When it comes to the blues, there's a lot more than first meets the ear.

The many variations on the genre's basic theme are amply demonstrated by Pittsburgh-area band Angel Blue and the Prophets on their new album, "Bottom of the Bottle Blues."

From the innovatively presented opening track - I won't give away the details - through a slide guitar-driven, Bo Diddley-beat closer, the disc steers clear of sounding anything close to repetitious. In some places, it makes you want to get up and dance; in others, it might prompt you to pour a shot (see title track). And for guitarists, this is a great play-along record, although you're bound to have trouble keeping up with the assembled instrumental talent.

Above all, this is Angel's show. Angela D'Ambrosio wasn't formally trained as a vocalist (or a songwriter, for that matter). But you wouldn't know it by listening to her voice - often gritty, occasionally sweet - carry a set of mostly original compositions, for which she wrote lyrics from a decidedly female point of view.

One of the highlights, for example, is "Guilty Baby," where a single guitarist accompanies Angie through a fun, sexy monologue about her love for an unnamed, second-person gentleman. (Red-blooded male listeners just might come away hoping it's them.)

And speaking of fun, there's "Shimmy Shakin' Lowdown Blues," a song with a title that says it all - and one that gets a great response on the dance floor when Angel Blue and the Prophets play it live.

Contrasting the jubilant "Shimmy" is the minor-chord title song, on which Angie's voice navigates a range of a couple of octaves to effectively convey a sense of desperation. (This is the blues, after all.) Helping drive the tune are some emotionaly charged guitar passages by special guest Reb Beach, he of Winger, Whitesnake and other high-profile acts.

The album also features guest spots by a couple of other Pittsburgh area guitarists: Lee Cherry on "Short Chain" and Frank Giovi on "Love You Any Less."

That's in addition to the guys who work with Angie regularly: Jonathan Smith on bass, Jeff Conners on keyboards, Joe Maryanski on sax and guitarists Dan Parks and E. Lee Hindman Jr.

Oh, and there's one more band member, Angel's longest-serving collaborator ("I wouldn't have the band without him," Angie says): drummer Scott McLean, who also plays keyboards and bass on the album, as well as co-producing it and writing the music to Angie's lyrics. After hearing Scott's solo album, "Rock and Roll Karma," I was expecting a great sound with the Angel Blue project. And I certainly wasn't disappointed.

"Bottom of the Bottle Blues" covers a lot of territory in 50 minutes, including a renditions of Blind Willie McTell's "Stormy Monday" recorded three years ago by the original incarnation of the band, with Lou Macarelli and George Waller on guitars and Pete LaCava on bass, along with Scott. And the disc wraps up with probably my favorite track (I'm partial to the Bo Diddley Beat), "Johnny McGaster," a triumphant song of liberation propelled by some exceptional slide playing, by Lee Hindman.

Angel Blue and the Prophets is hosting a CD release party for "Bottom of the Blues" this Friday, Dec. 2, at the Hard Rock Cafe at Station Square, with the Craig King Band opening and the Sonic Blues Band closing. Check it out to see what the blues is all about.

West Alexander has been the site of plenty of parties in the past. After all, this was where couples came across the border from Virginia (before it was West Virginia) just a few miles away for expedient weddings and, we'd assume, subsequent celebrations.

But the tiny two-century-old town hadn't seen anything quite like the festivities that took place Friday night at the old bank building on Main Street.

Keith Sparbanie owns the building, is a big-time music enthusiast, and came up with a great idea of how to combine the two. Meanwhile, one of his favorite performers, Vanguard Records artist Garrison Starr, sometimes visits fans to play good, old-fashioned house parties.

"It's kind of a way for fans to take charge, to get the artists they want to see in their area," explains Garrison (aka G Starr), who's in the midst of a six-week East Coast tour. "It helps fill the holes on the tour and also to connect more with the fans."

In this case, Keith made it a bank party, converting part of the venerable financial institution into a concert venue (the refreshments were set up in the friendly confines of the old vault). About three dozen folks were able to sit comfortably and enjoy a relaxed, intimate show by a pair of talented artists.

Accompanying G Starr on her current tour is Nini Camps. Both are singer-songwriters who have what you'd call the complete package: musicianship, stage presence, tuneful original compositions and stunning vocal abilities. They shared the stage Friday, trading turns at the helm, sometimes accompanying one another but often watching in rapt attention as each put forth a stellar effort song after song.

Garrison played a number of tracks from her well-received 2004 Vanguard album, "Airstreams and Satellites." Highlights included "Hey, Girl," which is a tribute to the fighting spirit of her grandmother; "Gasoline," a vocal showcase that remarks on the volatility of relationships (as do many of her compositions); "Runner-Up," inspired by, as she tells it, a Bugs Bunny cartoon; and "Superhero," which has been a fan favorite since an early version appeared on a previous recording. She also drew from her forthcoming album, "The Sound of You and Me," which is scheduled for release in March.

"I put this tour together to let fans know about the new record," she says. "It's a good way for me to practice, to be up there playing the new songs." Plus, she's noticed, "The fans are digging them."

The fans in West Alex also enjoyed the sounds put forth by Nini, who's put out several independent releases. (The one I picked up after the show, "So Long," is a well-produced by Nini and David Seitz, and is a worthy listen.) She also was in fine voice on her originals and, as an added bonus, took time to put her guitar work firmly in the spotlight.

On one tune - Nini called it simply "The Instrumental," while Garrison offered "Hail Mary" - she employed a Boss loop unit to layer sounds, then played some wicked open-tuning slide guitar to come up with the aural effect of a full band. The musicians in the crowd were quite impressed.

The ladies played for well over two hours, then visited with audience members for some friendly chat, photo opportunities and merchandise sales, which seemed to be going well.

"The way the (music) industry is, you've got to be willing to reach out and touch your fans," says Keith, who's thinking about putting on more shows at the bank. "What do you do with those open dates? You try to hook up with your fans. She can really bond with her existing fans and create some new ones in the process."

That concept certainly worked for the folks who caught Garrison Starr and Nini Camps while partying in West Alex.

PHOTOS: 1) Garrison; 2) Nini during "The Instrumental; 3) Garrison, Nini and fan Mary Malysko of Scott Township

Since he first strapped on a guitar, Tony Janflone Jr. probably has heard comments about following in his father's footsteps.

True, Tony Sr. has for a long time been regarded as one of the Pittsburgh area's premiere jazz guitarists. But Tony Jr. has established his own reputation as a virtuoso player in the blues-rock vein, and one heck of a showman, to boot.

His shows at at the Blues Cafe on Pittsburgh's South Side, where he and his band have had a Sunday residency for many years, serve as ample demonstration.

The venue has an unusual configuration: The band and its equipment are perched on a loft overlooking the bar area, not the best arrangement for audience members to see what the musicians are doing.

"That's OK. I play on top of the bar," Tony told me before the latest show.

And so he did, with a wireless microphone and guitar pickup transmitting signals up to the loft. The sound emitting from the speakers is sufficient for Tony to keep everything together without the benefit of monitors, and he pulls it off in a confident, comfortable manner.

The rather unconventional setup certainly is no hindrance to his dexterous guitar playing, which is a product of a variety of influences. He mentions Tony Sr., of course, and George Benson, along with a couple of other jazz legends:

"My dad's favorite two musicians were John Coltrane and Wes Montgomery," he says. "I remember walking around the house singing 'A Love Supreme,'" Coltrane's mid-'60s masterwork.

From the rock music end of the spectrum come influences from the classic players: Hendrix, Beck, Clapton, Vaughan, with guitarists like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai for good measure.

Matter of fact, Tony is one of the featured players on "Lords of Karma: A Tribute to Vai/Satriani," a Versailles Records release that also boasts such well-regarded axemen as George Lynch, Brad Gillis, Bruce Kulick and Jake E. Lee. Tony performs a Vai composition, "Tender Surrender," that requires a great deal of skill to execute, and he plays all the instruments except drums (handled by Rick Dickerson), to boot.

"Guitar One (magazine) reviewed the album and picked my cut as their favorite cut," Tony says, with the added bonus that it helped him land an endorsement deal with Dillion Guitars, a company based in New York.

"They're really well-made instruments, very affordable," he says. "These things hold up really well. My instrument, in a show - it takes a beating."

On Sunday's show, he ripped it up through renditions of such tunes as Cream's "Badge," Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" (featuring a nimble bass solo from longtime collaborator George Elliot, another Washington County guy), the Beatles' "Eight Days a Week" (with plenty of audience participation), the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (lead vocal by keyboard player Richard Everett) and Tony's original "Crocodile Tears" (with drummer Jack Mrozowski in a prominent role).

(Tony's other band member is Curtis Swift, who's been blowing a mean saxophone with him for eight years.)

His band recorded a CD, "Live at the Blues Cafe," at the venue a few years ago, including a blisering version of the rock standard "Hey Joe" and Jimi's "The Wind Cries Mary." Tony says he has other projects in the works, including a Christmas album "hopefully for next Christmas," and is doing studio and production work with other artists.

He also is featured on a couple of other Versailles tribute albums: "What's Love?" (Tina Turner) and "Always" (Bon Jovi). On the latter, he performs "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

"That's probably my favorite Bon Jovi tune," Tony says. "That's a classic guitar lick."

Tony delivers plenty of classic licks of his own, and his shows are highly entertaining and highly recommended. Along with the regular Sunday shows, he's playing closer to his hometown in the next couple of weeks, including Nov. 23 (the day before Thanksgiving) at Jay's Sportsbar in Southpointe, and Dec. 9 at Rinky Dink's Roadhouse in Amity.

In the meantime, you can pick up Wednesday's Observer-Reporter to read my column (page B1) about efforts to have Tony's band play its stellar rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at next year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game at PNC Park.

PHOTOS: Live at Blues Cafe are 1) Tony, 2) George, 3) Richard, 4) Curtis. (Sorry, it was tough shooting into that loft, so none of Jack ...)

The voices combined for a harmonically accurate rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's a cappella classic "Find the Cost of Freedom."

The brief incantation segued into a song that I didn't recognize, but the presentation and subject matter made me wonder if this was something I'd missed in the CSN&Y canon.

Later, I learned the slice of social commentary was "Capital Blues," an original composition by the co-leader of an original-sounding band.

Further Down the Road is the group's name, derived (as many are) from a bit of jam-session humor. And the name fits: The band's performances take audience members along a street of twists and turns, alternately highlighting vocal and instrumental prowess, band-written material with well-chosen originals, serious topics with love songs, all the while showing that everyone is up there having fun.

After taking in Further Down the Road's show last weekend at Mo'joe coffee house in Mt. Lebanon, I was impressed that the two principals, guitarist/vocalists Dan Hunt and Alicia Romano, had been playing together only a little over a year. Percussionist Mike Lavalley joined up about five months ago, and bassist Dan Hoffmann within the past two.

They've developed a good musical rapport in a short period of time, jelling together on some rather complex arrangements that cropped up during the set. (Admittedly, there was a glitch or two, but the band handled it with a sense of humor that had the audience not minding a bit.)

The evening started with Dan Hunt demonstrating his fine singing voice for a couple of tunes, with Alicia singing harmony. Then she strapped on her acoustic and took center stage, as per design: "We've got her in the forefront," Dan says.

Alicia cites singer/guitarist Ani DiFranco as a primary influence, but it's difficult to categorize her vocal style. The folks with whom I watched the show agreed she has a very natural way of singing, without sounding forced at all. She certainly can project her voice well, adding a heartfelt dimension to her often introspective lyrics.

She also takes the lead on Dan Hunt's material: "Some songs, I wrote and gave to her. Once you give her something, she takes it and makes it her own, and expands on it. It's really a tribute to her that she's able to do that."

One song she's made her own came as something of a surprise: a jazzy arrangement of the Allman Brothers' epic "Whipping Post." Dan heard the Allmans doing it on the radio one day and said to himself, "You know, I bet she could pull it off." She does.

Another highlight was an original by Alicia called "The Jesus Song," which not only put her songwriting talents on display, but also served as a showcase for Dan's fleet-fingered, Spanish-style licks on his acoustic Taylor guitar.

Actually, Dan says, he's just started concentrating on acoustic in the past several years. His roots are as an electric guitarist, starting at age 14, and in his 20s he "did the road thing for a couple of years" as a full-time musician before embarking on a successful non-music career.

He couldn't get it out of his blood, though, and last year started jamming with some co-workers, including Alicia. As others came and went, they stuck together and decided to pursue something more seriously.

Now that the lineup is set as a quartet, Further Down the Road will record its first album in early 2006, at Dan Hunt's own Reallife Music Productions studio. He also has a solo album in the works, and recently recorded an album by rock trio Neutral Loss. (Band members thank Dan profusely on their Web site.)

Catch both the bands as Further Down the Road opens the festivities at Neutral Loss' CD release party on Friday, Nov. 25, at the Hard Rock Cafe at Station Square.

PHOTOS: Live at Mo'joe are Alicia Romano, Dan Hunt and Mike Lavalley. (Sorry ... the shot of Dan Hoffmann just didn't work out.)

I first met Scott McLean in his role as a drummer in a blues band. So I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when he sent me a copy of his new album, the intriguingly titled "Rock and Roll Karma."

As a musician, Scott has a few tricks up his sleeve besides drumming in a blues band.

Away from his longtime collaboration with Angela D'Ambrosio in Angel Blue and the Prophets , Scott delivers a disc that features several musical styles - from guitar-driven jams to jazz/ funk fusion to hook-filled rock 'n' roll riffs. And beyond the drums, he plays most of the other instruments, to boot.

The six songs on "Rock and Roll Karma" impress the listener as well-planned and -executed, so it comes as no surprise that most of them have been in the works
for at least a decade. And he has some interesting stories to tell about them.

The opener, for example, starts with a child's "hello." That's not just any child; it's Scott himself, age 4, talking into the recording equipment set up for his
dad's band, the Musical Relations. More on them later.

The little boy's greeting segues into the heavy riff that drives "In the Glow of the Moon," a song that incorporates a variety of atmospheric sound effects. (Scott prides himself on developing his own, unique touches for recordings.) The outro is a lengthy guitar jam featuring contributions from his buddies Mark Harvey and Chuck Becker, who trade licks in an ever-changing variety of tones.

Scott pays tribute to one of his primary influences, guitarist Joe Satriani on the second track, "UFO." Again, Scott sets the tone with some totally original effects before breaking out a stinging guitar hook.

An original by the Musical Relations follows. Scott had heard the band, featuring dad Ford McLean and other family members, since he was small, and he asked if they wouldn't mind if he took a shot at a tune called "I Need Your Love." They told him to go for it.

"I was very true to coming up with the sound of the original song" Scott says. And as usual, he comes up with a few tricks of his own. A moody minor-key organ intro is followed by a "1-2-3-4" count-in taken directly from an old reel tape of the Musical
Relations.

Speaking of whom, one of the Relations, Bill Ankney, sings lead on Scott's version, and Ford McLean himself (lead singer on the original) adds harmony vocals.

And as another tribute to the band of yesteryear, Scott took excerpts from the vintage tapes of each member saying, "the Musical Relations," then combined the
voices and recorded them backward, dubbing the result in "like a set of
credits on the end."

A similarly thought-provoking aural collage occurs just before the final notes of the album's closer, a short blast of fusion called "The Monk of Funk." The
weird, seemingly random noises actually are a compendium of recordings of Scott over a period of many years.

"All the sound effects at the end are like a time capsule of my life," he says.

Which seems appropriate, given the album’s title. "Karma," according to its definition, incorporates elements of destiny. And Scott believes his destiny is
tied to making music:

"If you do something with music and it's good, it's going to come back to you."

Plus, he sees elements in the title that can be drawn from from Joe Walsh's tongue-in-cheek classic "Life's Been Good." (You remember: "I have a mansion, forget the price/ Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice!")

Matter of fact, Scott had the cover photography for his album shot at the mansion to end all mansions, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. That's one of his favorite
places, as it served for the setting of one of his favorite movies, "The Private Eyes" (1981) with Don Knotts and Tim Conway.

If the contents of his CD are any indication, yes, Scott McLean is doing something good with music. We'll see how that affects his "Rock and Roll Karma."

It's always cool to have some fun with the naysayers.

And so the title track of the Neon Swing X-perience's new album, "Late to the Party," takes a friendly jab at folks who've suggested the band's approach might be somewhat out of date. Let composer Mike Urick's lyrics tell the story:

"They never told me that swing was dead/ And I just couldn't get it into my head/ You see, the crowds would always jump and cheer/ Neon Swing is what they needed to hear."

The big revival of '98 may have come and gone, but it's not quite over for swing. This is timeless music, especially in the capable hands of young musicians who sound tight, focused and, above all, like they're having a grand old time with it.

If the title track contains a key word, it's not "late," but "party." Slap this disc on at your next gig, and you're bound to get a great response as your guests start snapping their fingers, tapping their feet and telling you, "This is cool!"

The album's opener, "Big Bad Wolf," sets the tone, as Mike's original evokes images of those classic Warner Brothers cartoons from the Jazz Age, both lyrically and musically: "Big Bad Wolf's he's drinkin' whiskey, takin' big swigs/ Big Bad Wolf's goin' down the house of the Three Pigs." The tune is a longtime crowd-pleaser at NSX shows, and this version is a remake of its original appearance on the limited-edition 2000 release "The Swingin'est Show On Earth."

While Mike wrote most of the originals, belting them out in his good-time baritone, keyboard player Carmen Marotta contributes an upbeat tune called "This Moment" that features some catchy barrelhouse-type piano up in the mix.

NSX also performs an eclectic collection of covers, ranging from an instrumental version of Van Morrison's "Moondance" - a classic that really lends itself to horn arrangements - to the album's closer, Brian Setzer's "Stray Cat Strut." The latter features some exceptional harmony vocals in a tribute to the many who really sparked the late-'90s swing revival. Another cover is of the jazz standard "It Had to Be You," with alto sax player Carly Litvik singing lead while having her horn featured prominently.

The band swings throughout, but it also pretty rocks on "Country Women," where guitarist Ryan Kuntz gets to show his chops on display along with the horn players and Carmen's piano. Plus some a cappella lyrical hooks add to the fun.

The album's packaging is a clever touch, with the cover emulating a newspaper's front page, dated Nov. 26, 1933. (Hey, we folks in the 'paper business need all the help we can get these days.)

Speaking of Nov. 26 (2005, in this case) - that's the date for NSX's CD release party, at the Hollow Tavern, between Latrobe and Ligonier on Route 30.

Check it out. If you think the band's disc makes for great party music, you should see 'em live. They never fail to quiet the naysayers.

The music rocked. The turnout didn't.

On Halloween night two years ago, Reice Altomare attended a show by the Bridge, a band that came all the way from Baltimore to check out Pittsburgh's music scene. "But I was the only one there," Reice says.

Actually, a few more folks were in attendance, but not enough to make a good impression on the visitors from Maryland. At any rate, the experience got Reice thinking:

"Why not start a community where people can get online, talk with each other and actually go to these shows?"

The upshoot is flidop.com, "Pittsburgh's Grassroots Music Community," a Web site that is basically what it's name implies. Artists have a piece of Cyberspace where they can post their sounds and information, and music aficionados can get a better idea of what's going on around the region.

It's kind of a clearing house, but Reice prefers the sound of the word he always uses in conjunction with the site: community.

"That should be the feeling everyone has."

As flidop.com has gained popularity, there have been growing pains. Reice leases space on a server for the Web site, but would like to purchase his own server to take it to the "next level," where artists could start an e-commerce type of arrangement.

To help raise money for flidop's growing technological needs - and to showcase some of the bands featured on the site - a benefit show, "Get Off Your Couch and Jam," is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty. Featured acts will be Wino Riot, Doodis, CK9 & the Old E Allstars, and Big With Seed.

Nick Michaels, bass player for Wino Riot, came up with the name for the show. Pretty cool.

And while we're addressing names, I learned that "flidop" (pronounced with a short "i," emphasis on the second syllable) comes from a sound a scat singer might make, something Ella Fitzgerald might have done. (Reice is a big Ella fan.)

"I like finding terms that have a lot of character, but don't necessarily have a definition," Reice says. "We, as a community, can create a meaning for it."

And as a community, he thinks the Pittsburgh area music scene has a lot going for it: "We need more positive outlets like flidop. I hope others will join in my mission, to create excitement about the scene."

So maybe next time the Bridge visits, the house will be full.

PHOTOS (from summer & early fall): 1. Doodis; 2. CK9 & the Old E Allstars; 3. Wino Riot; 4. Big With Seed