March 2004
The young lady takes to the road on the second
Blind Pig collection, White Line Flyers, a set of 15 songs about
cars and the highway. She's fully dressed this time as she stands along
the side of the road trying to hitch a ride. Jimmy Thackery and the
Drivers contributes two strong numbers, "Mercury Blues" and "Drive To
Survive," to this disc. Blues veteran Arthur Adams does a catchy blues,
"Back On Track," about being away from his baby. Deborah Coleman shows
that she's ready to hit the road on "Goodbye Misery, Ms. Blind Pig puts a serious pout on her face for the cover of If This Is Love ... I'd Rather Have The Blues, an anthology of tales of sweet love gone sour. Debbie Davies presents the woman's side of this case of bad love on "Wrong Man For Me." Few artists can sound so convincing in talking about woman troubles than Chris Cain, who of course gets two songs on this set: "Middle Name Is Trouble" and the always excellent "You're The Kind Of Woman That Ain't That Hard To Find." Lloyd Jones returns with an up-tempo blues shuffle à la B.B. King, "Treat Me Like The Dog I Am." Great tune! A fun album, especially if you're coming off a nasty relationship. Harmonica wizard Billy Gibson has come out with an album of jazzy instrumentals entitled In A Memphis Tone (Inside Memphis). He proves to be quite adept with his instrument on the eight tunes here, usually playing the chromatic harmonica. Gibson is backed by a solid group that includes organist Charlie Wood, a recording artist in his own right. This is not the kind of music that you'll be playing to liven up your next party. Rather, it suffices quite well as background music --- never arousing a lot of emotion, but settling in nicely behind dinner conversation. It's not "eatin' ribs, greens and cornbread" kind of dinner music, but rather something that might be playing in the background while a party of four eats sushi, politely discussing the relative merits of the available dipping sauces. You get the idea.
While her stroke may have kept Jessie Mae Hemphill out of the public eye, it hasn't kept her away from music. Unable to play the guitar, she still sings in church and is able to tap out the beat on the tambourine. She's also loved by her legions of admirers, many of whom gathered to pay tribute to her on Dare You To Do It Again (219 Records). Musicians came from all over to gather with Jessie Mae at a house party in Como, Mississippi. Microphones were set up and the tape was rolling, resulting in a two-CD album and a subsequent DVD. There's some great, spirited music, with a variety of musicians backing Jessie Mae's gospel singing. It's got the spirit of a bunch of friends getting together to make music together --- a little ragged and disorganized, but full of good times. Disc one opens with a brief fife & drum intro, a style of music from the hills of north Mississippi that is part of Jessie Mae's bloodlines. The rest of the disc contains gospel standards with a lot of between song chatter. Disc two isn't quite so good, as one cut, "Treat Me Right," drones on and on for over 23 minutes. It really sounds like one minute of mostly instrumental music looped over and over --- the musicians really don't say anything that couldn't have been done in about three minutes. And that's the problem with this disc --- it's in serious need of editing. A lot of the idle chatter and dead air should have been cut out without losing the impromptu spirit of the day. There is plenty of quality material here for one complete CD, but stretching it out to a second disc keeps it from being a Pick Hit. Still, it's something that's worth having in your collection. --- Bill Mitchell
While the end of 2003 has seen a slew of
high-profile releases tied-in with the official Year of the Blues,
including lavish box sets and scores of new compilations from blues
artists from the (sometimes recent, sometimes faraway) past, there’s some
comfort to be found in the fact that local talent is still found in
abundance on contemporary releases. Consider if you will Exhibit A: the
debut release of Boston-area Jumpin’ Juba, titled Bumpity Bump (Bonel’ss Records). Jumpin’ Juba consists of singer-songwriter and
guitarist Steve Hurl and fleet-fingered pianist Bruce Ward, backed by a
young rhythm section of Brian Flan on drums and Chris Denune on bass. The
band is not one to rehash one more cover of Muddy Waters, BB King or John
Lee Hooker; when they do go for a cover version, they opt to mine the
catalog of Ma Rainey and of Casey Bill Weldon. But actually, the core of
the material (11 of the 13 tracks) on this debut is self-penned; there are
fun, made-for-dancing tunes, reflexive and/or acerbic commentaries on our
social mores, a fast rockabilly-styled risqué number, a couple of
instrumental tracks showcasing Ward’s piano playing, and the requisite
good-woman-gone-bad workouts. Hurl is a capable songwriter, his funniest
moment coming on this verse of “Best Buy in Town”: “I was checking out
used cars at Honest John’s/ The man said, 'This beauty was once owned by
James Bond/ The gas tank has a few bullet holes in it/ And the ejector
seat’s gone, but otherwise it’s mint!'" Hurl is also a good and resourceful
guitarist, shining on slide (both acoustic and electric), but also on
finger-picked guitar, with even a lap steel guitar turn. His approach is
to punctuate a song with a solo, contrary to the modern tendency to write
a song around a hot solo. As a singer, he has a burly voice, mixed
squarely in the middle of the overall sound instead of front-and-center.
His partner in Jumpin’ Juba, Bruce Ward, is a pianist who is totally at
ease at very fast tempos, while also excelling at a more stately pace, as
heard on the Ma Rainey cover, “Explaining the Blues.” Note that one of the
two instrumentals, “Four-Footed,” is conceived as a boogie-woogie duel,
with Ward playing both parts; it is a little uneven but still downright
impressive. Ward also takes a couple of turns on harmonica (and drew the
cover art). As a whole, Bumpity Bump gives a good, rounded tour of
good-times blues, with a couple of slower, sadder tracks thrown in for
good measure. The musicians are versatile, and the presence of such a good
pianist as Ward (and mixed quite high, too) gives Jumpin’ Juba an added
oomph, an element that makes the band readily stand apart from the crowd.
A very strong independent release, to be found at
www.stevehurl.com. --- Benoît Brière Bonnie Raitt, Steve Earle, R.E.M.'s Mike Mills, Los Lobos, Widespread Panic, Yo La Tengo, Spongebob and more pay tribute to NRBQ on a new compilation release. The Q People is the debut release of new Massachusetts indie label, Spirithouse Records, and marks NRBQ's 35th Anniversary. Penn Jillette wrote the liner notes to the project that Spirithouse founders' Danny Bernini and Paul McNamara stipulated must be comprised of only be true NRBQ fans. Qualifying band Los Lobos stated: "In my version of a perfect musical universe, NRBQ would be as big as The Beatles," and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills said, "I would describe them as the perfect amalgamation of sound." The new DVD from Walter Trout is the visual side of the CD Relentless (Ruf Records / MVD), the latest live album from this blues guitarist that, with his band, The Radicals, looms ever larger over the contemporary blues scene. The set is book ended with two covers that exhibits the truly relentless blues playing fans can't get enough off from Trout: "Dust My Broom" and "Serve Me Right to Suffer." However, the point of the 2003 recording in Amsterdam at Paradiso was to showcase the new originals. Many of these are very personal, intimate songs that Trou communicates well. However, in baring himself, he dispenses with a lot of the powerfully stated blues guitar. This can be said of "I'm Tired," "Cry if you Want To," and the ode to a departed friend, "Work No More." However, there are several good, solid blues numbers new from Trout and the fun, lively jab at Internet dating, "Chatroom Girl."
Patriarchal funk-rock drummer Buddy Miles
went from Wilson Pickett to The Electric Flag, to the unfortunately brief
Band of Gypsies with Jimi Hendrix, to less successful projects, to prison,
and from there to be the voice of cartoon raisins. Miles is now back on
track doing the progressive funk-rock he is made for, as exemplified on
Hell and Back (Innerhythmic). This album patiently flows from song to
song, delivering electric rock-fueled ballad soul. This version of the
Express features Nicky Skopelitis (Material, Elliot Sharp), frequent
collaborator Kevon Smith on guitars and a four-man horn section. Much of
the material is familiar: "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "All Along the
Watchtower" are here. Miles also includes his own monumental "Them
Changes," which is present on the Band of Gypsies album. This album still
seems far-seeing and progressive, though it was originally released on
Rykodisc on 1994. --- Thomas Schulte Juneteenth is a Brooklyn-based blues band that you may not be familiar with, but that may change soon. Their debut disc, self-titled and self-released, is an appealing mix of styles, with a taste of blues, roots rock, and even some alternative rock in their sound. The band consists of Puge Ruhe (singer/songwriter/guitar), Jamal Rhue (lead guitar), Matt Murphy (drums), John O’Reilly (bass), and Darryl Baker (percussion). Though somewhat short at just under 35 minutes, it’s a pretty exciting disc, with some great instrumental work including some solid acoustic and electric guitar and a pretty snazzy rhythm section, along with some offbeat lyrics and vocals. In other words, this ain’t your daddy’s blues disc. Highlights include the funky opening track, “After Work,” “TV Screens & Magazines,” which sounds like a ’60s outtake with its backup vocals and handclaps, and the sultry “Dirty Sweet,” which I could easily see on a future Buddy Guy album. The next-to-last track (the final track is an unlisted instrumental and a good one) is a definite keeper, a world-weary blues ballad, titled “Well Run Dry.” The production (also by the band) gives the disc a warm, intimate sound, like you’re in the room with the band while they’re kicking things around. While it may not be what you would find on your basic Elmore James disc, it is the blues nonetheless, featuring first-rate musicianship and some impressive songs, all with a modern twist that will probably appeal to a wider audience. Go to the band’s website, www.juneteenthmusic.com, for more information about the band and for ordering information. The argument of who is the best blues guitarist would go on for days, months, even years among blues fans. There are a lot of worthy candidates out there and it would even be difficult for most fans to trim their list to a Top Ten. While his name may only be familiar to all fans, I would submit Mel Brown as a definite member of the Top Ten. Brown has played with just about everybody, including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Johnny Otis, Etta James, Nancy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, Lou Rawls, T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, B. B. King, Jimmy Witherspoon, and even country music’s The Outlaws, but he is probably best remembered by blues fans for his 12-year off and on stint with Bobby Bland in the '70s. Other than a handful of albums for Bluesway in the '60s and a largely instrumental album with the Silent Partners for Antones, Brown had been away from the studio for over a decade, living in Canada and blowing audiences away, while fronting his band, the Homewreckers. In 1999, he was coaxed back into the studio by Electro-Fi Records’ Sandra B. Tooze and Andrew Galloway to record Neck Bones and Caviar, and a welcome return it was. Brown’s guitar playing combines the best of the blues with some of the jazziest licks you’ll ever hear on a blues disc. There’s plenty of guitar to be heard here as Galloway and Tooze, who produced the disc, give Brown plenty of room to stretch out. While at first listen, the arrangements may be too sparse, too uncluttered, Brown’s tasty leads make you glad there’s nothing else to distract from them. In addition, Brown sings on 10 of the 12 tracks, unprecedented for him, and while he won’t make you forget Lou Rawls by any means, he does an excellent job with the material, never overreaching. The songs range from hearty covers of Muddy Waters (“Woman Wanted”), Joe Liggins (“I Ain’t Drunk”), Z.Z. Hill (“You’re The One”), St. Louis Jimmy (“Goin’ Down Slow”), Ray Charles (“I Believe To My Soul”) and John Lee Hooker (“I’m In The Mood”) to a couple of Brown compositions and a pair of instrumentals that highlight the real star of the album --- Mel Brown’s guitar. If you missed this one the first time around, you need to pick it up. You’ll want to add Mel Brown to your Top Ten list. --- Graham Clarke When the greats of deep soul music are discussed it is usually the male vocalists that come up, James Carr, O.V. Wright and Spencer Wiggins always head the discussion. But who heads the discussion when female vocalists comes up? Of course there is always Aretha during her early Atlantic years, but the underground favorite has always been Candi Staton. Here too it would be her early recordings that are revered by record collectors. Staton cut three full LPs for Rick Hall's Fame Records in Muscle Shoals and each one is a classic. The irony is that Hall who owns the U.S. rights to these recordings, refused to reissue them for whatever his reason, so once again here comes merry old England to the rescue by issuing The Fame Sides (EMI). I guess they really are our greatest ally, musically and otherwise. The original LPs were distributed by Capitol Records who are now EMI, so in the U.K. they have the rights to this important music. Do not confuse these Candi Staton recordings with the ones that appeared on Warner Brothers in the late '70s. By that time disco music had taken over and Staton was no longer being produced by Hall or Fame Records. She did manage a few hits for Warner Brothers and that music has been available over the years. If this is the only way you know her music, then do yourself a great favor and pick up a copy of this new CD. Never before is the connection between early Southern soul music and country music more apparent than after hearing Staton's version of the Tammy Wynette classic "Stand By Your Man." Staton's truly soulful recording is so moving that Wynette's legendary country lament pales by comparison. Such great songs such as "I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than A Young Man's Fool)" and the incomparable "Mr. & Mrs. Untrue," with its classic lines ...."I keep my shades on Johnny, the hotel is kind of crowded tonight. Take the elevator up and soon I'll follow you, but first sign us in as Mr. & Mrs. Untrue." The intensity of Staton's version of "In The Ghetto" rivals even Solomon Burke's and Elvis Presley's heralded recordings. Wait until you hear Candi's version of "That's How Strong My Love Is" and the opening track on this 26 song collection, "I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin' )," both classics in their own right. You will fall in love with Candi Staton. Another release that will be on many "best of the year" lists and one that is right at the top of mine early in 2004. What a treat!! --- Alan Shutro
This review has been contributed by Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro, a Contributing Writer for BIG CITY BLUES MAGAZINE and the Blues Editor at www.Mary4Music.com -- where you can read many more CD and live show reviews, view blues photographs and find an abundance of blues material. He can be reached at Blewzzman@aol.com.
--- Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro --------------- Special DVD Review section
Digital Video Discs (DVDs), alternately known
as Digital Versatile Discs, have only been around since about 1997.
Essentially, they’re large capacity CDs that hold and transfer static
visual images, movies and concerts, and do so with audio capability that
surpasses most CD players. The blues catalog available on DVD grows daily.
Here, in no particular order, are a few new and notable worth a look.
---------
The folks at Shout! and Imaginary Entertainment, have spliced a series of
new interviews done specifically for the project with live performances
and rare footage into a superb montage that offers a riveting overview of
the roots of the blues. There is no voice-over narrative explaining the
music’s history or implications. This is strictly the artists telling it
like it was.
Hubert Sumlin, guitarist with Howlin’ Wolf for many years, opens with a
story about his mother telling him that if he wanted to do church music,
he should do church music. If he wanted to “go the other way,” he should.
His gleeful reply was, “Yes, ma’m, I’m going the other way.” Not all the
stories included here are as upbeat, but all are wholly fascinating.
Among those sharing stories and observations are Willie Foster, Koko
Taylor, R.L. Burnside, Othar Turner, Philadelphia Jerry Ricks, John
Jackson, B.B. King, Honeyboy Edwards, Little Milton, Charles Brown, Lowell
Fulson, Henry Townsend, Pinetop Perkins, Rufus Thomas, Gatemouth Moore,
Robert Lockwood, Snooky Pryor, Ruth Brown, Willie King, Gatemouth Brown,
Bobby Blue Bland, and Buddy Guy. Magic Slim & The Teardrops offer their
observations on the state of the blues with a rip-it-up performance.
The Life & Music of Robert Johnson: Can’t You Hear The Wind Howl?
----- Fats Domino’s 2001 headline performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was hailed as something akin to the second coming. Here is a man inextricably associated with New Orleans, as well as with that crossroads of rhythm and blues, jazz, blues and nascent rock and roll. That he was received by those in attendance like royalty is no surprise. The 20 song program is performed straight with nary a step outside the box. The classic book is here: “I’m Walkin’,” “Let The Four Winds Blow,” “My Blue Heaven,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Blue Monday” and “My Girl Josephine” are the crowd pleasers. Surprisingly, there’s no “Ain’t That A Shame,” his first rock and roll hit, but I was pleased to hear “I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday,” always my favorite Fats tune. Hearing him reprise his first recording ever, 1949’s “The Fat Man,” is a treat, too. The much more svelte Domino is backed by a 12-piece that includes long time associate Herbert Hardesty. Bonus features are the interviews with Fats, Allen Toissaint, Cosimo Matassa and journalist Mikal Gilmore, along with a photo section and discography. There may not be any musical surprises, as these are all played pretty close to the original charts, but I’ll bet it was a major blast to be on hand for this legendary musician’s hometown blow out. Also available on CD, Fats Domino fans don’t want to miss this. Those wondering what all the excitement has been about for the past half century need look no further. -----
Jimi Hendrix One of the classic rock and roll films ever shot, Hendrix, joined here by drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox, was at the peak of his creativity. Shot May 30, 1970 at the Berkeley Community Theatre, he would be dead within four months. Opening with the limo ride to the show, the film includes the stage set-up and sound check, something Hendrix typically did not do. A confrontation between a pool hall patron and a group of young people demonstrating against the $3.50 charge to see the movie Woodstock is filmed outside the theatre. The film takes the viewer back inside for more sound check before fading up to Hendrix center-stage and burning up “Johnny B. Goode.” The powerful “Hear My Train A-Comin’” followed and was followed in turn by “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” The performance of “Star Spangled Banner” is stunning. “Purple Haze,” “I Don’t Live Today,” "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” and "Lover Man” follow in sweat drenched order. The songs are as riveting, as mind-blowing now as they were 33 years ago. None so much, however, as the version of "Machine Gun," which is starkly contrasted with film footage of the Berkeley student uprisings. Hendrix in Berekley is a revalation. Hendrix sounds as contemporary as he does historically set in stone. One of a very small handful of the most important musicians to emerge since the advent of recording, this proves that he was a dynamic live player, as well. -----
Joni Mitchell This Joni Mitchell produced film of a 1979 Santa Barbara County Bowl concert was released on video in 1980, though it’s been out of print forever. In some respects there’s nothing new visually, though the audio quality is extraordinary. The band was unquestionably her best: Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Lyle Mays, and Don Alias. During the Weather Report era, Joni Mitchell had a band that couldn’t be touched by any but Weather Report. Drawn principally from the Hejira and Hissing of Summer Lawns songbooks with a couple numbers from Mingus and Court & Spark added, this sometimes seems bent on representing Joni Mitchell the artist, not just the musician. The introductory glimpse of clips from James Dean’s “Rebel Without a Cause” and Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers singing “I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent” are offered in some sort of vague juxtaposition to the concert. The rationale is foggy at best. The music, however, is crystal clear and frequently transcendent, most particularly Joni Mitchell’s vocals. On “Edith & The King Pin,” the then 36-year-old Mitchell’s voice was at it’s most crystalline. This was her prime. On “Coyote,” a song accompanied by a film of a coyote chasing some sort of rodent in the snow, the band meshes brilliantly. The audience is treated to a splendid “Free Man In Paris” before she takes it ever so slightly outside with “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” Her phrasing here is flawless and Pastorius and Mays challenge her. Joni showed some courage in letting Pastorius take a solo spot with his playing of “Third Stone From The Sun,” on which he demonstrates his command of the electric bass such that he was often called the Jimi Hendrix of the bass. Here are delays, reverb and feedback unlike any electric bass player before and few since. For stark contrast, Mitchell returns to the stage to sing “Dry Cleaner From Des Moines,” ala “Twisted,” with just Alias on accompanying drums before Pastorius and Brecker enter and engage in an extraordinary dialogue. This is a bit overburdened with Las Vegas film footage that is in the way. On “Amelia,” the overuse of visuals continues with historic footage of the aviator. Joni sings this largely solo with her guitar mixed too high. Metheny and Mays join in to rescue her. “Hejira” is offered as a video rather than performance piece and segues to “Black Crow.” She offers a wonderful version of “Furry Sings the Blues,” her tribute to Furry Lewis before breaking into another crowd pleaser in the form of “Raised on Robbery.” Lyle Mays plays a rockin’ piano and Metheny and Pastorius look awkward with the tune. Not the right band for the song. The final two numbers feature the Persuasions. On “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?,” another Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers vehicle, they back Joni’s lead vocal. It’s a fun number that the crowd seemed to enjoy. The final take on the title piece is more somber and is one that the musicians seemed to enjoy. Joni Mitchell is one of the most important musicians of the past 35 years, or so. This is a superb document of one of the most important segments of a remarkable career. -----
Various Artists
-----
The Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration The rich musical history of New Orleans cannot be denied. The city that gave us the Neville Brothers, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Johnny Adams, the Wild Tchoupitoulis and Louis Armstrong is not a city easily impressed. Out of this backdrop Ellis Marsalis raised one of the most musical families in the world. There are those who will tell you that the Marsalis family “owns” New Orleans. If they were politicians, they might be called a dynasty. Oddly enough, they don’t all get together often. On the occasion of pianist and elder Ellis Marsalis’ retirement from the faculty of the University of New Orleans, in August 2001, this extraordinarily talented family convened and wowed a full house of appreciative fans. Opening with a stark drum and piano duet between Ellis and son Jason Marsalis, their version of “The Surrey With the Fringe on Top” is so hypnotic that the entry of bassist Roland Guerin is almost unnoticed. “After,” a beautiful, introspective work from the same trio, is the prettiest piece on the program. “Sultry Serenade” adds the powerful and proficient Delfeayo Marsalis on trombone, adding a lilting bounce to the proceedings. For the fourth song of the night, the level of anticipation is noticeably appreciated with the arrival to the stage of trumpeter Wynton and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. Wynton tells the audience that he’s always being asked how he and Branford are getting along these days, alluding to a public disagreement of a decade ago that haunts them to this day. He always responds with, “How are you and your brother getting along?” and says he and Branford are getting along just fine. He then, to everyone’s delight, introduces Branford’s “Cain and Abel.” Both the elder Marsalis boys spent time with Art Blakey and there is more than a taste of that energy in this bop-based number that occasionally pushes the envelope. It doesn’t hurt that the bass solo is a jaw-dropper. One of Ellis Marsalis’ most famous students was Harry Connick, Jr. After lampooning both Ellis and Wynton, the crooner reminds, in his duet with his teacher, that he is a first-rate pianist, too. Connick brings on his own band for a vocal version of “Saint James Infirmary,” then returns to the piano for a sizzling “Limehouse Blues.” The family assembles again with some great fanfare for versions of “Swingin’ At The Haven,” and turns in a hot, hot version of Armstrong’s “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue.” Following a spirited ovation, Ellis returns to center stage and takes it out solo on the appropriately entitled “The Party’s Over.” Whether you call yourself a jazz fan or not, this is exciting music. -----
Albert Collins This is a straight ahead concert video. No narration – just 90 minutes of jaw-dropping, high energy music, as only the Master of the Telecaster could deliver it. Albert Collins fans who missed seeing him live will eat this up. In fact, those of us who were lucky enough to see him do his magic live will do the same. The iconic guitarist is filmed performing for two audiences at the 1992 Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in nearly identical performances. From the brief walk on and set up just in front of the explosion that is “Iceman,” it’s apparent that this is going to be a great show. Following a solid take on “Put The Shoe On The Other Foot,” Collins and band just detonate the stage with “The Light’s On But No One’s Home.” Tenor saxophonist John Smith, a veteran of the White Trash Horns, cooks and Mr. Collins works up a sweat reaching for those lines that few but he could find. More musical magic is displayed on the funky “If You Love Me Like You Say,” and on “Same Old Thing,” the maestro, you’ll forgive the cliché, just shreds. Regular bassist Johnny B. Gayden was mysteriously absent for the daytime performance, but funky plucked bass lines are supplied by the very impressive James Genus, borrowed from fellow festival performers the Brecker Brothers. Greezy organ lines come courtesy of Bobby Alexis, a long time vet of the Icebreakers. Steve Howard’s trumpet sizzles and young guitarist Pete Thoennes does a fine job trading licks with the professor. For the following night’s performance, Gayden was back in the lineup. The energy level was conspicuously higher, both on and off stage. Gayden and drummer Marty Binder meshed mightily. Albert’s licks were even more dangerous than those impressively displayed the previous afternoon. Maybe performers and audiences are just more naturally nocturnal. Albert Collins would be dead a year later from lung cancer. He lives forever, though, through the magic of DVD and this amazing set of performances. As a bonus, the disc also features a 59 page biographical sketch from Bill Dahl. -----
Deep Blues
--- Mark E. Gallo |
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Revised: February 29, 2004 - Version 1.00
All contents Copyright © 2004, Blue Night Productions. All rights reserved.
Blind
Pig Records has adopted the marketing strategy of "sex sells" with their
latest batch of anthology discs. The CD covers of each of the three discs
features a seductive-looking model in a variety of provocative poses. The
best of this titillating trilogy, entitled Bare Blues, features the
young lady naked from the waist up, with the parts only Janet Jackson
would show on network TV covered by a saxophone. Her pose on the front
cover shows that she's got a tattoo of a butterfly around the area of her
left shoulder blade, while the back cover photo puts her ample cleavage on
display ... Wait, what did you say? You actually want to read about the
music in this collection. OK, if we must, here goes ... Bare Blues
is subtitled Instrumental Gems, so I reckon that the name of the
disc really applies to the music inside. Yeah, right. Actually, the music
inside is just about as hot as ... alright, no more double entendre
references, I promise. The Blind Pig compilers have culled 15 instrumental
cuts from various albums. It's all pretty spirited music, good for popping
into the CD player while you're cruising down the highway. While the
up-tempo numbers are what make this album rock, two laid-back tunes are
the highlights of Bare Blues. Slide guitarist Bob Margolin's
acoustic duo with his sister Sherry, on the gospel piano, on "Consolation"
is a beautiful number, while Bill Perry's "Morning Spiritual" is just
plain righteous, sounding eerily similar to Curtis Mayfield's "People Get
Ready." Other strong numbers include "Ethel's Place," a hot duet with
pianist Deanna Bogart and the late guitarist Danny Gatton, Chubby
Carrier's Zydeco tune "Luziana Feelin'," the harmonica and drum workup
done by Kim Wilson and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and Nick Curran's swingin'
"Stompin' At The Fort." Now, I trust that you're all going to buy this
compilation for the music and not the racy pictures ... right?
Jessie
Mae Hemphill missed out on the Fat Possum craze. Unlike fellow North
Mississippi blues artists like R.L. Burnside, who became the darling of
the alt-rock bunch with his albums on Fat Possum label and his recordings
with Jon Spencer, Ms. Hemphill couldn't cash in on that movement after a
1993 stroke left her unable to play the guitar. With her hypnotic, droning
guitar style and sweet, backwoods personality, Jessie Mae would have been
a star. To supplement the previous collections of her late '70s / early
'80s recordings for High Water Records, the Inside Memphis label is
releasing unissued material from that same period. Get Right Blues
is a wonderful collection of 15 cuts from sessions in 1979, 1984 and 1985,
and includes some of her favorites that she often performed live:
"Streamline Train," "All Night Boogie (Jessie's Boogie)"," "Shake Your
Boot (Shake It, Baby," "Jessie's Love Song (Tell Me You Love Me)," and "Go
Back To Your Used To Be." Especially powerful is "Lord, Help the Poor &
Needy," on which Jessie Mae accompanies herself only with a tambourine.
Another strong gospel number is her duet, "He's a Mighty Good Leader,"
with Compton Jones, on which Jessie Mae taps out the rhythm on a hat box
while Jones shakes a tambourine. This is another great collection of
recordings from one of the most unique and authentic artists of our day.
As the saying goes, "you cannot judge a book by it's cover." I'm assuming
this goes for the covers of CD's as well as the covers of books. On the
other hand, there is another saying which states that "every picture tells
a story." Just take one look at the picture of Marion James on the
cover of her new CD, Essence, and tell me you aren't thinking
blues. Aha! You can't. From the moment I first looked at this CD my first
impression told me it reeked of blues and indeed it does. On Essence,
James took 17 very impressive and talented musicians into the studio with
her and it paid off. They allow her to shine in a variety of musical
settings, some of which are quite jazzy. These fine musicians are: Jack
Pearson and Casey Lutton on guitar; Todd Ellsworth, Bob Babbitt and Roger
Spencer (acoustic) on bass, Chucki Burke, Chris Brown and Steve Johnson on
drums, Reese Wynans, Dickie Thompson and Ronnie Godfrey on organ; Beegie
Adair and Ronnie Godfrey on piano; Denis Solee and Dennis Taylor on sax,
George Tidwell and Steve Herrman on trumpet, and Barry Green on trombone.
Individually picking favorite cuts off of this CD is frustrating to say
the least. With about a 50-50 mix of originals and covers, they are all
done very well. James' rendition of Lattimore's "Let's Straighten It Out"
is extraordinary. I particularly liked the change from down home blues, on
cuts such as "Please Don't Waste My Time," "You're History Baby," and
"Give Me Love," to the jazzy blues style on "Until The Real Thing Comes
Along," "Be Anything," and "I Want To Be Loved (But By Only You)."
Although not listed with Ruth Brown, Etta James and Billie Holiday as her
influences, this listener clearly also hears Dinah and Ella. Despite
having grown up in a musical family in Nashville and having a top ten hit
in the early fifties, James has not exactly been setting the world on fire
with her music. It even took three years to get this CD produced and
released. However, if the quality of music Marion James put into
Essence can be maintained and she can deliver a product like this
every year or so, Ms.James will certainly be a force to be reckoned with
in the world of female blues artists.
“The blues was born at the turn of the century in the Mississippi Delta
and other regions of the South. It would become the cornerstone of all
popular American music. This is its story as told by the artists who lived
it.” These words emblazoned across the screen begin one of the most
brilliantly conceived and executed films released on the blues,
particularly in commemoration of this congressionally proclaimed Year of
the Blues. Produced and directed by Jay Levey, executive produced by Levey
and Richard Foos (the man who founded Rhino Records as well as Shout!),
with Edward Marritz directing photography and Mark Mandler serving as the
sound engineer, the film also counts Jim O’Neal (the founder of Living
Blues magazine and owner of Rooster Blues) as executive consultant and
associate producer. Not a bad production crew. 
Companion to the superb CD box set released earlier this year (though with
some different song selections and performers) and utilized as a PBS
fundraiser nationwide, this is chock full of some of the great names in
soul. Recorded live on November 26, 2002 at The Benedum Center for the
Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, the set opens with Aretha Franklin -- so as
to be clear that this ain’t no foolin’ around. The Queen of Soul has the
audience swinging and swaying and commands “Respect” in short order with
her signature song. She’s joined by Lou Rawls for a duet on the Etta James
classic “At Last.” Rawls proves he’s still got the chops when he launches
into “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.” Aretha comes back to
introduce fellow Detroiter and Temptation survivor Dennis Edwards. (Only
Otis Williams is alive from the original Tempts, but he is no longer
active musically. Edwards came from the Contours to the Temptations as
David Ruffin’s replacement). He and the new version of the Temptations
aren’t as good as the originals – who is? – but they’re still the epitome
of excitement. I got a few chills and the audience went completely crazy
for their versions of “Can’t Get Next To You” and “Papa Was A Rolling
Stone,” which Edwards dedicates to the original Temptations. This was a
tough act to follow, but Edward Starr did a fine job with his 1969 hit “25
Miles.” He’s followed by Barbara Mason (“Yes, I’m Ready”), Carl Carlton
(“Everlasting Love”), the Three Degrees (“When Will I See You Again”) and
the still hip Billy Paul (“Me & Mrs. Jones”), who looked the same and may
have sounded better than he did 25 years ago. Freda Payne still looked
good and sounded convincing with her “Band of Gold.” The Manhattans (“Kiss
and Say Goodbye”) and Blue Magic (“Side Show”) were well received. Peaches
and Herb, with yet another new Peaches, offered “Reunited,” before the
program took a turn into the disco era. Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”
still packs a punch and Thelma Houston’s version of “Don’t Leave Me This
Way” is still a powerhouse tune. Aretha returns for “Freeway of Love,”
pretty much her last hit of any substance, and Mary Wilson, who had been
sharing emcee duties with Lou Rawls and Aretha, closes it with “Some Day
We’ll Be Together,” an ironic choice. There are references to PBS
throughout, as this was staged specifically as a fund-raiser. I’ll bet it
worked big time. If you’re a fan of this music, as I am, you’ll find many
goose-bump moments. As a bonus, there are interviews with Dennis Edwards,
Gloria Gaynor, Edwin Starr, 
Of the slew of blues films thus far released on the DVD format, this is
hands down the most fascinating. Originally filmed in 1990, this Robert
Mugge film was reportedly conceived by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame and
is narrated on camera by blues scholar Robert Palmer, whose book of the
same title is one of the classic tomes of the genre. The tone is set by
the wide angle sweep of the Mississippi River that opens the film.
Interviews and performances of some of the most riveting players in the
region is interspersed with local color. The combination is mesmerizing.
Stewart and Palmer visit a potions/mojo/record store in Memphis before
sitting down to hear famed Memphis pianist Booker T. Laury, who died in
1995, lay down some of his musical mojo. Mugge takes his crew to R.L.
Burnside’s front porch to hear his treatment of “Jumper On The Line.”
Sitting astride a stool on his modest front porch, the guitarist/vocalist
is joined by Stewart on impressive acoustic guitar. Burnside encourages
the Brit in his playing here. Though the concept behind the film was, at
least in part, Dave Stewart paying tribute to the blues, he bids adieu to
the audience at this juncture. We are next introduced to the amazing
Jessie Mae Hemphill in two separate personas. The first Jessie Mae plays
bass drum with a three piece fife and drums band. Robert Palmer’s brief
interview with Ms. Hemphill reveals that her family can trace fife and
drum music back five or six generations. The second, more familiar, Jessie
Mae, is seen at Junior Kimbrough’s juke playing mesmerizing guitar on “You
Can’t Talk About Me.” The visuals here are thoroughly captivating. It
gives one pause, too, to consider that Kimbrough and Palmer have both
since died and Jessie Mae Hemphill has suffered a stroke. This certainly
drives home the importance of documentaries such as this. The music and
the music makers are captured for eternity. Junior Kimbrough is filmed
singing “Junior, I Love You.” Like Ms. Hemphill’s, his is a hypnotic and
droning guitar style. This was recorded prior to his first full album and
witnesses a deeply soulful musician at his prime. Roosevelt ‘Booba’ Barnes
is interviewed at his Playboy Club, in Greenville, MS and performs a pair
of numbers that point to his excellent guitar work and fine vocals. We’re
introduced to Wade Walton, proprietor of Wade’s Barber Shop. In addition
to cutting the hair of Sonny Boy Williamson, Ike Turner and Howling Wolf,
Walton had a brief career as a blues man. Over at Smitty’s Red Top Lounge,
Big Jack Johnson performs “Catfish Blues” and “Daddy, When Is Momma Comin’
Home.” This was years before the Oilman’s reputation grew internationally.
The man we’re introduced to here is both laid back – particularly in the
radio interview in the segment -- and musically captivating. As the
journey nears its end the viewer is introduced to Bud Spires and Jack
Owens in Betonia, MS. The two share a front porch for their performances
of “The Devil” and “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues,” on which Owens
displays a similar vocal quality to the song’s author, Skip James. Lonnie Pitchford’s work on the one-string diddley bow is mesmerizing, as is his
guitar and vocal work on Robert Johnson’s “If I Had Possession Over
Judgement Day” and “Come On In My Kitchen,” with vocals eerily close to
the original. This is one of the great blues films. The audio is equal to
the superb video and the performances and stories are priceless. Bonus
features include 30 minutes of outtakes and 45 minutes of additional audio
tracks.