Michael Roach Has The Good New Blues

Former DC Blues Society president Michael Roach has been resident in England for several years now. He has become an influential performer as well as promoter and educator of blues there and in Europe where he has organized blues conferences and an annual Blues Week. At Blues Weeks, he has brought over as instructors the late John Jackson, Larry Johnson and Phil Wiggins among others. He has continued to develop as a blues performer too and as a songwriter and has two recent (as of 2003) recordings, Good News Blues and the just released Cypress Grove on his Stella Records label. 

The earlier disc, Good New Blues, also features sympathetic harp accompaniment from Ian Briggs and includes a number of Roach originals along with his often-topical originals including Pleading Insanity and the amusing Vote For the Wino on which his wife and daughter add an amusing chorus backup. He has become more than an adept guitarist too, which is not surprising when he was mentored by the likes of John Jackson, John Cephas and Jerry Ricks. And his adaptations of classic blues themes are not slavish recreations of earlier recordings.

With a bouncing riff, he reinvigorates Trouble is Mine as well as pays his respect to Big Bill Broonzy on a nice Keep Your Hands Off (Her). Bumble Bee Slim’s recordings are not often performed today, but Roach’s rendition of Bricks In My Pillow suggests that this popular blues artist from the 30’s deserves some reconsideration. The late Otis Williams penned the title track, and Mike integrates Williams’s recitations of his poetry into this fine performance. A reworking of the traditional Alberta that closes a varied and very enjoyable set of performances follows a heartfelt gospel performance Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed.

The just issued Cypress Grove is dedicated to the late John Jackson and found Michael recording a number of songs that he knew and recorded if only for archival purposes. In his own words on this recording Michael chose “to go for original sounds rather than releasing original material.” Included are Roach’s interpretations of Skip James’ Special Rider and Cypress Grove, Blind Boy Fuller’s So Sweet, and Furry Lewis’ Brownsville Blues, along with his renditions of traditional material like Lonesome Valley, C.C. Rider, Go Tell It on The Mountain and What Month Was Jesus Born. Again he brings his own touch to this material and sings in a simple, direct manner with plenty of sincerity. That Roach does Lewis’ Brownsville Blues is telling because Lewis is not simply among Roach’s favorite blues artists, but Roach’s guitar playing suggests Lewis’ style with its nicely rhythmic focus. 

There is an original from Roach as well as the closing song about the closing of the coal mines in Britain, Hard Times For the Working man, written by Bernie Marsden of the rock group Whitesnake. Another varied program that is full of heartfelt performances that demonstrate just accomplished a blues guitarist Michael Roach has become, but also how strong a performer he is. Information on these re- leased including how to order them can be obtained from websites,www.stellarecords.net and/or www.michaelroach.com, and it is well worth the effort in trying to get these.

The above review appeared in the July-August 2003 DC Blues Calendar and these releases still should be available directly from Michael. I have made a few stylistic changes. As performances he made earlier in 2012 in the DC area showed, he is among the finest living country blues performers. Here is Michael with harmonica player Johnny Mars at the 2008 Pocono Blues Festival.

Michael Roach Is No Innocent Child

I recently had the pleasure to see Michael Roach at a performance in Falls Church, Virginia. Mike and I had an association with the DC Blues Society two decades ago, and I had been following his maturation as a performer over the years after he left his native Washington and moved to England. He has also become important as a blues educator and historian. Innocent Child is his most recording on his Stella Records label, and the source of many of the songs he performed that April night in Falls Church, Virginia.

Michael, who currently lives in Cheltenham, England, was fortunate to be mentored by such blues artists as John Cephas, Archie Edwards, John Jackson and Jerry Ricks, has developed into a formidable performer of the blues, rooted in the East Coast finger-style tradition. On this recording he is joined by harmonica master Johnny Mars on several selections as well as the Black Voices, an a-cappella group from Birmingham England. There is a selection of originals and personal interpretations of songs associated with Frank Stokes, Mississippi John Hurt, Josh White and Charlie Jordan.

The title track is a part autobiographical, part reflective about blues and the place of the African-American in the world. his children and the Black Voices join in this performance where he even evokes Mannish Boy singing he ain’t no “B-O-Y.” Mars adds his harp to a nice rendition on Frank Stokes What’s the Matter Now, where his finger style playing recalls John Hurt through the prism of Jerry Ricks. Michael noted in Falls Church performance that Ricks shared a tape that Hurt made for Ricks to teach Ricks his style. Rick’s influence is also present in performances of Hurt’s Got the Blues and Can’t Be Satisfied, and Staggerlee. Music at the Close of Day was written by Richard Journet after John Jackson’s passing, and Michael here reworks it for his heartfelt remembrance of Ricks.

There are several gospel performances here including Remember Me that is based on recordings by the Swan Silvertones and the Harmonizing Four. This, with the Black Voices, is performed in tribute to John Cephas. The Black Voices also join Mike on Jesus Knows I’m Coming that was originally recorded by Josh White with the Carolinians, and “Didn’t It Rain,” associated with the great Mahalia Jackson. Johnny Mars backs Michael on this rendition of the traditional number, Noah”

More in the Piedmont blues tradition is Michael’s dynamic acoustic rendition of Junior Parker’s Mystery Train, as well as Be a Man, an evocative number adapted from a Brownie McGhee recording to which Michael added his words. The lyrics make reference to Detroit and DC, while the superb guitar playing would have made Blind Boy Fuller proud.

The varied repertoire here is matched by Michael’s natural, heartfelt vocals and adroit and thoughtful guitar. The result is the marvelous music on “Innocent Child. For more information on this recording and Michael Roach visit, www.michaelroach.com and www.stellarecords.net.

This was a recording I purchased. Here is a video of Michael and the late Louisiana Red.