Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Contemporary

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Contemporary
Alligator Records

If one counts the nine albums when Little Charlie Baty led the Nightcats, this is the fourteenth album by the tight West Coast ensemble. It is the fifth since Rick Estrin took over leadership after Baty retired from touring. With Christoffer "Kid" Andersen on guitar (who also doubles on bass and others instruments), Lorenzo Farrell on keyboards and Derrick "D'Mar" Martin on drums, the Nightcats remain one of the tightest blues bands going. Others heard on this recording include Alex Pettersen on drums; Quantae Johnson on bass and background vocals; Lisa Leuschner Andersen on background Vocals; Jim Pugh on organ and The Sons Of The Soul Revivers on background vocals. This was recorded at Andersen's Greaseland Studios.

Rick Estrin wrote nine of the twelve tracks, Andersen and Farrell one each and there is one 'obscure' cover. Besides being one of today's t blues harmonica players, Estrin is among the blues finest songwriters. His songs are usually laced with ironic humor, and sometimes biting commentary, and one has a combination hard to beat. Estrin wrote nine of the twelve tracks, Andersen and Farrell one each and there is one 'obscure' cover. Nothing showcases the ironic humor and his commentary better than "Root of Evil." On this song, Estrin asks if money is the root of all evil, what does one call being broke. It is a typically well-played, well-paced performance with a thoughtful unamplified harp solo and a short Farrell solo. The title track starts as a brisk shuffle blues as Estrin sings about the blues not going out of style. It morphs into Estrin's humorous escape into making his music 'contemporary.' Andersen adds a chorus of blues-rock guitar, even having a rap from D'Mar Martin thrown in with a jam band freakout.

Estrin always seems to find himself in strange relationships as in "She's Nuts." On this performance, he has a superb harmonica solo in the vein of Rice "Sonny Boy Williamson' Miller.  Elsewhere, he sings about the older man with his young lover who has her hands in his pocket in "Nothing But Love," the one cover. He has a superb amplified harp solo with swooping saxophone-like lines as Andersen provides subtle backing. There is the soulful blues "New Shape (Remembering Junior Parker)" with a harp solo that evokes the legendary blues giant.

Estrin is also not afraid to showcase the band as on Andersen's instrumental "House of Grease" which sounds inspired by Freddie King performing "Big Legged Woman." Besides Andersen's excellent playing, Farrell has a tasty piano solo. Farrell wrote the jazzy instrumental "Cupcakin'," a jazzy instrumental with Andersen's fleet, jazz-inflected playing complementing Farrell's organ grooves. Estrin also adds his own wide-open harp. Estrin's "Bo Dee's Bounce," is a lively instrumental that showcases Estrin's driving harmonica with Andersen taking a short, imaginative guitar break. It closes another terrific recording by Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, full of excellent material and superb playing.

I received my review copy from Alligator. This will be available on September 20. Here is a video of a recent performance by Rick Estrin & the Nightcats.

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Groovin' In Greaseland

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
Groovin' In Greaseland
Alligator Records

Its been 30 years since Alligator signed Little Charlie and the Nitecats. Guitarist Charle Baty was the bandleader, by Rick Estrin fronted the band with his somewhat gruff, heartfelt wise-guy vocals (a phrase Bruce Iglauer employs describing Estrin's singing), authoritative harmonica and songwriting, full of wit and wisdom. In 2009, when Baty retired from touring, Estrin took over the band and this is the fourth CD under his leadership. Greaseland in the title refers to the studio that Nitecats guitarist Kid Andersen operates where this disc was recorded. His productions have been among the finest recent straight-ahead blues and roots recordings from any source and this disc has much of the same qualities with clean crisp sound. Lorenzo Farrell is on keyboards while Alex Pettersen occupies the drum chair. There are a number of guests on various tracks including saxophonist Nancy Wright, bassist Jerome Jemmott and electric pianist Jim Pugh. Estrin contributed 11 of the tunes here (one a collaboration with Andersen), while Andersen added one as did keyboardist Farrell.

As suggested above, this is a wonderfully played recording by a super band, starting with the kicking opening shuffle, "The Blues Ain't Going Nowhere," with a litany of reasons why the blues ain't dying with some fat chromatic playing. Then there is the humor of "Dissed Again," with Farrell's rollicking piano. It is followed "Tender Hearted" with Estrin's talking about the experiences with back biting rats so he is tender hearted no more. It has  scintillating tremolo-laced guitar from Andersen along with more strong chromatic harp. Joe Kyle on bass and Pettersen lay down a nicely restrained groove here. Andersen's terrific tribute to Lonnie Mack, ""MWAH!" is a reworking of Mack's classic instrumental "WHAM!," and he captures Mack's Magnetone amp sound.

"Another Lonesome Day," is a slow blues with Andersen evoking Otis Rush and Ike Turner, while Estrin is in a Sonny Boy Williamson II vein with his crying harp playing here. It is followed by the Estrin-Andersen collaboration "Hands of Time," with a groove evocative of "High Heel Sneakers," and some strong amplified hard. Farrell is featured with his greasy organ on the jazzy "Cole Slaw," with a short harp break and some very nice fretwork from Andersen. After a heated shuffle celebrating partying going on at Greaseland, "Hot in Here," there is a strong topical blues "Living Hand To Mouth."

The album closes with a harmonica feature "So Long (for Jay P.)" that showcases not simply Estrin's virtuosity, but his taste and how he shapes his solo. With the excellent backing here, and the throughout this recording, it is fitting coda to another marvelous recording from Rick Estrin & the Nitecats.

I received my review copy from Alligator Records. Here Rick Estrin & The Nightcats are seen performing "The Blues Ain't Going Nowhere."

 

Wee Willie Walker & The Greaseland All Stars Live! Notodden Blues Festival

Wee Willie Walker & The Greaseland All Stars
Live! Notodden Blues Festival
Little Village Foundation

Kim Wilson refers to Willie Walker as "one of the last, if not THE last, real soul singer on this planet." A career that goes back to recording for Goldwax Records decades ago, he perhaps is finally getting some recognition. With a fine band assembled by guitarist Kid Andersen (Jim Pugh on the B3 organ, Lorenzo Farrell on bass, and J Hansen on drums with horns), Walker performed in August 2016 at the Notodden Blues Festival in Norway and Andersen has made the performance available.

After band introductions, Walker opens with Clarence Reid's "(Can You) Read Between The Lines," where with his raspy, gospel-inflected vocals he establishes his authority as a singer with The Greaseland All Stars providing solid, idiomatic support. It is followed by a terrific original by Rick Estrin (who helped Walker get larger exposure, "Is That It!" with greasy organ and punchy horns. It is followed by a recasting of a Goldwax recording (that was also issued on Checker), "You Name It, I Had It," a terrific deep southern soul performance. It is one of several Goldwax recordings revived here that include the Beatles' "Ticket To Ride," that he covered four decades ago. The loping groove of "There Goes My Used to Be," "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" (co-written by Sam Cooke) and "A Lucky Loser ( a favorite of mine)" are other early recordings he performed at this Festival.

In addition there are strong renditions of Tyrone Davis' hit, "Can I Change My Mind," and Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Rick Estrin adds harmonica to "Funky Way," and Walker does a solid take on "Little Red Rooster," that has a jazzy feel that owes as much to Sam Cooke's rendition as that of the Howlin' Wolf. Another extended reworking of another Beatles' classic, "Help," closes this recording as Walker slows this rocker down. Andersen's playing here evokes the late Robert Ward and Lonnie Mack on this track, but he is outstanding whether playing soul guitar riffs or playing in a jazzier vein on other tracks. The backing, as indicated, is solid throughout. In any event, Wee Willie Walker certainly has it still and this live recording suggests just how moving and powerful a performer he remains.

I purchased this. Here is the performance of "Help" from the Festival.

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing Skronky Tonk

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing
Skronky Tonk
EllerSoul Records

While best known for his blues guitar Little Charlie Baty has been including playing some jazz-like material with Little Charlie and the Nightcats. While with that band, he did a solo project in 2005 rooted in the swing era that Alligator passed on. A few years later he had an opportunity to do a blues and jazz CD which he was delighted with, but alas still as not been released. He since has left fronting the Nightcats and engaging in a variety of different musical activities including touring with Anson Funderburgh and James Harmon, playing gypsy jazz and other jazz settings. In any event as Baty says, the third time is the charm, as EllerSoul has issued his first jazz recording by Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing, "Skronky Tonk" with Lorenzo Farrell on the Hammond B-3 (and bass on one track) and J Hansen on drums and percussion.

The mood is set on the opening title track, a blues, that provides the trio's sound and feel, with Baty displaying the taste and technique and musical imagination one expects. Listening to this recording one can hear a variety of influences at different times, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel and Les Paul. Paul's influence perhaps is most evident on passages of "How High The Moon," but even here Baty mixes in some bebop later. One can't underestimate Farrell's contributions whether comping or taking some greasy solos. Django Reinhardt's "Nuages" may be this listener's favorite track, with Baty outstanding with his nicely nuanced playing and warm tone and followed by his mix of single note runs and chords on "Pennies From Heaven," which also sports some deep fried grease from Farrell.

Baty's original bop tune, "Gerontology" is followed an evocative rendition of John Lewis' tribute to Reinhardt "Django," with Farrell evoking a church organ on this chamber jazz-type performance. Then there is the peppy Charlie Christian classic "Swing to Bop," and a nice rendition of the Brazilian choro classic from Pixinguinha, "Um a Zero." "Flying Home" closes this very solid guitar-organ trio album. I have not mentioned J. Hansen's contribution, but he is constantly in the pocket and pushing this swinging recording along. Farrell's Hammond B-3 playing is a revelation for a person who is known as a bass player, but displays his mastery of the organ here. Charlie Baty, with his consistently inventive, fluid jazz guitar, exhibits a side of his musical personality that many have not previously heard. One looks forward to more from him in this vein.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the September-October 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 368). I made a few minor revisions to the review. Here is Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing performing Kenny Burrell's "Chitlins Con Carne."

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats You Asked For It … Live

From his long tenure with Little Charlie and the Nightcaps which became transformed into Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Rick Estrin has impressed blues fans with his songwriting, harmonica playing and his vocals (although to this listener’s ears, they can be an acquired taste). The present Nightcats is a solid band with Kid Andersen on guitar, Lorenzo Farrell on bass, organ and log, and J. Hansen on on drums and one lead vocal.

Recorded at Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco, "You Asked For It … Live," is an especially lively performance with plenty of Estrin’s wicked harp playing and Andersen shows off his chops and his considerable inventiveness. There are some new tracks and a few familiar classics my “My Next Ex-Wife,” “Dump That Chump” (admittedly not one of my favorites by him, and “Don’t Do It” which is a litany of his Doctor’s instructions that essentially have him avoid anything that might be fun. It is perhaps my favorite of his songs, but he certainly has a word with words like on “Smart On Einstein” which also sports some strong chromatic playing to go with his lyrics that he was “smart like Einstein and rich like Donald Trump.” This is one of the tracks that Farrell is on organ which contributes to the coloring under his solo along with Andersen’s chording and single note fills.

Drummer Hansen acquits himself as a singer and songwriter on a nice relaxed traditionally-rooted shuffle “Baker Man Blues” who has the sweetest job around as all the girls are talking about his bread and biscuits all over town with Estrin channeling Big Walter in his solo here. The CD closes on a nice cover of Sonny Boy Williamson II’s ‘Too Close Together” with Estrin backed only by Andersen on acoustic bass. It suggests some of the solo pieces the second Sonny Boy recorded in Europe and is a nice tribute to that legend.

Anyone who has heard Estrin on record or live will not be surprised by "You Asked For It … Live," and for those unfamiliar with him, this recording is an excellent introduction to him and his excellent band.

I received from Alligator. This review was written for jazz & Blues Report but I do not believe it has been published. Here is Rick Estrin and the Nightcats performing live.

Andy Santana And The West Coast Playboys Watch Your Step!

Andy Santana is a triple threat as a singer, guitarist and harmonica player (and he is also a songwriter) whose name will be most familiar to those of the West Coast, but some may have seen his name as a sideman to some albums or perhaps have his independently produced recordings. Anyway his profile will rise greatly with the release of "Watch Your Step!" by Andy Santana And The West Coast Playboys on Delta Groove. The West Coast Playboys include Kid Andersen (who co-produced this with Andy), Anthony Paule, Mike Schermer, Bob Welsh, Rusty Zinn (who penned the liner notes), Lorenzo Farrell and June Core.

While there are a few Santana originals sprinkled in, most of this are taken of covers of songs that have not been cooked and burned to death (no "Sweet Home Chicago" type numbers). Santana is a wonderful singer that sings with a natural, relaxed soulfulness akin to such Gulf Coast legends as Tommy McClain, Warren Storm, Freddy Fender and Doug Sahm. And he brings a distinctive attack to the guitar (Rusty Zinn likens him to the love child of Wild Jimmy Spruill and Johnny Guitar Watson) and his harp playing is terrific.

What a range of material too from the opening swamp rocker by Carol Fran "Knock Knock"; a tasty cover of Bobby Parker's title tune that is modeled on Parker's original recording. It showcases Santana's crisp, biting guitar, and is ably sung (although he is not on Parker's level); "Playgirl," one of two Smiley Lewis songs here, on which he takes both guitar and harp solos (his harp playing suggests some of Papa Lightfoot's recordings); the rollicking "You May Not Know: with a smokin' groove and a performance (with backing vocals) suggestive of Clyde McPhatter and the Drifter's "What Ya Gonna Do"; a song co-written with Rick Estrin, "No Double Talk," with Kid Andersen adding greasy fafisa organ and shattering Ike Turner-styled guitar; and a terrific instrumental, "Greaseland" (named after Andersen's studio) which showcases several of the guitarists. The rest of the performances on "Watch Your Step!" are similarly impressive making for an impressive recording.

I received my copy from Delta Groove. Here is Delta Groove's video promoting this recording.

Jackie Payne I Saw The Blues

 

It has been too long since most of us have heard from Jackie Payne, which is remedied by a new CD on Blue Dot Records, "I Saw The Blues." Payne first came into prominence with a recording on Jetstream led to him joining the Stax Revue. Moving to the West Coast he was featured with Johnny Otis for 15 years. Then he recorded for JSP before starting a partnership with Steve Edmondson which led to three more terrific recordings and a Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Album of the year. Now, nearly a decade later, he returns with this soul blues gem recorded and mixed by Kid Andersen who also plays as part of backing group that includes guitarist Anthony Paule, keyboardists Lorenzo Farrell and Bob Welsh, harmonica player Aki Kumar, trombonist Ed Early; trumpeter Jeff Lewis; and tenor saxophonists Frankie Ramos, Jack Sanford and Eric Spaulding.

Payne contributed six originals for a terrific urban blues recording with a heavy dose of Texas and Muscle Shoals in feel. Think about those terrific recordings Payne made with Steve Edmondson, those by Frankie Lee or the stunning Frank Bey-Anthony Paule recordings. Payne was in terrific voice when he made these sides showing little evidence of having aged since he first recorded decades ago. The brassy backing and Welsh's piano sets the mood for Payne's delivery on "Back To Normal," a moody number from J Barnett, C. Whitsett and Dan Penn as he displays his power and vocal dynamics and Andersen takes a crisp solo break. The title song by Payne has autobiographical references with Payne singing about being born in Georgia and in New Orleans saw the blues again. Farrell and Kumar taking solo breaks here. Payne's woman acts real strange on "Full Moon Blues," a Payne-Paule original with Paule adding slide guitar along with Kumar's harmonica to provide a down home feel.

"When the Blues Comes Knockin'" is a Texas to West Coast shuffle with Andersen taking the guitar lead as Payne warns listeners that the blues will try to persuade you he is your best friend. Billy Ray Charles' "Wife, Woman, Hootchie" is a terrific Malaco styled blues that sounds like it was recorded in Muscle Shoals, while "Kicking Back With the Blues" has a laid back groove with Paule on the guitar lead while Early's trombone is spotlighted on a superb performance. "Six Million Dollar Man" is a tough blues with Payne shouting that he has love, more than one can stand, and "if love was money, I would be a Six Million Dollar Man." I would not be surprised to see this number covered by other singers, but they would have to go far to come close to Payne's original. "Rock Me With a Steady Roll" is a superb slow blues suggestive of the Pete Johnson-Big Joe Turner classic "Cherry Red," with more fine down-in-the-alley trombone as well a terrific tenor sax solo from Eric Spaulding.

"I Saw the Blues" closes with a superb extended rendition of Ollie Nightingale's hit "I'll Drink Your Bathwater Baby," concluding an hour's worth of varied blues and soul, superbly sung and terrifically played. This is one of the best recent blues recordings this writer has heard. Jackie suffered a major stroke in 2014 which held up production and release of this recording, and while recovering is still unable to sing. We wish him well and a benefit will be held for him at Biscuit & Blues in San Francisco on May 31. I am sure there will be ways for those who cannot make it there can support him.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 360).  Here is Jackie singing with Steve Edmondson some years ago.