Read more of Bmans Blues Report, USA, 'This Is The Life I Choose' Album ReviewI just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, This Is The Life I Choose, by Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion and it's quite interesting. Opening with Hold On, a driving rocker with a definite British flavor, ZSBC starts where they left off on their last release with solid vocals and...
Read more of Blues In The South (BiTS), Ian McKenzie, Feb 2017, 'This Is The Life I Choose' Album ReviewThis 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 Plunger Music Blog, Feb 2017, 'This Is The Life I Choose' Album review.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 'Get Ready To Rock', Online Magazine, Album Review Jan 2017“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 Blues In Britain Magazine, Issue 181, Jan 2017, Blues Sisters Live Gig ReviewOften 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 177, Sept 2016, 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 Live Review: Bottleneck Blues Club, Rochester, Kent 26th Jan 2016"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 Blues In Britain, Issue 169, Jan 2016 - Live Gig Review, Scratchers FarncombeA 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...
A welcome return to the Maltings for Zoe and her band, this time in quartet mode with Zoe on vocals, Rob Koral on guitar, Pete Whittaker on keys and Paul Robinson on drums. The opening pair of numbers set the standard for the evening with Paul's energetic drums pushing both Rob and Pete to great...Read more of Blues In Britain, Issue 168, Dec 2015 - Live Gig Review, Farnham Maltings
Read more of Blues Blast Magazine, USA, Issue-9-40, 1st Oct 2015, Live Album ReviewSometimes 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 Bytes USA, 'What's New' Sept 2015, Live Album ReviewZoe 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 The Blues Magazine, issue 23, Aug 2015, Live Album Review, 9/10 Stars!!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 Histozic.Fr Renowned French blogger Iceman, Didier A. 28.8.15. Live Album Review.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 'Get Ready To Rock', Online Magazine, Album Review, Aug 2015 **** Pretty damn fine!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...