2002 review archive
88th and Jump Street - Kenny "Blues Boss" WayneA Different Shade of Red - Louisiana Red
All I Want - John Moony
Badman - Luther "Badman" Keith
Barron Delta Blue - Andy Collins
The Best of Lightnin' Hopkins - Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins
Big Delta - Omar and the Howlers
Blue Moon - Robben Ford
Bogart's Bounce - The JW Jones Blues Band
Burning Sands - Joe Nadeau
Buzz Me - Noah Wotherspooon & the Stratocats
Every Night and Every Day - Those Delta Rhythm Kings
Finger Lickin' Blues - Forest McDonald
Going Down - The Songs of Don Nix - Don Nix
Golden State Blues - Mark Hummel
Guitar Man - Little Milton
Hell or High Water - Tinsley Ellis
In memory of Michael Bloomfield - The Ford Blues Band
It's Automatic Baby - The Automatic Blues Band
JunkYard Dog - Harry Lucas & the Lowdown
Koko Taylor: Deluxe Edition - Koko Taylor
Limousine Blues - Jan James
Mama Tried - Mark Wenner and The Belairs
Mean Little Poodle - Ernie Hawkins
Mean Woman Blues - Mark Arshak
Muddy Water Blues - Paul Rodgers
One More Car, One More Rider - Eric Clapton Live On Tour, 2001
Preachin' the Blues: The Music of Mississippi Fred McDowell - various
Readjust Your Attitude - Weezil Malone & the King Size Blues Band
Rendezvous With The Blues - Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band
Roots of Our Nature - Norton Buffalo and Roy Rogers
Six String Therapy - Bryan Lee
Sky Blue - Sauce Boss
Somebody told the Truth - John Cephas and Phil Wiggins
Son Seals: Deluxe Edition - Son Seals
Stories - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Take Your Pick - Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Talking To Strangers - Shemikia Copeland
That's Big! - Little Charlie & the Nightcaps
Things Just Got Worse - Vincent Hayes
Thump Thump - Joel Mabus
The Tribute Sessions - Terrance Simien
You Better Lie Down - Scott Ainslie
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Title: JunkYard Dog
Artist: Harry Lucas & The Lowdowns
Label: Independent, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - January, 2002
(Note: Dirty Ed did a review of this same album in December, 2001)
With a rough and ready voice that occasionally recalls Sam Myers (of Anson Funderburg fame) in depth and soul, and Johnny Winter in grit, Harry Lucas leads the Lowdown and a number of well-utilized guests through 11 cuts of contemporary blues. Things get cooking right away with a cover of Robert Cray's Phone Booth, which serves as a fine introduction to Lucas' impassioned vocals and the searing guitar work of Jimmy Walczewski, which is consistently strong throughout this disc. The traditional blues of Big Rear Window and the rocking Mistreated each allow guest Billy Rider to blow the dust out of his harmonica with some well placed riffs and fills. Mind to Give Up Livin' and Away From You are slow scorchers with clean, uncomplicated mixes that really showcase the individual contributions of the band members. The title cut and Lay it Down head a bit more into blues rock territory, while the mid-tempo So Good grabs a bit of a Holmes Brothers style gospel feel with its layered vocals and call and response lyrics. Overall, a decent disc that proves that not all Junkyard dogs should be avoided. The only bites here are the hooks that sink in deep.
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Title: The Tribute Sessions
Artist: Terrance Simien
Label: Aim Records, 2001
Reviewed by: SEZ - January, 2002
Do you know these legendary Zydeco artists? Cliffton Chenier, Sam Cooke, Rick Danko, Canray Fontenot, Bob Marley, John Delegfose, Rockin' Dopsi, Beau Jockue? These are some of the musical heros that Terrance Simien honors through their own songs on this unique CD with short stories on how they inspired him from his youth forward. This is not a "party" CD. It is one for kickin' back and letting yourself be taken back in time with music from days gone by, first down by the Zydeco Master that have since passed on. From Reggae to Soul, Blues to Creole, Rock to Jazz, the Zydeco music of Terrance and the Mallet Playboys have created a great tribute to the pioneers of old that he works so hard to keep alive. This CD will grow on you and is a great Zydeco CD to have in your music collection.
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Title: Finger Lickin' Blues
Artist: Forrest McDonald
Label: Independent, 2001
Reviewed by: Bruce Van Spyker - February, 2002
It only takes a few seconds into the first cut to realize why Forrest McDonald is considered a guitar virtuoso. His licks are so clean you can swear you can see his fingers moving on the strings. Ironically, the first time I ever heard him play was back in Massachusetts (my home state) when he played in Arthur Fieldler's Boston Rock Symphony - an 11-piece rock group that performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra. If I remember correctly, they were doing a bunch of Beatles' songs that night. Since then he has toured with Alice Cooper and Edgar Winter, recorded with Ike & Tina Turner, played with Jimmy Reed and Bonnie Bramlett, and contributed a guitar solo to Bob Seeger's Old Time Rock'n'Roll.
Along the way he teamed up with vocalist Raymond Victor and a synergy was formed between a "glowing guitar" and a "whiskey-drenched gutter voice". Add in the rest of the members of the 3D Blues Band and you have a truly winning combination. Dave Parnell lays down some very smooth sax, and adds his unique vocal style to Chester Burnett's Blues in the Basement. Richard Ianucci on keyboards passes melodies back and forth with Forrest like they were one person playing two instruments. Bass licks are by Jonathan Schwenke and Diane Dutra with the back beat by drummers Chuck "Cap" CapDeVille and John McKnight (who does a remarkable drum lead on Chester Burnett's Who's Been Talking). Add in guest appearances by Steady Rollin' Bob Margolon (slide guitar on Ode to Billy Joe), Barry Richman (guitar on Who's Been Talking, Blues in the Basement), and Heaven Davis (background vocals on Not Enough Money) doing five original and eight covers, and you have the makings for a definite keeper. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to have him autograph it.
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Title: The Best of Lighnin' Hopkins
Artist: Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins
Label: Arhoolie Productions, 2001
Reviewed by: SEZ - February, 2002
Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins (1912-1982) was from Texas. Having learned some guitar licks as a little tyke (from his brother Joel), at eight years old he met and played with blues star Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church social. Talk about starting early! By the late 1920's through the 1950's, he occasionally played with his cousin Tex Alexander, a great blues singer from Leone County, Texas. On his own, he sang about what was on his mind, slow and easy, about his life, sometimes even protesting what he saw as unjust treatment of black farm hands (cuts 3 & 7). He was a true "country boy" who enjoyed fishing, gambling, and being with friends; making enough to get by with his music. His guitar work was simple yet sharp. His lyrics were an original homespun style with a personal message. For those of us who enjoy the blues from so long ago, before mainstream America came to acknowledge or appredciate the blues, this is classic juke joint at its best! Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins once said, "I had the one thing you need to be able to be a blues singer. I was born with the blues." Amen!
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Title: Big Delta
Artist: Omar and The Howlers
Label: Blind Pig, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - March, 2002
On his first release for the Blind Pig label, Omar has re-recorded a number of his classic cuts and mixed them together with a few new ones. Unlike his turn-of-the-century effort, The Scream Cat, which was a stylistic stretch but a somewhat difficult listen, this release represents a return to the classic sounds of Big Leg Beat, Monkey Land, and Courts of Lulu. With Omar's classic Howlin' Wolf-meets-Wolfman Jack vocals and the band's hard hitting groove, this is a satisfying romp through the blues with a rock twist. While Omar doesn't quite have the burning fire that made the first few Howlers discs so complelling, this is nevertheless a decent release that doesn't rely on the same old blues riffs and cliches.
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Title: Barron Delta Blue
Artist: Andy Collins
Label: Planetary, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - March, 2002
With its jacket photos of Andy Collins sitting by himself looking into the distance and its "blues" title, one would think that this disc is yet another solo acoustic guitar blues release honoring the memory of this or that blues legend. Well, one would be wrong! Instead this release features guitarist Andy Collins and no fewer than 19 additional musicians playing a wide range of music that is more world beat, folk, and pop than the blues. One only has to look at the collection of Didgeridoos, violins, mandolins, and vibes to know that this has as much to do with the blues as Republicans have to do with free lunch programs. Like a glorious collision between Jimmy Buffett, Donna the Buffalo, Dave Matthews, and the Barenaked Ladies, this is a fun disc that reflects the lessons Collins learned playing the bars of Australia's Barbary Coast: the songs don't have to be meaningful, but they do have to be entertaining if you want to get out of the joint alive. Based on the strength of this disc, Collins not only got out alive but was likely threatened by death if he asked to leave. A real keeper, although those looking for the blues need not apply.
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Title: Hell or High Water
Artist: Tinsley Ellis
Label: Telarc, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - March, 2002
On his first Telarc release after a long stint on the Alligator Records label, guitarist Tinsley Ellis reveals himself as more than just another speed guitar merchant. While his Alligator effforts featured heavy doses of searing pyrotechnics that tended to leave the rest of the band in the dust, this release features a fuller band sound with Ellis' guitar work serving an important but not overly dominant role. This new-found integration is immediately evident on the title cut, where Kevin McKendree's piano and Donna Hopkin's backing vocals join with Ellis' restrained guitar work to craft a soulful and funky blues rock work-out that is reminiscent of Mad Dogs and Englishmen era Joe Cocker. On Mystery to Me, Ellis slides on his soul shoes with some slinky lead lines and simmering vocals that would do Bozz Scaggs proud. Real Bad Way features jazzy chording and melodic leads, while Stuck in Love features clear, ringing leads that sound like Santana without the Latin tinge. Feelin' No Pain is a slow burner that gives Ellis a chance to stretch out on both guitar and vocals. Set Love Free is a pop-ish acoustic ballad. Long time Ellis fans need not fear that he has completely abandoned his firey licks - Ten Year Day, Love Me by Phone, and All I Can Do feature plenty of the old fire. Overall, the change in labels has resulted in a disc that will likely appeal to a broader audience than the slash and burn of the past.
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Title: Blue Moon
Artist: Robben Ford
Label: Concord , 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2002
With a career that includes stints with Charlie Musslewhite, Jimmy Witherspoon, the L.A. Express with Tom Scott, George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, the Yellowjackets, Miles Davis, Sadao Watanabe and his family band, the Charles Ford Blues Band, guitarist Robben Ford has explored everything from blues to jazz to folk to pop. Kicking things off with Little Walter's Up the Line, this effort, like his prior solo discs, primarily features his blues side. The twelve cuts collected here reveal Ford to be a tasteful, yet forceful, guitarist. While he's never in your face, He's all over each of the tunes with stinging leads or well-placed fills that occupy the spaces left by the rhythm section and the occasional contributors on keys and horns. The strongest cuts here are those where Ford mixes his blues with a pinch of jazz, as on the instrumental Indianola and on Willie Dixon's It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace). The straight-forward Blues shuffle of Hard to Please is well done but nothing special. The biggest misfire is the stillborn ballad My Everything, which reveals the thinness of Ford's voice when it is not pushed by the beat and surrrounded by music. Elsewhere, such as on Don't Deny Your Love and Something for the Pain, Ford's voice is supple and throaty enough to serve the tunes well. A decent release but no need to be the first on your block to own it.
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Title: Buzz Me
Artist: Noah Witherspoon & the Stratocats
Label: Apo, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2002
On his debut recording, guitarist Noah Witherspoon joins the packed field of young smoking guns. Like Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Monster Mike Welch, and countless others, Witherspoon gets through the door by promises of jaw-dropping guitar virtuosity far beyond his tender years - and like these other string benders, he delivers the flash with only occasional references to traditional blues. As is common with newer artists, most of Witherspoon's blues are squeezed through a Stevie Ray Vaughan filter and quickly find their way into jam band territory. While there's nothing the least bit wrong with that, it would be nice to hear a young artist moving things forward - like Stevie Ray did. Not a bad disc, but nothing special.
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Title: Every Night and Every Day
Artist: Those Delta Rhythm Kings
Label: Red Ink Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - April, 2002
On their Sophemore release, Lansing's Delta Rhythm Kings check in with 12 cuts of jumping, pumping, grinding, swinging blues and R&B. Augumenting the 4-piece band ("Cool" Ray Aleshire on vocals and harp, Rodney Aleshire on bass, "Johnny D" Davidson on guitar, and "Boxcar" Bob Carter on drums) is the 4-piece "Sofa-King Horns" section which makes a critical contribution to the overall sound of this disc with some wailing saxophone and stratospheric trumpet charts. While including only one original, Let's Do It Like Monkeys, which combines a smokey late-night groove, some righteous riffing and absolutely smoking horn charts, the material collected here is all first rate. Roy Brown's classic Lollipop Mama is a jump blues tour de force with "Cool" Ray's harmonica and sly vocals propelling the tune to new heights. Roy Brown gets another nod on Black Diamond where "Johnny D" checks in with some fine guitar work and the saxophones dare you to try to sit still. Those who need a slow blues grinder to make their day will find their happiness in the tough, sinewy groove of Jimmy McCracklin's Every Night and Every Day. Fans of Big Twist and the Melloe Fellows will enjoy the Rhythm Kings' take on the Willie Dixon-penned Three Hundred Pounds of Joy, which they deliver with the same abandon and joy that made it Larry "Big Twist" Nolan's signature piece. Safronia B is an uptempo delight from beginning to end and reminds you why jump blues will fill dance floors for years to come even though the zoot suit and two-toned shoes crowd has long since moved on. The band wraps things up with a live version of T-Bone Walker's You Don't Love Me, which is the exact opposite of what you'll be thinking about this disc. A delight from start to finish, this is a must for those who like some fun with their blues.
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Title: Preachin' the Blues: The Music of Mississippi Fred McDowell
Artist: various
Label: Telarc, 2002
Reviewed by: SEZ - April, 2002
Now that I've tantalized you with Mississippi Fred McDowell, allow me to turn you on to a great CD that is a tribute to this Delta blues master. Three decades after his death, Telarc has put together some of the best songs written by Fred. From the rockin' blues style of Anders Osborne, Scott Holt, Brain Stoltz, and Sue Foley, the Louisiana masters Tab Benoit, Kenny Neal, and Johny Sansone, folk singer Colleen Sexton, piano virtuoso Dave Maxwell, Delta born Charlie Musselwhite, acoustic guitarist Paul Geremia, to Steve James' excellent version of Roll and Tumble, this CD is great. I have always enjoyed roots blues and these fine artists have shown that Fred's songs have indeed left his mark on the blues. My thanks to all of them!
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Title: Son Seals: Deluxe Edition
Artist: Son Seals
Label: Alligator, 2002
Reviewed by: TR - April, 2002
The Ray Charles classic cut, I Believe to My Soul opens this CD with a joy by the electrifying guitar work of Son Seals. On this "Best Of" compilation, this Arkansas-raised, Chicago-based blues man shows how to take a guitar and make it soar, swagger, and sing. While his vocals are gruff and limited in range, it's his passion and feeling that take the music to new heights. While the studio cuts such as Bad Axe, Buzzard Luck, and Before the Bullets Fly are reserved and polished, the live tracks Don't Pick Me for Your Fool and Hot Sauce give him a chance to stretch and sizzle. A must for any blues lover's collection.
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Title: Koko Taylor: Deluxe Edition
Artist: Koko Taylor
Label: Alligator, 2002
Reviewed by: TR - April, 2002
I think of Koko Taylor as a deluxe edition herself . . . and this 15-track retrospective drives the point home one more time. Earlier this year she gave the blues community a scare by collapsing on stage, but Koko seems to have bounced back as strong as ever. With a voice that rumbles the earth and rattles the glassware, she reigns as the undisputed Queen of the Blues. It would be impossible to fit all her classics on one disc, but this one includes some of her 70's duets featuring the likes of Buddy Guy (Born Under a Bad Sign), Carey Bell (Mother Nature) and Pinetop Perkins (Hey Bartender). Everything on Deluxe Edition brims with Taylor's trademark attitude, the sass and toughness, but it also shows a tenderness on songs such as I'd Rather Go Blind and Time Will Tell. Also included is a never-released cut, Man Sized Job, which, simply put, kicks some serious butt.
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Title: Limousine Blues
Artist: Jan James
Label: Blue Palace Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - May, 2002
After launching her career in East Lansing as a member of the Flying Tigers with guitaris Craig Calvert, singer Jan James found her way to Chicago where she set up shop and took on one of America's toughest blues scenes. While the tourists are happy with countless covers of Sweet Home Chicago, Wang Dang Doodle, and Got My Mojo Working,long-term careers aren't made by sticking with covers. Success comes to those who either craft originals with the feel of the classics or those who have a unique approach that is rooted in the blues but stretches the genre in a new direction. While James could make a fine living on the blues cover circuit, as evidenced by her cover here of Don Covay's Chain of Fools, which won't make you forget Aretha's version but won't make you miss it either, she has wisely chosen to focus most of her efforts on original numbers that have the feel and sound of the classics. While that means that no new territory is charted, it does mean that she delivers blues that are instantly comfortable. Kicking things off with the greasy grooves of Build Me A Man, which gives her the chance to run through a number of blues styles including slow, grinding blues,Rise Above, Texas honky-tonk blues, Did What I Did, which would fit well on a Delbert McClinton disc, acoustioc blues, Montgomery and Young Man, and blues with a rock chase, Limousine Blues. What holds all of these cuts togehter is James' sultry vocals which sound like they were hatched south of the Mason-Dixon line in a bed of cigarettes, whiskey, grits and honey. While she may be from Michigan, she could easily fill in for Austin blues goddess Angela Strehli. Supporting James' vocals is a crack band led by guitarist Craig Calvert, who throws down sizzling electric leads and traditional acoustic rhythm with equal skill. This is one Limousine worth riding. Overall, a fine release.
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Title: Mean Woman Blues
Artist: Mark Arshak
Label: Independent, 2002
Reviewed by: AW - May, 2002
A couple months ago, someone wrote a review of a show at Billy's. The name Mark Arshak stuck with me, so my husband and I went to Billy's when he played last weekend (4/27). After introducing myself, Mark sent me home with a brand new CD . . . that was recorded live at Billy's in February. After listening to the CD, I understood why we had a review of his performance (probably the same night this was recorded). [ed. note: Gig review was for his 11/22/2001 performance] Arshak lives and breathes through his guitar, with bandmembers Kevin Gall and Pete Woodman both adding their particular talents. The CD is a fun listen, and his covers of Jimi Hendrix' The Wind Cries Mary and Guitar Slim's Somethin' To Remember You By are particularly enjoyable. Along with other cover songs, Arshak's CD has two originals: Adios Amigos and I Love My Monry. Both are well structured musically and both will get you out of your chair to dance!
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Title: It's Automatic Baby
Artist: The Automatic Blues Band
Label: Rib Joint Music, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - June, 2002
On its sophmore release, the Lansing-based Automatic Blues Band takes a spin through eleven tracks that showcase not only the band's top-shelf chops but its willingnes to chart its own course. Rather than rely on the safety net of well known covers, the band adeptly mixes a classic Chicago blues sound with its own self-penned tales of lusting, lying, and leaving. Anchored by the rock-steady beat of Eric Hamilton on bass and John Barrera on drums, guitarist Mike Somers and harmonica ace Gary "Blind Dog" Day take turns in the spotlight, with most cuts featuring solos by each of them. While many harp players tend to favor a guitarist who stays well out of the way and vice versa, Day and Somers often lock onto the same groove, showcasing the contrast between Somer's clean guitar riffs and Day's grease-laden harp blasts. Demonstrating their days as a duo, Somers and Day complement each other well. This isn't a guitar slinger's disc with a little harp thrown in for spice, nor is it a harp showcase with the rest of the band providing little more than the beat. Instead, it is truly a band effort with each member adding something important to the mix. While the band's roots may be firmly planted in Chicago, this disc doesn't mine the same blues vein over and over again. Instead, the band mixes things up with the loping shuffle of Stompin' Mad, the hard-hitting One Way Train, the late might, jazzy feel of Give Me Your Love, the jump blues inspired Gonna Swing It, and the burning harmonica work out of Slippin' Round, which wouldn't sound out of place on a Rod Piazza disc. Overall, a fine disc of straight-forward blues that should automatically make new fans.
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Title: Cock-eyed World
Artist: The Griswolds
Label: Blue Suit Records, 2001
Reviewed by: Nick Washburn - June, 2002
If you're looking to satisfy those "real, down-home blues" cravings, then you might want to check out Cock-eyed World, a fresh new recording by the Griswolds. Art and Roman Griswold have stripped down their band to a three-piece, with Art on guitar, Roma on organ, and "Big Blues" Bob Michaels on drums. The Griswolds have an extremely unique style, as they perform with no bass player. Roman compensates well, playing the bass line with his left hand on his Hammond B-3. This small combo can really groove, and the album has quite an amazing sound for a three-piece band. The brothers, now in their 60's, say that this is their best recording to date, so swing on down to your local record shop and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
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Title: That's Big!
Artist: Little Charlie & the Nightcats
Label: Alligator Records, 2002
Reviewed by: John Sage - July, 2002
That's Big! is a very appropriate title for this release by one of the most talented blues bands touring the U.S. and Europe these days. This is the Nightcats' eighth recording under Alligator, and if it's not the best, it certainly ranks right up near the top. With Little Charlie Baty on guitar, Rick Estrin on harmonica and vocals, Frankie Randal on electric & acoustic bass, Joey Ventittelli on drums, and a few other special guests such as guitarist Rusty Zinn and pianists Steve Lucky and Chris Siebert on many of the 14 tracks, the musicianship throughout gets a 'big' thumbs up. The three instrumental tunes are testimony alone to this, however, the variety of guitar and harmonica riffs that Little Charlie and Extrin present in Coastin' Hank, the smooth brush work on the drums by Ventiitelli on Go On If You're Goin' and the clever piano solo in the jump tune Money Must Think I'm Dead also made a favorable impression. Overall, the aspect most notable to me was simply the variety of blues styles from one track to the next. Chicago, West Coast (yes, they are a west coast band...), Jump, Rockabilly, Jazz/Blues, and Boogie Woogie Blues are represented well. Most of the tunes were wrtten by Estrin, so the usual tongue-in-cheek humor is present, and manifest in the track That's Big!. Even though Estrin continues to write the majority of the music, which seems to suit the Nightcats well, Little Charlie manages to get a few of his own tunes in - like the blazing jump number titled Bayview Jump (which made me hit the repeat button on my CD player a few times). That's Big! is a definite recommendation for the blues music library, especially if you like to listen to a variety of blues styles on one recording by the same artists (with it not being a compilation recording over several years) and you like to smile a lot while you listen to the blues.
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Title: A Different Shade of Red (The Woodstck Sessions)
Artist: Louisiana Red
Label: Severn Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - July, 2002
Severn Records has done a marvelous job of putting this CD together. Recorded in Woodstock, New York, at famed drummer Levon Helm's studio, the release finds Red backed by an all-star band, with Levon Helm on drums, Jimmy Vivino on lead guitar, Brian Bisesi on second guitar, and Steve Gomes on bass. Even Ola Dixon sits in for one track! There are no bad tunes here, folks ... all 11 songs are jam-packed with listenability. I Had a Dream is a spirited shuffle showcasing Red's trademark steel guitar work. Where's My Friends? finds Red in top form, trading superb vocals with searing electric slide. And for fans of Red's acoustic work, he offers up a couple of gems, Laudromat Blues and Phillipa. Other standouts include the horn and guitar-laden Alabama Train and the improvisational Blues 2001, both driven by Helm's funky backbeat. One of my favs is Lightning Bug.
Louisiana Red, with over 50 years of jammin, moves into the legendary blues player league with this CD. Born in 1932, he picked up a guitar at 11. Red studied at the hand of the masters, citing Muddy Waters as an early influence and mentor. He also played with John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Carey Bell, and more. This is his 23rd album, and I think it's the best.
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Title: Things Just Got Worse
Artist: Vincent Hayes
Label: Independent, 2002
Reviewed by: Dirty Ed - July, 2002
This album features three original songs and 6 cover songs. You can sure tell who Hayes' mentors are: Peter Green, Elmore James, and B.B. King. Two of my favorites on this disc are The Sun is Shinin' and Shake Your Money Maker, because I'm a big-time Elmore James fan. The first of the original cuts, Making Peace with the Demons is a great song and I'm glad to see that Hayes has had the tune copywritten. Hayes' fantastic slide work and his song-writing abilities are both featured on Things Just Got Worse. This CD is a definite local talent pick in my book. Hayes, from the Muskegon area, not only plays with the big dogs - he keeps up!
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Title: Badman
Artist: Luther "Badman" Keith
Label: BMB Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - August, 2002
On his debut release, Luther "Badman" Keith rips through thirteen self-penned cuts that reveal his eye for the details of life. With an over the top vocal style akin to Little Richard shouting over a freight train, the Badman weaves together a bit of personal history, Badman, with pleas for peaceful co-existence, Get Along, sentimental homages to departed peers in the blues world, Bluesman Gone To The Sky and Luther (for Luther Allison), tales of saucy ladies, Barbecue Baby, and offers to spend the evening with the ladies geting them in shape, Personal Trainer. While the Badman's energetic, take-no-prisoners approach to most of the cuts keeps your groove muscle working, he wisely mixes things up with slow burners, Barbecue Baby, rollicking boogie woogie, Cooking In The Kitchen, tender acoustic ballads, Between Heaven and Earth, and a slice of soul, Somebody. Overall, a decent release that would have benefitted from turning down the vocal histrionics and focusing on the Badman's well-tuned tenor and fine guitar work.
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Title: All I Want
Artist: John Mooney
Label: Blind Pig Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - August, 2002
John Mooney looks like a bad-ass biker, with a shaved head and more earrings than the clerk at the tatto shop. Based on his looks, one would expect that any blues finding their way out of him would be forced through a post-Stevie Ray Vaughan filter with lots of of rock oriented over-amped riffing and just a touch of blues. Don't let his looks fool you. While he may or may not be a biker, it's clear from this, his third Blind Pig release, that he's a bad-ass bluesman with a real appreciation of blues history. Armed with a 1931 vintage National Steel Guitar, Mooney quickly reminds you why the blues were powerful even before amplification and crowded band stands. Listening to the classic sounds of Baby Please Buried Treasure, and Future Blues, you would think Mooney came straight from the Dockery Plantation in the heart of the Mississippi delta. Just when you think you have Mooney pegged as a fine acoustic blues cat, he lays down the acoustic guitar and rips into funky electric numbers like She Ain't No Good, Feel Like Hollerin', Tell Me Who, and Hey Little Girl, which skip tired old shuffle grooves in favor of percussive rhythms that dare you to sit still. Modern blues doesn't get much better than this.
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Title: 88th and Jump Street
Artist: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
Label: Electro-Fi Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2002
While Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne is billed as "the new king of 21st Century Boogie Wooogie piano", this disc reveals that he's not quite a king but is more than just a boogie woogie piano player. While he can certainly crank out some boogie woogie, as evidenced on the Little Richard-inspired My Nadine and on the instrumental romps through 88th and Jump Street and Smokin' Boogie, he simply doesn't achieve the "wow" factor that would make you reconsider how boogie woogie legends like Albert Ammons, Jimmy Yancey, and Meade Lux Lewis, or even contemporary players like Miss Honey Piazza, stack up in the rankings. On the other hand, as this twelve cut disc reveals, Wayne has a lot more going for him than just a hot-wired boogie woogie groove. Don't Knock on My Door and Where Did My Baby Go? would fit neatly on a Sun Records collection, while Whiskey Heaven and With These Hands could spring from a low key country blues disc. Wayne also has a couple of New Orleans style piano tricks up his sleeve, as he reveals on Going Down South. Adding fuel to Wayne's piano work are a number of special guests including Jeff Healey and Mel Brown on guitar, Bob Stroger on bass, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on drums, and David "Hurricane" Hoerl, who adds some well-placed harmonica work on the low down "my baby dumped me" blues of Laughing Stock and on the upbeat My New Gal. Overall, a decent debut release.
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Title: Rendezvous With The Blues
Artist: Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band
Label: Evidence, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2002
Mevin taylor is a hot-wired electric guitarist who plays with a blues man's heart, but with a jazz sensibility. In other words, he doesn't feel obligated to stick to 12-bar blues as the basis of everything he does. If the song calls for some wailing, free form grooves a la Santana, he doesn't hesitate to throw them in, as evidenced by the instrumental Comin' Home Baby or the Jimmy Reed-penned I'm the Man Down There. While Taylor can astound with his speed and dexterity, he can also apply a light touch, as showcased on the jazzy instrumental Comin' Home Baby and on the John Lee Hooker tribute Chill Out / The Healer. Lucky Peterson adds to the jazz feel throughout the disc with some rich Hammond B-3 grooves. While many blues artists mine the same vein over and over again for material, Taylor takes a broad view and applies his guitar mastery to Prince's Five Women, Stephen Still's Black Queen, and ZZ Tops' Blue Jean Blues. With ample doses of wah-wah pedal and jazz inflected grooves, this isn't a disc for traditionalists. Those who aren't botherd by the labels will find a lot to like.
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Title: Bogart's Bounce
Artist: The JW Jones Blues Band
Label: Northern Blues Music, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2002
Those with a taste for jumping, swinging west coast blues will find this debut by the JW Jones Blues Band to be a little slice of heaven. Guitarist JW Jones comes from the same T-Bone Walker blues mold that formed the likes of Jr. Watson, Hollywood Fats, and Alex Schultz. With Jones' deft guitar work leading the way, the rest of the band, inclduding Southside Steve Marriner on harmonica, Nathan Morris on bass, Matt Sobb on drums, and Gene Taylor of the Fabulous Thunderbirds on piano, lays down a rip-roaring groove that defies you to hold still. Those who have some early Rod Piazza discs will do an auditory double take when Jones starts singing with the same easy delivery. Even though it's the bands debut disc, they couldn't resist their instincts as blues fans and have included guest appearances by idol Kim Wilson on Time to Move On and Blind Date Woman. Also making an appearance on vocals is Roxanne Polvin, who drowns in her own tears at the loss of her lover on You Forgot To Come. Overall, a first rate disc.
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Title: Thump Thump
Artist: Joel Mabus
Label: Fossil, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2002
Fans of upbeat acoustic blues and ragtime will find lots to like on this 13-cut disc of solo finger style guitar from Joel Mabus. The disc kicks off with the bouncy original Shake Them Hard Luck Blues and never hits a false note until it stops spinning. With three other originals, including the funky instrumental The Creeper, the intricate, almost delicate Red Dog Rag and the homage to the many musicians who snuck out of the back door of the Grand Ole Opry to grab a quick shot of liquid inspiration at Tottsie's Orchid Lounge, Struttin' To Tootsie's, Mabus makes it clear that he's more than just a talented interpreter of the traditional tunes that make up the bulk of this disc. Those looking for the comfort of the familiar will find the oft-told tale of betrayal and retribution Frankie and Albert, the traditional New Orleans style blues of My Bucket's Got a Hole In It, the folk classic, What Kind of Pants Does A Gambler Wear, the blues standard, East St. Louis, and even the Big Rock Candy Mountain. With an easy, conversational vocal style, Mabus sounds like he's intent on entertaining everyone around the campfire. A relaxed disc that will have you tapping your toes and looking for the s'mores.
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Title: Roots of Our Nature
Artist: Norton Buffalo and Roy Rogers
Label: Blind Pig, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - September, 2002
Reuniting for their first disc since 1992's Travelin' Tracks, guitarist Roy Rogers and harmonica player Norton Buffalo reveal that their successful solo careers haven't stripped them of the ability to play as a tight unit rather than as a couple of lead players waiting for the other one to get out of the way. This is truly a collaborative effort, with neither the guitar nor the harmonica dominating the sound. A share of the credit likely goes to the countless hours each of them has spent as a sideman to some of the biggest names in the blues and rock world, including Rogers' stints with John Lee Hooker and Bonnie Raitt and Buffalo's stints with the Steve Miller Band. Their time supplying the fills and riding the groove for the headlines serves them well, since each instinctively knows when to lead the parade and when to circle around to the back. Those looking for a straight blues disc or lots of electric fireworks won't find either here. Instead, the duo, which is frequently augumented by Rich Girard on acoustic bass, Jim Sanchez on drums, Doug Harman on cello, and Jeremy Cohen on violin, have brewed up a batch of diverse tunes including the funky, Don't Throw Your Changes On Me and Deny and Down the Distance, the light, acoustic Mexican-style instrumental, Ritmo De Las Almas (Rhythm of the Souls), which could leap off of a Los Lobos disc, the Jerry Jeff Walker-style country groove of If I Were A King, the rocking, Under The Rug, which features some fine interplay between Rogers' guitar and Buffalo's harmonica and the slinky, gypsy tale of mystery and mysticism, Seven Hearts. The closest the pair comes to straight blues is on Highway Bound, with its age-old tale of leaving a cheating partner behind, and on the peppy acoustic instrumental, Happy Go Lucky, which showcases the pair's great instrumental interplay. While they made their name as instrumentalists, both Rogers and Bufalo are decent vocalists, with Buffalo's numbers shining the brightest by virtue of his soulful edge that sounds uncannily like a toned-down Dave Alvin. This is one reunion worth attending!
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Title: Take Your Pick
Artist: Jimmy "T99" Nelson
Label: Nettie Marie Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2002
Vocalist Jimmy "T99" Nelson scored his first hit over 50 years ago with T99 Blues, followed by Meet Me With Your Black Dress On. He made a ripple on the contemporary blues scene a couple of years ago with his release Rockin' and Shoutin' the Blues, which earned him a number of W.C. Handy nominations and a Living Blues Award. This follow-up release, recorded with all-star alumni from the Roomful of Blues features Nelson working his way through twelve cuts that sample everything from jump blues to R&B. With a voice that drips with experience, Nelson weaves tales of hot little mamas in Come On Again, warns his lovers to watch their step with Think Again, tells a bawdy tale of sexual prowess on the wane, Would You Believe, working on overtime, Hot Tamale Man, and hard-learned advice from a father to son in Son Listen To Me. The well-crafted originals are interspersed with nods to tin pan alley, Cabaret and Candy, as well as heartfelt nods to masters such as Louis Armstrong, Sometime You'll be Sorry. While most of the tunes lope along at a mid-tempo pace, (Would You Believe and Mornin' Noon and Night being the upbeat exceptions) the band fires on all cylinders throughout with jazzy fills and hard-nosed blues filling the space around Nelson's vocals. Overall, a well done slice of classic 50's style blues.
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Title: Stories
Artist: John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Label: Eagle Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2002
With a career that spans decades, an alumni club that includes Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, and Coco Montoya, and a catalog that could fill the blues section at the local mall music store, John Mayall has precious little to prove. Despite that fact, he isn't content to rest on his laurels and tour behind his greatest hits. Instead, he puts out discs of new material that seek to expand his recorded legacy. Immmune to fad and fashion, Mayall's recent discs have been bluesy but have seldom hit the blues stright on. That is the case with this release, which frequently marries a slinky blues groove with a lazy 70's rock beat, but will leave you looking in vain for a classic blues shuffle. With guitarist Buddy Whittington filling the hallowed guitar slot that sprung Clapton and others to fame, Mayall takes on a number of new numbers plus covers by the like of Rick Vito, Feels Just Like Home, Eric Bibb, Kokomo, and Walter Trout, I Thought I Heard The Devil. Standout cuts include Demons in the Night, which features ample doses of keyboard work and Pieces and Parts, which is one of the rare instances where the band leaves the easy groove behind and cranks things up. No need to run out on its release date, but not a bad addition to Mayall's enormous catalog.
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Title: Six String Therapy
Artist: Bryan Lee
Label: Justin Time, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - October, 2002
New Orleans blues guitarist Bryan Lee has made a career of scorching blues bars from the Big Easy to Chicago with his take-no-prisoner vocals and funky electric blues chops. When Lee cranks up his blues machine you have no choice but to either take the ride or get well out of the way. While this approach has served him well in the live setting, it hasn't always translated easily to disc. Lee's recorded vocals have sometimes come across more bombastic than impassioned, leaving you fatigued from the frenzy but not really satisfied. On this, his eighth release for Justin Time Records, Lee lets off the accelerator just a bit, resulting in a disc that is satisfying from beginning to end. Produced by Duke Robillard and featuring the core of his band, this twelve-cut release swings as hard as it rocks. With upbeat classics by Smiley Lewis, Go On Fool and Bumpity Bump, Louis Jordan, Three Handed Woman, and even the oft-covered jazz number Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?, Lee and the band have no choice but to play with a light touch lest they bury the buoyant grooves. The fun doesn't stop with these numbers, as Lee applies his guitar chops to the swinging Just Like a Fish and cranks up his trusty Telecaster a few notches for the funky Shipyard Blues, for a reworked version of B.B King's Beautician Blues, for a straight-on assault of Freddy King's Now I Got A Woman, and on the self-penned title cut. Overall, this is a disc that should appeal to both old and new fans alike. If you need a prod out of your blues doldrums, try a little Six String Therapy.
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Title: Somebody told the Truth
Artist: John Cephas and Phil Wiggins
Label: Alligator Records, 2002
Reviewed by: SEZ - October, 2002
It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many styles of the blues. Of course, it is the regional differences of our great country and the self-taught musicians of long ago who played for the love of the blues that gave the blues genre so many different styles. Maybe that is the reason I enjoy traditional blues the most. John Cephas on acoustic guitar and Phil Wiggins on harmonica have been together since the late 70's and are known as "the champions of the East Coast Piedmont-style blues", also known as "traditional Tidewater blues". To me, it is down-home, country blues like the 20's and 30's. This acoustic duo keeps alive that spirit of a simpler time with a modern touch. Thank you, gentlemen.
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Title: Talkikng To Strangers
Artist: Shemekia Copeland
Label: Alligator Records, 2002
Reviewed by: April Washburn - October, 2002
Shemekia Copeland lives up to her previous standards with this new CD. When her first CD debuted in 1998, Turn the Heat Up, Alligator Records president, Bruce Iglauer said, "I think she will be the next great female blues singer." Listening to the fifteen tracks on Talking To Strangers, one can understand why. This woman sings with a true blues voice and has energy pounding in every song. She sang at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem when she was only 8 years old, and was always encouraged by her father to pursue a career in singing. When she was fifteen, she described her passion as going from something she enjoyed to something she had to continue doing. Now, after her second CD and five tours of Europe, she has a solid foothold in the music biz. With Dr. John producing this CD and contributing his own piano, organ, and vocal talents to the work, this is one you should add to your collection.
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Title: Burning Sands
Artist: Joe Nadeau
Label: Louisiana Red Hot Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Bruce Van Spyker - October, 2002
Listening to this album, I realized that it was a bit different from what I've gotten used to hearing. This isn't the blues blasted from 10,000 watts of speakers with guitars wailing, drowning out everything else. This is more like going down to your local watering hole and listening to a traveling band of troubadours who have all gathered with their leader to jam and sing their favorites, and then going out at intermission and sitting around the front porch to have a smoke with the band, watching the sea gulls drifting over fishing boats tied up to the town pier, listening to them plucking on what ever they brought, getting mellow and going back to the old days of blues when the music was subdued and the message was where it was at.
When you're a Gold Certified Songwriter, a highly skilled guitarist, and have a voice halfway between the smoohtness of soul and and the raw edge of blues, and then you surround yourself with musicians such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dave Smith, Robbie Emerson, Jimmy Wallace, Derrick Jackson, Yvette "Baby Girl" Preyer, Tommy Cathey, Jacquelyn Reddick, Scott Thompson, and Chris LeFevbre playing a host of instruments, that jam session takes on epic proportions.
This is no accidental jam session, though. It is a highly crafted album showcasing a lot of very talented musicians. The promo letter from the producer calls it "Boston Baked Blues with Louisiana spice ala Texas guitar prowness". I would have to say I agree. The first tracks are great, hard-driving blues with guitar riffs running up and down and all around the lyrics. And then on track three, Tell Me What It's All About, a wailing honky-tonk piano takes over from the guitars and just screams!
Then we move out to the front porch. The cover song, Burning Sands, almost sounds like an accoustic number with background percussion that could very easily be played on the steps and railing and downspout and what ever else was handy. The next number, Just Another Day, starts off with a mellow organ solo and and stays nice and soft. All the pain and rough edges are left for the lyrics to bring out. Sort of reminds me of some of Leadbelly's old stuff.
Then its back inside, back to that honky-tonk piano and more good rockin' blues. Altogether, the twelve tracks on this CD will make you wonder why you've never heard of this guy before. Actually, you have. He's appeared on Kenny Wayne Shepherd's Ledbetter Heights and Wes Jeans' Hands On. He also wrote music for the movie The Fan. This is his debut album as a performer in his own right. Hopefully, it won't be his last. This is definitely a four-star keeper.
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Title: Guitar Man
Artist: Little Milton
Label: Malaco, 2002
Reviewed by: April Washburn - November, 2002
After albums on the legendary Sun, Chess, and Stax labels, guitarist Little Milton Campbell teamed up with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi, for a relationship that is now 16 discs strong. While he cut his musical teeth playing homemade guitars fashioned from broom wire, tobacco cans, and thread spools in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Milton has left the raw side of the blues to others. Even though he can get down and dirty with the best of them, as evidenced on Blues Tune Up, which sounds straight off a B. B. King disc, most of this release finds him laying down slabs of funky Tower of Power style soul blues with lots of horns to spice things up. The title cut, Take Time To Hear Me Some Blues, and Still Some Meat Left on This Bone will get your groove muscle working hard. Those looking for sweet Philly style soul should head straight to the ballads Just One Moment, I Could Have Saved Our Love, Mr. & Mrs. Untrue, and I Wish I Could Be Your Lover. If soul blues are your thing, check out Little Milton.
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Title: In Memory of Michael Bloomfield
Artist: The Ford Blues Band
Label: Blue Rocket, 2002
Reviewed by: April Washburn - November, 2002
True confession time: I missed the Paul Butterfield / Michael Bloomfield era of blues. During their heyday in the late 60's and early 70's I was a heavy metal kid and hadn't yet started my journey back to the blues. When I did, I bypassed them completely in favor of seeking out the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Buddy Guy. Over the years, I've meant to catch up on their widely-respected late 60's work but have ended up picking up releases by new bands instead. As a consequence, I don't have a basis for judging whether this release is a fitting tribute or not. But what I do know is that if this is anywhere close to the real thing, I've missed out on some great stuff. Simply put, the inventive guitar work, funky horns, and tight arrangements resonate with a passion that makes these songs stick long after the disc coasts to a stop. Particularly tasty are the hard hitting, horn-drenched Killing My Love, the funky instrumental Stop, which features a stinging guitar and a wailing organ groove, the classic blues rocker, Next Time You See Me, the San Francisco pop of Groovin' Is Easy, the gospel sweetness of The One's I Loved Are Gone, the hard funk of It's About Time, which surely inspired any number of Tower of Power tunes, and the Ray Charles-penned Mary Ann, which starts as a simple pop song and morphs into a stinging blues cut on the break. Even unlikely numbers work on this release. While some may recoil at the thought of a blues cover of Simon & Garfunkle's 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy), the version included here virtually erases all memories of the original with its steamy guitar and vastly reworked groove. Hearing these cuts, it's easy to see where many of the 70's guitar gods like Clapton and Duane Allman drew some of their inspiration and phrasing. Maybe it's just the joy of delayed discovery but I think that running to the store would be in order for this one.
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Title: Sky Blue
Artist: Sauce Boss
Label: Burning Disk, 2002
Reviewed by: Bruce Van Spyker - December, 2002
Bill Wharton is Sauce Boss and he's been playing his unique combination of blues, calypso, zydeco, and southern roots rock for years. His concerts are a combination of music and food - he actually cooks a huge batch of gumbo during his concerts. From reading reviews of some of his live concerts, they are unique and probably well worth going to. However, the cd looks like it was originally intended for souvenir sales after the concert, and sounds like it. There is nothing on the cd that stands out. While all the songs are fun and up-beat, they are mediocre compared to all the cd's that you could have instead. If you go to one of his concerts, you probably should buy it and get it autographed (there's lots of blank space inside!); otherwise, I'd pass on it.
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Title: You Better Lie Down
Artist: Scott Ainslie
Label: Cattail, 2002
Reviewed by: Bruce Van Spyker - December, 2002
Scott Ainslie is rather unique among blues artists. Not only is he a gifted guitarist, he is also a scholar and a teacher. His area of specialization is African and American traditional music. He has written a highly regarded (and best-seller) book Robert Johnson / At the Crossroads and transcribed much of his music. He teaches a course very similar to the Blues in the Schools program on Traditional Music. On this, his third album, Scott and his National guitar show just that a multi-award winning acoustic folk/blues artist can do playing everything from B.B. King's Losing Faith in You, Robert Johnson's Phonograph Blues and When You've Got A Good Friend, to an unexpectly nice blues version of Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me, and several of his own arrangements of traditional songs such as Wade In The Water and the title song You Better Lie Down. There are a lot of cd's out there that will get your feet to tapping, this one is for those who get itchy fingers and want to play along with the jukebox. It was all I could do to leave my guitar in the corner and use my fingers for typing instead. Definately a four-star, must-have cd for everyone who loves traditional, acoustic blues.
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Title: Readjust Your Attitude
Artist: Weezil Malone & the King Size Blues Band
Label: Independent, 2002
Reviewed by: Bruce Van Spyker - December, 2002
Larry and gang prove again on this, their third self-produced, all-original cd, that they are one of West Michgan's premier blues bands. Right from the beginning with Shake Hands With the Devil, the band is tighly woven together with subdued guitars and piano providing backgound to an original blues/gospel number that could have come straight out of the mountains of Tenneseee. I had to play Mike Rizzo's Makatawa Bayou through a couple of times before I could stop laughing enough to pay attention - this one is sure to be a popular song - especially to those blues fans from the Holland area still looking for someplace local to party. Another little goody is Do Me a Favor, a fun little tune about an unlikely way of ditching your girlfriend. Waste No Tears, a fairly hard-driving piece, has an especially good piano solo followed by a tight guitar and piano duet buried in the middle. As usual, throughout the 14 cuts on this cd, the KSBB takes a stroll throughout the entire blues landscape with a touch of shuffle, a little bit of Delta, a good helping of Chicago, and a dash of everywhere else. Throughout, the harmony is tight and the sound is superb, thanks to a lot of effort by Gordy Howe (helped, I'm told, by a crash course on the engineering side of recording). Larry let out that the title track (slightly speeded up and with re-worked vocals) has been picked up by an Indie label in Nashville and will be released worldwide in January. Overall, definitely a cd worth adding to your collection.
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Title: Going Down - The Songs of Don Nix
Artist: Don Nix
Label: Evidence, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
With a resume that includes several albums spanning three decades, stints as staff producer for Leon Russell's Shelter label and the legendary Stax studio in Memphis, as well as writing credit for countless hits for the likes of Albert and Freddie King, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, and Gatermouth Brown, vocalist Don Nix is someone who deserves a high profile amongst roots rock and blues fans. This collection of songs that mostly hit pay dirt for others should go a long ways toward bringing him to the attention of those who never linked his name to his fine songs. With an elastic voice that recalls Leon Russell one moment and Delbert McClinton the next, Nix is comfortable on the wide range of material covered here. Blues fans will immediately recognize Same Old Blues and Palace of the King, which were hits for Freddie King and Going Back to Iuka and Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, which were hits for Albert King. The Rockers in the crowd will pick up the air guitar for Black Cat Moan and his biggest hit, Going Down, which brough Nix lots of royalty checks, with covers by the likes of Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker, J.J. Case, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and countless others. As befitting a classic, Going Down gets the full-star treatment here with guitars by Brian May (Queen), Leslie West (Mountain), organ by Bobby Whitlock (Dominos), and background vocals by Bonnie Bramlett. The rest of the disc doesn't want for star power either, with Steve Cropper, Billy Lee Riley, Tony Joe White, and John Mayall adding instrumental firepower and Bramlett and fellow Memphis legend Dan Penn adding vocal sweetener. While the classics are top notch, the less-covered material deserves attention as well. With lines like "one more repossession, I'll be out of debt" the cut One More Repossession is a classic-in-the-making, followed closely by the quintessential blues of On The Road Again which says it all: "Daddy's gone fishin', mama's got the blues, baby's walkin' round with holes in his shoes, sister is in the bed with the chicken pox, brother's in the chain gang bustin' rocks. I'm on the road again!" Overall, Nix has combined the greasy R&B vibe that found its way to countless Stax releases with the rollicking good times that marked Leon Russell's early work with the Shelter people for a very satisfying disc.
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Title: Mama Tried
Artist: Mark Wenner and The BelAirs
Label: Right On Rhythm, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
After years as vocalist and harmonic player for the northern Virginia-based Nighthawks, Mark Wenner has flexed his solo muscle a bit over the past couple of years. This disc folllows up his 2000 release, Runs Good, Needs Paint. Unlike that disc which featured several different back up bands, this disc finds Wenner fronting only the BelAirs, a Columbus, Missouri-based band that he toured with in the late 1980's when the Nighthawks were between guitarists following the departure of Jimmy Thackery. While many musicians cut a solo disc to explore musical styles that don't fit into the creative vision of their main gig, this set features much of the same rock and roll-fueled roots rock and blues that have marked Wenner's work with the Nighthawks, albeit with a bit of a country and folk twist by virtue of covers by Johnny Cash, Big River, Bob Dylan, She Belongs To Me, Merle Haggard, Mama Tried, and the Don Hecht-penned classic, Walkin' After Midnight. Even though these cuts may have a different pedigree, they are given the same solid rock and blues treatment as the balance of the material. While there are other well-known gems in the set list, including the oft-covered Baby (You've Got What It Takes) and A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love), the original tunes If Glen Would Swing and Howie's Hammer deserve equal attention, if for no other reason than to savor Wenner's greasy harmonica riffs. If you dig the Nighthawks you'll find plenty to like here.
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Title: Mean Little Poodle
Artist: Ernie Hawkins
Label: Say Mo' Music, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
As a tireless champion of Reverend Gary Davis, Pittsburgh-based guitarist Ernie Hawkins doesn't feel the need to chase trends in blues music. Instead, he specializes in the same sort of plain, but not simple, fingersyle picking that the good Reverend used as his calling card. In Hawkins' hands, the blues haven't moved to the big cities and still find their way out of unamplified guitars. As Hawkins demonstrates, the lack of amplification doesn't mean lack of impact. On Lightnin's Hideaway, he channels Freddie King through Lightnin' Hopkins without losing any of the steam that made King's Hideaway a favorite of blues bands from the time it was recorded. The Soul of a Man is a soulful take on the Blind Willie Johnson original, while Voodoo Soup dips into the eerie sounds of the dark night. Railroad Blues is a quiet instrumental number, while Weeping Willow is a tale of love lost. The vocal numbers are delivered by Hawkins with a lived-in voice that matches the timeless material. The disc closes out with a couple of Davis favorites, Fast Fox Trot / Buck Dance. If acoustic blues is your thing, then this is one poodle you won't mind having on your leg.
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Title: Golden State Blues
Artist: Mark Hummel
Label: Electro-Fi Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
Fans of West Coast style retro blues like those championed by the likes of Kid Ramos, Linwood Slim, and Jr. Watson, will feel right at home with this latest effort by harmonica ace Mark Hummel. Backed by the three-piece Blues Survivors (Charles Wheal on guitar, Steve Wolf on bass, and Marty Dodson on drums) and a host of guest musicians, including Rusty Zinn and Anson Funderburgh on guitars and John Firman and Robb Sudduth on saxophones, Hummel slinks and slides his way though tales about waiting too long, Too Late Brother, the infamous job jar, Honey Do Woman, a lover who isn't satisfied, Don't Know What To Do About You, a lover who can be unpredictable, Sometimes Baby, a lover who is difficult, Baby, I'm Mad With You, and the need for a break from constant scrutiny, Please. Throughout, Hummel's fat harmonica tone rides the bouyant groove crafted by the T-Bone Walker-inspired guitar work of the various six string aces who alternate from cut to cut. Hummel's easy vocal style fits well with the perculating rhythm of the 12 cuts, six of which were penned by Hummel. While the songs are uniformly well-executed, the disc suffers a bit from an over reliance on a mid-tempo groove that can get repetitious when the disc is played from start to finish. A couple of change-ups would have kicked the disc into must have territory. Having said that, it is still a worthy addition to your blues library.
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Title: Muddy Waters Blues
Artist: Paul Rodgers
Label: Eagle Records, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
After making his name as an arena rocker as the voice behind Free and Bad Company, Paul Rodgers spent several years casting about for a role in the music world. This disc, which first saw the light of day in the early 90's, showcases his foray into the blues world. While I have always enjoyed his leather-lunged vocals, I have to admit that the idea of a 70's era English rocker covering the legendary Waters didn't exactly make me tremble with anticipation. Straight blues bands have collapsed under the weight of comparison to Waters, so why would even a talented rocker fare any better? One listen told me that my concerns were both well founded and a bit off base at the same time. Viewed as a straight blues disc, this is a pale comparison to virtually anything Waters put out during his career. On the other hand, viewed as a rock disc that focuses on the blues, this isn't a bad effort at all. With a full stable of first call rock guitarists, including Trevor Rabin, Brian Setzer, Jeff Beck, Steve Miller, David Gilmore, Gary Moore, Brian May, Neal Schon, Slash, and one full-time blues guitarist, Buddy Guy, this disc doesn't lack for firepower. The quieter numbers, like the acoustic version of the title cut and Good Morning Little School Girl come closest to catching a traditional blues sound, while the rest sound like the blues rock that Rodgers was pumping out with Free. If you want to hear Muddy's songs done rock style this isn't a bad bet. If you want Muddy Water's blues, keep on moving.
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Title: One More Car, One More Rider
Artist: Eric Calpton Live On Tour, 2001
Label: Reprise, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith - December, 2002
The recycling world has to be very proud of Eric Clapton. With greatest hits and live compilations reshuffling his recorded legacy every year or so, he gets maximum use out of every song he records. There can't be a casual Clapton fan who doesn't own at least two, and more likely, three versions of all of the cuts on this live disc recorded in 2001, as Clapton toured behind his latest studio effort, Reptile. As with most tours these days, Clapton featured a selection of tunes spanning his career and including something for everyone in the crowd. The old time rockers got Cocaine, Badge, Sunshine of Your Love, and Layla. The blues fans got Key to the Highway, Bell Bottom Blues, I want a Little Girl, and Hoochie Coochie Man. The adult alternative crowd got Reptile, Change the World, and My Father's Eyes, while the easy listening crowd got Tears in Heaven, Wonderful Tonight and even Judy Garland's Over the Rainbow. As career retrospectives go, this isn't a bad release, but it holds no surprises or definitive performances that make it a necessary addition to your collection. Those looking for instrumental fireworks that take the songs well beyond the studio version would be better off investing in Calpton's Crossroads 2, Live in the 70's.
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