Vintage Ichiban Blues

It's impossible to keep up with the entire range of Ichiban's releases. Among those of recent note is Sonny Rhodes' latest, Livin' Too Close to the Edge; part of the label's Wild Dog series. This is a tasty morsel finding Rhodes playing both standard and lap steel guitar, and singing in a soulful fashion, while backed by a solid band. Rhodes is particularly impressive on the lap steel, and his old
friend L.C. 'Good Rockin' Robinson would be proud. Rhodes took up the steel guitar as a tribute to Robinson. Material is pretty standard fare with a nice reworking of Jimmy Rogers' You're the One (although wrongly credited to Clarence E. Smith), and Santo and Johnny's pop hit, Sleep Walk (again not properly credited). This is one of the better recent releases to come from Florida's King Snake Studio.

Cleveland mailman Travis Haddix is a double threat as a songwriter as well as a soul-blues vocalist, with Artie 'Blues Boy' White being among those who have recorded his songs. His latest Ichiban release, What I Know Right Now is a solid strongly sung set of soul and blues.With Haddix, the songs are as interesting as his performances. There is the nice moody blues, Strange, with its effective (yes, effective) use of synthesizers, his soulful ballad Getting By With a Lie, and the salacious Jawbreaker. He displays as much wit and soul in his singing as his lyrics. Very solid production from Bryon Cole and the the Kala studio band who, with productions like this, give Malaco Records a good run for the money.

Another recent Ichiban release is Chick Willis' Holdin' Hands With the Blues. While a guitarist, Willis doesn't play here. Like the Haddix album this is a solid contemporary soul-blues date with memorable tracks including the title track (a potential blues anthem written by Denise LaSalle), a deep in the gut rendition of Ernie Johnson's You're Gonna Miss Me, the rocking and funky Heaven to
Betsy, his One Slick Woman, a someone's been in my bed song with nice slide guitar, and the closing ballad, I'm Only Guilty of Loving You. This is a real fine album that shows Willis is capable of doing far more than recycling Stoop Down Baby.

This review originally appeared in Issue 172 of Jazz & Blues Report in 1992. I likely received review copies from Ichiban or a publicist. I believe the three releases may still be available, used if not as new,

RIP Robert 'Chick' Willis

Just heard that Robert 'Chick' Willis has passed on (It was posted on his Facebook page). He had been battling lung cancer for some time.

Above he is seen in 2005 playing show at Lamont's in PoMonkey Maryland (Charles County). He always put on a great show mixing straight blues with a few bawdy ones including "Stoop Down Baby" which was a hit for him in the late sixties. A cousin of Chuck Willis, I had the pleasure seeing him a number of times at Lamont's where he would play regularly. He wrote a variety of originals and did strong personal renditions of such blues classics as "Love Me With a Feeling" and "Let Me Play With Your Poodle."

In a 2006 review of the tribute record he did with DC area saxophonist Jacques Johnson, I wrote "Its been close to forty years since this writer acquired a 45 by one Chick Willis that included a solid rendition of Guitar Slim’s The Things I Used to Do. Shortly thereafter, Chick recorded another single that would generate his career defining song, Stoop Down Baby. Such a song can be a blessing and a curse because it does provide work but it is also an albatross that prevents folks from appreciating just how good and varied a blues performer he is as opposed to be limited to bawdy double entendre numbers."

Chick was a terrific, soulful singer and guitarist. He is part of a dying breed of blues artists today. It is becoming unfortunately rare to hear folks like Chick anymore at what are 'supposed' blues festivals.

Here is Chick from the last time I saw him performing (again at Lamont's in 2012). He certainly liked that outfit.

Dr. S.O. Feelgood and Chick Willis Highlights of Lamont's Blues Fest

Chick Willis takes to the crowd at Lamont's

It was a nice day of downhome blues, Saturday May 19 at Lamont’s for a Blues Festival in PoMonkey MD. Featuring mostly Washington DC area performers along with the Stoop Down day, a few hundreds came out to the picnic grounds and Entertainment Complex.

Chet Hines aka Dr. S.O. Feelgood

The day started with the Lady Rose Band. Lady Rose is a good singer and her band is tight although the guitarist sounded a bit heavy handed at times. Also, the material was mostly covers with a fair amount of funk and soul and less focus on blues. Chet Hines aka Dr. S.O. Feelgood was up next with one of the highlights of the day. With a tight trio of backing musicians, Dr. S.O. Feelgood encouraged the crowd to party while he sang about his preference for full figured women with meat on their bones singing. He brings so much personality and interacts with the crowd so well and at one point sang his heart out withour a microphone.

Jim Bennett

Members of Clarence ‘Bluesmen’ Turner Band were late, so to help pass the time, Jim Bennett, a local southern soul performer of note did a couple of numbers including a blues. Bennett is a smooth, expressive singer in the vein of a Jerry Butler. After a further delay Clarence ‘The Bluesman’ Turner and turned a lengthy set (which pushed back the starting time for two headliners) that included a nice rendition of Little Johnny Taylor’s “Everybody Knows About My Good Thing,” as well as some blues warhorses like “Sweet Home Chicago.”

Chick Willis

Next up was Chick Willis, backed by Bobby Parker’s rhythm section. Opening up with his “Rib Shack,” it was a set of songs that might be familiar from Chick’s fans, but performed with feeling and panache as he went out into the audience a couple times, before performing his classic “Stoop Down Baby” to the audience’s delight. Bobby Parker came on shortly after “Stoop Down,” bring up the rest of his band, opening with a solid rendition of Guitar Slim’s “(You Give Me) Nothin’ But the Blues,” and some Albert King numbers that sounded as solid as eve. Dusk was approaching, so we left before Bobby’s set ended. Afterwards, there was an after-party inside with the soul-funk Gridlock Band.

Bobby Parker

It was a gorgeous day of weather for the music. Lamont’s will be celebrating its 22nd year on June 9 with a soulful revue that includes Eddie Levert, lead singer of The O’Jays; Frank Washington, lead singer of The Spinners; The Hardway Connection, previous winners of the International Blues Challenge and other groups. The Dc Blues Society will be presenting a day of blues at Lamont’s July 21 with the Daddy Mack Blues Band and Preston Shannon headlining.

Dancing to the Stoop Down man, Chick Willis

DC Area Has The Blues

Chick Willis returns to Lamont's for the Lamont's Blues Festival

Just want to highlight and make some comments on upcoming blues events in the Washington Metropolitan area through June that folks might want to be aware of.

Yesterday I attended a production Women of the Blues that takes place at the Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church in Falls Church Virginia. This is a blues review that is described as celebrating the lives and music of some of the greatest divas of the 20th Century. Directed by internationally acclaimed artist, Matt Conner, the show will take audiences on a soulful and sassy journey though some of the most memorable songs in the blues canon. It is being produced in conjunction with the Tinner Hill Foundation. It will run this and the next two weekends, Thursday through Sunday through May 20. The Creative Cauldron’s website is http://www.creativecauldron.org/. The link for tickets to this show is http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/193640#comments and there will be a bit more information on the production there.

Ruthie Foster will be at the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

Two weekends from now there will be two blues events in the Washington area. The annual Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival takes place May 19 and 20. This event takes place at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis and is a fundraiser for charities. Frankly, the festival is more of a blues-rock event, especially on Sunday with Jonny Lang as a headliner and performers like Albert Cummings although the Swiss artist Phillippe Faunkauser sounds promising. Sarturday, up against the Preakness in Baltimore, has a stronger line-up for those who want blues, not blues-tinged rock including Janiva Magness, Ruthie Foster and the Delta Guitar Slingers with Michael Burks, Bernard Allison and Lurrie Bell. I would also not mind seeing the Tedeschi-Trucks Band but would have to sit through Big Head Todd to wait for them. For more information on this festival, check www.bayblues.org.

Bobby Parker will be at the Lamont's Blues Festival

An alternative for a straight blues show on May 19 is the Lamont’s Blues Festival at Lamont’s in Indian Head (PoMonkey), Maryland. Performing at Lamont’s will be Chet ‘Dr. Feelgood’ Hines, Lady Rose, Clarence ‘The Bluesman’ Turner, along with DC Blues Legend Bobby Parker and the Stoop Down Man, Chick Willis. After the show outside, it will move indoors for the after-party with the Gridlock Band until the night runs late. Lamont’s Entertainment Complex is at 4400 Livingston Road, Pomonkey, MD 20640 and a phone number is 240 393-2525. It is easier for me to get to and less hassles. Also, every chance I have to see Chick Willis I try not to miss him. I intend to be here unless the Washington capitals are still in the playoff and playing at home.

Walter Wolfman Washington will be at the Western Maryland Blues Festival

The first weekend of June brings the Western Maryland Blues Festival in Hagerstown Maryland. Actually it starts on Thursday May 31 with a prelude show. It begins in earnest on Friday evening, June 1 with a nice line-up of Skyla Burrell Band, Billy Thompson Band, Walter “ Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters and Matt Schofield Blues Project. Saturday June 2 the festival has two stages of blues with Hard Swimmin’ Fish, Mike Westcott Band featuring Tommy Lepson, Trampled Under Foot, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, Moondog Medicine Show, Moreland & Arbuckle, The Lee Boys and Walter Trout. Both Friday night and Saturday’s shows take place in downtown Hagerstown. Sunday, there is the annual Festival in the Park at Hagerstown City Park with Paul Pfau Blues Band, Stack O’ Blues, Bad Influence Band and Bobby Parker Band. For more information including cost of tickets for Friday night and Saturday, see www.blues-fest.org.

Ironing Board Sam will be at the Tinner Hill Blues Festival as part of the Music Makers Revue

The following weekend, the same as the Chicago Blues Festival is the annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival produced by the Tinner Hill Foundation and held in the City of Falls Church VA City Park. On Friday night, June 8, the Festival presents at the State Theatre, the wonderful Texas blues powerhouse, Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy. with the superb guitarist Jonn Del Toro Richarson. Saturday, June 9, the Festival takes place at several locations. There will be blues at the weekly farmer’s Market. At 10 Am, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley present the history, music and legacy of the Underground Railroad and its connection to Blues Music! at the Falls Church Community Center. At 11:00PM Big Ron Hunter from the Music Maker Blues Revue will create a Tinner Hill Blues Song at his Songwriting Workshop also at the Community Center. The main festival takes place at Cherry Hill Park with performers including the Big Boy Little Band, The Pluckerland Band, Cathy Ponton King Band, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, the Kelly Bell Band, and the Music Maker Revue with Ironing Board Sam, Big Ron Hunter, Ardie Dean, Sol Creech and Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen. There will be screening of the film, “John Jackson; A Blues Treasure”

Other events include a showing of the award-winning short film documentary film on the life and music of John Jackson by film maker Beverly Lindsay-Johnson and narrated by DC legend Chuck Brown, and “Call it the Blues”, a juried Art Show, awards presentation at Art & Frame of 111 Park Avenue  Falls Church, VA 22046 which will be on view all weekend! The winner will be announced at the Festival at Cherry Hill Park. On Sunday, June 10 the Mad Fox Brewing Company & Restaurant will host a Blues Brunch, Tribute and Open Jam featuring musicians associated with the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. For more information on the festival check out the Tinner Hill website, http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. Note that some events have a charge. For more information visit http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. I hope to attend some of the events although I will also be attending some of the annual DC Jazz Festival that takes place June 1 through June 10.

Warner Williams will be at the Silver Spring Blues Festival

Two following weekend on Saturday June 16 will be two free blues festivals. The Columbia Pike Blues Festival takes place at the intersection of South Walter Reed and Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia. Performers include Karl Stoll & the Danger Zone, Moondog Medicine Show, Danny Blew and the Blues Crew, Chris Polk and headliners Peter Karp and Sue Foley. Information on the festival is at http://www.columbia-pike.org/?page_id=2172. The same day in downtown Silver Spring, the Silver Spring Blues Festival will take place with an electric stage lineup that is headlined by Warner Williams and also includes Moonshine Society, Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes, and DC Blues Society Band featuring Ayaba Bey. On the acoustic stage will be the Archie Edwards Blues Foundation Ensemble; Sheryl Sears Trio and Cooking with Gas. For more information on this event see http://silverspring.patch.com/events/4th-annual-silver-spring-blues-festival-at-downtown-silver-spring.

That captures some of the more significant blues events in the Washington DC area through mid-June. All photos on this blog entry copyright Ron Weinstock

The King Bees Keep On Stingin' and Swingin'!

The Carolina Band, The King Bees, is celebrating 25 years of stingin' and swingin' as the cover to their latest recording Carolina Bound (Original High John Records) proclaims. The group is anchored around the bass, vocals and songs of Queen Bee Penny Zamagni and guitarist Hound Dog Baskerville Hound Dog Baskerville. The band has worked with and learned with so many great blues artists, some of whom (Jerry McCain, Nappy Brown, Carey Bell and Chick Willis) are featured on some of the performances here.

The King Bees play straight blues without any hard rock trappings. Their originals are idiomatic and display the same solid style that make them such a fine back-up band for the various blues legends they have supported over the years such as the late Nappy Brown on his solid rendition of Howlin' Wolf's Natchez Burning, and Carey Bell's What Mama Told Me, which was a staple of his repertoire. Chick Willis does a solid "Yonder's Wall," a regular feature of his performances.

The title track has the line about going to the Carolina's, but also a travelogue of the states as Penny sings about loving that Carolina sound, and Tarheel Slim, Pink Anderson, Nappy Brown, Maurice Williams and Drink Small is still around as she encourages guest Roy Roberts to strut his stuff as the pianist pounds the ivories. There is some nice slide guitar on this track as well. Roberts also adds guitar to the nice blues-ballad You Were There, while McCain adds tough harmonica on the shuffle Run Your Reputation Down. One of the group's originals Its Tight, makes use of a melody that evokes Rocket 88.

There is nothing revolutionary about The King Bees latest recording. Carolina Bound just has some solid straight-ahead blues played with feeling. It is available on amazon, cdbaby and itunes.


I received my review copy from The King Bees.

Chick Willis' Albert King Tribute

Chick Willis
Its been close to forty years since this writer acquired a 45 by one Chick Willis that included a solid rendition of Guitar Slim’s The Things I Used to Do. Shortly thereafter, Chick recorded another single that would generate his career defining song, Stoop Down Baby. Such a song can be a blessing and a curse because it does provide work but it is also an albatross that prevents folks from appreciating just how good and varied a blues performer he is as opposed to be limited to bawdy double entendre numbers. Jacques ‘Saxman’ Johnson and Dr. Bill Clark had Chick come in to the Washington, D.C. area for a gig at Blues Alley as well as a recording session. The result is the new Old School Productions CD, Cookin’ the Blues: A Tribute to Albert King featuring Chick Willis. As the album title suggests, Chick is heard on a number of songs associated with the late blues giant including Can’t You See What You Are Doing to Me, I’ll Play the Blues For You, Angel of Mercy, Laundromat Blues, and What the Blues is All About. Willis sings and plays his distinctive guitar in a straightforward fashion and Johnson leads a punchy and brassy horn section supporting Willis’ fine performances. Four of the ten tracks are instrumentals that give the Saxman a chance to stretch out including a rousing rendition of The Hucklebuck, with Bill Clark getting some space to show his Hammond B-3 skills and Johnson’s son, Jacques Jr. being featured quite admirably on guitar. In summary, Cookin’ the Blues is delightful with solid Willis interpretations of classic Albert King recordings with the Saxman’s tenor sax features for an added treat. For information on how to order contact Old School Records at Jacques Johnson’s website www.jacquessaxmanjohnson.com or email sax251@aol.com. A website that carries some of the Old School Records and hopefully will have this one is www.rightonrhythm.com. It is also available at cdbaby.com.

Bobby Rush, Chick Willis, and more coming to DC area May 26

PICT1496 Bobby & dancer
Originally uploaded by NoVARon.

Big Pre-Memorial Weekend Blues Festival takes place at Lamont's at 440 Livinston Road, PoMonkey (or Indian Head in Charles County) Maryland, Saturday May 26. Music starts with Jim Bennett & Lady Mary followed by Big G coming all the way from Richmond. Then DC's legendary Bobby Parker is up with The Blues Night Band, followed by Chick Willis who will play with your poodle and also do "Stoop Down Baby, but insofar as he is playing with Jacques Johnson, one should expect some Albert King tributes and the saxman maybe will do his "Root Doctor." Finally Bobby Rush, appearing at Lamont's for the 1st time who certainly get the crowd really going. Hey the show is on the picnic grounds (unless weather forces it inside) and will end around sunset with an afterparty going on afterwards. So you can spend a day at one of the best lineups in this area and still go out and catch some more blues wherever you want to.
The phone number for Lamont's is (301) 283-0225