One of the lost gems
of ’80s Chicago blues recordings was John &
Sylvia Embry’s After Work, released by
Razor Records in 1980. John Embry, who passed away
in 1987, was one of the unsung guitar warriors of
the Windy City and his ex-wife Sylvia, who played
bass and sang with Lefty Dizz and the Shock
Treatment for a number of years in the ’70s, was
rapidly making a name for herself with her powerful,
gospel-influenced vocals.
In a move that will
please longtime blues fans from all over, Delmark
Records has repackaged the sought-after album, added
a few previously unreleased tracks from the session,
and changed the title to Troubles, making the
complete package available on CD for the first time.
Sylvia Embry takes
most of the vocals and her wild, passionate style
will raise the hairs on the back of your neck at
times. John Embry’s guitar work is sharp and
economical, all killer no filler. They are backed on
selected tracks by some of the Windy City’s finest:
Riler “Iceman” Robinson on rhythm guitar, Woody
Williams on drums, Ollie Moore on drums, Dino
Alvarez on drums, Jerry Porter on drums, Thomas
Landis on bass, and Robert “Dancin’” Perkins on
bass.
Nine of the tracks
make up the original After Work LP, and they
include three tracks written by Sylvia Embrey (the
opener, “Wonder Why,” the new title track, and “I’m
Hurtin’”), and several familiar R&B/soul tunes from
the era (“I Found A Love” and “Mustang Sally,” both
associated with Wilson Pickett, and Brook Benton’s
“Lie To Me”). Drummer Williams, Lefty Dizz’s
brother, shares lead vocals with Sylvia Embry on
several tracks.
John Embry’s wondrous
guitar work takes center stage on a pair of
instrumentals, the previously unreleased “Razor
Sharp," the slow blues instrumental, “After Work,”
where he’s backed by Moore and Perkins, and the
unique “62nd Streeet Luau.” “Iceman” Robinson, who
plays rhythm guitar on most of the album, takes lead
guitar and vocals on a standout version of the B.B.
King classic, “Worry, Worry.”
The unreleased tracks
(“Razor Sharp,” and Sylvia Embry’s tunes “Gonna Find
My Baby,” Early Times Blues,” and “Blues This
Morning,” which she later recorded for Alligator on
Living Chicago Blues) are all fine and were
probably not on the original release because there
wasn’t enough room for them, given the LP format of
the time. The Roosevelt Sykes tune, “Keep Your Hands
Off Her,” was the first track recorded and the
vocals are too far back in the mix, but the musical
quality is fine.
Both sides of John
Embry’s single from the same time period (Freddie
King’s “I Love The Woman” and the instrumental
“Johnny’s Bounce”), which is also out of print and
highly sought, close the disc in excellent fashion.
He takes the lead vocal on the King classic and
acquits himself quite well.
It easy to see why
the earlier release is such a collector’s item,
because it captures the spirit and excitement of the
Chicago blues. For a vivid picture of what the
Chicago blues scene was like in the late ’70s and
early ’80s, look no further than John & Sylvia
Embry’s Troubles.
---
Graham Clarke
Delmark Records
recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and is
currently the oldest existing independent record
label, an impressive feat given the business
environment of today. Since 1953, Delmark founder
Bob Koester has released some of the finest blues
and jazz recordings and played a huge role in
developing the blues album as it exists today.
As part of their
celebration, the label sponsored several shows
featuring their recording artists, past and present,
and they’ve also released a special compilation,
60 Years of Blues, that is not your ordinary
“best of” retrospective. This collection mixes songs
from some of their current roster of artists with
previously unreleased performances from some of the
blues legends who recorded for the label in the
past, a novel approach that works very well.
Regular Delmark
listeners will be familiar with the offerings from
their current stable of artists, which includes
Studebaker John (“When They Played the Real Blues”),
Linsey Alexander (“Raffle Ticket”), Quintus
McCormick (“Fifty/Fifty”), Eddie C. Campbell (“Big
World”), Sharon Lewis (“Blues Train”), Lurrie Bell
(“She’s A Good ‘Un”), Mississippi Heat (“Let’s Live
It Up”), Tail Dragger (“Tend To Your Business”), and
Toronzo Cannon (“John The Conquer Root”). There’s
also a sneak preview track (“Oh, Mademoiselle”) from
Chicago guitarist Giles Corey’s upcoming release.
These tracks show that the Delmark’s current line-up
is as formidable a group as the label’s ever
boasted.
The unissued material
ranges from an outtake from Junior Wells’ highly
underrated South Side Blues Jam album,
featuring the harmonica legend with Otis Spann,
Louis Myers, Earnest Johnson, and Fred Below, to an
unreleased gem from Little Walter’s first recording
session as a front man (featuring Muddy Waters and
Baby Face Leroy), to intimate recordings from
Detroit Jr., Big Joe Williams, and Sleepy John
Estes. There’s also a track from the recently
released Magic Sam live recording from the Avant
Garde in Milwaukee.
60 Years of Blues
is essential listening for fans of both the
legendary and current Chicago Blues scenes. For
those who thought the Windy City blues scene was
fading away, these tracks will prove there’s still
plenty going on.
---
Graham Clarke
Tinsley Ellis
recorded his first all-instrumental album, Get
It!, in 2013 and received rave reviews. The
Georgia-based guitarist follows up with Midnight
Blue (Heartfixer Music), which features Ellis
with Kevin McKendree (keyboards), Lynn Williams
(drums), and Ted Pecchio (bass) working through ten
powerful original tunes. Ellis has always mixed the
blues with the flavors of southern rock, soul, and
R&B, and this new release is no exception and, by
focusing more on the blues side, it certainly ranks
with his best work.
The opener, “If the
River Keeps Rising,” starts with a fairly serene
acoustic guitar, but quickly tears into a roaring
electric fest with some serious slide guitar. The
intensity continues with “Mouth Turns Dry,” a
relentless, raucous rocker, before moving to the
R&B-based “Surrender,” which includes a nice soulful
vocal from Ellis, and the second-line stomper, “It’s
Not Funny,” which give the guitarist plenty of room
to display his sizzling slide guitar chops.
“See No Harm” is a
defiant blues ballad where Ellis shows no regrets
for loving another man’s woman, and is followed by
the crunching boogie track, “The Only Thing,” and
the groovy, retro rocker “Peace and Love,” complete
with shimmering wah-wah effects and optimistic
lyrics. With the moody “Harder to Find,” Ellis
struggles to save a failing relationship. “That’s My
Story” follows a similar theme, but with
tongue-in-cheek and with more of a driving rock
soundtrack. Ellis saves the best for last, however,
with “Kiss of Death,” a slow blues with some of the
best guitar on the album and a hearty vocal
performance as well.
I’ve been listening
to Tinsley Ellis for over 25 years. For me,
Midnight Blue is his best recording yet, just a
great all-around performance. Fans of
southern-styled blues/rock should agree
wholeheartedly.
---
Graham Clarke
Annika Chambers
is a Houston native and one of the rising stars in
that city’s rich musical scene. She always wanted to
be a singer, having started in the church at a young
age, but put her dreams on the backburner to serve
an eight-year stint in the Army. After leaving the
Army, and starting work toward a college degree,
she’s begun to focus on a singing career, embracing
the blues after appearing in a talent contest while
on duty in Kosovo.
Chambers has taken
the Houston scene by storm in a hurry, resulting in
an opportunity to record a demo with many
Houston-area musicians backing her. The demo turned
into a full-fledged album, billing Chambers with the
Houston All-Stars, titled Making My Mark
(Montrose Records). “All-Stars” is an appropriate
title, given the background of most of the
musicians, many of whom have won Grammy Awards for
their previous efforts.
Chambers is a
versatile singer, moving from the funky blues
opener, “Move,” and “That Feel Good,” to double
entendre-laced romps like “Barnyard Blues” and “Lick
‘Er,” to stirring soulful workouts like “Down
South,” “Guitar Boy,” and the old Stax Records
classic, “Love’s Sweet Sensation” (with guest
vocalist Brad Absher). She really shines on a sultry
cover of former Crusaders ( and fellow Houston
native) Joe Sample’s “Put It Where You Want It,” and
on the B.B. King tune, “Let’s Get Down To Business.”
The All-Stars, naturally….they’re “All-Stars,” after
all, provide wonderful backing and include
bassist/producer Larry Fulcher, keyboardists David
Delagarza III and Skip Nalia, drummers Samantha
Banks and Tony Braunagel, saxophonist Kyle Turner,
and guitarists Absher, Corey Stoot, and David
Carter.
While Making My
Mark may be the first you’ve heard from Annika
Chambers, rest assured that it won’t be the last.
This young singer already sounds like she’s been at
it for years and, more than likely, the best is
still yet to come.
---
Graham Clarke
Make no mistake,
Hard Garden’s new release, Blue Yonder
(Hard Garden Music), ain’t your Daddy’s blues album.
It’s a nice refreshing splash of originality in the
blues genre, mixing the traditional sounds of
Mississippi Delta and Hill Country blues with modern
touches, such as digital beats, sequencers, and
remixed tracks, with traces of funk and hip-hop
thrown in for good measure.
You might be familiar
with some of the band members. Seattle-based Son
Jack, Jr. (guitar, bass, vocals) has released a pair
of well-received solo CDs. Michael Wilde (harmonica,
vocals) has been performing for over 30 years and
previously joined forces with Jack for a 2010
release, Walk The Talk. Drummer Garrett
Williams is a veteran musician equally versed in
blues, jazz, and funk.
Blue Yonder
starts off calmly enough with the somewhat ominous
shuffle, “I Feel Evil,” before moving to the lone
cover on the album, Son House’s “Depot Blues,”
opening with some nice guitar work from Jack, then
the track jumps into the 21st century with some fine
harp work from Wilde mixed in. “Hey Now Mary” has
more of a Hill Country feel with the almost hypnotic
guitar and percussion. The rock-edged “Papa’s In The
Juke Joint” is next, with Jack rapping the lyrics,
followed by the Latin-flavored “I Can Tell.”
Wilde takes the mic
on “The Valley,” a positively chilling song about a
youngster kicked to the curb by his parents that
oozes with suspense and swampy atmosphere.
“Dangerous” is the most “modern” track on the disc,
with a wall of electric slide guitar and thumping
bass, repeated at the end of the disc in a “Remix”
version. “Pour Me Another” is a wild and humorous
track about a talking dog, narrated by Jack, and
“Maximum Security” offers Wilde narrating another
witty track, backed by some tasty slide guitar and
percussion.
Blue Yonder is
a pretty fun listen. It’s always interesting to hear
musicians take the blues into new directions and
Hard Garden is highly effective in their efforts to
do so. It will be interesting to see where they go
from here because the possibilities are limitless.
---
Graham Clarke
Sheba, The
Mississippi Queen, was born in Mississippi, and she
and her twin sister initially followed in their
gospel singing father’s footsteps. After relocating
with her family to Florida as a teenager, Sheba
(born Martha Booker) worked as migrant worker and
formed a singing group that sang in the fields
during work and on the bus back and forth from work.
Eventually, she migrated to New York, where she sang
big band music and fell in love with the music of
Billie Holiday, before eventually returning to the
blues of her native state.
On Sheba’s latest
recording, Butter on My Rolls (Sheba), she
wrote or co-wrote all 13 tracks, and she’s backed by
a strong ensemble that includes George “Chocolate”
Perry (strings, horns, drums, bass), Michael “The
Dog” Gauthier (keyboards, horns, strings), Warren
“Roach” Thompson (guitar), and Chuck Juntzman (slide
guitar). The highlights are many, ranging from the
tasty opener, “Dance Jump & Shout,” to the
blues-infused “Real Good Woman,” to “Can’t Help
Lovin’ My Man,” where the Holiday influence really
comes through.
“Oh So Good “ really
swings and is backed by some scorching slide work
from Juntzman. The title track is another standout,
a slow burner with some fine keyboard work from
Gauthier and guitar from Thompson. The centerpiece
of the disc is the change-of-pace track, “Blues of
My Soul.” This autobiographical track is a
spoken-word piece from Sheba, relaying her life
experiences, backed by only guitar accompaniment.
Butter on My Rolls
is a sterling example of downhome southern
soul/blues, and Sheba appears ready to claim her
place among the genre’s elite with this exceptional
effort.
---
Graham Clarke
Scott Ellison
had a pretty successful 2013. The Tulsa guitarist
was inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame
earlier in the year, and released this single at the
end of the year. The song “Jesus Love Me (Baby Why
Don’t You)?” is featured prominently in the new
movie, Homefront, which opened in theatres on
Thanksgiving Day. The track teams the former
Gatemouth Brown sideman with several members of Eric
Clapton’s band (Charles Tuberville – rhythm guitar,
Walt Richmond – B3, Gary Gilmore – bass, and Jamie
Oldaker – drums). It’s a catchy tune and Ellison
does a great job on vocals and guitar. The second
track is “Elevator Man,” a funky side that features
Ellison with his touring band (Matt Kohl – bass,
Robbie Armstrong – drums), along with Richmond on B3
and long-time Clapton back-up singer Marcy Levy.
Both tracks will appear on Ellison’s upcoming CD,
Hit It, Get it, and Go, on JSE Records, and if
the rest of the album is as good as these two
tracks, blues fans are in for a treat.
---
Graham Clarke
Southern California
singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim Gustin has
been playing around the L.A. area for over 30 years
and his life experiences provide the material for
his songwriting. Some of his songs are basically
inspirational with a blues/rock backbeat, always
focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel, and
makes for some emotional listening at times for
those who have dealt with similar issues in their
lives.
For Gustin’s debut
release, Can’t Shed a Tear, he’s backed by
the talented band Truth Jones (Jeri Goldenhar –
vocals, Chris Baurer – guitar, Burke Greer – bass,
Jim Sipotz – drums, Jessica Baurer – vocals, Chuck
Goldenhar – harmonica). The disc was produced by
music vet Terry Wilson (who also contributes bass,
guitar, keys, and vocals), and features appearances
from Wilson’s wife, Teresa James on vocals, keyboard
aces John “Rabbit” Bundrick and Ed Winquest, bass
player Richard Morrison, and Jim Scimonetti, who
adds horns to several tracks.
Gustin has a voice
tailor-made for the blues and he roars through songs
like the exuberant opener, “I Gotta Sing,” “If God
Made Something Better” (a song written for Gustin’s
wife), and the blues rocker “Why Why Why?” He has a
good time on the Crescent City-flavored “My Baby
Just Left Me,” and his performance on “You Never
Gave Up On Me,” will encourage most to place that
call to Mom that they’ve been putting off. “You
Answer Me” is an inspirational rocker that will
raise goose bumps.
Jeri Goldenhar
handles lead vocals on several tracks, including a
duet with Gustin on “No Faith In Forever,” the
ballad, “What Do You See In Me,” and the sassy “Good
Bye.” Her measured performance on the uplifting
“Fill Up My Soul” is also a highlight, as is
Gustin’s heart-wrenching performance of “Beauty For
Ashes,” where he recounts his battle for healing
after the tragic death of his son.
By the time the
closing track rolls around, the uplifting “Say
Amen,” you will be saying “Amen” to this exciting
and emotional set of blues/rock and wanting to hear
more from Jim Gustin and Truth Jones.
---
Graham Clarke
The Bob Lanza
Blues Band is a New Jersey-based band that
specializes in a mix of Chicago, Texas, and Kansas
City-styled blues. Lead singer/guitarist Bob Lanza
served as bandleader for local legend Floyd
Phillips’ band, the Mudflaps, for several years.
Lanza and band have backed James Cotton and
Nashville guitar titan Dave Perkins. Their second
release, ‘Til the Pain is Gone (Bob Lanza),
is a smoking hot set, with Lanza and the band
working through a dozen exciting tracks of originals
and well-chosen covers.
The set consists of
mostly cover tunes from a pretty wide-ranging list
of artists. Mike Bloomfield’s “Maudie” opens the
disc and features Lanza’s son, Jake, battling with
Dad on guitar and Joe Cerisano taking lead vocals.
Lanza takes vocals on the next few tracks, doing a
fine job on the Bobby “Blue” Bland vehicle, “I’ll
Take Care of You” and the standards, “Outskirts of
Town” and “I’m Ready,” and matching his soulful
vocals with some impressive guitar work.
Lanza and the band
also cover Magic Sam’s “Every Night & Every Day,”
Pat Ramsey’s “Build Me a Woman,” and a pair of
Chicago classics, “Sugar Sweet” and “Got My Mojo
Working,” breathing new, invigorating life into
these well-worn tunes. Another highlight is a
country blues take on “Lonesome,” a song associated
with Memphis Slim from back in the day with some
nice keyboard work from guest artist, Ed “Doc” Wall
and a lead vocal from David “Snakeman” Runyan.
The band’s originals
are also top notch. The title track is a strong
boogie track with Lanza and Runyan sharing the
spotlight. The pair is showcased again on “Our
Life,” an acoustic guitar/harp duet that’s a fresh
take on pulling yourself out of a rut. “Snake Byte”
is a hard-driving instrumental shuffle.
Combining a
refreshing take on classic blues tracks with some
above average original material makes ‘Til the
Pain is Gone a disc worth searching out. The Bob
Lanza Band handles this material like a well-oiled
machine.
---
Graham Clarke
Halley DeVestern
possesses a set of pipes that have been compared to
Janis Joplin, and she did tour with Big Brother &
the Holding Company at one time, at their
invitation. Her band features David Patterson on
guitar, Rich Kulsar on drums, and Tom Heinig on
bass. Her latest release, Fabbo! Boffo! Smasho!,
is a powerful mix of blues, funk, rock, and R&B that
grabs you from the get-go and hangs on.
DeVestern works her
vocal gymnastics through eight irresistible tracks
that range from the funky opening tracks, “Muscle
Memory” and “Kangaroo Mama,” to the slow burning R&B
ballad, “Money Ain’t Time,” to the funky blues
number, “Tore Up From The Floor Up,” to the
gospel-flavored “American Pain.” She’s not afraid to
tackle touchy subjects as well, giving it to money
grubbers (“Money Ain’t Time”), racists (“Boil”), Big
Brother (“Code 9”), and religious hypocrites (“The
Jesus I Know”).
An amazing singer who
hits everything that comes her way out of the park,
DeVestern also shows that she’s equally gifted as a
songwriter, and the band is just a force of nature
in support (with guest musicians Mark Mancini and
Edd Kalehoff on keys, and a dynamite horn section
that includes Thomas Hutchings on sax, Indofunk
Satish on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Matt MacDonald
– trombone).
Fabbo! Boffo!
Smasho! is a disc that will get you to your
feet, give your ears a treat, and give you something
to think all at the same time --- not a bad way to
get 2014 started.
---
Graham Clarke
Colorado has a very
vibrant blues scene and one of the very first
artists I went to see here in Fort Collins was
Cary Morin. Originally from Montana, Cary is a
Native American who has been a part of several very
influential bands here in NoCo and is an outstanding
solo artist is his own right. I must have walked
half of Old Town before I finally found where Cary
was performing since he’d been moved from his
intended destination.
I bought his last
disc, Sing It Louder, and am fortunate enough
to have a copy of his current release, Streamline.
Cary is this year’s Colorado Blues Society’s Blues
Challenge Solo/Duo winner and will be representing
CBS at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis
in about 10 days. Streamline is a very
organic record, just Cary and his guitar, so let’s
give it a listen.
Cary opens with a
tune called “Here and Now”. In it, he sings of
troubled times and coping with the chaos. “Sunday
morning…and the cold settles on the
neighborhood…everything around me…burning down in
flames…just like I knew it would…in the here and
now…there are troubled times…and they won’t let go.”
Our next tune, “Family Ties,” finds Cary
appreciating his partner in this life. “If you ever
feel lonesome…just look this way…and remember…your
family ties.” Cary’s an excellent fingerpicker and
his Taylor T5 is succumbing to his every wish as he
plays this tune for what has to be his wife,
Celeste.
Moving on to the
tune, “Tulsa,” Cary evidently has family there and
is a frequent visitor to the city. “Think I’ll go
back down to Tulsa…got some people down there…I have
a place to lay my head…and live among some people
who care.” Tulsa is his preferred destination and
he’s leaving in the early morning to get there.
Up next is Cary’s
admonishment to “Live a Little.” “This could be…the
best day of my life…I’m going to stand in the
water…this could be the last ray of celestial
light…I’m going to stand in the water…live just a
little.” Cary’s lesson is well intentioned, tomorrow
is not promised to it might be a good idea today to
just “stand in the water…and…live a little.” Cary
moves on to “Between You and Me,” a tune that
recognizes that he’s in the middle of something he
needs to figure out. “I want to sit in the warmth of
the sun…dark sunglasses on…and a bottle of rum…so
many things I want to do…and then there’s this thing
between me and you.” I have no doubt that Cary will
figure it out and as he says, “I’m hopeful enough to
write down this song…and I think everyone can
see…that there’s something between you and me.”
“Tennessee” finds
Cary in a darker key as sings of a woman in his past
that is waiting for him. “Dreaming is for
dreamers…something you can believe in…you don’t like
your reality…but at least you’ve got faith…something
to hold on to.” Cary might someday revisit this
woman but for now it’s her faith that will have to
get her through.
“Thunder” finds Cary
reflecting on the life that is his. “I’m a creature
of habit…a student of the human race…living here in
paradise…where I’ve learned to keep an even
pace…nothing here is easy…in the cold wind of the
coming fall.” Cary’s reflections find him wondering
what his father would do in these tough times and he
finds that “he’d try to do his best for the
family…and that still works for me and it works for
you.” The next tune Cary tackles is the Barry Gibb
tune, “To Love Somebody.” “Baby you don’t know what
it’s like…to love somebody…the way I love you.” To
hear Cary’s stark, acoustic version of this tune is
indeed a rare treat. Tennessee seems to be a
recurring theme in Cary’s thought process and his
next tune is a cover of the song, “Tennessee Jed.”
“Rich man step on my poor head…when you get
back…you’d better butter my bread…well you know,
it’s just like I said…you’d better head on back to
Tennessee, Jed.”
Cary’s next tune,
“Elizabeth,” finds Cary coming upon a groom
serenading his new bride on the mountain trail he
was hiking. “The song that he played…adrift on the
breeze…she smiled and swayed…as the day turned to
eve…he played with finesse…in a masterful way…to the
words that I listened…I recall to this day…Be here
with me Elizabeth…and I will always be with you.”
“Wolfman’s Brother” finds Cary in trouble with a
suitor of his sister’s. “Wolfman’s brother…wolfman’s
brother…coming down on me!” Hopefully Cary will be
able to talk his way out of any trouble he might be
in.
The final tune on
Streamline is an ode to Cary’s instrument of
choice, “Old Guitar.” “I got this old guitar…and I
cannot put it down…we need each other…we won’t make
a sound.”
Cary’s an
accomplished picker and a very good wordsmith when
he puts his mind to writing songs. He and Celeste
are somewhere in North Carolina before they turn to
head to Memphis where Cary will compete against the
world’s best. It’s probably a good idea to order a
copy of Streamline from his
website. But if he shows up anywhere near you,
go see the amazing Bluesman from the foothills of
Colorado.
---
Kyle Deibler
Seems like I’ve known
Jeff Strahan forever. Many moons ago Jeff
appeared at the IBC in my venue, the Rum Boogie, and
we’ve been good friends for years now. Jeff is back
with what I think is his best disc to date,
Monkey Around, so let’s give it a listen.
Jeff and the band,
Chris Compton on drums and Jimmy Hartman on bass,
kick this record off with “Don’t Get Too Low.” Jeff
grew up in Lamesa, Texas and the itch to see the
world came early as Jeff chose to leave home at 18.
Jeff’s a pretty even keeled Bluesman and his advice
to us on this tune is to stay in the middle and roll
with what life might bring. “Don’t be bitter…give
love a chance…let ’em hear you sing boy…let them see
you dance…give them a big smile…wherever you
go…don’t get too high…don’t get too low.”
A mournful tone
emanates from Jeff’s guitar as he chooses to talk to
us about the next stage of his life before it comes
to an end in “Curtains.” “Let me…see the ocean…let
me feel…the tide…let me climb a mountain…a
mountain…way up high…let me hold her close…just one
more time…let me feel her lips…softly touching
mine….give me a little bit…just one more time…don’t
draw the curtain…on this life of mine.” “Curtains”
is a beautiful look at the road ahead and all that
Jeff is hoping for in the next stage of his life.
Well done and hopeful, this is one of my favorite
tunes on Jeff’s disc. It wouldn’t be a Strahan
record without at least one discussion of women on
it and we get that in our next tune, “Dangerous
Curves.” “Ought to be a warning…on a woman like
that…break your heart in two or three seconds
flat…somebody ought to tell you…before you lose your
head….Dangerous curves ahead.” This beauty’s a
knockout and quite capable of laying waste to the
male population if we’re not careful!!
The title track,
“Monkey Around,” is just playful Strahan. Chris is
hitting the pots and pans as our tempo picks up
behinds Jeff’s vocal, “If I were a dog…I’d have it
made…wouldn’t have to worry…just sleep all day…spend
my life running…all over town…if I were a dog…I’d
monkey around.” Safe to say, if Jeff were a dog,
he’d most definitely monkey around.
Up next is the tune
lovingly dedicated to Jeff’s mother, Lillian Strahan,
who left us in July of 2012. The tune, “The One,” is
my favorite tune of this disc by Jeff. Here we find
him at the piano while he sings of his memories of
Lillian. “And I don’t want to be the one…I don’t
want to be the one…the one to say…goodbye…when we’re
done…I don’t want to be the one.” Losing family is
never easy and Jeff’s love for his mother is
heartwarming and heartfelt. Just a really beautiful
tune from this Texas Bluesman. So of course Jimmy’s
bass is at the forefront of our next tune, “Can’t
Change Me,” as Jeff unflinchingly tells the world
just how stubborn he is. “You can’t change…no you
change me…can’t change who I am.” Jeff is open to
new tricks but only to better his life, not change
it.
At this point,
another discussion of women is in order and Jeff
obliges with “Hard-Headed Woman.” “I got a
hard-headed woman…head just as hard as a rock…I got
a hard-headed woman…head just as hard as a rock…you
know the more I talk…the less she wants to stop.”
Love Jeff’s B-3 playing on this tune and it sounds
like he’s definitely met his match with this one.
And yes, Lois, I know that can’t be you.
The final three cuts
on Monkey Around are: “4:20,” “Baptist
Bootleggers” and “Two Shades.” An ode to the need
for cannabis, “4:20” is a tongue in cheek look at
why everyone needs to “smoke some weed.” With a New
Orleans flair Jeff tells us about his day, “I woke
up this morning…with a bad case of the blues…pulled
myself out of bed…put on my working boots…I got to
work three minutes late…and the boss just yelled at
me…I said to myself…you really need to smoke some
weed.”
“Baptist Bootleggers”
is a tale of Jeff’s youth in Lamesa, which is
located in a dry county in Texas. I like Chris’s
beat to this tune and hear Jeff kicking in with his
piano as he starts to tell this tale. “I grew up in
a small town…where liquor was illegal…where do you
go…where you’re in a bind?...You need an ice cold
beer…maybe a glass of wine…you go down to the Flats,
where those Baptist Bootleggers…sure can jive.”
Jimmy’s bass again is setting the course for the
final tune on the record, “Two Shades,” and here we
find Jeff lamenting his broken heart. “They say the
time…will heal the hurt…I say they’re wrong…but I
hope it works…time better hurry…before I kill it all
with booze…cause I’m two shades away…from forever
blue…I just want my heat to be happy…I don’t want to
be…forever blue.”
I honestly feel like
this probably Jeff’s best record to date and I’ve
heard them all. Chris and Jimmy provide the perfect
back end, Jeff’s guitar and keyboard work is spot on
and Monkey Around features some of his best
songwriting to date. The entire disc is dedicated to
Jeff’s mother and “The One” is a beautiful tune in
her memory.
Unfortunately for
Jeff Strahan fans, Jeff contracted double pneumonia
prior to his New Year's Eve gig at Sealy Flats and
went on to face an array of medical issues that
unfortunately took this Texas Bluesman to heaven to
be with his mother, Lillian. Monkey Around is
the final testament to the legacy of Jeff Strahan.
Jeff was a longtime friend of mine personally and
his passing leaves a huge void in the lives of his
beautiful wife Lois, their extended family and the
many folks around the country who were exposed to
Jeff's many talents. All of Jeff's music is
available from his website,
www.jeffstrahan.com. Go with God, my friend, you
left us way too soon.
---
Kyle Deibler
