Bridget Kelly Band, "Blues Warrior" (2018)
  • Blues Inside of Me
  • No Good Man Blues
  • Lil' Honey Bee
  • Trouble in Texas
  • Stolen
  • It's a Shame
  • Nameless Nobody
  • Alone
  • Snow Fall
  • Cabrini-Green
  • Sugar Sweet Baby
  • Let Go
  • Chemo
  • Blues Inside of Me
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (06:59) [16.15 MB]
  • No Good Man Blues
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (05:52) [13.59 MB]
  • Lil' Honey Bee
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (03:53) [9.06 MB]
  • Trouble in Texas
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (04:21) [10.13 MB]
  • Stolen
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (06:08) [14.21 MB]
  • It's a Shame
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (03:59) [9.28 MB]
  • Nameless Nobody
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (05:24) [12.52 MB]
  • Alone
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (05:08) [11.93 MB]
  • Snow Fall
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (06:45) [15.62 MB]
  • Cabrini-Green
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (04:28) [10.41 MB]
  • Sugar Sweet Baby
    Genre: Blues
    MP3 (04:22) [10.17 MB]
  • Let Go
    Genre: Roots Rock
    MP3 (04:40) [10.84 MB]
  • Chemo
    Genre: Roots Rock
    MP3 (04:10) [9.69 MB]
Biography
Bridget Kelly Band BIO.

PRODUCED by Tim Fik (Alpha Sun Records, 2018)

Inspired by classic & electric blues, the Bridget Kelly Band has placed their unique stamp on the blues genre, with high-energy live performances and a hybrid sound that mixes Texas and Memphis Blues with various Southern Blues traditions. The powerful and sultry vocals of singer Bridget Kelly and the incendiary lead guitar work of Tim Fik forge a signature hybrid sound that combines female urban blues with riff-driven rockin' blues guitar, held together by a tight and fluid rhythm section comprised of the powerful and dynamic Tim Mulberry on drums and seasoned bassist Mark Armbrecht. Tim Mulberry, former tour drummer for the Black Eyed Peas, joins the Bridget Kelly Band for their summer tour to support the release of their new rockin' Electric Blues album entitled "Blues Warrior".

The Bridget Kelly Band (BKB) continues to perform at clubs, concerts, and festivals throughout the United States, and recently at the "Women in Blues" Showcase in Memphis during the 2017 International Blues Challenge (IBC). The Bridget Kelly Band were International Blues Challenge (IBC) Semi-Finalist in 2015 and 2016. In the past five years, the Bridget Kelly Band has released four all-original CDs on Alpha Sun records -- Back in the Blues (2013), Forever in Blues (2014), Outta the Blues (2016), and Bone Rattler (2017). The release of the new CD "Blues Warrior" in the summer of 2018 marks the fifth release in six years. Blues Warrior is blues-rock album that focuses on such pressing issues such as domestic abuse, homelessness, human trafficking, and heroin addiction. With high-energy live performances, the Bridget Kelly Band continues to gain serious media attention for their studio recordings and live shows.

Track listing...

Bridget Kelly Band
Blues Warrior (2018)

1 Lil’ Honey Bee 3:55
2 Cabrini-Green 4:33
3 Stolen 6:09
4 No Good Man Blues 6:04
5 Alone 5:10
6 Trouble in Texas 4:23
7 Let Go of Me 4:38
8 Blues Inside of Me 6:59*
* featuring "Little Mike" Markowitz on Blues harp
9 It’s a Shame 4:03
10 Snow Fall 6:45
11 Nameless Nobody 5:29
12 Sugar Sweet Baby 4:22
13 Chemo 4:40
--------
Total Running Time: 66:35

Recorded at Alpha Sun studios (Gainesville, Florida)
November 2017 - January 2018
Produced by Tim Fik; Mixed: March, 2018
Mastered by Masterworxx (TJ Brown)
Label: Alpha Sun Records © 2018
Genre: Blues Rock / Contemporary Blues / Electric Blues
Publishing: Al-Omega Music ℗ BMI

CD REVIEW--
The Bridget Kelly Band’s Blues Warrior Tackles Blues Oriented Subject Matter

"I hate to make even part of this review about me. But after accidentally discovering this wonderful and authentic blues band on YouTube, I’ve had a blues awakening. Last week I went to my first blues concert at the World Famous Buckingham Blues Bar here in southwest Florida. And I have the Bridget Kelly Band to thank. They inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and explore this growing underground music scene. It’s broadened my musical horizons. It’s made me more musically aware and appreciative of the musical talent these unsung heroes possess.
Enough about me. Let’s talk Blues Warrior. It appears to be the 6th studio album for the Bridget Kelly Band following last year’s 2 CD blues marathon Bone Rattler. And again it features the sultry-sweet vocals of Bridget Kelly and the guitar work of husband Tim Fik. Rounding out the lineup are bass players Mark Armbrecht and Mike Hamm. Drummers Michael Barady and Christine Alexander. Keyboard player Chris Alexander and harmonica whiz “Little Mike” Markowitz.

Like the band’s prior outings, the guitar work of Tim Fik is absolutely gut busting. Tim charges each note with positive ions as he taps from a variety of styles and players. Yes, I hear Hendrix and Stevie Ray and even Robbie Kreiger. Fik straddles the fence between rock and blues and strays confidently into either territory. His tone and improvisational funkiness are a joy to listen to. Wife Bridget sings with a smile in her voice on the opening track “Lil’ Honey Bee” while Tim borrows a lick or two from Brian Setzer. This is one of the fun, happy songs on the album. “Cabrini-Green” is a song about the demise of public housing and it’s lasting effects on the communities around it. Bridget exclaims, “time for change!’ as Tim rips though several cosmic note combinations including some bigger riffs that sound like something the James Gang would do.

“Stolen” begins with a very Hendrix-like guitar intro that evolves into a perfect sonic back drop for Kelly’s tale about human trafficking, “Where can I run, who can I turn to?” This is the kind of subject matter that is PERFECT for the blues. This problem is a worldwide epidemic. The song is similar to Pat Benatar’s Hell is For Children, it’s just a different form of abuse. And one that needs more awareness because the politicians and the news media are complacent.
“No Good Man Blues” begins with another Fik guitar chord that immediately kicks you in the ****. And drummer Alex Klausner provides a punchy attention grabbing back beat. This time the topic is domestic abuse. The lyrics are straight forward and will wake the little hairs on the back of your neck. Tim Fik provides more of the same: fluent emotional playing that rides alongside the vocal flourishes of wife Bridget.

“Alone” opens with Fik destroying the scales and Kelly doing her housework like George Thorogood, but apparently without the whiskey. “Trouble in Texas” is a straight up fuzzy blues rocker outlaw song. Guns and Texas are always perfect in a blues song. And more psychedelic energy from Tim Fik’s guitar, almost a mild mannered Guitar Shorty with more listenable tones. “Let Go” is about a love gone wrong, again, blues style. And again Fik obliterates the guitar solo so much so I had to start the song over again to hear it a few times in a row. Tim Fik defies ordinary. He locks you into what appears to be a Ferris Wheel only to take you for a spin on the Zipper.

“Blues Inside of Me” is a slower tempo traditional blues take, but the guitar solo and the late night jazz components of it make for another welcome surprise. “It’s A Shame” is a song about when good love comes to an end. Tim plays yet another technically proficient guitar solo. This track is followed by the aptly titled “Snow Fall” with leads in with Tim soloing. A blunt song about the addictive lure of heroin and cocaine or any hardcore drug. This is real life blues. The lyrics aren’t laden with cliches. These are well thought out lines that take the listener on a mystical ride – a truthful, in your face ride.

“Nameless Nobody” finds Tim Fik’s guitar wailing right at the outset. This time a tale of homelessness is woven in between Tim’s note bending explosions. Song number 12 pulls us out of the dark landscape we’ve been walking. “Sweet Sugar Baby” is a great vehicle for Bridget Kelly’s more sassy side. Chris Alexander throws down some nice piano fills and Tim bends those strings. The album concludes with a tune from the Joe Walsh (Rocky Mountain Way) guitar playbook. A more straight up rocker with a bit less of the blues. A sad tale of death and chemotherapy which is dedicated to grandma Kelly. “Chemo” is actually a fitting conclusion to Blues Warrior. Tim Fik doesn’t want to stop though. It’s as if the album is over but he is somewhere in your brain shredding up a storm as well as a few neurons.

Some folks may not be used to the blues being about the blues. This album harnesses power from several places. Difficult subject matter. Incredible emotional guitar playing. Heartfelt, soul stirring vocals. Straight forward no-nonsense production. I actually like this music more than the stuff on “Bone Rattler” which is saying something. The mature songwriting only adds more fuel to this smoldering fire which is slowly becoming an inferno.
Blues Warrior is a game changing , shape shifting, cliche busting album that is sure to bring more attention to this extremely talented band."
The Real Music Observer (David Spuria) May 11, 2018
https://therealmusicobserver.wordpress.com/2018/05/11/the-bridget-kelly-bands-blues-warrior-tackles-blues-oriented-subject-matter/

Band Review--
The Bridget Kelly Band: Playing Authentic American Blues Rock Like Few Others
"Much of this article is going to be centered around the idea that real music is hard to find. The kind where the guitars, bass, drums and vocals keep you interested and occupied as you drive your car, clean your house or dance near the stage. Such is the music of The Bridget Kelly Band.
This music is considered blues or blues rock with some southern traditions mixed in. For me it is authentic in its approach and execution. The two main players in this band are guitarist Tim Fik and vocalist Bridget Kelly. Fik is one of the finest guitar players I’ve never heard of. His playing is soulful, fluent, creative, emotional and driven. He seems like he can pull any emotion he wants to from his electrified stringed instrument. This isn’t just an ordinary case of an unheralded guitar player. This is someone who has managed to stay under the radar for the last few decades. I keep doing double takes while listening to guitar solos and fills that are wildly entertaining and somewhat jaw dropping. Even if this music is not in your wheelhouse, you can’t dispute the level of talent this man has.
Bridget Kelly has managed to be Tim’s equal and sultry storyteller. Her lead vocals alternate between sweet and sassy and she is somehow able to blend in and compliment Fik’s frantically good guitar work. The way the band records and mixes their studio albums really gives them a smoky bar room sound. This is the kind of music you hear in an intimate setting but it has the power to translate to a much larger venue.
If you are a blues person you will like this. If you are a rock person you will like it. If you like music played with passion and authenticity you will like it. The songs on their latest album Bone Rattler have real sticking power. You hear them just a time or two and the lyrics and the melody take hold. The music creates it’s own familiarity with the listener.
As a guy who normally listens to music with a lot more gloss and stuff going on, BKB is a refreshing stop in minimalism. I am a closet blues fan. But you don’t have to be a blues purest to love this band. I was fortunate enough to stumble upon their music after doing a search for local talent here in the state of Florida. Honestly I wasn’t expecting much. To find a band performing at this level really made me think about the state of music today and how so much of what is thought to be good is just foisted upon willing consumers without much resistance. In the meantime you can visit their website or Facebook page to hear their extensive catalog of authentic American blues and rock. You won’t be disappointed."

The Real Music Observer (David Spuria); www.therealmusicobserver.wordpress.com 4/10/2018


ALPHA SUN RECORDS
BRIDGET KELLY BAND/Blues Warrior (2018) CD reviews:
"In which we find the kick **** blues rockers turning it up yet again and adding political/protest content to the mix. Having come a long way in a relatively short time, this crew is topping everything they come in contact with and taking it all to a new level of the game this time around. Tearing it up with a message? There’s just no limit for this crew as they keep doing it right. Hot stuff." May 26, 2018 Chris Spector, Midwest Record (Lake Zurich, IL)

The Bridget Kelly Band is another group we simply cannot get enough of. Their fifth album for Alpha Sun Records in the last six years is entitled “Blues Warrior,” and that they are, indeed, continuing to spread the word of the blues from their home base in Florida to fans all over the globe. Bridget’s got a voice to die for, sultry, soulful, and sexy, (often all at the same time!), while Tim Fik is the consummate guitar-meister, with influences as varied as B. B., Jimi, and Dickie Betts, and everyone in between. He also serves as the set’s producer. They were Semi-Finalists in both the 2015 and 2016 IBC’s, and, this year, Tim collared a prestigious KBA, a lifetime achievement award given to those who have dedicated their lives and careers in Keeping The Blues Alive and preserving and promoting its heritage. The Bridget Kelly Band has used the music of “Blues Warrior” to empower all who suffer from any of the plights that plague modern society to take every step possible to stand up and fight back. An excellent blues album under any circumstances, this one is made even more appealing by the band’s philanthropic outlook of “giving back” to their fans and the blues community who knows of someone suffering in silence. Thank you, guys–we love you! Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society, May 27th, 2018.

Bridget Kelly Band "Blues Warrior". Bridget Kelly and Tim Fik hit the mark with this one. ...This album is everything a contemporary blues album should be. What more can anyone ask for than power, passion and soul...and these can be found in abundance. If contemporary blues is your bag, chances are that this album will be a perfect fit. - Bill Wilson, Reflections in Blue May 2018


BKB NEWS Wire:
The Bridget Kelly Band is very pleased to announce that guitarist Tim Fik is a 2018 recipient of the "Keeping the Blues Alive" (KBA) award from the Blues Foundation in Memphis (blues.org). The prestigious KBA is given as a lifetime achievement award to individuals or groups for their efforts in promoting and preserving the Blues.

The Bridget Kelly Band's "Bone Rattler" CD was released in May of 2017 on Alpha Sun records. An eclectic 2-disk CD, comprised of 22 all-original songs that cover a fairly wide spectrum of "Electric Blues" and "Blues-Rock" styles, the CD has been well-received by critics and fans alike. The CD was produced by featured guitarist Tim Fik. A summer tour to promote the new album included shows in Florida and Georgia, a CD release party at Darwin's in Atlanta, as well as club and festival dates throughout the Midwest (including a standing- ovation performance at the Northwood Blues Festival in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and a killer show at the Nickel Plate District Blues Festival in Fishers, Indiana). The band's CD "Bone Rattler" was the #2 most-downloaded AirPlayDirect "Blues Album" in the month of May 2017, and charted #11 on the International Blues Broadcasters Association Radio Playlist.

The "Bone Rattler" CD was #1 on the RMR "Electric Blues" Album chart for a total of 24 weeks (spanning the period June 10th through December 30th). In addition, the CD climbed to #15 on the RMR Top-50 "Blues Album" chart (the week of Aug. 26th, 2017), with the group earning several top-10 positions on the Singles chart with tracks such as "Ain't Missin' You","Goin' to Chitown", and the song "What You Need" (which first aired Memorial Day Weekend on Sirius XM radio, B.B. King's Bluesville). In June of 2017, the Bridget Kelly Band reached a milestone as the "Bone Rattler" CD charted on the highly coveted and prestigious "Living Blues Radio Chart". Bone Rattler hit #1 on Blues411.com radio in November of 2017, and was #2 on the "Best of 2017" Electric Blues Album Chart.
Since their formation in the Spring of 2012, the Bridget Kelly Band has gained respect and acclaim from their live shows, songwriting, and recordings. Songs from their 2014 "Forever in Blues" CD were regularly featured on Sirius XM satellite radio (B.B. King's Bluesville), as well as radio stations around the world. The band's "Forever in Blues" album was a top-4 pick by the International Blues Broadcasters Association (IBBA) in the summer of 2014, and reached #14 spot on the RMR Contemporary Blues chart, #1 on the State of Florida Album chart, #1 on the Blues Debut chart, and peaked at #2 on the Blues411.com chart in December, 2014. The group also earned its reputation as a rocking female-fronted blues band, when voted #3 by Blues E-News magazine in a "Women in Music" poll in July of 2015.
The group's third album, "Outta the Blues" (released in May of 2016), reached a milestone for the band as it rose to #11 on the RMR Contemporary Blues chart, hit #1 on the RMR Electric Blues Chart for six weeks in July and August of 2016, and was the #4 ranked Roots Music Radio "Electric Blues" album in 2016, with the band's first #1 Electric Blues Song-- "Someone's Hoodooin' Me". With airplay from hundreds of blues shows around the world, favorable media reviews, and regular airplay on Pandora, Spotify, Jango, and Internet radio, the band has expanded their international fan base. BKB's continued success has been largely attributed to its insistence of giving it their all, every time they take the stage. Their passion for the music is evident in the energy of their live shows. Honing their signature sound, the Bridget Kelly Band has been committed to living the dream of performing their music and celebrating the blues in its electrified form. With the release of "Bone Rattler" in May of 2017, the Bridget Kelly Band has carved out a niche for themselves in the industry with a brand and an infectious signature sound, while remaining steadfastly committed to honoring the legacy of the blues.
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CD REVIEWS-- Bridget Kelly Band... Bone Rattle CD Review. "They continue to improve their sound with each successive album. Led by the red-hot vocals of Bridget Kelly, ...with their influences coming from Memphis, Texas, and classic blues-rock. Their latest set is a monster, indeed. “Bone Rattler” is twenty-two original songs spread over two CD’s that is guaranteed to... “rattle your bones”. Brother Tim Fik has always been a mighty force on guitar, but he absolutely scorches the frets throughout both discs...the first set kicks off with a blistering, Freddie King-styled groove, as Bridget tells an ex that “I’m sleepin’ real good tonite–I Ain’t Missin’ You!” We’ve always enjoyed Bridget and Tim layin’ down some of that good, deep, slow-blues, and her story of “I was so good for you, baby, but you were No Good For Me” is just what the root doctor ordered! They turn in a sweet duet on the slide-heavy tale of “going down to Florida” on that “OutBound Mississippi” train, with a cool “alternative” ending! Our favorite was, hands down, Bridget’s call for us all to follow her, “Goin’ To Chi-Town,” as Tim busts out his best Elmore James licks. The Bridget Kelly Band flat tore it up on stage as a part of the “Women In Blues” showcase during the 2017 IBC’s in Memphis. Their hot streak continues, ...sho’ nuff a “Bone Rattler.” Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society (May 29, 2017).
Bridget Kelly Band / Bone Rattler / Alpha Sun Records 2017. This is a double disc set that is about equally divided between Bridget Kelly, a powerful vocalist with a leaning toward more traditional blues and R&B, and Tim Fik, who leans more heavily toward an incendiary rock with blues roots. When all is said and done, they balance each other out nicely, giving a bit of something to everyone, regardless of the style they might prefer. With Kelly on vocals, Fik on guitar & vocal, Mark Armbrecht on bass & Alex Klausner on drums, this band has their based solidly covered. The first disc, while filled with solid blues licks from Tim Fik, is predominantly based around Bridget Kelly. This woman has a voice that is both hard-driving, powerful as a locomotive with a full head of steam, and sultry enough to melt the soles of your shoes and burn a hole straight through to your soul. This is powerful on so many levels. Add the guitar work of Tim Fik, which takes somewhat a second position, complimenting Bridget's voice beautifully. Then there is disc 2, which is predominantly a Tim Fik album. This disc, while deeply rooted in the blues, is much more based around Fik's scorching guitar work. Kelly, while present, is in more of a supportive role on the second disc. As I said earlier, Bone Rattler is well-balanced, offering up a bit of something for everyone. Fik not only has a scorching guitar style, but a voice that sounds like his vocal cords were marinated in bourbon in a heavily smoke-filled room...perfect for the blues. Any way you slice it, this is one great album. I was particularly taken by the diversity of the recording. From hard-driving blues to slow and seductive and row in just a touch of that Big Band type of sound and you get an album that is anything but "run of the mill" or boring. This one had me on the edge of my seat, not knowing what might be coming next. This one's a keeper. - Bill Wilson, Reflections in Blues (June, 2017).
Bridget Kelly Band – Bone Rattler is a twenty-two track bit of howling, riotously infectious electric-led blues from Florida, Deep South but more a US state known for its warmth and sunny climate than a swampy, muddy one, as Arthur Blake might have said. Despite that, the clear Delta-inspired music is evident here and Kelly’s voice is always powerful and pure, pushing through the ripping fretwork of her blues-partner and band guitarist Tim Fik, a guy with chops, licks and riffs to spare. Kicking off with some soaring organ, the band quickly slips into a pulsing, driving groove that holds till the very end. It’s easy to see why this outfit have reached the finals of the Memphis Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge with ease in both 2015 and 2016, where they have been runners-up on both occasions. It must surely be only a matter of time before they take the top award and land a major-label contact. This is rocking, raucous, ball-gripping electric blues at its very best. Go out and do yourself a favour and buy a copy of this superb release. You won’t regret it. Blues Magazine, Iain Patience (May, 2017).
BRIDGET KELLY BAND/Bone Rattler: Since we first came across Kelly and told you to keep an ear out for this rising white girl with the blues that was sure to become a fave, she's become a fave cleaning up all the blues recognition there is to get. Upping her game this time out by releasing an ambitious double disc of all the blues there is to muster, she finds all there is to find in southern blues and delivers it hard whether charging, sultry, rocking or whatever. Everything you could want is on board here... Well done throughout. Chris Spector, Midwest Record, May, 2017

Bridget Kelly Band, Bone Rattler CD Review (translated from German). The Bridget Kelly Band remains faithful to their mix of Blues Rock and Traditional Blues on their latest release. "Bone Rattler" is a double album with 22 new songs that rings from Texas to Chicago. The combination of the great voice of Bridget Kelly with guitar by Tim Fik is absolutely worth listening to. At times the feel reminds you of the guitar of Johnny Winter at its best, where echoes of Robin Trower or Jimi Hendrix come to fruition. And there is even a little jazz. Tim Fik is one of those guitarists who seemingly can shake the whole history of the electric blues with one wrist. In addition a voice that grabs one from the outset, Bridget Kelly is a powerful singer who delivers their everyday stories with lots of soul. With "Back In The Blues", this band from Florida attracted my attention. And over the years they have become still better. No wonder that they have twice reached the semi-finals at the International Blues Challenge: Here is a band to experience, one who has found a unique sound and who knows how to tell their own stories. "Bone Rattler" certainly is a long party for all those who want to rock blues. Be sure to listen! (Das Magazin Wasser Prawda, June, 29, 2017;, Veröffentlicht am 29 Juni 2017).

Bridget Kelly Band "Bone Rattler" (2017). This two-CD set, Bone Rattler (Alpha Sun), from the Bridget Kelly Band, features vocalist Bridget Kelly with her side-kick Tim Fik, a fiery guitar slinger and producer of the set, along with the rhythm team of Mark Armbrecht on bass and Alex Klausner on drums. This is Kelly’s fourth CD and the strongest yet. The opener, “Ain’t Missin’ You” sets the pace for a lively program. Ms. Kelly and Mr. Fik work a tag team of energy that impresses. That energy rarely lets up for the life of the disc. There are a few impressive ballads ("No Good For Me," Deeper Than Blue," "The Dark Night," sung by Fik). But the songs that will sell the disc are the rowdier rockier tunes. Recommended tunes ”Goin’ To Chi-Town" and "Mr. Gaines," with R.B. Stone on harmonica. Mark E. Gallo (Bluenight.com/Blues Bytes, July 2017).
10
  • Members:
    Bridget Kelly (Vocals), Tim Fik (guitar), Mark Armbrecht (bass), Tim Mulberry (drums)
  • Sounds Like:
    The Bridget Kelly Band
  • Influences:
    Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jimi Hendrix, Etta James, Classic & Contemporary Blues, Electric Blues, Texas Blues, Chicago Blues, 70's Blues Rock
  • AirPlay Direct Member Since:
    05/14/18
  • Profile Last Updated:
    08/14/23 22:30:33

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