While I've never seen
Missy Andersen perform live, I am familiar with the
guitar talents of her husband Heine and I've always
said that if you're judged by the company you keep,
then you are in good stead. San Diego and Southern
California luminaries Sue Palmer, Nathan James, Bill Stuve and James Harman all lend their considerable
talents to Missy's new record, In the Moment, and
that bodes well for this disc. Let's give it a
listen.
Familiar notes from husband Heine's guitar provide
the intro for our first cut, "Rent Party," and here
we find Missy working to pay the rent. "People came
from miles around...DJs laying down some groovy
tunes...having a good time...it's my rent party."
She paid the rent and had money left over for food,
it's all good in Missy's world.
An original, "Whole Lotta Nuthin," is up next and I hear Ben Moore's B3
lending its tone to the mix as Missy tells her man,
"Whole lotta nuthin...that's all I got for you...bet
you're feeling lucky...but honey that ain't true."
Don't know what he did or why he's out the door but
Missy is definitely clear where she stands and
appreciates the love of the good man she has. Horns
are in the background and our next cut, "Night
Stalker," has a marimba feel to it. Missy's loved a
two-timing man and now she's decided to turn the
tables and do some two-timing herself. "I'm a shadow creepin...window peepin...safe cracking...GPS
tracker...I know how to catch a cheat."
We move onto a beautiful ballad, "More Than Enough,"
and Missy's telling her man that he's the one she
wants in no uncertain terms. "There's always
someone...who wants to bring you down...remember
your courage...turn it all around...don't let lies
defeat you...or crumble to the ground...just hold
your head high...and look me in the eye...and know
that you've finally found...love." Missy's a strong
woman and her man in question has to know she's
"more than enough."
James's harp makes its
appearance on the next cut, "Better or Worse,"
another original. "You looked me in my eyes...and
you promised me the moon...but now I know the truth,
baby...you'll be leaving me real soon...well, I know
we had hard times...but I'm still in love with you."
Missy's in it for better or for worse but he
obviously is not and I'm thinking he left a good
woman behind.
Sue Palmer's piano provides the intro
for our next tune, "No Regrets," and here we find
Missy lamenting the end of a relationship and trying
to find the lessons in its ending. "When he tries to
go after me...with his sweet talk and
apologies...I'm going to lock the door...and throw
away the key...I'm moving on...with no regrets...I
might forgive the hurt but I won't forget." The
lesson is learned and Missy's moving on.
Up next is "Same Things
Will Make You Laugh Will
Make You Cry," and I'm loving the Memphis-style horns
behind it. Missy's man has moved on to a new woman
and at this point Missy is willing to impart some
hard-earned wisdom to him as a friend. "Wipe that
silly grin off your face now darling ... remember when
you think about it...don't you know...the same
things that make you laugh...will make you cry."
Don't know if he will listen to her but Missy has
done her best to set him straight.
Heine's guitar
leads us in to our next cut, "No Regrets," and I
hear Bill Stuve's upright bass loud and clear. "I'm
going to bless...my oppressors...let my music set my
spirit free." Heine has a beautiful solo in the
middle of this tune and Missy's clear in her
intentions to move onward and upward. A Sue Palmer
original, "Ladies Shoes" is up next and we hear
Missy's voice at its sultriest. "I'm going shopping
baby...I'm going to buy me...some brand new
shoes...going walking on downtown...going get rid of
these lowdown blues." We're not sure why Missy has
the blues here, but some shopping therapy is in order
to help bring her out of the funk that she's in.
"Hey Now" has kind of a funky, reggae beat to it and
I'm appreciating the curve thrown at me with this
tune. Missy's an opportunist and she's ready to
pounce. "Hey now...can't you hear me at your
door...hey now...you don't come around no more...if
you don't come to my house...naturally, I'll come to
yours." Missy's willing to go the extra mile here
but there's no guaranty that her love will be
rewarded.
We close out Missy's record with her
interpretation of a Snook's Eaglin classic, "I've
Been Walking." "I've been walking...and
talking...about you." Heine provides a delicate foil
to Missy's vocals before the band kicks it into high
gear and we move to more of a gospel revival feel at
the end of the tune.
One thing's for certain, Missy Andersen can flat out
"sang." She's an extremely strong vocalist with a top-notch cast of players behind her, and it all comes
together in one nice package, In the Moment. Missy
is a fixture up and down San Diego County in
California, and it's not like any of us needs an
excuse to visit San Diego. Her new disc is available
on her website,
missyandersen.com,
and when you do finally make it to San Diego County,
look her up. I have a feeling a Missy Andersen show
is definitely one worth seeing.
---
Kyle Deibler
It took awhile, but after a couple of
miscommunications a copy of Bernie Pearl's Take Your
Time finally showed up on my door --- and I'm glad it
did! The picking on it is impeccable and I'm
appreciative of having this opportunity to hear some
of Bernie's work. It's in my CD player now, so let's
give it a listen.
Barbara Morrison appears as a guest on the record
with Bernie and the opening cut, "Worried Life
Blues," features her in a duet with Bernie. Based on
an original Fred MacDowell tune, Barbara and Bernie
are letting us know they're no longer worrying.
"Someday baby, ain't going to worry my life
anymore." In essence the passing of one of them will
lessen the burden on the other and they "ain't going
to worry my life anymore". We move on to a version
of a Lightnin' Hopkins love song, "Katie Mae." "Katie
Mae is a good girl...folks say she don't run around
at night...you can bet your last dollar...poor Katie
Mae will treat you right." Katie Mae is a good woman
and does all she can to appreciate the love of her
good man. Of course, the oil wells in the backyard
don't hurt either but I'm convinced Katie Mae is
good at what she does.
Up next is an original
instrumental, "Kickstart," and it's Bernie's thank
you to the good folks who helped fund his campaign
to get this record made. Crowd funding is the way
things get done in the age we live in, and Bernie's
tribute to his folks is intricate and tasteful in
the best of ways.
A little electric guitar makes its appearance next
in Bernie's cover of "Rock Me Mama," the Big Boy Crudup classic. "Rock me mama...hey, hey, hey...rock
me mama...rock me mama...one time before you go."
We
move on to "Mama Don't Dog Me" and Bernie's fretwork
continues to shine. "I went to church...called on me
to pray...fell down on my knees...I didn't know what
to say...Lord, oh Lord...ease this heart of
mine...woman keep me worried...and bothered all the
time." There's a good chance that she will keep
after Bernie, but at least he put in a plea for
respite with the good Lord above. A snare drum intro
brings Bernie and Barbara back together for a Fred
and Annie Mae MacDowell tune, "Jesus on the Main
Line." "He will come in a hurry...tell him what you
want...Lord, call him up...tell him what you want."
We've all got a direct connection to God and the
fastest way to resolution is to tell him what you
want.
"Como" was a
Fred McDowell instrumental tune that
Bernie greatly admired. His reworked version is
called "Mississippi Raga" and it's a very solemn,
majestic instrumental that pays its respect to the
intention of Fred's version. "One Room Country
Shack" is our next tune and I appreciate the change
of pace that it brings. "Sitting here....a thousand
miles from nowhere...in this little one room country
shack...my only worldly possession, people...is this
raggedly, old 11 foot cotton sack." Share
cropping was a hard way of life for folks in the
South and Bernie does a great job of conveying the
desperate state of their existence at the time.
Next, Bernie breaks out his National Steel guitar
and picks away at a Sonny Boy Williamson I classic,
"Sloppy Drunk," as the next cut on his disc. "Yes,
I'm sloppy drunk, baby...I'm staggering down the
street...I'm tired of running and dodging
from...every man I see." The woman in his life is
causing him trouble and the obvious solution is to
get drunk and ignore the pain she's causing.
If you live long enough you'll discover that life is
obviously a roller coaster of ups and downs, and
Bernie bravely faces a downswing with Barbara at his
side in our next cut, "Tough Times." "I had a real
good job...working many long hours a week...they had
a big layoff...they got poor me...tough times...is
here once more...now you don't have no money...you
can't live happy...no more." Barbara seems like a
strong woman and I have no doubt they'll find their
way through the "tough times" they're dealing with
now.
Our next tune, "10:00 am Blues," came out of
the fact that Bernie's first recording session for
this disc started at 10:00 am and they warmed up for
the session by picking this instrumental. It's a
nice juxtaposition of bass guitar and Bernie's
acoustic picking that I like quite a bit. Bernie
moves on to a Robert Johnson classic, "Traveling
Riverside Blues," and I'm thinking the National is
making another appearance on this disc. "Going back
to Friars Point, darling...going to rock it to my
end."
Next we find Bernie's in a spot of trouble but I'm
glad he broke out the lap steel for Eddie Boyd's
"Third Degree." "They got me accused of
murder...I've never harmed a man...they've got me
accused of forgery...I can't even write my
name...Lord, I can't stand...no more of this third
degree." Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer's saxophone is in
my ear...lending just the right amount of
desperation to poor Bernie's plight. I'm thinking
the outcome will not be good for one Mr. Pearl.
Bernie chooses to close out this record with an
original tune, "This Old Fool". "This old
fool...thinks he still attractive...thinks his
libido's retroactive...this old fool...Oh,
Lord...what a fool."
I'm the first to admit that I've enjoyed this disc
by Bernie Pearl. Acoustic Blues is a small segment
of what's out in the market today and Bernie is a
master at what he does. Take Your Time has been
nominated for a Blues Blast Magazine award for
Acoustic Album of the Year and deservedly so. I
wouldn't be surprised if it showed up on the Blues
Foundation's ballot for a Blues Music Award as well.
You can learn more about Bernie on his website at
berniepearl.com
and grab of copy of his disc while you're there. It
will do you good.
---
Kyle Deiber
I first saw Arthur Migliazza open for Saffire at the
old Rocking Horse in Scottsdale when he was maybe 16
years old. Ann Rabson was a mentor of Arthur's and
I'm sure was responsible for Arthur's place on the
bill that night. Obviously, I remember more about Saffire and less about Arthur, but I was impressed
with the set he played that night and I've been a
friend of his mom, Ginny, for years now. So I was
happy to get Arthur's disc in the mail and give it a
spin. He's a very talented pianist and his new disc,
Laying It Down, has Arthur doing exactly that.
Arthur opens with the instrumental, "Overture,"
and its dark overtones quickly give way to a more
synthesized orchestral feel that has interesting
fretwork from Jeff Fielder in the mix. Arthur's
always been a complex artist and "Overture" is a
perfect example of just how his musical vision comes
to life at times. Up next is Arthur's take on a Fats
Domino tune, "I'm Ready." "Because I'm ready...I'm a
willing...and you'd better come along with
me...we're going to rock and roll...until tomorrow
past 3." It's an upbeat song, Arthur's in complete
command of the ivories, and I'm sure he could rock
and roll until tomorrow afternoon if he wanted to.
"Rockin'
Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu" is up next and
Arthur attacks this Huey "Piano" Smith classic full
on. "I want to love you...honey...that ain't all...I
want to kiss you...got the rockin' pneumonia & the
boogie woogie flu." Arthur's surrounded by an
excellent cast of musicians and his keyboard work on
this tune is impeccable.
Up next, "Boogie Woogie Stomp" is just that and
Arthur's attacking the keys as he conveys the
classic boogie woogie feel of this tune written by
Albert Ammons.
Our tempo slows down and the harmonica
of Grant Dermody is introduced as Arthur and the
band take on "Love You Mama," a tune Arthur wrote
for his mother. It's a wonderful tribute to
Ginny as Arthur conveys his love and thankfulness to
his mother for all she's done to contribute to
Arthur's career. I'm sure she's quite touched by this
tune that Arthur wrote for her. "I love you
mama...and I'm grateful for all you do." Nicely done,
Arthur. A heavy tom drum backbeat introduces us to
the next tune on our disc, "Sing Sing Sing / Bumble
Boogie." Andy Roth is keeping the drums going on
this tune while Arthur capably handles the piano
gymnastics required by his meshing of the Louis
Prima tune "Sing Sing Sing" with the instrumental
tune "Bumble Boogie." It's very artistic and is
definitely reflective of the chances Arthur loves to
take as an artist.
The tempo slows way down before giving way to a
Dixieland beat and we're transported to the French
Quarter for "Bourbon Street Parade." "I'll take
you...and parade you...down on Bourbon
Street...you'll see all the hot spots...I'll show
you all those big shots...down on Bourbon Street."
Arthur's got his girl in tow and she's about to see
all that New Orleans has to offer. Another original
of Arthur's, "Thank You Blues," is our next tune and
offers Sean Divine on the harp this time providing
the perfect foil to Arthur's piano. "Thank You
Blues" definitely has a melancholy feel to it as
Arthur plays away down in the bass register of his
piano. We emerge from the late night back to a more
upbeat tune, "Honky Tonk Train Blues," and I
appreciate the change of pace on this roller coaster
of a ride I'm on.
Arthur, of course, switches me up by heading back in
time to tackle the Hersal Thomas tune, "Suitcase
Blues." "I got wings...thick soles on the bottoms of
my shoes...I feel like rambling...don't you feel
like rambling too?" Arthur's ready to do some
adventuring and he's right when he sings, "when you
get the suitcase blues...there's just one thing you
should know...whether it's now or later...either
way...you're gonna go." Next is Arthur's version of
the W.C. Handy classic, "St. Louis Blues," and his
mastery of the piano continues to impress me. The
last of Arthur's originals, "Professor Calling Me,"
is his tribute to another New Orleans legend,
Professor Longhair. "I hear music...calling me...way
down in New Orleans...dance out in the street...just
like they do at Mardi Gras." I've been to Tipitina's
and it's definitely Professor Longhair's spirit that
is calling Arthur to New Orleans.
Arthur closes out his disc with another Boogie
Woogie classic, "The Boogie Rocks," by Albert Ammons
and more than does it justice with his work on the
ivories. This has been an impressive disc by Arthur
Migliazza and I'm happy to have a copy for my
collection. Most of the time he can be found in the
clubs of the greater Seattle area and I encourage
everyone up there to catch a show if they can. The
rest of us will just have to be content with a copy
of Laying It Down that can be ordered from
Arthur's website at
www.arthurmigliazza.com.
Arthur's star is
definitely on the rise and Laying It Down
shows exactly why. Enjoy!
---
Kyle Deibler
You've got to love Elvin Bishop. He comes to the
studio, plugs his Gibson in and just flat gets after
it. His newest release on Alligator Records, Can't
Even Do Wrong Right, is another great album from
Elvin and I'm appreciate of the Paul Thorn artwork
that he used for his cover art. Let's throw this
thing in and give it a listen.
Elvin and the band start out with the title track,
"Can't Even Do Wrong Right," and they're in high
gear from the get go.
The tune is about a slick dude named
Maurice who isn't half as fly as he thinks he is. To hear Elvin tell it, "Between the food and the
weed...he sat down on the couch...and he went to
sleep...he got robbed...in the middle of the
night...ain't it a shame...the dude can't even do
wrong right." There's a heavier bass drum backbeat
to help provide the intro for our next cut, "Blues
With a Feeling," and Mickey Thomas joins the band to
provide harmony vocals on this tune. Elvin's playing
a blistering guitar lead and he definitely has
"blues with a feeling" as the riff continues. "You
know I love you baby...wanna know the reason
why....gone and left me baby...and you left me here
to cry...blues with a feeling...that's what I have
today."
"Old School" is up next and its funky beat
is complimented by harp magic from Mr. Charlie Musselwhite himself. "Yea, man...I'm an old fashioned
dude...now lookee here...no tattoos...I'm an old
fashioned dude." Elvin's not a fan of newfangled
technology so you'd better call him...don't
text...e-mail or tweet...you won't get to him if you
try. "Don't send me an e-mail....send me a female.."
I'm liking the way Elvin is thinking on this one.
Mickey is back to take the lead vocal on a beautiful
ballad, "Let Your Woman Have Her Way."
"Love...honor...and obey...that's what you
hear...all the preachers say...but let me tell you
brothers...you know when it says those words...it's
not just talking to her....nine times out of
ten...all the trouble between women and men will be
okay...if you let your woman have your way.." Sound
advice from Mr. Thomas and I'm thinking we'd all be
better off if we'd just learn this simple lesson.
Charlie's harp is back for "No More Doggin" and the
band follows behind him as Charlie leads them
through an upbeat instrumental that has Elvin's
rocking guitar trading licks with Charlie's harp in
fine fashion.
Our tempo slows down just a tad and
Elvin's guitar is at the forefront of our next cut,
"Everybody's in the Same Boat." Elvin's sharing a
little bit of country wisdom with as us as we all
have to face the fact we're all growing older.
"Everybody's in the same boat...and what we can do
about it...I don't know...I guess we can just enjoy
the road...and go with the flow...everybody's in the
same boat."
We move on to "Dancin'," which has kind of a gypsy,
hill country vibe to it. "Dancin'...with the moon
shining down...with the music nice and loud...dancin'."
I hear a bit of Steve Willis's accordion in the
background and I feel like I'm down in Louisiana. Up
next is Elvin's version of the Jimmy Reed classic,
"Honest I Do," and this is the first blues tune
Elvin ever learned. The band attacks it as an
instrumental and Elvin's guitar duels a bit with
Steve's accordion to make the whole thing flow.
I'm liking Elvin's version a lot.
Another Zydeco-
inspired tune, "Bo Weevil," is up next and we're back
to the farm where Elvin grew up. "About 12
o'clock...everything get hot...up step old
John...we'd start clapping...he'd start singing...a
sweet little country song...bo weevil...where you've
been all day...you'll get a licking...sure as I'm
sitting...on this bale of hay." This disc comes to a
close with sparks flying off Elvin's guitar as the
band tackles "Hey-Ba-Ba-Re-Bop." "Matilda Brown told
old King Tut...if you can't say Re-Bop...keep your
big mouth shut.'' Irreverent and fun in typical
Elvin Bishop fashion, this is a great tune to end
Elvin's newest disc.
At age 71, Elvin Bishop has definitely earned his
status as one of the legend's of the Blues today, and
it's always refreshing to hear a disc from him. He's
just a good old boy from the country, playing his
heart out and having fun. We all could learn such as
lesson from Elvin. Like he says..."everybody's in
the same boat." So catch a life show of Elvin's when
you can, grab a copy of his new disc if you will,
and don't send him an e-mail...send him a female.
---
Kyle Deibler
Luther Dickinson is definitely a blues man who
follows his own path. The first time I listened to
his new disc, Rock 'n Roll Blues, I wondered what
his inspiration for the recording was. As I read the
liner notes and perused further, it became clear
that this is Luther's musical history, from its
beginning to its present, all sung into an 8-track
reel to reel recorder that he grew up with as a kid.
Backed by Lightnin' Malcolm on drums, Amy LaVere on
bass and Otha Turner's granddaughter Sharde Thomas
on drums and fife; Luther takes us on this eclectic
exploration of his formative years. I honestly don't
think I can explain it any better than that, so let's
give it a spin.
Deep bass notes from Amy and Lightnin's heavy kick
drum backbeat bring us to the first cut,
"Vandalize." Luther was a punk rock kid to start
with and back then it wasn't easy for kids at 14 to
hear live music, so a record store show was an
adventure for Luther. "There were no all-ages shows
in my day..for free and instrumental was how they
played..in a record store, free for kids...I get so
excited..have to vandalize."
Luther goes on to hit
the road as a musician and tells us about it in
"Blood 'n Guts (The Ballad Of Boots and Dixie)."
Starting out as a road musician is no easy task but
Luther managed, "Like a Mexican road case, keep on rollin'...'til the cardboard gives out...and I fall
thru the bottom again...hit the ground runnin'...run
for your life...You better run for your life". Life
at home isn't any easier and Luther readily admits
he's not a handy man in "Yard Man." "I ain't no yard
man...ain't no yard man's son...bought a ridin'
lawnmower...the dirty sunbitch won't run." Luther's
wife likes the yard kept up and she won't pay to
have it mowed, so if the mower ain't working it
won't get mowed.
Next we hear of a revelation
from God that Luther experienced at
the dog track in "Goin' Country." "Get you
some cowboy boots...do like you supposed to
do...White boys ain't born to sing the blues."
Fortunately for us the Nashville country inclination
didn't last very long and father Jim intervened,
"Son, you did the one thing I told you not to
do...Memphis boy never hang up his rock 'n roll
shoes." Sharde's fife leads us into the next tune
"Mojo, Mojo." With its wartime inflections, "Mojo,
Mojo" is a song of survival. "Told the hangman,
swingin' from the tree..best cut me loose and set me
free...mojo, mojo...where you been...been to hell
and back again."
Survival leads to a return to his
rock 'n roll roots in "Rock 'n Roll Blues." "Po' boy
got nuthin' to lose...singin' those ol' rock 'n roll
blues." Luther had everything to gain and nothing to
lose by pursuing his rock 'n roll blues roots, and
they welcomed him with opened arms.
Everyone hustles when they're young to share their
music with the world, and Luther shares those
experiences with us in "Bar Band." "Ad in the Flyer
said...local bands needed...lost the battle of the
bands because we got cheated...yeah...never be
nothing...but a bar band...pack up your gear...and
load up the van...you'll never be nothing...but a
bar band."
Opportunity knocks every so often and the
adventure continues in "Stone's Throw." Here Luther
is knocking at the door of prosperity, and in the
critical moment it just didn't happen. "But I
missed my mark by a stone's throw...blacked out for
a few minutes...while it meant the most...I can hit
the bull's-eye with both eyes closed...but I missed
my mark...by a stone's throw". We encounter folks
along the way in this journey that is our life and
every now and then we wonder what happened to
someone we met along the way. Luther explores this
further in "Some Ol' Day." "Someday, if you ever
come lookin' my way...don't believe what you see or
hear them say...I broke free...disappeared...and
changed my ways."
"Karmic Debt" is the final cut on Luther's record,
and here he acknowledges the debt that's due for a
dream come true. "It's a karmic debt of a dream come
true...starless nights...searching for you...set
sail out on the rollin' sea...let the
mermaids...flirt with me."
I have to admit I've
enjoyed the journey that Luther Dickinson has
managed to take me on in Rock 'n Roll Blues. He's
been privileged to see some amazing happenings in
the musical evolution of his life and has so much
more to share with us as times goes on. I'd love to
see a show with Luther, Amy, Sharde and Lighnin' and
who knows, perhaps someday I will. This disc was
recorded at the Dickinson's family studio, Zebra
Ranch, and is available from Luther on his website,
LutherDickinson.com. This disc has been one of the
more interesting recordings I've heard in quite
awhile and I appreciate the complexity of one Luther
Dickinson and his muse.
--- Kyle Deibler
In addition to sporting the cover of the year, with
a mantis sitting on a harmonica, this latest
Bluescasters disc, Something Going Down, represents some of the best blues
that the region has to offer. Perhaps its greatest
appeal is that it offers 13 original tunes written
by the quartet of Phil Ryski (harp, keys and
guitar), Doug Wolgat (bass), Brian Delaney (guitars)
and Harry Rodman (drums).
Here is a band that subscribes to the theory that
music ought to be dangerous. Think of Link Wray's
"Rumble" or Roy Buchanan's "Sneaking Godzilla Through
The Alley." You know, dangerous like the opening
"Something Going Down" or "Warlock's Grave" or "Smokin'
Your Mama." The guitar work is on fire.
Check out the
instrumental "Wildman Blues," with the finest guitar
work I've heard all year, and some serious ivory
work, as well. Impressive harp work, too. Sometimes
I hear shades of Rick Estrin ("Who Told My Wife" and
"It'll Find You"). Most of the time, I hear a band of
extremely talented blues men. The swinging "A Woman
Like You" (“I've been waiting some time to meet a
woman like you”) is juxtaposed by the ego-blues of
"Don't Tell Me" (“I wanna do what I wanna do”).
There's more than a little rock in the mix, but
given that the fellas are from Detroit, of course
there is! The vocals are excellent, the rhythm
section rock steady, One of the standout discs of
the year so far.
---
Mark E. Gallo
In 1989 George Bush the senior was taking the reigns
from Ronald Reagan. All was not right in the world
politically, but it was just fine musically on
January 21 at the Washington Convention Center,
captured on the Shout Factory DVD A Celebration of Blues and Soul – The 1989
Presidential Inaugural Concert. This
wasn't about any political party, but just about
partying.
Following the opener Chuck Jackson ("Any
Day Now" and "I Don't Want to Cry") and Percy Sledge ("When
A Man Loves A Woman"), Dr. John did a superb version
of his "Right Place, Wrong Time," and then it was on.
Joe Louis Walker gives a fantastic turn on "747" and
the spectacular triumvirate of Willie Dixon, Albert
Collins and Delbert McClinton rip it up on "Wang Dang
Doodle." McClinton may have gotten too much mic time
on this, but it's a blast, nonetheless.
Bo Diddley
follows, William Bell does "Born Under a Bad Sign,"
and Carla Thomas and Billy Preston perform "When
Something Is Wrong With My Baby." After turns by
Eddie Floyd ("Knock On Wood") and Sam Moore ("Soul Man")
it pumps into high gear. Delbert McClinton, one of
the great voices of our time, delivers the goods on
"Just A Little Bit," "Standing On Shaky Ground," "Maybe
Someday" and "B-Movie Boxcar Blues." He continues to be
amazing, but in this performance of 25 years ago he
was on fire.
To cap off this celebration of southern
soul and Texas blues, the great Albert Collins is
joined by brothers Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan on
"Frosty." The brothers served as great bookends to the
maestro. He cooked even as he strolled through the
audience of suitcoats and gowns. The brothers took
over on "Love Struck Baby" and "Texas Flood" --- Jimmie was
impressive enough here, but it was all about SRV at
this point.
Wrapping it up with just SRV and Double
Trouble, the final numbers, "Superstition" and "Scuttle Buttin'," framed the great guitarist/vocalist in a
great light. Having had the chance to see Stevie Ray
a couple of times at around this period, I can
attest and I can testify. The man was soooooo good.
--- Mark E. Gallo
Message in Blue (Delmark Records) is
Dave Specter’s
tenth release, and the guitarist’s heady mix of
blues, jazz, R&B, and funk is as compelling as ever.
On this new release, Specter offers 13 songs,
seven instrumentals and six featuring vocals, and
Specter’s taste in choosing singers for his tunes is
as good as his guitar playing, which is impeccable.
Though he’s more than capable of carrying an entire
album with his fretwork, the mix of instrumental and
vocal tracks works very well here.
The vocals are split evenly between Chicago
soul/blues legend Otis Clay (with masterful covers
of “Got To Find A Way,” once a hit for Harold Burrage,
Bobby Bland’s “This Time I’m Gone For Good,” and
Wilson Pickett’s “I Found A Love,” simply blowing
each of them out of the water) and keyboardist
Brother John Kattke, who adds powerful vocals to the
swinging “Chicago Style,” a gospel-flavored version
of the Freddie King standard, “Same Old Blues,” and
Lonnie Brooks’ “Watchdog.”
On the instrumentals, Specter really stretches out,
touching on blues and soul with the slick title
track, channeling the funk of the Meters on
“Funkified Outta Space,” jazzing it up with “The
Spectifyin’ Samba,” swinging Chicago-style with “New
West Side Stroll,” exploring Latin rhythms on “The
Stinger,” getting down and dirty with the rocking
slidefest “Jefferson Stomp” (with guest Bob
Corritore on harp), and heating up the joint with
the sweltering “Opus De Swamp.”
Message in Blue gives listeners the best of both
worlds…..a great instrumental guitar album and a
great set of vocals to boot. Dave Specter is at his
best on all of these tunes and certainly deserves
mention as one of the best blues guitarists
currently working. This album should put any
questions about that to rest for good.
---
Graham Clarke
It makes sense that rap and hip-hop owe a huge debt
to the blues. The lyrical content in rap and hip-hop
is basically the same as the blues, though the
topics and musical content have been updated and
magnified at times. The subject was even part of
that PBS documentary mini-series from several years
back. Although not all listeners may agree with the
theory, it's hard to argue against it when you hear
“Next Level,” the recently-released single teaming
blues harmonica master Sugar Blue with hip-hop
legend Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (of Run-DMC fame).
With oversight from star producer Sonix the Mad
Scientist (David Bowie, P.Diddy, 50 Cent), "Next
Level" begins with Sugar Blue's soaring harmonica
(based on the old "Hoochie Coochie Man" riff) and
vocals and quickly segues into DMC's rap and moves
briskly back and forth between the two from that
point, all backed by Sonix's propulsive rhythms and
beats and Sugar Blue's fierce harmonica. I can tell
you that you've probably never heard the blues
played quite like this, but it is surprisingly
successful and effective. This is part of an
upcoming EP release from Sugar Blue, and I certainly
want to hear more where this came from. This is
definitely the blues taken to the "Next Level,” and
is available for downloading at iTunes.
---
Graham Clarke
Delmark Records recently reissued
Set Me Free, an
early ’80s recording by guitarist Steve Freund with
vocalist Gloria Hardiman. The album was originally
released on Razor Records, the label that also
produced the recent Queen Sylvia & John Embry album
released by Delmark a few months ago, and the
session marked the first recordings for both Freund
and Hardiman, as well as keyboardist Ken Saydak,
whose debut 45 from Razor is included on this CD
reissue.
Freund and Hardiman are joined on the session by a
number of familiar faces to Chicago blues fans.
Sunnyland Slim plays piano on several tracks, with
steady Bob Stroger and Harlan Terson manning the
bass, Sam Burckhardt blowing tenor sax, and Eddie
Turner and Fred Grady sharing the drumming duties.
This group subsequently formed a band called The
Blueprints and also worked for as Sunnyland Slim’s
last band for a number of years.
The first ten tracks comprise the original Razor
release, eight featuring Hardiman’s rich and soulful
vocals on covers of classic tunes associated with
Bobby Bland (“You Got Me Where You Want Me”), Jimmy
Rogers (“That’s All Right”), Aretha Franklin (“Dr.
Feelgood”), Guitar Slim (“Well I Done Got Over It”),
Tina Turner (“The Way You Love Me”), and Bessie
Smith (“New Orleans Hop Scop Blues”).
Freund takes the mic on another Guitar Slim song,
“The Things I Used To Do,” and provides sharp
six-stringed support throughout the disc, touching
on a number of differernt styles, but keeping it all
in the Windy City tradition. There are two
instrumentals on the original album, an original
featuring him with sax man Burckhardt (“Jammin’ With
Sam”), and the Eddie Vinson swinger, “Kidney Stew
Blues.”
There’s also a pair of previously unreleased tracks
from the group, Otis Rush’s “Homework” and the Brook
Benton hit, “Kiddio.” Keyboardist Saydak’s two
tracks from his Razor 45 round out the set, the
first time they’ve been available on CD. He provides
solid vocals on the jumping “Shoppin’ and Snackin’”
and rocks up the instrumental, “Swanee River
Boogie.”
Delmark is doing a great service providing blues
fans with these previously hard-to-find releases.
They’re providing evidence that even though
popularity for the blues had declined somewhat
during the early ’80s, there was still some mighty
fine music being produced. Hopefully, there’s much
more where this came from.
---
Graham Clarke
Texas-born Forrest McDonald may not be a familiar
face, but you’ve probably heard his work as a
guitarist for artists like Bob Seger (that’s his
guitar on “Old Time Rock & Roll”), Bobby Womack,
Kathi McDonald, Bonnie Bramlett, and for numerous
sessions by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. A
50-year vet of the music scene, McDonald has also
released a dozen of his own albums over that time on
World Talent Records, including his most recent
release, Turnaround Blues.
McDonald’s standout fretwork is worth the price of
the disc alone, but he is ably assisted from a
powerhouse band which includes vocalist Andrew
Black, drummer John McKnight, singer/harmonica
player Jon Leibman, bassist Lee Gannon, and
keyboardist/co-producer (with McDonald) Tony Carey.
Singer/guitarist Darell Cobb and background
vocalists Becky Wright and Kaylon McDonald also lend
a hand as well.
The title track is actually a tune that McDonald
originally performed over 40 years ago with his
band at the time, Choker. The update is a raucous
blues rocker that proves the song has aged well,
with impassioned vocals from Cobb serving as a
highlight, along with some scorching harp from Leibman. The Southern rock–styled “I’m A Fool” is a
sublime and soulful ballad with origins dating to
the ’70s, as does the slow blues, “Woman Across the
Ocean,” loosely based on the Freddie King classic,
“Woman Across the River.”
McDonald’s newer compositions are equally effective,
too, with the heartfelt “River of Tears,” taken from
his own experiences, as is the masterful slow blues,
“Now I Know.” “Only Love” is deep soul with some
nice keyboard accompaniment from Carey, “Funny Thing
Baby” has a greasy country funk feel, and “Stay or
Walk Away” leans more toward the country side of
blues as well. The two-part instrumental, “Two For
The Money” allows the individual band members to
strut their stuff.
The band also does a fine job on the covers, Junior
Wells’ “Checking on My Baby,” James Cotton’s “V8
Ford,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “I’m A Fool,” and
Mercy Baby’s “Rock & Roll Bye Bye Bye.”
Turnaround Blues is a great set of traditional blues
and boogie by a marvelous set of musicians that will
appeal to fans of both styles as well as
blues-rockers. The entire album shows Forrest
McDonald to be not just a fantastic guitarist, but
also an outstanding songwriter.
---
Graham Clarke
On the cover of his new CD,
Too Many Roads (Ruf
Records), Thorbjørn Risager resembles Frank Sinatra
in his mode of dress. Listening to his latest
release with his band, The Black Tornado, the singer
he most brings to mind with his powerful and earthy
vocals is Howlin’ Wolf. Pretty nice draw for blues
fans --- looks like Sinatra, sings like the Wolf --- but
there’s a whole lot more beneath the surface, as
listeners will be delighted to hear.
Risager and his band made their start in 2003, with
the band’s sound mixing blues, soul, and roots-rock
together. The singer/guitarist was influenced by an
old B.B. King record, with its hard charging,
horn-driven sound. With virtually the same line-up
as when they began this journey, ten-plus years of
touring in their native Denmark and beyond, plus
eight recordings under their belt, the band has
developed into the proverbial “well-oiled machine”
on these twelve stunning tracks.
Risager and band show their versatility on tracks
like “If You Wanna Leave,” the rugged rocker that
opens the disc. Risager sounds like a man possessed
with crunching guitar and a peppery sax section
punctuating his roar. The ethereal title track is
next, and is followed by the album’s lone cover,
“China Gate.” A track originally done by Nat King
Cole in the movie of the same title, Risager gives
it a nice interpretation with subtle guitar backing.
Other standout tracks include the optimistic
“Paradise,” the gently swinging “Drowning,” the
haunting “Lost Forgotten Track,” and the splendid
“Through The Years,” a wistful tune looking back at
a long-lost love which mixes deep soul and some
sharp, stinging blues guitar. “Red Hot & Blue” is a
nice blues track punctuated by the stellar horn
section, and “High Rolling” is a straight rocker.
The band even delves into rockabilly with the
rousing closer, “Play On.”
Though Howlin’ Wolf was who I originally thought of
when I first heard Risager, his vocals are amazingly
versatile. There’s a lot of Ray Charles in the more
soulful tracks, which almost take on an impassioned
gospel plea at times. He can rock the house like
nobody’s business when the circumstances allow, and
knows his way around a tender soul ballad, too.
Something tells me that Thorbjørn Risager’s name
will be coming up a lot more often in blues circles,
based on his performance on Too Many Roads.
---
Graham Clarke
Last year, Rev. KM Williams fulfilled a lifelong
dream and visited Israel. When he wasn’t busy
sightseeing and visiting the holy sites, the good
reverend sat down for three live shows, all in front
of standing room only crowds. His recent CD, Jukin’
in the Holy Land – Live in Israel (Nobody’s Fault
Productions) captures ten of Rev. Williams’ most
memorable songs during those dates.
If you’re familiar with Williams’ music, you will
know that this is the real-deal, downhome authentic
blues…..raw, visceral, and ragged, with traces of
Mississippi Delta, hypnotic Hill Country, and
Texas-styled country blues. He plays acoustic,
electric, and cigar box guitars on these tracks, and
he’s accompanied by Yonatan Bar-Rashi on drums and
washboard, and Dani Dorchin on harmonica. The sound
on these recordings is spectacular.
The ten tracks include “One Suitcase Blues,” which
is pretty similar to Blind Lemon Jefferson’s
“Matchbox Blues,” as he acknowledges in the intro to
the song. “Louise McGee” is the old Son House tune,
with Dorchin providing sympathetic backing on harp.
“Meet You At The Station” features some electric
slide work and nice percussion work from Bar-Rashi,
and “Poor Boy Long Way From Home,” like “Feel Like
Hollerin’,” “Something On Your Mind,” and several
others, probably had the enthusiastic crowd on their
feet.
The coolest thing is how well Williams and his
accompanying musicians work together on these
tracks. As far as I know, none of them had played
together prior to these appearances, at least not a
lot. They have an almost uncanny rapport.
If, like me, you’re not familiar with Rev. KM
Williams’ music, Jukin’ in the Holy Land – Live In
Israel seems like it would be a nice starting point,
but, if you’re like me, you will probably be wanting
to hear more.
---
Graham Clarke
Based in Minnesota, in the Twin-Cities region,
Davina and the Vagabonds really received a lot of
attention with their 2011 release, Black Cloud,
earning a 3 ½-Star review in Downbeat magazine, and
making appearances at several key festivals in the
U.S. and Europe. The band’s modern take on
traditional blues and jazz stylings is driven by the
distinctive, soulful vocals of Davina Sowers. Their
latest effort, Sunshine (Roustabout Records), is a
continuation of the band’s musical vision and it actually improves on its predecessor.
Sowers’ vocals are a pleasure to hear on tracks like
the sweet title track that opens the disc. If there
was any justice in the world, this tune would be
heard from the rooftops. “Flow” is equally upbeat,
but with a New Orleans backdrop. She also shines on
the original tunes, “Fizzle Out,” a lovely pop
ballad, “Away From Me,” an superb after-hours blues,
and she has a ball with the light-hearted rhumba, “I
Try To Be Good,” and the funky “You Better Start
Praying.” “Red Shoes” and “Throw It To The Wolves”
both revisit the Crescent City, the former with an
irressitible second-line beat and the latter with
its clarinet and trumpet backing.
The band also mixes in three covers, though they are
given the Vagabond treatment. “I’d Rather Drink
Muddy Water” is appropriately sassy. Fats Waller’s
“You Must Be Losing Your Mind” is a perfect fit for
the band’s sound and Sowers really struts her stuff
on the keys for this track. The last cover is a
wonderful gospel-flavored take on Patty Griffin’s
“Heavenly Day.” There’s also a bonus cut included to
close the disc, a reworking of the title track from
the group’s 2007 release, Under Lock and Key.
Sowers is a marvel behind the mic and on the
keyboards, singing and playing with amazing
versatility. The Vagabonds (Andrew Burns – upright
bass/sousaphone, Connor McRae Hammergren –
drums/percussion, Benjamin Link – trombone, Daniel
Eikmeier – trumpet, with guests Zack Miller –
vibraphone, and Tony Balluff – clarinet) are just
outstanding in support, really giving the vintage
sounds of Sunshine a modern finish that will appeal
to both blues and jazz fans.
---
Graham Clarke
On his latest release,
Made to Fall (Big Black
Hand), Elam McKnight is looking beyond the limits of
his four previous recordings, which focused on
blues, soul, and roots music. Though not necessarily
in a musical rut, the Tennessee-based
singer/songwriter/guitarist is merely seeking the
opportunity to prove that there’s more to his
musical palate than those genres, and he succeeds in
a big way on this latest release.
For example, take “Glow.” It’s a stunning piece of
music with catchy lyrics, a light melody, great
background vocals, and a positive message that would
have been a great fit on a late ’60s pop/rock album.
You’ll find yourself humming this one in the back of
your mind after just one listen. “A Little Bit of
Love,” the opening track on the disc, has a powerful
testifying vocal from McKnight that’s reminiscent of
those great Rare Earth tunes, backed by a propulsive
Ray Manzerak-styled keyboard and some hard-driving,
relentless drumming.
“It’s So Hard Living Without You” finds McKnight
delivering a gritty, heartfelt vocal, with more
sweet backing vocals, and “I Love You” and “We All
Fall Down” have a nice country feel. “Rosa Lee” is a
driving blues-rocker, and the moving closer, “Don’t
Understand” is amazing in its subtle beauty and
meaningful lyric.
As you can probably deduce, McKnight’s latest
release take its cue from the blues and branches off
into connecting genres, but the blues is still there
on each tune, which only makes sense since the blues
is at the base of all of today’s music. Made to Fall
finds Elam McKnight blending the blues, rock,
country, soul, and roots into a very distinctive and
exceedingly catchy mix, and is recommended listening
for fans of all those genres.
---
Graham Clarke
Raoul and The Big Time is a Toronto-based blues band
led by singer/harmonica player Raoul Bhaneja, who
also works as a TV and stage actor. The band won the
Maple Blues Award for New Artist of the Year in 1999
and enjoys a big following in Toronto. In addition
to Bhaneja, the band consists of Darren Gallen on
guitar, Terry Wilkins on upright bass, and Tom Bona
on drums.
On Hollywood Blvd (Big Time Records), Bhaneja
employs several additional musicians who will be
familiar faces to most blues fans….Curtis Salgado,
Johnny Sansone, Franck Goldwasser, Rick Holmstrom,
Jeff Turmes, Junior Watson, Rusty Zinn, Larry
Taylor, Fred Kaplan, and Richard Innes. They join
forces with The Big Time to give you a heady mix of
Chicago-based blues and West Coast blues, with eight
original tunes by Bhaneja and four classic covers.
The eight originals are split evenly between
instrumentals and vocals. Bhaneja does a fine job as
composer and vocalist on the funky opener, “Nothin’
Gonna Take Me Down,” “High Roller,” an old-school
shuffle, “Spoken For,” a smooth jump track with
Junior Watson laying down some clean and crisp lead
guitar, and “Tired,” a classic slow blues with some
nice harp work from Bhaneja. The four instrumentals
range from West Coast-styled blues (“Left Coast
Fred”) to classic Windy City (“Amphetamine”) to
Latinesque (the title track). The final
instrumental, “Curtis Charm,” finds Bhaneja and
Salgado blowing harp in tandem.
The band covers the Allen Toussaint/Lee Dorsey
standard, “Get Out of My Life Woman,” with Zinn
joining in on guitar, the old Bobby “Blue” Bland
tune, “Someday,” “Why (Am I Treated So Bad),” the
Staple Singers hit (recorded here appropriately with
current members of Mavis Staples’ band), and the
atmospheric closer, “In the Shadow of the Pine,”
with acoustic guitar work from Bhaneja and accordion
from Sansone.
A most excellent and well-balanced release,
Hollywood Blvd should bring some much-deserved
attention to Raoul and The Big Time and expand their
audience well beyond the Toronto area.
---
Graham Clarke
Greek bluesman Paul Karapiperis is the front man for
the band Small Blues Trap. He plays a mulitude of
instruments, including guitar, harmonica, and bass,
and has a very unique vision of the blues, which is
evidenced from the very opening notes of his latest
recording, One Sin In Seven Parts (Shelter Home
Studios). This seven-song effort (actually one
continuous song divided into seven parts, as the
album title indicates) encompasses a wide variety of
blues styles from traditional Mississippi
Delta-based blues to the British blues-rock of the
’60s to the sweaty swamp blues of the Gulf Coast
region.
From the opening track, the haunting “Welcome Boy,”
with Karapiperis’ slide guitar and harp, along with
the interesting percussion (including a metallophone
and baglamas), you know this is not only something
different, but something special, too. The somber
“In This World of Madness” features acoustic slide
guitar, and “Your Ticket To Adventure” begins with a
taste of the electric Delta-fused boogie of John Lee
Hooker before dropping into a more gentle vein.
“Callin’ Down The Riverside” features Karapiperis’
harmonica and his rugged, but powerful vocals,
leading into “A Secret Place,” a track with starts
out in a mellow acoustic vibe, but suddenly surges
into blues-rock territory about midway through. The
shimmering “Dig In Your Soul” has a country soul
feel with some sharp skittering electric guitar
licks mixed in with traditional harmonica. The
closing tune, “The Dreamland’s Door,” is a slow
blues that ends the disc with some jazzy liquidy
electric guitar.
As a blues composition,
One Sin In Seven Parts is
the real deal, loaded with sweaty atmosphere and
gritty soul. Karapiperis is a gifted musician and
his rugged vocals really fit the bill on these
tunes, with excellent support from the band as well.
The entire sequence of songs can also be viewed as
one video on YouTube, and is definitely worth a
listen, as is the disc.
---
Graham Clarke
Fife & Drom consists of a husband and wife team
(Mark Marshall – guitarist, Abby Ahman – vocalist)
dedicated to recreating and updating the sounds of
Mississippi Delta and Chicago blues, focusing on
modern themes and ideas while continuing the musical
traditions of both styles. Joined by bassist Adam
Minkoff and drummer Sean Dixon, they have released
their debut recording, Introducing Fife & Drom.
The seven tracks include the sultry opener, “Wicked
Tongue,” which features some wicked guitar from
Marshall and a nice, smoky vocal from Ahmad.
“Barnburner” is a loose country-blues that will make
you move your feet. “Ghosts” is a tale of
retribution with some skilled fretwork from
Marshall. Other highlights include the sassy and
funky “Who You Think You’re Foolin’?” and the lovely
closing ballad, “Please Please Please,” which
features a breathtaking vocal from Ahmad.
The duo is assisted by the excellent rhythm work of
bassist Adam Minkoff and drummer Sean Dixon, along
with guests Jackson Kinchloe (harmonica), Michael
Leonhart (flugelhorn, mellophone, trumpet,
trombone), Scott Kettner (drums, percussion), Jon
Cowherd (piano, Wurlitzer), and Gene Back (strings).
All in all, this is a very well-crafted debut
release from Fife & Drom. Marshall is a talented
guitarist and Ahmad is an exceptional vocalist and
songwriter. This very brief (27 minute) session will
leave listeners wanting to hear more, and hopefully,
we will soon.
---
Graham Clarke
Slide guitar master
Dennis Johnson plays like a
house afire on his latest release, Slide Avenue, a
more-than-worthy follow-up to his impressive 2010
debut, Slide Show. On this sophomore effort, Johnson
ups the ante by mixing his searing slide guitar with
saxophone, fiddle, and keyboard arrangements, while
exploring beyond the blues into other genres.
Johnson pays homage to a couple of other notable
slide guitarists on a few of the ten tracks,
covering three Robert Johnson tunes. “Terraplane
Blues,” is reworked into a lively, swinging number
taken from a Roy Rogers (another slide guitarist of
note) arrangement. “Phonograph Blues” and “Hellhound
On My Trail” are both covered as well, with Johnson
playing 12-string dobro. “The Wind Is Howlin’,” a
Johnson original, gives a nod to Elmore James, and
the rootsy “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” has a nice, gentle
touch that mixes delicate picking with slide.
“Swingin’ At The Savoy” brings to mind
’50s R&B and
swings hard, as Johnson’s soaring slide guitar is
backed by Sam Levine’s sax. A pair of songs feature
Johnson playing with violinist Joe Craven, the funky
New Orleans-styled “Rollin’ On The River” and the
fiery closer, “She Looks Good,” and Kirt Shearer
adds keyboards to several tracks. Johnson’s
interplay with each is impeccible, and his rhythm
section backing (Tim Metz – drums, David O’Keefe –
bass) is first-rate as well.
Slide Show is a slide guitar clinic, courtesy of one
of the best slide guitarists currently practicing.
--- Graham Clarke
