Brad Dubay - Planet 9

By Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro © Nov 2025

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce the blues community to Brad Dubay. At the age of twenty-four, a mere baby by blues standards, Brad is another of the new breed of blues musician's destined to keep the music alive. His debut release is titled Planet 9, and in Brad's own words, "Planet 9 is an album of powerful originals bridging electric blues, soaring instrumentals and old school rock....Planet 9 is about bringing the blues of the sixties and early seventies back to life in its most authentic form. It takes us on a journey of the sounds that made that era so special.....". As I listen, I wholeheartedly agree with all that - especially the "powerful" part.

On the project, Brad - on vocals and guitars - is joined by Max Chase on keys; Caleb Dyer on bass; and Mike Walsh on drums. Planet 9 contains a dozen originals that offer a solid hour of rock-solid music.

The disc opens with an instrumental titled "River Festival". It's a six-minute track in which the whole band gets ample time to highlight their quite impressive musical skills. With Caleb and Mike in a constantly roaring rhythm groove, Brad and Max take turns, while sometimes going toe to toe as well, tearing it up on the guitar and what sounds to me to be a Hammond organ. Wow! Mission statement accomplished.

Brad's straight up stinging guitar licks on the opening of "You Did It To Yourself" pretty much tells you where this one is going. Then he starts belting out some heartfelt, low down, melancholic lyrics and the ballad is now in killer slow blues mode. Throw in masterful organ work that gives songs like these their pulse, and a slow and moody rhythm that keep it all in place, and you now have slow blues at its best. Another nearly six-minute track that had me in my slow blues heaven.

I can't help but wonder that while recording this instrumental if Brad just told the guys "Let's all just totally rock out for two solid minutes, then back off to let Mike and Caleb get into some crazy good drum and bass highlights for a minute-and-half, then we all get back to rockin' out again for the last two minutes". That could be far-fetched, but after you give this rocker called "Cannonball" a listen, like me, you may not think so.

Once again nailing the bands' mission statement, "In Love With You" creates the perfect blend of old school blues and old school rock. As a matter of fact, this one took me back even a bit further. Not being old enough to realize this, Brad actually took me back to the days of American Bandstand where teens slow danced to songs like this. Great Track!

"Don't Want No Doctor", a sure dance floor filler, starts out as a straight up blues rhumba but by tracks end it sneakily becomes an all-out rocker. Musically, Max gives the already strong rhythm some pop with a cool high-end organ run; and Brad, sounding great with his raspy vocal leads, also may very well be at disc's best with his smokin' guitar riffs.

Whatever you consider your "Heavenly Paradise", this one could be its soundtrack. It's a relaxing, transcendental instrumental with the band in a totally masterful and mystical mode.

The philosophical message Brad tries to get across on this one is that you can never go wrong when you "Choose Love". Musically, it's the Brad Dubay Band doing what they do best - Caleb and Mike banging out a powerful rhythm on the bass and drums; with Brad and Max taking turns with mesmerizing performances on the guitar and organ leads.

Much of the music on Planet 9; along with a lot of what I read in the twelve-page booklet that accompanied the album; and the bands look as well; all add up to this being a rock blues band - which they indeed are. Having said that, when it comes to low down, straight up, in your face slow blues, Brad, Max, Caleb and Mike can lay it down as good as anyone and "I've Been Your Fool" will testify to that. It's stuff like this that made the word scorching a necessity in its description. Wow!

Other tracks on this extremely good debut release from Brad Dubay include: "The Traveler"; "On The Road"; "If You Wanna Be Mine"; and "Nebula".

If you are reading this and you happen to be on any of the various nominating committees for blues awards, I urge you to please get your hands on a copy of Planet 9 - it's worthy in many ways.

To find out more about Brad Dubay, just go to - www.braddubay.com. As usual, please remember to say The Blewzzman sent you..