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 Freddie
King has been cited by more than one blues
guitarist as a major influence, thanks to his
extensive music catalog that spanned nearly a
quarter century. His distinctive fretwork and
his powerful vocals made an impact on electric
blues in general and numerous guitarist from
Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Mack,
Peter Green, and Mick Taylor to just name a few.
You can also include
Popa Chubby to that list, with several
other guitarists who participated in Popa
Chubby’s recent tribute to the The Texas
Cannonball, I Love Freddie King (Gulf
Coast Records).
Backed by a core
band that includes Mike Merritt (bass), Andrei
Koribanics III (drums), Mike DiMeo (keys),
Harold Horowitz (trumpet), Curtis Hotgrefe
(saxes), and vocalist Elize Neals, Popa Chubby
also welcomes guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Albert
Castiglia, Eric Gales, Mike Zito, Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram, Arthur Neilson, and V.D. King
for guest appearances on these versions of 11
classic Freddie King selections. During these
sessions, Popa Chubby was stricken by a rare
spinal disorder that left him with a 90% chance
of paralysis, but after surgery, he was able to
recover.
Bonamassa and Popa
Chubby kick off the disc with an absolutely
blistering version of “I’m Going Down,” with
each guitarist taking jaw-dropping solos.
Castiglia joins Popa Chubby for a pair of
tracks, taking vocals and sharing guitar duties
for the slow blues “Love Her With A Feeling” and
the rip-roaring instrumental “The Stumble.”
Gales sits in on
guitar for “My Credit Didn’t Go Through,” a
track from King’s 1974 release, Burglar.
Zito guests on the soulful "She's A Burglar"
from the same release a couple of tracks later,
with Kingfish appearing on a rousing version of
“Big Legged Woman” in between.
Neilson guests on
three tracks, contributing stellar guitar to
three of King’s legendary instrumental tracks
--- “Hideaway,” “San Ho Zay,” and “Heads Up.”
The fiery “Pack It Up,” another track from the
Burglar album, is the lone guest-free
track on the disc, and it’s a keeper as well.
V.D. King teams up with Popa Chubby for a
stirring read of “Same Old Blues” to close this
wonderful tribute release.
No question that we
lost Freddie King way too early in 1976 at only
42 years of age. There’s also no question that
he made quite an impact on this music we call
the blues.
It’s highly unlikely
that Popa Chubby had any problems finding
guitarists to lend a hand on I Love Freddie
King. You can hear it in every note played
by all comers on this excellent collection,
which should please fans of The Texas Cannonball
and hopefully introduce him to some newer
listeners as well.
--- Graham Clarke
 This
sure was a surprise. Allison August was
an unfamiliar name to me, unexpected because I'm
more tuned in to what's happening in southern
California compared to other parts of the world.
When I received her new album, August Moon
(MoMojo Records), I wasn't sure what to expect.
But this one's a keeper, and will certainly rank
amongn the top ten albums at the end of 2025.
August Moon
has been nearly 10 years in the making, with two
of the key backing musicians --- guitarist Paul
Barrere and keyboard wizard Mike Finnigan ---
both having left us more than four years ago.
Delays from COVID, medical issues, and budget
problems also contributed to the difficulty in
getting the dozen tracks put down.
Now that it's here,
I can say without hesitation that August Moon
is definitely worth the wait. Produced by
Grammy-winner Tony Braunagel, it's a vehicle
showcasing Ms. August's luscious voice, with an
all-star cast of backing musicians on every cut.
All but one of the songs are August originals,
proving that she's more than just a good singer.
Up first is "Afraid
Of Love," a funky mid-tempo number with plenty
of horns in the background. As the title
implies, August is fearful of falling in love,
stating that she's got kevlar wrapped around her
heart. Barrere and Billy Watts share guitar
duties on "Dashboard Madonna," with a really
nice slide solo from either Barrere or Watts and
hot piano work from Finnigan. August sings about
the good and the bad of living in Los Angeles.
One of my favorite
blues cats, Sugaray Rayford, shares vocals on
the funky urban soul number, "I Won't Say No,"
as they sing about desires and hesitations of a
relationship. August's voice really soars on
this number, allowing her to keep up with
Rayford's naturally powerful pipes. We are also
treated to a strong blues guitar solo from Sam
Meek. August then sends out important advice on
"What Would Mama Say," likely looking back on
her own life when her mother would often
critique her life choices, repeatedly telling
her, "...For god's sake, girl, go put on a
sweater ..."
Organist Phil
Parlapino opens the funky, reggae-ish "Blue Eyed
Boy," followed by August packing plenty of
emotion into her words about raising her son.
Meek is back with another scintillating guitar
solo. "Honey Jar" is the only cover tune here, a
Wood Brothers composition, starting with an
up-tempo pace but changing throughout the song.
Guitarist Meek was a new name for me before this
album, but still another wonderful blues guitar
solo here has placed him on my list of players
to hear someday.
It's obvious from
the emotion in August's voice on the slow tune
"Desiree" that she's singing about the loss of
someone very important in her life. Finnigan
lays down very good organ, while Teresa James
and Gregg Sutton support with stirring
background vocals. Guitarist Billy Watts stars
on the bluesy "Dog In You," with plenty of slide
licks, and the horns (Joe Sublett - sax, Les
Lovitt - trumpet) provide a solid foundation for
everything else happening here.
The up-tempo soul
number, "Blues Is My Religion," reflects on the
common misinterpretation and misappropriation of
religion, causing August (and many of the rest
of us) to designate that our favorite genre of
music is the religion we follow. Josh Sklair
takes his turn on stage with solid blues guitar
accompaniment. "The Cure" reflects on August's
battle with cancer, a slow blues with the
recurring line "...they say I might survive, if
the cure don't kill me first ..." Barrere plays
chilling slide guitar throughout, while Jimmy Z
frames the vocal lines with tasteful harmonica
riffs.
August sings about
not wanting to change the world by setting
ground rules for a relationship on "I Ain't Lyin',"
with a heavy island rhythm. Finnigan gets plenty
of unique sounds out of his organ, and Watts is
back on guitar with a very nice solo.
August Moon
closes with a song of perseverance, "Born
Yesterday," an up-tempo blues rocker with Sklair
back on guitar.
This is an album
that you will listen to repeatedly, finding
something different on the songs each time. If,
like me, this is your introduction to Allison
August, then we all certainly have a new blues
friend.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Johnny Rawls’
latest release, Make Them Dance (Catfood
Records), proved to be the final release
produced by the legendary Jim Gaines, who passed
away late last year. Gaines produced albums for
a regular Hall of Fame roster of musicians,
including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana,
Huey Lewis, Steve Miller, and Rawls, who
dedicated this album to Gaines’ memory. The set
features ten original tracks that finds Rawls
backed by a core band, including Will McFarlane
(guitar), Steve Potts (drums), Bob Trenchard
(bass), and Dan Ferguson (keyboards).
The silky smooth
opener, “So Cold,” was written by Trenchard and
Catfood labelmate Zac Harmon, and Rawls and the
band are complemented by a terrific horn section
(Mike Middleton – trumpet, Andy Roman and Nick
Flood – saxes, Frank Otero – trombone). “Dreams
Of You,” written by Trenchard and Rawls, is one
of those fine soul ballads that the singer
always handles masterfully, and the title track,
written by Trenchard, is a rock-solid mid-tempo
number with sweet background vocals from
Kimberly Horton and Trinecia Butler.
Gaines’ wife Sandy
Carroll, Stephanie C. Brown, and McFarlane wrote
“Move In My Direction,” a soul ballad
highlighted by Rawls’ tender vocals, along with
guest Clayton Ivey’s keyboards, Roman’s tenor
sax, and McFarlane’s fretwork. “Costs Too
Much,”written by Rawls, has the feel of a
vintage Hi Records track, and “Give It To Me,”
another Trenchard/Rawls composition, is a tough
and gritty blues with tasty guitar from
McFarlane, who also figures prominently on the
funky soul blues number “Rip Off The Bandage.”
Trenchard’s “Say
That You Love Me” is a splendid slow burner that
would have been an easy fit in the classic days
of soul music, and the Trenchard/Rawls track,
“Swimming With The Sharks,” is a classic mix of
soul and R&B. The same duo penned the closer,
“The Long Road,” with Rawls reflecting on his
lengthy tenure as a singer, songwriter,
producer, and guitarist which, hopefully, has
many more years to go before he decides to step
out of the spotlight.
Another year,
another fantastic Johnny Rawls release. The
veteran soul and blues man has been making music
for over 50ty years and shows no sign of
stepping away from the spotlight any time soon,
which is good news for music fans. Make Them
Dance is another excellent entry into the
Johnny Rawls catalog.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chicago
blues veteran John Primer recently turned
80, but doesn't seem to be slowing down one bit.
His 2024 VizzTone album with Bob Corritoron,
Crawlin' Kingsnake, was absoutely one of the
best of the year.
We are now being
blessed with another collection of tunes by
Primer on Grown In Mississippi (Blues
House Productions), with a series of recordings
made in his home state in 2023 and 2024. It's a
more downhome collection of songs, and every bit
as good as his most recent recordings. One might
say that this album consists of Primer's
biographical memoirs.
When listening to an
album for review, I underline the song number in
my notes based on how much I like it. In this
case, every single song wound up with multiple
lines drawn under the number. Every. Single.
Song.
The opening number,
"John's Blues Holler," is really earthy, with
Primer's voice commanding the room, crickets can
he heard chirping, and the only instrumentation
consists of subtle tambourine beats. That leads
into the autobiographical "Born In Mississippi,"
with Primer singing about his early life while
accompanying himself on Elmore James-style licks
on acoustic guitar.
Up next are three
classics from legends of the blues. "Blues
Before Sunrise" is a Leroy Carr slow blues with
a full band, highlighted by piano work from
Billy Earheart and blues harp from Michael
DeHart (aka "Deak Harp"). Willie Dixon's "Down
In the Bottom" is an up-tempo cover of a classic
Howlin' Wolf hit, with driving guitar work from
Primer. Muddy's "Walkin' Blues" is another slow
number with exquisite guitar work from both
Primer and Steve "Lightnin'" Malcolm.
Primer's own "Nothin'
But A Chicken Wing" has the full band backing
him, with Bobby Rush sitting in on harmonica.
The important lesson to learn from this one is
to always put hot sauce on your wings. Indeed!
Another original number is the slow blues "A
Better Day," with Primer vocals being a bit more
gravelly as he wonders when that very chilly
hawk wind will blow away. Earhart is back on
piano and Steve Bell Harrington contributes fine
Chicago blues harmonica. We hear more of a Delta
blues sound on another Primer composition, "When
I Met The Blues," with Malcolm re-joining the
band to share guitar duties.
We now get to the
two best cuts here. Blues harmonica wizard
Charlie Musselwhite joins Primer to form a very
strong duo on an excellent version of "Baby
Please Don't Go," and later on an up-tempo romp
of Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame." Between
those two numbers is the slow Louisiana Red
double-entendre blues, "Let Me Be Your
Electrician," with Bell Harrington back on the
blues harp and Watermelon Slim contributing
dobro.
Primer's daughter,
Aliya, takes lead vocals on the traditional
gospel tune, "Lay My Burdens Down," with Eden
Brent playing both piano and organ and, backed
by a choir of backing singers. Judging from this
number, the young Ms. Primer has a fine career
ahead of her.
The album concludes
with two more Primer originals, with the fulll
band back for "Ain't Kickin' Up No Dust,"
featuring more Elmore-style guitar from Primer
and a killer solo from Deak Harp. The final
number, the up-tempo "John's Crawdad Song,"
features only Primer on acoustic guitar and
vocals, except for the subtle sound of jew's
harp and triangle from Gary Vincent.
If Primer hasn't yet
been declared a national treasure, then he
certainly should be after the release of
Grown In Mississippi. It's a wonderful album
that belongs in the collection of every blues
fan.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Larry McGill was
born and raised in Laurel, Mississippi, loving
both music and sports as a youth. He split time
between music and football until a knee injury
curtailed his athletic prospects. He formed the
Groove Band in 2011 which backed several
Southern soul artists. When one of those artists
was late for a gig, McGill took the mic for the
first time as a vocalist.
McGill continued to
develop with help from local musicians,
including L.C. Ulmer, and he took the name
Ra’Shad The Blues Kid not long after Ulmer
passed away in 2016 and released his first album
in 2017. He released three subsequent albums and
eventually competed in the 2025 I.B.C., placing
second in the Band Division.
Live In
Clarksdale is Ra’Shad’s fourth release, a
scorching set recorded live at Ground Zero Blues
Club in Clarksdale. The 78-minute set includes13
tracks, 12 written by Ra’Shad that perfectly
captures the singer/guitarist musical palette of
blues, soul, funk, and R&B. RaShad handles all
of the vocals and lead guitar work and he’s
backed by Jock Webb, Sr. (who won the Lee Oskar
Award at the 2025 I.B.C.) on harmonica, Titus
Gillard and Pierre Bramlett on rhythm guitars,
Omari Jones on bass, Delvin James on drums,
Gabriel Spell on keyboards, and Tyler Criglar
and Alvin Rankin on background vocals. Ra’Shad
produced the album, and it certainly sounds like
the band was playing in front of an enthusiastic
audience.
The set opens with
the brisk blues and funk workout, “Feel
Alright,” rolling into the upbeat “Juke Joint”
and “Do It Right,” both of which maintain that
funky pace as the band really cooks behind
Ra’Shad’s compelling vocals and guitar work.
Things slow down a bit for the extended blues
narrative, “Aw Shyt,” as he shares some of his
family background while introducing his
bandmates and allowing them some solo space.
“Bad Girl” is a
thumping mid-tempo soul burner highlighted by
Ra’Shad’s crisp fretwork, and “That’s What You
Are” is a splendid slow burning R&B ballad. The
delicious funk workout, “Get High,” features
some great musicianship from the band, and
“Singing The Blues” is a superb slow blues with
ample solo space for Ra’Shad, Webb, and Spell.
The silky smooth
“Hey Baby” kicks off with Ra’Shad soloing around
Jones’ driving bass line, almost drifting into
jazz directions. It leads into the celebratory
“Hey Y’all,” where Ra’Shad successfully
encourages audience participation.
Bob Geddins’ “Tin
Pan Alley” is the set’s only cover tune, with
Ra’Shad doing a marvelous job with this track on
vocals and guitar whiel the band provides first
rate support. The closing two tracks are the
12-minute funktopia, “Move Something,” that
would surely put a big smile on the Godfather of
Soul’s face, and the satisfying closer, “Juke.”
Live In
Clarksdale features a well-crafted,
well-played set of tunes played by a truly
outstanding set of musicians. Ra’Shad The Blues
Kid obviously learned his lessons well as a
youngster and. At age 37 he is really just
getting started as a top-flight blues musician,
meaning there are even more gems like this set
to eagerly await in the future.
--- Graham Clarke
 Johnny Iguana
has played piano behind Mick Jagger, Keith
Richards, and such blues luminaries as Buddy
Guy, Junior Wells, Johnny Winter, James Cotton,
and Lurrie Bell, as well as leading his own
band, The Claudettes. In 2020 he released his
initial Delmark Records album, Chicago
Spectacular!, to much acclaim, and recently
issued this outstanding follow-up, At Delmark:
Chicago-Style Solo Piano, which finds the
piano master charging through a dynamic set of
originals and covers, recorded in unedited
single takes straight to analog.
The set kicks off
with a dazzling take on Little Brother
Montgomery’s “Bass Key Boogie,” before moving to
a pensive reading of Neil Young’s “Heart of
Gold” and an Iguana original, the playful “For
Dancer’s Only.” Another original, “Stormy Nights
at a Moroccan Blues Bar,” moves deftly between
blues and jazz, while Iguana’s cover of the
blues standard “Messin’ With the Kid” should get
toes tapping and fingers snapping. The
breathtaking “Tripping in a French Ambulance” is
a beautiful and stirring piece.
The delightful “One
More for the Cleaning Crew” is a relaxed,
easygoing blues which leads into a brisk,
hard-charging version of Chuck Berry’s “You
Never Can Tell,” followed by a nimble cover of
Magic Sam’s “You Belong To Me.” Iguana’s
“Welcome Distractions,” with alternating
tempos, is an interesting tune, and the cover of
the AC/DC rock classic “Riff Raff” is an
inspired choice.
The album closes
with a rollicking interpretation of Jay
McShann’s “Roll ‘Em,” bringing this fascinating
album to an appropriate conclusion.
At Delmark:
Chicago-Style Solo Piano is a marvelous set
of piano tunes played by one of the piano
masters of this blues generation, Johnny Iguana.
Anyone who loves blues piano needs this album in
their collection.
--- Graham Clarke
 Micki Free’s
latest release is the five-song EP,
Dreamcatcher (Bungalo Records/Universal
Music Group). A former member of the R&B group
Shalamar, Free has enjoyed a productive solo
career since the early ’90s in the blues, R&B,
and rock genres, and his latest effort is a
blend of those styles, also incorporating his
Native American heritage.
Free is backed on
these tracks by members of friend Carlos
Santana’s band (Cindy Blackman Santana – drums,
Benny Rietveid – bass, Ray Greene – vocals), as
well as Mark “Muggie Do” Leach – keys, Rhonda
Smith – bass, and backing vocalists Dava Taylor
and Trish Bowden.
Greene takes lead
vocals on the scorching “When The Devil's At
Your Door,” the opening cut. He serves as a fine
complement to Free’s incendiary fretwork on this
powerful track. The funky “My Sweet Honey”
follows, mixing in a bit of psychedelia with
Free’s guitar and the gritty rhythm section.
The title track is a
haunting instrumental that features Free on both
Native American flute and guitar, along with
superb musical support from Blackman Santana,
Rietveid, and Leach. “Night Crawler” is a tough
blues rocker, with Free’s most intense guitar
work, while the closer, “We Are One,” is an
acoustic/electric mix that finds Free extolling
the virtues of togetherness, cooperation, and
love. There is also a “Bonus” track that
presents a live version of the title track.
Micki Free never
fails to release compelling music that touches
on a variety of genres, and Dreamcatcher
is another fine example of his standout work as
a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist.
--- Graham Clarke
 A graduate of the
Berklee College of Music, Chicago-born guitarist
Mike Dangeroux has played with Koko
Taylor, Mississippi Heat, J.W. Williams, Nellie
“Tiger” Travis. He has also appeared with Buddy
Guy as a featured performer at Guy’s blues club,
Legends.
On his recently
released EP, Empty Chair (RD Records),
Dangeroux (vocals, guitar, bass) is backed by
Vincent Varco (keyboards), and Daron Casper
Walker (drums). Dangeroux wrote all six songs
and co-produced the set with Varco.
The opening track,
“End Like This,” is a tough Windy City shuffle
that looks at the sudden end of a relationship,
while “Money Back” is a gritty rock-edged blues.
“Play My Cards Right” is a fast-paced track that
mixes blues and funk, and “No Good For Me” is a
terrific slow blues.
The title track is a
mid-tempo blues rocker describing a broken
romance, while the closing number, “What’s
Taking So Long,” is an excellent slow burner,
with fine guitar work and vocals from Dangeroux.
The singer/guitarist
displays keen versatility as a vocalist and
guitarist, as these songs have traditional and
contemporary qualities. Combined with the
rock-solid backing from Varco and Walker,
Dangeroux has produced an excellent EP that
should make blues fans clamor for a full-length
effort from this group as soon as possible.
--- Graham Clarke
 The
Love Dogs are back! Boston's jump blues
party band ireturns with the same core group as
when this ensemble was recording for Tone-Cool
Records more than 25 years ago. Their first
studio album since then, Get Off My Lawn!
(T-Ray Records), puts out the same rompin',
stompin' party music as in the past, led by lead
vocalist and songwriter Eddie Scheer and
consisting of mostly the same members.
In comparing current
photos of the band members to those on the three
Tone-Cool albums, it looks like they all haven't
aged much at all. Perhaps playing jump blues
keeps them young, or the conspiracy theorist in
me thinks they've spent most of the last 25
years in suspended animation, being revived only
occasionally to record a couple of live albums.
The Love Dogs
incarnation on this album consists of Scheer
(lead vocals, percussion), Alizon Lissance
(piano, vocals), Myanna (alto & tenor sax,
vocals), Rob Lee (tenor & baritone sax), Mark
Paquin (trombone), Mark Poniatowski (bass), and
Steve Brown (drums), Guest guitarists Bobby Gus
and Ricky "King" Russell show up on a couple of
cuts each.
The music on the
dozen songs on Get Off My Lawn! make up a
guaranteed party in a jewel case (or however you
get your recorded music). Lots of horns to go
with shouting vocals from Scheer, starting with
the Big Joe Turner jump blues "Fly Away." We
hear more of a New Orleans sound on the
mid-tempo blues "Hard To Be Mad At You," and
with the extreme second line on the instrumental
"Circular Reasoning."
The slow, jazzy
blues "Better Things To Do" provides Scheer the
opportunity to prove that he's got a very fine
singing voice, with his vocals sounding smoother
than creamy peanut butter on the mid-tempo blues
"Took The Wrong Road," featuring lots of horns
and stinging blues guitar from Russell.
Scheer pumps more
blues into his voice on "Keep On Lyin'," with a
some really fine piano work from Lissance. "How
Can You Be So Mean?" is a big band blues
shuffle, and we get jazzy Latin blues on "Who Do
You Think You're Fooling," with Scheer on the
latter song singing about an encounter with an
old flame who repeatedly tells lies about her
current situation in life.
Lissance takes the
mic with very seductive vocals on the jazzy
"Burn Baby Burn," her own composition, while the
mid-tempo blues shuffle, "Here Come The Blues,"
makes me think of New Orleans, perhaps because
I'm envisioning Smiley Lewis singing this one.
The band jumps on "Gravy Train," sounding like
something Louis Jordan would have done.
Putting a wrap on
the album is the title cut, a real mover with
piano leading the way before it really rocks out
towards the end, taken home with some mighty
hand clapping and a big, big horn sound.
It's good to have
The Love Dogs back in the studio and laying down
their raucous blues again. Hopefully, Get Off
My Lawn! will jump start their recording
career and we get another album soon.
--- Bill Mitchell
 As promised a couple
of months ago, the Belgian band Travellin’
Blue has released their third album, Take
The Edge Off (Naked Records), a strong set
of blues rockers. The band, formerly known as
the Travellin’ Blues Kings, has a line-up of JB
Biesmans (vocals/sax/harmonica), Luke Alexander
(guitar), Winnie Pinninckx (bass), Patrick
Cuyvers (keys), and Steve Wouters (drums).
Biesmans, Alexander, and Cuyvers wrote or
co-wrote all ten tracks, a particularly strong
set of tunes.
“Better Left Unsaid”
is a lively blues rocker that provides a nice
showcase for Alexander’s guitar skills, as is
the mid-tempo grinder “No Gooder.” The enticing
blues ballad, “The Closer Is King,” also
provides ample space for an Alexander solo and
nimble keyboards from Cuyvers. Meanwhile, “Down
The Rabbit Hole” is a swinging shuffle that
finds Biesmans on sax and later playing
harmonica on the gritty “Death Smiles On Us
All.”
“Come Hell Or High
Water,” was released in January as a single,
with a driving southern rock feel on which
Biesmans’ vocal is particularly standout. The
title cut is a mid-tempo track that adds some
pop/rock sensibilities to the mix, while “After
All” is a marvelous blues ballad with a lot of
soul, complements of Biesmans’ vocals and sax
along with Cuyver’s keys.
“Hellhole Shuffle”
is a cool instrumental that blends blues and
jazz deftly, and the funky “Lay Down Knuckle
Under” is a terrific closer for this compelling
set.
Take The Edge Off
is an outstanding set that will satisfy blues
rockers on either side of the Atlantic and
beyond. Travellin’ Blue continues to make
excellent music that deserves to be heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 Swamp blues master
Kenny Neal recently teamed with his son,
Micah Willis, to release a single, the
moody “Devil’s In The Delta” (Verdict Music)
that truly captures the essence of swamp blues.
Neal plays harmonica, slide guitar, and rhythm
guitar and contributes gritty vocals which,
combined with Willis’s own soulful pipes, adds
to the rustic feel of the music.
Joining the duo are
Frederick Neal and Amos Singleton (keyboards),
Darnell Neal (bass), and Michael Harris (drums).
Hopefully, this effort will lead to more
collaborations between the two and will help
continue the Neal family tradition into a third
generation.
--- Graham Clarke
 “Stranger Blues” is
the first chance for GA-20 fans to check out the
slide guitar work of one of the band’s newest
members, singer/guitarist Cody Nilsen. The
Elmore James classic provides an ideal showcase
for Nilsen, new drummer Joshua Kiggans, and
founder/guitarist Matthew Stubbs to strut their
stuff. Nilsen’s rugged slide is first rate and
the propulsive backbeat really pulls the
listener in. This track will be featured on the
band’s upcoming EP, Volume 2, to be
released at the end of April.
--- Graham Clarke
 Some
really good singles have hit the inbox recently,
hopefully leading to future albums by these
artists.
I
absolutely love the collaboration of John
Nemeth & Kat Riggins on the Robert Cray
cover "Nothin' But A Woman" (Memphis Grease
Records). They modified the original by
replacing the horns with violin from Anne
Harris, as well as the inclusion of Nemeth's
harmonica. Oh man, what a great cut.
Cincinnati piano player Ben Levin
recorded a song with Lil' Ed a couple of years
ago, with the slow blues "New Low" being
released by VizzTone Records. It''s good to
again hear Ed tearing it up on his guitar while
also adding his rich, deep vocals. A full album
from this pair would be a killer. Please,
VizzTone, please make it happen.
Benny Turner & Maria Muldaur teamed up for a
mid-tempo blues shuffle version of "Baby, You've
Got What It Takes" on Nola Blue, with two great
voices tearing it up on a love song
--- Bill Mitchell
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