Annika Chambers Kiss My Sass

Annika Chambers
Kiss My Sass
VizzTone

About Annika Chambers' 2014 debut album "Making My Mark," I wrote about this excellent debut, "Annika Chambers may possess a powerful voice but she also is a marvelous singer whose timing, phrasing and her sense of dynamics is quite impressive, and one awaits more funky blues and soul from her in the future." In the interim, she won the 2019 Blues Music Award for Female Soul-Blues Artist. This is her third album and produced by Richard Cagle and Larry Fulcher who produced her debut album with drummer Tony Braunagel co-producing two selections he plays drums on. Fulcher is the bassist on this with a variety of other musicians including guitarists The Might Org, David Carter, and James Wilhite. One track is a duet with Canadian guitarist Paul DesLauriers.

There is a nice mix of songs from a variety of sources opening with the "Let the Sass Out," where after a workweek is over and she no longer has to take crap she can let her sass out. Her impressive vocal is set against an insistent groove, and there is some hot guitar. As strong as that vocal is, she is perhaps even more commanding on "That's What You Made Me," singing about what her cheating man has made her. She commands the listener's attention with her articulation, dynamics, phrasing, and passion in her singing.

Her singing is superb throughout, and the backing is first-rate. A few more of the stand-out tracks include Mack Rice's "What Your Thing," where Ruthie Foster adds background vocals and on which the Mighty Org lays down pedal steel guitar in the backing. Then there is a marvelous rendition of Angela Strehli's "Two-Bit Texas Town" celebrating listening to the blues over the radio and Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, and others making them want to dance. Barry Sellen's Hammond B-3 adds grease to this spirited performance. Chambers and Fulcher wrote "A Brand New Day," a terrific blues where her heartfelt singing is backed just by the Mighty Org's nuanced guitar, Randy Wall's keyboards and Fulcher's bass. Perhaps no performance better displays the emotion and soulfulness she sings with than a Carolyn Wonderland blues-ballad, "Stay." Then there is a marvelous cover of the Sugar Pie DeSanto-Etta James classic "In The Basement."

The album closes with Chris Smither's "I Feel So Same," where Canadian blues wizard Paul DesLauriers whose provides the steel guitar slide accompaniment as well as adds vocal responses to Chambers vocal. It is another moving performance on an excellent album.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. I will be posting my review of "Making My Mark" shortly. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here is a recent performance of "Kiss My Sass."

Trudy Lynn Blues Come Knockin'

Trudy Lynn
Blues Come Knockin'
Connor Ray Music

A new release from the Houston Blues Queen, has her performing some classic songs along with the title track, which she wrote. On this Rock Romano production, she is supported by Backing Trudy’s vocals on the new disc are musicians Steve Krase – harmonica; David Carter – guitar; Randy Wall, keyboards; Terry Dry – bass; Matt Johnson – drums; Jim Brady – trumpet; and Dan Carpenter – sax; with special guests Bob Lanza and Carolyn Wonderland on guitar.

Lynn is in good voice and the veteran realizes that subtle shifts in timbre or volume make up for forced bellowing and solidly backed throughout she does nice personal renditions of a couple of Big Maybelle recordings, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show," and "Pitiful." The latter is an especially strong performance and benefits from Bob Lanza's hot guitar and Steve Krase's harmonica embellishments. Lanza is also present on the rollicking rock and roll of the opening track "Blues Ain't Nothin'," which is led off by Krase's harmonica with Wall taking a honky tonk solo while Lanza's guitar is a mix of blues runs and Chuck Berry licks. 

A surprising cover here is of the Three Dog Night here "Never Been To Spain," that displays again how good a singer she is and her mastery of vocal dynamics, with Krase's harmonica also welcome. Horns are present on a strong rendition of Big Bill Broonzy's "When I Been Drinkin'," sung with humor and vitality along with growing trumpet from Jim Brady and Dan Carpenter's booting tenor sax. After a fine cover of Deanna Bogart's "Won't Be Long" (with Wall's boogie inflected piano and Krase's harmonica), this album closes with a heartfelt rendition of Etta James' soulful lament "Would It Make Any Difference To You," with especially fine guitar contributed by Carolyn Wonderland. 

Trudy Lynn sings superbly on this album on a variety of classic songs that have done been done to death. Backed by some fine players, she has produced another notable blues recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist.  Here is a recent performance by Trudy Lynn.

Steve Krase Should've Seen it Coming

Steve Krase
Should've Seen it Coming
Connor Ray Music

I am familiar with harmonica-player Steve Krase from his contributions to recent Trudy Lynn recordings. This his is apparently his fourth album, but first this writer has heard. He is backed by a band that includes co-producer Rick Romano on bass, David Carter on guitar, Richard Cholakian on drums, Randy Wall on keyboards and Alisha Pattillo on saxophones, with appearances from guitarists mark May and Bob Lanza, James Gilmore and backing vocals from Trudy Lynn. Six of the eleven songs here are 'covers' (including one credited to Kraze) and there are two explicit versions of two of the originals that are at then end of the CD.

 Krase says he wanted to make a fun record and he did so opening with a bouncy Romano-penned shuffle "Brand New Thang" with Mark May's stinging guitar along with his harp (the vocal likely overdubbed over the backing. The track displays his appealing, unforced vocals and skilled harp. It is followed by a take on a classic Little Walter recording, "Crazy For My Baby," distilled through Charlie Musselwhite's version with a rumba groove, backing vocals and solid chromatic harp. A bouncy rendition (with terrific harmonica) of an old Bobby Mitchell (and Fats Domino) recording "Let the Four Winds Blow," is followed by his lyrical updating of a Jimmy Rogers recording "The World's Still in a Tangle" (which actually goes back to Arthur Crudup, Robert Lockwood and Honeyboy Edwards) as he is building a bunker instead digging a cave and adding references to assault rifles and zombies. This is a wonderfully paced performance with steady backing and more terrific harmonica.

A bit of danceable rock and roll with Bob Lanza taking the lead guitar is "Shot of Rhythm and Blues," followed by the title track that Krase's brother penned with Pattillo's sax adding to the mood on this lyric along with a whispered vocal and then a lengthy jamming section where Wall and Carter also solo. There is a lively and imaginative interpretation of James 'Wee Willie' Wayne's "Travellin' Mood" (also a staple for Snooks Eaglin), followed by take on Clarence 'Frogman' Henry's "Troubles, Troubles," that is solidly played but taken at too quick a tempo. After a strong shuffle, "Make You Love Me Baby," comes the hilarious "Repo Man" as a modern bad ass who won't knock on the door, but will bang one's wife, but will take one's car, and nothing one can do because the repo man is coming after you. There is some terrific sax on this performance. This along with the title track are also heard in separate takes with explicit lyrics placed at the end of the CD. "Way Back Home" by Wilton Felder was originally recorded by the Jazz Crusaders. Krase has adapted Junior Parker's recording for this excellent, moody instrumental.

Certainly a solid recording as Krase is a very good singer and striking harmonica player with adept, steady support, and fresh material and takes on older songs making for a totally engaging recording.


I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 373), although I have made a few minor changes to the text. Here is a performance by the Steve Krase Band.

 

Trudy Lynn Sings the Blues for You

Trudy Lynn
I’ll Sing the Blues for You
Connor Ray Music

Houston vocalist Trudy Lynn has to these ears been an under appreciated blues and soul vocalist. She has appeared in various contexts including the big blues band of the late Calvin Owens. Her latest album features her unique takes on songs from ‪Big Mama Thornton‬, Lowell Fulson, ‪Memphis Minnie‬ and Johnny Copeland, among others, as well as the funky original, “Thru Chasin’ You.” Backing Trudy on the new album are a tight small group comprised of label president Steve Krase on harmonica, David Carter on guitar, Terry Dry on bass, Randy Wall on keyboards and Matt Johnson on drums.

There is a good selection of material starting with the rollicking rollicking down home feel of her interpretation of a lesser known Big Mama Thornton number "Alright Baby," with Krase's harmonica along with Wall's piano adding to the fun. The Lowell Fulson hit "Black Night" has a different tenor to it with a nice guitar solo by Carter and restrained backing for her nuanced vocal. "Honky Tonk Song" is a song Koko Taylor recorded on one of earliest Alligator albums. Lynn's rendition is a bit cooler but equally satisfying. Other notable selections include her small group reworking of (and powerful vocal on) Big Maybelle's "Ramblin' Blues" with Krase's horn like harp solo.

After her jaunty reworking of Memphis Minnie's "Kissin' in the Dark," the album closes with an instistent vocal on Johnny Copeland's "Down on Bended Knee," where she begs her man to please come back to me. A solid performance that ends another solid recording by this Houston blues queen.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of Trudy performing.