Ronnie Earl travels down Maxwell Stree

The title of the new Stony Plain album by Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, "Maxwell Street," is a reference to the late pianist (and former broadcaster) David Maxwell, to whose memory this recording is dedicated. Earl's guitar is joined by his band of David Limina on keyboards, Jim Mouradian on bass, Lorne Entress on drums and Diane Blue on vocals with Nicholas Tabarias appearing as a guest on guitar. This recording is split between instrumentals and vocals and provides plenty of space for Earl's guitar, but also allows Limina to showcase his piano and organ chops.

Using the word chops to describe Ronnie Earl or Limina's keyboards is perhaps inappropriate as both as musicians whose instrumental mastery is tied to a keen musical intelligence. Earl especially is a player of nuance and subtlety, with his employment of small changes in pitch, as well as his use of space recalling such blues guitar legends such as Earl Hooker, Johnny Heartsman, Clarence Holliman and Mel Brown. Listening to the spiritual feeling of the opening original "Mother Angel," and his T-Bone Walker tribute "In Memory of T-Bone," as Limina's hauntingly beautiful tribute to Maxwell ""Elegy For a Bluesman, and Earl's own "Blues For David Maxwell,” makes this evident. One also must note the responsiveness of Limina and the excellence of the rhythm section throughout.

Diane Blue has developed into an outstanding, soulful singer first heard here on the Earl-Blue original "Kismet," with its spiritual message, followed by a lengthy rendition of Otis Rush's 'Double Trouble," on which Earl again revisits one of his musical inspirations with both Limina and Earl taking lengthy solos. There is a surprising, bluesy rendition of the Gladys Knight and the Pips hit "Imagination," a nice reading of "You Don't Know Me," owing more to Ray Charles than Eddy Arnold, before the album closes with a moving rendition of the classic Peppermint Harris tune (credited to Don Robey), "As the Years Go Passing By."

Ronnie Earl, in his brief notes, comments about how deep Dave Maxwell's playing was, and that observation is true about the music here. Earl extracts so much emotion with his sublime guitar playing which touches deep into the listener's heart, and the result is the superb"Maxwell Street."


I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 368). Here is a video teaser for Maxwell Street.

 

Ronnie Earl - Father's Day

Ronnie Earl has becoming somewhat prolific the past few years on the recording front and his latest album with his band, The Broadcasters, "Father's Day" is on Stony Plain. He is backed by Lorne Entess on drums, Dave Limina on keys and Jim Mouradian on bass with vocalists Diana Blue and Michael Ledbetter enlivening a number of tracks. Blue has been on recent recordings by Earl, while Ledbetter (a distant relative of Leadbelly) is best known for his role with Nick Moss' excellent band. This group is augmented by saxophones and guitar.

The title refers in part to Ronnie's reconciliation with his own father, but also indirectly relates to his rendition of a number of songs associated with a couple of his deep musical influences, Otis Rush and Magic Sam. Ledbetter handles many of the vocals here including a couple of covers of Rush numbers, "It Takes Time" and "Right Place Wrong Time," both of which are in the vein of Rush's recordings. Earl's original, "Higher Love" is a strong shuffle with horns adding to its flavor, a first-rate vocal duet between Ledbetter and Diane Blue, while Earl comes across as a cross between Rush and Kenny Burrell here.

Blue provides a nice vocal on Magic Sam's "What Have I Done Wrong" and if Earl's chording evokes Sam's original, his playing is more like Rush interpreting Sam. There is spectacular string-bending on this. Similar comments could directed on the rendition of "Every Night About This Time," a Magic Sam adaptation of Fats Domino's song with Ledbetter forcefully delivering the lyrics. Earl and Ledbetter co-authored the title track with its lyrics of making peace and forgiveness. Ledbetter's vocal and Earl's biting guitar make for a most moving performance. A brooding version of Brook Benton's "I'll Take Care of You" features more stunning guitar as well as Diane Blue's soulful vocal.

Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'" is a tip to Earl's jazz interests, followed by Ledbetter's vocal on "All Your Love," before closing as Diane Blue takes to church on Georgia Tom Dorsey's classic "Precious Lord." Earl is stunning, oft spectacular and the Broadcasters are typically in excellent form as they provide the apt, never rushed or frantic, backing. Limina's keyboards are especially worth saluting with a few choice organ solos, while guitarist Nicholas Tabarias solos on two of the 13 songs. In contrast to most his recent recordings which have been instrumentally focused, "Father's Day," showcases Earl accompanying two excellent vocalists for a wonderful recording for fans of various blues flavors.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in slightly different form in the September-October 2015 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 362). Here Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters perform "Blues For Otis Rush."

Ronnie Earl Brings Good News

Ronnie Earl’s latest album, Good News (Stony Plain), certainly will be good news to the guitarist’s many fans. Earl is joined once again by The Broadcasters (Lorne Entress – drums, Dave Limina – keyboards and Jim Mouradian – bass), his band of over 25 years, to create a mostly instrumental CD. Also appearing is vocalist Diane Blue and guitarists Nicholas Tabarias and Zach Zunis. 

As great a guitarist as Earl is, the presence of Blue’s vocals on several tracks certainly adds to the pleasures heard here. The Disc opens with the Memphis music inspired I Met Her on That Train, with some rockabilly tinged playing (a bit of Scotty Moore mixed with Floyd Murphy). Ms. Blue is on hand to sing Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come, with Earls’ thoughtful playing and attention to tone very evident. His facility on the fretboard is matched by the clarity and restraint of his playing. Few can convey such deep feeling, as even evident on the jazzy Time To Remember, with Limina’s organ playing standing out. 
 

Junior Wells is the source for In the Wee Wee Hours with another fine Diane Blue vocal and some playing from Earl that might suggest Buddy Guy (but with greater restraint than Guy would display today). Zach Zunis takes the first guitar solo here. It is followed by the infectious gospel-laced title track. Blues For Henry is a low-down instrumental tribute to the late Hubert Sumlin with Limina getting greasy on the organ.  

The closing track, Running in Peace, has lyrics written by Ilana Katz, who was near the finish line of the Boston Marathon when the first bomb exploded on April 15, 2013, which Diane Blue movingly delivers with Earl and the Broadcasters providing a sober background as Earl really gets down and pulls out all the stops on the solo here. It is a moving end to another excellent recording by one of the leading guitarists in the blues.

I received my copy from the label (and/or publicist). This review appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 355) and may be downloaded as a pdf file at jazz-blues.com. Ronnie Earl will be performing at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival at Blue Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday July 26. Here is my preview of the Festival, http://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2014/03/pennsylvania-blues-festival-celebates.html. Here is a video to give a taste of Ronnie Earl performing.

 

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters - Just For Today

Ronnie Earl’s new Stony Plain album, Just For Today was recorded at three different performances with his band that includes Dave Limina on keyboards, Jim Mouradian on bass and Lorne Entress on drums. Nicholas Tabarias guest on guitar on two selections and Diane Blues sings on the rendition of I'd Rather Go Blind. Most of the songs heard here are by Ronnie and members of the band although their is the afore-mentioned song that Etta James made famous, John Coltrane’s Equinox, and the blues standard Ain’t Nobody’s Business.

Earl’s reputation is among the finest living guitarists in the blues. That is because of his phrasing, control of tone and crafting of his solos that is constantly displayed throughout the 13 tracks, whether the opening The Big Train, a Bill Doggett type shuffle with Earl’s guitar coming across like a cross between Billy Butler and Chicago legend Jody Williams, Blues For Celie, which opens with a bar or two that conjures up Robert Lockwood, Jr. (whom Earl recorded with) before Earl takes us on through fresh twists and turns. The tone poem, Miracle, is an Earl original while Rush Hour, one of the tracks on which Tabarias guests, is a shuffle with strong organ from Limina before Earl channels the great Otis Rush, one of the biggest influences on Earl (and who Earl calls his mentor).

Vernice’s Boogie, a rollicking, boogie woogie, showcases Limina, while the group give a low-key tinge to the John Coltrane blues Equinox, with Limina laying a rich base for Earl’s deft and precise single note runs. A lengthy Ain’t Nobody’s Business opens with Limina’s down in the alley piano before Earl sings the lyrics on his guitar with shifting to organ. This is followed by the concise, rocking Robert Nighthawk Stomp, which evokes the Delta and Chicago blues legend with some electrifying guitar runs and a rollicking piano break. 

Diane Blue gives a first-rate rendition of the Etta James classic as Earl sympathetically backs her strong singing and taking a short solo with his use of tone standing out. As good as Earl is, an album of blues guitar instrumentals can sometimes be (no matter how good the music is) difficult to listen to in one sitting (I cite as examples, Albert Collins first few albums as well as an Earl Hooker label for Blue Thumb), so that a few more guest vocals may have remedied this. Not to say there is any fault with any of the tracks on this and the CD’s programming does try to provide variety in material. Ronnie Earl is a brilliant guitarist who plays with so much imagination, soul and fire. Just For Today is the latest addition to Earl’s very distinguished body of recordings.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters performing The Big Train.