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 It’s been a little while since we’ve heard a new
release from Eden Brent. It certainly put a
hop in my step to see and hear her new release
from Yellow Dog Records. Getaway Blues, was
recorded last summer during a trip to London,
her husband Bob Dowell’s hometown. It was their
first time to visit London together since their
wedding.
Dowell rounded up his former bandmates from the
Coalminers --- guitarist Rob Updegraff and drummer
Pat Levett --- for this wonderful set of original
tunes written or co-written by Brent and Dowell,
who also produced the album and plays bass.
The
title track opens the disc, a honky-tonk
shuffle about moving on to the next stop in life
driven by Brent’s piano playing, which adopts a
train-like motif that really carries the day and
will remind listeners of Brent’s piano-playing
mentor, Abie “Boogaloo” Ames.
The wistful “Watching The World Go By” is a
languid blues ballad with strong solos from
Brent and Updegraff, the lively rhumba “What You
Want,” written by Brent, is like taking a stroll
down a New Orleans avenue, and the Dowell-penned
“You On My Mind” is a lovely tune with a bit of
a country feel, with Brent really pouring her heart
into the vocal. Meanwhile, “He Talks About You”
is a cheating song told from a different
perspective, the other woman’s.
The free-wheeling “Just Because I Love You”
returns to the Crescent City with a funky Second
Line rhythm. Dowell wrote the pensive
“Mississippi River Got Me Crying,” and you can
almost imagine the sights and sounds of the land
around the river via the lyrics and the music.
“Rust” is a sultry slow burning blues describing
a lover who sticks to her “just like rust,” and
the closer is the double entendre-laden “Gas
Pumping Man” that provides a delightful
conclusion to the album.
This is Eden Brent’s best release
to date, and that’s really saying something. I
can’t imagine anyone not enjoying Getaway Blues.
--- Graham Clarke
 It’s
been nearly ten years since we’ve heard any new
music from 2015 I.B.C. winner Eddie Cotton,
but his latest, The Mirror (Malaco
Records), makes the long wait worthwhile. The
Clinton, Mississippi-based blues man penned a
dozen songs for what may be his best release
yet, deftly blending blues, soul, gospel, and
funk into a seamless mix, enhanced even more by
his brilliant guitar work and his soul-inflected
vocals.
The
funky blues “Woman Satisfied” leads off, a hot
track punctuated by lively keyboards and
Cotton’s stinging lead guitar. The supremely
soulful “Your Specialty” comes with a healthy
dose of Memphis grease. The title track is an
exceptional slow blues showcased by Cotton’s
inspired guitar and vocals, while the stirring
“Double Down on a Nine” is bound to get
listeners on their feet.
The
slippery “Gimme What I Paid For” locks into a
nasty funk groove, spiced up with tasty fretwork
from Cotton, while “I Want You” has the feel of
a classic Hi Records deep track, with Cotton
really channeling Al Green with his seductive
vocal approach.
The
sprightly “Leaning Toward Leaving” is deep
southern soul at it’s best. Meanwhile, on the
upbeat “My Good Thing,” Cotton joyfully sings
the praises of his lady.
“No
Crime No Time” is a sweet slow burner, with
Cotton and the band stretching out and taking
their time, driven by his sharp fret work. It’s
followed by the mid-tempo “No King No Queen,”
which has a real pop/R&B feel via the memorable
chorus, and “Sweet Science,” sounding like it
could have come from Muscle Shoals back in the
day.
The
album closer, “Under The Cover of Darkness,” is
simply the low down and dirty blues with
downhome harmonica and driving rhythm serving as
a perfect combination with Cotton’s furious
guitar work.
Cotton’s tight, TIGHT band includes Sam Scott
(drums), James Bell (keys), Myron Bennett
(bass), with harp contributions from Carl
Russell and Grady Champion. Together with
Cotton, these guys work like a well-oiled
machine through this excellent set of songs. To
these ears, The Mirror stands out as
Eddie Cotton’s best effort so far, and that’s
really saying something, given the high quality
work that preceded it.
--- Graham Clarke
 Brazilian guitarist
Celso Salim has an
impressive career, recording six albums, placing
3rd at the 2019 I.B.C., and winning five
independent Music Awards. He enjoyed a fine
tenure with bassist Rodrigo Mantovani as an
acoustic duo in Brazil. Relocating to Los
Angeles in
the mid 2010s, he became one of the most
respected and busiest guitarists in Southern
Cal.
Salim has enjoyed a musical partnership with
California-based harmonica player Darryl
Carriere for over 20 years. Carriere, who won
the 2019 Lee Oskar harmonica award, has also
played with the Soultones, Corey Stevens,
Preston Smith, and Robbie Kreiger. He joins
Salim for their first collaborative recording,
About Time (Tower High Music). This fine set of
original blues tracks,all written by Salim and
Carriere, finds the pair teaming up with bassist
Mike Hightower and drummer David Kida.
The upbeat Chicago blues “BBQ” opens the disc on
a high note, followed by the West Coast
toe-tapper “Sweet Thing,” both sung by Carriere.
Salim sings the soulful “Please Stop,” a funky,
mid-tempo blues ballad, and the acoustic
Delta-flavored “Here With You.” Carriere returns
to the mic in between those two tracks for the
smoky, after-hours blues “In Your Arms.”
“With My Friends’ is another acoustic country
blues that highlights Carriere’s sweet tone on
harmonica and Salim’s skillful slide guitar
work. “Get Along” locks into a funky groove,
also mixing blues and soul with tasty results,
and the energetic “Love On A Shelf” revisits the
Windy City blues.
The hard-driving “Sadie” picks
up the pace with a bit of a rock edge on the
guitar work before the duo closes with another
fine acoustic effort, “Make You Mine.”
About Time is an intriguing array of blues
styles, touching on Mississippi Delta, West
Coast, Chicago, and Texas varieties. With
interesting songs and superb musicianship from Salim and Carriere, as well as the tight rhythm
section, this album should find a spot in any
traditional blues fan’s collection.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chicago-based guitarist and singer
Johnny Burgin
took the title to his latest release, Ramblin’
From Coast To Coast (Straight Shooter Records)
quite literally, recording it in Memphis,
Dallas, Rochester, and Cincinnati, before taking
the finished product to Greaseland Studios where
it was mixed and mastered by Kid Andersen. With
all the rambling involved, Burgin enlisted a
host of musicians to lend a hand, 18 in
all, but the various locations prove to be a
seamless fit across the album.
Five tracks were recorded in Memphis,
with the backing musicians including
drummer Danny Banks, keyboardist Christian Dozzler, organist Barry Seelen, bassist Jon Hay,
guitarist Jad Tariq, and vocalists John Blues
Boyd, Rae Gordon, Lisa Leuschner Andersen,
Marina Crouse, and Jill Dineen.
The first three tracks are from the Memphis
sessions --- the brisk-paced title track, the funky
soulful blues, “Gettin’ My Blues On,” and the gritty Byther Smith-influenced shuffle, “I Need
Something Sweet.” On the remaining two Memphis
tracks, Boyd takes the mic with Burgin playing
harp on “I’m Playing Straight” and Gordon singing
lead on “Older and Wiser.”
The Dallas sessions produced three tracks, with
musicians Dozzler and Matteos returning, along
with Mike Morgan or Chris Matheos (bass), Dylan
Bishop (guitar), and Reo Casey (drums). These
tracks include Billy Flynn’s “Silently
Suffering,” a splendid slow burner with great
solo action from Dozzler and Burgin, the ribald
“Stepladder Blues,” which is reminiscent of Yank
Rachell, and the piano-driven shuffle “Vacation
From The Blues,” written by Eddie Boyd.
The musicians contributing to the Rochester
session were Matheos, Hanna PK (piano), and
David Plouffe (drums). Two songs appear from
those sessions, the traditional “Fresno Woman,”
with Burgin playing slide guitar, and the album
closer, “Never Tried To Get Ahead,” a wonderful
slow blues paying tribute to Little Smokey
Smothers.
The
Cincinnati sessions produced two track, featuring Burgin with Ben Levin (piano) and
Shorty Starr (drums). The appropriately entitled
“Cincinnati Boogie” is a rollicking stomper with
Burgin and Levin both taking a moment in the
instrumental spotlight with dazzling solos, and
“I Was Right The First Time” is a greasy, gritty
traditional blues.
Ramblin’ From Coast To Coast is a wonderful and
exciting set of traditional blues that would
have been a perfect fit on the blues scene of
the ’50s and ’60s. Blues fans are always
guaranteed a supremely fine set of blues with
every Johnny Burgin release, and his latest is no
exception.
--- Graham Clarke
 Singer/songwriter
Karen Lawrence is a master of
both crafts, with one of the strongest voices in
the blues/rock arena and a knack for songwriting
that has caught the attention of artists like
Jeff Beck, Barbra Streisand, and Joe Bonamassa.
She’s done rock, pop, and new wave over her
career, but has kept one foot in the blues since
the ’90s, fronting her band, Blue By Nature, for
four albums. Her latest release, The Blues Is
Back, is her first since 2018 and is a fine
showcase of her talents.
“Made To Move” opens the disc, a
rip-roaring blues rocker featuring the fiery
guitar work of Tony Saracene. The slow-burning
“Easy” slows things down, with Lawrence really
pouring her heart into the vocal, “True Love,”
co-written by Lawrence with her Blue By Nature
collaborator Fred Hosteller, is a little bit
country and a little bit Southern rock, and “I’m
Coming Home” is a jaunty blues shuffle with
scorching slide guitar from Celso Salim.
“Die Blue” is a tasty mid-tempo number. Lawrence can sing anything, no question, but to
these ears, she really stands out on these
soulful blues tracks. The title track follows,
an upbeat swinging blues with a bit of
a gospel feel, and, of course, her vocal is
first-rate. The mostly acoustic “Heaven’s
Masterpiece” is a bit of a departure with the
Spanish-flavored guitar, but Lawrence turns in a
powerful vocal performance.
“Takeaway” has a smooth soul/R&B feel.
with nice
keyboards from Max Butler, maybe on the Motown
side of the street, and “Way Way Down” is a
sultry, somewhat menacing slow blues with a
steamy vocal from Lawrence. The raucous boogie
track “Hold Onto Me” concludes the album on a
positive note.
The Blues Is Back showcases the very talented
singer and songwriter Karen Lawrence in the very
best way with a strong set of songs and
performances. Hopefully, this one will get her
some much-deserved attention.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chris “Bad News” Barnes recently signed with Gulf
Coast Records. The veteran comedy
writer/performer (Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live,
Curb Your Enthusiasm) has also enjoyed an
impressive musical career as a
singer/songwriter, having released five albums,
including his most recent, Bad News Travels Fast.
The new album features
11 tunes written by
Barnes, Tom Hambridge, who also produced the
album and played drums, and Richard Fleming.
Musicians include Kenny Greenburg (guitars),
Tommy McDonald (bass), Mike Rojas (keys), Max
Abrams (sax), Steve Patrick (trumpet), and
Tabitha Fair (background vocals), with guests
Jimmy Hall, Sugaray Rayford, and Walter Trout.
The title track opens the disc, an energetic
blues rocker, with scorching harmonica from Hall
punctuating Barnes’ lyrics. Trout guests on
guitar for the splendid slow burner, “True
Blues,” with Ms. Fair’s backing vocals making an
impact on this track as well. Rayford joins
Barnes on good-natured vocals for the
lighthearted country blues “You Right Baby,”
before Hall rejoins the proceedings on harp for
the powerful slow blues “A Bluesman Can’t Cry.”
“The Juice Ain’t Worth the Squeeze” is an
engaging swinger that will get toes to tapping,
and “BluesBaller” is a raucous rock n’ roller
showcasing Abrams, Greenburg, and Rojas on sax,
guitar, and piano, respectively. “His Majesty
The Baby” mixes rock, funk, and blues with tasty
slide guitar from Greenburg, and “Skin To Skin”
is a gritty mid-tempo blues.
“Ambushed By The Blues” is a somber blues with a
western feel thanks to Greenburg’s twangy guitar
work, while “Do The Houdini” and “Mushrooms Make
Me A Fun Guy” close the album on a funky and
humorous note, leaving a smile on the most grimful
of faces.
If you’re familiar with Chris “Bad News” Barnes,
you already know that Bad News Travels Fast is a
lot of fun to listen to, with clever
songwriting, gritty vocals, and superb
musicianship. If you’re not familiar, this is a
great place to get on board.
--- Graham Clarke
 New Orleans-based singer/songwriter
Lynn Drury
calls her style of music NOLAmericana, and
that’s a pretty apt description. It’s a blend of
country, soul, and rock n’ roll, with a bit of
Crescent City flavoring.
Her latest release, High Tide, is a dreamy set of
10 original tunes, produced by Papa Mali, who
has previously produced albums by Ruthie
Foster, Lavelle White, and Omar & the Howlers.
The backing band is comprised off a host of New Orleans'
finest musicians --- Doug Belote (drums), Rene
Coman (bass), and Mali (guitars), with guests
Roddie Romero (vocals/slide guitar), Yvette
Landry (vocals), Andriu Yanovski (piano/B3),
Rurik Nunan (violin), Jason Mingledorff (tenor
sax), and Satoru Ohashi (trumpet).
The upbeat “Blue” opens the disc, highlighted by
Mali’s shimmering guitar work and an
easy-rocking rhythm. The slow burning “Fade” has
a rock edge, and the poignant title track is
subtly powerful. The pop-flavored “Don’t Wait”
is a highlight with a distinctive chorus, and
the old school soul track “I Waited Too Long”
tells of Drury’s overcoming doubt and gaining
confidence to pursue her muse.
The simmering “Love Bomb” has a marvelous
country/rock feel, “Lay Down My Weapons” is a
gentle country soul burner, and “Great Divide”
is a tough blues rocker with slide guitar
contributions from Romero (lead) and Mali
(rhythm).
The exuberant “Live My Life” finds
Drury ready to get out of the house and “feel
the sun shining down on my skin,” a tune many of
us can relate to having endured a shutdown of
pretty much every thing a couple of years ago.
The wistful “Waiting Game” bids farewell to a
disappointing relationship that ended just
before the recording of the album, and the
somber “When It All Comes Down” concludes this
compelling album.
High Tide is a gentle, soothing mix of country,
soul, and blues with a hearty shake of Louisiana
giving the music an extra punch. It’s a disc
you’ll find yourself replaying often.
--- Graham Clarke
 If
you’re a longtime fan of Tas Cru, the
relentlessly entertaining blues man, or if
you’re a relative newcomer to his music, you
will surely want to get your hands on his latest
release. All Natural Cage-Free and Fan Fed:
Live (Sub Cat Records) is a rollicking set
of Cru’s top ten, fan-selected songs recorded
with his road band at Subcat Music Studios in
Syracuse, serving as a fine introduction to
newcomers and a career retrospective to loyal
fans.
Cru
handles vocals and guitar, backed by Tom Terry
(bass/vocals), Phil Diiorio (drums/vocals),
Scott Ebner (keys/vocals), and Mary Ann (Mia)
Casale (vocals).
The
ten tunes are taken at a brisk, energetic pace,
beginning with “’Dat Maybe” from the
Simmered & Stewed album, which gets the set
started in fine fashion. The next two songs come
from Cru’s most recent album, 2023’s Riffin’
The Blue, the gospel-flavored foot stomper
“Stand Up!” and the lively “Brown Liquor Woman,”
driven by Ebner on the keys.
The
upbeat “Have A Drink,” from 2018’s Memphis
Song, finds Casale on lead vocals, and the
rollicking, countrified “Take Me Back To Tulsa”
is from You Keep The Money from 2014. One
of my favorite Tas Cru tracks, “Grizzle n’ Bone”
(from the 2009 album of the same title and later
Simmered & Stewed), follows, and I found
myself singing the chorus like I did back in
’09.
“One
Eyed Jack” is a funky little blues toe tapper
taken from Memphis Song, and the funky
vibe continues with title track and “Drunk Half
The Time” from You Keep The Money. The
album wraps with the rousing "Heal My Soul,"
another venture into gospel territory with a
stirring vocal from Cru, along with vocal
support from Casale and the rest of the band.
This
is one performance that I would have loved to
have witnessed first-hand. It’s loaded with
energy and passion, like all of Tas Cru’s music,
but he and the band really up the ante on this
wonderful set. If you happen to catch Cru in
action, you can pick up a physical copy of this
album (CD or vinyl). It will be available
officially on September 27, 2024. Buy it! You
can thank me later.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Reverend Shawn Amos’ latest release,
Soul Brother No. 1 (Immediate Family
Records), finds him moving in more of a soul and
funk direction. Amos co-wrote nine of the ten
tracks, and they’re quite different from his
earlier songs, as are his vocals, focusing on
the struggles of being a black man in modern
times, delivered with a 70’s-era feel that would
have been a keen fit on a Sly Stone or P-Funk
release back in the day and, in some cases, the
Staples Singers.
The
opening track, “Revelation,” is a gritty blues
rocker with rumbling guitar work from Chris
“Doctor” Roberts and declarative vocals from
Amos stating he won’t stand on the outside
anymore. “Stone Cold Love” sounds more like
later rock and soul via Lenny Kravitz, but Amos’
harp adds a blues feel to the tune, and the
moving “What It Is To Be Black” effortlessly
mixes funk with gospel, adding harmony vocals
from The W. Crimm Singers.
The
McCrary Sisters guest on the gospel-soul “Back
To The Beginning,” and their collaboration with
Amos is guaranteed to raise goose bumps. The
optimistic “It’s All Going To Change (For The
Better)” would have been a snug fit on one of
those classic Sly & the Family Stone albums,
thanks to Dapo Torimiro’s dazzling keyboards,
while the irresistible title track should serve
as a modern day funk anthem.
The
soulful blues rocker “Circles” addresses the
loneliness that takes place after a relationship
ends, and the guitar-driven “Hammer” is
psychedelic funk-rock. The album’s lone cover is
Sly Stone’s “Don’t Call me Nigger, Whitey,” but
Amos restructures it slightly to craft a moody
blues duet with Denise Carite.
The
Family Stone-influenced album closer, “Things
Will Be Fine,” leaves listeners with a hope for
better days as the McCrarys, Carite, Torimiro,
and bassist Jerry “Wyzard” Seay assist Amos on
vocals.
The
contributing musicians certainly deserve a
shout-out on Soul Brother No. 1, and they
include Seay, Torimiro, Roberts, drummers Steve
Ferrone and Brady Blade, percussionist Leon
Mobley, guitarist James Saez, saxophonist Scott
Mayo, and trumpeter Javier Gonzalez.
Soul Brother No. 1 leans more toward soul,
funk, and gospel than the blues, but blues fans
will find a lot to enjoy in The Reverend Shawn
Amos’ music and his message.
--- Graham Clarke
 Another Moment In Time (Memphis Blues
Records) is the 11th release from Lightnin’
Rod & the Thunderbolts, the band’s first
since 2020 although they’ve released a couple of
singles. Lightnin’ Rod (Wilson) wrote all ten
songs for the album, a solid set of blues,
roots, and rock. Wilson handles vocals and
guitar while backed by drummers Keith Green or
Kevin Stiles, bassist Jesse Barton or Mike
Estepp, keyboardists William (Mr. Bill) Lenk or
John Pinero, and harmony vocalist Tiffany Wilson
Hutton.
“Never Should Have Went To Mexico” opens the
disc, a harrowing tale of crossing the border
played with a Latin flair. The somber ballad
“Hole In My Heart” follows, featuring some crisp
fretwork from Wilson, and the mid-tempo
“Ordinary Day” picks up the pace a bit. “The
Lady Has The Blues” leans toward an R&B groove,
and the title track is a ballad that includes
guitar in more of a rock vein with a pop
background underscoring Wilson’s warm vocals.
“3:30 In The Morning” is a reflective blues
driven by guitar and piano as Wilson reviews his
problems while trying to get a good night’s
rest. The desperate “But The Pain” is dedicated
to those suffering from chronic pain, both
physical and emotional.
“Bird In My Window” is an acoustic blues, and
I'm not sure who plays harmonica but it’s a nice
touch. “Pathway To Your Love” is a strong ballad
with fine guitar and piano work, and the closer,
“Just Ran Out Of Love,” also features some
excellent guitar work from Wilson.
Wilson has a versatile guitar attack, a snug fit
in blues, rock, and even jazz, while his vocals
are very good as are his original songs. The
band provides marvelous backing. Another
Moment In Time is another rock-solid set
from Lightnin’ Rod & the Thunderbolts.
--- Graham Clarke
 This
seems to be the year for live albums, with the
latest coming Costa Rica native Jose Ramirez.
The first nine tracks of Bad Hombre (Blue
Crawfish Records), were recorded in front of a
very enthusiastic audience in Sarasota, Florida.
The album wraps with a pair of unreleased bonus
tracks produced by Anson Funderburgh.
Ramirez's band for the Sarasota gig included
Alberto Chotocruz (bass), Keith Sonnier (drums),
and the outstanding Martin Amenabar (keys), the
latter from Argentina and showing that he's a
name to remember in the international blues
scene. The studio cuts featured Jim Pugh (keys),
Wes Starr (drums), and Nate Rowe (bass), with
horn players Kaz Kazanoff, John Mills, and Al
Gomez showing up on one of the numbers.
The
live show opens with a smokin' version of Albert
King's "The Hunter," an up-tempo shuffle that
gives Amenabar his first opportunity to make his
mark. Ramirez follows with his own "Three
Years," a slow blues getting a big response from
the audience. Ramirez stretches this one out to
more than nine minutes of intense blues, more
than twice the length of the version from his
2020 release, Here I Come. From that same
album comes "One Woman Man," a mid-tempo blues
with another scintillating organ solo from Amenabar.
"Sweet Sixteen" is a cover of B.B. King's slow
blues classic, with Ramirez laying down all of
the appropriate B.B. guitar licks. Another B.B.
cover is "Help The Poor," a slow blues
that allows Ramirez to pack plenty of emotion into
his vocals and for Amenabar to treat us to
another delightful organ solo. Between those two
numbers is a Ramirez original, "Here In The
Delta," a number that was on his 2022
release, Major League Blues, stretched
out to provide plenty
of room for some intricate guitar licks.
"Stop Teasing Me" was one of my favorite cuts
from Here I Come, an up-tempo shuffle
made even better this time with Amenabar on-board. "As You Can See"
is still another Ramirez
original from Here I Come that he stretches out
to a more than 11-minute jazzy, slow blues that
doesn't get boring despite its length.
The final
live number is Lucky Peterson's "I Lost The
Right," which sounds like it was influenced by B.B. King, an up-tempo blues in which the
audience gives Ramirez and band a warm reception
The
first of the studio recordings, the Ray Charles
classic "Drown In My Own Tears," is a slow blues
with the horns added to the mix and Ramirez
tearing it up on guitar throughout. The final
cut, "Gotta Let You Go," is a different version
from what appeared on Major League Blues,
with Ramirez packing lots of emotion into his
pleading vocals.
Bad Hombre makes the third straight
excellent album from Ramirez, with the extra
length of the live songs giving him and the band
the chance to strength out and really flex their
musical muscles. Even if you have the previous
studio versions of the live numbers
here, you'll enjoy the energy and enthusiasm of
the aiudience, with impeccable sound
quality on the recording.
--- Bill Mitchell
 I've
been around the Arizona blues scene for over 30
years and thought that I knew about every decent
blues musician around the area. So when my
friend Mike told me about his friend Mike who
had an album, I was skeptical of how good it
could really be. Then I received my copy of
Blues Is My Business (self-released) by
Bluesman Mike & The Blues Review Band. My
immediate reaction was, 'Wow, who are these cats
and why aren't they better known in their home
area?'
Blues Is My Business is a very strong album
for an independent release, featuring Bluesman
Mike's rich, charcoal voice and a strong, tight
backing band. This album was a year and a half
in the making, with 15 strong examples of solid
blues. Mike handles the vocals on every cut,
with Chris Sabbarese on lead guitar, Paul Darrow
on keybaords, Tim Robinson on drums, and Bryan
Kuban on bass, with other musicians filling in
at various spots.
Opening the disc is an up-tempo jazzy blues
shuffle, "Pack Up My Bags," showing off Mike's
very fine vocals and strong piano work from
Darrow. The latter is also the highlight of the
mid-tempo funky blues "Nothin' Like You Used To
Do," and Mike's voice is a bit more expressive
here.
"24/7" is another funky number that brings in
Shawn Behanna on saxophone, leading into what
may be the best cut here, the very slow blues
"You Shook Me," with eerie harmonica from John
Dubec and strong guitar fills from Sabbarese
inserted between each break. Tasty piano from
Darrow also pushes this tune up a notch.
"I
Feel The Blues Comin' On" starts with simple
instrumentation, just Sabbarese's subtle guitar
and Mike's voice before Darrow comes in on
piano. Eventually the rest of the band joins
on a song that wouldn't be out of place on a Bob
Dylan set list.
I
wasn't prepared to hear such a strong version of
Irma Thomas' "I Cant Stand The Rain," but the
added vocals of Jijjy Von takes this one to a
new level. Ms. Von returns to share vocals with
Mike on the rockin' blues tune "Blues Is My
Business," featuring a very good organ solo from
Darrow and sterling guitar work from Sabbarese.
The two singers pump out more energy and volume
as the song progresses, Hearing Jijjy Von on
these two cuts sent me to the internet to find
out more about her, and now I'd like to hear a
full album from her.
Mike
gets funky on the Johnny "Guitar" Watson cover,
'Real Mother For Ya," with Darrow laying down
the appropriate keyboard foundation, and then he
puts more power into his voice on the jazzy
blues "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water."
Closing the album is a jazzy, rockin' version of
Freddie King's "Going Down," with Darrow kicking
it off with great piano before Sabbarese lays
down solid guitar licks. Darrow turns it up
again midway through the song with a blazing
piano solo leading into killer guitar from
Sabbarese.
There's more here, and while this album might be
a bit hard to find, Blues Is My Business
is worth the search. I look forward to hearing
more from Bluesman Mike & The Blues Review Band.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Markey
Blue - Ric Latina Project was a familiar
name from reading reviews of previous albums,
but it wasn't until I received a copy of their
2022 release, Jumpin' The BroomI, that I
hopped on the bandwagon of this fine ensemble.
Since then, I've played that album repeatedly,
loving the vocals of Ms. Markey and the very
strong guitar of Latina.
After receiving their latest, Blue Eyed Soul
(soulOsound), I was hearing a softer, more
restrained sound this time around, and was
thinking that I was going to miss Markey's 'in
your face' sass of the previous album. But after
giving Blue Eyed Soul a complete listen,
the dozen cuts all grew on me and I could see
where they are going with this set. It's just
another side of Markey Blue's repertoire, and I
like it.
Blue Eyed Soul opens with a slow, soulful
blues, "Crazy Without You," that shows just how
pretty a voice Markey possesses. While she still
provides power behind her vocals, she can also
take a pleasant love song like this and gently
stroke it, while Latina inserts subtle, tasteful
guitar parts to complement the vocals. "Raining
Down On Me" gets a little funky, with pleasing
vocals from Markey as the tempo increases later
in the song.
With
the funky "Baby I'm Crying," I'm hearing more
power in Markey's voice, especially as the song
progresses. Latina jumps in with a nice solo
midway through the tune. Not showing off a lot
of guitar effects, but just a nice solo to go
with the vocals. Markey puts more power into her
voice on "Set My Heart Free," with Latina's
guitar matching that increase in energy. Jim
Williamson inserts nice horn work on both
trumpet and flugelhorn.
"When I Close My Eyes" is one of my favorite
cuts, a slow blues that has Latina deftly
wrapping his guitar parts around Markey's
emotional vocals. It's among his best work on
the album. The guitar pairs with Williamson's
horn sounds on the mid-tempo blues "Can't Let
You Go," with more sass coming from Markey's
voice here. Markey hits us in the face with her
vocals on the up-tempo "Come On," complemented
by Latina's guitar and the horn section of Miqui
Gutierrez (sax) and Scot Ducaj (trumpet).
Markey opens "With You" with more slow, soulful
vocals, more like a torch singer in a late night
club, beore getting more energy into her voice
later, showing her versatility as a singer. This
is one of the songs that grows on me the more I
hear it, thanks mostly to Markey's vocals but
also the guitar work of Latina and the
consistently strong horn sounds of Gonzalez and
Williamson.
Wrapping up this latest gem from Markey Blue and
Ric Latina is the slow, jazzy late-night blues
"What Am I Gonna Do." Markey puts the listeners
into a dreamy state, getting more power into her
voice as the song progresses, with Latina laying
down exquisitely tasteful guitar licks.
Blue Eyed Soul is another worthy addition to
the Markey Blue - Ric Latina Project catalog. If
at first you're not sure about it, keep
listening. It's worth the effort.
--- Bill Mitchell
 I've
been eagerly looking forward to a new release
from outstanding Chicago-based soul singer
Gerald McClendon after the strength of his
first two albums on Delta Roots Records,
Can't Nobody Stop Me Now (2020) and Let's
Have A Party! (2021). We now have another
fine set of soulful blues, Down At the Juke
Joint, a dozen songs from one of the most
soulful voices on the scene today.
Up
first is a mid-tempo bluesy soul, "Back Where
You Belong," looking for that woman who didn't
leave him a card or a letter, imploring her to
come back home. Plenty of emotion packed into
McClendon's vocals, with a nice sax solo echoing
the pain in his voice. The same feeling of
sadness comes out on the slow soul chestnut,
"It's Too Late, She's Gone," before the tempo
and his level of happiness picks up on "Down At
The Juke Joint," as he describes the scene of
their future rendezvous point.
The
best cut here is the slow, mournful blues,
"House Ain't A Home," describing his feelings
after his woman has left home, with strong
guitar work throughout. Many of McClendon's
songs are about someone leaving, and on "So
Long" he's the one saying goodbye to his baby.
The tempo increases on "Talkin' Smack," a funky
tune that gets a little echo in McClendon's
vocals.
"Only Time Will Tell" is a slow soulful love
song, with a baritone sax solo giving just a
little more oomph. It's back to woman problems
on the funky, bluesy "She's Tryin' To Drive Me
Crazy," with McClendon suspicious of that lady's
motives, and we get another fine sax solo midway
through the song. Piano accompaniment dominates
the instrumental landscape on the slow, soulful
blues, "Cryin' Time Again," as McClendon wonders
how he's going to hold on.
Just
when you wonder if the man can ever be happy,
McClendon comes along with the feelgood soul
tune "You Make Me Happy," with soaring sax
accompaniment. That same unidentified horn
player provides the intro to the slow, anthemic
soul tune "I'll Be In Your Corner," as he sings
his promises of eternal love and support to that
special woman. McClendon is giving it one last
plea to that woman on the album closer, "You're
So Fine," with keyboards framing his pleading
vocals. This positive look at what may come true
for him is a fine ending to this album.
I
love the vocals of Gerald McClendon. He's one of
the best soul singers around. I just have one
wish for a future album. In my
review of Let's Have A Party!, I
wrote "More
variety in the tempo and energy level
throughout Let's
Have A Party! would
have made it a more complete product for me."
I feel the same way about this album. I love
each of the individual songs, but I just want to
hear him occasionally summon his inner James
Brown and tear it up. Wondering whether that's
part of what he has done, I dug deep and found a
2005 album,
Sleeping While The River Runs,
and it's got some of the extra tempo and energy
that's missing on his last two releases.
That doesn't mean
Down At The Juke Joint
isn't a great collection of tunes, but I wish
for just a little more icing on the cake.
--- Bill Mitchell
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