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In This Issue
Terry Mullins has our feature interview with Tommy Castro.
We have six CD reviews for you this week! Steve Jones reviews a new CD from
Julius Pittman & the Revival. Rainey Wetnight reviews a new CD from Bobby
Rush. John Mitchell reviews
a new CD from Mike Pachelli.
Jim Kanavy reviews a new CD from Jackie Johnson. Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony
reviews a new CD from JT Coldfire. Mark Thompson reviews a new CD from
Boo Boo Davis . All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!!
From The Editor's Desk
Hey Blues Fans,
 We
had a great time at the Blues Blast Music
Awards last Thursday. Of course there were a few surprises in
addition to the 16 artists that were scheduled and played
including Nick
Moss Band, Reverend Raven
And The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys, Karen
Lovely Band,
Eddie Turner,
Bob Corritore
& Dave Riley,
Rich Del Grosso
& John Richardson,
Peter Parcek, The
Sugar Prophets,
Teeny Tucker,
Reba Russell Band,
Gina Sicilia with Dave Gross, Matt Hill,
Chris
O'Leary Band,
Vincent Hayes
Project, Tony Rogers &
Sharrie
Williams and
Rob Blaine's Big
Otis Blues!
First off there was the surprise appearance by drummer, song
writer and producer Tom Hambridge.
 Tom
wrote the award winning song "Living Proof" with Buddy Guy
and produced the album by the same name for Buddy. He is Buddy's
road drummer too.
Tom showed up after opening up for ZZ Top in Rockford earlier in
the evening and performed a couple songs from his new CD
Boom!
Then Buddy got up and did a song too and it was quite a show!
Buddy was the big winner of the evening winning three of the
eight awards for the evening for Best Male Artist, Song Of The
Year and Best Contemporary Blues CD.
Buddy's set and acceptance comments were the highlight of the
evening.
Another
big winner and surprise performer was Trampled Under Foot who
won the awards for Best Blues Band and also the Sean Costello
Rising Star Award.
 TUF guitarist Nick Schnebelen jammed on a number with Candye
Kane's guitar player, Laura Chavez
Other notable winners were Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes"
Smith who the award for Best Traditional Blues CD for thir
album, Joined At The Hip.
Willie's son Javik accepted their award.
Winning
the Best Female Blues Artist award was the late, Robin Rogers.
 Husband Tony Rogers played a couple of Robin's songs with Sharrie Williams and accepted the award from Koko Taylor's
daughter Cookie Taylor.
The remaining award for Best New artists Debut CD was the award
that was the most contested with the winner Chris O'Leary Band
winning by a mere 3 votes out of more than 6,500 cast. Who say
your vote doesn't count?
 The
Lifetime achievement award went to Michael Frank who graciously
accepted while the crowd gave him a much deserved standing
ovation.
I would like to thank our hard working staff including Master of
Ceremonies David Berntson, Awards Hostess Whitney Kieser, Liz
Berntson, Blues Blast Music Awards Executive Director Nate
Kieser, Stage Manager Randy Hoffman, Assistant Stage Managers
Mark Thompson and Dave Katzman, Merchandise Manager Steve Jones,
Stage Announcer James Walker and admissions staff Karl Kieser
and Brenda Partick. We also want to thank The Windy City Blues
Society and Rockford's Crossroads Blues Society. We could not have pulled this one off with
our your wonderful help.
We are also grateful to all the sponsors, The Essex Inn,
ChicagoBluesBeat.com, Moonshine Design, Badblues Records, Keith
Petty & Eva Sasser, Dave & Linda Madden, River Bend Bar &
Grill, Chicago Blues Guide, Hampton Photos and WGLT Radio.
Finally I would like to thank our good friend Gary Eckhart for
providing these images. There will be complete photos of all the
Blues Blast Music Awards
fun including more photos from Gary and others in an upcoming
issue.
If you missed the awards this year, mark the date for next years
awards on your calendar now. It will be Thursday, October 25th,
2012.
Information for artists and labels on submitting releases for
consideration to our nominators will be published in Blues Blast
Magazine and on our website in February of 2012.
Good Blues To You!
Bob Kieser
Blue Star Connection Chicago Fundraiser - Sunday, November 6th,
Buddy Guy’s Legends
Blue Star Connection (BSC) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to bringing music into the lives of children and young
adults fighting cancer. A “Blue Star Connection Chicago
Celebration & Fundraiser” scheduled this Sunday, November 6th,
Buddy Guy’s Legends will be host to Blues stars like Magic Slim,
Jimmy Johnson, Nick Moss, Curtis Salgado, Lurrie Bell, Eddie
Shaw, Eddie C. Campbell, Eddie Taylor Jr., Barrelhouse Chuck,
Billy Branch, Joe Moss and many others, as they put on an
unforgettable show to benefit this great cause.
If you know of a
child who would like a musical instrument, or if you’d like to
donate money or an instrument, visit
BlueStarConnection.org. All donations are tax deductible.
For information on this great show see the ad below in this
issue. or CLICK HERE.
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Featured Blues Interview -
Tommy Castro
 There was probably no bigger musical melting pot anywhere in the
world than there was in San Francisco in the 1960s and early 70s.
There were not too many other places in the world where you could see
Chicago Transit Authority, Albert King and The Who, all on the same
stage, all on the same night.
That melting pot also boiled over into other parts of the Bay Area, as
well.
That’s where young Tommy Castro would witness the neighborhood low
riders cruising up and down the streets of east San Jose, pumping out
greasy tunes by the likes of Wilson Pickett and Junior Walker.
“It seemed like every time a car would drive by, you’d hear “Midnight
Hour” or “Shotgun,” or something like that,” Castro said of those sticky
San Jose nights.
While he was hearing that in one ear, Castro and his friends were also
soaking up the sounds of outfits like Cream and The Butterfield Blues
Band in the other ear.
Mix Wilson Pickett with The Butterfield Blues Band, fast forward three
decades and you have an idea about what the Tommy Castro Band is all
about.
“We were just learning to play guitar and listening to stuff like Ten
Years After and meanwhile, we were also hearing all this great soul
music and that couldn’t help but rub off on us,” he said. “So that’s
kind of how my sound developed. People ask me all the time, ‘how do you
end up being a blues musician, growing up in the San Francisco bay area?
It doesn’t seem like that would be a good place to get exposed to that
kind of music.’ But it was actually a great place, just because of all
the music going on in general.”
 Before striking out on his own in the early 90s, Castro’s stint in the
Dynatones – Charlie Musselwhite’s one-time backing band -ended up having
a huge impact on his appreciation for the power of soul music.
“Yeah, I might have known about Otis Redding and Sam and Dave and groups
like that, but the Dynatones really took it to a deeper level,” he said.
“Back before CDs were readily available, Big Walter (Shuffelsworth,
drummer for the Dynatones) would have all these 90-minute cassette tapes
loaded with all this really, cool, greasy soul music. Stuff I’d never
heard. So that really had an effect on my writing and my music later on.
Not only that, but they’d (Dynatones) take me down to Maxwell Street (in
Chicago) and make me eat pork chop sandwiches and stuff like that.”
Not only was soul music at its hey-day in the 60s and 70s, revue-style
shows commonly made their way up and down the touring circuit.
Whether it was the Stax-Volt Revue, the Johnny Otis Revue or the Ike and Tina Turner Show, variety really was the spice of life where live music was concerned back in the day.
And Castro is bound and determined to see that those glorious days
return once again.
Much of the bay area bluesman’s calendar the past few years has been
filled with his own traveling revue, one that harkens back to the
good-old days and features some of the brightest blues stars currently
burning up the galaxy.
For those unfortunate souls who have not been able to see the
highly-entertaining exploits of those shows in person, Alligator Records
issued Tommy Castro Presents … The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue –
Live early this summer.
 Like a highlight reel of those tours, the disc captures performances by
Castro and his long-time band, along with notables like Michael Burks,
Joe Lewis Walker, Sista Monica, Rick Estrin, Trampled Under Foot, Janiva
Magness, Theodis Ealy and Debbie Davies.
That folks, is a heck of a lot of star power.
“I felt that was really a worth-while venture to put out some of these
live shows that we did. Alligator Records did a fine job of packing it,
promoting it and presenting it,” Castro said. “People are into live
music, man. Nowadays people are taping shows and posting shows … and all
of that. They’re into what happened at last night’s show. And this live
album would never have happened if not for the Legendary Rhythm and
Blues Cruise.”
Ah, yes.
The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise.
Unless they’ve spent a great deal of time under a rock recently, blues
fans from all over the world should be instantly familiar with The
Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise.
But what many of those fans may not know, is that Tommy Castro has been
made an honorary captain of the twice-annual Caribbean cruises that are
stocked to the gill with a who’s-who of blues greats and is always sold
out.
So how does a guy go from scuffling around the east bay to becoming an
honorary captain on the high seas?
 “Sheer luck, I think,” laughed Castro. “The idea for the blues cruise
was Roger Naber’s and after running into some difficulty along the way
early, he regrouped, changed the name and this last incarnation of the
blues cruise has been a pretty tight ship, no pun intended. They’ve got
it down solid as a rock. And I was lucky enough to get booked on there
as one of the acts like everybody else. But I suppose I was paying
attention to what the crowd liked. I’ve always considered that my job –
even going back to playing clubs in San Francisco before I was
well-known. You have to pay attention to and take care of your audience.
That’s where it all starts, man.”
And the one thing that Castro really noticed was how the cruises-goers
ate up the jam sessions that have turned into a major calling card on
the ships.
“Yeah, we don’t really rehearse, we just get up there and jam and just
see what happens,” he said. “And people just love that. All of us (blues
bands) are just out there running around with our own groups and we
don’t really get to see other acts that are out there that much.
Occasionally at a festival you might have the luxury to stick around and
check out someone’s show. But that’s rare. But on the blues cruise, that
stuff happens all day long.”
All day long and well into the night, that is.
 “I noticed that the audience loved that aspect (the all-star jams) more
than anything else,” said Castro. “The biggest crowd of the day would be
at these jam sessions. At 1 o’clock in the morning, people would be
standing out there, just waiting for the thing to get started. And it
would go until 4 or 5 in the morning. Then, people would wander to the
piano bar where musicians would be sitting in and jamming down there. So
that’s what I noticed - that the people loved to see different musicians
get together and interact. That’s where this whole idea came from. And
blues have been a great format for jamming, because everyone knows the
form.”
Castro figured that if those jams could be so much fun on the
crystal-blue waters of the Caribbean, they were bound to be equally as
much fun inland.
Although it might not have been totally smooth sailing from the outset,
Castro nevertheless knew he was on to something.
“Well, I’m not B.B. King. If B.B. King was putting together a revue like
this, everyone would jump at the chance to go out and play,” he said.
“But when it’s Tommy Castro, they’re like, ‘what? You want me to do
what? With who?’ But we put that first lineup together and it was pretty
magical. It’s been pretty hard to beat that initial lineup. We knew
right then that the model was pretty sound and we would be able to take
this thing and be able to play some bigger venues than what each of us
could play on our own. That was part of the plan.”
Those performers on that embryonic run included Deanna Bogart, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Magic Dick.
Not only does the revue-style show allow Castro to travel around the
country with his friends – old and new – it has also paid dividends in
another category.
 “Well, I’m the only guy that’s booked to play on every single blues
cruise that goes out,” he laughed. “And part of the reason why is that
we really promote the cruises wherever we’re playing these revue shows.”
Currently, Coco Montoya, Curtis Salgado and Sista Monica are on the
bill.
“Some of the nights, the show will last for four to four-and-a-half
hours from beginning to end,” he said. “I think we give people a pretty
good representation of what the blues cruises’ jams are like.”
Though he’s been a fixture in the blues scene as a bandleader for a
couple of decades now, it would hard to imagine Castro ever having a
bigger year than the one he experienced in 2010.
Behind his magnificent Hard Believer (Alligator Records) album,
Castro dominated the Blues Music Awards, winning the top honor in every
category that he was nominated in.
That includes the Blues Foundation’s ultra-prestigious B.B. King
Entertainer of the Year Award, marking the second time Castro has
managed to take home that honor.
“Those (awards) mean a lot to me, because I went for a long time with no
recognition whatsoever,” he said. “I don’t think it was anything
personal, I guess that I just hadn’t made enough of an impact to grab
much attention. And so finally – bam! – I had a record nominated (2005’s
Soul Shaker). It didn’t win anything, but the next year, I got
Album of the Year (Painkiller) and Entertainer of the Year and I
was just blown away. This is 15-plus years into my career. So that was
pretty cool. I’ve got both those statues in my living room, right out
there for everyone to see.”
Winning awards in every category that you’re nominated in has got to be
extra-special, but according to Castro, that also might be a bit of a
double-edged sword.
 “That was more than I expected (winning four BMAs in one year) – I
really didn’t know what to think about that,” he said. “Except for, now
what do we do now to follow that up? That’s what I was really thinking.”
Shiny, gleaming statues certainly do look good in a trophy case, or on
the fireplace mantle, but they can also do more than just look good –
they can actually help put food on the dining room table.
“The main order of business around here – yeah, you may have a good band
and some good songs and all that, but unless you have a gig to show all
that stuff off at, it’s not all that cool,” Castro laughed. “So, the
awards did help us get some more gigs and some more festival dates and I
couldn’t be more grateful for that bit of acknowledgement. And of course
it means a lot to me personally, too, since I’ve spent so much of my
life doing this.”
And just like any true artist – whether it be a painter, a sculptor, a
photographer or a blues musician – Castro is cognizant about creating a
legacy that can stand the test of time.
“When you think about, all you really have in your life on earth is
time,” he said. “And if I’m spending all of my time doing this (playing
the blues), it really does mean a lot that people are aware of my work.
I mean, you don’t just do this for yourself, do you? You do it for the
entertainment of other people. You do it for the sake of the art and the
overall community. And you do want people to think that you did
something good – something for them.”
And when it comes to the healing power of the blues, such gratitude is
often immediate.
“When someone comes up to me and says, ‘man, I was having a hard time
last time and your music got me through it.’ Then they’ll say like, ‘I
listened to “Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” over and over, ’” said Castro.
“You can’t put a price on that. I could sit around and think about all
the things that didn’t happen over the course of my career, but I don’t
really spend much time doing that. Most of this came as a big surprise
to me. I was playing blues in little bands at home, just because that
was what I did for fun. And then I wound up doing it for a living.”
Interviewer Terry Mullins is a journalist and former record store
owner whose personal taste in music is the sonic equivalent of Attention
Deficit Disorder. Works by the Bee Gees, Captain Beefheart, Black
Sabbath, Earth, Wind & Fire and Willie Nelson share equal space with
Muddy Waters, The Staple Singers and R.L. Burnside in his compact disc
collection. He's also been known to spend time hanging out on the street
corners of Clarksdale, Mississippi, eating copious amounts of barbecued
delicacies while listening to the wonderful sounds of the blues.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 1 of 6
 Julius
Pittman & the Revival – Live Tonight
Eller Soul Records
12 tracks
I have been very impressed with the new body of work crossing my desk
and CD player from Eller Soul Records, and this album by Julius Pittman
& the Revival is no exception. This is a smoking hot disc of southern
soul and blues brought to us by a very talented group of musicians with
a big, big sound.
Pittman fronts the band on vocals and keyboards and gives us some
excellent B-3 and piano along with vocals with a great punch. Randy Moss
and Velpo Robertson are on guitar, Audie Stanley plays bass, Chris
McIntye is on drums, John Stanley plays tenor sax, Howards Smith is on
tenor and baritone sax, and Dave Triplet plays trumpet and flugelhorn.
This is a big and powerful sounding 8-piece band and the live
performance is full of energy and soul. These guys are professionals who
laid down a great set of tracks and the crowd was really into their
music!
Pittman offers use three originals and nine covers of southern soul and
blues standards. The thee originals held their own and were equally
enjoyable to the great covers. “It Ain’t What You Got” is a bouncy track
that gives us some nice solos by the backline and guitar, while “Love
Changes Like the Weather” drops the tempo down a notch with good guitar,
organ and horn section solos. “Miss Lovin” Her” takes the tempo down all
the way and Pittman talks to us about love in a slow and bluesy cut. His
vocals are spot on in each track and he really sells the songs. From the
opening track “She’s Looking Good” to the ever popular “Shotgun” that
closes out the CD I found myself grooving to the tunes and enjoying
myself. This is a dance party waiting to happen!
This follow on to their critically acclaimed 2010 studio album “The
Bucket List” is right up there with it. The live R&B and soulful sound
is done right. I thoroughly enjoyed this CD and hope to catch up with
them on the live tour circuit soon!
Reviewer
Steve
Jones is a Board Member of the
Crossroads Blues
Society and is a long standing blues lover. He is a retired Navy
commander who served his entire career in nuclear submarines. In
addition to working in his civilian career, he writes for and publishes
the bi-monthly newsletter for Crossroads, chairs their music festival
and works with their Blues In The Schools program.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 2 of 6
 Bobby
Rush - Show You a Good Time
Deep Rush Records
11 songs; 44 minutes
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Funk, Soul, Acoustic Blues
Southern gentleman Bobby Rush is, without a doubt, one of the most
flamboyant entertainers on today's blues scene. He is also an ambassador
of good will and racial harmony. Total package: he is a national
treasure.
Whether one listens to him live (complete with jovial and gyrating
dancing girls!) or via one of his nine (at least) previous albums, the
clear impression one receives is that Bobby presents several truths
about blues music. To this reviewer's mind, the tireless
70-something-year-old Rush believes that the best blues is sincere,
pointed, and, most of all, fun, especially if one enjoys his brand of
overtly sexual fun. Lyrically, Rush is from the Son House school on
blues: “it’s what happens between a man and a woman.” Rush's tenth
release, “Show You a Good Time,” surely accomplishes what its title sets
out to do!
Across the eleven original tracks, Bobby sings, swings, and plays harp
and guitar with just keyboards, bass, and drums/percussion in support.
That formula usually results in heart pumping, metronome-like rhythms
that defy gravity.
Some most notable among the great numbers:
Track 2: “Sniffer”--According to this funky and hilarious ditty, a “sniffer” is a man who (amongst all his sniffing) inspects his woman's clothes with his nose after she's been out for the evening and has gone to bed. “Where's she been, and what's she been doing?” Such questions can apparently be answered through the olfactory apparatus! Rush calls out several “sniffers,” including (presumably absent) Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy. “There are two kinds of sniffers in the world, I know,” Rush states: “the one that say he do, and the other one say he don't!”
Track 3: “My Friend”--With pals like the one Bobby describes here, who
needs enemies? He slyly and slowly sings of a cad who “eat my chicken
and drinking my tea—now he's trying to take my woman from me. Do you
call that a friend?” “No, no,” answers a sly chorus. Fair enough.
Following a harp solo, when Rush nonchalantly asks if he should
shoot/stab/poison “my friend, because my friend's trying to do me in,”
their voices softly prompt, “Yeah, yeah.” Is this song funny or creepy?
The unsettling answer is that it's both, simultaneously!
Bonus Track [#11]: “Jody Didn't Take Your Woman”--As explained in the
earliest part of this song, “Jody” could be anyone: “your cousin, your
closest kin, your next-door neighbor or your best friend.” Regardless,
cheating men, “Jody” attends to your inamorata while you're “running
round town with your pants unzipped.” Don't blame Jody for “taking your
woman—you gave her to him!” Clever and catchy, this dance inducer puts
the “bonus” in “bonus track.”
Bobby Rush wants to “Show You a Good Time.” Take him up on his offer,
whether you're a male or female blues fan, because this studio CD is
Rush’s best and most accessible work in recent years!.
Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 32 year old female Blues fan. She
brings the perspective of a younger blues fan to reviews. A child of
1980s music, she was strongly influenced by her father’s blues music
collection.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 3 of 6
 Mike
Pachelli – Meeting Point
Full Blast Recordings
12 tracks; 53.54 minutes
Although I had never heard of Mike Pachelli before receiving this CD for
review he has been around the music scene for a long time and has
produced a whole raft of CDs though this is his first straight blues
recording. Originally from Ohio, Mike studied in NYC and hosted a TV
show in Florida for ten years, interviewing Paul McCartney, Stevie Ray
Vaughan and Joe Satriani amongst others. He has also produced
instructional books and DVDs for guitarists and played in classical,
jazz, rock and blues idioms.
The core band here is Mike on vocals and guitar, Ronnie Ciago on drums,
Baba Elefante on bass and Lance Abair on Hammond B3. Jazz organist
Brother Jack McDuff plays B3 on one track and Balint Sapszon adds piano
to one track. John Sferra replaces Ciago on drums on four tracks. All
material is written by Mike Pachelli and was recorded over some three
years in LA, Nashville and Evian in France.
There are many positives to this CD. The songs are well recorded and
there is a fair variety of material. The main featured instrument is
inevitably the guitar and Mike covers a good variety of styles. His
singing voice works well on most of the songs. Opener “I Don’t Worry” is
a fast paced blues rock piece with a nice variation on the woman staying
out at night theme; here Mike does not worry because he knows she is not
to be trusted anyway, so why worry? “How Come I Always Got The Blues” is
much bluesier, the shuffle rhythm well supported by the organ. An
uncredited harp takes the first solo, Mike’s guitar ringing out on the
second solo. Third track “My Guitar Will Say It For Me” has some
excellent guitar playing in a rock style, a song which provides the shy
man a way of expressing his feelings through his instrument!
I also enjoyed “Even The Birds Are Walking Now” a song which exemplifies
the current doubts and concerns about the economic state of affairs –
“Things are so bad even the birds are walking now”: more tough guitar
playing on a fast shuffle rhythm here. “Too Much Hassle” fades in at the
beginning, with the organ playing a significant support role. The song
is another strong one in which our protagonist is at the end of his
tether with his woman who clearly has not heard that we are in troubled
times: “I gave you all my money, you went out and bought twelve pairs of
shoes. I told you that’s not funny, you said shut up and go play some
blues”! The organist takes a well-deserved solo before Mike’s guitar
solo which has both distortion and tender moments.
“Gonna Reap What You Sow” is not the Otis Rush song, though it has some
lyrical similarities. A slow blues with some nice chording beneath the
vocal lines and a solo section which has a few touches of jazz in its
approach. “Won’t Move On” changes the approach completely with an
acoustic guitar accompanied by sparse bass and drums. “The Evian
Shuffle” is an instrumental, pretty much what the title suggests, with
some fast runs on guitar above a frantic paced backdrop. “Adam And Eve
and McDuff” is a late night jazz track, recounting the story of Adam and
Eve but with the lyrical twist of McDuff appearing and apparently
corrupting Eve by giving her a sample of what he is smoking! I presume
that Jack was OK with that as he is playing on the track.
“Don’t You Bother Knockin’” takes the age-old theme of the guy who has
moved on from a former relationship. Taken at a relaxed pace this song
features what is probably Mike’s strongest vocal on the CD and some nice
guitar throughout. “Where’s My Shoes” is a jazzy shuffle with clean
guitar and a rather strange lyric about… not being able to find his
shoes! The CD closes with something completely different, an
instrumental entitled “Alone At Night” which is just Mike and pianist
Balint Sapszon. Those who are familiar with Jeff Beck’s version of
“Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” from his “Blow By Blow” album of the
mid-seventies will smile in recognition of some of the techniques used
both by Jeff and here by Mike. As the Beck piece is one of my personal
favourites, I liked this track a lot though it is not really blues at
all.
I found this an enjoyable CD with some entertaining songs and good
playing. If Mike Pachelli sticks to a blues-based approach I could see
him making an impact on the blues scene but his eclecticism may make him
move away to other projects in the future – he is certainly a very
talented player.
Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK. He also
travels to the States most years to see live blues music.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Blues Society News
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Send your Blues Society's BIG news or Press Release
about your
not-for-profit event with
the subject line "Blues Society News" to:
Submissions must be a maximum of 175 words or less in a Text or MS Word document
format.
River City Blues Society
- Pekin, IL
River City Blues Society presents: Bringing The Blues To You with
the following shows - Big Dog
Mercer - Wednesday November 9th, Cash Box Kings - Thursday November
17th, Kilborn Alley Blues Band - Wednesday November 30th, Victor
Wainwright & The Wildroots - Saturday December 17th. Location
Goodfellas 1414 S. 8th St, Pekin, Illinois 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm $5.00
non-members $3.00 members. For more info visit:
www.rivercityblues.com
The Golden Gate Blues Society -
Redwood City, CA
On Sunday, November 13, The Golden Gate Blues Society of the San
Francisco Bay Area presents the International Blues Challenge Final
Round. Pinkie Rideau and Blind Resistance, The David Landon Band,
Paula Harris and Blu Gruv, and The Delta Wires hit the stage at San
Francisco’s award- winning home of the blues, Biscuits & Blues,
located at 401 Mason Street near Union Square, from 2 until 6 pm on
Sunday, November 13. Admission for members of The Golden Gate Blues
Society is $15, and for nonmembers $20. Membership is available at
the door.
Judges for the Finals include Sista Monica Parker, "the lioness of
the blues;" Lee Hildebrand, journalist for Living Blues; and Frank
DeRose, leader and bass player with 2011 TGGBS International Blues
Challenge winners Tip of the Top. For more info visit
www.tggbs.org
The Windy City Blues Society
- Chicago, IL
The Windy City Blues Society is proud to announce the 2011 Chicago
Blues Challenge (CBC). The CBC is a series of musical competitions
that will determine which blues band will represent Chicago and The
Windy City Blues Society at the Blues Foundation’s 2012
International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Chicago Blues Challenge will be held on Sundays in October culminating in the Finals in November. Venues will be
announced shortly on the Windy
City Blues Society Website.
The Chicago Blues Challenge Finals will be held
Sunday, November 13.
For more information about the Windy City Blues Society and the
Chicago Blues Challenge please visit
www.windycityblues.org or visit
our Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter Sites.
Illinois Central Blues Club -
Springfield, IL
The Illinois Central Blues Club presents "Blue Monday" every Monday
night for the last 25 years - BLUE MONDAY SHOWS - Held at the Alamo
115 N 5th St, Springfield, IL (217) 523-1455 every Monday 8:30pm $3
cover. Nov 6 -
Robert Sampson. icbluesclub.org
The Friends Of The Blues - Watseka, IL
2011 Friends of the Blues shows - November
10, Ivas John Band, 7 pm, Venue TBA, December 1, Dave Herrero, 7 pm,
Kankakee Valley Boat Club. For more info see:
http://www.wazfest.com/JW.html
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Featured Blues Review 4 of 6
 Jackie
Johnson - Memphis Jewel
Catfood
Records
11
Tracks, 42:00
Somehow in
the last ten years, or maybe a few more, original style Rhythm & Blues
music has become covered by the umbrella of simply Blues. What passes
for today’s R&B is often unimaginative, soulless, monotone, and
auto-tuned pabulum spoon fed to the masses by record companies and
pay-to-play radio monopolies. The modern blues scene is teeming with
classic-style Soul and R&B acts like Johnny Rawls, Otis Clay, Curtis
Salgado, Bettye Lavette and many more. Jackie Johnson is a seasoned
veteran who brings her brand of traditional soul to the big tent of
blues. Johnson has returned to recording with Memphis Jewel on
Catfood Records, a sublime mixture of Gospel, R&B and Memphis soul.
Memphis
soul is more than just a description of Memphis Jewel; it’s
practically a mission statement, with every track oozing the city’s hot,
buttery essence. Even Smokey Robinson’s emblematic Detroit classic
“Tears Of A Clown” is given the Stax treatment with funky guitars, fat
bass lines, and pulsating horns. Fellow Catfood Records recording artist
Johnny Rawls duets with Jackie on his song “Love You Still.” Their
voices mesh like ribs and rub on this smoky R&B workout. The Memphis
Jewel rolls down the Big Muddy to New Orleans on “Brightside.” This
one shuffles along on the second line beat with a slide guitar wailing
away as Johnson sings about juggling men. The infectious beat of
“Brightside” is sure to get audiences moving at the live shows.
Memphis
Jewel was produced by Jim Gaines, who has worked with Santana,
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Luther Allison and numerous others. The studio band
features several members of The Rays – the band that backed up Johnny
Rawls on his last few records. The band is tight and feels comfortable
with all the permutations of blues and R&B found on Memphis Jewel.
Bob Trenchard, owner of Catfood Records and a member of The Rays, wrote
“Nothing Lasts Forever,” a funky organ-fueled, brass-tinged smoldering
jam. The back-up singers add extra dimension which, together with its
tight arrangement and insistent beat, makes this one a highlight of the
album.
Jackie
Johnson has been singing since childhood, starting off in the church
choir. She has sung back-up for Rufus Thomas, the Staple Singers,
Barbara Carr, Lenny Kravitz, and Shirley Brown. Jackie recorded some
gospel albums, Let Love Abide (1998) and Here I Am (2000),
and on Memphis Jewel, she returns to her church choir roots with
“Wash Your Hands” and “Keep The Faith.” The latter serves as the album
closer and delivers a hopeful message amid choir vocals, rippling piano
lines, swirling organ, and guitar arpeggios that propel the music toward
the heavens.
Memphis
Jewel is not really a blues album. It is however, a bluesy roots
record, drawing influences from God’s house much more so than the
Devil’s juke joints. Fans of Stax classic records and Motown will find
more to their liking here than die hard Howlin’ Wolf fans will but
that’s not a bad thing. Like the best blues, every note Jackie Johnson
sings is filled with passion and is imbued with real life experiences
that connect with the listeners and will draw in even the most cynical
listeners.
Reviewer Jim Kanavy is the greatest guitar player in his house. He has
been reviewing albums in his head for 30 years and in print since 2008,
and is deeply committed to keeping the blues alive and thriving. For
more information visit
http://jimkanavy.com.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
Featured Blues Review 5 of
6
 JT
Coldfire - Crazy Sun
Time-54:02
The Texas
tradition of hard-charging guitar powered blues is at home, placed in
the hands of Austin, Texas’ JT Coldfire. His guitar skills draw from
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Freddie King and Albert Collins among others. The
usual Texas blues subjects are visited: guns, criminal activity, longing
for love…you know the drill. JT and crew bring a freshness to
well-charted waters. An authoritative voice, songwriting and the
production skills he adds to the stew bring it all home. His aggressive
guitar attack is the centerpiece of this disc. It’s the classic rockin’
blues power trio with the occasional assistance of harmonica and piano.
Lee Sheffield on bass and Dimon Dixon on drums provide the backbone for
JT’s axe adventures.
“Hangin’
Tree” represents the classic “tension and release” device in a tune that
sees our hero looking for a tree to end his suffering. A drumstick
driven slow shuffle builds into an energy charged rave-up as harmonica
joins in the fray. JT comes off as a more laidback SRV on the
Texas-boogie of “Johnny’s Gone”, which I think is about a man wrongly
accused of a crime. The title tune and “No Time For Sleepin’” are
extended guitar workouts, the ladder a Texas shuffle that just burns it
up. The device of a pun in the title is employed on the hard-charging
“Lee Malone” (Leave Me Alone) about a woman that keeps bugging him.
Just as
impressive are the four acoustic forays, my favorites being the country
blues “Pistol Lead” and “She’s Crazy”, a late night guitar-piano-drum
groove. Mournful dobro sets the scene on “Mr. Jones” were the listener
is given a warning on who to mess with. A revival meeting is conjured up
in the dobro-infused “Lower That Ladder”. The acoustic guitar playing
throughout reveals the same hard attack and/or deft touch shown on the
electric bits.
“Bad Day”
is an obvious and well-done homage to Bob Dylan in the use of cadence,
phrasing and lyrical wordplay. Banzai LARocca weaves his blues harp
throughout the mesmerizing tune. Marty Robbins’ Tex-Mex story-songs are
given their due in “Sweet Little Isa”.
Electric blues, acoustic country blues and the fringes of blues-rock are given their due here. It does ones’ heart good to see musicians on a mission to keep a regional form alive, all-the-while breathing fresh air into it.
Reviewer Greg
“Bluesdog” Szalony hails from the New Jersey Delta.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
Featured Blues Review 6 of
6
 Boo
Boo Davis - Undercover Blues
Black and Tan Records
12 tracks/50:23
Born in the heart of the Mississippi delta, singer Boo Boo Davis ended
up in the St. Louis area, where he played his style of down-home blues
in local clubs for several decades. For the last ten years, he has been
touring regularly in Europe and recording four previous releases for the
Black & Tan Records. He punctuates his rough vocals with short blasts
from his harmonica.
The liner notes state that Davis and his band – John Gerritse on drums
and Jan Mittendorp on guitar – spent six hours in a studio in
Switzerland, turning their ideas into the twelve tracks featured on his
latest project. Recorded live in the studio, the disc serves as an
accurate reflection of the band’s live performances. Gerritse
consistently supplies a strong beat while Mittendorp sticks to playing
rhythm guitar, often with an enhanced, fat tone that fills in the space
behind Davis’s vocals, which are often buried in the mix, making tough
to decipher what he is singing.
The problem is that at least half of the cuts end up sounding like demo
tracks rather than completed songs. On tracks like “Turkey Walk” and
“Got the Feeling”, Davis simply chants the title line or short lyric
phrases instead of a more developed lyrical progression that relates a
story. The faster boogie shuffle on “Shoot the Dice” paired with Davis
sounding like Howlin’ Wolf is not enough to overcome another case of
feeble lyrics. The title cut is stronger, with an otherworldly guitar
sound and upper register harp tones from Davis.
Things get more interesting when the group slows the pace and slips into
a more soulful sound. “Don’t Worry Baby” has a convincing vocal as Davis
tries to reassure his lover. The loping rhythm of “Xmas Blues”
underscores Davis’s plaintive description of his longing to be with his
family at Christmas. Davis’s brooding performance on “Number One” is
another highlight with Mittendorp also turning in a standout
performance. On the final track, Davis delivers a musical sermon in
celebration of his faith that once again is short-circuited by the
constant repetition of the title phrase, “Thank You, Dave”. Once the
music ends, Davis continues to testify like a storefront preacher with
the holy-ghost feeling.
The best moments on this disc show what might have been if Boo Boo Davis
and his band had taken the time to pt together a stronger batch of
tunes. The stripped-down instrumental line-up doesn’t allow much room
for error. While Davis will not dazzle anyone with his harp playing, his
singing can really capture your attention. But there isn’t enough
material that hits that level of performance to make this disc an
essential purchase.
Reviewer Mark
Thompson is president of the
Crossroads Blues
Society in Rockford. IL. He has been listening to music of all kinds
for fifty years. The first concert he attended was in Chicago with The
Mothers of Invention and Cream. Life has never been the same.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
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