The Mike Wheeler
Band’s sophomore release for Delmark Records, Turn
Up!!, gives ample evidence as to why Wheeler is
regarded as one of the stalwarts of the current
Chicago blues scene. In addition to performing with
several blues legends (B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Koko
Taylor among them), guitarist Wheeler has also
served with distinction in the several Windy City
bands of several current acts, including Nellie
“Tiger” Travis, Big James Montgomery and the Chicago
Playboys, and Jimmy Johnson.
On Wheeler’s 2012 Delmark release,
Self- Made Man,
he showed himself to be as good a songwriter as he
was a guitarist and singer, surely among the best in
the business these days on all three counts. There’s
no let-up at all with Turn Up!!, which includes
12 original compositions out of 13 tracks.
Wheeler grew up listening to multiple styles of
music --- soul, R&B, rock, funk, and even
disco --- and all these genres make up portions of his
brand of blues.
For those who like R&B and soul mixed with their
blues, tracks like “Sweet Girl,” “Yeah!,” “Living My
Dream,” “I’m Hooked” and the irresistible title
track will definitely fit the bill. “Brand New
Cadillac” is four and a half minutes of pure blues
rock with some string-shredding fretwork from
Wheeler. The intense “You Won’t Do Right” fits this
mold, too. Wheeler knows his way around a ballad,
too ,,, just check out “Nothing Lasts Forever” and “Sad
State of The World.”
Pure blues loves won’t be shortchanged by any means,
with a splendid slow burner like “A Blind Man Can
See,” the up-tempo “Talking To Myself,” and “I Can’t
Do That.” The album’s lone cover is a keeper for
soul blues fans, a funky, horn-drenched reading of
Little Milton Campbell’s “That’s What Love Will Make
You Do.”
Wheeler’s band (Brian James – keys, organ, Larry
Williams – bass, Cleo Cole – drums) is one of the
best and certainly shine on these tunes. Their tight
and steady grooves are augmented mightily by the
renowned Chicago Horns (Kenny Anderson – trumpet,
Hank Ford – tenor sax).
The Chicago Blues is as strong as ever, thanks to
outstanding performers like Mike Wheeler. For blues
lovers everywhere, Turn Up!! is a stellar set of
Windy City blues that will satisfy your soul.
---
Graham Clarke
Even though he’s not yet
30 years old, Big Jon
Atkinson truly has an old soul. The San Diego
resident has worked with Nathan James and Kim Wilson
as well as fronting his own band, the Nationals. He fell
under the spell of the blues as a youngster and has
developed into a versatile guitarist and a vocalist
of the highest quality. Last year, Atkinson teamed
with harp master Bob Corritore for a thrilling set
of vintage blues at Big Tone Studio in San Diego,
House Party at Big Jon’s (Delta Groove Music).
It wouldn’t be a true house party without a few
guests, so Atkinson and Corritore are joined by Dave
Riley, Tomcat Courtney, Alabama Mike, and Willie
Buck, plus guitarist Danny Michel, bassist Troy
Sandow, and drummers Malachi Johnson, Brian Fahey,
and Marty Dodson. Loaded with 16 tracks, about
half the disc consists of original tunes from
Atkinson, Corritore, Riley, Courtney, and Buck. The
remainder are old-school covers. The production
values give the session a vintage feel that is
reminiscent of the Sun and Chess recordings from
days of yore.
Atkinson’s vocals, ringing guitar work, and his
songs fit perfectly with the subject era; songs like
“Goin’ Back To Tennessee,” “It Wasn’t Easy,” and “My
Feelings Won’t Be Hurt” sound like they could be
found on a ’50s era Chicago jukebox. Corritore
contributes three of his own (“Here Comes My Baby,”
“Mad About It,” and the sharp instrumental, “El
Centro”) and they fit the bill equally well. As for
his harmonica work, if he’s not in a class by
himself, as Bum Phillips used to say, “it sure don’t
take long to call roll.”
The guest artists take the mic for seven of the
tunes. Riley lends his gritty Mississippi growl and
guitar to his original “Mississippi Plow,” and
testifies mightily on the Sensational Nightingales’
“At The Meeting.” Buck tackles the Slim Harpo
standard “I’m A King Bee” and his own “You Want Me
To Trust You.” Alabama Mike tears through Lightnin’
Hopkins’ “Mojo Hand” and “Somebody Done Changed The
Lock on My Door,” and Courtney does a splendid
reading of his own “Mojo in My Corn Bread.”
House Party at Big Jon’s is a rousing, rollicking
good-time set of traditional blues, and for the
uninitiated, it serves as a great introduction to
Big Jon Atkinson’s talents. He and Bob Corritore
work well together, so maybe we’ll see more another
collaboration from them in the future.
---
Graham Clarke
Two of the finest fiddlers in the music world,
Michael Doucet and Tom Rigney, have convened for a
dream session consisting of Cajun, blues, and roots
music. Cajun Fandango (Parhelion Records) finds
Doucet, the longtime leader of Beausoleil, joining
forces with Rigney, founder of the Swamp Rock band,
The Sundogs, and current leader of Flambeau,
headlining a spirited session of Cajun two-steps and
waltzes and deep blues numbers, backed by an
excellent band (including the members of Flambeau –
Danny Caron – guitar, pianist Caroline Dahl, bassist
Steve Parks, and drummer Brent Rapone).
Though based a couple of miles apart (Doucet in
Louisiana, Rigney in California), the two fiddlers’
styles fit together perfectly. The whole session has
the feel of an extra loose jam session, with each
bringing in several new compositions, along with
several traditional Cajun classics, and a few
interesting adaptations that bring the blues into
the mix.
Doucet’s new compositions include the rousing
opener, “Marie Catin,” the magnificent multifaceted
title track, and the lovely waltz, “L’Amour Perdu.”
Rigney’s contributions are “Chase The Devil,” a
kinetic twin-fiddle fest, the stirring “Swamp
Fever,” and a reworking of his “Rigo’s Blues,” with
some nice fretwork from Caron.
Some interesting covers are included as well. “Maman
Rosin” is an old Cuban folk tune that’s given a
funky second-line rhythm. The Louis Jordan classic,
“Early In The Morning,” brings the blues, New
Orleans style, to the forefront, and Doucet’s own
“L’Amour Poisonne” is a standout, with some nice
work on Hammond Organ from John R. Burr and a
supremely soulful vocal from Doucet. A pair of tunes
from Cajun music legend Dennis McGee are included,
“Le Bal A Chataignier” and “Oh Pauline,” a mournful
duet showing the fiddlers at their very best.
Finally, the pair tackle a couple of J.J. Cale
tunes, the dark “Last Will and Testament” and the
road favorite, “Call Me The Breeze,” that would
surely bring a smile to the late Oklahoma
troubadour's face.
For roots music fans, Cajun Fandango is music
nirvana. Whoever decided to bring these two great
artists together deserves an award of some kind.
Hopefully, they will do it again soon.
---
Graham Clarke
If you’re not familiar with
The Alexis P. Suter
Band, I guarantee that you are in for a treat when
you hear All For Loving You (American Showplace
Music). Ms. Suter is described as “a true vocal
phenomenon,” which is an understatement on par with
“Lebron James can play basketball.” The lady sings
with so much passion, soul, and fire that she will
blow the doors right off your very structure if you
don’t brace yourself. Though she got her start
singing gospel as a child, Ms. Suter has a voice
that’s built for the blues and the blues is what you
get with this sensational new release.
The disc kicks into high gear with the opening cut,
“Talk To Myself,” a sassy blues rocker with Suter
getting electrifying support from guitarist Jimmy
Bennett. “Can’t Find A Reason” is a smoldering R&B
ballad, one of several that feature guest John Ginty
on keyboards. Suter really pours the soul on with
this track, and Bennett’s economical solo is a
keeper, too. “Another Place and Time” is a slow
burner that Suter knocks out of the park, plus a
sweet solo from Bennett on this one, too. The title
track has a smooth pop feel to it that should get
attention.
The shuffle “Living in the World” steers toward
southern rock with some strong work from the rhythm
section (Peter Bennett – bass, Ray Grappone –
drums), plus Ginty’s swirling keyboards. “Fool For
You” is a soulful ballad that would have found a
comfortable spot on a Stax recording back in the
day, and “So Long” is a fierce rocking boogie with a
great turn from the band as a unit. “So Long”
features Suter (with able support from backing
vocalist Vicki Bell) working with a heavy funk
bottom and some searing fretwork from guitarist
Bennett, and “Every Shut Eye” has a upbeat Latin
flair.
For the album closer, Suter takes the band to church
on a gospel-flavored reading of the Beatles’ “Let It
Be,” complemented by Ginty’s keyboards. Suter ends
this excellent and entertaining disc on a most
inspirational note, with one of her best
performances on an album loaded with high points.
Alexis P. Suter has been nominated twice at the
Blues Music Awards in the Vocalist categories (2013,
2015). I’m assuming the only reason she didn’t
receive the award either year was because there
weren’t enough voters who were familiar with her
talents. All For Loving You should change that for
her if there’s any justice in the world.
---
Graham Clarke
For his new album, Albert Castiglia did things a bit
differently. In an effort to better capture all
aspects of his musical persona, as a singer,
guitarist, and live performer, the Florida guitarist
headed to Dockside Studios in Louisiana and sought
the services of Mike Zito. The effort seems to have
paid dividends, resulting in what is arguably
Castiglia’s best solo release to date, Big Dog (Ruf
Records), a ragged, raw, and rocking blues record if
there ever was one.
Big Dog is loaded from top to bottom with excellent
material, Castiglia himself wrote six of the 11
tracks, including the reflective “Somehow,” a
collaborative effort with Zito’s former Royal
Southern Brotherhood bandmate Cyril Neville that
touches on modern issues, including homelessness and poverty.
He also penned the humorous “Get Your Ass In The
Van,” a churning slide-driven look at life on the
road, hard-charging rockers “Where The Devil Makes
His Deals,” “Easy Distance,” and “What The Hell Was
I Thinking,” and the ballad “Let’s Make Love In The
Morning.”
The covers include “Where Did I Go Wrong,” usually
associated with Castiglia’s musical mentor Junior
Wells (with harp from guest Johnny Sansone), a
searing redo of Luther Allison’s “Drowning At The
Bottom,” the madcap “Let The Big Dog Eat,” from
Sauce Boss Bill Wharton, and Charlie Pickett’s “What
I Like About Miami,” an appropriate choice for
Castiglia, a longtime Miami resident.
Castiglia is backed by a tight rhythm section (Scot
Sutherland – bass, Rob Lee – drums, Lewis Stephens –
keys). Zito produced Big Dog and adds acoustic and
electric guitar, plus he sings with Castiglia on his
own composition, “Don’t Let Them Fool Ya.” Zito and
Castiglia have a lot in common with their rough-edged blues rock attack, so this is a match made in
heaven. If there’s any justice in the world, Big Dog
will make a lot of noise for Albert Castiglia.
---
Graham Clarke
In 2015, Bing Futch became the first mountain
dulcimer player to advance to the semi-finals of the
International Blues Challenge. This year, he
improved on that by advancing to the I.B.C. finals
and winning the Best Guitarist award. Despite the
recent accolades, Futch is not exactly a newcomer to
the music scene, beginning his career in 1986 as
part of a Christian techno-punk trio, eventually
moving to composing and producing soundtracks for
movies and theatre, and performing at various
festivals and other venues across the country. He
also teaches music, conducts Delta blues workshops
across the country, and is the author of the best
seller, Blues Methods for Mountain Dulcimer 101.
Futch has also released numerous albums over the
past 30 years, but Unresolved Blues is his first
“all-blues” album. He wrote, produced, and played
all the instruments on the album, using his mountain
dulcimer, a resonator dulcimer, and “Band-in-a-Box RealTracks” software for accompaniment. In his
hands, the dulcimer alternates between delicate
Piedmont-styled picking, Delta slide guitar, and
even a rock edge on some tracks. In addition, he has
a warm, easy vocal style that meshes pretty well on
the various styles.
Of the dozen tracks included on
Unresolved Blues, Futch composed eight. Highlights include the “road”
tune “Interstate 10 Blues,” the moody “Harperville,”
“Drinkin’ and Drivin’ Blues,” a slow blues with a
warning, the fierce rocker “Listen Closely Mama,”
the country-flavored title track, and the Delta
blues-fueled ramblers, “The Flip Side” and
“Red-Headed Lover.”
The four covers include a
straight-forward reading of “Sweet Home Chicago,” an
update of “Cluck Old Hen” called “Juke Joint Hen,” a
sparkling take on the Tampa Red standard, “It’s
Tight Like That,” and a lovely rendition of the folk
classic “John Henry.”
Unresolved Blues is a nice change of pace from your
regular blues album. Bing Futch bends the genre a
bit with his imaginative approach to the dulcimer,
not an instrument usually associated with the blues,
but he remains true to the roots of the music with
his playing and songwriting.
---
Graham Clarke
L.A.-based blues belter
Shari Puorto has been active
in California since the late ’90s, performing with
or opening for many of today’s blues stalwarts.
Influenced by her dad’s appreciation of blues and
classic rock, she soon fell under the spell of the
music of Etta James and blues rockers like the Allman Brothers. On her fourth album,
My Obsession
(Little Lightning Productions), she’s joined by an
impressive lineup of performers, including Tony Braunagel (drums/producer), Johnny Lee Schell
(guitar), Jimmy Vivino (guitar), Johnny Hawthorn
(guitars), Mike Finnigan (piano, B3), Jim Pugh and
Barry Goldberg (piano), Daryl Leonard and Joe
Sublett (horns).
The disc includes 12 tracks,
11 originals
co-written by Puorto with Goldberg, Vivino,
Hawthorn, and Braunagel. The tunes cover the bases
on blues rockers (“Workin’ The Room,” “Home of the
Blues,” “Six Months Sober,” “What’s the Matter w/the
World?,” “Turned To Stone”), R&B/funk (“It’s a Damn
Shame,” “Better Left Unsaid,” and the title track,
which is prominently featured on the front cover),
and soul burners (“Sugar Daddy,” “Old Silo Road,”
All About You”). The new songs touch on fairly
familiar blues themes, but with a few twists that
lift them above the familiar.
The album’s lone cover is the Percy Sledge classic,
“When a Man Loves a Woman,” certainly a tune that
could be intimidating, but Ms. Puorto handles it
with ease. It’s pretty cool to hear from the other
side of the aisle.
My Obsession offers up some top notch original
songwriting and great performances. Shari Puorto has
a wonderful set of pipes, ably handling the rocker
and the tender ballads. Listeners could discover a
new obsession of their own after checking out this
excellent disc.
---
Graham Clarke
Guitarist Mark Cameron started out in the folk-rock
scene of the early ’70s, recording five albums
during the ’80s and ’90s, before turning his
attention to the blues in 2009. Playing Rough (COP
Records) is his fourth recording in the blues genre,
and features a dozen well-crafted original tunes
that showcase the Minnesota-based Cameron’s fluid
guitar (acoustic and electric) and his warm, honest
vocals.
Cameron is backed by a superlative rhythm section
(Scott Lundberg – bass, Dan Schroeder – drums), and
Bill “Killer” Keyes’ harmonica plays a prominent
role in all of the songs as well. In addition, I
really like the haunting, ethereal presence of flute
from Cameron’s wife, Sheri, which adds a unique
touch to these tracks.
The highlights include the boogie rocking opener,
“Doctor In The House,” the funky “Somewhere Down The
Line,” the vintage ballad “Almost,” the amusing
metaphorical “Rusty Old Model-T,” the Delta-styled
“Done Me Wrong,”and the funky Gospel number
“Together,” one of several tracks that feature “soul
singers” Tonia Hughes and Sara Renner. The title
track is a tough blues rocker, and “Hammered By The
Blues” is a cool slow blues that includes some
scorching harp from Keyes.
For me, the standout tracks are “Blues Man’s
Lullaby,” a poignant tribute to B.B. King, the
stirring acapella “Close My Eyes,” and the haunting
closer, “Borrowed Time,” a real after-hours slow
burner that teams Mark Cameron’s heartfelt vocal and
sinewy guitar work with Sheri Cameron’s ghostly
flute. On several tracks there is additional musical
support from Jason Craft (piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond)
and Scott Sansby (washboard).
With Playing Rough, Mark Cameron and associates have
given listeners one smooth set of classic acoustic
and electric blues.
---
Graham Clarke
Blind Lemon Pledge not only has one of the greatest
stage names ever, he’s a masterful musician,
songwriter, and performer. The artist (a.k.a. James Byfield) issued
Evangeline in 2014, a completely
solo effort in which he played all the instruments
and explored a variety of musical styles beyond the
blues --- folk, jazz, old style pop, and country. For
his latest release, Pledge Drive (Ofeh Records),
Pledge has crafted a dozen tunes that continue to
explore the American musical palette, but with more
of a blues rock edge than his previous effort.
The opening track, “Run John Run,” is a tale of the
post-Civil War Night Riders of the American south,
backed by an irresistible Bo Diddley beat. It’s
followed by the moody blues of “Moon Madness,” where
Pledge enlists the harmonica of Jenny Reed to back
his raspy vocals. The whimiscal “Nag Nag Nag” is
next, with a tasty sax break from Rick LeCompte,
then the somber acoustic lament, “Cora Lee.” "Birmingham Walk” is an interesting track, a tune
reflecting on the Civil Rights Movement era driven
by a funky rhythm that will remind listeners of
Lowell George-era Little Feat.
The sax and guitar-driven rocker “5 Weeks of Heaven”
recalls a torrid love affair that ends poorly, and
the bluesy “She Broke The Ten Commandments” cleverly
touches on the same theme. “You Can’t Get There From
Here” is a smoldering slow blues with jazz
undertones. “O Katrina” is a vivid narrative that
recounts the terrible 2005 storm. “You Know You
Really Got The Blues” includes some of Pledge’s
distinctive slide guitar. “Kokomo” is a riff on
office rage and gun control taken to the rhythm
track to The Doors’ “Love Me Two Times,” and the
closer, “Railroad Mama,” is a downhome remake of a
Blind Lemon Pledge classic that will get toes to
tapping and heads to bobbing.
Pledge Drive is an entertaining and diverse look at
blues and Americana musical styles, and you’d be
hard pressed to find a better guide through this
music than Blind Lemon Pledge.
---
Graham Clarke
Midwesterner Josh Harty offers an idiosyncratic
brand of Americana that blurs the lines between
blues, country, and folk music. Fans of those three
musical styles will enjoy his new album, Holding On,
which combines the lyrical qualities and
instrumentation of each of those genres. Harty’s
rich and expressive vocals lean more toward the
country side, but his songwriting crosses the aisle
(which, let’s face it, is a pretty narrow one to
start with), and he gets exceptional support from a
talented group of backing musicians.
The title track has a country feel, thanks to the
presence of banjo and mandolin, is about the weary,
relentless, monotonous life on the road and the hope
for better days. “The Kind” is a moody, uptempo
track with a soulful performance from Harty, and
“Wired” is a strong country rocker. “Learn to
Fight,” a song about perseverance through life’s
trials, is one of the strongest songs on the disc.
The harrowing “Ballad for a Friend” is another
standout.
“Running” is a moving tune about loss and regret,
but “You and the Road” picks things up nicely with a
jaunty countrified feel. “Shiver in the Dark” is an
uptempo rocker that reminded me a bit of Dire
Straits with the guitar work and Harty’s vocal. The
closer, “English Rain,” revisits the travails of
being homesick after a lengthy time away from home.
Harty’s vocals are a big part of his attraction, but
it’s as a guitarist where he sort of sneaks up on
you. He mixes genres on guitar as well, with equal
measures of country and blues.
Josh Harty is a multi-talented artist with the
capability to make an impact in several different
genres, and Holding On is an album that will satisfy
any music lover who decides to give it a spin.
---
Graham Clarke
The Juke Rockets Blues Band (Carlene Thornton – lead
vocals, Ron Casillo – guitars, Steve Mellor –
bass/vocals, Tim Woitowitz – drummer/vocals) have
competed in three of the last four I.B.C. events in
Memphis, representing the Maine Blues Society. The
band recently released their debut recording, Hungry
Soul, an energetic ten-song set with nine originals
penned by the band.
Thornton proves herself to be a magnetic presence
behind the mic, and is well-complemented by the
versatile fretwork of Casillo and the steady-rolling
rhythm section. The tunes consist of riveting blues
rockers (“American Train”), funky urban blues
(“Cougar,” “Can’t Complain Blues,” “Keep On Walkin’,”
“Sunday Morning,” “When I’m Good”), and smoky slow
burners (the title track, “Mister 7,” and “We Threw
Love Away”).
The album’s lone cover is a glorious reading of one
of Thornton’s favorite songs, George Gershwin’s
“Summertime,” a showcase for her nimble vocal
talents and Casillo’s fretwork. It’s obvious that
recording this song was definitely a labor of love
for Thornton, and the original tunes on Hungry Soul
leave that impression as well. It’s a well-crafted
set of traditional blues with a modern edge that
deserves to be heard.
---
Graham Clarke
In Layman Terms consists of the brother/sister duo
Cole and Logan Layman. Both are songwriters and
multi-instrumentalists. Cole Layman is a skilled
guitarist who lists guitarists Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy
Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa, and Derek
Trucks as influences. Logan Layman plays bass and
possesses a strong and seasoned vocal style. They
have competed in the IBC over the past four years,
and work as a duo, a trio with their mother on drums
and washboard, or as a full band with keys and
horns.
One more thing --- both are still in high school at Warhill High School in Virginia, with Cole
graduating and Logan just finishing her sophomore
year this spring. The young duo recently issued
their debut release, Tangled, which features nine
songs, five written by the Laymans, two from Holly
Montgomery, and two familiar covers. They are backed
by a solid band which includes
drummer/multi-instrumentalist Ron Lowder, Jr., and
keyboardist Brian Kloppenburg. Jack Campbell adds
harmonica on one track, and there’s a crisp horn
section (Ron Lowder, Sr. – tenor sax, Rick Thomasson
– trumpet, Mike Wholley – trumpet, and Russ
Robertson – trombone) on a couple of tracks.
The originals are impressive. The upbeat title track
features horns and a funky backdrop, with nice
soulful vocals from Logan Layman. “Fake It ‘Til I
Make It” is a slow blues with a smoky vocal from
Logan and a sharp guitar break from Cole. The rocker
“Don’t Even Try” is one of two songs penned by Holly
Montgomery, the other being the ballad “I’m Not
Ready.” “Heartbroken” is a churning, gritty blues
rocker.
The duo’s interpretation of “Smokestack Lightning”
is is different from any I’ve heard before, more of
a bluesy pop reading but it works surprisingly well.
Logan doesn’t try to emulate the Wolf’s fierce
style, wisely, opting for a more upbeat feel. “Won’t
Let It” is a straight-up old school boogie blues
tune, and “Karma” mixes funk with rock and blues to
great effect, mixing in some cool slide guitar from
Cole. The closer is Janis Joplin’s “Move Over,”
which wraps the disc up in excellent fashion.
Tangled is a remarkable debut release from a pair of
blues musicians that you will be hearing much more
from in the future.
---
Graham Clarke
Ivor Simpson-Kennedy, who performs as
Ivor S.K., is
a young Australian bluesman. With his rugged,
weathered vocal style and his smooth acoustic guitar
playing, he has mesmerized audiences from Fiji to
London, and he brings those talents to the recording
studio for a beautiful five-song EP, Delta Pines.
The five songs include the title track, an account
of a journey through Mississippi that’s rich with
imagery that blues fans will be able to relate to,
“I Like The Way,” a clever tune that starts out as
one thing and ends up with a twist, a pair of
entertaining originals that lean toward traditional
blues themes (“Help Poor Me” and “Missus Green”).
There’s also a fine instrumental, “Pelican,” that’s
included in the middle of the set.
Delta Pines is an extremely enjoyable set, despite
its brevity. Ivor S.K. proves to be as talented a
songwriter as he is a performer. Hopefully, we will
get a full album from him in the near future.
--- Graham Clarke
Roller Coaster
Boogie (Dynaflow Records) grows more impressive with each listen. Not
just because Jewel Brown is 78 years old and sounds
like a seasoned 40-year-old and not because the
Japanese band Bloodest Saxophone is fantastic. Maybe
both of those reasons.
I admit to not knowing who
she was until this amazing disc came in the mail.
Then I looked for background information online and
discovered that Ms. Brown came up in Houston, sang
for six or seven years with Louis Armstrong in the 1960s.
She turned down a touring gig with Duke Ellington to
go with Armstrong, with whom she recorded at least
once and appeared in a couple of movies. In the
1950s she worked at the Dallas club owned by Jack
Ruby. Ms. Brown retired from music in 1971, but the itch
got her and she has been active for the past few
years.
The jazz background is pretty conspicuous,
but she has impressive blues chops, as well. She was
nominated from a Blues Music Award in 2013. The
opener, "That’s a Pretty Good Love" has a Louis Jordan
feel. Her vocals are gorgeous and the band is
killer. Her take on "One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show"
has a narrative that swings.
"Good Goody" reminds of
Ella Fitzgerald and the band sounds bigger than it
is. Great guitar and horns interaction. There’s a
definite jump blues groove to "Walk That Walk Daddy O"
and "Ain’t Nobody’s Business" is a class delivered by
a class act.
Very impressive.
--- Mark E. Gallo
Hearing
the new album.
Good Days a Comin (Right Side Up Records),
from Chicago-born, Missouri-based folk/blues artist
Ivas John evokes pleasant memories of
listening to some of the old timey string bands,
most specifically Martin, Bogan & Armstrong, many
years ago. This is just good quality, simple blues
done well --- the type of music I could listen to
live without having to insert ear plugs to keep my
ears from being blasted by the sheer volume produced
by many blues bands. Most of the songs here are
original compositions but sound like they could have
been recorded decades ago. John is usually joined by
a rotating group of three or four other musicians,
and their respective instruments mix together
nicely.
A very fine guitar
player, John immediately shows off his
finger-picking techniques on the opening cut, "Goin'
Back to Arkansas," with fiddle accompaniment by
Robert Bowlin. The mandolin picking of David Davis
and dobro work of Gary Gordon highlight the next
cut, "Here I Am."
It was the third cut,
"Roll Mississippi," that really pulled me in, as the
musicians bring more of an ensemble sound to the
recording. On this fun cut I hear traces of both the
aforementioned Martin, Bogan & Armstrong as well as
longtime New Jersey guitar wizard Lew London. Bowlin
again gets to really shine on the fiddle. While
raving about his exquisite fretwork I neglected to
mention just how good of a singer John is, and his
voice really shows well on "Roll Mississippi." I
could listen to this song over and over --- in fact,
I'm doing just that right now.
John tackles his
first cover on song number four, doing the haunting
Merle Travis number "Dark As A Dungeon," with
effective harmony vocals added by Roberta Gordon.
Another cover is Tom Paxton's "Can't Help But Wonder
Where I'm Bound," with Tim Crouch doubling on fiddle
and mandolin.
Some of John's best
guitar picking can be heard on the James H. Jett
composition done earlier by both Doc Watson and
Ricky Skaggs, "Greenville Trestle High,"
supplemented by Davis' mandolin work. Judging from
the song title, it would appear that John returns
with another train-related song with the slow,
shuffle number "Keep Your Train Movin'," but instead
this one's more about keeping yourself going despite
any problems encountered as part of normal life.
The up-tempo "Payday
Boogie" sounds like it could have originally been
done by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, but instead
it's an Ivas John original that is a showcase for
Bowlin's fiddle playing. The theme (having fun at
payday time) that's been done many times but this
one fits in well with its predecessors.
Closing the disc is a
short, two-minute instrumental, "Sunday Morning
Blues," with John soloing on guitar. It's a nice
subtle end to a very good album. Recording quality
is very good, perhaps just a little too pristine for
my tastes, but overall it makes me want to hear more
from Ivas John. If you're into quality acoustic
music, be sure to add
Good Days a Comin to your shopping list.
---
Bill Mitchell
Big
Harp George (aka George Bisharat) came into the
blues world later in life, releasing Chromaticism
in 2014 at the age of 59, after working many years
as a lawyer, . He's back two years later with the
very good Wash my Horse in Champagne (Blues Mountain
Records), a baker's dozen of all-original
compositions featuring many special guests, most
notably guitarists Little Charlie Baty and Kid
Andersen.
It's great that
Little Charlie is still keeping active on the music
scene since his retirement from his longtime band
The Nightcats. We get to hear Baty's fine guitar
work on the opening cut, "Home Stretch," a mid-tempo
shuffle that also features the piano playing of
Chris Burns. It's an appropriate song considering
Bisharat's transition from the legal world to the
blues, as he sings about entering the home stretch
of life.
Bisharat shows off
his skills on harmonica on the title cut, picking up
the chromatic harp on this Latin-sounding tune with
Baty contributing subtle guitar licks. "My Bright
Future" slows the tempo down with a solid,
late-night blues, highlighted by Andersen's T-Bone
style guitar and subtle piano playing by Burns.
Bisharat proves to be a more than competent vocalist
for this type of material. Burns switches over to
organ for the excellent mid-tempo shuffle "I Ain't
the Judge of You," with Bisharat's singing
supplemented by background vocals from Loralee
Christensen and Baty coming in with a strong guitar
solo.
The horn section of
Michael Peloquin (sax) and Mike Rinta (trombone) are
added to the mix on the jump number "If Only," as
Bisharat shows regret for all of the wrong decisions
he made in life that caused him to lose his woman,
put him in the slammer (hypothetically, of course),
etc. It's a good foot-tapper that gives Andersen
time to stretch out on guitar. Andersen also gets
Memphis funky on the next cut, "Light from
Darkness," before Bisharat comes in with tasteful
chromatic harp licks.
One of the jumping-est
numbers here is the instrumental "Size Matters," an
up-tempo shuffle on which Bisharat on chromatic and
Baty on guitar trade solos back and forth. Closing
the disc is the slow blues, "Justice in My Time,"
with the only accompaniment being subtle bass lines
from Andersen.
These are just a few
of the standout cuts on this very good album. It's
also got one of the more unique titles this year.
Wash my Horse in Champagne will be a worthy
addition to any blues fans catalog.
---
Bill Mitchell
I'm
not sure how to classify the music found on Diana Rein's
Long Road (Rude Mood Records). She's billed as
"the six string siren" and she's more than just a
blues artist. In fact, her voice is very reminiscent
of a young Emmy Lou Harris on some of the dozen
originals here, especially on the first cut, "Long
Road." If I had to classify her music, I'd call it
more blues-based with a touch of rock, alt-country
and other styles mingling into the mix.
Rein plays all of the
instruments on the CD (guitars, bass, EZDrummer),
but I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't looked at
the liner notes. It's a coherent mix that sounds
like an entire band in the studio. Some of her
better guitar work comes out on the urgent number
"Green Light," one that could fit on both a blues
and rock playlist, while "Rebel With A Cause" mixes
in a bit of a soulful touch on her vocals. "The Real
Thing" is another up-tempo number but this one
sounding somewhat Bo Diddley-ish at times.
Rein also
demonstrates her ability to handle a slow number
with her plea "Don't Walk Away," with the
appropriate amount of tortured vocals coming out ...
" ... you see that I'm damaged and unworthy of
love anymore, would you hold me tight and not keep
score ..." She continues the plea with the more
up-tempo "Come Back Home," but this time her voice
is a little more demanding rather than pleading. I
really like her guitar riffs on this number --- it's
bluesier than previous cuts.
More strong blues
guitar follows on the slower "Wicked," where Rein's
voice takes on more of a rich and ethereal tone.
Good mixing in the studio here. Where she previously
sounded like Emmy Lou, now her voice reminds me more
of Neko Case. That's also a good thing. By the end
of this song I was saying "Wow!" at the strength of
Rein's vocals. Closing the album is a blues
instrumental, "Peace," that shows off Rein's guitar
prowess.
Born in Romania and
raised in Chicago, Rein now spends most of her time
in southern California and has merged with the band
The Papermoon Gypsys. I look forward to their first
recorded collaboration and to see how Rein develops
as both an artist and a songwriter. She's certainly
got the potential for greatness.
---
Bill Mitchell
