Arlen Roth Tele Masters

Arlen Roth
 Tele Masters
 Aquinnah Records

 Arlen Roth has collected a bunch of fellow masters of the Fender Telecaster guitar for this new album. With a rhythm section of Tom Hambridge on drums, Tommy McDonald on bass, and usually Billy Panda on acoustic guitar (or Bryan Sutton), he has joined with Steve Warriner, Cindy Cashdollar (steel guitar), Jack Pearson, Steve Cropper, Brad Paisley, Will Ray, Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Brett Mason, Joe Bonamassa, Johnny Hiland, Bill Kirchen, Jerry Donahue, and Redd Volkaert. Most of these guests come from the country music world with Cropper and Bonamassa being exceptions.

Mostly instrumental, there are vocals from Steve Cropper, Sweet Mikey C. and Arlen’s daughter, Lexie Roth. There are some terrific country romps including the opening "Remington Ride" with Warriner and the lively adaptation of Paul Simon's "Mrs. Robinson" with Albert Lee." Similar selections include perhaps the over-the-top interpretation of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" with Cindy Cashdollar's steel guitar adding atmosphere and the cover of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" with Jerry Donahue and a vocal from Sweet Mikey C.

There are many other pleasures, including Roth's marvelous duet with Bill Kirchen, "Tuff Tele," along with Jack Pearson's blues-rock rendition of "Key To The Highway." Pearson is a pretty fair singer as shown on his own "I Can Fix It." Steve Cropper and Hambridge wrote, "White Lightning" with a fair, at best, Cropper vocal but with plenty of solid guitar. "Satisfied Mind" is a lovely guitar duet by Roth with Vince Gill while Roth's rendition of "Tennessee Waltz" has a precious vocal from his daughter Lexie. There is a highly charged revival of Link Wray's "Rumble" by Arlen and Will Ray while the trio of Bonamassa, Roth, and Pearson get down for "Joe's Blues," a number in the spirit of Albert Collins. Roth's "Funky Mama" with Jack Hiland is dedicated to Danny Gatton and provide the appropriate guitar fireworks here.

With 16 tracks and an hour and a quarter of hot guitar, Arlen Roth has put together a memorable release for country music and roots music guitar lovers.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the May-June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384). Here is Arlen with Duke Robillard (who is not on this CD) and Cindy Cashdollar performing.

Brothers Brown Dusty Road

Brothers Brown
Dusty Road
Funky Joint Records

A new roots rock band, Brothers Brown brings together a variety of blues, country, soul, jazz and other musical elements for a musical experience that might suggest The Band (although they are not on The Band's level). The Brothers Brown are fronted by two musicians named Paul Brown, one is a double Grammy winning producer, guitarist, singer and songwriter from Los Angeles and the other is a Grammy nominated producer, keyboardist and songwriter based in Nashville. The band is completed by a virtuosic rhythm section that also calls Nashville home: bassist David Santos and drummer Peter Young. They have just issued "Dusty Road" on Funky Joint Records that is distributed by Larry Carlton's 335 Records.

There is plenty to like about this recording. Guitarist-singer Brown has an appealing voice with a bit of grain, with his relaxed delivery combining with the nicely paced backing. His bluesy guitar is complemented by the keyboardist Brown whose greasy playing contrasts with the effective, sparse guitar leads and a terrific rhythm duo. A particular favorite track is the low-key "Love Sake" as Brown asks his women to tell him the truth and be real, and don't show him love just for love's sake, and one of these days things will come back to her, with a terrific organ solo and a brief jazz-inflected break.

When guitarist Brown gets to showcase his playing as on "When All Is Said And Done," where his prickly tone, use of space and his construction of his solo stands out while the organ adds some greasy accents. "Can't Outrun The Blues" also benefits from guitarist Brown's restrained vocals and guitar and even if the organist Brown plays with a bit more heat and adding swells of sound to the performance, there is a delightful relaxed qualities to these performances. Bassist Santos takes the vocal on the country-tinged "The River," a song about a journey through aging, love, solace and the quest for joy.

Its a refreshing to listen to such a nicely constructed release with solid original songs that are sung with warmth, feeling and restraint, and marvelously played with thoughtful soloing and solid ensemble playing. Brothers Brown's "Dusty Road" is a real good, delightful roots stew of blues, country, and more.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 365). Here is a video for this album.

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat Live at the Kessler

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat
Live at the Kessler
Underworld Records

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat is a Dallas Texas blues-infused rock and roll and roots band based out of Dallas, Texas. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Suhler and the and have been together over two decades and had four albums on Lucky Seven and two prior ones on underworld while Suhler had a solo acoustic release on Topcat. The band includes Jim Suhler (guitar, vocals), Chris Alexander (bass, vocals), Shawn Phares (keyboards) and Beau Chadwell (drums, percussion). On the new release, "Live at the Kessler" they are joined by Tim Alexander on keyboards and Tex Lovera on cigar box guitar. Heard on these live performances from the Dallas venue are 13 songs that originally appeared on the studio albums, "Panther Burn," "Tijuana Bible," "Bad Ju Ju" and the solo acoustic "Dirt Road," plus two new songs, “Doin’ the Best I Can” and “Reverie.”

There is plenty to like from Suhler's straight-forward, heartfelt vocals along with his strong guitar playing that is crisp and focused, leading one to understand why he plays lead guitar with George Thorogood. His band provides tight, well-paced backing adding to the enjoyment of the songs which range from strong rollicking original blues shuffles like "I Declare" and the rollicking "Scattergun" (with some solid slide guitar); the slide-drenched blues-rock of "Panther Burn"; the gritty rootsy depiction of a border city in "Tijuana Bible"; the wistful bluesy feel of "Deja Blue" (with some Tex-Mex flavored accordion in the backing); the Traveling Wilbury's feel of his celebration of the Gulf Coast in "Texassippi"; and his affectionate tribute to Lightnin' Hopkins, "Po' Lightnin'."

There is not a poor moment in "Live at the Kessler," and so good to hear Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat still doing it so well today.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared originally in the September- October 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here is a video of Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat performing.