Watermelon Slim Traveling Man

Watermelon Slim
Traveling Man
Northern Blues

Watermelon Slim's new recording is a 2-CD set of live solo performances of him on vocals, guitar, and harmonica. This album was co-produced by Slim with Chris Hardwick, who engineered these performances from The Blue Door in Oklahoma City, and The Depot in Norman, Oklahoma. With a career spanning five decades and many recordings, Slim remains a compelling performer, even without supporting musicians.

Slim worked as a forklift driver, funeral officiator, watermelon farmer, newspaper reporter, saw miller, and truck driver for industrial water, among others. From these experiences come some of his original songs. Many of these songs have traveling as a theme, including the originals "Blue Freightliner," "Truck Driving Songs," "Scalemaster Blues," and "300 Miles." Also traveling seems a theme of renditions of Fred McDowell's "61 Highway Blues," and "Frisco Line," and a mashup of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning" with Muddy Waters' "Two Trains Running."

Even when performing well-known blues songs, Slim remakes them into his own as opposed to copying the original, with considerable improvisation in the lyrics. Besides his robust vocals, he impresses with his driving guitar playing, especially his very personal slide guitar style. On his reworking of Cat Iron's "Jimmy Bell," he adds some rowdy harmonica. A few numbers like "Into the Sunset" have more of a country music flavor to them, adding to the variety and appeal of this recording.

They talk about athletes giving it all and wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Much the same can be said of Watermelon Slim with his growling, gravelly-voiced vocals, and his propulsive rhythmic self-accompaniment. He wears his blues on his sleeves, and the result is this superb recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the March-April 2020 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 389). Here, from 2005, is Watermelon Slim performing "Smokestack Lightning."

Watermelon Slim Church of the Blues

Watermelon Slim
Church of the Blues
NorthernBlues Music

This is the 13th album by William P. Homans, better known as Watermelon Slim, dating back to 1973 when his "Merry Airbrakes" recording was celebrated as one of the first anti-Vietnam War albums done by a military veteran. It took him 29 years for his second album, "Big Shoes To Fill," which established his acclaimed career. Mississippi Fred McDowell is perhaps his biggest influence, and he developed his slide style as well as his gritty, raspy vocals. He co-produced this album with Chris Hardwick as well as plays harmonica and electric slide guitar. He is backed by his band of John Allouise on bass and Brian Wells on drums. He has guests including guitarists Bob Margolin, Nick Schnebelen, and Joe Louis Walker; vocalists Sherman Holmes and John Nemeth; and keyboardist Red Young. While the guests may add interest to this recording, it is Slim with his strong playing, vocals, and personality that makes this album so enjoyable.

The recording opens with "St. Peter's Ledger,' as he authoritatively delivers Ron Meadow's lyrics about where he might end up in the after-life and displays his strong slide guitar style. He follows up with one of several topical songs, Tom McFarland's 'Tax Man Blues," a strongly performed working man's complaint of having too much taken out of his pay stub. The strong backing enhances his strong singing and slide guitar solo. Muddy Waters' "Gypsy Woman" (with Slim on harp and Bob Margolin adding playing slide) is one of several covers of classic Chicago blues that he avoids copying the original while placing his stamp on the performance. Other similarly strong performances include Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning" and J. B. Hutto's "Too Much Alcohol.' He makes minor changes in the arrangement (no trace of broom dusting on the Hutto number) so that these songs receive a fresh feel along with his powerful singing and playing.

Slim's "Post-Modern Blues," with the strutting horns, has him singing about trying to deal with the rapid changes of the 21st Century, while "Hollar #4" is a moving vocal moan about blues and his own life. His rendition of Allen Toussaint's "Get Out of My Life Woman" with his slide driven accompaniment evokes the early Paul Butterfield cover while a similar funky feel is present on a cover of Gene Barge's "Me and My Woman," the latter tune sporting more fine harmonica. Among other high points include the high-stepping topical blues about protests and the increasing visibility of overt racism "Charlottesville (Blues for My Nation)," with his hope for better days for all. An amusing bonus song, 'Halloween Mama" closes another excellent Watermelon Slim recording.

A received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383).  I have previously reviewed some Watermelon Slim albums including "Escape From the Chicken Coop," the eponymously titled "Watermelon Slim and the Workers," and "No Paid Holidays." Here is Watermelon Slim performing.

The Country Side of Watermelon Slim

Watermelon Slim has emerged as a hot act in the blues and roots music realm. This is the final of three reviews I have written of his recordings from the past few years.  Reviews have been posted on this blog on December 5 of his eponymously titled 2006 release, and December 12 for No Paid Holidays. The following review of Escape From the Chicken Coop appeared in the September 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 320).

Watermelon Slim’s gritty blues-based music has never been totally containable within any specific musical genre, so its not surprising that his latest disc, “Escape From the Chicken Coop,” (Northern Blues), is labeled a country disc. Recorded in Nashville, their may be a bit more twang here and a bit of country joint piano from Kevin McKendree (of Delbert McClinton’s band), but Slim’s raspy vocals and driving slide guitar is a cousin to that of the Duane Allman influenced playing that is sported in some country groups today.

He wrote some songs with Gary Nicholson (who also plays on most of this) such as the nice country duet with Jenny Littleton “You See Me Like I See You,” while he unplugs for his whiskey-voiced delivery of Ray Acuff’s “Wreck on the Highway.” The opening driving “Caterpillar Whine,” would not be out of place of one of Slim’s ‘blues’ albums. “Friends on the Porch,” is a short spoken narrative before “Should Have Done More,” which sounds like a modern country reworking of an old English ballad. “Hank Williams You Wrote My Life,” has an effective lyric and a hard edge to the performance while “American Wives,” is evocative of some of Waylon Jennings recordings. 

“Escape From the Chicken Coop,” makes for an easy listening and should appeal to fans of Watermelon Slim who shows a natural affinity for the material here as he does for his more blues-based stuff.

The review copies of this CD were provided by the record label, a publicist for the label or performer.

Watermelon Slim Takes No Paid Holidays

Watermelon Slim has emerged as a hot act in the blues and roots music realm. This is the second of three reviews of his music from the past few years. Sunday, December 5, I posted a review of the 2006 eponymously titled album on Northern Blues. This 2008 review of No Paid Holidays appeared in the October, 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 309). The final review in this series will be posted Sunday, December 19.

Watermelon Slim has followed his acclaimed album,“The Wheel Man,” with a new disc, “No Paid Holidays” (Northern Blues Music), that sure is to please fans and critics alike. Backed by his tight band The Workers, he brings his multi-instrumental skills and raspy, gritty vocals to a collection of provocative originals mixed with some choice covers.

The album kicks off with some slide guitar the driving “Blues For Howard,” followed by the by the relentless vamp and groove of “Archetypical Blues No. 2” which cleverly incorporates some traditional blues stanzas.” He shifts to harp while the band kicks into a fast boogaloo groove for Detroit Junior’s “Call My Job,” with his crisp machine-gun delivery of the lyrics very effective.

“You’re the One I Need,” with its Latin-shuffle rhythm, is effective with its lower-key delivery. Perhaps a bit too hard-driving may be “Bubba’s Blues,” with a guest appearance from Leroy Parnell on slide guitar. An interesting performance is Laura Nyro’s “And When i Die,” which Slim accompanies only with his harmonica, a far cry from Blood Sweat & Tears hit of the song. “Gearzy’s Boogie,” is a frenzied harp feature that features some crisp playing but perhaps a bit too frantic a tempo, which contrasts with the sparse field holler opening of “This Traveling Life,” whose starkness is broken up by some crying harmonica.

Taking up the dobro, Slim has a playful tribute to “Max The Playful Clown,” which might not be a blues, but is a damn fine song and performance. Its playful mood contrasts with his stark eyewitness protest of the brutal oppression by the military rules in Myarmar, “The Burmese Blues.” Not sure who decided to follow this with his talking blues “I Got a Toothache,” with guitar and foot stomping, but no possible fault can be found with his moving rendition of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “Everybody’s Down On Me.”

There are a few flaws but overall “No Paid Holiday” is a highly satisfying recording, full of some exceptional new songs and thoughtful, yet impassioned performances.

The review copy of this CD were provided by the record label, a publicist for the label or performer.

Watermelon Slim Brings Grit to His Blues

Watermelon Slim has emerged as a hot act in the blues and roots music realm. This is the first of three  reviews of his music that I have written over the past few years. This 2006 review (appeared in March-April Jazz & Blues Report issue 280) is of the eponymously titled CD that marked his breakout as an act. It is worth bringing this to your attention which might get lost in connection with some of his recent releases. My 2008 review of No Paid Holidays appeared in the October, 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 309) will appear in this blog on Sunday December 12. The final review is of Escape From the Chicken Coop which originally appeared in the September 209 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 320) and will appear on Sunday, December 19.

Since he wrote most of the songs on the eponymously titled Watermelon Slim & the Workers (Northern Blues), I assume William Homans is Slim’s real name. I had heard of Slim since Chris Wick contacted me to promote his nomination for a W.C. Handy Award (Now known as the Blues Music Awards). His band, The Workers, also include guitarist Ian lamb and Cliff Belcher on drums with Dennis Boryki guesting on piano.

First of all, there is an authority to his singing as well as his sharp harp and slide guitar playing. His singing suggests Sam Myers to my ears, not to suggest he attempts to imitate Myers, but rather I find his voice similar. He is more than capable to bring his own voice to blues standards like Baby Please Don’t Go or Mississippi Fred McDowell’s Frisco Line, while Devil’s Cadillac, a collaboration with drummer Michael Newberry has evocative lyrics about the crossroads to go with the trebly slide guitar heard here as the Workers provide a light, latin-groove.  

Check Writing Woman is a terrific rocker with some rollicking piano and some fleet Tornado Alley guitar from Lamb and driving harp from Slim, but the band never takes things over the top. Possum Hand is a nice instrumental that displays more of Slim’s fine harp playing. Listening to this disc, it is easy to understand why Northern Blues’ Fred Litwin was excited after hearing him perform and signed him to the label.

Watermelon Slim brings a lot of things to this disc as a songwriter and a performer and has put together some terrific tracks. This gets a high recommendation.

The review copy of this CD were provided by the record label, a publicist for the label or performer.

Fiona Boyes Shines On "Blues Woman"

Australian blues woman Fiona Boyes is as nice a person as she is talented and her talent shines on her new Yellow Dog album, “Blues Woman.” Recorded in Austin, Texas, and produced by saxophonist Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff who has put together a solid band including guitarist, Derek O’Brien; drummer, Jimi Bott; bassist, Ronnie James; B-3 organ and piano, Nick Connolly; and the Texas horns (Kazanoff on saxophones and Al Gomez on trumpet) with guest appearances from Watermelon Slim, Marcia Ball and Pinetop Perkins for a varied collection of performances of mostly original material that includes one cover and some heartfelt songs.

The opening “Woman Ain’t a Mule,” shows her feisty side as she tells her man that he make think of his woman as a mule or slave to his whims, but she has other ideas, or the similarly toned medium temp shuffle “Precious Time,” with her complaint that she has worked to hard to let that man waste her precious time. Her solo is noteworthy in her restraint and her focus on rocking some chords.

She renders J.B. Lenoir’s “I Want to Go,” with just bass and Jimi Bott’s congas for a down the country flavor which also characterizes here “Fishin’ Hole,” with Connolly adding some rollicking piano. Marcia Ball adds her piano and Watermelon Slim his harmonica and a spoken part as a hellfire priest to “The Barrelhouse Funeral,” with Fiona celebrating with driving resonator guitar and vocal a barrel housing, hell raising man’s funeral.

“Do You Feel Better,” is a lovely fifties style pop ballad with a lovely bit of sax and nice biting tremolo guitar from Boyes. “Train to Hopeville,” sports a lively Crescent City rumba groove, while “Got My Eye On You,” a song about her attraction to this gentleman has a ripping baritone solo from Kazanoff. She plays some nice slide on “City Born Country Gal” while her one solo piece, “Juke Joint on Moses Lane,” celebrates the Florida club, Bradfordville Blues Club of which she sings that she can’t wait to get there to have herself a ball.

This is a terrifically entertaining recording full of strong, spirited songs and playing that will have toes tapping and fingers snapping.

Fiona is once again a nominee for Traditional Female Blues Artist of the Year in the 2009 Blues Music Awards. I peeviously blogged about her in June 2006. This review originally appeared in the September-October 15 issue (issue 219) of Jazz & Blues Report in substantially the same form. It can be downloaded at www.jazz-blues.com. The review CD was supplied by Fiona Boyes' publicity firm.