Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters Rise Up

Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters
Rise Up
Stony Plain

Ronnie Earl returns with a new album, the majority of which were recorded in "Living Room Sessions" at his house in March 2020, and several from a set at a "Daryl's House Club" show in 2019. Earl was recovering from back surgery at the time of these sessions. Recorded shortly before Covid-19 pandemic shut down most live music, "Rise Up" features the guitarist's band of Dave Limina on keys, Diane Blue on vocals, Paul Kochanski on bass, and Forrest Padgett on drums. Guitarist Peter Ward is also present on some of these recordings and contributed the liner notes. The album is his 13th for Stony Plain and 27th of his 45-year-old career.

Earl is one of the most distinctive and interesting guitarists in the blues. A nuanced player, Earl, is a master of tonal dynamics, phrasing, and solo construction. Earl builds solos like smoldering coals in a charcoal grill that bursts into flames when fat drips down. Furthermore, his accompaniments here cradle Ms. Blue's soulful vocals, while the band displays the cohesiveness and strong interplay of years together.

Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters seem incapable of playing poorly, and like his prior albums, one would be hard-pressed to find a weak chorus, much less track. There is a solo rendition of the traditional "I Shall Not Be Moved," opening this recording followed by Earl's original "Higher Love" with one of Blue's sterling vocals. Among her other memorable vocals are the performances of Fenton Robinson's "You Don't Know What Love Is," Little Johnny Jones' "Big Town Playboy," and the gospel-tinged interpretation of Bob Dylan's "Lord Protect My Child." Then there is the stone-cold topical blues with perhaps Diana Blue's most intense vocal, "Black Lives Matter." This song is an original from her and Earl, and Earl adds a spoken part where he celebrates Dave Maxwell and others who have passed on.

There are, of course, several superlative instrumentals, including the slow, brooding "Blues For George Floyd," where his playing drips with emotion. In addition to a tribute to Lucky Peterson, another slow mesmerizing instrumental is "Talking to Mr. Bromberg." Limina is a first-rate organist who is featured on piano on the old Ray Charles instrumental "Mess Around."

Peter Ward joins in on "Navajo Blues" that showcases both guitar stylists. It is the closing track on yet another exceptional Ronnie Earl recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a relatively recent performance by Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters.

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters Beyond the Blue Door

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters
Beyond the Blue Door
Stony Plain Records

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters have returned with this latest recording. Earl, one of the premier blues guitarists, is joined by his Broadcasters: The core group of Broadcasters – Dave Limina, Hammond B3 and piano; Diane Blue, vocals; Paul Kochanski, bass and Forrest Padgett, drums. Also joining them Anthony Geraci, piano; Peter Ward, guitar; Mario Perrett, tenor sax; Scott Shetler, Baritone Sax, Larry Luisgnan, guitar; Michael Rush, bass and Scott MacDougal, guitar. Also appearing are special guests David Bromberg, acoustic guitar and vocals; Kim Wilson, harmonica and vocals; and Greg Piccolo, tenor sax. Bromberg also provides notes on each of the 15 songs.

I have enjoyed Diana Blue on prior Earl recordings, but her cover of "Brand New Me" surprising me with her stunning singing. With Earl's subtle guitar and horns in the background, she delivers an impressive cover of an Aretha classic. Diana Blue also is heard on a medium-tempo shuffle, "The Sweetest Man," with Limina stretching out while Earl is excellent  behind Blue's splendid singing. She also puts her own stamp on Timmie Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together," and she is superb on the revival of "A Soul That's Been Abused," with Earl dazzling, and Limina greasy. This song first recorded on a Hubert Sumlin Black Top album with Mighty Sam McClain singing and Ronnie playing the second guitar. Then there is the superb slow blues Earl wrote with Steve Gomes, "Peace of Mind." The Broadcasters create an after midnight ambiance behind Blue's vocal while Earl's playing is sublime. There is a terrific updating of the Gamble Huff Philadelphia soul classic "Drowning In a Sea of Love," with Earl spectacular as he pulls out all the stops.

Kim Wilson, Anthony Geraci, and Peter Ward join on a remarkably fresh interpretation of Howlin' Wolf's "Baby How Long." The tempo is slowed down into making this a relaxed shuffle with the marvelous interplay between Wilson's harp and Earl's skittering guitar with Geraci on piano and Peter Ward in rhythm guitar. Earl adds some scintillating obligatos behind Wilson's vocal. Wilson also takes a terrific harmonica solo, and there is some excellent, nuanced guitar by Earl and Ward. Wilson is also heard on Little Walter's "Blues With a Feeling." This is taken at a slower tempo than the original. Special kudos to bassist Kochanski and drummer Padgett for maintaining this slow drag tempo. Earl's backing again is exquisite behind Wilson's vocal and harmonica. Wilson and Geraci also join in on Earl's take from a phrase in "Smokestack Lightning."

"Drown In My Own Tears" displays Earl's impeccable phrasing and nuanced use of dynamics, and only the late Earl Hooker showed such an ability to convey such feeling with similarly small tone variations. Greg Piccolo contributes a strong chorus on tenor sax as well. A duet between Earl and Piccolo, "Alexis' Song," has Earl chording behind Piccolo's probing sax. "T-Bone Stomp" is a T-Bone Walker-inspired relaxed shuffle with Limina also featured. The closing track is a moving "Blues For Charlottesville," with Earl's guitar conveying as much feeling as any lyric might.

The least memorable track was the duet between Earl on his Stratocaster and Bromberg on acoustic guitar, a cover of Bob Dylan's "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry," that is a bit too loosely played. It is a minor blemish on another marvelous Ronnie Earl recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386). Here is a short video animation clip for "The Sweetest Man."

 

Peter Ward Blues on My Shoulder

Peter Ward
Blues on My Shoulder
Gandy Dancer Records

New England guitarist Peter Ward has not forgotten his blues roots growing up in Maine. " I grew up wearing out the vinyl records trying to understand how Robert Jr. Lockwood, Tiny Grimes, Louis Meyers and Jimmy Rogers made songs sound so good. It's what I wanted to do." The chords, fills and bass runs still delight him today and he treasures when Otis Rush told him decades ago that he (Peter) played chords like "an old man." He also had a stint touring as part of the Legendary Blues Band, "The way they played blues was everything I believed in, then and now."

On this recording of 12 originals and a cover of Robert Nighthawk's recording of "Kansas City Blues," he has an all star cast of players on various tracks, including guitar legend Ronnie Earl, Sax Gordon Beadle on sax and the members of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones: Sugar Ray Norcia (vocals and harmonica), “Monster” Mike Welch (guitar), Anthony Geraci (piano), Michael “Mudcat” Ward (Peter’s brother – bass) and Neil Gouvin (drums).

Ward is a Chicago blues traditionalist as evident on the opening "She Took It All," a song about his ex taking his Cds and mp3s set to a Jimmy Rogers styled shuffle groove with Norcia adding  nice harmonica along with a fine guitar solo and it has one Ward's better vocals here. "Witch Hazel" is a tribute to Chuck Berry with simple bass and drum support and an effective Berry inspired guitar solo. The title track is a modern Chicago blues with a driving groove and more fine harp from Norcia. It is followed by "Collaborate," a song where Norcia takes the vocal (and has a harp solo) with Ward displaying Robert Lockwood Jr.'s influence and Sax Beadle adding musical accents.

Instrumentals like "Shiprock," show his deft touch and a relaxed attack, while "Southpaw," is an tough organ-guitar number with Rusty Scott adding grease while Ward is in a jazzy vein here. His playing on "On the Ropes," has a bit of country twang mixed in. Geraci and Norcia also sound fine here. Geraci's rollicking piano is present on "What Can I Do To You?" with fair singing along with the backing. Ronnie Earl and Sax Beadle are on a couple tracks, an easy rocking shuffle, "It's On Me," and a tough West Side Chicago styled blues, "A Little More." Earl is terrific behind Ward's singing, and really explodes on the latter number. "Colletta" has a country blues feel with Eric Kilburn adding mandolin, and followed a cover of Robert Nighthawk's recording of "Kansas City Blues," a song first recorded by Jim Jackson in the twenties.

The closing "Drummin' Willie," is a tribute to Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith, who had "that deep blues sound," and his remembrance of Willie and the Legendary Blues Band as he lists some of those he has played with. It is set to a Muddy Waters styled backing by Sugar Ray and associates. It is a straight-forward, solid close to this recording. Ward is an effective, if not great, vocalist, and a fluent guitarist rooted in the classic Chicago blues tradition and produced a very appealing release.

I received my review copy from a publicist. I have made a few clarifying edits to the review that appeared in the November-December 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 375). Here is Peter performing "Kansas City Blues."