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 Mike Zito returns to his native St. Louis for
his fourth solo release on Gulf Coast Records.
Outside Or The Eastside offers 11 tunes,
four originals from Zito and seven well-chosen
covers, all delivered in his inimitable,
no-nonsense style. You know him when you hear
him and make sure you turn it up loud! He's
backed by Scot Sutherland on bass, Lewis
Stephens on keys, and Matthew R. Johnson on
drums.
The title track, written by Zito, opens the disc,
and it's a hard-rocking shuffle powered by Zito's energetic fret work and Stephens' piano.
Next is an enthusiastic take on Lonnie Brooks'
“Don't Take Advantage Of Me,” punctuated by
fiery guitar from Zito. The seductive “Kiss You
All Over” follows, with funky wah-wah guitar and lush
keyboards driving the song.
“Downtown At Midnight” is a possible
autobiographical slow blues (Zito left St. Louis
in part to beat drugs) which paints a picture of
desperation and despair in dealing with
addiction and betrayal. Zito has never blinked
at facing and dealing with his own problems and
challenges, and this has to be one of his most
powerful original tunes. “Grand Avenue” deftly
mixes blues and funk as Zito takes a vivid look
at life on the streets in St. Louis.
The remainder of the album consists of covers,
beginning with Zito's blistering read of Buddy
Guy's “Too Broke To Spend The Night,” featuring
some of Zito's most inspired guitar work on the
disc, which is really saying something. Howlin'
Wolf recorded Willie Dixon's “Just Like I Treat
You” in 1962; Zito's version picks up the pace a
bit and adds some tasty guitar as well, with
Stephens' rollicking piano work also a
highlight.
Albert King's “(Down) Don't Bother Me” also gets
a funky update, and on Nina Simone's “Do I Move
You,” Zito replaces the original's vocal and
harmonica presentation with guitar and the
hard-charging rhythm section.
Another Willie
Dixon number, first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1958,
“Close To You” gets a terrific interpretation
that hues fairly close to the original.
Zito closes the set with an absorbing cover of
Roy Buchanan's “The Blues Lover,” a guitar
showcase that clocks in at over eight minutes.
Outside Or The Eastside offers some of Mike Zito's finest, most honest songwriting and also
some of his most inspired guitar playing. His
always-reliable band mates are equally inspired
in their support.
I've heard a lot of Zito's
work over at least the past 15 years, with
this album standing as one of his finest efforts
from start to finish.
--- Graham Clarke
 I
really didn't know anything about Seth James
when his new album, Motormouth
(Qualified Records), popped into my email
in-basket. After all, there are so many blues
folks with that last name that it's hard to keep
track of everyone. After doing the usual
thorough internet search, I found the scoop on
James.
First, there is a singer/songwriter from
Wisconsin by that name, but he's not our guy.
This
Seth James is a singer/songwriter born and bred
in Texas. He looks like he's from Texas and
sounds like it, too. He's a diverse cat so I
would start the description of his sound as
TEXAS MUSIC, with quite a few sub-categories
just below the heading. There's plenty of blues
but also soul, Southern rock, R&B, and
Americana.
Whatever he's playing, it all sounds good and
the dude can really sing and play guitar. Oh
yeah, he's also a working cowboy, according to
the media notes for the album.
The
very underrated Motormouth was recorded
at Rock House studio in Franklin, Tennessee,
produced by the musical genius Kevin McKendree.
Among the backing band are Rob McNelley
(guitar), Steve Mackey (bass), Lynn Williams
(drums), and McKendree (piano and organ). A very
fine band, but the real star is James on lead
vocals and guitars.
Opening this set of 13 tunes is a catchy
mid-tempo blues rocker, "Why Should I Suffer,"
followed by the funky title cut that is boosted
with horn players joining in. The pace increases
on the up-tempo "I'm In Trouble," with plenty of
big horns, exquisite piano work from McKendree,
and nice female backing voices credited to the
BGVs.
The
mood shifts again on "It's Later Than You
Think," a jazzy number written by Colin Linden
that showcases both tasty guitar licks and late
night piano. James pays tribute to the musical
history of the Lone Star state with "I'll Be
Gone," adding fiddle and pedal steel to produce
a mashup of Texas swing and blues. Bob Wills
would smile if he could have heard this one.
The
mood stays with us on the Leon Russell
composition, "High Horse," an up-tempo mover
with one of the best blues guitar solos on the
album and creative drumming from Williams "I
Can't Find Your Mind" is a mid-tempo blues, with
McKendree laying down a solid baseline with his
organ. In this one, James can't understand how
he can see every step she takes but can't find
her mind.
James does some of his best singing on the very
slow "Just A Thought," with plenty of passion
coming from his voice. Straddling the border to
Louisiana is the up-tempo blues, "I Can't Wait,"
with a Cajun vibe and honky-tonk piano from
McKendree. James is just searching for the
chance to fall in love again. Both of these cuts
came from the pen of Delbert McClinton.
More
blues comes from the up-tempo shuffle, "I Got To
Know," written by Don Bryant and sounding a lot
like something the Five Royales would have done
many years ago. James is asking that woman if
someone else is on her mind.
James' version of Ray Charles' "Lonely Avenue,"
written by Doc Pomus, just plain blew me away. I
didn't think anyone could challenge Brother Ray,
but James makes this song his own by baking in a
whole lot of funk. The female vocalists do a
good job of giving similar backing as the
Raelettes from Ray's early recordings. "I Feel
The Burden" is a James composition, with an
up-tempo backbeat and plenty of horns and
guitar. I'll put this one in the soul chestnut
category.
Wrapping up Motormouth is the jazzy
"Start A Brand New Day," which has me
envisioning James stepping up to the mic in a
1940s era night club, putting out very rich and
glorious vocals. The atmosphere here comes from
the gentle jazzy piano and violin.
I
regret that I didn't catch on to the music of
Seth James before this. He's got a previous
album that is a tribute to Delbert McClinton,
one of the big influencers on his career, as
well as a couple of other roots releases.
Don't hesitate. Get your own copy of
Motormouth. You won't regret it.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Live in Denmark (Ruf Records) is the first
release from Dana Fuchs in four years. Fuchs was
inspired by blues-rock belter Janis Joplin in
her early years and even starred in an
off-Broadway production of Love Janis back in
2001. She has moved beyond the Joplin influences
and developed into a formidable voice in her own
right, carving out an impressive career with
several well-received albums since her initial
release in 2003.
This outstanding set was recorded at Godset in
Kolding, Denmark in October of last year. Fuchs
handles the vocals and plays acoustic guitar,
cajón, and tambourine, backed by Jon Diamond
(guitar/backing vocals), Piero Perelli (drums),
and Kevin Mackall (bass). The set list consists
of six songs written by Fuchs and Diamond (who
also co-produced), two co-written with MacKall,
and one with Mackall, Mark Narmore, and Sandy
Carroll, with two cover tunes.
The first three songs, the tough rockers “Double
Down On Wrong” and “Hard Road,” and the
atmospheric ballad “Blue M ist Road” are from
Fuchs' 2022 release Borrowed Time, which
received limited attention due to the pandemic.
Fuchs' performances may entice listeners to
check out what they might have missed four years
ago.
The moody mid-tempo blues “Superman” is
from Fuchs' 2011 release Love To Beg, and the
ballad “Nothing You Own” is another winning
track from Borrowed Time.
On Gil Scott-Heron's “Home Is Where The Hatred
Is,” Fuchs delivers a powerful vocal that
perfectly captures the desperation and intensity
the 1971 song. “Borrowed Time,” the title track
of Fuchs' 2022 release, has a real Americana
feel thanks to Diamond's fretwork, and “Battle
Lines,” from 2018's Love Lives On, has that same
gently rocking vibe.
The slow burner “Curtain Close,” another track
from Borrowed Time, features a masterful vocal
from Fuchs as she incorporates a piece of Bobby
“Blue” Bland's “Ain't No Love In The Heart Of
The City” into the song (Fuchs covered that song
on 2015's Broken Down Acoustic Sessions).
Fuchs
closes the set with a terrific cover of the
Rolling Stones' “Sympathy For The Devil.”
Live In Denmark captures Dana Fuchs at her best.
Her vocals are always dynamite, but these songs
all have that tough but tender quality that
makes the blues what it is. If you're not
familiar with Ms. Fuchs' music, this is a good
starting point, but you will definitely want to
dig deeper afterwards.
--- Graham Clarke
 I've
been woefully uninformed on the career of
Louisiana soul/blues singer Marc Broussard,
so I'm now on a crash course to learn about his
dude's life and music. He's the son of Ted
Broussard, guitarist of The Boogie Kings, and a
Louisiana Hal of Fame member.
In
addition to his own albums, he's got a series of
charitable cover albums released for the S.O.S
Foundation (Save Our Soul). I've sampled a few
of these collections, and plan to download the
soul album real soon.
But
that's for another day. We have Broussard's
newest that's climbing up the blues charts.
Chance Worth Taking (KTBA Records) is a very
strong album consisting of 14 cuts. Of course,
with it being on the KTBA label you can bet that
Joe Bonamassa has his hand in the album,
co-producing it with Josh Smith and Calvin
Turner.
In
addition to appearing on every cut but one,
Bonamassa contributed the guitar chops to the
two singles released earlier in the year, "I'm
Going Home," a big brassy blues with soul
undertones, and the slow blues "Trying To Do
Right," with Broussard's vocals coming out both
bluesy and soulful. This latter cut alone will
convince that the Louisiana native is now one of
the finest singers on the scene today, as he
packs a a lot of emotion in his vocals while
Bonamassa echoes the same with his guitar.
Both
singles were co-written by Broussard and Turner,
as was much of the rest of the album.
Another single released earlier, "Fever," has
Josh Smith doing the guitar duties. It's an
up-tempo blues shuffle that crosses into the
soul realm as Broussard repeats the line, "...I
got a fever, the only prescription is you. it's
true, I'm needing you ..." One of the best cuts
here.
The
opening number, "You'll Be Sorry," is an
extravaganza of slide guitar backing Broussard's
commanding vocals as he reminds that other
person he'll be missed when the relationship is
over. I'm envisioning Elmore James loving this
tune. More slide guitar, but this time much
restrained, shows up on the slow, gentle
soul/blues, "No More," as Broussard urges that
woman to stay as long as she likes.
The
title cut, "Chance Worth Taking," is an eerie,
mysterious slow blues that shows a more
restrained side of Broussard. The number that
follows goes in a completely different
direction, as "Let Me Take You Out Tonight" is a
rapid-fire blues stomper with Smith back on
guitar and Reese Wynans showing off on
keyboards.
Another favorite heading into the latter quarter
of the album is the funky, mid-tempo blues,
"Satisfaction Guaranteed," with Broussard's
powerful vocals and tasty guitar work from
Bonamassa. "Blame" is another of the best songs
here, a soulful blues with plenty of horns. A
different mood comes from the slow, dreamy soul
tune, "Whispers," with very passionate
vocals from Broussard and string backing.
Broussard really shows his Louisiana roots by
bringing in Trombone Shorty to help out on the
New Orleans second-line number, "Laissez Les
Bons Temps Rouler," a tour through all the fun
parts of the Crescent City. It's a danceable
romp that brings out the happy side of
Broussard, and is highlighted by Shorty's horn
work and Lemar Carter's polyrhythmic drumming.
Reminding us to always let the good times roll
is a good way to end the album on a happy,
festive note.
Chance Worth Taking will very likely end up
on numerous Top Ten lists as the calendar turns
into 2027. Don't wait until then to add it to
your collection.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Guitarist/singer/producer
Rick Vito is best
known as a member of Fleetwood Mac, but he's
also teamed with bandmate Mick Fleetwood to form
the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. His guitar
work has appeared on numerous songs over the
years, most notably his soaring slide guitar
solo on Bob Seger's “Like A Rock,” which still
can be heard on the radio today and was a part
of Chevrolet's TV commercials for their trucks
for over a decade.
Vito's slide guitar playing is the main
attraction for his latest solo release,
Slidemaster, an all-instrumental album on MoMojo
Records. It features some new compositions
from the guitarist as well as several of his
previous efforts, which have been remixed and remastered. He also includes five
specially-chosen cover tunes.
The rousing “Vegas Jump” kicks off the disc, with
Vito pulling out all the slide guitar stops from
the get-go, and on the terrific cover of Jimmy
Hughes' “Steal Away” his slide guitar channels
the lyrics of the original version beautifully.
“The Big Beat” updates the “Bo Diddley” beat
nicely, and “The Danger Zone” is a tasty bit of
late night blues with Vito's slide played over a
droning bass line (also played by Vito) that
brings a hint of Duane Eddy into the mix.
“Red Hot Baby” is a jaunty blues shuffle with a
little Hawaiian feel in the slide work. The
first of two covers by Fleetwood Mac founding
member, guitarist Peter Green, is a gorgeous
version of “Albatross,” with Vito's haunting slide
leaving goose bumps on most listeners.
“Soul
Shadows” is a moody slow blues with a bit of
funk in the background, and on the slinky,
slippery “Slide The Blues,” Vito offers some of
the best guitar on the album.
On Sam Cooke's “A Change Is Gonna Come,” like
the earlier Jimmy Hughes track, Vito's beautiful
fret work replaces the lyrics. The results
are marvelous. “River of Blues” is a gentle,
reflective acoustic number, and “The
Supernatural,” the second Green track, retains
the spectral qualities of the original.
Vito
closes the album with a lovely, reverential
cover of “The Lord's Prayer.”
Vito plays all guitars, plus acoustic and
electric bass, keys, and percussion on selected
tracks. Lending a hand on several tracks are
drummers Rick Reed, Lynn Williams, and Charles
Johnson, bassist Charlie Harrison, and
keyboardist Mark Horwitz and Kevin McKendree.
Slidemaster is an outstanding set of
instrumentals played by Rick Vito, one of the
music world's most highly-regarded guitarists,.
His slide guitar mastery will leave you
spellbound.
--- Graham Clarke
 Michigan-based vocalist
Lexie Blue has made a
name for herself in the state, winning the 2023
Blues competition for the Capital Area Blues
Society and the 2024 Blues competition for West
Michigan Blues Society. She was also named Best
Blues Artist in 2019 and 2022 by Detroit Channel
4's Vote for the Best.
She also won the 2025
Michigan Blues Award for Best Blues Album and
Best Blues Single, as well as winning the 2026
award for Best Blues Single for the title track
to her latest album, Too Glam To Give A Damn.
That title track opens the disc, a strong blues
rocker driven by Jack Rivers' keyboards, Pete
Bullard's guitar, and a horn section featuring
Mike Fuelson (trumpet) and Joe Rodrick
(trombone).
Lexie Blues' gripping, soulful
vocal. “Break Up Kiss” is a sexy slow burner
that slowly builds in intensity with some fierce
fretwork from Bullard. On the sassy “Sit Down
& Hush,” the rhythm section of Kevin Schoepke
(bass) and Gary Martin (drums) digs deep into
the funk.
“I Got Mine” is a smooth and soulful slow blues
powered by a dynamic vocal performance. “Walk In
My Shoes” revisits the funky side of the blues,
and “Sneaking Out” is a swampy mid-tempo blues
that really simmers with Lexie Blues' vocal and
the muscular guitar work of Bullard.
The amusing
“Ain't Good At Drinking” is a solid track, with
the horns returning to give the track a touch of
soul.
“Darker Shade Of The Blues” is a tasty mix of
blues and funk, while the feisty “Get The Hell
Up Outta My House” is loaded with attitude both
vocally and instrumentally.
The closer,
“Chin Wagging,” has that “Bo Diddley” beat with
the drums and guitar, serving as a fun
conclusion to this entertaining disc.
Lexie Blue has one of those voices that you
won't forget soon. She's also a great songwriter
and storyteller, and her band provides stellar
support.
Hopefully,
Too Glam To Give A Damn will
further expand their audience past the Michigan
blues scene.
--- Graham Clarke
 Smoke Filled Room (The Last Music Company) is
the latest set of demos released by
singer/songwriter extraordinaire Dan Penn.
Beginning in the early '60s, artists from
Memphis to Muscle Shoals swore that Penn's demo
tracks for his songs were as good as the
subsequent recordings by other artists,. They
were rarely heard until 2012 and 2016 when the
UK label Ace Records released two volumes of
these demos to prove that these insiders were indeed
speaking the truth.
Penn has seldom recorded himself, preferring to
work behind the scenes as a songwriter and
producer. When he has made a full-fledged studio
recording, such as 2020's Living On Mercy or
1994's Do Right Man, the results were fantastic.
In between those studio recordings, he's
released four volumes of demos on his Dandy
Records label, plus a live CD/DVD with Spooner
Oldham (Moments From This Theatre) released by
the UK label Proper Records.
Another set of
demos were released in conjunction with an album
he produced for Bobby Purify in the mid 2000s (The
Inside Track on Bobby Purify) that featured
Penn's demos along with the final product from
Purify.
This latest set of
11 demos on Smoke Filled Room include a few
songs that were later recorded by other artists,
but the majority are being heard for the first
time. Most of the songs are collaborations
between Penn and Carson Whitsett, Bucky Lindsey,
Gary Nicholson, Charlie Taylor, Swain Schaefer,
or Bobby Emmons,. The composers provided the sparse instrumentation as well,
usually only keyboards (guitarist Mike Durham,
bassist Paul Ossola, and drummer Andy Peake
contribute on the title track).
The title track was recorded by Irma Thomas on
her 1992 album True Believer, and Penn's reading
brings the song back to Muscle Shoals with his
blue-eyed soul delivery. The album liner notes written by Penn said he's been trying to get
this one cut for a while, and it's obvious that
it's one of his favorites.
“Blues of the Month
Club” is a great tune written by Penn,
Nicholson, and Whitsett, has been recorded by
several artists, including T. Graham Brown,
Dalton Reed, and Joe Louis Walker.
The sweet “There's Nothing Out There” serves as
a loving tribute to Linda, Penn's wife of 65
years, and “The Longest Day” fell together
during a Penn/Whitsett songwriting session and
was recorded in a Louisiana cabin.... “a gift,”
as Penn describes it in the liners.
“Leave It
Like You Found It” managed to make it to Penn's
last studio effort, Living On Mercy, and it's
surprising that no one else has chosen to record
it. Penn plays the keyboards on this one.
The desperate “Battling The Blues” and “Crazy Ol'
Gal” were co-written by Penn, Whitsett, and
Lindsey, the latter who passed away last year. Lindsey
takes the vocal on “Crazy Ol' Gal,” which
sounds like it could have been a hit on the
country charts in a just world.
The gospel tune
“Hellbound Snowball,” written by Emmons (who
plays the keys) and Penn, tells the tale of a
man looking to change his ways.
“Let Love Begin With Me,” written by Taylor,
Whitsett, and Penn, is another tune that ought
to be on the charts, be it pop or country.
The powerful gospel number, “Creator Of All
Things,” spells it all out via the performance
by co-writers Penn
and Schaefer, recorded
in Penn's studio, with the latter on piano..
The final track, “One Blue
Light,” is a Christmas song released in
December as a single previewing the album.
Now 84, Dan Penn is still very active, touring
regularly in the southeastern part of the
country with keyboardist Spooner Oldham. I've
caught their show in Penn's hometown of Vernon,
Alabama the past three years. His vocals are still
as warm and soulful as they've ever been, and
he's still writing wonderful songs.
Smoke Filled
Room verifies that his demos can be pretty
difficult for artists to top, but he and h is
collaborators have produced some of the best
music in several genres over the past 65 years.
--- Graham Clarke
 Pennsylvania blues guitarist/singer/songwriter
Mike Guldin has been playing the blues for over
45 years when he picked his first guitar at
the age of 15. Like most blues artists these
days, he counts the regular sources as
influences --- Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert
Collins, and B.B., Albert, and Freddie King,
plus Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, the
Vaughan brothers, and soul/R&B legends, southern
rock, and country artists.
Guldin's sixth release,
While I Can (Blue Heart
Records), is representative of the music that
influenced him. Guldin co-wrote nine of the
12 tracks. The album was mostly recorded in
Tennessee, similar to his previous release, The
Franklin Sessions, and it has the same loose and
energetic feel of its predecessor.
Ten of the tracks were recorded by Guldin with
“The Hot Links” (Guldin – guitar/vocals, Kevin
McKendree – keys/guitar/percussion, James
Pennebaker – guitar, Steve Mackey – bass, and
Lynn Williams – drums/percussion).
These tracks
include the opener, the harrowing, mid-tempo
blues, “Driving Rain,” which compares dealing
with a tumultuous relationship with driving in a
thunderstorm. The soulful “Heartbreak In
Disguise” looks at picking up the pieces of a
broken romance and teams Guldin with Jackie
Wilson on vocals as they try to hash things out.
The irresistible “Always A Woman” is a rhythmic
blues rocker written by McKendree and Gary
Nicholson, and with the funky “Luck Runs Dry,”
Guldin warns that it's just a matter of time
before someone is no longer lucky in love.
“Placencia Nights” is a nice, easygoing tune
with vivid descriptions that really take the
listener in. Both tunes were co-written by Guldin and McKendree.
“When The Bills Come Due” is a gritty blues
about that time that we all dread each month,
focusing on one particular person down on their
luck. “Oh Lonesome Me,” the country classic
from Don Gibson, is presented in a pleasantly
rocking version with Wilson providing backing
vocal support and McKendree tearing up the keys.
Meanwhile, “Roll Chattahoochee Roll” is a
tribute to southern charms --- family, food,
faith, and roots.
“Deadwood” describes the city made popular by
books and television, mixing the blues with a
bit of country flavor, and “Down The Hatch,” the
album closer, is an amusing honky tonker about
overindulging at the corner bar.
Two of the tracks were recorded by Guldin and
his band Rollin' & Tumblin' consisting of McKendree –
B3/guitar, Pennebaker – violin, Bill Sharrow –
bass, Tim Hooper – keys, Bill Wear - drums/percussion, Craig Thatcher – guitar,
Andrew Portz – trumpet, Kyle Hummel – tenor sax,
Sal Lombardo, Sr. - tenor sax, with The McCrary
Sisters providing vocals.
The country-flavored “Let It Shine,” written by
Guldin with Sharrow, is superb, with Guldin and
the McCrarys on vocals and Pennebaker's violin
adding flavor to the track. “Goin' Back To
Memphis” is a soul-soaked blast with horns and
B3 and another standout vocal performance.
While I Can is another winner from Mike Guldin.
He wears his influences well, but his
songwriting and musical delivery prove that he's
carrying the blues forward from those who
influenced him.
--- Graham Clarke
 The CD Woodbury Trio, or CD3, consists of
guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Clint “CD”
Woodbury, who's earned several Washington Blues
Society honors, bassist Robert Baker, and
drummer Bill Ray. The trio's musical attack
includes blues mixed with rock, jazz, R&B, and
roots.
Their latest release,
Bulldog (Lightning
In A Bottle Records), is Woodbury's third album
overall, and includes three tunes written or
co-written by him, plus eight solid covers that
cover a variety of genres.
The opening cut is Michael Pickett and Gary
Nicholson's “Wicked Grin,” with Woodbury really
bringing out the menacing nature of the song with
his ominous vocal and the moody musical
arrangement. “Born Under A Bad Sign,” associated
with Albert King, gets a funky blues treatment,
and “Little Sister,” the Doc Pomus tune made
popular by Elvis Presley, is transformed into a
greasy shuffle with harmonica support from Bill
Davis.
“I Wouldn't Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated
Me),” one of Bobby “Blue” Bland's hit tunes from
the '70s, is given an upbeat, funky reworking by
Woodbury, Baker, and Ray. “Gaslight Road” is a
Woodbury original, a frank look at dishonesty
and deception, and a terrific cover of Cream's
“Politician” appropriately follows, with
Woodbury adding a couple of tasty guitar solos.
“Dollar Store Readers”, another Woodbury
original, co-written with Michele D'Amour, is a
delightful acoustic gem that anyone who's picked
up a pair at their local Dollar General can
relate to. James Brown's “I Got You (I Feel
Good)” is transformed into a breezy blues
shuffle with a bit of funk.
Woodbury covers Howlin' Wolf's “Spoonful,” with another nod to
Cream for the arrangement and Woodbury's vocal,
which resembles Jack Bruce's singing on the Cream
version. There's also a flute solo from Mike Marinig that's really cool.
Joel Astley guests on harmonica for a rousing
read of Mark Dufresne's “A Song In There,” and
the album closes with the title track, “(Call Me
The) Bulldog,” a swaggering blues that is
loaded with bite.
Bulldog is a really enjoyable listen, just like
CD Woodbury's other releases. It was great to
see a new release from him. While there's only
three originals, the guitarist has a real knack
for giving cover tunes a fresh presentation,
adding to the band's appeal.
--- Graham Clarke
 Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival
recently
released Electric Eden (J&R Collective), a
dynamic live nine-song set that was recorded at
the Belle Mehus Auditorium in Bismarck, North
Dakota. The
band (Jennifer Lyn – guitar/vocals, Richard Torrence – guitar/vocals, Jim Anderson –
drums/vocals, Barb Jiskra – keys, Nolyn Falcon –
bass) has shown a real talent for mixing classic
rock sounds with soulful modern blues on their
previous efforts, and this live effort captures
them at their best. They are joined on several
tracks by guitarist Jaxon Fitterer.
Eight of the nine songs are originals, some have
appeared on the band's previous releases, but
this album serves as a great introduction to any
new fans. The powerful blues rocker, “Breaking
Chains,” from 2025's Retrograde, opens the set,
and the anthemic, guitar-driven “Light The
Fire,” from the same album follows, and this
track includes a bit of “When The Levee Breaks,”
the Led Zeppelin via Memphis Minnie classic.
The cover tune is a rousing version of Jefferson
Airplane's “White Rabbit” that works nicely,
and “Lay Your Memory Down,” from 2021's EP
Nothing Holding Me Down, is an excellent blues
ballad with a wonderful vocal from Jennifer Lyn.
“Sucker For The Pain,” another Retrograde track,
is a tough rocker with bluesy fretwork and
soulful vocals, and “Nothing Holding Me Down,”
the title track from their 2021 EP, is strong,
as well.
The final three tracks originally appeared on
Retrograde, beginning with “Baggage,” which
adapts a funky second-line rhythm mixed with
tasty slide guitar work. “'59 Cadillac” keeps
the funk rolling, as Jennifer Lyn looks at one
of the perks of a concluding relationship, and
she delivers a fine vocal on the closing ballad
“Refuge.”
The musicianship on this set is dynamite,
particularly the guitar work throughout.
Electric Eden offers a great sampling of
Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival's music,
especially their previous studio release, which
is worth backtracking for a listen if you missed
it the first time.
Jennifer Lyn remains one of
the standout voices in the blues and blues-rock
genres and The Groove Revival provide first-rate
support.
--- Graham Clarke
 Gabe
Stillman's website labels his brand of music
as hard stompin' blues. Yeah, I'll go with that.
The Williamsport, Pennsylvania native has a new
album out, What Happens Next? (Gulf Coast
Records), a very nice follow-up to his debut
collection, Just Say The Word, released
in 2021.
That
first album came out after the younger Stillman
captured the Gibson Guitar Award at the Blues
Foundation's 2019 International Blues Challenge.
What Happens Next? contains nine songs, not
a long one by some standards, but every cut is
top-notch.
Stillman opens with the title cut, a mid-tempo,
gentle blues that features nice female backing
vocals. One of the cooler numbers here is
"Yesterday's Donuts," with Stillman beginning
the song with a snaky guitar intro before it
turns into a mid-tempo, funky blues. It's about
a relationship breaking up, but our star is
showing his strength and feistiness with lines
like, "...I might be yesterday's donuts, but I'm
still sweeter than you ..."
"The
Man I'm Supposed To Be" goes on for over seven
minutes, but this slow blues is packed with some
of the best blues guitar work on the album. He's
looking for a true love and wants to know if
that's too much to ask. Stillman uses the slide
with great effect on the mid-tempo blues,
"Someone In My Mirror," as he is putting himself
on trial every time he looks at his image,
always questioning his past actions. The agony
in his voice is evident throughout.
Anson Funderburgh, who's now produced both of
Stillman's albums, pops in to help out on guitar
on the up-tempo shuffle, "Shame Shame," with
Stillman flexing his guitar chops on the
fast-paced romper "Screamin'."
The
tempo slows to a crawl on a bluesy version of
Gladys Knight & The Pips soul classic, "I've Got
To Use My Imagination." I love what Stillman has
done to make this song his own. On "Living Your
Life," he puts extra power into his vocals and
really tears it up on guitar, producing perhaps
the best solo on the album.
I
was suspicious when I noticed that Stillman was
closing the album with his rendition of John
Hartford's "Gentle On My Mind." But it works! He
switches over to acoustic guitar, at times using
a slide, and produces a gentle ending to a fine
album. Veteran sax man Kaz Kazanoff joins in for
an appropriately tasteful solo.
Unless I've missed something along the line, the
span from the first album to the second was five
years. Let's hope we don't have to wait another
half decade for the next set of music from the
talented Gabe Stillman.
--- Bill Mitchell
 The Reverend Freakchild still walks among us,
despite the “obituary” printed in the liner
notes of his 2025 album A Bluesman of Sorts. The
Rev survives to offer us fortunate listeners the
opportunity to hear his first two releases,
2001's Blues & Spirituals and 2003's
Hymn
Hustler (Treated and Released Records) in re-mastered and digitized form in a two-CD
compilation.
Those of us who missed those
releases will now be able to see that the Rev's
musical vision was pretty much in place from the
beginning.
Blues & Spirituals offers ten acoustic tracks,
just guitar and harmonica. The opening track is
a nimble reading of “Jesus On The Mainline,”
nicely played and sung by the Rev. The breezy,
upbeat “Lose These Blues” is an original tune,
and so is “Mo Betta Blues,” a laid back country
blues which finds the Rev adding harmonica to
his guitar.
“Blues For No One” is a jazzy
instrumental track, and “True Religion,” a
traditional gospel also recorded by Hot Tuna, is
given a lovely interpretation.The Rev also does a marvelous job on his cover
of Billie Holiday's “God Bless The Child” and
the homespun “Rollin' On,” another original
which is
a mix of country and blues that works really
well.
The playful “Cheeba Cheeba” contains
lyrics from Schooly D, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan,
and the 23rd Psalm. It's more successful than
one would expect. The Rev's acoustic take on
John Lennon's “Yer Blues” from The Beatles White Album is excellent, as is the album
closer, a gentle, understated version of Lowell
George's “Willin'.”
Hymn Hustler finds the Reverend joined on
selected tracks by Jon Robinson (upright bass),
Patrick Carmichael (drums), Michael Gomez and
Drew Glackin (lap steel), the mysterious CC
(other voices), Alan Grubner (viola) and
Cleophus Jones (baritone vocal).
This disc opens
with a spirited reading of “Rollin' & Tumblin',”
punctuated by the Rev's slide guitar work, and a
super interpretation of the gospel standard “In
My Time Of Dying.”
The original “Supersubconscious Mind” is a
reflective look within that has a psychedelic
feel, as does “Strange Magic,” which sounds like
it came right out of the '60s. The intriguing
instrumental “Hawaiian Cowboy Lost in NYC”
combines lap steel guitar with with NYC traffic
noise, and the Rev delivers a splendid cover of
the Reverend Gary Davis' “Search My Heart."
“A Day Late and $ Short” is a blues shuffle that
updates a familiar blues man theme, and “WW3
Blues” is a bit similar to “Cheeba Cheeba” in
that it incorporates lyrics from Bob Dylan,
Peter Tosh, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
while
also including vocals from James and a driving
percussion that propels the song.
“Don't Miss Nothin'”
mixes blues and folk with slide guitar and vivid
lyrical imagery. The
closer, “Momento Mori,” is an imaginative
mishmash of sound effects and voice snippets
with the Rev adding harmonica and bits of “My
Babe” and “This Train,” a format which longtime
fans of Reverend Freakchild will understand.
Reverend Freakchild fans, especially those late
arriving to the scene, will want to hear both of
these releases. Blues & Spirituals is more
straight-laced in it's delivery, but the Rev
really seems to have found his way going forward
with Hymn Hustler. It's closer to his more
recent releases.
Both are highly enjoyable, as
is most everything else in Reverend Freakchild's
catalog.
--- Graham Clarke
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