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Big Joe and the Dynaflows
Rockhouse Party
Severn Records
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You can always depend on Big
Joe and the Dynaflows to give you a high
quality set of blues and R&B. It’s what drummer
Big Joe Maher and the band have been doing since
the late ’80s. Their latest release,
Rockhouse Party (Severn Records) continues
that streak with Maher and keyboardist Kevin
McKendree being joined by an interesting cast,
including three-time BMA bassist “Mookie” Brill,
who also provides lead vocals on five tracks,
and three outstanding guitarists –-- Robert
Frahm, McKendree’s 16-year-old son Yates, and
Erin Coburn, another teenage guitar slinger.
The album features 13 tracks, eight
tasty covers of blues and R&B gems and five
originals that fit seamlessly with the classics.
Opening with a cool mid-tempo shuffle version of
Roosevelt Sykes’ “Driving Wheel,” listeners get a
healthy dose of Maher’s robust vocals and sparkling
guitar from Frahm and young McKendree. Brill takes
the mic for the next two tracks, Little Milton’s “So
Mean To Me” and O.V. Wright’s “8 Men 4 Women,” and
proves to be a talented and soulful singer. You’d
never know this was his first recording as a
vocalist.
Other covers include the New Orleans
R&B jumper “Go On Fool,” Nappy Brown’s “If You Need
Some Lovin’,” a torrid read of Fenton Robinson’s
“Tennessee Woman,” Mack Self’s rockabilly romper
“Vibrate,” and a wonderful slow burning take on
Percy Mayfield’s “Two Years of Torture.”
Of the five originals, two are
instrumentals. “Overdrive” is a fast-paced guitar
workout for Frahm and the younger McKendree, and
“Sleepy Joe” is a cool after-hours instrumental with
nice guitar work from both and great B3 backing from
Papa McKendree. Maher’s songwriting is always a
highlight of any of their releases and he shines on
the topical “World Gone Wrong,” the good-natured “Go
With The Flow,” and “I’m A Country Boy,” a loping
shuffle which features the teenagers on guitar.
Rockhouse Party is a
typically enjoyable set from Big Joe and the
Dynaflows, who are doing their best to make sure
that this timeless music endures.
--- Graham Clarke
