The veteran Canadian
bassist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and
bandleader Gary Kendall has a winner on his
hands with Feels Real Strong (47 Records).
Given his prodigious talent and constant
contributions to the Canadian music scene, this
should come as no surprise. Having been a member of
the legendary Downchild Blues Band from ’79-’83 and
currently since 1995, Kendall is widely-known. When
not touring with Downchild, Kendall books the
entertainment at Toronto’s famed Silver Dollar blues
club and performs with The Gary Kendall Band among
other alliances. He released his first solo CD,
Dusty & Pearl on his own independent label, 47
Records, in 2004.
That CD had so many
guests, it was difficult to hear Kendall’s
originality and style in the music. The new CD is
far more focused on Kendall and his current, potent
road band. They are comprised of Toronto’s finest
roots musicians including Wayne “Shakey” Dagenais
(keyboards), Darran Poole (guitar), Tyler Burgess
(drums and harmonica), and Mike Fitzpatrick (drums).
Additionally, there are six guest musicians.
From the opening bars on
Real Good Night, 12 all-original,
radio-friendly songs come straight at you for 45
multifarious minutes. This lead-off song describes,
from both a listener’s and performer’s perspective,
the feelings experienced when things come together
in a perfect performance. With a guitar that sounds
influenced by Mark Knopfler, the danceable Marlena
contains the kind of pop/rock that was commonplace
on celestial radio 25 years ago. "Deep In My Heart"
contains hand-clapping, foot-stomping boogie/rock,
while rhumba-style rock reverberates from "When You
Tell Me." With poignant horns and prevalent guitar,
the title track is a ’60s-era-sounding soul ballad.
Additional soul is found
on "Wall Of Love," which challenges you to be
grateful for what you have. Perhaps it was written
based on the fact that he has been there and done
that. Or maybe he is just incredibly strong-willed.
Whatever the case may be, Kendall “saw a lifeline
and grabbed that rope” and resists the temptation of
a debauchery-filled lifestyle on "Here To Stay." "Streeta
Groove" is a Texas shuffle that details the zany
history of Toronto’s Spadina Street clubs and bands.
Additional American
roots music can be heard on the zydeco-sounding "Sugaree."
It contains an infectious Louisiana rhythm that is
widely appealing. "Rainy Night In Hogtown" features
a traditional blues pattern and romping slide guitar
that would make Muddy Waters or Bob Margolin blush.
"Terrified Blues" is a slow since-you-left-me-baby
blues. "That Thing" is a contemporary take on Willie
Dixon’s "The Same Thing." Here, the Downchild
influence runs deep, while the song is reminiscent
of Big Joe Turner style rock ‘n’ roll.
The most memorable
things are the whirling rhythms and the exceptional
musicianship – especially the Professor Longhair
influenced keyboards, which steal the show. Most of
all, the CD allows the listener inside the man who
has been a pillar for so many others. If you are
strictly expecting blues, you’ll be disappointed. If
you prefer a more diverse menu, you be as satisfied
as a diner in a New Orleans restaurant. This
successful album is sure to end up on a few 2009 top
ten lists.
--- Tim Holek
The da-da-da-da-dat riff
– made famous by Muddy Waters on "Hoochie Coochie
Man" –
has been a blessing and a curse to the blues. It is
one of the most recognized riffs ever recorded, but
by today’s heady standards, it sounds dull. For
those who think modern blues is boring, this sampler
(and record label) is for you. Samplers like The
Future Of The Blues, Volume 3 (NorthernBlues)
are a great (and inexpensive) way to get exposure to
various styles of blues and to a specific label.
Even in this day of commercial free non-stop
satellite radio, samplers are an excellent way to
discover the blues.
There are 15 tracks –
including five previously unreleased – on this
70-minute disc. Three of them are from Watermelon
Slim, who has taken the blues world by storm over
the past few years. NorthernBlues head honcho Fred
Litwin is obviously looking to cash in on this
popularity as well as try to feed the insatiable
craving for the trucker turned bluesman. I don’t
care for his unpleasant vocals and common music. But
even critics like me will enjoy the butt-kickin’
boogie "Blues For Howard" that features searing
slide guitar. A galloping beat makes one of his
other songs, "Blue Freightliner," rock.
Doug Cox and Salil Bhatt
unite classic east-Indian music and blues for the
common goals of peace and humanity. Together they
perform outstanding acoustic guitar and mohan veena,
and the vocal harmonies are surreal. On "Penny
Waiting On Change," Homemade Jamz displays great
potential to blossom into huge blues stars. Here,
the guitar crescendos from a leisurely pace and then
explodes into fiery passion. The slurred and
intoxicated-sounding vocals on the track from
Moreland & Arbuckle only hints of the faux
Mississippi hill country blues they perform so well.
Samuel James is a
multi-instrumentalist who plays mean, acoustic
country blues. His voice sounds like the folky Bob
Dylan has met rapper Jay-Z. Eddie Turner combines
grey modernism with genre-blending experiments. On a
swinging instrumental, Carlos del Junco shows why he
is one of Canada’s best harpists and why he is ready
to compete internationally for the harmonica crown.
His playing is based in the tradition but strays
from it in a positive and exciting sense. He may
play his scintillating swing blues into his
retirement years, but 28-year-old JW-Jones isn’t
planning to wait until then to make his mark on the
industry.
Mason Casey’s Sofa
King Badass was one of the most over-looked
releases. With the following contributors, Don Covay,
Steve Cropper, Jimmy Johnson, and Jon Tiven, how
could it have been anything but great? Depending on
how you feel about repetition, Mem Shannon’s
13-minute hypnotizing rhythm will either put you in
a trance or a slumber. Zac Harmon’s track is lively
enough, but it’s the most stereotypical blues
sounding song on the sampler. It’s not what you
expect from this label, which was incepted in 2001,
because it’s too predictable.
Thanks to the
forward-thinking of NorthernBlues and their
innovative artists, the future of the blues sounds
very hopeful.
--- Tim Holek
The
Soul of John Black’s third release, Black
John (Eclecto Groove), features more of that
infectious “country funk” sound that was so
enthralling on their previous two releases. The man
behind it all, John “JB” Bigham, has quite a
background in music, playing guitar and writing
songs for Miles Davis, playing guitar and keyboards
for the funk/ska/rock band Fishbone for nearly a
decade, and playing sessions with artists like
Eminem, Dr. Dre’, Rosey, Nikki Costa, Everlast, and
Bruce Hornsby. His approach to the blues encompasses
many different styles and it gives the genre a
fresh, new sound.
Take the title track,
which opens the disc; a variation of the old
“Stagger Lee” tune, it starts out tamely enough with
acoustic guitar and handclaps, but quickly changes
gears with electric guitar, piano, bass, and drums.
You’ll be playing this one again and again. The
first single, “Betty Jean,” is a funky soul number
that serves as a tribute to Betty Davis, soul singer
from the ’70s and former wife of Miles Davis. “Last
Forever” is a prime example of Bigham’s country funk
sound. It’s steeped in the blues, but with a
definite late ’60s/early ’70s Family Stone vibe.
“Bottom Chick” mixes in
reggae rhythm with an irresistible hook. “White
Dress” is a sexy number, with blues lyrics that
might have come from an old Muddy Waters single over
a sparse arrangement, mainly Bigham singing over his
Stella slide guitar. “I Knew A Lady” blends old
school (circa Leadbelly) sensibilities with a Go Go
beat and “Push Into The Night” sounds like a mid
’80s R&B/Funk track. Closing the discs is “Thinking
About You,” a quiet, meditative ballad featuring
Bigham and his guitar.
Bigham is a masterful
composer. His songs are full of catchy hooks and
imaginative lyrics (including, on “Last Forever,”
the girl who was like a bad cell phone; she liked to
roam). He gets plenty of help from Adam McDougal
(keyboards), Shawn Davis (bass), Jake Najor, Oliver
Charles, and Scott Seiver (drums), Davey Chegwidden
(percussion), longtime collaborator Chris Thomas
(synthesizers and backing vocals), Satnam Ramgotra
(bowed cymbals), and the indispensable background
vocal team of Kandace Linsey and Laura J. Jones.
Black John is a
heady mix of soul, blues, funk, jazz, country, and
anything else that fit Bigham’s palette at the time.
It’s said that a musical genre cannot continue to be
vital if it stands in one place. Well, The Soul of
John Black is breathing new, reinvigorating life
into soul and the blues, and both genres are the
better for it.
--- Graham Clarke
The
Nighthawks have been playing their brand of
blues and roots music for over 30 years. Singer and
harmonica player Mark Wenner, who founded the group
in 1972 (along with a young guitarist named Jimmy
Thackery) has built the band into an institution in
the world of blues and blues/rock. They’ve toured
all over the country and in over a dozen countries,
released an impressive catalog of albums, and have
played and recorded with many blues legends,
including John Lee Hooker, Pinetop Perkins, Luther
“Guitar Junior” Johnson, Bob Margolin, and Muddy
Waters. In 2005, guitarist Paul Bell became the
latest in a long line of great lead guitarists (a
list that includes Thackery, Margolin, Jimmy Nalls,
Danny Morris, Pete Kanaras, James Solberg, Warren
Haynes, and Steaurt Smith) and Johnny Castle took
over the bass duties from longtime Nighthawk Jan
Zukowski.
The Nighthawks’ latest
release, appropriately on Powerhouse Records, is
entitled American Landscape and mines sources
ranging from raw and ragged swamp blues (Lazy
Lester’s “Made Up My Mind”) to deep Southern soul
(Sam & Dave via Steve Cropper’s “Don’t Turn Your
Heater Down,” and Dan Penn’s “Standing In The Way”)
to Motown (Marvin Gaye’s “Try It Baby”) to the
songbooks of Bob Dylan (“She Belongs To Me” and “You
Go Your Way”) and Tom Waits (“Down In The Hole”).
The Nighthawks move easily from one musical style to
the other, all the while leaving their own personal
stamp on the music with Wenner’s gritty vocals,
inspired harp work and Bell’s versatile guitar.
There are two original compositions, both written by
Castle and both upbeat numbers. “Where Do You Go” is
a catchy pop rocker, and “Jana Lea,” written as a
tribute to Castle’s wife is a hard-charging
rockabilly tune.
Just in case you still
question the band’s versatility, the disc closes
with a blues version of The Andy Griffith Show theme
(“Fishin’ Hole Theme”). I can just picture Opie and
Andy strutting down to the fishing hole to this
music.
If you’re already a fan
of the Nighthawks, chances are you already have this
disc. If you’re not familiar with them, consider the
fact that Blues Bytes has now featured three reviews
of this CD, all favorable, in the past three months,
and check them out.
--- Graham Clarke
Johnny
Hawthorn returns with a powerful disc that picks
up right were his debut release left off. Death &
Taxes (Abe’s) is proof positive that Hawthorn is
going to be a major player on the blues/rock scene
for as long as he chooses. Hawthorn has been a part
of the L.A. music scene for nearly a decade and has
been a club favorite for years. In 2002, he joined
up with Toad the Wet Sprocket and has toured with
them playing lap steel, mandolin, and guitar. He’s
also contributed music to several television shows
and movies.
On Death & Taxes,
Hawthorn plays guitars, bass, B-3, harmonica, and
percussion. He’s joined by Mike Sauer (drums), Tris
“Duke” Carpenter (bass), Steve Heidtman (bass), Dean
Dinning (B-3), Carl Byron (B-3), and Nicole Gordon
(background vocals). Hawthorn possesses a voice
reminiscent of Tom Petty at times and he’s equally
effective playing it tough or tender on the guitar.
The disc is not all
blues. The opening cut, “Punk In The Streets,” has
all the makings of a classic rock anthem and has
received considerable attention already on the
internet. After the opener, Hawthorn jumps into the
blues with the scorching title track. “Bamboozled”
is a hard-driving instrumental that sounds like
Texas Flood-era SRV, and “Losers Game” is an
atmospheric pop track.
The torrid “In My Time
Of Dying” is the lone cover tune and drags Blind
Willie Johnson screaming and kicking into the 21st
Century. “When I Kiss You” is a change of pace with
its jazzy feel, but it’s only temporary as “Cold
Hearted Woman” kicks the disc back to full throttle
for a bit before the acoustic number, “Traveling
Roadside Blues.” If you weren’t convinced of
Hawthorn’s versatility, the closer, “St. Stephan’s
Green,” a moody instrumental that probably put a
smile on Duane Eddy’s face up in Rock & Roll Heaven,
should seal the deal for you.
An impressive follow-up
to his debut, self-titled effort, Death & Taxes
should bring Johnny Hawthorn some well-earned
accolades, if there’s any justice in the world. Head
over to
www.cdbaby.com or iTunes to check it out.
--- Graham Clarke
The Alabama Blues
Machine is an all-star band of sorts, consisting
of veterans of southern bands like Dick’s Hat Band
(guitarist and producer Ross Roberts), Wet Willie
(drummer Lewis Ross), 2blu (singer/harmonica player
Bruce Andrews), and a horn section (Mike Lingo –
trombone, Rick White – trumpet, Jon Remley –
saxophone) seasoned from years of playing with acts
like the Temptations, the O’Jays, the Four Tops, and
others. The ABM won the Magic City Blues Society’s
Battle of the Blues Bands after only five gigs and
won the right to compete in the 2009 International
Blues Competition this past February in Memphis.
The band has also
released a CD on R2 Records, called Must Be Love,
which captures their brand of jump blues to
perfection. Andrews, whose other band, 2blu, has
made it to the semi-finals twice at the IBC,
finishing sixth in 2007, has vocal style reminiscent
of Wet Willie singer Jimmy Hall and blows a mean
harp. Roberts’ guitar work is sublime, and the horn
section lifts things up a notch as well. The rhythm
section (featuring Ross on drums, Clay Swafford on
keyboards, and John Jackson on bass, who’s since
replaced by Eric Onimus) grooves hard and steady.
Highlights included
“Hindsight,” a song about viewing one’s lady from a
different perspective, “Clay’s Boogie,” an
instrumental featuring Swafford’s dazzling piano and
Roberts’ swinging guitar, the southern rocker “LaQuita,”
and the funky shuffle, “Rockin’ Me Baby.”
The disc is short,
clocking in at seven songs and under 30 minutes.
Considering the band’s been together for less than a
year, it’s a very cohesive effort. These guys are
seasoned professionals and all have a love for the
music they’re playing. That shows up in every note
they play and sing. For more information about the
Alabama Blues Machine, check out their website at
www.alabamabluesmachine.com.
--- Graham Clarke
The Mike Hallal Band
has been packing them in for over a year now at
Cambridge, MA’s Lizard Lounge with their sweaty
version of blues/rock and roots music. The group has
been captured in their element on their new CD,
Live At Lizard Lounge (Pi Records). The tight
four-piece band features Hallal on guitar and
vocals, Chris Schluntz on guitar, Jim Antonellis on
drums, and guest Jesse Flack from Jim’s Big Ego, who
plays upright bass.
Of the eight tracks,
Hallal wrote three of them, including the opening
rocker, “Just The Thing,” the slow burner, “Maintain
(Cruise),” and “Dancin’ In My Dreams,” which sounds
a bit like Lou Reed. “25% of Nothin’” is a strong
instrumental track showcasing Hallal and Chris
Schluntz on guitar.
The remaining songs on
the Lizard Lounge set are covers; one is a
smoldering remake of Neil Young’s “Cortez The
Killer” and the other is Tom Petty’s “Apartment
Song.” Probably of the most interest to blues fans
is the electrifying “Doctor Blues,” the band’s
reworking of Henry Townsend’s 1931 classic tune,
“Doctor Oh Doctor.” Closing out the disc is a bonus
instrumental, “A Minor Jam,” recorded a month later
at the same venue with the band’s regular bass
player, Robert DeCorte.
Live At Lizard Lounge
is a memorable set of blues/rock originals and an
eclectic set of covers, and should please fans of
blues/rock guitar.
--- Graham Clarke
North Carolina-based
piano man Adrian Duke is a master on the keys
and his rough, but soulful vocals remind you of a
mixture of Ray Charles and Dr. John. He’s probably
best known for his dazzling performance for Queen
Elizabeth II during her 2007 visit to the U.S.
Adriatica (Moon Glow Entertainment) is the first
release by Duke since 2001’s live disc recorded in
New Orleans. Duke dropped off of the music scene for
an extended period to help care for his father, who
suffered a debilitating stroke. After his father’s
death, Duke returned to music and his fourth release
is a stirring mix of New Orleans blues and R&B with
more than a taste of funk and jazz thrown in.
Adriatica kicks
off with an appropriately funky version of the
Crescent City standard, “Cabbage Alley,” with Duke
doubling on piano and Hammond organ, and the rhythm
team of Lamont Sydnor (drums) and Damon Brown (bass)
laying down a nasty second-line groove. There are
three other cover tunes here, all barely
recognizable. Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Around In
Circles” gets a jazzy makeover. There’s also a
frenzied remake of Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne,”
which also features D. “Pickes” Brown and the
Buzzard Luck Dixieland Explosion, and a more serene
take on the classic “That Lucky Old Sun.”
Better still are Duke’s
original compositions. “Frankie Jr., Get Me A
Chair!” is taken at a breathless pace and features
Roger Carroll on saxophone. “Long Road,” another
Duke composition, features churchy background vocals
and Duke’s Hammond organ. “Grown Damn Man” revisits
that second-line beat and “Come On Home” is a
straight blues track. The title cut is a journey
into jazz fusion that bops along happily and
showcases Duke on flute.
Also featured in support
are Dave Finucane, who adds saxophone to the
R&B/Funk workout, “Make It To The Water,” Derek
Crowder and Harold Greene on guitar, and backing
vocals by Carlton Miles, Theresa Richmond, and
Yolanda Rabun. The Tower of Trinh Horns appear on
“Snake Farm Woman.”
Adrian Duke is at the
top of his game on Adriatica, a delightful
journey to the world of New Orleans R&B and blues.
Check out Duke’s website at
www.AdrianDuke.com and check out this disc at
www.cdbaby.com.
---
Graham Clarke
From the Fence Line
(Manatee Records) isn’t all strictly blues, but the
blues that’s here is good blues, that’s for sure –
and so is the rest of the music. The CD is a mix of
soul, rock, & blues and Fontaine Brown either
wrote, or co-wrote, all 12 tracks on the album.
Brown cut his teeth
working production with Bob Seger, and recording a
single for Chess records, and his songs have been
recorded by the best – John Mayall, Joe Louis
Walker, Dave Edmonds, Percy Sledge, Emmy Lou Harris,
etc, etc. From that sort of background, you know
that this guy knows his music, and that shines
through on this CD. I would love to hear an album of
just blues from him!
The opening track is the
bluesy “Ain’t No Brakeman” with guitar, harmonica
and vocals by Fontaine Brown, showing how versatile
this man is. It rolls into track two, “Fence Line”,
which is more rock based, but still has a blues feel
and has some nice keyboard playing from Peter
Holsapple, who also contributes mandolin on the
album.
It takes three more
tracks before we come back to the blues with
“Southside Story” – a good medium up-tempo number
which puts me in mind of some of the later R.L.
Burnside material. A few more tracks pass by before
the rocking blues “Just Out Of Reach” pops up –
great rhythm section to back up Brown’s superb
guitar work - great driving music, this one! The
following track, “Pool Of Light”, deserves the
cliché that the CD has something for everyone –
electric sitar anyone?? A little bit of George
Harrison influence, maybe, but there’s something
compelling about it with the mix of harmonica,
sitar, percussion.
The penultimate track,
“Got To Git,” is another blues-rock track that
again, somehow, puts me in mind of the later R.L.
Burnside – probably the best harmonica on the album
is found here. Which brings me to the last track,
“Endless Road,” more rock than blues, but what a
good track! This is the one that I’ve played the
most, and I could drive all night to this, so I
guess that votes it my favourite track on the album.
Definitely worth a listen!
---
Terry Clear
The last time that I came across Paul Karapiperis
was with the CD Crossroad Ritual by the Greek
band Small Blues Trap, of which Karapiperis is the
main man. That was an excellent album which proved
that European blues can be almost as good as any.
This CD,
15 Raindrops in an Ocean of Blues Tales,
reinforces the view that I had of Crossroad
Ritual – it has 15 tracks all written (music &
lyrics) by Paul Karapiperis and he has assembled
some good musicians to help him along. Incidentally,
my only criticism of the CD is that it is slightly
lacking in information about who plays which
instrument – we know that Karapiperis is the harp
player, but there are three other guys in the band
who play something. That’s a very small criticism,
and it can be forgiven by the fact that Paul
Karapiperis has produced the CD himself. The content
of the CD is best described as experimental blues, I
guess, but behind the different sounds incorporated
in the album, plenty of good blues guitar and
harmonica shines through.
The CD
opens with an intriguing harmonica solo “Welcome
Onboard! Clap Your Hands” and then moves into a very
slow blues “Let’s Do The Boogie All Night.” Track
three, “A Voodoo Woman Can,” features Karapiperis’
stylish harmonica playing on another slow blues,
whilst the next track, “In Wood Alcohol Line,” picks
up the tempo ever so slightly and features some well
picked guitar.
There’s
not much up-tempo music on here, it’s all fairly
laid back, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a
good album – you just need to be in the mood for
some slow blues.
---
Terry Clear
This man Tommy McCoy is obviously well
respected in the business because he gets to play
with some top names – last time it was Double
Trouble, and now Lucky Peterson on yet
another great release, Lay My Demons Down,
from Blues Boulevard Records.
This
album was recorded in 2002 at Bob Greenlee’s
legendary Kingsnake Studio – Bob Greenlee having
previously produced two of Lucky Petersen’s albums
for Alligator Records. Here we have 15 tracks of
some of the best blues around and it all kicks off
with a Tommy McCoy written track, “Blues Thing,” an
up-tempo blues with Lucky Petersen’s Hammond B3
kicking up a storm with some Jimmy Smith sounding
riffs.
Things
slow right down to a crawl with the next track
“Bitter Soul To Heal,” late night blues à la Gary
Moore’s “Still Got The Blues For You” – that’s not a
criticism, by the way! For track 3, “They Killed
That Man,” the quartet shrinks to a duo of Tommy
McCoy and Ed Lanier on upright bass, and it’s pure
magic – full of atmosphere and flavour.
The band
gets back to being a four piece for the next few
tracks, and then grows to a quintet by adding Mike
Bell on slide guitar for track seven, “I Hate To
Wait” – Mike Bell pops up again a couple of tracks
later on “Stay in F.L.A.” In between these two
tracks is a lovely version of Robert Nighthawk’s
“Bricks In My Pillow” with a different quartet –
Laptop Randy is on laptop steel guitar and Patrick
Geoffrey on piano – I love it!!
On the
subject of cover versions, there are three others on
the album – Jimmy Rogers’ “Ludella,” Tampa Red’s
“Crying Won’t Help you,” and Hop Wilson’s “Black Cat
Bone” – they are all excellent, each one being given
the Tommy McCoy touch without losing the flavour of
the original. The version of "Black Cat Bone" has
some magical lap slide guitar from Laptop Randy,
played alongside Tommy McCoy’s guitar and Ed
Lanier’s upright bass, and the trio stay together
for the following track, “The Other Side,” and then
the quartet reform to finish off the album with the
instrumental “56 Chevy,” possibly the best track on
the CD.
This CD
didn’t get good distribution when it was first
released, I really hope it does better this time –
it deserves to.
---
Terry Clear
Well,
those guys at Blues Boulevard Records have done it
again – another couple of good issues keeping the
blues alive in Europe and beyond.
Better Off With The Blues was a 2000 issue on
Lucky Records, and it’s had four bonus live tracks
added to it, much as Rick Moore did on his
last album on Blues Boulevard, Slow Burning Fire
– these four tracks were all recorded at The Bourbon
Street Blues & Boogie Bar in Nashville, and they add
some nice flavour to the album, bringing the
atmosphere of the bar into play.
The
album opens with “Satisfied Man,” a track written by
Rick Moore, as are most of the 17 tracks on the CD.
The listener gets treated to some good rocking
blues, with a foot tapping beat showcasing the piano
work of Tim Hinkley. Things slow down with track
two, the title track, a blues ballad, “Better Off
With The Blues.” Great lyrics again from Rick Moore,
and some inspired harmonica playing from Will
Rhodarmer cutting through Moore’s fiery guitar work.
Track
three, “Take It Down To Memphis,” is another rocking
blues, but with the addition of The Memphis Horns,
and a hot sax solo by Jimmy Hall. Flavours of Bob
Seger & The Silver Bullet Band come through here,
and it’s GOOD!
All the
way through the album, there’s a mix of good blues
in different tempos, and with different flavours and
influences, some with the horns and some without,
but all good music to listen to. Track 13 is an
absolute gem, “Fire In The Delta,” with the band
stripped down to a minimum – acoustic slide guitar,
harmonica, good lyrics, pure blues – my favourite of
the lot!! I’d love to hear Rick Moore do a whole
album of this style of music.
---
Terry Clear
I last reviewed an
Alvin Jett CD back in February
2008, when the East St. Louis-born Jett brought out
How Long.
Jett's latest album a year later,
Honey Bowl (Blues Boulevard), is even
better – the Phat Noize Blues Band is still super
tight, still producing great blues, and still backed
ably by Frank Bauer’s sax playing. In addition the
band has a handful of exceptional guest musicians in
the shape of Arthur Mississippi Williams, John Wolf,
Jim Rosse, Pete Ruthenberg and Scott Bryant.
Most of the
14 tracks here are written or
co-written, by Alvin Jett, and they’re all good
stuff - two of the others were written by the bass
man Matt Davis and the remaining one by the sax player
Frank Bauer.
The album opens with the Alvin Jett number, “Make Me
Blue,” and straight away you know that you’re in for
some good blues. This is a strong track, musically,
with a driving beat, some fantastic sax playing from
Frank Bauer, who takes off like an express train,
and Alvin Jett’s trademark guitar work. Track two,
“Lay My Burden Down,” is a song written by Jett and
Bauer together, and it’s equally as good as the
opening number, driving forward with absolute
confidence.
On the next track, “Bluesman’s Hat” (also written by
Jett & Bauer), Arthur Mississippi Williams is given
the chance to strut his stuff with some down home
harmonica playing which pushes the band along at a
great tempo, and gives them a totally different
flavour to the two previous tracks.
Just when you thought that you had this band pegged,
they change to a Latin flavoured, Santana style,
“Honey Bowl,” complete with some trumpet work from
Jim Rosse – listen to this through headphones with
your eyes shut, and the guitar work could be Carlos
himself, especially at the start of the track –
spooky, but nice!
The CD has a little bit of everything, including an
eerie instrumental track, “Lucky Charms,” that just
drips atmosphere and feeling. The guitar playing
here reminds me a little of early Peter Green, but
it’s not as though that was a direct influence, it’s
more sutble than that and I can’t put my finger on
it directly. Next up comes ”The Graveyard Shift,”
pure slow, moody blues with possibly the best guitar
work on the album – wow! This guy can play.
Frank Bauer’s track, “Alone & Drinkin’,“ shows that
this man isn’t just a superb sax player, but he’s
also got some tunes running around in his head that
he needs to get down on paper – I hope we hear some
more of his stuff on the next album. And his sax
playing shines on the next track “Me, You & Cyndee,”
a semi bossa nova type beat carried along by the sax
with Jett’s guitar filling in – not very bluesy, but
excellent late night listening.
The CD ends up with “A Year Or Two Or Ten Or
Twenty,” followed by “Runnin’ Like A Dog” – two very
strong bluesy numbers that wrap up the proceedings
nicely, with all of the band working hard to show
just how good they are together.
This CD deserves to be played……lots!
--- Terry Clear
It’s always a treat to
be able to sit back and watch an artist mature into
a force in our industry. Such is the case with
John Nemeth. I’m blessed to have copies of
everything in John’s catalog and thought he was
deserving of last year’s Blues Music Award for best
new artist debut. John didn’t win, but he’s made a
name for himself and his sophomore release on Blind
Pig Records, Love Me Tonight, further cements the
fact that this is indeed, an artist on the ride.
Up first is the title track, “Love Me Tonight,” and
I find the band is attacking every note from the get
go. “I’m disconnect the phone…putting the lock on
the door…getting back to the basics of love…that we
had before…love me tonight!” Bobby Welsh is on
guitar for this journey and I appreciate his first
solo of the record. He does double duty on keyboards
and I hear them in the background as well. A great
song to start off this disc.
Next up is “Just Like
You.” The object of John’s affection is a bad girl and
he can hardly stand it. “My dear old mother…wants
you gone….sorry, sorry mother…I’ve done you wrong.”
Temptation won out over common sense and the rest is
history. John breaks out his harp for the first time
and shows us why he’s one of the best coming up.
“Fuel For Your Fire” slows the tempo down and gives
John a chance to show his soulful side. “I’m just
fuel…for your fire…fuel…for your fire…and your
flame…will be your desire…it will burn…higher and
higher…someday…everyone will see it shine!” I’m sure
his woman appreciates the support John is showing
her in face of the adversity she’s facing.
More hard-edged guitar from Bobby shows up on our
next track, “Too Good To Be True.” “Who am I…to
think you're mine…you’re not the kind to settle
down…men can’t resist the way you twist…your
automatic hips make your backbone slip!” This wild
cat of a woman has captured John’s attention but
like all the others, he gets left behind. “Daughter
of the Devil” showcases John’s mesmerizing talent on
his harp and features guitar work by Elvin Bishop.
“Daughter of the devil…is my lover…somebody save my
soul….who me.” The rhythmic backbeat of drummer June
Core entrances the listener to feel John’s agony at
being connected to this very wicked woman. In “My
Troubled Mind” we find John needing a break from all
that’s befallen him…a bad relationship and the
resulting break-up. “I’ve been turned around and
around…inside up and outside down…I’ve been
reprogrammed for the old grindstone.” It’s time to
take a break and the let the mind, heart and soul
all mend peacefully.
“She’s My Heart's Desire” finds John back on the
trail of a new woman who’s captured his eye. “You
don’t care…how I feel…you know darling…down and dirty
deal.” This woman is tough and John’s got serious
work to do to stay in her good graces and make it
all work out right. “I had my baby…in my loving
arms…and I told her…that I love her…and I know…yes I
know…she’s my heart’s desire!” This new ballad,
“She’s My Hearts Desire,” finds John on his best
behavior and being the man his new love needs him to
be. I think John’s at his best singing soulful tunes
like this one; “and my baby…she’s so fine…let me
tell you…she’s mine…all mine…but my baby…has a heart
of pure gold…and I believe it will never grow cold!”
Enjoy the passion of this newfound true love John,
sounds like you’ve found a great woman to care for.
“Love Gone Crazy” finds John thoroughly at odds with
a woman who treats him badly. “She’s a dirty
mistreater…and I treat her just the same…she’s a
dirty mistreater…and I treat her just the same…yes
its love gone crazy…it’s a cruel little game!” A
blistering harp intro from John and more of Elvin
Bishop’s guitar highlight the next cut, “Country
Boy.” “This city living…sure is hard on a country
boy…but if it makes this woman happy…give that woman
all the joy!” John sacrificed his life in the
country to follow the woman he loves into the city
and hopefully it will all work out the way he wants
it to.
Love Me Tonight closes with another soulful ballad
from John, “Blues in My Heart.” Mournful notes of
agony emanate from his harp as John begins to tell
us his tale of woe, “I’ve got the blues in my
heart…deep down into my soul…well, I’m feeling down
and out…Oh, Lord…ever let me go?”
This has definitely
been a sweet release from John Nemeth. To gain the
respect of his elders, players like Elvin Bishop and
Junior Watson, indicates that John is doing it right
and Love Me Tonight definitely serves up the truth.
Grab a copy of this disc from Blind Pig Records at
their website,
www.blindpigrecords.com, or better
yet, pick up a copy from John at one of his live
performances and double your pleasure. There’s a
bright future ahead of John Nemeth and we’re lucky
he fell in love with the blues at a very, early age.
You can find his gig schedule on his website at
www.johnnemethblues.com, and hopefully he’s coming to
a club near you soon.
--- Kyle Deibler
The Bad News Blues Band is one of Arizona’s finest
bands. For years they’ve played the Hot Licks
Barbecue in Bisbee, Arizona and over the years some
of those shows have become legendary for their stage
antics, walking on the bar, etc. So it all made
sense when they decided to record a live album to do
it at Hot Licks and let the chips fall where they
may. The result, Live at Hot Licks, comes as close
to capturing the energy of Bad News at their best as
you can find. The project was so successful it
generated a two-disc set, one of un-recorded new
originals and the other a disc of the group’s
classic songs from previous releases. An ambitious
project to say the least, but the result is
definitely worth it.
Our first track finds guitarist Mike Blommer
doing the vocal honors on “Ride with Me.” “What’s
the use of walking…when the riding’s all in
style…ride with me baby…in my brand new Cadillac…put
on your pink dress darling…I’ve got my hair all
slicked back.” Alex Flores and Carla Brownlee on the
saxophones are letting it all hang out and you can
tell early on that this three day recording session
in Bisbee was something else. Next up is a song by
Alex that I’ve
been waiting for to be recorded for a long
time, “Get a Job.” “I want to know…where you want to
go with this…cause I’m tired…so tired…of putting up
with all your bullshit…you’re asking me…what you can
do…girl, I’m sick and tired of telling you…to get a
damn job.” It’s time this girl pulls her weight or
she’ll be out Alex’s door before she knows it.
Mike’s fretwork speaks for itself as he’s back at
the microphone for “Cold Cold Ground.” Seems he’s in
a relationship that’s coming to an end. “I believe I
break the ties that bind…I don’t know what
happened…it’s nothing she has done…but I believe I
should grab my clothes and run…I just keep thinking
about sinking…in the cold, cold ground."
“We Need the Water” is a song written by bass guitar
player, Steve Grams, who sings the lead on this one.
“I’m going down to the river…I’m going to wade on
in…and let that water…wash away…wash away my sins.”
For those of us who know Steve, that’s a lot of
sins. He’d better stay in the water a while. Next up
is a traditional, "Para Donde Vas," arranged by Alex
Flores. With the sounds of mariachis in the air, Alex
sings this song in Spanish and I have a vision of
him dancing on the bar at Hot Licks while performing
this tune. It’s been done, trust me on that one. The
tempo slows way down as Carla sings the lead on the
ballad “Got a Lot of Drinking to Do.” “I promise
I’ll be stinking…before the night is through…I’ve
got a lot of drinking to do!” This and Alex’s “Get a
Job” are two Bad News classics that definitely need
to be recorded to disc and I’m glad they did.
The Bad News Blues Band is versatile enough to play a
number of swing dancing gigs, so it’s only
appropriate that they included a swing number, “Days
of Old,” on the recording. “We’re going to ball
tonight…we’re going to ball tonight…break all the
rules…every man and woman too!” Next is a Bad News
original collaboration by all the members of the
band, “Nightlife.” The band’s in Sedona, Arizona and
looking for a good time. “Where is the nightlife in
this town? Checked the Yellow Pages and to my
surprise…nothing listed but bar supplies…couldn’t
find a drink so we had to get high.” Far be it for
the band to go without a drink for too long. “Why is
it you claim…I’m the one to blame…when you came to
me…at 3 o’clock in the morning? I don’t know why…but
somehow I…ended up with you…by the dawning” sings
Mike on “Love With Someone Else.” A one night
hookup comes back to haunt Mike as he’s moved on to
a new love, “You can’t hold me down…I’m on higher
ground…I’m in love with someone else!” It’s a really
beautiful ballad and my favorite song of the
previously un-recorded tunes.
Another Steve Grams tune, “Don’t Look Up,” is next.
“If the blues are knocking round…don’t answer the
door…if the blues are knocking around…you don’t need
them no mor.e” Another uptempo tune by Mike and Alex, “Hey Baby,” is definitely catchy. “I’ve been
watching you wiggle…in those tight little jeans…hey
baby…you sure look good to me…I’m a sitting here
thinking…how to get you next to me!” If there’s a
way, Alex will figure it out and I’m sure the girl
is definitely cute! “Mikey for Mayor” gives the
band a chance to stretch out instrumentally before
moving on to the final cut of disc one: “Push’ll Come
to Shove.” “There now honey…let’s go downtown…why
don’t you meet me with your red dress on…push’ll
come to shove…I’m just a sad for your love.”
The second disc of Live at Hot Licks features new
versions of Bad News classics such as “Nobody
Understands Me,” “Make Up Your Mind,” One More and I Gotta Go,” “Liar,” “Still Cadillacin” and “Johnny’s
Boogie,” amongst others. Juke Joint Johnny Strausser
did a phenomenal job of getting it all recorded, and
this is a project that the Bad News Blues Band
should be very proud of. I haven’t had this much fun
with the band since the Red Hat Harriers hit the
stage at the Bisbee Blues Festival, and that’s a
story for another day.
Congratulations go out to
Mike Blommer, Alex Flores, Carla Brownlee, Steve
Grams and Glenn Velardi for tearing it up in Bisbee
for three nights and living to tell about it. This
is a very high energy live disc that features the
Bad News Blues Band at its very best (or worst)
depending on your viewpoint. Pick it up from the
band at any live gig they’re performing or order it
from them at
www.badnewsbluesband.com. This is one
disc you have to have in your party rotation.
--- Kyle Deibler
There’s no doubt that JJ
Grey is Southern born and bred. From the first Allmanesque notes of his new record,
Orange
Blossoms, you can tell that his Southern roots run
very deep. Appropriately enough, the title track is
the first cut and it takes JJ back to his youth
and his first love. He used to sneak into the
bedroom of his girl to leave her notes to meet him
in the orange groove, and the sweet smell of orange
blossoms still reminds him of her. “All these years
later…I can’t even remember her name….true love is
hard to find….I can smell those orange blossoms…I
can see her standing here…when I smell those orange
blossoms…” All that remains is her memory and that
seems to be enough.
“The Devil You Know,” our next cut, finds JJ
reflecting on a woman who left him behind. “You
turned on me…for the devil you know…well you can’t
get clean without some blood, sweat and tears…that
voice in your head’s got you all balled up in
fear…time to pack your bags and tell yourself
goodbye…you turned on me…for the devil you know.”
“Your love is like the sweet…forbidden fruit in
life…I’m another woman’s man…you’re another man’s
wife…we both know right from wrong.” Such is the
dilemma confronting JJ in “Everything Good is Bad.”
Life is always about choices and some of them aren’t
always as clear cut as we would like to believe.
“With you I want to be…with her I just belong!” Does
he go? Does he stay? We’re never really sure but
it’s obvious the choice is more about choosing to
live as opposed to just existing.
Violins and the
Cello provide an interesting backdrop to our next
tune, “She Don’t Know.” “If the morning finds her
gone…I don’t know if I could carry on…she don’t
know.” JJ definitely loves this woman who believes
in him so much…to lose her would be a tragedy. “She
believes…in what I do…even if I don’t…she don’t
know…how much I love her…how much I need.”
“Darlin…wait for me…I’m coming home…keep those home
fires burning bright…don’t leave me alone” sings JJ
in “The Truth.” “One step closer…to the truth.” The
moment has arrived in JJ’s life where he needs to
honor the love he feels for this woman and try to
help her understand just how much he loves her, how
much she means to him. I think he’ll do just fine.
“WYLF” (What You’re Looking For) is our next cut, and
here JJ is working hard to convince the object of
his affection that he’s got the goods. “There’s no
need to try to hide…that come hither in your
eyes…you know you want it too…this is…what you’re
looking for!”
A solid bass line provides the back
drop for our next track, “On Fire.” “She’s on
fire…lord that girl is smoking…on fire…light them
all up…she’s on fire.” Obviously, the hot girl on the
dance floor has caught JJ’s eye and he’s tripping
over himself trying to pull his wallet out to buy
her a drink. All because, “that girl is on fire!”
This game of cat and mouse continues in our next
track, “Move It On.” “It’s a hard-nosed world that
we live in…and we know life is full of pain…and its
only love between us woman…that keeps us from going
insane. So…move it on up…move it on over to the high
side!”
“The higher you climb…the further you fall” is the
lesson JJ imparts on our next cut, “Higher You
Climb.” Everyone is struggling to make it in a
dog-eat-dog world and not everyone is making the
smartest choices. So be careful what you wish
for…the climb may not be worth the fall. JJ pays
tribute to his roots and his mother in “Dew Drops.”
“Mama…don’t you know how much I miss you…I am
stronger…stronger now…Mama…ain’t a day goes by…I
don’t think about him…I can see his face still…I got
to get away from here.” “Sipping on dew drops…float
above the green tree-tops…walking on moonlight in
the day.” “YBor City” is a place that JJ goes to
escape from it all. “But I know…where the women are
sweet as wine…when I get to YBor City…all them women
going to treat me like a king!”
JJ chooses a ballad, “I Believe (in Everything),”
for the final cut on what has been an enjoyable
listen for me. “Let me look upon her one more
time…this beauty that I love…she’s why…I believe…in
everything…in everything…I’m a believer.” JJ’s a
realist and he’s learned worthy life lessons along
the way that have led to his belief in the world and
the woman he loves.
Orange Blossoms more than proves
that JJ Grey is at the top of his game as a writer
and as a performer. Intelligent lyrics, well-crafted
melodies and an amazing band to back him while he
tells us his stories are all good reasons to pick up
a copy of this disc. Grab a copy from Alligator
Records or visit JJ at his website,
www.jjgrey.com,
to learn more about this substantive roots artist
who continues to impress both fans & critics around
the country.
--- Kyle Deibler
One of the highlights of
the 25th International Blues Challenge was the youth
showcase held on Friday afternoon. 24+ groups, solo artists, etc.showed through
their exuberance, frenetic playing and general
attitude that the future of the Blues is alive and
well. Blues Societies around the country are
encouraging the growth of the music by supporting
those coming up, and we’re the same here in Phoenix.
The current torch bearer for the future of Blues in
the Valley is Kevin Casenhiser and his first album,
Perfectly Toasted Blues, showcases his talents as a
guitarist and vocalist.
Kevin is an ambitious guitarist and his fretboard
work is found throughout this record. The first tune
up, “Someday After A While,” starts out with a guitar
lead from Kevin as he tells the girl in his life
that she’s going to miss him. I hear B3 chords from
Jim Riccitelli in the background, in addition to his
piano, and Jim pulls double duty, serving as the
producer of Kevin’s record as well. Harp stylings
from Mike Morris are featured in our second cut,
“I’m Tore Down.” Here Kevin admits that the girl in
his life has had a dramatic on him and things just
aren’t the same when she’s gone. “I’m tore
down…almost to the ground…when my baby can’t be
found!”
“Stormy Monday” has long been a favorite of Kevin’s
and I’m glad to see he’s included it on Perfectly
Toasted Blues. Other members of the KC Blues Band
include drummer Ron Luke and bass guitarist Ray
Lucero. Both are working hard to keep the back end
tight on “Stormy Monday," and I hear both the bass
and
a light touch on the cymbals in the background as
Kevin’s guitar solo takes center stage. Another of
Kevin’s favorites, “Messing With the Kid,” is up
next and it won’t be much longer before we’re all
going to have to back off and quit messing “with the
kid.” Stevie Ray Vaughn is another one of Kevin’s
influences and “The Sky is Crying” is up next. I’m
listening to Kevin’s fretwork and he’s confidently
playing all the notes he needs to hit on this one as
he sings Stevie’s song of despair about the woman
who left him.
The tempo picks up and Mike Morris’s harp is back on
“Born in Chicago.” Mike’s harp work is very tight as
he plays a refined solo on this cut. Next up is
Kevin’s tribute to Phoenix’s own Chico Chism, his
version of “Big Fat Woman” paying homage to Chico’s
“Big Fat Mama.” Chico has left quite an impression
on our young Bluesman and his version of Chico’s
song does him proud.
The last cuts on Perfectly Toasted Blues are two
more standards: “Red House” and another favorite of
Kevin’s, “Hoochie Coochie Man.” The KC Blues Band is
tight behind him and Kevin sings admirable versions
of both.
Any artist’s first record marks a milestone
in their careers and Perfectly Toasted Blues does
that for Kevin. Those of us who have had the
pleasure of watching him learn and grow as a performer
definitely will appreciate this CD, and the best is
yet to come. I recently had the pleasure of watching
Kevin sit in with two Valley legends, Hans Olson and
Francine Reed, and he definitely more than held his
own. The next step will be to record some original
tunes and I’m sure it won’t be long before he’s back
in the studio, doing exactly that. To learn more
about Kevin and the KC Blues Band or to order the CD,
check them out at
www.kcbluesband.com.
--- Kyle Deibler
Live recordings are
always an adventure. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you
get the right degree of great performance, stellar
audio and the foresight to hit “record.” Such is the
case with Mitch Kashmar’s latest Delta Groove
release, Live at Labatt. The Labatt Blues Festival
is one of the premier Canadian Blues Festivals and
the crowd that day in Edmonton was very appreciative
of Mitch and the band’s efforts. Recorded by the
Canadian Broadcasting Company and released by Delta
Groove, this record finds Mitch at the top of his
game accompanied by a fantastic band. The rest is
pretty much undiluted history.
First up is a Kashmar original, “I Got No Reason,”
Mitch’s harp and the bass of Steve Nelson get us up
and running as Mitch tells us, “I got no reason to
feel this good…just want to hug and squeeze
everyone…in the neighborhood…want to strip buck
naked…and run off in the woods!” John Marx, the
former guitarist for the legendary William Clarke
brings his axe to play and is just a beast on guitar
as he duels with Mitch and his harmonica. “Dirty Deal”
is up next, and we’re treated to shrill notes from
Mitch’s harp to provide the backdrop for a
relationship gone bad. “You don’t know…you don’t
know…how I feel…I wanted to love you so bad…but you
gave me a dirty deal!” “Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman” is
dedicated to Mitch’s ex-wife as the keyboards of
Jimmy Calire twinkle in the background, “I got a
whiskey drinkin’ woman…she drinks whiskey all the
time…but I love…I love my baby…cause she’s mine…all
mine!”
“Evil Man Blues” is a re-worked version of Bessie
Smith’s “Evil Woman Blues,” and the band more than
does it justice. “I’m an evil man…don’t you bother
with me…because I’ll…empty all your pockets…fill
them back up with misery.” It seems that at his core
Mitch is a bad man in search of a bad woman who
knows he won’t stay long. The band gives Jimmy Calire an extended piano solo that more than
solidifies his talents as a keyboard player and
serves as a nice prelude to our next cut, “Song for
My Father,” an instrumental that allows the entire
band to stretch out and play for slightly over nine
minutes. “Sugar Sweet” follows and finds Mitch with
a woman that he’s enamored with. “She’s my
baby…she’s my baby…can’t you see…I can’t call her
Sugar, Sugar was never so sweet”.
Mitch is still in a loving mood with our next cut,
“You’re the One.” “You’re the one…the one who gave
me a buzz…I didn’t think I’d last much longer…shows
just how wrong I was” John Marx’s guitar is at the
forefront in this tune and he’s the perfect
counterpart to all the harp licks Mitch is serving. The band segues into “Lollipop Mama,” in tribute
to Mitch’s good friend, William Clarke. Both Mitch
and
John Marx spent many a long afternoon drinking beers
with William, and they’re happy to pay respects to
their dear friend. “Got a big fat mama…she call me
her lollipop…when she starts loving…she never knows
when to stop…I’m so scared…my lollipop going to melt
away!” “Wake Up and Worry” finds Mitch concerned about
finding a way to make some money. “Wake up and
worry…if I ever get to sleep…living on my
plastic…falling in too deep.” Mitch’s living way
beyond his means and digging a hole he might not
escape from.
Live at Labatt closes with “Castle Rock,” a song
Mitch learned from John Marx back in the day.
Somehow it seems fitting to close out his set with
another instrumental. The players backing Mitch in
Edmonton include: John Marx on guitar, Jimmy Calire
on keyboards, Tock Lackner on drums and Steve Nelson
on bass. Everyone was having a good time and this
was definitely an experienced group of players who
more than knew what they were doing as the treated
the crowd at Labatt to a wonderful set.
Grab a copy of this disc from Delta Groove at their
www.deltagrooveproductions.com website or look it up
at
www.mitchkashmar.com. For a live recording, this
is a very clean record. The crew from the Canadian
Broadcasting Company definitely was on top of their
game getting this set down perfectly and the result
is the definitive capture of Mitch Kashmar, live at
the top of his game.
--- Kyle Deibler
