Toronzo Cannon
The Preacher, The Politician and The Pimp
Alligator Records

This is the Toronzo Cannon's fifth album, second for Alligator, and brings more of searing guitar, intense vocals and intriguing original songs. His lyrics arise from today's headlines, his experiences as a veteran bus driver in Chicago as well as the wisdom of his grandparents, who raised him and often have stories that make for compelling listening. On this release he is supported by Roosevelt Purifoy on keyboards, Marvin Little on bass and Melvin 'Pooky Styx" Carlisle on drums. There are also appearances by Norma Jean on vocals, Billy Branch on harmonica, Joanna Connor on slide guitar, Lynne Jordan, Cedric Chaney and Maria Luz Carball on vocals, and horns arranged by trumpeter Joe Clark.

He writes lyrics that lay bare the similarities between "The Preacher, The Politician and The Pimp," or the humor-filled stories of male braggadocio on "Stop Me When I'm Lying." The former number is taken at a nice relaxed pace while the latter is an exuberant performance with a New Orleans groove and punchy horns. "The Chicago Way," mixes a ZZ Top rocking boogie groove with stop-time and hot single note runs as Cannon sings about breaking the rules, paying his dues and that he will play his blues without an apology, the Chicago Way. He blasts off on this song with a closing guitar solo. There is also a rollicking duet with Nora Jean "That's What I Love About 'Cha." After each noting the other's shortcomings, they also know that the other is "mine all mine."

Then there is the black humor of "Insurance" with lyrics about dealing with doctors and insurance that many will be able to relate to. Alligator's chief honcho, Bruce Iglauer, makes a brief cameo as a doctor while Billy Branch adds his harmonica on this performance. "She Loved Me (Again)" is an original about domestic abuse. In it, Toronzo couldn't take a man beating his woman anymore, and he shot the man. When the cops burst in, she had Toronzo's gun in her hand and said she was the one that shot that man. Cannon's intense singing, and blistering, scorching guitar playing result in perhaps the CD's most compelling performance.

"She Loved Me (Again)" is followed by "The Silence of Friends." This is another message song in which Toronzo observes that too often when wrong things are said or done, 'friends' are silent and not supportive. The closing number, "I'm Not Scared," is sung by Lynne Jordan, Cedric Chaney, and Maria Luz Carball, who sing about no longer being victims, whether from taking abuse from a lover or taking abuse for being gay. Joanna Connor adds slide guitar while Cannon's uses wah-wah and other her effects. After a searing guitar solo, this song, and album ends with Purifoy's reflective piano solo.

Toronzo Cannon follows his inspiration and does things his own way, the Chicago Way. He continues to mature as a songwriter as well as a performer. The result is a compelling, superlative blues recording.

I received my review copy from Alligator. This will be available on September 20.  This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386).  Here is Toronzo performing at the 2019 Chicago Blues Festival.

Toronzo Cannon's John the Conquer Root

On his Facebook page Toronzo Cannon describes himself as the “Keeper of the Flame at Electric Ladyland” and that he “Studied Jim Hendrix studies at Electric Ladyland.” His admiration of the genre transcending genius can also be found in interviews with him including the liner notes to his new Delmark album, John the Conquer Root. Hendrix’s influence is more to be felt than heard in Cannon’s music, especially to the title track which opens this recording and the short revisiting of the theme to close it. But unlike the countless Hendrix wannabes, Cannon doesn’t emulate Hendrix’s guitar style in his own ferocious playing. It is more the attitude he projects and the hard rock feel of this number.

However, Hendrix is only one of the influences or inspirations that can be heard here as the next track, I’ve Been Doing Fine, a hard Chicago shuffle with searing guitar as he shouts to his woman to reconsider baby. Its a type of performance that Son Seals used to deliver and Cannon sings and plays with a similar authority, although Cannon has more of a soul-laced vocal attack. This soulfulness also is heard on the next track, Cold World, a funky soul-blues with a bit of Tyrone Davis and Otis Clay. It sports a terrific tenor sax solo from Dudley Owens. 

In Gentle Reminder, Cannon reminds us he is a bluesman through and through, but don’t expect him to play the blues as the blues has to move on, this ain’t 1952 as he sings and plays fervently. If Your Woman Enough To Leave Me has a funky groove that also suggests some of the late Son Seals recordings. It is followed by Shame, with a nice Latin groove and a terrific lyric about ministers stealing from the poor, an employer who hires a nephew over more qualified, and dirty politicians who get caught in their lies. There are solos from Omar Coleman on harmonica, Roosevelt Purifoy on piano and Cannon himself that standout on this as well.

Cannon does a wonderful folk duet with Joanna Connor on Let It Shine Always, that further illustrates the range of the material on John the Conquer Root. Few other blues performers today can handle such a variety of material and play it so authoritatively. Of course one needs to acknowledge his band that includes the afore-mentioned Purifoy, rhythm guitarist Larry Gladney, Larry Williams on bass and Brian ‘BJ’ Jones on drums with appearances from Omar Coleman, Joanna Connor and a horn section led by Kenny Anderson. 

A few selections find Cannon rocking out perhaps a bit too much for ‘my taste,’ including the title track and Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, a slide-guitar feature that is played at a frenzied warp-speed tempo. That does not change my appreciation of Toronzo Cannon and John The Conquer Root. Toronzo Cannon still drives a bus in Chicago and gets to observe many things. From this and his own life experiences, he writes wonderful, thoughtful songs; and plays and sings from the heart which result in performances are full of personality. A listener cannot expect more from a musician than one hears on this striking recording.

I received my review copy from Delmark. Here is a clip of Toronzo Cannon in performance at the famous Chicago club, Rosa's.