For as long as I can
remember, Big Pete Pearson has been the King
of the Blues here in Arizona. Definitely a lover,
not a fighter, Big Pete is back with a great disc of
all original tunes, Finger In Your Eye, on
the Vizztone label. This record is so good that only
reason I got out of my La-Z-Boy chair was to hit
play again when it ended. So let’s get to it.
The title cut, “Don’t
Mess with Me (Finger In Your Eye),” opens with a
rousing harmonica solo by Bob Corritore as the band
settles in behind Pete so he can tell us his tale.
Here we find that Pete is not a man to be trifled
with and if you do, watch out. “Got a lot of
money…and a brand new car…I know your loving is
good…but stay where you are….don’t you mess with
me!” The girl’s fine but Big Pete’s been around the
block and he’s not going to put up with her crap.
Big Pete continues to
draw the line on our next cut, “Short Change.” “I
work hard every day…you treat me like a
fool…two-time game you’re pulling, girl…you know I
can’t use…hey baby…I’m sure going to draw a line…I
want you to give all your money…where you spend your
time!” Time for this girl to get out and don’t come
back. Bruce Bears on the organ and Duke Robillard’s
guitar support Pete’s effort to win his female
companion over in our next cut, “The Time Has Come.”
“I toss all night…sometimes I just can’t help but
cry…I toss all night long…I just can’t help but
cry…little bit of that love, girl…you know Big Pete
is satisfied”. The baritone sax of Doug James lends
a nice degree of sophistication to Duke’s guitar
work on this laid back shuffle. Pete continues to
tell this girl how he feels but it just doesn’t seem
that she’s buying what Big Pete is selling.
Sweet notes from Chris
James’s guitar provide the background to our next
tune, “Back Off.” Here we find that Pete is getting
played by a married woman and she needs to let it go
before she finds herself in over her head. “You keep
on messing with me…I’m going to ruin your happy
home!” Pete’s message is crystal clear and she’ll be
in better shape if she just “backs off.” Pete’s next
tune, “Sister From the City,” testifies to the fact
that city women play the game in a slightly
different manner. “Sister from the city…always
hanging around…always a boogieing…oh, they know how
to get down…a little bit of gin and mary jane…oh,
they know how to boogie…they know how to get their
man!”
Joy turns to sorrow as
Pete tells us about the pain he’s feeling in
“Heartaches.” “Why did you leave me…why did you make
me cry…you didn’t love me, baby…please, please…tell
me the reason why!” Bruce Bears is back on the piano
this time and Duke continues to utilize his
fretboard genius to convey Big Pete’s pain and
sorrow for this woman he loved so much. Mournful
tones from Bob Corritore’s harmonica add the final
brushstrokes to the sadness found in this tune.
Henry Gray’s nimble
fingers can be heard on the ivories on Pete’s next
cut, “Mastermind.” “You gave me everything I
need…sometimes I thought it was enough…but bucking
all your emotions, girl….sometimes I just want to
give it up!” Big Pete’s woman had all the tools she
needed to have him fall in love with her, persuading
him to keep her is an entirely different matter. Big
Pete is definitely firm in a decision once he makes
it and he continues to reiterate that point in our
next tune, “That’s That.” “You left me baby…and
that’s that…you hurt me real good…you know it hurt
so bad…ain’t no use…trying to bring it back…that’s
the end, girl…you know that’s that!” Always willing
to risk everything in the pursuit of the woman he’s
attracted to, Big Pete tells us that “if love were
money, I’d be the brokest man alive” and he writes
about it in “Gambling With My Heart.” “You know I’m
tired of it baby…and I’m sick of your jive!”
Finger In Your Eye
closes with an effort by Big Pete to educate women
on the ways of love in “Slippery When Wet.” “You’re
like rain on a highway…you know it’s slippery when
it’s wet…no matter how hard I try…little girl…I
haven’t got you yet.” Big Pete’s woman has a way of
lying to him and he’s tired of it…”I’m so sad and
sick of your lies!” This relationship is not going
to end on a good note and Big Pete’s done all he
can.
Backing Big Pete on this
record by the very capable hands of the Rhythm Room
All-Stars with Bob Corritore on harp, Chris James on
Guitar, Patrick Rynn on bass and Chris Fahey behind
the drum kit. Add a host of guest performances from
Pinetop Perkins, Duke Robillard, Bruce Bears, Henry
Gray and others, and this gumbo is smoking hot and
ready for your CD player. Probably the best place to
grab a copy of this disc is from Pete’s label,
VizzTone, at
www.vizztone.com. And if you don’t mind, I’m
headed back to my La-Z-Boy for one more listen of
this new disc from our King of the Blues.
--- Kyle Deibler
I’ve known Rod Piazza
& the Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet for several
years now and always look forward to being able to
give new music by them a listen. Their latest,
Soul Monster, is another in a long line of great
discs from the band. It features some of what Rod
believes is his strongest playing yet and a
carefully chosen set list of originals and covers
chosen by Rod to give the listener a “full blues
experience.” Soul Monster does that and more,
so let’s hit play.
First out of the gate is
the title track, an instrumental. Honey’s ability to
play a funky bass beat on the piano never ceases to
amaze me and Rod’s slow, mournful tones set the
stage for what is yet to come. The first of three
instrumentals, “Soul Monster,” is full of great
riffs by Henry and the magical touch of Honey’s
fingers on the ivories.
We’re warmed up now so
let’s keep going. “Can’t Stand to See You Go,” a
classic tune by Jimmy Reed is up next and Rod’s
settling into his groove. “Girl…you know I love you
and…I can’t stand to see you go.” The band is very
tight and Honey’s extended piano solo is
particularly appreciated. Rod mentions David Kida’s
backbeat on our next cut, “Cheap Wine,” and I’m
definitely ready to get up and dance. “Cheap
wine….price ain’t never high…just a twist…oh, what a
way to fly!” Cheap wine, the Mighty Flyers Blues
Quartet in the house, sounds like a great party to
me!
The Bill Broonzy
classic, “Key to the Highway,” is the next cover
tune given the Mighty Flyer’s classic treatment and
they more than do it justice. Rod’s harp is right
on, Honey’s piano is strong in the background,
Henry’s fretwork adds just the right amount of
burst, and David’s got the back end covered. “Oh,
honey…I got to say goodbye…I’m going along that
lonesome highway…until the day I die!” Rod
definitely has the keys to the highway and he’s
obviously enjoying this ride.
Next up is another
instrumental, “Sunbird,” that Rod first produced for
George Smith in 1983. “Sunbird” is a strong
instrumental and the interaction between Rod’s harp
and Henry’s guitar dominate the foreground of this
version. The band’s in high gear now and “Sunbird”
is a great choice for the new disc. Honey’s piano is
the dominant instrument on our next tune, “That’s
What’s Knockin’ Me Out.” Interspersed are some great
sax interludes from Jonny Viau, who guests on this
disc. Rod’s woman is coming home and he couldn’t be
happier. “I’ve got something…to shout about…a whole
lot of loving to talk about…my baby’s coming
home…and that’s what knocked me out!”
It’s not been that long
ago since we’ve lost Sam Myers and Rod’s next tune
is dedicated to the memory of Sam, “Tell Me About it
Sam.” The tune’s original title was “Blues in 92”
and Rod tells the story where the band is at a
festival in Syracuse and Sam asks him to play the
tune. It ended up that Sam sang the song and Rod
blew the notes. I’ll leave the rest of the story for
you to hear later, but it’s no secret that we all
miss Sam dearly.
“Queen Bee” is up next
and Rod’s harp work leads the way as the band more
than does the Slim Harpo tune justice. “Expression
Session” is the third instrumental on Soul
Monster and here Rod’s harp is at the forefront
of the song. The Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet has
such history that it’s great to just sit back in my
chair while they let it loose. Rod was right when he
made comment in the liner notes that this disc
features some of his strongest harp work yet. He’s
definitely on top of his game on this tune and
there’s still more to come.
“Don’t you know…I love
you so…hear me holler….hey…hey…Ko Ko Mo.” Rod is
sweet talking the object of his affection in our
next tune, “Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So).” “Dimples on
her elbows…dimples on her knees…she’ll thrill and
kill me…with just a little squeeze…don’t you know…I
love you so!” Sharp, staccato guitar notes from
Henry accentuate Rod’s love for this woman and I’m
looking forward to Henry’s vocal on the next cut,
“Talk to Me.” A slow ballad, Henry’s pleading with
his woman to tell him again just how much she loves
him. “Talk to me…talk to me…tell me why…I want to
know…the many ways you speak of love…I’ve heard
before…but it sounds so good…every time…please say
the part I love…just once more!” The Flyers take on
a Little Walter tune next, “You Better Watch
Yourself.” “The people are talking…all over town…say
you don’t love me…going to let me down…you got to
watch yourself…I’ve got my eyes on you!”
Soul Monster
closes with “Hey, Mrs. Jones,” a tune that owes its
jazz influences to Jimmy Forrest, a bandmate on one
of Rod’s earliest recordings. The married Mrs. Jones
is prone to stray and Rod’s looking into the
possibilities of hooking up. “Hey Mrs. Jones, can I
come in…and by the way…are you alone?” Nothing but
trouble here and Rod seems intent on pursuing his
options with Mrs. Jones. It will catch up with him.
Soul Monster is a
very good record. I appreciate Rod’s liner notes
that recognize the challenges the he and the band
face when recording to continue to put out something
they value as players…and something we value as
listeners. Soul Monster passes the test with
flying colors. I particularly enjoyed Henry’s vocals
on “Talk to Me” and would have appreciated a vocal
from Honey as well. Food for thought for the Flyers
next disc.
The band is touring hard
in support of Soul Monster, so grab a copy
when they come through or get it from their website
at
www.themightflyers.com. Let’s see just how well
it passes your listening test!
--- Kyle Deibler
I first met Big James
Montgomery at the 2008 Blues Music Awards in Tunica,
Mississippi. That particular BMA show was a night
full of surprises and challenges, but I remember
James calmly sitting in his chair, waiting to
perform. I don’t remember much of his performance
from that evening, but his first release with the
Chicago Playboys, Right Here
Right Now (Blind Pig Records), is arguably the strongest record I have
heard all year. It's one record I’m sure will be in
my top 10 list at the end of the year.
We open up with the title cut, “Right Here Right
Now.” The theme here is change. There’s no doubt our
country is going through probably the toughest times
most of us will ever experience in our lifetime.
James’ solution is simple --- we all need to pull
together and do better than what’s been done before.
If we don’t, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
And the time is here, “Right Here Right Now.”
Next
up is a testament to James’s mother, “A Mama Like
Mine.” Definitely a tough woman, she kept James in
line and made sure he grew up proper. “I’m so lucky
y’all…she’s got a heart of gold…and oh, so kind…I
just wished that everyone…had a mama like mine!”
Rarely do you get to hear a band as diverse as this,
with a great horn section that includes James on
trombone, Charlie Kimble on saxophone and Kenny
Anderson on trumpet. James and the Chicago Playboys harken back to the days of Otis Clay and Tyrone
Davis with an infectious blend of R & B, blues and
soul that you just keep coming back to and we’re
just getting started.
Our next topic of conversation
is no surprise --- love. James has found himself a good
woman and he tells us so on “Love to See You Smile.”
“I love doing things for you…you’re my
everything…come stay with me awhile…'cause I love to
see you smile…you make my heart sing…you are the one
I need…come now and stay with me…love to see you
smile!”
A funky bass backbeat from Larry Williams sets the
tone for “On the Grind,” a tune proclaiming that
music is James’ life. Featuring a rap by Moseberry,
“if it wasn’t for the music…I probably wouldn’t be
alive…so I rock the sun…and I rock with the
moon…going for broke…with nothing but hope and a
plan…moving my mic stand from here to Japan…cause
see…the hands on the clock…say I got to go get
it…off on my grind!” The time for James to be doing
what he’s doing is right now and there isn’t
anything else he rather do, “cause these blues…is
all I got…in these trying times…I gotta stay on my
grind!” I love the texture that Moseberry’s rap
brings to this song and Big James is proving to be a
very astute observer of today’s society.
Tempo slows
way down and you can feel a sense of somberness
coming on as the horn section provides the
introduction to “Expect the Best.” “Don’t know if
good or bad…will come first…always expect the
best…but you prepare yourself…for the worst!” James
presents himself as a man who is always calm in the
moment and very capable of handling whatever comes
his way. Mike Wheeler’s guitar leads the way on “I
Love ‘Em,” as James testifies his knowledge of the
blues to whoever wants to listen. “I’m so tired of
burying all my musician friends…when will all this
madness end…see I love these blues…you can listen…if
you choose…see…I love these blues!”
The horns are again front
and center on our next cut,
“A Little Attention.” For the first time in his
life, James is on his own. “I’m not proud of my
condition…whoa…whoa,. no…I’m just trying to change my
position…see I’m wondering…did I mention…all I need
right now…is a little attention…I don’t need much…a
little dab will do…and I’ll never forget…that
blessing from you!” A George Clinton classic, “The
Goose,” is our next cut. “But I don’t need no nut
machine…cause I’m nuts over you…cause…oh…you’re so
sweet…you’re the goose that laid the golden egg
baby…and I’m feeling…oh…so sweet!’
“Help (Somebody
Please)”, a classic tune by the O’Jays, is next. “I’m
down…and I feel…all the way down…ain’t had no good
loving…little girl…in quite a long time…and you
see…girl…it’s a fight…woman don’t you know…I need
you tonight!” James’s sorrow is real and he’s
desperately in need of a good woman to love him.
This amazing record closes with a wonderful version
of Tyrone Davis’ “Without You in My Life” and
another tune by Big James, “Worry.” “There’s one
thing I don’t worry about…I never have to worry
about…the Blues!” As long as they have the Blues in
their lives, Big James and the Chicago Playboys will
be fine. Right Here Right Now
is a testament to that.
This is a very tight group
and the record shows it. Great writing, very tight
arrangements and that outstanding horn section all
lead me to believe that we’re going to be hearing a
lot more from Big James and the Chicago Playboys
before they’re through. Grab a copy of this amazing
disc from Blind Pig on their website,
www.blindpigrecords.com, or
from Big James himself at
www.bigjames.com.
Right
Here Right Now is a classic record and we’re
fortunate that Big James and his band are carrying
on the lessons they’ve learned from their early
influences: Little Milton, Albert King and Johnny
Christian.
---
Kyle Deibler
It’s hard to believe its
been two years since the Sean Carney Band ran
off with the IBC title. From the moment they hit the
stage, Sean’s band was in it to win it and took no
prisoners. The paint was barely dry on the Gibson
guitar Sean won as the Albert King award winner
before the band was back on the road, heading to
Florida to play three gigs. Two weeks later they’re
up in Canada at Blues on Whyte and stayed a week to
record a live record, cleverly entitled, Live
Blues on Whyte. Their own brand of swing and
rockabilly set them apart from some of the other
recent IBC winners, so let’s give the disc a listen.
After the introduction,
our first cut up is “It’s My Life Baby.” Sean’s band
traditionally performs as a trio, but added Graham
Guest on piano and B3 for this recording. Extensive
keys by Graham provide the musical highlight of
“It’s My Life Baby.” Sean is bound and determined to
live his life the way he wants to, and no one else
can say any differently. “Yes, it’s my life baby…let
me live it like I please…if things ain’t going to
suit you…baby, you can take off with the breeze!”
We shift from love to
life as Sean finds himself getting buried under the
minutiae of every day living in our next tune. “We
all get together…we can end our misery…you might
just wonder about my state of mind…don’t worry about
me…I’ll be fine…and I feel…feel like I’m the only
one…with all these worries…I want to get high…so I
don’t know what’s going on!” Blistering fretwork
from Sean provides the strong intro to “Why Do You
Lie.” “Why do you lie…and worry me so…well, you let
me down…now I’ve got to let you go!” His woman can’t
seem to tell him the truth so Sean does what he has
to do, show her the door. Time to move on to someone
Sean can trust.
“29 Ways,” a classic
tune by Willie Dixon, is up next and here we find
Sean to be a very resourceful man in pursuit of the
object of his desire. “I’ve got 29 ways to get to my
baby’s door…if she need’s me real bad…I can find
about 4 or 5 more!” Where there’s a will there’s a
way, and Sean is definitely motivated by this one.
Graham’s keyboard work continues to shine and here
his piano is again front and center. Sean’s band is
very tight and their years together as a band make
this an excellent live recording.
“Call My Job” is our
next cut, and here Sean is the victim of his own
insanity, too much fun on the week-end. “Call my
job…tell the boss I won’t be in…after Friday,
Saturday, Sunday…I’ve had too much week-end!” Sean
hit the numbers big on Friday, won $1,000 to play
with and the rest is just one big, lost memory. On
“Money’s Getting Cheaper,” this theme of spending
indiscretion continues. “Times getting tougher than
tougher than tough…things getting rougher than
rough…I make a lot of money…but I just keep spending
the stuff!” Chris Brzezicki’s bass playing really
shines through on this cut as Graham takes an
extended solo on his piano.
Up next is “Too Many
Cooks,” another tune by Willie Dixon. “Too many
cooks are going to spoil the stew…too many cooks are
going to spoil the stew…there ain’t nobody cooking
but me and you…the stew you’re cooking…it smells so
good...it’s got everybody talking in my
neighborhood!” Sounds like everything will work out
fine if Sean just gets out of the kitchen!
The tempo slows way down
on our next cut, “Life of Ease,” and I can hear Eric
Blume’s brushes on the drums to start this tune off.
“I live the life of ease…but I pay a hustler’s
price…and if you think my style suits you…you’d
better think about it twice!” Sean’s pretty set in
his ways and refuses to compromise with his woman
over his reefer habit. He’d rather keep smoking so
this woman is going to have to go. The intricacy of
Sean’s fretwork on this tune is just one example of
the skills that won him the Albert King award at the
IBC and is just beautifully done.
Another great ballad,
“What Can I Say,” finds Sean pleading his case with
the woman he desires. “What can I say…what can I
do…to make you understand…I’m stranded in the
rain…since you left go of my hand?” A year later
Sean is still trying to cope with the memories he
has of this woman and it's just time to let her go.
Live Blues on Whyte
closes with “Bad Side Baby” and Sean’s still in
trouble with a woman. “I feel so bad…I don’t know
what to do…does it really make you happy…to see me
feeling blue…I’m on your bad side baby…and I’m
feeling awful cold!”
I had the opportunity to
spend some time talking with Sean at this year’s IBC
and I enjoyed our conversation. Sean has realistic
expectations of what he’s looking to accomplish with
his music and was very focused during the IBC
festivities (aside from the Tuesday night at Mr.
Handy’s Blues Hall, but that’s another story). He’s
also a big supporter of the fight against cancer and
conducts a fund-raising concert to raise money for
cancer research in Ohio each fall.
The best is yet to come
for Sean and I look forward to catching a live
performance of his very soon. Live Blues on Whyte
can be found at CD Baby and is well worth the
investment. Sean Carney is another of the relatively
young blues artists who are going to sustain our
genre for a long time to come and this disc is a
great first opportunity to hear his talents. You’ll
be glad you did.
--- Kyle Deibler
Having watched the
careers of Johnny Lang and Shannon Curfman rise to
the forefront of the blues world, it’s interesting
to note the path taken by the Perry kids --- Kyle,
Ryan and Taya --- as their career continues to
build. This amazing young band from Mississippi,
Homemade Jamz Blues Band, tore it up at the
concert that kicked off this year’s International
Blues Challenge, and they’re continuing to receive
national media coverage not often accorded other
blues musicians. Through it all they’re relatively
unaffected by the crazy world around them and
concentrate on what they do best --- playing music.
Their latest disc from
NothernBlues Music, I Got Blues For You,
features 11 original tunes written by their father,
Renaud and one tastefully chosen cover. Let’s roll
with it.
Our first tune up, “Hard
Headed Woman,” starts out with a strong bass line
from Kyle before Ryan’s guitar kicks in. “Hard
headed woman…thinks she’s all that…hard headed
woman…won’t take me back…but…that’s ok…I’ve found
another…hard headed woman!” It’s interesting to hear
Ryan sing about life experiences he’s yet to live
and that’s a key component of what makes this band
so unique. They’re tapped into the soul of the blues
without really having lived the blues. It will
definitely be interesting to hear the growth in
their music as Ryan and his siblings begin to write
their own songs and share their life experiences
with fans of their music.
Shimmering cymbals from
Taya set the stage for Ryan’s soulful guitar intro
as Renaud’s harp kicks in on “Rumors.” Ryan tells us
the story of a man who is constantly being accused
of misbehaving. “I work on the job…never missed a
day…but if you listen to the rumors…I’m never at the
place!” This man is accused of many things but none
of it is true and he continues to live his life with
his head held high. Next up is “Dusk Till Dawn,” and
here the man portrayed is nothing but bad. “Went to
go pay my child support…said, come on in and have
your way…took a good look at her with that red
dress…Lord, I knew I was going to be late… and the
next thing I knew…dusk turned into dawn!” The
temptations prove too much to resist and the same
thing happens, dusk turns into dawn!
In “Roots,” we find that
he’s has met his match. “That girl put some roots on
me…Lord knows…I’m trying to stop giving her my
time…but, she put some roots on me!” No matter how
hard he tries to escape her clutches, he keeps
coming back. “She put some roots on me!” “Heaven
Lost An Angel” is the first real slow ballad on the
disc and my favorite tune on the disc. “Sitting
around here…down on my luck…something told
me…man…you need a little girl…as I raised my head…to
a beauty only for the Lord to see…I swear to you
people…there’s an angel standing right in front of
me…heaven lost an angel!” A stirring guitar solo by
Ryan emphasizes his thankfulness at having been sent
such a wonderful woman to love.
Renaud’s harp sets the
stage for our next cut, “Loco Blues.” “Well, I’m
headed down to Clarksdale…there ain’t no turning
back…I’m headed down to Clarksdale…to play me some
Delta blues!” Jumping the train to Clarksdale gives
Ryan the chance to explore the world and it will be
awhile before he heads back home. “Tell my baby I
love her…but I won’t be back for awhile…headed down
to Clarksdale…ain’t no turning back!” Kyle is
keeping the back end tight with a heavy bass line on
the next cut, “King Snake.” “I’m a king snake
baby…and I’m trying to get on down…the other snakes
know by now…I’m the baddest snake around!”
A music duel between
Renaud’s harp and Ryan’s guitar sets the tone for
“Hobo Man.” “I’m a hobo man…and I just walked…in
your town…I’m not looking for no kind of
trouble…just a place to lay my birdies down.” This
man is just drifting through and he’ll leave you
alone if you do the same. Next up is trouble of a
different kind, “Alcoholic Woman.” “When she’s
drunk…she tells me she loves me…but when she’s
sober…she pays me no mind…I can’t tell if she really
loves me y’all…there’s really no telling…what’s on
her mind.” Alcohol can cloud many issues and here
any man will be hard pressed to ever know what the
truth really is. “In the Wind” finds Ryan heading
back home to see his woman. “I’m a 100 miles from
nowhere and I’ve got this big Cadillac…in the
wind…I’m going to see my baby…going to see my
baby…once again.” The nose of his Cadillac is headed
in the right direction and he’ll be home soon.
I Got Blues for You
closes with a cover, “Grits and Groceries,” that is
very well done and then the title track. “If I don’t
love you…baby…grits and groceries…eggs and
poultry…and Mona Lisa was a man!” A great tune that
I’ve not heard for awhile, “Grits and Groceries,”
was a tune performed consistently here locally by
one of our past IBC contestants, Buzz & the Soul
Senders.
Our final cut, “I Got
Blues for You,” finds Ryan wising up to the ways of
the woman who’s been in is life. “Every time I got
something to say…you just roll your eyes and turn
and walk away…I got blues for you baby…ain’t going
to be your fool…doggone no more!”
I Got Blues for You
is an excellent sophomore effort by Ryan, Kyle and
Taya. The Perrys are definitely a talented bunch and
the musicianship on their new record is phenomenal.
They’ve come a long way since the first time I saw
them onstage at the Orpheum in Memphis, and the sky
is really the limit for them. I’m looking forward to
the next record and hope to hear original tunes from
Ryan, Kyle and Taya themselves. It’s the next step
in their evolution and will definitely make for some
interesting listening.
In the meantime, you can
grab a copy of the new disc from the Perry’s on
their website,
www.hmjamzbluesband.com or from their label at
www.NorthernBlues.com. And catch a live
performance soon if you can. You’ll be impressed
with a stage presence and musicianship that is well
beyond their years.
--- Kyle Deibler
The Homemade Jamz Band has returned with its
sophomore effort for NorthernBlues, I Got Blues For
You. Their surprising 2008 debut, Pay Me No Mind,
received tons of critical acclaim and led to a tour
of the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They also became
the youngest band to be nominated for a Blues Music
Award.
The band consists of the Perry Family:
singer/guitarist Ryan Perry (17 years old), bassist
Kyle Perry (14), and drummer Taya Perry (10), but
don’t let their ages prevent you from checking them
out. As on their previous release, I Got Blues For
You features the group performing songs composed by
their father, Renaud, who built the guitars that his
sons play and also contributes some respectable
harmonica to several tracks.
Ryan Perry’s fretwork is impressive, whether he’s
tearing it up on a track like “Rumors” or “Heaven
Lost An Angel,” laying down some straight blues on
the driving “Roots” or “Hard Headed Woman,” or the
slow blues of “Dusk Till Dawn.” He plays with a
confidence and passion that belie his years. Unlike
many youngsters playing guitar, he doesn’t
overplay…..each solo is a model of taste and
restraint. His gruff, gravelly vocals are
well-suited for the blues and will only improve over
time. His siblings are just as remarkable, with Kyle
Perry providing rock-solid bass and Taya Perry ably
handling the drums.
Renaud Perry’s compositions cover most of the
familiar blues themes and the band does a fine job
with them, particularly the title track, “Loco
Blues,” and “King Snake.” Though some of the songs
tackle topics that are probably still beyond the
life experiences of the band members, they handle
these smoothly. The lone cover is a rocking version
of Titus Turner’s “Grits Ain’t Groceries.”
I Got Blues For You is every bit as good as the
band’s debut recording. It’s a powerful set of
modern blues that should please fans both young and
old. The Homemade Jamz Band is here for the duration
and it will be interesting to see where they go from
here.
--- Graham Clarke
AZ Kenny Tsak may be a new name to most blues fans,
but you would think that he’d been around for years
from the sound of things on Like I Do, his new
release with his band, 56 Deluxe. Actually, that’s
not the case. He started playing guitar in his
mid-teens, after starting out on drums, and played
the local Washington, DC blues scene until forced to
give it up to meet family and business obligations.
He picked it up again some 25 years later after
reuniting with his friend (and current bass player)
Avery T. Horton. They formed 56 Deluxe in 2005 and
have been burning up the music scene around Arizona
and the East Coast, sharing the stage with artists
like Tab Benoit, Dave Fields, Chick Willis, Calvin
Jones, Joey Gilmore, Harper, and Billy Gibson.
Tsak has a powerful voice with just enough grit and
sandpaper, and his guitar skills are first-rate. He
is as adept with the slow, stinging blues of tracks
like “Full Time Lover” as the raucous roadhouse
sounds of the catchy title track. 56 Deluxe is a
tight little ensemble that keeps things running
smoothly, with Horton on bass, James Holt on
keyboards, Frank Perez on tenor sax, and Andy “G” on
drums. The rhythm section of Horton and “G” is right
on time (check out “Down South Florida” and “My Tastee Cake”) and there’s plenty of room allowed for
Tsak, Perez, and Holt to solo and they never
disappoint.
Other highlights include the lively “Walkin’ Shoes,”
“Blues Attitude,” with some great guitar work, “12
Step Boogie,” a hilarious tune concerning living a
life without alcohol, and a pair of cover tunes …. one
from Chick Willis (the raunchy “Stoop Down Baby,”
featuring 2006 IBC winner Joey Gilmore) and the
Muddy Waters classic, “I Just Wanna Make Love To
You.”
This is an excellent disc that seems to have come
out of nowhere. It’s not fancy, just straight-ahead
blues, rock, and soul that you may not see nominated
for any awards at years’ end, but I guarantee you’ll
listen to this one more than the ones nominated. I
hate to think we missed out on 30 years of this
kind of music with Mr. Tsak, but I’m glad he’s with
us now. Visit the band’s
website for more
information and check out the 56 Deluxe Girls while
you’re there.
--- Graham Clarke
John Earl Walker had never performed in Europe prior
to this year’s Burghausen Jazz Festival, but he
apparently made quite an impression when he did,
judging from the enthusiastic reception he receives
from the audience on his latest disc, Live In
Germany (Walkright Records). Walker, who has been
playing since the mid '60s and was part of the '70s
group, Plum Nelly, plays a vigorous brand of
blues/rock with clever songwriting and a top notch
band in support, which seemed to be what the doctor
ordered for his audience in this case.
Walker’s previous recordings have received a lot of
airplay overseas as well as on the internet, so fans
will find a lot to enjoy on this set, which includes
11 songs from the band’s previous CDs. Most of
them come from Walker’s latest release, Come Over
Here, which was released last year and was the
band’s strongest effort to date.
Walker plays some fantastic guitar throughout,
particularly on tracks like “I’m Leavin’ You,”
“Tess’s Shuffle,” “The World’s A Prison,” “Airport
Blues,” and “Nightwalker,” which has to be one of
the coolest instrumentals of all time. His guitar
playing is, of course, rock-influenced, but he can
get down and dirty with the blues with ease. His
songwriting is first-rate, with clever twists and
turns that elevates the material from the standard
blues fare, such as “Backdoor Romance, “Airport
Blues,” and “Poor Boy Blues.”
Lending Walker a hand are longtime bandmates Peter
Harris (bass), Slinky Temelo (guitar), and a couple
of new members – Frank Diorio (drums) and the
appropriately-named Tommy Key (piano).
This set should really please fans of the band, as
it is basically a “greatest hits” collection since
it features most of the band’s standout tunes on one
CD. For fans of guitar-driven blues/rock (is there
any other kind of blues/rock?) unfamiliar with the
John Earl Walker Band, it’s a great starting point.
Check out the band’s
website and their
MySpace site.
--- Graham Clarke
Marc Benno has been making music for over 40 years,
working with musicians like The Doors, Lightnin’
Hopkins, Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Rita Coolidge,
and Leon Russell. He played guitar on The Doors’
L.A. Woman album, teamed with Russell as the Asylum
Choir for a couple of albums (one of which featured
Clapton on guitar), and eventually formed a band in
the early/mid ’70s called Marc Benno & the
Nightcrawlers, which included a young guitarist
named Stevie Vaughan. After the Nightcrawlers
disbanded, Benno joined Hopkins’ band as second
guitarist. By the late ’80s, Benno took a break from
the hectic music lifestyle and returned in the mid
’90s, recording several solo albums during that
time.
Benno’s latest release,
I Got It Bad (Blue Skunk
Music) is a rocking Texas blues disc, with ten
original songs and solid support from San Antonio’s
West Side Horns, drummer George Rains (Jimmie
Vaughan, Sir Douglas Quintet), bassist Jack Barber
(Sir Douglas Quintet), and keyboardist Sauce
Gonzalez (Freddie Fender). Benno wrote all the
songs, most of which deal with affairs of the heart,
usually a broken one.
Highlights include the opening cut, “Terminal Case
of the Blues,” “Texas Oil Driller,” “Torture Me,”
“Save Our Love,” “My Baby’s A Gambler,” and the
instrumental, “Tip Jar.” Most of these songs have a
strong Texas blues feel to them, and Benno’s does a
great job on guitar with economical leads and fills.
Vocally, he displays more of a warm, vulnerable
charm than the traditional blues growl, which suits
the songs on this disc very well.
I Got It Bad is a solid set of Texas blues with fine
songs and excellent guitar. It’s nice to have Marc Benno back on the scene.
--- Graham Clarke
Dave Perkins’ musical career has involved working
with artists like Vassar Clements, Jerry Jeff
Walker, Carole King, Guy Clark, Chagall Guevara,
Papa John Creach, Ray Charles, Mystic Meditations,
and Passafist. You name it, he’s played it. His
latest solo effort, Pistol City Holiness (Lugnut
Music), is a superlative blues/rock effort that will
knock you for a loop.
If you’re a blues/rock fan and the opening cut,
“Break,” doesn’t pull you in, then the blistering
remake of Freddie King’s “Goin’ Down,” should do the
trick. The following cut, “Cherryfish and Chicken,”
is a scorching instrumental that features Perkins
with Reese Wynans on keyboards and a torrid rhythm
section. I don’t think I’m going to have enough
adjectives for hot to adequately complete this
review, but that’s the only words that can describe
cuts like the ones listed above and tracks like
“Train at Night” and “Tiger Texas.”
Perkins also proves to be a songwriter that can
touch on blues themes both old and new, such as
“Long Eleven Road,” about a family facing
unemployment woes, songs with unique outlooks on
relationships (“Flown” and “Bottles and Knives”),
and new twists on traditional blues, like “Devil’s
Game,” featuring Perkins’ searing slide guitar with
Jimmy Nalls on acoustic guitar. “Preacher Blues”
tackles a longtime blues theme, the Ladies Man
posing as a man of God.
This is blues/rock at its most manic and primal.
Perkins sounds like he’s about to shred his guitar
strings (not to mention his vocal chords). Harp
player T J Klay threatens to blow the back off his
harmonica, and the rhythm section (featuring several
different bass players and drummers) are incredible.
In short, if you’re a blues/rock fan at all, you
absolutely need to have this disc. You will play it
over and over again and it will still knock you for
a loop every time. This is easily the surprise disc
of 2009 so far. Head over to Dave Perkins
MySpace
site to check him out and go to
CD Baby to pick this
one up.
---
Graham Clarke
Zac Harmon grew up around the Farish Street region
of Jackson, MS, where he was exposed to the sounds
of artists like Sam Myers, Mel Brown, and Jesse
Robinson. He learned to sing, play guitar and
keyboards while at church and eventually served as
guitarist for Z. Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore, McKinley
Mitchell, and Myers. He also taught guitar to
youngsters (including Eddie Cotton) at the local
YMCA.
Harmon eventually relocated to Los Angeles, working
as a studio musician and serving as a
writer/producer for many R&B artists like Freddie
Jackson, the Whispers, the O’Jays, and the
Mississippi Mass Choir. Several years ago, he
decided to return to his first love, the blues, and
his band, the Mid-South Blues Revue, won the 2004
International Blues Challenge. His 2005 release, The
Blues According to Zacariah, was a well-received
effort that showcased Harmon’s myriad influences.
Harmon’s most recent release,
From The Root (NorthernBlues
Music), is a smooth mix of blues, rock, and soul.
The opening cut, “Don’t Give Me Another Reason,” is
a capsule summary of the disc, with its muscular
rock-edged blues guitar and funky backbeat. “Fannie
Mae” is a roadhouse blues rocker featuring Jimmy Z’s
frenzied harmonica. Tracks like this and “Keep The
Blues Alive” and “Honey Bee” feature rock-based
blues, while songs like “Scratch” and “Man Is Not
Meant To Be Alone” feature a more traditional
approach. Harmon proves to be adept going in either
direction.
The remainder of the disc focuses on soul/blues,
with winning tracks like “Back Bitin’ Back
Stabbers,” which sounds like a lost Malaco track,
“The Price of Loving You,” featuring Sueann Carwell,
and soul numbers like “The Older Woman” and “That’s
What A Woman Needs” (spiced up with a reggae beat),
that feature Harmon’s silky-smooth vocals. Also
featured is a terrific cover of the Honey Cone’s
“Want Ads.”
Zac Harmon is the total package. He’s a great
songwriter, guitarist, and singer, plus he’s equally
at home playing downhome blues or Southern soul,
which makes him equally appealing to two different
blues fan bases. By all rights, From The Root should
be a breakthrough album for him.
--- Graham Clarke
