Bad Influence Got What You Need

Bad Influence
Got What You Need
BadBlues Records

Bad Influence has been around the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia) area for 30 years. This writer first saw them (the first of many times over the years) at a DC Blues Society show at an Arlington, Virginia American Legion Hall some time back. When I first saw them, it was a five piece band including a saxophone. Today, they consist of Michael "Jr" Tash on guitar; Roger Edsall on harmonica, slide guitar and vocals; Bob Mallardi on bass and vocals; and David Thaler on drums. As Tash, notes the four have been together 25 years and "It's finally starting to gel." As former B.B. King Bluesville host Bill Wax observes in his liner notes "This is one tight unit."

I recently reviewed a recording by another DMV band with similar personnel, The Smokin' Polecats, that Roger Edsall also was a significant part of. Admittedly I prefer the Polecats. It is a matter of taste as the performances here are recorded with a heavier presence. Jr Tash is a bit more rock-edged in his playing compared to Dave Sherman, but plays with a imaginative, focused approach. This edge is evident on Roger Edsall's title track that opens this recording. Tash opens with a Stevie Ray Vaughan styled Texas blues-rock riff. This edge is also present on Tash's terrific solo on the cover of William Clarke's "Party, Party," where rolling single note runs are punctuated with crisp chords and nice use of tone. Edsall displays cosndierable slide guitar skill on a  cover of James Harman's "My Little Girl" with its memorable opening line "She served me crow, on a silver plate."

Both Edsall and Mallardi are very good, expressive singers who deliver the songs with an energetic fervor. Tash's down-in-the-alley guitar, and an effective, restrained vocal, make the atmospheric rendition of the blues standard "Wee Wee Hours' memorable. An exuberant rendition of Rockin' Sydney's zydeco hit, "Don't Mess With My Toot Toot," with Edsall's harp taking the place of an accordion, is followed by a ebullient reworking of Little Walter's "My Babe," with Mallardi's strong singing supported by Edsall's terrific harmonica. Then there is an unusual transformation of James Brown's "I Feel Good," into a blues shuffle.

The variety of material include Edsall's rock and roll original "Lid Flippin' Short," a superb cover of Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Eyesight to the Blind," with a great Mallardi vocal, superb harp and some sharply played guitar from Tash. With superlative chromatic harmonica playing, Edsall pays additional homage to Little Walter on the cover of "Blue Midnight." It closes a terrific record of Chicago-styled blues whose appeal to these ears grows with repeated listening.

I received my review copy from the band. Here is Bad Influence performing at a Maryland bar, Hershey's. They are performing at JV's in Falls Church VA on Saturday May 25.

The Smokin' Polecats My Little Baby

The Smokin' Polecats
My Little Baby
Quiet Knight Records

I have been fans of The Smokin' Polecats for over twenty years when they were known as Dave Sherman and the Nightcrawlers. Some time ago the band changed its name to avoid confusion with other bands becoming the Polecats. I can't confirm that the personnel is the same when the Nightcrawlers released "Bad Boy" in 2000. Guitarist and singer Sherman, and harmonica player and singer Roger Edsall are supported here by bassist Leigh Oben and drummer Robbie Leebrick, both of whom have been with the band for a number of years. Handling most of the vocals is Marianna Previti.

On their website the Polecats describe their music: " Their sound comes from the Post-World War 2 ensemble sound of the Chicago Masters like Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, and Hubert Sumlin; the West Coast Jump/Swing sound of Tiny Grimes, Pee Wee Crayton, and T-Bone Walker; the Rock'a'Billy sound of Carl Perkins and Johnny Burnette; and the Louisiana swamp blues of Slim Harpo." Included here are songs from James Harman and the Fabulous Thunderbirds to give a more concrete sense of what one will hear here.

As might be expected, this a finely tuned, swinging musical band with a tight rhythm section. Edsall has a fat tone while Sherman plays his well crafted, imaginative solos with fluidity and clarity. Vocalist Previti has an appealing style, with a jazzy tinge in her phrasing and vocal shadings, evocative of vintage singers such as Ella Johnson, and Helen Humes. This becomes evident with the rendition of James Harman's "Darlin'" that opens this set, as well as her lively scatting in interpreting Annie Laurie's late forties New Orleans jump blues "My Rough and Ready Man." On this track, Edsall's saxophone like harmonica and Sherman's T-Bone Walker inspired solo add to one's enjoyment.

The title track by Sherman is a brisk number with a rockabilly flavor. The rendition of Hank Snow's "I Don't Hurt Anymore" is based on Dinah Washington's interpretation with Previti singing quite fervently and Edsall adding a very strong harmonica solo. The Polecats provide a swamp blues accompaniment to the reworking of J.B. Lenoir's "Mojo Boogie," while the interpretation of Kim Wilson's "I Believe I'm in Love With You" is a spirited duet by Previti and Edsall. With Edsall's chromatic harmonica adding horn-like backing, Sherman and Previti do a delightful rendition of the Brooks Benton-Dinah Washington classic, "Baby You Got What It Takes."

A vibrant instrumental "Jumpin' Bad," closes a most entertaining, well played and sung CD of blues and roots. It is available at CDBaby and other outlets.

I received my review copy from Dave Sherman. Here is a video of the title track with Sarah Gardner joining Marianna Previti.

Bad Influence's Solid Blues Under The Influence

Bad Influence is a Washington DC area band that this writer has been following for some time. The core of the band is guitarist Michael Tash, harmonica player Roger Edsall (who also doubles on guitar) and bassist Bob Mallardi with David Thaler on drums. When I first saw them perform they also had a saxophonist bout they have been a quartet for some time and have developed into a tight band that can jump the boogie, swing the shuffle and slow drag a three in the morning blues. 

The fact they have played together for such a long material underlies the bands tight group sound and emphatic playing with each other. They have also developed into quite accomplished players with Tash a versatile guitarist able to channel Elmore James and Albert King with sharply focused and thoughtful solos while Edsall is amongst the DC area’s finest harp players able to distill Little Walter, George ‘Harmonica’ Smith, Sonny Boy Williamson and Slim Harpo into a personal style

They have a new album Under The Influence that consists of mostly originals with Mallardi taking most of the vocals with Edsall handling a few. A bit of Dust My Broom slide guitar from Roger Edsall forms part of the foundation of the opening Man Child, while the band gets a hot shuffle going on Hey Red with Mallardi inviting his lady to party till the break of dawn and it sounds like the band will jitterbug all night long with Tash and Edsall taking incisive solos. A bit of southern blues rock seasoning is heard on the driving Do As I Say, with Edsall adding organ effects on his harp accompaniment and gets to strut a bit during a solo break. 

Edsall handles the vocal on Sugar Daddy Baby, a fine shuffle with Tom Ruggieri added on saxophones in the backing. This performance strikes the right groove and tempo and will be a delight for swing dancers not to mention to some jazzy single note fretwork from Tash. Nothing wrong with a bit of rock and roll (not hard rock) on the rendition of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Run Through The Jungle, with another Edsall vocal. Edsall also adds slide guitar and harmonica while Tash employs some atmospheric tremolo in support. “Cat Fight II:PTP: is a spirited harmonica feature that showcases Edsall’s imaginative and expressive playing with guest Jay Monterose taking the guitar solo here. A nice strutting shuffle follows on Looking Right At Me. 

Bad Influence at Surf Club Live in Hyattsville MD in October 2011.

A solid rendition of As The Years Go Passing By, has Tash in part evoking Albert King as Mallardi delivers a heartfelt vocal on a song originally recorded by the great Fenton Robinson for Duke. Besides Tash’s inspired guitar, Edsall has a choice harp solo, followed by a hot guitar chorus. Mark Stephens adds boogie inflected piano behind Edsall’s vocal on Room 111, where it sounds like quite a party is going on. Mailbox Blues has a swamp blues feel with a strong latin accent in the rhythm. 

Under the Influence is a terrific album of blues with an occasional rock and roll accent that is sure to delight Bad Influence’s existing fans and gain them new ones. It is available from the band’s website, badinfluenceband.com and at cdbaby.com, and you can sample this at http://www.reverbnation.com/badinfluenceband.

Bad Influence provided me with a download of this recording.