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 Long Tall Deb and Colin John enjoyed a lot
of attention with their first release, the 2015
EP Streets of Mumbai, and their
full-length follow-up, Dragonfly (VizzTone)
is bound to do the same. In recent years the duo
has traveled and performed not only in America,
but also Europe, India, and Nepal. This release
incorporates blues, Americana, rock n’ roll,
jazz, surf, pop, and world music into an
interesting and diverse set. The majority of
tunes were written by the duo, with one Townes
Van Zandt cover included.
“On
The Way Down” opens the disc, first as a moody
two-minute intro with John playing lap steel,
then tearing into a scorching blues rocker. The
title track has a spooky surf guitar/spaghetti
western feel, but you’ll be humming along pretty
quickly. I could see this one showing up on a
movie soundtrack somewhere. Van Zandt’s “Lungs”
is next, a reflective piece with John and Deb
sharing lead vocals, and Deb does a fabulous job
on the irresistible soul burner “I’ll Be The
One.”
For
“Remember Why (It’s Good He’s Gone),” John
starts out on baby sitar and then moves to
baritone guitar with fascinating results. This
track really stands out with its creativity, and
it’s a lot of fun. “Pull The Pin” is another
keeper, with great measured guitar work from
John and a soulful vocal from Deb. “Trouble” is
another track that would be radio-ready in a
perfect world --- catchy lyrics and a powerful
vocal from Deb, while John is joined by Michael
Hill, who plays slide guitar on this track.
The
jazzy slow burner “Horizontal Lightning”
combines Spanish influences with surf guitar, if
you can imagine. If not, just listen and it will
all make sense. “Lights That Shine” is a
poignant tribute from Deb to her late father and
touches on the Americana and roots genres, while
the closing track is a dreamy instrumental
reprise of the title track, “Dragonfly, Slight
Return.”
While not everything on Dragonfly is
blues, it’s all exceptional music that’s rooted
in the blues. I, for one, will be looking
forward to more music from Long Tall Deb and
Colin John, and encourage listeners to give this
excellent disc a spin.
--- Graham Clarke
 Award-winning keyboard monster Victor
Wainwright picked up yet another award a
couple of weeks ago, the 2018 BMA Pinetop
Perkins Piano Player of the Year, his second in
a row after taking home a pair of BMAs in 2016
for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and Band
of the Year. Wainwright recently assembled a new
band, The Train (Billy Dean – drums/percussion,
Terrence Grayson - bass, and Pat Harrington –
drums), and they join forces for their
powerhouse self-titled release (Ruf Records),
guaranteed to leave a mark on many listeners’
year-end Top Ten lists this year.
Wainwright wrote or co-wrote all 12 songs and
co-produced the set with Dave Gross. The dozen
songs mix tempos deftly, starting with the rowdy
rollicking horn-driven opener, “Healing,” the
title track, “Train,” which absolutely dares you
to sit still while listening, and the
hard-charging “Boogie Depression” all taking
care of things on the uptempo side, thank you
very much.
Wainwright also includes a nice set of tunes
that mix funk and roots with “Wiltshire Grave,”
the soulful “Money,” and “Dull Your Shine,” a
sure fit in the Dr. John or Leon Russell
songbooks but it’s a Wainwright original.
“Thank You Lucille” was written by Wainwright
shortly after B.B. King’s death and is a sweet
tribute to the blues legend’s guitar, complete
with stellar guitar work from Monster Mike Welch
that the King would surely approve of.
“Everything I Need” is a slower tempo love song
with a smooth vocal turn from Wainwright, and
the fiery “Righteous” has a gospel feel with
scorching lead guitar from Josh Roberts.
“I’ll Start Tomorrow” is a clever track that
many listeners can probably relate to, putting
off doing what our doctors tell us to do to get
healthy. On the lengthy, mostly instrumental
jam, “Sunshine,” Wainwright and the band venture
into Allmanesque territory for a fun workout,
and then close with the very smooth and mellow
ballad, “That’s Love To Me.” Both tracks feature
some dynamic guitar work from Harrington.
It’s
a pretty safe bet to say that blues fans will be
seeing Wainwright and hearing his name called a
few times at the next round of BMAs because his
keyboard skills are still marvelous. Victor
Wainwright and The Train will certainly be a
contender for Blues Album of the Year, no
question about it.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Claudettes have undergone a few changes
since their 2015 release, No Hotel. Piano
master Johnny Iguana continues his pile-driving
presence on the keyboards, but drummer Michael
Caskey has departed, being replaced by a drummer
(Matthew Torre) and a guitar/bass player (Zach
Verdoorn). On their previous release, The
Claudettes enlisted a vocalist (Yana) on about
half the tracks, but this time around they’ve
found singer Berit Ulseth, who appears on all of
the tracks with Verdoorn appearing on a few as
well. This edition of the band has been touring
for about two years, and judging from their
latest release, Dance Scandal at the
Gymnasium (Yellow Dog Records), they’re now
firing on all cylinders.
Ulseth’s vocals are arresting, often taking on a
haunting or even a playful, sultry quality. On
the opener, “Don’t Stay With Me,” Ulseth takes
the latter approach, powered by Iguana’s
storming piano riff is complimented by
Verdoorn’s slide guitar fills. Her vocals take
on a haunting edge on “November,” and she
positively nails the gorgeous jazzy ballad “Pull
Closer To Me.” “Give It All Up For Good” is a
social commentary decrying our overdependence on
social media and the consequences, and the
rocking “Naked On The Internet” (a duet by
Verdoorn and Ulseth) continues on that theme,
regarding the public’s desire for style (or
sleaze) over actual substance.
The
title track is mostly instrumental with a few
breathy asides included and it’s a monster,
starting out on a jazz-flavored intro and
building slowly, steadily, furiously into an
all-out romper before slowing down again at the
conclusion. Itt’s almost like being on a
carnival ride. The retro-pop melody of “Bill
Played Saxophone” belies the politically-charged
lyrical content, unusually aimed at both sides
of the political spectrum for their antics when
not in the seat of power, while “Death and
Traffic” laments the overabundance of bad news
and tragedy reported on the news today.
“Total Misfit” looks at the possible advantages
(and disadvantages) of being the “square peg in
a round hole,” while “Taco Night Material” is a
twisted take on falling into the sometimes
mundane routines of marriage. The chilling
closer, “Utterly Absurd,” is actually about the
state of the world today with the easy access to
information taking the place of good
old-fashioned research and “book-learning” that
was such a part of education for the older
generations but are fast becoming a thing of the
past.
Iguana penned all of the songs on the album and
they’re a very unique, diverse, and
thought-provoking set. His thunderous piano work
is as powerful as on the previous albums from
the band, and the new rhythm section is spot on.
Ms. Ulseth’s vocals are a definite plus and add
a lot to the band’s sound. To me, Dance
Scandal at the Gymnasium is the best,
most-realized album from The Claudettes to date.
But the bar was set pretty high to begin with.
--- Graham Clarke
 Canadian bluesman Marshall Lawrence gives
a nod to the blues/rock formula with his latest
release, Feeling Fine, with the master
guitarist turning in ten original tunes of
energetic rocking blues. His previous releases
have touched on blues, rock, funk, and punk, and
they all come into play on this release.
Lawrence attacks everything he does with
boundless enthusiasm, and this new release is no
exception to the rule.
The
title track kicks off the disc, mixing funk and
rock with irresistible pop-like harmony vocals.
From what I know of Lawrence, the lyrics could
more or less serve as his mission statement for
life. The incendiary rocker “Dancing With A
Hurricane” is next and is a fantastic tribute to
’80s era rock, and the manic “Ida Mae” is a good
old countrified Southern rocker that should have
fans dancing in the aisles. “What Am I Doing
Here” starts off with a guitar-fueled bang, but
quickly transforms to a splendid slow blues, and
“Blues Still Got Me” is a nice blues rocker.
Lawrence pulls out the slide for the scorcher
“Going Down To Memphis,” and slows things down
for the blues-flavored ballad “Help Me Find My
Way Home,” which is about as laidback as this
album gets. The fiery midtempo “Mean Hearted
Woman” ups the intensity immediately afterward.
The Latin-flavored “Keep On Walking” has a solid
groove and features Lawrence on slide again, and
the funky “Dirty Dishes” closes the album out in
powerful fashion.
It’s
pretty clear from the opening notes of this disc
that Marshall Lawrence is Feeling Fine,
and so will listeners after they give this
excellent album a spin.
--- Graham Clarke
 You
might not know who Myles Goodwyn is, but
just between you and me (sorry) you’ve probably
heard of the band he co-founded in the late
’60s, April Wine. Goodwyn served as lead
vocalist, guitarist, and main songwriter for the
highly successful Canadian band from its
beginnings to the early ’80s when he left for a
solo career. He returned to lead the band in the
early ’90s, but his first love has been the
blues since the ’60s, when he started listening
to B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters.
Over
the years Goodwyn wrote blues songs, but saved
them for his own future blues album. That album
has finally arrived in the form of Myles
Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues (Linus
Entertainment), which includes 11 Goodwyn-penned
songs and musical accompaniment from such
“friends of the blues” as guitarists Jack de
Keyser, Amos Garrett, Garret Mason, Frank
Marino, David Wilcox, Rick Derringer, Steve
Segal, and Shaun Verreault and keyboardists Bill
Stevenson and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne.
Goodwyn proves to be an excellent songwriter in
a blues vein. The swinging, horn-driven opener
“I Hate To See You Go (But I Love To Watch You
Walk Away)” certainly gets the album off on the
right foot, joined by Verreault who shines on
slide guitar. Amos Garrett adds guitar to the
supremely soulful ballad “It’ll Take Some Time
To Get Used To” (assisted by Emily Lamarche in
the vocal department), and the Blues Boss and
Segal have a ball on the country-styled blues
“Tell Me Where I’ve Been (So I Don’t Go There
Anymore).” The humorous “Ain’t Gonna Bathe In
The Kitchen Anymore” is a “When My Ship Comes
Sailing In” romp, and Marino’s guitar and
Wayne’s piano break are highlights on the
hilarious “I’ll Hate You (Till Death Do Us
Part).”
Garret Mason guests on guitar on the rocking
shuffle “Good Man In A Bad Place,” and Segal (on
slide guitar) teams with Marino for some superb
guitar fireworks on “Brand New Cardboard Belt.”
Goodwyn sings the heck out of the reflective
slow blues “Weeping Willow Tree Blues,” backed
by Wilcox’s acoustic guitar, and Derringer teams
with Goodwyn on the fiery shuffle “Last Time
I’ll Ever Sing The Blues.” De Keyser adds guitar
to the slow burner “Nobody Lies (About Having
The Blues),” and for the closer, the easygoing
“You Never Got The Best of Me,” Goodwyn is
joined by Segal and Garrett on guitar and Dewey
Reeds on harmonica.
The
album’s lone cover is a very cool reading of
Jesse Winchester’s “Isn’t That So,” set to a
smooth rhumba beat with backing vocals from
Sonja Ball.
This
is a wonderful release with outstanding songs,
great guitar work, and it gives off a very
relaxed, fun vibe. Hopefully, we’ll hear more
blues from Myles Goodwyn very soon.
--- Graham Clarke
 Eric Corne is the founder and president of
Forty Below Records. He’s also a
producer/engineer with several blues albums to
his credit, including Walter Trout’s recent
album, We’re All In This Together, and
several recordings with Forty Below artist John
Mayall including remastering Mayall’s recently
discovered 1967 live recordings with the
pre-Fleetwood Mac incarnation of the
Bluesbreakers (Peter Green, John McVie, and Mick
Fleetwood). He’s also written songs for Trout,
Sam Morrow, and Karen Lovely.
Corne is a recording artist in his own right,
having recently released Happy Songs for the
Apocalypse (Forty Below Records), a
12-track, thought-provoking look at the state of
the world. The album combines blues, roots,
country, and folk influences and a wide variety
of instrumentation: Corne plays guitar, bass,
harmonica, percussion, and ukulele and there’s
also pedal-steel guitar, Theremin, accordion,
and keyboards galore. The production work gives
the album a lush quality, but retaining an
earthy feel as well.
“Mad
World,” the opening track, reminds me of
mid-period Beatles, touching on folk and rock,
with Eamon Ryland’s pedal steel really standing
out. Trout makes an appearance on the stomping
blues rocker “Ridin’ With Lady Luck,” his
fretwork complementing Corne’s fiery harmonica
playing. Ryland’s slide guitar on the rollicking
“Locomotion” reminds me a lot of Sonny Rhodes
lap steel guitar and the horn section adds a fun
twist to this pop-flavored track, while “The
Gilded Age” is a gentle acoustic cautionary
tale. “Short Wave Preachers” finds Corne calling
out modern-day politicians for their
indifference.
“Pull String To Inflate” is a hard-charging
rocker, while “History Repeats” lands on the
country side of the aisle, as does “The Distance
You Run,” while “Forbidden Town” leans more
toward the roots/alt-country side. Corne tackles
this wide variety of musical styles with nary a
hitch.
The
aching and forlorn “Ashen Heart” will tug at
your heartstrings, and “Trail Full of Tears”
matches horns with a somber rhythmic backdrop to
chilling effect. The closer, “Sing, Little
Darlin’, Sing,” features Corne solo on ukulele.
Happy Songs for the Apocalypse offers a
sometimes muted, sometimes upbeat, sometimes
admonitory look at the world today. The wide
variety of musical styles is a big selling point
and Corne’s versatility as a singer and
performer make this album one that deserves to
be heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Laurie Jane
and The 45s’ brand of blues mixes old school
blues with healthy doses of rockabilly and soul
with a dash of country and R&B. Laurie Jane
Duggins’ vocals have the right mix of restraint
and sincerity, complementing husband Cort
Duggins’ versatile guitar work and the tight
rhythm work from Jason Embry (upright bass) and
Scott Dugdale (drums). Their recent release,
Midnight Jubilee (Down In The Alley
Records), is a fine display of the band’s
handiwork, with eight superb originals and three
well-chosen covers.
The
opening track, “Wait So Long,” is a
country-flavored rockabilly raver with excellent
slide guitar from Cort Duggins, and “Lucky Boy”
is a solid midtempo track with a soulful edge.
The title track is a blues ballad with a bit of
a pop sheen, and “Howlin’ For My Darlin’” is a
swinging rockabilly reworking of the Howlin’
Wolf classic. “Fine By Me” is a tale of a lover
scorned, featuring Cort Duggins on piano, and
“Down The Road” has a retro rock vibe.
Laurie Jane does a masterful job on the slow
burner “It’s Been A Long Time,” as this song
really allows her to show her formidable vocal
strength. Nice solo from her husband on this
one, too. The countrified ballad “Couldn’t Cry
Alone” is another great vehicle for the singer,
and the midtempo “Got Me Where You Want Me” is a
sharp urban-styled blues. The rock-edged “What’s
A Girl To Do” is another keeper, and the closer,
“Not With You,” revisits the upbeat rockabilly
of the opening track.
Midnight Jubilee is a very entertaining
release. Laurie Jane Duggins’ is an impressive
vocalist with her understated approach to
singing, and the 45s are a superlative backing
unit. Blues fans certainly won’t go wrong with
this fine album.
--- Graham Clarke
 Gus Spenos, Indianapolis’ #1 sax
man/neurologist, has returned with another
superlative set of big band jump blues and R&B.
It’s Lovin’ I Guarantee offers a baker’s
dozen selections of swinging tunes, four
originals penned by Spenos plus nine classic
tunes from the heyday of the genre that will
keep feet tapping and booties shaking. Spenos is
joined by an outstanding band that includes
trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and drummer Cecil
Brooks III, along with a sparkling horn section
with four saxes, two trombones, and two
trumpets.
Spenos put a fresh spin on familiar tunes like
T.N.T. Tribble’s “She Walked Right In,” Eddie
Boyd’s “Hush Baby Don’t You Cry,” and Jimmy
Rushing’s “Fool’s Blues,” showcasing Gordon on
trombone and Collin DeJoseph on keys. DeJoseph
also shines on Buddy Johnson’s “Lil’ Dog” and
mans the B3 for a groovy take on Bobby Elvin’s
“Blind Boy.” “I’m Gone,” from Billy Brooks,
rocks hard with a primo solo from Spenos and
guitarist Brad Williams, and the band sticks the
groove on Titus Turner’s “Have Mercy Baby.”
Spenos’ original tunes are a perfect fit with
the classic covers. They include the sharp title
track, the clever “Every Tic’s Got A Toc,” the
slow burner “Livin’ Is A Crime,” and the
rollicking closer, “Got Myself A Diamond.” His
vocals are warm, confident, and have a cool hip
quality to them that add to the fun listening,
and man, can the cat blow the sax!!
It
all adds up to another winner for Gus Spenos.
It’s Lovin’ I Guarantee will satisfy any fan
of big band jump blues and rocking R&B.
--- Graham Clarke
 Remember What You Knew Before (VizzTone),
the latest release from the Kansas City-based
roots rockers Katy Guillen & The Girls,
is a lively set of 11 original tunes that touch
on blues, folk, country and rock in equal doses.
Guillen, who’s been playing guitar since age 8
and has been a part of the K.C. blues scene
since she was 14, put the trio together in 2012
after being invited to open for the blues
supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Guillen, who wrote all 11 songs on the disc, is
a masterful guitarist and powerful vocalist, and
she enjoys a nice chemistry with bandmates
Stephanie Williams (drums) and Claire Adams
(bass). Several of these tunes were on the
band’s previous releases, but have different
arrangements and more of an intimate, downhome
instrumental setting. The Latin-flavored
“Gabriela” and “Quiver,” the folksy rocker
“Stalling on Dreams,” and “If You Were Gone” are
from the band’s self-titled 2014 debut.
The
midtempo blues rocker “Humbucker,” a bluesy “The
Load,” and the tasty roots rocker “Can’t Live
Here Anymore” come from Heavy Days, the
band’s 2016 release. The new songs include
“Slingshot,” a jaunty country-pop track that
mixes haunting vocals with acoustic, electric,
and resonator guitars, “Waiting Till The Day,” a
lovely ballad, the jaunty “Biwi,” which mixes
country and Americana, and “Funny Place,” a
gentle folk piece.
A
highly enjoyable mix of blues, roots, and
Americana, Remember What You Knew Before
should be recommended listening for fans of all
three genres. Katy Guillen & The Girls
definitely deserve to be heard by a much larger
audience.
--- Graham Clarke
 Tommy Dardar was a music legend in Houston.
Dubbed “Big Daddy Gumbo,” he played alongside a
host of music legends over his half-century
music career. He released Fool for Love
in 1999, a release that brought a lot of
attention to what was then one of music’s best
kept secrets, but work on a follow-up, which
began in 2001, was suspended due to financial
and health issues. Sadly, Dardar passed away in
July of 2017 before it was completed, but his
friend Tony Braunagel, who produced Fool for
Love, was able to pick up the pieces and
complete the album, now titled Big Daddy
Gumbo, in his memory.
The
nine tracks were initially recorded in 2001 with
Braunagel (drums), Hutch Hutchinson (bass), Jon
Cleary (piano), and Johnny Lee Schell (guitar),
but Braunagel brought in a host of Dardar’s
friends to help complete the project:
keyboardists Mike Finnigan and Barry Seelen,
saxophonist Joe Sublett, percussionist Jimmy
Rose, and backing vocalists Tommie Lee Bradley,
Teresa James, Terry Wilson, and Larry Fulcher.
Schell’s raucous “It’s Good To Be King” kicks
off the disc and he adds tasty Elmore James
slide guitar to the mix. Dardar wrote the
good-timing “Headed Down To Houma,” a funky
slice of Gulf Coast R&B that segues nicely into
Schell’s Chicago blues shuffle “Baby I Can
Tell,” with Dardar emulating the Windy City
greats on harmonica. Cleary penned a pair of
tunes that run back-to-back, the fabulous “C’mon
Second Line” and “Let’s Both Go Back To New
Orleans,” an old school Crescent City slow
burner that recalls the days when Dave
Bartholomew ruled the music charts.
“Dangerous Woman” is a menacing mid-tempo with
spirited backing vocals from James, Bradley, &
Co., and smoking harmonica from Dardar, while
“In My Mind,” penned by Dardar, would be a Swamp
Pop masterpiece in a better world just for
Dardar’s masterful vocal performance. Wilson’s
boogie rocker “Shake A Leg” should get listeners
doing just that, and the title track closes out
the festivities, a loving tribute to Big Daddy
Gumbo himself from the band and backing
vocalists.
Unfortunately, this is the last recorded work of
Tommy Dardar, his own songs clocking in at under
30 minutes. But it’s a well-spent 30 minutes and
Tony Braunagel deserves a medal of some kind for
getting Big Daddy Gumbo out there for us
blues fans to enjoy. Anybody who digs the Gulf
Coast and New Orleans R&B sounds will love
getting this.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Wentus Blues Band has been around since
1986, establishing themselves as one of the
hardest working blues bands in Scandinavia.
Hailing from Kokkola in Central Finland, this
group (Niko Riippa – guitar, Robban Hagnäs –
bass, Juno Kinaret – vocals, Pekka Gröhn –
keyboards, Daniel Hjerppe – drums) has done
numerous tours through Europe, either backing
legendary blues artists at festivals or on their
own solo tours, playing 150 gigs a year. They’re
one of the big reasons for the burgeoning blues
scene in Scandinavia.'
Throwback (Ramasound Records) is their
latest release, which finds the band paying
tribute to some of their heroes and mentors over
the years by playing some of their favorite
songs from those artists. The band packs 15
excellent cover tunes on the disc from artists
like Carey Bell (“Wrapped Up In Love” and “Hard
Working Woman”), Eddie Kirkland (“Rainbow” and
“Done Somebody Wrong”), Phil Guy (“Fixin’ To
Die” and “Last of the Blues Singers”), Louisiana
Red (“Thirty Dirty Women” and “Red’s Dream”).
The
band also acknowledges Canned Heat with “Future
Blues” and “Time Was,” Eric Bibb with the
reflective “Don’t Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit
Down,” and the late Rock Bottom (“Frog Leg
Man”). They also recognize some European blues
talent with a pair of tunes from the much-missed
Sven Zetterberg (“Let Me Get Over It” and “I
Think You Need A Shrink”) and Norwegian blues
man Hungry John (“Feel So Young”).
From
the opening chords it’s obvious that the band
has been playing together for a long time, and
it’s also pretty clear that they’ve enjoyed
playing these songs over the years. Kinaret is
an excellent and charismatic frontman, and the
band’s musicianship is top notch with Riippa
laying down some fine guitar work, Gröhn doing a
masterful job on the keyboards and Hagnäs and
Hjerppe rock solid on rhythm.
After listening, it’s also obvious that blues
fans will enjoy Throwback as much as the
band enjoyed putting it together. This is a
great set of traditional blues by a band who
knows their way around the block for sure.
--- Graham Clarke
 I have the national
Women in Blues to thank for introducing me to
Brigitte Rios Purdy. Brigitte was selected to
perform in the WIB’s annual IBC showcase two
years ago. She was the first artist that year
to contact me with her staging and back-line
information, and her performance that year was
impressive. As I’ve gotten to know Brigitte and
learn her story, I’m even more impressed with
her love and devotion to her craft. Brigitte is
definitely one motivated artist and I have deep
respect for that.
Brigitte’s musical background began at an early
age when her mother took her to an audition for
the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Brigitte aced the
audition at 12-years-old and was one of the
youngest students ever accepted into the
program. In her early 20s Brigitte worked with
vocal coach Maureen Bailey, who worked with many
of the Motown artists including Stevie Wonder
and Michael Jackson. With her soulful vocal
chops intact, Brigitte did session work on a
couple of recordings for The Who and sang background vocals for Paul Rodgers on his Jimi
Hendrix – Muddy Waters tour.
Along the way
Brigitte took time out from her career to have
and raise three phenomenal children before
venturing back in the music scene by hitting the
various blues jams in LA five years ago.
Performing in the jams introduced her to Drake
Shining, her music director, and Dave Osti, her
producer and co-writer for the songs on
Brigitte’s new release, Still I Rise. Dave is a
well-crafted writer and Brigitte relied heavily
on his expertise for this record. By
collaborating together, Osti and Purdy have
produced a wonderful record with a diverse
palette of songs that that will grab your
attention and keep you engaged until the very
end of the record. Let’s throw it in the CD
player and give it a spin.
The record opens with the upbeat tune, “HooDoo,”
and the rise of Brigitte’s dress above her knee
has attracted the attention of a suitor who is
trying to work his magic on her. Kenny Neal
blows a mean harp on this song for Brigitte and
it sets the stage for her to reject the suitor
in question. Brigitte’s not impressed, “why
don’t you give it a rest….I put you to the
test…now I’m holding on to my rosary…I see the
Hoodoo that you do!” Next up is the beautiful
ballad “Be the Light,” a tune that Brigitte
wrote with a mother’s love as a legacy for her
children. “Hold on tight … don’t let darkness
in … don’t let anything…drive you to a life of
sin … have a little mercy …. show a little
grace … brothers and sisters, we’re all living
in the same place … can’t you see it’s more than a
hopeful recipe … you’ve got to be the light you
want to see.” Dave Osti’s fretwork shares its
hopeful tone in the background and this is truly
a wonderful gift from Brigitte to her children.
We segue to “My Home is in My Heart” and
Brigitte is very clear about her territory. “My
home is in my heart … don’t take no lien out on my
home … if you fall apart … don’t try to turn me on
my own … my home is in my heart …. on’t try to take
a lease out on my home.”
“My Kinda Blues” completely changes tempo and
mood with a swing tempo while Brigitte
tells us all about what it takes to win her
affections. “Don’t get me wrong … I’m an old
school fan … if you want to be my old man … my
blues … I like a whole lotta blues … if you want my
love … you’d better like my kind of blues.!”
Michael Fell lends his harp magic to this tune
and it’s definitely part of the old school vibe
this song creates for the listener.
Up next is
“Last Time,” a beautiful ballad about that
moment in time when a woman comes to the
realization that the relationship she’s in has
come to an end and she has to make the decision
to leave it and move on. “If you could know … just
what I’m thinking … if you could see us through my
eyes … ain’t just the late nights … ain’t just the
sneaking … it’s not the way …. you never say
goodbye. If that’s the way you want me
treated … if that’s the way you keep me tied. Then
it’s the last time … you’ll have me in the
morning … baby, it’s the last time … you’ll make me
cry.” The last vestiges of hope for this
relationship have faded away and the decision’s
been made to honor her truth, to move on and live
accordingly. Drake’s organ fills lend it’s
emotional texture to go with Dave’s fretwork and
this is a beautifully written well-crafted song
from Brigitte and Dave.
I love Brigitte’s
attitude in “Get it Understood.” Hounded by a
suitor with less than good intentions,
Brigitte’s very clear on her response. “Don’t
call me baby … you ain’t my man … don’t call me
baby … better understand … you ain’t my man … you
think you sound like a gentleman … but all you
want is a one night stand … no fine woman going to
fall in your hand … you keep coming back … I’ll be
damned.”
Next up is a different take on this situation on
“If I Could.” Here we find Brigitte tempted by
whether she’s true to her vows and her loving man at
home. Easily a song that could cross-over into
another genre, Brigitte show’s a different side
of her repertoire here. “Something in your
eyes … tells me you’re good … but I got a sweet old
man … and he loves me. I would if I could.”
“Lucille Don’t You Weep” is Brigitte’s
collaboration with Drake Shining, a tribute
to the passing of B.B. King written from the
viewpoint of his beloved guitar.
“Lucille ... don’t you weep no more … wrap your arms
around me … fingers up and down my neck … make me
feel like a real, live women … a Gibson girl at
heart … Lucille, don’t you weep no more.” B.B. was
such a presence in our blues world and none mourn
his passing more than his beloved Lucille.
Brigitte’s friend Ayeasha Jones lends her vocals
to the mix on this wonderful song.
Another
ballad, “Blues Angel,” follows, paying
homage to those individuals who come into our
lives at the most opportune times when we’re facing our darkest hours. “Like a Blues
Angel … rescue me tonight … walking along the
water … barefoot across the sand … stumbled across a
treasure … in the heart of a gentle man … and he
dried my eyes of sorrow … swept the ashes from my
day … and a thousand blue tomorrows … in the waves
they washed away … like a blues angel … escue me
tonight.”
Brigitte closes with the anthemic “Still I
Rise,” opening with an amazing keyboard
solo from Drake. “I saw the terror in their
eyes … I heard the distant voices cry … I felt the
heartbeats … everywhere … start to die … still I
rise.” Despite all of the negative happenings in
the world we still persevere. We still strive to
make it a better world andto rise above all that
exists. It’s a fitting close to what has been a
wonderful journey.
Brigitte and her producer,
Dave Osti, have crafted a record that truly
shows all sides of who she is as a performer
with great success. The record is being released
on the Dirtshack label and you can learn more
about Still I Rise at
http://www.dirtshackrecords.com
or
www.brigittepurdy.net. Brigitte’s definitely
an artist on the rise, and this record is an
amazing next step in her journey as a gifted
blues woman.
---
Kyle Deibler
 The name Allman
Goldflies Band may set the imagination to
wondering what that moniker really means, but
it's actually quite simple. The Allman part
comes from lead singer / guitarist Gary Allman,
a cousin of legendary rockers Gregg and Duane
Allman, while Goldflies is actually the last
name of bassist / music director David "Rook"
Goldflies who was part of the rhythm section in
later incarnations of the Allman Brothers Band.
See, that turned out to be quite simple. Their
mix of Southern rock and blues is nicely
presented on ten original cuts on the
self-released album Second Chance.
Allman is a
competent vocalist, a bit raspy but suited to
the material and getting stronger as the album
progresses. His vocals are nicely complemented
by lead guitarist Luther Wamble on the ballad
"Standing In The Georgia Rain." One thing this
album has is plenty of guitar, not surprising
considering the Allman Brothers influence, and
we get to hear dueling axes on the feelgood
"Southern's All I Even Want To Be."
The quality on
Second Chance picks up considerably on the
last three cuts, starting with Goldflies' funky
original "Can't Turn Back Now" on which he steps
up to the mic and shows that he's also a pretty
decent singer while he extols the virtues of
being out on the road. Wamble's guitar again
gets to shine on the slow, soulful ballad "You
Gave Me Love," with Allman's evocative vocals
among his best work on the album.
The boys take it to
church for the closing song, "When Jesus Calls,"
and without a doubt it's the strongest number
here. A full gospel choir sounds the album that
you've got to be ready when Jesus calls before
nice gospel piano leads into Allman's vocals.
The choir comes in at times to reinforce the
message and we also get a nice guitar solo
midway through the tune.
These cats play live
around Florida and other parts of the southeast.
Check out their schedule and more info on their
website. Worth checking out if you're in the
neighborhood.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Another quality
self-released album from Florida is
Unfinished Business from sassy, soulful
blues singer Victoria Ginty, who usually
appears around the South with her band Ladyhawke. Ginty is a fine
singer and the backing band on these Buffalo,
N.Y. sessions is pretty hot, especially when the
horns get to blowing and guitarist Grace Lougen
throws out fiery licks.
Opening the disc is
the title cut, an up-tempo blues shuffle on
which Ginty shows off her pipes with the advice
that there's plenty of unfinished business to
take care of. The horn section helps carry the
show here. That prepares us for the next cut,
the backwoods gospel-influenced "Take Me Down"
that is an excellent vehicle for Ginty's
powerful vocals. There's sparse accompaniment
for the first couple of minutes before the full
band comes in and makes it more of a funky
number. It's one of the best cuts I've heard in
a while.
Ginty shows that
she's perfectly capable of shouting out the
blues on "You Don't Love Me No More," a number
that also features some hot guitar chords and a
mid-song sax solo, before showing a softer
sensitive side with pleading, breathy vocals in
the slow, jazzy late night blues "Every Night,
Every Day." Subtlety at its best. Continuing the
shift in styles throughout the album is the
funky "Give It Up," with Ginty demanding that
her man do just that. "Water" is another fine
tune in the late night, jazzy genre, with very
nice muted trumpet accompaniment and a tasteful
guitar solo.
A strong drum beat
provides the lead-in to the up-tempo shuffle "Do
Me Right" that also contains a little flavor of
a John Lee Hooker boogie number with more
urgent, demanding vocals from Ginty. Ending this
disc is nice slow blues, "The Blues Found Me,"
with more tasty blues guitar from Lougen. A nice
finish to a surprisingly good album from this
relative unknown performer. I think we're going
to hear a lot more from Victoria Ginty in the
future.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Wolf
Records continues its quest to release vintage
recordings by just about every seminal blues
artist, with their latest documenting early
recordings by the very influential Memphis
Minnie on Killer Diller Blues - Her Best
24 Songs. Not all of her classics are here,
but enough from these sessions covering the
years from 1929 to 1953 to give the listener a
good representation of her music. Sound quality
varies, especially with the older recordings
having some surface noise, but overall it's a
quite listenable album. By being a tough,
kick-ass woman thriving in a man's business,
Memphis Minnie paved the way for just about
every female artist who followed her.
Among the classics
here are "Bumble Bee," "New Bumble Bee," "Me And
My Chauffeur Blues," "My Butcher Man," "In My
Girlish Days," "Killer Diller Blues," and more.
Many of Minnie's songs fit nicely in the
double-entendre category, so listen carefully to
the words to get the message she was trying to
convey. In other words, she was a tough woman
who was looking for some love.
At least one album
of Memphis Minnie's music belongs in any
complete blues collection. There are more
extensive ones available, but if you don't
already have a Memphis Minnie anthology, this
one will fit the bill.
--- Bill Mitchell
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