Chris O'Leary Gonna Die Trying

There is something about Chris O'Leary's music that strikes the listener immediately and it is the authority that he brings to his songs, and his songs have a reality to them that make his vigorous singing sound so powerful. O'Leary served in the Marines for 7 years and played for six years as a mem­ber of Levon Helm’s Barn­burn­ers, and this is reflected in his superb new American Showcase Music CD "Gonna Die Trying." In addition to his vocals and strong harmonica playing, he is backed by Chris Vitarello on gui­tar, Andy Stahl and Chris Difrancesco on sax­o­phones, Matt Ray­mond on bass and Jay Devlin on drums. In addition to his band, other players on this include Bruce Katz on piano & organ, Vin­nie Nobile on trom­bone, and Willa Pan­vini McCarthy & Libby Cabello on back­ground vocals. John Mooney is a spe­cial guest on one track.

One thing that strikes this listener from the first selection, "Can't Help Yourself," is his raspy, cleanly articulated, rapid-fire vocals. He commands our attention singing about going of the war and then returning home to find promises made before he served were empty; that jobs being exported overseas labor overseas with unions being blamed; and there being too little money for our war casualties today. Similarly powerful songs include "19¢ a Day," set against a crisp John Lee Hooker boogie groove, and the stark "Letters From Home," (opening with terrific guitar from Vitarello) where O'Leary sings of being terrified and lonesome in a dirty hole a thousand miles from home with desert winds chilling him to the bone in the god-forsaken combat zone. His vocal is compelling (his vocal dynamics is exemplary) and the backing is terrific. "One More Saturday Night," is a superb shuffle as he displays his formidable harmonica chops, on a song about about making it through the week, and needing one more Saturday night to let loose. The spirited "Harvest Time" has a New Orleans second-line groove with John Mooney adding slide guitar.

There is so much to like about Chris O'Leary and with excellent songs, and first-rate backing from his band and guests, O'Leary's "Gonna Die Trying" is sensational.

I received my review copy from the label. Here is he performing "Letters From Home."

Michael Bram Looking For the Suitcase In The Hall

Michael Bram has spent much of the recent years touring with Jason Mraz’s Band as drummer and musical director. In the back of the bus he would listen to a range of earthy, roots music. With expert production by Dave Gross, Bram has just released Suitcase In The Hall (Swingnation/VizzTone). Gross has provided an austere, spare setting in the vein of a number of recent recordings, such as by Mavis Staples and Bettye LaVette.

Bram takes us on a musical journey ranging from country (Kris Kristofferson’s Nobody Wins, Floyd Tillman’s I Love You So Much It Hurts, and Hank Cochran’s Can I Sleep In Your Arms), to blues (Slim Harpo’s Got Love If You Want It, Howlin’ Wolf’s Howlin’ For My Darling, and Leroy Carr’s I’m Going Away and Leave My Baby), and then to Bram’s blues-infused, roots originals.

The opening It Don't Matter Where You Get Your Appetite, is a swamp-blues number with evocative use of tremolo and reverb in the guitars. Kristofferson’s Nobody Wins benefits from a stark accompaniment (with nice steel guitar by Candy Cashdollar) on which Gross adds a tasteful, deliberate guitar break. Watch Out is an original that evokes Howlin’ Wolf’s Evil. Chris Vitarello adds the biting guitar fills and lead here while Bram blasts some mournful harmonica behind his vigorous singing. Hornick is also on board for the bluesy shuffle that gives the disc its title as Bram sings about leaving town with his suitcase in the hall. In addition to Bram’s harp, Vitarello crafts a solid solo on this.

It sounds like Bram is singing through his harmonica microphone for an enjoyable cover of Howlin’ For My Darling, although some might find the rhythm a bit too emphatic. Jon-Erik Kellso’s trumpet and Matt Cowan’s clarinet help contribute to a traditional jazz feel to Leroy Carr’s I’m Going Away and Leave My Baby, which has become one of this listener’s favorite selections here. It is followed by Bram’s low-key vocal capturing the mood of Bill Mack’s Drinking Champagne, and showing similar restraint on the closing, Can I Sleep In Your Arms, which contributes to the sincerity he conveys.

Michael Bram’s Suitcase In The Hall brings together some real good songs, both covers and originals, along with thoughtful and emphatic production resulting in some excellent performances. The music will appeal to a variety of listeners, especially those who can appreciate blues, country and roots rock. Both Bram and Dave Gross are commended for this splendid recording.

I received a review copy from VizzTone.  Here is Michael Bram performing the title track.

Bruce Katz Very Live! at the Firefly

The keyboards of Bruce Katz has been a most welcome to a variety of performers recordings, including in recent years, Duke Robillard and Joe Louis Walker. With his current band of guitarist Chris Vitarello; bassist Rod Carey; and drummer Ralph Rosen, he has a new disc on his own Brown Dog label (distributed by VizzTone), Live! at the Firefly, recorded at the Ann Arbor, Michigan club in April 2008.

Live! at the Firefly is a collection of chicken-licking blues and jazz instrumentals that fans of Jack McDuff and Jimmy McGriff will love. Opening with a straight blues groove on Deep Pockets, Katz and Vitarello both display their chops and musical sense. An unusual choice is Charles Mingus’ Better Get It In Your Soul, and ambitious attempt with plenty of Katz’s greasy Hammond B-3 to start things off with everybody swinging hard. Carey and Rosen certainly merit praise here, before a nicely paced solo from Vitarello.

Katz switches to piano on a late night slow blues, The Blue Lamp, that lets him rumble down in the alley as well as lets Vitarello a chance to show his electric blues chops. Jump Start, is a funky groover with twangy guitar; Ice Cream Man, is a playful funky blues; while the solo piano Southern Route, has a country-tinge. Marshall Country, evokes West Side Chicago to these ears, and Crew of Two, is a ebullient shuffle.

Norton’s Boogie Woogie, has blistering boogie piano, a rocking guitar solo followed by sizzling solo piano interlude with the full quartet taking it out in jumping fashion. Its followed by the atmospheric Victoria, with Katz on piano and this joyous disc concludes with Brother Stevie. This walking shuffle closes Live! at the Firefly on the high level that characterizes this entire recording.

This review originally appeared in the February 2009 Jazz and Blues Report (Issue 313), although I made a few minor stylistic changes. Here is the Bruce Katz Band performing in Norway a few months after recording this album.