Vanthology

Various Artists
Vanthology
Evidence

With an overabundance of blues artists recording tributes to rock icons, "Vanthology" stands out. One reason that this tribute to Van Morrison works is that producer Jon Tiven has collected a number of blues and soul legends to perform songs associated with the legendary Irishman, setting this apart from many similar concept discs which seem to have an overabundance of blues-rock guitar pounders.

The performers here include Little Milton, Freddie Scott, William Bell, Bettye Lavette, Eddie Floyd, Sir Mack Rice, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay, Son Seals, Ellis Hooks, Chuck Jackson, Henry Butler, and Bobby Patterson. The producer deliberately did not use horns on this to distinguish these interpretations from Morrison’s originals. The studio band is anchored by Butler with Tiven on guitar, wife Sally Tiven on bass and Simon Kirke on drums who provide funky, sympathetic backing for the awesome vocal talent here. Highpoints among the exceptional performances here include Little Milton’s rendering of "Tupelo Honey," William Bell’s rendition of "Have I Told You Lately," Freddie Scott’s "Brown-Eyed Girl," Bettye pleading vocal on "Real Real Gone." and Eddie Floyd’s Crazy Love. It is a special treat to her Sir Mack Rice, writer of that overplayed staple of blues bar bands "Mustang Sally," take up Morrison’s own bar band classic, "Gloria."

Morrison has been heavily influenced by blues and soul artists, a debt he has freely acknowledged in developing his own distinctive body of music, and some of these the artists pay tribute in this very fine release.

I likely received a review copy from Evidence Records. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2004 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 268). Here is Sir Mack Rice doing "Gloria."

Southern Avenue Keep On

Southern Avenue
Keep On
Concord Records

I was impressed by Southern Avenue's eponymously titled debut album that appeared on Stax a couple of years ago. This follow-up is on Concord Records itself. The core of the band remains the same: Memphis-born, church-bred sisters Tierinii and Tikyra Jackson, respectively a soulful, charismatic singer and a subtle, husky drummer; guitarist Ori Naftaly, an Israeli-born blues disciple; and the band's newest addition, keyboardist Jeremy Powell, an early alumnus of Stax's legendary music academy. Gage Markey is the bassist on this album but on this album of originals is not identified as a member of the band. Among others heard here are Art Edmaiston on saxophones and Mark Franklin on brass, William Bell guesting on a vocal, and CD producer Johnny Black on various keyboards.

The band sounds as powerful as on the prior recording. The title track opens this recording with Tierinii passionately delivering the song's message of even when thinks hot rock bottom, "You get what you put out, You gotta keep on." It is a superb track with the band and horns adding to the heat, while Naftaly adds a tight, cutting solo that almost matches the impassioned vocal. Then there is the punchy backing of "Whiskey Love," about dealing with a broken relationship and how she needs a cup. Tierinii is a superb singer who sings with clarity, nuance, and power. "Savior" is another display of her mastery of vocal dynamics as she goes from a virtual whisper to a scream, but never off-pitch, and letting the intensity develop naturally as opposed to being forced.

There is the bluesy feel of "The Tea I Sip," and the classic soul flavor of "Lucky." In a similar classic soul vein is "Too Good For You," where she tells her would be lover, "You can't do for me, Anything that I can't do … Be a whole lot better off without you." The interplay between keyboards and guitarist Naftaly also is worthy of note. Another message song "We Are Not So Different," has choice lyrics "Regardless of whose privileged we all got rights, … To ignore our cries over bloodshed, is just as low as the man." It has another fiery vocal with a smoldering, intense backing. William Bell joins Tierinii for another message song, "We Got the Music," as they sing "if you don't look like me, If you don't talk like me, That's alright, We've got the music … ," set against a classic Memphis sound backing. Then there is a celebration of sisterly love in "She Gets Me High" where Tierinii's girlfriend helps her unwind at times with her magical touch, with a potent blues-rock guitar break

The closing number, "We're Gonna Make It," is not the Little Milton song but a slow song of dealing with tough times and even though things may seem low, "Just don't let go, We're gonna make it." Again with a heartfelt vocal, firm and supple backing and a first-rate blues guitar solo to conclude another superb CD by Southern Avenue.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is the official video for the title track.

Ruthie Foster Let it Burn

Ruthie Foster is one of the signature voices today. I really enjoyed her performance at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival and her latest album Let it Burn (Blue Corn Music) is a gem. 

Recorded in New Orleans with George Porter, Jr., and Russell Batiste amongst others it has some terrific material as well as performances. There are several wonderful collaborations with the Blind Boys of Alabama including Lord Remember Me that are chilling. They back her on her rendition of Steven Stills' A Long Time Coming that make these four decades old lyrics come across as contemporary. The riff from Miles Davis' All Blues (laid down by organist Ike Stubblefield) is incorporated into the arrangement of  William Bell You Don't Miss Your Water that is a soulful duet by Foster and Bell. James Rivers is outstanding on tenor sax here. I enjoyed her interpretation of the Johnny Cash hit Ring of Fire, as a ballad (I also recommend folks check out the classic rendition by deep soul legend, James Carr). One last track to mention is the classic from The Band, It Makes No Difference, that Ruthie places her stamp on. 

Simply a marvelous recording.

Ruthie Foster at the 2013 Pennsylvania Blues Festival

This was a purchase.

Hardway Connection's Hot Soul Blues Stew

Its been over a decade since an unheralded walk-on group competed and won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, edging out a group fronted by Susan Tedeschi. Previously unknown to many blues lovers in the Washington area, the Hardway Connection have since become one of the best-loved blues and old school soul bands around. Featuring several truly excellent singers and a tight band with two keyboards, guitar, bass and drums, they have produced soulful and funky music and in the course of their three self-produced CDs, have come up with some strong original material along with some covers of some gems by Roy C.

The first time I heard them live, they turned many heads, including mine, when Jerome MacKall launched into the group’s rendition of Ray Charles’ A Fool For You (filtered through Otis Redding). William Bell, the legendary soul artist, has compiled 15 tracks from the three discs on his Wilbe label, Hot Ticket, which hopefully will make their music easier to find. What is impressive is the quality of their originals (which shouldn’t be surprising since guitarist-vocalist Robert Owens is Don Covay’s nephew) as well as the remarkable vocals of Jerome MacKall backed by the group’s strong playing.

Originals range from the get up on the dance floor groove of Come On and Dance; the southern soul of What She Doesn’t Know about a man in an affair; Horn-ee Side, perhaps an unfortunate title for a lyric in which MacKall sings about wanting to reach the horny side of his women’s mind; one of the group’s finest soul ballads, It Must Be Love; and Somebody, a deep soul lyric that evokes the Bee Gees To Love Somebody. Guitarist Robert Owens gets to the vocal mike on the popular medley of Roy C songs Morning Train/ Peeping Thru the Window (Presented in both radio and unedited mixes) as well as the follow-up, One in the Morning, in which Robert attempts to remedy what his woman viewed as the deficiency in his equipment being too short.

When one sees Hardway Connection perform, one hears them performing their originals that are here along with covers of Dorothy Moore, Al Green, Etta James and others. Hopefully this disc will be available in better stores. You can get it at the group’s performances of course along with amazon, Barnes & Noble, wax.museum.com and other web sites.


This review appeared originally in the October 2005 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. It was also published in the June 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 283). I have made some edits to reflect that this review is 5 years old and omitted material in the original review that was relevant to the Washington DC area readers and to reflect current availability. The Hardway Connection provided me with a review copy.