|
 If
you are into the sound of the very early Chicago
blues, especially digging artists like Tampa
Red, John Lee (Sonny Boy) Williamson and Robert
Nighthawk, then be sure to check out the latest
from west coast harmonica player extraordinaire
Mark Hummel. Taking his regular band and
a bunch of special guests into the powerhouse
Greaseland Studios in San Jose, Hummel and the
gang emerged with 16 cuts of true downhome
Chicago blues for his latest release, Wayback
Machine (Electro-Fi Records). It's an
appropriate name for this trip back to the early
1940s, so let's hop on this wayback machine to
hear some very fine vintage Windy City blues.
Let's go to the
back end of the CD first. Hummel hooked up with
Mississiippi Delta artist / current Rochester,
N.Y. resident Joe Beard for the final three cuts
on the album, and they turn out to be the icing
on the cake (or perhaps the hot sauce on the
catfish) for this album. Despite being past the
age of 80, Beard still has a powerful voice, as
heard on his version of Eddie Boyd's "Five
Long Years." "Say You Will," a Hummel
composition, is a solid country blues with just
Beard's acoustic guitar and vocals. Rounding out
this triumvirate of tunes is a version of Big
Boy Crudup's "Mean Old Frisco," with Hummel
joining in on harmonica. These three cuts are
worth the price of admission by themselves.
Now, for the rest
of the album. Hummel and band do three Sonny Boy
#1 songs --- "Cut That Out," "Good Gal" and
"Reefer Head Woman." Billy Flynn contributes
tasteful guitar accompaniment on all three
songs, while Dave Eagles rubs away on the
washboard on "Cut That Out."
Tampa Red (aka
Hudson Whittaker) is well-represented, with
a couple of his classic recordings --- "So Much
Trouble," with Aaron Hammerman contributing very
nice piano accompaniment and Flynn coming in
later with a strong guitar solo, and an
outstanding version of "Play With Your Poodle."
Of the Jazz
Gillum songs covered here, my favorite is the
old timey "Crazy About You," with Hummel's harp,
Hammerman's piano and Eagle's drumming with
brushes all coming together for a pleasant, fun
number. "Gillum's Windy Blues" is an up-tempo
blues that's just plain fun.
It wouldn't be an
early Chicago blues collection without at least
one contribution from Robert Nighthawk (aka R.
Lee McCollum), and here we get Hummel and Flynn
shining on the traditional 12-bar blues "Pepper
Mama."
There's lots more
here, with 16 cuts providing tremendous quantity
in addition to quality. Wayback Machine
should be on your early year shopping list.
While Hummel has recorded plenty of quality
stuff throughout his long career, this wayback trip into
the past now moves to the top spot on his
discography.
--- Bill Mitchell
 The
11th Hour Band was part of the Boston blues
scene starting in the early '80s, recording an
album for the Tone-Cool label back in 1985. While
this quartet had other ventures going on, they
still found time to hit the clubs periodically.
Consisting of Richard Rosenblatt (harmonica),
Paul Lenart (guitar), Bill "Coach" Mather (bass)
and Chuck Purro (drums), the gang got together
again in 2008 to record 14 instrumental numbers,
but waited more than a decade to release the
recordings. Here it is --- Small Blues and
Grooves (VizzTone) by the 11 Guys Quartet
--- finally available to the record-buying
public.
Rosenblatt is the most recognizable name,
best known as the founder and president of VizzTone. (To better understand Rosenblatt's
standing in the blues world today, check out how
many albums from the VizzTone group of labels
show up on our
lists of
top albums from 2019!). More than just a
blues entrepreneur, Rosenblatt is also a very
fine harmonica player with his harp blowing
being the
best part of this album.
Your
appreciation for the music on this album will
depend on how you feel about an entire set of
instrumentals, realizing that it's not everyone's
thing. The best cut is the rambunctious "Hey Daddyo," starting with
high energy, rhythmic drumming by Purro followed by Rosenblatt raising the
temperature in the room with his harmonica work
as well as a nice guitar solo from Lenart.
More favorites are other up-tempo smokers, such
as "East Cambridge Cannonball" and the blues
shuffle "Four Maypops," the latter again giving Lenart a chance to shine. The
appropriately-named "Jackrabbit" is another
rapid-paced number, with Rosenblatt blowing away
on his harmonica.
Small Blues and Grooves is not one that I'd
put on a "must have" list, but it's a nice
collection from four cats who have been around
for a
long, long time.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Chris Shutters is not a household name in
the blues world. While Shutters and his band are
all competent musicians, an album by them is not
likely to attract too much attention. But add
Chicago blues veteran Jimmy Burns to the
mix, and suddenly you have my attention. After
planning for several years to collaborate on an
album, Shutters and Burns got into the studio in
late 2018 to record Good Gone Bad (Third
Street Cigar Records).
Perhaps it goes without saying that the best
cuts on Good Gone Bad are those that
feature Burns on vocals, and I don't think I'm
insulting the rest of the musicians by stating
this. Now in his mid-70s, he's still got a
strong voice and is truly a blues legend.
"No
Consideration" is one of the highlights of the
disc, a mid-tempo Burns original blues with good
vocals by Burns and strong guitar accompaniment
by Shutters. "Miss Annie Lou" is a pleasant
blues shuffle with Burns stepping back to the
mic and both guitarists getting their licks in.
In the same vein is "Stop The Train," with Burns
again contributing his soulful bluesy voice.
Shutters takes the lead on his own hard driving
blues, "Unwind," showing that he's a pretty good
artist in his own right. Another Shutters
original, the fast-paced "Can't Play the Blues
like B.B.," gives the band leader another chance
to show off with rapid-fire guitar licks.
"Poor By Blue" is a gem, perhaps the best cut
here. It's a country blues written by Shutters
who accompanies Burns' vocals with nice acoustic
guitar. The title cut that opens the album is an
up-tempo shuffle with Shutters and Burns sharing
guitar and vocal duties.
Good Gone Bad is another very good album in
the Jimmy Burns collection, and it's nice that
Shutters and his band get the chance to get
their name out there.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Most music fans
would probably not have an issue if Delbert
McClinton was content to just sit back and
reflect on the accolades received from fans and
critics alike on a superb 60-year career. After
all, he is a five-time Grammy nominee, a
three-time winner, and has a huge catalog of
albums and an impressive list of songs that have
been recorded by artists in the blues, soul,
country, and rock genres. He’s beloved by fans
of the blues, Americana (Rolling Stone
dubbed him “The Godfather of Americana Music”),
rock, country, and R&B, and they still pack the
house whenever he performs.
Fortunately, the
Texas troubadour did not follow that career path
of resting on his laurels, continuing to release
excellent albums on a regular basis, the latest
being Tall, Dark, & Handsome (Hot Shot
Records). Joining McClinton are longtime
keyboardist Kevin McKendree and the Self-Made
Men + Dana (Dana Robbins – saxophone, Jack Bruno
– drums, Mike Joyce – bass, Bob Britt – guitar,
James Pennebaker – guitar, Quinton Ware –
trumpet, Dennis Wage – keys). The same band
supported McClinton on his previous release,
Prick Of The Litter, but where that disc
leaned more toward the mellow side, Tall,
Dark, & Handsome jumps and wails, perfectly
capturing McClinton’s own restless musical
spirit as it tackles a variety of blues styles.
The album opens
with “Mr. Smith,” a rousing start to the disc
with horns blasting and McKendree’s piano and an
irresistible swing rhythm. The down-on-my-luck
“If I Hock My Guitar” has a slinky serpentine
rhythm with ringing guitar from Britt, and the
acoustic “No Chicken On The Bone” has a real
gypsy vibe with mandolin from Brent and fiddle
from Stuart Duncan. “Let’s Get Down Like We Used
To” has a New Orleans feel, with a cool clarinet
solo from Jim Hoke, and the swinging tango “Gone
To Mexico” takes us south of the border.
The after-hours
ballad, “Lulu,” deftly blends blues and jazz,
and “Loud Mouth” makes me feel good because it’s
a lively, prototypical Delbert McClinton tune
that fans will feel like they’ve heard before.
“Down In The Mouth” is a Texas-styled shuffle,
the jaunty “Ruby and Jules” is a story about a
complex relationship, and “Any Other Way” is a
lovely, low-key ballad. The lively “A Fool Like
Me” picks up a second line shuffle, and
McClinton reflects on his life with the shuffle
“Can’t Get Up.” The album closes with the spooky
“Temporarily Insane,” and a Delta blues snippet,
“A Poem.”
Delbert McClinton
recently turned 79, and is moving into his
eighth decade as a performer. Tall, Dark, &
Handsome shows he’s not resting on his
laurels. He’s still got plenty to say and plenty
worth hearing.
--- Graham Clarke
 When I first
started listening to the blues, one of my
favorite types of album was the anthology sets
that basically served as a sampler platter (no
pun intended) of a choice set of musicians.
These sets usually encouraged me to dig deeper
so I could hear more of the represented artists.
Battle of the Blues: Chicago Vs Oakland
(Delta Roots Records) is a modern-day example of
those recordings, capturing 13 tracks from
artists from both areas who may have slipped
through the cracks over the years.
Label chief Twist
Turner, whose drumming backed several Chicago
legends for well over a half century, relocated
to Oakland for six years and began working on an
album designed to bring attention to the artists
of the underrated (and under-recorded) Bay Area
blues scene. After a couple of health scares,
Turner relocated to Chicago with only a portion
of the album completed, so he decided to
complete the set with previously unreleased
tracks (some dating back to the early ’90s) he
had recorded with several Windy City blues
artists, hence the Chicago Vs Oakland theme.
Mz. Sumac
(daughter of bluesman Craig Horton), Aldwin
London, 91-year-old Nat Bolden, the late Country
Pete McGill, and lap steel guitar legend Freddie
Roulette represent the Bay Area, while James
Newman, Del Brown, Gerald McClendon, and the
late Emery Williams, Jr. represent Chicago. A
host of familiar faces back these artists,
ranging from guitarists Rusty Zinn, Maurice John
Vaughan, and Dave Workman, to keyboardists
Roosevelt Purifoy and Alan Batts, to bassists
E.G. McDaniel and Dave Forte, with Turner
providing his usual impeccable drumming on all
tracks.
Most of the music
is of the soul blues variety, incorporating
elements of R&B and funk into the mix as well.
On the Oakland side, Mz. Sumac gets things
started with a stinging, but soulful rebuke of
her “Broke Ass Man,” followed by London, who
turns in a fine reading of Willie Nelson’s
“Funny How Time Slips Away” (also playing bass
on this track plus four others). Roulette’s
instrumentals, “Take It Easy” and “Red Tide,”
each capture his imaginative lap steel guitar
effectively. Bolden does an exquisite,
slow-burning “Good Morning Mr. Blues,” with
sublime, T-Bone-esque guitar work from Zinn.
McGill’s contribution, “Hoochie Coochie Mama,”
is a downhome, bump- and-grind with Roulette
supplying supple lap steel support.
On the Chicago
side, Newman, who once played bass for Magic
Sam, gets two sides, the silky R&B track “Hit
And Run Lover” and “Me And My Guitar,” both of
which feature Mark Wydra’s crisp fretwork.
Brown, dubbed “Mr. Excitement,” gets a pair of
tracks as well, amazingly his first as a front
man; the powerful “Now That I’ve Gone” and the
reflective “Time Slippin’ Away.” McClendon’s
lone contribution is one of the highlights,
“Cold In The Streets,” a slow burning soul blues
that should be burning up the soul blues charts
if there’s any justice in the world. The late
Emery Williams, Jr. (who passed away from cancer
in 1996) gets two excellent tracks, the
smoldering “Hurtin’ On You” and the stirring
“Mama Don’t Weep,” the latter closing the disc.
So the question
is, who WON the Battle of the Blues between
Chicago and Oakland??!! That’s an easy one ---
blues fans all around are the winners. This is a
superb collection of music from talented artists
that you might have never heard previously, but
thanks to Twist Turner’s efforts, you’ll
hopefully have a chance to hear more from some
of them in the future.
--- Graham Clarke
 I’ve been
listening to the blues for well over 30 years
and thought I had covered the bases pretty
completely during that span. So why in the world
had I never heard Jack De Keyzer until his
latest release, Checkmate (Blue Star
Records)??!! Oh, sure, I’d heard of him, good
things actually, but seriously, how did I manage
to go this long without checking out this guy?
Based in Canada, the guitarist/singer has been
active over 45 years, released 12 albums and a
DVD, and has won two Junos and four Maple Blues
Awards. He plays worldwide, 120 shows a year,
and he’s even a member of the U.S. Blues Hall of
Fame!
If you are like
me, woefully uninformed about Jack De Keyzer, I
strongly recommend you pick up this latest disc
--- that’s Checkmate, once again --- to
see and hear what you’ve been missing. You’ve
been missing a powerful guitarist and singer
whose music is steeped in the Chicago blues,
which works perfectly within the context of
Checkmate, as it is a tribute to Chess
Records and the Chicago blues in general,
featuring covers of 13 blues classics associated
with some of the Windy City’s finest.
De Keyzer rips
through a set that includes tunes associated
with Howlin’ Wolf, beginning with a rollicking
opening shot of “Howlin’ With My Darling” that
gets the disc off and running, along with an
appropriately menacing take of “Evil (Is Going
On)” and “I Ain’t Superstitious.” Otis Rush is
well-represented as well, with “All Your Love (I
Miss Loving),” “Double Trouble,” and “I Can’t
Quit You Baby.” Slide guitarist extraordinaire
Elmore James is honored with “Stranger Blues”
and “Talk To Me Baby.”
De Keyzer also
ventures to Memphis on a couple of tracks with
Dan Penn and Chips Moman’s soul ballad “Do Right
Woman” and B.B. King’s “Days of Old.” There are
also rocked-up versions of a couple of pre-war
classics, Blind Willie McTell’s “Broke Down
Engine” and “Walking Blues,” the traditional
tune associated with Son House, Robert Johnson,
and Muddy Waters. Speaking of Johnson, the album
closes with an unplugged version of “Come In My
Kitchen.”
Throughout the
disc De Keyzer shows his virtuosity on guitar ---
acoustic, electric, and slide. Vocally, he’s
more than capable of handling the straight
blues, blues rock, soul, and country blues. He
gets fine musical support from Joel Visentin
(piano, organ, trombone), Richard Thornton
(tenor sax, conga, harmonica), Alan Duffy
(bass), and Rick Donaldson (drums).
Checkmate
is a powerful, high-energy set of blues
standards that not only show Jack De Keyzer’s
talents, but also his love for the music itself.
I will be definitely be digging deeper into his
catalog as soon as I can.
--- Graham Clarke
 J.P. Soars
and Tab Benoit met in 2011 on a blues cruise,
and the many nights they spent jamming together
on that cruise and later ones inspired them to
assemble at Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou studios in
Houma, Louisiana, with Soars singing and playing
all manner of guitar, Benoit manning the drum
set and assorted instruments, with assistance
from Chris Peet (bass player for Soars’ band,
the Red Hots) and B3 player Tillis Verdin. The
resulting session can now be heard in all of its
glory via Let Go Of The Reins (Whiskey
Bayou Records).
Soars had no
songs prepared in advance of the session, so the
songs were pretty much compiled on the fly and
recorded in the same manner, giving the music
(and performances) a nice looseness and
spontaneity. Seven originals were penned in the
days leading up to recording and four cover
tunes complete the 11-song set, which is rooted
in the blues, but incorporates roots, rock,
funk, and R&B into the mix as well.
The opener, “Been
Down So Long,” was originally recorded by J.B.
Lenoir in the late ’50s. Soars’ version takes on
a greasy southern rock groove, setting the bar
pretty high for the remainder of the album.
Happily, Soars, Benoit, and company are more
than up to the challenge, keeping the southern
rock feel going with a dynamite take on the
Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ ’70s hit, “If You
Wanna Get To Heaven,” and “Freddie King Thing,”
a slippery blues rocker that pays tribute to the
Texas Cannonball. The title track is a raw,
hypnotic swamp blues, while “Crow’s Nest” is a
splendidly funky instrumental with outstanding
musicianship from all parties.
“Lonely Fire” is
an understated ballad with a beautiful acoustic
guitar solo from Soars. The ragged, desperate
rocker “Have Mercy On My Soul” is a standout,
with Soars’ growling vocal and fiery guitar
work, and the countrified “Let It Ride” features
Benoit on pedal steel. A cover of Django
Reinhardt’s “Minor Blues” is a delightful
surprise, with Soars giving it a jazzy, film
noir feel, and “Time To Be Done” travels to the
Crescent City, incorporating a little second
line rhythm. The downhome closer, “Old Silver
Bridge,” features banjo and dobro, wrapping the
album up nicely.
J.P. Soars truly
does Let Go Of The Reins for this fine
outing, expanding his sound beyond his blues
base while sticking closely to his roots at the
same time. Hopefully, he and Benoit will do this
again sometime in the future.
--- Graham Clarke
 Eliza Neals’
latest project is a power-packed EP, Sweet or
Mean (E-H Records), which teams the
Detroit-based blues belter with another
modern-day blues force of nature, Popa Chubby,
who produced and arranged the set and
contributes some monster guitar throughout on
the six original tracks. Backed by a tough
rhythm section (Dave Keyes – keyboards, John
Medeiros, Jr. – drums, Chris Gambaro-Vega), Neal
and Popa Chubby positively rip through these
tracks, leaving scorched earth in their wake.
The opener of the
EP, “Pawn Shop Blues,” is also the closer,
albeit in altered form. The opening version
includes saxophone from Ian Hendrickson and
trumpet from Michael Leonhart, plus Popa
Chubby’s scorching slide guitar and Neals’
ferocious vocal. The closing version eschews the
horns, but retains the shuffle beat, the slide
guitar, and Neals’ vocal might be a little bit
more intense on this take. Ordinarily, one would
wonder why two versions of the same song are on
an EP, but both versions are so good it doesn’t
really matter.
“Blackish Gray”
is a rumbling, mid-tempo ballad of sorts, with
Neals once again rising to the occasion with
arguably her most impassioned vocal on the
album. Chubby’s guitar work complements her
performance marvelously. The stalwart blues
rocker, “Bitten By The Blues,” is an
autobiographical track. “Livin’ With Yo Mama” is
a smoldering smackdown with a feisty Neals vocal
and searing lead work from Chubby, who then
unplugs for the driving, rocking “Knock Knock
Knockin’,” which may dial back the fireworks on
the set but not the intensity.
Hopefully,
Sweet or Mean is merely the precursor to a
full-length album collaboration between Eliza
Neals and Popa Chubby. Based on these six
smoking tracks, this duo has much, much more to
say that blues fans will want to hear.
--- Graham Clarke
 Russian
guitarist/singer/songwriter Arsen Shomakhov
currently lives in Vancouver, BC, hence the
title of his latest CD, Rain City Blues.
He’s competed in the I.B.C. several times,
advancing to the semi-finals in 2014 and 2016,
and has received a Maple Blues Award nomination
during his residence in Canada. He’s built a
significant following there and performs at
blues festivals in Europe, Canada, and the U.S.
For Rain City
Blues, his fourth album, Shomakhov traveled
to Greaseland Studios in San Jose, enlisting Kid
Andersen, who knows a thing or two about the
blues, as producer. The album contains ten
original tracks and features Shomakhov’s
excellent guitar work backed by Andersen (bass,
B-3, piano, vibraphone, background vocals),
drummers Alexander Pettersen and Juni Core, with
a guest appearance from harmonica player Ali
Kumar.
The opening cut,
“Full-Time Love,” has a Chicago swagger as
Shomakhov reads through an impressive list of
his part-time lovers (Kumar guests on this
track). “No More!” is a tough old-school rocker,
and “Sunset Beach” has a funky, almost island
feel with a tasty solo from Shomakhov. The
driving blues rocker, “Women And Whiskey,” is a
bluesy cautionary tale, and “Strolling In San
Jose” is a jazzy instrumental shuffle.
The title track
allows Shomakhov to showcase his impressive
slide guitar chops, while the greasy “Boogaloo”
finds the rhythm section of Andersen and Core
really settling in the pocket. The hypnotic
instrumental, “Three Arrows,” is a standout, and
“Sitting On A Fence” has a light New Orleans R&B
feel. The album closer, “Hello Little Bird,” is
a short, but fast-paced instrumental with
Shomakhov strutting his stuff on guitar with
steady backing from Core.
I was not
familiar with Arsen Shomakhov’s music, but after
listening to Rain City Blues, I plan to
dig deeper. This is an excellent, well-varied
set of guitar-driven blues that will satisfy any
blues fan.
--- Graham Clarke
 Blue Moon
Marquee is a Gypsy blues duo (A.W. Cardinal
– vocals/guitar, Jasmine Colette – bass/vocals)
from Vancouver. On their latest album, Bare
Knuckles and Brawn (Blue Moon Marquee
Music), the duo expands into a larger ensemble,
adding guests Darcy Phillips (piano/organ),
Gerry Cook (sax/clarinet), Jimmy “Hollywood”
Badger (drums), Jack Garton (trumpet), and
guitarist Paul Pigat. Cardinal describes their
sound as a mixture of “blues and jazz, western
swing and New Orleans,” and that description
aptly describes the 11 original tracks presented
here.
The album opens
with the Latin-flavored “Big Black Mamba,” a wry
look at the fuel that drives the world’s
economy, and then moves to the stylish swing
track “Smoke Rings For My Rider” and “Fever
Flickering Flame,” which showcases the lively
rhythm section. Cardinal’s edgy vocals are
featured on the first three tracks, but
Colette’s sultry vocals caress the noir-ish slow
burner “Hard Times Hit Parade” before Cardinal
returns for the gritty “As I Lay Dying.”
The lively “High
Noon” salutes the Oglala Lakota holy man Black
Elk, and Pigat guests on guitar for the jaunty
“The Red Devil Himself.” “Big Smoke” is a
straight blues tune about the ever-changing
weather with nice blues guitar work from
Cardinal, while the jazzy “52nd Street Strut,”
with vocals from Colette, pays tribute to Billie
Holiday. “Wayward” is a solid blues ballad that
segues nicely into the closer, “Lost And Wild,”
a wistful ballad that shows the non-gravel side
of Cardinal’s vocal quite well.\
Cardinal and
Colette’s vocals complement each other
perfectly, and the duo’s songwriting shows a
fresh approach to the blues, addressing current
issues. The additional musicians add much to the
proceedings as well. With Bare Knuckles and
Brawn, Blue Moon Marquee takes traditional
styles of music and updates them most
effectively.
--- Graham Clarke
 Nashville-based
singer Lauren Anderson got her start in
the Midwest. The Chicago native has built a
steady following since her 2014 EP Do & Hope.
She also released a full-length album, Truly
Me, and another EP, The Game,
relocating to Nashville in 2017. Equally
comfortable as a singer in the blues, Americana,
soul, and country genres, she’s also a talented
composer, writing all five songs on her latest
EP, Won’t Stay Down.
The opening
track, “Honey, Call Me Baby,” is a guitar-driven
rocker (via Jimi Greene) showcasing Anderson’s
fiery, confident vocal. “Too Little, Too Late”
is sweet Memphis-based soul that puts Anderson’s
versatility on full display, and the gutsy title
track finds her declaring defiantly that she
will overcome any obstacles facing her. “Cake”
employs a rhumba beat as she laments the
pigeonholing tendencies of the music industry,
and the closer, “Wild & Free” (co-written by
Anderson and Sandy Ramos), tells the story of a
small-town girl who gave up the simple life for
life in the big city.
Won’t Stay
Down is a short but potent set of blues and
blues rock from Lauren Anderson, a powerful new
vocalist who shows enormous potential for bigger
things.
--- Graham Clarke
 Run To Me
(Gypsy Soul Records) is the eagerly awaited
follow up to Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’s
highly acclaimed debut album. Send The
Nightingale comprises ten original songs
written either mainly by Martin or with fellow
singer-songwriter and guitarist Curtis Chaffey.
The best feature of this International Blues
Challenge representative's nine-piece
Toronto-based roots, blues and soul ensemble is
Samantha’s very distinctive and commanding voice
which is the key instrument. Michael McCallum is
an accomplished, nimble-fingered acoustic and
resonator guitar player who makes superb
contributions throughout. Sherie Marshall and
Mwansa Mwansa provide the harmonies and backing
vocals which complement Samantha perfectly.
The opening
track, “You’re The Love,” is powerful and
controlled whilst the equally catchy “Gonna Find
It” introduces the innovative horn section to
add more than a dash of soul. The balladic “Will
We Ever Learn,” with its sumptuous vocal
harmonies and horn arrangement, evokes the
songwriting style of Carole King. “Wanna Be Your
Lover” is noteworthy for its classic line,
"...You don’t need to put a ring on it / Baby
just put your back into it / Cause I just want
to be your lover!..."
The gospel
sounding “Chasing Dreams” showcases Samantha’s
impressive, throat-shredding vocals before she
tackles “Good Trouble” in lighter mood, the
latter showcasing Steve Marriner’s fluent keys.
“Over You” is another soul-drenched slow burner,
followed by the catchy singalong “This Night Is
Mine.” The mood darkens with “Only So Much,” a
serious message about a woman trapped in a bad
relationship where the guy has a drink problem
and the children go without food. Martin handles
the deep emotion with sincerity and genuine
feeling.
The high energy,
full in your face big band sound of “All Night
Long” is a fitting conclusion to a highly
commendable album. It is not surprising that
Samantha is a rising star in Canada’s eclectic
Americana-roots scene, and this CD should
enhance her reputation more widely.
--- Dave Scott
 Raised in
Michigan where she earned her first accolade as
Best Female Vocalist, Jan James and her
songwriter-guitarist partner Craig Calvert moved
to Chicago and played the famous Legends and
House Of Blues venues. She was initially signed
up by the prestigious Provogue record label, and
following several albums and a quarter of a
century singing the blues James and her band
have produced a clear statement of where they
are at with Justify (Blues Palace
Records).
The title track
confirms the chemistry between Jan and Craig,
her powerful, anguished vocals a perfect match
to his searing guitar work. No wonder she was
cast as Janis Joplin in a Chicago play and
recognised as a major talent of similar ilk.
"Good Man Down" showcases the musical prowess of
all eight musicians and their collective force
as a blues rock powerhouse. The rhythm section
lays down a heavy groove on “A Different Life,”
complementing the dark vocals. By contrast, the
ballad “Try” highlights Jan’s vocal versatility
with its softer mellifluous opening vibe, whilst
the slow burning “Never In The Game” showcases
the intricate side of Craig’s guitar repertoire.
Surprises are in
store throughout, such as the quirky, up-tempo
gospel inspired “Anything You Want,” with its
classic line, "...He had his way with her but
its okay cause/ He did it on his knees..."
Referring, of course, to prayers! The many
highlights include the rocking “Lucky U R,” an
impressive version of Jagger and Richards “Honky
Tonk Woman” and “Where You Gonna Run To,” with
Jan’s voice ranging from crooner to blues
blaster and all points in between.
Jan’s songwriting
and vocal delivery are at their best when she is
communicating her reflections on love and
relationships with sincerity and candour, as in
the finale, “Dangerous Decision.” She reaches
her conclusion that,"...A dangerous decision has
left me stranded/ And blue – A dangerous
decision to fall in love with you..."’ The deep
empathy of all the musicians results in a
climactic, virtuosic swirling sound of
coloratura-esque proportions, bringing the song
and the album to a dramatic close.
Jan James has
paid her dues and probably has not yet received
the recognition that her inner soul deserves.
Hopefully, Justify will change all that.
--- Dave Scott
 This seven-piece
band from Canada, Bywater Call was only
formed two years ago and has already been
nominated as Best New Artist in the 2020 Maple
Blues Awards. The first track on Bywater Call
(Gypsy Soul records), “Arizona,” sets the scene
as lead vocalist Meghan Parnell’s country and
western style voice with its slight drawl
immediately captivates the listener. The
infectious rhythms, superb sax solo from Julian
Nalli and background wash of Alan Zemaitis’ keys
add to the feeling that this band has something
special, and that is before Dave Barnes chips in
with searing guitar work.
The vibe
continues with the equally upbeat “Forgive,”
with its swirling keys, subtle changes of pace
and Stephen Dyte’s audacious trumpet solo.
“Talking Backwards” confirms Meghan’s
versatility and energy with her piercing,
powerful vocals maintaining the relentless drive
of another carefully layered song culminating in
jazz infused screaming brass.
A slow burning
blues, “Bring Me Down”, with its ethereal
introduction is overlaid by Meghan’s sultry
tones representing a chameleon quality of
sounding distinctive on every song. Once again
the layers of mood and instrumentation from
guitar to brass create a series of crescendos.
The mesmeric, balladic “Nightmare,” with its
atmospheric sax and trumpet complemented by
understated keys, provides the perfect platform
for a voice that seems to be floating on thin
air.
Funky and quirky
rhythms courtesy of bassist Mike Meusel and
drummer Bruce McCarthy underpin another
spectacular vocal performance from Meghan on
“Over and Over.” The slow nostalgic “Home Town”
has a more country feel whilst the Parnell
swagger returns on “Silver Lining.” All seven
musicians stretch their chops on “Walk On”
before the fitting finale, a sumptuously
arranged and mainly acoustic rendition of “Swing
Low” that leaves the listener feeling
exhilarated.
The musicality
and innovation of Bywater Call suggest that the
band will become a major force, a forthcoming
tour of Europe providing the opportunity to
achieve international acclaim.
--- Dave Scott
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