The Lucky Losers Blind Spot

The Lucky Losers
Blind Spot
Dirty Cat Records

This is the third recording by the San Francisco band fronted by singers Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz (who also plays harmonica), backed by the core and of Ian Lamson on guitars, Chris Burns on keyboards, Endre Tarczy on bass and Robi Bean on drums. Kid Andersen, who produced this at his Greaseland Studios with Lemons and Berkowitz, adds his guitar to several tracks while other guests include guitarist Laura Chavez, saxophonist Nancy Wright, and violinist Annie Staninec. All the songs are originals by the two, mostly in conjunction with one-time Charles Brown guitarist Danny Caron.

Blues and classic soul are infused in these eleven rocking originals which display the strong vocals and ensemble playing of the prior recordings. There is plenty of solid, danceable grooves and plenty of treats in the backing whether the vocal duet on the opening "It's Never Too Early," with sound effects and solid harmonica. Laura Chavez adds her shattering guitar break behind Lemons' vocal on "Take the Long Road." There is a nifty lyric along with deep riffing horns on "Alligator Baptism" with a fine Berkowitz vocal against an insistent groove, a striking Kid Andersen solo, more solid harmonica. It is a performance that oddly suggests Sheryl Crow to this listener, perhaps because of the casualness that the vocal is delivered.

Lemons' "The River" has a swampy feel behind a pleading vocal with Lamson on slide guitar. "Supernatural Blues" has hints of Sonny Landreth's "Congo Square," and is an original twisting rocker with more shattering Chavez guitar and a nice harmonica solo, "Make a Right Turn" has a country-cajun feel with Staninec's violin standing out along with the strong singing here with Lemon being particularly robust.

The other songs all have their own charms and hooks with "Last Ride" standing out with Andersen's carefully employed sound effects adding to the atmosphere behind Lemons' vocal while "Love is Blind" has a swampy blues feel with Andersen adding a taut solo followed by Berkowitz's crying harp. "Blind Spot" is another fine recording from The Lucky Losers with fresh material, wonderful playing and first-rate vocals.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here are the Lucky Losers in performance.

The Lucky Losers Play A Winning Hand

The Lucky Losers
A Winning Hand
West Tone Records

The Lucky Losers are singer Cathy Lemons and singer-harmonica player Phil Berkowitz backed by a strong band on a program of blues, rhythm and blues classics and blues-rooted rock, "A Winning Hand" (West Tone Records). The backing band includes Marvin Greene and Kid Andersen (with Steve Freund on one track); Steve Evans, Steve Hazelwood or Joe Kyle on bass; Robi Bean or Jay Hansen on drums; and Chris Burns or Kevin Zuffi on keyboards with horns added to a couple of selections. Lemons and Berkowitz each contribute three originals (Berkowitz's were co-written by Danny Caron and there are six covers.

About her 2014 VizzTone album "Black Crow" I observed that "Bay area singer Cathy Lemons brings a rich plate of musical gems including blues and blues-infused rock in a fashion that might suggest Bonnie Raitt." I was impressed by the the "natural, relaxed and soulful quality" of her vocals and am further impressed on that account here as well as how well she and Berkowitz complement each other. While the originals, including the opening Berkowitz-Caron number "Change in the Weather" display this with its soulful flavor, the renditions of the Sam and Dave classic "I Take What I Want" and the Brooks Benton-Dinah Washington golden oldie "Baby, You Got What It Takes," maybe best showcase this as they bring warmth and plenty of humor as well to the later number (which also benefits from Berkowitz's horn-like harp playing. It is interesting to hear a male and female handle the Sam and Dave number, providing a different tenor to the lyrics.

The duo also do a marvelous rendition of a lesser know Allen Toussaint number "What is Success," while Lemons rendition of her original "Suicide By Law" has a bit of whimsy in the jazz-tinged sophisticated vocal. In contrast, her "Detroit City Man," is a driving styled boogie rocker musically evocative of a seventies John Lee Hooker recording with some choice harp backing from Berkowitz while Andersen adds stinging guitar fills as Lemons sings about a wrong doing man. Lemons wrote title track, a number that has to these ears the feel of a Crosby, Nash and Young number.

While the spotlight is on Lemons and Berkowitz, the splendid backing is noteworthy with the light, unhurried feel that contributes to the pleasures in listening to this. There is not a bad moment on this recording. While Lemons and Berkowitz may call themselves The Lucky Losers, they have provided listeners a royal flush with "A Winning Hand."


I received my review copy from a publicist. This review was written in 2015 for Jazz & Blues Report but it did not run. Here The Lucky Losers perform an Allen Toussaint tribute.

Received from Frank Roszak

The Lucky Losers In Any Town

The Lucky Losers
In Any Town
Dirty Cat Records

It was a little over a year that this writer praised the debut release by The Lucky Losers, "A Winning Hand." This band led by vocalists Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz (who also plays harmonica), also includes Marvin Greene on guitar; Chris Burns on keyboards, Tim Wagar on bass and Robi Bean on drums. Recorded at Kid Andersen's Greaseland Studio, Andersen also adds guitar, keyboards and percussion as well as co-produced this with Berkowitz and Lemons. Others contributing to this include Terry Hanck, Frank Goldwasser, Jeff Jensen, D'Mar and Michael Peloquin. Berkowitz and Danny Caron contributed four originals, Lemons five and there are a couple of renditions of songs not often covered among blues-roots bands.

Listening to the duo again, I remained especially impressed by Lemons natural and soulful delivery while Berkowitz's own unforced singing complements her so well. This is evident on the opening Berkowitz-Caron original "So High," a strong performance that might evoke Delaney & Bonnie. There is an unexpected, and very playful cover of the June and Johnny Cash duet, "Jackson," that shows the rapport between the two. Lemons' original "Don't Let 'Em SeeYa Cry," is a powerful slow blues set against a backing that recalls some of the Johnnie Taylor blues for Stax in the late 60s and early 70s (for example "Hello Sundown" and "Little Bluebird"). Greene suggests Little Milton with his solo on this which is followed by a nice harp solo from Berkowitz on a potent performance. Berkowitz sings "Blind Man In The Dark," for a nice blue-eyed soul performance. Franck Goldwasser plays slide on the rocking blues duet "I Can't Change Ya," while there is a reflective quality by Lemons on her title track.

A cover of Bobby Charles' "Small Town Talk," closes another fine recording by Lemons and Berkowitz. The quality and variety of material and the crisp, uncluttered and unhurried backing contribute to another superior recording from The Lucky Losers.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared originally in the July-August 2016  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367).