Janiva Magness is one busy woman these days.
She’s currently the spokeswoman for Casey Family
Programs, championing the cause of family foster
care everywhere. She was part of the inaugural
Bluzapalooza tour to Iraq with Bobby Rush and Billy
Gibson in support of our troops overseas. Somewhere
in the middle of all of this she managed to switch
record labels. The aforementioned switch brings us
to the current day and the release of her brand new
record on Alligator, What Love Will Do. She
was recently here in Phoenix for a CD release party
and I told her then that I truly believed she will
win the BMA’s BB King Entertainer of the Year award
within the next three years. She’s worked that hard,
she cares that much and her music is that good. So
let’s get to this new record.
“That’s
What Love Will Do” underscores Janiva’s devotion to
her man. No matter what the world brings in terms of
challenges, Janiva will do what needs to be done.
Its part of what being in love means to her. “I
don’t want to brag about you too much…give others
ideas…but I’m trying hard to express myself…baby
that’s the way I feel.” Janiva’s found a love that
stands the litmus test and she’s hanging in there.
“I Want A Love” finds Janiva contemplating her
search for a new love and what she’s looking for. “I
want a love…make me stutter when I talk….weak in the
knees…make me stumble when I walk….that’s the kind
of love I want!” Here’s hoping she finds it.
Next up
is Janiva’s version of the Al Green classic, “I’m
Glad Your Mine!” “Baby…I’m not going to leave you
alone…baby…on top of that…mama give you what you
want…I’m so glad your mine!” Arlan Schierbaum’s in
the background on the B3 and I’m appreciative of his
organ work for this tune by Al Green. Next up is
Janiva’s take on the Annie Lennox song, “Bitter
Pill.” Sometimes life just dishes nothing but bad
news and here we find Janiva’s coping what
everything coming at her. “Well…I’m feeling low…and
there’s no place to go…and I’m on my knees…falling
back…down on the floor…and I’ve had enough…I won’t
fail…Lord…don’t let me fail!” Janiva’s husband, Jeff
Turmes, blows a mean baritone sax line on this song
that comes through loud and clear as Janiva shows
her determination to succeed, no matte what.
“Fool Me
Again” is a wonderful ballad about a man every woman
is dying to fall in love with. “You know…you got me
on that string…but just one touch…I’d do about
anything…Fool me again!” Unfortunately this is one
man who just can’t stay in one place…no matter who
loves him or how much. Just a wonderful, wonderful
song, and Janiva’s heartfelt rendition underscores
the love she would have felt for this man. This is
one of my favorite songs on the record. Janiva’s
attitude changes with the next song, “Get It. Get
It.” Here we find that Janiva’s had enough and she’s
gone. “Well…if I can’t be first…don’t want to be no
part at all…I ain’t just sitting on the
sideline….watching you and your women have a
ball….if you’re still thinking I’m that kind…you’d
better get it…get it out of your mind!”
“One Heartache Too Late” is the next ballad on the
record and here Janiva’s letting her man know what
he could have had, if he had half a brain. “You
could have had a good thing…you could have had it
all…through the pain and the hurt, babe…I hung in
there with you…the day you walked out on me,
boy…that was the final abuse… Now that he’s at the
door, wanting back in, he’s definitely “one
heartache too late!” “You Sound Pretty Good” is an
original song by Jeff Turmes. There’s a player at
the door…he’s working his game…but he’s not quite
there yet. “You sound pretty good…but you don’t look
right….might be your clothes…your pose…something
that shows in the light….you sound pretty good…but
you’re just too old!” “I Don’t Want You on My Mind”
finds Janiva in a gray area. This man’s love is
tempting…but he doesn’t always treat her right. “I
don’t want you on my mind all the time…I believe
that it shows a sign of weakness…I don’t want a
memory that keeps me crying…I found out I don’t get
nowhere with weakness…I just wake up knowing I’ve
got to do without you!”
“I go
down to the river…there I’ll be…I’m going to jump in
babe…you’re going to see about me…my biggest mistake
was loving you too much!” Janiva is pleading with
her man on “Don’t Do It.” She’s asking him to not
break her heart. Unfortunately, this seems to be one
relationship that has seen its better days. “I Won’t
Be Around” is the third ballad on what continues to
be a wonderful record to review. “You’re going to
want to love me from the bottom of your heart…and
you’re going to say, baby….why did we ever have to
part?” You’re going to think about those good
times…yeah…but I won’t be around.” “Freedom is Just
Beyond the Door” finds Janiva gathering up the
courage to leave a relationship gone bad. “I’ve been
your prisoner for too long…freedom is just beyond
the door…I’m going to be free!”
Janiva
closes out What Love Will Do with another
song by her husband, Jeff Turmes, “Sometimes You’ve
Got To Gamble.” There are times in all of our lives
where we have to make hard choices that ultimately
could lead to great reward or failure. “Everybody’s
dreaming…about something they can’t touch…everybody
gets a little bad luck…but some folks get too much.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to gamble…gamble everything
you got…every body needs a little good luck…when bad
luck is all you got!”
What
Love Will Do is definitely a heartfelt
collection of songs put forth by Janiva for our
listening pleasure. She’s one of a handful of
artists who have shown tremendous growth over her
last three records, and this one may very well be
the best of the lot. As she grows into her stature
as the predominant contemporary female blues artist
of our generation, Janiva continues to be
appreciative of the opportunities that come her way
and she works hard to contribute her talents to the
betterment of others as well. This is a record that
will be in my top ten at the end of the year and it
may very well be the one that puts her over the top
in the BMA voting for Entertainer of the Year. A
great ear for song selection and her amazing vocal
talents have enabled Janiva to record one of this
year’s finest records.
Well
done, J!
---
Kyle Deibler
Bonnie Bramlett started her music career as a
teenager in the early ’60s singing backup for blues
performers like Fontella Bass, Little Milton, and
Albert King. Later, she became the first and only
white Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Later
on, she met Delaney Bramlett (who she would later
marry) and formed Delaney & Bonnie, whose
electrifying shows prompted Eric Clapton to shed his
guitar god status and get back to the basics. The
group recorded a few more times before Delaney and
Bonnie divorced and she formed the Bonnie Bramlett
Band. She released several well-received albums in
the ’70s before becoming a born-again Christian and
turning to gospel music. In the late ’80s, she
re-emerged as an actress, most notably appearing on
Roseanne as co-worker Bonnie for a couple of
seasons. After a 20-year absence from the studio,
Bramlett returned to the music scene in 2002 with
I’m Still the Same, followed by Roots, Blues,
& Jazz, showing nary a trace of rust from the
layoff.
Bramlett’s latest release, on Rockin’ Camel Music,
is appropriately entitled Beautiful and
reunites her with legendary producer Johnny Sandlin,
who produced two of Bramlett’s best ’70s releases (It’s
Time and Lady’s Choice). She’s also
joined by daughter Bekka, and a veritable Who’s Who
of southern rock including Bill Stewart on drums,
David Hood on bass, Scott Boyer on guitar, Spooner
Oldham on keyboards, Randall Bramblett on vocals,
keyboards, and sax, Kevin Holly on guitar, James
Pennebaker on guitars, dobro, and mandolin, and
Kevin McKendree on piano, along with the Muscle
Shoals Horn Section.
Bramlett’s smoky vocals, along with able support
from the band, transform the country tune “Sure Got
Away With My Heart” (a hit for country artist John
Anderson) into a soulful Stax-like soul nugget. The
next cut pairs Bramlett with Randall Bramblett on
his slow burner, “Witness For Love.” Bramblett also
contributes the rowdy “Shake Somethin’ Loose,” which
features harmony vocals from Bramlett’s daughter,
Bekka, who also joins her for the sinewy rocker,
“Strongest Weakness.” Bramlett gets jazzy on the
after-hours torcher, “It’s Gonna Rain All Night,”
and she delivers a stunning performance of
hopelessness and desperation on the title track.
In a
first for Bramlett, she blends politics with the
music for a couple of tunes, most notably a funky
reworking of Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth.”
She tackles intolerance on Gary Cotton’s “Some Of My
Best Friends,” a song she wanted to record for
several years, but was unable to until he crossed
paths with Sandlin again. She also ventures into
gospel territory with a thoughtful cover of Waylon
Jennings’ “I Do Believe,” Gary Nicholson’s “Bless
‘em All,” and a gorgeous version of Dan Penn, Donnie
Fritts, and Nicholson’s “He’ll Take Care Of You,”
which closes the disc.
Beautiful is a release you’ll return to again
and again, from an artist who certainly deserves
more accolades than she’s gotten over the years.
Here’s hoping we hear more from Bonnie Bramlett
soon.
---
Graham Clarke
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Danny Brooks may
be from Canada, but his musical roots run all the
way down to the Deep South. His gravelly vocals
bring to mind the late Eddie Hinton. Brooks has
lived a tough life, hitting rock-bottom during a
long period of alcohol and drug addiction, but
turned his life over to Jesus Christ in the late
’80s after a stint in rehab. His catalog of releases
over the past few years features his enticing mix of
blues, soul, and gospel influences.
No
Easy Way Out (Rockin’ Camel Music) provides
Brooks a generous foundation for his message. It’s
produced by Johnny Sandlin, the legendary southern
rock producer who had a hand in many of the great
releases of the ’70s by the Allman Brothers, Bonnie
Bramlett, and more recently with Widespread Panic),
and features many of southern soul’s best musicians,
including Bill Stewart on drums, Kevin Holly on
guitar, David Hood on bass, Spooner Oldham on
keyboards, James Pennebaker on guitars, dobro, and
mandolin, and Kevin McKendree on piano.
No
Easy Way Out is quite possibly one of the most
personal discs you’ll hear from an artist. “Ain’t
That The Truth,” is a biographical track about the
music that began gripping Brooks as a 15-year-old.
“Keys To My Heart” is a song written by Brooks after
he was reunited with his daughter from his first
marriage. “Lonesome Road” is a chilling song about
Brooks’ past which ends up turning into a revival
meeting. “Bama Bound” and “Memphis, Tennessee” are
basically anthems to the southern region of the
U.S., and Bonnie Bramlett joins Brooks on the edgy
title cut.
Permeating throughout all these tunes is a message
of hope and optimism. There’s always a chance at
redemption, even with the desperate young woman in
the song, “All God’s Children,” the addict and
prisoner in “Miracles For Breakfast,” and on “Where
Sinners And Saints Collide.” “I Believe In Love” is
a timely message about affairs of the heart (written
by Brooks for his young daughter, who just reached
dating age). The stirring closing track, “Carry Me
Jesus,” written by Sandlin, his wife, and Carla
Russell, closes out the disc appropriately.
No
Easy Way Out is a powerful and personal
statement that blends the best elements of blues,
soul, and gospel. Believers and non-believers alike
will be moved.
---
Graham Clarke
Guitarists Jay Geils, Duke Robillard, and Gerry
Beaudoin, AKA New Guitar Summit, recently
reunited for the jazz/blues workout, Shivers
on Stony Plain Records. The trio began performing
together in 1997, which culminated in an appearance
with the Woody Herman Orchestra at City Hall Plaza
in Boston. They recorded a CD and DVD in 2004, also
on Stony Plain, both critically acclaimed at the
time.
Robillard should be familiar to most blues fans from
his tenure with Roomful of Blues, the Fabulous
Thunderbirds, and his own successful solo career,
and the J. Geils Band made its mark on the rock
scene in the late ’70s and early ’80s with Geils
serving as lead guitarist. Beaudoin’s background is
in the jazz field as a performer and educator, and
he has played with artists like Cleanhead Vinson,
David Grisman, and Bucky Pizzarelli in addition to
recording an album with Geils and violin prodigy
Aaron Weinstein in 2006.
Shivers features 11 elegant tracks of jazz/blues
guitar, nine of which are instrumentals. The trio of
Geils, Robillard, and Beaudoin complement each other
perfectly on these tunes, which include breathtaking
covers of “Little Bitty Pretty One,” Benny Goodman
and Lionel Hampton’s “Flying Home,” Charlie
Christian and Lionel Hampton’s title track, and Fats
Waller’s “Honey Suckle Rose.” Mixed in are four
tasty instrumentals by the trio that fit seamlessly
with the classics, notably Beaudoin’s “Wellspring
Blues” and Robillard’s “Jim Jam.”
Great as
these guitarists are, their rhythm section (John
Turner and Bob Nieske – acoustic bass, Les Harris,
Jr. and Gordon Grottenthaler – drums) raise their
performances another notch. Randy Bachman, of Guess
Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive fame, makes a guest
appearance on guitar and surprisingly serene vocals
(at least to fans who recall his BTO days),
emulating Mose Allison on a couple of old Allison
tunes, “Your Mind Is On Vacation” and “Everybody’s
Crying Mercy.”
Shivers shows three guitarists in outstanding
form. Fans of the jazz/blues guitar genre will
absolutely have to make this one part of their
collection.
---
Graham Clarke
Son
Jack Jr. was raised in London, and recorded and
performed extensively in the UK during the ’70s and
’80s. After a 20-year hiatus, he restarted his
musical career in the U.S. He’s a singer/songwriter
that specializes in country blues, mainly of the
Mississippi Delta variety. Over the past couple of
years, he’s released an impressive pair of CDs on
his own label, 2006’s Introducing… and the
just-released follow-up, When The Devil Calls.
Introducing… features 12 tracks, nine of which
are original compositions by Jack, highlighted by
the moody opening cut, “Peace of Mind Blues,” and
the meditative instrumental, “Dearly Departed
Blues.” The plugged-in “All To You” is also a
keeper, as is “Thousand Miles Blues.” Also included
are three excellent covers, “Dust My Broom,” Charlie
Musselwhite’s “Stingaree,” and R L Burnside’s “Black
Mattie.” Jack’s vocals are solid, but his guitar
playing is superior. Kim Field adds harmonica to
three tracks. This is an outstanding set of Delta
blues that you might have missed the first time out.
Even
better is Jack’s second release, When The Devil
Calls. He wrote 10 of the 13 tracks, ranging
from the fiery “Dance of the Living Dead” to “The
Lynching Tree,” which sounds like a track from a Ry
Cooder movie score. “If I Should Fall” is a
beautiful, gentle track with one of Jack’s best
vocals, and “It Could Be Worse” has a Hill Country
feel to it. The three covers are well-chosen and
well-done, and include Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson’s
“Cleanhead Blues,” Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a
Man,” and Skip James’ “Devil Got My Woman.”
Son Jack
Jr. has plenty to offer guitar fans. He combines
great fretwork, solid vocals, and highly original
songwriting. Visit his website at
www.sonjackjr.com and check out both of these
CDs at
www.cdbaby.com.
---
Graham Clarke
Davis
Coen has previously released four CDs featuring
his unique interpretations of country and
traditional blues standards as well as his own
praiseworthy compositions. Having performed both as
a solo and as a trio (guitar, bass, and drum), Coen
has had ample opportunity in the past to show his
proficiency on electric and acoustic guitar. With
his most recent release, Blues Lights For Yours
And Mine (Soundview Records), Coen adds a touch
of Memphis and New Orleans to selected tracks by
incorporating piano and organ.
The
opening cut, “Basement With The Blue Light,” is pure
Memphis soul that would be a hit single in a perfect
world, while “Mambo Jumbo” sounds like a Meters
session for Excello Records with its bubbly organ
and swampy feel. Coen also does an outstanding
tribute to John Lee Hooker on “Accelerated Woman.”
A wide
range of cover tunes is highlighted by Bob Willis’
“Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down,” reworked from its
bluegrass origins into an old-timey rag, and
Professor Longhair’s timeless “Baby Let Me Hold Your
Hand.” “Lordy Lord” settles into a busy groove and
refuses to let up. Coen also channels Mississippi
John Hurt on the traditional “Since I Laid My Burden
Down.” “Jack of Diamonds,” the old number widely
associated with Blind Lemon Jefferson, gives Coen an
opportunity to demonstrate his dazzling bottleneck
guitar chops, and the closing track, “C.C. Rider,”
features Coen in a solo setting as he adds a few
twists to this classic.
Blues
Lights For Yours And Mine is a wonderful CD,
mixing traditional country blues with sounds of
southern soul. It’s an intoxicating combination, and
one that blues fans will surely savor.
---
Graham Clarke
Jack de Keyzer – a master of many musical styles –
is the pride and joy of the Canadian blues music
scene. His latest CD, Blues Thing (Blue
Star), came out towards the end of
last year and it is so good that it made it on to my
top ten list of 2007.
de Keyzer is a good songwriter – he wrote all of the
CD’s 14 songs – but his songwriting isn’t as
consistently strong as his guitar playing which is
always distinguished. The other noteworthy
contributions includes a Stax Records-sounding horn
section and Michael Fonfara’s magnificent keyboards.
Largely, the song’s lyrics are about the
complications involved with love and de Keyzer sings
them with affection.
On the title track, which
sounds influenced by Albert King’s "Pretty Woman,"
Jack’s ambient guitar surrounds you like close
friends supporting you when the chips are down. The
guitar becomes mournful on "Cry The Blues" where the
outstanding band emotes despair. The smooth and easy
"Music Is The Food Of Love" is a ’30s and ’40s big
band swing. Gentle yet abrasive BB King- style guitar
materializes on "That’s The Only Time," while both
James Brown and Chuck Berry are saluted on "Bills" and
"We Go Together," respectively.
"If I Had Your Love" is a
radio-friendly pop soul song that sounds similar to
"Soul Lover" from a few years ago. "Good Life" is a
highlight because it brilliantly illustrates the
dichotomy of money and happiness. The aristocratic
melody contrasts with the blue-collar lyrics which
preach the advantages of living a simple existence.
Via innocence and seduction, "Miss America" also
delivers a valid message regarding what happened to
the America that we all once knew.
This isn’t a straight up blues album and the sweaty
energy from his live performances are absent on
Blues Thing, yet de Keyzer emits a multitude of
emotion via poignant lyrics, graceful guitar, and
suave arrangements.
---
Tim Holek
Award-winning keyboardist/singer/songwriter
Kenny Blues Boss Wayne is a triple threat. He has the voice, the
talent to play in an exciting way, and the look.
Though nicknamed the Blues Boss (after the title of
an Amos Milburn album), Wayne’s piano style is more
deeply rooted in ’50s rock ‘n’ roll than blues. Born
in Spokane, Washington in 1944, Kenneth Wayne Spruell spent his early years in New Orleans before
relocating, at age ten, with his family to Los
Angeles. Piano playing came easy for him and his
preacher father wanted him to play gospel music. But
Kenny had boogie-woogie in mind.
Can’t Stop Now
(Electro-Fi) was recorded at five different
studios in five different cities with more than 20
different musicians and, to Wayne’s credit, it isn’t
disjointed. Wayne’s music shadows the past as much
as it transcends the future. From the start of the
lead-off song "Boogie Woogie Mama," the boogie woogie
begins instantly and it is an ivory tickling party
for close to 50 minutes. Throughout, Wayne exercises
the upper register until it shrieks from pure
enjoyment. The piano’s keys are pounded with so much
punch, you can feel the wood and strings shaking on
the 1954 Fats Domino hit song "You Can Pack Your
Suitcase."
"Judge By The Look" states how mixed up and
shallow our society is to have an obsession with
beauty and a flashy image. Here, Wayne’s
full-sounding organ gives way to a cheery piano that
sounds both beautiful and intellectual. The song’s
inspiration comes from the salary paid to a TV
anchorwoman based solely on her appearance. A funky
’70s clavinet appears on "My Sweet Little Peach" where
the rapping of Wayne’s son Cory brings the song into
the 21st Century.
The late Johnnie Johnson is honored on a couple
songs. The melody of "Johnnie J. Was Good" is more
reminiscent of Johnson’s muscular intensity than the
cover of "Tangueray." The most moving song – aided by
its placement immediately following the contrasting
"Let’s Have Some Fun" – is "Ragin’ Storm" whose
motivational message is to “bring those folks back
to New Orleans”. The heartfelt lyrics, interspersed
with the sounds of torrential rain and thunder,
illustrates the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina, a
government that failed its course, and hope for
tomorrow (“did not destroy the spirit of New
Orleans”).
Throughout, the party-style music has a life is good
and let’s celebrate it feeling. The happy
disposition produced by the Blues Boss’ piano
playing can make the sun shine on the cloudiest day.
It isn’t all focused on the 88s. There is the
occasional guitar solo and the most stirring
guitarist is Rich McDonough. This is one of Electro-Fi’s
best releases in their 11 year history. The stomping
keyboards and smooth almost silky vocals on this
excellent mix of blues-based New Orleans R&B are
glorious. On Can’t Stop Now, Kenny Wayne easily
fills the immense void in boogie woogie piano since
Johnnie Johnson departed in 2005.
---
Tim Holek
The
Homemade Jamz Blues Band's disc, Pay Me No
Mind (NorthernBlues), is a sure bet for best debut album and it comes
from the youngest blues band in America. Their
combined age is less than 40. Homemade Jamz is
comprised of three siblings. Two are in their teen
years and one is a pre-teen. Ryan Perry performs
lead guitar (on homemade instruments made from car
mufflers) and vocals while Kyle Perry handles bass
guitar and Taya tackles the drums. The 11 songs –
all recorded at their home in Tupelo – ooze with the
repetitive boogie blues of Mississippi. A prime
example can be heard on "Blues Concerto."
Being a trio, the guitar is naturally the main
featured instrument. At this point, Ryan’s guitar
solos emulate those of his heroes Albert King, Jimi
Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, to his
credit, he resists playing the notes at the pace of
a lightning flash. Ryan displays a great potential
to blossom into a blues star. He is impressive on
"Penny Waiting On Change" where the guitar crescendos
from a leisurely pace and then explodes into fiery
passion. The band’s baby, Taya, delivers skimpy
beats and some disorderly cymbal crashes.
If you can look past them as being a novelty act,
you’ll experience some real blues and will hear true
natural talent. The instrumental "Shake Rag" is
assumed to be about dirt-poor, mostly black Shake
Rag, Tennessee, which supposedly was a significant
influence on a young Elvis Presley. The title track
blends a 1950s John Lee Hooker boogie with a
trance-like north Mississippi hill drone.
Ironically, the least enjoyable track is a cover of
Hooker’s "Boom Boom."
The best of the ten original
songs is the gritty minor key Mississippi blues
"Right Thang Wrong Woman." Here, the sound is so raw
you’ll think these kids are being schooled in a
smoky juke joint. You wouldn’t think a teen could
have experienced the tortured love that is described
in the lyrics. Regardless, Ryan sings the song with
a deep and serious conviction. Another highlight is
"Time For Change" which lays the foundation for the
sound of tomorrow’s blues style.
There is only so much sound that a trio can make.
Wisely, harmonica and rhythm guitar – courtesy of
Renaud Perry (the band’s proud father) and Miles
Wilkinson – have been added to seven songs. This
helps with the fills and makes the sound seem
larger. Everything about this developing band will
improve as their age and experience both increase.
Still, this is one of the better releases made by
teenagers. Make no mistake. Homemade Jamz are not
snotty-nosed rock ‘n’ roll school kids from the
playground. These blues siblings play some of the
most real deal blues you’ll hear. They need time to
further develop but you’ll be blown away by their
credibility. In the meantime, they are giving the
experienced artists a run for their money and the
world an awareness that blues is still alive in
Mississippi.
NOTE: This CD
was also reviewed as the
Surprise hit in the June 2008 Blues Bytes.
---
Tim Holek
At 95 years of age,
Pinetop Perkins defies
mortality. Like many from his generation, the
independent Perkins learned early on that life is a
game of survival of the fittest. Born a preacher’s
son in Belzoni, Mississippi, in 1913, Perkins first
instrument was the guitar. He barnstormed the South
juke joints with other various musicians throughout
the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s. The self-taught piano
player was well into his 50s when he joined the
Muddy Waters Band in 1969. In 1980, Pinetop and
other Waters alumni formed the Legendary Blues Band.
Perkins has concentrated on his solo career since
1985 and is one of the few remaining direct ties to
the golden age of post-World War II American blues.
Though he is idolized – Perkins has a Blues Music
Award named after him and recently received his own
Mississippi Blues Trail Marker – he remains humble.
This may be his greatest trait and it shines forth
on the new album, Pinetop Perkins and Friends
(Telarc).
Pinetop is joined by a dozen desirable musicians and
a star-studded guest list. Despite them, this
recording comes across as being a bit disjointed. It
was recorded over two and a half years at numerous
studios. Perkins’ vocals and piano receive the
greatest volume in the mix. This and the fact some
guests were absent from the studio has resulted in a
loss of cohesion among the ten songs. Many of them,
including the two originals, "Take It Easy Baby" and
"Down In Mississippi," are staples of Perkins’ live
show. The songs are mostly covers but Mr. Perkins
has earned the right to play them.
There is still plenty of vitality in his piano solos
and his brittle voice is incredibly strong for his
age. He delivers the vocals very excitedly, and his
high-pitched cries sound like a frail old man on
"Look On Yonders Wall." Willie Kent’s bass guitar
rumbles like a freight train and Eric Sardinas’
acoustic slide guitar is a Johnny Winter
reminiscence on "Got My Mojo Working." Too bad this
was one of Kent’s last recordings and Sardinas’
co-lead vocals are less than desirable. Also
thumping on bass is Bob Stroger, whose left hand
plays notes in concert with Perkins’ dominate right
hand.
You’ll love the way Perkins and B.B. King
customize the lyrics to "Down In Mississippi" where
they sing about the tiny Mississippi towns where
they were born. You’ve heard Perkins play all the
piano riffs before but on this track, in particular,
they seem legendary, bigger than life, and
vivacious. On "How Long Blues/Come Back Baby," brawny
vocalist Nora Jean Bruso delivers one of those
spellbinding performances while Eric Clapton’s
guitar sounds full and rich. Bill Willis’ B3 organ
and Jimmie Vaughan’s finger plucked guitar strings
give new life to the over recorded "Hoochie Coochie
Man." Throughout, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith contributes
to the Chicago blues sound with his well slapped
drums.
The success of this album can be equally attributed
to Perkins and his guests. You’ve heard these songs
hundreds of times before, but this CD is worthy of
being nominated for the blues album of the year.
Pinetop Perkins And Friends is a fitting addition to
the legacy of the world’s finest surviving blues
piano man.
---
Tim Holek
Dave
Specter is a former Delmark Records shipping
clerk and employee of the Jazz Record Mart. Sound
familiar? It should as that was the very foundation
that spawned the careers of Charlie Musselwhite,
Bruce Iglauer, and Michael Frank. Specter finely
developed his Chicago blues guitar technique by
performing with Barkin’ Bill and Son Seals for many
years. The 20-year veteran of the Chicago scene
admits to having a preference to record and play
live.
Live
In Chicago (Delmark) was recorded live in August
2007 at Legends and Rosa’s. The core band is
comprised of Chicago’s prominent blues musicians
who, like Specter, cut their teeth playing with
legends such as Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Albert
Collins, Junior Wells, and Lonnie Brooks. Brother
John Kattke (keyboards), Harlan Terson (bass), and
Marty Binder (drums) are so supportive they could
aid a blind man to win a dance contest.
Specter
is an improvising guitar player. His groovy
instrumentals such as "Boss Funk/Riverside Ride" are
not your standard 12 bar blues. Specter’s music is
more complex than that. His guitar playing isn’t as
exciting as usual on "Texas Top" due to emulating
too many Texas blues masters. "Is What It Is" is a
classy instrumental that pairs blues and jazz as
perfectly as peanut butter and jam. Tad Robinson is
a great white soul crooner who has been performing
with Dave since the early ’90s. Here, Specter’s band
and Robinson perform the sweet country soul ballad
"How I Got To Memphis" live for the first time.
They
also play songs from Specter’s Blueplicity
album which featured Robinson on vocals. Jimmy
Johnson is one of the all-time unique vocalists and
guitarists in blues. He is practically 80-years-old
and yet he sounds as vibrant as he did on
Johnson’s Whacks. On the bluesy "Out On The
Road," Specter holds his smooth notes much longer
while Johnson lacerates his sharp notes quickly.
Johnson sings an octave higher than most men, but
that’s part of what makes his so likeable. Vocalist
Sharon Lewis got her start at Lee’s Unleaded on the
South Side. On "In Too Deep," she is driven by
Binder’s galloping beat, Specter’s bouncy guitar,
and Kattke’s fingers, which dance all over the
keyboard.
What has
the DVD got over the CD? It offers seeing the
ageless Jimmy Johnson, three bonus tracks, and a
very extensive commentary by Specter. In it, plenty
is revealed about him and his music, such as his
instrumentals were inspired by Booker T. and the MGs
and The Meters. You wouldn’t learn more about
Specter if you had a personal interview with him.
Some of the views from the five different cameras
make you feel like a member of the audience. The
cinematography is some of the best that the Delmark
production crew has made since that started making
live music videos.
This
recording is a Chicago blues showcase that features
a consummate band, a stylish guitar player, and
three expressive vocalists. Hearing and watching
Live In Chicago leads you to conclude Dave
Specter is a rare artist who openly embraces music
of varying styles, crosses the border into many
genres, and plays them all equally well. You’ll walk
away with an abundance of admiration for Specter. If
you thought Chicago talent had dried up years ago,
this release will set the record straight.
---
Tim Holek
The
Detonators are a band based in Melbourne, Australia that
first got together in 1997. Live At the East
(BlackMarket Music) is their 5th CD,
this time recorded live in a hotel in Victoria,
Australia in December 2007. They have a reputation
as one of the hardest working blues bands in
Australia, and their music is certainly high octane
stuff. Their style is rocking blues, jump blues and
rockabilly all mixed together and produced in pure
Australian style.
The CD contains 16 tracks, nearly all originals from
the band members – the two exceptions being Ike
Turner’s “Rocket 88”, a big hit for Jackie Brenston,
and Lazy Lester’s “Sugar Coated Love.”
You’ll surely have tapping feet while you listen to
this album – recording quality isn’t 100%, but the
atmosphere content is – this band put everything
into their act, and I’m guessing that the
audience (and the band) must come away from a gig
totally exhausted!
The album opens with “Second In Charge,” a track
written by the band. It’s a mid-tempo, bass heavy
rocker with some hard harmonica from James Moloney –
the bass, incidentally is the traditional double
bass (played by Dave Philpotts) – none of your
Fender electric for these boys – and it shows in the
music, with a lovely rich sound. The band is very
tight, and their love of the music shines through on
this live session.
Track two, is one of my favourites, and I found
myself playing over and over – another one written
by the band, entitled “All Of Me (All Over You).”
This one has a driving, pulsing beat that makes it
impossible to sit still. You can bet that this song
is a big hit at their live gigs.
All in all another excellent CD from these
Australian blues-rockers.
---
Terry Clear
The latest Watermelon Slim CD has arrived, and guess
what? ……… He’s kept up the great standard that his
fans have grown used to over the years. This is the
man who first recorded an album as a Vietnam Vet
during the war. He went on to play as sideman with a
lot of big names before going out on his own, and
has since received twelve Blues Music Award
nominations.
14 tracks on the new CD,
No Paid Holidays (NorthernBlues) and not a bad one
amongst them – a mix of originals and covers, but
the covers all have the Watermelon Slim stamp on
them.
The album opens with a Slim original “Blues For
Howard,” a good up-tempo rocking blues with some
excellent slide dobro work and lovely acoustic piano
from guest David Maxwell (who also plays on track 6,
together with another guest, Lee Roy Parnell, on
electric slide guitar).
Things don’t slow down much on track two “Archetypal
Blues No.2,” and the slide gets hotter! Slim’s
distinctive voice shining through on the vocals.
Track three is the first of the covers, a
distinctive version of “Call My Job,” (Detroit
Junior & Al Perkins), and it’s a fabulous track,
full of the flavour of the original, but different
in a Watermelon Slim kind of way and with some
distinctive harmonica playing by the slim man.
Things slow down with track four, “Dad In The
Distance,” a moody track with lots of atmosphere,
and then pick up very slightly with “You’re The One I Need”
with some more great harmonica.
An unusual inclusion is a Laura Nyro track, “And
When I Die,” a little bit of country folk – I
wondered at first why it’s on the CD, but I kept
going back to it!
I’ve got two favourite tracks on this CD, a
Watermelon Slim original, “I’ve Got A Toothache”
(maybe written from experience?), and Fred
McDowell’s “Everybody’s Down On Me,” as good a
version of this track as I’ve ever heard.
The CD is dedicated to Craig Lawler, who was a
harmonica student of Slim’s.
---
Terry Clear
I have to admit to never having heard of
Philipp Fankhauser until this CD, Love Man
Riding (Crosscut Records), came in the mail. However,
it’s his 11th CD!! Having said that, he lives
and works in Switzerland mainly, so maybe I have an
excuse.
His first album came out way back in 1989, with
Margie Evans as guest artist, and he’s just grown and
grown from there on obviously. In 1994 he joined the
great Johnny Copeland on tour in the USA, getting
some good experience along the way.
This man has a lot of talent, and this latest CD is
very well-produced and full of good music. It’s
“late night” blues, very mellow and laid-back, and
perfect for a quiet evening with a bottle of good
wine. He obviously is an accomplished songwriter,
too, as he was involved in a lot of the 12
tracks on this album, some of them with the
legendary Dennis Walker (Robert Cray, B.B.King,
Lowell Fulson have all had songs written and/or
produced by this man). Dennis Walker had previously
produced Fankhauser’s 1995 album, On Broadway, so
the two of them must have developed a pretty good
working relationship. Walker can spot talent!
This CD is well worth adding to any blues
collection, and if you like late night blues, then
you’ll definitely love this one.
---
Terry Clear