Selwyn Birchwood Living in a Burning House

Selwyn Birchwood
Living in a Burning House
Alligator Records

It is a pleasure to have a new recording by Selwyn Birchwood to warm the winter blues away with the new year. The tall, lanky Birchwood has expanded his band, adding the keyboards of Walter "Bunt" May to his band. The rest of the band consists of baritone saxophonist Regi Olivier (who also plays alto and tenor saxophones and piccolo flute on this recording), bassist Donald "Huff" Wright, and drummer Philip "Squeak" Walker. Tom Hambridge produced this album and contributed backing vocals and percussion to some tracks. One selection is a duet with Diunna Greenleaf.

There is plenty of blues with a bit of rock energy. Hambridge's production gives this a hard-hitting feel opening with the opening "I'd Climb Mountains." There is plenty of his warm, grainy, expressive baritone and searing guitar. The songs range from this fiery number to the soulful loping ballad, "She's a Dime." Olivier's baritone helps lay down a deep bass groove on "I Got Drunk, Laid And Stoned." This song also showcases Birchwood's sizzling lap steel guitar.

One of the top originals, "Living in a Burning House," has Birchwood's dealing with a hellacious relationship with his passionate singing and fiery guitar along with Olivier's raspy, raucous sax solo. Then there is the rocking shuffle of "You Can't Steal My Shine," with a rollicking guitar break. May's organ is prominent in the backing on this. Then there is the duet with Diunna Greenleaf, "Mama Knows Best," about trying to get his mama's blessing about his girl, but Diunna sings that she won't cook or clean, and listen to your mama that this girl will be the death of Selwyn. Birchwood's guitar dances in and around Olivier's riffs and fills. I would expect this track gets much airplay.

One last track to highlight is another rocking shuffle, "Through A Microphone," where Birchwood celebrates being on the stage, and the only time he is at home when he bares his soul through a microphone. It is another first-rate performance on Selwyn Birchwood's latest stellar recording.

I received a download to review from Alligator Records.  Here is a video of "Freaks Come Out At Night," from this recording.

2020 Blues—New Music From Alligator Records

Various Artists
2020 Blues—New Music From Alligator Records
Alligator Records

This is a digital-only sampler from 5 albums that Alligator was going to release this year. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic intervened and eliminated nearly all live performances and the like. In Bruce Iglaur's words, "It's now clear that the pandemic and its results are going to continue for some time to come. We can't wait any longer to begin to share this great new music with the media and the public. … These albums are scheduled for later this year and early next year. 2020 Blues and each individual track will be available on all the popular download and streaming sites."

This compilation is a welcome teaser for the five upcoming albums. The first selection up is from Chris Cain, whose "I Believe I Got Off Cheap" is from an album to be released early next year. I have been quite a fan of Cain for years, and it is great that he will have a new album. This song is a terrific track on which he channels Albert King's guitar style paired with his soulful vocals. Following you is a selection from Selwyn Birchwood, "Living In A Burning House." From a release schedule for January, it is a typical first-rate performance from one of the real young blue bloods.  Also scheduled for release next year is a new Curtis Salgado album. The track "The Longer That I Live" is a stunning Memphis soul performance. If the rest of this album is this good, it is another most purchase.

Both Shemekia Copeland and Elvin Bishop-Charlie Musselwhite will have new albums out this year, Shemekia, in October and Elvin-Charlie in September. Both of their songs deal with the deep divide in our country now. Shemekia sings "Uncivil War," a plea for us to get along, although her plea "to listen to one another and, ultimately, come together" may strike some as naive. The striking performance is more Americana than blues, and it is good to see her showing how expressive she can be no matter the musical setting. The raucous "What The Hell?" is a rowdy duet with Bishop singing about things ailing our country and talking about what he likes about the President, which is nothing, Musselwhite wails throughout this track. It certainly makes one quite interested in their collaboration.

In summary, quite an appetizer for these upcoming releases with some terrific music. It is available from Alligator Records (https://www.alligator.com/albums/2020-Blues---New-Music-From-Alligator-Records/) and the usual digital outlets.

I received a download to review from Alligator Records. Here is a video of Chris Cain performing and channeling Albert King.

 

Selwyn Birchwood Pick Your Poison

Selwyn Birchwood
Pick Your Poison
Alligator Records

This is the second Alligator release by the Floridian blues talent and his marvelous band of Regi Oliver: Saxophones, Flute, Background Vocals; Huff Wright: Bass Guitar, Background Vocals and Courtney 'Big Love Girlie: Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals. This followup to the award-winning "Don't Call No Ambulance" has a baker's dozen of Birchwood originals for which he did all of the arrangements and much in the same mold as the earlier release.

While having a somewhat limited vocal range, Birchwood is an appealing and convincing vocalist with a gravelly, raspy delivery. This is evident on the opening "Trial By Fire," with its North Mississippi Hill Country groove, Oliver's flute and his whining slide guitar. He changes mood on the high stepping gospel-flavored "Even the Saved Need Saving," with observations of religious hypocrisy as Oliver baritone pushes the groove before Birchwood's slide guitar break that here shows the influence of the sacred steel players. "Guilty Pleasures," built on a guitar riff, has a lyric about not liking various vices, such as not liking gambling but liking his luck, as Oliver's baritone echoes the guitar. "Heavy Heart" is a straight-forward blues about a relation coming to an end, with blistering guitar as Oliver's multiple horns add to an intense performance.

One continues to be impressed by Birchwood's ability to employ unusual melodies as on "Haunted." His acoustic steel slide guitar sets the atmosphere for the morose "Reaping Time," while with a delta blues slide riff, Birchwood launches a complaint about police brutality, "Police State," with its chorus "you have the right to remain silent, they have the right to remain violent." There is an urgent acoustic slide solo on this. Oliver's sax is featured on the blues lament, "Lost In You," where Birchwood sings about searching himself and hoping he can find himself again. This low-key performance is followed by the topical protest about working a 60 hour week while not wanting to be a cog in the machine that don't care about him, "Corporate Drone."

Like his earlier album, Selwyn Birchwood displays a fresh and immediately recognizable approach to his blues and has presented another varied and excellent set of fresh material, imaginatively and compellingly performed backed by his excellent band.

I received my review copy from Alligator.  Here he is performing the title track of his first album, "Don't Call No Ambulance."

Selwyn Birchwood - Don’t Call No Ambulance

Mentored by Sonny Rhodes and winner of the 2013 International Blues Challenge, Selwyn Birchwood impresses with his enthusiasm as well as his talent. This writer had the pleasure of seeing him in Fall of 2013 before he signed with Alligator Records, who have recently issued his first CD for the label, Don’t Call No Ambulance. On this album, Birchwood brings his vocals as well as guitar and lap steel with an excellent band comprised of Regi Oliver on saxophones, bass clarinet and flute; Donal ‘Huff’ Wright’ on bas and Curtis Nutall on drums. Guest appearances are made by Joe Louis Walker on Slide Guitar; Josh Nelms on Rhythm Guitar; RJ Harman on Harmonica; and Dash Dixon on Keyboard.

Selwyn’s raspy, gravelly voice have led some to liken him to Tom Waits, a comparison that does surface several places on this recording of originals. He is a fairly solid guitar slinger as displayed on the rocking opener Addicted, but much of the appeal of Don’t Call No Ambulance is the interaction between him and the saxophones of Oliver and the tight backing Wright and Nutall provide. Oliver’s baritone sax often functions like a rhythm guitarist as he doubles on the bass line and adds to the drive like on the title track, where Birchwood conjures up a North Mississippi Hill Country groove as he sings that he feels so good and if he falls down, don't call no ambulance. This strong selection is followed by Waiting in the Lion's Den, where Birchwood  evokes Waits with his raspy, almost spoken, vocal as Oliver, supporting him supports on sax and flute, takes a muscular baritone sax solo.

Rico Oliver and Selwyn Birchwood in Silver Spring MD, October 2013

Joe Louis Walker guests on slide guitar on The River Runs Red. This is a funky tune with Oliver providing punchy Memphis styled horns. Love Me Again is a soulful ballad on which Birchwood sings about a love he lost and wants back as he "can smell the rain in the air, thunder rolling in... feel the mist kiss against my skin, I was a fool in the past, did not know what I had … let the rain fall so my tears don't show, can you find the strength to love me again.” There are a couple of topical songs including Tell Me Why with the leader's buzzing lap steel guitar over Wright’s funky bass. The hard rocking feel contrasts with the low-key, down-home playing on Overworked and Underpaid. RJ Harman’s harmonica enhances the atmosphere while Birchwood adds a lap steel solo on his complaint about working life.

Dancers will savor the pop-flavored She Loves Me Not with Oliver again standing out. The slow blues, “Brown Paper Bag” about a destructive drinking problem, has has some of Birchwood’s fieriest playing. The album closes with a return to a Hills Country groove and some slide guitar that suggests Mississippi Fred McDowell for the closing Hoodoo Stew as he sings about the thirteenth day on a Friday night. It is the close for an impressive varied recoding that is sure to get Birchwood a higher profile.

I received my review copy from Alligator Records. Selwyn Birchwood is featured at the DC Blues Festival on Saturday August 30 in Washington DC and at Alonzo's Memorial Picnic on Sunday August 31 in Rosedale MD. For more information on these shows, see Plenty of Labor Day Weekend Blues in Washington and Baltimore. Here is a video of the Selwyn Birchwood Band performing tell Me Why.

Plenty of Labor Day Weekend Blues in Washington and Baltimore

Selwyn Birchwood, seen at 2013 DC Blues Society show will be appearing at the DC Blues Festival and Alonzo's Memorial Picnic this Labor Day weekend

For those in the Washington and Baltimore area, Labor Day weekend brings some exceptional music. Saturday August 30, the DC Blues Society presents its annual DC Blues Festival at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Northwest Washington DC, and the next day (August 31) the Baltimore Blues Society presents its annual Alonzo Memorial Picnic at the Rosedale Maryland American Legion Hall.

The DC Blues Festival has an excellent line-up headlined by a terrific singer Shakura S’Aida along with a bright young blues artist from Florida, Selwyn Birchwood. One will also get to hear some electrifying sounds of the Eddie Turner Band; Washington vocalist Shirleta Settles and Friends; the southern soul and blues of The Hardway Connection; and Stacey Brooks, winner of the 2013 DC Blues Society Battle of the bands and one of the area's most popular female blues singers. Also at this festival will be some workshops at the John Cephas workshop stage along with a jam session from members of the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation Jambassadors. This free festival begins at Noon and runs until about 7:30 PM at the Carter Barron Amphitheater which is located at 16th and Colorado Streets NW in Washington DC. For more information visit www.dcblues.org.

The Alonzo's Memorial Picnic also has an impressive lineup which includes Selwyn Birchwood as well as another impressive young singer-guitarist Jarekus Singleton. Also on this line-up will be Gaye Adegbalola & The Wild Rutz, a four woman a capella group led by one of the former members of saffire-the Uppity Blues Women; and the swing-Chicago blues stylings of Doug Demming, Dennis Gruenling and The Jewel-Tones. This show will take place from 1 to 9PM (doors open at 12:30PM). The Rosedale American Legion Hall is at 1331 Seling Ave., Rosedale, MD 21237. For more information, including ticket price, visit www.mojoworkin.com.

Here are some videos to highlight some of the performers.

Here is Shakura S'Aida from a recent Toronto appearance. I am especially looking forward to seeing her as I was unable to attend some festivals she was scheduled at. Her album Brown Sugar was one of my favorite albums of 2010 and her most recent album, Time, is equally impressive in not simply her vocals and the backing but the range of material she performs. If you click on the underlined Brown Sugar,  you will see my review of that recording.

Selwyn Birchwood was the winner of the 2013 International Blues Challenge and he previously appeared at a DC Blues Society show in October 2010. He brings plenty of enthusiasm and energy as well as a fine band and his considerable talent.  Here he performs the title track of his debut Alligator album, Call No Ambulance. I look forward to seeing him perform in DC and Baltimore.

How many festivals can claim to present two winners of The International Blues Challenge presented by The Blues Foundation. The Hardway Connection won the Challenge in October 1994 (It used to be held the Sunday after the King Biscuit Festival) edging out Susan Tedeschi's Band. They do a nice mix of soul and southern soul classics and strong originals with three exceptional singers, Jerome MacKall, Toni Love and Robert Owens. MacKall may be the best deep soul singer you never heard (a cross of Otis Redding and Al Green) while Owens is a nephew of the legendary Don Covay.

Illness prevented me from attending the Pennsylvania Blues Festival where Jarekus Singleton appeared, but I keep hearing raves about him. His music is quite original and striking and you can click on the title of his Alligator debut, Refuse to Lose, to see my review of it. I am certainly looking forward to seeing his performance at the Alonzo's Memorial Picnic. Here is a clip from the 2014 North Atlantic Blues Festival from this July.

Stacey Brooks is a DC area favorite and here she is performing her signature song, My Name Is Stacy.

Here is Gaye Adegabalola and the Wild Rutz.