Taking the Blues Time Machine To March 1977

This is my blues column from the March 1977 Buffalo Jazz Report which had Benny Goodman on the cover. My column was relatively lengthy, and included a Blues On EP segment which I will post next week. There would be no column for February issue as the Blizzard of 1977 that paralyzed the city around the time the issue would have come out. I have noted the first 58 issues of Buffalo Jazz Report (now Jazz & Blues Report) have been digitized and can be downloaded from the University of Buffalo Library system. The website for these archived issues is: http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/BuffJazz. Note that Southern Record sales from which I obtained some releases no longer exists. The albums I reviewed (with the exception of the Gabriel Brown and the Albert King) are available as CDs (although they may be on different labels) with the exception of the Gabriel Brown. The Otis Rush Japanese live album is available on Delmark as So Many Roads.

Lot of live blues in the Buffalo are in March. Muddy Waters will be joined by James Cotton and Johnny Winter at Shea's Buffalo on Saturday, March 12. Saturday, March 19 finds Bobby Bland and B.B. King at the Shea's Buffalo. Robert Jr. Lockwood, who was supposed to have been at UB Feb. 4 will be a featured act at the UB Folk Festival the weekend of April 15 and 16. Lockwood will most likely be playing Friday night April 15. More details next month.

Gabriel Brown is a country blues artist, who, during the forties and early fifties, was based in New York. An English reissue of his music Gabriel Brown and his Guitar (Policy Wheel PW 4592) reveals him to be a talented performer. Brown's singing reminds me of Kokomo Arnold, a one-time Buffalo resident (60 years ago) whose music influenced many blues artists including Robert Johnson. Brown's guitar work is interesting and the selection of material is varied. Highlights include "I'm Gonna Take It Easy with slashing bottleneck guitar, Cold Love and the mildly pornographic "It's Getting Soft. While external packaging is somewhat skimpy, a booklet with all known biographical information and lyric transcriptions is included. There is some surface noise but these are on the originals and the sound is overall pretty clear. There are 18 selections including two 1930s recordings by one Poor Bill on which Gabriel may have played 2nd guitar. A very worthwhile reissue which, like the Otis Rush live album, Southern Record Sales can supply.

Albert King's new Utopia album Albert Live (CYL2-2205) was recorded at Montreux. It is a double record with generous playing time (almost 90 minutes) as Albert tackles a wide variety of material from Watermelon Man to Stormy Monday, with the typical intensity and featuring his pinched note guitar playing. On one long number, Jam in A Flat he is joined by rocker Rory Gallagher (who is on other tracks). and bluesmen Louisiana Red and Lowell Fulson. The packaging is nice, though Robert Palmer's notes are media-hype.

Hard Again- Muddy Waters -(Blue Sky PZ 34449) is Muddy Waters first album since leaving Chess. Musically this is a pleasant set with support from Johnny Winter, James Cotton and Joe Willie 'Pinetop' Perkins. The presence of Winter and Cotton should help sell this though others could have replaced them without hurting the music. 'Pinetop' proves to be a worthy successor to the late Otis Spann and does play some brilliant blues piano. Tunes include reworkings of Muddy's Mannish Boy and I Can't Be Satisfied, Willie Dixon's I Wanna Be Loved and several new tunes that are in the same mould. Muddy seems to sing strongly but the recording mix I find grating. Johnny Winter should be thanked for helping Muddy get more recognition, and also some financial rewards, which is a nice way to show his appreciation for Muddy. Muddy has made many of the classic recordings in the Chicago band blues idiom and in comparison to them this album suffers. With such recent blues albums as those by Otis Rush and Son Seals out I can't give this anything but a qualified recommendation.

Otis Rush's very first record, I Can't Quit You Baby was a top ten record on the r'n'b charts in the mid-fifties. Otis, despite being one of the finest and most individualistic performers in the post- B.B. King guitar dominated blues, has never been able to achieve, much less maintain, a position of popularity and recognition as one of the blues' premiere performers. As both a singer and guitarist Rush bows to no one and has been compared favorably to the legendary country bluesman Robert Johnson. Rush on record has been hard to find until recently. Last year Delmark released Cold Day in Hell a fine album that was Otis' first American recording issued in 7 years. Bullfrog Records has just issued Right Place, Wrong Time (301) which Otis recorded for Capitol Records in 1971, but which Capitol chose not to release.

I refer you to the liner notes for speculation why this excellent set wasn't issued as this is probably the finest set of Otis Rush out and one if issued a few years back might have established Otis as a publicly recognized master of the blues. The album is tightly produced with horn arrangements recalling many of Albert King's fine Stax recordings of the time. Rush's guitar work also suggests King, though Otis is a more fluid guitarist and a stronger, more intense vocalist than King (which is high praise indeed.)

The material on this set is varied and the recording mix provides for Otis' guitar work to be properly framed. Material includes rave-ups like Tore Up and Natural Ball, cooking instrumentals Easy Go and I Wonder Why and the slow blues on which Otis lets his soul out. The title track and Take a Look Behind are bound to become blues classics and are masterpieces of the modern blues idiom as Otis' anguished singing is couple with blistering guitar. This album is a must for blues enthusiasts.

Also Trio Records of Japan has issued Blues Live (PA-3086) featuring Otis live in concert with just a rhythm section doing cooking renditions of I Can't Quit You Baby, All Your Love, and So Many Roads before an enthusiastic Japanese audience. This is available from Southern Record Sales, 42 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, California 91101 though its price as an import may deter some buyers it is a most impressive workout. Delmark Records owns the American rights to this, though it may be some time before they issue it. They can supply the Bullfrog release which hopefully wiII be in local stores. Bullfrog Records is tied to Advent so stores carrying Advent should be able to get this. (If you write to Southern Record Sales, mention you read about them here). {{As noted this is available as So Many Roads}} on Delmark}}

Alligator is a small label that has excellent distribution locally and an impressive small catalog of modern blues. Son Seals' new set Midnight Son (AL 4708) is an excellent set of hard, intense blues sung with guts and played with Son's stinging Chicago guitar. Tight horn arrangements along with Son's cooking band has produced a varied set from the funky No, No Baby, the driving Don't Fool With My Baby to the slow Going Back Home, which should win Son new fans. This is even better than Son's first album, (Alligator AL 4703). Alligator also has excellent albums by Hound Dog Taylor, Big Walter Horton, Fenton Robinson and Koko Taylor out and they show concern for preparation and programming which sometimes small and major labels don't provide.

Jesse Dee Not On My Mind / In My Heart

Jesse Dee has apparently developed a reputation as a singer and performer in a classic rhythm and blues vein. He impressed Alligator Records enough that they signed him and recently issued his recording On My Mind / In My Heart. The hype of this album is that it conjures Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.

Dee certainly has an attractive voice and can sing and is backed by a solid band with a full horn section. Others have raved about Dee (I refer you to Living Blues and Jazz & Blues Report for samples), but I listened to this and wondered what the fuss is about. Maybe its the eleven originals none of which stand out in my mind. Nothing indicates he is the second coming of a Dan Penn or the late George Jackson as a songwriter. 

Some of Dee’s songs, including the opening title track are too wordy and this in part if reflected by the vocals and the backing sounding busy and cluttered. Also, while certainly pleasant to listen to, much of the playing sounds like a pastiche of classic R&B recordings, but listening to this one feels like one is listening to a band that is a faded xerox of the classic Muscle Shoals or Memphis bands. Perhaps I have been listening too much to James Carr, Deep Soul collections and The Fame Records Story, but this recording strikes me as unexceptional.

I note that Dee is one of the acts coming to the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival (www.bayblues.org) on Saturday May 18. I will be there in part because of Lucky Peterson’s presence and Peterson's recent Live DVD/CD set I recently reviewed, so I will be there to see Dee as well. I emphasize I don't hate On My Mind / In My Heart. I just am not excited by it. I am curious to see how I react to Dee live. 

I received a review copy from Alligator.

Long John Hunter's Swinging From The Rafters

One of my favorite blues discoveries of the 1990's was Long John Hunter. A brilliant singer-guitarist, he recorded several fine albums that were produced by Tary Owens, John Foose and Steve Jeter. A showman in his younger days as suggested by the title of the Alligator release, Swinging From the Rafters, I had the pleasure of seeing Hunter a number of times although he no longer tours as much today. His recordings for Alligator (including his collaboration with Lonnie Brooks and the late Phillip Walker, Lone Star Shootout( amongst the finest albums of modern Texas blues of the past few decades. His mix of inventive, twisting guitar and honest, gritty vocals holds up for repeated listening. This review originally appeared in the September 1997 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 224) and I received a review copy from Alligator.

Long John Hunter’s new Alligator album, Swinging From the Rafters, takes its title from his long residency at the Lobby Bar in Juarez, Mexico, across the river from El Paso. There, for over a decade, he would play from nine at night till the rooster crowed before day and developed his showmanship that still characterizes his live performances. Wed that showmanship with first rate vocals and slashing, twisting guitar and you have an artist whose music matches his stage persona. 

Kudos to producers Tary Owens and John Foose (and executive producer Steve Jeter) who also collaborated with Hunter on some fine songs. Moreover, Hunter is an artist of considerable depth and range, whether performing shuffles like Time and Time Again or Stop What You’re Doing (with a latin tinge in its rhythm), or hitting a funk groove on I’m Broke. Hunter is equally at home with the jazz-flavored horns on Trouble on the Line. 

While the liner notes suggest that this is more guitar-oriented than his prior two albums (including the superb Alligator release, Bordertown Legend), Hunter is a natural, totally honest singer whose vocals are not overshadowed by his guitar pyrotechnics. The result is another first-rate album of modern Texas blues.

Curtis Salgado's Superb Soul Shot

While some may know Curtis Salgado from his association with John Belushi and his influence in The Blues Brothers, Curtis Salgado has established himself along with Tad Robinson, Sugar Ray Norcia and Darrell Nulisch as a superb blue-eye soul and blues singer (and also a pretty fair harmonica player. Well documented health issues may have put a temporary stop to his career, but he reemerged in 2008 with “Clean Getaway” on Shanachie backed by The Phantom Blues Band. That was a strong effort and he is back with a new release, Soul Shot, his Alligator debut that is co-produced by Phantom Blues Band drummer Tony Braunagel (who produced the Shanachie disc) along with funk and R&B guitarist Marlon McClain, and Salgado himself.

Salgado contributed seven originals which are heard along with covers of recordings from Parliament, the Detroit Emeralds, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, and Otis Redding. The performances on Soul Shot is perhaps a bit more soul oriented than the prior release and one hears echoes of the late Willie Mitchell’s Hi Records Production (particularly in the churning rhythms on many of the eleven selections), Johnny Guitar Watson and others in the handsome production and brassy arrangements. Members of the Phantom Blues band are on this including Mike Finnigan on keyboards.

This recording was made for dancing as well as listening. A groover, What You Gonna Do? opens and Salgado delivers the soulful goods with his vocal with the band rocking hard and the following Love Comfort Zone, may take the rhythmic heat down a notch, but the naturalness of Salgado’s vocals is evident as is the strong idiomatic playing by the studio band. What stands out is that he doesn’t sound like he is trying to sound soulful. There is a relaxed feel in his phrasing as well as his cries and shouts.

Getting To Know You, from a lesser known Parliament album, is a performance than suggests vintage Hi Records that I think Otis Clay and Syl Johnson might have an appreciative nod about. It is the first appearance of Salgado’s harp, followed a strong piano break by Finnigan. He sounds like he is playing a melodica to open She Didn't Cut Me Loose, an original performed in the style of Johnny Watson’s funky seventies blues. It compares well with Salgado’s strong revival of Watson’s Strung Out, a terrific soulful ballad performance. Perhaps the only musical miscue is the revival of Otis Redding’s Love Man, where he sounds like he is trying to channel Redding’s vocal. Not a bad performance, but a step down from the rest of this. The track does sport a booting tenor sax solo.

On a stronger note is Nobody But You where he channels O.V. Wright as he sings about his woman making him feel like a king when he was nothing but a slave. He Played His Harmonica is a superb mix of funk and blues as he sings about a young blood who got the house to jump and shout as he was as bad as Al Capone on the Windy City saxophone, on which he takes a jazzy sounding vein.

Soul Shot provides more evidence that the accolades Curtis Salgado has received over the years have been well earned. It is a superb recording with worthy new material and covers of songs that have not been interpreted to death. Fans of classic soul particularly will enjoy it.

I received my review copy from Alligator Records, who is officially releasing it today (April 10). On April 19 I will be posting a review of Curtis' "Clean Getaway" from a few years back.  Here is Curtis performing on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise.

Son Seals Spontaneous Blues Combustion

I miss Son Seals. Has it been 7 years since he passed in December 2004. To my mind, he was the single most important artist Alligator discovered. As strong a musician, he was a great person. Here is a 15 year old review of one of his live Alligator recordings that originally appeared in the December 1996 DC Blues Calendar and the February 1997 Jazz and Blues Report (Issue 218). I believe this was the last album he recorded for Alligator which issued a compilation of Son later. Alligator sent me the review copy back then. Live-Spontaneous Combustion was the second live album Son Seals on Alligator. His Live and Burning album is a classic, and featured what was arguably Son’s best band with Lacy Gibson on rhythm guitar, A.C. Reed on saxophone, Snapper Mitchum on bass and Tony Gooden on drums. This is not to dismiss his present band which is a fine group, with Red Groenzinger’s saxophones and flute being particularly outstanding. For this live recording at Buddy Guy’s Legends, Seals and Red are joined by, among others, Johnny B. Gayden on bass, Sid Wingfield on keyboards and trumpeter Dan Rabinovitz. The horns add some punchy riffs, although their voices are somewhat predictable. The individual playing by the horns are more arresting, such as Rabinovitz’s wide open trumpet on Mother Blues. Son’s approach to the blues has always been straight ahead without any mannerisms or artifice. He sings the songs and plays without false theatrics, investing each song with all the passion he can muster. Son revisits several of the blues that helped establish his reputation as a no B.S. bluesman, No, No Baby, Sitting Here Thinking, and You’re Love is Like a Cancer. He gives his own distinctive treatment to Harold Burrage’s Crying For My Baby, and Lowell Fulson’s Trouble, Trouble. The closing, rocking rendition of Tampa Red’s Don’t Lie to Me provides a fitting conclusion to the one hour-plus of first-rate Son Seals. It may not burn quite as much as his earlier live album, but this one burns pretty hot on its own terms. Here is Son Seals performing one of his blues live.

Joe Louis Walker Deals With The Hellfire

Joe Louis Walker recently joined Alligator’s roster of artists and his first album for that label, Hellfire, has just been released. It is produced by Tom Hambridge, who produced Buddy Guy’s recent recordings. Hambridge also plays drums and contributes songs to this release. Of the supporting personnel, the only names I recognize are pianist and organist Reese Wynans as well The Jordanaires who contribute backing vocals on a couple tracks. Hambridge had a hand in the first five tracks here, while Walker himself added five new songs as well. Having been listening to Walker since his first release in 1986 Cold Is The Night, he has produced a number of the best blues albums of the last quarter century. He certainly is passionate here, a term Bruce Iglauer uses in his liner notes, and there is much to enjoy, although not everything is perfect.

The album starts with the title track, a gospel-laced song with an impassioned, gritty vocal about avoiding the Devil’s lure. He plays a blues-rock guitar solo with a nasty distorted tone that is unpleasant to listen to. and undermines the appeal of the impassioned performance. The second track, I Won’t Do That, is a nice original with Walker singing about being faithful and that he won’t cheat or let his woman down. Walker adds a searing solo here. Ride All Night sounds like a Rolling Stones’ inspired rocker on which Walker convincingly sings and plays. Walker picks up the harmonica for a rocking shuffle, I’m On To You. The lyric is about knowing about the bad things his woman is doing. In addition to doubling on the harmonica here, he plays a crisp guitar solo. What’s It Worth has a nice lyric although it would have benefited from toning down the hard rock edges heard during the song’s choruses.

Soldier For Jesus, the first of Walker’s originals, and has a fervent vocal with the Jordanaires providing support. Walker brings a soulful edge to I Know Why, a lovely blues-ballad. Too Drunk to Drive is an amusing and delightful excursion into “rock and roll,” with rollicking piano and driving guitar. The lively Don’t Cry, is another performance with a spiritual message on which he sings that instead of saving his money he is now saving his soul. The disc closes with a cover of Hank Snow’s country classic, I’m Movin’ On, played with a boogie groove that Walker places his personal stamp on.

Walker has more of a presence on this recording than on some of his other recent ones. Hambridge’s production must be credited, although as noted at a few places the playing gets a little over-the-top. If uneven, Hellfire is still a significant addition to Walker’s body of recordings.


My review copy was provided by Alligator Records. Here is some vintage Joe Louis Walker from 1993.

Tommy Castro's Commanding Blues Revue

One make suggest that it is presumptuous for a varying traveling blues show to call itself “The Legendary Blues Revue” given that few if any of the performers on it deserve the stature of being a legendary performer. The revue grew out of shows that Castro organized as part of the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises which also included Castro and a varying cast of performers doing some tours as the Revue. While the Legendary is more marketing and reflects the tie-in with the popular Cruise, there are some of the more popular ‘blues artists’ such as Tommy Castro, whose band is the anchor of this revue. This tour has been documented previously on Delta Groove with Command Performance which featured Castro, Deanna Bogart, Magic Dick and Ronnie Baker Brooks. Alligator now brings us Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue -- Live!

On this disc Castro is represented on this the most as a featured performer, while more other performers are featured than the earlier CD, although only for a track by each. Castro opens with some hard rocking numbers from the Cruise, his own Wake Up Call, and Bob Dylan’s Gotta Serve Somebody, with plenty of almost over the top guitar, sax from Keith Crosnan and a tight band. Michael Burks is heard on an extended performance from the Kansas City club, Knuckeheads, of his Voodoo Spell. It sports a solid vocal reflecting Albert King’s influence, a lengthy guitar solo from Burks and a nice piano solo from Tony Stead. Up next is a solid performance by Joe Louis Walker of a song by the late J.J.Malone, It’s a Shame, backed by Castro’s band minus the leader.

Castro is on guitar for Sista Monica’s strong performance of her Never Say Never, perhaps my favorite selection in this CD. More strong piano and organ backing here from Tony Stead. With Kid Andersen on guitar, Rick Estrin provides his own take on a relation gone bad on My Next Ex-Wife. I was pleasantly surprised by the brothers and sister band, Trampled Under Foot with their Fog, that shows they are more than a novelty act. Bassist Danielle Schnebelen is an impressive  vocalist. The old Five Royales classic Think is interpreted by Janiva Magness, perhaps in a rendition more influenced by James Brown’s recording, but the performance doesn’t quite fully jell to these ears. Theodis Ealey takes us down a bit on chitlin circuit with his soulful blues, This Time I Know, followed by strong Debbie Davis performance, All I Found.

There are a couple more performances by Castro to round this album out, with the closing Serves Me Right to Suffer, paying his respects to John Lee Hooker, starting as a slow dirge-like blues before picking up an ‘endless boogie’ groove. Its a fun performance if not a compelling one. It ends over an hour of performances that should appeal to the Blues Cruisers, fans of Castro and of the other artists especially. Alligator also provides web-links of the artists on the cd booklet of the artists that hopefully listeners will explore of artists they get introduced here to.


My review copy was provided by Alligator Records

Marcia Ball's Superb New "Roadside Attractions"

A new album by Marcia Ball, Roadside Attractions (Alligator) will be welcome by her many fans who certainly will enjoy this release with its gulf coast grooves. This CD is produced by Gary Nicholson who has produced Delbert McClinton amongst others. One point of special interest is that Marcia wrote or co-wrote all the songs on this, and they are excellent songs. The performances are first rate, with consistently strong backing, whether provided by a small combo or a slightly larger group with a horn section.

The rollicking title track finds Marcia singing about all the sights and wonders of the world she has seen in her years on the road. There might be 7 billion people on this world but she is still her man’s girl and she is coming home. The country-flavored wistful Between Here And Kingdom Come” celebrates life in a two lane highway and one red light small town while, We Fell Hard is a rocker sporting a hot New Orleans groove. Look Before You Leap, has a driving groove with a philosophical lyric about her mom warning her to look before you leap or she might find yourself in too deep in trouble.

I Heard It All is lyrically akin to Robert Cray’s Right Next Door (Because of Me). This song is about Marcia going to a regular Friday hotel rendezvous and hearing an argument in the next room. She soon realizes that the man she has been seeing is now begging his wife to take him back. Whereas in Cray’s recording, he is full of guilt for breaking up a marriage, Marcia cannot believe he is treating herself like that. She confronts the cheating husband in front of the wife, saying she heard it all and warning her that he cheated once and he will do it again. It is a marvelously nuanced vocal and performance. The mood shifts radically on the next track, funky Believe in Love, where she celebrates how her man keeps her believing in love. There is a terrific saxophone solo on this song.

This Used To Be Paradise, has a topical bent about how life in the gulf coast changed after the oil man changed things. The performance benefits from the understated lyrics and vocal along nice accordion in the accompaniment. Mule Headed Woman, is a wry, slow blues about Marcia’s man who will keep drinking “his whiskey, even if it is killing him.” Closing the album is the hot rocker, The Party’s Is Still Going On, and with Marcia, the party never ends. While that is true, the performances and lyrics here show increased thoughtfulness and sophistication. Marcia Ball is not only a hot tamale baby that can boogie the woogie, but is also a superb singer who brings to life the exceptional songs here. This explains in part why Roadside Attractions is so exceptional.


My review copy was provided by Alligator Records

Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin Gets "Down In The Alley"

Bob Margolin came to the notice of folk during his lengthy tenure in Muddy Waters Band, with which he played a significant role in helping maintain the classic Muddy Waters sound. After his time with Muddy he has been one of those trying to keep alive the classic “old school’ Chicago blues sound alive and vibrant. “Down in The Alley” was the first of three albums he would record for Alligator Records and the following review appeared in the January/February 1994 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 188). I likely received my review copy from Alligator Records at the time. Bob Margolin certainly has become one of the foremost interpreters of older blues styles since his time in Muddy Waters’ band. Since leaving Muddy’s band and setting out on his own, he has devoted himself to playing blues in the manner of Muddy and of others of what Bob terms the old school. He has become a fine interpreter of the classic Chicago Blues tradition. His new album shows his continual maturation as a blues performer, and although he will never win an award as a blues vocalist, his singing is more forceful with a phrasing that almost overcomes his natural limitations. Of special interest are guest appearances by John Brim (who reprises his Tough Times in a duet with Margolin, and Nappy Brown, who shows a different side as he sings the Clovers’ Down in the Alley and Big Maceo’s classic, Worried Life Blues, backed only by Margolin’s guitar. Margolin covers considerable musical territory raging from a rocking Boogie at Midnight, Elmore James’ Twelve Year Old Boy, and his own Big Tree Blues, with some very nice slide. Dave Maxwell on keyboards, Ronnie Earl on guitar, and Kaz Kazanoff on saxophone (who co-produced this with Bob) help out on what is Margolin’s best recording. His strong idiomatic playing continues to impress and he is ably supported throughout. While he may not have the voice of Muddy Waters or Nappy Brown, his phrasing shows their influence and helps, with the strong band playing, make for a very entertaining set of blues.

Musselwhite's Outstanding New CD, "The Well"

The veteran Charlie Musselwhite has returned to Alligator Records for his new CD, “The Well.” A career that on record dates back to the mid-sixties, Musselwhite continues to produce strong blues. On this session he brings his harp (and guitar on two tracks) to a session with guitarist Dave Gonzales; bassist John Bazz; and drummer Stephen Hodges with Mavis Staples joining for one track. All the songs are self-penned by Musselwhite (one with Zoe Wood) drawing on his personal experiences in many cases.

The opening “Rambler’s Blues,” with its adaptation of the “Catfish Blues” melody,  finds him delivering a lyric of rambling down his dark and dreary road. The perfomance has a nice harp break complementing the directness of the vocal. “Dig The Pain” is a nice shuffle that was generated from the days of heavy drinking and how he would dig the pain to get through it as he transfers the thought to a woman who he just can’t leave. Gonzales contributes a fine solo (playing with little distortion) with a fine solo from Musselwhite. “The Well” also takes a familiar blues melody to which Musselwhite recalls little Jessica McClure and how brave she was after falling into a Texas well and how Musselwhite said a prayer for her and gave up drinking to show some bravery himself and just like she was rescued and he came out a better man.

“Where Highway 61 Runs,” set against a Magic Sam-based groove, finds him remembering about the delta and how blues has been his comforter. “Sad and Beautiful World“ with Mavis Staples joining the vocals, is a moving song where he says some of things he wanted to when his mother was murdered with a fine harp break. “Sonny Payne Special” is a strong instrumental feature dedicated to the legendary King Biscuit Time radio show host. “Good Times” has Musselwhite on guitar as he recalls the days of youthful partying as he asks where did our good times go with nice slide guitar and effective spare backing. “Cadillac Woman” has Musselwhite’s thoughts about women who run over their men, while he delivers a spoken vocal with his ruminations on Marie Laveau and hoodoo Doctor John on the atmospheric “Hoodoo Queen.” “Cook County Blues” has a country flavor as Musselwhite recalls a time he was busted by a lying cop and spent time in Cook County jail. “Clarksdale Getaway” is a terrific instrumental where Musselwhite’s tone and solo evoke Big Walter.

His vocals may not be as robust as in his youth but they reflect his experiences more and his songwriting has matured. Wisdom has replaced the brashness of his vocals of his youth while Charlie Musselwhite’s songs reflect a life well-lived and all the pains and joys that has entailed. His harp playing remains strong and inventive. “The Well” may be Musselwhite’s best recording in years.



For FTC purposes, Alligator Records provided the writer with a review copy.

Have Blues Will Travel With Kubek and King

Back in 1996, I wrote "Dallas, Texan Smokin’ Joe Kubek’s icy demeanor on stage masks the incendiary flavor of his guitar, while B’Nois King provides a contrasting affable stage presence, and his solid rhythm guitar and jazzier guitar leads are combined with some fine singing, somewhat suggestive of a cool Otis Rush.” I have seen them a number of times since and their music continues to display this contrast of styles that also is the foundation for the distinctiveness of their music. This mixing of different approaches may also explain their appeal. Kubek brings his sizzling, trebly, twangy guitar while King soulfully delivers the songs against a solid rhythm section that can rock steady and still swing. Additionally the pair always bring fine songs melodic and lyrical hooks to each recording with interesting lyrics that mix humor, irony and a perceptive view of life and human relationships.

Kubek and King have a recent Alligator CD “Have Blues Will Travel,” that continues in this vein. The title track opens this disc and illustrates their songwriting craft with King tells his story about having the time of his life with his girlfriend and then discovers his wife is at the club’s door, and then after losing his job the next day, he decides its time to travel. Similarly, while he “Get You Out Of My Blood” he still can’t get his women out his mind with a catchy accompaniment that uses a neat repeated guitar riff. A hyper-charged Lightnin’ Hopkins riff opens “RU4 Real?” before Kubek takes a short searing solo against a lazy, if emphatic, groove, before King tells about this woman with Botox in her jaw, collagen in her lips and silicon in her chest, which has him wondering if this woman is for real. Whining slide guitar sets the tone for “Payday in America,” as King, who hates his job, can’t wait to cut loose and get some drinking done. Kubek has plenty of space to showcase his slide playing here. Other hot grooves include “My Space Or Your?,” with amusing lyrics employing computer terminology as a double entendre. King asks his lady, “can I text you baby, I want to do something digital to you,” and wants to show her his hard drive so they can download all night long. King takes the jazzier 1st guitar solo here followed by Kubek with his heavier tone. Next up King offers a bit of advice that if one goes to bed after a fight, one better “Sleep With One Eye Open.” In addition to King’s soulful vocals here, they both offer some tough guitar.

The mix of terrific material and strong performances make “Have Blues Will Travel” another first-rate release by Kubek and King that is easily recommended.


Afterword: Smokin’ Joe Kubek and B’Nois King were scheduled to appear at a DC Blues Society event in November, and I was asked, to help promote the appearance, if I could review their most recent release, “Have Blues Will Travel,” which had been issued several months earlier this year. I contacted Alligator Records who were so kind to provide me with a review copy and I drafted this review and submitted it. Subsequently, Kubek and King canceled the scheduled appearance, and the review is not scheduled to be published in the Blues Society's newsletter. I would have run this review in any event. Unfortunately I have no event to link it to help promote, but that happens. In any event, I look forward to teh two appearing in the Washington, DC area in the not too distant future.

Excellent new Holmes Brothers CD

The Holmes Brothers new Alligator album, State of Grace, is another solid disc by brothers Wendell and Sherman Holmes and drummer Popsy Dixon. Listening to this disc, like most of their recordings, one gets a mix of soulful R&B, gospel, country and blues which certainly transcends simple labeling of the trio as a blues group, a term that becomes increasingly meaningless but also one that does disservice to them. There are some choice originals like Sherman Holmes wonderful country soul ballad, Close the Door, and remakes of pop classics such as Nick Lowe’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding. Wendell Holmes handles the lazy southern funk of Gasoline Drawers. Rosanne Cash joins Wendell on a lovely rendition of Hank Williams’ I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You, with some lovely mandolin from Larry Campbell behind the very heartful vocals. Glenn Patscha adds accordion and Campbell is on fiddle to add some cajun flavor to a lively rendition of John Fogerty’s Bad Moon Rising, while Popsy Dixon handles the vocal on Glenn Patscha’s Three Gray Walls, a terrific song that sounds like a classic R&B song from the pre-Beatles period. Joan Osborne takes the vocal joined by the Brothers on Those Memories of You, another soulful reworking of a country song, while Levon Helm joins in for I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages. Other delights include Sherman’s interpretation of he soulful-folk of Lyle Lovett’s If I Had a Boat, Wendell’s handling of George Jones’ Ain’t It Funny What a Fool Will Do, and his own Standing in the Need of Love, a strong blues original with a strong guitar solo from him as well, and the closing rendition of Lyle Lovett’s God Will where Popsy is at the forefront. The album displays the attention to good songs, solid musicianship where there is a recognition that understatement is often a virtue and marvelous singing that has been the hallmark of The Holmes Brothers recordings for the past few decades. This terrific disc is easily recommended even if difficult to classify as fitting within any particular genre.