Mick Kolassa Blind Lemon Sessions

Mick Kolassa
Blind Lemon Sessions
Endless Blues Records

Mick Kolassa explains in the liner notes to his new recording that it began when he was invited to perform in Germany by the head of Blind Lemon Records. He recorded a few songs for a compilation album and others, including the present recording, which is named after the label. This all-acoustic recording allowed him to record some favorite blues, as well as some other songs, including a couple of originals. He plays various guitars, ukulele, banjolele, and percussion in addition to his vocals. Others present include David Dunavent on slide guitar, banjo and percussion, Seth Hill or Bill Ruffino on bass, Eric Hughes on harmonica, and Alice Hansen on violin.

Kolassa may not be a deep blues artist, but he is a genial singer in a folk-blues vein. Think of Dave van Ronk, but instead of van Ronk's steel wool textured singing, Kolassa vocals are more like cotton balls. There is a friendly warmth whether he revives Lonnie Johnson's "Jelly Roll Baker," or his original "Text Me Baby," where he asks his baby to light up his telephone. This is simple music with Hansen's violin enhancing the mood on this song, the string band flavored "Keep On Truckin'," and the traditional "St. James Infirmary." Other tracks include ironic humor to "I Want To Be Seduced," and the charming treatment of Taj Mahal's "Cake Walk Into Town," with nice fingerpicking guitar.

Other performances include a delightful cover of Blind Blake's "Ditty Wah Diddy," a reflective interpretation of The Beatles' "Help Me," and his contemplative original folk song, "The Space Between Us." If not very deep blues, there is still plenty of appeal in these amiable performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. While not from this cd, here is Mick Kolassa performing the old Box Tops hit, "The Letter."

In Layman Terms Strong Roots

In Layman Term
Strong Roots
Endless Blues Records

This is a follow-up to In Layman Term's debut recording of "Tangled," I wrote about the siblings Logan and Cole Layman, " They are still young, and they are maturing and will continue to develop their musical identity, but they should be congratulated for their accomplishment here." This new recording displays their further maturation as performers on a set of seven original songs and a cover of the Little Willie John classic, "Fever." Drummer Nick Davidson and brass from Hamed Barbarji back the bass and vocals of Logan and Cole's guitar. Djembe Hendrix adds djembe to one selection.

Starting with the opening title track, one hears how Logan Layman has grown even more as a vocalist, while her bass provides a firm foundation for the music here. Cole is an excellent guitarist and contributes an interesting guitar figure in his backing. Barbarji impresses with his open horn playing here and even more on "I'm Somebody" where his adept use of a mute lends his playing a harmonica-like flavor. Cole's whining blues-rock slide guitar, the herky-jerky groove, and the simple lyric make this less appealing despite Logan's singing, which includes a bit of scatting.

Djembe Hendrix adds djembe to the slow drag groove of "Make Me Yours" with Barbarji and Logan standing out again. It is followed by a Logan putting her heart into the slow blues "Ain't Gonna Fake It No More," with Barbarji's growling trumpet solo standing out before engaging in a musical conversation with Cole's heated fuzz-toned guitar. "Fever" opens with Logan's bass and vocals with Davidson's light drumming. Cole adds nice echoey guitar in his backing while Barbarji's muted trumpet adds to the atmosphere of a sultry and marvelous interpretation of this classic. It is perhaps this recording's high point.

I continue to be impressed by the quality of the performances from In Layman Term, which stands out. They perhaps still have to work on the craft of writing songs, but Logan is becoming quite an authoritative singer, Cole a forceful guitarist, and with the terrific trumpeter Hamed Barbarji, employ unusual instrumentation that has resulted in robust and intriguing music.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the January-February 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 382), although I have made a few corrections and minor changes to the review as published. Here is a video of them performing "Ain't Gonna Fake It No More."