Big Daddy Stallings Says Call Me Big Daddy

As he announces on the opening Intro to his new CD Call Me Big Daddy (Tai Jeria Record Co), it is the fourth recording by Baltimore Blues Guitarist and Singer, Charles ‘Big Daddy’ Stallings. Like his last CD, this CD is presented as if a live club date where on the intro track he introduces the others in his band and some special guests. Then there is a mix of old-school soul, funk and blues in the songs before he closes the recording with an ending track again thanking folks with dubbed in crowd applause. 

The strength of Big Daddy’s music is the warmth and humor of his vocals as well as the strong, well rehearsed band supporting him. With Joe Thomas on alto sax, LeRoy Flowers, Jr. on bass and Michael Devilson on drums are the core on this recordings. Steve Levine, his regular harmonica player is on one selection with another DC area harmonica player, Anthony ‘Swamp Dog’ Clark handling the bulk of the harmonica playing on this disk. Another important player on this is Clarence Ward III who plays mostly trumpet and flugelhorn, but adds booting tenor saxophone on some songs. Others can be heard as well, but space limits my enumeration of everyone.

The material on this recording is however mixed. Big Daddy Stallings has written all of the material, but their is too much fluff such as the two-part Boody Pop and Lock as well as Bunny Hop 2012 and James #2. The latter number is the second tribute he has recorded to James Brown and is a nice piece of funky playing with a tough tenor sax from Clarence Ward III. Better is Big Daddy’s duet with Nadine Rae, Million Dollars, where he sings about if he had a million dollars he would give it to her which then recounts him dreaming that he has given everything to her and she has left him broke and dusty. Also he has the third in his series of down home talking blues Hobbsville, with his affable recollections of growing up matched by a nice lazy Jimmy Reed groove (and nice Swamp Dog harmonica) although the third part of this installment (Bonny Lee’s) mutates into a borrowing of a Little Milton theme, as he sings Bonny Lee’s all right to Little Milton The Blues Is All Right. Another nice track is the ballad Don’t Cry, which benefits from the warmth of Big Daddy’s singing.

I cannot unreservedly recommend this as there is too much filler material here. Those familiar with the prior albums by Big Daddy Stallings will know what to expect and you can make your decision in part of that, or those fortunate enough to seeing Big Daddy live might likely pick it up when seeing him. Like Big Daddy’s prior CDs (and I recommend his 1st CD One Night Lover), it is available on cdbaby.com and other better stores and websites.

I was sent this by Big Daddy Stallings. Here is Big Daddy Stallings in performance. Big Daddy Stallings will be appearing at Gator Appreciation Day on June 1 at Lamont's Entertainment Complex, 4400 Livingston Road in PoMonkey Maryland. Among others appearing are Miss Jody, Stacy Brooks, Jim Bennett & Lady Mary, Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner, and the DC Blues Society Band. For more information on this terrific show, call Lamont's at 301-283-0225.

Big Daddy's Stallings Blues Evolution

There is plenty of blues talent in many cities of any size. Often responsibilities of raising a family and earning a living derail or suspend musical careers. One of the delightful surprises of the past few years in the Washington DC area has been the emergence of Charles ‘Big Daddy’ Stallings and this review appeared several years back in the DC Blues Society newsletter. A review of his most recent CD will be posted in a few days.

B-Town (Baltimore) bluesman, Charles ‘Big Daddy’ Stallings, has just issued, Blues Evolution (Tai Jeria Music), a follow-up to his praised debut One Night Lover. Stallings is a highly likable performer who brings a bit of down-home flavor to his performances. The strength of the performances are the vocals and the solid accompaniments behind him. The mix of horns and fine down home harp (mostly contributed by Nighthawk Mark Wenner, but Steve Levine is also present on a track or two) is nicely done and saxophonist Joe ‘EFlat’ Thomas, responsible for the arrangements, merits mention.

Stallings is at his best on a nice Jimmy Reed groove like on Going Down South, Hard Times - Good Times and the fantastical 2999. Hobbsville #2 is a slow down-home talking blues that is a follow-up of the talking blues on the first track as he talks about growing up, family and Friday Night Fish Fries with some telling harp from Mark Wenner, although the tempo slowly accelerates during this performance tossing in a bit of Jimmy Reed’s Upside Your Head. Elsewhere there are plenty of good-time grooves and songs like Blues Line Dance and Blues Cowboy certainly will get the dance floor full.

The only significant weakness are the lyrics which don’t cohere and some (like 2999) are fantastical. There are plenty of overlooked songs that do merit revival which Stallings performs during his live performances and he should consider addling some in to the mix on his next recording project. Still his band provides very danceable grooves (swing dancers will love this) and Big Daddy Stallings delivers the songs with feeling and humor that the music’s good-time sensibility wins listeners over. This is available from cdbaby.com and downloadable on itunes.

I received a review copy from the artist. Here is a video of Charles 'Big Daddy' Stallings in performance.