Are you one of those
blues fans who says, “They just don’t make them like
they used to,” when you listen to a modern blues
recording? Well, now you can file that phrase away
for a later date because Chicago bluesman Willie
Buck and Delmark Records just released a disc,
Cell Phone Man, that sounds “just like they
used to.” Buck, a longtime “weekend warrior” on the
Windy City blues circuit (working as an auto
mechanic during the week), has been a huge fan of
the ’50s Chicago sound, dating back to when a
relative snuck him into a club to see Muddy Waters.
Cell Phone Man
includes several songs that were part of the Waters
repertoire, including “Blow Wind Blow,” “What’s The
Matter With The Mill.” “My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble,”
“Streamline Woman,” and “Going Down Main Street.”
However, don’t dismiss Buck as a mere imitator. He
has a strong and distinct vocal style all his own,
and he also composed seven of the 17 tracks himself,
a fine set of tunes that hold up well with the
classics. “Doin’ Good And Bad At The Same Time” is a
classic Chicago track, while the title track,
despite its modern subject matter, sounds like a
lost Chess single.
“I Wanna Talk To My
Baby,” another Buck composition, is an earthy number
featuring Buck backed by Rockin’ Johnny Burgin’s
acoutic guitar, also featured on “Two Trains
Running.” “Tried To Work Something Out With You”
sounds like vintage Billy Boy Arnold, and he also
does a fine job on tracks like Ted Taylor’s “Darling
I Miss You So,” Gene Halton’s “Tow Truck Man,” and
“Two Women Talking,” a loping boogie track in the
Magic Sam tradition.
Buck doesn’t do this
alone….he’s backed by Burgin’s band (Rick Kreher –
rhythm guitar, John Sefner – bass, Steve Bass
–drums), plus the incredible Barrelhouse Chuck on
piano, and an impressive pair of harmonica
players…..Martin Lang (Taildragger, Rockin’ Johnny,
Little Arthur) and Montreal-based blues sensation
Bharath Rajakumar. Rockin’ Johnny’s guitar work is
top notch as well.
Traditional blues
fans will definitely find what they’re hungry for
with this great new release. This is as good as it
gets these days for the ’50s era Chicago Blues.
Thanks to Willie Buck and Delmark Records for doing
their part to keep this timeless music alive.
---
Graham Clarke
Ten years ago,
American singer/guitarist Eric Bibb met West
African singer/guitarist Habib Koité when the
pair were involved in recording for the Putumayo
collection, Mali to Memphis. The pair struck
up a friendship, and realizing that the blues
originated in Africa, began planning a collaborative
project of their own. The result is Brothers in
Bamako (Stony Plain Records), an album of
stunning beauty and charm that melds Bibb’s blues,
folk, and gospel influences with Koité’s own West
African folk/world music influences.
Both artists share a
little bit of their experience with the first two
tracks. Bibb shares his thoughts on the opening cut,
“On My Way to Bamako,” and Koité does the same on
the next track, “L.A.” The disc is a guitar player’s
dream as each musician takes a turn at acoustic
guitars, 6-string banjos, ukeleles, and joined by
Mamadou Kone, who plays percussion throughout.
Koité offers up
several beautiful songs like “Nani Le,” “Khafolé,”
and “Mami Wati” will provide much listening pleasure
to not just blues fans, but also music fans in
general. Bibb’s inspirational “With My Maker I Am
One,” is also a highlight. Though each brings some
of their own songs to the disc, Bibb and Koité
collaborate on several tunes, including a
reinterpretation of the tradtional “Needed Time,”
“We Don’t Care,” about the sometimes rampant
commercialism that affects the world, the optmistic
“Send Us Brighter Days,” and the lovely “Timbouctou.”
The disc ends with a wonderful take on Bob Dylan’s
“Blowin’ In The Wind,” and the tradtional blues,
“Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad.”
Brothers in Bamako
shows, as well as any disc I’ve heard, that the line
between traditional blues and West African music is
a very thin one indeed. We should be eternally
grateful to Stony Plain Records for getting Eric
Bibb and Habib Koité together for this project.
---
Graham Clarke
A 28-year vet of the
Chicago blues scene, guitarist Mike Wheeler
got his start backing piano man Lovey Lee in 1984,
and paid his dues toiling for artists like Cadillac
Dave and the Chicago Redhots, Sam Cockrell & the
Groove, Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Big James & the
Chicago Playboys, and Peaches Staten and the
Grooveshakers. He’s also played with Koko Taylor,
Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Son Seals, Willie Kent, Jimmy
Johnson, and Shemekia Copeland. He’s also led his
own band for ten years, releasing his own CD in 2004
and emerging as one of Chicago’s brightest new
stars.
Wheeler and his band
(Brian James – keyboards, Cleo Cole – drums, Larry
Williams – bass) get to strut their stuff on their
Delmark debut, Self Made Man. Wheeler and the
band wrote all but one of the 13 tracks, the lone
cover being Willie Dixon’s “Let Me Love You Baby,”
which Wheeler gives a fresh coat of paint by using
the familiar “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” rhythm as a
backdrop. Of the original tracks, the upbeat opening
cut, “Here I Am,” the relationship-gone-awry tale,
“Big Mistake,” and the strong title track (one of
three tracks featuring Omar Coleman on harmonica)
are standouts, but there’s plenty more where that
came from.
“You’re Doing Wrong”
is a mid-tempo West Side-flavored blues rocker that
includes some standout guitar work. A pair of songs
(“Walkin’ Out That Door” and “I Don’t Like It Like
That”) address the effects of romantic betrayal, and
“Moving Forward” can best be described as cosmic
funk/blues, with Wheeler laying down the fiercest
and funkiest riffs since Eddie Hazel back in the
P-Funk days.
Wheeler is a
fantastic guitarist with an endless supply of riffs,
and his vocals are also top notch, as he easily
moves from the smooth R&B to the rougher blues
tracks. It sort of makes you wonder why it’s taken
him this long to get to this point. Fortunately, he
has arrived though, and blues fans are the better
for it. Look for great things from this talented
musician and Self Made Man is a great place
to get started.
---
Graham Clarke
Houston-born,
L.A.-based Teresa James has performed with a
pretty prestigious list of artists that includes
Bonnie Raitt, Kirk Whalum, Delbert McClinton, Marcia
Ball, Tommy Castro, and Lee Roy Parnell. She’s sung
on albums by Whalum, Randy Newman, Castro, Walter
Trout, Stephen Bruton, and Glen Clark, and has also
graced several TV and movie soundtracks. Come on
Home (Jesi-Lu Records) is her eighth recording
with her band, the Rhythm Tramps.
James’ music is a mix
of blues, soul, roadhouse rock, and Cajun. She’s a
powerhouse vocalist and is backed by a strong group
of musicians that includes Mike Finnigan, who plays
B3, piano, and duets with James on the Etta James
cover, “If I Can’t Have You,” guitarist Billy Watts,
drummers Tony Braunagel, Herman Matthews, and Jim
Christie, piano man Jon Cleary, a tight horn section
(Jerry Peterson – saxes, Lee Thornberg – trumpet),
accordionist David P. Jackson, and background singer
Leslie Smith and Debra Dobkin (who also doubles on
percussion). The man who makes it all go is producer
Terry Wilson, who also plays bass, guitars,
contributes background vocals, percussion, and
keyboards.
James runs the table
on tracks like the funky title track that opens the
disc, the soulful “Forgetting You,” and the boogie
track, “Long Way From Texas.” She ably handles the
greasy Memphis soul of “Still Got The Message” and
“That’s Just Love,” and the Motownish “She’s Got A
Way With Man.” The Cajun spice of “Voodoo Doll” is a
nice change of pace, as is the acoustic guitar work
of Wilson and Watts on “Carry That Burden.” The
closing two tracks, “I Can Do Better” and “All I
Wanna Do Is Dance” are guaranteed to get you on your
feet.
Come on Home
is a great listen from start to finish. Teresa James
has a voice that comes from deep down in the soul,
as real and authentic as it gets. When she sings,
you know she means it.
---
Graham Clarke
Keyboard player
David Maxwell has been a part of the Boston
blues scene since the late ’60s. Since that time, he
has played with Freddie King, James Cotton (winning
a Grammy for his work on Cotton’s Deep in the
Blues CD in 1996), Jimmy Rogers, Ronnie Earl,
Bonnie Raitt, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin, and many
others. He can be heard on many of these same
artists’ recordings as well. In the early ’90s, he
started leading his own band and releasing his own
recordings, sometimes venturing into jazz, but
always remaining firmly rooted in the blues
tradition.
Maxwell’s latest
release, Blues in Other Colors (Shining Stone
Records), is probably his most ambitious yet. This
release finds Maxwell blending traditional blues
instruments such as keyboards, guitars, bass, and
drums with instruments from India, West Africa,
Morocco, and Turkey, giving the blues a distinct
international feel. Assisting Maxwell is a stellar
set of musicians, including guitarist Harry Manx,
who plays the Mohan Veena, an Indian hybrid
guitar/sitar, Jerry Leake, who specializes in Indian
and West African percussion, Fred Stubbs, who plays
the Turkish ney, and Boujmaa Razgui, a Moroccan who
plays the raita and oud.
The 13
all-instrumental tracks were written by Maxwell and
he expertly mixes his traditional blues piano
playing (with an occasional venture into jazz
territory) with these unique instruments. Tracks
like “Big Sky,” “Blue Dream,” “Harry’s Raga,”
“Chillin’ In Casa,” and “Movin’ On,” all give you a
taste of the international, but with Maxwell and the
excellent rhythm section, the blues is still very
present on these tracks, fading to the background
one minute, then emerging to the forefront the next.
It all fits together seamlessly.
The above-mentioned
rhythm section (Marty Ballou – double bass, Paul
Kochanski – electric bass, Eric Rosenthal – drums,
Andy Plaisted – congas) deserves special mention for
their work. Maxwell’s regular guitarist, Troy Gonyea,
does a fine job in support and when he steps out
front, as on the couple of traditional tracks (“Cryin’
The Blues” and “Just The Blues”) included on the
disc.
Some blues purists
may be turned off by the concept of mixing the blues
with world music, but that’s only because they
haven’t listened to Blues in Other Colors.
Once they’ve given it a spin, they will warm up to
the idea quickly.
---
Graham Clarke
In 2010, Mitch
Woods and his band, the Rocket 88’s,
toured Turkey with the Efes Blues Festival, playing
26 shows in 20 cities over five weeks. During their
stop in Istanbul, the band was recorded live in
front of an enthusiastic audience and the results
can be seen and heard on the CD/DVD set, Blues
Beyond Borders: Live in Istanbul (Club 88
Records). Woods is an outstanding, charismatic
performer, and his band, which includes Rhythmtown
Jive guitarist Adam Gabriel, bass player/singer
Cornell Williams of Jon Cleary’s band, Crescent City
sax man Amadee Castenell, and blues/R&B drummer
Larry Vann, are in top form on this sterling set of
mostly jump blues and New Orleans-flavored R&B
tunes.
The tunes range from
fairly familiar covers (“Rocket 88,” “In The Night,”
which is mixed with one of Turkey’s most popular
rock tunes, “Lambaya Puf De,” “Third Degree,” sung
by Williams in fine Johnny Adams-like style, and
Rene Leon’s “Crawfishin’”) to less familiar but
equally formidable fare (the boisterous jump tune,
“Down Boy Down,” Roy Milton’s “What Can I Do,” and
“House of Blue Lights”). Woods himself offers up
some dandy originals that blend ideally with the
setting (“Solid Gold Cadillac,” “Mojo Mambo,” a
great slice of New Orleans funky R&B, “Boogie Woogie
Bar-B-Q,” and the excellent old school R&B track,
“Long, Lean, & Lanky”).
The song list on the
CD and DVD are identical, but on the DVD, Woods
mixes in a few clips about the Turkish people, their
culture, and their hospitality. Other extras on the
DVD include footage of the band’s travels
(accompanied by Kenny Neal and his band) and some of
their stops throughout the country, along with info
about some of the crew that traveled with them.
However, the highlight of the package is the music.
Mitch Woods and his crack band sound fantastic on
these tunes. If you’re a fan of New Orleans R&B and
jump blues, you need to check out this set.
---
Graham Clarke
Blues renaissance man
Al Basile always has something interesting to
say on his recordings. His past efforts have blended
blues and jazz similarly to Roomful of Blues, with
whom Basile played cornet in the early to mid ’70s.
He’s a fine composer as well. Most of his songs have
a strong literary bent to them…..no surprise there,
since Basile originally intended to be a poet and
fiction writer and was also a teacher for 25 years.
In the late ’80s, he reunited with Roomful founder
Duke Robillard and they have enjoyed a fruitful
musical partnership ever since. Basile has written
songs and performed on many of Robillard’s releases
and Robillard has returned the favor by working on
all of Basile’s solo recordings as a producer and
guitarist.
Basile’s latest
release, At Home Next Door, a two-disc set on
his own Sweetspot Records, is a gem of a recording.
Disc one consists of handpicked remastered tunes
from his previous releases that represent his
version of the blues, hence the “At Home With The
Blues“subtitle. Disc two, “Next Door To The Blues,”
finds Basile tackling 13 new songs in a Memphis soul
style that harkens back to the heyday of the ’60s
Bluff City scene.
For the new material,
Duke Robillard, as always, is present as producer
and guitarist. Joining him in support of Basile are
Mark Teixeira on drums, Bruce Bears on keyboards,
Brad Hallen on bass, and a horn section that
includes Doug James, Rich Lataille, Carl Querfurth,
and special guest Scott Hamilton. They lay down an
irresistible groove from start to finish that’s
rounded out by Basile’s smooth vocals and great
songs, which include the moody “Too Much Like Fate,”
the gospel-flavored “Stony Ground,” “It Is What It
Is,” “Miss Dissatisfied,” and “My Phone’s Got a Mind
of Its Own.”
The retrospective on
Disc one includes 13 tracks from Basile’s catalog.
His work has been so consistent that these songs
sound like they might have come from the same
recording, but they cover a 14-year span. The
remastering makes these recordings sound even
better. The final tune on the disc, “Eighty Bells,”
is actually a new track, an acoustic duet with
Basile and Robillard…. their first such effort.
Al Basile has raised
his profile considerably over the past few years.
His past four discs have charted in the Top 15 on
the Living Blues airplay charts and he’s been
nominated for two BMAs in 2010 and 2012 as Best Horn
Player. This retrospective/new release should raise
his profile even more, showcasing his versatility as
a songwriter, singer, and musician.
---
Graham Clarke
Some time back,
bluesman Tas Cru was talking to a young blues
fan, who told him that she liked the blues, but was
tired of bluesmen crying about all of their hard
luck and troubles. She said many of them probably
deserved what they go because of choices they made
and their lifestyles and that she preferred the
upbeat “getting over it” blues. Inspired by this
conversation, Cru has released his latest disc,
Tired of Bluesmen Cryin’ (Crustee Tees Records).
With this new
release, Cru does his best to showcase the upbeat
side of the blues. Most of us listen to the blues
not to get the blues, but to get over the blues…..at
least I do. For those of you who fall into the same
column as I do, there’s a lot to enjoy on this
album. The title track opens the disc, with Cru
ruminating on the discussion he had with the young
fan while playing slide on his cigar box guitar. The
sunny, upbeat “Changin’ My Ways” finds Cru promising
to turn over a new leaf, and is followed by “One
More Time,” a slow blues that Cru describes as a
“classic belt buckle polisher.”
The funky “Road to My
Obsession” and “Try, Oh How I Try!” are tracks about
the life and requisite dues-paying of a traveling
bluesman. Cru’s sense of humor is on display on
tracks like “That Lovin’ Thang” and “Every Word You
Say,” and even “Sure Do (Want To Fool Around).”
With all the
lighthearted tone, the disc does end on a more
serious note…..it wouldn’t be the blues without a
little suffering and misery. “Heal My Misery” is a
tense, swampy drama, and “Dark Side of the Mountain”
is a subdued track dedicated to the plight of the
soldiers and families of the U.S. Army’s 10th
Mountain Division.
Assisting Cru, who
plays acoustic, electric, resonator, and cigar box
guitars and harmonica, are Larry Devino (bass,
percussion), Joe Goehle (bass), Andy Hearn (drums,
percussion), Chip Lamson (keyboards), Tony Perrino
(keyboards), and Jeremy Walz (slide guitar).
Tired of Bluesmen
Cryin’ is sure to put a smile on your face and a
hop in your step. Who says the blues has to be sad
all the time? Tas Cru remains one of the most
talented, original, and versatile blues musicians
currently working and this disc is a fine addition
to his catalog.
---
Graham Clarke
Sunny Crownover
has been a part of several Duke Robillard projeccts
over the past few years. The Massachusetts-based
singer has appeared on a couple of Robillard’s
releases (Stomp! The Blues Tonight! and
Tales From the Tiki Lounge) and also on her own
2009 disc, Introducing Sunny and Her Joy Boys.
Those releases focused on jazz, blues, and ’40s and
’50s-era pop, all genres that Crownover handled with
ease. Her latest effort, Right Here, Right Now
(Shining Stone Records), finds her going back to her
roots, dating back to her days as a singer in
Austin, TX, singing blues, roots, and R&B.
Right Here, Right
Now consists of 11 tracks, four co-written by
Roblllard and Nashville singer/songwriter Gary
Nicholson. Nicholson, a new friend of Robillard’s
who rises to the task with some first-rate tunes
like the title track, “Oh Yes I Will,” “Trust Your
Lover,” and the spicy “High Heels and Home Cookin’.”
Robillard also wrote the rowdy Chicago blues tune,
“Roll Me Daddy.” Another Robillard buddy, Al Basile,
contributed “I Might Just Change My Mind,” a
typically fine Basile tune. Texas blues artist
Brenda Burns penned “One Woman Man,” and
Florida-based blueswoman Sandy Adkinson wrote “Cook
In Your Kitchen.”
Crownover sounds
marvelous. Her soulful vocals manage to be cool and
sultry at the same time and she’s right at home with
the material. Robillard handles all the guitar
chores and is backed by many of his usual cohorts
(Bruce Bears – keyboards, Brad Hallen – bass, Mark
Teixeira – drums, Mike Tucker – tenor sax, Doug
Woolverton – trumpet, Doug James – baritone sax,
Billy Novick – clarinet). Sugar Ray Norcia guests on
harmonica and background vocals are provided on one
track (Jon Tiven’s “Can’t Let Go”).
Right Here, Right
Now is a great set of new blues and R&B tunes
from a skilled singer and a super band. Sunny
Crownover proves that she’s adept in a number of
genres and it will be interesting to hear what she
and Robillard do on their next project together.
---
Graham Clarke
J. P. Reali,
who’s been a part of the Washington D.C. blues scene
for nearly 30 years, first as lead guitarist for The
Next Step, an ’80s psychedelic blues band, then as
part of the acoustic blues/roots duo, The Reali
Brothers (with his brother Chris), in the ’90s. He’s
been a solo artist over a decade, releasing two CDs
of acoustic blues mixing his interpretations of
blues standards with his own original compositions.
The Road to
Mississippi (Reali Records) is his third solo
effort. He penned nine of the ten songs (plus two
instrumental interludes). His brother contributed
the ominous “Jefferson Lament,” a tale of a
plantation worker’s endless toil, and the pair
co-wrote the harrowing “The Book or the Bottle,” a
clash of wills between the sacred and the profane.
Reali’s own
compositions range from the slide-driven romp,
“Going to Mississippi,” the socially conscious “My
Soul or Skin,” the timely “Busted Boy Blues,” “Dark,
Strong, and Steaming” (a metaphorical ode to coffee
written in the tradition of Mississippi John Hurt),
and “Cold Steel Blue,” a new addition to the freight
train blues canon, albeit with some excellent
fingerpicking from Reali. On “Bloozin’ in NYC, Reali
plugs in, a la Elmore James, with bass and drum
backing.
Though Reali plays
most of these tracks unaccompanied, he’s joined on
four tracks by The Nighthawks’ frontman, Mark Wenner,
on harmonica. Also lending a hand on a couple of
tracks is former Nighthawk Peter Ragusa on drums
along with veteran bass player John Previtti on
upright bass. Reali’s guitar work is excellent and
his confident vocal delivery is a plus as well.
J. P. Reali’s The
Road to Mississippi is a well-played set of
acoustic blues, that captures perfectly the spirit
and feel of Mississippi Delta-influenced or
Piedmont-style blues guitar.
---
Graham Clarke
Though I don’t know
Colin Linden well, I’ve been impressed by his
work as a producer on discs by Janiva Magness and
Eden Brent, and he is legendary in his home country
of Canada as a musician, songwriter and producer.
Colin moved to Nashville several years ago with his
wife Janice and the U.S. Immigration Service was
kind enough to note on his green card, Colin is “an
alien of extraordinary ability!”
That about sums it
up, which brings us of course to his new release on
Yellow Dog Records, Still Live. Noting that
his first recording 30 years ago was called Live,
Colin takes the time to record a new live recording
in Nashville at the Douglas Corner Café. It’s his
sincerest hope that this disc will tide us over
until the release of his next live recording 30
years from now, tentatively entitled
Barely Alive. While I hope we’re all alive
for the next disc, we probably should give this one
a listen.
Colin opens up with
“Big Mouth,” a tune with a swampy feel to it that
finds him pondering opportunities lost. “Might have
lost another round…on account of my big mouth.”
Colin is an outstanding guitarist and I see him
playing a resonator in my mind’s eye on this tune.
One of Colin’s earliest influences was the man
himself, Howlin' Wolf, and Colin covers his tune,
“Who’s Been Talking?” next. An outstanding cover,
Colin more than does the Wolf justice and Spooner
Oldham’s talented fingers on the organ are featured
prominently on this tune. A much lighter touch can
be found on our next tune, “Between the Darkness and
The Light of Day,” and it’s my favorite cut on the
disc. “Now…I see the dawn…coming round the
bend…yesterday’s sorrows are about to end…and I
won’t be back this way again…between the darkness
and the light of day!”
Colin’s fingerpicking
talents make an appearance on “Smoke ‘Em All,” a
tribute to Colin’s friend, keyboardist Richard Bell,
who has sadly passed on. “This ain’t no cautionary
tale…nobody got mad or went to jail…but you only
live one time…so have a ball…that might boy…he’d
smoke ‘em all!” Colin’s slide work weaves a
passionate backdrop to our next tune, “Sugar Mine,”
where we find Colin in the midst of falling in love.
“Your love is like a river bed…where I lay down…I
keep on drinking…but I still don’t drown…sugar
mine…sugar mine…sweet home sugar mine.”
“Remedy” is up next
and it’s a tune that Colin originally wrote for The
Band who recorded it with Levon Helm on the vocals.
“I believe she got something…like a stingaree…when
she moves you know…she puts a hurt on me. You got
the cure…you got the key…you got the remedy!”
A walk at night along
the levee comes to mind as Colin sings about the
beauty of the South in “John Lennon in New Orleans.”
“Creole girl…I’m a stranger in a foreign land…a
wanted man no one can recognize…help me please…I
want to hold your hand…sleepwalk with me tonight.” A
beautiful tune with a melody brought to life by
Colin’s guitar; this is another of my favorites on
the disc.
“From the Water”
finds Colin at his bluesy, rocking best on another
tune with a swamp edge to it. “She holds on…she
holds on…to what she’s got…she knows who she is…and
what she is not…I will pull her from the
water…forever to be mine!” “You’re not alone…though
every breath’s a struggle…you’ve got a home right
here in my heart…I will lead you….through your dark
night of the soul” is a verse from our next cut,
“Dark Night of the Soul.” Colin tackles this tale of
salvation and redemption with just the right amount
of patience and tenderness as he does what he can to
ease of the burden of the one he truly loves.
“Too Late to Holler”
is a tune Colin wrote to let us know not to grieve
too much when he passes. “Don’t anybody ever grieve
too hard…play my records in my backyard…no need to
worry or scream about….just say my time has done
played out.” Sound advice for all of us to heed in a
situation where a loved one has indeed lived the
life well lived.
A slow ballad,
“Sinking Down Slow,” follows and here we find Colin
lamenting the end of a relationship and the love of
a woman he loved honestly. “Last night…my sleep was
worried…I heard you call my name…the break of dawn
done took you…and I know I am to blame.”
Still Live
closes with Colin’s slide featured prominently on “I
Give Up” as he eloquently pleads his case. “I’ve
worked so hard…and now I want to be lazy…tired of
trying to be so tough….I give up!”
Colin’s many talents
are legendary and they’re all featured prominently
on his latest disc for Yellow Dog Records. Great
songwriting, amazing musicianship and the intimacy
of the live audience all contribute to a great disc.
You can find out more about this “alien of
extraordinary ability” on his website at
www.colinlinden.com. Grab a copy of Still
Alive while you’re there or head over to the
Yellow Dog site for your copy at
www.yellowdogrecords.com. And here’s hoping
we’re all still around for the release of Barely
Alive when it comes out as well!
---
Kyle Deibler
Took a recent trip to
Texas and had a chance to visit with my good buddy,
Jeff Strahan, and his beautiful bride, Lois.
We went on a tour of West Texas and I enjoyed the
opportunity to catch up with them and see Jeff play
a couple of gigs. I first met Jeff and Lois several
years ago at the IBC and have followed him ever
since. Jeff’s a Texas Bluesman, born and bred, and I
really enjoy his artistry. His newest project,
Blue ‘Til I Die, is easily his best record to
date, so let’s dive into it.
Jeff’s Strat kicks in
with the lead on our first cut, “Good Outweighs
Bad,” and it’s the perfect lead song. Life isn’t
always easy and Lord knows we’ve all had our trials
and tribulations, it’s how we deal with them that
matters. As Jeff says, “I’ve done my time…I’ve paid
my dues…I’ve walked 10,000 miles in these 100 mile
shoes…ain’t always rosy….along this path….thank God
the good times…outweigh the bad!” Getting through to
the other side isn’t always easy but Jeff’s managed
to find a balance that serves him well.
Tempo picks up and
the bass of John June sets the tone for our next
cut, “River’s Gonna Rise.” “The river going
rise….flood this town…it’s been too high and
mighty…can’t keep her down….the river’s going to
rise!” Mother Nature has a way of achieving her own
balance in the Universe and now it’s time for the
water to rise. Our next cut, “She Only Hates Me,” is
an inside joke between Jeff and Lois. “She tells me
in the morning…I’m her Superman…she likes the way I
sing….she’s my biggest fan…but when she gets to
drinking…she’s a one woman wrecking crew!” I can’t
ever envision Lois tying one on but if she did… Jeff
had better run!
Texas legend Augie
Myers makes an appearance on the piano in the fourth
tune on the disc, “Betty Sue.” The band’s in high
gear as Jeff tells us the story of Betty Sue, “she
could pour heart out…tell like it is…she can creep
up in your mind…like a sloe gin fizz…lay in on the
table…spread it all out….make a Jim Dandy…stand up
and shout…Betty Sue!” Jeff also plays keys and it’s
him on the piano as we move into “Less Is More.”
“Seems like a long time…since I let go my youth…I
had to look in every window…kick down every
door…never satisfied…always wanted more…seems like a
long time…since I looked in the mirror…but mores’
not always righteous…the devil has many disguises…so
just close the door…stop wanting more!” Sometimes we
just have to make do with what we have, and that
should be enough.
The melancholy tones
of Jeff’s Strat continue to echo this theme in our
next cut, “U-Turns.” “Think you're king of the big
top…you’re a sucker’s clown…remember, what goes
up…will surely come down….you got nowhere to go…cuz
the bridges you burn…it ain’t the miles that make
you wise…it’s the u-turns!” Whether we like it or
not, wisdom is only accrued through experience and
indeed, it isn’t the miles that make us wise, it
definitely is the u-turns.
The disc takes a
playful turn as Jeff’s organ work introduces us to
“Do Me.” “I had way too many women…try to walk away
mad…I had too many deadlines….all up here in my
face…I had too many miles….in this crazy rat race…so
baby…do me…come on do me….please do me good!” Sounds
like a reasonable way to escape life for a little
while to me.
D.C. Duncan’s
drumbeat brings us to our next number, “Mayhem.”
“Mayhem is an instrumental that allows the band to
stretch out a little bit and just run wild. D.C. and
John provide a tight rhythm sections to Jeff’s
madness and the end result of course is, “Mayhem.”
The next cut, “Sancho,”
is a classic tale of cheating, with a twist. Jeff’s
sure his woman is cheating on him and the mournful
tones of his guitar are telling us this true. So
Jeff does the reasonable thing and hires a detective
to get him the answers he needs. “There’s an oil
spot in my driveway…and my car ain’t got no
leak…when I’ve been going to work…someone been
parking in my space, I do believe.” The pictures the
detective provides him are of his buddy Sancho’s
car, so imagine Jeff’s surprise when he discovers
the driver is female. “He showed me pictures of the
driver…man, it threw me for a loop…Sancho wasn’t
Sancho…just as pretty as you please…not sure I can
call it cheating…seemed a little bit more like a
fantasy!” Nuff said on this topic.
The irreverent “Shine
Her Up” is up next and here we find Jeff extolling
the virtues of his woman, his shotgun and his
Stratocaster. An interesting tune, to say the least.
“She says sitting round the house….is bringing her
down…so I went out…bought a little black dress and
some snakeskin shoes that will take away your
breath…tonight I’m going to shine her up…and take
her out!”
The disc closes with
two ballads, “Wishing Bone,” a tune of longing about
a relationship lost and the need to find peace
within, and the very sad “Gonna Be Blue.” In “Gonna
Be Blue” we hear the story of a family having to
come to grips with the lost of a loved one in
battle, a woman, coming home to the family in a
casket. “Cry on my shoulder…I’ll cry on yours
too…but one thing’s for sure…it’s going to be
blue…who’ll tell her Daddy…he should be proud…cause
he taught this soldier…to never back down…she loved
her country…said please carry on…and please tell
Jesus, “another soldier’s coming home.” “To say
“thank you” is all we can do.
I’ve listened to a
lot of Jeff’s discs over the years and I firmly
believe this is his best disc to date. Even though I
tease him about his songwriting, the tunes here are
well-crafted and the musicianship of Jeff, D.C. and
John definitely stands out.
In his liner
commentary Jeff dedicates this disc to Little Dave
Thompson, a Mississippi bluesman and good friend of
Jeff’s that we lost way too soon. Blue ‘Til I Die
is an excellent disc and one to add to your
collection. Little Dave would be proud, Jeff, you
done good! You can find out more about this Texas
Bluesman and this disc on his website at
www.jeffstrahan.com.
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Kyle Deibler
