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 The opening title
cut of All You Gotta Do (Eller Soul), the
old Brenda Lee minor hit, “That’s All You Gotta
Do,” reminds of NRBQ. And so it is with the
Nighthawks. Like NRBQ the Nighthawks don’t
shy away from any classic American sound. Blues
and country, and anything else that strikes
their fancy, cohabitate. and what comes out is
guaranteed to strike a chord.
Formed in 1974 or
so with Mark Wenner and Jimmy Thackery at the
forefront, they learned at the feet of the
masters. They opened many shows for Muddy Waters
and for rockabilly’s Carl Perkins. Wenner is
still at the helm 30 albums later. Following
Thackery’s departure the band went through many
guitarists and other band members. The 2017
version is Wenner on vocals and harmonica, Paul
Bell on guitar, Johnny Castle on bass, and Mark
Stutso at the drums. Bell and Castle have been
on board for a decade and Stutso joined in 2010
after spending 20 years with Thackery.
What matters most
is the music --- and the music is heavenly.
Three originals share space with the nine
covers. “When I Go Away” written by former Bob
Dylan sideman Larry Campbell is followed by
Muddy’s “Baby, I Want to be Loved.”
Randy Newman’s
“Let’s Burn Down the Corfield” is powered up
with some spooky guitar shredding. This is
followed by Stutso’s “VooDoo Doll” (“Every day I
wake up/I feel a brand new pain/is it my trick
ne y’all/or is it gonna rain?/my feet swell
up/my elbow hurts/I got bumped into the
wall/someone stickin needles in my voodoo
doo.”).
“Ninety Nine,”
from the pen of Sonny of Sonny Boy Williamson,
is a workout for Wenner’s superb harmonica
blowing and “Three Times Your Fool” is another
Stutso vehicle, co-written with Pittsburgh rock
'n' roll legend Norman Nardini. It could have
been written in the 1950s. “If I’m a fool for
loving you/then I’m a fool for so long.” The
vocals are gorgeous and the harp impersonates a
horn section.
Isn’t That So,”
from Jesse Winchester, is followed by R.L.
Burnside’s “Snake Drive,” which is about killer
guitar and killer harp with a break from the
instrumental for the refrain, “Let my baby
ride/won’t you let my baby ride.” There’s enough
voodoo here to get you through the day.
The set closes
with Wenner’s “Blues For John,” a re-imagined
Freres Jacque that’s guaranteed to coax a smile,
and “Dirty Water,” The Standells’ hit from the
'60s. Instead of singing about Boston, it’s “DC,
You're My Home.” Another smile inducer. There’s
your theme. Smiles and loads of fun. This is a
keeper.
--- Mark E. Gallo
 Janiva Magness
further cements her already sterling reputation
with this six song gem, Blue Again (Blue
Elan). Opening with the classic Bo Diddley tune,
“I Can Tell,” she sings, “I can tell because
it’s plain to see/I can tell the way you look at
me/the way, you know, you hold my hand/Yes lovin’
daddy I can understand/I can tell, I can tell/I
know you don’t love me no more.” This is no mere
rote reading. She infuses the tune with her
powerful vocals backed by Kid Ramos sharing
guitar chores with Zach Zunis and Garrett
Deloian, the guitarists on the bulk of the disc.
Speaking of
classics, Magness next covers Al Kooper’s
impassioned “More Than You’ll Ever Know.” With
timely and delightful guitars and Arlan
Schierbaum’s organ she serves the classic well
while putting her own spin on it. It’s a song
that requires a good deal of passion. She
delivers. Her duet with Sugaray Rayford on the
Etta James nugget, “If I Can’t Have You,” is
playful and served up nice and sweet. Both
singers are amazing and reminiscent of vocal
duos of the past, like Ray Charles and Betty
Carter or Otis Redding and Carla Thomas. In
other words: Whew!
Her take on Joe
Hinton’s “Tired of Walking” is given a spirited
rendition, enhanced by great guitar workouts.
When she sing, “I walked downtown/and I walked
back home/when I got back my baby was gone,” you
know you’re listening to a woman who loves to
sing. Andy Stroud’s “Buck” is thick with imagery
and enhanced by T.J. Norton’s harmonica. “Oh
Buck," she sings, “you’re a whole lotta man/just
take a look at your great big hands… I know just
what you’re thinking by the look in your
eyes…hold me close/squeeze me til I cry/please
love me honey til the day I die.” Got to like a
woman who says what’s on her mind!
The final song on
this mini-opus is Freddie King’s “Pack It Up.”
Just a taste of funk from the guitars backs her
up when she sings, “I get so messed up baby/and
I don’t know what to do/I’m gonna pack it up/gonna
give it up/I’ve gotta put you right out of my
mind,” and you can feel the pain in her
delivery.
Janiva is more
impressive with each album. This is proof
positive.
--- Mark E. Gallo
 John Mayall claims to be 84 years old. I
think it’s a ruse. Listen to his crystal clean
voice on Talk About That (Forty Below),
and you’ll think the same. There’s not a lot of
change discernable between music from 50 years
ago and now. Here is a man who clearly loves his
job. He continues to write good songs, still
plays a hot harp – although he plays the
keyboards more often, as well as a bit of
guitar. He has always surrounded himself with
high caliber musicians, most notably guitar
players. The band on hand here is Rocky Athas,
guitar, Greg Azab, bass and percussion and Jay
Davenport on drums. Joe Walsh pops in to play
lead on two songs. Ron Dziubla plays tenor and
bari, Mark Pender plays trumpet and Nick Lane
has the trombone.
From
the funky opening title cut to the closer, “You
Never Know” (…”how your life is gonna be/full of
tangles and uncertainty”), this is a typical
John Mayall album, which is to say that it’s a
treat top to bottom. “Hard Going Up,” a
frequently covered tune, most notably by Little
Sonny, is given a tasty rendition, embellished
by the horns.
Jimmy Rogers’ “Goin’ Away Baby” sees Mayall
showing off those still impressive harmonica
chops. Vocally he sounds a little rough here,
but it doesn’t detract from its authenticity.
Those two and “Don’t Deny Me” are the covers.
Everything else is a Mayall original.
“Blue Midnight” is the standout on the disc.
Athas’ guitar work is stunning and, in
conjunction with Mayall’’s electric piano is a
winning combination. ”Across The County Line” is
a rocker and “Gimme Some of That Gumbo” is,
natch, loaded with the sounds of Louisiana.
Mayall fans will eat this up. Solid.
--- Mark E. Gallo
 Anyone who knows
me is more than aware that I am a Grade A,
’50s/’60s New Orleans R&B nut. Since I first
started listening in earnest after my first Jazz
Fest in the late ’80s, I’ve jumped into it with
both feet every chance I get. I’m not sure what
it is --- the irresistible Second Line rhythms,
the driving piano, the groovy horns, the hint of
blues, rock n’ roll, funk, and Caribbean music
that gets thrown into the mix --- but I just
know I dig it, and I really dig King James &
The Special Men, because their captivating
sound encompasses all of the above, as witnessed
on their debut release, Act Like You Know.
The band is
fronted by singer/guitarist Jimmy Horn, who may
be the funkiest cat to ever emerge from Utah. He
produced the album and wrote all six of the
songs, and is backed by a powerhouse unit (Ben
Polcer – piano, Robert Snow – bass, John Rodli –
guitar, Chris Davis – drums, Jason Mingledorff –
tenor sax, Dominick Grillo – baritone sax,
Travis Blotzky – tenor sax, Scott Frock –
trumpet, and Jason Jurzak – tuba). These guys
capture the feel and vibe of New Orleans R&B so
well, you’d swear they’d been there from the
beginning, and Horn sounds a lot like Dr. John’s
baby brother behind the mic.
Crescent City
fans will settle right in with the opening cut,
“Special Man Boogie,” and if it doesn’t get you
on your feet, listeners are advised to call 911.
With that lively, manic New Orleans rhythm
teamed up with Spanish-styled guitar work and
the Secret Agent Man segue midway through, this
one should be blaring from speakers during every
Mardi Gras. A pair of slow blues, “Baby Girl”
and “Tell Me (What You Want Me To Do),” sound
just like lost tracks from the vintage
Bartholomew R&B/blues catalog of the late ’50s
with Horn’s soulful vocals, ringing guitar, and
those wonderful horns, which gave me goose
bumps. The rollicking and ribald “Eat That
Chicken” was written by Horn in tribute to local
legend Jessie Hill (of “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” fame),
and the driving R&B of “The End Is Near” surges
to a chaotic near-psychedelic conclusion.
The closing tune
is the nearly 14-minute “9th Ward Blues,” which
deserves a paragraph of its own. The song itself
encompasses all of the things that make that
area, and New Orleans music, so great, beginning
with a rocking round of Indian chants before
jumping into Second Line parade mode with a
relentless groove that will actually leave you
disappointed when it finally draws to a close.
Seriously, you
will be sorry when Act Like You Know
ends, but at least you can restart it at the
beginning and give it another listen. You’ll be
doing that several times, for sure. To these
ears, King James & The Special Men bring an
excitement to New Orleans R&B on a par with when
I first heard the music. Do not let this one
slip past.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Andy T
Band has featured vocalist Nick Nixon for
several years, winning acclaim and multiple BMA
and Blues Blast Awards nominations for their
previous three albums, two with Delta Groove (Drink
Drank Drunk, Livin’ It Up) and one
with Blind Pig (Numbers Man). Nixon
retired last year due to some health issues, so
band leader/guitarist Andy T (Talamantez)
approached singer Alabama Mike to replace the
ailing Nixon, and after a few tryout gigs, the
new band was ready to roll.
Talamantez
actually decided to feature both Alabama Mike
and Nixon on the band’s latest release,
Double Strike (American Showplace Music),
which has a mix of mostly original tunes and
well-selected covers. Anson Funderburgh returns
as producer and guitarist, and the cast also
includes keyboardists Mike Flanagin and Larry
Van Loon, rhythm section Johnny Bradley (bass)
and Jim Klingler (drums), harmonica player Greg
Izor, and the Texas Horns (Kaz Kazanoff – tenor
sax, John Mills – baritone sax, Al Gomez –
trumpet).
Alabama Mike’s
gospel-influenced tenor is a nice contrast to
Nixon’s warm-with-a-touch-of-grit vocals and
their vocals are split evenly between 12 tracks,
with each vocalist alternating in two to four
song sets (Talamantez tackles Funderburgh’s
instrumental “Landslide” at the mid-point of the
album). Alabama Mike’s set includes the rousing
opener, “I Want You So Bad,” the upbeat soul
rocker “Somebody Like You,” the blues ballad
“Sad Times,” and the feisty slow burner “Doin’
Hard Time.” He closes the disc with “Dream About
You,” a spirited early Rock n’ Roll romp, and
the reflective album closer “Where Did Our Love
Go Wrong” has a Gulf Coast R&B feel.
Nixon’s studio
stint was cut short due to his health, but he
made the most of his time, cutting Andy T’s
Jimmy Reed-inspired “Deep Inside,” his own
“Sweet Thing,” and a pair of Chuck Willis tunes:
an energetic reading of “I Feel So Bad” and the
ballad “Juanita.” He also covers Goree Carter’s
“Drunk or Sober” and Talamantez’s “I Was Gonna
Leave You,” which also features Funderburgh on
lead guitar. More than likely, these tracks
represent Nixon’s final recordings, but he
certainly goes out on a positive note.
It looks like
Nixon is leaving The Andy T Band in good hands
with their new lead singer, Alabama Mike.
Double Strike serves as a great coming-out
party for him and a fitting tribute to their
longtime stalwart, Nick Nixon.
--- Graham Clarke
 Gina Sicilia
relocated to Nashville a few years ago while
dealing with a difficult time in her life.
During the process, the singer and songwriter
took advantage of the circumstances to challenge
herself as a songwriter. The voice has always
been there, Sicilia is one of the strongest and
most distinctive of the current collection of
female vocalists in the blues genre, but she’s
actually as good a songwriter as she is a
singer, and the eight originals she’s written
for her latest release, Tug of War (Blue
Elan Records), rank with her best efforts to
date.
The opener, “I
Don’t Want To Be In Love,” really kicks off the
disc in superb fashion. There’s a distinct shot
of Memphis grease mixed in this fine effort, and
Sicilia leaves nothing on the table, with one of
her best vocals. In a perfect world, you’d be
hearing this one on your radio every two hours.
The lyrics to “Damaging Me,” coupled with
Sicilia’s vocal, are so heartfelt, you just know
she had to have lived them. Sicilia’s
world-weary, but determined, vocal on the
gospel-fueled “I’ll Stand Up” are inspiring, and
she revisits the genre with the upbeat closer,
“Heaven.”
Last year,
Sicilia released a five-song EP, Sunset
Avenue, which included five of the 11 tracks
on Tug of War. Your humble correspondent
reviewed the EP in Blues Bytes’
December
2016 issue and as stated back then, the four
originals, the country-tinged “Abandoned” and “I
Cried,” the soulful “They Never Pay Me,” and the
acoustic “Never Gonna End” are all excellent and
well done, as is the fun cover of the Exciters’
“Tell Him.”
The remaining two
cover tunes are equally impressive. “He Called
Me Baby” was a hit in the mid ’60s for both
Patsy Cline on the Country charts and Candi
Staton on the R&B charts, and Sicilia’s measured
reading leans more toward the soul side. She
also takes on the Beatles classic “All My
Loving,” transforming the upbeat pop hit into a
bluesy ballad.
Gina Sicilia’s
move to Nashville appears to have paid
dividends. Her already excellent songwriting and
vocals have never been better, and the mix of
country and soul on several tracks is really
engaging as well. All of this talented
vocalist’s work is worth hearing, but to these
ears, Tug of War may be her best yet.
--- Graham Clarke
 In March of 2016,
NYC blues man Michael Packer discovered
that he had terminal liver cancer. In recent
years, Packer, who enjoyed a bit of success as a
recording artist with Papa Nebo and Free Beer in
the ’60s and ’70s, had overcome many obstacles
--- homelessness, alcoholism, and drug
addiction, which resulted in prison time. Clean
and sober for over 20 years, Packer returned to
the NYC blues scene and was eventually inducted
into the New York Blues Hall of Fame in 2011.
In recent years,
he had begun to record his life story with a
pair of riveting releases, I Am The Blues –
My Story Volumes 1 & 2, which mixed
narration with music. Despite his grim diagnosis
and prognosis, Packer never slowed down,
continuing to work, and performing as much as he
was able, and he began to record what would be
Volume 3 (Iris Music Group) of his story,
completing it just days before he passed away at
66 on May 6, 2017.
Volume 3
finds Packer covering his ill-fated Blues For
Peace project, in which he attempted to organize
several music events in hopes of bringing
attention to the need for world peace. He
follows the story with the lovely acoustic
“Blues For Peace.” “Fields of Sorrow” is
Packer’s recollection of a 2011 trip to Hopson
Plantation in Clarksdale with his band, and the
eerie feeling he had when he discovered that the
old slave shacks have been converted into
tourist cabins. Packer and bandmate Ed Jackson
penned the accompanying tune of the same title
and Jackson does the lead vocals with assistance
from Irving Louis Lattin.
On “Yo Staten
Island,” Packer briefly discusses the death of
Eric Garner, who tragically died during an
attempted arrest by NYPD near Packer’s house.
The accompanying song mixes hip hop with the
melody from Albert King’s “Born Under A Bad
Island.” The funk-based rocker “Flash Flame”
features guitarist Adam Valk and vocalist Alexis
Suter and describes the terrible accident during
the aborted Blues For Peace event in NYC on
Memorial Day, 2016 that nearly killed Packer’s
drummer, Guy Powell (Powell recovered and
actually plays drums on this song, which he
wrote, and the rest of the album).
“Chicago” was
recorded live at Buddy Guy’s Legends. It’s a
loving tribute to the city and its many blues
legends by Packer, who’s backed by a first-rate
band of the city’s finests (guitarist Mike
Wheeler, keyboardist Roosevelt Purifoy, drummer
Willie “The Touch” Hayes, and bassist Melvin
Smith). The poignant “Do It All Over” is a love
song to the love of Packer’s life and, given the
events that follow, will bring a lump to the
throat of even the most unfeeling.
On the closer,
“Mr Packer,” Packer reveals his condition and
what lies ahead, but vows he won’t be giving up
hope and that shows with his fiery and defiant
vocal on the accompanying tune of the same name.
Though he was nearing the end during these
sessions, there’s only the occasional hint of
weakness in his narration and singing, but
you’ll hear none of that in this performance.
Those who knew
Packer are aware that he fought this battle to
the very end and was supposed to perform the
evening that he passed away. I Am The Blues –
My Story, Volume 3 is a touching farewell to
an underappreciated blues man, whose struggles
in life certainly earned him the title
“bluesman,” which is how he wanted everyone to
remember him.
--- Graham Clarke
 ’80s music fans
may remember Micki Free from his ten-year
stint with the R&B group Shalamar, a period
which saw some of the group’s biggest success on
the pop charts with the hits “Dancing In The
Sheets” and “Don’t Get Stopped In Beverly
Hills,” which earned Free and the band a Grammy
as part of the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
Free’s sizzling guitar work added a rock-edged
dimension to the group, and the guitarist later
put that talent to subsequent good use, working
with Prince, Carlos Santana, and Billy Gibbons,
among others. A Native American of mixed
Comanche/Cherokee blood, Free has won five
Native American Music Awards over his career, as
well.
Free combines his
previous excursions into R&B, rock, soul, and
funk into a heady blues concoction on his latest
release, Tattoo Burn-Redux (Mysterium
Blues Records). Free provides powerful, nimble
vocals to match his excellent guitar work (lead,
rhythm, and slide) and he’s joined by a
formidable supporting cast that includes former
Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and Little Feat’s Kenny
Gradney on bass, keyboardists Mark “Muggy Doo”
Leach and Brother Paul Brown, drummer Cindy
Blackman-Santana, and his former Shalamar mate
Howard Hewitt on vocals.
Hewitt joins Free
behind the mic on “God Is On The Phone,” the
stirring funked-up gospel track that opens the
disc. The title track is a churning blues rocker
and is backed by “Greens & Barbecue,” which
mixes blues and R&B into a swampy mix. One of
the disc’s standout tracks is “Six Feet Deep In
The Blues,” a tasty slow blues that simmers
nicely with Free’s mournful blues and spot-on
fretwork complemented superbly by the B3 and
keyboards. “Mojo Black Coffee” is a roadhouse
boogie rocker built on the “Hoochie Coochie Man”
melody, and “Co-Co-Gin” is a smooth R&B story
song about a woman’s battle against the bottle.
Free pulls out
all of the guitar-related stops on the fierce
rocker “There’s A Hole In The Heart Of The
Blues.” The moody “Angels In The Room” has a
taste of the Delta, and Free shows that all of
those Hendrix comparisons he’s garnered over the
years were completely justified with his
blistering cover of the guitar legend’s “Hey
Baby (The New Rising Sun).” The disc closes with
a pair of holiday-related tracks, the rowdy rock
and roller “Five Minutes Till Christmas” and the
soulful ballad “Sometimes In Winter.”
Micki Free has
explored a lot of musical styles in his career
with successful results. With Tattoo Burn-
Redux, he not only ventures into the blues
world, but breaks fertile new ground while doing
so. The blend of R&B, soul, and rock, combined
with Free’s fiery fretwork and versatile vocals,
makes for an interesting and exciting brand of
blues that will appeal to a variety of blues
lovers.
--- Graham Clarke
 Lighthouse
Sweden, led by the husband and wife team of
Mats and Linda Brandemark, continue to make some
of the best Americana music around, despite
being located several thousand miles away from
the music’s home country. Their second release,
Silence In The City, includes 11
distinctive songs of Americana, blues, rock,
pop, and country that will stay in the
listener’s consciousness long after the disc has
finished spinning.
The opener, “Love
Can Seriously Damage Your Heart,” is a bluesy
piece of advice for lovers and would-be lovers
with lead vocals shared by the Brandemarks,
while “Neon Lights” has an ’80s pop sheen.
“Everybody’s Been A Fool” is a sturdy blues with
Mats Brandemark on lead vocals, and the missus
takes the lead on the catchy countrified pop of
“Easier To Lie,” and “Hole In My Soul,” which
focuses on the funkier side of the blues.
The Brandemarks
join forces again on “Silver and Gold,” which is
a lively country-flavored rocker. “Silent City”
falls into the same category, with Linda
Brandemark shining on vocals, along with the
great keyboard and steel guitar accompaniment.
Mats Brandemark takes the mic for “We Used To Be
Lovers,” his laconic vocals bringing to mind a
bluesy Lou Reed, and the swinging “Can’t Find My
Way,” a perfect mix of country, rock, and pop
which would be a hit song in a perfect world.
Linda Brandemark sings on the final two tracks,
“Window To The Sky” and the lovely, haunting
“Angel.”
In addition to
the Brandemarks, Lighthouse Sweden is comprised
of Tobias Bergstrom (electric guitar), Thomas
Bjorklund (drums), and Marc Gransten (bass,
backing vocals), who are joined on selected
tracks by Johan Von Feilitzen (drums,
percussion, keys, harmonica, guitar, backing
vocals), Martin Hogvall (mandolin, lap steel),
Sven-Olov Kontio (pedal steel guitar), Magnus
Larsson (lap steel), Olof Aslund (sax), and
Derrick Big Walker (harmonica).
An even stronger
effort than their 2014 debut, which is really
saying something, Silence In The City is
an excellent release in any number of genres.
Anyone who appreciates American music done well
will want this release in their collection.
--- Graham Clarke
 Hot Roux’s
debut release, Stranger’s Blues, featured
a notable set of original tunes with an
irresistible blend of Louisiana-flavored blues,
R&B, and rock n’ roll. Drummer/vocalist Jerry
McWorter’s seasoned vocals were a perfect fit
for the material and the band was rock solid.
This time around, Hot Roux revisits the same
territory with their sophomore effort,
Hometown Blues (Hi Hat Records), which
offers 11 distinctive, crowd-pleasing new
original tunes played by the band (McWorter,
bassist Brent Harding, and guitarists Ed
Berghoff and Kyle Jester), along with a few
associates.
The songs,
written by McWorter and Harding, are
well-crafted and catchy. The opener, “Don’t
Wanna Talk About Love,” has a smooth, but swampy
vibe complemented by R.J. Mischo’s harmonica,
and “Della Be My Baby” teams McWorter’s
second-line drumming with some splendid slide
from guest Franck Goldwasser. The old-school
ballad “Woman You Haunt Me” sounds like it could
have been a hit back in the day. “Down And Out”
adds sax (via Bill Flores, who plays baritone
and tenor) to the mix for a taste of Memphis
soul.
“Misery Misery”
is an entertaining rockabilly rave-up with hot
guitar work from Jester, and “One More Train”
ventures toward country territory with
appropriately twangy guitar from guest Jon
Lawton. The mid-tempo “I Hear’m Talk’n” features
the fluid guitar work of Berghoff, while
Jester’s stinging lead work shines on the
whimsical lament about aging, “Can’t See.” The
driving rocker “Rent Party Boogie” should get
listeners to their feet as Johnny Main’s guitar
and Jimmy Calire’s tenor sax propel things
along. “What A Lie,” which reintroduces Mischo’s
harp, and “Wake Up Slim” close the disc on a
humorous note.
Hot Roux’s heady
mixture of Gulf Coast blues, rock, R&B, and pop
will remind listeners of the vintage sounds
coming from Texas and Louisiana in years gone
by, a pretty impressive feat for this Ventura,
California-based band. Hometown Blues
will appeal to any music fan that digs the
sounds of the Deep South.
--- Graham Clarke
 While awaiting
their performance at the 2016 edition of Blues
on the Chippewa in Durand, Wisconsin, The
Mark Cameron Band’s bass player, Scott
Lundberg noticed the high quality audio
equipment in place and suggested to
singer/guitarist Mark Cameron that it might be a
good idea to ask about the chances of getting a
recording of the band’s upcoming set. Cameron
did so, and the resulting performance was
preserved for posterity on Live At Blues On
The Chippewa (Cop Records), a wonderful
unanticipated collection of some of the band’s
most recent work, plus a few new previously
unrecorded tunes.
The sound is
amazing on this nearly 45-minute, 11-song set,
which features seven tracks from the band’s 2016
release, Playing Rough, including the
tough rocking title track, the smooth “Hammered
By The Blues,” the boogie rocker “Doctor In the
House,” the funky “Somewhere Down The Line,” and
the amusing “Rusty Old Model T.” The
Delta-styled “Done Me Wrong” and the haunting
slow blues “Borrowed Time” are also present.
The band also
breaks in three new originals; “Dicey,” an
engaging little blues rap which puts the “fun”
in funky, the driving “Mojo Shuffle,” and “Back
Seat Boogie,” a winning rock ‘n roller that
closes out the set. The band also turns in a
groovy cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killin’ Floor,”
for good measure.
Cameron sounds
great on vocals and provides some stellar guitar
work. The band, including the aforementioned Mr.
Lundberg (bass), Dan Schroeder (drums), Bill
Keyes (harmonica), and Sheri Cameron
(percussion/flute), bring their A-Game to the
proceedings as well. Sometimes everything falls
into place perfectly and magic happens, such is
the case with the Mark Cameron Band and Live
At Blues On The Chippewa, a great recording
of a great blues band in action.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Seattle-based
ensemble Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers
have been on the scene since 2011, and have
played numerous festivals and club dates all
over the West Coast and were Washington Blues
Society finalists for the 2014 I.B.C. Lead
singer/songwriter D’Amour has been singing and
writing songs since she was knee high to a
grasshopper, and her bandmates (guitarist Ryan
Higgins, bassist/trombonist Patrick McDaniel,
and drummers Ronnie Bishop and Rick Bowen) all
boast impressive musical resumés themselves.
Lost Nights at
the Leopard Lounge is the band’s third
release and it consists of 12 tracks, all
written or co-written by D’Amour, that focus on
contemporary blues, blues-rock, and R&B.
Beginning with the crisp uptempo shuffle, “No
Good,” the group ventures into smoky blues
ballad territory with “Trouble,” which showcases
some fluid, T-Bone-like fretwork from Higgins.
“Leopard Lounge” is a funky rocker about a
fictional club that encompasses stories the band
shared from their experiences at various venues.
“Move on Down the
Line” keeps up the funk, with some sharp work on
the bass from McDaniel, but the band really
outdoes itself on the funk with “Lost My Mojo,”
D’Amour’s frank look at approaching middle age
(McDaniel and Higgins double up on trombone and
trumpet, respectively). “All I Do Is Work” is
another slow blues with a hint of gospel thrown
in for good measure, and “When the Blues Come
Calling” is a strong R&B track.
“I Didn’t Know,”
“What the Cat Dragged In,” and “Last Man
Standing” are straight-forward blues rockers,
the latter with a bit of a southern rock feel,
while “Blue as Blue Can Get” has a jazzy noir
feel. The bonus track that closes the disc is
the lighthearted shuffle “Black Cat Boogie.”
This song was originally written when the band
played a series of family-oriented summer events
and has since become a fan favorite.
Lost Nights at
the Leopard Lounge is an entertaining disc
of engaging songs and excellent performances
that should appeal to any fans of contemporary
blues with its mix of blues, R&B, rock and funk.
Be sure to check out Michele D’Amour and the
Love Dealers, should you venture to the upper
West Coast and need to satisfy your blues fix.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Gordon
Meier Blues Experience’s new release, Magic Kingdom (Reverberocket Records), pays
tribute to two of guitarist Meier’s biggest
influences (“game changers” as he calls them in
the liner notes): Magic Slim and Freddie King.
Learning his craft in the ’70s, Meier was
obsessed with King’s fret work, learning to play
all of his instrumentals, but he discovered Slim
while searching a record store of obscure
recordings, which led to a trip to Chicago where
he met the man himself and subsequently became
friends and later played with the Windy City
legend.
On this marvelous
set, Meier turns in romping, stomping covers of
several Chicago blues classics, most of which
were part of Slim’s vast repertoire at one time
or another. Meier does a terrific job on A.C.
Reed’s “Buddy Buddy Friends,” Jimmy Rogers’
“Gold Tail Bird,” “She Belongs To Me” from Magic
Sam, and Muddy Waters’ “Gypsy Woman.” Meier also
covers longtime Slim compatriot John Primer’s
“Stop Draggin’ That Chain Around,” with an
assist from slide guitarist Joe Taino and
harmonica ace Dennis Greunling.
He also tears
into a pair of Freddie King instrumentals with
great results (“In The Open” and “The Stumble”),
and tackles Johnny Otis’ ribald “Signifying
Monkey” and the hard-charging shuffle “Red
Headed Woman,” from the Hollywood Fats Band.
Meier’s guitar playing is appropriately
reverential toward Slim and King, but he brings
plenty of his own game into the mix as well
Proving that this is not merely a tribute
release, he includes a pair of his own tunes,
“Just Keep Ridin’,” which features Gruenling and
Taino, and the roadhouse rocker “Someday Baby,”
also with Gruenling.
Meier is backed
by his regular band mates, Lester Veith (drums)
and Mark Freidman (bass), along with guests
Taino, Gruenling, guitarist Dean Shot, and
keyboardist Tom Hammer. It’s a powerhouse unit,
which is only appropriate, since Magic
Kingdom is a powerhouse set of blues
presented just like Meier’s influences would
have done it. I think most will agree that Magic
Slim and Freddie King would be pleased with the
result.
--- Graham Clarke
 I really like how
Wikipedia now introduces their article on Jim
Allchin --- ”an American blues rock
guitarist, philanthropist, and a former
Microsoft executive.” There was a time when the
first and last description were switched around
in Allchin’s write-up, but when a fellow
releases one stellar album after another for
long enough, the description will just about
change itself. Allchin has previously released
three stunning albums of fiery guitar-driven
blues-rock since 2009 and his fourth,
Decisions (Sandy Key Music) is poised to
eclipse the previous three.
The opener,
“Artificial Life,” is a hard-charging boogie
rocker with Reese Wynans providing a supple B3
cushion for Allchin’s guitar. “The Mexican End”
channels Albert King with some sizzling fretwork
and a jumping horn chart from the Heart Attack
Horns, and the standout title track, “Bad
Decisions,” is a driving blues rocker. The pace
eases a bit for “Healing Ground,” a understated,
soulful ballad with guest Keb’ Mo’, who shares
lead vocals with Allchin, but quickly picks up
again with the freewheeling shuffle “Blew Me
Away.” The pop ballad “She Is It” is noteworthy
for Allchin’s heartfelt vocal and Wynan’s
superlative work on keyboards
The instrumental
“Just Plain Sick” is a fun-filled boogie woogie
rambler with Allchin really reaching into his
bag of tricks, and “Friends” is a fine slow
blues with some nice string bending from Allchin
and plenty of Memphis grease provided by Wynans.
The easygoing “You Might Be Wrong” leans toward
the country side and includes a message that
should be heard by everyone, and the
instrumental “After Hours” features soaring
Santana-esque guitar work from Allchin.
“Don’t Care” is a
fiery rocking blues shuffle with a defiant vocal
and stinging lead guitar, while “Stop Hurting
Me” is a blues ballad of the first order. “My
Father’s Eyes” is a tender ballad from Allchin,
which will touch anybody who has lost a loved
one at a young age, and it provides a smooth
segue into the reflective instrumental
“Destiny,” which closes this marvelous disc.
Decisions
is Jim Allchin’s best release to date. He
continues to impress not just as a guitarist,
but as composer and vocalist. Blues-rock fans
will definitely want to have this, but it will
also appeal to a broader range of music lovers
as well.
--- Graham Clarke
 On their latest
release, Prayer for Peace (Sony Legacy),
the North Mississippi Allstars continue
to combine their love for the traditional blues
and roots music with an sharp ear toward modern
sounds. The result is a 12-song set of mostly
cover tunes recorded all over the country on
which Luther and Cody Dickinson are joined by a
diverse set of musical associates, which
includes former Allman Brother Oteil Burbridge
and Jack White’s Dominic Davis on bass, Terrapin
Family Band guitarist Grahame Lesh, vocalists
Danielle Nicole and Sharisse Norman, and
longtime NMAS contributor Shardé Thomas on fife
and vocal.
The opening pair
of tunes, the title track and “Need To Be Free,”
are appropriate selections, given the turbulent
times. “Prayer For Peace” is a spare number,
with drums, guitar, Burbridge’s popping bass
line, and Thomas’s fife and harmony vocal
teaming with Luther Dickinson’s pleading vocal.
The ominous and raw Hill Country funk of “Need
To Be Free,” a collaborative effort from Luther
Dickinson and Junior Kimbrough, works well with
the opener and these two tracks are the limit of
political discourse on the album. Direct in
getting their message across, but not overly
preachy.
The remainder of
the album features the brothers paying tribute
to their numerous musical influences and
continuing updating the music into the 21st
century in their inimitable fashion. There are
several tunes credited to R.L. Burnside, the
romping, stomping “Miss Maybelle,” the grinder
“Bird Without a Feather,” the raucous rocker
“Run Red Rooster,” and a hypnotic reading of
“Long Haired Doney.”
Memphis country
blues legend Will Shade’s “Stealin’” is given a
jaunty unplugged treatment, and the brothers’
energetic take on the traditional “Deep Ellum”
sounds like a combination of Little Feat and the
Grateful Dead. Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “61
Highway” gets a rip-roaring treatment as well.
The band touches on the gospel side as well,
with a spirited version of McDowell’s “You Got
To Move” (with guitarist Kenny Brown) and a
cheerful cover of “We Bid You Goodnight,” which
closes the disc (some discs add a bonus
alternate version of the title track).
Prayer for
Peace is another excellent release from the
North Mississippi Allstars, who really seem to
have hit their studio stride with their last few
releases, coming about as close as possible to
capturing the fiery energy, enthusiasm, and
sheer joy that makes up their live performances.
By all means, be sure to catch these guys live
if you get the opportunity.
--- Graham Clarke
 Independent
self-released CDs from obscure bands that show
up in my mailbox are often a hit or miss affair,
with more misses than hits. With that said,
Controlled Burn from California-based
Paradise Kings is more hit than miss. This
basic four-piece ensemble (vocals, guitar, bass,
drums) plays basic, high energy blues on the
eight original cuts here.
The
best tune on Controlled Burn is the
up-tempo shuffle that kicks off the disc, "'69
Chevy," starting with an extended lead guitar
intro from Jeff Gring before singer Henry
Garrett steps up to the microphone. This one
swings. Up next is the creative mid-tempo
shuffle "I'd Sing The Blues If I Had 'Em," a
twist on the normal blues theme in that
everything goes right and the subject just can't
get the blues.
The
Paradise Kings show an ability to get funky on
two numbers, "Three Strikes", another song that
gives Gring the chance to stretch out on guitar,
and "Butter Me Up," featuring sassy soulful
vocals from guest singer Jan Ingram.
Controlled Burn starts to lose a little
steam towards the end, making me think that this
would have made a killer six-song EP instead of
an uneven eight-song album. The energy is still
there, but the rock-influenced "Poor Me, Poor,
Me, Pour Me Another Drink" just isn't as good as
the previous numbers, and a live number to close
the album just seems like a throw away to get
the number of songs up to eight. But overall
there's something to like here. That's the great
thing about the current era of recorded music
--- you can listen online and then download the
songs that appeal to you.
--- Bill Mitchell
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