I like Sena
Ehrhardt’s opening song on her new disc, Live
My Life, out now on Blind Pig Records. Choosing
to open with “Stakes Have Gone Up” is the perfect
statement for her to make. Sena’s no longer an
artist on the rise and her new disc puts her right
in the middle of the poker game, playing for all the
gold. The “stakes have gone up,” indeed. Let’s give
her new record a spin.
Sena’s new attitude
on “Stakes Have Gone Up” is real. No longer
satisfied with average, Sena’s got her eye on a much
greater prize. Love isn’t always easy and her
affections are hard won by whomever chooses to
pursue her. “I remember…there was a time…I could
have leapt…without even trying…now, my whole life is
on the line…the stakes have gone up.” Guitarist Cole
Allen’s poignant guitar solo emphasizes Sena’s
determination and good luck tying this girl down.
The tune “Things You Shouldn’t Need to Know” is up
next, and Sena is reflecting on relationship advice
that isn’t easily learned. Whether you like it or
not, not everyone coming into your life has the best
of intentions and sometimes the downfall isn’t
always easy.
The resulting life’s
lessons fall neatly into that category of “Things
You Shouldn’t Need to Know.” We move on to find that
Sena is applying those lessons learned in “Slow
Down” as she attempts to keep a relationship from
falling apart. “Slow Down…oh, you’re moving away too
fast, boy…you gotta give me a little love…if you
want our love to last.” The band ratchets it down a
bit as Sena tackles the first ballad on her new
disc, “Help Me Through the Day.” Here she’s
struggling with the challenges of life and it’s her
man’s good love that she needs to cope with
everything that is. “I can see…so much pain…deep
inside your eyes…I know someone has hurt you…someone
has made you cry…oh, baby…don’t confuse me…just try
to understand…make me realize then….you’re my man.”
Regardless of the past, he’s Sena’s man now and he
needs to step up.
The title track,
“Live My Life,” is next and Sena’s stepping out in
full force. “They don’t want to help me…they want to
keep me insane…this city’s starting to wear me
down…I hear people scream and shout…nothing’s going
to break my stride…I want to live my life.” Sena’s a
survivor and I have no doubt she’ll stay true to
herself through all of the trials she’s facing here.
Her self confidence serves her well in our next
track, “Chilled to The Bone.” Her relationship is
ending and Sena’s smart enough to see the writing on
the wall. “Deep in my heart…I feel we’re
drifting…it’s been there from the start…but we
weren’t listening…we’re falling apart…it’s breaking
my heart…we’re fading…now this house…just ain’t a
home…how can a heart be chilled to the bone?” As
painful as it is, it’s time to move on and Sena will
be just fine.
“Too Late to Ask” is
up next, and this is my favorite tune on the disc as
Sena’s duet with Cole Allen takes us through the
pain of a relationship that may or not be
salvageable. “You were right…I was wrong…I shouldn’t
haven’t always been gone…demons kept me on my
knees…I’m sorry what you went through….I shouldn’t
have put that on you…I wish I had just one more
chance…but it’s too late to ask.” Their pain is real
and I’m left with the hope that they will work it
out and stay together. I appreciate the change of
pace that “Everybody Is You” brings with it as Sena
comments on the town gossip around her. “They say I
lost my way…everybody don’t love me anymore…you tell
me everybody…don’t like the company I’ve been
keeping…if everybody’s so damn worried…how come my
phone ain’t been ringing?” They’ve all taken sides
and the result is “it seems to me…everybody is you.”
Sena’s over it and she’ll be just fine.
The classic Albert
Collins tune, “If Trouble was Money,” is one of
Sena’s favorite tunes and she chooses to share it
with us here. “If trouble was money, babe…you know
I’d be a millionaire…I could buy the whole damn
world…and you know…I’d still have money to spare.”
Sassy and sultry, I’m sure if Sena had the money,
she’d spend it wisely. We move on to another tune
that Sena wrote, “Did You Ever Love Me at All?” The
band kicks it into high gear and I’m surprised by
the ferocity of this tune. “But in the middle of the
night…when you don’t feel quite right…I hear a voice
say…can you hear it…did you ever love me at all?”
We’re not sure but it’s clear that Sena’s telling
him to make up his damn mind.
Sena and the band
bring the record to an end with another ballad that
she wrote, “Come Closer.” “You were a handsome
soul…just standing proud and tall…I was a shy young
thing…standing against the wall…made me feel more
beautiful…than I thought I could be…that’s when you
whispered to me…come closer baby, you don’t have to
speak…” I have a hard time imagining Sena as a shy,
young thing but her imagery is effective as she
tells us the tale of the man she fell in love with
and the life they built together.
Live My Life
is probably the perfect statement for Sena Ehrhardt
to make at this time in her career. Her new disc
features a number of original tunes written by
herself and guitarist, Cole Allen that reflect a
commitment to having her voice distinctly heard in
her creative process. The result is an excellent
disc that puts her squarely in the middle of the
conversation with fellow contemporaries Danielle
Nicole Schnebelen, Samantha Fish, Dana Fuchs and
others as new female forces to be reckoned with in
the Blues. With a growing international touring
schedule and a tight band with which to hit the
road, Sena’s future is bright indeed.
---
Kyle Deibler
I like it when a
record surprises me, and such is the case with
Hey Hey, the new disc from Markey Blue. I
haven’t heard a good Memphis style, horn-driven disc
in awhile and bandleaders Jeanette Markey and Ric
Lantana have crafted a good one. Let’s give it a
spin.
We open with “When
Love Comes Along (Hey Hey)," and the horns jump in
at the downbeat and away we go. We don’t always know
when someone enters our journey to share their love
with us. But when they do, let them in, and as
Markey sings, “It’s going to hit you when love comes
along, hey hey.” Ric’s fretwork is deadly and the
horns bring a passion to the mix that is highly
satisfying. Ric’s guitar provides the intro for our
next tune, “I Can’t Let You Go” and Markey’s
lamenting the loss of a love in her life. “You told
me…heart to heart…soul to soul…my lips on yours
would never grow cold…but you’re gone…and I’m all
alone…but I can’t…can’t let you go.” Sadly for
Markey he moved on and the pain of her loss is very
real.
The next cut,
“Something’s Wrong,” finds Markey realizing that all
is not right in her world. “Something’s going
on….oh, something’s wrong with my man…I thought I
had a good man…I thought I had a man I could
trust…oh, baby…there ain’t going to be no more us.”
He evidently has a wandering eye and Markey will
have none of it. Our theme of sadness finds Markey
alone again and reflecting on it in “Feeling Blue.”
“Lying here by myself…tears falling down like
rain…whiskey bottle…it ain’t helping me feel no
pain…same old sad song…rolling me back over
you…feels like stormy weather…and I can’t help this
feeling…there ain’t no one else to blame…I just
can’t help…feeling blue.” He’s gone and Markey to
her benefit is realizing her culpability in the end
of her relationship with this man and the resultant
void in her life.
We move on to
“Flames” and find Markey’s sending out mixed
messages to the man interested in her. “The flames
go higher…and higher…filling me with desire…spinning
me….round and around.” Markey’s finding herself lost
in the whirlwind of this love and definitely not in
control of the emotions it’s inspiring. A light
touch on the snare and finger snaps lead us into the
next tune, “Play Me,” and the horns are back.
Markey’s love has a house of his own and she’s
definitely wanting him back in hers, “you don’t
really love me…ooh, you don’t feel the same…touch me
honey…the way you did back then…tell me all your
pretty lies…and do it once again…play me one more
time.”
“Another Lover” finds
Markey realizing the man in her life was never
serious and the time for a change is at hand.
“Before you say another word…boy, I’m telling you
goodbye…your good thing’s gone now, baby…go watch me
fly…going to find me…another lover.” It’s not always
easy being the strong one in a relationship and
Markey appreciates the fact that she’s the source of
support in “With You.” “Oh, I’ll be there, honey…I’m
going to see you through.” He’s lucky to have the
support and love of a good woman to lean on and
hopefully appreciates Markey for the love she’s
giving him. Our next cut, “Voodoo Do,” definitely
has that deep woods mysticism to it. “Why are you
haunting me baby…what do your voodoo…do?” Markey’s
in love with a mystery man and its possible that all
is not what it seems to be.
Another haunting
melody provides the intro for our next tune, “Ain’t
No Angel,” and Markey’s not pretending to be
anything other than what she is. “You bring me
roses…you bring me wine…but what I want…you just
can’t find…take me as I am…I ain’t no angel.”
Markey’s bad side is coming out and either he’ll be
able to handle it or he won’t. “By My Side” leads to
a return of Markey’s gentler side. “Nobody says…it
was easy…if I say…goodbye…now I’m asking…Lord, all I
asking, baby…is that you’ll be…by my side.” She’s
going through a rough patch but Markey loves her man
and hopefully he’ll answer her plea to stay by her
side. Ric’s guitar solo lends just the right amount
of hopefulness to Markey’s voice and the horns are
just amazing.
The group closes out
what has been an excellent record with another song
of sadness in “Baby, I’m Cryin’.” I’m not sure why
he chose to leave but it’s painfully obvious that
Markey wanted him to stay. “Baby, I’m crying…baby,
I’m crying….again.” Her pain is real and the
gloominess of a rainy day isn’t helping Markey feel
any better about the pain she’s experiencing.
There’s a "who’s who"
of Nashville area players who lent their talents to
Hey Hey by Markey Blue and that speaks to the
city’s appreciation of their talents. Thanks for
bring back that old school Memphis Stax and
Hi-Records sound. Kudos to Jeanette and Rick for
their musical vision for this disc and the talented
songwriting and arranging that it showcases. I’m
looking forward to hearing more great music from
this band for a long time to come. Their website is
www.markeyblue.com and grab this disc, it’s
definitely a treat.
---
Kyle Deibler
Some collaborations
are no-brainers, and such is the case with Mud
Morganfield and Kim Wilson, Severn Records
artists hot off the recent releases of Son of the
7th Son for Mud and On the Verge for Kim
and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. The Severn home
office was inundated with numerous folks suggesting
the pairing of Mud and Kim for a new record. After
very limited discussion Severn honcho David Earl
broached the subject, and the result is For Pops
/ A Tribute to Muddy Waters.
Surrounded by a
stellar supporting cast of Steve Gomes, Robb Stupka,
Billy Flynn, Barrelhouse Chuck and Rusty Zinn, Mud
and Kim gathered with everyone at the Severn Studios
in Maryland and proceeded to record this disc in a
“house party” environment of invited guests and
fans. By choosing to support selected tunes as well
as Muddy’s music, Mud and Kim were able to produce a
disc that sounds fresh while strongly supporting the
spirit of the Legendary Muddy Waters. Let’s get to
it.
Kim’s harp leads the
way and the band tackles one of Muddy’s shuffles,
“Gone to Main Street.” As Mud sings, “I’m going to
take you downtown…and put shoes on your feet…you
know…I love you girl…tell everyone one you meet.”
His love for the girl is obvious and we’re off and
running. “Just to Be With You” is a Bernard Roth
tune and again, Kim’s harp leads us into it. “I will
wrestle down the devil…just to kiss your sweet lips,
baby…you know you’re my desire…there ain’t nothing I
wouldn’t do…just to be with you.” Mud definitely has
a bit of his father’s silver tongue and he sings
this tune of endearment with great passion.
Tempo picks up and
the band tackles a Willie Dixon tune, “I Don’t Know
Why.” “Come here, baby…come here and tell me why…why
I get so excited…when you pass me by…well, I don’t
know why…other men don’t approve.” Barrelhouse Chuck
is attacking the keys and I’m thinking Mud’s fine to
lust after this woman whether the rest of us approve
or not. Muddy’s classic, “I Want You to Love Me,” is
up next and Mud is clear in terms of what he wants.
“I want you to love me…baby, until I drop dead…in
front of you.” Kim continues to blow a mean harp and
I can hear the passion in the notes he’s playing to
support Mud’s desires.
Mud moves on to
another of his Dad’s tunes, “Still a Fool,” and the
band is in fine form behind him. I don’t have the
benefit of knowing who is playing lead guitar on
this tune, but the playing is emotive and haunting
in the way it supports Mud’s vocals. “I’ve been
crazy…I’ve been a fool…well, now…I fell in love with
her…with another man wife.” This can’t be good but I
get the feeling Mud is committed to his choice as he
adds, “Oh well”. I’m not familiar with “My Dog Can’t
Bark” as a song choice, but the band kicks it into
high gear and I’m enjoying the vibe. “They talk
about my dog…they talk about me cat…say my dog can’t
bark and my cat can’t scratch.” As Mud sings, “I
done got tired…I’m going to say some too.”
The band then tackles
a James Oden tune, “She’s Got It,” and Mud leaves no
doubt that the woman in his life definitely has “got
it.” “She’s got a real soul voice…with a mellow
tone…whatever she’s got…I can’t leave it alone…she’s
got it.” Mud’s a happy man and hopefully he’ll be
able to hang onto her and avoid what would surely be
a major heartache. Kim’s harp and Robb’s backbeat
lead us into another Willie Dixon tune, “I Love the
Life I Live, I Love the Life I Live.” I can’t add
much here other than Mud and the band nail it and
you can tell this project is a labor of love. What
sounds to me like Rusty Zinn’s guitar leads us into
another of Muddy’s songs, “Blow Wind Blow.” “Well,
when I rose this morning…I didn’t have my baby by my
side…well, I didn’t know where she was…she was out
with another guy.” “Blow wind…blow my baby back to
me…well, you know if I don’t find her…my heart going
to be in misery.” I think I’d accept the heartache
and move on from here myself.
Muddy’s classic,
“Nineteen Years Old,” is up next and Mud hits it
head on, and I love this version of his Dad’s tune.
Mud and the band tackle “I Want to Be Loved,” a
Willie Dixon tune next and the sequencing of these
tunes together is an interesting decision that I
appreciate. “Don’t care how long you’re gone…don’t
care how long you stay…but someday, baby…you ain’t
going to trouble me…anymore.” We go from loving a
beautiful 19-year-old to needing to be loved to
deciding we don’t need her anymore with the
inclusion of “Trouble No More” on the disc. There
definitely were some astute song choices made for
this record and I appreciate that.
The band closes with
Barrelhouse Chuck’s beautiful piano intro to
Willie’s classic “I Just Want to Make Love to You”
before Mud asserting “She Moves Me” with a classic
rendition of another of his father’s tunes. “She got
a pocket full of money…the little girl…going to try
to help me lose…she moves me man…honey…and I don’t
see how come…she’s got a pocket full of money…the
little girl…don’t try to help me none.”
For Pops / A
Tribute to Muddy Waters is an excellent disc
with flawless performances throughout from Mud, Kim
and the band. Kudos to David Earl of Severn Records
for green lighting this project and the love they
put into it. I’m sure this is a disc that will be
considered for a number of awards when such
nominations come out and it’s my understanding that
Mud, Kim and the band will be touring behind it in
2015. Sounds like a great show to me and one
definitely not to be missed.
---
Kyle Deibler
Recently, JSP Records
issued live DVD sets from several of their former
artists. One of the first releases, Born To Sang
The Blues, features a 1997 performance from
Baton Rouge blues man Larry Garner in Oxford,
England at the Fuggle and Firkin. Garner spends
several weeks a year touring in Europe and has built
a considerable following across the pond over the
past twenty-plus years, based in part on his
frequent live appearances and the success of his two
JSP releases from the mid ’90s, Double Dues
and Too Blues.
This live date finds
Garner working through an hour-long set of some of
his most popular tunes at the time, backed by a
sympathetic band and fronted by an enthusiastic and
receptive audience. Garner’s performance is spot-on,
whether it’s his singing and guitar playing, or his
easy rapport with the crowd with his casual
conversations and interesting and witty anecdotes.
The set, part of a
project called Blues Archive from BBC documentary
cameraman Paul Reed, University of Oxford
sociologist Amanda Palmer, and TV sound recordist
Bob Webber, consists of eight songs, all of which
will be familiar to fans of Garner’s ’90s releases
---.”Jook Joint Woman,” “The Road Of Life,”
“Preacher Man,” “Had To Quit Drinking.” He also does
variations on a couple of classic blues tunes with
Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Evening Everybody” and
the old standard “That’s All Right.” He intersperses
stories and remarks throughout the songs to the
enjoyment of the crowd. Garner also provides a
running commentary between songs during the
performance.
Among the extras on
the DVD is a 25-minute interview with Garner
discussing his life and his musical development and
influences. There are also a few bonus tracks
included and a sound check.
All in all, Born
To Sang The Blues gives blues fans a vivid
picture of Larry Garner’s music and his personality.
Excellently filmed and recorded, it’s the next best
thing to actually being at a Larry Garner
performance.
---
Graham Clarke
Etta Britt got
her start in the late '70s as part of the country
music trio Dave & Sugar. From there, she became an
in-demand vocalist on sessions for Marty Stewart,
Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell, and others. After
marrying noted guitarist Bob Britt, she basically
gave up the music business to raise her family and
working to pay the bills, only occasionally
performing. In 2010 she signed a record deal and
released the appropriately titled Out of the
Shadows, which won critical acclaim and led to
multiple TV and radio appearances, along with tour
dates with Delbert McClinton and Paul Thorn and
touring on her own.
For Britt’s second
release, Etta Does Delbert, she pays tribute
to one of her musical mentors, Delbert McClinton,
whose music she fell in love with while touring with
Dave & Sugar in the early ’80s. McClinton’s music
has always been a part of her repertoire, dating
back to her solo days in the late ’80s, so on paper,
this would appear to be a dream project, both for
Britt and for fans of Delbert McClinton.
For this set, Britt
chose ten tracks written by or performed by
McClinton, plus one of her own compositions that she
co-wrote with former McClinton band leader and
longtime musical associate, Kevin McKendree.
McClinton fans will be familiar with most of these
tracks, but Britt does a fine job on all of them,
shining on tracks like “Old Weakness (Comin’ On
Strong),” “Every Time I Roll The Dice,” “I’m With
You,” “New York City,” and “The Jealous Kind.”
McClinton even joins in on the fun for a couple of
tracks, singing harmony vocals on “Best of Me,” and
sharing lead vocals with Ms. Britt on “Boy, You
Better Move On.”
Bob Britt produced
the disc and plays guitar, joined by several former
and current members of McClinton’s band (McKendree –
keys, Steve Mackey – bass, Lynn Williams – drums),
Dana Robbins on saxophone, and the McCrary Sisters,
Scat Springs, and George Pendergrass on background
vocals. However, this is Etta Britt’s show, and even
though her background is in country music she is
first and foremost an R&B singer, no question about
it. These songs are tailor-made for her vocal style
and she does a spectacular job. Hopefully, she and
McClinton will bless us with a complete album one of
these days.
---
Graham Clarke
EG Kight has
been away from the music scene for a bit. The
Georgia singer has been battling a couple of
life-threatening illnesses for a couple of years,
but thankfully, she is back to peak form with her
latest release, A New Day (Blue South
Talent). She wrote or co-wrote all ten of the
tracks, which mix the country-flavored blues ballads
she’s noted for with gospel and soul.
The autobiographical
opening track, “Holdin’ On,” recounts her recent
health struggles, and the upbeat gospel track,
“Don’t Give Up,” provides inspiration through tough
times. The rest of the disc is pure EG Kight, with
tracks like “Comin’ Down with the Blues,” a
sensational slow blues, the lovely ballad “Can’t
Catch the Wind,” and the breathless rocker, “Let’s
Get Down.”
Other highlights
include “Graveyard Dead Blues,” co-written with Tom
Horner and Lisa Biales, “Bad Times,” a sensational
duet with Greg Nagy that Kight co-wrote with Horner
and the late Ann Rabson, the sassy “Low Mileage
Woman,” and the country blues closer, “Time To Move
On.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
wrote, “That which does not kill us makes us
stronger.” EG Kight is living proof of that concept.
A New Day shows her to be renewed and
revitalized both physically and musically, and it’s
definitely her best release to date.
---
Graham Clarke
Missy Andersen’s
eponymous debut release from 2009 was an excellent
mix of blues and soul. This fine album showcased her
powerful, tough, but tender vocal style, influenced
as much by jazz singers like Dinah Washington and
Sarah Vaughn as it from soul and blues belters like
O.V. Wright, Irma Thomas, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Ann
Peebles, Ray Charles, and James Carr.
Andersen’s
superlative follow-up, In The Moment (Main
Squeeze Records), boasts an equally big sound with
Andersen tearing through 11 diverse blues and soul
tunes, ranging from the stylish swing of the opening
track, “Rent Party,” to the deep southern soul of
“More Than Enough” and “Same Things Make You Laugh
Will Make You Cry,” to blues tracks like “Night
Stalker,” “Whole Lotta Nuthin’,” “Better or Worse”
(with guests James Harman and Nathan James), and the
exquisite slow burner, “Ladies Shoes.”
Andersen shows that
her range goes beyond blues and jazz with tracks
like “No Regrets,” which has a jazzy swing and
offers sage advice about moving on, and the
inspirational “Reach Out,” which teams guitarist
James with Andersen’s husband, guitarist/band leader
Heine Andersen, with dazzling results. The funky
“Hey Now” is another standout simmering exuberance,
but the closer, a splendid version of Snooks
Eaglin’s “I’ve Been Walkin’,” really takes the cake,
building from a sparse opening to a breathless
gospel-flavored conclusion with some nice musical
fireworks from guitarist Andersen and keyboardist
Sue Palmer.
Additional musicians
include Marty Dodson (drums), Bill Stuve (bass), Ben
Moore (Hammond B3), Michael McKinnon (bass),
Christopher Hoffee (percussion), a sweet horn
section (Robbie Smith – trumpet, Gerard Nolan –
tenor sax, Bob Mathes – baritone sax), and backing
vocals from Andersen, Sonja Mack, and Karen Trapane.
In The Moment
is an outstanding follow-up to Missy Andersen’s
debut release, a fine showcase for her considerable
vocal talents.
---
Graham Clarke
For the Canadian band
MonkeyJunk (Steve Marriner – harp, baritone
guitar, vocals, organ, Matt Sobb – drums,
percussion, Tony D – lead guitar, vocals), their hot
streak began in 2009, with the release of their
debut, Tiger In Your Tank, which earned the
band the 2010 BMA for Best Artist Debut, the
Canadian Indie Award for Blues Album of the Year,
and multiple Maple Blues Awards (the Canadian
version of the BMA’s). Intiallly released on the
band’s own Beefy label, Tiger In Your Tank
has now been remastered and reissued on MonkeyJunk’s
current label, Stony Plain Records.
The title track,
penned by Willie Dixon, kicks off the disc, but with
a funky, swampy vibe that will get your toe tapping
and your head bobbing (don’t miss the Son House
cameo at the beginning of the track, stating the
line that gave the band their name). There are three
other covers…..a soul-drenched take on Magic Sam’s
“Give Me Time,” with a great vocal turn from
Marriner, a rocked-up reading of Otis Rush’s “If You
Were Mine,” and Leon Russell’s “Boogie Man,”
transformed into a grungy Hill Country styled
boogie, courtesy of some fierce fretwork from Tony
D.
The originals from
the band are equally strong. “Small Town Evil” has a
southern rock feel with some splendid slide guitar
from Tony D, and “Push Comes To Shove” really turns
up the funk with some nice work from Marriner on the
keys. “Pay The Cost” is a wonderful traditional slow
blues, and “Leave The Rest To You” is reminiscent of
“Dixie Chicken”-era Little Feat with its funky
backdrop. “Blues For Anna” is a rough and ragged
Delta blues-styled track with vocals from Tony D.
There are also two
cool instrumentals, “Beefy,” with some nice slide
work from Tony D and harp from Marriner, and
“Gutsy,” a jazzy R&B tune. In addition, the band
recorded two new tracks, the rocker “Lucky One,” and
the atmospheric “Pueblo.”
It’s great to have
this release available to a wider audience.
MonkeyJunk has built an impressive following over
the past few years and Tiger In Your Tank
proves that the band was a force to be reckoned with
from the very beginning.
---
Graham Clarke
Since JP Soars
won the 2009 IBC (and the prestigious Albert King
Award), the young guitarist has stayed busy with
touring, releasing a pair of CDs (one studio, one
live), and teaming up with Tampa-based
singer/guitarist Damon Fowler and Memphis
keyboardist Victor Wainwright to form Southern
Hospitality, whose 2013 Blind Pig debut release won
acclaim (Blues Blast Music Award for Best New Artist
Debut Release). He also found time to sit in with
Jimmy Thackery on the former Nighthawks guitarist’s
live 2012 release.
Soars recently
released his third studio CD, Full Moon Night in
Memphis (Soars High Productions), with his band
the Red Hots. The guitarist’s musical influences
range from blues to jazz to metal, and you get a
little taste of all of them on the 14 tracks
presented here. The blues is front and center on
cuts like the rowdy title track, which opens the
disc, the T-Bone-esque “Makes No Sense,” the Texas
swinger “Savin’ All My Lovin’,” and “Way Back Home,”
which features Soars on cigar box guitar.
On Soars’ remake of
T-Bone Walker’s “Mean Old World,” he transforms the
song into a Latin-flavored slow burner with some
Link Wray-styled reverb. “Reefer Man,” the old Cab
Calloway tune, really jumps with some great guitar
work from Soars and nice work from the horn section,
and the funky “Back To Broke” and “The Back Room”
veer more toward R&B with satisfying results.
“Viper” leans toward Django Reinhardt with gypsy
guitar and a clarinet solo.
Soars revisits the
Latin rhythms with “Lil’ Mamacita,” dabbles in
country with “The Road Has Got Me Down” (with vocals
from Teresa James), and on the rock side of things,
there’s the powerful “Somethin’ Ain’t Right,” and
the rocking closer, “Missin’ Your Kissin.’” All in
all, Full Moon Night in Memphis gives listeners the
opportunity to see just how talented JP Soars really
is…..not just as a guitarist, but also as a singer
and songwriter. This is a solid release from
beginning to end.
---
Graham Clarke
You might be
wondering about what’s taken Big Harp George
so long, at 59 years of age, to release his debut
recording, Chromatism (Blue Mountain
Records). Well, he has a day job of sorts. Big Harp
George (a.k.a. George Bisharat) works as a Professor
of Law at the University of California’s Hastings
College of Law in San Francisco. He also writes
commentary on the Middle East for various
publications (New York Times, Wall Street Journal,
etc..).
When he’s not
dabbling in law and politics, however, Big Harp
George can blow a mean harmonica in the tradition of
chromatic harmonica legends like Big George Smith,
William Clarke, and Paul DeLay. Bisharat has been
playing since his teens, joining up with guitarist
Otis Grand and drummer Raja Kawar to form the Bliss
Street Blues Band while the trio attended American
University in Beirut. Kawar joins him on his debut,
along with guitarist Little Charlie Baty, Rusty Zinn,
and Kid Andersen, who plays bass on all tracks,
vibist Kent Bryson, keyboardist Chris Burns, and
saxophonist Michael Peloquin.
In addition to being
a monster on harmonica, Bisharat is also a strong
vocalist and penned several songs on Chromatism.
“Left So Soon” is a heartfelt tribute to DeLay that
surely would have made him smile, and “Cellphone
Hater” is a timely tune about the continuing loss of
privacy brought on by advancing technology. The
swinging “Strolling Down Bliss Street” recalls
Bisharat’s college days. “Cocktail Hour” is a smooth
jazz instrumental, and the Chicago-styled “Hey Jelah.”
touts the merits of being an empty-nester.
One of the first
songs Bisharat heard when he discovered the blues
was Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Crazy About You Baby,”
and he reprises it here (the only track where he
plays diatomic harmonica). Other covers include a
pair of T-Bone Walker tunes (“My Baby is Now on My
Mind” and “Hard Way”), John Green’s tender ballad
“Someday,” Jesse Stone’s “Smack Dab in the Middle,
and Gene Krupa’s “Drum Boogie” give the band the
spotlight to close things out.
Chromatism is
an excellent, well-rounded set of blues and jazz
tunes from Big Harp George. It’s a shame it’s taken
him this long to record, but hopefully we will be
hearing from him again in the near future.
---
Graham Clarke
Here’s a feel-good
story if there ever was one…..a 12-year-old guitar
wunderkind visits a juke-joint with his dad and
meets a pair of South Central L.A. bluesmen, one
nearly 70 years old and the other pushing 80, and
Generation Blues Experience was born. Now 14,
guitarist/singer Ray Goren, 80-year-old
guitarist/singer Jamie “Bluesboy” Powell, and
70-year-old harmonica player/singer Sammy Lee have
already released two discs, one studio and one live.
Their latest release,
Private Angel, features eight songs, seven
originals written by the band, who share vocal
duties pretty evenly as well. Lee handles vocals on
the opening cut, the boisterous “Little Mama,” the
slow burner “Sugar Momma,” and “Katrina” a Crescent
City shuffle lamenting the notorious storm and its
effects. Powell and bass player Lester Lands each
take one vocal, Powell handling the country blues
track, “Crazy,” and Lands testifying on the
inspirational “Put Love On Your Guest List.”
Guitar phenom Goren
dazzles on his six string, sounding like a young B.B.
King on the tremendous title track, on which he also
sings, but he’s not just imitating what he’s heard
on YouTube or his iPod by any means. He explores a
wide range of blues on these cuts, displaying a
staggering amount of range and ability for his age,
whether playing the straight blues or mixing in bits
of jazz and rock. Vocally, he brings a surprising
amount of maturity to his three songs (“Private
Angel,” the lovely R&B tune, “Rainin’,” and a live
version of the Bill Withers classic, “Ain’t No
Sunshine,” that ends the disc.
From listening to the
eight tracks on Private Angel, it certainly
seems like young Ray Goren has a definite vision of
what the blues are supposed to be. Fortunately, he
has joined up with a veteran set of musicians who
have the ability to help him get there. This is an
amazing release from a great young artist.
---
Graham Clarke
Jeff Dale is a
Chicago native who grew up listening to the Windy
City sounds of artists like Muddy Waters, Koko
Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor, and many others. He
learned to play the blues and started writing blues
songs when he was in his early teens, accompanying
artists such as Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton,
Honeyboy Edwards, and Etta James, and releasing a
couple of albums in the ’80s before fading from the
scene.
In 2009, he
resurfaced with a new band, The South Woodlawners,
and has released three albums since then. The
latest, Good Music (Pro Sho Bidness),
provides keen insight into Dale’s musical identity
and talents as a performer and a songwriter. He’s
able to capture the feel of the old style blues, but
with modern flourishes, especially on the title
track, and other tunes like “Town Line Road,” “Wagon
Wheel,” “The Devil I Know,” and “Cold Wind.”
Other tracks, still
focusing on the blues but with a twist here and
there are “Letter From The Birmingham Jail” (based
on the famous letter from Martin Luther King, Jr.),
“She Love Me,” one of the first blues songs about
sexting, the self-explanatory “Naked Woman In My
Bed,” and “My Brain Took The Whole Night Off,” a
track most of us can easily relate to. Also unique
are “Final Destination,” a great slow blues with
cello played by Dane Little, and “Murder,” a noir-ish
track featuring an oboe solo (courtesy of Marilyn
Schram).
Dale does an
excellent job on guitar and vocals, and his
songwriting is outstanding. He gets ample assistance
from the South Woodlawners conglomorate – drummers
Tim Austin and Mark Mack, bassists Andre Howard,
Andre “Big Perm” McCottrey, and Orlando Wright,
harmonica players Glen Doll, Jeff Stone, and Chef
Denis Depoitre, sax man Jim Jedeiken, keyboardist
Derek Phillips, and guitarist Charlie Love.
Good Music is
an appropriate title for Jeff Dale and the South
Woodlawners’ latest release. Loaded with inspired
musical performances and a wide-ranging set of
impressive original tunes, this set is recommended
to all discriminating blues fans.
---
Graham Clarke
San Francisco-based
singer/songwriter Kaye Bohler has been wowing
audiences for over 25 years with her performances,
earning the nickname “The White Tina Turner” for her
intense and compelling live shows. Her amazing voice
is as at home belting the blues as it is on
heartfelt deep soul music. Handle the Curves
is her latest release and Bohler takes us on a
marvelous journey through Memphis-based blues and
soul, backed by a fantastic band led by
Grammy-winning guitarist/producer Pete Anderson with
horn arrangements from Tonight Show trumpeter Lee
Thornburg.
The horns (Thornburg
– trumpet and trombone, and Ron Dzibula –
saxophone), accompanied by Anderson’s always spot-on
guitar work and Michael Murphy’s keyboards give the
ten tracks, all penned by Bohler, a decidedly retro
feel. Bohler’s vocals are big, bold, and sassy, and
her songs capture the mood and spirit of the earlier
era. Some of the tracks seem autobiographical
(“Bubble Gum,” “The Way I Do Business,” “Slayed”),
while others deal with determination and inspiration
(“Backbone,” “Family Is Found,” “Don’t Take My Hope
Away”). Others tracks are just plain fun, like
“Diggin’ on My Man,” “Party Time,” “It’s The Blues,”
and the salacious title track.
Anderson produced the
disc, duplicating as closely as possible the
recording and production practices done in the Stax/Volt
Records era. He also doubles on bass, with further
assistance from Kelly Back on guitar and drummers
Jeff Sorenson and John Paul. For fans of old school
blues and soul, Handle the Curves and Kaye
Bohler are pretty hard to beat.
---
Graham Clarke
Latenighters Under
A Full Moon (Roller Records), from the Norwegian
band Berdon Kirksaether & The Twang Bar Kings,
is a concept album which tells a story about a group
of friends’ adventures during a Saturday night out
on the town. Consisting of 11 instrumental tracks,
it serves as a soundtrack of sorts accompanying
their exploits. Guitarist Kirksaether is a veteran
of the Norwegian blues scene and was part of the
band CIA. For this release, he’s joined by two of
his former CIA mates, drummer Olaf Olson and bassist
Stein Tumert.
The tracks have a
pretty jazz-oriented backdrop, with songs like “Go
Cat Go,” thanks in part to Kirksaether’s fretwork,
which though blues-based also shows influences of
jazz and rock. Songs like “Conrad’s Bar Bounty” and
“Cool Cats On The Move” and “Jumping The Night Away”
keep the blues alive on this set, while “Midnight
Haze” and the title track lean more toward
blues-rock. “Rendezvous” is a real keeper, too, with
its Latin backdrop.
On several tracks,
the trio is augmented by Øyvind Sørby on saxophone,
Finn Tore Tokle on bass and Leo Volskiy, who lays
down some nice Memphis-style keyboards on a few
tracks. This is a really cool set of blues
instrumentals that cover a lot of ground from blues
to jazz to R&B to rock and is definitely worth a
spin.
---
Graham Clarke
If you listened to
the self-titled debut recording from Lighthouse
with no prior knowledge of the band and without
consulting the liner notes, you would almost swear
that you were listening to a great new Americana
band, probably from the heartland of America.
However, Lighthouse is actually a collaboration
between Mats and Linda Brandemark, two of Sweden’s
finest roots artists.
Lighthouse
offers 11 outstanding tracks that mix pop, rock, and
Americana seamlessly. Among the standouts are
“Passing Me By,” which benefits greatly the shared
lead vocals of the Brandemarks, and from Martin
Högvall’s lap steel guitar, the lovely “Darkness
(Hides Behind the Sun),” the “road” song “No
U-Turn,” and the melancholy “Queen of Hearts.”
The Brandemarks are
both excellent vocalists and sound great together.
Musicians include Johan von Feilitzen (electric
guitar, keyboards, drums, backing vocals), Rolf
Viberg (bass), Marc Gransten (bass), Dirk Reidstra
(tenor sax), Gunnar Hofverberg (mandolin), Magnus
Larsson (lap steel), Pelle Henricsson (drums), Peter
Lindberg (pedal steel), and Thomas Ohlsson (drums).
They really capture the essence of this style of
music.
Lighthouse is
as good an album of roots and Americana music as
I’ve heard this year. Even though the performers
live thousands of miles away, they have a firmer
grasp of the genre as many of the artists from the
country of its origin.
---
Graham Clarke
Achilles
Tenderloin is Joe Augustin, a folk-blues
singer/songwriter/guitarist from Indiana. His music
is influenced by pre-war blues artists like Skip
James, Son House, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie
McTell, and Tommy Johnson, but it also reflects jazz
sensibilities, especially vocally, best illustrated
by vocalists like Billie Holliday and Nina Simone.
His own lyrics are highly personal and sometimes
emotionally charged.
For his latest CD,
Stronger Than Wine, Augustin offers six original
songs, along with four diverse covers. “Cold Morning
Blues” invokes Skip James with its gentle guitar
work and Augustin’s forlorn vocal. “Let The Good
Times Roll” is a bit more upbeat, and is
complemented by Aaron Nell’s muted trumpet, which
also makes an appearance on “Daisy May.”
Nell also adds fiddle
on a pair of original tunes, the John Henry tale,
“Steel Hammer Blues,” and “Doppler Blues,” and a
couple of the cover tunes, which include an intense
remake of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Can’t Keep From
Cryin’,” Leadbelly’s “In The Pines,” Tommy Johnson’s
“Cool Drink of Water,” and an off-the-charts redo of
the Toadies’ “I Come From The Water.”
It’s interesting to
hear these classic pre-war tunes revamped and
revitalized in this manner. Augustin’s vocals and
the various instrumental flourishes make you look at
them in a different way. These interpretations, plus
the compelling original songs make Stronger Than
Wine a fascinating and innovative interpretation
of the blues. File this one under “Brave New Blues.”
To check out Achilles Tenderloin’s music, visit
their website at
http://www.Bandcamp.com,
---
Graham Clarke
Christy Rossiter &
112 North Duck have already released a fine
studio album this year, but they are striking while
the iron is still hot, issuing a scorching live set
recorded last December at a fundraiser for a
Christmas toy drive sponsored by the Blues Society
of Omaha. Live at the Toy Drive (Applecopter)
features Rossiter and band (Michael Beebe – guitar,
Billy Talacko – guitar, sax, David Beasley – bass,
and J. E. Van Horne - drums) working through a
48-minute set of 12 songs, split between covers and
originals.
The band takes one
song from their debut album, Flat River Blues
(“Natural Disaster”), a pair from Gone Fishin’
(“The Louisiana Way” and “Baby I’m Gone”) and four
from their latest release, Stand Up & Raise Some
Hell (“Smart Phone Junkies,” “Take A Walk With
Me,” “Shades of Gray,” and “The Westboro Blues”).
Rossiter is in great voice and the band provides
rock solid support on these originals.
The five covers are
well-chosen and should have been familiar to the
fans in attendance, though the band doesn’t do
routine versions of any of the songs. They include
Sleepy John Estes’ “Leavin’ Trunk,” Freddie King’s
“Hideaway” (played here at a tempo closer to the
Magic Sam version, “Do the Camel Walk”), Rosco
Gordon’s “Just A Little Bit,” Joe Medwick’s “Further
On Up The Road,” and Willie Dixon’s “Don’t Go No
Further.”
The set was recorded
in a large ballroom with a digital recorder set by
the soundboard. The process really captures the
feeling of a live performance. You can hear the
crowd reacting enthusiastically to several of the
performances. If you liked Christy Rossiter & 112
North Duck’s previous releases, or you’re a fan of
high-energy modern blues and soul, you will find a
lot to enjoy here.
The CD can be
purchased at the band’s
website. The proceeds from CD sales will go to
the Toy Drive for Pine Ridge, a reservation in South
Dakota, and supplies toys for kids, supplies at one
of the schools, and propane for some of the elders
on the reservation. At this year’s fundraiser, the
band will be appearing with Too Slim and the
Taildraggers.
---
Graham Clarke
There are those who will suggest – your
correspondent among them – that the album by which
all live albums will forever be judged is the Allman
Brothers Band Live at the Fillmore. The monumental
collection All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs
& Voice of Gregg Allman (Rounder) – two CDs and a beautifully shot DVD in a
gorgeous package – isn't that album's equal, but it
sure gives it a run for its money.
Recorded live at
the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on January 10, 2014, an
impressive line-up gathered to pay tribute to to
Gregg Allman with more than a passing nod to the
template Fillmore set. Most songs that are
associated with the brothers and their amazing
cohorts are here. The newest version of the band,
most notably Warren Haynes and Butch Trucks, check
in with killer versions of "Come and Go Blues" and" End
of the Day" to launch the program. It's non-stop
energy, both on the stage and in the audience from
that point forward.
Trucks and his partner Susan Tedeschi do a righteous cover of
"Stand Back." Gregg's
son Devon joins Jimmy Hall and Robert Randolph on
"You Can't Lose What You Never Had," replete with
signature slide work. Taj Mahal joins Gregg on
"Statesboro Blues." John Hiatt does a fine version of
"One Way Out" and Eric Church, a new name to me, gives
a convincing rendition of "Ain't Wastin' Time No
More."
In the tradition of the Allman Brothers Band
there are classic extended jams. In the tradition of
Gregg Allman the songwriter, there are poignant
moments as well. Of the standout moments is a duet
with Jackson Browne and Gregg Allman on Browne's
"These Days," a radio hit in its time for both
artists. This is followed by the two singing Gregg's
"Melissa."
The set closes, as you might expect, with a
burst of energy, sort of like the grand finale of a
fireworks show. The full Allman Brothers Band
assembles for "Dreams" and "Whipping Post," leaving the
listeners exhausted and screaming for more.
This is
one of the standout CDs of the year. Allman Brothers
fans need this one.
---
Mark E. Gallo
The baseball players who impress me the most are the
players who smile and laugh a lot because they're
havin so much fun playing a game. Same with
musicians. Mick Kolassa is a man who is clearly
having fun on his CD, Michissippi Mick (Swingsuit). On the opener,
"New Beale Street Blues,"
co-credited to Kolassa and WC Handy, he sings “If
Beale Street could talk/married men would have to
pack their bags and walk.” This is a rollicking tune
by a band of fun-having players. Kolassa is just the
most boisterous kid on the playground.
A superb string player and vocalist, Kolassa also
writes the most joyful songs. "Blues Are All Around
You" (“they're everywhere you go/I was walking down
the street last night/blues came up behind me/had to
step in a whiskey store so I could drink them off my
mind”) features killer electric guitar courtesy Jeff
Jensen. His remake of "The Letter," the old Box Tops
tune, is gorgeously bluesy with sweet backing vocals
by Reba Russell and organ from Chris Stephenson,
giving it a taste of church in the mix.
The Cab Callway classic,
"The Reefer Man," has a tamborine and
drum propelled groove with guitar and bass work that
break into quick tempo honky tonk piano by Victor
Wainwright. A song made for robust hand clapping this
is tent revival blues. Johnny Mercer's standard, "Blues In The Night," has harp and trumpet via Brandon Santini and Dedrick Davis floating on a bed of
electric guitar and organ.
"WPD" is a tune that
tackles the “awful sight” of watching white people
dance. Mick's "Time Ain't On My Side" reminds of Elvin
Bishop or David Bromberg with its half sung, half
talked through story. “I just had another birthday, this thought came over me/suddenly I'm not
half the man I used to be/I used to stay out all
night long/I could party like a kid/don't even try
that anymore/its something that I used to did.”
In
addition to releasing superb music, Kolassa is to be
commended for giving 100% of the profits from
this disc to the Blues Foundation.
---
Mark E. Gallo
Powerhouse vocalist Laura Rain,
of Laura Rain and the Caesars, obviously logged some
hours listening to Janis Joplin. That's not to say
she sounds like Joplin. She doesn't. But, she comes
from that same place vocally that straddles rock and
soul and blues. She likely cut some teeth on Chaka
Khan coming up, too. But, beyond influences, this is
a woman on a self-fulfilling crusade, set to make
her own strong mark.
Her vocals and delivery
on Closer (LRC) are
riveting. On the opener, "Seasons," she hits emotional
nerves gorgeously backed by her guitar-playing
partner, George Friend with a killer horn “section”
of Johnny Evans (saxophones) and John Douglas
(trumpet), giving it a Muscle Shoals kind of groove.
Bassist/keyboardist Phil Hale and drummer Ron Pangborn, both with their own strong resumes,
complete the core quartet and are knock-out solid
throughout. "Squawkin'" is rhythm-driven with tasty
guitar and a slapping drum that punctuates. "All of
Me" is ultra soulful. "Your Love Is Not Broken (It's
Just Getting Stronger)" is medium tempo testimony
with gorgeous organ work by Duncan McMillan.
The
closing "My Heart is Open" is a gorgeous bookend to
the 11 cut gem. Soulful, rocking and blues,
sometimes all at once, are her calling card. A
soulful and funky affair, Closer is a superb album
top to bottom.
--- Mark E. Gallo
