Bettye Lavette Blackbirds

Bettye Lavette
Blackbirds
Verve

"Blackbirds" is the latest recording from the great Bettye Lavette. This recording is Lavette's celebration of some iconic black women artists by performing songs associated with these women. It is produced by Steve Jordan, who produced Lavette's Grammy-nominated "Things Have Changed." Musically it has the clean, austere setting providing a backdrop for her sharp, at times, acidic delivery. The personnel includes guitarist Smokey Hormel, keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, drummer Steve Jordan, and bassist Tom Barney.

Her approach certainly is spot on for the opening Nina Simone's "I Don't Hold No Grudge," with her singing providing emphasis to the pain of the lyrics with a stinging closing guitar solo from Hormel. Sharon Robinson contributed a somber "One More Song," that Lavette pours her heart into singing about one more broken story line. Another gem is a spellbinding interpretation of Della Reese's torch song "Blues For the Weepers." She opens a stellar rendition of Ruth Brown's "Book of Lies" unaccompanied as she recalls the broken promises of her ex-lover who broke her heart.

Lavette's rendition of Lil Green's "In the Dark" (originally titled "Romance In the Dark") has a brooding sensuality to it with a sharp guitar solo. It is followed by a stark, reflective take on Dinah Washington's "Drinking Again." It says so much about Lavette's ability to make a song her own that the delivery of the harrowing imagery of "Strange Fruit" is almost as memorable as Billie Holiday's original recording. That is high praise of her interpretive powers. Buddy Johnson's "Save Your Love For Me" has been recorded by countless artists. One of the earliest versions was Nancy Wilson's with Cannonball Adderly, which is the inspiration of Lavette's pleading rendition of this modern classic.

With Hormel's spare guitar anchoring the backing, Lavette closes this recording with her interpretation of The Beatles' "Blackbird," again displaying how she can impart so much emotion in a song. One suspects that this outstanding release will garner Bettye LaVette more Grammy nominations. She is an American classic artist.

I received my review download from a publicist. Here is Bettye Lavette singing "Blackbird," in 2017.

Gerald McClendon Can't Nobody Stop Me Now

Gerald McClendon
Can't Nobody Stop Me Now
Delta Roots Records

This writer first became aware of Chicago-born singer/songwriter/performer Gerald McClendon from a memorable performance on the anthology "Battle Of The Blues: Chicago vs. Oakland." Drummer-songwriter-producer Twist Turner produced that recording. Turner has returned with this full album of deep soul by McClendon, a performer who has become known as "The Soul Keeper." McClendon's vocals are backed by Turner on drums and some stellar studio players. These include Art Love on bass, three great guitar players, Herb Walker, Joe Burba, and Mike Wydra, and three keyboardists, Roosevelt Purifoy, Sumito Ariyoshi, and Brian James, along with Skinny Williams on saxophone and John "Boom" Brumbach on trumpet. Turner wrote all twelve songs here.

A strong, expressive singer, McClendon will evoke some of the classic soul singers of the past such as Sam Cooke, Tyrone Davis, Otis Redding, and others as he sings about being caught in the act by his woman who tells him she does not want to stay on the break-up song, "Where Do We Go From Here." His phrasing and clean delivery of the lyrics underlying a compelling vocal. The breaking up of relationships is also a theme of several other selections, including "She Don't Love Me No More," which features Skinny Williams' burly tenor sax. Then there is the blue ballad, 'i," with some bluesy guitar fills. Of course, other themes include the title song opens this set with a surging groove as he sings about nothing can stop him as he takes control. Another standout song is the slow groover "Groove on Tonight' where he sings about going out and party all night as he needs to find someone to love him right.

Whatever the song or mood, McClendon's command and conviction stands out, along with the first-rate backing provided. Still, the highlight of this recording might be the soul-ballad, "You Can't Take My Love." On this track, Williams again plays a choice sax break in the middle of McClendon's soulful vocal where he tells his woman she can scandalize his name, but she can't take away his love for her. This performance notably displays why Gerald McClendon is "The Soul Keeper." "Can't Nobody Stop Me Now" is an extraordinary deep soul recording that hopefully will bring him the recognition his talent deserves. Also, kudos to Twist Turner for the terrific songs and production.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This will be released on June 12. Here is a promotional video for this recording.

Rockie Charles
Born For You
Orleans Records

A most pleasant surprise is this reissue of the late New Orleans based soul singer's 1996 release. Nicknamed "The President of Soul" after a 1970s recording released on his own label, he returned to recording when Carlos Ditta contacted him after seeing an ad Charles had placed, resulting in this recording. Outside of Smokey Greenwell's harmonica and Jerry Embree's tenor sax, none of the players on this session backing Charles' guitar and vocals is a name I remember. They do a fine job in backing Charles on his eleven originals here.

This was a marvelous soul session with a bit of country flavor in the vein of some of Joe Tex's recordings although Charles' voice is suggestive of Al Green. The album opens in a solid vein with his emotive yearning vocal on the lament "Born For You," with the smoldering heat in his vocal while Embree's tenor sax adds a mournful riff over the understated backing. "Old Black Joe," is a marvelous half-talking piece of story telling in the Joe Tex manner. Greenwell's harmonica adds to the atmosphere of another lament "Oh My Darling, Look What You're Doing to Me," as he sings about wanting to move but his body does not seem able. Another song with a Joe Tex feel is "Something Is Wrong With Our Love," with his plead to find a way out of this with solid idiomatic horn playing. Festis Believe in Justice." There is more of Memphis feel with the chugging rhythms of "I Need Your Love so Bad, I'm About to Loose My Mind," while there is also a fine holiday song, "I Just Called to Wish You a Merry Christmas" (and a Happy New Year."

With steel guitar added to the backing, Charles' lyrical skills are herd on the catchy ""Born For You," was a most welcome return for Rockie Charles which led to a variety of Jazz Fest, Ponderosa Stomp and other performances over the next decade. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform a couple times prior to his passing away in 2010. The soulful performances on this most welcome re-release, are gems of down-home, understated, southern soul.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 376) although I have corrected the year of Rockie Charles' death year as 2010 (the review had 2007). Here is Rockie Charles from an in-store appearance at the Louisiana Music Factory in 2007.

Sugaray Rayford feat. The Italian Royal Family - The World That We Live In

Sugaray Rayford feat. The Italian Royal Family
The World That We Live In
Blind Faith Records

This new release, which I came across on bandcamp.com, features one of the finest blues and soul singers to emerge in the past few years. I assume The Italian Royal Family is the backing band on this terrific new Sugaray Rayford recording that places him more in a straight deep soul vein than his previous recordings. I make this observation as a descriptive comment, not an evaluative as I doubt anyone who has enjoyed Sugaray's 'blues' recordings will be disappointed by this release that fines him singing very strongly and backed by a really excellent band.

There is the Memphis funky groove and strong brassy horns on the opening "Take Me Back," where he sings about not missing his water until his well ran dry, and can't sleep no more because his woman is gone and pleads for her to take him back. The mood shifts to the cooler topical lyrics of the title track where his dynamics, vocal and expressive range come to fore. Then there is "Don't Regret a Mile," that sounds like a vintage Curtis Mayfield (and it may be since I purchased this as a download and have no composer credits or specific personnel information including the wonderful vocal chorus heard on several selections. ). "Keep Moving" is a lovely soul ballad, while "Ain't Got No Business To Die," is another topical number about a poor man having no business to die with a driving groove and punchy horns.

Rather than praise each of the ten tracks, let me simply state that Sugaray Rayford sings fabulously and the backing band superbly provides idiomatic backing (terrific horn arrangements) on first-rate material. Kudos to Italian soul ambassador, Luca Sapio, for making this exceptional recording happen. It is available as a CD and on vinyl but postal costs from Europe would make this very expensive. Hopefully someone will import this to make it more readily accessible in North America. For more information on this visit the recordings Bandcamp page, https://sugarayrayford.bandcamp.com/album/the-world-that-we-live-in.

I purchased this. Here is a video for "Take Me Back."

 

Billy Price & Otis Clay This Time For Real

 

This writer remembers listening to the legendary Washington DC radio programmer, Jerry "The Bama" Washington, in the 1980s playing some deep soul along with blues on his Saturday afternoon WPFW program. It is where I first became introduced to the remarkable blues-eyed deep soul singer, Billy Price. Price grew up and modeled his music on the Hi Records great like O.V. Wright, Al Green, Syl Johnson and Otis Clay. On his first album, the title track was his take on Clay's "Is It Over?" On the basis of that recording, Clay joined Price, in the early eighties, on stage to sing it as a duet in a Washington DC club. And the two have been doing it together for years on stage, but finally Price and Clay have an album together, "This Time For Real" on the VizzTone distributed Bonedog Records.

Duke Robillard produced this and brings his guitar along with his band of Brice Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixara on drums, Mark Earley on saxophones and Doug Woolverton on trumpet (Earley did the horn arrangements), with Theresa Davis, Dianne Madison and Diana Simon adding backing vocals. Together they produce some strong idiomatic backing modeled after the classic Stax and Hi recordings that provides a solid foundation for Price and Clay.

Otis Clay is a remarkable singer, although one might detect slight aging in his voice. However, it is not reflected in the character or phrasing here. Price's urgent style complements Clay so they come off quite well, like a modern Sam and Dave or Bobby and James Purifoy. The album kicks off on a strong note with the driving "Somebody's Changing My Baby's Sweet Mind," with the two taking things down on the ballad "I'm Afraid of Losing You." Clay did the classic Spinners classic "Love Don't Love Nobody" on his "Live in Japan" recording, and the two interpret in a manner that captures a bit more of the Philly Soul feel of the Spinners original.

"Going to the Shack" captures the classic Stax sound while the two reprise a Joe Tex ballad "I'll Never Do You Wrong." The funk of "Broadway Walk," with a choice Robillard solo, is followed with the country soul feel of "Book of Memories." This disc closes with a ripping rendition of Sam and Dave's "You Got Me Hummin'," that closes wonderful deep soul collaboration. It took three decades but finally Price and Clay got it done on "This Time For Real."

I received a review copy from VizzTone. Here is Otis Clay performing an O.V. Wright classic that has become a staple of Clay's repertoire as well as tune Billy price has also handled.

Lonely & Blue: The Deepest Soul Of Otis Redding

The new Stax release, Lonely & Blue: The Deepest Soul Of Otis Redding, is a collection that focuses on the heartbreaking, yearning ballads that Redding sang in singular fashion. Producer David Gorman in explaining the concept behind this release stated “I tried to find the saddest most potently heartbreaking songs he ever sang, with no regard for chart position or notoriety.  There are a few hits on the album, but they’re there because they fit the mood, not because we wanted to include the hits.”

It is packaged as if was originally released on Stax during Redding’s lifetime, and mixes some of his most famous ballads of love and heart break. This includes the hits I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, These Arms of Mine, and My Lover’s Prayer, along with lesser known gems Gone Again, Open the Door, Waste of Time, and Everybody Makes a Mistake, along with alternate takes of Open the Door and I’ve Got Dreams To Remember. This latter performance has somewhat darker lyrics than the issued recording.

Throughout Redding is heard with the Stax great studio band including Booker T & the MGs with Steve Cropper being especially superb on the cover of Send Me Some Lovin'. Throughout the Memphis Horns or the Bar-Kays add their signature riffs. As the album closes with his cover of Clyde McPhatter’s My Lover’s Prayer, one is reminded how Otis Redding took familiar songs and made them his own. This terrific ‘new’ Redding release displays just how fresh and contemporary Otis Redding still sounds over 45 years after his tragic early passing. Yes, I highly recommend this.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is Otis performing I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.

Mighty Sam McClain Finds Too Much Jesus and Not Enough Whiskey

One of the finest of the blues and soul vocalists that are working in the vein pioneered by great singers like Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and the late Solomon Burke is Mighty Sam McClain. McClain had a new CD Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) (Mighty Music) that was produced by Gerry Putnam, Pat Herlehy and Mighty Sam McClain. The 14 originals have the singer backed by a band that includes a killer band that includes Pat Herlehy – guitar, tenor sax, flute, clavinet, Hammond B-3, strings, percussion and drums; Chad Owen – bass; Rick Page – drums; Joe Deleault – piano, organ, Fender Rhodes; Scott Shetler – tenor sax, baritone sax; Russell Jewell – trombone; Grayson Farmer – trumpet; and Concetta – background vocals. The recording features arrangements by Herlehy, with horn arrangements by Shetler and Herlehy.

This particular recording has more of a straight southern soul feel than some of his other recordings such his recent collaboration with Norwegian guitarist Knut Reiersrud, One Drop Is Plenty (Valley Vue). The grooves on this new release are funkier and the horns are more prominent with less blues-styled guitar. This tone is set on the opening Wish You Well, with a brief sax solo as McClain sings about wishing one well when their short romance has run. Missing You in contrast has him singing about his regrets about another relationship that ran its course although as he prays to God to make things clear about what went wrong. 

Feel So Good is a funky number where McClain sings about “grooving on your love and getting ready to land on your heart.” Stand Up! is a message song about standing up for the children, together and for love, with nice guitar fills and punchy horns. Real Thing has an intriguing mix of sacred and secular in its lyrics while Use Me is song of praise where Sam thanks the Lord for all he has given Sam. Other songs also deal with relationships as being what God planned such as So Into You, or a more direct gospel message on Wake Up Call, although the title song has an interesting take about someone losing their friends because the only thing on their mind was too much Jesus on their mind and not enough fun in their lives. Herlehy’s arrangement is quite ingenious with the atmospheric employment of strings. 

Even as he urges everyone to get on the floor on the closing Dance there is reference to the higher power. At the same time, there is never anything contrived or forced about the performances here. The songs are sung with completely authority and the backing is solid and full. The result is another marvelous Mighty Sam McClain recording.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is a clip of Might Sam in performance.

The Rediscovery Recordings of Howard Tate

Howard Tate was one of the significant musical figures who passed away in 2011. His recordings in the 1960s were covered by the like of Janis Joplin, and his own Verve album became legendary. I was privileged to see him in 2002 shortly after his rediscovery and his performance was indeed memorable. I purchased this CD and my review of it (corrected for this blog) appeared in the Dec. 2003 - Jan. 2004 DC Blues Calendar which was the newsletter of the DC Blues Society.

The rediscovery of soul singer Howard Tate was certainly welcome by those who have heard his legendary Verve album, Get It While You Can. This writer was fortunate to see him at the 2002 Pocono Blues Festival and was delighted to acquire

Rediscovered, his first recordings in about three decades, on Private Music. Reunited with Jerry Ragovoy, who wrote most of the songs here and plays piano on most as well, Tate sounds as strong a vocalist as he did three-and-a-half decades ago.

Most of the material is deep soul although a couple of blues gems are included such as Don’t Need No Monkey on My Back. There certainly is a blues tinge to some of the material that is also reflective in the bluesy accompanying guitar while the Uptown Horns provide their usual crisp and punchy backing. Among other standout numbers are the opening Mama Was Right and All I Know is the Way I Feel. I would not be surprised to see the latter song become a favorite for cover versions. There is also a fine version of Prince’s Kiss as well as a gospel number Eternity before the album concludes with Tate reprising Get It While You Can accompanied just by Ragovoy’s piano.

This album certainly will please the fans of Tate’s classic recordings and for others this serves as a first-rate introduction to a soul survivor who is at the top of his game.

Here is a video of Howard & Jerry Ragavoy doing Get It While You Can.

Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham's Deep Soul Treasures

The boundaries between blues and soul is a fluid one especially today. A variety of releases illustrate the continuing appeal of performers who can straddle both worlds. Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham are among those who helped the development and evolution of soul music as songwriters, and in Oldham’s case as a member of some great studio bands.

Think of James & Bobby Purify’s I’m Your Puppet, The BoxTops Cry Like a Baby, and Solomon Burke’s Out of Left Field, and you have some of the classics the duo wrote along with other great songs like It Tears Me Up, A Woman Left Lonely and You Left the Water Running. And Penn with Chips Woman wrote Do Right Woman, Do Right Man for Aretha and the James Carr deep soul classic, The Dark End of the Street.

Proper American has just issued Moments From the Theatre, a collection of live performances from 1997 when they opened for Nick Lowe in England and Ireland triumphs red. Oldham’s Wurlitzer piano and Penn’s acoustic guitar provide the backing for Penn’s soulfully rendered vocals on the previously enumerated classic songs and others. The intimacy and sparse backing highlights Penn’s delivery of the lyrics that stand out even more than on so many classic recordings. Penn may not quite take us to church but he certainly does deliver the goods (Oldham sings one song) and this is quite a welcome release.


This review originally ran in the December 2005-January 2006 DC Blues Calendar, which was then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. I received my review copy from a publicist. 

Ryan Shaw's Exhilarating Debut Still Sounds Fresh

Listening to This is Ryan Shaw, the debut Columbia album of 26-year old Georgia soul singer was a revelation. Knowing nothing about him, and listening to him for the first time, I was blown away.


He is a young singer doing covers of Bobby Womack, Jackie Wilson and the Falcons, and featuring originals, as well as tough funky dance numbers that sound like Junior Walker classics and bringing the same gospel-rooted intensity to these performances that characterize the originals. One does not expect to hear many young deep soul singers emerging in this era of hip hop, but this album certainly was a wonderful discovery.


Shaw is not too shabby with his originals like the frenetic Nobody. Producers Johnny Gale and Jimmy Bralower contribute the solid, funky backing for these truly exciting performances.

Ryan Shaw performing at
2007Montreal International Jazz Festival

This is a most impressive debut and one will be watching him grow as a performer.

This review was originally published in the August 2007 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 296) and of course there are a number of other ‘nouveau soul’ acts out there today. I had the pleasure of seeing Shaw at the Montreal Jazz Festival festival in July 2007 and was in line with the performance. Sam Cooke struck me as a prominent influence on Shaw, especially from a terrific rendition of If I Had a Hammer.


Shaw’s album undeservedly never received the acclaim he was deserving of but has issued an EP In Between in 2009. The music on this is similarly styled but the material is all original with Shaw’s deep in the gut soul preaching matched by the solid functional support from his band. It is time for a fuller new release and hopefully receive a bit more attention.


I likely received my review copy of This is Ryan Shaw from a publicist or the label. I purchased a download of In Between.