Joe Goldmark Blue Steel

Joe Goldmark
Blue Steel
Lo-Vall Records

Goldmark is a new name to these ears but is a pedal steel guitarist from the San Francisco Bay area who got the bug to play the pedal steel from seeing Jerry Garcia play with the New Riders of the Purple Sage decades ago. He continued to play pedal steel even after getting married and having a pizza business and then became a partner at Amoeba Music, but all this time continued to play. There is a variety of supporting musicians with drummer Paul Rivelli being the most familiar to me. There are seven vocals here split between ex-Hoodoo Rhythm Devils lead singer Glenn Walters and chanteuse Dallis Craft, while long-time Goldmark compadre, Jim Campilongo, who guests on electric guitar.

Despite the mix of roots country, blues and soul, Goldmark's playing sounds rooted mostly in the country tradition, as compared to the more vocalized steel guitar stylings of Sacred Steel players and Bay area bluesman Freddie Roulette. This is evident listening to the opening "Night Flight," where he displays his clear delivery (and Gary Fullerton's twangy tremolo guitar. After the easy to listen to the opening track, things heat up with Walters blue-eyed soulful vocal on a rendition of Rufus Thomas' "All Night Worker," as Jeff Ervin's baritone sax helps add to the bottom while Goldmark takes a crisp solo. Walters also is heard on a heated cover of Jimmy McCracklin's "The Wobble" with some sizzling steel guitar and also B.B. King's "Beautician Blues," with some more astonishing steel guitar to go with Walters' forceful singing

The four vocals feating Dallis Craft are in the vein of old-school country (think the Bakersfield School), starting with Jeffrey Lynne's honky-tonk ballad, "I Want To Be With You Forever"; Graham Parker's "Howlin' Wind," which incorporates a reggae groove; Lefty Frizell's honky-tonk classic "Look What Will Thoughts Will Do"; and her lament "True Love Travels On a Gravel Road," that closes this recording. Among the other instrumentals, there is the lovely "Warm Rain," a calypso-infused arrangement of Bob Marley's "Natty Dread," and Jim Campilongo's country waltz, "I Want To Be With You Forever."

Never less than easy to listen too, this is a most appealing genre-crossing release that likely will have its greatest appeal to fans of old-school country and Americana, but entertaining to anyone who might sample this tasty recording

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 378). Here from "Blue Steel" is "I Want to Be with You Forever."