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 I
found a new favorite singer in the past month
after receiving an email from Australian
soul/blues singer Jade MacRae, asking me
if I'd be interested in playing it on my radio
show. I get a lot of requests like this, with
some decent albums coming my way, but none have
struck me like In My Veins, the fourth
studio release from MacRae who often works as a
backing singer with Joe Bonamassa. One cut in
and I was obsessively searching for any info and
back catalog from MacRae, spending a couple of
hours watching the collection of YouTube videos
from her past.
The genesis of
this album came during the worst days of the
pandemic when MacRae was unable to travel back
to Australia to see family and friends for a
year and a half. She stayed in contact with
musician friends during that time, exchanging
song ideas and preparing for when she could
return to her homeland and reconnect with her
old band to start recording. Mixed and produced
by Ben Rodgers, the album includes appearances
on four cuts by California guitarist Kirk
Fletcher and by Bonamassa on the single, "Early
In The Morning." MacRae's parents, David and
Joy, both well-known musicians in Australia,
also appear on the album, as do multiple other
singers.
In My Veins
is a tantalizing mix of soul, blues, and R&B,
all featuring the powerfully soulful voice of
MacRae. It's not straight blues, but keeping an
open mind to what she's putting down here will
allow you to be mesmerized by MacRae's voice.
"Out of Sight"
opens the album, with bluesy guitar from
Fletcher behind a steady beat from drummer
Hamish Stuart and MacRae's soulful vocals. The
other single, "Rose Coloured Glasses" carries
along on a mid-tempo funky beat, and MacRae
shows enormous vocal power as her voice soars
through the octaves on the soul number "A Little
Joy."
Bonamassa pops in
on guitar on the anthemic soul number "Early In
The Morning," with Clayton Doley contributing
subtly tasteful piano before the horns come in
to raise the energy level, The background
singers give the number a strong gospel feel and
eventually Bonamassa plays the blues to inject
another element to the song. There's a lot going
on here and it's all good. I hesitate to bring
up the name Aretha Franklin, but I could imagine
her voice with this song, and MacRae's vocals
compare well.
Fletcher is back
on the funky, mid-tempo "Eyes to the Sky," a
feelgood song that had to come from MacRae's
soul after she and the rest of the world were
released from the confines of the pandemic.
"Shots Fired" has a lot of different sounds
coming in, putting it more into a funky R&B
bucket if we need to define it, but let's just
agree it's a fun song to hear. As the song
progresses, I'm getting a 1970s soul vibe coming
out.
One of the
bluesiest tunes on In My Veins is the
slow, soulful "Reckoning," with Fletcher back to
contribute subtle guitar chords, not interfering
with MacRae's call to get involved, singing "...
If you stand for nothing, nothing at all, you've
got blood on your hands ..." Is she singing
about climate change or the constant turmoil in
the world? It doesn't matter because she's
insistent that we all get involved to change
what's happening.
She expresses
similar concerns on "How Can We Live," which
starts as a slow, late night blues, with father
David MacRae providing most of the backing on
keyboards, before Matt Keegan comes in with a
wonderfully blue sax solo. She puts more power
and emotion into her vocals towards the end,
while being joined by the background singers
,increasing the intensity of the song
significantly from where it started. "Reckoning"
and "How Can We Live" alone are worth the price
of admission here.
The title cut,
"In My Veins," is funky Memphis R&B, with
Fletcher making his fourth and final appearance
with plenty of cool guitar effects, and the
backing singers give it the right soulful
feeling. Closing the album is "Better This
Time," with MacRae saving this one to showcase
what might just be her most powerful vocals yet.
Again, I'm getting a funky, soulful 1970's feel
here, with the horns coming in strong and
Rodgers laying down the appropriate guitar
sounds.
If, like me, this
is your first chance to discover the fabulous
Jade MacRae, you too will likely fall in love
with her voice and everything else on In My
Veins. I just keep thinking, where has she
been all my life?
If In My Veins
whets your desire to hear more from MacRae,
begin your online search for a couple of her
previous recordings that are just plain killer
tunes, notably "I Choose Love" and the very
bluesy "My Father's House." I guarantee they
will be played repeatedly.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Vaneese Thomas’ latest release is the
seven-song EP, Stories In Blue (Overton
Music), and her fingerprints are on every tune
beyond her marvelous vocals. She wrote or
co-wrote all of the songs, co-produced the
session with her husband Wayne Warnecke, and
played electric piano on one of the tracks.
The
seven tracks touch on blues, soul, R&B, gospel,
and jazz, featuring superb musical backing from
Ross Pederson (drums), Paul Adamy (bass), Al
Orlo (guitar), Dave Keyes (electric piano), Tim
Ouimette (trumpet/horn arrangements), Andy
Drelles (clarinet/sax), and Walter Barrett
(tuba/trombone), along with background vocals
from Emily Bendiger, Bernetta Miles, Jason L.
Terry, and Darryl Tookes.
The
opening track, “Do Y’all,” is a sturdy blues
shuffle that finds Thomas asking listeners about
the origins of the music as she goes back to the
original source and tracks its history. “When
You Were My Man” ups the funk quota as she
reflects on the damage caused during a failed
relationship, while her vocal on “Wandering,” a
wistful ballad that looks at the lonliness that
follows the end of a romance, is a standout.
“1917” is a jazzy blues tribute (thanks to the
New Orleans-influenced horn charts) to Thomas’
father, Memphis music legend Rufus Thomas, who
was born that year. “The Last Thing On My Mind”
is a sober ballad of a woman done wrong, and “7
Miles From Home” is a country-flavored blues
where Thomas longs to come to the end of her
journey. The closer, an acapella gospel tune,
“End Of The Road,” finds her looking forward to
the next life.
Stories In Blue is the debut release on the
new Overton Music record label, and Vanesse
Thomas sets the bar pretty high for subsequent
releases with this amazing display of her
talents as a singer and songwriter.
--- Graham Clarke
 D.C.
bluesman J.P. Reali returns to the
recording world with Blues Since Birth (Reali
Records), his first release since 2019. Reali
reconnected with another D.C. music vet, Jim
Larson, after a couple of decades at the
beginning of this year to finish up a selection
of tunes Reali has been working on since the
pandemic.
In
addition to Larson, who plays drums, percussion,
and mandolin, Reali
(vocals/guitar/harmonica/bass/piano/banjo) is
joined by Josh Borden (keys), Gill Glass and
Chris Reali (bass) for eight originals and one
cover.
The
rumbling Hooker-esque boogie track, “The Devil’s
Take,” opens the disc, updating the crossroads
theme with an interesting twist. Reali voices
his frustrations and the accompanying isolation
encountered during the pandemic on the shuffle
“The Virus Blues,” and offers an energetic cover
of Bob Dylan’s “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It
Takes A Train To Cry,” highlighted by tasty
slide guitar work and Borden’s lively piano
accompaniment. “Drunk And In The Way” features
more slide guitar and reflects on a struggling
relationship.
“Blues In A Minefield” is a somber slow burner
with muscular fretwork reminiscent of Albert
King, and “The Bad Dog Blues” is a breezy West
Side blues shuffle in the Magic Sam tradition.
The jaunty “Eileen Left” is a clever tune that
combines a tale of unrequited love and political
ideology, and Reali contributes a fine railroad
tune with “Cold Steel Blues,” which fits the
traditional genre nicely.
The
album closes with the title track, a
Delta-flavored autobiographical tune describing
Reali’s journey to playing the blues.
It’s
great to hear more from J.P. Reali. His
songwriting and his musicianship is always
compelling, and Blues Since Birth is a
well-crafted set of blues and roots music that
is worth seeking out.
--- Graham Clarke
 With
Concrete Blues (New Wilderness Records),
Randy Lee Riviere brought on Tom
Hambridge as producer and drummer, with Kenny
Greenburg and Bob Britt on guitars, Stephen
McKay and Robert Kearns on bass, and Mike Rojas
on keyboards. Despite the lineup changes, this
set is a fine continuation of what we heard from
Riviere’s previous release, Blues Sky,
with more of his superb songwriting (11 Riviere
originals, one co-written with Hambridge) and
the overall blues-rock delivery.
“Mania,” the album opener, is a rough-edged,
effective rocker with lots of guitar, while “The
Wayside” mixes blues and roots, featuring
Riviere’s gravelly vocals over a driving rhythm,
and “Change Is Strange” is an atmospheric blues
rocker.
“Just Trying To Get Back Home” mixes a Hill
Country droning rhythm with Texas roadhouse
boogie, and “Magic Bullet” has a late ’60s/early
’70s rock feel, thanks to the guitars and the
relentless groove, while the easygoing “Stranger
In My Head” leans toward the country side of the
rock aisle.
The
gripping rocker, “Thanksgiving,” is catchy and a
standout, thanks to the pop-flavored background
vocals and keyboards, and the swampy “Moccasin
Lake” features a haunting vocal from Riviere and
appropriately gritty guitar work.
The
title track, co-written by Riviere and Hambridge,
includes plenty of musical interplay between
guitar, slide guitar, and piano as Riviere
laments the excess of man-made dams on
watersheds in the western part of the country.
“Sail On Big John” offers crunchy guitar chords
backed by a thunderous drumbeat and B3, and
“It’ll Be Alright” is a tender piece that slows
the pace down a bit, while the closer, “Drive,”
is excellent, with a soulful vocal from Riviere
blending seamlessly with the velvety B3 and
jangly rhythm guitar.
Concrete Blues is a great set of original
blues rock and Americana tunes. Randy Lee
Riviere continues to impress with his meshing of
musical styles, and Tom Hambridge proves to be a
fine collaborator.
--- Graham Clarke
 Connolly Hayes was nominated at the 2024 UK
Blues Awards as one of the UK Emerging Acts of
the Year. Fronted by Frankie Connolly
(vocals/guitar) and Jess Hayes (vocals) and
backed by Richard Clarke (second guitar), Beau
Barnard (bass), Joe Mac (key), and Andy Wilder
(drums), the band’s musical sound is a mix of
blues, rock, and soul.
Connolly and Hayes were separate parts of the UK
blues scene until the 2023 Isle of Wight
Festival, when they decided to combine their
efforts into one musical project. The band’s
debut album, Remember Me, is an
outstanding set that puts the band’s talents and
their musical vision on full display. Eight
songs are featured, with three recorded live,
two of which are well-chosen covers.
“Frank’s Song” is the opening track for the
album, and it has a definite southern rock vibe
with Connolly’s tough vocal backed by Hayes
voice, all powered by the guitar attack from
Connolly and Clarke. “Secret” has a funky vibe
reminiscent of Little Feat’s glory days, and the
vocals and music seem to be a perfect match. The
beguiling “Something’s Gotta Matter” is a strong
original which simply soars with slide guitar
and a driving rhythm.
The
band’s cover of Tedeschi Trucks Band’s signature
track, “Midnight In Harlem,” is beautifully
done, with Hayes’ soulful vocals easily
measuring up to those of Susan Tedeschi (TTB has
served as an inspiration to the band,
obviously). The title track has a leisurely
rhythm and a swampy feel with a fine vocal from
Hayes and great guitar interplay, while “Hung Up
On Your Love,” one of the live tracks, starts
out as a ballad, but slowly builds to a rocking
conclusion.
“Tired Of This Love” could be seen as a sequel
to the preceding song, possibly. It is a slow,
soul ballad, and the lyrics and music seem to
convey a weariness. The closing track is a live,
enthusiastic cover of Stephen Stills’ “Love The
One You’re With,” with Connolly and Hayes
sharing vocals, where the band really seems to
lock in to the message and the music.
Remember Me is an impressive debut release.
Fans of blues/rock in the tradition of TTB and
Bywater Call will enjoy this release. Hopefully,
we will hear more from Connolly Hayes soon.
--- Graham Clarke
 You
have to be very confident to issue a live album
as your debut release, but The Zac Schulze
Gang prove, as Dizzy Dean famously said, “It
ain’t braggin’ if you can do it,” with the
appropriately titled Live and Loud
(Flatiron Records). Formed in the UK in 2020,
the Gang is a blues /rock trio led by
singer/guitarist Schulze with bassist Ant
Greenwell and drummer Ben Schulze (Zac’s
brother).
The
trio has toured across the UK, Ireland, Europe,
and North America opening for Samantha Fish,
Eddie 9V, Jesse Dayton, Ainsley Lister, and
others, and with this set, prove that the
blues-rock genre is alive and thriving in the
UK. This dynamite seven-song set (which the band
wasn’t aware was being recorded) includes one
original and six well-chosen covers delivered to
an enthusiastic audience at The Bourne Music
Club in Sittingbourne.
The
set begins with a high-speed, energetic cover of
The Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m A Man,” marked by
the hard driving rhythm section and intense fret
work from Schulze. The original tune “Hole In My
Pocket” and a cover of The Cirelli Brothers’
“Dry Spell” follow, the former a strong
mid-tempo rocker and the latter an up-tempo,
gritty blues rocker, both showcasing the band’s
gripping musical attack.
The
next track is a bit of surprise. Rufus Thomas’
“Walkin’ The Dog” is transformed by Schulze and
Gang into a slow burning blues with the
guitarist contributing some impressive work on
this track. This is a really cool and unexpected
interpretation. Next is a storming cover of Dr.
Feelgood’s “She Does It Right,” taken at
breakneck, breathless pace.
Rory
Gallagher’s “I Fall Apart” is a superb ballad
that benefits from the Gang’s gritty delivery,
both musically and vocally. Schulze outdoes
himself on vocals and guitar on this track. The
album concludes with a medley that combines
“Messin’ With The Kid,” which Gallagher recorded
in the early ’70s, and a raucous reading of
Peter Green’s “Oh Well.”
Blues/rock fans, especially those who dig the
British variety dating back to the mid ’60s,
will absolutely love The Zac Schulze Gang’s
Live and Loud and will play it often.
--- Graham Clarke
 Neon Skies & Different Highs (Naked Records)
is the fourth studio release from the Belgian
group Boogie Beasts (Jan Jaspers –
guitar/vocals, Patrick Louis – guitar/vocals,
Fabian Bennardo - harmonica, Gert Servaes –
drums). The band’s brand of blues incorporates a
variety of styles, including the droning Hill
Country rhythms, and healthy doses of rock,
soul, and a bit of hip-hop.
The
opening track, “Save Me,” is introduced with a
hypnotic, droning guitar riff and a funky
backbeat before settling into a satisfying
groove. “Give Me A Sign” is a hard-charging
blues boogie fueled by Bennardo’s harmonica, and
“Devil’s Cup” is a tale of unsuccessfully
attempting to drink away the pain that
intersperses a little hip-hop into the mix,
while the ominous “Cold Ways” has an 80’s feel.
The
first of four musical interludes separates “Cold
Ways” from the upbeat “Love Chase,” a catchy
blues/rock track with a psychedelic feel.
“Sunday Morning Soul” is a modern blues track
with terrific slide guitar and a rootsy vibe,
and the reflective, guitar driven “Some People”
follows another brief musical interlude. Down
The Line” has a retro rock appeal with vocal
harmonies that adds to the flavor.
The
slick rocker “Sly Baby” follows another
interlude, and it’s followed by the optimistic
mid-tempo “Baby’s Coming Home.” The final
interlude leads into “Midnight Man,” a spirited
blues rocker, one of the highlights of the disc.
“Noon” is a nice blues track with a pop
backdrop, while the urgent “Fool For You” swings
along. The closer, “Broken Glass,” strikes a
irresistibly hypnotic groove.
The
Boogie Beasts’ diverse brand of blues offers
something for everybody. They tackle a variety
of styles, and they do them all extremely well.
Neon Skies & Different Highs will appeal
to their longtime fans and should bring some new
ones into the fold.
--- Graham Clarke
 After
moving to Greensboro, North Carolina back in the
1980's, the first local blues band I got into
was The Alkaphonics, who featured a pretty
darned good sax player in Jimmy Carpenter.
Since moving to Arizona, I believe I've crossed
paths with Jimmy just one time but have followed
his recording career as he's moved from sideman
to bandleader on the five albums to his name.
His latest, Just Got Started (Gulf Coast
Records), shows that Carpenter is more than just
a good horn player, as he handles lead vocals on
nine of the 12 cuts.
Just Got Started was recorded at Greaseland
studios in San Jose, California, with the usual
cast of Greaseland characters backing Carpenter
(Kid Andersen - guitar, Jim Pugh - keys, Derrick
D'mar Martin (drums, Jerry Jemmott - bass, Bobby
Vega - bass), plus a long list of special guests
who pop in from time to time. Of course,
Greaseland head honcho Andersen produced the
album.
The
album opens with the jazzy, soulful "(Feels
Like) I Just Got Started," which ironically is
more of an 'end of the night' number. It's a
feelgood tune that is actually a good opener
here. That leads into a hard driving cover of
the Little Walter hit, "My Babe," which is done
in a more brassy uptown style with plenty of
horns. Andersen turns in a killer guitar solo
that has his fingers frantically flying across
the fretboard.
"I
Only Gamble With My Heart" is a slow, jazzy love
song on which Carpenter professes to his woman
that he only gambles with his heart and that he
has bet the winning card on her. That's followed
by the up-tempo instrumental "Jimmy Shimmy,"
giving Carpenter the chance to show that he is
still one of the best sax players around. The
other instrumental, "Soul Theme," is big, bold
and brassy, with Andersen tossing in some
creative guitar parts.
Any
version of "Shining Star" runs the risk of
turning into a loungy, schmaltzy song, but the
soulful backing vocals of Dwayne Morgan, Walter
Morgan, and James Morgan bring it home. Allen
Toussaint''s iconic "Night People" conveys an
eerie, funky sound, with Lisa "Little Baby"
Andersen providing backing vocals. It's one of
my favorite songs here.
Carpenter's best vocal performance occurs on the
funky, soulful "Keep On Stepping," one of his
own compositions, with Pugh absolutely tearing
it up on organ. Wow! Another favorite of mine on
this disc.
"Working Man" is straight-ahead Chicago
blues, written by Mike Bloomfield and Nick
Gravenites and once recorded by Otis Rush.
Andersen takes it to the Windy City with his
guitar playing. "Leap Of Faith" has just has
much blues content, a shuffle that brings Lisa
Andersen back to share vocals.
Closing out the night is a late night blues
instrumental, "Midnight Blue," that gives both
Carpenter and Andersen plenty of time to stretch
out on their respective instruments.
Carpenter went more to the soul side of his
musical personality for Just Got Started
compared to previous albums, and he absolutely
nailed it. Highly recommended.
--- Bill Mitchell
 A
blues album that may fly under the radar is
Pocket Change (Big Little Records) from
Nashville drummer/vocalist Andy Peake.
The ten songs here are a mix of originals and
well-chosen covers, with Peake showing his
preference for tunes written by soul songwriting
legend Dan Penn.
He's
gathered quite a few solid backing musicians,
with guitarist Will McFarlane showing up on most
cuts. Peake is a somewhat limited vocalist with
not a lot of range, but he's not unpleasant to
listen to and he knows his strengths as a
singer, often excelling on slower soulful
numbers.
The
highlights here start with the two Dan Penn
compositions, most notably the soul classic "You
Left The Water Running," with McFarlane handling
guitar duties and a nice sax solo from Brad
Guinn. Mindy M. Miller joins in on backing
vocals, and we also hear nice piano work from
Jody Nardone. The other Penn number is the
mid-tempo soul tune, "Somebody's Got To Do It,"
with Guinn again popping in with a very good sax
solo.
My
favorite Peake originals are "The Blues Is Here
To Stay," an up-tempo blues with just a hint of
being funky, featuring stronger vocals from
Peake and tasty guitar from guest Terry Downing,
and the slow blues shuffle "I Don't Believe
Nothin'," with Nashville session standouts James
Pennebaker on guitar and Kevin McKendree on
piano. Another strong number is the very bluesy
"As Good As It Gets," with Tim Gartland joining
in on harmonica.
One
more standout cut to mention is the New Orleans-ish
"So Many Drummers," made special by snaky guitar
from McFarlane that at times sounds like licks
from a Little Feat tune. Nardone also lays down
some nice piano work, helping to give the song
its New Orleans touch.
Not
to be overlooked on this album is the fact that
Peake is a solid drummer, laying down a steady
beat throughout. Pocket Change is the
second recent album put out by Peake, with
Mood Swings also worth locating for his
stirring rendition of The Band's "I Shall Be
Released." Lots of good stuff available from Mr.
Peake.
--- Bill Mitchell
The
“full Belgian” version of the Travellin’
Blues Kings will have a new album, their
third, scheduled for February of 2025. To whet
their fans’ appetite until next year, the group
have issued the album’s first single. “Lay Down
Knuckle Under” (Naked Records) is a funky blues
rocker that takes a critical view of world
affairs, featuring new guitarist Luke Alexander
(The Electric Kings) and drummer Steve Wouters
(Last Call), with the returning JB Biesman
(vocals), Patrick Cuyvers (keys), and Winne
Penninckx (bass).
--- Graham Clarke
“Uber” is the lead single from Stevie J Blues’
upcoming album, Sid55: The Second Home of
Southern Soul, and it’s a great soul-blues
slow burner single that will remind fans of the
vintage soul-blues sounds, but the tune applies
a modern twist on love in the modern, digital
age. His emotive vocal, with deep soul backing
vocals and a sturdy rhythm backdrop, will bring
to mind the classic soul and R&B of years back.
Stevie J adds some tasty blues guitar near the
end of the track that will leave you wanting
more.
--- Graham Clarke
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