The Tulsa Oklahoma native Scott Ellison grew up when that city was a rock and blues hotbed. later touring with Conway Twitty's daughter and then Gatemouth Brown, Ellison eventually relocated to Los Angeles playing and touring with the likes of The Box Tops, The Shirelles, The Drifters, The Coasters and others before forming his own blues band in the 1990s.
A prolific songwriter as well as a singer-guitarist, he recorded several albums that Dennis Walker produced. His new album, “Ice Storm," is a set of original 'rocking blues.' At times, his vocals reminded me of the late Sean Costello, and he sings forcefully with a raspy grit although a limited range. The songs are standard fare about relationships and partying to the blues. His guitar playing rocks out at times and fans of guitar pyrotechnics will find much here to enjoy.
The opening “Steamin’” is a rocker with Ellison singing about how his woman’s moves and kisses are getting him steaming and ready to explode. The opening of “Big Blue Car” evokes “The Thrill is Gone,” before he talks about riding around the funky town looking for his woman with horns effectively added to the backing, before launching into the hard rock “Pride,” with slide guitar in the backing.
A heavy backbeat and driving slide guitar launches “4th of July,” with Ellison barking out a gravelly vocal. It is followed by “King of the Blues,” thankfully taken at a lower level as he sings about partying with his guitar but hung up about his lady which is making him the “King of the Blues.” “I’m in Trouble,” is a down in the alley tune about being “lost in these blues again,” where he pulls out all the stops on guitar. The title song is a nifty instrumental with a strong tenor sax solo in addition to Ellison's jazzier playing here.
While Ellison is clever with a phrase here and elsewhere, the songs generally don’t stand out, although some with a taste for rocking blues guitar and blues-rock may find these performances more satisfying than this reviewer does.
I received this recording from Earwig or a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 310). Here is a performance by him of "Steamin'" from a few years after this recording.
Various Artists
Cadillac Baby's Bea & Baby Records; The Definitive Collection
Earwig Records
This deluxe box set, which contains the recording legacy of Narvel Eatmon (better known as Cadillac Baby), is a labor of love that Michael Frank of Earwig Records spent years producing. The box set contains 4 CDs of blues, doo-wop, gospel, comedy, and even rap along with substantial interview segments with Cadillac Baby with Steve Cushing from a 1983 Blues Before Sunrise radio program. The 4 CDs are housed in a hardback book which reproduces Jim O'Neal's interview with Cadillac Baby from an early issue of "Living Blues" and has O'Neal's update that corrects and updates the information there. Bill Dahl provides biographies, and concise analysis of the blues and other secular music Robert M. Marovich does the same for the gospel recordings. Michael Frank provides an overview of how this box set came about.
There are nearly 5 hours of music and interviews to provide anything other than an overview of some highlights. The interview segments and the printed interview in the book will give you an idea of Cadillac Baby's personality. He was a character. One of the interview segments discusses how he got into music and how he started presenting shows in the south, including one with the Mississippi Sheiks before he came to Chicago and opened a club. He began making records to hopefully make some money from musicians who owed him money and hopefully make some money as well.
A sense of Cadillac Baby's personality can be heard on the opening track, "Welcome to Cadillac Baby's Show Lounge." It originally was on a vinyl LP "Colossal Blues" that reissued some of his 45s on the Bea & Baby and associated labels. Set against the piano of Sunnyland Slim's piano and Willie Williams drums, Cadillac Baby introduces us to a who's who of Chicago radio and blues personalities. There is overdubbed audience noise and clapping. It is followed by two excellent songs by Eddie Boyd with a band that included Robert Lockwood's distinctive guitar. There are ten tracks by Boyd, eight with Lockwood, and two with another group. Boyd is superb as he sings, "The Blues Are Here To Stay." Two songs are remastered with an overdubbed vocal chorus. There are also two songs by L.C. McKinley, whose guitar style is indebted to T-Bone Walker. His band included tenor saxophonist Red Holloway and also backed a vocal group on two selections.
Arguably the biggest record that Cadillac Baby produced was Bobby Saxton's "Try To Make A Living" that was backed by an Earl Hooker instrumental, "Dynamite." These sides also were leased to Chess, who issued them on a Checker Records single. Mac Simmons, as Little Mac and St. Louis Mac, is heard on the most selections. These include "Times Are Getting Tougher," reminiscent of some of Little Milton's recordings of the time, and on fine covers of songs from Junior Parker, Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters. Backing Mac Simmons are such players as pianist Detroit Junior and guitarist Eddie King Milton. Detroit Junior's first recording is present, along with an interview segment where Cadillac Baby tells how he gave the pianist-singer his name.
Detroit Junior was not the only artist whose first recording is heard. Hound Dog Taylor was very much under the influence of Elmore James when he recorded "My Baby Is Coming Home." Sunnyland Slim was another artist who recorded for Bea & Baby, while James Cotton waxed a couple of blues. Lee Jackson's "Juanita" is a powerful modern blues, and he is also heard on a Christmas blues. Other significant Chicago blues artists heard include Homesick James, Andre 'Blueblood' McMahon, Arlean Brown, and Willie Williams. Eddie Taylor and Hubert Sumlin are among the sidemen on these sessions. Also, a tape was found with previously unissued selections by the legendary Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon, four of which are reproduced here. Clyde Lasley, best known as a comedian, talks-sings "Santa Came Home Drunk" backed by Lee Jackson and band. He possibly may be on three comedy selections that sound like Amos'n'Andy outtakes. There are some more teen singers, and a rap single produced by Cadillac Baby and Michael Frank before the box set closes with stirring gospel music.
As stated, there is quite a variety of solid blues and other music here. The interview segments with Cadillac Baby are fascinating to listen to, although one suspects some listeners will skip them after hearing them once or a few times. The packaging is superb, and the accompanying book wonderfully illustrated. Michale Frank sought to honor the memory of Cadillac Baby, and this box set certainly accomplishes that. It will also undoubtedly make a wonderful holiday gift for a Blues Lover.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the November-December 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here is Bobby Saxton's "Trying to Make a Living."
Andy Cohen is a remarkable performer who i am most familiar with from his blues playing, but as Earwig's Michael Frank observes, "he never ceases to impress me with encyclopedic knowledge and ability to play at a high level, Traditional blues, folk and true Americana music …" On two days in August and September 2014, he recorded 25 songs from which Michael Frank chose 16 for Cohen's new Earwig album, "Road Be Kind." As Cohen notes in the booklet, roughly half of the music is contemporary which was out of character from the blues and related traditional material he performs. Some of the material was in tribute to folks he has known, like Luke Baldwin, Utah Phillips, Pegleg Sam and Bill Hinkley, whom have passed on.
The opening "Five and Ten Cent Blues," one of his originals with his nimble accompaniment and natural, slightly raspy singing, evokes sixties recordings from Bob Dylan, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Steve Goodman and others. This feel is carried forward in an original by the forgotten Luke Baldwin, "Seldom Seen Slim." Then there is the delightful fingerpicking rendition of Sonny Terry's "Spread the New Around," along with the delightful, "Talkin' Hard Luck," taken from Chris Bouchillion's 1925 recording as well as Pegleg Jackson's version with plenty of delightful guitar and a mix of a rap and talking singing. One can only conjure up in one's mind how an old medicine show performer as Chief Wahoo would try to sell some elixir to this.
The title song was written by Scott Alarik and receives a lovely, lilting performance, while John Loudermilk's "Windy and Warm," allows Cohen to showcase his marvelous fingerstyle playing as he adroitly handles its complexity (Cohen notes its a level or two more complex than "Freight Train"). "Mysterious Mose," which Cohen admits he stole from R. Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders, is a delightful hoot that contrasts with his very moving treatment of Utah Phillips' cowboy song "The Goodnight - Loving Trail." Another outstanding blues performance is "Seaboard Train," taken from Larry Johnson's rendition of a song old timey artist Sam McGhee recorded as "Railroad Blues." Cohen plays with a deft touch and invention that might have even made Johnson's mentor, Reverend Gary Davis, smile.
"Ten and Nine" is a labor song about women working in the mills, some very young. Its author, Mary Brooksbank," who spent time in prison for labor agitation. It is followed by a lovely medley of Irish songs, "Blarney Pilgrim / Jig McCoy." A lovely instrumental rendition of the Lennon-McCartney penned "Blackbird" provides the coda to this recording. "Road Be Kind" is an fabulous recording from an truly special talent.
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Andy playing a selection from the new album.
Felix Wohrstein’s liner notes to Dawkins’ new Earwig recording, Kant Shek Dees Bluze, state that “there are no Jimmy Dawkins imitators.” If not generating imitators, Dawkins has certainly influenced at least one artist, Bobby Radcliffe, who similarly employs a driving attack, “combining piercing sustain and staccato.”
Dawkins' first album Fast Fingers, is one of the few blues albums to win the Grand Prix of the Hot Club of France and he was voted by Downbeat critics as rock/pop/blues act deserving wider recognition. Despite this critical acclaim, his career never sustained the level of public recognition as other, probably lesser artists. Perhaps it was due to his serious “all for business” nature and his music. No flashy theatrics, just a heavy dose of straight blues.
While he has continued to record overseas, Kant Sheck Dees Bluze is only his second U.S. album in over 15 years. Earwig has brought together a solid studio band that includes “Professor” Eddie Lusk on keyboards, Billy Flynn on rhythm guitar, Johnny B. Gayden on bass and Ray Scott on drums. Two of the vocals here feature singer Nora Jean Wallace who sounds as a promising talent, but the bulk of the vocals are delivered by Dawkins who may have a limited range, but invests his vocals with much feeling.
The songs are all originals, although one can hear allusions to Sonny Boy Williamson’s Help Me on the title track (as he sings that he can’t shake these blues) or Magic Sam’s All Your Love on Wes Cide Bluze. The lyrical themes are typical of Dawkins, as he sings about the troubles of everyday, not simply those between a man and a woman, but also the economic and social problems of poverty.
While the lyrics of the topical Made the Hard Way may be superseded by events, its not an untypical Dawkins theme, nor are his sentiments that life is a struggle, but people must keep struggling and holding on to keep their dreams and hopes alive, as expressed in the religious song, Gotta Hold On, that closes the record. Dawkins offers plenty of searing guitar, with his backing of Nora Jean Wallace’s My Man Loves Me being particularly effective, however, some of his playing is busier than on earlier recordings.
While there is a generous 65 minutes, and like other Dawkins recordings there is the flavor of a club jam. Some performances would have benefited by being shorter and more focused. No question however that Jimmy Dawkins remains one of modern blues’ major talents, and this is a most welcome release.
This 20 year old review originally appeared in the July 1992 Jazz and Blues Report (Issue 172) and I likely received my review copy from the label. Here is Jimmy performing in 1991.
The B.O.B. label was a small Chicago label that issued some choice harmonica blues albums that were produced by Bob Corritore who has become a distinguished harmonica player in his own name and continues to produce some stellar recordings. In the mid-nineties Michael Frank’s Earwig label reissued two of the releases including CDs by Little Willie Anderson and Big Leon Brooks. This review of Little Willie Anderson appeared in February 1995 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 198). I likely received a review copy of this recording. It is still available (although possibly as a CD-R).
Earwig Records has certainly done a service for harmonica blues fans with the reissue of two albums from the B.O.B. label that featured two lesser known Chicago harp players, both of whom have passed - this album and Big Leon Brooks’ Let’s Go To Town. Little Willie Anderson’s Swinging the Blues finds the harp player who was sometimes called Little Walter Jr. (he died in 1991) matched with several musicians who certainly had a significant tenure with Little Walter, including guitarists Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy Lee Robinson and drummer Fred Below with Sammy Lawhorn also guesting.
With Anderson’s hoarse, crusty vocals and raw harp, Lockwood’s distinctive chording, Lawhorn’s subtle leads and Below’s propulsive drumming, the album is well titled with several instrumentals, including a relaxed Lester Leaps In (with Pete Haskins’ sax added) and the atmospheric Late Night mixed in with Anderson’s idiomatic originals like Come Here Mama, Looking For You Baby, and Willie’s Women Blues, all played with a loose, relaxed groove.
To paraphrase one of his songs, it must have been the jelly that gave Willie Anderson the blues, as he sings with considerable vitality. His harp playing may be Walter inspired, but its raw sound indicates he was his own man and didn’t attempt to recreate Walter’s recordings. Nothing fancy here, just a set of solidly played blues.
Word of the death of Louisiana Red certainly has affected the blues world. Born Iverson Minter, he led a lengthy and distinguished career marked by numerous fine recordings over the years starting sixty years ago for Chess Records and running through the excellent Memphis Mojo that I reviewed this past October. Back in 1995, Red was making one of his regular US tours at the time that Michael Frank issued this fine recording, Sittin’ Here Wonderin’ that I reviewed for the DC Blues Calendar and Jazz and Blues Report (November 1995- Issue 206). At the time, he did a US tour and the DC Blues Society presented Red with Carey Bell at Tornado Alley, a defunct Washington DC area club. Backstage, Archie Edwards joined Red to remember the good times in the past, and Red returned a slide Archie gave him years earlier. It was a wonderful night of blues and there were more to come at clubs and festivals worldwide. The last time I saw him perform was at the 2008 Ponderosa Stomp.Long may Louisiana Red’s music ride on.
A resident of Europe for over a decade, Louisiana Red’s brief US tours and festival appearances of the last couple of years were certainly deservedly anticipated. He has made several recordings overseas in recent years, including some fine duets with harp player Carey Bell. Earwig has issued Sittin’ Here Wonderin’ that makes available some solo recordings he made in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982, shortly before he moved to Europe.
Red is heard in forceful solo performances with strong echoes of Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and John Lee Hooker being evident. After Muddy Waters’ death, Eric Clapton made a comment about how no one played guitar like Muddy. Not true, as Red was one of several artists who could, and did, play slide in Muddy’s vein. Early in his career as Rocky Fuller, he recorded a 45, I’m Gonna Play My Guitar, where he menacingly threatens Waters with his violent, distorted slide. There are several tracks here where his amplified slide recalls Waters, although Red uses Waters’ music as frames for his own blue stories. So one hears echoes of Waters’ Long Distance Call and Standing Around Crying on Red’s violent sounding Stella Blues and Pittsburgh Blues, while I’m Lonesome echoes Muddy’s Rolling Stone.
The opening E Street Bridge and Sadie Lee are suggestive of John Lee Hooker’s early recordings, with their chugging rhythms and repeated bass figures punctuated by repeated single note runs The closing Prison Blues #1 adds some piercing slide to the Hooker flavored backing. Back Door Friend, attributed to Jimmy Rogers but dating back to Tony Hollins (and also recorded by Lightning Hopkins), shows the variety of Red’s repertoire and influences.
The forcefulness of Red’s guitar and vocals helps put his own stamp on this set of blues songs that may be suggestive of several legends, but at the same time are compelling personal examples of the down home blues art.
I believe I received a review copy from Earwig Records. Here is the late Louisiana Red from you tube.
This writer first became aware of Travis ‘Moonchild’ Haddix from his recordings for the Ichiban label from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s as well as his songs, that found their way in the repertoire of such great singers as Artie ‘Blues Boy’ White. Playing the Cleveland R&B circuit, he had an opportunity to play with Johnny Taylor on the road, but raising a family took first place so he worked for General Motors and the Post Office for over 40 years.
When Ichiban folded, he started his own label, Wann-Sonn, and since 1998 has issued 8 albums, the latest, Daylight at Midnight, has just been remastered and repackaged by Earwig. With a pretty sizable band including a four piece horn section, Haddix presents ten new songs that illustrate his use of humor, irony and clever wording on a variety of blues themes of relationships as well as good and hard times. On the opening Word A Lie, he tells he isn’t telling his women a ‘word a lie, everything I say is true,” as he recounts allowing his women to move in and then how she was doing everything she could to get him out.
The title track is a reworking of the theme about strange things happening as they did when Travis’ moved into a new town and where there is daylight at midnight. Nine Behind, illustrates how clever he can be with a lyric with the song about the number nine, waking up at Nine, having 9 cups of coffee, call 9 different ladies and his woman from 1 to 9 is a 9 and then takes a solid guitar solo. Who Could I Be? is a soulful ballad with nice piano from Robert ‘Red Top’ Young who was in the late Robert Lockwood’s band, as Haddix sings if he could be anyone else who he would be, he would still rather be me.
One of Haddix’s main guitar influences is B.B. King, as his solos throughout this album show. One choice solo is during Way Back in the Country, where he recounts growing up and learning about the birds and bees and becoming a man. “Your Kind of Fool,” has a funky groove and the funk continues on What to Do, before returning to a more traditional blues style on Good Buddy Blues, about a friend where creates more problems than help for Travis. Haddix is a solid singer in the vein of a Bobby Bland and Artie White, although perhaps not having the range of the latter, as well as a solid guitarist. He benefits from a fine backing band although the horns provide a simple backdrop with their arrangements being most often simply backing riffs.
Having a number of Haddix’s albums (Ichiban and Wann-Sonn), I do not believe this is his best effort (check out the Wann-Sonn releases Milk & Bread and Blues From Staghorn Street, as well as the live European recording Mud Cakes). Still, Daylight at Midnight, is a very welcome addition to his body of recordings. For more information check out www.travishaddix.net or www.earwigmusic.com.
I received the review copy from either Earwig or a publicist handling their releases. This review originally appeared in the October 2008 Jazz & Blues Report, to which I have made a few minor changes. And here is some Travis Haddix from You Tube.
Chicago harmonica player Rob Stone was new to these ears until I heard him on several tracks on a new Earwig disc by Chris James and Patrick Rynn, “Gonna Boogie Anyway.” Stone is a long-time associate of James and Rynn and they worked together as the C-Notes, which included touring with drummer Sam Lay. Stone had an album on Earwig 7 years ago, Just My Luck,” and the label has just released his new album, “Back Around Here,” which reunites Stone with the pair along with pianists David Maxwell and Aaron Moore, drummers Willie Hayes, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith and Sam Lay, and a sax section led by Rodney Brown. The result is a set of classic Chicago blues that rocks and swings.
As a harmonica player, Stone has a fat tone that shows the influence of Little Walter, Big Walter, the two Sonny Boys and Junior Wells, while vocally his influences include Sam Cooke and Ray Charles as well as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Eight of the twelve songs were co-penned by Stone, James and Rynn and are solid idiomatic tunes. I really like Stone’s unforced, unaffected singing which is mixed with some exceptional ensemble playing.
The title track is a marvelous rocker with great piano from maxwell and a cutting solo from James as the saxophones add an uptown flavor. Aaron Moore’s piano is the anchor behind the slower tempo and Sonny Boy II styled harp on Sonny Boy I’s “Love You For Myself,” with Moore taking a terrific solo. Magic Sam’s “Give Me Time,” is in a more R&B tinged vein with James supplying guitar evoking the blues legend who left this world way too young 40 years ago which is followed by a terrific shuffle about spending too much, “I Need to Plant a Money Tree,” with some very effective Big Walter Horton inspired harp and Jeff Stone adding guitar to that of James to help sustain the driving groove.
“Chicago All Night,” has a rumba groove with Maxwell setting the tone with his two-fisted playing as the saxes riff away. “Sloppy Drunk Blues,” has been recorded numerous times, but Stone’s interpretation goes back to the Leroy Carr rendition as James lays off here as Maxwell and Rynn provide support. “Can’t Turn Back The Clock,” is a rocking boogie with Maxwell, Rynn and Sam Lay, with a terrific piano boogie woogie solo from Maxwell. “It’s Hard But It’s Fair,” is an bluesy reworking The 5 Royales classic vocal group rocker. “Dragon Killers,” is a hot instrumental that suggests Little Walter’s “Roller Coaster.” His playing on this shows plenty of drive as well as a clean, full-bodied tone.
Stone is a regular at the Chicago House of Blues’ “Back Porch Stage,” and the strong, Windy City sounding blues heard here, one can understand why. He plays strong blues that plays tribute to the music that is his inspiration. But as evidenced by the music on “Back Around Here,” Stone treats the idiom as not simply history, but as a living tradition to be celebrated.
For purposes of FTC regulations, a publicist working for the record company supplied my review copy.
This writer first came across the San Diego based pair Chris James and Patrick Rynn at the 2007 Pocono Blues Festival where they backed Jody Williams. In 2008 they produced a terrific album of Chicago styled blues, on Earwig, “Stop and Think About It,” that displayed their considerable skills in playing straight-ahead Chicago inspired blues. They have a follow-up to that Blues Music Award winning disc on Earwig, “Gonna Boogie Anyway,” that perhaps places James crackling, good guitar playing a bit more prominently on a set of some less than obvious covers and strong idiomatic originals. For this they have assembled some notable guests that include pianists Henry Gray and Dave Maxwell, harmonica players Bob Corritore and Rob Stone, drummers Sam Lay and Willie Hayes, and saxophonist Johnny Viau.
Listening to them romp through Jimmy Reed’s “Can’t Stand To See You Go,” showcases James’ natural and convincing vocal delivery with Henry Gray pounding on the ivories like he did on a few of Jimmy Reed’s recordings, but it contrasts with the equally compelling duet by James and bassist Rynn, the original “Headed Out West,” that sounds like it could have been written by Eddie Taylor. The title track is a hot rocker featuring Henry Gray again pounding out the piano with hot sax riffs with James taking a hot solo that rocks and swings in a manner that would have Jody Williams smiling with, I presume Viau blasting away to close this number out. “The Tables Have Turned” is a nice Tampa Red styled number (without the slide), without Rynn on upright bass, Maxwell on piano laying down some tough piano as Stone adding some nice harp. “Life Couldn’t Be Sweeter,” is a hot shuffle with Chris james tossing in some Elmore James’ styled slide and delivering his upbeat lyric about his gal being so good. There are two separate parts of “Money Don’t Like Me.” Part 1 that opens this disc is an original where James sings about liking money but it don’t like him, adding guitar that evokes the legendary Magic Sam, while Part 2 is an instrumental take on this them, with more Magic Sam-inspired guitar and Viau taking a raspy sax solo suggestive of Eddie Shaw. Its important to note that James evokes, not recreates, Magic Sam’s sound for his driving solos. Then there is a strong interpretation of Robert Lockwood’s “Mean Black Spider,” that the two do as a duo along with excellent renditions of a couple of early Bo Diddley numbers including the closing “Little Girl” with Bob Corritore’s harp and Henry Gray’s piano spotlighted on this rocking Chicago blues.
“Gonna Boogie Anyway,” follow-ups the prior award-winning recording with more of the strong playing, vocals and striking ensemble playing that made listening to that recording so rewarding. James and Rynn’s musical partnership has produced a second marvelous helping of blues delicacies. This writer looks forward to more such helpings in the future.
This review originally appeared in the July 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 327). For purposes of the FTC regulations, this was supplied by a publicist for the record label.
Mississippian, Grady Champion, has been singing the blues and playing harmonica for a number of years, having self-produced his debut CD and then he had two albums on Shanachie before returning home to Canton, Mississippi in 2002, where he played locally with Eddie Cotton before putting together The Grady Champion revue. In 2007 he recorded the CD, “Back In Mississippi Live At The 930 Blues Cafe,” that was issued on GSM. Earlier this year, he was the winning performer at the International Blues Challenge and is appearing on a number of major festivals as a result. Earwig has just taken over the distribution of “Back in Mississippi Live.”
I have had the original release of this and have listened to it at various times over the past two years. the albums strengths include the fact that Grady is a terrific vocalist who exhibits considerable personality and enthusiasm as he sings and has a first-rate backing band with stand-out guitar from Eddie Cotton (his playing on “Lonesome Bedroom Blues,” is simply one example of his exceptional guitar playing throughout this recording). We do not need new recordings of “I’m Ready,” or “Spoonful,” but he does place his own vocal stamp here as well as on the hard-edged “Baby What You Want Me Do.” He is an effective, credible harp player if not a virtuoso, with Rice Miller being an obvious influence. Champion is also writes some very interesting original material including “You Got Some Explaining To Do,” with a nice funky groove as he tells his woman that too many of her stories just don’t add up or ring true, or “1-800-Blu-Love,” the number for a woman to call when her man ain’t at home. The latter number has a nice harp break.
There is social commentary on “Policeman Blues,” where he sings about being stopped and beaten by Mr. Policeman. It is curious how restrained Grady’s lyrics are compared to the language a rapper would use (and there is a rapper on this track who is a bit more direct about this mistreatment). Of the songs covered here, the slow, doomy rendition of “Lonesome Bedroom Blues,” stands out,” with Cotton’s afore-mentioned guitar playing and Grady’s fine singing. “Love and Memories,” is a heartfelt R&B ballad dedicated to his mother’s memory. “Wine and Women,” don’t mix and leave you with a terrible fix is the message of the rocking shuffle that Grady and Eddie Cotton co-wrote and is followed by “Brother, Brother,” which oddly evokes (in these ears) the Doobie Brothers with a nice groove and rhythm, and then a lovely ballad, “I’m Yours,” as he sings “your my heart, my everything … you can count on me, I’m your lover, I’m your friend, I’m your man.” The disc closes with a fine holiday blues, Grady’s “Blues on Christmas.”
There’s plenty of music here (71 minutes or so), and even if some of the material might be too familiar, there is much new material, some being really exceptional. It is helpful that Earwig has picked this up that along with Grady’s greater visibility from winning the IBC, should ensure that he becomes a more familiar name to the blues world.
For purposes of FTC regulations, I was sent this by the publicist handling Earwig releases.
Another veteran blues artist has passed. Not the best known act perhaps though folks who have the classic Bo Diddley sides have heard his harmonica playing. In the past couple decades, we can thank Earwig and Delmark for issuing albums by the Mad Dog. More and more links to the golden age of post-war blues are leaving us and will be missed.
The following is taken from an email from Earwig Records:
We're saddened to share the news that blues musician Lester Davenport passed away last Tuesday. Visitation will be held this Friday, March 27, 3pm-9pm and funeral services will be this Saturday, March 28, 10am to 12pm, at A.A. Rayner & Sons Funeral Home, 5911 W. Madison, Chicago, IL 60644, phone 773-626-4222, fax 773-626-5223.
Until 1992, Lester Davenport's chief claims to blues fame were the 1955 Bo Diddley Chess session he played harp on (it produced "Pretty Thing" and "Bring It to Jerome") and a lengthy, much more recent stint holding down the harmonica slot with the multi-generational Gary, IN, band, the Kinsey Report. That instantly changed with the issue of Davenport's own album for Earwig, "When the Blues Hit You," and the follow up on Delmark, "I Smell A Rat." Now this Chicago blues veteran had something on the shelves to call his very own.
Davenport hit Chicago in 1945 at age 14. He quickly soaked up the sights and sounds so prevalent on the local blues scene, checking out Arthur "Big Boy" Spires, Snooky Pryor, and Homesick James, who invited the youngster to jam sessions and tutored him on the intricacies of the idiom. Gigs with Spires and James preceded his brief hookup with Bo Diddley (which included a booking behind Diddley at New York's famous Apollo Theater). Davenport led his own band while holding down a day job as a paint sprayer during the 1960s, remaining active on the West side prior to joining forces with the Kinseys during the 1980s.
Now, about that "Mad Dog" handle: it seems that Davenport liked to prowl the stage while playing a few notes on every instrument on the bandstand during his younger days. The shtick earned him the name; his tenacious playing did the rest.
Aside from all of his great credentials, Lester was a wonderful man who was eager to welcome new friends and share his harmonica secrets to aspiring players. He had a warm smile and the ability to add humor to any situation. His harmonica playing will be remembered for its glorious, sweet tone and perfect phrasing (Includes bio written by Bill Dahl, photo courtesy of Kevin Johnson)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Guitarist Chris James and bassist Patrick Ryan have been working together for quite some time, playing the clubs in Chicago, touring with Sam Lay for several years as well. This writer saw them as part of Jody Williams backing band at the 2007 Pocono Blues Festival (seen above with James to the left and Ryan obscured by Williams guitar) and had a chance to chat with Chris finding him as knowledgeable as he was a marvelous player. Earwig has just issued a release by the duo, Stop and Think About It, which is a terrific recording of old school Chicago-styled blues. James fronts the recording with his powerful vocals and his terrific guitar (evoking the late Robert Lockwood and Williams). He and Ryan are joined by a variety of backing musicians including harmonica player Bob Corritore with whom they have toured Europe, pianist Dave Maxwell, drummers Sam Lay and Willie Hayes and saxophonist Jonny Viau. They mix in some wonderful originals that suggest John Brim, Little Walter along with covers of songs from Elmore James (four numbers, of which only Hawaiian Boogie, may be well known), Jay McShann, Bo Diddley, and Snooky Pryor. Whether the title track, a strong shuffle taken a relaxed tempo; a remake of Jay McShann’s Confessin’ the Blues, with a terrific tenor solo from Carla Brownlee and strong piano from Julien Brunetaud; and Mister Coffee is a easy rocker with hints of Jimmy Rogers and John Brim as James sings about being man who grinds so fine,” with Corritore adding harp. Early in the Morning, is one of the Elmore James covers here with some nice slide along with horns using the “Fannie Mae” riff. Hawaiian Boogie, is often is played with a no-holds bar manic tempo the performance here benefits from James’ restraint which does not diminish the power of this rendition. You Got to Move, is one of the songs Elmore recorded for legendary Harlem record man Bobby Robinson, and with Brownlee’s baritone helping give bottom to the performance, James lays down a first-rate vocal, and takes a terrific solo. Its so refreshing to hear someone put his own stamp on Elmore’s music yet remain true to the music’s essence. James is a tad bit out front on the vocal on Snooky Pryor’s Someone to Love Me, but it still is a solid performance. Relaxing at the Clarendon,” is a fine instrumental that displays more of James’ strong slide style taken at a walking tempo. Mix in the fine rendition of “Bo Diddley’s Mona, and one has little to find fault with Stop and Think About Me. When I saw James and Ryan backing Jody Williams I could appreciate how good they were as musicians, but this stellar release shows even more, how good they are out in front. This was an unexpected blues delicacy and highly recommended.
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