2001 review archive
30th Anniversary Collection - various Alligator Records artists98 Cents in the Bank - Johnnie Marshall and His Blues Buddies
Bad Bad Man - Weezil Malone & the King Size Blues Band
Blues is a Feeling - Jesse Thomas
Bluesified - Ernie Hawkins
Boogie & Shuffle - Billy Boy Arnold
Bow Legs and Big Feet - Fatt Lapp Blues Band
Cedar Grove - Jeff Lang
Dealin' - Joe Beard
Delta Vision Artist - The Beat Daddys
Devil's Train - Eric Sardinas
Do You Get The Blues - Jimmy Vaughan
Greasy Kid Stuff - Kid Ramos
Howl With The Wolf - Studebaker John & The Hawks
I'll Be Your Mule - Steve Freund
JunkYard Dog - Harry Lucas & the Lowdown
Levee Town - Sonny Landreth
Lightnin' and The Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins
Love Without Trust - The Ken Saydak Band
Memphis in the Morning - Mem Shannon
Messin' With The Blues - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Miss Blues Sittin' in with Blinddog Smokin'
Moving On... - Southside Denny
One Step Closer - Kenny Neal
Out of Her Mind - Stickshift Annie and the Overdrive
Outside Looking In - Dave Hole
Pepper's Hangout - Jimmy Johnson
Presumed Innocent - Marcia Ball
Rockin' Sugar Daddy - Sugar Ray & the Blue Tones
Soul Activated - Curtis Salgado
SRV - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Steak - Guy Forsyth
Superharps II - C. Bell, L. Lester, R. Neal, & S. Pryor
Sweet Dreams - Mighty Sam McCain
Sweet Tea - Buddy Guy
Taj Mahal - Taj Mahal
Talkin' About Soul - Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
Tell The Truth! - Phil Upchurch
The Hoodoo Kings - Eddie Bo, Raful Neal, and Rockin' Tabby Thomas
Wake Up and Live! - Billy Sheets
Wakeup Call - Michelle Wilson and the Evil Gal Orchestra
Welcome - Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack
West Coast Redemption - Jimmy Morello
What I Feel - Stacy Mitchhart
Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down - Microwave Dave
Young and Evil - Li'l Ronnie and the Grand Dukes
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Title: Soul Activated
Artist: Curtis Salgado
Label: Sanachie Entertainment Corp.
Reviewed by: SEZ - January, 2001
Curtis Salgado, a Northwest-based rythmn and blues artist, is coming out with his second star-packed Shanachie CD. Guest appearances by Jimmie Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton and the Memphis Horns add to the continual changes of style and tempo that makes this CD stand out. Salgado likes to mix it up. He is into jazz, blues, soul, gospel, and country and western. As he tells it, "My music is a hybrid of all the stuff that I admire. I just play what's in my head, and I try to piece the song together. And for whatever reason, it usually comes out as hard-assed rythmn and blues."
His voice is a tenor-style that matches well with harmonica and blends in with whatever is going on. His renditions of Leon Russel's I'd Rather Be Blind (previously covered by Freddie King), Daryl Hall's Every Time You Go Away, and Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come are covers well done. Salgado's four original cuts bring to mind the style of Elvis Costello or Tommy Castro, depending on which of the songs you listen to. The blues harp instrumental in the spirit of Little Walter is hot stuff.
Soul Activated will be released 1/9/2001. Give it a listen ... I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. It has found a permanent home in my jukebox.
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Title: SRV
Artist: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Label: Epic
Reviewed by: Nick Washburn - January, 2001
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Epic puts out another great Stevie Ray Vaughan set. This new, three-CD set captures Vaughan from the late 70's up to his last performance at Alpine Valley in 1990, with a DVD performance to top it off. It Hosts a fabulous collection of previously unreleased tracks, most of which are live.
Disc one highlights Vaughan in the early years, with tracks such as Thunderbird (recorded with Paul Ray and the Cobras in 1977), and You're Gonna Miss Me Baby. There are nine other previously unreleased songs on this disc, recorded in various clubs and radio performances, which capture his sound in his natural habitat rather than in a studio.
Disc two boasts some of the best live recordings of Vaughan to come out yet. A very psychedelic version of Little Wing / Third Stone From the Sun and Rude Mood / Pipeline (played on a single double neck guitar with brother Jimmie in '87). You also hear Vaughan on tracks with Lonnie Mack and A.C. Reed. You get a good idea of just how loud Vaughan likes to play in some of these live recordings; the guitar sound is huge, but still mixes well.
Disc three spans from '87 all the way to Vaughan's death in 1990. A great recording of Crossfire can be heard as well as a monumental guitar dual between Jeff Beck and Vaughan on Goin' Down. Several tracks from the almost forgotten MTV Unplugged Sessions prevail, proving Vaughan could rock without a band or an electric guitar. The final three tracks are almost eerie to listen to, as they were recorded at Alpine Valley the night before Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash. Let Me Love You Baby and Leave My Little Girl Alone are included in this incredible performance.
Finally, a DVD Video perfomance is included with the package, entitled One Night in Texas.... This shows SRV doing six songs on an Austin City Limits taping that were never aired or released. The songs include Mary had a Little Lamb and Voodoo Chile (Slight Return). Also included is an extensive booklet, with some great pictures of Vaughan and his famed Number One Strat guitar, and also a great biography.
Overall this is a very cool package to own, and I guarantee you will enjoy it.
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Title: Wake Up and Live!
Artist: Billy Sheets
Label: Big Clock Records
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - January, 2001
When the recent swing revival was kicked into high gear by the infamous Gap khaki commercial, it seemed like every band in the contry that had horns in it was suddenly a swing band with zoot suits and high fashion shoes. Unfortunately, in their rush to cash in on the fad, most of the bands focused on the fashion and forgot the music. The result was a soulless parade of blaring horns and snapping fingers that filled dance floors for a while but wasn't worth more than a couple of spins on disc.
Fortunately, as evidenced by this CD, the swing fad has also allowed some real talent to gain recognition. Riding atop wailing horn charts that would fit nicely alongside the sophisticated yet danceable big band blues and R&B of Buddy Johnson, Cab Calloway, Wyonnie Harris, or Roy Brown, singer Billy Sheets muscles his way though 12 cuts of Kansas City Jump and West Coast Swing like he has been doing it his entire life. What Sheet's vocals lack in nuance he makes up with soul. Only You For Me features some great saxophone work, while Dancing On A Cliff features a fun drum cadence propelling the beat. Move Out and Safecracker unleash the guitarist for a change of pace from the horns on the rest of the disc.
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Title: Steak
Artist: Guy Forsyth
Label: Antone's
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - January, 2001
Guy Forsyth, singer, guitarist, and harmonic virtuoso, adds a roots rock twist to the blues on his third Antone's release. He hits the ground running with Bo Diddley's Mona. Leading a cast of Austin musicians including Steve james, Don Leady (of the Tailgators) and a couple of his former Asylum Street Spanker band-mates, Forsyth jumps around various blues and roots rock styles making this an interesting musical journey.
Muddy Water's Louisiana Blues and Forsyth's own Good Time Man hit slow and hard like old Cream or Blind Faith jams, while Lovin' Dangerously is a Cajun-influenced two-step scorcher. Thibodaux Furlough features Forsyth's best Tom Waits imitation on vocals and an eerie lead on hand saw (yeah, the kind that cuts wood!). Adams Rib has a jug band feel to it, with a swinging clarinet solo and Forsyth taking a crack at some Louis Armstrong style scat vocals, while Poor Boy features the sound of a traditional National Resophonic guitar. Steak is a good disc to grab when you don't want the same old blues.
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Title: Pepper's Hangout
Artist: Jimmy Johnson
Label: Delmark
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - February, 2001
Recorded in 1977 as part of an aborted 10 disc "Chicago Roots" series, this disc was to mark Jimmy Johnson's full length debut as a blues recording artist. Instead, due to losing the support of its original sponsor, it languished for years before being released in the UK and now, finally, in the United States. The seven cuts collected here showcase Johnson's no-frills approach to traditional Chicago blues. Rather than relying on fast-paced, over-amped guitar histrionics to make an impression, Johnson uses the full range of dynamics and sinuous, snaky leads to worm his way into that part of your brain that makes your head bob up and down. While none of the material here will cause you to sprain your neck by moving too vigorously, it has the mid-tempo pace that works well in blues clubs where it is more often about feel than technique. With a high, somewhat thin voice, Johnson invests the lyrics about losing his woman, getting chased by bad luck, and dealing with bad women with just the right amount of emotion to make you know your listening to the blues.
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Title: Superharps II
Artist: C. Bell, L. Lester, R. Neal, & S. Pryor
Label: Telark
Reviewed by: SEZ - February, 2001
Superharps II is a harmonica master class that includes a variety of styles, all in the shade of blue. This 13-track recording mixes and matches the players in different combinations. Carey Bell opens with Muddy Water's Walking Through the Park. Lazy Lester and Raful Neal pair up on the former's Strange Things Happen and I Make Up My Mind. Snooky PRyor and Lester join together for Shake My Hand and Blood Stains on the Wall. All four masters unite on the finale Harp to Harp that is one of the sweetest, most laid back and relaxing blues harp tunes that I've heard in a while. There's more to Superharps II than just blues harmonica. The supporting band yields a stellar performance with Kid Bangham on guitar, Michael "Mudcat" Ward on bass, Per Hanson on drums, and Anthony Geraci on piano. Each of these artists has a crafted style by blending traditional infliences with a distinct personal vision. This CD is easy listening, so turn the lights down low, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy 60 minutes of history in the making.
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Title: Taj Mahal
Artist: Taj Mahal
Label: Columbia
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - February, 2001
Finally finding it's way onto compact disc, this is a re-release of Mahal's 1968 debut as a bandleader after a stint in the Rising Sons with Ry Cooder. While Mahal gets top billing, Cooder appears thoughout on rythmn guitar and mandolin. At this stage in his career, Mahal hadn't started his journey into world beat and roots music. This disc features nothing but hot-wired blues with Mahal taking on classics by Sleepy John Estes, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sillie McTell, and Robert Johnson. Also featured is Mahal's own soon-to-be classic, EZ Rider. Mahal takes on each tune with a sense of experience and conviction that belies his youth (he was 23 when these tracks were recorded). While it is difficult to separate this disc from the context of the stellar musical path that Mahal has travelled since its release, it would be a stand-out even if it were the only disc he ever released.
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Title: Levee Town
Artist: Sonny Landreth
Label: Sugar Hill
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - February, 2001
On his debut Sugar Hill recording, slide guitarist Sonny Landreth has crafted one of the best roots rock discs of the year. Calling on his experience with John Hiatt, John Mayall, and Clifton Chenier, Landreth delivers twelve compelling tales about the deep south and living on the edge. Using sharply-wrought images to transport you into a world where wanderlust fights against roots, Landrethh makes you feel the heat of the bayou. With a voice that is far more assured than on his earlier releases, Landrethh lures you into his tales like a storyteller. That's not to say Landreth's guitar collects any dust on this release. To the contrary, there are ample doses of his unique guitar style, which features finger work on the fret board while he is simultaneously attacking the strings with his slide. Alternately joyful and mournful, the guitar connects with the lyrics with just the right tone to make the songs stick with you long after the disc spins to a stop. Good Stuff!
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Title: Talkin' About Soul
Artist: Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
Label: Telarc
Reviewed by: Nick Washburn - March, 2001
Experienced bluesman and Chicago native Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson spices things up a bit on his third Telarc release, adding hints of soul, funk, blues, and fun. Talkin' About Soul is a fresh-souding album, showcasing Johnson on guitar and vocals, backed by an eight-piece band. This guy can really sing, something he proves on songs such as Ray Charles' I've Got A Woman, and Sam Cooke's classic Somebody Have Mercy. Johnson shows that he can slow it down with songs like Ramblin' Blues. You can hear many years of experience in this album. Johnson backed Magic Sam in the early 60's and moved on to become a guitarist and vocalist in Muddy Waters' band. Johnson went on to solo in the late 70's, gaining critical acclaim in the mid 80's for his album Doin' the Sugar Too. Telarc, which had seven artists nominated for the W.C.Handy awards this year, obviously knew a good thing when they heard it. They signed Johnson in 1996, where he has previously released two albums, Slammin' On The West Side and Got to Find a Way. What I like best about this album is that you get to hear Johnson paying homage to his heroes while enjoying his individuality. This album is pure soul, and very enjoyable to listen to.
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Title: Cedar Grove
Artist: Jeff Lang
Label: Wind River
Reviewed by: SEZ - March, 2001
"Dirty Ed" mentioned at our last board meeting (February, 2001) that WYCE was featuring an artist named Jeff Lang at One Trick Pony that night, so I went to check it out. There was a full house when I arrived at 9pm. The crowd enjoyed him to the end. Although the sound system could use some help, Lang was very good. I met a fellow WMBS member, Scott Weaver from Ada, and during our discussion I mentioned I had not heard any blues. Next thing I know, he brings over Jeff's manager, John Sinclair, who in turn hands me the last copy of Lang's new CD, Cedar Grove and asks if I would write a review. Thanks! Cedar Grove blew me away! Jeff Lang, an Australian blues, rock, and folk singer, songwriter, and slide guitar player is outstanding. My favorite cuts on this disc are Is She Slippery, Always Moving, Cutthroat, We Don't Ask, and saving the best for last Call Letter Blues (by Bob Dylan). This cut gives me goosebumps! You can check out 3 songs from the CD by logging on on to folkera.com and either clicking on "WIND RIVER" or "JEFF LANG". They even have a good bio of Jeff to read while you listen to the tunes. Thanks go out to WYCE for bringing as an "as always" good event, and to One Trick Pony, Scott Weaver, John Sinclair, and especially Jeff Lang for introducing me to Australian blues. Did I mention I really liked it?
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Title: Bluesified
Artist: Ernie Hawkins
Label: Say Mo' Music, 2000
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2001
In the post-Stevie Ray era, where every blues guitarist seems to think he gets paid by the note, it is easy to forget the unadorned charm of Piedmont-style acoustic blues. Ernie Hawkins is a master of the style, having learned at the knee of Rev. Gary Davis, Son House, and Frank McDowell. On this, his 4th disc, Hawkins mostly focuses on spare, acoustic solo numbers, but does mix things up on a couple of tracks featuring an upbeat bass, drums, harmonica, and even a clarinet. Both styles work well. On the solo acoustic side, Hawkins dips into the good Reverend's songbook with Slow Drag, which is a fingerpicker's delight. Crucifixion/Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed is an instrumental sermon, and I Belong To The Band, which features guest vocals by Maria Muldar, are other acoustic cuts. Hawkins also pays homage to Blind Willie McTell with covers of Broke Down Engine and a medley of Savannah Mama, Travelin' Blues, and Amazing Grace, which Hawkins combines into his own Tribute to Blind Willie McTell. With a world-weary voice, Hawkins sings tales with a conviction that makes it clear he believes every word. If you're looking for some blues that are honest and true to its roots, grab this disc. If you're looking to dance (and there's nothing wrong with that!) grab something else.
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Title: What I Feel
Artist: Stacy Mitchhart
Label: Dr. Sam Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2001
On this disc, Nashville-based guitarist/singer Stacy Mitchhart puts his band, Blues-U-Can-Use, through the blues blender and comes up with some slinky, horn-drenched, Memphis soul, simmering ballads, and hard hitting blues. With a voice and delivery reminiscent of Delbert McClinton, Mitchhart takes on a variety of subjects including his own musical roots with What I Feel, makes a break from the past on Cadillac Assembly Line, hot love in 100 Degrees In The Shade, and the reason the object of his affection should choose him with Ain't Nobody For You Like Me. Mitchhart also adds a male twist to the well-worn female cheating anthem, I Might Be Your Husband (But I'm My Other Woman's Man), and comes close to stepping on Willie Dixon/Muddy Water's toes on I Wanna "Ummm" With You, which is at least a first cousin to their classic, I Want To Make Love To You. While slick horn charts dominate this disc, Mitchhart works in his guitar often enough to remind you that he has musical chops to match his sterling voice. The acoustic reprise of 100 Degrees In The Shade is particularly tasty.
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Title: Welcome
Artist: Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack
Label: RCA, 2001
Distributor: BMG Distributors
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - April, 2001
Doyle Bramhall II is Bad to the Bone. Welcome, is 12 cuts of pure pleasure. On Green Sight Girl and Problem Child, Bramhall comes out rockin', reminding me of the guitar greats Eric Clapton, Jonny Winter, Jimi Hendrix... weaving in and out of blues and rock, showing the true close-knit weave of the two styles. So You Want it to Rain, Life, and Helpess Man are just warming you up for greater things acomin'. Soul Shaker and Send Some Love show how well his superb vocals and guitar playing parallel each other. Up Jumped the Blues, Smokestack, and Last Night all show Bramhall's roots. Thin Dream is a true masterpiece, and shows the incredible tightness of the band. Doyle Bramhall II has been in Grand Rapids three times, once backing up Kenny Wayne Shepard, once as headliner at the Orbit Room, and once at the VanAndel Arena with the Roger Water's Band. He is presently on tour with Eric Clapton in Europe and will be at Auburn Hills in June. A+... another must have!
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Title: Miss Blues Sittin' in with Blinddog Smokin'
Artist: "Miss Blues" Dorothy Ellis and Blinddog Smokin
Label: Crying Tone Records, 2001
Distributor: Hapi Skratch Records
Reviewed by: SEZ - April, 2001
This CD comes from a lady and a band that never got into big-name labels and the control that comes with them. It's singing and playing the blues from the heart with a style that is all their own. Best of all, it gives you the feeling that you are right there sitting in on a jam session and having as much fun as they are. "Miss Blues", also know as the "Texas Shouter", has been singing the blues for over 54 years and this is her first CD. She wrote several original songs from her rugged past. Sinkin', Sinkin', Sinkin' is one that you will feel inside. She told Blinddog Smokin', "Listen to the words, listen to my voice, and then let your own vision come out in the instruments." Well, they did exactly that. Carl Gustafson, lead singer, said, "...this woman likes Tabasco on her blues." She could not have joined up with a better band to give her just that! Once you hear this disc, you'll be hooked on these rowdy rebels from Laramie, Wyoming. Click on the artist name above to order this great CD and/or read up on these guys. Once I get more of their CDs, I'll write a more "in-depth" article about them. They even have a "slightly philosophical" newsletter that sounds interesting, among other things. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.
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Title: Dealin'
Artist: Joe Beard
Label: Audioquest, 2000
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2001
Joe Beard is one of thoes cats who has kicked around the blues world for years without making much of a splash on the national scene. The lack of national accolades isn't a reflection on his talents; he is both a skilled guitarist and convincing blues singer who has more soul on the tip of his tongue than most blues singers can conjure from their entire body. The reason for his low national profile is his status as a hard-working family man with a 9-to-5 job. Based on the strength of this disc, and his two prior Audioquest releases, he's going to have increasing difficulty remaining a local secret. Joined by such high profile guests as Duke Robillard and harmonica wiz Jerry Portnoy, who held the harp chair in Muddy Water's band in the mid and late 70's, Beard has crafted a fine disc of traditional Chicago blues that mixes originals with covers by Jimmy Reed and Willie Cobbs.
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Title: Sweet Tea
Artist: Buddy Guy
Label: Silvertone Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - April, 2001
I'll set you straight from the get-go ... Stand in line if you have to buy it! A+ disc all the way through nine cuts. The first cut, Done Got Old is in the classic old style with down home blues ... great stuff. On the second cut, Baby Please Don't Leave Me Buddy takes off singing and playing the deep emotional blues like all hell's afire! Look What All You Got, the third song, brings the tempo up a step. On the forth cut, Stay All Night, I was spellbound. All I can say is GREAT! On the following cut, Tramp, producer Dennis Herring brings out the best of Guy's talent. On cut 6, She Got The Devil In Her, classic licks that only Buddy can give us come through. I Gotta Try You Girl is the one I swear Buddy outdoes himself on. Who's Been Foolin' You is one pure foot-tapping therapeutic dance music that you can't sit still to even if you wanted to. The final cut, It's A Jungle Out There, rounds out this new CD. Buddy should bring in a lot of W.C. Handy awards with this one! I missed him the last time he was in town, and I'll never do that again! One more time, I'll say it ... go ... run ... buy it!
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Title: Messin' With The Blues
Artist: Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Label: Leroy Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - May, 2001
Spawned from the same New Jersey bar scene that gave the world Bruce Springsteen and Miami Steve VanZandt, Southside Johnny has always played a hybrid of blues, soul, and rock and roll with his best songs melding all three. While this disc still keeps old-fashioned rock and soul heavily in the mix, as aptly demonstrated by Percy Mayfield's River's Invitation, the soon-to-be bar-band classic, Tell 'em I'm Broke, the rollicking Looks Like Rain, and the cover of Kevin Gordon's Cadillac Jack, it veers towards the blues more than any of his previous discs. With Johnny's smoky voacls and Little Walter-inspired harmonica leading the horn-heavy Jukes through several originals like the John Lee Hooker-inspired Kill My Love, and covers by the likes of Tom Waits' Gin Soaked Boy, and Memphis Slim's Mother Earth, this disc stands against any number of releases by musicians who claim allegiance to nothing but the blues. Keeping things especially interesting are the accordion-fueled Come Home Little Girl and the atmospheric swamp rock number Satan's Shoes. While this disc won't make long-time fans forget the glory days when Johnny was being fed songs by Springsteen and Van Zandt, it nevertheless is a welcome addition to the library.
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Title: Moving On...
Artist: Southside Denny
Label: independent release, 2001
Reviewed by: Nick Washburn - May, 2001
Indiana-based guitarist Southside Denny is back with a fresh new recording. The entire 13-track disc is written and performed by Denny himself. Though the mix is primarily guitar based, you can tell that his band has some real talent, with songs like Hey, Pretty Baby!, where the piano plays the main rhythm and takes sizzling solos. World-Wide Boogie really brings in some heat, with Denny showing his Chicago style slide work on guitar. The very jazzy Paging Dr. Cory proves how versitile this guitarist really is, as he takes melodic runs up and down the fretboard with confidence and ease. Denny slows things down a bit with the soulful Conscience Blues, which takes on a cool old-school vibe. The title track Moving On... stands out a bit. It is an instrumental, but very cool to listen to. The congos and jazzy guitar work blend together nicely. It makes for an impressive recording, especially for a smaller Indiana recording studio. What I like about this disc is the laid back style. Nobody tries to jam a million notes into one solo; they take their time to make the whole song sound better. Overall, I enjoyed Denny's new release. It is somewhat like a live show... it gets better as you listen to it.
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Title: The Hoodoo Kings
Artist: Eddie Bo, Raful Neal, and Rockin' Tabby Thomas
Label: Telarc, 2001
Reviewed by: SEZ - May, 2001
The Hoodoo Kings are three spry veterens of Louisiana blues that have come together with a band of younger cohorts to capture the essence of Louisiana. With a strong sense of place evident in all thirteen tracks, Hoodoo Kings aims at a new generation of fans for these three legends. On their first Telarc release, Bo, Neal, and Thomas visit New Orleans (Professor Longhair's Big Chief), play songs by Louisiana's Sonny Landreth and Lenny McDaniel, and jam on their own Crescent City originals (I Am The Hoodoo King and Hard Times). Other highlights include new arrangements of the Sonny Curtis classic I Fought The Law and Bob Dylan's If I Don't Be There By Morning (previously covered by Eric Clapton). My favorites are Monkey Business, I've Been Mistreated, and especially Neal's Hard Times that gets me moving. Even if I'm just sittin', I can't sit still!
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Title: Sweet Dreams
Artist: Mighty Sam McClain
Label: Telarc, 2001
Reviewed by: Nick Washburn - June, 2001
Mighty Sam McClain is back with his second release for Telarc, and sounding better than ever. I haven't heard soul like this for a long time. You have probably heard McClain before - he attained a top-ten hit in 1966 with his version of Patsy Cline's Sweet Dreams. His success in the sixties didn't last, and the rise of disco took the spotlight off Soul and R&B artists. Although McClain released several albums in the 80's, his re-emergence did not come full swing until the 90's. His new album proves that McClain is back and better than ever. There is a real energy he captures - and the title track, Sweet Dreams, a song he recorded 30 years ago, sounds like a brand new song. Fool for the Blues, the fifth track, has a "Motown meets Curtis Mayfield" vibe to it, with a Hammond B-3 idling in the background and a guitar quietly strumming with a wah-wah pedal. McCalin's vocal abilities shine through on every track, and his voice mixes well with the well-arranged horns. McClain really helps keep soul alive with Sweet Dreams, and it is a truly refreshing album to listen to. If you are one of those people, like me, that can't get enough of that sweet soul music in your ears, then definitely check out Mighty Sam McClain's new release. It's a four-star on my list.
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Title: One Step Closer
Artist: Kenny Neal
Label: Telarc, 2001
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - June, 2001
Keny Neal, a multi-talented man, is back home in Louisiana with One Step Closer. A bit of a departure from his hard-driving blues albums of the past, this recording adds some R&B and Baton Rouge Soul to its ballad-type blues. One Step Closer to the Blues brings out his superb vocals and his Telecaster sings a sweet harmony. Congo Square is great; Neal lets his guitar stretch out a little more than we've heard before. He picks up the tempo on Whiskey Tears. He ends with She Ain't Happy Unless She's Sad, another great song. Overall, I give this CD a strong B+, but it's a bit mellow for my tastes.
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Title: Presumed Innocent
Artist: Marcia Ball
Label: Alligator, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - June, 2001
On her first release for Alligator Records after a four year recording hiatus, Marcia Ball continues with her typical mix of rollicking boogies and soulful ballads with lots of help from the likes of Delbert McClinton, Sonny Landreth, Pat Boyack, C.C. Adcock, Riley Osbourn, Mark Kazanoff, and Wayne Jackson. While the upbeat numbers such as Scene of the Crime, Count the Days, Shake a Leg, and Louella aren't much of a stretch from her prior releases, the slow, steamy ballads and mid-tempo soul songs, including I Have the Right to Know and Let the Tears Roll Down, show a fondness for the big production style that marked her Sing It! release with Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson. Instead of doing a solo turn at the piano or being accompanied by only a sparse band as on past efforts, Ball now pulls out the stops with horns and lots of rich background vocals so that the songs play more like Memphis soul than the blues. Coming Down With the Blues is particularly tasty, with a long saxophone-fueled break. She's So Innocent is the simplest tune here but also the furthest stretch from Ball's Texan roots with its light acoustic touch and smooth, Dinah Washington-style vocals. Like Delbert McCLinton, who shares vocal duties on You Make It Hard, Ball doesn't fit neatly into any one category with her intoxicating mix of R&B, blues and roots rock. A definite keeper and a fine addition to Balls' burgeoning catalog.
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Title: Memphis in the Morning
Artist: Mem Shannon
Label: Shanachie, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - July, 2001
Joining forces with the Memphis Horns for his 4th disc has given Mem Shannon a chance to stretch beyond his New Orleans roots with some horn-driven R&B. While the title cut is a melancholy ode to life on the road, Tired Arms is a tender ballad about passing wisdom from generation to generation. The overall feeling is more upbeat as evidenced on the funky I Smell Something (which has one of the lines of the year: "I smell something funky/And I know that I just took a bath/It must be the music/Ain't nothing else smell like that"), on the hard-hitting SUV which combines scathing commentary with humor about "S.o.b.'s in SUV's" and on the dance-ready Shake Up the Floor. With a clean guitar style reminiscent of B.B. King, Shannon leaves the flash to the young bucks and instead focuses on telling his stories with his deep, world-weary grits and grease vocals. These blues simmer without ever boiling.
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Title: Lightnin' and The Blues
Artist: Lightnin' Hopkins
Label: Budda, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - July, 2001
Recorded in 1954, the 16 tracks on this disc capture Lightnin' Hopkins laying down hot-wired blues that hit twice as hard and several times as deep as the over-amped, processed, blow-dried stuff that passes as the blues today. Accompanied by only an acoustic bass and drums, Hopkins rips his way through Lightnin's Boogie and Moving On Out Boogie with a nimbleness that shows his years playing in the gin-joints. Hound Dog Taylor certainly learned some lessons from this stuff. Elsewhere, as on Nothin' but the Blues, Hopkins locks into the modal, one-chord blues that were John Lee Hooker's calling card at the time. Clocking in at only 40 minutes, this disc is all killer, no filler.
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Title: Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down
Artist: Microwave Dave
Label: Duck Tape, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - July, 2001
Taking a break from his gig as band leader of the Nukes, Microwave Dave Gallaher rips his way through 12 cuts of high voltage electric blues. Even though he can slow things down, as evidenced by Bobby Bland's Soon as the Weather Breaks, this disc mostly features hot-wired electric guitar blues. While many three-piece blues bands sweeten up their discs with horns and keys, Dave lays down the same stuff in the studio as he features in his show: guitar, bass, and drums plugged in and locked into a tight groove. Avoiding the easy temptation of blues-rock, Gallaher sticks pretty close to the blues and doesn't visit Stevie Ray Vaughan boulevard. With a sense of humor, as evidenced by I Want My Rib Back, mixed with a bit of social commentary, as reflected by Don't Throw My Baby Away, and even a stab at the big band classic, Sentimental Journey, Gallaher mostly steers clear of blues-cliche land. Overall, an enjoyable disc.
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Title: Boogie & Shuffle
Artist: Billy Boy Arnold
Label: Stony Plain, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - July, 2001
Take one Sonny Boy Willlamson harmonica, mix in buttery smooth vocals, add a top notch blues band, sprinkle with Chicago seasoning, stir in Ray Charles, Otis Blackwell, and Jimmy McCracklin to taste, turn up volume and kick up your heels with some nearly perfect blues! Billy Boy Arnold proves with this disc that he isn't content to rest on past hits such as I Ain't Got You, I Wish You Would, or She's Fine. On this, his first release for Stony Plain, he has joined forces with Duke Robillard's swinging band (which now closely resembles the instrumental lineup he featured during his tenure with Roomful of Blues) and has produced a fine new disc that draws heavily from the past yet sounds vital and fresh. While many discs that feature a well-known artist backed up by another band sound forced, listening to this disc you would think that Arnold and the Robillard band are regulars on the bandstand together. Instead of sounding like a bunch of seasoned professionals adding another gig to the resume, Arnold and the band sound like a hungry group of mavericks with something to prove. Take a hit of Boogie & Shuffle and smile your way through the blues.
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Title: Out of Her Mind
Artist: Stickshift Annie and The Overdrives
Label: Left of the Dog Music, 2001
Reviewed by: SEZ - August, 2001
Stickshift Annie and The Overdrives, from Seattle, Washington, offer a clean approach to the blues, with lead singer Annie Eastwood singing with a crystal-clear voice that immediately strikes you as one-of-a-kind. The Band calls the music "Rockin' Roadhouse Blues" and that's what it is. The fast-paced songs are all original and definitely an enjoyable listen. Opening the CD with High Tech Blues, from the very first note you know you are listening to something unlike the standard female artists with their whiskey drinkin', cigarette smokin' gravel always audible. Backed by a great band, including a harmonica that holds the music together like glue, Stickshift Annie will definitely shift your gears. This CD is available on the interenet at NWBlues.com and joerecords.com. Worth adding to your collection, especially if you like female artists!
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Title: Howl With The Wolf
Artist: Studebaker John & the Hawks
Label: Evidence, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - August, 2001
On his 8th disc, Studebaker John Grimaldi proves again that it is possible to play the blues without taking refuge in shop-worn versions of songs made famous by others. As with his previous outings, Grimaldi penned every one of the 12 cuts included on this barnburner. Regardless of whether he is leading the charge with his hot-wired slide guitar, his scortching harmonica, or his full-throttle vocals (which sound eerily like John Hiatt), Grimaldi turns each of the numbers into a compelling tale of life, love, and the blues. Those looking for some of his wicked slide should turn to Burned by Love, End to the Lies or Rich Man, while those with a hankering for some big fat harmonica tones should proceed directly to the title cut, Juke Joint Jump, and Harpology. For a change of pace lock into Don't You Take It, a mid-tempo blues shuffle that is sure to fill dance floors with its rollicking piano providing a solid foundation for Grimaldi's squeeling harmonica riffs, Nothing Comes Easy which hits hard with a John Lee Hooker boogie beat or Lock & Chain, which slows things way down for some hot, slinky pelvis-grinding blues. Most blues artists have trouble coming up with this much original material over an entire career. Definitely a keeper!
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Title: Outside Looking In
Artist: Dave Hole
Label: Alligator, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - August, 2001
Australian Dave Hole is not your father's slide guitar player. While he has the Robert Johnson and Elmore James cannons hard-wired into his system, he takes electric blues slide guitar to an entirely new place. In part this is due to the fact that he plays in an unconventional fashion, with the slide on his index finger and his hand hanging over the neck of the guitar rather than using a normal neck grip with the slide on his little finger. When you juxtapose his unique approach with a willingness to use the blues more as a reference than an anchor, you get something closer to the hard-edged rock of Johnny Winter, Duane Allman, or Lonesome Dave of Foghat than you might expect on a blues disc. Depending on your taste, that ain't all bad. Hearing Hole tear into the 12 cuts found on this release will conjure visions of a welder throwing a steamy stream of multi-colored hot sparks, each just different enough from the others to make it worth sticking around to see what will happen next. He sizzles and smokes almost non-stop from beginning to end with only a slight cooldown for the slow groove of Nobody, and the big ballad, Out Of My Reach. Those that like their blues with a rock edge will find much to like here. Those who want their blues preserved in a traditionalist's museum need not apply.
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Title: I'll Be Your Mule
Artist: Steve Freund
Label: Delmark, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - August, 2001
This follow-up to his successful 1999 Delmark release, "C" For Chicago, finds guitarist Steve Freund working the same Chicago blues vein that yielded so many gems last time around. This is good old-fashioned Chicago blues with straight forward shuffles and upbeat boogies that give the musicians plenty of room to throw their chops around. Which is a good thing when you have the likes of Mr. B manning the piano, Bob Stroger on bass, Kenny Smith on drums, and a host of horn players adding punch here and there. Freund is a B.B. King-style guitarist with an easy vocal delivery. While a few covers found there way onto this disc, Freund wrote more than half of the songs, including You Were a Good Old Ride, a politically incorrect ode to high maintenance mates, A Dollar a Mile, a shuffle blues about the drag of driving long distances to gigs, and My Life is Changing, a lowdown blues that is as mournful musically as it is optimistic in its sentiment. A solid disc.
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Title: Love Without Trust
Artist: The Ken Saydak Band
Label: Delmark, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2001
On his second release as bandleader, pianist Ken Saydak has paired seven original tunes with five covers by the likes of Merle Haggard, Otis Spann, and Don Nix. Demonstrating his many years as a sideman, Saydak has crafted a disc that showcases his versatility on the keys while giving the rest of the band, particularly Ron Sorin on harmonica, plenty of time in the spotlight as well, so that they are integral to the overall sound and feel of the songs. While many of the tunes such as Breakdown and Can't Trust Your Neighbor have a classic Chicago blues feel, Saydak dips into the Crescent City feel for the rollicking Junco Partner and also takes a run at swampy roots rock a la Leon Russell on Watching The River FLow and Don't Blame the Messenger; Kansas City boogie on Clo Clo Boogie and Great Northern Stomp, and uptown, after-hours blues on Expressions of Tenderness. With a warm voice occasionally reminiscent of rocker Dave Mason, Saydak delivers the songs in a straight, unaffected manner. Overall this disc is as comfortable as a night at your local piano bar with old friends and cold dcrinks. Nothing cutting edge but you'll be well entertained.
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Title: Rockin' Sugar Daddy
Artist: Sugar Ray & the Blue Tones
Label: Severn Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2001
Dropping the big band approach that marked his years with Roomful of Blues and his 1999 solo release, Sweet and Swingin', Sugar Ray Norcia returns to the spare Chicago blues sound that bought his groceries for years. While Norcia's vocals fit well with the big band sound, his harmonica playing was often relegated to quick fills that hardly demonstrated his considerable prowness as a Little Walter-influenced harp man. Pairing up with old bandmates Kid Bangham on guitar, Neil Gouvin on drums, and Michael "Mudcat" Ward on bass, Norcia clearly relishes the chance to blow the dust out of his harmonica for some hard-hitting bar-room blues. While he won't knock your socks off with note-a-millisecond riffing, he is a master at throwing in the right accents and flourishes to drive the tunes forward. Despite too many mid-tempo shuffles which tend to drag after a while, this is a decent disc that should get Norcia back in circulation as a straight blues cat.
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Title: Blues is a Feeling
Artist: Jesse Thomas
Label: Delmark, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2001
Jesse "Baby Face" Thomas hit the road in 1926 at the age of 15 and never looked back at the cotton fields his family tended as tenant farmers in Louisianna. Picking up a $7 Sears guitar along the way, Thomas soon found himself making ends meet playing juke joints and house parties in Dallas' notorious Deep Ellum district. This disc, recorded in 1995 shortly before his death, sums up the lessons he learned in the nearly seventy years that he spent playing the blues. Featuring John Primer on second guitar and Jodie Christian on piano, this is a spare, low-key affair that is a far cry from the upbeat party blues that mark most modern blues releases. Instead of shakin' your tailfeather, you'll hear about having to deal with Rain, Sleet or Snow or losing your clothes, She Throwed My Clothes Outdoors. A somber release that cuts to the essence of the blues.
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Title: Wakeup Call
Artist: Michelle Wilson and the Evil Gal Orchestra
Label: Bullseye Blues & Jazz, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2001
On her fourth Bullseye disc, singer Michelle Wilson proves once again that a big-voiced, powerful female singer can lay down the blues as hard as any army of sweaty guitarists. Following the footsteps of icons such as Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thorton and joining such present-day powerhouses as Candye Kane; Wilson isn't just a trinket in front of the band - she is the band. That's not to downplay the talented Evil Gal Orchestra, who would get accolades backing comidian Bill Murray's alter ego, lounge singer Nick Withers; it is only to say that not only can she sing, she has a style and a presence that command your full attention. There is no doubt that she could make a phone book interesting. Fortunately, we don't have to test that premise - this 12-cut disc has lots of great material, ranging from originals about dumping a non-committal mate, Set You Free, the crazy world we live in, Crazy, Crazy, putting down a condescending boyfriend, Think About Me, to rocking covers by the likes of Buddy Johnson, They Don't Want Me to Rock No More, and Don Robey, Just Like A Dog. Propelled by the rich, funky grooves of Ken Clark on Hammond B-3 and Scott Shelter on tenor sax, Wilson teases, belts, and sashays her way through the lyrics. One listen to this disc will wake you up to Michelle Wilson's call. Good Stuff.
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Title: Delta Vision Artist
Artist: The Beat Daddys
Label: Waldoxy Records, 2001
Reviewed by: SEZ - September, 2001
The Beat Daddys, a four-man Gulf Coast band originally from Indiana, plays a variety of blues, ballads, and rock and roll. Larry Grisham, fearless leader and songwriter for the band, gives them a style that is uniquely their own. They like to call their music "Southern rockin'g blues with a soulful attitude". Spin Magazine wrote, "...feels like Johnny Winters and Carl Perkins meet Bob Seger and Mitch Rider." Their last track, Reason is my favorite. I especially like the megaphone lyrics they add for a few lines. This CD is a great mix of music that I really enjoyed.
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Title: Tell The Truth!
Artist: Phil Upchurch
Label: Evidence, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2001
Phil Upchurch is a much sought after guitarist and bass player who has played with countless big names in the blues and jazz world, including Herbie Hancock, Aretha Faranklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Bo Diddley, Grover Washington, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Chick Corea, and George Benson. On this disc he takes on songs from such diverse artists as Nat Adderley, Jive Samba, Dave Brubeck, Take Five, Steely Dan, Jack of Speed, W.C. Handy, St. Louis Blues, and Natalie Cole, LaCosta. This is an easy-going jazz instrumental disc that has somewhat surprisingly made its way onto the Evidence label, which is better-known for its straight blues releases. A nice easy disc for those times you want something jazzy but not too adventuresome. Safe at any speed!
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Title: Do You Get The Blues
Artist: Jimmy Vaughan
Label: Arternis Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2001
Talk about tough duty. Jimmy Vaughan not only has to live up to his legacy as co-founder of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, a band that laid the groundwork for almost everything smacking of the blues to come from Austin since the 70's; he also has to deal with the fact that his deceased brother, Stevie Ray, is revered by many as the blues guitarist against which anyone strapping on an electric guitar is measured. Wisely, rather than competing with his brother's highly-amped style or attempting to grab the brass ring of pop success that marked the end of the reign of the T-Birds, Vaughan's new disc features Jimmy doing what what he has always done best - laying down tough, sinewy grooves accented by clean, staccato bursts of electric guitar wizardry. Backed mostly by Bill Willis on B-3 and George Rains on drums, with occasional vocal support from the infamous Lou Ann Barton (Power of Love and In the Middle of the Night), Vaughan opts for a simple, funky take on the blues that takes advantage of the spaces between the notes to heat things up. In his hands, less is definitely more. Vaughan's zen-like approach to lead guitar doesn't grab you with instant hooks. Instead, it rewards repeated listens by worming its way into your sub-consciousness and converting you into a slinky groove machine in tune with the feeling of the tunes. While there is hardly a flame in sight, this baby is hot.
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Title: Young and Evil
Artist: Li'l Ronnie and the Grand Dukes
Label: Planetary, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2001
Li'l Ronnie and the Grand Dukes is the prototypical blues party band. Rather than focus on variations on the same old blues riffs, the band keeps the crowd jumping by exploring the many styles of blues that have evolved over the years. With a line up featuring not only the typical guitar, bass, and drums, but also keyboards, a sax, and a harmonica, the band is capable of playing everything from straight, low-down blues, Young and Evil and Early One Monday Morning , to upbeat Chicago-style harmonica blow outs, Rockin' and Think Big, to some serious after hours soul, I've Been Your Good Thing, to some rocking 50's style jump blues, Let Me Down Easy, Chicken Shack Boogie, and Mellow Chick, and even some greasy B-3 instrumental blues, Doggin' Round. Leader Ronnie Owens is more a Joe Turner-style shouter than a smooth vocalist, but his style works well with the tunes collected here. While not a must-have disc, it will certainly get you rocking.
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Title: 30th Anniversay Collection
Artist: various
Label: Alligator, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2001
"You've come a long way, baby!" This old marketing slogan is the perfect summary for a label that started in the back of founder Bruce Iglauer's trunk marketing his favorite band, Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers, and is now the largest independent blues label in the world, with almost 200 titles in its catalog. With a diverse roster of musicians ranging from icons such as Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Luther Allison, Albert Collins, and Lonnie Brooks, to such relative newcomers as Rusty Zinn and Shemekia Copeland, and everything from the raw barbed-wire blues of Hound Dog Taylor to the smooth gospel of the Holmes Brothers, Alligator has something for everyone who has even a passing interest in the blues.
This anniversary collection summarizes the label's last 5 years, with 18 studio cuts on disc one, and gets deep into its history with live cuts, many of them previously unreleased, on disc two. There are too many highlights to mention them individually. Suffice it to say that any blues fan will find this disc a fine addition to their collection. As an additional bonus, random discs will include coupons good for the entire Alligator catalog.
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Title: Bow Legs and Big Feet
Artist: Fatt Lapp Blues Band
Recorded at: River City Studios, 2001
Reviewed by: Felix Ybarra - October, 2001
Gand Rapids' own Fatt Lapp Blues Band has created an interesting blend of funk blues and R&B in their latest CD, titled Bow Legs and Big Feet. Journeyman musician Ed Honicut delivers smooth funky grooves on this locally-produced disc. Honicut lays down the harmonica, keyboard, and guitar tracks throughout the entire CD. My favorite cut on this CD, Pants On Too Tight, illustrates this band's unique diversity. This is further illustrated by the band's public appearances. Fatt Lapp can lay down anything from James Brown to Jimmy Reed with the polish and smoothness that you would expect under the leadership of Mr. Honicut.
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Title: Devil's Train
Artist: Eric Sardinas
Label: Evidence, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - November, 2001
On his second release, guitarist Eric Sardinas slides the blues out of his electrified resonator acoustic and takes them on a rock-infused ride. With a stinging slide guitar style reminescent of Johnny Winter, Sardinas will appeal to those who like their blues delivered with a hard edge. Sardinas backs away from the heavy metal edge only long enough to deliver the Allman Brothers-influenced southern rock of Country Mile, along with the acoustic 8 Goin' South and Gambling Man Blues (which was recorded in a hotel room with original writer David "Honeyboy" Edwards). With a sandpaper-raw voice and a delivery that is 3 parts shout and 1 part growl, Sardinas rips through 11 originals as well as a smoking cover of Elmore James' My Kind of Woman like any number of 70's blooze and boogie vocalists. Nothing subtle here. This is blues for the times you want to get some aggression out of your system.
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Title: 98 Cents in the Bank
Artist: Johnnie Marshall and His Blues Buddies
Label: JSP, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - November, 2001
Johnnie Marshall is a Georgia native who took to the blues after 15 years in a meatpacking plant. A decent guitar player and able vocalist, Marshall oddly has chosen to be a sideman on his own disc, with the majority of the cuts featuring vocals and lots of guitar from special guests Johnny Rawls, Eddie Kirkland, Sonny Rhodes, George Boone, and Slam Allen. With the Nutmeg horns adding some punch to the mix, this is a generally enjoyable disc of Memphis style blues.
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Title: West Coast Redemption
Artist: Jimmy Morello
Label: JSP, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - November, 2001
Jimmy Morello is a drummer, singer, and producer with two previous discs to his credit. This release collects some of the best of those efforts as well as cuts he produced for other artists including Sweet Betty, Kris Wiley, Roy Gaines and the husband-and-wife duo Carol Fran and Clarence Hollimon. As evidenced by this disc, Morello favors the swinging West Coast sound of T-Bone Walker and current contemporaries such as Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, and Rusty Zinn. With a vocal style akin to the classic shouters like Big Joe Turner and Roy Brown, but with a smokey blue-eyed soul edge that bears a striking similarity to Darrell Nulisch or Sugar Ray Norcia, Morello commands attention in a blues world filled with generic vocalists competing with over-amped guitars or harps. While the production of this disc is first rate, it has a loose organic feel that transforms the tunes back in time to the sweaty bars from which thay were born. Like the potato chip ad where you can't eat just one, each cut leaves you yearning for more of Morello's own material. Even so, it is interesting to hear how his swinging blues style infuses the work of the artists he has produced. If Sweet Betty or Kris Wiley don't grab your attention with their contributions to this release you need your groove muscle adjusted. Grab yourself a copy of this release, roll up the rug and get ready for a blues party.
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Title: JunkYard Dog
Artist: Harry Lucas & The Lowdowns
Label: Independent, 2001
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - December, 2001
Finally, a Grand Rapids band has produced an ultra-professional CD. Compared to their last CD, this music sounds far more professional. JunkYard Dog has a very high dollar sound to it. Track three is my kind of blues song... nine minutes of pure blues with lyrics by Paul Butterfield... Great! Track four, JunkYard Dog, picks the beat up. Another great song. Track eight, Away from You, features some great guitar work from Jimmy along with Billy Rider on the harp. Number ten showcases Harry's great vocals. Engineered and mixed at Southfield and East Trax Studios, I give this CD a big A+. Great job Lowdown. My only wish is that when they play live their talents are as evident to the blues listener as they are on this CD.
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Title: Bad Bad Man
Artist: Weezil Malone & the King Size Blues Band
Label: Independent, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2001
On their second release, Weezil Malone and the King Size Blues Band trot out twelve original slices of solid blues. As befitting a band that fills dance floors around West Michigan, Malone and crew do not focus on a single style of blues but, instead, explore the many variations of music that loosely qualify as the blues. Straight blues shuffles make an appearance by way of the steady groove of Things That You Been Sayin', while the rollicking second line groove often associated with New Orleans gets a turn in the form of Part Time Lover, where the piano leads the band into a good time. The band also takes a spin through a good time Kansas City boogie, Bang Bang Boogie, and some slow, moody blues, Rollin' in The Blues, which almost dips into Jimmy Smith jazz territory until the band shifts gears with an extended, upbeat instrumental coda that takes the song home. Rockin' party blues get a turn with the title cut and Rhonda Lee, as well as with I Don't Care, a not-so-sensitive number about trying to score some love, and D-Cup, which extols the virtues of, well, women who need big bras. With a voice that recalls Magic Duck of the J. Geils Band or Rick Estrin of Little Charlie & the Nightcats, Malone presides over an instrumental mix which includes his singing guitar as well as a keyboard and organ adding heat to the solid rhythm section. While the background vocals didn't do much for me on a couple of numbers, overall this is a fine release.
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Title: Greasy Kid Stuff
Artist: Kid Ramos
Label: Evidence, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2001
Laying waste to his plan to record a disc of stripped-down blues as a follow up to the jump blues feel of his last release, West Coast House Party, guitarist Kid Ramos gathered some of the hottest harmonica cats in the land and waxed 17 cuts of smokin' blues nirvana. With Paul deLay, Johnny Dyer, Rick Estrin, James Harman, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, and Lynwood Slim trading duties on harmonica and vocals, Ramos could have slept his way through this release and simply billed it as a West Coast harmonica party. Instead, he rose to the challenge of making this a disc of guitar blues that happens to also feature some great harmonica. Stepping firmly into the spotlight, after years as a sideman with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ramos acquits himself well with stinging leads and razor sharp fills that push the harmonica players to work the songs hard. Leaving his pick in his pocket on a number of cuts, Ramos adds some meaty finger-picking to his bag of tricks, with great results. Simply put, Ramos is at the top of his game on this disc and easily joins the "contemporary blues guitar god" ranks. As his confidence has grown on guitar, so also has his confidence as a singer. On Hold Me Tender and Country Woman, Ramos steps up to the microphone and makes a pretty solid case for a share of the spotlight the next time fellow T-bird band mate Kim Wilson needs a break on vocals. With cuts ranging from the R&B of Willie Dixon's I Don't Care Who Knows, to the rockabilly of Hold Me Tender, the Little Walker harmonica blast of Marion's Mood, the rocking That's What She Hollered and the comic tale of one good time too many, Harmonica Hangover, Ramos covers a lot more territory than on his previous releases. With results this good, let's hope that his next disc also fails to follow the script. Skip the shampoo and go straight for the greasy kid stuff!
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