It
was exciting enough for me to receive
notification of a new album from Houston veteran
blues singer Trudy Lynn, but I was
especially happy to see that it was produced by
the same team that put out last year's
Rose-Colored Glasses, Vol. 1 by Teresa James
& the Rhythm Tramps. That album was one of my
favorites of the 2021 blues season, and I just
knew that producer Terry Wilson and basically
the same team of backing musicians would
maximize Ms. Lynn's immense talents to deliver
one of the better releases for this year.
I was right.
Golden Girl (Nola Blue Records) is a winner!
Ms
Lynn turns 75 later this year, but the strength
and quality of her voice belies her age. She's
still got the vocal chops that made her a star
on the Houston blues scene more than 30 years
ago. With backing musicians like Anson
Funderburgh and Yates McKendree on guitars,
Kevin McKendree on keyboards, Steve Krase on
harmonica, and horns from Darrel Leonard and
Mario Calire, this one was guaranteed to be a
winner.
Opening the album, Ms. Lynn demands that her
significant other tell her right away if she's
wasting her time on him on "Tell Me," with Yates
McKendree showing his guitar prowess early on
with this mid-tempo funky blues. McKendree and
Funderburgh share guitar solos on the blues
shuffle "Golden Girl Blues," while Krase takes a
prominent role with his blues harp.
The
title of "If Your Phone Don't Ring" tells us
that this one is really going to thick with
blues content. It's a standard slow blues with
Wilson adding very tasteful slide guitar to the
effective horn accompaniment. Drummer Brannen
Temple highlights "I'm Just Saying" with a New
Orleans second line beat, with Kevin McKendree
adding the requisite piano work. Ms. Lynn's
voice soars through the octaves on the slow,
soulful blues "Is It Cold In Here," framed by a
big, big horn sound and strong guitar work from
Yates McKendree.
Krase provides the opening bars of "Trouble With
Love," a driving up-tempo blues that finds
Teresa James on backing vocals and a sublime
guitar solo from Funderburgh. "Take Me Back"
delivers a big sound on a mid-tempo blues that
has just a touch of swamp to it, with nice
guitar fills from Funderburgh. "Live With
Yourself" is infused with plenty of soul and a
touch of gospel from Ms. Lynn, with the same
horn sound and Yates McKendree guitar chords
that we were accustomed to hearing on
Rose-Colored Glasses, Vol. 1.
"Heartache Is A One-Way Street" opens with a
pulsating Bo Diddley beat with Temple providing
the appropriate rhythm, and Krase's harmonica is
heard throughout the tune. Funderburgh stars on
the mid-tempo blues shuffle "I Just Can't Say
Goodbye," as Ms. Lynn expresses her regrets that
she just can't leave that man no matter how hard
she tries.
Closing the album is "Life Goes On," a slow
blues with a strong guitar intro from
Funderburgh and gospel-influenced piano from
Kevin McKendree. Ms Lynn hauls us into the choir
loft as she tries to go on despite the losing
game she's playing. The inspiration in her voice
comes out throughout the song as she packs even
more power into the vocals.
Trudy Lynn is a gem in the blues world, and so
is this new album, Golden Girl. Both
should be cherished,. Thanks also to Terry
Wilson for assembling a great team in putting it
all together. Highly recommended.
--- Bill Mitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario blues ensemble HOROJO Trio has
been well-known on their home front for several
years, finally making some noise outside their
home base when they won the Best Band contest at
the 2020 International Blues Challenge. The rest
of the blues world will now get to hear this
exciting young trio with the release of Set
The Record (Stony Plain). Making up this
Canadian supergroup, and thus forming the name
of the trio, are Jeff Rogers (singer /
keyboards), JW-Jones (guitar, backup vocals) and
Jamie Holmes (drums), with the first two letters
of each last name contributing to the HO-RO-JO
moniker. Jones is the most familiar name to us
outside of their Ottawa base, having released
more than a dozen albums dating back more than
20 years.
All
11 cuts here are band originals, a mix of rockin'
blues, soul and R&B. My pick to click is the
soulful mid-tempo shuffle "A Little Goes A Long
Way," introducing us to Rogers' versatility on
vocals. Rogers also puts out plenty of emotion
on the slower soul ballad "Stay Crazy" and the
slow blues "The Night," on which he complements
his passionate vocals with nice organ
accompaniment.
Of
course, we expect JW-Jones to be providing very
fine guitar accompaniment, and he especially
tears it up on the up-tempo driving blues "Hard
As I Can." The trio takes it down to the
Louisiana swamps with the nice "Ragman's Blues."
Holmes shines with some creative drumming on the
up-tempo and funky "Something You Should Know."
Now
that the rest of the blues world is learning
about the HOROJO Trio, we can enjoy this debut
release and look forward to hearing more from
this fine group of musicians.
--- Bill Mitchell
Fully
Charged (Blue Heart Records) is the fifth
album by Austin, Texas-based Kathy Murray &
The Kilowatts, but it's my first
introduction to this ensemble. I'm impressed,
and am now wondering how this group got past me
before this. Ms. Murray is the star of the show,
joined on guitar and sometimes on accordion by
fellow bandleader Bill "Monster" Jones. An added
highlight is the addition of The Texas Horns,
one of the finest collection of horn players
around these parts.
Ms
Murray has received nominations and rewards for
her songwriting, and it's easy to see why when
listening to Fully Charged. She's got
quite a creative side and weaves interesting
tales into her original compositions.
With
that said, it turns out that my favorite songs
on the album are her four covers, starting with
the Doc Pomus original "Suspicion," which we all
know from Elvis Presley's hit version. The band
makes their version sound like it's a Texas
song, with Jones picking up the accordion and
also laying down a solid guitar solo midway
through the tune. Ms. Murray also packs more of
a wallop into her vocals, showing more range
than on other songs.
Equally impressive are the versions of Tampa
Red's "It Hurts Me Too," given the Kilowatts
treatment with accordion and nice slide guitar.
My only question on this song was why the slide
guitar and accordion parts are lower in the mix
instead of being brought to the front. She also
does a beautiful version of Doug Sahm's slow
soul ballad, "Breakup Breakdown," with the horns
coming in behind the heartfelt vocals.
The
final cover song is "Anyone Who Knows What Love
Is," a soul classic from the Irma Thomas
songbook. The Texas Horns give this one a real
big sound, and instead of sounding like Irma,
there's a little bit of Patsy Cline coming out
in Ms. Murray's vocals. At least that's what I'm
hearing.
There are also very fine renditions of Ms.
Murray's original songs, and she consistently
paints a picture of each story through her
vocals. On "Expense Of Love," this mid-tempo
blues shuffle talks about how money isn't
everything. Another favorite is a blues shuffle,
"Hard Act To Follow," starting with strong
guitar leads from Jones before Ms. Murray
creates the symbolism of equating her new love
to a strong opening act in her concert of life.
Ms.
Murray also brings back memories for anyone
who's spent time on the Austin music scene with
the mid-tempo blues "The House That Freddie
Built," referring to the Armadillo World
Headquarters and the many shows that Freddie
King did at that legendary Austin music palace.
Lewis Stephens joins in with a wonderful organ
solo before Jones tears it up on guitar.
If,
like me, Kathy Murray is a new name to you,
Fully Charged is a great introduction to
this very fine group of solid musicians. If
you're already on the Kilowatts bandwagon, then
it will be just one more addition to your Kathy
discography.
--- Bill Mitchell
Diunna
Greenleaf won the Koko Taylor Award for
Traditional Blues Female at the 2014 BMAs,
beating out an impressive group of singers,
including Teeny Tucker, Lavelle White, Trudy
Lynn, and Zora Young. Since 2004 she’s released
four albums, the most recent is the
appropriately-titled I Ain’t Playin’
(Little Village Foundation), which was recorded
at Greaseland, USA and produced by Kid Andersen,
who also played guitar on the session. The
session also features a host of guest musicians,
but this is Ms. Greenleaf’s show from start to
finish and the album title sums it up pretty
well.
Of the 13 tracks,
four are originals by Ms. Greenleaf. The rest
are a well-chosen set that help display the
depth and breadth of her vocal talents, touching
on blues, soul, gospel, and jazz. The opener,
“Never Trust A Man,” is a powerful track
originally from Koko Taylor, with Greenleaf
singing it like she’s lived it. Next is the
first of her originals, “Running Like The Red
Cross,” with a sweet gospel feel reinforced by
the backing vocals from The Sons of the Soul
Revivers. It’s followed by Big James
Montgomery’s “If It Wasn’t For The Blues,” a
fine mid-tempo blues with horns and superb
guitar work from Andersen,. Another original,
“Answer To The Hard Working Woman,” is a funky,
feisty retort to Otis Clay’s 1970 Cotillion
single.
Greenleaf does a
wonderful job on “I Wish I Knew How It Would
Feel To Be Free.” While it’s usually associated
with Nina Simone, that may not be the case
anymore. “Sunny Day Friends” is another
original, a jazzy word of warning to be careful
who you choose for your friends. The Vince Gill
hit, “When I Call Your Name," is a country blues
showcase for Greenleaf and guest vocalist
Alabama Mike, who also contributes to a terrific
reading of the Staples Singers’ “I Know I’ve
Been Changed.” Hopefully, these two have more
collaborations in the works down the road.
Greenleaf’s
world-weary vocal sum up Long John Hunter’s “I
Don’t Care” perfectly, and I love her take on
Joe Medwick’s obscure late ’60s single “Damned
If I Do,” tempering the ferocity of Medwick’s
original but still maintaining the intensity.
The last original tune, “Back Door Man,” is a
bouncy mix of R&B and funk with a dash of pop,
before the disc wraps up with Johnny Copeland’s
smoldering slow blues, “Let Me Cry,” and Dietra
Farr’s exuberant “My Turn, My Time.”
That last song
could serve as a mission statement for Diunna
Greenleaf. Though she’s been very active, this
is her first album release in over a decade.
This talented lady deserves to be heard more by
blues fans. Hopefully, I Ain’t Playin’
will ensure that those album releases fall
closer together from now on.
--- Graham Clarke
I
was early into my love for the blues when I
first became familiar with Bob Stroger.
The first time I paid attention was when I
picked up a copy of the first volume of Antone’s
live 10th Anniversary Celebration from the mid
’80s. The album cover consisted of several
action shots of the musicians taken while they
performed at the celebration. In several of the
pictures, there was a guy playing bass in the
background, and when I looked at the liner
notes, I discovered that it was Stroger, who
held down the bass for the majority of the
performers during those performance, including
Snooky Pryor, Eddie Taylor, Sunnyland Slim, Otis
Rush, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Jimmy
Rogers.
Stroger played
with all of those guys at one point or another
during his career, not just on this set at
Antones, but also many more during his long
musical career which indicated to me at that
time that he had to have been a “go-to” bass
player on the Chicago scene. Stroger released
his own albums a few times over the years, but
he’s played on over 30 releases for Delmark.
The label just
released That’s My Name, Stroger’s first
album for Delmark as a leader. Backing the Windy
City legend is the Brazilian band The
Headcutters (Joe Marhofer – harmonica, Ricardo
Maca – guitar, Arthur “Catuto” Garcia – bass,
Leandro “Cavera” Barbeta - drums), with guests
Luciano Leães (keyboards) and Braion Johnny
(saxophones).
The album
contains 13 songs, five songs by Stroger and
eight covers, including a pair of Jr. Parker
songs with the downhome shuffle “What Goes On In
The Dark” and “Stranded in St. Louis,” a slow
burner with tasty slide guitar from Maca.
Stroger also gives us a smooth, reserved read of
the standard “C.C. Rider,” lively takes on Eddie
Taylor’s “Just A Bad Boy,” Jay McShann’s “Keep
Your Hands Off Her,” and Eugene Church’s “Pretty
Girl,” and smoky, after-hours versions of Casey
Bill Weldon’s “Move To The Outskirts of Town”
and Big Bill Broonzy’s “Just A Dream.”
Stroger’s own
tunes include the slow blues “I’m A Lonely Man,”
which borrows that well-known Magic Sam riff
with satisfying results, the rocking shuffle
“Come On Home,” and the jazzy late nighter
“Something Strange.” The lively “Talk To Me
Woman” packs a punch, and the title track, which
closes the disc, serves as Stroger’s mission
statement --- “my real name is the blues.”
The Headcutters
do an excellent job of capturing the essence of
Chicago blues, hewing very closely to the
original with their performances. Marhofer works
overtime on the harp and the rhythm section of
Leães, Catuto, Cavera, and Stroger provides
superb backing. The 91-year-old Stroger’s vocals
are warm and confident, reflecting his eight
decades of living the blues.
It’s great to see
these veterans still making vital music on the
Chicago scene. Bob Stroger is still going strong
and, based on the wonderful quality of That’s
My Name, doesn’t look to be hanging up his
hat any time soon, which is good news for blues
fans.
--- Graham Clarke
Big
Llou Johnson has one of those deep,
rumbling, sultry voices that sticks in your
head. If you listen to BB King’s Bluesville
station on Sirius XM satellite radio, you’ve
heard his voice between songs since the
station’s inception. He’s also an award-winning
actor, producer, and event host. His first
album, 2013’s They Call Me Big Llou, won
a 2013 BMA for Best New Artist Debut Album of
the Year. Johnson’s long-awaited follow-up,
Bigman (GoldenVoice Audio Recordings), is a
dynamite set of contemporary blues and soul that
should make even more noise than its
predecessor.
The horn-fueled,
guitar-driven “Lightnin’ Strikes” launches the
album, with Johnson smoothly announcing that
he’s coming to your town and you better be
ready. The title track follows, an upbeat,
updated version of the traditional blues tunes
about sexual prowess that Johnson delivers with
a wink and a smile. “Chill On Cold” is an
ominous tale about a female predator who’s
prowling the scene, and Johnson really takes his
time making his move on the smoky blues ballad
“Let’s Misbehave,” while on the mid-tempo
shuffle “Shucky Ducky (Quack Quack)” he
describes an amorous fan of his who “rides like
a Cadillac.”
The laidback,
acoustic “Sunshine On Yo’ Face” is a cool love
song that features Anne Harris on violin. “Stuff
To Do” is an upbeat call-and-response tune that
moves along briskly, while “I Got The Fever” is
a splendid slow burner about the end of a
relationship. “Never Get Over Me” begins as a
slow, string-driven ballad and quickly
transitions to mid-tempo funk as Johnson
proclaims that his lady will not get over him
once she gets under him. The album closer,
“Beezthatwaysometimes” continues in the funky
R&B vein and brings the disc to a most
satisfying conclusion.
Big Llou
Johnson’s compelling vocals and delivery would
be impressive even if he was just reading the
phone book aloud. Backed by a superlative band
and with an excellent set of songs (he penned
four of the ten featured here) like he is on
Bigman, the big-voiced singer can’t miss.
Soul-blues fans will want to get their hands on
this one for sure, but there’s plenty here for
anyone who just digs great music.
--- Graham Clarke
Mike
Zito has been a pretty busy man over the
last few years, toiling away on his own releases
or producing/performing on other albums from his
label, the Texas-based Gulf Coast Records. Known
for his intense guitar work and vocals, as well
as his honest, pull-no-punches songwriting, Zito
has released some memorable work both as a solo
artists and during a four-year stint in the
early 2010s with the Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Over the past six months, he’s released a pair
of his own albums for the label, both of which
are certainly worth any blues-rock fan’s time.
Resurrection
was released in the summer of 2021, consisting
of 11 songs, eight originals from Zito and three
covers. One of the covers opens the disc, a
rocking version of J.J. Cale’s “I’ll Make Love
To You” that really pops. “Don’t Bring Me Down”
really soars musically as Zito describes the ill
effects of negative energy on us all. “Dreaming
Of You” is a mid-tempo track Zito wrote in
appreciation of his wife, and the moody “In My
Blood” describes his restless inner spirit.
Meanwhile, Zito gives Eric Clapton’s “Presence
Of The Lord” a slightly more energetic feel
while still staying reverential to the original,
and “When It Rains” has a rock and soul feel,
thanks to the horn section.
“You Don’t Have
Me” is a catchy, straight-ahead blues rocker,
while “Damned If I Do” ranks as one of the best
tunes on the disc with Zito’s most powerful
vocal, searing guitar work, and heartbreaking
lyrics about hanging on to a love too long. The
hard-rocking “Running Man” mocks our ongoing
political madness and electorial routine. The
last of the three covers is an amped-up version
of Willie Dixon’s “Evil” that bears little
resemblance to the Howlin’ Wolf standard, but
the new arrangement works really well. The title
track closes the album, a moving ballad about a
failing relationship that bounces back stronger
than ever.
Resurrection
is a typically strong effort from Mike Zito, who
continues to release albums at an astonishing
rate, all of amazing quality.
Zito’s
most recent release is a stellar two-disc live
set recorded in late 2021 at the Old Rock House
in St. Louis. Blues For The Southside
finds the guitarist back in his old stomping
grounds backed by his impressive band (Matthew
Johnson – vocals/drums, Lewis Stephens –
keyboards, Doug Byrkit – vocals/bass), along
with guest guitarists Tony Campanella, Dave Kalz
(both labelmates), and Eric Gales. The 15 songs
include several from Zito’s recent releases, one
new song (the title track), plus his versions of
classic tunes by several blues rock giants.
Zito doesn’t
waste any time, launching into the storming
roadhouse rocker “Mississippi Nights” before
settling into the mid-tempo “First Class Life,”
and the title track, a gorgeous instrumental
where Zito and Stephens really play off each
other extremely well. There’s also an excellent
cover of “Texas Flood,” on which Zito puts his
own unique spin both vocally and instrumentally.
“Hell On Me” are both solid blues rockers with
great fretwork, and the now-timely blues boogie,
“Make Blues Not War,” closes Disc One with some
sizzling slide guitar and a little audience
participation.
Disc Two includes
three tracks with the guest guitarists joining
in. “Highway Mama” features blazing guitar from
both Zito and Campanella, while Gales (who
happened to be in St. Louis for a rehearsal) was
invited onstage to join Zito for a fantastic
12-minute read of the Hendrix’s slow-burner
“Voodoo Chile” (not the “Slight Return”
version), and Kalz sits in on the raucous “The
Road Never Ends.” Zito also offers a spicy read
of Tampa Red’s “Love Her With A Feeling,” the
driving rockers “Wasted Time,” “Dying Day”
(which has a nice funky edge, thanks to
Stephens’ B3 backing), and Fred James’ splendid
slow burner “Life Is Hard.” The closer is
another cover from another longtime St. Louis
resident, a storming version of Chuck Berry’s
“Johnny B Goode.”
Blues For The
Southside features everything one would want
from a Mike Zito album --- great songs,
powerful, heartfelt vocals, and superlative
guitar work (and not just from Zito). This is a
must-have for any blues rocker’s collection.
--- Graham Clarke
Guitarist
extraordinare Micki Free has performed,
written songs, and recorded with a regular who’s
who of music legends, including Gene Simmons,
Bill Wyman, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson, Prince,
Sam Moore, Cheap Trick, Billy Gibbons, Carlos
Santana, and Shalamar, with whom he earned three
Grammy nominations and one win. Always a
blues-rocker at heart, he has embraced the genre
completely during his solo career, most
especially with his sixth, and latest, studio
release, Turquoise Blue (Dark Idol
Music), a dynamic set that features 14 tracks
(13 originals) and guest appearances from Gary
Clark, Jr., Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Steve
Stevens, and Cindy Blackman Santana.
The opening track
is “Low Ridin’420,” a Texas-styled roadhouse
rocker, while the album’s first single, “Bye
2020,” a scorcher that includes guest Stevens’
blazing guitar (he takes first solo and Free
takes the second). Who wins the duel? Listeners
do. “Heavy Mercy” finds Free’s guitar taking a
menacing lower tone before launching into a
stunning solo, and “Invitation Love” is a
crunching blues rocker.
“Come Home Big
Mama” is a bump-and-grinder with back-up
vocalist Trish Bowden making a nice
contribution, and Free really tears up the
terrific cover of the Bob Dylan via Jimi Hendrix
classic “All Along The Watchtower” (At age 12,
Free got to hear Hendrix in Germany).
“Spring Fever” is
a Latin-flavored ballad that provides a subtle
break at the album’s midpoint. Ingram joins Free
for “Judicator Blues,” a ferocious mid-tempo
blues with another awesome pair of solos mixed
in (Kingfish first, then Free), and “World On
Fire” addresses current affairs with a Santana-esque
flair, thanks in part to Free’s inspired
fretwork and lead vocalist Andy Vargas, as well
as guest appearances from Santana percussionists
Cindy Blackman-Santana and Karl Perazzo.
Meanwhile, Stevens rejoins Free on “The Big
Regret,” playing nylon guitar on the smooth
ballad. Free handles all the guitar fireworks on
the driving rockers “Heaven or Heroin” and “Ring
of Fire.”
“Woman” teams
Free with Gary Clark, Jr. It’s a funky blues
rocker which really catches fire during the
guitar solos (Clark, Jr. #1, Free #2). The album
closer, “Blue Memories,” features acoustic and
electric guitars and a cool, mellow summer vibe.
Turquoise Blue
is powerful stuff and blues rock fans should
definitely put this one on their “must-hear”
list. With these powerful songs and
performances, and plenty of tremendous guitar
pyrotechnics, they will be hitting “replay” over
and over.
--- Graham Clarke
Louisiana
Red and Bob Corritore first met at the Delta
Fish Market in Chicago in 1981, where they
performed together for the first time. Corritore
moved to Arizona the next year and Red soon
followed, where they worked local clubs for a
year before Red relocated to Europe after
meeting his wife there during a tour. Red
returned to the U.S. once a year and always
stopped in Arizona to visit and perform with
Corritore, who often recorded their sessions
together.
Red passed away
in 2012, but Corritore recently unearthed a
prime set of tunes the pair recorded in seven
different sessions between 2000 and 2009. Tell
Me ‘Bout It (VizzTone/SWMAF) features 11
tracks, seven previously unreleased, pairing
Corritore and Red with an all-star cast of
musicians in support, including Johnny Rapp,
Buddy Reed, Bob Margolin, Little Victor’s Juke
Joint, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, Chico Chism,
David Maxwell, and Brian Fahey.
“Mary Dee
Shuffle” kicks off the album, a previously
released shuffle with Reed on guitar and Matt
Bishop on piano. “Early Morning Blues” is an old
school slow blues track featuring just Red and
Corritore which really shows their musical
rapport at it’s best, and “Alabama Train” is a
muscular, driving blues with superb support from
Little Victor’s Juke Joint, with David Maxwell
on piano. The jaunty “Caught Your Old Man and
Gone” is a slight rhythmic variation of “Trouble
No More,” with Rapp on guitar, Paul Thomas on
bass, and Chism on drums.
“New Jersey
Blues” re-teams Reed and Red on guitar, as Red
tells the story of the woman in Jersey who took
his relief check to buy beer while he toiled
away at the steel mill. On the terrific “Freight
Train To Ride,” listeners get a taste of Red’s
slide guitar prowess, and on the stop time title
track (with Maxwell, James, Fahey, and Rynn),
Red laments his hard luck with women and money
while living in New Jersey. “Earline Who’s Been
Fooling You” is a lively shuffle, and “Edith
Mae” is a slow burner with Margolin guesting on
guitar as Red remembers a wonderful woman from
West Point, Mississippi.
“Bessemer Blues”
is a tribute to Bessemer, Alabama, the town
where his mother was born and where he spent
time when he was a kid. “Bernice Blues,” the
album finale, is a tight Windy City blues with
splendid slide guitar from Red, who recalls
another woman from his days in New Jersey.
Red is in fine
voice throughout and his guitars and songs (he
penned nine and his wife, Dora, wrote two) are
first-rate, as always. Corritore is simply one
of the best at what he does, one of the finest,
most soulful harmonica players currently
practicing. The harp master also seems to have
an endless supply of wonderful, unreleased
material at his disposal (called his “From
The Vaults” series) and blues fans hope he
doesn’t run out anytime soon. In the meantime,
Tell Me ‘Bout It is a most excellent set
that traditional blues fans will want to get
their hands on.
--- Graham Clarke
Another
fine set from Bob Corritore’s “From The
Vaults” series collects 13 traditional blues
tracks the harp master recorded during eight
sessions in Phoenix between 1995 and 2012 with a
host of blues legends. Bob Corritore &
Friends’ Down Home Blues Revue (VizzTone/SWMAF)
teams Corritore with veterans Robert “Bilbo”
Walker, Tomcat Courtney, T-Model Ford, Henry
Townsend, Smokey Wilson, Honeyboy Edwards, David
“Pecan” Porter, Al Garrett, Dave Riley, and Big
Jack Johnson. Lending support to these tunes are
guitarists Johnny Rapp and Chris James, bassists
Paul Thomas, Patrick Rynn, and Yahni Riley, and
drummers Chico Chism, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith,
Mart Reinsel, and Brian Fahey.
Robert “Bilbo”
Walker rips through a trio of songs, backed by
Corritore and guitarist Rapp. His riproaring
version of Lightnin’ Slim’s classic “Rooster
Blues” leads off the disc, and he also dazzles
on Muddy Waters’ slow blues “Still A Fool,” and
Sam Cooke’s “Baby, Baby, Baby.” Tomcat Courtney
teams with Corritore and guitarist James for his
own “Clara Mae,” a modern countrified blues on
the perils of drug use. Next up is T-Model Ford,
who turns in a gritty version of Arthur “Big
Boy” Crudup’s “Mean Old Frisco,” and later
covers Howlin’ Wolf’s “I Asked For Water,” even
throwing in his version of the Wolf’s growl.
The legendary St.
Louis piano man Henry Townsend appears on his
own haunting “Nothing But Blues,” sounding as
potent as he did when he first recorded in the
late ’20s. Smokey Wilson does a fine job on the
laid back (well, as laid back as Smokey Wilson
ever got) “Don’t Know What I’m Gonna Do,” and
Corritore really tears it up on harp. Honeyboy
Edwards rambles through Robert Lockwood’s “Take
A Little Walk With Me,” as only he can, joined
on this vintage blues by Corritore and Willie
“Big Eyes” Smith. David “Pecan” Porter, who
lived in the Clarksdale cabin Muddy Waters once
occupied, covers “Let’s Work Together,” made
popular by Canned Heat in the ’60s.
The underrated Al
Garrett offers up a splendid slow blues
original, “My Money Done Run Out,” and Corritore
teams with longtime musical partner Dave Riley
on the marvelous “Home In Chicago,” with their
musical chemistry sparkling. Big Jack Johnson
wraps up the collection with Sonny Boy
Williamson’s “Bluebird Blues,” an eight-minute
take that truthfully could have gone for at
least eight minutes more.
Sadly, all of
these featured artists, except Riley, have
passed on over the years, but thankfully Bob
Corritore was able to capture them all in
performance so that their music endures long
after their departure. The harp master always
gives his musical partners ample space to shine,
and this album is no exception. Down Home
Blues Revue is another welcome addition to
his “From The Vaults” series that will
satisfy fans of classic blues.
--- Graham Clarke
Memphis
harmonica ace Tony Holiday recently
released Porch Sessions, Volume 2 (Blue
Heart Records), following up on the excellent
first volume released in 2019. The sessions,
recorded without overdubs in Memphis, Jackson
(Tenn.), Bristol (Va.), Fort Collins (Col.),
Clarksdale (Miss.) Anaheim, and San Jose,
feature an amazing array of current and
soon-to-be blues legends, over 35 of them,
performing a mix of blues classics and originals
that’s every bit as compelling as its
predecessor.
Opening with a
rollicking version of Jerry McCain’s “She’s
Tuff,” Holiday is joined by Victor Wainwright on
piano and vocals. Willie Buck ably handles
vocals on Muddy Waters’ “Honey Bee,” capturing
the blues legend’s feel on vocals while backed
by Fabulous T-Bird Kim Wilson on harp and Rusty
Zinn on guitar.
Colorado blues
man AJ Fullerton teams with harmonica player
Jake Friel on the acoustic original “Change Is
Inevitable,” with an easygoing Piedmont vibe,
and Bobby Rush sings his own “Recipe For Love,”
as only he can, with guitar accompaniment from
Vasti Jackson. Watermelon Slim offers his take
on “Smokestack Lightnin’,” a favorite song of
his many years.
The late James
Harman sings “Going To Court 2,” with Holiday on
harp and Kid Ramos and Landon Stone on guitar.
Holiday raised $50,000 for Harman when he was
diagnosed with cancer, and this may be one of
his last performances. Sounds like they had a
good time, though. Guitarist Jon Lawton joins
Andrew Ali on harmonica for the Delta-flavored
“Go,” and Chicago guitarist Lurrie Bell teams up
with harp master Mark Hummel for a sturdy take
on the classic “Every Day I Have The Blues.”
The second half
of the album is equally strong, beginning with
Richard “Rip Lee” Pryor (Snooky’s son)
channeling his dad on the humorous “Brazilian
Brothel,” backed by Jon Atkinson’s slide guitar.
Johnny Burgin offers his original “Bad Bad
Girl,” recorded at Greaseland Studios with Kid
Andersen on bass and Holiday on harp. Rae Gordon
sings her “Find Me When The Sun Goes Down,” with
Ben Rice on guitar and Friel on harmonica, and
Rice takes the mic for his own soulful shuffle
“That’s How I Learned,” with Dennis Gruenling on
harp.
Gruenling joins
forces with Hummel on “Cake Walk,” a wonderful
instrumental shuffle where both harp masters
battle it out. J.D. Taylor and his son, Alex (on
guitar), play the somber Delta blues “Family
Tree,” before Southern Avenue inspires all with
a beautiful acoustic version of their “Peace
Will Come.” Rush returns on the album closer, an
a capella folk tale called “Get Outta Here (Dog
Named Bo)” that will leave a smile on your face.
To these ears,
Porch Sessions, Volume 2 is just as
formidable a set as Volume 1. Both albums
are a great opportunity for blues fans to hear
some of their favorites in an intimate, acoustic
setting. Hats off to Tony Holiday for both of
these sessions and, hopefully, we’ll be blessed
with a Volume 3 soon.
--- Graham Clarke
Like
most of us, Tas Cru dealt with the full
gamet of emotions over the past couple of years
of suffering, uncertainty, and confusion. Like
most musicians, he didn’t exactly sit on his
hands during that, as he worked on a set of
songs that ended up reflecting his mood during
those times. He calls Broke Down Busted Up
(Subcat Records) his “quasi-acoustic” album, as
it features mostly acoustic instruments in a
largely-roots/Americana setting.
His songwriting
has always spanned genres, but the music follows
suit this time around, as Cru plays acoustic and
resonator guitars and brings in fiddle
(compliments of Annie Harris), acoustic bass
(Mike Lawrence), and even mountain dulcimer
(Mary Ann Casale) on selected tracks.
Cru asks “Where
Do We Go” from here on the country
blues-flavored opener, Ms. Harris’ fiddle
sweetly floats throughout the song, as he asks
for peace and understanding. The bluesy title
track follows with Cru good-naturedly laments
the perils of aging, a theme many of us can
relate to, while the gentle slow blues “Turn On
The Light” is a lovely, comforting ballad, and
the lively rhythmic backdrop of “River of
Insanity” belies the desperation in Cru’s lyrics
and vocal, as he seeks a safe route to normalcy.
Solace seems to be found in the next song, the
encouraging gospel tune “Be My Strength.”
Ms. Casale sings
on the next two tracks, solo on the smoky ballad
“All Stays The Same,” which also features
Lawrence on acoustic bass and Dave Liddy on
piano, and with Cru on “You’re The Deal,” a
swinging tribute to those who are playing the
blues which also calls out those who refuse to
help move the music forward to keep it vibrant.
On “Stay Home Blues,” Cru discusses the trials
of being a performer/entertainer during the
pandemic, and ponders ending a relationship with
a woman with “a smile so warm, but a heart just
as cold as ice” on the amusing “So Damn Hard To
Like.”
The final two
songs are “Henry,” a toe-tapping tribute to a
musician who inspired Cru as a youngster, and
“Write Me My Own,” a solemn ballad. Harris’
fiddle really adds to the mood on this closing
track.
The
mostly-acoustic setting, plus the addition of
fiddle and dulcimer to multiple tracks, really
add a whole new dimension to Tas Cru’s music. It
was already pretty exciting and innovative, but
Broke Down Busted Up opens up a whole new
direction to his music that should make things
even better.
--- Graham Clarke
In
the summer of 2020, the country music band Lady
Antebellum announced that they would be changing
their name to the band’s nickname, Lady A, to
offset any anticipated racial connotations in
light of the tensions of that summer. However,
in the blues world, there was already a Lady
A, blues and gospel singer Anita White, who
had been using that title for over 20 years and
contested the country band’s commandeering of
her name. The band filed a suit against White,
who promptly filed a countersuit a couple of
months later. Recently, both parties agreed to
drop all lawsuits, but it’s still not clear what
the actual outcome of the decision, regarding
ownership of the Lady A title.
Ms. White, the
REAL Lady A, just released Satisfyin’,
her ninth album, which captures the blues-soul
sound her Seattle fan base has come to love. The
ten originals include the opener, “Whatever You
Do,” a rollicking shuffle that blends jazz and
blues seamlessly, the funky title track, which
locks into a simmering R&B groove, and “Miss
Buela Mae’s,” a southern soul story song about a
lady club owner not to be trifled with. “Big
Momma” sings the praises of the well-rounded
ladies, and “Blues On My Mind” finds Lady A
paying her respects to some of her heroes,
namely Denise LaSalle, Betty Lavette, Nina
Simone, Rosetta Tharpe, and Mahalia Jackson.
The imagery of
the southern soul number “Blues, Soul, Catfish,
& Fried Wings” is so real that you can smell the
grease and taste the food, and the exuberant
spirit of the optimistic “Brighter Day” will get
listeners on their feet. “Enjoy Your Life” is a
groovy slice of retro soul that brings Motown to
mind, and the defiant, gospel-flavored “For The
People In The Back (All I Got)” is a powerful
tune of perseverance. The closer, “Heaven Help
Us All,” finds Lady A praying for peace and
guidance, not just for her but for the whole
world, in arguably her best vocal performance on
the album.
Blues fans know
who the REAL Lady A is, and she resides in
Seattle. Despite her place of residence,
Satisfyin’ is a wonderful, much-needed slice
of pure southern blues of soul.
--- Graham Clarke
Both
Lindsay Beaver and Brad Stivers have
enjoyed successful careers as solo artists,
Stivers with his 2017 debut on VizzTone (Took
You Long Enough) and Beaver with her 2018
Alligator release (Tough as Love). The
duo recently connected in Austin, where both had
relocated and discovered that they had an
extraordinary musical kinship. Journeying to
Canada to record at Canadian blues star Garrett
Mason’s Halifax, Nova Scotia studio, Beaver and
Stivers came up with a most impressive
self-titled debut release as a duo on VizzTone
Records. The 12-track set features six originals
from Beaver, four from Stivers, with one joint
effort and one cover tune.
Beaver and
Stiver’s musical rapport shows up right off the
bat with the good-natured “One Condition,”
featuring co-lead vocals from the pair and some
tasty guitar contributions from guest Kirk
Fletcher. Joe Murphy guests on harmonica for the
old school shuffle “I Know What To Do,” with
vocals from Beaver, who also perfectly
compliments Stivers’ soulful vocals on the
ballad “Hesitate.” Meanwhile, Mason teams
with Stivers on guitar for the vintage rocker
“See You Again,” followed by Stivers’ sizzling
raver “Getting Gone,” and Beaver’s smoky soul
burner “Take It Slow.”
Stivers’ driving
shuffle “Be Alright” is a standout, and so is
the rambunctious “You’ve Got No Right,” which
also features guest guitarist Zach Zunis. Beaver
and Stivers co-wrote the loping Jimmy Reed-esque
shuffle “It’s Love,” and Beaver wrote the slow
blues “Somebody Else Will,” with Stivers
handling vocals. “Slim Pickin’” is a fine
instrumental showcasing Stivers and Beaver on
guitar and drums, respectively, along with
organist Barry Cooke (who also plays bass on the
album). The closer is the cover “You’re So
Fine,” a raw, stripped down version of The
Falcons’ 1959 hit with Beaver’s heartfelt vocal
backed by Stivers’ guitar.
All in all, a
most promising release from Lindsay Beaver and
Brad Stivers and, hopefully, the first of many
for the duo.
--- Graham Clarke
Years
ago when I first started reading Living Blues
magazine, I noticed an ad in the back section
for an album by a guitarist called Reddog. I was
still pretty new to the genre, so I didn’t know
much about him, but a few months later I was
reading Guitar World magazine (their 1988
blues issue) and Reddog was featured in their
“Who’s Who of the Blues / 50 Bluesmen that
Matter.” That led me to a lot of great music,
but unfortunately I wasn’t able to track down
any music from Reddog, who I discovered was
based in Atlanta and played “in the tradition of
Billy Gibbons, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Duane
Allman.
I had completely
lost track of Reddog until his recent release,
as Reddog and Friends, called Booze,
Blues, and Southern Grooves (Survival South
Records). Reddog resettled in Pensacola about 25
years ago, after spending a couple of memorable
decades in Atlanta, and has been touring
regularly in that area. He was contacted by
legendary producer Johnny Sandlin, who invited
him to record at his Duck Tape Studio in
Decatur, Alabama. Sandlin passed away after
three songs had been recorded and the remainder
of the album was finished at East Avalon
Recorders, in Muscle Shoals, with support from
Clayton Ivey (keyboards), David Hood (bass),
Bill Steward and Justin Holder (drums) and
backup singers Carla Russell, Mary Mason, and
Angela Hacker.
Reddog wrote all
11 of the tracks, deftly mixing blues, rock, and
soul. His vocals are solid soul and his guitar
work is deep blues. The opener is an easygoing
shuffle with a positive message, “Love, You’ve
Got To Spread The Word.” “The Blues Will Get You
Everytime” is an upbeat tune testifying to the
healing powers of the music, and “Down, Down,
Down” is a smoldering slow burner. It’s hard to
pick what’s stronger on this track, Reddog’s
soulful vocal or his superb guitar work. He adds
slide guitar to the irresistible “She’s A
Georgia Peach,” and gets sentimental on the soul
ballad “Simple Song,” which features some sweet
backing vocals from the ladies.
“Searching For
Some Soul” is a bluesy shuffle with more fine
slide guitar, following Reddog through Alabama
and Georgia as he tries to track down some good
soul and blues in some lowdown places. “Why Oh
Why Are You Calling Me,” is another soulful
ballad with excellent vocals from Reddog and the
ladies in support.
Meanwhile, the
band really kicks into “Don’t Muscle That
Shuffle,” a sinewy instrumental that grooves
along nicely and gives the guitarist ample
opportunity to strut his stuff. “Old School
Blues” is a cool, stop-time track that cites
several blues legends and serves as a bit of a
mission statement for Reddog himself.
“Back In The
Bottle Again” is a mid-tempo southern rocker
with a bit of a country flavor, and on the
closer, “Honest Man,” Reddog reminisces about
his mother, who offered him some sound advice as
a kid that he still tries to heed.
After hearing
Booze, Blues, and Southern Grooves, I regret
not having the chance to track down Reddog’s
previous releases. His last release was in 1993,
but hopefully, we won’t have to wait that long
for his next release. This is as good a set of
southern blues and soul as you’ll likely hear
this year.
--- Graham Clarke
Victor
Wainwright, Stephen Dees, and Patricia Ann Dees
began their musical collaboration back in 2005,
and released several albums as The WildRoots,
along with the Dees backing Wainwright on
several of his albums. Last year, the trio
released WildRoots Sessions, Volume 1 and
recently issued Volume 2 (WildRoots
Records, LLC), both of which team the trio with
a huge supporting cast of past and current
collaborators. A blues and roots supergroup, if
you will. Volume 1 features 16 tracks, 14
originals, and Volume 2 features 15
originals, a deep and wide selection of blues,
roots, gospel, and soul music.
There are nearly
30 guest artists on Volume 1, way too
many to list here, but the songs are uniformly
fine, touching on a variety of styles and there
are some standout vocals. Wainwright sings on
several of the selections, including the two
covers, “634-5789” (with Patricia Ann Dees) and
Leiber and Stoller’s “Santa Claus Is Back In
Town.” He also teams with Beth McKee on “Cradled
In The Bosom Of Jerusalem” and the jaunty closer
“I’m Yours.”
Mrs. Dees sings
on the funky “Move Along Part 1,” and a pair of
acoustic numbers, “Easy Chair” and “Bend In The
Road.” Other vocalists include John Oates with a
soulful “Our Last Goodbye,” Nick Black on the
swinging “Memphis Queen,” and Mark Hodgson, who
also plays harp on the wistful “Misty Morning in
New Orleans.”
Volume 1
is a quality set from start to finish, with
well-crafted tunes, excellent musicianship and
great performances.
Volume
2 offers more of the same with most of the
same performers, including Anthony “Packrat”
Thompson, who turns in a gritty, swampy vocal on
“Lazy Little Daisy.” Reba Russell guests with
Patricia Ann Dees on the acoustic blues “Long
Way To Go,” and Mr. and Mrs. Dees team up for
another acoustic track, the spicy “Put Your Hand
In The Fire,” while Mrs. Dees, Russell, and
McKee go old school with “That Man of Mine.”
Robert “Top” Thomas ably handles another
acoustic blues, “Pile of Blues,” and Wainwright
shines on several tunes, including the ballad “I
Feel Fine,” the horn-driven “Good Word,” and the
hard-charging instrumental “WildRoot Boogie.”
Several tracks
rock pretty hard, such as “The Bad Seed” (with
vocal and guitar from Dyer Davis), “The Threads
of Time” (with Hodgson on vocal and Bryan
Bassett on guitar), and “Working for My Car
Blues” (with Billy Livesay on vocals). As with
Volume 1, there’s a wide variety of
styles present and the original songs (written
or co-written by Stephen Dees) are uniformly
superb.
WildRoots
Sessions, Volumes 1 and 2 offer nearly two
hours of fantastic blues and roots music and
should satisfy even the most persnickety blues
fans.
--- Graham Clarke
We
last heard from Tiffany Pollack in 2019, when
she collaborated with her cousin Eric Johanson
on the marvelous Blues In My Blood. This
time around, Pollack has teamed up with a
stellar set of New Orleans musicians (guitarist
Brandon Bunious, drummer Ian Pettillo, and
bassist Stu Odom, pedal steel guitarist Eric
Lewis, and saxophonist Christopher Johnson) and
producer/label mate John Németh as Tiffany
Pollack & Co. for her solo debut, Bayou
Liberty (Nola Blue Records), a lively and
memorable set of southern blues and soul
recorded in Memphis at Electraphonic and
featuring a dozen songs written by Pollack.
Németh
contributes harmonica to the swampy opener,
“Spit On Your Grave,” which also features some
nice moments from Bunious on guitar and
Johnson’s sax. Bunious and Johnson also figure
prominently on “Colors,” where Pollack soberly
reflects on her childhood. Meanwhile, she
chastises an ex-lover and lets him know he’s in
her rear view mirror on the jaunty “Crawfish And
Beer,” ventures into country territory for the
gently swinging “Mountain,” a beautifully sung
tribute to a good friend, and captures that
greasy Memphis vibe with the funky “My Soul My
Choice.”
“Devil In The
Darkness” is a moody blues rocker with a hint of
Louisiana swamp mixed in and crunching fretwork
from Pollack (who plays slide) and Bunious. On
the sultry “Sassy Bitch,” Pollack plays ukulele
and demonstrates her sharp wit, and she’s
playful but direct on the Crescent City-flavored
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me.” “Hourglasses” is a
somewhat sentimental look back at a failed
romance, and “Baby Boys” is a wonderful slice of
Americana which to these ears features Pollack’s
best vocal on the album.
The jazzy “Livin’
For Me” is somewhat laid back, but the lyrics
are fiery and defiant, and on the closer, “Do It
Yourself,” Pollack’s advice is for all to take
care of business.
With Bayou
Liberty, Tiffany Pollack shows that she’s a
gifted songwriter, but her powerful vocals are
still the main draw. That said, the gap is
closing considerably. This is a fine set of
southern blues and soul from a most
unforgettable vocalist.
--- Graham Clarke
About
four years ago, I heard Chosen By The Blues,
a dynamite six-song EP from a Savannah, Georgia
native named Willie Jackson that was an
intriguing mix of old school blues and soul with
a definite modern edge. While Jackson is
certainly a gifted vocalist with a deep rich
voice that’s a solid fit in blues or soul, his
songwriting takes on some familiar blues topics,
but also focuses on not-so-familiar topics that
will make you wonder why few others venture into
that territory. Jackson’s new release, All In
The Blues, is his first full-length album
and he provides another interesting set of
entertaining original songs.
The opener, “I’m
Your Landlord,” is a funky shuffle that finds
Jackson indicating to his tenant that there
might be more than one way for her to pay his
rent, while the rollicking “The Whole Book Is
Wet” discusses a topic that’s a bit off the norm
from the routine blues braggadocio. The
good-humored “Come Here Jr.” is a fun track,
too, comparing and contrasting his treatment
from his mother to his woman.
“Beautiful
Disease” really kicks with a rumbling bassline
(which, truthfully, is a factor throughout the
album from several players), and “The Old Man
Luv” hilariously looks at the benefits of ladies
keeping company with an older fellow.
“Stranger In My
Hole” has an almost jazzy funk vibe and sounds
great, and on “Sticky Hand Blues,” Jackson warns
potential suitors to stay away from his woman.
On the slow blues “She Need Satisfied” he’s
waiting impatiently on his pharmaceuticals for
his upcoming date. “Coon Hound Nose” is a
Chicago-styled shuffle about a man who’s caught
his woman slipping around, and “Give Me My Rib
Back” finds him regretting the Adam’s Rib
Biblical story. “Hey Gangsta” is a bit of a
change from the overall lightheartedness of the
rest of the album as Jackson confronts a man
who’s been abusive to his daughter.
The album closer
is “Brother I’ll Take Her,” where Jackson
confesses an unrequited love for his brother’s
woman, also confessing that he wishes his
brother would just do him a favor and die.
Again, definitely not your conventional blues
song, but it’s hilarious.
Overall, this
album reminds me a lot of those great southern
soul blues albums I used to listen to in the
late ’80s and early ’90s. Had it been released
during that time, I have no doubt that several
of these tunes would have made their way to the
radio. As it is, All In The Blues is a
lot of fun and is a great set of VERY original
songs with a great mix of tradition and modern
musical flourishes.
--- Graham Clarke
Harmonica
master Kurt Crandall has played the blues
throughout the U.S. with lengthy stays in Kansas
City, Washington, D.C. (playing with Jesse James
Brown, former Bo Diddley bass player), Macon,
Georgia (where he played with the Macon Blues
All-Stars), Chicago (where he played with Dave
Specter, Kenny Smith, Barrelhouse Chuck, and
Jimmy Sutton), and Richmond, Virginia. He’s
released four albums, the most recent being
Starts On The Stops (YesterYear Records),
recorded in two days with backing from two
excellent bands on five songs apiece.
On the first five
songs, Crandall is joined by Karl Angerer
(lead/rhythm guitars), Aaron Binder (drums),
Rusty Farmer (upright bass), Bill Heid (piano),
and background vocalists Jaisson Taylor and
Lawrence Olds. These songs include two fine
instrumentals, the kinetic “Skedaddle” and the
jaunty mid-tempo shuffle “Beignets And Coffee,”
as well as “Early Bird Special,” “Razz My
Berries,” and “Devil’s Got A Hold On You.” These
five songs have a distinctive, lively West Coast
blues flair, and Angerer’s liquidy guitar
backing complements Crandall’s diverse harmonica
playing perfectly.
The second five
songs find Crandall backed by Angerer and Reid
Doughten (guitars), Johnny Hott (drums), John
Sheppard (electric bass), Clark Stern (piano),
and Carl Bender (saxophone). Some of these
tracks are played in more of a Windy City style
of blues as Crandall provides strong covers Rudy
Toomb’s “Home At Last” and Sonny Boy Williamson
I’s “Bluebird Blues,” though the swinging “Goes
Without Saying” does revisit the West Coast
sound briefly. “Bullheaded Woman” is a great
original Chicago-flavored shuffle, and the
muscular instrumental “Sidecramp” serves as an
excellent album closer.
Crandall’s
harmonica playing is superb throughout and he
has a warm vocal style that fits well with his
material. The bands are excellent in support and
fans of traditional harmonica blues would do
well to get a copy of this outstanding album.
--- Graham Clarke
The
Jon Spear Band were able to take advantage
of the lockdown to work on their third studio
album, B-Side Of My Life, a release which
takes their music in a few different directions.
They call it a collection of B-sides, associated
with the old 45 records that sometimes produced
a surprise hit song.
The blues/roots
band boasts three distinctive lead vocalists,
guitarists Spear and Dara James and bass player
Andy Burdetsky, along with drummer John
Stubblefield, who also provides backing vocals,
and guest keyboardist Skip Haga, who appears on
five of the album’s thirteen tracks.
James ably
handles vocals on the opening two tracks, the
funky rocker “Big Talk” and the Santanaesque
“Heartbeat Like A Samba.” Spear takes the mic
for the beatific country-flavored “The Shaman”
and the title track, a cool rock n’ roller that
mentions several actual B-side hits (“Rock
Around The Clock,” “Green Onions,” “Tequila,”
and several others) as he wishes he could flip
his life over to the B-side and give it another
shot. James returns for a nice cover of the
Neville Brothers’ “Yellow Moon,” driven by
Burdetsky’s thunderous bass line.
The
acoustic/electric “Follow The Light” has a
rustic Americana feel, while the rocker “Kick In
The Head,” sung by Burdetsky, reflects on the
events of the past couple of years. Meanwhile,
James sings about his apprehension about “Snakes
And Spiders,” but you can’t help but look a bit
further into the lyrics for deeper meaning. On
“Can’t Have Nothing,” Burdetsky chides those who
lament their fortunes when they have much more
than they need, and the soulful “Darker Side,”
from Jonny Lang’s first album, is a tour de
force for James on guitar and vocal.
I can definitely
relate to “My Old T-Shirts,” a fun little tune
about t-shirts and all the memories they hold,
and so can most middle-aged guys, I’m sure. “The
Muskie Grind” is a good-natured, grinding rocker
about fishing and the trials and tribulations
that go along in pursuit of that monster catch.
“Time For The Blues” is a perfect closer to the
album, a rollicking tribute to blues legends
past and present that should appeal to any blues
fan.
The Jon Spear
Band always entertains. They know how to play
the blues and have a good time doing it. It’s
always a pleasure to hear any of their new
releases, and B-Side Of My Life is a
definite pleasure!
--- Graham Clarke
Jack
de Keyzer’s previous release, Checkmate,
was a tribute to the Chicago blues in general,
Chess Records in specific. His follow-up is
itself called Tribute (Blue Star
Records), as the Canadian blues legend pays
homage to classic blues, rock, and soul with 12
original songs and a tight band (Richard
Thornton – sax/congas/percussion, Alan Duffy –
bass, Nick Succi – keyboards, Peter Grimmer –
drums) in support for a rocking good time.
The driving
boogie rocker “Are You Ready?” sends the disc
into hyper drive right off the bat. “On The
Money” adds horns and has a real Memphis groove,
and “Let’s Do It” gives a nod to ’60s-era
British blues rock. “That’s How We Make Love”
has a Motown soul/pop feel. On “Coming Up,” de
Keyzer’s fretwork is dynamite and the band
really kicks in behind him, and the smooth,
Latin-flavored “Supernatural” ventures into
Santana territory.
“Shake What Your
Mama Gave You” is a hard-charging blues rocker,
“You Turned My World To Blue” is a sweet blues
burner with equally sweet guitar, and “Just For
The Funk” is a tight Philly funk workout. “If My
Baby Left Me” is another slow blues in a Chicago
vein that would have also been a good fit on de
Keyzer’s previous album. “Keep The Fire Burning”
combines blistering guitar with taut reggae
rhythms, and the closer, “Forever,” mixes rock
and pop with the blues quite effectively.
Tribute is
a fine set of blues, rock, and soul originals
from a talented artist who’s at home with all
three genres. If you’re a late comer to Jack de
Keyzer, like I was, you need to check out this
excellent release and dig into his catalog. You
can thank me later.
--- Graham Clarke
The
County Well consists of founders Don Zimmer
(guitar) and Graham Guest (lead vocals, banjo,
pedal steel, keyboards, guitar) with fellow
collaborators Micheala French and Michael
Batdorf (vocals), Josh Kelly (drums), Lyle Evans
(bass), Bob Hemenger (sax), Bill Panks (violin),
Adam Rossi (keyboards), and guitarists Paul
Gregory and Mark Karan. Their music is an
interesting mix of blues, jazz, country, and
rock. Drink More (Floating Records) is
the band’s third release and features 12
original songs that touch on the above-mentioned
genres and more.
The fast-paced
“Gifted Spirit” kicks the disc off with laconic
vocals from Guest. It’s followed by “Hope I
Fall,” which is a modern mix of acoustic and pop
with vocals from French, and a slow-paced,
country-flavored travel song, “Jackson,” sung by
Guest, who also sings the amusing “Wigwam,”
about the search for a potential mate. The
gentle “Volume and Speed,” sung by French, and
the funky “Big Country Love,” sung by Batdorf,
are both memorable as well. Guest’s “Shimmy
Shake” mixes funk and Americana quite
effectively.
French returns for the smoky country blues
“Drinkin’ And Smokin’,” which is followed by
Guest on “Peruvian Lilies,” a modern-sounding
excursion that blends rock, funk, and pop.
French and Batdorf duet on the mid-tempo rocker
“Truck,” which is followed by the short,
grooving instrumental “Wamwig,” and the title
track, an upbeat Americana track that wraps
things up nicely.
Drink More
takes listeners through a variety of musical
genres, but everything is rooted in blues and
roots music, so the changes blend effortlessly
and make for rewarding listening.
--- Graham Clarke
I
actually wrote the review for You Get What
You Give: Duets (Tastee-Tone Records), the
recent album by Dave Keller, about a year
ago, but somehow it got lost in the shuffle of
CDs that I have awaiting review. I decided to do
some reshuffling in an attempt to get up to date
and ran across this review on my computer. Even
though it’s a little late, the album is so good
that I wanted to share my review just in case
there are a few people who somehow missed it
when it was first released.
The album
consists of 13 tracks, with Keller writing 11 of
them. The guest vocalist list is a most
impressive one, with Annika Chambers, Trudy
Lynn, Johnny Rawls, Joe Louis Walker, Dawn Tyler
Watson, Katie Henry, Carly Harvey, and Brother
Bob White among the luminaries. “One More Tear,”
the opener with Ms. Chambers, is a horn-driven
soul burner, while “That Thing We Do,” with Ms.
Harvey, is more blues-oriented soul and Keller
and Harvey make a good vocal team. The
optimistic title track teams Keller with Annie
Mack as well as his daughters Havvah and Idalee
and his partner Katie Sterling.
Keller is joined
by Lynn, Chambers, and Rawls on the somber “The
Evil That Men Do,” reflecting on the ongoing
battle over man’s inhumanity to man. Each of the
vocalists really pour their hearts into the
emotionally-charged lyrics. Joe Louis Walker
makes a memorable appearance on the menacing
“Scratchin’ At Your Door,” with Keller and Chris
Robertson handling the guitar work. Ms. Lynn
guests on the Latin-flavored “Your Kind of
Fool,” while Dawn Tyler Watson and Keller take
us to church on the upbeat “God Is Love/Love Is
Everything.”
The next two
tracks are intimate, acoustic affairs. as Keller
goes solo, joined by Ira Friedmann on piano for
the ballad “The Spark." On the hopeful “Make It
To Tomorrow,” he plays acoustic guitar as Chad
Hollister sits in with vocals and cajon. Keller
and his musical hero Rawls do a marvelous job on
the intense “Land of the Lonely,” and another
Keller hero, Brother Bob White, handles the
vocals and piano on a moving rendition of the
gospel standard, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.”
Katie Henry and Keller go the Muscle Shoals
country soul route on the rousing “The Kiss I
Want,” before the album wraps up with “I’m Gonna
Let It Shine,” featuring spoken-word vocals from
Toussaint St. Negritude and Keller backing on
steel guitar and harmonica.
You Get What
You Give was obviously a labor of love for
not only Dave Keller but all of the
participants. It’s an inspiring set of
passionate blues and soul that will shake you to
your bones.
--- Graham Clarke
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