Good honky tonk roadhouse rockin’ blues and boogie, coming from The Boogie Bone’s music. The band gathers five first range musicians, all them on top form, cool, really intuitive, whose principal aim is to enjoy themselves and make people enjoy too. You will find Hank ‘Hammerin’ Gavaldon on bass, Steve ‘Fangers’ Williams on guitars, ‘Howlin’ Jake Johnson on vocals, Todd ‘Spud Money’ Stevens on drums and Steve ‘Triple Threat’ Snyder on harmonica, saxo and keyboards. An able five musicians band performing an electrifying music that will make you spend about an hour of dancing and giving joy to your body and mind. Can you ask for more to this Portland, Oregon coming band?. VERY GOOD.

Some of their shenanigans may put off the purists but this Portland five-piece emerges as a most blues-savvy lot as their debut disc progresses. Much of the time Boogie Bone uses blues elements as components of high-energy originals of a decidedly “concert-set” nature. Their tunes all get communal credit so the dude(s) with a knack for catchy phrasing in frequent evidence remains a mystery. Easier to decipher is the solid grip on old-school groove that all concerned display even when the Bone’s in full flash mode. To a man they are solid players with guitarist Steve Williams making good use of his frequent solo time and drummer Todd Stevens showing cut-above blues instincts. Standout tracks include the neo-swing “Weekend Blues” and shuffles of both the SRV (“Mama Told Me”) and traditional (“Cheatin’ Heart”) variety.

BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © March 2008 Used to be if someone told me I was a bone head, they'd be very likely to get slapped up side their head. That was, however, prior to having discovered the debut CD from a band that's spreading the blues up in the Pacific Northwest - BOOGIE BONE. Just give a listen to their self named CD "BOOGIE BONE", and you, just like me, will be a "bone head" too. BOOGIE BONE is a group of five musicians, who while attending school at Boogie High, all failed Math, Science and English, yet all got an A+ in Band (sorry, you've gotta see the CD to be in on that joke). These educated, and very talented musicians are "HOWLIN" JAKE JOHNSON on vocals, STEVE "FANGERS" WILLIAMS on guitars, TODD "SPUD MONEY" STEVENS on drums, HENRY "GROOVE MASTER" GAVALDON on bass and STEVE "TRIPLE THREAT" SNYDER on sax, harp and keyboards. And yes, their music IS as cool as their nicknames. Let me tell ya 'bout a few of the tracks that got my bones boogieing. Nowhere in this review will you ever hear the words - "AIN'T NO GOOD". Unless, of course, it's to mention the title of one of the disc's hottest tracks. Caution should be used if listening to this track - which starts out fast and continuously get faster - while driving. This one features some of the best rhythm that's ever vibrated this listeners ear drums. Speaking of drums, TODD is at discs - and for all I know, maybe his career best - on this one. I don't know about him, but if this keeps up, I'm going to be out of breath by the end of this review. Adding in some hot guitar licks by STEVE and great vocals by JAKE make this one of BOOGIE BONES' best. After the pace not dropping a notch on "MEAN STREAK WOMAN", the guys settle down nicely into a more traditional blues number called "CHEATIN' HEART". This one features lots of sharp harp by STEVE, the usual smoke from TODD and great bass lines from HANK. "WHAT I NEED" is the same thing I always need - good ol' straight down the alley blues. And I'm getting my needs filled right now. With HANK and TODD providing a nice slow rhythm - well, slow for them anyway - the two STEVE'S take turns turning up the heat. First is STEVE SNYDER with a scorching sax solo, followed by STEVE W. - not allowing himself to be out-scorched - putting out some serious blues licks. Of course, all this is happening in between JAKE showing how he got "HOWLIN" for a nickname. More great stuff here. Although I prefer mine seven days a week, sometimes "WEEKEND BLUES" just has to do. This one finds the guys doing what most of us do on the weekends - cuttin' it loose. It's a short three and a half minute song featuring everyone in a cool little jam. If you haven't "GOT THE FEVA", this one will give it to ya. This is unquestionably the one that gets BOOGIE BONES' live audiences dancing. I dare you to listen to this one and not move - I couldn't. This one had even my old bones shaking. Once again, - great rhythm, good harp and some of the disc's best guitar work. Other tracks featured on "BOOGIE BONE" are: "MAMA TOLD ME", "WORKING CLASS STIFF", "BLUE SEA BOOGIE" and "SEE THROUGH IT". Check out the BOOGIE BONE BAND at www.boogieboneband.com and tell them you, like the Blewzzman, want to become a "bone head" Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT TO LISTEN TOO, I HOPE I GET TO SEE YOU LIVE AGAIN SOON!!