Coco Montoya Coming in Hot

Coco Montoya
Coming in Hot
Alligator Records

"Coming In Hot" is the latest Alligator release from blues-rocker and powerhouse guitarist Coco Montoya. Like his prior recording, "Hard Truth," this is produced by drummer Tony Braunagel and recorded by Johnny Lee Schell, who plays rhythm guitar on wight of the 11 tracks. Others on this recording include Mike Finnigan on keyboards, Billy Watts on rhythm guitar on three songs, and Bob Glaub or Mile Menell on bass. Jon Cleary plays piano on one selection.

Montoya's searing guitar and forceful vocals continue to impress those who like a solid blues-rock mix. He certainly puts so much into his singing as on "Good Man Gone." The title track has a catchy, rhythmic groove as he tells his woman to get her fire burning as he is coming in hot tonight with a stunning guitar solo. He channels Albert Collins on Collins' classic slow blues, "Lights Are On But Nobody's Home," with terrific guitar and one of his most compelling vocals here. Warren Haynes' ballad, "What Am I?" is a nice change of pace with his relaxed vocal and the somewhat restrained backing, although he takes a fiery solo. There is a cover of a less-known Bobby Bland recording, "Ain't it a Good Thing." Shaun Murphy shares the vocal on this splendid performance with some terrific blues guitar from Montoya.

A rocking shuffle "Water to Wine" closes this album with Montoya celebrating this woman who can do almost anything such as change 'water to wine.'" It closes another CD of varied, nicely paced, and played performances. Coco Montoya continues to deliver the goods for those who like their blues with a rock-edge.

I received my review copy from Alligator. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here is a relatively recent performance by Coco Montoya.

Laurie Morvan Gravity

Laurie Morvan
Gravity
Screaming Lizard Records

This is the sixth album from singer, guitarist and songwriter Laurie Morvan for which she enlisted Tony Braunagel to produce. He also plays drums here along with keyboards from Mike Finnigan, Jim Pugh, and Barry Goldberg, and bass from Bob Glaub. They back Morvan on varied blues and blues-rock songs, with the keyboardists adding texture and contrast to Morvan's vocals and fretwork.

The album opens with a high stepping Texas styled blues-rock shuffle, "My Moderation," displaying her singing (comparisons might be made to Stevie Nicks but Morvan sings more openly) and her strong guitar playing that is noteworthy for the clarity of her playing and the logical manner she develops her solos. Finnigan adds some saucy B-3 grease here. Searing guitar opens "Stay With Me," with a tinge of Magic Sam's song in the song's structure with a fervent vocal. Barry Goldberg adds piano on a crisply played shuffle, "Money Talks," while "The Extra Mile" showcases her use of the wah-wah pedal on a volatile blues-rock solo.

The title track has a memorable lyric of "Gravity was nothing, until you gave it a piece of your mind," with a reflective vocal and a nuanced, solo, while "Dance In The Rain," is built on a bass line that suggests classic Jr. Walker as she sings about life feeling like a hurricane with troubles thundering down and one must weather the storm and dance in the rain. Again her fiery guitar is supported by the tight backing. Then she addresses overcoming adversity on "Gotta Dig Deep," and then transcending heartbreak on "The Man Who Left Me." "Too Dumb To Quit" has atmospheric slide guitar (also using the wah-wah pedal) as she questions why she stays with someone who is bad for her and she should be running away to save her mind.

Laurie Morvan makes her mark throughout "Gravity" with her heartfelt singing and strong, driving guitar playing supported by a fine studio band.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here she performs "Dance In The Rain."

Coco Montoya Hard Truth

Coco Montoya
Hard Truth
Alligator Records

Blues-rocker and powerhouse guitarist Coco Montoya returns to Alligator Records with this new release. Produced by drummer Tony Braunagel and recorded by Johnny Lee Schell (who plays rhythm guitar on several tracks and slide on one) with Mike Finnigan on keyboards and Bob Glaub on bass with Lee Roy Parnell adding slide guitar on one track, this is a nice mix of songs from the likes of Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Gwen Collins, and Homer Banks & Allen Jones, Jr.

Montoya played with Albert Collins for five years and Collins' influence can be felt and heard throughout starting from the opening "Before the Bullets Fly," from Haynes and others, as well as Collins' "The Moon Is Full," where his shouted vocals is matched by his fiery fretwork. Then there is the gospel feel of the Steve Gomes-Ronnie Earl Horvarth penned "I Want to Shout About It," where his celebration of his woman is matched by his blistering playing with Finnigan's organ helping this rocking performance. Parnell's slide adds to the juggernaut feel of "Lost in the Bottle," as whiskey is talking as his eyes are burning red, while his judicious use of sustain and tone embellishes his more low-key vocal on "Old Habits to Break."

The underlying groove of "I'll Find Someone Who Will" is suggestive the Al Green-Syl Johnson classic "Take Me To The River," while the insistent blues-rock "Hard As Hell" evokes some of the Leon Russell produced Freddie King recordings. The Banks-Jones penned "Where Can a Man Go From Here?" is perhaps the outstanding straight blues performance here with a strong vocal as well as his forceful guitar. Even when he rocks things hard, these performances are nicely paced and do not sound rushed or frenzied. With the terrific backing Coca Montoya receives, the varied, fresh-sounding material and Montoya's powerful guitar and heartfelt vocals, the "Hard Truth" is another release to delight those who like blues with a bit of a rock edge.

I received my review copy from Alligator. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017  Jazz & Blues Report  (Issue 371). Here Coco Montoya performing "Truth Be Told."