|
 I
was not familiar with the name Blackburn
Brothers when the latest album,
SoulFunkn'BLUES (Electro-Fi Records), from
this Ontario, Canada band made its way across
the border and landed in my mailbox. This is not
their first album reviewed in Blues Bytes, so I
should have picked up on their sound long ago.
Now that I've learned about them, Blackburn
Brothers is one of my newest favorite bands.
This
album wasn't going to be enough to get my
Blackburn fix, so I searched through the Blues
Bytes archives and found that a previous album,
Brothers In This World, was
reviewed by the late Mark E. Gallo way back
in 2015. After sampling the 14 cuts on this
previous album, I liked what I was hearing so
much that I immediately did a download of it.
But
enough of this history. Let's talk about
SoulFunkn'BLUES. The title accurately
describes what you can expect to hear on the 11
cuts --- a solid mix of blues, soul, and funk
from four Blackburn brothers, a cousin, and
various friends. Every song is a hit. No
throwaways here.
Duane Blackburn handles vocals, often reminding
me of the now-departed Sweet Pea Atkinson, most
recently known as the lead singer of The
Boneshakers. In his 2015 review of the previous
album, Mr. Gallo described Duane's voice as
either whiskey-soaked or coffee-soaked. Either
description fits. Duane also handles keyboards,
while brother Brooke is the family guitarist and
brother Cory is a quite fine drummer. That's the
core of the band, but two more Blackburns ---
Robert on guitar on four cuts and Nathan on bass
--- are heard on the album.
SoulFunkn'BLUES opens with "Bobby's Blues,"
a mid-tempo funky, soulful blues with nice piano
from Duane, leading into the up-tempo blues,
"She's A Heartbreaker," on which Duane adds a
vocoder on his scatting vocal tracks. "Let The
Devil Play" is a funky blues, driven along by a
Cory's steady drum beat while Brooke lays down a
killer blues guitar solo.
The
title for "Soul Brother" is pretty descriptive
of this straight-ahead soul number, as Duane
reminiscences about the 1970s while paying
tribute to his family. Brooke's guitar work
highlights the up-tempo blues shuffle, "Won't
You Let Me Go," with Cory laying down a driving,
propulsive drum beat. "Sister Rosa" is a funky,
funky, funky tribute to Rosa Parks and the civil
rights she brought forth with her courageous
actions on that bus many years ago. I can
imagine James Brown doing this song, with Maceo
Parker blowing away on the sax. Written by the
Neville Brothers, it's the only cover on the
album.
Don't forget that I said Duane reminds me of
Sweet Pea Atkinson, and the slow, soulful R&B
number "Why Do I Do (What I Do)" makes me think
about the sound I often heard during several
Boneshakers shows. We're back to funky soul on
"Be My Wife," with Duane pumping out some of his
strongest vocals.
"Freedom Train" has the vocoder back in use,
giving this funky number a bit more funk.
Brooke's guitar work stands out here. I'm
guessing the dance floor gets packed when the
Blackburns play this one in front of the right
audience. I haven't yet given props to the work
of the horn section (Neil Braithwaite - tenor
sax, Ted Peters - trombone), but now's a good
time to salute these cats for their work on the
funky blues "Little Sister."
Closing the album is a slow, soulful blues, "I
Don't Ever Want To Be Alone," with a strong
piano intro before Duane's voice projects more
energy and strength as the song proceeds. A
great ending to a fabulous album.
If,
like me, you weren't familiar with the Blackburn
Brothers before this, then follow my lead and
start getting everything these dudes have
recorded. Begin your search with
SoulFunkn'BLUES, then download Brothers
In This World, and keep digging for
Brotherhood. The Blackburn Brothers will
soon be one of your favorite bands, too.
--- Bill Mitchell
 I've
been a big, big fan of the music of Joyann
Parker since I first heard her Hard To
Love album followed by one of my favorite
2021 releases, Out Of The Dark. A lot has
changed in her life since then, with a move from
her Minneapolis/St. Paul base back to her home
area in Wisconsin, but the music is just as good
as ever on her latest, Roots (Hopeless
Romantics Records).
It's
indeed an appropriate title considering her big
relocation, and the album liner photos show her
in various outdoor snow scenes in what looks
like a rural area, bundled in a snow parka and
holding an acoustic guitar. As I sit in Arizona
typing this review on still another 100+ degree
day, looking at the snow in the photos is just
the way I like to see wintry weather. No more
shoveling snow or driving on icy roads for me.
Parker has always covered a wide range of
material on her albums, and Roots is no
exception, with blues, soul, jazz, country, and
rock among the styles heard on this very nice
collection of 13 original songs. Kevin Bowe
returns to co-produce the album with Parker, and
her regular band (Mark Lamoine - guitar, Tim
Wick - keyboards, Chris Bates - bass, Bill
Golden - drums) provides the core of the backing
along with various horn players jumping in at
times.
The
show gets started with the title cut, a rockin'
blues about how she's putting her roots down,
Jangly piano accompaniment by Wick drives the
song along, with Parker showing how much power
she's got in her voice. Lamoine chips in with a
strong blues guitar solo. There's a lot
happening on "Faintly Optimistic," a little bit
of country, a little bit of blues, and a little
bit of soul coming together to deliver a
pleasing package. Lamoine kicks off the song
with a very good blues guitar intro and later
jumps in on background vocals, and we also get
plenty of horns providing a big sound.
"Wash It Alway" goes the soul route, an anthemic
song highlighted by gospel-ish piano. Parker
shows restrained emotion in her vocals early on
before pumping more juice later in the song as
her voice soars through the octaves. There's a
mix of pain and defiance in her voice on the
jazzy "Closing Someone Else's Blinds," as she
tells that man "...she is waiting for you, so
you go to her again ..." The defiance comes out
when she tells him that she's not going to be
his backup plan anymore.
The
up-tempo blues rocker "What's Good For You" is
driven along by a heavy drum beat from Golden,
with Parker telling the man that he doesn't know
what's good for him but she knows she's not the
one for him. Lamoine throws down some nice
guitar licks between Parker's powerful vocals.
"Juxtaposition" is a fun ska/blues tune with the
right amount of trombone from Scott Graves,
still another example of how she is so adept at
integrating multiple musical styles into her
repertoire.
"Old
Flame" starts slow and jazzy before upping the
tempo as Parker sings about that old flame that
she might not have gotten over yet. We get a
different sound on this one thanks to strings by
Cierra Hill and marimba by Steve Roehm. Parker
sings about being over that man on "Ain't Got
Time To Cry," with plenty of powerful defiance
in her vocals. I swear I hear a few notes of an
accordion early in the song, but no one's
credited to playing that instrument. It must be
an effect on keyboard, but there's no mistaking
the very tasteful muted trumpet from guest Paul
Odegaard. Just when you think she can't get more
power into her voice, Parker booms to another
level.
Lamoine gives us heavy slide guitar intro to
"Forsaken," almost a sacred steel gospel sound
to put us into a foreboding mood. There's a
little bit of echo in Parker's voice as she
continues to approach the sound barrier with
what's coming out of her lungs and throat. It's
all vocals and guitar on this one, but that's
enough. This one will run shivers up and down
your spine. "Miss Evangeline" is pretty much
straight-ahead bluegrass, with Chris Silver
picking the mandolin throughout. Parker's vocals
are complemented here by background singer Sarah
Morris.
"Going Under" is a slow, soulful ballad that
gains tempo and power as the song progresses,
with piano being the instrument that drives this
song along. We get a fun novelty number on "Say
Home Mama," with a classic blues sound in which
Parker sings about her home life and the
difficulty of raising children. Plenty of horns
contributing here.
Closing out the album is "Sconnie Girl," more of
a country song on which Parker sings about her
upbringing in small town Wisconsin, telling what
it's like to live in the state --- eating
sausages, drinking beer, hunting deer, fishing
for muskies, and more. Lamoine gives us one more
effective guitar solo.
Joyann, you look so happy on the album cover
standing in the snow, but if you need a break
from winter next January, we would love to have
you and your band in Arizona. In the meantime,
I'll be content with listening repeatedly to
Roots. It's a fantastic album.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Coco Montoya
continues his streak of putting out very strong
albums showcasing his ferocious blues/rock
guitar work and raw, raspy vocals with his
latest, Writing On The Wall (Alligator
Records). If my math is correct, this is his
eighth album for Alligator, and it just might be
the best of his bunch of rockin'. raucous blues.
Montoya uses his regular working band here, with
a tight, cohesive sound throughout the 13 cuts.
We
hear the agony in Montoya's voice immediately on
the opener, "I Was Wrong," a slow blues that
gives Jeff Paris a chance to shine on piano. He
turns up the intensity and the tempo on "Save It
For The Next Fool," with frequent searing guitar
licks from our star.
All
but two songs are band originals, with a
pair of well-chosen covers. Bobby "Blue" Bland's "You Got Me (Where You Want Me)" is an
up-tempo blues shuffle that will get everyone up
on the dance floor, while Lonnie Mack's "Stop"
is one of the highlights of the album. It's a
slow blues with eerie guitar work from Montoya.
He pleads with that woman to stop hurting him,
while his guitar notes echo the agony in his
voice.
Still another highlight is the slow blues, "The
Three Kings And Me," a number intended for the
Christmas season, but needs to be heard all year
round. It's a late night blues on which Montoya
reaches out to the three Kings (B.B., Albert,
and Freddie) for advice on what he's doing wrong
that results in having the blues when everyone else is in a
festive mood. It's already one of my favorite
songs of the year.
Montoya does another killer slow-tempo song with
the soulful "What Did I Say," as he's trying to
figure out what he did to make his woman run to
someone new.
Ronnie Baker Brooks helps out on two cuts, first
sharing guitar duties on the mid-tempo novelty
number, "(I'd Rather Feel) Bad About Doin' It,"
with Montoya citing examples of Eve taking a
bite from the forbidden apple and Delilah giving
Samson a buzz cut on his locks as examples of
doing bad and not feeling guilty about it. Baker
Brooks later hops on-stage on the mid-tempo
swampy blues, "Baby You're A Drag," this time
wrestling away the vocal mic away from Coco at
times.
Jeff
Paris stars on piano on the aforementioned cut,
as he does on the New Orleans-ish "Late Last
Night" and the up-tempo rocker "Writing On The
Wall."
Montoya has done it again with still another
strong 'gator release. Writing On The Wall
will likely show up on lots of Top 10 lists for
the year.
--- Bill Mitchell
 I
was skeptical when the new album by The Count
Basie Orchestra arrived in my inbox, with it
being billed as a blues album. The list of
guests include well-known blues names like Keb'
Mo', Robert Cray, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy,
Shemekia Copeland, and others, leading me to
wonder how these diverse musical styles would
fit together.
Well, folks, this blend of more straight-ahead
blues and big band arrangements works quite
well, so don't hesitate to give a serious listen
to Basie Swings The Blues! (Candid
Records). Every cut is outstanding as the
amalgamation of the various styles blends
seamlessly. The big band, directed by Scotty
Barnhart, never overwhelms, giving each artist
the chance to project their own sound and style.
The
best number here is Bettye Lavette's version of
"Stormy Monday," with this one having the Basie
cats backing her throughout the entire song. Her
voice is infectious, making for one of the best
versions of this oft-covered blues classic.
Because I'm an unabashed fan of Shemekia
Copeland, it's not surprising that I really dig
her version of Koko Taylor's "I'm A Woman," with
Charlie Musselwhite joining in on harmonica. and
Buddy Guy on searing guitar. Shemekia has never
sounded better, and that's saying a lot. Koko
would be proud of her for what she does with her
blues classic.
Mr.
Sipp shows up on two songs, the 12-bar blues
"Let's Have A Good Time" and the slow, plodding
"Dirty Mississippi Blues." Bobby Rush opens
"Boogie In The Dark" with sparse
instrumentation, backed just by Mr. Sipp's
guitar and his own harmonica playing, before the
big band joins in without taking overwhelming.
Keb' Mo' handles both vocals and guitar on his
rendition of "Down Home Blues," sharing the
singing duties with the up-and-coming Lauren
Mitchell. Keb' comes in a nice jazzy guitar
solo.
Robert Cray steps up to the bandstand to handle
the late night jazzy Ray Charles classic, "The
Midnight Hour," with Bob laying down some mighty
tasty guitar solos. Jazz and R&B singer Ledisi
projects her sassy vocals on "Evil Gal Blues,"
flirting throughout the song with the tenor sax
playing of Doug Lawrence.
As
the album progresses, we get more jazzy blues
that, of course, are well-suited to the Basie
backing. Former Basie singer Jamie Davis shows
off his big-throated blues sound on "Look What
You've Done," leading into the wonderful vocals
of Carmen Bradford, who was actually hired by
Count Basie himself for a gig in the band. Her
version of the jazz number, "Just A Thrill,"
should be cherished for the masterpiece that it
is.
There are two instrumentals here, with "The
Patton Basie Shuffle" giving guitarist Charlton
Johnson a chance to make us wonder what would
have happened if Count Basie and Charley Patton
had gotten together to make music. The always
brilliant George Benson closes the album with
the Jack McDuff-penned number, "Rock Candy."
This one jumps, and not just because of what
Benson is doing here, as Bobby Floyd tears it up
on the B-3.
Basie Swings The Blues! isn't your standard,
hard driving blues, but instead takes these
dozen songs and shows the blues in a different
format. May I say a bit more upscale? Perhaps,
but regardless, this album should find its way
into every blues fan's collection.
--- Bill Mitchell
 The
name Lee Oskar is synonymous with the
harmonica, having been a co-founder of the band
War and designer of his own line of harmonicas.
He goes all around the world with his latest
album, She Said Mahalo (Dreams We Share), a collection of 10 instrumental numbers
covering a lot of musical styles, heavily
populated with World music and island sounds as
well as funk. There's nothing here that falls
into a blues category, although I was able to
work "Funky Rhetoric" into my radio show.
If
you've been a long-time fan of Oskar's music,
you'll be interested in hearing where he's
currently taking his music. The CD jacket and
booklet has a lot of original artwork by Oskar,
showing another side of this man's multiple
talents.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Be
Cool (Blue Heart Records) serves as
Willie J. Campbell’s solo debut album and it
also serves as a tribute to the longtime bassist
who played over a half century with several
award-winning groups --- The Fabulous
Thunderbirds, the Mannish Boys, the James Harman
Band, and the Proven Ones. After being diagnosed
with ALS Campbell was determined to complete the
album before he could no longer perform, so he
teamed up with his close friend, guitarist Kid
Ramos and invited a host of musicians to help
him complete the endeavor, which he did about a
week before he passed away on December 18, 2022.
Ramos and Brian Templeton co-produced the album,
with Campbell on bass, Ramos on guitar and
Templeton handling vocals on several tracks,
Jimi Bott on drums/percussion, and Brooks
Milgate on keyboards. They are supported by an
all-star roster of guitarists (Anson Funderburgh,
Mike Morgan, Shawn Pittman, Mondo Cortez, David
Hidalgo, and Joe Louis Walker) and vocalists
(Hidalgo, Janiva Magness, Pittman, Sugaray
Rayford, Kim Wilson, and Jimmie Wood), plus Sax
Gordon on tenor sax, Condron Hampton on
percussion, Joe “Mack” McCarthy on horns and
horn arrrangements, Pat McDougall on piano, and
Jason Ricci, Wilson, and Wood on harmonica.
Rayford takes the mic for the funky opener, “You
Better Let Go,” which addresses the perils of
materialism. Templeton sings his original, “No
More,” a fiery blues rocker with Wood on
harmonica, and Hidalgo handles the vocal (backed
by Wilson on harp) on the leisurely shuffle,
“This Time,” the title track of Los Lobos 1999
album, co-written with Hidalgo’s Los Lobos
bandmate Louie Pérez.
Magness delivers a masterful vocal on the slow
blues “Can’t Stay Away,” and Templeton returns
for the hypnotic Hill Country blues “Drone,”
with Ricci on harmonica.
The
core group, with guitarists Funderburgh, Morgan,
and Pittman, take on the rollicking instrumental
“Docksidin’,” with Campbell’s walking bass and
Bott’s drumming driving things along quite
nicely. This same group, with Templeton on
vocals, follows up with a rowdy take on “My
Fault,” written by Ian McLagan and Rod Stewart
and originally recorded by Faces in the early
’70s.
Templeton ably handles the gospel-flavored
“Forever Shall Be,” before Rayford returns for
the horn-fueled soul burner, “Standby,” which
also features fretwork from Walker. Pittman
sings and plays guitar on his original “Devil On
My Shoulder,” a swampy electric blues featuring
guitar work from Funderburgh, Morgan, Ramos, and
harp from Wilson.
“She’s A Twister,” written by Templeton and
Ramos, is a rowdy rock n’ roller driven by
Ramos’ guitar and Milgate’s piano, and Wood
leads the core group on “One Man Chain Gang,” a
dusty, sweaty blues with a Delta feel. Wilson
sings and blows harp on the Huey “Piano” Smith
classic “You Can’t Stop Her,” which serves as an
homage to the Crescent City legend who passed
away in February, while Templeton turns in an
emotional, heartfelt vocal on the moving ballad
“Use As Needed.”
The
album closes with a stirring cover of the Peter
Green/Fleetwood Mac instrumental, “Albatross,” a
fitting conclusion to this wonderful album.
“Be
Cool” was a phrase often uttered by Willie J.
Campbell, so it’s appropriate that his lone solo
album would bear that title. Be Cool is a
wonderful tribute to one of the blues’ finest
artists that should bring a smile to all of his
fans and friends.
--- Graham Clarke
 If
the pure, unadulterated blues is what you need,
look no further than Need A Friend (Lost
World Music), the latest release from The
Christopher Dean Band. After a most
auspicious start playing guitar with blues
master Big Jack Johnson, Dean has led his own
band for nearly 30 years and his recordings have
always featured a perfect mix of blues and soul,
propelled by his soulful vocals and his crisp
guitar work. Joining Dean on this release are
Lost World Music label chief/keyboardist/living
legend “Chicago” Carl Synder, drummer Dave
Hollingworth, bassist Walter Jarrett, guitarist
Mike McMillan, Nate Meyers on harmonica and
vocals, and Steve Lombardelli on horns.
The
album includes 12 well-chosen covers, plus one
Dean original, all steeped in urban and country
blues. The opener is a stirring cover of Magic
Sam’s “What Have I Done Wrong” that rolls to a
jaunty read of Memphis Minnie’s title track that
really shows Dean’s versatility.
More
West Side blues follows with a red-hot version
of Otis Rush’s “It Takes Time,” and a terrific
take of the second Magic Sam tune, “Out of Bad
Luck,” which is followed by Baby Boy Warren’s
lively shuffle “Mattie May,” and the third Magic
Sam track, the splendid slow burner “Call Me If
You Need Me” (the first Magic Sam song I ever
heard).
Dean’s cover of Snooks Eaglin’s “Country Boy in
New Orleans” (one of the New Orleans guitarist’s
first recordings in the ’50s) is first rate,
highlighted by Lombardelli’s cool sax solo. He
also does a fine job on the B.B. King urban
blues shuffle “Blind Love,” as well as Blind
Willie McTell’s ‘Cold Winter Day,” showing his
slide guitar skills in the process.
That
tune provides a nice lead-in for the Dean
original “Appalachian Women” which incorporates
a bit of a country feel and teams Meyers and
Dean on vocals. The pair team up again for
Robert Lockwood’s swinging “Pearly B,” bolstered
by Snyder’s B3 support.
The
album wraps with “Strange Feeling,” the
smoldering blues ballad previously recorded by
Buddy Guy, and Baby Face Turner’s “Blues
Serenade,” which closes the album in fine
fashion. Dean is superb on guitar and vocals and
has a wonderful rapport with the band,
especially Snyder, who has played with some of
Chicago’s finest over his long career.
Blues fans will find a lot to love on Need A
Friend, the latest exceptional effort from
The Christopher Dean Band, a band that certainly
deserves to be heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 I’m
pretty sure I’ve said this before, but it’s
always a pleasure to see a new album from
Steve Howell hit the shelves. The Texas
guitarist goes it alone for this release, just
him and his guitar on 11 marvelous tracks paying
tribute to some of his guitar heroes. Gallery
of Echoes (Out Of The Past Music) features
interpretations of songs from Blind Lemon
Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell, Rev. Gary Davis,
and a number of tunes that date back to the late
1800s as well. Jason Weinheimer produced this
lovely piece of work and contributed bass to one
track.
A
gentle reading of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1926
track, “Stocking Feet Blues,” opens the disc,
and it’s followed by the amusing old (1880s era)
Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune, “Cluck Old
Hen.” Next up is the classic “Statesboro Blues,”
with Howell’s version hewing closer to the Blind
Willie McTell version than the version made
famous by The Allman Brothers Band and Taj Mahal.
The
second Jefferson tune on the album, “Easy Rider
Blues,” was one of the blues legend’s best tunes
and Howell does a superb job. Rev. Gary Davis’
powerful “Twelve Gates To The City,” taken from
Revelation 21, is the first of three Davis tunes
on the album.
The
heartbreaking “All My Friends Are Gone” is the
story of Delia Green, the young girl who was
murdered on Christmas Day 1900, a story which
has inspired many different songs over the
years. Howell’s somber vocal is as effective as
his nimble guitar work on this tune. The
guitarist’s version of “Mississippi Blues,”
originally recorded by William Brown for Alan
Lomax in 1942, is incredible in its subtle
beauty.
Two
more songs by the Rev. Davis follow; the lively
gospel “Sit Down On The Banks Of The River,” and
the amusing “Sally, Where’d You Get Your Liquor
From?,” one of Davis’ secular tunes. The album
concludes with the traditional folk song “I’m
Going Away,” with Howell using the arrangement
used by Nick Katzman, who recorded it with Ruby
Green in 1976, and the delicate instrumental
“Dallas Rag,” originally recorded in 1927.
Gallery of Echoes is another outstanding set
of vintage blues and folk songs brought back to
life by the guitar and voice of Steve Howell,
whose albums always brings a smile to my face
and a hop to my step before I even start playing
them.
--- Graham Clarke
 Willie
J. Laws, Jr. is called the “Prophet of the
Funky Texas Blues,” and his latest album, Too
Much Blues (Pilot Light Records), indicates
that this moniker is most appropriate. Mentored
by the great Phillip Walker early in his career,
Laws toured with the blues legend and later
teamed with accordionist Flaco Jimenez, serving
as guitarist for Los Texmaniacs and becoming one
of the few African-American artists to play
Tejano music. He’s won multiple honors,
including competing in the 2012 I.B.C.’s, where
he made it to the semi-finals.
Laws
wrote nine of the 12 tracks, and they cover a
wide range of topics and musical styles, which
include funk and soul, R&B, and even country
music blended with the blues. On the mid-tempo
opener “Reg’l Ol’ Blues,” Laws cites some of his
influences, including Little Milton, B.B. King,
and Bobby “Blue” Bland, while extolling the
benefits of the traditional sounds.
“Better Off Blue” and “Stuck In Traffic”
incorporate funk and soul into the mix with
exciting results, the latter track has a smooth
Crusaders feel. Meanwhile, “Getcha’ Knee Off My
Neck” is an energetic protest decrying the
racial divide, and “Love Before You Die” is a
supple, soulful ballad encouraging all to focus
on the positive while we’re still here.
Willie Dixon’s “I Want To Be Loved” (via Muddy
Waters) gets a funky makeover that really pops
before harp master Jerry Portnoy and slide
guitarist Paul Nelson (who produced the disc)
guest on “Sorry Charlie.” The title track is a
slow burner that features strong guitar work as
Laws pleads for someone to take these blues off
of him.
“You
Don’t Love Me (u love what I do)” brings back a
heavy dose of funk to the proceedings (bassist
Dave Johnson is the album’s secret weapon). Laws
takes on modern politics on a pair of tracks,
the countrified “Ain’t Going To Texas,” and the
edgy, funky “The Right” (previously released in
2020).
The
album wraps with The Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That
Lady,” which has a slippery Latin feel in Laws’
capable hands.
Blues fans will find a lot to enjoy on Too
Much Blues, via Willie J. Laws, who proves
to be a talented singer and guitarist and a
thought-provoking lyricist as well.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chickenbone
Slim’s latest release, Damn Good and
Ready (VizzTone Label Group), includes a
dozen new songs that mix blues, swing,
rockabilly, and roots. Slim is joined on these
tracks by BMA Best Guitarist winner Laura Chavez
(guitar), Marty Dodson (drums), and Justice
Guerrera (bass), dubbed The Biscuits. The album
was recorded at Greaseland Studios in San Jose
by Kid Andersen and produced by Slim, also
featuring background vocals from Lisa Andersen
and a guest shot from Eric Spaulding on
saxophone.
The
opener, “High Ballin’ Train,” is a crisp
country-flavored rocker that sets the bar high,
but the swinging “Let’s Go Lindy” proves that
Slim and The Biscuits are more than up to the
challenge, as does the rugged Texas roadhouse
raver “Drink Me.”
“Rather Be Up” has a rootsy Americana feel and
the slinky title track is superb, highlighted by
the rhythm section’s moody backbeat and Chavez’s
sharp lead guitar work. “Deepest Blue,” despite
the title, leans more toward the country side of
the aisle, but Slim’s mournful vocal and the
shimmering fretwork really sell this one well.
The
thunderous “Rock and Roll Soul” tells the tale
of a woman deep into blues, rock, and soul, and
the mid-tempo “I’m Buying” has a bit of a funky,
Latin feel, while on the menacing rocker “Ice In
My Whiskey,” Slim warns the bartender against
watering down his drink. The raucous “Old Cat
Man” and “Ty Cobb’s Chiclets” both serve as fine
examples of Slim’s unique songwriting skills,
the latter is a story of the baseball legend’s
antagonistic ways and, um, his false teeth,
narrated over an ominous backdrop. The thumping
blues closer, “I Don’t Want To Talk About It,”
has great lyrics as well.
Chickenbone Slim packs a wallop as a musician as
well as a songwriter. You find yourself
listening to the words as intensely as you hear
the music, and he gets the best musical support
possible from The Biscuits. Damn Good and
Ready is another stellar addition to his
catalog.
--- Graham Clarke
 Jhett
Black took second place at the 2022 I.B.C.
in the solo/duo category. His brand of blues is
dark and moody, and on full display with his new
release, Babel (Rumblestump Records).
Co-produced with Black by Al Basile and Callie
Sioux, the album features 11 tracks, ten written
or co-written by Black, who is backed by Dusty
Skins on drums/percussion, Déná on
bass/keys/percussion on one track, Robbie
Coleman on bass for one track, Joe Waters on
harmonica for one track. Black plays all other
instruments on the remaining tracks, which
deftly mix blues, rock, and soul into a potent
gumbo.
Most
tracks feature Black and Skins only, including
the rough and ragged opener, “Roll Out,” which
has Black’s rugged vocals and guitar work backed
by Skins on the kick drum. “Mama Told Me Not To”
is a driving rocker that adds keyboards and
backing vocals from Luciana Schiavone, and “Eve”
features Black’s searing slide guitar with a
fast-paced rhythm.
The
title track is another slide guitar showcase
with Black’s vocal taking on an ominous echo
effect, and “Gold” is a haunting piece with
Black’s eerie keyboards battling it out with his
screaming guitar.
“Wayward Son,” the album’s first single, is a
moody number that is really a fresh look at an
old blues topic, while “Eulogy” can best be
described as 21st century pre-war blues. “12 Bar
Blues Again” is a strong blues rocker with
Waters’ harmonica adding another layer of grit
to Black’s sound, and the spooky “Devil Ain’t An
Only Child” will raise goose bumps on your goose
bumps.
“Sonic Tonic” adds surf guitar and synthesizers
to this already heady mix, and the album’s lone
non-original, a spirited cover of the Freddie
King classic “Goin’ Down,” closes the disc.
Jhett Black’s brave new brand of blues is
gritty, grungy, raw, and it really rocks.
Babel puts a new, modern spin on the blues
and has a lot to offer fans of the traditional
and contemporary styles.
--- Graham Clarke
 Mizz
Lowe (a.k.a. Loretta Harris) was born in
Holmes County, Mississippi and grew up in
Greenville, where she sang in the church and at
school, also playing in the band, dance team,
and as a majorette. She served as a background
singer/dancer for several blues and R&B artists,
but her primary claim to fame is serving as lead
dancer and personal assistant for Bobby Rush,
currently serving as the “Young Hen” on the
two-time Grammy winner’s show. Rush co-produced
Mizz Lowe’s debut CD, Classy Woman (Mizz
Lowe Records), and appears on six of the ten
tracks, which the pair also wrote together.
Bobby Rush guests on the first three tracks,
contributing harmonica and backing vocals on the
steamy opener, “Honey Tree,” and the funky title
track, and sharing lead vocals on the
R&B/soul-flavored blues “Hip Shakin’ Mama.”
“Easy Baby” is a soulful slow burner that
borrows a bit lyrically from the Magic Sam tune
of the same title and the change of pace shows
Mizz Lowe’s vocal versatility. Rush returns for
the contemporary R&B tune, “I Ain’t Givin’ Up My
Love,” sharing lead vocals, with Rush taking the
heat for possible misbehavior.
‘Drink Drink,” borrows the melody of “Little By
Little,” with Mizz Lowe giving her man an
ultimatum regarding his alcoholic intake. Rush’s
harmonica and the horns give this upbeat tune an
extra kick.
“Take My Love” is a cool blues featuring some
tasty harp work from Rush, who again shares lead
vocals, as the pair demonstrate a strong musical
rapport. “This Love” is an excellent R&B-styled
ballad, with Mizz Lowe sounding marvelous, and
“4 Leaf Clover” is an easy-going country soul
number that shows her tender side.
“Christmas Tears,” featuring Rush on harmonica,
almost put me in the spirit as I type this
during 100 degree Mississippi weather, but
should be a nice addition to blues fans’ holiday
listening.
Other musical contributors, in addition to Rush,
are the ever-versatile Brother Paul Brown (keys,
bass, drums, horns, percussion, strings), Dexter
Allen (guitar, bass, piano), Paul Black (slide
guitar), and CC White (background vocals).
Classy Woman is a great listen for fans who
like the blues on the soulful side. Mizz Lowe
shows a lot of range and versatility in her
singing, and Bobby Rush did a fine job with
production and musical support. This one
definitely deserves to heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 Hungarian
bluesman Little G Weevil has been quite
active since winning the I.B.C. in 2013 as a
solo act, having released several albums and
touring internationally prior to the shutdown in
2020. His first post-pandemic release, If I
May…, offers ten new original tunes by LGW,
who plays guitar and is backed by K.C. Brown
(harmonica/backing vocals), Csaba Pengő (upright
bass/backing vocals), Mr. Jambalaya
(piano/backing vocals), and Tom Kiss (drums).
The set mixes blues with swing and jazz, and was
recorded in Budapest at Sounday Studio.
The
opener, “Yoga Girl (Hold Me Close),” is a rowdy
piano-driven taste of Chicago blues describing a
special lady. “Spy Balloon Blues” ventures into
New Orleans territory, with Mr. Jambalaya
channeling Professor Longhair as LGW offers his
reflections on the current state of affairs, and
“One Last Time” is a cool late-nite blues with
sparkling lead guitar.
“Scam Me, Scam Me Not” is a refreshing update on
the traditional warning about getting into an
ill-advised relationship, and the swinging blues
“Doctor Hay” describes LGW’s resistance to his
doctor’s advice about curbing his reckless
lifestyle.
“Tribal Affairs” blends Hill Country and East
African influences and encourages independent
thought and living. “Gold Mine” revisits the
Crescent City as LGW sings about Africans
toiling in mines for change to harvest treasures
for the elites, while the jaunty “Tingalingaling
(Everybody’s Qualified)” and the slow blues, “We
Don’t Learn Much,” both mock education (or lack
thereof) in modern times.
The
album wraps up with “I Know Ways To Prove My
Love,” a rumbling tribute to Willie Dixon’s
songwriting as LGW lists a number of ways to
prove his devotion.
Little G Weevil incorporates highly creative and
original songwriting with excellent musicianship
to produce an entertaining set of modern blues.
If I May… is another great set for this
inventive artist.
--- Graham Clarke
 Ole
Lonesome (Zachary Feemster – vocals/guitar,
J. Wesley Hardin – bass, Gregory Mosley – keys,
Jimmy Devers – drums, Greg Achord – guitar) was
founded in Beaumont, Texas. Their powerhouse
sound melds blues, soul, funk, and rock n’ roll
into a raw, gritty southern gumbo the band calls
“swamp rock,” but their sound screams “Texas!”
through and through. Their debut album, Tejas
Motel (Gulf Coast Records) features ten
original tunes, co-produced by the band with
Gulf Coast label head Mike Zito, who also guests
on guitar for one track.
“Yvette” opens the album, a grungy, rumbling
blues break-up song with sharp fretwork and
Feemster’s powerful vocal. “Gold Chevy” follows,
with the moody feel of an old Bad Company song,
and “Steady Mistreater” deftly mixes southern
rock and soul. “Momma’s Worry” rocks HARD, and
“Easy Street” settles things down a bit, just a
little bit, with impressive guitar work from
Feemster and Achord carrying the day.
Zito
guests on “Lo Key,” which is a gripping blues
that slowly builds in intensity, punctuated by
some fine soloing from the respective
guitarists. “Ain’t No Good” is a well-crafted
blues ballad with a soulful vocal from Feemster
and superb guitar accompaniment from Achord.
“The Fool” is an ominous tune with a swampy,
atmospheric feel, and “Natural Fact” is a
grinding rocker that really cooks.
The
title track closes the disc, a mid-tempo story
describing the old hotel in Deep Ellum that the
band passed on the road after a gig. Feemster’s
lyrics paint a vivid picture and the music
swings with a slight Latin flavor.
Tejas Motel is a cool release that fans of
classic British blues rock and Southern rock
will really enjoy. Feemster has a distictive
voice that fits comfortably in multiple genres
and his bandmates are first rate. Put this one
on your “gotta hear” list.
--- Graham Clarke
 I
first heard Tommy Lee Cook on his
engaging Outside Looking In release way
back in 2011, so it was nice to see another
release of his show up on my desk. Tommy
Lee’s Jonesin’ was recorded at Downtown
Buckingham Studios in Ft. Myers, Florida with
Cook (vocals/guitar) receiving excellent support
on half of the 12 tracks from Danny Shepard
(guitar/midi tracks/backing vocals), and also
from The Buckingham Blues Band (Rex Bongo –
guitar/backing vocals, Harry Cassano –
keys/backing vocals, Scott Kamener – guitar,
Arne England – slide guitar, T-Bone Fonk (a.k.a.
Tim O’Neill) – drums/backing vocals, Andrei
Koribanics – drums) and special guests Bobby
Capps (piano), Rick Rourke (sax), and Justin
Richey (slide guitar) on the remaining tracks.
Cook
wrote 10 of the 12 tracks, either solo or with
Shepard, Bongo, or Melissa Jones. As with his
previous release, his storytelling skills are
superb and his warm southern drawl vocals really
help sell what are already a great batch of
tunes. The music itself has a glorious swampy
blues feel that you just want to play over and
over.
“Birds and Bees” opens the disc and it’s a funky
blues rocker that namedrops Etta James in the
first verse, so you know it’s a keeper. “Gimme
My Money Mista” is a short narrative that leads
into one of the album’s two covers, an edgy
version of Willie Mae Brown’s “Turpentine,”
which was originally recorded in 1933 for the
Library of Congress, later covered by a host of
blues artists including Tampa Red and Casey Bill
Weldon, but Cook’s version is based on JJ Grey’s
version from Country Ghetto.
“Let
It Rain” is a swampy slow burner, and the next
two songs, “Souleater” and “Satisfied” keep the
ominous tone and pace, but Cook’s nimble vocals
(and the haunting slide guitar work) carry the
day.
The
title track is a fun and funky tale about a
lovely lady who’s doing all the right things to
catch his eye, and his narration will make you
want to meet her. “Funky Shoes” reminds me a lot
of a long-lost Little Feat tune, Dixie
Chicken-era, with the guitar and Cook’s vocal.
“Dancing With My Baby” has that same feel, while
“Consequences” is just a really cool slow dance
tune.
“Working Musician” is a tribute to those artists
who spend most of their time on the road, their
adventures, and the after-effects. “The Boys
From Buckingham” closes the disc, a variation on
a Cross Canadian Ragweed tune with additional
lyrics from Bongo, describing the intricacies of
rolling your own.
This
is a fine, laidback album that will certainly
please fans of southern rock and blues, and
definitely make them smile. Tommy Lee Cook has a
vocal style and songwriting style that will hit
you where you live and seep into your soul if
you’re not careful. Tommy Lee’s Jonesin’
is a disc well worth seeking out.
--- Graham Clarke
 Corey Ledet continues to dig deeper into his
musical heritage with his latest release,
Médikamen (Nouveau Electric Records).
Recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice,
Louisiana, and produced by Ledet and Louis
Michot, the new album features guest appearances
from Germaine Jack, Anders Osbourne, Kermit
Ruffins, and Grant Dermody.
Ledet and his core band (Lee Allen Zeno –
bass/backing vocals, Lucien “Big Lou” Haynes –
rhythm guitar, Julian Primeaux – rhythm/lead
guitar, Cecil Green – keyboards, Je’an Paul
Jolivette drums/backing vocals) rip through a
dozen songs written and performed entirely in
Kouri-Vini (a Louisiana Creole dialect of French
his family spoke).
Since I don’t speak Kouri-Vini, about all I can
do is tell you that the music is fantastic. Like
most zydeco recordings, there are stirring dance
numbers and waltzes sprinkled throughout.
There’s also a healthy dose of blues and R&B
mixed in, as well as jazz and a little bit of
rock n’ roll. It’s a perfect mix of traditional
and contemporary that should satisfy any fans of
the music.
The
opening track, “Alon Kouri Laba,” is a
boisterous dance number that should put a hop in
your step from the get-go, while “Gònn Lamézon
Démin” is a Creole version of Fats Domino’s
“Goin’ Home (Tomorrow).”
Osbourne adds a funky guitar riff to “Kofè t’fe
ça,” a gutsy zydeco-blues track, and Ruffins’
trumpet helps gives the title track a swinging
Crescent City vibe. “Lavals a Séléstinn” is one
of those waltzes that Ledet handles so well, and
“M’apé Gònn a Dauphine” and “Mo Gin In Ta Lamou”
(written by guitarist Russell Gordon, who played
for Ledet’s father and also Rockin’ Dopsie) are
both robust blues rockers that Primeaux’s guitar
work and Dermody on harmonica. The lively “Mo
Konten To Yê Pou Mò” has a country feel, as does
“Penden Koronaj,” a rowdy, but brief
mostly-instrumental track.
The
pace stays upbeat with “Swiv-Mò,” which will get
folks out on the dance floor for sure, and
“Vayan Fenm” incorporates funk and R&B, thanks
largely to the rhythm guitar work from Haynes
and Primeaux. The closer “Two-Step a Ben Guiné,”
another fast-paced dance tune, is an excellent
track to bring this superb disc to a conclusion.
Corey Ledet’s journey to discover his musical
roots has provided him with much insight into
his family heritage, but it’s also opened the
door for some fresh, exciting music for zydeco
fans. It’s obvious this is a labor of love for
Ledet and his band members, and it will be a
genuine pleasure for any listeners who give
Médikamen a spin.
--- Graham Clarke
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