Can't Keep Big Joe Maher Down

I remember when the DC Blues Society was putting on our third DC Blues Festival (I was on the Society’s Board at the time) that we needed to put together a band to back the legendary blues shouter, Nappy Brown, the late Nap Turner was enthusiastic that Big Joe Maher anchor the backing band. In the booklet accompanying the new recording on Severn by Big Joe & the Dynaflows, “You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down,” it mentions some of the folk that Joe has shared the stage including Earl King and James ‘Thunderbird’ Davis. Lots of acts make similar claims, but few can match Joe in not simply sharing the stage but playing drums and organizing the backing band for these performers. For several decades, Joe Maher has been an in demand drummer, vocalist and bandleader whose musical forte is swing and jump blues. When he rocks, the music rolls and when he sings, he love for the great blues shouters like Big Joe Turner and Smiley Lewis is obvious.

You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down has big Joe backed by a version of the Dynaflows that is comprised by members of Delbert McClinton’s backing band led by keyboardist Kevin McKendree. Others include Bill Campbell on bass, Rob McNelly on guitar and the late Dennis Taylor on saxophones. If memory serves me correctly, McKendree and Maher go back to Powerhouse, Tom Principato’s DC area jump blues band he reformed in the early 1990’s and after Principato returned again to showcase his sizzling guitar playing, Maher formed the Dynaflows whose original line-up included the then still prodigic talent of McKendree. McKendree subsequently left to play with Leroy Parnell and now Delbert McClinton while in the past several years establishing himself as a producer of blues and roots recordings. The two are re-united here for this disc which they co-produced in Tennessee, and the band just cooks behind Joe’s strong vocals.

The title track opens with the rollicking title song with some strong piano with Maher declaring you can try what you want, but can’t keep him down as McNelly rips off a terrific guitar solo. A nice cover of B.B. King’s “Bad Case of Love,” is followed by Maher’s solid “Evangeline,” a reworked rendition of King Karl’s swamp pop classic “Irene,” with McNelly evoking Earl King-Guitar Slim in his solo as Taylor’s saxophones add to the performance’s mood. Atlanta shouter Billy Wright penned “Whatcha Gonna Do,” that is a jumping shuffle with Maher in fine form and McNelly standing out some more against Taylor’s riffing saxophones in the background. The bittersweet blue-ballad “Someday,” takes the temperature down with McKendree’s accompaniment standing out here.

Jay McShann’s classic “Confessin’ the Blues” benefits from its spirited tempo as Maher belts out the lyrics as McKendree pounds on the ivories while McNelly plays another tough solo. “Supercharger” is a rocking shuffle instrumental where Maher sets just the right tempo (as he does throughout) that provides more space for McNelly fluid and imaginative playing. “Nothing But Trouble,” is a fine late night, slow blues by Maher with McNelly evoking T-Bone Walker as Maher convinces us about the heartache and trouble he sees. After a cover of Jimmy McCracklin’s “I’m To Blame,” the disc closes with McKendree playing some strong boogie woogie piano to kick off “What the Hell Were You Thinkin’?” which he composed with Delbert McClinton and Tom Hambridge,” and he adds a solid boogie woogie piano for this lively conclusion to this strong release.

Maher sounds very strong throughout here, even a bit more youthful sounding as a singer than this writer recalls. McKendree has placed in the context of a terrific band that sounds like they all have been playing for years. The tempos are right, the groove is consistently in the pocket, and the material is strong leading to a fabulous recording of blues that may be the best that Maher has produced.


The review copy of this release was provided by a publicist.

Ernest Withers

Its been several weeks since a giant in the world of photography passed. Memphis photographer Ernest Withers was best known for his documentation of the civil rights movement, but this was simply part of documenting the daily live of his fellow African-Americans in Memphis, at work, play, social events and more. The Memphis Commercial-Appeal's obituary says it simply Photographer with a great heart had 'burning desire to shoot pictures'. In comments to the obituary, Photographer Jef Jaisun quotes Dick Waterman on Withers, "No amount of tribute could possibly reach the appreciation that is due to this modest man."

Fortunately several excellent books of his made his marvelous work available. The Memphis Blues Again: Six Decades of Memphis Music Photographs contains many remarkable images of people like Howling Wolf, Esther Phillips, and B.B. King. Negro League Baseball presents images of such greats as Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays and numerous others. These are books the continue to give me great pleasure. Negro League Baseball is I believe the only book currently in print.

There was a brief mention of Withers' death October 30 on Mike Johnston's blog The Online Photographer along with some other photo news items. The comments about Mr. Withers center on the photo of him with several cameras. Oddly no one commented on Withers' photography. Given Mike Johnston's interest in music (especially jazz), he could have mentioned this aspect of Mr. Withers body of work, especially the marvelous The Memphis Blues Again.

For a sampling of his work check out the website of his exclusive agent PanOpticon Gallery.

Nappy Brown returns

Its been a decade since Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp, better known as Nappy Brown, last had a new recording out. Thanks to producer Scott Cable, Brown has a terrific new recording available on Blind Pig, Long Time Coming. Helping on this new recording is a terrific band that includes guitarists Bob Margolin, Junior Watson and Sean Costello, keyboardist Jim Pugh, bassist Mookie Brill, saxophonist and harpist John Nemeth, and drummer Big Joe Maher. There is a mix of new versions of some of the songs most associated with Nappy Brown (Don’t Be Angry and The Right Time (which Ray Charles made famous as Night Time is the Right Time) along with a nice selection of material that range from hot jump blues like the opening Keep On Pleasin’ You to the more downhome feel of Walter 'Lightning Bug' Rhodes Aw Shucks Baby, You Were a Long Time Coming and the Little Walter classic Who. Aw Shucks Baby is the one track not from this session as it was from a performance at the Phoenix, Arizona club, The Rhythm Room. Brown's voice sounds like he has lost little over the years, comparing his renditions of Aw Shucks Baby and The Right Time with renditions on a 1991 Ichiban album by him. The new versions benefit from a much crisper band that adds more punch to the proceedings. I know Margolin has performed with Nappy over the years, but special mention must be made of Big Joe Maher’s drumming. Maher anchored the band that backed Nappy Brown in 1991 DC Blues Festival, and besides his own swing based jump blues, has been a sought after drummer for touring acts as diverse as Earl King, Johnny Adams, James ‘Thunderbird’ Davis, and Jimmy ‘T-99’ Nelson. Maher’s playing playing is consistently in the pocket. The foundation of Maher's drums and the electric bass of Mookie Brill is one reason the music here sounds so crisp and vigorous. There is plenty of terrific guitar throughout and Nappy is in real good voice, whether employing a stuttering shouting vocal on Don’t Be Angry, handling a ballad, Give Me Your Love, or singing with faith on the closing, Take Care of Me. One would be hard pressed to find any recording by Nappy as good as this one since his classic Savoy recordings. Highly recommended. For those in the Washington DC area, Nappy Brown appears at the State Theatre in Falls Church, November 2.