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 The 50th anniversary celebration of the
legendary Austin blues club Antone's continues
with Antone's 50th Presents: Chicago Bound
Honoring Muddy, Cliff & Blue (Blues Till 2
Recording Company).
During the making
of the massive box set Antone's: 50 Years of
the Blues last year, there were brand new
songs recorded as part of the box set. Some of
those tracks appeared on last year's The Last
Real Texas Blues Album (which is included in
the box set, but can also be purchased
separately). There were so many great tracks
that it was decided to release this album as a
continuation of the celebration.
These ten tracks
are just as good as the tracks on the previous
album, but focus more on the music of Muddy
Waters and Bobby “Blue” Bland, as well as paying
homage to Clifford Antone for creating this
Blues Mecca over a half century ago. Antone gets
a brief audio on the disc where he talks about
how he first encountered the blues and what the
music meant to him and the artists on this album
indirectly.
The album opens
with the Jimmy Rogers-penned title track,
performed by John Primer (vocals/guitar) and
Steve Bell (harmonica). The next track is an
irresistible cover of a Clifton Chenier number
from the mid '70s, “One Step at a Time,” with
Ivan Neville (vocals/organ) and C.C. Adcock
(vocals/guitar), backed by Keith Richards and
Ronnie Wood (guitars), Steve Riley (accordion),
Chuck Bush (bass), Robert St. Julian (drums),
Curley Taylor (rubboard), and Jimmie Vaughan on
harmonica.
Houston vocalist
Kam Franklin teams with Rodd Bland & the
Dreamers (Bland – drums, Zach Ernst and Brad
Stivers – guitars, Scott Bomar – bass, Archie
“Hubbie” Turner – organ, and Bobby Bland's own
horn section of Marc Franklin – trumpet/horn
arrangements, Alex Schuetrumpf – trumpet, Art
Edmaiston and Tom Link – saxophones. Ms.
Franklin delivers a saucy read of Bland's
father's classic “I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (The
Way You Treated Me).”
Doyle Bramhall II
(vocals, guitar, bass, drums) delivers a funky
version of Hound Dog Taylor's “Give Me Back My
Wig,” with Derek O'Brien on guitar and J.J.
Johnson and Jay Moeller on drums. Kim Wilson's
take on Bland's “I'm Not Ashamed,” backed by the
Fabulous Thunderbirds (Jay Moeller and Billy
Flynn – guitar, Steve Kirsty – bass, Bob Welsh –
organ, Rudy Albin -drums) and the Bland horn
section, is marvelous.
Anson Funderburgh
offers a dynamite cover of the Albert Collins
instrumental “Backstroke,” backed by O'Brien
(guitar), Sarah Brown (bass), Nick Connolly
(organ), Jason Corbiere (drums) and Mark “Kaz”
Kazanoff and John Mills of the Texas Horns
(saxophones).
The short clip of
Clifford Antone finds him discussing the
attraction and allure of the blues, stating,
“The blues is so big that no one person could
ever learn it in a lifetime.” His audio clip
introduces the album's first single, a new song
from ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons and the BFG's
(Mike Flanigin – keys, Chris Layton -drums)
written for this album in tribute to Antone, the
gritty blues rocker “Hangin' on a Cliff.”
The great Chicago
guitarist Lurrie Bell ably handles another
Rogers tune, “Act Like You Love Me,' with
O'Brien and Funderburgh on guitars, Connolly on
piano, Scott Nelson on bass, Jay Moeller on
drums, and Kazanoff and Joe Sublett on
saxophones.
Lavelle White
sings a spirited version of the Jimmy Reed
number, “Baby What's Wrong,” with Marcia Ball on
piano, O'Brien on guitar, and Kazanoff on
harmonica. Miss White was 95 at the time this
track was recorded in 2025.
Muddy Waters
liked to close most of his sets with “Got My
Mojo Working,” so it's only appropriate that
this tribute wraps up in similar fashion, a
rousing version performed by Primer and Lil' Ed
Williams (vocals/guitars), Sumito Ariyoshi
(piano), Steve Bell (harmonica), Rodrigo
Mantovani (bass), and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
(drums).
Albums like this
are easy to review. In fact, they almost review
themselves.
Simply put, if
you are a blues fan at all, newcomer or veteran,
you should definitely have Antone's 50th
Presents: Chicago Bound Honoring Muddy, Cliff &
Blue in your collection as soon as possible.
--- Graham Clarke
 I've
been a big fan of the music of Kevin Burt
ever since Heartland and Soul came out
several years ago. It's the man's voice and
passion he puts into his music, whether he's
performing solo or with a small band.
Even
more special was when I got to see him in person
a couple of years ago, and I was enthralled with
the stores he told in introducing each song. My
immediate thought was this man is more than
just a musician but also a fantastic
storyteller.
That's what makes this latest album, This
Trip (Gulf Coast Records), even more special,
as Burt turns every cut into a story for his
audience. All songs are Burt originals and the
only backing support comes from his family
members on one cut.
Opening the show is "You Gone," with slow
fingerpicking guitar introducing the song before
Burt tells that woman in his life that he wants
her at home but she won't stay. The emotion
really comes out later in the song with Burt
shouting out his vocals. "Because I Love You"
has Burt playing extra strong, incessant
harmonica breaks as the talks with the woman
keep going around and around.
"Ancestors' Tears" is a slow, sad song as he
laments about how we can't get away from the
problems of the past, with the children still
crying their ancestors' tears. Burt picks up the
pace, with guitar and harp interplay, on "Big
Love," as he and his partner are both looking
for that big love and he has to remind her to
"reach right out and grab it."
Another mood change comes on the gentle love
song, "This Trip," as Burt knows that they have
a long road ahead in their relationship and know
the destination, adding, "... I love you, baby,
even though you drive me crazy ...," with his
voice getting stronger and filled with emotion
as the song goes on. Very good harmonica playing
here.
"Daddy's Smile" is another slow love song, with
nice fingerpicking guitar to start. This one
goes out to the child who he reminds "...
now you've got your daddy smilin' too ..." The mid-tempo "Home Goin'
Time" has Burt showing his sad side as he
prepares to depart a relationship, telling the
woman, "... least I ain't never done to you the
things you done to me ...," also laying down a very
good harmonica solo.
Burt
sings about the injustices and inequality
he's seen in his lifetime on "I'll Stand Up,"
asking his partner to join him, singing, "...
I'll stand alone, but I pray that you stand with
me ..." Multiple backing singers, all with the
last name of Burt, join in on the up-tempo song
of empowerment, "You Can't Hold Me Down."
The
tender side of Burt comes out again on "Because
I Love You," with his powerful voice soaring,
propelled by his harmonica playing.
Closing the album is "Your Smile," perhaps the
follow-up to "Daddy's Smile," as this one is a
song from father to child, his little girl. A
nice ending to an album that comes directly from
Burt's heart and soul.
This Trip presents still another side in a
very diverse artist, as he digs deep into his
soul and memories for this
songwriting material. If you haven't yet joined
the unofficial Kevin Burt fan club, he's got
four albums available, and I recommend every
single one.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Eddie Cotton's
latest release, Bubble Gum Lover (Malaco
Records), continues a remarkable hot streak as
the Clinton, Mississippi-based
singer/songwriter/guitarist turns in yet another
memorable set of original blues and soul tunes
featuring soul-drenched vocals and stinging lead
guitar. Cotton wrote all 12 tracks and is backed
by his regular band --- Robert (Clint) Hooker
(rhythm guitar), Myron Bennett (bass), Esau
(Buddy) Harrell (drums), James Bell (keyboards),
and Carl Russell (harmonica).
The album kicks
off with the funky “Feet On The Floor,” as
Cotton encourages everyone to get up and get
moving and leave their worries behind. “I Can't
Afford You” follows, a slow burning warning shot
to a high maintenance woman that features plenty
of Cotton's nimble fretwork.
Next is the
mid-tempo “I Wanna Be Free,” a blues/R&B track
that ponders ending a relationship that's gone
on too long. The title track adds Russell on
harmonica, giving the tune a down home feel, as
Cotton decides not to waste any time with a lady
who's giving him the blues. ”.. Chew you up,
spit you out, get a new piece, find another
bubble gum lover ...”
“Rescue Me” is a
classic slow blues with Cotton really stretching
out on guitar as he longs for his lover to come
back, declaring “you stole my heart and hijacked
my brain.”
The exuberant and
upbeat “In Love With A Feeling” really
percolates, the reflective “Love and Hate”
ruminates on the tenuous gap between the two
emotions, and “Ooh Wee” looks at the inevitable
twists and turns of life, and offers ample space
for more guitar fireworks from Cotton.
Meanwhile, the
funky “Root Doctor” will remind listeners of
Malaco's '80s and '90s material with sizzling
guitar work that's in the here and now. The
mid-tempo “Sexy Imperfection” deftly mixes R&B
with the blues, while the buoyant “Bright
Future” adds a little bit of soul to the mix.
The closer, “Your
Good Thing Is Gone,” is blues, blues, and
nothing but the blues....as blues as it gets.
Eddie Cotton is
the total package. Bubble Gum Lover is a
prime example of his skill as a songwriter,
singer, and guitarist. The album sounds like
everyone had a blast making it, Cotton seems as
comfortable as if he's chilling in his living
room and his band is stellar in support.
This disc should
be snatched up by any Eddie Cotton fan or by
anyone who really and truly digs the blues.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Gerry
Hundt Trio consists of Chicago-based
multi-instrumentalist Hundt, who's played with
a wide array of blues musicians: John-Alex
Mason, Nick Moss and The Flip Tops, The Cash Box
Kings, The Corey Dennison Band, and, most
recently The Dig 3, Belgium bassist/harmonica
player Renaud Lesire, who's played with Bobby
Rush, John Primer, Johnny Dyer, James Harmon,
Junior Watson, Candice Ivory, Sean Mack
McDonald, and his own band Well, Well, Well.
Hundt has also
teamed up with Luxembourg drummer Tom Lehnert,
whose credits include The Nightcallers, Pugsley
Buzzard, Big Dave, Fred Barretto, Kyle Jester,
and Tia Gouttbel.
The trio's latest
effort, One More For Me, was recorded
live in the studio in Luxembourg between tour
dates. The ten tracks include seven originals,
two written by the trio, five from Hundt, plus
three interesting covers. The songs cover a wide
range of blues styles and sounds like it was a
ball to record.
The opening
track, “Pimenta,” is a peppy instrumental
inspired by a Bo Diddley instrumental. “Caught
In The Middle” is a slide-driven blues that
brings to mind Lil' Ed Williams and Elmore
James.
“Pretty Baby” is
a driving blues that locks into a nasty Magic
Slim groove, and the rollicking “Kid Man Blues”
is an old Johnny Young tune that finds Hundt
breaking out the mandolin and Lesire on the
harmonica.
“Ruby Doobie” is
an amusing, lighthearted shuffle. with Lesire on
low-tuned harmonica. that's based on a true
story. It's followed by “Runnin' Wild,” an
upbeat Eddie C. Campbell instrumental where
Hundt really captures Campbell's funky guitar
tone.
“I'm Gone” is a
revisited tune for Hundt on which he offers some
nimble fretwork before shifting back to the
mandolin for a tasty cover of Tampa Red's
“Rambler's Blues.” “Strange Things Happening” is
also taken from true events, gathered from
watching the news and from everyday life.
The closer, “End
Of The Day Blues,” was originally recorded as a
mandolin instrumental, but is given an Earl
Hooker “wah wah” guitar treatment in this
intriguing refurbishment.
One More For
Me clocks in at just over 32 minutes, but
it's a music-packed 32 minutes loaded with great
instrumental work from Hundt, Lesire, and
Lehnert. As mentioned above, this had to be a
lot of fun to record, and the whole album has a
nice, loose, relaxed feel that will carry over
to the listeners.
--- Graham Clarke
 In
addition to being a very fine harmonica player
and singer, Mark Hummel sure knows how to
pick his sidemen. He's been accompanied on tour
by guitarists extraordinaire Anson Funderburgh
and Junior Watson, and they both show up on his
newest album, Road Dog (Rocinitis
Records). It's a mix of new recordings and also
some songs he cut about 10 years ago with the
late Little Charlie Baty joining in on guitar.
Now
that we've set the stage, let's talk about the
music. Road Dog opens with a version of
"Black Nights," a slow blues with solid late
night blues vocals from Hummel, wonderful guitar
by both Anson and Junior, and tasteful piano
from Bob Welsh. That leads into another recent
recording, the mid-tempo blues shuffle "Jugglin',"
with Hummel lamenting that he's worked so damn
hard but he's still got dues to pay. It's
a nice relaxing tune that doesn't blow out
the speakers.
Hummel opens the funky 12-bar blues, "Real Good
Woman," with a fine harmonica intro that has
Welsh again shining on piano, providing a
nice bridge to the Peter Clayton original, "I
Got To Find My Baby." It was recorded in
2024, with Watson laying down some very nice
guitar licks and Brett Brandstatt showing off on
piano.
"Why
Did It Happen" is a slow, jazzy blues from the
Willie Mabon songbook, kind of a talkin' blues,
and then everything goes wild on the up-tempo
12-bar blues, "Road Dog," with some of Hummel's
heaviest lifting on harmonica on his own
composition.
We
travel back in time to September of 2015 for the
Little Walter tune, "You Better Watch Yourself,"
with both Baty and Funderburgh taking turns on
guitar. Back to more recent sessions, we get a
cover of the Johnny Otis late night "Rockin'
Blues." Hummel's voice sounds just right for
this number.
"Say
You Will" is another Hummel original, a mid-tempo
blues that starts with plenty of tasty guitar
work from both Anson and Junior. The mood
changes again on one that goes all the way back
to a 2008 session that included Rusty Zinn on
guitar, a cover of Van Morrison's "Gypsy Soul."
Hummel really sends out a killer harmonica solo
that brings together all parts of the song on
this slow, soulful tune.
We've now reached the highlight of the album
with the next two cuts. "You Are Right" is a
Hummel original, a blues shuffle on which he
thanks his woman by reminding her that she's
always right and he's always wrong. This is the
song that has gotten multiple plays on my radio
show, although I've also been spinning the next
tune, Sonny Boy Williamson's "She's My Baby."
It's old school blues at its best.
Like
the previous cut, "When You're Doin' Alright"
came from the 2015 session with Little Charlie.
It's an old Jimmy Reed tune, with Hummel getting
the right sound to both his vocals and
harmonica.
Closing the album is an instrumental from the
2008 session, "Gadjo's Swing," written by Hummel
and serving a showcase to his harmonica
versatility while Randy Rattray strums along on
guitar. This one sounds real eastern European,
so it's a fun and interesting way to put a wrap
on this very solid album.
Road Dog comes highly recommended. If I know
the collective tastes of our Blues Bytes audience,
I know you all
will dig it.
--- Bill Mitchell
 My
first introduction to Iowa singer Jeni Grouws
was through the two albums by The Avey Grouws
Band that made their way to my mailbox earlier
in the decade. I liked
both disks, especially the first one, The
Devil May Care, from 2020. Her voice charmed
me and the creative songwriting was especially
good.
I don't know the
reason for the personnel change for the bands,
but it doesn't matter because I really, really
like the new one,
Music House (Navy House Productions). She's
backed here by a rotating group of musicians,
all providing the accompaniment to her strong,
enticing voice.
Music House
is one of those albums that grows on your the
more you hear it. By the second time through, I
was hooked. Each of the nine songs here are Grouws originals.
I'm grabbed right
away by the opening cut, "Runnin' Ragged," an
up-tempo blues with a steady beat, with good
guitar work from Johnny Duke. She uses as her
excuse for not returning a call a steady diet of
fast food and microdates. Matt Fuller steps in
on guitar for the mid-tempo "Burning For You,"
with Grouws reporting that she's on fire, losing her mind, sitting, waiting, and burning for that man.
The tempo slows
on the very pleasant "When I Get Back To You,"
as she tells that man the way she feels about him and
to be patient until she gets back to him.
The mood changes on "Show Me That You Love Me,"
an up-tempo song with almost polyrhythmic
drumming from Casey Wasner and soulful horn
accompaniment from Emmanuel Echern (trumpet),
Roy Agee (trombone), and Evan Cobb (tenor sax),
while we also get a hot blues guitar solo from
Duke. Grouws' vocals soar as she itemizes her
needs.
The slow, eerie
"Let Your Eyes Lay Low" shows a different side
of Grouws as she roams around outside that man's
window. Anne Harris' exquisite violin adds a
different sound to this very interesting tune.
That leads into one of the best songs here, "Old
Dive Bar," a pleasant and happy song about that
place where the bartender already knows your
drink. She sings, "... sometimes you want to go
where everyone knows your name but they don't care who you are
..." We all know bars like this, and hearing it
makes me want to go back and re-discover the
sleazy bars of my youth.
Drew Smithers
stands out for his slide guitar playing on
"Fool," a slow blues that allows Grouws to
stretch her vocals into adjoining octaves. She
wants to see that man happy but it's time to let
him go because he made a fool of her. The power
in her voice comes out again on the slow, gentle
song, "Waiting," as she's sitting there watching
the clock on the wall. This one's packed with
emotion as she tries to imagine why she's still
waiting.
The horns are
back on the mid-tempo "Heartbreak and Misery,"
arriving just when she starts telling that man
he's three steps away from heartbreak and
misery. Nice guitar fills from Duke portray the
proper vibe. Grouws is back at the dive bar but
running short on funds as she needs to be
drinking the cheap stuff on the mid-tempo blues,
"One Up From The Well." Fuller provides the
blues guitar fills on this one as Grouws is
needing a drink after getting promoted then
demoted, and other random troubles in life.
Wrapping up this
wonderful album is the slow and pleasant "Make
Your Way," a song of introspection that includes
Grouws on acoustic guitar, Duke on electric
guitar, and tasteful keyboards from Mike Hicks.
A good way to end the album on a positive tone.
If the name Jeni
Grouws is new to you, then I recommend you pick
up a copy of Music House right away. If
you have heard her wonderful voice before, then
I'm guessing you are already hitting send on
your order.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Walk That Walk
is one of the most prominent bands on the Boston
blues scene with their consistently excellent
material that touches on Chicago and Detroit
blues. The band (Poppa C DeSnyder – guitar,
slide, dobro, percussion .vocals; Jimmy James
Love – lead/backing vocals, guitar; Jon “Cutlet”
Reese – bass, Stickman Waldron – harmonica, Alan
Waters – drums/percussion) spent years serving
as the touring band for Bo Diddley and Chuck
Berry, and also backed Carey Bell.
Their latest
release, The Lifer, includes five songs
written by DeSnyder, one co-written by DeSnyder
and Kim Madeleine, and one cover. Guest artists
include Pappy Biondo (banjo/guitar), Ben
DeSnyder (guitar), Ray Paczkowski (keyboards),
and Russ Lawton (percussion). Biondo plays banjo
on the jaunty opening track “You Can't Catch
Me,” providing nimble accompaniment to Poppa C
DeSnyder's lively fretwork.
“I Ain't Thinkin'
About You” is an upbeat blues shuffle with
harmonica from Waldron, guitar from Ben DeSnyder,
and piano from Paczkowski, “Stand Up, Don't
Quit” is a gritty mid-tempo blues rocker with
contributions from Biondo, Ben DeSnyder and
Paczkowski on B3, and “Get Up” is a brisk,
energetic rock n' roller.
The moody “I
Ain't No Stranger” slows things down a bit with
guitar from Biondo and the DeSnyders, with piano
from Paczkowski. “Make Mine a Double” takes us
away from our troubles, adding Love on guitar
and backing vocals with Paczkowski on B3, and
the blue collar title track rocks things up in
greasy, grimy fashion.
The closer is a
reverential cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic,
“One Sunny Day,” featuring Love on lead vocals
The Lifer
is a sharp set of blues and blues rockers from
Walk That Walk, one of New England's finest
blues bands. Blues fans will certainly enjoy
this fine release.
--- Graham Clarke
 Dustin
Arbuckle & The Damnations, out of Wichita,
Kansas, return with another powerhouse set of
blues, rock, and soul. Fight Like The Devil
(Or Run Like Hell) features 11 hard-charging
tunes that showcase Arbuckle and his bandmates,
which include guitarist Brandon Hudspeth (Levee
Town, Hudspeth & Taylor), bassist Caleb
Drummond, and drummer Colby Aiken.
Arbuckle and the
band collaborated on six of the tunes, with
Hudspeth contributing one instrumental track,
plus two songs written by Ryan Taylor of The
Rounders and covers of Bob Dylan and Gillian
Welch classics.
The disc opens
with one of Taylor's compositions, the ominous
“Heaven Forbid,” a dark tale of betrayal and
revenge, followed by the intense title track,
fueled by a driving rhythm delivered by
Drummond, and Aiken, Hudspeth's soaring guitar,
and Arbuckle's bracing vocal and harmonica.
The somber
“Desperate Love” describes a relationship that
just won't end, while “Must Be Travelin' On” is
a modern update of the familiar tale of the
itinerant blues man. The country/blues-flavored
“Small Branch Motel” follows the same theme,
painting a vivid picture of the traveling life.
The gripping “Out
of Time” paints a picture of desperation and
despair, punctuated by Hudspeth's fret work and
Arbuckle's harmonica, and “Always Gone” is a
splendid slow cooker that builds in intensity.
The band's cover
of Bob Dylan's “Tombstone Blues” is similar in
feel to the original, but the added
instrumentation give this version a stronger
tone. “You're Gonna Hear Me on the Radio,” the
second track written by Taylor, is an
entertaining track, a mix of roots and rock n'
roll.
Hudspeth's “Jumbo
Frets” is a great showcase for the guitarist and
Arbuckle to strut their stuff, and the closer is
a stripped-down, moody reading of Gillian
Welch's “Didn't I.”
Fight Like The
Devil (Or Run Like Hell) is another
wonderful addition to the musical catalog of
Dustin Arbuckle & The Damnations. It's an earthy
mix of blues, rock, roots, and soul that stays
with you well after the music stops, just like
the rest of the band's work.
--- Graham Clarke
 For over 30
years, John “Papa” Gros has been one of
the keepers of the flame for New Orleans music.
The keyboardist's musical approaches encompasses
blues, funk, jazz, R&B, rock, and Americana, all
with a Crescent City flair.
He got his start
playing with George Porter Jr.'s Runnin'
Pardners and later formed the New Orleans funk
band Papa Grows Funk. When that band wrapped up,
Gros worked as a sideman and solo artist,
releasing several albums with songs that have
appeared on several TV shows.
During the
pandemic, Gros earned new fans via his weekly
livestreams, but in 2022 his home and studio
were destroyed by Hurricane Ida. He's spent the
last few years rebuilding his home and Silent S
Recording Studio, which is where his latest
release was recorded with support from the New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and the
Threadhead Cultural Foundation.
Giants
(Funky Krewe Records) is a five-song tribute to
Gros' influences, including Allen Toussaint, Dr.
John, The Meters, Levon Helm, and Billy Preston.
Assisting Gros are Alex Mallet (guitar), Matt
Booth (bass), Russ Broussard (drums), Michael
Christie (trumpet), Ian Bowman (tenor sax),
Terrance Taplin (trombone), Danny Abel (rhythm
guitar), and backing vocalists Yolanda Robinson,
Jolynda Kiki Chapman, and Mark Carson.
The opening cut
is Dr. John's “Quitters Never Win,” one of the
keeper tracks from the good Doctor's 1974
release, Desitively Bonnaroo. Gros'
version is faithful to the oh-so-funky original,
even adopting a bit of the Dr. John growl in his
vocals, but the band gets a chance to stretch
the groove out.
“Hurricane,”
written by Thom Schuyler, Keith Stegall, and
Stewart Harris, has been recorded by several
artists in the country and rock genres,
beginning with Levon Helm in 1980. Gros' version
slows things down from Helm's Americana-based
original, giving the track a really strong
Crescent City R&B flavor with his keyboards, the
horns, and Mallet's guitar.
“All That I've
Got” was written by Billy Preston and Doris
Troy, and released on Troy's eponymous album in
1970 (Preston's version was part of a 2010
expanded version of his Encouraging Words,
originally released on Apple Records in 1970.
Gros' version runs closer to Preston's slippery,
funky version, but there's much more of a New
Orleans groove to the rhythm.
“Yes We Can Can”
was written by Allen Toussaint and first
recorded by Lee Dorsey in 1970, but became a hit
single for the Pointer Sisters in 1973, their
first. Gros' version retains qualities from both
interpretations and, like those others, the funk
gets deep down in your bones. Again, the band
stretches the song into an extended jam and you
won't mind it at all.
Speaking of jams,
check out Gros and company's terrific take on
The Meters' “Ain't No Use,” written by the group
for their 1975 album Rejuvenation. Like
the original, this one clocks in at around 11
minutes, with Gros and Mallet both taking
awesome solos.
For fans of funky
New Orleans' R&B, Giants is a wonderful
call back to the genre's heyday, loaded with
memorable music and performances.
--- Graham Clarke
 The
title of boogie-woogie piano player Mitch
Woods' latest album, A Night in New
Orleans - Live & Solo at Snug Harbor (MoMojo
Records) provides an accurate description of
what we're going to hear on the 12 musical cuts,
punctuated occasionally by snippets of what he
is saying to the audience. It was recorded
earlier this year during JazzFest time, and of
course there are plenty of tributes to New
Orleans greats of the past.
We
are all familiar with the seven covers that he
performs, and his five original numbers go a
long way in spicing up the show. Sound quality
is exquisite and Woods' powerful voice comes out
well.
Opening the show is Woods' own rollicking
boogie-woogie, "Rock That Boogie," followed by
another original, "Mojo Mambo," his tribute to
Professor Longhair. The mood and tempo stay high
with Louis Jordan's classic, "Choo Choo
Ch'boogie." A very fine version.
Woods keeps it in Louisiana for Fats Domino's
"Blue Monday" and Hank Williams' "Jambalaya (On
the Bayou)," before playing what is arguably the
first R&B song recorded, Jackie Brenston's
"Rocket 88." Of course, Woods needed to play
this one because the band he uses at times is
called The Rocket 88s, and he reminds the
audience of that fact with his comments before
the song.
Other covers are Jack Dupree's "Nasty Boogie,"
with the audience singing along to this
barrelhouse number, Huey Smith's "Rockin'
Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu," and
Big Joe Turner's smash hit, "Shake Rattle &
Roll."
"Amber Lee" is a Woods original that just plain
sounds like New Orleans, and later he changes
the pace with the slow blues, "Cryin' for My
Baby." The last song penned by Woods, "Broke,"
is a talkin' blues that could have come from
Louis Jordan, with plenty of audience sing-along here.
A
Night in New Orleans - Live & Solo at Snug
Harbor is a fine album to put on the sound
system at your next New Orleans theme party, or
just listen to it any time you want to feel
happy and rejuvenated.
--- Bill Mitchell
 The Cedar
County Cobras (Tom Spielbauer – vocals,
guitars, banjo, percussion, foot drum and April
Dirks – upright bass, mandolin, vocals, hand
drums) issued a fine debut release in 2023,
Homesick Blues, coming off a win at the 2022
Central Iowa Blues Challenge, which led to a
semi-final finish at the 2023 I.B.C.
Much like their
debut, their new release, Sinners & Saints
(Overton Music), reflects their musical
backgrounds, combining old-time country, blues,
and bluegrass with ten tracks, six originals and
four covers. Joining CCC on selected tracks are
Brian Vanderpool (drums, percussion, upright
bass), Dave Moore (harmonica and backing
vocals), Heath Alan (saxophone, backing vocals),
Tanner Taylor (B3, piano), Monica Fay and Krista
Guillaume (harmony vocals).
“Matches &
Gasoline” opens the album, a spirited tale of a
fiery relationship with call-and-response vocals
and a Delta blues vibe. “Motorbike” is a driving
blues boogie with harmonica from Moore about
someone longing to escape from their everyday
routine and hit the road, and “Bessie Smith's
Last Ride” deftly marries blues history with
current events and finds parallels.
A pair of
traditional tunes follow; “St. James Infirmary”
features Taylor on B3 and piano and Dirks on
mandolin, backing Spielbauer's gruff vocal. “Get
Right Church” is a joyful romp with Faye and
Guillaume providing harmony vocals behind
Spielbauer and Dirks while Taylor returns on
keyboards.
The original
“Mind My Own Business,” which adds Alan on
saxophone, basically states, wisely, that
sometimes it's best to be silent and be thought
a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
“Guitar Zero” is a lively track, with Dirks on
mandolin that take a jab at the “Guitar Hero”
crowd and gives a nod of approval to those who
make the effort to play an actual musical
instrument.
The powerful
“Ruby Red” was written by Lonnie Bowden, a
friend of CCC who passed away from cancer a
couple of years ago. Dirks finished the lyrics
and sings the song, which tells of a soldier
returning from Vietnam in search of his long
lost girl and his place in the world he left
behind.
The album
concludes with “Springtime,” a warm, relaxing
instrumental that showcases the duo's
musicianship, and a lovely rendition of Rev.
Thomas A. Dorsey's gospel standard “Precious
Lord,” that will definitely get toes to tapping.
Faye and Guillaume return for angelic backing
vocals and Taylor provides keyboard support.
The Cedar County
Cobras provide a wonderful journey through
traditional blues, gospel, and Americana with
Sinners & Saints, a most enjoyable release.
--- Graham Clarke
 Chicago-born
singer, slide guitarist, and songwriter Donna
Herula wasn't sure she had another album in
her after her 2021 release, Bang At The Door,
hit the top of the 2021 Acoustic Blues Album
Chart and was named Best Acoustic Album by the
2022 Independent Blues Awards.
That album
featured Herula with Tony Wittrock
(guitar/mandolin) and Marc Edelstein (upright
bass). Drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith joined
the trio in 2021, and the band has been playing
together for the last five years as The Donna
Herula Band.
Obviously, she
found some inspiration over the last five years
because Herula's new release, Cold Feet,
is definitely a keeper. It includes ten track,
eight written by the guitarist (one co-written
with Wittrock), and two covers. Joining the band
on selected tracks are producer Jon Shain
(guitars), Alton Smith (keyboards), Anne Harris
(violin), John Jochem (harmonica), Steve Eisen
(sax), Rick Barnes (percussion), and backup
vocalists Candy LaFlora, Kary Ream, and Rebecca
Toon.
The opening
instrumental, the lovely acoustic “On My Way
Home,” features Herula on National Tricone slide
with Wittrock, Shain, and Barnes in support. The
lively title track is an amusing rocker about
last-minute wedding day jitters, and “Honey
Darlin' Baby Please,” co-written by Herula and
Wittlock, is a delightful mix of soul and
country.
Herula plays
resonator and slide guitar on her moving cover
of Skip James' “Cypress Grove Blues,” receiving
understated backing by the band. “Backseat
Driver” is a humorous shuffle with harmonica
from Jochem that's inspired by a road trip with
the band.
“What You Gonna
Do?” addresses a couple dealing with infidelity,
as Herula tells her mate to get in or get out of
the relationship. Shain plays guitar on this
track and Eisen and Smith add saxophone and
organ, respectively. The plaintive “Wish I Could
See You Again” is another beautiful acoustic
number with Herula on guitar and Shain adding
acoustic slide.
“Things Can
Change” is a soulful track with backing vocals
from LaFlora, Jochem on harmonica, Smith playing
organ and Wurlitzer, and Barnes on percussion.
“Float to Heaven” is an acoustic number inspired
by John Prine's storytelling songs, with violin
from Harris helping set the somber mood.
The closer is a
strong cover of Elmore James/Robert Johnson's
“Dust My Broom,” where Herula gets the
opportunity to show off her Chicago blues roots
with some dynamite slide guitar.
I, for one, am
glad that Donna Herula decided to release
another album because Cold Feet is an
entertaining set of songs that cover a wide
range of blues styles. In addition to her slide
guitar skills, she's also a gifted songwriter
and vocalist, so this release will be a solid
fit in any blues fan's collection.
--- Graham Clarke
 Katie Knipp
is a California-based singer/songwriter and
multi-instrumentalist whose music blends blues,
roots, rock, soul, and Americana. She's released
ten albums, several of which charted in
Billboard's Top 10 Blues Albums, and she's won
two Sacramento Music Awards for Best Blues
Artist.
Live At
Theater 5150 is her second live album and
includes 16 tracks, 13 written by Knipp that
span her 25-year career, plus three covers from
artists who served as influences. Knipp (vocals,
piano, guitar, harmonica) is backed by Chris
Martinez (lead guitar), Neil Campisano (drums),
Pancho Tomaselli (bass), and Steve Utstein
(organ/electric piano).
“Santa Cruz
Blues” opens the disc, after Knipp asks the
Carmichael, California audience if they mind “if
we blast your face off a little bit.” It's a
fiery blues rocker that opens with her
harmonica. “I Don't Sing for You” is a slow
burner with Knipp on piano and a stellar job on
keys from Utstein as well. “Bullet Train” is
next, showcasing Martinez on slide guitar. The
song slowly builds in intensity via Knipp's
soaring vocal, with more outstanding keyboard
work from Utstein.
The first cover
is the late Justin Townes Earle's “If I Was the
Devil,” which gets an atmospheric Delta
treatment featuring some great acoustic and
slide guitar. “Dirty Cables” is a somber rocker
about Knipp finding out about a friend passing
away in the middle of a performance and being
unable to be with her in her waning hours.
“The Devil's
Armchair” is a heart wrenching song about
addiction with Knipp's aching vocal and
Martinez's sizzling guitar work both hitting
hard. “Metro in Paris” is a zesty jazz track
with Knipp on piano and a playful vocal, and the
blues rocker “Outlaw Doc” tells the tale of Tom
Bell, a stagecoach robber in the Old West.
The gospel blues
standard “John the Revelator,” associated with
Blind Willie Johnson, offers each band member a
few moments in the spotlight, and the rollicking
“Get Outta My Dream” combines Knipp's piano with
Utstein's keyboards.
Before launching
into the rocking “Sad Eyed Lover,” Knipp states
that the song is about a whiny ex-lover. The
final cover is Bruce Springsteen's “State
Trooper,” which she changes from its acoustic
origins into a hard, electric rocker.
“Chamomile and
Cocaine” has a definite New Orleans feel, thanks
to Knipp's piano work before Martinez's
ferocious guitar work takes over. “Gone to Town”
has a late-nite, after-hours blues vibe, with
sharp guitar work from Martinez and keyboards
from Utstein.
The moody
“Stillness,” introduced by Knipp as “a song for
the times,” is a rocker with a reggae rhythm,
and the closer “Mud,” is a rousing number from
her 2024 album Me that wraps up the
performance in fine fashion.
Live At
Theater 5150 serves as an excellent
introduction to Katie Knipp for newcomers to her
music. Chances are good that they will be
captivated by her songwriting and her vocals,
and will be encouraged to dig into her catalog.
It's also a fine set for longtime fans to have
as well, capturing some of her best songs on one
collection.
--- Graham Clarke
 Fred Hostetler
has released another single, call it an “end of
summer” tune, following his recent “Midwinter
Blues” and “A Man in Black.”
“Walking on
Hallowed Ground” (Mukthiland Records) is
reminiscent of '70s-era Rolling Stones in its
musical delivery and songwriting, in which
Hostetler recalls times past and events past.
It's happy and
sad at the same time, the way good memories
often are. No musicians are listed, but there
are tasty slide guitar and acoustic guitar parts
and a vibe that anyone of a certain age
remembers well.
--- Graham Clarke
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