It’s past time that this happened…..a gathering
of the current standard bearers of the Sacred Steel tradition. Robert Randolph,
who has moved the sound to the mainstream over the past five years, has brought
together four of the genre’s living legends: Calvin Cooke, Aubrey Ghent, Chuck
Campbell, and Darrick Campbell. The foursome, dubbed The Slide Brothers,
put all their talents and skills on display for the Randolph/John
McDermott-produced tour de force, Robert Randolph Presents The Slide Brothers
(Concord Records).
If anything,
Randolph’s success has shown the exciting
possibilities of the music as he has combined it
with elements of blues, rock, R&B, and funk,
blending gospel and secular music in a way that
breathes exhilarating life into both . This latest
release follows suit, as the four guitarists mix
their traditional gospel songs with several blues
standards that will be familiar to blues fans.
However, to say that they breathe new life into
these classic blues tracks would be an
understatement.
On the gospel side,
Chuck and Darrick Campbell team up with Blind Boys
of Alabama vocalist Jimmy Carter for a cathartic
reading of George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord,” and an
awesome instrumental version of “Wade In The Water”
(not really instrumental as the Campbell Brothers’
steel guitars “sing” the lyrics), and a powerful
remake of “Motherless Children,” patterned after the
Eric Clapton version from the early ’70s.
Ghent and Cooke work
together on a couple of more traditional gospel
tracks, “Sunday School Blues” and “Catch That
Train,” where they both sing and play. Ghent, known
as the “Preaching Deacon,” takes center stage for
the irresistible closer, “No Cheap Seats In Heaven,”
while Cooke, recognized in Nashville as “the B.B.
King of gospel steel guitar,” sizzles on his own
composition, “Help Me Make It Through.” Randolph and
the Family Band back Shemekia Copeland on the Fatboy
Slim track, “Praise You,” nearly raising the roof in
the process.
The quartet also
throws in a few blues tracks for good measure,
paying tribute to three blues slide guitar legends,
Duane Allman (“Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’”), Tampa Red
(“It Hurts Me Too”), and Elmore James (“The Sky Is
Crying,” backed by Randolph, Chuck Campbell, former
Hendrix bass player Billy Cox, and former Double
Trouble drummer Chris Layton). Cooke takes the lead
vocals on all three and does a fantastic job.
If you’re a fan of
the Sacred Steel tradition, you probably already
have Robert Randolph Presents The Slide Brothers.
If you’re not familiar with Sacred Steel, this is a
great place to get started. Chances are very good
that you will be wanting to hear much more.
---
Graham Clarke
Looking for that
perfect soundtrack for your summer season? Well,
look no further….it’s now available, courtesy of
A Sunshine State of Mind, the latest release
from The Soul of John Black on Yellow Dog
Records. If this release doesn’t put a smile on your
face and a hop in your step, somebody needs to call
the coroner.
As on their previous
releases, John “JB” Bigham’s soul-roots group fuses
elements of soul, blues, R&B, and funk together to
produce an irresistible mix. Bigham sings and plays
all of the instruments on the album, with assistance
from various musicians on several tracks (Oliver
Charles – drums, Jacob Luttrell – keyboards, Chris
Joiner – keyboards, Andre Holmes – bass, Jonell
Kennedy – background vocals). Bigham also wrote all
the songs, all of which have a carefree,
lighthearted feeling that will remind listeners of
cruising around during those summer months with the
windows down and the radio blaring.
The disc is
chock-full of highlights, moving from uptempo jams
like “Magic Woman,” the funky “East L.A. Lady,”
“Johnny Bear (Give It To Me),” a modern look at the
suggestive songwriting of early bluesmen, “Shake It
Off,” and “Lemonade,” to mellow soul numbers like
“Beautiful Day,” and the Al Green-influenced
“Summertime Thang.” Midtempo numbers like the
inspirational “Higher Power,” “Lenny Love Cha Cha”
(a tribute to Lenny Kravitz’s late ’80s/early ’90s
catalog), and the laid-back “Too Much Tequila” also
abound.
As a Chicago native,
JB infuses the blues into whatever music he plays,
mixing the soul-flavored Chicago blues sound with
the vast conglomeration of styles he’s worked with
over the years (Miles Davis, Dr. Dré, Nikka Costa,
Eminem, Fishbone). If you’re a newcomer to The Soul
of John Black, this is an outstanding place to get
started. A Sunshine State of Mind may have a
summertime vibe to it, but it will be great
listening all year long.
---
Graham Clarke
By now, you have a
pretty good idea of what to expect from Too Slim
and the Taildraggers, fierce lead and slide
guitar, gritty vocals, and some of the best
songwriting on the modern blues scene. Tim Langford
(a.k.a. “Too Slim”) has joined forces with the
producer Tom Hambridge (who also plays drums), Tommy
McDonald (bass), Rob McNelly (guitar), and Reese
Wynans (Hammond B3 organ) to release his 12th studio
disc, Blue Heart (Underworld Records), which
manages to improve upon his previous efforts.
With tracks like the
scorching opener, “Wash My Hands,” the aching
heartbreaker “Minutes Seem Like Hours,” and the
Chicago-based title track (which also features
harmonica from special guest Jimmy Hall) opening the
disc, you know that great things have to lie ahead.
Hall also sings lead on the slow blues, “Make Me
Smile Again,” which features a great guitar break
from Langford on a disc loaded with great guitar
breaks, like on “If You Broke My Heart,” and “When
Whisky Was My Friend.”
There’s no let-up on
the second half of the disc either. Langford’s
guitar sears through “New Years Blues,” a tune about
helping a friend in need, and offers up some
incredible slide work on “Preacher,” before closing
the disc with the spiritual “Angels Are Back,” which
mixes acoustic and electric guitar. The album’s lone
cover is another “good ‘un,” Dave “Double D”
Duncan’s “Shape of Blues to Come.”
Too Slim and the
Taildraggers continue to maintain an amazing
consistency, with 17 excellent releases over nearly
30 years as a band. Blue Heart continues that
streak and raises the bar even higher. If you have
an iota of blues in your soul, you will want to hear
this disc.
---
Graham Clarke
Frank Bang’s
musical journey has found him moving from the
AC/DC/Metallica/Z.Z. Top phase to SRV and Hendrix to
Buddy Guy, with whom Bang served a five-year tenure
as second guitarist. Over the years, he has picked
up additional guitar skills, particularly slide
guitar, by listening to the likes of Warren Haynes,
Robert Randolph, and Aubrey Ghent, and also honed
his songwriting chops with influence from Americana
craftsmen like John Hiatt and Malcolm Holcombe.
Those myriad
influences and inspirations were combined to produce
Double Dare (Blue Hoss), Bang’s first release
in six years. He had basically withdrawn from the
music scene until he discovered, via the internet,
how much he was missed (and how much his old albums
were selling for on Amazon). Backed by the Secret
Stash (Bobby Spelbring – drums and Ryan Fitzgerald –
bass) with production from Manny Sanchez (Rod
Stewart), Bang’s latest finds him well-rested,
tanned, and ready to pick up where he left off.
The first four tracks
(the title track, “Burnin’ Up In The Wind,” “Lose
Control,” and “God Fearin’ Man”) pretty much keep
the pedal to the floor, but Bang also drops things
down a notch with “Wonder Woman,” a
slide/harmonica-driven ballad about the power of
love. “This is What it’s All About” is also a
reflective tune, focusing on the things in life that
really matter.
The acoustic “My Own
Country Way” allows Bang to strut his stuff on dobro,
and “All’s Well” is a steady midtempo rocker that’s
augmented by Daryl Coutts’ B3. The country rocker
“18 Wheels of Hell” puts anything coming out of
Nashville right now to shame, and “All I Need” has
that same country feel to it, but slowed down a
notch or two, with Coutt’s B3 in the background. The
acoustic closer, “Mattie’s Girl,” brings the album
to a satisfying close.
Double Dare is
a diverse set that mixes equal portions of rock,
soul, and even country with the blues, reflecting
Frank Bang’s wide range of influences. Hopefully, he
won’t take so long between releases next time
around.
---
Graham Clarke
Connecticut-based
guitarist Paul Gabriel has been on the New
England music scene for over 40 years, appearing on
three of Harry Chapin’s recordings and with Rory
Block on her Grammy-nominated Mama’s Blues (playing
slide guitar), touring with Michael Bolton, and
touring and recording with several bands of his own.
For his new album,
What’s The Chance (Shining Stone Music), Gabriel
and his band (Billy Bileca – bass, Nick Longo –
drums, Larry “Buzzy” Fallstrom – keyboards) join
forces with producer/guitarist/longtime buddy Duke
Robillard, guitarist Steve Pastir, keyboardists Mark
Naftalin and Bruce Bears, and the Roomful of Blues
horns (Rich Lataille – alto, tenor sax, Mark Earley
– tenor, baritone sax, Doug Woolverton – trumpet).
Gabriel wrote 11 of
the 13 tracks (bass player Bileca contributed the
instrumental, “C.M.C.,” and the lone cover is Chris
Kenner’s “Something You Got”) and if you’re familiar
with Robillard’s solo work and his tenure with
Roomful of Blues, you will be pleased with the music
offered here, mixing blues, R&B, jazz, and swing.
Gabriel is a fine expressive guitarist and he and
Robillard make a great team, as evidenced on tunes
like “Old Time Ball,” “What’s The Chance,” “All That
Time Gone,” “Ride Ride Ride,” “Magic,” and the
instrumental “328 Chauncy Street.”
Naftalin joins in on
two tracks, the traditional “Devil’s Daughter” and
“Fine At’tire,” a cool old-school R&B duet. Other
standout tracks include “Roomful of Blues,” which,
despite the title, is not a tribute to the band of
the same name…instead, it’s a pleading soul/blues
track that features a soulful vocal from Gabriel and
a wonderful sax break from Lataille, and the closing
shuffle, “Spoda Be.”
As expected,
Gabriel’s guitar work is excellent, with just the
right amount of blues and jazz mixed in. He’s also a
strong, expressive vocalist, and has provided some
memorable songs as well. What’s The Chance is a good
mix of blues, R&B, and jazz in the fine tradition of
other New England-based blues artists.
---
Graham Clarke
Brave soul that she
is, singer/songwriter Kirsten Thien appeared
at the Meinsenfrei Blues Club in Bremen, Germany
last October, armed with only a guitar and her
wonderful voice…a departure from her previous
full-band, electric releases. The club seats several
hundred people, and usually features larger, louder
blues and rock bands, but judging from Solo Live
From The Meisenfrei Blues Club (Screen Door
Records), she found a very receptive audience that
enjoyed an exciting, eclectic set of acoustic blues,
soul, and rock.
Thien performs 15
songs, eight originals which include the opening
four songs, “Hold Onto Me,” “A Woman Knows,” “Thank
You (For Saying Goodbye),” and “You’ve Got Me.” The
other four original songs (“The Sweet Lost And
Found,” “Ain’t That The Truth,” “Please Drive,” and
Nobody’s Ever Loved Me Like You Do”) are mixed
throughout.
The cover tunes are a
wide-ranging set, with the blues being well-served
by the Sippie Wallace classic, “Women Be Wise,” Leon
Russell’s “I’d Rather Be Blind,” and Ida Cox’s “Wild
Women Don’t Have The Blues.” She also does a
first-rate job on Bob Dylan’s country blues “It
Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry.”
Thien also transforms Sheryl Crow’s pop tune,
“Leaving Las Vegas,” into a blues with a nice vocal
performance, and presents Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled
Around and Fell In Love” from a woman’s perspective.
While I’ve heard most
of these songs before, they were in a band setting,
and I don’t think I fully appreciated Thien’s vocal
talents in that setting. Here, backed only by her
acoustic guitar, you really get the full measure of
that voice….sweet when it needs to be, gritty when
that’s called for, and loaded with soul. Solo
Live From The Meisenfrei Blues Club is an
impressive live set of acoustic blues, that captures
one of the most talented blues ladies currently
performing at her best.
---
Graham Clarke
About a year and a
half ago, I reviewed a wonderful little EP by Isaiah
B Brunt. Brunt, an Australian, worked in the
music industry for years as an audio engineer,
playing music on the side until 2006, when he
decided to focus on the blues. Though he’s thousands
of miles away, he has as firm a grasp on tradtional
American pre-war blues as if he’d lived in the
Mississippi Delta all his life. That was apparent
from the first note of his EP release.
For Brunt’s release,
Nursery Rhyme Blues, he updates his sound
just a bit. The traditional roots are still present,
but on this new recording, Brunt not only plays
acoustic and slide guitar, but also ukelele on
several tracks, piano, electric bass, harmonica,
synths, and percussion. He also incorporates various
musicians playing vibraphone, acco-rdion, flute,
cello, and sousaphone on assorted tracks. The result
is an eclectic mix of blues styles that’s sometimes
breezy, sometimes haunting, sometimes lovely, and
always compelling.
I really like the
opener, “Just a Beautiful Thing,” a carefree Delta
blues tune, and “Beale Street Memphis” is a fun
track, with Brunt playing ukelele while accompanied
by Rod Herbert’s sousaphone. The title track has a
haunting quality, a different twist on the subject
matter , with cello (courtesy of Nick Comino) and
ghostly backing vocals. That’s just the first three
tracks. The entire album has the same qualities.
“Marilyn Monroe” is a wistful homage to the
beautiful movie star and with Brunt playing
harmonica and ukelele, and includes flute from
Dahlia Goldfried-Brunt. “Before You Lay Me Down” is
another haunting track, with cello again.
Tracks like “Full
Moon Breaking” “Time Will Come,” “Humming Blues,”
and “Vinegar Hill” feature Brunt playing
unaccompanied for the most part and remind listeners
of the gentle vibe of Brunt’s EP. “That Place In The
Road” is interesting, with Brunt doubling on ukelele
and harmonica, and the reflective closer, “Over
Time,” has a gospel feel, with the soothing
background vocals from Karana Nepe and Paula Punch.
I really like Isaish
B Brunt’s approach to the blues. He holds close to
the traditional sounds and themes of the blues, but
he also mixes in enough modern touches to keep
things fresh. The more I listen, the more layers I
uncover within each song. Acoustic blues fans will
want to hear this, but there’s something for every
blues fan to enjoy with Nursery Rhyme Blues.
---
Graham Clarke
Blues/Roots rocker
RB Stone returns with Loosen Up! (Middle
Mountain Music), his 16th release. This time around,
Stone is produced by Tom Hambridge, whose name will
be familiar to blues/rock fans from his recent work
with Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, and Susan Tedeschi.
Backing him is a powerhouse ensemble consisting of
Hambridge (drums), Robert Britt (lead guitar), Tommy
McDonald (bass), and Jefferson Jarvis (piano,
organ).
Stone and the band
rip through ten dynamic original tunes, including
the boogie blues opener, “High Horse,” the southern
rocker, “Long Gone Lonesome Blues,” and the raucous
rockers “Loosen Up!” “Texas Drunk Tank Blues,” and
the scorching closer, “Harley Heart.” There’s plenty
of good solid traditional blues present also, with
“A Bad Case of Blues Goin’ On,” the Chicago-flavored
“I Ain’t Buyin’ That Bull Today.” Stone also gets
funky on “Gone As Gone Can Be,” and shows his
inspirational side on the moving spiritual ballad,
“God Heals You When You Cry.”
As on Stone’s
previous release, there’s nothing fancy here…..just
a great collection of muscular roadhouse rock, blues
and soul from an artist who knows all three genres
like the back of his hand.
---
Graham Clarke
Most listeners might
be surprised to learn that Hot Mess is the
first recording from the Pam Taylor Band. The
South Carolina native has assembled a strong set of
Southern blues/rock that would indicate that she is
a longtime vet. Backed by her father, Mike Taylor on
sax, along with a tight group in support (Rusty
Gilreath – bass, Kyle Phillips – guitar, LA Freeman
– drums, Ryan Christ Winters – keys, Gerry Hagsted –
drums), Taylor’s vocals mix soul and grit in equal
doses.
An interesting and
unique characteristic of this band is that Mike
Taylor’s sax is as big a driving force behind the
band’s sound as the traditional guitar work. That’s
evident from the get-go with the opening track,
“Smile Again,” and also on the title track, plus
“Not The Only One,” and the jazzy “It’s So Easy.”
Other tracks, like the sultry “Whatcha Doin” and the
country-styled “All The Same To Me” feature standout
guitar work from Taylor and Phillips.
There’s plenty of
straight blues present as well, with the slow blues
original “Next Time You Think of Cheating,” with
more great guitar work, and the country-blues
closer, “All I Got Left.” Taylor also covers Etta
James’ standard, “I’d Rather Go Blind,” which
includes some first class sax work and a nice vocal
performance.
Hot Mess will
certainly please blues/rock fans with its novel
sax/guitar approach to the genre, and introduces
another fine female blues singer to the fold. We
will be hearing more from this band in the future.
---
Graham Clarke
Austin Young,
first picked up a guitar at age 12. Now 17, he has
developed into an amazing guitarist, influenced by
the usual suspects (Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson,
Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Eric Clapton).
A native of Colorado, Young performs regionally and
nationally with his band, no difference. He’s also a
good singer with a natural, unforced feel for blues
songs, and a pretty adept songwriter…..good enough
that Vizztone has released his debut recording,
Blue As Can Be.
Backed by his father,
Tim Young, on drums and 18 year old Noah Mast on
bass, Young offers up a mix of blues styles on
Blue As Can Be, showing an impressive
versatility in songwriting and fretwork in the
process. From the opening track, the hard-charging
“Thunderhead,” you know this is going to be
something special. The title track is the band’s
tribute to Muddy Waters, a down-and-dirty electric
blues. “Disappearing Railroad Blues” is a soulful
ballad, which is followed by the searing rocker,
“Signal.” “Springtime Snow” is a fine pop-styled
ballad that showcases Young’s vocals, pretty strong
and confident on most of these numbers, given his
youth.
The lovely ballad
“Magdalena” finds Young playing National steel
guitar, followed by another blues rocker, “Not As
Strong.” It should be noted that on this track and
several others, Tom Tapec contributes some excellent
supporting keyboards to go along with an inspired
guitar solo from Young. “Who’s Coming Out” is a
roadhouse rocker that’s a sure bet to get folks on
their feet. The inspirational “Borrowed Time” is a
mid-tempo rocker that really builds to an exciting
conclusion, and “That’s It” has a jazzy feel to it,
with some electrifying guitar mixed in.
As the disc begins
wrapping up, Young pulls out one of his best tracks,
the seven-minute-plus slow blues, “Give Me One Good
Reason.” This track, more than any others on the
disc, show that Young’s roots are solidly and firmly
the blues….just a standout track. The disc closes
out with a couple of strong rockers, the optimistic
“Walking Through,” and “Miss You Moore,” which
started out as an instrumental tribute to the late
Gary Moore, one of Young’s idols.
On Blue As Can Be,
Austin Young proves that he’s a talent on the rise,
with considerable guitar chops and fast-developing
songwriting and vocals. Young, hotshot guitar
slingers seem to be a dime a dozen these days, but
based on his debut, Austin Young will definitely be
standing tall when the smoke clears.
---
Graham Clarke
The CD Woodbury
Band has been together since 2009. Woodbury has
worked in jazz, blues, and rock, primarily in the
northwestern part of the country, but his primary
focus is on blues and American roots music. He
joined up with the former rhythm section (Mike Fish
– bass, Don Montana – drums, Chris Kliemann –
keyboards) of the Bluescats, later adding sax man
Mike Marinig in 2010. Since their inception, the
band has won numerous regional awards and released a
live CD in 2010. Monday Night! is their debut
studio effort, on Wide Willie Productions.
The band is
comfortable playing slow blues (“Pawn Shop”),
classic shuffles (the opener, “These Blues Keep Me
Right Here”), swing (“Ring A Ding”), R&B (the New
Orleans-styled title track), jazzy blues (“SauBall
Blues” and “The Pleasure’s All Mine”), funk (“Burn
The Bridge”), and even a tasty take on southern rock
with “Mean Jenny,” which sounds like it could have
come from the pen of Tony Joe White.
Woodbury, Montana,
and Marinig share lead vocals and each bring a
distinctive flair to their songs. With guitarist
Woodbury, keyboardist Kliemann, and sax man Marinig,
the band has three outstanding soloist and each get
ample opportunity to strut their stuff over the ten
solid compositions, which were all written by the
band. Monday Night! is a stellar,
well-rounded set of blues and R&B that is definitely
worth checking out.
---
Graham Clarke
Les Lucky was
born in the Midwest, but has spent the bulk of his
life in and around New York City, where he has
worked as a music producer for TV and radio, while
playing in various bands around the NYC area,
performing as a solo act and with artists like Les
Paul, Elton John, Harry Belafonte, Levon Helm, and
Phyllis Hyman. Despite that versatile list of
performers, Lucky’s primary influences, when
following his own muse, are the blues and jazz.
For Lucky’s debut
release, Frets & Hammers (Red Kat
Recordings), Lucky wrote all 12 songs, produced the
disc, and played all instruments (guitars, piano,
organ, bass, drums, synths, and percussion). There’s
a variety of styles present, opening with the
country-ish "I’ll Take My Chances,” moving to the
country blues of “Lone Wolf,” to the keyboard-driven
“Everything’s Gone Wrong,” which sounds a lot like
the country-rock tunes of the early ’70s.
The upbeat “Goin’ To
See My Baby” is followed by the ominous “When The
Deal Goes Down” brings to mind the sparse rhythms of
J. J. Cale. “Shades of Blue” is a heartfelt blues
ballad, and “Stop Talkin’ About It” and “I’ve Had
Enough are both solid ventures into funk territory.
Lucky goes topical on “An Ill Wind Is Howling,” a
driving blues with lyrics that can easily be tied
into current events. The closer, “You Win Again,
Jen,” is a soulful chronicle of a doomed
relationship.
Les Lucky put
everything he has into the disc, literally. Though
his instrument work is first-rate on everything he
plays, his warm and heartfelt vocals really breathe
life into his insightful, and often personal lyrics.
Frets & Hammers was a pleasant surprise that
I didn’t see coming, and with each listen I find
something else about it to enjoy. I know that it
will appeal to blues fans, as well as music fans in
general.
---
Graham Clarke
The last time I heard
about Emanuele Fizzotti was when his CD,
Out To Play, was released in 2009, and so it’s
good to hear how he has changed and progressed. His
new CD, Manny’s Blues (Rock 'N Rattle
Records), comprises seven original songs, one
traditional and two covers, so there is plenty of
variety here for the listener.
The album opens with
a cover of a Dylan number “Odds and Ends,” which is
something that I hadn’t heard before. It’s a good
paced rocker and gets the CD off with a bang,
although it’s not what a lot of people would term
“blues.”
However, track two,
“Hey Baby,” is definitely blues, and it’s an
original by Fizzotti. It’s got a good driving beat
and showcases Emanuele’s guitar work really well. If
I was producing the album, I’d have made this track
one without a doubt!!
---
Terry Clear
Tone Trade have
picked themselves a winner with this band Kat &
Co, and that’s proved by this flagship CD,
Kat The Blues. Ten great tracks, and eight of
them are written by band members. The two exceptions
are Johnny Winter’s “Tired Of Tryin’ “ and Mark
Knopfler’s “Your Own Sweet Way.” Kat Pearson grew up
singing gospel in Oklahoma, spent some time in Los
Angeles, and then set the South of Spain alight in
the late 1990s providing vocals for one of the
hottest Spanish blues bands in Malaga. She can sing
fast, slow or medium, and all with a special smoky
flavour that gets in your head and won’t leave.
The album starts off
with a track co-written by Kat Pearson, Francisco
Accurso and Federico Parodi – vocalist, guitarist
and keyboard player in that order. “New Spleen
Blues” is a haunting slow to medium paced blues with
some interesting lyrics about growing old.
Track three features
a very special guest artist, Mud Morganfield – son
of the late great Muddy Waters. I was privileged to
see the start of this tie-up a few years ago, when
the two of them performed together at the Mijas
Blues Festival in Spain. “Payin’ My Dues” is a
strong, well written, song, and a contender for my
favourite track on the CD.
These guys make a
good job of the Johnny Winter track, “Tired of Tryin’”
– good vocals and some inspirational guitar work
from Accurso make this a really good cover. Another
contender for my favourite track is number nine on
the CD, “The Scene,” which also features some guest
artists, Lil’ Jimmy Reed and Chad Strentz. This is
slow-based driving blues and Lil’ Jimmy Reed really
adds some flavour with his vocals contracting with
Kat’s. Parodi adds some magical keyboard work which
elevates the track to a good level.
The CD winds up with
“Your Own Sweet Way,” written by Dire Strait’s Mark
Knopfler. It’s a slow bluesy ballad, showcasing
Accurso’s guitar and Kat’s vocals equally, and it’s
not a bad way to finish off the album.
My Verdict for
favourite track goes to “Payin’ My Dues,” but it was
a close run thing. Buy the CD and see for yourself.
---
Terry Clear
Bart Walker
blew through Colorado recently as part of the Ruf
Blues Caravan tour 2013 and it was great to see him
kicking it with his new signature model Delaney
guitar. Bart’s got a new record out, Waiting On
Daylight, and it’s apparent that this
Nashville-based Bluesman is learning his lessons
well. Waiting On Daylight is a guitar-driven
tour de force from front to back, so let’s give it a
listen.
Bart and the band
open with “It’s All Good,” featuring a hard driving
drumbeat from Steve Potts. Here we find Bart content
with the daily ins and outs of living and earning a
paycheck, knowing most of it is going right back to
the banker. “It’s all right…yea it’s ok…well…I
wouldn’t have it any other way…it’s all good…it’s
all right…baby, it doesn’t cost a thing to snuggle
up at night!” A good woman by his side and Bart will
make it work, for sure!
Dave Smith’s bass
compliments the solid back drumbeat as we move onto
our next tune, “Black Clouds.” A tune of despair,
black clouds seem to be present everywhere. “Rain
pouring down…on this dirty old coal mining
town…black clouds hanging low…keeping us in the
dark…there ain’t no hiding it…when the ash is
falling…there’s more to come!” Bart’s guitar comes
to the forefront on our next cut, “Took It Like a
Man,” a classic party tune. “I got drunk…stayed out
all night…got my ass kicked in a barroom fight…I
lost my car…and I lost my lunch in a garbage can…it
didn’t bother me…I took it like a man!” Bart segues
off into a blistering guitar solo that reminds me
why he won the most promising guitar award at the
International Blues Challenge a couple of years
back.
“Girl You Bad” is up
next and finds Bart enamored with the object of his
affections. “Oh baby…the way you move it…is cool as
an autumn breeze…oh mama…the way you move it…got me
thinking…pretty please…girl…you bad!” Bart being in
love seems to be a continuing theme as we move onto
“Gotta Be You!” “I ain’t gonna run…I ain’t gonna
hide this time…I know you’re the one…and whatever I
do…I’m going to see this through…it’s gotta be you!”
The hard driving beat echoes Bart’s heart pounding
in his chest as he declares this woman to be the one
and he’s hanging around for the long haul this time!
The title cut,
“Waiting on Daylight,” is up next and it’s a great
tune written by Bart, Gary Nicholson and Brandon
Gower. “Waiting on daylight…to come back to your
door…after all those second chances, Lord…I’m just
praying that there’s one more…this time…I’ll find a
way to make it right…Lord, I’m just waiting on
daylight!” “Waiting on Daylight” is a classic tune
and deserving of some votes for song of the year I’m
thinking.
Bart’s rocking side
is back out as we move onto the next tune, “Happy.”
Here we find Bart free and easy, not a care in the
world. “I don’t need no preaching…about what I need
to be…knock down that door…you’ll be just like
me…I’m happy…that’s all!” The band and Bart cover a
J.B. Hutto tune next, “Hipshake It!” “Hipshake…I
said…my…my…my…hipshake it for me!” I hear Rick Steff
lend some keyboard flavor to this tune and it’s an
excellent arrangement by Bart.
The tempo slows down
just a tad for our next cut, “Mary & Me.” “When the
lights go down…and the river sounds…Mary is all I
need!” The tune is about a simple man, in love with
his woman and not needing much else to get him
through! Blistering notes emanate from Bart’s guitar
to signify the passion the man in question feels for
his woman, Mary.
“99%” is probably the
closest thing to a ballad that you’ll find on Bart’s
record and it’s all about folks taking a stand for
what they believe is right. “What happened to the
days…when this land was yours and mine…what happened
to the days…when we took pride in what we did…we are
the…we are the 99%...we are the ones…who took a
stand…we are the ones…who can make this land a dream
again!” Sweet…sweet notes emanate from Bart’s guitar
on this tune to show the people’s passion for the
land they came from and want to see rise again.
Dave Cohen takes to
the organ for our final cut of the record, “Whipping
Post.” “She took all my money…she wrecked my new
car…now she’s out...with one of my good timing
buddies…sometimes…I feel…like I’ve been tied to the
whipping post…good lord, I feel like I’m dying!”
Bart’s in definite pain over his love for the woman
who done him wrong and the best thing to do is to
just let her go. But Bart’s a man of faith and
letting her go is just not an easy thing for Bart to
do.
Waiting on
Daylight is a strong record for Bart Walker from
front to back, and I’m happy to hear the strength of
this new record come to life. Bart’s a phenomenal
guitar player and this disc is definitely one of the
strongest, guitar driven albums I’ve heard so far
this year. Jim Gaines did an amazing job of pushing
all the right buttons and the result speaks for
itself. Bart’s been touring the country as part of
the Ruf Blues Caravan and I’m sure will be out soon
on his own to support this great disc. To order a
copy or catch up with this Nashville-based bluesman,
check out his website at
www.bartwalkerband.com and catch a live gig if
you can --- you won’t be disappointed!
---
Kyle Deibler
There’s a lot of
angst in the new record, Badlands, from Trampled Under Foot, but as Son House once said,
“Ain’t but one kind of Blues…and that consists
between male and female that’s in love.” It’s hard
to say who’s in love and who’s out of it on
Badlands, but it’s all Blues and easily a record
that will receive serious consideration at Blues
Music Awards time. Tony Braunagel returns as the
producer on this latest effort from Nick, Kris and
Danielle and it’s an impressive record indeed. Let’s
give it a listen.
Danielle kicks it off
by letting us know she’s having misgivings about the
man in her life on “Bad Bad Feeling.” The signs are
there, she answers her man’s phone and someone hangs
up, he’s giving her the cold shoulder, something is
definitely not right here. “I see you watch her…as
she slinks on by… I know that you know her and I’ll
tell you why…the last time I smelled that perfume…it
was all over you…oh my baby‘s doing something
wrong!” This relationship is definitely coming to an
end as Danielle’s instincts are right on. “I trusted
you and I had your back…you turned on me and that’s
a fact…my bad bad feeling is my baby’s doing
something wrong!”
We move on to “Dark
of the Night” and here we find Danielle
commiserating on the state of life when times are
tough. “But there’ll come a time…we can make things
right…and make it through the dark of the night!”
Her optimism is infectious and Nick chimes in at
just the right time with a wicked guitar solo that
implies both despair and hope in one fell swoop.
Ultimately faith will carry them through and they’ll
make it “through the dark of the night!” Nick takes
a turn on the vocals and tells us what he’s looking
for from the woman he loves. Here we find that
actions will speak louder than words to Nick. “I
love this little girl…but I can’t waste my time…to
wait on her kisses…beware of goodbyes. Don’t want no
woman…to tell me she loves me…I just want my
woman…to show me she loves me…it might be a labor of
love!!”
Mike Finnegan tickles
the ivories on the organ as Danielle begins to tell
us about her friend, “Mary,” a calculating
relationship assassin if there ever was one. “She’s
my best friend Mary…her heart is cold as ice…she’s
my best friend Mary…danger is her own device!” Mary
is a woman who definitely gets what she wants when
she wants it…and often to the detriment of those
around her. At least Danielle is onto the ways of
her friend and knows what to look out for when
Mary’s on the prowl.
Deep bass notes from
Danielle provide the intro as Nick tackles the title
cut, “Badlands.” The Badlands represent a ghost town
devoid of inhabitants who left because there was
nothing more for them to hang onto. “We’re living in
the badlands…I used to think of badlands as part of
the Western scene…but now they’re urban, dirty,
desperate and mean…no cows and cactus, just poverty
and crime…no beautiful sunsets…just the moving sands
of time!” Times are tough and getting tougher and
the only way out is for us to come together as a
people and face the demons that confront us all.
Mike is back at the
piano this time as Danielle tells us all about young
love in “You Never Really Loved Me.” There’s a real
difference between love and infatuation and
sometimes we all miss the clues that tell us the
difference. “I pledged my love to you…we became man
and a wife…eternal loyalty…a commit for all our
lives…I thought you really loved me…oh…I thought you
really cared!!” The time comes for Danielle to leave
and she finds herself wondering if the man in her
life really loved her at all. “You never really
loved me…you never really cared!” Unfortunately it
doesn’t sound like he ever really did and he lost a
good woman in the process.
Kris’s kick drum and
Danielle’s bass power the bottom end as Nick tells
us about a rough patch he went through in “Pain in
My Mind.” “We both have been mean…and that breaks my
heart…so many lonely nights…when I know we’re still
apart…its building deep inside of me…so much I can’t
deny…so much hurt…I can’t look you in the eye…the
pain in my mind…just won’t walk away!!” We move on
to “I Didn’t Try” and here we find Danielle facing
the end of a relationship as both parties just grew
apart from each other. “Yea…you can air my dirty
laundry…expose me as a fraud of love…but I just
couldn’t…I couldn’t live a lie…but it’s not like I
didn’t try…you broke my heart and made me cry!”
The tempo slows a bit
and Nick takes the mic again to tell us about his
“Desperate Heart.” “Night after night…the same old
fight…over…this desperate heart…in darkness and
fear…you feel like you’re losing…the one you love.”
Working through the issues to make love last is
definitely hard but it’s better to fight for a good
love than to be weak with a desperate heart!”
Nick picks up his
resonator and picks the intro to “Down to the
River,” a tune he sings about young love and happier
times. “We go down to the river…want to jump into
the water…gonna swim down the river…as far as it
goes…deep is where the water’s cold!” Definitely an
era of happier times and a much simpler life than
the one we have now. Danielle’s back at the mic on
“Home to You” as she tells us about life on the road
and the impact it has on her life. “Every day…a
different city’s view…there are several roads
alike…and they all lead me home to you…rainy
days…and cold nights…in my hotel room…nothing could
be better…than to be warm and cozy with you!”
Leaving home is always hard and there’s nothing
better than to get back home to the arms of the one
who loves you most.
Danielle is nothing
if not a survivor and she reminds us of that in our
next tune, “Two Go Down.” “You loved it while the
sun shines…and while it rains…but no one can tell
you…anything you ain’t already heard…but
someday…someone might call your bluff…well, when the
two of you go down…who’ll be the one coming back
up?” In the end, no matter what happens, Danielle
will be the one still standing.
Trampled Under Foot
closes out Badlands with Danielle’s rendition
of “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” And she’s
completely right when she sings, “This is a man’s
world…Lord, but it wouldn’t be…nothing without a
woman or a girl!” Amen to that!
This disc is a
serious contender for several Blues Music Award
nominations come next May, and I would make it a
point to grab this disc from TUF when you see them
on the road or order it from their website at
www.tufkc.com.
To close, I think producer Tony Braunagel said it
best, “Thanks to Danielle, Nick and Kris for another
great musical experience!”
---
Kyle Deibler
