Chris Gill Between Midnight and Louise

Chris Gill
Between Midnight and Louise
Endless Blues Records

Mississippi blues guitarist and vocalist Chris Gill got into the Delta and Bentonia style Blues from sitting on Jack Owens' porch listening and learning from Jack Owens and Bud Spires. The Bentonia influence continues today as he still hangs out and jams with Jimmy "Duck" Holmes at the Blue Front Cafe. He writes original songs in what he characterizes as a mix of Juke Joint Boogie and Piedmont style fingerpicking. His cites as influences Taj Mahal, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Elizabeth Cotten, and Lightnin' Hopkins. Gill plays both fingerstyle and slide guitar and has been a finalist in the International Blues Challenge.

Gill's skill as a fingerstyle guitarist is evident on the instrumental "Thank You For Another Day" with deft picking that sounds like a pleasant fusion of Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Blake. It is followed by "Song For Honeyboy," which has him playing in a classic Delta blues vein and showcasing his accomplished slide guitar (with echoes of Muddy Waters). The song was inspired by reading Honeyboy Edwards' autobiography. An alluring love song, "You Never Know (That's What Love Will Do)," features amiable fingerstyle guitar with echoes of John Hurt and Taj Mahal to go with an appealing vocal.

Played on a Baritone Mule guitar, "Rolling Man" features a percussive accompaniment to a song about a hobo's travels. Next up is another evocation of classic delta blues, "Fleas and Ticks." Tracks like this and "Song For Honeyboy" show how ably Gill performs in the Delta style. "Souvenir of the Blues" was inspired by a homeless man on Beale Street and is a moody tune with some thoughtfully played slide guitar. "Long Distance Highways" is more of a folk-country number with reflections of playing on the road and home with nimble picking. A dear friend of Gill, Vincent Brawley, wrote, "I Fell in Love With Blues." Brawley passed away a few years back, but Gill does a marvelous salute to his friend about a song listening to WDIA and Mexican radio stations.

The title track is another crisply played instrumental with a dreamy feel. It is the closing track on an album of performances in the blues tradition but with Gill's own memorable slant on acoustic blues.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a performance of "Souvenir of the Blues."

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.