electric blues

James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 2, 1942 in St. Matthews, South Carolina) is an American avant-garde jazz and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer's distinctive guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging." His singing has been called "raggedly soulful." Ulmer began his career playing with various soul jazz ensembles, and first recorded with organist John Patton in 1969. After moving to New York in 1971, Ulmer played with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Joe Henderson, Paul Bley, Rashied Ali and Larry Young.

Bill Homans, a.k.a "Watermelon Slim", has a storied past from which he draws experience and fodder for the fourteen tracks on the new Watermelon Slim & The Workers CD. The record is Slim's third in four years and his debut release for Toronto-based NorthernBlues Records, where it's the latest in a string of critically acclaimed projects by artists such as Otis Taylor, David Jacobs-Strain, Janiva Magness and others. Despite playing his first paid gig at 18 and spending more than 30 plus years as a musician, it was only recently Bill 'Watermelon Slim' Homans manifested his life pursuit.