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 In October of 2009, Texas guitarists Jim
Suhler (George Thorogood and the Destroyers),
Buddy Whittington (John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers),
and Vince Converse (Sunshine Heights) assembled
with drummer Jeff Simon (George Thorogood and
the Destroyers) and bassist Nathaniel Peterson
(Savoy Brown) to jam and lay down a few tracks.
With little time to rehearse due to other
obligations, the session took place quickly, but
for some reason sat on the shelf.
The
group, now known as Texas Scratch,
finally sees their collaboration’s release after
14 years. Texas Scratch (Quarto Valley
Records), the album, features nine songs, seven
written by the band, that blend blues with
southern rock and plenty of six string
fireworks.
Whittington’s “Texas Trio” is a grinding
roadhouse rocker that pays tribute to all of the
great Lone Star State guitarists of the past and
present. Suhler’s mid-tempo southern rocker “I’d
Rather Be Lucky Than Good” was co-written with
Tom Hambridge, and “What The Devil Loves,”
written by Nashville writers Fred Koller and
Thom Bishop, is a smoldering blues rocker.
Suhler’s boogie rocker “Trip Hammer” kicks the
disc into high gear with some terrific slide
guitar.
Suhler also wrote the swampy rocker “Purple
Mountain Flask,” and the rowdy “Louisiana Cock
Fight” was written by Texas local legend John
Nitzinger. Converse contributes the funky “Do
Right By You.” Whittington’s “Ain’t Got
The Scratch” addresses the problem of many,
wanting more than we can afford.
The
disc closes with Suhler’s splendid slow blues,
“Showdown.”
It’s
hard to believe that this album went unissued
for over a decade but, thankfully, it’s now
available. Texas Scratch will please
blues rock fans with lots of great guitar and a
tight set of original tunes. Hopefully, these
guys will reassemble soon and give us some more
great music.
--- Graham Clarke
 Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia had so much
fun collaborating on their 2022 tour, dubbed the
“Blood Brothers” tour, that they decided to
release an album together, Blood Brothers,
earlier this year. Continuing their tour through
the present year, the pair have now released a
live album, Blood Brothers Live in Canada
(Gulf Coast Records), which was recorded in May
of 2023 at Blue Frog Studios in White Rock,
British Columbia.
Backed by Doug Byrkit (bass), Lewis Stephens
(keyboards), and Matt Johnson and Ephraim Lowell
(drums/percussion), Zito and Castiglia present
live versions of ten selections the pair
recorded for the Blood Brothers studio
release plus two dynamite covers.
“Hey
Sweet Mama” opens the set, as it did the studio
album, and the old school rock n’ roller
doubtlessly got the crowd on their feet
immediately. Tinsley Ellis’ “Tooth and Nail” was
another highlight from the earlier album, and
the duo’s guitar work on this number is fierce,
Zito on slide with Castiglia’s sinewy lead. Zito
gives a gripping vocal performance on “In My
Soul,” a song he wrote after his late wife,
Laura, was diagnosed with cancer (she passed
away about two months after this performance).
The
pair’s cover of Fred James’ “Fool Never Learns”
is just as soulful without the horns featured on
the studio release, and Castiglia’s powerful
reading of his own “A Thousand Heartaches” is a
highlight. Zito’s Texas-flavored blues rocker,
“No Good Woman,” is one of the bluesiest tracks
on the set, and his searing slide guitar kicks
their swampy take of John Hiatt’s “My Business”
to a higher level.
Zito
and Castiglia’s twin guitar attack is really
effective, and their collaboration on the 13
minutes-plus instrumental “Hill Country Jam” is
riveting, reminiscent of the Allman Brothers
Band’s ability to blend blues, rock, and jazz.
Another Fred James composition from the album,
“You’re Gonna Burn,” is a slow burning blues,
and the Graham Wood Drout tune “Bag Me, Tag Me,
Take Me Away” is a raucous rocker.
Two
tracks not on the Blood Brothers album
close out the set. Zito’s “Gone To Texas” (the
title song of his 2013 album) is a tribute to
his adopted home state that’s one of his best
songs, and the guitarists give an instrumental
shout-out to the Allmans at the song’s close.
The
show wraps up with a fiery version of Neil
Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” which
surely satisfied the Canadian audience.
If
you enjoyed Zito and Castiglia’s Blood
Brothers release, then you will love
Blood Brothers Live in Canada. It’s a blues
rock guitar fan’s dream come true. Truly an
excellent set from two of the genre’s finest.
--- Graham Clarke
 Randy Lee Riviere’s musical catalog is
pretty far-reaching. He’s played folk-rock,
Americana, outlaw country, southern rock, and
even straight rock n’ roll. This time around, he
ventures into blues-rock territory with an
assist from producer/multi-instrumentalist Kevin
McKendree, who certainly knows that territory,
having worked with many of the legends in the
blues and rock genres. The results of the
collaboration can be heard via Riviere’s newest
release, Blues Sky (New Wilderness
Records).
In
addition to McKendree
(guitars/keyboards/vocals), Riviere is joined on
these 11 original tracks by drummer Kenneth
Blevins and bassist David Santos, plus the
McCrary Sisters, who lend background vocal on
one special song.
The
opener, “American Redoubt,” has a rugged rhythm
and jagged lead guitar from McKendree that would
be a solid fit on a ZZ Top tune. “You’re So
Kind” has a heavy, droning guitar riff,
punctuated by Riviere’s rumbling, half-spoken
vocal delivery, and “Do or Don’t” is a
straight-forward rocker with heavy guitar
interplay. “Needles” (a new version of a tune
originally written and recorded during his “Mad
Buffalo Riviere” incarnation) has a strong
Southern rock vibe.
“Spit Shine” is a driving mid-tempo rocker,
which is followed by the somber ballad “Just One
More Time” and the country-flavored rocker “Old
Country’s Son.” “What Do You Know About Pain?”
and “Rocky’s Road” are both gripping blues
rocker . The former leans more toward the blues
side of the aisle and the latter toward rock.The
gritty “Joseline” tells of a failed relationship
with lasting effects.
The
closer, “Cold, Cold River,” is a stunning gospel
number that features the McCrary Sisters
providing sublime backing vocals.
Blues Sky adds another genre to Randy Lee
Riviere’s wide-ranging musical repertoire. His
incorporation of other musical styles into the
blues works extremely well, and will appeal to
fans of those various genres.
--- Graham Clarke
 Dustin Arbuckle and the Damnations (Arbuckle
– harmonica/lead vocals, Brandon Hudspeth –
guitar, Caleb Drummond – bass/harmony vocals,
Kendell Newby – drums/harmony vocals) have a
musical palette that moves from blues to soul to
country and Americana to jazz. Their latest
release, Live At The Shamrock, was
recorded on three different dates in 2022 at The
Shamrock Lounge, the oldest bar in Wichita,
Kansas, and a regular venue for Arbuckle for the
past couple of decades.
The
nine-song set opens with the slinky, mid-tempo
“You’re Gonna Hear Me On The Radio,” written by
Ryan Taylor. The band wrote the driving blues
“Across The Desert,” which features Arbuckle’s
fine harmonica and Hudspeth’s dynamic fretwork,
and “Dealer’s Lament,” which has an Americana
feel. They also wrote the tremendous jump blues
instrumental “Sioux City Strut,” highlighted by
great musical interplay between Arbuckle and
Hudspeth.
The
moving “Let Me Live Again,” written by Mike
Morgan, is a soulful showcase for Arbuckle’s
versatile vocal style, and “Moonlight On The
Mountain” is a moody masterpiece, punctuated by
Hudspeth’s liquidy guitar. “Woman Down In
Arkansas,” from the late Lee McBee, is a
terrific blues shuffle.
“My
Baby Loves Me When I’m Gone,” written by Matthew
Cox, revisits the Americana genre, with the set
closing on a raucous note featuring a stirring
cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tombstone Blues.”
I
love Arbuckle’s voice and the great tone on his
harmonica, and Hudspeth’s guitar work
complements him well, as does the steady rhythm
section of Drummond and Newby. It’s always great
to hear a recording from Dustin Arbuckle and the
Damnations, and Live At The Shamrock is a
top notch release.
--- Graham Clarke
 The
Cedar County Cobras are Tom Spielbauer
(guitars/percussion) and April Dirks (upright
bass/mandolin). They began playing together in
2014. Spielbauer won the solo competition at the
2022 Central Iowa Blues Challenge and placed as
a semi-finalist at the 2023 I.B.C. Dirks played
bluegrass prior to teaming up with Spielbauer
and their collaborative efforts combine old-time
country with Mississippi blues, as reflected on
their latest release, Homesick Blues.
The
album consists of ten tracks, six originals and
four covers. The opener, “Utah,” is an upbeat
tune about a cross-country that must bypass the
Beehive State because one of the passengers is
wanted by the law. “Country Records” is a
country song about a broken romance. The brisk
pace of the song belies the lyrics, and “Long
Time Gone” is a faster-paced breakup lament with
Dirks sharing vocals and playing mandolin.
The
album shifts to the blues with an irresistible
“Gimme Lighinin’,” which pulsates with the
rhythms of Mississippi Hill Country blues as
Spielbauer breaks out the slide and calls out
T-Model Ford and CeDell Davis, and a lively take
of Gus Cannon’s “Poor Boy,” which again teams
Spielbauer and Dirks on vocals.
The
Cobras’ thumping version of Muddy Waters’
“Trouble No More” is a refreshing interpretation
of the blues standard. Son House’s “Walkin’
Blues” opens with a dynamite slide guitar intro
from Spielbauer, before the duo launches into a
rapid-fire blues that completely transforms the
song.
“Voodoo Doll” is an original song with a country
feel that addresses the end of a relationship in
vivid, emotional detail before the Cobras
revisit the Hill Country sound one more time
with a superb cover of Jessie Mae Hemphill’s
“Shake It Right.” The title track closes out the
album, featuring more splendid slide guitar and
a steady rhythm that wraps things up in fine
fashion.
Homesick Blues is a great release that
deftly blends blues, country, and folk into a
delicious musical gumbo. The Cedar County
Cobras’ sound should satisfy fans of the older
styles as well as those who like things more
contemporary.
--- Graham Clarke
 I
love discovering an album from a
previously-unknown artist that just completely
blows me away. The most recent surprise came
from a publicist with a link to a British
singer, Kyla Brox, with a long history of
performing around Europe. Ms. Brox is the
daughter of the late English blues musician
Victor Brox, and her mother, Annette, was on the
original recording of "Jesus Christ Superstar."
It's obvious that she inherited her immense
talent from both parents.
Her
latest album, Live at Köniz Castle
(Pigskin Records), recorded in Switzerland and
contains 16 cuts with impeccable sound quality
not often heard on live recordings. She's backed
by a basic three-piece band --- Paul Farr
(guitar), Mark Warburton (drums), and Danny Blomeley (bass)
--- a solid group that backs her
impressive vocals without getting in the way. Brox also plays flute on a couple of the cuts.
Each
of the 16 songs, two covers and 14 originals,
here are very good, and I'll review what I
consider to be the best of the bunch. Let's
start with one that isn't normally considered a
blues song, "I Can't Make You Leave Me,"
co-written by Nashville songwriters Mike Reid
and
Allen Shamblin, was originally
recorded by Bonnie Raitt in 1991. Brox pumps in
a heavy dose of soul and gospel and Farr turns
in a killer blues guitar solo to easily jump
this version into a blues worthy number, making
it one that you'll listen to over and over.
Her vocals contain both power and
sentimentality. The song has also been covered
by giants of the music business like Prince,
Adele, Geroge Michael, Boyz II Men, Josh Groban,
Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, and more, but
I'll put Brox's version up against the
recordings from these much more famous singers.
The other cover is an extended version of
"Hallelujah," lasting over nine minutes. It's a
slow, spirited number with Brox's vocals soaring
through the octaves, while Farr contributes
plenty of tasteful guitar work.
"Bluesman's Child" stands out as an
autobiographical number, with Brox using this
hopping mid-tempo blues shuffle to tell about how she
grew up going on the road with her father and
learning the blues business. In addition to her
powerful vocals, Brox adds her flute
through the song, and Blomeley lays down a nice
bass solo. "Bloodshot Sky" is a forceful number
that gets a little funky, with Brox putting more
urgency into her voice as she reminds a man
that, "...I'm the best thing you never had ..."
One of her best vocal performances is the slow,
soulful blues, "Pain & Glory," with plenty of
power in her voice and the ability to
hold a note for a long time. Her "bad girl" side
comes out on "In The Morning," as she lines up
an encounter with a man at one of her shows
before remembering the next morning that she had
a husband waiting for her at home. Nice guitar
here from Farr.
"If You See Him" is a gospel-flavored song
highlighting the strength of Brox's voice, with
Farr's guitar emitting a more resonant tone. "365"
is an up-tempo blues shuffle on which Brox adds
her nice flute playing, and the funky blues
tune, "Let You Go," has her telling the man in
question that it's not the right time or place
for him and he needs to help her let him go.
Farr lays down one of his hottest guitar solos
here.
Kyla Brox has a new fan, and I'm going to be
digging deeper into her discography to learn
more about this scintillating blues vocalist. If
you also were not familiar with her,
Live at Köniz Castle, is a good starting
point, especially since
it includes versions of songs that she has
previously recorded. Highly recommended.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Paul Reed Smith is an acclaimed guitar
maker, known worldwide for his craft, as
well as being a pretty good guitar player in his own
right. For Lions Roaring in Quicksand
(Steele Records), he gets together with the band
Eightlock to put down 14 cuts of a mix of
rock, soul, blues, and a taste of funk. With an
array of band members that have played with some
pretty famous people in the music biz, there are
a lot of different sounds here.
What
brings it all together is the wonderful,
gospel-influenced voice of Mia Samone, who takes
every song to a higher level. It's that dose of
soul injected into every song that makes this
album interesting even if it's not
straight-ahead blues. A steady rhythm is laid
down on every cut from the band's three(!)
drummers --- Dennis Chambers, Gregory Grainger,
Ju Ju House --- all with impeccable credentials
in the music industry. Gary Grainger on bass and
three guitarists in Mike Ault, Bill Nelson, and
Paul Reed Smith himself round out the band.
Various guests pop in at times to provide a full
sound on every cut.
Samone especially shines on an excellent
rendition of the Al Green classic, "Love And
Happiness," for me the high point of the album,
with plenty of funky guitar and a big horn
section. She also shows off her soul chops on
Reed Smith's original, "Breathe," that gets an
infusion of blues with a nice guitar solo.
We
often like to hear a
reimagining of a soul classic, and we get that
with a good version of Edwin Starr's 1970 hit,
"War." Samone's voice takes on a heavy dose of
grit and urgency, bringing out another side of
this very fine singer. I've already listened to
this song over and over.
Looking for something that's more of a standard
blues sound? Listen to the mid-tempo band
original "Drivin' At Night," with sultry
vocals from Samone and several solid blues
guitar solos that vary the tempo throughout.
She's drivin' along with her man by her side. If
that's not a blues theme, I don't know what is.
Ault's original "Man In The Moon" is a mover
that is part soul, part funk, and part blues,
the latter sound coming from a strong guitar
solo. "He's The One" heads into blues/rock
territory before Samone jumps in on vocals,
giving it her usual soulfulness. She co-wrote
this one with Reed Smith, with the ownership
of the song showing in her powerful vocals. That duo also
co-wrote "I'm Ready," again more of a blues/rock
tune with a strong guitar solo by Reed Smith.
There's lots more here, but I've covered my
faves. I wasn't too sure how much I'd enjoy this
album when first sampling it, but the
musicianship here and the wonderful vocals of
Samone sealed the deal for me. There are
multiple songs that will appeal to blues fans
willing to expand their horizons just a bit. Yeah,
it's not straight blues, but there's a lot to
enjoy on Lions Roaring in Quicksand.
--- Bill Mitchell
 11 Guys Quartet consists of four blues
friends who get together once every blue moon or
so to cut an album, first recording nearly 40
years ago when they were known as the 11th Hour
Blues Band, regulars then on the New England
blues scene. None of this quartet are vocalists,
so they pretty much have done all-instrumental
recordings. Making up this group of very fine
musicians are Paul Lenart (guitar), Bill "Coach"
Mather (bass), Chuck Purro (drums), and Vizz
Tone label bossman Richard Rosenblatt
(harmonica).
Their latest album, 11 X 11 (Vizz Tone),
was recorded during the pandemic, each of the
four Guys recording remotely to first produce
eight singles that also turned into 'crazy as can
be' YouTube videos, later adding three more
songs. These cats are all outstanding on their
respective instruments, and it shows in the
quality of music here.
Rosenblatt especially shows that he's as good at
blowing the harp as just about anyone else on
the blues scene today. I especially like his
work on the up-tempo opening number, "Lightning
Road," where he's complemented by killer slide
guitar from Lenart. Rosenblatt also puts out a
nice solo on another favorite number of mine,
the salsa-ish "Texicali Mojo," and on the
mid-tempo blues shuffle "Stompin' Blues."
Purro is the star of "Black Cat Bone," with his
tribal drum beat dominating this blues classic
and giving it a real Bo Diddley kind of sound.
Lenart shows off his chops on the slow,
late-night tune, "Blues Beyond Midnight," and
uses a slide to great effect on "Stompin'
Blues," "Jokers Blues," and the closer, "Rockin'
The Blues."
We
do get some vocals, with plenty of effects
added, on a pair of the cuts --- "Driving
A Fast Car" and "He Ain't Got You" --- but these
two numbers show that the 11 Guys are better off
doing instrumental numbers. They add variety to
the album, so maybe I'm okay with it.
If
you dig good quality instrumental blues, then 11
X 11 is right up your alley. 11 Guys Quartet
records infrequently, so grab whatever they have
available when you can.
--- Bill Mitchell
Review of guitarist Joel Harrison
performance, Ravenscroft Hall, Scottsdale, Sat.
Sept. 30, 2023, Concert Series:
The performance center was half full at best.
Performing was new guitar name on me, Joel
Harrison. His presentation stimulating,
shook me some inside, had that good a bottom,
thanks to Gary Versace on B3 who laid down the
bass lines. Gregory Tardy played tenor sax and
clarinet. NYC-based all, they were touring
behind the leader’s 24th reported album,
Anthem of Unity.
Playlist seemed to follow sequence of the disc
(which advances on radio from a previous round
of new releases), comprised of six originals,
plus Sonny Rollins' "Doxy" and "Times They are a
Changin’" by a “well-known jazz composer.”
Harrison’s originals had groove, and were
challenging enough to be considered a positive
and progressive direction for today.
When
varied time signatures were called for, they
blended into the experience, rather than feeling
like a musician’s self-indulgence. Leader
Harrison had clarity of thought and stream of
consciousness while adlibbing to the crowd
during between-selection patter. Not enough acid
sound was in the organ for my taste, Tardy
played occasional high shriek notes on tenor,
some of the crowd dug that. The reed man’s
clarinet tone however was very good, close to my
favorite of current players like Peplowski and
Anot Cohen.
Couldn’t criticize drummer EJ Strickland in any
way, in fact his playing hinted at Elvin Jones.
Mr. Strickland was also playing the part of Jack
DeJohnette who plays on the Harrison Anthem of
Unity disc.
The
leader/guitarist’s one blunder into noise seemed
to be over-use of guitar pedals and foot
switches. "Do they really need all that?," I
asked a professional guitarist in attendance:
"Yes. That is now allowed to develop a personal
sound on electric guitar these days. We are now
past the reasoning 'Barney Kessel didn't need
any foot pedals.'"
Review of pianist Miki Yamanaka
performance, Ravenscroft Hall, Scottsdale, Fri. Oct.
13, 2023, Jazzbird Friday Night Series:
Ms.
Miki walked right by us in traditional dress,
looked straight ahead, to neither side. I
wondered if that was her personality. Wrong.
Once lounge full, obvious close to, or,
sold-out. I went in liking the composing,
writing, of tonight’s headliner. Miki's trio was
the same personnel as her latest Shades of
Rainbow release minus a tenor sax.
Playlist: George Cables' "Dark Shades," "Gin."
("Horace Silver was a cheap leader, I’m
learning).” "Early Morning," Monk's "Trinkle
Tinkle," the March ("Hatsu"?) from Human Dust
Suite dedicated to Mulgrew Miller.
The
trio marks time during complex solos. As I’d
hoped for, substantive stuff, harmonically the
way I like it. Not the predictable trio formula
like what Joey Alexander first did. This music
was stimulating, fresh, and more original than
many today. Most agreed in so many words.
Miles "Theme" closed first set. "Come talk with
me at the box office even if you don’t get a CD.
I’m a nice person.”
Set
two continued with "Contrafact," “Sorry I’m
talking so much, and I’ve only had half this
beer. I’m fun 2 drink with.” "Stompin' at the
Savoy," "Little Niles" from an all 3/4 Randy
Weston album. (I met Randy Weston and his hands
were huge compared to Yamanaka's, yet the same
low register piano rumble was achieved).
"Oatmeal," "Ask Me Now."
Ending night with a premier of "Indigo," we were
reportedly a test audience. A couple of her
originals this night contained shadings of
“Book,” the first track of hers from 2017 I
played on-air. Also on that album I thought she
sounded like Keith Jarrett, and have since not
looked back. Have heard many more influences
since then. Told her precisely that when we got
to CD sales and autographs. Showed her a Hacksaw
radio video, she liked it. Got her first album
from 2012 (“that one goes way out,” good). I now
have all five of her albums, signed.
--- Tom Coulson
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