Dexter Allen Keep Moving On

Dexter Allen - Keep Moving On - Endless Blues Records

This new album by singer-songwriter-guitarist Dexter Allen is a mix of straight-ahead urban blues and southern soul. Years of playing lead guitar with Bobby Rush can be heard in the funk-tinged performances here, if not quite as bawdy as Rush. Through overdubbing, Allen plays keyboards and bass in addition to guitar. Others on this date include drummers Christopher Minter and Joey Robinson and the keyboards of Joey Robinson.

A comparison for Allen might be Theodis Ealey (thinking especially of Ealey's Ichiban albums and songs like "Bluesman Lover"), in his mix of songs that are traditionally rooted along with a touch of straight soul. Allen has an appealing baritone voice, and he plays straight-forward, idiomatic guitar. He more capably handles a straight shuffle like "Pack Up My Bags," where he sings about moving far away from his woman who treated him like a dog. The title track deals with people coping with everyday struggles, but one should keep their hopes up. "F.A.B.U.L.I.S.T. Woman" is a down-in-the-alley blues about this woman that won't do right. 

Allen's soulful side is perhaps best shown on "I Just Love That Woman," with appealing deep from the gut singing, along with "Can't Live Without You." The music of the latter number evokes the Toussaint McCall classic, "Nothing Takes The Place of You," Allen takes us to church with his singing here as he tells his girl she's the best thing for him, and he doesn't want to lose her love. Then there is a funky appreciation of a lady's shaking her body on the dance floor, "I Like The Way."

Overall, this album is a solidly produced blues and soul recording. Dexter Allen stands front and center with the first-rate music present on "Keep Moving On."

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

Lady A Is Doin' Fine

Lady A
Doin' Fine
Self-produced

Seattle's Blues Diva, Lady A (Anita White), has a new soul-blues recording that should appeal to a broad spectrum of blues fans. Produced by guitarist and bassist Dexter Allen (of the Bobby Rush Band) and pianist Joey Robinson (who plays some drums here), this recording is mostly comprised of originals that evoke some of the classic Malaco and Elko Records.

This is solidly played and she is a very solid vocalist who suggests Denise LaSalle on the opening title track. Here  she sings about waking up and being ready for the weekend, loving life and doing fine as Mississippi is like her second home and also  tells of singing her heart out at B.B. King's. The band shines with tight backing with Allen providing a nifty repeated figure. It is followed by a walking tempo funky blues, "The Ride," with its hook line "Life is like a ride," but one must keep the faith in everything you do but the road can turn on you. An adaptation of Junior Parker's "Next Time You See Me" is presented as "Next Time U C Me" and credited to Lady A (it does appear she may have contributed some new lyrics), and is a nice shuffle performance with Allen taking a solid solo while Richardson plays organ as well as piano.

"Tryin' To Get Over," is a soulful number with an outstanding vocal, where Allen's use of wah-wah along with the groove evokes some of Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's later recordings. "That Man" is a tough soul-blues number that againsuggests classic Denise LaSalle with a bass line that evokes Johnny Taylor's hit, "Last Two Dollars." "Throw Down" is a funky party blues where she instructs partying folks on the dance floor to throw hands in the air or clap in a soulful fashion.

Lady A distinguishes herself with her heartfelt vocals, while the backing led by Allen and Richardson supports and enhances the first-rate soul-blues here.

I received from my review copy from Lady A. Here is her performing The Beatles' "Come Together," as she says in her own way.