By now, you should be winding down from the holidays and maybe itching to sit back and hear some new blues releases. Well fear not, faithful readers, because Friday Blues Fix offers up a few new and upcoming releases for you to check out this week, with more to come in the next few weeks. As always, expanded reviews of these new discs can be seen in current and future issues of Blues Bytes, THE monthly online magazine for reviews of new blues CDs.
Your humble correspondent has been overloaded the past few weeks, so we only have time to list a few this week. However, check back in a couple of weeks for a look at even more new releases to help you shake those winter doldrums.
Donald Ray Johnson - These Blues: The Best of Donald Ray Johnson (Mar Vista Records): You may not be familiar with Donald Ray Johnson, or even know that he could put together a "Greatest Hits" collection, but Johnson has been around music for many years, backing artists like Joe Houston, Phillip Walker, Lowell Fulson, Sonny Rhodes, and Big Mama Thornton in California in the 70's, and playing drums for the R&B/Disco band A Taste of Honey ("Boogie Oogie Oogie") in the late 70's, helping them win the 1979 Grammy for Best New Artist. Since the late 80's, Johnson has been living in Canada, where he became a respected member of the Canadian blues community. He has recorded a half dozen albums during that time and this set collects his best moments. Johnson's repertoire is mostly old school urban-styled blues, with a few soul/blues tracks mixed in. He wrote most of the songs on this collection and they are very good. He also does a varied set of covers, including a spot-on reading of Al Green's "Ain't No Fun To Me," the Johnnie Taylor hit, "Last Two Dollars" (penned by George Jackson), and a dynamite acoustic reading of "Always On My Mind" (yes, that one!). There are no musician credits listed on the CD, but it's pretty easy to catch Sonny Rhodes' steel guitar on a couple of tracks. This is a very good set of blues from an artist who should be definitely be better known on the blues circuit.
Colorado Blues Society - Jam for Blues in the Schools: Good music for a good cause, the CBS has sponsored a Blues in the Schools program in area schools for years. The program objective has been to help educate students about the history of the music and other blues-related music. This disc is part of a fund-raising program and was assembled by Colorado harmonica player Dan Treanor, who put together some of the state's finest blues musicians. 100% of the proceeds go toward the funding of the Blues in the Schools program and it is well worth your time and money to pick this set up. The disc is a mix of originals and some familiar cover tunes that should appeal to blues veterans or newcomers, and it's very well done. The artists are obviously used to working together and there's a strong rapport between them, complemented by some great vocals from Erica Brown, guitarist Randall Dubis, and guitarist David Booker. Definitely worth a listen and not just because it's for a good cause......there's some mighty fine music here. It's available for $10 (plus shipping) at any Colorado Blues Society-sponsored events, or by contacting CBS at (303) 694-2000, or at their website. Check out this short feature about the Blues in the Schools program.
Magnus Berg - Cut Me Loose (Screen Door Records): Guitarist Berg, just 18 years old, leads his own band in his native Norway. He met singer/songwriter Kirsten Thien at a Florida gig a couple of years ago and they began a songwriting correspondence across the Atlantic and he played lead guitar for her during her USA/European tour. Now the youngster has released his debut on Thien's record label and it's a powerhouse set with some impressive songwriting from Berg to go along with his considerable guitar skills and strong vocals. He displays a lot of versatility with his own tracks, mixing blues/rock with jump blues, Texas shuffles, urban blues, and even a touch of country. This is as solid a debut recording as I've heard in a while and I think you'll be hearing much more from Berg for many years to come.
Eric Bibb - Blues People (Stony Plain Records): It's always a wonderful musical experience to hear a new album from Bibb. His blues are so gentle and elegant, the music is a delight and the message is usually thought-provoking. His latest is no exception, focusing on the historical journey of African-Americans (the original "blues people"). Actually, the album title has a double meaning, as Bibb is joined on this release by several current "blues people," including Popa Chubby, Guy Davis, J.J. Milteau, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Taj Mahal, Ruthie Foster, Harrison Kennedy, Leyla McCalla, and producer Glen Scott. There's always a spiritual undercurrent to Bibb's music and usually an upbeat nature. The centerpiece of this release is "Rosewood," a narrative of the small town in Florida that was the site of a horrible racially-driven massacre in the 1920's. Despite its subject matter, the song still manages to project a message of optimism for the future. Every blues fan should have at least one Eric Bibb disc in their collection, and this is not a bad choice.
Check back next week to find out about even more new and upcoming releases.
As Winter is slowly giving way to Spring, Friday Blues Fix continues our look at some of the great new and upcoming blues releases that should definitely be on your listening list. This has been a great couple of months of new recordings......from some artists that you may be familiar with and some that you may be hearing about for the first time. Trust me when I tell you that there are many more wonderful new discs on the way in the coming months, and we will be discussing a lot of those in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out these six excellent new releases. As always, expanded reviews of these discs can be found in current and/or future issues of Blues Bytes, THE online magazine for reviews of new blues CD.
Igor Prado Band & Delta Groove All Stars - Way Down South (Delta Groove Music): That's way down south as in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where singer/guitarist Prado hangs his hat, along with his talented band. They were most recently heard backing the late, great Lynwood Slim on his fine 2010 release, Brazilian Kicks. For this outstanding release, Prado and his band are joined by an impressive roster of current blues stars......Mud Morganfield, Sugaray Rayford, Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson, Randy Chortkoff, Omar Coleman, Wallace Coleman, J.J. Jackson, Mitch Kashmar, Junior Watson, Monster Mike Welch, Honey Piazza, and many more. There are even two tracks with Lynwood Slim, who passed away last year, but is still much missed on the West Coast blues scene. Despite the number of guest stars present, they don't take Prado out of the spotlight. He sings on two tracks and his guitar work is a highlight on every track. It's good to see that the blues are being kept alive internationally by such great bands as this one.
Chris Daniels & the Kings(Featuring Freddi Gowdy): Funky To The Bone (Moon Voyage Records): Stop looking for your next party disc.......this is it! Singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniels, who's fronted the Kings for over 30 years, and singer Gowdy, half of the 60's soul duo Freddi Henchi & the Soulsetters, have collaborated for the best set of old school funk I've heard in years. Wow, this is a fun disc! From the opening cut, a redo of an old Freddi Henchi hit from years ago, to a pair of Rance Allen tracks, to a smoldering take on Chris Kenner's "Something You Got," to a fantastic set of original tunes, this one burns from start to finish, blending blues, funk, and soul as well as it's been done in a long time. Don't miss this one, folks!
The Mike Henderson Band - If You Think It's Hot Here...(EllerSoul Records): You may not have heard of Nashville songwriter/singer/guitarist Henderson, but chances are good that you've heard something he's played on or written. Blues and rock fans probably remember "Powerful Stuff," by the Fabulous Thunderbirds....well, he wrote that. He's also played on albums by Albert King, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Sting, Bob Seger, and, one of my favorites, Beautiful Stars by Isaac Freeman. He's taken a bit of a sabbatical from recording to help raise his kids, but he's returned like a house afire on this wonderful release. The focus is on blues and rock, with not one, but two Hound Dog Taylor covers, a dandy take on Robert Johnson's "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day." His original songs are excellent, too. The title track by Henderson and R.S. Field is excellent and the other originals move from the Gulf Coast to the Windy City. Whether you dig blues or blues-rock, you'll be spinning this one over and over.
Tas Cru - You Keep The Money (Crustee Tees Records): This disc has been resting comfortably at or near the top of some of the blues and roots charts for the past few weeks, and when you listen to it, it will make perfect sense. Tas Cru rates as one of the finest blues artists, songwriters, and guitarists currently practicing. He covers a lot of different styles of the blues on his releases, usually moving from traditional to blues rock to country blues and roots and he's a master guitarist (on this disc, he plays electric, acoustic, resonator, and cigar box guitars). His songwriting is first-rate, with clever lyrics and wordplay. The title for this album comes from an encounter he had with the late Delta blues legend T-Model Ford, when the Canadian was part of a benefit in Clarksdale for the ailing blues man. When Ford found out that Cru and his band were foregoing payment for the gig to help him pay his medical bills, he told Cru, "Tonight, just show me the love......you keep the money."
Eric Sardinas & Big Motor - Boomerang (Jazzhaus Records): Sardinas combines the best of two worlds.....a love for the blues that began when he was a child (and not just the usual suspects either.....we're talking the early pre-war blues artists, too) with a vision of updating the old classic style in a blues rock vein. Certainly, he's not the first to attempt this, but he's definitely one of the best I've heard in a long while. He is a slide guitar master, moving from resonator to dobro to steel guitar and boasts vocal skills nearly as strong as his fretwork. Boomerang is dedicated to Johnny Winter, and the late guitarist's fingerprints are all over this disc, especially his energy and intensity. Saidinas offers up some pretty impressive original tunes that rock pretty hard, plus a couple of really cool covers, notably the Leiber/Stroller tune, "Trouble," made famous by Elvis Presley, but in Sardinas' able hands, it's transformed into a totally different tune. Blues rockers definitely need to get their hands on this one for sure, but it will appeal to a wide range of blues fans.
Brad Hatfield - For A Change: Hatfield is a Cincinnati native who has been around the blues since he was a kid (his father, Bernie Hatfield, has played keyboards for various blues bands for years), and picked up the guitar when he was 10 years old. Unfortunately, he was injured in a construction accident which left him paralyzed and put his musical career in jeopardy. Fortunately, he was able to pick up the harmonica after the injury and his powerful and versatile singing voice was still intact. His 2013 debut release (Uphill From Here) won rave reviews and resulted in Hatfield earning a BMA nomination for Best New Artist. His second release finds Hatfield working with the award-winning producer Tom Hambridge and a couple of members of Delbert McClinton's band (guitarist Bob Britt, keyboardist Kevin McKendree). Hambridge wrote most of the songs here and they really show Hatfield's range as a vocalist, moving from blues-rock to Chicago blues to swampy Gulf Coast-styled blues to country blues and deep soul. This is a really nice release from an artist who has overcome quite a bit of adversity and deserves to be heard.
Yes, I know we've already had a Summer post or two featuring some brand new blues releases, but there are just too many new releases out there that deserve to be mentioned. 2013 has been a pretty outstanding year for blues fans. Below are five new and upcoming releases for you to consider spending your hard-earned dollars on. As always, extended reviews of these discs will be found in upcoming issues of Blues Bytes, so stop by and check that site out when you have a chance.
Buddy Guy - Rhythm & Blues (RCA): This double disc set comes out on July 30, Guy's 77th birthday. You would never know that he was anywhere near that birthday based on the music on this release. Guy works that polka dot guitar over on these tracks, which are divided into a "Rhythm" disc and a "Blues" disc. To be honest, there's not much difference in either disc, far as the music goes, but that makes sense and I think that may be the point that Guy is trying to make here.
Tom Hambridge returns as producer and also plays drums and co-wrote most of the tunes, some with Guy. Hambridge seems to have a really good grasp of what Guy is looking for in a recording, both as a producer and as a songwriter because Guy is really inspired both on guitar and vocals. Hopefully, this relationship will continue to be a fruitful one for both.
There are also the requisite group of guest stars (Kid Rock, Beth Hart, Keith Urban, Gary Clark, Jr., and Aerosmith dudes Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford) on five of the 21 tracks, but they all adjust to Guy's style and not the other way around, as is sometimes the case with guest stars on blues albums, so it works pretty well. The covers pay tribute to Guy's fellow Blues Brother, Junior Wells ("Messin' With The Kid," which teams Guy and Kid Rock) and his idol Guitar Slim ("Well I Done Got Over It"), plus a remake of a classic that Guy covered during his Vanguard days ("Poison Ivy").
I have to admit that I basically stopped listening to Guy's new recordings for several years...too many guest stars, too much of the Hendrixian wall o'sound pyrotechnics, not enough blues.....but since Hambridge came on board, it seems that Guy has been rejuvenated and has a little extra hop in his step. Although I would have liked for there to be a little more grit in the production, that's a minor quibble and shouldn't keep anybody who loves the blues from hearing this set. Rhythm & Blues shows that Buddy Guy is still pretty amazing, even at age 77.
Lurrie Bell - Blues In My Soul (Delmark): If you're a fan of Chicago blues played the way they used to do in the 50's and 60's, you will absolutely love this disc. Bell rips through a set of vintage blues tracks from artists like Jimmy Rogers, T-Bone Walker, Little Walter, Junior Wells, Otis Spann, and Big Bill Broonzy. While most of these will be familiar to blues fans, they haven't been done to death, and Bell puts his own personal spin on them with his fiery guitar work and his soulful vocals. He also contributes several of his own compositions that blend really well with the classic covers.
Friday Blues Fix friend Dick Shurman produced the disc and he really captures the atmosphere of the classic Chicago sound. Bell's working band (keyboard master Roosevelt Purifoy, drummer Willie Hayes, bass player Melvin Smith, and harmonica ace Matthew Skoller) provides stellar backing, along with horns from Mark Hiebert (sax) and Marques Carroll (trumpet). Bell is one of the nice stories on the blues scene these days. After a great start as a teenage guitar prodigy, he has overcome several personal tragedies over the past couple of decades and is emerging as one of the mainstays of the Chicago scene. You will be hearing more about Lurrie Bell next week, right here at FBF.
David Egan - David Egan(Rhonda Sue Records): You may not know David Egan, but you probably know at least one of his songs. He's penned tunes for John Mayall ("Wake Up Call"), Percy Sledge ("First You Cry"), Marcia Ball ("Sing It"), and Johnny Adams (one of my all-time favorite Tan Canary tracks, "Even Now"). He was part of the Cajun band File' during the 90's and is currently in the Swamp Pop group, Lil' Band of Gold. He's also released several solo albums over the past few years that have received critical acclaim. His latest, self-titled release is his best yet.....just bursting from the seams with that great Louisiana vibe.
Egan plays keyboards and sings in this wonderful, vulnerable style that just screams deep blues and soul. To me, each song is a mini-masterpiece, each with their own charms and high points. Songs like "That's A Big Ol' Hurt," "Outta Mississippi," "Blues How They Linger," "Root Beer Baby," "Call Your Children Home" (with guest guitarist Lil' Buck Senegal), and "Sad, Sad Satisfaction deserve to be heard by a huge audience. I don't usually start compiling a Top Ten list this early, but this one should easily be on there. If you like blues and soul singing and songwriting at it's best, you owe it to yourself to find this one. For a great sample, and one of my favorite songs on the disc ("That's A Big Ol' Hurt"), go here and give David Egan a listen. You can thank me later.
Mike Zito & the Wheel - Gone To Texas (Ruf): Singer/guitarist Zito is a member of last year's big blues "supergroup," Royal Southern Gentlemen, but he's also released several top notch albums of his own. Gone To Texas, so named because Zito moved there several years ago to straighten his life out, is a raw and ragged foray into Texas blues and roots music (with some Louisiana thrown in for good measure) that features guest appearances from slide guitar wizard Sonny Landreth and Texas roadhouse legend Delbert McClinton.
Though both make nice contributions, Zito is very much his own man, moving through a wide range of styles ranging from blues (blues rock and acoustic) to crunching hard rock to soul to funk. Some of the material is autobiographical, like on most of Zito's other albums. That said, it's obvious that Zito has a strong affinity for the music and culture of the Lone Star State (his wife is from Texas and he was able to overcome his addictions while living there) and it really comes out on this disc, which is a standout from start to finish.
The Soul of John Black - A Sunshine State of Mind (Yellow Dog Records): If you're looking for the perfect Summer soundtrack, it's closer than you might think, and all on one disc. The Soul of John Black is the brainchild of John "JB" Bigham, and his musical vision can best be described as "soul-roots." It mixes the blues, soul, R&B, and funk. If you grew up during the 70's, you're familiar with this style of music and you probably wonder why it ever went away. These tunes all have a lighthearted, carefree vibe to them that should put a smile on your face.
The songs range from mellow soul in an Al Green vein ("Summertime Thang"), inspirational ("Higher Power"), funk ("East L.A. Lady"), and blues ("Johnny Bear (Give It To Me))," a tribute to the suggestive lyrics of the early bluesmen). Bigham is a Chicago native who takes the music he grew up with and blends it with the music he's played over the years with other artists like Miles Davis, Fishbone, Dr. Dre', and Eminem. While A Sunshine State of Mind has a definite Summer feel, you will probably find yourself listening to it all year.
I told you a few weeks ago that there were some great new blues releases that were worth your attention. This week, we will be looking a few more of them, with more to come in the next few weeks.....there are that many great new albums out there to hear and I am still working through a bunch of them. FBF is strongly encouraging all of you to check these out at your earliest convenience. As always, you will be able to read more about each of these (and many others) in future issues of the best online blues CD review source available.....Blues Bytes.
Solomon King - Train (JLM, Inc.): I have always enjoyed King's brand of blues, which mixes soul, funk, and rock in pretty equal doses, and it works really well this time around. The music is great, with blues rockers, country-flavored blues, soulful ballads, etc......King's songs are impressive and his guitar work is great. Vocally, he has a lot of soul, sometimes sounding like a blues version of Lou Reed. You may not know who he is, but chances are you've heard his music before, as he's had a couple of songs that were featured on the HBO series, True Blood, a few years back. To me, Train is the best album he's done so far.....probably the best expression of his musical vision to date.
Cathy Lemons - Black Crow (VizzTone): Ms. Lemons is regarded as a blues legend in the San Francisco Bay area, where she has entertained audiences for over 25 years. She brings a soulful and understated vocal style to the plate, a welcome relief from the screamers that usually pack them in these days. She's adept at blues, soul, country, and gospel styles and her new release features her tackling all of those genres and more. She wrote most of the tracks, but also adds four effective cover tunes from the O'Kanes, Earl King, Kim Wilson, and James Brown (now THAT'S diverse, folks). As I said, I really like her voice and I wish some of these up-and-coming blues singers would listen and learn from her approach. Good stuff.
Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers - Live at Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago: Fuller has been around with his Bluesrockers since 1974, with some critically acclaimed releases dating back to the 80's. Currently, he's a headliner at Legends on Saturday nights and he blows audiences away with his slide guitar and gritty vocals. Last year, about this time (April, 2013), he captured one of his powerhouse shows at Legends for public consumption (with the esteemed Mr. Guy in attendance), and now those not familiar with Fuller and band can see (or hear) what all the fuss is about. This is what a live album should sound like, gang. It's absolutely relentless with a few well-chosen covers from Fuller's influences like Elmore James, Otis Rush, John Lee Hooker, Billy Boy Arnold, and Eddie Clearwater, plus some pretty good originals that mix well with the classics. Blues-rock fans definitely need to get their hands on this one. Now, here's a bit of Fuller in action to give you an idea of what to expect.
John Lyons - Sing Me Another Song: The first thing you will notice about this guy is that he has a real knack for catchy hooks and melodies. You will find yourself humming a lot of these tunes after the fact. He's not just adept at playing the blues, but he also dabbles in rock, pop, and soul. I can see Lyons moving into several different genres with relative ease. His songwriting deals mostly with various affairs of the heart and his soulful delivery makes great songs sound even greater. Lyon is a Michigan native who relocated to Switzerland over a decade ago, and over time he has developed into a fine singer/songwriter. With any luck, this fine release will get the attention it deserves.
Bob Corritore - Taboo (Delta Groove): Last year, harmonica wizard Corritore appeared on discs with John Primer and Dave Riley. This year, he will be issuing this excellent all-instrumental harp showcase on April 25th. Joining him on many of these tracks are a premium list of musicians including Jimmie Vaughan, Junior Watson, Fred Kaplan, Papa John DeFrancesco, and Doug James. There's plenty of diversity in these tracks, which lets Corritore cover a lot of ground and he's more than up to the task, so the excitement never lets up. Harp fans will dig it for sure, but there's some mighty fine music here that will appeal to a lot of folks.
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne - Rollin' With The Blues Boss (Stony Plain): I'm always glad to see a new release from a blues piano man. The past few months, we've had several keepers from artists like The Claudettes, Arthur Migliazza, and this one from Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. Wayne is a monster piano player, moving effortlessly from boogie woogie to old-school rock & roll to the down home blues. He has a great voice and gets some solid assistance from Eric Bibb and Diunna Greenleaf on selected tracks. This is a highly enjoyable set and fans of blues piano need to seek this one out. It will remind longtime blues fans of those classic piano blues tunes of the old days.
I told you......some fantastic new music that covers a broad range of blue styles. In a few weeks, we'll be looking at several more recordings. There's still plenty of springtime left for more New Blues For You.
By now, maybe most of you have paid off those pesky Christmas bills and have a few extra bills in your pocket to spend on those new blues releases that your families failed to put under the tree for you. Here at Friday Blues Fix, we feel your pain. Sometimes, those subtle hints you leave around the house don't always get picked up on by your loved ones, but that's perfectly fine......they mean well and you usually still end up with some pretty nifty gifts in the long run.
This week at FBF, our crack staff has assembled a nice set of recent and upcoming blues album releases that may fit the bill for you after-Christmas shoppers. Who knows......maybe you got a couple of Amazon or iTunes gift cards that are burning a hole in your pocket. We are here for you, so sit back and check out these new releases. You can check out expanded reviews of these disc in current or future issues of Blues Bytes, THE monthly online magazine of blues CD reviews.
Colin James - Blue Highways (True North Records): Canadian guitarist/singer/songwriter James is renowned for his mad guitar skills, and deserves to be even better known than he is. His latest release is a set of his own favorite blues songs, each of which inspired him in one way or the other. He recorded this set less than a week after his previous tour with his working band and it took two days. Obviously, this was a labor of love for all involved.
James covers tunes familiar tunes from Freddie King, Tommy Johnson, Amos Milburn, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Junior Wells, but he interprets them in fresh and inventive new ways. He also tackles a few lesser-known tunes from Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green-era), Memphis Slim, Blind Willie McTell, Jimmy Reed, and Howlin' Wolf, plus a dandy take on William Bell's "Don't Miss Your Water." There's a lot of love in this set and James does a fine job with these classics.....good enough that you'll be checking out his catalog as well as the artists he covers.
Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch - Champagne Velvet (Underworld Records): I really dug this Texas trio's previous release, Tell You What, but this one is even better. There's more of a soul and blues focus on their third release, where their previous two focused more on the rock side of the blues. There's still plenty of rocking edge to their sound, but they really mix it up this time around.
The fourteen original songs go from rousing jump blues to Texas-styled shuffles to countrified soul to West Coast R&B to funk to Mississippi Delta acoustic to jazz. If that sounds like too many directions, don't worry about it. It all works fine. There's never a dull moment on this disc. Elmore is a masterful guitarist and a strong and versatile vocalist on these tunes. The band really steps out on these tunes......they still rock, but there's a lot more to enjoy than on previous releases. This album will be satisfying to longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Eric Clapton - I Still Do (Surfdog Records): Okay, this one's been available for quite a while, but it showed up in my Christmas stocking this year, and that's perfectly fine with me. Clapton has long been a favorite of mine, but his last few releases slipped past me for one reason or another. When the story came out a few months ago about his recent struggles with a nerve disorder that sometimes affects his playing, I was glad to get a copy of this one. In recent years, Clapton has eschewed the major label routine and has been recording for the independent label Surfdog Records, where he's pretty much been able to record just what he wants when he wants.
Enlisting the Hall of Fame producer Glyn Johns (producer of his 70's smash, Slowhand), Clapton gives us a few blues covers from Skip James, Leroy Carr, and Robert Johnson, a couple of J.J. Cale songs, a Dylan song, and a couple of pop standards, along with a pair of memorable originals that measure up very well. Despite the story about his difficulties playing, he shows no ill effects on these tunes, ably assisted by longtime comrades Andy Fairweather Low, Simon Climie, Henry Spinneti, Chris Stainton, and L'Angelo Mysterioso, who plays guitar and duets with Clapton on one tune. That name was a pseudonym for George Harrison many years ago, when he appeared on the Cream tune, "Badge," but Clapton remains mum on who this Mysterioso might be. Clapton's latest is a good one, not a world beater by any means, but a good, steady, dependable album that you'll play over and over again.
Mississippi Heat - Cab Driving Man (Delmark Records): 25 years in now, Mississippi Heat remains one of the mainstays of the Chicago Blues scene. Despite multiple changes in the line-up over the years, they are not only a Windy City favorite, but also reach across the country and abroad as well. Band leader/harmonica ace Pierre Lacocque (longtime FBF readers recall our Ten Questions with him) continues to be a force on the harp, with Inetta Visor (vocals) and Michael Dotson (guitar/vocals) also featured prominently.
The disc is also loaded with guest stars/former alum like guitarist Giles Corey, drummer Kenny Smith, keyboardist Sumito Ariyo, and guitarist Dave Specter. Visor takes the lion's share of the vocals, moving easily from bluesy R&B to jazz, funk, Latin, and traditional blues. Dotson takes the mic for three tunes, his own compositions, and his gruff and gritty style is a perfect complement to Visor's smooth, urban style. If you want to hear blues played at its best, you can't go wrong with Mississippi Heat, who's been doing it well for a quarter century now.
Rev. Billy C. Wirtz (featuring The Nighthawks) - Full Circle (EllerSoul Records): I had only heard a few random tracks of Wirtz's repertoire prior to receiving this disc for review. For the uninitiated, Wirtz is evenly split between serious blues man and manic rock n' roller in the Jerry Lee Lewis tradition. He's quite the songwriter, too. A couple of his crowd favorites are "Mama Was A Deadhead" and "Mennonite Surf Party."
Those two tracks appear on Wirtz's new disc, which is split between live acoustic tracks and a few studio tracks. He's joined by several special guests.....The Nighthawks, guitarist Bobby Driver, and harmonica player Li'l Ronnie Owens. Wirtz introduces a few new tracks, most of which are pretty memorable, and he plays it straight on a few cover tunes from Bill Black, Charlie Rich, Floyd Cramer, among others. This is a really entertaining set.....a great introduction for new listeners and a welcome return to the record racks for his fans.
Deb Ryder - Grit Grease & Tears (BEJEB Music): If there's any justice in this mean old world, this disc will put Ms. Ryder front and center in the blues world. Both of her previous releases were standouts and this one puts those two in its rear view mirror. Ryder is a powerful singer.....this much we know from her previous efforts, but this set puts her near the top as far as blues vocalists go. She tears through these songs with a vengeance.
Joined by an all-star cast of musicians, including drummer Tony Braunagel, guitarists Johnny Lee Schell and Kirk Fletcher, keyboardist Mike Finnigan, and guests Albert Lee, Sugaray Rayford, and Bob Corritore, Ryder does a wonderful job on these tunes, which spans southern rockers, gospel, soul, and traditional and urban blues. This is just a superlative effort from start to finish and hopefully Ryder will see some much-deserved success from it.
Donald Ray Johnson - Bluesin' Around (self-released): Johnson has been around music all his life, working as a drummer for years behind dozens of blues and R&B stars. If you were a part of the disco era, you might remember one of Johnson's former bands, A Taste of Honey, who had several hits in the late 70's, including the monster hit, "Boogie Oogie Oogie." Johnson relocated to Canada a few years back and began focusing on a career as a blues vocalist, where he's enjoyed some success, at least enough to release a Best Of collection a couple of years ago.
Recently, Johnson released his latest album, which consists of mostly blues and R&B cover tunes from the likes of B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Phillip Walker, Lucky Peterson, Nat Dove, and Joe Louis Walker's title track, which Johnson pretty much transforms into an autobiographical track. He also covers one A Taste of Honey tune from their debut, which works well in this setting. He's backed by the Gas Blues Band, a two-lead-guitar unit that do an excellent job in support of Johnson's strong vocals. Anyone who likes urban blues and old school R&B will be glad to have this set in their collection.
The Joey Gilmore Band - Respect The Blues (Mosher St. Records): Florida-based guitarist Gilmore has been active for a half century, playing with many blues legends (Little Milton, Etta James, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Little Johnny Taylor). He's also enjoyed a long solo career, recording the occasional album. This is only his eighth release, and features his version of eleven songs originally performed by his musical mentors and influences.
The set list consists of mostly familiar blues and R&B tunes from a wide variety of artists......New Orleans legend Johnny Adams, Little Milton, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Albert King, William Bell, Sunnyland Slim, Ray Charles, Don Covay, and Johnny Rawls. Gilmore's guitar work and vocal style will bring to mind Little Milton at times, and he welcomes singers Edilene Hart and Domino Johnson on a few tracks. His band is really solid on these tunes, too. Joey Gilmore has been a well-kept secret for many years, but with any luck, this release should expand his audience well beyond the Sunshine State.
The Kentucky Headhunters - On Safari (Plowboy/Practice House Records): Heading into their 28th year, dating back to their monster debut 1989 release, The Kentucky Headhunters are still a force to be reckoned with. Though they first garnered attention on the Country charts, they have gradually made it over to the Roots and Blues columns over the years, including having released a couple of albums with the late piano master Johnnie Johnson on Alligator Records.
Their latest release is a bittersweet one because just prior to their beginning recording, brothers Richard and Fred Young lost their 93-year-old father. Since most of the band members are related and basically grew up together, the loss hit hard and the band poured everything they had into these songs. This is one of their strongest sets of tunes in a while and they also cover Alice Cooper and Charlie Daniels. How's that for diversity?!! Though you may have lost track of these guys over the years, they are still making some mighty music and anyone who digs blues, rock, or country will find something to love here.
Led Zeppelin - The Complete BBC Sessions (Atlantic Records): I was a late arrival to Led Zeppelin. I was a little young when they were in their heyday in the early/mid 70's, and by the time I started listening to music seriously, their recordings were a bit more sporadic, though I did enjoy what I was able to hear. I never really took them that seriously until a couple of years ago, when I picked up a used copy of Mothership, a double-disc collection of some of their finest tunes, and was amazed at how many of their songs I knew and also at how much the blues played a role in their musical vision. I turned my daughters on to this music while I was listening, so they gave me this three-disc set for Christmas.
A few years ago, Atlantic released a two-disc set of the band's recordings for the BBC from the late 60's/early 70's......back in those days, the BBC recorded many of the era's greatest rock bands live in a studio or theatre setting. There have been numerous sessions released over the years, including sessions from Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Yardbirds to just name a few. The song lists, from sessions recorded between 1969 and 1971, includes a large number of blues standards from associated with Muddy Waters, Sleepy John Estes, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, and a healthy dose of the band's own original tunes. The third disc on this release includes songs that were accidentally erased, but were preserved on bootleg copies. If you're familiar with the band, you'll want these recordings since there are only a few live Led Zeppelin albums available, but it's good listening for newcomers to the band, too, and will encourage them to pick up more of their work, and probably a few of the artists' work that the band covers as well.
More new blues coming up in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
As a public service, this week's Friday Blues Fix will offer a few suggestions on what to give that dedicated blues fan in your family that's nearly impossible to buy for. Therefore, this week's post will be a combination of New Blues You Might Have Missed for Christmas. As always, these selections have or soon will be featured in expanded versions in an upcoming edition of Blues Bytes.
Milton Hopkins & Jewel Brown (Dialtone Records): If you're not familiar with Dialtone Records, you're missing out on some fantastic recordings featuring some of the living legends of Gulf Coast blues and R&B from the 50's onward. The label has released some excellent recordings over the past couple of decades and this one is no exception. 78 year-old guitarist extraordinaire Hopkins has performed with sax man Grady Gaines in Little Richard's early band, the Upsetters (one of the most in-demand rock/R&B bands of the 50's), Gatemouth Brown, and enjoyed a nine year stint as B.B. King's rhythm guitarist. 74 year-old vocalist Brown once turned down an opportunity to tour Europe with Lionel Hampton (she was still in high school), but later served as Louis Armstrong's featured vocalist for eight years.
Dialtone came up with the great idea of teaming these two up for an album and the results are outstanding. Brown's sassy and smart vocals are an endless pleasure and Hopkins shows a deft touch on guitar, both electric and acoustic (his cousin was country blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins). The songs are mostly traditional fare, ranging from a reggae-flavored "Jerry" (a holdover from Brown's days with Armstrong), "There's A Light," a smooth gospel number, and an acoustic tribute to Lightnin' Hopkins (Milton's cousin). Hopkins also contributes several tasteful instrumentals that blur the line between blues and jazz. This is a nice, smooth, laidback set that is somewhat reminiscent of the 90's recordings from fellow Texans Carol Fran and Clarence Hollimon. Hopkins and Brown are talented, versatile performers who still have a lot to offer.
Willie Buck - Cell Phone Man (Delmark): By now, you've probably determined that I'm a traditional blues type of guy. I didn't start out that way, but slowly moved in that direction. Great recordings like this one are major factors in that move. Willie Buck has been a longtime fixture on the Chicago blues scene, mostly as a weekend warrior while toiling away as an auto mechanic during weekdays. He fell in love with the blues as a youth, when a relative smuggled him into a Muddy Waters show.
His new release includes several songs associated with Waters and his crack back-up band, the Rockin' Johnny Band, capture the feel of 50's era Chess blues perfectly. However, though Buck's vocals are influenced by Waters, he is very much is own man and is also a pretty good songwriter, too, writing songs in both the blues and R&B vein. This is as good a set as they used to do in the 50's, updated to a certain degree to cover modern subjects (see the title track). Judging by this effort, Willie Buck has been criminally under-recorded over his career. Kudos to Delmark for addressing that problem and hopefully we will hear more from Buck in the future.
Randy Kaplan - Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie (myKazoo Music): Every blues fan wants to share the music they love with as many people as possible. Thanks to Randy Kaplan, the blues can be shared with children. Kaplan is a renowned children's performer who spent two years putting together this project. Not only is this disc child-friendly, adults will find a lot to enjoy, too. It's not only a lot of fun to listen to, it's also loaded with lots of information about the history of the blues and many of the pioneers who helped develop it.
Kaplan is joined on this CD by several kids of various ages, who sing along, ask questions, and tease and cajole him throughout. There's also a "narrator" of sorts, named Lightnin' Bodkins, who provides info about the artists mentioned, offers fascinating tidbits about the music itself, and tries to figure out a suitable blues name for Kaplan. Kaplan also "adjusts" some of the lyrics to make them a little more suitable for kids ("In the Jailhouse Now" becomes "In a Timeout Now," "Kindhearted Woman Blues" becomes "Kindhearted Babysitter Blues," etc....). The liner notes are 20 pages long and fills in details about the songs featured and the artists associated with them. Even though this is designed for kids, I found this very enjoyable and even learned a few things that I didn't know in the process. Chances are that you might, too.
Elvin Bishop - That's My Thing: Elvin Bishop Live in Concert (Delta Groove Music): This DVD was past due. Bishop has been playing the blues for over 50 years, generally doing it his way, occasionally even venturing into pop territory ("Fooled Around and Fell In Love," with Mickey Thomas on vocals), and always doing it with a wink and a smile. This DVD captures Bishop performing at Club Fox in Redwood City, CA around this time last year, backed by an excellent band. The 96-minute concert features Bishop performing some of his fan favorites, like "Calling All Cows," "Travelin' Shoes," "Rock My Soul," "Gettin' My Groove Back," and "Party 'Til the Cows Come Home." He's his usual amazing self on guitar, but the DVD also shows his easy rapport with his audience (even the hecklers) and his wry, self-effacing sense of humor.
There's also a 20-minute interview with Bishop that's definitely worth watching. He talks about his rough beginnings in Iowa in a house with no electricity and running water, his learning to play the blues while living in Chicago, his success as a solo artist in the 70's, and his later and current career. He mixes in several entertaining stories in the process. If you're an Elvin Bishop fan, this DVD is an essential purchase.
Heroes of the Blues (Card Set), By Robert Crumb and Stephen Calt: Sometime after I started listening to the blues in the late 80's, I was browsing in a record store in search of some new music. I wasn't having much luck, so I was about to leave empty-handed when I stumbled onto this in the musical accessory section, next to the harmonicas. I was more familiar with Robert Crumb than I was the artists listed on the back of the box, all early pre-war blues singers and musicians, but I decided to give it a shot. Included in this 36 card set are Crumb's renditions of each artists with a brief biography written by Stephen Calt on the back.
Calt, who passed away in 2010, was a source of controversy for many blues scholars, who felt he interjected his opinion into his work too often, and sometimes was fast and loose with facts. Personally, I don't really know that much about his work other than a few sets of liner notes and these cards, but he plays it pretty straight on these (though there's not much room to do otherwise). Crumb's artwork is excellent. Besides this set of blues legends, he also did card sets for early jazz greats and early country music greats, so these were a labor of love for him and it shows.
These cards were an indispensable source of information for me as a fledgling blues fan. Calt also listed recommended albums for each artists, most of which were available at Yazoo Records. I started picking up recordings by many of these artists, many of which were featured on Yazoo's many anthology sets, collecting multiple artists from the same region and time period. This led me to discover even more great music from more wonderful sources, and chances are that the blues fan in your family will be able to do the same thing if they get their hands on this set.
Hopefully, we've given you a few ideas for Christmas gifts for your blues-loving family and friends of all ages. You won't be disappointed with any of these items if you choose to pick them up.
This week, Friday Blues Fix will look at several interesting new releases that have recently been released or will be available in the near future. We've already discussed a couple recently, like Chris Antonik's Better For You and Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom's Funky Fiesta!, but there are so many great new discs out there right now that we will probably stretch this out over the next couple of weeks to take them all in. As always, expanded looks at each of these discs will be available in the next few weeks at my favorite blues-related site, Blues Bytes.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - On The Verge (Severn): The T-Birds haven't released an album since 2005, when front man Kim Wilson teamed with guitarists Nick Curran and Kirk Fletcher for Painted On, their finest release since the Jimmie Vaughan days. This time around, the guitarists are Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller and they more than hold their own.
The album itself has more of a soul/blues feel than usual, sounding a lot like the greasy soul music of 1960's Memphis or maybe Muscle Shoals with horns and background singers and keyboards. Wilson has always done a great job presenting this style of music and he really comes through on this disc. He's in great voice, as always, and the 12 tracks, all written by the band or the production team, are very good.
It's hard to believe that it's been over 20 years since Vaughan left the group, but over the past couple of discs, the band has really evolved from that tough Texas/Swamp blues sound that defined them during the early years, to a more R&B-flavored blues sound, especially with this recording. That's not to say that they've abandoned their roots completely....there are several of those tracks present, and Wilson's wonderful harmonica is still in the mix.....just that their sound continues to evolve. I really like the contributions of Moeller and Keller, two of the more interesting young blues guitar slingers to come around in recent years.
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - Sunny Road (Delmark): One of the most moving stories I've read was in Dick Waterman's book, Between Midnight and Day, when Waterman discussed his frustrating efforts in trying to help Crudup get long overdue songwriting royalties from a record company. Crudup's incredible grace and class in difficult conditions should be an example to anyone undergoing tough times.
You may not know Arthur Crudup, who was born about thirty minutes from where I live in Forest, MS, but if you're familiar with one Elvis Aron Presley, you've more than likely heard one or more of his songs. Presley's first recording, "That's All Right, Mama," was a Crudup original, and Presley actually recorded a couple more of his tunes in the early years. Crudup wasn't what you would call a guitar wizard or anything. In fact, his abilities were pretty rudimentary, but he had a knack for songwriting and had a warm, relaxed vocal style.
Unfortunately, Crudup was not able to have have much success as a performer and had been off the music scene for some time, even working as a sharecropper, at the time that Delmark "rediscovered" him in the late 60's and released a couple of recordings. This session was recorded in 1969, but for some reason, was never issued until now. Delmark head honcho Bob Koester, produced the session and drafted Chicago blues men Jimmy Dawkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith to play in support.
Two things to keep in mind when you listen to these recordings.....for most of the session, Crudup plugged his guitar into the same Leslie speaker that Buddy Guy used on Junior Wells' Hoodoo Man Blues sessions....the one that gave his guitar the churchy keyboard sound on several tunes. The same effect is present with Sunny Road on Crudup's guitar and it sounds pretty cool. Also, Crudup's wife had recently passed away prior to these sessions, so the pain and anguish come through on his vocals pretty clearly on some tracks. The result is one of the deepest and most personal blues discs you will hear.
Dan Penn - The Fame Recordings (Ace Records - UK): In his book, Sweet Soul Music, Peter Guralnick calls Dan Penn, "the secret hero" of 60's R&B. Penn composed several R&B songs for others that are now considered classics....."At the Dark End of Street," "I'm Your Puppet," "You Left the Water Running," "Sweet Inspiration," "Do Right Woman," "It Tears Me Up," and "Rainbow Road." However, as good a songwriter as Penn was, Guralnick contends that he was an even better performer who recorded his own demo versions of many of his classics that were so good, the performers who eventually recorded them had to go above and beyond to actually surpass Penn's original versions.
Sadly, nearly all of Penn's recorded work from the 60's remained in the can, until now. The UK's excellent Ace label has finally released two dozen of Penn's recordings for the Fame label from the mid 60's, so the truth can be determined once and for all about how good Dan Penn was. The answer is pretty doggone good. He's able to effectively imitate singers like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding on some tracks, but the standout tracks are the ones that he sings in his own voice, whether he's doing deep southern soul, 60's-era pop, or the down home blues. There are several songs here that you've probably never heard that will make you scratch your head and wonder, "How was that NOT a hit for somebody?"
Penn eventually resurfaced in the 90's as a performer, and released a couple of critically acclaimed discs, but The Fame Recordings show you that the music world really missed out on something special when Penn put down the mic and decided to focus on writing and producing.
Big Bill Morganfield - Blues With A Mood(Black Shuck Records): Muddy Waters would be proud of both of his blues-playing sons. Mud Morganfield earned high marks last year for his release on Severn, Son of the Seventh Son, and Big Bill Morganfield's latest release continues the family's hot streak. This is the younger Morganfield's sixth release since 1999 and with each release, he's steadily improved not just as a performer, but as a songwriter.
Morganfield, who had little contact with his famous dad growing up, worked as a teacher, only picking up the guitar after Waters' death in 1983 and spending many years learning to play...starting out with contemporary blues, but eventually gravitating toward the traditional sounds that his father helped to create. Blues With A Mood is the most traditional-sounding of his recordings and he has some very good musicians lending a hand, including guitarists Eddie Taylor, Jr. and Colin Linden (who also produced the disc). In addition, longtime collaborator Bob Margolin makes an appearance.
Morganfield's vocals are strong and sometimes reminiscent of his dad and he's also a great guitarist, although the three main guitarists share lead duties on most tracks. His songwriting is very good as well, and he also does covers from tunes played by his dad, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, and Junior Parker. If you like traditional blues well done, you should check out Big Bill Morganfield, who has as firm a grasp on the genre as anyone.
Grady Champion - Tough Times Don't Last (Grady Shady Music): The Canton, MS resident continues his hot streak with this latest release. Champion's brand of blues blends funk, R&B, and rock and puts a contemporary spin on traditional Mississippi blues. He's comfortable belting out a smooth soul number, he can get down and dirty with the lowdown blues, and he's equally at ease with a gospel-styled track or a modern R&B. song.
Champion started his music career as a rap artist and DJ, then gravitated toward the blues in the mid 90's, recording his own debut in 1998, then two fine releases for Shanachie around the turn of the century. After a near-decade long sabbatical from recording, he has returned with a vengeance since 2010, when he won the IBC. This is his third new release since the sabbatical (plus the retrospective Shanachie Days), and he is fast emerging as one of the bright new stars in the blues.
As on all his other releases, he mixes topical subjects with good time blues and soul, and also offers some interesting glimpses into his history with songs about his own roots. He also offers advice to young people to hang in there through tough times and adversity. Personally, I think it's not only great to have Champion as part of the next generation of Mississippi blues stars, but I think it's really cool that he chooses to stay in the Magnolia State to ply his trade. It's hard to go wrong with one of his releases, and this one is no exception.
Frank Bey with the Anthony Paule Band - You Don't Know Nothing (Blue Dot Records): Pretty cool story here.....San Francisco DJ Noel Harris (Wednesday Blues with Noel) first heard soulful singer Bey in Philadelphia, PA in '99 and was blown away by his skillful soul and blues vocals. Several years later, after Bey recovered from a kidney transplant, Harris was able to book him in San Francisco, where he built a large and loyal following.
In a stroke of genius, Harris decided to pair Bey with area guitarist Anthony Beale and his band, and the rest is history, or maybe it will be. This disc was recorded live at Bey's home away from home, Biscuits and Blues, last summer in front of a very receptive audience. The set is made up of a solid mix of blues and soul classic tunes and some impressive originals. Bey sounds great, Paule is a first-rate guitarist, and the band sounds fantastic. There's not a lot of new ground broken here, but it's very well done, well produced, and worth hearing if you're into vintage soul and soul/blues. Hopefully, this duo will make it to the studio soon and give us more.
That's all for this week. Next week, we will check out more new blues for you. Be there. Aloha.
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