Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne Go, Just Do It!

Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne
Go, Just Do It!
Stony Plain Records

"Go, Just Do It!" is the latest album by the veteran blues and boogie-woogie pianist, Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne. Backing the keyboardist, who was inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame in 2017, are former B.B. King bassist Russell Jackson, guitarist Yuji Ihara, drummer Joey Dimarco, and horn players Jerry Cook and Vince Maie. There are also appearances by Sherman Doucette on harmonica, and vocalists Dawn 'Tyler' Watson, Julie Masi, and Diane Schuur. Wayne's son SeQuel — Cory Spruell — infuses rap cadence and a fresh verse on one tune. There are ten originals from the Blues Boss and three covers.

Musically, this is a mixed bag. Wayne is an affable singer who is heard best in a relaxed boogie and blues approach like Fats Domino and Amos Milburn. There are tunes such as the relaxed boogie shuffle "You Did a Number On Me," where his voice seems to show a bit of wear. His piano shows little diminishment of his skills. His duets with Dawn 'Tyler' Watson, including the title track, are stronger performances that do benefit from her presence.

Arguably the finest selection is Percy Mayfield's "You're In For a Big Surprise," a duet with Diane Schuur, who has a vocal authority that matches Ray Charles and Johnny Adams, among the best interpreters of this song. Other stand-out performances include the brassy blues shuffle, "Motor Mouth Woman." Then there is the rocking Chicago-styled blues, "They Call Me the Breeze," with Doucette's saucy harmonica, in addition to the Blues Boss' piano. "Bumpin' Down the Highway," is a relaxed instrumental that allows Cook and Maie to stretch out before Wayne plays a sterling piano solo. Then there is a boogie train blues, "T & P Train 400," and the rollicking closing number, 'Let the Rock, Roll," with some Amos Milburn style boogie-woogie piano.

Given that this an election year, one can't be surprised that someone would cover the Percy Mayfield-Johnny 'Guitar' Watson song, "I Don't Want to Be President." But that song came out of the post-Watergate era, and Wayne's amiable vocal doesn't convey the wry, sport-spoken quality of Mayfield's recording nor the street-savvy wisdom of Watson's. SeQuel's rap on this track adds a fresh gloss on the performance. It is not a poor performance, just not outstanding.

I have been a fan of Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne since his first album came out in 1998. This album may not be one of his best recordings, such as 2018's "Inspired By The Blues." That said, I doubt anyone buying this recording would be disappointed by the good times Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne provides.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "That's The Way She Is" from this CD.

 

Take 5 With Amos MIlburn

I was a senior in college when I went to Cleveland's VA Hospital to see the legendary Amos Milburn who was being treated for a stroke. A few years after this he was able to use one hand in playing and recorded for Johnny Otis. Milburn was one of the biggest rhythm and blues artists of the late 40s and early 50s with his suave singing style and his superb boogie-woogie piano.

One of his early recordings was a cover of "Down the Road a Piece." Here is a version he recorded for the "Showtime at the Apollo" TV show with the Paul Williams Band backing him.

His music was often simply good time music as heard here on "Let's Have a Party."

The great Maxwell Davis arranged and played on many of his recordings including a vocal version of "Flying Home," best known from Lionel Hampton's recording with Illinois Jacquet. Lieber and Stroller wrote the lyrics for this stomping boogie.

Milburn was known for drinking blues as well as hot rocking boogie jump tunes. His hits included "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," 'Bad bad whiskey," Thinking and Drinking," and "Let Me Go Home Whiskey." Here is "Thinking and Drinking."

 Finally, one of his biggest hits was "Chicken Shack Boogie,' which has been reworked by the likes of Floyd Dixon, Jimmy McCracklin and jump blues revivalists Big Joe and the Dynaflows. The original was a major #1 hit on the R&B charts. Here is Milburn's remake of the song for Imperial backed by Dave Bartholomew's Band with Lee Allen and Earl Palmer. It is hotter than a NASA rocket at lift-off.

A few Blues thoughts for the day

Thoughts for the day.

Not one member of the Boogie Woogie Trio (Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis or Pete Johnson) is in the Blues Hall of Fame. The greatest boogie woogie pianists of all time. Here is Boogie Woogie Prayer.

I also add their mentor Jimmy Yancey is also not in nor is the great Cow Cow Davenport. Look at who has been recently inducted but these folk are not in.  Here is Davenport, not doing the eponymously named boogie, but Texas Shout.

And here is Jimmy Yancey's almost poetical rendition of How Long Blues.

 More on acts that should be in the Blues Hall of Fame in future posts. Look up these folks on google and give their music a listen on the net.

Willie Dixon's cliche "The Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits" may have had some truth when he made it, but today so much of what is marketed as blues is the fruits as much as anything. When Dixon made the comment so many musical acts were redoing blues songs (country acts covered Jimmy Reed) and even the genius that was Gil Evans would rework a Dixon song like he does with Spoonful.

Or Jimmy Smith cover Muddy Waters' hit Got My Mojo Workin'.

Mitch Woods - Jammin' On The High C's

Mitch Woods is a real solid conveyor of boogie woogie piano and jump blues and for over a decade has been running Mitch Woods Club 88 on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues cruises. It started simple enough when as an invited guest on the cruise, he noticed the ship had a piano bar that wasn't being used, so he simply started playing and people came by to listen and musicians came by to sit in. Soon the jams were lasting until daybreak and someone put up a sign saying Mitch Woods' Club 88 which became the Club 88 Piano Bar and Blues Lounge n the cruise with now 4 piano players on every cruise alternating shifts from early evening to until ?.

Woods had a variety of performances from the January 2015 cruise recorded and they have just been issued on Club 88 Records (distributed by VizzTone), "Jammin' On The High C's" which is subtitled "Live From Mitch Woods' Club 88 on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise." Its a fun recording with his boogie and jump piano joined on different selections by members of Roomful of Blues, Julia Magness, Billy Branch, Victor Wainwright, Papa Chubby, Coco Montoya, Lucky Peterson, Tommy Castro and Dwayne Dopsie.

Mostly the music is renditions of well known blues standards played in an ebullient fashion with Woods handling the old Smiley Lewis classic "Big Mamou" to open it up. Highlights are Lucky Peterson singing Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights, Big City," Billy Branch reprising Sonny Boy Williamson's "Eyesight to the Blind," Papa Chubby handling "Wee Wee Hours," and Dwayne Dopsie joining on a rocking "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On." One also gets entertained by Tommy Castro singing Little Richard's "Rip It Up," and a nice "Rock Me Baby" from Coco Montoya.

My major criticism is the lack of fuller personnel information (although I might imagine it would be pretty lengthy), and more seriously the lack of composer credits. These performances are entertaining and fun if not classic and the sense of good times comes though on this nicely put together recording which includes Woods reciting the history of Club 88. Certainly one of aspects of the Cruise that makes it a consistent sell-out.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review originally appeared in the September-October Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 362). Here Mitch previews this disc.

Arthur Migliazza Laying It Down

I remember seeing a 13-year old Arthur Migliazza at the (Washington) DC Blues Society jam when it was held at Takoma Station Tavern and Judy Luis-Watson was conducting the jam. Like others, I was impressed by this prodigy playing straight boogie woogie piano. It was not long after that when his family moved to Tucson. Judy Luis-Watson was an instructor at the Augusta (WV) Heritage BluesWeek which Arthur would start attending and became introduced the the late Ann Rabson who became his mentor. Over the intervening decades, Arthur himself became a regular instructor at BluesWeek as well as the Port Townsend Blues Workshops and become known for the level of his blues and boogie woogie playing.

The level of his piano playing can be enjoyed on his Hobemian Records debut Laying It Down. If he opens with an overture that mixes a variety of piano styles and followed some New Orleans oriented playing in renditions of songs associated with Fats Domino and Huey Piano Smith (a Professor Longhair influence is present on the rendition of Rocking Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu), followed by his fine playing on Albert Ammons Boogie Woogie Stomp. Its a performance, along with a performance of Meade Lux Lewis’ Honky Tonk Train Blues, that displays how well he has absorbed the styles of the two Chicago boogie woogie masters.

Love You Mama is a Chicago-styled blues based on Junior Wells recording Little By Little, with Grant Dermody contributing harmonica and Laura Martin guitar. A medley of Sing Sing Sing/Bumble Bee Boogie is a good display of how deft and skilled a pianist he is if it is a bit kitschy to these ears. Suzy Thompson’s fiddle adds a bit of skittle quality on an enjoyable Paul Barbarin’s Bourbon Street Parade. Migliazza channels Otis Spann on Thank You Blues (with harmonica from Sean Devine) and does a nice reworking of Hersal Thomas’ Suitcase Blues, one of a several songs on which his direct, heartfelt vocals can be heard on.

Migliazza’s boogie woogie variations on St. Louis Blues is a fine rendition to join versions by Earl Hines, Albert Ammons and Bob Seeley and perhaps the highlight of a very solid collection of boogie woogie and piano blues performances. Arthur Migliazza has  established himself as a significant voice in the boogie woogie world and listening to him Laying It Down, one expects his audience will expand beyond that.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here ia a video of Arthur Migliazza playing Handy's St. Louis Blues.

A Box Set Treasure of Boogie Woogie and Blues Piano

While it is not clear where the style of piano called Boogie Woogie originated, by 1928 it had clearly surfaced in Chicago where it was named by a recording Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie, by Clarence ‘Pinetop’ Smith. As Dan Morganstern writes in the booklet accompanying the new Mosaic Selects set, Boogie Woogie and Blues Piano, boogie woogie was a piano idiom rooted in the blues, “a rolling, romping an infectious approach to the keyboard … . Its chief characteristic is a forceful, repetitive (but by no mans unvaried) ‘walking’ bass line pitted against a blues melody line in the treble marked by cross rhythms, usually (but not always) at a fast tempo.” The Mosaic Selects 3-disc set collects 72 of the finest recordings in this idiom from the idiom’s peak period of popularity in the late thirties and early forties from recordings originally on such labels as Victor, OK, ARC, Columbia, Bluebird and Vocalion and includes such masters of the style as Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, Jimmy Yancey and Cripple Clarence Lofton along with recordings by others including Harry James, Joe Sullivan, Benny Carter, and Red Allen. 

A thunderous boogie played with ‘"A Left Hand From God” (to cite the title of Peter Silvester's history of boogie woogie), can be heard from the opening moments as we are introduced to Meade Lux Lewis’ revival of his Honky Tonk Train Blues, one of the classic piano and train instrumentals of all time. Its followed by a couple more efforts by Lewis as well as fellow Chicagoan, Albert Ammons with two takes of his dazzling tour de force, Shout For Joy. In turn this is followed by the great Kansas City pianist, Pete Johnson accompanying the great shouter Joe Turner on Roll ‘Em Pete. These recordings, along with the appearance of the trio at the legendary Carnegie Hall concert, From Spirituals to Swing, helped launch boogie woogie into a National craze. As part of this craze, the Boogie Woogie Trio (Ammons, Lohnson and Lewis) along with Turner were booked into Cafe Society, the legendary Greenwich Village Club. The trio recorded the spectacular Boogie Woogie Prayer together, and were joined by trumpeter Harry James for several recordings. The first of the three discs concludes with eight heart pounding duets between Johnson and Ammons. 

The second of the discs is a bit more varied with some focus shifted to vocalist Turner who fronts Pete Johnson and His Boogie Woogie Boys that included trumpeter Hot Lips Page and alto saxophonist Buster Smith on Cherry Red and Baby Look at You. Then Turner shouts in front of Ammons, Johnson and Lewis on Cafe Society Rag, before singing in front of combos led by pianist Joe Sullivan and Benny Carter. After this, we are presented with three distinct takes of Down The Road A-Piece by the Will Bradley Trio with pianist Freddie Slack. This became a staple of piano led combos in the post-World War II period. Selections by Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton and Red Allen illustrate the spread of boogie woogie as it became a national fad (this set limits itself to small combos and does not include examples of the big band variations).

The final disc opens with a piano solo by Mary Lou Williams before presenting us with 17 tracks by the great Jimmy Yancey, one of the greatest blues and boogie pianists of all time. A former baseball player in the Negro Leagues, he was a groundskeeper at Comiskey Park as well as a pianist of great emotional depth and rhythmic vitality. His music eschewed flash for a lyrical, almost poetic quality with what Morganstern notes idiosyncratic harmonies although all of his numbers ends in the key of E. His boogies are not played at quite a breakneck as Ammons, Johnson or Lewis were capable of but his treble lines are perhaps more interesting and while his bass work is varied and propulsive if not as powerful as the others as can be heard on Yancey’s Stomp. Slow blues like Five O'Clock Blues were his forte as his subtle touch and treble embellishments lend a melancholy flavor to his performances. His poetic piano perhaps is stronger than his unmannered vocals, but his earnest delivery compensates for any vocal limitations, and one will not find any better examples of blues piano than his work here. Five tracks by Clarence Lofton, with Big Bill Broonzy on guitar, close this collection with touches of ragtime mixed in with boogie as on Strut That Thing, which echoes Speckled Red’s classic Dirty Dozens, and lyrics that would be echoed by Little Johnny Jones a decade later, with Lofton raggy boogie bass and while beating of his right hand lines. Also included is the marvelous Brown Skin Gal, which more great piano and lyrics and a commanding singing. 

Long-time collectors have many of these recordings, but some of the reissues of this material on the have been out-of-print for a number of years. Mosaic Select has put together this strong collection of music that belongs in any credible collection of blues and boogie woogie piano. Dan Morganstern’s essay also provides the historical context mixed with insights on the recordings and performers. Available from www.mosaicrecords.com.

This review appeared originally in the February 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 301), although I have made some edits. I do not recall if I received a review copy or purchased this. If you are thinking of a gift for the blues piano lover in your Holiday Gift List, this is still available from Mosaic, http://www.mosaicrecords.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MS-030. Now here is a video of Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson.

Marvelous Reissue of Albums By George Lewis and Jimmy Yancey albums

One of the unexpected pleasures of the recent Sony Box set celebrating 50 years of Preservation Hall was the inclusion of some selections from a series of albums issued on Atlantic shortly after that fabled venue opened. It led to my checking into the availability of these albums. They have been issued on the Collectables label in a series of two albums on one CD. One CD, includes an album by a band led by The George Lewis Band of New Orleans, Jazz at Preservation Hall, reissued with an album Pure Blues, by legendary blues and boogie pianist Jimmy Yancey. Included are the original liner notes by Rev. A.L. Kershaw for Lewis and Ralph Gleason, George Hoefer and Art Hodes for the Yancey (with Hodes personal memories being quite moving).

The George Lewis Band of New Orleans included Kid Howard on trumpet; Jim Robinson on trombone; Alcide ‘Slow Drag’ Pavageau on bass; Emmanuel Sayles on banjo; and Joe Watkins on drums. On a few tracks the personnel include Snookum Russell on pianol “Papa John’ Joseph on bass; and Joe Watkins on drums. Lewis is amongst the greatest clarinetists of New Orleans jazz with his simple, blues-drenched style and he also was recorded extensively. This album of his is amongst the best recorded and contains a number of staples of his repertoire including Salutation March, Down By the Riverside, Careless Love, Burgundy Blues and St. Louis Blues along an amiable version of Jelly Roll Morton’s Winin’ Boy Blues. The selections with a full group are marvelous with the interplay between Lewis’ clarinet, Howard’s trumpet and Robinson’s tailgate trombone. Then there is Burgundy Blues, with the other horns sitting out on what is perhaps Lewis’ most celebrated number. The spare backing helps contribute to the melancholic tone of a stunning blues performance. This is amongst the best sounding as well as best recordings of George Lewis that I have heard.

Jimmy Yancey was a ground keeper for the Chicago White Sox (during World War I he played in the Negro Leagues) and also one of the greatest blues and woogie woogie pianists that one might fine playing rent and house parties in Chicago. He was a pioneer in the boogie woogie idiom and an influence on Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis. Atlantic recorded Yancey and his wife Mama Estelle Yancey in 1951 a few months before he passed away. These would be his last recordings although he had been recorded by Jazz Information, Solo Art , Session, Victor and Vocalion. 

One aspect of these performances, on which bassist Israel Crosby lends a light touch, is the focus on slow blues instrumentals (and accompaniments), while his earlier recordings had more in the nature of stomps and boogie woogies marked by his immediately recognizable touch and endings. Yancey’s Bugle Call comes closest to illustrate this aspect of his music, but much of this focus on on his atmospheric slow blues like on Mournful Blues or the musical poetry of his rendition of Leroy Carr’s How Long How Long Blues. The spare left-hand bass supplements the treble runs which focus on feeling and not flash. This same mood is present for another version of this heard here on which Mama Yancey so movingly sings. It is one of five vocals by Mama Yancey heard here which also include her take on the traditional, Make Me a Pallet On The Floor, again with Jimmy Yancey’s simple, moody backing. These vocals, like Yancey’s instrumental performances, are blues performances of the highest order and like the Lewis album would be easy to recommend if they had been issued separately. To have these combined on one release makes this album even easier to recommend.

I purchased this. Here is a video from 1962 of George Lewis performing.

In Turkey Mitch Woods Discovers Blues Without Borders

Mitch Woods has been pounding the 88s for a few decades now and his latest recording of jump blues and boogie woogie is Blues Beyond Borders on Woods own Club 88 label. This is a combined CD/DVD release that was recorded in the fall of 2010 at the Efes Blues Festival in the Republic of Turkey, as part of a tour where Mitch and his band played 26 shows in 20 cities over five weeks in that country. In addition to containing video of the performances the DVD also includes insightful extras of the band’s adventures on the road, a travelogue of Turkey, impressions of the Turkish culture and the group’s experiences as “blues ambassadors” around the world. Joining Mitch Woods (piano, vocals) are His Rocket 88s: New Orleans all-stars Amadee Castenell (sax/background vocals) and Cornell Williams (bass,/vocals), as well as Adam Gabriel (guitar/background vocals) and Larry Vann (drums).

Mitch Woods is a terrific person as well as a splendid pianist and singer in the jump blues vein. His playing can get deep into the blues as well as rollicking with the general tenor of the performances being let's have a good time and party. Things kick off with Woods’ original Solid Gold Cadillac, a boogie rocker taken at a nice tempo with the band providing crisp support (Castenell adding tenor riffs behind Woods unhurried, rolling boogie woogie solo). Besides being a fine idiomatic performance, Woods lyrics ring true like we are hearing a revival of a fifties jump blues classic. The same can be held about another original, Boogie Woogie BBQ, where again Woods demonstrates his flair for lyrics that sound like they were decades old. Its a rollicking number as Woods sings about BBQ, fried chicken and oyster stew while Castenell takes off on his solo. 

A favorite Woods original is Mojo Mambo, which takes us to New Orleans with melody and whistling lifted from Earl King’s Big Chief, before Woods sings that if you want to have a ball good down to New Orleans and do the mojo mambo with a voodoo queen as bassist Williams and drummer Vann kick out that hot second-line groove while Woods channels Professor Longhair.

Of course there are some choice interpretations, most of which are relatively obscure such as Down Boy Down, which the legendary Henry Glover co-wrote and features some riveting saxophone. Then there is a rocking Roy Milton revival What Can I Do, where Mitch sings he will do anything to prove his love, with a some guitar fireworks from Gabriel. Clarence Garlow’s Crawfishin’ is another rocking vehicle for Woods and in the DVD one can see Mitch show the crowd to signify a crawfish with their hands when he sings ‘crawfishing.’ Gabriel rips off another storming solo as does Castenell on the second break. Bassist Williams shows off his gospel roots on a stunning vocal on Eddie Boyd’s Third Degree that evoked Johnny Adams. This man is that good and should be recorded on his own. Castenell stands out again with some bluesy saxophone 

Before taking the concert out on The House of Blues Lights, Woods and the band do a medley of Professor Longhair’s In The Night with a popular Turkish song, Lambaya Puf De, that certainly is received enthusiastically with Gabriel taking the vocal for this local favorite. The DVD of the concert has a few spoken overlays in which Mitch adds his reminisces of the tour, experiencing the country of Turkey and the warmth of the folk he met. The video production and editing is really well done with focus on the musicians. The is also a DVD extra that has video of the band on the road along with Kenny Neal and his band who shared the tour with Mitch’s recollections added. Mitch also introduces each of his band members, tells about celebrating Turkish Independence Day, and introduces us to the crew that arranged and produced their tour, along with a photo slide show.

As Mitch states in the liner notes “[M]usic truly crosses all boundaries and Blues certainly beyond borders.” The enthusiasm his performances received attests to the truth of that comment. Blues Beyond Borders documents one night of a magical blues and boogie woogie tour with Mitch and his band in terrific form.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a clip from the video to whet your appetite for this.

RIP The Magnificent David Alexander-Omar Sharriff

Word came down in early january of the death of pianist-vocalist David Alexander who was also known as Omar Sharriff and Omar the Magnificent. A blues and boogie woogie pianist was born in Shreveport Louisiana on March 10, 1938, although raised in Marshall, Texas.. While his father was also a pianist, he was self-taught for most part. After serving a stint in the Navy he moved to Oakland, California and played with a variety of San Francisco area musicians as well as touring musicians including Big Mama Thornton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Muddy waters, Buddy Guy and Albert Collins.

As Dave Alexander he made his first recordings on a compilation for World Pacific, Oakland Blues that also included L.C. “Good Rockin’” and Lafayette Thomas. He displayed mastery of the boogie woogie and blues tradition, a gift for sophisticated lyrics and an urbane vocal style. A couple of albums followed for Arhoolie followed (and the Arhoolie CDs which may be the easiest of his recordings to find today although have Mercy Records website, http://sacheritagefest.com/HaveMercy/info.htm, shows them as available) again displaying his gift with words as well as his earthy, yet sophisticated approach. In 1976 he changed his name to Omar Khayam and started performing as Omar The Magnificent, and later as Omar Sharriff.

Moving to Sacramento, California, he spent much the remainder of his life performing there. He recorded three albums for the Have Mercy label which apparently are out-of-print although copies may be located at used stores and the likes. He returned to Marshall, Texas to perform in late 2010 and relocated there in February 2011. He died on January 8, 2012, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot. My sources for the biographical information is his wikipedia page and a TV station’s news story, http://www.ksla.com/story/16473447/legendary-arklatex-musician-found-shot-to-death. I previously posted the following review of one of his Have Mercy Recordings. In light of his recent passing, thought it appropriate to repost it.

The career of pianist Omar Sharriff demonstrates that talent and originality does not necessarily result in success. One of the most distinctive blues pianists, an evocative vocalist, and a songwriter whose lyrics capture the bittersweet reality of modern urban life, it may be Sharriff’s refusal to compromise his beliefs, or the rawness of his blues, that led to his relative lack of recordings, or commercial success in music.

Black Widow Spider, his 1994 release on the Have Mercy label mixed striking versions of classic blues with powerful originals. Fingers of Fate is a splendid piano boogie, while Seven Years of Torture depicts his years living in Clovis, a town full of rednecks and fruit growers, and a very bad romance. In contrast, Fire of Fury features his rap with a forceful commentary on the Rodney King beating and the Los Angeles riots. He personalizes Ray Charles’ Greenbacks, and the Joe Williams-Count Basie classic recording Smack Dab in the Middle, reworked almost like Don’t Start Me To Talkin’ with harp. His choice of covers shows him not bound by categories but his version of All Across the Watchtower is spoiled by messy blues-rock guitar. Sharriff is a fascinating pianist who mixes jazz, gospel and other idioms with the blues. Saxophonist Steve Ghundi is a first rate player whose accompaniments and solos are thoughtful, and responsive to Sharriff’s lead.

This was an important album by an major, under recorded artist.

I checked and the Have Mercy website lists this as available. It would be worth checking the website for order info. This is revised version of the review from October 1994 Jazz & Blues Report.

Big Joe Turner's Birthday Boogie Woogie Jubilee With Axel Zwingenberger

I have many fond memories of the late Big Joe Turner, one of the greatest blues shouters of all time. I had the honor to emcee Big Joe and Lloyd Glenn at Buffalo’s Tralfamadore Cafe in 1977 and saw him a number of times in New York whether at the Lone Star, Trammps or Fat Tuesday’s. In the 1970s he became acquainted with a young German pianist Axel Zwingenberger who played boogie woogie in the manner of the boogie woogie legends Pete Johnson (with whom Turner sang with in Kansas City, New York and Los Angeles), Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis. Zwingenberger is still around and one of a number of individuals throughout the world still playing classic boogie woogie, showing his deep appreciation for the greats of the idiom while displaying his own touch.

Boogie Woogie Jubilee is among the albums that Big Joe and Axel recorded together and currently available on Vagabond Records. It was recorded on May 1981 at Big Joe Turner’s Los Angeles home with the legendary jump blues band leader sitting in on drums. This is a wonderful informal house party recording and the occasion of this back yard party was Joe Turner’s 70th Birthday Party. And after Joe makes a comment to his friends, Axel launches into some Albert Ammons inspired boogie woogie before Joe shouts Hide and Seek Boogie, bringing together of some traditional blues verses and asking the audience “are you ready.” Audience claps reinforce Roy Milton’s steady drumming that helps propel Zwingenberger’s boogie woogie piano as well as Big Joe’s singing.

Big Joe generally was in terrific voice that afternoon. He sounds at times even stronger than as on of his contemporaneous recordings for Pablo and other labels. There are takes on some of the songs most associated with Turner such as Chains Of Love, Flip, Flop & Fly, Cherry Red, and Piney Brown Blues, wonderfully delivered with the strong, sympathetic accompaniment. And one can hear the audience enjoying these performances. The highpoint might be the title track, an extended vocal jam between Turner, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson and Margie Evans and Cleanhead wishes Big Joe ‘Happy Birthday’ during his vocal here. There is one boogie woogie piano instrumental, California Crawl, that places Zwingenberger’s marvelous piano in the fore front as he conjures up Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons.

Boogie Woogie Jubilee is a superb album with outstanding blues vocals and marvelous boogie woogie piano. I also recommend a studio recording by Big Joe and Axel, Let’s Boogie Woogie All Night Long, from a few years earlier, where Axel’s brother Torsten handles the drums which Johnny Otis engineered, and another disc has him with Lionel Hampton. Recent albums has him in a trio with Charlie Watts on drums and accompanying Albert Ammons granddaughter. I will be giving my thoughts on some of these other albums by Axel in future blogs.

I purchased this and several other albums by Axel directly from him at his website, http://www.boogiewoogie.net/2/en/0/a/0/aktuelles.html, and hear some clips from the recordings. Some may be available from third party sellers in the United States.


Here is Axel with Charlie Watts on Jools Holland's program Later, that includes a clip of boogie woogie classics. Then a video of Big Joe Turner from the American Folk Blues Festival in 1966.

Lluis Coloma's Boogie Woogie and Blues Portraits

Spanish pianist Lluís Coloma is representative of a worldwide group of pianists devoted to the classic boogie woogie and blues form. His most recent album on Swing Alley, Blues Portraits is comprised of a solo performance along with eleven duets with blues and boogie woogie pianists from around the world. The other pianists (some of whom I am familiar with) include August Tharrats, Mitch Woods, Carl Sonny Leyland, Julien Brunetaud, Bob Seeley, David Giorcelli, Mark ‘Mr. B” Braun, Frank Muschelle, Barrelhouse Chuck (Goring), Philippe LeJeune and Bernat Font.

He opens with his own, lively Coloma’s Boogie. Coloma is then joined on a range of traditional or classic blues and boogies along with a few idiomatic originals. Coloma is on the left speaker throughout. It allows the listener to discern the different in approaches such as Tharrats who sounds a bit honky tonk on the gospel Just a Closer Walk With Thee, while Mitch Woods takes us to New Orleans on Red Beans, adding an affable vocal.

Carl Sonny Leyland's opening bar on C C Rider, evoked Amos Milburn as the two provide a nicely crafted underplayed blues here, while Julien Brunetaud has an appealing vocal on I’ve Got to Learn to Do the Mambo, with crisp lead playing along with his strong left hand, while Swanee River Boogie, dates back at least to Albert Ammons and Fats Domino prior to the furious duet by the two that Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson would be proud of.

David Giorcelli takes lead on the classic piano blues theme 44 Blues, with a rub-board adding rhythmic accents, although the tempo smooths out some of the intriguing twists and turns that Sykes and Little Brother Montgomery provided when playing this. The spirit of Meade Lux Lewis is suggested on the duet between Coloma and Frank Muschelle on the furious Honky Tonk Blues Bar Boogie, while Barrelhouse Chuck conjures up Sunnyland Slim on his terrific reworking of Floyd Jones’ “Schooldays on My Mind,” whereas Philippe LeJeune adds a bit of sophistication on Ray Bryant’s I’ll Stick With It, whose melody is quite similar to Johnny Copeland’s Cut Off My Right Arm.

This is a first-rate album of performances that illustrates the wide number of excellent blues players out there that will be mostly unfamiliar to most. Coloma himself is a superb player who also is quite willing to allow the others to shine here. Piano players do play together, and quite well as shown here.

This review was written for Jazz & Blues Report, but I do not believe it was ever published. I received a review copy from a publicist for this release. His website is http://lluiscoloma.com/en/index.asp.  Here is some videos of him performing.

Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne Lets It Loose

A few years ago I was sent a CD by West Coast pianist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne, that was a superb disc of hot R&B and jump blues in the vein of such legends as Amos Milburn, Floyd Dixon and Little Willie Littlefield. Subsequently he has started to play top festivals and clubs, and the Canadian Electro-Fi label since issued Let It Loose, Waynes second disc for that label.


Let it Loose opens with a hard rocking Blackberry Wine, a tune musically derived from Milburn’s Chicken Shack Boogie. Milburn is clearly a major influence on Wayne, who plays strong jump boogie piano that would have served Milburn well in his heyday. Joogie to the Boogie is an easy rocking number with strong tenor sax from Pat Carey. A trio of songs, Bewildered; Let Me Go Home Whiskey; and Memphis Slim’s Blue and Lonesome, provide a mini-tribute to MIlburn, one of the top-selling R&B acts between 1948 and 1953.


A more modern and a funk groove mark the slow, reflective Wishing Well, while the title track is a high-stepping tune that should prove irresistible to swing dancers with its quick, but not frenzied, tempo. A more contemporary feel also characterizes the closing Carry Me Home, which is perhaps not as striking as some of the other songs here.


Russell Jackson on bass anchors a solid rhythm section that never rushes the tempo and Brandon Issak plays solid idiomatic guitar to complement Wayne. Wayne also contributed most of the songs here and his songwriting is first-rate. With all the albums that are supposedly extending the blues, its nice to find a terrific recording that is rooted in some undeservedly forgotten giants of the blues.


The above review appeared in the June 2005 DC Blues Calendar, the newsletter of the DC Blues Society that I edited from 1988 to 2007. I have made a few minor stylistic changes from the original review, but the tenor remains the same. I have resurrected the review in light of the upcoming new Stony Plain release by him, An Old Rock On a Roll that I will be posting a review of in a few days.

Bob Seeley's Strong Boogie Woogie

Bob Seeley at 2011 WWOZ Piano Night

Attending the annual WWOZ Piano Night, Monday May 2, after the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & heritage Festival, I had the pleasure of seeing a number of really terrific pianists, some who may be familiar, but others less known.Many of the pianists were from New Orleans and their music echoed such Crescent City stand bearers as Professor Longhair and James Booker. One exception was Boogie Woogie pianist, Bob Seeley from outside of Detroit.

A Detroit neighbor, Seeley was fortunate enough to become friends with one of the true legends of the idiom, Meade Lux Lewis, who along with Albert Ammons and Peter Johnson, are the primary influences on his music. Seeley’s performance at Piano Night was marvelous with a standout performance being of W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues” in which he adapted Earl Hines’ “Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues” as well as a section in which Seeley employed stride piano elements in interpreting this classic. Also strong was a rendition of “Just a Little Walk,” which added boogie woogie elements to his interpretation of this gospel staple. It was a remarkable live performance in which he displayed a strong left hand bass as well as a driving and precise right hand. His articulation of his piano playing was on point.

After his set I engaged him on his performance and told him I especially enjoyed his treatment of “St. Louis Blues.” He had several CDs for sale and recommended his CD “Detroit Style Boogie & Blues PIano” (Bob Seeley Music, Inc.) It was a purchase I certainly did not regret as it contains a number strong interpretations from the likes of his friend, Meade Lux Lewis, “Chicago Flyer,” “Honky Tonk Train” and “Boogie Tidal,” as well as renditions of Pete Johnson’s “K.C. on My Mind,” Hersal Thomas’ “The Fives,” Freddie Shayne’s “Mr. Freddie’s Blues,” and Jimmy Yancey’s “Barbershop Blues.” There are also superb renditions of “St. Louis Blues” and “Just a Closer Walk,” that exhibit his powerful, focused and deft attack that would make Lewis proud of his disciple. He also does not slavishly copy his sources as heard on the classic “Honky Tonk Train,” as well as “Barbershop Blues,” where his playing owes more to Lewis’ rock solid approach than Yancey’s lyrical playing. Arguably, his boogie flavored interpretation of “Watermelon Man,” does not quite succeed but a minor blemish on what is generally a terrific recording.

Bob Seeley’s CDs (except for a collaboration with Mark Barun (Mr. B) may be diificult to locate him. You might email him for information on this and other CDs at bobseeleypiano@aol.com.

Take a Boogie Woogie Ride With Gene Taylor

Pianist/vocalist Gene Taylor may be best known for his stint in The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but before that he was an important component of that legendary roots rock band, The Blasters. Prior to that he had a stint with James Harman and according to Wikipedia he is currently living in Belgium. That perhaps might explain why the Spanish El Toro label has just issued his new recording Let Me Ride In Your Automobile backed by the Dutch band, CC Jerome’s Jet Setters with Nick Curran make a couple guest appearances.

The recording opens with some rollicking piano on Evangeline Stomp with some ripping tenor sax from Martijn Van Toor and rocking guitar riffs with Taylor’s overdubbed organ adding to the full sound. He follows with some terrific Pete Johnson styled boogie woogie piano and a solid vocal on Rockin’ Little Honey,” with crisp rocking guitar added for a tough performance.” Just a Midnight Girl is a mid-tempo number with a rumba groove (like some of Tampa Red’s latter recordings) and a nice brief harp solo followed by “The Golden Rule,” a rocker with Nick Curran’s stinging guitar has a pointed lyric about he with all the gold makes the rules followed by a strong jump blues rendition of the classic hillbilly boogie, Moon Mullican’s Seven Nights To Rock, with a strong guitar solo from Jeroen Van Gasteren before Taylor’s fluid boogie playing. 

Never Took the Time, is a driving performance with a lyric about a faltering relationship with strong solos and ensemble playing, whereas The Blues For Me has a low-key, rustic feel in comparison with his lament about aspects of modern life. The Walkout has a bit of rockabilly flavor an insistent beat and is followed by three covers. First up is Big Walter Price’s Shirley Jean, which is a nice swamp pop performance. It is followed by a lively version of Johnny “Guitar’ Watson’s Motorhead Baby, greatly accelerating the tempo from Watson’s original into a rocking jump blues with plenty of boogie woogie blues. Let Me Ride In Your Automobile, which dates back to at least 1940 and Big Bill Broonzy. Taylor’s performance derives from Lowell Fulson’s recording (and Fulson receives the composer credit, and has a fine vocal that effectively highlights the wit of the double-entendre lyrics. Flying With Whitey is a instrumental that closes this recording on a hot jitter-bugging note.

Taylor’s originals are solid and idiomatic, his vocals are unforced and the Jet Setters know the difference between rock and roll and hard rock. I have enjoyed Taylor’s work when I have seen him play, so I am not surprised his has put out such a strong a strong blues and roots rock album. I bought it from bluebeatmusic.com, although it is available from amazon and cdbaby, so should be relatively easy to find.

Piano Boogie Woogie and Blues From Smithsonian Folkways

Smithsonian Institution’s acquisition of the legendary Folkways catalog served music lovers well by preserving and keeping available the rich trove of music that label had recorded. it also has served as a vehicle for the Smithsonian to issue new recordings of diverse musical traditions from around the world including live performances recorded at Smithsonian Folklife Festivals and programs. Included is the production of compilations drawn from the thousands of recordings in their catalog and in their archive. One such compilation is Classic Piano Blues that brings together recordings by Memphis Slim, Speckled Red, Victoria Spivey, Meade Lux Lewis, Roosevelt Sykes, Little Brother Montgomery, Lead Belly, and James P. Johnson from Folkways albums with efforts by Booker T. Laury from the 1990s “Folk Masters” series of concerts and radio broadcasts and a 1976 Folklife Festival performance of Dices Blues by Big ‘Chief’ Ellis (with John Cephas and Phil Wiggins accompanying him).

Jeff Place has compiled an interesting mix of material that is a credible introduction to the piano blues tradition although some might suggest that there are some curious choices of material. The opening Memphis Slim Tribute to Pete Johnson,” is a rousing boogie woogie as is Meade Lux Lewis’ Medium Blues, a strong medium tempo variation on Yancey Special, with a strong left hand bass. Booker T. Laury was heavily influenced by Roosevelt Sykes as his vigorous rendition of Early in the Morning,” that some may be more familiar from Junior Wells’ recordings of this Walter Roland number. I am surprised that a rendition of The Dirty Dozens by Speckled Red was not included, but this barrelhouse player is heard on a solid How Long, attributed by Red to St. Louis pianist Walter Davis. Red’s barrelhouse rendition of Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie, follows the more ragtime-tinged rendition by Little Brother Montgomery, and the contrasts in style is fascinating. Little Brother is good here and on his own No Special Rider Blues, but this listener has heard stronger recordings by him.

Champion Jack Dupree’s Black Wolf Blues, is a European small group recording of Texas guitarist-vocalist, J.T. ‘Funny Paper’ Smith’s Howling Wolf. Big Chief Ellis (he was part Black Creek Indian) originally recorded Dices Blues for a small New York label, and reprised it here displaying the influence of the afore-mentioned Walter Davis in his bittersweet approach. Lead Belly’s Big Fat Woman is more interesting for his mix of traditional lyrics than his unusual piano style. Sam Price’s instrumental, Parlour Blues, is another performance from the Folk Masters series and captures the famed pianist and talent scout in one of his last performances. While the booklet credits this to a performance at the Barns of Wolf Trap, I wonder if this was from the first season of Folk masters which I believe was held at Carnegie Hall.

Little Drops of Water, bring together the Deep Morgan (St. Louis piano of Henry Brown with vocalist Edith Johnson, both of whom recorded in the heyday of blues recordings in the twenties. Another St. Louis pianist is Henry Townsend who does a sober rendition of Roosevelt Sykes All My Money Gone” in an approach that suggest Walter Davis’ influence (Townsend played guitar on many Davis recordings). Sykes is represented by a solo version of Sweet Old Chicago, which he had recorded in New Orleans for Imperial. This is a variant of Sweet Home Chicago, but in any case Robert johnson’s recording itself is derived from Kokomo Blues and Sykes includes a verse not in Johnson’s recording. Sykes takes a boogie solo here, unlike his Imperial recording that featured a hot guitar solo, but was wondering why one of his more famous numbers were not included. Stride pianist James P. Johnson is heard with a small group for Hesitation Blues, as well as backs Katherine Handy Lewis on her father’s Yellow Dog Blues, where she wonders where her “easy rider has gone.” These are fine performances, although I am not sure they are classic piano blues.

As indicated, this serves as an introduction of the piano blues that can be heard on Smithsonian Folkways. There is some marvelous music here and even what I might consider curious selections is entertaining. It comes with a booklet that includes Jeff Place’s overview on piano blues and a discussion of the tracks as well as a biography and a list of pertinent Smithsonian piano blues releases. You can access the Smithsonian/Folkways catalog through the Smithsonian’s website, www.si.edu. The Folkways link is http://www.folkways.si.edu/index.aspx, and you can order or purchase as downloads there.

I purchased this CD.

Amos Milburn was the Chicken Shack Boogie Man

Back in the early 1990s, EMI issued a series of blues reissues that made some important and vintage blues available for blues listeners. In the October 1994 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 195) I reviewed a pair of reissues by Amos MIlburn and Big Joe Turner. These reissues included their important recordings for Aladdin and Imperial which in Milburn’s case was his legacy. I have noted that while the original CD sets (which had wonderful booklets) may be available from used sources, but the music is available as downloads on itunes and amazon (and I presume other sources), so my observations are worthwhile, especially since Milburn is such an important artist whose star has faded. Given that most people today associate Milburn’s big hit “Chicken Shack Boogie” with Pinetop Perkins, these recordings should be a revelation to many. What follows is the pertinent portion of my review from 1994 with a few stylistic changes. 

{Amos} Milburn’s star has been in eclipse for at least twenty years, yet, in the late forties, he was one of the biggest hit-makers in the rhythm and blues world, with most of his hits included on his collection. Despite Amos Milburn’s importance and influence, Rhino Records included no selections by Milburn on their Blues Masters Jump Blues or Texas Blues volumes. With the release of Down the Road Apiece, Milburn’s star will perhaps shine a bit brighter today. Inspired by the boogie woogie threesome of Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson, and Louis Jordan’s jumping jive, Milburn was discovered playing in Houston by Lola Anne Cullum and taken to the West Coast to record at sessions that also produced Lightnin’ Hopkins’ first sides.

His earliest recordings were strong Texas boogie woogie numbers, represented here by the title track, with Milburn’s firm piano and smooth, soulful singing, and a November 1947 session that produced his chart record, Chicken Shack Boogie, which was on the charts for 23 weeks and reached number 1. It would start a period of several years where Milburn consistently was on the Billboard R&B charts, with the boogie instrumentals and uptempo numbers Let’s Have a Party, Roomin’ House Boogie and Sax Shack Boogie (many with Maxwell Davis’ gritty tenor saxophone); Charles Brown influenced ballads and dreary blues including Hold Me Baby, Empty Arms Blues and Bewildered, (some also showing kinship to T-Bone Walker’s blues ballads); and mid-tempo blues like Walking Blues and Thinking and Drinking, the latter one of many recordings he made about booze including Bad, Bad, Whiskey, and One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer.

With the success of his songs about drinking, Milburn’s life imitated art and he started drinking heavily, including shot glasses from his his piano while performing. While he continued to chart records until mid-1954, he wasn’t able to stay on the charts with the advent of rock and roll despite efforts to update his sound. Even a pounding new version of Chicken Shack Boogie, in New Orleans with Dave Bartholomew’s studio band, that rocked with the force of a two-trailer diesel doing 75, could not restore him to his status as a chart topper. It is one of the greatest rock and roll records, and it is unfortunate that EMI did not include it in this collection.

After his tenure with Aladdin ended, Milburn continued performing and he recorded for a variety of labels, including some duets with Charles Brown for Ace. He even did an album for Motown, now a collector’s item. He suffered the first stroke in 1969 while working in Cincinnati. He suffered a second stroke shortly thereafter, and in April, 1971, this writer spent an afternoon with Milburn, then in a wheelchair, at the Cleveland VA Hospital. Somehow Milburn recovered enough use of one hand so that in 1976, with Johnny Otis playing the left hand parts, Milburn recorded for Otis’ Blues Spectrum label, although these cuts were not memorable. He died in 1980.

Down the Road Apiece collects his hit records and a few other choice items, although obviously ignoring a substantial part of his 160 or so sides for Aladdin (for instance, there is also a great version of Flying Home). Fans of boogie woogie, club blues and jump blues will find plenty to enjoy here, and, if it meets with your approval, you might watch for a rumored Mosaic box set. {The Mosaic Box was a joy, but has been long out-of-print}.

This collection includes liner notes and lists all of the pertinent Aladdin and Imperial recordings. Lacking is personnel and other complete discographical information, although the notes do highlight the important sidemen. Given the absence of available Amos Milburn, Down the Road Apiece, is a particularly important reissue.

As a footnote to my review I should mention that Milburn’s guitarist, Texas Johnny Brown, is still on the scene, laying down his sophisticated, urban blues.

Big Joe Duskin Rides Again

Looking back on my hard drive I came across this review of an album by pianist Big Joe Duskin. Never having the pleasure to see Duskin, I have only been able to enjoy his recordings. I am sharing this 2004 review with you. To my knowledge this recording is still in print.  


Born in Alabama in 1921, Big Joe Duskin has resided in Cincinnati for a number of years. A formidable pianist who was influenced by the great Memphis Slim and Roosevelt Sykes, Duskin actually abstained from performing blues in public to honor a promise to his father, a preacher that he would not play in public until his father passed away (and his dad lived to 105). It was not until the 1970s that this veteran started playing again in earnest leading to albums for Arhoolie and the Austrian Wolf labels. Now, one of the last of the original Cincinnati blues artists, he has a new album, Big Joe Jumps Again!, on the Yellow Dog label produced Willie Lee Ellis, a conservatory singer who met Duskin in the 80s and among those who has championed his music. Bassist Ed Conley and Philip Paul both did numerous sessions for King records (Paul was on Freddie King’s classic Hide Away). Guests also appear on several tracks including rocker Peter Frampton who is heard on two selections including Every Day I Have the Blues. Frampton now lives in Cincinnati and met Duskin at a benefit after 9/11. With the sympathetic trip backing, Duskin delivers his piano blues shouting out his lyrics in a fashion that evokes the great Sykes. Songs include Sykes’ Miss Ida B. (also a staple of Pinetop Perkins repertoire), Lowell Fulson’s You’re Gonna Miss Me, Memphis Slim’s Every Day and Beer Drinking Woman, and the boogie woogie standard Down the Road a Piece. There is even a rendition of North to Alaska before the album closes with a short rendition of Just a Closer Walk With Thee. We may never know just how good Duskin was in his prime as he kept his promise to his father, but he is still in his eighties a solid blues pianist and vocalist who is among the last of his generation of blues pianists and we should be thankful for this splendid release.

After I posted this review, Yellow Dog Records added the comment that it is print and provided a link for you to hear the music. 
 http://music.yellowdogrecords.com/bigjoeduskin. 
The link is in the comment they made, but I believe would be easier to have the link in the body of the review, so added it now.

For FTC purposes I likely received a review copy from Yellow Dog records or its publicity firm.

Steve Wiggins Entertaining Blues and Boogie Mix

Florida native Steve Wiggins may have started southern rock growing up, but in more recent years his musical focus has become directed more to blues and jazz and the result is The Steve Wiggins’ Band first blues album, “Precious Cargo” (SteveWho? Entertainment) that was recorded live at the Marina Civic Center in Panama City, Florida. In addition to wiggins on piano and organ, the band consists of Lenwood Cherry Jr., on drums and vocals; Bruce Herbert on bass guitar and vocals, and Wally Tirado on saxophone. It is an intriguing change to have a guitar-less blues band. In addition to the ten live performances, there is one studio recording with a guitarist added.


There is not much deep about the music here. Good time blues and boogie with some jazz and gospel inflections. “Steve’s Boogie,” kicks this disc off with barrelhouse boogie piano mixed with riveting sax and chicken fried organ. Its followed by a rendition of song “Cold Shot,” associated with Stevie Ray Vaughan with Herbert handling the vocal and Tirado’s raspy sax being the primary solo voice along with Wiggins’ Hammond B-3. I’m not really a fan of James Taylor’s “Steam Roller,” which is vocally handled first by Herbert and and then Cherry, but Wiggins opens with some deep blues piano and organ and Tirado adds to the atmosphere with his sax. “Doin’ My Thing” features Cherry on vocals. opening with Wiggins pounding the ivories and a bit of a funk groove when Tirado wails.


Cherry penned “Black Cat Woman,” with an insistent rhythm that has Wiggins and Tirado prominent in the backing as Cherry sings about this woman on the other side of town that likes to get down and has a spell on him. “Roosterfish,” is a solid jazz-inflected instrumental which is followed by John Lee Hooker’s “Dimples,” with rollicking keyboards and an affable vocal by Wiggins. The tempo slows down for Cherry singing, “My Last Tear,” with Tirado’s sax and the band hinting of “Stormy Monday,” as Wiggins gets down in the alley on piano and organ. Next up is a rendition of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man,” followed by a solid rendition of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Cherry may not be Bobby Bland or Bill Withers, but he does a very credible job delivering this lyric as well as the others. This is followed by the studio recording, another rendition of “Doin’ My Thing,” with a little bit fuller sound with the addition of guitar in the backing .


What stands out on “Precious Cargo,” is Wiggins really strong piano, Tirado’s raw sounding tenor sax and Cherry’s solid vocals. The band is pretty solid as well. band. The shortcoming may be that not all of the material here is strong. Still, this disc displays Steve Wiggins Band as the entertaining group they are.


This review has been stylistically and grammatically corrected from the version that appeared in Jazz & Blues Report issue 329. The review copy was provided by the firm handling publicity for this release.