Another Cephas and Wiggins Piedmont Blues Treasure

I had the privilege of knowing that late John Cephas as well as Phil Wiggins who were cornerstone’s of the Washington DC and vicinity blues scene as well as became internationally known for their style of Piedmont blues. The following review was originally published in the July-August 2006 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. It also appeared in the July-August issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 284). I have made very slight stylistic edits. This was I believe their final album on Alligator.


The release of the new Alligator CD, Shoulder to Shoulder by (John) Cephas & (Phil) Wiggins will certainly be welcome by lovers of acoustic blues lovers everywhere, not simply here in the DC area. The two are in usual fine form with Cephas assured guitar and Wiggins remarkable crying harmonica. Ann Rabson adds piano to six tracks while Daryl Davis is heard on one.


This opens when a fine Cephas original, Ain’t Seen My Baby that shows off Cephas Piedmont guitar style, and closes with a blues taken from Robert Johnson’s Walking Blues, The Blues Three Ways on which Daryl Davis adds some solid piano. In between those numbers, the pair rework Skip James recording of the Delta classic Catfish Blues, on which Cephas shows himself to be one of the most consistently able interpreters of James’ music. Another highpoint is Cephas’ Piedmont reworking of Charlie Patton’s deep delta blues, Dirt Road, with Rabson’s piano adding to the tunes flavor. Seattle Rainy Day Blues is another standout original with a wonderful lyric and solid piano from Rabson behind the two.


The performances are consistently strong with the piano especially lending a bit more city feel to some of these excellent performances in what is another excellent addition to their body of recordings.


I received my review copy from Alligator.


As a postscript, while John Cephas passed away, Phil Wiggins stills performs as well as teaches. He can often be heard performing with Corey Harris, as well as with DC area bluesman Rick Franklin. He regularly gives harmonica workshops at the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation.

He Said, She Said Is Delightful CD of Vocal Duets

Grammy nominated a cappella vocal arranger and producer Richard Bob Greene has put together a unique recording of two voices, those of Angie Doctor and Dan Schumacher on He Said, She Said: Duets For Two Voices (Vocoloco Records). The two voices share and split the lyrics, wordless scatting, and provide a musical counterpoint to the other. They deliver twelve delightful and original performances of some standards and even some surprising pop and rock choices.

The things get off to a delightful start on Honeysuckle Rose, followed by Jobim’s One Note Samba, while producer Greene supplied the lyrics for Dave Brubeck Brandenburg’s Gate, and one can chuckle to Schumacher singing about the crossing guard being in the KGB as Doctor sings the more descriptive lyrics about meeting a date in a trench coat. Tanguedia, from the Astor Piazzolla songbook, is a terrific wordless duet with one scatting and the other scats a riff for the performance’s foundation.

The Kern/ Hammerstein In the Heart of the Dark, allows Doctor to sing beautifully vocal while Schumacher hums the accompaniment, while followed by an unexpectedly amusing take of Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust, as they clap to provide a steady groove as bullets fly out of the doorway to the groove of the beat. The playfulness of much of this is evident on Let’s Go Wild, where they sing about throw out the dishes, go out the front door and not look back as they release their inner child. Wordless echoes of Charlie Parker’s Birds of Paradise, introduce the fetching rendition of “All the Things Your Are.” One performance is a trio as producer Greene provides the bass for a trio wordless rendition of Astor Piazzolla’s tango, Milonga del Angel.

A cappella vocal performances similar to this recording are not new, but they have generally employed larger groups that the duets heard here. While the twelve performances only last a half hour, He Said, She Said is a splendid half hour.

I received a review copy from a publicist for the release.

Staples Singers Stax Classic Remastered

The Staples Singers had a very distinguished career prior to signing with Stax, but it was with the famed Memphis label that they obtained far wider notice than simply gospel singers. Concord’s latest Stax Remasters includes the Staples classic Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, an album that extended their musical reach from gospel to message songs with an uplifting messages. This was the third album on Stax for the Staples and the first produced by Al Bell who had signed the group to Stax. After two albums with Booker T and the MGs, Bell decided to take them down to Muscle Shoals and used that famed studio band and then later mixed at Ardent Studios as opposed to Stax’s own McLemore Avenue studio.

Be Altitude: Respect Yourself is the album that produced two of the songs they are most identified, Respect Yourself and I’ll Take You There, which one trusts many are familiar with. These still are part of Mavis Staples’ live performances and were the heaviest hitters of the many chart records the Staples had for Stax. There are so many pleasures on this besides the great vocals by Mavis and family members, the stellar studio bands and Pops Staples guitar.

Rob Bowman in the booklet notes the origins of Respect Yourself, a collaboration between Sir Mack Rice and Luther Ingram, and how Bell made some changes most notably the tempo. In any event, the recordings still resonate four decades later and for those who passed on the album when it cam out can savor other delights like the Covay-Stevenson-Pickett groover, This Old Town (People In This Town), as the message of We The People, have to make the world go round and better and get let things get wild, the Sweet Inspirations This World, and Pops Staples Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ the Superstar), a slow number which obviously alludes to the famous musical of the time. Two rarities are added to make a strong reissue of the Staples at what rob Bowman rightfully suggests was their peak.

My review copy was provided by the record label or a publicist for the release.

Mississippi Heat Keeps One Eye Open on the Blues

Mississippi Heat is the wonderful group that Isreali-born Pierre Lacocque has organized and fronted using some of the finest, if not best-known Chicago blues musicians. The release One Eye Open:Live at Rosa's Lounge, is available on Delmark both as a CD and as DVD.


Mixing in some choice blues classic with his own fine originals, Lacocque has seen varying personnel in his group, but they have always had a strong Chicago blues ensemble sound that supported the vocalists and the soloists. Its hard not to notice Lacocque’s strong harp playing that evokes Carey Bell at times with his vocalized playing and fat tone. This edition of Mississippi Heat also benefits from the stunning guitar of Lurrie Bell and the strong rhythm of Chris ‘Hambone’ Cameron’s keyboards, Sturling Banks’ bass and Kenny Smith on drums.


While Lurrie Bell takes two nice vocals on Muddy Waters’ 19 Years Old, and T-Bone Walker’s Cold, Cold Feeling, it is a wonderful vocalist, Inetta Visor who currently fronts the band and introduces Pierre as “the man who came up with the plan” for the opening instrumental, Rosa’s Strut, that showcases his playing and the band’s nice ensemble sound as they provide that nice walking tempo behind him.


After Lurrie Bell’s fine delivery of 19 Years Old, Ms. Visor takes the mike to deliver Frederick Knight’s amusing I’ve Got to Sleep With One Eye Open, as she has to keep her eye open to keep her man from loving her all night, which is quite a different take than the usual story of the mistreating lover who is way too quick. Guitarist Max Valldeneu takes the lead here. 


Pierre opens on chromatic harp as Inetta sings his Dirty Deal about being “so in love, I could not see he was giving me a dirty deal.” Cool Twist is a nice rocking dance tune while the DVD only Moanin’ and Cryin’ is a fine slow blues followed by She Ain’t Your Toy, where Inetta gives a male friend some advice. Eddie Harris’ Listen Here provides Pierre with another showcase of his harp as the performance concludes in a most satisfactory fashion. The DVD thankfully focuses on the performers with some crowd shots mixed in but not to distraction. The focus is on the music and the performers and let that do the talking.


There is some really strong Chicago blues here as well and whichever format you choose you should find  to your liking.


My review copy was provided by Delmark records and this review originally appeared in the August 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 285)

Mary Lou Williams Music Celebrated Wonderfully

One centerpiece of the Jazz program that the Kennedy Center initiated a number years ago under the direction of the late Dr. Billy Taylor is the annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. At this year’s festival, held May 19-21 in Washington, Kennedy Center Jazz Records issued Walkin’ & Swinging: Highlights From the Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival No. 2.

The CD compiles performances from the 2010 Festival which celebrated the centenary of the birth of Mary Lou Williams. Williams was a renown jazz pianist, composer and arranger whose career spanned the territory big bands to modern jazz where she befriended numerous visionary jazz artists including Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk and even played duets with Cecil Taylor. Last year’s festival celebrated Williams in a program devoted to her music (with the exception of the closing Ellington Cotton Tail).

The recording opens with a rendition of Walkin’ and Swingin,’ the Williams composition that was the theme for Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy, the Territory Band that helped Williams gain prominence. It is one of three performances by Sherrie Manicle & The DIVA Jazz Orchestra and the contours of the performance are not far removed from the Clouds of Joy original. The other two selections featuring this Big Band have them fronted by the wonderful vocalist Catherine Russell on What’s Your Story, Morning Glory? (Pha Terrell sang on Kirk’s 1938 original recording), and In the Land of Oo Bla Dee. The latter number was an amusing original that she composed during the hey day of bebop and Ms. Russell provides a fine treatment that I am sure Dizzy Gillespie would have approved of. One other performance employs a big band and that is Ann Patterson’s Maiden Voyage on Scratchin’ In the Gravel/ Truth. Scratchin’ was originally for a septet and then arranged for Duke Ellington in 1966 and the performance here is a medley of the two treatments, wonderfully scored and played with a very impressive tenor saxophonist (Ms. Patterson?).

A couple of performances showcase pianists. Miss D.D. showcases some wonderful playing by Geri Allen as part of The Women in Jazz All-Stars, joined by Esperanza Spalding on bass and Terri Lynn Carrington on drums, while Carmen Staff interprets Aries, from the ambitious The Zodiac Suite, with the incorporation of boogie woogie and strides in this intriguing solo showcase. Tenor saxophonist Virginia Mayhew transcribed several Williams solos that Mayhew employs in her performance of a hot blues, Medi II. The phenomenal young saxophonist Grace Kelly, displaying her somewhat incisive, dry tone, is featured on the Women in Jazz All Stars as they play Terry Lynn Carrington’s arrangement of Pisces, the last movement of The Zodiac Suite. Kelly’s playing shows a maturity far beyond her years while displaying the influence of Lee Konitz with whom she has recorded with.

This disc concludes with Dee Dee Bridgewater joining the All-Stars for a rousing Cotton Tail, a feature in the Ellington Band for Williams friend, Ben Webster. It is a remarkable performance with Bridgewater leading with a stellar scatting performance with a rousing piano solo from Allen and solos from the others. Its the longest performance here and a moment of musical magic including trading fours with Kelly that ends this terrific celebration of the 2010 Festival and the music of Mary Lou Williams. It is available from the Kennedy Center, http://www.kennedy-center.org/giftshop/html/itemDetail.cfm?item_sku=1023989&categ_id=2003092214202595.


This was a personal purchase.

Celebrating the great blues piano of Floyd Dixon

It must have been quite a night at Phoenix’s The Rhythm Room, June 1 and 2, 2006, when they recorded three of the then greatest living blues pianists, Henry Gray, Pinetop Perkins and Floyd Dixon, with Dixon dying a few days after this summit meeting. The resulting CD has just been issued, Time Brings About a Change … , A Floyd Dixon Celebration (Highjohn) and is a very nice musical celebration that is perhaps a bit bittersweet knowing that Dixon would not be able to enjoy the resulting acclaim.


A solid backing band led by Kid Ramos is joined by Kim Wilson for the performances by Gray and Pinetop and the horns, especially trumpeter Joe Banks, gets space for Dixon’s performances. Ramos kicks things with a hot tribute to Albert Collins, Don’t Lose Your Cool which is followed by Johnny Tucker handling the vocal on Do You Wanna Dance. Gray is heard on a nice instrumental, Henry’s House Rocker, Sweet Home Chicago and Dust My Broom, while Pinetop performs his own Down in Mississippi as well as Walter Davis’ Come Back Baby and Ivory Joe Hunter’s Since I Lost My Baby. Both Gray and Pinetop are in typical form but these are hardly earth shattering performances of unfamiliar material.


The bulk of this album is given to Dixon with a few of his classics including Hole in The Wall, Call Operator 210, Rita and the title track mixed with solid renditions of Cold Cold Feeling, I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town and Caledonia. Ramos adds some lovely T-Bone Walker-ish guitar for Cold Cold Feeling, where Banks adds some bluesy brass on several tracks while Dixon rocks as well as takes us down in the alley. Those familiar with Dixon’s fine Alligator album will undoubtedly enjoy this fine last performances from a major figure in the post-war R&B world.

I likely received a review copy from the record label. This review appeared originally in slightly different form in the December 2006-January 2007 DC Blues Calendar, newsletter of the DC Blues Society. It is still available.

Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith Takes Us Way Back

Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith is best known for his tenure as drummer with the great Muddy Waters. Later he was the foundation of the Legendary Blues Band, formed by former members of Waters’ Band and in the years since has played on numerous recordings as well as occasionally showcased his harmonica playing, an instrument he actually recorded on prior to joining Muddy.


Bob Corritore has produced a new Hightone release, Way Back, that showcases Smith’s harp as well as his amiable vocals on some choice covers as well as idiomatic originals. His son Kenny Smith handles drums on most tracks here while the band and guests include James Cotton (superb playing on I Don’t Trust You Man and If You Don’t Believe I’m Leaving ), Pinetop Perkins, Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin, Calvin ‘Fuzz’ Jones, Bob Stroger, Billy Flynn Little Frank Krakowski and Johnny Rapp.


Smith sings in a very natural, likable manner and delivers the opening Don’t Say That No More, in a very ingratiating fashion while tossing in harp In a Little Walter manner on Read Way Back and Walter’s Tell Me Mama (actually a Washboard’s Sam number, Back Door). He lacks Walter’s tone, but his driving harp playing has its own attraction. Guitarists Rapp and Krakowski generally stay in the background here, helping push the groove along, although there is some fine playing on Woman’s World. Pinetop Perkins is expectedly splendid throughout. Producer Corritore’s harp and Billy Flynn’ guitar is featured on Lowdown Blues and I Want You to Love Me, two tracks where Big Eyes takes the drum chair. Blues and Trouble is a terrific duet with Margolin who adds some great slide guitar.


Throughout this album, the backing band is wonderful whether taking the tempo down or rocking a shuffle. There are no frenzied hyped-up grooves here, just some first class old school blues playing, and some strong versions of classics as well as some choice originals by Smith results in a fine album that will appeal to lovers of the Chicago blues.


Received review copy from either the record label or a publicist for the label. This review was originally written for the DC Blues Calendar, newsletter of the DC Blues Society in 2006, but am not sure if it was published.

Powers' Rocking Prodigal Son

Michael Powers received much acclaim for his Onyx Root recording with his interesting take on the blues mixed in with some psychedelic rock. His latest Baryon release, Prodigal Son, starts off as it will be more a rock vein with the opening over-the-top rocked out rendition of Freddie King’s recording of Goin’ Down. I find the next number, It’s a Bloody Life, a bit more to my taste with an appealing raspy vocal,an intriguing mix of acoustic and electric guitar in the backing and a hint of John Lee Hooker’s influence.


The title track benefits from not being cranked up as Power updates the biblical tale. White Lightning is an strong funky number while Wild Side has Powers rocking out again before Powers evokes Bruce Springsteen vein for the reflective Every Grain of Sand. Lay the Hootch is another rocking number with some nice piano followed by the fast walking tempo of Oh John, with a nice buzzing guitar solo, followed by a some rock flavor on Signed D.C., as he sings “That nobody cares, nobody cares, for me.”


Compassion is an attractive acoustic instrumental with a tinge of country-folk flavor that suggests Powers musical influences are very broad indeed and followed by a bit of hokum on You Got To Go Down, with a bit of skiffle feel with some nice acoustic guitar from Powers and a washboard in the backing, followed by a rousing rendition of the Tiny Bradshaw’s The Train kept a Rollin, perhaps channeled through Aerosmith more than Johnny Burnette.


If one was going to call this a strong rock record I would not argue. At the same time, there is more than enough here of a blues nature to also describe this as a fine blues recording with some nice rock flavoring and if I find the hard rock moments the least appealing to these ears, I won’t dispute there is plenty of gold to be heard here.


This review originally appeared in the newsletter of the DC Blues Society, the DC Blues Calendar in March 2007. I received the review copy from either the record label or a publicist.

Tommy Castro's Commanding Blues Revue

One make suggest that it is presumptuous for a varying traveling blues show to call itself “The Legendary Blues Revue” given that few if any of the performers on it deserve the stature of being a legendary performer. The revue grew out of shows that Castro organized as part of the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises which also included Castro and a varying cast of performers doing some tours as the Revue. While the Legendary is more marketing and reflects the tie-in with the popular Cruise, there are some of the more popular ‘blues artists’ such as Tommy Castro, whose band is the anchor of this revue. This tour has been documented previously on Delta Groove with Command Performance which featured Castro, Deanna Bogart, Magic Dick and Ronnie Baker Brooks. Alligator now brings us Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue -- Live!

On this disc Castro is represented on this the most as a featured performer, while more other performers are featured than the earlier CD, although only for a track by each. Castro opens with some hard rocking numbers from the Cruise, his own Wake Up Call, and Bob Dylan’s Gotta Serve Somebody, with plenty of almost over the top guitar, sax from Keith Crosnan and a tight band. Michael Burks is heard on an extended performance from the Kansas City club, Knuckeheads, of his Voodoo Spell. It sports a solid vocal reflecting Albert King’s influence, a lengthy guitar solo from Burks and a nice piano solo from Tony Stead. Up next is a solid performance by Joe Louis Walker of a song by the late J.J.Malone, It’s a Shame, backed by Castro’s band minus the leader.

Castro is on guitar for Sista Monica’s strong performance of her Never Say Never, perhaps my favorite selection in this CD. More strong piano and organ backing here from Tony Stead. With Kid Andersen on guitar, Rick Estrin provides his own take on a relation gone bad on My Next Ex-Wife. I was pleasantly surprised by the brothers and sister band, Trampled Under Foot with their Fog, that shows they are more than a novelty act. Bassist Danielle Schnebelen is an impressive  vocalist. The old Five Royales classic Think is interpreted by Janiva Magness, perhaps in a rendition more influenced by James Brown’s recording, but the performance doesn’t quite fully jell to these ears. Theodis Ealey takes us down a bit on chitlin circuit with his soulful blues, This Time I Know, followed by strong Debbie Davis performance, All I Found.

There are a couple more performances by Castro to round this album out, with the closing Serves Me Right to Suffer, paying his respects to John Lee Hooker, starting as a slow dirge-like blues before picking up an ‘endless boogie’ groove. Its a fun performance if not a compelling one. It ends over an hour of performances that should appeal to the Blues Cruisers, fans of Castro and of the other artists especially. Alligator also provides web-links of the artists on the cd booklet of the artists that hopefully listeners will explore of artists they get introduced here to.


My review copy was provided by Alligator Records

Lightnin' Malcolm Hills Country Blues Roots

This writer was not enthusiastic with the collaboration of Lightnin’ Malcolm and Cedric Burnside on the 2Man Wrecking Crew CD. It struck me as perhaps taking the North Mississippi Hills groove associated with Fred McDowell and R.L. Burnside in a very limited manner. Malcolm, a Missouri native, who immersed himself in the music of this style is back with a release Renegade on Ruf Records where Cameron Kimbrough, the grandson of Junior Kimbrough, is on drums and several selections have a horn section added.

While its been awhile since I listened to the earlier disc, the performances here strike me as a bit more focused in performance. Kimbrough does a fine job in complementing Malcolm’s vocals and guitar which more than on one occasion evoke Mississippi Fred McDowell. The Hill Country blues style that is the foundation makes use of repetitive, hypnotic grooves that can bore but Malcolm avoids here with his guitar that displays an economy of expression (and aided by Kimborugh’s often lighter percussive touch) as well as his haunting vocals. This is clear on the opening Ain’t Even Worried, as well as the following Stop Fightin’ Over Me with a chugging groove in the vein of some of R.L.Burnside’s numbers with judicious use of tremolo in his fuzzy tone. The rocking groove of So Many Women recalls several of Fred McDowell’s songs such as Write Me a Few Lines, in a most compelling fashion.

The title track is more in the vein of roots rock with some heavily distorted guitar, while the horns embellish Guilty Man providing a different flavor and adding to the variety here. Last Nite I Held An Angel is taken at a dirge-like tempo as his angel has to fly, followed by Precious Jewel with its rock steady reggae groove and horns along with Nadirah Shakoor joining on the vocal. Perhaps because of what might be described as some awkwardness in the lyrics, this is a very appealing track. Come Go With Me is a lesser performance although with a sample dance groove. North Mississippi is a celebration of his home area with brassy punch added by the horns before J Grubbz adds a rap. Foxfire Ranch is a chugging instrumental that builds on a simple musical riff.

There may some songs on this that may strike some as less than inspired, but Lightnin’ Malcolm certainly performs with plenty of heart and conviction here. Overall Lightnin’ Malcolm may be a Renegade but he has produced a solid album rooted in the Hills Country Blues.


The review copy was received from a publicist for the record label.

Steve Miller Band Let's Its Hair Down

The Steve Miller Band has recently issued its second album of blues covers, Let Your Hair Down (Roadrunner Records) a follow-up to Bingo, which I have not heard. Miller has been rooted in the blues (not simply because he covered Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s The Gangster of Love). For example, over forty years ago The Steve Miller Band backed Chuck Berry when Berry appeared at the Fillmore Auditorium resulting in a live Berry recording.
Let Your Hand Down is a nicely done album of blues covers from a variety of sources that feature the last known recordings of harmonica master Norton Buffalo. There are some unexpected selections such as Junior Wells’ Snatch It Back and Hold It, and Jimmy Reed’s Close Together, along with more familiar material such as Just a Little Bit, Can’t Be Satisfied, and No More Doggin’, but why did they have to feel compelled to record Sweet Home Chicago, a song that has been recorded to death and which they add little

Miller sings in a relaxed and unforced manner, if not a deep blues voice, and when the band hits the groove as on the shuffle Close Together, they certainly produce some very striking music even with the buzz-tone guitar. Rosco Gordon’s No More Doggin’, also has a nice groove and Miller rocks nicely on guitar.

Bo Diddley’s Pretty Thing is a nice rock and roll performance with Norton Buffalo’s harp echoing Miller’s vocal while the accompaniment on Muddy Waters’ Can’t Be Satisfied is taken a bit heavier than other performances but there is some nice slide guitar. Better is Willie Dixon’s Love The Life I Live which was written for Muddy and has a biting guitar break. They turn up the tempo on Jimmy McCracklin’s The Walk, that rocks out this album on a strong musical note

It should be noted that the playing on this benefits by its generally understated quality, or at least understated compared to some ‘contemporary blues” which is played much more heavy-handed and over the top. The performances are concise and to the point without excessive soloing. Let Your Hair Down may not break new ground but the Steve Miller Band does an admirable job in these appealing blues covers.

I received my review copy from the record label.

Wonderful New Rerelease of Magic Sam's Classic "West Side Soul"

Magic Sam lived a relatively brief life, yet his influence on blues since can be heard in the music played today. Samuel Maghett had recorded for Cobra and other labels before Delmark got him in the studio to record his first album “West Side Soul.” That recording was one of the Top Ten Blues Desert Island Discs when I compiled the list in “Living Blues.” Delmark has rereleased this classic album, going back to the original analog mix from Stu Black, who engineered the original session. The present release is in a digipak case and reproduces the original liner notes as well as adds Don Wilcock’s appreciation and photographs of Sam from Bill Lindemann.

For this album, Sam was backed by a band that included Mighty Joe Young on rhythm guitar, Per Notini (Stockholm Slim) on piano, Earnest Johnson on bass and Odie Payne on drums (Mack Thompson and Odie Payne III appear on three of the selections). There are terrific renditions of Sam’s “All Your Love” and Jimmy McCracklin’s “Every Day and Every Night,” one of the songs that influenced Sam and some of his songs such as “All Your Love”; along with “Feeling Good,” a remake of the Junior Parker Sun classic and Sam’s instrumental “Lookin’ Good.” Both of these latter tunes demonstrate how it is possible to build a hot boogie blues with a rhythmically oriented attack without endless single note runs.

There are moments such as during Little Milton’s “I Found a New Love” and Sam’s flawed cover of the Otis Rush recording (which Willie Dixon wrote), “My Love Will Never Die” where Sam singing employes a bit too much vibrato and sometimes comes off as too high-strung. There is plenty of strong guitar on these tracks, and the latter number is followed by the vigorous rendition of J.B. Lenoir’s “Mama Talk To You Daughter.” It is Sam’s rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago” from this album that likely led to this becoming a staple of the Chicago blues scene. Sam’s recording is one of the two or three indispensable contemporary renditions of this song.

I have been listening to this since purchasing the original vinyl album when it was originally released. I find this new release sounds better than I remember prior digital or analog versions. “West Side Soul” is among the classic contemporary Chicago blues albums, and this new release of it is most welcome.


My review copy was provided by Delmark Records.

Hadden Sayers Earning That Hard Dollar

While described as a blues guitar blaster, Hadden Sayers is far more than that as exhibited on his new Blue Corn Music release Hard Dollar. He has seen times go from a hard touring musician to personal circumstances that led him to give up music for a period. But he is back and writing new tunes, part of the amazing Ruthie Foster’s band and this new release full of Texas Roadhouse rock with blues, country, swamp pop and Tex-Mex seasoning certainly should re-introduce him to the roots and blues music audiences.

Marking his Texas blues bar guitar with a gravelly, whisky drenched voice he kicks off the disc with his rocking celebration of his home state Take Me Back to Texas, before he follows with the blues-ballad All I Want is You, with a melody that evokes the swamp pop classic “Mathilda,” with some strong chicken scratching guitar that harkens back to Houston and early Gatemouth Brown. Ruthie Foster joins for a duet on Back to the Blues, which may not be a “blues’ song but a wonderful and soulful performance. “Inside Out Boogie” is a rocker inspired by lazy Lester’s Sugar Coated Love, with some rollicking piano by dave DeWitt before Sayers takes a hot rocking break.

Plenty of humor on this such as when Sayers talks about this woman that keeps him living in the Lap of Luxury, or his low-key Flat Black Automobile, whose trunk may not work and uses too much gas with some steel sounding guitar in the backing. His country-flavored celebration of Sweet Texas Girls, is another celebration of his home state. Crush on You is more hard-nosed roadhouse rock’n’roll while the Ain’t Comin’ Round No More, evokes Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor mixed with Sitting on Top of the World, and Sayers noting he originally thought of this as an acoustic number before thinking of Hubert Sumlin. Like other of his songs, this shows his fresh use of older songs and the effective spare but strong ensemble sound heard here.

With some harp in the backing, Sayers has an unusual tribute to Lightnin’ Hopkins where he wants to take his lady on a groovy Hippie Getaway, while Burnin’ Up, is a chugging Texas shuffle blues with a heavy bass line and more harp as Sayers sings to his lady that everything he has she owns as he adds some blistering guitar making effect use of various effects during the break. Room 115, the longest performance here, is a slow blues written for Sean Costello as his on the edge guitar lyrics embellish the grainy vocal, and establish the low-down mood.

This disc closes with Moneyshot, a strong organ trio instrumental, that allows organist DeWitt and Sayers to both shine. Hard Dollar simply is a terrific release.

My review copy was provided by a publicist for the release. This is scheduled for official release on June 21.

Since posting this I have found out that Hadden will be appearing at Hill Country BBQ in Washington Dc on Tuesday, June 7 and Hill Country BBQ in NYC on June 8, in Buffalo at Sportsman's Tavern on Friday June 10 and at the Rohester International Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 11. His website is: http://haddensayers.com.

Evan Christopher's musical meeting of Django and Sidney Bechet

Evan Christopher has established himself as amongst the premiere clarinet players in jazz today. While associated with more traditional forms of jazz, Christopher has displayed a healthy catholicism in the range of music he plays whether traditional Sidney Bechet numbers or a medley of Ornette Coleman compositions. After Hurricane Katrina, he was briefly based in Paris at the invitation of the French government. Among his various groups is Django à la Créole, which is his effort to bridge the gypsy swing of the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and the New Orleans creole tradition. In 2008, they issued their original album Django à la Créole and in 2010 issued their second recording, Finesse (Frémeaux & Associés).

Django à la Créole is comprised of Christopher on clarinet, David Blenkhorn on lead guitar, Dave Kelbie on rhythm guitar and Sébatien Giradot on bass. As the drummer less instrumentation suggests, there is perhaps a bit more intimacy and chamber music quality to the performances similar to that of Reinhardt’s own recordings. While Reinhardt and Bechet lived in Paris for several years and likely their paths crossed, they never recorded, although Bechet recorded Nuages. 12 days after the guitarist passed. A couple of Bechet compositions bookend the eleven performances here, starting with the West Indian flavored Tropical Moon, where Blenkhorn’s guitar weaves single notes and chords around Christopher’s entrancing clarinet lead as the other two deliver a swinging rhythm. The closing Passaporte Ao Paraiso (Passport to Paradise), which is treated as a Brazilian Choro, and again displays Christopher’s warm, woody tone.

The title track was by bassist Billy Taylor and was originally recorded in a trio with Duke Ellington and clarinetist Barney Bigard. Several months later, it was recorded in Europe by Reinhardt in the company of Taylor, Bigard and Ellington trumpeter, Rex Stewart. On this, Blenkhorn states the theme before Christopher enters with a slight touch of vibrato (perhaps a bit more Bechet style on this) followed by a lovely electric guitar solo. A brisk Riverboat Shuffle features some delightful interplay between Blenkhorn and Christopher again, with Christopher’s clarinet evoking some of the charm and heat of Bix Beiderbecke’s cornet, with Blenkhorn particularly nice here.

Christopher’s Django à la Créole, is an original based on Reinhardt’s Improvisation #3 which Christopher says he arranged in the manner of the spanish tinge compositions of Jelly Roll Morton such as The Crave. The guitar accompaniment adds a flamenco accent to the performance. Solid Old Man is a charming performance of a Rex Stewart blues that was originally recorded at the same Paris session as Finesse, and displays Christopher’s warmth, tone and phrasing in his marvelous blues playing.

Evan Christopher at Louisiana Music Factory

Song d'Automne (Autumn Dream) by English composer Archibald Joyce is a waltz transformed into a lively samba and followed by Hoagy Charmichael’s Jubilee that Louis Armstrong introduced in a Mae West film. Armstrong was one of Reinhardt’s idols and in addition to Christopher’s thrilling playing, guitarist Blenkhorn interpolates quotes from Armstrong’s recordings of St. Louis Blues and the famous introduction of Mahogany Hall Stomp, in his delightful playing. Other strong performances include the delightful performance of Louis Moreau Gottschalk Creole Eyes, originally composed for solo piano, and the rendition here  highlights some of the Cuban influences in this 19th Century composition. Féerie is an usual hot tempo Reinhardt original with precise, warp speed playing followed by a lovely gypsy-creole distillation of the Ellington class Mood Indigo which Barney Bigard claimed he was authored the second theme with more lovely clarinet.

The originality and invention that Evan Christopher and his associates bring is thoroughly captivating. I had been waiting for several months for Finesse to be available in the United States and the wait was well worth it. Highly recommended, this is available from www.lousianamusicfactory.com and other sources.

This was a purchase.

Big Head Todd's Well Considered Robert Johnson tribute

Big Head Blues Club is an offshoot of Big Head Todd and The Monsters created by Todd Park Mohr, to help celebrate the Robert Johnson Birthday centenary, 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko/ Big Records). Guitarist and vocalist, Mohr and his band mates, bassist Rob Squires, drummer Brian Nevin and keyboardist Jeremy Lawton are joined by B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, Ruthie Foster, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm for renditions of ten of Johnson’s songs. Robert Johnson was a brilliant performer who died way too young so he has become a mythical figure which has led some to make the incredulous assertion that Robert Johnson was most influential blues artist of all time. This unsupported assertion has more to do with myth than reality or blues history. Call Robert Johnson the greatest blues artist of all time. That opinion can be debated but can't be faulted. But calling him the most influential exposes one’s ignorance of the music’s history (and the impact of others) and ignores the fact that if there was no Robert Johnson, blues as we know it would probably have evolved in pretty much the manner it sounds like today.

I have no idea what is included in the physical CD as I received a download promotional copy, but the music on this is not without its pleasures. For one thing, the renditions of Johnson’s songs are not overly reverential as say the tribute albums by Rory Block or Eric Clapton. As a vocalist Mohr may lack the depth of feeling that a Johnny Shines, Elmore James or Big Joe Williams brought to their interpretations of Johnson’s music, but does bring an amiable, gravelly approach and sings with plenty of heart.

The disc opens with Come On In My Kitchen features a funk groove that is more Hill Country flavored than Johnson’s original with a harp break from Charlie Musselwhite. Rambling on My Mind, follows with an emphatic groove that is slowed down from the original. Cedric Burnside is on acoustic guitar and Lightning Malcolm on slide guitar on an accompaniment not wedded to the broom-dusting riff employed on many versions of this. It is followed by a frenzied Preachin’ Blues, on which Burnside is on drums and Malcolm adding the acoustic slide. The frenzied character of the performance does a credible job of evoking Johnson’s original which struck me as one of Johnson’s most fervent recordings.


Crossroads Blues, with B.B. King, has an imaginative arrangement owing little to Johnson or Elmore James and Mohr credibly shares the vocal with King as Johnny Lawton’s funky organ helps set the mood. When You Got a Good Friend is another tine with more of a hill country fill that traditional delta-styled blues of Johnson with Foster adding backing vocals and Sumlin some guitar embellishments along with Lightnin’ Malcolm. Kind Hearted Woman is a nice piano-guitar duet between Malcolm on acoustic guitar and pianist Lawton as Foster and Mohr trade lines in the shared vocal. One jarring note is Mohr singing “Mr. Johnson” when he could have personalized it as to Big Todd. Honeyboy Edwards may be the last living link to Robert Johnson, but of those associated with Johnson, he is musically the least able and his weak vocal at the beginning of If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day, is salvaged by Mohr’s strong singing and the driving, rhythmic backing of Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Musselwhite contributes moody harmonica behind a smoldering, smokey treatment of Last Fair Deal Gone Down.

After Mohr’s capable solo acoustic rendition of All My Love’s In Vain, the album concludes with a somewhat inept Sweet Home Chicago, by Honeyboy Edwards which does have some nice harmonica by Musselwhite on it to make this track listenable. It perhaps ends this disc on a bum note, which is unfortunate as with this exception on this. 100 Years of Robert Johnson may not be an essential recording, but it certainly is an entertaining release that blues traditionalists like myself and those with a more casual interest in blues, should be able to enjoy.

This review originally appeared in the May 1 - June 15, 2011 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 335). A download of this was provided by a publicist for the release.

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne Lets It Loose

A few years ago I was sent a CD by West Coast pianist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, that was a superb disc of hot R&B and jump blues in the vein of such legends as Amos Milburn, Floyd Dixon and Little Willie Littlefield. Subsequently he has started to play top festivals and clubs, and the Canadian Electro-Fi label since issued Let It Loose, Waynes second disc for that label.


Let it Loose opens with a hard rocking Blackberry Wine, a tune musically derived from Milburn’s Chicken Shack Boogie. Milburn is clearly a major influence on Wayne, who plays strong jump boogie piano that would have served Milburn well in his heyday. Joogie to the Boogie is an easy rocking number with strong tenor sax from Pat Carey. A trio of songs, Bewildered; Let Me Go Home Whiskey; and Memphis Slim’s Blue and Lonesome, provide a mini-tribute to MIlburn, one of the top-selling R&B acts between 1948 and 1953.


A more modern and a funk groove mark the slow, reflective Wishing Well, while the title track is a high-stepping tune that should prove irresistible to swing dancers with its quick, but not frenzied, tempo. A more contemporary feel also characterizes the closing Carry Me Home, which is perhaps not as striking as some of the other songs here.


Russell Jackson on bass anchors a solid rhythm section that never rushes the tempo and Brandon Issak plays solid idiomatic guitar to complement Wayne. Wayne also contributed most of the songs here and his songwriting is first-rate. With all the albums that are supposedly extending the blues, its nice to find a terrific recording that is rooted in some undeservedly forgotten giants of the blues.


The above review appeared in the June 2005 DC Blues Calendar, the newsletter of the DC Blues Society that I edited from 1988 to 2007. I have made a few minor stylistic changes from the original review, but the tenor remains the same. I have resurrected the review in light of the upcoming new Stony Plain release by him, An Old Rock On a Roll that I will be posting a review of in a few days.

Sean Nowell's "The Seeker"

Saxophonist, flautist, composer and more, Sean Nowell is among new voices in the New York jazz Scene making an impact. The Birmingham, Alabama native is rooted in swing, blues, gospel and soul, and has studied and earned degrees at Berklee and the Manhattan School of Music. He has composed in a variety of genres including modern classical, big band and ballet, as well as composed and improvised film scores. He has collaborated with actors, poets, dancers, and acrobats from around the world and served as Musical Director for the New York based Bond Street Theater. He has just issued his second CD as a leader, The Seeker,” (Posi-Tone). His saxophone, clarinet and flute is supported by pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Thomas Kneeland, drummer Joe Abbatantuono, cellist Dave Eggar and guitarist Nir Felder on a collection of originals and classic ballads. 


The Seeker opens with Nowell displaying his fervid attack and hard tone on a hard bop original, New York Scene. It is followed by his ballad playing on the standard You Don’t Known What Love Is, where drummer Abbatantuono stands out with his responsive playing. The traditional Oy Matze Matze, has a klezmer flavor evidenced by the vibrato in Nowell’s tenor playing. Nowell’s Dunavski Park, is an atmospheric ballad with some tart playing , while Jaqmie’s Decision, has a dreamy flow to it and more of Nowell’s hard tone. The tempo picks up a bit on For All Intensive Purposes, on which guitarist Felder help state the theme before Nowell digs in. There is also some strong playing by pianist Hirahara. A lovely rendition of Lennon & McCartney’s I Will, with Eggar’s cello adding musical color, follows before Nowell and the band swings out with an imaginative romp through I Remember You, closing this striking recording disc on a energetic note.

Sean’s website is http://www.seannowell.com/ and The Seeker is available from itunes, amazon, emusic and Posi-Tone Records itself.


I believe I received my review copy from Jazz & Blues Report in which publication this review originally ran (the March 1- April 15, 2010 issue (issue 324)).