When you think about it, Buddy Guy has
probably inspired as many people to pick up a guitar and play the blues as
earlier influences like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James,
and Robert Johnson. In fact, he’s arguably inspired as many rock guitarists as
he has blues guitarists. When I first started listening to the blues, Guy was
one of the ones I heard about when reading about my favorites (Clapton, Hendrix,
SRV, Jeff Beck, etc…), but it was hard to find any of his recordings at the
time. Thankfully, he’s enjoyed a much larger profile for the last 20 years, so
many fans have gotten to see what the fuss was about.
For the past few
albums, Guy has teamed with producer/drummer Tom
Hambridge and has released some of his most inspired
recordings during their partnership. Their latest
collaboration is a powerhouse two-disc set,
Rhythm & Blues (Silvertone/RCA), that shows how
deeply the blues is rooted in all areas of modern
music.
The first disc,
entitled “Rhythm,” finds Guy working in a
soul/blues/rock vein for the most part, with several
tracks featuring the Muscle Shoals Horns. Though we
rarely hear Guy this way on his recent recordings,
and he really stands out on tracks like “I Go By
Feel,” “What’s Up With That Woman,” and “One Day
Away” (a surprising countified duet with Keith
Urban). Besides Urban, other guest stars include Kid
Rock, who appropriately joins Guy on “Messin’ With
the Kid,” and blues belter Beth Hart, who rips into
a rousing duet with Guy (“What You’re Gonna Do About
Me”). Guy also covers one of his early influences,
Guitar Slim, with a horn-driven version of “Well I
Done Got Over It.”
The second disc,
entitled “Blues,” is exactly that…with Guy tearing
through a solid set of original tunes all co-written
by Hambridge. The second disc opener is a Hambridge/Robert
Randolph composition, “Meet Me In Chicago,” a
tribute to the Windy City with some scorching lead
work from Guy, followed by “Too Damn Bad,” which
features the driving rhythm guitar of David Grissom
and piano from former Double Trouble keyboard man
Reese Wynans. Guy is joined by three Aerosmith
members (singer Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry
and Brad Whitford) on “Evil Twin,” and recent blues
sensation Gary Clark, Jr. appears on “Blues Don’t
Care.” Guy closes the disc with a remake of a song
he did during his Vanguard years, “Poison Ivy.”
Guy co-wrote several
of the songs with Hambridge on both discs, with the
autobiographical “I Came Up Hard,” the rousing first
disc opener, “Best In Town,” and “Devil’s Daughter”
being particular standouts. Most of the tunes have
an autobiographical quality to them and Guy really
brings life to the lyrics with his heartfelt
performances.
The day Rhythm &
Blues hit the airwaves (July 30th), Guy
celebrated his 77th birthday. It’s safe to say that
he is now, and has been for a while, one of the
blues’ “elder statesmen,” but the only way you can
tell that is by looking at his driver’s license. By
listening to his performances on this disc, you’d
almost swear he was one of the genre’s young lions
with plenty left to prove. This old tiger’s still
got plenty in the tank and Rhythm & Blues is
proof positive of that.
---
Graham Clarke
Robert Randolph
and the Family Band took a three-year hiatus
from the studio after their previous release, We
Walk This Road, and it was a well-deserved rest,
given their relentless touring schedule over the
previous few years. With batteries recharged, the
band returned to the studio, this time with Blue
Note Records, to release Lickety Split, an
exuberant disc that probably captures the qualities
of their live performances better than any of their
earlier studio efforts.
With every subsequent
release, Randolph has moved his sound from its
sacred steel roots (which originated in the House of
God fundamentalist denomination) and absorbed
influences from the blues, funk, and R&B, drawing a
larger audience with each passing year. This new
release takes in some Louisiana influences with the
dreamy “New Orleans” (with vocals from Randolph’s
sister, Lenesha), and the thumping “Take The Party”
(featuring Trombone Shorty).
The gospel presence
is still felt on tracks like the pulsating title cut
and the inspirational “Born Again,” which borrows
the melody of Stephen Stills’ “Love The One You’re
With,” and features backing vocals from guest Bekka
Bramlett. Another guest star of note is guitar
legend Carlos Santana, who teams with Randolph on
the impossibly funky “Brand New Wayo.” Santana even
channels B.B. King when encouraged by Randolph,
while bass monster Daniel Morgan offers up his best
Bootsy Collins and Stanley Clarke takes.
The band also tackles
the Ohio Players’ “Love Rollercoaster,” and
Randolph’s steel guitar soars through the heavens,
complemented perfectly by the horns. The closer is a
cool reading of the Rascals’ “Good Lovin’,” which
will leave you with a smile on your face. Actually,
that’s the general vibe for the entire disc. To me,
Lickety Split represents Robert Randolph and
the Family Band’s finest effort to date. All
cylinders are firing with the band and there’s a joy
and enthusiasm present that should make this disc
recommended listening to anyone who has a pulse.
---
Graham Clarke
Mike Zito is
apparently vying for the title “Hardest Working Man
in Show Business.” Since 2012, Zito has been a part
of Royal Southern Brotherhood, the supergroup he
co-founded with Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Charlie
Wooton, and Yonrico Scott. That group has been
touring steadily since their formation and has
received numerous accolades and awards since their
inception.
Even with a full
slate as part of RSB (plus producing the occasional
album, including Samantha Fish’s BMA winner last
year and her new one, out later this year), Zito
continues to maintain a busy schedule with his other
band, The Wheel, with whom Zito recorded his most
recent solo release, Gone To Texas, his debut
release for Ruf Records. The state of Texas is
significant to Zito….years ago, he retreated to the
Lone Star State and conquered his drug addictions
and met his significant other there. He’s been there
ever since.
The album is a
classic model of blues and roots music. Zito
produced the disc and the Wheel (Jimmy Carpenter –
sax and guitars, Rob Lee – drums, Scot Sutherland –
bass) are joined by several noteworthy
guests…..slide guitar master Sonny Landreth,
vocalists Delbert McClinton and Susan Cowsill, and
keyboardist Lewis Stephens.
Highlights include
the title track, a gentle rocker that recounts
Zito’s journey to redemption and rebirth, “Rainbow
Bridge,” a fantastic southern rock gem with some
great slide work from Landreth, “I Never Knew A
Hurricane,” a soulful track co-written by Zito and
RSB mate Cyril Neville, that features a nice backing
vocal from Cowsill, and “Voices of Dallas,” another
autobiographical track. McClinton joins Zito on
vocals for the honky tonker, “The Road Never Ends”
(co-written by Zito and Devon Allman).
Though the basic
theme is Texas/Gulf Coast music, “Don’t Think Cause
You’re Pretty” is a powerful dose of blues/rock,
“Death Row” is a fine acoustic Delta blues, and
“Don’t Break A Leg” is a funky little number that
showcases Stephens’ greasy keyboards and Carpenter’s
sax (nice turn on vocals by Zito on this one, too).
“Hell on Me” is another solid blues/rocker with cool
psychedelic fretwork mixed in.
Zito also does a
marvelous job on McClinton’s ballad, “Take It Easy,”
one of two covers on the disc. The other is a moving
version of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Let Your Love
Shine On Me,” featuring Zito solo on acoustic
guitar. Truthfully, there’s not a bad song on the
disc. Based on the content of Gone To Texas,
blues fans should be grateful that Mike Zito decided
to make the initial journey. We have been rewarded
with one of the best releases of the year.
---
Graham Clarke
For his latest CD,
Blues In My Soul (Delmark Records), Chicago
guitarist extraordinaire Lurrie Bell decided
to get back to the basics, playing old-school
Chicago blues, after stretching his limits and
expanding his musical boundaries on his previous two
releases. Recorded at Riverside Studios in Chicago,
with a solid group of Windy City musicians
(including keyboardist Roosevelt Purifoy, bass
player Melvin Smith, drummer Willie Hayes, and
longtime collaborator Matthew Skoller on harmonica)
and a savvy producer (Dick Shurman) behind the
board, all the pieces were in place for a dream
project.
For this release,
Bell went through about 200 submitted songs to pick
11 choice covers that will ring familiar with most
blues fans. There are two choice selections from
T-Bone Walker (the jumping opener “Hey Hey Baby” and
“T-Bone Blues Special”), and a host of tunes from
Chicago legends like Junior Wells (“’Bout The Break
of Day”), Jimmy Rogers (“My Little Machine”), Little
Walter (“I Just Keep Loving Her”), Otis Spann
(“Blues Never Die”), and Eddie Boyd (“Just The
Blues”).
Bell also takes on “I
Feel So Good” (popularized by J. B. Hutto, among
others), “She’s A Good ‘Un” (Otis Rush), and a
rousing cover of the J.L. Smith tune, “If It’s Too
Late.” Blending in seamlessly with the cover tunes
are three tracks written by Bell, which include the
introspective title track, a nice tribute to Magic
Slim (“24 Hour Blues”), which Bell cut the day of
Slim’s death, and a funky instrumental track, “South
Side To Riverside,” one of two track that include
horns (Marques Carroll – trumpet, arrangements,
Chris Neal – tenor sax, Mark Hiebert – baritone
sax).
Bell recently
appeared on a couple of fine collections of vintage
Chicago blues (the Chicago Blues: A Living
History series, produced by Matthew Skoller’s
brother Larry), playing this variety of Chicago
blues. It was great to hear him perform on those two
double-disc sets and the fact that he continues on
that theme for this release will certainly be
pleasing to blues fans.
Actually, most blues
fans are just supremely grateful that Bell is still
around and seems to be at the peak of his powers,
given the adversity he’s dealt with over the years.
He breathes new life into many of these familiar
tracks with his inspired guitar work and his
emotional vocals that come from deep within. If
you’ve not experienced Lurrie Bell’s incredible
talents, Blues In My Soul is a good place to
start, but I promise you will be wanting to hear
more.
---
Graham Clarke
Studebaker John
Grimaldi cut his musical teeth learning to play his
father’s harmonica at age seven in his native
Chicago. Years later, he discovered the blues on
Maxwell Street, when he saw Big John Wrencher
blowing harmonica one day when he was in the
neighborhood working with his father’s plumbing
business. Later, after hearing Hound Dog Taylor’s
hurricane-force slide guitar, he learned to play
slide guitar. Obviously, Grimaldi learned his
lessons well, and he has enjoyed a fair amount of
success over the past four decades, and has been
recording on a regular basis since the mid ’90s,
with his last couple of releases coming from the Delmark label.
For his third and latest Delmark effort, Studebaker
John has assembled rhythm guitarist Rick Kreher
(from Muddy Waters’ last band), former Mellow Fellow
bassist Bob Halaj, and former Teardrop drummer (and
Blues Before Sunrise radio host) Steve Cushing to
form the Maxwell Street Kings. Kingsville Jukin’ is
definitely an old-school recording, cut with vintage
equipment, lo-fi analog to hi-fi stereo. The result
is a rough and ragged mix that gives the project a
classic feel, loaded with grit and funk and sweaty
atmosphere.
All 16 tracks were written by Grimaldi and they ring
true to the era to which he is paying tribute.
There’s plenty of greasy slide guitar in the Hound
Dog Taylor tradition, and the backing is superb.
Highlights include the crisp opener, “Mississippi To
Chicago,” “When They Played The Real Blues,” “The
Rest Is Up To You,” with Grimaldi shining on guitar
and harp, and the rocking “Ride Again.”
Grimaldi also takes time to honor his mentors and
influences. “I Am The Houserocker” is dedicated to
former Houserocker Brewer Phillips. “Howlin’ In The
Moonlight” pays homage to Howlin’ Wolf, and
“Kingsville Jukin’” is a harmonica workout dedicated
to Big John Wrencher. The outstanding slow blues,
“Cold Black Night,” is dedicated to guitarist Peter
Green, and the manic “Shake Some For Me” surely has
Hound Dog Taylor smiling in blues heaven.
Coolest of all is the closing track. “Bad Gasoline”
was cut directly to a 78 from a Wilcox Gay Recordio.
Grimaldi plays some ripping slide on track and the
definitely lo-fi acoustics are a fitting close to
this great old school blues recording. Folks, this
is how they used to do them back in the day, and it
wouldn’t hurt to have a few more like it every once
in a while.
---
Graham Clarke
Dave Riley and Bob Corritore have proven to be a
highly entertaining duo with their “Mississippi
Meets Chicago” approach to the blues. The
combination of Riley’s brand of rough and rugged
down-home blues and Corritore’s Windy City-based
harmonica are a blues marriage made in Heaven, and
the partnership and great music continues with their
third release as a team, Hush Your Fuss! (SWMAF/Vizztone).
This is old-school blues at its finest. Riley and
Corritore wrote most of the songs either
individually or collaboratively. The highlights
include the rustic Delta-styled title track that
opens the disc, the anti-profanity ditty, “No Cussin’,”
“Home in Chicago,” “Hard Headed Woman,” “Happy As A
Man Can Be,” “My Baby’s Gone,” and “Oil Spill
Blues.” The two covers are “Snuff Dippin’ Woman,”
penned by the late John Weston, a longtime Riley
musical partner, and “Mississippi Po’ Boy,” a gospel
tune originally done by the Canton Spirituals.
Riley is in excellent form, with some solid guitar
work and that timeless voice that is the perfect
combination of grit and good humor. Corritore shows
why he’s one of the finest harmonica men in the
business with his concise and always complementary
harp solos and fills. This is a team that I hope
endures for a long time. The closing tune is pretty
representative of their partnership…..”Laughing
Blues,” which sounds like two buddies having a ball.
They are supported by an excellent rhythm section
consisting of Riley’s son, Dave “Yahni” Riley, Jr.
(bass), and Brian Fahey (drums) with Gloria Bailey
adding keyboards on “Mississippi Po’ Boy.”
With Hush Your Fuss!, Dave Riley and Bob Corritore
serve up yet another fantastic set of blues just
like the old folks used to do them back in the day.
Old-school blues fans will want to hear this set
over and over again.
---
Graham Clarke
When you pop a Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King CD
into your stereo (or download it onto your
iPod….however, these young whippersnappers today
listen to their music), blues fans pretty much know
what they’re in store for, some of the best
down-and-dirty Texas roadhouse blues currently in
production. Kubek’s rugged guitar work, coupled with
King’s own sharp fretwork and soulful vocals, are a
potent combination, and have been for over twenty
years of performing and recording together.
Road Dog’s Life is the duo’s 15th release, and their
second on Delta Groove, and it holds true to the
band’s standard operating procedure, with ten great
original tunes and two choice cover tunes. Lending
the pair a hand are members of the Mannish Boys’
rhythm section (Willie J. Campbell – bass, Jimi Bott
– drums), Nightcats guitarist Kid Andersen, Kansas
City bass player Patrick Recob, and a legendary pair
of harp men, Kim Wilson and Delta Groove head man
Randy Chortkoff.
Kubek and King’s songs are always original and fun
to listen to, like the opener, “Big Money Sonny,”
which is a character study backed by a tight R&B
groove. “Nobody But You” is a enjoyable shuffle that
features King, Wilson, and Chortkoff on vocals, with
Wilson and Chortkoff trading harmonica riffs
throughout. The title track is a muscular blues
rocker, and the canine theme continues with,
naturally, “K9 Blues,” a clever tune that showcases
Kubek’s guitar and Wilson’s harmonica.
Kubek and King’s guitar interplay is really nice on
“Face To Face,” and the rock and roller “I Ain’t
Greasin’” is another standout. “Talkin’ ‘Bout Bad
Luck” finds Kubek playing some searing lap steel and
an appropriately gritty vocal from King. The covers
are interesting….a slowed down take on the Beatles’
“Don’t Bother Me,” and a funky reworking of the
Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire.”
Road Dog’s Life ranks as one of Smokin’ Joe Kubek
and Bnois King’s best efforts, and that’s already a
pretty high bar to top. Let’s just say the bar got
raised a little bit higher with this release. Here’s
hoping that this musical partnership continue to be
fruitful for many years to come.
---
Graham Clarke
Sugaray Rayford was a featured vocalist on the
Mannish Boys’ 2012 album (and BMA Winner for
Traditional Blues Album of the Year), Double
Dynamite. Though his name be unfamiliar to most
blues fans, Rayford, a Texas native, made a name for
himself on the Southern California music scene,
leading San Diego band Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz to a 3rd
Place finish at the 2006 IBC. Delta Groove
Productions chief Randy Chortkoff was impressed and
filed his name away for future reference. When the
Mannish Boys needed a new front man, Rayford got the
call. The rest, as they say, is recent history, with
Double Dynamite making many blues fans’ Top Ten List
(including mine) last year thanks, in part, to his
efforts.
Now Delta Groove has released Sugaray Rayford’s
debut solo album, Dangerous. As with most Delta
Groove recordings, the backing band consists of a
veritable all-star team of the West Coast blues
scene’s finest musicians, including several Mannish
Boy members (Chortkoff, Willie J. Campbell, Jimi
Bott, and Frank Goldwasser), plus Kim Wilson,
Monster Mike Welch, Big Pete, Gino Matteo, Kid
Andersen, Bill Stuve, Fred Kaplan, and Anthony
Geraci. Also joining in the fun is another Sugar
Ray….veteran harp man Sugar Ray Norcia.
The opener is a nice Chicago-styled “Country Boy,”
written by Norcia and featuring some excellent
harpwork from him as well. Rayford’s own compsostion,
“Stuck For A Buck,” is next and has a nice R&B feel
to it, with some fine guitar from Gino Matteo. The
menacing title track showcases a great vocal from
Rayford and more standout harp from Norcia, who also
teams with Rayford on the appropriately-titled “Two
Times Sugar.”
Goldwasser adds some great West Coast-styled guitar
on the Pee Wee Crayton number, “When It Rains It
Pours,” complementing Rayford’s smooth vocal.
Gatemouth Brown’s “Depression Blues” is another
standout, with guitar from Kid Andersen. Andersen
also contributes lead guitar on the Rayford
composition, “I Might Do Something Crazy” and the
Junior Parker chestnut, “In The Dark.” The acoustic
“Need A Little More Time” and Son House’s “Preaching
Blues,” which closes the disc feature Goldwasser on
guitar.
As you may have noticed, there is a very diverse set
of tunes on this album, and Sugaray Rayford handles
each and everyone of these styles with ease. At
times, his vocals are reminiscent of Lonnie Brooks
with their passion and fire (notably on “In The
Dark,” a tune previously covered by Brooks), but he
is very much his own man. Naturally, it doesn’t hurt
a bit that he’s backed by this superlative set of
musicians. He has proven to be a real find as a
blues singer, and Dangerous is evidence of his talent
and versatility.
---
Graham Clarke
Dana Fuchs’ latest release,
Bliss Avenue (Ruf
Records), is her most personal effort to date, with
all 12 songs co-written by the singer with her
guitarist, Jon Diamond. These compositions cover a
range of subjects that are close to her, and will
also ring familiar to most listeners, and also run
the gamut from blues to soul to roots to rock. Good
as the songs are, it doesn’t hurt one bit that Fuchs
is one of the best blues/rock vocalists currently
performing. The fact that these songs are personal
to her makes her performances even better than
usual.
The title track opens the disc and Fuchs’ blistering
vocals bring to mind Janis Joplin (she portrayed the
late singer in Love, Janis on Broadway). “How Did
Things Get This Way” is a blues rocker that would
have been a smooth fit back in the ’70s. I really
like the southern rock flavor of “Handful Too Many”
and the soul bent of “Livin’ on Sunday,” with the
churchy keyboards (from Glenn Patscha) and chick
singers (Tabitha Fair and Nicki Richards) is pretty
cool, too.
There’s more great deep soul on “So Hard To Move,”
with one of Fuch’s best vocal performances on an
album loaded with fantastic singing. She also
ventures into country/rock territory on several
tracks (“Daddy’s Little Girl,” “Nothin’ On My Mind,
“Rodents In The Attic,” “Vagabond Wind,” and the
closer, “Long Long Game”), indicating that she would
certainly be successful if she were to move in that
direction in the future.
Diamond’s guitar work is perfectly simpatico with
Fuch’s vocals and it’s obvious they’ve worked
together for awhile. Patscha’s keyboards and the
tight rhythm section (Jack Daley – bass, Shawn
Pelton – drums) are also excellent. Bliss Avenue is
Dana Fuchs at her best, both as a singer and
composer. Blues/rock fans will want to add this set
to their collection.
---
Graham Clarke
On Play by the Rules (Hunters Records), Scandinavian
blues man J.T. Lauritsen split time between his
native Norway, recording with his regular band and
guest Anson Funderburgh, and Memphis, Tennessee where he
recorded at Ardent Recording Studios with a band
that included Victor Wainwright, Billy Gipson, and
Willie J. Campbell. Other guest artists include
Larry McCray, Teresa James, Reba Russell, and Sven
Zetterberg.
The influence of Memphis permeates all
12
tracks. Lauritsen’s standout vocals bring soulful
tracks like William Bell’s inspirational “Everyday
Will Be Like A Holiday,” Big Walter Horton’s “Need
My Baby,” the swamp pop classic, “Mathilda,” and Big
Joe Maher’s “Ever Since The World Began” to rich and
vibrant life. Gillian Welch’s Valley of Tears” is
given a spiritual twist, and Bo Carlsson’s “The
Blues Got Me,” brings the disc to a rousing close.
The six originals compare very well to the covers,
with Lauritsen’s New Orleans-flavored “Next Time,”
the title track, which features some exquisite slide
guitar from Josh Roberts, “I’ll Never Get Over You,”
which sounds for all the world like an old Stax tune
thanks to a dynamite vocal turn from Lauritsen and
some greasy B3 from Paul Wagnberg, and the churning
boogie “Find My Little Girl,” which features
Funderburgh.
Lauritsen, who sings, plays harmonica, accordion,
and Hammond B3, and drummer Jon Grimsby are the only
two musicians who appear on each track, but the
production and musicianship is so seamless, you will
never know the two sessions were recorded thousands
of miles apart. Play by the Rules is a great release
that showcases the talents of an artist you may not
be familiar with, but J.T. Lauritsen is someone you
will want to hear more from soon.
---
Graham Clarke
I was excited when the swing revival took place in
the mid to late ’90s, and it seemed like everyone
tried to jump on board and several bands actually
got some well-deserved national attention, but as is
the case with most musical genre revivals, everybody
soon moved on to the next big thing. However,
several of these bands remain and sound just as good
and vibrant as they did in the late ’90s. One of
these bands is Grand Marquis, who was formed in
1998, appropriately, in Kansas City, the birthplace
of swing.
Grand Marquis has always understood that the blues
was a big part of swing music and, more so than most,
the blues has always been a big part of their
approach to swing. The band also throws R&B, rock,
and jazz into the mix, so their music never sounds
stale or dated in the least, which is made obvious
on their sixth and latest release, Blues and
Trouble.
For this new album, the group trots out a dozen
original tunes to go along with one cover, a
swinging (of course) version of Jerry Lee Lewis’
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” The original tunes
are pretty noteworthy, too. The opener, “Bed of
Nails,” mixes profound lyrics of regret with a manic
horn chart with some searing slide guitar work from
Ryan Wurtz, while “Every Day’s The Same” has a
definite Crescent City bounce. “Reputation” is a
minor key blues that features a nice vocal turn from
singer/sax man Bryan Redmond. The title track is in
the same vein with a sweaty, late night feel to it.
Additional highlights include “You’re Still My
Baby,” another New Orleans-flavored tune…this time
with a Dixieland beat, the jazzy “Ironclad Alibi,”
the dazzling swinger “Two by Two,” and the
impressive slow blues, “Easy to Be the Devil,” with
some splendid slide work from Wurtz. Each member
(Redmond – vocals, sax, Chad Boydston – trumpet,
Wurtz – guitar, Ben Ruth – upright bass, sousaphone,
and Lisa McKenzie – drums, washboard) gets ample
opportunity to take the spotlight on most of the
tracks, and they sound fantastic.
With Blues and Trouble, Grand Marquis prove that
they are on top of their game, and their infectious
mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock, and R&B is fresh
and innovative enough to maybe spark a swing
re-revival, which wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.
---
Graham Clarke
Singer/guitarist/songwriter
Kara Grainger got her
start in her native Australia in the late ’90s with
the Sydney-based band Papa Lips, teaming with her
brother, harmonica player Mitch Grainger. After
recording an album in the U.S. in 2006, Grainger
moved to the states in 2008, and is beginning to
make as big an impact here as she did in her native
land. Grainger’s third CD, on Eclecto Groove
Records, is Shiver & Sigh.
While Grainger’s sound is rooted in the blues, there
are also considerable nods to soul, rock, pop, jazz,
and Americana, but most especially the soul side of
blues. Her sultry vocals simmer over a slow groove
for the most part, and her guitar work is crisp and
sharp, a perfect complement to the songs. Grainger
wrote five of the 11 songs here, and they’re a
solid set, including “Shut Down,” the jazzy “Lost In
You,” and a nice R&B track, “You’re The One.”
“No Way You Can Hurt Me Now” is a country-esque track
with some nice keyboard from Mike Finnigan, and some
excellently subtle slide guitar from Grainger. Mike
Zito contributed “Holding Out For Love,” a slow soul
burner, and three well-done covers help wrap up the
disc….a fine version of Robert Johnson’s “C’mon In
My Kitchen” (with harmonica from brother Mitch), a
superlative reworking of the Memphis standard,
“Breaking Up Somebody’s Home,’ and a lovely acoustic
read on Wayne Perkins’ “Overdue For The Blues.”
Don’t expect a lot of pyrotechnics on
Shiver & Sigh.
It’s more a smooth, sensuous, slow burner of a
release, as Kara Grainger shows that you can be as
effective with a whisper as with a scream. This is a
marvelous set of soulful blues that really hits
home.
---
Graham Clarke
Little G Weevil
has had a very productive 2013,
beginning a pair of victories at the 2013 IBC (the
Solo/Duo Competition and the Best Solo Guitarist
Award). The native Hungarian’s previous two releases
indicated a fondness for the pre-war blues sound as
well as traditional artists like John Lee Hooker,
who brought the older style into modern use.
Weevil’s third release, on VizzTone, is called
Moving, and continues that pattern with a stellar
set of tunes, a dozen in all. What’s different on
this release is that he wanted to capture the
vintage sound and feel of those old recordings,
going without overdubs and other bells and whistles,
so he recorded the entire disc in a 20x15 room in a
studio in an Atlanta neighborhood where Blind Willie McTell used to play for tips. Microphones were set
up throughout the room to better capture the
atmosphere. Joining Weevil for selected tracks on
the recording are Maurice Nazzaro on harmonica,
Danny V. Vinson on guitar, Dustin Sergant on upright
bass, and Adam Goodhue on drums.
Weevil alternates between acoustic, dobro, and cigar
box guitar on these tracks, a fine set of originals,
plus the traditional “Let’s Talk It Over (Come Back
Baby).” It’s easy to see almost immediately that his
recent IBC awards were well deserved. He’s a gifted
guitarist and his vocal style reminds listeners of
the old blues artists with its ruggedness and his
delivery.
Moving is raw, down-home blues at its finest. Little
G Weevil’s songwriting and his performances blend
perfectly with the old blues that inspired it all.
This is one of the better albums of traditional
blues that I’ve heard in quite some time. The IBC
judges certainly knew what they were doing.
---
Graham Clarke
What is it about the city of Memphis that brings out
the absolute best in blues artists? Whatever it is,
it’s got Jeff Jensen, who moved to the Bluff City
from Portland, Oregon a couple of years ago and teamed
up with local harmonica stalwart, Brandon Santini.
After co-producing and appearing on Santini’s recent
album, Jensen has put together one of his own, Road
Worn and Ragged (Swingsuit Records), which was
recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, and shows the
singer/guitarist doing what he does best, blending
the blues with soul, swing, and Americana.
The blues/rocker opener, “Brunette Woman,” was a
Pick of the Week recently at USA Today, and
deservedly, matching Jensen’s robust vocals and
guitar with Santini’s smoking harmonica work. “Good
Bye Portland” is an autobiographical track
recounting Jensen’s move from there to Memphis.
“Heart Attack and Vine” is a ’40s styled R&B tune,
backed by the slick swinging instrumental, “Pepper.”
Jensen covers the jazzy blues standard, “Gee
Baby, Ain’t I Good To You,” giving it an achingly slow
arrangement that’s really effective. Two other
covers follow….a swinging version of “Little Red
Rooster” and a hot reworking of Muddy Waters’
“Crosseyed Cat.” “Raggedy Ann” is a nice mid-tempo
track that showcases co-writer, and fellow Memphian,
Victor Wainwright on piano.
The emotional “River
Runs Dry” features a frank and heartfelt vocal from
Jensen, and the closer, “Thankful,” mixes R&B with a
solid dose of funk, thanks to some greasy
Memphis-styled keyboard from Chris Stephenson.
Road Worn and Ragged has a great balance of blues,
R&B, and swing. Jensen is a compelling songwriter
and guitarist, but he really covers a lot of
territory with his vocals, moving easily and
seamlessly within these varied musical styles. He’s
definitely worth a listen and you will certainly be
hearing more from him in the future.
---
Graham Clarke
Candye Kane has had her share of struggles over the
years….her most recent and ongoing battle has been a
lengthy fight with cancer which has included surgery
last year and continuing monthly injections to fight
the disease. Throughout these battles, Kane has not
only maintained her status as one of the foremost
blues singers of her era, but she has also continued
to develop and expand her music and range, despite
the adversity.
Kane’s latest release,
Coming Out Swingin’ (VizzTone),
is her third consecutive release to feature
guitarist Laura Chavez, and with Chavez, Kane seems
to have located a kindred musical spirit. The pair
collaborated on eight of the 13 tracks,
including the breathless title track, the churning
Chicago boogie of “I’m The Reason Why You Drink,”
the smooth southern soul track, “When Tomorrow
Comes,” and “Rise Up!,” a greasy R&B track straight
out of Memphis.
Kane really gets up close and personal on the slow
blues track, “Invisible Woman,” maybe her most
autobiographical tune yet, goes Texas roadhouse with
the twangy “I Wanted You To Walk (Right Thru That
Door),” and shows a touch of the Crescent City on
the funky “Au Revoir Y’all.” The choice covers
include the Motown ballad, “Darling Baby,” a
smoldering take on Rick Estrin’s “What Love Can Do,”
Benny Carter’s jazzy classic “Rock Me To Sleep,” and
a fiery reading of Lalo Guererro’s “Marijuana
Boogie.”
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard Kane sound better
and Chavez’s amazing fret work is simply some of the
best you will hear on a blues recording this year.
The rest of the band also deserves mention for their
outstanding support…..Fred Rautmann (drums), Kennan
Shaw and Thomas Yearsley (bass), Leo Dombecki
(organ), Bill Caballero (trumpet), April West
(trombone), Jonny Viau (saxophone), Sue Palmer
(piano), Billy Watson (harmonica), and Casey Hensley
(vocals).
Candye Kane has battled back from her toughest fight
yet, resulting in some of her finest music to date
with Coming Out Swingin’. Her musical partnership
with Laura Chavez is one for the ages and hopefully,
we will get to hear much more from them in the
future.
---
Graham Clarke
The Chicago-born singer/guitarist
Phil Gates comes
from a musical family, which helped him to forge his
own musical vision of the blues. Over the years,
he’s worked as a session guitarist for Phillip
Bailey, Maurice White, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle,
Freddie Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass, Zac Harmon, and
many more. He also co-produced Harmon’s The Blues
According to Zacariah back in 2005, so, yeah, he
knows his way around the music world for sure. His
2010 disc, Addicted To The Blues, was one of the
surprise releases of 2010.
Gates’ eighth and latest release,
Live at the
Hermosa Saloon (DCT Productions), captures his
electrifying live act before an appreciative crowd
at Hermosa Beach in Southern California. Backed by a
tight rhythm section (Ron Battle – bass, Keith
Williams – drums, and Morris Beeks – keyboards),
Gates works through a strong 13-song set consisting
of 11 original compositions and two well-chosen
covers.
Kicking off with a loose and limber version of
“Addicted To The Blues,” the originals range from
the funky “Away I Go” “Take It Out,” “Get Around To
Me,” and “Old School,” to the urban blues sound of
“Used Me Up,” to “End of Time,” a blues/rock
workout. “Evening Train” is a churning new addition
to the vast repertoire of train songs, and “I’m
Lost” is a reflective tune with a gospel feel. The
cover tunes are Junior Wells’ “Messin’ with the
Kid,” which features some tasty guitar work from
Gates, and “Summer in the City” is given a jazzy
makeover.
Gates does an excellent job on vocals and has a nice
rapport with the audience. His guitar work is
equally impressive as he moves from funky riffs to
scorching blues/rock and stinging blues licks
effortlessly, and the band is exceptional in
support, with Beeks really shining, taking extended
solos on several tracks. The set list covers a lot
of ground with blues, R&B, soul, funk, and jazz, and
covers all of it well.
The mark of any good live recording is that it makes
the listener wish that they had been at the
performance to witness it in person. Live at the
Hermosa Saloon passes that test with flying colors,
and if there’s any justice in the world, it should
earn Phil Gates a considerable number of new fans.
---
Graham Clarke
As a youngster growing up in Detroit, guitarist
Randy Scott was inspired by listening to his dad’s
record collection, which included LPs from B.B.
King, Ray Charles, and Big Mama Thornton. He started
playing at age 11 and later graduated from the
Guitar Institute, but grew frustrated while trying
to break through in the music business and gave up
the guitar for ten years.
Scott wandered into a Guitar Center one day, while
waiting for some friends, and started playing one of
the guitars there. A store manager heard him and
encouraged him to enter their 4th annual King of the
Blues competition, and Scott went on to beat out
over 4,000 contestants to win the prestigious honor.
After winning the award, accompanying endorsements
from Gibson, Ernie Ball, Boss, Celestion, and
Egnater, and opening for the likes of Paul Rodgers,
Edgar Winter, the Tedeschi-Trucks Band, and Robben
Ford, Scott has released his debut recording, Out Of
The Blue (Favored Nations Records), which is
produced by Grammy winner Pete Anderson, and
features Scott with drummer Gary Novak, bass player
Travis Carlton (Ford), and keyboardist Jeff Babko
(Larry Carlton). Guitar legend Albert Lee also joins
Scott on a couple fo tracks.
Listening to Scott’s sharp and economical fretwork,
he is adept not only at the blues, but also mixes
jazz and rock with equal measure, and his vocals
brings to mind the recent work of Robben Ford. Scott
wrote all 13 tunes here and while most are
rooted in the blues or blues/rock (“Mean-Hearted
Woman,” “Rambin’ Man Blues,” “Whiskey From The
Bottle,” “Hell To Pay”), there are also forays into
jazz territory (“Nothin’ But A Thang”), and even
pop/rock (“Kisses Like Cherries” and “Fire”).
It’s a little surprising that someone with Randy
Scott’s talents didn’t strike gold the first time
around, but with this promising debut release, the
second time around should be the charm.
---
Graham Clarke
Tommy Z has been a part of the Western New York
music scene since he was a teenager, having won so
many local honors as a guitarist and performer that
he was basically “retired” by being induced into the
Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 2007, therefore
becoming ineligible for further awards. He has made
numerous trips overseas to entertain US troops (his
father is a Vietnam vet), and has composed music for
film, TV, sports (the victory song for the St. Louis
Blues).
Sometimes (South Blossom Records) is Tommy Z’s
second album and shows the guitarist to be as gifted
a songwriter and vocalist as he is a guitarist. He’s
not afraid to tackle current issues, as heard on
“Livin’ In A Blue State,” or the regular blues
topics, such as lost love (the slow burner, “So
Tired of Being Lonely”). He also holds his own with
blues/rock (“I Got Your Back”) and R&B (the ironic
title track).
There’s also three instrumentals……. “Roger That,” a
solid rocker with traces of SRV throughout, the
seriously funky “Snooty Funk” (with a shot of
“Norwegian Wood” tossed in), and the no-holds-barred
closer, “Tommy’z Boogie.” Three cover tunes round
out the set….”200 Lbs. of Joy,” a slimmed down take
on the Willie Dixon classic, Johnny “Guitar”
Watson’s “Gangster of Love,” and a tender reading of
Eric Clapton’s “Old Love.”
Guitar fans will definitely get their geek on to
Tommy Z’s latest…there’s some fantastic string
bending going on, for sure…but there’s much more to
enjoy with a great set of original songs and some
terrific covers of classic blues.
---
Graham Clarke
Gino Matteo has worked with artists like B.B. King,
Shemekia Copeland, John Mayer, Kid Ramos, Guitar
Shorty, and Little Willie G., so his blues
credentials are impeccable. His second release,
Sweet Revival (Rip Cat Records), is an interesting
and diverse album of blues/rock that stands above
the standard fare based on Matteo’s talents as a
performer and songwriter.
The opener, “Here Comes The Lord,” finds Matteo
mixing gospel into his blues/rock, adding a
soul-drenched vocal (backed by a choir) and some
stinging guitar work. “Pulpit In The Graveyard” is a
catchy southern-flavored rocker, and “Coming Out” is
one of the highlights of the disc, a blues rocker
with pop overtones that adds harmonica from Jason
Ricci. “Take A Chance On Me” is a lovely ballad with
a nice vocal from Matteo and backing vocals from
Jade Bennett (Matteo’s wife), Delgado Brothers
drummer Steve Delgado, and Sherri Pruitt.
“Childhood Games” is another strong, catchy blues
rocker that’s followed by the Latin-tinged “Grandma
Told Me.” “The Longest Night” has a ’60s feel with
the harmony vocals and surf-like guitar. “We Can
Find A Way” returns to the Latin rhythms, and the
closer, “Listen To Your Mother,” is a nice ballad
with acoustic guitar and Ricci’s harmonica.
A stellar group provides excellent support to Matteo,
including guitarist/co-producer Joey Delgado (also
of the Delgado Brothers), James Breker (bass), Tevor
Monks (drums), Tony Nouhan (keyboards), and Dave
Kelley (keyboards). Sweet Revival is a well-balanced
set of blues, rock, and gospel tunes that rewards
with each listen.
---
Graham Clarke
I first heard Little Mike & the Tornadoes way back
in the late ’80s when they were backing Pinetop
Perkins and Hubert Sumlin on their recordings for
Blind Pig Records. I didn’t know at the time that
the band had been active since the late ’70s,
backing Perkins and Sumlin along with other blues
artists (Walter Horton, Otis Rush, Bo Diddley,
Lightnin’ Hopkins, Jimmy Rogers) who played the NYC
scene during that time. Influenced by the great
Muddy Waters, among others, the band built a solid
reputation during this formative years, and
eventually recorded four albums of their own from
1990.
Forgive Me is the band’s first release since 1998,
and, as might be expected, it’s a strong set of
Chicago-styled blues, The band includes “Little Mike
Markowitz (vocals, harmonica), Troy Nahumko
(guitar), Cam Robb (drums), Chris Brzezicki (bass),
Jim McKaba (piano), and a guest appearance on
several tracks by the lap steel wizard, Sonny
Rhodes. The late Midnight Creepers guitarist Warren
King appears on the soulful track, “Nothin’ I
Wouldn’t Do,” and another KingSnake Records alum,
Ace Moreland, sings backup on one track.
Highlights include the instrumental opener,
“Opelousas Rain,” a six and a half minute trip to
guitar nirvana showcasing Rhodes and Nahumko, the
raucous “Tell Me Baby,” which sounds like it comes
straight off the Hound Dog Taylor set list, and the
Texas-based shuffle “Walked All The Way.” “Fool Too
Long” is a nice little swing blues, and “You Don’t
Love Me” is a slow blues, and the title track is
Chicago all the way. “My Little Therese” offers
11+ minutes of fantastic old school blues,
with Markowitz standing out on harmonica and McKaba
with some Otis Spann-like piano work.
If old school blues is your bag, you’ve come to the
right place with Forgive Me. Even though they’ve
never left the music scene, it’s really great to
have Little Mike & the Tornadoes back on the
recording scene. Hopefully, it won’t be another
15 years between releases.
---
Graham Clarke
Snarky Dave has probably been called many things,
but he’s most definitely one of the most original
and entertaining songwriters you’ll hear. He writes
from a personal perspective, but the cool thing is
that all of us regular folks listening can relate to
every word he sings at one time or another in our
lives. That’s why blues fans are advised not to pass
on his latest release (backed by the Prickly
Bluesmen), Big Snark.
With an opening track called “Caucasian Blues,” you
know this disc is going to be different. This track
is a humorous look at depressing economic and
romantic prospects, and reappears at the end of the
album rearranged into an acoustic track. This is
followed by “Bitchin’,” which finds him seeking
relief from a constantly nagging mate (complete with
background vocals from the “Bitchin’ Chorus”), and
“Big Girl,” an ode to the charms of full-figured
women.
“Mother & I” changes the tone a bit….it’s a somber
look at what happens to the children of a broken
marriage. “Doggone Fool” is a funky self-reprimand
over past offenses and is followed by “Pick It Up,”
a musical kick in the pants motivational tool. “Mike
Sully’s Boogie” is a cool boogie rocker dedicated to
a long-lost buddy. “Makes No Sense” is a lament
about the state of the world, and the acoustic
version of the opening track (retitled “Caucoustic
Blues”) concludes this very interesting disc.
Big Snark is not your typical blues disc. Snarky
Dave puts out some pretty profound and personal
lyrics and manages to do most of it with a wink and
a grin. The odds are pretty good that you will be
grinning, too.
---
Graham Clarke
Don’t call Account
to Me (Old Pal Records) a tribute
album. It’s more of an appreciation of the late
singer/harmonica player Gary Primich, who passed
away in 2007. Fellow singer/harmonica player Hank
Mowery met Primich in the mid ’90s, when Mowery was
running a blues club in Grand Rapids. The two became
friends and Mowery continued to help Primich during
some low points in the latter musician’s career.
In 2012, Mowery put together a tribute show in Grand
Rapids that included several other harp players of
note, including Doug Deming, Peter Madcat Ruth, and
Dennis Gruenling, and was approached by Primich’s
sister, Darsha Primich, about recording a couple of
the late musician’s songs after his death, along
with a few covers of his older songs. Mowery added a
couple of original tunes to the mix, and a project
was soon in the works.
We are fortunate that the previously unrecorded
songs were discovered, or else we would have missed
out on a pair of gems. The title track is a deep
soul ballad that would have sounded great had
Primich had the opportunity to record it. That being
said, it would be hard to top Mowery’s version, with
Patrick Recob and Troy Amaro on guitars and Chris
Corey on piano. The other new track is “Tricky
Game,” an R&B track with the Crescent City written
all over it.
The Primich covers are also top notch as well, as
Mowery ably handles vocals and harmonica on “Put The
Hammer Down,” “My Home,” and “Pray For a Cloudy
Day.” In addition, the band covers Memphis Slim’s
“Banana Oil,” and a lovely acoustic take on the Rev.
Robert Wilkins’ “That’s No Way To Get Along,”
highlighting Mowery on vocals and harp with Jimmy
Swagger on vocals and guitar.
Mowery also contributes a pair of tunes, the rocking
opener, “Spend a Little Time,” and the blues number,
“If I Knew What I Know.” Recob, former Primich bass
player, also contributes the cool original,
“Target,” taking lead vocals. Primich’s father, JV,
served as executive producer and the liner notes
were written by long-time Primich buddy, Tad
Robinson, so Account to Me truly is a family affair
and it shows with every note played and sung.
---
Graham Clarke
The
Planetary Blues Band is aptly named, as these
Indiana cats take traditional blues to another
dimension, creating an interesting sound heard on
their self-released debut CD, Once Upon A Time In
The South Loop. Three brothers --- Martin,
Michael and Bobby Schaefer-Murray --- make up most
of the band, with longtime friend Nick Evans on
drums. This is blues/rock played with a primal beat,
and what the members of the band sometimes lack in
musical chops they more than make up with relentless
energy.
All but three of the
ten cuts are band originals, most written by Martin
Schaefer-Murray, along with several versions of
traditional blues, such as the opening cut, "See
That My Grave Is Kept Clean." As expected, the
covers stray pretty far from the original
renditions.
My favorite cut is
the up-tempo version of the Rev. Robert Wilkins
blues/gospel standard, "That's No Way To Get Along."
The band captures the "down by the riverside"
feeling of the original, with some nice guitar
playing along the way.
Another good number
is the slow blues "When I Say I Love You," featuring
a hot guitar intro. This original number definitely
shows that The Planetary Blues Band sound is firmly
rooted in the blues.
Closing the disc is a
nice up-tempo instrumental, "The Shillelagh," that
allows the band a little more room to stretch out
and showcase the talents on their individual
instruments.
Check out their
website at
www.planetaryblues.com for more info on these
dudes from Valparaiso, including a link to purchase
Once Upon A Time In The South Loop from
CD Baby.
---
Bill Mitchell