What a voice! What delivery! What style!. Nuff said! Awards? I think so!
This is Blue Commotion’s 4th studio album. Here we have eleven brand new original songs, (more about them later) plus two bonus tracks, both covers: 'Feeling Good', which has often been a tour-de-force the band on gigs, plus 'We're Going Wrong', a Jack Bruce song from the 60's.
The...
Read more of Blues In The South (BiTS), Ian McKenzie, Feb 2017, 'This Is The Life I Choose' Album Review
Black and White Blues Commotion pick some Peaches…
Zoë Schwarz in a Stranglers t-shirt isn’t the only surprise on this the band’s sixth album in five years and to Plunger’s ears the most stylistically varied.
There are still ‘classic’ ZSBC upbeat canters, like the opening trio of the gutsy snare-driven soul a go-go and...
Read more of Plunger Music Blog, Feb 2017, 'This Is The Life I Choose' Album review.
'This Is The Life I Choose'
“Blue Commotion is a breath of fresh air on a contemporary music scene too often dominated by image, the bottom line and the need for an instant hook.
They refresh the blues genre with mostly self penned material, hugely original arrangements, virtuosic playing and of course Zoe...
Read more of 'Get Ready To Rock', Online Magazine, Album Review Jan 2017
Half Moon Putney, Blues Sisters Double Headline show with Rebecca Downs Band
Often tagged as "jazzy", that doesn't really do Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion's varied material justice. Zoe's pre-show remark (and her Stranglers t-shirt!) hinted at the rawer nature of many of their uptempo numbers: 'Come Home Sweet Baby' and 'Your Sun Shines Rain' both...
Read more of Blues In Britain Magazine, Issue 181, Jan 2017, Blues Sisters Live Gig Review
Ealing Blues Festival
"Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion brought a different level of class to the main stage: a rattling 'Liberated Woman' with lovely fluid guitar from Rob Koral; 'Take Me Back''s breakneck speed call-and-response shuffle, while a driving 'Your Sun Shines Rain' showed Zoe's powerful, impassioned vocal....
Read more of Blues In Britain Magazine, Issue 177, Sept 2016, Live Gig Review, Ealing Blues Festival
Bottleneck Blues Club, Rochester, Kent
"Wow, it is great when we have a new band at the club, even better when the singer can really sing, some of the audience compared her to Beth Hart, rocky one minute, big bluesy ballads the next. Zoe stamped her own personality to the songs, a lot written by her guitarist and husband Rob Koral....
Read more of Live Review: Bottleneck Blues Club, Rochester, Kent 26th Jan 2016
"A top-class band playing some great songs"
Scratchers at The Three Lions, Farncombe
A packed crowd turned out to catch Zoe Schwarz and Blue Commotion (husband Rob Koral on guitar, Paul Robinson on drums and tonight Phil Mulford on bass) play in the intimate setting of Scratchers at the three Lions in Farncombe: It was well worth braving the weather.
This band is tight...
Read more of Blues In Britain, Issue 169, Jan 2016 - Live Gig Review, Scratchers Farncombe
It is tempting to compare her sound to other famous lead singers, but on further reflection her unique tone, diction, and inflection truly make her voice unique (in a good way).
Sometimes band release live albums when they have not recorded anything new in a while and they need to get something new on the market quickly. This is not the case with Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion's new live disc, I'll Be Yours Tonight, which has been released not on the heels of their...
Read more of Blues Blast Magazine, USA, Issue-9-40, 1st Oct 2015, Live Album Review
A most impressive look at a working band doing what they do best.
Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion have only been playing together for around three years, but have been very busy i the studio during that time, having releasee three studio albums in that time. Their fourth release, I'll Be Yours Tonight - Live (33 records), was not planned, but fortunately...
Read more of Blues Bytes USA, 'What's New' Sept 2015, Live Album Review
A sensational live performance of the band's studio recordings.
What a show. The scene is set with Your Sun Shines Rain, with its hypnotic guitar solo. Schwarz's energy and spontaneity make the live version of the title track similarly memorable, and Fine And Mellow also reaches heights of emotional intensity far beyond the...
Read more of The Blues Magazine, issue 23, Aug 2015, Live Album Review, 9/10 Stars!!
Zoe Schwarz is an amazing, though late, discovery in a genre which goes from blues to rock, from jazz to country.
Amazing for it is via an email contact that we have discovered her. Something that rarely happens you'll agree. Lori's publicity has been good. But above all it is Zoe's voice together with her music which is so impressive. She has released her fourth album with Blues Commotion and...
Read more of Histozic.Fr Renowned French blogger Iceman, Didier A. 28.8.15. Live Album Review.
'Vibrant, original, adventurous and in Zoe you have a passionate singer who gets inside the lyrics'
With 3 studio albums under their belt and a busy gig sheet, Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion have established themselves as a sophisticated blues band with their own unique selling point.
They are vibrant, original, adventurous and in Zoe Schwarz you have a passionate singer who gets inside...
Read more of 'Get Ready To Rock', Online Magazine, Album Review, Aug 2015 **** Pretty damn fine!
I have listened to this release a number of times and I continue to be surprised by the chord changes and I like it better each time. Koral again steps up with clean and interesting guitar riffs making this one of my favorites.
I just received the newest release, I'll Be Yours Tonight LIVE, from Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotionand it's quite good! Opening with a rocker, Your Sun Shines Rain, Schwarz reminds me a lot of early Yeah Yeah Yeahs but done in San Francisco in 1968. Interesting. Fine & Mellow is a perfect...
Read more of Bman's Blues Report, Arizona USA, Live Album Review, July 2015