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 I
look forward to every new release that Phoenix
blues impresario Bob Corritore puts out
when he dives into his vast collection of
recordings to pluck a great collection of songs
recorded over the years by a host of artists.
The latest such compilation is You Shocked Me
(SWMAF / VizzTone), a treasure trove of 18 songs
that will rock your world for more than an hour.
I'd normally
start a review of this kind of album by
highlighting my favorite cuts, but they are all
outstanding. It's all good blues, sounding
genuine and not overproduced and synthetic like
way too many blues albums of late.
I will first
mention a couple of my favorite blues singers
and their contributions, starting with the
wonderful Diunna Greenleaf knocking it out of
the park with her robust vocals on the more downhome title cut, and then later on the
pleasant mid-tempo blues shuffle, "Sunny Day
Friends." Sugaray Rayford appears on one of his
own compositions, "Josephine," a 12-bar blues
with a touch of Latin flavor. Phoenix blues/jazz
legend Francine Reed comes in with an up-tempo
stomper written by Corritore, "Don't Need Your
Permission," with nice interplay between
Corritore's harmonica and Kid Ramos' guitar.
Alabama Mike is
lead vocalist on four cuts: a slow, raw blues
"Squeeze Me Baby," another slow blues in
"Somebody Stole My Love From Me," with really
strong harmonica from Corritore and nice piano
from Fred Kaplan, the up-tempo swinger "Work To
Be Done," and an Otis Spann number, "Blues For
Hippies." Alabama Mike exudes plenty of power in
his vocals on each of these fine cuts.
John Primer opens
the album with his lone contribution, a
mid-tempo Chicago blues shuffle, "Hiding Place,"
with strong Elmore James-style guitar licks.
Johnny Rawls gets topical on the
gospel-influenced "The World's In A Bad
Situation," with tasty harp from Corritore, sax
from Doug James, and wondrous background vocals
from Celia King and Eboni McDonald.
Willie Buck gives
us a heavy dose of raw Chicago blues on the slow
number, "That Ain't Enough," with Bob Margolin
coming in with a heaping helping of slide guitar. Bob Stroger takes vocals on his own "Train Fare," as
well as playing bass on several numbers. Bill
Perry sings and plays guitar on "Back To The
Crossroads," a slow, 12-bar blues that he wrote.
Jimi "Primetime"
Smith plays guitar on many of the songs here, as
well as being the featured singer on "Blinded,"
with Corritore getting a nice dirty sound from
his harp, and the up-tempo, hunger-inducing "Soul
Food." King and McDonald return with Raylettes-style
background vocals. Oscar Wilson sings a very
slow blues with a Jimmy Reed cover, "Blue Blue
Water."
I believe that
covers all 18 songs here. Rather than going for
a digital download, you will probably want to
order the CD so that you have complete
session info, because there are a whole
lot of other performers participating in the
sessions. You Shocked Me has the usual cool
cover design that is a hallmark of these
Corritore & Friends compilations, this one
thanks to the design and illustration of Vince
Ray.
You Shocked Me is
just another outstanding compilation from the
seemingly endless vault of Corritore recordings.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Mick
Clarke is a British blues and rock artists
going back nearly 50 years, and judging from his
latest self-release, Telegram, he's still
going strong. With a dozen cuts of both acoustic
and electric blues, Telegram (Rockfold
Records) is a set of tunes that will grow on you
the more you listen to them thanks to the
simplicity of what Clarke is doing here. It's
just good basic blues with the occasional rock
edge.
My
favorite cut is the opener, "Barbecue Bob," with
both 12-string guitar and electric guitar.
Equally good is a slow, dirge-like version of
"Corine, Corina," with a tasteful guitar solo
and piano accompaniment. Small critique here is
that the vocals are a little lower in the mix
than I'd like. For something completely
different, check out the manic and at times
dissonant version of Billy Boy Arnold's "I Ain't
Got You." It's certainly unique, but it works.
The
title cut, "Telegram," starts with an acoustic
slide intro and then goes into an up-tempo John
Lee Hooker-type rhythm. Clarke lays down some of
his best guitar work on this one. Clarke isn't a
great singer but he's good enough for this
material, especially on the slow blues shuffle,
"Tin Box," getting plenty of guitar and piano
into the mix. The tempo picks up a bit on the
closing number, "Word In A Jug," with nice
guitar work throughout.
It's
good to hear that Clarke is still going strong
across the ocean from us. Telegram is a
worthwhile acquisition, especially if you've
been a fan of his music over the years.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Milwaukee-based
The Hungry Williams claim to be the best
New Orleans-sounding band NOT from the Crescent
City. Their latest album, Let's Go! (Rochelle
Records) aims to prove that boast. It all
started in 1995 when drummer John Carr heard a
New Orleans anthology album playing in a bar and
subsequently named his band after New Orleans
drummer Charles "Hungry" Williams. He added band
members who would also be into this style of
music, including very fine singer Kelli
Gonzalez, bassist Mike Sieger, guitarist Joe
Vent, keyboardist Jack Stewart, later
supplementing the band's sound with horn players
Jason Goldsmith and Casimir Riley for this
recording.
It's
a tight band and Ms. Gonzalez is a fine singer.
Let's Go! isn't a groundbreaking recording, but
just plain fun throughout. It's got that New
Orleans feel, and that's always a good thing. I
especially like the opening cut, "Mardi Gras
Day," with trumpet player Lech Wierzynski
brought in from the California Honeydrops to add
the appropriate second-line sound. You may start
looking to see what New Orleans legend penned
this song, but it's an original from Gonzalez
and Carr. The same goes for "Movin' On,"
summoning memories of Fats Domino and other New
Orleans piano greats, but this was written by
Stewart.
"You'd Better Find Yourself Another Fool," a hit
for Lavern Baker, is the first cover, and this
one just drips with a 1950s vocal group sound. Gonzalez
acquits herself well in taking on Baker's
vocals, with a bunch of background female
singers and a smokin' sax solo. Most of us have
heard Big Maybelle's original version of "One
Monkey Don't Stop No Show," and you won't be
disappointed with how Gonzalez handles it,
dishing out an abundance of sass. The whole
band acquits itself well on the 1959 hit for Joe
& Ann, "Gee Baby," a song that most of us will
more likely remember from the Mickey & Sylvia
version.
A
band original is the urgent blues, "Boss Man,"
with Gonzalez sounding even better as she
forcefully tells us about that boss man of hers,
then picking up a layer of sass on her own
composition, "BIg Mouth Betty." The New Orleans
armchair musicologists among us will recognize
the Roy Montrell classic, "Oooh Wow," with Vent
picking up the vocals on this party stomper. Of
course, like on the original, it needs a smokin'
sax solo and Goldsmith doesn't disappoint.
The
band goes to church on the pleasant number,
"Then I'll Believe," with more excellent vocal
work from Gonzalez as she shows both more range
and a little growl to her voice. Yeah, this
one's a killer, certainly one of the best songs
on the disc, especially when Goldsmith jumps in
with a sax solo. Closing the album is the band's
tribute to the devil that lives across the
street, "669 (Across the Street from the
Beast)." In this case the devil is having quite
the jam every night. Nice slide guitar work from
Vent before Goldsmith jumps in with still
another killer sax solo.
I
liked this album better the second time I
listened to it, and then even more on the third
time through. It's just plain fun. You'll enjoy
Let's Go! over and over.
--- Bill Mitchell
 In
the nearly 40 years that I’ve been listening to
the blues, John Primer has gone from one
of the young lions of the genre to an elder
statesman of sorts. Nothing wrong with that at
all because the Camden, Mississippi native and
Chicago resident has amassed a most impressive
body of work, beginning as band leader for
Junior Wells, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and
Magic Slim (how does THAT look on a blues resumé??!!!),
to launching his own solo career in the mid ’90s
with his Real Deal Blues Band. I tried to count
up the number of albums I’m aware of that he’s
either appeared on as a front man or
collaborator, and I stopped counting at 80. A
most impressive body of work indeed.
Primer and the
Real Deal Blues Band (Steve Bell – harmonica,
Lenny Media – drums, David Forte – bass) work
through 13 originals on Primer's latest, Hard
Times (Blues House Productions). Rick Kreher
sits in on guitar and Johnny Iguana adds
keyboards as well.
The opener, “You
Got What I Want,” is a lively contemporary blues
with sparkling guitar work from Primer. It’s
followed by “Don’t Wait Too Long,” a crisp Windy
City shuffle with a nice turn from Iguana on the
keys and Bell on harp, and the title track, a
droning hill country-flavored tune which
features Primer on slide guitar.
“Blues Blues
Blues” is a cool slow burner with more fine
fretwork from Primer. The funky blues, “I Won’t
Sweat It,” picks up the tempo with instrumental
interplay between Primer, Iguana, and Bell, and
“Chicago” is a straight-ahead blues shuffle
paying tribute to Primer’s adopted hometown. The
next tune, “Tough Times,” is a surprise as it
features Primer’s 17-year-old daughter Aliya,
who also wrote the tune, on lead vocals, and she
does a fine job.
“All Alone” is a
brisk blues with more of Primer’s great slide
guitar work, and “My Sugar Mama” maintains the
upbeat pace with a funkier edge. The upbeat “You
Mean So Much To Me” is a bouncy shuffle, “Trying
To Make You Mine” is a soulful slow blues,
featuring a long, superb guitar intro from
Primer, a fairly common feature on most of these
tracks which I really enjoyed.
“Hot Meal” is
another slower tempo track featuring Bell on
harp and ample space for Primer to stretch out
on guitar. The disc wraps up with “Whiskey,” a
lively shuffle that closes the album in fine
fashion.
The Chicago blues
are alive and well under John Primer and the
Real Deal Blues Band’s watch. Hard Times
is a superlative set of blues that is a perfect
fit in Primer’s already formidable catalog of
recordings.
--- Graham Clarke
 Mighty
Mike Schermer has been making mighty fine
music for well over 30 years, touring and
recording with a who’s who of the blues that
includes Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite,
Marcia Ball, Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Angela
Strehli, and Howard Tate. He’s a gifted
songwriter and guitarist whose talents span
blues, soul, funk, Americana, and world music.
Listeners will get a taste of all those genres
on Schermer’s latest release, Just Gettin’
Good (Little Village Foundation).
Recorded at
Greaseland in San Jose by Kid Andersen, Just
Gettin’ Good teams Schermer with some of San
Francisco’s finest musicians --- bassist Steve
Ehrmann, drummer Paul Revelli, and keyboardist
Tony Stead, with guests D’Mar (drums), Austin
DeLone (keyboards), Jerry Jemmott (bass), Terry
Hanck (sax), and vocalists John Németh and the
Sons of the Soul Revivers, along with Schermer’s
partner Ms. Kimmy Pickens (vocals/percussion).
Schermer wrote all 12 songs, four with Pickens,
one with Ehrmann, and one with Felice Garcia.
The amusing title
track opens the disc, a funky, horn-fueled tune
where the title fits appropriately to several
different subjects. The inspiring “Leave More
(Than You Take Away)” features the Sons of the
Soul Revivers on gospel-flavored backing vocals,
while the jaunty “Spend The Night With You” has
an old school pop feel with DeLone’s electric
piano and Hanck’s tenor sax. “This Is Where Is
My Love Is” is a gentle ballad, featuring
Schermer on vocals and guitar with sparse
musical backing (Ehrmann on bass, Revelli on
drums, and DeLone on B3).
“The Hungry Dog”
is an entertaining story song with a delightful
island feel, “Tired of Travelin’” is a tough
blues rocker with horns that laments the long
hours and monotony of life on the road, and the
rollicking “Gypsy Ways” picks up on the same
topic with Stead’s piano driving the tune along.
“Let’s Make Time
For Love” is a steamy soul burner with a
heartfelt vocal from Schermer (backed by Dennis
Dove’s vocals and Stead’s skittering B3), and
“Cook Up A Little Love” teams Ms. Kimmy on
vocals with Schermer, whose guitar work is
reminiscent of Albert Collins.
“Kimmy Kimmy
Gimme Gimme” is an upbeat rock n’ roller
punctuated by Schermer’s crisp fretwork, Hanck’s
tenor sax solo and DeLone’s B3. The sober ballad
“Silence” describes the end of a relationship,
while the rocking closer “It’s Not Me, It’s You”
is a clever alternative break-up song with
Németh sitting in on vocals and Schermer playing
surf guitar.
Just Gettin’
Good is Mighty Mike Schermer in a nutshell
--- a masterful guitarist in a variety of styles
that has a large time playing all of them. If
you like a little bit of fun with your music,
this album may well be playing your song.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chicago
blues/soul singer/songwriter Derrick Procell
recently released his debut release for Catfood
Records, Hello Mojo!. The album was
produced by label mate Zac Harmon, who also
contributed guitar on a couple of tracks, with
The Rays, Catfood’s house band, providing their
usual stellar support. Procell wrote nine of the
ten tracks on the album, three in collaboration
with label owner/bass player Bob Trenchard and
four with longtime writing partner Terry
Abrahamson.
Harmon handles
the guitar solos on the opening track, “Skin In
The Game,” a punchy soul-blues, and “The
Contender,” a gritty blues rocker about beating
all odds to persevere. Those two tracks bookend
the funky title track, highlighted by a catchy
melody, a sing-along chorus, and a crisp horn
section. The bluesy R&B tale of love and loss,
“Broken Promise,” finds Procell on harmonica,
while “A Tall Glass Of You” is a light,
loose-limbed soulful shuffle.
The mid-tempo “I
Can’t Say No” features another catchy chorus and
an irresistible groove, and “Color Of An Angel”
is a sweet, old-school soul ballad with a fine
lead vocal from Procell. “Baby I’m Lost” has a
country-soul feel with Procell’s harmonica and a
down-home backdrop. The album’s lone cover is a
superb reworking of The Kinks’ 1965 rocker,
“Who’ll Be The Next In Line,” transforming it
into a cool soul burner quite different from its
upbeat rocking origins. The poignant soul ballad
“Bittersweet Memory” closes the disc.
Thanks to
outstanding songs and vocals from Procell and
company, stellar backing from The Rays, one of
the finest bands currently practicing, and those
sweet backing vocals from Sueann Carwell,
Meredith Colby, and Jessica Ivey, Hello Mojo!
should be on every soul and blues fan’s “Don’t
Miss” list.
--- Graham Clarke
 Blood
Red Moon (Pro Sho Bidness) is the latest
release from Chicago-based Jeff Dale & The
South Woodlawners. Singer/guitarist Dale has
enjoyed a 40-plus year career playing with many
blues legends, including Honeyboy Edwards
(documented via Dale’s CD/DVD release I’m
Gonna Tell You Somethin’ I Know in 2017),
Pee Wee Crayton, and Lowell Fulson (check out
Dale’s recently issued Lowell Fulson Live!).
He led the Blue Wave Band in the ’80s before
taking time off, resurfacing in 2009 with his
current band, whose previous two releases,
Good Music and Blues Power, were both
standouts.
Dale wrote all 11
tracks on Blood Red Moon during the
pandemic lockdown, and they mix the blues with
traces of jazz, R&B, and world rhythms. He
handles the guitar and vocals, backed by Aaron
Barnes (bass/lap steel), Glen Doll (harmonica),
Brian Lara (drums/percussion), Derek Phillips
(keyboards), Jon Seimbieda (guitar), Steve Sax
(alto/tenor sax), Dane Little (cello), and
Elizabeth Hangan (background vocals).
The opener, “You
Made Your Own Bed,” is a greasy, romping blues
shuffle which leads into “Cicero,” an ominous
jazzy blues about a rough part of town. The
title track has a swampy feel, punctuated by
Little’s cello and Doll’s harmonica, and “At The
Wolf’s Door” is a moody, mid-tempo blues.
“Autumn Blues” seamlessly moves between jazz and
blues, complements of Sax’s, um, sax and
Phillips’ ethereal keyboards, and “She Wouldn’t
Leave Chicago” is an irresistible Windy City
blues.
“The Dirty Jacks”
is a tasty blues/jazz track highlighted by
Barnes’ lap steel, “That Ain’t Love” is a blues
ballad (with sitar!) where Hargan’s backing
vocals complement Dale’s grittier delivery, and
“Trouble Know Where I Live” really swings. The
soulful “Push Comes To Shove” again teams Hargan
and Dale (with cello), with satisfactory results
before the album wraps up with “Things’ll Get
Worse,” a Diddley-esque R&B number.
Blood Red Moon
ventures a wee bit beyond the blues boundaries
with interesting forays into jazz and world
beats, but it all works very well and adds up to
another winning release from Jeff Dale & The
South Woodlawners.
--- Graham Clarke
 Too
Slim and the Taildraggers have been a force
on the blues rock scene for over 35 years,
forming in 1986 in Spokane, Washington. Now
based in Nashville, Tim “Too Slim” Langford and
associates have released over 20 studio and live
albums of their muscular, energetic brand of
blues showing influences from Buddy Guy, SRV,
and ZZ Top, as well as Robin Trower and Jimi
Hendrix. Langford still handles guitar and
vocals like a beast, and the current incarnation
of the Taildraggers is Zach Kasik (bass, vocals)
and Jeff “Shakey” Fowlkes (drums/vocals).
The band’s
latest, Brace Yourself (VizzTone/Underworld),
captures a live performance at Ohme Gardens in
Wenatchee, Washington before an enthusiastic
audience. The album kicks into high gear
immediately with “Mississippi Moon,” a tough,
swampy blues rocker. “Fortune Teller” maintains
that energy and intensity, shifting slightly
into a country vein before “Cowboy Boot” moves
in a classic rock direction. “Devil In A
Doublewide” is punctuated by some powerful
guitar work from Slim, as is “Givers and
Takers,” which slows the pace down slightly.
“Free Your Mind”
has always reminded me of a good Tom Petty tune,
going back to hearing it on Slim’s 2009 album of
the same title, while “When Whiskey Was My
Friend” has a gritty Texas roadhouse feel a la
ZZ Top. The final five songs date back to Slim’s
excellent album Blood Moon (released
after Slim’s diagnosis and battle with cancer).
The wild and wooly “Letter” rocks hard, while
the haunting “My Body” settles down for more
reflective thought. The slow burning “Blood
Moon” builds like “Voodoo Chile”-era Hendrix,
and “Twisted Rails” mixes searing fretwork with
a driving funk backdrop.
Slim and the
Taildraggers close out the set with the
scorching rock n’ roller “Good Guys Win,” with
the crowd raucously screaming their approval for
this excellent set. Brace Yourself is an
apt title for the trio’s latest effort, because
it’s a heck of a ride!
--- Graham Clarke
 Upstate
New York native Matt Lomeo was the
youngest artist ever invited to perform at a
Woodstock Festival (1999, at age 10!). He and
his older brother Adam were encouraged to
continue performing by encounters with Little
Charlie & the Nightcats and Sugar Blue, and the
younger brother eventually moved to Memphis,
earning a house gig at Club Handy on Beale
Street. Now, in Los Angeles, Lomeo recently
released When You Call, his first album
of all original tunes.
A fine,
distinctive vocalist influenced by a diverse
group of performers (Johnnie Taylor, Elvis
Presley, Marvin Gaye, and Frank Sinatra), Lomeo
is also a talented harp master influenced by
Junior Wells and Big George Smith. The 13 tracks
cover a wide range of genres beyond the blues
--- soul, country, jazz, and roots --- and Lomeo
is more than comfortable in all of them with
able assistance from a standout band that
includes Kevin McKendree (organ), Teresa James
(vocals/keyboards), Terry Wilson
(bass/guitar/producer), Billy Watts (guitar),
Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (tenor
sax), and James Cruce (drums).
The opener, “One
More 1&1” has the feel of a vintage Memphis soul
track with McKendree’s B3 and the horns. Lomeo
adds a tasty harp solo around the midpoint.
“Unsentimental You” has a classic rock/pop feel
with the Latin-esque rhythm and Lomeo’s smooth
vocal. “Accepting Applications” sounds like a
long-lost Motown track, and “She Was The Best”
is a bittersweet old school ballad. The title
track mixes soul, blues, and funk quite
effectively.
“Got A New Woman”
is the first pure blues track, with a real Gulf
Coast feel, before segueing into the countrified
“27,” which refers to “honky tonk angels” and
features great backing vocals from Ms. James.
The smoky blues ballad “Take The Boulevard” is a
standout, and the romantic “Outside Of A Song”
is another terrific cut that puts Lomeo’s vocal
talents on full display. “Why Do I Cry?” is a
fun ’50s-styled rocker with several twists and
turns that would have been a great fit in Elvis’
catalog.
The simmering
“Van Nuys Blues” deftly mixes blues and jazz.
It’s followed by the raucous blues “Took My Bar
And Left Me,” and then the album concludes with
an upbeat, even funkier version of the title
track. It would be hard to choose which one of
these versions works the best because they’re
both so good.
When You Call
shows that Matt Lomeo has talents that span a
variety of genres. The blues is deeply rooted in
his style, thanks to his super harp playing and
his songwriting, but his vocal talents are a
great fit in a lot of different musical
settings. Blues fans will enjoy the disc, but
music fans in general will find much to savor
here.
--- Graham Clarke
 New
Orleans-based Jeremy Joyce has been in
the Crescent City since 2014. Previously, he
played indie rock and alt-country in his native
Philadelphia before moving to New York City,
where he explored jazz and rockabilly. After
stops in Florida and St. Louis, he moved to New
Orleans and began absorbing the many musical
traditions --- blues, jazz, R&B, funk, etc. ---
and crafting his own unique version of the
sounds of the city, like so many musicians
before him.
Joyce’s new
album, Street Poet, is a compelling
composite of all his musical travels to date,
with an emphasis on his time in New Orleans. The
funky title track opens the album, a lively
narrative with spacey keyboards punctuating the
tale. “Love Changes” is an interesting, upbeat
pop-flavored song about the end of a
relationship, and the dreamy “We Could Linger
Though The Raindrops Fall” is a gentle, jazz
ballad tune that harkens back to the ’40s, while
the jaunty “High Heel Blues” tells the story of
a man pining for a lady far above his pay grade.
Ghalia Volt
contributes sultry backing vocals to the steamy
blues shuffle “Be Bad To Me Baby.” The clever,
quirky “What Love Used To Be” was inspired by a
Jon Cleary performance at Chickie Wah Wah, and
the haunting “Things We Shouldn’t Do” ponders
making the wrong decisions at a vulnerable time.
“Lower Decatur Blues” describes a street in New
Orleans and the cast of characters who frequent
it, while “Times Like These” takes a hard-eyed
look at poverty and its effects on the city.
The album closes
with “All Night All Night (Alright Alright),” a
freewheeling funky tune that should be a crowd
pleaser at live performance.
Participating
musicians include drummers Scott Graves and Rose
Cangelosi, bassist Sam Albright, Robert Kling,
and Mike Harvey (who also produced the album),
keyboardist Daniel Meinecke, and slide guitarist
Chip Wilson, with a terrific horn section (Alex
Geddes – sax, Jonathan Bauer – trumpet) and
wonderful backing vocals from Emily Robertson.
Street Poet
manages to take in most of the musical styles of
New Orleans within its boundaries. Jeremy
Joyce’s songwriting and musicianship, as well as
his ability to meld genres seamlessly make this
a very worthwhile listen for blues and roots
fans.
--- Graham Clarke
 Stevie
J Blues returns with a sweet soulful R&B
single, “You Got That Love” (PK Music),
successfully capturing the essence of classic
R&B of the ’70s in the tradition of Bobby
Womack, down to the guitar work and the
spoken-word asides. Stevie J Blues’ vocal style
is a bit smoother, but he certainly gets the
message across in an effective manner. To these
ears, this is the best track by the
singer/songwriter/guitarist over the past couple
of years, which is a tremendous feat given the
quality of his previous efforts. For fans of
classic R&B and soul blues, this track will be a
solid fit in their collection.
--- Graham Clarke
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