FBF's Top Twenty Blues Albums for 2016

I hope everyone had a great Christmas last weekend.  Things were very good here in Far East Mississippi, but unfortunately the weather has followed typical Mississippi winter standards by having several days with temperatures peaking in the mid/upper 40's followed by days approaching 80 degrees.  Though this has happened frequently this winter, your humble correspondent finally fell prey to the requisite sinus infection in a major way on Christmas Day, so this post may be shorter than my usual Top 20 posts, so I hope you'll understand.  I'm trying to work on it a little bit at a time during the week.

2016 saw some excellent releases on the blues side of the record aisle.  I reviewed roughly about 180 albums this year and it was really difficult to pare it down to just a Top 20.  In a few short weeks, Blues Bytes will be featuring each of their reviewers' Top 10 albums for the year, so you can follow up from here to see my Top 10.

So, without further delay, here are FBF's Top 20 Blues releases for 2016......listed in alphabetical order:

Lurrie Bell - Can't Shake This Feeling (Delmark Records):  This is another marvelous release from this Chicago guitarist who has overcome numerous obstacles to reach near-legendary status.  Bell covers several Chicago classics and adds a few of his own compositions

The Bo-Keys - Heartaches By The Number (Omnivore Recordings):  For their third release, this Memphis ensemble adds a full-time vocalist (Percy Wiggins) and dives into the music of their neighbor to the east in Nashville, covering a host of country music standards, plus a few that could have been.  This should prove once and for all that the line between country, soul, and the blues is razor-thin.

Toronzo Cannon - The Chicago Way (Alligator Records):  Cannon's Alligator debut release lets the rest of the world know what a lot of his fans have known for a while......he's one of the most electrifying songwriters and performers to come around in a long time.  He makes the most of this opportunity, turning in one of the finest blues albums to hit the airwaves in a while.

Luther Dickinson - Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook, Volumes 1 & 2) (New West Records):  A musical autobiography of sorts, Dickinson collects 21 traditional folk or blues-based songs he's written himself or learned from friends and family members.  There are guest stars and highlights galore.  No music lover should be without this disc.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Strong Like That (Severn Records):  The T-Birds continue their journey through the soul side of the blues.  Kim Wilson sounds great on this set of mostly soul covers and he gets great support from T-Birds guitarist Johnny Moeller, guest Anson Funderburgh, and the fabulous Severn house band.  Hopefully, Wilson and the band will continue this musical direction for a few more albums.

The Fremonts - Alligator (Truax Records):  One of my favorite groups comes through with another great set of old school swamp blues and R&B and Mississippi Delta blues.  Recorded live in the studio and mixed in mono, this set really captures the vintage sounds of the old Excello recordings.

Cee Cee James - Stripped Down & Surrendered (FWG Records):  While Cee Cee James may be "stripped down" on this effort, she has by no means "surrendered."  Nobody pours as much of their soul into their music.  She has lived or is living these lyrics to the hilt.  No one does it quite like her and she has the perfect musical partner in guitarist/husband Rob "Slideboy" Andrews, whose fretwork is equally inspired.

Dennis Jones - Both Sides Of The Track (Blue Rock Records):  I'm not sure why Dennis Jones isn't a bigger deal.  He's released five excellent powerhouse blues rock albums since 2003.  He's a great guitarist and singer, and he's a very good songwriter, too.  This release should be the one that puts in on the "must hear" list.....it's loaded with what blues fans hunger for.

Dave Keller - Right Back Atcha (Tastee Tone Records):  For his latest release, Keller returned to his home state of Vermont and recorded with his working band.  He wrote or co-wrote all but one of the tunes and they find him in a much better place in his personal life.  He's regarded as one of the best voices in the blues and soul fields these days, but he's a formidable guitarist as well.  If you're not on board with Dave Keller yet, this is a great place to get started.  You'll find out more about Mr. Keller in a few weeks.

Guy King - Truth (Delmark Records):  I've been following Guy King a long time, dating back to when I heard his distinctive guitar work on a Willie Kent CD.  I was thrilled to read where he had signed with Delmark, who released this wonderful set earlier this year.  King acknowledges his influences by covering tunes by Ray Charles and Percy Mayfield and B.B. and Albert King.  He also collaborates with musical biographer David Ritz on several tasty originals.  This is a diverse, well-rounded set that will get a lot of replays on your media player of choice.  Check out our Ten Questions with Guy right here when you get a chance.

The King Brothers - Get Up And Shake It (Club Savoy Entertainment Group):  Last week, FBF posted about the King Brothers' latest and their other releases.  Their new one is a great set that refuses to leave my stereo.  Mostly covers, but the Kings add their own unique touch to these familiar classics.  Lee and Sam King have got themselves a winner with this disc.  If you didn't check it out after last week's post, we're giving you another opportunity to do so.  You can thank me later.

Brian Langlinais - Right Hand Road (Patoutville Records):  This excellent release is the result of Langlinais and his fellow musicians being stranded in the singer/guitarist's native Lafayette, LA.  It went from a group of guys laying down a few cover tunes in the studio to developing into a full-fledged album of rocking roadhouse blues tunes.  There's plenty of deep south, Gulf Coast-influenced blues and R&B on this set.  Check out our Ten Questions With Brian from a couple of months ago, and check out this disc at your first opportunity.

John Long - Stand Your Ground (Delta Groove Music):  An impressive effort from the man Muddy Waters called "the best young country blues artist playing today" back in the 70's.  Muddy knew of what he spoke, but most people may not be familiar with Long because he doesn't make it into the studio that much.  When he does, however, it's certainly worth hearing.  Long covers tunes from pre-war artists like Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, and his musical mentor Homesick James Williamson, but his original tunes sound just like they were penned during the same era.  This is a masterwork from an American musical treasure.

Trudy Lynn - I'll Sing The Blues For You (Connor Ray Music):  An internet friend of mine from Houston turned me onto Ms. Trudy Lynn (among other great Houston-based blues artists) back in the late 90's.  I'm sure glad that he did.  She's one of the finest blues singers around.  She's enjoyed a productive stint with Connor Ray Music and this release is one of her best.  She tackles a great set of blues classics and she's backed by an excellent band.  Ms. Trudy never disappoints and this set is no exception.

Elam McKnight - Radio (Big Black Hand Music):  I've been listening to Elam McKnight for a long time now, and it's been really cool watching him develop his sound.  He's explored Hill Country blues, Delta blues, deep southern soul, rock, pop, country, and gospel over his previous releases, but with this one, he brings everything together in a big way.  All of his releases are daring and different approaches to the blues and there's always a "WOW" moment mixed in.  This one will put a hop in your step for sure.

Reggie Wayne Morris - Don't Bring Me Daylight (Blue Jay Sound):  Fifteen years have passed since Morris' last album released and the Baltimore-based guitarist shows that he hasn't lost a step during that time......he's worked hard on the festival circuit in the interim.  This release has a mix of slick urban blues in a B.B. King vein and smooth southern soul.  Morris has the voice and the guitar skills to easily handle both.  The whole CD has a great old school feel to it and should satisfy both blues and soul fans.

Johnny Rawls - Tiger In A Cage (Catfood Records):  This is as good as modern soul/blues gets.  Rawls has always had the ability to recreate the best parts of classic Hi/Stax-era soul while keeping things in the modern perspective as well.  His music appeals to both longtime soul/blues fans and newcomers.  Great new songs that pay tribute to the 70's era soul men like Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye combined with covers of classic tunes by Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and the Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome (Interscope Records):  I rambled on about the upcoming release of this album a few weeks ago, pointing out that the Stones have long acknowledged their debt to the blues.  They started out playing the blues and this album brings them full circle.  It's actually their first all-blues album, and it developed out of the blue (sorry) when they were trying out a new studio and cranked up a version of Little Walter's "Blue & Lonesome."  What was sort of neat to me is how the Stones are now as old or older than their musical influences all those years ago.  They've been playing this music as long or longer than many of their influences did.  They do a masterful job on this set of Chicago blues chestnuts and, with any luck, they will open the door to even more fans checking out the original sources.

Robert Lee "Lil' Poochie" Watson & Hezekiah Early - Natchez Burnin' (Broke & Hungry Records):  Watson and Early are veterans of the Natchez, MS blues scene and the Mississippi and Louisiana festival circuits.  They play acoustic and electric Delta blues, New Orleans-styled R&B, rock n' roll, and soul.  Though this is their first recording together, they've collaborated for years and it shows on this set.  Anyone who likes traditional Mississippi blues will want this in their collection.

Tweed Funk - Come Together (Tweed Tone Records):  Tweed Funk just gets better and better.  This set will make vintage soul fans happy and probably make new and old listeners alike wonder why this music went out of style in the first place.  Tweed Funk makes it sound like it never went away with their awesome horn section, nasty and funky rhythm section and the impeccable vocals of "Smokey" Holman.  I had a blast listening to this one, and you will, too.

Recommended Listening - The King Brothers

Lee and Sam King.....The King Brothers

Fifteen or sixteen years ago, I was wandering through my local record store in search of some new blues albums.  I happened to stumble onto a album by a group called The King Brothers called Turnin' Up The Heat.  It was on a record label, Vent Records, that was based about 150 miles away in Birmingham, AL.  I had previously purchased a pretty darn good album from Vent Records by an Arkansas-based guitarist named Michael Burks, so I decided to give The King Brothers a spin.

It proved to be a wise decision on my part.  The brothers managed to combine their love of the blues with a fierce rock and funk mix that really lifted their original songs above your average fare.  Turnin' Up The Heat was a couple of years old when I picked it up, but it really got my attention and got me to looking for their second release, Mo' Heat, which had been issued on Hard Attack Records around 2001, but I wasn't able to track it down.  Still, Turnin' Up The Heat managed to get fairly steady rotation on my playlist over the years, and I always figured I'd be able to track down their next release.

A couple of months ago, I was not only able to finally get to hear Mo' Heat, but also their newest release, the excellent Get Up and Shake It, the brothers' first release in about fifteen years.  Where the duo's first two releases were all originals compositions, their latest album consists of the brothers' imaginative recreations of seven blues classics, along with three King Brothers originals, two of which are instrumentals.  

www.kingbrothersplaytheblues.com is the band's new website

The King Brothers are guitarist/vocalist Lee King and drummer/vocalist Sam King.  The brothers have been playing together since elementary school.......about 60 years, give or take.  Later on, brother Lee began playing with Ike Turner and Big Joe Turner, and later they joined up to back Albert King, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, and their second cousin, Freddie King.  McCracklin, in particular, was a big influence on the youngsters, as much for his wardrobe as for his music, but their muscular, guitar-driven attack brings to mind another pair of Kings.....Albert and Freddie.

Both brothers appeared on Albert King's classic Blues at Sunrise album, and Albert King presented Lee King with his prize guitar, Lucy, in 1992, just a few days before he passed away......a proverbial passing of the torch.  Lee King played the guitar extensively on Turnin' Up The Heat and recalled:

"We were hanging around in the dressing room when Albert came off stage.  He told me he wasn't feeling well and said he might have to go to the hospital to have some bypass work done.  Then he gave me the guitar and said, 'Here, take this thing and play it.'  I was shocked.  I grabbed him and hugged him, but he kind of turned away because he wasn't the hugging type.  Then they called him out to do an encore, and he took the guitar back and told me and Sam to come with him.  We stood back in the wings and then he motioned for us to come out.  He gave me the guitar again, in front of everybody.  Again, I was shocked.  I didn't know how to thank him enough, but he told me that he just wanted me to carry on the blues.  And that's what I'm doing."

Passing the torch:  Albert King and Lee King, December, 1992

The brothers were raised in the San Francisco Bay area, but they have a firm and unique grasp on the music that makes it feel like they were born and raised down south in the land where the blues began, a quality that eludes many other performers of similar talent.  When asked to describe their brand of blues music, Lee King explained,

"It's danceable, it's rock-flavored, funk-flavored, and gospel-flavored.  I don't know a damn thing about picking cotton; I don't drink whiskey; I don't dip snuff; I don't fit into any of those bluesman stereotypes.  I do blues the way I feel it."

Turnin' Up the Heat was a big surprise to many blues fans when it hit stores in the mid 90's.  It mixed the genres that Lee King mentions above and did so with some very strong original songs.  When Mo' Heat followed a few years later, it improved on all the high points of its predecessor.

Though the duo didn't return to the studio for an extended period, they didn't exactly sit back and relax.  They continued to perform during that time span and hone their craft.  Though many of the songs on Get Up And Shake It will be familiar to seasoned blues fans ("Hoochie Coochie Man," "Rock Me Baby ," and a couple of tunes previously recorded by their cousin Freddie....."Bigg Legged Woman" and "Tore Down"), the brothers take these songs to new places with Lee's powerhouse guitar work and Sam's propulsive drumming.

There are a few less familiar covers, too.  Bobby Rush's "Blind Snake" is really cool, and there's also a sharp take on the rocker "Hound Dog," and the Willie Dixon favorite "Close To You" is well done, too.  The three originals include two covers, "Just Driving Around" and the title track, both of which blend blues, funk, and jazz in extended jams that will get toes to tapping and heads to bobbing.  The third original, "Just The Way I Like It," is heavy on the funk/R&B side, too, and is a nice showcase for Lee King's vocals.

The Golden Gate Blues Society gave this album their Best Self-Produced CD award and the album will be entered into the 2017 IBC in Memphis under the same category next January.

It was really great to see that The King Brothers had returned to the studio.  I really enjoyed their debut release all those years ago, and to finally hear their follow-up, not to mention finding out that they were still actively performing and recording......well, all I can do is strongly recommend that you check out The King Brothers' catalog of recordings.....and look for Get Up And Shake It next week when FBF reveals its Top 20 Albums of 2017.


The King Brothers - Discography

Turnin' Up The Heat (Vent Records)

Mo' Heat (Hard Attack Records)

Get Up And Shake It (Club Savoy Entertainment Group)

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue #20

Believe it or not, this is the 20th Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue post for Friday Blues Fix.  This has been one of our favorite themes over the years, dating back to FBF's early days as a weekly email to co-workers.  For those unfamiliar with the format, we offer a song from the early days of the blues (Something Old), a song from a recent blues artist (Something New), a blues artist covering a rock song or vice versa (Something Borrowed), and finally, someone who epitomizes the blues.....usually a legendary artist (Something Blue).

This time around, we're going to do something a little different.....actually we did it a while back and it was fun to do, so here we go again.  What we're going to do is take one particular song, a blues classic, and show four variations of it.  This time around, we're going to be looking at a song written by Willie Dixon, called "Spoonful."  Now, you may associate that tune with Howlin' Wolf, and you'd be correct in assuming that.....but there's more to it than meets the eye, and it's interesting to see who else has covered it in their own unique fashion.

Charley Patton

Willie Dixon actually derived "Spoonful" from a couple of earlier songs that date back to the early recording days of the blues.  The earliest song was Papa Charlie Jackson's "All I Want Is A Spoonful," and in 1927...."Cocaine Blues," by Luke Jordan.  The song that Dixon's version most strongly resembles is Charley Patton's "A Spoonful Blues," which he recorded in 1929 for Paramount Records.  The lyrics of the song use "a spoonful" as a metaphor for the cravings and desires of men, usually sex, love, alcohol, or drugs, and the numerous, sometimes dangerous and deadly ways they try to find and satisfy those cravings.  For "Something Old," here is the harrowing "A Spoonful Blues," from Charley Patton, one of the most influential of all blues men.

In 2015, guitarist Joe Bonamassa performed a tribute concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado for Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.  He set it up as a fund-raiser for his Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation.  There was an album released of the concert, Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks, which was broken down into three parts, a Waters set, a Wolf set, and a Bonamassa set.  Bonamassa's Wolf set included a roaring version of "Spoonful," which will serve as "Something New" for us this week.  In addition to the music, there are snippets of interviews with Waters and Wolf included, so it provides a bit of history to the two blues legends.

In 2010, Robert Plant formed a new band, the Sensational Shape Shifters.  The former Led Zeppelin front man and his band mates frequently mixed rock with blues, folk, reggae, and world music during their fabled career, but with his new band, he does even more, even covering many of his Led Zeppelin hits in interesting and unique ways.  After hearing a recent set, I wondered how these bands who had popular songs some thirty or forty years ago were able to continue to play them without a staleness or going-through-the-motions vibe kicking in.  I think this is how Robert Plant does it, by playing around with the musical arrangements or the instrumentation, or even the vocal delivery.  I guess you can only play "Whole Lotta Love," so many times without it getting routine.  Anyway, Plant and his new group released a download-only live album, Sensational Space Shifters, in 2012.  It included a mix of Plant's solo work, Zep's hits, and a few "borrowed" tunes, one of them being, you guessed it, "Spoonful," which makes it our "Something Borrowed" tune this week.

.

Howlin' Wolf and Hubert Sumlin

Of course, "Something Blue" has to be Howlin' Wolf, the man who made the song famous with his powerful rendition in 1960.  The first time I ever heard "Spoonful" was on the late 60's version from Cream on my college roommate's Eric Clapton compilation album.  When I heard the Wolf's version, it was on a Chess Records anthology cassette in the late 80's, a collection that featured two tracks from the Wolf....this one and "Smokestack Lightning,"  Needless to say, it was an electrifying experience for a blues neophyte and it put Cream's version far in the rear view mirror.

I'd never really heard anyone sing like the Wolf, but there were other things that made this song special, such as Hubert Sumlin's stinging, steely guitar, Willie Dixon's throbbing double bass, and Otis Spann's skittering piano runs.  The Wolf's raspy, harrowing vocals, though, were what put this song over the top.  There have been many covers of this song over the years......Etta James, Jimmy Witherspoon, Canned Heat, Ten Years After, George Thorogood, Delbert McClinton, the Grateful Dead, and many, many others, but none of them come close to approaching the intensity and ferocity of Wolf's version.

Interesting tidbit to consider.......Otis Rush once reported that Dixon first offered him "Spoonful," but it didn't suit Rush's tastes, so Dixon offered it to Wolf.  Probably a good move on everyone involved's part.  Rush might have turned in a strong version himself, but there's no question that this song was MADE for Howlin' Wolf.

New Blues For You - Fall Edition, 2016 (Part 3)

Well, for most of our readers, fall will soon turn into winter.....it's in the middle of doing just that here in Far East Mississippi, with temps in the low 40's during the daytime, which might not mean so much to our readers to the north, but down here, if it gets in the low 30's and starts raining, we run out of bread, milk, and eggs in all the stores and driving gets absolutely chaotic if there's a trace of ice or an inch of snow on the roadways.  We just don't have to deal with it that much, so when we do, it's always interesting.

Anyway, as promised a few weeks ago, FBF is back with another set of upcoming releases that have hit or will soon hit the stores this fall.  This has been a great year for new releases and here are eight more new releases that would be excellent stocking stuffers for the blues fans in your families.  As always, expanded reviews of these new CDs can be found in current or upcoming issues of Blues Bytes, THE monthly online magazine of blues CD reviews.

Elam McKnight - Radio (Big Black Hand Records):  A few months ago, I previewed this release, singing its praises based on the various sneak previews I'd heard.  McKnight has assembled a great band....45-year juke joint vet Dudley Harris on vocals, guitar, and bass and veteran rock n' roll drummer Eddie Phillips on drums.....and these guys really rock the house.  He merges all of his musical influences on these tracks, rock, soul, pop, country, and gospel with his brand of Delta and Hill Country blues.

This is McKnight's best batch of songs yet, and he sings and plays these songs like his life depends on it.  Harris chips in on a few of these songs and is supposed to be getting his own release on Big Black Hand soon......should be a good one.  Elam McKnight is taking the blues in new, exciting, and sometimes unexpected directions.  I've been a fan since I heard his first CD (Braid My Hair) many moons ago and I can safely say that Radio is his best release yet.  I'm excited to see the direction he takes with his next release.  It won't be boring.....that's for sure.

Cee Cee James - Stripped Down & Surrendered (FWG Records):  To me, no performer.....repeat, NO ONE.....puts as much of themselves into their craft as Cee Cee James does.  Longtime readers of FBF will be familiar with Ms. James via her two Ten Questions segments from a couple of years ago here and here, so they will know what I'm talking about.  Her blues are so personal and so intense that you have to believe that she leaves a piece of her soul in everything she writes or sings.  I've been listening to music a long time.....a LOT of music....and she never ceases to amaze me with the intensity she brings to her performances.

James' new release is, as the title indicates, a bit more low key.....at least instrumentally.  James' still brings her white-hot intensity to these songs.  They cover a lot of ground....despair, desperation, hope, salvation, and redemption.  She really bares her soul on some of these tracks, reliving past despairs and struggles with personal demons, but through it all, she perseveres and gains a bit of salvation.  The struggles she's endured actually serve to increase and expand her own personal character and make her appreciate the good that's there now, probably more so than she would have otherwise.  This is, like all of Cee Cee's releases, a rewarding listen.  Also, I can't say enough about her husband/musical partner, Rob "Slideboy" Andrews' amazing guitar work throughout.  Check this one out if you want to hear the real, unvarnished, unadulterated blues.

Tom "The Suit" Forst - On Fire (Factory Underground Records):  Back in 2008, Thomas Forst was a Regional VP for a major communication company, but he gave all of that up to pursue a music career.  He's performed hundreds of shows (his "The Suit" nickname comes from his habit of wearing a suit on stage) and has released a pair of albums, one as part of The Jason Gisser Band and the other as the NYC blues trio Suit Ty Thirrsty.

His solo debut shows guitar chops to die for, plus strong vocals and a clever touch as a songwriter.  He touches on familiar blues themes, but throws in a twist or two.  He also offers three cover tunes from Joe Walsh, Howlin' Wolf, and Marvin Gaye.  How's that for versatility??!!  At 65 , Forst plays and sings with an energy and exuberance of a man half his age.  Look for good things ahead for this talented guitarist.

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters - Maxwell Street (Stony Plain Records):  Earl's new disc is not named for the famous street in Chicago, but for the late pianist (and former Broadcaster) Dave Maxwell, who died last year at age 71.  On the back cover of this release, Earl describes it as an "album of traditional, healing and soulful blues rooted in gratitude."  If you're familiar with any of Earl's recent recordings, you have a good idea of what's ahead.

With ten songs, six originals and four covers, Earl delivers on that promise.  Half of the tracks are instrumental and Earl tiptoes easily between the blues and jazz as always.  His guitar work is so lyrical and at times breathtaking.  There's a fine tribute to the legendary T-Bone Walker, and a couple of tributes to Maxwell, one from Earl and one from keyboardist Dave Limina.  Singer Diane Blue contributes vocals on five tracks, one original written by Earl and four diverse covers of tunes ranging from Otis Rush to Albert King to Gladys Knight to Eddy Arnold.  Earl's backing on these tracks is just perfect.  Maxwell Street is a keeper if you're a fan of blues or jazz guitar played well.

Little Mike - How Long? (ELROB Reccords):  Little Mike Markowitz took a 15-year hiatus awhile back to help raise his family, but has returned to the music scene with a vengeance the past few years, recording two albums with his band, the Tornadoes, a live release, and a collaboration with Chicago singer Zora Young.  Now, he's releasing a solo album, though several guest artists are Tornado alumni.

There's nothing fancy here......just old school blues like they used to do them in the 50's and early 60's.  Little Mike doubles up on harmonica and keyboards and really gets plenty of room to strut his stuff on several instrumental tracks.  The set list is divided between a few fine Markowitz originals and a few dandy covers that will be familiar to most blues fans.  Blues fans who dig the sounds of vintage Chicago blues will dig this excellent set of classic blues that's been updated for modern ears.

Liz Mandeville - The Stars Motel (Blue Kitty Music):  This disc, three years in the making, features singer/guitarist Mandeville with four great guitarists.  Three of the four were passing through Chicago for gigs and stayed overnight in Mandeville's home studio.  In return, each co-wrote and recorded three songs with Mandeville for a future album.  The three visiting guitarists were Oklahoma's Scott Ellison, Italian fret wizard Dario Lombardo, and Miami-based Rachelle Coba.  To complete the album, Mandeville recruited her former guitarist Minoru Maruyama to contribute a pair of songs.

The resulting eleven songs cover a lot of ground, ranging from Windy City-styled shuffles, New Orleans-flavored R&B, soulful ballads, and after-hours urban blues.  Mandeville ably handles vocals and plays guitar, bass, washboard on selected tracks.  Each of the guitarists contribute first-rate material and provide some excellent guitar work.  Mandeville is one of the most consistent artists on the current Chicago blues scene, with a great body of work.  The Stars Motel is no exception and ranks with her best releases.  Please keep Liz in your thoughts and prayers, as she recovers from injuries suffered in a recent head-on collision while driving home from a gig around Thanksgiving.

The Temprees - From The Heart (Point 3 Records):  The Temprees' history dates back to the mid-60's, where they started as The Lovemen.....lead singer "Jabbo" Phillips, "Scotty" Scott, "Del" Calvin, and Larry Dodson, who soon departed to front The Bar Kays.  The remaining trio signed with Stax Records as The Temprees and enjoyed some success in the early 70's with a cover of "Dedicated to the One I Love" and "Love Maze."  Though the hits stopped soon after, The Temprees continued to perform until Phillips passed away in 2001.

The group recently reunited with a new singer, Walter "Bo" Washington, and released this fine set of old school soul and R&B.  It's pretty obvious right off the bat that the gang has lost little to nothing off their fastball since their heyday, and have joined up with producer/composer Angelo Earl to recreate that classic sound.  They mix it up well between slower numbers and upbeat numbers which add funk and hip-hop influences.  For anyone who loves these classic sounds, From The Heart will be musical nirvana.

Vaneese Thomas - The Long Journey Home (Segue Records):  Speaking of Memphis, here's Vaneese Thomas.  Her musical credentials are impeccable.  Her father is Memphis music legend Rufus Thomas, and her siblings Carla and Marvell are a big part of Memphis soul history as well.  Vaneese herself enjoyed some success on the R&B charts in the late 80's, but has built her reputation for the most part as a session vocalist for scores of rock and R&B stars.  She's also worked in film and
television and as a producer, arranger, and songwriter.

A few years ago, she decided to focus on the blues and released a fine tribute disc to her father back in 2013 which featured a duet with her father and her sister.  This new release focuses on her hometown and its rich musical culture.  Several of the songs recall the glory days of Stax and Hi Records, along with the city's varied blues styles, which go from rock to countrified to soul.  While Thomas' original songs are very good, she turns in a magnificent performance on an amazing cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain."  This is a really powerful set of music that pushes the music of Memphis into new and interesting directions.'