|
 Tas Cru’s latest album,
Riffin’ The Blues (Subcat
Records), features 11 songs that are based
on their own melodic guitar hook, otherwise
referred to as “the riff.” Cru penned all 11
tunes, and he’s backed by his usual rock-solid
studio ensemble (Bob Purdy – bass, Andy Hearn –
drums, Ron Keck – percussion, Mary Ann Casale –
backing vocals, with drummer Lenny Milano and
organist Bill Barry sitting in on one track),
plus guests Mike Zito, who plays guitar on two
tracks, and keyboardist Bruce Katz, who plays on
10 of the 11 songs.
Zito plays lead on the title track, which opens
the disc. It’s a tough blues-rock shuffle and
Zito’s fierce solo works well with Cru’s
steady-driving riff. Katz’s sterling piano work
accentuates “Brown Liquor Woman,” a lively cut
about women who go straight for the hard stuff
in life. “Stand Up!” serves as a
gospel-flavored encouragement to make things
better in the world around us, while “One More
Time” is a fine ballad, with nice interplay
between Katz and Cru. “Throw It All Away” is a
smooth mid-tempo cut with a lot of soul, with
Cru’s guitar winding through the song seductively.
“Crazy Getting In My Way” and “Heal My Misery”
are both deep and funky, compliments of Katz’s
sizzling organ play and Cru’s tasty string
bending. “House Of The Blues” is a splendid slow
burner with some superb fretwork and a fine
vocal from Cru. “Let It Happen” is a fun song
about Cru’s doctor telling him to stop and smell
the roses and get some stress out of his life,
and “Miss This Man” (co-written with Ms. Casale)
.is a rollicking boogie tune where Cru warns his
significant other that she will regret putting
him in the road.
The album closes with “Memphis
Gone,” a somber track featuring Zito’s
haunting slide guitar and giving the entire band
an opportunity to step forward.
Riffin’ The Blues offers excellent songs and
stellar guitar, along with overall musicianship. Tas Cru
knows his way around the blues for sure, and
this ranks with his best efforts to date.
--- Graham Clarke
 As
one might ascertain from the title of her latest
album, From The Shoals (Big Blue
Records), Barbara Blue made the trip from
Memphis (where she serves as The Reigning Queen
of Beale Street) to NuttHouse Recording Studios
in Muscle Shoals to put together her latest
outstanding recording. Enlisting the legendary
Jim Gaines as producer, Ms. Blue also brought in
an all-star list of supporting musicians,
including drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie,
bassist David Hood, keyboardist Clayton Ivey,
guitarist Will McFarlane, trumpeter Marc
Franklin, and guitarist Davor “Hutch” Hačić, who
also serves as her songwriting partner.
The
album contains 13 tunes, 11 written by Blue with
Hačić or pianist Mark Narmore, and two classic
covers that originated in Muscle Shoals over a
half century ago --- a rousing take on the Etta
James classic “Tell Mama,” and a smooth reading
of Jimmy Hughes’ “Steal Away.” The opening
track, “The Shoals,” is a funky tribute to the
region that has provided so much great music to
fans for so many years.
“Nutthouse Blues” is a greasy and gritty blues
that features splendid guitar and B3 work, and
“Severed” is a soulful ballad like they used to
turn out at the Shoals on a regular basis.
“Curse of Beauty” is a danceable mid-tempo tune
that mixes rock and soul effectively, while
“Lost Young Love” ponders the passage of time
and what might have been, and “Slide Man” is a
cool, sexy tune with superb slide guitar
accompaniment from Hačić. “Too Far” is another
smoky ballad, this one featuring Brad Guin on
saxophone, “Nothing Last Forever” is a funky
rocker that quotes Howard Tate, and the slow
burning ballad “I Never Stopped Loving You” is a
real heartbreaker with a masterful vocal
performance from Ms. Blue.
The
album closes with two excellent tracks --- ‘Song
Of The River” and “Trail of Tears” both tell a
tale of the trials and travels of Native
Americans forced from their homes nearly two
centuries ago, a bit of history that has
seemingly slipped through the cracks in recent
years. Hačić’s slide guitar punctuates Ms.
Blue’s narration on the first track, while the
latter track has more of a rock edge as she
tells an equally harrowing tale.
As
with every other previous releases, Barbara Blue
gives it everything she has in the vocal
department. A powerful vocalist who’s
comfortable in a number of genres, she is in
wonderful form on this well-crafted tunes, and
the musical support is superlative. Blues fans
can’t ask for more with From The Shoals,
a terrific release to kick off 2023 in fine
fashion.
--- Graham Clarke
 Diane Blue has greatly enhanced the last six
Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters recordings with
her superb vocal contributions. While working as
the first female member of the Broadcasters, Ms.
Blue has also found time to lead her own
all-star band --- guitarist Chris Vitarello,
drummer Lorne Entress, and keyboardist Dave
Limina.
In
late February of 2022, this ensemble (Diane Blue
Allstar Band) recorded a live set in Norwood,
Massachusetts, Live! At The Fallout Shelter
(Regina Royal Records), a wonderful set of seven
original songs and two covers that mix blues and
soul.
The
set opens with “I Got A Good Thing,” an
energetic soul burner in the Memphis tradition,
with some nice B3 work from Limina. Blue and
Limina wrote the solid soul ballad “Crazy, Hazy,
Lazy,” which probably would have made the charts
back in the days of Stax Records. There’s also a
strong version of “I Cry,” a socially conscious
number recorded by Millie Jackson back in the
early ’70s, with Blue adding a couple of verses
of her own, and the funky, simmering “By My
Side” was co-written by Blue and Vitarello.
For
the slow burner “Leave Me Alone,” dedicated to
victims of domestic violence, Ronnie Earl sits
in on guitar. As might be expected, Earl is a
master at these slow blues tracks, and his
guitar work on this track is breathtaking. “Take
A Look” is a nice mid-tempo tune where the band
really locks into the groove, while “I’m Gonna
Get You Back” is a swinging track. “Insomnia”
was written during the times of uncertainty and
doubt brought on by the pandemic, and the lyrics
and music reflect that unease. The set closes
with the lively “Push On Through,” about
perseverance and determination.
This
was a most enjoyable live set. Ms. Blue’s vocals
are always a pleasure to hear, her songwriting
and choice of covers is first-rate, and the band
is fantastic. Blues fans are encouraged to check
out Live! At The Fallout Shelter.
--- Graham Clarke
 Mick
Kolassa is a most prolific musician and manages
to make all of his albums compelling listening,
venturing into different genres at times, but
remaining firmly rooted in the blues. His latest
release, For The Feral Heart (Endless Blues
Records), is his third album from 2022 and
consists of nothing but love songs, ten
originals from Kolassa and two interesting
covers.
Kolassa is backed by the usual cast of
characters, including guitarist/producer Jeff
Jensen, keyboardist Rick Steff, bassist Bill
Ruffino, drummer Tom Leonardo, among others.
The opener, “Running To You,” is a lively blues
rocker, followed by “Elegant Angel,” a jazzy
blues and one of two tracks featuring Memphis
guitarist Mario Monterosso. The album’s first
cover is Dave Mason’s “Feeling Alright,” and
Kolassa gives this track a somewhat slower pace
than usual, bringing out the often-overlooked
lyrics (addressing divorce).
“Love Ain’t
Supposed To Make You Cry” is a slow burning
blues featuring Monterosso on guitar once again,
and “Easy To Love” is a smoky urban blues.
“I Keep Looking” is a gentle, mostly acoustic
tune.
“I Left My Heart In Birmingham” is a rootsy
ballad about the complications involved with a
long-distance love affair, featuring Alice Hasen
on violin, “Love In My Size,” a song about an
unlikely love affair, continuing in the same
musical vein.
“Forever Sometimes” and “Hold On” touch on
reggae and calypso respectively, and “Run Away
With Me” is a bittersweet song about our wishes
that sometimes go unfulfilled. Hasen’s
violin is a wonderful complement to the poignant
lyrics.
Kolassa wraps up the album with his take
on one of the greatest love songs ever, “As Time
Goes By,” from Casablanca.
As with all of Mick Kolassa’s albums, all net
proceeds from For The Feral Heart will go the
Blues Foundation, split between the HART Fund
and Generation Blues. This is a fine album of
warmth and compassion that goes down
smoothly.The latest in a set of great albums
from Mr. Kolassa.
--- Graham Clarke
 Douglas Avery is known as a photojournalist who
covers the West Coast blues scene. Less known is
the fact that he is an impressive blues musician
in his own right, singing and learning multiple
instruments during his early years, including
the harmonica in the early ’70s, earning a spot
as an honorary member of The Doors and studying
with Jon Gindick, Dennis Gruenling, R.J. Mischo,
and Zoe Savage.
He invited guitarist Franck Goldwasser, bassist Ralph Carter, and drummer
Johnny Morgan to collaborate on his recent
release, Take My Rider (Greenwave Music), along
with piano man Carl Sonny Leyland, and a horn
section that includes Aaron Liddard (sax),
Jerome Harper (trombone), and Simon Finch
(trumpet).
A funky version of Billy Boy Arnold’s “Bad Luck
Blues” opens the album in fine fashion. The
title track follows, a Delta-flavored blues with
slide guitar from Goldwasser. Goldwasser also
plays slide on the moody rocker “Malibu
Burning,” which leads to a nimble cover of
Little Walter’s “Just Keep Lovin’ Her” and
“Jelly Jelly,” another dusty Delta track with
Avery and Goldwasser.
“Blind Owl
Boogie” is an old-school swampy blues boogie,
“How Long Can This Last?” is a soulful rocker
right out of Muscle Shoals, and Avery’s solo
take on “Leaving Trunk” is first rate.
“Good To Me” is a slippery track that finds
Avery playing chromatic harp over a funky
backdrop. The album’s final cover is a dynamite
version of John Mayall’s “Sonny Boy, Blow!,”
featuring dazzling piano from Leyland. The
shuffle “Safety First” is not a cover, but does
borrow from a few blues classic tunes quite
effectively, and the toe-tapper “Riding With The
Devil” returns to the Mississippi Delta with Goldwasser accompanying Avery on dobro this time
around.
Avery also plays flute, which is
featured on the jazzy instrumental “Green Wave,”
before the album concludes with the romantic
ballad, “Looking Over A Rainbow.”
Take My Rider is a fine, well-rounded set of
blues originals mixed with a few choice covers.
Avery is equally adept when he ventures into
other genres as well. This is an excellent album
and makes one wonder why he didn’t take the
musical plunge a few years earlier. Hopefully,
he will be encouraged to give blues fans more
soon.
--- Graham Clarke
 An
album from Lex Grey and the Urban Pioneers
always makes for rewarding listening because
singer Grey has a most impressive set of pipes
that effortlessly spans genres, the Urban
Pioneers (Vic Mix – guitar, Ed Wasilewski –
bass, Brian Dewan – keyboards, Sonny Rock or Ken
Marchesani – drums, plus other contributors) are
equally versatile and potent in their attack,
and the band offers compelling and distinctive
songwriting.
I’ve
only been on board for three of the band’s eight
releases, but each has been better than the
previous. Their latest release, How Many
Roads? (lexgreymusic.com)
follows suit, with 11 excellent original tunes
penned by Grey and the band.
The
opener, “In It Together,” locks into a mellow
groove, giving it an easy retro soul-pop feel,
and Grey sounds marvelous with her “whisper to a
scream” delivery. The title track keeps the
smooth vibe going, but leans more toward the
blues than the opener. “Ain’t From Mississippi”
makes the transition toward blues complete, with
grungy rock-edged guitar, while the amusing “Old
Crookedy Broom,” a bluesy lament about the
drudgery of housework, adds horns to the mix.
The gospel-flavored “Begin Again” is a strong,
soulful ballad about picking yourself up and
starting anew.
The
blissful “I Believe In You” was the album’s
first single, and it’s easy to see why with
Grey’s irresistible vocal and the inspiring work
from the band in support. “Aches and Pains” is a
slow blues that shows Grey’s sense of humor
regarding the daily issues everyone faces as
they get older, “You Confine Me” is a hearty
blues rocker, and “Biker Down,” the tale of the
senseless death of one of Grey’s friends, has an
Americana feel. “
After A Lifetime” is a straight-ahead rock n’
roller about Grey’s search for and discovery of
her birth parents, and the gentle ballad “Angel”
closes the album, with Grey feeling that her
guardian angel has abandoned her.
How Many Roads? is another standout release
from Lex Grey and the Urban Pioneers. Grey’s
voice never fails to captivate, and the Urban
Pioneers are one of the finest bands currently
practicing in the blues genre, and probably
several others as well. This well-rounded,
diverse set of original tunes deserves to be
heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 In
a month of surprise albums, here comes
British-based guitarist/singer Mississippi
MacDonald, with his new album, Heavy
State Loving Blues (APM Records), being a
solid collection of soulful blues. This is a
good example of not judging a book by its cover,
because in seeing the name of the artist and
looking at the cover, I got the wrong impression
of what I was about to hear.
Heavy State Loving Blues contains 10 solid
cuts, with no weak ones. MacDonald has an
effective raspy vocal style, not unlike Delmark
recording artist Corey Dennison. A solid horn
section gives this album its soul vibes, while
MacDonald's guitar playing gives it the
requisite blues creds.
Up
first is the up-tempo blues, "Howlin Wolf," with
plenty of sound coming from the horns and
MacDonald's guitar work. The title track is a
mid-tempo blues with a soul soundtrack, leading
into an up-tempo soulful gem, "Blind
Leading The Blind," with Vaneese Thomas coming
in to help with vocals.
"Heading South" leans more to the soul side,
while "(I Ain't Gonna) Lie No More" heads back
to the blues but still keeping one foot in
Memphis soul. By this point in the album,
MacDonald's voice was really starting to grow on
me, with his vocals being effective here as he
packed plenty of emotion into this song. It's
one of many highlights to be listened to over
and over.
One
of two covers on the album is up next, with
MacDonald showing more power in his vocals on
O.V. Wright's "I've Been Searching." Lucy
Dearing contributes very nice backing vocals.
This one is Memphis-flavored soul at its best,
so effective that one can almost smell the ribs
cooking in the back room. "I'll Understand"
takes us to church thanks to the the
backing chorus, and MacDonald later lays down
some very strong blues guitar solo.
"Trouble Doing The Right Thing" was originally
more of a country song from Zack Logan, but
MacDonald turns it into a mid-tempo blues with
strong vocals and guitar playing. "The Devil
Wants Repayment" is a slower, soulful ballad
with haunting overtones.
MacDonald closes the album with an extended
tribute to his guitar hero, Albert Collins,
with the appropriately named "Blues for Albert."
He makes his Telecaster sing the notes on this
instrumental tune, with just a short spoken
tribute to the legendary Mr. Collins. It's a
very good way to end the album.
If,
like me, you weren't previously familiar with
the music of Mississippi MacDonald, then
Heavy State Loving Blues is a good roadmap
to what this cat can do. Check it out.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Continuing
what is a strong month for new releases, here's
a good one from Massachusetts guitarist / singer
Seth Rosenbloom. As The Crow Flies
(independent) has nine cuts that showcase the
guitar skills of this young artist, the
follow-up to the 2019 release, Keep On
Turning. The media release for this album
proclaims Rosenbloom to be a "guitar player's
guitar player," with an unlimited ceiling. I
can't argue either point.
The
knockout tune here is the slow blues, "Blind
Eye," carried along by a steady bass drum beat
and very good piano accompaniment. This song,
more than any others, showcases Rosenbloom's
rich vocals as he tells about the distance, both
geographically and relationship-wise, between he
and his lover. He also shows how adept he is at
expressing pain with his voice on another very
slow blues, "Give Me The Ring Back," with
tastefully subdued guitar and very good organ
accompaniment
The
title cut, which opens this album, shows that
Rosenbloom knows what to do with a slide on this
mid-tempo blues, with his voice expressing that
he just can't get home to his woman fast enough
because he doesn't have wings. On the up-tempo
blues, "I Wish You Could See Me now," Rosenbloom
tears off one of the best guitar solos of the
new year.
Rosenbloom is very good at expressing agony in
his voice, as heard on the slow blues, "Did You
Try To Break My Heart," and also on the
mid-tempo blues, "Set Me Free." When he wants to
get the heart pumping faster, Rosenbloom amps it
up on the up-tempo number, "Ain't Nothing
Wrong," and the rockin' traveling blues, "Gotta
Roll."
As The Crow Flies is another strong album
from one of the more exciting young artists on
the scene today. I agree that he's got an
unlimited ceiling, and I can't wait to hear
more.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Fans
of the music of Florida Gulf Coast blues
guitarist Damon Fowler should be familiar
with the material on Live At The Palladium
(Landslide Records) because, as the title
suggests, it's a live album with 10
stretched-out numbers from his vast repertoire.
Fowler's regular working band (Chuck Riley -
bass, Justin Headley - drums) is augmented by a
trio of special guests (Jason Ricci - harmonica,
Dan Signor - keyboards, Eddie Wright - guitar).
There's plenty of heavy guitar here, so make
sure you check your pacemaker and bring your
earplugs. Sound quality is very good, which we
should now be expecting with any live album.
Fowler starts the show with a solid guitar intro to
"It Came Out Of Nowhere," and keeps it going. He
also repeats his extended tale of the mystical
guitar that he found in a guitar store somewhere
on the road, aptly named "The Guitar."
"Don't Feel Like Going There Today" kicks off
with a reggae backbeat before
continuing with Ricci's chromatic harmonica in
the higher register of the scale, along with
good keyboard work from Signor. This one's
different from most of the material here, and I
like it.
"Old Fools, Barstools, And Me" is a
very slow number, kind of a country sound, with
Fowler lamenting a lost relationship. The
mid-tempo blues "Sugar Shack stands out for
Fowler's slide guitar intro that almost sounds
Hawaiian. Fowler gets jangly on guitar on the
slow blues, "Tax Man," with Ricci shining on
harmonica.
Other signature Fowler songs here include the
mid-tempo blues, "I've Been Low," the harmonica
heavy "Some Things Change," the too long "Up The LIne," and the old style blues, "Fruit Stand
Lady."
If
you are a Damon Fowler fan, you will want to add
Live At The Palladium to your collection.
It's also a good introduction to the dude before
you branch into the rest of his discography.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Blue
Largo is a San Diego-based ensemble led by
vocalist Alicia Aragon and guitarist Eric
Lieberman, being rounded out by a very fine band
consisting of Mike "Sandlewood" Jones (Fender
bass), Dave Castel De Oro (sax), Eddie Croft
(sax), Marcus Bashore (drums, and Taryn "T-Bird"
Donah (piano).
The
self-released Got To Believe is part of
the band's mission to bring love and harmony
back into our world (that statement comes
straight from the band).
I
like the opening cut, "A World
Without Soul," a horn-driven mid-tempo blues
with Aragon lamenting the fact that much of our
society is addicted to consumerism and
technology and not enough attention to the arts.
At some point in the song, Aragon adds that "...
everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody
wants to die ..."
Perhaps the best thing here is the up-tempo soul
number, "Soldier In The Army Of Love," a protest
song that Aragon dedicates to the people of
Ukraine, singing "... One man's enemy is another
freedom fighter ...". Lieberman lays down a
strong guitar solo here. Aragon is also adept at
singing in a classic soul sound, heard here on "Rear View
Mirror," written by Lieberman as he had moved
into his sixties. Another strong soul number is
"Soul Meeting," with Lieberman writing about
waiting for Aragon to join him in the afterlife
in case he meets his maker before she does.
The
Blue Largo cats are also adept at working in
different styles of music, as heard on the
reggae-ish "Disciple of Soul," the calypso sound
of "Ronnie," a tribute to a musician no longer
with us, and "Gospel Music," starting out with
the chords of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"
before turning into a rollicking up-tempo
tribute to gospel music.
These are the highlights from Got To Believe,
but there's more fun music to be heard, all
designed to make the listener think. Blue Largo
certainly puts on a good show, and we get to
hear a lot of thought-provoking music here.
--- Bill Mitchell
|
