Big Daddy Stallings Says Call Me Big Daddy

As he announces on the opening Intro to his new CD Call Me Big Daddy (Tai Jeria Record Co), it is the fourth recording by Baltimore Blues Guitarist and Singer, Charles ‘Big Daddy’ Stallings. Like his last CD, this CD is presented as if a live club date where on the intro track he introduces the others in his band and some special guests. Then there is a mix of old-school soul, funk and blues in the songs before he closes the recording with an ending track again thanking folks with dubbed in crowd applause. 

The strength of Big Daddy’s music is the warmth and humor of his vocals as well as the strong, well rehearsed band supporting him. With Joe Thomas on alto sax, LeRoy Flowers, Jr. on bass and Michael Devilson on drums are the core on this recordings. Steve Levine, his regular harmonica player is on one selection with another DC area harmonica player, Anthony ‘Swamp Dog’ Clark handling the bulk of the harmonica playing on this disk. Another important player on this is Clarence Ward III who plays mostly trumpet and flugelhorn, but adds booting tenor saxophone on some songs. Others can be heard as well, but space limits my enumeration of everyone.

The material on this recording is however mixed. Big Daddy Stallings has written all of the material, but their is too much fluff such as the two-part Boody Pop and Lock as well as Bunny Hop 2012 and James #2. The latter number is the second tribute he has recorded to James Brown and is a nice piece of funky playing with a tough tenor sax from Clarence Ward III. Better is Big Daddy’s duet with Nadine Rae, Million Dollars, where he sings about if he had a million dollars he would give it to her which then recounts him dreaming that he has given everything to her and she has left him broke and dusty. Also he has the third in his series of down home talking blues Hobbsville, with his affable recollections of growing up matched by a nice lazy Jimmy Reed groove (and nice Swamp Dog harmonica) although the third part of this installment (Bonny Lee’s) mutates into a borrowing of a Little Milton theme, as he sings Bonny Lee’s all right to Little Milton The Blues Is All Right. Another nice track is the ballad Don’t Cry, which benefits from the warmth of Big Daddy’s singing.

I cannot unreservedly recommend this as there is too much filler material here. Those familiar with the prior albums by Big Daddy Stallings will know what to expect and you can make your decision in part of that, or those fortunate enough to seeing Big Daddy live might likely pick it up when seeing him. Like Big Daddy’s prior CDs (and I recommend his 1st CD One Night Lover), it is available on cdbaby.com and other better stores and websites.

I was sent this by Big Daddy Stallings. Here is Big Daddy Stallings in performance. Big Daddy Stallings will be appearing at Gator Appreciation Day on June 1 at Lamont's Entertainment Complex, 4400 Livingston Road in PoMonkey Maryland. Among others appearing are Miss Jody, Stacy Brooks, Jim Bennett & Lady Mary, Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner, and the DC Blues Society Band. For more information on this terrific show, call Lamont's at 301-283-0225.

Bid Daddy Stallings Throws A Blues Party

“I’m Charles’ Big Daddy’ Stallings and I approve these blues,” the gentleman from Baltimore proclaims on the introductory track of his third CD, Blues Party (Tai Jeria Record Company). Stallings, who became prominent in the Baltimore-Washington scene about five years ago, brings a down home blues style with a band that mixes traditionally oriented Chicago blues with classic sixties and seventies rhythm and blues. There is a variety of folk handling the backing here including Gail Parrish or Ronald Bland on bass; Russell Hayward II or Bill Pratt on drums; Joe “E Flat” Thomas on saxophone, and Clarence Ward III on trumpet, and Steve Levine on harmonica. Mark Wenner of the Nighthawks adds the down home harp for the Intro, and Down on the Farm. There is plenty of music here, with 16 original songs bookended by his intro and thank you tracks

The title track is a nice good times track, followed by the somewhat salacious “Horny Bee, with a Jimmy Reed groove and some biting lead guitar from Leroy Flowers, Jr, has Stallings grittily delivery the vocal. Riffing horns embellish the simple groove of Fine Lady, that displays Stallings’ simple lyrics and rustic vocal with him taking a stinging solo. Down on the Farm, a lazy, rustic piece of blues story-telling is perhaps the most memorable track here, as he recalls growing up on the farm and the hard life down there with Mark Wenner contributing the harmonica here. Swing 2010, is an instrumental (perfect for dancing) with Washington keyboard legend Jackie Hairston on organ, a hot trumpet solo from Ward and sax solo by Carlos Johnson. 

She’s Gone is a lament about Big Daddy’s baby having gone and left him all alone because he did her wrong, while Knocked Up, has his wondering about why so much teenage pregnancy. In Love With Yourself, is a nice soul ballad about one’s marriage ending and no fun to be in love by yourself. After a brief spoken introduction, organist Hairston and saxophonist Johnson are featured on the jazzy The Lucy Number, while Clarence Ward’s trumpet blasts off James, a funk tribute to the Godfather of Soul,” with tough horns and a strong groove, followed by a couple nods to disco-life, I Wanna Dance, followed by his salute to Latin Girls, another number with a dance groove and a percussion break down. Big Daddy closes  asking us to put some Blues in Your Funk, with nice harmonica (I presume Steve Levine since it is not credited in the booklet) and brassy horns.

On Old Folks, a slow blues with nice guitar, Stallings sings,”Keep those bloomers on Granny, Grandpa ain’t giving up no love tonight.” While it has some catching lines like most of the record, the lyrics sometimes come off as simply strung together by some common theme. In sense, its perhaps best to enjoy the music and songs and not analyze the words too much. Big Daddy brings plenty of heart to his music and the band is tight behind him. There is plenty of music hear (nearly 80 minutes), if one just gets into the spirit, then one will have a Blues Party. This is available from cdbaby or on itunes. Big Daddy Stallings website is http://www.bigdaddystallings.com.

My review copy was provided by Charles ‘Big Daddy’ Stallings and this review appeared in the June 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 326).