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 We've
all been waiting for more than a year for a new
release from
Altered Five Blues Band. Their most recent
recording had been the single
"Great Minds Drink Alike,"
released in 2022 on Blind Pig Records, and
weassumed a new album would follow shortly
thereafter. But the label went dormant until a
recent announcement that the long-time blues
company was back in business.
An EP, Testifyin', is coming in late
March, but for now we have a couple of singles
that show Altered Five Blues Band AND Blind Pig
Records are back, and that's good for the blues
world.
The first single, "Don't Tell Me I Can't,"
is big and brassy soulful blues, as the
booming voice of Jeff Taylor tells everyone that
he can do just about anything he wants to.
It's a mid-tempo blues with a taste of funk,
highlighted both by Taylor's vocals and the
stinging blues guitar of Jeff Schroedl.
Listen to this song one time and you'll be
shouting out, "Welcome back, Altered Five!" This
very fine number sets the stage for the next
single, "Brand New Bone," with release set for
mid-February.
"Brand New Bone" opens slowly with just Taylor's
voice over Schroedl's restrained guitar and a
few harmonica notes from guest artist Jason
Ricci, before the rest of the band joins in.
Steve Huebler later comes in with a tasty blues
piano solo, all while Taylor tells that
significant other that like a dog with a brand
new bone, he just can't leave her alone.
Testifyin' was produced by Tom Hambridge,
who's been behind the helm of some of the best
blues albums of the past few years. Check back
with Blues Bytes in April for a review of the
other three cuts on the EP.
Also, keep an eye on other releases coming from
Blind Pig later this year, as they've signed a
pair of rising Louisiana blues cats, Sonny
Gullage and Jovin Webb. Looks like it's going to
be a big blues year ahead for the
vision-impaired swine guys.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Guitarist
/ singer Sue Foley had one of the better
live albums in 2023 with her Live In Austin,
Vol. 1. When I first saw the email from a
publicist announcing an upcoming album by Ms.
Foley, I assumed it was Vol. 2 of that live show
until I read a little further. It turns out that
she'll have a completely new album, One
Guitar Woman (Stony Plain) in late March, a
concept that pays tribute to the female pioneers
of guitar.
This
album will be quite a departure for Foley, as
she does all dozen songs using just one guitar
--- a nylon-string acoustic guitar that she
purchased two years ago in Mexico.
So
far we only have a single from the album, a
cover of Elizabeth Cotten's "Oh Babe It Ain't No
Lie." If the rest of the album is even half as
good as the single, One Guitar Woman will
already be a contender for album of the year.
Foley's fingerpicking Piedmont-style guitar work
is absolutely exquisite throughout as her
fingers fly across the fretboard. Vocally, I've
never heard her this strong. It's as if the
spirit of Ms. Cotten has taken over her body.
Yes, it's that good.
I
cannot wait for the full album to come out. In
the meantime, and we will have a review of it in
the April issue of Blues Bytes. Meanwhile, I'll
be playing "Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie" repeatedly.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Here's
a surprise for all of us. I don't even recall
who sent me the files for While You Were Gone,
the self-released album from Massachusetts-based
Diego Mongue Band. Led by the very young
drummer Mongue, this unheralded band has
produced an intriguing album that's better than
most low-budget, self-released discs have a
right to be. It's funky, it's jazzy, and it's
soulful, each sound infused onto a solid blues
base.
The
band includes some very fine backing musicians,
notably keyboardist Joel Nicholas and guitarist
Cameron Bencivenga, but it's singer Chantell
McCulloch who puts each of eight songs over the
top. Originally from Chicago, the
classically-trained McCulloch wound up in the
Berkshires, showing the ability to adapt her
multi-octave voice to any style of music. She's
got star potential.
But
let's not overlook bandleader Mongue, who has
been on the big stage with past appearances in
the International Blues Challenge, both in the
Youth Showcase in 2018 and 2019 and also in the
finals of the IBC. He puts down a steady beat on
drums as well as composing most of the cuts on
While You Were Gone.
Every song here is a keeper, starting with the
short instrumental, "Intro," that does what the
title indicates, introducing each
instrumentalist with a very rapid pace,
especially showcasing Mongue's solid drumming
skills and Nicholas' expertise on the organ.
McCulloch then steps to the mic for the funky
blues, "While You Were Gone," showing her
effective phrasing and range, while Bencivenga
lays down plenty of Memphis-style funky guitar
licks.
The
slower-than-usual cover of "44 Blues" shows that
McCulloch can sing a straight blues and do it
right, even scatting at one point in the song,
with Bencivenga and Nicholas both getting room
to solo on their respective instruments. The
best song on the album just might be "Give Me
Strength," co-written by Mongue and Gina
Coleman. It's a funky, jazzy blues, with
McCulloch's voice gaining power throughout the
song, while Nicholas and Liam Giszter both excel
on keyboards.
The
traditional blues, "Rollin' And Tumblin'," is
brought into this century with this spirited,
up-tempo version, as Bencivenga's scintillating
guitar solo keeps up with the pace of the song.
The tempo slows considerably on the late night,
jazzy blues "Sleepless Night Blues," with
McCulloch showing the ability to change personas
as a singer by becoming a sensitive, tortured
torch singer.
She
does the same on the slow, jazzy "Find My Way
Again," this time demonstrating a bit of her
gospel roots. Chase Bradshaw gets his chance in
the spotlight with a tasteful bass solo, and
keeping it bluesy is the very nice guitar solo
from Bencivenga. There's a lot going on in the
four-and-a-half minutes of this song, with it
all coming together in a delightfully funky
package.
Closing the album is the up-tempo 12-bar funky
blues, "Blues All Day," driven along by Mongue's
steady drumming and Bencivenga's guitar effects,
and taken to another level with Nicholas' very
hot electric piano solo.
While You Were Gone is an entertaining album
from start to finish. While its length is short,
with just eight cuts, there's a lot happening
here. This is a band worth following, and, for
now, count me as the latest member of the
Chantell McCulloch fan club.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Blind
Raccoon And Nola Blue Collection, Volume Six
(Nola Blue) is another of the compilations of
artists represented by Blind Raccoon that have
appeared on both the Nola Blue and Blue Heart
labels. There's a hodgepodge of artists on the
15 cuts here, so it's not as cohesive an album
as the Nola Blue collection featured in our
Surprise
page, but with some absolute gems that make this
a worthwhile addition to your blues library.
Let's start with my favorites. I'm an unabashed
fan of Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps, and any
new recording from this wonderful singer and her
band is very welcome. She does a version of the
rollicking "I Do My Drinkin' On The Weekend," a
song written and recorded by Big Al Anderson
(along with Stephen Bruton) with a band he
assembled after his long stint as the frontman
for the iconic NRBQ. It was originally released
by James and the Rhythm Tramps on the 2007 album
The Bottom Line. This one shows a country
side of Ms. James but with plenty of blues sass,
and her honky tonkin' piano work is the icing on
the cake.
Just
as essential is a new recording by The Texas
Horns, with "Never Buy My Soul" a mid-tempo
horn-infused soulful blues featuring Austin
singer Ange Kogutz on vocals, and the always
outstanding guitar work of both Anson
Funderburgh and Johnny Moeller. This song shows
that we absolutely need to hear more from Ms.
Kogutz, because she's got the soulful pipes to
easily compete with the customary outstanding
horn work from this band.
There's a heavy Mardi Gras flavor on the
back-to-back cuts by Benny Turner and pianist
Dave Keyes. Turner does a nice tribute to Wild
Magnolias leader Bo Dollis on a song with the
long title of "Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It
Right) aka A Tribute To Big Chief Bo Dollis,"
with Warner Williams and Marva Wright sharing
vocals and strong piano and organ from Keiko
Komaki. Keyes lays down the appropriate second
line piano work on "Pookie Po Po," with a big
horn section behind him.
Big
Harp George shows up with an unreleased cut,
"Struck Out Again," from the 2018 album
Uptown Cool, recorded by Kid Andersen at the
Greaseland Studios in San Jose. It's a slow
blues, with plenty of George's stellar chromatic
harmonica, as he sings about all of the women
with whom he couldn't commit his love. He's
always been good at playing the downtrodden man
in his compositions, and that misery comes out
of his voice as he lists his problems with each
of the prospective women who have come through
his life. Andersen plays strong blues guitar
throughout. I wonder why this one didn't make
the cut for that original album, because it's a
keeper.
British blues singer Mississipi MacDonald, along
with friends Reverend Shawn Amos (hamronica,
vocals) and Lucy Dearing (backing vocals), take
a trip down to the Delta wth a tribute to the
one of the more mysterious blues cats of the
past in "Ballad of Pat Hare." MacDonald has the
appropriate raw pipes for this one, along with
jangly guitar parts that he shares with Phil
Dearing.
One
more song of note is the instrumental number,
"Tidal Wave," from keyboardist extraordinaire
Anthony Geraci. It's both jazzy and bluesy,
especially when he gets on the Hammond organ.
Barrett Amdeson comes in with a nice slide
guitar solo to pack in a bit of a downhome blues
sound that blends well when Geraci steps over to
the piano.
Those are the hits for me, and that's enough to
justify the album. There are also cuts by Kip
London ("My Baby Loves Me Like a Hurricane"),
Douglas Avery ("Survivor"), Trevor B. Power
("Man Goes Blind"), Terry Wilson-Slesser
("Forever Blue"), Steve Howell and the Mighty
Men ("99 1/2 Won't Do"), Kenny Parker ("She
Might Meet Me"), Blind Lemon Pledge ("House Of
The Rising Sun"), and Reverend Freakchild
("Don't Miss Nothing 'til It's Gone").
--- Bill Mitchell
 Brooklyn-based
singer/guitarist Emanuel Casablanca
garnered a lot of attention with his 2022 debut
album, Blood On My Hands. His sophomore
effort, Strung Out On Thrills (Vinyl
Recording Group), continues along the same
musical path, with 13 gritty and greasy
blues-rockers written by Casablanca, joined by
guests Laurence Henderson, Joanna Connor, Kelli
Baker, Elliot Sharp, and many others.
The
opener, “Dogshit,” is a tough tale about an
unfaithful woman and features Connor on sizzling
slide guitar. It also appears as a bonus track,
“clean” version, at the end of the album. The
title track is a funky blues that finds
Casablanca in something of a rut, and “Visceral”
begins as an easy-going soul track before moving
to guitar-driven rock with guest guitarist
Henderson chipping in. “Conniver” returns to the
funky blues mode heard previously.
“The
Farm” shows up at an appropriate time on the
album, as it’s a less intense track featuring
acoustic guitar, a dense, throbbing rhythm, and
an almost-pop sensibility. The feisty rocker
“King” kicks things back up a notch with some of
Casablanca’s fiercest fretwork, before the
rumbling, Spanish-flavored “Pistoleró,” a grim
Wild West saga which features acoustic guitarist
Salvo in support, settles in.
“Lass” is a sturdy blues stomper that again
features Connor’s scorching slide guitar plus a
guest vocal from New York-based blues belter
Kelli Baker. “Bastard” is a rocking blues played
fairly straight lyric-wise, with crisp,
contemporary blues guitar work from Casablanca.
Guest Elliot Sharp contributes slide guitar to
the funky “Morning Wood.”
The
album wraps with “Pearl,” an interesting
concoction which marries blues with a bit of
hip-hop. The two bonus tracks include the
aforementioned “clean” version of the opening
track (“Dogs**t”), and a demo of a track called
“My Life’s Fire,” a nice, light tune with
acoustic guitar.
Emanuel Casablanca covers a lot of musical
ground on Strung Out On Thrills. He’s a
powerful guitarist and his vocal style easily
adapts to the variety of material he’s put
together on this fine effort. He will also be
appearing in 2024 as the lead in the feature
film "Mookie & Worm," playing a blues musician
trying to rebuild his career. Hopefully, the
acting bug won’t overcome his desire to be a
musician anytime soon.
--- Graham Clarke
 Mitch
Grainger got his start playing guitar and
harmonica in Sydney, Australia, appearing at
most of the major Australian blues festivals
before turning 21. He played in multiple bands,
including Papa Lips and Grainger (with his
sister Kara) before relocating to Los Angeles
and immersing himself in the Hollywood music
scene and releasing a solo album (The Blues)
in 2015. He also invented a new harmonica
microphone (Dyna-Mic), which enabled him to play
harmonica hands-free.
Around 2020, Grainger started recording singles,
deciding it would be fun to have an acoustic
version of each of the electric versions he had
released. After he noticed that the acoustic
versions were getting as much play as the
electric ones, he decided to release a double
album with one record electric and the other
acoustic. The resulting set, dubbed Plug It
In and Plug It In Acoustic, features 11
original compositions presented in both plugged
and unplugged formats.
The
title track opens both discs, a jaunty
toe-tapper driven along by Ed Maxwell’s bass,
Deacon Marrquin’s drums, and Arlan Schierbaum’s
keyboards on the electric disc. The acoustic
version is just as lively, with Grainger’s
guitar and harmonica driving the song. The funky
“Hollywood” paints a bleak picture of the city
in both versions, and “Strong Woman” has a
greasy, swampy vibe, especially on the electric
version.
 The
moody “Loose Change” leans toward blues rock in
both versions. I really like the acoustic
version with its lonesome, solitary feel. The
languid “Honey Bee” works in the same manner,
the acoustic version really conveying the
lonesome feelings of Grainger wanting his lover
to come back home, but the electric version adds
an urgency to the song.
“That’s Alright” is a Hooker-esque blues ‘n
boogie that’s six and a half minutes long, but
truthfully could have gone on longer in either
incarnation. “Let Me In” serves as a sequel of
sorts to the previous tune, featuring Grainger’s
slide guitar to great effect on the electric
version while the harmonica is featured
more prominently on the acoustic version.
On
the crisp blues of “Mississippi,” Grainger
paints a vivid scene of the state and its music,
perfectly capturing the atmosphere of a summer
day (or night) in the Magnolia State. “Big City
Blues” is an easy-going, front porch blues, and
“Shake It Up” is a funky blues boogie that will
make your body move,. “Rock The Boat,” is a fun
closer that will leave you with a smile on your
face.
I
would be hard-pressed to tell you whether I
prefer the electric or acoustic version of
Plug It In. Both discs have their charms and
each version gives you a different taste of the
same song. The best thing about this excellent
set is that I have been introduced to a
performer who I would like to hear more from and
about. This ambitious and creative collection
will make you want to hear more from Mitch
Grainger, too.
--- Graham Clarke
Lone Star Mojo (Joe Splawn – B3/vocals, Mark
Snyder – guitar/vocals, Tim Maloney – bass,
Barry Sloan – drums) formed during the COVID
lockdown, releasing an album about a year ago.
These guys liked it so much, as did their fans,
that they decided to do it all again.
Their follow-up release, A Shot Of The Blues,
includes a dozen original songs, six apiece from
Splawn and Synder, plus contributions from Scott
Biggs (slide guitar), Doc Louie Luton (acoustic
guitar), and Vanity Washington (backing vocals).
The
upbeat blues rocker “Good Blues Travels Fast,”
written by Snyder, kicks off the disc, a fine
showcase for the whole band with Snyder’s fierce
fretwork and Splawn’s spot-on B3. Splawn’s
“Desolation Blues” is a mid-tempo, urban-styled
blues driven by the B3, with both Snyder and
Splawn takinge extended solos as well. The
raucous “Hey Hey” has an energetic southern rock
feel, and it’s followed by the ballad “Thoughts
Of You.”
The
soulful “What Do You Feel” mixes a bit of reggae
with the blues with very satisfying results.
Biggs adds tasty slide guitar to the funky blues
and rock of “You’re Just A Blur,” while the
poignant “So Long Ruthie” pays tribute to a
longtime friend who passed away.
The
title track and “Corner Boogie are both keepers,
a jazzy blues (the former) and a driving
roadhouse rocker (the latter) showcasing great
instrumental interplay between the B3, guitar,
and the rhythm section. The clever “Your Blues
Give My Blues The Blues” incorporates a bit of
funk into the mix. Biggs returns with searing
slide guitar for “She Really Loves The Blues,
while the closer, “America’s Got The Blues,”
takes a pointed look at the current situation.
Synder and Splawn are both fine songwriters, and
the band is a well-oiled machine, rising to the
occasion time and time again. A Shot Of The
Blues is a powerful sophomore effort for
Lone Star Mojo, and chances look pretty good
that they will be doing it all again in the near
future. I think blues fans will be good with
that decision when it comes.
--- Graham Clarke
 It’s
been a few years since their last album (2016’s
Dusty Road), but the blues and roots band
Brothers Brown is still making some
mighty fine music, as evidenced from their
latest release, Nowhere Left To Go
(Woodward Avenue Records). The two Browns,
L.A.-based singer/guitarist Paul Brown and
Nashville-based keyboardist Brother Paul Brown,
are joined once again by
bassist/guitarist/vocalist David Santos and
drummer/percussionist/guitarist Peter Young.
The 13 original
tunes deftly mix blues with roots, country, and
rock, and will be accessible to a host of music
fans. The somber opener, “Wrong Side Of Town,”
has a smooth country/soul feel, while the
’70s-styled rocker “Junior’s Back” is a lot of
fun, showcasing Paul Brown’s crisp guitar work
and Brother Paul Brown’s Moog skills. The
haunting slow burner “Runnin’ Blues” is a moody
piece with a world-weary vocal from Santos.
Brother Paul
Brown has enjoyed a 20-plus collaboration with
Bobby Rush, with the 90-year-old blues legend
joining the band for the funky title track,
sharing vocals with Santos. The upbeat “My Baby”
is a catchy blues number, and the gentle “High
On The Mountain” is a glorious gospel tune,
featuring wonderful harmony vocals from the
band. The album’s first instrumental, “Chitlin’
Pickin’,” is a tasty Southern rocker and one of
the first tunes the band composed.
The splendid
slow blues “Brand New Day” takes a sober look at
picking up the pieces after the end of a
relationship. “Whatcha Gonna Do” continues on
the same theme, but picks up the tempo a bit, as
does “Give Me One Reason,” with more of a rock
edge. Although each tune covers the same
subject, all of them have a different approach
to the topic, so they blend seamlessly.
“Snakehole
Road” is a gritty cautionary tale with a genuine
swamp blues vibe, and the grim blues rocker
“Black and Blue” tells of a man who’s fed up
after being ditched by a contemptuous woman. The
album wraps up with the cleverly-titled “Fifteen
Minutes,” a superb instrumental that slowly
builds in intensity and lasts, well, 15:35,
although you really aren’t aware of it.
Nowhere Left
To Go is a great set of blues, rock, and
roots highlighted by first-rate songwriting and
excellent musicianship. This outstanding set
will please fans of multiple genres.
--- Graham Clarke
 Jennifer
Porter is a keyboardist who possesses an
amazing voice and is a marvelous songwriter.
Those talents are on full display on her latest
release, Yes, I Do! (Cougar Moon Music),
a fabulous set of blues and roots songs. Six of
the eight tunes were written by Porter, who’s
joined by Dana Packard and Jonathan Truman
(drums/percussion), Damon Banks (bass), George
Naha and Vinnie Raniolo (guitar), Steve
Jankowski (trumpets/flugelhorn), Doug DeHays
(tenor and baritone sax/clarinet), Randy Andos
(trombone/tuba), with special guests Cindy
Cashdollar and C.J. Chenier.
Porter opens
the disc with the dazzling “Before We Call It A
Day,” showcasing her marvelous voice and
keyboards, backed by the equally potent horns
and rhythm section. The title track is a
delightful taste of Memphis soul, punctuated by
Porter’s sweet vocal and Wurlitzer and B3, and
“Over You” is a haunting ballad that allows her
an opportunity to display her vocal range.
Chenier’s
accordion teams with Porter’s keyboards to give
“All I Needed Was You” a real New Orleans flair,
and Cashdollar’s pedal steel is prominent on
“Don’t Worry No More,” a mid-tempo blues track
that also mixes soulful horns and a taste of
funk.
Porter’s read
of the Leroy Carr standard “How Long” is an
impressive variation from the traditional blues
covers usually heard, leaning more toward the
jazz side of the aisle with her subtle piano and
the horn section with flugelhorn Jankowski.
“Lucky Dust” continues in a jazz vein, the New
Orleans variety, with shimmering horns and
clarinet, and the closer, a cool cover of Stuart
Balcom and Bessie Smith’s “Good Ol’ Wagon,”
features Porter on piano with Andos’ tuba.
Yes, I Do!
is an entertaining set of traditional blues and
roots music from Jennifer Porter, a talented
performer and composer who deserves to be heard.
--- Graham Clarke
 I’ve
been listening to The Hitman Blues Band
for well over a decade now and the New York
City-based band’s releases are always
entertaining. Russell “Hitman” Alexander has
proven to be a powerful singer and guitarist,
and the band’s support is always first rate.
While their original songs are always very good,
their occasional covers of classic blues and
rock songs have been most compelling. It
really made sense for the band to release a
compilation of some of their previously released
cover songs, Hey, Can You Guys Play….(Nerus
Records).
It’s
one thing to cover a classic song, but when a
band brings something new to a familiar song is
what makes a cover tune extraordinary, and The
Hitman Blues Band always adds a twist or two to
their interpretations. The opening track,
“Hoochie Coochie Man,” was a high point of the
band’s The World Moves On release in
2016, setting the table nicely here for the rest
of the disc.
There are also three tracks from 2021’s
enjoyable Not My Circus, Not My Monkey
release, with funky, soulful arrangements of Bob
Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” “John
The Revelator,” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,”
both of which have some adapted lyrics that fit
with the original lyrics just fine. The new
arrangements, incorporating horns and keyboards,
are very effective, too.
A
pair of these songs previously appeared on
Alexander’s acoustic solo album, Playing To
The Crowd, with a rollicking take on Wynonie
Harris’ ”Good Morning Judge” and the jaunty “Who
Put The Benzedrine in Mrs. Murphy’s Ovaltine”
from Harry “The Hipster” Gibson.
Another acoustic tune, Robert Johnson’s “Come On
In My Kitchen,” featuring Alexander on
Resonator, appeared on the band’s initial
release, 1999’s Blooztown, but the band’s
sizzling cover of Son House’s “Death Letter,”
from 2009 release Pale Rider is most
definitely not acoustic. A live version of John
Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom,” from 2008’s Live At
the Stonybrook University really percolates.
The
lone new track on the album is a tasty remake of
Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming
Down,” which proves to be a solid blues tune.
If
you’re not familiar with The Hitman Blues Band,
then Hey, Can You Guys Play…. is a great
introduction to their musical talents, but
listeners are encouraged to check out their
original recordings because the original
material packs a potent punch as well.
--- Graham Clarke
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