Vance Kelly's Soulful Bluebird

Chicago native Vance Kelly has been playing a whole stew of music before A.C. Reed took him on the road. Later he had a stint with Little Johnny Christian and since 1990 has worked throughout Chicago. Even today though a show from Vance Kelly will traverse jazz, rock, R&B and blues. His seventh album for the Austrian Wolf label Bluebird is subtitled “The First Blues-Only CD by Vance Kelly.” Accompanying Vance his vocals and guitar is The Backstreet Blues Band of John Walls on keyboards; Ed Williams on saxophone; Mark Miller on bass; and Charles Handcox on drums. Five of the selections are studio sides recorded in Chicago and the other 8 are live European performances with Vance’s daughter Vivian singing on one.

The time spent with A.C. Reed are reflected in strong renditions of Reed’s songs; the driving I Stay Mad, with a fine organ break from Walls; and the celebratory,My Baby Is Fine, with Williams raspy saxophone very prominent in this slow number where Vance celebrates his woman. Little Johnny Christian’s Ain’t Gonna Worry About Tomorrow, showcases some nice B.B. King styled guitar with Walls’ keyboards again standing out. These tracks also showcase Kelly’s very soulful, sometimes raspy vocals.

A good deal of the program here come from the soul side of bluestown including I Wish He Didn’t Trust Me So Much, where he sings about his feelings about his best friend’s woman and he’s scared she’ll feel about him while he husband’s away. Bump and Grind and Denise LaSalle’s Someone Is Steppin’ In, are strong Malaco blues with solid band work and guitar in addition the urgent singing which suggests the late Z.Z. Hill (and Vance’s daughter takes the vocal on LaSalle’s Soft-Hearted Woman).

Frank Kold, in his notes, observes that the rendition of Issac Hayes’ Bluebird owes a bit to Littler Milton’s rendition while the medley of another Johnny Taylor hit Doing My Own Thing with Al Green’s rendition of I Can’t Get Next To You, which segues into the Z.Z. Hill anthem I’m a Bluesman, with its lyrics about being raised on Jimmy Reed, washed in Muddy Waters and mothers watch out for your daughters, which just may be a highlight of this release. Then there is a driving rendition of the Bobby Bland classic Ain’t Doin’ Too Bad (with a booting sax solo that conjures up the memory of A.C. Reed) and a terrific medley of Stormy Monday with Take Off Your Shoes with some searing fretwork.

Delmark issued an anthology of recordings Kelly made for Jimmy Dawkins’ Leric label sometime ago, and he is heard on the Little Johnny Christian recordings anthologized there. I said at the time “Use What You Got, is a mix of soulful singing and a down home blues groove.” Much the same can be said of the present, very appealing recording and I will undoubtedly be checking out some of Kelly’s prior Wolf recordings, even if they are not 100% blues.

I purchased this CD.

Jimmy Dawkins' Lerical Blues Productions

Here is a review of an interesting compilation of blues that originally appeared in Jazz & Blues Report, July 2010 (issue 327) on page 7. You can download the complete issue at jazz-blues.com.

Leric Records was an independent blues label operated by bluesman Jimmy Dawkins in the 1980's. During it's relatively brief existence it issued a number of 45 rpm singles by lesser known members of the Chicago blues community, including some still active today. Dawkins produced or purchased for release the sides issued on Leric, playing on some of the sessions, but mostly making available some interesting music. Delmark has just issued “Jimmy Dawkins Presents: The Leric Story,” with 16 selections, including several previously unissued selections.

Little Johnny Christian opens this collection up with a driving “New LIfe,” with the band including Michael Coleman on guitar and Eddie ‘Jewtown’ Burks on harmonica with a terrific tagline “Why every man gotta have two women, and a good woman only needs one man.” Outside of the functional, unimaginative horn arrangements their is some nicer playing including fine vocal and guitar. Dawkins’ penned “Luv Somebody,” with a strong chugging groove that would be home on a Johnny Taylor Recording with Vance Kelly taking the lead guitar. The two other Christian performances give further evidence of what a fine singer he was and also were the first session for guitarist Chico Banks. “Ain’t Gonna Worry About Tomorrow,” which uses the “Cummins Prison Farm Blues,” melody is an impressive performance with strong singing and terrific playing from Banks. Dawkins’ recognizable guitar is present on the sides by the late bassist-vocalist Queen Sylvia Embry (including the excellent “I Know I Ain't Number One”) and the early siders by Nora Jean (Bruso) who sides show more promise that has been realized on her recent recordings, including an excellent disc on Severn. Dawkins’ also supports a fine performance from bassist Robert ‘Big Mojo’ Elem who once anchored the bands of Freddie King and Luther Allison. His side was previously unissued as were the three sides (one an instrumental) by singer-guitarist Vance Kelly who is still active. “Use What you Got,” is a mix of soulful singing and a down home blues groove. Tail Dragger is represented by two sides with a solid band but I find his Howlin’ Wolf styled performances over-bearing and suffer from his mumbling diction, but others will disagree. Sister Margo and Healing Center Choir close this compilation with two solid gospel performances.

In summary, a solid collection of 80’s Chicago blues which exhibit more than a little soul, but remain rooted in the more traditional blues. David Whiteis contributes a concise overview of the music here. It is not an essential release, but one that still is valuable, especially for making available music from Christian and Kelly.


For FTC purposes, the review copy was sent by the recording company.