There aren't many Blues
artists on the scene today that thrill me as much as
California guitarist Mighty Mike Schermer. His
new album, Blues In Good Hands (VizzTone
Label Group), was a welcome addition to my library to
close out the 2015 Blues season. It's a worthy
follow-up to his excellent 2013 disc, Be Somebody.
Schermer is best known
for his exemplary guitar playing, but there's also a
lot to like about his vocal work. While he's not a
prototypically powerful Blues singer, there's just
something comfortable about listening to Schermer
sing his original compositions. It's just good
comfort food for the ears.
Opening the album is a
pleasant mid-tempo romp, "Baby Don't Stop," with a
bit of a New Orleans R&B rhythm and
gospel-influenced background vocals from Shelley
King and Carolyn Wonderland. Terry Hanck also
contributes some fine sax work midway through the
song. Mighty Mike then shows his versatility by
getting funky on the second cut, "Heaven's On The
Other Side." Oh wow, this cat's just such a good
guitarist! I'd be remiss in not crediting Tony Stead
with nice, subtle organ accompaniment here.
Schermer slows down the
tempo on "It's A Pleasure," just the kind of catchy
and addictive melody that his voice handles so well.
Just as heartwarming is "One Tear At A Time," with a
lilting reggae backbeat serving as its foundation.
Yeah, I told you Schermer was a unique and versatile
artist.
"World Gone Crazy" is a
smooth, jazzy topical number where Schermer sings
about some of the problems in our world. In another
artist's hands I'd be tempted to dismiss this song
as just a little too schmaltzy, but it works here.
Steve Ehrmann contributes a nice funky jazz bass
beat and Hanck comes in periodically with tasty sax
riffs.
Schermer pays tribute to
some of his biggest influences on the mid-tempo
number, "Blues in Good Hands." He starts by
mentioning how Albert Collins inspired him to pick
up the guitar, but then gets even more personal when
he sings about Albert, "Drove his own bus, saw him
change his oil once." There are also nods to Hubert
Sumlin and Junior Walker before Schermer goes on
about the torch being passed, singing, "Now I'm
proud to be a soldier" and then closing with "Gotta
keep the Blues in good hands ... something real and
something everyone can feel .... gotta keep the
Blues in good hands."
The first Blues shuffle
of the day comes along with "Wait-On-Me-Woman," this
one featuring solid Blues harp riffs from Greg Izor
and rock-steady drumming from Damien Llanes.
Schermer then takes it back to New Orleans with the
mid-tempo "Most People," on which we get to hear
nice piano work from Austin Delone.
Austin Blues superstar
Marcia Ball makes a guest appearance on "Barkin' Up
The Wrong Tree," but confining her contribution to
solid piano work, and then Schermer launches into a
harder driving blues number, "Take My Hand,"
pulsating along over a heavy harmonica bed from Izor
and a Bo Diddley-style beat from drummer Llanes.
Another member of Blues
royalty, Tommy Castro, joins in to share guitar
duties with Schermer on the serious Blues number,
"Stop Crying." Two great guitarists sharing hot
licks --- what could be better? It smokes. John
Nemeth then comes aboard to play really nice blues
harp on the feelgood shuffle number, "Baby Be Kind."
We're on a serious roll towards the end of this
disc, folks.
To close out Blues In
Good Hands, Schermer returns to the New
Orleans-style rhythms that he likes so much with
"Hear You Call Him Baby," featuring solid
'Fess-style piano from Stead and still another
blistering guitar solo from the star of this show.
Blues In Good Hands
proves that Mighty Mike Schermer is one of the most
versatile yet underrated artists on the Blues scene
today. Highly recommended!
--- Bill Mitchell
My favorite time of year
for Blues Bytes is in January when we post each
regular reviewer's Top 10 list for the previous
year. I find out about CDs that I missed out on
during the year and go on a buying binge to fill in
the gaps in my Blues collection. I somehow missed
out on the release of Blues Gotta Holda Me (VizzTone
Label Group) from Austin supergroup The Texas
Horns --- but it didn't take long for me to add
it to my own Top 10 list for 2015, and it's also my
newest favorite CD in my collection.
The Texas Horns
collaboration is a project by three esteemed session
horn players --- Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff (tenor sax and
harmonica), John Mills (baritone and tenor saxes)
and Adalberto Gomez (trumpet and flugelhorn). Add
Austin regulars Barry "Frosty" Smith (drums) and
Derek O'Brien (guitar) and you've got one of the
tightest bands I've heard in a long, long time.
Kazanoff also handles vocals on four of the cuts and
acquits himself well when pulling double duty. There
are also a few special guests sitting in at times
--- we'll get to them later.
Opening the CD is a
Kazanoff-penned instrumental, "Soul Stroll," a
shuffle that gives everyone a chance to solo,
including guest guitarist Anson Funderburgh. I
especially like Gomez's trumpet solo midway through
the tune --- the man is obviously a very fine horn
player. Marcia Ball then joins the band for the old
Dave Bartholomew composition, "Go On Fool," done
originally by Smiley Lewis. It's classic New Orleans
R&B, with Ms. Ball providing her typical fine vocals
and piano playing. Everything Marcia touches turns
to gold for my ears, and her inclusion here just
makes a fine album even better.
Kaz gets to step up to
the mic for the early swing classic, "You're Driving
Me Crazy," proving that he's a vastly underrated
singer with a very strong voice. Gomez comes in with
a muted horn solo, followed later by Kaz on tenor
and Mills on baritone. Man, this just keeps getting
better! "Kick Me Again" is a Mills composition and
his baritone sax takes the lead on this jazzy
instrumental, complemented nicely by O'Brien's
guitar work.
Perhaps the best song on
the disc follows when Austin godfather W.C. Clark
joins to handle the vocal on a Kaz original Blues
shuffle, "Cold Blooded Lover." Kaz adds his
underrated harmonica playing to this cut and O'Brien
joins in with smokin' Blues guitar. Then it's back
to Kaz on vocals for the Percy Mayfield classic,
"Lost Mind." Nick Connolly contributes tasteful
piano playing here. Connolly takes the vocals and
instrumental lead on the Earl King tune, "Sing Sing
Sing (Make A Better World)."
Up next is another Kaz-penned
instrumental, "Rippin and Trippin," a feisty,
uptempo swing number that would certainly fill the
dance floor in any live venue. Kaz gets the main
solo on his tenor sax and guest pianist Danny Levin
joins in. Johnny Nicholas boogie-woogie piano
provides the opening for an up-tempo mover, the
title cut "Blues Gotta Holda Me," that he co-wrote
with Kaz, who doubles on vocals here. I could easily
imagine Jerry Lee Lewis pounding on the 88's on this
one if he happened to be near the studio that day,
but Nicholas acquits himself quite well.
Now for the song that
really caught me by surprise --- an instrumental
version of Curtis Mayfield's classic, "People Get
Ready." They leave out the vocals, instead letting
the horns do the talking. Each of the horn players
get to take their turn at the front, with O'Brien
coming in with subtle, tasteful guitar and Roscoe
Beck contributing an understated bass solo,. The end
result is merely a beautiful rendition of a
wonderful song.
It's then time to jump a
little, with Kaz doing the vocals on a great version
of Louis Jordan's "Caldonia." It's your typical fun
rendition, with Connolly really turning loose on
piano. The jazzy "Home Cookin'" follows, with horns
arranged by Gomez and solid B-3 playing by Connolly.
Finally, still another Kaz up-temp original
instrumental, "Spanky's Twist," closes everything
out, with Connolly, Kaz, O'Brien, Mills and Gomez
handing off the baton to each other for one hot solo
after another.
As I finished writing
this review, I went back into my 2015 Top 10 list
and nudged Blues Gotta Holda Me up a little
higher than before. Yeah, it's that hot.
--- Bill Mitchell
Gristle To Gold (Reaction Records) is the latest
release from Randy McAllister and his band,
The
Scrappiest Band in the Motherland. McAllister is a
fifth-generation Texan who has been recording for
nearly 20 years, but has been performing since he
was a kid, following in the footsteps of his father,
who was a drummer. McAllister started out on drums,
but graduated to harmonica in his early 20s
(learning from Boston blues legend “Earring” George Mayweather) and packs a wallop as a vocalist as
well. He’s also a gifted songwriter, penning all
12 of the tracks on this new release.wendy
The autobiographical “The Kid With The Really Old
Soul” kicks off the disc in rousing fashion,
combining McAllister’s rugged vocals and harmonica
with testifying background vocals from Andrea
Wallace and Rob Dewan’s slide guitar. That intense
pace continues with “The Push,” but eases into a
funky vibe with “Something That Don’t Cost A Dime”
for a bit.
Next up is “Crappy Food, No Sleep, A Van,
and a Bunch of Songs,” a breathless boogie rocker
about life on the road. It's followed by the soulful
ballad “I’m Like A Boomerang” before “You Lit the
Dynamite” raises things up a notch with a relentless
rhythm, amusing original lyrics, and searing guitar
from Dewan.
For another change of pace, check out “Someone’s
Been There,” a stripped-down ballad with
McAllister’s voice, Dewan’s guitar, and keyboards
from Carson Wagner. The driving “Bowling Pin”
picks things up for a couple of minutes before
“Glass Half Full” turns on the deep soul again, with
McAllister reflecting on life backed by a smoking
horn section.
“A Whole Lot of Nothing” is an up-tempo
rocker punctuated by insistent backing vocals and
Wagner’s swirling keyboards. “Hey Hooker” is a
piano-driven boogie number featuring McAllister
giving John Lee Hooker a nod, and “Ninja ‘Bout Cha”
turns up the funk one more time to close the disc in
upbeat fashion.
The Scrappiest Band in the Motherland consists of
guitarist Dewan (a star in the making), Matt Higgins
and Rick Stanmyre (bass), Maya Van Nuys (fiddle),
with Wagner (keyboards), Kevin Shermerhorn, Sean
Mcurley, and Eric Smith (drums), backing vocalists
Wallace and Bernita Arterberry, Steve Howard
(trumpet), Jeff Robbins (saxophone). Guitarist Mike
Morgan plays guitar on two tracks and bass on one.
The rough and rowdy Gristle To Gold is a great way
for blues fans to kick off the new year, another
excellent release from Randy McAllister, one of the
most uniquely talented songwriters and performers
the blues currently has to offer.
--- Graham Clarke
Wendy DeWitt, former powerhouse pianist for Hank
Ballard and Steve Freund, has teamed up with drummer
Kirk Harwood, who backed Norton Buffalo to produce
Getaway (Wette Music), an 11-track set of
swinging blues and boogie. With eight original tunes
penned by DeWitt and three choice cover tunes, the
duo is joined by Freund on guitar, Steve Evans on
bass, and a slick horn section (Mike Rinta –
trombone, Keith Crossan – tenor sax, Tom Poole –
trumpet).
The originals include the Crescent City-fueled
opener “Sonoma County,” the swinging “Treat A
Woman,” the sparse, but soulful ballad “Sometimes I
Wonder,” and “Built To Last,” which has a gospel
feel with DeWitt doubling on piano and Hammond. “I
Want To Believe You” is a slow blues that features
some nice fretwork from Freund, and “Never Be Too
Much” has a funky backdrop, while “Trouble” is a
driving boogie woogie track. “Everybody’s Crying for
Something” is a mid-tempo look at the current state
of affairs in the world.
The covers are well-chosen and include Chuck
Willis’s “Feel So Bad,” which is given an easy jazzy
swing and features a terrific guitar break from
Freund. “29 Ways,” made popular by Willie Dixon, is
a fun and interesting track presented as a slinky
shuffle. Finally, the duo covers Freund’s “Folks
Like You,” an old-school shuffle with Harwood
joining DeWitt on the vocals.
DeWitt and Harwood complement each other well on
these tracks. She’s a monster on the keys and a
strong vocalist, while he is a model of versatility
behind the drum kit. Freund’s guitar work is just
perfect on these tracks as well. Getaway is an
enjoyable set of piano-based blues that will surely
satisfy traditional blues fans.
--- Graham Clarke
The band
Mississippi Bigfoot was formed in May of
2015, after a show played at Ground Zero in
Clarksdale. Five months later, they were releasing
their debut CD, Population Unknown (Silver Tongue
Records), which was recorded in Memphis at Ardent
Studios, which has previously been the studio of
choice for bands like ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, and the
Vaughan Brothers. Their debut included eight
original tunes penned by the band, with one smoking
cover.
Their lead vocalist, a talented young lady named
Christina Vierra, is a singer of stunning intensity.
Many will note the similarities to Janis Joplin
right off the bat, but that’s really only scratching
the surface of her talents. She’s equally
comfortable whether rocking the house or belting a
soul ballad, but all of it is rooted in the blues.
Lead guitarist Johnny Holiday is a powerhouse as
well, and the rest of the band consists of Ashley
Bishop (guitar, cigar box), Doug McMinn (drums,
congas, harmonica), and Cade Moore (bass).
Listening
to them work, you’d never know that they’d only been
doing this together for a few months.
With all of that said, the biggest selling point of
Mississippi Bigfoot is Vierra’s powerful vocals. She
can play it tough and with plenty of swagger on
tunes like the Albert King classic “The Hunter,” the
southern rocker “Burn That Woman Down,” “Mighty
River” (featuring Vierra on ukelele), the Hill
Country-styled “Who’s Gonna Run This Town,” and “Wag
The Dog,” but she can also do tender soul such as on
the ballad “You Did.”
“No Flesh In Outerspace” is a great funky workout
with some standout guitar work, and “Tree Knockin’”
is a boogie track loaded with swampy atmosphere. One
of the coolest tracks is “Clarksdale,” a duet from
Holiday and Vierra, with McMinn backing them on
harp, that pays tribute to the legendary crossroads.
Though a bit short by today’s album standards with
nine songs, Mississippi Bigfoot says all that they
need to say with these selections. Despite being a
debut release, this band really seems to have their
voice in place as if they’d been doing this together
for years. If you’re a fan of muscular blues rock,
Population Unknown will leave you eager for their
next release and, indeed, it will be interesting to
see where this impressive band goes from here.
--- Graham Clarke
Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip have been a part of the
music scene in their native Finland and throughout
Scandinavia for over 20 years. Founded in 1991, the
band started out as an acoustic blues rock cover
band, but soon went electric and began writing their
own material. Singer/harmonica player Bjorklof and
bass player Seppo Nuolikoski are the sole original
members, but the band has remained intact for over
15 years (Lefty Leppänen – electric/slide guitars,
Teemu Vuorela – drums, Timo Roiko-Jokela –
percussion, MalletKat). Their musical rapport is
apparent on their sixth, and latest, release Ain’t
Bad Yet (Hokahey Records).
The band wrote all
11 songs, including the
driving rocker, “Last Train To Memphis,” that kicks
off the disc (nice slide work from Leppänen), the
slinky “Troublemaker,” the funky “Get Ya In Da
Mood,” the harp-driven “Hold Your Fire Baby,” and
the Delta-flavored title cut, with Leppänen backing
Bjorklof’s somber vocal on resonator.
The fiery “Rat Chase” moves between rock and reggae
with its feverish rhythm, and the topical “Rain In
Jerusalem” pleads for peace. The catchy “Sweet
Dream’s A Sweet Dream” has a bit of a pop feel,
“Today” is a rambling country blues, and “Blame It
on the Bright Lights” has a swinging ’60s rock
rhythm. “In Chains,” the closer, is a Delta-styled
story song with a mournful vocal and shimmering
slide work from Leppänen.
An energetic album of original tunes and great
musicianship that covers a lot of blues and
roots-related territory well, Ain’t Bad Yet will
satisfy fans of blues and roots.
--- Graham Clarke
Walkin’ Cane Mark is a self-proclaimed disciple of
the late, great Howlin’ Wolf, but he also learned a
bit at the feet of several other blues
legends --- harmonica aces like Snooky Pryor and
Junior Wells, and songwriter extraordinaire Willie
Dixon, who gave him his nickname back in 1988. Mark
worked with another legend, R&B great Nappy Brown,
and even recorded a few albums, fronting his first
band at age 21. He took some time away from the
blues scene, but now the Phoenix-based singer has returned to do his part to keep
the blues alive for another generation.
In 2010, Mark recorded a collection of some of his
favorite tunes into an album for his family and
friends. He has remastered this collection and is
now releasing it for public consumption. Tryin’ To
Make You Understand (Enable Records) collects 12
songs, seven originals and five covers that sound a
lot like the blues as recorded back in the Chess
days. Mark co-produced the disc, takes all the
vocals and blows a mean harp. He’s backed by
co-producer Kirk Hawley (guitar/mandolin), Brenden
McBride and Gordon Lynde Jr. (bass), and John
Rumbaugh (drums).
The opener is a Howlin’ Wolf rarity, “Somebody’s
Walking In My Home,” and the band recreates that
authentic sound. Mark does a good job with the
vocal, and while he doesn’t exactly sound like the
Wolf (who does?), he effectively captures that
menacing tone of the original version. The title
track was started by Mark with Junior Wells over
20 years ago, and was finished later after
Wells’ death. It will bring a smile to anyone who
knew or listened to Junior Wells.
The remaining covers are pretty wide-ranging. Former
Wolf drummer Chico Chism’s “Arizona Woman” is given
the acoustic treatment, as is J.J. Cale’s “Rock and
Roll Records,” both featuring some stellar harmonica
from Mark. There’s also a sweet reading of Tom T.
Hall’s “That’s How I Got To Memphis,” which is
featured as a tribute to Mark’s wife, Ellada, who is
the subject of another tribute, the Walkin’ Cane
Mark original, “Ellada Ellada.”
Mark’s other original are top notch as well,
including the rousing shuffle “Let Me In While You
Can,” “(I’m A) Freight Train,” a swaggering blues,
and “Take Me Back To Bergen,” a relaxed tune with
mandolin from Hawley. “The Devil’s @ My Door” is a
moody slow blues, “Ocean Full of Women” is an upbeat
shuffle praising the fairer sex, and “Eddie’s
Boogie” is dedicated to Mark’s young son, Eddie.
Tryin’ To Make You Understand is an entertaining
romp through old school blues that will put a smile
on your face and a hop in your step if you’re a
traditional blues fan.
--- Graham Clarke
I’ve known Walkin’ Cane Mark for the better
part of 20 years and had many opportunities to see
him perform live when I lived in Phoenix. Sadly, I
didn’t get to see him perform way back in the day
when Junior Wells was a friend and Mark toured
Europe with Nappy Brown. Mark’s a shouter in the
Howlin’ Wolf tradition, and his new disc, Tryin’
to Make You Understand, is actually a re-mix of
a disc Mark put together as a gift for family and
friends. It captures the true spirit of one Walkin’
Cane Mark, so let’s give it a spin.
Kirk Hawley’s guitar sets the tone for our first
cut, “Somebody’s Walking/Somebody’s in My Home,” and
Walkin’ Cane is quick to join in on his harp.
There’s seems to be an intruder in his house and
Mark is well aware of it, “There’s somebody
walking…in my home you know…in my home.” We’re left
to speculate on what might have happened to the
intruder, but never know for sure.
Mark’s harp leads to our next cut, “Tryin’ to Make
You Understand,” a tune based on lyrics that Junior
Wells dictated to Walkin’ Cane in a club’s green
room one night. Mark’s ready to move on from the
woman in his life and he’s trying to make it clear
to her. “Yes…I love your little sister…she’s a sweet
thing I adore…baby, I hate to tell you this…I don’t
need you anymore.” Mark’s clear it’s time for him to
move on and it’s a coincidence that his new woman
happens to be her sister. Kirk is one of the
Valley’s great guitar players and he’s matching
Walkin’ Cane’s intensity lick for lick. The rhythm
section consists of John Rumbaugh on drums with both
Brenden McBride and Gordon Lynde Jr. handling the
duties on the bass. Walkin’ Cane Mark’s harp
provides the intro for a tune Chico Chism wrote
next, “Arizona Woman,” and here we go. “Arizona
woman…how do you like your rolling done? Do you like
it early in the morning…or in the mid-day sun? Chico
was a ladies’ man and one of the sweet talkingest
gentleman you’d ever come across, and this tune
reflects that, for sure.
“Rock and Roll Records” is Walking Cane’s favorite
JJ Cale tune and he covers it next. “I make my
living…and feeding my children…all in good time. You
know, the Blues sell for a quarter…it’s a real funky
deal…don’t let it pass you by.” Mark makes his money
making rock & roll records but his Blues is what
satisfies him the most. Some New Orleans funk is up
next with Mark’s tune, “Ellada Ellada,” a tune he
wrote to honor his Russian born wife. “Ellada…Ellada…I’m
so in love with you…you’re on my mind all the
time...what’s a poor man to do? Fortunately for
Walkin’ Cane, she said yes and they’ve got a great
family together. So, of course the courtship was a
long one and Mark uses a Tom T. Hall song, “That’s
How I Got to Memphis,” to illustrate his point. “If
you love somebody enough…you’ll go where your heart
wants to go…that’s how I got to Memphis.” Mark
pursued Ellada for nigh on seven years before she
finally succumbed to his charms.
A
wicked harp intro by Walkin’ Cane takes us on to a
tune he wrote, “Let Me in While You Can.” Here we
find Mark hot for a woman he’s met and he’s
definitely on her trail. “Let me come over, Babe…let
me in while you can…I know you’re lonely, girl…let
me be your man.” The woman ultimately invited him
over, things got interesting and then her husband
kicked the door down. I’m definitely going to ask
Walkin’ Cane about this tune the next time I see
him. “I’m a Freight Train” is another tune Mark
wrote and the band segues into it next. “I’m a
freight train, baby…rolling on through your town…you
can’t hide from me…no, I’m going to mow you down.”
An ode to Mark’s wilder days and the women he
indulged in back then. Kirk hits a blistering guitar
lick and you can tell Walkin’ Cane is relishing this
memory from his wilder days.
Kirk adds a little mandolin to the mix as Mark
indulges us with another tune he wrote, “Take Me
Back to Bergen.” “Take me back to Bergen…the land of
the midnight sun…take me back to Bergen…to my
basement to have some fun…there was Memphis
Charlie…Delbert and Nappy Brown too.” Walkin’ Cane
is evidently from Bergen and there was trouble to be
found in his basement for sure. Mark blows a mean
harp intro to our next cut, “The Devils @ My Back
Door,” and the mood is dark and somber. Walkin’ Cane
is a man of many moods and sometimes the dark side
gets the best of him. “You can’t please just one
woman…when you’re loving everything in sight…it’s
hard to be a good man…with the devils at your door.”
Kirk’s fretwork echoes the pain and despair that
Mark is feeling and there’s no doubt that life’s a
struggle at times.
Fortunately, Walkin’ Cane lightens the mood and we
move on to “Ocean Full of Women,” a light hearted
ode to Mark’s favorite pastime. “I want to go
swimming…in an ocean full of women…I want to drown
in a female sea.” Hopefully Mark’s a good swimmer
and can find his own way out of the water. “Eddie’s
Boogie” is the final track on Walkin’ Cane Mark’s
disc, and it’s dedicated to his baby boy. “I’ve got
a little pal…his name is Eddie…he’s a little
spitfire if you know what I mean…Eddie pitches a
little boogie woogie…all night long.”
Walkin’ Cane Mark is an Arizona bluesman through and
through, and kudos to Kirk Hawley for working with
him to produce this record and help it see the light
of the day. All of Mark’s various moods can be heard
on Tryin’ to Make You Understand and it’s
been a treat to listen to. The classic blues shouter
is a dying breed and Walkin’ Cane is more than happy
to prove that they aren’t gone yet. Mark’s been
playing the Blues for over 25 years; you can learn
more about him at
walkingcanemark.com Please grab a copy of his
disc while you’re there. We’ve got to keep the blues
shouter tradition alive and kicking.
--- Kyle Deibler
Amy
Hart has followed her blues all around the
country before ending up in Nashville and calling it
home. Born and bred in Chicago, Amy returned to the
Windy City for a concert at the renowned Mayne Stage
Theater in Rogers Park. The concert was filmed for
broadcast on PBS and Amy took advantage of the
opportunity to record the live session for release.
Her new disc, Live at the Mayne Stage (VizzTone),
is an interesting mixture of Blues, Americana and a
dab of Country. Let’s give it a listen.
Amy
opens her show with “In the Zone” and we’re treated
to the amazing harp of PT Gazell to start us off.
Here we find Amy appreciating the man in her life.
“Thank you, baby…for the way you make me feel…you
take me to a higher place…I never knew was real…I’m
in a zone.” Amy’s definitely in love and being in
the zone is good for her. Husband Wall Hoffman’s
upright bass figures prominently in the mix and
we’re off and running. Gene Bush’s dobro is clearly
a part of the plan in our next cut, “Blues at the
Top of the World.” Doesn’t matter where you go, you
can get the Blues anywhere. “Cry baby, cry a little
longer…what doesn’t drag you down…will only make you
stronger…life is a journey that never ends…and I’ve
got no right…to get the Blues at the top of the
world.”
The
next track, “Get Ready,” was written for her husband
and Amy isn’t mincing any words or intent here.
“Baby, get ready…I’m going to love you…like you’ve
never been loved….if you’re going to get me…you’ve
got to let me…straight into your heart.” I’m
thinking Wally’s a smart man and this will work out
ok. Amy has Matt McDowell keeping the back end
steady on the drums and he figures prominently in
the mix for “Put Me Back.” Life isn’t always easy
for Amy and she’s looking for some divine
intervention to get her back on the right track.
“Put me back…oh, put me back together right…cause
when I do it on my own…I get it wrong every time.”
I’m not sure whose responsibility it is to put Amy
back together, but hopefully he gets it right.
Up
next is a new tune, “Blue Eyed Blues,” and Amy is
recovering from a broken heart. “Yesterday…my heart
was open like an empty cage…now it’s broken…cause
you’ve gone away…I’ve got the blue eyed blues.”
Hopefully, Amy’s broken heart will heal soon and
she’ll be back in the game in no time. The next
track, “Ribcage,” features a more aggressive tone
from both Amy and the band. “There’s a bird in my
ribcage…she’s calling your name…you better get
ready…cause you’ll never be the same…she can’t
laugh…she can’t cry…she can’t do anything without
you babe…she’s getting ready to fly.” The bird’s
been caged up long enough and she needs to spread
her wings and fly.
“Red Dress Blues” is another new tune being recorded
for the first time and Amy’s getting ready to go out
and hit the down. “I put my red dress on…and my
dancing shoes…I put my hair down…and some lipstick
too…the last thing I need tonight…is the blues.”
Amy’s not going to stay down for long and now that
she’s out in her red dress…look out world. Amy’s
attitude continues with her next tune, “Get the
Girls Dancin’,” and it’s definitely time to get the
party started. “Preheat the dance floor…to 103…shake
it…bake it, honey…you’ve got all that you need…to
get the girls dancing…everybody’s going to have a
good night.” Something tells me that’s exactly what
happens when Amy puts her mind to it and a good
party never hurt anyone.
The
band slows the tempo for the next cut, “Even Country
gets the Blues,” and here we have a cowboy down on
his luck. “The rain starts falling…and the tears do
too…sometimes, even country gets the blues.” The
cowboy loved the woman in his life but she just
couldn’t stick around and wait for him to get it
together. PT is blowing a particularly mournful harp
solo here and I’m emphasizing with our down on his
luck cowboy. “Congratulations” is the title track
from Amy’s last record, and the band kicks it into
high gear here. “You ain’t got no woman…you ain’t
got no dog…all you’ve got is holes in your
shoes…congratulations, baby…you’ve got the blues.”
It’s no fun looking up from the gutter, but the only
way out is up and it’s time to pay some dues.
“Congratulations, babe…you’ve got the blues.”
Amy
moves on to “Rich Ass Daddy,” a tune ostensibly
about a rather larger male friend of hers who
happened to be loaded. “I want a big, fat, rich ass
Daddy taking care of me…don’t need no young buck,
broke ass punk…so baby, let me be.” You’ve got to
love a woman who knows exactly what she wants and
knows the price she has to pay for it.
Our
final track, “You Drive Me,” was inspired by her
husband’s 1959 Chevrolet Apache truck. It’s got
three on the tree, no power steering, just a big old
bumpy truck. And Amy works in into her song
beautifully. “You drive me like that old
truck….three on the tree…when we make love…don’t
need no key to start me up…you drive me…like you
drive that old truck.” I’m not sure how many of us
even remember what “three on the tree” means in
terms of a manual transmission, but I appreciate the
sentiments that Amy expresses in this tune.
Kudos to Amy Hart and her band for their
performance, Live at the Mayne Stage. It’s an
accurate picture of where Amy and the guys are at
musically these days and they played to a very
appreciate audience that evening. Amy primarily
tours the Southeast but you can find out more about
her and the band at
www.amyhart.com. Amy has video from the show on
her website and it’s definitely worth a look after
you perused her merchandise page and grabbed a few
goodies. I’m thinking I might need the t-shirt with
the '59 Chevy on it, but only time will tell.
--- Kyle Deibler
Nick
Black’s on a roll. He executed the perfect
proposal that led to his recent marriage, he’s on
the road with Victor Wainwright as well as Southern
Hospitality, and he manages to find time to put out
a record or two under his own name. Nick’s new disc,
Deep Blue, allows him to explore his R & B
influences and he’s a pretty good crooner in his own
right.
He
starts off with the horn-driven “Ocean,” and we have
Darryl Sanford on the keyboards providing a
steadying hand. Nick explores the ocean as a
metaphor for an obstacle standing between him and
the love he desires. “If I drink too much…I’ll
always be alone…if I don’t drink something soon…I’ll
die of dehydration.” I think we can safely say that
Nick has successfully negotiated his “ocean” and is
moving forward. Nick moves on to examine the
inclination to do adult things without actually
being a grownup in our next tune, “Grownups.”
“There’s not a soul but us two…and my blinding love
for you…so come over here…let’s give our love
sight…oh, we don’t have to be grownups tonight.”
Always the lover, Nick is working his magic tonight.
Our
next track is “Falling in Life,” and sometimes we
don’t always get it right. “I’ll show you what you
need…but you’ll go your own way…the sky is the limit
but the ground is where you stay.” It’s not always
easy to take a risk and that’s the case here. There
are way too many musicians on this project to list
them all, but suffice it to say Nick has an
extensive amount of Memphis talent behind him on
this disc and the production is outstanding. A
shrill piano run takes us to our next cut, “D.I.Y,”
and Nick is offering his advice to a friend.
“Listen…to the sound of a heart beating in your
ears…anyone who makes you feel angry…after all these
years…you don’t need him to tell you how to love…all
you got to do is D.I.Y.” Sound advice from one so
young, sometimes you have to love yourself more to
truly find the love you deserve.
“Only One Man” finds Nick conflicted between the
opportunity to do great things and still be able to
love the woman in his life. “I am only one man…if I
had the chance…I’d be two.” Being away from the
woman he loves is hard for Nick to handle and he’d
love to be able to be in two places at once. We move
on to “Let’s Be Glad” and Nick is feeling the same
emotions. “We’ll drink wine…for the battles we’ve
won…I’ll beg your forgiveness…for everything bad
I’ve done…so, let’s be glad…for the things that
we’ve got.” This is a spirited tune and I appreciate
the muse that drives Nick to write such great songs.
Our tempo slows way down and Nick tackles a ballad
that finds him pleading his case in “The Worst that
You Can Do.” “Please unpack…all of your clothing…put
away your travel case…lock the front door…quit your
walking…look at my face…if you love me…please don’t
leave.” The worst she can do is say no and Nick
would prefer not to hear that word from her lips.
The
horns come back into play and the mood lightens with
our next track, “Reason to Stay,” and Nick is on the
optimistic side this time. “I will even…give you my
name…if you will take me…and be mine…I promise you
will love me in time.” Nick is definitely in love
here and he’s working very hard to keep the woman of
his dreams. He then moves on to another slow ballad,
“Don’t Leave Louise.” Louise was a woman Nick loved
very much, one who saw him through some very hard
times and he definitely wants her to stay. “I feel
like I’ve gone…to a faraway land…I’m missing your
face…the touch of your hand…did I do the right
thing…I’m missing you every day….but I’m doing just
fine…I’m dealing with stress…please don’t leave,
Louise.”
Nick closes Ocean with the funkiest tune on
his disc, a song called “All Over Again.” Life is a
journey best experienced by two, so get out there
and find the one you seek. “There’s always someone
out there…who is gasping for air…in the middle of
the deep blue sea….before the waves over take
them…please resuscitate them…and bring them back to
harmony…take a chance and dive right in.” Life and
love are truly adventures to be enjoyed and I’m
thinking Nick is definitely on to something here.
Memphis is a town full of outstanding musicians and
Nick Black is definitely one of the truly talented
to be found in the Bluff City. You can learn more
about him on his website at
www.nickblackmusic.com and please check this
Memphian out. He’s got the chops to be around your
heart and ears for a long time to come.
--- Kyle Deibler
My
first introduction to Lara Price was at the
Women in Blues festival held in Wilmington, North
Carolina. It was the second year of the festival and
I went to support the efforts of my friend, Michele
Seidman, in promoting the cause of women in Blues.
Lara had Laura Chavez with her on guitar and I
appreciated how tight their set was. She’s a great
vocalist and Laura made many friends that week-end,
sitting in with a number of the women performing
that year. Fast forward to now and Lara’s new
record, I Mean Business (VizzTone), showed up
on my doorstep for review and I hit the web to do a
little research on what Lara’s been up to. Lara’s a
survivor in every sense of the word and one of the
hardest working Blues women in the Bay Area. Let’s
give her disc a spin and see what she has to offer.
Lara opens with “Get It When I Want It,” and we find
her in the middle of a relationship that has its
share of conflicts. It works for Lara as long as
she, “Can get it where I want it…put it where I need
it…I’m satisfied with you.” There’s no guarantee
he’ll stick around but Lara’s clear in terms of what
she needs and that’s fine by her. Kid Anderson
produced Lara’s disc and plays on the disc, as do
Derrick Martin on drums and percussion, Steve Evens
on bass, and Mighty Mike Schermer lends his guitar
to the mix along with Chris Cain. There’s also a
fantastic horn section consisting of Michael
Peloquin on sax and baritone sax, Mike Rinta on
trombone along with Mike Rose on trumpet and
flugelhorn. It’s an impressive cast of musicians and
I have no doubt that Lara does indeed, “mean
business.”
We
move on to a tune that Mike Schermer wrote, “Cryin’
over You,” and Lara finds herself pondering the end
of a romance. “When you left me…and said goodbye…I
didn’t know that I would cry…but it’s true…cryin’
over you.” Lara’s having second thoughts over how
quickly she fell for him, but it happened and she’s
working through her pain. Mike’s guitar playing is
stellar and the horn section is impressive as well.
Kid’s been producing a lot of great records lately
and this is definitely another one that passes the
test. D’Mar’s drums provide a heavy introduction to
our next tune, “Undone.” Lara’s fallen heavily under
the spell of love again and she’s definitely feeling
out of control and “undone” here. “Undone…you’ve got
me shaking…like a victim…you got me falling…in a
hole so deep…I feel like hollering…but my voice
won’t speak…you got me undone.”
Our
next cut, “Moon in the Mirror,” was written by Jim
Pugh and that solves the mystery of who’s been at
the keyboards for Lara’s disc. “Moon in the
mirror…sun in my eyes…night leads me to sunrise…I
can justify…we’ll make tomorrow out of yesterday,
babe…I know we can make it…I’m coming home to stay.”
Steve’s bass is heavily in my ear on this tune and
it’s refreshing to know this relationship will work
itself out. “Crazy Lucy” is a funky tune written by
Lara, Laura and Mighty Mike. Here, Lara is telling
us the story of two girls in her neighborhood.
“Sweet little Mary likes to have fun…but Lucy don’t
stop 'til the whiskey’s gone…I’m begging you…crazy
Lucy…send sweet Mary back home.” Lucy’s definitely a
bad girl of the first degree and poor Mary is
usually the one who ends up paying the price for her
antics.
“Happy Blue Year” slows the tempo down and here Lara
is wishing her ex and his new love less than
happiness. “Maybe someday…I’ll be able to wish you
well…caused me so much pain…and put me through
hell…just cried in my sleep…and I’m awake…to spend
New Year’s Eve…all I can do…is wish you a Happy
Blues Year.” Time heals all wounds but I can’t blame
Lara for the wishes she bestows this New Year’s Eve.
Lara continues to have bad luck picking men and we
hear about it in “Slipped, Tripped, Fell in Love.”
“Getting hooked on you, baby…was the last thing on
my mind…now you got me wanting you, baby…I want you
all the time….when you touch me…I just lose
control…I said I slipped, tripped, fell in love…you
slipped your love on me.” Lara knows it will never
last but she just can’t seem to help herself.
This theme continues with our next cut, “Pack it
Up,” and here Lara seems to be finding the resolve
to move on. “I tried my best to understand…you kept
saying it will work out fine…and baby…don’t look
like it will…every time I try to talk to you…you
tell me you ain’t got time….I’m going to pack it
up…give it up…I’m going to put you…right out of my
mind.” That’s probably the best course of action
this time Lara. “Time” is a tune written by Lara and
Laura, and we find Lara exploring the reasons for
the distance she’s feeling in the relationship she’s
in now. “You’ve become someone I don’t know…one look
will tell me that you’re gone…when we believe it
ain’t there any more…baby, baby, baby…it’s time…time
for me to go.” Lara really believed this
relationship was going to last and you can hear the
pain in her voice at facing that fact that it is
indeed, “time for her to go.”
The
title track, “I Mean Business,” is next and here we
find Lara full of attitude and ready to go. It’s a
funky tune as reflected by Chris Cain’s lead guitar,
and Lara is meeting life and love head on. “I’m
going to set the world on fire…going to yell from
the rooftops, my desire…you don’t get it, then guess
again…my spirit comes from where I’ve been…I mean
business.” “One Tear at a Time” finds Lara giving a
friend in need some sound advice. “Sometimes you got
to cry…one drop…one breathe…one tear at a time.”
When the tears fall…cry it out and move on.
Lara closes out her disc with a tune co-written with
Christine Vitale, “Love Lost.” “Love is like the
wind…don’t always come back again…but you’ll
remember when…what wasn’t could have been…we begin
when this love is…” Definitely a heartfelt ballad
and a fitting end to a great record.
I’m
happy to have had this reintroduction to Lara Price
and her music. I Mean Business reflects the
maturity of an artist who’s found her way,
surrounded herself with a great cast of supporting
musicians to share her vision, and an able producer
in Kid Anderson who coaxed the best out of everyone.
You can find out more about Lara and her music at
laraprice.com and grab a copy of her new disc
while you’re there. We’ll be hearing more from Lara
on a national basis this year, and kudos to VizzTone
for supporting Lara’s new record.
--- Kyle Deibler
It’s
easy for me to envision Mick Kolassa sitting
on the deck of his new home in Mississippi, guitar
in hand, reflecting on the simple joys of fishing
the stocked pond on his property and composing a few
blues tunes as well. He’s got a glass of good
Tennessee whiskey nearby, probably a cigar in the
ash tray and he’s dispensing wisdom as only Mick
can. His latest disc, Ghosts of the Riverside
Hotel (Swingsuit), is another collection of
Mick’s latest observations as well as a new twist to
a classic tune or two. Since we’re not on the porch
with Mick, let’s give his new record a spin.
We
start off with Mick’s take on a Hank Williams
classic, “Ramblin Man.” Mick’s a traveling man by
nature and the whistle of a nearby train will send
him on his way. As Mick sings, “When the Lord made
me…he made a rambling man.” Mick’s lived a lot of
life in his time and I’m sure he’s spent many a
night on the road to nowhere, somewhere. “Grapes &
Greens” is the next tune on our adventure, and here
Mick is reflecting on the wisdom of one Muddy Waters
on the value of Grapes & Greens. “He told us what he
want when he was thirsty…what he needed to get
high…you better take his advice…you’ll feel so
nice…yes, something everybody ought to try…I love my
grapes and greens and I don’t need no reason why.”
There’s not a lot I can add to this, everyone has
their vice of choice and our friend Mick has more
than one or two.
Mick moves on to tackle a Depression-era standard,
“One Meatball,” and here we find a man down on his
luck with 15 cents to spend. “He told the waiter
near at hand…the simple dinner he had planned…the
guests were startled, one and all…to hear that
waiter loudly call, “one meatball.” That was all the
poor man could afford and he made due the best he
could. He requested bread with his meatball and was
told, “You get no bread with one meatball.” We all
have someone in our past who we should have stopped
to love and didn’t. Mick covers that topic next in
“I Always Meant to Love You.” “I think about you
everyday…I dream about you every night…I should have
stood up long ago…and did what I knew was right.”
Jeff Jensen’s guitar is echoing the sorrow of Mick’s
memory and Mick has surrounded himself with a core
group of some of Memphis’s finest musicians: Bill
Ruffino on bass, Robinson Bridgeforth on drums and
Chris Stephenson on the organ. Add in an amazing
array of guests ranging from Victor Wainwright to
Reba Russell to Brandon Santini to Annika Chambers,
with many others, and you know Mick is having
himself a good time.
Our
next cut, “Trouble,” finds Mick in the middle of an
intense predicament. “You’re going to get me in
trouble…if you keep looking like that…I may be
alone…but there’s someone at home…Lord, I know I’m
making a mistake.” Mick’s already fallen over the
line and now he’s trying to come up with appropriate
excuses for the bad behavior he’s about to indulge
in. Good luck with that one, Mick. “Nothin Left to
Lose” brings with it a very somber tone and there’s
some beautiful saxophone from Kirk Smothers in the
introduction to this melancholy tune. Mick’s been a
wanderer all his life and is reflecting on the time
he’s spent looking for Lord knows what. “I might be
smiling on the outside…I know you heard this one
before…but I can’t ever do for me…what I do for
you…I need a change…Lord, help me make a change…this
is not what I would choose…I’ve got nothing left to
lose.” Jeff’s intricate guitar solo catches Mick’s
mood perfectly, and we’re left to appreciate the
sorrow of this man who’s lost his way.
Fortunately for us, Mick’s mood brightens and we’re
on to a tune that is classic Mick Kolassa, “If I
Ain’t Fishin’.” “So don’t you bother to call me…I
just packed my leaving trunk…and if I ain’t
fishing…I’ll be sleeping…and if I ain’t
sleeping…I’ll be drunk.” Mick is actually a world
class fisherman, so there’s a lot of truth to this
tune of his. Just don’t bother him when he’s
fishing. Brandon Santini’s harmonica provides the
intro for our next track, “Mama Told Me not to
Come.” Between Brandon’s harp and the rhythm section
of Bill Ruffino and Robinson Bridgeforth, this tune
has a lot of power to it. And of course Mick ignored
his mother’s advice, “Mama told me not to come.”
That said, Mick’s right where he wants to be…in the
middle of the party.”
Up
next is “Whiskey Woman” with Logan Layman on the
bass and brother Logan playing guitar. Mick’s proud
of the woman in his life and isn’t bashful in
telling us all about it. “I’ve got a t-shirt and
jeans woman…she ain’t trying to impress nobody…she
just dress for her and me.” She cooks a mean
casserole, drinks whisky and manages to keep Mick in
line --- must be a helluva whiskey woman. Only Mick
could write a tune involving zombies and that’s
found in our next track, “Walkin’ (Dead) Blues.”
Brandon’s back with his harp and our hero has fallen
to the dark side. “I ate my mother-in-law last
night…she was stringy and hard to chew…you’d better
run…we’re coming after you.”
I’m
happy to move on to “Mama’s Got a Mojo” and Jeff’s
soulful guitar is back leading us into this tune.
“Mama got herself a mojo hand…wondering what she’s
thinking to do…hope she ain’t got plans against
me…after all that we’ve been through.” She’s not
been treating Mick right lately and it’s hard to say
what she’s going to do. “Why do you got to treat me
this way…we’ve been together for so long.”
We
close this disc with “Delta Town,” an ode to
Mississippi where Mick comes from. “We got so much
going on…we’re going to make you lose your
mind…we’ll get you moving…it’s going to set you
free…so many making music…don’t know who you’re
going to see.” Mick takes us on a lyrical tour of
the various venues in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and
you can stay at the revered Riverside Hotel if you
like.
I’ve enjoyed this disc by Mick Kolassa immensely.
Mick’s a generous man and all of the proceeds from
this disc go to fund two Blues Foundation programs
near to his heart: the Hart Fund and Generation
Blues. You can grab a copy of Ghosts of the
Riverside Hotel at Mick’s website at
www.mimsmick.com.
You can’t go wrong here --- you get to enjoy a
highly entertaining disc of Delta Blues and support
two key programs of the Blues Foundation. It’s a
win-win for everybody, and it doesn’t get any better
than that.
--- Kyle Deibler
