Kim Wilson Take Me Back: The Bigtone Sessions

Kim Wilson
Take Me Back: The Bigtone Sessions
M.C. Records

"Take Me Back" is Kim Wilson's first new release in three years. The album presents mostly straight-ahead Chicago-styled blues that Wilson recorded at Big Jon Atkinson's Bigtone Studios at different times and locations. These tracks were recorded live without overdubs and in mono. There are a variety of musicians backing Kim's vocals and harmonica. Guitarists on this album include Jon Atkinson, Billy Flynn, Danny Michel, Kid Andersen, Robert Welsh, and Rusty Zinn. Robert Welsh and Barrelhouse Chuck are the pianists, while Kedar Roy, Greg Roberts, and Troy Sandow are on bass, and Johnny Viau adds horns. Drummers on these sessions include Marty Dodson, Ronnie Smith, June Core, Malachi Johnson, and Al West.

There are nine reworkings of tunes from Jimmy Nolen, Howlin' Wolf, Larry Williams, Little Walter, and Jimmy Rogers, along with seven Wilson originals. After a crisp take on Nolen's "You've Been Goofin'," we are treated to one of several Little Walter flavored instrumentals, the rollicking "Wingin' It." Wilson's "Fine Little Woman" sounds like a cover of a lesser-known Little Walter recording with Billy Flynn channeling Robert Lockwood Jr. Wilson remains an unforced singer who is equally authoritative handling Howlin' Wolf's "No Place To Go," Percy Mayfield's "Strange Things Happenin'," and Jimmy Rogers' "Money, Marbles & Chalk." Then there is Wilson's Louisiana swamp-blues "Play Me" and the relaxed late-night harmonica instrumental "Strollin'."

Closing with another marvelous Little Walter styled instrumental "Out of the Frying' Pan," "Take Me Back," is another consistently well-performed Kim Wilson recording that will please many.

I received my review copy from MC Records. Here is Kim Wilson from a 2019 performance.

Alabama Mike Hip You To My Blues

Alabama Mike
Hip You To My Blues
Big Tone Records

It was a surprise to learn about a new release by Alabama Mike (real name Michael A. Benjamin) on Big Jon Atkinson's new label. Alabama Mike's earlier recordings, such as those with The Andy T Band in 1997's "Double Strike," often displayed a gospel-rooted vocal style in the manner of Little Johnnie Taylor. This new release finds him in a down-home blues vein with a dose of Lightnin' Hopkins flavor along with some tracks that evoke early 50s Chicago flavor. This recording reflects Alabama Mike's long-burning desire to "do a record in the classic style of early electric blues pioneers… ." The backing musicians on this set of retro blues include Kim Wilson on harmonica, Big Jon Atkinson guitar, Danny Michel on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass, Kedar Roy on bass, Joe Lempkowski on harmonica, June Core on drums, Malachi Johnson on drums, Robert Welsh on keyboards, on retro-sounding performances.

Alabama Mike certain invests his vocals with intensity and soul. The Lightnin' Hopkins influence can best be heard on the opening "Black Cadillac" (with Atkinson on guitar) as well as the revival of Hopkins' "Hello Central" with Danny Michel on guitar, Kim Wilson on harmonica and Marty Dodson on drums lending the performance a swamp blues flavor. Danny Michel also channels Hopkins guitar on the swamp blues "California Blues," with choice Joe Lempkowski harmonica accompaniment.

A reworking of John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson's "Cut That Out" sounds as a down-home version of Junior Wells fifties recording. Kim Wilson is on harmonica, Atkinson on guitar and Dodson on drums. Welsh provides the greasy organ on "Diabetic Man" with Wilson on the harp. On "How You Want Your Rollin Done," Atkinson plays some excellent T-Bone Walker styled guitar. On Big Bill Broonzy's "I Feel So Good," Alabama Mike delivers a strong vocal in the manner of Muddy Waters with J.B. Hutto styled slide guitar in the backing. "Keep My Grave Clean" is an ingenious band reworking of what was Blind Lemon Jefferson's most famous recording, while the cover of J.B. Hutto's "Too Much Alcohol" sticks close to the arrangement of Hutto's Delmark recording.

A moody rendition of Willie Love's "V-8 Food" with Atkinson and Welsh closes a release of notable down-home blues performances. There are a couple of times the backing may be a tad skeletal, but Alabama Mike's singing and the idiomatic support result in a most entertaining blues album.

I purchased this. Here is Alabama Mike performing "Let Me Hip You To My Blues."

Atomic Road Kings Clean Up the Blood

Atomic Road Kings
Clean Up the Blood
Bigtone Records

The Atomic Road Kings is a joint project of guitarist-vocalist-songwriter--engineer Big Jon Atkinson and harmonica wizard Eric Von Herzen. The two are present on all 12 tracks (11 written by Atkinson and one by Von Herzen) along with Bill Stuve on bass and Malachi Johnson on drums. While Atkinson is the vocalist throughout, he only plays lead guitar on four tracks and rhythm on 4. Scot Smart, Danny Michel, and Tony Delgado take the lead on other selections and pianist Robert Welsh guests on 1.

Atkinson recorded this using vintage, all analog gear and was done live to tape with the effort to capture the sound of the 50s gospel, blues and the like and presented in mono as opposed to stereo. The result is solid retro-oriented blues performances. Atkinson comes across as a robust, straight-forward singer on solidly-played, idiomatic Chicago-styled blues. Similarly, Von Herzen is a marvelous harmonica player with a full tone in the manner of George 'Harmonica' Smith.

Things start "I Got Time," continue with "Rumors" that feature a terrific Tony Delgado solo. On "My Way Back Home," Atkinson plays driving, lead acoustic guitar with Von Herzen's effectively repeating a riff in the backing. Then he plays some stinging electric guitar on the doomy title track with the harp adding to the atmosphere of the performance. In a similar vein, "Vibrations," has Danny Michel's stinging guitar along with Welsh's piano, while "Ain't For Me," is a moody shuffle.

The Atomic Road Kings strongly evoke the sound and feel on the '50s styled Chicago blues on "Clean Up the Road," a splendid recording that will appeal to fans of classic Chicago blues.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2019  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383), although there have been minor stylistic changes to the published review. Here is a teaser for the CD.

 

John Boyd The Real Deal

John Boyd
The Real Deal
Little Village Foundation

In his brief notes to this debut by John Boyd, Rick Estrin speaks of his stylistic range at times reminiscent of shouters like Big Joe Turner and Wyonnie Harris and other times like blues crooners like Junior Parker and early B.B. King. I am not sure I agree, although listening to this I agree with the Rick Estrin penned opening track where Boyd proclaims "I Am The Real Deal," that he certainly is. I assume Estrin is the harp player on this selection while Aki Kumar is also heard on this album. Others here include Kid Andersen, Big Jon Atkinson and Robert Welsh on guitar; Jim Pugh, Welsh and Andersen on keyboards; Dave Chavez, Danny Michel and Andersen on bass; June Core, Atkinson and D'Mar Martin are among those on drums; while horns include the saxophones of Eric Spaulding and Terry Hanck. Andersen produced and recorded this at his Greaseland Studios. Boyd wrote ten of these songs

After emphatically letting us know he is the real deal, Boyd takes on a hot rocking shuffle "I Will Discover" that suggests classic Junior Parker with some blistering guitar in the vein of Roy Gaines backing Bobby Bland on Duke whereas the following "I'm Like A Stranger To You," has the feel of a Percy Mayfield Tangerine recording. Whoever did the arrangement here is to be commended, while Boyd again shows just how fine a singer he is. There is plenty of humor in Rick Estrin's ode to big-legged woman "That's Big!" with a bass line that evokes Jimmy McCracklin's "The Walk." Another hot shuffle, "That Certain Day" features some outstanding guitar in the vein of classic Freddie King.

An Estrin-Andersen collaboration "Dona Mae" takes us to Chicago in a performance in the manner of vintage Muddy Waters, while the musical setting of "I'm So Weak Right Now" evokes B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," as Boyd sings about not being able to get himself together as his lady has gone. Then there is a terrific slow blues with some haunting sax at the opening "Screaming in the Night" with a great vocal and backing evocative of an unissued Otis Rush Cobra side, whereas musically "(Have You Ever Been To) Marvin Gardens" is reminiscent of the Willie Dixon Argo album by Walter Horton. Unlike the limited vocal of the late harmonica wizard, Boyd handles the vocal with plenty of personality and there is some fine harp here.

The album closes with Boyd's marvelous "John, The Blues Is Calling You," as he sings he knows what must do, because he was born a blues disciple with some greasy organ and more terrific guitar. With the excellent players Kid Andersen assembled, it would be pretty hard to produce something other than a very entertaining recording. When one adds a terrific singer like John Boyd, then one has a stellar recording that is as impressive a contemporary real blues debut as one might have heard in some time.

I purchased this. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371). Here is a video that introduces John Boyd.