Andrew Alli Hard Workin' Man

Andrew Alli
Hard Workin' Man
EllerSoul

Born in 1988 in Richmond, Virginia, Andrew Alli delivers a straight-ahead, no-frills collection of harmonica blues. Recorded at Jon Atkinson's Bigtone Studio, this is old-school blues in the vein of Little Walter and George "Harmonica" Smith. Backing Alli's vocals and harmonica are Atkinson on guitar and bass, Danny Michel on guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, and Devin Neel or Buddy Honeycutt on drums.

There is a no-nonsense quality to Alli's blues, starting with the title track where he proclaims with his robust tenor that he is a hard-working man and lays down some raw, amplified harmonica. This song is followed by a tight instrumental, "AA Boogie," and an excellent interpretation of George 'Harmonica' Smith's "Good Things, with biting guitar fills and cohesive rhythm. "Walter's Sun," is an instrumental performed in the manner of the recordings Walter Horton made for Sun Records and the Modern label before he moved to Chicago. Then there is Alli's original "30 Long Years," where he sings about being in this town for 30 years, but it feels like he has to break out. Alli lays down some chromatic harmonica on the rollicking instrumental "Chron-A-Thick," delivers a brisk tempo shuffle, "Easy Going Fellow," and solidly covers Little Walter's "One More Chance."

With strong originals and the complimentary backing provided for Andrew Alli's strong singing and robust harmonica, "Hard Workin' Man" is a splendid debut album.

I received my review copy from Ellersoul Records. Here is a brief preview of this recording.

Alabama Mike Hip You To My Blues

Alabama Mike
Hip You To My Blues
Big Tone Records

It was a surprise to learn about a new release by Alabama Mike (real name Michael A. Benjamin) on Big Jon Atkinson's new label. Alabama Mike's earlier recordings, such as those with The Andy T Band in 1997's "Double Strike," often displayed a gospel-rooted vocal style in the manner of Little Johnnie Taylor. This new release finds him in a down-home blues vein with a dose of Lightnin' Hopkins flavor along with some tracks that evoke early 50s Chicago flavor. This recording reflects Alabama Mike's long-burning desire to "do a record in the classic style of early electric blues pioneers… ." The backing musicians on this set of retro blues include Kim Wilson on harmonica, Big Jon Atkinson guitar, Danny Michel on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass, Kedar Roy on bass, Joe Lempkowski on harmonica, June Core on drums, Malachi Johnson on drums, Robert Welsh on keyboards, on retro-sounding performances.

Alabama Mike certain invests his vocals with intensity and soul. The Lightnin' Hopkins influence can best be heard on the opening "Black Cadillac" (with Atkinson on guitar) as well as the revival of Hopkins' "Hello Central" with Danny Michel on guitar, Kim Wilson on harmonica and Marty Dodson on drums lending the performance a swamp blues flavor. Danny Michel also channels Hopkins guitar on the swamp blues "California Blues," with choice Joe Lempkowski harmonica accompaniment.

A reworking of John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson's "Cut That Out" sounds as a down-home version of Junior Wells fifties recording. Kim Wilson is on harmonica, Atkinson on guitar and Dodson on drums. Welsh provides the greasy organ on "Diabetic Man" with Wilson on the harp. On "How You Want Your Rollin Done," Atkinson plays some excellent T-Bone Walker styled guitar. On Big Bill Broonzy's "I Feel So Good," Alabama Mike delivers a strong vocal in the manner of Muddy Waters with J.B. Hutto styled slide guitar in the backing. "Keep My Grave Clean" is an ingenious band reworking of what was Blind Lemon Jefferson's most famous recording, while the cover of J.B. Hutto's "Too Much Alcohol" sticks close to the arrangement of Hutto's Delmark recording.

A moody rendition of Willie Love's "V-8 Food" with Atkinson and Welsh closes a release of notable down-home blues performances. There are a couple of times the backing may be a tad skeletal, but Alabama Mike's singing and the idiomatic support result in a most entertaining blues album.

I purchased this. Here is Alabama Mike performing "Let Me Hip You To My Blues."

Atomic Road Kings Clean Up the Blood

Atomic Road Kings
Clean Up the Blood
Bigtone Records

The Atomic Road Kings is a joint project of guitarist-vocalist-songwriter--engineer Big Jon Atkinson and harmonica wizard Eric Von Herzen. The two are present on all 12 tracks (11 written by Atkinson and one by Von Herzen) along with Bill Stuve on bass and Malachi Johnson on drums. While Atkinson is the vocalist throughout, he only plays lead guitar on four tracks and rhythm on 4. Scot Smart, Danny Michel, and Tony Delgado take the lead on other selections and pianist Robert Welsh guests on 1.

Atkinson recorded this using vintage, all analog gear and was done live to tape with the effort to capture the sound of the 50s gospel, blues and the like and presented in mono as opposed to stereo. The result is solid retro-oriented blues performances. Atkinson comes across as a robust, straight-forward singer on solidly-played, idiomatic Chicago-styled blues. Similarly, Von Herzen is a marvelous harmonica player with a full tone in the manner of George 'Harmonica' Smith.

Things start "I Got Time," continue with "Rumors" that feature a terrific Tony Delgado solo. On "My Way Back Home," Atkinson plays driving, lead acoustic guitar with Von Herzen's effectively repeating a riff in the backing. Then he plays some stinging electric guitar on the doomy title track with the harp adding to the atmosphere of the performance. In a similar vein, "Vibrations," has Danny Michel's stinging guitar along with Welsh's piano, while "Ain't For Me," is a moody shuffle.

The Atomic Road Kings strongly evoke the sound and feel on the '50s styled Chicago blues on "Clean Up the Road," a splendid recording that will appeal to fans of classic Chicago blues.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2019  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383), although there have been minor stylistic changes to the published review. Here is a teaser for the CD.

 

Bob Corritore and Friends Don't Let the Devil Ride

Bob Corritore and Friends
Don't Let the Devil Ride
SWMAF/Vizztone

This collection of choice Chicago blues covers and idiomatic originals is the latest from harmonica player Bob Corritore. From a variety of sessions, and with a variety of vocalists and musicians he has put together another choice dozen blues performances. Amongst those present here are vocalists Willie Buck, Oscar Willis, Bill 'Howl-N-Madd' Perry, George Bowman, Alabama Mike, Tail Dragger, and Sugaray Rayford. Among the supporting musicians are such guitarists as Big Jon Atkinson, Junior Watson, Jimi "Primetime" Smith, Chris James and Rockin ' Johnny; pianists Henry Gray, Bob Welch and Fred Kaplan; bassists Troy Sandow, Kedar Roy, Patrick Rynn, and Bob Stroger; and drummers Marty Dotson and Brian Fahey. This is not a complete listing of supporting musicians.

Just a few notes on the performances here. Willie Buck contributed the opening Jimmy Reed styled blues, "Woke Up This Morning," with his slightly mush-mouth singing and Corritore's Reed-styled harp playing making for an enjoyable performance. Oscar Wilson handles the singing on a straight cover of Little Walter's recording, "Tell Me Baby," with some real fine harp and Henry Gray pounding away on the piano. Wilson's other vocal is a solid, lazy Corritore original, "Fork in the Road," with Gray present again. It is followed by a lazy, amusing Sugaray Rayford original "The Glide," with a terrific vocal and a clever double entendre lyric. Behind Alabama Mike's moody vocal on a cover of "Laundromat Blues," Corritore plays some blistering chromatic harp. Bill 'Howl-N-Madd' Perry provides a swamp blues feel on his "Willie Mae," with a Gulf Coast rumba groove. On "I Was a Fool," George Bowman's gritty singing is backed by Corritore's big-toned chromatic along with austere backing from Atkinson, Sandow, and Fahey, while on Alabama Mike's "Blues Why You Worry Me?," the backing suggests "Scratch My Back."

Tail Dragger closes out this set for a Muddy Waters' styled blues, "Thundering and Raining," where he sings about a tornado coming and his baby not on the ground. It is not a fancy performance, but sung with heart and ably backed. That pretty much characterizes all the music on this latest album from Corritore. Fans of classic Chicago blues will find much to enjoy here. Recommended.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review appeared originally in the July-August 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379). Here is a performance by Corritore and Sugaray Rayford.

Chickenbone Slim Chickenbone Slim

Chickenbone Slim
The Big Beat
Lo-Fi Mob Records

Chickenbone Slim is the alter ego of Larry Teves, a San Diego based musician who started playing guitar in 2011 after playing bass in many bands for many years. Years of playing in a variety of blues and rockabilly bands is reflected in the performances here where he is backed by Big Jon Atkinson on harmonica, guitar and bass; Marty Dodson on drums and Scot Smart on bass. Recorded at Greaseland Studios, Kid Andersen engineered and mastered this and played guitar on one of the nine songs here.

With austere, relaxed backing and Slim's relaxed, unforced and grainy vocals, some of the songs has an ambience similar to the Baton Rouge based 'swamp blues" of Lazy Lester, Lonesome Sundown and others. The opening title track features superb harmonica as well as Slim's own smartly, played solo while "Me and Johnny Lee" is an even better performance in this vein as he sings about being as lonely as he can be as after she broke his heart is just him and Johnny Lee. "Long Way Down" has a bit more grit in the manner of a Tony Joe White, and a biting guitar solo from Scot Smart, as he sings about meeting his lover on the long way down.

The country-flavored "Hemi Dodge," has Kid Andersen on guitar and mournful harmonica from Atkinson, while there is a folk performance with just his acoustic guitar accompanying his vocal on "Vodka and Vicodin," his best friends as he is out of luck. There is an insistent groove to "Long Legged Sweet Thing" as Slim hammers out his vocal against skeletal backing and strong harp, while "Man Down" has a West Side Chicago feel with a boogaloo rhythm.

The closing "Break Me Of a Piece" returns us to the swamp blues vein and ends a most entertaining album of gritty performances that evoke the golden period of fifties and sixties blues.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 375). Here is a promo video for this recording.

John Boyd The Real Deal

John Boyd
The Real Deal
Little Village Foundation

In his brief notes to this debut by John Boyd, Rick Estrin speaks of his stylistic range at times reminiscent of shouters like Big Joe Turner and Wyonnie Harris and other times like blues crooners like Junior Parker and early B.B. King. I am not sure I agree, although listening to this I agree with the Rick Estrin penned opening track where Boyd proclaims "I Am The Real Deal," that he certainly is. I assume Estrin is the harp player on this selection while Aki Kumar is also heard on this album. Others here include Kid Andersen, Big Jon Atkinson and Robert Welsh on guitar; Jim Pugh, Welsh and Andersen on keyboards; Dave Chavez, Danny Michel and Andersen on bass; June Core, Atkinson and D'Mar Martin are among those on drums; while horns include the saxophones of Eric Spaulding and Terry Hanck. Andersen produced and recorded this at his Greaseland Studios. Boyd wrote ten of these songs

After emphatically letting us know he is the real deal, Boyd takes on a hot rocking shuffle "I Will Discover" that suggests classic Junior Parker with some blistering guitar in the vein of Roy Gaines backing Bobby Bland on Duke whereas the following "I'm Like A Stranger To You," has the feel of a Percy Mayfield Tangerine recording. Whoever did the arrangement here is to be commended, while Boyd again shows just how fine a singer he is. There is plenty of humor in Rick Estrin's ode to big-legged woman "That's Big!" with a bass line that evokes Jimmy McCracklin's "The Walk." Another hot shuffle, "That Certain Day" features some outstanding guitar in the vein of classic Freddie King.

An Estrin-Andersen collaboration "Dona Mae" takes us to Chicago in a performance in the manner of vintage Muddy Waters, while the musical setting of "I'm So Weak Right Now" evokes B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," as Boyd sings about not being able to get himself together as his lady has gone. Then there is a terrific slow blues with some haunting sax at the opening "Screaming in the Night" with a great vocal and backing evocative of an unissued Otis Rush Cobra side, whereas musically "(Have You Ever Been To) Marvin Gardens" is reminiscent of the Willie Dixon Argo album by Walter Horton. Unlike the limited vocal of the late harmonica wizard, Boyd handles the vocal with plenty of personality and there is some fine harp here.

The album closes with Boyd's marvelous "John, The Blues Is Calling You," as he sings he knows what must do, because he was born a blues disciple with some greasy organ and more terrific guitar. With the excellent players Kid Andersen assembled, it would be pretty hard to produce something other than a very entertaining recording. When one adds a terrific singer like John Boyd, then one has a stellar recording that is as impressive a contemporary real blues debut as one might have heard in some time.

I purchased this. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371). Here is a video that introduces John Boyd.

Big Jon Atkinson's House Party

House Party At Big Jon's, a new Delta Groove release by Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore is a rollicking traditional blues recording featuring the 26 year old Atkinson, who plays and sings with an authority of someone much older, and veteran harmonica master Bob Corritore, who was producing classic blues recordings before Atkinson entered this world. The two are supported by a variety of players including guitarist Danny Michel, bassist Troy Sandow, and drummers Malachi Johnson, Brian Fahey, and Marty Dodson. Recorded at Big Jon's home studio with vintage equipment, these originals and choice covers capture the sound of vintage recordings from Chess, Excello and Trumpet. Adding spice are guest appearances by Dave Riley, Willie Buck, Alabama Mike and Tomcat Courtney, providing their well seasoned voices.

Thee are many pleasures to listen to here, from the swamp blues meets Sonny Boy Williamson ambience of Atkinson's opening "Goin' Back To Tennessee," and his own evocation of a classic Jay Miller recording on another original "It Wasn't Easy," followed by a rocking swamp blues penned by Miller, "She's My Crazy Little Baby," that almost sounds like an unissued Lonesome Sundown recording. Corrritore's "Here Comes My Baby," sounds like a Sonny Boy Williamson Chess recording although retro-traditional with Little Walter styled harp. Dave Riley's down-home rendition of Charles Johnson's gospel number "At the Meeting," is followed by a rearrangement of Lightnin' Hopkin's "Mojo Hand" with biting guitar from Atkinson and vocal from Alabama Mike. Tomcat Courtney follows with his own Muddy Waters' styled down-home blues "Mojo in My Bread." 

Atkinson's "Mad About It," is a Muddy Waters styled blues, musically reminiscent of "Tiger in My Tank," with hot slide guitar and some strong Corritore harp while the pair channel the Second Sonny Boy Williamson on "Empty Bedroom." Also nice is a cover of Slim Harpo's "I'm Gonna Miss You Like The Devil," followed by Willie Buck channeling Muddy Waters in his vocal on his "You Want Me To Trust You," and then Dave Riley is more in a Memphis meets Chicago mood on "Mississippi Plow." "El Centro," a harmonica feature set against a Tex-Mex groove, is followed by Willie Buck taking the vocal on a cover of Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee," with the band capturing that Baton Rouge groove. 

The recording closes with Alabama Mike channeling Muddy Waters singing Casey Bill Weldon's "Somebody Done Changed The Lock On My Door," as Big Jon evokes Muddy's slide style, and Big Jon letting us know "My Feelings Won't Be Hurt," taken a medium tempo and sung and played with the authority characteristic of the entire House Party at Big Jon's. It was indeed quite a party as they evoke the classic blues sounds of the fifties and the sixties with these excellent performances.

I received a review copy from Delta Groove. While written several months ago, this review was just published in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369), although I have made corrections to the version that appeared there.  Here is a video of them in action.