More Questions For Who????

A couple of years ago, FBF did a Ten Questions With.......session with......FBF.  A couple of years ago, I had scheduled a Q&A with a musician who had just released a new disc and he requested that we do an audio interview.  Unfortunately, the only thing I hate worse that seeing a picture of me is hearing me talk in my "Gomer Pyle on Helium" voice, so I politely declined.  All of this happened on a Thursday morning, so here I was with nothing lined up for that weekend's post, so desperate times call for desperate measures and, hey, I was available.

This week, I had a great post lined up that I'm pretty sure everyone who reads would have enjoyed, but it just wasn't in the cards.  It's been an extremely busy time at work....so busy that I've been doing some of it at home.  My birthday was on Tuesday, and you know that you can't do anything constructive on your birthday.  I've also got a boatload of reviews to write for the upcoming issue of Blues Bytes (some really great music, by the way, that we have and will later discuss here).  Needless to say, the post didn't get finished, but I promise it will be done in a couple of weeks and I think you will enjoy it.

I tell you all this to let you know that on this week's edition of Friday Blues Fix, we sit down with, um, ourselves again to answer a few questions that you might or might not want to know.  Hopefully, you won't mind and maybe you can even relate to some of what we're talking about.  By the way, if you would like to answer any of these questions yourself in the Comments section below, please feel free.    

If you could see any blues artists of the past perform live, who would it be?

Muddy Waters with Little Walter.....I know Waters had an All-Star team of harmonica players over his long career, but his tenure with Little Walter stands out among an elite pack.  It was almost like they had a telepathic bond.  I can picture them in a recording session at Chess....Waters tearing up some slide guitar and Little Walter just bouncing off the walls with youthful exuberance.  You can almost feel that happening on their early Chess recordings.

Memphis Slim with Matt "Guitar" Murphy.....I wrote at length about this pair several years ago.  Both have done some fantastic work over the years, but I don't think they ever sound better when they're playing together.  I could listen to them all day.....and actually have a few times.

Luther Allison......Allison died just as he was hitting his career stride.  His live shows are legendary for their relentless energy and his boundless enthusiasm.  I'm glad that he did live long enough to enjoy some measure of success and I hate that I never got the opportunity to see him.

What are your top ten favorite blues recordings?

I used to ask this one to whoever I did Ten Questions with, and a few of them declined to answer.  I can understand why....it's pretty hard to limit mine to ten, but here goes.......

Showdown! - Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland:  One of the first blues records I owned and still one I listen to a lot.

Hoodoo Man Blues - Junior Wells with Buddy Guy:  If you can only have one blues album, this is a nice choice.

Original Soundtrack:  Deep Blues - Various Artists:  I have absolutely no idea why this continues to be out of print.  A wonderful introduction to the Mississippi blues scene of the late 80's/early 90's.  Don't stop with it though.

Live and Burning - Son Seals:  I've heard a lot of live blues recordings, but this one is my all-time favorite.

The Soul of O.V. Wright - O.V. Wright:  I came to the blues from the soul side.  O.V. Wright is the closest link to the blues from the soul side.  This collection of his early sides shows why.

Soul Fixin' Man - Luther Allison:  The album Luther Allison waited nearly all of his life to record....and the one his fans always knew he had in him.

T-Bone Blues - T-Bone Walker:  Should be in every blues fan's collection.

His Best: 1947 - 1955 - Muddy Waters:  Ditto.

I Hear You Knockin'!  The Excello Singles - Lazy Lester:  Worth tracking down if you're able.  Some of the best swamp blues you will ever hear.

Simply The Best - Earl Hooker:  I could sit here and listen to Earl Hooker play slide guitar all day and most of the night.

Check back next week and there will be a few different ones on here, but there are six or seven that will always be on the list.

What other kinds of music do you listen to?

Most of the time, I listen to blues, but I also enjoy jazz, soul, zydeco, gospel, and classic rock from time to time.  Most of these other styles owe a thing or two to the blues, so it's not really a big stretch.

Does your family like the blues as much as you do?

They like other genres more, but they all listen to the blues.  If they ride anywhere with me, they don't have much choice, but they do enjoy it, or at least that's what they tell me.  Usually when I listen to the blues at night, our two cats will come in and listen with me.....okay, they mostly sleep, but I like to think they are listening.


Which of your blog topics are your favorites?

I've always liked to do the Something Old, Something New.....posts.  When I was doing FBF in weekly email format to my friends, that was one of the topics that I used, and it was a great way to introduce new artists to them.  Most blues fans focus on the newer stuff, so it's a good way for them to see where a lot of the music they love came from.  It's one of the most popular FBF topics.

I also like the Ten Questions.  I have met some really nice people involved in the blues business and they have all been very cooperative and patient with me.  It takes a while for me to do these because I hate to waste their time with a lot of goofy questions that they've probably heard a million times.  I try to ask questions that I figure their fans would want to know.  I plan to do more of these in the future, revisiting a few people and introducing you to some talented folks that you really should get to know.

The Mount Bluesmore series is pretty neat, too.  There's so many different ways that you can go with it, so many different subjects you can tackle.  It gets pretty good response from visitors, too.  What's really neat is that there's usually a couple that everyone agrees on, but there's at least one, sometimes two, choices that will always invite some discussion.


If you had a theme song for Friday Blues Fix.....or just for entering a room, what would it be?

Three choices:

1)  "Red's Houseparty," by T-Model Ford and Terry "Harmonica" Bean.

2)  "Coming Home Baby," by The Bo-Keys.

3)  "The Hucklebuck," by Earl Hooker

Ten Questions With.....Eddie Turner

About ten years ago, I received a copy of a CD to review for Blues Bytes from an artist named Eddie Turner.  I didn't know very much about him.....okay, I didn't know anything about him at the time, but when I plugged in that CD, called The Turner Diaries, I had the urge to find out more.  Turner played the blues sure enough, but he mixed in healthy dose of funk, rock, world, and jazz.  He owed more than a nod to Hendrix in his guitar playing, but you could hear other influences as well, like Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Tommy Bolin, and even Ry Cooder.  It was an incredibly original and intense set that just stayed with me for a while.

I soon received a copy of his debut from 2005, Rise, which helped Turner earned a 2006 BMA nomination for Best New Artist, and it was equally potent, with Turner working through some dazzling original tunes and putting his own unique spin on some familiar favorites from Hendrix, Freddy King, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson.  By now, I had learned more about Turner and was astonished when I found out that he had never recorded as a frontman prior to Rise, which was such an accomplished and confident release.

In 2010, Turner released Miracles & Demons, another stellar set which consisted of all original material, and I do mean "original."  It was a great mix of blues, rock, and funk, with a bit of psychedelia thrown in for good measure.  Simply put, there's not anybody out there who plays the blues like Eddie Turner.

Turner was born in Cuba and raised in Chicago, where he picked up the guitar at the age of 12. By the mid 70's, he in Colorado, where he attended the University of Colorado and was playing with Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth.  Later, he played with the blues-rock band Zephyr and the Legendary 4-nikators.  He also took a sabbatical to sell real estate in Denver, before returning in the mid 90's to help for the Otis Taylor Band, serving as lead guitarist on five of Taylor's albums, including White African and Respect the Dead.

Turner's latest album is Naked...In Your Face, a live effort with the Trouble Twins.....fellow Denver resident Anna Lisa Hughes, who plays bass and sings on several cuts, and Canadian drummer Kelly Kruse.  Turner does six songs from his previous releases, and Hughes takes the mic for three songs.  All of the songs are fleshed out to six minutes or more and that really allows the Trouble Twins to give up the funk and Turner to put his incredible guitar skills on full display.  I promise this is one that you wish you had seen in person when you listen to it.

Turner also has a new studio album, yet to be titled, in the can and hopes to release it later this year.  He graciously agreed to sit down for Ten Questions with FBF and we are grateful that he took time out from his busy schedule to do so, so without further ado.......

Ten Questions With......Eddie Turner

Friday Blues Fix:  How would you describe your music?

Eddie Turner:  A strange form of vintage bluesy mid 70’s jazz indie rock

FBF:  As you grew up and developed into a musician, what artists influenced you as a singer, guitarist, and songwriter?

ET:  Well , to begin with, I never wanted to be a singer……I think i sound like a pampered frog ….but I was a fan of all singers from Johnny Mathis to Hendrix…of course  Junior Wells, Magic Sam…..the list goes on….

Guitarist…anyone that played an electric guitar solo through a Marshall on 11…..along with George Benson, Wes, Grant Green….etc...

FBF:  Did you know from the beginning that you wanted to play the blues, or did you try to focus on another genre?

ET:  I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be a guitarist...

FBF:  You played for a number of years with Otis Taylor, appearing on several CDs and numerous tours.  What did you learn from playing with him that has helped during your own solo career?

ET:  A long strange trip that has been …. Learn. … nothing …. The question is …. What did Otis and I learn from David and Candy Givins . the founders of Zephyr …. Their concepts are still seen in many strange ways in both Otis’s and my music  and of course one must not forget all that Kenny Passarelli brought to the table.

Turner with the Trouble Twins

FBF:  Your latest CD, Naked….In Your Face, is a live date, recorded with the Trouble Twins (Anna Lisa Hughes – bass/vocals, Kelly Kruse – drums/vocals), and it really pushes boundaries, capturing you and your sound at your peak.  You guys make a pretty formidable team.  How long have you been performing together?

ET:  That particular band was together for two weeks ….. yep, just two weeks …. Anna and I, off and on for three years.....

FBF:  I was excited to hear that you have a new album that will be coming out soon.  Can you tell us a little about what to expect?

ET:  New York , New York…… Yea , it’s going to be typical Eddie fringe material … recorded , engineered,  etc……in …. can I say it?  Brooklyn …..with a few heavy players that I was lucky enuff to have the opportunity to work with.…. A big shout out to Arnie Goodman who got the ball rolling!

FBF:  You’ve been asked to compile an Essential Eddie Turner CD……..what songs would you have to put on that collection?

ET:  “Dangerous ,” “Ask Myself Why,” “The Turner Diaries,” “SaveMy Life,” “Say,” “Sin I’m In,” “Me and Mrs. Jones,” “Blues Fall Down Like Rain,” “Miss Carrie,” “Miracles & Demons, Part 1 & 2,” “Shake 4 Me,” “Rise,” “Cost of Freedom,” “I’m a Good Man.”

FBF:  Is there anything musically that you haven’t done yet that you would like to do……or someone that you would like to work with?

ET:  Every day holds a new opportunity.  “There is always someone I would like to perform with…..a new sound that I would like to explore.

FBF:  What are some of your favorite albums or songs……from the blues or any other genre?

ET:  Electric Ladyland, Chicago/The Blues/Today!, MotivationalSpeaker, Led Zep I, Chills and Thrills, Expressway To Your Skull, SuperSession, Dusty in Memphis, A Long Time Comin', On The Corner, The Real Folk Blues….and the list goes and on and on.

FBF:  If you weren’t a musician, what do you think you would be doing?

ET:  A realtor

Eddie Turner Discography

Rise (NorthernBlues Music) 2005

The Turner Diaries (NorthernBlues Music) 2006

Miracles & Demons (NorthernBlues Music) 2010

Naked...In Your Face (7-14 Productions) 2016

Ten Questions With.......Grady Champion

photo by Brett Beckman

This has been a great year for Grady Champion.  So far, he's released maybe his best album, Bootleg Whiskey (his first for Malaco Records), an album which has appealed to fans of traditional blues, soul blues, and urban blues, he was a Living Blues cover subject, and in January, he started a new label, DeChamp Records, releasing a pair of excellent albums from fellow Mississippians Eddie Cotton and JJ Thames.  

For Champion, the success comes after a lot of hard work.  He started singing in the church choir as a youth, and tried his hand at boxing and as a DJ before becoming a rap artist.  He gravitated to the blues in the mid 90's, recording a pair of well-received albums for Shanachie Records in the late 90's and early 00's.  

In recent years, he has enjoyed success on his own GSM (Grady Shady Music) label, particularly with his 2011 release, Dreamin', and the hit, "Make That Monkey Jump."  He even won the International Blues Challenge in 2010.  He is rapidly building a big audience who loves his unique downhome songwriting and his charismatic performances, and Malaco Records president Tommy Couch, Jr. says, "Grady Champion will be the next major blues act."  

I've been listening to Champion since his Shanachie days and one thing you can say about him is that he brings his A-Game to everything he does.  You know when you're seeing him that you're getting his dead-level best as a performer and a recording artist.  Champion was kind enough to take a few minutes to answer Ten Questions for FBF.  We are grateful that he took the time to do so.  After reading, be sure to check out some of his great music by following the links below.  If you're a blues fan of any kind, you will be glad that you did.

Ten Questions With.....Grady Champion

photo by Laura Carbone

If you weren't a musician, what do you think you would be doing instead?

If I wasn't a musician I would be running my own business in some form or fashion.

You came to the blues through rap music…….how do you think that your musical background affects your vision of the blues?

It helps me to become a better writer and story teller.

Who are some of your musical influences as a singer and musician?  As a songwriter?

My influences as a singer and musician come from all of the traditional blues singers of the past.  My influence as a songwriter comes from Sonny Boy Willamson (Rice Miller).

Can you describe your songwriting process for us?

With my songwriting process, I usually start out with music and melody and build the arrangement around it.

You have largely been associated with smaller independent record labels (your own Grady Shady, Shanachie, Earwig, etc.) throughout your career, but you recently signed with Malaco Records…….Has it been a good fit for you? What factors made you decide to sign with them? 

Yes,  it has been a great fit, with their rich history of being a strong major independent label and the success of the artist that have signed with them.

You've done most of your own production on your recent albums, but this time around you worked with a producer (Tommy Couch, Jr.)……was it a big change for you and how much give-and-take was there between the two of you regarding songs and music?

No, it was not a big change for me because I have worked with producers in the past, like Zac Harmon on my album Dreamin’.  Just as with this album, we were able to work together to come up with what was best for this album.

Can you tell us about a few of the songs on your new album,Bootleg Whiskey?

I wrote five and/or cowrote five of the songs.  I have a strong feeling about the ones on the album, even the ones we did not choose that were not on their album.  Each song has a story to tell which a lot of people can relate to.

You recently launched DeChamp Records and have released a pair of great albums from Eddie Cotton and J.J. Thames…….what are your future plans with the label, and why did you opt to do your own recordings for Malaco instead of DeChamp?

My future plan is to build a label that can focus on great artists and obtain some major distribution for the label to help spread the music of the artists and the blues.  I felt stronger to use Malaco for my personal recording to allow another outlook of promotion and advancement of my own music.

You have been called “the next major blues act”………how does that make you feel? 

It makes me feel great because people are respecting my music talent as well as my entertainment talent.

What do you think the blues will look like in ten years? 

I think it will strong as ever because of the new wave of talent in the blues world, especially from the state of Mississippi.

Discography

Bootleg Whiskey (2014):  Malaco Records

Tough Times Don't Last (2012):  Grady Shady Music

Shanachie Days (2012):  Grady Shady Music (Compilation of his Shanachie recordings)

Dreamin' (2011):  Grady Shady Music

Back in Mississippi Live at the 930 Blues Cafe (Featuring Eddie Cotton, Jr.) (2008):  Earwig Records/Grady Shady Music

2 Days Short of a Week (2001):  Shanachie Records

Payin' For My Sins (1999):  Shanachie Records

Goin' Back Home (1998):  Grady Shady Music

Ten Questions with Stevie J. Blues

I first encountered Jackson, MS-based blues artist Stevie J. Blues on a couple of releases from Bobby Rush (Live at Ground Zero and Folkfunk).  He played guitar on the live date and bass on the other release, considered to be one of Rush's finest efforts in an already impressive catalog.  He also performed with Dorothy Moore, Denise LaSalle, Mel Waiters and others on various Malaco Records releases.  He also represented the Central Mississippi Blues Society in the 2009 I.B.C.

A couple of years later, in 2011, I was able to review his 2-disc set, The Diversity Project on Blue Skunk Records.  That was a most interesting release in that it included a disc of traditional blues and a disc of Southern soul music and showed him to be equally gifted in both genres.  The disc was one of the nominees in the album category of the 2011 I.B.C. and was well received by blues and Southern soul fans.  In 2016, Stevie J. Blues released Back 2 Blues, which combined blues and soul (with a little bit of gospel) and managed to embrace both traditional and modern versions of both genres.  It was one of my favorite releases of that year.

During the pandemic, he's been the proverbial busy bee, working on tracks for his upcoming album, Quarantined, releasing a few as singles, and producing for other area artists.  For the first time, he's worked as engineer, producer, vocalist, and principal musician and he certainly has a knack for it.  He's released a solo single, "Come To Daddy," a tasty cover of Little Milton's "If Walls Could Talk," with his friend Vick Allen, a dynamite collaboration with another Mississippi singer, LJ Echols called "My Ex," and a recently released tribute, featuring a number of young Southern soul stars, to the late Jackie Neal, an up-and-coming Southern soul vocalist whose life was tragically cut short back in 2005.

His most promising and ambitious effort is an upcoming album with his new group Urban Ladder Society, The Summit, where he's joined by singer victa nooman, guitarist Chris Gill, and backing vocalists Jonte Mayon and Tamera Tate.  Urban Ladder Society, or ULS for short, combines elements of the blues, soul, hip-hop, R&B, and classic rock.  The tracks I've heard so far indicate that this one will make a lot of noise when it hits stores in January, 2021.

For a long time, I thought about doing Ten Questions with Stevie J. Blues....we've been emailing back and forth for a couple of years and also chatting on Facebook....but I never could get my act together long enough to put something together, but after hearing some of his recent releases, I knew I had to sit down with him and find out more about him and his music, so sit back and enjoy.......

Ten Questions with.......Stevie J. Blues!!

Friday Blues Fix:  For starters, can you please tell us about your early years, where you grew up, and your family…..just who Stevie J. Blues is?  

Stevie J. Blues:  I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, raised in Jackson, Mississippi. My father was a Pentecostal pastor with 7 churches under his jurisdiction.  My mother had 3 sons…..all musicians.  My younger and older brother are pastors. I’m the blues-playing middle baby. 

FBF:  What kind of music did you grow up listening to?  

SJB:  My parents did not allow secular music in the house, so for me it was Gospel music!  Quartets at first, but then the Winans and Commissioned hit the scene, then I instantly became a Contemporary Gospel fan.  Of course there were artist like Andre Crouch, the Hawkins, and James Cleveland, then Contemporary Christian artists such as Petra, Russ Taff, The Imperials, and Chris Christian…man, EVERYBODY! 

FBF:  When did you decide that you wanted to be a musician?  

SJB:  By my father being a pastor/musician, music was always around.  I knew as early as 4th grade I wanted to be a touring musician.  When I was maybe 8 or 9, there was a concert and nearly all the popular professional quartet groups were on the ticket.  My dad told my mom we may as well make it a church event because ain’t nobody gonna be at church if we have night service….so our entire church family went and in school the next day, all I could think about was performing on that level....I always saw myself on somebody’s tour bus!

FBF:  Who are your musical influences and why? 

SJB:  There are so many!! Slim and the Supreme Angels had a guitarist by the name of Sugar Hightower.  He was amazing!  He would make a guitar grab your undivided attention!  The Dixie Hummingbirds’ Howard Carroll played such electrifying chords!  Mighty Clouds of Joy had a guitarist, Eddie “Spanky” Alford.  He had the jazz chops!!  He would go on to play and record with artists like D’Angelo and Tony!  Toni!  Toné!  Then when I got old enough to have my own place, I started listening to artist like Steely Dan, The Rippingtons, Earth, Wind & Fire, Prince, Michael Jackson, and,omg, JAMES TAYLOR!!!!

FBF:  Did you gravitate to the blues over time from another style of music?  

SJB:  The blues has always been a part of my playing tone but it wasn't until I met Bobby Rush that I started to study and learn the Blues.  I had been a touring quartet musician (1992-2001) and I was ready for a change.  I met Bobby in the studio of Malaco Records and the rest is blues history!

FBF:  You’ve played with a lot of great musicians over the years….do you have any cool stories about your playing with all these musicians, either in the studio or onstage?  

SJB:  My most memorable moment touring was my very first European trip.  Besides Air France going on strike right before sending my luggage through the carousel....we met some musicians who were singing and playing the blues so well we were nearly running to check them out.  After their set, we rushed over to talk to them only to learn they couldn't speak any English of any kind!! Epiphanic moment for me.  The light came on at that moment!!!!!

FBF:  You have been very busy during the pandemic, releasing some of your own singles and collaborating with other artists……please tell us about some of your recently projects?  

Urban Ladder Society

SJB:  We used this season of not being able to freely perform live to release some songs that would present a happy-type feel like the old Harlem rent party feel, where for the duration of the song take your mind off world issues or problems and just jam one time!!  These songs are setting up a farewell to the Stevie J Blues brand, we are shifting gears and I’m absolutely elated about it!! My pet project is the Urban Ladder Society, a fusion band of BLUES, Hip Hop, Classic Rock, and Neo Soul….GAME CHANGER!! Visit urbanladdersociety.com.  The single “Same Old Thang” is still playing in the Contemporary Blues Markets, College, and European radio.  Frank Roszak does his thing!! The second single, “All About You,” has seen Top Breaker reviews within the UK's Global Soul movement….this song literally came out of the blue!!! We have major distribution on the table but due to the COVID pandemic, everything is on hold, but we are still recording!  The debut album, The Summit, is complete and we are 3 songs into the follow-up.  Expect another ULS single in mid-August!!

FBF:  You recently issued an anthology paying tribute to the late Jackie Neal…..can you share some of her story to those not familiar with her great music and tell us a little bit about the project itself?  

SJB:  Jackie Neal is the late sister of Swamp Blues guru Kenny Neal.  She was an amazing artist with a bright future, and seeing the fruits of a successful career. Unfortunately, her career was short-lived in 2005 by the hands of a jealous boyfriend. The Jackie Neal Celebration is a 9 song compilation of Ms. Neal’s biggest Southern Soul anthems.  It features some of the greatest female talents in the mid-south, with a jam track from Rashad the Blues Kid and myself.  The album is available at all major online retailers.

FBF:  What is it about Mississippi that produces so many great musicians and inspires so much artistic creativity?  

SJB:  Simple....Mississippi is where the soul is.

FBF:  Musically speaking, is there anything that you want to do that you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet?  

SJB:  I would love to produce a duet with Buddy Guy!!  I think that would be a dope song! Definitely from the ULS take of the Blues.  And I haven't toured with Urban Ladder Society yet, but I see myself on our tour bus now!!!  Other than that, I feel fulfilled in my musical journeys, though I push to keep growing in ability, creativity, and longevity.

FBF:  (Bonus Question) What are some of your favorite albums….the ones you keep playing over and over?  

SJB:  Steely Dan, Aja, Michael Jackson, Off The Wall, Fourplay, 4, Prince, The Black Album, Gary Moore, Live At Montreal.

Blues Down Under (Part 2) - Ten Questions With......Clayton Doley

Friday Blues Fix continues our look at Australian Blues with keyboardist Clayton Doley.  Doley has spent several years backing guitarists Harry Manx and Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges, as well as Joe Bonamassa, Hubert Sumlin, and Walter "Wolfman" Washington.  While doing this, he has also maintained a busy solo career, releasing several albums, including his latest, Bayou Billabong.

Doley split time between Sydney, Australia and New Orleans to record Bayou Billabong, which makes sense because he is well-versed in the music of the Crescent City.  Guest musicians from N.O. include several members of Jon Cleary's Monster Gentlemen, who serve as Doley's rhythm section throughout, plus the Treme Funktet, which consists of several members of the New Orleans funk outfit Galactic and Trombone Shorty's Orleans Avenue.  Doley's own Hi-Fi-Doley-T Horns more than hold their own as well, and Manx even stops by to play guitar on a couple of tracks.  There's plenty of great music on the disc that will make fans of New Orleans Blues and R&B happy, but Doley also mixes influences from Down Under as well, especially on the instrumental title track, which features Manx and Didgeridoo virtuoso Gangi Giri.

Mr. Doley graciously agreed to take part in Ten Questions with FBF, discussing his career, his influences, and his view of the Australian Blues scene, and we appreciate his taking the time to do so.  You can find out more about him and his previous, current, and upcoming projects at his website, but after you go through the Ten Questions, of course.


Ten Questions With.......Clayton Doley

Friday Blues Fix:  Can you describe the blues scene in Australia?  There’s obviously a considerable amount of interest in the blues there. How long has this been going on and how do you explain the appeal of the music to fans down under?

Clayton Doley:  The scene is pretty healthy here in that there great bands and a community of fans that support the local talent. There are some great Blues festivals, particularly the Byron Bay Bluesfest which brings out some of the worlds best Blues artists. However having seen the scale of the Blues scenes in other countries I now realize that the Australian scene is tiny in comparison, Australia just doesn’t have the population that America and Europe has so inevitably the scene is smaller but that is probably why we support each other and try to nurture the new talent and the next generation of players.

I guess Australia was probably introduced to the blues through the British bands and then discovered the original blues after that. It’s a little before my time but I know that Muddy Waters toured Australia in the early 70’s, so there must have been a scene then. A friend of mine with whom I used to play with when I was growing up, and the person who taught me the most about the blues, actually opened for him on that tour. It would have been incredible just to get to see Muddy play, let alone get to open for him and meet him.

FBF:  What kinds of music did you grow up listening to? 

CD:  I was an unusual child, I really only listened to 50’s Rock and Roll music. I was lucky enough to be introduced to that style from about age 10 when I first started playing the piano, I loved Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis so much and their music was perfect to bang along on the piano with.

FBF:  Can you describe how you discovered the blues?  When you became a fan, who were some of the artists that you listened to?

CD:  Discovering the Blues seemed a natural progression from the 50’s Rock and Roll that I was listening to, once I discovered 60’s Chicago Blues I become completely obsessed by it. It really was my whole life and I guess I became a bit of a blues nerd. My favorite piano player was Otis Spann and I collected everything I could of his, so I bought lots of Muddy Waters records that he played on.

FBF:  In making your latest album, Bayou Billabong, you journeyed to the Deep South to record part of it.  What were you able to get from this experience that was different than if you had remained in Australia to do it?

CD:  In the last 5 or so years I have been spending about 3 or 4 months of each year touring around North America and Europe so I have had the opportunity to visit the deep south and soak up the atmosphere see some great music. I found being in New Orleans in particular very inspiring for writing songs, it gave me the idea that the new songs should be recorded in New Orleans by local musicians. I had the Monster Gentlemen, Jon Cleary’s amazing backing band, in mind all along for this project. I have known them for many years and we have worked together a few times when they have been touring in Australia.

Recording in New Orleans was a fantastic experience, it was a bit scary being so far out of my comfort zone but I feel the nervous energy brought out the best in my playing as well as fueling the energy of the session. The other really great advantage was being able to choose the incredible horn players that are on the album. New Orleans has the Marching Brass Band tradition that seems to make all the horn players so intuitive. It was great to be able to get some of the real deal marching band flavour on the recording, it made a huge difference and really validated the project.

FBF:  What was it like for you when you made your first trip to the land where the blues began?

CD:  The first time I set foot on the ground in New Orleans I felt like I had come home. It was completely foreign and strange in one way but also strangely familiar because I have been such a student of the music and culture for so long. It’s a funny feeling when you recognize street names from songs and buildings from books and album covers. These days I know so many people there that it really is like a second home now.

FBF:  Can you describe your particular brand of blues?  Do you blend other musical styles with the blues?

CD:  My brand of blues is on the Soul/Jazz side with a bit of New Orleans Funk thrown in. I try to stay away from the normal blues stereotype, I love the blues as a traditional art form but I also believe it needs to evolve naturally to stay current. It’s important to blend styles and I try to add some Australian flavor to my blend of blues, it’s only natural to do so when you are a songwriter and inevitably write songs about Australian experiences.

FBF:  Who are some of your influences as musicians, blues or other genres?

CD:  Booker T and the MG’s are still to this day my favorite all time band. I love all their original instrumental songs but I also love them as a backing band for other artists. Booker T is the undisputed master of getting the most tones out of the Hammond Organ, I have learned so much from him, especially his use of the spinning Leslie Speaker and volume pedal. Other Organist I love include Billy Preston, Jimmy McGriff, and Art Neville. Piano players I really love include Otis Spann, Professor Longhair, Meade Lux Lewis, and Oscar Peterson to name a few.

FBF:  Can you describe your songwriting process?  Who are some of your influences as composers?

CD:  Some of my favorite songwriters would have to be Willie Dixon, Allen Toussaint, and Bill Withers, they have a clever way with words but are also very honest and humble. I aspire to that and I often think about how they would approach a subject before I attempt to approach it. For me, I always start with chords and melody then add the lyrics later, I feel the song should have a melody strong enough to be an instrumental piece otherwise I discard it and start again. When it comes to writing lyrics I often write lots of verses describing a situation then when the subject matter has evolved enough I write the chorus and the hook, then I go back to the verses and usually I just pick the best two verses.

FBF:     What has been your biggest moment as a blues artist?

CD:  I am probably the most proud of getting to perform and be part of a great recording project with Joe Bonamassa last year, but there are plenty of other highlights. I have been very fortunate to have played with many of my heroes over the years when I have been in the backing band when Blues Artist such as Hubert Sumlin, Big Jay McNeely, Louisiana Red, have toured Australia. I also got to play with Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn when they came to Australia, that was a moment where I had to pinch myself. I have also opened for Albert Collins, BB King, James Brown and the Meters at various times.

FBF:  What would you like to do as a musician that you haven’t done yet?

CD:  I would like to play at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, it really is a dream of mine. I was lucky enough to play at the Montreal Jazz Festival a few years ago and that was a dream come true but I would like to be able to say I have played both those festivals. Fingers crossed.

FBF:  Can you tell us about any of your future projects?

CD:  I would like to do another instrumental album, I have made one already back in 2010 called Tension by Clayton Doley’s Organ Donors and it is such a different way of making and album. When there are no vocals you really concentrate on the sounds more because you have to keep it interesting for the listener. I like to experiment with vintage equipment and tape machines for effect when I record. Using soundscapes in the blues genre has not really been explored that much and it would be fun to try some ideas out soon.

FBF:  Who are some other Australian blues artists for us to look out for?

CD:  I love Ray Beadle, if you have not heard of him, definitely look him up. I have known him since he was a young boy and he was turning heads then and now he has turned into one of Australia’s most unique blues guitarists. Over the years we have worked on the occasional project together and I have witnessed his musical growth. He is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

My other favorite is Dave Brewer, most notably from the Mighty Reapers. I have been playing with him quite regularly for almost 20 years. He is a great friend and an absolute firecracker of a guitarist, every gig is like an explosion if ideas and energy. You must look him up too.