For any blues fan who
longs for the days of those great Excello swamp
blues recordings, Gulf Coast R&B, and the old-school
Mississippi Delta blues, please take comfort in the
knowledge that The Fremonts are here to make
things right for us. The San Diego-based group
(Mighty Joe Milsap – vocals/percussion, Alan West –
drums/percussion, Patrick Skog – guitar/bass, Kurt
Kalker – percussion/drums, Troy Sandow –
harmonica/bass, Tony Tomlinson –
guitars/bass/percussion) offer succor to the needy
with Alligator (Truax Records), their third
release of genuine traditional blues and roots
music.
A delicious mix of
swamp blues favorites (including Charles Sheffield’s
“It’s Your Voodoo Working,” Silas Hogan’s “Everybody
Needs Somebody,” Lonesome Sundown’s “It’s Easy When
You Know How”), vintage Delta classics (Frank
Frost’s “Jelly Roll King” and “My Back Scratcher”),
and even a few New Orleans and Memphis gems (Fats
Domino’s “My Girl Josephine” and “I’m Ready,” and
Rufus Thomas’ “Can’t Ever Let You Go”), The Fremonts
put their own special brand of magic on each of
these, giving them a vintage reworking. They even do
a marvelous retake on R.L. Burnside’s “Going Down
South” and the Bill Withers ’70s hit, “Who Is He And
What Is He To You.”
The Fremonts’
original songs on Alligator include “Swinging Ten
Pounds,” “Have Some Faith,” and the instrumental
“Blues Hungover,” a revisiting of the Slim Harpo
tune “Blues Hangover.” The band sounds fabulous and
in Mighty Joe Milsap, they have the perfect voice to
go with their music. Everything here is just pitch
perfect. Several guest artists chip in to make a
great disc even greater. Bob Corritore contributes
harmonica on a couple of tracks and former IBC
winner Ben Hernandez also chips in on harp on one
track.
Alligator is
one of my favorite discs of the year so far. Some
blues fans do miss those wonderful old blues
recordings, usually recorded live in the studio and
mixed in mono. The Fremonts recorded this album the
same way and capture that sound perfectly. If you
haven’t experienced the music of The Fremonts, this
is an excellent place to get started and will be a
treat for fans of that classic swamp blues sound of
days gone by.
---
Graham Clarke
It’s been a while
since we’ve heard anything from Eddie Turner
on the recording front. The former Otis Taylor Band
guitarist unleashed three amazing discs (Rise,
The Turner Diaries, and Miracles & Demons)
on an unsuspecting public over the last half of the
last decade, then fell silent…..at least in the
studio. He’s continued his mesmerizing live shows in
the interim, dazzling audiences with his music that
blends the blues with funk, rock, R&B and even
psychedelia, along with his guitar work that proves
the musical path between Robert Johnson and Jimi
Hendrix is of short duration.
For further proof,
listeners are directed to Turner’s latest and
much-anticipated release, Naked….In Your Face
(7-14 Productions), a steamy and intense live date
recorded in August of 2015 at The Blues Can in
Alberta, which teamed the guitarist with
bassist/vocalist Anna Lisa Hughes and
drummer/vocalist Kelly Kruse, here dubbed Trouble
Twins. The 75-minute set consists of nine songs that
showcase Turner’s guitar and the Trouble Twins’
uncanny knack with a groove.
Six of the tunes are
Turner originals from his previous releases,
“Secret” and the title track from Rise,
“Jody,” “So Many Roads,” and “Dangerous” from The
Turner Diaries, and “Blues Fall Down Like Rain”
from Miracles & Demons. These songs are
transformed from their original incarnations into
pulsing, hypnotic groove-driven tunes with Turner
unleashing on guitar throughout. All of the songs
are extended from their original form and given
ample time to unfold and develop into something new
and compelling, even occasionally riveting. In other
words, those who are inclined to look at their watch
during an extended live version of a song will not
be inclined to do so here.
Hughes penned one
song, the bluesy ballad “Mistreated,” and her deep
sultry vocals are a plus. She also takes the mic for
Nick Gravenites’ “Buried Alive In The Blues” and the
rock classic “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” She
also accompanies Turner on vocals on several songs
and they sound great together.
Of course, the real
star of Naked….In Your Face is Eddie Turner’s
guitar work, which bridges the gap between blues,
funk, and rock about as well as it can be done. The
Trouble Twins give him a nice, fat and funky
backdrop to work with and the result is
must-listening for fans of modern blues. This is one
of those live shows that you’ll hate you missed in
person.
---
Graham Clarke
Omar Coleman
says that he likes his blues mixed with a shot of
funk and soul. Apparently, a lot of blues fans like
it, too, because Coleman’s Delmark Records debut,
Born & Raised, was one of the big releases of
2015, finishing #15 in Living Blues Top Radio Albums
of the Year, despite a mid-June release. Coleman and
Delmark wasted no time in releasing the singer/harp
master’s follow-up for the label, Live.,
which was taken from three late summer of 2015
performances at the legendary Rosa’s Lounge.
Backed by his stellar
band (Pete Galanis – guitar, Neal O’Hara –
keyboards, Dave Forte and Ari Seder – bass, and
Marty Binder – drums), Coleman rolls these songs
like a man on a mission. He pays tribute to one of
his musical influences, Junior Wells, with an
appropriately funky reading of “Snatch it Back and
Hold It” (which segues into the Johnnie Taylor
classic, “Wall To Wall”) and a foot-stomping cover
of “Two Headed Woman.” Taylor is revisited on
another medley later in the set, with “Jody’s Got
Your Girl and Gone” emerging at the end of the
Coleman original, “Sit Down Baby.”
As you might have
surmised, the funk is strong with this release.
Coleman’s previous release's title track, “Slow Down Baby” and “Lucky
Man,” another original, are standouts. He also
covers Rufus Thomas’ “Give Me the Green Light” with
similar results. Coleman also turns in a rocking
“Slow Down Baby,” “Raspberry Wine,” which has a
jazzy feel, thanks in part to O’Hara’s work on the
keyboards, a smooth soul ballad in “One Request.,”
and traditional Chicago blues fans will dig his
cover of the Willie Dixon standard, “I’m Ready.”
So far, the last year
has been a successful one for Omar Coleman, with two
excellent Delmark releases and an appearance at this
year’s Chicago Blues Festival, with many others to
follow. Live. shows the 43-year old to be a
strong and confident singer, songwriter, and
harmonica player, and the best thing is that he’s
just getting started.
---
Graham Clarke
For Kenny “Blues
Boss” Wayne’s new release, Jumpin’ & Boppin’
(Stony Plain Records), the keyboard wizard focuses
largely on the classic jump blues and boogie-woogie
era. He enlists several experts in the field to
assist, too --- guitarist/labelmate Duke Robillard
eats this kind of music for breakfast, so he’s a
natural choice. Longtime B.B. King bass player
Russell Jackson is also present, as well as young
guitarist Charlie Jacobson, drummer Joey DiMarco,
Sherman Doucette (harmonica), Dave Babcock (tenor
and bari sax), and Connie Sinasac (backing vocals).
Wayne produced the
disc, his tenth overall and third for Stony Plain,
and wrote 12 of the 13 songs all of which showcase
Wayne’s keyboard dexterity and his warm and soulful
vocal style. Highlights include the stop-time
“Bankrupted Blues,” one of several songs on the
album that would have fit like a glove into the
catalog of Ray Charles. Others include the jazzy
“Back To Square One” and his tasty cover of the Eddy
Arnold classic, “You Don’t Know Me,” which actually
was a part of Ray Charles’ catalog.
The pace is frenetic
on tunes like “Rock, Rock Little Girl,” “Jumpin’ &
Boppin’ With Joy,” the New Orleans-styled “I Need
Your Lovin’,” “Look Out. There’s a Train Coming,”
and “I’m Comin’ Home” (which mixes in a bit of Sly
Stone midway through), all of which make it hard for
listeners to keep their seat. There are some fine
mid-tempo tunes as well, such as “Blues Stew,” the
ominous “Blackmail Blues,” and “Ciao, Ciao Baby,”
and Wayne gets to show off his nimble fingers on a
pair of instrumentals that bookend the disc, “Blues
Boss Shuffle” and “Boogie to Gloryland.”
Wayne is in fine form
and Robillard and the band provide excellent
support, giving this disc a decidedly retro feel
with their instrumental work. They really convey the
joy and exuberance of this great era of music,
making Jumpin’ & Boppin’ a must-buy for fans
of jump blues and boogie-woogie piano.
---
Graham Clarke
Little Charlie Baty
has long dreamed of recording an album like
Skronky Tonk (EllerSoul Records), a recent organ
jazz collaboration with Lorenzo Farrell (Hammond B3)
and J. Hansen (drums), both current members of
Baty’s former band now known as Rick Estrin and the
Nightcats. The trio, billed here as Little
Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing, take listeners
on an entertaining foray through blues, jazz, swing,
and even a little Gypsy jazz for good measure.
The set list consists
of 13 instrumental tracks, mostly covers of blues,
swing and jazz, plus three Baty originals, two of
which (the title track and “Cobalt Blues”) are pure
blues. The other Baty tune, “Gerontology,” is a
fast-paced swinger. Covers include the jazz
standards “How High The Moon,” “Pennies From
Heaven,” “Flying Home,” Charlie Christian’s “Swing
To Bop,” Erroll Garner’s “Misty,” and Django
Reingardt’s “Nuages.” The trio also covers “Django,”
John Lewis’ tribute to the hugely influential
guitarist.
Baty’s fretwork is
clean, crisp, and concise. He really shines on these
tracks and it would be great to hear him continue to
explore this style of music. His interplay with
Farrell’s silky smooth accompaniment and Hansen’s
rock-steady time-keeping is absolutely seamless.
Skronky Tonk is a must-have for anyone who digs
blues guitar on the jazzy side.
---
Graham Clarke
The Mark May Band’s
newest release, their sixth overall, is
appropriately entitled Blues Heaven (Connor
Ray Music). May, a former singer/guitarist in Dickey
Betts and Great Southern, plays a high-energy style
that combines traditional blues with Southern rock
and Gulf Coast R&B. May and band (Dave Absalom –
guitars/vocals, Tim Keefe – bass, Gary Jorgenson –
drums) are joined by the Soul Satyr Horns (Ted
Basinger – trombone, John Bonham – trumpet, Joe
Reasoner – saxophone), plus a host of guest
musicians on several of the album’s 13 tracks.
May knows how to
write an entertaining tune. “Boom Boom,” the opener
that compliments, ummm, certain attributes of a
particular lady, has a churning Texas beat with some
stinging Albert Collins-like lead. May also ventures
toward the Windy City for a couple of tunes,
“Money,” a fine midtempo burner that benefits
greatly from the presence of the Satyr Horns, and
“Put Down That Poison,” likely the most upbeat,
dancable lament to substances of abuse that you’ll
hear, has an almost Crescent City quality. The city
of Memphis also gets a nod with the optimistic and
soulful “Garden of Truth,” and May really outdoes
himself on the reflective title track, a slow burner
that features Eric Demmer (formerly with Gatemouth
Brown) on saxophone.
“She’s A Keeper” is a
neat little old school swamp rocker (with slide
guitar from Kentucky Headhunter Greg Martin), and
“Leaving Houston” is a Texas-styled shuffle. I
really like the Southern rock vibe from “Gulf Coast
Woman” and “Almost Like a Suicide.” “I’m Her Fool”
features some razor sharp slide guitar from May and
mixes blues and rock very well. “Boomerang” is a
funky R&B track with some nice rhythm work and the
horns really punch things up as well. “All I Ever
Do” funks things up as well, with guest guitarist
Hadden Sayers playing lead, and rhythm guitarist
Absalom takes the mic for the R&B rocker “Kind of
Girl.”
Strong songs and
performances make Blues Heaven a riveting
listen from beginning to end. Blues fans, especially
blues-rock fans, will want to check out this
release.
---
Graham Clarke
Jane Lee Hooker
is a five-man, um…make that five-WOMAN ensemble that
play gritty, swaggering, relentless blues rock. All
five members – Dana “Danger” Athens (vocals),
Melissa “Cool Whip” Houston (drums), Tracy “High
Top” (guitar), Tina “T-Bone” Gorin (guitar), and
“Hail Mary” Zadroga (bass) have chops to die for and
paid their dues for years before their 2013
consolidation. Together, they pack quite a wallop,
as evidenced by their recently released debut, No
B. (Ruf Records).
No B. consists
of 11 hard charging tracks, ten covers and one
original. The cover tunes will be familiar to many
blues fans, but probably not in the form presented
by JLH, who keeps true to the original spirit on
each of them, but also adds their own distinctive
bent to tunes like the tradtional “Wade In the
Water” and “Didn’t It Rain,” Memphis Minnie’s
“Bumble Bee,” Albert King’s “The Hunter,” and Ray
Charles’ “I Believe To My Soul.”
The band also pays
homage to Muddy Waters with a pair of his classics.
“Champagne and Reefer” and “Mannish Boy,” one of the
album’s standout tracks. Another is an energetic
reading of Johnny Winter’s “Mean Town Blues.” There
are also covers of songs from Otis Redding (“Free
Me”) and Willie Dixon (“Shake For Me”). The group’s
only original tune, “In The Valley,” falls easily in
place with the other tunes, blazing blues rock.
Athens is a strong
vocalist and the twin-powered guitar attack is equal
to the task, as is the hard-working rhythm section.
No B. is a energetic and aggressive set of
blues rock that will please fans of that particular
genre. Blues fans will be hearing more from these
ladies in the future.
---
Graham Clarke
Tasha Taylor
is the daughter of soul legend Johnnie Taylor and
Honey For The Biscuit (Ruf Records) is her third
album. The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
gracefully balances the cool, retro sounds of Stax-era
soul music with a modern rootsy sound that’s steeped
in the blues. Taylor wrote all 13 tracks, co-writing
a couple with Tom Hambridge and Richard Flemming,
and she welcomes guest artists Keb’ Mo’, Robert
Randolph, Samantha Fish, and Tommy Castro on a few
selected tunes.
The disc gets off to
a nice start with “Feel So Good,” a funky R&B track
punctuated by a pulsating bass line and
Memphis-style horns (great work throughout the disc
from Jamelle Williams, Matthew DeMerritt, and Lemar
Buillary). “Wedding Bells” is a nice slice of
featuring a strong vocal from Taylor, and the upbeat
“Family Tree” includes guitar and vocals from Keb’
Mo’. “Weatherman” offers more funky R&B and segues
into the deep soul ballad “One and Only.” “Little
Miss Suzie,” with subtle lap steel guitar work from
Randolph, will get your motor running.
Taylor revisits R&B
and soul territory with “I Knew” and “That Man,”
which bookend her journey into countrified rock
territory with the jaunty “How Long,” co-written
with Hambridge. “Leave That Dog Alone” turns up the
funk with a vengeance and gives guest guitarist Fish
plenty of room to strut her stuff, too.
“Places I Miss” and
“Don’t Rush Off” are a fine pair of ballads, the
former leaning a bit toward jazz, and the closer,
“Same Old Thing,” takes things back to the ’60s and
’70s Hi Records, sounding a bit like a long-lost Ann
Peebles tune. Castro joins Taylor on vocals for this
great closer.
Talented as Ms.
Taylor is, it certainly doesn’t hurt to be
surrounded by a band of this caliber (Nathan Watts –
bass, John Notto – guitar, Jon Taylor – guitar, Don
Wyatt – piano/organ, Munjungo Jackson – percussion,
and Gerry Brown, Ronald Bruner, Stanley Randolph –
drums). These folks make it look a lot easier than
it really is.
I really like the
smooth blues/soul vibe coming from this album. Tasha
Taylor proves that while she may have inherited the
soulful genes of her dear old dad, she’s not content
to let that be a stopping point and is poised to
take things up to the next level, which should be
music to the ears of blues and soul fans.
---
Graham Clarke
Diana Rein,
a.k.a. “The Six-String Siren,” recently released her
second album, Long Road, a superlative
12-song set of original tunes. The Romanian-born,
California-based singer/guitarist produced the disc,
wrote all of the songs and handles all the
instrumentation, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, and
EZDrummer.
As Bill Mitchell
stated in his review of Long Road in the
June issue, Rein has an Emmylou Harris quality
to her voice. She’s capable of conveying
vulnerability or toughness in equal measure and adds
a versatility to her music, which mixes the blues
with rock, country, and a bit of soul. The
reflective title track kicks off the disc in fine
fashion, with Rein’s world-weary vocals and melodic
guitar break. “Wild One” is a tribute of sorts to
her musical inspiration, Stevie Ray Vaughan, who
gets a shout-out during the song.
The remaining ten
tracks combine several strong blues rockers (“Livin’
Loud,””Come Back Home,” the hard-charging “Green
Light,” “The Real Thing,” a sinewy funk-rocker) with
ballads (the pleading “Don’t Walk Away” and the
somber “Wicked”). The gritty “Done Me Dirty” is
another standout., and “Down Down Down” has an
acoustic opening, but soon launches into an all-out
electric rocker. Rein closes the disc with a
beautiful instrumental, “Peace,” which was composed
after the death of her beloved dog.
I was not familiar
with Ms. Rein’s music prior to listening to Long
Road, but based on this excellent sophomore
effort I’m pretty sure that blues fans will be
hearing much more from her in the future. She’s got
the tools and the talent.
---
Graham Clarke
Sammy Eubanks
has long been regarded as a mainstay of the
Northwest blues scene. He’s also a big part of the
country music scene there, and has been favorably
compared to Delbert McClinton due to his versatile
vocal style which blurs the line between blues,
soul, and country. He’s a three-time Best Male
Vocalist winner with the Washington Blues Society
and his band advanced to the IBC semi-finals in
2013.
Sugar Me
(Underworld Records) is Eubanks’ fifth release and
shows the multiple sides of his musical persona.
Blues fans will enjoy his covers of tunes previously
heard from Skeeter Brandon (“Stop That Grinnin’”),
Muddy Waters (“I Just Wanna Make Love To You”), and
Bobby Bland’s “It’s My Life Baby.”
Blues rockers will
dig his cover of Los Lobos’ “My Baby’s Gone.”
Country music fans will recognize Mark Collie’s
“Born To Love You,” but Eubanks’ interpretation will
satisfy listeners on both sides of the aisle.
Eubanks’ swinging take on David Kirk Stewart’s “No
Excuse For The Blues” falls into this category as
well. He also covers Indigenous’s “Blues All Mornin,”
giving it more of a soul reading than the original.
Eubanks’ three
originals include the sweet title track, which
showcases his guitar playing along with his singing,
the southern rock-flavored opening autobiographical
cut, “All Blues To Me,” and the rocking closer, “I’m
Gonna Leave You.” He’s backed by a solid set of
Nashville-based musicians (Darren Theriault –
producer/bass, Bob Britt and Matt Hauer – guitars,
Chris Kimmerer – drums, Scott Saunders – keyboards),
plus former SRV keyboardist Reese Wynans.
Sugar Me is a
solid set of music from Sammy Eubanks that will
satisfy fans of blues, soul, and country, while
proving that the same musical roots run through all
three genres.
---
Graham Clarke
The World Moves On
(Nerus Records) is the latest release from one of
New York’s finest, The Hitman Blues Band.
Fronted by guitarist/singer/founder Russell “Hitman”
Alexander, the band has expanded their sound of
late, adding a standout horn section on their last
release. On their sixth and latest release,
Alexander, a charismatic and versatile guitarist and
vocalist, is backed by returning members Mike Porter
(bass/backup vocals), Guy LaFontaine (drums), and
new additions Kevin Bents (keyboards), Mikey Vitale
(tenor sax), Nick Clifford (baritone sax), and
backing vocalists Joanna Alexander and Nancy
Hampton.
The set list on their
new release includes seven new original songs penned
by Alexander, Porter, and former keyboardist Kevin
Rymer (who guests on several tracks), five
reconstructed songs from a couple of the HBB’s
previous albums, and an extended rocking cover of
the blues standard “Hoochie Coochie Man.”
The new songs combine modern blues energy with
traditional blues styles and a little bit of soul
added to the mix, and include “Bad Bad Man,” an
atmospheric midtempo number with loads of swagger
and some terrific slide guitar, “Don’t You Tempt
Me,” a blues rocker, the cool and jazzy “Moving On,”
the introspective title track, the surging blues
burner “Two Trains Running,” “Jenny Goodbye,” a
solid blues swinger, and “I’m All About You,” a
smoky ballad.
The five
reconstructed tunes include four from their 2003
release, Angel in the Shadows, the slinky
boogie slidefest “That’s What it’s Like to Be a
Man,” “Two Minute Warning” and the title track, both
of which have a cool jazz feel, and “Hammer Down,” a
scorching rocker. The other revision is from the
band’s Blooztown, from 2000, “Catch-22
Blues,” which has an after-hours urban vibe.
The band gets able
assistance on selected tracks from Bernard “Pretty”
Purdie (drums), Ray Alexander (vibes), Bobby
Forrester (keys), Johnny Gale (bass), Richard Crooks
(drums), Seth Glassman (bass), and Murray Weinstock
(piano). To these ears, The World Moves On is
the strongest release from The Hitman Blues Band to
date. Their sound is becoming more versatile with
each release and they move from rocking blues to
urban blues to ballads pretty smoothly. This is a
disc that will be appreciated by fans of any or all
of the three styles.
---
Graham Clarke
Sliding Delta,
a new book from author Ed Baldwin, is a
historical novel/coming-of-age story that uses
mid-1960s Mississippi and the state’s signature
music (and some of its artists) as a backdrop for an
interesting and well-developed story. Baldwin is a
retired Air Force flight surgeon who has lived most
of his life in the south, and is the author of the
best-selling adventure series starring Major Boyd
Chailland.
The book’s
protagonist is Doug Spencer, a college
student/budding guitarist from Chicago who decides
to travel to Mississippi in the Summer of 1965 to
meet one of his musical heroes, Mississippi John
Hurt. Spencer is at a crossroads in his collegiate
career and is searching for answers about his life
and his future, hoping to find them during his
journey. Doug Spencer is a likable character, a bit
naïve to the ways of the world, but he begins to
learn quickly during his journey which takes him
through Memphis, Cleveland, and finally to Hurt’s
hometown, Avalon, where most of the story takes
place.
Down to his last few
dollars, Doug is taken in by the Kinder family who
own the local store. He works in the store during
the summer, and soon becomes familiar with many of
the sights, sounds, and attractions of Mississippi,
including fishing and picking cotton. He becomes
friends with several of the townspeople, and begins
a sweet romance with Abby Kinder. Doug also
experiences events related to happenings that took
place in Mississippi at the time, including examples
of bigotry and the KKK.
Throughout the book,
the blues serves as a background for Sliding
Delta, as many of the legendary performers of
the time make appearances in addition to Hurt. Doug
gets to meet and play with and learn from several of
them. Baldwin goes into detail with some of the
playing styles of these artists and these parts of
the book are both entertaining and informative to
blues fans. As the summer passes, Doug improves as a
guitarist and eventually, he returns to Memphis,
where he meets a few of the musical icons from the
Bluff City and even gets to form a band.
Sliding Delta
will be an enjoyable read for fans of Mississippi
and Memphis blues of the ’50s and ’60s, who will
find themselves nodding in remembrance of some of
the events that take place in the book. It’s also an
entertaining read for readers who just like a good
story. The characters are all well-developed, never
clichéd at all, and the pace of the story moves
pretty quickly. When reading Baldwin’s prose,
readers will almost feel the intense humidity of a
Mississippi summer, smell fish frying, and take in
the sights, sounds, and smells of the juke joints
where the blues is being played.
---
Graham Clarke
A towering figure on
the Romanian blues scene, singer/guitarist AG
Weinberger hails from Transylvania and not only
looms large musically, but also physically (6’6” and
255 lbs). He was the 2015 Romanian Jazz Awards
winner for Best Blues Act and Album of the Year and
was the country’s recipient of the President Medal,
which is the highest honor in Romania for Arts,
Music, and Cultural Recognition. A frequent
headliner at many of the country’s festivals, he
also has several best-selling albums to his credit,
and his new release, the live set Mighty Business
(Bigfoot Records), looks to continue his hot streak.
Recorded in 2009 at
Bucharest’s Hard Rock Café, this hard-charging,
entertaining 11-song set showcases four Weinberger
originals and seven covers of blues, jazz, and R&B
covers. The guitarist is backed by Sorin Petrilă
(rhythm guitar, vocals), Vlad Spătar (bass, vocals),
and Miklós Orbán (drums). From listening to these
tracks, all the accolades about Weinberger’s guitar
playing are well-deserved. He’s a monster on the
power chords, but is also versatile enough to tackle
tunes like Charlie Parker’s jazz standard “Billie’s
Bounce” and the Meters’ “Cissy Strut.”
Three Muddy Waters
classics get the Weinberger treatment. The opening
cut, “Baby Please Don’t Go,” really kicks things off
in energetic fashion, and “The Blues Had A Baby And
They Named It Rock ‘n Roll” gets a nice funky
reworking. The standout Waters cover, however, has
to be his slow burning reading of “Standin’ Around
Cryin,” which features some masterful slide guitar.
There are a couple of other fine slow blues numbers
included:.Sam Taylor’s “Mother Blues” and the
splendid nine-minute “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” with
Weinberger really pours his heart out both vocally
and instrumentally on both tracks.
Weinberger’s four
originals are all strong as well. “Try To Get In the
Middle of The Real” and “I Can’t Get Enough,” both
have a southern rock feel to them. The former song
leans toward the Allman Brothers mix of blues, rock,
jazz, and funk, while the latter track leans toward
the Skynyrd side of the road. “Sweet Little Number”
is an enjoyable little rocker, and the boogie-based
closer “Take Me To The Highway” ends things on a
high note.
Based on this fine
live effort, it’s easy to see why AG Weinberger is
so highly regarded in his native Romania. He’s a
powerful guitarist and vocalist and talented
tunesmith. If there’s any justice, Mighty
Business will give him the opportunity to expand
his audience in all directions.
---
Graham Clarke
The Mighty Orq
was a finalist at this year’s International Blues
Challenge’s Solo/Duo Division. The Houston-based
singer/guitarist has been active for 13 years,
performing solo and with his band in the U.S. and
Europe. He’s a two-time winner in a pair of Houston
Press Music Awards categories (Best Guitarist – 2007
& 2010, Best Blues Act – 2012 & 2015) and was also a
finalist at the 2011 IBC’s. Recently, Orq signed
with Connor Ray Music, releasing Love in a
Hurricane, his label debut and seventh release
overall.
Orq wrote 10 of the
12 tunes on the disc, which include the slide-driven
rocker, “Sweet In Between,” which kicks off the
disc, the R&B/pop-flavored “Falling Down,” the world
weary soul track “Say It With Silence,” the rootsy
title track, the sturdy blues rocker “The Possum
Song,” and the lovely ballad “Carry Me Home.”
“You’re In Love (That’s Alright)” has a bit of a
Second Line funk backdrop to it and an accordion
solo, “Big Boat” gets down and funk, and the
roadhousing boogie track “Let Me Have My Fun” should
get listeners to moving pretty quickly.
Orq covers two
classic blues tunes, putting his own unique spin on
both. Freddie King’s “Pack it Up” is as funky as
King’s original and Orq’s spirited vocal is
amplified by some nice keyboards from Barry Seelen,
while the ominous “Death Letter Blues” has only a
droning guitar and percussion backing but Orq’s
vocal carries the day. There’s also a cool and calm
instrumental, “Cannon Ball,” with Orq playing
acoustic solo.
Love in a
Hurricane is a fine, diverse, and interesting
release from Mighty Orq that deserves to be heard by
blues fans. It shows that his position in the IBC
finals this year was well-deserved.
---
Graham Clarke
When he’s not busy
dazzling audiences with his exciting mix of big band
jump blues, R&B, and jazz, Gus Spenos works
as one of Indianapolis’ top neurologists. While it’s
nice to have a second career to fall back on,
something tells me that it might be harder to get an
appointment with Dr. Spenos in the future based on
his fantastic new release, If You Were Gold Baby,
a marvelous collection of 13 tunes, mostly classic
material from years gone by with one original tune
that would have been a perfect fit back in the day.
The only original
tune on the disc is the title track, which kicks
off. the disc It’s a fairly easy-going number with
Spenos’ relaxed vocal and a nice tenor sax and
trumpet solo. The rest of the album is nearly split
evenly between instrumental and vocal covers of
classic blues and R&B tunes. The vocals include
songs from Earl Curry (“I Want Your Loving”), Jesse
Powell (“Can’t Help Myself”), Jimmy “T99” Nelson
(“Cry Hard Luck”), Jimmy Witherspoon (“Money’s
Gettin’ Cheaper”), Lee Harris (“96 Lbs”), and Todd
Rhodes (“Gin Gin Gin”), plus a duet with Charanee
Wade on Jimmy Preston’s “Rock With It, Baby.” Spenos
displays a warm, inviting vocal style that is a
perfect fit for this material.
On the instrumental
side, Spenos covers a pair of tunes from New Orleans
legend Lee Allen, the R&B standard “Walkin’ With Mr.
Lee,” “Ivy League,” plus songs from Preston (“Hot
Box”), Preston Love (“Strictly Cash”), and the rock
‘n roll anthem “Tequila.” Spenos is as talented on
tenor sax as he is behind the mic and he gets
excellent support from a rousing big band that
includes trumpet (Freddie Hendricks), alto sax
(Anthony E. Nelson, Jr. or Bruce Williams), baritone
sax (Jason Marshall), plus guitar from Brad
Williams, keyboards from Brandon McCune and Collin
DeJoseph, drums from Cecil Brooks, and percussion
from Komoyaka King.
If You Were Gold
Baby is sure to satisfy fans of the stylish big
band-era blues and R&B, and should keep Spenos out
of the office for an extended period.
---
Graham Clarke
I’ve always
considered the International Blues Challenge and the
affiliate state competitions to be a part of a
massive talent development missive on behalf of the
Blues Foundation. Every band I’ve ever been around
that’s competed in Memphis has come back a better
band because of the experience, and The Bridget
Kelly Band is no exception. I met Tim Fik and
Bridget Kelly long before I ever heard them play,
but they’ve represented themselves well the last two
IBCs by advancing to the semi-final round and their
new disc, Outta the Blues, is a very polished
disc sitting in my CD player at the moment, so let’s
give it a spin.
Bridget and the band
open with “Gonna Stay Here”, and here we find
Bridget at the end of a relationship that isn’t
working for her anymore. Her advice to her soon to
be ex, “travel on baby, I’m gonna stay here with the
Blues.” The rhythm section of Alex Klausner on drums
and Mark Armbrecht on bass are holding the back end
down and I can tell the band’s been together awhile.
Sweet, passionate tones emanate from Tim Fik’s
guitar as the band segues forward to our next cut,
“Spellbound,” and it’s easy to get caught up in the
precision of Tim’s fretwork. Whoever the object of
Bridget’s affection is, they’ve definitely caught
her attention and woven their spell upon her. That
spell is what she’s trying to escape from now. “I’ve
been numb now for so long…I no longer feel the
pain…something in your mojo, baby…that did a number
on my brain.” I’m hoping that Bridget can shake the
spell and move on with her life.
More of Tim’s
impressive fretwork provides the intro for our next
cut, “If You See My Baby,” and another love in
Bridget’s life is coming to an end. “My baby don’t
love me…he’s walking out the door…you know how the
man…he’s done this before.” Wherever Bridget’s man
appears, be advised to “keep your hands off my
sugar, Lord, he’ll be lying.” He’s good to go in his
mind but it’s clear that Bridget isn’t through with
this one yet. “Sweet River Blues” has an upbeat jump
to it and here we again find that Bridget is basking
in the aura of a love that’s going good.
“Dancing…with the Devil…I end up losing my
friends…every party…every good time…has to come to
an end…but I know…in my soul…straight to you…I have
to go…when I get those old…sweet jellyroll…sweet
river blues.”
The song tempo slows
way down as Tim picks the intro to “Baltimore Woes”
and here Bridget is singing about the lament of a
woman who tried to teach her son the right way to
live. “Oh, baby…got your Mama crying…and her tears
are falling like rain…her heart is sorry…so
sorry…yet her heart…is filled with pain….Baltimore
woes.” Mood and tempo lighten as Bridget and the
band move on to “Dancin’ With the Blues”. Here we
find that the opportunity not taken could easily be
the opportunity lost. “Flowing tears…pour like
rain…who to trust…in this world of
pain…revelation…you’re no good love…never true…never
lonely…dancing with the blues.” Love isn’t easy…it
isn’t always fair…but it is far better to make the
attempt and fail than to never try at all.
Bridget, of course,
is a hard one to teach and she learns her lesson
again in “Dangerous Man.” “My friends, they all told
me…stay away from that man…I didn’t listen…you know
how I am.” Walking on the dangerous side didn’t work
out this time for Bridget and this is one man she
definitely should have walked away from. Our next
cut is a combination track of a tune called “Up and
Gone” along with Howling Wolf’s “Smokestack
Lightning”. “Yea…you’re going to get yours…find
yourself alone…when you come back home to
Memphis…I’ll be up and gone….Ahooooooh.” “Lonely
Night in June” follows and it’s a beautiful ballad
that finds Bridget wanting to apologize for the way
she’s treated her man. “Don’t turn away…and make me
crazy…cause I know our love is strong…forgive me
baby…please sympathize…with this pain….I can’t go
on…it’s been a long…long…lonely night in June.”
Tim takes the
microphone for a track, “When the Nighttime Comes”,
and I think this is the first time I’ve ever heard
him sing. “Yea…the streets are cold…it ain’t no
fun…when the nighttime comes.” I find Tim’s vocal a
nice change of pace on the record and his fretwork
continues to impress me. A quick snare drum intro
from Alex brings Bridget back to tackle the next
track, “Hard Times in the City”. “Love is
cheap…money’s tight…ain’t no future…the ends in
sight…hard times…hard times in the city.” Bridget,
it should be known is blonde, and that serves her
well on the next track, “Someone’s Hoodooin’ Me.”
“Help me…I’m in trouble…someone is hoodooing me.”
You have to give Bridget credit though…if she steps
in it she usually will find her way out.
The band closes with
two tracks; “Double Crossed,” another tale of
betrayal…”you double crossed me baby…there ain’t no
third time,” and "Rocket to the Moon," a song that
finds Bridget wanting to travel the Universe with
the man she loves…”come on baby…there’s a party
going on…come on with me, baby…party all night all
long….straight to the blues…and rocking to…right
back where we belong.”
This hardworking band
from Gainesville, Florida has managed to put out a
very good record with Outta the Blues.
They’ve honed their chops in Florida and gone toe to
toe with the best the IBC has to offer in Memphis.
As a result, The Bridget Kelly Band is one that’s
making a lot of noise in the Southeast and building
a following one gig at a time. You can keep up with
Bridget and the band on their website,
www.bridgetkellyband.com, and grab a copy of
Outta the Blues while you’re there. This is one
disc that will help you smile even with your blues.
---
Kyle Deibler
