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Let's go back 24 1/2 years to the very first issue
of Blues Bytes, which I started after my
unsuccessful attempt to get back on the radio with
my blues show so that I would continue to have a
creative outlet. I decided on the format for this
site that still exists to this day, with one of the
featured albums each month being a Surprise pick,
intended for an artist who was not as well-known. In
that first issue I reviewed an album, Nature Of
The Beast, by Scranton, Pennsylvania blues
guitarist / singer
Clarence Spady for my Surprise pick. I
subsequently reviewed another Spady album, Just
Between Us, in May 2008.
We can now complete the trifecta with Mr. Spady
releasing what I believe to be his third album, Surrender
(Nola Blue Records). He may not be a prolific artist, but he
continues to be a very fine bluesman. Spady still sings with
quite a rasp in his voice, effective for the material he's
doing, and is a very fine blues guitarist. With only nine songs,
three of which were live recordings from 1999 that were
unreleased at the time,
Surrender is a little short on material. But it doesn't
matter because it's all good stuff. He's also helping to pass
the torch on this album by mentoring and giving space to a
20-year-old guitarist, Adam Schultz.
Starting the show is an original mid-tempo
number with heavy Memphis soul overtones, "If My Life Was A
Book." Spady takes the guitar leads early before bringing
Schultz to the front for the ending solo. "Good Conversation"
was written by Schultz, and he takes the guitar leads on this
one while Spady sings and plays rhythm guitar. It's soulful
feelgood blues with jazz overtones, as Spady shows good range
when singing lines like, "...good conversation keeps us
together, helps us get through that bitter weather ..."
The Lucky Peterson composition, "When My Blood
Runs Cold," is a slow blues with really nice guitar work from
Spady, especially with the tone and effects he gets from the
instrument, and tasteful jazzy piano from Scott Brown. Lots of
emotion and soul packed into the vocals here. The mid-tempo
blues shuffle, "K-Man," is a song that Spady wrote for his late
son, but instead of it being a mournful piece he makes it a
spirited testimonial about the things that he remembers about
his son. Very touching, and the highlight of the album. I want
to listen to this one over and over. Tom Martin contributes a
nice harmonica solo while Brown lays down the musical bed with
his organ accompaniment.
Next up is the title cut, a slow blues just
dripping with emotion helped by effective, gospel-ish keyboards
from Brown and expressive vocals from Spady as he sings that
it's time to surrender to his will, pack up his things, and move
on down the road. This one's a killer blues! The final new
recording is a slow acoustic version of Z.Z. Hill's "Down Home
Blues," with Martin's harmonica riffs playing well off Spady's
vocal lines and Brown keeping the flow with his piano work.
Spady, Brown and Martin all take turns with solos on their
respective instruments. I love what they've done with this song
... just love it!
The three live cuts from 1999 include a slow,
jazzy blues, "Addiction Game," an up-tempo 10+ minute
instrumental, "Jones Fall Expressway," that allows Spady to
really stretch out on guitar, and "Pick Me Up," a slow-paced
plea to his woman to forgive him. I really like the first and
third songs in this group, but the instrumental gets a little
long for my tastes.
Unless there's a collection of his recordings
that I don't know about, Spady has been releasing a new album
about every 13 years. I'm really not sure what I'll be doing in
the year 2034, so here's hoping that he picks up the pace and
gets a new recording out way sooner than that. Meanwhile, I'll
be listening repeatedly to Surrender, as well as
occasionally going back to his earlier two recordings. Spady is
an artist who needs more worldwide recognition, and hopefully
this album will get him some credibility in blues circles.
--- Bill Mitchell
 The Halley DeVestern Band is a New
York-based ensemble led by a singer for whom the
band is named, plus a solid band of Thomas
Heinig (bass), Steve Jabas (guitar), Rich Kulsar
(drums) and David M. Patterson (guitar). They
label their music "rockin funk and soul," which
pretty much describes it, although there is some
blues mixed in, too. Their self-released
Money Ain't Time was recorded live in 2019
when on tour in Wisconsin. DeVestern is at the
front of the stage with her big, big voice. If
you hear the sounds of Janis Joplin in her
voice, that's not surprising since she
previously toured with a later version of Big
Brother and the Holding Company. Not surprising
that this album feels a bit like a trip back to
the '60s.
I
have mixed feelings about it. I like some cuts,
such as the cover of Muddy Waters' "I'm Ready"
and the opening number, Aretha's "Chain of
Fools," with psychedelic guitar accompaniment
that will make you feel like you're in San
Francisco in 1967. The band also turns in a nice
version of "Stormy Monday," with plenty of power
to DeVestern's voice and decent but not
awe-inspiring guitar solos.
On
other songs DeVestern's vocals grate on the
ears, notably on Marvin Gay's "Dancing In The
Streets," the Jerry Ragavoy & Chip Taylor
composition, "Try," covered by Joplin in 1969,
and the island-ish original "Mighty Love." The
band is solid and tight, but the vocals aren't
to my taste on these numbers.
Your
results may vary. Check it out to see if it
suits your tastes, and at least be sure to
download the better numbers.
--- Bill Mitchell
 I
keep thinking of Damon Fowler as a
relatively new artist on the scene, but that's
just not true. The native Floridian has been on
the blues radar for over 20 years. The bio in
his press kit calls him a "hard driving
troubadour," which works for me. His brand of
southern blues has earned him a loyal audience
over the years and he's blossomed both as a
guitarist and as a songwriter. Solo album number
eight in the Fowler discography, Alafia Moon
(Landslide Records), is a nice collection of 11
songs, only one of which Fowler didn't take part
in the writing process. Fowler especially likes
to use a slide on his guitar, helping to give
his music that southern feel.
Let's start with my favorite cut from Alafia
Moon, the acoustic "The Guitar," which is
quite different from the rest of the album.
Fowler demonstrates his fingerpicking skills on
an acoustic guitar, as he tells a mysterious
story about how this special guitar came into
his possession. It's a very pleasant, heartfelt
tune showing an artist's love for his
instrument.
Fowler demonstrates his prowess on the electric
guitar, with plenty of slide licks, on the
up-tempo mover, "I've Been Low," especially with
the powerful solo he inserts. The mid-tempo
blues, "Hip To Your Trip," again showcases
Fowler's slide playing along with solid organ
accompaniment from Mike Kach, and T.C. Carr gets
the opportunity to shine on harmonica on the
up-tempo "Some Things Change."
Another high point of the album is the slow
12-bar blues, "Taxman," with more strong slide
guitar playing from Fowler while he sings about
dodging the visits from the tax collector.
When
I mentioned the album consisted of 11 songs,
that wasn't exactly right. Cut number 10, "The
Umbrella," is an extended spoken word tale of an
interesting gig that the band once had in
Prescott, Arizona, and then the closing number,
"Kicked His Ass Out," is a short impromptu
number that the band made up to support the
aforementioned story. It's more of an
instrumental with a recurring chorus line.
Alafia Moon is another strong addition to
Fowler's résumé. He puts on a good live show,
too, so watch for him coming to your town as
soon as the concert scene opens back up.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Face
it ….. when you run across a Johnny Nicholas
album, you can’t NOT listen to it. There’s
something to be found within for fans of any
style of music, but most notably blues, roots,
and any style originated from south of the
Mason-Dixon line. His latest release,
Mistaken Identity (Valcour Records), doesn’t
stray from that policy at all, with nine
compelling Nicholas originals and one tasty
cover that spans the blues, Tex-Mex, Honky-Tonk,
New Orleans second line-styled R&B, and even
rockabilly.
The
album opens with the amusing “She Stole My Mojo,”
Nicholas’ talking vocal punctuated by his
resonator guitar and harmonica. The moody,
stripped-down “Mule and the Devil” keeps the
focus on the blues, as Nicholas talks about fame
and fickleness, and the bouncy shuffle “Spark to
a Flame” is tinged with a country vibe. The
title track is an amusing New Orleans-based R&B
tune with Nicholas playing piano, while the
tragic “Guadalupe’s Prayer” paints vivid imagery
backed by a Tex-Mex groove.
The
jaunty shuffle “Wanna Be Your Baby” and the
rockabilly raver “Tight Pants” pick up the mood,
and the pace, considerably. Los Texmaniacs’ Max
and Josh Baca join Nicholas on “She Didn’t Think
of Me That Way,” a standout track that returns
to the Tex-Mex flavor from earlier, and “Highway
190” is a fun boogie rocker that pays tribute to
the area where Nicholas once resided. The album
closes with its lone cover tune, a beautiful
take on the late Stephen Bruton’s “River Runs
Deep.”
Nicholas is joined on these tracks by Scrappy
Jud Newcomb (guitars/mandolin/vocals), John
Chipman (drums/percussion/vocals), and Chris
Maresh (bass/vocals), along with the Bacas (Max
– bajo sexto, Josh – accordion), Chris Stafford
(organ), Eric Adcock (clavinet), and vocalists
Kelli Jones, Sabra Guzman, Kelley Mickwee, Alice
Spencer, Walt Wilkins, and Bill Small.
If
you’re not familiar with Johnny Nicholas’ music,
you really should be. Mistaken Identity
is a great place to start, but you will
definitely want to hear more.
--- Graham Clarke
 An
original member of both Sugar Ray and the
Blue-Tones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters,
keyboardist Anthony Geraci has been
nominated for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Award
for the past five years by the Blues Foundation.
In addition, his previous release, Why Did
You Have To Go, was nominated for multiple
BMA awards in 2020, spent most of that year on
the blues radio charts (Living Blues and Roots
Music Report), and received accolades across the
planet.
Geraci’s latest effort, Daydreams In Blue
(Shining Stone Records), finds the keyboardist
in good company with singer/harmonica player
Dennis Brennan as featured vocalist, guitarists
Walter Trout, Monster Mike Welch, and Troy
Gonyea, and a rock-solid rhythm section (Michael
“Mudcat” Ward – bass, Jeff Armstrong – drums).
Geraci penned 10 of the 12 tracks, which cover a
wide array of blues styles.
The
up-tempo shuffle “Love Changes Everything” gets
things started. Driven by the horn section
(Scott Arruda – trumpet and Mark Early –
saxophones), Geraci’s piano, and Welch’s
fretwork, this track bodes well for the rest of
the album. “Tomorrow May Never Come” has a retro
’50s feel and Brennan’s heartfelt vocal seals
the deal. Trout makes his presence known with
stellar lead guitar on the powerful “No One
Hears My Prayers,” and the upbeat “Daydreams of
a Broken Fool” has a funky Latin feel.
“Mister” is a straightforward hard-driving blues
with Brennan adding harp to his vocals and
Geraci’s strolling keyboards. Next, the piano
man himself takes the mic for the rollicking
jump blues “Tutti Fruitti Booty, and Brennan
does a great vocal turn on the standard “Jelly
Jelly,” providing his own take of the Billy
Eckstine classic with fantastic support from
Geraci on piano and Welch on guitar. Brennan
also turns in a strong vocal on “Dead Man
Shoes,” a tune he co-wrote with Peter Wolf and
Gonyea.
“Hard to Say I Love You” is a blues ballad with
a definite jazz vibe, with Brennan showing his
vocal versatility on this track (love Geraci’s
solo, too). “Living in the Shadow of the Blues”
has a definite Crescent City feel, and “Crazy
Blues/Mississippi Woman” is a fine old school
blues with superb contributions from Geraci and
Welch. The album closer is a short jazzy
instrumental, “Ode to Todd, Ella, and Mike
Ledbetter,” written for Geraci’s son, dog, and
his late friend.
Believe it or not, Daydreams In Blues is
an improvement from Geraci’s previous effort,
hard as that may be to believe by those who
heard Why Did You Have To Go. Expect some
of those 2020 BMA nominations to be converted to
victories in 2021.
--- Graham Clarke
 Friends & Legends of Louisiana (L&M Star
Productions) is a project conceived by Lucas
Spinosa, keyboardist, songwriter, and former
band leader of the Baton Rouge band Southern
Star, and music promoter Mike David. The project
features ten original songs written or
co-written by Spinosa that feature some of the
Pelican State’s finest musicians in
collaboration.
The
songs cover a wide variety of musical styles
associated with the state --- swamp pop, blues,
jazz, rock, and gospel among them. The list of
players include guitarists Cranston Clements and
Bob Henderson, bassist David Hyde, drummer Brian
Brignac, saxophonist Jason Parfait, Ian Smith on
trumpet, flugelhorn, and trombone, with backing
vocalists Elaine Foster and Taylor Lendo.
Spinosa plays all the keyboards, piano, and B3.
The
dazzling “Beale Street Blues” opens the disc, a
jumping big band effort with hard charging horns
and wailing sax from Parfait, who also acquits
himself exceptionally well on lead vocals.
Parker James handles vocals on the smooth jazzy
ballad “While You’re Still Mine,” Cajun/zydeco
rocker Wayne Toups (with an assist from slide
guitarist extraordinaire Sonny Landreth) has a
ball with the rousing “Belly of the Beast,” and
swamp pop master Don Rich is right at home with
“Want It To Be,” which should be a future
classic of the genre.
Guitarist Henderson takes the mic for the
soulful ballad “I Believe,” and Kenny Neal does
a masterful job on the downhome “Southern Side
of Life.” Spinosa does a fantastic job of
matching vocalists to songs and this one is one
of the best, down to the reference to Neal’s
late father, Raful, one of Baton Rouge’s
founding fathers of the blues/R&B scene.
Meanwhile, Chris LeBlanc ably handles the
country-tinged blues rocker “Red Tail Lights on
a Blue Highway.”
Swamp pop singer Gregg Martinez turns in a great
vocal performance on the lovely ballad “The Two
of Us,” another great fit of song to vocalist,
Ryan Foret will get feet stepping and blood
pumping on the glorious swamp rocker “Living In
A Fantasy,” calling out Louisiana legends right
and left, and Bryan Romano delivers on the
closing ballad, “Memories.”
Spinosa does a fine job on these songs, covering
a wide range of styles effectively and as stated
above, the matching of song to singer couldn’t
be any better. Friends & Legends of Louisiana
certainly has something to offer any music fan.
If you’re not familiar with the music of
Louisiana, this is a great place to get on
board.
--- Graham Clarke
 Big
Earl Matthews is a 20-year veteran of the
California music scene and Ava Grace is just
finishing high school. Together, they make up
Gravel & Grace, an R&B/blues group that also
consists of guitarists Isaac Lewis and Ricky
Galvan, saxophonist William Melendez, bassist
Joshua Broom, and drummer Raymond Vazira. The
band first gigged in the spring of 2019 and has
built a big following in their region, recently
completing their first national tour.
Their debut release, Bringing The Blues,
offers a fine sample of their sound, which
blends rock, soul, and R&B with the blues. Nine
of the ten songs were written by the band, with
Grace opening on vocals for the soulful “Scares
Me,” putting listeners on notice that she’s a
powerful singer beyond her years. Matthews takes
the mic for “Next Move,” which has a funky
southern rock feel, and Grace returns for the
sensitive pop-flavored ballad “Bottles.”
Saxophonist Melendez really shines on these
first three tracks, too.
Matthews sings on the rousing country rocker
“When I’m Hungover,” and Grace offers a dazzling
cover of Rhianna’s “Love In The Brain” that
completely reconstructs the song. Matthews does
a fine job on the exuberant, sunny “Sunday
Afternoon, featuring nimble keyboards from Grace
and Melendez’s sax. “Not About A Boy,” written
and sung by Grace is a strong bluesy ballad, and
“Picture Perfect” has a zesty New Orleans flair,
thanks to Grace’s piano and Matthews’ vocal
which is a bit reminiscent of Dr. John.
The
album closes with the poppish “Pennies,” written
and sung by Grace, and “Wash My Blues,” a
mid-tempo blues ballad sung by Matthews, who
penned the tune with drummer Vazira.
Gravel & Grace’s brand of blues is a pleasing
variety that incorporates pop, rock, and soul
into the mix. Their voices are quite different,
but they complement each other very well and
their songwriting is very good. The band
provides excellent support and the combination
makes Bringing The Blues a debut release
that is strongly recommended for fans of
contemporary blues.
--- Graham Clarke
 Gregg Martinez is a legend in Louisiana
music, having served with a host of local bands,
including.the King Fish, The Heat, The Boogie
Kings (one of my favorites from way back), and
presently Gregg Martinez and the Delta Kings.
His music combines the best of New Orleans R&B
with Memphis soul and Gulf Coast blues. Most
music fans know the combination as Swamp Pop.
Martinez recently released a wonderful new
album, MacDaddy Mojeaux (Nola Blue
Records), that hits the proverbial nail on the
head as far as perfectly capturing his musical
approach.
The
13 tracks include four originals written by
Martinez and/or guitarist Tony Goulas. Those
originals include the funky R&B groover, “This
House,” the glorious Crescent City rocker “Eva
Delle,” which features guitarist Sonny Landreth
with Anthony Dopsie (accordion) and Rockin’
Dopsie, Jr. (Rubboard), and a pair of splendid
soul burners, “Just Stay Gone” (the album’s
first single) and the dreamy “Moonlight and
Magnolias.”
The
nine covers include Ray Charles’ “I Believe To
My Soul,” in the style of the late Donny
Hathaway’s early 70’s funk-based arrangement. A
fine vehicle for Martinez’s energetic vocal.
“Same Old Blues” from Don Nix via Freddie King
is given a fine gospel/soul reading from
Martinez, and the Stax classic “You Left The
Water Running” is just marvelous in the singer’s
hands. The oft-covered “Wildflower,” an early
’70s soft rock hit for the Canadian band
Skylark, is transformed into a deep soul ballad
by Martinez.
The
other covers include the Mel & Tim hit “Starting
All Over Again” from 1972 (with Martinez sharing
lead vocals with Goulas), a lively read of
Clarence Carter’s “Snatching It Back,” Tyrone
Davis’ “Can I Change My Mind,” a stirring
version of “Don’t Pull Your Love” (with Charlene
Howard), and Randy Newman’s “Marie,” which is
included as a bonus track featuring Martinez
backed by piano and strings.
MacDaddy Mojeaux is a superb set of original
songs and well-chosen covers. I’m sure it’s been
said already, but Gregg Martinez definitely had
his “Mojeaux” working for this outstanding
album,. With any luck, the rest of the world
will find out what Louisiana music fans have
known for years about his immense talent.
--- Graham Clarke
 You’d be hard-pressed to find stronger advocates
for, and representatives of, Memphis music than
the Eric Hughes Band (Hughes –
vocals/harmonica/guitars/jug/percussion, Walter
Hughes – guitar, backing vocals, Leo Goff –
bass, Brian Aylor – drums/percussion). A native
of the city, Hughes has been a part of the music
scene since 2001 when he began playing in Beale
Street clubs. He continues to perform there
regularly, either solo, with a duo, or with his
band. The latest release, Postcard from Beale
Street (Endless Blues Records), gives
listeners a taste of Memphis music fare, both
past and present.
“Ain’t Whipped Yet” is an autobiographical
shuffle (nice keyboard accompaniment from guest
Rick Steff) which will help listeners understand
how Hughes got his nickname (“Scrappie”), “Oh,
Booze!” is a throwback tune to Beale Street’s
past glories, both musically and lyrically, and
“He’s Just An Alley Cat” is a greasy blues
rocker with a touch of funk. “Follow Your Stupid
Little Dreams” has an old time vibe, too, as
Hughes implores fellow musicians to hang in
there in spite of adversity and the naysayers.
Meanwhile, the touching “Homesick Angel” is a
tribute to his grandfather, who was a fighter
pilot, and the Stax-flavored “Fair Weather
Friends” adds horns (one of several tracks
featuring Marc Franklin – trumpet and Kirk
Smothers – trombone), while “Blackberry Patch”
vividly describes visiting with grandparents in
the country (you can almost smell the berries
and the dusty dirt road to their house). “Come
See About Me” keeps that country blues feeling
as Hughes longs to reunite with a loved one.
Anyone who punches a clock every day will
certainly relate to “Waiting For That Day,” when
they can leave the work world in their rear view
mirror, and the upbeat “It’s 4:20 Somewhere”
serves as an appropriate closer for this
excellent release.
Postcard from Beale Street is a fine musical
tribute to the street and the city from one of
Memphis’ best bands.
--- Graham Clarke
 People dealt with downtime a lot of different
ways during the pandemic, but Stevie J Blues
went to work writing, recording, and producing
music for a host of Mississippi blues and soul
artists, some of which have been reviewed here
at Blues Bytes over the last year. He also
managed to find some time to put together his
own album, Quarantined (PK Music Group),
a compelling ten-song set of contemporary blues
and southern soul that deserves to be heard by
fans of either genre.
The
opening track, the dance track “Big Girls,” was
released as a single a few months back and
celebrates the virtues of plus-sized females.
The hard-driving “Going In Tonight” digs deeply
into the funk side of the blues, and the
salacious “Camel Toe” is an amusing track about
that thing every guy wants. Time is up with an
unfaithful lover on “Who Is He.” On Ronnie
Lovejoy’s “Nothing Bothers Me,” Stevie J pulls
himself by his bootstraps, determined to keep
going on.
“All
Because Of Me” is a tasty remake of “Because Of
Me,” a standout track from Stevie J’s “soul” CD
on 2011’s The Diversity Project, taken at
a slightly slower tempo. “Not Gonna Leave” is a
strong soul-blues ballad, as is the wonderful
cover of J. Blackfoot’s “Just One Lifetime,”
featuring sweet guest vocals from Shunté. “Wanta
Be” is a cool slice of funky R&B, and the closer
is the reflective “3 Sides To Every Story,”
where Stevie J offers sound advice for love and
life.
Fans
of contemporary blues and soul-blues will find a
lot to enjoy on this rock-solid set of originals
and choice covers. Stevie J Blues is not content
to let the blues stagnate. His brand of blues
embraces old school and thoroughly modern sounds
with dynamic results. As stated above,
Quarantined deserves to be heard.
---Graham Clarke
 For
his latest release, Cary Morin traveled
south from Colorado to Louisiana to record with
producer Tony Daigle and some of the Pelican
State’s finest musicians at Dockside Studio in
Maurice. The result, Dockside Saints,
features a dozen tracks penned by Morin that
combine zydeco, cajun, and creole influences
with the blues and roots influences that his
fans are already familiar with. The band
includes Lee Allen Zeno (bass), Brian Brignac
(drums), Corey Ledet (accordion), Eric Adcock
(keyboards), Beau Thomas (fiddle), John Fohl and
Keith Blair (guitars), and harmony vocalist
Celeste Di Iorio.
Morin launches into a deep swampy groove right
off the bat with the entertaining “Nobody Gotta
Know,” backed by Ledet’s accordion and an
irresistible shufflin’ beat. The opener is a
tough act to follow, but “Prisoner” is up to the
task. It’s a splendid slow burner complemented
well by Morin’s gritty, soulful vocal. Morin’s
nimble fingerpicking style is highlighted on the
laid-back, funky “Prisoner,” and “Because He
Told Me So,” pays tribute to the church music so
integral to music from the south. Morin’s slide
guitar is exquisite on this track, and his
fingerpicking is superb on “Tonight,” punctuated
by Thomas’ fiddle.
The
rousing “Janie Rae” has a definite Sonny
Landreth “zydeco rock” feel with sizzling slide
guitar, fiddle, and accordion, and Morin’s
fingerpicking guitar works well with accordion
and fiddle on the beautiful instrumental “Bare
Trees.” Meanwhile, “Valley Of The Chiefs” is a
stirring folk tune based on a true story relayed
to Morin by his great grandmother during his
Crow naming ceremony. “Chosen Road” is a
haunting blues, while the stomping instrumental
“Cary’s Groove” pumps up the funk with Ledet
setting the pace on accordion.
“Blue Delta Home” is a wonderful, gentle ballad
with an honest, heartfelt vocal from Morin and
that awesome fiddle/accordion interplay, and the
steady blues rocker “Come The Rain” wraps up the
proceedings quite nicely.
Cary
Morin’s recordings are always a pleasure to hear
from beginning to end. His guitar work is
marvelous and his vocals and songwriting are a
perfect match for blues and roots music.
Dockside Saints is a really interesting
change of pace for him and puts his remarkable
versatility on display as he takes his brand of
blues into a new direction. Can’t wait to see
where he takes us on his next album.
--- Graham Clarke
 Urban Ladder Society (Victa Nooman – vocals,
Stevie J Blues (a.k.a. “rooster man”) –
guitar/vocals, Chris Gill – vocals/slide guitar,
resonator, - Jonte Mayon – vocals) stayed busy
during the pandemic, releasing several
well-received singles beginning last summer. ULS
mixes the blues with hip-hop, classic rock,
Southern soul, and R&B most distinctively and
effectively. Their recent debut album, The
Summit (PK Music Group) offers ample
evidence of their efforts.
“What’s On Your Mind,” the opener, is tasty,
funky R&B, and the very contemporary “Da Blues”
reminds listeners not to forget the source of
nearly all modern music is. “Dysfunctional” is a
modern twist concerning a familiar blues topic
--- a woman who drives her man crazy, but not
crazy enough to drive him away. “Chill Winds” is
a slow burner that will remind listeners of ’70s
R&B with Stevens’ Isley-esque fretwork, and the
funky rock-edged hip-hop “Mission” is a keeper
as well, a mission statement of sorts that
captures the band’s style to a tee.
The
somber “Prophecy” is a pointed look at issues
facing the world today, but the optimistic “We
Got This Covered” offers encouragement to find
solutions to the problems each of us face. “Juke
Joint Lover,” released earlier as a single, is
an entertaining and catchy mix of blues and
funk, and the poignant “Trouble Man” (not the
Marvin Gaye tune from the ’70s) powerfully
conveys loneliness and desperation.
“Same Ole Thang” was the band’s first single
(back in Summer, 2020), and the message in the
music is that the blues comes in many styles,
shapes, and forms (many reflected on this disc),
but the music is still the blues at its very
core. The closer, “Love You Forever,” is a
smooth ballad that adds a bit of the Caribbean
to the mix.
A
friend told me years ago that the only way that
the blues will survive is if it incorporates the
style and flavor of modern genres of music while
still retaining its own unique identity. The
people behind Urban Ladder Society are on the
same wavelength as my friend was, and with The
Summit they offer blues fans the assurance that
the future of the blues is in good hands.
--- Graham Clarke
 The BluesBones, based in Belgium, are one of
the continent’s finest blues bands with their
potent brand of rock-based blues. Formed in
2011, they were elected public’s favorite at the
2012 Belgian Blues Challenge, winning the same
contest in 2016, and finished second at the
European Blues Challenge in 2017. The band
consists of Nico De Cock (vocals), Stef Paglia
(guitar), Edwin Risbourg (keyboards), Geert
Boeckx (bass), and Jens Roelandt (drums).
The
band’s recent release, Live On Stage, was
recorded in late 2019, and initially set to be
released in early 2020 but delayed due to the
pandemic, as was the scheduled tour promoting
the album. Undeterred, the band opted to go
ahead and release the album, hoping that
listeners would enjoy the live concert
atmosphere. The nearly 80-minute set features a
dozen original tracks, most taken from their
successful 2018 release, Chasing Shadows.
The
thunderous rocker “Find My Way Out” kicks off
the set, highlighted by De Cock’s energetic
vocal, Paglia’s guitar work, and Risbourg’s
keyboards. “The End” is a crunchy, edgy funk
workout with De Cock’s vocal effectively
conveying despair and desperation, the moody
“Demon Blues” is a sinister track with De Cock’s
vocal taking on a Jim Morrison edge, and the
mid-tempo “Going Down” retains that swampy,
ominous atmosphere (Paglia’s slide guitar solo
is most impressive).
“A
Better Life” is a fast-paced shuffle, leading
into “The Witchdoctor,” a relentlessly funky
blues where the band really gets an opportunity
to strut their stuff. “Betrayal” is a slower
blues with a strong vocal and great backing from
Risbourg on the keys. Meanwhile, De Cock’s vocal
takes center stage on the simmering “Sealed
Souls,” which deals with the insanity of war and
the accompanying destruction and death.
The
upbeat, rock-edged “Romance For Rent” lightens
the mood considerably, and “Cruisin’,” which
follows, is a hard-charging blues boogie that
surely had the audience moving. The album wraps
up with “Psycho Mind,” a scrappy blues shuffle,
and the epic closer, “Whiskey Drinking Woman,”
an 11-minute opus featuring plenty of wonderful
guitar work from Paglia and excellent support
from the rest of the band.
This
is the second live set that I’ve heard from The
BluesBones, and I have to say that these guys
know their way around the blues. Live On
Stage is a powerful set of rock-flavored
blues featuring standout songs, vocals, and
music that will make you hope that the days of
live music will return sooner than later.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Smoke Wagon Blues Band keeps rolling
along, now in their 25th year, with their latest
release, The Ballad of Albert Johnson.
Their latest effort features 13 tracks,
including 12 originals, which blend the blues
with soul, R&B, and roots. Corey Lueck
(vocals/harp) still fronts the band and is
backed by Mike Stubbs (guitar), Brandon Bruce
(keys), Gordon Aeichele (saxophones/washboard),
Steve Sherman (guitar/percussion), Jason
Colavecchia (bass), and Tibor Lukacs (drums).
The
title track is the fascinating story of Albert
Johnson, a.k.a. “The Mad Trapper of Rat River,”
told with a bit of Texas boogie flair. Next up
is “Memphis Soul,” and if you can’t tell what
it’s about by the title, the greasy, funky
rhythm should give it away. The ballad “Ain’t
Gonna Be Your Fool” keeps things in a soulful
vein. The album’s lone cover, “The Fat Man,” is
next, a fine tribute to Fats Domino and New
Orleans. The recognition of the Crescent City
(and Professor Longhair) continues on the
irresistible “Lay Say Lay.”
“Mescaline” is a light, jazzy tune with the
emphasis on piano from Bruce and flute from
Aeichele, “Sacrifice” is tasty blues-rock with a
touch of funk, and the mid-tempo shuffle “Poor
Man Blues” features horns and snazzy slide
guitar from Stubbs, while “Matapedia River
Blues” paints a vivid picture of the eastern
Canadian tributary and “A Song For Cheryl” is a
poignant, heartfelt ballad about lost love.
“Can’t Take The Blues” is a swinging blues that
belies the “down on my luck” theme, and “On The
Road Again” is a laid-back country blues. The
album closer is a live track called “Steaming
Comrades Harp Boogie,” which is a Diddley-esque
showcase for Lueck and his harmonica.
The
Smoke Wagon Blues Band always offers a high
quality set of blues and blues-based tunes.
Lueck is a charismatic and energetic showman and
the band is always first-rate. Blues fans are
advised to give The Ballad of Albert Johnson
a spin at their earliest convenience.
--- Graham Clarke
 Costa Rican guitar slinger Jose Ramirez
made quite a bit of noise last year with his
debut release, Here I Come, one of the
best of the year. Ramirez was nominated as Best
Emerging New Artist for the 2021 Blues Music
Awards, and in addition, the Jose Ramirez Band
finished second at the 2020 I.B.C.
Ramirez’s 2021 looks even more promising with
the release of a new single on Delmark Records,
“Whatever She Wants.” Backed by Kenny Watson,
Jr. (bass), Antonio Reyes (drums), and Andre
Reyes, Jr. (keyboards), Ramirez gives listeners
a pitch-perfect blend of blues with a touch of
soul on this splendid slow burner. His guitar
work is superlative and his vocals are equally
potent. Hopefully, this excellent single is just
the tip of the iceberg that marks the beginning
of a beautiful relationship between Ramirez and
Delmark.
--- Graham Clarke
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