Blues Matters Issue 141

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/OWNER: Iain Patience: editor@bluesmatters.com

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Cover image by Nicola Gell

MADISON GALLOWAY

CAITLIN KRISKO & THE BROADCAST

CHRISTOPHER WYZE

BETTE SMITH

JIMMY CARPENTER

ALASTAIR GREENE

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD

SHEMEKIA COPELAND

STEVE LOUW

JACK CASADY

ELLES BAILEY

11 GUYS QUARTET

MIKE ZITO

MADISON COMMON PEOPLE GALLOWAY

Madison Galloway recently returned from a UK tour with her fellow countrymen The Commoners. And judging by the response the Canadian blues rocker received on this side of the pond, the artist is certainly a name to watch out for.

Madison released her eponymous debut album over the summer. “It’s been a great 2024. We got to go to the UK for the first time. So that made this year pretty awesome. I put out my new record, which was also really exciting. So, it’s been a pretty cool year; lots of big things have happened. I’m really happy with how the year went.”

The artist was already acquainted with The Commoners before their touring endeavours together. Ross Hayes Citrullo from the group had worked with Madison in a producer capacity. “Opening for The Commoners was a really cool experience. I love The Commoners and I’ve known Ross for years,” says Madison.

It can be a daunting experience going out on the road as a support act, especially on your first visit to a new overseas market. “You don’t know how people are going to react to an opening band,” declares Galloway. “But I think that the people were really great in the UK. There were always tons of people there for our set and I think the reaction from the people who came out was better than we could have expected.”

Madison did make some observations about her UK run. “The music scene seems so different than Ontario, it seems a bit more thriving, I guess, at least in this genre of blues rock.” The artist also has a soft spot for some of the places she visited on tour. “Driving up to Edinburgh was gorgeous,” she says. “I just loved being in London, which I thought was interesting, because I was not that into the city kind of thing. I live in a really small town, and we don’t

even have a bus. In my town, there are no busses.” Perhaps a change of scenery is on the agenda at some point in the future. “I thought it was really cool being in London though. I definitely want to go back and live in London for that.”

Madison became acquainted with Ross Hayes Citrullo from The Commoners whilst working on her debut album. “I’ve known Ross since I was 18. I met him when I was looking for a producer to help me with my first full-length album, Moon and Mercury. And I had put out a post in our Toronto musicians’ group. I said, hey, I’m looking for a producer, I like Zeppelin. And I had a whole bunch of people message or comment back, and they said: Hey, if you like Zeppelin talk to Ross,” recalls Madison. “And so, I talked to Ross, and it was great, because Ross was excited about the music that I had brought to him, and I guess he believed in it. And I was really excited when I showed him, so that was really cool. We didn’t end up working together on that record,” confirms Madison. “And then we did work together on this most recent record.”

But what does Ross bring to the table as a producer? “Working with Ross is really cool. He is a very talented producer, engineer and mixing engineer. He mixed

 Adam Kennedy  Supplied & Chris Logan

the whole album as well. And then the first two songs that we did, he was the sole engineer and producer and mixer on those,” explains Madison. “His artistic instinct is really cool, I think. And so, I’m really happy with how the two tunes turned out. The first one that we put out is I guess my biggest song on Spotify. It ended up getting on a Spotify editorial playlist. And I think it’s got over 150,000 streams.” Madison adds: “Ross is kind of like a big brother to me. So yeah, it’s fun working with him.”

Madison was honoured with the title of “Southern Rock Artist of the Year” (2023) at the prestigious Josie Music Awards (Nashville, TN). Speaking about the experience, Madison said: “I think getting an award for the music that you’re making is a really special experience,” said Madison. “Every time somebody comes up to me after the show or messages me or leaves a comment on Facebook saying that the music that I’ve written means something to them is the highest compliment you can get as a musician. The music that you’ve written has impacted somebody and made them feel something or mean something to them or help them. It is a really beautiful gift and a compliment as a musician. And so, getting an award for what you’re doing is really special.”

Madison’s latest eponymous long player is the second album from the gifted Canadian. But would she agree with the old analogy that the second album is the hardest record for a musician? Perhaps it’s down to the amount of time you have to write your follow-up record. “It’s an interesting point about having your whole life to basically write your first album, and then with your next one you’ve only got a window to write it,” said Madison. “Now I did have a little bit of a longer window than what I’m thinking is going to be the case with my third album. Because I had put out Moon and Mercury in 2019 and this one, I put out Open Your Eyes and The River in 2022 and then I kept rolling singles out in 2023 and then the record just came out this year in 2024. So, I did have those couple years of the pandemic.”

and sang on it,” said Madison. “On this record, I did a lot of co-writing, which I think before I was a bit standoffish too. And I think I just wasn’t ready to co-write. I maybe had some fears around it, because you have to be very open with whoever you’re writing with. And writing is very personal. So, I think that was maybe a sort of subconscious fear like there was something that held me back from it.” Galloway adds: “So it was cool to have a bit more collaboration on that side of it. And I think we came up with some cool tunes.”

With her new album out in the big wide world, Madison is already thinking about what comes next. “I think the third album will be interesting, because I’ve been writing a whole bunch of stuff recently, since getting back from the UK, and because now the record is out and now and we’re back from the tour, I feel like I just have more mental capacity to write and come up with songs. So, I’ve been writing more, and I made a demo of a song that I wrote the other day, and I’m excited,” proclaims Madison. “I’m excited about doing another record. I feel like, when you first put out the record, as soon as you think about putting out another one after that, it’s like - oh my gosh. That’s so much - I can’t even think about doing that right now. You’re still recovering, but now that it’s been out for a couple of months, and we did the tour, and I’m back I think I could do another record. I’m feeling more excited and hopeful about it.”

The artist believes that each album represents a timestamp in a performer’s life.

“You have your whole life to write your first album. Every album after that is sort of a bit more of a stamp of the period of your life, of that time,” explains Madison.

“I was listening to the Graham Nash album that he did in 1971 and a lot of the tunes on there about Joni Mitchell because that was that period. Each record is sort of a stamp of what that person’s life was like at that time.”

One of the approaches Madison embraced on her new album is co-writing songs. “I did a lot of co-writing, so that was something that was new for this record was having most of the songs on there be co-writes, whereas on Moon and Mercury, there was only one song that I had co-written with somebody, and it was Ron Hawkins, who co-produced the record with me as well. And then we co-wrote it, and then it was also a duet. So, he played

Galloway’s interest in the blues was peaked at a young age. “When I was maybe 18, I worked at a radio station for a little bit. I had done a high school co-op there for a bit, and then I worked there for a little bit,” recalls Madison. “The production manager had kind of given me the role of some of the production stuff. So, there’s a blues show that happened on Sunday nights, and it was like, ten to midnight or something like that. And so, when we got the show, we put it into the system, and then my job was to check the system, I guess, to see if it was short of the

STATION

OPEN YOUR EYES

FREEDOM LOVE LIKE YOURS

hour or not. And if it was, I had to just pick some tunes to put into the show, just to fill the hours.”

This role resulted in Madison doing a deep dive into the station’s blues archives. “I would go through the blues catalogue and listen to all the music that we had saved in there. And it wasn’t a huge catalogue that the station had, but there were a couple of tunes that were my go-to songs, I guess. But there was one song I pretty much played every week at midnight. I thought it was really clever about this pick, but it’s not that humorous, but I thought I was clever - I liked it. I don’t know if anybody listened to the blues show at midnight, but if they did, what they would hear was Sundown by Son House. And I thought that was such a cool song. I really like Son House’s music.”

With her sophomore album in the bag, and a UK tour done and dusted, what does the rest of the year look like for Madison Galloway? “The rest of the year is going to be booking things for the summer, and I think I might get into the studio as well to do a couple of songs, even if it’s just better demos that I can make.” Madison concludes: “I definitely hope to be back in the UK soon. I don’t have any hard plans yet, but I’d like to make some for next year. But it’s not a plan yet. It is a bit more of a dream at this point. But over the fall, I’ll be working on booking my summer, so I think that is going to be something that I will try and do. But we’ll see what happens. But I would love to be back next year for sure.”

As Caitlin Krisco’s gorgeous speaking voice comes down the line to me from their current tour location in Berlin, I realise that she sounds identical to Roz Doyle from the legendary TV comedy show Frasier, and that’s a compliment indeed. Caitlin is thrilled to confirm to Blues Matters how much she and the band are looking forward to their upcoming UK shows.

 Andy Hughes  Arnie Goodman

“We can’t wait to be back with our friends in the UK, and we plan to be travelling to tour there pretty consistently for the foreseeable future. We had such a wonderful tour last autumn, and we’ve been counting down the weeks, months, and days until we can return. It will be a major highlight for us.”

Early Beginnings and Musical Inspirations

Time to recap on the beginning of Ms Krisco’s rise to the front of one of the most exciting blues-rock bands coming out of the U.S. right now.

“I grew up in the music scene of New York City, enjoying all the vast variety of clubs and venues that city has to offer. I was singing on stages and in clubs, and pretty early on, I discovered that I had a passion for singing soul music, Motown songs. Something about that particular style of music really reached me. I love emoting when I am singing; it’s an emotional experience for me, and so that genre of music was very natural for me to gravitate towards. I just heard people like Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder and wanted to make music like that. It woke something up in me that will never go to sleep again.”

A Modern Sound for a New Era

If you listen to the band’s new EP – and you should – you will notice that songs like “Operator” have a complex and lush arrangement, with production propelling those soul vocals out of your speakers. It’s different from the standard stripped-back style of a lot of blues-rock bands. Caitlin explains the reasoning.

“We love a stripped-back arrangement as a band. But it’s 2024, and recording has come such a long way, and there are so many exciting things you can explore as a band in the studio, in engineering and recording music. We wanted to make sure that our sound was modern. We didn’t want someone hearing our music and wondering if it was from 1966. But anyone listening to our music will know that this is contemporary, this is modern. Bands are history keepers; they capture things that are going on in the moment, and we are doing the same. We are very much capturing things that are going on right now.”

The Art of Songwriting

We move on to discussing the writing process, always a

fascinating area of discussion when songwriters are involved. Caitlin is happy to share her take on that particular art form.

“Being an artist means living life through a lens and making sure that your ears and eyes are always open and receptive to what is going on around you. There are songs inspired by other people’s stories that we have heard. There are songs written influenced by books I have read. A lot of material is drawn from our own life experiences, but the world is your oyster when it comes to songwriting. The Beatles were such an example of that; they could open up a box of truffles and write a song about it! I love it when a song is personal to me, and it connects with me because the writer has had a similar experience and makes that connection.”

The Evolution of “Blueprints”

Currently receiving what the radio types call ‘heavy rotation’ on appropriately required listening radio stations in the UK, the band’s Blueprints EP is gaining attention. Taking a mass of songs and trying to choose the best ones to reflect the band and encourage some sonic exploration is not an easy task.

“Blueprints was an exploration for us,” Caitlin confirms. “I think you will notice the different sounds and styles happening on that record. ‘Haunted By You’ is quite different from ‘Operator,’ for example. We really wanted to explore the different styles of the music we love to make. We wanted to give a sense of the direction we are going to be heading in when we release our album. We have so many songs written already; we have enough material for two albums. We wanted to be really selective and make sure we had the right impact. It took a long time, but we managed to get it down to the six tracks that we believe tap into the dynamics that we possess as a band.”

Bringing the Studio to the Stage

The aforementioned dynamics used in the arrangement and production of the songs is one element that is going to propel the band into a rosy future, but how about trying to recreate that singularly identifiable atmosphere on stage without the studio systems to assist?

“We are first and foremost a live band. That’s what we do best; it’s our bread and butter, it’s what we love best. I

A Diverse and Passionate Audience

What about the audiences rocking up to enjoy the shows?

“It really varies, which is wonderful. We are a blues-rock band, but we have this chameleon ability to move between different areas of fans. In the south in America, you have the Jam Rock scene, the Bluegrass scene, the Roots Rock scene, and we’ve been very welcomed in all of those different areas, across the board. The Rock scene loves us, the Blues scene loves us. I am very active on social media, and lately, we’ve been getting college girls to our gigs, which is wonderful because they bring a real zest for life with them. You could come to one of our shows and find a sixteen-year-old girl there with her friends, and her grandparents at the back having a beer, sitting at a table.”

always tell people, if you enjoy the records, you are going to love the live show, because the show is where it’s at.”

The Power of Visuals

Alongside the musical output from Caitlin and the band is a diverse and entertaining range of videos to illustrate many of their tracks. Caitlin is a firm believer in the power of the visual image when it comes to enhancing a great song.

“Absolutely. Music is visual; you go to see a show. We live in a visual world, and a lot of people enjoy visuals in consuming what they enjoy. Music and video are art forms, and they support each other. It’s about enhancing the experience for people who want to enjoy it in different ways. If you go to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in New York, there are more outfits than instruments. It may be because they are easier to source, but even so, the visual presentation of music is a vital part of it in our modern world.”

“The college girls have given me the unofficial title of ‘Big Sis’. I’m like a big sister, and I love that. I’m not a teenager; I am an adult woman, and I have the experience of being an adult, and it’s great to share that with younger women. It’s wonderful. We get young women coming to our shows, and I get to perform an Aretha Franklin song from her first album, and they will go home and check out what they have heard, and maybe dig into the history of the music they are enjoying now, and that’s really incredible.”

Caitlin’s Favourite Songs

Most singers have a particular favourite song in the set, the one they look forward to singing, and Caitlin is no exception.

“When it comes to cover versions, my current favourite is ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’ by Blind Faith. I think Steve Winwood is a genius, and the lyrics really speak to a certain set of feelings, and the melody really plucks my heartstrings. The lyrics speak to a level of grief that many people feel, and the song gives them somewhere to put

 Chris Griffiths

it. From our catalogue, ‘Haunted By You’ is my current favourite. It takes me to a place; I get lost in that one. It’s spiritual for me sometimes. Something takes over and makes it something a little bit different. This is such an amazing way to make a living; it’s the coolest job of all time!”

Looking Ahead to the UK Tour

And of course, Caitlin And The Broadcast are heading our way, and they are really excited because of their last experience playing here. Caitlin remembers it with great fondness.

“Coming to the UK was really life-changing for us. To go to a country where enjoying going out and being with friends and having a pint at the pub was such a wonderful, vibrant experience for us as a band. People were so friendly to us, so kind and supportive. The shows were incredible. We opened up for Robert Jon And The Wreck, and they made us feel like we were the headline band! We felt like everyone here gets us, and loves the style of music we make. People like Joe Bonamassa and Samantha Fish, and the amount of time they tour in the UK, let us know that there is a real enthusiasm for this style of music. So, to be able to come over and perform our music, we really hope that the UK is going to be a major destination for us.”

What’s Next?

“We have the American run of shows for our album release, and then the band guitarist and I are doing an

acoustic tour, breaking down the music and doing it as a duo. In January, we normally have a break, so this time, Aaron and I are doing this tour on our own. Then the American touring season comes round again, and hopefully towards the end of next year, our album will be out. The rodeo will continue, and we will be back to see you guys at least once, hopefully twice.” You are commended to see this band; you’ll be glad you did.

Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast’s “Blueprints” EP is available from https://ffm.to/krisko

The band tour the UK from September 25th until October 4th. Tickets available from www.caitlinkriskoandthebroadcast.com.

 Nick Hodgson

CHRISTOPHER & THE TELLERS WYZE

STUCK IN THE MUD

As a former owner of an advertising company, Christopher Wyze mastered the art of getting ahead in advertising. While building up his successful career in the art of persuasion, he applied a similar credo to a parallel creative headspace as a ‘one to watch’ blues performer.

 Paul Davies  Arnie Goodman

Being a former owner of an advertising company, this inveterate copywriter and publisher of five books on the subject, has built up an enviable network of connections in the blues scene. It’s a side passion that has become his overwhelming main occupation. A stalwart of the blues gigging scene, he fronted a versatile band playing blues standards for two decades and more. Now, this Wyze man, with his band, The Tellers, has released his debut solo album, Stuck In The Mud, which has garnered considerable praise and blues chart and radio accolades.

But the origins of this album go further back to over two decades ago as he tells me: “I’ve been playing in a cover band for a long time, almost twenty years singing the blues and whatnot,” he relates. “I started picking up the harmonica and fooling around with it, playing it on stage and so forth and I decided I wanted to get good at it, so I went to a harmonica workshop in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where I met Ralph Carter. He used to play with Eddie Money and recorded and toured with him,” he reveals. “He’s a producer, musician, and also wrote and played with Sugaray Rayford. He’s a great dude and I got to know him there and he said to me, ‘Hey, you’ve got to start writing music’. This was seven, eight years ago. And I’m like, ‘man, what do I know about that?’ He adds: “I’m just trying to learn harp and sing blues standards and stuff

like that.” Then an article that Wyze read caught his eye: “About three years ago, I saw an article in a newspaper about a new recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and it looked cool. You stay there for the week, and they cook for you and treat you like you’re rock stars.” He smiles at the memory: “I took a picture of it with my cell phone, and I texted it to Ralph. I was just joking. I said, ‘Hey, here’s where we’re going to record our album that you talked about’. A day or two later, I get a message from him, and it says, ‘Yeah, okay, when are we doing it’? And I’m like, holy cow! I think the guy thought I was serious. Well, it turns out that he was. I had never written a song at that point, so I started writing songs.”

Fast forward a little...”I would say six months later, I had a pile of song lyrics written and I said, ‘Ralph, you’re in Mississippi. I’m about eight hours away in Indiana. How about I drive down there’? He was already there for another workshop. He lives in Ventura, California, but he does guitar workshops. I said, ‘I’ll meet you down there. I’ll bring my pile of lyrics and let’s see if we can make them into songs’. And we did.” He furthers: “We sat in Clarksdale, Mississippi, at a picnic table at the Shack Up Inn and we made songs out of them.” Keeping on top of the momentum, they took the next step: “Then we were recording in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with studio musi-

cians, and with Ralph Carter producing.” This greased the wheels of commerce as he says: “Maybe a year forward, I signed a record deal with Big Radio Records in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s run by the Phillips family.

“That’s Sam Phillips of Sun Studios and Elvis and all that stuff. And his nephew, Johnny, is the guy who signed me, and he and his brother run it.” He continues: “At that point, I began working with Betsy Brown and with Blind Racoon, who’s a great promoter and publicist out here in the blues world, and we decided to put a few more blues songs on the album. So, we went back to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and recorded three more songs that are very blues-oriented, and I wrote one the morning of the recording session, because I thought I’ve got all these guys here, I’ve got a filmmaker here, I’ve got a recording crew.”

“If we have time, I’d like to do another song and we did, and I wrote a tune that me and my bass player had played and never did anything with and that’s how the album came to be.”

The authenticity of recording in Clarksdale, Mississippi and Muscle Shoals is imbued in the fibre of Stuck In The Mud. Wyze’s deep drawl adds a further gravitas while interpreting these groovy tunes as he details his writing

“The Mississippi Delta just means everything to the blues. It’s ground zero”

process: “I’m a writer. I’ve been a writer my whole adult life. I’ve been an advertising guy. And I wrote for a newspaper and for a magazine. I’ve written books. I’ve got five books in print - all non-fiction. Business stuff. But I’ve always loved the blues,” he declares. “When it came to the realisation that I wanted to write music, I’d already done my work learning how to be a word guy. I’d had decades of doing it and I wouldn’t say that I struggle trying to find words”.

“The real trick for me is coming up with a story and once I get a story, I know how to use words.” This is evident throughout Stuck In The Mud in which he translates everyday observations with a wry wit. He continues: “Once I get a good story, then that’s where all the work is. I write all the lyrics and there’s no question that I collaborate with guys like Ralph Carter, and he may have some suggestions for the lyrics, of course. I may say, ‘Hey, I’m hearing something like Howlin’ Wolf or Jimmy Reed, and I kind of dig that groove. He’ll grab his guitar, start playing and maybe an hour later we’ve got a little quick demo and I turn on the cell phone and record it.” From these improvised beginnings, the songs get more serious: “A few months later, we’re in the studio making it happen. He’s written charts for the musicians, and he’s there directing the sessions.” It’s abundantly obvious that Chris is a collaborative team player as he shares: “I also wrote songs with Cary Hudson, who wrote the single Stuck In The Mud with me. It was a song that Ralph and I had fooled around with, and I had the lyrics, and it just wasn’t working. One year later, I met Cary and I said, ‘Hey, would you be willing to work with me on this song’? Within ten minutes we had it worked out and he recorded a little demo, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on my phone and helped me adjust the lyrics. He’s just playing, and I worked out the melody. Then we recorded a demo three days later and a couple months later, we recorded the song right back there, in Clarksdale.”

Old tried and tested on-the-road band mates also chipped in with their musical contributions: “Gerry Murphy, my bass player, I’ve been playing with for almost twenty years in bands around Indiana and the Midwest, he came and recorded every song and he and I wrote a couple of them. In fact, one of the songs, Back To Clarks-

dale, became the number one song on the blues charts over here,” he proudly confirms. As a blues artist, Wyze is heavily inspired by the legendary almost mystical blues atmosphere that permeates around the Clarksdale area as he tells me more: “I wrote almost all the lyrics in Clarksdale. The Mississippi Delta just means everything to the blues. It’s ground zero. Every day of the week, you walk down the streets, and half the people are from England or from other parts of Europe. It’s such a culturally and musically important place.”

Given the blues provenance of Clarksdale and Muscle Shoals, I ask Christopher if recording and soaking up the historical ambience in both places helped due to them being epicentres of blues music? “It goes back to that newspaper article and I’m not sure I even thought about it much. I knew Muscle Shoals and saw this cool studio, and the guy in the article, Michael Wright, who’s the studio owner and engineer; he engineered and mixed the entire album. He said, ‘we’re open for business and people need to come’, and a couple of weeks later I’m on the phone with him and we’re booking the recording session and I don’t even have the songs done yet. But playing and loving the blues for many years and being a writer, I just can’t tell myself anything other than I can do this. So, we did it at Muscle Shoals.” He continues: “The reason we also went to Clarksdale is because my co-writer and producer of the entire album, Ralph Carter, three or four times a year, travels to Clarksdale, Mississippi and spends a week doing guitar camps, harmonica camps and songwriting camps. I said, ‘Hey, Ralph, I’ve got three more songs I want to do. You’re going to be in Clarksdale, this week. I could drive down there and bring Gerry our bass player. I know you work with a drummer out of Memphis, and I know Cary Hudson and he’s over in Mississippi’. We’re all so close it made sense for me and Jerry Murphy to drive there. We set up a recording studio in the Juke Joint Chapel and we recorded live in this big music hall where Kingfish recorded and filmed his 662 video.”

“The real trick for me is coming up with a story and once I get a story, I know how to use words.”

Fronting blues standard bands for decades, whilst running a successful parallel business, I enquire which blues covers he played to prepare him for the success of his debut album? “Stuff like Big Boss Man (which is what he was in real life), They Call Me The Breeze, Green Onions, songs by The Doors and Savoy Brown and other kinds of rock and blues stuff and one-hit wonders for mature audiences. We played cool songs most people wouldn’t play. We’d play These Boots Are Made For Walking and turn it into a blues song. They weren’t just straight-up covers and we put our own spin on them. And, of course, I found myself able to write words. So, it all came together.”

With Stuck In The Mud undergoing heavy rotation on American Blues Radio stations, Christopher Wyze And The Tellers has undoubtedly put a unique spin on the blues.

BE

BEYOURSELF

IN THE VIBRANT WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY SOUL AND BLUES, FEW VOICES RESONATE AS POWERFULLY AND AUTHENTICALLY AS THAT OF BETTE SMITH

Hailing from the storied streets of Brooklyn, Smith channels the raw, emotive spirit of her roots into every note, creating a sound that is both timeless and fiercely modern. With a career that has seen her transcend the boundaries of genre, her music encapsulates the struggles, joys, and triumphs of her journey. Blues Matters delved into the stories behind her newest release, Goodthing, the influences that have shaped her unique sound, and the vision she holds for her ever-evolving musical path. Welcome to an intimate conversation with Bette Smith, where soul meets story.

BACKGROUND STORY

Reflecting on her roots, she recalls, “My father, a choir director, got me interested in music by having me sing on holidays and in church.” From the ages of five to nine, they shared “beautiful times, vibing in the church”. As a “little black girl from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood, Brooklyn,” she was immersed in the sounds of the Apollo Theatre, where artists like James Brown and Gladys Knight performed. “I was like a bowl of hot, boiling, steaming water, steeped in the rich blend of church music and soul.” This dual influence, from her father and icons like Aretha Franklin, formed her musical foundation. Her career choice was driven by an “inherent love of music that makes me happy and keeps me happy.” Growing up, she was captivated by soul legends such as Otis Redding, Diana Ross, and The Temptations. Singing in the choir at age five, backed by the choir, was “a beautiful spiritual experience” that ignited her lifelong passion.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSICAL STYLE?

“My style of music is based on gospel and soul. Blues is also integral because ‘even the president’s got the blues.’ I consider myself an essence of blues singer and love singing sad songs, which I communicate effectively and authentically. Someone once told me I have a knack for singing the blues. In British Columbia, I wanted to sing Tracy Chapman songs but was told I had to perform 12-bar blues to get on stage. So, I taught myself and became adept at it, finding the blues beautiful, evocative, and poetic.

MUSIC SCENE IN BROOKLYN

“The blues scene in Brooklyn was intense,” she recalls, necessitating trips over the Brooklyn Bridge to Harlem, where everything was happening. Harlem’s fierce competition was a “great playground for creativity,” where performers faced boos if they didn’t meet the high standards. Nights at the Apollo were particularly influential for her. Growing up, she was steeped in both this vibrant scene and the rich harmonies of church music—baritone, bass, soprano, tenor, everything. This blend of influences deeply shaped her. “I just started humming and singing to myself at every opportunity,” she says. Whether cleaning the house or riding the train from Brooklyn to Washington Heights, singing became her constant companion. In high school, she joined the choir, performing every Friday. These experiences sent “incredible waves” to her left brain, fuelling her constant flow of lyrics and collaborations with classmates. “My father would fall asleep with the radio on. My bedroom

 Colin Campbell  Shervin Lainez

was right across from his. I heard constant musical waves— not algorithms, but constant waves of music influencing my psyche. It’s spilling out now that I’m singing professionally all over the world!”

FIRST STAGE SHOW AND MUSICAL INFLUENCES

Bette first took to the stage at five years old. At this point in the interview, she sang some lyrics of that song: “Beautiful flowers, bright with morning dew... and beautiful flowers, beautiful flowers. We should be like you.” She explains, “They taught us all these beautiful songs. It just constantly keeps playing in the back of my mind. Going to school, I’m humming; coming home from school, I’m humming and singing, and now it soothes me. When I feel down, I listen to church music, and even some soul music too, like Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come.’ I love that tune.” These songs are based on gospel and soul music, highlighting a connection often overlooked. “When you listen to Sam Cooke, he was a gospel singer with a band.” Her experiences reinforce this link, noting that Al Green, now a minister, “went back to his roots, his gospel roots.” She emphasises the importance of acknowledging origins: “Gospel music was the mother of soul music, and soul was the mother of rock and roll.” This deep respect for gospel’s foundational role underscores her musical journey and influences.

WHAT ABOUT HER FIRST BAND?

“I got my first band together right before the World Trade Centre tragedy,” she recalls, pulling musicians from local spots like the Red Lion in the West Village. “We’d collaborate, and it was just great to stand up and sing.” This tradition continues as she still frequents Greenwich Village in Manhattan. To form her first band, she placed an advert in the local newspaper and held auditions, resulting in lifelong connections. Austin, the drummer, helped organise and find other musicians. Initially, stage fright was a significant hurdle. “I had terrible stage fright,” she admits, but gradually overcame it by focusing on the audience. “I think about the audience that came to see me. They want a good time, and I’m just going to run out and put myself out there.” Drawing inspiration from icons like Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin, she invokes their spirits for courage. “I take the spirits of Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin. They help me spiritually.” Despite the challenges, including fatigue from travel, she finds energy in these rituals. “Even though I might be tired from flying across the ocean, I get a surge of energy.” Summoning the “good energy” of past legends, she delivers a powerful performance, believing their “fairy dust” aids her onstage.

LEARNING STAGECRAFT

“This is a story I’ve never told anybody before,” she begins. In 2000, she travelled to Vancouver, British Columbia, where she was “adopted” by local musicians. Staying at The Yale Hotel, she performed in various clubs and speakeasies. Her friend, Thedda Marie Gourley, taught her essential stagecraft: “focus on the audience and project myself, breaking down the wall between the audience and the performer.” Gourley emphasised being a “true entertainer,” engaging the audience to sing along and not remaining

“locked in your head.” Embracing this, she learned to “say yes to everything” and always perform, regardless of circumstances, fostering a conversational connection with her audience.

GOODTHING, THE NEWEST RELEASE

We went on to discuss Bette’s new release, Goodthing. “The album is a collaboration with about 13 different artists. The Scottish gentleman, Jimmy Hogarth, produced this. He’s a brilliant guy. Sometimes I just think, wow, this man’s a genius because he took five of my original songs, and he didn’t rewrite them. He didn’t tinker with them. He just found a way to bring out the essence of what I was trying to emote in the song when I first wrote it.” Bette wrote Darkest Hour when she was about 16, but it evolved over time. Although inspired by various tragedies, like 9/11, George Floyd’s murder, and Hurricane Sandy, it was completed during the pandemic. “The song became bigger than me, reflecting the importance of connections. ‘In your darkest hour, stay free, keep yourself well, keep holding it together.’ I wrote five original songs on the album, with the rest being collaborations, some pre-produced in London by Jimmy. We locked ourselves into the studio for about seven hours. We did stop for a lunch break and recharged with carrot juice, which I thought was very cute, but he helped me finesse the songs that I had written. He’s very easy to work with, a taskmaster too, because he wanted to make sure that the songs were perfect. Originally, my co-manager in the UK sent my material to him. He fell in love with it, like he told me, and he sent for me. I came to the UK to work in this beautifully decorated studio in London.” The album’s theme is about resilience: “I will survive, I will overcome.” It reflects the journey of a “strong black woman” determined to “overcome all obstacles.” The message is one of persistence: “I will succeed... never stop trying until I reach my goals.” Ultimately, it’s a “very human theme” of overcoming challenges.

MUSICAL TRAINING

“I studied creative arts therapy to compromise with my parents, who wanted me to be a nurse. The course was ‘very beautiful’ and my ‘favourite time there,’ though it’s no longer offered, which I find ‘so sad.’ The most valuable lesson was about connection; we sat in a circle of 15-20 people, playing instruments in drum circles and ad-libbing

interpretations of music. I inherited my father’s ‘velvet vocal cords’ and trained with famous voice teachers like Seth Riggs and Filippo De Stefano. Riggs, known for coaching Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, provided foundational lessons that were transformative. Filippo described my vocals as ‘not sweet, not salt, not pepper, not sugar, but spice. You have a spicy voice. You’re like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.’ He said to focus on artists that have that sound, that contralto sound, like Tina Turner, Pearl Bailey, and Eartha Kitt—people who have these unconventional voices and tones.”

Spontaneously, Bette gave an example of her vocal talents and sang Amazing Grace. What an astounding voice she has! “My voice is an instrument. I warm up quite frequently in the morning when I walk my labradoodle to the park. I sing, hum, and do vocal exercises, both recorded and memorised. It’s very important for a singer to sing, and if not singing, you should be humming all day—it’s very good exercise. My voice is resilient. I try not to yell. I learned techniques in my vocal classes so that if I must yell, there’s a technical way to do so without overextending and damaging your voice, preventing the development of vocal nodules, which a lot of singers suffer from.”

BEING ON THE ROAD

“Travelling makes me so happy because I get to learn and enjoy the flavours and the cultures. I also try to learn to say ‘I love you’ in every language. I believe it’s the most important phrase in any language.”

FINAL WORDS FOR THE BLUES MATTERS READERS

“Keep loving the blues, keep loving the blues! Keep supporting blues artists around the world. Bette Smith is here for you, loving the blues. I’m coming over to play in London in October—see you there!”

For further information visit: www.bettesmith.com

JUST GOT STARTED

Jimmy Carpenter is a highly respected saxophonist, singer-songwriter, and bandleader known for his dynamic performances and soulful approach to blues, rock, and R&B. With a career spanning several decades, Jimmy has earned a reputation as one of the most versatile and passionate musicians in the

His work has taken him across the globe, both as a solo artist and as a collaborator with some of the biggest names in blues music. Beyond his instrumental prowess, Jimmy’s deep connection to the music and his ability to convey emotion through his playing and singing have made him a beloved figure among fans and peers alike. I recently caught up with Jimmy to discuss his new release, Just Got Started, and other topics. Here’s how it went…

BACKGROUND STORY

From an early age, the allure of his father’s big band records was undeniable. “I was enamoured with my dad’s big band records,” Jimmy recalls, particularly admiring a Dave Brubeck album featuring the smooth saxophone tones of Paul Desmond. At just ten, a summer school opportunity allowed him to explore music, and “I immediately said, sax.” By twelve, his passion had solidified: “Yeah, this is what I’m going to do.” While life brought some detours, his commitment to the saxophone never wavered: “For the most part, that’s what I’ve done, what

I’ve always wanted to do, and what I’m going to keep doing.”

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED?

Doing well! It’s really about the exciting, fun, and challenging projects that come my way. Unlike a routine job, it’s never about just punching the clock. Each project is unique and always more demanding than I expect, which leaves me with a constant drive to keep going. I’m never finished,” he admits. “That just keeps pushing me, and I try to rise to the challenge.”

JUST GOT STARTED

We dove straight into discussing his new release, which features a big band sound, funk, blues, and eclectic music styles. “I’m super excited about this one,” Jimmy explains. When Mike Zito, co-owner of Gulf Coast Records and a longtime friend, proposed collaborating with the legendary producer Kid Andersen, there was no hesitation: “I was like, yes.” Walking into Greaseland Studios in San Jose, he was greeted by a stellar lineup: Jerry Jemmott on bass, Derrick D’Mar Martin on drums, Jim Pugh on keys, and Kid Andersen on guitar. “This is going to be all right,” he thought. Despite initial nerves about material readiness, advice from Albert Castiglia to “just trust Kid” proved true. The result was an amazing experience, with songs crafted with care and innovation. “It’s not a straight-up blues record by any stretch. I like getting funky; there’s blues, an Otis Rush tune, and what I think is a killer cover of My Babe. I’m thinking that’s an attention

grabber. I have a deep love for the R&B soul side of things and a passion for songs that truly resonate. It has a kind of ‘70s funk vibe overall, capturing the essence we were aiming for.”

Notably, Jimmy’s vocals are more prominent on this release. He explains, “I really put in the work,” recalling how the Louisiana record marked the first time he demoed songs at home, repeatedly singing, recording, and refining them. This process “really improved things for me,” not just for those songs but overall. With this project, he applied the same dedication, noting, “I’ve really tried to train my ear and improve my vocal performance. Working with Kid Andersen was fun; we recorded 7 or 8 takes of each song, mostly live, with whole takes kept. The Louisiana record wasn’t really produced,” he explains, recalling how they recorded everything live with no overdubs, except for fixing some solos. “We just did it until I got it right.” This time, with Kid Andersen, “we added horns, effects,” but it “comes across pretty much straight ahead.” He believes “this one’s got just the right amount of production on it—it’s not too much.”

GAMBLING

We discussed gambling, and Jimmy reflected on one occasion: “It’s funny, when I first came to Vegas with Tinsley Ellis in 1998, we drove up from L.A. We stopped at the first gas station in Nevada, and there were slot machines everywhere. I went in there while they were messing around, and I won like 60 bucks. Then we came to the casino where we were playing, and that night I won 300, and I’ve never won again. So, I always say it’d be quicker just to wad up a 20 and throw it on the floor and leave!”

YOU GOT A CHANCE TO DO A COUPLE OF KING CURTIS SONGS AS WELL?

“I’m kind of surprised I’ve never done that before,” Jimmy reflects, considering his long-standing admiration for King Curtis since he was 17. Playing alongside Jerry Jemmott, who worked with Curtis, was “like a big circle and left me just giddy watching him.” Curtis was perhaps his biggest influence, alongside Junior Walker, Sonny Rollins, and Dexter Gordon. Curtis’ percussive, aggressive style shaped modern music, and he believes that had Curtis

“TO ME, SUCCESS WOULD BE LEARNING HOW TO HANDLE ALL THE THINGS I’M DOING WITHOUT STRESSING ABOUT IT”

lived, “pop music saxophone would have been much different.”

BEST MUSICAL ADVICE?

Recalling a studio session with Dr. John, Jimmy shares, “I was standing there with my horn, and he says, ‘Are you going to play that thing or just hold it?’” When Jimmy admitted he wasn’t really a jazz player, Dr. John replied, “You don’t ever tell somebody you don’t know how to do something. You say, ‘Hell yeah, I can do this.’” Since then, he’s tried to live by that advice, overcoming doubts by embracing confidence.

STAGECRAFT

“I used to always co-lead things,” Jimmy recalls, sharing how in previous bands, “I did some songs, the harp player would do some, the guitar player would do some.” Reflecting on his current approach, he admits, “I think about it,” but finds that overthinking doesn’t help. He sometimes makes notes to remind himself of who to thank, but mostly, “I just roll with whatever comes to mind. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

TOURING LIFE

“After all these years, I still love to tour. Despite the physical challenges of ageing, I can still do it, but rising costs make it difficult. I sort of have to be in this state of denial about the financial side because my passion drives me to continue. For the upcoming UK run, the band lineup has changed, but with new members like Mike Hellier, Roger Innis, and Stevie Watts, this will be just fine. We’ll be meeting again at the Orkney Blues Festival in September. I’m looking forward to it; it looks wonderful, very interesting, and isolated! With a busy September ahead, including two festivals in Vegas, I’m debating whether to ride in the van for 12 hours or just fly up to meet the band. In Orkney, I get to hang out with Ian Siegal and Kyla Brox! I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re going to do a special Jimmy Carpenter and Friends show on Saturday—I’m not exactly sure what we’re going to do, but it’ll be cool.”

ORGANISING THE BIG BLUES BENDER

“With the festival just four weeks away, I’m deeply immersed in preparations. It’s barrelling towards me at a terrifying rate. The special show, One for the Soul, will honour soul music’s impact on American and global culture. We’re enhancing the Bender Brass Band with strings, extra horns, and background singers. While navigating the challenge of writing string arrangements, it’s been a learning curve, but I’m getting better. Featuring artists like Beth Hart, Los Lobos, and Trombone Shorty, working on this festival has changed my life and provided financial security and creative freedom.”

WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN IN YOUR LIFE?

“I think most of us, when we do well, don’t think we’re doing well enough. Conversely, when we do badly, we’re

just crushed. To me, success would be learning how to handle all the things I’m doing without stressing about it. Being able to juggle all these balls calmly and well would be my ultimate goal.”

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

“In the short term, I aim to release this record and get it off the ground! I’m hoping for a Song of the Year nomination and successful sales. Having signed a new deal with Intrepid Artists, I’m focused on building resources and plan to be out there more in Europe and the UK next year. I don’t even really have a six-month plan, but right now, I just want to keep making records and getting better at all this stuff!”

WHAT’S THE BLUES SCENE LIKE IN LAS VEGAS?

Though not traditionally known as a blues town, the Blues Society has been making strides for the past 7-8 years. With nearly 500 members, they host four monthly jams in various settings, from late-night rockers to daytime gentler sessions. They also book touring acts like Nick Moss, Mark Hummel, and Carolyn Wonderland. The scene, once dormant, is now vibrant and growing, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Blues Society board and members. Despite the challenges of juggling multiple responsibilities, there’s excitement about the progress, with a special nod to the Sand Dollar, a blues bar in Vegas since 1976, where “they never tell me what to do.”

FINALLY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO TELL THE BLUES MATTERS MAGAZINE READERS?

“The Blues Matters public has been enormously supportive of me, and I very much appreciate it. The UK is a beautiful place to play. There’s such a diverse vibe everywhere that I go; it’s a little bit different. It’s English, or it’s Scottish, or it’s whatever it is, but it’s different! You know, Edinburgh is different from anywhere else, and I love that town, by the way!”

For further information, visit jimmycarpenter.net

Featuring the singles

Giants Walk the Land (with JimMoginie)

Cruel Hand of Fate (feat. Joe Bonamassa)

Produced by Kevin Shirley

HITTING

As the morning sun crept over the Wasatch Mountains, bathing Salt Lake City in a warm glow, I found myself on a video call with one of the most electrifying blues-rock guitarists on the scene today - Alastair Greene. Our conversation came at the tail end of a well-deserved break for Greene after a blistering run of shows. But this road warrior’s respite would be shortlived, as he eagerly looked ahead to his next adventure - the highly anticipated Durango Blues Train Festival.

 Stephen Harrison  Supploed

“It’s an actual train that they’ve got,” Greene explained with a hint of awe. “It’s like this kind of little mini-festival, and it’s three days, and we’re playing all three days on a train.” This unique event, which sells out within an hour of tickets going on sale each year, will have Greene and his band performing high-octane blues rock while the locomotive chugs through the scenic Colorado wilderness.

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH LONDON

It’s exactly the type of one-of-a-kind experience that fuels Greene’s passion for life on the road. Despite being a touring machine who has crisscrossed the globe many times over, he still marvels at the iconic imagery of places like London, where he’s scheduled to return in October. “As an American, you can’t help but want to take a selfie every time you see one of those old red phone booths,” he chuckled.

Of course, Greene’s love for the UK runs far deeper than just its photogenic landmarks. It’s a place that has embraced his fiery fretwork with open arms, with raucous sold-out shows at legendary venues like the Slaughtered Lamb under his belt. “It was packed, a nice small funky club underneath the restaurant, and we had a fantastic time,” he reminisced about that particular London gig.

HONOURING THE HALLOWED STAGES

His forthcoming return to England in the fall will include a stop at the 229 Club, as well as a revisiting of the hallowed 100 Club stage where he previously shared the bill with blues harmonica master Sugar Ray Rayford back in 2019. For a musician so steeped in blues tradition, playing in the same rooms as his heroes is the ultimate honour.

“STANDING OUT LOUD”A MASTERFUL HOMAGE

Greene’s latest album, the critically acclaimed “Standing Out Loud,” is a masterful homage to those very blues rock pioneers that shaped his signature sound. “My mission statement for this record was, I want to try and create an album that sounds like a lot of the music that inspired me to get into blues,” he explained.

Tracks like the electrifying album-closer “Bullfrog Blues” are a tip of the cap to guitar gods like Rory Gallagher, whose primal slide work left an indelible mark on Greene’s playing. “Rory was one of these guys that kind of sparked that fire,” he said of Gallagher’s profound influence. “When I heard him, I resonated with how he approached things.”

CAPTURING THE 70S SOUND

To capture that classic 70s vibe, Greene headed to the musical meccas of Nashville and Austin to record “Standing Out Loud” using vintage gear and techniques from that hallowed era. “I wanted it to sound sonically like an older record, like something that would have been put out in the early 70s,” he explained.

While most of the album came together at Nashville’s famed Simo Sound with producer JD Simo, Greene made sure to imbue it with Austin’s distinct flavor as well by finishing a few tracks at that city’s legendary studios. He dreams of potentially recording future efforts in blues hotbeds like Chicago, New Orleans, and Memphis to incorporate even more regional flair.

EMBRACING LOCAL CULTURE

For Greene, connecting with the rich cultural fabric of each town is just as important as laying down scorching licks in the studio. “I try to make a point to get out and see some things, especially if I’m in Europe or the UK,” he said. “As much as finances mean something to me, so does experiencing some culture.”

However, the relentless touring grind makes it extremely difficult to go beyond just hitting the stage night after night. “Unless you’ve got days off, you’re pretty much hotel, venue, maybe grab a bite across the street before the show,” Greene lamented. He cherishes any opportunity to extend his stay like he plans to do in London this fall to go deeper than just the tourist traps.

A CULINARY LOVE AFFAIR WITH LONDON

One experience he’s particularly eager to soak in is London’s iconic food scene, having already developed an affinity for local delicacies like mushy peas during previous tours. “I have never had a

bad meal in London,” Greene raved. “What are you guys talking about?”

While he may struggle with the polarizing Marmite, a staple spread that he describes as “you either love it or hate it,” Greene has fully embraced England’s rich culinary traditions. After all, he’s a man who savours absorbing the authentic flavors of the countless cities and towns he’s visited over his globetrotting career.

CAPTURING THE LIVE LIGHTNING

That pursuit of keeping things authentic and raw extends to Greene’s live performances, which have fans clamoring for a new live album to relive the blistering shows. “Some people want to go ‘If you have anything live that you’ve released,’ because I think it makes them feel closer to the show,” he explained of that persistent request.

“I WANT TO TRY AND CREATE AN ALBUM THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THE MUSIC THAT INSPIRED ME TO GET INTO BLUES”

A live record could be the perfect way to bottle the lightning that Greene and his band have been conjuring on stage every night. It would certainly be a fitting follow-up to “Standing Out Loud,” which has already cemented Greene’s status as a torchbearer for the blues rock tradition.

THE ACOUSTIC MUSE

While he’s already achieved incredible success at a relatively young age, Greene remains driven to constantly explore new creative avenues. One possibility that intrigues him is recording an acoustic blues album, which would be a full-circle moment of sorts.

“I’ve written a lot of songs on acoustic guitar, and there’s a wealth of amazing acoustic music out there,” Greene explained. “I do love that music, and it influenced how I play electric guitar with my fingers and whatnot.”

An acoustic effort could allow Greene to pay homage to the seminal blues artists that inspired his musical awakening as an upstart guitarist. It would also give him a chance to reinterpret his catalog and the classics through a rawboned, stripped-down lens.

THE NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY

No matter which direction his insatiable artistic curiosity takes him, one thing is certain - Alastair Greene’s passion for blues and blues rock burns as bright as his incendiary fretwork. With the Durango Blues Train and a triumphant return to London on the horizon, this is shaping up to be another landmark year in the career of one of the genre’s most electrifying performers.

As our conversation wrapped up, Greene made it clear he was just getting started on this journey. “Thank you for doing this,” he said graciously. “I’m really grateful.”

His appreciation for the opportunity to connect through an in-depth feature mirrored my excitement to shed light on such a vital voice in modern blues rock. While Alastair Greene’s next destination may be cloaked in mystery, one thing is assured - the road will forever be his inspiration.

“THERE’S A WEALTH OF AMAZING ACOUSTIC MUSIC OUT THERE”

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, celebrated for his electrifying guitar skills and soulful blues vocals, has become a major figure in the modern blues-rock scene. With over two decades of experience, Shepherd has mesmerized audiences worldwide by blending classic blues with a modern edge.

 Colin Campbell  Mark Selinger

In this interview, we explore the inspirations behind his latest album, Dirt On My Diamonds Volume 2, his journey as a self-taught musician, and his views on the evolution of the blues genre. Speaking with him via Zoom from his home in Tennessee, here’s what he had to say...

HOW DID YOUR RECENT U.S. TOUR GO?

We intentionally had a slow summer after working hard over the past two years, which allowed for some family time with my wife and kids. Despite the break, our recent shows were fantastic, with packed and excited crowds. We had a great time, and we’ll be back on the road next weekend for about ten days. I think we’ve struck a good balance between touring and family time. I’ve learned that five weeks is the maximum I can be away before needing to reconnect with the family. We generally keep tours to 2-3 weeks, maybe four, followed by a break to spend time at home before heading out again.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND

My dad worked in radio, so I grew up in that environment. He was the programme director and on-air personality at the hottest station in town, which meant I was exposed to music 24/7. I attended every concert with his tickets and backstage passes, meeting lots of musicians and seeing behind the scenes of the touring industry. My first concert was Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker when I was just three years old, which sparked my love for the blues. I was exposed to all kinds of genres—country, rock, blues, funk. At four, I got my first toy guitar, but seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble at seven was life-changing. It inspired me to play guitar with the same passion and intensity as Stevie. I got my first electric guitar at seven, played

for hours every day, performed on stage at 13, recorded my first demo at 14, formed a band at 15, signed a record deal at 16, and recorded my first album at 17. After graduating high school at 18, I hit the road, and the rest is history!

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AFTER 30 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS?

I love making music and entertaining people. Recording and writing are passions, but the real goal for me is being on stage and performing for people. That’s what drives me. We’ve built a fan base over 30 years, and many have been with us the whole time. At shows, I often ask how many in the audience have seen us before—usually about half the room—and how many are seeing us for the first time. That’s usually the other half, so we’re still reaching new people every night! That’s another thing that keeps me motivated—we’re constantly reaching new ears. We wouldn’t be here without the people who keep coming back, but it’s always amazing to meet new fans.

WHERE DID YOU LEARN YOUR STAGECRAFT?

I learned by watching all those bands as a kid and absorbing their performances. Initially, I was really shy, hiding behind my long blonde hair and focusing only on the guitar—there wasn’t much showmanship. But as my confidence grew, I became more comfortable on stage and started

LISTEN STATION

I GOT A WOMAN NEVER MADE IT TO MEMPHIS

DIRT ON MY DIAMONDS

to entertain more. Influences include legends like James Brown, one of the greatest entertainers of all time, the Rolling Stones, and videos of Jimi Hendrix and all the wild things he’d do on stage. These experiences shaped how I work the stage and perform for the audience.

YOU’RE

KNOWN AS A GUITARIST—WHEN DID YOU GAIN THE CONFIDENCE TO SING AS WELL?

I sang one song, Riverside, on my first album but was reluctant because my voice didn’t match my guitar abilities. When I sang, I sounded like a kid, unlike my guitar playing. I had high standards for my music, and my voice didn’t meet them. On later records, I sang background vocals, easing into it. By my fourth album, I felt it was time to give it a shot. Now, I sing 50% of the lead vocals, alongside Noah Hunt, whose different voice gives us a broader range of material to perform.

WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?

Stevie Ray Vaughan signed my first Stratocaster when I was thirteen. He wrote on it: “Kenny, just play it with all your heart.” That’s what I strive to do in all my shows. Another hero, Hubert Sumlin, said, “If I’m feeling it, then you have to feel it!”

YOU WERE ONCE THE NEW BREED OF BLUES MUSICIANS—ARE YOU NOW A BLUES LEGEND CARRYING THE GENRE FORWARD?

The reality is, if you’re lucky enough to live long enough, you inevitably become the older generation. It’s better than the alternative! Joe Bonamassa and I recently talked about how we’ve gone from being the young guys to becoming the older generation. It’s exciting to watch the next young generation come up, like Christone Ingram and DK Harrell. Now I understand why people like B.B. King were welcoming to us—they were happy to see young people contributing to the genre. I feel the same way now. It’s weird, though, as I used to be the youngest guy in my band, but now the horn players are younger than I am! I’ve used horns on a few songs over the years, but it really started on a more permanent basis with The Traveler album in 2019. It added a new dynamic to the stage and for the fans. We did the Trouble Is 25th anniversary tour with horns for part of it, and now I’ve included a lot of horns on the Dirt On My Diamonds albums.

HOW DID IT FEEL RE-RECORDING TROUBLE IS FOR ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY?

It was a trip down memory lane, bringing back so many memories for everyone, as we had almost the entire original group back together, except for Tommy Shannon. Everyone who played on that record played on the new version. I felt a deep sense of gratitude because we accomplished so much with that album. Songs like Blue on Black were incredibly important to so many people. Reflecting on it, I was 19 when it all happened—it’s incredible, and I’m truly grateful to have been a part of it.

HOW

HAS YOUR MUSIC EVOLVED?

We experiment with all kinds of things, taking the music

in many directions. But the blues is always the foundation of everything we do, and it always will be. If we stray too far from that, we inevitably come back and make a traditional blues album for those who want to hear us play just the blues. Blues rock seems to be the style that’s stuck, which makes sense as my early success was at rock radio. My first single reached number five on the mainstream rock charts, and Blue on Black set records for most weeks at number one on the mainstream rock chart. My inclination is to mix blues with rock, as they are directly related. Recent music shows a lot of different influences, including country, funk, and R&B. This diversity reflects all the music I grew up listening to and keeps things interesting. I aim for each record to surprise fans so they don’t feel like they already know what it’s going to sound like. Reflecting on the industry, I feel torn because I got in right at the end of what I think was the golden age of making records and the radio industry. It was an exciting time. Now, it’s hard to quantify success with the complicated math of today’s music industry!

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS BEHIND MAKING DIRT ON MY DIAMONDS VOLUME 2?

I had written a lot of songs and started recording, realising two different albums were taking shape. Instead of releasing them as two completely separate albums, I thought it would be more compelling to make them companion pieces and release them as Volume 1 and Volume 2 within 12 months. This approach is about doing something different and engaging the fans in new and different ways. Nowadays, it’s all about providing your fans with more content on a more regular basis, often with singles. However, I believe in making albums that take people on a musical journey. Releasing singles feels like releasing one chapter at a time from a book, or one scene at a time from a movie. Despite the trend, I like albums and hope listeners will listen to the record from beginning to end. My songwriting process varies with every song, but 90% of the time it starts with the music, whether it’s a guitar riff or a groove. Then we’ll sit down with the people I write with and start honing in on the lyrics and vocal melody. But most of the time, I’ll just walk in the room and start playing, “Hey, what do you guys think of this?” If everyone digs it, we start working on that.

LET’S

TALK

ABOUT SOME OF THE TRACKS ON THE ALBUM

BLAME IT ON EVE

AN INTERVIEW WITH SHEMEKIA COPELAND

Shemekia Copeland is a powerhouse vocalist and a defining voice in contemporary blues. With her dynamic stage presence and soulful delivery, she has captivated audiences since the late 1990s. Born into a musical family as the daughter of Texas blues legend Johnny Copeland, Shemekia has carved out her own path, blending traditional blues with rock, soul, and Americana.

 Colin Campbell  Supplied

Over the years, she has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Blues Music Awards and Grammy nominations, solidifying her status as a leading light in the genre. As her artistry evolves, Shemekia Copeland remains a vital and inspiring force in modern music. We discussed her musical journey, her newest release, Blame It On Eve, and more. She was in New York at the time.

SHEMEKIA’S MUSICAL JOURNEY

“I grew up around music, with my dad sitting around the house playing songs on his Ovation guitar— Jimmy Reed, Hank Williams, T-Bone Walker, and of course, Johnny Copeland songs. I listened to him write music and play, even when he was just in his underwear. That was my first introduction to music. At three years old, I started to sing along with him, and I loved it. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, watching my father’s career shaped my life. Ironically, I always thought I’d never want to do this; it seemed crazy to travel all over the world and stand on stage in front of so many people. But years later, I became that crazy person who loves it! I started going out with my dad when I was about nine or ten, just sitting in and singing a song with him. Although I was nervous at first, I grew to love it. As I’ve aged, being on stage has become more comfortable because the more secure you are in yourself, the better it feels. When I go on stage now, I give it 200% and try to be the best Shemekia I can be!”

BEST MUSICAL ADVICE YOU’VE HAD?

“My father always had it right. He would go on stage and

give it everything he had. He also advised me never to read the press. He said, if you read the good stuff, you become cocky and arrogant, and if you read the bad, you become bitter and angry. I truly believe this advice helps keep you humble. You have to remember that your career could be here today and gone tomorrow, so enjoy the moment.”

MUSICAL INFLUENCES

“My dad, for sure—I thought he had one of the best voices ever. My mom also had a beautiful voice, though she was never a professional singer. I admired Koko Taylor, Ruth Brown, and gospel singers, especially the male quartets. As a kid, I wanted to sound like a man! That’s why I loved Koko’s voice, which was rough and raw, like Tina Turner’s or Big Maybelle’s. Howlin’ Wolf had a cool voice too. I pride myself on being unique—when I sing, I want people to instantly recognize me as Shemekia.”

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS

“I’d say don’t get into the business if you don’t really love it because the music business sucks. We do this because we get to perform, travel, and meet amazing people. That’s the best part. But the business itself is pretty terrible.”

DO YOU STILL ENJOY TOURING LIFE?

“I don’t really love touring anymore. For me, touring means being on the road for a very long time, and that’s not something I want to do now that I have a little one at home. I love being at home, so I prefer to go out, do my shows, meet the people, and then come back home. Being out on the road for weeks at a time is no longer for me.”

LAST TIME WE SPOKE, YOU HAD JUST

PLAYED THE OPEN AIR BLUES FESTIVAL IN BREZOI. HOW WAS IT?

“I loved it! It was my second time in Romania and my first time at that festival. The audience was awesome. Even though it was more of a rock crowd, they loved and accepted what I was doing.”

BLAME IT ON EVE –THE RECORDING PROCESS

“When I make an album, I want to listen to the songs in order, like when I first listened to vinyl. Although there are many ways to listen to music now, that’s important to me. My last three records were serious, but this one is a departure. It has a lighter feel, though I’m still dealing with important issues—like women’s rights and climate change, which are big for me. I even included an educational song, ‘Tee Tot Payne,’ which makes me happy.”

TRACK TALK

Blame It On Eve:

“With all the rights being taken away from women in America, I felt the need to address that in a way that people could accept. This song does that.”

Tough Mother: “I’ve been through a lot, especially in recent years. This song covers some of it, which is great.”

Broken High Heels: “This song addresses climate change and deniers. We see the world changing, but nobody seems to care.”

Down On Bended Knee:

“One of my dad’s songs—singing it makes me feel like he’s wrapping a warm blanket around me.”

Heaven Help Us All:

“I wanted to break this song down, make it smaller, and let the words speak for themselves. The lyric ‘heaven help us all’ really resonates today.”

SONGWRITING PROCESS

“Lyrics always come first, then the music. John Hahn, Will Kimbrough, and I are like a dream team—we’re so like-minded that we can finish each other’s sentences. Our relationship is pretty wonderful. Since making blues records doesn’t involve a lot of money, we have many conversations before entering the studio to ensure we’re well-prepared. We don’t waste time or money on extra songs that won’t make it on the album. I love being live with the band in the studio—it’s more authentic.”

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SONG?

“The truth. That’s what makes a good song—the truth and how it makes a person feel. I’m a blues singer at heart, but I do American roots music. I pull from country, bluegrass, gospel, soul—just all American roots music.”

WHAT DOES THE BLUES MEAN TO YOU?

“My daddy used to say, ‘If it wasn’t for the blues, I wouldn’t weigh over ninety pounds.’ For me, it’s meant everything—it’s a lifeline.”

DOES BLUES MUSIC MATTER TO A YOUNGER GENERATION?

“I think so. When I see young African American kids like Kingfish, D.K. Harrell, Jontavious Willis, Stephen Hull, and Mathias Latin playing blues, it makes me happy. They’re studying, loving the music, and getting it.”

“THE LYRIC ‘HEAVEN HELP US ALL’ REALLY RESONATES TODAY”

WHAT WOULD YOU MEASURE AS SUCCESS IN YOUR LIFE?

“Being a mom and doing what you love for a living—that’s success for me. I think we all struggle with waking up and choosing to be happy. But I choose to see the glass as half full. If I weren’t a musician, I’d be a radio DJ, which I’ve been doing for five years now on Sirius XM. I love it because it’s another way to connect with people.”

FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE BLUES MATTERS READERSHIP?

“You’re lucky to have Blues Matters! It’s an amazing magazine and outlet for real music fans. Be grateful you have it because without it, you might not hear about artists like Shemekia Copeland!”

For more information, visit shemekiacopeland.com.

ALBUM

“PURE

ENERGY AND ROOTSY-BLUES SASS”

TELL MY FRIEND: SKIP JAMES

Despite his name being mentioned in one of the most iconic Blues songs of all time and having played with such luminaries as Son House and Skip James, while also being a close confidant of Robert Johnson, little is known about Willie Brown. The details of his birth are among the many mysteries that have followed him throughout his musical journey.

Depending on who you believe, he was born in either 1899 or 1900. What we do know is that he was born on 6th August in Shelby, Mississippi. Throughout his career, Willie Brown always played guitar and occasionally sang. Most of his time was spent as what can only be described as a sideman, a sort of backup guitarist for other musicians. Despite this, Willie Brown’s influence on Blues music is far greater than one might imagine.

The details surrounding Willie Brown’s life are sketchy at best. Rumour has it that he married Josie Mills, also a Blues guitarist, at the tender age of 10 or 11. It’s hard to imagine someone marrying so young, but this was well over a century ago. It’s unclear when he began teaming up with other musicians, but he played a significant role in the musical development of Charley Patton, Son House, and, slightly later, Robert Johnson.

Throughout his career, Willie Brown is reported to have recorded only six tracks under his own name, which equates to just three singles (a track on each side). This seems almost unbelievable given that his career spanned nearly four decades. These recordings were all made for Paramount Records, but there are supposedly another ten tracks that have never surfaced. What became of them remains a mystery, and it’s a pity they may never see the light of day.

Willie Brown lived in Robinsonville, Mississippi, for most of his life, playing with various local musicians. Though he didn’t earn much money, he made enough to scrape a living. He disappeared from the music scene for many years, but according to Alan Lomax, he made some more recordings around 1942. Lomax insists that this was the same Willie Brown who had recorded for Paramount all those years earlier. Whether this is true, we may never know, but it adds to the scepticism and intrigue surrounding the Willie Brown myth.

The story goes that Son House and Willie Brown were playing at a juke joint somewhere in Mississippi when Robert Johnson, who had long admired both men, walked in. According to legend—and this is where the legend of both men was born—Johnson kept asking if he could sit in and play while they were on a break. They obliged once,

but the reception from the audience did him no favours; in fact, he was booed off the stage. Undeterred, Johnson returned but was again poorly received, with Son House saying, “You’re just noising the people.” Johnson then disappeared for twelve months, setting the stage for another legendary tale.

When Johnson returned some twelve months later, Willie Brown was written into Blues folklore. Johnson blew everyone away with his playing, leaving people speechless at how he had surpassed both Brown and House in such a short time. How could he have become that good so quickly? This set the stage for Brown to become immortalised.

The song in question, “Cross Road Blues,” contains the immortal lines, “You can run, you can run, tell my friend poor Willie Brown. You can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown.” There is some mystery surrounding this lyric— what was Robert Johnson talking about? Some believe that Johnson instructed someone—though we’ll never know who—that in the event of his death, Willie Brown should be told immediately. But why only Willie Brown? This suggests that Johnson and Brown were closer than people imagined.

I have long believed that Johnson, in writing his 29 songs, was, in fact, writing his own obituary. But where does Willie Brown fit into the story? Perhaps the fateful night when Johnson wanted to join in with him and Son House had a greater effect on both men than anyone has realised. There is clearly much more to Willie Brown than meets the eye. But why did he only record six tracks? Why did he fall into relative obscurity for so many years? And when Alan Lomax wanted to record him again, what happened to those recordings?

W. C. Handy is well known as the grandfather of the Blues. In fact, Brown and Handy crossed paths at the very beginning of the Blues’ emergence around the turn of the last century. According to Handy’s autobiography, Father of the Blues, he remarked, “While sleeping on the cobblestones in St. Louis, I heard shabby guitarists picking a tune called ‘East St. Louis’. It had numerous one-line verses that they would sing all night.” One of those shabby guitarists was Willie Brown. If Handy is to be believed—and there’s no reason to doubt him—Willie Brown inadvertently helped to write the Handy classic, “St. Louis Blues.”

Willie Brown passed away on 30th December 1952. His grave is located at Shepherd’s Church, Prichard, Mississippi.

STEVE HARRISON

BLUES MATTERS 

Listen to some amazing interviews with the artists we’ve been lucky enough to speak to for the magazine.

SUE FOLEY

Paul

NOW IS THE TIME FOR

STEVELOUW

Steve Louw has been a prominent figure on the South African music scene for well over four decades. Since his 2021 comeback album Headlight Dreams and its follow-up Thunder And Rain, his reputation has started to go global. His new double album, Between Time, will further cement Steve’s position as a world-class songwriter and performer.

 Steve Yourglivch  Jacqui van Staden

Along the way, he has paid his dues, leading successful bands through the dark days of the 1980s in South Africa and forming Big Sky, whose album Waiting For The Dawn became a rock classic in South Africa. Steve also played a significant part in the amazing Rodriguez story, as documented in the award-winning film Searching For Sugarman, and collaborated with Brian May and Dave Stewart for the 46664 Aids Awareness project inspired by Mandela.

FROM BIG SKY TO HEADLIGHT DREAMS: A LONG HIATUS

I started by asking Steve about the big gap between the last Big Sky record in 2008 and the release of Headlight Dreams.

“Yeah, the last Big Sky album was when I was signed to Sony South Africa, but then the people there who championed me left. After that, I basically didn’t have a record deal, so I stopped making albums. Then Kevin Shirley suggested we work together again. We had always kept in touch, and he persuaded me to record again. The record turned out well, and I managed to get another deal through Sony. They liked what they heard, so I’m kinda back in the business!”

A PROLIFIC RETURN TO MUSIC

It certainly seems that Steve is making up for lost time, releasing two well-rounded albums over a two-year peri-

od and then following that with a twenty-track double studio album. I expressed my surprise at him releasing a double.

“I’m surprised too!” he laughed. “Some songs were before Headlight Dreams, others are new. Now I know the band I’m working with, so I kinda know how they are going to work out. We made Headlight Dreams, and three days later, lockdown happened, so I wrote a lot in 2020/21. When it came to sequencing the album, we kept going back and forth, so I felt if they didn’t get released now, they probably never would. I’ve spent a long time sequencing the four vinyl sides, and I’m really happy that we did.”

A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH KEVIN SHIRLEY

Kevin Shirley has been a significant part of Steve’s musical journey, and the two have known each other since the early ‘80s, long before Kevin became the go-to producer for Joe Bonamassa and other big names.

“I’ve actually known Kevin since 1980/81. Before he was a producer, we were in bands together. He’s gone on to have a phenomenal career. He produced The Killing Floor, the second album of my band All Night Radio, and the first Big Sky album Waiting For The Dawn.”

Kevin Shirley surrounded Steve with an amazingly talented group of musicians, most of whom have worked on albums with Kevin for other artists.

“You have to be well prepared. These guys are so good, it’s unreal. Greg Morrow on drums, for instance, is like a human metronome. It’s much easier now that they understand the music, and that reflects too. You need to catch the magic—it has to sound organic, not just session players going through the motions. That’s why I play it to them like a fully committed gig. If I’m not fully into my music, why would they be?”

THE THEMES BEHIND THE TRACKS

There are a lot of wonderful tracks on this album, not least the first single, Giants Walk The Land.

“There is some great guitar on that courtesy of Jim Moginie, who was a founding member of Midnight Oil. It’s a very spiritual track because it’s about the earth and what we are doing to it as people. The environment is important to me. I think the last 50 to 100 years have been cataclysmic for the planet.”

DIVERSE SOUNDS, UNIFIED VISION

The songs that make up the entire album are diverse— blues, rock, and Americana—but there’s no little skill in getting them all to hang together. I wondered about Steve’s writing process.

“Every song to me is a gift that comes from someplace. The key to writing a song is to be open to what’s coming into you and also to the music. Be a conduit for what the universe is sending to you. The songs manifest themselves to you, and then you can knock them into shape. You need your fishing line in the water!”

THE MAKING OF HIGHWAY TO THE SUN AND KILLERS

I asked about the closing track Highway To The Sun and the track Killers.

STREETS OF RAIN KILLERS WIND IN YOUR HAIR

“THESE GUYS ARE SO GOOD, IT’S UNREAL”

“What’s interesting about that is it’s very much a band song. It’s quite a simple song in parts, but it’s all feel. They trust each other to play, and Kevin’s role is equally important—capturing the magic, guiding it in a different direction.”

“The lyric Killers from the East they came without names was inspired by a piece in The New York Times about intercepted communication during the early days of the war in Kiev. It’s about how bad leaders dehumanise people, which happens throughout history.”

THE RODRIGUEZ CONNECTION AND SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN

Searching For Sugarman is one of the best music documentaries ever made in my opinion, and Steve played his part in the story of Rodriguez.

“It was great. My record company phoned me up and asked if I wanted to be Rodriguez’s backing band. At that point, he hadn’t played in over twenty years, and none of the band could believe it when I told them. The first show sold out with seven or eight thousand people crammed in. It was electrifying to be part of such a wonderful experience. The crazy thing was that it was really the movie that made him famous, even though the tour happened in 1997. The reason Rodriguez was so big in South Africa was that his records were played underground by people who were anti-apartheid.”

A MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER WITH JOE BONAMASSA

I found online a blog of yours—tell me about the first time Joe Bonamassa met you and played on your track.

“Yes, Kevin had forgotten to record a solo for Royal Tea, so Joe detoured his bus to stop by in Nashville to record the missing solo. Kevin just said, ‘OK, play something on

this,’ and he pushed the record button on my song Wind In Your Hair. Just one take. Joe plays on the new album, on Cruel Hand Of Fate.”

PERSONAL TRAGEDY AND MUSICAL CATHARSIS

Steve has also suffered tragedy in his life, with his brother Ardi losing his life at the time Steve was recording the breakthrough Waiting For The Dawn album in London.

“That night, Kevin and I flew to London to record some parts of the album with Robbie McIntosh and other musicians. My brother was flying back to South Africa from Taiwan when the plane exploded. I remember it as if it were yesterday—Kevin walking with me, with his arm around me. The album was put on hold until I could focus again. It was definitely a crossroads in my life. I’ve found music very cathartic—it might have focused me a bit more.”

REFLECTING ON A REMARKABLE JOURNEY

Steve Louw’s journey from the heart of South Africa’s turbulent music scene to the global stage is a testament to his resilience, talent, and unwavering passion for music. With a career that spans decades and influences that have shaped both his homeland and the world, Steve continues to evolve as an artist. His recent work, marked by powerful collaborations and a deep connection to his roots, showcases a musician at the peak of his creative powers. As he looks to the future, Steve’s music remains a beacon of hope, reflection, and timeless storytelling, proving that his voice is as vital now as ever.

JACK CASADY BASS LINES AND MILESTONES

He’s the legendary presence felt beneath some of the most timeless psychedelic, rock, and blues music ever recorded, and Jack Casady continues to live a rare and storied life. His signature tone, feel, and rangy approach to playing bass have provided him with a still in-demand career.

And with his fellow original Jefferson Airplane musician, guitarist extraordinaire Jorma Kaukonen, with whom he formed the Airplane offshoot band Hot Tuna, he has an abundance of tour dates booked performing Acoustic Tuna. Not bad for an 80-year-old veteran from the vanguard of the modern music business whose enthusiasm for his calling is as infectious as ever.

THE STORY BEHIND THE SIGNATURE EPIPHONE BASS

Jack sits before me on our Zoom call from his Channel Island home in Jersey, with his signature Epiphone bass thrumming in his hands, passionately keen to tell me its story: “I started out with Epiphone in 1997; the last century,” he emphasises. “I approached Gibson through a good friend of mine, Mike Lawson, who was working with Gibson at the time. I discovered the Les Paul version of this bass in 1983, and I hadn’t realised that there was a nice F-hole arch-top semi-hollow body already out there by Gibson.”

He considers, “I had played the short-scale version of Guild in the late sixties, like the one I used at Woodstock and around that era, because I really liked the openness of the tone of the semi-hollow body.” Settling into his comfort zone, Jack continues with his thoughts on his creative obsession with the evolution of modern bass guitars: “I started out playing guitar at age twelve and moved to the bass at sixteen, with, of course, the Fender bass, and started out playing the jazz bass, and that’s what I used in the early part of my recording career. But when I discovered the hollow body instruments, I really

liked that open sound. And I’ve kind of always chased the stand-up bass player jazz guy sounds,” he confides.

A UNIQUE COLLABORATION WITH EPIPHONE

“Mike Lawson was working with Gibson, and they weren’t interested in reviving this short-lived Les Paul version. They did a run of about a couple of hundred in the early seventies, and they didn’t hit it off very well. But I loved it when I rediscovered them, and I said I’d like to make it. I like this bass and the way it’s set up. The neck style feels so nice to me, as does the tone. But I said I want to work on the pickups, but Gibson wasn’t interested. Instead, they turned me on to the Epiphone division, and they were. Jim Rosenberg, the president of Epiphone at the time, gave me carte blanche. He said, ‘Jack, you can build this instrument any way you want. You can put three pickups on it, two pickups, one.’ I said, ‘what I really want is one super top-of-the-line component pickup, and I’ll place that in the sweet spot that I like.’”

MEMORIES OF CRAFTING AND REDISCOVERING A STOLEN BASS

Talking about the technical aspect of his Epiphone

Signature Jack Casady bass also brings back a flood of personal memories for Jack as he reveals to me: “We tried different magnet combinations and different strengths of magnets and different gauges of wire and all that kind of stuff. I learned all that stuff from my father, who was an audiophile. He was a dentist, a professional man: doctors, dentists, and lawyers are all in my family, and this was in the fifties. He loved electronics when he

 Paul Davies  Supplied

graduated and went to school in the late twenties and early thirties, and we built amplifiers together: Heathkit amplifiers, which was my first amplifier, and he built speaker cabinets and all that stuff. So, it was natural for me to work with them.”

He adds, “I remember all that gang out in San Francisco, Owsley Stanley, who did the first electronics on that Guild bass that I had at Woodstock that was stolen and then returned, luckily, recently. During that period of time, up until the late nineties, I was playing a lot of solid body instruments, but I discovered this Gibson version in the Chelsea Music Store right next to the Chelsea Hotel and West 23rd Street in New York City, a great little store, where all the cool cats went into and where you could still buy an instrument for a reasonable price.”

THE RETURN OF THE FAMED STOLEN GUILD BASS

I ask Jack how he got his famed stolen Guild bass back into his hands that are still picking out Epiphone bass runs as we speak: “It’s a great story. A few years ago, I put

a little query out on Facebook. I said, ‘Gee, it’d really be great to have...’ And I showed a picture of this instrument that was stolen during a few shows that we did on a tour. And there are several characters involved here, but it was stolen after a show. I left it somewhere sitting down while making a phone call. Notice it was in the days when to make a phone call, you had to go to a phone booth,” he heartily laughs.

“It got stolen in Seattle around ‘69. I got a phone call from a gentleman up in Seattle who thought he knew where the bass is. This gentleman was in a band with another bass player, and they got back to me, and we became great friends, and they returned the bass.” He continues, “And the bass had been changed a little bit, but, essentially, the only thing changed is I had a dark brown finish put over the original finish that was sunburst. Somebody stripped that off, and it went back to a natural finish. The electronic package had been done by Owsley Stanley, who was famous for other things as well as electronics, and we put that bass together in 1967. It’s back, and it plays wonderfully. I’m not playing a lot of short-scale instruments these days, but it sounds superb, and I got it back: wonderful.”

ACOUSTIC HOT TUNA: THE CURRENT TOUR AND SETUP

Back to present-day happenings, Jack and Jorma are out on tour with a rolling diary of Acoustic Hot Tuna dates: “We’ve never not been acoustic. Here’s the difference. Jorma doesn’t play acoustic guitar as a musician who’s always played electric and now plays unplugged. He’s a master of the acoustic instrument as it was meant to be. He’s a finger picker: thumb and two fingers. When we started what became Hot Tuna from playing that Guild bass, with a little amplifier I had and, later on, a Versatone amplifier that was basically a Hi-Fi amplifier, I was trying to get a nice, natural jazz sound on that bass that worked well with a flat top acoustic J-50 Gibson, and that’s how we started out playing, and our first album was those two instruments together.”

Jack further details the creative nuances of Hot Tuna’s music: “What was unique at the time for us was me playing bass with a finger-picking guitarist and singer— that’s complete music within itself. And we started working out how we would play that kind of music that was heavily influenced by a lot of the guitarists and singers that we admired at the time like Reverend Gary Davis and several others. As Jorma developed his own songwriting, we worked out a method because Jorma’s playing with his thumbs, it would also free me up on the bass, where I wouldn’t have to be just pinning the rhythm section down with repetitive line licks in the bottom with a single line on top like a difficult linear guitar player would play. Then it formed, and we began what became known as Hot Tuna and in that combination, we put out our first album in 1970.”

A TRIBUTE TO HIS LATE WIFE AND THE FUTURE OF HOT TUNA

As I mentioned, Jack is naturally a bass obsessive, as he details his current acoustic setup: “Over the years, I’ve had a couple of different approaches. Lately, luthier Tom Ribbecke has made a series of true acoustic bass guitars with a big body and a unique design. It’s called the Diana Bass Series, after my late wife Diana who passed away in 2012. It has a deep body on it, but it’s an arch-top design. What we’re doing now, since we stopped doing the louder version of Hot Tuna, is playing the acoustic flat top rather than going into the electric world.” He adds with a huge smile: “We’re just dropping the electric because we figured, well, I’m just turned eighty and Jorma is eightythree going on eighty-four, and, maybe, we’ve got a shot at another ten years if we don’t completely lose our hearing, ha ha.”

THE BEGINNINGS OF HOT TUNA

Jack recalls the exact moment when the embryonic Hot Tuna started: “We were fortunate because I think there were a couple of concerts in New York where there was some sort of technical problem, and Paul Kantner said, ‘Hey, why don’t you guys go out and play a couple of things while we get this all fixed up’? So, we did. Luckily, we had that format to slide into with an audience where we could present some of this material that we loved.”

He says: “But in Jefferson Airplane, everybody wrote. Everybody. There were a lot of different styles between Grace Slick and her approach, Paul Kantner’s, Marty Balin and Jorma, who later started doing more writing, but there was a lot of territory to cover in only so much time within the structure of any one concert. So, this was sort of an intimate, almost like a small combo jazz approach to the kind of music that we enjoyed, and as the months and years built up, we started to expand that and see where it would lead to as a kind of a new direction, while we were doing the Jefferson Airplane at the same time. So, it’s very natural. This came out of sitting in hotel rooms night after night and playing.”

RECORDING WITH JIMI HENDRIX

This was a fertile and groundbreaking period in music, which also found Jack playing on a famous recording session with Jimi Hendrix at Electric Ladyland Studios as he reveals the backstory to this milestone meeting: “Bill Graham was our manager, and with Bill and all the musicians of the San Francisco scene, we would talk about who our influences were, and the kind of people we admired. Bill Graham was unique in that he loved to put a combination of musicians and influences from different worlds and backgrounds on the same stage at the same time during a show, and he put on wonderful shows.

In any case, Jimi Hendrix came through, and he jumped over to England and got his start with his band, and he came back to the United States and played these places. We became friends through meeting at The Fillmore,” he smilingly recalls. “We practised next door to each other all the time. Mitch Mitchell was a good friend of mine. I loved his drumming. I loved the way he approached the drums in the Jimi Hendrix Experience. I think that’s what

made them unique. I don’t think it was ever like that again once he was gone,” Jack asserts.

A JAM SESSION TO REMEMBER

“To jump ahead to your question. We (Jefferson Airplane) were in New York. I think we’d done the Dick Cavett Show, something like that, and Jimi was working on what became his double album, and he had taken a break and gone down to see Steve Winwood who was in Traffic. We had also gone over to Steve Paul’s Scene club to see Traffic play because we had just heard their debut record release, and it was their first stateside tour. We all met over there, listened to their set, and Jimi invited a whole bunch of us back to his studio, along with about twenty other people, and at about 06:30 in the morning, after listening to him do some overdubs and whatnot during the night, he said, ‘let’s play some blues’. So, we did, and it was great.”

Jack tells me more: “Jimi and I and others had played together before and jammed at rehearsal, so we weren’t strangers to each other. I found him to be a nice fellow, straightforward and wonderful to play with. He just looked you straight in the eye, and you got down to business and played. So, we did Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) with Steve Winwood playing the Hammond B3, Mitch Mitchell, myself, and Jimi. Then at about 07:30, we had to pile into the LTD Station Wagon and drive down to Washington, DC to do a gig that night. And that’s what you can do when you’re twenty-something years old!”

A FINAL WORD ON GRACE SLICK

I can’t allow my conversation to finish with this lucid, endearing, highly engaging, and generously affable legend without asking about the only other surviving member of Jefferson Airplane and one of the first front-ladies of rock, the remarkable Grace Slick: “I talk to her all the time. See, I live in Los Angeles as well as here in St. Martin, Jersey, Channel Islands, and she lives out in Malibu. It’s just Grace, Jorma, and Jack left out of the original band, and she’s just as sharp, witty, and acerbic as ever. She’s a wonderful painter and artist. She’s a good person, and I love her. One of these days, you’ll have to do an interview with her.” I’ll say Grace with a huge helping of Hot Tuna to that.

the Porretta Soul Festival

Laura Carbone

“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” that there is a picturesque town in northern Italy where the streets are soaked in Soul, “Hold On, Get Ready” to take the “Midnight Train” to Porretta Terme, Italy. This is where every July, has become the heartbeat for soul music enthusiasts from around the world. Since its inception in 1988, the festival has grown into the most anticipated European event dedicated to Soul and Rhythm & Blues music.

The festival, a brainchild of the “Soul Man” Graziano Uliani, a soul music aficionado, was conceived as a tribute to the legendary Otis Redding. This idea took root in 1987 after Graziano met with the Redding Family in Macon, Georgia, where he pledged to hold a festival in honor of “Big O’. Since then, the greatest names and bands in Soul, both legendary and emerging, have graced these streets, including Solomon Burke, Rufus & Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett. Booker T. Jones, Mavis Staples, Isaac Hayes, Percy Sledge, Irma Thomas, Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, The Neville Brothers, Chaka Khan, Swamp Dogg, Howard Tate, Bobby Rush, the Memphis Horns, Eddie Hinton, Dan Penn and James Carr.

Porretta is not just a beautiful Italian town with small shops, thermal spas, and outdoor cafes its “Living For The City” where the spirit of soul music is palpable in every corner. Entire families make it a point to visit this festival, where people are “Dancing In The Streets,” and the walls are adorned with over a dozen large murals dedicated to soul music. Imagine having lunch in a quaint Italian Trattoria under a 60-foot mural of Bobby Rush and Vasti Jackson looking down at you. In Porretta, you’ll find Rufus Thomas Park (the

main event venue), Solomon Burke Bridge, an alley dedicated to Sam Cooke, and another to the Queens of Soul, and even Otis Redding Avenue. The Blues Mobile with a large speaker on the roof rolls into town. One street is dedicated just to food, offering the Italian version of soul food with grilled octopus, crispy calamari, perfect pasta, grilled sausages, seafood paella, whole pie pizzas, frozen gelatos, and, of course, a quick espresso. Main Street transforms into a pop-up shoppers’ paradise with vendors selling Italian silver, fashion-forward sunglasses, soft leather goods, and the best collection of rare and never-tobe-found-in-the-US soul vinyl LPs. There is a Soul Museum that highlights past performances and displays the prestigious Keeping The Blues Alive Award that was given to this festival by the Blues Foundation in 2017.

This year, the main act was the Memphis Hall of Fame Band led by Kirk KC Clayton, which featured a group of Memphis all-star musicians backing up the special guests. These Memphis luminaries included Jerome Chism, Jonathon Ellison, and Gerald Richardson. Billy Vera is a legend, and his song, “At This Moment,” put tears in all of our eyes. He was awarded the festival’s Sweet Soul Music Award 2024. Female Soul priestess Wendy Moten was the face and Voice of the festival. Johnny Rawls got everyone doing the funky soul dance, while Alabama Mike bought down the house with his soul side. Chris Cain, one of the truly great guitarists of this generation, featured cuts from his new album “Good Intention Gone Bad”. Mitch Woods is a crowd favorite, with his third time back to this festival. Making this a genuinely international festival, it included the Sweethearts, a 30-plus band of Australian school girls and future stars that grooved a tight set that would make Stax proud. From Ireland, Anthony Strong, with his swaggering vocals and high energy, is reminiscent of the cult film The Commitments. During the day, regional bands took to the street stages, marched up and down the streets and a gospel choir lit up the churchyard on Sunday morning.

“People Get Ready” The Porretta Soul Festival is more than just a music event; it’s a place that reveres this music and brings soul to Europe, and Europe just gets it. So, “Get Offa That Thang”, “Move On Up”, and plan to get Soul Soaked at the 2025 Porretta Soul Festival.

BENEATH THE NEON GLOW ELLES BAILEY



Stephen Harrison  Morten Fog & Rob Blackham

The music industry is an ever-evolving beast, with artists constantly striving to create something that resonates with their audience while staying true to their own artistic vision. Elles Bailey, a name synonymous with raw emotion and powerful vocals, has recently released her latest album, “Beneath the Neon Glow”, to widespread acclaim. The album has garnered praise from critics and fans alike, further solidifying her place in the modern blues and roots music scene.

In a recent conversation, Elles Bailey shared insights into the creation of her new album, her thoughts on the music industry, and the challenges she faced during the recording process. As we delved into the details, it became clear that “Beneath the Neon Glow” is not just another album; it is a deeply personal project that reflects her growth as an artist.

THE JOURNEY TO THE ALBUM TITLE

One of the first topics we discussed was the album’s title, “Beneath the Neon Glow”. Bailey revealed that this was the first album she had created without having a title in mind from the outset, which added an element of stress to the process. “When I wrote “Shining in the Half Light”, I knew immediately that it was the title for album three. The same happened with “Road I Call Home” for album two,” she explained. But with this new project, things were different. She grappled with various potential titles, none of which seemed to fit perfectly.

The title finally came from a line in the opening track, “Ballad of Broken Dreams.” “The Bud Light neon glows” caught her attention, inspiring the eventual album title. Bailey was captivated

by the idea of the neon glow, which she feels symbolizes the duality of an artist’s life—always surrounded by lights and colours, yet often concealing parts of themselves from the world and even from themselves. “That’s what “Beneath the Neon Glow” is about—the stuff we keep hidden, even if we’re hiding it from ourselves,” she reflected.

THE RECORDING PROCESS: A BALANCING ACT

Bailey began writing songs for the album in October 2023, a process she described as both intense and rewarding. She typically writes around 30 to 40 songs for each album, allowing her to carefully select the ones that best convey the album’s message. Pre-production started later that month, and recording began in November, wrapping up in mid-December.

Interestingly, the mixing process took longer than the actual recording. Bailey found this phase particularly challenging because, unlike the focused environment of the recording sessions, mixing was done amidst the distractions of everyday life. “I did a lot of mixing via Audio Movers, which meant I didn’t have to be in the room with my producer. But it was tough, balancing the demands of being an artist and a parent,” she admitted. By the end of the mixing process, she was relieved to put the album to bed, although she occasionally second-guessed some decisions— small details that no one else would notice, but that she would mull over.

Despite these challenges, Bailey is proud of the final product. “I love how the album sounds,” she said, expressing satisfaction with the outcome.

“You can keep going forever, tweaking things, but at some point, you have to say, ‘We’re done.’”

CONSISTENCY IN COLLABORATION

For “Beneath the Neon Glow”, Bailey worked with the same team she had used for her previous album, “Shining in the Half Light”. This included producer Dan Weller and the same band, engineers, and even the assistant engineer. However, despite the consistency in personnel, Bailey was determined not to simply recreate her previous work. “I didn’t want to make “Shining in the Half Light” again. I wanted to show what we could do differently, and I think we’ve done a great job with that,” she remarked.

One of the ways she achieved this was by expanding the musical palette. For instance, Johnny, who has played with her for eight years, was tasked with playing organ and Wurlitzer instead of just the instruments he usually played on stage. This allowed the album to explore new sonic territories. When the band goes on tour, they will incorporate these new elements into their live performances, bringing a fresh energy to their shows.

A GLASTONBURY HIGHLIGHT

Bailey’s career reached a significant milestone when she performed at Glastonbury for the first time. “It looks

great on a tour poster, but you never know if people are going to show up,” she confessed. Fortunately, the crowd did show up, and her performance on the Avalon Stage was met with enthusiasm. “It was a lunchtime slot on a Saturday, and I expected people to be tired and hungover, but they were so lively singing along, shouting back. It was brilliant.”

Reflecting on the experience, Bailey expressed her surprise at the energy and engagement of the audience, which made her first Glastonbury appearance truly memorable. “It was the first time I’d ever been to Glastonbury, and it was everything I hoped it would be,” she said, clearly thrilled to have checked another item off her bucket list.

BUCKET LIST ACHIEVEMENTS

Speaking of bucket lists, 2024 has been a year of significant accomplishments for Bailey. In addition to Glastonbury, she has performed at other bucket list venues and festivals, including Cropredy and the Tønder Festival. These achievements have prompted her to start thinking about what comes next. “I’ve achieved so many things I aspired to this year. I’m now going to have to think, ‘Alright, cool, what’s next?’” she mused.

When asked where she would like to perform if she could choose any venue in the world, Bailey mentioned Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado as a dream location. “It’s an incredible venue, and I’d love to play there,” she said. She also expressed a desire to perform at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia, further indicating her readiness to expand her horizons and take her music to new audiences around the globe.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Elles Bailey’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. Over

the past few years, she has won ten awards, a testament to her dedication and talent. When asked how she feels about these accolades, Bailey responded with humility. “It’s really nice to be recognized by your peers and the people around you. I’ve worked really, really hard, and it feels good to see that acknowledged,” she said.

However, she also emphasized the joy she feels when her friends in the industry receive recognition. “I love watching my friends win awards. It’s just as special as winning

them myself,” she noted. One particularly memorable moment was when she presented Alice Armstrong with an award, an experience that was just as rewarding for Bailey as receiving an award herself.

THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC

Like many artists, Bailey’s career trajectory was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked if she is where she thought she would be when she released her first album in 2017, she admitted that the pandemic had thrown a wrench into her plans. “The pandemic threw in such big hurdles,” she said, noting that it often feels like she had to start over, particularly in Europe.

The rising costs of touring post-pandemic have added another layer of difficulty, with expenses soaring while fees have remained stagnant. “Touring costs have gone up so much more than I could ever have imagined, and suddenly you’re trying to take that into Europe again,” she explained. Despite these challenges, Bailey remains grateful for the support she has received and the opportunities she has had to continue growing as an artist.

LOOKING AHEAD

As she looks to the future, Bailey is determined to keep pushing forward, both in her career and in expanding the reach of her music. “I want the scene to continually grow, and it can’t just grow here in the UK. We have to spread our wings,” she said. Despite the difficulties posed by the current economic climate, she is hopeful that artists like herself can find a way to continue thriving and bringing their music to audiences around the world.

MUSICAL INFLUENCES

Bailey’s musical journey was influenced by her father’s eclectic record collection, which included a mix of blues, rock and roll, and more. However, it was a chance encounter with Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” while writing her dissertation that truly ignited her passion for music. “It just floored me,” she recalled. “That song reminded me of all the music I had grown up with and set me on the path to becoming a musician.”

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF NOW

With “Beneath the Neon Glow”, Elles Bailey sought to create an album that pays tribute to the musical influences of her past while remaining firmly rooted in the present. “I wanted to make an album that felt like it could be released in 2024,” she explained. The result is a body of work that not only reflects her journey as an artist but also speaks to the experiences and emotions of her listeners.

As Bailey prepares for her upcoming UK tour, she is excited to bring these new songs to life on stage and connect with her fans in a live setting. “I’m really proud of what we’ve created with this album, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone,” she said.

For Elles Bailey, “Beneath the Neon Glow” is more than just an album—it’s a testament to her resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to her craft. As she continues to evolve as an artist, there’s no doubt that she will keep pushing boundaries and reaching new heights in the years to come.

A LIFETIME OF BLUES AND BROTHERHOOD 11 GUYS QUARTET

 Andy Hughes  Supplied

The 11 Guys Quartet don’t actually need to make music, although they do—and it’s wonderful. They could just turn up at a gig and talk about their experiences as blues musicians and the long list of legends they have backed and played with. But they do still make music, and since the pandemic and the relocation of drummer Chuck Purro to Florida, their music production has been via the wonders of technology. Richard (Rosie) Rosenblatt explains:

THE BAND’S EVOLUTION AND REMOTE COLLABORATION

“We have been playing together for a long time, since the 1970s. We were originally a band called The 11th Hour Band, and we regrouped about fifteen years ago to record some instrumentals with a view to releasing them as a record, and we renamed the band The 11 Guys Quartet. Then came the pandemic, and Chuck moved to Florida. Now, all of our music has been produced remotely. Paul (Lenart, guitarist) is the technical mastermind who puts it all together for us. We create our parts, and that’s why there are no videos of us actually playing music together. There are videos of us ‘together’, put together by our video wizard Bill (Mather, bassist). So, Chuck plays the drums down in Florida, and I play the harmonica in Boston, and it all gets put together into individual videos with a green screen, and Bill puts them all together— and that’s what we do.”

Bill continues, “We found that when the pandemic hit, and no one could work or play together, musicians were starting to make videos and put them out on social media. So, we thought that would be a good idea. I bumped into a friend who works

in advertising, and he showed me how to use an app that can make videos, and I started to do that, mainly just for amusement. And it opened up a whole new audience for us. We now have a global reach, which is amazing. The great thing about YouTube is that you can hear all the original material played and sung by original musicians, and that’s wonderful for younger people now.”

THE REALITY OF TOURING IN LATER YEARS

So, is there any chance of the band actually getting out on the road and playing some shows? Chuck shakes his head sadly, “We’re too old to carry the equipment around anymore! But we have all got a lot of history, and we have played with a lot of great musicians over the years.”

Paul reflects on the band’s history: “I used to play in the American Folk/Blues Festival back in the 70s, and all the older musicians used to come out for that. Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton— all the original players would come out. I went on tour with these players, and you learned a lot about people doing that. They were from the deep South, and I was one of the only white people on the tour, and they treated me exactly like I was one of them, which of course, I was—one of their own. This would be 1970, and that’s fifty-four years ago, and they have all passed now. I worked with them in Europe, so they got better treatment there than they did back in the United States. One of the artists out there was Memphis Slim, and he lived in Paris.

“He told me that he realised he couldn’t make money in

“WE HAVE ALL GOT A LOT OF HISTORY, AND WE HAVE PLAYED WITH A LOT OF GREAT MUSICIANS”

the States, so he moved to Paris and they treated him like a king. He bought a house just outside Paris, married a French lady, and he said they treated him really well. He would gig, just himself and a drummer, and he did that for decades. They made some videos on those European gigs as well—if you see the clip of Big Mama singing Hound Dog, and the guitarist is wiggling his shoulders and has a quiff, that’s Buddy Guy. Chuck played with Van Morrison for a while, and I think we have all played with Hubert Sumlin at one time or another.”

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY AND MAINTAINING BONDS

So, the music rolls on, thanks to the miracle of technology, and more importantly, to gentleman musicians of, shall

we say, an earlier vintage, embracing it and using it to get their music out to a potential audience which stretches around the world. They may not have been able to play together physically, but the bonds that drew them together all those years ago still hold strong today. Bill Mathers considers the links that keep them connected: “We probably last worked together in about 1973 or 1974, and we had personnel changes a few times. Then Rosie had a blues club night, and he invited us down to play with him there and jam on Sunday nights. We became the house band, and here we are, some fifty years later, still together.”

Paul adds, “When we look back together, we realise that we have become like a family—we are really close, and that’s not always easy to do for musicians in bands. We get along, and we tolerate each other—that’s the key. You learn to accept each other and roll with the personalities together.”

Rosie remembers, “We were working together in my basement making albums, and I formed a record company to be able to release them, and that went on for about twenty years. Our biggest artist was Susan Tedeschi, and the company probably put out about fifty albums.”

LABOURS OF LOVE AND THE JOY OF MAKING MUSIC

There is no doubt that the band’s current efforts are labours of love, which is just as well, because it’s not producing them any real money! But as Paul confirms, money was never the reason for any of this—not then, and not now. “It actually costs us money to do this, but we’re musicians, it’s what we do, so we are happy doing it. The pandemic has opened up a massive audience for us that we never had, worldwide. We’re big in Croatia now!”

For readers new to the band, they have two albums out, and they are keen to talk about both of them. Rosie takes up the story: “The first record, Small Grooves And Blues, we made in a studio together, playing live—no overdubs, just down-the-line playing like we always do. It got lots of wonderful reviews. The second, 11 X 11, was made remotely, as we have outlined, and it has far more production and studio depth to it than the first one, thanks to the amazing production that Paul has done with it. It’s our video singles, which are all out there on YouTube, and some new songs as well. That’s got a wonderful reception as well, even though it was made in such a different way.”

LOOKING FOR THAT ELUSIVE BREAK

Paul, meanwhile, is looking for that elusive break into the major leagues, which may come through film or television. “We are still doing the same music, and have the same audience—older people. The media wants to push stuff to younger people. There are a lot of people our age who would like our music if they were exposed to it, and

LONESOME HOTEL BLUES

LIGHTNING ROAD

BLUES

that’s a trick missed by the music business. Our generation still listens, but they are not catered to. They should be—our generation has disposable income now, houses paid for, kids left home. We just need the crack to wiggle through and find an audience we can work with.

“If someone who chooses music for TV and films saw one of our videos, they may think we would be a fit for a film or a TV episode—that would be really cool. Our audience is growing and building. We have lines in the water, we just need a bite on one of them. Here’s hoping. We are not stopping, we do what we do, and it’s too late to stop now!”

A LEGACY THAT ENDURES

The 11 Guys Quartet is a testament to the power of music, technology, and enduring friendships. Despite the challenges of age, distance, and a changing music industry, they continue to create, innovate, and connect with audiences around the world. Their journey isn’t just about the music—it’s about the love of the craft, the joy of collaboration, and the timeless bond that keeps them playing, even fifty years on.

HARD AT IT MIKE ZITO

“ it’s a beautiful feeling - to get to sing about her and for her.”

Mike Zito is one of those names known to blues lovers globally. A guy with a history and ability equalled by only a select few, Zito has mastered guitar while battling with adversity, including personal tragedy, to deliver what must surely be his finest release to date.

 Iain Patience  Supplied

‘Life is Hard” is an album that features all of his wonderful fret pyrotechnics together with some deeply significant personal lyrics, memories and thoughts; in short an album that must cement his position as a major bluesman and international musical force. When I suggest this is his best work so far, Mike smiles, nods and agrees:

“Thanks. Yea, I think it’s my best ever. In some ways it was cathartic to work on it and I had the support of two fabulous guitarists, Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith - they produced the album following the success with my Blood Brothers album with Albert Castiglia - who added their own magic to it all,” he confirms, adding, ““Life Is Hard’ is a complete work of art for me. I believe this is the best album I’ve ever made in my life. My wife Laura and I planned this idea of pouring my heart out in music after her death from cancer. Joe, Josh and the incredible musicians were fully aware of the task at hand. They brought a lot of emotion to the music. I am so proud of this album and I know Laura would be proud as well.” When you add keys wizard Reese Wynans to the mix, you know you’re looking at something genuinely out of the ordinary.

Never an easy guy to pin down, I ask how he finds the energy to keep rolling:

“I’m out on the road and so busy with the album, touring and with the label, Gulf Coast Records. And I’ve got five kids! So always busy, I guess!”

With a fabulous and significant UK tour in the offing and a special London gig at no less a venue than Sound, The Cumberland Hotel, in mid-October, (together with a bunch of dates across much of the country) Zito says he’s excited at the prospect. As a huge Hendrix fan, he is delighted to know that Jimi played the same venue many years ago, and sees it as part of a journey!:

“Jimi had something that very few ever get near, so he’s a huge influence on my playing!”

“I started in bars or for money when I was 18, that’s been thirty-five years. I mean it was 1997when I had my first album out on my own. So that’s about thirty years of trying to do my own thing, put my music out and travel and tour. I’ve been sober now twenty years and in those

twenty years I’ve easily done the most work,” he explains.

When I suggest the sobriety maybe made him a more creative force, he instantly agrees:

“Oh, sure. Absolutely. I’m more likely to turn up for gigs on time,’ he says with a laugh. “I’m more reliable and dependable too. And I think I’m more consistent. Tomas Ruf, owner of Ruf Records, years ago we were on a tour, had been going non-stop. Everybody was late to the lobby and I was on time but very tired and worn-out; he said - ‘Well, Mike Zito, you have to watch out, sometimes your dreams will come true!’ – I was not awake enough at the time but now I get it and it makes a lot of sense! You dream of being a musician, a professional musician, and you don’t really know what that means.”

I remind Mike that he once wrote a regular column for Blues Matters, a much admired guitar player feature where he explained his approach and work in detail. “I did briefly write a column for you guys! That’s right. I’d love to do it again. I used to write a lot more.”

I ask what took him into running his own record label with Gulf Coast, an additional job that has quickly taken him off in another successful musical journey:

“I have a partner, Guy Hale, who lives just south of Birmingham. We became friends when I was in the Royal Southern Brotherhood. We just kind of hit it off. He had an interest in the music, would come and see me play and he was always very supportive so we became real good friends. Guy always fancied himself as a writer, so we were writing songs then slowly but surely he said he was ‘getting retired.’ But wanted to get involved in music so asked about we could do. This was 2018 and initially it just was like maybe we could do a little record label that puts out a couple of records each year and we just help struggling artists, to help with that very low, just-getstarted stuff. And he agreed and said that sounded great, so let’s do it! And we did it. A few months later Ruf Records, we made a record for Albert Castiglia for Ruf. Then when Ruf Records did not like the record, they didn’t like the way it sounded or the way it was produced! They wanted Albert to rerecord it and he said, ‘No!’ He came

to me and asked if we could put it out on our label so we bought it from Ruf Records and so suddenly we were in it, we thought we really have to try to be a record label now, cause this is a pretty big artist! It was a big kick in the pants for us! We just rolled with it. And the label has been really successful and I’m super-proud of it and what we’re doing with it!”

Not the easiest of topics to broach, the passing of Zito’s life-partner and wife, Laura, had a huge impact on the guy on many levels. And while many might have shunned discussion, he instead harnessed his love and emotions to fulfil a promise he made to her as she neared the end of the road.

Turning to the new album, I suggest it is a tribute to his late wife in many ways:

“Absolutely. The idea came about because of her and with her. The worst part is obviously that she’s gone. The really hardest part was just having to watch her go over a year. Just watching somebody that was really vibrant, really strong, just deteriorate in front of you. I think for me, that was the hardest part, and somewhere in the middle

of it all I just said to her one day, ‘I guess I’ll have to make a record, write some songs and just do something!’ She said, ‘Yea, you do! You’re always complaining you don’t have anything to write about. Well now you have, you just have to do this. That was very cathartic! The idea meant I had something immediately to wrap my head around, to be creative. I wrote the song ‘Forever My Love’ and I have it with me every day. “

“There were times when I felt not too concerned about making the record but at the back of my head I knew I had this opportunity. So, in September last year when she passed, we just went ahead and did it. It was the best thing I could have done for myself; emotionally it was difficult – I mean, who gets to do that kind of thing?! It

“sometimes your dreams will come true!”

was such an outlet to get all my feelings in it, let them go. People listen to it and they cry, or they come see us play it and they cry! And they come and say to me, ‘I’m crying. Well, you’re not crying.’ I tell them that I cried for all that time looking after Laura, so it’s your time to cry maybe! I made the record, I recorded it, I lived through it. I get to sing it every night and it’s a beautiful feeling. To get to sing about her and for her. It’s probably the best album and best song I’ve ever written.”

As we close things down, Mike adds this rider, reflecting on the entire recording process:

“Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith are not only friends and great musicians but they were just so considerate and sensitive to what we were doing. They knew what a big deal it was and it was very serious.”

MIKE ZITO’S HEADING EXCLUSIVELY TO SOUND, LONDON, FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!

THE NO.1 BILLBOARD’S BLUES GUITARIST IS TOURING HIS NEW CHARTTOPPING ALBUM “LIFE IS HARD”, PRODUCED BY JOE BONAMASSA, ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL GUITARISTS IN TODAY’S SCENE. HE’LL BE PLAYING IN SOUND ON 19TH OCTOBER 2024, AS HIS ONE AND ONLY LONDON SHOW.

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#43 ALTERED FIVE BLUES BAND TESTIFYIN’ BLIND PIG

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#46 DANILLE NICOLE THE LOVE YOU BLEED FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#47 SHEMEKIA COPELAND BLAME IT ON EVE ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#48 MARKEY BLUE RIC LATINA PROJECT BLUE EYED SOUL SOULOSOUND RECORDS #49 JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR HEAVY SOUL JOURNEYMAN RECORDS

#50 PONTCHARTRAIN SHAKERS PONTCHARTRAIN SHAKERS SOUTHLAND RECORDS

BIG BLUES REVIEWS AL

HUGHES

MADHOUSE PROMENADE

Vaudioville

ALASTAIR GREENE STANDING OUT LOUD

Ruf Records

Alastair Greene has firmly cemented himself at the heart of the ever-growing Blues/Rock scene. This has in no small way catapulted him to a new and far wider audience. I’ve been a fan of Greene for a few years now and had the pleasure of interviewing him for Blues Matters. Standing Out Loud is a damn fine album, showcasing the vocal and instrumental side of Greene, as well as the songwriting side. You Can’t Hold Me kicks off the album with aplomb. The gravelly vocals combined with the power chords on the guitar let you know straight away what this album is all about. The album continues in much the same vane with In Trouble, Am I To Blame, and the title track, before it takes a well-earned breather for the last three songs. The album was record ed in two sessions, the first in Nashville, and the second in Austin. Both sessions were recorded as a trio, you could be forgiven for calling them a power trio such is the intensity of the recordings.

The final three songs, Temptation, Rusty Dagger, and Bullfrog Bluews bring out the Blues side of Greene so well. Rusty Dagger, in particular, is without doubt the most Blues orientated song on the album, Greene surpasses himself on vocals and playing, enabling him to remind us all that when done and said all, he’s a Blues artist at heart. The final tune on the album was not written by Alastair Greene, but it is, and was a Blues classic, Bullfrog Blues. I’ve always loved Rory Gallagher and his rendition of this is so good, I’m sure that he will be looking down and smiling in admiration for the way Greene goes about this. A fitting end to what is a brilliant album.

It is not an easy task reviewing a new release by someone you know personally. If it is good then might I stand the risk of not being objective enough. What if it is not good? There is the chance that the words selected might prove hurtful to the artist and make a long friendship difficult. This is the predicament facing me with this new album from Al. Ten tracks in all, six originals and four covers. To say that this album is basic is a bit of an understatement. This is a Blues album that could have been created in the early decades of the 20th century. Stripped way down to vocals plus guitar this is music of the deep south of anywhere, let alone Fife, and in fact it is also even beautifully rendered in glorious Mono. Presented in a simple card slip sleeve, Al’s gruff vocals are redolent of all that past history. As he sings, he imbues the songs with such feeling and truth that you forget this is 2024. His cover of Stephen Foster’s Hard Times is a perfect example. We all know examples of it applying to periods of despair whether in The Depression or the loss of work in the mines, steel or car production and yet it sounds fresh here. World’s In A Tangle could be applied to any conflict and his own All We Can Do Is Keep On sums up feelings of frustration and impotence. The album title track speaks to the passing fads of pleasures of the coming weekend perhaps including time wasted gambling whilst Chasing The Money. In ways our Blues haven’t moved on reflecting life, and lives, in trouble and that is a sad. A fine album Al

GRAEME SCOTT

This mini-album has been released to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the band being formed. It is a mixture of new and old songs highlighting the sheer brilliance that this band has in spades. London, written and sung by Paul Long has an almost haunting way about

it, not in a horror type of way, more like a philosophical type of way. His vocals are fantastic during the whole of this, the opening song which also allows Matt Long to demonstrate the guitar genius he has become. There are many great guitarists in the world of the Blues and Blues/Rock, but Matt Long can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone. Chocolate Jesus, written by Tom Waits has long been a Catfish audience favourite, and it is easy to see why, great lyrics, a wonderful backdrop from the rest of the band, and, once again, Matt Long produces stunning guitar to further compliment the track. So Many Roads, has long been a favourite track of mine, and there have been many varying versions of this song, but once again, Catfish pulls something special out of the bag, leaving you to meander along a never-ending freeway of this musical journey. Days Long Gone is a short, but wonderful piece of music, just a piano and the vocals of Paul Long, a beautiful track, oozing peace and tranquility out of every musical pore. The mini-album concludes with a ten-minute instrumental written by Matt Long. At ten minutes long, it ends the album perfectly, climbing to a crescendo, and then bringing you safely down to earth. The tenth anniversary has been celebrated in the best possible way, by producing an album of brilliant songs.

STEPHEN HARRISON

CHRIS

BERGSON BAND COMFORTS OF HOME

Continental Blue Heaven

Chris Bergson, the New York-based guitarist, and singer-songwriter, returns with his eighth studio album, a soulful blend of rock and blues that pulses with the warmth of the deep South. Backed by his seasoned band; Moses Patrou on keyboards and vocals, bassist Matt Clohesy, drummer Diego Voglino, and Jay Collins arranging and playing horns. Bergson crafts a deeply personal collection of twelve well-crafted tunes. Co-written with his partner Kate Ross and featuring collaborations with soul singer Ellis Hooks and multi-instrumentalist Craig Dreyer, the album exudes a sincere warmth and homegrown joy. Bergson’s guitar work is a masterclass in subtlety and sophistication, seamlessly complementing the album’s soulful essence. The

THE HENRY KIMBER BAND

FOREVER AND A DAY

Independent

This is the debut release from this four-piece band who mix blues with a funky vibe and soul on all these ten well-crafted tunes. Members include guitarist and vocalist Henry Kimber, Alberto Manuzzi on keyboards and rhythm section, Tosca Tancredi on bass guitar and Felipe Drago on drums. Don’t You Forget My Name sees the band as a solid unit, funky guitar riffs meet intricate keys highlighting their undoubted skills in differing solos. Around The World has a Bo Didley intro and catchy chorus, upbeat tune. Baby, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me is full on rhythm and blues punctu-

This is a release that rewards repeated listens

ated by some funky guitar grooves. I’m Still Walking Out The Door has a laid-back bluesy vibe, keyboard solo particularly infectious band jamming a bit here, lyrics suitably emotional and emphatic. I Lost You slows the tone on this bittersweet melancholic love song, this touches a nerve with the narrator. The Hole Down In Your Soul has a funky beat. Clean Hands is rhythm driven with keyboards underlying this haunting tune. Hollywood Man has a soulful vibe throughout, a slow burner. Everything Will Be Alright is an optimistic up-tempo tune, a rootsy tune. Final song, The World’s Most Wanted Man closes the release with some hard rocking blues tones. This is a release that rewards repeated listens, revealing new layers with each spin, solidifying their place as a band to watch out for. Good production, great sound, highly recommended.

COLIN CAMPBELL

YOU FORGET

DIANA BRAITHWAITE & CHRIS WHITELEY

FOREVER BLUES

G-Three

addition of fiery horns from trumpeter Reggie Pittman and saxophonist Michael Blake injects a vibrant Stax flavour, creating a dynamic balance between exuberant, horn-laden tracks and more intimate moments. The album opens with the upbeat Feeling Good Today, setting a joyful tone that persists throughout. Retribution, co-written with Clohesy, shines with gospel-infused background vocals and lively instrumentation. You Lied, features legendary drummer Bernard Purdie, driving a funky New Orleans groove. Other standout tracks include the swinging Laid Up With My Bad Leg in Lenox with its searing guitar solo, and Uptown Side, a relaxed ode to Bergson’s New York home. Chloe’s Song is a beautiful love song full of emotion. The album closes with the atmospheric instrumental Epilogue (Cycle 3 Descending), a final showcase of Bergson’s exceptional guitar skills, leaving listeners with a sense of shared contentment.

COLIN CAMPBELL

Every now and then an album comes along which simply just makes you smile with pleasure. The music contained herein is a collection of six Blues standards, treated with utmost respect, two left of field covers not normally associated with our preferred genre. Also in the mix are a couple new to me plus one original. Diana and Chris trade vocals with Chris supplying guitar, harmonica, cornet and trumpet along with a band. The Junior Wells cut Hoodoo Man Blues kicks the album off before heading off towards Soul slightly with a Bluesy take on You’re The Boss (Leiber & Stoller). Back on more traditional ground with Mean Ol’ Frisco, Moon Is Rising and Trouble No More. I confess to actually doing the dishes when I was listening to this album for the first time. It sure made that chore pass quickly and with a lot of pleasure. Charlie Rich is, perhaps, not often a name cropping up within Blues circles but Diana gets her vocal chops around Don’t Put No Headstone On My Grave in a very tasty way. Taken slowly with a wonderful piano tinkling away, a fine guitar bridge then an excellent harp solo before the vocals return again. Perhaps this is my favourite track on the album. Don’t Start Crying Now in Jump style befitting the Slim Harpo original precedes Aged And Mellow. Comparing her choice of man to a style of whisky is genius The traditional song Prettiest Train evokes its prison blues roots however why have they faded it here. Surely it could have been resolved. Sounding like a Jazz standard comes the original Somewhere Along The Line and we play out with They Raided The Joint. Invest now, you won’t be disappointed.

GRAEME SCOTT

DELICATE STEVE DELICATE STEVE SINGS Anti-Records

Steve Marion, also known as Delicate Steve, has released his latest album. This is not a departure into vocal performance but rather an exploration of the unique “voice” of his guitar. The album features Steve’s guitar interpreting iconic voices rather than mimicking them. Collaborating with Jonathan Rado on bass, Kosta Galanopolous on drums, Renata Zeiguer for strings, and co-writer Elliot Bergman, Steve delivers a setlist that blends original compositions with reimagined classics. The version of Donnie and Joe Emerson’s tune, Baby is a masterclass in capturing the delicate nuances of a classic while making it undeniably his own. This has a ghostly atmosphere, infusing the song’s lead melody with a laidback swagger. His guitar, the centrepiece of the recording, takes on the lead role, effortlessly singing the melody with a rich, expressive tone. But there’s more, listen closely, and you’ll catch Marion’s actual voice woven into the ethereal choir that floats in the background, adding a subtle yet poignant layer to the harmony. Tracks like I’ll Be There evoking the soulful quality of a lost Bill Withers song, while Easy for You hints at Elvis Presley without directly covering him. Additionally, Steve

reinterprets The Beatles’ Yesterday, Otis Redding’s These Arms of Mine, and The Emersons’ Baby, each rendered with his signature touch. The result is an album where the guitar takes on the role of a singer, offering a smooth, bold, and distinctly personal sound that remains uniquely Delicate Steve. A compelling atmospheric production highly recommended.

COLIN CAMPBELL

DUKE ROBILLARD

ROLL WITH ME

Stony Plain Records

Duke Robillard delivers a scorching tribute to blues legends, showcasing his deep reverence and mastery of the genre. The release kicks off with a fiery nod to Texas icon Clarence Gatemouth Brown on You Got Money and the instrumental Boogie Uproar, captures Brown’s infectious energy. Duke pays homage to legendary blues shouter Big Joe Turner on the piano-driven, Boogie Woogie Country Girl and similarly to Fats Domino with the rumba-infused Are You Going My Way. The release also delves into Chicago blues with stellar renditions of classics from Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Eddie Boyd, where Robillard’s vocals and razor-sharp guitar work shine. Chris Cote steps in for lead vocals on Look What You’ve Done and You Got Money, adding his own flair to the mix. Robillard has assembled a powerhouse band to back him up. Pianist Matt McCabe takes the reins on most tracks, with Bruce Bears stepping in on a couple. The rhythm section, featuring bassist Marty Ballou and drummer Mark Teixeira, keeps the grooves tight and relentless. Saxophonists Doug James and Rich Lataille add muscle, while Sugar Ray Norcia’s harmonica work on Look What You’ve Done injects extra soul. The album slows down beautifully with Give Me Back My Money, showcasing Robillard’s elegant touch, but the title track encapsulates the album’s energy. This release, drives forward like a hard-charging midnight train, fuelled by passion and precision. Recorded in Rhode Island, this album is a testament to Robillard’s enduring impact on the blues.

COLIN CAMPBELL

THE BLUES BONES

UNCHAINED

Naked Records

Originating from Flanders, in Belgium, The Blues Bones have been making great music since 2012. Unchained is their latest release, and what an album it has turned out to be. I was lucky enough to catch the band in a live environment at the Brezoi Blues Festival in Romania last month. Let me tell you, this band is as hot as hell at the moment. The album opens with Chain Gang, a brilliant lively tune that exposes the vocal talents of frontman, Nico De Cock. Nico has a brilliant voice, both in the studio and on stage. The album encompasses Blues, Soul, and Funk, and also leans towards the Blues/Rock scene on a couple of tracks. But, the underlying thread is that of the Blues. In the opening bars of, Changes, you get the whole range of Funk, Blues, and Soul, it’s such a fun track, full of energy

and verve, with great lyrics and some wonderful guitar by way of Stef Paglia. Talking To The Lord was not quite what I expected, I was expecting a Gospel-type ballad, but this was not the case at all. It’s more of a Blues/Rocker, with the lyrics that you would associate with a Gospel-type ballad. A wonderful tune nonetheless. Moving On puts me in mind ever so slightly of Van Morrison. It’s not that the song is a copy of what Van Morrison would sing as such, it just made me think that if Van Morrison had written and recorded this song everyone would be praising him for another great song, that’s how good this tune is. The Tale Of Big Jim Brady can best be described as something of an epic track, so much so, that I’ve run out of superlatives to describe just how good it is. Unchained is a magnificent album, The Blues Bones have done themselves proud.

STEPHEN HARRISON

STEVE LOUW

BETWEEN TIME

BFD Records

Steve Louw is an iconic figure in South African music. In the 80s he led the band All Night Radio to national recognition, from 1990 to 2008 he had even greater success with Big Sky, his song Waiting For The Dawn becoming something of a torch song for the anti-apartheid movement. His band backed Rodriguez on those famous sell out shows documented on the award-winning Searching For Sugarman and wrote the song Amandla with Brian May and Dave Stewart for the 46664 Aids Awareness project inspired by Nelson Mandela. After a 13-year hiatus Steve released the excellent Headlight Dreams album in 2021, quickly followed by Thunder & Rain. As with those on new release Between Time he is working with long time friend and one time band mate Kevin Shirley who produces and has

none of these songs deserve to be left out,

surrounded Steve with the cream of Nashville musicians, most of whom recorded the last Joanne Shaw Taylor album. In the spirit of his new prolific songwriting, we have here a double studio album spread over four sides of vinyl or two CDs giving us twenty top class tracks, no fillers, no rubbish. Steves acoustic guitar and vocals are supported by Doug Lancio (guitar), Kevin McKendree (keys), Rob McNelley (guitar), Alison Prestwood (bass) and Greg Morrow (drums) so you know the level of musicianship is stratospheric. Space prevents a track by track breakdown but highlights include the epic Giants Walk The Land, co-written with and featuring wonderful guitar work by Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil. It’s a vast menacing call to arms to protect the environment powered along by the take-no-prisoners rhythm section. Killers is a hard hitting song inspired by specifically by the Russian invasion of Ukraine but defiant to oppression everywhere. Streetjanes Dream starts softly but builds with crunchy rocky guitars to give a warning of things to come. McKendree gets the chance to show his piano skills on the bluesy Do Me Good (I can imagine John Lee Hooker singing this) and the rock.n.roller Get Real Gone. Aussie Lachy Doley provides stunning Hammond on the reflective Streets Of Rain, while Joe Bonamassa adds distinctive guitar vibes to Cruel Hand Of Fate. The album closes with the magnificent Highway To The Sun, an eight minute vibe fest of guitar with the musicians blending and coercing each other to the finale. Steve was right to release this as a double album, none of these songs deserve to be left out, there’s great diversity of blues, rock and Americana giving us an outstanding modern roots collection. Buy it!

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

MICHAEL MCDERMOTT

LIGHTHOUSE ON THE SHORE/EAST JESUS

Pauper Sky Records

A fascinating double album from Michael McDermott, one acoustic and one electric. Destined for release on the same day as companion pieces of work. The two albums seem to fit with McDermott’s own view of his songwriting - “I guess it’s always been a bit of a balancing act, my multiple personalities,” says McDermott. “One of my personalities grew up listening to early Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Odetta, traditional Irish music, and Tom Waits. The other one was raised on The Stones, The Who, Van Morrison, and U2. My songwriting varies wildly, to sometimes great effect and other times a seemingly incoherent array of songs that never find homes on my albums. This time I thought I’d lean into both, make a quiet record and a loud one.” The Celtic influences run hard in the acoustic album Lighthouse On The Shore, as well as Tom Waits and traces of the late lamented Malcolm Holcombe. The music is deeply passionate and complex – no simple acoustic guitar here – as well as being very accessible. The cast of musicians include Heather Lynne Horton on fiddle and vocals, Will Kimbrough on guitars, banjo and mandola, Katie Burns on Cello. Personal favourites are Bradbury Daydream, a very Waits-like ode to love at the end of our days and Gonna Rise Up which is a reaffirmment to his sobriety (McDermott is 10 years sober) and I Am Not My Father, a gentle but strong recognition of the influence our parents have on us – whether we like it or not. The electric album East Jesus is less easy to fully access but worth the effort. The whole piece stands as testament to personal struggles with sobriety but there is no preachy feel to it. In the main the music is upbeat and almost triumphant, probably best listened to as a piece although there are a few standout numbers such as Berlin At Night which talks to the internal struggles and how love is the antidote and protection from them, Quicksand opens with a Buddhist chant and looks to the difficulties of avoiding the quicksand always trying to pull us down. Two fine albums and each worthy of a listen although my personal favourite is Lighthouse and if I could only have one, then that would be the one.

ANDY SNIPPER

ELLES BAILEY

BENEATH THE NEON GLOW

Cooking Vinyl

Unless you have been living on the moon, or in a cave, you would be aware of all the plaudits that have been given not just to Elles Bailey, but also to this new album. It reached number12 in the UK album charts and has received well over a million streams. Now that is very impressive, no matter which way you look at it. There are many bands I’m sure would be very happy with those statistics, and I’m talking about huge bands from the UK and America. So, to the album. Beneath The Neon Glow is jam-packed with gem after gem of amazing tunes. The album opens with, Enjoy The Ride, now this could be a metaphor for what you are about to listen to, and if that is the case, then so be it. The song contains great vocals, which is something of an understatement, and some superb slide guitar. This more or less sets the tone for the rest

MIKE ZITO

LIFE IS HARD

Gulf Coast Records

Zito is a very experienced and highly regarded artist through his solo works and his membership of Royal Southern Brotherhood and Blood Brothers but considers this to be his best album to date. The album was co-produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith who also contribute their guitar skills. Opener Lonely Man is a cover of Little Milton’s scorcher with fiery guitar licks, riffing horns, wailing organ and passionate vocals. This album was planned by Zito and his beloved wife Laura before her untimely death with pancreatic cancer and every ounce of his pain is poured into the Fred James ballad Life Is Hard with heartfelt vocals and an incredible guitar solo. Wow! The more upbeat cover of Stevie Wonder’s Have A Talk With God aptly features gospel styled backing vocals. The lengthy origi-

Great band, excellent material played with plenty of panache, grit and fury

nal blues ballad Forever My Love is an absolute standout track featuring poignant lyrics, emotional vocals and a huge production job. A cover of Lefty Frizzell’s country blues classic No One To Talk To (But The Blues) rocks along nicely. Great band, excellent material played with plenty of panache, grit and fury. The cover of Tinsley Ellis’ Dying To Do Wrong is a burning, angry blues-rocker with Zito spitting out the vocals and it is followed by Zito putting a bluesy feel to the Guess Who’s pretty ballad These Eyes which features strings and cooing backing vocals. A sizzling cover of Tab Benoit’s song Darkness is followed by the atmospheric pleading original Without Loving You. Walter Trout’s edgy song Nobody Moves Me Like You Do is a crunching blues-rocker. This fine album closes with the Rev Gary Davis spine-chilling classic Death Don’t Have No Mercy which starts with Zito singing unaccompanied but builds into a tour-deforce with gospel harmonies and a full orchestral workout. It’s a cracker and a must have album for all blues-rock fans.

DAVE DRURY

SHEMEKIA COPELAND

BLAME IT ON EVE

Alligator Records

In the heart of Nashville, Shemekia Copeland’s latest masterpiece, Blame It On Eve, came to life under the expert production of Will Kimbrough, marking their fourth collaboration. This 12-track album dives deep into pressing issues like women’s rights and climate change, while also carving out moments for light-hearted escapades. The autobiographical blues boogie of Tough Mother offers aa powerful bluesy punch, setting the tone for an album that balances thanks with joy. The anthemic title track takes a spirited yet earnest stand on reproductive self-determination, while Wine O’Clock invites listeners to unwind and enjoy a cheerful respite. Jerry Douglas lends his dobro to Tee Tot Payne, a captivating true tale of the bluesman who

of the album. 1972 is the kind of song that appeals to me, a story about bygone years when the world was a much safer and calmer place, the lyrics reminiscing about the type of clothes that we used to wear, carefree days all set to a wonderful background of musicians producing brilliant music. This is what makes the album so good, not just the great lyrics, and the vocal talents of Elles, but it’s also the collection of amazing musicians all at the top of their game. If This Is Love has a sultry feel allowing Elles once again to demonstrate her vocals, this time in a rockier style, up-tempo, get off your ass and move around. Love Yourself contains one of the most uplifting lines in a song that I’ve heard in a long time,” Take a look in the mirror so you can see what we can see” simply beautiful. The album concludes with, Turn Off The News, so this is not just a wonderful album, it’s also full of good advice. Bravo Elles Bailey.

STEPHEN HARRISON

mentored Hank Williams, adding historical depth. DaShawn Hickman’s sacred steel infuses Tell The Devil with uplifting energy. Alejandro Escovedo brings his roots-rock flair to the celestial Is There Anybody Up There, a haunting question that echoes in the listener’s soul. The poignant Belle Sorciere sees Copeland singing in French, its haunting melody crafted by Pascal Danae of blues rock band Delgres, adding an international flavour to the mix.

J.D. SIMO & LUTHER DICKINSON

Copeland’s raw, emotive rendition of her father Johnny Copeland’s Down On Bended Knee delivers a deep blues sparkle, leading into the reflective finale, Heaven Help Us All, a classic reimagined with poignant urgency. Passionate, charismatic, and unapologetically bold, this newest release stands as a landmark in Copeland’s evolving career, poised to garner acclaim as one of her most powerful releases yet.

COLIN CAMPBELL

DO THE RUMP

FORTY BELOW RECORDS

Individually, JD Simo and Luther Dickinson are building their own legacies as solo artists, sidemen, songwriters and guitar heroes. Together, they’re a creative force to be reckoned with. On the pair’s first collaborative album, Do The Rump! the musicians trade blistering guitar solos, taking turns at the microphone, and turning their classic influences, into something contemporary. reinterpreting a number of their old school favourites into eclectic electrifying anthems. The eight songs were recorded at House of Grease, Simo’s home studio in Nashville during a series of live-in-the studio performances, joined by drummer Adam Abarashoff whose background in afro beat and jazz helped push Do The Rump’s music into unexpected directions. The friends captured spontaneity in its purest form, recording most of the songs during a single take, allowing a natural combination of grooves and guitars to lead the way. The album opens in fine style with their interpretation of the Bobby Charles hit, Street People, a grooving backbeat drives the song along with raggedy Smokey vocals combining with the grungy guitar riffs to good effect.

This is followed by JJ Cale’s Right Down There, featuring more catchy rhythmic drumming with smooth vocals and slide guitar slipping in and out to good effect. Two Junior Kimbrough covers feature, Lonesome Road, is driven along with a funky baseline and solid drumbeat, with spiritual wails and grungy guitar soloing. Title track, Do The Rump, features another driving groove awash with some wonderful slide and swampy guitar playing. Two John Lee Hooker covers also feature, Serves Me Right To Suffer, this ballad is given a funkier afro beat groove that works well, and Come And Go With Me, which along with the only original song Come On, sound to me the same song (Come on Baby??) The prior has a nice rhythm going with some nice atmospheric punchy guitar and vocals, the latter with a straighter forward Hooker boogie beat. The album closes with the nine minutes plus of RL Burnside’s Peaches, starting off as a slide infused shuffle turning into a jazz-fuelled jam. Personally, I would have liked a little more variety, but still interesting and really enjoyable.

JIMMY CARPENTER

JUST GOT STARTED Gulf Coast Records

Jimmy Carpenter’s latest release is a spirited journey through the realms of blues, soul, funk and rock, showcasing his prowess as a saxophonist, vocalist, and songwriter. From the opening track a co-write with producer and guitarist Kid Andersen, (Feels Like) I Just Got Started, Jimmy’s soulful saxophone sets the tone, weaving through vibrant guitar riffs and tight rhythms, it’s a scene setter, such an uplifting song. His vocals, rich and expressive, complement the instrumental arrangements perfectly, adding depth and emotion to each of the songs. The arrangement of Little Walter’s My Babe is a true showstopper and showcases a stellar band including rhythm section of Jerry Jemmott on bass guitar and Derrick D’Mar Martin on

drums. Another original, I Only Gamble With My Heart is a song about gambling but with a twist, a laid-back groove to this one. The instrumental, Jimmy Shimmy is joyous, Jim Pugh punctuated keyboards pushing this along. Shining Star is laden with soul and sax appeal. The reinterpretation of Night People is a funky romp bringing in a touch

Live Again is a soul

and emotional. He chose two

the final track

Midnight Blue, both mesmerising and featuring Jerry on bass who played in Curtis’s band. Another self-penned tune, Keep On Stepping has a heavy 70s funky vibe, just superb. Another highlight is his take of Otis Rush’s Working Man. Leap Of Faith is a feelgood number with an infectious groove. The production is polished, allowing every instrument to shine without overshadowing the raw emotion at the heart of the music. This is a masterpiece of musicality.

SHIRL

COLIN CAMPBELL

JOHN PRIMER & BOB CORRITORE

CRAWLIN’ KINGSNAKE

VIZZTONE/SWMAF

Veteran guitarist and vocalist John Primer first appeared on my radar screen with his 2015 centenary celebration Muddy Waters 100, which came complete with lavish packaging and a guest list comprised of a Who’s Who of contemporary blues stars. The dominant vibe on this latest offering, on which Primer shares bandleader honours with harp merchant Bob Corritore, is still very much McKinley Morganfield, stripped back to a simple cardboard sleeve and a bunch of genre stalwart sidemen, including Bob Stroger on bass and Anthony Geraci on piano. The spirit of 1950s Chess Re -

cords unrepentantly lives on, lovingly reproduced in all its lo-fi glory. Many of the songs are cover versions, including the John Lee Hooker-penned title track as well as Down In The Bottom, Feel Like Going Home and Stuff You Gotta Watch. You’ve heard ‘em many times before, but they’re done damn well. The track here called Bow Down On Your Knees turns out to be a remake of You Got To Take Sick And Die Some Of These Days, straight off Muddy’s legendary Plantation Recordings. Hiding Place, one of the few original compositions, fits in perfectly stylistically, while the vaguely

funky feel of You’re The One is one of the few token concessions to the last seven decades. There are also nods to Magic Slim and Jimmy Rogers. Very much one for straight down the line Chicago 12-bar traditionalists, and a fine piece of work.

packed with vocal hooks that are impossible to ignore. The opener, I Got A Woman, opens with a powerful guitar riff and sharp bursts of brass, all underpinned by stellar vocals. The track bursts from the speakers with an infectious groove that’s impossible to resist. The inevitable guitar solo, featuring a snarling neck-pickup tone, delivers a series of classic licks executed with flawless precision. The Middle, grooves with Hammond organ, brass, and choppy guitars, blending retro charm with contemporary flair. A wahwah saturated guitar solo in classic funky blues style highlights the track. The ballad, My Guitar Is Crying slows the pace, featuring a clean smooth guitar tone and soulful vocals dripping with emotion. Long Way Down revs up with rock-infused energy and powerful brass accents, while Never Made It To Memphis drives forward with chugging guitars and uplifting female backing vocals. Pressure, has a funky tone throughout and showcases the brass section adding to a scintillating drum and bass line. Final tune is the ZZ Top number, She Loves My Automobile, full of groove and style, a real live recording feeling to this track and the entire release. Play loud on repeat and just enjoy a master craftsman at the top of his game, incredible release.

COLIN CAMPBELL

MEMPHIS ROYAL BROTHERS

MEMPHIS ROYAL BROTHERS

Royal Record

Blues, Gospel and Rock are all on the latest eponymous release from Memphis Royal Brothers. Brass and groove heavy, the album also features sterling performances from lead guitarist Luther Dickinson, Bobby Rush on vocals and harmonica, Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica and vocals, and a strong house band of drummer Steve Whyte, bass player Jackie Clarke, Lester Shell on piano and keyboard and guitarist Michael Toles. The nine originals range from the bluesy opener, led by Bobby Rush, Good God I Got The Blues, and Goin’ South a slow, atmospheric blues shuffle with tight brass, ghostly high pitched slide guitar, and a loping vocal and sanctified

DAVID OSLER

harmonica from Charlie Musselwhite. The singer Wendy Moten makes a lasting impression on the spirited country blues of Brand New Heart which has shades of Springsteen, and the waltz time gospel of Ready to Rise, which has strong brass accents, and a Motown, Guitar figure throughout. Gimme Back the Keys to My Cadillac is a story song with the vocals of Marcus Scott putting a strong case. The closing Fall to Pieces is a slower tone poem, with an insistent piano motif underneath a strong brass part, and impassioned singing from Marcus Scott. It raises throughout to an upbeat ending. The album is a strong one, with plenty of musical invention and talent on display. It has shades of blues, jazz, and gospel with something to appeal to all fans of these genres.

BEN MACNAIR

MIA KELLY TO BE CLEAR

Independent

When I read the blurb that accompanied the album, I was led to believe that this would be a full-on Folk album, nothing wrong with that, says I. But upon settling down to listen to the opening track, Bonefish Boys, that’s not what I heard. Indeed, what I heard was a brilliant Jazz/ Blues infusion tune that immediately put me in a very good mood. Mia Kelly has all the attributes of a Folk singer, but also all the attributes to turn her musical hand to many other genres. South Went The Bird reverts to a more laid-back Folk type of song, and it also highlights the versatility of her vocals and songwriting skills, the ability to mix things up a bit, not being pushed into just one musical box. Mia originates from Quebec, Canada, which, if you are not aware is the large French/ Canadian province of the country. SI J’etais Franche is performed in her native French/Canadian tongue, once again demonstrating that she does indeed have more than one string to her bow. In between these tunes are more delightful relaxing tunes, the type that soothe any anxiety that you may have, I’m learning to relax along with the songs, certainly not a bad thing. Lone Dog, takes us a bit further toward the Blues, a raw gravelly vocal with the kind of message that in this song, Mia Kelly is a girl on a mission.

If you want a Folk album with a few surprises, then this album is right up your musical alley. Folk, and a dipped toe into the Blues pond, a brilliant combination.

STEPHEN HARRISON

RAIE

RED BRICK ANGEL

Independent

Now we all know that over the last few years, Americana has grown all over the world, the genre has spread to so many different countries, and introduced so many new artists. This album is firmly rooted in Americana and has a great eclectic mix of acoustic and electric guitars, great lyrics, and superb harmonies. The majority of the tunes are written by Rachel Bennett (Raie) and some of the musicians that appear on the album. The songs are short and zippy, with no long overplaying or lengthy solos, just good, enjoyable songs, sung with meaning and feeling, not just blurted out for the sake of it. Crystal Girl, The title track, Red Brick Angel, and This Thing Called Love, all fall into the Americana category, but then Free Now comes at you from a much harder place, almost a Blues/ Rock place. The guitar solo courtesy of, Jon Klein is a joy to behold. This is what makes this album so good, Americana being delivered in the correct manner, not with sugar and spice on top, and being able to delve into another genre at ease, highlighting just how good these musicians are. Listening to Red Brick Angel has put me in a very laid-back kind of mood, at peace with the world. I predict that we’ll hear and see a lot more of Raie shortly. If you are looking for a Blues album, this is not for you, however, if you are looking for a fine example of Americana, then this is right up your musical alley.

RUNE ROBERT FRIIS PRESENTS

Aargh! The curse of the record hunter. When I lived in London back in the late 70s and throughout the 80s, I had a regular circuit of second-hand record shops I’d investigate on my days off, looking for blues releases. Inevitably, I would turn up something labelled “Vol. 2”, usually a really tasty album, and then spend a lot of time wondering how good the first volume was. Sometimes I might even find and buy it, but sometimes not.The feeling came back to me listening to this rather classy set from Danish bass player, song-writer and bandleader Rune Robert Friis. Marking his fortieth birthday, he assembled a fine collection of Nordic blues musicians - I recall guitarist Kenn Lending from his frequent appearances in London with Champion Jack Dupree way back but the remainder are new names to me. Whatever, this is a very listenable and accomplished blues and related stuff release, with various styles, mostly between 60s UK blues (names like John Mayall and Brian Auger came to mind) and Chicago styled songs, and a nod to blues-rock with the powerful Boomer Bends. Singer Sara Jana Westphal has a voice ideally suited to the material (and she channels her inner Joni Mitchell on Annabelle and touches almost on country-soul with set closer Keep Warm), though with Rune himself taking the lead on the modern-sounding, funky, One Dimensional Man, and fellow bandleader Chris Grey duets with Sara and spars on guitar to wonderful effect with Jesper Heinz on the aptly titled Gritty Street. The instrumental Milkman has a thoughtful, 60s experimental acoustic feel. What’s on Vol. One? I’m gonna have to track it down - but hang on. These days I only need to click online…

NORMAN DARWEN

SEAN TAYLOR END OF THE RAINBOW Independent

Sean Taylor’s newest release is an evocative exploration of hope intertwined with despair, a reflection of the turbulent times we live in. In an era marked by war, deprivation, and division, Sean captures the tension between the darkness that surrounds us and the enduring light of human resilience in these eleven songs. Through each track, he weaves narra-

STEPHEN HARRISON

tives of terror, famine, and isolation, yet reminds us of the power in solidarity and the triumph of tenderness over cruelty. The opener, Berlin, is a tribute to the vibrant and inspiring city that has left an indelible mark on him. Tracks like Eternal Damnation, 2024, and The End delve into the world’s bleakness, confronting the inevitable struggles of life. Yet, the releases overall message is clear: in the face of despair, we must continue and never stop asking for more. Invitation, examines the complexities of love and relationships, acknowledging our imperfections, whilst Mary Jane offers a taste of London-town Americana, complete with mandolins and banjos. The haunting DWP reflects his own individual experiences with a broken welfare system, a tribute to those pushed to the edge by societal neglect. Searching For Skip James recounts the rediscovery of the blues legend in Mississippi, inspired by the film Two Trains Running. Way Down In Enniscorthy brings a boogie-woogie flair to the lively Wexford town, and Only Beauty Can Save The World echoes a plea for universal human rights. The release concludes with the hopeful anthem Gaia, celebrating our connection to Mother Earth. The End of the Rainbow marks his second collaboration with Brighton-based producer Ben Walker, delivering a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Quite simply, Sean is one of the best wordsmiths around.

SISTER SUZIE & ANDY TWYMAN NOTHING IN RAMBLING

Another Planet Music

Sister Suzie and Andy Twyman have been touring the UK and Europe for quite a while bringing their own take on the 1920s Blues scene. This album was recorded live on April 20th, 2024, at The Bush Hall in London. It is a collection of sometimes forgotten Blues tunes performed as an acoustic duo. The result is superb. Nothing In Rambling opens the set, originally written and performed by Lizzie Douglas, aka, Memphis Minnie. In fact, there are five compositions from

Memphis Minnie on the album. Nothing In Rambling, as I mentioned earlier has somewhat been forgotten as a Memphis Minnie tune, but it’s as good today as it ever was. It’s easy to forget that Memphis Minnie has far more in her back catalogue than When The Levee Breaks. I digress, Sister Suzie & Andy Twyman gel so well together, simplicity itself, a wonderful vocal, and an acoustic guitar, what more could you ask for? An appreciative audience, well this album completes a musical hat-trick. Soul Of A Man, (Blind Willie Johnson) is another track that I’ve not heard in many a while. Listening to this version with Suzie &Andy has given me goosebumps. It is sheer heaven, listening to such a fine rendition of such a brilliant tune written many decades ago by a Blues artist such as Johnson, who had as much influence on the Blues as the likes of Son House, Skip James, and many others. 12 Gates To The City, has always been a huge favourite Blues/ Gospel tune of mine. This song has been covered by more than thirty different artists since The Davies Sisters first released it around 1938-39. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, The Rev, Gary Davies, Mavis Staples, and Robert Plant have all performed this tune. It oozes peace and tranquillity, whilst also reminding us of our spiritual assignations, be they good or bad. I adore this album, it has touched my soul, and it has reminded me of so many great Blues tunes that we sometimes overlook. Thank you, Suzie and Andy, for taking me on this trip down the Blues memory lane.

STEPHEN HARRISON

TAB BENOIT

I HEAR THUNDER

Whiskey Bayou Records

Tab Benoit returns after a 13-year studio hiatus with a powerful release that reaffirms his status as a blues torchbearer while pushing the genre forward. The ten tracks highlight Benoit’s distinctive style and songwriting prowess, with co-writer Anders Osborne adding his own guitar finesse to each song, enhancing the album’s depth and texture. The rhythm section, featuring Benoit’s touring band members Corey Duplechin on bass and Terence Higgins on drums, delivers a

solid foundation throughout, with the legendary George Porter Jr. from The Meters guesting on several tracks. Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Whiskey Bayou Studios in Houma, Louisiana, this captures the raw energy and spirit of the Delta. The title track I Hear Thunder sets the tone with Benoit’s haunting lyrics, underscored by a driving beat. The infectious The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown channels a hand-jive type rhythm, while the poignant ballad Still Gray sees Benoit reflecting on lost love with soulful guitar solos, an absolutely stunning track. Benoit’s environmental advocacy shines on Watching The Gators Roll In, blending his artistic brilliance with a call to protect his beloved bayou. Tracks like Overdue and Why Why, tackle themes of love and human connection, with Benoit’s guitar work adding emotional weight to the lyrics. On the last song, Bayou Man, he belts out a love letter to his roots, with such passion that embodies the spirit of the blues. This isn’t just an album release; it’s a bold statement about the future of the blues and how to preserve it. No fillers here just a terrific blues artist at his best.

COLIN CAMPBELL

THE COLD STARES

THE SOUTHERN Mascot Record Label

Indiana’s powerhouse trio, The Cold Stares, comprise of, singer and guitarist Chris Tapp, bass player, Bryce Klueh and drummer, Brian Mullins. This eleven-track release is a masterclass in Southern rock, blending raw authenticity with a refined musical touch. From the very first note of the opener Horse to Water, the album grabs hold of the listener and doesn’t let go until the final track the stunning, Mortality Blues. The Cold Stares have crafted a release that balances accessibility with depth, delivering melodies that linger and vocals that resonate with a rare emotional intensity. The tunes laid out are a journey through the highs and lows of Southern rock, filled with the kind of light and shade that defines the genre at its best. The album’s crunchy guitars and evocative lyrics create a soundscape that is as soulful as it is compelling, underscored by a bittersweet melancholy that gives it a

COLIN CAMPBELL

unique edge. Seven Ways To Sundown is a particular highlight that resonates with anthemic tones, rhythm section particularly lifts this. Giving It Up has a funky groove and consummate bass line. Woman, has a slow bluesy inflection and lets loose at the bridge, a well-paced number. This release stands as a testament to the band’s skill, passion, and dedication to their craft. It’s a quality album that displays the band’s ability to infuse their music with honesty and emotion. Highly recommended for those who appreciate music with depth and soul, not your average rock trio,

COLIN CAMPBELL

THE ROBIN ROBERTSON BLUES BAND

ELEMENTAL RHYTHM

Independent

The newest release from this Scottish five-piece band is a refreshing dive into the heart of blues, displaying a deep understanding of the genre’s roots while injecting it with a modern sensibility. The band, led by the talented Robin Robertson, offers a collection of tracks that are both musically rich and emotionally resonant. From the opening track, No Good Man, the band establishes a powerful presence with tight instrumentation, sultry vocals from Annette Chapman and Robin’s soulful guitar playing, which is the driving force behind the album. His ability to blend traditional blues riffs with contemporary touches is impressive, offering something familiar yet distinctly original, especially on the instrumental, Nocturne. The rhythm section provides a solid backbone, with each song benefiting from the strong, groove-driven bass lines and dynamic drumming that keep the energy flowing throughout the album. Lyrically, tracks like, Same Old War, Better Equipment is a blues rocking tune, Annette’s vocals visceral on this political tune. Another highlight is the slow blues tune, I Should Have Raged, which captures a haunting, melancholic mood, underlying piano notes from Colin Hutcheon particularly enthralling. Final tune, Old Crimes And Dead Detectives is a more upbeat number that highlights the band’s versatility. Overall, this is a

well-crafted album with a lot of distinctive styles and elements to the whole concept. Robin Robertson and his band have created a collection of songs that are sure to resonate with both longtime blues enthusiasts and new listeners alike.

COLIN CAMPBELL

VANEESE THOMAS

STORIES IN BLUE

Overton Music

This is the first album that Vaneese has released on this label. Overton Music can be very proud of the fact that her maiden voyage so to speak, has given them, and Vaneese, something that they could only have dreamt about. All the songs were written by Vaneese, and everyone is a jewel worthy of sitting on top of any crown. Add to that, she is the daughter of Rufus Thomas, music is certainly etched into her skin. The album opens with, Do Y’All, a song brimming with craft, style, and wonderful sentiment. From the getgo, this album had me thinking, that I was going to be transported to somewhere musically magical. And I was not wrong, far from it. When You Were My Man, combines Soul and Blues that would sit perfectly on any musical menu, with the rest of the songs serving as entrees and desserts. 1917 is a sentimental trip down memory lane celebrating and trumpeting the joys of the early 1920s Jazz clubs, and the effect they had on people. Incidentally, 1917 was also the year that her father, Rufus was born. A very nice up-tempo little ditty that is sure to put a smile on your face. The Last Thing On My Mind is a down-and-dirty Blues tune, extolling the amazing range of vocals the Vaneese possess, it’s a brilliant song, hitting you square in the face. You may think that Seven Songs is not quite a full album, but you would be wrong because the quality certainly makes up for the quantity. The final track, End Of The Road has a slightly somber storyline, but it is delivered in such fine style, an acapella Gospel tune that will leave you on the edge of tears. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and I’m certain that will apply to everyone who comes into contact with it. Do yourself a favour, trust me, get a copy, and savor every moment.

STEPHEN HARRISON

VARIOUS ARTISTS

SILVER PATRON SAINTSTHE SONGS OF JESSE MALIN

Glassnote Records

New York artist Jesse Malin has enlisted an impressive lineup of musicians for Silver Patron Saints, a tribute album that celebrates his extensive discography. The album features contributions from legendary names such as Bruce Springsteen, Spoon, The Hold Steady, Dinosaur Jr., Lucinda Williams, Elvis Costello, The Wallflowers, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, the late Wayne Kramer of MC5, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, Tommy Stinson, Counting Crows, Susanna Hoffs, and more. Each artist brings their unique style to Malin’s songs, offering fresh reinterpretations that honour his work while adding new layers of meaning. One of the many highlights is Bleachers’ rendition of Prisoners of Paradise from Malin’s Glitter In The Gutter album. The track, like the others on this stunning multi layered release captures the spirit of Malin’s music; raw, emotional, and deeply rooted in the rock and roll tradition. The release came about after Malin’s life took an unexpected turn last year when he suffered a rare and sudden spinal stroke, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. The album’s proceeds will go to his Sweet Relief fund, supporting his ongoing recovery. The themes to these twenty-seven songs are all here; transcendence, positivity, and global unity through music. These are a powerful collective testament to that determination and the enduring impact of his music. Jesse is an artist who has forged a deep connection with his fans, not just through his undeniable talent and relentless work ethic, but also through his genuine, down-to-earth personality.

COLIN CAMPBELL