Jimmy Carpenter Soul Doctor

Jimmy Carpenter
Soul Doctor
Gulf Coast Records

About Jimmy Carpenter's last album, "Plays the Blues" (VizzTone), I wrote that "Carpenter plays plenty of rousing, raspy saxophone in a Junior Walker-King Curtis--Boots Randolph vein throughout and, if not a great singer, is likable with an unforced delivery… ." Carpenter has a lengthy career in the blues and roots-rock scene, including stints with Jimmy Thackery, Walter 'Wolfman' Washington, and most recently with Mike Zito. Presently residing in Las Vegas, Carpenter leads his own band and plays with numerous others. He also is the Musical Director for the Big Blues Bender and leader of the Bender Brass, The Bender's house band. This new release is on Golf Coast records, a label Zito co-founded.

On this recording, Jimmy has assembled a first-class studio group. In addition to Carpenter on saxophone and vocals, there is Cameron Tyler (drums/percussion/background vocals), Jason Langley (bass), Trevor Johnson (guitar), Chris Tofield (guitar/background vocals), Red Young (keys), Carrie Stowers (background vocals), and Queen Aries (background vocals). Guesting on this album are guitarist Nick Schnebelen, The Bender Brass (Doug Woolverton (trumpet), Mark Earley (baritone sax)), Al Ek (harmonica), and Mike Zito (guitar).

Based on the seven originals, Carpenter has become quite a songwriter. The album opens with the title track with a striking lyric, "Who says the book of love was written in one night/ Who filled it up with empty pages said what's wrong and right/ So many have wagered on the lottery of life/ They opened up their hearts just to be cut down like a knife." Carpenter impresses with his singing here and elsewhere on this album. On this song, he takes a couple of tough rackety yak sax solos. Nick Schnebelen's guests on this track, although these ears founded his playing a tad busy. That is one of two songs that Carpenter wrote with Guy Hale, the other co-founder of Gulf Coast Records. The other song, "Wrong Turn," has Jimmy on guitar with Trevor Johnson playing some blues-rock slide guitar and Al Ek adding some sax-sounding harmonica. Carpenter's vocal sounds distorted and maybe his least appealing singing here. Much better is the relaxed rock and roll shuffle blues "Wild Streak." In addition to some persuasive singing, catch lyrics, Red Young contributes some rollicking honky-tonk piano while Mike Zito adds a searing slide guitar solo.

The autobiographical lyrics of "Love It So Much" is set to a second-line groove as Carpenter celebrates the musician's life on the road, while the Bender Horns add their punch. The finest blues performance is his cover of Little Willie John's "Need Your Love So Bad," with Carpenter's passionate singing and his band's outstanding support. It also may have his best tenor sax solo on the album. An instrumental rendition of The Clovers' "One Mint Julep" also spotlights his tenor sax, although more in a King Curtis-Junior Walker vein. Red Young adds some greasy organ here. Another instrumental is "LoFi Roulette," with Chris Tofield adding searing guitar to Carpenter's gutbucket sax.

A soulful rendition of Eddie Hinton's "Yeah Man" closes this album. Jimmy Carpenter has matured into an expressive, passionate singer and songwriter, and he has produced a very satisfying blues and roots recording.

I received my review download from a publicist. Here Jimmy performs the title track.

Gracie Curran & Friends Come Undone

Gracie Curran & Friends
Come Undone
VizzTone

Originally from Boston but now living in Memphis, "Come Undone" is singer and songwriter Gracie Curran's second release. Her first album, 'Proof of Love," was nominated for a Blues Music Award as Best New Artist Debut. She co-produced this new release with Damon Fowler who plays guitar on it — also playing on this Matt Walker on guitar, bass and Wurlitzer; Pat Harrington on guitar on the first track; Victor Wainwright and Jeremy Powell each playing on keyboards for two of the eight tunes; Doug Woolverton on trumpet; Mark Earley on sax; and Reba Russell on backing vocals.

Some of the publicity material compare her vocals to that of Mavis Staples. I would not go quite that far, but she certainly impresses the listener on the title track, which is a very appealing serving of Memphis soul with a reggae accent. In contrast, "Ernestine" is a folk-roots styled performance with Reba Russell complementing her country-flavored singing. "Stay Up!" is a jump-style party blues with plenty of swagger in her vocal with a crisp guitar solo and the horns doing a call and response with each other. Trebly guitar adds to the atmosphere to her insistent vocal on "The Things We Like" as she sings about not wanting to but having to let one go.

"Sweet Sativa" is a blues about marijuana with stinging slide guitar (could be lap steel guitar) taken at loping tempo. "If Mama Ain't Happy" is a rocking blues with some outstanding piano from Wainwright and a brief, crisp guitar solo. Perhaps the most outstanding song is a soulful ballad, "Love Is The Cruelest Thing I Know," It shows how nuanced a singer she is and how convincing she is with the restraint exhibited here. The closing track "Chasing Sunset" shits gears to a delightful country roots rocker.

The strength of Gracie Curran's performances is that while she can belt out a lyric, she focuses more on timing, phrasing, and vocal dynamics. The songs were fascinating, and the backing excellent. The only fault might be the eight songs only last a little over a half-hour. There are no complaints about the actual music heard on a very notable album.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. Here is a performance of "Come Undone."