A Gulf Coast Christmas

Various Artists
A Gulf Coast Christmas
Gulf Coast Records

Mike Zito is one of the forces behind Gulf Coast Records, which has quickly established itself with a number of releases of blues, blues-rock, and roots. This new recording is a collection of Holiday Season covers and originals but the label's growing group of artists. The album has songs by Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia, Kat Riggins, The Proven Ones, Mark May, John' Blues' Boyd with Lisa and Kid Andersen, Diana Rein, Kevin Burt, LeRoux, Jimmy Carpenter, Billy Price, Sayer and Joyce, Thomas Atlas, Odds Lane, and Tony Campanella.

Like many blues and roots holiday music collections, this collection's songs have secular themes instead of carols and hymns' renditions. This collection also provides an overview of the artists on the label. Folks may find some of the performances more compelling than others. Overall, I was impressed by the performances' quality, with a few exceptional ones in the mix. Sure there will be some performances that don't catch your ear, but overall this is a highly entertaining compilation.

Songs range from the blues-rock of Mike Zito's "All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues," to Tony Campanella's soulful reworking of Albert King's recording, "Santa Claus Wants Some Loving." Albert Castiglia stands out with his high energy fretwork on "Somebody Stole My Chris," while Kevin Burt lays down some down-home grit for "Please Mr. Santa Claus." Billy Price lays down some terrific blue-eyed soul on "Christmas Comes But Once A Year," while John Blues Boyd duets with Lisa Andersen on "Merry Christmas Baby," as Kid Andersen plays some sterling guitar. Another duet of note is between Mark May and Miss Molly on "Blue Christmas."

Mike Zito channels Chuck Berry on a frenetic "Run Rudolph Run" that closes the 16 performances that is full of bluesy holiday cheer.

Incidentally the download I received from a publicist to review only contained the music. I did not receive information on the personnel or other recording information. Here is the full track-listing: 

1. All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues - Mike Zito
2. Somebody Stole My Christmas - Albert Castiglia
3. Please Mr. Santa Claus - Kevin Burt
4. Christmas Comes But Once A Year - Billy Price
5. Blue Christmas - The Proven Ones
6. Back Door Santa - Jimmy Carpenter
7. It Ain’t Christmas - Kat Riggins
8. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin - Tony Campanella
9. Merry Christmas Baby - John Blues Boyd / Lisa Andersen / Kid Andersen
10. Ring The Bells - Diana Rein
11. The Bluest Christmas - Mark May / Miss Molly
12. Who Da Baby Daddy? - LeRoux
13. Christmas Is Cancelled - Thomas Atlas
14. Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Odds Lane
15. Please Come Home For Christmas - Sayer and Joyce
16. Run Rudolph Run - Mike Zito

Here is a video for Mike Zito's "All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues."

Mary Jo Curry Band Front Porch

Mary Jo Curry Band
Front Porch
Self-Produced

Out of Illinois, the Mary Curry Band makes a strong musical statement with its new album. A classically trained singer, pianist, and actor was struck by this band she heard in a small club. It was there she met the guitarist, and her future husband, Michael Rapier. Five years after playing together, they met Chris Rogers on bass and Rick Snow on drums to form the core of the band. Not only did they become a tight band, but they also became gifted songwriters and produced this new recording. Brett Donovan or Ezra Casey on keyboards, and Brian Moore on saxophone round out the touring and recording band. On this recording, they are joined by special guests Albert Castiglia, Tom Holland, and Andrew Duncanson. Nine of the eleven songs are band-written originals.

With a funky bass riff, the album kicks off with "Nothin' Is Easy," as Curry sings about bad times being here and she standing at the crossroads but life ain't unfair. Castiglia takes a short solo while Brett Donovan on the Hammond and saxophonist Moore stand out. It is followed by a party song where Curry says she wants to turn up, get down and "Turn It Loose." She quickly displays an authority in her singing with nuanced vocal dynamics, clear diction, and the relaxed feel of her phrasing. All this while the band helps build the excitement in her vocals with their backing. Tom Holland adds scintillating guitar on as she lambastes her lover on "All Your Lies." The band is superb with Rogers and Snow putting together a tight shuffle groove.

She impressively handles the complexity of a relationship in "The Man," as well as duets with Duncanson on "Lookin'," which set against an insistent driving groove. The urgency of her vocals on these two songs contrast with the wistful quality on the ballad "House Is Lonely." It says so much about how good a singer she is that she is equally convincing in both settings. Andrew Terrell Thomas wrote "Explaining the Blues," where she pulls out all the emotional and vocal stops singing about while she left one man for another. Casey's organ solo adds to the drama of her outstanding performance.

"Shake and Bake" is an instrumental feature that showcases Tom Holland's fleet Chicago blues fretwork and saxophonist Moore, set against the crisp rhythm section. Castiglia is back for a spirited cover of Edgar Winter's "We Had a Real Good Time," and the brooding title track about waiting and making her plans for her man who has been keeping strange company and doing Mary Jo wrong. There is a second line-gospel-funk feel to "Joyful," that closes this impressive, outstanding recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Mary Jo Curry in performance.

 

Albert Castiglia’s new album Solid Ground is his debut for Ruf Records. Castiglia got the blues world’s attention when he toured with the legendary Junior Wells in the 1990s and after Wells’ 1998 death, toured with the Atlanta based singer, Sandra Hall. In the subsequent years he has built a considerable following with his singing, guitar playing and songwriting. On his new recording, his guitar and vocals are backed by the veteran team of Matt Schuler (bass/vocals), Bob Amsel (drums), Jeremy Baum (B3/piano/wurlitzer), Lou Bevere (guitar/vocals) and Debbie Davies (guitar/vocals) – plus Dave Gross on multi-instrumentation and production.

With Dave Gross’ production, Castiglia provides us some blues and rock that is crisply played opening with the opening Triflin’. He is an appealing, honest singer and his guitar playing displays not only his virtuosity, but a thoughtful soloist. Keep You Around Too Long is a first-rate performance with terrific ensemble playing while his guitar  grabs the listener. Have You No Shame makes adroit use of tremolo in his guitar on a soulful performance that contrasts with the strutting shuffle groove and vocals of Put Some Stank On It, a duet with Debbie Davies.

Love One Another, a message song about overcoming hate, makes use of a funky bass riff that evokes classic Memphis soul. Celebration, a departure from the blues, is an exceptional performance in the manner of a Bob Seger, and there is a nice  cover of the Stones’ Sway. Another stand-out blues here is an intense version of Lefty Dizz’s Bad Avenue, with outstanding singing and playing. Little Havana Blues (Arroz Con Mango), with a latin groove, is an crisp instrumental that allows Castiglia to stretch out.

Castiglia is a very good singer and marvelous guitarist whose talent is well displayed on the very entertaining Solid Ground that will have considerable appeal.

I received my copy from a publicist.Here he can be seen performing Bad Avenue.

Albert Castiglia Is Living The Dream

Singer-guitarist Albert Castiglia was a member of Junior Wells Band the last year of Junior’s life. After Wells’ passing the band did some gigs backing vocalist Sandra Hall with Castiglia developing his craft and career in the years since. An energetic guitarist who can rock out, he is also a capable vocalist who has a new release on Blue Leaf, Living the Dream. On this, his band of AJ Kelly on bass and Bob Amsel on drums is augmented by the keyboards of John Ginty with Sandy Mack adding harmonica to a couple of tracks, Jonny Rizzo slide guitar to one and Emedin Rivera adding percussion on two.

The recording a mix of rocking blues and some interesting covers that represent some unusual choices. As a guitarist he certainly can pull out all the stops but even at a rocket tempo, the clarity and articulation in his playing is evident. On the opening title track as he sings about playing the blues wherever he can and the hustlers and sharks one comes across before he takes an explosive solo. I certainly am impressed by his talent even if the performance might be a bit rocked out as a matter of my preference. It is followed by a nice topical blues about us doing clean up for The Man with a latin groove which his rhythm section ably handles under some more guitar pyrotechnics. 

Freddie King is an obvious influence and Castiglia certainly does a fine salute on King’s Freddie’s Boogie, which kicks off in hyper-drive and his mix of chords (in the vein of Magic Sam on Lookin’ Good) and single note runs is exhilarating. He puts plenty of heart singing Little Richard’s Directly From Heart To You, and Ginty takes the first solo on this followed by Castiglia emphasizing the lower end of his guitar’s range. Sometimes You Win represents a change of pace with him on acoustic guitar as he spins a bit of home-grown philosophy in the lyrics, followed by screaming slide on Public Enemy #9, as he sings about being busted in no man’s land with a beer in his hand. 

Sandy Mack adds harmonica to Paul Butterfield’s Lovin’ Cup, a performance that (to this listener) might have benefited from a bit more relaxed tempo and more measured playing. In contrast, the frenzied playing and tempo changes of his original guitar showcase, Fat Cat, seems more realized. I Want her For Myself is a nice acoustic blues with Mack’s harmonic complimenting his solid blues boogie guitar groove. The longest track is a cover of Walking the Backstreets, that most will know from Little Milton’s recording. In addition to a steady vocal, there is plenty of musical heat but also the backing and his playing let the music breathe. Amsel and Kelly display how steady and capable a rhythm section they are here. Castiglia picks up the acoustic guitar for a very engaging rendition of Shakey Jake’s Call Me If You Need Me, before the album closes with a heavy blues-rock rendition of Mose Allison’s Parchman Farm. 

Albert Castiglia is an exceptional guitarist and steady singer who is backed by an excellent band with a fine rhythm section and while Living The Dream will have the most immediate appeal to fans of high energy rocking blues, but there is much that those of us with a more traditional musical bent can enjoy. 

I received my review copy from a publicist.  Here he is performing Walking the Backstreets.