Broke &
Hungry Records out of St. Louis continues its
astonishing hot streak with a stunning release from
yet another never-before-recorded bluesman from the
Mississippi Delta. This one comes with an intriguing
twist, however, as the musician featured on B&H’s
fifth release is identified only as The Mississippi
Marvel. The Marvel is a 78-year-old who has lived a
double life as a bluesman and a devout churchgoer.
Though he still occasionally plays the juke joints,
he now devotes most of his time to his church.
Offered the opportunity to record, he agreed on the
condition that his name not be revealed to the
public until after his death, due to fear of
repercussions from his church.
The World Must Never Know features the Marvel in
both solo and group settings. Accompanying him on
the band tracks are Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, who
provides harmonica on one track, the rarely-heard
Muddy Waters track, “Waterboy, Waterboy,” Bill Abel,
who plays the guitar on the track, and Lightnin’
Malcolm, who plays drums on six tracks. Otherwise,
it’s all the Mississippi Marvel’s show. His guitar
work is raw and edgy, and his vocals are powerful
and expressive. The tracks occasionally teeter on
the border of chaos, as the Marvel’s guitar
sometimes wanders in and out of tune, but this is
the Mississippi Delta blues at its most primal. On
some tracks, you can hear the raucous crowd of
farmers and day laborers that wandered into the juke
joint to escape a rain and even the occasional train
passing through.
The songs are mostly familiar fare, with tracks like
Albert King’s “Laundromat Blues,” “.44 Blues,”
Little Walter’s “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right,”
“Catfish Blues,” “Stoop Down, Mama,” and “Feel Like
Layin’ Down,” but they’re all given the country
blues treatment with satisfying results,
particularly the previously urban “Laundromat
Blues,” and “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right.”
Another rarely heard cover is the album’s closer,
Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “No Mail Blues.”
The Marvel is credited with composing three tracks.
The hard-driving “Hard Pill To Swallow” is one of
the best performances on the disc. “Kankakee” is a
raggedy but charming romp, and “Feel Like Layin’
Down” is a strong, traditional-sounding number.
It adds up to another winner for Broke & Hungry
Records, easily one of the best blues labels to come
down the pipe in a long time. Expect blues fans
everywhere to be repeating the cover blurb, “Who is
the Mississippi Marvel?”
---
Graham Clarke
The
incomparable T-Model Ford returns to the recording
scene for the first time in over five years with
jack daniel time, the first release by Athens,
GA-based Mudpuppy Recordings. This session, recorded
at Red’s Lounge in Clarksdale, MS, is also Ford’s
recording debut on acoustic guitar and features a
stellar cast of Mississippi Delta musicians (Sam
Carr and Lee Williams on drums, Terry “Harmonica”
Bean on harmonica, and Bill Abel on second guitar
for one track) providing support.
Ford’s blues are as basic as it gets, but he not
only counts the Delta as an influence, but also the
Mississippi hill country, and even further north to
Chicago. Considering he’s in his mid-80s (or
older, he’s not sure of his exact birth date), his
picking is surprisingly intricate at times (most
notably on the solo acoustic tracks like “Rock Me
Baby”) and his vocals are as strong as ever.
As might be expected, the tracks featuring the band
are mostly hard-rocking shuffles, the best of which
is the wonderful instrumental, “Red’s Houseparty,”
which features some fantastic harp by Bean, and
“Hi-Heel Sneakers.” Ford’s solo acoustic tracks,
like the aforementioned “Rock Me Baby” and
“Mistreatin’ Woman,” show that there’s much more to
his style than the raw, jagged electric chords heard
on his Fat Possum output.
The venerable Sam Carr provides his usual rock-solid
support on drums, and young Williams shows himself
to be a worthy heir to Carr’s legacy. Bean quite
simply should be better known than he is and
hopefully will get his opportunity before a wider
audience one day soon.
Ford actually didn’t record until the late
’80s,
when he appeared on the late Roosevelt “Booba”
Barnes’ The Heartbroken Man album, then signed with
Fat Possum in his early 70s for a very
productive five-year period that brought him a
little recognition and fame. Fortunately, jack daniel time shows that he’s still in fine form and
has plenty left to say. Fans of the downhome, ragged
blues of the Mississippi Delta will absolutely love
this one.
---
Graham Clarke
JW-Jones’ latest release,
Bluelisted (NorthernBlues)
features Jones teaming up with two noteworthy
guests, Little Charlie Baty and Junior Watson, for a
solid set of guitar-driven blues. Jones’ four
previous releases have all been pretty strong and
diverse sets, considering he’s only 27 years old.
The urban, sophisticated blues are his specialty,
but he’s also capable of getting down in the alley
as well with his considerable guitar chops and his
smooth, refined vocals. Bluelisted stands out as his
best set to date.
Though Jones has guitar chops to burn, he almost
underplays at times, preferring to let the song
carry the day. There are no wasted notes, no
endlessly meandering solos. In addition, Jones wrote
all but four of the songs here and he’s as good with
a pen as he is with a guitar. Highlights of the
originals include “Can’t Play A Playboy,” “Wasted
Life,” “The Doctor,” and “Out of Service Blues,”
which features Watson on guitar and Baty on
harmonica. “Bogart Bounces Again” features some of
Jones’ best guitar work as well.
All of the tracks featuring Jones, Baty, and Watson
are first-rate, but the jazzy instrumental “Heavy
Dosage” really gives them all room to stretch out.
Amazingly, this album marks the first time Watson
and Baty have ever played together on a recording.
Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
The cover tunes include a jump-blues take on “Double
Eyed Whammy,” and a fast and furious take on Richard
Berry’s “Mad About You.” Happily, rather than
digging out the same old, same old B. B. King tunes
that have been done to death, Jones tackles a couple
of rarely-heard King tunes, “That’s Wrong, Little
Mama” (featuring a scorching break from Baty), and
“Waiting On You.”
Lending strong support on the disc are current
Hollywood Blue Flames drummer Richard Innes and
bassist Larry Taylor, and Jones’ bandmates, bassist
Martin Regimbald and drummer Jeff Asselin. Keyboard
whiz Jesse Whiteley makes the most of his
appearances as well.
Blues guitar fans will enjoy
Bluelisted for sure,
but there’s something for everyone on this top-notch
release.
---
Graham Clarke
If
you’ve heard a blues disc recorded in Memphis over
the past few years, chances are that Billy Gibson
was on it. The Clinton, MS native started out
playing in Clarksdale with Johnny Billington and
Bobby Little in Billington’s group, the Midnighters.
After moving to Memphis, he took up residence at
Beale Street and even absorbed some jazz influences
from Pete Pedersen. He’s appeared on dozens of
releases over the past few years and has received
numerous awards, including Beale Street Entertainer
of the Year in 2005. He was also part of the recent
Bluzapalooza tour in Iraq and Kuwait with Bobby Rush
and Janiva Magness.
Gibson has released five CDs under his own name, but
his most recent effort is a DVD that captured his
performance at the 2007 North Atlantic Blues
Festival in Rockland, Maine. Entitled The Prince of
Beale Street (North Atlantic Blues Records), the DVD
features Gibson with his crack band (David Bowen –
guitar, vocals; James Jackson – bass; Cedric Keel –
drums, vocals) roaring their way through a lively
and intense six song set. Memphis keyboard whiz
Charlie Wood also joins in on the fun.
Gibson’s skills on the harp are unquestionable and
he’s also a strong vocalist, but most of all he is a
master showman who really knows how to work a crowd.
The opening cut, a high-energy take on his own “Down
Home” really sets the pace for the whole show.
Guitarist Bowen wrote the old school “Keep Doin’
What Ya Doin’.” The final four tracks are all
crowd-pleasing covers, the highlights being the
extended version of Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy,” and
Tony Joe White’s “Pork Salad Annie.”
The well-done DVD captures the festival scene
perfectly, with lots of shots interspersed
throughout the performance of people dancing and
having fun. It’s obvious that a great time was had
by all and the 57- minute running time seems to fly
by before you know it. If you’re not familiar with
Billy Gibson, The Prince of Beale Street is a good
place to start.
---
Graham Clarke
Frank
Carillo first made his mark in the music business by
adding his distinctive guitar style to a couple of
Peter Frampton’s early ’70s albums. He formed the
band Doc Holiday not long after that and later
toured as a solo with the J. Geils Band, Cheap
Trick, Tom Petty, and Van Halen. He’s also written
songs for Carly Simon, Joan Jett, and the British
model/singer/actress Twiggy. In the ’90s, Carillo
teamed up with singer Annie Golden and created the
duo Golden Carillo, which recorded two albums and
toured extensively overseas.
Most recently, Carillo formed a new band called
Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros, which features
Carillo on guitar, harmonica, laud (a 12-string
guitar from Spain), and vocals, along with Norman
DelTufo (percussion/backing vocals), Eddie Seville
(drums/backing vocals), Karl Allweier (upright
bass/backing vocals), and Carillo’s brother Andrew
on guitar. Their second release for Jezebel Records,
Someday, is a powerful mix of blues, roots-rock, and
folk.
Carillo writes compelling songs, such as the opener,
“Roll The Bones,” “Gotta Be You,” “The Way Out,” and
the cool track, “Eastern Time.” The title track has
a swamp blues feel to it, as does the eerie
“Darkness Everywhere.” He has a strong Springsteen
quality to his vocals, and his guitar work is
superlative. The band provides stellar support and
legendary Texas keyboard player Augie Meyers (Bob
Dylan, Texas Tornadoes, Sir Douglas Quintet, John
Hammond) joins in on four tracks.
If you like your blues mixed with a healthy dose of
heartland roots-rock, Frank Carillo & the Bandoleros’
Someday will fit you like a glove.
---
Graham Clarke
I have
to admit that I was excited when I found out that
Amos Garrett was going to release a Percy Mayfield
tribute album. Mayfield is one of my favorite
songwriters, having penned such classic tunes as
“Hit The Road Jack” and “Please Send Me Someone To
Love.” Mayfield was emerging as a star on the R&B
circuit until his performing career was tragically
cut short after he was disfigured in an automobile
accident in the early ’50s. Though he performed very
little after the accident, he still wrote hundreds
of songs, which were recorded by hundreds of
musicians, and earned the nickname “Poet Laureate of
the Blues.” Today, it’s hard to find a blues artist
who hasn’t recorded one of Mayfield’s songs.
Garrett is as underrated a performer as Mayfield was
in his time. Over the past forty years, his guitar
work has graced songs by artists like Stevie Wonder,
Emmylou Harris, Jessie Winchester, Geoff Muldaur,
and Anne Murray. He’s probably best known for his
awesome one-take solo on Maria Muldaur’s “Midnight
At The Oasis,” but he’s had a lengthy solo career as
well, recording with Stony Plain since the mid ’80s.
His latest release for Stony Plain, Get Way Back: A
Tribute To Percy Mayfield, ranks with his best.
Mayfield’s songs, probably due to his misfortunes,
always seemed to have a dark nature to them, as he
battled alcoholism for most of his life, as well as
a reluctance to perform due to his disfigurement.
Garrett takes 11 of Mayfield’s songs, wisely
omitting “Hit The Road, Jack” and “Please Send Me
Someone To Love” in favor of some of Mayfield’s
lesser-known songs. There are some familiar tunes
here, such as “My Jug and I,” “Stranger In My
Hometown,” “River’s Invitation,” and “Lost Mind.”
Garrett’s warm baritone is put to excellent use on
these songs, as he injects the right amount of humor
and warmth into the lyrics. His guitar work, always
understated and supple, is the perfect complement to
his vocals. He also gets magnificent support from
Bucky Berger (drums), Victor Bateman (string bass),
Ken Whiteley (piano), Ron Casat (Hammond organ),
Dave Babcock (saxes, arrangements), and Alistair
Elliott (trumpet).
Get Way Back is a wonderful tribute to a
long-underappreciated composer. Hopefully, like the
best tribute albums, it will send you off in search
of recordings by the original artist, as well as the
current one.
---
Graham Clarke
Duke
Robillard has long been recognized as one of
contemporary blues’ finest guitarists. He’s a
perennial candidate and frequent winner of the Handy
Awards’ “Best Blues Guitarist.” He’s a founding
member of Roomful of Blues and also served as a
guitarist in the post-Jimmie Vaughan Fabulous
Thunderbirds. As a solo artist, he has dabbled not
only in blues, but jazz, swing, rock and roll, and
even rockabilly. His latest venture, on Stony Plain
Records, finds him mixing blues and jazz with A
Swingin' Session With Duke Robillard.
Teaming up with his usual group of musicians (Mark
Teixeira – drums, Marty Ballou – bass, Bruce Katz –
keyboards, and “Sax” Beadle), Robillard also
welcomes former Roomful members Al Basile (cornet),
Doug James (baritone sax), and Carl Querfurth
(trombone). Longtime musical partner Scott Hamilton
also appears on tenor sax. All make significant
contributions, but Katz’s keyboard work stands out
on track after track.
The set includes eight well-chosen covers, a
combination of mid-tempo blues, jump tunes, and
standards which include “Deed I Do,” Ray Charles’
“Them That Got,” “They Raided The Joint,” and “Meet
Me At No Special Place.” Robillard contributes two
tasty instrumentals, “Red Dog,” which reminded me a
lot of Calvin Newborn’s more recent work, and the
T-Bone-esque “Swinging With Lucy Mae.”
Robillard has long maintained that there’s a thin
line between blues and jazz. Indeed, many of the
legends of jazz were equally adept at playing the
blues. Listening to A Swingin' Session makes you
feel that the line is so thin as to be transparent.
Blues and jazz guitar fans will want to get their
hands on this one.
---
Graham Clarke
Eric
Lindell is just one of those artists who grow on
you. I had the opportunity to meet Eric at last
year’s Blues Music Awards and it was a treat to see
him perform live at Telluride’s Blues & Brews
Festival last fall as well. He definitely is the
“old soul” I’ve said he was, but he continues to
produce great music. His latest Alligator release,
Low on Cash, Rich on Love, is proof of that.
“Lay Back Down” finds Eric letting his woman know
that he’s in it for the long haul. “Ain’t no use in
trying…ain’t no use in denying what’s going on
here…how can a good thing be wrong…minutes turn to
hours, hours turn to days…and days…they turn into
years…I’ll be doggone if I let you slip away…so lay
back…lay back down.” Eric’s not going anywhere…and
neither should you! The inspiration for the album
title, “Low on Cash,” is next. Eric’s not
pretentious, he is what he is. “I might not have or
possess the things…you might be looking for….low on
cash, I’m low on change…rich in love and other
things.” “Low on Cash” has a funky back beat to it
and you can definitely feel the New Orleans vibe in
this song.
Mark Adam’s keys are featured prominently in the
next song, “Josephine,” one of Eric’s long past
loves. “Girl, you know you can’t lose what you never
had…a girl becomes a woman…who could ever tell…but I
remember you baby…I remember you so well.” Blake
Nolte kicks in with a wicked sax solo and I’m left
to wonder if Eric is over Josephine or not, “I guess
I was a blind man…but now I plainly see…I’m the one
for you…I’m the one for you, sweet Josephine!” “Mind
Your Business” finds Eric questioning his status
with his current love. “Baby mind your
business…maybe your baby’s business is better left
alone…maybe your baby’s business is better left
unknown.” Either way you look at it, Eric is
confused as we are with this situation.
“Tell me what more can I say…what more can I do…what
more can I say…what more can I do…to prove my love
baby…is tried and true?” Eric is definitely in love on
“Tried and True” but he has to work for it and
that’s not a bad thing. Next up is the only non-original on the disc, “Lady Jay and John Coltrane,”
by Scott Heron. It fits in nicely with Eric’s view
of the world, “plastic people…plastic minds…living
out their daily plastic lives…baby…you’ve been
living in the dark…its time for you to step back out
into the light…would you call on Lady Jay or John
Coltrane?” Within the song Eric pay homage to one of
his idols, Junior Wells, and blows a mean harmonica
to boot. I’ve not seen Eric play harp before but you
can definitely hear he knows his way around the
Mississippi saxophone.
“What I Got” finds Eric telling a past love that
when she really stops to think about their
relationship, she’s definitely going to miss him.
Jimmy Carpenter brings his sax to the forefront with
a solo here as Eric laments the fact this
relationship is over. “Baby, I ain’t got a lot…but
when I hit the road…baby, you’re going to miss what
I got…you’re going to miss the way my heart breaks
in two…you’re going to miss me when I’m gone…but not
half as much as I’ll miss you.” This was a good
relationship, so why is it ending? We find in “It’s
My Pleasure” that Eric will do whatever he can to
keep his current woman happy. “It’s a funny thing
baby…that we got going on here…I would do most
anything baby…anything you want baby….its my
pleasure.”
The spirit of New Orleans funk makes another
appearance in “It’s a Pity” as Eric laments the
state of the Crescent City. “It’s a pity…the state
of our city…all the people in your
neighborhood…people on your block…they’re still in
shock…they’re going to come back strong…it’s a
pity…save our city!” More harp work by Eric provides
the introduction to “I Got a Girl.” “I got a girl…a
girl named Susie Q…but Susie…Susie…she’s got it bad
for me and you…you know a mellow fellow like me and
a girl like Sue…will never do”. At least Eric knows
this and can move on. “I Got a Girl” displays more
of Eric’s harp work and reinforces just how talented
a musician he is.
“It’s You” finds Eric settling into his current
relationship for the long haul. “Girl, it’s you…you
know there ain't never been nobody…nobody like
you…and my emotions override…the things I do,
girl…it’s you”. We close out this remarkable record
with Eric on the other end of the stick in “All
Night Long”. “And baby…it don’t make no kind of
sense…but sure enough baby…you’ve got me backed up
against this fence…again…and I wait all night
long…on your loving.” Evidently he’s going to keep
waiting…and waiting.
There’s no doubt that Eric Lindell is a very
talented artist surrounded by a very strong cast of
characters in his band. The musicianship on this
record is outstanding and you hear that in spades.
Eric’s not a bluesman, though he has blues roots…but
no matter what you want to call him, there’s no
denying the strength of his vision for the music he
loves to perform. Eric’s a very rare artist in
today’s sea of homogeneity so see him live when you
can and enjoy Low on Cash, Rich in Love when you
can’t.
---
Kyle Deibler
Visions
of two old bluesmen on the back porch of a juke deep
in the Delta wanders through my mind’s eye as I
listen to the newest release by Colorado Bluesman Dan Treanor, the eclectic
Brothers, Blood & Bones (Plan-It).
Perhaps I should say two new, old bluesmen on the
back porch of a juke. Dan’s current collaboration
with Jack Hadley is the latest in series of
explorations of what Dan calls “Afrosippi Blues” and
continues the musical journey begun in Dan’s two
previous releases, African Wind and Mercy.
Dan’s concept is simple in theory, complex in its
execution. He marries the use of ancient African
instruments, such as the Khalam and Ngoni, with modern
interpretations of traditional styles that have
helped to bring a breath of fresh air to blues as we
know it. His partnership with Jack Hadley enables
Dan to bring to the forefront his skills as a harp
player on this new release. “Hard Luck Child” kicks
off the record with Dan playing both banjo and
harmonica. They provide the right sense of
desperation as Jack lets us know that he’s “down in
the bottle…can’t find my way back up…I’ve been down
here so long…Lord, I think I’m stuck!” A hard luck
child he is and hopefully he’ll find his way out.
Flute, drums and Dan’s harp all lend a tribal feel
to the next cut, “I Wish You Would.” Jack’s woman
has left him and the pain he feels is tearing at
him. “Come back baby…give me one more chance…you
know I still love you…want to give you romance…come
back baby, I wish you would…love you real strong
like a good man should!” If you’d done that in the
first place Jack, she wouldn’t have run away.
“Deeper and Deeper” finds Jack in the midst of deep
depression. “Deeper and deeper…into the well I
go…deeper and deeper…I’m moving too slow…what did I do
before the darkness came?...man, I just don’t know.”
I’m depressed just listening to Dan’s harp in the
background as Jack bemoans his fate. Nicely done.
Sonic tones emit from Jack’s guitar as the tempo
picks up in “Help Me.” He’s an accomplished
guitarist and his work on this album is stellar. Dan
and Jack are accompanied by the rhythm section of Gary Flori on drums
and percussion and bassist Jody
Woodward. The back end is rhythmic and tight, just
like it needs to be. “Help me, baby…can’t do it all
by myself…don’t want to help, Lord…I’ve found myself
somebody else!”
“Brothers, Blood & Bone” surprises me with its
almost reggae feel. “But find the time to teach your
children well…will they learn…only time will
tell…after all is said and done…we’re all brothers,
blood & bone.” I appreciate Dan’s harp work on this
song and the reverb I can hear in the right channel
is a nice touch. “Water from the Well” is a country
blues song and continues the light mood found in the
previous cut. “Going to take my baby…to my favorite
fishin hole…going to pack a little lunch…and down
the road we go.” A darker mood returns in “Callin’
Out Your Name.” “Can you feel me?...you’re deep in
my soul…if you feel me…don’t leave me on hold!” A
vocal choir consisting of Delores Scott, Sky Downing
and Christine Webb makes a surprise appearance and
contributes a gospel touch to Jack’s query.
“It’s a Blues Thing” pays homage to the bluesmen of
the Delta. “Over in the corner…sitting on a chair…a
funky old man with snow white hair…the music is
grooving…it touches his soul…so he picks up his harp
and he starts to blow.” I don’t know if Dan needed
that much introduction but in another 20 years he’ll
be that old man in the corner, blowin on his harp.
Country blues comes at us again in the form of the
gospel flavored “The Other Side.” “When the time
comes…I’ll cross to the other side…lay me
down…beneath the big oak tree…with a banjo by my
side…when the time comes…I’ll cross to the other
side. Our vocal choir is back in full force as Jack
contemplates life in the hereafter.
“You and Me” finds Jack reaching out in the spirit
of brotherhood to the world. “All over the
world…people want the same thing…all over the
world…you’d better tell the children…somebody better
help me…to find my way…to believe in you…like you
believe in me!” This spirit of brotherhood is
contrasted with conflict on the next cut, “The War.”
“Oil for guns and money…it’s a policy of state…suicide
bombers…just another form of hate!” Haunting harp
work by Dan echos the feeling of desperation
conveyed by the knowledge that in parts of the
world, we’re just not getting it right. “We’ve
really done it this time…we live in a world of
hurt!”
Treanor, Hadley and company close out what has been
another very interesting project with their version
of the Blind Lemon Jefferson classic, “See that My
Grave is kept Clean.” The inclusion of radio
commentary on casualties in Iraq at the end of this
tune is just another example of the intricate
details that can be found within the tapestry of a
Dan Treanor project.
I find that Dan Treanor is true to his vision of
what he wants his music to sound like, call it
“Afrosippi Blues” or give it another name if you’d
like, but give Dan credit for the way in which he
presents his music to you. His last album, Mercy,
was an absolutely brilliant record from beginning to
end. Brothers, Blood & Bone is surprising in the
amount of social commentary it presents to us, but
that’s really what the blues is all about. And the
more I listen to Dan Treanor’s music, the more I
appreciate the details found in its presentation.
I’m sure this Colorado bluesman is never going to
garner the appreciation his music truly deserves,
but do yourself a favor. Pick up a copy of Brothers,
Blood & Bone and give it a real listen. You’ll hear
a record that is rich in the details, true to its
origins and amazingly contemporary in its sound.
You’ll also hear an amazing bluesman true to his
inspiration; it doesn’t get any better than that.
---
Kyle
Deibler
Songs
Famed for Sorrow & Joy (Northern Blues) is the
debut CD of Samuel James, an exciting blues
artist who is refreshingly different.
James
manages to combine the style of Robert Johnson with
the New Millenium, and he does it so well. He plays
some lovely slide guitar to accompany his vocals on
tracks like “Big Black Ben” and he picks some great
guitar to go with tracks such as "Sugar Smallhouse
Heads For The Hills”– at times he sounds like Bob
Dylan might if he played pure blues.
This man
is a story-teller as well as a musician, and all 12
of the tracks on the album are his own and each
tells a story in its own right (much like the early
Bob Dylan material). It’s maybe not the sort of
album that you fall in love with first time around –
it needs a few listens to get to grips with what
this man is doing. But once you get into it, you’re
captured and just want to listen more and more.
There
are so many influences here, and I’ve probably
missed a lot of them, but I would hazard a guess at
Robert Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Son House, Bob
Dylan, Bukka White, and Fred McDowell. The mix is
compelling, addictive, and delicious – the
instrumental “Wooooo Rosa” just blew me away and I
would personally buy this CD for this track on its
own. That track and “Running from my Baby’s Gun” are
just so incredibly good --- technically, musically,
and every other way.
There
are a couple of tracks that weren’t altogether to my
taste, but the good tracks override these by such a
large margin that it’s irrelevant.
Get this
CD and listen to “Woooooo Rosa,” “Running From My
Bay’s Gun” and “The Sad Ballad Of Ol Willie Cahan” –
I can guarantee that you’ll be pleased you listened.
---
Terry Clear
1861
is the debut album for Moreland & Arbuckle on
the Northern Blues label, their previous output
being on the Uncle Larry and Top Tone labels.
Although
the name suggests a duo, this band is a trio and
they play old style hill-country and Delta blues
(and some Chicago blues, too). Pretty good for a
bunch of guys from Kansas! The Line-up is Aaron
Moreland (guitar), Dustin Arbuckle (harmonica &
vocals) and Brad Horner (drums), and the three of
them gel together pretty well. Incidentally, the
title of the album, 1861 refers to the year
that Kansas officially became a state.
The
slide guitar work here is great and the album
sensibly opens with some great slide from Aaron
Moreland, who plays everything from the National
steel to cigar box guitars. He and vocalist (and
harmonica player) Dustin Arbuckle wrote the original
tracks between them, with a lot of obvious influence
from the North Mississippi Allstars, R.L.Burnside
and Junior Kimbrough's music --- the covers include
Hound Dog Taylor's ''Gonna Send You Back to
Georgia,'' R.L. Burnside's ''See My Jumper'' and
Ryan Taylor’s “Pittsburgh in The Morning.”
Usually
(although not always), when there’s a mix of
originals and covers on an album, the originals
generally are the better material. In the case of
this album that’s not the case, although the covers
are very well picked.
The
music might possibly be a little heavy for some
blues purists, but for anyone who likes Hill Country
music from the likes of R.L.Burnside, Junior
Kimbrough and, latterly, Buddy Guy, this is a
definite CD to buy.
If I
have to pick a favourite, then it has to be their
version of Burnside’s “Jumper On The Line” – not
because it’s the best track here, but because it’s
such an old favourite of mine!. However, it was a
very close thing with the acoustic “Teasin’ Doney”
and “Please, Please Mammy.”
Great CD
– I’ll be playing this for a long time to come!
---
Terry Clear
AB-4
(ST2 Records) is an unusual album, a mix of Blues,
Jazz, Soul and Latin music. Ari Borger is
from Brazil, and is widely regarded in his home
country as being one of the leading players of piano
and organ. He certainly has a very wide repertoire,
and includes a tremendous amount of influences and
inspirations in his music. This is the first that
I’ve heard of his music and I have to admit to being
impressed by his technical skill and his feel for
music on this CD – which is mainly instrumental, by
the way.
The
album opens with “Trip Song,” one of six original
compositions by Ari Borger, a mainly piano-based
jazz/blues fusion that is both easy to listen to and
very enjoyable. Another Borger original follows,
this time with more of a blues groove – it’s called
“Na Pressāo” and it showcases some nice laid back
guitar work by the well known Brazilian guitarist
Celso Salim. This is, without a doubt, my favourite
track on this CD!
Some
cover versions follow up – with tracks written by
Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Horace Silver and
Theolonius Monk – they are all bang on target and
well executed, albeit more jazz than blues –
obvious, really, from the list of songwriters!
The
Horace Silver track, “Señor Blues,” has jazz mixed
with Bossa Nova and some blues riffs – a nice mix
that I would think Horace Silver would approve of.
The following track, a Borger original called “Acid
Groove,” I immediately assumed that I wouldn’t like.
The name put me off straight away – how wrong could
I be? This is full of atmosphere and feeling, more
blues than jazz, with some more excellent guitar by
Celso Salim – he and Ari Borger seem to work really
well together and it would be great to hear a whole
album of blues with this pair!
This
isn’t a CD to buy if you’re looking for strictly
blues, but it is a good CD to have in your
collection if your taste in music is a little bit
varied.
Have a
listen anyway, and see what you think
---
Terry Clear
