A shot in the arm as therapeutic as a COVID-19 vaccination, Live In Europe 2020 (Pink Lane Records) is a scorching, Christmas cracker of an album to celebrate what will hopefully be the pandemic blues finale

The capital’s young guns Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters played their set of original material at Car Cave, appropriately a vintage car showroom. Blues royalty, King King’s Alan Nimmo, joined celebrated blues rockers Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band on stage at Edinburgh’s iconic La Belle Angele

“I dedicate this album to the victims of coronavirus. Wear a mask, socially distance and look after each other.”

Johnson’s not breaking too much soul/rhythm and blues ground on her debut, but that’s the point. This is a classic, familiar form and she’s respectfully working within it.

The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band complement each other perfectly, slip into each other’s pocket with ease, and put on one hell of a show

If you’ve been looking for some new holiday music, or some brilliantly updated classics for your Christmas soundtrack, ‘A Gulf Coast Christmas’ is it.

‘Live On Stage’ from The BluesBones marks the second time the Belgian band has brought their A game to the US.

‘WHOA!’ the debut studio album from Strung Like a Horse was released on October 30th, 2020 via Transoceanic Records

‘Soft Hard & Loud’ was released on October 8th via Blue Rock Records. If it isn’t in your collection yet, don’t hesitate to add it.

Brad Stivers is an old soul, and with SIX is making the music of past generations both fresh and relevant again

In just six tracks, Bob Margolin shares a myriad of emotions swathed in brilliant acoustic guitar. This is the blues – the real blues – and we can all feel it.

‘The New World Blues’ is the record we need in exactly the time we need it. A roller-coaster of emotion with a big ‘ol splash of hope at the end