Amy
Black has achieved acclaim as a fine
singer/songwriter, mostly in the Americana / Country
genres. But on The Muscle Shoals Sessions,
Ms. Black stayed close to her north Alabama roots
with a visit to the historically-significant FAME
Recording Studios for this fine collection of soul
classics and originals all given that iconic Muscle
Shoals sound. Produced by the legendary Spooner
Oldham (who also provides top-notch organ
accompaniment), the session includes many of the
FAME regulars backing Black on the dozen numbers
found here.
The disc opens with a
cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home, allowing
Black to immediately show off her impressive vocal
range. She follows by pouring out her heart on the
soul chestnut "Uptight, Good Man," co-written by
producer Oldham and the equally prolific songwriter
Dan Penn. Here, Black provides sound advice for
women looking for just the right man, with a crack
horn section laying down a solid soundtrack.
With the snaky,
bluesy "Get To Me," we get to hear the first of
Black's three original numbers, highlighted by
Oldham's tasteful organ work. Heading even further
into the back country, Will Kimbrough's subtle slide
guitar work on the traditional blues/gospel number
"You Gotta Move" is one of the best songs on the
disk, with the haunting, dirge-like tune being taken
to the river with the backing vocals of the always
wonderful McCrary sisters.
Black punches her
soul card on another original number, the anthemic
"Please Don't Give Up On Me," with the horn section
of Charles Rose (trombone), Steve Herrman (trumpet)
and Jim Hoke (sax) providing Black with the oomph to
allow her vocals to really soar into the
stratosphere. She then gets really sassy on the
up-tempo version of Don Covay's "Watch Dog," before
slowing it down for the Phillip Mitchell-penned song
"Starting All Over Again." I really like her tender
vocals on this one, and Kimbrough contributes a nice
acoustic guitar solo midway through the cut.
An interesting
inclusion is a version of Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve
Somebody," with the McCrary sisters returning to
give this number the appropriate gospel spirit. For
the umpteenth time on this album, Kimbrough comes in
at just the right moment with an amazingly tasteful
guitar solo. This guy knows just how many notes to
play without yielding to excess.
A soul session
recorded in Muscle Shoals wouldn't be complete
without a version of Dan Penn's classic "You Left
the Water Running," and Black contributes her fine
rendition. Kimbrough and the horn section all do
their part of supporting Black's exquisite vocal
work.
Closing out this fine
disc is a mid-tempo version of Arthur Alexander's
"You Better Move On," with its slightly Latin beat
providing the framework for Black's rich vocals. I
know I'm repeating myself, but Kimbrough comes in at
just the right time with just the right guitar
chords; he's really the unsung hero of this disc.
There's always been a
fine line between country music and soul music,
especially when it comes to anything captured within
the town limits of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Amy
Black's The Muscle Shoals Sessions provides
another good example of this happy marriage.
---
Bill Mitchell
Paul Miles may be the most positive thinking man on
the planet. He’s a modern day troubadour who has
called many cities home. Lately he’s been in Tempe,
Arizona, but Detroit, San Diego, and Lucerne,
Switzerland have been home bases in the past. With a
sound that reminds of Richie Havens combined with
the hoots and hollers of a joyful man, Miles is able
to make anti-establishment songs sound fun. That’s
not to say that that’s his main topic. He’s just got
a bit of the Truth, Justice and the American Way
(Paul Miles Music) in
him.
No big S is visible on his chest, but he is
known far and wide as a man steeped in those
principals. The 14 songs here are testament to his
talent and his passion. This is his 10fth album of
original songs. To call him prolific is an
understatement. On the timely "Justice, What You Gonna Do for Me?" he sings, “A while ago I took a
ride with my friends/We had no idea that violence
would be the way this would end/As we played our
music real real real loud/Not guilty of anything/I’m
the one with the biggest mouth …. Then I saw that
man/He had a gun in his hand/pop pop pop went the
shots … I told them ‘friends don’t worry/Just
remember to get this truth in the hands of a jury’…”
By contrast, "Get Away" sings of a peaceful vacation
(“Hey baby/You know that we had a long week/It’s
time for us my sugar to get off our feet/What you
say/ about a getaway?”) and "Are You?" Is a song about
meeting someone new (“Are you a dreamer? /Are you a
lover? /I’m asking this question can you tell me
so/Are you a believer or a deceiver?”).
Paul Miles is an impressive singer and compelling
lyricist, but that percussive guitar is an equal part
of the charm. "Did You Rock With Me?" is rife with
impressive acoustic guitar, as is the appropriately
named instrumental, "Mr. Havens."
Truth, Justice and the American Way is a fun CD.
--- Mark E. Gallo
The standout acoustic blues disc of the year,
Rattlesnake Cage (Black Hen)
showcases Steve Dawson's brilliance. He wrote all of the
songs, produced and mixed the disc, and plays
gloriously on this all-instrumental collection. He
employs a number of guitars: a Jumbo Larivee, a
Weissenborn built by Michael Dunn, a National
Tricone and a Taylor 12-string. He also notes that
he used a Neumann M 49 microphone “that had been
hanging from the rafters of a church in Detroit for
50 years.”
All of the above are expertly utilized on
these 11 impressive songs. From the opening notes on
"Blind Thomas at the Crime Scene," Dawson displays his
complete control of the instrument. His playing is
bright and jaw-droppingly precise.
"Flophouse Oratory" is played with more power, and the
following "The Medicine Show Comes to Avalon" returns
to beautifully played finger picking. As you might
expect, this is reminiscent of Mississippi John
Hurt. Butterfly Stunt" is fleet fingered and "While
The West Was Won the Earth Didn't Know It" has a deep
and buttery feel to it.
Fans of amazing guitar
playing don't want to let this one pass. To my ears
the most impressive acoustic guitarist to come down
the pike in years. Fans of Dan Crary will love this.
Whew!
--- Mark E. Gallo
The intersection of folk and blues was there at the
beginning of both genres a century ago. The
appropriately named two-disc set, The Only Folk Collection You’ll Ever Need
(Shout Factory) represents classic
folk music from the Carter Family’s 1935 "Can the
Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye)" to Odetta’s 1973
version of "Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down."
In between are gems from Woody Guthrie ("This Land Is
Your Land"), the Stanley Brothers ("I’m a Man of
Constant Sorrow"), Dave VanRonk ("He Was a Friend of
Mine"), Bob Dylan ("The Times They Are A-Changing"),
Rambling Jack Elliot ("Roving Gambler"), and the
amazing Doc Watson ("Sitting On Top Of The World").
That’s just the first disc. The second features Phil
Ochs, the Byrds, Pete Seeger, Donovan, Joan Baez,
Tim Hardin, Fairport Convention, and John Prine. Of
more interest to blues aficionados are classics from
the likes of the great Mississippi John Hurt whose
version of "I Shall Not Be Moved" showcases his
amazing finger picking – which is comparable to Doc
Watson’s.
Also of note is Brownie McGhee and Sonny
Terry’s great "John Henry" and Huddie ‘Leadbelly’
Ledbetter’s iconic "Rock Island Line."
Folk and Blues
co-mingling? Indeed, it has intersected quite nicely
over the years.
--- Mark E. Gallo
Blues singer Jackie
Payne began singing professionally in his early
teens in his native Athens, Georgia. Relocating to
Houston at age 17, he enjoyed a regional hit, “Go Go
Train,” that led to his joining the Stax Revue tour
with Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, and Rufus & Carla
Thomas. After a 15-year stint with The Johnny Otis
Orchestra, Payne teamed up with guitarist Steve
Edmonson to form the Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson
Band in the late ’90s, releasing three well-received
discs between 2003 and 2008.
In early 2014, Payne recorded
I Saw The Blues, his
second solo album, and planned to release it later
in the year, but unfortunately he suffered a major
stroke in October before the album was finished.
Guitarist Kid Andersen, who owns Greaseland Studios
(where the album was recorded) and guitarist Anthony
Paule teamed up to help Payne finish and release the
album on Paule’s Blue Dot Records label. Blues fans
should thank the two of them profusely, because
Payne was in top form for these 12 tracks.
Payne wrote six of the
12 tracks and they
include the autobiographical title track, “Kicking
Back With The Blues” (highlighted by some great
guitar by Paule), “Feel Like Doing My Thing,” “Six
Million Dollar Man,” a hot track with some hot
guitar from Andersen, the jazzy “Rock Me With A
Steady Roll,” and “Full Moon Blues,” with some
terrific slide guitar from Paule.
Payne’s originals mix well with his choice of
covers. The opening track is a deep Southern Soul
track written by Jonnie Barret, Carson Whitsett, and
Dan Penn, and I really like Payne’s vocal and the
horns, which are also a highlight of “When The Blues
Comes Knockin’. Billy Ray Charles’ “Wife, Woman,
Hoochie” is another standout with one of Payne’s
best vocals.
Other covers include a really funky
take on the Tony Joe White tune “I Get Off On It,”
Little Johnny Taylor’s “Somewhere Down The Line,”
and Ollie Nightingale’s “I’ll Drink Your Bathwater
Baby,” which closes the disc.
With Payne’s outstanding vocal performance and the
peerless accompaniment from Paule and Andersen,
along with Derrick “D’Mar” Martin (drums), Endre
Tarczy (bass), Lorenzo Farrell (organ), Bob Welsh
(piano), and the horn section of Ed Early
(trombone), Jeff Lewis (trumpet), Eric Spaulding and
Frankie Ramos (sax), and Aki Kumar (harmonica) makes
a great album even greater.
Though the initial prognosis was grim, Payne has
made tremendous strides in his recovery, and a
benefit show to help pay for his medical expenses
and the release of I Saw The Blues will be held at
Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco on May 31st. If
you’re nearby, go check out the music, buy this
disc, and help one of the finest soul blues artist
of this era get back on his feet again.
---
Graham Clarke
Arlen Roth is regarded as one of the most
influential guitarists of all time. He has toured
and recorded with a huge number of artists,
including Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, John Prine,
Phoebe Snow, Sonny Landreth, David Lindley, Albert
Lee, Duane Eddy, Danny Gatton, Ry Cooder, Michael
Bloomfield, Dusty Springfield, and The Bee Gees.
He’s an instructional guitarist who has released a
series of educational series of instructional
videos, and currently does online lessons on
Gibson.com. He was a big part of the ’80s blues
film, Crossroads, where he created the guitar parts,
and directed the scenes.
Roth’s latest album,
Slide Guitar Summit (Aquinnah
Records), features the legendary guitarist with an
all-star cast of guitarists covering a wide variety
of musical styles. Produced by Tom Hambridge, who
also mans the drum kit throughout, the guests
gutiarists include Landreth, Lindley, Cindy
Cashdollar , Jimmy Vivino, Lee Roy Parnell, Greg
Martin, Jack Pearson, Rick Vito, and the late Johnny
Winter, whose collaboration with Roth, a sizzling
take on “Rocket 88” would prove to be his final
recording session (Roth dedicated the album to
Winter).
Parnell, best known for his country radio hits in
the ’90s, is as comfortable on the blues, rock, and
soul side, and proves it with his two appearances, a
strong version of “Dust My Broom,” and “Dixie
Chicken,” a wonderful tribute to Little Feat’s
Lowell George. Lap steel guitarist Cashdollar, who
had stints with Livingston Taylor and Asleep at the
Wheel, tackles the early ’60s instrumental hit,
“Stranger On The Shore,” and the country-styled
instrumental “Steel Guitar Rag” with Roth.
Kentucky Headhunters founding member Greg Martin
also appears on two tracks, the Jimmie Rodgers
classic “Peach Pickin’ Time In Georgia” and a lovely
version of “Amazing Grace” that closes the album.
Conan O’Brien house band leader Jimmy Vivino also
gets two tracks with Roth, the acoustic “Poor Boy
Blues” and “And When I Die,” the Laura Nyro song
made famous by Blood, Sweat, & Tears, and former
Fleetwood Mac guitarist Rick Vito shines on
“Paradise Blues” and the Motown standard, “You
Really Got A Hold on Me.”
Nashville guitarist Jack Pearson, Landreth, and
Lindley all get a track apiece. Pearson’s country
rocker “Do What’s Right” opens the disc in fine
fashion, Landreth and Roth team up on the jazzy
“Sonny Skies,” and Lindley’s fun reading of
Professor Longhair’s “Her Mind Is Gone” was recorded
live with him and Roth showing off their skills on
lap steel and seemingly having a blast doing so.
Actually, the entire disc sounds like that……a group
of buddies getting together to do what they love.
Simply put, if you’re a fan of slide guitar, you
must own this disc.
---
Graham Clarke
In 2013, Ian Siegal traveled to north Mississippi to
attend the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic
near Oxford. While there, the British blues rocker
met up with his occasional musical partners, Luther
and Cody Dickinson and Alvin Youngblood Hart (all of
whom had accompanied Siegal (under the name The
Mississippi Mudbloods) on his 2012 release, Candy
Store Kid, and another local artist, Jimbo Mathus.
The group then headed over to the Dickinsons’ Zebra
Ranch Studio to jam, and The Picnic Sessions (Nugene
Records) was born.
Over two days, using vintage equipment, picking up
and playing whatever instruments were in reach, and
with a total sense of spontaneity, the group
recorded ten songs, produced by Cody Dickinson (who
has produced a couple of previous Siegal
albums --- Candy Store Kid and The Skinny). The set
list is a mix of a few old Siegal tunes, some new
ones (some written in the studio), and a few
traditional covers. This is raw and ragged stuff,
just like the blues ought to be.
While the basic theme is blues, as heard on tracks
like the rugged “Stone Cold Soul” and “Keen and
Peachy,” there are also tunes like “How Come You’re
Still Here,” which has a folksy feel to it. There’s
a dreamy cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Heavenly
Houseboat Blues,” and a Latin-styled reading of Tom
Russell’s “Gallo Del Cielo.” “Talkin’ Overseas
Pirate Blues” is a fun talking blues, and the
country gospel “Beulah Land” is wonderful. “Hard
Times (Come Again No More)” is a take on a 150+year
old song from Stephen Foster with an outstanding
vocal from Siegal.
Mixed in throughout the disc are bits and snippets
of conversations, trial runs, and discussions that
show what went into the performances and the making
of the disc. Siegal’s lyrics are loads of fun, too.
His clever way with lyrics and his dry wit will have
listeners paying close attention to what is being
said, almost as much as they will be paying
attention to the impressive string-bending prowess
of the involved parties.
If you’re not familiar with Ian Siegal, and you
really should be, just based on his two previous
albums mentioned earlier in this review, you missing
a real treat. The Picnic Sessions is a fantastic
look at how great music can come together in the
gifted hands of a set of talented musicians. These
five men are doing as much to keep the blues alive
as anyone in the business right now and blues fans
should definitely check this one out.
---
Graham Clarke
Sherwood Fleming was born in Mississippi in the mid
1930’s, the son of a sharecropper. From an early
age, he wanted to be a singer, but when he heard B.B.
King sing “3 O’Clock Blues,” he knew he wanted to
sing the blues. He moved to Los Angeles when he was
20 and performed in a few clubs and in church,
working at Modern Records as a custodian prior to
the label’s shutdown. He recorded six tracks for
Modern, including the sought-after single “Good
Woman Blues,” and sporadically afterward for a few
small labels, but he never got the break he wanted
or deserved.
After giving up on music for many years, Fleming
recently was tracked down by Dynaflow Records head
Eddie Stout, who got him back on track with a few
gigs and a brand new album, Blues Blues Blues, which
teams Fleming up with some of Austin’s finest
musicians including guitarist Johnny Moeller and
drummer Jason Moeller, along with sax man Kaz
Kazanoff, keyboardist Nick Connolly, guitarist
Stevie Fulton, and bassist Burly Manor. The band
rips through a dozen tracks of gritty blues that
mixes several fine Fleming originals (blues singer
Larry Davis recorded his “For Five Long Years”) with
some interesting and seldom-heard covers.
Fleming’s robust vocals are a great match for these
tunes, which range from the funky Ike Turner
thumper, “Bold Soul Brother (Bold Soul Sister),” to
the gritty down-home “Gotta Hold On” and “Non
Support Blues,” to a slow burning take on Bob
Geddins’ classic “My Time After Awhile,” to a moving
acapella reading of Mahalia Jackson’s “Trouble of
the World.” There’s also a fun remake of Andre
Williams’ “Jailbait.”
Fleming proves to be a writer of considerable skill,
too. He penned four tracks, which include the strong
title track, the spoken-word “History,” the swinging
R&B number “No Life For A Working Man,” and “Good
Woman,” a slow blues with some standout fretwork
from Moeller, whose versatility shines through on
every track.
This is an impressive comeback effort
from Sherwood Fleming, who retains a powerful
singing style and a solid knack for songwriting.
Hopefully, Dynatone can get him back into the studio
soon.
---
Graham Clarke
One of the more interesting, and successful, blues
collaborations in recent years has been the pairing
of European blues treasure Hans Theessink and native
Mississippian Terry Evans. The duo has released two
very successful studio albums (2008’s Visions and
2012’s Delta Time), and have now followed up with a
live effort, True & Blue (Blue Groove), a
14-song acoustic set, six originals by Theessink and eight covers, recorded in Vienna.
The combination of Theessink’s warm baritone and
Evans’ gospel-flavored soul is a winning one, and
their guitar work also meshes well. They have a
rapport that would indicate a friendship and musical
partnership that extends far beyond their first
recording in 2008. The pair work through a sterling
set of covers (mostly from their studio releases)
that includes Memphis Slim’s “Mother Earth,”
Leadbelly’s “Bourgeois Blues,” the Wilson Pickett
classic “Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You,” Chuck
Berry’s “Maybelline,” and the J.B. Lenoir classic,
“Talk To Your Daughter.”
They also cover Evans’ mournful “Gotta Keep Moving”
(from Live and Let Live, Evans’ excellent late ’80s
recording with Bobby King). Theessink’s own tunes
blend in perfectly, with “Demons,” “Vicksburg Is My
Home,” and “I Need Money” from Visions and “Shelter
From the Storm” and the title track from Delta Time.
Theessink’s jaunty “Tears Are Falling” (from his
2008 release, Crazy Moon) is also included. He is as
gifted a songwriter as he is a guitarist.
True & Blue is a very enjoyable live session.
Obviously Theessink and Evans have a ball playing
together and the audience senses this and they’re
having a ball listening. This is as good a live set
of roots and blues as you’ll hear this year.
---
Graham Clarke
Their collaboration was the result of an
unintentional double booking, but
guitarist/singer/songwriter Ben Rice and
singer/songwriter Lucy Hammond have made the most of
their “accidental partnership,” drawing attention
for their energetic live performances and their
musical chemistry. Hammond used Rice as part of her
roots project, NW Blues Uprising. As a duo, they
even reached the finals of this year’s International
Blues Challenge (Rice also reached the finals a year
earlier with his band, The Illmatics).
The Portland, Oregon-based duo recently released their
debut EP, Destination Clarksdale, a five-song
collection of original tunes. Rice and Hammond share
vocals backed only by Rice’s expressive guitar work.
Their voices mesh seamlessly, with Rice’s fiery
delivery perfectly matched by Hammond’s sultry,
understated style. The sparse backing
instrumentation really puts the focus on their vocal
interplay.
I really like the playfulness of “Ida Mae” and the
moodiness of the Delta-flavored “Oh Lord.” “Wants Me
Back Again” features Rice’s best vocal, with driving
fretwork and strong vocal support from Hammond.
“Turn My Back On You” has a more modern flair, with
a lilting melody reminiscent of the Subdudes, and
the haunting closer, “Muddy Water,” provides a
really nice showcase for Hammond’s vocals.
The only problem with this disc is that, at five
songs and 20 minutes, there’s not enough of it.
Blues fans will be dying to hear more from this
talented duo.
---
Graham Clarke
One of the more interesting bands to come across my
horizon in the last couple of years has to be the
Cash Box Kings out of Chicago. The core band, with
Joe Nosek on harp & vocals, Oscar Wilson on vocals,
Kenny Smith on drums, and Joel Paterson on guitar &
vocals, is definitely one of my go to bands when I
want to listen to a more traditional style of blues.
Coupled with the “honorary Cash Box Kings” including
Gerry Hundt, Billy Flynn, Brad Ber, Beau Sample,
Mark Haines and Barrelhouse Chuck, the band is more
than capable of playing just about any damn thing
they want to. And they do. Let’s throw their latest
Blind Pig release, Holding Court, into the CD player
and give it a spin.
The band starts out with “I Ain’t Gonna Be No Monkey
Man” with Oscar on the lead vocal, paying their
respects to Big Smokey Smothers. Joe’s playing a
mean harp while Oscar tells the woman in question,
“I’m going to love you right…and treat you square…if
you do me wrong…I ain’t gonna be your monkey man no
more.” We segue into “Download Blues” and here
Oscar’s lamenting the current state of the recording
industry and the lack of money there is for the
artists out there paying their dues. “People think
music…on the net should be free…it might as well
be…cause they ain’t paying me…I’ve got the download
blues.” Piracy is having a huge impact on the
working artist and I can relate to the sentiments
that Oscar is telling us about here.
Unfortunately
technology isn’t the only thing having an impact on
the working man. Rent prices in the city are soaring
astronomically and Oscar feels it’s time for a
change in our next tune, “Gotta Move out to the
Suburbs.” “I can’t live where I grew up y’all…I gotta kiss my crib goodbye.” Both land and housing
are cheaper out in the suburbs and it’s forcing many
a Blues men to leave the neighborhoods of their
youth.
Joe takes a turn at the microphone and leads the
band into our next cut, “Cash Box Boogie.” “Wash the
window…close the door…grab that money…from outta the
drawer…let’s do the cash box boogie…boogie til the
money’s gone.” It’s time to play and Joe is more
than happy to lead the way.
Oscar returns to the mic
for the band’s take on a John Lee Hooker tune, “Hobo
Blues,” and Joel Paterson is spot on with his
fretwork to introduce this tune. “When I first
started Hobi’n …I took a freight train to be my
friend…you know I Hoboed the Hobo…a long, long way
from home.” Beau Sample’s on his upright bass for
this tune and I’m appreciating the way he’s laying
down the back end with Mark Haines on the pots &
pans. Joe’s harmonica helps to signal his presence
back at the helm as the band picks up the tempo for
one of his originals, “Baby Without You”. “Got a
brand new do…man, looking cool…I’ve got some
long-toed shoes…yeah, they’re really smooth…but,
standing all alone…they only make me look like a
fool….cause baby, without you…I’m only half a man.”
Joe’s identity seems to be wrapped up in his baby’s
approva, so I’m thinking he’d better hang on to this
one for dear life.
Joe continues on with another tune he wrote, “JuJu”,
and this tune has more of a jump feel to it. “When I
saw JuJu walking down the street…I said that’s one
girl I’d like to meet…well, my JuJu…what do you
do…got me ho hoing and ha hahing.” JuJu’s got Joe
wrapped around her little finger and he sounds like
he’s in it for the long haul with this girl. Oscar’s
back on the lead vocal as the band takes on a Willie
Love tune, “Everybody’s Fishin’”. “You know
everybody’s fishing…I believe I’ll fish some too.”
Joel’s guitar is up front and center, and I’m
appreciating this up tempo vibe from the Cash Box
Kings. I hear some brushes on the snare as the tempo
slows and the band performs our next cut, “Out on
the Road”, a tune by James Lane. Life has been a bit
tough for Oscar here as he tells us, “Well, my first
wife quit me…you know she put me out on the
road…you, know…I didn’t have no place to go.” Caught
by surprise, without a safety net, Oscar’s left to
pick up the pieces of his life and begin again.
Joe returns with another original tune, “Sugar Pea,”
and I’m appreciating the light feel of this tune
from him. “She’s like a bus chord…ringing true…my
little woman…don’t tell me what to do…she’s my sweet
little thing…yeah, she’s my sugar pea.” Joe’s got
himself a good woman here and hopefully he’ll do
right by her. Up next is another Nosek original, “I
Miss You Miss Anne,” and here Joe’s dealing with the
loss of a woman he definitely loved. “Loving
you…wasn’t easy…but I loved you just the same…my
only regret…is that you never took my name…Miss
Anne…I miss you…more than you’ll ever know.”
Oscar’s
back at the helm for our next cut, “I’m a Real
Lover,” and he’s proclaiming his love to the woman
he desires. “I’m a real lover baby…and I’ve got to
have your love…well, I’m begging you little girl…to
give me one more chance…I’m a real lover baby…got to
have your love.”
The final cut on Holding Court is
another original by Joe Nosek, “Quarter to Blue,”
and here we find the band playing a slow blues
instrumental with Joe’s mournful harp conveying the
intended sadness with great conviction.
Listening to Holding Court
was a refreshing change of pace from the other discs
I’ve listened to recently, and I can always count on
the Cash Box Kings to bring that old school flavor
that we probably don’t hear enough of these days.
The band itself is very talented and with all of the
available honorary band members, more than capable
of playing any form of blues they desire. I’ve yet
to see the band live and that will be one of the
items on my to do list of adventures for this
summer. The band’s website is
www.cashboxkings.com
and once you’re there; you’ll appreciate their
dedication to the music they love and the artists
who’ve inspired them.
---
Kyle Deibler
I recently had Cedric Burnside and Trenton Ayers out
here with me in Colorado for a few days to perform
in our 1st annual tribute concert to the memory of
John-Alex Mason, and the event was a fantastic
celebration of John-Alex’s memory. I know the event
was extremely important to Cedric as a remembrance
of Cody Burnside as well, and that made it all the
more bittersweet for all of us. Cedric was excited
about the release of their new record, Descendants
of Hill Country, and I looked forward to giving it a
listen. There’s something very seminal about Hill
Country Blues, the music of R.L. Burnside and Jr.
Kimbrough, and I’m thinking nobody does it better
today than the Cedric Burnside Project. Let’s give
this disc a listen.
The Cedric Burnside Project for this recording
consists of Cedric, his uncle Garry Burnside and
Trenton Ayers. The disc starts out with “Born With
It” and we’re transported deep into the bowels of
the Mississippi Hill Country as Cedric reflects on
their roots. “Hill Country Blues…we were born with
it.” Cedric and Garry’s side of the Hill Country
ledger is well known and guitarist Trenton Ayer’s
father, Joe Ayers, was the original bass player for
Jr. Kimbrough. All three of them are indeed “born
with it.”
Cedric’s kit is at the forefront of the
mix as they move on to “Hard Time”. Everybody goes
through hard times and as Cedric sings, “Just keep
on living baby…you’re going to see them hard times
again.” Both Trenton and Garry play guitar on this
disc so I don’t know who’s playing the lead solo
here, but it’s a good one. “Front Porch” features a
light guitar solo with Cedric using his brushes on
the snare as he and Garry tell us about their front
porch. “There’s a lot of life...going on down
there…just sitting on the front porch…yeah…yeah.”
I hear the dice shaking in the cup as the topic
moves to gambling in “Don’t Shoot the Dice.” “Don’t
shoot the dice…y’all…don’t the shoot the dice…one
shooter…they could be crooked…or they could
wrong…they can change the dice y’all…and you’ll
never see it done…don’t shoot the dice.” Our next
cut, “Going Away Baby,” finds Cedric leaving his
woman. “Well…I ain’t never looked but four women in
my life…that was my mother…my sister…my
sweetheart…and my wife.” Cedric is worried about
this one all the time and it’s best to let her go.
“Airport” is next and here it seems Cedric
has found
a new love to hang on to. “I met…this ole lady…she
left me standing…in the airport…well, she gave me a
little kiss…and it went straight to my heart…she ain’t nothing but four feet eleven…but I know she’s
all mine…yes, she’s got a sweet old heart…but she
left me there crying.” This one didn’t work out but
Cedric lives to love another day and that’s not all
bad.
“You Just Wait and See” is the first real ballad on
the disc, and it’s just Cedric’s kick drum and some
intricate finger-picking from Trenton. “I know you
think, baby…that I don’t really love you….but I’m
here to tell you, I really do…you just wait and see,
baby…you just wait and see.” I don’t think I’ve
heard Cedric sing a song this tenderly and I’m
appreciating the contrast to the deep sounds I
normally experience with Hill Country blues.
The
Hill Country sound returns on our next cut, “Tell Me
What I’m Gonna Do,” and finds Cedric conflicted. “My
baby told me…just the other day…she don’t want no
other man…up in her face…I didn’t tell her…I saw you
the other day…with another man…and holding hands
too…tell me what I’m gonna do…with you.” What you’re
gonna do Cedric is let her go. Plain and simple, my
friend. Cedric’s a pretty deep thinker and I
appreciate his sentiments expressed in our next cut,
“This Is For the Soldiers.” “This is for our
soldiers…we pray…to come on home…this is for our
soldiers…I know it’s hard…to be from your
families…no one can…feel the pain…that y’all
see…don’t you worry…we rise…we’re America all the
way.” It’s a crazy world we live in today, and we
enjoy the freedom we have in our country because of
the sacrifices these men and women make on behalf of
our freedom everywhere.
Up next is “Skinny Woman” and its light tone is a
welcome interlude after the intensity of “This Is
For the Soldiers.” “Well…don’t want…skinny
woman…well don’t want…skinny woman…meat don’t
shake.” Just a simple tune with an intricately
finger-picking guitar in the background, and that
works well here. “That Changes Everything” finds
Cedric reflecting on the evil that having too much
money can have on one’s life. “You can be a
millionaire…got your fortune and fame…got your fancy
car…big house…and your gold chain…but if you don’t
use it for good…that changes everything.” We’ve all
seen too much money wreck the life of someone we
know. It can happen to you…it can happen to me…just
remember…”if you don’t use it for good…that changes
everything.”
Another blazing guitar intro sets the
tone for our next cut, “Down in the Delta.” Cedric
enters banging on the pots and pans, and here we go. “I
went down to the Delta…looked out at that cotton
field…well my Dad said…”Thank God, you wasn’t
here”…well, I always wondered…what did he mean by
that.” What he meant is that he was grateful that
his son didn’t experience the hardships bestowed
upon his ancestors working those cotton fields.
The
final cut on Descendants of Hill Country is another
delicately picked ballad, “Love Her Til I Die.”
“When I first saw her…she really caught my eye…I
said…I’m going to love…love…love her 'til I die.”
Descendants of Hill Country brings me back to
reflecting on the first song of the disc, “Born With
It.” Hill Country Blues comes from an area of
Mississippi that few folks know and even fewer are
able to express. Cedric, Garry and Trenton are
carrying on the legacy of their forefathers and
doing it better than anyone else. Cedric’s website
is
cedricburnside.com
--- check the Cedric Burnside
Project’s schedule and see one of their
appearances near you. A good dose of Hill Country
Blues education is good for everyone --- you’ll
thank me later.
---
Kyle Deibler
Deb Ryder appears intent on making a splash in the
Blues world with her new disc, Let It Rain,
engineered by Johnny Lee Scheel and produced by Tony
Braunagel. Tony’s surrounded her with an amazing
group of LA musicians from Kirk Fletcher to Kim
Wilson to band mate Mike Finnigan, and really uses
their musical talents to let Deb’s 11 original tunes
shine on their own in the light of day. Let’s hit
play and see what this Socal Blues woman has up her
sleeve for her sophomore release.
Kirk Fletcher’s fretwork blazes the trail for our
opening cut, “That’s Just How It Is,” and here we
find Deb telling her man she’s not going anywhere.
“It’s inevitable…all of the time…gonna be
mine…that’s just how it is.” Deb’s like a snapping
turtle when it comes to her man and she’s just not
going to let him go. Johnny Lee’s guitar sets the
tone for our next cut, “Can’t Go Back Again,” and
here we find Deb reminiscing about a love in her
life that’s ended. “All you left me was a broken
heart…this is now….that was then…baby, can’t go back
again.” She gave this man a child and he still chose
to leave, Deb’s right in this case, “you can’t go
back again.” Lee Thornburg adds some serious
trombone to the mix and I’m appreciating the
feistiness in Deb’s voice as she prepares herself to
move on.
Deb segues on to “You Won’t Be True” and
here we find Deb facing up to the fact that her man
just isn’t treating her right. “I’ve given you
everything…you still won’t be true.” It’s time for
Deb to kick this cheating man to the curb and move
on with her life.
Kim Wilson’s on the harmonica for a sultry intro to
our next cut, “Guilty as Sin.” Here we find Deb
coming face to face with the other woman whose been
cheating with her man. “Clearly…she was lying…I
could see it in her eyes…did she really believe…I
was falling for her lies…she was guilty as sin.”
Deb’s a strong woman, she’s been through this dance
before and she will handle her man the way she needs
to. Kirk’s fretwork is scintillating and I’m
enjoying the solo he adds to this tune.
Mike Finnigan’s on the B3 as part of the intro to Deb’s
next tune, “Cry Another Tear.” Deb’s man has let her
go but she’s a survivor and made it through. This
tune has a gospel feel to it and I’m appreciating
Deb’s word craft here, “well, I’m just fine…you’re
the end of the line…I’ve found someone much better
than you…it’ll be a cold day in hell…before I cry
another tear over you.” “Hold Your Lamp High” is our
next cut and Deb is appreciating all the struggles
in the world today as many folks are searching for
inspiration. “Hold your lamp high…so the light of
the world can reach the darkness…hold your lamp
high…so the light of the world can shine through.”
We all need something to believe in and “Hold Your
Lamp High” is another great tune from Deb. Lon Price
lends a nice sax solo in this tune and it’s clear
that the arrangements for Deb’s tunes have been well
conceived to compliment her lyrics.
“Money Monsoon” is our next track and I’m
appreciating the up-tempo jump swing tune as a nice
change of pace at this point in the mix. “Need
money…show me some green…universe bring me a money
monsoon…dear Lord, make it rain.” I’d be happy if
one of these shows up over my backyard here in
Colorado as well and I’m sure it never hurts to ask.
We all know the Lord works in mysterious ways. A
stark piano intro from Mike brings us to our next
tune, “Kiss and Dream,” the first ballad on Deb’s
disc. Deb’s young, barely 23 and madly in love. “The
light still shines…like it did that day…right here
my baby…where it all began…so many years ago…when
love was young…and you held me close”. Lon Price’s
sax is back in my ear, blowing a lovely melody that
serves to amplify the love that Deb still feels for
her man today.
The title track, “Let It Rain,” is up
next and a quick piano intro from Mike leads to more
soulful fretwork from Kirk. “I hear a storm is
coming our way…I’ll guess we’ll have to stay in…get
tangled up and sink in bed….take your time baby, we
got all day…let it rain…I’ve been waiting
patiently.” The rain helps to keep Deb’s man at home
and she’s truly appreciative of his time spent home
with her because of the rain. “Let it rain…keep you
here with me.”
So of course while the imagery of a rainy day at
home is still percolating in my brain, Deb and the
band move on to an upbeat tune, “Ma Misere,” and
here Deb’s ready to get rid of her no good man. “Let
me send you on your way…get started on your new life
today…find some damsel in distress…don’t make her
life a total mess…the answer is plain to see…I’m
going to put you out of my misery.” I like the New
Orleans vibe of “Ma Misere” and the band is
definitely enjoying the ride as well.
Kim Wilson is
back with his harp for our final cut, “Round and
Around,” and here we find Deb dealing with the
complexities of the love in her life. “You need more
from me…I need more from you…each one waiting for
the other…to come through…ain’t getting
nowhere…chasing our tail…stop going round and
around.” At least Deb knows what the trouble is,
finding the solution, of course, is an entirely
different matter. Johnny Lee adds just the right
touch of slide guitar on our final cut and I can
appreciate Deb’s dilemma and the pain that it’s
causing.
Kudos to Deb Ryder and Tony Braunagel, for
constructing an intricate pattern of well-crafted
arrangements to go with Deb’s lyrics. I really
enjoyed the whimsy of “Kiss and Dream” while “Let It
Rain” is a song that will stick with me for awhile
this summer. Hopefully Deb will get the opportunity
to tour quite a bit in support of her new record, and
I would love an opportunity to see her new songs
performed live for everyone’s listening pleasure.
You can learn more about this Socal Blues woman on
her website ---
www.debryder.com
--- and you can listen
to sound bites of her new record there as well. And
order a copy of Let It Rain while you’re there, it
features some of the best songwriting I’ve heard in
awhile.
---
Kyle Deibler
Quite literally a hand from a quick thinking
photographer in the pit saved the Ghost Town Blues
Band’s leader, Matt Isbell, from falling off the
stage at the final of the IBC a couple of years
back. Matt’s a “mile a minute” when you talk to him
and I had a chance to catch up with him for a minute
at the Rum Boogie while the band was waiting to take
the stage after that evening’s IBC round wrapped up.
Matt also served as a taxi driver for a number of us
departing that Sunday from Memphis, and he handed me
a copy of Hard Road to Hoe when he dropped us
at the airport. Matt’s a very creative guy, from
making cigar box guitars to slides from wine bottles,
and I looked forward to giving the disc a spin. The
time to do that is now, so here we go.
The Ghost Town Blues Band is a fan favorite in
Memphis, in part because of the band’s inclusion of
a trombone and saxophone player in the line-up, and
they love to perform. They start out with the title
cut, “Hard Road to Hoe,” and Matt’s playing one of
his cigar box guitars while Preston McEwen is
playing an electric-analog broom as part of the
percussion. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of
sounds, something the Ghost Town BB is known for.
Life in the South is never easy and that’s the topic
of discussion here. “Mama’s in the grave…her soul’s
gone to heaven…yes, my Daddy’s on his way…and that’s
a hard road to hoe.” Matt’s growing up, watching his
parents die one by one, and before he knows it, he’s
left to carry on by himself and it’s “a hard road to
hoe.”
Jeremy Powell’s frantic keyboard work sets the
mood for our next tune, “Big Shirley.” Big Shirley’s
not an easy woman to satisfy and Matt tells us all
about it, “Big Shirley…ah, Big Shirley…yes, she
liked the kind of music make you enjoy…straight up
Boogie Woogie…she’ll be singing for more.” Big
Shirley’s a wild woman and even poor Rattlebone
Jones couldn’t make her behave. The horns make their
presence felt as the band moves on to “Tip of My
Hat,” with Brandon Santini lending both his vocals and
harp to the mix. “I don’t care what you think about
that…I can get you, baby…with a tip of my hat.”
Brandon’s blowing some mean harp and everyone
involved is having a big old time.
I have no idea where our next tune, “My Doggy,” came
from, but the band tackles it head on with piano,
horns and Brandon’s harp blowing it up. “The
animals…they go wild for that cat across the
street…my doggy…passed out before the party
ended….my doggy…well, he’s my best friend.” Matt’s
dog is his best friend and the dog in question,
Marry Dog Isbell, even lends a howl to the mix as Suavo Jone’s trombone plays in the background.
Bassist Alex Piazza arranged our next cut, “Mr.
Handy Man,” and I appreciate the old school cracks
and
pops that make it sound and feel like a vinyl disc.
It’s a very short tune that leads us on to our next
cut, “Hate to See Her Go.” Matt’s found himself a
stubborn woman he loves very much but…”I hate to see
you go…but I love it when you walk away.” That
trombone of Suavo’s continues to dominate the
background of this tune and I’m enjoying the laid
back feel of the entire composition. Matt throws a
tasty guitar solo into the mix, and this is the Ghost
Town Blues Band at its very best.
Some intricate picking from Matt and the organ
presence from Jeremy Powell set a somber tone for
the next cut on the disc, “Tied My Worries to a
Stone.” “Tied my worries to a stone…threw 'em in the
Mississippi…want to be left all alone…see what the
real will bring me…Ain’t no worry like before…I
carry all my lightning with me…tied my worry to a
stone…threw it in the Mississippi.” A very frenetic
tune and something I’ve come to expect from the
Ghost Town Blues Band. “Dead Sea” has a more
traditional arrangement to it, and here we find Matt
singing to the woman he loves. “I never broke your
promise…or kept a promise to myself…had my share of
money…but never knew a life of wealth…seems there ain’t no job…ever been fit for me…ain’t no woman…she
gonna set me free…everyone’s now…at the bottom of
the Dead Sea…the Dead Sea…probably be the death of
me.” Matt’s life has been a hard one but he’s
definitely carrying on.
“Nothin But Time” also has a
fairly somber feel to it with Matt’s guitar and
Jeremy’s organ continuing to set the tone. “I got
nothing but time…it’s on my hands…I got nothing but
time…it’s on my hands…when you knock on my door…said
you want to be friends…I got nothing but time…cause
you’re finally moving on”. The woman in Matt’s life
decided to move on and the resulting loneliness
finds Matt with “nothing but time…cause you found a
new man.”
We move on to “Dime in the Well” and Matt’s cigar
box guitar is at the forefront of the mix as he
tells us, “Tossed my life down in the well…keep
tossing my life in that well…You don’t know what I
see…I’m sick and tired of being set free…tossing my
life in that well.”
Matt and the band move on to
“Seventeen,” a song about being young in the world. “Slow down…you’re giving up on
yourself…driving down on a one way street…she can’t
even stand on her own two feet…can’t slow down…or
she might have time…to figure out…why she loves on a
dime…slow down.” The girl in question has all the
time in the world to figure out how she wants to
live, she just needs to slow down.
The final cut on
Hard Road to Hoe finds Matt being reflective in
“Road Still Drives the Same.” “The road still drives
the same…without you…It was a matter of time…but I’m
down to my last dime…the road still drives the
same…without you.” The road can be a lonely place
indeed but her memory stays strong in Matt’s heart
and that memory is all he needs to continue on.
The Ghost Town Blues Band is definitely a fan
favorite in the Bluff City, and we were fortunate to
have them out here in Colorado for a gig at our
beloved Boulder Outlook. Matt and the band have a
unique sound and a party presence that is definitely
all their own. I know they’re touring a lot this
summer, so get out and see them if you can. It’s an
amazing show from a crazy Memphis band, and that’s
all good in my eyes. You can learn more about Matt
and the band at
GhostTownBluesBand.com and find out
where the party will be. I definitely
recommend you be there or be square.
---
Kyle Deibler
I was the venue coordinator at the Rum Boogie the
year that Mr. Sipp, aka Castro Coleman and his band
blew through the early rounds and went on to win the
International Blues Challenge. It was nothing but a
party in the Rum Boogie for the first three days,
and I was confident that Mr. Sipp would do well in
the finals. They proved me right.
Roughly a year
and a half later, Castro’s first CD for Malaco
Records, The Mississippi Blues Child, has managed to
find its way into my CD player and I’m still fanning
the poor thing, trying to put the fire out. Needless
to say, Malaco has signed a great new artist to its
roster and Castro’s new record is going to win him a
whole new world of fans for Mr. Sipp. I think my CD
player has finally cooled off, let’s see if we can
coax another play out of it.
Mr. Sipp opens with the title track per se, “TMBC,”
and we’re taking a trip down Interstate 55 to
Jackson, Mississippi. Castro’s Epiphone is smoking
and we’re off and running. Mr. Sipp is proud of his
Mississippi roots and he’s not bashful about sharing
them here, “I was born in Mississippi…right by the
state line…bad as can be…with these blues on my
mind…I kept telling everybody, what I wanted to
be…now I playing my guitar all over the world…and
I’m known by the name…the Mississippi Blues Child.”
Castro’s a phenomenal guitar player and his fretwork
is sizzling from the start. Our next cut, “Jump the
Broom,” finds Mr. Sipp in love and the girl’s
parents at odds over what she should do. “I said
jump the broom, baby…please marry me…girl, you’re
the prettiest little thing…that these eyes have ever
seen.” Papa’s worrying but Mom’s happy, and Mr. Sipp
is going to win over the girl of his dreams. All she
has to do is, “pack up your bags…and run away with
me…we going to leave ole Mississippi…stop somewhere
down in Tennessee.”
I’m hearing some beautiful organ
in the background from Damien Strauder as Castro
slows things down a bit to sing us, “In the Fire.”
“I can’t helping…thinking about…the troubles of this
world…countries fighting against one another…killing
all our boys and girls…can you tell me…what it’s
going to be like…five years from now…it feels like
I’m just…feeling my life…in the fire…and it’s
burning my soul kinda bad…when will these trouble
end?” No one knows when the troubles will end, but I
appreciate Mr. Sipp’s view of the world we live in
and his acknowledgement of all the problems that exist today. You can hear his anguish and
trepidation in his fretwork and I’m reminded one
again that Castro is a very talented guitarist.
A heavy back-end from Jeffrey Flanagan’s bass along
with Stanley Dixon’s kick drum combine with Castro’s
guitar as he sings about love in “Hole in My Heart.”
“I’ve got a hole in my heart…and my love is leaking
fast…if you don’t fix this leak…my love for you ain’t gonna last.” His woman is causing Mr. Sipp
real pain and if she doesn’t address their problems
soon, she’ll be out of Castro’s life for good. “Say
the Word” finds Mr. Sipp displaying some intricate
fretwork as he sets the tone for a classic ballad in
the Malaco tradition. “If you don’t love me no more,
girl…all you got to do is…say the word…and I’ll be
gone…said, I can’t stand living like this…not
knowing….what the hell is wrong.” Castro’s clear in
his love for his woman but that doesn’t seem to be
enough to keep her home and it won’t be long before
she’s gone forever because of her cheating ways.
Mr. Sipp asks the question, “Y’all ready,” as he segues
into the next cut, “Sipp Slide.” It’s a dance step
and all you really need to do is just get up and
shake your thang.
We’ve come to Friday and Mr. Sipp has worked hard
for his money and he’s not shy about telling his
plans for it in “Nobody’s Bisness.” “I’m going to
spend all money…don’t care what no one says…it’s the
weekend, baby.” He’s obviously ready to party and
the bill collectors will have to wait another week
to collect their money.
This theme of money
continues with Castro sharing a dream in “Jackpot.”
“Y’all, I hit the jackpot, baby…I ain’t coming to
work today…I’m going to get my handy bag…I’ve been
thinking about quitting anyway.” Of course it’s all
a dream and Castro will have to head back to work
soon. “What is Love” is another ballad written by
Mr. Sipp and he’s sharing his wisdom here about
women with all the men in the world. “But what I
found out…she wants somebody to listen…listen to her
problems…just hear out…embrace her emotions…just
wrap your arms around her…and hold her
tight…somebody please tell me…what is love…if your
heart ain’t in it?” All a good woman wants is her
man’s attention and simple signs of appreciation for
the woman she is. It isn’t all about diamond rings,
watches and Gucci bags. Sounds like maybe Mr. Sipp
has it all figured out and with a good woman and four
daughters in his life, I would think so.
So now we move on to “V.I.P.” Castro thinks its
good advice to also show us that if a man is a good
talker, he might just get the woman he wants. But
you have to be sincere. “See, that’s where you are
wrong…I’m not trying to run no game…and neither am I
trying to be a player…you see, your heart’s been
through a lot…and I’m not the one to blame…oh, your
heart deserves to be in love…and my heart deserves
the same…so, what I gotta know…I’ve got to know…will
you put me in your V.I.P.?” Mr. Sipp knows she’s
probably been hurt before and it’s important to him
that she knows his intentions are real.
Our theme of
love continues with Castro serenading his love in
“Tonight.” “Just sit back…and let the music…and let
the melody of this song…heal your heart…oh, yea…I
want to say…tonight…is a beautiful night…tonight.” I
should mention that all of the songs on The
Mississippi Blues Child are original tunes and I
honestly had no idea that Castro was such a ladies’
man. His appreciation of the gentler half continues
with our next song, “Hold It in The Road”. “I know
this lady…she’s good to me…she must be the finest
thing…that I’ve ever seen…she’s got a million dollar
pick-up and so much class…and sometimes, I can’t but
help look at her and with her apple bottom, oww.…so
when she asks me what I’m doing…I tell her….I’m
trying to hold it in the road.” Sounds like good
advice to me, Mr. Sipp.
Up next is “Be Careful,” and again Castro’s fretwork
is setting the tone. “2:30 in the morning and my
eyes should be closed…instead we’re fussing &
fighting…for what, only God knows…oh, you listen to
your friends…and none of them have a man.” Her
girlfriends are stirring up trouble and they’d love
nothing more than to take Mr. Sipp away from her.
She’d be well advised to tread lightly and “be
careful” here.
Passionate fretwork from Castro
provides the intro to the final tune on this disc,
“Too Much Water,” and here we find Mr. Sipp happy to
have moved on but she’s having second thoughts.
“But I think we’re better off, baby…if we just be
friends…but I still love you...and I guess that I
always will…I swear…deep, down in my heart,
baby…that’s the way that I feel…we’ll always be the
best of friends…just can’t get over what you did…too
much water under the bridge.”
The Mississippi Blues Child is an impressive debut
on Malaco Records for Mr. Sipp, and I honestly can’t
say I’m surprised. I’ve been waiting on this record
for awhile now, and those of us who know Castro
know he loves to say, “I’m going to knock a hole
in it.” After I heard this record for the first time
I told his manager, “Castro didn’t just knock a hole
in it…he blew the effing roof off of the joint.” And
I can honestly say that about covers it here.
This
is a disc that is going to garner this Bluesman from
Mississippi some serious consideration come Blues
Music Award time, and I’m happy to know he’ll be
coming to Colorado this summer. So, of course
nothing Castro does is understated, and neither is
his website, you can find out more information about
Mr. Sipp and his goings on at
mrsippthemississippiblueschild.com, and be sure to
catch Castro and his band this touring season. Their
show will be one of the most entertaining you’ll see
all summer long.
---
Kyle Deibler
Any time an artist chooses to cross genres and sing
something different, it represents a risk. Such is
the choice Robin McKelle made when she went to
Memphis to record Heart of Memphis. Her goal was to
create a record in the vein of the great recordings
from Al Green and Isaac Hayes, and tap into the Stax
and Hi Records vibe from back in their heyday. To
that end she enlisted the man at the control board
for many of those discs, Scott Bomar of the Bo-Keys,
and proceeded to have at it. I’ve got Heart of
Memphis in my CD player; let’s give this disc a
spin.
Robin opens with “About to Be Your Baby” and it
sounds like she’s having a change of heart. “I was
about to be your baby…I was about to be your
lady…then you went and started acting shady….” This
man obviously let a good thing go when he probably
should have stopped and taken a good look at the
woman in front of him. As her band, the Flytones,
charges ahead in the mix we move on to “Good Time.”
“Don’t you want to get up…so we can get down…show me
that you want to move your feet…to the funky
sound…everybody…do you want to have a good
time….tonight?”
“Good Time” definitely has a
’60s
soul feel to it and I’m beginning to appreciate
Robin’s songwriting talents for this disc, with
Robin writing 11 of the 13 tunes on her record. We move
on to one of her covers, “Please Don’t Let Me Be
Misunderstood.” I’ve always liked this tune and
Robin adds just the right bit of sultriness to her
vocal. “I’m just a soul…whose intentions are
good…oh, Lord…please don’t let me be misunderstood.”
Our next cut, “Control Yourself,” opens with strings
in the background as Robin berates her man for not
being faithful. “Trap’s set…stepped into it…all
said…that you couldn’t do it…you saw the line…but
you crossed it anyway.” His lack of “control”
definitely has lost him Robin’s affections and he
seems prone to making the same mistakes over and
over again.
Robin confesses to be other end of the
cheating game in our next song, the ballad
“Forgetting You.” “Now that you’ve gone…I can’t go
on living here without you…don’t let me live…the
rest of my life…forgetting you.” Robin’s much too
late in her appreciation of the love that she’s lost
and she will live with that knowledge moving forward
in her life. The title track, “Heart of Memphis,” is
next, with Robin reflecting on her search for a
new beginning. “After sunrise…I headed down toward
the Mississippi River…rain falling had the streets
filled with an afterglow…all the smiles on the faces
of the people…made me feel so welcome…in a place
where my heart…grew heavy and I got to know…way down
in Memphis.” Memphis has a rich musical history and
Robin’s managed to connect to the vibe that makes
the Bluff City the magical place that it is.
More horns and a touch of B3 provide the intro to
our next cut, “Like a River,” and here we find Robin
reflecting on the heart that’s hers to give. “My
heart is like a river…flowing deep inside…my heart
is like a river…heavy, deep inside…nothing can stop
this pain…how’d we ever get this way?” Her man dealt
her a bad hand and it’s time for her to heal and
move on. A lively guitar intro brings us to “Easier
That Way,” where we find Robin reminiscing on a time
when love was simpler and easier in her life. “Oh,
oh…things were different…time didn’t matter…it was
easier that way.” With age comes experiences and
responsibilities that we don’t have when we’re young
and Robin’s right, it was easier back in those days.
“What You Want” has a more somber feeling to it and
here we find Robin down on her luck and lamenting
the end of a relationship. “I’m through with you
lying…can’t you see what you’re doing to me…if you
don’t love me…than just let me be…now, I’ve had my
share of crying…all the time I spent alone…tell
me…what you want…from me.” Robin wouldn’t treat him
this way, so he’d better figure it out soon.
This theme of accountability continues as an
impressive array of horns provides our intro for
“Good & Plenty.” “I’ve got myself…good and plenty of
nothing…when I found myself…in love with you…going
to get myself…plenty of something…so pack your
bags…cause we’re through.”
Robin seems to have
finally found love as the horns continue their
impressive performance on the intro to “Baby You’re
the Best.” “With other guys…it was déjà vu…but
you’re a real man I can hold onto…I hope you never
think about leaving me…cause I don’t know where my
life would be…without you next to me…cause,
baby…you’re the best.” It’s good to see Robin
finally happy and obviously deep in love with this
good man in her life. Unfortunately the bliss is
short lived as Robin segues into our next cut, “Down
With the Ship.” “I’m not going down with the
ship…I’m keeping my head above water…I’m trying to
throw a lifeline to you…but you say you can do it
alone…I’m not going down with the ship.” Robin was
obviously willing to try but he wants to go it
alone, so let him.
Our final cut on Robin’s disc,
“Its Over This Time,” is another ballad,and again
Robin’s the one letting go. “Through it you played
your games…I’m done taking all of this pain…so it’s
over this time….yes, it’s over this time.”
Heart of Memphis has been an interesting disc. The array of musicians
backing Robin on this disc is impressive and I’m
happy she was able to truly convey her pain on
tunes such as “Like a River,” “What You Want” and
“It’s Over This Time.” So much of good blues and soul
to me is having the listener walk a mile in the
singer’s shoes, and Robin does that for me with these
songs. I still think she can go deeper and I’m
looking forward to the next disc for this artist
from the boroughs of New York. Robin’s definitely an
emerging artist with a bright future, so check her
website ---
www.robinmckelle.com
--- to learn more about her.
--- Kyle Deibler