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ALBUMS, FESTIVALS AND
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Songs of love, longing and regret from the post-war American songbook of country, blues, folk, R&B and rock ‘n roll.
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“A powerhouse voice that could pack a football stadium”
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“A decade’s worth of quality releases and heavy touring have made New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen into one of the nation’s most reliable performers.” - AllMusic
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OK, and before you knew it we have arrived at issue 107!
Stepping into 2019 (don’t blink!), another year we do not need to rush but to savour and enjoy. If we do not have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous…ah no, not that, I mean the endless news and media storm of Brexit, politicians working for themselves and not the countries they serve, World climate change (Hendrix may have been a visionary when he wrote the 1983 A Merman etc. side of Electric Ladyland)…and speaking of music that is what we do so let’s get to it shall we!?
I am very happy for our good news on team members that Dave Drury is back and writing having fi nally been cleared after several years of eye operations and now back reviewing. Also, another member’s wife has been totally cleared after her cancer treatment, you know who you are! Yippee x 2. We got us a team of fighters here at Blues Matters! Loving the Blues!!
Our Distributors also let me know that while the general trend in publishing is downhill by an average of 40+% we are actually growing at 1.6% which they are rather proud of.
And what an issue; the lovely Carolyn Wonderland we caught up with as she couldn’t outrun us after her operation and soon becomes the FIRST lady Bluesbreaker with John Mayall. George Benson, yes who’d have thought it, joins Mascot and brings a classy album to our ears. So
much more in the Contents pages including a chat about The Iridium in NY and a bit of a launch there for us. We look back at our Blues Matters! Stage sets at Jaks, Skegness – already over a month ago, hard to believe, it’s still so fresh. And we have a chat with one of the UK’s great music survivors, bluesman Robin Trower. The music just goes on and on.
On a sad note, we learn as we go to press, that one of the UK’s major blues-fans and movers, Dave Raven, has passed following a health struggle that never slowed his enthusiasm for the music we all love or stopped him from promoting blues. A blues radio man, Dave was a blues music podcast pioneer who will be greatly missed by many.
And now...it’s over to you our readers and supporters. Enjoy as usual your foremost blues music magazine. Till next time the time here hope you all keep rollin’ and tumblin’, enjoying this wonderful music wherever you might be!
Thank you all for following and engaging with us via web and social media.
I found an old return train ticket in my coat pocket the other day – that really took me back!
ENJOY and spread the word because ‘our name says it all’.
Alan Pearce Founder, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, Fan
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COVER PHOTOS: Billy Gibbons & Ron Sturm by Arnie Goodman. George Benson by Austin Hargrave. Carolyn Wonderland by Arnie Goodman.
Contributing Writers:
Liz Aiken, Tim Arnold (USA), Roy Bainton, Eric Baker (USA), Steve Banks, Adrian Blacklee, Eddy Bonte (Bel), Colin Campbell, Iain Cameron, Laura Carbone (USA), Martin Cook, Norman Darwen, Dave Drury, Ben Elliott (USA), Barry Fisch (USA), Sybil Gage (USA), Jack Goodall, Stuart A. Hamilton, Trevor Hodgett, Rowland Jones, Brian Kramer (Sw), Frank Leigh, John Lindley, Boris Litvintsev (RU), Gian Luca (USA), Mairi Maclennan, Ben McNair, John Mitchell, Glenn Noble, Toby Ornott, Merv Osborne, David Osler, Iain Patience (Fr), Alan Pearce, Dom Pipkin, Simon Ridley, Darrell Sage (USA), Paromita Saha-Killelea (USA), Pete Sargeant, Graeme Scott, Andy Snipper, Dave Stone, Tom Walker, Matty T. Wall (Aust), Don Wilcock (USA), Dani Wilde, Steve Yourglivch.
Contributing Photographers:
Arnie Goodman, Laura Carbone, Jennifer Noble others credited on page.
© 2019 Blues Matters!
Original material in this magazine is © the authors. Reproduction may only be made with prior Editor consent and provided that acknowledgement is given of source and copy sent to the editorial address. Care is taken to ensure contents of this magazine are accurate but the publishers do not accept any responsibility for errors that may occur or views expressed editorially. All rights reserved. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise without prior permission of the editor. Submissions: Readers are invited to submit articles, letters and photographs for publication. The publishers reserve the right to amend any submissions and cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Please note: Once submitted material becomes the intellectual property of Blues Matters and can only later be withdrawn from publication at the expediency of Blues Matters. Advertisements: Whilst responsible care is taken in accepting advertisements if in doubt readers should make their own enquiries. The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions, nor shall they be liable for any loss or damage to any person acting on information contained in this publication. We will however investigate complaints.
More than a wonderful name, a blueslady with a guitar and the first lady to break the mould to play with John Mayall’s band. Gary Hoey ( USA)
The US guitar ace finds the time to explain how his latest album developed, his love for blues and rock music and his hopes for a blues-fuelled future.
George Benson ( USA) 60
Legendary US jazzman, a guy who has long crossed the tracks to play true blues music talks with us about his latest move to record with Mascot/Provogue.
Joe Louis Walker ( USA)
From sharing a flat with Mike Bloomfield of the Blues Band to his place as a leading US bluesman. Joe Louis Walker reveals it all; the highs, the lows, the music, the life.
John Hammond ( USA)
One of the greatest veteran US acoustic bluesmen, John Hammond looks back at a career that has spanned half a century, his influences, challenges, music and hopes.
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Mike Sponza ( IT ) .........................................
There’s more, much more, to Italy than Vespas, Ferraris, pasta, pizza and ice-cream. Tastier than most, bluesman Mike Sponza works his blues magic with a revved-up chat with Blues Matters.
Reese Wynnans ( USA)
Need an unstoppable sideman for your next project? Look no further than this US keyboard giant who has played with everyone, and now steps out with his debut album release.
Robin Trower ( UK )
One of our own homegrown blues talents, Trower takes time out to chat about his new album, how it came about, what it all means and where he’s heading.
Roger Earle ( UK-USA) ..................................
We meet up with one of the USA’s finest imports from these shores, a drummer’s drummer, now a frontman, with a sort-of debut release and a new band behind him.
Steve Cropper ( USA)....................................
Never one to sit dockside for long, we catch up with blues and soul master Steve Cropper as he looks back on a long career full of surprising meetings, recordings and anecdotes.
REVIEWS
Albums
Yet again, a bagful to bursting with new releases and reviews to whet your blues appetite.
Festivals
Skegness Rock & Blues Festival 2019.
Gigs ............................................................
The Stumble; Ricky Cool & the In Crowd; Kris Barras Band.
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Yes, we knew it was going to happen and were expecting the bad news sometime, but that does not make it any easier when the news finally breaks. It does not help us to face the fact that Dave the Rave is no longer with us, there will be no more Raven and Blues podcasts, no more of Dave’s musical discoveries, no more sessions from the top deck of his lovely floating home on the Thames.
But I know I am not alone in this as the many posts on social media have shown. So many people with so many lovely stories, lovely memories and lovely comments, so many people feeling his loss.
One post, in particular, caught my eye because the poster so accurately and precisely captured what I and, I am sure, so many others feel. Producer, presenter, musician, Paul Long, wrote: ‘’I always called him the guvnor. Very sad, if not surprising news today that he has died. Dave was a good friend and a huge influence on me as a broadcaster. In 2006, when I was producing Paul Jones’s Radio 2 programme I found his podcast, which was a new way of doing radio that Dave embraced with huge successand I listened to every show ever since. We all owe him a debt of gratitude.’’
Dave’s involvement with the UKBlues Federation of which he was a founding Board member and Treasurer, was hugely influential and important to the Federation and played no small part in the UKBF being the organisation it is today, less than four years after it was created. Dave also become a member of the Board of the European Blues Union where I know he had had an impact and brought about change. But he also gave the UK a voice on the EBU Board which, in turn, raised the profile of blues in the UK in Europe. As chair of the UK’s Independent Blues Broadcasters Association, it was Dave who prepared the monthly airplay charts collating
many varied submissions from members. His love affair with Blues and R’n’B started in his teens when Newcastle’s leading beat club, the Club A’Gogo was his regular haunt. John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Manfred Mann, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, all played the Club A’Gogo, all playing R’n’B and Blues. American bluesmen also visited, Howlin’ Wolf,John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Eddy Boyd and many more. Those early influences set him on a career of playing music on stage and radio. His radio career began back in 1968 when he did occasional work on the first BBC local radio station in Durham in the North East of England. A year followed with Radio 1 on ‘Radio 1 Club’ then to BBC Radio Newcastle when it opened in 1971 and then a transfer to Metro Radio when it started in 1973. In 1976, Dave went to Malta where he discovered the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) and they discovered him!
He had many blues shows over the years and the Raven’n’Blues has been on air across the world since 1997. In 2013, he won the British Blues Awards Independent Broadcaster of the year and was runner up on two other occasions. The show was the first ‘listen again’ UK Blues radio programme in 1998 and the first UK Blues podcast in 2004.
In December 2007 Dave had a stroke which badly affected his speech and co-ordination. I would like, both personally and on behalf of everyone involved with the blues, indeed, everyone who knew Dave, to thank him from the bottom of my heart for all he has done for us. His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts and in our lives.
Our thoughts are with his wife Suellen and his family to whom we send our condolences. His legacy is his huge catalogue of podcasts and our happy memories of great times with him. Rest in peace mon ami.
Ever wonder what the blues sounds like in Australia? How did blues music even get to Australia? Does Australia have its own blues history? Well, I’d like to help answer your questions. My name is Matty T Wall and I’m a contemporary blues artist from Perth, Western Australia. I’m going to be helping Blues Matters Magazine from time to time by bringing you the news from all the way down here in Australia.
With successful Australian bluesbased guitarists such as Dave Hole, Tommy Emmanuel, John Butler, Orianthi, Angus Young and many others, along with a slew of successful and very soulful lead singers heavily based in the blues from the rough rocker Bon Scott of ACDC (along with the Young brothers), the soulful Michael Hutchence of INXS and many more, it is obvious in the roots of the music here that Australia has supported blues music for a very long time, and this story goes back to the 1930’s.
Now, Australia is overwhelmingly a country of immigrants, and unless you are a native Australian of Aboriginal descent or you are born here, then there will be a country of origin for the majority of the population. Over the last 200 years, that country has overwhelmingly been the United Kingdom. In the last 50 years a smaller percentage of the population have been refugee intakes from war-torn places such as, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Japan, Korea, Vietnam & Middle Eastern and African countries. And even more recently from the booming countries of India and China.
So, the roots of the blues in Australia, is invariably linked to the UK migrants who called Australia home in the early 1900’s. The Australian recording industry really didn’t come into the picture until the 1920’s, so prior to this, the only exposure Australians had to the new style of American music in the late 1800’s was through vaudeville shows, sheet music etc. Jazz and blues became more popular with the advent of news radio in 1923 which brought dance music to the masses. From here, jazz clubs and dance clubs began springing up to take advantage of the strong appeal that American jazz and blues had to the Australian public.
The earliest proof of a jazz singer preferring to be called a blues singer was that of Molly Byron, who referred to herself as ‘blues and scat’, and toured Australia extensively in the 1930’s and beyond. This was around the same time period that Robert Johnson was doing his thing in the USA to give you a point of reference. Into the 40’s and later, other blues singers such as one of the first indigenous jazz blues artists Georgia Lee, were also very successful, along with renowned
Verbals: Matty T. Wall Visuals: As Credited
bandleader Les Welch who was nicknamed ‘Spade’ by the travelling US jazz singer Helen Humes and worked with other touring artists such as Big Joe Turner. Les was Australia’s King Of Swing and Boogie and had one of the most successful dance bands in the country at the time. Georgia Lee later went on to record a full length 1962 LP “Sings The Blues Down Under” which could indeed be one of the earliest dedicated blues albums from an Australian artist, that also references this country in the title. No doubt there are many more. Actually, around this time, my own grandmother, Stella Carnaby, herself a musical prodigy, was travelling around playing blues boogie and swing jazz violin in many dance bands throughout Melbourne and the rest of the country. Her influences I know personally to be the bluesy sounding jazz stylings of the great Stephane Grappelli.
The 50’s and early 60’s brought great change to the world of music, with the massive success of Elvis bringing 50’s rock’n’roll to the world, then the record-shattering Beatles who redefined pop music whilst being partly influenced in the blues, then the bad-boys of UK blues-pop The Rolling Stones – a massive shift towards blues and away from jazz took shape. Australia was no different to the rest of the western world in this respect. Paul Marks travelled from the UK and arrived in Perth in 1956 and then relocated to Melbourne to form the Paul Marks Folk Singing group, which merged with the popular Melbourne New Orleans Jazz Band. As you can see, jazz was very well established in Australia at this time. Paul Mark’s new band started with a variation of skiffle music from the UK, which surprisingly, wasn’t really well received in Australia despite becoming a big scene in England. So, they instinctively moved towards playing more traditional blues standards which worked incredibly well in the late 50’s with Paul’s huge booming blues voice.
Between this time and the late sixties, literally hundreds of bands popped up to take on the new blues rock’n’roll sound. Johnny O’Keefe was busy rockin’ the place and was the king of rock’n’roll down here for a long time, along with bands like the Easybeats who were, practically the Australian Beatles, in a way (and introduced Australia to the Youngs – George formed the Easybeats and Malcolm/Angus AC/DC). But many of the younger generation were taking cues from those that influenced Elvis and the like, preferring to follow the lead of bands such as The Rolling Stones, John Mayall and The Yardbirds
in harking back to the previous decade of Chicago blues led by Muddy Waters and others.
The Foreday Riders would have to be Australia’s longest continually playing straight blues band, with over 50 years of gigs to their credit which is an outstanding achievement. But it was the band which came later, Chain, that really brought blues to a more mainstream audience.
In 1968, one of the most successful Australian blues bands of the era, Chain, formed with Phil Manning & Wendy Saddington. Wendy left the band shortly after and made way for the talented Matt Taylor on harmonica and lead vocals. Chain have become an Australian blues institution through the success of singles such as ‘Black and Blue’, released in 1971. The ‘authentic’ blues style that Chain and many other bands were working on, showing reverence to the past masters soon became a stepping stone to develop a new progressive blues type sound, which flourished in the Australian pub scene in the 1970’s and 80’s. This was one of the most notable moments of Australian music history. Rock bands such as Cold Chisel, led by the incomparable Jimmy Barnes and of course AC/DC took this electrified blues sound from the late 60’s and early 70’s and made it their own, but both in very different ways.
From here, in the 70’s and 80’s, rock dominated the Australian music landscape and whilst many acts lost the blues influences that came before them to take on the new sound of the 80’s, some bands such as the Angels and AC/DC persisted with the rock blues boogie. Although even these bands were showing their blues roots less and less over time. The real blues torchbearers of this time would have to be artists such as Kevin Borich and Dutch Tilders, both who went on to significantly influence the Australian blues scene whilst supporting and encouraging new acts coming through.
It was the late 80’s and early 90’s when the blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan and of course Gary Moore really reached worldwide mainstream audiences, grabbing attention and turning the heads of 80’s rock fans back to the
blues. In particular, Gary Moore’s album ‘Still Got The Blues’ received very strong airplay on all the mainstream radio stations, far more than Stevie Ray Vaughan did in Australia. In regards, to straight-up Australian blues, the current Australian blues sound and influence of this time was very apparent on the first of Dave Hole’s internationally renowned records in 1990, titled ‘Short Fuse Blues’. A very rough, ready and powerful sound, that was required to capture the attention of crowds when touring through the cities of Australia, playing to tough audiences, audiences that loved beer and fighting (although these attitudes were starting to change with a crackdown on drink driving). Definitely a type of blues with attitude and swagger. By this time, Dave had become a veteran on the Australian blues touring circuit and his influences and experience extend far back into the sixties. There was even a time that Chain frontman Matt Taylor created his own band, the Matt Taylor Band with Dave as the guitarist. As we know, after ‘Short Fuse Blues’ was released Dave then went on to sign with Alligator Records in the USA and the rest is history. Coincidentally, my own current line-up includes drummer Ric Whittle, who not only toured internationally as part of Dave Hole’s band around this time, but also toured with Johnny O’Keefe in his band, and was the drummer for the Matt Taylor Band. Sometimes the music industry in Australia seems like a small place and everyone knows everyone.
The Sydney band ‘Bondi Cigars’ also must get a mention here during this era. They were at the top of the food chain in the 1990’s and are still a strong and powerful influence on the blues scene. The Bondi Cigars, whilst not quite gaining the international attention that Dave Hole had done, established a very strong national following and would have to be considered the next successor to Chain as the most important national blues band, distinctly different to the solo artist of course. The Bondi Cigars received many accolades in Australia and their band members such as Lez Karski and Shane Pacey have since become powerful solo artists.
The late 1990’s was when the next wave of blues sounds came together, influenced by
the ‘roots’ movement from artists in the US such as Ben Harper and others. This new sound blended elements of folk and reggae into the already well-established blues sound that had a foothold in Australia. However, it was the acoustic guitar that took over from the electric guitar as the tool of choice. The John Butler Trio, also out of Perth like Dave Hole, had massive success with this, new bluesy roots sound. In particular, through the national radio station Triple J. Triple J is part of the ABC, a government funded organization (much like the UK’s BBC) and Triple J is the youth radio station of the ABC. Since the early 90’s, Triple J have become the tastemakers in the Australian music industry, and John Butler’s new sound was no exception.
This spawned an entire generation of footstomping acoustic slide-guitar players eager to be a part of the new sound. It was a time, even up until recently, that dominated live shows and festivals and very importantly, made the solo one-man performing artist more accepted. Especially as tough pub audiences made way for a more open younger generation. Virtuosic one-man displays of fiery rhythm and slide guitar skills on an acoustic guitar became very common with artists such as Andrew Winton, Jeff Lang and Newton Faulkner leading the charge. Throughout this period, the genre-defining term ‘roots’ became the flavour of the day and ‘blues,’ was given a backseat. Blues Festivals were now called Blues and Roots Festivals. In many artists’ styles however, these terms could actually be interchangeable, as the blues sound came through in a very strong way. Blues Festivals flourished under this new banner, accepting and promoting more of this new sound to audiences.
More recently, a new electrified blues rock sound is finding its way back into the blues community and becoming a fresh sound to add to the mix that Australian blues has produced. American artists such as Gary Clark Jr and The White Stripes have brought the electrified blues roots back to mainstream audiences around the world. It is becoming more common now to see a hollow-body electric guitar through a grungy amp than an acoustic guitar with a stompbox which used
to be the king. Two-piece bands are becoming much more prevalent, showing those Black Keys and Jack White type influences, however the scene here is mostly filled with the standard three and four, piece bands.
Now I must say, as the new sounds were developed and new sub-genres and artists splintered into different paths, the old styles still remained. If you were to go to any blues festival in Australia, there is a good chance you will see all these styles, from older traditional straight-up Chicago blues bands, to raw blues-boogie rock, to solo acoustic foot-stomping roots and folk, to grungy electrified swamp blues rock and many in between. A sub-genre that is developing only fairly modestly at the moment, but has huge potential is the soul and RnB/hip-hop influenced style of blues. There is a bit of a scene developing in Melbourne right now.
This just might be where the next wave of blues sounds will come from. I am certain that in the next decade; there will most definitely be a fifth element of blues sounds in Australia.
Anyway, catch you next time for more from the other side of this lovely blues planet.
First up was Gerry Jablonski and the Electric Band who hit the stage running and never looked back. ‘Hard To Make A Living’ featured some guitar pyrotechnics from Jablonski in response to which harmonica player, Peter Narojczyk , not wishing to be outdone, leaped into the audience – a great piece of rock showmanship done with style and humour. ‘Two-time lover’ saw Jablonski in a more soulful mood with drummer Lewis Fraser and bass player Grigor Leslie supporting with an insistent
rhythmic pulse. Then another change of direction with ‘Anybody’ which began with Fraser taking charge of the vocals sung over Jablonski’s harmonic laden guitar. ‘Skinny Blue-eyed Boy’ featured some fine harmony and interplay between harmonica and guitar.
Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band delivered 100% with some great soloing on guitar and harmonica over a pounding rhythm section – with some eyewatering fills from Fraser – which set the bar pretty damned high for the evening.
Verbals: Rowland Jones Visuals: Jennifer Noble and Colin Campbell
Jamie Thyer and the Worried Man is a classic rock blues trio. In at the top with thumping blues and then straight into ‘I’m Crazy About Women.’ The audience was already on its feet when they launched into their take on ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’ with an interesting double-time bridge. A drum intro took them into ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom’ – their own treatment of Hooker’s classic – owing enough to the original with an added feel that made it theirs. The band delighted the audience with the first half of the set but the dancing went ‘astral’ when they moved it up a notch with some Chicago blues and some rock ‘n’ roll finishing triumphantly with a thundering version of Peter Gunn. Great stuff!
The evening ended with Teed-up – Steve Roux on guitar and vocals, Ray Drury on keys, Steve Browning on bass and Bernie Fox on drums. This band has some serious track record and their performance reflected their experience and expertise – a classy sound with tasteful contributions from all the members.
The choice of material was also a great mix – old favourite Arthur Crudup’s ‘That’s Alright, Mama’ with an infectious rimshot from the wonderfully understated Bernie Fox, a sympathetic treatment of Ann Peebles ’Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home’ – and a lot of tasty original material ranging from the shuffle ‘One Kind Word’ to the moody ‘No Other Way’. A fantastic set and a great end to the first night.
Sunday afternoon began softly with Lucy Zirins , a perfect choice to ease the audience back into the music after what I suspect had been two late nights of partying for many of them! Her somewhat quirky style charmed the audience – her self-deprecating line ‘my friends say I have the voice of an angel and the mouth of a fishwife‘ worked a treat! Zirins undersells the material – ‘Mercy’ was introduced as ‘asking for forgiveness for all the small things – like forgetting to put the bins out! ‘Falling To Pieces’, encapsulating a dark period of her life in London, Zirins summed up as ‘paying a grand to live in a shed!’ However the humour
in her presentation does not detract from the quality of songwriting and performance. ‘Close To The Wire’ – described by Lucy as ‘being naughty’ – began with delicate fingerpicking moving into a very rhythmic bridge.
Lucy Zirins, without doubt a name to look out for, providing an entertaining and gentle introduction to another day of music on the Jak’s stage.
Zoe Schwartz and Rob Koral began deep in the Blues – Rob’s walking bassline on guitar providing a cool platform for Zoe’s fine voice. They continued in that vein with classics from the likes of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Etta James. Their own material included a hymn to a long-gone venue in the unlikely sounding location of Chislehurst entitled ‘Way Down In The Caves’ – though apparently Bowie, Hendrix and the Stones played there! Altogether a very classy set which served as an appetizer for the full band show later that evening.
George Shovlin with George Lamb, stalwarts of the British Blue scene, launched into a heavy acoustic riff which evolved into Muddy Waters ‘Hello Little Girl’. Their one-hour set flew by with Shovlin totally in control as a singer and a raconteur with fine support from George Lamb on guitar, with a mix old favourites as well as their own material – a solid duo playing sound Blues.
The evening session began with Zoe Schwartz – this time with Rob Koral on guitar now joined by Rob Whittaker on Hammond and Paul Robinson on drums – known collectively as Blue Commotion . A very experienced and skilled band with a set containing a great variety of material which allowed Zoe and every member of the band to give of their best. ‘Way Down In The Caves’ reprised from the earlier set, took on a new dynamic with drummer Robinson driving at breakneck speed. Rob Whitaker’s Hammond solo on ‘I Put A Spell On You’ was suitably classic, whilst on the same tune Rob was having a lot of fun with his newly acquired Les Paul. On ‘You’ve Changed’ Rob entertained
us with some very tasty wah-wah – this is a man totally ‘at home’ on guitar – from a subtle jazzy approach in the afternoon set to solid blues in the evening and everything in between, all is possible! A really excellent set with Zoe’s superb voice sympathetically supported by three equally superb musicians.
British Blues Award-winning Dani Wilde burst on to the International scene in 2007, opening for Jools Holland at the Royal Albert Hall and subsequently supporting the likes of Johnny Winter and Robben Ford. She chose to start with ‘Bumblebee’ with acoustic guitar before her band joined her on stage – a neat and very tasty rhythm section of Victoria Smith on bass Jack Bazzanti on drums. A trio can sometimes be a slightly restrictive format but with these guys there was no sign of any restriction whatsoever! Their arrangement of ‘Hound Dog’ was excellent; alternating between a swinging /shuffle and more restrained verses – very tasty! ‘Call On Me’ retained that Bill Withers sensibility but somehow it also became the band’s! An excellent set with fantastic contributions from all three musicians.
Dana Gillespie was the final act of the weekend. Having made a first album in 1966 she is without doubt a seasoned singer and consummate performer. Supporting her was a fine band with Dino Baptiste on keys Jake Zeitz – one of the most inventive players I’ve seen for some time – on guitar and Evan Jenkins on drums – arguably the happiest Blues musician in the world. As you would expect the set was superb – her song ‘Experience’ said it all – in more ways than one, as the set contained several risqué titles such as ‘Funk Me, It’s Hot’ and ‘Come On If You’re Coming!’ This fitted in well with Dana’s ‘Old school’ style steeped in a tradition established by the likes of Bessie Smith and Etta James. As a result, her treatment of Mose Allison’s ‘Your Mind Is On Vacation’ had a certain authenticity to it. So, all in all, fine set from superb musicians to end a great weekend of music.
See you again next year!
On April 12th, 2018, I read in a Facebook post that Deborah Coleman had passed away. She was 61 years young, too young. I had had the absolute pleasure of touring with Deborah, whom I came to know by her nickname ‘Debo’ (Pronounced Deebo’) in 2008 on the Ruf Records Blues Caravan Tour. I was billed as the newbie alongside two American Female Blues Stars; Deborah Coleman and Candye Kane – and we toured all over Europe as well as a few Festivals in the USA, including a festival in Debo’s home state of Virginia. It’s hard to believe that both of these hugely talented and vibrant blues women are no longer with us.
I first saw Deborah Coleman perform when I was fifteen years old. It was the year 2000, and my father took me to Bishopstock Blues Festival in Devon. Deborah opened up the festival with a midday slot. As a teenage girl, this was the first time I had ever seen a female blues singer and guitarist. Deborah blew me away; her performance changed my life. She had such a great stage presence and a really unique sound – as if Jimi Hendrix had been fused with Tracy Chapman. My brother Will Wilde and I rushed to the signing tent after her show where she smiled her stunning smile that lit up her whole face showing off a cute gap between her two front teeth and signed us a copy of her new CD ‘Soft Place to Fall’ which had recently been released on Blind Pig Records. Deborah had a lot to be smiling about; At long last she had the career she had always dreamed of. She was touring the
world, making her own records, and that year she had been nominated for the W.C. Handy Blues Awards in two categories: Contemporary Blues (Best Female Artist) and, Blues Instrumentalist (Guitar). She was 42 years old.
“I’m really excited about the nomination in the guitar category,” Deborah explained in an interview, “because it’s the first time that a woman has been nominated in that category — ever. So, I’m just ecstatic. I love the guitar. I have a great passion for the guitar, and to be recognised by my peers that way, it’s just a wonderful feeling.”
The following year (2001), Deborah would be awarded the Orville Gibson Award for “Best Blues Guitarist, Female”. The Orville Gibson awards are held the day before the Grammy Awards and honour the world’s greatest guitarists. Other honourees include Jeff Beck and Lyle Lovett. Throughout her career she was also nominated for a W.C. Handy Blues Music Award nine times.
Succeeding in a male dominated industry seemed to come naturally to Debo. She explained: “Me, I’ve always worked in maledominated jobs. But I guess that comes from the fact that I want what I want. I don’t believe there are any obstacles that I can’t overcome.”
Debo was the daughter of a military man, and so grew up all over the country before taking up permanent residence in her home state of Virginia to provide, as she put it, “stability for my daughter.” During this time, she worked as a nurse and an electrician.
Becoming a mother meant that for many years, Debo’s dream of becoming a
Verbals: Dani Wildeprofessional musician had to be put on hold. In fact, by the time I was touring with her, Debo was already a Nana – a beautiful guitar slinging Nana! In 2005, Deborah was invited as a special guest to B.B. King’s 80th birthday concert – she took her grandson with her, and he watched his Nana sharing the stage with B.B. King and Bobbie Blue Bland.
So how did a female electrician from Virginia become an award-winning blues artist respected by the likes of B.B. King? Well, Deborah grew up in a musical family. Her Father played piano. She had two brothers who both played guitar, and a sister who played guitar and keyboards. Deborah picked up the guitar at age eight after hearing the Monkees, and began to perform semi-professionally at age 15, playing bass with a series of local R&B and rock bands.
“Yeah, well, the reason I started playin’ bass is because all the guys were playin’ guitars,” she explained, “and that was the only way I could get in a band. They’d say, ‘Well, if you’re playing bass, you can play with us, but you’re not playin’ guitar.’ But that changed after about a year. I said, ‘No, no, no—I want to play guitar too.’”
Deborah switched to guitar having heard Jimi Hendrix, and began buying records by blues-rock artists including Cream, Jeff Beck and Led Zeppelin. From here, she followed the music’s origins back to its blues roots.
“Jeff Beck was one of my favourites,” she recalled. “I didn’t find out until later that they were doing blues tunes and I went to find the original artists.”
A defining moment came when Debo was just 19 and her friends took her to a concert where Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Howlin’ Wolf were all on the bill. She hadn’t really gone to hear the music she recalled: “It wasn’t my idea [to go]. I was hanging out with friends and partying. I said, ‘What is this?’ …It was kind of hypnotizing,” she recalled “I got lucky to see those cats.”
Although she put her musical ambitions on hold whilst she focussed on raising her child, Debo continued to play guitar at home.
“I was in my mid-20’s and I found myself married and pregnant, so I had to make the
decision,” she recalled in her late 40’s. “It was pretty easy, pretty much a no-brainer: `I have to raise my daughter. I can’t do this now.’”
When her daughter was older, she joined an all-female group Moxxie and spent a few years getting her guitar chops and showmanship polished to perfection.
“I raised a family, held a 9-to-5 job, then I finally decided to play music full-time.”
In 1993 when her daughter was 15 and she was “fortysomething,” Deborah found her big break. She entered the Charleston Blues Festival’s National Amateur Talent competition in South Carolina.
“We rehearsed for a week, and I taught them tunes. It was the beginning of my professional career,” she said.
Debo won the contest with a heartfelt and commanding performance, and her prize was six hours of free recording
time. This allowed her to record a demo that was picked up and released by a small record label called Chapel Hill in 1994 as “Takin’ A Stand.” Blind Pig Records took notice; they signed her for a fi ve-album deal and launched her international career.
“Being a professional was something I always wanted to do,” Coleman said in an interview. “One day, I up and said, `I’m doing this.’ I was miserable. I had to pursue that dream.”
In 2007, Deborah Coleman signed to Ruf Records. As my luck had it, I also signed with Ruf that year. In fact, before Thomas Ruf signed me, he flew me out to a big blues festival in the White Mountains, where I was challenged to hold my own sharing the stage with Sue Foley and Deborah Coleman. I remember being picked up by our tour manager at Boston airport and there in the van was Debo – I was 21 years old and kind of star struck but Deborah was so kind and encouraging towards me. She gave me advice on what was a ‘good record deal’ and what kind of deal I shouldn’t sign.
The following year I set off on a year-long tour with Candye Kane and Deborah Coleman on Ruf Records Blues Caravan. Guitarist Laura Chavez was also on that tour. For me it was a dream come true. We shared a double-decker night-liner tour bus that had a kitchen downstairs and a living area/sleeping area upstairs. I soon found out that Debo, Laura, and Candye all had a wicked sense of humour. Some nights
after the show we would be in the back of that bus laughing until we cried. Probably the cannabis (Candye’s favourite vice) and Cognac (Debo’s crème de la crème) helped amplify the fun too. Man, those women were far more experienced at partying than I was. I didn’t smoke and was usually the fi rst to bed, yet I would still wake up stoned after a night on that bus, the air was so thick with marijuana.
Something you learn as a touring musician is to try and pack light even when you are on the road for a few months. There is nothing worse than trying to carry a humongous suitcase and several guitars up fi ve fl ights of stairs when the hotel has no lift. And, Thomas Ruf of Ruf Records encouraged us to pack light as we were a huge crew and even with a twostory bus, we were also towing a trailer full of gear. Candye had a big suitcase – She loved her hairpieces, make up, accessories and fl amboyant feathery outfits – and she was a diva, in the very best way, she was a strong woman who would do as she pleased. Debo however was well practiced at packing light to go on tour – she had the smallest suitcase of all. I remember once as we unloaded at a venue in Europe, our bassist Mike handed Debo her little suitcase and we all asked her how a case so small could weigh as much as Candye’s huge case. Debo unzipped her case and it was just packed full of bottles of Cognac – She hadn’t even brought a spare bra, but she had made sure she wasn’t going to run out of booze. We all laughed about it at the time, but actually by the end of that year I was starting to worry about Debo. She had been through a lot of tough times in her personal life that she preferred not to speak about in interviews, and her love of cognac seemed to mask her sadness. I remember late night drunken chats on the bus where Debo would think about her life and the hardships she overcame, being there for her daughter when her daughter was very sick, working as an electrician to pay the bills as a single mum when her marriage didn’t go to plan, and having to wait so long to chase her dream of becoming a professional musician. Whilst sipping Whiskey in the late hours she used to say to me, about herself in thirdperson “Dani, Deborah Coleman is The Blues,
I’m tellin’ ya, Deborah Coleman is the blues!”, and she really was! Most nights, Deborah Coleman was the absolute wow factor of the blues caravan show, her cover of ‘Changes’ was a standout song each night. Her set was blues meets rock and funk with a soulful vocal. Her guitar solos were virtuosic, and she would get the whole crowd singing along and moving. She put so much heart into her performances, but there were also nights, especially if the show started late (when you’re performing in Spain for example, you might not get on stage until 2am) where I had seen Debo so drunk on stage, she could barely hold her head up, and that was really sad to see. I think for all of her huge achievements as a musician she oftentimes found life on the road quite lonely. Not
I regretfully lost touch with her and was shocked last year to hear that she had died unexpectedly from pneumonia complications.
As an African-American Female guitarist in the 1990s. Deborah Coleman was a rare gem, and an important role model to aspiring female lead guitarists of all races. She also proved that it is never too late to chase your dreams.
If Debo is up there in the clouds with B.B. King and Bobbie Bland, looking down at a copy of Blues Matters Magazine, I’d like to say to her “thank you Debo for your friendship and encouragement on my first professional tour, and for your fantastic music. Your legacy will live on in the blues community forever.”
album ‘Soft Place to Fall’ produced by Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s producer Jim Gaines
As I have been privileged to cover in Blues Matters over the past seven years, Sweden has a very unique, vibrant Blues scene that has given birth to many National touring & recording blues artists. It is a vast watering hole with over a dozen jam sessions to choose from, centered around Stockholm’s Old Town where you can’t toss a Swedish meatball without hitting a roaming Blues musician. I candidly talk with two artists that have emerged within the Swedish Blues scene, both now making waves throughout the country and beyond.
A robust electric guitarist and singer that takes on the intricacies and sounds of B.B. King and brings it to a whole new, refreshing life.
Big Rob, a Stockholm resident, stepped for the first time ever on stage at my Saturday afternoon Blues Jam at Club Engelen just two years ago. Like any other potential jammer; he wanted to ‘get into’ the blues. Within weeks he became a visible favourite on the scene, his name spreading around town, then naturally being labeled ‘Big Rob’ for his huge appetite for blues.
Now, fronting his own band, Big Rob’s Blues Quartet, he is fast becoming a festival favourite, traveling every corner of Sweden converting fans one sweet, smooth lick at a time.
A lot has happened since the first time you stepped on stage at Engelen two years ago, how do you feel?
Big Rob: I think it’s very fun and I feel I’m pretty proud of myself. I haven’t really stopped to think about it too much, just moving forward.
Did you imagine anything like this would be happening two years ago?
Just the other day you were on the bill for the Scandinavian Blues Association’s big gig of the year, full house, with lots of great acts.
Big Rob: No, no… It was a great experience for me, and I feel I’ve grown as a person and an artist after that performance, full house and they were there for the blues.
What drew you to blues originally?
Big Rob: I’m pretty new into blues music, I haven’t been listening to it all my life and that. But I have always searched for blues guitar in other music you know. So, if I listen to, for example Thin Lizzy’s hard rock it’s the blusier…the blues stuff in the guitar playing that I like. And then I realised; it’s the BLUES I like.
Good answer.
Big Rob: Blues is just a big bowl of things to like.
Who have become your heroes since discovering more specifics about the Blues?
Big Rob: B.B. King, Buddy Guy…Guy King, but I think B.B. King is the big hero and influence for me…I have to mention Jeff Healy, also a great blues guy.
What is it about B.B. that speaks to you?
Big Rob: I think it’s the “less is more” kind of way to play, and how he switches from minor to major in his playing. And he’s cool, he’s like a showman, he sings good. I don’t know, he’s the best, I think. There are a lot of good blues, but B.B. got me hooked, and I thought; oh, this is mine, my hero. So yeah, I have to go with B.B.. I don’t want to be cocky or so, but I can tell if a person can do a decent B.B.…it’s, it’s a few notes but it’s more to get into his vibe. I don’t know, it’s really hard. I’m struggling with that too…it’s so complex and I’m gonna keep learning that all my life, to explore. That’s the beauty of it, you are never done.
How about the Stockholm Blues scene that basically nurtured you for the past couple of years? Is it a good Blues scene?
Big Rob: Ohhhh, it’s really good… it’s easy to take the whole scene for granted because for us it’s always there but it’s a beautiful thing that we have a blues scene with a pretty decent audience, some jammers and all that stuff. The first jam that I went to jam on was your jam, and then I played every jam for, like, one and a half years straight, I didn’t miss any weekend you know; bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp.
That was what I noticed with you right away, you sort of took it and ran with it.
Big Rob: That was the most important for me…is Engelen and your jam because you gave me the opportunity to grow as a person and an artist in front of the people. It’s one thing to sit at home on the sofa and play, you know? That’s one thing. If you’re gonna stand on a big scene with a crowd in front of you, it’s a totally different thing.
I got shaky legs in the beginning and all that. Blues for me is to express yourself…
You’ve been getting more and more opportunities, gigging regularly with your own band and getting a lot of National festival interest. Where do you see yourself taking this, what does the Blues world look like in five years from now for Big Rob? Big Rob: That’s a nice question because I haven’t thought that way…I think I’m gonna have my band like I have now, I’m gonna release a full album with my own real songs and all that stuff, and I’m going to try to play as much as possible around Sweden. I have a big dream to maybe play in the States. That would be…ooof! I don’t know where, but somewhere in the U.S. I don’t care if it’s Memphis or Austin or New York, I just want to play the blues in America, that’s a big deal for me. I’m gonna continue learning and getting better, I’ve been working on my vocals more for a couple of months now. I don’t practice guitar at home, I just sit and sing. The more I sing, the more comfortable I’m getting with my voice, now I see my voice like a second instrument, I have my guitar and I have my voice. I’m getting stronger at it every day. The blues is strength.
A blues singer, songwriter who breaks the “shy Swedish” stigma, giving you a thunderstorm performance that will leave you dancing in the rain and enjoying your pain.
Erika is counted amongst a powerful wave of women artists that have steadily emerged and are dominating within the Swedish blues scene, along with her fantastic band; Erika Baier And The Business.
However, she has a unique connection to the blues that started as a teenager, cultivating a direct relationship as a personal hostess to many blues greats.
Worth noting as well is that both Erika and Big Rob share the same bassist; Patrik Norman also a veteran, first rate player that
goes back at least forty years within the Swedish blues scene, playing with and backing up the best of the Swedish blues players, as well as legendary International and US artists.
First of all, Erika Baier, where are you from?
Erika: I’m from a small town in the South of Sweden called “Timmernabben”, it’s in Småland; Mönsterås commune, famous for their Mönsterås Blues Festival (2nd largest and oldest Blues Festival in Sweden)
What drew you to the blues, what was the spark with the blues for you?
Erika: I’ve listened to music since I was very young, and I started listening to Cornelis Vreeswijk. He was the first artist that I heard the blues in his way. He’s very bluesy how he’s playing, so I think that was the first time I ever heard the blues when I was like, eight. And then I found a bunch of records in my parents, collection; Gary Moore, Fats Domino…Eric Clapton. That’s where it all began and then when I was a little older it was Aretha Franklin. That music has been following me since I can remember.
What made you want to open your mouth and express yourself with the blues?
Erika: It’s a very passionate music, it’s got a lot of rhythms. What really drew me to the blues was the women. When I grew up, I’ve always been a very energetic person, outspoken, loud, taking up a lot of space in a room. I always felt a little bit different from my friends or the people around where I grew up in this small town. So, when I started to get really, really hooked was when I started working at the Blues Festival as a hostess when I was fifteen. I was always the hostess for Sven Zetterberg, always for all the American artists. Because the blues was very far away for me. It existed on a record, it existed in the United States. It was very far from where I grew up. So, when the Blues came to Mönsterås and standing in the middle of the blues, I was like; OK this exists, and I can be a part of it and I want to be a part of it. I couldn’t say no, it was like two pieces of a
puzzle coming together. And also, the women, like Sandra Hall, Zora Young, Anne Peebles have also been here. When I saw them, they were like women coming in the room where they don’t apologise, they don’t go in the corner, they own their own space, they are proud of who they are, and they love what they do.
YEAH! That was very inspiring because I could relate to how they were presented on stage. Even if I didn’t understand at that time that maybe they are not like this all the time, but I never saw a woman act like that aside from myself in some way, so it was like yeah, wow! This is “me”, take it or leave it and I’m gonna tear the house down. That was a very, very important moment for me personally but also in my music. But it took many years for me to boil it down to my own thing. Also, Sven Zetterberg had a very big influence on me. When I saw him the first time, I remember that…I was like; what??? A Swedish person? WHAT?!
That was my reaction too by the way. I was going to add, these characteristics that you brought up; outgoing or not apologising…Not very Swedish?
Erika: Exactly that’s very “not Swedish” and that’s been my problem almost my whole life. I’m not that typical Swedish person maybe? Growing up in a small town everybody can witness the same thing; you live inside the square, you change the curtains when everybody else is changing the curtains. So, to see for example Sven when he’s wearing his outfits, his glasses and his way, you know like just owning the whole room.
It was great to see a few years ago before he passed away, when you were up on stage together with him. Erika: That was like…my biggest dream my whole life since I met him, ‘cause I got the opportunity to hang out with him and be friends and get to know him, so I feel very blessed that I have, especially now that he’s not with us anymore. When he asked me to come up on stage that time it was my birthday.
Fantastic! Very gracious of Sven to open up the stage.
Erika: That was exactly who he was, a very gracious person; sharing the stage, sharing positive vibes. So that moment I will cherish that forever, I will never forget that moment.
So, tell me about the Stockholm blues scene for you?
Erika: Not as a musician but I’ve been a part of the Swedish blues scene for a long time. Half my life I’ve watched Knockout Greg, Sven Z, Trickbag, all these artists. I’ve been a part of it so I kind of grew up in the environment, even not being an artist myself. I think it’s very nice that there are jams all over the town, that people can meet, socialize, learn from each other. I remember before when I used to come here on Saturday afternoons, it reminded me a lot like Belgium, you go out to a coffee place, you have a beer, you listen to music, people are happy, you bring your whole family. It’s a very nice way, you meet friends, that’s a very nice thing with the blues. When I started, I was like; OK, I really want to sing, what am I gonna do? The first time I really stood on stage was the Scandinavian Blues Contest, and then with you at your Blues Jam, so that’s a very nice way in a very playful, relaxed environment to grow. Music is such a unique, universal language, everybody can join.
What does the blues world look like for you five years down the line, where do you see yourself? So, we can re-visit this moment.
Erika: YEAH!!! In my dreams in some way I would like to…deep down inside I would like to somehow travel the world, spread the blues all over in every corner of the world, that’s what I would like to do. Meet musicians, create together, grow, write more music. It would be nice to travel around in the States…Germany. There are many places in the world I would like to go to. I would like to go to countries that don’t have the blues, in some way.
That’s getting harder to find.
Erika; Which is nice!
Shout For Joy by Albert Ammons. Extraordinary piece of boogiewoogie that really showed how powerful the music could be. A fabulous piece I’ll never tire of hearing.
Any album by jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris is a knockout. I knew him quite well and I always found him to be a pioneer and a man who was constantly exploring what you could do with an instrument whether it be piano or saxophone along with his unique vocal compositions.
Cannonball Adderley was another hero if mine. He was always the consummate entertainer when he took the stage, always a great lineup of funky, jazzy, blues-based musicians and when we met, we found we had a lot in common. Pick any live album of his.
One of the most original of all bluesmen was the great JB Lenoir who had a unique high voice to integrate with his totally mesmerizing guitar playing. His compositions always reflected in his words his opinions on racial injustice and contemporary topics.
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Anything by the powerhouse jazz drummer Art Blakey who had such an ear for picking musicians that almost all became pioneers in their own right. If you pick any of his live albums you will see what I mean.
Jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman also had a great feel for featuring his other musicians and foremost of them all was Charlie Christian who revolutionized and pioneered what you could attain with electric guitar. Apart from Benny he has one or two live albums that show him exploring the instrument like no other.
Another totally unique guitarist you should check out is the great Django Reinhardt. Despite not having the use of two of his fingers he was able to adapt and come up with the most astounding technique that could cause many a guitarist to throw in the towel. Fortunately, he is very well represented on numerous albums playing with Stephane Grapelli and many under his own name.
Another of my favourite pianists is Gene Harris who became famous with his group The Three Sounds. Here was a guy who infused every performance with the basic of blues incorporated into everything, he played so well. He was especially well recorded in live performance albums.
Another major force in blues music is the legendary Robert Johnson who unfortunately only lived long enough to record enough to fi ll two albums before he was poisoned by a jealous lover at a very young age. The power of his guitar playing, and unique vocal expression, express so much and the sounds will always resonate with a listener.
My fi nal pick for this top ten list is the unique piano and vocal stylings of Chicago pianist Cripple Clarence Lofton. Although he only made a few recordings, he was a performer I would have loved to have seen in person. Always a consummate entertainer as well as having made all too few recordings, but you will soon fi nd enough of his work to make you wish you’d discovered him sooner. One of the great originals and a constant inspiration for what I do.
We had an opportunity to sit down with Ron Sturm, owner and manager of the legendary New York City music club Iridium. Originally known as a jazz club where Les Paul would play a Monday night residency for many years, in recent times they have evolved by adding blues and even rock performers to their schedule. We wanted Mr. Sturm to elaborate on how this came to be.
For many, many years the Iridium in New York City has been known as a jazz club. The home of Les Paul every Monday night. As time goes by however, especially lately, there are more and more blues artists playing here. How did you make the Iridium the home of the blues? Basically what happened was Les passed in 2009, on 12 August, and we had to do some soul searching because we were a jazz club. Jazz has a certain niche and clientele, but there’s other jazz clubs. We looked at the
landscape and asked ourselves, “What should it be?” Especially now that Les passed. Originally, we had the Les Paul trio (continuing to play on Monday’s), and then later we had “special guests” join them. Todd Rundgren, and believe it or not Ted Nugent (which a lot of people hated) but he was great! We had Steve Miller, Bert Jansch … all kinds of guys from all walks of life. Mick Taylor! It was honorific for two or three years, but then it was really hard to find someone on a Monday night to honor Les Paul. It was becoming a full-time job. So, we realised that Les Paul was synonymous with guitars
Verbals: Barry Fisch Visuals: Arnie Goodman(the father of the electric guitar), so Iridium should morph. It should really be more than a jazz club. It should celebrate the guitar and guitar-based music. Obviously, the blues is more guitar, but the guitar is more central to the blues; it is central to everything. Guitar is a main central instrument in basically every genre pretty much, except for classical maybe. So that’s what happened. We morphed into a guitar club, and we were looking for best breed of guitarists regardless of genre. Naturally, it coalesced between jazz, blues, and rock.
You’ve even had some metal guys too?
We’ve had Slash, Michael Anthony Batio, we’re going to have John 5 (from Marilyn Manson), and we’ve had Zakk Wylde. We’ve had more guitarists of note here than any club in the world of our size without a doubt. There’s only us. Les Paul’s played here; Les Paul is part of our DNA, so it’s important that we celebrate guitar. I think primarily now we’re a rock and blues club with about twenty percent jazz.
There have been other blues clubs in the past in New York City. Manny’s Car Wash, Tramps and others, but you’ve managed to attract here at Iridium some of the bigger name guitarists. Do you think this is because of the Les Paul legacy?
Yes, people want to play here. There are a couple of reasons. One is Les Paul played here. That first and foremost is the most important reason. If you’re putting your foot in here and taking the stage, you’re actually Les Paul for a second because Les played here and now you’re Les. Certain people looked up to Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck and all that, but who did they look up to? To Les Paul. Two, we’re extremely artist friendly. There are very few rules and regs here. It probably looks semiprofessional, but it’s run by the seat of its pants. It’s a small club, 170 seats. Musicians get to add names to the guest lists … our secret sauce from behind the scenes is that we have this jazz club mentality, because that’s how we started. So, the guest list is fluid. “Hey, can I put another name on the list”, or “Joe so and so is coming down…” Sometimes we
have second sets. You never heard of second sets in places like this, but this place does because it came from a jazz background. Its bones are jazz. So, I think the guitarists get very comfortable here. Zakk Wylde and all these guys, they come up on stage. We just had Billy Gibbons! Talk about a southern blues guy, and how genres blur at a certain level.
“The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll”. That’s right.
Let me throw some names out to you of people who have performed here in the past that might conjure up some memories for us. Buddy Guy? Of course, Buddy Guy … one of the major names in blues! How can we forget Buddy Guy!
Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker?
Two diametrically opposed people, obviously. You got one as the British gentleman, and the other as a scumbag. And you can print that! I mean, you know, Ginger was one of the best five or ten drummers of all time, right? But he can’t play a stitch anymore. Charlie’s not Ginger Baker, but he’s in that esteemed crowd too. Charlie is a jazz-based drummer. Charlie wanted to play here because, well, we’ve had Elvin Jones here. We’ve had Max Roach here. We’ve had Michael Brecker, McCoy Tyner.
Yes, Charlie’s roots fall into that genre. If you put a family tree together you can see how all the branches come out in jazz, blues, and rock.
Mick Taylor did a week here. There were some nights that Mick was right on the money, and some nights he wasn’t. He was sporadic. But it was the thrill! What I like about this job is I like getting the get. People ask: “How the fuck did he get him?” How did that place get Billy Gibbons? How did they pull Mick Taylor out of nowheresville? Grace Ann Hill Blake, our booking manager and producer was saying the Stones kind of knew that Mick was playing here, that he was out and about, so that’s
what led to him playing with the Stones again. I don’t know if that’s true, or if I had anything whatsoever to do with that, but yeah, we get these musicians sometimes that people have not heard of in a long time.
Jeff Beck…that night of madness he was here. Yes. That’s what really set it off. The backstory to that is Harvey Goldsmith, who was managing Jeff at the time, put the most iron clad grip on this place. Originally, we were going to be allowed to have like 100 people, then it was 60 people, then it was five or ten! I was in a quandary. It was Jeff Beck, and also, I was kind of like a babe in the woods, I didn’t speak up to Harvey Goldsmith, because it was Jeff Beck. It was the first big guy other than Les. And we’ve had some big jazz guys, but Jeff Beck is Jeff Beck and he’s playing this club! That’s rock royalty. What ended up happening was they were very crafty. Mike Carden (who used to work for Eagle Rock) came down and said we want to scope out this place for a musician. They didn’t tell me who it was at the time. So, they bamboozled me, they actually got a real good deal on this place
because perhaps they were afraid, we’d probably inflate it; I don’t know. But whatever. Let’s just say that Jeff Beck opened the floodgates. Jeff did Les Paul a great honor; Les meant so much to him. Let me say here now Jeff did such a big thing for this place. If Jeff cares about Les (which he does), he put Iridium on the map by doing what he did, so I am indebted to Jeff as well. From then on, we can just start rattling off more and more people.
Joe Walsh, Robbie Kreiger, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan, and even some lesser known ones?
We’ve built Eric Gales so much. We’ve built so many guitarists. We start out with one night here, and then it gets to two nights and three nights. What happens here is that there’s a big vacuum in New York (like in many places). Every club has a very distinct personality, and we have our own personality too, it’s just that ours is more inclusive. But what is Iridium, really? Jazz wise, its “jazz rock”, its electric bass jazz; its rock, its blues. Then from there it’s anything. If you go to Blue Note, it’s all jazz. If you went to B.B. King’s, they did some great stuff, they did a lot of tribute crap, but
it seems like everybody’s got their little niche. But if you fall outside the little niche, or you’re not big enough to play the big halls, where do you play? You play Iridium. The bigger names like Billy Gibbons say, “I can play anywhere I want, so I’m going to make a statement and play Iridium. Because Les Paul played here, and I’m Billy Gibbons, so I’ll actually play in this smallest little hole in the wall.” Then there are other people like Eric Gales who are not big enough yet to play big places but they’re fucking amazing, so they play one or two nights here, they establish a residency, then in one or two years they either keep coming back here or they graduate to larger rooms. Then they come back to us when they are bigger. So, we get small guys and then we get guys that are too big for the thousand seat venues. It’s very interesting. We’ve had Adrian Belew, we had something with Adrian that was a King Crimson thing with Tony Levin. That was way too big for this place.
You’ve had John Wetton here also? You’ve ventured into prog a little bit? Yeah. We’ve just had Carl Palmer. We’ve had Patrick Moraz. We’ve had the Ed Palermo Big
Band, who was freaking great, and he takes all this prog stuff and turns it on its ear. He’s an amazing arranger, so he puts stuff together. We’ve had people like Kasim Sulton and Todd Rundgren step onstage. And all the spectators we’ve had; Jimmy Page watching Joe Walsh because Jimmy gave Joe a Les Paul in the 1960s or something and you get all these little back stories. Keith Richards watched Charlie Watts and Mick Taylor. There’s like a moveable feast. So, you talk about how we have guitarists, but then we morph out. How many great drummers have we had? We’re going to have Steve Gadd and Gadd’s gang. We’ve had Bill Bruford, Simon Phillips has come in here a lot lately; he’s great. We’ve had Max Roach like I said, so we’ve had all this other stuff going on. Steve Smith is a big player here. These are the top 100 greatest drummers of all time.
I’ve noticed the patrons that come here are sometimes tourists from all parts of the world. Some of them come here just to be here. They may have no idea who it is that’s playing that night. That’s really cool. I always aspired for us to be that way because there are certain clubs
that do have that. Like the Blue Note. They can have any jazz act, and you got these guys like from Japan falling asleep at the tables just to be at the Blue Note! But I’m on the inside looking out and I never even realized it, but you are right there are a lot of foreigners here. They may not speak a word of English but they’re here because they know Les Paul played here, or somehow Iridium is famous. These are the things that remind me to be grateful. One thing that I’m amazed by and grateful for this place is, besides that this means something to those people; it really means something to guys like you and people in the “business”. We have “regulars”. We should make a “thirty shows a year club”. I have people that will come up to me and say, “you know I saw 25 or 30 shows here last year” and I think holy shit, this guy’s been here like every other week. That’s fucking awesome! Then you have people who have made friends here. That’s what’s really interesting. It’s one thing if you go to a venue and you make friends with the staff. But this place is such a local hang. It’s such “community” that you have people that became friends at Iridium, and then they come together to another show at Iridium. I have people that come to the shows and say, “Can I have table 31?” They know more about the table structure than I do! I don’t know that stuff. Yeah, I’m the overall manager or I don’t know what you call me. But I’m kind of like a space cadet. In some ways I’m genius like, and in other ways I’m completely a mess.
But you get a free ticket to every show! I get a free ticket to every show! But that’s interesting to me how we’re building more regulars every week to the point where there are thirty regulars a night. That’s how I’ve always measured if we were doing poorly booking wise. We’ve gone through our stages where we were trying to figure ourselves out. Now I think we’ve hit our sweet spot. But I would notice when our regulars wouldn’t be here. When the shows are really hot every week, the regulars are here every week.
I kind of stumbled into this whole thing. I’ve always loved music, but I was never like a fanatic. I have people here that see
so many more shows a year than I do. But I’m part of it like everybody else is part of this place. I’m caught up in the whole thing too. You know how much Arnie Goodman has taught me? He’d say I should get this act or that act…If I thought about all the people that Arnie has told me to get then I’d probably forget it was Arnie who told me about them in the fi rst place.
Exactly! There’s another British blues guy. How great is Davy Knowles? And Gales and Andy Timmons and people like this that have chops that can play jazz and rock and blues. Forget about it, there are some monster players here. A lot of people want to jump up on that stage. It means something to people. Steve Miller said when Les Paul passed this was hallowed ground. You have Les Paul looking out over the guitarists that play here (there’s a huge photo of Les on the wall at the side of the stage). So, you can’t help but feel Les in that room. Les designed the sound system. He was an integral part. I remember sitting with Les in the beginning before we opened the club, when we moved from Lincoln Center to (the current) 51st & Broadway, having Zen moments with Les. Les said, “Close your eyes” (there was no music playing), then he said, “What do you hear?” it was like a tree falling in the forest sort of thing. It was very existential Zen like.
No mums. No dads. No brothers or sisters. Not your next-door neighbour or the lady from the corner shop. No grandmas. No grandpas. Not the chap from the chip shop or the noisy lads at the back of the bus. Not your best mate. Not a single stranger. No one whatsoever. No one should face cancer alone.
Text TOGETHER to 70550 and donate £5 so we can be there for everyone who needs us.
Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604).
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Catching up with ZZ Top’s legendary frontman, Billy F Gibbons, as he passed through London was the easy part. Pinning him down for interview time is always tricky with a guy who seems constantly restless, looking around and ahead, ready for the next musical challenge or experience. When we finally got a chance to chew the fat, he’d just flown in from Switzerland and was beginning to settle in for some downtime in his central London hotel.
Verbals: Iain Patience Visuals: Arnie Goodman
With a new album, Big Bad Blues , released to considerable international acclaim towards the end of last year, Gibbons is keen to explain its significance and place in his own musical world: ‘It all came about so easily,’ he says. ‘I’d some studio time booked in Texas with two of my favourite people, producer Joe Hardy and engineer Gary Moon, when on the first day the great session drummer Greg Morrow came by and asked if he could sit in. I said, “Sure.” After three days playing together, Greg had to leave to do some gigs out on the road. Then Joe Hardy asked if I’d like to hear it all. It was a surprise, not planned, but it had all been recorded. It just felt so natural, so easy, it was loose and raw.’
When Gibbons suggests his music is ‘loose and raw,’ we’re not talking amateurish or simply naive, we’re talking expertly delivered and nuanced from a guy who has been working at the very top of the global music world for decades now, and who recognises this fact but doesn’t try to distance himself from his fans or admirers at any point:
‘I’m usually out on the road much of the year with the band (ZZ Top), and we all get on real well and still love just being out there. It’s still great to be playing, travelling and meeting new people along the way. It’s all good,’ he says with a laugh and a shake of the head.
We turn back to his latest solo release, Big Bad Blues , and the process of writing and putting it together, studio-ready. Gibbons is clearly in his element here, smiling and nodding as he confirms that with this album he is the main man: tracks come from the man himself, though he also does a strikingly outstanding cover of one of blues music’s most recorded tracks, ‘Rolling and Tumbling,’ probably from the playing of Muddy Waters, with whom Gibbons recalls working in the early 1980s.
‘We worked with Muddy way back. He’s always been an influence, a great guy, a great bluesman who had such an important place in the music. We were lucky to have the chance to tour with him, to be part of his thing for a while. We all had a great time back then. Memories that never fade or go way.’
Big Bad Blues features writing from Gibbons’ partner and the opening track, ‘Missing Yo’ Kissing,’ comes from his wife, Gilligan Stillwater: ‘I sure hope she means me,’ he says with a confident laugh, before we turn to his time as a youngster, playing and picking up guitar tips from the legendary Jimi Hendrix. Is it true Jimi taught you some guitar? I tentatively ask. Gibbons is instantly pleased to confirm this extraordinary fact. ‘Yea, he sure did. Jimi was great. He helped me a lot when I was still a youngster, learning my licks and stuff, starting out really. I knew Jimi way back around 1968. Jimi could do things with a Fender Strat that it was never designed for. Its designers had no idea it could be used that way. He was amazing. Jimi was a big influence on my playing. I really miss that guy.’
With Gibbons in reflective mode, I ask about his own, personal favourite guitarist, expecting Hendrix to top the list. Instead, Gibbons immediately fires off: ‘Keith Richards. It’s incredible to think that the Stones, Keith, these guys were sort of heroes of mine when I was starting out and they’re now friends. They rescued US blues music with their work, bringing the music back home to the USA and giving the original US bluesmen a career and recognition.’ he adds, by way of explanation. ‘If we had a few days, we could probably come up with a huge list of other great players, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Freddie King, Albert King, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Stevie Ray. And another great player, Buddy Whittington. And then I also discovered another main influence, Jimmy Reed. I always love listening to Jimmy Reed.’
Gibbons writes with a drumbeat backing playing in his head, and a strong bass backbeat always in mind, before reaching for his guitar to flesh out the song and put meat on its musical bones: ‘I usually start with a drum beat and fill in the gaps with some guitar here and there, though sometimes I start with some words and build around that, maybe a theme,’ he confirms.
He recalls his first true meeting with the blues as coming about thanks to his music executive father. ‘I was about seven or eight years old. He took me with him one day in
the car down to a recording studio where he told me to sit in the booth and something was going to go down. He then went off to an office or something, leaving me kicking my heels. After a short time, B.B. King and his band walked in, set up and began recording. I’ll never forget the moment. I guess it gave me a sort of head start in the music.’
When I pick out one surprising track from the new album, ‘Hollywood151’ and ask where it comes from with its rolling, Tex-Mex feel and vibe, Gibbons again laughs and seems genuinely pleased to have it singled out for discussion:
‘There’s a real story behind that one. I was on Sunset Boulevard in LA and these two guys were playing the street, regular streetplayers with a cool vibe. They were both from Mexico, a guitar and a guy with a drum going. They were playing blues, real blues, pretty good stuff. But at the end of every number these guys would take a short break and swig down some rum. They were good and called themselves ‘Something 151.’ I asked where the name came from. It was sort of weird. Then they showed me the bottle they were drinking from and it was real hooch, firewater, with a 151% proof on the label. These guys would
do a litre of this stuff every night while playing for dimes. Amazing stuff. Made me laugh. So the song came to me real easy, as a story.’
Another clear influence, Bo Diddley, features prominently on the new release, with a couple of songs including the curiously entitled, ‘Bring it to Jerome,’ a song Gibbons included as a tribute to Diddley’s maracas-man and Chess Records figure, Jerome Green; and a rakish, Reggie-cum-Tex Mex infused cover of ‘Crackin’ Up,’ an old Bo Diddley favorite from the mid-1950s.
Gibbons then went on to discover fellow Texan Jimmy Reed and marks him out as another seminal influence in his own musical growth and evolution. Now, with fifty years behind him as a professional player, Gibbons seems surprised that the life has lasted so long but quickly points out that with his two close buddies, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard – ‘The guy without the beard,’ he jokes, referencing both his and Hill’s own instantly recognisable trademark features – in ZZ Top, there is a special bond, an understanding that transcends most experiences. ‘We just work so well together now. We all know what we’re about, we think the same and have been together since around 1969. We’re a unit.’
After a long wait finally great new recordings by the Queen of UK/European Blues with the great Al Cook Band! After a very long time this brand-new CD from the great Dana Gillespie. This time she is singing some erotic songs, which are nice to listen to. Brand new material, but also great covers. Dana is in a great form! There is no soul blues or rock blues, just pure traditional blues!
www.wolfrec.com/produkt/ dana-gillespie-take-it-off-slowly/
Verbals and Visuals: Supplied by artist
Jennifer Porter is a creative force of nature. Above all, she is a great singer with a distinctively lovely sound and a remarkable range. Scott Yannow, author of “The Jazz Singers”, describes Jennifer as “blessed with a beautiful voice and an infectious musical spirit…she simply swings, does not waste a note, and every sound she creates is lovely.” Her songs are evocative and beautiful…always melodically compelling, with roots in the blues. Some of her influences include Sam Cooke, Billie Holiday, John Hiatt, and Marcia Ball.
Her exciting live performances draw from a wellspring of musical and artistic influences, including Blues, Soul, Jazz and Country. She has even been known to sing an Opera aria, if an audience member request it.
Jennifer is a musician’s musician, and has
sung with both Classical and Jazz Orchestras, including the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, and with her own bands. She is also an accomplished Blues pianist and has shared the stage on numerous occasions with C.J. Chenier, Nathan and The Zydeco Cha-Chas, and the Ils Sont Partis band.
In 1989, Jennifer was the first vocalist in Maine to be inducted into the prestigious music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both musical performance and academics. She has recorded seven albums to date. Her newest, “These Years,” was released in December 2018, and recorded by legendary producer Jay Newland, with guest appearances by Zydeco great, C.J. Chenier and Country Music Hall-of-Famer, Charlie McCoy. Her album, “Easy Living” (2014), with Grammy-winning producer, Lawrence Manchester, was nominated for a 2015 Independent Music Award in the Jazz with Vocals category and was a staple on Jazz radio stations around the United States.
Apart from her life as a musician, Jennifer is known in film and theatre circles as an outstanding actor, writer, and composer. She has over 80 professional stage credits, and has received multiple awards in film, including Awards of Merit for Acting, and Original Score from The Accolade Competition, Gold Prestige Awards for Acting, Original Score and Original Song, and a Silver Prestige Award for Original Screenplay, all for the film, 40 WEST. She also holds a seconddegree black belt in Tai Jujitsu and has advanced training in Kali and Jeet Kun Do.
Jennifer is currently planning a tour in the U.S., and has a European tour slated for November 2019.
All dates will be announced via her website at: www.jennifernicholeporter.com .
Verbals: Bobby Grant Visuals: Supplied by artist
2019 marks the 10th Anniversary of this small band from the outskirts of Manchester. Until this point with 3 albums (the latest being a #1 selling album on iTunes) under their belt, 2 British Blues Award nominations and their latest single “Girl Like You” topping the charts, they have been on their own.
Fronted by lead singer/guitarist Bobby Grant they have refused to throw their guns down and accept defeat to the music industry. Their untitled 4th album will be released later this year, and if the single is anything to go by, the boys are ready to make a statement! Snakewater’s take on the Blues, echoes shadows of their past, combined with a fresh modern approach. Full blooded attacks of Led Zeppelin-esque guitar riffs, Gary Mooreesque solo’s and a rhythm section that pushes the boundaries showcasing that classic British Blues Rock is far from dead!
Formed by Bobby in 2009, Snakewater have gone through various line-up changes and a short break in touring (due to fatherhood), and they are now looking forward to the busy year ahead promoting their new
material having found a solid rock in the form of Michael Bromley (bass) and James Shackley (drums). The trio have a strong united friendship which shines through in their on-stage chemistry. Amps cranked to 11 and drums pounding from Jon Bonham/Mike Portnoy’s love child, Snakewater play their Blues with power yet technical elegance. They mix the old and the new, with catchy riffs and anthemic lyrics providing a taste for all.
For any Snakewater virgins out there, check out their latest #1 selling album ‘Aint No More Room in Hell’ for a taste of what you’ve been missing. Not only do they have a love for the Blues, but this album is fuelled and packed full of the bands’ influences. Led Zeppelin, Free, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Pink Floyd, even Bon Jovi influences their showstopping anthemic ballad ‘Winter in June’.
Having recently signed to new management, hopefully 2019 will open new opportunities and more doorways for Snakewater to prove to the Blues Rock community that they are well overdue a shot in showing what they do best, and that’s playing good, honest, and raw Rock & Roll!
Catch Snakewater on the road throughout the year, with no 12 bars in sight, they will open your eyes to a whole new take on British Blues. All the dates are on their website and social media. www.snakewaterband.com
All music available via Amazon and iTunes.
25 years ago, deep within the windswept plains of the Hertfordshire delta, 4 boys with voices not yet broken wandered aimlessly trying to find their musical kin. They heard rumours of other kids, from neighbouring towns, who also liked blues music AND had actually kissed a girl.
Eventually, after double maths class, Tim Slade (Bass & Vocals) plucked up the courage to approach Pete Baker (Drums) to ask if he wanted to start a band. Baker grunted in response ‘well I guess so…but what do YOU play?’. Slade thought for a moment and squeaked ‘my dad was a bass player, I think his guitar is still in the loft, so I’ll play that’. And so, The Blue Fingers was born.
Luke Scurr (Guitar & Vocals) was quickly enlisted due to the biting tone his (homemade looking) amp spewed forth, but also, he was a bit older than the other two so could buy them booze. Still only about 15 years old, the 3 of them (and a bloke who is no longer in the band) quickly became a
local sensation. Tearing up the stage from biker’s rallies to school balls. Inevitably, the lure of rock super stardom distracted them away from recreating the sounds of Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack & Cream and the band…um…disbanded.
For the next 20 years, they ploughed their own paths…Baker & Slade formed indie band ‘Mohair’, touring the world but selling naff all records. Scurr went to University to learn how to make amps look less homemade and classical guitars sing. New boy Seb Wesson (Guitar & Vocals) was busy trying to make his mark with wunderkinds ‘Munkster’ ‘Misdirectors’ & ‘Funky Lowlives’. During this blues famine, they became in-demand session guns, touring and recording with the likes of Gary Numan, Lemar, Emmy The Great, & Fields of The Nephilim.
23 years later, having reformed for Scurr’s mums 70th, they invited good friend and musical maestro Wesson into the fold because ‘the other guy’ didn’t return their emails and Wesson is Ace. After the past few years spent captivating audiences with their high energy take on late 60s Blues, they thought it was time to write some tunes of their own…The Bar EP is the magical result. Inspired by the lessons learnt from their parents record collections all those years ago, but with a freshness and energy seldom heard from the genre now. The Bar EP is an exciting hint at what’s to come.
Verbals and Visuals: Supplied by artist
Verbals and Visuals: Supplied by artist
When Rivers Meet are a husband and wife duo from Essex who are launching themselves into the Blues scene with their blues and roots rock style. The abundance of rich harmonies and soulful melodies fill the room even before the addition of Aaron’s bold, and driven guitar which is grounded by his solid kick drum. When Grace then adds her unique slide mandolin and fiddle, the result is a wall of sound that leaves people asking where the other band members are: “Being able to spend time together creating music that we love, there’s nothing more important to us!”
The duo recorded their debut album “Liberty” in 2017 in Sardinia with Chris West, a Platinum Award Winning Producer. Liberty had a strong Americana flavour and has been widely compared to the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss collaboration “Raising Sand.” The duo received critical acclaim and caught the attention of Chris Kimsey (the Rolling Stones Record Producer) and were invited to perform a live concert at the legendary Olympic Studios that quickly sold out.
Grace and Aaron have now naturally progressed to a style which epitomises their true love of blues and roots rock with a gritty sound that has an organic and raw style, reminiscent of the golden age of blues: “The misery of worry and debt has never sounded sweeter.” said David Innes, Americana Roots UK.
Don’t be fooled though by Grace’s diminutive stature: her powerhouse, soulful vocals pack a punch even before they’re united with Aaron’s pure, unique voice with beautiful and relentlessly rich harmonies. With a combination of well-crafted, reworked traditional and self-penned songs, Grace and Aaron’s tangible connection leads to intense and exciting live performances that are fearless: “The chemistry between their voices is palpable.” (Simon Redley, Music Republic Magazine). Confidently putting their heart and soul into their music, the resulting sound is honest and profound. In the words of Chris Kimsey: “… the performances are exemplary, and the sound is magnificent. I love everything!”
In 2019 When Rivers Meet have already been supporting bands on international tours as well as performing their newlypenned material to audiences across the UK. Travelling in their self-converted VW campervan (see their YouTube channel for the challenges involved in that project!), you’ll find them performing at festivals and venues across the country. They are both excited to be releasing monthly singles from April, that showcase their newfound style and will be promoting them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and radio stations. Find out more at www.whenriversmeet.co.uk .
Carolyn is the real deal, a red-hot Texan singer songwriter who sings with the passion of Janis Joplin and plays guitar with the mastery of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now touring with John Mayall’s band she is “the new kid in the band” and is recovering from a hip replacement. She is artist that is in high demand, so it was a great pleasure to get the opportunity to talk with Carolyn. We mulled over various topics, including touring, guesting on John Mayall’s new release “Nobody Told Me”, childhood influences and the conversation went something like this…
How’s it going with you and how was the hip surgery
Great! I’m able to walk again. The story with it is, I was hit by an eighteenwheeler about twenty years ago and I guess it took that long for it to catch up with me! I consider that as a win.
You have a heavy schedule coming up and you’re playing in John Mayall’s band. How did this come about and your involvement on the new release? Yes, it’s going to be nuts. Forty four shows in about two months’ time, that’ll be good. John is the most favourite boss I have ever had. He is something else! He called me last January when I was at Woodstock, I was dancin’ up and down for a few! The new album was produced by Eric Corne at Forty Below Records and recorded at 606 Studios California. You’d have to ask John more about it!
How did you record the guitar backing to the songs you are involved in? You play lap steel guitar on one?
I recorded them between tours with my own band. I went up to my friend’s studio. I had
just done a track with Dave Alvin the week before so that was perfect. “Distant Lonesome Train” is a Joe Bonamassa song. I wasn’t familiar with it but knew Joe when we were kids. I was a bit nervous because John wanted me to play lap steel guitar which I was not comfortable about but I practiced the hell out of it and well it worked. My favourite player is a lady called Cindy Cashdollar who lived in Austin for a long time, we became friends and now she’s back up at Woodstock.
You played with Cindy Cashdollar before?
Yes, in a couple of bands together. Sometimes a bunch of us girls get together, Marcia Ball joins in, Shelley King, Sarah Brown, it’s fun, like most things in music yes! If you want to make money though there’s other things to do! Marcia has just been inducted into the Hall Of Fame by Austin Limits. They have a television show of live music.
Yes, I saw you on that not so long ago, great programme Austin City Limits. They pay so much attention to what they are doing. Every cameraman that’s on a musician is a musician themselves so drummer
Verbals: Colin Campbell Visuals: Arnie Goodmancameraman is a drummer. In a city like Austin it’s not exactly difficult to find a musician! In a city full of musicians, you would think it was very competitive but it’s more a camaraderie thing, we all join each other’s bands. We’re all in the laundry machine and get a bit agitated.
Any haunts you like playing in Texas? Do you prefer Festivals to intimate concerts?
I like different venues for different reasons. Antones is fun in all its incarnations. I like places where there are kids playing. There are some nice sounding rooms like the Kessler Theatre in Dallas; it’s beautiful you can hear a pin drop. I like the rowdy ones too! I like how you find out how things translate in a large or intimate room, what songs survive each setting, that kind of thing. When I was younger and touring, we had dates in Punk bars, Rock Clubs, Country music places. One thing I noticed was the
Chuck Berry songs were everywhere and I wanted to write songs like that guy!
Why did you choose the blues?
Growing up in Houston it was the music that was happening live. The Blues Clubs were a little lax in checking ID’s and they would all have Jam Nights. So, I turned up with my guitar to learn how to play. It still happens but I was very lucky, there were people like Joe ‘Guitar’ Hughes, Jerry Lightfoot, Trudy Lynn and Lavelle White. I could see them for three dollars and have a great time.
Was your family musical, do you still play the trumpet?
My Mom played acoustic and happened to have a Stratocaster she let me play. I used to play trumpet when I was in a three-piece band but not a lot of call for it now. I still blow the mouthpiece at home, but my cats don’t appreciate it!
How do you deal with such a heavy touring schedule, do you still enjoy touring? Do you have a routine on tour? I do, there’s always that balance you’re trying to find. You want to go on the road enough to make you miss home and you look forward to being there. You don’t want to be gone so long that you’re going crazy. John has a very strong work ethic. I scream and shout if I don’t have a day off. He gets bored with days off he just wants to play. He’s somebody to keep up with. He doesn’t repeat shows. On my first shows I repeated a few songs. Levon Helm was a great inspiration and friend. He talked about keeping healthy to escape habits you had. I go on the road to get healthy. I get up have coffee with John think of what we’re going to play. When we’re done with the show I wash my face and hope I can get some sleep! With the new hip I know I have to exercise and keep to it. I don’t use painkillers.
Playing with John Mayall, how many songs did you have to learn, and what’s it like not being the front person? About eighty-five I’m up to now. I make my book of charts and take it with me. It’s cool I get to be supportive and listen in and think about reactions. Everyone in the band gets their piece.
main one. Marcia Ball is our President this year. After a point, it’s very expensive to live in cities like Austin, in particular, and there are lots of musicians who made Austin the live music capital. We provide housing assistance for musicians of a certain age and we do stipends for rent and utilities and make sure they can stay at home. There is also HAAM which deals with health issues in Austin. I would love it if we could look after our own base needs. We live in the silvery lining and try to make it better every day.
How does your song writing process come about?
If I’m driving late at night, melodies or words start to come. I find if I’m happy about something, I dance and stuff. But when I’m pissed off that’s when I find a pen and paper behind every corner! Everything you are feeling that’s the way to get it out. On the road there’s no Psychologist so it’s good to write your feelings down.
Do you get nervous before a concert?
Yes, whether I’m playing to five people or fifty thousand. But usually after the first two songs, you close your eyes and jump into the ether.
Were you a bit of a rebel growing up?
They call John Mayall the Grandfather of British blues, what would they call you? A lucky goofball ha ha! I try not to take life too seriously. Life turns out the same whether you give yourself an ulcer, that’s up to you!
You do a lot of charity work?
H.O.M.E (Housing Opportunities for Musicians & Entertainers) charity is the
There was plenty opportunity, it would seem a waste to let it sit! I was asked to leave High School so I did. I ended up playing in bars that week. My father was the same way. It wasn’t a punishment, more a “since you think you’ve got it all together what you gonna do now?” My parents were supportive. Since eight years old I wanted to be a musician. I played my mom’s guitars. I remember I broke a string and was so proud of myself when I got the right gauge and got it in tune. A week later my mom was playing it and went to tune it and I had strung it backwards! I have a little brother and awesome niece and nephew but don’t see them as much as I should.
If you were not in music what do you think you would do?
I don’t know; probably find some place that I was needed. Maybe do a few protests.
I was like, you ever looked at it properly the way the guitar is cut out? That’s a tit sling that was made for a woman!!
What about the future and making another album with your band?
Yes, I have written a few songs and will probably bring something out soon. I don’t know when. In between dates I might go into the studio.
Any guitarists you’re listening to these days?
Tons! In town here there is Red Voelkhart he can play anything, he’s amazing. I love what Gary Clark Junior is doing these days. Jackie Vincent is a new girl in town who’s very good, she’s cool, young and has a great voice. I got to record with Dave Alvin of the Blasters. We did a project with James Williamson of The Stooges that was a hoot! I try to see where I fit in and can maybe learn more. I have a bunch of instrumentals that I might use.
There are a lot of differing styles on your last release Moon Goes Missing? It could be a Texas thing; you don’t have to play the same music all the time. You can
play Zydeco and Polka as long as you mean it, that’s what counts. When I started touring you could drive through the US, turn on the radio and know where you were. It’s not the case now although you might find a public radio station, for a while that bothered me. Then I saw people trading stuff online so there’s still taste makers interested in finding new music. You have to allow yourself to improvise, one day I will play a song this way the next not. Live is where music is at, the recording is what happens that day and that’s great, but nothing like exchanging air molecules with other people in the same room.
You’ve been in a few bands would you ever play solo?
Dave Alvin got me to do some training this year, I said I don’t do solo. He said it’s the same damn twelve notes no difference acoustic wise! So, I practiced but I prefer playing with others. I go by everything sounds better when you add Shelley King, she has a beautiful voice. We toured Japan that was
a lot of fun. I had some phrases and wasn’t rude. I adored it. The audience clap very quickly! It’s always good when people dance.
better songs meet more folks balance that with being at home with my sweetheart.
Are there any other influences that you listen to?
Screaming Kenny is still my favourite, not many outside Houston are aware of him but he was the fi rst songwriter I saw in person. On the album Moon Goes Missing, the long song “She Wants To Know” that’s my arrangement of one of his songs. Doug Somme, Gerry Lightfoot I was in his band for years he’s been a great influence. A lot of great guitarists out there, Like Debbie Davies and Sue Foley.
What is the best advice you’ve had in your musical career?
Live cheaply and know the reward is music. Success is a coincidence. It holds true for emerging musicians. Levon Helm played with such joy it didn’t matter what was going on and this embodied it into me, that’s where it’s at. I love how when I’m at home I can bump into Bob Margolin anywhere and have a good conversation. Blues is not a museum piece it can’t stay the same thing.
What’s it like being the only female in a band?
I used to have a bit more of a chip on my shoulder when younger. I remember someone asking me why you play guitar when it’s such a masculine instrument. I was like, you ever looked at it properly the way the guitar is cut out? That’s a tit sling that was made for a woman!! My guitar doesn’t care if it’s male or female why should I care? The jokes are dirtier when I’m playing with Marcia and company, it’s quite funny.
What are the best parts about playing live?
I got to play with Bob Dylan. Playing with Levon was life changing. Another was when my future husband introduced me on stage, that’s how we met! Mike Nesmith married us, the marriage that cost nothing.
What next for you?
I want to exercise and get back on stage, write
Yes, a lot of great female guitarists. Samantha Fish was in town the other day. I wished my hip was good so I could have seen her. She is so cool, I dig her a lot. I think she wakens up and says, “this is what I do”. She’s living embodiment of the word band. Bonnie Raitt is very encouraging too!
Great speaking to you, enjoy the tour. Cool thanks for that, bye!
For further details see website: www.carolynwonderland.com
Moon Goes Missing – 2017
Live Texas Trio – 2015
Peace Meal – 2011
Miss Understood – 2008
As Carolyn Wonderland & The Imperial Monkeys
Bursting With Flavor – 1997
Play With Matches – 1995
Truckstop Favorites Volume 2 – 1994
Groove Milk – 1993
When I started touring you could drive through the US, turn on the radio and know where you were. It’s not the case now.
I got the chance to catch up with guitar ace Gary Hoey at his home recording studio in New Hampshire. We chatted via Skype and covered various themes such as the new release Neon Highway Blues, social media in music, guitars and much more. All this to a soundtrack of his own playing on a dobro resonator guitar which was designed for Johnny Winter called a Highway 61, made in Texas for starters! Our conversation went something like this…
Hi Gary, New Year and a new album, Neon Highway Blues. It took a long time to make, you’re a busy man, in demand! It’s funny; we cut the basic drums and bass a year ago. I thought we’ll be done in no time. Between touring and everything else that probably slowed the process down, but it is what it is you know. I have brought out twenty something albums, but there’s a lot of Christmas music in there. I would say I have ten to twelve of original music, the rest is hashed up!
You are mostly known for playing blues-rock type music but what music do you like to play?
I like playing blues because it’s a kind of free style music. There’s a lot of freedom when you play the blues. When you play a structured song with a tune and melody you have to play it just like the record. Like some of my earlier records we play maybe an instrumental song I wrote, it has to be played as written. Blues has more freedom. I still like the old Metal stuff. I vary the sounds and textures I play in a show. That’s cool.
You do some acoustic guitar styles as well though!
I start writing my songs on acoustic. I use a Taylor acoustic lately but have used Gibson guitars. I love the sound of an acoustic guitar, it’s always a challenge. A time back I did a benefit show and they asked me to play solo acoustic, I felt naked! So, I took a looper pedal so I could play twelve bar blues. I started doing that and it improved my acoustic playing. It’s scary at first.
What got you into music and playing guitar in the first place and how old were you when you first started playing? I discovered guitar through my four sisters but one of them was different. She was dating a guy who was playing the guitar and he came to the house and he was playing at the kitchen table at Christmas time and then he played some old Jethro Tull. Locomotive Breath and all that stuff. I remember being blown away listening to a guitar player playing up close; I remember his hand was like a spider running up the neck. I asked him to get some lessons; He said you need a guitar first. My mom and dad had divorced by this time. I went to my dad’s house and in a closet, there was a cheap guitar there, I asked whose it was, nobody wanted it, so I grabbed it, the Holy Grail, the light came out of the closet. I was fourteen years old. I was seven when I picked up the guitar it was
Verbals: Colin Campbell Visuals: David Brow
my brother’s and I didn’t know what I was doing, I must have got the bug from that. First started playing guitar at fourteen. By sixteen I became obsessed with playing the guitar.
obsessed band We the so
What music did you listen to growing up?
Black Sabbath, but I found it difficult playing their stuff on the guitar with different tuning. Live we would play Led Zeppelin or the blues, Beatles. What kept me at home playing guitar was Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, they took it to another level.
Can you remember the fi rst gig you played?
As a teenager we had a band and we wanted to play the High School Dance. We thought we’d do a warm up in my back yard; my family was having a barbeque. That was the toughest audience we ever had. It was so exciting playing the High School Dance, pure adrenaline rushing.
Was that in Boston?
Yea we played High School Dances, then Clubs and then moved up coast to Maine and Vermont, playing
for pizza and beer money!
recording music?
When tape
making demo tapes. In my late an Ozzy in I went
When I was a teenager, I bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder and started making demo tapes. In my late twenties I had an opportunity to audition for Ozzy Osbourne in California. This was via a phone in show, I got a call and went to L.A, it gave me a lot of confidence; I
Well here it is, the newest release from guitar virtuoso Gary Hoey, it has taken about a year and a half to make, but it’s certainly worth the long wait. Gary wanted to do a more specifi cally blues inspired album and this certainly packs emotion on the quieter tracks, and his vocals seem to have that smoothness and sincerity needed to crack this genre. Eleven quality tracks, self-produced by Gary bring his musical talent to the fore. He mixes it well adding funkified tones to opening track Under The Rug featuring Eric Gales, this was just made for him and the interplay is superb as it is throughout this release. The solos on Mercy Of Love with Josh Smith guesting are phenomenal on this slow blues number. Vocally, Gary nails the right balance of emotion without being full on. As always the guitars and mastership of same are the glue. Your Kind Of Love has a great shuffle to it. Then moving on, Don’t Come Crying is a highlight, it features his son Ian, who was sixteen then, and this just has that steady build up to be a classic blues song. We travel to Texas on Still Believe In Love with a strutting
didn’t get the gig but ended up staying in Los Angeles. It was surreal meeting my idol. I was always influenced by Black Sabbath. I wrote the song and was happy my writing skills were also being noticed. A German record label heard me and asked if I would like to make a record in Munich. It became a good calling card for when I was chosen to join the Warner Records label in 1987.
Throughout the new album there are dark and sinister mood levels. It is a very emotional album. You have some stellar guests playing. For me it’s mostly the music. Maybe I pick up my guitar and play riff s. I write things that mean something to me on paper. I think what song goes with what lyric and on Damned If I Do, this is something that I think everyone can relate to in life just figuring out what is
style. The journey continues with another style to Almost Heaven, which is an unashamed Gary Moore moment in time, an instrumental, full of triumphal ebbs and fl ows and numerous guitar techniques, just a joy. The tempo changes on the heavy bass driven, I Felt Alive, AJ Pappas really take things to another level, mixing Black Sabbath, a rockier style with an anthemic chorus. Waiting For The Sun is another classic instrumental with differing layers. Damned If I Do features Lance Lopez shredding licks with Gary on slide guitar on this one. It chugs on tight and really takes a hold of the listener, great riff on this. Living The Highlife again shifts the mood with soaring guitar solos, a tribute to Jimmy Page with the main riff, and Matt Scurfield on drums keeps a good rhythm. Final song is another instrumental and could grace a film soundtrack, Neon Highway Blues. Something here for everyone, this is an artist at the top of his game, a master guitarist who gives great value for money, and wears his heart on his sleeve.
Colin Campbellbest. I had this riff, a quite sinister one! Yea, bassy and thick, I called this riff the Devil riff. Lance Lopez said I’ll play on your record. I said it sounded like some Texas shuffle and it came together. He leads and I’m on slide guitar, he helps with the chugging in that song. I chase myself in a circle all the time when I make a new record. Fender twin reverb, I might use sometimes depending on how I hear the song. Then a slow song with Josh Smith, he kills the guitar solo with no distortion, just like a clean Stevie Ray Vaughan take. I like to make the song fit the person. So, when I called in Eric Gales to do Under The Rug, I felt this was the one he had to play. We did the Rock Legend Cruise and we played together, and I was happy he agreed to play. He brought me to another level.
Your vocals on this album have a sweet tone and yes you seem to
encapsulate emotions well suited to the blues, there is great mixture of styles on your new album. I tried to do something big and bold. When I went more funky and soul, I wondered can I get away with this? Even my manager asked if that was me singing! I didn’t try to over sing but sing from the heart. I let it be a natural process. On another new song Mercy of Love, I wrote this as I witnessed my friend’s relationship problems. I felt you’re stuck in that moment and cannot control yourself, you are at that emotional mercy. When writing, I think of what Bob Dylan said, “If your song title doesn’t say what the song is then you haven’t got a song”. I tried my best Eric Clapton on the slow blues number Your Kind of Love. Initially I thought it was a silly song but it’s my wife’s favourite so there you go!
Who were your biggest influences on your guitar playing?
B.B. King, when he leaves a space between the notes, he gives me my phrasing. Jeff Beck, he makes it sound like something else, he makes
me experiment. Stevie Ray Vaughan makes me want to practice blues all day long, but you can’t be as good as him, he never misses a beat, no waste. He is still an inspiration. Living The High Life from the new album is totally a Led Zeppelin song. The riff has tones of Jimmy Page the riffmeister. I like to jam during songs it gives fans more for their money. I love so many music styles, I cannot leave out Eddie Van Halen who gives a good shuffle or swing, hardest thing to master! Music doesn’t have to be an assault it can be a dynamic thing that brings people in and that’s what I want to do. I love taking people on a journey hence Neon Highway Blues. If people go a trip in the car, I want them to listen to it as a large piece with every song taking them to another level. On I Felt Alive, I needed something powerful, I had my fuzz face on for that one but it’s my own emotion coming through.
Your son Ian is playing with you on Don’t Come Crying how did that come about? He is doing so good. He started playing at five. He started playing with me on stage at a young age and he fell in love with listening to other people’s music. Then he heard me playing the blues. I passed his room one day and he was playing the blues. He asked me if I’d heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan. This bonded us during the teenage years. I gave him little goals along the way. Him being on the album is awesome. I didn’t want to put pressure on him, so I made it fun. My advice to a new generation of players is it’s a great thing if you can play an instrument, it will give you some creativity and an outlet to enjoy your music and get people off their
phones and Xboxes. We fought with our kids to get them off their games, you’ve got to get them into music. Do what’s driving you to get into the music; this will help you in the long run. Be true to it and that will help you.
bit of a coach and Psychiatrist! Being able to say to people you can do better. I try to make people be relaxed and give them inspiration. I like to fi nd out the artists direction too. I am here to protect them but also competing too. If you race to the fi nishing line with something and you get there really quick and you show up with a cold pizza no one is going to get excited! Creativity doesn’t happen overnight. We’re not making sheds we’re making music!
Finally, what does the future bring for you?
With so much easy access to music through social media and the likes, how you can keep your profi le musically noticed in the long run? It goes two ways. When I started out there was no social media, it was all record companies and radio. Now I think it’s awesome with Instagram and the likes when you’re trying to start a fan base. It’s all about putting out decent content, keeping your fans engaged. Don’t panic if you don’t go viral. If you have thirty people who liked it, you know what love is, those thirty people! I always make comments. The web connects. The hip hop and pop people have been doing it for years. More advice is, nurture the super fans they will help to get the word out about what you are doing.
You do a lot of Producing in music now, how has that been?
I love producing. I’ve worked with Roy Thomas Baker who did Queen, and Richie Zito who did The Cult. I’ve had great luck with my producing, especially with the last two albums. I worked recently with Lita Ford the Queen of metal in the studio, we have a connection. I have been producing my own records recently and my engineer knows me so well and that is a real bonus. I started producing in L.A. and worked with independent bands. I found the art of producing is about being honest and sincere without insulting them. This includes being a
Basically, planning a lot of tours and promoting the new album. Going to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge. Going to Europe. This record took so long to make, I have started writing the next one already. It will be another blues one. My wife wants me to write a song a month, she runs my business, and she understands my music. She didn’t say it had to be a good song.
Been great talking with you, good luck for the future. Thank you; see you when we come to Europe to play.
For more information see website: www.garyhoey.com
Neon Highway Blues – 2019
Dust & Bones – 2016
Deja Blues – 2013
Utopia – 2010
Fade To Blues – 2008
American Made – 2006
Monster Surf – 2005
Best Of Gary Hoey – 2004
Ho! Ho! Hoey: The Complete Collection – 2003
When writing, I think of what Bob Dylan said, “If your song title doesn’t say what the song is then you haven’t got a song”.
At the age of seventy-five, George Benson has spent a lifetime as an influential musician. He already had fourteen albums recorded when his jazz guitar classic Breezin’ introduced his style to a 1970’s European and British rock audience. He has consistently recorded and toured the world, and just released a new blues album, Walking To New Orleans, his first release for six years. The album is a tribute to Fats Domino and Chuck Berry, and George is as excited as ever to discuss his new album. George sat down at home with Blues Matters’ Andy Hughes to talk over his long career, the highlights, his motivations, and working with legendary rock and metal (and blues!) producer Kevin Shirley.
Thank you, George, for taking the time to chat with Blues Matters about your new blues album. I think the maturity of your voice suits blues vocals; do you feel that is true? I have learned over the years that time teaches you to go with what you are doing, don’t try and force things, let them come to you and if you come with the right ideas, your audience will pick it up, and I think that’s what is going to happen here. I just do my work, and I try hard not to overthink anything about it to be honest. I don’t think about age, I think age finds you!
This album is released on a new record label for you, the release is on Mascot over here, was there a reason for choosing that label? Well, I wanted a European label, a label that would think of me in different terms than an American label might do, and I think I have got that with Mascot. I wondered if an American label would expect me to recreate something like Give Me The Night (George’s hugely successful 1980’s pop single). I am very proud of that record, I won a Grammy for it, and it was produced by Quincy Jones who took time out from working with Michael
Jackson to produce it, but I want to be where I am now with my current ideas. I think if you are going to enjoy your music, you have to be true to what you want to do, and not follow what your audience may want from you. Yes, it’s nice to please people, and to have a good fan base of loyal people, but that should never stand in the way of your development as a musician. If you are making music for other people, you are never going to be happy, and enjoy what you do. I have always really enjoyed my music because first and foremost, I play what I want to play. That is a risk, you may not bring your fans with you, but the risk has to be taken, and you will make new friends, even if the old friends move away for a while. There is always another project around the corner that will bring those people back, and that is how you have to look at it. I am here for the long game man!
You had Kevin Shirley as a producer on the project, and he is known to blues fans here in England for his work with Joe Bonamassa, but also for his work with metal bands like Iron Maiden and Slayer. How did the work with him turn out? Well, I have been used to working with
Verbals: Andy Hughes Visuals: Austin Hargrave
American producers almost all my career, and Kevin was very different. He had a lot of great ideas, and I was very comfortable letting him take the direction in the sessions. I really enjoyed working in Nashville, the vibe down there is wonderful, I had great musicians in the band I recorded with, I haven’t worked down there for over thirty years since I did an album with Chet Atkins. When the label suggested Kevin, I didn’t know his name, but I knew his work and I was very keen to record with him, and it was real easy. Kevin has worked with a really wide range of musicians over an even wider range of musical styles, you don’t get to do that without knowing how to get the best out of every artist you work with, and that is exactly what he does. Kevin understands how to get the musicians to realise his ideas, and that is what makes him so successful I know he has a reputation for being tough, but I didn’t see that side of him, we got on really well, it was great fun working with him.
Your projects are very diverse – your previous album to this was a tribute to Nat King Cole, and last year you charted
with Gorillaz on a single of theirs, are you keen not to be stuck in a box? Well, I learned early in my career that versatility is a great asset. People think they know you, and what you will do next, but as I said, if you change things, you may disappoint some people, but you will draw other people in, and that keeps everything fresh and moving forwards. My manager is a big Gorillaz fan and she encouraged me to hear the song and see what I could do. I wasn’t too keen at first, and I actually contacted the band and told them that I would maybe like to hear another song to work on. They sent me a different song, but when I heard that, I decided to go back to the first song and have another think about that one. I was thinking about what I could bring to the song in the studio, and I just asked my studio engineer turn it up real loud, as loud as if it was playing live in an arena concert, like Gorillaz play now. When I heard that, it just clicked with me, and I could hear what was needed from me, and I was very pleased with the result. The band were really pleased as well, they said it was better than they thought it could be, which was great to hear.
You like to keep moving musically, so do you know if your next album will be another blues record?
I honestly don’t know, I am not at the stage of working out what I will do next, so I am open to ideas, and I will think about it, and make a decision a little further down the line. Like I said, I have enjoyed the career I have had because I appreciate the value of versatility. At this time in my life and career, I have even less intention of doing what other people want from me, and I am always open to new ideas for the music I make. I never would have thought that I would be working with a band as different from me as Gorillaz, or that I would feature on a hit single with them so I know it pays to keep eyes and ears really well open, and just see what comes to you down the line. I may not know what it is yet, but I can tell you that it will be something that excites me, and that I want to do. That is what motivates me.
Speaking of motivation, are you motivated by the pleasure of recording and touring?
Well, I thought about taking time out maybe retiring from music altogether, I thought about that thirty years ago, then twenty years ago, then ten, and each time I mentioned that I was thinking of stopping, I got so many calls from all around the world, Moscow, China, in Europe, and I figured I would just give it a bit longer and here I am. I think a musician should keep going as long as he or she is enjoying making music and playing it for people, and that the people are out there to come to shows and enjoy a good time. If either of those two ingredients in a career stop happening, that you need to know that it is time to stop. I am blessed that right now, people like what I do, and enjoy my records and concerts, and I enjoy them too, so I am still going to carry on until that changes.
What about your career highlights?
I have had a whole lot of wonderful things happening to me that I never thought I would. In my mid-twenties, I was announced as the best jazz guitarist in the world. That meant so much to my dad, he always wanted me to be a jazz musician. Growing up he would have me listen to Charlie Parker and I just loved what he did, with the improvisation of his music, and that has made me a life-long improviser. I was so pleased to be thought of as a musician, because I always considered myself to be a singer fi rst and foremost. I got my Grammy presented to be my Barbra Streisand, and that was such a big thing for me. I have been very blessed to have the career I have had, and I am still able to work with wonderful musicians and producers, and still make music.
You still obviously have great enthusiasm for what you do George. I do, and I play guitar every single day. I don’t look on it as practising, I just think of it as being with my instrument, and I love that so much. My favourite musician when I was growing up was Jimmy Smith the greatest organist in the world, and he gave me a lot of advice over the years. I asked him about
being really good at what you do, and he told me how he did it. He told me that he moved a Hammond organ into his garage, and he played it every single day, all day, until he realised that every single thing he wanted to be able to play, he could do, and then he knew it was time to take that knowledge and experience out into the world and play his music for as long as he was able. So, I took that advice, and I have never forgotten it, and I just take the music that I make out into the world, and I am so blessed to have such wonderful fans who follow me through the turns and changes that my career has brought me.
I know you are playing the Montreal Jazz Festival over in Canada this summer George, I will be there for Blues Matters I am really looking forward to seeing you play and reviewing your show for the magazine. Really? Hey, that is wonderful news Andy, I want you to come and see me backstage and we can meet up and have a chat, I would really love that. Make sure you come along, and we can talk about blues music together, that would be fi ne.
I will George, I’ll see you there.
Benson has a huge back-catalogue stretched back over the years, so here’s a brief list of his later releases this century:
Absolute Benson – 2000
Irreplaceable – 2003
Givin’ It Up – 2006
Songs And Stories – 2009
Guitar Man – 2011
Inspiration – A Tribute To Nat King Cole – 2013
Walking To New Orleans – 2019
Joe Louis Walker’s daddy was from Mississippi and was steeped in the blues, but his son’s world as a teenager was the psychedelic playground of San Francisco where acts like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Quicksilver Messenger Service were morphing the blues into the soundtrack for a youthful revolt against conformity. The underground rock scene was touting revolution, but their roots were in the blues produced in the Fillmore District, a ghetto populated by African Americans struggling just to stay alive.
“The British artists when they came to America re-introduced Americans to the blues and rock and roll. If I had a dime for every American who spoke to me, ‘Hey, man, if it wasn’t for the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds, I wouldn’t know anything about blues,’ I’d be rich.”
British bands like The Stones, The Animals, Cream, and The Pretty Things embraced American blues even though they themselves for the most part started their careers with one arm tied behind their backs in that they had to learn second hand from records rather than sitting in with the masters, at least until they became successful enough to tour the States and jam with their masters and discover what they intuitively knew, that ‘messing with the kid,’ as Junior Wells used to sing, is the only way to get really ‘bad’ as musicians. And that’s better than good!
Walker, an African American from a big family, turned 69 on Christmas day, 2018. “My dad provided the template: T Bone Walker, Mead Lux Lewis. He said, ‘Listen to the guy who lived down the way from me, Howlin’
Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, all those cats from Arkansas and Mississippi.’ I listened to the real stuff before I heard all the other stuff.”
Walker was sitting in at ghetto clubs of San Francisco playing a Fender Strat by the age of 16. The Fillmore District in the mid-60s went from being an African American neighborhood to being, a hippy enclave. Walker fit into both of those camps. “It was easier for me than it was for someone like my dad. He was from Greenwood, Mississippi, and he came out with a family like the Clampetts (of the Beverly Hillbillies TV show) basically, like The Grapes of Wrath.
“I mean literally, that’s how my dad and them came out, nine brothers and sisters, great grandmothers and grandmothers, but the neighborhood was pretty much accepting. People had to get used to being in close proximity to people. To be quite honest, the powers that be, the city hall and the governor of California, they didn’t have much time for people from my neighborhood.
“(White musicians) all who were trust fund babies would come out from the West
Verbals: Don Wilcock Visuals: Arnie Goodman
Coast, the mid-west and the east where it was such bad weather and you couldn’t let your hair down. Then everything was polarised back in the east. You got to California and San Francisco, and you could walk in any part of San Francisco and you still can do it. There ain’t no area where you can’t walk.
“So. there was that tolerance. Everybody mingled together, and the music was the conduit for it, and the freedom to play the kind of music you want. So, it was tailor made for me because I got along basically with everybody. I grew up in a tolerant city.”
Walker was sitting in with artists like Buddy Miles, Earl Hooker, and Otis Rush. He played guitar in the house band at the Matrix, a club that was showcasing acts of the emerging psychedelic rock movement backing such seminal acts as Jimi Hendrix and Thelonious Monk.
“I was already playing music in the Bay Area before I seen Paul Butterfield or before I seen the Jefferson Airplane or before I seen the Grateful Dead. They moved into our district. I didn’t move into their district which is all good.”
Walker lived with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield’s lead guitarist, while still a teenager. Of all the white wannabe blues guitarists in 1965, Bloomfield was by far the most ‘authentic’ and skilled. He also was friends with Arthur Lee, a black West Coast lead singer in Love, a band that was better known for pushing the blossoming pop/rock/ blues envelope in England than in the States.
Walker was an anomaly in the underground San Francisco scene, a young black electric guitar chameleon: “I was a young African American, 16-17 years old not living at home, and I was making a living playing blues. There weren’t a lot of young guys like me that were doing that in 1965-66, playing serious blues. There was a couple of other young cats coming around my age: Rick Estrin was one of ’em. We were playing blues down in the ghetto before he was with Little Charlie and the Nightcats. Most guys were playing the latest songs by the Temptations and the latest songs by different people like that.”
From this genesis, Walker moved on to have
a career that has more twists and turns than a Cony Island roller coaster. He’s released 23 albums since 1986 for labels as varied as Alligator, Telarc, Evidence, and Provogue. He’s won one Grammy, been nominated for 52 Blues Music Awards and won four.
Before that, he spent 10 years from 1975 to ’85 in The Corinthian Gospel Quartet. “You get a lot of support, and they pat you on the back all the time. I think between gospel music and most secular music, with gospel music the reward comes from within. With secular music a lot of times it comes from without.”
In the mid-80s he got a bachelor’s degree in English/music from San Francisco State. “The spoken word to me is very powerful, and English is a very powerful language. So, I like to write songs, and I like to know what words can help people see colorful shared experiences or whatever - onomatopoeia, words that sound like something. Different things you can do with words that if you know what you’re doing, you can push different buttons, and when you marry words with music, you have one of the most powerful vehicles to make people feel emotional. You really can seriously feel emotions with music. So, blues does that.
He began his solo recording career in 1986 with Cold Is the Night. His 23 albums reflect his eclectic genius.
“Every album is different. Every song is different. I don’t think anybody has a formula for whatever it is they do. Every sort of situation brings out something a little different in the artists, and usually when you’re not in your wheel house so to speak, when you’re flying without a net, you find different ways to do something. The mother of invention is sometimes you have to recreate what you do. Or you have to go back and do what you do without all the accoutrements people put on top of it.”
His recorded legacy reflects his eclectic beginnings. His 1994 album, JLW, teamed him with Chicago blues harp player James Cotton, jazz virtuoso Branford Marsalis, and the Tower of Power horns. 2002’s In the Morning included the spiritual ‘Where Jesus Leads,’ an R&B song, ‘Strange Love,’ a cover of the Stones,’ ‘2120 Michigan
Avenue’ and the Latin fl avored ‘You’re Just About to Lose Your Crown.’ In the same year he released Pasa Tiempo, putting a Latin spin on songs by Van Morrison, Otis Redding, John Hiatt and Boz Scaggs.
Walker calls himself a musical chameleon. “I’m all over the place. When I used to try to learn how to write songs, Willie Dixon would tell me, ‘Joe, we gotta fi nd your style. I know your style. It’s all over the place, but it’s fi rst you. It suits you because you just do it. You do it because that’s who you are, and it comes through, and I like to think that’s what it’s about.”
Blues and jazz guitarist Robert Jr. Lockwood told him, “Joe, you’re a smarter guitar player than you act.” Walker explains, “By that he meant that you can play whatever you want to play. Don’t listen to other outside influences. Listen to what you do good. And if it’s good, do it.”
He’s worked with the best including albums with Steve Cropper which was like playing with history. “I’d approached him at a festival to produce a record, and he said, ‘Well, let me listen to you.’ I was going on stage right before Booker T & The MGs which was like 25 years ago, and he said, ‘Yes, I could probably do something with you.’ We started recording records and did about three records together.
“When I’m in the studio with guys like Cropper or Scotty Moore and Ike Turner or whoever, I audition because I can learn something. I learned quite a bit from Cropper. One thing I learned is when you’re recording, you record the fi rst take of the song, the second take of the song, the third take. After the third take, just don’t do the song. Just come back tomorrow or next week.”
Last year he toured Europe four times and has just released Journey to The Heart of The Blues with Woodstock pianist Bruce Katz of Gregg Allman fame and British harp player Giles Robson. This acoustic album features fresh renditions of rare and classic blues numbers by Sonny Boy Williamson, Blind Willie McTell and more obscure artists like Big Maceo and Papa Lightfoot.
“This particular project was really Giles Robson’s idea,” says Walker. “If any accolades
be had for it, I think Giles is the guy. He really put it together.” Best known for his electric Stratocaster sound, Walker’s acoustic guitar here takes a back seat to his vocals.
“I feel like the most purist form of music is the human voice, and after the voice, whatever you add onto that, that’s all fi ne, but after the voice you’re basically trying to fi nd an instrument that recreates the warmth and the ability to recreate the human voice basically. Any instrument you hear, whether it’s a sitar or a synthesizer or whether it’s a violin or whether it’s a slide guitar, you’re always trying to imitate the human voice.”
At 69, Walker is not slowing down. “I’m doing several things now – touring with my band. I’m going out this year doing some dates with Billy Gibbons and Eric Gales. I’m doing some things with them oversea, and we’ll probably do other things with different people. There is interest in the acoustic trio. We did it last year, and if things work out (we’ll do it again), where it’s not encroaching on different aspects of everybody’s own thing.”
Walker looks back on his career and reflects, “You can’t play with the hand you wish you had. You can only deal with the one you’re dealt, and you really have to express it in a positive fashion. If you talk about it in a negative fashion, then you get a reputation as a malcontent. It’s just the situation. It’s the way it is, and you have to deal with the hand you’re dealt in a lifetime you’re dealt it in.”
Everybody Wants a Piece – 2015
Hornet’s Nest – 2014
Hellfi re – 2012
Between A Rock and The Blues – 2009
Witness to the Blues – 2008
Playin’ Dirty – 2006
New Direction – 2004
Ridin’ High – 2003
John Paul Hammond is the blues artist I’ve followed the longest in my career. I first saw him live in 1964 at the legendary Harvard Square coffeehouse The Club 47. His life story is a seeming paradox until you get to know his back story. He is the son of John Henry Hammond who is credited with discovering and or furthering the careers of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Billie Holiday among scores of other legacy artists. He is singly most responsible for Columbia Records’ posthumously releasing Robert Johnson’s collected works on King of the Delta Blues Singers in 1961, 23 years after Johnson’s death.
The elder John Hammond gave his son a different middle name of Paul after Paul Robeson, an African American political activist who also happened to be a renowned classical singer, a stage and screen actor, and a star athlete in college.
The young Hammond admits to being intimidated by his father’s legacy and determined to make his own way as a blues singer even though his famous dad told him, “This is a big mistake!”
“I wasn’t trying to prove him wrong, explains the 76-year-old son today. I just did what I wanted to do. I felt so intimidated by him. My parents split up when I was five. So, I didn’t have the kind of relationship that most kids did, or what everybody thinks, ‘Oh, your father must have done this or that.’ In reality, the punishment/reward element was not the strongest bond that we had.”
In other words, don’t call him junior!
Dad’s purpose in life from the 1940s until his death in 1987 was to build Columbia Records into a corporate power house by discovering and signing artists with the potential of maintaining Columbia’s leadership position as the single most important record
label for better than 40 years. His son has been just as steadfast in a 54-year recording career as a blues guitarist/harp player/singer whose talent rivals that of Robert Johnson. If his dad was motivated to build the careers of legacy superstars, his son’s mission has been to work with and be respected by even more musical giants than his dad discovered through relationships that range from Dylan to Dr. John, from Doc Watson to Brain Jones, from Phil Ochs to Jimi Hendrix. His most successful album, Wicked Grin (2001) came about as a result of his and his wife Marla’s personal relationship with Tom Waits and his wife.
“She and his wife Kathleen were hanging out, and Tom had really gotten his shit together. They had three young kids who were doing really well, and Marla said, ‘What do you think of the idea of Tom producing an album on John? He could be home every night, take care of the kids.’ So, all of a sudden, we have this project out of nowhere, and when I told the label about the idea, they flipped out. ‘Tom Waits would produce an album on you? Holy cow.’ So, we made this album, Wicked Grin.”
Hammond is currently between record labels, the latest in a long list of label affiliations
Verbals: Don Wilcock Visuals: Arnie Goodman
that have been problematic at best. His first major label signing was with Atlantic Records where he recorded three albums between 1967 and ’69 following an auspicious series of releases for Vanguard Records beginning in 1964. “(Atlantic Records) basically did nothing for me. They never promoted anything I recorded. I once got an apology 20 years later from Jerry Wexler saying, ‘Man, you know, we dropped the ball with you.’ (Wexler was a founder of Atlantic Records responsible for coining the term rhythm ‘n’ blues.) He looked back in perspective and saw all the things that I had done. I had made some stuff for Atlantic that I thought was good, and I think it took him some time to actually focus on that.”
Hammond made four great albums for Columbia including Triumvirate with Mike Bloomfield and Dr. John. He recalls bringing Delanie Bramlett of Delanie and Bonnie to New York to meet then Columbia CEO Clive Davis in 1971.
“(Delaney and Bonnie) had the number one and number two hits on the Billboard charts (“Never Ending Song of Love” and “Only You Know and I Know”). So, Delaney kept saying to me, ‘Man, I’d love to produce an album on you, blah, blah, blah.’ I went to Clive Davis and said, ‘Listen, I would like to make this record with Delanie and Bonnie producing,’ and Clive Davis said, ‘Who?’ And I pointed to the Billboard magazine and Clive said, ‘Oh!’ So, Delanie and Bonnie came up to Columbia, and I introduced them to Clive Davis, and Delanie slapped him so hard on the back and said (southern accent), ‘Hey, Clive,’ And he turned purple. And Bonnie came up and gave him a big kiss right on the mouth, and Clive just about passed out.
“So, in the next three months I went out to the west coast, and in four days we made this album, I’m Satisfied, (1972) and Delanie said to me, ‘If this ain’t a hit I’m gonna kiss your ass on Broadway.’ Columbia did nothing for that album. (Delaney) never kissed my ass on Broadway, but it was a good record.”
While John’s records may not have sold as many as some of his father’s discoveries, his personal relationships, on the other hand, are virtually unprecedented in blues
history. He became close friends with the Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones, toured with Clapton and hung out with John Mayall, Bill Wyman and most of the British rock artists that were re-introducing blues to young rock audience in the mid-60s. He introduced Dylan to Levon Helm and The Band.
“In 1964 when I made that So Many Roads album with The Band, Michael Bloomfield and Charlie Musselwhite, Bob was at the recording session, and I introduced him to Levon Helm and the guys.”
Perhaps his most amazing connection was with Jimi Hendrix who played in Hammond’s band before going to England to become famous in 1966. “He was playing behind me, so he was playing the stuff that I was playing, but he just added this other dimension to it because he could do all those incredible solo leads. I mean he played with his teeth. He was a showman by nature.
“Anybody who saw him play knew this guy was gonna be a huge star. I mean I knew. It was just a matter of time. He was in the right place at the right time, and it happened to be with me, and Chas Chandler (British producer and founding bass player for The Animals) jumped on it and offered him the trip to England. Very soon after that, he was the biggest star in England.”
Something that Hammond says today about Hendrix is applicable to Robert Johnson’s quick rise in talent and Hammond’s own. Nick Nixon who played with Hendrix in 1961 when Jimi was still in the Air Force told me that (Nixon) couldn’t get any of his band mates to jam with Jimi because they felt he wasn’t a proficient guitarist. John learned to play guitar in 1960 and was playing professionally two years later. All three artists rose from being rank amateurs on guitar to being recognized as virtuosos in a matter of a few years. In Robert Johnson’s case, that rise gave rise to the myth that he’d sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his prowess.
“Listen, man, it’s impossible to articulate how things come to you,” explains Hammond. I mean, when you all of a sudden get it, and you all of a sudden know how to play things that you didn’t know how to do. That kind of
thing happens, and I’m sure Hendrix had an epiphany, and all of a sudden knew what to do.”
It is ironic that John Henry Hammond’s son would eventually make a UK television documentary in 1991 The Search for Robert Johnson debunking the very myth that helped his father sell Robert Johnson’s King of the Delta Blues Singers, an album that was critical in its influence on Clapton and succeeding generations of rock guitar superstars.
In 1996 I asked Hammond if he bought into the Robert Johnson myth. “Well, I hope the fi lm brought that out. It debunks the myth,” he said. “He was a real person. Here was where he was born. These are guys who he grew up with. These were girl friends of his. This was his career. This was where he lived. This was where he died. This was how he died. These are guys who played with him, and I talk with them all and play with them. It was amazing. There was no script. We kind of winged it. It was a real stretch for me.”
Out of all his starburst connections, it was Hammond’s weeklong stint opening for Howlin’ Wolf at the Ash Grove nightclub on the west coast in 1964 that had the most impact on his career and his view of himself as a blues singer. “I’m walking back stage, and I open the door to the dressing room, and there is Wolf standing there, and he says, ‘How did you learn to play like that?’
“And I couldn’t remember my name.
“I said, ‘From records.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, that’s how I learned how to play, too.’ He sat down and got all serious. He said, ‘You know, when I was a kid, my idol was Jimmy Rogers, the Singing Brakeman.’ My jaw fell open. I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Man, that guy was my inspiration to want to play. I couldn’t yodel but came up with this howl!’
“And he learned to play guitar from Charlie Patton. He said, ‘Did you know Charlie Patton was a full blood Cherokee Indian?’ I said, “No!’ He said, ‘My grandmother was also full-blooded Cherokee.’ I’m saying to myself, ‘Ok, here’s the Father of Country Blues, a native American and one of the greatest blues artists that ever was influenced by a yodeling (country singer). He said he was inspired to want to sing and play by hearing Jimmy
Rogers, the yodeling brakeman. and they actually knew each other.’ It blew my mind.
“He was over the top, man. I didn’t even know he played the guitar. I know he played harmonica, and he sang his ass off and that kind of stuff, but I’m backstage with him, and he takes my guitar, and he plays, “Stone Poney Blues.” He’s a huge man. His hands dwarf mine, you know what I’m saying? And he plays beautifully note for note, and then at the end he fl ips the guitar three times over and plays the last three notes. And I’m sitting there just mind boggled.”
John Hammond has been invited to play the 50th annual New Orleans Blues and Heritage Festival, a kind of bookend to his appearance at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival where he fi rst got recognised by the New York Times. “Yes, I’ve always had a vision of what I’ve wanted to do. I haven’t always been right and made a lot of mistakes, but I always felt it was my choice to be what I am and never really wanted to compromise what I set out to do. When I’ve recorded, I’ve always felt I should be doing what I thought was right, and I mean I’ve been experimental at times. I’ve done stuff that was maybe beneath me or above me, but I’ve always tried to do what I thought was right. I’m a blues singer, and its what’s inspired me.”
When I fi rst interviewed Hammond in the 1970s he had a bad stutter. Not anymore. “It’s still a beast that lurks below, but I’ve overcome a lot of it. I talk now without fear. So, I’ve had this time of reflection, as well as I still love to play and it’s still happening for me. I’m 76 years old and still enjoying what I do. I’m very selective about jobs that I take, and I’ve probably played every club that ever was. I enjoy the theaters and the special occasions. I enjoy that kind of selection process.”
Timeless – 2014
Rough & Tough – 2009
B.B. King’s got one. So has Muddy Waters. Italian blues troubadour Mike Sponza does too. A pavement star on Beale Street or in the Windy City? A blue plaque on the wall of their childhood home perhaps? No. A burger named in their honour at a trendy eatery and live music venue in Trieste in Italy, Mike’s home town! On the menu, Mike is sandwiched (see what I did there?) between two of his own blues heroes and held in the same esteem on his native soil.
Mike Sponza is most definitely a blues artist at his core, but the singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, arranger and band leader mixes it up with many genres to stay fresh and relevant. That said, on his latest album, Mike’s approach and the whole concept was blatantly and unashamedly retro. There’s a clue in the title: “Made In The Sixties”, out now on Epops Music, which features an impressive gaggle of guests, and he could not have chosen a recording studio more evocative of the 60s, than the legendary Abbey Road in London.
Cream collaborator Pete Brown was the man Mike turned to as chief collaborator on the songs for this ambitious project, as co-writer. He returned to producer Mike Cass, who Sponza had worked with at Abbey Road on a previous project, the 2014 album “Ergo Sum”. Mike was born in the last months of the 60s, around the time the Fab Four were releasing their iconic album with the zebra crossing photograph on the cover. You know the one! But he has always been fascinated by those times; and drawn to the culture, the cars, the clothes, the design, the free and easy vibe and
of course, the music. As he explains: “It’s not only about the music. It’s the whole culture and counter-culture, the changes, the progress, the feeling of doing new things and experimenting. It’s really magical how all those things became instant classics; still ‘modern’ today after 50 years”. The likes of Dana Gillespie, Eddi Reader, Rob Cass and Nathan James (of Inglorious) sprinkle their talents across the 10-tracks - Mike Sponza’s ninth album. Pete Brown sings on it too, as well as his creative contribution as co-songwriter on the 10 cuts, one for each year of that decade. But it is not just a tribute to the so-called ‘swinging sixties’ and the days of free love and hippy excess. No. It recounts the brightest and the darkest moments of the historic period. From the Cold War to the Cuban missile crisis, the murder of John F. Kennedy, the artistic turning point of Bob Dylan and the student movement of ‘68. Track three: “1962: A Young Londoners Point Of View On Cuban Crisis” is inspired by the student protests of 1962, when 20,000+ gathered in Trafalgar Square to show grave concern over the Cuban Crisis. Pete Brown was among that crowd and therefore able to bring first-hand knowledge to the table when they wrote that song.
Mike’s take on the whole project: “An album dedicated to the ‘60s, a decade that fascinates me in so many ways. There is so much to say about it. I had been thinking about writing an album about that decade for a long time. Ten songs, one for each year. Ten stories inspired by events, facts, people, cultures and ideas that intertwine to look at the Sixties from a
Verbals: Simon Redley Visuals: Matteo Prodan and Diego Silvestrin
double perspective. On one hand, the glamour and swing, and on the other, the dark and problematic side. Those ten controversial years, fi ltered through different musical languages: rock to Latin, pop to acoustic, soul to rock ‘n’ roll, changed youth culture forever”. Mike Sponza’s debut record dropped in 1997 with the album “News For You.” In 2003, he released “Mike Sponza,” and two years later he issued the concept recording, “Kakanic Blues,” - the fi rst album under the moniker “Mike Sponza & Central Europe Blues Convention,” an ensemble of some of the leading musicians in the blues/jazz scene of Central Europe.
In 2006, Mike released the DVD, “Live In Italy” with the Central European Group and legendary Californian guitarist, Carl Verheyen. In 2008, came “Kakanic Blues 2.0”, made with 25 musicians from a dozen European countries. In 2012 the double album “Continental Shuffle,” brought together nearly 40 musicians with original tracks interpreted in a reciprocal “song crossing.” In 2013, the live album and DVD “Mike Sponza & Orchestra,” saw the light of day, recorded with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. All original songs by Mike, arranged for a 40-piece ensemble.
A three year wait for the next release; “Ergo Sum,” A “revolutionary and original project in which Latin language and culture meet the blues”. Produced at Abbey Road and his fi rst collaboration on record with
Made In The Sixties – 2018
Ergo Sum – 2015
Kakanic Blues 2.0 – 2015
Mike Sponza & Central European Orchestra – 2014
Blues Around The World – 2012
Continental Shuffl e – 2011
Rough Souls – 2010
Kakanic Blues – 2005
Mike Sponza – 2003
Dana Gillespie, a long-term blues artist, but also known for her work with David Bowie. Mike and Dana have now worked together on stage for 15 years around Europe. Sponza has collaborated with many respected artists across the last two decades, including Georgie Fame, Lucky Peterson and Louisiana Red.
Creating “Made In The Sixties” (released on CD and vinyl) was a 13-month labour of love for Mike. He fi rst met up with Pete Brown in London to propose the project, after an introduction from Mike Cass. Pete then flew to Italy to spend a week writing the songs with Mike Sponza. Then four days recording at Abbey Road, followed by overdubs at London studio Tileyard. So, were the ‘ghosts’ of those legends who had gone before him at Abbey Road, watching over Mike and the gang? “It’s a magical place, that has to be said. When you make your music there, yes, you feel something special around you. It helps to bring out the best. “All those photos on the walls, the original instruments available for use, the equipment… everything helps.” But Mike admits there were a few ‘pinchmyself’ moments too. “Yes, I stopped a few times to think about all this. ‘Is all that for me, or am I dreaming?’ But you know what, it’s all about hard work in the end.”
Well that hard graft and deep passion to deliver the very best paid off, with the tracks gaining lots of support across the radio airwaves in the UK and beyond. Here, the album made the IBBA Top 40 chart at #11, based on radio spins from Independent Blues Broadcasters Association members. His favourite memory from making the record?
“The magic moment I had with the band at the studio: A whole Sunday morning at Abbey Road, just us four and the security guy. “If
If someone had told me when I was 15: ‘One day you’ll have the Abbey Road Studios all to yourself’, I would not have believed it.
someone had told me when I was 15: ‘One day you’ll have the Abbey Road Studios all to yourself’, I would not have believed it.”
Mike’s main influences as a guitarist are Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, B.B. King and Eric Clapton. His favourite artists: Chuck Berry, Elvis and The Beatles.
Playing live since he was 16, almost 35 years on the road now, a Mike Sponza show will most definitely give you an injection of the blues, but he’s always pushing the boundaries. “I like to keep a deep contact with blues music, and many times those bluesy things are hidden in my songs. To the ears of some, maybe they won’t be noticed…
“Mixing blues music with other genres, it’s a good thing to me. Be it rock or jazz or reggae, whatever helps to deliver the message.” Mike’s day job as a composer and producer of music for film and TV brings him to the UK sometimes, but he has not performed in the UK as yet. That will change soon, with a UK agent and new management coming on board and talk of a showcase over here. He is booked for some decent European festivals in the summer and has not one, but two new album projects simmering on the creative cooker.
So, what is the difference between UK and European blues, Mike? “British blues musicians showed us continentals that there could be a way to a form of Euro blues. “We’ve all studied the great UK blues masters and we’ve learned a great lesson about how to ‘use’ the blues language to tell our stories. I think that now, the gap is only on the accent!” “It is down to British blues in the beginning that we now have a European sound to the blues. Mixing blues with all sorts; pop and rock, but
a different way of writing lyrics and writing about different subjects. “You have to dig deep and come up with a way to use a blues vocabulary to mirror modern times, and that will help to keep the blues alive and relevant”.
Many concept projects, especially those with lots of ‘special guests’ thrown at them, can often turn out to be nothing more than a self-indulgent mess. Not this time.
Congratulazioni. Ottimo Lavoro (Google it!)www.mikesponza.com
With his very own Sweet Release album being released on the Mascot/Provogue label, produced by Joe Bonamassa no less, it seemed a good time to meet up with the veteran keyboard ace. It’s a bitterly cold morning in London, so I stop off to buy Reese a woolly hat for his stay and over tea we talk about his record.
Welcome back to London!
Thanks, Pete – it’s great to be here.
Enjoy wearing your hat, you’re gonna need it!
(Laughs) I think you’re right there! Whew…
The idea of this – and it’s great to meet you at last as I have watched you perform many times – is to talk about the new album you have made and maybe your favourite piano players, I have several…this project likely rolls in on the back of the label’s relationship with Joe.
(Warmly) Yes, very much so.
Joe told me, this ‘won’t sound like anything you’re expecting’ we have talked about it a couple of times, but it IS!
Ah! is that a fact? For most sidemen like myself…and let me say it’s great to be talking to you and I appreciate you seeing me today. I have been in the music business for some fifty years and I’ve made a stream of records but not tons of interviews. Now I thought if a journeyman like me put out my own record it would be mostly funky instrumentals and ditties and I would just be playing along.
Which would make it an obvious keyboard player’s record?
Absolutely! I did attempt that a couple of years ago and listening back to it, I found I wasn’t satisfied with it, overall. I ended up never putting anything out at all. I did tell Joe about it and that somehow, I was disappointed with the way it turned out. And he just said, ‘Well you did it all wrong’ and he had positive suggestions on what I might opt to do. To do some of the songs that you played on and bring in some of the people who played them. So that’s when I asked Joe to be my producer. And that’s how he got on board with it. It was pretty much his concept on how I should be heard.
To me, Reese it sounds like a tight band with coming-and-going members and a bloody good keyboard player! Yeah! And that was his idea, to go for that and make the songs rock. And it made perfect sense to me...just thinking about all the different bands that I have played with, over time. To put a CD out after all this time, I should include some of the people I have had the good fortune to play with.
You’ve included three very wellknown to me tunes from SRV times – I was at the very first show
Verbals: Pete Sargeant Visuals: Arnie Goodmanhe played here, so what made you include those? We’re talking Crossfire, Say What and Riviera Paradise. Well on this record there are some songs that Joe picked out and others that I picked out. I wanted to do Riviera Paradise because I had always heard it as a movie soundtrack with strings, in my head and have the orchestra play along with it. And Joe wanted to do Crossfire, he said didn’t I write that? and yes, I did write part of it.
When we were putting it together back when, someone had commented that it put them in mind of a Sam & Dave song. That kind of groove. And Joe said let’s get Sam Moore to sing it.
Yeah – ZZ Top did their I Thank You and it’s terrific. They sure did and yes it was splendid!
You have access to all these fine singers, maybe Crossfire wouldn’t be the most familiar song to Sam, but
it’s half a step away from the soulful feel he can summon up just like that... it has that immediate authority. Well Crossfire has always had one of those grooves that just takes off, y’know. Reaches out and grabs you. The lyric is a good one that Ruth and Bill Carter wrote and I’ve always loved that song. Playing that with Chris and Tommy, it was so exciting.
Tommy on Second Winter, Johnny Winter, IS how to play rock-blues bass, it’s The Bible! Whether you play in a three or four piece, Edgar’s there, THAT’S how to do it.
Interesting you mention the blues-rock trio, because I consider that one of my strong points, musically, is being that keyboard player to augment that and that’s how I made my living over the years, being that element, that guy.
A few days ago, I was talking this very point with a friend of mine Kenney
Jones and he said when Mac joined The Small Faces on keys, everyone in the group was liberated…like my band, that love of Booker T rolls in. I’ll tell you what Chris Layton told me when I joined Double Trouble, and that’s the thing where they were playing a trio, when Stevie took off on a solo, there wasn’t so much they could easily follow or flow with. My chords and stuff freed HIM up and helped the dynamic. Plus, guitar players seem to like what I do.
I’ll tell you why, it’s the fact that you don’t blot out the guitar, or sax frequencies all the time with heavy block chords, which some keyboard players do. The best at that was John Locke of Spirit. (Ponders) I don’t know…I do appreciate you saying that, for me when I’m playing with a trio, I simply want the whole thing to be better, to flow. To help him get along to the place he’s going.
When I guest, whoever it is, I want to contribute, not dominate. Exactly!
The horns are very crisp on Crossfire. Ah! I wanted to tell you, it’s the same guys who played on the original record. So, we have all the same folk playing BUT with Kenny Wayne in for Stevie! Plus, Joe.
I wish you’d done Change It, great number with that lope! I love Change It as well. If we do a follow up, I’ll remember you saying this.
Say What has the rolling wah and the vamping Hammond. It was fun, and, Pete, that was the first song I played with Double Trouble. Chris said he’d been wanting to play it so that confirmed the choice. Joe thought the B3 sounded angry.
One of my favourite players with that lighter touch is dear Rod Argent of The Zombies, never sounds sludgy, always springheeled. I would love to meet Rod Argent some time, awesome player, an inspiration.
That Driving Beat, I really like this. Michael Rhodes on the bass. Put me in mind of Jnr Walker. Absolutely it does, that’s a song I picked out for the record. Every now and again I go through the Internet, searching for material and came across the song. Reminded me of a soul band I played in way back. A drummer friend of mine Greg Morrow was getting me to play Willie Mitchell songs. This is Mike Farris and Paulie singing this.
You’re Killing My Love features Doyle who I know, how do you get that flanged throaty sound?
Ha, it’s not just the organ here, the whole track is flanged. That was Joe’s idea.
The solo on this is really good, sounds like an Albert King outtake. Hmm, we wanted a funky song. Joe found this one. I’d been after him to do some Otis Rush. I love those slow Rush songs.
I saw Otis once in London at The Dominion, a one-off and he didn’t play even one of his big hits, his Cobra sides! BUT it was still a brilliant show. When I played with him, we did all those songs…wow! He came down to Antones.
Sweet Release, now this is where the album steps into a different mode, a country ballad with a whole queue of fine vocalists, even Vince Gill! Why does this remind me of Levon Helm? (Considers) Well, it has that Southern gospel feel to it. It’s a song I did with Boz Scaggs. I wanted some of that vibe in the programme.
It’s a nice interlude, and kind of puts the other material into relief. I think so too! I’ve always thought this is a great song.
Shape I’m In, great rocking piano. Kenny Wayne and Noah, that lad can sing! That’s the Arc Angels song. I wish I could have played on the original.
Bramlett and Joe on baritone guitar, something we’ve talked about, I got one a couple of years ago, due to Bill Kirchen. Yeah, I thought that just made it on there!
You have to play baritone on a tremolo setting, to get the full effect. Now that’s one of the songs that I brought to the session, always wanted to get that D&B rocker sound down.
Riviera Paradise, I am very familiar with this, of course. Thanks to SRV I discovered Grant Green and his magic, so I’m grateful.
If he hadn’t died, don’t you think Stevie would have gone in that direction?
Because that fourth album, which I will ask you to sign! In Step is such a brilliant varied set, by far his best. I thought it was his best record, his best writing and he was more in control of what he was creating. He’d become clean and sober. He was then exactly what he wanted to be.
Jeff Bova, the string arrangements he does on this have huge echoes of Marty Paich, he did the strings for Spirit, the band who unwittingly taught me to play. Oh really?
Yes, his son David’s in Toto. Joe uses Jeff for his strings work.
Take The Time, Warren Haynes. There’s a little touch of Englishness about Warren, his thoughtfulness and his vocal phrasing. Huge early Fleetwood Mac fan. He’s incredible and we just did his Christmas show. Yes, his voice is like The Angels.
So Much Trouble, SO powerful. Tampa Red. Joe killed it on this, a tremendous vocal! I asked whether he wanted to sing it so hard, he said Yeah let’s just do it.
I’ve Got A Right To Be Blue, very old timey, Keb Mo on there. Well you know, every once in a while, he’ll put in a wacky chord…and it’s just right!
I like Josh Smith’s guitar with your keys on Soul Island. Is that inspired by Cedar Walton? Donald Byrd, the fresh air thing? It was a sort of New Orleans feel, that’s what I was thinking.
Now! If someone said to me what about a Beatles tune for this…I would have gone for Fool On The Hill. (Laughs) Oh, I love that song, too! But no, we did Blackbird. Just me on my own.
Robin and Pete discuss the new album Coming Closer To The Day, out on Mascot/Provogue as Trower prepares for US dates with his trio. Robin’s creative approach produces a fresh set of compositions, soaked and strewn with his distinctive guitar stylings. He surely remains music’s own Monet or Turner.
You’re a busy man, Robin – I ran into Livingstone recently at a gig and he mentioned the project with Maxi Priest… and now, this new RT release! Yes Pete – very busy, as I was last time we spoke, I think…and I am working with Maxi Priest on a project, yes.
Well, I’ve been listening to the new record Coming Close To The Day and you’re really getting more and more into the songwriting, the singing, and it sounds more and more personal with each record I agree – I’m in a very productive phase right now, defi nitely. (Laughs) The songs are pouring out at the moment! In fact, I’m halfway through writing and preparing the arrangements for my next album, to follow this one.
Diving Bell – It’s a good vocal key for you, the melody is a touch Dylanish, it has the right amount of percussion, that biting wah solo. Yes, that all works really well, in fact that’s probably my favourite track.
It is a bit Dylan, ominous. (Ponders) I do like some of his songs… maybe it just seeps in here and there.
Truth Or Lies – Seems to be on a dark rumours theme, this. The jazzy chords are great, could be one for Tina Turner. That would be rather good! Truth or Lies, that one was quite hard to pull off, I would say. I love the song, but I recorded it initially and wasn’t happy with it, so I started from scratch again. It’s got quite a strong early R&B slant which you have picked up on. That song is not really about me. I’m writing from the viewpoint of a guy who’s been let down.
Coming Closer To The Day – This is so haunting, another great key. The solo is what a sax might play, I often hear that in Robby Krieger. I add things till – to me – it’s
Mascot / Provogue
So here is the latest in the series of albums where Robin multi-tasks on the instruments and the vocals as part of what I call his New Testament. And he digs deep, with his musical roots on display and his imagination scraping the sky. The lyrics can bite or prompt reflection and the guitar mastery reigns but with no pomp rock bluster. Lead cut Diving Bell is a gem. The chosen key is spot on for Robin’s voice and the almost Dylanish declamatory delivery mines melody before a biting solo. The percussion touches bear fruit and the distinctive controlled feedback tickles the senses. Truth Or Lies takes a solid tread, on a theme of damage by rumours. Jazzy chords roll through the mix in what would be a fine tune for Tina Turner. Title song Coming Closer To The Day is a haunting piece in another ace key with a moody solo. The apocalyptic vibe is awesome to hear. Ghosts has an Albert King-tinged shiver. ‘Getting close to midnight.’ sings Trower and a dark blue cloud
enough, for that song. As you know, the pedals I tend to use are Full-Tone and the range they have gives me the colours I’m seeking for each number.
Ghosts – Getting close to midnight, the dynamics…this gave me that Albert King shiver, Robin. (Exclaims) Great!! I’m glad of that…he is still such an inspiration to me. I mostly keep the volume level on the amps the same and alter the volume from the guitar controls as I feel I want it to build or swell. Maybe I’m not thinking too deeply as I do it! For that blues mode, it’s part of the armoury. Ghosts is about things from the past where you didn’t do right in your personal life.
Is Ghosts going on the setlist?
I’m thinking about it. That or Lonesome Road. I’ll rehearse both, Pete, and see which works best
descends. Tide Of Confusion oozes attack, with a jagged tempo and a chordal progression produces an uneasy shifting feel. Meanwhile The Perfect Wrong and its emphatic opening is the very sound of determination. Little Girl Blue has a dream-like ambience for a plea not to hide away from problems. There is something of classic Leon Russell songcraft here. The purposeful Someone Of Great Renown hits the target for theme and execution. Lonesome Road is stone blues, a natural sound for Robin and maybe a nod to Buddy Guy. Tell Me would be a wonderful song for a Dinah Shore or Etta James with its loping sound and lush chording. Don’t Ever Change is a more desolate piece and surely closer Take Me With You is a new stage favourite, with its burst of sound. Any of these numbers would sparkle in a setlist, he is spoiled for choice but that’s Trower’s harvest.
Pete SargeantTide Of Confusion – The feel here is so jagged, attacking. We know from Day Of The Eagle this is part of your vocabulary. Yes, I can see that. It was around Bridge Of Sighs that I started to use those tempos and the jazzy chords. Just to tweak the moods of the songs. I was using them more and more especially by your favourite, In City Dreams.
The Perfect Wrong – Such an emphatic opening and it seems the sound of determination. It’s a heavy riff, isn’t it? I think I’m channelling Howlin’ Wolf on that. To be honest.
Sounds very natural, appropriate. Like everything with me, it falls somewhere between thinking about it and it all just settling into place naturally, organically. So, writing songs and arranging is never plain hard work it’s just what I do
Little Girl Blue – A very dreamlike ambience – one of your fortes it has a sort of Leon Russell not-over-busy vibe to it. It’s about a lady who, y’know, has had a bad relationship and was let down by it and she maybe needs to give love another chance. Leon wrote such wonderful songs so thanks for the compliment!
Someone Of Great Renown – This one’s purposeful ‘eye of the hurricane’ and all. Again, that song isn’t about me, but it’s maybe someone that I’d like to be. That’s the theme running there.
Lonesome Road – Stone blues! would be cool for Buddy Guy. Hmm…Lonesome Road, now I would say that’s about me touring and asking how long I can go on with it. That’s defi nitely coming from my heart and head.
But with touring you have the Jimmy Dewar and Dave P songs very ably sung by your bassist and then this more recent set of albums and material where you sing, I call it The New Testament. (Laughs) It does mean I can pick from all era’s, yes and not sing myself a few songs in a row. I can pace it. Here, it’s a flowing performance, an elemental kind of thing.
Tell Me – This is striking – the loping sound, the lush chording. Inspired by a father talking to a son, but it could apply to any such intimate exchange.
Don’t Ever Change is an out-andout love song: a very nice, easy vibe, but still quite soulful...I hope!
Take Me With You – It’s a burst of sound! PLEASE can that go in the set?
I wasn’t thinking about doing it…and I’m not saying it’s not a great track. And I’m glad you like it. I can only put so many new ones in because there are songs that the
audience is really keen to hear. I do as we’ve discussed keep keys apart and tempos always changing because I think that creates an entertaining show not least for us, the band!
The record overall is exciting but reflective.
(Sighs)I guess I’m saying that I’m nearer the end than the beginning, But, that doesn’t scare me. Not at all. If I went tomorrow, I’d feel like I’d been blessed with being able to achieve an incredible amount as a creative musician.
Trower is one of those Brit musicians with a huge number of earlier releases reaching back to his days with Procol Harem and first solo efforts in the early 1970s to his latest album, reviewed here by our Pete Sargeant before speaking with the man himself. As a result, we have not listed all of these offerings: more recently, however, he has delivered this impressive list.
Go My Way - Orpheus Records, 2000
Greatest Hits Live - King Biscuit
Entertainment, 2003
Too Rolling Stoned - Disky 2004
Living Out of Time - V12 Records, 2004
Another Day’s Blues - V12 Records, 2005
Seven Moons - V12 Records, 2006
What Lies Beneath - V12 Records, 2008
Seven Moons Live - Ruf Records, 2009
Playful Heart - V12 Records, 2010
Roots and Branches - V12 Records, 2012
Something’s About To ChangeV12 Records, 2015
When You Are Going To - V12 Records, 2016
Time and Emotion - V12 Records, 2017
Coming Closer To The Day - Provogue, 2019
As the Foghat spin-off band, Earl & The Agitators release their first album, Pete catches up with drummer Roger Earl for the lowdown plus quite a lot of history.
Looking at the new album, Roger there is quite a range of material – many of your own compositions are highlights. All Because Of You is to my mind superb, pacy, clever, fluid… how did this one come together? Yeah, it’s one of my favourites too. Bryan came up with the intro riff. Scott came up with the title. Scott and I wrote the lyrics then Bryan and Scott arranged the song. But it’s my fault the song has the alternate solos at the end! I didn’t want to stop playing.
What made the group choose Jack Clements’ Guess Things Happen That Way? I really like the arrangement. Scott and I are huge Johnny Cash fans. When I was 12 or 13, I would ride my bike to school singing Johnny Cash songs thanks to my older brother’s (Colin Earl’s) record collection. I felt it worked playing it fast and letting Scott rip it. One Take!
We must mention Craig McGregor – over to you for thoughts, please. We absolutely must. All of the songs with an * on the record were
recorded by just me, Scott and Bryan at our Florida studio “Boogie Motel South”. Craig loved playing with Scott and enjoyed spending time at the studio. At the time Craig was not out on the road with us since he was battling cancer. He came down to Florida and overdubbed the bass parts in true MacGregor style! Craig was my brother and co-captain of the rhythm section since 1975. I miss my friend. He did hand pick Rodney O’Quinn to fill in for him.
How did you first meet the mighty Scott Holt? I remember Buddy Guy praising him. Arnie Goodman introduced us, and I invited Scott to come down to BMS to hang out. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Bryan and Scott also really hit it off and we just wrote, played and recorded until we fell over. Scott once described the Agitators musical influences as putting a bunch of Chess and Sun Records in a blender and out, we came! (popped).
That comes across, Roger! Where is the Club Arcada? St. Charles, Illinois – right outside of Chicago. Ron Onesti
is the owner and a promoter who gives a ****! I love the man! He gets it!
Was the band name a spontaneous suggestion and from who?
We were recording some tracks at Dark Horse Institute in Nashville for our friends Audio Engineer graduation project. Listening to the tracks one of those evenings while drinking some Foghat Cellars 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bryan had a moment of brilliance as he opened the 2nd bottle (as is often the case) and declared us “EARL & THE AGITATORS”. It stuck!
We have three booked so far for 2019: 2/1418/19 - The Rock Legends VII Cruise, 3/14/19 - The Club Arcada and a cool gig with EATA/Savoy Brown/Foghat on 5/18/19 at Penns Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA. It’s difficult to book individual EATA shows since Foghat is ALWAYS on the road (nothing has
changed!). So, we try to do shows together since 3 members are in both bands!
Back to Savoy Brown days, Chris Youlden recounts with great amusement how you might set up a cue for the band to come back in after your SB Boogie drum break wrap-up and then play straight through it! That sounds like me. Why stop when you are having fun? Actually, Chris was great to work with in the studio and at rehearsals. He would always let me know when he liked what I was playing. One song Chris did, John Lee Hookers’ “Don’t Turn Me from Your Door” (which he did in one take) is one of the few times I heard Chris play guitar in the studio…fuckin’ great! Chris’ writing with Savoy and his voice are (I think) what made us stand out from all the other bands at the time. Chris is cool.
PS: Charlie Huhn, Foghat lead singer, is a HUGE Chris Youlden fan!
What’s your favourite cut on Raw Sienna?
“A Hard Way to Go”
I am lucky to be friends with Chris Youlden, Kim Simmonds, Mr Bob Hall…I never got to spend time with the great Dave Peverett. How do you recall him, as an associate, as a musician? Ah Dave. Lonesome Dave. Playing live shows was always a gas with Dave. He never gave it less than 110%. Walking on stage with him would always make me grin from ear to ear. It’s where he could let loose and become himself. Off stage he was quiet. On the road we sometimes went out after a show or a day off and I was the driver since Dave didn’t drive. Chicago & New Orleans were favourites and
Felt by the band to be the sound of the Sun label and Chess Records filtered through their own characters, this album certainly keeps things moving. Upside Of Lonely gets the set under way on a stealthy groove, each guitar clean and separate in the mix, bass notes fat and authoritative, drums crisp and purposeful. I think it is a Tom Hambridge number so the lyrics are tongue in cheek and gently acidic. To get these biting guitar motifs rolling you have to understand the dynamics of the music and these blokes do. On to Where’s The Rock’n’Roll a group original with a chugging dirty sound with slide guitar touches that sound terrifi c. I’m Coming Home has an airy wistful mood about it but rocks hard, in early Bob Seger style. Again, the slide licks really lift the tune and the drum fills show imagination. He always was a listener!
Guess Things Happen That Way is a Jack Clements number, delivered here with all the verve of early Moby Grape. It’s that good! Next up the reflective Love Isn’t Kind with a spot-on vocal, more own produce and a superior song indeed. An album highlight, with a cool guitar weave. Fallen Angel is a tumbling punchy effort, based on fuzzy chording. A version of chestnut Hi Heel
we would go out and jam at blues clubs. One time in Chicago we went to a place called Mother Blues. We paid 5 bucks, walked in and I went to the bar to get us a drink. Dave was still standing at the door with his eyes wide on the stage. He said…do you know who that is on stage? I did not but he knew it was Freddy Below (one of my favourite drummers). I knew who he was but did not recognize him. Dave was a walking musical encyclopaedia. We introduced ourselves and Freddy said ‘you wanna play’? We said yes, and Freddy left the stage and we played the rest of the set!
Did you ever sit in with the King Earl Boogie Band? Yes, many times when I would come back to England for the holidays, birthdays and
Sneakers follows, and it stomps, along to great effect. Linda Lu has a real Texas lope, unrelenting and solid. The greasy guitar fills sound ace, the middle eight is hit with aplomb. Honey Do List by the ensemble has a Metersbut-faster feel, love the bass on this one. Tricky runs and hints at staggers emphasise the sheer funk of the tune, real fun and a twist of The Kinsey Report. Lonesome Train evokes Savoy Brown at their most edgy, maybe Dave Walker era. The grip on this is stunning, the Sun Studio delay on the vocal perfect. One lovely tune sung by many artists is Sunday Morning Coming Down. In this incarnation, the fresh-air country vibe is exquisite with appropriate singing. Then we get Gone Dead Train with a true railroad pace. A tinge of Creedence perhaps. All Because Of You is yet another strong composition with its choppy arrangement and urgent vocal. Nice guitar mix, with a touch of flanging. The edition I have adds a set of live recordings from a date at Club Arcadia – there are fi ve numbers which I leave you to savour when you purchase this album, which I suggest you do.
Pete Sargeantfunerals. One in particular sticks out! They played at Highbury, Arsenals old home! I sat in for a number of tunes! Yes, there’s only one team in London! Though there are some who may take Umbridge with that.
If a younger listener wanted to get into Foghat, which album might you suggest? It would have to be two. The first album that Dave Edmunds produces. He’s a true genius. And LIVE. That should start them out right!
Do you remember Foghat opening for Captain Beefheart? Cos I do!!
(Sighs) I DO TOO! Captain Beefheart! Great band and we all got on well. Royal Albert Hall…tell me how it was. That was a long time ago! That was the first time we had really played out in nearly two years. We had Derek Taylor to thank for that. He really liked the album. He was working for Warner Bros (our label Bearsville’s parent company). We had a problem playing in England because of our departure from Savoy Brown. Savoy’s manager, Harry Simmonds told us we would never work again in England. And since he managed Savoy and the very popular Chicken Shack at the time, our agency (Chrysalis) would not book us since Harry threatened that they would not be able to book his acts. Kim Simmonds had nothing to do with that. He and I have stayed friends to this day. In fact, Kim played on our last record and we get up and play with each other any chance we get. We are with the same agency now and are doing more gigs together.
Clive Bunker, Mitch Mitchell or Carmine Appice? By all means say whatever you wish about each of them?
Clive Bunker – great drummer and nice guy too. Mitch Mitchell got the job with Jimi. He played like no one else could in that band. Outstanding, truly unique!
Carmine is a good friend of mine. What can I say...a real talent, though I think he should keep his trousers zipped up LOL!
In your travels, which jazz drummers might you have seen and enjoyed? When I was 16, I saw Joe Morello just off Piccadilly Circus. My first drum clinic (a place where sick drummers go?) The place was jammed with all the drum names in the land and then some. Now he was cool, funny and a very entertaining man. I got to meet him years later as I was also a Ludwig endorser in the 70’s. Beautiful man and very generous with his knowledge. Tony Williams & Billy Cobham?? WOW! I’m just a mere mortal when it comes to these cats!
Two tips for a novice drummer with a view to stage appearances? Get a Roc n’ Soc (hydraulic) drum throne. Sit up straight and try to play as good as Charlie Watts. And don’t be an a**hole!
As mentioned in my album review, I sense little pure love in modern releases across the genres… do you concur or disagree?
I concur Pete, but I think one has to take album by album to sift through. But thank you for spotting the joy the Agitators try to impart. We do love to play and try to make nice noises!
Which female vocalist might be welcomed on to the stage at an Earl gig? Dana Fuchs! What a fantastic voice. She was a special guest on Foghat’s last album “Under the Influence”. I told her she could join us anytime, anywhere, anyhow!!
We really rate Dana. How do you relax, away from music? I fish therefore I am!
Suggest a novel or book that Earl might compose the soundtrack for? Don’t know about a soundtrack, unrelated really, but we are working on a book right now!
I’m just a mere mortal when it comes to these cats!
“I’m not a great musician… I know my limitations…”
Verbals: Tim Arnold Visuals: Jared Adelson
This from a guy who’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, recipient of the BMI Icon Award and the EMP/SFM Awards, is in the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and is a two-time Grammy winner and seven-time nominee. And whose talent Keith Richards describes as “Perfect, man.”
He’s Steve Cropper – voted “Greatest Living - and Number Two Greatest All-Time Guitar Player” (Jimi was #1), by Mojo Magazine.
“I don’t wanna brag on myself…I got lucky with writing songs. I worked with the best of the best of the best and have for years.”
He must be preparing his remarks for his induction into the Blues Hall of Fame this May, as a cornerstone of the renowned Booker T. & The MG’s, the heart and soul of Stax Records throughout the groundbreaking decade of the birth of soul music.
Steve’s got himself on tour with another icon, Dave Mason (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; founding member of Traffic, who paid his own blues dues with the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix). I caught up with Cropper at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Tampa, in February. A genuine legend, who’s put on a few years since I first met with him in New York City 12 years ago. He’s lost some weight, a little more hair and maybe a step or two. But when he gets up there on stage and slings on that custom made Peavy guitar of his, he’s Crop, founder of arguably the world’s best instrumental group, the Mar-Keys, and Booker
T. & the MG’s; original member of the Blues Brothers; writer/co-writer/performance artistand still kicking every bit as much ass as ever. He’s created some of the most memorable R&B and Soul music out there. Steve Cropper is the very essence of a “great musician.”
From his website (www.playitsteve.com):
“As a guitarist, A&R man, engineer, producer, songwriting partner of Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and a dozen others and a founding member of both Booker T. & the MG’s and the Mar-Keys, Cropper was literally involved in virtually every record issued by Stax from the fall of 1961 through year end 1970. Such credits assure Cropper of an honored place in the soul music hall of fame. As co-writer of (Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay, Knock on Wood and In the Midnight Hour, Cropper is in line for immortality.”
And he can’t even read music. But neither can most genuine blues boys. At Ruth Eckerd, Crop’s up first, after The Lords of 52nd Street, Billy Joel’s original band, finally finishes an hour-plus opening set, and here they come: Midnight Hour, Green Onions, Hip Hug Her, Knock on Wood and later, with Mason: Try a Little Tenderness and (Sittin On) the Dock of the Bay, which Steve sings, and finishes with that iconic whistle! They encore with a rendition of Shake, Rattle and Roll which is older than anything either of these guys ever did and close the set with Jimi Hendrix’s (who Cropper also played with way back when) All Along the Watchtower.
And down comes the house!
But fi rst, back in Crop’s dressing room… “Can we talk stories,” I’m asking him? “For a minute or two …” he says. “So, the Mar-Keys put Stax on the map…,” as good a place as any to start.
“They say ‘Steve Cropper wasn’t even in the Mar-Keys.’ Despite being a founding member of the Mar-Keys (“that was my high school band”), he’s not listed on the recording. “They say ‘there’s no guitar on Last Night. And there’s not. But I’m playing on it. I get on the organ, actually under it and reach up past Smoochy Smith and hold down that one key note. And I did it before the ‘match book’ trick.” Explaining that guys would shove a closed match book in between two keys so the note would hold. Then walk around the studio, like some other-world spirit was still playing it. Stax’s fi rst release, Last Night skied to #3 Pop and #2 R&B, and the Mar-Keys hit the road on an 11-market tour (for the record: Memphis, St. Louis, Saginaw, Flint, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, where they appeared on American Bandstand, and yeah, Crop’s on his Tele, Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach and Atlanta).
They fi nally reach Shreveport, Louisiana, to play the Show Bar, and Cropper was done with this one. He’s standing in the men’s room, you know, next to Packy Axton (son of Estelle, co-founder of Stax), and he says, “Packy, you been wantin to be leader of this band for a long time…well, guess what? It’s all yours. I’ve already called your mom and told her.” And he packs up his Tele and
Malford Milligan – Life Will Humble You – 2018
Steve Cropper, Lou Marini and the Original Blues Brothers Band – The Last Shade of Blue Before Black – 2017
Dedicated – A Salute To The 5 Royales – 2011
Midnight Flyer – 2010
Nudge It Up A Notch – 2008
heads back to his job in the Stax Records Store. “I didn’t think we were going anywhere, besides, Packy had his problems (Axton died of liver cirrhosis at the tender age of 32), that was ’61. In ’62 we had Green Onions.”
It made Booker T. & the MG’s possible, “The number-one instrumental group in the world for nine years” which he co-founded a year later. “Everybody knows about the Blues Brothers. But the thing I’m most proud of is Booker T. & the MG’s.” With Green Onions smokin up the charts, Booker T. decides to leave Stax and go off to college.
“I was a little upset with Booker. Here we are with the number one record in the world ‘have you lost your mind?’ I’m sayin. T was a lot younger than the rest of us. He told me once, he said, ‘you better stop telling everybody I’m 15, on Green Onions. I’m 16’.”
“And later I realized that if he hadn’t done that, there would never have been an Isaac Hayes. Isaac replaced Booker on keys. When Booker would come back to Memphis every so often, we’d use them both on sessions. To this day I cannot tell which one’s on piano and which ones on organ. They’d switch off.”
“Booker’s still out there, playin’ his butt off.”
“I see this commercial on TV one time, and Green Onions is the soundtrack. I had no idea it was coming. So, I turn to my wife and I say, ‘Angel, we have hit pay dirt. I’ve got 100% writer on that one.’ The thing ran four years! I’ve never told anybody about it: a song I did goes commercial for Depends - Adult Diapers!”
How did you hook up with the Blues Brothers?
“Duck (Dunn) and I, along with the Saturday Night Live horns, were playing with Levon Helm and the RCO All-Stars at the Palladium, on New Year’s Eve (New York City, 1977). Belushi was there. And I heard that he tells somebody, ‘If I ever put a band together, I want that band!’ So, after the gig we’re back at the hotel, shootin craps, and John comes in, sees this pile of money on the floor, scoops it up and heads for the door. He didn’t get very far, ‘cause there’s like 200 people crammed in maybe a 50-person hotel room. “Said he was just kidding. “Duck’s gone. Al Jackson’s gone. Wayne Jackson’s gone…”
“Yeah, he’s still around. We were in the studio on Knock on Wood, working it out, but we ain’t got a lead in. So, I’m thinking, let’s just do the opening from Midnight Hour - backwards? We did, and it was great. Another time I’m with Eddie at the Lorraine Motel, and he’s got this idea for a song about his girlfriend and wants to do it on her telephone number. Whatever it was wasn’t working. I’m looking for something more melodic, up and down notes, and come up with 6 3 4 5 7 8 9…which I hum for Eddie…down, up, down, up, down, up, down…
“That one worked.”
“I’m from Dora, MO, but I wasn’t born there, even though that’s what everybody thinks. I was born in Willow Springs, my mom was pregnant with me, like two weeks late, my dad has to see somebody over in Willow Springs. So, he drops my mom off at my aunt’s house. Pretty soon somebody chases him down and said, ‘Mr. Cropper, your wife is about to have that baby!’”
“And she did. Me.” “One time my mom asked me, ‘Steve, what do you want to do when you grow up?’ And I told her I want to be a musician. ‘Well,’ she says, ‘you can’t do both…’.”
“But I already had my first guitar, got it when I was 10. Cheap acoustic. Mail order. It didn’t even come in a case or anything, and when it arrived, they said, ‘that’ll be a 25-cent delivery fee. So, my mom used to tell me, ‘Steve, you’d a never been a guitar player if I hadn’t loaned you that 25 cents.’”
One more question, if that’s ok. “Sure,” now he’s saying, “we’ve got plenty of time…”
And I’m reminded of what Duck Dunn, his long-time bass playing partner, once said, “Steve will talk to you for an hour at least, even two if you’re talkin’ his stories…”
Where is Steve Cropper going?
“I don’t know, people ask me, ‘when you gonna stop?’ I’ve actually thought about staying alive. I’ve got good genes. I’m up there pretty good… (He’ll be 78 this October).
“I’m sticking with this thing even if they have to wheel me up to the microphone.”
Ain’t nothin’ like the blues.
The big blues reviews guide — accept no substitute!
Third Street Cigar Records
This is the self-titled studio debut of a blues and soul band from Toledo, Ohio. They have been together for a decade, competed in the IBC, tour widely in the States and have previously released a live album. There are ten songs written by lead guitarist and singer Aayan Naim and/or the great Johnny Rawls with two covers of songs by Chicago soul man Tyrone Davis and one by contemporary guitar slinger Anthony Gomes; the band is augmented by a three-man horn section on three tracks. “Blues is gospel in a mini-skirt – that’s my philosophy. Both genres are soulful...but the blues is spicy” declares drummer ‘Hollywood’ Mike Darby and straight away we are in deep soul territory with the outstanding Kind Of Girl which certainly matches Mike’s philosophy as the band bangs out the tune, embellished by the horns – a great start. The horns appear on just two further tracks: Read Your Mind is a dance-floor filler with a good hook; I’ve Been Down is urban soul with Aayan’s nagging guitar riff underpinning more of a Philly sound. In a way it’s a shame that the horns are not
on more tracks but that is probably a financial constraint; certainly, the two Tyrone Davis covers would have benefited (though they are still very good) especially the ultra-catchy Turn Back The Hands Of Time which Aayan sings brilliantly. Elsewhere the band shows its ability to handle emotive soul ballads on Aayan’s compositions ‘Til You Come Home and It’s Raining, lilting modern soul tunes like Johnny Rawls’ Searchin’ and I Keep Holding On and they bring the funk out on Anthony Gomes’ Blindog and Rawls’ Got That Kind Of Love. Johnny appears on the final track Ain’t Nothing Like The Blues, a stripped back acoustic duet with Aayan that discusses the roots and the fruits of the blues and compares Mississippi with Chicago, finding great similarities. Wonderful to discover a new band with old school attitudes; soulblues fans, go buy it immediately!
John MitchellThis is the sixth album from Canadian singer songwriter and guitarist. Past releases have concentrated on a more earth folk rooted music. Here she mixes it up; there are blues tinged
styles on these twelve songs altogether uplifting release. Here she plays guitar and bassline parts apart from appearances from Colin Linden playing slide guitar solo on the haunting, Crying A River and Kevin Brett on Find Some Freedom. The release is punctuated throughout by steady drumming by Gary Craig and Wurlitzer organ played by co-producer Mark Lalama especially on the second track the catchy, Golden Rule. Opening with the rousing Happy As Hell with backing vocals from Dean McTaggart it sets the tone for a mellow meandering stream of music. All I Wanna Do, has a funky saxophone riff played by Johnny Johnson, it has a New Orleans feel to it. Lean Into The light sees Suzie her keeping bass tones moving on and her vocal range is deeper consequently, a real grower of a tune and played live would fill a room, very good. Sassy lyrics blend with fine electric guitar on Watch Me where she really lets of steam. The cover of John Forgery’s A Hundred Degrees InThe Shade gets a makeover with Suzie bringing out her National Folkstar guitar for this one, with some fine harmonies. Danger Zone sees her play solo bass g uitar and singing unaccompanied a pure treat. Creaking Pines has a slow bluesy vibe linking with some jazzy lyrics and a string arrangement by
Mark LaLama. Beautiful Little Fool rolls along nicely has a good groove. Drift Away finishes this release and is the best song, very moody and lustful and a wonderful guitar solo included. Suzie is a very poetic singer-songwriter, her vocals are pure and strong and that is the hallmark of this fine release. She truly is a unique talent.
Colin CampbellMadeWright Records
If you haven’t heard of Little Freddie King, do not make assumptions that this is a Freddie King cover and think again. Little Freddie King is seen as a national treasure at 78 and known as the last of the New Orleans blues musicians playing USA and beyond. Absolutely The Best is thirteen tracks that captures country style deltablues. The opening number Crack Head Joe gets us off to a bright and breezy upfront number that is fresh as a daisy. The energy that defines Little Freddy King shines through. He hollers Wake Up Joe across the cyclical melody of harp and more. The tempo changes to some hip-swaying Latin feel with Great Great Bamboozle which fl ows with intent. The guitar is sharp, smooth and swampy refl ecting the mood being captured in the songs. Always authentic, the sound melds and changes shape, refl ecting the fl ow of the river as we drift through the delta. The difference in tone and texture is never a shock, the consistency that glues the album together is the blues harp and Little Freddie King’s voice moaning and a grumbling as the story is built upon across the music. We have another gem with I Wanna See Dr. Bones, a train classic captured in the steam head with Louisiana Train Wreck and don’t forget Walking With Freddie. The
song is a walk-through of life and not forgetting the roots of the music. This is an album that celebrates tradition with joy it is Absolutely The Best and Little Freddie oozes the blues with every note played and sung.
Liz Aiken
Dixiefrog
Archie is the nephew of John Lee Hooker and cousin of Earl and aged 13 he left the Mississippi cotton plantations to move to Memphis, immersing himself in that city’s rich musical heritage. After awhile though the young Archie moved in with his uncle John Lee, becoming his foster child and was surrounded by blues and the cream of blues musicians on a daily basis. In later life he moved to Europe and performed as part of Carl Wyatt and the Delta Voodoo Kings. So this album comes late in life for Archie and is clearly a reflection of his life events. This is a pure blues record. There is a clear hint of John in Archie’s voice that suits the music perfectly. Opener 90 Days reflects his early life as does the childhood memories evoked in the spoken lyrics on Don’t Tell Mama. But this is no stale old blues. Archie’s band The Coast To Coast Blues Band are young and vibrant, and they really start to swing on the up tempo Big Ass Fun. Found A Good One keeps the pace fl owing and features some wonderful Hammond playing by Matt Santos. Some tasteful Sax features in Tennessee Blues, a more slow-paced tale of lost love that shows another side to
The blues harmonica player Bob Corritore has surrounded himself with an array of musical talents on Don’t Let the Devil Ride. The twelve tracks
Archie’s vocals. Title track Chilling reminded me a little of Robert Belfour in its delivery, no bad thing in my book. You Don’t Love Me No More has some Pinetop style piano and more of that saxophone, kudos to the European musicians for producing a real Chicago feel not only on this track but throughout. Blues Shoes is a lovely reflective blues that features more great Hammond playing and evokes John Lee on the vocal. Fred Barreto shines on lead guitar too on this. I’ve Got Reasons recounts the place Archie felt in was in that lead to him leaving the USA and relocating to Europe but its not a feel sorry for myself track, it’s upbeat and the band stretch out and show their talents throughout. Bright Lights Big City recalls moving from the plantations to Memphis, with some nice harp provided by the gifted Mark Santos. Final song is one of my favourite John Lee Hooker tracks Jockey Blues and this version doesn’t disappoint. There are some spoken word anecdotes spread throughout that add interest and context. All in all this is a classy authentic blues album with a contemporary feel that I highly recommend.
Steve Yourglivch
Big Dez is not the name of the enigmatic gentleman posing on the album cover, thoughtful expression on face, battered guitar case in hand – that would be Phil Fernandez, and Big Dez is the band he fronts, and has guided from its start in Paris in 1996. Unsparingly, America got involved, and the band began recording in Texas, and have embraced their blues brothers, who have clearly embraced them right back. This is album number eight, and you’d imagine that in that time, Mr Fernandez and the group of people he likes to record with would have honed their craft to perfection, in terms of compositional ability, vocal delivery, guitar playing, and all the other ingredients that come together to make a fabulously good blues record. From the opening sounds of Bout You, it’s clear that you are not going to be disappointed. There’s a feel of vintage Doobie Brothers about the lush arrangements, when the Hammond organ, that fabulous guitar, and the backing vocals all mesh together to provide a
technicolour aural experience. By the time the band hit the sheer joyfulness of Last Train with the romping horns, and then goes into the nod to classic blues rock that AC/DC have cornered By Yourself you start to realise just what an enjoyable and accomplished collection of songs this is. The outfi t shift effortlessly into southern soul with That’s The Way You Can Change once again resting on a bed of horns and backing vocals with lush Hammond organ weaving in and out. Fancy heavy funk? That’s here too – The Felione has dancing bass lines and sawing guitar phrases. The final cut is a rollicking blues tune called Memphis, a Lynyrd Skynyrd rolling piano leads this one, and finishes the album in real style. It’s as near as you can get to a perfect example of a band at the peak of its compositional, arranging and playing abilities, this is a must have for anyone who loves uplifting rocking blues music. That’s everyone then!
Andy Hughes.there are no weak players, with as many telling guitar solos as there are Harmonica improvisations. If you like your harmonica playing to be bluesy, you could do much worse than checking out this characterful release.
Ben Macnair
are the musical highlights of nine sessions recorded between 2014 and 2017, so the change in personal, both in terms of musicians and production means that this is a collection of musical moments, rather than an album that is designed to hang together. The genre is blues, but there are a lot of shifts In mood, from the full-on tempo of Fork In The Road, to the slow Don’t Let the Devil Ride, sung with intensity
by Alabama Mike. Willie Mae is mid paced rocker, with characterful vocals from Bill Parry, who also provides the guitar on this track. Alabama Mike returns for the much faster Blues, Why You Worry Me? Album closer Thundering and Raining is a slow minor key shuffl e giving plenty of time for the inherent emotion of the song to shine. Although Bob Corritore is the featured player on this album,
Alright this is not specifi cally a blues genre release, more in the category of World Music. However there are a lot of different styles and tones on this fi fth release by Bassekou Kouyate. Other than writing these eleven tracks he also plays the ngoni. This instrument has a wooden body with dried animal skin stretched over it. It has six strings usually in two parallel rows that produce fast melodies. It is a traditional instrument from West Africa here played by Mali born Bassekou. Miri according to the notes is interpreted as being a dream or contemplation. After a few listens you hear different tunes and melodies each time. The track Wele Ni seems to encapsulate a toxic vibe and here he uses a bottleneck that really adds to that ethereal rootsy sound, featured vocalist. Abdoulaye Diabate has a lilting voice.Bassekou has played at lots of international festivals including WOMAD and Glastonbury and has shared the stage with Taj Mahal and Youssou N’Dour.The release seems politically charged and addresses a lot problems in Africa as on Konya, which deals with jealousy. Deli, deals with relationship problems and what makes a true friendship. His band is a family unit of high class musicians, including his wife Amy Sacko on sweet vocals and son Madou Kouyate on the bass ngoni. There is even fi ddle playing on Nyame, by
Casey Driessen. It was recorded at Bassekou’s studio in Bamako the capital of Mali. Wele Cuba is full of energy and good harmonies abound, very catchy chorus, with a Latino beat African style. Fanga is more laid back tune. This leads into Tabital Pulaaku featuring Afel Bocoum. on vocals; this is feisty tune about farming problems and has a distinct mouth music style. Final track is a tribute to his mother, Yakare who was the mainstay of the family. Bassekou laments her death saying “It is like someone tears out the door of your house”. This is a very personal release full of emotion and tone. Blues music crosses all borders, here is a great example of that style. A very melodic release by a very good band, well worth a listen to broaden the listeners’ musical horizons.
Colin CampbellIf you judge a bluesman by the company he keeps, then vocalist and harp player Chris O’Leary is in the musical aristocrat bracket. He was vocalist and front man for The Barnburners, the band run by great Levon Helm (1940-2912). Chris has an impressive blues CV as he’s played with numerous stars including James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin and others. This is big, grown-up blues by an ex-marine who knows how to write passionate, poetic songs. The title offering, 7 Minutes Late is a moody prime example; a tragic tale of broken marriage including the poignant observation “With the weight of the world on a man’s shoulders, it will take a toll on your back”. The powerful 8-piece band, complete with brass section, slash and burn on some tracks such as Bones, yet pull back to emotional subtlety for a moving
song like Daddy’s Here. Chris plays a mean harp and there’s some tasty guitar playing by Peter Hopkinson and guests Pete Kanaras and Chris Vitarello. All told this album serves to illustrate that America’s modern blues scene goes from strength to strength. It’s a fine project by an award-winning musician, so if he
comes your way, don’t miss the show.
Roy BaintonIndependent
Kadonnut Manner means The Lost
A Bones & Blues Production
Dan Garner, actor, musician, songwriter singer, and master magician has been the Swiss Army Knife of Shreveport, Louisiana’s entertainment scene for decades. Shreveport, the Louisiana you don’t know, part Elvis and part Lead Belly and shaped Louisiana Haywire from seeds they sowed. Veteran performers, Mark Griffi th, Dan Garner, Rick Willis and Jim Obrien were recorded live at The Hollywood and mastered warts and all by Matt Whatley (Iggy Pop), Combover Mastering. The concept for the band is based on the sketchy legend of Lickskillet’s, Louisiana Haywire. Midcentury past the music from a back water town of Lickskillet fl ooded homes every Saturday night from great acts as The Swanky Sisters and Bubba Purcell & the Keatchie Warblers. This weekly shindig was the brainchild of longtime impresario, Mordecai Mertz who served as producer for over 47 shows. The name came from the sponsor, a local hardware store which sold its own brand of baling wire. Money was no object in the production because there wasn’t
any. After unsuccessful attempts to get the program on air Mordecai hit on a novel idea for broadcasting Louisiana Haywire, ‘Play it real loud!’ So, each Saturday night area music and a word from their sponsor reverberated through windows far and wide. Some say the later shows were recorded and stored in the back room of Red River Hardware then swept away during the fl ood of ‘64. But locals know that this tale, the tapes and this power-driven thirteen tune gem of Louisiana’cana holds elements of truth for the curious, but sprung from the mind of Dan Garner after 40 years’ experience in flabbergasting folks with his brand of fun. Louisiana Haywire Live is What Makes The World Go Round. It’s Bad Luck And Trouble, Hell On Ice and more. Blues and country tunes gone haywire can mend a broken heart, ruin a birthday or make pretty girls create a fever. A single listen will leave you All Dressed Up With No Place To Go, but rockin’ wild on the Bossier Strip. Play it loud, play it often, buy copies for your children.
Darrell SageContinent. and is the product of Finnish guitarist Laurie Manner. This album is a hats off to the country blues style of Mississippi John Hurt and Skip James to name just two. Finger picking on a steel stringed acoustic guitar this is a mellow soothing album. Liner notes explain the exact tuning of each piece of music and the meaning behind the tune. That’s very rare these days but I for one think it’s a great idea. It puts you right inside the mind of the performer
Back in the 1950s Lonnie Donegan was banned by Auntie BBC when he recorded Big Bill Broonzy’s Digging My Potatoes. It wasn’t a song about gardening. A decade later Britain had a puritanical guardian of morality called Mary Whitehouse, and I wish she was alive today to be outraged this loin-stirring collection. Bread and butter, fi sh and chips, blues and sex. They all go together and in the 1920s the blues community had its own lexicon of naughty euphemisms and double entendres. This dozen fruity blues outings makes for very entertaining listening for many reasons. As well as the delectable Ms. Gillespie, there’s the fine traditional underpinning of the original Al Cook Band. This CD has all the authentic, acoustic pre-war barrelhouse, honky-tonk flavour you’d expect, but from a European aspect - Al Cook hails from Bad Ischl, Austria and Austria’s Wolf Records know a thing or two about the blues.
in a totally different way than you would expect. Do You Believe In Sunrise is a beautiful song. Not quite as bluesy as some of the other tunes but a wonderful song all the same. Upon hearing the first couple of tracks I did start to wonder if the album might be a bit repetitive but its not at all. Each song has a structure and style of it’s own. Civil Twilight Nautical Twilight and Astronomical Twilight are all very different in their own unique way. As you hear each individual track
you get the sense of what the tune is saying to you. This may sound bizarre, but it really does work. On each track you get the feeling for which the artist is trying to capture. First Sign Of A gentle Destruction is a powerful song giving you the sense of being on an emotional rollercoaster. A really good song. As I said earlier this is a very mellow and soothing album that could be enjoyed on a Sunday morning whilst reading the newspapers with freshly brewed coffee or winding down at the end of the evening with a single malt. Either way just relax and enjoy this great acoustic guitar album.
Stephen HarrisonClaude Bourbon
Cold River
Big Bill Broonzy’s work is here, too, as Dana caresses the lyrics of I Want My Hands on It. There’s Press My Button, Ring My Bell by Lil Johnson, the woman who gave us Keep A Knockin’ (But you Can’t Come In) in 1935, two decades before Little Richard made it his own. Five of these twelve erogenous outings were composed by Dana Gillespie; FCK Blues has the line ‘FCK - the only thing that’s missing is you’ (Think about it…) She stokes up the stove with some below the belt references in He Cooks Up A Storm, and Brownie McGhee’s saucy Auto Mechanic Blues throws a whole new light on your gear box and big end. This is a superb, uncomplicated recording, Dana’s silky delivery and diction are crystal clear, and the band are on skilful, restrained form. You can enjoy a lot of laughs here which at one time would have been totally illicit. Lonnie Donegan would have loved it - I know I do!
Roy Bainton
Frog Records
Claude Bourbon is a classically trained guitar player born in France but now residing in the UK who draws on his classical background when covering a variety of different genres that include Blues, Spanish and even Medieval, his gentle finger picking acoustic playing is exemplary and his vocals with a slight French pitch are gentle while at the same time showing command of the material. Other than some Violin played by Kimi Samson Claude handles all the other instruments and vocals himself highlighting his versatility, dexterity and skill, his music is so gentle which is best exposed on the eight minutes plus song Berino which incorporates a variety of guitar styles as it gently weaves and meanders through to its conclusion, a real sensory experience. It was surprising to find a cover of Deep Purple’s Soldier of Fortune on the album albeit this was the laid back track on their 1974 Stormbringer album although further research showed that Ritchie Blackmore is one of Claude’s influences hence its inclusion, the majority
of the fourteen songs though are self written by Claude which include a couple of instrumentals and two vocal tracks sung in French, the language change was hardly noticeable as it is the guitar playing that is the main focus of the album. At times it seems as if there are multiple guitars being played such is Claude’s dexterity, whether picking, plucking or strumming the sounds he generates are awe inspiring, there is no doubt that Claude is a master of the Guitar who has developed a unique blend of material that makes him an artist that must be heard and will be enjoyed by followers across the spectrum of acoustic music.
Adrian BlackleeLil G.l.’S Blue Bonanza
Thirty Tigers
Charley Crocket is an ancestor of American folk hero Davey Crockett and cut his teeth busking on the streets of New Orleans and New York. This album pays tribute to those days with his own interpretations of old-school country songs and halfforgotten blues gems. A jazzy cover of Here Am I is followed by Tom T. Hall’s country crooner That’s How I Got To Memphis featuring pedal steel guitar. Next up is the much-covered stomper It’s A Man Down There but the approach here is much lighter than others I’ve heard and very pleasing. Travelin’ Blues is propelled by a funky bassline and good guitar work.
Danny O’Keefe’s sepia-toned country ballad Good Time Charley’s Got
The Blues is taken at a relaxed pace with pretty guitar fills. The songs are well chosen and the unnamed band are excellent allowing the strength of the songs to shine through. Charles Brown’s classic Trouble Blues features double bass and laid-back vocals from Charley but two songs associated
Anyone who read my interview with Eric in the last issue will know how highly I rate this album. Quite simply I believe this is destined for Grammy nominations. This is the follow up to Eric’s previous release on the label, Middle Of The Road and the seeds planted on that have fully blossomed here. Eric is now displaying a maturity and diversity in his writing and presentation that for too long was absent. He has always had the chops and has been a gifted guitarist. There’s a short instrumental passage leading into the first main track Something’s Gotta Give that features guest vocalist B.Slade alongside Eric and that sets the pace, it’s soft almost acoustic opening gradually building into a strong message of hope and change. That theme of change and defiance crops up throughout the album and is clearly Eric’s mindset now. Whatcha’ Gon’ Do is a rich amalgam of funk, blues soulful rock that sticks in your head, there’s even a tinge of an underlying Middle Eastern vibe a la Zep going on. How Do I Get You is an out and out love song and non the worse for that. It’s feels heartfelt and is one of the tunes that emphasis how much Eric has worked on improving his vocals both in delivery and control. It’s the perfect precursor to one of the albums major highlights, Southpaw Serenade, an eight and a half minute tour de force with
Eric trading licks with fellow left handed player Doyle Bramhall ll that will have guitarists drooling. It’s not just a guitar free for all though, it’s subtle and again Eric delivers the vocals wonderfully. Reaching For A Change is up next, a more blues rock exploration but with class oozing from every riff. Somebody Lied is unashamedly political and will connect with everyone on some level. Then we have the other major guest appearance and highlight, a rousing version of With A Little Help From My Friends featuring a jaw dropping vocal extravaganza with Beth Hart. I hope they get together onstage and replicate this live, it really is one of very best versions of this timeless classic I’ve ever heard. It has an epic-ness running through its veins and the fact that Eric can stand toe to toe with such a great singer on this showcases again how far he has come as an all-round performer. The album proper closes with Resolution, an instrumental that goes a long way to show why lots of people including the likes of Joe Bonamassa cite him as possibly the best guitarist in the world. My promo copy has the bonus track Pedal To The Metal again featuring B.Slade sharing vocals. Is it too early to talk in terms of Album of the Year? Possibly but this is certainly a contender.
Steve Yourglivch
with George Jones change the mood again. The Race Is On veers into rockabilly territory and then Burn Another Honky Tonk Down adds a touch of Louisiana swamp with lilting accordion. In more familiar blues territory we get Jimmy Reed’s slinky Bright Lights Big City and T-Bone Walker’s classic T-Bone Shuffl e featuring an unexpected trumpet solo. The album closes with Lavelle White’s gospel fl avoured Lead Me On featuring souldrenched vocals from Charley. This is more than just a covers album. It is a collection of timeless American songs which hangs together well and will appeal to those with broader tastes.
Dave Drury
The cover shot has Millns looking like a repo man at the end of an aggravating day, but we know better than to judge a book. This release brings us fourteen numbers from Paul, in the company of a full range of instrumentalists to complement the singer’s keyboard work. His son plays some Hammond! Drink Up People slides in on greasy horns and Millns’ sandpaper-and-bourbon voice tells the tale, with a touch of Hoagie Carmichael or Roger Miller. The Only Dance That Matters has a folky sepia lilt and could be a Willie Nelson outing. It has an elegant vibe, violin and all. Weather For The Blues takes a stealthy harp-fl ecked tempo and goes for a Tom Waits feel, underpinned by electric piano and spidery guitar motifs. She’s Flying Today has a calypso ambience and Paul sings of his love returning to him. It has a grizzled tenderness. If I Were You starts with melancholy, almost hymnal piano and a vocal of battered resignation, the solemn backing adding
a dark cloud of its own. God’s Little Mistake takes a steady tempo, with slivers of Hammond and a vocal with a determined telling of a tale of hard times. Not exactly lifting the mood! The J J Cale style backing is deftly handled. Title cut A Little Thunder evokes Randy Newman with its raggedy piano and questioning lyric. This suits Millns’ voice of course. My Father’s Son
uses a melody that wouldn’t be out of place on a Cat Stevens record. Contrasts well with the rest of the material as a thoughtful interlude. Breathing In has baroque instrumentation and another Newman styled progression. These songs are often like short stories. God Save The SelfDoubters brings in the grainy horns on a philosophical, poetic rumination. Too Soon sounds like a demo
Mascot/Provogue
Keys man of choice for many great artists, Wynans in conversation seems softly chuffed with having his own album out. On it he mixes styles, tempo’s and instrumentation and to be frank listening to it you might not assume it was a keys player’s oeuvre...which is my way of saying you will likely just enjoy the tunes and performances. Stars abound on every cut, but seemingly with the sole aim of creating a fine album. It’s a show of respect, of course, but nobody holds back, least of all the singers. A very familiar pair of SRV-era items open the proceedings in the shape of Crossfire with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and a roaring vocal from Sam Moore, crisp horns, rich Hammond. Then the wah-soaked Say What again with KWS. That Driving Beat has a Mike Farris vocal and bass from Michael Rhodes on a truly Jnr Walker style outing. You’re Killing
My Love brings in Doyle Bramhall
11 over throaty flanged organ, very Albert King and a stinging Wynans solo. The mighty Warren Haynes
and other singers such as Vince Gill makes Sweet Release a cathartic country ballad. Shape I’m In, has rocking piano and singing from Noah Hunt whilst Hard To Be has Bonnie Bramlett, producer Joe Bonamassa and Jimmy Hall to the fore. A new version of the sublime Riviera Paradise leans towards West Coast jazz and strings that evoke the Spirit recordings that brought in orchestral genius Marty Paich. Take a bow Jeff Bova! Take The Time ticks every box, with Haynes slide and other worldly bass figures. So Much Trouble the Tampa Red tune has Bonamassa turning in the strongest vocal on the set. Put it in the JB setlist, Joe!!
I’ve Got A Right To Be Blue is an old timey piece with Keb Mo aboard. Soul Island is a breezy instrumental reminiscent of Donald Byrd or Cedar Walton, Josh Smith shining on guitar. The farewell piece is a pastoral Blackbird, on the piano.
Pete Sargeant
Ruf has a history of promoting young female artists over the years (Ana Popovic and Erja Lyytinen for example) and the latest is Katarina Pejak. Katarina spent time at Berklee where she studied keyboards under Dave Limina (Ronnie Earl); she writes, sings and plays keys and has released three previous albums in her native Serbia but this is her international debut. The album was recorded in Texas with Laura Chavez on guitar, Lonnie Trevino Jr on bass and Damien Llanes on drums; Mike Zito produces and adds guitar and backing vocals to one track. Katarina wrote most of the material here with assistance from Mike on one track and there are covers from two of Katarina’s influences: Joni Mitchell and Janis Joplin. The Joni cover is Sex Kills which suits Katarina’s sultry voice and jazzinflected keyboard work; Janis’ Turtle Blues is the straightest blues
for Sacha Distel. Drunk Again takes us back to bluesy territory, The First Smile is a late-night refl ection in a downtown bar. Finally, Last Love rides out over that lonesome piano.
Pete Sargeant
of the set as Katarina’s version evokes Bessie Smith’s memory and features a superb solo from Laura Chavez whose guitar work throughout is outstanding, further adding to her burgeoning reputation. The original material ranges quite widely, a song like Moonlight Rider managing to bring both CSNY and the Allmans to mind as Mike adds harmonies and slide guitar; with strong lyrics about passionate love and separation this is a standout song, albeit not blues. Of the up-tempo songs Chasing Summer is a chugging rocker, Down With Me is fuelled by Laura’s insistent riff and Cool Drifter is a strong track with funky guitar and fine piano. She’s Coming After You has an unmistakably European feel combined with Laura’s lowkey musings. The title track is another introspective song about lost love and The Harder You Kick is a solo piano/vocal performance with a definite hint of jazz. The opening track is called Nature Of My Blues and although there is little straight blues here the disc definitely grows on you. Katarina will be part of the Blues Caravan tour this year, along with Ina Forsman and Ally Venable.
JOHN MITCHELLAudiences have been clamouring for a live album featuring Tommy’s
new stripped down four piece band – and here it is roaring out of the speakers. Since ditching his horn section Tommy has more space for his fiery guitar playing and improvisation as featured on the lively, rocking opener Make It Back To Memphis featuring pounding piano from Mike Emerson. The party starts here as the enthusiastic crowd show their approval. Can’t Keep A Good Man Down is a heavy rocker with Tommy kicking out plenty of wailing guitar licks as the rock solid rhythm section of Randy McDonald on bass and drummer Bowen Brown power along. The material is all original bar two covers the first of which is a nicely funked up version of Sleepy John Estes number Leaving Trunk. Tommy introduces Lose Lose as “a low-down funky blues” and the band display their chops on this intense slow burner featuring soul-drenched vocals and emotive guitar work from Tommy. Calling San Francisco is a high-energy blues rocker and a thunderous drumbeat introduces Shakin’ The Hard Time Blues with Tommy delivering powerful vocals and a flashing guitar solo. The pace drops for the ballad Anytime Soon but next up is the funky She Wanted To Give It To Me with Tommy firing out burning guitar licks. Closing track is a lengthy workout of Buddy Miles’ old warhorse Them Changes which is the perfect vehicle for this band’s improvisational skills. Mike Emerson’s organ wails and Tommy’s guitar burns and spits out ferocious licks as the band solo in turn but always return to that familiar repeated riff. Buddy Miles built his career around it and Castro’s band take it to spectacular levels. Fans will love this album and it would be a great place to start for newcomers.
Dave DruryOh dear oh dear! I very nearly fell into the trap of prejudging this album by the way the cover looked. It has a very stark close-up picture of this young Parisian singer/songwriter’s and his eyes seem to bore right into you. It’s most disconcerting. His debut album turns out to be a delight bringing many treats with a rather fresh take on the Blues mixed as it is with elements of R&B, Soul and Gospel. It is very hard to actually place what you hear into a specific category and this is not helped by the unusual sound of the voice. It kind of gravels along and yet there is also a slight hint of femininity in there as well. It is an intriguing and beguiling mix that captures your attention leaving you anticipating what will come next. The instrumentation is at times fairly sparse bass and drums for example drive the opening cut, A Place To Call My Own, along with just chopped guitar chords and a bit of swirling keys on the verses. It continues with Wild and Love Me Like You Do with a strong hypnotic R&B groove. Rise Up And Shine has the audacity to create a wonderful Reggae aural tapestry that sure gets the feet a moving. This lad is covering a lot of bases which could have depleted the impact and feel of the album in lesser hands making just an awful mess. The sure footed production by Mike Neill ensures this mix of influences is gathered in tightly so that it all works seamlessly. Tiwayo has talent for sure and this debut is really rather special. I still don’t like the cover but the music is superb. Highly recommended
Graeme ScottNaked
This is an 11 track CD which is the
first release by these four seasoned veteran performers who have all played in other European Blues bands. They have a fi fth man on as guest player on Hammond organ (Patrick Cuyvers) All of the tracks were written by two members of the band, Stephan Hermsen and Jimmy Hontele; It encourages me that a group of Belgian players get together to record their first album in English despite all
Independent Operatically trained Katie Knipp’s fi fth release after a hiatus to bear two children isn’t music Americana opera style but has many elements of a good one. Love, hate, conflict, death, spirits and more are leitmotifs offered in her new release. Vocally powerful songs present a combination of musical genres as she throws down on piano or tears it up on Dobro guitar, kick drum and harp that features the many talents of this Sacramento song writer-singer. The opener, Ya Make It So Hard stretches her vocals to the limits in a one-woman band dedication to her man. Sometimes breathy, but definitely deliberate vocals during I Don’t Sing For You has Katie wandering thru the keys while friends accompany her on drums, electric guitar and thumping bass to bring closure to an ex from her past. Torment continues during Letters, a somber ballad as she picks and slides through roller coaster vocals in a cycle of hope and despair. Metro In Paris, a torchy minor key piano indulgence during rush hour with Katie while she fantasizes sexually about
the fuss about Brexit! And there is nothing on any of the eleven tracks to indicate that this is anything other than an English/American band! So irrespective of the Euro climate, the Blues rolls on! Somebody should write a song about that, oh I forgot, I already have. There are some great songs here and the sound is authentic sounding American blues and I have no doubt that this type of record will
the stranger she’s pressed tightly against. I Will Stick Around showcases Katie’s vocal range while comfortably backed by keys and restrained electric guitar licks in a persuasive confirmation of love and loyalty. The earthy tones of Katie’s Dobro and a drum roll opens Come Back for an emotionally loaded slow roller of obsessive love. She rock and rolls her way out of a liaison wanted long gone on Get Outta My Dream. Katie kicks the devil out of her drum kit, wails on the harp and slides through Santa Cruz Blues like a woman possessed, ‘suicide blues’, she screams at the haunting memory of evil personified. Another Round has us hanging with the band in the early morning Quarter complete with a horn section and the spirit of Alan Toussaint hovering over her piano. Descriptive lyrics, instrumental journeys, images and melodies that linger all shape Take It With You into a bravo performance by Katie Knipp.
Darrell Sage
With a superb production, Rock Your Blues Away is a finely balanced work, balancing between a heavy soul injection and a lowdown dirty Blues heritage. L.A. Big Daddy’s are David E. Jackson (Drums), and Matt Bragg (Bass). This album is more of a project for the two former session musicians and their intent is to reclaim The Blues for a generation of listeners and African Americans who have all but abandoned the genre. Whilst on tour with ‘Sista Monica’ Parker back in 2007 their love for The Blues was ignited and they were amazed that all across Europe it was a surprise to witness the love for this music that was for the most part no longer being played or enjoyed by the black folks who birthed it. That got them to thinking and the project was born. They are joined by a host of musicians, including a brass section and all the songs are originals written from within the project. Throughout, influences keep appearing in the songs, such as Just For You, a song written by Ernie Johnson and Norman
Williams. Ernie is something of a southern singing legend, but when he sings, you can hear Bobby Bland in every intonation, breath and sigh, a beautiful slow Blues that emotes feeling. Williams is a keyboard player who fled L.A. and Jackson and Bragg in 1984 to tour with ZZ Hill. The album opens with an upbeat funky tune called The Funky Blues. Kee Eso Pitchford on smoky vocals and some delightful tenor sax courtesy of Rodney Taylor, but more importantly the quality of both songwriting and performance sets a high bar for what the listener can expect throughout. There are no fillers in this set, with each track possessing highlights that adds to the overall experience. Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Gregg Wright has said this album is a “bonafide Monster” with Guitar Shorty claiming it is “an album you gotta buy”! Praise indeed, but one to which I concur.
Merv Osbornecontinue long past any current disturbance that there might be out there. Track six I’m a good man is the one that I would have chosen as the title track with that lovely Hammond organ winding through it. Track 7 takes me straight back to the Sixties dance halls where every self-respecting band had to have at least one instrumental in their set list. This may be the first record by the present band, but
with the pedigree that they have, I don’t think that this will be the last!
Dave StoneRuf
The Ragtime Rumours blend Twenties swing, jazz and blues something of a throwback but they do it very
well. Having seen the band live it is no surprise that they won the 2018 European Blues Challenge and their latest album is a good representation of what they do. The Dutch quartet consist of singer/guitarist Tom Janssen, multi-instrumentalist Thimo Gijezen who moves between guitar, piano, bass and accordion, Niki van der Schuren handles bass/sax/flute and Sjaak Korsten is on drums and washboard; everyone adds backing vocals. The songs are attributed to the whole band and are all in English, with several exhibiting a biting sense of humour. The lyrics are more narrated than sung by Tom and that story feel is reinforced by the CD’s packaging with the lyrics reproduced in an imitation newspaper. Opener Way Too Smart explains how the narrator keeps the costs down with all manner of ingenuity, Turn Every Dollar expands the theme to the story of a miser who cannot stop making money and Hookman explores a local down and out with one hand who ends up a hero by rescuing children from drowning. Niki takes over on lead vocals on the quieter Holly Woedend, playing some ethereal flute, and also sings the traditional Wayfaring Stranger. Most of the album is relentlessly upbeat: Stop That Train has a suitably frenetic pace; Everywhere I Go is a catchy tune with a rousing chorus that offers a fine sing-along opportunity live and The Cigar rattles along with another tale of a loser who even bet on a horse that was shot by the starting pistol! Humanity is the closest to a straight blues with more cynical lyrics. Indeed, most of the songs have a healthy dose of cynicism and those who are upset by bad language may need to close their ears to the occasional use of the F word but overall this is an interesting album, a real departure for Ruf who are best known for blues-rock releases.
John Mitchell
Peace and justice campaigner Sean Taylor Is one of the most influential musicians of his generation. This latest album tackles contemporary issues with truth and integrity, from Brexit blues to the Grenfell tragedy, but also offers hope in the pursuit of peace and love. The scene is set with This Is England, a spoken word stream with evocative piano accompaniment and backing vocals exploring life today and English identity in this broken generation. Lampedusa is named after the Italian island which is one of the primary refugee crossing points that has claimed over 1000 lives. Sean refl ects on the death of compassion and equality, the anguish evident in Andre Moran’s empathetic guitar interludes. Taylor highlights the demonization of the working class in Grenfell whilst The Last Man Standing (Merry Christmas)’ contrasts the homelessness and freezing for some with the celebrations of others more fortunate. America does not escape Taylor’s wrath on Little Donny, the president singled out for rebuke: “With his tiny hands, Grabs a woman anywhere, He doesn’t need consent, Little Donny doesn’t care”, the crescendos revealing the intensifying anger. The tempo might be upbeat and jaunty on A Cold Wind Blows but there is nothing light hearted about sleeping rough on the capital’s streets, a sombre mood skilfully created by Henry Senior’s Pedal Steel. Next up are melancholic songs about drink, drugs and addiction: Tobacco and Whiskey is well matched to Sean’s husky tones whilst Number 49 features a mesmeric suitcase drum beat and timely Hammond organ interludes from Texas-based producer Mark Hallman. Joe Morales’ superb saxophone complements the backing
Lucy Zirins is a serious student of music who started performing a decade ago, winning numerous awards and building up a loyal fan base en route from Lancashire to her current London home. The bar is set high on the funky percussive One Long Goodbye, Lucy’s alluring, poetic lyrics setting the scene: “I don’t want to turn back the time/ Maybe it’s the way that I’m made/ My life has been one long goodbye.” Crystal clear powerful vocals pierce the heart of the listener on the quasi-religious Right Side Of Wrong, the tension rising with the volume of her electric guitar. The incredible range in Lucy’s voice is confirmed on Stuck In Motion, her vulnerability evident as she dreams of a sweeter man who will treat her kindly, but in reality she wakes up lonely. Time To Go oozes integrity with the acknowledgement that time is definitely up on the relationship rather than saying maybe. The jaunty Close To The Wire with its changing tempos and layered crescendos of vocals and instruments is another cleverly arranged song. Stripped back to Lucy’s acoustic guitar accompaniment is the charming Clean Condition with some regrets about not getting her heart torn and tattered like her favourite pieces of clothes. The atmospheric, haunting Hold The Night Back with its strong visual imagery and “scent
of summer and the sweet smell of pine” is both intriguing and enigmatic. The soul bearing title track with Pete Billington’s sensitive piano accompaniment is a beautiful love song: “How could you know everything you are to me? You’re my silver and gold.” The bitterness of lost love is the theme of The Fall which acknowledges that the hardest choice is learning when to let go. Back To Sleep confirms the power of the backing musicians, Billington and James Knight to expand and enhance a song, the special chemistry between the three of them being tangible throughout. When Lucy experiences the heartache of a broken relationship in Don’t Look Back she does not seek sympathy: “Lay down the pain like a gentle kiss/But as you do, I ask you this/Just don’t look back as you walk away.” The sincerity, strength and depth of Lucy’s solo performance with quiet acoustic backing on this finale is breathtaking. Lucy Zirins offers a refreshing, contrasting style of restrained, folksy tones, deep rooted blues, raw yet controlled emotions, intelligent reflections and genuine hope arising from despair, leaving the listener empowered and exhilarated.
THE BISHOP
vocals, organ and guitars to educe the sound of peace shining through evil In The Name Of God. Depression is explored in The Other Side Of Hurt and the title track but in The Path Into Blue there is also the seed of love and search for truth. Sean delivers effectively on contrasting material because his vocal range and instrumental skills continue to develop exponentially alongside increasingly deft and mature song writing. It was always going to be difficult for Sean to surpass his critically acclaimed Flood And Burn album but this latest release propels him further towards membership of that pantheon of elite musicians, alongside Dylan, Cohen, Van Zandt and Martyn.
The BishopCharles Bradley lives up to his nickname of “The screaming eagle of soul” on this remarkably fine set. The Dunham label is a subsidiary of Daptone, the company known for its championing of the present-day revival of 60s and 70s soul and funk – Charles fits right in, and this is his fourth album for the label, since his debut in 2011 with the album No Time For Dreaming. Sadly, it is a posthumous set – Charles died of cancer in September 2017, at the age of 68drawing from the sessions for those three previous albums, but the quality is in no way compromised. You can really pick any of the ten tracks at random, and there are elements of his very strong influence from James Brown but perhaps take a listen to the slow, impassioned and haunting I Feel A Change or the closing, soul-drenched Victim Of Love (Electric Version). He also turns in three very fine if maybe rather surprising covers, though it is fair to say
that they may not really be that unexpected. After all, this is the man who turned in the sublime cover of Black Sabbath’s Changes: Neil Young’s folky hit Heart Of Gold is transformed into a soul number, Nirvana’s Stay Away keeps something of a grunge-y feel whilst being given an almost psychedelic soul treatment and Slip Away from Rodriguez is just wonderful. The musicianship is also something rather special throughout, and the title track is in fact an impressive instrumental workout for The Menahan Street Band; it might mean one less vocal from Charles, but no-one can begrudge them this, it does deserve to be there. Oh, and for those of you who watch American Dad, Charles was indeed the singing voice of Krampus.
Norman DarwenNaked
Hipster-fronted Belgian combo Black Cat Biscuit have come up with a CD of twelve originals, expressly designed to highlight their ability to write and perform across the entire palette of blues and related genres without even pausing for breath as they switch styles. All in a day’s work for these guys, I guess. It’s all listenable, but I particularly enjoyed Haunting Me and Goin’ Home, both excursions into truckerbilly. Minor key efforts Ain’t Got Nobody To Come Home and unfaithful woman story So Sad And Lonely showcase appropriately jazz-inflected harp work from Mark ‘Mr Mighty Sepanski’ and hot Wes Montgomery octave licks courtesy of Stanley Patty. Hooker-reminiscent Bad James is the cautionary tale of a cowboy addicted to unspeakable acts of sexual depravity, while Hey Little Kiddy takes us into jazz-blues territory. Likewise, I
Don’t Know is pure jump, allowing Patty to delve into his bag of 1940s licks, while Parrot Woman is a quirky swamp rock account of a sexually predatory woman with an unusual pick-up technique. Of course, there’s sometimes an element of pastiche in all this, but it’s handled with sufficient aplomb for that not to be a major quibble. BCB are representing their home country at this year’s European Blues Challenge, and if That’s How The Cookie Crumbles is anything to go by, are bound to impress the judges. Belgian music has come a long way since Plastic Bertrand.
David OslerIf there is a link between the primal feel of Delta Blues and bang-upto-date dance music with ambient sounds, then this album is it. This band is from Belgium, a four piece, but information on the album sleeve, and the accompanying blurb is scant, which rather adds to the mystery of the whole thing. It’s clear that Boogie Beasts don’t think any piece of guitar, drums, harmonica, or vocal (there’s no bass) on their album belongs until it has been fuzzed, echoed, and generally distorted to the very edge of its existence. This makes for a cosmic aural soup where sounds that are standard in blues, honking harmonica, twangy guitar, heartbeat drums, and a seriously haunted lost and lonely voice, are all present and correct, but it’s the production that changes everything into something ethereal and edgy. If this album was a soundtrack, it would be for something set in the deep South involving enigmatic strangers stalking something that remains just out of reach, hinted at, but never actually seen. Does that sound
O S L U stands for Our Secret Little Underground. Slightly unusual name but not an unusual sound. This is an album of obscure tracks from other artists and original material from Andy Lewis and Sean Osgood who make up OSLU. The opening track is a tribute to Albert Ammons. Entitled Albert it’s a very short boogie woogie piano piece that gives you a taster of what is to come. I’m sure that the man himself would be very pleased to be remembered this way. River Boat Song originally done by J J Cale is just magnificent. Considering this is mainly a two-piece band the energy and delivery gives you the feel of a much larger band. One Good Man, a cover of a Janis Joplin track has a guest vocalist by the name of Jade Thunder. Jaw dropping vocals combined with superb guitar and piano is simply beautiful. The guest vocalist is one that needs to be kept an eye on in the future and I for one would love to see her perform with these guy’s again. Engagement Blues written by Andy Lewis has such a
sweet soulful guitar running right through the song. It captures the essence of the blues perfectly. Too Bad is an old B-side of a Clapton record. Upon hearing these guys perform it here it certainly gets the A-side treatment. A great song given a new lease of life by two wonderful musicians. Another Andy Lewis tune with guest vocalist Su Kirby Clarke Janes Song is simply sensational. Short but oh so brilliantly delivered. This song gave me Goosebumps. It’s that good. Definitely the standout track on the album as far as I’m concerned. The final two tracks on the album are co-written by Lewis and Osgood. Charm Offensive is charm personified. A bit of Santana type guitar playing make this a bit of a rocker. A really great song performed so well by these two guys. Quite simply a fantastic album. I’ll look forward to many more.
Stephen HarrisonIf you come home late and fancy un-hooking your mind for a while, and drifting into the blues netherworld, this album is absolutely for you. I’m going to be playing this a lot.
Andy Hughes
strange? Then it gives you the fl avour of this album. It certainly won’t appeal to blues purists, but for people who like their blues with a different slant, this band is absolutely worth checking out. Girl, you got trouble all over your face repeats Jan Jaspers, or it might be Mathias Dalle, is gradually buried under a welter of doubletracked fuzzed guitars before it stops, and the next song starts, Gonna Be
Your Man intoning even more driving and even more fuzzed guitar, and even more ghostly harmonica, with some echoed French spoken word, this album just gets weirder and more hypnotic the further on it goes. Night Time Hero verges on danceable, but something tells you that only rockabilly zombies on a full moon night in a country graveyard would actually choose this for their next struggle.
Danny Lynn Wilson, has travelled many dusty foot-sore miles. The album, Peace of Mind is a personal collection deeply rooted with original outpourings of his inner experiences. An album of two halves slower acoustic at the beginning of the journey with the tempo sometimes growing, never raucous but an upbeat foot-tapping humming type sound. Opening with a soulful acoustic number, When Will The Loving Start, quietly, mournfully setting the journey with Danny off with the simplicity of delivery commanding your attention. The title track has a country feel with violin and banjo. The tempo is considered captured in mindfulness that will help the listener find Peace of Mine. The beat picks up and the feet respond with the jaunty approach to Long Way Home. Picking up the feeling of hope and positivity Danny is trying to capture on the album with a phalanx of musicians in supporting roles to Danny Lynn Wilson the multiinstrumentalist. The changes are sometimes subtle but they are there with change of vocalists or as with Love Only You the poignant emotive cello from Clare Wilson. We all want to get that feeling of well beginning that music can provide. Shine Is Off is one of those tracks, like the rest of the album delivered with humility and listened to with an intent as Wilson personally connects. We have electric plugged in with Arkansas Trotter, the tempo is rising as the journey
progresses. A Cohenesque delivery by Danny with a slow deep and fathomless soundscape is created on the closing track, Galway Bay. Thirteen tracks that cover blues, with a sprinkle of country and a swirl of quiet intent this slow burner lights the speakers with quality musicianship exploring the emotion held within each song.
Liz Aiken
Vizztone
Gaye Adegbalola has always been an uppity blues woman, not just when she was with Alligator Records’ act Saffire. Here she takes on the role of the griot – though it is one she has really always had, a spokeswoman commenting on life, challenging injustice and celebrating triumph. Each of the seventeen tracks here represents a topic for a topical blues, among them hypocrisy, sexism, poverty, sex, love, vanity, freedom, from an African –American perspective but certainly relevant to everyone. Trump might be an easy –but certainly legitimate – target for criticism, but it is good to see the blues supporting American footballer Colin Kaepernick in taking the knee. Don’t get the idea that this CD is all deadly serious though – Gaye knows that sometimes a sense of humour can be effective at gaining attention. Just take a listen to the lyrics of 3 Hour Shoes (Stylin’ For The Lord). Musically, these songs range from the folky, two guitar accompanied cover of (There Is Always) One More Time, known from Joe Cocker, Johnny Adams, BB King or Irma Thomas, the Mississippi Delta blues tinged Sorry, But… No Shame, and the Bessie Smith fl avoured Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl to the slow, deep blue’s ballad Gon’ Be Alright, about
growing old, a chugging Jimmy Reed beat blues, with harp, such as Ain’t Technology Grand? and the throw it all in and see what happens approach (and it works) of (You’re) Flint Water. A very fine release, thought-provoking and amusing at the same time, and beautifully packaged too.
Norman DarwenThis is a recording of nine tracks that Guitar slinger Dexter Allen recorded at The Crossroads, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Here he has, Jonah
“Lefty” Nelson on bass guitar, John Blackman on drums and Ced Smith on keyboards. This is a special edition release as it was all mixed for Pass The Pick Productions. It was mastered in Nashville by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Dexter Allen is a Mississippi born son of Pastors Lee and Ruthie Allen, he is an all-round entertainer and here he accentuates the positives in his live show cranking up the right amount of showmanship and versatility of the band. The Club itself is owned by none other than actor Morgan Freeman who introduces the show, this is has been going for fi fteen years and you get a real sense of feel for the music and rapport with the audience, they” just got up
Independent
Phil Doleman claims as influences Ry Cooder, Carolina Chocolate Drops and Blind Boy Fuller but I am surprised he hasn’t included George Melly. With John Chilton’s Feetwarmers in that list as this set of all original songs would have been right up the great man’s alley. Doleman is mainly known as a ukulele player but he is also a pretty good writer and these tracks cover a wide variety of forms, Hokum, jug band, Texas swing and old-time country as well as more regular Blues. And he shows a fine sense for doubleentendre to go with it all. The musicianship throughout is excellent with Doleman playing 5 string banjo, lap steel guitar, harmonica keyboards, bass, percussion and his daughters Caitlin and Maisie
on flute, recorder and percussion plus George Bartle on one-man brass band (on one track). The album really sets this listener’s feet tapping and there is a wonderful good-timey resonance to the whole thing, especially with tracks such as Whiskey In My Bottle and No Biscuits In My Gravy. Shining Cliff is a delightful little instrumental, played on banjo and guitar that had me whistling the refrain for a good few minutes afterwards. The album closer is a sweet ditty, Just Me Now, which has a bittersweet edge to it as it describes the loss of a loved on. All told, this is a lovely album, not earthshaking but well played and well thought through.
Andy Snipperhit the stage and laid it down” according to Dexter. Coming To Mississippi, starts things off and is full of good guitar riffs and sound vocals. Put Your Blues On Me is probably the best track and encapsulates a tight band, well appreciated by the crowd. Tired, is a funky bass driven tune very mellow. Nighttime Loving is slow blues at its best with blistering guitar riff and sees Dexter’s virtuoso playing and melting vocals. Hooked, sees the band playing off the audience and Dexter retells stories about his father and fishing, enough said. Still Called The Blues, slows the tempo down and his vocal delivery is very smooth and more soulful. Big Barn Bed is a Paul McCartney cover which is given a blues overhall, just sublime. Let It Be Me opens with a shuffle and has differing layers, he wrote it “for the men” very sassy, with underpinning organ groove. Last track leaves the audience wanting more; Ain’t That A Shame is a colossal song a great finish to his first live release. The Production and quality of the record shines through on every track, a true gem of a concert by a blazing guitarist and wonderful frontman.
Colin CampbellSlowly I Turn Music
Chicago born bluesman John Greyhound Maxwell took up guitar after seeing BB King in concert, attending Chicago’s historic school of folk he met and took lessons from a young Johnny Long. Giving him a passion for the slide guitar he has never lost, Maxwell released a self produced album Called Blues for Evangeline in 2014, retiring after more than twenty years driving golden gate buses he moved to Port Townsend. In the two years since retirement he has thrown himself into his desire
for a career in music, winning the Washington Blues Society best acoustic blues guitar award in 2018 and also releasing his second album, Even Good Dogs Get The Blues, with a rich voice and a fingerpicking slide guitar style which is grounded and focused, yet delivered with an ease and lightness, here the five classics are given a deep bow, while his seven originals have the same familiar feel, opening with original track Bus Driving Man reflecting on his life, his slide guitar strolls down the road while his smooth voice lets us know “still on the road, now I’m making music for my friends”, joined on St Louis Women by Guy Quintino/Dirk Anderson holding rhythm with double bass, Jon Parry on violin keeping pace with Maxwell playing a mean blues mandolin while brother Steve adds some phat harp on this bluegrass stomper, the beautiful instrumental Salish Sea Slide is a real delight, the Tampa red cover Things About Coming My Way, just sneaks in has my highlight, where a lazy double bass is joined by some bar room tinkling from Paul Rogers on piano, smooth warm vocals and wonderful slide playing, joined by the guests on the original Moon Shining Bright where the slide and double bass create a strolling rhythm for the violin and brooding harp to fade in and out with bluesy vocals over the top, closing with a superb soulful plaintive rendition of Charlie Patton’s Some Of These Days I’ll Be Gone, acoustic blues at its best, highly recommended Shirl
This is a four track EP steeped in old school r&b Honey We’re Through is the opening track with a very heavy nod towards the dirty side of the Delta
Great lead guitar work by Jake Pole who is still only sixteen years old. An old head on young shoulders indeed. So In Love Part 2 has a more mellow feel about it but still with the same energy as the opener. Lovely acoustic guitar work combining well with the vocal talent of Jonny Slidewell Down So Long has the country blues in abundance. Raw vocals and harmonica make it another gem on this EP. I predict a very bright future for these guys. I for one am eagerly awaiting their first full album release. I’m Over You is the final song. Powerful vocals once again bringing out the best in the fine lyrics. All in all, this is a brilliant EP. More of the same on a full album would be magnificent.
Stephen HarrisonBig Crown Records
Lee Fields – or ‘Little JB’ as he is also known – is a soul singer of the classic school; a wonderful voice and really passionate presentation. This is actually the first album by him I have come across although I’ve heard him singing with the absolute crème de la crème of soul and funk, through stints with Kool and the Gang, B.B. King, Dr John, Clarence Carter, Bobby Blue Bland, Betty Wright and even Bobby Womack. He is the leading light in the New York Soul Revival and listening to this takes me back to the soul and funk of the seventies and eighties. Heavy bass lines, crackling percussion sounds, and that deep chocolate voice coupled with subtle horns and minimalist guitar. Then there are the songs, all expositions of love and the glory of love. The musicianship all through the album is exactly as good as you would expect although I do think the bass line is too pronounced sometimes for
This album is a nod and a hat’s off to lesser known blues songs. Well upon the release of this album they will not be lesser known anymore. Me, My Guitar And The Blues kicks off the album in blistering form. An old Jimmy Dawkins tune this is simply sublime in the way that it is honoured here. From the first note Walter Trout grabs you firmly by the throat and takes you for the ride of your life. Paying homage to people of this ilk alongside such seasoned professionals in the band this could easily be a very early contender for album of the year. Be Careful How You Vote simply continues the theme of taking the listener to another level completely. To say that Walter is ablaze here is an understatement. What I like about this album is the diversity of the back catalogue on offer. From Luther Johnson to Hound Dog Taylor and beyond its sheer craftsmanship. Digging into his past no WT album would be complete without a nod to his mentor John Mayall. Nature’s Disappearing takes good care of that. With sublime harmonica throughout and the obligatory
guitar work I’m certain that the godfather of British blues would be very satisfied. Something Inside Of Me only enhances an already stunning album. With distinctive New Jersey vocals and a band of musicians steeped in the blues it has me almost running out of superlatives. It Takes Time by Otis Rush, the man who inspired Led Zeppelin among others is given the right royal treatment. Bass and drums keep this juggernaut of a song firmly on track in a way that Zeppelin would be proud. Among the musicians keeping Walter company Robby Krieger from the Doors throws his hat into the ring with his contribution on Goin Down To The River by Mississippi Fred McDowell. Immediately transporting you back to the swamps of the deep south. This is a truly magnifi cent journey down a blues memory lane. This album is a hat’s off to lesser known blues tunes. If this is not the album of the year, I’ll need my hat to eat.
Stephen Harrisonwhich will inspire any young guitarist looking for a standard to aim for. Mick Clarke was born and raised in London, was bitten by the blues at age nine and he’s never looked back. His influences are plainly there - Freddie, Albert and BB King. In fact, among many others, he’s trod the boards with such luminaries as Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck and the late ace bassist for The Who, John Entwistle. Mick earned a Gold Album for his work on Long John Baldry’s ‘Baldry’s Out!’ album in 1980. He’s written 9 of the 13 tracks here. His version of Hank Williams’ Honky Tonk Blues is complemented by his superb guitar playing over a raucous vocal delivery. The instrumental, Nuthin’burger Blues swings along with satisfying ease. There’s an atmospheric, growling swamp feel to Whisky Blues and a sunny bounce to the instrumental Early Bird. Right and Wrong is a rolling boogie with some fi ery guitar solos as well as Dangerous Dave Newman’s meaty harp. Players like Mick Clarke will never be short of work because they’re musical craftsmen at the top of their game. A very enjoyable blues CD indeed.
Roy Baintonless than brilliant systems – on the other hand, this is good enough to justify an upgrade to hear it at its best. He doesn’t have the raw bellow of a Wilson Pickett or the deep sensuality of Barry White, but he does have an earnest presentation that stands up really well against today’s so-called R&B singers. He will be doing three dates in the UK in May at Cambridge,
Manchester and The Shepherds Bush Empire, well worth putting on your glad rags and getting down with him.
Andy Snipper
Here’s some classic electric blues
Un “Sung Stories” - yes, that’s the correct title - was Phil Alvin’s debut solo offering after the break-up of the Blasters. First released in 1986, here it is on CD for the first time in the UK, courtesy of Ace subsidiary Big Beat. Throughout his 40-year-plus career, Alvin has consistently differentiated between the various strands of what he styles simply ‘American music’, and that’s pretty much the approach he takes here. In this case, you get cover versions all the way, all but two dating from the 1920s and 1930s.
Sometimes it’s Alvin alone, accompanying himself on guitar for Next Week Sometime and Peetie Wheatstraw’s Gangster’s Blues, while the country song Collins Cave hears him joined solely by a bluegrass fiddler. On Otis Blackwell’s standard Daddy Rolling Stone, Alvin is augmented by another guitarist, double bass and piano, stripping the well-known song back to its menacing basics. But probably the highlights of the collection are the tracks featuring guess spots from a couple of legendary jazz outfits. Sun Ra & His Orchestra play on a threenumber Cab Calloway medley build around Minnie The Moocher (yep, the ditty of Blues Brothers fame), as well as depression anthem Brother Can You Spare A Dime? and The Old Man Of The Mountain, while the Dirty Dozen Brass Band grace the opener, Someone Stole Gabriel’s Horn. This album takes three or four plays to lodge in your brain, but the effort will be well-rewarded. Strong.
David OslerFloating World
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks Jnr (aka Taj Mahal) has been part of the blues and roots scene for over fifty years and the album Taj’s Blues is a collection of tracks from his earlier period, when he was releasing material through Columbia records, spanning the period 1967-1972. It also contains a previously unreleased version of East Bay Woman. Amongst other artists on the album, Taj is accompanied on some tracks by a certain Ryland P. Cooder. The album opens with Leaving Trunk by Sleepy John Estes, with a great harp intro from Taj and some very distinctive 60’s blues rock basslines from James Thomas. The classic Statesboro Blues by Blind
Willie McTell is up next and has to be an all-time classic track, which is here played to perfection; crisp and concise. (Incidentally, I have it on good authority, from the very gifted guitarist, Brooks Williams, who was born there, that there isn’t a lot to see in Statesboro!). Everybody’s Got To Change Sometime, another Sleepy John song, is very reminiscent of very early bluesy Fleetwood Mac, or have I got that the wrong way around? There are a few tracks on the album with just Taj on steel-bodied National guitar, one of which is Bound To Love Some. Frankie and Albert are another and is a version of the Frankie and Jonnie classic, with Taj being admirably accompanied by the Pointer Sisters. East Bay Woman is another pared down song, where Taj exhibits his trademark style; Dust My Broom is also given a similar treatment. It’s an excellent lesson in understated blues played with feeling. Corinna is a slight departure from the traditional blues style and heads into a more soulful direction. Jellyroll returns to the blues and sings about that good old favourite blues topic. Fishin’ Blues was recorded in 1969, but has such an authentic feel, it could have been recorded in 1929. Two more tracks further illustrate Taj’s mastery of the art of the acoustic slide guitar. This is a great collection if you haven’t got any early Taj Mahal, or if you want an introduction to his early material.
Steve BanksIf you want to put music on that will make you smile, upbeat, and full of foot-tapping energy then Rowdy, from The Di Maggio Connection is the album for you. The leader of the band is Marco Di Maggio the only Italian
to have been inducted as Honorary Member of the Official Rockabilly Hall of Fame, USA. Rowdy is the fifteenth album released by him the music being delivered by a trio who love the music they play this shines through on every track. Joining Marco is Matteo Giannetti on double bass/ bass and drummer Marco Barsanti. Opening with Nowhere Latitude you feel uplifted and ready to get those dancing shoes onto the dance floor. The tempo quickens with Smoke On the Water, yes this is a Deep Purple cover totally reimagined with only the lyrics staying true to the original. Next up the tempo continues a pace with Rock N Roll Is Life a jive filled number that defines the record. We have a touch of blues with Bastard To The Bone the tempo though doesn’t take a breath on this party record. Whilst, Blues Calls My Name is melodic tipping its hat to the fifties and blues being reinterpreted for the dance floor. The horns that are heard throughout the album provide an additional textural soundscape that punctuates the guitar and vocals. Marco’s vocals are strong pulling out the lyrics so that they are an integral part of the rhythms and guitar licks. Rowdy, is hi tempo guitar lead rockabilly fun as The Di Maggio Collection delivers a sound that captures the power of good times being enjoyed. If you want pure blues walk on by, but if you want a good time sound that uplifts this is definitely an album for your collection.
Liz AikenNorthern Blues Music
Watermelon Slim has become a Blues Legend through his gritty raw performances and numerous Blues album releases, he is a complete performer playing sizzling guitar, wailing Harp
and delivers strong coarse vocals, all with a tremendous Blues feeling, this new album was eagerly awaited by this reviewer and does not disappoint with fourteen tracks, split evenly between new Watermelon songs and covers as tributes to the original artists. In addition to Slims normal rhythm section of John Allouise and Brian Wells there are several special guests who play on a couple of tracks each, they include Joe Louis Walker, Bob Margolin and Sherman Holmes who together keep everything ticking over and join in the “rollicking” fun, the track that for me defines what Watermelon Slim is all about is probably the only one without guest players, it is called Holler #4 and is a sparse raw Blues with Slim’s stark acapella style vocal supported initially by a slow thumping drum beat, before a wailing harp cuts in, so very atmospheric. Slim is renowned for playing slide guitar on a Resonator and the best track highlighting this is the blistering dual guitar workout with Albert Castiglia on Too Much Alcohol, a song written by JB Hutto but mostly associated with Rory Gallagher, of the other guest players Bob Margolin plays some nice slide guitar on Get Out of My Life Women which benefits from dual vocals by Sherman Holmes and John Nemeth. The guest musicians provide the icing on the cake but Slim remains to be the main ingredient, he has all the attributes to be the King of the Blues, a true authentic artist who has delivered a terrific scintillating album of Blues music.
Adrian BlackleeYou don’t need me to tell you how over the years New Jersey has produced some mighty bands and artist who
have made a huge impact on music. Well here we have the debut album from a DJ and band leader Trevor B Power. Now in no way am I suggesting that we have a new Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi or Southside Johnny here however what we do have is a fine workaday band clearly playing music they enjoy and playing it damn well. Confident enough to fill the album with ten originals of straight ahead Rock ‘n’ Roll and tasty Blues. Opening cut Jack blasts out of the blocks complete with a hook chorus drawing you in. Immediately it is clear that there has been recording and mixing done here by somebody with sympathetic ears for what makes a good album. The vocals cut through well and all the instrumentation is clearly defined. I like the shuffle groove on You Ain’t Acting Right where Trevor rebukes his straying lady. That may be so man but she obviously has her reasons. The interplay between the fine Blues guitar and Hammond breaks worked really well. Future opens with a tinkling honky tonk piano moving swiftly into a driving roller coaster of a track complete with wailing sax. This is like a time warp back to the early days of simple R&R. Thankfully we can draw breath a bit by the time we get to Saddest Thing which is a fine slow Blues full of guilt and angst before a bit of loving redemption. So it goes throughout the remaining tracks. All played well, performed with a passion and I’d put it that this simple approach to music is what we all need.
Graeme ScottCroatian singer songwriter and harp player Goluban makes a superb start to his tenth studio album with the opening, exhilarating instrumental
track Pigeon Swing, his blowing and warbling both exciting and inventive. Unfortunately, it is downhill most of the way after that when Tomislav starts singing as his voice is neither very good nor convincing for a bluesman. On Locked Heart he sounds sentimental and lightweight, making the laidback, former Irish crooner Val Doonican sound like Meat Loaf. Goluban’s vocals on Searchin’ For My Baby are equally monotonous and repetitious, like most of his lyrics, whilst his moaning through Can’t Find Myself is nothing short of excruciating. The plus points are the guest appearances of Chicago harp maestro Joe Filisko who demonstrates exquisite tone, timing and phrasing on Little Pigeon and Bag Full Of Troubles. Similarly, Grammy award winning drummer Kenny ‘Beedy Eyes’ Smith shows his class throughout and excels on Home Made Honey and Do The Right Thing. The catchy finale based on a traditional Croatia folk song, I’ll Go To My Cottage sounds like a contender for the Eurovision Song Contest. At least the CD has an appropriate title, one definition of ‘rambler’ being “to travel without a fixed purpose or direction.”
The Bishop
It must be one of the most difficult things to perfect. With just an electric guitar, harp and a voice for company and to keep an audience enthralled is not for the faint hearted. But from the very first note Louisiana Red hits the sweet spot. I Wonder Who’s Loving You Tonight is a wonderful example of his skill as a singer and guitarist. It’s so well suited to his style. Midnight Rambler has been covered by many
blues artists in the past including The Rolling Stones, but this version is by far the best. Telling a tale of searching along the road of life without a band for company is such a welcome change. Adding harmonica into the proceedings on Red’s Dream and Red’s Boogie makes you wonder if there is a better sound in the world than a guitar and harp in perfect harmony. I doubt that there is. On Good God Woman not only is his voice so good and his harp playing so admirable but then you hear just how adept he is at slide guitar. No blues performance would be complete without the mention of the obligatory train ride. Alabama Train does not disappoint at all. Having recorded over fifty albums during a career of 62 years his most famous and well-known tune is Sweet Blood Call. A definite change in mood making this so melancholy. Describing reaching the point of no return in a desperate relationship in all it’s gory details this is definitely the finest track on this 2-cd package. It’s slightly bizarre to think that in the heart of Germany you would be hearing one of the blues finest exponents. But you can feel the atmosphere in the audience with every song. Too Poor To Die is one of only four tracks that are not an original by Red. Even so he makes it his own with ease. Fantastic rendition of a fantastic song. I heartily recommend that you find room in your collection for one of blues greatest artist live in concert.
Stephen HarrisonLinus
Myles Goodwyn is the singer-songwriter and guitarist from Canadian rock band April Wine. For his second solo album, Goodwyn has put together a band consisting of himself on vocals,
guitar and keyboards, Mike Carrol and Blair Mackay on drums with Richard Fallus, Alex Fraser, Russal Jackson and Bruce Dixon on bass. To record a collection of songs he has been saving to make the blues album he has always wanted to record. Not being a natural bluesman, he has incorporated some help from some top blues friends to lend the album an authentic feel. And Friends Of The Blues contains eleven originals and a very good reworking of Jesse Winchester’s Isn’t That So grooving to a soulful Latin beat with minimal backing vocals from Sonja Ball adding to the feel. Opening song I Hate To See You Go ( But I Love To Watch You Walk Away) is an uptempo blues rocker featuring phat horns and saxophone courtesy of Eric Khayat with some good slide guitar from Shaun Verreault, Tell Me Where I’ve Been (So I Don’t Go There Anymore) is a tribute to Fats Domino with superb piano from Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne and blues riffs from April Wine guitarist Steve Segal, on the slower ballad esque I’ll Hate You (Till Death Do Us Part). Frank Marino adds exquisite guitar to kenny’s barrelhouse piano playing, while Brand New Cardboard Belt is a blues rocker with Steve Segal playing some mean sounding slide guitar, my stand out track is the wonderful slow burning Weeping Willow Tree Blues, Goodwyns sensitive vocal delivery is perfectly complimented by the beautiful weeping acoustic guitar from David Wilcox, Rick Derringer adds his formidable guitar over a solid drum beat driving the rocky Last Time I Sing The Blues, a re-working of the track that appears on April Wine’s Animal Grace album, You Never Got The Best Of Me closes the album with some well crafted harp playing from Dewey Reeds. A very enjoyable album that will appeal equally to both blues and rock fans alike. Shirl
Nola Blue Records
Chicago boyhood friends have come together to produce an album of the music they grew up loving and playing in the clubs of the West and Southside of their City. They are two of the Blues longest serving musicians, but two who have never played together before due to the similarity of their styles, both being bassist and guitarists. Benny Turner, younger brother of Freddie King, and Cash McCall have served the music they love for over sixty years, and the result is a very enjoyable journey into the past as these two veterans revisit the roots of the Blues. Recorded at studios in Memphis, New Orleans and Chicago and with an appearance from Billy Branch on a couple of tracks, the result is a lively rocking set that belies the age of these two. Opening with a stylish Got To Find A Way, the track is a pure soul stomper, made all the better by the addition of horns and Turner’s daughter with her band The Turner Sisters on backing vocals. On Dixon’s Spoonful, there is great interplay between McCall’s vocals and Johnny Sansone’s harmonica. The only original song here is McCall’s Money, a song about the joys and evils of the folding stuff. It’s a very laid back toe-tapping affair, with vocals spoken instead of sung. Raishene Webb’s piano leads on this song are delightful. With Turner knowing of Cash’s illness, he suggested as only friends can, that Cash sings Elmore James’ It Hurts Me Too, which he does with great aplomb. Turner supplies a very sympathetic background vocal throughout. Elmore James is also represented by a full scale, fast paced foot stomping Shake Your Money Maker, a song that never fails to get people dancing. It’s as if Turner
and McCall have taken ten songs they love and instead of just recording and offering an album of tired songs from tired musicians, they have dusted off the canon, and with a lot of love, produced a vibrant and enjoyable set of tried and trusted songs.
Merv OsborneIt’s always a pleasure to find a band who completely embrace their chosen musical style – to the point where their own geographical origins become a novel concept when balanced against the music they make. Such is the situation with Hailballs who come from Leeds in North Yorkshire, but sound for all the world as though they have been born and brought up in the Southern States, and grown up listening to Carl Perkins, Johnny Burnette, and the rest of the peerless rockabilly stable of artists. This seven-track taster for what will undoubtedly be unmissable on-stage tear-ups has been recorded on reel-to-reel tape in one-take live sessions. That gives the songs a vibrant and immediate feel, but sadly the sound quality is a little muddy, authentic of course, but there is something to be said for the clarity of modern studio equipment reproduction. But let’s agree that the authentic old-school recording serves the instrumentation well – on tracks like Sting Rage. It’s the vocals that are under-served, which is a pity because in common with the playing, they voice of Mike Rossiter is certainly as genuine as his seriously skilful guitar work. On Time Team, if you listen closely you hear him getting a little breathless while singing, when he has given his guitar a serious workout on the instrumental breaks. The accompanying image shows that the
three-piece absolutely look as authentic as they sound, which is really no surprise, this band take their sound, their genre, their influences, and their own songs very seriously, and it shows on this collection. As a CD to put on when you’re getting ready to go out on a Saturday night, greasing up your quiff and polishing your biker boots, this is hard to beat –and if you are going out to see this band, then this will get you in the mood perfectly. Thanks to the band’s location, and their keenness to take their sounds out to northern venues, they are on my list to check out and enjoy live. Looking forward to that.
Andy HughesNobody’s Favourite Records
Mark Mandeville and Raianne
Richards are famous in Canada and the East Coast of America. In 2017 they toured Canada on a thirteen date tour. This is the product of those intimate concerts given in Manitoba. This is rootsy folk Americana at its best. They exude a very personal approach to their music. This has interludes of synopsis of songs and quite a bit of storytelling, there is a real feeling of that audience to performer pure harmony. Both are very good musicians who play differing instruments. There is guitar, ukulele, clarinet, harmonica and even penny whistle but it is their vocal harmonies that are so honest and full of tone. No more so than Hand I Hold. Grain By Grain has that clarinet played by Raianne and adds that certain quality to this raw recording. The two alternate vocals and Raianne sings a haunting refrain on the folky tune, That Old Machine. Most of the songs are written by the duo but there is a very good
cover of the Tom Petty song Walls, very organic and heavenly harmonies, their attention to diction and pronunciation is innovative. They care about their local community which is evident in the song One More Mile celebrating the Massachusetts Walking Tour an ongoing project. Apparently with that, they hike on roads and trails, walking a hundred miles in less than a fortnight. It Won’t Be Written On My Grave is a catchy tune. For this reviewer though, the best song is Last Tree Standing with honest harmonies and meaningful lyrics full of irony to the clarinet lilting tones of John Brown’s Body. Final track is Unknown Legend, a cover of the Neil Young tune a fitting tune to end with. A fine compendium of well written songs full of passion and a real sense of dedication to their musical style, a real winner by a class duo.
Colin CampbellIf you managed to catch this dynamic 7-piece when they played Edinburgh last year and in Glasgow’s old fruit market, you’ll probably count yourself very lucky. These guys were nominated for a Grammy for their work on Blues Americana with Keb Mo. If you’re looking for the nittygritty, crunchy roots of jazzy blues, then here it is in all its banjo-plucking, brassy glory. Don’t play this in the car because you’ll crack your dashboard keeping rhythm. The earthy authenticity is all in the traditional instrumentation. Brandon Armstrong’s rib-rattling sousaphone on The Minor Drag and Rock Away Blues is a thrill on its own, and Charles De Castro’s vocals are terrific, as is his pump organ and cornet. The title track, Over
in the Glory land, takes you straight to New Orleans via Los Angeles, and the Merle Travis number, No Vacancy, with its punchy banjo and ensemble harmonies is as satisfying as a vat of hot gumbo. This is one of the most uplifting and cheerful albums received this year, and let’s all hope that the California Foot Warmers cross the pond again real soon- this is the essence of America’s musical heritage - get yourself a copy of thisyou’ll forget Brexit and start smiling.
Roy BaintonFloating World Records.
The sleeve notes inform us that “Willie Dixon is captured, alongside his “All-Stars” in vivid, effervescent form on this swinging in-concert set, recorded at Chicago’s Quiet Knight venue in January 1974. It was recorded originally for broadcast on WXRT-FM” The opening track, unimaginatively entitled Intro Boogie is a brilliant opener and captures the band, consisting of Willie Dixon on bass and Vocals, Freddie Dixon on bass, Lafayette Leake on piano, Buster Benton on guitar, Clifton James on drums and the amazing Carrie Bell on Harmonica, in fine form as they play a ten minute instrumental and have a whole lot of fun in the process. Crazy ‘Bout My Baby continues the mood and pace set by the band on the first track. The audience obviously enjoyed the performance as well as the introduction to the next track, the classic Rock Me. Next up is the paranoia inspired I Don’t Trust Nobody, which shows that the blues doesn’t have to be devoid of humour, although not necessarily a PC song, if the words are studied closely. 29 Ways is another track that moves along at a great pace and might or might not
contain some lovely blues-style innuendos. The whole album is proof of Willie Dixon’s deserved status as one of the blues greats and it’s great to hear not only some of his best material live, but also to hear the great man introducing the tracks with panache and enthusiasm.(If you’ve only ever heard a slow version of “I just wanna make love to you”, I can seriously recommend you give this album a listen for the upbeat-side of Willie Dixon’s music!) The extended version of Wang Dang Doodle is a sheer delight and could have continued “all night long”! There are some other great classics on this collection, including Hoochie Coochie Man, Little Red Rooster and Spoonful. The twelfth and final track, Closing Boogie, is just as unimaginatively named as the opener, but closes a great live set from a great Blues Legend.
Steve BanksIndependent
Harmonica- player Vin Mott and his band featuring Dean Shot – guitar, Steve Pretty Boy Kirsty – bass and Matt Niedbalski – drums have captured the live energy of a band jamming together in the studio with no production tricks or decoration. Mott frequently emphasises his blues credentials in his dealings with the devil, careless attitude and in Whistlin’ By The Graveyard his willingness to murder anyone who looks at him the wrong way. On Car Troubles Made Me A Good Blues Singer he, as you can imagine, explains his hard done by condition. It’s also good to hear him reflect on the woes of his New Jersey home in Paterson Is Crumblin’, which opens with a Little Walter style amplified echoed up harp solo. The interplay between Shot
and Mott is particularly effective on this one and it sounds like true frustration and sadness – a very deep blues. The band has an affinity with Chicago blues as well as that of Texas, Memphis and New Orleans and on closing instrumental Greaser, Link Wray’s Rumble is used as a base for Mott’s dominant raucous harmonica.
Jack GoodallDressed Up
Independent
Dressed Up is Matyas Pribojszki’s eleventh album but the first under his new moniker Jumping Matt. The album was recorded in Budapest though has a distinctly American sound encompassing jump jazz, funk blues, Texas blues and boogie-woogie. The band take on familiar styles but play with individuality and originality. The whole album is overflowing with energy and was recorded in what must have been a hectic and exhausting two days. The approach has really paid off as the musicianship in evidence is startlingly good. The interplay between Matt’s athletic though soulful harmonica and the horns of The Custom Big Band on Real Good Man (a co-write with sometime collaborator Rip-off Raskolnikov) are something to behold and then the funk bass of Laszlo Csizmadia take it to another level. The amplified blues harp is brilliantly tasteful throughout though it rarely hogs the limelight. Elsewhere Attila Almasi takes the lead on trombone and he’s one of only four trombonists joining Matt as part of the Custom Big Band. The mood throughout is of a welcoming rowdy party and a cover of Big Joe Turner’s Switchin’ In The Kitchen, which comes on as a joyous Dixieland knees up, is a fitting finale.
Jack Goodall
Once again, I readied my camera, packed the bags and started the annual journey to the East Coast Butlins at Skegness. Why? You may ask if you have never been it is a weekend of laughing, friendship and music at The Great British Rock & Blues Festival 2019. Every year you will hear across social media the moans and groans before and after. But still we go why because it is our collective memories of the years we have heard our
favourites and bands for the fi rst time coalesce into the individual and collective memories that connect us all together. Across the two main stages Reds and Centre there was a mix of Skegness favourites, rock and blues something for everyone to get excited about, whether you love traditional blues, blues that rocks and rocking out with the heavy beats. Opening Reds was Mike Ross Band one of the weekend highlights. Mike’s playing was superb and the band around him sparkled with the Hammond under Stevie Watts control and textural chords and deep bass
beats. It was Mike’s guitars that held your attention as the shaped the sound and then joining in the party Jack J Hutchinson who added that another dollop of energy not pure blues but contemporary, exciting and vibrant. Now chasing the blues it was off to Centre Stage for a celebration of the blues harp, with Giles Robson a fi rm favourite across the UK with his distinctive manipulation of the harp. He makes it sing in his own style that hits the ground running on every number. Tonight he was surrounded by friends Innes Sibun on guitar and Fergie Fulton on Bass. We all
shared high-octane blues. What a combination Innes’ guitar and Giles Harmonica bound together by Fergie’s Bass. Giles squeezes every note he can from the harp in a cascading shower of sparking blues that fizzes, connecting with the stunning fast moving manipulation of the six-strings from Innes’ guitar. We had fast blues, rocking blues and slow blues magic. Then joining them the Queen of British Blues days before her trip to Memphis Kyla Brox, the numbers chosen were a tribute to Koko Taylor - what a set another highlight and memory for the Skegness memory vault. Closing out the night we travelled with Rick Estrin &
The Nightcats. This was blues harp that contrasted with Giles’ approach with more controlled tight blues. The whole approach was different taking us back to the fifties in style with lots of talking and at times the sound was muffled but once again the crowd was happy as they decided if it was off to bed or explore later night music in Jaks. Now for Skegness Saturday, a day of a mixed bag nothing really excited me. The afternoon was made hot by two returning bands. The Della Grants with trumpet, harmonica and slide guitar that filled Centre Stage with pure delight. The Dellas always delight as things are held together by the glue that
is Maxx’s vocals. Closing the afternoon were The Stumble, a band that delivers every time, who can resist the energy of the frontman Paul Melville and the first saxophone of the event pure joy, combined with the silky lead breaks and tonal depth that lights up centre stage. Bus Stop is an up-beat highlight that makes you demand them to play more. No wonder the queue at the merch desk was long people wanted to take The Stumble home. What will the evening bring? If looking for blues only the Centre Stage for you as on Reds it was a mixed bag; Dare, FM and Bon UK the rock was there for rockers to find but safe rather than classic. FM though as always delivered a strong set that warmed the venue. Over at Centre Stage the evening kicked off with Dave Speight’s acoustic set, not sure acoustic and Saturday night at Skegness go together though. The next two acts warmed the stage and beyond. Mike Vernon & The Might Combo delivered rock n’ roll with a sparkling glow as Mike a true showman heats up the atmosphere we were dancing now. His jacket glittered under the lights delivering R ‘n’ B as vibrant as Mike’s showy jacket. Next up the blues dynamo that is Sugaray Rayford. He is a singer with the big soulful voice was surrounded by a group of superb musicians adding layers of tonal texture and shape beneath the vocals including Alastair Green
whose guitar added juicy blues. What a show the attention of everyone was focused on the singing dynamo Sugaray as the energy flowed off the stage so that no one was untouched by his glorious music. One of the few charismatic shows of the weekend. Now, Sunday afternoon is perfect for a touch of acoustic with Martin Harley playing to a packed Centre Stage. The audience hung on every note played and lyric delivered. The stories were warm and personal this was acoustic that engages whether via his lap Weissenborn guitar with its delicious tones or the one pieced together from a car boot sale. All too soon it was Sunday the last day of the weekend, and Storm Warning played a set replete with
Blues-Rock. We have songs from the forthcoming album and covers from the previous album all performed in their own inimitable way. Always an energetic set of music that fills the auditorium with feet tapping and dancers dancing. For the rest of the afternoon everyone who could crowded into see Nine Below Zero, they pleased their many fans as did the other Skegness regulars The Animals and Dr Feelgood. Yes, people complain but they definitely deliver music people want to listen to. They love the familiarity and if people what to queue it shows that nostalgia bands play music that makes people feel good and who are we to join in the pleasure they bring. Grainne Duffy and her band played guitar led electric blues-rock
with an Irish twang. They always deliver and provide a great melody. This year the weekend was full of ups and downs, twists and shouts. To make sure it is everyone and more Butlins needs to make the venues welcoming they were often far too cold. More importantly, delivery of the music people want yes, have some of the regulars that people love but also bring in some new acts that will set the place alight. Despite the moans many will return in 2020. This was what was missing from both the main stages acts either rock or blues that were unexpected and set the weekend alight. We love the music, friendship, the bitterly cold wind and all that makes January Skeganuary for thousands of us.
• Large 4 room recording area • 2 inch analogue tape 16 & 24 track •
• Classic Studer 827 & MCI (Quior version) JH16 tape machines •
• Radar 48 track digital
• Full Pro Tools rig •
• 80 channel analogue automated Amek Rembrandt console •
• Vintage outboard • Classic 60s & 70s microphones • Combine analogue and digital for tracking and overdubs
Mix to analogue 1⁄2” Studer or 96K/24 bit digital No multitrack tape charges. Residential with 2 self contained cottages
The Final Bow
Indigo, London
December 2018
This was one hell of an event, with The Pretty Things scaling down on live shows but determined to make the show very special. With all current band members and a central segment featuring players and singers from the S F Sorrow/Parachute era, you would get to hear a lot if not all of your favourite songs.
Kicking off with the raucous single, Honey I Need, the group then spun into the snappy Don’t Bring Me Down before a cherished B side Buzz The Jerk got an airing.
Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut brought back memories of girlfriends’ mothers, whilst Get The Picture reminded us how varied and sparky that second album was.
I can still play it today and wonder at their stylish adventure. Then The Same Sun, then one I had asked Phil to include, the mighty Alexander from the Phillipe deBarge sessions – Electric Banana.
Defective Gray retains its mind-bending arcane twists. Big Boss Man nods to seminal Things figure Jimmy Reed. Midnight To Six Man has the fi re of defiance that made so many of us attempt this music. Mister Evasion ends Set One.
Back with Skip Allen, Wally Waller and Jon Povey – still looking like Tom Baker’s brother - the band career into S F Sorrow Is Born and She Says Good Morning.
Now Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour is in the line-up shooting out motifs and screams from his guitar. May smiles benignly. Gilmour is a big deal and pal to the Things. Guitar ace Dick Taylor steps
up to sing Baron Saturday. Trust and I See You burn the ears before my other request, Cries From The Midnight Circus, takes us into earlyhours Soho. Wonderful stuff.
Next up, the blues and slide guitarin’ Things, with Muddy’s, I Can’t Be Satisfied then, Come On In My Kitchen. Baby Please Don’t Go fi nds Van Morrison, another friend of the group, stride on like a bailiff at the end of a bad day. Van grabs the mike and May moves to one side, “I have to move over when he’s around”. I Can Tell and You Can’t Judge A Book are spat out with relish before Come See Me’s brutal bassline whomps across the venue. More Bo with a rolling Mona then the sinister LSD. Encores are Rosalyn, Road Runner and a poignant Loneliest Person
A faultless farewell
Pete SargeantThe popular local beat group Ricky Cool and the In-Crowd took their enthusiastic fans back to the swinging Flamingo Club, a sixties hotspot famed for its nights of flamboyance, glamour and music that fused blues, jazz, ska and reggae together.
The six piece ensemble of Ricky Cool on vocals, harmonica and saxophones, Ted Bunting on saxophone, flute and vocals, bass guitarist John Roy Potter, guitarist and singer David Parry, keyboard player Nigel Darvill and animated and lively drummer Harry Weston Cottrell
played an energetic set that ranged from the music of Georgie Fame, Booker T. & The MG’s to classic jazz and pop songs performed in new arrangements.
The first half of the gig looked at the history of The Flamingo, how music played at the club changed the popular music landscape, with many leading musicians of the time, such as Georgie Fame attracting other musicians to listen to the sounds and styles, from the blues and jazz, to the ska and two-tone that would cause developments well into the 1970’s and beyond.
Starting with the saxophone driven Night Train, they played many hits of the time, ranging from Time is
by
Yeh, Georgie Fame’s bestknown hit, whilst other pieces such as an interesting cover of John Barry’s Bond theme, From Russia with Love which added a brooding Russian sound into the mix.
Jazz was also featured throughout, with Duke Ellington’s Skaravan being a showcase for the combined talents of the group, The In-Crowd was a showcase for the keyboard skills of Nigel Darvill, and Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly had an almost dance make-over to the overly familiar theme.
The evening was closed with Prince Buster’s Enjoy Yourself, which saw many in the audience dancing and singing along, the encore was Keep on Running, made famous by the Spencer Davis group, whilst the instrumental The Liquidator, which is seen as being one of the leading pieces of Ska and twotone music, ended this very popular and action packed concert in good style.
Ben MacnairTravellin’
Rock and Roll was the order of the day when Travellin’ Man – The Ricky Nelson story opened Lichfield Arts Spring 2019 season.
Fronted by Dave B, with an exemplary rock and roll band of drums, guitar, bass and keyboards, they played rock and roll music from the likes of Chuck Berry, and gave
Man – The Ricky Nelson Storygood versions of the songs that Ricky Nelson wrote and performed throughout his career, which saw him starring alongside John Wayne in The Searchers, as well as being the second most successful singer of his era, behind Elvis Presley.
So, we were treated to
well-known songs such as Travellin’ Man, Hello Mary Lou, Lonesome Town, Stood Up, Waitin’ in School, Garden Party, and Teenage Idol.
The show included anecdotes about life in the 1950’s, and the impact that Ricky Nelson had on nascent rock
and roll, and teenagers, and put him in a historical context, as well as looking at his continuing influence.
This was a fine show, featuring great musicianship, lively performances, and was a good way to open the season.
Ben MacnairWith a brand-new album, The Other Side just out, the sixpiece blues, soul and rock band The Stumble were keen to showcase their new material and gems from their back catalogue when they returned to play for an enthusiastic Lichfield audience.
With a sound that mixed rock, blues, soul, and jazz, placed a strong emphasis on musicianship and a good beat, the ensemble of vocalist Paul Melville, guitarists Colin Black and Ant Scapens, saxophonist Simon Anthony Dixon, drummer and songwriter Boyd Tonnor, and bassist Cameron Sweetnam, the band meant serious business from the start.
With plenty of scope for improvisation, and three soloists, as well as the part Paul Rodgers, early Rod Stewart vocals of Paul Melville, they packed plenty of genres and sounds into their two, hour sets.
The first half featured many songs from their new release, whilst the second half featured music from their previous three releases. Songs such as Just Stop or Never
Let You Go were blues rock, whilst New Orleans and Just a Little took more from rock ‘n’ roll and jump jive music, with their slick saxophone inflections and rhythmic dynamism.
The unison guitar and saxophone sound have become something of a trademark for the band and were all over the fun rock of Lie To Me and The Hougan, then
things were radically slowed down for the slow blues of Jumping Of The Loving Train, which gave showcases to the talents of Ant Scapens and Simon Anthony Dixon.
The pace picked up for the jump jazz of Bus Stop but slowed down again for the 12 bar The World is Tough, whilst It’s My Life started slowly, but after a false stop built up a head steam as the song went by.
A cover of Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home ended the concert, which saw the audience singing along.
Ben Macnair16 February 2019
This is the second time that I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing Kris Barras perform live. The first time was in 2018 as support act for Beth Hart. Although only performing a short set of acoustic numbers on that night is was evident that this is a top blues guy in the making. And how right I was. It’s literally been a fantastic twelve months for Kris and the band. Starting the show, was a band by the name of Jack J Hutchinson that are mainly based around the London area. Their set was more rock than blues, but they performed no-nonsense rock’n’roll that pulled no punches. One cover that they did do which leaned heavily back into the blues was a stunning rendition of Fleetwood Macs Oh Well,
absoloutley brilliant then it was time for Kris Barras to take to the stage. Starting the set with Rock’n’Roll Running Through My Veins, it was all systems go. Blistering guitar from the off, strong powerful vocals and a thundering rhythm made this the perfect opener. This particular track featured on their debut album Lucky 13. Following straight on with Kick Me Down and Stitch Me Up, both of which were on the 2018 album The Divine And Dirty. What You Get is a brand-new song that I’m certain will become a favourite on the live circuit. Kris Barras, as many of you know, is a fine lead guitarist and has such powerful vocals to go with it but don’t forget the rest of this fine ensemble. Elliot Blackler(Bass) Will Beavis (Drums) and Josiah J Manning(Keys) all play an integral part in their own right. As a blues/rock outfit these guys are climbing the tree in spectacular fashion. Watching Over Me is a tribute to Kris’s late dad who taught him how to play guitar and who actually played in his first blues band. A beautiful song delivered with so much meaning and reverence. Finishing the set with Hail Mary and Lovers And Losers was a great way to end a fantastic night in the company of fine musicians.
Stephen Harrison
14th – 16th June 2019
Woolton Farm
Bekesbourne, Kent
3 days of the finest blues & rock music
SKINNY MOLLY* NINE BELOW ZERO * CLIMAX BLUES BAND
DEBORAH BONHAM* ELLES BAILEY
MAAS/MOODY BAND
FEATURING EX WHITESNAKE MICKY MOODY & DR FEELGOOD
GENO WASHINGTON & THE RAM JAM BAND
JAWBONE * SAM KELLY’S STATION HOUSE
JOHN VERITY (EX ARGENT) * LIGHTNIN’ WILLIE & THE POOR BOYS * VINCE LEE & THE BIG COMBO
THE MENTULLS * A.R.T * CHRIS JAGGER GROUP
ROBIN BIBI BAND * M ACK * BIG RIVER
BAD PENNIES * HOWLIN' HATTER * DR SCHWAMP
Camping & Glamping, free parking
Great beers, ciders and wonderful food
Tickets & details at bluesonthefarm.com
