The
latest disc from Chicago blues harp player Matthew Skoller,
Blues Immigrant (Tongue 'N Groove Records),
can best be described as "old school" Chicago blues.
Joining Skoller on this disc are a whole bunch of
fine accompanying musicians, notably Johnny Iguana
(keyboards), Giles Corey (guitar), Eddie Taylor Jr.
(guitar), Felton Crews (bass), and Marc Wilson
(drums).
Skoller adapts an old
Sonny Boy Williamson #1 tune, "Welfare Store Blues,"
moving into the 21st Century with a revised
composition, "Big Box Store Blues." He opens it with
a classic harmonica riff before going into the
vocals --- "...she wanted me to go down to the big
box store for a tank of gas and a bouquet of
flowers, I told her no, baby, I sure don't wanna
go...." Skoller later explains his reasoning for not
liking these big box stores, including having to
show a membership card at the door --- " ... Now
they come to Chicago, Illinois, shut down every mom
and pop store in town, you can have your tires
changed whilst you get your coffee ground ....,"
while also talking about how he knew the first names
of the small business owners he preferred to
support. A really creative update on an old Chicago
blues theme.
The mood gets more
primal on the next cut, the haunting "The Devil
Ain't Got No Music," in essence stating that the
Devil (politicians, businessmen and other evil icons
in our society, perhaps?) have everything else
except for music, which is why their home is Hell.
Wilson's polyrhythmic drumming helps this one stand
out along with a couple of stirring harmonica solos
from Skoller.
The title cut, "Blues
Immigrant," sounds like it's an autobiographical
number detailing when Skoller's grandparents first
arrived in Ellis Island in 1922, and then moving
through the multiple societal changes that he's
witnessed since he was born. A mid-tempo shuffle,
this one includes references to the Black Panthers,
Robert Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King,
Disco, New Age, and Nicaragua, all pointing back to
the fact that he needs a green card to play the
Blues. Thought provoking, especially in our current
political environment in which everyone seems to
hate everyone else.
"Only In The Blues"
tells the listener how tough it is to be playing the
Blues today. Once again I like the arrhythmic beat
being laid down by drummer Wilson, one of the unsung
stars of this band. If you're looking for a classic
slow blues sound, then be sure to check out "Tear
Collector," featuring solid guitar work from guest
Carlos Johnson. Skoller sings about the woman who
stole his tears --- "... I need someone to cry for
me tonight, little girl stole my tears, nothing's
gonna be alright ...."
The ethereal sound of
Brian Richie's shakuhachi, a Japanese end-blown
flute, blends well with Skoller's harmonica playing
on the very creative and mysterious "Story of
Greed." Iguana contributes good piano work here. Not
your standard blues sound, but it's very addictive.
One of the few covers
on Blues Immigrant is a fine version of
"747," a Haskell Sadler composition done in the
early 1990s by Joe Louis Walker. This rendition is a
much more traditional-sounding blues than Walker's
version, with Iguana's more basic-sounding piano and
Skoller's harmonica. Of course, you should remember
the standard repeating line of ".... she caught a
747, Greyhound runs too slow ...."
"Organ Mouth" is a
Memphis-style funky instrumental, with Iguana
summoning his inner Isaac Hayes on the organ and
Skoller coming in with harp solos first in the
higher end of the register and then later on in the
lower half. You won't be able to stop your feet from
tapping along to this one.
There's lots more
here, but I'll cut this review short and end with
the recommendation that every cut on Blues
Immigrant is a keeper, giving you time to seek
out your own copy. Take Skoller's advice and don't
go running to the big box store looking for it. They
probably won't have it anyway, but you may be able
to find it at your neighborhood record store where
the sales clerk may already know your name.
---
Bill Mitchell
Dig In Deep (Redwing Records),
the 17th studio album and 20th overall in
singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt's long and
illustrious career, was released back in February
2016. But for an album and an artist of this
magnitude it's not too late to get a review posted
on our site. On Dig In Deep, Raitt's voice
sounds as fresh and vibrant as ever as she makes her
way through a dozen songs, both originals and
covers.
"Unintended
Consequence Of Love" is a typical Bonnie Raitt
composition, with piano accompaniment deftly
provided by the wonderful Jon Cleary and Raitt's
signature slide guitar licks nicely framing this
call to get the excitement back in a relationship.
Just a great song starting off a great, great album.
This might be one of the best songs of the year in
any genre.
She segues nicely
into a cover of an INXS song, "Need You Tonight," of
course made bluesier by Raitt's guitar work. Here
she continues the theme of encouraging the man in
her life --- ".... So slide over here and give me a
moment, your moves are so raw, I've got to let you
know .... you're one of my kind ....." An
interesting addition to this song is Mike Finnigan's
clavinet and B-3 playing, making it kind of an
electronica blues thing.
Very few singers can
vocalize their feelings on lost love as well as
Raitt, and we hear her pain and anguish on "All
Alone And Something To Say," both in her vocals and
in the crying notes of her guitar --- " ... All the
nuggets of gold on my tongue, pearls of wisdom
coming in waves, how cruel is it that fate has to
find me, all alone with something to say ... "
Just when you think
you know where Raitt's going with this album, she
pulls a shocker by including a cover of the Los
Lobos standard "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes." Drummer
Ricky Fataar pushes the song along with an urgent,
steady beat and Raitt's snaky slide guitar keeps
pulling that beat to the end.
Another Raitt
original, "If You Need Somebody," has her offering
respite to a friend who is coming out of still
another bad relationship, telling him, " .... Never
could have guessed it, best friends since we were
kids, but now I lose it every time that you're near,
with every dead end, it's getting harder to pretend
when I know all you need is standin' right here ..."
The first single from
this album, "Gypsy In Me," was a well-deserved
selection, as Raitt sings about her wanderlust soul.
Here she never settles in one place or develops any
lasting relationships --- " .... Hello, goodbye,
honey, it's been good and I must be going, restless,
I guess, when I'm in one place for too long, I don't
know why but I'm like the wind and I just keep
blowing free, must be the gypsy in me...." Raitt's
slide guitar work here is just plain stunning.
Closing out this fine
album is a slow, sentimental number, "The Ones We
Couldn't Be," with Raitt sitting down at the piano
and accompanied only occasionally by Patrick
Warren's underlying layer of haunting keyboard
effects. Again, she laments about a lost
relationship, going through all of the reasons why
it didn't work out and admitting that it was
primarily her fault.
If you're already a
Bonnie Raitt fan, then it's likely you bought Dig
In Deep the day it was released. If not, get it
now. You won't regret it. It's also a good
introduction to her music for those late to the
Bonnie Raitt party.
---
Bill Mitchell
The Paul
DesLauriers Band took second place at the 2016
IBC, and after listening to their sophomore release,
Relentless (Big Toe Productions), it’s easy
to see how they achieved such a lofty position. The
album is appropriately titled. This dynamic trio (DesLauriers
– guitar/vocals/piano/theremin, Greg Morency – bass,
Sam Harrisson – drums/percussion) positively burns
through ten original tunes that they crafted from
the bottom up.
DesLauriers composed
these songs with longtime collaborator Alec
McElcheran and simply put, they’re all winners. The
opening track is “Stewtro Rock (Just Got Back),”
with it’s “Wham!”-like intro and, yes, relentless,
rocking attack, give listeners the feeling that this
album is going to be something special. The funky,
hypnotic grooves of “I’m Your Man” and “Still Under
My Skin” will remind listeners a bit of the North
Mississippi Allstars’ work, and “Ten Feet Tall” is a
driving rocker sandwiched in-between.
“Wipes Away Your Sin”
and “Up In The Air” mark the center point of the
album, a gorgeous pair of rockers that may be the
best two tracks on the disc, which is really saying
something. The hard-driving “We Just Might” is a fun
and funky romp, and “If I Still Had You” is also in
strong contention for Best In Show. It’s the purest
blues on the disc, clocking in at a smoldering eight
and a half minutes.
The closing song,
“Gonna Make You Move,” is a two-parter. Part 1 is
loose-limbed and funky, and Part 2 shifts the song
to a blues-rock instrumental mode. The combined
effort really sums up the qualities of this band,
which is one of Canada’s most highly regarded blues
acts. It’s a pretty safe bet that Relentless,
combined with their impressive showing at this
year’s IBC, will spread the word to all corners of
the globe.
---
Graham Clarke
The Lucky Losers
return for their sophomore release, In Any Town
(Dirty Cat Records), a confident set of blues and
R&B tunes that look to past eras --- mostly the
’60s, but also put a modern spin on familiar
blues-related subjects. The Bay Area band is fronted
by two veterans of that area’s blues scene, singer
Cathy Lemons and singer/harmonica wizard Phil
Berkowitz, and includes Martin Greene (guitar),
Chris Burns (keyboards), Tim Wagar (bass), and Robi
Bean (drums).
As on their 2015
debut, A Winning Hand, the group traveled to
Greaseland Studios in San Jose, and enlisted
producer/guitarist Kid Andersen, surely one of the
busiest guys in the blues world these days, for this
winning set of 11 tracks. Five were written by
Lemons and four by Berkowitz with his writing
partner, guitarist Danny Caron, with two interesting
cover tunes.
The pair alternate on
vocals for several of the tunes. Lemons really
stands out on the soulful “It Ain’t Enough,” the
simmering blues ballad “Don’t Let ‘Em See You Cry,”
the ’60s-styled “Give Me a Sign,” and the lovely
title track, which is probably her best vocal turn
on the disc. Berkowitz does a classic soul turn on
“Blind Man in the Dark,” rocks the house on “Devil’s
Dream,” and funks it up with “Still Enough Time To
Cry.” He also provides some stellar harmonica
throughout.
The duo’s easy charm
and rapport really bring their duets to life. The
opener, “So High,” is a fun romp with playful vocal
interchanges between the two and Berkowitz adds some
nice harmonica. The pair also covers “Jackson,” the
old Johnny Cash hit which goes the rock n’ roll
route. The pair’s vocal asides are pretty
entertaining, too, as on the energetic “I Can’t
Change Ya,” a Lemons vocal with some more engaging
repartee. The closer is Bobby Charles’ “Small Town
Talk,” which is one of my favorite tunes. Lemons and
Berkowitz knock this one out of the park.
Andersen’s production
work is peerless, as usual, and he plays guitars,
bass, Fender Rhodes, and percussion on many of the
tracks. Other musical guests include Terry Hanck
(sax), D’Mar (drums), Franck Goldwasser (guitar),
Michael Peloquin (tenor and baritone saxes), Mike
Rose (trumpet), Mike Rinta (trombone), and Lisa
Leuschner Andersen (backing vocals).
In Any Town is
a entertaining and enjoyable listen, in part due to
the great songs and performances, but also due to
the engaging personalities of Cathy Lemons and Phil
Berkowitz. It’s obvious that these two have a ball
working together, and that this was a labor of love
for both. It shows in every note played or sung.
---
Graham Clarke
Guitarist Matty T.
Wall, a native of Perth, Australia, plays the
blues, but also incorporates metal, jazz, funk, and
rock into his rocket-fueled guitar work. A student
of musical history, Wall’s fretwork pays tribute to
blues guitarists across the board from Robert
Johnson to Jimi Hendrix and beyond, but he’s also a
skilled songwriter and gifted vocalist. All of these
talents are on full display on Wall’s debut album,
Blue Skies (Hipsterdumpster Records).
Wall penned seven of
the ten tracks on his debut, and they include the
sizzling Windy City-styled opener “Burnin’ Up Burnin’
Down,” a pair of meditative slow burners, “Love Gone
Away” and “This Is Real,” the breakneck instrumental
“Scorcher,” which really showcases his nimble
fretwork, and the gorgeous title track. There’s also
“Broken Hearted Tattoo,” a rocker that also
incorporates jazz and a bit of John Lee Hooker
boogie rhythm, and “Smile,” a instrumental that
shows he has a more subtle touch on the strings as
well.
Wall’s three covers
are well-chosen. He takes on the seldom-covered
“Voodoo Chile,” from Hendrix’s catalog (not the
usual “Vooddo Chile (Slight Return)”), and proceeds
to blow the doors off the place in an nearly
12-minute piece of guitar nirvana. He also does a
spirited and energetic take on Keb’ Mo’s “Am I
Wrong,” and closes the disc with an amazing
recreation of Robert Johnson’s “Hellhound On My
Trail.” Wall’s version, although a decidedly
different reading, nevertheless captures the
eeriness and urgency of Johnson’s original.
Wall is backed by a
powerhouse rhythm section (Jasper Miller – drums,
Stephen Walker – bass) along with Gordon Cant
(organ), and Deli Rowe (backing vocals). Blues
Skies is as confident and assured a debut as
I’ve heard in a long time, with exciting and
adventurous guitar work, strong, soulful vocals, and
original songwriting. Expect to hear much more from
this talented artist.
---
Graham Clarke
Isaiah B Brunt’s
latest release, A Moment In Time (Isaiah B
Brunt Music), finds the Australian blues man
returning to New Orleans, where he recorded his
previous album, Just The Way That It Goes.
Like it’s predecessor, the new release has a relaxed
feel, with Brunt taking on all the guitar work
(electric and lap steel), backed by Crescent City
icon, George Porter, Jr. (bass), Doug Belote
(drums), Mike Lemmler (piano, B3), and a marvelous
horn section that includes Jeffrey T. Watkins
(saxophones), Ian E. Smith (trumpet, trombone,
flugel horn), James Evans (clarinet), and Tuba Steve
(sousaphone).
Brunt wrote all nine
of the songs, which include the stylish “Still
Waiting,” the soulful “Singing The Blues,” the
Delta-flavored “That Place On The Road” (featuring
Smokey Greenwell on harmonica), and the horn-fueled
shuffle “Lost Jacket Blues.” The funky “May I Dance
With You” is a keeper as well, and “Travel Back In
Time” is a fun old-timey track that features
clarinet and sousaphone. “Party Late All Night” is a
great slice New Orleans R&B that benefits greatly
from Porter’s thumping bassline, which also figures
prominently on the slow blues “Same Old Road.” The
reflective title track closes the disc in
understated fashion.
Brunt’s guitar work
is, as always, spot-on. His vocals have more of a
warm, vulnerable Boz Scaggs quality this time around
than previously. He gets additional musical support
from backing vocalist Sarah E. Burke and David
Stocker on mellotron. A Moment In Time is a
wonderfully calm and serene set of New
Orleans-styled blues and R&B. Brunt seems to have
found what he was looking for musically in the
Crescent City. Hopefully, he will return there soon.
---
Graham Clarke
Parade
(Arkansas Street Records) finds San Francisco-based
singer/songwriter/guitarist Bill Phillippe
working through a set of 11 tunes that reflect on
love, life, and loss. Phillippe’s debut, Ghosts,
was a solo effort that mixed his original songs with
stunning recreations of pre-war blues classics. On
his follow-up, Phillippe expands his sound a bit,
adding Swen Hendrickson’s upright bass, Ivor
Holloway’s clarinet, and Glenn Hartman’s accordion,
which gives these tracks a haunting, yet beautiful
quality.
Standout tracks
include “Blues Come Calling (Home),” a cool track
that sounds almost like a duet between Phillippe’s
somber vocal and the mournful clarinet, the folkish
“Proper Sorrow,” the amusing “If I Should Lose My
Mind,” the haunting “Everything I Have Is Grey,” the
lilting title track, “Little Zion,” which ventures
in a jazz direction, and the playful “Red Beret.”
Phillippe also
includes a couple of covers, using the instrumental
of the Duke Elliington piece, “Solitude,” to segue
into his own “A Kinder Voice,” and closing the disc
with a reading of Tom Waits’ “Take It With Me.”
Actually, listeners may be reminded of Waits’
musical style while listening to Parade, in
the way that Phillippe approaches the blues. He’s
not bound by traditions or norms, choosing to add
musical elements in ways not usually heard (or even
thought of) by most blues fans. It’s an approach
that works wonders and deserves to be heard.
---
Graham Clarke
Based in Belgium,
The BluesBones have built an impressive European
following based on their energetic approach to the
blues that blends the traditional sounds with modern
influences, such as pop and rock. Led by charismatic
lead singer Nico De Cock, the band (Stef Paglia –
guitar, Edwin Risbourg – Hammond organ, Geert Boeckx
– bass, Dominique Christens – drums) covers a wide
path of musical styles, all encompassing the blues.
Recently, the band issued their fourth album,
Double Live, which captured a standout
performance at Hypestudio in Mechelen, Belgium in
front of an appreciative audience.
The band moves
effortlessly from R&B ("Saved By The Blues") to the
slow burner “Voodoo Guitar” to the rocking and rowdy
“Riding Out” to open the set. “Moonshine” has a
swampy feel with some nice slide guitar work from
Paglia, and “Find Me A Woman” is an uptempo shuffle.
De Cock ably handles the vocals on the smooth blues
ballad “I’m Still Your Man.” “No Good For Me” is a
funky rocker and the first CD concludes with a
lengthy slow blues “She’s Got The Devil In Her,”
with a sweet extended run from Risbourg on the B3
and a torrid guitar solo from Paglia.
The second disc gets
off to a rousing start with the blues rocker “Broken
Down Car,” and that vibe continues with the
impressive “I Try,” a ballad that builds to a fierce
guitar-fueled conclusion with some string-bending
pyrotechnics from Paglia and the song segues into
“Runaway,” another lengthy workout with some
fireworks between Paglia and Risbourg. Listening to
these two songs are 20 minutes well spent! The
churning rocker “Cruisin’” is another standout, and
“Devil’s Bride” is a high energy blues.
It adds up to almost two hours of excellent music.
Most of the songs are
originals and the band is sharp as a tack. De Cock
is a masterful frontman who has the crowd eating out
of his hand with his powerful and versatile vocals
and lively banter. Double Live is a very good
live set that provides ample evidence that the The
BluesBones’ enthusiastic support overseas is
well-deserved.
---
Graham Clarke
Against the Grain
(Messej Media & Publishing) is the latest release
from the Jersey-based blues rocking Iron Bridge
Band. The quintet is led by guitarist Stephen
“Jude” Walsh, whose original, sometimes provocative
songwriting and imaginative guitar work are not to
be missed. Vocalists Chandler Mogel and Amy Anderson
(who also plays percussion) are also standouts, as
is the steady rocking husband and wife rhythm
section of Scott and Lanie Suky (drums and bass,
respectively). Their music combines blues with rock,
Southern rock, and soul.
The band shows their
versatility right off the bat, kicking off with a
power rock anthem, “A Little Too High,” and charging
full bore into the driving “Black Sheep’s Son,”
before moving to the country-flavored ballad, “The
Fall.” “American Boss” is a stinging commentary
about the current political division in the country,
followed by a dandy pair of Southern rockers,
“Raleigh” and “Every,” with the latter displaying
some fine soaring Dickey Betts-styled fret work.
The blues rocker
“Mark Twain” boasts searing guitar, and the
propulsive “Backwoods Charm (A Southern Gothic)” is
an entertaining story about a con artist and his
travels. “Day Gets Me Down” takes the band down to
Memphis for a soulful ballad from Mogel and guest
vocalist Jessie Wagner. Walsh’s guitar takes the
spotlight for the gorgeous instrumental “Faded.” The
band returns for the chilling “Wilderness,” which
has a light rock/pop feel, and closes the disc with
“Light in August,” an acoustic gem with Anderson’s
lovely vocals pairing with Walsh’s guitar.
Guest musicians
include Jeff Levine (keys), Joseph DeMaio (guitar),
Robert “Bobby” Gamboa (percussion), and Nick Suky
(percussion). The Iron Bridge Band really strike
gold with Against the Grain, a powerful,
far-reaching, thought-provoking set of original
tunes from a talented group that blur the lines
between blues and rock.
---
Graham Clarke
Taylor Made Blues
(Swing Suit Records) is a fitting title for Mick
Kolassa’s latest release. The
singer/songwriter/guitarist is a resident of Taylor,
Mississippi, a tiny town (as Faulkner said, a
“postage stamp of native soil”) in the Mississippi
Delta that’s renowned for its delicious food and
strong connection with the blues. As on his previous
releases, Kolassa has gathered a veritable “All
Star” team of blues artists to help out, including
Jeff Jensen, who once again produces and plays lead
guitar.
Kolassa has assembled
another great set of original tunes. The opener,
“Baby Face Louise,” is a lively downhome shuffle,
and one of two tracks that include Eric Hughes’
harmonica. The title track is a loving tribute to
Taylor and its small-town charms. You can almost
smell the fried catfish. “I’m Getting Late” is a
humorous dig at growing old, and on a related note,
“My Hurry Done Broke” is about just slowing down,
whether by choice or design. “In The Day” is a funky
protest song, “With Friends Like Mine” is a
celebration of Kolassa’s personal and musical
compatriots who “keep him on the right track,” and
“Left Too Soon” and “Raul Was My Friend” are
poignant tributes to those who have passed on.
As on previous
releases, Kolassa offers several entertaining cover
tunes, this set features Graham Nash’s “Prison
Song,” Townes Van Zandt’s “Lungs,” the Temptations’
classic “I Can’t Get Next To You,” and “Keep A Goin’,”
Frank Lebby Stanton’s 1910 poem, transformed into a
wonderful gospel-flavored romp (with lap steel from
Colin John and co-lead vocals from Deb Landolt).
Kolassa, Jensen,
John, Landolt, and Hughes are joined by Bill Ruffino
(bass), James Cunningham (drums), Chris Stephenson
(keys), Reba Russell and Tullie Brae (backing
vocals), Victor Wainwright (piano), and Castro
Coleman, a.k.a. Mr. Sipp (guitar).
100% of the gross
profits from sales of Taylor Made Blues will
go to The Blues Foundation, split evenly between The
HART Fund and Generation Blues, just like Kolassa’s
other releases. That’s a good reason to buy this
disc and give it a spin, but it’s not the ONLY good
reason. It’s also a great set of blues, just like
Mick Kolassa’s other releases.
---
Graham Clarke
Travis Green
fits a pretty neat, and potentially large, niche in
the blues world. The Austin-based singer/guitarist
blends rockabilly, country, and soul with his brand
of blues, all neatly encapsulated in his recent
release, A Little Too Late. Green possesses a
vocal style that sits comfortably within all of
these genres. He's capable of the high, lonesome
qualities present in the country and rockabilly
world, and he moves between velvet smooth and greasy
gritty with the blues and soul. For this effort,
Green ventured to Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios
in San Jose, and producer/guitarist Andersen
surrounded him with a choice group of West Coast
musicians.
The title track kicks
off the disc on the country side of things, with
Andersen’s guitar and Jim Pugh’s keyboards providing
a nice backdrop for Green’s vocals. The laidback
“Please Don’t Cry” continues in that vein, with
Green getting nice vocal support from Lisa Leuschner
Andersen. The cool R&B toe-tapper “Everybody Knows”
adds Nancy Wright’s saxophone to the mix with
excellent results, and Pugh’s velvety touch on B3 is
a wonderful complement to Green’s heartfelt vocal on
the swampy blues ballad “The Only Love.”
“Keep You Off My
Mind” is a rockabilly rave-up that would have been a
smash back in the day with Green’s smooth croon and
Andersen’s twangy accompaniment. Green’s soulful
vocal and Andersen’s pedal steel guitar ensure that
the ballad “Damage Done” would appeal to a host of
music lovers, whether blues, country, or pop. The
upbeat “Caroline” steers the disc into early rock n’
roll territory with Wright’s sax, Pugh’s keyboards,
and sweet backing vocals.
“Road Runs Cold” has
a spooky, swampy ambience with Andersen’s shimmering
Duane-Eddy-based guitar, and the moody “Salt and
Sand” follows suit with more outstanding supporting
keyboards from Pugh. The closer, “Don’t Forget,”
concludes the disc, a nice mid-tempo slice of
country and soul.
A Little Too Late will appeal to music fans
of several genres beyond the blues. Anyone who digs
the mix of country and soul will find a lot to enjoy
with this great release.
---
Graham Clarke
As long as human
beings have drawn breath, the blues has been a part
of life. How do we know this? By the old stories we
slogged through in high school and college
literature classes, by the stories we read in the
Bible,etc. Though many things have changed over
thousands of years, man continues to make poor
decisions, get ripped off by his fellow man, watch
his mate leave him for another, and lose everything
he has gained.
As Italian blues
guitarist Mike Sponza points out in the liner
notes to his new album, Ergo Sum (EPOPS
Music), “Human passions have no age…...I’ve
discovered there’s a trait d’union between the
ancient poems of Catullus, Horatius, Martailis,
Juvenalis, and the lyrics of Willie Dixon, Muddy
Waters, and Bob Dylan.” Basically, over thousands of
years of change, the blues remains a constant, just
with different lyrics and musical accompaniment.
All that being said,
Ergo Sum is an awesome set of modern blues
that will kick listeners in the pants, regardless of
your knowledge of ancient or modern literature.
Sponza is a powerhouse guitarist and he also penned
the eight tracks with some assistance from a couple
of his musical guests,.Ian Siegal and Dana
Gillespie. The eight songs vary in style from
traditional blues to jazz to roots and Hill Country.
Sponza and Siegal
collaborated on seven of the eight songs and Siegal
lends his rugged, weather-beaten vocals to great
effect on “Modus in Rebus,” an ode to moderation,
the Hill Country stomper “Carpe Diem,” and the
exceptional soul burner “Prisoner of Jealousy” that
closes the disc. Sponza contributes vocals on
several tunes including the Lou Reed-like monologue
that opens “Modus in Rebus,” and the loose-limbed
Texas swinger “Poor Boy,” which includes some of his
scorching slide guitar. The legendary British blues
chanteuse Gillespie turns in a mesmerizing
performance on “The Thin Line,” a jazzy ballad that
ranks as one of the best cuts on the album.
Sponza writes in the
liners, “In a thousand years, the questions will be
the same: It could be love, friendship, politics,
family…….I’m sure the answers will be the same, too.
Because man will never change. Luckily.” Blues fans
are advised to check out Ergo Sum and Mike
Sponza, an artist who pays respect to the blues from
a long time ago, and I mean a LONG time ago, while
fearlessly pushing the music into the future.
---
Graham Clarke
You don’t hear a lot
of blues fiddle these days, considering the
prevalence of the instrument in the early days of
the blues, so it’s always intriguing when a new
album is released that integrates it back into the
music. Ilana Katz Katz is a musician/visual
artist/novelist who lives in Boston, where she has
also worked as a subway musician, honing her craft
down below for the past seven years.
Katz’s fiddle playing
meshes the traditional Appalachian style with the
old blues styles heard back in the day by the
Mississippi Sheiks and those plantation recordings
by Muddy Waters that many blues fans are familiar
with, and she’s played with a pretty prestigious set
of artists which include Ronnie Earl, former Canned
Heat guitarist Barry Levenson, Bobby Radcliff,
Cedric Watson, and Chas Justis.
Katz recently issued
her second album, Movin’ On (Regina Royale
Records), and it includes 13 tracks with five
originals and eight covers. Her original tunes are
very good and include the devastating “You Crush My
Soul,” the slow burner “Demon Blues,” the ethereal
“Forevermore,” one of several tracks that feature
Watson on gourd banjo, and several dandy
instrumentals, among them the dazzling “Cruel Willie
Blues #2,” a jazzy rambler with guitar from Radcliff
and “Blues For Bobby Radcliff,” which, interestingly
enough, doesn’t include Radcliff’s playing, but does
include some really nice fiddle interplay between
Katz and Watson and guitarist Justis.
The cover selection
consists of mostly familiar tunes, but Katz presents
them from the female perspective, such as the
standard “Baby Please Don’t Go” and “Greasy Coat.”
There are also tunes from Big Bill Broonzy (“Sweet
To Mama”), and the R&B classic “Kansas City.” The
instrumental “Tanya” pairs Katz with Radcliff with
fun results, and Watson joins her on the traditional
medley “Lazy John/Sail Away Ladies.” Another
traditional tune, “Jack of Diamonds” features Katz
solo on vocal and fiddle and was inspired by her
musical idol, Tommy Jarrell.
Movin’ On is a
lovely, sometimes haunting set of blues that mixes
traditional with modern styles. Ilana Katz Katz is a
talented musician and songwriter and she has a knack
for making the old-time sound fresh and vital with
her modern approach to songwriting. Blues fans who
aren’t afraid to try something new and different
will enjoy this disc, but there’s plenty there for
the more traditional-minded to enjoy as well.
---
Graham Clarke
