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Dave Weld
Slip Into A Dream
Delmark Records
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I first heard Dave Weld back in the late
’80s, when
he was part of Li’l Ed & the Blues Imperials,
backing Li’l Ed Williams on rhythm guitar on the
band’s first album for Alligator, Roughhousin’. Weld
was a part of the Blues Imperials for nearly a
decade, leaving to form his own band, The Imperial
Flames, which quickly became one of Chicago’s
favorite blues bands with Weld’s amazing guitar work
holding center stage. Recently, Weld released his
second album for Delmark Records, Slip Into A Dream,
a first-rate set of Chicago-styled blues and soul.
The title track kicks off the disc and has a
definite Magic Sam West Side vibe with some
scorching guitar work from Weld, who also sings with
his musical and life partner Monica Myhre on this
track. Next up is the aptly titled “Sweet Rockin’
Soul,” and Weld really tears it up again on guitar.
Myhre takes the mic for the sassy “Lookin’ For A
Man,” backed by Mr. Bobby Rush on harmonica. The
punchy “Take Me Back” features the horn section from
the funk/jam band The Heard, and “May Be Right, May
Be Wrong,” is a churning rocker.
Rush also appears on the albums’s lone cover, a
rowdy reading from Weld’s mentor J.B. Hutto, “20%
Alcohol.” Most of the songs were penned by Myhre,
who shares composer credits with Weld on a few
numbers. Mhyre’s vocals are a perfect complement to
the band’s wild spirited attack and she shines on
upbeat numbers like “Louise” and more soulful fare
such as “Sweet Love (Dulce Amor)”. Weld himself
wrote the incendiary “Tremble,” which features Sax
Gordon on, what else, sax (one of three tracks
Gordon appears on) and some positively dangerous
slide guitar from the man himself.
Longtime Imperial Flames drummer Jeff Taylor
contributes funky lead vocals on “Dorothy Mae,” a
fun track in the style of A.C. Reed which Taylor
also wrote. The rest of the band includes Dave Kaye
and Greg McDaniel (bass), Harry Yaseen and Graham
Guest (keys), the Chicago Horns, and guitarist Greg
Guy. That last name may pop up again someday……he’s
Buddy Guy’s son and this is his recording debut. It
won’t take long for listeners to see (and hear) that
the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.
For fans of old school, downhome, roof –raising
Chicago blues, Slip Into A Dream will not
disappoint. Dave Weld is one blues guitarist who
should be in your radar, if he’s not already. He and
his band are making some mighty music.
--- Graham Clarke
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