltar's Walk 

Rocky Athas -- Shakin' The Dust

Benny Turner -- My Brother's Blues

Jeffrey Halford & The Healers -- Lo Fi Dreams (see review 6/19/17)

Non Texas Blues--in no particular order:

Samantha Fish -- Chills & Fever AND Belle Of The West

Taj Mahal & Keb Mo -- Tajmo

Sean Chambers -- Trouble And Whiskey (see review 6/27/17)

The Cash Box Kings -- The Royal Mint

Hurricane Ruth -- Ain't Ready For The Grave (see review 6/26/17)

Ronnie Baker Brooks -- Times Have Changed

Albert Castiglia -- Up All Night

Karen Lovely -- Fish Outta Water

The Altered Five Blues Band -- Charmed & Dangerous

Peter Parcek -- Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven

Paradise Kings -- Controlled Burn (see review 8/22/17)

And doiwn here at the end of the list, my choice for song of the year: There were several contenders:

The Cash Box Kings' "House Party," Ruthie Foster's "Joy Comes Back," Sean Chambers' "Bullfrog Blues," Kim Wilson's "Bonus Boogie," Samantha Fish (& Lightnin' Malcolm) "Poor Black Maddie." But my song of the year is Hurricane Ruth's "Far From The Cradle."