The Boogiemen, a five-piece ensemble from San Diego, California
collected its members from across America. Together, their home
states include Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, and (of
course) the Golden State. The band’s rhythm section includes
Larry Teves bass, and Nico Gutierrez drums. On their third disc,
A Little Trim (Modal King Records), additional guests add sax and keyboards.The ten tracks that comprise this small 41-minute album are
all originals written by various band members. “Blues On My
Radio” has a Latino feel, and a sense of swing, along with
expressive tone from John Flynn’s guitar. The tune’s main rhythm
is a kicking rocker. Richie Blue’s savvy harp stands out with
its shrill blasts and coiled chords. Many listeners will relate
to the lyrics which reflect why most of us no longer listen to
the airwaves. The guitar contains the most bounce on the very
danceable “Put Down That Gun”. Here, West Coast is written all
over the strings. The vocals contain a lazy drawl and are a bit
annoying. The ’50s rockabilly guitar and beaming harp combine to
give “Last Train Smoking” a feel of a locomotive chugging and
boogieing down the track. Overall, it’s a fun party tune with
improved vocals. I love imitated “whew whew whew” sounds of the
engine. “Nosy Neighbors” is a busy body that’s full of Mark
Cavanaugh’s congas and percussion. The tough tune is kind of
punkish with average vocals that sound more like spoken
conversation. “Project Car” reflects the great American pastime
of restoring old cars. The infectious rhythm of the guitar on
“My Love Is Solid” is augmented by powerful horns. The best
track is “The Devils Been Knocking”. Here, the harp does a
wicked demon dance while Lucifer wails a sinful Dr. Evil laugh.
The singer comically asks, “I wonder what that nasty ole Devils
here for?” Yet, it’s a stark reminder of the temptations that
lurk around every corner. Like the debut of The L Word, “The
Other Team” involves someone’s, once straight, girlfriend having
a change of heart. Here, Blue’s harp reflects a Stevie Wonder
influence. The Boogiemen grow on you like shower mildew and soap scum.
Their greatest strength is their ability to meld numerous sounds
into their own. If their records make you shake and groove as
much as this one does, they must be very oily in concert. These
guys have a blast performing West Coast boogie. This is one of
the best independent CDs I’ve heard in a long time. The
songwriting is fulfilling and the guitar and harmonica is a
pleasure to listen to. Your ears will experience a similar
swelling sensation as the little boy’s eyes on the cover.
However, if they want to get to the next level, better vocalists
will be required. Available from
www.theboogiemen.com.
Luther Badman Keith performs various styles of blues.
By far, he is more contemporary than traditional. Keith
became a musician later in life. He didn’t play guitar until
he was past 30 years of age. In fact, if it wasn’t for
purchasing Luther Allison’s Love Me Mama, this
Detroit News editor may never have picked up the guitar. For
his second release, Thunder In My Blues (BMB
Records), he has surrounded himself with 11
reputable musicians. Many of them are from his regular band.
Together they mix blues, rock, soul, and funk on 13 original
songs. The danceable title track contains a
deep funk groove with heavy, pulsating horns. Keith’s humor
is depicted on “Six Figure Salary.” However, cliché-filled
lyrics, like “I’m so broke I can’t even pay attention / my
last cheque didn’t bounce it did a dance,” beg for
originality. “Fevers And Chills” is a masterful modern meld
of soul and blues. Here, the solo, performed on his
customized guitar, is an outpour of emotion, while the words
are sung manically, like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Throughout
the album, Keith intonates and inflects his tenor voice, and
achieves a dramatic effect. A touch of Latino exists on
“Blues Gonna Fall.” “The Last Bluesman” contains a
repetitive medley that gets lodged in your mind. The tune’s
lyrics are thought provoking. It will encourage you to
ponder who will be the last bluesman or rather, who has been
the final one? The song’s words could be a biography about
any one of America’s real deal blues players. “Nose Wide
Open” contains big band jump. The trumpet and sax deliver
exhilarating solos while Keith mimics B.B. King on guitar.
“Gonna Give Up Drinkin’” is a slow blues, arranged like the
Allman’s version of “Stormy Monday.” Keith shares the vocals
with drummer Milton Heavyfoot Austin on “What’s The Use.”
Clearly, Austin has the superior voice. Keith’s guitar playing is good, but
it is not award-winning. He freely admits to that fact. “I’m
a decent guitar player, but my thing is writing songs and
performing.” The ordinary production needs to either be
rawer or more polished, and the sappy rhythms like “Rocks On
Mars” need to be omitted. What works well, on this hour long
disc, are the funky arrangements, attractive rhythms, social
commentaries, and ensemble of the sensational band. As he
states on the title cut, “I’m a force of nature”, and no one
will dispute the fact that thunder is present in his blues.
In fact, Keith’s powerful music may contain an entire
thunderstorm, but it isn’t out-of-control like a hurricane.
This is contemporary music with impact rather than
devastation. It can’t be considered strictly blues. For
example, check out the screeching rock and roll guitar solo
on the Caribbean-flavored “Sleeping With The Devil”. On
Thunder In My Blues, Keith fronts one of
Detroit’s better blues bands and I’ve just about heard them
all. Available from
www.badmanbluz.com.
On Official
Bootleg #1 (OTG Records), Richard Johnston mixes North Mississippi blues
with Appalachian bluegrass to create a music that is a sign
of the times. The Houston, TX native spent time in Japan
before returning to the U.S. in ’98. He settled in the
Memphis area, where he heard Junior Kimbrough’s music, and
went nuts. He became enthralled with Kimbrough and was
determined to learn his style of music. Although a one-man
act, Johnston gets the sound of a three piece band. Those new to the Richard Johnston experience may not believe
he is a one-man act. Nothing beats the fevered experience of
seeing and hearing Richard Johnston performing live on Beale
Street in Memphis, Tennessee. However, this 36-minute live
disc falls short of that. Johnston, a former
International Blues Challenge winner, hasn’t stolen
the blues from African-Americans. On the contrary,
Mississippi legends like Jessie Mae Hemphill mentored him.
Now, he is greatly respected by the greater blues community.
I have personally witnessed this on Beale while Johnston was
performing. On his first release, he had guest appearances
by Hemphill, Cedric Burnside, Mark Simpson, and Robert
Tooms. This time around its just Johnston. The majority of
songs were recorded live on November 7, 2003 at Humphrey’s
Bar and Grill in Huntsville, Alabama. All songs are covers,
but Johnson contributes foot-stomping, primitive hillbilly country blues
arrangements and additional lyrics. “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning” and
“Do The Romp” are the highlights as they display Johnston’s
mastery of inciting the crowd. These sweaty tunes have
captured Johnston in a way that is the next best thing to
being there in person. The former was recorded May 22, 2003
at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis at the 24th
annual W.C. Handy Awards. The song was featured on PRI’s The
Blues The Radio Series in conjunction with 2003’s Year Of
The Blues. Out of the disc’s seven numbers, it is the only
one that features musicians in addition to Johnston. On it,
Ben Prestage and Paul Buchignani add electric guitar and
drums. At the end of the track, Johnston publicly thanks
Jessie Mae Hemphill who was a great influence and was
supposed to perform with Johnston at the Handys. “Miss Maebelle”
sounds from the hills and is so back to the roots honest, it
strikes a chord in American heritage. However, it fails to
capture Johnston’s intensity. Although he can drone with the
best of the Mississippi hill artists, as a 30-something, it
is hard for Johnston to give “Done Got Old” justice.
However, it pays homage to Junior Kimbrough whose house band
Johnston took over when Kimbrough died. It is far easier to
make out the intriguing lyrics of “Meet Me In The City”, as
sung by Johnston, as opposed to Kimbrough’s original
version. Richard Johnston has decided his main
focus, for 2005, will be performing on Beale. This is where
he first made a name for himself and where he excels. Quite
frankly, it’s worth the trip to Memphis to catch one of his
performances. After all, it is the closest you’ll get to
experience the Beale that now only exists in the legendary
photos of Ernest Withers. Available at the gig or on the web at
www.richardjohnston.com.
---
Tim Holek
Freelance Journalist/Photographer
Alligator Records have a reputation for only
releasing good blues, but they have done themselves proud with this
release by father and son Carey & Lurrie Bell. Second Nature is good traditional blues, played to perfection by
a fatherand son that each understand perfectly what the other is doing.
12 tracks of great blues here that have you glued to the speakers (or,
even better, the headphones). The opening track, “Stop Runnin’ Round,”
shows exactly why Carey Bell has such a reputation for his harmonica
playing, and son Lurrie accompanies him perfectly on acoustic guitar. On
track 4, “Wrapped Up In Love,” Carey Bell’s harp playing sounds so much
like Sonny Boy Williamson, it’s uncanny – this track has a real late
'50s feel to it, and I played it over and over again. Listening to this
CD for about the fourth time made me realize what it reminds me of. In
1981, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells recorded an acoustic set in Paris,
France, which Alligator released in 1991 as Alone & Acoustic –
this CD has the same feel to it, and that will guarantee that I’ll be
playing it a lot! Track 5 is an absolutely superb version of “Rock Me,”
slowed right down and taken to the absolute basics. This is a great
track played by almost anybody, but here it becomes something very
special, and I can only imagine that this is how Muddy Waters intended
it to be played. Much the same comments apply to track 7, Eddie Boyd’s
“Five Long Years,” possibly my joint favourite track on the CD (with
track 8 “Got To Leave Chi-Town”). There’s also a great rendition of “Key
To The Highway” that makes it really difficult for me to pick the other
two tracks as favourites! The album winds up with a couple of tracks
that are new to me, “Do You Hear” and “Here I Go Again” – the latter is
the only weak track on the whole album. All in all this is a blues CD
that deserves a place in any collection.
Here’s a band that never fail to produce some
good blues. The Point Blank Blues Band, from Serbia in the former
Yugoslavia, really show that they have a good feel for a music that is
about as far removed from their country as it could be. Their 2003
album, Eight Blue Balls, was a real showpiece for the band, and
this latest album, 7th, shows that they still know where they’re
going, although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Eight Ball
Blues.” Unfortunately, they’ve wasted the opportunity for including
another good track by placing a “prologue” at the start of the CD – for
me it’s a waste. However, click straight onto track 2 and the blues gets
good – “21st Century Blues” is a good medium-tempo number with a lovely
guitar solo in the middle by the talented “Dr”. The album moves onto a
slow ballad type track, “Dream Blues” – well written and well executed
by the band – although I have to admit that I prefer their medium and
up-tempo numbers. That’s purely my taste in music, I guess.
They’re onto some up-tempo stuff with track 4, “Flipping Out Blues,” and
this is another track where the excellent guitar work shines through,
and the music is a real “foot tapper.” The next track is slower, but
compulsive listening, and it picks up speed just after the mid section.
By the time you get to “Seven Blues” you find that the album is really
cooking. There really is a good mixture of blues here by a talented band
who know their stuff. Track 9, “Cripple Blues,” is almost my favourite
track from the CD – it’s a mixture of tempos and styles and there’s just
something about it that registers with me. But it’s “Flame Burning
Blues,” a good driving boogie blues that should, possibly, have been the
opening number for the album, and it’s my absolute favourite on the
album. With this track as number one on the album, the band would
capture people’s attention straight away. The album winds up with a
tribute to Johnny Cash, “Dedicated”. It’s not a bad track, but I’m not
sure that this track belongs on a blues album. However, there’s plenty
of good blues in between the prologue and this track. Well worth a
listen.
Live At The Blues
Of The Month Club is a superb live album from
Steve Arvey, backed by the British band Blues Move. Blues Move is a very tight
band, obviously well versed in the blues, and their bass player Roger Inniss is an extraordinary talent – one listen to him could be enough to
make other bass players take up the harmonica!! An indication of their prowess
is the fact that they not only back Steve Arvey on his UK tours, but
Sherman Robertson too. Steve Arvey seems to be making
the UK a regular destination on his busy touring schedule – this
particular album was recorded during his 2004 tour, and he’s already
back there again! The Blues Of The Month Club is
in Cleethorpes, England – but don’t let that put you off. The performance recorded here is
top notch, and full of atmosphere. Also included with the band is
Arvey’s co-songwriter Mark Hoekstra from the band West Side Heat, adding
some additional flavour. The opening track is a Steve
Arvey original, “Hip Hop,” which sets the mood for the rest of the CD,
most of which are Arvey written songs. It’s followed by “Stranded” and
then “How Do You Spell Love,” a track which is rapidly becoming Steve Arvey’s best known track. By track 3 the listener is
hooked, and it just gets better – this man is a real entertainer, and he
gets the audience involved right from the start. The band is right on the button
too, giving Steve some strong support and showing just what a good unit
they are. Track 8 is a nice instrumental
tribute to Cleethorpes, entitled “Cleethorpes Sunset,” and it takes Arvey’s guitar playing to some diverse places – Cleethorpes should adopt
this as the town’s official music! Track 9 is a showcase for the
bass playing of Roger Inniss and features two tunes – “Sex Machine” &
“Chicken Heads” - real foot-tapping funky blues at it’s very best. The final track brings the tempo
down as Steve Arvey plays a nice version of the title track of his 2002
album “Soul Of A Man.” If you haven’t heard that album,
this track is a haunting ballad, written by Steve Arvey, and it’s a
fitting way to end this live performance at Cleethorpes. If you like your blues live and
full of atmosphere, go and see Steve Arvey live – if you can’t make it,
then buy this album and find out what he’s all about.
--- Terry Clear
The question in the blues community in recent years has been who
will pick up the reins for the genre, with a great deal of the older
artists either getting on in years or passing on. One of the answers
is a brightly gifted young guitarist and songwriter hailing from
Oregon by the name of David Jacobs-Strain, with his current
album, Ocean Or A Teardrop (Northern Blues). It’s hard to
believe that this guy is still a college student that manages to
work in 100+ or so gigs a year around his school schedule, because
he has the poise and approach of a seasoned veteran that has been
around the block a few times. It really comes as no surprise, as his
last release, Stuck On The Way Back (Blues Bytes
July 2002), which was recorded when he was
still in his late teens, displayed the same qualities. This time
around Strain has a full band backing him up for 10 numbers, of
which seven are original compositions that bring to the forefront
the poignant depths of his songwriting skills.
Strain opens this eyebrow raiser of a record with Fred McDowell’s
“Kokomo Blues,” done as a high energy romp with some gorgeous
country harp licks courtesy of Joe Filisko and few resophonic guitar
runs of his own. David’s songwriting moves to the forefront on the
title tune, which takes a hard look at the human cost of armed
conflict with the beautifully powerful backing vocals of Anne Weiss
shimmering through alongside Strain’s pleading vocals and the superb
fiddle solo of Joe Craven, who seems to be popping up on everyone’s
record as of late. Some very wicked slide can be had on a cover of
Sleepy John Estes’ “The Girl I Love.” Strain’s clean fret busting
chops on this number are decades older than the baby face on the
cover of the album is and explains why Guitar One Magazine recently
picked him as one of “10 Guitarists On The Brink Of Greatness.”
David melds his guitar prowess alongside Peter Joseph Burtt’s
skillful mastering of the african kora (similar to a mandolin but
deeper in tone) and Joe Craven’s slick mandolin riffs on ”Take My
Chances,” a highly crafted tune that has tremendous commercial
potential but will probably not see it as it’s subject matter is
marijuana cultivation in California's redwood country. Regardless of
its subject, this is a stunning original with it’s catchy rhythms
and punching delivery. “Sleepless Dream” is the tune that will
undoubtedly get the nod from radio stations with its lush pickings
and sing along choruses. Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul Of A Man” will
knock you out of your socks with the combination of David’s searing
slide work and snarling vocals and Joe Filisko’s greasy harp. The
lone instrumental tune, “Yelapa Breakdown,” is a purely delightful
mix of country styled blues with jazzy overtones served up as a duet
between Strain’s guitar and Joe Craven’s fiddle expertise. “Shoot
The Devil” might rub a few people the wrong way as it challenges the
concept of the war on terror. Whether you agree or disagree with the
number’s content does not diminish the high impact performance that
are to be found here. Following up are some thoughts of possible
impending social revolution in the form of a driving number entitled
”Earthquake.” It’s some heavyweight food for thought, to say the
least, and a personal favorite of mine on this album. Things wrap up
with “Illinois,” a rather haunting number that I think is best left
open-ended as far as individual interpretation goes. A big nod goes
to returning producer and bass/B3/piano player Kenny Passarelli for
the high polish and seamless flow this album contains. You may
recognize his name from his work as both producer and musician for
names such as Elton John, Joe Walsh, Otis Taylor, Freddie King,
Stephen Stills and Hall and Oates, to name just a few. Strain scores
a ten with Ocean Or A Teardrop. It’s a very thought-provoking
record that contains quite a bit of politics, alongside some
brilliant musicianship and intensely fresh songwriting that makes
this young man one to watch. It’s safe to say that the future of the
blues is in good hands, at least as far as this artist is concerned.
His next album won’t be released soon enough for me.
It is said that every great recording
artist, no matter what genre, has “that one” particular recording in
their soul that they were born to record for history to remember
them by. Examples include Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue, The
Beatles' Sgt Peppers, Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run,
Muddy Waters ... well pretty much anything he ever recorded. Add to
that list Dr. John’s N’Awlinz, Dis Dat Or D’udda (Blue
Note), as it leaves no doubt that future generations of music
historians will cite this record as his “one.” This entire project
is a loving tribute to the heritage that is so deeply ingrained in
the good Dr., namely the humongous musical gumbo pot that is the
city of New Orleans. Along for the ride are some new and old friends
lending their talents on a handful of recognizable, traditional
numbers and a few originals that the Dr. has prescribed for your
musical health. Things kick off on an instrumental note with ”Quatre
Parishe,” a lushly orchestrated piece that allows the Doc to stretch
his fingers a bit in an almost classical vein on this two minute
opus. Following up are two numbers that make the price of this
fantastic record worth it alone. The first is a hauntingly beautiful
gospel rendition of ”When The Saints Go Marching In,” on which the
spiritually beautiful pipes of Mavis Staples join in with both the
Dr. and The Davell Crawford Singers for a presentation of this
standard the way I suspect it was intended to be heard. While you
are still reeling from that, things get punched up a notch or two,
with the same singers, along with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, for a
gloriously uplifting take on ”Lay My Burden Down" (aka "Glory, Glory
Hallelujah") that is sure to get you moving with its funkified
downbeat. Cyril Neville and Walter “Wolfman” Washington add their
vocal and guitar talents, respectively, on the spooky and mystical
tale of “Marie Laveau,” a voodoo queen on whose good side it’s wise
to stay. A tip of the hat to Louis Armstrong is up next with “Dear
Old Southland,” a lush instrumental duet between Nicholas Payton on
trumpet and Dr. John on piano that can only be described as
peacefully serene. Ramping things up is the album’s original title
track that is a free-or-all funkfest with the Dr. being joined by
the pretty pipes of The Creolettes on background vocals and the
steamy brass of The Wardell Quezergue Horns. Keep an ear open for
both of these artists, as their contributions throughout this gem
will cause you to cock an ear a time or two. Another Mac Rebennack
(Dr. John) original follows in the bouncy fun of "Chickee Le Pas”
that will undoubtedly have your foot tappin’ and your mind wandering
to Mardi Gras. “The Monkey” is a tune that will make you stop and
think and raise a question about who exactly are the wild beasts in
this world on this philosophical number written by Dave Bartholomew,
who contributes his squealing trumpet expertise along with Eddie
Bo’s narrative. Randy Newman brings his sunshiny delivery to a duet
with the Dr. on Dave Williams’ “I Ate Up The Apple Tree,” a fun
little number that gives a new spin to the Adam & Eve scenario as
only these two guys could. A trio of tunes written by Pleasant
Joseph (Cousin Joe) follows, with the first featuring Willie Nelson
sitting in with Snooks Eaglin for the classic cheating woman
scenario ”You Ain’t Such A Much”; it's a total delight with all
three principals swapping vocals. “Life Is A One Way Ticket”
follows, with its humorous examination of whether or not to try and
take your worldly wealth with you. Rounding out the trio is ”Hen
Laying Rooster,” with B.B. King trading vocals with the Dr; and
Gatemouth Brown contributing a viola solo on this somewhat cocky
number. An epic original character saga of death involving a pimp
and a card hustler. entitled “Stakalee,” is given a lighthearted
treatment despite its rather dark subject matter. But hey, this a
Dr. John album, ya know. A ton of artists have covered ”St. James
Infirmary,” but this one may very well become the definitive take on
this classic. The Dr. is at his absolute finest, both vocally and
instrumentally, bringing a soul-soaked depth to this number that has
never quite been heard like this. B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Snooks
Eaglin, Walter Washington and, of course, the good Dr. collaborate
for the fun-filled geriatric rap “Time Marches On,” one that is sure
to elicit a giggle or two but make you think a bit as well. The
album wraps up as it began, with a two-minute orchestrated opus
entitled, “I’m Going Home,” that features the weeping vocals of
Cyril Neville. Few recordings are completely flawless; this CD is
one of those few. The production, arrangement and performances are
second to none, as Dr. John is at his absolute personal best and
brings that out in all the other artists and musicians that
contributed to this masterwork. For whatever your ailment might be,
Dr. John’s N’awlinz, Dis Dat Or D’udda is the perfect
prescription that should be overdosed on as much as possible.
--- Steve
Hinrichsen
The recent death of Jimmy Smith has returned attention to one of
the most underrated instruments in blues today, the Hammond B-3
organ. With Smith’s death and Jimmy McGriff ailing, there are only a
few practitioners of the instrument still circulating that still
dabble in Blues and R&B (Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Medeski, Art
Neville, among others). New Yorker Jeremy Baum has added his
name to the list with the superb Lost River Jams (Flying Yak
Records). Like most modern B-3 players, Baum is influenced by Smith
(proven by the opening track, “Take A Walk” and “JB Shuffle”), but
there are also traces of Booker T. and the Meters in his sound as
well (as heard on “Oasis Jam” and “Stoopid”). In addition to
playing with a wide range of artists (including Debbie Davies, Joe
Louis Walker, Shemekia Copeland, Sue Foley, and Richie Havens), Baum
played for a couple of years in Bill Perry’s band and Perry returns
the favor by appearing on three tracks, the funky “Bill Showed Up,”
“Stoopid” (which sounds like an outtake from a Meters session), and
the Blues chestnut, “Rock Me Baby,” on which he contributes guitar and
vocals. There are also a few nods to jazz territory with the
Latin-accented “Liberty Street,” “Taphouse Groove” and the jazz
standard “Autumn Leaves.” Baum closes out the album with a moving
version of “Amazing Grace.” Nine of the ten tracks are instrumental
and all feature the core trio of Baum on organ, Chris Vitarello on
guitar, and Ernie Colón on drums, who sound great together. Fans of
the B-3 will want to get their hands on this one. It’s available at
www.cdbaby.com and
www.amazon.com.
Sean Costello’s self-titled debut release for
Tone-Cool/Artemis Records finds the 25-year-old guitar wizard
looking at the blues from a decidedly soulful point of view. His
fourth release overall features smoking versions of songs previously
done by Al Green, Bob Dylan, Robert Ward, Johnny “Guitar” Watson,
Johnnie Taylor and Tommy Johnson, but there are also seven songs
that Costello wrote or co-wrote that make you take notice. The
bouncy radio-ready “No Half Steppin’” opens the disc on a cheerful
note, while “She Changed My Mind” is a rock & soul blast, with its
punchy horns. ”Take It Easy” is more of the same, while “All I Can Do” and “Don’t
Pass Me By” slow things down to a slow burn. “I’ve Got To Ride”
veers more toward Blues territory, as does his rousing cover of
Johnson’s “Big Road Blues.” As far as the other covers go, Costello
does a solid job on Green’s “I’m A Ram” and Taylor’s “Hold On This
Time,” but his best effort comes on Dylan’s “Simple Twist of Fate.”
It ends up sounding like a Stax-era single, complete with dynamite
background vocals from the group Ollabelle. Personally, I thought
it was cool to have a Robert Ward cover on the disc, especially
“Peace Of Mind,” and Costello’s version definitely does it justice.
The cover of Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “I Get A Feeling” is also
exceptional, with harmony vocal by Amy Helm of Ollabelle. Costello
does a great job on vocals, which have just the right amount of soul
and don’t sound contrived or forced at all. Though he’s regarded as
quite the guitar-slinger (he played lead guitar on Susan Tedeschi’s
breakthrough album, Just Won’t Burn), he reminds you more of
Jimmy Vaughan or Steve Cropper on this disc, saying much more with a
few well-placed riffs than with extended solos, which is a
refreshing change from most young guns these days geared to see how
much and how long they can play on one solo. This approach draws
more focus to Costello’s vocals and songwriting, both of which are
top-notch. Providing support for Costello are the Band’s Levon Helm
(Amy’s dad) and Steve Jordan on drums, Willie Weeks on bass, and the
Conan O’Brien Show horn section, as well as Costello’s own band.
Sean Costello is rapidly emerging as one of the bright new stars of
the blues genre.
Wiley and the Checkmates may seem like a new band, but
their singer/frontman Herbert Wiley and the Checkmates go back over
40 years. Wiley has been playing since the late ’50s, when he
played at various clubs and fraternity parties around Oxford, MS. The Checkmates were officially formed in 1960 and played over most
of the Southeastern U.S., backing soul & blues stars like Sam Mosely
& Bobby Johnson, Cozy Cole, Percy Sledge, Gatemouth Brown, Syl
Johnson, and Otis Clay. The band split up in the mid ’70s as most
of them decided to focus on their families. Wiley married, had a
family, and operated his father’s shoe store. Wiley got the music
bug again a couple of years ago after a band rented the building
next door to his. Shortly afterward, the Checkmates were reborn and
are now one of Oxford’s favorite bands with their high-energy shows
featuring classic soul from the ’60s and ’70s.Now the band has
released Introducing Wiley and the Checkmates (Pickmark
Records), a thrilling set of ten original songs that sound as
innovative as if they were released 30 years ago. The
Checkmates’ sound ranges from deep soul (“Sweet Breeze,” “Another
Man’s Home”) to James Brown-style funk (“Dog Tired”) to “Ball of
Confusion”-era Temptations (“Messed Up World”). There is a nod to
Atlantic/Stax Records with the peppy “You Can’t Pull The Wool Over
My Eyes,” and “Streak-A-Leon” sounds like something Bobby Rush might
have done in the ’70s. Closing things out is “Gonna Find A Way,”
which is the single Sam Cooke never got to sing. Produced by the
Checkmates and Fat Possum Records producer/engineer Bruce Watson,
Introducing Wiley and the Checkmates has a distinctly retro
feel, but just enough modern touches to keep things fresh. Fans of
deep soul music will find much to enjoy with Wiley and the
Checkmates. Go to their website,
www.wileyandthecheckmates.com, for more information.
--- Graham Clarke
Bobby
Wayne's Hit That Thing (Bonedog Records) is one of
those CDs that hits you from the start and never lets up. From
the opening track, "Dig Yourself," you know this CD is going to
be special. After track number 13 fades into your memory, you
smile and hit the repeat button and start all over again. An
album of mostly originals and a few covers, real musicians
including horns and female supported backing vocals, and Bobby's
oh so gritty and soulful vocals give you an hour of near
perfection. Some of the other highlights are the gospel-tinged "Ain't
No Need Of Crying," a tune originally recorded by the Rance
Allen Group on Stax with its incredible female backing. "Chained
To a Rock" reminds us of Sam Cooke and shows that Cooke's
influence on singers is timeless. There is the great "Homestead
Greys," a tribute to one of the Negro League baseball teams that
should be included in Baseball's Greatest Music Hits. It was
penned by band member Mike Sweeney and just adds to the
diversity of this release. The funky organ beginning of "Can't
Stop Looking For My Baby" is an upbeat classic originally
recorded by The Fantastic Four. Another fine cover track, "This
House is Haunted," was originally recorded by The Masqueraders
as "This Heart is Haunted" and is notable for its gritty sax and
those great backing singers. My own favorite is "On The Drift,"
an organ and harmonica burner that was also penned by Mike
Sweeney, and the track that had everyone asking WHO is that
singing? By the time the CD got to the last track "Whisper
Away," a 7:17 burner with it's wailing blues guitar, everyone
was sitting listening to this very special release. No one
wanted to miss a note. You can find this CD at
www.mojoboneyard.com at a very special price. Five deep bows
to Bobby Wayne and his great band. You're gonna love this one.
We've all been waiting for this new release by Arizona's own
Frank Ace, and it was well worth the wait. Anyone who has
seen Frank perform, know that he is a great guitarist and
singer. He is a veteran of years on the road as Vernon Garrett's
bandleader and has appeared with many other world class
musicians such as Frankie Lee. Cry U Out Of My Heart (Chueffa
Records) pretty much typifies Frank's live show, as this CD is
filled with Frank's wailing guitar and insightful lyrics and
vocals. The first track, "Don't Tell Me," is a shuffle that puts
you in a party mood right from the start. It is the title track,
"Cry U Out of My Heart," with it's classic spoken intro, "Girl,
I can't do it anymore, so I got me a carton of cigarettes and a
fifth of Hennessy and I'm gonna cry you out of my heart
tonight," that will probably be the track that gets the most
attention. "I'm The One" is a memorable song with a great hook
and, in my opinion, perhaps the best track here. It gives Frank
a chance to show off his guitar prowess. Other notable tracks
are "Big Limo," a tale of an eventful trip to Tucson, the
tribute to our home state with "Arizona" and one that I'm sure
we all can relate to ("Gas Pump Blues"). This is an enjoyable
release by one of Arizona's finest bluesmen. Visit Frank's site
at
www.frankace.com where you can learn more about him.
--- Alan Shutro
The EforFilms Jazz Memories DVD series is
exclusively distributed by Music Video Distributors (www.musicvideodistributors.com).
Three new titles in the series are bio-pics on prominent black
pioneers in popular music. Each trailblazer ran into the same
racist obstacles, but handled them differently. Nat "King"
Cole sought to rise above the fray by always being a
gentleman and, while this made him a star on the charts, it
failed to win commercial endorsement of his TV variety show, the
first hosted by an African-American. Lena Horne sought to
avoid the issue, but as she was forced to show her hand by
McCarthy-ist blacklisting and more she became more focused and
successful in attacking racism in America. Billie Holiday
put "Strange Fruit" out there and remains a testament against
the most brutal forms of prejudice. Of course, there is also
much music and other career highlights on these three
enlightening DVDs: Lena Horne: The Incomparable Lena Horne,
Billie Holiday: Genius of Lady Day, and Nat "King"
Cole: The Legendary Nat "King" Cole.
Jazz Legends: The Golden Age of Jazz, Part 1 (Quantum
Leap/Music Video Distributors) is a lively overview of big
bands and swinging ensembles, including Cab Calloway ("Smokey
Joe"), Buddy Rich & Artie Shaw ("Take Your Pick"), Louis Prima
("China Town"), and more. Standout selections of these short
jazz films include Ian Rae Hutton's all-female big band ("Truckin'"),
Sammy Davis Jr. pre-glass eye doing ocular gymnastics ("Boogie
Woogie Piggie"), a cappella trio The Mills Brothers in a
follow-the-bouncing-ball sing-along ("I Ain't Got Nobody") and
Duke Ellington with dancers Florence Hill and Bessie Dudley
("Stormy Weather"). The Duke Ellington sequence is from Bundle
of Blues, produced at The Cotton Club in 1933. There are three
Fred Waller featurettes here. All told, there are 22 tracks from
different artists on this classic collection. Extras include
artist biographies and discographies.
--- Tom Schulte
Lisa Phenix’s debut CD, Homegrown, sounds anything but in production
value, but it may describe her music in a way. She clarifies it as
“homegrown mating music.” This is not a blues disc but Ms. Lisa (aka
Silly Little Mama) sent Blues Bytes this release
for review from her hometown Sacramento, and it’s so extraordinary that
it warrants attention.
I’m not an expert in the “Americana” category of music, but that’s what
another reviewer called it. I have to trust in Lisa’s own bio notes that
it’s a mixture of folk, rhythm and blues, jazz and Grateful Dead.
Personally I’d omit the “rhythm and blues” description and replace it
with “country/western,” as in Hank Williams. She might be called a
singer/songwriter/guitarist, and it would be in the acoustic lyrical
sense. She wrote everything on the disc.
The first exceptional attribute of the CD from note one is the recorded
sound quality. Producers Lisa Phenix, Scott Reams and Michael Roe know
their stuff. The next high mark is in her band musicianship. Twin
guitars, occasional keys, rhythm section with mandolin and percussion
round the sound. Electricity is mixed in and After the production and
musicians I’d say Lisa’s voice jumps out next. It’s clear and pure,
mid-high in range, and I can’t think of who she sounds like. She names
Bonnie Raitt, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha as influences but in no way is
she them. Maybe ‘70s Joni Mitchell would be closer and I’m still way
off the mark. Allison Kraus? Gwen Stefani without the grit? I give up.
Photo graphics are artistic but not the central character of the album.
“Lazy Daisy May” starts off subtly introducing the sound and the voice,
while “Chocolate Love” has good chord structure. “Losin’ Your Good Woman
Blues” is blues in name only, and here is where things get so simply
interesting. The electric guitar solo is played partially backwards, as
in the tape reel recording in reverse. Reminds me of an old Beatles
trick. How do they do that digitally these days? “Good Man” is
satisfying rockin’ in medium tempo, electric guitar solo outstanding. By
“Good Lovin’ Baby” you’ve got super country crossover potential, even
though that’s not what “Americana” is about. “Bad Blues” is not actually
blues; the group Southern Culture On The Skids comes to mind. “Silly
Little Mama” might be Hank Sr. trans-sexed doing rockabilly. “Peace of
Mind” conjures up plaintive Emmylou Harris, and “Irie’s Song” is plain old
album rock at its finest, Lisa’s gem-cut, honey-dripping voice like an
eagle in flight. “Patience” is an oft-told prose of words featuring
Sacramento group Mumbo Gumbo’s accordionist Steve Stizzo sitting in.
“Cockadoodle Do” wraps the project, a two-beat blues with tremelo guitar.
The only advice I’d have for Silly Little Mama, if she wants more
attention drawn to her top-caliber voice, is to record the next album
with crappy audio and use lesser-talented musicians.
Movin’ On is a four-song “EP” from Sistah Blue, an all-woman super blues band, available at
www.sistahblue.com.
February 2004 was memorable for the Sistah's, as they played Arizona’s
annual big festival, “Blues Blast,” with two then-new members: lead
vocalist Dejah and powerhouse drummer Janet Daniel. Rain and clouds had
threatened the day, but as Sistah Blue concluded the festival, sunny
skies had re-emerged as had energy and presence. This they demonstrated
with tight arrangements of mostly originals, vocal harmonies a standout.
The package was complete, show-woman-ship plus snappy dress recharged
the dedicated crowd.
So has a new recording. It was important for leader Rochelle Raya
(harmonica/vocals) to have an album of all-original tunes since the
group has mixed in covers over past years. This disc is the result. It
coincided with the band’s winning trip to Memphis in early 2005 to
compete at the International Blues Competition since they won first
place in Arizona. At that time I wrote: “A pre-release four-song sampler
of a new CD was circulated as the group headed for Memphis. It promises
an extraordinary album called Movin’ On for 2005, containing a variety
of vocals and rhythms over original tunes, documenting the continued
impressive progress of Sistah Blue.”
Then the Sistahs played the big “Blast” again. I inquired about the new
album and found a cover with photo and graphics, but the same four songs
inside. So I don’t know if they’ll be included in a future album or
stand on their own, let us just review what we have right here right
now.
“Break Out” opens the program with Kati Ingino, bassist, singing her own
co-written tune. It’s funky, the kind of bass playing Kati enjoys. It’s
rappy and snappy and her vocals have really developed over the years.
There’s a hook with ensemble vocals.
“My Man” is written by lead vocalist Dejah and is a
medium/slow blues with an attractive bridge, and a good statement in the
words. The singer has a good blues voice, nice timbre and slightly
varying pitch. It’s interesting that the front-woman of the band shares
vocals with the other members.
“Ms. Betty’s Boogie” is written by Nancy Dalessandro, guitarist for the
group since day one, but it’s sung by the group’s founder, Rochelle Raya.
It’s anchored by a “shuffle/flat tire” drum rhythm from Janet Daniel.
The disc is sequenced with class because Raya’s excellent harmonica
isn’t really heard ’til now. Other show-offs might blow us out of the
water from the very start. Nancy has a lean guitar solo. “85 years old
and a heart of gold” they sing about Ms. Betty. I swear I’ve seen her as
“she does the boogie” at Sistah Blue gigs. “Movin’ On” is also Nancy’s.
It sounds like a minor key and is sung by Dejah.
The structure is catchy, sounding appropriate for an album closer, and
does remind one of movin’ on, as in down the road. Lead vocal is
passionate and backing harmonies pure. Harmonica and guitar solos make
it an enjoyable ride. I just wish we had about 12 more tunes for this
disc.
Blues Fuse, by the Jim Glass Band (www.jimglassband.com) is a
self-produced 2005 Blues Blast (Arizona Festival) souvenir CD with only
song titles and no personnel listing. Jim Glass (guitar/vocal) and Luann Lindemann (uncredited keyboards/vocals) verbally spoke of recording all
the tracks themselves at home. Because of this there are some uneven
levels and production values, but the originality of the music very well
represents their style. There’s only one cover I’m aware of, “Bring Out
The Boogie,” and others I seem to have heard somewhere before, and yet
others that deal with personal experiences like Jim’s recent leukemia
diagnosis. Neither singer is dead-on pitch-wise, but that isn’t
necessary with this kind of self-expression. Luann seems to come out of
a churchy vocal style, a little too “trebley” in her vibrato when
singing solo for my personal taste, but works well in unison or harmony.
Jim’s voice is gritty, quite expressive and a good foil for his clean
and tasty rhythm guitar, ad soaring lead solos. In describing the music
on this CD, Jim brought up the “Doors.” That sound is evident in the
closing number “Doctor, Oh Doctor.”
---Tom Coulson
Broadcaster/musician
(Read my
column)
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