McCracklin's Well Seasoned Taste of the Blues

Jimmy McCracklin’s career still goes strong almost five decades after his first recordings. His second Bullseye Blues album joins him with Johnny Otis, Lowell Fulson, Smokey Wilson, Barbara Lynn, saxophonist Bobby Forte and the late Larry Davis for what is billed a West Coast Blues Reunion. McCracklin certainly has grown from the early recordings that showed a strong influence of Walter Davis’ bittersweet blues. By the mid-fifties, his Blues Blasters with the late Lafayette ‘Thing’ Thomas, were blasting out shuffles and minor key blues with rocking boogie piano, Thomas’ cutting, twisting guitar lines and honking saxes ripping through shuffles and mid-tempo blues. A Taste of Blues (Blueseye Blues) finds him in a funky mood reminiscent of his later Minit and Stax recordings as he performs some new songs, and new versions of older songs like My Answer or Yesterday is Gone. McCracklin’s best songs reflect Walter Davis’ influence is his dealing with adult human relationships, while his vocals are delivered with a low key that suggests a certain hesitancy and vulnerability. While Lowell Fulson, Barbara Lynn and Smokey Wilson each contribute guitar, McCracklin’s own guitarist Pee Wee Thomas is the most effective, adding tasteful, scratchy solos that complement McCracklin’s reflective lyrics and tempos. In contrast, Smokey Wilson’s overstated, buzzsaw solos don’t work and suggest his limitations as a guitarist. Former B.B. King saxophonist Bobby Forte adds several fine tenor saxophone solos including a really fine, moody break on My Answer. The duet with Lynn (whose guitar solo is nicely constructed), Yesterday Is Gone, is nice rendering of the lyrics dealing with the two recognizing the break down in their relationship and a hope for reconciliation, as they jointly sing “Let’s talk about our future and let bygones be gone…” The slightly jerky rhythms are those that would be echoed by Magic Sam and other sixties admirers of McCracklin. There is little on this of the hard rocking boogies McCracklin recorded of Peacock, Irma and various West Coast labels. The opening number Boogie On Down, relates not to hot boogie woogie numbers, but the let’s get down and boogie funk dancing. It may be the nature of McCracklin’s songs, vocal approach, or the lazy tempo, but his music has aged very well. With Ron Levy adding organ, and the use of a vocal chorus on several songs, one cannot accuse Bullseye of underproducing this, although there are places like Put Up Or Shut Up, where a lighter touch and a shorter performance would have made for a more focused blues. Jimmy McCracklin at 2008 Pocono Blues Festival Photo © Ron Weinstock Another solid recording from McCracklin, although when his best recordings from the forties, fifties and sixties get reissued on cd, this may be viewed as a minor recording. I have made a few minor changes to the review that originally appeared in the October 1994 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 195), and I believe is still in print. I likely received a review copy from Rounder Records. I previously reviewed on this blog an English Ace reissue of classic McCracklin recordings from the Modern label, Blues Blastin’.

Zora Young's Moving Tribute To Sunnyland Slim

Zora Young, one of Chicago’s leading blues ladies, first emerged in the blues scene in the early 1980s, and was mentored by the legendary blues pianist Sunnyland Slim. She was not the only one befriended by the late Albert Luandrew, who helped bring Muddy Waters to the attention of Leonard Chess. In any event, Zora has a new album, with special gust Hubert Sumlin, Sunnyland on Airway, the label started by Sunnyland decades ago.


The album was produced by Sam Burckhardt, the saxophonist who played in Sunnyland’s band for many years as did guitarist Steve Freund while pianist Barrelhouse Chuck Goring was mentored by Sunnyland and Little Brother Montgomery. Hubert Sumlin, one of the Chicago blues’ most compelling guitarist spent time with Sunnyland during Sunnyland’s stints in Howlin’ Wolf’s band. Add to this mix the terrific bass player Bob Stroger and drummer Kenny Smith and one has quite a band with several tracks having added brass. Quite a band for a session recorded at Delmark’s Riverside Studio in July 2007 with some horns added last year.


And it opens with a bang as Zora tears into her original Bad Track Record, belting out the vocal with an authority that grabs the listener as the horns blast in support. Both Freund and Barrelhouse Chuck shine on a rocking rendition of Sunnyland’s Goin’ Back to Memphis, a variation on Rolling & Tumbling, with more forceful singing by Young. The mood gets a bit low-key on Young’s Travelin’ Light, singing about traveling light and not carrying any load being a bluebird that loves to sing, with Sumlin taking an somewhat straightforward solo as Burckhardt riffs on tenor.


Hubert’s Groove is an instrumental that evokes Tramp, with its funky groove as Barrelhouse Chuck gets greasy on organ, with Sumlin, Freund and Burckhardt also taking solos. Young’s Football Widow, is an amusing number with a melody evoking Just a Little Bit, as she wants to get her couch potato man off the coach and out on the town, with Burckhardt ripping off a terrific tenor sax solo followed by a guitar break from Sumlin. You Said You Were Leaving, is one of two Sumlin vocals here and is one of his better one with him singing quite passionately as well as playing his quirky twisting guitar.


The title track, written by Burckhardt is a feature for Barrelhouse Chuck as he suggests Sunnyland’s unique style while Freund takes a particularly choice solo that evokes Sumlin’s playing as well before Burckhardt gets nasty on the tenor, resulting in a terrific instrumental. Sunnyland recorded Johnson Machine Gun, for Aristocrat, and Young belts a vocal that certainly does honor Slim’s memory. While the song is credited to Sunnyland here, it was a reworking of Willie ‘61’ Blackwell’s 1941 Bluebird recording, Machine Gun Blues. Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones is another shuffle built upon some traditional blues imagery of a big city country girl far from home dealing with her false friends. Till the Fat Lady Sings, is a topical blues with telling lyrics about the mess in her community and around the world set to a groove evocative of Bobby Rush’s Chicken Heads.


Blues For Hubert is a jazzy sounding instrumental in honor of Sumlin who sits this out. Burckhardt sets the tone with his tenor with both Chuck and Freund getting nice solo space. Zora certainly sounds like no one to mess with on Daughter of a Son-of-a-Gun, a hard rocking number with rollicking piano and a sharp solo from Freund. Sumlin joins Young for a closing down home blues, Looka Here Baby, with Sumlin and Freund providing the accompaniment. It is a change of pace for a welcome surprise release.


Young really shines as a strong singer and the entire recording is first-rate. I would assume better stores will have this, but you could contact www.airwayrecords.com for information on how to order.

This review originally appeared in the May 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 316) although i have made minor changes in paragraphing and some stylistic changes as well. I likely received my review copy from Jazz & Blues Report.

Memphis Gold's Sanctified Memphis Blues

The following review came out a couple years ago in the May 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 316). My friend Chester Chandler is about to issue a new CD on Stackhouse called Pickin’ In High Cotton and since my photo is being used for the CD cover, I will not be writing a review although I do think anyone who likes Gator Gon’ Bitechu will like this. It will have a slight bit more downhome flavor. I do hope to post on this blog, the interview Joe Kessler and I did with Chester Chandler that was published after this review was published in Block, a blues publication in the Netherlands. Information on this new release is also on his website which is included amongst the links given.

As a preliminary matter, I note that I have known Chester Chandler for about 18 years, am friends with him, and was at the studio when he worked on finishing some of the tracks on Gator Gon’ Bitechu! (Stackhouse). I disclose this because of possible bias that might exist despite my efforts. While I have been seeing him play shows at small and larger bars in the Washington, DC area for a lengthy period of time, when he gave me an advance of his second CD, Prodigal Son, several years ago, I was floored at how mature his music sounded. I was not the only one. Long-time Living Blues editor, Jim O’Neal, was obviously impressed as he signed Memphis Gold to Stackhouse and re-released Prodigal Son, on the label. And others noticed as Memphis Gold was featured in cover stories in the Swedish publication, Jefferson, the world’s oldest blues magazine; the esteemed British publication, Blues & Rhythm, and most recently in Living Blues.


Chester Chandler grew up in Memphis where he attended the same sanctified church as Robert Wilkins, the one-time blues guitarist and vocalist of the twenties, who stopped playing secular music. Later he started playing blues in Memphis with such legendary combos as The Fieldstones while also serving his country. Around 1991, he relocated to the Washington DC area where he first was known as K.D. King and later after meeting Barbara, who would become his wife, adopted the name Memphis Gold, while honing his music. Many may be aware in early 2008 he suffered severe injuries falling out of a tree (his day job was in the tree-cleaning business) and he has been making great strides since then.


On his new album, there are a variety of DC area musicians backing him, the best known being guitarist Robert Lighthouse who adds slide to several tracks and drummer Pete Ragusa of the Nighthawks. The recording spans a couple years, and while the accident slowed up its production, but it is finally is here. The disc opens with a sample of a symphony orchestra before some slide is played against a North Mississippi groove as he sings I Shoulda Known, a lament about a woman who bled him dried. It’s followed up by Catfish Creeper, with dual slide guitars (I assume Lighthouse and Memphis) with a Dust My Groove, as he shouts about laying on the river bottom like a log and if one wants to get their hooks in him they better lay the right bait on with Jay Summerour adding a nice harmonica break.


Set to the groove of Woke Up This Morning, Do You Still Want Me, has a nice lyric as he asks his woman whether she wants him after breaking his heart and using him. The title track, inspired by a Washington DC blues programmer, has an infectious funky groove as he sings about watch out cause that gator gonna bite you, with some brassy horns added here and there is a nice guitar break on this. I assume Warren Witherspoon, drummer with the disco-funk band, Heatwave, is on this track. My 2 Kcandys, is a jaunty shuffle that is a shout out to a Candy and a Kandy, while Can’t Get Enough, uses the melody of B.B. King’s rendition of The Thrill Is Gone, as Memphis sings about can’t get getting enough of his woman using him hoping that one day she’ll finally see his love.

The mood shifts on a lovely blues ballad about falling in and out of love How I Got Over, and then the groove picks up on the quasi-biographical shuffle I Was Born in Memphis, where he sings being born in 1955 and his folks still burned wood and coal just to stay alive, went to church house staying them some time, and always ended up on Monday morning finding his brother’s wine. Squeaky Wheel, features a nice Jay Summerour harp solo. Lil Lucy, opens with a dreamy backing as Memphis recalls a beautiful lady that used to pass his house everyday and then the band shifts gear it picks up the groove with a funky groove and a funky bass riff as he recalls his boyish fantasy as he asks “Lucy, why do you tread on me.” It ends a very successful follow-up to Prodigal Son.

His strengths are his sanctified-rooted singing, his solid, rhythmically charged guitar playing and the good-time feeling he invests his performances. This should be available from better retailers along with cdbaby.com. Memphis Gold’s website is http://www.memphisgoldblues.com.


I received my review copy from Memphis Gold. Here is the cover of the upcoming album.

Janine Gilbert-Carter's "Inside a Silent Tear"

One of the many fine singers around the Washington DC area, Janine Gilbert-Carter “lives at the intersection where jazz, blues and gospel all come together,” according to Jeff Gruber, who engineered Janine’s most recording, Inside a Silent Tear. Recorded at the Historic Blair mansion, she is backed by a terrific quartet comprised of Eric Byrd on keyboards, Wes ‘Sugar’ Biles on bass, Jeff Neal on drums and Brian Lee Settles on tenor sax on a set of some well known standards mixed with less familiar items to showcase her soulful singing.

A solid Ain’t Misbehavin’ opens this performance up with Eric Byrd’s piano providing the proper foil before taking a nice solo showing his touch, technique and restraint. I was not familiar with Bill Withers’ Grandma’s Hands, with its gospel-funk groove set by Wes Biles on an electric bass and Byrd on electronic keyboards showcases another side of Carter’s vocals on this gem of a song. The title song, from Blossom Dearie’s songbook, features some nice tenor sax from Brain Settles caressing Carter’s wistful vocal that displays the wonderful control and tone of her interpretation here. The tempo picks up for a relaxed, swinging All of Me, with a brief section which is almost a duet with bassist Biles. Carter, matched by the gospel-laced piano of Byrd, is quite impassioned here on a solid interpretation of Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come.


Everything Must Change is perhaps her finest performance of the many excellent ones here finding her on a reflective mood and followed by a swinging How High the Moon, with some nice scatting before another fine solo from pianist Bryd. There are nice accents in his playing and the arrangement here brings freshness to her wonderful take on this. Don’t Touch Me, another of the highlights, allows Carter to show her bluesy side, and Byrd’s solo here reminds me of the great Charles Brown. Nice and Easy is enlivened by its light latin groove. Carter gives this classic a more intimate feel than the well-known Sinatra recording. There are some understated tenor sax embellishments on this by Brian Settles. Settles solos with a feathery tone on both Our Love Is Here to Stay, and the closing Teach Me Tonight, in addition to Carter’s heartfelt vocals. 


Inside a Silent Tear shows why so many in the Washington DC area regard Janine Gilbert-Carter as a ‘local’ treasure. Her vocals are honey-toned, yet full of personality and soulfulness and the backing provided by her band is marvelous. Her website is http://www.janinecarter.com/index.php from which this can be purchased and it is also available at cdbaby.com. For those in Washington DC area, she is regularly at LaPorta’s in Alexandria, Virginia.


I purchased this CD.

Johnny Rawls Still Has the Soul and Blues

Johnny Rawls initially emerged as part of Rawls & Luckett who first had an album over a quarter-century ago for Rooster blues. A Mississippi native, Rawls previously had been O.V. Wight’s band director and the band backed other soul and blues acts like Little Johnny Taylor after the legendary Wright passed away. Subsequently Rawls emerged as a solo act with several albums on JSP (as well as produced several albums for that label) before hooking up with Catfood Records.

Rawls has a new release on Catfood, Memphis Still Got Soul, that should continue to embellish his reputation as a strong soul and blues performer. Included are eleven songs, ten of which are originals from Rawls and/or co-producer Bob Trenchard and from two sessions. One session of from Texas and other from Montana (on which Johnny plays guitar), but both with live musicians. Trenchard and Rawls contributed the title track with its echoes of Elvis leaving the building, but Beale Street is still happening even if we lost some of the great ones and Memphis still has soul. The band captures the right groove, Andy Roman takes a strong tenor sax solo and Rawls nails the vocal.

The title track is followed up by a cover of the O.V. Wright classic Blind, Crippled and Crazy, whose lyric Rawls tears into with solid backing on a solid cover. Get What You Need, is a groover that should get folk on the dance floor while Take You For a Ride, is a driving piece of stone southern soul as Johnny tells his lady they will dance slow in the dark. Stop the Rain is a soulful lament as he pleads to stop the rain that is falling from his eyes, while Johnny McGhee’s guitar helps propel the funky Burning Bridges, about a gentleman one can’t trust and Mr. Guitar, where Johnny talks about not being a big superstar who has never won a Handy or a Grammy but all he needs is his guitar, with which he adds the fills here and takes the track out with a fade. Blues Woman, has a medium tempo rock-steady rhythm where Johnny strongly sings about wanting a woman he can relate to, not one that is into fancy champagne.

Those familiar with Rawls will not be disappointed. There are strong soulful songs that are terrifically played. The emphasis is on Rawls vocals, so those expecting lots of lengthy guitar solos will be disappointed. This is a solid follow-up to his other recent recordings and I would expect it to be as warmly received on the Southern soul circuit as well as blues fans who enjoy strong contemporary soul recordings.


I received a review copy from a publicist handling this release.

James Booker's Unpredictable Keyboard Magic

The late James Carroll Booker III was one of the most unique and brilliant of the New Orleans pianists, recording on Imperial as a young teenager, later recording an organ instrumental, Gonzo, named after a character in a movie about drugs that became a minor hit, and doing hundreds of recording sessions including New Orleans R&B dates, and with artists as diverse as Ringo Starr, the Doobie Brothers and Freddie King. Plagued by personal demons, perhaps arising from a lifelong battle with drugs and alcohol (which he attributed to a prescription he was given after being hit by ambulance in his youth), his behavior was often erratic and his music could be extremely extroverted or painfully withdrawn inward. A child prodigy, he played Chopin as a child, and was drawn to the music of Errol Garner and Liberace. As indicated he played on countless sessions, although made few recordings under his own name. Like his moods, his playing could be inconsistent. While it was usually marvelous, he could ramble on, noodling. The various nicknames he had, Little Booker, Gonzo, Junco Partner, the Bronze Chopin or the Black Liberace, may give you an idea of what to expect. Rounder has added, to the few albums issued under his name, two new albums drawn from over 60 hours of live recordings of Booker playing the upright piano at New Orleans’ Maple Leaf Bar, perhaps his steadiest gig. These provide a fascinating glimpse at one of major piano stylists of recent pop music idioms. Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah and Spiders on the Keys present slightly different perspectives on Booker’s art. Resurrection is comprised primarily of medleys of vocals along with his pounding boogie accompaniment while Spiders is an instrumental album. There is some overlap in the material. Tico Tico and Papa Was a Rascal can be heard on both, although in different forms. The latter tune is pure Booker, as he reworks the melody of St. Louis Blues. The vocal version contains outrageous lyrics including a warning to watch out for the CIA. Booker’s singing is also outrageous, suggestive somewhat of Professor Longhair, and may be an acquired taste. His song medleys often feature changes in tempo and mood. Many of the songs on Resurrection have some connection with New Orleans R&B, such as All By Myself, Lawdy Miss Clawdy and Junco Partner. His use of cross rhythms is reminiscent of Professor Longhair, although his piano playing is more ornate. Booker’s originality will be evident from listening to these. Furthermore, he could play songs very differently at different times. The version of Junco Partner, is quite different from a previous recording of his I had heard. And then he could follow that with Chopin. His versatility, and command was uncanny, leading to the admiration of many including Harry Connick, Jr.. Spiders is all piano and, includes interpretations of pop tunes, including Eleanor Rigby and the unlikely choice of A Taste of Honey. Particularly nice is Gonzo’s Blue Dream, which suggests Professor Longhair’s Tipitina. His solos have some disassembly of the melodies, but his style primarily is one of embellishing the melody. In any event, these two CDs make for fascinating listening, and both have been frequent visitors to my compact disc player. Its been some time since James Booker left this plane of existence. The review appeared in slightly different form in the December 1993 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 187) and these recordings are still available.

Portrait of A Young Mississippi Bluesman

A strong album from the delta area is the Rooster Blues debut album of Lonnie Shields, Portrait. Born in West Helena, Arkansas, Lonnie Shields’ career started in church and also playing guitar as a teenager. In high school he played in a band that did a fair amount of Al Green songs. Later he developed friendships with drummer Sam Carr and Frank Frost. Lonnie’s blues is rooted in the soul-blues as represented by the late Z.Z. Hill, Bobby Bland, B.B. King, Little Milton, Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis.


Portrait has been several years in making and finds Lonnie backed by several different sets of musicians. Supporting musicians include Sam Carr, Frank Frost, Lucky Peterson, Eddie Shaw, and Eddie ‘Vaan’ Shaw who play in different groupings of musicians. The opening Fistful of Dollars (which is never enough, of course) has added percussion which imparts some of the rhythmic flavor of a delta fife and drum band. The titles with Lucky Peterson on rhythm guitar, and horn players Anthony Royal and Dennis Bates (then with Al Green, but also from Lonnie’s high school band) are excellent modern soul-blues and Lonnie really delivers this groove.


The lyrics cover the spectrum of blues themes from lost love, cheating lovers, and hard times, and Lonnie invests his performances with feeling and heart. Strong backings help these recordings rise above more commercially successful soul-blues recordings. I was impressed by Eddie Shaw’s saxophone work on Eight Days a Week and My Baby Left Me. His playing here shows he can play more with more imagination and finesse than the limited raspy sax heard on his own recordings suggests.


A real fine effort.

Portrait was Lonnie’s debut album and this review appeared in slightly different form in the June 1993 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 182). I likely received a review copy from Rooster Blues Records. I have had the pleasure of seeing Lonnie a number of times over the years and he is such a nice person. Fistful of Dollars is often his opening style, and illustrates his hard, percussive style which cause him to break more than one guitar string.

When a Guitar Plays the Blues Beckons Mister Moonlight

Best known as the writer of two songs covered by revered Pop Artists, Mr. Moonlight (the Beatles), and When a Guitar Plays the Blues (Albert Collins and Roy Buchanan), guitarist-vocalist Roy Lee Johnson made some strong distinctive blues, soul and funk recordings that never crossed over. He member of Piano Red/Dr. Feelgood’s legendary R&B Band in Atlanta in the sixties that also included guitarist Beverly Watkins. Johnson made his own recordings , initially during PIano Red’s sessions, for Columbia and other labels compiled in the Bear Family CD, When a Guitar Plays The Blues. This CD compiles 28 recordings by Johnson along with four unissued ones by bandmate Curtis Smith, providing about 72 minutes of music. The music on this was properly licensed from the original record labels and comes in a digi-pack and includes a lengthy booklet with full discographical information, copious liner notes with biographical information, rare photos and discussion on the recordings.

There was plenty I did not know about Johnson including his association with the late Robert Ward and several of the recordings which is evident on the terrific Love is Amazing, which is a musical cousin of Ward’s Your Love Is Amazing, but is a celebration of love rather than a single person that the Ward recording is. On first listen, one might have think it is the same tune, but in any event Johnson’s guitar playing holds up to Ward’s and he is a spectacular vocalist. Much of the music on is representative of the transition from rhythm and blues to soul with a pop flavored Sea Breeze (the flip of Mister Moonlight) with a terrific vocal and nicely guitar that is both atmospheric and crisply delivered. Its followed by a funky groover, Black Pepper Will Make You Sneeze, followed by the searing blues-ballad, Too Many Tears. These early sides are with Piano Red/Dr. Feelgood’s band and were produced by Don Law, who some of you may recognize as the person who oversaw Robert Johnson’s recording sessions.

The soulful Nobody Does Something For Nothing would be probably labelled as soul-blues today and showcases Johnson’s impassioned singing, while the next session produced the title track, a truly classic performance that has been over looked because of Roy Buchanan’s interpretations and other covers, but Johnson’s original takes no back seat to anyone with sharp guitar and a terrific gospel-laced vocal. Another track from the same session, the previously unissued, I’m so Happy, is a joyous soul rocker with punchy horns and a tough groove. The previously unissued That’s All I Need, has him again playing through his Magnetone amp as he does on the blues-ballad, Slowly I’m Falling in Love With You, while Two Doors Down, is an instrumental romp that some might mistake for a Lonnie Mack recording. From this session is the ballad It’s All Over, which comes across as Sam Cooke meets Chuck Willis, with a sax solo from either Grady Jackson or Boots Randolph.

I wonder if So Anna Just Love Me was a response to the Arthur Alexander classic Anna. In any event, this medium tempo soul rocker, backed with Boogaloo No. 3, became a favorite on the English Northern Soul scene. Cheer Up Daddy’s Comin’ Home, and its flip side, Guitar Man, were recorded in Muscle Shoals at the legendary Fame Studio. The former number is a strong southern soul ballad while the latter is a short piece of Stax-styled funk. The last session that is represented here is the source for a terrific rendition of She Put The Whammy To Me, that stands up to the renditions by Tommy Ridgely and Freddie King. Four previously unissued sides by Curtis Smith are included to fill this collection out.

Roy Lee Johnson recorded for Stax in the late sixties, made several singles for sundry labels over the ensuing decades, and in the 1990s another CD entitled When a Guitar Plays the Blues, that was issued on a small label and displayed that he remained musically vital. For some reason, the blues revival of recent years has somehow not benefited him to the same degree as some of his contemporaries and that is criminal. In fact, according to Martin Goggin’s copious notes, Johnson has at least an album worth of top quality soul and blues ready to be issued. Bear Family CDs are not inexpensive, but the music and packaging makes this release one to anyone who calls themselves fans of contemporary blues and soul.


This was a purchase.

Richmond Blues Final Musical Statement By Cephas & Wiggins

Living in the Washington DC area, I have had the pleasure of knowing the late John Cephas and Phil Wiggins. Phil Wiggins met Cephas at a Smithsonian Folklife Festival where Wiggins sat in with pianist Big Chief Ellis and Cephas, later joining the Barrelhouse Rockers, beginning a partnership that would last until Cephas passed away in March 2009. It was one that would be marked by tours around the world, and a number of recordings for a number of labels. The last album the duo recorded, Richmond Blues was for Smithsonian Folkways, part of the label’s African-American Legacy Series and issued in 2008 prior to Cephas’ passing.

It is an album that sounds is oriented more to the duo’s Piedmont blues roots than some of their other relatively recent recordings that included Cephas distinctive interpretations of Skip James and Phil Wiggins’ original songs. The ghost of Blind Boy Fuller hovers over much of this disc as a number of songs the pair perform here are associated with Fuller, including Mamie, Pigmeat Crave, Prison Bound Blues (not the Leroy song of the same title but a song also known as “County Jail Blues), and Step It Up and Go. Fuller’s guitar style is also heard throughout on Cephas’ finger style guitar picking throughout this on performances of Julius Daniel’s Richmond Blues, Big Bill Broonzy’s Keep Your Hands Off My Baby, the sprite Crow Jane, and Key to the Highway.

Cephas was such a solid guitarist, perhaps not quite as spectacular as his friend John jackson, but his fluid playing was complemented by one of the richest voices in acoustic blues that this writer felt had some of the same warmth and expressiveness as Big Bill Broonzy. Wiggins grew into one of the blues most accomplished harmonica players, which he continues to display in performances with Corey Harris, DC area acoustic bluesman Rick Franklin and others. On this, his expressive, vocalized harp work embellishes Cephas’ vocals as well as soars on his own solos.

And while the pair has recorded a good number of these songs before, it certainly is worthy that they chose to revisit some of these, especially the traditional Reno Factory, about the factory that burned down. Cephas learned this from Marvin Foddrell of the Foddrell family of Virginia, themselves quite accomplished although they made few recordings. This was one of the earliest recordings by John Cephas and Phil Wiggins I heard and it still affects me to hear this song so soulfully and wonderfully played. The final recording by two of the blues most significant and accomplished performers, Richmond Blues provides a strong finale to their musical legacy. For more information you might visit the Smithsonian Folkways website, http://www.folkways.si.edu/index.aspx. For “Richmond Blues” follow this link: http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=3216.


Smithsonian Folkways provided me a download of the CD as well as a pdf file of the accompnaying booklet for this review.

Classic Ray Charles Live Recording Reissued With Unissued Tracks

Concord Records continues with its restoration of the post-Atlantic Records Ray Charles catalog with Live in Concert. The source for this was a September 1964 concert at Los Angeles’ Shrine Civic Auditorium and featured Charles and his band that included backing vocals by the Raeletts, Oliver Beener and Wallace Davenport amongst the trumpets; Julian Priester and James Herbert amongst the trombones; Keg Johnson, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Bill Pearson, Hank Crawford, and Leroy Cooper on saxophones; Sonny Forriest on guitar; Edgar Willis on bass and Wilbert Hogan on drums. Charles had expanded from his legendary little big band to the full orchestra in 1961 and Quincy Jones had helped with providing arrangements from his big band book.

The performance here (about 70 minutes of music) was the first after a European and Japanese tour and was recorded by Wally Heider who was a pioneer in location recordings of the time. This release includes 7 previously unissued performances that were not included in the original 1964 album release, adding nearly a half hour of unissued performances including renditions of One Mint Julep, Georgia on My Mind, That Lucky Old Sun, In The Evening (When the Sun Goes Down), Busted, Two Ton Tessie, and My Baby (I Love Her, Yes I Do), to go along with such numbers associated with Charles as I Got a Woman, You Don’t Know Me, Hide Nor Hair, Hallelujah, I Love Her So, and What I’d Say.

Of course its a terrific band (Charles’ jazz piano chops are displayed on Swing a Little Taste) with Fathead and Hank Crawford getting solo space, and terrific section work and swing. And its nice to hear Charles at this stage as he was expanding his repertoire, but had not relegated many of his early R&B classics to brief treatment as part of a medley so we get strong renditions of I Got a Woman, Hallelujah, I Love Her So, Don’t Set Me Free, and What’d I Say, along with more recent additions to his repertoire as You Don’t Know Me, Margie, and Georgia On My Mind. And Ray still was front and center with the blues with the terrific In The Evening, and dig Charles’ terrific blues piano at the beginning. Material-wise, the only misstep is Two Ton Tessie, which was likely from some forgettable show, but Charles still puts everything into the performance.

Bill Dahl contributes his usual insights in the accompanying booklet and the sound quality is excellent. Live in Concert is an welcome addition to Ray Charles’ discography. There is some simply terrific music here, capturing “The Genius” at his prime.

My review copy was provided by Concord Records.

Concord's Quirky Albert King Reissue

Concord Records has just issued a two-disc compilation of the legendary Albert King’s recordings for Stax, The Definitive Albert King on Stax.” It is compiled from a number of the recordings the late great bluesman recorded for Stax and Fantasy although it does not include selections from all of the King recordings. 34 recordings are compiled on the two discs and Bill Dahl provides the informative annotation.

This is an interesting, if at times, curious compilation which includes Pops Staples and Steve Cropper vocals from a Stax 45 from the sessions King did with them (but hardly definitive Albert King), but not include performances from some of the excellent live albums from Montreux and the Fillmore that Fantasy issued under the Stax logo. A number of performances are credited to their 45 release such as Born Under a Bad Sign, Oh Pretty Woman, Crosscut Saw, I’ll Play the Blues For You, Everyone Wants To go to Heaven and Angel of Mercy, but a forgettable Honky Tonk Woman, is taken from an album Lovejoy. The 45 version of Blues Power is included as is a live rendition of Match Box Blues.

Amongst such indispensable blues recordings as Crosscut Saw, Breakin’ Up Somebody’s Home, I Wanna Get Funky, That’s What the Blues Is All Bout, and Drowning on Dry Land are lesser King performances such Hound Dog, Honky Tonk Woman and a remake of Crosscut Saw. Certainly some of what was included might have been cut for say one of King’s riveting renditions of Ray Charles’ I Believe To My Soul, or one of his collaborations with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Albert King is one of the most influential blues artists of the past several decades and his Stax comprise the most substantial part of his legacy. A better selection of material would transformed made a very good collection into a superb one.


My review copy was supplied by the record company.

John Mooney's Big Ol' Fiya

The following review appeared in the December 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 289) and oddly my comment opening this review still holds true as its been Mooney’s last release and its been over four years since this was released. I picked it one of the outstanding releases of 2006 and is still available (although perhaps easier to download than find a physical copy).

Its been four years since John Mooney had a new album out Big Ol’ Fiya, and he has produced his latest on LML Records (Live Music Lives), which should satisfy fans of his unique musical gumbo of Son House-influenced delta blues with Crescent City grooves.


This album also includes the keyboards of Jon Cleary along with the bass of the late Jeff Sarli, percussionist Alfred ‘Uganda’ Roberts and drummer Raymond Webber although Bernard ‘Bunche’ Johnson is on two tracks and engineer Mark Bingham picks up the bass for one track. Opening with a hot groove on 2 Get 2 Heaven, the band kicks into high gear as Mooney sings “I didn’t come here, to preach & pray; I ain’t here to soothe you; ‘Cause you works all day; I ain’t here, tokiss & tell; I’m just tryin’ to getta out this hell.” as Mooney adds some driving, crying slide. The title track follows as thetempo slows a bit with Cleary on organ as Mooney adds some nice slide runs with a lyric about what was love at first sight and how she is on his mind all day long but she left him and broke his heart. Voice and slide are in harmony as Mooney starts Dig My Way 2 China, how his woman left him so low heis digging his way down to China.


Few attempt to rework Son House songs, but Mooney’s interpretations carry an authority that in part reflect what he learned directly from the archetypal blues legend. Here he provides us a strong small band rendition of House’s Louis McGhee, with Sarli, Roberts and Webber providing the strong complimentary backing for Mooney. A Mooney original, Do You Love Me, is another strong performance rooted in the delta blues of House and his friend Willie Brown.


The remainder is in a similar vein and is a most welcome addition to Mooney’s strong discography. For more information can check Mooney’s website, www.johnmooneylive.com which will link you to www.cdbaby.com which is where your reviewer obtained this strong release.

Concord Issues Miles Davis on Prestige Retrospective

Concord Records is issuing this week a two-disc retrospective of Miles Davis’ recordings for Prestige Records,The Definitive Miles Davis on Prestige.” The two discs bring together over two hours of music in the twenty four performances selected and cover the period between 1951 and 1956. These are when Davis established his reputation, but prior to his time with Columbia Records with whom he would produce his most famous body of work. The Prestige catalog of Miles has been mined and reissued extensively over the years, and there are of course CD box sets of his recordings for that label. This two disc compilation serves as an overview of some of Davis better known recordings for the label. Ashley Kahn provides a discussion of the specific recordings and their context in MIles’ life and career at this time.

The first of the two discs covers Davis’ recordings from 1951-1954. The opening Morpheous and George Russell’s Ezz-Thetic (from a Lee Konitz album) carry forth echoes of The Birth of the Cool. There are such famous numbers as Dig and Four as well as Compulsion, with Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker both on tenor (one of Bird’s few tenor recordings). Davis’ distinctive range, most often when he employs a mute is becoming evident especially iconic ballads like I’ll Remember April, as well as on Richie Carpenter’s Walkin’. There’s the first recording of the Sonny Rollins’ gem Airegin, as well as a lively Bag’s Groove with Jackson and Thelonious Monk. It is instructive how Monk lays out during Miles’ solo, an illustration of Miles’ distaste for Monk’s accompaniments.

Disc 2 is devoted to the 1955-1956 recordings by Miles quintet with the great rhythm section of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Jo Jones, along with John Coltrane on tenor sax. Trane sits out three of the twelve selections on this disc. The twelve selections include Surrey With The Fringe On Top, If I Were A Bell, Round Midnight, Rollins’ Oleo, My Funny Valentine (sans Coltrane), and The Theme. Some of these tunes became part of Miles’ repertoire for the next several years after he had changed labels, going to Columbia, and a good number likely are familiar to many of you. It completes this nice retrospective of Davis’ early recordings as a leader.


My review copy was supplied by the record company.

Take a Boogie Woogie Ride With Gene Taylor

Pianist/vocalist Gene Taylor may be best known for his stint in The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but before that he was an important component of that legendary roots rock band, The Blasters. Prior to that he had a stint with James Harman and according to Wikipedia he is currently living in Belgium. That perhaps might explain why the Spanish El Toro label has just issued his new recording Let Me Ride In Your Automobile backed by the Dutch band, CC Jerome’s Jet Setters with Nick Curran make a couple guest appearances.

The recording opens with some rollicking piano on Evangeline Stomp with some ripping tenor sax from Martijn Van Toor and rocking guitar riffs with Taylor’s overdubbed organ adding to the full sound. He follows with some terrific Pete Johnson styled boogie woogie piano and a solid vocal on Rockin’ Little Honey,” with crisp rocking guitar added for a tough performance.” Just a Midnight Girl is a mid-tempo number with a rumba groove (like some of Tampa Red’s latter recordings) and a nice brief harp solo followed by “The Golden Rule,” a rocker with Nick Curran’s stinging guitar has a pointed lyric about he with all the gold makes the rules followed by a strong jump blues rendition of the classic hillbilly boogie, Moon Mullican’s Seven Nights To Rock, with a strong guitar solo from Jeroen Van Gasteren before Taylor’s fluid boogie playing. 

Never Took the Time, is a driving performance with a lyric about a faltering relationship with strong solos and ensemble playing, whereas The Blues For Me has a low-key, rustic feel in comparison with his lament about aspects of modern life. The Walkout has a bit of rockabilly flavor an insistent beat and is followed by three covers. First up is Big Walter Price’s Shirley Jean, which is a nice swamp pop performance. It is followed by a lively version of Johnny “Guitar’ Watson’s Motorhead Baby, greatly accelerating the tempo from Watson’s original into a rocking jump blues with plenty of boogie woogie blues. Let Me Ride In Your Automobile, which dates back to at least 1940 and Big Bill Broonzy. Taylor’s performance derives from Lowell Fulson’s recording (and Fulson receives the composer credit, and has a fine vocal that effectively highlights the wit of the double-entendre lyrics. Flying With Whitey is a instrumental that closes this recording on a hot jitter-bugging note.

Taylor’s originals are solid and idiomatic, his vocals are unforced and the Jet Setters know the difference between rock and roll and hard rock. I have enjoyed Taylor’s work when I have seen him play, so I am not surprised his has put out such a strong a strong blues and roots rock album. I bought it from bluebeatmusic.com, although it is available from amazon and cdbaby, so should be relatively easy to find.

Jazz Incorporated's Hard Bop at Smalls.

Among the latest batch of Smalls Live recordings from Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village is one by Jazz Incorporated, “Live at Smalls. Jazz Incorporated is a quartet comprised of Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Louis Hayes on drums, Anthony Wonsey on piano and Dezron Douglas on bass. Pelt and Wonsey have been associated with Hayes as part of the Cannonball Legacy Band while the Connecticut-born Douglas is new to these ears. This recording dates from August 2010 and is presented in the the attractive packaging Smalls Live employs, centered on striking black and white photographs.

There are six lengthy performances here with nearly an hour of hard bop with four vintage compositions mixed with a couple of originals. Art Farmer’s Punsu opens up and includes strong piano from Wonsey along with Pelt’s trumpet in the Clifford Brown-Lee Morgan vein. Hayes drives the group along while Douglas provides a solid anchor. Among other performances here is a sizzling rendition of Woody ‘N You, taken at warp-drive speed with Wonsey’s crisp and clean playing not fazed by the tempo, followed by some blistering playing by Pelt and a taut drum solo from Hayes. A nice contrast is presented by the Rogers and Hammerstein ballad We Kiss in the Shadow, with considerable warmth displayed by Pelt and lovely, restrained piano from Wonsey. Wonsey’s Hey Jimmy has a nice brisk walking tempo with a bouncy melodic line.

This is a live recording by a group whose familiarity with each other contributes to the strong, cohesive performances here. For more information on this check out www.smallslive.com. It can be downloaded or one can purchase as a CD which includes the ability to download it as well.

This was a purchase.