Charlie Musselwhite Visits The Juke Joint Chapel

Over 45 years ago a young Charlie Musselwhite recorded his first album for Vanguard Records. His career that has found him become an elder statesman of the Chicago styled blues which has found him playing with so many legends of the music, exploring Brazilian music (and incorporating aspects of such music in his own) as well as leave a legacy of over twenty albums. His latest album is Juke Joint Chapel on his own Henrietta Records label. This was recorded at The Shack Up Inn, on Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi and had him with a band including guitarist Matt Stubbs, bassist Mike Phillips and drummer June Core (an alumnus of the late Robert Lockwood Jr’s Band).

Its a fine band that plays with a rootsy, idiomatic approach. June Core’s drumming is particularly noteworthy, but it is Musselwhite himself who sings and plays with a vigor that has not been apparent on some of his recent recordings. On those his vocals conveyed a sense of world-weariness to some extent and his harp playing was somewhat more evocative of the second Sonny Boy Williamson. Here his vocals are a bit more direct and his harp playing has a bot harder sound. This is apparent in the opening rendition of Eddie Taylor’s Bad Boy, as well as his reprisal of Shakey Jake’s Roll Your Money Maker, with Stubbs evoking Magic Sam’s guitar playing and Phillips providing a backing vocal.

There is a strong cover of Little Walter’s It Ain’t Right, that brings back memories of Musselwhite's forty year old albums on Arhoolie, and his Blues Overtook Me as he sings about how the blues took over when he was a child. Another Musselwhite original, Strange Land, has a lyric about getting lost and having to find his way set against a rocking Catfish Blues groove. Stubbs crisp, trebly playing is quite effective, and Core again displays his ability to push the groove and add interesting accents in a manner few blues drummers do today. Another choice original is Feel It in Your Heart where he takes us on his journey to Brazil as he celebrate show music can bring us together with a driving groove that has a Brazilian accent. 

The album closes with Duke Pearson’s Cristo Redentor, originally recorded by Donald Byrd and covered by Musselwhite on his debut album. It remains a showpiece for him and his nuanced playing evidences not simply his virtuosity, but his good taste. The location recording quality is fine so that Musselwhite and his fine band sound almost like this was a studio recording. The result, Juke Joint Chapel, may be one of Musselwhite’s finest recordings in some time.

I received my review copy from a publicist for the release. It is available from cdbaby.com and Charlie's website, http://www.charliemusselwhite.com. Here Charlie performs Blues Overtook Me. 

Planet D Nonet Rays Of The Sun

The Planet D Nonet is a Detroit based big little band that plays a range of music form jump blues to repertoire jazz performances. The music of Sun Ra has been one of the sources that they mined in the past, and they were joined at the end of the last year by trumpeter Michael Ray, an alumni of Sun Ra's Arkestra, who has continued to play Sun Ra's music in his own groups. The result is a new album Rays of the Sun on Eastlawn Records that provides new interpretations of Sun Ra's repertoire.

The origin of this recording happened when drummer RJ Spangler, one of the leaders of Planet D heard from Michael that he would be in Detroit. It was recorded at bassist Joel Peterson’s place, Trinosophies, and recorded (in Spangler’s words) “in the style of a Grateful Dead taper,” given a small budget. Co-leader trumpeter James O’Donnell and trombonist John Paxton have also known Ray for a number of years. Ray apparently fit in well with the Nonet and the band either played Joshua James arrangements or Rob E. Cohen’s transcriptions. 

Joshua James is one of the stand-out players here on baritone and soprano saxophonists as well as clarinet and bass clarinet. Mention also must be made of the keyboards of Mike Malis and Daniel Bennett’s clarinet. Ray is of course playing familiar music (some of which he also plays in his own Kosmic Krewe) and contributes some lead vocals as the rhythm section percolates in support of the marvelous interplay amongst the horns and some nice soloing. While there are some chanting, it is briefer than one might experience during Sun Ra’s live performances which were very theatrical in addition to musical.

The music here is more of Sun Ra’s cosmic 1960s and 1970s mode with a bit less focus on some of the more Tadd Dameron-ish bop stylings of Sun Ra’s fifties band or Sun Ra’s revisiting of classic Fletcher Henderson arrangements that the prior East Lawn recording of Sun Ra’s music We Travel The Spaceways. The band sounds pretty solid and plays they interstellar numbers with a real feel for Sun Ra’s own performances (that have been well documented) although the sound lacks some bite (likely a result of how it was recorded) which is the only quibble with this production. It should be noted that poet John Sinclair recites one of Sun Ra’s poems for a bonus performance of There is Change in the Air. This can be obtained from http://cdbaby.com and more information can be found on http://www.eastlawnrecords.com.

I received my review copy from Eastlawn Records. Here is the Planet D Nonet playing some Sun Ra.

Aaron Moore - Boot ‘Em Up!

Delmark Records posted in Facebook that pianist Aaron Moore has passed away. Here is my review of his Delmark album, Boot ‘Em Up!, that was published in the November/December 1999 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 242). 
Chicago pianist Aaron Moore worked with many legendary artists in Chicago’s scene, but did not appear on record until recently. Delmark has issued Boot ‘Em Up! This is a lively album of original traditionally based piano blues, all written by Mr. Moore. He is supported by James Wheeler on guitar, Robert Stroger on bass and Willie Smith on drums. Roosevelt Sykes and Memphis Slim are Moore’s most obvious influences, and he does suggest somewhat the late Mr. Sykes, if he is not quite of the level of that master. He reworks traditional blues melodies and themes in a fresh way. For example, You Look So Good to Me bears some resemblance to Jimmy Reed’s Take Some Insurance Out, while the rocking title track seems related to several of Sykes’ uptempo romps and Real Thrown Down reworks the Down Home Blues melody. The rhythm section keeps a propulsive swinging beat, and James Wheeler adds nifty guitar fills and breaks. This contributes to the attractiveness of Moore’s unpretentious, genuine performances here.

Chico Hamilton's Joyous Shout

CHICO HAMILTON 

Juniflip

Believe

Sixth Avenue Romp Heritage 

JOYOUS SHOUT RECORDS

Its been quite a career for the masterful drummer Chico Hamilton who, on the occasion of his 85th Birthday, had four CDs issued on the Joyous Shout label. A Los Angeles native he started on clarinet and played in a high school band with Ernie Royal, Jack Kelso, Charles Mingus and Dexter Gordon and played in such bands as T-Bone Walker, Floyd Ray, Lorenzo Flennoy, Lester Young, and Lionel Hampton. During Army Service in World War 11 studied under Jo Jones and joined Lena Horne in 1948.

He played with Charlie Barnett, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Billie Holiday including the Carnegie Hall Concert and later formed his first quartet with Gerry Mulligan and recorded first album as a leader with Pacific Jazz in 1955. A pioneer in chamber jazz he formed an unusual quintet in 1955 with cello, flute, guitar, bass and drums which acquired national following. The quintet’s original personnel included Buddy Collette and Jim Hall. His bands served as an incubator for other talent like Eric Dolphy, Charles Lloyd, Gabor Szabo, Larry Coryell and others. He has been honored as a JazzMaster and remains a vital musician and leader with these four different celebrations of his musical career.

All four discs feature his “Euphoria” group with Cary DeNigris on guitar, Paul Ramsey on bass, Evan Schwam on flute, tenor & soprano saxes, Karolina Strassmayer on flute, alto & soprano saxes, Andrew Hadro on flute, alto & baritone saxes, and Jeremy Carlstedt on percussion.

The first release is Juniflip with guest appearances by the late Arthur Lee of the rock group Love (who shared bills with Hamilton in the sixties), actor-vocalist Bill Henderson and Hamilton alumni, trombonist Georgo Bohanon and bass trombonist Jimmy Cheatham, who augment the Euphoria group and add to the chamber group flavor of the band on the five tracks they appear. On the opening Mr. Hamilton, with its swinging blues groove, they riff behind Eric Schwam’s tenor solo and the horns all add color behind Paul Ramsey’s bass guitar solo. Karolina Strassmeyer opens on flute for A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That, a Hamilton composition that opens with a moody feel before Hamilton picks up the tempo and the trombones trade fours with the saxophones riffing in support. Its marvelous hearing Hamilton driving the band without getting obtrusive and Bohanon sounds very strong here. Vocalist Henderson, evoking Joe Williams, is initially backed by Hamilton for the first few lines of Ain’t She Sweet, then joined by the band on a fresh arrangement of the song that features Henderson scatting with Schwam providing a responsive foil, while his other feature is the standard best known from the big band era, Don’t Be That Way. Again a nice arrangement from Hamilton with the song opening as a duet between Henderson and DeNigris which then shifts into a bossa groove. The old Georgie Fame hit ’Yeah is redone and dedicated to Carlos Santana with a bit more swing (not that the original did not swing) with Cheatham’s bass trombone singing the melody to kick this number off. Lee is heard on What’s Your Story Morning Glory, which was recorded by Saunders King and likely heard growing up by the veteran Hamilton. It opens up with nice guitar from DeNigris which is punctuated by some effectively placed Horn riffs. More storming tenor from Schwam before the tempo slows down for DeNigris’ guitar on Cary’s Footsteps.

Believe, the second release, features guest vocals from the great Fontella Bass as well as trombonist Bohanon, who appears to supplement the playing of Euphoria on several numbers. The opening Evans-ville sports nice bossa groove underlying a flighty flute opening with Bohanon’s trombone adding sum funk before a funky middle section which provides Schwam space for some gritty sax before the closing light bossa groove with more interplay between flute and sax. Bass handles the vocal on Love Me A Long, Long Time, a nice walking blues groove with bebop touches in the vocal and the arrangement of a staple of Gerald Wilson’s Orchestra. ’My Brother Don and My Brother Bernie are Hamilton’s tributes to his brothers and feature more solid ensemble work and soloing. The latter number opens as a languid ballad before hitting a samba groove with Bohanon sweetly taking it home. Bass also sings on Baby Won’t You Please Go Home, which was part of the influential Jimmy Lunceford Band’s repertoire. The opening chorus has just Bass backed by bassist Ramsey with Hamilton and guitarist DeNigris jumping in for the second verse and Schwam adds tenor starting with the third verse. The other Bass vocal is a fine gospel selection, Believe in Him. Ramsey’s bass line for Alive evokes one of Jimi Hendrix’s recording before Schwam lays down some tenor funk. Hamilton and Eurphoria salute the Who on The Kids Are Alright, another delightful indication of Hamilton’s marvelous eclecticism.

Sixth Avenue Romp (referring to Hamilton’s home until he moved to New York in the sixties) is a bit more slanted towards classic rhythm and blues with Shuggie Otis guesting on T-Bone Walker’s Strollin’ With Bone; vocalist Brenna Bavis and Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe are on a very soulful rendition of Smokey Robinson’s You Really Gotta Hold on Me; and trumpeter Jon Faddis is on muted trumpet and sings on Billy Strayhorn’s immortal Take the A Train. Junior Walker’s Cleo’s Mood and Cleo’s Back provide some gutbucket sax and show Hamilton’s ability to play funky yet still swing, while Hamilton’s high hat and cymbal work help kick off the Basie chestnut Topsy. Hamilton and Euphoria provide a fittingly somber cast to Bill Wither’s Ain’t No Sunshine with the horn voicings adding to the feel, while they get the groove going on the Booker T & the MG’s Chicken Pox. The variety here is illustrated by I’m Still Thirsty (Chico’s Accordion Dub), which has a Central American flavor to it and its repeated riff will certainly get the dance floor full.

Heritage is the final CD in this excellent series of recordings. Bohanon adds his signature playing to this disc as does vocalist Marya Lawrence, daughter of former Hamilton band member Arnie Lawrence. This disc finds Chico looking back to his formative influences, Chicano Heritage, as well as several tributes by Hamilton to some of his musical alumni and associates, including Arnie Lawrence (on One for Arnie), Gerry Mulligan (on Mulligan Stew) and Gabor Szabo (on One for Gabor). Marya Lawrence brings a slinky innocence to I Got a Right to Sing the Blues, whose arrangement is based on that of the Gerald Wilson Band and Bohanon channels the blues once more. Her rendition of Love Me or Leave Me, is inspired by Lena Horne’s recording, whose group at the time included Hamilton. There are three Gerald Wilson originals performed including the hot latin-groove of Viva Tirado whose opening sounds like it might have been on a Santana recording from three decades back with DeNigris superb early on this one before Bohanon takes off, and Blues for Yna Yna is another impressive feature for saxophonist Schwam. Hamilton himself takes the vocal with quite a bit of charm on Billy Strayhorn’s marvelous ballad, Something to Live For, with marvelous guitar by DeNigris in support, that conclude this series of recordings on the high level of the earlier releases.

The consistency of these recordings and the continued high level of Hamilton’s playing, show that his music continues to offer us so much. 

This review was originally published in the January-February 2007 issue of the Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 290). I have posted it in memory of this jazz legend who recently passed away. These recordings should still be available (and available as downloads).

Lou Pride Finds Ain’t No More Love In This House.

There is a bittersweet feeling Severn Records’ David Earl expresses in his brief liner notes to his label’s release of the final recording by the late soul-singer Lou Pride, Ain’t No More Love In This House. While he has great joy in releasing this final recording by Pride for his fans a year after he passed away, Earl notes “Maybe as the years go by I will be able to listen as [his loyal fans] will.”

Like recent Severn releases, this is handsomely produced with an excellent studio band of guitarist Johnny Moeller, keyboard whiz Benjie Porecki, bassist Steve Gomes and drummer Robb Stupka. Trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse arranged and conducted the punchy horn section and the backing vocals are well integrated into the recordings. What a marvelous recording this is with memorable originals and choice covers, excellent musicianship and Pride being in top form.

One of the themes of the songs are marriages and relationships breaking apart such as the title song that Pride penned where he comes home to discover that his wife has moved out and left a note that Pride hadn't done anything wrong, just that she found another. Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast has a similar theme with his marriage is over and as he is leaving his child cries for him not to leave. I Didn’t Take Your Woman is a wonderful recasting of an Ann Peebles recording as Pride tells a man that he didn’t take the man’s woman, rather it was the man's his failure to take care of her. It is set against a smoldering backing in the manner of classic Willie Mitchell productions for Hi Records.

Take It Slow is a marvelous slow jam, soul ballad, while She Boom Boom Me is a blues with Moeller playing sizzling guitar with riffing horns in support. Here Pride sings about his Mississippi woman and whom he has a special package for delivery (maybe a mojo or black cat bone or maybe her ya ya that Lou just can’t leave alone). I’m Gotta Move On Up is an strong uptown reworking of a 45 odd year old Luther Allison recording that Pride nails with his controlled, yet fervent, vocal. Pride’s lovely We Can Do What We Want, is listed as a duet with Caleb Green. Knowing Caleb Green from his singing the National Anthem at Washington, DC sporting events, I would never have guessed that was Green's falsetto providing harmony here.

The closing interpretation of the Simply Red pop hit Holding Back The Tears sounds like it was from a classic R&B album from the seventies. It fits in seamlessly with the other songs on this recording. Fans of Bobby Bland, Artie 'Blues Boy' White and the like will love this. Lou Pride may be gone but his music more than lingers on and Ain’t No More Love In This House, stands up as amongst the finest soul recordings of the past couple decades.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a clip of Lou in performance from the Severn Records 10th Anniversary Show.

Bobby Parker Watched His Step

While I have posted this review before, here is my 20 year old review of Bobby Parker's first Black Top album, Bent Out of Shape from 1993. It originally appeared in the March 1993 Jazz & Blues Report (and undoubtedly in the Dc Blues Society's newsletter at around that time. The album currently is out-of-print on CD but one may be able to locate it on ebay or from blues music vendors. Downloads of the album are available on itunes and amazon. To these ears, Bobby's two Black Top albums are as good as any blues albums of the past two decades. It is unfortunate he never had another CD issued but there is a DVD of him live at Montreux that is part of the DVD set from 2003 that is representative of his live performances. I mention that Santana not only cited Bobby as an influence but had him on the bill with Carlos as well as have Bobby share the stage with him. As a friend of Bobby, I thank you Carlos for your love of the music and your acknowledgement of those who helped shaped your own music. I know you are going our sorrow with the passing of someone who meant so much to you as us.

Bobby Parker has been tearing up Washington D.C. area clubs for the past three decades. This Louisiana native was raised in Los Angeles, but the musical bug hit him, and by the mid-fifties he was playing with Paul Williams' band, backing up numerous R&B legends at the Apollo and on tour. Later he moved to DC, where he was a mainstay in the 14th Street clubs. In more recent years he has played a variety of Washington area venues. Bobby recorded a fine 45 for Vee-Jay which included a superb minor-key blues, Blues Get Off My Shoulder, with the first recording of You Got What It Takes (later a hit for Marv Johnson). A year later, he recorded for the Philadelphia V-Tone label, Watch Your Step, which was based on Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca (with a bit of Ray Charles influence) that was by Spencer Davis. This record led him to be invited to Europe in the late sixties where Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page was one of his fans, and tried to sign him up to that label. He did record for Blue Horizon, cutting the great It’s Hard But It’s Fair.

The release of Bent Out of Shape by Parker on Black Top will certainly open a lot of ears that haven’t heard these rare records, or seen Bobby in performance. Bobby Radcliff told this writer that twenty years ago, Parker was as good as the better known Chicago stars like Otis Rush and Buddy Guy, and I understand from others, that this recording is not different from what Parker was doing twenty years ago. Having watched Bobby for several years one could sense here was someone special, and this recording captures it. The album is comprised of Bobby’s originals with the exception of the Carey Bell song, Break It Up, that Bobby often opens his live dates with. The remakes of his early recordings are all strong performances. Watch Your Step is a particularly hard-hitting reworking of his V-Tone recording, although without a vocal chorus. The title track is evocative of some of the late Z.Z. Hill’s recordings, but the band here plays with more of an edge, and Parker’s fiery guitar matches his deep soul singing. Bobby’s A-Go-Go actually a mistitled Go-Go Blues),his tribute to the Go-Go music scene, is perhaps the weakest track here, but that aside, the music here is first rate and almost worth the wait for it to come out. This is simply one of the best blues releases on Black Top of the past few years, set apart not only by Bobby’s strong guitar playing, but by his fervent, soulful blues preaching.

Here is a little clip of Bobby, Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy and vocalist Barbara Morrison that is on the Buddy Guy DVD that is part of the Carlos Santana Blues at Montreux DVD package I mentioned above.

Bobby Parker - The Link From Dizzy To The Beatles

It has been a couple days since my friend Bobby Parker passed on which has led to numerous expressions of sorrow of a loss of a terrific musician, but also a person. I will be blogging about Bobby's contributions to the blues and the DC music scene in subsequent posts, but for this post I want to focus on perhaps his most famous recording, Watch Your Step. As an introduction we have the late John Lennon discussing this recording and the impact it had on himself and The Beatles.

One thing Bobby does not say in this clip, but which he told me on several occasions, is that the guitar riff was itself inspired by a riff in Dizzy Gillepsie's Manteca. Bobby loved jazz and his long-term fans will remember him opening his shows with Thelonious Monk's Straight No Chaser, using the Miles Davis arrangement. here is a clip of Dizzy playing Manteca.

 Now let us listen to the full original V-Tone recording of Watch Your Step.

I will let you fine folk go to youtube on your own to listen to The Beatles. Incidentally, John Lennon is also said to have noted that not only I Feel Fine, but also Day Tripper were inspired by Watch Your Step.

Joe Fiedler's Bug Sackbut Does The Sackbut Stomp

Trombonist's Joe Fiedler's Big Sackbut is a quartet of Fiedler and fellow trombonists Ryan Keberle and Luis Bonilla along with the tuba player Marcus Rojas. Inspired by the World Saxophone Quartet, Big Sackbut eschews having a rhythm section and instead the three trombones and the brass bass provided Rojas explores the originals from Fiedler along with three covers. The group has a new recording, "Sackbut Stomp" on Multiphonics Music that continues in the vein of Fieder's prior recording "Big Sackbut." Bonilla replaces Josh Roseman from that earlier recording. Steven Bernstein, on slide trumpet, guests on three of the nine selections here which provides for a a little more variety in the tonal colors of this group.

The opening title track provides an example of the interplay between the four before followed by a slightly  rendition of Roger Miller's "King of the Road" with Bernstein's slide trumpet providing a whimsical feel with the trombones providing a dynamic background before Rojas displays his nimbleness on the tuba. Bennie Wallace's "Eight Page Bible" is built upon a bluesy motif with each trombonist taking a solo that he first introduces unaccompanied before the other two and Rojas provide support. Fielder's own incorporation of Duke Ellington's "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" is particularly delightful. It is followed by a wonderful rendition of the Gil Fuller and Chano Pozo classic "Tin Tin Deo" on which Bernstein is along featured along with Bonilla. Fiedler did all the arrangements and this one particularly stands out. The lovely "Pittsburgh Morning" allows Fielder to showcase the warmth he is quite capable of while Keberle sounds lively and focused on "The Schlep."

Given the limited tonal palette of the instrumentation, this may be a recording that some may wish to sample a few selections at a time. At the same time, listening to the performances several times one hears nuances in the performances that make them continue to sound fresh. There is an audaciousness in a trombone-tuba group playing without a rhythm section. Mixed with excellent playing and arrangements, "Sackbut Stomp" is another fascinating, and often, exhilarating recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist.

Hank Mowery Account To Me

At first glance, Hank Mowery’s new recording Account To Me (Old Pal) might seem like a tribute to the late Gary Primich. The recording after all includes 5 songs written by Primich (2 of which were never previously recorded) and was produced with members of Primich’s family. Tad Robinson, himself a singer, songwriter and harmonica player like Primich and Mowery, calls it more of a collaboration between Mowery and Primich’s family. Adding to the collaborative character of this recording is the presence of bassist Patrick Recob from Primich’s band. Others on this include guitarist Troy Amaro, Chris Corey on keyboards, and John Large on drums and percussion. Jimmie Stager plays National steel guitar and sings on one track and Junior Valentine adds 2nd guitar to 3 selections.

Mowery certainly establishes himself with this recording as a singer, harmonica writer and songwriter with his rocking original Spend a Little Time, that kicks off this CD. Besides his strong, natural vocal and harp playing, Corey shines on piano and the Wurlitzer piano here. Account For Me is a previously unrecorded song that Primich penned and this soulful ballad has a bit of swamp pop feel. In addition to his heartfelt vocal he adds some very nice harp with Amaro taking a short solo full of bite. The rendition of Primich’s Put The Hammer Down is a nice cover of Primich’s original with tight, understated ensemble playing (with a neat repeated guitar figure) and is followed by a strong original slow blues from Mowery If I Knew What I Know which opens with him blasting on the harp. 

Memphis Slim and Matt Murphy’s Banana Oil is a nice latin-flavored instrumental with jazz flavoring that allows Corey (on organ), Amara and Mowery to shine during their sharply focused solos. Tricky Game sports a understated New Orleans groove that contrasts with the solid shuffle My Home, with the lyrics lamenting the absence of his woman’s love. In addition to the splendid playing by all, Mowery stands out with his relaxed, natural vocals. Bassist Recob ably handles the vocal on his original, Target, built on a blues vamp that goes back at least to Little Willie John. Amaro stands out with his solo as well as his tone as part of the atmospheric backing here. Mowery provides harp backing to Jimmie Stagger’s vocal and guitar on a nice cover of Robert Wilkins’ depression era recording, That’s No Way To Get Along, that closes “Account To Me.” The music on this may sound familiar as Wilkins, after he gave up blues, redid this song as The Prodigal Son, which was covered by the Rolling Stones. 

As noted, Account To Me is both a tribute to Gary Primich and a collaboration with Primich’s family. Mowery is himself a strong blues voice that is showcased on a most entertaining recording. This writer looks forward to hearing more form Mowery in the future.

My review copy was provided by a publicist for this release. Here is a clip of Hank Mowery performing

Ursula Ricks My Street

A presence on the Baltimore and Washington blues scenes for a couple decades, Ursula Ricks certainly sounds poised to break out on the National music scene with her new recording My Street (Severn Records) with blues, soul and more. Ricks brings her powerful, nuanced singing and her strong original songs here backed by Severn’s house rhythm section of Johnny Moeller (from The Fabulous Thunderbirds) on guitar; Kevin Anker on keyboards; Steve Gomes on bass and Robb Stupka on drums. A number of selections feature horns and/or strings arranged and conducted by the legendary Willie Henderson with DC jazz stalwarts Kenny Rittenhouse, Reginald Cyntje and Leigh Pilzer among those heard. There are also guest appearances from Kim Wilson and Mike Welch. Someone commented to me, with the Severn house band even he or I would sound good. Well I don't think anything would make me sound good, but his point about the quality of the backing is well spoken.

As for Ursula Ricks, her smoky and husky vocals are outstanding. Her controlled, unforced delivery stands out in a manner akin to Nina Simone. She never bellows, screams or sounds constipated. Rather she evokes classic sixties soul recordings by the like of Carol Fran or Betty Everett. Not only does she she deliver the goods vocally, but she wrote some wonderful new blues and soul songs starting with Tobacco Road. This is not the John D. Loudermilk song, but an original about traveling from West Virginia to New Orleans with the chitlin' circuit working her heart. It is set against a swampy, smoldering backing and also Kim Wilson takes a tough harmonica solo. This same, tough yet understated backing also provides a foundation for her funky rendition of a lesser known Bobby Rush number Mary Jane, with its anti-drug message. Sweet Tenderness, with its strings in the backing evokes Barry White's recordings while another number with strings, her Due, is an excellent soul-blues in the manner of classic Hi Records. 

The title track, My Street provides a gritty description of contemporary urban life as Ms. Ricks moans that all she knows is she has to move away. The level of the rest of My Street is of a similar level. The songs and her vocals ring with conviction and the backing is excellent on a superb recording that will hopefully enable Ms. Ricks to receive the recognition and rewards her talent and music deserves. 

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Ursula in performance. 

James Booker's Classified: Remixed And Expanded

James Carroll Booker, that genius of New Orleans piano tradition, passed some 30 years ago on November 8, 1983, several months after Rounder issued his final studio recording Classified. Rounder has just issued an expanded version Classified: Remixed And Expanded to celebrate the Thirtieth Anniversary of the original release of along with a documentary about Booker, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker. This new expanded Classified adds alternate takes and previously unissued recordings from the October 1982 sessions that produced the original LP.

Booker is a revered figure in the history of New Orleans music who incorporated the inventions of Professor Longhair into his repertoire that ranged from boogie blues, New Orleans R&B, jazz and classical. His legacy as a pianist, vocalist and songwriter shines even brighter three decades later. His influence is heard in such performers as Dr. John, Harry Connick Jr., Tom McDermott, John Boutté and Henry Butler. Booker played on a number of studio recordings in addition to ones he made under his own name (he is on keyboards on Freddie King’s Cotillion Recordings for example). In the booklet accompanying this reissue we get Scott Billington’s essay in addition to Bunny Matthews original 1983 notes. Billington’s essay provides this overview and cites a number of those who might be called Booker’s musical children.

To use a term associated with Duke Ellington, Booker was “Beyond Category.” The depth of his repertoire is suggested by the performances here including the opening signature title tune that opens this compilation which opens with some nice solo playing before joined by a small backing trio that included legendary tenor saxophonist, Alvin ‘Red’ Tyler. The contents of this include a Professor Longhair medley, two takes on Lloyd Price’s Lawdy Miss Clawdy (one of which is solo), Warsaw Concerto (which explains why he was sometimes called the Bronze Liberace and along with Madame X displays how accomplished he was a s pianist of classical music), a medley of Tico Tico / Papa Was a Rascal / So Swell When You're Well, (and this last number was one Aretha recorded), his solo piano reworking of Little Willie John’s Hit All Around the World, a manic vocal on King of the Road, the classic Art Neville ballad, All the Things You Are, and “Yes Sir, That's My Baby,” the one selection on which he plays the organ (with the sounding like he is playing a calliope for a carousel). This last track is one of the several with Red Tyler’s saxophone. Among these selections, a highlight is the Fats Domino flavored, One For the Highway, again with Red Tyler taking a choice tenor solo.

Thirty years after being originally released, Classified remains as a cornerstone of James Booker’s recorded legacy. His genius is well served by this well thought out and expanded reissue.

I received my review copy from Rounder Records. Here is a trailer for the film documentary, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker.

Dave Riley and Bob Corritore - Hush Your Fuss!

Mississippi born guitarist Dave Riley and harmonica wizard Bob Corritore have just issued their third CD, the traditionally rooted Hush Your Fuss! (SWMAF Records/ VizzTone). Some duo sides, such as the opening title track based on some old traditional gospel themes, are mixed with some Delta to Chicago styled juke joint blues with Dave ‘Yahni’ Riley, Jr., on bass and Brian Fahey.

There is nothing fancy here such as the easy rocking shuffle Baby Please Come Home, with Riley pleading for her to return where she belongs with some nice harmonica. No Cussin’ has an usual lyric where out Dave singing about finding he was cussing folks too much and he made up that no more cussing for him set against a low-key chugging rhythm with some fine harmonica. 

John Weston’s Snuff Dippin’ Woman, with Corritore on chromatic harmonica, is a moody slow blues about a woman with snuff juice running down her chin. In addition to the strong harp, Riley’s guitar is spot on here. It is the CD’s longest performance and only one of two songs not composed by Riley or Corritore. Gloria Bailey adds organ on Harvey Watkins’ Mississippi Po Boy, where Riley sings about not having much money but he is still so glad the Lord has been good to him. 

Home in Chicago is a shuffle with a theme that one can take Dave out of the Country but can’t take the country out of Dave. It is followed by Dave’s tale of a Hard Headed Woman who acts like she don’t care about him. This gentle rocker is set against a backing that sounds like it was derived from Junior Parker’s Mystery Train It is perhaps not the most striking lyric, but an amiable performance that is typical of most of this recording.

“Hush Your Fuss!” is a solid, amiable recording of blues without any frills with no blues-rock trappings. The songs may be standard blues fare, but they are sung and played with heart and humor. 

I received my review copy from VizzTone. I previously reviewed back in September, 2009 Riley & Corritore's Lucky to Be Living.  Here is a clip of the two performing together

Johnny Rawls Remembers O.V. Wright

It has been a number of years since the legendary O.V. Wright passed on. Johnny Rawls was Wright’s music director and guitarist in the 1970s and kept the band together after his mentor passed in 1980 for over a decade. Since establishing his own career as a performer and a producer, Rawls has emerged as one of the few acts able to bridge the southern soul blues and traditional blues worlds with his mix of soulful originals and has on occasion recorded some of Wight’s classic deep soul classics. 

It was the urging of Bill Wax, then the blues program director at XM-Sirius Satellite Radio, that has led to a tribute album, Remembering O.V. on Catfood Records with his interpretations of some of the core of Wright’s recorded legacy. On this, Rawls is backed by The Rays, the Texas horn-filled R&B band led by Bob Trenchard that has been part of Rawls most recent recordings. As a bonus, three of these selections also have the presence of another Wright colleague and one of the great deep soul singers of the past couple decades, Otis Clay.

While heavily influenced by Wright, Rawls’ performances of these songs avoid being copies. Rawls and Clay both have similar church roots to Wright, but each has developed their own personal and identifiable approach. This is manifested in the passionate interpretations of Wright classics as Into Something (I Can't Shake Loose), Precious Precious, Blind, Crippled, Crazy, Nickel and A Nail, Eight Men, Four Women, and Ace of Spades. Rawls sings strongly and authority on these Wright classics. He exhibits perhaps a bit more heat in his vocals than he usually exhibits and the backing provided by The Rays is strong throughout. A backing vocal trio, The Iveys also is effectively employed. Clay makes his presence felt on the three songs he is heard on.

The album closes with a Rawls’ original Blaze of Glory in which Rawls and Clay both sing about Wright’s continuing influence and while he is gone they are going to continue in his path until they too are gone. Remembering O.V. is a first-rate salute to one of the great soul music icons that stands on its own. Incidentally, Poor Boy is the fourth track while Nickel and A Nail is the fifth track. The album cover transposes their order.

I received my review copy from the record company or a publicist. Here is a video of Johnny singing O.V. Wright's "You're Gonna Make Me Cry," which is not performed on this CD.

Toronzo Cannon's John the Conquer Root

On his Facebook page Toronzo Cannon describes himself as the “Keeper of the Flame at Electric Ladyland” and that he “Studied Jim Hendrix studies at Electric Ladyland.” His admiration of the genre transcending genius can also be found in interviews with him including the liner notes to his new Delmark album, John the Conquer Root. Hendrix’s influence is more to be felt than heard in Cannon’s music, especially to the title track which opens this recording and the short revisiting of the theme to close it. But unlike the countless Hendrix wannabes, Cannon doesn’t emulate Hendrix’s guitar style in his own ferocious playing. It is more the attitude he projects and the hard rock feel of this number.

However, Hendrix is only one of the influences or inspirations that can be heard here as the next track, I’ve Been Doing Fine, a hard Chicago shuffle with searing guitar as he shouts to his woman to reconsider baby. Its a type of performance that Son Seals used to deliver and Cannon sings and plays with a similar authority, although Cannon has more of a soul-laced vocal attack. This soulfulness also is heard on the next track, Cold World, a funky soul-blues with a bit of Tyrone Davis and Otis Clay. It sports a terrific tenor sax solo from Dudley Owens. 

In Gentle Reminder, Cannon reminds us he is a bluesman through and through, but don’t expect him to play the blues as the blues has to move on, this ain’t 1952 as he sings and plays fervently. If Your Woman Enough To Leave Me has a funky groove that also suggests some of the late Son Seals recordings. It is followed by Shame, with a nice Latin groove and a terrific lyric about ministers stealing from the poor, an employer who hires a nephew over more qualified, and dirty politicians who get caught in their lies. There are solos from Omar Coleman on harmonica, Roosevelt Purifoy on piano and Cannon himself that standout on this as well.

Cannon does a wonderful folk duet with Joanna Connor on Let It Shine Always, that further illustrates the range of the material on John the Conquer Root. Few other blues performers today can handle such a variety of material and play it so authoritatively. Of course one needs to acknowledge his band that includes the afore-mentioned Purifoy, rhythm guitarist Larry Gladney, Larry Williams on bass and Brian ‘BJ’ Jones on drums with appearances from Omar Coleman, Joanna Connor and a horn section led by Kenny Anderson. 

A few selections find Cannon rocking out perhaps a bit too much for ‘my taste,’ including the title track and Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, a slide-guitar feature that is played at a frenzied warp-speed tempo. That does not change my appreciation of Toronzo Cannon and John The Conquer Root. Toronzo Cannon still drives a bus in Chicago and gets to observe many things. From this and his own life experiences, he writes wonderful, thoughtful songs; and plays and sings from the heart which result in performances are full of personality. A listener cannot expect more from a musician than one hears on this striking recording.

I received my review copy from Delmark. Here is a clip of Toronzo Cannon in performance at the famous Chicago club, Rosa's.

RIP Butch Warren

2012-0719 Freddie Redd & Butch Warren-6323, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

Just heard that Edward 'Butch' Warren passed away. A legendary bassist he was brought by Kenny Dorham from DC to NY and for several years was part of the house rhythm section with Sonny Clark and Billy Higgins. He played on so many classic Blue Note albums by Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock and was Monk's bassist in the Mid-1960s. He will most certainly be missed.

The Washington Post had a wonderful appreciation on him a few weeks ago, http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-09-13/entertainment/42036719_1_jazz-night-stanley-turrentine-nursing-home.

And here is the Washington Post obituary.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/edward-butch-warren-washington-born-bassist-dies-at-74/2013/10/06/89a11a2e-2eb0-11e3-bbed-a8a60c601153_story.html

He is pictured above with Freddie Redd.  Here is a clip of him with Monk in 1963.

Howard Alden/Andy Brown Quartet Bring Heavy Artillery

Fans of swing guitar (including for my blues loving friends some of Duke Robillard’s recent swing guitar efforts) will be delighted with Heavy Artillery, by the Howard Alden/Andy Brown Quartet (Delmark). I am more familiar with Alden, a member of George Wein’s Newport All Stars, than the Chicago-based Brown, but both are terrific swing-rooted guitarists who display nimble, fleet fretwork matched to a keen musical intelligence. Additionally, they exhibit considerable empathy in supporting each other whether chording behind the other’s solos, trading fours or jointly stating the theme of a song, 

They take us from the opening “Louisiana” to the boppish Chuckles (from Clark Terry’s pen), down to Brazil on Vocé E Eu, and Brigas Nunca Mais, and to Paris for Django Reinhardt’s number that provides the recording with its title. Alden returns to a song associated with Louis Armstrong, Don Redman’s No One Else But You, that he used to perform with Rudy Braff. In addition to the two marvelous Bossa Nova performances, Thad Jones’ “Three and One,” showcase their ability to interpret amore modern jazz compositions with the same swinging approach (bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Bob Rummage take brief solos here).

With supple backing from Policastro and Rummage, Alden and Brown enchant throughout Heavy Artillery with fleet and lyrical playing. This is a marvelous recording.

I received my review copy from Delmark. Here are the two in performance.

George Mitchell's 1967 Trip to the Mississippi Hill Country

George Mitchell

Mississippi Hill Country Blues 1967

University Press of Mississippi

In the Summer of 1967, George Mitchell made a trip to Mississippi looking for unrecorded blues singers. The trip was a historic one that indicated that there were a number of down home blues artists of considerable talent still performing older styles of blues at a very high level. These were not the first recordings Mitchell had made, but in providing the initial recordings of R.L. Burnside as well as rediscovering Joe Calicott, who had recorded over 45 years earlier, Mitchell’s recordings were revelatory. Arhoolie issued two albums from Mitchell's recordings under the title Mississippi Delta Blues, although the recordings today are thought of as Mississippi Hill Country Blues, the rubric applied today to the music of Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Jesse Mae Hemphill and others. The trip also was the source for Mitchell’s classic book Blow My Blues Away.

In addition to documenting the music, through his camera Mitchell photographed these performers at home and with members of their families and community. The University Press of Mississippi has just published a terrific new book by Mitchell, Mississippi Hill Country Blues 1967 that reproduces many wonderful photographs that Mitchell took along with his recollections from that trip and interviews with a number of the performers he met including Burnside, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Rosa Lee Hill and Otha Turner. 

The pictures and words help us enter a world of house parties and picnics as we witness Johnny Woods on harmonica joining with Mississippi Fred McDowell. Mitchell was amazed by the fact they had not seen each other in 8 years when this happened. Then Mitchell recounts recording Calicott, who had made a few 78s with Garfield Acres and one under his own name, and a trip to one of the Hill Country picnics in a chapter titled Ain’t No Picnic If You Ain’t Got No Drums. R.L. Burnside is pictured playing guitar with a son or sons standing behind him. There are images of Joe Calicott playing his guitar on a porch and Fred McDowell reaching over Otha Turner to play the guitar Otha is holding and several pictures of Rosa Lee Hill that show the joy she exhibited despite the poverty she lived under.

An interview with Otha Turner provides backdrop for the Fife and Drum band traditions, but Turner turns out to be a fair guitarist himself. Turner is not the only representative of this tradition as several images feature Napoleon Strickland, who was fairly renown as a fife player. There are interviews with Jesse Mae Hemphill (Brooks), Rosa Lee Hill and Ada Mae Anderson, all of whom were related to the legendary Sid Hemphill who Alan Lomax recorded for the Library of Congress in the early 1940s. In addition to providing insight to their lives and the conditions they lived under, they also provided information on this great Hill Country legend  Jesse Mae Hemphill is the best known of the the three with her marvelous recordings, but like Mitchell himself, one is particularly taken with Rosa Lee Hill who as Mitchell says could stand as an inspiration for all. She was poor as anyone could be and lived in the middle of no where but was one of Mitchell's favorite persons, “That someone that poor could be that spirited and that full of life. …” Mississippi Hill  Country Blues 1967 is dedicated to her. 

Brief biographies presented at the end of this book all provide brief comments of what happened to the subjects after 1967 and a consideration of the legacy of these artists. Even if viewed solely as a coffee table book of blues photography (and the holidays are coming up) this book is easy to recommend. Inclusion of Mitchell’s recollections and interviews which help us understand the world of these performers, make this essential for blues lovers. 

I purchased this book. Some of MItchell's recordings from this trip have been reissued on Arhoolie CDs, while others are available in the Fat Possum box set, The George Mitchell Collection. Here is a link to the University Press of Mississippi blog that was posted before this book was published. It contains some sample photos.

Winard Harper coming to the Kennedy Center

2012 Midatantic Jazz Festival Day 1-2174109, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

The wonderful drummer Winard Harper (seen here leading his group Jeli Posse at the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival) will be at the Kennedy Center's K.C. Jazz Club on October 18 with Jeli Posse. Winard recently took to Facebook to share with folks this upcoming appearance.

This is what he had to say:

"Hoping the DC and Baltimore folks will help spread the word about the Kennedy Center appearance October 18. Looking forward to performing there and working with some of the neighborhood schools while we're in town."

As a subscriber to the the Kennedy Center Jazz Program, I purchased tickets to this show when they were announced early this past summer. I enjoyed seeing Winard back in February 2012 and look forward to this upcoming show. If you are in the DMV area and love straight-ahead hard bop, you will not want to miss Winard and Jeli Posse.

Here is a clip of Winard Harper & Jeli Posse in performance.

Mr. B is Cary Ginell's Important Biography of Billy Eckstine

Mr. B.: The Music and Life of Billy Eckstine

by Cary Ginell

2013: Hal Leonard Books 

Cary Ginell, author of a recent biography of Cannonball Adderly, has a new book as part of the Hal Leonard Jazz Biography Series, Mr. B.: The Music and Life of Billy Eckstine. Like his biography of Adderly, this is intended to be a concise and accessible biography. I found this, like the Adderly book, a brisk and well done read. In researching Eckstine's life, Ginell mined print source sews reports, interviews and like from like the Pittsburgh Courier, DownBeat, Metronome and other sources along with interviews with those that knew him well. Ginell provides a chronicle of Mr. B's life from growing up in Pittsburgh, going to school, his early days as a performer, changing the spelling of his last name from Eckstein to Eckstine, joining the Earl Hines Orchestra and later after that band disbanded his formation of the legendary bebop big band, his days as one of America's most popular singers and more.

His lengthy recording career is recounted as well from the big band days to his substantial legacy as a singer of classic pop songs. Ginell recounts his successes and triumphs as well as frustrations and the obstacles of racism that limited and frustrated some of his ambitions. It was ironic that with Earl Hines he had two major hits, Jelly, Jelly and Stormy Monday Blues (a very different song than the T-Bone Walker song), as he generally resisted singing blues, in great part because record companies at the time generally limited most Black recording and artists to blues. 

Ginell details his recording career and goes in detail about his time with Savoy, with whom his big band made so many legendary recordings, ad then his signing with MGM. He had signed with MGM as a single with the hope of also having a career in films, but a factor that the Studios provided a lack of suitable (that is non-stereotypical) roles for Blacks led to his hopes and ambitions being dashed. Racism was also a factor in the decline of his status as one of America's leading popular vocalists who at a time had a status on the level of Frank Sinatra. 

Ginell recounts the unintended consequence of the 1950 publication in Life Magazine of a pictorial on Eckstine that included an innocent looking picture (included in the pictures and illustrations incorporated in this biography) of Mr. B with admiring white teenage girls after a show. The reaction to this included a letter from a Georgian saying he was disgusted with Life for printing these pictures, and that was a printable response. As Ginell observes, this photo with an indication of racial tolerance was much "too early to do anything but alienate the still regressive and prejudiced American society." It did not open doors and in fact shut doors for Eckstine with Ginell quoting Tony Bennett and Dr. Billy Taylor.

Mr. B continued to be a significant recording artist and performing through the fifties and sixties and Ginell traces his sessions for MGM, and then Mercury and Roulette with whom he made some of his greatest recordings. And he went from headlining the Paramount in New York in the forties to becoming a major attraction on the night club circuit such as New York's Copacabana and Las Vegas as well as the Catskills and Pocono Mountains. He active involvement with the Civil Rights Movement is also recounted. 

Ginell also details Eckstine's various aspects of his domestic life, including his divorces. His children's recollections of growing up with his as their dad also provide perspective on his life. He had some financial issues including apparently some tax debts although Ginell does not explain the reason underlying these debts. The IRS did seize and sell property to pay off a quarter million dollar debt in 1986.

Billy Eckstine was a trailblazer as well as a great artist. Ginell observes that he was "popular music's first romantic African American icon," his legacy was obscured because while he had many hits, he lacked an iconic recording like Sinatra's My Way or Bing Crosby's White Christmas. He made his mark in live performances, of which few were documented on a recording and a substantial body of his recording carer remains un-reissued. Be he deserves better. He struggled to be treated as the equal of white entertainers, which "showed a resiliency,sense of purpose and defiance that is as essential to the American experience as the efforts of Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. The possessor of one of the most glorious voices in history does not deserve his anonymity." 2014 will be the centennial of his birth and it is time to reassess his talent and career "as one of the most important and essential bodies of work of the twentieth century." Gary Ginell's Mr. B.: The Music and Life of Billy Eckstine, makes a strong case for this re-assessment and is an important addition to the jazz literature.  

I received my review copy from a publicist for the publisher. Here is some vintage Billy Eckstine.

2013-0919 Nasar Abadey at Museum of American Art-9190316

2013-0919 Nasar Abadey at Museum of American Art-9190316, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

Nasar Abadey and Supernova® were the featured performers at the Museum of American Art's monthly Take 5 series of Jazz Concerts on Thursday evening, September 19, 2013. The them of this concert was Jazz and the Civil Rights movement as the master drummer-composer Abadey led his quintet through jazz compositions inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, including works by Max Roach, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Cal Massey and Allyn Johnson.

With Abadey were pianist Allyn Johnson, bassist James King, saxophonist Joe Ford, and trumpeter DonVonte Mccoy for some excellent music. I only was there for the first of two sets when they opened with Charles Mingus' "Work Song," continued with a Cal Massey composition whose title I forgot, continued with Coltrane's "Alabama" and the set concluded with an Allyn Johnson composition "Four Voices Silenced." I am not sure about if the name of this latter composition is correct and will correct when I have fuller information. On this last number, they were joined by vocalist Navasha Daya for an extraordinary performance that concluded a remarkable set.

While this was recorded and filmed from the audience, this group and their performance of this material certainly needs to be memorialized and I know I would welcome a CD of this group performing this material.

Simply outstanding. Here are a few addition photos from this performance.

Navasha Daya singing with Allyn Johnson on piano, Joe Ford on alto sax, DonVonte McCoy on trumpet, Nasar Abadey on drums. Not visible is bassist James King

James King

Navasha Daya

Allyn Johnson