Maria Muldaur With Tuba Skinny - Let's Get Happy Together

Maria Muldaur With Tuba Skinny - Let's Get Happy Together -Stony Plain Records

Maria Muldaur's career spans some 57 years since she was part of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, which played old-time blues, country, and hokum songs. Her latest recording, with the popular New Orleans traditional-swing jazz street band Tuba Skinny. Tuba Skinny consists of Shaye Cohn – cornet; Todd Burdick – tuba; Barnabus Jones – trombone; Jason Lawrence – banjo; Craig Flory – clarinet; Greg Sherman – guitar; Max Bien-Kahn – guitar; and Robin Rapuzzi – washboard. Muldaur first heard Tuba Skinny while shopping and their music was played over the store's speakers. About Tuba Skinny, Muldaur says, "They were not just playing a marvelous repertoire of cool tunes with great skill and authenticity, but somehow channeling the very atmosphere and vibration of that bygone era."  

Before the COVID Pandemic in January 2020, Maria asked Tuba Skinny to collaborate for a showcase performance at the International Folk Alliance Conference in New Orleans. The performance was so well-received, and this album was immediately conceived and recorded. Overall, the album (her 43rd album) is her latest excursion into vintage jazz and blues sounds of the 1920s/'30s. It is a fascinating mix of songs ranging from songs associated with the Goofus Five, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Valaida Snow, and Sweet Pea Spivey (Victoria's sister).

There is plenty of fun to be had listening, starting with the opening rendition of the Goofus Five's "I Like You Best of All." Played at a nice relaxed tempo, this listener is especially impressed by the solos here by Craig Flory on clarinet and Shaye Cohn on cornet. I note that Muldaur's vocals do sound a slight bit weathered. Still, her phrasing, timing, and her ability to deliver lyrics remain intact. Lil Hardin Armstrong wrote the bouncy title tune with nice interplay in the opening between trombonist Barnabus Jones and Cohn on cornet. Muldaur has an ear for relatively obscure songs, including a delightful rendition of Frankie' Half-Pint' Jaxon's "Be You Natural Self," with Jones contributing the first solo chorus followed by Cohn's bright brass play. There is also a reflective rendition of another Jaxon number, "Some Sweet Day," a theme that would be echoed in a variety of pre-World War II recordings.

There is a dreamily played treatment of Duke Ellington's recording of "Delta Bound," with a lovely clarinet solo. Another peppy performance is the vivacious rendition of Valaida Snow's "Swing You Sinners." Cohn's cornet and Flory's clarinet evoke Buck Clayton and Lester Young as Muldaur models her performance of "He Ain't Got Rhythm" on Billie Holiday's classic recording. Then Muldaur revives a Boswell Sisters recording, "Got The South In My Soul," followed by a revival of an amusing 'Dorothy Lamour" recording, "I Go For That." 

A revival of Sweet Pea Spivey's late twenties blues, "Road of Stone," solidly closes this recording. The musical meeting between Muldaur and Tuba Skinny has resulted in memorable, straightforward, and easy swinging jazz vocals and backing.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is the title track from this CD.

New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers - Vol. 2

New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers - Vol. 2 - Stony Plain

This is the second album from the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers. As I noted in the review of Vol. 1, the genesis for the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers was on a tour bus when Mavis Staples and Charlie Musselwhite hot the road together with the North Mississippi All Stars. Eventually, Luther Dickinson (guitar, mandolin, and bass) and his brother Chris (drums and washboard) sat down for a guitar jam with ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus, along with their father, Jim Dickinson (on piano), and blues greats Charlie Musselwhite (on harmonica) and Alvin Youngblood Hart (guitar and mandolin) for a blues and roots music celebration under the rubric of the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers. After Jim Dickinson died in 2009, the recordings hung out in archives until Stony Plain founder Holger Petersen heard about the sessions. He expressed his enthusiasm to release the recordings. Luther Dickinson and his partner/engineer Kevin Houston finished the production of this and the earlier album.

Things start with Charlie Musselwhite's "Blues For Yesterday," a song recently re-recorded with Elvin Bishop. In addition to his harmonica, there is some sterling slide guitar in the backing (by Hart?). Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart handles the vocal on the revival of the Sir Douglas Five rocker, "She's About a Mover." I assume Jim Dickinson played the cheesy Farfisa organ on this. 

Jimbo Mathus wrote and sings a raucous shuffle "Searchlight (Soon in the Morning)" with Musselwhite wailing on harmonica and Jim Dickinson rollicking on piano besides Mathus' effective guitar solo. Mathus' "Greens and Hams" is a marvelous original that evokes Tommy Johnson and Charlie Patton. Jim Dickinson is featured on four vocals, including a late in the evening sounding interpretation of Charles Mingus' "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atom Bomb On Me." One can hear another Dickinson vocal on a cover of Junior Wells' "Messin' With the Kid." This latter performance provides another showcase for Musselwhite's harmonica along with some stinging guitar (from Luther Dickinson?).

Musselwhite returns for the swamp blues feel of his topical original, "Black Water," which is followed by Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart's country blues original, "If Blues Was Money," with Musselwhite's harmonica supporting Hart's husky singing. Luther Dickinson might have added a mandolin to this track. Luther Dickinson's whiny slide guitar is at the fore for his thoughtful rendition of Earl Hooker's "Blue Guitar." Jim Dickinson closes this volume with an atmospheric cover of The Mississippi Sheiks' "Blues Is a Mighty Bad Feeling," with a steady groove, moody guitar, and harmonica. 

About the first volume, I concluded, "The performances are mostly top-flight, resulting in some serious fun." This quote also pretty much summarizes the music on this disc as well. Like the first volume, this album will have considerable appeal to blues and roots music fans. 

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "She's About a Mover" from this album.

Duke Robillard & Friends Blues Bash!

Duke Robillard & Friends
Blues Bash!
Stony Plain

Duke Robillard had built up such a distinguished body of recordings as an artist and producer over five decades. This latest release is another chapter in his well-regarded career about which he states is "packed with plenty of bright sounding Fender guitar a la Ike Turner, Lefty Bates, etc. Just a good listening or dancing record like the blues records I bought when I was a kid." His intent was "to make a straight vintage-style blues album with rhythmic grooves and no hook-laden songs." "Blues Bash!" Certainly accomplishes his objective.

Playing on this recording is his band of Bruce Bears on keyboards, Mark Texiera on drums, and either Jesse Williams or Marty Ballou on bass. Then there is the horn section of Greg Piccolo on tenor sax, Rich Lataille on alto and tenor sax, and Doug James on baritone sax. Mark Hummel adds harmonica, and Robert Welch adds piano on one track. On a cover of Smiley Lewis' "Ain't Gonna Do It," the band consists of Mark Braun on piano, Marty Ballou on bass, Marty Richards on drums, Al Basile on cornet, and Sax Gordon on sax. Besides Duke, Chris Cote and Michelle Willson are heard on vocals.

Duke is focused playing his Fender guitar on these recordings, whether evoking Ike Turner behind Cote's vocal on the cover of the Kings of Rhythm recording "Do You Mean It," or channeling Lefty Bates on a rendition of Bates' instrumental "Rock Alley." He plays in the manner of Johnny Rogers in the cover of Roy Milton's shuffle "What Can I Do," as well as suggesting early Johnny Guitar Watson on "Give Me All the Love You Got."

The music is impeccably played with some top-flight singing, especially from Cote on "Do You Mean It" and Wilson, as she interprets a lesser-known Helen Humes recording, "You Played on My Piano." Her vocal exhibits plenty of humor the lyrics lend themselves to. Duke himself sings quite well with the Chicago styled blues "No Time," with Mark Hummel adding harmonica on perhaps Duke's finest vocal on the album. The other players are sterling, including Piccolo with a booting tenor sax solo on "Rock Alley" and Doug James rousing baritone on "You Played on My Piano."

The rest of the ten tracks are as entertaining and well-played with a special salute to the jazzy atmospheric instrumental "Just Chillin'" that closes this latest outstanding recording from Duke Robillard.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "Do You Mean It!" from Blues Bash!"

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.

Rory Block Prove it On Me

Rory Block
Prove it On Me
Stony Plain

"Prove it On Me" is the second in Rory Block's series, "Power Women of the Blues," dedicated to "celebrating phenomenal founding women of the blues." Through multi-tracking, Block plays all the guitars, drums, and percussion. She also handles all the vocals, including backing and harmony. This writer was not overly impressed by her earlier album in this series, her tribute to Bessie Smith. I can appreciate her effort to not reshape the songs from the source recordings. Her vocals, to these rears, did not sound convincing, and there have been more substantial tributes to Smith over the years.

Unlike the previous album, she interprets recordings from Helen Humes, Madlyn Davis, Rosetta Howard, Ma Rainey, Arizona Dranes, Lottie Kimbrough, Memphis Minnie, Merline Johnson, and Elvie Thomas, as well as sings one original. The performances are generally performed as small band recordings as she layers in guitars over percussion. She evokes a piano in her playing behind her acoustic shuffle version of Humes' "He May Be Your Man." Block adds slide guitar in the accompaniment On Madlyn Davis' "It's Red Hot." One of the most appealing selections is a cover of "If You're a Viper" by Rosetta Howard and the Harlem Hamfats. Her performance sports slide guitar instead of the New Orleans horns meet the Chicago blues of the original. One error in the songwriting credits is that it is Herbert Morand, not Moren among the composers of this song.

There is a credible rendition of the Ma Rainey song that provides the CD its title followed by a spirited take on Arizona Dranes' "I Shall Wear a Crown." Block's original, "Eagles," musically fits in seamlessly with the classic songs heard here, including a lovely Delta blues-infused performance of Lottie Kimbrough's "Wayward Girl Blues." Memphis Minnie's "In My Girlish Days," might have been better served by restraint in her vocal and fingerstyle guitar in the lead as opposed to slide guitar, but that may be a matter of taste.

After singing Merline Johnson's bawdy "Milk Man," Block closes this recording with a beguiling, low-key interpretation of Elvie Thomas' "Motherless Child." As indicated, this writer is not a fan of Block's vocals. I did find her vocals here better than on some other of her recent recordings. One's reaction to her vocals is likely to impact how one views this recording. One cannot question the craftsmanship and imagination she brings to these renditions to the vintage blue songs.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here Rory Block performs "He May Be Your Man."

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne is Jumpin' and Boppin'

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne
Jumpin' and Boppin'
Stony Plain

Blues and boogie woogie pianist and vocalist, Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne has a new recording, his tenth album, and third for Stony Plain, "Jumpin' and Boppin'." It is certainly another album that will enthrall fans of jump blues in the vein of Amos Milburn, Little Willie Littlefield, early Ray Charles, Johnnie Johnson and Fats Domino. Duke Robillard is a special guest and spices up a number of tracks here. Others supporting Wayne here include Russell Jackson on bass, Charlie Jacobson on guitar, Joey Dimarco on drums, Sherman Doucette on harmonica, and Dave Babcock on saxophone.

With the exception of "You Don't Know Me," best known from Ray Charles rendition (which Wayne covers) the songs are Wayne originals. Highlights include the rollicking Amos Milburn flavored "Jumpin' & Boppin' With Joy," the Johnnie Johnson flavored wry "Ciao, Ciao Baby," the rollicking "Look Out! There's a Train Coming," with hints of Fats Domino and MIlburn, the Ray Charles flavored topical blues "Bankrupted Blues," the late night blues of "Back To Square One," and the hot rock and roll of "Rock, Rock Little Girl," where he shouts out if you don't known how to rock, you don't know how to roll.

The rhythm section is terrific throughout, Robillard is superb where featured and Babcock's saxophone playing is spot on where adding punchy honking on "Blues Stew," or ripping out supportive rifts. Along with choice, idiomatic original songs and Wayne's two-fisted piano and solid singing, this release (produced by Wayne himself) will have listeners "Jumpin' and Boppin'" with joy.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 267). Here is the Blues Boss performing.

Eric Bibb & JJ Milteau - Lead Belly's Gold

 

Folk and blues singer Eric Bibb has recollections of Lead Belly's music growing up, whether by recordings by others singing his songs or a children's recording by him. His father Leon (who recently passed on), was at the time beginning to become known in folk circles.  He told Eric of seeing Lead Belly perform at the Village Vanguard in the 1940s. Eric observes, with this background, that the sound of Lead belly and his 12 string is part of his musical DNA. He pays tribute to the great musical bard with French harmonica player JJ Milteau on "Lead Belly's Gold: Live at the Sunset and more" (Stony Plain). This was mostly recorded in performance at the Parisian club, The Sunset, supplemented by a few studio recordings. With Larry Crockett on drums and percussion, and occasional vocals from Big Daddy Wilson and Michael Robinson, and Gilles Michel adding bass for a few selections, Bibb delivers 12 performances from Lead Belly's repertoire along with 3 originals inspired by Leadbelly.

There is much to enjoy from the life invested into the songs by Bibb. It starts with the formidable rendition of "Grey Goose." Milteau's harmonica playing also provides more than musical accompaniment. Often his playing suggests a button accordion as on the lively "Midnight Special" with Bibb's guitar sounding more like additional rhythm. There is a marvelous spiritual medley "When That Train Comes Along / Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," where Bibb's vocals is joined by Big Daddy Wilson. Bibb's gentleness of his appraoch adds to the appeal of "Bring A Little Water, Sylvie," with  light, finger-style guitar and Milteau's buzzing harmonica accompaniment. Crockett's deft drumming adds to the musical delight.

"When I Get To Dallas" is an alluring original inspired by Lead Belly's early days as a street singer. Bibb's flowing guitar certainly provides a contrast to Lead Belly's more emphatic rhythmic 12-string playing on "Pick a Bale of Cotton," which is followed by a plaintive, "Goodnight, Irene." The concert portion concludes with a lively "Rock Island Line," while the studio portion opens with a soft spoken treatment of "Bourgeois Blues," Leadbelly's complaint about segregation in 1930s and 1940s Washington DC. The original "Chauffeur Blues," imagines Lead Belly speaking to John Lomax in the afterlife.  This fervent performance, unlike "When I Get To Dallas," has less of Leadbelly's style in its performance.

After Bibb plays a 6-string banjo on Leadbelly's retelling of the "Titanic" disaster, the album concludes with "Swimmin' In A River Of Songs." Here, Bibb sings as if he was Leadbelly singing about his life story. It is a marvelous original that like Bibb's renditions of Lead Belly's songs, shows how accomplished he is. With the varied and sympathetic playing of Milteau, Eric Bibb has recorded a wonderful tribute to a man whose life and music still seems larger than life.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here the two perform "Grey Goose."

The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold

Produced by Duke Robillard, Billy Boy Arnold’s new Stony Plain recording “The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold” has him performing songs he has long loved along with originals, early R&B songs, blues/jazz standards and some rare soul gems. Arnold’s vocals and harmonica are backed by Robillard’s guitar and band with Bruce Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira’s drums with a horn section of regular Robillard associates Rich Lataille, Mark Earley and Doug Wooverton.

Arnold can be an effective vocalist but with some exceptions, including a compelling West Side Chicago blues-styled remake of B.B. King’s “Worried Dream” (with some great Robillard guilt), and the classic Chicago blues shuffle groove of Arnold’s original “What’s on the Menu Mama,” most of this is simply pleasant. Arnold’s use of harp on an old Mack Rice soul classic “Coal Man” gives it a different flavor, but his limited range and simple vocal style doesn't render a strong impression on the old Eddie Miller classic “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water” or “Nat Adderly’s “Work Song” (with Oscar brown’s lyrics). These are not bad performances, but there are many better recordings of “Muddy Water” (thinking Lou Rawls and Carmen Bradford) and Gregory Porter has placed his stamp on “Work Song.”

There is a nice variety of material and Duke has provided solid settings for Arnold’s singing with solid playing by all including nice slide guitar from Duke on “99 LBs.”  Bears plays some rollicking piano on ”Muddy Water,” and displays a jazzy touch on “St. James Infirmary.” Arnold adds nice harp throughout in his distinctive style and the ensemble give a touch of Southern Soul in the backing for the remakes of “Coal Man” and Joe Tex’s still relevant topical song “A Mother’s Prayer.” They also do a solid job in backing Arnold on a nicely done Ray Charles cover, “Don’t Set Me Free” 

“The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold" is an enjoyable recording with a couple of stand-out selections.

I received my review copy from a publicist.  Here is Billy Boy from several decades ago strongly singing a Jimmy McCracklin classic.

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters - Just For Today

Ronnie Earl’s new Stony Plain album, Just For Today was recorded at three different performances with his band that includes Dave Limina on keyboards, Jim Mouradian on bass and Lorne Entress on drums. Nicholas Tabarias guest on guitar on two selections and Diane Blues sings on the rendition of I'd Rather Go Blind. Most of the songs heard here are by Ronnie and members of the band although their is the afore-mentioned song that Etta James made famous, John Coltrane’s Equinox, and the blues standard Ain’t Nobody’s Business.

Earl’s reputation is among the finest living guitarists in the blues. That is because of his phrasing, control of tone and crafting of his solos that is constantly displayed throughout the 13 tracks, whether the opening The Big Train, a Bill Doggett type shuffle with Earl’s guitar coming across like a cross between Billy Butler and Chicago legend Jody Williams, Blues For Celie, which opens with a bar or two that conjures up Robert Lockwood, Jr. (whom Earl recorded with) before Earl takes us on through fresh twists and turns. The tone poem, Miracle, is an Earl original while Rush Hour, one of the tracks on which Tabarias guests, is a shuffle with strong organ from Limina before Earl channels the great Otis Rush, one of the biggest influences on Earl (and who Earl calls his mentor).

Vernice’s Boogie, a rollicking, boogie woogie, showcases Limina, while the group give a low-key tinge to the John Coltrane blues Equinox, with Limina laying a rich base for Earl’s deft and precise single note runs. A lengthy Ain’t Nobody’s Business opens with Limina’s down in the alley piano before Earl sings the lyrics on his guitar with shifting to organ. This is followed by the concise, rocking Robert Nighthawk Stomp, which evokes the Delta and Chicago blues legend with some electrifying guitar runs and a rollicking piano break. 

Diane Blue gives a first-rate rendition of the Etta James classic as Earl sympathetically backs her strong singing and taking a short solo with his use of tone standing out. As good as Earl is, an album of blues guitar instrumentals can sometimes be (no matter how good the music is) difficult to listen to in one sitting (I cite as examples, Albert Collins first few albums as well as an Earl Hooker label for Blue Thumb), so that a few more guest vocals may have remedied this. Not to say there is any fault with any of the tracks on this and the CD’s programming does try to provide variety in material. Ronnie Earl is a brilliant guitarist who plays with so much imagination, soul and fire. Just For Today is the latest addition to Earl’s very distinguished body of recordings.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters performing The Big Train.

Maria Muldaur's New Release Displays Her Mature Soulfulness

Steady Love (Stony Plain) is the new release by Maria Muldaur and finds the soulful singer backed by a group of New Orleans musicians under the leadership of keyboard master David Torkanowsky. In addition to Torkanowsky, the backing band is Shane Theriot on guitar, Johnny Allen on bass and Kenny Blevins on drums, with Shannon Powell taking the drum chair on four tracks as well as among those adding background vocals with Rick Vito adding slide guitar to a track and Jimmy Carpenter and Ian Smith add horns to the title track. On a cover of Please Send Me Someone To Love, a band including guitarist Mighty Mike Schermer is present.

Muldaur's voice has aged and has a husky quality and body that lends an authority to the vocals. Her voice is certainly different from the younger singer who projected an innocence, yet seductiveness, on Midnight at the Oasis. David Torkanowsky has provided settings to enhance her vocals here. The band plays strongly throughout and the backing vocals at times lend a gospel flavor to some of the performances, some of which like the traditional " Done Made It In My Mind (to serve God until I die), Rev. W. H. Brewster's As An Eagle Stirreth In her Nest, and Stephen Bruton's Walk By Faith, are spiritual in message whereas other songs find her give an uplifting dimension to lyrics such as on the opening I'll Be Glad, as she sings about bad luck and suffering and being tired of living in this world of hurt and she will be so glad when she gets her groove back on.

Then there is her nice rendition of the late Bobby Charles' classic on backbiting so-called "friends," Why Are People Like That? In contrast, she gets sassy for the strutting groove of Soulful Dress, which contrasts with Greg Brown's Blues Go Walking, which has a country soul feel. Rain Down Tears is a strong blues performance with an interesting melodic twist that guitarist Arthur Adams and Will Jennings penned. Get You Next To Me, finds Maria singing about standing on the corner, cell phone in her hand while wanting her man to call her number as she can't wait until she gets her man next to her. Greg Brown also penned the title track with a bit more urban flavor (and a reggae feel to the rhythm).

Rick Zito's I Am Not Alone, is another spiritual affirmation. Zito's marvelous slide guitar and the arrangement lend this song the tenor of an updated Blind Willie Johnson song and puts a close to this exemplary recording that showcases the maturity that has come to Maria Muldaur's performances. Recommended.

I received this from a publicist for the label

Duke Robillard's "Low Down and Torn Up"

Duke Robillard's new Stony Plain CD, Low Down and Torn Up, presents the veteran singer and guitarist on a program of 14 interpretations of older jump blues and Chicago blues. It was recorded live with his regular band of Bruce Bears on piano, Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums (and one vocal) with Sax Gordon playing tenor and baritone sax. Mark McCabe replaces Bears on 7 songs. Songs derive from recordings by Guitar Slim, Tampa Red, Sugar Boy Crawford, Pee Wee Crayton, Elmore James, Eddie Taylor, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy McCracklin, and Bobby 'Blues' Merrill. Most of these songs will be unfamiliar. Elmore James' Twelve Year Old Boy and Tampa Red's Let Me Play With Your Poodle, are perhaps the best known songs heard here.


The strengths of this record are the strong ensemble playing along with Sax Gordon's playing. On Eddie Taylor's Trainfare Home, Gordon sounds like a mix of J.T. Brown's nanny goat tone and Eddie Shaw's raspy overblowing attack. Robillard's vocals sound a bit muffled on this session especially on the opening interpretation of Guitar Slim's Quicksand. Tampa Red's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, sounds better, with Matt McCabe on piano evoking Little Johnnie Jones as drummer Teixeira suggests Judge Riley who played on many late 40's Bluebird Record sessions. Let Me Play With Your Poodle also sports some fine piano with a capable vocal although, in my opinion, it is not as strong as the renditions of this by Lightnin' Hopkins, Marcia Ball and Chick Willis.


Teixeira handles the vocal on a frantic rendition of Sugar Boy Crawford's Overboard, with Gordon taking a nice tenor sax solo. Blues After Hour is a nice low-key remake of the Pee Wee Crayton instrumental classic that showcases how tasteful Duke can be, while the rendition of Crayton's recording, Do Unto Others, is a rocker with a Crescent City groove and blistering guitar. Robillard's cover of John Lee Hooker's Want Ad Blues is a boogie that conjures up Hooker's 50's Vee-Jay sides. Its interesting to hear a cover of Tool Bag Boogie, one of Elmore James instrumentals where he did not play slide. Gordon rips off some hot sax while Duke plays solidly in a T-Bone Walker-ish vein.


Covers of Jimmy McCracklin, Elmore and Sugar Boy Crawford strike me as more successful instrumentally as Duke's vocals here generally strike this listener as a bit mannered, although I would suspect some of you would disagree. There is much I like about this, but I can only recommend Low Down and Torn Up with reservations. 

My review copy was provided by a publicist for this release.

Monkey Junk's Garage Blues Textures

The Canadian trio MonkeyJunk has a new release, To Behold (Stony Plain). Steve Marriner (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, guitar), Tony D (lead guitar), Matt Sobb (drums) all hail from Ottawa. They took their name from a comment by Son House made talking about the blues and monkey junk. In relation to not having a bassist, they note the examples of Hound Dog Taylor as well as Little Walter. They had an acclaimed independently produced CD and were third place finishers at the 2009 International Blues Challenge. On their web site their describe there music as “Swamp R&B. Soul boogie. Deep blues. Oh, yes, and bedroom funk. Dark sometimes, rockin’ at others. You can dance. Does that tell the story?”

The opening Mother’s Crying starts off with a driving North Mississippi Hills groove, and the following cover of Hank Williams’ You’re Gonna Change (Or i’m Gonna Leave) has a slightly heavy backbeat with Marriner adding harp on a performance that is a bit more country flavored. While the opening of Right Now might suggest they might be viewed as grunge, garage blues, the starker and atmospheric Let Her Down, a terrific slow blues performance on which Marriner sits down at the organ, displays they are much more versatile. It is followed a nice laid back soulful flavor of With These Hands, while the late night blue ballad While You Are Mine, has some low key harp and organ in the backing.

This disc closes with The Marrinator, a feature for Warriner’s driving harp. The tightness shown by MonkeyJunk comes from playing together for years. They are strong players. Warriner’s vocals are first-rate and they have solid material. To Behold is an impressive release that is should hopefully lead to their expanding a growing fan base. Their website is http://monkeyjunkband.com.


I received this from a publicist for the release.

Take a Sea Cruise With Joe Louis Walker

This is a review of the latest Joe Louis Walker CD from Stony Plain (his third for the label).

One would be hard pressed to find anyone in the past thirty years who has put together a body of recordings as deep and substantial as Joe Louis Walker. Especially his initial recordings on Hightone and then on Verve-Gitanes, Walker has been able to be forward looking as well as rooted in the tradition. Few approach his versatility as both a guitarist and as a vocalist. While his post Verve recordings may not have been on the same level as these earlier masterpieces (and one would be hard-pressed to name a half dozen other recordings the past two decades that approach these blues masterworks), Walker still remains a fervent and quite entertaining performer.

Now on Stony Plains Records, Walker has a new release, “Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm 7 Blues Cruise,” that he views as a companion to his two volumes of “Live at Slims” and the “Great Guitars,” that both date from the 1990s. This is a live recording taken from January, 2010 performances on the Cruise with most of these performances featuring Walker and his band joined by guest artists who were on the cruise. Walker’s Band included Linwood taylor on guitar,Kevin Burton on keyboards, Henry Oden on bass and Jeff Minnieweather on drums with guest appearances by the likes of Mike Finnigan on organ and vocals; Johnny Winter, Duke Robillard, Tommy Castro, Tab Benoit, and Kirk Fletcher on guitar; Mitch Woods on piano; Curtis Salgado on vocals; Jason Ricci, Kenny Neal and Watermelon Slim on harmonica; Keith Crossan and Deanna Bogart on saxophones; and Tom Poole on trumpet. These tracks all feature guests on the performances with the exception of one. A good number of the performances here are of songs Walker has previously recorded, but several selections seem not to be have been previously waxed.

From a standpoint of a fan, the guests add a dimension of special occasion that does not always translate to an audio recording. Also, the performances may take away from the focus of the performances with some rough edges and perhaps a bit more emphasis on soloing. Generally these pitfalls are avoided, and the performances are quite fine if they do not quite reach the level of the two volumes of “Live at Slims,” arguably among the toughest live blues recordings of the past two decades. Things start off on a solid note on “Slow Down GTO with Mike Finnigan’s organ joining Walker and his band (and its great that bassist Oden, a Boss Talker from 2 decades ago is back with Walker), and followed by “Ain’t That Cold,” where Johnny Winter’s slide embellishes Walker’s fervent singing. Curtis Salgado and Mike Finnigan share the vocals on the OV Wright classic, “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry,” which is enjoyable but slightly messy and frenzied in execution. Tommy Castro and the horn players join in on the rocking rendition of Travis Phillips’ Louisiana rock’n’roller “Eyes Like a Cat.”

Kirk Fletcher adds some nice guitar to the rendition of Lowell Fulson’s “Ten More Shows to Play,” but “Born in Chicago,” suffers from too many musical cooks with Jason Ricci, Nick Moss and Paris Slim adding solos for a performance that seems longer than it should have. In contrast, “Sugar Mama,” with Watermelon Slim added on harmonica, is the longest track, but allows Walker to stretch out for some inspired playing along with Slim’s nice harp on a performance that seems to take little time at all. Kenny Neal joins on “A Poor Man’s Plea,” adding some Slim Harpo flavored harmonica on Junior Wells’ “A Poor Man’s Plea.” “Its a Shame,” is the track showcasing Walker’s band and Linwood Taylor is featured on guitar here, followed by another jam as pianist Mitch Woods and guitarists Tab Benoit and Paul Nelson join Walker for “747.” Even if not as tight as Walker’s earlier takes on this song, this track is fun way to close this recording and certainly, warts and all, is a worthy addition to his considerable body of music that he has graced us with for such a lengthy period.


My previous reviews of Joe Louis Walker's Stony Plain CDs on this blog are of "Witness to the Blues" and "Between A Rock And The Blues."





For purposes of FTC regulations, the review copy was supplied by the publicity form for the record company.

Ronnie Earl Spreads The Love

I first saw Ronnie Earl (Horvath) in 1978 when he was the guitarist with Sugar Ray & the Bluetones where they were backing J.B. Hutto at a New York club. At that time I bought an EP which included his rendition of some Earl Hooker number and his wonderful way with a guitar was evident then. In the years since he had a stint with Roomful of Blues before starting his own group, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, initially with vocalists, but increasingly oriented towards a straight instrumental focus. At the same time he collaborated on numerous recordings with a variety of blues greats and had such as Robert Lockwood guest on his own recordings. He is a dazzling guitarist who plays with a voice-like tone and can evoke mentors like Lockwood, Albert Collins and Guitar Slim while also displaying his awareness of the lessons of Grant green, Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery. I would be hard-pressed to think of another guitarist than can play straight blues, straight jazz and them a mix of the two that is so completely unforced, natural sounding.


His latest recording with the Broadcasters, “Spread the Love” (Stony Plain), was recorded in March 2010 with Dave Limina on keyboards, Jim Mouradian on bass and Lorne Entress on drums with Paul Kochanski playing bass on a couple selections, and Tim O’Connor and Jason James playing on “Blues For Slim.” From the opening moments of his take on Albert Collins’ “Backstroke,” to the last lingering country blues styled licks on “Blues For Bill,” one can be dazzled by Earl’s virtuosity yet soothed by his taste and soulfulness. “Blues For Donna” seems inspired by Lightnin’ Hopkins and one can almost Hopkins or Lowell Fulson singing “Lord have mercy, forgive me for my sins,” against his playing as he well spin of a cluster of notes and then a chord and a few riffs. His playing exhibits awareness of the lesson that Albert king that the silence and space between the notes say as much as what one plays.


Kenny Burrell’s “Chitlins’ Con Carne,” is given a lively reading with Limina sounding quite nice on organ and then followed by a moving version of Duke Pearson’s “Christo Redentor,” that was first on a Donald Byrd album. Blues fans will know of this from Charlie Musselwhite, but Earl is really wonderful here with his guitar sounding vocalized here against Lumina’s deep organ backing. This is a rendition that will certainly join the others as a classic performance. The trio of instrumentals, “Happy,” “patience,” and “Miracle,” are marvelous tone poems, followed by Lumina’s rollicking “Spann’s Groove,” which he sets the tone on piano playing some boogie-laced piano before Earl enters with responsive, rocking riffs and complimentary chords and then takes off with some explosive playing. My favorite blues instrumental here is “Blues For Slim,” which Earl builds upon the foundation that Eddie ‘Guitar Slim’ Jones, provide for “Things I Used To Do,” and while he evokes Slim’s playing, it is as inspiration as opposed to simply copying. Earl also gives Jones co-composing credits here.


Ronnie Earl can takes us from the alley up into the heavens with his playing. He can play with grit yet touch us in our hearts and soothe our minds. As Earl’s friend, Rev. Deborah J. Blanchard, states about when Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters play, they “spread the love when their soulful notes brush the hearts of all of us who gather to listen and receive.” The level of Ronnie Earl’s recordings is generally of such a consistently high level and the superb “Spread the Love,” is simply the latest demonstration of this.




Per FTC requirements, I received the review copy from the firm handling publicity for Stony Plain Records’

Ronnie Earl's soulful playing

Here is a review of a DVD of Ronnie Earl live in performance. It appeared in the December 2008 Jazz & Blues Report, Issue 311 (which can be downloaded at www.jazz-blues.com).

Stony Plain has just issued a DVD by Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, “Hope Radio Sessions,” which was filmed and recorded at Wellford Sound in Acton, Massachusetts in April 2007. On these two all instrumental blues sessions, Earl’s guitar is backed by Dave Lumina on piano and Hammond organ, Jim Mouradian on bas and Lorne Entress on drums with special guests, guitarist, Nick Adams, and Michael ‘Mudcat’ Ward on bass and keyboards. Earl has had an extraordinary career, first coming to notice as the guitarist with Sugar Ray & the BlueTones who i saw in 1978 backing J.B. Hutto in new York City. I picked up an EP by the group that included Earl featured on an Earl Hooker instrumental that quickly had one observe his tone and musical imagination. He had also a productive spell in Roomful of Blues, replacing Duke Robillard, before taking the lead with his Broadcasters with whom he backed a number of terrific blues singers and legends. Musically one can hear a diverse group of influences including Robert Lockwood, Otis Rush, Earl Hooker and Johnny Heartsman. What is noteworthy about all of them is the attention to tone and nuances in all their playing, and Earl’s music has always focused on subtle musical invention as opposed to simply banging out hard rocking blues solos. And in recent years, his music has become jazzier.

Handling substance abuse and other issues, Earl turned to faith and his music perhaps is a bit more introverted (although he still can get down and get funky as the mood suits him. The Introduction by the Reverend Deborah J. Blanchard mentions getting to know Ronnie and how his music has the gift of being able to touch and soothe the soul. Certainly at times on this video his guitar and backing band do just that. He opens his performances here with a jazzy “Bobby’s Bop,” with a nice groove and some jazz-inflected playing, before he launches into the moody “Blues For the Homeless.” He gets into a funky groove for “Eddie’s Gospel Groove,” where he calls to the audience to get up and move, before two moody slow blues instrumentals, “I Am With You,” and “Kay My Dear.” “New Gospel Tune,” opens with some evocative churchy piano from Lumina to set the mood. The second evening’s performances opens with Earl playing some charged Otis Rush-styled guitar, with Mudcat on bass and Nick Adams on second guitar. It is followed by “Blues For the West Side,” which was an instrumental originally recorded by Magic Sam, whose playing Earl evokes without imitating, and on which Mudcat guests on keyboards. It is followed by a solo “Lightnin’ Hopkins Thing.” Also included is an interview with Stony Plain’s Holger Petersen and then an abbreviated, skeletal rendition of the traditional “I Shall Not be Moved.”

I found the lack of a vocalist or horns made the performances best sampled in batches as opposed to straight through, although others might disagree. Earl often does reach the heart with the playing here. The video production is excellent following the keep it simple stupid school that focuses on the performers and performances and realizes that this is not for MTV but for fans of blues, jazz and Ronnie Earl. Well worth checking out by his fans and fans of blues guitar.

Joe Louis Walker Keeps a Witness For the Blues

One would be hard-pressed to name any other blues performer in the past two decades who has produced such a body of recorded work to stand-up to that of Joe Louis Walker. Rooted in the blues and soul traditions, and informed by his time in gospel groups, he has been able to rock with going heavy-metal over the top. No one covers such a range of blues at such a consistent high level as Walker who has a new disc, Witness to the Blues (Stony Plain). The disc was produced by Duke Robilliard who brought together a backing band anchored by the keyboards of Bruce Katz and includes Doug James on baritone and tenor sax as well as Scott Aruda on trumpet. Robilliard himself adds guitar to 5 of the 11 songs, which includes several new Walker originals as well as interpretations of songs that have not been overdone (no Sweet Home Chicago or Mustang Sally). An example of the latter is J.J. Malone’s It’s a Shame, that opens this set. It has a nice funky groove with stinging guitar which contrasts with Midnight Train, a rocking original with a tinge of rockabilly flavor in the backing and some guitar with echoes of Ike Turner. I am not familiar with the original of Lover’s Holiday, which is a fine soul duet with Shemekia Copeland. It is followed by Hustlin’, a slow blues whose melody echoes Little Walter’s Everything’s Gonna Be Allright, with a lyric about “hustling my life away,” and contains a fiery solo. Walker’s adaptation of the traditional Rollin’ and Tumblin’ brings life to well known blues, owing as much to Elmore James’ recording as the better known renditions, although Walker’s voice at a couple spots here sounds a little hoarse. “Highview” is a mid-tempo guitar instrumental with Katz also getting some solo time. along with Robillard trading fours with Walker, but musically seems to meander a bit. Walker plays some fine acoustic slide on I Got What You Need, a country blues by him and Robilliard, while Keep on Believin’, is a soulful ballad with a backing vocal chorus. 100% More Man, is a driving slow blues similar melodically to Elmore’s Twelve Year Old Boy, with plenty of driving slide, while Walker plays some high-note harmonica on Sugar Mama, with some nice accompaniment from the band (Katz’s piano is very solid here). This is quite an enjoyable recording as Walker sounds quite good here, although some of the performances meander a bit and some editing would have kept the performances more focused. Still, it is a very good recording, although not one of Walker’s best.

Son House Tribute falls short

The latest Rory Block album, Blues Walkin’ Like a Man (Stony Plain), is a well-intentioned tribute to Eddie 'Son' House, one of the giants of the Delta Blues, following up a Robert Johnson tribute album. I have not heard the latter and wonder why I would insofar as I have found her renditions of classic country blues too close to the originals and often sounding studied, even academic. I have found her own songs much more appealing than her covers. But doing an entire album of Son House is a brave but ultimately unsatisfying effort, as her performances cannot avoid comparison to House’s originals, and even where House had lost his dexterity, the force of his playing and vocals make these emulations that generally fall flat. And this is not to ignore Block being a skilled musician. House’s singing voice was a straight extension of his speaking voice whereas Block’s vocals are not a similar extension of her voice. A comparison might be a New York vocalist singing with so much heart in cajun French but unable to shake a tinge of a newyawk accent. John Sebastian plays harmonica on several selections, and Block overdubs a vocal chorus on a couple selections, more satisfactory on the gospel number I Want to Go Home On the Morning Train, than on the remake of House’s Paramount recordings, Dry Spell Blues, where the added vocals make the track into an aural mess. I note that Dick Waterman, who was Son House’s manager after his rediscovery, has endorsed this tribute. Perhaps some will discover Son’s music from this, and that certainly is not a bad thing. Still, the back cover quotes Blues Revue that Rory Block “can hold her own with the legends who inspired her.” Listening to this tribute, I respectfully disagree.

Jay McShann's Hootie Blues

The passing of the legendary Jay McShann this past year was one of many substantial losses the music world suffered. McShann led one of the last great Kansas City Big Bands which was noted for its blues playing and the fact that Charlie Parker was a member until he emerged as one of the forces behind the Bebop revolution of the forties. In the forties and the fifties her recorded behind any number of blues singers including Crown Prince Waterford and Jimmy Witherspoon (Mosaic is reissuing their classic RCA album) and then in the late sixties and early seventies recorded in the US and abroad for a variety of labels which showed him to be one of the great piano masters of blues and swinging jazz. He continued to perform and tour worldwide over the past thirty five years and in the past several years the Canadian Stony Plain label put out several very fine releases in the company of Duke Robillard.

Perhaps the last McShann CD to be issued in his lifetime, the 2006 Stony Plain disc, "Hootie Blues," was recorded in 2001 at Toronto’s Montreal Bistro, with the pianist-vocalist was accompanied by saxophonist Jim Galloway (whom McShann had played with a number of times over the past few decades), Galloway’s wife Rosemary on bass and Don Vickery on drums. This disc is a delightful set of chestnuts from McShann’s pen like 'Confessin The Blues,' 'My Chile' and the title track, along with a strong blues that I believe Witherspoon recorded, 'When The Lights Go Out,' as well as standards as '‘Deed I Do' and 'All of Me.' McShann still sounded fine at 85 when this performance occurred, especially in his piano playing, and the backing band is right with him. Galloway is very attractive player working within the swing tradition. McShann was modest about his singing, but his slightly nasal delivery, reminiscent of his one-time vocalist, Walter Brown, had a definite appeal, although his delivery perhaps shows a tinge of the years and he still sang and played the blues at a level most could only aspire too. In addition to some marvelous performances, there is an extended interview between Stony Plain’s Holger Peterson and McShann recorded in 2003 here he remembers his formative days and more, which is placed at the discs end so one can listen to at one’s leisure. A very enjoyable release which may not be among his finest recordings, but certainly has little to fault.