Roy Haynes - Forever Young and Always Hip

Six decades plus of music making has slowed down the ever youthful and hip Roy Haynes. This writer has the pleasure of seeing him with his Fountain of Youth Band recently at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and he displayed vigor and enthusiasm that folks 60 years younger would have difficulty matching. It was a terrific evening of jazz by a true Jazz Master and is also evident on his latest Dreyfus Jazz release Roy-Alty, which includes several numbers they performed that night.

The core of this recording features Roy with the Fountain of Youth Band that includes Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone, Martin Bejerano on piano and David Wong on bass. Roy Hargrove is added on on six of the ten selections while two selections are duets with Chick Corea. On Tin Tin Deo, Roberto Quintero is added on congas while on the last track, Passion Dance, pianist Robert Rodriguez replaces Bejerano while Craig Haynes is added on congas and Marcus Strickland on tenor saxophone.

From the opening moments of Sonny Rollins’ Grand Street, with a superbly constructed Hargrove solo followed by marvelous playing from Shaw to the rousing rendition of McCoy Tyner’s Passion Dance, Haynes drives the music, adding embellishments with his snap crackle cymbal work and snare rolls, all the while swinging. On this marvelous recording, a few tracks manage to stand out including Hargrove’s ballad playing on These Foolish Things, the sensation Corea-Haynes duet on Thelonious Monk’s Off Minor, the classic bop flavor of Miles Davis’ Milestones and the Latin jazz classic from Chano Pozo and Gil Fuller, Tin Tin Deo, which opens with Roy speaking the praises of the great percussionist.

The Fountain of Youth Band is strong throughout (I really enjoyed Shaw’s alto playing and subsequently downloaded his most recording on itunes after seeing him with Roy). With a nice mix of material, the recording showcases the continuing youthfulness, hipness and artistry of Roy Haynes.

I purchased this right before seeing Roy Haynes at the Kennedy Center

Tad Robinson's Soulful New Point of View

A New Point of View is Tad Robinson’s stunning new soulful disc on Severn Records. With his old pal Alex Schultz on guitar and Willie Henderson bringing horn and string arrangements, this album evokes some of the classic Chicago and Philly soul recordings by the likes of Tyrone Davis and the Chi-Lites.

There are two covers and nine originals as Robinson opens with the soulful lament, Long Way Home, because Tad is in no rush to get home because “At my house there is no one waiting for me.”What is amazing is how much Robinson has developed as a vocalist and really is terrific here, and his remake of the Johnnie Taylor hit ballad, Ain’t That Loving you (For More Reasons Than One), is almost as impressive with the string and horn arrangements caressing Robinson’s delivery of the songs.

I believe Bobby Bland had the original of Up and Down World, which perhaps does not reach the same level (it’s one of two numbers that Henderson did not arrange), as I am more partial to the late Johnny Adam’s interpretation. It’s one of several tracks with some nice harp by Robinson and piano from Kevin Anker. Another original, You Get the Keep the Love, hits a groove akin to Tyrone Davis’ classic recordings, while He’s Moving In, is a strong bluesy lament. Two of a Kind Blues is more of a straight blues theme with having one woman at home and one with who he cheats, but Henderson’s arrangements take it do a different level.

This is a really surprising disc from Severn because it is a soul recording with blues tinges, even though its being marketed as blues. This is not to diminish the fact that it is simply a marvelous recording that showcases just how superb a performer Tad Robinson has become.

Highly recommended.

This review originally appeared in the June 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 294). I believe I was sent a review copy from the record label.

Alligator Records Is Now 40, Looking Back When It Was 20

While Alligator is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, MVD Visual has issued Blues and the Alligator: The First Twenty Years of Alligator Records, making available Jim Downing’s film from 1990 that has been issued by Gazell Film. The documentary is a mix of performance clips and interviews that serve to provide an overview of what led Bruce Iglauer to start his label and how it grew to become one of the most important (if not the most) labels producing new blues music.

The film opens with Lonnie Brooks in the studio recording with his band and Bruce in the control room discussing levels and such with the engineer before we start getting Bruce talking about his background and how Alligator got started. We see him at the studio as well as in his office having a business meeting with staff. The performance clips include a number of gems including a small excerpt of a band on Maxwell Street playing You Don’t Love Me, a fuzzy black & white film of Hound Dog Taylor followed by a live club shot of Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials.

Kenny Neal & Billy Branch’s duo album was contemporaneous with this film and a back porch performance by the two of Devil Child is followed by the two talking. We then are taken to a public school where Billy Branch conducting a “Blues in the School” program with the kids singing and playing Stormy Monday, and then starting Jimmy Reed’s Baby What You Want Me To Do, before we are taken to a clip of Kenny Neal and Lucky Peterson handling this.

No question that through Alligator and her recordings for them, Koko Taylor became internationally known as the Queen of the Blues” and was able to enjoy a recording career as opposed to housework. Recognition of her stature is reflected by showing her sing the Star Spangled Banner at Comiskey Park before Bruce and then her discuss how life has indeed changed. This is followed by her with Lonnie Brooks doing a strong Its a Dirty Job.

Bruce talks about how the blues has changed and ironically how Alligator has taken its artists from its roots playing in the community as they seek bigger pay checks and a bigger audience. As a result, the blues as they perform it has changed. Magic Sam’s recording of Sweet Home Chicago segues into a hot live rendition by Brooks that takes this film to its close. It is a nice end to what certainly is an intriguing look back at Alligator. BTW, it is about time Robert Mugge’s film on Alligator, Pride and Joy, made it to DVD.

I received a review copy from the label.

Homesick James Could Still Shake His Moneymaker In His Eighties

Cousin of the late Elmore James, the late Homesick James Williamson was perhaps described among the second-tier of slide guitarists performing in the manner of his more famous broomdusting cousin. SRV Blue has just issued Shake Your Money Maker, some 1999 live recordings in Switzerland produced by Fred James who is on guitar on these tracks.

James was one of the artists who recorded for small Chicago labels like Chance for whom he waxed Lonesome Old Train and his signature song, Homesick Blues. Later he recorded an album for Prestige which I find hardly memorable although Fred James, in the liner booklet, calls it Homesick’s ‘high water mark.’ He also was recorded by Sam Charters for the classic anthology, Chicago The Blues Today, which this writer feels is his most impressive work. In the ensuing years until his December 2006, he recorded a number of albums for a variety of labels including Trix, Ice House, Appaloosa. European recordings he made with the late harp player Snooky Pryor are the ones most worth seeking.

With respect to Shake Your Money Maker, it shows that in his 80’s Homesick James had lost little in terms of his playing and husky vocals. As Fred James observes, Homesick had an erratic sense of timing, but also his slide playing seems a bit off the beat compared to his contemporaries. Certainly his slide attack lacks the forcefulness of his contemporaries such as Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto. There is little surprising of the performances here in terms of material. Gotta Move and Set a Date had mainstays of Homesick James repertoire as was Elmore’s The Sky is Crying. There are some interesting songs included like, Crosscut Saw, that sort of meanders along as opposed to being played with the crisp rhythms of Albert King’s recording, and a rendition of Arthur Crudup’s That’s Alright Mama.

These are mostly lengthy performances that would have benefited from being a tad bit more focused and briefer, but generally are engaging.

I received my review copy from Jazz & Blues Report and this review originally appeared in that publication’s January 2008 issue (issue 300), and I have made some stylistic changes.

"Our New Orleans" Was Rhythm And Blues After Katrina

In April 2006 I wrote reviews on several post-Katrina benefit albums. I will be posting these in the next few days (not necessarily consecutively). Here is the first which originally appeared in the April 2006 (issue 281) of Jazz & Blues Report as well as the April 2006 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. Some of the artists on this have passed on and it is still in print. I likely received a review copy, not sure if from the record company, a publicist or Jazz & Blues Report.

Our New Orleans on Nonesuch is a collection of new studio recordings by New Orleans and other Louisiana musicians recorded in various cities last September and October. The emphasis is less towards jazz and more towards blues and rhythm & blues.

Allen Toussaint opens with his Yes We Can Can, a song he originally wrote for Lee Dorsey and the spirit of helping each other make it is especially apt. Dr. John’s morose World I Never Made is followed by Irma Thomas, backed by Toussaint, singing an unfortunately topical Back Water Blues, singing “My house fell down and I can’t live there no more.” Davell Crawford adds a touch of gospel with his marvelous Gather By the River, one of several fine solo piano performances including Eddie Bo’s slow drag interpretation of When the Saints Go Marching On, Carol Fran’s Tou' Les Jours Ç'est Pas La Même with New Orleans rhythm accents as she sings bilingually about her man, “where were you when I passed by?”, and Allen Toussaint’s instrumental Tipitina and Me.

Traditional jazz is represented by clarinetist, Dr. Michael White, on a lively salute to King Oliver on Canal Street Blues and Preservation Hall on Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans; cajun and zydeco are represented by Buckwheat Zydeco’s Cryin’ in the Streets (with a sullen feel and one of the best vocals I have heard from Mr. Dural with Ry Cooder on guitar) and Beausoleil’s bittersweet instrumental L’Ouragon; and street sounds of New Orleans are sampled by the Wild Magnolia’s Brother John is Gone/ Herc-Jolly-John, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now.

Charlie Miller plays sings and provides the only accompaniment on his trumpet on Prayer to New Orleans, while Donald Harrison’s alto is featured on The Wardell Quezerque Orchestra’s rendition of What a Wonderful World. The disc concludes with Randy Newman reviving his unfortunately appropriate Louisiana 1927 (about the flooding of cajun country in 1917) backed by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra with members of the New York Philharmonic singing about “they are trying to wash us away,” a lyric that rings unfortunately true.

Willie King's One Love

Alabama bluesman, Willie King, has developed a following with his strong juke joint blues that mixes his own take on classic delta and Chicago blues with a topical-protest slant to some of his own material. His music might loosely described as Howlin’ Wolf mixed with Mississippi Fred McDowell with some R.L. Burnside seasoning for a driving, almost hypnotic mix.

His most recent Freedom Creek release, One Love, certainly will satisfy his fans as he launches into Sweet Potato Man (“I’m your sweet potato man, I want to work for you.”) with its relentless groove, followed by I Like It Like That, opening with stinging King guitar and a funk groove while guitarist Debbie Bond and Willie Lee Halbert second his vocal lines in a manner similar to that heard in to some zydeco acts.

Ride Sally Side is another North Hills rocker as he sings about having getting together in the old days and just pitching down a wonderful time, while Holing (sic) the Line, with some emphatic harp and sax, sports a lyric about other people trying to wreck one’s life but don’t worry as long as you hold the line. Writing in the Sky (Katrina), a slow blues with a John Lee Hooker feel, has King reflecting on the horrible hurricane that wreaked havoc through the Gulf Coast (“Did you see the handwriting in the sky all the way from Africa.”), while the one cover, of Howlin’ Wolf’s Spoonful, benefits from the slowed tempo with King one of the few vocalists able to successfully to evoke Wolf when singing. Mamaluchi mixes the Hideaway melody with a tinge of Jimmy Reed for an easy going rocker as King sings about going to get his baby. The title track is an upbeat lyric about how we are all interconnected despite what seems to make us seem different and that brings us hope for better.

There is nothing fancy about the music here, and its similar to a lot of other ‘primitive-sounding’ juke blues, but Willie King places his own stamp on simple, driving music and has a focus in his performances that provide the performances with more personality than similar efforts by others. Its music for listening, but more importantly its music to dance and get one’s groove on with.

I believe I purchased this CD and wrote this review for Jazz & Blues Report, but not sure if it was published. I believe this was Willie King’s final recording and marks the end to a strong body of meaningful and fervent blues.

Gypsy Jazz Provides Fascinating History of Django Reinhardt and His Legacy

Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing

by Michael Dregni

Oxford University Press

Michael Dregni, who authored the highly regarded biography, Django: the Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend, and co-author of Django Reinhardt And the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz, adds to the literature on the Gypsy Jazz tradition that emerged from Django’s innovative music with Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhradt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing. Its a historical chronicle of the music that was founded by Reinhardt and which thrives today with musicians still inspired by Django and extending his music today with his modern musical descendants being as exhilarating and original as Reinhardt was seventy odd years ago.

Dregni centers the book around Django and his biography but weaves in the world he was raised in and how that world changed as he grew up. We are taken to the Gypsy Caravans, the world of Gypsies and their music and musicians, and the musical scene of Paris and France dominated by the accordion based musette. Django’s biography is set forth as we are to the luthiers of Paris and the guitars that Django and his contemporaries used and the Pigatelle which is where many of the bals and dance halls were. The threads of his life are presented from his learning violin, banjo and then guitar, as he worked in the Russian cabarets, and the dance halls, his early exposure to jazz and the near fatal figure that left his left hand disfigured and scarred and where he had only use of the index and middle figures and had to learn new fingerings and chord forms.

There is the meeting with Stéphane Grappelli, the jams that led to the formation of the Quintette du Hot Club de France and the recordings under the auspices of Charles Delauney, first rejected by a major label because they were viewed as too modern. He traces how the Quintette became a sensation including a triumphant European tour cut short by the Second World War, and how music was Django’s salvation during World War 11, as his fellow Gypsies, like the Jews, were carted off to the death camps, as he played what the Nazi propagandists labeled ‘degenerate music.’ A new quintette was formed with clarinet replacing violin and a drummer added and in the midst of the horrors of the war, Django waxed two of his most famous recordings, the impressionist Nuages, and Les Yeux Noirs, or ‘Dark Eyes’. After World War II, Django was affected by the new harmonies and rhythms of bebop and continued to evolve musically. He toured America with Duke Ellington, and in 1953 he died of a cerebral hemorrhage and his singular musical voice was stilled.

As Dregni makes quite clear, the story of Django Reinhardt was not the only story of Gypsy jazz. There were contemporaries of his that were working along similar lines in the era of what was revolutionary musical changes. And he introduces us Django’s contemporaries such as his brother Joseph ‘Nin-Nin’; The Ferret brothers, Baro, Sarane and Matelo; legendary guitarist Tchan Tchou; Lousson Baumgartner (Django’s son from his common-law wife); accordionist Gus Viseur (who made pioneering recordings with Baro including Swing Valse); and their musical descendants including Les Freres Ferré, Jean-Jacques Boulou’ and Elié ‘Elios’, Stochelo Rosenberg, Birelli Lagrene, Dallas Baumgartner, Angello DeBarre, (Django’s great-grandson); David Reinhardt (Django’s grandson), and the American gypsies such as Johnny Guitar and Danny Fenders (google his name and you will come across a you tube video that the author posted that will blow your mind).

This volume is far more than a litany of performer bios. Dregni brings the performers and their world to life. He takes us into their world, catching them at performances as well as welcomed into their caravans. He vividly describes the annual pilgrimage by the gypsies at Les Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer with annual religious rituals and celebrations. He provides the cultural history and beliefs underlying this annual celebration which also provides a period of fervent musical cross-pollination by different musical traditions brought together along with a certain craziness.

Dregni describes a lesson in Django’s style that David Reinhardt teaches him and takes us to a performance by Danny Fender and His Band of Gypsies at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts Theater. In meeting Dallas Baumgartner, he is taken to the caravan of Dallas’ grandmother, Madame Rose. There is the touching moment when he is sharing family pictures of Django (that had been collected by Charles Delauney) with, Madame Rose, who had never seen photos of Django as a young man, and when she sees him at 18 with Madame Rose’s mother, Bella, and Rose has tears in her eyes as she had never seen a picture of her mother as a young girl. Dregni leaves the photo with her.

The author’s passion for his subject can be infectious. This writer purchased Django Reinhardt And the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz after reading this pre-release copy, as well as a number of recordings that Dregni recommends here. A remarkable work that serves as a marvelous entrance into this fascinating and exhilarating music.

I received a pre-release copy from the publisher. This review originally appeared in the April 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 303). Inspiration to run this review at this time was provided by a performance of the Django Reinhardt All Stars featuring Dorado Schmidt at the Kennedy Center on October 29.

Paul Lamb's King Snake Blues

British harpist and vocalist Paul Lamb & the King Snakes is a highly regarded band led by the leader’s harp and vocals, but their new SRV Blue disc, Snakes & Ladders, was my first exposure to their music. This is a live recording from September 2006 which captures them in front of a receptive, enthusiastic audience on a variety of material which has parallels to the music of The Thunderbirds or Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers.

Lamp is joined by guitarist/vocalist Chad Strentz which the booklet notes is influenced by some of the bluesy jazz guitarists like Tiny Grimes; Lamb’s son Ryan on much of this; Raul de Pedro Marinero on lead guitar, Rod Demick on bass and Sonny Below on drums. Its a tight ensemble and get a rocking groove going on the opening Crazy For Me, with its Bo Diddley/Not Fade Away groove. Adopted Child is the lengthiest performance with some terrific harp while son Ryan takes lead on the Guitar Slim classic, The Things I Used to Do.

The excited audience is quite into the performances here, including when Paul Lamb does several numbers in tribute to the legendary Sonny Terry such as Your Better Mind and Easy Rider. This was recorded in a theater although I suspect the ideal place would be a crowded bar with a packed dance floor as they certainly work I Got My Mojo Workin’ in fine form.

The various singers are all capable ones, if not exceptional singers. They bring the songs to life and the band plays wonderfully if at times a bit hyped up tempo. Fans of strong blues bar bands and blues harp will certainly find many delights on Snakes & Ladders.

I believe my review copy was provided by Jazz & Blues Report but am not sure if the review was ever published.

George Benson Goes Beyond the Blue Horizon

The first of George Benson’s CTI recordings was Beyond the Blue Horizon. It was recently remastered and reissued as part of the CTIMasterworks series that commemorates the 40th Anniversary of Creed Taylor’s label. This release is a straight-ahead date with a band that included organist Clarence Palmer, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jack DeJohnette with percussionists Michael Cameron and Albert Nicholson adding some musical accents.

A pretty hot rendition of So What kicks this set off with Benson displaying why he has been so highly regarded as a guitarist mixing chords and single note runs in his imaginative playing here. Palmer acquits himself quite well on the Hammond B-3 with Carter and DeJohnette swinging as one would expect. It is followed by Luis Bonfa’s The Gentle Rain (From The Film The Gentle Rain), which opens with some spacy sounding organ before Benson states the theme displaying his precise and measured touch before launching his almost free form solo.

Benson’s All Clear is built around some bright chords and its light, bouncy feeling anticipates the title track of what would be his crossover smash album, Breezin’. His solo builds up quite some steam as Palmer adds interesting sonic effects in his comping. Ode to a Kudu is a lovely original ballad from Benson while Somewhere in the East opens with lively percussion that Benson plays some repeated riffs against before the entire ensemble joins in with Benson taking off on an extended solo.

This release concludes with alternate takes of the last three numbers, the most interesting being the alternate of Somewhere in the East which is about three minutes longer than the issued take. Like other CTI releases in this series, this was beautifully recorded and mastered. Recordings such as this one that have led to Benson enjoying a reputation of one of the great jazz guitarists of the past several decades.

This was received from a publicist.

Excellent Rough Dried Magic Slim

It might surprise blues fans, but the Austrian Wolf label has issued 14 albums by Magic Slim & the Teardrops, way more than any other label. And these are not some run of the mill issues. Three of them have won WC Handy Awards and five were recorded at the legendary Zoo Bar which became Slim’s musical home some time ago. The 14th and latest Wolf album is Rough Dried Woman, which is subtitled “Magic Slim’s best 14 songs.” It is compiled from sessions recorded for Wolf between 1986 and 1992 and include 3 previously unissued live recordings. Present on all the recordings are Slim, his brother Nick Holt on bass guitar and second guitarist John Primer with four different drummers present on the sessions.

Magic Slim’s music is not fancy. It is pretty simple and direct with Slim’s emphatic driving guitar with its single note runs that show a bit of Albert King’s influence, the interaction with him and his second guitarist who during this period was John Primer, and brother Nick’s bass which originated the “lump ta lump” style made for the strong, immediately recognizable Teardrops sound. Nick passed away a little while ago and this CD is dedicated to his memory.

From the opening rendition of Big Mac’s Rough Dried Woman through the reworking of Buster Benton’s Spider in My Stew, to the concluding notes of Roy Brown’s Hard Luck Blues, this is typically solid Magic Slim recording. And the songs come from a variety of sources including Albert King, Lefty Dizz, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Lee and Roy Brown. In this strong grouping of blues a few tracks stand out. There is a terrific slow rendition of “Matchbox Blues as done by Albert King as well as the down-in-the alley, slow grind of the cover of Lefty Dizz’s Bad Avenue. Slim’s marriage of a Dust My Broom groove to Bo Diddley’s Before You Accuse Me, is an driving rocker while the medium tempo reworking of Eddie Taylor’s Bad Boy is similarly irresistible before the stunning live rendition of Hard Luck Blues.

One rarely will go wrong with a Magic Slim recording and Rough Dried Woman is one of the better ones by him.

This was a purchase.

Oscar Peterson Re-Performed on Unmistakable

Unmistakable is the title of the “Zenph Re-Performance®” release of Oscar Peterson on Sony Masterworks. According to the back of the CD package, this process takes audio performances and turning them back into live performances through software that extracts every nuance of the recorded performance and storing this in a high-resolution digital file, the files contain every note played including pedal actions, volume and articulations. The files are then played back on an acoustic piano fitted with sophisticated computers so the listener can sit in the room’ as if one wad there when the original performance took place. This is the ambition and it has been used for classical performances as well as a CD of Art Tatum.

On this CD we have eight performances by the legendary Oscar Peterson from several different recordings of live performances. High points include a breakneck Back Home In Indiana, When I Fall in Love, an extended Duke Ellington Medley and Goodbye. There are moments of exhilarating displays of Peterson’s Tatum-esque virtuosity mixed in with some contemplative ones. Peterson has his advocates and critics, but the restoration does provide wonderful sound, although without the audience and ambience of the original recordings.

The music is presented in both a stereo version and a binaural stereo version which is stated to be the ultimate headphone experience. While the CD contains almost 80 minutes of music, there is actually about 40 minutes of each and I could not distinguish the two versions on my headphones playing this through my MacBook. While audiophiles may have a different experience, many will view this as purchasing two virtually identical presentations of the eight performances. Fans of Oscar Peterson will certainly enjoy the vividness of the sound on this in any event.

My review copy was provided by a publicist.

Electric Mud Was a Blues Dud

Occasionally one sees a write-up on music that strikes one as wrong-headed. In this case, the normally astute Tim Niland, on his blog Music and More, posted on the infamous Electric Mud recording, http://jazzandblues.blogspot.com/2011/10/muddy-waters-electric-mud-cadetchess.html, and found it a strong album of the Muddy Waters canon. Noting many of us found it abysmal Tim writes “But with fresh ears, it is easy to discover a lot of merit to this album. Muddy Waters plays a setlist of some his best known songs and one pop music cover, and he is singing as well as he ever had, albeit over the loudest group he had ever fronted. The power, braggadocio and sheer vitality of his voice and very presence lends credence to this project.” The problem is that the rejection by the blues enthusiasts of this album was not simply due to it being a ‘sellout,’ (and if it was, it was not Muddy we blamed), but because it was not a very good blues album.

Tim further writes, “Muddy Waters was no stranger to loud guitars and strong drumming, but the wild squalls of guitarist Pete Cosey (soon to become famous in Miles Davis’ electric bands) and the busy arrangements do take some of the subtlety out of the music.” However it this lack of subtlety and the bombast of the backing that eliminated the clarity, focus, and coherence inherent in Muddy’s best recordings. This is why Electric Mud fails as a Muddy Waters album and as a blues album.

Further, Tim’s assertion that “it was a successful experiment and showed that Waters’ music was adaptable to changing times and musical styles,” ignores the fact that this and the follow-up CD After the Rain (which was half psychedelicized funk in the vein of Electric Mud and half straight blues) were blips in Muddy’s career. Nothing Muddy ever did after these albums showed that they were anything more than Marshall Chess’ concept albums. I have no knowledge of Muddy ever recording or performing anything that reflected these commercially oriented experiments, suggesting he quickly put these recordings behind him.

I doubt Electric Mud had the impact on Muddy’s career that Tim suggests in his piece as well. Far more important was the collaboration with the rock star musical legends Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield (and Buddy Miles) for Fathers & Sons, a recording that was more likely to reach the Fillmore and similar audiences because of presence of Bloomfield and Butterfield. Also, it was a very good Muddy Waters album.

This is not to say that with fresh ears, or a fresh perspective, one might appreciate Electric Mud, as an interesting musical experiment like the Chess Cadet recordings of The Rotary Connection and it may have merits on that basis. Just that with respect to the blues, particularly the blues of Muddy Waters, it was not a musically fruitful recording.

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.

Lazy Lester Rides Again

Leslie Johnson, better known as Lazy Lester, is the remaining member of the four giants of Louisiana Swamp Blues that recorded for Jay Miller at his Crowley, Louisiana studios and which were issued on, and distributed by, the Nashville based Excello label. The others were Lightning Slim, Lonesome Sundown and Slim Harpo.; Lester who sang “They call my lazy, but I am just tired,” played on numerous sessions including his own recordings such as Sugar Coated Love, I’m a Lover Not a Fighter, and recordings Miller produced, including many accompanying Lightning Slim.

Ace Records (of England) has just reissued Mike Vernon’s Blue Horizon issued Lazy Lester Rides Again. It was originally released in 1987 and were I believe Lester’s first post-Excello recordings. He was touring England at the time and Vernon used members of several English bands to back him and they provide understated, effective backing. This release fortunately was the first by him over the past couple decades and he remains a vigorous performer who is still rooted in the distinctive style he gained fame for.

Swamp blues is a style rooted in Jimmy Reed’s style and employs very simple walking blues boogies and slow moody blues with the use of echo and treble as well as crying harmonica to add an evocative moody atmosphere, especially on slower tempo numbers. For this recording, Vernon allowed Lester to remake three of his recordings as well as take his turn on other swamp blues and classic blues themes. So we get a remake of his Sugar Coated Love, as well as Nothin’ But the Devil. He played behind Lightnin’ Slim on the original recording.

Outstanding is the remake of the philosophically tinged “The Same Thing Could Happen To You,” while Bob Hall adds some rollicking piano to I Hear You Knockin’. Other standout tracks include the remake of King Karl’s swamp pop classic Irene, and Jimmy Rogers’ Out On The Road. On the latter tune he plays guitar while Tim Elliott plays harmonica, emulating Lester’s style.An unexpected delight is the swamp blues reworking of WC Handy’s St. Louis Blues, as well as the instrumental Blowin’ a Rumba.

The present reissue contains a number of bonus tracks which are mostly alternate takes of the originally issued recordings. Some of these have mistakes and Vernon discusses how this recording was made at length in the copious notes provided in the accompanying booklet. I Ain’t Glad, was an original by Lester and Vernon with a lyric that was a bit of a tongue twister which was not issued at the time. Lester’s harp was added after the original recording, but it was some more recent digital repair that enabled it to be issued for the first time here. The closing tune is an instrumental Rockin’ With Lester, an extended two harmonica instrumental with Tim Elliott’s chromatic harp added to Lester’s harp. Still unissued from these sessions is a rendition of the deep soul classic The Dark End of the Street, that still, after 24 years, is deemed unusable.

The original release of Lazy Lester Rides Again was a WC Handy Award winner in 1988 and the additional takes and tunes are a bonus for listeners today. Lazy Lester still is with us, and still delights blues audiences at festivals and concerts. His music has been immortalized by the remarkable roots concert series, The Ponderosa Stomp, which takes its name from one of Lester’s Excello recordings (the recording was titled Pondarosa), and at which Lester is one of the regular performers. Long may Lazy Lester Ride.

I purchased this CD.

Bob Margolin's Blues Recollections and Stories

Blues singer-guitarist Bob Margolin has self-published an e-book, Steady Rollin’ (Vizz-Tone) compiled mostly from pieces he has contributed to Blues Revue. Margolin, is best known for his tenure playing guitar with Muddy Waters but as a performer in his own right has continued to perform in the basic style of the legendary Waters.

This e-book opens with a brief explanation of why and how he came to put this volume together. Included are reflections on turning 60, a short illustrated autobiography that traces his early days playing in a rock band: joining Luther Johnson, Jr.; and then joining Muddy Waters; his tenure with Muddy and his post Muddy Waters period which includes his recording career under his own name. There is a separate chapter where he focuses more on his time with Muddy and what he learned from playing with the blues giant.

Another chapter, entitled The Guitar Hero Conspiracy where he talks his view of music as a music collaboration, not a competition and provides stories he heard from blues legends and his own experiences while also acknowledging that others have a different view. He recalls the time he travelled with Muddy and Pinetop Perkins to be part of the final performances of “The Band” that was captured for the film, The Last Waltz. His recollections include some revelations of what went on backstage among some old hippies.

Bob considers the stays of the blues today and who is carrying on the traditional blues as well his experiences playing with the new breed of women blues artists. Touching is his farewell to Pinetop Perkins after Pinetop passed away. This comes from one who had four decades playing with the piano blues master. He also includes some short blues fiction that allows him to make points about the blues and the old school of the music. In one story, Bob to take his digs at today’s airlines as he tells the story of one Mississippi Slim who is not allowed to take his guitar on the plane and what then happens to Slim and his guitar.

Bob also included a number of photographs that he has taken over the years. I will not claim this is an essential book on the blues, but certainly I can’t see anyone who has enjoyed Bob Margolin perform, had a chance to meet him or just likes to read about the blues not enjoying this. I know I did. purchased Steady Rollin’ on Apple’s ibooks, but I believe it is also available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble for the Kindle and Nook respectively.

Harry Belafonte's Songs Of Life and Progress

Harry Belafonte’s Sing Your Song: The Music (Sony Masterworks) has been issued to accompany the acclaimed documentary Sing My Music (showing on HBO as I type this) on him as well as his published autobiography My Song: A Memoir By Harry Belafonte (Knopf). 17 performances include some of his more famous ones as he developed from a folk troubadour to legendary singer, actor, social activist and an icon. It is a remarkable life he has lived and the music here is part of proof of that statement.

This compilation opens with Mark Twain and includes Leadbelly’s loving ballad Sylvie backed by just a guitar (and in the case of the latter number a vocal chorus). On both the warmth of Belafonte’s singing is evident. I was not familiar with his rendition of Lord Melody’s Mama Look a Boo Boo, but it was one of his earliest recordings of Calypso which he helped popularize and others (written with his collaborator Lord Burgess) include the brassy Cocoanut Woman, and Banana Boat Song (Day-0). The latter number helped make his album Calypso 1956 the first album to exceed 1 million copies sold. Mixed in with lovely ballads such as Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair), it helps explain his great popularity (and of course his looks did not hurt that).

He starred in the movie Island In The Sun, and with Lord Burgess contributed the marvelous title song with a marvelous orchestra. There is also a lively rendition of the folk round, Jump Down Spin Around, while his rendition of King Radio’s calypso Man Smart (Woman Smarter) was covered by the Grateful Dead and The Carpenters among others. “Jamaica Farewell” is another familiar Belafonte classic as he sings about leaving his little girl in KIngston Town. Belafonte’s regular accompanist at the time, Millard Thomas, has lovely acoustic guitar breaks on this, and followed by Mathilda, another of his celebrated recordings.

His musical horizons would expand to incorporate African sounds as on a lovely vocal duet with Miriam Makeba, My Angel (Malaika), initially set against a soft guitar and percussion backing. Jump In the Line is a brassy song for the Trinidad Carnival that will be familiar from those who have seen the movie Beetlejuice (several other of these songs were also in that movie’s soundtrack). A duet with Odetta A Hole in the Bucket, from a 1959 television special still is highly amusing over fifty years later. Turn the World Around with its afro-beat rhythm was recorded in the US but never issued in the US although Belafonte did perform this with The Muppets and some will know it from that. Can't Cross Over (River Come Down), comes from that same 1977 session.

Obviously this compilation only scratches the surface of Belafonte’s remarkable recording career. There are two subsequent studio albums and several concert recordings that post-date the music on this. Still, Sing Your Song: The Music stands up as a terrific selection of Harry Belafonte’s music which includes notes on all the songs and is highly recommended.

A publicist sent me a review copy.

Scott Ramminger's Crawstickers A Rich Musical Stew

I have known Washington DC area saxophonist-vocalist Scott Ramminger from performances at clubs in the area. I have seen him both as a sideman in a band and leading his band the Crawstickers. He has just issued a CD titled Crawstickers with some of the DC area’s finest roots and rhythm players, including guitarist Dave Chappell, bassist Claude Arthur and drummer Pete Ragusa (best known for his long tenure in the Nighthawks). Also on this on backing vocals are Mary Ann Redmond and Patty Reese, two of the wonderful female singers that grace the DC area.

Watching Scott, I am always struck how good a vocalist and saxophonist. He is quite an accomplished musician whose saxophone solos are much more than simply honks and squeals. He is a storyteller and his solos provide a nice voice to contrast with the guitarists he plays with. The other thing is that his bands are tight and can swing and jump. They never came off as forced nor do they ever sound heavy handed or lead footed. These same strengths characterize this recording.

In addition to the strong playing, Ramminger has provided us with eleven originals that display his way with words. His songs are full of astute, often quirky, observations about everyday relationships and life. The songs include a strong blues duet with Mary Ann Redmond, There Must Be Something Wrong With You, and the Crescent City groover Real Fine Gumbo, about a woman not too sightly and a bit mean, and whose parents hate Scott, but she makes a real fine gumbo so all is right. The are funky grooves of Give a Pencil To a Fish, where he sings that give a pencil to a fish and the fish ain’t gonna write like Joyce, and give a hammer to a cow and he will never build a barn, and to his lady he says that’s why I won’t “give my love to you.” In addition to the fine studio band, Real Fine Gumbo sports a larger horn ensemble while Give a Pencil has some hot trumpet from Vince McCool who effectively uses a mute on it. That song also has features fine tenor from Ramminger’s, while Dave Chappell adds strong slide guitar. This is typical of their strong playing throughout.

Brian Simms plays keyboards throughout including accordion on Three Dollar Beer. This number has a Tex-Mex groove and a strong lyric about a man losing his job on a rig off the Gulf Coast and his wife going off with an insurance salesman and no matter hard he tried, he ended back at the roadhouse for a three dollar beer. Another topical song, I Dreamed I Met Jesus, has Jesus in a bar late last night , having a salad and an Amstel Lite while saying he was troubled by the way the world looks and people setting fire to each other’s holy books. The album concludes with a rocking duet with Patty Reese, “The Country’s Gone From Me.”

This is seriously entertaining music here with plenty of substance in the performances. Mix together strong original material with a first-rate band and a terrific singer-saxophonist, the result is the real fine gumbo of Scott Ramminger’s excellent Crawstickers. Scott’s website is www.scottramminger.com and this is available on cdbaby and iTunes.

Scott provided me with a review copy.

Girls With Guitars Rock On

The Ruf Records website describes it succinctly: “The name says it all. ‘Girls with Guitars’ - the 2011 Ruf Records Blues Caravan Tour - presents three of the scene's hottest young female guitar slingers on a single stage.” The website further talks about the Blues Caravan series leading successful tours throughout Europe and the US and “This unique triple bill revue has helped introduce bright new stars” citing Ana Popovic and Joanne Shaw Taylor and refers to the new disc and tour as introducing “a trio of dynamic, up-and-coming blues talents: Dani Wilde, Cassie Taylor and Samantha Fish.” I am familiar with Cassie Taylor from her playing bass with her father Otis and Dani has been associated with Candye Kane. I did not know she was from England and unfamiliar with Samantha who is from Kansas City.

For an album spotlighting upcoming blues talents, one might expect some blues but between the opening cover of the Rolling Stones’ Bitch and the Paul Pena penned Steve Miller Band classic, Jet Airliner, the trio contribute ten performances that certainly one can’t complain if one labeled them rock tunes, with different levels of blues tinges. This is not to comment on the quality of the performances, but to observe that the fact some songs are blues-tinged and the performers are influenced by the blues doesn’t mean that recording is a blues album. I do not buy that playing music derivative of blues-rock and blues-influenced blues is extending the blues. It is simply rebadging rock as blues.

Dani Wilde’s Reason to Stay, a solo performance backed by her dobro, is a folk-blues performance and showcases her vocals as much as her dobro. Also outstanding out is Samantha Fish’s shuffle, Wait a Minute, with her best vocal here and strong guitar. But that tune is followed by the pounding rhythms of the trio’s topical Get Back, on which Mike Zito provides a heavy rock guitar solo, Fish’s playing on her own Come On Home has her heartfelt vocal on the wistful lyric of turning blue with a melody that has a Dylan-esque feel and nice guitar. Fish plays some nice atmospheric slide guitar behind Cassie Taylor’s aching vocal on Leaving Chicago, but the folk-blues edges of the song contrast with the heavy rock guitar of Fish on Taylor’s Move On.

I would say that Move On, along with Get Back, are the tracks with the least appeal to me, as I did enjoy the music on this although I would not rate it highly as a blues recording. All three are quite talented both vocally and instrumentally (I am more partial to Taylor and Wilde as vocalists, but that is a matter of subjective taste) and this is a very enjoyable collection of blues-influenced rock.

I received this from a publicist.

Kelly Carmichael's "Queen Fareena" Recalls Skiffle Bands

With an interest in both acoustic blues and old time string band music, one-time hard rock guitarist, Kelly Carmichael brings this unusual background to his skittle band styled performances on his new release Queen Fareena (Doghouse Records).

Carmichael was born in Tennessee, raised near Atlanta and lived near Frederick, Maryland since 1980 when he first heard some old country blues. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays guitar, banjo, xylophone and bones on this set with a small rhythm section and accompanists on accordion, fiddle or brass on various tracks, creating a fascinating recording.

The small group arrangements provide fresh, if sometimes messy sounding, settings for songs from Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake and others. Hurt’s Richmond Women Blues, opens and Brad Simms’ accordion gives it some Louisiana spice, while Gary Davis’ She’s Funny That Way, features some traditional jazz sounding brass. Robert Johnson’s Last Fair Gone Down, is done almost as a strutting ragtime string band piece with nice fiddle by Alexander Mitchell. Rev. Davis’ Cincinnati Flow Rag also sports trumpet and trombone providing a somewhat cluttered accompaniment.

Salty Dog, credited to John Hurt, is an old standby of the traditional jazz field and bluegrass, but Papa Charlie Jackson’s medicine band-hokum recording is evoked by the jazzy here, with Scott Rich’s muted trumpet effective, with more of the same flavor on Come On Boys Let’s Do That Messin’ Around, and Sylvester Weaver’s Guitar Rag, has a bit of old time country flavor with Carmichael’s dobro playing and Mitchell’s fiddle.

Carmichael is an adept musician, and a capable singer but many of the performances would have benefited from a bit less cluttered backing (the drummer might have played lighter and simpler accompaniments for example). Even if not compelling, Queen Fareena, will appeal to many including fans of skiffle band music and the revivalist jug bands of the folk revival. This cd is available at cdbaby.com.

This review was written in 2009 (and a few minor changes made) but I do not believe it was ever published. My review copy was provided by a publicist.

D'Mar and Gill Are Real Good Friends

The combination of acoustic guitarist and vocalist Chris Gill and Derrick "D'Mar" Martin on drums and congas is heard on Real Good Friend (Airtight). While at first sight one might wonder if this duo is another in the vein of North Mississippi Hill Country groups, they are not as rhythmically heavy in their style. Martin embellishes Gill's vocals and guitar playing as opposed to the the no holds bar approach on some North Mississippi Hill Country styled recordings.

Gill wrote most of the songs (the one cover is My Babe) and sings with a definite warmth and plays very adeptly whether finger-picking or adding slide runs while Martin's percussion adds a swinging feel. The songs suggest, without copying, the classic country blues. One example is the title song where Gill opens with a spoken reference to Honeyboy Edwards and Robert Johnson before his delta-flavored, slide accompaniment to a lyric about riding the rails and jump off and get to the hobo jungle. Maybe Baby is built upon a delta groove and features nice slide. Martin's drumming and percussion helps this performance percolate. He never is flashy but it always sounds like he has added just the right amount of syncopation.

Crawfish Boogie is an infectious medium tempo salute to the mudbugs with a catchy vocal chorus (with D’Mar adding a vocal response) and a kazoo solo before some nice finger-picked guitar. It is followed by the jazzy sophistication of Harmony Street as Gill whistles and displays a different side of his guitar playing. The contrast in these two performances shows how the two are able to paint a varied musical palette here. The rest of the album is as engaging with Tore Down, a focused blues with a strong vocal, standing out. This concludes with an instrumental, International Blues Stomp, that matches Gill’s adroit slide playing and the duo’s refreshingly understated approach.

D'Mar & Gill have provided here solid performances of interesting and original songs. The performances of Real Good Friend are rooted in the blues tradition but provide their own slant on acoustic blues and will delight folk-blues lovers. Recommended.

My review copy was provided by a publicist.